"Dr. Geronemus' vision and expertise in the dermatology sectors will help drive growth and unlock value..." Tweet this Inder Tallur, Sr. Managing Director of BelHealth Investment Partners and Director of NavaDerm, added, "For years Dr. Geronemus has led an outstanding group of physicians and their dedicated staff at LSSCNY, one of the largest independent dermatology practices in the northeast, and we could not pick a better leader for the NavaDerm platform. Dr. Geronemus' vision and expertise in the dermatology sectors will help drive growth and unlock value for all stakeholders. We remain focused on our initial thesis of exclusively partnering with physician founders and expect several more to join the platform under Dr. Geronemus' leadership". Andrew G. Franks, MD, Clinical Professor, Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine said, "I have the pleasure of working closely with Dr. Roy Geronemus in his capacity as a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the NYU Langone Medical Center. His innovative work in the field of lasers, related technologies and cosmetic dermatology has been recognized widely in the field of dermatology and beyond." Dr. Geronemus stated "I am thrilled to join the NavaDerm team. With truly exceptional physicians leading their individual practices, NavaDerm has become a preeminent Northeast-based dermatology platform in less than two years. While I will continue to practice full-time and serve my patients, I also look forward to bringing my experience as a physician and executive to NavaDerm to drive the best clinical outcomes and grow the platform with Inder and the BelHealth team." About NavaDerm NavaDerm Partners, headquartered in New York City, is a Northeast-based dermatology management platform formed through the partnership of five dermatology groups in New York and New Jersey. Operating out of seven locations, NavaDerm's mission is to support its outstanding 50+ board-certified dermatologists and their dedicated staffs in providing outstanding patient care. NavaDerm's clinicians provide world-class and comprehensive general dermatology services across medical, surgical and cosmetic procedures. About Laser & Skin Surgery Center New York LSSCNY is a world-renowned leader in cosmetic and general dermatology, dermatologic surgery, laser surgery and Mohs surgery. It was founded by New York Dermatologist Roy G. Geronemus, M.D. in 1993 and is headquartered in Manhattan. With 18 physicians and two locations in New York City and Long Island, LSSCNY is one of the largest and most preeminent dermatology groups in the United States. LSSCNY serves as a clinical research site with particular expertise in lasers and has had a long and successful history of executing clinical trials. The practice also offers two full-time fellowship programs under the auspices of the American College of Mohs Surgery and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. About BelHealth Investment Partners BelHealth Investment Partners is a healthcare private equity firm focused on lower middle market companies. BelHealth has a unique combination of investing, executive management and entrepreneurial experience. BelHealth acquires majority positions in entrepreneur-owned companies that it believes would benefit from its extensive operating and private equity investment expertise. The firm invests across three core healthcare segments: Services, Products and Distribution. BelHealth is investing from its current $350 million fund. For further information, please visit: NavaDerm: www.navaderm.com Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York: www.laserskinsurgery.com BelHealth Investment Partners: www.belhealth.com Contact: NavaDerm: Dr. Roy Geronemus (212) 941-5055 BelHealth Investment Partners: Inder Tallur (347) 308-7018 SOURCE BelHealth Investment Partners Related Links https://www.belhealth.com Films from South Africa and Tunisia are in the running for next month's Oscars, which have been delayed because of the pandemic's impact on production schedules. My Octopus Teacher is a documentary focused on a friendship forged between a South African filmmaker and a creature in the Atlantic Ocean. The Man Who Sold His Skin, meanwhile, is a satire starring Monica Belluci which is up for best foreign language film."It's a historic nomination for Tunisia," director Kaouther Ben Hania told Variety magazine. 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 San Franciscos Potrero bus yard is one step closer to becoming the home of more than 500 housing units at least 50% of them affordable in five years. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to push forward the modernization of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agencys Potrero bus yard, which would build between 525 and 575 housing units on top of a new facility. It would rebuild the 100-year-old storage yard and trolley bus maintenance facility on the 4.4-acre site at 2500 Mariposa St. in the Mission. The initial target for the project is 50% affordable housing between 262 and 288 units for low- to moderate-income residents but the agency has a strong preference for a plan that could get to 100%. Im most excited about the possibility of folks being able to afford to live in San Francisco, in my district, Board President Shamann Walton told The Chronicle. Our office pushed extremely hard to make sure the bottom floor is 50% affordable, up to 100%. SFMTA spokeswoman Erica Kato said the project is a once-in-a-century opportunity to leverage the construction at the site to contribute to the citys affordable housing goals. When the SFMTA tried to build affordable housing at a SoMa parking garage in 2019, the agency canceled the request for proposals from developers a year into the process after community outcry, the San Francisco Business Times reported. The city is currently looking into modernizing three other bus yards: Presidio in Laurel Heights, Kirkland at Fishermans Wharf and Muni Metro East in the Dogpatch. The agency is analyzing Kirkland and Laurel Heights for future opportunities for housing after a community-informed planning process, Kato said. About 14% of Muni riders depended on buses from the Potrero yard daily pre-pandemic, the agency said. The obsolete facility houses nearly 400 employees and 100-plus trolley buses, but some ceilings are too low to do repairs, and the building isnt seismically stable in a major earthquake. With modernization, the agency aims to maintain and store more electric buses, double the number of employees working there, and increase on-time performance, reduce vehicle breakdowns and prevent passenger overcrowding. The project could bring in money for the struggling agency. The housing component will be a joint development a partner invests in and develops the project, and the agency gets revenue without having to pay up-front. SFMTA will now put out a request for proposals. The city identified three qualified developers last year and will select one by the fall. San Francisco Public Works is administering the contract on behalf of the SFMTA. Construction is expected to start in 2023 and finish by the end of 2026. The agency estimates the entire project will cost about $500 million to construct. Nearly $40 million is already in capital project plans. Final funding hasnt been identified. Affordable housing could also serve Munis employees, especially bus operators who commute from as far as Modesto and Sacramento. Kato said the SFMTA is working with the mayors office to determine how the agency may include the housing needs of employees in marketing and leasing of the housing units. Walton said hes very supportive of housing operators, but laws prohibit specifically carving out who the housing goes to. The plan could set income levels that legally line up with operators salaries, he said. Operators who commute when public transit isnt running also need parking, said Roger Marenco, Munis main union president. He protested that the initial proposal would eliminate on-site parking. You have to take care of the men and women who are keeping the system afloat at least with a damn parking space, he said. Walton said were going to do everything we can to make sure any parking that was there is maintained. Kato said the SFMTA is working on transportation options for employees to get to work. Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect that only bus yards at Laurel Heights and Kirkland are being considered for housing and the timeline to select a developer for the Potrero Yard project by the fall. Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench Travellers face higher taxes on foreign holidays to help pay for a cut in air passenger duty on domestic flights. Boris Johnson unveiled plans last week to slash the duty on internal flights to help improve connections within the UK. But Whitehall sources told the Daily Mail the move is likely to be paid for by increasing the charges on flights abroad. Boris Johnson unveiled plans last week to slash the duty on internal flights to help improve connections within the UK Overall revenue from the tax could even rise as a result of the Prime Ministers plans, the sources added, hitting the travel sector as it tries to recover from the disruption of the pandemic. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps hinted at the plan this week when challenged over the impact on the environment of cutting APD on domestic flights. We will make sure air passenger duty, which was not designed with carbon control in mind, is not collecting any less overall, he said. The Department for Transport yesterday confirmed that a consultation will consider increasing the number of international distance bands, with higher charges for certain destinations. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps hinted at the plan this week when challenged over the impact on the environment of cutting APD on domestic flights At present there are only two bands less than 2,000 miles, with APD starting at 13, and more than 2,000 miles, which would cost an economy passenger 80. Introducing more bands could allow the Treasury, which views the tax as a key source of revenue, to charge higher rates on more distant destinations. In 2019-20 APD raised 3.9 billion, though this slumped to 600 million last year and is not forecast to recover fully until 2024. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit India at the end of April in what will be his first major international trip after Britain's exit from the European Union as part of efforts to boost UK opportunities in the region, his office said on Monday. Johnson had planned an Indian trip in January as part of efforts to speed up trade talks between the two nations but was forced to cancel amid a surge of COVID-19 infections at home. At the time, his office said he had hoped to rearrange the visit before Britain hosted the meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven rich nations in June, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to attend as a visitor. Johnson's government said it would "tilt" its focus towards the Indo-Pacific region as part of its Integrated Review of government policy for the coming years, saying the area increasingly represented the geopolitical centre of the world. Last month, Britain made a formal request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), seeking membership of the 11-country bloc to open new avenues for post-Brexit trade and influence. It has also applied to become a dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "We are pursuing trade deals from Australia to the US and around the world particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, a huge growth market for the future," foreign minister Dominic Raab wrote in December. Also read: Britain must boost cyber-attack capacity: Borris Johnson Brainchip, the billion dollar company promising to build computer chips that mimic the workings of the human brain, has lost its chief executive Louis DiNardo with immediate effect. The company announced on Tuesday that Mr DiNardo had mutually agreed to terminate his contract without cause, effective immediately allowing him to leave the company and pursue other interests. It offered no explanation for the departure. Brainchip co-founder Peter van der Made, the current chief technology officer, will take the CEO role while the search for a permanent replacement is conducted. Brainchip has not provided an explanation for the abrupt departure of its CEO Louis DiNardo. Credit:Rick Stevens The company said Mr DiNardo will remain employed by Brainchip in a part-time role to further assist with the CEO transition for 12 months, for which he will receive a payment of $US100,000 ($129,000) to be paid in equal monthly instalments over the period. Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, president of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, has described the contents of a book designed for use by lower primary pupils as offensive. He noted that some of the contents of the said book cast derogatory allusions and innuendos at Ewes. Togbe Hodo, in a release said the contents were distasteful and a disgrace to the authors and publishers of the said material intended to educate the younger generations of the country. We deem it highly reprehensible for those responsible for this offensive publication to harbour such vile thoughts about their fellow citizens of Ghana in the 21st century. He said the House of Chiefs unreservedly condemned the demonstration of tribal bigotry and prejudice and called on those responsible for the publication to withdraw same from circulation and destroy every part of the offending material. Togbe Hodo further demanded an unqualified apology from the authors and publishers of the base material to be rendered to all Ewe speaking citizens of Ghana. Togbe Tepre Hodo urged other ethnic groups in the country to condemn such divisive publications, which only served as a recipe for chaos and disunity. He noted that in the event, where the ill-advised publication is discovered anywhere after their demand for it to be withdrawn from circulation, the chiefs and people of Ewe ethnic origin will take appropriate legal measures to ensure that these mischief-makers walk on the right side of the law. Source: asaaseradio 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 European Medicines Agency (EMA) is conducting a full scientific review of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab but has said it currently remains convinced that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the risk. The regulator, which approved the jab for Europe, is due to offer a further update on Thursday after several European countries halted its use due to reports of some people suffering blood clots following vaccination. It comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a new statement saying it was also evaluating the reports, but still believed the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighed any risks. Emer Cooke, the EMAs executive director, told a press briefing on Tuesday there was no current indication that the Oxford/AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine was the cause of the very rare reported blood clots. I want to stress at present there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, she said. They have not come up in the clinical trials and they are not listed as known side events with this vaccine. In clinical trials both vaccinated people and people who received the placebo have shown some very small number of blood clot developments. The number of thromboembolic events overall in vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population. Some countries have suspended use of a particular batch of the jab due to concerns, but Ms Cooke said the small number of reports from Europe involved several batches and therefore it is unlikely to be something related to a specific batch. However, she said this would form part of the EMAs ongoing investigation. Some 30 cases of blood clots had been reported to the EMA by March 10 among almost five million people vaccinated, but additional cases had been reported over the weekend, Ms Cooke said. She said there would be an increase in the reporting of such cases due to the publicity surrounding the current reports. The EMA is looking at the incidence of blood clots and some reports of abnormally low levels of blood platelets among some people who have had the jab. Ms Cooke said: We have pulled together an ad hoc meeting again today to help us evaluate these cases with all the surrounding information that the member states will have. The experts will then carry on their assessment and again will meet on Thursday to come to a conclusion on the full information that has been gathered, and to advise us as to whether there are any further actions that need to be taken. We will inform the public of the outcome immediately after this meeting. Our experts are working tirelessly to carry out this assessment as quickly as possible, but it needs a scientific evaluation. We need to have the facts first. We cannot come to a conclusion until we have done a thorough scientific analysis and we owe it to the European citizens to deliver this clear and science-based response. She said that trust in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines weve authorised is paramount for us, adding the EMA was worried there may be an effect on the trust of the vaccines. But she said the priority was to ensure that vaccines can be used safely. Several European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Norway, have suspended rollout of the vaccine. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Sweden added itself to the list on Tuesday, saying the move was precautionary. Ms Cooke was asked about reports of blood clots in relation to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and how these compared with reports for AstraZeneca. She said: We are looking at adverse effects associated with all vaccines. At the moment the current focus, because of the reported instances in Europe, is of the AstraZeneca (vaccine) but we have looked at the background rates for all the vaccines currently in circulation and it looks like there are similar numbers coming in across the world. But thats something that will have to be evaluated by our committee. The MHRA said that, in the UK up until February 28, it had received 30 reports of blood clots in people who had the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab and 38 reports associated with Pfizer/BioNTech. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) It said more than 11 million doses of AstraZeneca had been given in the UK so far. Such reports are not proven side effects of the vaccine. Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon, a statement said. On Tuesday afternoon, the WHO released a statement saying there had been reports of clots in very few people, but there are several aspects of these cases which require careful evaluation, including the age of patients, clinical features and severity of conditions. It added: This data is now being collected and carefully reviewed by WHO and the European Medicines Agency. At this time, we do not know whether some or all of the conditions have been caused by the vaccine or by other coincidental factors. As soon as the review is finalised, we will inform of any findings. For the moment, based on the evidence reviewed to date by the EMA, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing hospitalisation and death due to Covid-19 outweigh the risks of side effects. Earlier, the director general of Italys medicines authority, Nicola Magrini, told Italian daily newspaper la Repubblica that the decision by some European countries to suspend the rollout was a political one. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) He said the vaccine was safe and added: We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one. According to AstraZeneca, about 17 million people in the EU and the UK have received a dose of the vaccine, with fewer than 40 cases of blood clots reported to date. Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the decision to pause rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could be a disaster for Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Europe. Asked what he would say to those in the UK who are booked to receive the vaccine, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I really wouldnt be worried at the present time. I think it is very clear that the benefits of being vaccinated at the moment so far outweigh the possible concern over this rather rare type of blood clot. Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said the risk of developing blood clots from Covid far, far exceeds any potential risk from the vaccination. Denton, TX (76205) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Kristin was the daughter of Stan Smart, Napas Vintage Highs principal at the time, who commuted to work in Napa. Kristin graduated from Lincoln High School in Stockton, but attended Vintage for her junior year, a family spokesman said. In May 1996, Smart reportedly was escorted to her dorm residence by three students after an on-campus party. One of the students who reportedly escorted Smart to her dorm was Flores, who has been the sole person of interest in the case. Flores told police he walked Smart as far as his dorm, then allowed her to walk to her dorm unaccompanied. Cal Poly police originally suspected Smart had gone on an unannounced camping trip, and the case wasnt turned over to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office for a month. Smart was officially declared dead on May 25, 2002. Last year in February and again in March, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office and the FBI served search warrants at several residences in California and Washington state related to Flores. Officials have not released further details of any findings. Multiple sources last month told The Los Angeles Times that the searches are part of an ongoing effort to gather physical evidence, including DNA, that may reveal what happened to Smart. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson last year said local clerks should start with a presumption of validity when verifying signatures on absentee ballot applications, but a court ruling says that rule wasnt properly established. A Michigan Court of Claims judge last week ruled that clerks no longer need to follow those instructions for determining whether to send an absentee ballot to applicants. According to the March 9 opinion and order issued by Judge Christopher M. Murray, Benson issued instructions that constituted rules without following the process for creating a formal rule under state and federal law. Murray wrote that the guidance issued by the Secretary of State on October 6, 2020, with respect to signature-matching standards was issued in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. The Michigan Republican Party and Allegan County Clerk Robert Genetski, who jointly filed their complaint prior to the Nov. 3 election, claimed the signature standards allowed for invalid ballots to be counted. Murray noted in his opinion that Genetski, however, never claimed the guidance caused him to accept a signature that he believed was invalid. Bensons guidelines focused on signature verification of absentee ballot applications and their return envelopes, which were to be compared against each other as well as against signatures in qualified voter files. Bensons office said that signature review begins with the presumption that the signature on an absent voter ballot application or envelope is valid, Murray wrote. The Secretary of States instructions to clerks further said signatures with any redeeming qualities -- described as those having similar distinctive flourishes or those with more matching features than nonmatching features -- should be validated. Only signatures with multiple significant and obvious inconsistencies should be questioned, Benson advised, according to the judges analysis of the rule. Murray determined the guidelines fell within the definition of an administrative rule and therefore should have been approved through the formal rule-making process, which requires multiple steps. An agency must utilize formal rulemaking procedures when establishing policies that do not merely interpret or explain the statute or rules from which the agency derives its authority, but rather establish the substantive standards implementing the program, Murray said, citing a 1998 precedent. The ruling leaves certain standards for accepting absentee ballot application signatures at the discretion of the local clerk, unless the Legislature created legal guidelines or the Secretary of States Office creates administrative rules for that determination. The current law states any signatures on applications or return envelopes that dont agree sufficiently with the voter signature on file should be rejected. The Court of Claims judge noted Michigan law doesnt clearly define what it means for a signature to agree or agree sufficiently. Representatives from Attorney General Dana Nessels office didnt respond to a request for comment on the ruling and its unclear if the Court of Claims decision will be appealed. We have no comment at this time, Tracy Wimmer, an SOS spokeswoman said. Clerks additionally compare signatures on absentee ballots with signatures on file before votes are counted during any election. Fewer than 1 percent of Michigans 3.3 million absentee ballots cast in the Nov. 3 general election were rejected by local election clerks, according to data released by the Secretary of States office. In total, 15,300 ballots were rejected by election officials for a variety of reasons, such as arriving after Election Day or not having a signature. In the August primary election, more than the 10,600 ballots were rejected. Full Court of Claims opinion: More on MLive: Board of Canvassers certifies Michigans election results With the world watching, a Republican state canvasser helps make Bidens win in Michigan official Republicans repeat election fraud claims in 7-hour hearing, but we are learning nothing new, Dems say COVID-19 vaccine could be available to Michigan public by late spring, says Dr. Khaldun Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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| 2021-03-16 19:58:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close STOCKHOLM, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Sweden has paused the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine because of potential new and more serious side effects, the country's Public Health Agency announced on Tuesday. Several countries have already suspended using the vaccine following reports it may be linked to blood clots and cerebral hemorrhaging, but state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said the Swedish decision was made following reports in the last few days regarding previously unknown potential adverse effects. These include blood clots in combination with low levels of platelets that have been observed in a few younger individuals following vaccination. Tegnell told Swedish Television that between 10 and 15 such cases had been reported by other European countries. "It is not the same as the previously reported blood clots. This is more serious," he said regarding the new reports that emerged as late as Friday. "It is a fairly serious side effect and among people who seem to be a little younger. So far it has not been revealed that they have any underlying conditions," he said, adding that the suspected adverse effects were observed within two weeks after the vaccine was administered. "The decision is a precautionary measure," Tegnell said. "There is good knowledge about the vaccine, but it is still important that we now pause the vaccinations until the European Medicines Agency has investigated whether these events may be related to vaccination." Vaccine coordinator Richard Bergstrom told Swedish Television that he believed the pause would be brief. "It may just last for a few days, as I believe the European Medicines Agency will decide on Thursday. Hopefully, this pause will be short-lived," Bergstrom said. Enditem CLEVELAND, Ohio - Clevelanders who were among the first to get their COVID-19 shots Tuesday morning at the Wolstein Center mass vaccination site said the process was easy and fast. It was very organized. I was surprised, said Mona Becker, 68, of North Royalton, as she was leaving the Wolstein Center site. The whole process took about 30 minutes to complete, she said. Becker and her husband, Mark, were part of the Wolstein Centers soft opening Tuesday, prior to the vaccination centers full opening Wednesday. Starting March 19, individuals of any age with one of five medical conditions, and adults age 40 and older, can get the vaccine, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday at a press conference at the Wolstein Center. The medical conditions are cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and obesity. Starting March 29, every Ohioan 16 and up can register for a vaccine. Teens 16 and 17 can only get the Pfizer vaccine. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are for adults 18 and over. During Tuesdays soft opening, the center expected to vaccinate 1,500 people. The Wolstein Center will ramp up by an additional 1,500 each day until it hits 6,000 persons per day at the end of this week, where it will remain for approximately eight weeks, according to information from Mondays press conference. Vaccinations will start at 8 a.m. and will continue through 7:30 p.m. each day. Up to 210,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses will be distributed at the Wolstein Center, with a portion of those set aside for underserved minority communities, DeWine said Sunday. About 2.4 million Ohioans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, DeWine said Tuesday. More than two-thirds of Ohioans age 70 and older have received at least one vaccine shot, he said. The Beckers were eager to get the vaccine because several family members contracted COVID-19. I would rather get the vaccine than COVID-19, Mona Becker said. Mark and Mona Becker of North Royalton received their COVID-19 vaccines during Tuesday's soft opening at CSU's Wolstein Center. The site fully opens for vaccinations Wednesday. It took the Beckers daughter nearly two weeks to find vaccination appointments for them. Now that they are on their way to full vaccination, they look forward to getting margaritas and fajitas at their favorite Mexican restaurant. We havent been out for a year, she said. Carol Arroyo, 54, of Cleveland, said she was eager to be immunized, because it means she will be able to hug her 74-year-old mother. Arroyo has seen her mother twice since last March, and had to send flowers for her birthday instead of visiting. I would love to be able to get with her and not feel I am compromising her health, Arroyo said. Her mother, who lives in Lorain, has not been able to find a vaccination appointment yet. It was easy to secure an appointment at Wolstein, and the operation ran smoothly, she said. It was very organized to be the first day, she said. When she is fully immunized, Arroyo looks forward to eating out and visiting friends. Im hopeful life can get back to normal, she said. I cant wait to be able to see friends and socialize. Its been a lonely year. Here are more details about the Wolstein Center vaccination site: How to register at Wolstein: Eligible Ohioans can go to the states new COVID-19 vaccine website to register for the shots at the Wolstein Center and other locations at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Individuals can also make an appointment by phone at 1-833-427-5634. Types of vaccine: For the first three weeks the clinic is open, Pfizer vaccine will be administered. The following three weeks will be for second doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Up to 126,000 doses can be given. During the seventh and eighth weeks of the clinic, Johnson & Johnsons one-shot vaccine will be administered, DeWine said. Up to 84,000 of those vaccines will be given. How the site works: Most people can enter through the main entrance, Gate B on the corner of E. 21st Street and Carnegie Avenue. Gate A, located on the corner of E. 21st Street and Prospect Avenue, the northeast corner of the center, will be used for people who use wheelchairs or need language translation or use sign language. Everyone arriving at the Wolstein Center must pass a temperature test and wear a CDC-approved mask. Once inside the center, people will be seated in a row on the arena floor. Each quadrant can hold 120 people, for a maximum of 480 people on the floor at one time. Vaccinators will then go down each row and administer the immunization shot. Each vaccinated person will sit for 15-30 minutes of monitoring before leaving. Since the vaccination is administered in two shots, each person will automatically receive a scheduled appointment for their second shot precisely three weeks afterward. If your appointment was at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, your follow-up is three weeks later, at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Where to park: Free parking near the Wolstein Center will be available for those getting vaccinated. Vaccine recipients also can park free at all nearby Cleveland State-owned lots. Free RTA rides: The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will offer free bus rides to the Wolstein Center and other vaccination sites throughout the county from Wednesday through May 8. The all-day RTA passes will be distributed to hundreds of Cuyahoga County and City of Cleveland social service agencies and community centers. RTA will operate free shuttles every 15 minutes from the five nearby parking lots to the Wolstein Center for those who drive to their appointments. The transit agency is also offering free paratransit services to vaccination sites. Only existing paratransit customers are eligible for these free rides. Your coronavirus vaccine questions answered: Should cancer patients get the coronavirus vaccine? Can you request one coronavirus vaccine if you have concerns about the other? Should you get the coronavirus vaccine if youve had a bad reaction to the flu shot? Are you contagious if you have side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine? Can you mix and match two doses of coronavirus vaccine from different manufacturers? Can I still get my second dose of coronavirus vaccine if I develop COVID-19 symptoms after the first? Should you get the second vaccine if you contract COVID-19 after your first coronavirus vaccine dose? Will your COVID-19 vaccine be less effective if you need to wait longer for the second dose? If the coronavirus vaccine is 95% effective, how will you know if youre in the other 5%? Why do I need to keep a mask on if Ive been vaccinated for coronavirus? For years now, dozens of pro-marijuana activists have gathered in front of Mexicos Congressional building on Reforma Avenue in the largest city in the Americas to spark up and tacitly remind lawmakers of a landmark 2012 ruling by the countrys Supreme Court, that declared a ban on recreational marijuana to be unconstitutional. Just shy of a decade later, the precedent created by that historic decision is on the brink of a full flowering as the lower house of the Mexican Congress approved the federal regulation of cannabis by a 316 to 129 vote on Wednesday. The legislation is expected to pass easily in the Senate and be signed into law by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in short order. Nearly four years after Mexicos legalization of medical marijuana, extending legal status to recreational use will make it the principal marijuana market in North America and, possibly, the world. The implications for commercial interests on both sides of the border are considerable and American businesses, in particular, are keeping a close eye on developments south of the border While dispensaries might not start popping up next to the neighborhood convenience store just yet, hemp ganjas less psychedelic cousin could represent an immediate and lucrative market opportunity after the law is officially on the books, according to Raul Elizalde, CEO of HempMeds. Hemps many industrial and biodegradable uses have been largely proscribed throughout the global supply chain of industrial goods in the twentieth century and remain so as a result of several factors that encompass everything from the emergence of synthetic fibers like Nylon, competing interests from paper production monopolies, to the persistence of racist, colonialist attitudes among wealthy elites, who have used the prohibition of marijuana and other natural substances to target the indigenous cultures that stand in the way of their global resource extraction projects. A medieval approach Mexico has been at the heart of exact hat that type of neocolonialist war for the past several decades as the epicenter of Americas Drug War, which continues to claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and has brought the nation to the edge of collapse. The move to legalize marijuana by Obrador, who has been a strong proponent of decriminalization, is a significant step in the administrations efforts to find a way out of a tragedy that has engulfed his country as the wildly profitable market for illicit drugs north of the border fuels the power of the Cartels. Obradors recent clashes with the U.S. Department of Justice over the never-mentioned American cartels who facilitate the flow of narcotics inside the United States reveal a growing resistance among Mexicos power structures to the broader drug war narrative and a desire to escape the vicious downward spiral the country finds itself in. Regardless of the vested interests that inevitably surround such a potentially lucrative endeavor, such as the legislations obvious tilt in favor of large corporations over smaller investors and other regulatory inconsistencies that fail to fully address issues surrounding civil liberties and police corruption in Mexico, the law nevertheless represents a sea change that will shine a harsh light on the United States own medieval approach to the matter. The numbers dont add up It wouldnt be the first time Mexico exposed its powerful neighbors unenlightened ways. While the plantation economy was in full swing in the United States, an underground railroad departing from South Texas was carrying runaway African slaves into Mexico, which had abolished slavery in 1829. For decades, irregular and informal forces like the Texas Rangers hunted down the men and women who sought their freedom across the border until the medieval practice was finally brought to an end after the Civil War. The economic incentive to keep a system of forced labor afloat had to be forcibly removed through the efforts of abolitionists and those who placed moral principles over profits. A similar dynamic is at play in the case of marijuana in the United States and the insistence on maintaining its classification as a Schedule 1 drug, in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. At around $66 Billion, the illegal cannabis market in the United States comprises well over half of the legal marijuana markets in the country, including California and New York. Given the paucity of permitted marijuana businesses presently operating at a state level, there is little doubt that full federal legalization along the lines of Mexicos would easily surpass that figure. From this vantage point, it would seem like a no-brainer to remove all the barriers and allow a legal marijuana market to flourish all across the United States. However, such a move would entail a serious problem for another industry altogether, not to mention a basic tenet of the war on drugs, which has expressed itself as a war against minorities at a domestic level and has been described as the new Jim Crow. 58 Seconds The United States has the largest prison population in the world in both real numbers and per capita. At 2.3 million people behind bars, the value of the correctional facilities industry in America has been calculated at $5 Billion, according to a recent market research report. But, this is only a sliver of an enormous prison and judicial complex, that includes private security firms, police departments, lawyers, and federal and state court systems that rely on marijuana arrests and convictions for a significant portion of their business. A 2020 study published by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) spanning several years, reveals that in 2010, 52% of all drug arrests were for marijuana, while between 2001 and 2010, 7 million people were processed through the justice system for some kind of marijuana offense. In Drug War, Troops In Mexico go Unpunished for Human Rights Abuses In the war on drugs, US-trained and funded troops in Mexico have been accused of a myriad of human rights abuses, often with legal impunity. The racial disparity between black offenders and white offenders was also made patently clear with black people shown to be four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession, despite that black and white people use pot at practically the same rate. According to Prisonpolicy.org, 10.6 million people go to jail each year. Known as jail churn, this staggering turnover rate is comprised of are people who, for the most part, have not been convicted of any crime and will either make bail or remain incarcerated for the jail term if theyre too poor to procure the means for release. Most who are convicted are usually serving time for misdemeanors, such as possession of marijuana. In 2019, marijuana arrests surpassed arrests for all violent crimes put together, according to the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting statistics. Of those arrests, 92% were for misdemeanor possession. Erik Altieri of the cannabis advocacy group NORML decries the fact that at a time when the overwhelming majority of Americans want cannabis to be legal and regulated, police departments across the country are making a marijuana-related arrest every 58 seconds. Mexicos decision to legalize it will put pressure on American lawmakers to make a choice. They can either side with the majority of Americans who want an end to legal restrictions on a plant or they can continue to side with a growing police state and prison industrial complex by demonizing their neighbor to the south and shave a few seconds off the 58. Feature photo | Marijuana plants grow at a camp outside of the countrys Senate building in Mexico City, July 16, 2020. Fernando Llano | AP Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker. WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Polte, innovator of Cloud Location over Cellular (C-LoC) technology, has announced the award of a subcontract from Deloitte in an initiative with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to develop a 5G-enabled smart warehouse prototype at the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Naval Base Coronado. Polte will work with Deloitte to equip the facility with its patented 5G Massive IoT location technology, proven to be a leading provider of the most accurate indoor and outdoor cellular positioning. Polte allows the DoD secure, universal visibility of critical assets and inventory with accuracy further heightened by a supplemental 5G private network. By providing real-time location intelligence, Polte enables service members to boost efficiency, increase effectiveness of their assets, and respond quickly to changes in their environment. The DoD's investment in this ultramodern prototype lays the groundwork to scale capabilities across facilities, keeping service members as prepared as possible to support its mission in maintaining peace and strengthening national security. To learn more about Polte's technology, visit polte.com/our-technology. Polte's C-LoC technology provides seamless, indoor and outdoor location insights leveraging cloud computing and 4G/5G global cellular networks. By simply using ubiquitous cellular infrastructure and private networks, customers can eliminate the complexity and expense of additional hardware, access points, or beacon deployments. Taking a disruptive approach and offloading computational complexity from "edge to cloud," Polte both stretches the battery life of connected devices while safeguarding the privacy of produced location data. With the rollout of 5G, Polte technology unlocks more significantly enhanced indoor accuracy for a variety of customers across campuses, warehouses and manufacturing zones. Polte's solution provides end to end, universal asset visibility, with high precision on the warehouse floor and utility that continues outdoors. Unlike beacon-based indoor tracking technologies, Polte allows uninterrupted visibility over the wide area network as the asset leaves the building and is transported to its next destination. Having led cutting-edge smart factory projects in other industries, such as previous transformative work in Wichita, Kansas, Deloitte was selected by the DoD as one of the most qualified to oversee the demonstration and selection of 5G technology applications for the Naval Base Coronado smart warehouse prototype. Deloitte sought and vetted technologies that would improve the efficiency and safety of material and supply handling, management, storage and distribution. Polte was ultimately chosen as a key player in bringing the concept of reliable, scalable tracking for all assets in the facility to fruition. "We are excited to kick off this program to prototype a truly state-of-the-art facility for the DoD," said Kelly Marchese, principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP. "Today's legacy warehouse systems are impacted by issues including inefficient use of time, lack of Inventory visibility, and cyber vulnerabilities. However, leveraging innovative 5G location technology, tomorrow's service members will not only be able to decrease manual processes and redirect attention to uniquely human tasks that support the mission, but keep classified location data protected while doing so." Work on the 5G smart warehouse prototype commenced in February 2021, and is projected for completion in 2024. Phase 1 will include roadmap assessments, experiment plan development, and security reviews prior to capability demonstration. "In an increasingly hyper-connected society, the power of location is absolutely fundamental to the success of 5G," said Ed Chao, CEO of Polte. "Secure, accurate positioning is vital to the management and monitoring of everything that's important, streamlining operations for both enterprises and governments. We are grateful for this incredible opportunity to serve our country and our service men and women." About Deloitte: Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Now celebrating 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's more than 330,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. About Polte: Polte, the innovator of Cloud Location over Cellular (C-LoC) technology, provides disruptive, low-cost indoor and outdoor IoT location solutions that empower enterprises with unprecedented, real-time visibility into all the things that matter. Leveraging global 4G and 5G cellular signals, Polte transforms what is possible with asset tracking by driving heightened accessibility and greater speed to ROI for supply chain, logistics, manufacturing, and a wide range of other sectors. For more information, visit us at www.polte.com. Or, stay up to date with everything Polte by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. SOURCE Polte Related Links http://www.polte.com Rating Action: Moody's changes Mongolia's outlook to stable from negative; affirms B3 ratingGlobal Credit Research - 16 Mar 2021Singapore, March 16, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has today changed the outlook on the Government of Mongolia's issuer ratings to stable from negative and affirmed the long-term B3 issuer and foreign currency senior unsecured bond ratings and the (P)B3 senior unsecured MTN program rating. The short-term issuer ratings are affirmed at Not Prime.The decision to change the rating outlook to stable reflects Moody's viewthat liquidity risks and external pressures have stabilized for the foreseeable future, albeit at somewhat higher levels than seen prior to the pandemic. Higher government borrowing requirements resulting from sizeable stimulus in 2020 were financed primarily through a combination of concessional sources and a drawdown on fiscal reserves, thus relieving liquidity pressures. Recent refinancing has also reduced upcoming maturities in 2021 and 2022. External vulnerabilities have declined, on the back of a faster than expected recovery in mining exports, that Moody's expects to continue.The affirmation of the B3 rating reflects Mongolia's existing credit challenges, including long-standing external and liquidity risks, as well as fiscal weaknesses that have increased due to the pandemic. The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the government's announced fiscal stimulus measures reversed gains from a broadly balanced government budget in years leading up to the pandemic. Moreover, weak governance continues to impede the government's capacity to shelter the economy and public finances from commodity price cycles that they are exposed to.Mongolia's country ceilings remain unchanged: Mongolia's local-currency country ceilings remain at B1. The two notch gap to the sovereign rating reflects a strong government footprint in the economy, high commodity composition in overall revenues, and still-high external imbalances. The foreign-currency ceiling remains at B3, representing a two-notch gap to the local currency ceiling, to take into consideration our assessment of weak policy effectiveness and high external debt. All short-term foreign currency ceilings also remain unchanged at Not Prime.Please click on this link https://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBC_ARFTL441766 for the List of Affected Credit Ratings. This list is an integral part of this Press Release and identifies each affected issuer.RATINGS RATIONALERATIONALE FOR THE STABLE OUTLOOKDonor support, access to market funding and narrower deficits mitigate government liquidity risks, albeit from relatively high levels.Although wider fiscal deficits coupled with debt repayment obligations resulted in a spike in borrowing requirements to nearly 21% of GDP in 2020, the government was able to meet these requirements, primarily due to assistance from multilateral lenders. A debt refinancing exercise conducted in September last year also resulted in a substantial reduction of obligations due in 2021 and part of 2022. As a result, Moody's estimates gross borrowing requirements will reduce to 13.6% of GDP for 2021, from 16.5% estimated earlier, and stabilize between 15-16% until 2023, about 3ppt lower than Moody's earlier expectations.Beside financing needs being somewhat lower than earlier assumed, financing sources are also more secure. Continued support from multilateral lenders will support budgetary expenditures in 2021. The government expects total financing from such sources to amount to upwards of $500 million in 2021. Apart from expenditure cuts arising from a reversal of some stimulus measures undertaken last year, other sources of budget financing will include savings from the Stabilization Fund and domestic bond issuance. Moody's expects that, given the excess liquidity prevailing in the domestic banking system, demand for government bond issuance will be strong.With demonstrated access to market funding at reasonable costs, Moody's expects external market funding to support further refinancing. Apart from the $133 million remaining maturity in 2021 (post the debt-refinancing), Mongolia's upcoming refinancing needs include about $800 million due in 2022 and 2023 each, and $600 million in 2024. At these levels, Mongolia's debt maturities are not substantial compared with peers.Apart from repayment obligations, improved fiscal performance will support lower overall borrowing requirements. Following a period of significant deficit reduction between 2016 and 2019, coronavirus-related fiscal stimulus measures resulted in the deficit widening to over 12% of GDP in 2020. While this is significantly wider than pre-pandemic deficits, Moody's expects Mongolia's fiscal deficit to narrow to 8% of GDP in 2021 and continue on a path of gradual consolidation thereafter. Deficit reduction will be driven by a gradual reversal of past spending measures, as well as revenue buoyancy, particularly on the back of a rebound in the mining sector, which will drive mineral revenue collections as well as an expansion in nominal GDP growth.The stable outlook is also underpinned by receding external vulnerability risks albeit from relatively high levels.A narrower current account coupled with financial assistance from official lenders has led to a faster accumulation of foreign reserves than anticipated at the start of the pandemic. In particular, after posting a sharp contraction due to border closures with China, coal exports recovered in the second half of 2020, while copper and gold exports also posted year-on-year increases, limiting the export contraction.In 2021, stronger growth in both exports and imports will result in wider current account deficits relative to 2020, although Moody's estimates deficits in the next four years will narrow to nearly half of pre-pandemic averages. A steady recovery in China, Mongolia's largest export market, will continue to support overall demand for commodities. A rebound would be further boosted by the operationalization of a railway connecting the Tavan Tolgoi coking coal mine to the Chinese border, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021, easing transportation bottlenecks.For 2021, Moody's expects foreign exchange reserves to increase to $4.6 billion, from just under $4.0 billion at the end of 2020. Coupled with the extended repayment schedule, this will result in the Moody's External Vulnerability Indicator, the ratio of maturing external debt to reserves, moderating to 116% in 2021 from 237% in 2020. Moody's expects this ratio to hover around 150-180% over 2022-23 indicating that although reserve adequacy has improved and stabilized, it will remain a credit constraint.RATIONALE FOR THE B3 RATINGThe B3 rating balances prevailing liquidity pressures and external and fiscal vulnerabilities, against improvements made over recent years in the debt financing strategy.Moody's expects government debt to rise to nearly 75% of GDP in 2021, and debt affordability to weaken somewhat, acting as a setback to improvements in fiscal strength that had occurred in the three years preceding the pandemic. A more pronounced increase in the debt burden will be prevented by a resumption in strong nominal GDP growth and a recovery in mining revenues. Instead, the debt burden will fall gradually in the next few years, to just over 70% of GDP by 2024, supported by deficit reduction and steady economic growth.Mongolia's potential growth continues to represent an underlying credit strength, although dependent on large projects proceeding as planned beyond 2020. Moody's assumes no major changes to the planned production schedule for Oyu Tolgoi -- the country's largest copper mine -- notwithstanding ongoing negotiations to amend the investment agreement. In spite of the 5.4% contraction in growth over 2020, growth prospects in 2021 and beyond remain bright. Moody's expects growth in 2021 to expand at 6.0% year-on-year.ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONSMongolia's ESG Credit Impact Score is highly negative (CIS-4), driven by a high exposure to environmental risks, a moderately negative social risk issuer profile score, and a weak governance profile.Mongolia's exposure to environmental risks is highly negative (E-4 issuer profile score), related to an economy that is highly dependent on the production and exports of hydrocarbons, with implications for waste and pollution levels. Mongolia is also vulnerable to water scarcity driven by mineral extraction, deforestation, and desertification.Exposure to social risks is moderately negative (S-3 issuer profile score). The uneven distribution of incomes, is balanced by a young population coupled with a strong social safety net that has enhanced the provision of health and education benefits.Mongolia has a highly negative governance profile score (G-4 issuer profile) reflecting weak executive institutions and policy effectiveness against ongoing structural reforms. A high government debt burden and other immediate liquidity pressures constrain the sovereign's financial capacity to respond to environmental and social risksGDP per capita (PPP basis, US$): 12,551 (2019 Actual) (also known as Per Capita Income)Real GDP growth (% change): 5.1% (2019 Actual) (also known as GDP Growth)Inflation Rate (CPI, % change Dec/Dec): 5.2% (2019 Actual)Gen. Gov. Financial Balance/GDP: -0.6% (2019 Actual) (also known as Fiscal Balance)Current Account Balance/GDP: -15.4% (2019 Actual) (also known as External Balance)External debt/GDP: 218.7% (2019 Actual)Economic resiliency: b1Default history: No default events (on bonds or loans) have been recorded since 1983.On 11 March 2021, a rating committee was called to discuss the rating of the Mongolia, Government of. The main points raised during the discussion were: The issuer has become less susceptible to event risks, with receding government liquidity and external vulnerability risks.FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGSFACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADEA consistently falling debt burden accompanied by steady improvements in debt affordability would alleviate fiscal constraints and drive upward rating momentum. These indications would likely relate to improvements in the management of domestic public finances, containing the government's funding requirements and the economy's external financing needs. Efforts towards gradually diversifying the economy away from its reliance on commodities that reduce growth volatility and susceptibility to boom-bust economic cycles would also likely be a trigger for upward rating action.FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADEA rating downgrade could transpire from widening gross borrowing requirements significantly above our baseline assumptions, and/or rising government liquidity risks that point to difficulties in meeting these borrowing needs. Persistent external financing gaps that threaten macroeconomic stability would also exert downward rating pressures. A sustained shock to growth, for instance through the derailment of large mining projects, would also be a trigger for downward rating action.The principal methodology used in these ratings was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1158631. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.The weighting of all rating factors is described in the methodology used in this credit rating action, if applicable.REGULATORY DISCLOSURESThe List of Affected Credit Ratings announced here are a mix of solicited and unsolicited credit ratings. Additionally, the List of Affected Credit Ratings includes additional disclosures that vary with regard to some of the ratings. Please click on this link https://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBC_ARFTL441766 for the List of Affected Credit Ratings. This list is an integral part of this Press Release and provides, for each of the credit ratings covered, Moody's disclosures on the following items:** Rating Solicitation** Issuer Participation** Participation: Access to Management** Participation: Access to Internal Documents ** Disclosure to Rated Entity ** Endorsement ** Lead Analyst ** Releasing Office For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1243406.Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating. Anushka Shah Vice President - Senior Analyst Sovereign Risk Group Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. 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MJKK and MSFJ are credit rating agencies registered with the Japan Financial Services Agency and their registration numbers are FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2 and 3 respectively.MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) hereby disclose that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from JPY125,000 to approximately JPY550,000,000.MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory requirements. The news of the death at Tallaght Hospital on Tuesday, February 16 of Eddie Clouder, shocked all of us that knew him. Eddie was a relative of the Reilly family, Rathcline. Eddie, during his lifetime, experienced a slight disability. In his formative years he went to Fermoyle National School. Like us all at that time, Eddie was a frequent visitor to Eddie Kellys cinema and had a passion for hurling and Manchester United. He spent over 50 years as a resident of Peamount Hospital, Dublin, where he lived his life in one of their bungalows shared with other residents. Eddie was a valued member of the Peamount Hospital community. He was well able to look after himself, he lived each day to the fullest, had great confidence in himself and was adept at all the work that he was asked to do by the staff. The generations of the Reilly family in Rathcline had a wonderful quality about themselves and were tremendous to Eddie all his life. They shared and celebrated his life and were always available to him. He had a wonderful love of the Reilly family, so much so, he asked that when he was to pass away that he be buried alongside them in Rathcline cemetery. As his remains left Tallaght Hospital it detoured via Peamount Hospital where the staff and residents gave him an emotional send off as he travelled to St Marys Church Lanesboro for his Funeral Mass. Following Mass on Thursday, February 25, Eddie was laid to rest in Rathcline Cemetery. To the Reilly family Carmel, Pat, Marian, Dolores, and Seamus, extended family and the staff of Peamount Hospital we extend our deepest sympathy. (Newser) The Alaska Republican Party previously censured Sen. Lisa Murkowski for voting to convict former President Trump after his impeachment trial and now doesn't want her to identity as a GOP candidate in next years election, a member of the partys State Central Committee said Tuesday. "The party does not want Lisa Murkowski to be a Republican candidate," said Tuckerman Babcock, immediate past chairman of the state party. The vote to censure Murkowski was 53-17 at a Saturday meeting in Anchorage, he said. "It went further than censure, which was strong," Babcock said. "But it also directed the party officials to recruit an opponent in the election and to the extent legally permissible, prevent Lisa Murkowski from running as a Republican in any election." story continues below The censure resolution also faulted Murkowski for supporting Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior secretary and for demanding Trump's resignation after the riot at the Capitol. Its a watershed moment for GOP politics in Alaska, the AP reports. Murkowski has been in the Senate since 2002, when her father, former Sen. Frank Murkowski, selected her to finish his unexpired term after he was elected governor. A Murkowski has represented Alaska in the US Senate since 1981. Babcock said he couldnt speak about how the party will recruit a candidate, but said he would wait to see who Trump might endorse in the race and see if that person is a viable candidate. Murkowski hasn't said whether she will seek another term in 2022. In 2010, she won as a write-in candidate after losing the Republican primary. (In January, she said she has no intention of switching parties.) While 40% of workers say their digital skills improved during the lockdown, data shows unequal access to career and training opportunities LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the largest-ever studies of the global workforce shows: PWC Logo Two in five believe their job will be obsolete within 5 years Half of the global workforce report missing out on career opportunities due to bias Training opportunities focused on those who already have high levels of skills Younger people report being more focused on maximising income than 'making a difference' Only 1 in 10 of those who can work remotely want to go back to a traditional commute and work environment full time But people are taking their future into their own hands: 77% are ready to learn new skills or completely re-train and 49% would like to set up their own business A new survey of 32,500 workers in 19 countries paints a picture of a global workforce that sees the shift to remote working as just the tip of the iceberg. Reflecting the fact the pandemic has accelerated a number of workforce trends, 60% are worried that automation is putting many jobs at risk; 48% believe 'traditional employment won't be around in the future' and 39% think it is likely that their job will be obsolete within 5 years. However, this is not a counsel of despair, as 40% of workers say their digital skills have been improved through the prolonged period of lockdown, and claim they'll continue to embrace training and skill development. 77% are 'ready to learn new skills or completely re-train' and 74% see training as a matter of personal responsibility. And, 80% are confident they can adapt to new technologies entering their workplace, with a large majority of those asked in India (69%) and in South Africa (66%) saying they are 'very' confident. In addition, 49% of respondents are focused on building entrepreneurial skills with an interest in setting up their own business. Story continues Half of workforce report missing out on career opportunities or training due to prejudice The survey also found that 50% of workers say they've faced discrimination at work which led to them missing out on career advancement or training. 13% report missing out on opportunities as a result of ethnicity and 14% of workers have experienced discrimination on the grounds of gender, with women twice as likely to report gender discrimination as men. 13% report discrimination on the basis of class, with post-graduates and others with higher qualifications more likely to report prejudice. Younger people are as likely as older people to report discrimination based on age. On top of that, the survey found there are disparities in access to upskilling opportunities. While 46% of people with postgraduate degrees say their employer gives them many opportunities to improve their digital skills, just 28% of people with school-leaver qualifications say the same. Industries like retail or transport, which are most at risk of disruption, score just 25% and 20% respectively; while banking scores 42%. "If current patterns in access to training persist, upskilling will increase social inequality when it should be doing precisely the opposite," said Bhushan Sethi, Joint Global Leader of PwC's People and Organization Practice. "Government and business leaders need to work together to intensify efforts to ensure people in the most-at risk industries and groups get the opportunities they need. Automation and technological disruption are inevitable, but we can control whether its negative effects are managed or not." Younger people more focused on maximising income than 'making a difference' if forced to choose Three-quarters of workers globally (75%) say they want to work for an organisation that will make a 'positive contribution to society.' This feeling was especially acute in China (87%), India (90%), and South Africa (90%). However, economic insecurity is limiting people's ability to pursue purpose driven careers, with younger people particularly affected. Overall, 54% of those polled said, if forced to choose, they would prefer a job that enabled them to 'take every opportunity to maximise their income' over a job that 'makes a difference' (46%). Interestingly, those between 18 and 34 are more likely than other generations to prioritise income over purpose in their job with 57% prioritising 'maximising their income' over 'making a difference' (43%), a margin of 14 points. Those over 55 prioritise making a difference by a margin of 8 points, which rises to 22 points amongst workers over 65. "As the world continues to grapple with a global health crisis and economic uncertainty, we've seen workers come to demand more from the business community, expecting their employers to make a positive contribution to society," said Peter Brown, Joint Global Leader of PwC's People and Organization Practice. "Fortunately, focusing on societal impact and maximising profit are not mutually exclusive, and being a purpose-led business can actually help boost your bottom line." Employees want the option to work remotely moving forward The survey concludes that remote working will persist post-lockdown. Of those who can work remotely, 72% of say they prefer a mixture of in-person and remote working, with only 9% stating they'd like to go back to their traditional work environment full-time. This is particularly true of professionals, office workers, business owners and the self-employed, all of whom are able to perform their jobs remotely using technology. Home working need not be limited to professional jobs. 43% of manual workers and 45% of semi-skilled workers say there are many elements of their job that they are able to do remotely. People's attitudes to working from home also change by location, providing further evidence of how the pandemic has increased the global digital divide. Workers in metropolitan areas (66%) are more likely to work in roles that could allow remote working than those who live in rural areas (44%). Workers torn on privacy and technology 44% of workers globally would agree to let their employer use technology to monitor their performance at work including sensors and wearable devices, with 31% against. However, many would not go as far as allowing their employers access to their personal data. 41% of respondents said that they were unwilling to give their employer access to their personal data including social media profiles, with only 35% willing. Notes to editors Between 26 January, 2021 and 8 February, 2021, PwC commissioned a survey of 32,517 members of the general public. Respondents included workers, business owners, contract workers, students, unemployed people looking for work, and those on furlough or who were temporarily laid off. The survey polled workers in 19 countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, UAE, UK, and the US. About PwC At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 155 countries with over 284,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com . PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. 2021 PwC. All rights reserved Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1121790/PWC_Logo.jpg SOURCE PwC Authorities in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea have temporarily lifted coronavirus pandemic restrictions to mark the seventh anniversary of the region's annexation by Moscow. The Russian-imposed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, signed a decree on March 15 to allow the ceremonies. The decree was placed on the website of the occupational government. According to the decree, events organized by the pro-Kremlin Night Wolves bikers' club, as well as patriotic events at schools and military schools are allowed to be held on March 18. In addition, local self-governing bodies are allowed to hold their own events to mark the date. The restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Crimea were imposed a year ago. Russia illegally took control of Crimea from Ukraine seven years ago after sending in troops, seizing key facilities in February 2014, and staging a referendum weeks later that was dismissed as illegitimate by at least 100 countries. Moscow also backs separatists in a war against Ukrainian government forces that has killed more than 13,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Tracing Her Shadow, an upcoming film inspired by true stories about Japan's "war orphans", is set to open across the Chinese mainland on March 19. In the final days of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), thousands of children left by fleeing Japanese families were adopted by locals in northeastern China. With China and Japan establishing diplomatic relations in the 1970s, many of these "war orphans" returned to Japan, with most struggling to conquer cultural differences and language barriers to get settled. Director Peng Fei was attracted by these stories during research for a film set in Nara, an idyllic city in Japan. He revealed at a recent event in Beijing he was invited by renowned Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase to do the Nara-set movie when his second directorial feature, The Taste of Rice Flower, won an award at the Nara International Film Festival in 2018. After a long preparation period, including visiting "war orphans" now residing in Japan and watching related works including the Sino-Japanese TV series Children of the Earth, Peng -- also the screenwriter -- decided the story would center on an elderly woman's journey to Japan to seek her missing adopted daughter, a Japanese "war orphan", with the help of a young woman and a retired police officer in Nara. With veteran Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke on board as one of the two executive producers alongside Kawase, the film features actresses Wu Yanshu and Ying Ze as the foster mother and the young woman, an offspring of a Japanese "war orphan", and Japanese actor Jun Kunimura as the police officer. Interestingly, Peng cameos in one scene as a Japanese butcher who uses hand signs and mimics the voices of farm animals to communicate with Wu's character. Despite ending on a tear-jerking note, the film unfolds with a restrained narrative and some funny moments, helping it win acclaim from some industry insiders and critics. Actress Yao Chen said the film is a warm tale with a great sense of humor, but also conveys a deep sense of loneliness. U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border with Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and fellow House Republicans: Today, I joined Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and some of my Republican colleagues on the southern border. I can tell you first hand, that what we are seeing is a humanitarian crisis of a tremendous scale. It is abundantly clear that President Bidens disastrous open border policies after only two months in office have caused a grave crisis. "I encourage President Biden to work with Republicans and make border security a top priority. I will be pushing for robust funding to secure Americas southern border and address this humanitarian crisis in my role as the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee. "The long-term effects of this crisis will be devastating for our nation if we do not act immediately. Rep. Fleischmann spoke at a press conference at the southern border earlier Monday. View his remarks here. Rep. Fleischmann also wrote an op-ed on the crisis at the southern border which can be found on Fox News. You would think Joey Reed cringes at every new development in the increasingly tense series of cyber aggressions by Russia toward the United S GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel is packed with good-for-you ingredients to renew skin texture and radiance, without abrasive agents or harsh chemicals. Aloisia Beauty announces the launch of GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel, the newest product innovation in its collection of clean, genuine K-Beauty skin care. A multi-action gel-based peel, GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel gently exfoliates dead skin cells, smooths skin texture, clears pores, brightens, and locks-in moisture to immediately reveal soft, fresh, glowing skin. Aloisia Beauty is committed to supporting consumers on their skin care journey with products that deliver visible results, while respecting the skins integrity and health. GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel is packed with good-for-you ingredients to renew skin texture and radiance, without abrasive agents or harsh chemicals, said Veronica Konecke, Aloisia Beauty Co-Founder. This launch is the first in a significant expansion of our accessibly-priced solutions for every step in the K-Beauty ritual and any skin care routine. GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel delivers a blend of proven botanical and marine ingredients used in Korean skin care for centuries, along with carefully-researched ingredients from science for a safe and effective exfoliating experience. The proprietary formulation features the dual chemical and mechanical exfoliating actions of Papaya Fruit enzymes and plant-based Microcrystalline Cellulose, which work together to dissolve and buff away dead skin cells and impurities, and bring skin back to a silky, supple and radiant state. GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peels formula also includes ultra-hydrating Sodium Hyaluronate and the powerful humectant Lipidure PMB to boost moisture retention and elasticity, an antioxidant-rich trio of Green Tea, Aloe, and Vitamin E for soothing protection, Rosa Hybrid Flower and the amino acid Arginine to moisturize and plump, and Licorice Root to help fade spots. When applied one to three times per week with a massaging motion, GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel gels and rolls to visibly uncover a fresh-faced glow. It also helps amplify the benefits of other products used in multi-step skin care regimens like K-Beautys, where exfoliation follows the double-cleanse and helps prime skin to better receive subsequent toners, serums, ampoules, masks, and moisturizers. The debut of GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel marks Aloisia Beautys rollout of new products throughout 2021 to support various skin care steps. The brand first launched in 2019 with essential daily masks and the 7-Day Skin Care System, followed by Aloe Stem Cell 3-in-1 Skin Care System and DEEP HYDRATION Aloe Gel Mist. At the heart of every Aloisia Beauty product is a commitment to clean, safe, transparent, and cruelty-free skin care. GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel is free of over 72 ingredients shown to be toxic and health-harming. Aloisia Beauty never tests on animals. GLOW Exfoliating Soft Peel will be available on March 16, 2021 for $60 at AloisiaBeauty.com. About Aloisia Beauty: Aloisia Beauty was created in 2019 to help skin glow from the inside, out. Blending traditional Korean beauty principles with modern skin care, Aloisia Beauty products feature proprietary formulations made with clean, safe, and responsive ingredients from nature and science to support a range of skin care concerns and daily self-care. All products meet the brands pledge to clean beauty, with over 72 ingredients proven to be toxic and health-harming banned from their formulations. Aloisia Beauty also uses sustainable processes and materials. Aloisia Beauty is a women and minority-owned brand founded by a diverse team with a shared passion for non-toxic, effective skin care and the K-Beauty ritual. The brand is based in San Diego, CA, and all products are developed and manufactured in partnership with their lab in South Korea, which is EMAS, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001-certified and regulated by the Ministry of Food & Drug Safety. Aloisia Beauty is cruelty-free and stands behind South Koreas ban on animal testing. The Aloisia Beauty skin care collection is available at AloisaBeauty.com, and select spas and beauty retailers across the U.S. For Aloisia Beauty products and more information, visit http://www.aloisiabeauty.com. Connect with Aloisia Beauty on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest. It may be because Ive been in this business long enough to realize that building and managing a top-quality loan portfolio is tougher than ever. It may just be that I long for the past when lending was simpler. Regardless, its clear to me that there is a wealth of attackers on our lending business model today, and we have to be more diligent than ever. Digital Attacks COVID-19 has accelerated the digital transformation of financial services. In the past 12 months, Ent Credit Union has experienced significant growth in the percentage of its consumer loan applications coming from the digital channel. Not only are we seeing more mobile and web applications, were also experiencing stronger application quality. While most credit unions have developed some level of digital lending capability, its likely well always be playing catch up to the fintechs. While the fintech lending battleground has primarily been focused on personal loans, more and more new lenders are focused on auto and home equity loans, on top of the competition for mortgages from Rocket Mortgage/Quicken Loans. There is no such thing as a safe portion of our portfolio! Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Standardized testing in Alabama will not be canceled because of the pandemic this year. Some students started taking the tests last week while other districts started testing on Monday. State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey says this year's tests are more crucial than ever as they work to see how big the coronavirus learning gap really is. "It's very important we get a solid baseline foundational data for our students and where they are performing. We believe it's important to gather that data this year more than ever," Mackey said. So far, he's seen some unfinished learning, where students didn't get to finish last year's learning during the current school year, but he knows the impact goes beyond that. That's why they're planning other assessments in the summer and fall to further figure out where gaps exist. School districts across the state are also working on their own plans to close the learning gap. "What we're asking is for each district to look at their community, and understand where they are and what they need to be doing going forward," Mackey said. Some districts have already announced some of their plans. For example, Birmingham City Schools is trying to revise their school calendar to start school earlier to prevent a bigger gap. Madison City Schools says it's using federal funding to add more summer reading and math programs to address the problem. Huntsville City Schools has an Academic Support Task Force that is working on developing that plan. The group is currently getting feedback from teachers. "Plans are going to look different in different parts of the state," Mackey said. However, he says all schools' 30-month plans will have the same goal. "To move forward, accelerate learning and get back on track," Mackey explained. School districts have until June 1 to submit their plans to the state. School funding is not dependent on these assessment tests. However, it could be impacted by the yearly school report card. The state department of education says it is working on an accountability waiver for schools because of the pandemic. However, that waiver will not stop schools from testing students to get information on where students are at. This waiver is expected to be released by the end of the month. YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian has made a statement for press following his meeting today with Ann Linde, the Foreign Minister of Sweden and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Yerevan. Armenpress presents the text of the FMs statement: Dear colleagues, I would like to welcome my counterpart Ann Linde in Armenia within her visit as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Today we had substantive discussions during the tet-a-tete meeting and talks in extended format, touched upon the priorities of the Swedish Chairmanship in the OSCE, a wide range of issues on regional security and stability, as well as the Armenian-Swedish bilateral agenda. Mrs. Linde, Today, you are visiting Armenia in your capacity as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Its noteworthy that amid these challenging times for the European security, Sweden, which is well-known for its contribution to international peace, has assumed the leadership of this important organization. Using this opportunity I would like to congratulate you and wish fruitful work in this responsible mission. Unfortunately, your visit to the region scheduled for last September was postponed because of war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. The use of force by Azerbaijan in the context of the conflict was a gross violation of the OSCE commitments, including the Helsinki Final Act. Throughout the war, the armed forces of Azerbaijan, with the active support of Turkey and in violation of international humanitarian law, committed mass atrocities, including ethnic cleansing and war crimes against the Armenians of Artsakh, deliberately targeting civilian population, including women, children and elderly, as well as civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage sites. Moreover, even four months after the end of hostilities, Azerbaijan continues to violate international humanitarian law, by holding Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians. The transfer of thousands of foreign terrorist fighters and mercenaries from the Middle East to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone with direct engagement and coordination of Turkey, and their involvement in hostilities against the Armenians of Artsakh, was not only a violation of international law, but also a violation of the OSCE commitments. It set two dangerous precedents: the attempt to resolve conflict through mass atrocities and use of force, and the mass import of terrorist fighters from other regions into the OSCE area of responsibility, which should be unequivocally condemned. Dear colleagues, With the trilateral statement signed to stop the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression and with the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh, the conflict entered a new stage of development. We consider the trilateral statement as a document aimed at restoring the ceasefire and reaffirming the security. Although it contains some provisions concerning the peaceful settlement, however it does not address its key elements, and the most important among them is the issue of the status of Artsakh, based on the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination. A final political solution to the conflict is possible only within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. Recent developments in the region have underlined the need for a strong OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, which will be able to lead the peace process on the basis of principles and elements developed over the years. We also need a strong, cohesive OSCE as an institute responsible for regional security and peace. In this context, we attach importance to the role of the OSCE Chairmanship, including the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office". ADVERTISEMENT The United Nations is appealing for $1 billion to help 6.4 million of Nigerias most vulnerable people, including two million who have been forced to flee their homes because of armed conflict. The bulk of the money will be used to provide life-saving assistance to millions of people in Nigerias northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe. The insurgency by the militant group Boko Haram, which began in 2009, has expanded to include other armed groups. Jens Laerke, the spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), says the brutality and suffering inflicted upon millions in that area of ceaseless conflict show little sign of relief. He says people are hanging on by a thread and are in desperate need of help. Over five million people there are at risk of acute hunger during the upcoming lean season as the worst outlook in four years. And that is due to escalating conflict, displacements and the disruption of livelihoods, which is made worse by the effects and restrictions of COVID-19, Laerke said. The lean season, the period between harvests when food stocks are at their lowest, lasts from May to August. Famine has not been declared in any part of the country. However, the World Food Program reports suffering has reached emergency levels in parts of northeastern Nigeria. WFP spokesman Tomson Phiri warns armed conflict in the region is preventing people from growing food, leading to a potential hunger catastrophe. He says there has been a significant cropland reduction in over 90 per cent of the region over the past decade because people have fled their homes and abandoned their land. Millions of people are already facing dangerous levels of hunger as their lives and livelihoods are being severely disrupted by non-state armed groups who are vying with each other and fighting against government forces for control of territory, Phiri said. OCHA says the largest amount of money from the appeal, $354 million, will be spent on food. Other priorities, it says, include nutrition, water and sanitation, hygiene and protection. Money also will be used for livelihood programs to help people get back on their feet. VOA is Premium Times syndication partner. We have permission to republish. 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. WASHINGTON - Federal health officials have identified several pandemic recommendations released during the Trump administration that they say were "not primarily authored" by staffers and do not reflect the best scientific evidence, based on a review ordered by its new director. The review identified three documents that had already been removed from the agency's website: One, released in July, delivered a strong argument for school reopenings and minimized health risks. A second set of guidelines about the country's reopening was released in April by the White House and was less detailed than what had been drafted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A third guidance issued in August discouraged the testing of people without covid-19 symptoms even when they had contact with infected individuals. That was replaced in September after experts inside and outside the agency raised alarms. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky ordered the review as part of her pledge to restore public trust in the beleaguered agency, which had seen its recommendations watered down or ignored during the Trump administration to align with the former president's efforts to downplay the severity of the pandemic. "I am focused on moving CDC forward with science, transparency and clarity leading the way," Walensky said in a statement Monday. "It is imperative for the American people to trust CDC. If they don't, preventable illness and injury can occur - and, tragically, lives can and will be lost. This agency and its critical health information cannot be vulnerable to undue influence, and this report helps outline our path to rebuilding confidence and ensuring the information that CDC shares with the American people is based on sound science that will keep us, our loved ones, and our communities healthy and safe." The review was conducted "to ensure that all of CDC's existing covid-19 guidance is evidence-based and free of politics," according to a memo from the agency's principal deputy director, Anne Schuchat. She conducted the review, which was posted on the agency's website Monday. Officials said they are revamping all pandemic-related guidance to ensure that science and transparency are paramount. The July school reopening guidance was controversial because it was released weeks after Trump criticized the agency's earlier recommendations as being "very tough and expensive." The opening preamble extolling the importance of in-school classes was presented as a CDC document, but the agency was not part of the discussion or drafting, Walensky said. That guidance was removed in October. "This is something that I will not allow as CDC director," Walensky said. "The processes we have in place moving forward will ensure this cannot and will not occur." Schuchat does not identify the outside authors who wrote the three guidances not developed by CDC staffers. Nor does her memo mention political interference by the Trump administration. The word "politics" appears only once, and Walensky and Schuchat appeared to go out of their way in interviews to avoid discussing it. But the review provides official confirmation of what has been widely reported in press accounts at the time - that political appointees ordered revisions to critical CDC guidance. In addition to the three documents not written by CDC staffers, the review also cited recommendations that should have used stronger language and that should have cited supporting scientific briefs. In addition, the memo said that too often, it was difficult to "decipher the core recommendations" in long guidance documents, and "the crux of what was new or changed was difficult to find." But the document, a copy of which was shared with The Washington Post, does not provide specifics. Walensky said she plans to adopt Schuchat's recommendations to ensure that scientific rationale for major guidance is clearly communicated - with executive summaries that identify what's new. She said that key guidance will be reviewed quarterly, and that briefings will be held for media and other public-health groups when they are issued. The review also found instances in which guidance used weaker language, such as "considerations" and "if feasible," even though evidence supported a stronger recommendation. "I can't speak to how the decisions were made or why the language was less directive than we wanted it to be," Walensky said. "We need to have language that needs to be clear when the evidence base is sufficiently strong." President Joe Biden's administration is focusing on the need to "offer the public a unifying message about what we're doing and help rebuild their faith in government," said one health official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk about internal policy discussions. The official added that it's harder to rebuild faith in government when people are "constantly reminded of how [the CDC] has been overridden." Schuchat and about 15 to 20 CDC staff members assessed the major guidance to "identify primary documents that needed updating or removal," the memo said. Agency officials had already begun assessing key recommendations related to testing and schools in October, because of concerns from clinicians and others about the need for updates as coronavirus cases surged in the fall, Schuchat said in an interview. Regarding testing recommendations alone, the CDC has "36 different testing guidances that descend from one," Schuchat said. The agency is working on a major update, including recommendations for prisons, homeless shelters and other workplaces, the memo said. The CDC is trying to streamline the process so one major document can cover many circumstances. Not all guidance has been updated to restore information removed for political reasons. In May, political appointees delayed the release of, then removed warnings contained in, guidance for reopening churches that said singing in choirs can spread the coronavirus. That warning has not been restored. Schuchat said the dangers of singing are now covered in general guidance about events and gatherings. "We were trying not to have to update too many different things," she said. Since May, the CDC has released much more information about the importance of consistent mask use, and the agency will continue to reassess its recommendations. Officials have released or updated more than a dozen major guidances, eight of them since Jan. 20, when Walensky became director. They include recommendations for wearing properly fitted masks, including double masks; a road map for safely opening schools; and guidelines for fully vaccinated people. A newly discovered cybersecurity threat came to light after a reporter revealed telecom companies can reroute a person's text messages to a hacker for a measly amount of $16. To demonstrate the flaw, Motherboard reporter Joseph Cox shared how a hacker successfully carried out an attack targeting his phone number. Using an SMS redirection service by a company called Sakari, the hacker did not only manage to break into Cox's text messages without consent, but he was also able to receive and reply to the reporter's text messages without his knowledge. Cox, later on, contacted other companies that offer SMS redirection services and was told that they had seen this sort of attack before. This attack not only proved the gaping holes in the telecommunications infrastructure, but it also showed how unregulated commercial SMS tools really are. Unlike SIM swapping, where a phone completely disconnects from a cellular network, SMS redirection is particularly hard to notice and gives enough time for hackers to compromise the victim's accounts. Also Read: Top 5 Best Bulk Texting Services In 2021 Telecommunications Blunder AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon were asked why this type of attack is even possible but diverted the query over to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) - a trade association representing the wireless industry. CTIA said that they immediately investigated the issue and took precautionary measures as soon as being told of the potential threat. However, they explained that the carriers were unable to detect any malicious activity and therefore unable to replicate the threat. Cybersecurity Legislation The statement issued by CTIA caught the attention of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, who pointed out the enormity of the threat towards one's safety and security. According to the Washington Post, the Democratic senator strongly urged the FCC to intervene and "use its authority to force phone companies to secure their networks from hackers." Lawmakers had been debating the importance of passing legislation that requires companies to report major cyber breaches to the government for more than a decade. However, the recent breaches of SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange have renewed the issue, forcing companies to actively urge Congress to take immediate action. Representatives Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) and Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) had been working side-by-side to introduce a pair of bills to identify which incidents would require reporting to the government and if the breach needs to be said to the public. "We want to give certainty in terms of when customers would need to be notified and when it's important to report to the government when you have an incident," said Langevin. He added that the urgency created by the SolarWinds breach gives their bill a good chance at passing compared to previous attempts, as the incident proved the necessity and timeliness of the legislation. Meanwhile, the Biden administration had recently announced that a team had been formed to ramp up coordination between the private sector and the government. The White House is also looking at potential solutions, such as a rating system for software and one that requires home devices to come with a security label. The administration clarified that the President does not intend to grant the government additional authorities to surveil domestic Internet traffic for hackers. Related Article: How to Read Someone's Text Messages Without Their Phone Free This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Lee Mercado 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. She finished filming the third Princess switch movie in Scotland earlier this month. And Vanessa Hudgens is now enjoying some downtime with her boyfriend Cole Tucker. On Monday, she shared a sweet photo to her Instagram in which she's seen laughing as he snustled into her ear. 'Happpyyyy': Vanessa hudgens shared this fun snap to Instagram on Monday in which she's seen laughing as boyfriend Cole Tucker snustled up to her ear 'This makes me happpyyyy,' the High School Musical alum, 32, wrote in the caption. Hudgens and Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Tucker, 24, have been linked romantically since November. During a spring training session at the beginning of March, the pro athlete gushed about about the relationship, telling reporters: ' got a girlfriend and she's cool.' 'She's awesome,' he added, per People. New couple: Hudgens, 32, and Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Tucker, 24, have been linked romantically since November and became Instagram official on Valentine's Day It's a wrap: Meanwhile, Hudgens celebrated the end of principal photography in Scotland on the third installment of the Netflix movie series The Princess switch at the start of March Meanwhile, Hudgens celebrated the end of principal photography on the third installment of the Netflix movie series with a black and white photo in which she posed on against a Scottish backdrop. In the Instagram post, she shared: 'And thats a wrap on Princess Switch 3. What a whirlwind. 'Man everyone worked their a**** off. AND stayed safe. BIG thanks to @netflix for taking the extra precautions to keep us on track and bring that new new to your screens.' The films follow Stacy De Novo, a baker who trades places with Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro, a monarch of the fictional Kingdom of Belgravia. The first movie in the series premiered on the streaming service in 2018 and the second dropped this past November. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. In the wake of the 1996-2006 civil war between the government and Maoist rebels that ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), a Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) and Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) were finally set up in 2014 and 2015 in Nepal. The war left at least 15,000 people dead and some 1,300 disappeared. Abuses, including torture and sexual violence, were committed on both sides. The two commissions have received over 60,000 complaints. And yet no hearings have been held, no remains recovered and restored to families under the umbrella of the CIEDP. The commissions mandates, originally set for two years, have been extended several times, most recently until July 2021. But victims are still waiting for justice. They did collect the complaints, there is this one positive thing, says Ranjeeta Silwal, Human Rights Coordinator of the Human Rights and Justice Centre (HRJC) in Nepal. But if you look at what they did with these complaints nothing! A flawed legislation Silwal believes there is a lack of political will on the part of Nepals government, and that the commissions mandates are being extended as a token to show the international community that we have these two commissions that are going to work. But if you come to the ground, the reality is very different. They are doing nothing, especially since 2016. NGOs say the TRC Act, the very legislation that set up the two transitional justice commissions, is flawed. Nepals Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that the law did need to be amended, including regarding provisions on amnesty which that court said were unconstitutional and contrary to Nepals international obligations. But the government has still not done this, despite various proposals. The provisions that would allow amnesties for persons responsible for crimes under international law and gross human rights violations were the source of special concern, together with the lack of adequate guarantees of independence and impartiality of the two commissions, say Swiss NGO TRIAL and the HRJC, its partner organisation in Nepal, in an alternative report submitted this month to the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva. According to them, although the mandates of the two commissions continue to be extended, this is unlikely to produce any meaningful results while the legislative framework regulating their mandate remains at odds with international law; the process of selection and appointment of the commissioners is not transparent, consultative and impartial; and the commissions are devoid of adequate technical expertise and resources. Lack of political will Asked to comment, Nepals permanent mission to the UN in Geneva did not respond. Silwal says the countrys Foreign Minister has previously told the UN Human Rights Council that the government was committed to transitional justice, that there would be no blanket amnesty for serious crimes and that the government was also positive about amending the TRC Act. But she thinks he was just painting a rosy picture and denounces the governments failure to follow up. Michael Hutt, Emeritus Professor of Nepali and Himalayan Studies at the University of Londons School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) agrees that lack of political will is the main problem, given that people active on both sides of the conflict are currently in positions of leadership as well as in the army, and might feel vulnerable to a justice process. And the political culture of patronage doesnt help, he says. One can begin as an idealist but its hard to remain pure, because you may be obliged to other parties and people in the course of rising to power, he explains. Although this is a problem in many countries, he said it was particularly prevalent in this part of South Asia. Earthquake and political rifts But there are other factors that have hampered transitional justice in Nepal, says Hutt, notably the devastating earthquake and forced rapid conclusion of the constitutional process in 2015, which meant transitional justice was not a priority. As for the current political climate, it is marked by infighting in the ruling Communist Party, formed from a merger between the Maoists (former rebels) and Marxist-Leninists. When they merged at the end of 2017, Hutt says, it gave the hope of an end to the endless horse-trading of a minority government and that the new majority could get on with business. But now the two factions look to be splitting again, and politicians will likely not be thinking about transitional justice. Hope for the future? The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), an international NGO that has worked in Nepal since 2007, is also concerned about the slow progress of transitional justice in Nepal, says ICTJ programme expert Elena Naughton who has worked in the country. But she says it is not time to lose hope, rather the complete and absolute opposite. She stresses that Nepals 2015 Constitution devolved power to the local level, and that local governments have powers and ability to advance reparations and memorialization. As noted in ICTJs 2018 report A Time to Lead, some initiatives have already been taken in communities, such as building memorialization parks and improving direct services for victims. She also notes that many of Nepals politicians are older, and that there is a new generation coming up, especially of women. When we travelled in Nepal in 2018 we met with deputy mayors, many of whom are younger women, Naughton says. Thats where we see hope and opportunity empowering women and women victims. Professor Hutt agrees that most of Nepals political elite are currently male and quite senior in terms of years. It is true also that there is now more involvement of Nepali women, he says. Local government elections in 2017 saw a huge increase in the number of women elected, thanks to more emphasis on gender as well as ethnic equality. But there is a caveat, he warns, in that while most deputy-mayors are women, the mayors are still men. And many of the women were elected through the proportional representation rather than first-past-the post system. They are often regarded as second-class, he says, because they benefitted from quotas. Maybe the new federal structure will produce a new generation of leaders and activists more committed to transitional justice, says Hutt, who wants to remain optimistic. The weekend body-count climbed to 44 in Myanmar yesterday as the military junta intensified repression against democracy defenders who continued their street demonstrations seeking release of the countrys elected leaders. The weekend body-count climbed to 44 in Myanmar yesterday as the military junta intensified repression against democracy defenders who continued their street demonstrations seeking release of the countrys elected leaders. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a monitoring group, added six more deaths on Monday to the overnight toll of 38. This showed a sharp increase in use of lethal force by police and the army. The protesters, meanwhile, turned their fury against Chinese-owned companies. Fires broke out at two Chinese-owned textile plants and a fertilizer plant, drawing angry reactions from the Chinese embassy. Myanmars democracy movement evidently believes that China is propping up the military rulers. A democracy movement spokesman said the movement does not hate Chinese people but it wants Chinas government to stop supporting the generals. China contends that it is seeking a peaceful resolution of the Myanmar conflict. If that is true, Chinas efforts have achieved nothing: both the junta and the democracy movement have escalated the violence in the streets. Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy and head of the civilian government, won Myanmars Nov. 8 elections in which parties supporting the armed forces suffered a humiliating rejection. The armed forces on Feb. 1 declared those elections invalid and imprisoned Ms. Suu Kyi along with other leaders of the NLD. Her supporters have demonstrated in Myanmars main cities every weekend since then, demanding her release and restoration to power. The generals should recognize by now that their people hate them. If that was not plain in the November election results, it is abundantly clear in the huge popular demonstrations that have continued every week since the Feb. 1 coup in the face of increasing brutality by the police. It is clear in the courage and determination the democracy supporters are showing despite increasing deaths and injuries inflicted by the police. Myanmars generals, however, have never been schooled in the art of politics. The country, formerly known as Burma, has been ruled as a military dictatorship for most of the years since it won independence from Britain in 1948. The only ways the generals have ever learned to deal with opposition are to lock it up or shoot it. Poster shows deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a street march in Yangon, Myanmar. (AP Photo) The Communist rulers of China, who can be equally brutal in suppressing opposition, are unlikely to show the Myanmar generals a better way. The burning of Chinese-owned businesses should warn China of the legacy of hatred that is accumulating in Myanmar. If the generals do not quickly stand aside and let Ms. Suu Kyi occupy the seat of power to which she was elected, Myanmars people are likely to remember that, when they needed a friend, China proved to be their enemy. Canada and the western democracies have even less influence than China over the Myanmar generals. For what it may be worth, Canada should join in any effort to encourage Myanmars armed forces to step back from the self-destruction they are inflicting on their country. Government with the consent of the governed really is a better system than violence, brutality and imprisonment. Ms. Suu Kyi has a popular mandate to rule. The generals have none. Canada and like-minded democracies should encourage the generals to negotiate with her. She may be able to steer them out of the blind alley into which they have blundered. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Baghdad, March 16 : The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Monday 4,901 new Covid-19 cases, raising Iraq's total nationwide infections to 763,085. The new cases included 2,150 in the capital Baghdad, 626 in Basra, 479 in Najaf, 231 in Maysan, and 205 in Qadisiyah, the ministry said in a statement. It also reported 37 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,788, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed by 4,850 to 690,620. A total of 7,419,942 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020, with 33,485 done during the day, the Xinhua news agency reported. Iraqi Minister of Health Hassan al-Tamimi told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the coronavirus infections have increased more dramatically than a year ago, especially with the spread of the new strain of the virus. According to al-Tamimi, the citizens' failure to follow health instructions has contributed to the increase of infections. Nevertheless, the health minister noted the death rate of the pandemic has decreased to 1.8 percent from 17 percent last year. He attributed the low death rate to the "remarkable and important development in the infrastructure of the Ministry of Health and its health institutions, as well as the better training of the medical staff." Iraq has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in Covid-19 infections after the health ministry announced on February 15 the detection of a new strain characterized by faster transmission and a higher level of severity. On March 2, Iraq received a shipment of Covid-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help combat the pandemic. The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of China's Sinopharm vaccines. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Earlier this month, amid a blizzard of news both domestic and foreign, Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the time to ban a powerful Ukrainian oligarch from setting foot in the United States. Ihor Kolomoyskyy, declared Blinken, was involved in significant corruption having been accused of everything from looting billions from a bank to funding a private militia. Kolomoyskyy, a former governor of a Ukrainian province, used his office for his personal benefit in ways that undermined [the] rule of law and the Ukrainian publics faith in their governments democratic institutions, Blinken alleged. Not only did Blinken bar Kolomoyskyy (who denies wrongdoing) from obtaining a U.S. visa, he barred the oligarchs immediate family members, too. The move was a small but telling signal of the Biden administrations plan to make battling corruption a key and potentially innovative part of its foreign policy. By selecting a Ukrainian, the administration was hinting that it will expect Americas overseas partners, not just its adversaries, to clean up their act. The choice also was notable given Ukraines contentious status in U.S. politics due to its role in former President Donald Trumps first impeachment and lingering Republican allegations about President Joe Bidens son Hunters dealings there. Exposing corruption is something were going to dedicate both more focus, more time and more resources to, Blinken said Wednesday during an appearance before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. We see it as both, unfortunately, prevalent in so many places, but also a little bit of an Achilles heel when we can put the spotlight on it. Because when people see the corruption of their leaders, thats a good way to undermine support for said leaders. Biden and his aides argue that corruption is a growing menace not only to the pocketbooks of ordinary citizens but to democracy itself, and they speak of it with a sense of urgency. But making fighting corruption a policy priority wont be easy. Its a topic that cuts across numerous fields and government agencies, requiring bureaucratic savvy to coordinate initiatives. And Americas own corruption issues from concerns about the role money plays in U.S. politics to lingering questions about whether Trump profited off the presidency could undercut its voice. Story continues Still, anti-corruption crusaders are unusually excited about Bidens plans. They say a growing number of governments are waking up to the threat posed by corruption, partly because of the rise of protest movements highlighting popular anger over such malfeasance, and that American leadership is crucial. Theres also bipartisan support in Washington for wrestling with the challenge. Governments cant keep ignoring those grievances, said Abigail Bellows, a scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. No one country can deal with it alone. Its something that countries need to work together on. Antony Blinken speaks during a U.S. security talk. We are key enablers Through promises, policy moves and personnel choices, the Biden administration is laying groundwork for a far-reaching anti-corruption agenda that takes on everything from international money laundering schemes to illicit tax havens to emerging kleptocracies in poorly governed countries. Under Biden, the National Security Council has established a Democracy and Human Rights directorate which has battling corruption as a key mission; that division has hired Chandana Ravindranath as a director whose sole focus is anti-corruption. The administration also has been considering naming a State Department-based special envoy to rally global attention to the topic, activists familiar with the issue said. Biden has pledged to host an international Summit for Democracy in the coming months, and the need to fight corruption is expected to be a major theme during that gathering. Alongside the summit, Biden is expected to issue a presidential policy directive that establishes fighting corruption as a core national security interest, a promise he made in an essay laying out his foreign policy agenda during the 2020 presidential campaign. The summit and directive are expected to result in specific policy initiatives aimed at cracking down on a range of acts considered corrupt, including possibly foreign interference in elections, an act that often requires illicit funding. In a recent interim strategic guidance document outlining basic principles of its future National Security Strategy, the Biden administration blamed corruption for an array of ills, arguing, for example, that, tax havens and illicit financing contribute to income inequality, fund terrorism, and generate pernicious foreign influence. The administration also promised to take on whats often called strategic or weaponized corruption. Thats usually defined as being when a government, such as the authoritarian ones in China and Russia, use everything from lax lobbying rules to indirect campaign funding to shape the political and policy choices of another country. Its critical that the administration not fall into longstanding U.S. habits of viewing corruption as simply a law enforcement issue or one that affects only developing or failed states, analysts and activists said. If anything, scandals in recent years chronicled in reports such as the Panama Papers and the FinCEN Files show that established democracies, through their often-weak financial rules, have helped the problem metastasize to the point where its a transnational security threat. We are key enablers of the problem globally, said Trevor Sutton, a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress. You need to have a concerted strategy among democracies to deal with this issue. There are signs that other countries are waking up to the magnitude of the challenge. In June, for instance, the United Nations General Assembly will hold its first-ever special session focused on corruption. Advocates are pushing to make fighting corruption an agenda item during other gatherings in the coming months, such as those of the G-7 and G-20 countries, as well as the Summit of the Americas, which the United States is planning to host later this year. Bipartisan support in Washington for battling corruption already has given Biden a boost as he promotes his anti-corruption agenda. As part of the most recent National Defense Authorization Act, the United States banned the practice of registering shell companies anonymously. Anti-corruption activists had pushed for the ban for years, pointing out that allowing such companies to exist offered an easy way to hide and launder money. Among the Republicans who backed cracking down on anonymous shell companies was Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, one of the most hawkish voices in Congress. He warned that criminals and terrorists are exploiting our financial system using shell companies that hide their identities. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visible as President Joe Biden holds a virtual meeting. Beefing up the staffing It falls to the Biden administration to craft its specific regulations and implement the ban. A coalition of civil society groups recently urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to quickly name someone to take the lead on this implementation process. Activists say the Biden administration needs to beef up the staffing in certain government divisions if it wants its anti-corruption agenda to go beyond rhetoric and have a meaningful impact. Several said the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a Treasury Department division that tracks an array of illicit activities, is woefully understaffed, with only 300 employees. Given Americas critical position in the global financial system, FinCEN needs a major influx of personnel to better track potential crimes, activists and analysts said. Doing so, however, could require additional funding and, potentially, permission from Congress. Complicating the mission, the Biden administration has yet to fill important existing positions, such as those of assistant secretaries at places like the State Department. Many of these positions require Senate confirmation, which can take months. Theyre behind in putting bodies in chairs, said Gary Kalman, director of the U.S. office for Transparency International. One hurdle facing the Biden administration as it pushes an anti-corruption agenda on the global front is Americas own perceived flaws, from longstanding concerns about dark money in U.S. politics to the machinations of the lobbying and influence industries. Questions about whether Trump and his familys financial interests overseas benefited from his presidency havent helped Americas moral standing on the issue of corruption. Neither did Trumps alleged effort to withhold military aid to strongarm Ukraine a nation at war with U.S. rival Russia into investigating Biden. Republicans, meanwhile, have made largely unverified allegations that Biden and his son Hunter may have engaged in corrupt activities in Ukraine and beyond, claims the Bidens deny. The administration appears to recognize that the United States has to lead by example. In its interim strategic guidance document, it promises: We will require transparency and accountability in our government, root out corruption, and confront the distorting role of money in our politics. For now, the administration is taking what quick steps it can to draw attention to the fight against corruption. Blinken recently launched the International Anticorruption Champions Award to recognize anti-corruption crusaders around the world. (Planning for the prize began during the Trump administration, a State Department spokesperson said.) Biden aides also have moved to reimpose financial sanctions on Dan Gertler, an Israeli businessman with mining interests in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Trump administration had lifted those sanctions in a mysterious last-minute decision that outraged anti-corruption and human rights activists. Then, of course, theres Kolomoyskyy. The Biden administrations imposition of visa restrictions on the business tycoon is thought to be partly an effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to prosecute Kolomoyskyy and other oligarchs suspected of undermining his government. Zelensky, though, has his own links to Kolomoyskyy. The Ukrainian president is a former comedian who gained popularity in part because of coverage by a media outlet owned by the mogul. In a statement issued after Blinkens announcement of the visa ban, Zelenskys office said, Ukraine must overcome a system dominated by oligarchs. The statement, however, did not name Kolomoyskyy. When Marie Mongan was pregnant with her third child in the 1950s, she made an unusual demand. She told her doctor that when it was time for her to give birth, she didnt want anesthesia and if he didnt agree to her terms, she would find someone who did. She had declined anesthesia during her first two pregnancies, too, but in each case the nurses had not listened. They held down her wrists with leather straps and forced an ether cone onto her face. After her second child was born the same sad way, Ms. Mongan said, she vowed, Never again! Ms. Mongan had spent years preparing for an unmedicated birth. During her first pregnancy, she devoured the works of Grantly Dick-Read, a British obstetrician who popularized the phrase natural childbirth and espoused relaxation to lessen pain. After studying his book Childbirth Without Fear, she learned how to bring herself to a state of deep relaxation. She finally experienced an unmedicated labor and delivery in 1959, when she had her third child, Maura; it was, she said, the most beautiful birth that I could have imagined. She delivered her fourth child the same way, and it was just as spectacular, she said. Libya: provisional national unity government now operational Sworn in yesterday in Tobruk. Tunisian president to visit Weds (ANSAmed) - TRIPOLI, 16 MAR - The new provisional national unity government (GNU) of Libya led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, which has the task of bringing Libya to elections in December, was sworn in on Monday at the Tobruk House of Representatives (HOR) and became operational Tuesday. After the swearing-in ceremony on Monday, UN Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis encouraged the new executive to "rapidly face the numerous challenges that the Libyan people have to face, improve living conditions and basic services and prepare the country for the holding of national, inclusive elections on 24 December 2021". On Wednesday, Tunisian President Kais Saied will visit Libya, as proof of "Tunisia's support for the democratic transition process in Libya". (ANSAmed). Global health experts were under increasing pressure to clear up questions over the safety of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot on Tuesday, as Sweden and Latvia joined countries suspending their use in a further blow to Europe's vaccination rollout. A World Health Organization (WHO) committee of experts was reviewing isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and low platelet counts in people vaccinated and was in dialogue with the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which was also meeting. The EMA would hold a news conference at 1300 GMT and the WHO committee may also issue a statement on Tuesday, spokespeople for the EU executive and the U.N. health agency said. The European Union's largest members - Germany, France and Italy - suspended use of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Monday pending the outcome of an investigation into the reports. The addition of Sweden and Latvia on Tuesday brought to more than a dozen the number of EU countries to act since reports first emerged of thromboembolisms affecting people after they got the AstraZeneca shot. The WHO and EMA had earlier joined AstraZeneca in saying there is no proven link, but some experts said rare cases of highly unusual cerebral thrombosis in younger people did appear to indicate a causal link to the AstraZenica shot. "The benefits of vaccination significantly outweigh the risks, especially for the elderly," said Karl Lauterbach, health spokesman for Germany's Social Democratic Party. "But it could be the case that the risks of the vaccine are higher for certain patient groups such as young women. It is possible that the EMA will issue specific warnings," he told Deutschlandfunk radio in an interview. European epidemiologists remained baffled that similar cases had not occurred in unusual numbers in Britain, which began using AstraZeneca earlier and has administered more than 10 million doses. "These symptoms have not yet been observed there," said Stephan Becker, head of the Institute for Virology at Philipps University Marburg. "This is a very unfortunate situation, but if there is such a suspicion, then it must be investigated and vaccination must be stopped for that time." Political decision? In the EU's largest member states, including Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, AstraZeneca has accounted for about 13-15% of shots administered since the rollout started almost three months ago, with Pfizer-BioNTech making up the majority, according to officail EU data. Nicola Magrini, the director general of Italy's medicines authority AIFA, told daily la Repubblica in an interview that the choice to suspend the AstraZeneca shot was "political". He said it was safe and said its benefit to risk ratio was "widely positive". There have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects in Italy following vaccinations, he added. Governments say they acted out of an abundance of caution but the move deprives them of vitally-needed doses to step up vaccination campaigns that have got off to a slow start due to scarce supply. AstraZeneca said last week it would try to deliver 30 million doses to the European Union by the end of March, down from a contractual obligation of 90 million and a previous pledge made last month to deliver 40 million doses. Still, the European Commission said on Tuesday it expects to receive more than 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer PFE.N and BioNTech 22UAy.DE in the second quarter, putting the EU on course to meet its inoculation target. The EU aims to vaccinate at least 255 million people, or 70% of its adult population, by the end of the summer. The bloc has administered 11 shots so far for every 100 residents, while Israel - a world leader in vaccination - has given 108 doses, according to Our World in Data. At the same time a third wave of infection, driven by more infectious viral variants, threatens to worsen Europe's year-old coronavirus pandemic that has claimed 575,000 lives and further delay recovery from a pandemic economic slump. Deutsche Bank on Tuesday slashed 2021 economic growth forecasts for the euro area by a whole percentage point, citing spillover of the ongoing pandemic-linked activity restrictions. Sources said Germany had no choice but to act after its vaccine watchdog identified an unusual number of cases of rare cerebral vein thrombosis. Of 1.6 million people in Germany who had got AstraZeneca, seven fell ill and three died. Yet the risk of dying of COVID is still orders of magnitude greater, especially among those most vulnerable such as the elderly, said Dirk Brockmann, an epidemiologist at the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases. "One is probably 100,000 times more likely to die of COVID than because of an AstraZeneca vaccine," Brockmann told ARD public television. VANCOUVER, BC, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Real estate investing platform, addy, has recently launched its affiliate program in partnership with Fintel Connect. An innovative proptech that originally started in the Vancouver market, addy's technology allows multiple individuals to invest up to $1,500 into a property, enabling them to add real estate to their financial portfolios without overextending themselves or making life-altering sacrifices in order to get in. addy Launches New Affiliate Program with Fintel Connect As the first of its kind in Canada, addy's team is in growth mode, releasing new properties onto the platform monthly and expanding into new geographic markets. Their most recent property for sale in North Vancouver is on track to have 2,000 investors, and launching a partner program to build greater visibility was a natural next step to scale the business upwards as more properties get released. "At addy, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to become a homeowner through access to real estate investing at any amount, regardless of income, age, or other conflicts," explains Katie Kernahan, VP of Marketing & Communications at addy. "We're excited for our partnership with Fintel Connect, as it will allow us to reach and help Canadians in entering the real estate market." "We're excited for our partnership with Fintel Connect, as it will allow us to reach and extend our platform to more Canadians that have previously been locked out of the real estate market." Katie Kernahan, VP of Marketing & Communications at addy The merging sectors of real estate and investing present a unique opportunity for Fintel Connect publishers looking to diversify the recommendations and products featured to their audiences. Fintel Connect is always on a mission to bring innovative products to its network of publishers and help consumers make informed decisions about the products right for them, which makes addy a perfect fit. "Owning real estate is becoming an increasingly challenging feat for Canadians as property prices across the country continue to rise," says Nicky Senyard, CEO and Founder of Fintel Connect. "We are always excited to see new innovation transform our industry and pleased to partner with addy on their mission to democratize property ownership." addy's affiliate program provides publishers with monetizable opportunities to promote addy's platform. Publishers with Canadian audiences can find more details through Fintel Connect or join the addy affiliate program now . About addy addy Technology Corporation ("addy") is a proptech company on a mission to enable every human to become a homeowner. The Company enables Canadians to invest in real estate for as little as $1. addy was founded in 2018 by a team of real estate and technology entrepreneurs and is headquartered in Vancouver, BC. To learn more, visit: addyinvest.com and join the @addyinvest community on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit. Tune in to The addy Podcast on iTunes and Spotify. About Fintel Connect Fintel Connect is a leading performance marketing company dedicated to serving the financial services and fintech space. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the team at Fintel Connect supports a wide range of tier one banks, community banks and financial technology companies through its extensive network of publishers and fully scalable tracking and reporting technology. If you're: Press and would like to connect, please contact Julia Wild, Director Business Development, at 604-566-8020 or [email protected]. A merchant and would like to know more, visit https://fintelconnect.com/merchants . publisher that would like to join our network, visit https://fintelconnect.com/publishers . SOURCE Fintel Connect Related Links https://www.addyinvest.com Senator Jacqui Lambie has slammed the Prime Minister for failing to address the March 4 Justice rallies, saying the Liberal leader lacks the 'courage to stand up' and confront the issues plaguing Australia and his party. Scott Morrison refused to meet with the thousands of protestors outside Parliament House on Monday, instead saying 'when you're prime minister in Canberra, it's a very busy day'. The Tasmanian Senator criticised Morrison's absence speaking with the Today on Tuesday morning, saying she believes it could cost him the party leadership. '(Prime Minister Scott Morrison) should have shown courage and stood in front of those women, and their husbands and their sons and he should have taken it if he had to. That is life,' Senator Lambie told Today. 'It takes a lot of courage to stand out in front of those women and he did not show he had the courage.' Senator Jacqui Lambie (pictured) has slammed the Prime Minister for failing to address the March 4 Justice rallies Senator Lambie told Today she believes Prime Minister Morrison (pictured) lacked the 'courage' to address the protestors in person Prime Minister Morrison spoke in a hostile Parliament session on Monday following his refusal to address the 4,000-strong protest outside Prime Minister Morrison spoke in a hostile Parliament session on Monday following his refusal to address the 4,000-strong protest outside. He has drawn fierce criticism for his handling of the situation involving former staffer Brittany Higgins who claims she was raped in Parliament House in March of 2019 by a then-Liberal MP. Prime Minister Morrison drew further ire yesterday when he told a packed Parliament that it was a 'triumph of democracy' that women of Australia were able to march freely around the country without being 'met with bullets'. 'This is a vibrant liberal democracy. Not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets, but not here in this country,' he said. 'This is a triumph of democracy when we see these things take place.' The Prime Minister has faced criticism for his handling of recent of the situation involving former staffer Brittany Higgins who alleged she was raped in Parliament House in 2019 More than 4,000 demonstrators attended Parliament House on Monday to support the Justice 4 March rallies Senator Lambie attacked Morrison and the Liberal Party on Tuesday, saying she isn't just 'disappointed' in the PM but also in the women of the party for refusing to defy their leader and support the march. 'I ask the women of the Liberal Party to show some strength and get out there because you are part of this,' Senator Lambie told Today. 'Stop hiding behind your men. Get out there. I do not want to see you leaving Parliament and saying something then. 'Have the courage to stand up and do something right and say something now.' Senator Lambie also said she believes the Prime Minister will be feel the ramifications for not addressing the women of Australia rallying publicly and questioned his courage for failing to do so. 'He should have shown courage and stood in front of those women, and their husbands and their sons and he should have taken it if he had to. That is life,' she said. 'It takes a lot of courage to stand out in front of those women and he did not show he had the courage. 'I think he will pay the price for this for a long time. This is not going away.' A few months ago, Tina Avila stopped going into work. Unlike people whose transition to working remotely required flipping open a laptop, Avilas day-to-day hinged on being in and out of her restaurants. As the longtime owner of downtown Dunedins Casa Tina and Pan y Vino, attempting to do her job remotely was not ideal. But in January, Avila decided to stay home for awhile. The reason? My fear has always been to bring (coronavirus) home to my husband, Avila, 53, said. Her husband, Javier, is 15 years her senior. Business has been busy the last couple of months, as returning snowbirds and tourists have flocked to Florida. Its not unusual to encounter diners who try to skirt safety precautions, balking at social distancing and mask ordinances. Were dealing with thousands of customers a day, Avila said. We still have people who dont believe in the mask mandate. Its nerve-wracking. Lately, Avila says, there is cause for optimism: Her husband was vaccinated and Avila is up next. But, when will their staff become eligible? And what will they choose to do once they are? Being frontline workers, we are so exposed. I think 100 percent of the front-of-the-house wants it and are ready, Avila said. As essential workers whose job revolves around interacting with the public, restaurant employees are widely considered to be among the more vulnerable groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended including those that work in the food service industry in early inoculation groups. But while some states followed this guidance, Florida has not. But recent statements from Gov. Ron DeSantis hint that vaccinations could open up to a much wider group in the coming weeks. Carol Dover, the president of Floridas Restaurant and Lodging Association, said restaurants would be wise to start planning their rollout now. Once vaccines are available, Dover said they will become valuable as a marketing tool, something that will build consumer confidence, especially for those still hesitant about dining out. Restaurants where all the staff have been vaccinated could advertise as such, similar to the food safety decals adorning many windows, she said. Story continues There is some reason to believe that the vaccination rollout within the hospitality community could be bumpy: In Florida, nearly two-thirds of nursing home staffers declined the vaccine during the first round of inoculations. In February, the firing of a New York City waitress who declined to get the vaccine sent ripples throughout the hospitality industry, with many employers wondering how the scenario could play out at their workplace. At their restaurants, Avila said she and her husband will encourage all employees to get the vaccine once they are eligible, but they wont require it. She senses some trepidation among her back-of-the-house cooks and dishwashers. The dilemma is likely to become a familiar one for many in the restaurant and hospitality sector. Can employers require their staff to get the vaccine? The short answer is yes the private industry can, said Greg Hearing, an attorney specializing in labor and employment law at the Tampa firm GrayRobinson. I answer phone calls literally every day about this, Hearing said. (Restaurant owners) are thinking about getting sued by their employees, and theyre worried about getting sued by their vendors and patrons as well. A set of guidelines issued in December by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said employers can legally require their workers to get vaccinated, or risk being barred from the workplace if the employer can prove that the unvaccinated employee would pose a direct threat to the health and safety of themselves or others. But because the coronavirus vaccines currently available are still under Emergency Use Authorization and not yet fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration employees still have the option to accept or refuse the vaccine. Final approval of the vaccines will come when more data is available from ongoing clinical trials. But even then, there are some exceptions for employers to consider: If a person has a religious objection to getting the vaccine or cannot get vaccinated because of a disability, the employer has to determine whether they can reasonably accommodate the employee in a manner that would not cause undue hardship. In other professions, accommodating employees with religious or disability-related objections to the vaccine could mean placing them in a separate office away from other employees or asking them to work from home. But in the hospitality industry, a work environment where servers and bar staff are constantly facing the public, accommodating those requests can prove difficult, Hearing said. Rather than require their workers to get the vaccine, Hearing said he has been advising his clients to strongly encourage, that their employees get vaccinated once they are eligible, and offer incentives to those who are willing. The incentive route has already proved popular with some of the larger corporate restaurant groups, where gift cards or additional time off are offered to employees who get the vaccine. Meagan Bernstein, the communications manager for Darden Restaurants, the Orlando-based group behind multiple national restaurant chains, including the Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, said employees were strongly encouraged but not required to get the vaccine. Bernstein said all hourly restaurant employees would receive up to four hours of paid time off to accommodate getting the vaccine. A spokeswoman for Bloomin Brands, the Tampa-based group that runs restaurants like Outback Steakhouse and Carrabbas Italian Grill, said their hourly employees will receive two hours of paid time off per shot. Some local restaurateurs are taking a similar route. At Zukku Sushi, which has locations inside Tampas Armature Works, Wesley Chapel and Lakeland, full-time employees were recently notified that they would receive up to eight hours of paid time off when they show proof of vaccination. Owner Ferdian Jap, who also has a Zukku Sushi location in Charlotte, NC, said he had been considering how to approach the rollout for several months. He made the announcement to his employees after North Carolina opened up vaccinations to frontline workers, including food service employees, in early March. Most of the feedback has been positive so far, Jap said, although a few employees voiced some concern and distrust about the vaccine. We ha(d) a couple of questions that came in, Jap said. Is it required? Is it mandatory? Will I get fired if I dont get it? Im hoping that they will see it as a stress reliever, said Maryann Ferenc, who co-owns Tampas Mise en Place and The Dewey Restaurant at Berkeley Beach Club in Pass-a-Grille. Ferenc said she has been in talks with the leadership teams at her restaurants to gauge how employees feel and said they are brainstorming ideas for personalized incentives, from beach days to golf trips to make the whole experience a positive one. Ferenc pointed out that, for some employees, getting access to the vaccine will be more difficult than others. There are so many employees in our industry, Ferenc said. Youve got language barriers, youve got cultural barriers ... transportation issues. If youre working two jobs or youre just working a long day or you have kids, you just might not have time. Tiffany Hubert, a spokeswoman for Ybor City restaurant and nightclub 7th & Grove, said the owners were going over options to help better facilitate getting the vaccine to their employees once they become eligible. We are considering partnering with local independent pharmacies to provide COVID vaccine clinics on site for those with transportation issues or just making them readily available so they wont have to wait in long lines, Hubert said. For now, Hubert said, the restaurant doesnt plan on requiring the vaccine or offering incentives. Everyone is understanding, the more people who are vaccinated, the quicker we can get back to some kind of normalcy. 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! According to a preliminary investigation by Lake Zurich police, a 2011 Ford Fusion was traveling southbound on Lions Drive around 4:45 a.m Monday when the vehicle lost control, veering into the parking lot of Village Hall. From there, the car continued traveling south through the parking lot before plowing into two electrical boxes and a decorative brick wall that extends east from Village Hall and screens its utility courtyard, the deputy chief 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. Karan Singh Grover Reveals Wife Bipasha Was Devastated When He Contracted COVID-19 Post Qubool Hai 2.0 Shoot The reboot of Ekta Kapoors Kasautii Zindagii Kay won many hearts when it premiered on television. However, the show came to an end last year in the month of October after a drastic drop in ratings due to the pandemic. Many actors also left the show for various reasons. Sadly, Karan Singh Grover aka Mr Bajaj was one of them. The actor had shared that he does not want to risk the lives of his loved ones by resuming shoot amid the coronavirus pandemic. A few months later when things got better, he jetted off to Serbia to shoot for Qubool Hai 2.0. View this post on Instagram A post shared by karan singh grover (@iamksgofficial) Before returning home in January, the actor had tested positive for COVID-19 and had to stay back in Serbia till the isolation period was over. In a recent chat with Mid Day, Karan opened up about the same and shared, We were shooting in zero degrees, and in a particular scene, I was not wearing a jacket. So, I was down with fever for a day. Two days later when we were to go back home, the unit had to do the mandatory testing before flying out. When the test results came, I was diagnosed with the virus. I didnt show any symptoms except that I had lost my sense of smell for three days. So, I had to stay back till January 9. View this post on Instagram A post shared by karan singh grover (@iamksgofficial) Well, it was an extremely difficult time for Karans wife and actress Bipasha Basu as the news took an emotional toll on her. Karan recalled the time and revealed, Bipasha was devastated; she is strong, but she gets scared when it comes to the health of her loved ones. Often, she doesnt take care of herself, but wants to make sure everyone around her is okay. So, my diagnosis hit her worse than me. The two finally reunited when Karan returned home post recovery. Denton, TX (76205) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. [March 16, 2021] Stance Capital Announces Large-Cap Core ESG ETF Stance Capital, a pioneer in quantitative ESG investing and research, is proud to announce the launch of the Stance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF (NYSE: STNC). The fund will be a series of The RBB Fund Inc. and will use Blue Tractor's Shielded Alpha ETF wrapper. Stance Capital, founded by Bill Davis in 2016, offers a differentiated approach to ESG investing. Its active, semi-concentrated strategy, with a proprietary machine learning model and risk optimization overlay, was previously only available in separately-managed-accounts and through model delivery. "We started Stance Capital to dispel the notion that investing in companies with strong ESG indicators will lead to under-performance," said Davis. "We believe that with proper portfolio construction, values alignment is a free option for investors." Stance selected The RBB Fund Inc., as the fund's platform, in part because RBB's affiliation with Blue Tractor allows for the use of Blue Tractor's Shielded Alpha solution, which offers investors all the benefits of an ETF - lower trading costs, greater tax efficiency and intra-day trading liquidity - while also safeguarding Stance's portfolio management and trading strategy. "In partnering with RBB, we found a platform willing to work with our needs and create a custom solution to suit our growing client base," Davis said. "We are excited to offer a unique approach to ESG investing, one that is 'core' by design, with far less dependence on mega-cap tech companies than most ESG strategies are providing today." "We are thrilled to be working with Stance Capital and assisting them in bringing their separately managed account composite, which has outperformed the S&P 500 over the past seven years, to the market in an ETF structure," said Arnold Reichman, Chairman of the RBB Board. About Stance Capital Stance Capital is a Boston-based, SEC (News - Alert) - Registered Investment Advisor, specializing in quantitative ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) asset management and research. Stance manages separately managed accounts for institutions and high net worth individuals. Stance also participates in model delivery across a range of platforms. Since 2014, Stance Capital has demonstrated top decile performance after fees with less rsk while at the same time investing in companies with strong ESG metrics. Our Mission: To outperform the market, invest in good companies. For more information, please visit www.stancecap.com. About The RBB Fund, Inc. The first organized multiple series trust founded in 1988, The RBB Fund, Inc. is a registered open-end investment company organized as a series trust under Maryland law. RBB is a turnkey solution which permits the advisor to focus on its core competency of asset management and shifts responsibility for the establishment, servicing, and corporate governance of funds to RBB. Today, RBB oversees approximately $15 billion in assets, supporting nine unaffiliated advisors, over 15 unaffiliated sub-advisors, and over 30 mutual fund or ETF offerings. For more information, please go to www.rbbfund.com. About Blue Tractor Group Blue Tractor Group, LLC develops proprietary solutions to facilitate novel exchange-traded fund products. Blue Tractor's Shielded Alpha ETF structure (patent pending) permits active fund management within an ETF wrapper, while protecting an advisor's proprietary alpha strategy. Blue Tractor has licensing agreements in place with a number of leading advisors and fund administrators, and more information is available at www.bluetractorgroup.com. ____________________ PAST PERFORMANCE DOES NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS Stance Capital LLC is a registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Stance Capital has been appointed as a sub-adviser to the Stance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF. Fund holdings are subject to change and should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Before you invest in the Fund, please refer to the prospectus for important information about the investment company, including investment objectives, risks, changes, and expenses. You may obtain a copy of the prospectus by visiting www.stancefunds.com. The prospectus should be considered carefully before you invest or send money. The content of this web site is intended for information purposes only. No portion of the content should be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell shares of the fund in any jurisdiction where the solicitation or offer would be deemed unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Stance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF Risks: Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV), may trade at a discount or premium to NAV and are not individually redeemed from the funds. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. The Funds are "non-diversified," so they may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer could cause the Funds' overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Funds held a more diversified portfolio. The S&P 500 is a market-capitalization-weighted index designed to measure the performance of 500 large-cap U.S. companies. Index performance is discussed for illustrative purposes only as a benchmark for each strategy's performance and does not predict or depict performance of that strategy. While index comparisons may be useful to provide a benchmark for a strategy's performance, it must be noted that investments are not limited to the investments comprising the indices. Each of the strategy benchmark indices are unmanaged and cannot be purchased directly by investors. The Stance Equity ESG Large Cap Core ETF is distributed by Vigilant Distributors, LLC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005227/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A bankrupt and frustrated man convicted of setting his home on fire must stay housed in a Pennsylvania prison for up to a decade, a state appeals court panel has decided. In an opinion by Judge Victor P. Stabile, the Superior Court extinguished John M. Sekeraks claim that Berks County prosecutors didnt prove he is an arsonist. Instead, Stabiles court upheld Sekeraks convictions on arson, reckless endangerment and insurance fraud charges, along with his 5 to 10-year prison sentence. Those charges stem from an Aug. 8, 2018 blaze at Sekeraks home near Kutztown. A county jury convicted him of those crimes last year. John Sekerak Sekerak, 49, appealed to the Superior Court after county Judge Patrick T. Barrett refused to overturn the convictions. Stabile cited Barretts account of the testimony of Sekeraks wife Nancy that the couple was in bankruptcy proceedings and had been engaged in a long-running feud with a neighbor when the fire erupted. Nancy Sekerak testified that on the morning of the blaze her husband was ranting about the neighbor. She said her husband told her he was tired of living and told her to take their cats and get out of the house. He then grabbed a gas can, held it over his head and began pouring the fuel on himself, she testified. She said she saw her husband carrying two propane tanks into the house as she drove away to a gas station to call the police. Barrett noted that prosecutors presented a recoded phone call Sekerak had with his wife while in prison awaiting trial. In that call, Sekerak urged his wife to tell investigators the fire had already started when he told her to flee the house. A state police fire investigator concluded that several separate fires had been set in the house. Another expert testified that accelerants, gasoline and perhaps paint thinner, were detected on Sekeraks clothing after he was arrested while riding a bicycle miles away from the house. Sekerak claimed the fire began when his wife swatted a lit cigarette out of his hand. Citing the evidence, Stabile concluded Sekeraks conviction is solid. He also rejected Sekeraks claim that his punishment is too harsh. PHILADELPHIA, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dunkin' and its greater Philadelphia-area franchisees today announced the launch of its twelfth annual Dunkin' Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program, which will award $50,000 in scholarships to area high school and college students. In collaboration with Scholarship America, Dunkin' will award a $2,000 academic scholarship to 25 students throughout the greater Philadelphia region to attend an accredited two or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school of their choice in Fall 2021. Dunkin's Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program will be open to current part-time and full-time undergraduate students, and high school seniors. Recipients will be selected based on their academic record, demonstrated leadership skills, and overall commitment to their school and local community. "Dunkin' franchisees throughout the greater Philadelphia area are excited to once again launch the Dunkin' Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program to continue helping the students in our communities as they work toward advanced education," said Perry Shah, Dunkin' Franchisee and Chairman of the Dunkin' Philadelphia Advertising Committee. "Dunkin' and the Philadelphia-area franchisees look forward to recognizing 25 more deserving students throughout the region by helping to ease the financial burden of college." Since its creation in 2009, the Dunkin' Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program has awarded $450,000 in scholarships to 275 outstanding part-time and full-time undergraduate students and high school seniors. Applications for the twelfth annual Dunkin' Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program will be accepted through April 30. Applicants must be high school seniors or current undergraduate students who plan to enroll in a part-time or full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school in Fall 2021. Applicants must reside and/or be currently enrolled in college in Southeastern Pa., Southern N.J., or Kent and New Castle counties Del. to be considered. For more information or to apply, visit https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/dunkinphilly/. About Dunkin' Founded in 1950, Dunkin' is America's favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced regular/decaf/flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin' has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 15 years running. The company has more than 12,600 restaurants in 40 countries worldwide. Dunkin' is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com. About Scholarship America Scholarship America is a non-profit organization that helps students fulfill their college dreams. Since 1958, Scholarship America has distributed over $4.5 billion to more than 2.8 million students. The organization works with partners to lower barriers to a college education and give students the support needed to succeed. Learn more at scholarshipamerica.org. SOURCE Dunkin' Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Plans to create 150 new marijuana stores, allow cannabis tours and make it a crime to get a pet high are among proposals Illinois lawmakers are expected to consider this spring. The proposed legislation comes as the states marijuana industry has undergone explosive growth, clearing $1 billion in sales in its first year, while minority and other new investors have gotten shut out of the process. Even after proposed changes to promote minority ownership, sponsors say the industry will remain fundamentally slanted in favor of existing wealthy white owners, despite stated intentions to make up for disproportionate effects of the war on drugs. As long as existing growers are allowed to remain far bigger than newcomers, and federal law prohibits bank loans for marijuana businesses, it will be nearly impossible for many entrepreneurs to compete on an equal footing, Democratic state Rep. La Shawn Ford of Chicago said. There could be no equity because this system does not even allow for common folks to get into the business, he said. As an example of the difference between established cannabis companies and new entrepreneurs, existing growers may grow up to 210,000 square feet of flowering plants, while new craft growers initially will be limited to 5,000 square feet. In addition, many of the states retail stores have been consolidated under the largest companies, and most new licenses so far will be concentrated among a few wealthy investors. Other new legislative proposals would create a cannabis control commission, add cannabis to schools health education, redistribute cannabis tax revenue, tighten conflict-of-interest provisions and require disclosure of cannabis business ownership. Proponents of expanded cannabis licensing have planned a news conference to introduce the legislation Tuesday. Details of the bill were still being worked out last week among lawmakers, Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office and new and existing cannabis business owners. Story continues The state law that legalized recreational cannabis sales beginning last year allowed 21 existing medical marijuana cultivation sites to have exclusive control of the market. Medical cannabis dispensaries were given exclusive permission to sell recreational pot at their existing locations, as well as at new second sites. The law called for 75 new retail licenses to be issued before May 1, 2020 but that never happened. The governors administration delayed issuing the new licenses, blaming the COVID-19 pandemic. In September, after regulators announced that just 21 new applicants out of hundreds qualified for a lottery for the licenses, losing applicants cried foul. The process was designed to favor social equity applicants, including those who had been affected by past low-level marijuana convictions, or those who lived in poor, high-crime, mostly minority areas designated as those harmed most by the war on drugs. But many applicants who qualified included wealthy and politically connected white investors who partnered with minorities, or who agreed to hire a majority of social equity workers. In addition, only those who had 51% or more ownership by military veterans got bonus points that earned perfect scores to qualify for the license lottery. In response to lawsuits and complaints about the process, Pritzker agreed to give applicants a second chance to correct deficiencies in their applications, and to be rescored by contracted accounting firm KPMG. But that process has dragged out for months. Corrected applications were due this month, but officials still were in the process of reviewing them. To address the debacle, Ford planned to introduce legislation this week to create 75 new licenses for the initial group of applicants. That round of applications, known as 1b, would create a minimum qualifying cut score, rather than having only perfect scores qualify, in effect doing away with the veteran ownership requirement. Then, under Fords proposal, there would be a second round of new applications for another 75 licenses. That round would eliminate a clause that allows for those who hire social equity workers to qualify as social equity owners. The change is meant to ensure that more minority owners would qualify. There was also a tentative proposal to allow customers to see and smell cannabis products in stores before any purchase. Currently, retailers may not display their stash. Among some 300 cannabis-related bills introduced in Springfield, most of which are unlikely to pass, a few stand out. One proposal provides that a county or municipality may allow the sale and consumption of cannabis at temporary events, clubs, and tours of cultivation centers. Another bill would transfer cannabis business licensing and oversight from existing state regulators to a new Cannabis Control Commission to be appointed by the governor. Yet another would require schools to teach the medical and legal ramifications of cannabis use, similar to warnings about alcohol and drug use. And one measure provides that no one may knowingly allow an animal to ingest cannabis, including secondhand smoke, in a way that results in the animals sickness or death. State Rep. Marty Moylan, a Democrat from Des Plaines, who initially opposed legalization, introduced bills to require disclosure of cannabis business owners, which the state now generally keeps secret. He also introduced a bill to prohibit lawmakers, state pot regulators and their immediate family members from having a financial or voting interest in a cannabis business. There are plenty of cracks in the system, Moylan said, and the result has greatly benefited a small number of wealthy individuals instead of a large and diverse number of local business owners. Asked about the licensing legislation, a spokeswoman for the governor, Charity Greene, issued a statement that Pritzker will issue licenses in a fair, equitable manner, and support laws to address equity issues and benefit communities hardest hit by the war on drugs. jwhidden@chicagotribune.com rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com (Newser) He was killed by an alien on screen and served as the first Black villain for the James Bond movie franchise. Now, Yaphet Kotto, a New York City native who started acting as a teen, has died at the age of 81, his agent confirms to Variety. The New York Times reports he died near Manila, in the Philippines. Kotto's wife, Tessie Sinahon, first broke the news on Facebook on Monday, calling it a "very [painful] moment." Kotto began his acting career in the theater, making his pro debut in Othello before heading to Broadway to take James Earl Jones' place in The Great White Hope in 1969, per The Hollywood Reporter. Kotto had by that time segued into movies and TV, including with a role in 1968's The Thomas Crown Affair and a stint on Hawaii Five-0. After landing the dual role of Dr. Kananga and Mr. Big in 1973's Live and Let Die, Kotto continued working on the big screen until he landed the role of Parker in 1979's Alien. story continues below Kotto was also approached about playing Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back, a role that ended up going to Billy Dee Williams after he turned it down. "I wanted to get back down on Earth," he said in a 2003 interview, per THR. "I was afraid that if I did another space film after having done Alien, then I'd be [typecast]." He was also known for his co-starring role in 1987's The Running Man, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, and for his character of Lt. Al "Gee" Giardello on the long-running NBC '90s series Homicide: Life on the Street. "You played a villain [in] some of your movies but for me you're a real hero and to a lot of people also," his wife wrote in her Facebook post. "A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being, very rare to find. One of the best [actors] in Hollywood." Kotto is survived by his wife and six children. (Read more celebrity death stories.) Boris Johnson to visit India in April India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson will visit India at the end of April as part of efforts to boost opportunities in the region. It may be recalled that Johnson had cancelled his visit to India on Republic Day owing to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the UK. Johnson had been invited by Delhi as the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations. On the visit, Johnson's office said, it would 'tilt' its focus towards the Indo-Pacific region as part of its Integrated Review of government policy for the coming years, saying the area increasingly represented the geopolitical centre of the world. Boris Johnson 'very optimistic about June 21 lockdown end In December Johnson had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formally accept his invitation to visit India as Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade, which was to mark his first major bilateral visit since taking office in 2019 and the first since Britain's formal exit from the European Union (EU) at the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31, 2020. "I am absolutely delighted to be visiting India next year at the start of an exciting year for Global Britain, and look forward to delivering the quantum leap in our bilateral relationship that Prime Minister Modi and I have pledged to achieve," Johnson said at the time. "As a key player in the Indo-Pacific region, India is an increasingly indispensable partner for the United Kingdom as we work to boost jobs and growth, confront shared threats to our security and protect our planet," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 8:38 [IST] Finally, in Joe Biden, we have a president who cares. "I know its been hard. I truly know," he said, reflecting on a year of loss of both life and living. "I will not relent until we beat this virus, but I need you, the American people. I need you. I need every American to do their part, and thats not hyperbole." Biden's prime-time address, his first, came hours after he signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief law, historic in its breadth and cost, that represents the largest anti-poverty package in generations. It includes direct assistance to most Americans and an expanded child tax credit that could cut child poverty in half, as well as billions for towns, schools and small businesses. And most important, it will expedite access to the COVID-19 vaccines that are so desperately needed to save lives and bring this pandemic, finally, to its knees. Yet Republicans stood united in their opposition to the relief package. Not a single Republican voted for it, giving the Democrats a powerful tool to use against them and revealing once again their extraordinary hypocrisy. They are convinced that the stimulus package will backfire on Democrats in the midterm elections, as former President Barack Obamas 2009 stimulus package did during the 2010 midterms. No GOP credibility as fiscal stewards Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell made it clear early on that GOP senators would use this bill to suggest that Biden had abandoned his campaign promise to work in a bipartisan fashion. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin forced the reading of the entire 628-page legislation into the record, a stupid stunt that took nearly 11 hours. Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Marco Rubio of Florida joined the no votes even though amendments to the bill that they had sponsored were adopted. According to Forbes and its auditors, the bill is littered with earmarks and pork, with hundreds of billions going to non-COVID related spending. Such non-COVID projects include millions of dollars for family planning programs, the National Endowment for the Arts and more. Story continues It shouldnt be difficult to make the argument that these programs dont belong in a coronavirus relief bill. Conservatives have fought against such wasteful spending for decades. But that is exactly the problem: For the past four years, Republicans have completely abandoned the conservative cause and allowed a Republican president to spend, as Sen. John McCain often said, like a drunken sailor. President Joe Biden signs the American Rescue Plan on March 11, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Under former President Donald Trump, with the full support of Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, the nations debt surged by $7.8 trillion, a nearly 40% escalation from when President Barack Obama left office. Republicans no longer have any credibility as conservative fiscal stewards. In fact, the principles of conservatism were abandoned in their entirety by the GOP in deference to their narcissistic, destructive leader. Their empty, politically driven complaints about this law now fall on deaf ears. Doctor on the anniversary of COVID: 'Did not anticipate ... the public would not believe us' As we all know, elections have consequences. When over 81 million Americans including 8% of Republicans voted for Biden, they were sending a clear message that they were done with the GOP reverence for Trump. Losing the right and credibility to call for fiscal restraint is the cost Republicans now pay for their irresponsible behavior over the past four years. While Republican senators hope that by opposing this massive spending bill they will gain support in the 2022 midterm elections, they are ignoring a key difference. Under Obamas leadership, we did not lose more than 400,000 American lives as of Jan. 20 to a grossly mismanaged pandemic. COVID-19 relief signals new dawn Republicans are callously assuming that America will forget the pain and grief of 2020. They are evaluating this relief package through the same cynical, partisan filter of the past. They believe they will be able to use a spending bill to further divide the nation, fan the flames of dissent and tribalism, and use dollars to move the vote in 2022. In doing so, they are ignoring the reality of the past 12 months. Regardless of whether or not they support all the programs and projects that will benefit from this bill, the COVID-19 relief package represents much more than dollars in their pockets for most Americans. Support front-line COVID troops: Even as restrictions lift, say yes to masks, vaccines and unity. It is a sign that a new day is finally dawning in America. President Biden is following through on his promise to bring relief to struggling families and small businesses. He is implementing an organized, expedited vaccine distribution plan. He is building an experienced, diverse leadership team for our country. He is moving us toward a future we can all believe in. And he gives every indication of understanding what our country is going through, ticking off a litany of losses ranging from the anguish of loved ones dying alone, to children losing up to a year of learning, to simple pleasures like spending time with friends. "We are fundamentally a people who want to be with others, to talk, to laugh, to hug, to hold one another, but this virus has kept us apart," Biden said Thursday night. "The things we used to do that always filled us with joy have become things we couldnt do and broke our hearts." Republicans have lost the authority and credibility to criticize. They should have voted for the relief bill out of respect and empathy for the American people. Instead, they made it clear that when it comes to the people, they have neither. Former Republican Jennifer Horn, a communications strategist and a senior practitioner fellow at the University of Chicago Center for Effective Government, chaired the New Hampshire Republican Party from 2013-17 and was a co-founder of the Lincoln Project. Follow her on Twitter: @NHJennifer You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden COVID relief is new start after Trump but Republicans don't get it AKRON, Ohio, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Icahn Capital to add two new members to the company's Board of Directors. Following these additions, FirstEnergy's Board will have 14 directors. Under the terms of the agreement, FirstEnergy will appoint Andrew Teno and Jesse Lynn, both of whom are employees of Icahn Capital, to the Board effective March 18, 2021. FirstEnergy has also agreed to include Teno and Lynn on its recommended slate of nominees for election at the company's upcoming 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. These appointments are subject to certain regulatory approvals. Therefore, until regulatory approvals are received, the two Icahn Capital directors will not have voting rights. The agreement includes provisions regarding voting, standstill restrictions, and other matters, and also provides that Mr. Icahn and his associates will not exercise substantial influence or control over FirstEnergy or any of its subsidiaries. The agreement will be filed by the company on a Current Report on Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Icahn Capital," said Donald T. Misheff, non-executive chairman of FirstEnergy. "Our Board and management team have been taking decisive actions to address recent challenges and rebuild trust with key stakeholders. We welcome Messrs. Teno and Lynn joining our Board deliberations as we continue to implement initiatives to enhance shareholder value and advance FirstEnergy into a more resilient, industry-leading organization of the future." "We look forward to working with our new directors and the rest of the Board on the priorities for FirstEnergy and building on the meaningful steps we have already taken to drive performance, engage in an open dialogue with regulators and other stakeholders, and ensure a company-wide culture of integrity and ethical behavior," said Steven E. Strah, president and chief executive officer. "Over the past few weeks, we have had constructive discussions with FirstEnergy's Board and management team. We look forward to working with them to advance the significant progress they have made in navigating current uncertainties and ensuring the company is best positioned to increase value for all shareholders," said Carl C. Icahn. FirstEnergy has acted with urgency in recent months to strengthen the company and implement initiatives that are expected to provide near-term value while creating new opportunities for long-term growth. This includes among other actions fostering a renewed emphasis on compliance and transparency throughout the company, taking steps to reduce regulatory uncertainty affecting its Ohio utilities, and driving initiatives to accelerate the trajectory of the business for the benefit of all shareholders and other stakeholders. Mr. Teno will join the Audit Committee and the Compliance Oversight Sub-Committee formed to assess and oversee the implementation of potential changes in the company's corporate compliance program, and Mr. Lynn will join the Independent Review Committee and the Demand Review Committee. About Andrew Teno Andrew Teno has been a portfolio manager of Icahn Capital LP, the investment management subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises L.P., since October 2020. Mr. Teno has been a director of Cheniere Energy, Inc., a developer of natural gas liquefaction and export facilities and related pipelines, since February 2021; and Herc Holdings Inc., an international provider of equipment rental and services, since February 2021. Prior to joining Icahn, Mr. Teno worked at Fir Tree Partners, a New York-based private investment firm that invests worldwide in public and private companies, real estate and sovereign debt. Mr. Teno's focus was on value investing across capital structures, industries and geographies. During his time at Fir Tree, he also served on the Board of Directors of Eco-Stim Energy Solutions. Prior to Fir Tree, he worked at Crestview Partners from July 2009 to July 2011 as an associate in their Private Equity business. Prior to Crestview, Mr. Teno worked at Gleacher Partners, an M&A boutique, from July 2007 to July 2009. Mr. Teno received an undergraduate business degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2007. About Jesse Lynn Jesse A. Lynn has been general counsel of Icahn Enterprises L.P., a diversified holding company engaged in a variety of businesses, including investment, energy, automotive, food packaging, metals, real estate, home fashion and pharma, since 2014. From 2004 to 2014, Mr. Lynn was Assistant General Counsel of Icahn Enterprises. Mr. Lynn has been a director of Cloudera, Inc., a company that provides a software platform for data engineering, data warehousing, machine learning and analytics, since August 2019; and Conduent Incorporated, a provider of business process outsourcing services, since April 2019. Mr. Lynn was previously a director of Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., a nutrition company, from 2014 to January 2021; and The Manitowoc Company, Inc., a capital goods manufacturer, from April 2015 to February 2018. Prior to joining Icahn, Mr. Lynn worked as an associate in the New York office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. in its business and finance department from 2000 until 2004. From 1996 until 2000, Mr. Lynn was an associate in the corporate group at Gordon Altman Butowsky Weitzen Shalov & Wein. Mr. Lynn received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from the Boston University School of Law. 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. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter: @FirstEnergyCorp. Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements include declarations regarding management's intents, beliefs and current expectations. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms "anticipate," "potential," "expect," "forecast," "target," "will," "intend," "believe," "project," "estimate," "plan" and similar words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, which may include the following: the results of our ongoing internal investigation matters and evaluation of our controls framework and remediation of our material weakness in internal control over financial reporting; the risks and uncertainties associated with government investigations regarding Ohio House Bill 6 and related matters including potential adverse impacts on federal or state regulatory matters including, but not limited to, matters relating to rates; the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, mediation and similar proceedings; legislative and regulatory developments, including, but not limited to, matters related to rates, compliance and enforcement activity; the ability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits from strategic and financial goals, including, but not limited to, maintaining financial flexibility, overcoming current uncertainties and challenges associated with the ongoing governmental investigations, executing our transmission and distribution investment plans, controlling costs, improving our credit metrics, strengthening our balance sheet and growing earnings; economic and weather conditions affecting future operating results, such as a recession, significant weather events and other natural disasters, and associated regulatory events or actions in response to such conditions; mitigating exposure for remedial activities associated with retired and formerly owned electric generation assets; the extent and duration of COVID-19 and the impacts to our business, operations and financial condition resulting from the outbreak of COVID-19 including, but not limited to, disruption of businesses in our territories, volatile capital and credit markets, legislative and regulatory actions, the effectiveness of our pandemic and business continuity plans, the precautionary measures we are taking on behalf of our customers, contractors and employees, our customers' ability to make their utility payment and the potential for supply-chain disruptions; the potential of non-compliance with debt covenants in our credit facilities due to matters associated with the government investigations regarding Ohio House Bill 6 and related matters; the ability to access the public securities and other capital and credit markets in accordance with our financial plans, the cost of such capital and overall condition of the capital and credit markets affecting us, including the increasing number of financial institutions evaluating the impact of climate change on their investment decisions; actions that may be taken by credit rating agencies that could negatively affect either our access to or terms of financing or our financial condition and liquidity; changes in assumptions regarding economic conditions within our territories, the reliability of our transmission and distribution system, or the availability of capital or other resources supporting identified transmission and distribution investment opportunities; changes in customers' demand for power, including, but not limited to, the impact of climate change or energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates; changes in national and regional economic conditions affecting us and/or our major industrial and commercial customers or others with which we do business; the risks associated with cyber-attacks and other disruptions to our information technology system, which may compromise our operations, and data security breaches of sensitive data, intellectual property and proprietary or personally identifiable information; the ability to comply with applicable reliability standards and energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates; changes to environmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, those related to climate change; changing market conditions affecting the measurement of certain liabilities and the value of assets held in our pension trusts and other trust funds, or causing us to make contributions sooner, or in amounts that are larger, than currently anticipated; labor disruptions by our unionized workforce; changes to significant accounting policies; any changes in tax laws or regulations, or adverse tax audit results or rulings; and the risks and other factors discussed from time to time in our SEC filings. Dividends declared from time to time on FirstEnergy Corp.'s common stock during any period may in the aggregate vary from prior periods due to circumstances considered by FirstEnergy Corp.'s Board of Directors at the time of the actual declarations. A security rating is not a recommendation to buy or hold securities and is subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency. Each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating. The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements and risks that are included in our filings with the SEC, including but not limited to the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The foregoing review of factors also should not be construed as exhaustive. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors, nor assess the impact of any such factor on FirstEnergy Corp.'s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. FirstEnergy expressly disclaims any current intention to update or revise, except as required by law, any forward-looking statements contained herein or the information incorporated by reference as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com Grounded teaching or act of cruelty? Christian leaders react to the Vatican rejecting same-sex marriage Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christians worldwide reacted this week after the Vatican issued a statement declaring that the Roman Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex romantic unions. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith declared on Monday that it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage. As is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex. The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing, since the positive elements exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creators plan, the statement stressed. The statement clarified Pope Francis' position on the issue after he reportedly voiced support for legal civil unions in the civil sphere last year. The statement also comes as plans and proposals for blessings of unions of persons of the same sex are being advanced in some ecclesial contexts. While some have praised the Vatican for issuing a clarification backing longstanding Catholic Church teaching, others were critical of the move. The following pages highlight five reactions to the Vatican statement from Christian leaders representing diverse theological and political perspectives. Experienced executive Klein will be responsible for communicating the company's strategy First Cobalt owns North America's only permitted cobalt refinery, which is key to the development and manufacturing of batteries for EVs Corp ( ) ( ) (FRA:18P) said Tuesday it had received a further C$1.92 million in cash from an accelerated warrant exercise and that Cora Klein has joined the company as head of investor relations. Experienced executive Klein will be responsible for communicating the company's strategy as it enters the construction phase for expansion and recommissioning of its Canadian cobalt refinery, the company said. "We are pleased to welcome Cora to the team. Her experience across different industries and with a global investor base will serve us well as we work towards a greener future powered by electric vehicles," said Trent Mell, CEO at . Under the terms of warrants issued as part of placings in 2019 and last year, the company provided holders with notice that it would accelerate the expiry date to March 15, 2021. At the time of the notice, there were 5,604,561 warrants outstanding at a strike price of C$0.21 per share. All warrants were exercised prior to the expiry deadline for gross proceeds of C$1,176,957. Additionally, at the time of the notice, there were 2,957,482 warrants outstanding at a strike price of C$0.27 per share, and 2,757,482 warrants were exercised prior to the expiry deadline for gross proceeds of C$744,520. The remaining warrants have been cancelled. First Cobalt owns North America's only permitted cobalt refinery, which is key to the development and manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). The company owns the Iron Creek cobalt-copper project in Idaho, US and also controls significant silver and cobalt assets in the Canadian Cobalt Camp, including more than 50 past-producing mines. Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 11, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Sen. Manchin Calls Border Surge a Crisis, as Scrutiny Grows As the border surge continues to escalate amid increasing scrutiny, one Democrat is publicly criticizing the administration for how it handled its messaging on immigration, as well as the situation itself. The White House and the Biden administration have repeatedly refused to use the word crisis when describing the historical increase of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S-Mexico border. Reporters have in recent weeks been pressing the administration on this. In an interview with CNN, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) went further than the administration by describing the situation at the border as a catastrophe. Whatever message was sentit was sure interpreted the wrong way, Manchin told the outlet, referring to the Biden administration. Its a crisisoh its a crisis. Manchins office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times. The senator appears to be the first major Democratic lawmaker to have broken rank from his party to call the border surge a crisis. The White House recently acknowledged the border surge as a big problem, with press secretary Jen Psaki telling reporters on March 15 that the administration is currently assessing whether to add additional facilities for unaccompanied minors, or children who cross the border illegally without an adult. Migrants approach the American border on Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas, on March 2, 2021. (Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images) The head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on March 16 that the number of illegal immigrants entering the United States via the southern border has spiked during President Joe Bidens first two months in office. We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. Republican members of Congress laid the blame of the surge on Bidens immigration policies. Standing in El Paso, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border on March 15, House Republicans denounced the policy changes, relaying the overcrowded conditions they saw firsthand in a holding facility and the dismay from border agents who are being overwhelmed. This is a human heartbreak. The sad part about all of this is it didnt have to happen, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters, calling the situation the Biden border crisis. Biden should travel to the border and talk to agents while grappling with what his policies have spawned, McCarthy added. An ongoing immigration policy tracker by the Heritage Foundation found that Biden has rollbacked almost all of former President Donald Trumps immigration policies. Border Patrol apprehended 100,441 illegal border-crossers along the southern border in February, according to Customs and Border Protection. The number reflects a 28 percent increase over January. Over the weekend, DHS announced that the Federal Emeregency Management Agency will be sent to the border to support a government-wide effort over the next 90 days to safely receive, shelter, and transfer unaccompanied children who make the dangerous journey to the U.S. southwest border. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou is returning to a British Columbia courtroom Monday for her extradition case. The conduct of Canadian police and border officers is expected to face scrutiny this week as hearings resume. Three weeks of arguments in Meng's case are scheduled to begin today, including allegations that her arrest at Vancouver's airport in 2018 was an unlawful abuse of process and that the case doesn't meet the criteria for extradition under international law. Meng's lawyers are also expected to ask the judge hearing the case to admit evidence that they say would bolster their arguments. Meng is wanted in the United States on fraud charges that both she and Huawei deny. She is accused of misrepresenting Huawei's control of another company to HSBC, allegedly putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran. Her lawyers say in court documents that the new evidence challenges the assertion that HSBC suffered a real risk of loan loss due to Meng's alleged actions, and proves that the United States provided an "manifestly unreliable" record of the case to Canadian officials. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Similar to other community vaccination efforts we have undertaken, this stemmed from requests from West Side residents who work at the hotel and were unable to leave their jobs to be vaccinated during regular in-hospital hours, Miller wrote. We were, at the time, under the impression that restaurant and other front-line hospitality industry workers were considered essential under the city of Chicagos 1B eligibility requirements. I now understand, after subsequent conversations with the Chicago Department of Public Health, that we were mistaken. "We've moved around so much, so it will be really nice to be able to have the kids in one school and not have them moving around to different schools all the time, and somewhere where they can have their own bedrooms," Polizzi said. Polizzi served for 14 years, deployed four times, and received the Purple Heart from an injury in Afghanistan. "We are honored to support Operation: Coming Home by helping to build a home for such a deserving American hero," said Bob Wiggins, President of Mattamy's Raleigh Division. "It is our hope that this home will provide a place for the Polizzi family to make cherished memories for years to come." The project is a result of Operation Coming Home, a joint volunteer project led by the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA), the United States Veterans Corps (USVC) and companies such as Mattamy Homes that build and donate homes for wounded combat veterans. This is the second home donated by Mattamy Homes and the 10th from the Royal Oaks team, which was acquired by Mattamy Homes in 2017. The Polizzi family is expected to receive the keys to their brand-new home at a ceremony in July. About Mattamy Homes Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with 40-plus years of history across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps more than 8,000 families realize their dream of home ownership. In the United States, the company is represented in 11 markets Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando (where its US head office is located), Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida and in Canada, its communities stretch across the Greater Toronto Area, as well as in Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. Visit www.mattamyhomes.com for more information. About Operation: Coming Home Operation: Coming Home (OCH) is a partnership between members of the U.S. Veterans Corps (USVC), the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA) and various area nonprofits and businesses. Made up of Veterans and non-Veterans, this team is honoring the sacrifices of the severely wounded Veterans of recent Middle Eastern Wars by building homes for them, at no charge. For more information, visit www.operationcominghome.com. SOURCE Mattamy Homes Limited Related Links mattamyhomes.com A former New South Wales cop tried to get his job back and claimed he was unfairly dismissed after text messages emerged of him referring to colleagues as 'c**ns', ranking females based on their looks and mocking others' sexuality. Former Leading Constable Calvin Dunne appealed to the Industrial Relations Commission to reinstate his job at Botany Bay Local Area Command after he was fired in 2019. He denied any of his actions amounted to sexual assault or bullying and told the court he and his young family were struggling to live off his wife's $120,000 salary. Mr Dunne's request was ultimately denied after the court determined that his dismissal was fair. Former Leading Constable Calvin Dunne asked the men in the group chat to help him rate his female colleagues' appearance Constable Jordan Crotty (pictured) was reportedly internally disciplined and placed on restricted duties for her involvement in the group chat He also asked two female colleagues to 'go down on each other [and] film it' before making several other sexist remarks The father-of-one created a WhatsApp group chat for he and 19 of his colleagues where cops would make insensitive remarks toward one another. The group chat, which was initially named 'Patrol Fairies 2.0' but later named the 'Dog Pound' led to the dismissal of Mr Dunne and one other officer, Ben Vizzone. Mr Vizzone challenged his dismissal, and the matter settled outside of court. Constable Jordan Crotty was internally disciplined and placed on restricted duties for her involvement in the group chat, which included her discussing 'loading up' an offender with a long list of charges and making sexist remarks. Within the chat, Mr Dunne asked colleagues to tell him 'what her p**sy tasted like' when discussing other women and referred to several subordinates as 'f***ots'. 'Sonter, you have about as much c**n in you as hanna has hair,' one of the texts read. 'She's c**n... c**ns don't date... they steal.' In a separate exchange on the same day in 2017, Mr Dunne asked the men in the group chat to help him rate his female colleagues' appearance. Within the chat, Mr Dunne asked colleagues to tell him 'what her p**sy tasted like' when discussing other women and referred to several subordinates as 'f***ots' In one message exchange, Mr Dunne said 'c**ns don't date... they steal' while speaking to a colleague who identifies as Aboriginal 'Guys can we go back to Jackie getting bolt ons... Surely that puts her in first place now? Chelsea defo number 1 for under 3... Jackie just went to number 1 over 30,' he said. Another category in the competition was the most attractive 'milf' - which is an acronym for a mother someone would like to sleep with. He also asked two female colleagues to 'go down on each other [and] film it'. Even as the text messages were presented to the court, Mr Dunne argued that they were all lighthearted and denied they constituted sexual harassment or bullying. He asked several colleagues to say that they did not feel bullied or uncomfortable when they were named in the group chat, but none went on the record. Dunne and Constable Ben Vizzone (pictured), who was also part of the chat group, were fired, while Crotty faced internal disciplinary action and was placed on restricted duties Given the circumstances, Mr Dunne argued that his dismissal from the workforce was harsh, and begged the judge to reinstate him. He also claimed that the Covid pandemic had made it increasingly difficult for him to find suitable work and indicated he was one small part of a broader cultural problem within the New South Wales Police Force. The court heard since he was stood down, Mr Dunne had become a father, but his wife was forced to return to work to support the family. She earns $120,000 working in human resources, but Mr Dunne appealed to the court that they were 'struggling financially as a result of [his] dismissal'. The group chat, which was initially named 'Patrol Fairies 2.0' but later named the 'Dog Pound' led to the dismissal of Mr Dunne and one other officer Mr Dunne also made remarks like the above, but denied he bullied or harassed any of his colleagues 'After paying a mortgage, car loan, and all other utilities and household expenses, we are struggling financially,' he explained. While the court determined he likely would not reoffend in the same manner should he be reinstated, the judge cited his 'blemished' history in the force. In his 10-year tenure, Mr Dunne had been subjected to conduct management plans and there was evidence of 'conduct and behavioural issues'. He had been cited for unprofessional exercise at a training exercise and on one occasion bragged about taking a photo of a severed hand, the court heard. There were four other instances of Mr Dunne being counselled between 2007 and 2009. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) Health Secretary Francisco Duque III cited increased mobility and the re-opening of the "large part" of the economy in the rise of COVID-19 infections in the country. Duque told President Rodrigo Duterte that due to these two factors, transmission and contact rates gone up resulting to the increase in COVID-19 cases. "Number one, increased mobility because we loosened quarantine restrictions. Second, we opened a large part of the economy, and because of this mobility increased, the transmission rate increased, and the contact rate increased," Duque said during the weekly Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases meeting on Monday. The Health Secretary added it has yet to be determined if the infectious COVID-19 variant from United Kingdom, detected in some parts of Metro Manila and Cordillera Administrative Region, also contributed to the spike of infections. Duque explained that only 4% of the 4,160 genome sequencing samples they recently studied are cases from the UK variant or B.1.1.7. The largest share remains on the Hong Kong lineage variant with 24% or detected in 1,002 samples. The South Africa or B1.351 variant, the new P.3 variant first discovered in the Philippines, and two other variants accounted for 2% each of the total cases. The Brazil or P.1 variant was found in only one sample, Duque said. The country saw a rise in COVID-19 cases which led to a two-week curfew in Metro Manila that started on Monday night. Some 5,404 new cases were recorded in the country on Monday, as its cumulative count reached 626,893 a year after Metro Manila was placed on lockdown. The latest DOH report showed 53,479 or 8.5% of the total tally are active cases. Some 12,837 persons have died and 560,577 patients have so far recovered from COVID-19. OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David projected that COVID-19 cases nationwide may reach 8,000 daily by the end of the month and up to 18,000 daily by April, warning the pandemic is progressing much faster now despite being one-year into the nationwide lockdown. The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is stepping up pressure on China's Alibaba group to sell off its media assets including the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper, according to recent media reports. Officials have been in talks with the company since last year, amid an ongoing clampdown on Alibaba founder Jack Ma's power and influence that saw Beijing pull the plug on a planned U.S.$35 billion initial public offering (IPO) of shares in his financial affiliate Ant Group. "Government officials are particularly upset about the companys influence over social media in China and its role in an online scandal, involving one of its executives," Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal has also reported that the government is asking Alibaba to offload a number of media assets, including online news sites, newspapers, television production companies, social media, and advertising businesses. It reported that Chinese regulators were shocked at the extent of Alibaba's media interests, and has asked the company to come up with a divestment plan. Alibaba holds a major stake in social media platform Weibo and video-streaming platform Youku, as well as the English-language SCMP. "Be assured that Alibabas commitment to SCMP remains unchanged and continues to support our mission and business goals," Bloomberg quoted an internal SCMP memo from CEO Gary Liu as saying. While Ma was initially lionized by state media as a loyal entrepreneur and billionaire, his huge wealth and power are increasingly being seen as a threat to CCP rule, analysts told RFA. His criticism of financial regulation in China and Alibaba's lightning-fast censorship of content referencing a scandal surrounding one of the company's executives are seen by many in Beijing as a threat to CCP authority. According to The Wall Street Journal, a recent investigation sparked concern after it found that Ant Group's investors included Jiang Zhicheng, the grandson of Xi's predecessor Jiang Zemin, and Li Botan, son-in-law of Politburo standing committee member Jia Qinglin. A scholar who gave only the nickname Si Ling said the government is very worried about the extent of Ma's power and influence. "They want to avoid a repeat of the Southern Weekend incident [that saw concerted resistance to government censorship]," Si Ling said. "They would feel more at ease if the media organizations currently controlled by Jack Ma were to come under the direct and total control of the CCP," he said. He said the intention would likely be to sell the SCMP off to a CCP-backed buyer, removing any trace of independent journalism, and replacing it with propaganda from Beijing's Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong and long screeds on Xi Jinping Thought. "That would involve sending personnel from CCP propaganda departments, or maybe from Xinhua news agency or the People's Daily, to work in the offices of the SCMP," he said. Series of changes seen Fang Kecheng, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), was once a journalist at Southern Weekend, which has been similarly reduced from delivering cutting-edge reporting to tamely parroting state propaganda. He said such a drastic change at the SCMP is unlikely in the short term. "The next step is to see who will take over [the SCMP], and how they deploy commercial methods, such as bringing in shareholders closer to the government, and larger advertisers, to exert control," Fang told RFA. "I personally think there won't be an immediate change; rather a series of changes, the effect of which may take a long time to become visible," he said. The CCP is in the process of "re-educating" its already tightly controlled state media, requiring hundreds of thousands of journalists to sit an exam on the political thought of Xi Jinping to qualify for a new generation of official press cards. The process started with a 2014 requirement for journalists to study Marxism, and followed up by Xi in 2016, when he warned during visits to state media organizations that state media are part of the CCP family. All media operating in China must safeguard the authority of the Communist Party central committee, and adhere to "the correct direction" in forming public opinion, Xi said at the time. Many journalists trace the beginnings of that process back to January 2013, when an op-ed article in the formerly cutting-edge Southern Weekend newspaper was forcibly expunged before publication, transforming a call for constitutional government and freedom of expression into a paean to the ruling party, and sparking a journalists' strike and days of street protests. Tuo Zhen, the propagandist who penned the replacement editorial, was recently promoted to editor-in-chief of CCP mouthpiece the People's Daily. China now ranks bottom in the world in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, and had the largest number of journalists behind bars, according to a 2020 report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Reported by Cheng Yut Yiu for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. SPRINGFIELD, Va., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Program Analytics LLC (APA), a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), has received 8(a) certification from the Small Business Administration (SBA) which it will hold until March 13, 2031. APA expects participation in the 8(a) Business Development Program will expand its ability to provide outstanding professional services solutions to federal and state customers alike. 8(a) Program eligibility is limited to small businesses "unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are of good character and citizens of and residing in the United States" that demonstrate "potential for success." The 8(a) Business Development program assists small, disadvantaged businesses in gaining access to government contracting. The program consists of a 4-year developmental stage, and a 5-year transition stage. Companies are subject to annual reviews and systematic evaluation from the SBA district office throughout the program. The SBA 8(a) Business Development program will allow APA to pursue sole source federal and state government projects (up to $4 million per contract) and compete for set-aside contracts open only to those with these small business certifications. According to the Congressional Research Service, in FY2017, 3,421 8(a) firms were awarded more than $27.1 billion in federal contracts, including $8.0 billion in 8(a) set- aside awards and $8.4 billion in 8(a) sole-source awards. Terry Yarbrough, President & CEO of APA, was pleased to announce the new designation to the APA team, stating: "We are excited about the future and how this opportunity will help us grow our business. Our team of talented professionals have worked tirelessly over the years developing a positive reputation for excellence within the federal government. Inclusion in the 8(a) Business Development program is the next step in our journey to providing best value to our government customers and providing career growth opportunities for our team members." If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Terry Yarbrough, please call 800-399-3155 X101 or email [email protected]. Advanced Program Analytics, LLC Media Contact: [email protected] | 800-399-3155 X101 SOURCE Advanced Program Analytics, LLC Cybersecurity IC: Foreign actors tried to affect U.S. election via influence campaigns, but not by hacking The U.S. intelligence community on Tuesday issued a declassified report concluding it has "no indications" that foreign actors attempted to alter technical aspects of the voting process during the 2020 elections. "We assess that it would be difficult for a foreign actor to manipulate election processes at scale without detection by intelligence collection on the actors themselves, through physical and cyber security monitoring around voting systems across the country," according to the new report compiled by multiple intelligence agencies and published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The report draws on the conclusions of a classified document delivered to the White House in January and says Russia, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin, undertook a series of actions to both denigrate President Joe Biden and support former President Donald Trump during the 2020 elections. It also states that China largely avoided any targeted meddling in the 2020 elections because it likely did not view either Trump or Biden winning as advantageous to Beijing. The report notes that there were some number of successful "compromises" of state and local government networks prior to election day as well as a "higher volume" of unsuccessful attempts. "We judge that Russian cyber operations that targeted and compromised U.S. state and local government networks in 2020 -- including exfiltrating some voter data -- were probably not election-focused and instead part of a broader campaign targeting dozens of U.S. and global entities," according to the report. However unlike in 2016, the IC did not observe "persistent Russian cyber efforts" to compromise election infrastructure. Other disruptions targeting the elections were mostly done by criminals motivated by profit, rather than nation states. A ransomware attack in late October targeted a New York county by demanding payment after encrypting 300 computers and 22 servers using the Ragnarok malware. Hackers in November promoting "Turkish nationalist themes" breached and defaced a candidate's website. The IC report said that actors such as Hezbollah, Cuba and Venezuela also took efforts at a smaller scale to disrupt the election cycle. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday, March 15, 2021, Governor Holiday paid a working visit to the vaccine center at the White and Yellow Cross and to the vaccine center of the Sint Maarten Medical Center. Both locations started administering the second dose of vaccines to persons today. The White and Yellow Cross and the Sint Maarten Medical Center are two of the four vaccine locations which the government commissioned since February 22, 2021, to provide vaccine to our population. The Sint Maarten Medical Center administers vaccines to staff members of the hospital, of Sint Maarten Laboratory Services, of the Cay Hill Pharmacy, of the Ambulance Service, and of the Firefighters. The White and Yellow Cross vaccination location's main focus is to provide vaccines to residents of the center, other persons over 60 years, and the staff of the center. Governor Holiday received a tour of both facilities where he spoke to nurses at the SMMC and at the White and Yellow Cross who received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Governor Holiday said he is particularly pleased to see these more vulnerable groups and at-risk groups for infection with the virus receive the vaccination. He was particularly happy to learn that 85% of the residents in the elderly care units of the White and Yellow Cross had already received their vaccination. He thanked Operations Manager, Ms. Bregje Boetekees and the team at the White and Yellow cross for their efforts to vaccinate these more vulnerable and at-risk groups for infection. The Governor was also pleased to hear that 100% of the doctors at the SMMC had already received their first dose of the vaccination. Having heard the nurses, doctors, and AMI personnel recount the experiences with treating COVID patients during an earlier visit to the SMMC, Governor Holiday was pleased to see the medical frontliners receive the protection the vaccine provides. He commended Medical Director, Dr. Felix Holiday, Infection Control Practitioner, Ms. Candida Williams, and the team for their continued efforts in the fight against the virus. Register and get vaccinated Governor Holiday emphasized that it is critical for all of us to get vaccinated because it is the way to protect ourselves and our families. This is our way out of the pandemic and towards our socio-economic recovery. Governor Holiday stated that he too had received his vaccine earlier and urged everyone to also register and get vaccinated. To date, a total of some 8209 have registered and together the four vaccination centers, CPS, Medical Center, Belair, and White and Yellow Cross, have administered over 3188 vaccines. It is important that we all register and take our vaccination. Registration can be done electronically via http://onlineservices.sintmaartengov.org/covidvaccine. Alternatively, a paper registration form can be collected at: - Collective Prevention Services - Division of Labor Affairs - PSC at Simpson Bay & the Government Building For more information or questions please visit http://www.sintmaartengov.org/coronavirus CHENNAI: The Congress party on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2021. The manifesto was released at the Congress party office in Chennai. Congress releases its manifesto for #TamilNaduElections2021 at the party office in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/KfvckCQcj6 ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2021 Speaking on the occasion, Tamil Nadu Congress President KS Azhagiri said, "500 youths will be given training in every district for government jobs. We will implement schemes for providing employment to the youth. We will also provide for tax exemption for startups and new entrepreneurs for at least 5 years.'' After our government comes, we will take steps to close liquor shops. To protect intercaste marriages and prevent honour killings, a separate law will be passed. We will take all steps to abolish the NEET exam, the Tamil Nadu Congress President KS Azhagiri said. Voting for five assembly elections will begin on March 27, with West Bengal conducting the maximum eight phases continuing till April 29, and votes for the polls in the four states and one union territory will be counted on May 2, the Election Commission said last month. As many as 18.68 crore voters will be eligible to cast their votes at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 assembly seats across Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. 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. Polls for 234 seats in Tamil Nadu will be a contest between the Congress-DMK and BJP-AIADMK alliance. This will also be the first major set of elections to be held in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic after the Bihar election. The voting hours have been increased by an hour. Live TV I am humbled and honored to see RCN Capital included with the ranks of other prestigious companies on Inc. 5000s List of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the New York City Metro Region - Jeffrey Tesch, CEO of RCN Capital. Inc. magazine today revealed that RCN Capital is No.180 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: New York City Metro list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing New York City area-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the NYC area economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. I am humbled and honored to see RCN Capital included with the ranks of other prestigious companies on Inc. 5000s List of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the New York City Metro Region said Jeffrey Tesch, CEO of RCN Capital. This is a testament to the incredible hard work of RCNs employees and this growth would not have been possible without their contributions to the organization. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in the New York City area. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 214 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 48,000 people and added nearly $9 billion to the NYC Metro area economy. Companies based in Stamford, Connecticut, New York City, and central New Jersey brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: NYC Metro area, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/new-york starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in the New York City area no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. About RCN Capital RCN Capital is a South Windsor, CT based national, direct, private lender. Established in 2010, RCN provides commercial loans for the purchase or refinance of non-owner occupied residential and commercial properties. The company specializes in new construction financing, short-term fix & flip and bridge financing and long-term rental financing for real estate investors. For more information on RCN Capital and RCNs loan programs, visit http://www.RCNCapital.com. CONTACT: Erica LaCentra, Chief Marketing Officer 860.432.4782 ELaCentra@RCNCapital.com More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.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. LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Petunia Pickle Bottom is celebrating the magic of Disney with the Love Mickey Mouse Collection, a collaboration with the brand's friends at Disney Baby. The collaboration will have three backpack diaper bag styles including the META, Method, and Boxy Backpack. Accessories will include the Cool Pixel Plus, Nimble Diaper Clutch, Sip Double Bottle Holder and Snack Pouch. Petunia Pickle Bottom is celebrating the magic of Disney with the Love Mickey Mouse Collection, a collaboration with the brand's friends at Disney Baby. The collaboration will have three backpack diaper bag styles including the META, Method, and Boxy Backpack. Accessories will include the Cool Pixel Plus, Nimble Diaper Clutch, Sip Double Bottle Holder and Snack Pouch. The Love Mickey Mouse Collection drops at 9am PT on March 16th, with a Love Mickey Collection Mixer and Giveaway on March 14th. Find the link in the Petunia Pickle Bottom IG profile or stories. Mickey-inspired activities and ideas include something to do, eat and watch with kids. Participants have a chance to win items from the new collection! Fans can receive a free Love Mickey Mouse four-piece packing cube set while supplies last with $75 purchase through March 30th. Created with the Petunia Pickle Bottom signature mix of fashion and function, Love Mickey Mouse is an elevated collection of cheerful style designed in sophisticated tonal greys with accents of silver and genuine leather. The lining of all backpacks is a playful "Love Mickey" graphic design which also covers the accessories. The collection features signature smiles and a coordinating microprint that spells out love for Mickey Mouse fans big and small. "It's truly an homage to the world's most beloved mouse," says Korie Conant, Co-Founder & Creative Director at Petunia Pickle Bottom. "We are excited to be launching this fun and sophisticated collection in our best loved styles. The design focuses on fashion tone on tone gender neutral patterns that parents are seeking, with all of the function Petunia Pickle Bottom is known for. It's great to be collaborating again with our friends at Disney." The iconic Mickey Mouse outline is debossed with tonal shades of grey and mixed materials for contrast that are reminiscent of trending luxury fashion. Both the pattern and colors are gender neutral and are designed for every Disney fan. Mix & match from several collections to create unique grab and go looks! Boxy Backpack with a zip-out changing station, this spacious bag packs up for a full day of play with a zip-out changing station, this spacious bag packs up for a full day of play META is designed to problem-solve, offering quick access to solutions that keep babies and parents happy is designed to problem-solve, offering quick access to solutions that keep babies and parents happy Method finds the perfect balance for your hectic schedule with the help of this versatile backpack which combines polished style with intuitive function finds the perfect balance for your hectic schedule with the help of this versatile backpack which combines polished style with intuitive function Nimble Diaper Clutch bring the basics while ensuring easy diaper changes bring the basics while ensuring easy diaper changes Carry alone or pop into a larger bag for simple snacks on the go with the Cool Pixel Plus, Sip Double Bottle Holder, and Snack Pouch The Love Mickey Mouse Collection drops at 9am PT on March 16th. Disney fans are invited to join Petunia Pickle Bottom for a Love Mickey Collection Mixer and Giveaway beginning on March 14th. Those wishing to participate can find the link in the Petunia Pickle Bottom IG profile or stories. Mickey-inspired activities and ideas include something to do, eat and watch with kids. Participants have a chance to win items from the new collection! Fans can receive a free Love Mickey Mouse four-piece packing cube set with a $75 purchase while supplies last through March 30, 2021. Conant further commented, "In many ways, this launch is in response to popular demand. The current pattern is reminiscent of the Sketchbook Mickey that was extremely popular. The 'Classic' Mickey Mouse Disney collaboration has been a top seller since it was introduced five years ago." ABOUT PETUNIA PICKLE BOTTOM Founded in 2000, Petunia Pickle Bottom has spent 20+ years creating stylish and functional diaper bags revered by celebrities and trendsetting caregivers all over the world. The line has evolved to include numerous fashion-forward silhouettes and complementary accessories fueled by the desire to bring style to the world of modern parenting. Products are outfitted in custom-designed bold graphic prints and unique fabrics, which have become a signature of the collections, season after season. For more information, visit www.petunia.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Alise Kreditor, KMC [email protected] 516-482-4866 SOURCE Petunia Pickle Bottom Related Links http://www.petunia.com OTTAWA - Canada and Germany have signed an agreement to team up on green energy innovation and trade, with an eye to hydrogen as the market for the low-carbon fuel heats up. Minister of Natural Resources, Seamus O'Regan, speaks to media in Winnipeg, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Sudoma OTTAWA - Canada and Germany have signed an agreement to team up on green energy innovation and trade, with an eye to hydrogen as the market for the low-carbon fuel heats up. Signed Tuesday by the two countries' energy ministers, it outlines a plan to co-operate on energy policy and research as both strive to reach the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan said Quebec and his home province of Newfoundland and Labrador are particularly well positioned to start generating so-called "green hydrogen," which burns cleanly and can be produced using wind and solar power. O'Regan stressed the need to retrain workers in regions with economies long reliant on struggling fossil-fuel industries, saying the transition could be "messy." "It often makes people on both sides of the political spectrum either side unhappy," he said in a virtual signing ceremony with Peter Altmaier, Germany's minister of economic affairs and energy. "Oil will be with us for some time, and it will continue to be a part of the Canadian economy, without question," O'Regan said. Liquefied natural gas could serve as a handy "bridge fuel" to cross over into green-energy territory, he added, with Germany aiming to integrate LNG imports as well as hydrogen production into its own energy strategy. The two countries might not see fully eye to eye on hydrogen, with Canada focusing recentlyon so-called "blue hydrogen." The fuel is typically derived from natural gas or other fossil fuels and coupled with carbon-capture technology to reduce emissions, making it more politically viable in western Canadian provinces that boast abundant natural gas reserves. Senior officials from several other G20 countries joined Canada and Germany at a virtual international energy forum out of Berlin Tuesday, and they too promoted hydrogen as a key innovation to lower worldwide carbon emissions. United States President Joe Biden's special envoy for climate, John Kerry, told the forum he supported O'Regan's push for creative and collaborative solutions, including the expansion of hydrogen, as a way for governments and the private sector to work together in transitioning away from heavy reliance on fossil fuels. "I think hydrogen is perhaps one of our greatest chances as obviously, that's a shared point of view. Whole economies can be built on it," Kerry said. Foreign affairs and innovation ministers from Germany, Italy and the European Union joined Canada and the U.S. in stressing the need for greater momentum to help build the renewable energy sector in both developing and developed nations through collaboration collaboration that needs to happen on the international level as well as domestically, the ministers said. When challenged about Canada's ongoing spending on the fossil-fuel industry while the Trudeau government continues to press other nations to go harder on green alternatives, O'Regan defended Canada's oil, gas and pipeline spending. "We are not going to get oil-free overnight, by any stretch of the imagination, so in the meantime we have to do the hard work of lowering the emissions involved in the extraction and use of oil," he said. "This is not an act of charity, these are the people we need to do the hard work," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. With files from Teresa Wright The two-day nationwide strike by the public sector bank (PSB) unions ended on Tuesday, with disruption in services like cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearances, remittances and loan approvals hitting customers. Business transactions as well as government treasury operations were also impacted. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), consisting of nine bank unions -- AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO -- had given the strike call to protest against the government's decision to privatise two more public sector lenders. "Strike was a full success, employees and officers stood with us. The way they participated and raised slogans, it shows their disapproval of the government decision very clearly. "We got support from all trade unions, some farmer organisations, lot of political parties have supported us," AIBEA General Secretary C H Venkatachalam told PTI. In a statement, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) congratulated the participating employees and officers across the country for protesting "against the BJP government's moves to privatise public sector banks". "Around 10 lakh bank employees and officers participated in the strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), paralysing the entire banking sector. "The joint platform of central trade unions and almost all independent industrial federations in the country extended full support to the strike. Tens of thousands of workers participated in the demonstrations across the country, in support of the strike," CITU said. Venkatachalam said the bank unions will again engage with the government on the issue and try to convince it that the proposed move is not in favour of the economy or the general public. He said if the Centre feels that there are problems in the running of the public sector lenders, the bank unions will try to address those concerns. Before going for the strike, conciliation meetings were held with the Additional Chief Labour Commissioner on 4th, 9th and 10th March. The UFBU offered to reconsider the strike provided the government reconsidered its decision, he said. "Again we will tell them, whatever are the grievances against the running of the public sector banks, we are ready to talk and we will address the concern and then there is no need for privatisation. "But still if you are not convinced...then more strikes will happen. If they are not ready to listen to us and go ahead with their decision on the back of their strength in the Parliament, then there will be more strikes in the future," Venkatachalam warned. Bank unions claimed as many as 10 lakh staffers took part in the two-day pan-India strike. Normal banking services were greatly affected because of the strike, the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Union Budget speech for 2021-22 said the government will privatise two more public sector banks going forward. The government has already privatised IDBI Bank by selling its majority stake to LIC in 2019, and has merged 14 public sector banks in the last four years. Bank unions said the PSBs are earning operating profits and there is no need for privatisation. As on March 2020, these banks earned a total profit of Rs 1,74,000 crore. However, since the banks provided Rs 2,00,000 crore for bad loans, there was a net loss of Rs 26,000 crore, they said. "Hence if bad loans are recovered from the private corporate companies, banks will be earning much more. Private sector is responsible for the huge bad loans. In fact they should be punished for this crime. But the government is rewarding them by handing over the banks to the private sector," AIBEA said. Seeking co-operation and support of the people in their 'struggle to save the PSBs', the bank unions said if the government proceeds with its decision to privatise the lenders, they will be left with no option than to further intensify their agitation with more prolonged strikes. CITU urged the bank employees to intensify the struggle to save public sector banks from being sold off to corporates, both Indian and foreign. "CITU and the joint trade union platform have already extended their support to the country wide strike of the general insurance employees on 17th March and that of the LIC of India employees on 18th March, against privatisation. "CITU members will actively participate in solidarity actions on these days," it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Johnson College alumna Candy Frye will deliver the schools commencement address in May, the college announced Monday. Frye, the director of new business development at Kingston-based A. Pickett Construction Inc., will give the commencement address May 11 at dusk at the Circle Drive-In in Dickson City. As a student at Johnson College, she earned an Associate in Specialized Technology degree in both building construction technology in 1993 and architectural drafting and design in 1994. TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Park Lawn Corporation (TSX: PLC) ("PLC") announced today that it will release its year end financial results for 2020 on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. PLC will host a conference call at 9:30 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 to discuss its Q4 2020 financial results. Details of the conference call are as follows: Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 Time: 9:30 a.m. EST Dial-in Number: Local (647) 427-7450 | Toll Free (888) 231-8191 | Conference ID: 8367200 To ensure your participation, please join approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the conference call. About Park Lawn Corporation PLC provides goods and services associated with the disposition and memorialization of human remains. Products and services are sold on a pre-planned basis (pre-need) or at the time of a death (at-need). PLC and its subsidiaries own and operate businesses including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels, planning offices and a transfer service. PLC operates in five Canadian provinces and fifteen U.S. states. SOURCE Park Lawn Corporation For further information: Daniel Millett, Chief Financial Officer, (416) 231-1462, ext. 221, [email protected] Related Links https://www.parklawncorp.com/ New Jersey has lost more than 20,000 people to the coronavirus so far, but not all counties have been hit equally. Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of the death of John Brennan, a 69-year-old horse trainer from Little Ferry. Brennan was the first New Jersey resident to die from COVID-19. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage In the year since, the death toll from the coronavirus in New Jersey has reached 21,294, as of the one-year anniversary. Thats 240 deaths per 100,000 state residents. The virus led to a steep climb in deaths statewide, one that was noticeable across all 21 counties. Is the chart not displaying? Click here. Seven counties have exceeded the state baseline of 240: Bergen County, Hudson County, Ocean County, Passaic County, Salem County, Union County and, the state leader, Essex County. Essex County lost 307 people per 100,000 residents, just ahead of Passaic County at 306. Ocean County is the only other over 300 as of Wednesday. The state death rate far exceeds that of the U.S. as a whole. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, there have been 528,469 deaths due to COVID-19. Thats 161 deaths per 100,000 residents, or almost exactly one-third fewer. Globally, the rate is far less. Just 33.5 people per 100,000 have died worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In term of total cases, while there are some differences from county to county, the graphic below shows how the pandemic took a similar shape across the state. Many counties saw a significant outbreak in April followed by a lull during the summer months before the virus came back in full force during the early fall and winter. COVID-19 infections in N.J. over time Hover below to see the day rolling average of confirmed cases per 100,000 residents by county. Days that are dark red mean that county saw more than 50 cases per 100,000 residents. The shades, from light to dark, show the disease's movement across the state. Note: The data is collected each day through the public-facing state dashboard, https://covid19.nj.gov/. Retroactive adjustments can result in a county showing a rolling average of 0 on certain days. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nick Devlin is a reporter on the data & investigations team. He can be reached at ndevlin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @nickdevlin. OTTAWA - Canada's expert vaccine panel said Tuesday there is now enough "real-world evidence" to show the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot is both safe and effective for seniors. Several vials of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines at the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee, Ont., on Monday March 15, 2021. The centre will be used as an immunization clinic for the Napanee area. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg OTTAWA - Canada's expert vaccine panel said Tuesday there is now enough "real-world evidence" to show the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot is both safe and effective for seniors. The decision from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) reverses its advice from March 1, when a lack of data for seniors in AstraZeneca's clinical trials prompted the panel to not recommend it be used for people over 65. It said seniors should instead be prioritized for shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The new advice comes as authorities debate whether Canada is moving into a third wave of the pandemic, and investigate concerns about blood clots and AstraZeneca's vaccine. Dr. Marc Berthiaume, director of the medical sciences branch at Health Canada, said the department is following the issue but currently sees no evidence of a safety concern. "If we do hear that there's a specific risk, links to the AstraZeneca vaccine, then we will immediately take action," he said in French. The European Medicines Agency is investigating a number of reports of patients developing blood clots, some of them fatal, within about two weeks of getting the AstraZeneca vaccine. The agency said late Tuesday it is still reviewing reports from EU members, but "currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risks of side effects." Thrombosis Canada said last week evidence did not show a link between the vaccine and blood clots. AstraZeneca said Sunday a review of 17 million patient safety records following vaccination also did not show a link. Many European countries have suspended the vaccine temporarily pending the review. That includes Germany and France, which initially stood by the vaccine after the first reports of blood clots. Several of those countries are the same ones that earlier this month decided their initial advice not to give AstraZeneca to seniors was no longer sound, as new evidence on the widespread use of the vaccine on seniors showed it was quite effective. That same evidence is what led NACI to change its advice as well. Its chair, Dr. Caroline Quach, said those studies weren't available when NACI developed its first guidance. Most provinces heeded the warning two weeks ago not to give AstraZeneca to seniors, prioritized for doses across Canada because of their higher risk from COVID-19. Provincial health authorities must now decide whether they will adjust their plans. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed frustration with the frequent changes. "I can't begin to tell you the logistics behind it," he said. "It just messes everything up." Provinces might have some leeway. Most of the first 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca delivered are already spoken for and more doses are not set to arrive in Canada until April. Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Tuesday the warning bells are sounding that a third wave of COVID-19 infections is hitting Canada. "We're watching, of course, that epidemic curve really carefully, because there is this upswing we're seeing now," she said. Over the last week the average number of new cases per day was about 3,200, she said. That's up from 3,052 daily cases between March 5 and 11, and up from about 2,900 a day between mid-February and early March. The death counts, however, have continued to drop, with an average of about 31 deaths a day in the last week, down from 41 a day a week ago, 52 at the beginning of March, and more than 80 in mid-February. Tam said it's too soon to know if the death rate is falling because of vaccines, though she said provincial governments have reported the rates of COVID-19 among people over 80, who were in the first groups to get inoculated, are now below rates for other age groups. "That suggests that the vaccines might have a good effect," said Tam. Canada vaccinated almost 125,000 people Monday, the highest one-day total so far. More than 3.2 million doses have been given to date, with 2.6 million Canadians receiving at least one dose. Tam said the existence of more contagious variants of the novel coronavirus brings added pressure and urged Canadians to remain careful even as vaccinations ramp up. "This is not the time to increase your contacts," she said. There are more than 3,400 confirmed cases of variants in Canada, more than 90 per cent the B.1.1.7 variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom, but Tam said they are just "the tip of the iceberg." There are potentially at least hundreds more cases screened for one of the mutations common to all variants, that have not yet been fully screened to identify which one. Ontario's "science table" said Tuesday it believed almost half the new cases in that province are now variants. Canada had some positive vaccine news Tuesday as Quebec-based Medicago announced it was beginning the Phase 3 trial of its vaccine here. It is the only Canadian company on the list of seven vaccines procured by the federal government, and the first Canadian-made vaccine to get to this stage. Nathalie Landry, the executive vice president of scientific and medical affairs, said it is also enrolling people in the United States and up to nine other countries. Landry said the hope is to report results by the summer, and approval by the fall. If that happens, she said, Medicago can deliver 20 million doses to Canada by the end of 2021. Moderna also reported Tuesday it had begun dosing kids under 12 in a study of its vaccine. Currently only Pfizer is approved for use on kids as young as 16. Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson are only approved for 18 years of age and older. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. With files from Shawn Jeffords in Toronto Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said Moderna's new study on children was for kids over the age of 12. Police have established a hotline for other potential victims of a former soldier turned patriarch of a cult who allegedly abused a woman, including subjecting her to collars and tattoos. James Robert Davis, who was the head of the House of Cadifor and boasted online about his BDSM lifestyle and relationship with multiple women, is facing slavery charges for the alleged psychological, physical and sexual abuse of a woman in Sydney between 2012 and 2015. James Robert Davis was arrested on Thursday in Armidale and charged with three slavery and sexual servitude offences, under modern slavery laws. Credit:AFP Police allege Mr Davis, 40, subjected the woman to ongoing physical, sexual and psychological abuse and degradation during the three years. [She] was coerced, manipulated and threatened to be involved in a bondage lifestyle, where there was alleged coercion and control, Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said on Tuesday. Tripoli, March 16 : The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that a total of 4,129 illegal migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya so far in 2021. The rescued migrants comprised 293 women and 215 children, Xinhua news agency quoted the IOM as saying on Monday. It added that 73 migrants died and 159 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route so far this year. A total of 11,891 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya in 2020, according to IOM estimates. At least 381 migrants died and 597 went missing on the Central Mediterranean route during the year. Due to the insecurity and chaos in the North African nation following the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean from Libya towards Europe. Many illegal migrants were either rescued at sea or arrested by the authorities, and detained inside overcrowded reception centres in Libya, despite repeated international calls to close them. Family members of Khant Ngar Hein grieve during his funeral in Yangon, Myanmar Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Khant Ngar Hein, a 18-year old student of medicine was shot on his chest on Sunday, March 14, in Tamwe, Yanggon by security forces during an anti-crop protest. Demonstrators in several areas of Myanmar protesting last month's seizure of power by the military held small, peaceful marches before dawn Tuesday, avoiding confrontations with security forces who have shot dead scores of their countrymen in the past few days. AP-Yonhap Residents of a protest flashpoint district in Myanmar's biggest city fled on flatbed trucks and motorbikes Tuesday as security forces defied global calls for restraint and maintained their use of lethal force against anti-coup rallies. Much of the country has been in uproar since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi last month, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets to demand a return to democracy. Police and soldiers have used tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds to subdue crowds in near-daily crackdowns, along with blanket nightly internet shutdowns to stop protesters from mobilising. The junta has also throttled mobile data nationwide, delaying news of crackdowns against demonstrations. On Tuesday, one protester was killed in central Sagaing region before noon when security forces opened fire. The deadliest day so far in the six weeks since the army deposed Suu Kyi's government was on Sunday, with the AAPP reporting 74 killed after the violent suppression of anti-coup unrest across Myanmar. The majority of those killed Sunday came from the impoverished Hlaing Tharyar township in Yangon, a garment-producing area in the commercial hub with mostly Chinese-owned factories several of which were razed on the same day. Tuesday morning saw its residents many of whom are migrant workers pile onto flat-bed trucks and cars, which inched forward on a traffic-clogged road. Families carried their belongings in tarp bags and bundled their children into tuk-tuks as well. The mass exodus comes after the junta imposed martial law over the Hlaing Tharyar and five other townships, home to about two million people more than a quarter of the sprawling city's population. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the junta on Tuesday for its lethal use of force against protesters, accusing it of "brutally repressing" them. Despite the threat of lethal violence, protesters continued taking to the streets across Myanmar Tuesday albeit in smaller numbers. In central Sagaing region, one demonstrator was killed by around noon. "He was shot in his abdomen... his body has been sent back to his family," a rescue worker with a local emergency team told AFP. Angered by his death, anti-coup demonstrators gathered in front of the local police station by afternoon. So far, more than 180 people have been killed since the coup, according to the AAPP, adding that even civilians not participating in the anti-coup protests had died in the crossfire on Monday. 'Significant decline' The declaration of martial law over six townships effectively gave complete control to military commanders and sidelined civilian administrators and judges, said Melissa Crouch, a Myanmar law expert. "The use of martial law is extremely troubling and... represents a significant decline in the situation in Myanmar," the University of New South Wales academic said. Anyone arrested in the six townships imposed under martial law faces trial by military tribunal, with sentences ranging from three years' hard labour to execution. For inhabitants of Hlaing Tharyar, the situation remains chaotic and fear has settled in as soldiers and police are deployed on main roads. "We dare not go out on the streets," a resident said, adding that there are sounds of gunfire at night. 'What we need is democracy' Mass funerals were held across Yangon Tuesday, with hundreds of mourners gathering in different townships to bid farewell to those killed in recent days. One of them was medical student Khant Nyar Hein, who died Sunday from a headshot in the township of Tamwe, who is ethnic Chinese. His mother went viral when she pleaded in both Burmese and Mandarin for people not to think the ethnic Chinese in Myanmar are the same as mainlanders an appeal made as anti-Chinese sentiment is on the rise in the country. "My heart is breaking, it's really breaking," his mother said in Mandarin at his funeral Tuesday. "What we need is democracy... what we need is freedom," she said, weeping. "Please help us, I beg you." China on Monday said it was "very concerned" for the safety of its citizens in Myanmar after Sunday's violence which state media said saw more than 30 factories attacked and caused $37 million in damage. State-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar said three men were killed around the garment-producing townships by "unscrupulous mobs", and police were searching for suspects. State television also reported that a police officer was shot dead Sunday in the city of Bago during a protest. (AFP) Varanasi: A day after the students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) protested over the appointment of Nita Ambani as a visiting faculty, it turned out that she has not received any such invitation from the prestigious university. "Reports that Nita Ambani will be a visiting lecturer at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) are fake. She hasn't received an invitation from BHU," news agency ANI on Wednesday (March 17) quoted Reliance Industries Limited as saying. The clarification from the company came a day after BHU witnessed protests by some students on the issue. Several students of BHU sat outside the Vice Chancellor's residence to mark their protest on Tuesday. They demanded that the University should not be "privatised". The top officials of the University, including the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, came to the protest site to placate the students. In a bid to convince the students, the dean said that no such decision has been finalised yet. Following the commotion, VC Rakesh Bhatnagar came out to discuss the matter with the students. According to the students, Bhatnagar assured them that Ambani will not be made a visiting professor. Earlier, media reports claimed that Ambani had received a proposal from the university to join as a visiting professor. She was reportedly asked to be a part of the universitys Centre for Women Development and Studies in order to help improve the living standard of women from the Purvanchal area of Uttar Pradesh. The proposal was sent to Ambani on March 12, according to media reports. Live TV Syracuse, N.Y. Frank Caliva said he feels like a guy who wins the lottery and then hears from a lot of long-lost relatives who want to help him spend the money. Caliva heads the finance team at Syracuse City Hall. The lottery he won is the American Rescue Plan, a federal stimulus bill signed Thursday by President Biden that promises a big payday to every American city, town and county. Syracuse is in line for $126 million. Caliva has already heard dozens of suggestions on how to spend it. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said hes getting plenty of unsolicited advice, too. The county expects $89 million, with few strings attached. We can spend it any way we want, essentially,' McMahon said. The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief legislation includes roughly $130 billion in direct payments to cities, counties and towns, all but a handful of which were passed over last year for direct aid under the CARES Act. Its a once-in-a-generation windfall. Local officials need time to figure out how to spend all the money, which in many cases far exceeds what they lost to the coronavirus. Syracuse lost an estimated $42 million over two years because of the pandemic, but that loss will be cut to about $30 million when a delayed aid payment from the state arrives next month. The city will get roughly four times its lost revenues in stimulus money. Onondaga Countys stimulus payment will be more than double the $38 million it lost in 2020. But county officials say the financial effects of the pandemic will linger this year, costing the county another $48 million in smaller-than-projected sales taxes and other costs. The infusion of federal cash will help the county resume the anti-poverty initiatives, economic development projects and infrastructure investments that were planned before the pandemic hit, McMahon said. The stimulus is intended not just to make municipalities whole but also to stimulate the local economy. To some, its overdue relief that struggling cities and counties should have gotten months ago. To others, its a recipe for waste, using borrowed money to be repaid by future taxpayers. More than plugging budget holes There will be some rules for spending the money, but mayors, county executives and town supervisors are expected to have broad discretion. They can give bonuses to public employees. They can build sewer lines. They can provide free WiFi. Letting municipalities choose how to spend the money is an experiment of sorts. The results will depend on how local officials across the country decide to spend more federal money than theyve seen in 50 years. I think its probably unprecedented going back to, say, the 70s,' said Kim Rueben, an expert on state and local government finance at the Tax Policy Center, a joint project of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution. Theyre spreading a lot of money around, she said. Biden and the Democratic-controlled Congress chose to err on the side of giving out too much money, Rueben said. They were guided by results of the federal stimulus of 2009, which followed the Great Recession. That recovery was painfully slow in part because state and local governments received little funding and took years to restore the jobs they had cut, Rueben said. Since the pandemic arrived a year ago, state and local governments have axed 1.3 million jobs nationwide one out of every 20, according to the Washington Post. That, plus ongoing uncertainty over how much longer the pandemic will disrupt the economy, spurred Congress to give municipalities plenty of money and a lot of flexibility for how to spend it, Rueben said. If this turns out to be way too much money, the next time we might see them being a little tighter,' Rueben said. Municipalities in New York will share about $10.8 billion in direct payments. They range from $5.9 billion for New York City to just over $3,800 for the Cattaraugus County town of Red House, population 35. New York state gets its own stimulus payment of $12.6 billion. Although the stimulus is billed as coronavirus relief, the money is not being divvied up based on how much each government spent fighting the pandemic. If it were, Onondaga County, which bore the brunt of the expense, would receive more than Syracuse. Instead, cities received allocations based on their annual funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a formula that measures population as well as poverty and housing data. A separate pot of money for counties and towns was divided based on population alone. Rueben, of the Tax Policy Center, said there wasnt time to target aid based on which municipalities were hit hardest by the pandemic. Nationwide, there is too much variation in how the costs were borne. And federal leaders wanted to get the money out in a hurry. Six months ago, it probably would have been more useful,' she said. Half the money due in 60 days Local government leaders say its tough to calculate the price that Covid-19 has exacted on their communities. Syracuse, for example, estimated that it would lose $42 million over two years from withheld state aid, lower sales taxes and other reduced taxes, fines and fees. But the state now plans to make good on much of the $14 million in aid withheld from the city in 2020, and state aid for 2021 is still uncertain. The citys loss could ultimately be much less than projected. Since many governments are receiving more cash than they need to plug budget holes, theres a risk that local politicians will waste it on giveaways to curry favor, said E.J. McMahon, founder of the Empire Center for Public Policy, a conservative-leaning think tank. McMahon said the best outcome would be if municipalities use the money, which he called a gusher of cash, to fix aging infrastructure like water and sewer systems. If you dont use most of this on infrastructure, you should never again have the nerve to complain about your infrastructure needs,' he said. Local governments will get half their money within 60 days. In the meantime, the Treasury Department is expected to issue regulations governing how the funds can be used. The rest of the money comes next year. The law provides four basic uses, which seem to leave local officials wide latitude in how they spend the money. It can be used to offset revenue losses attributed to Covid-19. It can provide premium payments' to essential workers. And stimulus money can be spent to improve water, sewer or broadband infrastructure. The fourth category of permissible spending is the most vague: The law says money can be used to address negative economic impacts' of the pandemic, including assistance to households, small businesses, nonprofits or impacted industries. How that language is interpreted in regulations will be critical. To McMahon, of the Empire Center, it means anything you can think of.' But Caliva said Syracuse officials are cautiously awaiting guidance, because they expect the rules to be specific. A unique opportunity Most local leaders say they dont have firm plans for their stimulus money. County Executive McMahon said he will unveil some stimulus-fueled initiatives March 31 when he delivers his State of the County Address. Most of the stimulus money is not needed to plug holes in the county budget, because officials cut spending enough last year to get by without tapping the rainy-day account, he said. Would we have survived if we didnt receive funding? We made the tough decisions, so yes, we would have survived,' McMahon said. The county collected $16.6 million less in sales taxes than officials expected during 2020. All told, the county saw revenues fall $38 million during the year. Sales taxes likely will rebound this year, County Comptroller Marty Masterpole said. Sales tax revenues during December 2020, for example, surpassed those of December 2019 by more than $4 million, he said. But McMahons budget team says it will take a long time for sales tax revenues to climb back to where they would have been without the pandemic. If the economy had grown without interruption since 2019, the county would collect $34 million more in sales taxes this year than county officials expect, according to projections. All told, the county estimates its losses at $86.5 million over two years. Given its central role in fighting the pandemic, the county is long overdue for stimulus money, McMahon said. In part, the money will help cover ongoing Covid-related expenses. It will also make it easier to fill some county jobs in human services departments that were left short-staffed by an early retirement program last year. Still, McMahon said hes not planning to replace many of the roughly 200 employees who took the retirement incentive last year. He hopes to use most of the federal money to revisit the campaign promises he ran on in the 2019 election, just before the pandemic hit. McMahon said he will announce initiatives to alleviate poverty, invest in infrastructure and promote economic development his so-called PIE platform. Now well be in a position to address longstanding issues and put ourselves in a position to have sustainable growth,' McMahon said. This gives us a unique opportunity.' In 2009, McMahon was a Syracuse city councilor when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed to lift the nation out of the worst recession since the 1930s. At $800 billion, the ARRA was then the biggest economic recovery plan in history. The 2009 stimulus focused on shovel-ready' infrastructure projects roads, bridges, broadband, renewable energy. But many communities, including Syracuse, didnt have projects waiting to go. We received no help,' McMahon said. Nothing got done. This time around, he said, the county can help drive economic activity as a major consumer of goods and services. I have hundreds of businesses where Im their biggest client, McMahon said. If Im paving more roads and building more bridges, and were working with nonprofit partners to do interesting things, theyre going to need to bring people back to work. County Legislator James Rowley, R-Clay, said the county should consider using some of the stimulus money to cut property taxes. Although the tax rate did not increase this year, the total levy increased by $6.7 million or about 4.5% thanks to higher property values. The American Rescue Plan prohibits states from using stimulus money to cut taxes. But that does not appear to apply to local governments, which are only prohibited from using the money to make pension payments. Death by a thousand cuts Some critics question giving stimulus payments to Onondaga County towns, which dont depend on sales tax revenue and played no direct role in fighting the pandemic. But that criticism is misplaced, said Ed Michalenko, the Democratic supervisor in DeWitt. His town is expected to receive $2.75 million. Michalenko said town revenues fell about $2 million last year, mostly as a result of reduced fees. DeWitt canceled its popular summer camp, cut back its after-school programs and collected less in water bills and service fees. Meanwhile, there were extra costs because of Covid-19: new HVAC filters and air disinfecting systems, Plexiglas counters and personal protective equipment. Every time a highway crew went out, they had to take separate trucks rather than piling into one, he said. It was death by a thousand cuts,' Michalenko said. If the town has money left after restoring the budget, it will probably go toward a $5 million water system upgrade, he said. At Syracuse City Hall, Caliva, the chief administrative officer, said officials are hustling to revise their annual budget proposal, which is due in early April. They had been planning an austere budget that would likely draw down the citys reserves. A tax increase, although unlikely, was on the table, he said. Now the picture is much brighter. Not only does the city expect $63 million in federal aid soon the first of two stimulus payments but city officials also expect most of the $14 million in state aid they lost in 2020 to be paid this year. The city can now replenish its reserve account, which was over $70 million in 2014 but has been drawn down year by year to balance the budget. As of July 1, it held $42 million. Officials plan to restore at least $10 million, and possibly more, to the rainy day fund, Caliva said. Its also likely that Syracuse will use stimulus money to reimburse city employees who lost two days pay because of involuntary furloughs last fall, Caliva said. City officials had an understanding with union leaders that the pay would be reimbursed if state or federal aid was restored, he said. The cost will be $1.5 million or less, he estimated. Beyond that, city officials are considering a wide variety of ways to use the stimulus money, which must be spent within four years. They want to see the regulations before making commitments. The immediate goal, Caliva said, is to shore up city finances, which were shaky long before the pandemic. This is a once-in-my-career opportunity to stabilize the citys finances in a way that they have not been stable for decades,' he said. Do you have a news tip or a story idea? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023. Linda and Mike Mussallem have established a scholarship fund to support students from their hometown northwest Indiana and Chicagoland regions to attend Rose-Hulman Institute of Technlogy. Linda and I believe Rose-Hulman provides unique and special opportunities to students from this region (northwest Indiana and Chicagoland) who have interests in studying science, engineering and math, and we are proud to help make this a reality for them.- Mike Mussallem Mike Mussallem has never forgotten his Gary, Indiana, roots or the important role his Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology education has played in providing the pathway for his success as a global life sciences leader. Thats why he and his wife, Linda a native of Ottawa, Illinois have established a $4.1 million scholarship fund to support students from northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland region to attend Rose-Hulman, nationally recognized as a leader in providing exceptional undergraduate educations in science, engineering and mathematics. The scholarship will be focused on supporting students from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Each scholarship recipients academic career will be enhanced through unique international opportunities and leadership experiences. Mike Mussallem commented, In the early 1970s, Rose-Hulman provided a welcoming environment for me as I moved from Gary and created an outstanding foundation for my future opportunities and career. Linda and I believe Rose-Hulman provides unique and special opportunities to students from this region who have interests in studying science, engineering and math, and we are proud to help make this a reality for them. The Mussallems have generously supported the institute over the last several years. They provided the $9 million lead gift in 2016 to expand Rose-Hulmans student union, now named The Mussallem Union. They added a $1.5 million gift in 2019 to support the construction of The Pi-Vilion, an award-winning sustainable free-standing structure adjacent to the student union. Rose-Hulman President Robert A. Coons states, Linda and Mike share in our commitment to educating the mind, body and soul of each Rose-Hulman student. Their past gifts have been transformative for our campus, and this latest generous donation will significantly impact our students as well. This scholarship will provide opportunities for a multitude of students they wouldnt get anywhere else. The new Mussallem Scholarship program will provide scholarships for six students annually. Combined with institutional aid, the scholarships will cover full tuition for four years allowing the institute to attract and retain high-achieving high school graduates interested in studying undergraduate science, engineering and mathematics. An important component of the scholarship is to provide international and leadership experiences for the students. Each Mussallem Scholar will have access to stipends to fund academically enriching international and leadership experiences that complement their campus scholastic endeavors. The international component of the scholarship could include a traditional study abroad experience or participation in academically focused international trips led by Rose-Hulman faculty. To become leaders in their career fields, tomorrows engineers and scientists must have a global perspective in addition to the necessary skills and experiences, Mike Mussallem says. Opportunities to develop global and leadership capabilities, when added to Rose-Hulmans academically rigorous programs, personal attention to student needs and excellent teaching and laboratory facilities, will make Rose-Hulman graduates stand out even more. We also believe these enhanced experiences can provide students with life-changing opportunities that will serve them not only professionally, but also personally. Mussallem earned a bachelors degree in chemical engineering at Rose-Hulman in 1974. He has been chairman and chief executive officer of Edwards Lifesciences since 2000, when the Irvine, Calif., based company became an independent, publicly traded entity from Baxter International. Mussallem had a variety of engineering and leadership positions at Baxter for more than 20 years. Under Mussallems leadership, Edwards has established itself as a global leader in patient-focused medical innovations with the introduction of lifesaving and life-sustaining therapies such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement, transcatheter mitral and tricuspid therapies, new resilient surgical heart valves designed for active patients and non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Mussallem has not only led the development and successful implementation of Edwards patient-focused innovation strategy, but also established Edwards commitment to philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. Mussallem is a Rose-Hulman trustee who received an honorary degree in 1999 from the institute and was the featured speaker at its 2015 commencement. About Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Founded in 1874, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is dedicated to preparing its students with the worlds best undergraduate science, engineering and mathematics education in an environment infused with innovation, intellectual rigor and individualized attention. The institute is consistently recognized nationally as an elite STEM school for distinctions that include faculty excellence, return on investment, value-added, and career services. Career placement is near 100 percent year after year. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, Rose-Hulman has an enrollment of approximately 2,000 undergraduate students and nearly 100 graduate students. Learn more at rose-hulman.edu. INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY Mike Mussallem is available for comment and interviews regarding this Rose-Hulman scholarship program. For interview requests, please contact Sarah Huoh of Edwards Lifesciences at Sarah_Huoh@Edwards.com or 949-250-6864. LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AdQuick, the top out-of-home (OOH) advertising marketplace in the world, today announced that it is the 74th fastest growing company in the annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list , the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies. "Being placed on the Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list is a milestone for us," said Matt O'Connor, CEO at AdQuick. "As we take a moment to celebrate this moment we also look forward to 2021 and what we will accomplish here at AdQuick." The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in California. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 535 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. Companies based in major metro areasLos Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diegobrought in the highest revenue overall. "This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry," says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. "The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay." To learn more about AdQuick, please visit www.adquick.com About AdQuick, Inc. AdQuick.com is the easiest way to purchase and measure outdoor advertising and is building the operating system to bring the OOH industry online. It is the first company to allow anyone to complete the full cycle of booking outdoor ads online, and connects advertisers and agencies to OOH media owners anywhere in the U.S. and abroad. Founded in Los Angeles in 2016 by former Instacart executives, AdQuick's mission is to empower everyone to put their message into the world. We do that by removing all barriers to out-of-home (OOH) ad buying, with a powerful platform that's a delight to use. AdQuick was named in the top ten Best Places to Work in 2020 by Los Angeles Business Journal and is currently available in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia and 12 other countries. Website LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Instagram About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. Media Contact: Kristin Hege 480-540-6496 SOURCE AdQuick Related Links https://www.adquick.com BOSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Voicify recently established a European instance of their platform in a German AWS data center meeting the same security standards across other regions. The European data center deployment is meeting a sharp increase in demand across Europe from brands that are embracing the use of voice apps, (custom and mainstream) voice assistants and chatbots for marketing and customer service use cases and need to follow privacy and legal policies within the region. "Given GDPR, it was important for Voicify to have an in-region presence and deployment option," said Jeff McMahon, CEO of Voicify. He went on, "German data centers adhere to the strictest standards which meet the widest array of EMEA Privacy Policies, making that location a natural choice to meet regional demands." Existing European customers will immediately be able to move beyond anonymous voice experiences and deeply involve customer experience and back-end systems to deliver even more powerful voice apps via Voicify. Customers like VW and Campari will take advantage of this expansion to support the full array of endpoints such as: SMS, webchat, Alexa, Google Assistant, Bixby, and embedded voice in native mobile. Nick Laidlaw, CTO for Voicify shared that "Our European customers have use cases in queue that are expanding their business models. They are concentrated on making Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and their own custom voice assistants their newest employees, working to deliver high end white glove service to their customers." The establishment of a European presence allows all Voicify customers (even those outside Europe) to not only deliver expanded brand experience internationally as they always have but ensure that personal data never leaves the region. About Voicify and the Company's Conversation Experience Management Platform Voicify is the market leader in enterprise voice assistant and voice app software. The Company's no-code platform combines voice-optimized content management, cross-platform (Alexa, Google Assistant, SMSBots, ChatBots and custom voicebots) deployment, and customer insights. To learn more about Voicify or to schedule a demo please visit https://voicify.com. Contact: Jason Fields, [email protected] SOURCE Voicify Related Links https://voicify.com BY ISAAC OTWII An inmate at Lira government Prison is nursing serious injuries after he was on Tuesday morning stabbed by his fellow convict. Mr Denis Obaa, 33, was reportedly stabbed two times with a knife on Tuesday morning at a prison cell in Lira Government Prison in Lira City. Mr Frank Baine, the Spokesperson for Uganda Prison Service (UPS) said on Tuesday that the two inmates were all convicts of murder. Mr Obaa was stabbed by Ronny Johnson Engole, 46 who has been serving as a prison prefect where he committed the offense. It happened at around 8:20 am in the morning. There is a prisoner who was a prefect and he had a disagreement with another inmate who is a cleaner at the clinic. This prefect was able to move throughout the prison and he was able to have a knife which he used to stab his friend two times, Mr Baine said on Tuesday. According to Baine, Mr Engole had served two years out of 13-years of his sentence. The victim was rushed to Lira Regional Referral Hospital for treatment. I think the intention was to kill him but of course, now the prison staff intervened in time and were able to stop him. The victim was rushed to the hospital and this one (the perpetrator) was arrested, taken to the police, and charged with attempted murder, says Baine. The North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, Mr James Ekaju said he was yet to receive a detailed report on the incident. Ive not been briefed on that but let me inquire and communicate to you later, he said. A prison warder who spoke on condition of anonymity said preparations were being made to transfer Mr Engole to Gulu Prisons. Obaa was only remaining with four months to finish his sentence. We were shocked that Engole had a knife inside the prison cell since murder convicts are always not allowed to move freely inside here, he said. Engole was in 2014 arrested after Denis Anyuru, a resident of Kakoge A in present-day Lira City West Divison was found set ablaze in his vehicle. The car was seen burning at around 11 pm at Odokomit on Lira Kamdini- highway and police Fire Brigade was called in. When it put out the fire, it was discovered that a person got burnt in it. It is not the first time that the region is registering a case of inmate violence. In 2019, a 28-year old inmate killed a prison wardress using an ax from Loro Prison in Oyam District. Benson Adupa who has been serving a 10-year jail sentence after he was convicted of his wifes murder, attacked a prison wardress, Christine Abonyo, 58, who was carrying out inmates roller call at a kitchen. Kingston Technology empowered i3D.net, a leading game server provider, with its best-in-class memory and storage solutions. i3D.net began operations in 2004 with the first server for gaming customers, and since then, have grown to become a managed hosting provider company with thousands of servers on six continents. The company offers solutions for game publishers, enterprises, IT service providers with worldwide hosting or connectivity demands. On an average, with over five new Points of Presence (PoP) being added every year, i3D.net has over 40 strategically selected locations across these 6 continents, reaching local regions with the lowest round-trip latency. For any gaming customer, performance translates into game servers that minimize lag times, especially for twitch-games (first-person shooter) titles that rely upon prompt screen refreshes to deliver a satisfactory, multi-player game user experience. Server capabilities has to be constantly upgraded with the release of new games and gaming platforms, and the technical engineers at i3D.net had to constantly raise the bar with technology and release the stress on the servers due to high loads. Kingston memory modules and SSDs were able to double the number of gaming instances and upgrade these servers. So now i3D.nets new online gaming platforms can accommodate 60-100 players per instance running on servers with Kingston memory modules and SSDs. The new servers can double the gaming instances from 32 to 64, some servers able to handle even up to 100 and all this has been done while limiting lag to deliver an enjoyable user experience. The i3D.net specialists worked with Kingston Technology experts to identify the maximum memory speed supported by legacy server processors. They reviewed the chipset specifications to understand the processor memory support rules to recommend the best memory modules and configurations to meet performance goals. It was also necessary to upgrade servers to maximize memory capacity they could support. To increase the storage capacity, Kingstons best in class enterprise storage solution in its Data Centre range- Kingston Data Center 500M (DC500M), was used. It is designed for mixed-use workloads in applications that have a more even balance of read and write I/O demands on the SSD. With an endurance rating of 1.3 DWPD, DC500M is ideal for the high-volume rack-mount server market for internal drive bay upgrades, hyperscale data center servers and Cloud service providers requiring low-cost, high-performance storage subsystems. Acknowledging Kingston Technologys sales and technical teams prowess, the Managing Director of i3D.net noted that Kingston was able to provide a large quantity of DRAM or SSD with a good balance between speed, durability, and quality, all offered at a good value. He said, The Kingston solutions have definitely made it easier for us to meet our SLAs. The MTBF [mean time between failures] of their modules is incredible. Since we started using them, we have reduced DRAM failures by 50 percent. And because we use Kingston as our default brand, we do not have to de-bug memory from different brands so were saving 10 percent in staff labour hours as well. Kingston Technology also offers rigorous testing and quality assurance procedures, and constantly backs its memory products with lifetime warranties, while the Enterprise SSD product line is backed by a five-year warranty. Kingston Technology also offers a suite of free services collectively titled KingstonCare. These include hassle-free RMA (return merchandise authorization) plus RMA product cross-shipping and on-site device spares. Together, the services are designed to reduce customer downtime and promote the meeting of SLAs. Acknowledging the quality of products and service offered by Kingston Technology, the COO at i3D.net said, At i3D.net, we only work with the highest quality A-brand hardware and partners. i3D.net and Kingston have been partners since 2004. Over time, Kingston has proven to deliver high-quality products. Kingston Technology has helped i3D.net gain a competitive advantage by offering flexible server configurations. They have also been able to meet the 99.99% SLA specification to retain and gain customers. The memory module being offered have also slashed the DRAM failures by 50% since standardization on Kingston Technology modules. Not just this, Kingstons durable, enterprise-class SSDs deliver 30,000 program/erase cycles up to 10 times those of competing solutions. Doodnath Maharaj was the general secretary of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union for nearly two decades. This is out of a total of 40 years service. He was a dedicated and loyal comrade who did his best work away from the limelight. Indeed, he shunned it, embodying a self-effacing personality that was deeply mystifying to many who came to know him. SHANGHAI, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo New Energy", the "Company" or "we"), a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry, today announced that it signed a three-year high-purity polysilicon supply agreement with Gaojing Solar Energy Technology Co., LTD ("Gaojing"). Gaojing is a newly established advanced solar wafer manufacturer co-founded by a team of senior experts with extensive experience in the solar industry, IDG Capital, a leading investment firm, and Zhuhai's leading state-owned enterprise Huafa Group. The execution of Gaojing's plan for a 50GW large-size solar wafer capacity will be carried out in three phases. Construction of the first phase, with a production capacity of 15GW, has already begun and is expected to be complete by the end of June 2021 and fully operational by September 2021. Phase II is expected to reach full production capacity of 15GW in 2022, and Phase III will bring additional 20GW of the plan online by the end of 2023. Under the supply agreement, Daqo New Energy will provide Gaojing with high-purity mono-grade polysilicon in a total amount of 45,900 MT between June 2021 and May 2024. Actual prices will be negotiated by both parties monthly according to market conditions. As part of the supply agreement, Gaojing will make an advance payment to Daqo New Energy. Mr. Zhiqun Xu, Chairman and General Manager of Gaojing, commented, "We are very pleased to establish such a meaningful cooperation with Daqo New Energy, one of the most important high-purity polysilicon providers in the solar industry. We see market opportunities for 210mm large-size solar wafers in the next few years. We believe our advantages in cost and quality thanks in part to Daqo's support on the high-quality raw material side will enable us to compete as a leader in the solar wafers sector going forward." Mr. Longgen Zhang, Chief Executive Officer of Daqo New Energy, commented, "We are very pleased to enter into this long-term contract with such an ambitious customer with a visionary strategy in terms of capacity plans and innovation. As a leading high-purity polysilicon provider, we will continue to support our customers with growing capacity and superior quality and work closely with them to better serve the rapid growth of the solar PV market." About Gaojing Solar Energy Technology Gaojing Solar Energy Technology is an advanced solar wafer manufacturer co-founded by a team of senior experts with extensive experience in the solar industry, IDG Capital, a leading investment firm, and Zhuhai's leading state-owned enterprise Huafa Group. Gaojing Solar plans on competing as a leader in the market of advanced large-size wafers with a 50GW plan which will be carried out in three phases. Construction of the first phase will be completed by the end of June and fully operational in September 2021 with a production capacity of 15GW. Phase II is expected to reach full production capacity of 15GW in 2022, and Phase III will bring the final 20GW of the plan online by the end of 2023. About Daqo New Energy Corp. Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo" or the "Company") is a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry. Founded in 2007, the Company is one of the world's lowest cost producers of high-purity polysilicon. Daqo's highly-efficient and technically advanced manufacturing facility in China currently has an annual polysilicon nameplate capacity of 70,000 metric tons. For more information, please visit http://www.dqsolar.com 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 "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed 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. 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: the demand for photovoltaic products and the development of photovoltaic technologies; global supply and demand for polysilicon; alternative technologies in cell manufacturing; the Company's ability to significantly expand its polysilicon production capacity and output; the reduction in or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives for solar energy applications; the Company's ability to lower its production costs; changes in the political and regulatory environment; and the duration of COVID-19 outbreaks in China and many other countries and the impact of the outbreaks and the quarantines and travel restrictions instituted by relevant governments on economic and market conditions, including potentially weaker global demand for solar PV installations that could adversely affect the Company's business and financial performance. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the reports or documents the Company has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information or any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. SOURCE Daqo New Energy Corp. Related Links http://www.dqsolar.com/ Representataive image Islamabad [Pakistan], March 16 (ANI): Amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between France and Pakistan, Marc Barety, the French Ambassador in Islamabad is facing security threats following a demand by a radical Islamist political party to expel the French envoy. Roland Jacquard writing for Global Watch Analysis said the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan has refused to retreat on the ultimatum it issued to the Imran Khan government, stating that France had "insulted" the Prophet. Alleging blasphemy, the Islamist political party has called for severing diplomatic ties with France and boycotting French products. Instead of quelling the radical political party, Pakistan President Arif Alvi, while addressing an international audience, last month urged the political leadership of France "not to entrench the discriminatory attitudes against Muslims into laws" and cautioned that doing so would lead to repercussions. "You [France] need to bring people together and not to stamp a religion in a certain manner to create disharmony and bias," said Alvi while referring to the recent anti-separatism bill that was passed in the French National Assembly. Aside from Alvi, Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari had made a personal attack on French President Emmanuel Macron on Twitter. The Pakistan President's comments witnessed a strong reaction from the French foreign office, which summoned the Pakistan Charge d'Affaires at their embassy in Paris. Following threats by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan to re-start nationwide protests to demand the expulsion of the French Envoy, Imran Khan's government bought time by promising to refer this matter to the country's Parliament before April 20, Roland Jacquard said. "How the Pakistani parliament deals with this issue will be interesting to watch," Jacquard added. Previously, France and Pakistan enjoyed warm bilateral relations across all fields of cooperation, from art and culture to defence. As a result of these developments, this sudden Pakistani animosity has taken French officials by surprise. Advising the French government, Jacquard argued that it be prudent for the French government to review its policies towards Pakistan and refresh its threat assessment from this part of the world. (ANI) Mar. 15MORGANTOWN Morgantown business owner George Pierre Tanios is one of two men charged with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian D. Sicknick and two others with bear spray during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Tanios, 39, owns Sandwich University, on Beechurst Avenue, and was wearing a hoodie with the shop's logo on it while attending the riot. According to his LinkedIn profile, Tanios graduated from St. Peters High in New Brunswick, N.J. Under education he also lists "Sandwich University Sandwich Nazi, " from 2005-present. He was arrested at his home Sunday. A Morgantown spokesperson said the Morgantown Police Department was not involved. Tanios is charged with nine counts, including three charges of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to injure an officer, civil disorder, and obstructing or impeding any official proceeding. Julian Elie Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania, also faces the same nine charges. A tipster to the Federal Bureau of Investigation said Tanios and Khater knew each other and grew up together in New Jersey. The FBI received two tips about Tanios that included a photo posted on social media of him at the Capitol Jan. 6, according to the charging document written by an FBI agent. He was positively identified by a former business partner who said he knew Tanios for 15 years. Law enforcement showed him two photos, one of which he said was 100 % Tanios and he was "pretty sure " the other one was Tanios. He also said Tanios was involved in a legal dispute for allegedly embezzling $435, 000 from their former business. The document also has pictures of Tanios wearing the Sandwich University hooded sweatshirt Jan. 6 taken from surveillance video. On a video from social media, Khater is seen reaching into the backpack worn by Tanios after saying "Give me that bear s ----, " to which Tanios replies "Hold on, hold on, not yet, not yet. ... It's still early." Khater then uses an expletive and tells Tanios he was just "sprayed " and is seen holding a white can with a black top that "appears to be a can of chemical spray, " the FBI agent wrote. Story continues At 2:23 p.m., as rioters were pulling on a bike rack, Khater is seen with his right arm high in the air, appearing to hold a canister in the direction of officers and moving it side to side. The three officers, Sicknick, U.S. Capitol Police officer C. Edwards and Metropolitan Police Department officer D. Chapman, were temporarily blinded by the substance and needed medical attention to flush the substance from their eyes. They were incapacitated for at least 20 minutes. Sicknick was killed in the riot. However, the charging document does not connect the incident involving Tanios to his death. Edwards had scabbing under her eyes for weeks, the FBI agent said. She and Chapman described the spray as "as strong as, if not stronger than, any version of pepper spray they had been exposed to during training." Tanios made his first court appearance by video before U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia Michael J. Aloi on Monday afternoon. He was informed of the charges against him, his rights and appointed two federal public defenders for the time being. Tanios had not filled out the financial affidavit to see if he qualified for an appointed attorney at the time of the hearing. Aloi also told Tanios the government requested an order of temporary detention which was granted. Tanios is being held in Central Regional Jail and will remain there until at least Thursday morning when there is a hearing on the matter. In October 2020 someone threw a rock through the window of Sandwich U. Local media reported the owner calling it a "hate crime " because the window had a Trump 2020 sign in the window. TWEET @DominionPostWV Amy Slaton discovers she's pregnant after being rushed to the emergency room with what she thought was constipation in 1000-lb Sisters. Tonight's episode of the Discovery+ show focuses on Amy, 33, from Kentucky, whose life has transformed dramatically since undergoing life-changing weight-loss surgery. 'It's been four months since I had weight-loss surgery, and so far I've lost 124-lbs,' she says. 'My weight right now is 282-lbs.' Unfortunately for Tammy, Amy's sister, she was unable to have surgery after failing to meet the weight target set for her by Dr Proctor. 'Deciding to have the weight-loss surgery without Tammy wasn't a hard decision, because I knew if she really loved me she wouldn't be holding me back,' Amy explains. But while Amy fights to get healthier, there are still some lingering side effects from surgery that she has to deal with, including crippling constipation. 'Babe, I'm hurting so bad. I don't know, my back is really hurting and I can't poop,' a visibly pained Amy explains to Michael, her husband. Amy Slaton, from Kentucky, thinks has constipation in tonight's 1000-lb Sisters - but discovers she's pregnant after being rushed to the emergency room Amy explains how it's been four months since she had weight-loss surgery and has lost 124-lbs. Pictured, right, and left, sister Tammy Wincing in agony, Amy stresses just how much trouble she has had since her surgery. 'For a while now, I've been having trouble pooping. All I want to do is get some relief, I can't take this no more,' she explains. 'I feel like Tammy, because my stomach is so big because I can't take a s***!' With no option but to seek medical attention, Michael drives Amy to the Emergency Room to provide her with some much needed relief. 'I ain't never had discomfort like this. These bumps are not helping,' Amy says, close to tears as Michael drives her to the doctor's office. With the pain increasing, Amy admits that she's fearful that something could be seriously wrong with her. 'I'm worried something could be seriously wrong right now,' she explains. 'It's really scary, because my surgery was only four months ago. My body hasn't fully recovered yet.' While Amy fights to get healthier, there are still some lingering side effects from surgery that she has to deal with, including crippling constipation (pictured) Amy's sister Tammy (pictured left) speaks of Dr Proctor's post-surgery advice for Amy, where he suggested she gold off getting pregnant for at least two years After three long hours, Amy eventually emerges from the ER, looking relieved and holding a piece of paper. Climbing onto the passenger's seat, Amy hands Michael the document. 'I was at the doctor's office for three hours straight. I finally got to poop, but there was also a little twist,' Amy explains. With a puzzled look, Michael turns to Amy, who reveals all. 'I'm pregnant!' she smiles, to which a shocked Michael exclaims: 'Are you serious?!' 'The doctor told me that he'll have to take an x-ray to see how much you're clogged up. In order for you to get an x-ray, you have to take a pregnancy test and all that,' Amy reveals. 'So I did the test, he came back in and he goes, 'we can't do the x-ray because you're pregnant.' Baffled by the results, Amy admits that she asked the doctor to check the results over four times! 'I'm like, "what? You got the wrong person, dude."' Amy tells a shocked Michael that she's pregnant, to which he exclaims: 'Are you serious?!' Pictured, together Amy (pictured) explains how she's 'scared as hell' because it's only four months ago she had her surgery While her body has changed, so too has Amy's mindset, as she continues to embrace life's newfound possibilities. Pictured, after her weight-loss surgery Excitedly, Amy decides to call her sister Tammy to share the good news. 'Hey, guess what? You know how I just went to the ER, right? We're pregnant,' Amy says gleefully to a stunned Tammy. 'I'm serious as a heart attack, I made him check four times. I thought he was lying to me.' However, Tammy's reaction is not what Amy had hoped for. 'I wish he was lying to you,' she says bluntly. 'You know you're not supposed to be pregnant right now. Don't get me wrong, I want you to have a kid, but it's too soon.' Sharing her concerns, Tammy alludes to Dr Proctor's post-surgery advice for Amy, where he suggested she gold off getting pregnant for at least two years. 'I'm scared as hell because it was only four months ago I had my surgery, now I'm pregnant,' Amy responds. 'Oops' The new series of 1000-lb Sister is available to stream now exclusively on discovery+ In northwestern Greenland during 1966, US Army scientists drilled through nearly a mile of ice and hauled up a fifteen-foot-long tube of soil from the bottom. The hardened sediment was then lost for decades in a freezer. In 2017, it was rediscovered accidentally. Fast forward to 2019, the University of Vermont scientist Andrew Christ studied it under a microscope and couldn't believe what he saw: twigs and leaves instead of sand and rock. This implied that the ice had melted in the ancient geologic history and that a vegetated area, perhaps a boreal forest, once existed where a mile-deep ice sheet the size of Alaska does now. Related Article: Antarctic Ice Drilling Leads to an Unexpected Discovery Studying the Fossil Christ and an international team of scientists, headed by UVM's Paul Bierman, Columbia University's Joerg Schaefer, and the University of Copenhagen's Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, have spent the last year studying these one-of-a-kind fossil plants and sediment from the bottom of Greenland. Their findings indicate that much, if not all, of Greenland, was ice-free during the last million years, if not a few hundred thousand. "Normally, ice sheets pulverize and kill everything in their way," Christ explains, "but what we found were fragile plant structures that were perfectly preserved." They're dinosaurs, but they seem to have died only a few days ago. It's a time capsule of what Greenlandic life was like in the past that we won't be able to find somewhere else." The observation confirms a new and disturbing hypothesis that Greenland ice has totally melted off during recent warm cycles of Earth's past, such as the one we are now witnessing due to human-caused climate change. Greenland Ice Sheet History Understanding the Greenland Ice Sheet history is important for forecasting how it will respond to potential climate change and how easily it will melt. Any coastal community on the planet is at risk because Greenland's ice is tying up about twenty feet of sea-level rise. According to a recent report, Greenland is more vulnerable and susceptible to climate change than previously thought and is in serious danger of melting away irreversibly. "This is not a twenty-generation issue," says Paul Bierman, a geoscientist at UVM's College of Arts and Sciences' Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and Gund Institute for Environment fellow. "For the next 50 years, this is an immediate issue." The latest thesis was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on March 15th. Military Base Camp Century, a Cold War military base dug within the ice cap well above the Arctic Circle in the 1960s, provided the latest PNAS analysis data. The camp's true aim was to conceal 600 nuclear missiles under the ice near the Soviet Union as part of Project Iceworm, a top-secret effort. The army pretended that the camp was a polar research station as a shield. Greenland Fossil Diversity Parts of the ice on Greenland continued for most of the Pleistocene, the frozen age spanning the past 2.6 million years, including through colder periods known as "interglacials." However, most of this general tale has been pieced together from mud and rock washed up on the island and collected from offshore ocean exploration. Greenland's ice sheet depth and the types of habitats that occurred there prior to the last interglacial warm era, which ended around 120,000 years ago, have been hotly argued and poorly known. ALSO READ: Oldest Ice in Earth: The Hidden Glacier Ice in McMurdo Dry Valleys 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. After the City University of New York (CUNY) announced last month that the Class of 2021 would have a virtual graduation, seniors at the College of Staten Island (CSI) are calling for in-person graduation ceremonies with safety measures like requiring masks, social distancing and limiting guests. Seniors Sabrina Benet and Lauren, who asked to only go by her first name, said they have been urging administrators at CSI to hold staggered in-person ceremonies at the Willowbrook campus. Rather than having one large traditional outdoor commencement ceremony, the students said they are suggesting that the college hold separate ceremonies by each school or department on different dates and times to adhere to strict safety measures and capacity limits. Our main idea is that we feel that the Class of 2021 deserves a safe series of in-person ceremonies, said Lauren. Were not arguing for one event, we want sort of staggered, split-up events by department so theyre smaller. And we feel that with the progress of the vaccine and decreasing rates, and since everything is starting to reopen again, we feel that its possible to give them the ceremony they deserve. Currently, the CSI virtual commencement is scheduled to launch Thursday, May 27, at 9:30 a.m. on the colleges website. The virtual program will include messages from the CSI president, special guests, speakers and the valedictorian and salutatorian. The program will conclude with the graduation candidates presentation, which can include a photo and a quote or a note of thanks. After Lauren and Benet were told of the decision regarding this years commencement, the pair reached out to the CUNY administration and Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez asking to allow CSI to have smaller ceremonies. Lauren said those attempts went unanswered. Now, they are trying to reach out to the CUNY board of trustees and share their argument during a meeting later this month. Its important to us to have an [in-person] graduation because this is a major milestone in our lives, as well as its more possible now than ever, said Benet. I dont think about how a majority of seniors do not think that a video will honor how much work that we have done over the past four years. I dont think that would be fair to the senior class at all, especially going through college through the time period of COVID and everything being uncertain. A spokesperson for CSI said the virtual commencement was a CUNY decision, pursuant to an email sent by Rodriguez to the community on Feb. 5. In the email, the chancellor said that in the interest of public health and well-being, commencement ceremonies for those graduating this Spring are going to be conducted virtually. Our CUNY presidents and deans will build upon last years positive experience conducting virtual commencement ceremonies, and will work hard to provide each of our campus communities with an experience that is worthy of the very meaningful milestone it represents, Rodriguez said in the email. At the completion of this semester, all degrees will be conferred as scheduled, he added. Benet and Laurens call for in-person graduation is part of a larger effort by seniors across CUNY campuses who began a Change.org petition, which already has over 1,200 signatures as of Monday. While we understand that COVID is still present and can possibly spread during this event, we will do everything in our power as CUNY student leaders to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for our CUNY college senior students. Students who have paid lots of money to go to school deserve this, and we think it is possible to have the event in person, the petition stated. The petition listed different ways an in-person ceremony could be held safely, including: a mask mandate; limitation of family members to two to three per graduate; temperature checks; social distancing six feet apart; a ban on handshakes. I think this is something that the students need, said Benet. I think that we need this closure of this ending and I think that the student body really deserves that. CUNY did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ST. JOHNS SENIORS PETITION Two seniors from the Staten Island campus on Grymes Hill have also started a petition for an in-person graduation. Seniors Leanna Rivera and Evan Didia began the Change.org petition last month, which has over 2,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon, urging St. Johns to host in-person commencement ceremonies for Staten Island students due to the small class size. The petition stated that the decision to cancel an in-person graduation made with only the Queens campus in mind disregarding the smaller Staten Island campus. The petition called the news of a virtual ceremony just one more devastating blow to a senior class that has spent the last year trying to navigate these uncertain times. St. Johns University announced that commencement ceremonies for all undergraduate and graduate-level students will take place virtually over a week-long stretch in May. The undergraduate commencement ceremony is slated for Sunday, May 23. School Zone: A new newsletter with the updates you need as our schools try to get back to normal. Enter your email address here and hit "subscribe" to receive this weekly newsletter: FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. The two leaders highlight Egypts role in fighting extremist thoughts and ideologies as well as Egyptian Al-Azhars leading role as 'the Islamic worlds beacon and the representative of true Islamic instructions' Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa hailed Egypts role in fighting terrorism as well as achieving security, stability and peace in the Middle East as he made a phone call on Tuesday to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement that they addressed Egypts counter-terrorism efforts locally and regionally. The leaders highlighted Egypts role in fighting extremist ideologies and thoughts as well as having highlighted Egyptian Al-Azhars leading role as the Islamic worlds beacon and the representative of true Islamic instructions, the statement read. The presidents also discussed efforts to exchange information between their two countries in various fields, including efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic as well as terrorism as a significant challenge facing both Egypt and Sri Lanka. El-Sisi expressed to Rajapaksa Egypts keenness in strengthening bilateral cooperation especially in economy and joint investments. This comes in light of the mega projects Egypt is implementing and the developmental efforts it exerts, the statement added. Rajapaksa also affirmed that his country is keen on enhancing its relations with Egypt, in various fields and international forums. The two presidents' remarks on terrorism come two years after a major terrorist attack targeted hotels and churches celebrating Easter in Sri Lanka, killing more than 200 people. Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb denounced the attack as inhumane and as a violation against the teachings of all religions. No Egyptians were among the victims but the Egyptian authorities, including President El-Sisi, have condemned the incident. The president described the incident as an act against humanity. BOSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Recorded Future, the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise security, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire revolutionary fraud analytics provider, Gemini Advisory, in a cash and equity transaction valued at $52 million. Together, Recorded Future and Gemini Advisory will offer organizations the most comprehensive intelligence platform, giving organizations a critical edge with the visibility to act at the speed of the adversary to mitigate cyber risk and fraud. The acquisition accelerates Recorded Future's growth into the fraud analytics market. Upon acquisition, Gemini Advisory will operate as an independent business unit inside of Recorded Future, and will continue to maintain and support its unique technical capabilities and global client base. Since its founding in 2017, Gemini Advisory has offered an unrivaled view for organizations into the criminal underground and provides invaluable business outcomes such as the minimization of reputational damage to organizations and financial losses to customers. "In a short time, Gemini Advisory has become a leader in the fraud space with unique offerings in both payment card intelligence and merchant fraud intelligence. As we continue to execute on our mission to deliver a modular intelligence platform, joining forces with Gemini Advisory expands the value we deliver for customers across enterprise security and fraud." Dr. Christopher Ahlberg, CEO and Co-Founder, Recorded Future Recorded Future's modules deliver intelligence across a wide range of solution areas, including: SecOps Intelligence, Threat Intelligence, Brand Intelligence, Vulnerability Intelligence, Third-Party Intelligence, and Geopolitical Intelligence. The fraud and threat intelligence data within Gemini Advisory's platform will fuel Recorded Future's immediately-available Fraud Intelligence offering. Gemini Advisory has provided its clients with an unprecedented view into the state of the payment card, merchant fraud, and transactional fraud related cybercriminal economy in order to prevent fraud, on average, up to 24 days before it occurs. "Gemini Advisory was able to take the market leader position for fraud intelligence because of the unparalleled expertise of our team, having spent years in undercover operations, and our novel approach to fraud detection and prevention. Recorded Future mirrors this approach across other cybersecurity solution areas, with intelligence at the foundation of both of our businesses. This common core is what makes a partnership with Recorded Future the right next step in our evolution." Andrei Barysevich, CEO and Co-Founder, Gemini Advisory About Gemini Advisory Gemini Advisory provides cutting-edge Fraud Threat Intelligence to equip organizations with the knowledge they need to effectively combat ever-growing cyber threats. Founded by seasoned subject matter experts, Gemini offers clients access to compromised data, CPP analysis, brand monitoring, and covert actor engagement informed by 15 years of experience in undercover operations. Armed with extensive insight into the dark web, Gemini's Fraud Intelligence Specialists can accomplish critical tasks with speed and precision. About Recorded Future Recorded Future is the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise security. By combining persistent and pervasive automated data collection and analytics with human analysis, Recorded Future delivers intelligence that is timely, accurate, and actionable. In a world of ever-increasing chaos and uncertainty, Recorded Future empowers organizations with the visibility they need to identify and detect threats faster; take proactive action to disrupt adversaries; and protect their people, systems, and assets, so business can be conducted with confidence. Recorded Future is trusted by more than 1,000 businesses and government organizations around the world. Learn more at www.recordedfuture.com and follow us on Twitter at @RecordedFuture. SOURCE Recorded Future Related Links http://www.recordedfuture.com The famed "Teslaquila" joke of Elon Musk from almost three years ago was resurrected last year, in the form of a legitimate lightning-shaped bottle of liquor that sells for $250 on Tesla's website. However, it is now called the "Tesla Tequila" (and not the portmanteau word by the CEO), which immediately sold out once it dropped on its website. On Monday, March 15, the Tesla Tequila is out of stock from the online stores of Tesla, and there are no announcements or advice from the company that hints of any restock or availability of the liquor by the company. Since its release in early November last year, it has generated a massive buzz where people are mostly interested in the liquor created by Tesla. Despite Tequila originating from pre-colonial Mexico, Tesla's golden liquor is produced by Nosotros Tequila and is fulfilled by Speakeasy Co., meaning that it did not distill and produced the Tesla-branded liquor. Moreover, The Tequila by Tesla is bottled on a special lightning-shaped or "Z" bottle that has a stand with it per package. Read Also: Starlink Coverage Map 2021: Elon Musk's Satellite Internet Connection Already Has 10,000 Beta Testers Tesla Tequila Immediately Sells Out After Restock Sad news for Tequila lovers and Tesla fans, the company's self-named and branded golden liquor is now out of stock, which immediately occurred after its website restocked the Tequila for this month alone. According to Tesla, these bottles that were sold now are going to be shipped come April, and not immediately as it was purchased. This is only the second batch or instance that Tesla Tequila sold via the company's online store, particularly after its initial release and debut to the public. The first time happened on its release date last November and after that, the next was earlier this week. The liquor production and selling have stopped, being a mystery for the public and searching for the product. That event led to its immediate sell-out and demand as it dropped, as people were clamoring for the lightning bottle and liquor from the clean energy company which costs $250. Sadly, people would have to wait for the next restock of the Tesla Tequila for no exact dates of restocking, as its previous stock came from almost four months ago. Where to Buy Tesla Tequila Alternatives? If people want an alternative to the Tesla Tequila to get their liquor fix and taste the same blend of liquid gold that is 100% de agave tequila Anejo, there are alternatives in the market. On Nosostros' Website, the same colored Tequila bottle only sells for $45, and it could be a suitable replacement for the fast-selling Tesla Tequila temporarily if users want the lightning bottle from the company. Nosotros Tequila is the same company that produced the Tesla Tequila, only its bottle is placed on a regular-shaped bottle instead of the Lightning one, which gave Tesla an iconic product for the public. The bottle of the Tesla Tequila is the collectible one, especially as people were selling the finished bottle for thousands of dollars, hence its demand. Related Article: Elon Musk Sells 'NFT Song': Multiple DJs Claim It's Their Song Without Credit! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We publish information about wines grown from certified organic or Biodynamic vineyards that are generally made with sulfites (which are usually added in small amounts to preserve the wine). That includes these certification types: ORGANIC WINE CERTIFICATIONS Made with Organic Grapes Vineyards: certified organic Vinification : less than 100 ppm of sulfites (i.e. a normal range) Winery: certified organic facility Labeling : front or back label Ingredients: Organic Grapes Vineyards : certified organic Vinification: up to 350 ppm of sulfites (same as for any non organic wine) Labeling: back label only BIODYNAMIC CERTIFICATIONS Biodynamic Wine Vineyards : certified biodynamic Yeasts : native Vinification : less than 100 ppm of sulfites; no additives of any kind Winery: certified biodynamic facility Labeling: front or back label; Demeter logo may appear Made with Biodynamic Grapes Vineyards : certified biodynamic Yeasts : native or organic Vinification: less than 100 ppm of sulfites; limited number of additives permitted Winery: certified biodynamic facility Labeling: front or back Note : unlike organically grown wines, for which there is a category called "Ingredients: Organic Grapes," wines sourced from biodynamic grapes may not make any biodynamic claim on the bottle label. Bottle labeling is reserved for Demeter certified wines only. SULFITES IN CONTEXT According to U.C. Davis, t he average among all wines in the U.S. (as well as globally) is 80 ppm. WHAT THE USDA CALLS ORGANIC WINES Unlike any other nation, the U.S. oddly imposes a no sulfite restriction on wines in order for them to be called Organic Wine. These wines are also called NSA or NAS wines (which stands for "No Sulfites Added" or "No Added Sulfites.") From the above description, one can see that there are in fact three types of organically grown wines: 1. Organic Wine (less than 15% of all organically grown wine) 2. Made with Organic Grapes 3. Ingredients: Organic Grapes The vast majority of wines from organic grapes are labeled Made with Organic Grapes, Ingredients: Organic Grapes or are blended with nonorganic grapes and unlabeled. Fine winemakers do not generally make wine without sulfites and a number of large wine retailers like BevMo do not sell wine in the category of "USDA Organic Wine." With rare exceptions, this blog does not cover what the USDA calls "Organic Wine." We are hopeful that the USDA will revise the categorization of organically grown wines and make NSA or NAS wines a category of their own. This would put the U.S. in accord with the rest of the world, where "Organic Wine" means a wine from certified grapes made within limits on sulfites (generally under 100-150 ppm). Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Insider trading grabs headlines, gets the Hollywood treatment and garners plenty of investigations. Yet a far less notorious and scrutinized activity known as "insider giving" similarly damages markets and the broader society despite its nicer-sounding name, according to new research. Cindy Schipani and Nejat Seyhun, professors at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, have co-authored a study that finds insider givingin this case, shareholders who donate stock to a charity and take a tax deduction before bad news sends the share price tumblingis "worryingly widespread." It's also far less likely to be detected or prosecuted than the insider trading made famous in films such as "Wall Street" and shows like "Billions." Schipani, Seyhun and their co-authorsSureyya Burcu Avci of the Sabanci University School of Business and Andrew Verstein of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Lawused a database of all gifts of common stock by large shareholders in all publicly listed U.S. firms from 1986 to 2020. The 9,000 actions represent about 2.1 billion shares with a value of $50 billion. What they found: The donations "are suspiciously well-timed." The stock prices rose about 6% during the year before the gift date and dropped about 4% during the year afterward. In other words, "Large shareholders tend to find the perfect day on which to give," they write. So is it talent or luck? Most likely neither. The results, according to the authors, are likely primarily due to the sharing of "material nonpublic information" by corporate executives to time the gift and secondarily to backdatinga misreporting of the true date of the gift to further increase the tax deduction. "The fact that large shareholders can determine or choosewith pinpoint accuracythe average maximum price over a two-year period when they give gifts is surprising," Seyhun said. "The magnitude of the price decline from the gift date is not large. Nevertheless, this is consistent with our previous work that insiders will stoop to borderline ethical standards even for small dollar amounts." The study directly builds on their research regarding stock gifts by executives, which itself was built on stock-option backdating work. In the latter, executives were found to manipulate their compensation by picking stock option grant dates that gave them the biggest windfalls. Schipani said she was disappointed by the "opportunistic behavior of corporate executives," for whom "greed seems to prevail over ethical behavior and integrity." The latest study "extends that disappointment." "These behaviors appear to be more widespread than previously contemplatedthat is, the insiders are either trying to curry favor with their shareholders, or are succumbing to pressure from them, by handing off material inside information," she said. "It is also disappointing that the shareholders would use charities as a way to mask greedy behavior." In several variations of what the researchers call "manipulative giving," the insiders snag a tax deduction that exceeds the value of the donated gift. Giving $1,000 to charity and getting more than $1,000 in tax benefits is, according to the study, bad tax policy and "simply a form of valuation abuse." Insider giving runs afoul of state and federal laws, but those statutes are "less clear and developed" than those pertaining to insider trading, the study says. The practice also benefits from lax regulation and oversightinsider gifts can be reported more than 400 days after donation, as opposed to two days for insider sales. Insider giving also comes with lower risk of enforcement or prosecution than its more infamous kin. Researchers acknowledge the inclination of some to give insider giving a pass. Indeed, what's the harm of giving in general, especially when the charities are better off? The SEC believes such giving is less likely to be the vehicle for abuse. The researchers cite many problems beyond bad tax policy. On a larger scale, it damages the societal, ethical and moral value of philanthropy by granting an outsized tax deduction for a tainted, trivial gift. Then, there's the downstream effect on other taxpayers and those "unlucky enough to buy the doomed shares from the charity." Moreover, a charity might not be seen in a better light as the "bearer of bad stock," regardless of whether it's in the dark about the shares' ultimate fate. "I see this as a societal issue as well as a fraud on investors," Schipani said. Executives and shareholders should be setting high standards, not skirting them, Seyhun added. "By stooping to pick up extra dollars here and there, they are not setting good examples of corporate governance," he said. "Furthermore, when investors and other parties lose confidence in top management, ordinary shareholders lose." Schipani, Seyhun and their colleagues make several recommendations, including calling on regulators to ensure gifts are subject to the same reporting requirements as sales and extending all prohibitions on insider trading to cover gifts. They also say the tax code should not be encouraging gifts of stock to charities. The research has been accepted for publication in the Duke Law Journal. Explore further Penalties don't work with insider trading More information: Insider Giving (February 25, 2021). 71 Duke Law Journal (Forthcoming 2021), UCLA School of Law, Law-Econ Research Paper No. 21-02, Available at SSRN: Insider Giving (February 25, 2021). 71 Duke Law Journal (Forthcoming 2021), UCLA School of Law, Law-Econ Research Paper No. 21-02, Available at SSRN: ssrn.com/abstract=3795537 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) Minors in the National Capital Region will once again be prohibited from going outdoors starting Wednesday as new COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Metro Manila. MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos on Tuesday said the 17 mayors are drafting a resolution that will ban minors, particularly those aged 15-17, from leaving their homes for non-essential travel for two weeks. "We are implementing age restrictions because of the increase in our COVID-19 cases... We will implement calibration and changes on our directives depending on the figures that we have," he said in a statement. In an interview on Wednesday, Abalos said the penalty for violators will depend on the respective ordinances by local government units. "Well, kanya kanyang ordinansa po 'yan ng lahat ng mga lungsod at munisipyo ng kalakhang Maynila," Abalos told CNN Philippines' News.PH. "Ang importante lang ay nagkasundo ang lahat ng alkalde na ito ay ipinagbabawal nila at iiral po rito ay ang batas ng bawat o ang penalty ng bawat lungsod po." [Translation: Metro Manila's cities and municipality have their own ordinances. What's important is all mayors agreed on this ban, and what would prevail is the penalty of every city.] Last month, Abalos said the mayors agreed to ease age restrictions to encourage economic activities. The 17 Metro Manila cities and municipality are imposing longer curfew hours until the end of March in hopes of stopping the case spike. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 22:10:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Australian architect and writer Mark Unger meets a former female soldier who is now the Party secretary for a residential community in Shanghai. What's her story? Click to find out. A Xinhua Global Service Production Disney Plus is raising prices for the first time since it launched in November 2019. Starting Friday, March 26, the popular on-demand streaming service will increase its monthly subscription fee from $6.99 to $7.99 and its annual subscription fee from $69.99 to $79.99. The bundle that combines Disney Plus with Hulu and ESPN Plus also is increasing, with the monthly price going from $12.99 to $13.99. This change will affect both new subscribers and existing ones; the new cost kicks in during the first billing cycle on or after March 26. There is still a way to avoid the price increase, though. If you sign up for an annual subscription before March 26, youll lock in the current $69.99 rate and dodge the price hike for a year. (Signing up for a monthly subscription before March 26 will only save $1.) Why is Disney Plus raising prices? Disney has presented a plan to launch dozens of original titles from Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic and the Disney brand itself in the coming years. The company intends to use the extra revenue to help fund this wealth of new content, much of which will be housed on the Disney Plus platform. Many streaming services have increased prices over the past year, including YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV, and ESPN Plus. However, since Disney Plus has not existed as long as some of its competitors, the sudden change has drawn some anger from consumers. Disney Plus is the official streaming home of the entire Star Wars saga, all Marvel movies, every Pixar film, and most content from the National Geographic channel. It is also the best place to find most of Disneys massive roster of original content, both classic and new. Related stories about streaming TV services WWE Network moving to Peacock, slashing cost: How to get a free trial and subscribe What is Philo? Price, TV channels, how to get a free trial How to get a free trial of horror movie streaming service Shudder and what to watch with it Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Joseph Rejent may be reached at jrejent@njadvancemedia.com. Internet and online game centers, as well as inter-provincial bus routes have been allowed to resume operations in Hanoi, but strict measures are required to be taken to prevent COVID-19 transmission. These services were permitted to reopen from 0:00 on Tuesday, according to a decision announced by vice-chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Chu Xuan Dung during a meeting on Monday. Owners of Internet and online game centers must require customers to fill out health declaration forms and ensure a one-meter distance between each person. Inter-provincial bus services must make sure the number of passengers on each trip is in line with regulations. The Hanoi Department of Transport was tasked with providing further guidance on COVID-19 prevention and control measures for these bus routes. These venues and bus routes were previously suspended in early February due to the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vice-chairman Dung also requested the citys Department of Health to continue conducting COVID-19 testing in high-risk areas and provide vaccination for priority groups. Hanoi has not documented any local COVID-19 infections for 28 days, Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy director of the health department, said at the meeting. About 90 health workers in the capital have been administered COVID-19 vaccine shots, all of whom are now in stable health. As of Tuesday morning, Vietnam had recorded 2,559 COVID-19 cases, with 2,115 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Sussex County district that planned to switch to five full days of in-person instruction for middle and high school students at the end of the month has postponed that change due to rising COVID-19 cases in the community. The delay for the Sparta district comes after several students and staff tested positive for COVID-19, causing a severely depleted custodial staff as a result of required quarantines, according to a community letter on Friday from Interim Superintendent Patrick McQueeney. Its always a difficult decision and it is frustrating because thats the nature of this virus It seems like this year is just constant flexibility and adjustment, McQueeny told NJ Advance Media. While teachers could continue teaching from home while quarantining, there was no way to reopen schools without custodial staff in-person, he said. Its not an option, because our plan was to go to full day, which would be inclusive of a lunch period, and you cant continue a school day, especially in this COVID pandemic, with little or no custodial staff, with such an emphasis put on sanitation and disinfection, McQueeney said. Students were slated to switch Monday from a half-day to a full-day of hybrid instruction, still on a cohort model where they attended school in alternating weeks, before ramping up to a full in-person model on March 29. Students have been an in-person schedule alternating weeks since January. For now, Sparta middle and high school will continue with hybrid half-day instruction on alternating weeks, while Alpine Elementary, Mohawk Avenue and Helen Morgan Schools all moved ahead with their reopening plan to begin hybrid full-day instruction on Monday. When March 29 rolls around, middle school and high schools students will either move to five full days in-person while continuing to alternate weeks or meet with both cohorts simultaneously but for half-days, McQueeney said. In the last two weeks, 19 students have tested positive for COVID-19, with nine of those cases coming from the high school. Three staff members have also tested positive, according to community letters citing the Sussex County Department of Health. When we do not have the appropriate level of staff needed to safely reopen the schools, we have to adjust our plans, McQueeney said. So, although were just as equally frustrated as our parent community, we have an obligation to follow our health and safety guidelines. The heated debate around reopening schools has led to the district receiving a threat of physical violence regarding its plans. A Facebook comment that was investigated by police read, in part: If (schools) dont open soon, it will be time for physical violence against the people keeping the schools closed. The commenter also wrote that parents should be knocking down the doors of the (board of education) members and union leaders. The commenter will not face any criminal charges because the threat was not credible or specific and merely a rant on social media, Sparta police said in February. In fellow North Jersey districts like South Orange-Maplewood, the battle to fully reopen schools rages on, with parents filing federal lawsuits and holding rallies. In Montclair, parents, teachers and administrators just recently reached a deal to bring kids back to school next month. Last weekend, parents from across New Jersey gathered to call on Gov. Phil Murphy to mandate schools reopen five days a week. The majority of the states students are in some form of hybrid learning schedule of in-person and online classes while about 70,000 students are in classrooms full time and 367,000 student remain all virtual. The governor understands that there is no substitute for in-person learning and the administration continues to encourage districts to pursue in-person instruction as soon as it is safe to do so, Murphys office said in a statement Saturday evening. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Josh Axelrod may be reached at jaxelrod@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. With COVID-19 cases down, camping picks up in South Dakota South Dakota parks are seeing camping reservations fill up. That includes at recreation areas in Aberdeen and Watetown. ATMORE, Ala., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United Bancorporation of Alabama, Inc. ("UBAB") today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Town-Country National Bank ("TCNB"), a Camden, AL based community bank with approximately $126.2 million in total assets as of December 31, 2020. TCNB shareholders will receive aggregate cash consideration of $28.5 million, with a portion of the consideration paid as a special dividend prior to the close of the transaction. TCNB will rebrand as Town-Country United Bank and operate as a separate banking subsidiary under UBAB. "The Town-Country franchise is complementary to our Alabama footprint, adding an adjacent market presence in Camden, AL, where we are excited to introduce the United brand," explained Robert R. Jones III, CEO, President and Director of UBAB. "Town-Country shares a similar culture to us and their talented team will strengthen our market position and product capabilities." "We could not be more excited to partner with UBAB. TCNB and UBAB are two true community banks with strong ties to the state of Alabama," remarked Hal Huggins, President and CEO of TCNB. Haas Strother, Chairman of TCNB, commented, "On behalf of the Board and shareholders of Town-Country National Bank, we view UBAB as a natural partner. I believe that this will be a win-win for all parties involved, including our shareholders, customers, employees and the communities we represent. We appreciate UBAB's recognition of the deep roots Town-Country National Bank has in our communities." The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions including the approval of TCNB shareholders and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in early third quarter 2021. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC served as the financial advisor to United Bancorporation of Alabama, Inc. and delivered a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of United. Maynard Cooper & Gale was the legal advisor to United Bancorporation of Alabama, Inc. Olsen Palmer LLC served as the financial advisor to Town-Country National Bank. Compton Jones Dresher was the legal advisor to Town-Country National Bank. About United Bancorporation of Alabama, Inc. As of December 31, 2020, United Bank is an approximately $993.9 million financial institution that has enjoyed 116 years of continuous service to Atmore, Alabama and surrounding communities. United Bank has offices in Atmore, East Brewton, Brewton, Flomaton, Monroeville, Frisco City, Bay Minette, Daphne, Foley, Lillian, Loxley, Magnolia Springs, Semmes, Silverhill, Spanish Fort, and Summerdale in Alabama. United Bank serves Santa Rosa County, Florida in Jay, Milton, and Pace. About Town-Country National Bank Town-Country National Bank is a locally-owned community bank providing a premier level of banking services to Wilcox County, AL and surrounding areas since 1978. For more information about Town-Country National Bank, please visit www.tcnbank.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the financial condition, results of operations, business plans and the future performance of United and Town-Country. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "intends," "plans," "projects," "could," "may," "should," "will" or other similar words and expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on United's and Town-Country's current expectations and assumptions regarding United's and Town-Country's businesses, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to future results and occurrences, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Any number of risks, uncertainties or other factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic could affect United's or Town-Country's future financial results and performance and could cause actual results or performance to differ materially from anticipated results or performance. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the definitive agreement and plan of merger between United and Town-Country; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against United or Town-Country; delays in completing the transaction; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction) or shareholder approvals, or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the transaction on a timely basis or at all; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where United and Town-Country do business; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; the ability to complete the transaction and integration of United and Town-Country successfully; and the dilution caused by United's issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the transaction. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, each of United and Town-Country disclaims any obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements included herein to reflect future events or developments. Media Contact: Tonya Lambert SVP, Chief Marketing & Public Relations Officer 251-446-6004 [email protected] SOURCE United Bancorporation For the fourth time in just more than a year, the Massachusetts Senate on Monday voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation that would commit the state to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century. Gov. Charlie Baker and legislative leaders separately announced their support for the net-zero goal in January 2020, but codifying that shared priority into law has proved to be more complicated and the climate policy bill has been ping-ponging between the Legislature and governors office for more than two months. The Senate voted 39-1 early Monday afternoon to adopt a majority of the amendments that Baker suggested when he returned the bill unsigned at the beginning of February. The Senate had attempted to advance the bill last week, but the Republican caucus delayed its consideration after being given less than a day to review the latest version. Sen. Ryan Fattman, a Sutton Republican, cast the lone vote of dissent Monday. The House could pass the bill as soon as Thursday. Global warming is generating large-scale spectacles -- fire in California, floods in the Midwest, freezing infrastructure in Texas -- but this particular legislation is not about mega-events. Its about dealing with our business, our everyday climate business right here at home. If you compare Massachusetts and its emissions with emissions across the world or even across the United States, its the differences that pop out at you, said Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington, one of the chief climate bill negotiators. He added, Transportation [emissions] are 42 percent of the Massachusetts problem compared to 29 percent in the U.S. Buildings are 27 percent of our issue, compared to about 12 percent in the U.S. ... Its pretty clear why we put a special emphasis on lower emissions in this bill from transportation and buildings. The bill is designed to push Massachusetts toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, establish interim emissions goals, adopt energy efficiency standards for appliances, and address needs in environmental justice communities. While Baker has said he supports those aims, his administration and key lawmakers have not seen eye-to-eye on many of the finer details of the legislation. Despite the disagreements, the Senate voted Monday to incorporate most of Bakers amendments, many of them technical in nature. I also want to say thank you to the governor of the commonwealth because he, like many of us after the original version of this bill was passed, identified issues that we had heard from others about that needed to be addressed, and he sought to address those with several amendments that then became the subject of considerable discussion and, I would suggest, negotiation, Minority Leader Sen. Bruce Tarr said, adding that the Democratic Senate leadership had made some significant changes that were reflective of the proposals of the governor. Though they went along with most of his amendments, the Senate did not incorporate the governors recommendations that would have had profound impacts on the underlying bill. The Senate rejected Bakers request to change the Legislatures requirement that emissions in 2030 be at least 50 percent lower than 1990 levels to a target in the 45 percent to 50 percent range. It also rebuffed Bakers amendment that would strip some language from a proposed new municipal building code that promotes net-zero construction, though senators agreed to some tweaks to that provision. Our mandate to the Department of Energy Resources with discretion left to the executive branch, as it must be, includes the creation of a new specialized code that includes both net-zero building performance standards and the definition of net-zero building, Barrett said. Not a single community in Massachusetts is going to be compelled to move up to this progressive set of building guidelines. Barrett said he and other lawmakers heard from communities like Concord, Lexington, Belmont and others where officials said give us the option to move ahead because were ready to regulate construction in our community in a way that will enable the building industry to thrive according to new green standards, Barrett said. He said about 120 communities use the states base building code and did not adopt the original stretch energy code created under a 2008 law. They will not be required to adopt the new net-zero stretch energy code either, he said. Our idea here is to create a laddering system for communities. We know that over time because of grassroots interest in making buildings energy tight and enabling us to move the heating systems for those buildings off fossil fuels, that theres going to be lots of discussion in every city in town in Massachusetts. We dont feel the need to be coercive here, Barrett said. We have a lot of confidence that these community-by-community discussions are going to bring us where we need to go. So we created all kinds of opportunities for vanguard communities, but we are not penalizing communities who hesitate. Baker and the home construction industry had worried the climate bill would make building new housing -- a priority of the governors -- cost-prohibitive. Baker recommended letting the Department of Energy Resources develop a new stretch energy code that included a municipal option for high-performing, energy-efficient new construction that would support the states emission reduction efforts. The Mass. Coalition for Sustainable Energy, a group of some of the most powerful business and trade groups in the state that has previously advocated for natural gas expansion and opposed the original Senate climate bill, said Monday that it was thankful for the work Baker and lawmakers put into making the climate bill more workable. Details of this transition are important, especially to the broad segment of the Commonwealth engaged in building affordable housing and economic development, the group, which includes the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Mass. Business Roundtable, and Associated Industries of Massachusetts, among others, said. This bill allows for a more careful and thoughtful rulemaking process to set the course for a healthier, more sustainable future. The Senate also preserved the legal standing of sector-specific emissions sublimits the original bill proposed for six sectors of the economy, though it agreed to adopt a change so that the executive branch would not be held legally liable if one sublimit is not met in a year in which the states overall target was met. We have adopted language in ... that makes it clear that in looking back on a prior year, if the commonwealth has complied with the statewide greenhouse gas limit for that year, a sublimit shall not be found to have been binding for that given prior year, Barrett said. We can appreciate that the idea isnt to come in exactly right on all six areas of the economy here. Of course theyre going to be unexpected successes and, occasionally, unexpected setbacks. As long as the overall limit is met and as long as the sublimits have been set and have been striven for in good faith, the look backs are going to attend to ... the achievement of the overall limits. Baker had told lawmakers his proposal was to have the sublimits serve as planning tools rather than independent legal requirements, provided we achieve our overall statewide emissions reductions. But Barrett wanted to make clear Monday that the change the Senate adopted was not in any way bowing to the governor. None of this has to do with the governors intention and I want to stress that again. The governor had somehow hoped that, in a forward-looking way, sublimits would operate as mere planning tools, he said. We rejected that. Sublimits and limits have exactly the same legal standing with the exception of the limited point that I just made. The bill would also require that the executive branch direct Massachusetts utilities to buy an additional 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind power once the 3,200 megawatts that the Legislature has already authorized is secured. The bill scored plaudits Monday from Vineyard Wind CEO Lars Pedersen, whose company is under contract for an 800-megawatt offshore wind farm and could bid on future contracts with Massachusetts utilities. The revised climate bill is just the latest example of Massachusetts continuing to be a true leader in the adoption of clean, renewable and affordable energy, Pedersen said. I want to thank Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka as well as Telecommunications, Utility and Energy Committee Chairs Barrett and [Rep. Jeff] Roy for their leadership in taking the climate bill amendments up and moving the legislation quickly to the Governors desk for his signature. With the climate policy bill amended and passed by the Senate, it is now up to the House to give its sign-off to the changes before the bill can go back to Bakers desk. The governor would then have to decide whether to sign the bill or veto it. If he opts for a veto, both branches of the Legislature are expected to have the votes necessary to override it. ROCHESTER, Minn. A not guilty plea to five felony charges in entered for an alleged attack on a woman in Rochester. Abdirahman Yasin Mohamed, 24 of Rochester, is accused of stalking, robbery, domestic assault, violating a no contact order, and 5th degree drug possession. Police say he attacked a woman in the 1000 block of 21st Street SE on December 31. The victim told officers Mohamed walked over, pulled her hair, pulled her to the ground, and started kicking her in the face. Court documents state the victim and Mohamed were involved in a dispute over money. Mohamed was arrested after a high-risk traffic stop on December 31. No trial date has been set. More New Yorkers believe that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has committed sexual harassment than not, but half of those surveyed say that he should not immediately resign, according to a Siena College poll released Monday. Slightly more than one-third of voters, 35%, said they believed the governor had committed sexual harassment, while 24% believed he had not, according to the poll, which was conducted in the second week of March. The responses were largely the same among men and women, with a plurality of voters undecided: 41% said they were unsure if Cuomo was guilty of sexual harassment. Multiple women, including current and former aides, have accused Cuomo in the past few weeks of a range of inappropriate behavior, including sexual harassment and groping. The governor has repeatedly denied ever touching anyone inappropriately, and has apologized for comments he said may have made women feel uncomfortable. He has also said he will cooperate with an investigation into the claims that is being overseen by the state attorney general, Letitia James. In a survey of 805 registered New York state voters, 57% said they were satisfied with how Cuomo had addressed the allegations, while 32% said they were not. Fifty percent said he should not resign, while 35% said he should. Nearly half said they believed he could continue to do his job effectively as governor, with 34% saying he could not. Even so, the governors favorability rating has plummeted to one of the lowest points of his decadelong tenure: Only 43% of voters said they had a favorable opinion of the governor, down from 56% last month. The poll was largely conducted before a majority of the Democrats in New Yorks congressional delegation, including most of its House members and Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, said Friday that the governor should step down. A large number of voters, 66% of them, said they did not approve of the way in which Cuomo's administration had handled data related to nursing home deaths. The poll showed Cuomo, a third-term Democrat, faces daunting opposition to a possible reelection bid next year: just 34% of voters said they would support such a campaign, while 52% said they would prefer someone else. The poll had a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress has been accused of lacking the courage to assert himself as the chairman of the party. According to Anyidoho, the partys constitution empowers the national chairman to act as leader when they are in opposition. He, however, believes Ofosu-Ampofo is scared of fulfilling a party constitutional mandate. If Ofosu-Ampofo is scared of being the Leader of the NDC per the dictates of the NDCs constitution; he should step aside NOW!!!. Anyidoho blamed Ofosu-Ampofo for the attack on the leadership on the NDC MPs by Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the party. Koku, while commending Alban Bagbin for his response to Sammy Gyamfis attack, stated that the failure of Ofosu-Ampofo to take charge has led to the impression that Sammy Gyamfi is the leader of the party. I respect Rt. Honourable Speaker Bagbin for calling the bluff of that bed-wetting infant who has deceived himself into believing that he is the most important person in the NDC because, National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, is scared of being the LEADER of the Party, he posted. Source: ghanaweb.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 Cellist Isang Enders / Courtesy of Jino Park Cellist Isang Enders contemplates the importance of the audience, playing music in a way that benefits the Earth By Park Ji-won Poster for cellist Isang Enders' recital / Courtesy of TLi Art Center For cellist Isang Enders, music is genetic. His German father and Korean mother are both musicians. His parents chose to name their son after the famous Germany-based Korean composer, the late Yun Isang. As indicated in his music-nurtured childhood, his journey to music has been unstoppable ever since he first played the cello at nine years old, following his piano teacher's advice that he would be more suitable for the musical instrument than the piano due to his "thick hands." When he was 20, Enders was appointed the principal cellist of the Staatskapelle Dresden. The news came as a surprise to many who were familiar with the position, as it had been vacant for 10 years before he filled it. After four years in the position, he decided to leave the traditional orchestra and start his career as a soloist, trying to find his musical identity. Since then, he has been building a solid reputation as a soloist, traveling all over the world performing and collaborating with many musicians and orchestras: conductors Zubin Mehta, Christoph Eschenbach and Chung Myung-whun; composer Chin Eun-suk; and Berlin's Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Stuttgart Philharmonic and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Like other musicians, he hasn't been able to perform for the last year due to the pandemic. He made a visit to Korea to hold his first solo recital here in three years, where he will play Bach's Cello Suite Nos. 1, 3 and 6 at TLi Art Center in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province on Thursday. He recently shared his thoughts about the coronavirus pandemic, performance and music. This solo recital is the only one he will have in Korea this time apart from other concerto performances. When the pandemic took away the stage from classical musicians, especially in Europe where he lives, he realized that musicians, who are prone to be self-centered, can only exist together with their audience. "There was a tendency (among musicians) to neglect the audience. It's all about the music. It's all about the hours, and you have to live to honor the scores. But that is not true We (musicians) are absolutely useless (during the pandemic). I could just as well work for Delivery Hero. I really wanted to come to Korea to play actually I hope that the audience can feel my appreciation. I appreciate that the audience is coming," cellist Isang Enders said during a Zoom interview with The Korea Times. He stressed that live concerts are way better than online streaming services, which simply aim to entertain people. "People actually discovered that no stream and no Internet performance can be as good as a live performance. I focus more on live performances. Whatever content you put on the Internet is just for basic fun." He chose to play "standard" repertoires of Bach, as those are all familiar to him, and thus can help him come back from the one-year hiatus from playing before audiences. Pursuing goals of finding "inner natural expression" and "playing organically" so that people can go with the flow may have come from his pursuit of "perfection" in music, which he assumed may have come from both his inner "Koreanness," and the "being natural" that he has learned in Germany throughout his life. "German culture goes for the most natural way. And Korean culture is a lot about the emotional way. For generations, people had to work very hard to succeed at this Korean perfection and therefore they had to repress their inner expressiveness, which I find quite scary I can be very obsessed with perfection. But I learned that it doesn't help me play any better." His priority had been the cello until 2019. However, the arrival of the new pandemic situation gave him a moment of enlightenment, raising a burning question about whether his way of living traveling all over the world as an artist is a career that can also benefit the Earth. "Until the pandemic started, what we did was work a lot in the hope that we were going to get more work. That doesn't make any sense to do. So what we need to do is to focus on the content and necessity of the work. To put it simply, I could play 10 concerts in my city or I could play five concerts all over the world. But either way, it will basically come out the same." He acknowledged the ecological cost of the emissions caused by air travel, as well as the toll of travel on the traveler's wellbeing. "We cannot ruin the planet just for a random Beethoven sonata performance The part about playing concerts we have been missing, but the other aspects of our lives have been much better. Our health is much better. I have a son who is not even 2 years old yet. We are at home basically all the time. We are having the most amazing time. "Traveling all the time is not healthy at all and very expensive in general. I have probably destroyed a million trees so far by flying all over the world, which I cannot replant. Taking this all into account, is it really worth doing it? This is something I really want to question over the next year. I want to achieve in the next year an ecological point of view." London-based broker Miller has appointed Charlie Simpson to lead its new platform in Bermuda. Simpson, who joins as head of Bermuda, will concentrate on growing the brokers presence in the key re/insurance hub by launching a high-quality independent offering, initially focused on reinsurance and insurance-linked securities, with more key hires to be announced soon. Simpson has over 40 years experience in the sector and joins from Aon where he was most recently executive vice president of Non-Marine. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Guy Carpenter, R K Carvill, JLT and BMS Reinsurance. Simpsons appointment signals a major development and continuing commitment to Millers growth ambitions following the completion of its acquisition by investor partners, Cinven and GIC, said Miller in a statement. Greg Collins, Miller CEO, commented: Miller is committed to providing best-in-class service and solutions and we continue to hire exceptional people to deliver on our commitments to clients. Bermuda was an obvious choice of location for our continued expansion given its excellent reputation. With his considerable experience and market contacts, we are delighted that Charlie has joined us to shape and drive our strategy on the island. Source: Miller Topics Aon Bermuda Damian Nunez lost consciousness Monday afternoon after a representative from a homeless organization told him he and his trailer would have to be gone from a Florida City-owned community by mid-week. Im scared, said Nunez, 56, who has a history of heart disease. Im scared theyre going to take away my trailer. Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue medics treated Nunez at the scene, but he declined to be taken to a hospital after he regained consciousness. Representatives from the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust and Camillus House arrived Monday morning at the Florida City Camp Site and RV Park to assist residents there, who were told late last week by the Florida City attorney in a letter that they had to vacate the property by this Wednesday, or be forced off by law enforcement. The Homeless Trust representatives told them they could stay in a hotel for a week, get tested for COVID-19 and then go to a homeless shelter. Community activist Carmen Tejada, who has been trying for days to help the mostly poor residents buy more time to find other homes, criticized the approach. They are not homeless. They have homes, Tejada said. Many of the roughly 70 residents who live at Florida City Camp Site, located at Krome Avenue and Northwest Seventh Street, have lived there for more than 10 years. They pay about $450 a month to live there, which covers their utilities. Although the conditions are lean, its the only affordable option to the many who live on government assistance at the 15-acre site. Many have physical and mental health conditions that dont allow them to work. Many are elderly, although younger families with children also live there. Finding another place to live for the low amount of rent they are used to paying will be impossible for most of the people living at the camp site. And, most residents thought theyd never have to go. The original owners of the property, George and Mildred Cole, deeded the land to Florida City before they died in the early 1980s, residents said. And, they added, there was an agreement with the city that the property would be designated for low-income residents for 100 years. Story continues The Coles gravestones are located on the property. Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace told the Miami Herald last week that no document stating such an agreement exists. I have no idea what they are talking about, he said. The Miami Herald has been unable to confirm the existence of the deed. A headstone for George F. Cole, one of the original owners of the land that is now the Florida City Camp Site and RV Park remains on the property. Wallace said the city sold the property for $6.8 million to developers, the Theo Group, which intends to build a mixed-use residential/shopping center with market rate rental apartments. He said the final stipulation of the deal was the land must be void of residents and their trailers. Wallace also said that he has been telling residents to make other living arrangements since August. However, until last weeks letter, the city never gave the residents a deadline to leave. On Monday, the parks residents were offered some hope when an anonymous donor hired a law firm to represent them after reading about their plight in the Miami Herald over the weekend We have made significant progress today, Tejada told a group of about 50 residents who gathered under a tree in a vacant lot in the park Monday evening. Things are looking much, much better now than they were this morning. Tejeda also said that an official with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was also en route to the park with forms so residents can file formal complaints against the city. Attorney Thomas Culmo, with the Brickell firm Damian & Valori, LLP|Culmo Trial Attorneys, sent a letter Monday to city attorney Regine Monestime, saying Florida law prohibits the local government from forcing the residents to leave without a formal eviction notice. Specifically, the statutes require proper notice, including a statement of the availability of the tenants to apply for and obtain relocation assistance from the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Trust Fund, among other things, Culmo wrote. Moreover, no tenant shall be removed from the Mobile Home Park without the City filing an eviction action, nor should they be threatened with civil or criminal sanctions. Culmo gave Monestime until 5 p.m. Monday to respond, or he said he would file for an injunction, which would halt the eviction process while a judge reviewed the case. Wallace said Monday night that he had just read the letter after a reporter sent him a text asking him about it. He said the city intends to follow the law while mandating the residents leave the property. It was never an intent to do something illegally, Wallace said. He also said he is willing to be flexible with residents who show the city they have found other places to live, but they wont be ready by Wednesday. Our goal is not to put anyone on the street, and they will eventually move, Wallace said. He added that while he is amenable to speaking with Culmo and the residents about providing more time, he wants to hear ideas other than usurping of public property totally. Were serious, but were reasonable, Wallace said. Residents registered at www.aurora-il.org/MassVaxAurora and received a link to make an appointment for the clinic. The city has added an extra middle step to verify that the person lives in Aurora before they are able to fully sign-up for the clinic. They were set to receive an email minutes later that provided the actual link to sign-up for Thursdays clinic. Sausage roll stalwart Greggs has sunk to its first loss in 36 years as the Covid-19 pandemic sliced 300million from the sales of one of Britain's high street powerhouses. Bosses at the bakery chain announced a pre-tax loss of 13.7 million in 2020, compared with a 108.3 million profit a year earlier, with sales dropping from 1.17 billion to 811.3 million as stores closed their doors for large swathes of the year. But the company said it remains positive for the future and has committed to opening 100 new stores this year. Delivery services and a partnership with Just Eat helped offset some of the falls, the company said, with 9.6% of total sales in the first ten weeks of 2021 now coming via deliveries. But the latest lockdowns and restrictions since the start of the year have hit overall sales, the company said, with like-for-like sales down 28.8% in the ten weeks to March 13. Greggs has made its first loss since the 1980s but has committed to opening 100 new stores this year Stores have remained open for takeaways, as they are classed as essential retailers, however city centre locations and travel hub sites have seen substantial falls due to the stay-at-home Government orders. Excluding sales in Scotland, where stores have been closed to walk-in customers for the majority of the year, like-for-like sales were down 22.4% during the period. The company said the results for 2020 were slightly better than expected, considering the lockdowns, adding that it benefited from the furlough scheme and business rates holiday. Bosses added they have access to a new 100 million revolving credit facility to fund further expansion beyond the 2,078 stores in operation. Greggs listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1984 and had never previously reported a loss since becoming a public company. An employee wearing PPE including a mask and visor serves at the counter of a Greggs bakery in London, whose sales dropped by 300million in the pandemic It came as Thorntons yesterday said it will close its shops, marking the end of the confectioners 110-year history on the High Street in the face of growing upmarket competition and online shopping, All 61 stores are to shut, its Italian owners Ferrero said, putting up to 603 jobs at risk. Thorntons was founded in 1911 by travelling confectioner Joseph William Thornton, who opened a single sweet shop in Sheffield with his 14-year-old son Norman. The firm enjoyed a decades-long heyday before being forced to join the stock exchange in 1987 after a family feud led to chairman Peter Thornton being ousted by his brother and cousins. The companys financial problems started in the early 2000s as it faced fierce competition from luxury rivals such as Green & Blacks, Hotel Chocolat and Lindt. Thorntons sale in 2015 to Ferrero for 112million marked the loss of one of Britains last remaining home-grown chocolate companies to an overseas buyer. Ferrero said it was committed to this iconic British brand and that its factory in Alfreton remains key. The news came as figures showed big chains shut 17,500 shops on the High Street last year. Chocolate retailer Thorntons has announced plans to permanently shut all its 61 stores - putting 603 jobs at risk in the latest blow to Britain's hard-hit high streets (file image) Chocolate retailer Thorntons is to close all its 61 stores with 603 jobs hit in latest blow to the High Street Chocolate retailer Thorntons has announced plans to permanently shut all its 61 stores - putting 603 jobs at risk in the latest blow to Britain's hard-hit high streets. The British retailer has been hit hard by the pandemic, which has kept many of its stores shut for 'key trading periods' around Christmas and Easter. Thorntons - which is owned by confectionery giant Ferrero - had pumped 45million into transforming its operations - including new store formats and cafes. But plans were thrown into chaos when the pandemic hit - with the retail director Adam Goddard also blaming 'changing dynamics of the high street' for its demise. While stores are no longer viable for the firm - which was founded in Sheffield in 1911 - it has seen sales surge online and hopes to grow its international supply business from its Alfreton factory. The British retailer (some of its products, pictured) has been hit hard by the pandemic, which has kept many of its stores shut for 'key trading periods' around Christmas and Easter While stores are no longer viable for the firm it has seen sales surge online and hopes to grow its international supply business from its Alfreton factory. Pictured: Thorntons shop front in Worcester Thorntons: 'Best sweet shop in town' that was founded in 1911 Thorntons was founded by confectioner Joseph William Thornton and his father in 1911. When the shop's success grew, he handed the keys over to his 14yearold son Norman, instructing him to 'make this the best sweet shop in town'. The shop's popularity grew from there. It expanded rapidly in the 2000s and, in 2009, it reported a 214.8million turnover - but profits decreased to 7.94million. Due to the seasonal nature of chocolate buying, 35 per cent of purchases were made in the seven weeks up to Christmas - and ten per cent before Easter Sunday. In 2011, Thorntons announced that it would close between 120 and 180 of its shops. In 2015, it was bought by Italian food giant Ferrero 112 million. Giovanni Ferrero controls Ferholding UK Ltd, which owns 75 per cent of Thorntons. Thorntons' CEO is Jonathon Hart. Advertisement The collapse of the business is the latest high-profile failure on the UK high street, which has been battered by large periods of closures and depressed footfall. New figures this weekend revealed that more than 17,500 chain store outlets disappeared from high streets last year alone. Mr Goddard said: 'Changing dynamics of the high street, shifting customer behaviour to online, the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and the numerous lockdown restrictions over the last year - especially during our key trading periods at Easter and Christmas - has meant we have been trading in the most challenging circumstances. 'Unfortunately like many others, the obstacles we have faced and will continue to face on the high street are too severe and despite our best efforts we have taken the difficult decision to permanently close our retail store estate. 'We will now go into full consultation with our colleagues.' The company was bought by Italian food giant Ferrero in 2015 for 112million. Thorntons - which was founded by Joseph William Thornton and his father in 1911 - expanded rapidly in the 2000s and, in 2009, it reported a 214.8million turnover. But due to the seasonal nature of chocolate buying, 35 per cent of purchases were made in the seven weeks up to Christmas - and ten per cent before Easter Sunday. In 2011, Thorntons announced that it would close between 120 and 180 of its shops. The demise of the much-loved chocolate retailer follows 12-months of devastating high street closures. The casual dining sector and retail appear to have been the two hardest hit since lockdown kicked in in March 2020. Thorntons (its store in London, pictured) - which is owned by confectionery giant Ferrero - had pumped 45million into transforming its operations - including new store formats and cafes While stores are no longer viable for the firm - which was founded in Sheffield in 1911 - it said it has seen sales surge online and hopes to grow its international supply business from its Alfreton factory (pictured) The company was bought by Italian food giant Ferrero in 2015 for 112 million. Pictured: Thorntons CEO Jonathan Hart In September, Pizza Hut revealed plans to shut 29 of its 244 UK restaurants, in a restructuring move that would put about 450 jobs at risk. Which Thortons stores are closing? Banbury Belfast Birmingham Bluewater Braintree Brighton Burton on Trent Camberley Cardiff St Davids Castleford Cafe Chelmsford Cheltenham Cheshire Oaks Cafe Chester Eastgate Coventry Cribbs Causeway Crystal Peaks Dalton Park Darlington Derby Derbion Doncaster Cafe Douglas IOM Dunfermline Gateshead Glasgow Buchanan Gretna Green High Wycombe Highcross Leicester Huddersfield Hull Inverness Keighley Lancaster Leeds White Rose Lincoln Liverpool One Livingston Cafe Loughborough Manchester Arndale Mansfield Merry Hill Newcastle-High Friars Newtownards Nottingham Victoria Oldham Preston Fishergate Reading Broad Street Sheffield Fargate Sheffield Meadowhall Lower Sheffield Meadowhall Upper Shrewsbury Silverburn Glasgow St Enochs Stirling Stockport Swindon Gt Western Trafford Park Uxbridge Walsall York Cafe Advertisement The highly-popular restaurant chain said it faced 'significant disruption' from the coronavirus pandemic. It said the affect of lockdown was so detrimental that 'sales are not expected to fully bounce back until well into 2021' despite a quick and safe reopening of sites. Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Eat Out to Help Out Scheme gave the hospitality sector a boost in August, but many casual dining chains were unable to make up losses. Meanwhile, he owner of Ask Italian and Zizzi restaurants said it planned to close 75 of its restaurants, putting 1,200 jobs at risk. And Casual Dining Group - the owner of Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas - closed 91 restaurants when it collapsed into the hands of administrators in July. In June, The Restaurant Group, which owns Frankie & Bennys and Garfunkels, said it would close up to 120 restaurants, with nearly 3,000 jobs lost. And in September, Pizza Express confirmed it plans to permanently shut 73 of its restaurants, putting 1,100 jobs at risk. The closures span Aberdeen to Torquay, including its original site in Wardour Street in Soho, London, which opened in 1965. Other sites across major cities including Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh are also set to stay closed for good. The closures affected one in six - or around 16 per cent - of its UK sites. And the retail sector was badly hit too, with already-struggling brands thrust into administration by the closure of non-essential stores. Arcadia - which owns Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Burton - tipped into administration, putting 13,000 jobs at risk. Earlier this year, Asos announced its 330million takeover of stock in Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands - but not the shops. Arcadia's collapse set off a domino effect with its concessions - including Topshop and Dorothy Perkins - being worth 75million-a-year in sales to Debenhams. Online retail giant Boohoo agreed a 55million deal to buy the brand and website of Debenhams - as well as its deal to buy parts of the Arcadia group - but it will not take over the company's high street shops, which look set to close. Experts called the collapse of Debenhams and Arcadia at the end of last year one of the most 'devastating' weeks in the history of British retail. Up to 25,000 workers were put at risk of redundancy in the space of 12 hours. In September, Pizza Hut revealed plans to shut 29 of its 244 UK restaurants, in a restructuring move that would put about 450 jobs at risk (file image) And in September, Pizza Express confirmed it plans to permanently shut 73 of its restaurants, putting 1,100 jobs at risk (file image) Arcadia - which owns Topshop (file picture), Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Burton - tipped into administration this year, putting 13,000 jobs at risk Earlier this year, Asos (its distribution centre in Yorkshire, pictured) announced its 330million takeover of stock in Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands - but not the shops Online retail giant Boohoo agreed a 55million deal to buy the brand and website of Debenhams (file picture) - as well as its deal to buy parts of the Arcadia group - but it will not take over the company's high street shops, which look set to close The number of job losses was so large it equated to losing the entire labour force of the UK fishing industry overnight. It came in addition to thousands of other job losses as a result of the pandemic, which has pushed businesses across all sectors to breaking point. Peacocks and Jaeger, which are owned by the Edinburgh Woolen Mill Group, fell into administration, putting 21,000 jobs at risk. Laura Ashley went bust in March while fashion giants Oasis and Warehouse fell into administration in April. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Mandel Ngan/GettyFormer President Donald Trumps blog, a rudimentary webpage that was roundly mocked for presenting itself on its launch less than a month ago as a brand-new type of communications platform, is no longer.The now-defunct corner of Trumps broader site, which was branded, From the Desk of Donald J. Trump, has been scuttled and will not be returning, senior Trump aide Jason Miller, who was accused of hiding his $500,000 income in 2019 to avoid paying child support, told CNBC. 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 UN special envoy for has said that diplomacy is crucial to end Syria's 10-year war and it's important to establish a new format to bring together key nations with an influence on the conflict, including the United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Arab states and the European Union. Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Monday that is among the most deeply internationalised conflicts of a generation, with many of the issues that matter most to the Syrians not even in Syrian hands. After recent visits to Russia, and Turkey, and virtual talks with other parties on how to move a political process forward, he said he believes it's time for quiet diplomacy. In time, we may need to try to put in place a new means of discussion, a new format for the necessary diplomacy and cooperation, Pedersen said in his virtual briefing to the council from Geneva. Speaking to reporters later, he said he hasn't yet decided on a format, but it is important that we establish this new international format in a manner that it brings in all the different parties that have an influence on the conflict. Russia, Iran, Turkey and the U.S. are militarily involved in Syria and must be involved in a new international effort in addition to Arab states, the EU, and all five permanent Security Council members which would add China, Britain and France, he said. Since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, there have been many high-level gatherings designed to stop the fighting and guide Syria to a political transition. Destinations included Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Geneva, including assemblies with names such as Friends of Syria and the London 11. In 2016 it was the International Syria Support Group. None has made a lasting impact. Pedersen said it's still early days for the Biden administration and more in-depth discussions are needed with all parties before launching a new international format. The key for me is that it is now necessary for all these actors to seriously sit down and develop a Syrian policy based on the understanding that none of them can dictate the outcome on the Syrian conflict, he said. Calling it a grim anniversary, Pedersen said the Syrian conflict, which has seen an estimated 500,000 deaths, has lasted roughly the length of World War I and World War II combined. The Syrian people are among the greatest victims of this century, he said. They have watched their middle-income country dragged back into de-development and destitution on such a scale that it will take generations to rebuild." Pedersen pointed to corruption, mismanagement, sanctions and economic meltdown that have left nine in 10 Syrians living in poverty. Amid the tragedy, Pedersen said, there has been one silver lining: front lines have not shifted for a year since a cease-fire in northwest Syria and there has been relative calm. In Syrian terms, that still means shelling and rocket fire along contact lines, airstrikes from Syrian and foreign parties, violent unrest and actions by terrorist groups, he said. The greatest danger of all is that the fragile calm unravels, leading to a new storm of all-out conflict and all that it would mean for Syrians, the region and beyond, he said. The other danger facing Syria is that even if calm does not collapse, prolonged stasis sets in -- and the Syrian people endure a new decade of desperation, despondency and despair. Pedersen said Syrians must negotiate a settlement in a Syrian-led process convened by the to implement a Security Council resolution adopted in December 2015 unanimously endorsing a road map to peace in Syria approved in Geneva on June 30, 2012 by representatives of the U.N., Arab League, EU, Turkey and all five permanent Security Council members. It calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. But Pedersen said: I am absolutely convinced that they will not progress far if a Syrian-led process is not supported by a constructive international diplomacy on Syria. With very little trust and a lack of confidence among Syrians and among key international rivals, he said, a way must be found around the 'you first' syndrome that characterizes much diplomacy on Syria." What is needed is to identify with realism and precision -- and to implement in parallel -- mutual, and reciprocal steps-for-steps, step-by-step, from Syrian and international players, Pedersen said. He said he discussed his thinking on how to break issues into component parts and move in lockstep to make steady progress during his recent visits and conversations. Pedersen said inroads on unblocking progress on releasing and accounting for detainees, abductees and missing persons would be an important humanitarian gesture, a vital confidence-builder, a signal to all Syrians, and a circuit-breaker in the context of international diplomacy. Movement on breaking the impasse on drafting a new constitution could also be a building block of intra-Syrian cooperation, he said. A sixth round of talks between the government and opposition needs to be different from what has gone before, Pedersen 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.) Three players from Huntsville City Schools made the NCAA Tournament. Kobe Brown who played high school ball at Lee is on Mizzou's team. The Tigers are a No. 9 seed. Missouri takes on Oklahoma in the first round. John Petty, the Alabama senior, is gearing up to take on Iona. Petty went to Jemison. Justin Hopkins will be one of the first to play. The Jemison alum plays for Texas Southern, who plays in the first four Thursday. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents advertisements Russia's only woman cosmonaut inspires one-of-a-kind Barbie doll March 16, 2021 The only woman who is currently active in Russia's cosmonaut corps now has her own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll. Anna Kikina, who became a cosmonaut in 2012, is among the latest role models chosen for Mattel's "You Can Be Whoever You Want" campaign, which is aimed at inspiring young girls to pursue the profession of their choosing. "The most popular doll in the world continues to inspire girls to chase their wildest dreams and clearly shows that each of them can become whoever they want! Barbie presents a doll that embodies the image of Anna Kikina, the only woman in Roscosmos' cosmonaut corps," Russia's state space corporation announced on Tuesday (March 16). The Anna Kikina Barbie has two models: one wearing a blue flight suit patterned after the cosmonaut's coveralls worn during training, and the other garbed in a doll-sized version of Russia's Orlan-MKS extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit. Both outfits are adorned by miniature versions of the same cosmonaut corps and Roscosmos patches as worn by Kikina. Kikina reacted to the doll's debut by sharing memories of her own childhood. "As a child, I did not dream of becoming an astronaut, but if I had a Barbie cosmonaut doll, then the idea of being [one] would probably have come to mind," Kikina said in a statement released by Roscosmos. "The Barbie cosmonaut, in her own way, does not only represent the profession to children, but also makes it clear that everyone who sees it and sets their intentions accordingly has a chance to become a cosmonaut." "It is not that every girl playing with such a Barbie will want to be a cosmonaut. The most important thing is that they know they have the choice they have the right to choose any profession that they like," she said. A 36-year-old engineer who graduated with honors from the Novosibirsk State Academy of Water Transportation Engineering (today the Siberian State University of Water Transport), Kikina is only the fourth Russian woman to be selected to fly into space. She is slated to launch on her first mission, a flight to the International Space Station, in 2022. "Today Anna is a role model for many," Roscosmos said. "She is both strong and feminine, bold and gentle, wise and with an excellent sense of humor a bright personality in which professionalism and warmth are harmoniously combined." Like other Barbie dolls in Mattel's "You Can Be Whoever You Want" campaign and similar outreach programs around the world, the Kikina doll is not being made for sale to the public. Instead, the cosmonaut doll will be given away in celebration of the 60 years since the launch of Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut, in April 1961. "It will not go on sale," Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev wrote on the Telegram messaging platform. "It can be won in a competition in honor of the 60th anniversary of the first crewed flight into space." No further details about the contest were given. The Anna Kikina doll brings Barbie's role as a space explorer full circle. The first Barbie astronaut outfit, the 1965 "Barbie Miss Astronaut," was said to be inspired by cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becoming the world's first woman to fly into space two years earlier. In the decades since, Barbie dolls have been released with a hot pink spacesuit ("Astronaut Barbie" in 1985), in celebration of the first moon landing ("Astronaut Barbie Career Collection Special Edition" in 1994), as a Space Camp trainee ("Space Camp Barbie" in 1998 and 2008) and as the first woman on Mars ("Mars Explorer Barbie" in 2013). Most recently, Barbie was dressed in a Russian Sokol spacesuit-inspired outfit for a line celebrating the past six decades of career dolls ("60th Anniversary Astronaut" in 2019) and the current collection of Barbie "Space Discovery" dolls. Similar to the Anna Kikina doll, Mattel also collaborated with the European Space Agency (ESA) to make two one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls modeled after Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti in 2017. Two years later, Mattel produced for sale a doll in its Barbie Inspiring Women Series honoring Sally Ride, the first American woman to launch into space. Mattel's new "You Can Be Whoever You Want" Barbie doll is styled after Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina. (Roscosmos) Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina poses with a Mattel Barbie doll modeled in her image. The one-of-a-kind doll is aimed at inspiring young girls to pursue the professions of their dreams. (Roscosmos) Mattel created two versions of the cosmonaut Anna Kikina Barbie doll: one wearing a flight suit and one in a Russian Orlan spacesuit. (Roscosmos) (Roscosmos) (Roscosmos) 2021 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. US secretaries of state and defense met with their Japanese counterparts in first foreign trip since taking office. Video Transcript ROB MCBRIDE: This high-level visit is confirmation of East Asia's importance in the world view of the new US administration of President Joe Biden. And the mission took particular aim at the human rights record of Myanmar and China. ANTHONY BLINKEN: In Burma, the military is attempting to overturn the results of a Democratic election and is brutally repressing peaceful protesters. And China uses coercion and aggression to systematically erode autonomy in Hong Kong, undercut democracy in Taiwan, abuse human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet. ROB MCBRIDE: Japan has been looking for support against China's territorial claims to islands which Tokyo administers. And it got it with this pledge to respond to China's attempts to control the seas that surround it. LLOYD AUSTIN: In addressing aggressive and coercive behaviors from China, especially in the South and East China Seas, I know Japan shares our concerns with China's destabilizing actions. - Japan also got an assurance from the US that it remains committed to the complete denuclearization of its neighbor, North Korea. But more fundamentally, this visit is a chance to reset relations after four tumultuous years under the previous administration of Donald Trump. TINA BURRETT: So you think we're all over the map. So I think there is an appreciation that Biden seems to have a much more focused strategy. MASON RICHEY: In principle, the US is going to be, under the Biden administration, much more concerned about how the US speaks with its allies. ROB MCBRIDE: On Wednesday, this mission continues to South Korea, where dealing with North Korea will dominate the agenda with concerns about a lack of any response from Pyongyang to repeated US attempts at dialogue. JEN PSAKI: Of course, diplomacy is always our goal. Our goal is to reduce the risk of escalation. But to date, we have not received any response. Story continues ROB MCBRIDE: Timed to coincide with this diplomatic mission and with the resumption of joint military exercises between US and South Korean forces is a stinging attack from the North Korean leader's influential sister, Kim Yo-Jong, telling the Americans not to cause a stink in this part of the world, a Warning of how relations could slip back into the acrimonious saber rattling of the past. Rob McBride, Al Jazeera, Seoul. - Well, Jonathan Berkshire Miller is a Senior Fellow with the Japan Institute of International Affairs. He joins us now by Skype from Ottawa. It's great to have you with us on this news hour. We were hearing in that report there's been lots of warm words for Japan. Do you think the Japanese governments will be reassured after this initial visit? JONATHAN BERKSHIRE MILLER: Oh, thanks a lot for having me on. I think absolutely the Japanese government will feel reassured. A couple of points to note, I think the fact that the two plus two and the travel of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense happened initially in Japan and South Korea I think is significant. There are a number of different priorities that the Biden administration could have focused on internationally, a lot of challenges to US credibility over the last four years of the previous administration. But the fact that they chose to travel to Japan first and then South Korea I think was well regarded. The second important element is how this dovetails with China. So as you know, the US will be meeting with Chinese officials later this week in Alaska. And the idea that they didn't decide to tack on a trip to China, to the Chinese mainland, but instead ask the Chinese to meet them in Alaska in the middle of winter I think is another sense of symbolism that hasn't been lost in Tokyo. - Is that going to-- are the Chinese going to see this as some kind of snub? JONATHAN BERKSHIRE MILLER: Well, I think that they're realizing the situation that they're in. I think that this meeting happened in Japan. And I think there will be similar themes in South Korea. Some of the language in the joint statement, for example, it's quite direct. And while the US and Japan alliance is always focused on the challenges of China, for there to be such an explicit language on Chinese coercion, Chinese aggression, whether it's around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, or whether it's more broadly the economic coercion that other partners, such as Australia and Canada are facing, it was quite explicit. So I think the Chinese are aware that even with this new administration watching, things haven't structurally changed very much with this strategic competition. - Given the way this trip has progressed so far, and the events that we're looking forward to in the days to come, what would you say is more important to the US administration here? Is it countering China and the threats from China, or North Korea, which has long been a concern of not just the United States, but the wider Western world and its neighbors in Asia? JONATHAN BERKSHIRE MILLER: It's a good question. I think the US is going to have to balance both of these priorities. I think the short answer to your question is the short, medium, long term challenge in the region will be meeting China's rise and some of the course of elements of that rise. But North Korea cannot be forgotten either. And I think that we're seeing this play out right now as the Biden administration made in treaties and made initial chances to kind of have that dialogue with the North Koreans and have been rebuffed. So you're seeing in this trip, this is a chance, especially with South Korea, but also with their Japanese ally to articulate a strategy on North Korea and do that in tandem with their allies. - OK, great to get your thoughts. Thank you so much, Jonathan Berkshire Miller joining us live from Ottawa. Thank you. JONATHAN BERKSHIRE MILLER: Thank you. Fianna Fail TD for Longford Westmeath, Joe Flaherty has raised concerns about the inclusion of midlands pharmacists and pharmacy staff in the vaccine rollout. The Longford TD stated that he understands there is an issue with the rollout of vaccines for pharmacy staff in the four counties of Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly. Deputy Flaherty commented: It seems that pharmacists and pharmacy staff in many other health regions are now vaccinated, or the process is almost complete, but yet only a handful of those in the sector have been called locally. Pharmacists were in Schedule 2A of the rollout and staff in Schedule 2D and the Longford TD has been in touch with pharmacists across the region over the past 48 hours, adding that the sector locally is being overlooked during a respiratory crisis. Deputy Flaherty continued: Local pharmacists and staff would have registered with the HSE for the vaccine as advised on February 9. These are an important bank of healthcare workers who have remained open and continue to deal with the general public in a non-regulated environment with unscheduled visits from members of the public who are unwell. He added: They have done this for the past year and are often consulting with very sick and vulnerable patients. They stepped up to the plate when required. They administered the flu vaccine before Christmas and have delivered medication to nursing homes, the homes of the elderly and palliative patients. He said he is aware that the Irish Pharmaceutical Union have concerns about the delay in the rollout locally and he has called on the Minister for Health and Midlands HSE to address the matter without delay. For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. The UK government is expected to lift a ban which forbids the cultivation and sale of genetically edited plants and animals, according to reports. A consultation by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been assessing the ban on the practice and concludes tomorrow. As it stands, genetic modification is prohibited on all foods sold in the UK and Europe. However, the i newspaper reports that it is likely the consultation will result in this being changed. The Government is expected to publish a response to the consultation in the next three months. If the law is changed, it would allow scientists to modify any crop or animal farmed in the UK. This could potentially result in drought-resistant cattle, fatter pigs, juicier tomatoes, sweeter apples and disease-resistant crops like wheat and barley. Scroll down for video A ten week consultation by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that has been assessing the current ban on the practice concludes tomorrow. it is expected to remove a ban which prohibits the sale of any and all genetic modification on foods sold in the UK What is genetic modification? Genetic modification is a technique where faulty or undesirable genes of a plant or animal are replaced with alternate versions of the same gene which are more beneficial. This means the best genes for a specific behaviour or trait can be selected for. For example, a gene which is related to plumper chickens can be introduced to a population, ensuring all birds get the gene and are subsequently larger, increasing the farmer's profits and giving customers more nutritional value. The wider principle selecting for beneficial genes is the exact same as selective breeding which has done by farmers for centuries. But scientists are now lobbying to be allowed to artificially speed up the process in a lab. Advertisement Genetic modification is a technique where faulty or undesirable genes of a plant or animal are replaced with alternate versions of the same gene which are more beneficial. This means the best genes for a specific behaviour or trait can be selected. For example, a gene which is related to plumper chickens can be introduced to a population, ensuring all birds get the gene and are subsequently larger, increasing the farmer's profits and giving customers more nutritional value. The wider principle selecting for beneficial genes is the exact same as selective breeding which has done by farmers for centuries. But scientists are now lobbying to be allowed to artificially speed up the process in a lab. Genome editing is not universally banned around the world, with the US, Australia and Japan among the nations that have approved the process. The UK prohibited gene editing in 2018 when the European Court of Justice ruled it was effectively the same as genetic modification (GMOs) and implemented a Europe-wide ban outlawing the practice outside of scientific experiments. A DEFRA spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Gene editing has the ability to harness the genetic resources that mother nature has provided, such as breeding crops that perform better, benefiting farmers and reducing impacts on the environment. 'Now that we have left the EU, we have the opportunity to make coherent policy decisions on gene editing based on current science and evidence. 'We are committed to proportionate, science-based regulation that protects people, animals and the environment and that begins with this consultation.' As it stands, genetic modification is prohibited on all foods sold in the UK and Europe. However, the i newspaper reports the consultation will result in this being changed The expected move to change the existing legislation would see gene edited animals and plants no longer categorised as GMOs. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are more controversial than gene editing as it involves inserting DNA from another species into an organism. Concerns over gene editing in agriculture The RSPCA has released a list of issues with removing the ban on gene editing (GE): There is no history of safe and reliable use Genetic technologies can cause unpredictable and unintended changes to the genome Not enough is known about the medium to long term effects on animal health and welfare The current rules and regulations around GMOs are still essential for regulating GEs until there is more of a proof of use - now is not the time to consider changing these There are alternative approaches to achieving the proposed benefits of genetic technologies e.g reducing food waste, with 12 per cent of all meat and animal products produced globally lost or wasted every year, and improving animal husbandry. GE products have been withdrawn from approval in the USA following the Regulator's concerns on the transfer of other genes during the GE process. GE produced food could be forced onto supermarket shelves in Scotland and Wales despite those countries objecting to its production and sale Advertisement An example would be taking the DNA of a gene for drought resistance from one animal perhaps a camel and weaving it into the DNA of a cow so that they can be farmed in areas where they would normally not be able to survive. Both practices have their critics and their supporters. The cons are that many perceive it as 'playing God' and the long-term health implications are unknown. Dr Julia Baines, Science Policy Manager at PETA, told MailOnline: 'We have no business meddling with the lives of other animals, who dont consent to our tampering with their genomes to increase their profitability. 'Pigs, cows, and chickens are intelligent, sensitive, social beings who have their own lives, feelings, and desires and dont exist for humans to use. 'Experimenters trialling gene editing Frankenscience subject animal mothers to invasive procedures to extract and manipulate their eggs and then implant the engineered embryos. 'Such experiments are doomed from the start plagued with failed pregnancies, sudden deaths, and birth defects. 'Just as genetically editing humans is unconscionable, so is doing so to other animals. 'Editing animals genes won't solve world hunger as a global switch to vegan eating could and it will lead to misery for animals.' Dr Penny Hawkins, head of the RSPCA's Animals in Science team, says allowing gene editing would be a backwards step for animal welfare. 'We have real concerns about gene editing and the animal welfare issues involved,' she said. 'The impact of these changes to the genome is very unpredictable and there are so many unknowns about the long term impacts of alterations to the animals' genetic material, so there is a real risk of welfare problems being passed down the generations. 'We are incredibly worried that the Government is considering relaxing the rules around these procedures and, shockingly, this would also see farm animals categorised with and only given the same level of consideration as farmed crops.' The pros are that gene editing could improve farming and help feed a swelling global population. Farmers and scientists tend to be for the move to remove the ban. Tom Bradshaw, vice president of the National Farmers Union, told the i: 'Gene editing has the potential to offer huge benefits to UK farming and the environment. 'It could help us address pest and disease pressures on our crops and livestock, increasing our resilience in the event of extreme weather events.' 'We don't think consumers will stand for this and we want as many people as possible to let the Government know their views.' Gene editing of any variety in humans is illegal around the world, and this review will not touch on that topic. Experts have previously said gene editing is not yet ready for human applications. The topic of gene editing embryos to 'customise' a baby has been at the forefront of science since the shock announcement in 2017 that a rogue scientist in China had used the powerful gene-editing tool Crispr on a pair of twin girls. He Jiankui was internationally condemned for gene-editing twin girl Lulu and Nana when he blatantly flouted the existing legislation. The powerful tool CRISPR-Cas9 was used to snip away a section of their DNA and replaced with a HIV-resistant variant. Some top national security aides of the United States President Joe Biden are bristling at an attorney general who tagged North Korea as a 'criminal syndicate with a flag' after the Justice Department indicted three North Koreans for cybertheft charges in February, according to two senior officials of the Biden administration. US Officials Call North Korea a 'Criminal Syndicate With a Flag' The top national security aides complained to the Justice Department that it is not the toned-down type that senior officials had agreed on earlier to use when speaking publicly regarding North Korea. For them, it risked antagonizing Pyongyang. One among senior officials shared that aides at the National Security Council were not pleased with the choice of language and expressed concern to the Justice Department that it would provoke North Korea. According to NBC News, concerns within the White House also stirred up a looming crisis that the new president has not contended with publicly. It exposes tensions within the government over whether it is best to confront or ignore the nuclear threat possessed by North Korea. When asked to comment by the news outlet, a spokesperson for the National Security Council declined, same with the Justice Department. Based on the information given by a former and three current senior administration officials, Biden's national security team decided early last month that they will take a softer tone in addressing North Korea publicly. Biden's national security team concluded that provoking the Hermit state while reviewing the new administration policy is the opposite of the U.S. goals with North Korea. Biden's Economic Plan Includes First Major Tax Hike Since 1993 Moreover, during a so-called principals committee meeting of senior officials hosted by the National Security Council, they have agreed not to 'rock the boat,' especially that North Korea has yet to provoke the new administration. An official shared that until they have a better sense of how they will approach the problem, they are trying not to make waves, Yahoo! News reported. North Korea always provoked the United States first, as weeks after former President Donald Trump took office in 2017, the Hermit state tested an intermediate-range missile. While a month into the first term of former President Barack Obama, the state news agency of North Korea telegraphed preparations for a launch, and the new administration at the time unsuccessfully warned Pyongyang against it. Meanwhile, North Korea has not made such a move during the Biden administration. Officials stated that the national security aides of Biden would like to keep it that way. North Korea Sends Warning to Biden Administration During the announcement of the North Koreans' indictment on February 17, the assistant attorney general for national security, John Demers, did not hold back. Aside from tagging North Korea as a 'criminal syndicate with a flag,' he also added that its operatives are the world's leading bank robbers. The message was not coordinated with the White House, according to the officials, USA Today reported. Biden has repeatedly vowed that during his office, the Justice Department will be handling investigations independently. Officials also stated that the Biden administration's North Korea policy review is not expected to be complete until April or early May. Also from HNGN: Capitol Police Officer Suspended for Anti-Semitic Materials Vatican on Same-Sex Marriage: Church Cannot Bless 'Sin' @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Drastic changes in tissue material properties are crucial in development and disease. Rigidity percolation theory, a concept used in material science, can accurately probe material phase transitions in vivo in the zebrafish blastoderm.The image shows a connectivity map of the early zebrafish embryo, where the different rigid areas are highlighted (magenta). Credit: Nicoletta Petridou, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, IST Austria When scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria looked at developing zebrafish embryos, they observed an abrupt and dramatic change: Within just a few minutes, the solid-like embryonic tissue becomes fluid-like. What could cause this change, and what is its role in the further development of the embryo? In a multidisciplinary study published in the journal Cell, they found answers that could change how we look at key processes in development and disease, such as tumor metastasis. To learn more about how a tiny bunch of cells develops into complex systems like fish, humans or animals as big as elephants, many scientists turn to the zebrafish (Danio rerio). It has a few advantages that made it one of the favorite model organisms of developmental biologists like Nicoletta Petridou, until recently postdoc at the research group of Carl-Philipp Heisenberg at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria. First, the small striped fish develop within just a few days, the embryos do so outside their mothers and are transparentone can see every organ as it develops. While looking at zebrafish embryos a few hours after fertilization, in a previous study Nicoletta Petridou and her colleagues discovered a sudden change in the viscosity of the embryonic tissuea measure of a tissue's resistance to deformation: "At this early stage, the tissues forming the embryo are very rigid, but suddenly, viscosity drops by ten times and the tissue flows very quicklyit fluidizes," the biologist explains. Small changebig effect Simultaneously, the embryo starts changing its shape for the first time, thereby entering a phase called morphogenesis. In a new study, the researchers looked deeper into what is happening at the cellular level during tissue fluidization. "What we found was that before this fluidization, an individual cell is connected to four to five of its neighboring cells. At the onset of fluidization, however, it has only three to four neighbor connections left," says Petridou. Could this small change in the cells' connectivity really be responsible for a ten-fold difference in the tissue viscosity? "This was when we turned to physics to provide us with a framework that could explain this effect," says the molecular and developmental biologist. "So, Nicoletta found this massive drop in tissue viscosity at the macroscopic level that is apparently not matching what is going on at the microscopic cell connectivity level. This is a key point of physics: to link what is going on at the microscopic level with the macroscopic level," says Bernat Corominas-Murtra, until recently part of Edouard Hannezo's research group. Using an analogy with material science, the team realized that each cell having four connected neighbors was actually a very special threshold: physicist James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century had already realized that structures such as bridges or networks below this connectivity level cannot be rigid anymore. This precisely matched the experimental observations of tissue fluidization occurring when cells are connected to less than four neighbors. Using this analogy, the team was able to show that the fluidization of the tissue displays features of a phase transition, which is the transition from one state of matter like solid, liquid or gas to another. A time-lapse movie of the zebrafish embryo with an overlaid rigidity network based on rigidity percolation theory. The abrupt reduction in the size of the biggest rigid cluster (purple) marks the fluidization and phase transition at the onset of morphogenesis. Credit: Nicoletta Petridou, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, IST Austria A critical point After finding this resemblance to phase transitions, the scientists challenged their theory by manipulating the cells' connectivity. No matter the manipulation, the critical point of connectivity was enough to explain the abrupt changes in tissue viscosity experimentally observed. Furthermore, they traced all expected features of phase transitions from the physics of non-living systems. "It is unique to be able to trace all the expected properties of a phase transition in a real, living system. Especially because the phase transition theory is made for systems with a billion components, whereas, here we are talking about a system with a few hundred components," Corominas-Murtra explains enthusiastically. But, if the loss of only one connection per cell is enough to trigger such a significant change of the embryo's tissue, how can an accidental change be avoided? "What was very puzzling for me was that it seems to be a very risky process for the embryo. Now that we know there is a critical point, we can ask what regulates its balance. One of the regulations we found is the timing of cell divisions that defines how tissue connectivity, and thus its viscosity, changes in space and time," says Petridou, who has just started her own research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany. The small striped zebrafish develop within just a few days, the embryos do so outside their mothers and are transparent. Credit: Nadine Poncioni, IST Austria From fish embryos to tumor research The transition is essential for the further development of the tiny fish embryo. However, it also seems to play a role in cancer growth. When a tumor metastasizes, recent studies have shown the tissue also abruptly changes from solid to liquid, which could allow cancer cells to move around more easily. "If one can trace this critical point, it opens ways to manipulate it," says Petridou. "We don't have the tools yet to do so, but instead of conceptually focusing on the large number of genes that could play a role in cancer growth, one could focus on this critical point that eventually causes this transition." Working together with researchers from two different research groups at IST Austria proved essential for the scientists' success. "I remember spending hours in the lab with Nicoletta trying to figure out what she was doing and the other way around. We needed to reach a common language, which takes a lot of time but is very rewarding. Multidisciplinarity is an attitude," says Bernat Corominas-Murtra, who has recently started working as an assistant professor at the Austrian Karl-Franzens University Graz. Explore further When a fish becomes fluid More information: Nicoletta I Petridou, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, Carl-Philipp Heisenberg & Edouard Hannezo. Jahr. Rigidity percolation uncovers the structural basis of embryonic tissue phase transitions. Cell. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.017 Journal information: Cell Nicoletta I Petridou, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, Carl-Philipp Heisenberg & Edouard Hannezo. Jahr. Rigidity percolation uncovers the structural basis of embryonic tissue phase transitions. In this Jan. 15, 2021, file photo, a medical worker gives a coronavirus vaccine shot to a patient at a vaccination facility in Beijing. China is aiming to vaccinate 70-80% of its population by mid-2022, the head of the country's Center for Disease Control said Saturday.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) China has approved a new COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, one that was developed by the head of its Center for Disease Control, adding a fifth shot to its arsenal. Gao Fu, the head of China's CDC, led the development of a protein subunit vaccine that was approved by regulators last week for emergency use, the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Microbiology said in a statement Monday. It is the fifth coronavirus vaccine approved in China and the fourth to be given emergency use approval. Three of those given emergency approval have since been approved for general use. All were developed by Chinese companies. The latest vaccine was developed jointly by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team finished phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials in October and is currently conducting the last phase of trials in Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Indonesia, according to the statement. The vaccine was approved for use in Uzbekistan on March 1. It's a three-dose shot that is spaced out with one month each between shots, a company spokesperson said. Like other vaccines China has developed so far, it can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures. There is no publicly available information in peer-reviewed scientific journals about the clinical trial data showing efficacy or safety. A spokesperson for the company said that the data could not be shared at this time but that the company was providing the information to health authorities. The protein subunit vaccine is similar to many of the other vaccines that have been approved globally in that it trains the body to recognize the spike protein that covers the surface of the coronavirus, although the difference lies in how it tells the body to recognize the protein. Scientists grow a harmless version of the protein in cells and then purify it, before it is assembled into a vaccine and injected. China has been slow in vaccinating its population of 1.4 billion people, despite having four vaccines approved for general use. The latest numbers, according to government officials at a press briefing Monday in Beijing, is that it has administered 64.98 million doses of vaccines. China has targeted what it considers key populations for vaccination thus far, namely health care workers, those who work at the border or customs, and specific industries the government has selected. Other groups that have been notably absent thus far in comparison to many other countries are the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. The approved vaccines have previously been limited to adults 18-59 years old, as officials cited a lack of clinical trial data for those who are older, although the government appears to be signaling the limits are now being set aside. "We will promptly carry out mass vaccination of relevant populations," Li Bin, a vice chair on the National Health Commission, said Monday. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported over the weekend that in certain neighborhoods in Beijing, local health centers started to offer the vaccines to those aged 60 and older. Explore further China approves two more COVID-19 vaccines for wider use 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Passengers can add evidence of coronavirus vaccinations and tests to bookings on the airlines website (Steve Parsons/PA) British Airways is enabling passengers to add proof of coronavirus vaccines and tests to flight bookings. The airline is trialling the system of uploading documents for flights from London to India, but it will be expanded to more destinations in the coming weeks. Passengers are able to add evidence of coronavirus vaccinations and tests as well as other travel declarations to bookings on the airlines website. Innovation and technology hold the key to unlocking international travel Sean Doyle, British Airways Documents will be checked to ensure they match the entry requirements of the relevant destination, enabling passengers to check in 24 hours before they travel. British Airways is running the trial alongside its pilot of health passport VeriFLY on departures to the US and Canada, as well as all inbound flights to the UK. It follows Ryanair's launch last week of a "Covid-19 Travel Wallet" in its app, where passengers can store vaccination certification, test results and personal locator forms among other documentation. BA's chief executive Sean Doyle said: At British Airways we are preparing for the meaningful return to international travel in the coming months. This means doing everything we can to simplify the journey for our customers, allow them to travel with confidence and create the best possible seamless, frictionless experience in a new Covid era. We know that innovation and technology hold the key to unlocking international travel. He added: The key benefit of customers being able to upload the correct travel documentation into their booking is that it enables them to check in online, speeding up the airport process. We are continually exploring the best possible options to help our customers return to the skies, safely. This is another revenue stream that weve never had the opportunity for, and that will be a game-changer, Momose said at the time. In a year from now, I think its going to be so much a part of our business model that it will be built into future business models. This is just something that can help us all so much. cocktailsforhope.org Adam Lukach New Delhi, March 16 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a plea against the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to shift candidates, selected for posts of police constable, under the reserved category to the open category. Observing that the state government and its functionaries were obliged to go strictly in order of merit and apply the principle of reservation, a bench headed by Justice U.U. Lalit said: "With the availability of 3,295 additional posts, in the re-working exercise, if the candidates who were already selected against reserved posts were entitled to be considered against open category posts, that exercise cannot be termed as illegal or invalid on any count." The bench, also comprising Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Hrishikesh Roy, added these 3,295 posts in the UP Police, the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Fire Service were part of the same selection process initiated in 2013 for filling up 41,610 posts and as such, the adjustment was rightly done by the state. Dismissing the plea filed by few general category candidates including Pramod Kumar Singh, it held there was nothing wrong with the selection process and shifting to general category the candidates of reserved class in appointment of 3,295 constables. The top court said that the selection in respect of 3,295 posts was undertaken in accordance with the directions issued by it in Ashish Kumar Yadav and Ors. vs. State of Uttar Pradesh and others. The petitioners had urged the top court to issue to the direction to the state government to consider them for appointment to the post of PAC constable and fireman seats meant for general category male candidates against posts which remained unfilled till date. The petitioners said there are 958 seats where candidates who made it in original select list in reserved category in constable (civil) were wrongly shifted to open category on different cadre i.e. PAC constable and fireman without actually changing their cadre as they are all working on the said post (constable (civil)) for last 3 years. "Had the aforesaid 958 seats were not wrongly overlapped, then the petitioners would have made their place in the list published on 11.11.2019 by the Board," the petitioners said. Those who are food insecure in New Jersey can get help from local and statewide food banks. The need for assistance has increased greatly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Here is a list of nonprofits and agencies that offer food assistance as a primary service in Cumberland County. A list of statewide agencies follows. These organizations are also in need of volunteers and donations; here are ways to volunteer and make donations. To add a nonprofit organization or agency to the guide, email lobrien@njadvancemedia.com. CUMBERLAND COUNTY Bethany Grace Community Church 31 N. Pearl St. Bridgeton, N.J. 08302 Food distribution of pre-packed food bags at 10 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. At 1 p.m. every Sunday, bagged lunches are offered. Beyond the Walls This faith-based organization is designed to reach beyond the walls of the church to serve the community in which we live. The nonprofit has two locations with scheduled food distributions two times a month. 1837 N East Blvd., Vineland -- Every third Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon 2411 Memorial Ave., Port Norris -- Every fourth Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Help and Hope Food Pantry 216 Howard St., Millville, N.J. 08332 | 856-293-4357 The pantry is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday from 10 a.m. until noon. The Help and Hope Food Pantry provides bags of groceries to eligible clients. Each client receives a bag of nonperishable canned goods and boxed items. A typical bag would contain: pasta, pasta sauce; canned beans, corn, mixed vegetables, fruit; sou; rice and beans; and, cereal. Clients also receive bags containing two or three bread products, meat products such as ground beef or chicken, eggs and fresh produce when available. We also provide a limited number of diapers for those who can prove the need with a childs birth certificate. We provide three or four days worth of meals for the average family. STATEWIDE Community FoodBank of New Jersey 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, N.J. 07205 | 908-355-3663 The Community FoodBank of New Jersey works to fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long-term solutions. According to the organizations website, We engage, educate and empower all sectors of society in the battle. Working together with volunteers, donors and our many partners, we work to fill the emptiness caused by hunger with Food, Help and Hope. For those who need assistance, the Community FoodBank offers three ways to access services: 1. Text: 908-224-7776. Type find food or comida -- those seeking assistance will then be prompted to enter their zip code to be directed to a resource. 2. Website: For the food pantry locator, go to wfbnj.org/findfood 3. Call food assistance line: Call 908-838-4831 would put someone in touch with resource assess team. Team members can help in English, Spanish, haitian creole. Weve always done that. Have expanded resource access team. Helping people apply for snap is their specialty connect them to other resources. For additional information, click here. Feeding America The mission of Feeding America is to feed Americas hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. The Feeding America network secures and distributes 4.3 billion meals each year through food pantries and meal programs throughout the United States. To find a food bank, go to https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank or for more information on food assistance, go to https://www.feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food. SoupKitchen411 SoupKitchen411 is a nonprofit organization that purchases professional quality meals from local restaurants and serves them at soup kitchens. In 2015, friends Ken DeRoberts and Phillip Gentile established the nonprofit organization to serve as a hub for anti-hunger advocates to raise awareness about the epidemic of food insecurity in America and as a database of soup kitchens and other places where free meals are regularly served. The free online database at SoupKitchen411.com utilizes interactive maps to provide detailed information such as hours of operation and contact information for 250+ tri-state area, and over 700 national soup kitchens and food pantries. To locate a soup kitchen near you, click here. In April 2020, amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SoupKitchen411 launched the FeedNJ campaign that contracts bulk meals from New Jersey restaurants to be distributed to their local soup kitchens. FeedNJ is a campaign operated by nonprofit SoupKitchen411 to fight COVID-19-impacted food insecurity and keep struggling restaurants across New Jersey afloat by purchasing nutritious meals from them in bulk that are thereafter distributed to local soup kitchens. To date, the FeedNJ campaign has served over 35,000 meals purchased from local restaurants which have been served at soup kitchens and collective spaces for free, and plans to expand operations to all 21 New Jersey counties in 2021. Food Bank of South Jersey 1501 John Tipton Blvd., Pennsauken, N.J. 08110 | foodbanksj.org The Food Bank of South Jersey exists to provide an immediate solution to the urgent problem of hunger by providing food to people in need, teaching them to eat nutritiously, and helping them to find sustainable ways to improve their lives. A statement on the Food Bank of South Jersey website reads, During 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic altered so much of our everyday lives how we interact, how we travel, how we learn, how we work. For many members of our community, the impact has been severe. Unemployment. Homelessness. Financial crisis. Health emergencies. An alarming rise in food insecurity with tens of thousands facing life-altering hunger for the first time. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we remained in operation continuously, expanding and strengthening our capacity to distribute record high volumes of food throughout Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties. With a focus on low-to-no contact food distributions, including emergency food box drive-up food distributions, we responded to a 200 percent increase in food insecurity throughout our four-county region. To find food distributions in the surrounding area as well as a list of mobile and pop-up food pantries, click here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. 2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder - Faster, Stronger ad All New All-new 2021 F-150 Police Responder, Americas only purpose-built, pursuit-rated pickup truck, debuts today, with Ford opening government order bank tomorrow ahead of spring state and local government bid cycles All-new F-150 Police Responder now offers enhanced top speed of 120 mph and available Police Engine Idle, which lets an officer remove the key and securely exit the running truck without losing power to lights and sirens New automatic four-wheel-drive mode and torque-on-demand transfer case constantly adjusts torque to front and rear wheels as needed to improve performance and handling on dry pavement, while increasing traction on wet, slick and less stable surfaces for a more seamless transition between on- and off-road driving Tech upgrades include standard SYNC 4 with wireless software updates, plus available Ford Telematics smart solutions designed to help reduce vehicle downtime and unscheduled maintenance so law enforcement fleets can stay on patrol DEARBORN, Mich., March 16, 2021 Ford today unveils the all-new 2021 F-150 Police Responder, Americas only purpose-built, pursuit-rated pickup truck, and opens the government order bank tomorrow. Part of Americas best-selling police vehicle lineup, the all-new Ford F-150 Police Responder features increased capability, including an improved 120 mph top speed, automatic four-wheel-drive mode with torque-on-demand transfer case to help patrolling officers transition from busy urban streets to dusty country roads. Introduced in 2017 as a unique all-terrain law enforcement tool, F-150 Police Responder is built on the all-new 2021 F-150 SuperCrew platform and engineered to meet a wide range of agency needs from allowing officers to travel with more emergency response gear to transporting mobile command centers. The truck continues to deliver greater towing capacity**, payload capacity*** and interior passenger volume than any other pursuit-rated police vehicle, and for 2021 adds even more capability. Law enforcement agencies told us they would love to add F-150 Police Responder towing, hauling and off-road performance to their fleets, but they need more confidence in speed and handling, said Greg Ebel, Ford police vehicle brand manager. Whether suburban police departments, border patrol agents or rural sheriffs, officers never know where the job might take them, but the all-new F-150 Police Responder provides a pickup truck option engineered to get them there faster and with greater agility than ever before. Improved performance on- or off-road F-150 Police Responder pickups standard 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine produces 400 horsepower, and its 500 lb.-ft. of torque tops all pursuit-rated police vehicles. The engine is paired with a 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission both uniquely calibrated to meet rigorous law enforcement use while enabling speeds significantly higher than a stock F-150. To help reach and withstand those high speeds, the vehicle rides on specially developed Goodyear LT265/70R18 LRC BSW Wrangler Enforcer all-terrain tires. As the only all-terrain tires available on a pursuit-rated police vehicle, theyre uniquely designed to handle fast acceleration, high speeds and aggressive cornering on paved roads, and can endure the heat generated in pursuits without sacrificing the off-road capability Police Responder drivers have come to expect. A new torque-on-demand transfer case includes 4-Auto mode, with an electrically actuated clutch that automatically adjusts torque as needed to provide exceptional set it and forget it capability for seamless terrain transition. On high-friction surfaces such as dry pavement, the system runs in two-wheel drive for maximum performance and improved handling around corners, avoiding the crow-hopping that commonly slows a four-wheel-drive vehicle. If a pursuit shifts to slick or loose surfaces, the 4-Auto system simultaneously directs power to all four wheels, allowing officers to remain focused on the job at hand. 4-Auto mode bridges the gap between 2-High and 4-High, and you see performance improvements as a result, said Allen Magolan, Ford police vehicles integration manager. On dry pavement is where you see the real payoff, because it allows you to carry more speed when cornering a rare benefit in a pickup truck. The torque-on-demand system couples with the standard F-150 FX4 Off-Road Package to give officers outstanding off-road capability. The FX4 package includes underbody skid plates, off-road-tuned shocks, electronic-locking rear axle and Hill Descent Control to help maintain speed while driving down an incline. For departments that need to tow a boat, horse trailer, mobile command center or other equipment, F-150 Police Responder tops all other pursuit-rated vehicles with a standard towing capacity of 7,000 pounds and available towing capacity of 11,200 pounds, in addition to its payload capacity of 2,030 pounds. An available Trailer Tow Package adds the convenience of Pro Trailer Backup Assist. The available Tow Technology Package adds a 360-degree camera, Trailer Reverse Guidance and integrated Trailer Brake Controller. Smart Trailer Tow Connector is standard on Class IV hitch-equipped vehicles and adds Trailer Coverage to the available Blind Spot Information System. Purpose-built for officers, smart solutions for fleets Available new Police Engine Idle lets an officer remove the key from the ignition and securely exit the truck with the engine running. Officers can continue to power lights and sirens without worry of vehicle theft. Agencies can choose the type of keys to operate their trucks up to four traditional fleet keys per truck or up to four available fobs with keyless entry per truck. SYNC 4 with cloud connectivity is standard. The system includes an 8-inch touch screen in the center stack and an embedded modem with wireless updates, allowing agencies to receive software updates and potentially avoid unplanned service or maintenance. An upgraded 4-inch productivity screen in the instrument cluster is standard. Like all Ford commercial vehicles, F-150 Police Responder offers available Ford Telematics an intelligent fleet management tool that can help improve uptime, optimize running costs, enable predictive planning of unscheduled maintenance and improve driver behavior over time. New driver-assist features include a standard Reverse Sensing System, which provides an audible alert if the vehicle approaches an object while backing up. Available Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection that includes Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking now comes with a unique one-touch temporary disable switch exclusively for law enforcement. Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert is available. Among law enforcement vehicles, F-150 Police Responder stands out with more interior passenger volume and more head, hip and shoulder room than any other pursuit-rated offering. Front seat bolsters are sized to make it easier for an officer wearing a duty belt to enter or exit the vehicle, while enhancing comfort over the course of an eight-hour shift. Upfitting is made easy with features such as a front console-delete, universal top tray on the instrument panel and rear power lug. The 40-blank-40 front seat configuration lets agencies install their own department-specific center console. A new factory-installed center console is available as part of the Interior Upgrade Package, as is a new Interior Work Surface that provides an adjustable flat surface for writing or computer work. The updated darker-colored interior, including police-grade heavy-duty cloth front seats, was influenced by officer input. It features built-in steel intrusion plates in both front seatbacks for officer safety, as well as red-and-white task lighting. LED police warning beacons are available pre-installed in red and blue, amber, or amber and white. F-150 Police Responder is assembled at Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, and arrives in fleets later this fall. Based on IHS Market new vehicle registration data limited to government entities and POL and SSV trim for full year 2020. **Maximum towing varies based on cargo, accessories and number of passengers; do not tow a trailer during patrol or pursuit situations. ***Maximum payload varies and is based on accessories. See label on door jamb for carrying capacity of a specific vehicle. Towing, payload, horsepower and torque are independent attributes and may not be achieved simultaneously. Police divers search a waterway in Sandwich, Kent, after a body found hidden in woodland at Ashford was identified as that of 33-year-old Sarah Everard (PA) Officers continue to comb woodland in Kent while specialist divers scour water in search of clues following the death of Sarah Everard. Large portions of the historic town of Sandwich have been cordoned off as inquiries into the death of the 33-year-old continued on Tuesday. Serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with kidnapping and killing the marketing executive, who went missing while walking home from a friends flat in south London on March 3. He appeared at the Old Bailey court by video link on Tuesday and was remanded into custody ahead of a provisional trial date of October 25. Expand Close Police officers search along the banks of a waterway in Sandwich, Kent, after a body found hidden in woodland at Ashford was identified as that of 33-year-old Sarah Everard (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police officers search along the banks of a waterway in Sandwich, Kent, after a body found hidden in woodland at Ashford was identified as that of 33-year-old Sarah Everard (Gareth Fuller/PA) In Kent, officers were seen painstakingly working their way through woodland near the River Stour, using sticks to search areas of the ground. At one point more than a dozen officers walked side by side as they moved across a green area by the water bank. A large police presence has been positioned around the town in recent days as the investigation continues. Also on Tuesday, specialist divers continued their searches of a waterway in the town. It comes after officers used sticks to search through a shopping trolley shelter outside a Co-operative supermarket on Monday, while others looked under vehicles. At the edge of the cordon, a few officers gathered for discussion as one showed their colleagues a piece of gold jewellery that was then put into an evidence bag. Scotland Yard said police have been routinely searching areas of London and Kent as part of the investigation. Bake Me A Wish! Logo We are excited to share our primary mission of helping others celebrate lifes special occasions. Inc. magazine today revealed that Bake Me A Wish! is No. 242 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: New York City Metro list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing New York City area-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the NYC area economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. My team and I are thrilled to be recognized by the Inc 5000 Regionals, said Joseph Dornoff, President of Bake Me A Wish! We are excited to share our primary mission of helping others celebrate lifes special occasions. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in the New York City area. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 214 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 48,000 people and added nearly $9 billion to the NYC Metro area economy. Companies based in Stamford, Connecticut, New York City, and central New Jersey brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: NYC Metro area, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/new-york starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in the New York City area no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. Bake Me A Wish! was founded in 2005 with the mission to deliver divinely crafted birthday cakes and gourmet baked goods to anyone across the United States, wherever they are. BakeMeAWish.com features delicious gourmet dessert options including sumptuous recipes, personalized greeting cards and elegant packaging. 15 years later, Bake Me A Wish! offers a magnificent lineup of other mouthwatering bakery treats including cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and pies. They have expanded their offering even further with gorgeous snack baskets. Bake Me A Wish! has become the go-to source for people in need of high-quality baked goods, and is excited to help make your gifting dreams come true. Bake Me A Wish! is located in New York, New York and delivers throughout the country. CONTACT: Stacy Callahan, 917-972-1101, stacy@astonishmediagroup.com More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Ghost Data publishes an exclusive report titled "Instagram as a Wholesale store for fake Apple products?". The report shows how criminal organizations are using Instagram to sell counterfeit Apple products worldwide. Key Facts: Ghost Data research study documented that factories/vendors are using Instagram to sell counterfeit Apple products, accessories and parts around the world. Ghost Data identified over 160 wholesale merchants, most likely based in China , offering Apple counterfeit merchandise. , offering Apple counterfeit merchandise. These Instagram accounts offer a wide variety of counterfeit Apple accessories: EarPods, AirPods Pro, power chargers, cables and much more, including parts suchs as screens, batteries, and various components. Ghost Data found hundreds of individuals selling Apple products or accessories, without a proper authorization by Apple. It Is therefore possible that tens of thousands of Instagram profiles are currently selling Apple products and/or offering tech services, with no way to verify their business legitimacy. Ghost Data found evidence of payment receipts for tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars per transaction, proving that this is a multimillion-dollar global business, with Europe and the US as top customer destinations. Ghost Data affirms "It seems also quite ironic that individuals and Organizations, if based in China, are using a U.S.-based social media network, blocked in their own country for security reasons, exactly to do business particularly at the expense of a major U.S. company." For interviews or other requests: [email protected] Report Link: https://ghostdata.io/report/0311IG_AAPL_2.pdf About GD: As an independent research group focused on social media, in recent years Ghost Data covered such crucial topics as digital propaganda, online counterfeit and terrorism activities. Ghost Data also studied social networks' major trends and right before the 2016 US election and exposed the activities of pro-Trump bots and Russian accounts on Instagram. Last year they also published a report about suspicious Instagram accounts, probably based in Eastern Europe, attacking Donald Trump through a series of meme campaigns. Their studies have been published on The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NBC, Reuters, Associated Press, The Information among others. Their studies have been included and or mentioned on academic papers, leading corporates and government reports including the Department Homeland Security and other government agencies. SOURCE Ghost Data TOKYO (Reuters) - A rash of Japanese coronavirus clusters linked to daytime karaoke sessions by the elderly, including several linked to 93 cases in one prefecture, prompted a stern warning on Tuesday and calls for caution from authorities. The recent clusters, which are spread across the country, come as the Tokyo metropolitan area is nearing the planned end of a state of emergency aimed at curbing the latest wave of coronavirus cases. The Olympics are set to begin in Tokyo in just over four months. At least 215 people have recently tested positive in cases linked to daytime karaoke sessions, a pursuit especially popular with the retired and elderly, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Tuesday. Ninety-three were in Saga prefecture in southwestern Japan, with ages ranging from the 50s to the 80s, but clusters were also found in Saitama and Chiba prefectures, still under a state of emergency set to end on March 21. Many of Japan's karaoke establishments feature small rooms lined with sofas in which groups can sing, eat and talk in privacy for hours. "We realize that under normal circumstances, karaoke is almost a salon for older people to talk and enjoy themselves, but in the current situation of absolutely trying to prevent infection, these (venues) are rather confined," Nishimura said. "In my election district there are many places like this - narrow rooms where people are packed in and singing. They have to take thorough steps including putting up acrylic panels, good ventilation and disinfecting the microphones." He also called on those in areas still under the state of emergency to refrain from unnecessary trips out of their homes. Roughly 448,400 people have tested positive in Japan and about 9,000 have died since the pandemic began. (Reporting by Daniel Leussink, writing by Elaine Lies. Editing by Gerry Doyle) Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In early March 2020, I was on a storytelling trip to El Salvador for Compassion. One minute we were loading the van to head to a child development center, the next we were packing our bags to rush to the airport urgently called home as COVID-19, a seemingly distant threat, suddenly became very real. In a matter of weeks, the world felt like it shut down. Ever since, my days have been spent at home, sharing stories about how the pandemic is affecting children living in poverty. These stories (told by our incredible local photojournalists) will stay with me forever. Yhovanas is one of them. When COVID-19 hit Bolivia, her husband lost his job. She works at a farm. One day, desperate to feed her four children, she looked down at the bucket of chicken guts she fed to her employers pigs. She had no choice. I collected the nicer intestines to bring home, she says, to cook and eat. When Compassions local church partner heard this, they delivered groceries. Yhovanas family didnt just need food, but they also deserved dignity. Another is a grandmother in Brazil. She had just been handed a basket heaving with food by our local church partner. She was all alone. Concerned, the pastor asked if she needed help to carry it. Her response brought tears to his eyes. It would be heavier if it were empty, she replied. Or Tribin, a mother in Bangladesh. Even before the pandemic, she and her husband struggled to earn enough to feed their little girls. In what is the most challenging season of their lives, she says the pandemic has taught her to believe in miracles. The church keeps providing food for them at just the right time. As she puts her daughters to bed, she tells them, God has taught us that even when times are dark, He will show us a way through the darkness. If these stories broke my heart, others made me laugh. In the Philippines, a teenage boy rode a water buffalo with a karaoke machine blaring to spread joy and raise funds for COVID-19 patients. In El Salvador, a family coped with being cooped up at home by creating their own stationary bicycle using their bodies. Their youngest boy, little Josue, was the wheels. Mostly, though, I am left in awe of peoples courage, dedication, and capacity to continually pour out love upon vulnerable families. In 2020, the world shut its doors and closed its borders. Yet people like our sponsors, supporters, and church partners opened their hands and their hearts. In dozens of different languages, they said, What do you need? We are here for you. In a year that many of us would like to erase, truly beautiful things happened. In the Japanese art of Kintsugi, broken pottery pieces are repaired with gold. By embracing the flaws and imperfections, it creates a stronger, more beautiful piece. 2020 was a year that often felt broken, but I saw how God filled the cracks with bright, shining gold. Here is some of the gold from the year the world changed. These moments and lessons represent prayers answered, lives changed, and lessons learned. They show what is possible when together, we rise as one. 1. We showed up for one another. We were separated by distance but fought to remain united. Friends celebrated graduations and birthdays by driving past homes, balloons streaming from car windows. Teenagers taught grandparents to use Zoom. Neighbors dropped encouraging notes in mailboxes. Loved ones waved from pavements beneath hospital windows. When vulnerable families needed healthcare during the pandemic, Compassions church partners were there. From April 2020 to January 2021, they supported 970,660 cases of medical care. Being separated was hard. It caused excruciating pain to many. But distance couldnt stop us from showing up for one another, and time together now is all the more precious. 2. We realized the church is more than a building. From the beginning, the church has always been more than a building. But in 2020, when many couldnt access attend services in person, this truth really shone. Churches all over the world adapted, shifting online, moving services outdoors, and providing support in new ways to continue being the hands and feet of Jesus. When their church doors closed, our church partners taught children virtually, prayed for families over the phone, and even delivered birthday cakes at a safe distance. They distributed a staggering 10,614,674 food parcels to vulnerable families each one representing a full belly and a weight off an anxious parents shoulders. 3. We saw Gods faithfulness. In all of the challenges, we saw God at work. He inspired the Filipino teenager in his quest to create smiles, He showed up on Tribins doorstep through the faithful center volunteers, and He walked alongside the Brazilian grandmother as she carried her food basket home. He made pathways through the wilderness and rivers in the dry wasteland, just as He promised. If you havent seen this in your own life yet, take heart. He is still working. 2020 the year it felt like the world changed was one of widespread changes, quarantines, and challenges. But lets remember the ways God filled the cracks with gold. 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. Television identity Lisa Wilkinson has fired an angry response to Pauline Hanson after the One Nation leader accused feminist protesters of 'demonising men.' Senator Hanson also questioned parliamentary rape whistle blower Brittany Higgins for going public with her alleged ordeal two years after the event instead of pursuing the matter through the courts. Ms Wilkinson, a long term presenter of The Project, didn't mince her words in response. 'Oh for Christs sake Pauline Hanson. How dare you,' she tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. 'You dont know the first thing of the detail of Brittany Higgins experience. Go away and stop adding to the trauma. 'Seriously, GO AWAY!' Media identity Lisa Wilkinson called out Pauline Hanson, after the One Nation leader accused feminist protesters of 'demonising men' before lashing out at alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins Veteran media identity Lisa Wilkinson called out Pauline Hanson, accusing her of 'adding to the trauma' Thousands joined 40 rallies across Australia including in major cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart on Monday (pictured, the protest in Brisbane) Pauline Hanson's strong words came a day after March For Justice rallies took place across Australia which called for more action to stamp out sexual abuse and punish offenders. 'Stop demonising men,' Hanson told Sky News on Tuesday. 'There are false allegations, there are men who have been accused of these things that didn't, it didn't happen.' Pauline Hanson has accused feminist protesters of 'demonising men' before lashing out at alleged rape survivor Brittany Higgins Ms Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer, had a hand in kick-starting the movement after she went public with claims she had been raped by a colleague at Parliament House in 2019 Thousands joined the March For Justice rallies across Australia on Monday, with the issue of sexual abuse stirred up by a historical rape allegation against Attorney General Christian Porter, which he denied. Ms Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer, kick-started the movement by going public with claims she was raped by a colleague at Parliament House in 2019. 'For so long it felt like the people around me only cared because of where it happened and what it might mean for them,' Ms Higgins told the crowd at Canberra's rally. 'It was so confusing because these people were my idols. I had dedicated my life to them. They were my social network, my colleagues and my family. 'And suddenly they treated me differently. I wasn't a person who had just gone through a life-changing traumatic event, I was a political problem.' Hanson criticised Ms Higgins for waiting two years to speak out about the alleged rape, despite the now 26-year-old telling police immediately afterward. 'Brittany Higgins, she had the right to go and lay those charges,' she said. Hanson criticised Ms Higgins for waiting two years to speak out about the alleged rape, despite the now 26-year-old telling police immediately after the alleged incident Labor leader Anthony Albanese attended Monday's rally with a contingent of colleagues, along with the Greens and independents 'Take it to the courts. If you've got a case for assault then you take it to the courts.' Hanson spoke from her family experiences in saying that false rape allegations can 'destroy lives'. In 2019, the senator accused her son's ex-wife of making false claims that he sexually abused his own child. 'I know this feeling because for years my own son faced these destructive allegations in an attempt to stop him having access to his young son,' she told the Senate at the time. 'My ex-daughter-in-law claimed to police that my son was outside her home in Townsville. Signs including 'we are marching for everyone's daughters', 'stop violence against women' and 'it's time for men to change' were visible in the crowd in Canberra Brittany Higgins speaks at the Canberra Women's March 4 Justice on March 15 in Canberra 'That was despite him being sick and on the Gold Coast, some 1,000 kilometres away. He was forced to defend himself, at enormous expense, and was dragged through the courts. 'She also falsely alleged a soul-crushing claim that my son had sexually abused his boy. Again, the false claim was designed to stop him having any connection with his son. No charges were brought against my son.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who was a focus of criticism at the rallies for resisting an independent inquiry into the allegations against Mr Porter, had offered to meet protest leaders behind closed doors but they refused and demanded he attend. Labor leader Anthony Albanese did go to Monday's rally with a contingent of colleagues, along with the Greens and independents. Signs including 'we are marching for everyone's daughters', 'stop violence against women' and 'it's time for men to change' were visible in the crowd. Protesters handed a petition backed by 94,000 people to Labor MP Tanya Plibersek and Greens senator Larissa Waters, to present to parliament. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. DW.com, March 13, 2021 A car bomb in Afghanistan's western Herat province has left at least seven people dead, as global powers seek a permanent ceasefire to the ongoing conflict. A car bomb detonated in Afghanistan's western Herat province late Friday, killing at least 7 people and injuring 53 others, authorities said.A car bomb in Afghanistan's western Herat province has left at least seven people dead, as global powers seek a permanent ceasefire to the ongoing conflict. A car bomb detonated in Afghanistan's western Herat province late Friday, killing at least 7 people and injuring 53 others, authorities said.Although no group has claimed responsibility for the blast, local authorities have blamed the Taliban for the incident. The Sunni fundamentalist Taliban has been waging an insurgency against the Western-backed Afghan government for nearly two decades. Global powers seek stable Afghan government to ensure securityThe explosion comes as Russia declared its support for a US initiative to include the Taliban in a future interim Afghan government. Global powers are seeking a governing arrangement for Afghanistan that would ensure security in a country ravaged by war. "The formation of an interim inclusive administration would be a logical solution to the problem of integrating the Taliban into the peaceful political life of Afghanistan," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing Friday, adding that decisions should be "made by the Afghans themselves." Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has rejected the idea of an interim government for Afghanistan, arguing that any new government should result from elections. US working with Russia, China to achieve ceasefireThe United States has been working with Russia, China and other countries to achieve a political settlement for Afghanistan and a permanent ceasefire between warring factions. "We do believe Russia, as well as other countries in the region, have an important stake in a secure and stable Afghanistan," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Friday. Russia will hold an international conference on March 18 with representatives from the Afghan government to discuss a way forward for the country. Diplomatic discussions between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha have stalled, with Turkey also hosting peace talks in Istanbul next month. Biden deliberating whether to abide by Trump-era Taliban dealPresident Joe Biden's administration is currently deliberating whether it would abide by a February 2020 deal with the Taliban brokered by former-President Donald Trump. Under the agreement, all US troops would leave Afghanistan by May 1. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently told Ghani in a letter that all options are on the table, including full US withdrawal by May 1. US forces have been in Afghanistan since 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks by the jihadi organization al Qaida. On Monday, the son of former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu was arraigned in court on a drunk driving charge. Brian Ndungu, a Strathmore University law student, pleaded guilty to driving a Toyota Probox in Nairobi while intoxicated. He had been arrested in the wee hours of the morning. He pleaded for leniency from the court, arguing that he was a first time offender. He told the magistrate that he only had Sh10,000 with him, and that his father had refused to bail him out. The former governor is reported to have remarked, Wacha akae huko ndani askie venye huko kuko. His mother too reportedly refused to bail him out. Either way, bail was set at Sh30,000, of which failure to pay would see him serve several months in jail. After hitting a brick wall with his parents, Brian resorted to raising money from his friends. All this in the presence of the media, providing some sort of spectacle. Watch how that went. New Delhi, March 16 : Uighurs are treated as second class citizens by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), like the Palestinians who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and suffer from Israeli occupation and apartheid, says Olsi Jazexhi, a Canadian/Albanian historian and journalist specialised in the history of Islam, nationalism and modernity. In an interview with IANS, Olsi said China has build massive detention centres, which it calls Vocational Training Centres, where Uighur Muslims are detained and forced to renounce their Turkic and Islamic identity. They are prohibited from praying, living as Muslims, speaking Turkic and forced to Sinicize themselves. "The reason that we hear little about the Uighurs in the mainstream media is that China is very good on concealing what it does in Xinjiang, the neighbours of China and the Muslim world does not want to upset the Chinese superpower," Olsi added. Olsi said the Chinese leadership is not used to an open society, democracy, human rights and multicultural values. It is very stubborn and does not accept multi-culturalism and diversity and for them the Uighur identity is not acceptable, he added. "They see Islam, Turkic identity and Muslims as a threat to the Republic. China has officially declared war in its government papers on 'three evils' in Xinjiang." The historian said China does not respect and consider the Uighurs as citizens with human rights and wants to finish the Uighur issue once and for all. "That is why they are mass colonising Xinjiang, mass de-Islamising and de-Turkifying the Uighurs and forcefully turning them into Chinese. While the British invaded and Anglified India for 400 years, China is trying to do the same with the Uighurs but in a much faster and more brutal way," Olsi added. Q: Why is the world not helping the Uighurs in China? Please tell our readers about yourself and your work on Uighur people. A: I am a Canadian/Albanian historian and journalist specialised in the history of Islam, nationalism and modernity. I got involved in the Uighur issue in summer 2019. I wanted to investigate the Uighur issue myself since I do not trust what I read in Western media. Very often the information that we get in the West is fake and distorted. In 2012-2013, many Syrian based terrorists were portrayed in the West as freedom fighters. We had many Muslims from Europe who were radicalised and joined the jihad in Syria and ended up committing a terrorist war against a foreign country. In Albania, we have a former terrorist organization, the Mojaheden el-Halk which runs a paramilitary camp. However some media in the West like to call them "Iranian opposition" and not what they are: a former terrorist paramilitary cult of mujahiddeens who commit acts of war against foreign countries. My initial suspicion was that what we read about the Uighurs in the West was fake and China was being target unfairly. For these reasons I approached the Chinese embassy in Tirana and asked to join any journalist delegation and see with my own eyes the reality in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China. Q: Why is there very little information about the Uighurs in mainstream media? What is the status of social, political and economic rights of the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province? A: During my visit to Xinjiang I found that Uighurs are treated as second class citizens by the ruling Communist Party of China. They are like Palestinians who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and suffer from Israeli occupation and apartheid. The autonomous region of Xinjiang has been stripped of its autonomy and the Uighur religion, culture and population is under constant attack from Chinese invaders. China has build massive detention centers: which it calls Vocational Training Centers, where Uighur Muslims are detained and forced to renounce their Turkic and Islamic identity. They are prohibited from praying, living as Muslims, speaking Turkic and forced to Sinicize themselves. The reason that we hear little about the Uighurs in the mainstream media is that firstly, China is very good on concealing what it does in Xinjiang; second, the neighbours of China and the Muslims world does not want to upset the Chinese superpower; third, China is very aggressive on countering any story that reveals what is does in Xinjiang. China keeps Xinjiang in total lockdown and isolation at the same way as Israel keeps West Bank and Gaza Strip or how the Iranian Mojaheden keep in isolation their soldiers in Albania. Q: The CPC regime justifies its actions against Uighur Muslims by claiming that they are Islamist radicals and have been indulging in Islamist terrorism. What would you say to that? A: The situation of Muslims and Islam nowadays is similar to the situation of communism in the era of Pope and Tsar, Metternich and Guizot when Marx wrote the "Manifesto of the Communist Party". From China to the United States different regimes and governments use Islam and Muslims as scapegoat for their internal and domestic problems. China has copied the US and India's 'war on terrorism' ideology and is using it to destroy its Uighur and other Turkic Muslim population which live in Xinjiang. While it is true that some Uighurs became radicalised in 2010s and joined extremist groups in Syria and some have even committed terrorist acts within China, this does not justify China's suppression with an iron fist of the Uyghur and Turkic people's rights, culture and religion. Terrorism is being used by China as a scapegoat in order to justify its repressive policies against its Muslim population. Q: Is there a possibility of resolution to the conflict between Uighur dissidents and the CPC regime? If yes, what are its conditions? A: Yes. China can resolve its Uighur issue very easily if it wants to. When I was in Xinjiang I told our Chinese friends to stop their crazy policies against the Uighurs since they will further radicalise them. I advised them to close the concentration camps, to allow Uighurs to practice their religion, to open mosques, madrasas and schools in their native language and instead of turning them into enemies China should make them partners in the development of the country. However, the Chinese leadership is not used to an open society, democracy, human rights and multicultural values. It is very stubborn and does not accept multi-culturalism and diversity and for them the Uighur identity is not acceptable. They see Islam, Turkic identity and Muslims as a threat to the Republic. China has officially declared war in its government papers on "three evils" in Xinjiang: 1. Terrorism, which means Uighur Muslims who fight with Chinese forces. 2. Separatism, which means peaceful Muslims who want to become independent from China like Mahatma Gandhi did in India. and 3. Religious extremism, which means any Uighur Muslim who practices his religion and believes in Allah and not the Communist Party of China. China considers all these three groups as enemies which must be destroyed. Mahatma Gandhi like Dalai Lama would have been considered terrorists and killed in China or be sent to concentration camps to be de-radicalised. China does not respect and consider the Uighurs as citizens with human rights. It wants to finish the Uighur issue once and for all. That is why they are mass colonising Xinjiang, mass de-islamizing and de-Turkifying the Uighurs and forcefully turning them into Chinese. While the British invaded and Anglified India for 400 years, China is trying to do the same with the Uighurs but in a much faster and more brutal way. Q: Why have the super powers of the world remained so apathetic towards the persecution of Uighur people in Xinjiang? A: The US, the UK, Canada, Australia, the European Union, Turkey and their allies are not apathetic towards the Uighur persecution. They have condemned the persecution of the Uighurs but obviously they cannot force China to stop what it is doing like they cannot do to much about Hong Kong or Tibet. China is an economic and nuclear super power. It has the power it needs to do whatever it wants with the Uighurs and get away with murder. Russia on the other hand does not talk about the Uighur issue since, even though they know very well the situation. They need China as an ally to face off Western imperialism. If I would quote the ancient Greek historian Thucydides about what China is doing today with the Uighurs I would say: "The strong do what they can, the weak suffer what they must." Q: How can the world hold the CPC regime accountable for its oppression of Uighur people? A: The world can hold the CPC regime accountable in three ways: 1. Through the international law. But China has veto power in the United Nations Security Council. 2. Through 'the Right to Protect' doctrine of Western imperialism. Which means through the threat of a military intervention or arming of Uighurs to defend themselves, which is impossible since the West will not fight for Muslims like it does for Israel. 3. Through a worldwide moral and social mobilization, which is also impossible since China is an economic superpower and many countries of the world are not willing to put China under embargo for its treatment of Muslims. In few words we came to the conclusion of Thucydides. China will continue its oppression of the Uighurs since it is strong and can do what it can. The weak Uighurs will suffer what they must. Only Allah who can twist the history of mankind as He wants, can change the desperate situation of the Turkic Muslims of China. (Aarti Tikoo Singh can be reached at aarti.t@ians.in) 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. 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One, however, one may take the astronomical cake, if you can spot it. (Above: the Zodiacal Light in the eastern U.S., courtesy Stephen Rahn / Flickr) Mars will be in the mix this month as well as the spring equinox, and a full moon with some wacky names. The Oregon and Washington coast may not be a bad spot to see what is known as the Zodiacal Light or False Dusk (often referred to as the False Dawn). It takes finding a place with no light pollution, but the coastal mists of Oregon and Washington may play a part as well. The Zodiacal Light is a weird, cone shape or wedge of light that sticks upward just after dusk (or sometimes just before dawn). According to NASA and astronomy publications like EarthSky.org, right about now is when you might be able to see it just after sunset. It is definitely not a guarantee, however. If it shows up, itll be about a half hour after sunset, and then it may get easily confused with blue hour the period of colorful, post-sunset display that is really quite intense if you photograph it with the right equipment. Scientists say in the northern hemisphere it could be visible until March 13 which leaves just another couple of days for those wandering the Pacific Northwest or the Oregon / Washington coast. However, starting March 30 the possibility comes again for the Zodiacal Light / False Dusk, lasting until April 11. What is the Zodiacal Light? Thats a shifting story right now. Above: Zodiacal Light at Bend, courtesy David Lane So far, its been believed it comes from countless particles that occupy the plane of our solar system. However, just in recent months the NASA spacecraft Juno made it to Jupiter and along the way the sensitive instruments designed by Danish scientist Leif Jorgensen started sending back unusual data of a barrage of dust hitting them. Descriptions of the discovery are rather dramatic and long, but the short story is NASA teams began noticing the dust appeared to be coming from Mars. The red planet was kicking up cosmic dust, and it aligned with where scientists extrapolated the False Dawn / Dusk debris to be coming from. Places to check out will be remote parts of the Long Beach Penninsula, Grayland Beach, Manzanita's Neahkahnie Overlooks, southern Pacific City, Cape Foulweather near Depoe Bay, the National Dunes Recreation Area between Florence and Reedsport, Cape Sebastian area, and the Samuel H. Boardman Corridor. Other highlights to look for from Oregon / Washington coast beaches: Mars will be in the southwestern sky after March 19, glowing brighter for awhile. NASA says it will set after 1 a.m., however. On March 20, the sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the vernal equinox in our hemisphere and the official beginning of spring. On that day, the length of the daytime and the nighttime hours will be the same, and the sun will rise due east and set exactly due west. This months full moon is called the Worm Moon (mmmm yummy). Its also known as the Crow Moon (hello comic book fans), the Sap Moon (sounds like a slam) and the Lenton Moon (yes, we ran out of jokes here). It happens on March 28 and it is also the first supermoon of 2021. MORE PHOTOS BELOW Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW 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 CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- There's a cost saving generic alternative to the trading firms in the headlines surrounding the Reddit phenomenon and trading groups like Wallstreetbets. One that doesn't reduce costs by receiving up to half of their revenue from high-frequency trading and payment for order flow. "The goal was simple, provide an institutional trading infrastructure for 'everyday' traders," said Generic Trade president Marc Nathan when describing the original business model, for the next generation of discount brokerage firms. 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Media Contact: Susan Rumick 847.926.3111 [email protected] SOURCE Generic Trade Discount Broker Related Links http://www.generictrade.com A health worker attends a Covid-19 patient in Vall d'Hebron hospital in Barcelona. MASSIMILIANO MINOCRI / EL PAIS The rate at which new coronavirus infections are falling in Spain has stabilized. Thats according to Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts (CCAES), who was speaking on Monday at the governments regular press conference to report on the latest figures from the pandemic The governments chief epidemiologist explained that for now, it is unclear in which direction the curve is heading, and didnt rule out new upticks. The latest report from the ministry included 11,358 new confirmed cases, bringing the total in Spain since the health crisis began to 3,195,062. While the curve continues to fall after the third wave of the epidemic, rises are already apparent in some of the countrys regions. Andalusia, the Canary Islands, Extremadura, Melilla, Navarre and La Rioja had worse figures in Mondays report compared to Friday. It appears that the measures that were in place have had all the effect that they could, even though they havent been maintained Manuel Franco, spokesperson from the Spanish Society for Public Health and Healthcare Administration The 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants, meanwhile, has now fallen below 130, coming in at 128.97 in Mondays report. The fall compared to Fridays figure is the lowest since the key data point started to come down, having peaked at 899.93 on January 27. To put this reduction into context, in the last seven days the indicator came down by 10.12 points; last week it fell by 20.49; and the week before that, by 50.23. The sustained fall in the incidence across the country since the peak of the third wave is also reflected in the number of Covid-19 deaths reported over the previous seven days. In the space of a week, this indicator has fallen from 1,926 to 988. There have been 72,424 official coronavirus victims in Spain since the pandemic hit, according to the ministrys figures. Mondays report which covers Friday, Saturday and Sunday saw 166 fatalities added to the total. In terms of pressure on the healthcare system, the percentage of hospital beds occupied by Covid-19 patients rose slightly in Mondays report, from 6.81% on Friday to 6.94%. In the countrys intensive care units (ICUs), meanwhile, the data continues to improve, going from 23.24% a week ago to 21.04% in Mondays report. The current data is proving difficult for experts who are trying to predict what will happen in the coming weeks. It appears that the measures that were in place have had all the effect that they could, even though they havent been maintained, said Manuel Franco, spokesperson from the Spanish Society for Public Health and Healthcare Administration (Sespas). The uneven rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination program across the country and doubts about increased social activity that could take place over the upcoming long weekend in some parts of Spain for Fathers Day (March 19) and Easter week (at the start of April) will influence the future of the pandemic. English version by Simon Hunter. People who spread false information about the army and the countrys national security need to be strictly punished. This is what Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia Arman Sargsyan said during a discussion on the report on implementation of the 2020 Action Plan of the Government held as part of todays session of the Standing Committee on Defense and Security of the National Assembly. According to him, if people see that a person is held criminally liable for spreading false information and panic by claiming that he or she is supposedly patriotic, they will stop doing that. Sargsyan added that there is chaos and panic on the Internet and is certain that citizens themselves need to condemn those who spread wrong information about safety and the situation in the army. However, Sargsyan shut an eye on the fact that Nikol Pashinyan and his team would discredit the Armed Forces and exaggerate information about any incident for years before they came to power. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 00:18:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The closing meeting of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- All key tasks laid out in the government work report must be effectively implemented to sustain steady economic and social development, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang urged on Monday. The report, adopted at the recently concluded fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), set out the key targets and priorities for the work of the government this year. The meeting called for solid efforts in pursuing high-quality development, consolidating the gains in COVID-19 containment and socio-economic development, and delivering on the government's commitments to the people in a bid to make fresh progress in promoting development and improving people's well-being. The meeting assigned the 44 key tasks in 38 areas as laid out in the report to relevant State Council bodies and subnational authorities, with their respective responsibilities and time-frames for fulfilling the tasks clearly defined. "The government work report has gone through the legal process of approval by the NPC. It embodies our commitments made to the NPC deputies. The government must take concrete action to fully discharge its responsibilities and ensure sound implementation of all policies," Li said. Aerial photo taken on Jan. 8, 2021 shows a bullet train passing Yihe Grand Bridge along the Xuzhou-Lianyungang high-speed railway, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng) The meeting underlined the imperative to keep abreast of shifts in the world economic trends and their implications for China. It called for a sound grasp of the dynamics in domestic economic activity, year-on-year and month-on-month, and deep analysis of new developments and new problems. This will help make informed anticipatory adjustments to the policies introduced. It is key to bolster employment and keep prices stable, in a bid to anchor market expectations. Efforts shall be made to prevent and defuse various risks and potential dangers and consolidate the foundation for economic recovery. "The first two months saw continued economic recovery and a strengthening momentum of development. That said, the recovery remains uneven as the services sector, micro and small firms and some localities still face difficulties in achieving recovery. We must act promptly to fulfill the annual development targets and tasks set out in the government work report and keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range," Li said. It was emphasized at the meeting that the tax and fee cuts for micro and small enterprises, especially the new structural tax cuts, must be thoroughly implemented. The policy on raising the super tax deduction on the research and development expenses of manufacturing firms shall be enforced as soon as possible, and the settlement period shortened, so that businesses stand to benefit within this year. The meeting urged keeping the macro leverage ratio generally stable and lowering the government leverage ratio. Financial institutions will be encouraged to promptly introduce specific measures to make financing easier and steadily more affordable for micro and small enterprises. Fiscal, financial and other policies shall work in sync to support job creation. The employment and related services for such key groups as college graduates, ex-service members and rural migrant workers will be promoted. The labor, talent, and casual labor markets will be fully leveraged to widen avenues of employment. "An appropriate range is about job growth, income rise, environmental improvement and price stability, irrespective of the speeds of development on these fronts being a bit faster or slower," Li said. The meeting called for deepening reform of government functions to advance list-based management for all items requiring administrative approval. Specific measures will be rolled out to reduce the procedures, documents, time and fees required in conducting government review of applications made by enterprises. Students show wish cards they have received at the Experimental Primary School in Beilin District of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao) Funds of central government budgetary investments, transfer payments and local government special-purpose bonds will be delivered and utilized in a timely fashion, and support to areas of weakness such as compulsory education and basic medical care will be beefed up. Policies will be introduced to support training and in-job pursuit of higher education for teachers in counties and townships. Measures will be promptly instituted to promote inter-provincial on-the-spot settlement of outpatient bills through individual accounts for basic medical insurance, and expand the scope of reimbursement of outpatient bills and medical expenses for common disease drugs. Tax breaks and fee exemptions shall be improved to incentivize private actors in providing community-based elderly care, child care and other consumer services. "The world economy is faced with much great uncertainty, and there are divergent views about how things may go. A strong global economy is good for China. Yet massive quantitative easing will also bring spillover effects, which could affect China and even the entire world," Li said. The meeting urged tighter supervision and inspection of policy implementation. Local authorities and relevant departments must, as required by the government work report, formulate specific implementation plans as soon as possible and complete their tasks sooner rather than later. Inter-agency coordination and cooperation must be stepped up on cross-regional and cross-sectoral matters. "The macro fiscal, monetary and employment policies must be promptly implemented. The expanded, directly allocated fiscal funds must be delivered to prefecture- and county-level governments as soon as possible with focus on supporting employment, people's essential needs and market entities. Governments at all levels shall continue to live on a tight budget to ensure smooth functioning of primary-level governments," Li said. - By Margaret Moran Investors often look to top fund managers to glean information on the best strategies and generate new investment ideas. While it is never a good idea to simply invest in what famous investors have in their portfolios (at least not without conducting your own due diligence), it can provide a valuable starting point for further research. After all, the success of these fund managers is due to skill and research just as much as luck. According to the GuruFocus Scoreboard, which tracks the fund performance of gurus based on their 13F filings, the firms with the highest average annual returns over the past decade were Ron Baron (Trades, Portfolio)'s Baron Funds with 23.70%, Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio)' Sands Capital Management with 20.10%, Spiros Segalas (Trades, Portfolio)' Harbor Capital Appreciation Fund with 17.90%, Akre Capital Management with 17.20% and Elfun Trusts (Trades, Portfolio) with 15.30%. The top three holdings of each of these firms as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2020 are listed in the table below: #1 #2 #3 Baron Funds Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CoStar Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CSGP) IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX) Sands Capital Management Sea Ltd. (NYSE:SE) Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Harbor Capital Appreciation Fund Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Akre Capital Management, LLC Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:MA) Moody's Corp. (NYSE:MCO) American Tower Corp. (NYSE:AMT) Elfun Trusts (Trades, Portfolio) Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) The usual suspects Some of the names in the above table are the usual suspects that investors expect to see in the holdings of all fund managers. Even if they didn't get in on names like Amazon, Apple and Microsoft in their early stages, most funds were sure to add at least a nominal holding in these stocks over the past few decades. Story continues One thing that these companies have in common is that they achieved innovative success in markets that were new at the time of their founding. Not many top funds hopped on these trains at the very outset, as no one was yet sure which of the new competitors would prevail. Although there is an inherent survivorship bias with companies like Amazon that went on to grab the majority of the market share in their industry, they continued to gain investors as they grew and cemented their leadership positions. Tesla could also fall into this category. While it was certainly not the first or only company of its kind, it has been the most successful, and it is probably the first brand name most Americans think of when it comes to luxury electric vehicles. Much like with the likes of Apple, grabbing a strong leadership position when the industry is still young gives the company a distinct advantage to compound on its success up to this point. However, some investors remain wary of Tesla out of volatility concerns, as the company's CEO Elon Musk has been known to exaggerate things and take an active stance toward keeping the stock price trending strongly upward. The Top Holdings of the Decade's Top-Performing Gurus Visa and Mastercard are also commonly owned stocks among investment firms, as they have long been dominant players in the U.S.-based payments processing industry. These companies have benefited from the strong tailwind of economic growth; the more (and more often) people buy things, the larger the size of the market that payments processing companies are able to access, and industry-leading names have the advantage as they are accepted at more venues. This has resulted in steady stock price growth. The Top Holdings of the Decade's Top-Performing Gurus Unexpected names The names on the list that investors may not be as familiar with in terms of "which stocks have been the most successful" include CoStar Group, IDEXX Laboratories, Sea Ltd., American Tower and Moody's. Bond credit rating company Moody's, for example, often sees is history of strong share price returns overshadowed by its credit rating services among the investor community. When most people think of Moody's, they think of things such as credit ratings, research and analysis geared toward determining the quality of other investments. However, the company itself has supplied stellar returns to shareholders of its common stock. The Top Holdings of the Decade's Top-Performing Gurus American Tower can sometimes fly under the radar due to not being particularly flashy, but its operations as a real estate investment trust owning communications infrastructure made it a winner as more people adopted the use of cell phones, then smartphones, then steadily increased use time of their smartphones. Sea, a leading internet platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, may be a relative unknown to U.S.-focused investors, but it has already established a dominant market position in many fast-growing regions of Asia, providing a strong runway for growth. Commercial property company CoStar Group provides information, analytics and marketing services to the commercial property companies primarily in the U.S., with a presence in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain as well. It has benefited from the shift to online real estate listings by charging subscription fees to access its research database and marketplace. The final name on the list of lesser-known names on this list is IDEXX Laboratories, a veterinary diagnostics, software and water microbiology testing company operating in the companion animal veterinary, livestock and poultry, water testing and dairy markets. This isn't the kind of flashy company that typically attracts a price above its intrinsic value; as shown in the Peter Lynch chart below, it has typically traded in line near its median historical price-earnings ratio over the past decade, but steady growth has driven returns. The Top Holdings of the Decade's Top-Performing Gurus Conclusion While the top holdings of successful funds may not always be wise investments for individual investors, as they might have become overvalued or their growth could be coming to an end after years of outperformance, it can still be helpful for investors to review these holdings for the factors that made them successful. By merit of survivorship bias, these companies have gained, grown and maintained their market leadership positions over the decades. However, investing in any one of these companies even five years ago, when most of their leadership positions were already secured, would have been a wise move. Disclosure: Author owns no shares in any of the stocks mentioned. The mention of stocks in this article does not at any point constitute an investment recommendation. Investors should always conduct their own careful research and/or consult registered investment advisors before taking action in the stock market. Read more here: High-Quality Clean Energy Picks for the ETF Rebound The S&P 500 and Covid-19: What Stocks Rose the Most Since Last Year's Lows? Ulta Beauty Shares Slide as 4th-Quarter Earnings Disappoint Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Total passenger traffic down 69.1% year-on-year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Corporacion America Airports S.A. (NYSE: CAAP), ("CAAP" or the "Company") the largest private sector airport operator in the world by number of airports, reported today a 69.1% year-over-year (YoY) decline in passenger traffic in February 2021. Also note that in 2020 there was one more day in February in relation to 2021. Passenger Traffic, Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Highlights Statistics Feb'21(1) Feb'20(3)(4) % Var. YTD'21(1) YTD'20(2)(3)(4) % Var. Domestic Passengers (thousands) 1,324 3,696 -64.2% 3,013 7,805 -61.4% International Passengers (thousands) 320 2,062 -84.5% 674 4,292 -84.3% Transit Passengers (thousands) 331 643 -48.5% 843 1,474 -42.8% Total Passengers (thousands) 1,975 6,401 -69.1% 4,530 13,570 -66.6% Cargo Volume (thousand tons) 21.0 28.2 -25.4% 41.4 59.0 -29.7% Total Aircraft Movements (thousands) 30.3 64.9 -53.4% 65.3 136.6 -52.2% (1) Note that data for February 2021 for Neuquen Airport, in Argentina, is missing due to delays in the submission of information. (2) Note that preliminary passenger traffic figures for January 2020 for Ezeiza Airport, in Argentina, were adjusted to include additional inbound passengers not accounted for in the initial count, for an average of approximately 5% of total passenger traffic at Ezeiza Airport and 1% of total traffic at CAAP, during that period. Importantly, inbound traffic does not affect revenues, as tariffs are applicable on departure passengers. (3) Preliminary data on 1,256 flights in January 2020 at Brasilia Airport, due to delays in the submission of information by third parties. (4) Cargo volumes in Uruguay were rectified from January to June 2020, to reflect all cargo passing through the cargo terminal, instead of air cargo only. Passenger Traffic Overview Total passenger traffic in February 2021 dropped 69.1% YoY, reflecting the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel across all countries of operations. Certain travel restrictions and requirements are in place and in most countries, while overall demand remains weak. International traffic declined by 84.5% YoY, while domestic traffic dropped 64.2% YoY. In Argentina, total passenger traffic declined 74.9% YoY, remaining mostly flat when compared to the 74.5% decline in January 2021. International passenger traffic declined 87.6%, compared to a the 84.9% drop in the prior month, as the government reintroduced restrictions to international flights from certain countries, in light of the new COVID-19 strain in Brazil and Europe, and borders remain closed to foreigners, with certain exceptions. Domestic passenger traffic dropped 68.8% YoY, a slight improvement from the 69.6% decline in January 2021. In Italy, passenger traffic declined 95.6% YoY, with international and domestic traffic down 97.9% and 89.9% YoY, respectively, reflecting air travel restrictions reenacted by the Italian government following a new COVID-19 outbreak in the region. Moreover, Florence Airport will remain closed to operations due to runway works from February 1st to April 1st, 2021. In Brazil, total passenger traffic declined 45.1% YoY, dropping from the 34.4% decline in January 2021. Domestic passenger traffic declined 41.9%, while international traffic dropped 97.8% YoY, mainly driven by the spread of a new COVID-19 strain in the country, coupled with low overall demand and travel restrictions implemented at year-end. In Uruguay, passenger traffic declined of 92.4% YoY, compared to a 93.5% in January 2021, impacted by the prolonged closure of borders to non-resident foreigners, with certain exceptions, and weak demand. In Ecuador, passenger traffic declined 69.3% YoY, with declines of 62.5% in international traffic and 75.1% in domestic traffic, while in Armenia total passenger traffic dropped 53.9% during the month, an improvement from the 72.6% decline in January 2021. Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Cargo volume decreased 25.4% on February 2021, mainly due to declines of 23.2% in Argentina, 31.9% in Brazil and 39.6% in Ecuador. Aircraft movements declined 53.4% YoY in February 2021, mainly attributed to decreases of 55.3% in Argentina, 35.0% in Brazil, 88.3% in Italy and 45.4% in Ecuador. Aircraft movements also declined 66.8% in Uruguay, 46.7% in Armenia and 67.3% in Peru. Summary Passenger Traffic, Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Feb'21 Feb'20 % Var. YTD'21 YTD'20 % Var. Passenger Traffic (thousands) Argentina(1) 849 3,379 -74.9% 1,778 7,021 -74.7% Italy 19 433 -95.6% 55 913 -93.9% Brazil(2) 831 1,515 -45.1% 2,061 3,391 -39.2% Uruguay 15 193 -92.4% 30 426 -93.0% Ecuador 116 378 -69.3% 240 763 -68.5% Armenia 90 196 -53.9% 154 431 -64.1% Peru 56 307 -81.9% 212 626 -66.1% TOTAL 1,975 6,401 -69.1% 4,530 13,570 -66.6% (1) See Footnote 1 in previous table. (2) See Footnote 2 in previous table. (3) See Footnote 3 in previous table. (4) See Footnote 4 in previous table. Cargo Volume (tons) Argentina 11,169 14,546 -23.2% 21,767 32,932 -33.9% Italy 928 997 -6.9% 2,061 2,116 -2.6% Brazil 4,256 6,252 -31.9% 8,714 10,863 -19.8% Uruguay(3) 1,852 1,866 -0.8% 3,629 4,095 -11.4% Ecuador 1,519 2,515 -39.6% 2,977 5,523 -46.1% Armenia 1,083 1,575 -31.2% 1,870 2,603 -28.2% Peru 203 418 -51.3% 409 824 -50.3% TOTAL 21,010 28,169 -25.4% 41,427 58,957 -29.7% Aircraft Movements Argentina 15,350 34,348 -55.3% 31,827 71,104 -55.2% Italy 535 4,585 -88.3% 1,532 9,403 -83.7% Brazil 8,189 12,602 -35.0% 18,786 26,849 -30.0% Uruguay 865 2,602 -66.8% 1,497 6,137 -75.6% Ecuador 3,577 6,548 -45.4% 7,693 14,043 -45.2% Armenia 980 1,837 -46.7% 1,720 4,075 -57.8% Peru 785 2,400 -67.3% 2,227 4,991 -55.4% TOTAL 30,281 64,922 -53.4% 65,282 136,602 -52.2% To obtain the full text of this press release, please click on the following link: http://investors.corporacionamericaairports.com Category: Operational Statistic About Corporacion America Airports Corporacion America Airports acquires, develops and operates airport concessions. Currently, the Company operates 52 airports in 7 countries across Latin America and Europe (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Armenia and Italy). In 2019, Corporacion America Airports served 84.2 million passengers. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange where it trades under the ticker "CAAP". For more information, visit http://investors.corporacionamericaairports.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210315005851/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Contact Gimena Albanesi Email: gimena.albanesi@caairports.com Phone: +5411 4852-6411 SOLVE Cleanup Returns to Oregon Coast, Inland Under New Name Published 03/10/21 at 4:40 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Portland, Oregon) Even though COVID-19 continues its grip on the nation, the Oregon coast still needs a good cleaning. In fact, the rest of the state needs it as well. In that spirit and the spirit of Earth Day SOLVE is putting back together a more socially-distanced version of what is now called the Oregon Spring Cleanup, this time held on April 17. Normally, it coincides with spring break in Oregon, and last year it had to be canceled due to emergency pandemic measures. Now, the chance to lend a hand on the Oregon coast as well as inland areas has returned, and registration for SOLVEs event is open presented by Portland General Electric this year. See https://www.solveoregon.org/spring-cleanup Thousands of Oregonians are expected to celebrate the 51st anniversary of Earth Day by signing up to volunteer on April 17, SOLVE said in a press release. The Oregon Spring Cleanup event has over 70 participating volunteer projects, ranging from beach cleanups and inland cleanups, to restoration projects and native tree and shrub plantings. Big projects happen on the coastline from Astoria down to Bandon, from Medford to Portland and over to Pendleton. Volunteers from all over the state participate in these even some from Washington and California in some cases. SOLVE works year-round to create cleaner communities and a healthier environment by partnering with smaller cleanup groups as well.. This year, the Oregon coast will be of special interest, as last summers overload of tourists dirtied the beaches in vast new ways, and this winters extreme tidal action has left plenty of debris as well. Micro plastics are of serious concern, as these easily make it back into the Pacific ocean and cause marine species great harm in some cases by eating the little pieces. The majority of projects take place on April 17, but others happen just before and after from April 10 through April 24. SOLVE is putting out its official call for volunteers. Those interested should see solveoregon.org for a full list of projects happening as part of this statewide event. This year is the first time around for the newly-named Oregon Spring Cleanup, which is a fusion of the Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup (which started in 1986) and the SOLVE IT for Earth Day (started 1990). Together, both events have drawn in more than 250,000 volunteers and helped remove over 17 million pounds of litter and debris from the states forests, urban areas, and natural landscapes and of course the entire Oregon coast. These results were only made possible by the Oregonians who were willing to come together at SOLVE supported projects and put in the work, SOLVE said. When signing up, volunteers must agree to the organizations pandemic safety guidelines, listed on its website. SOLVE said it is always looking for new areas that need attention, either for a litter cleanup or to attack invasive plant species. Email your project idea to info@solveoregon.org. Along with Portland General Electric, other event sponsors include: AAA Oregon/Idaho, Metro, Clean Water Services, The Standard, Fred Meyer, Facebook, Holman Enterprises, Washington County, Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, OnPoint Credit Union, K103FM, and KOIN. Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW 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 Portugal supports inclusion of India as permanent member of UNSC: Pacheco India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 16: Duarto Pacheco, chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), has assured India of Portugal's support to the nation's bid to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Addressing MPs in Parliament on Tuesday Duarte Pacheco, said that "In UN, Portugal supports the reform process and the inclusion of India as a permanent member of the Security Council." "We have special relationship between our countries. Portugal and India have over 500-year-old relations, so we know each other so better that I may say that we aren't just friends, we're brothers," Duarte Pacheco said as he addressed MPs at Central Hall. "India is largest democracy of the world and in all levels, from local to national, is looking to be more inclusive with more women and young people. India respects convictions, political and religious, of each person," he added. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Monday told the president of the international body of legislatures that no parliament should debate laws passed by the legislatures of other nations and issues related to their sovereignty. "Birla told Duarte Pacheco that no Parliament should discuss laws passed by other Parliaments and issues internal of other sovereign countries," Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a statement. Talking about the role of the IPU, Birla said it is inspiring the world community on issues like climate change, education, health, economy, terrorism and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "The study's overwhelmingly positive results on improved communication with the ClearMask validated what we knew all along: being able to see each other's faces is fundamentally human and an integral part of how we connect," said Allysa Dittmar, President of ClearMask, LLC. "The study's use of the ClearMask brand and its acceptance into a rigorous journal like the Journal of American Medical Association is a powerful testament to the importance of the ClearMask." Use of standard masks may come at a cost, blocking critical facial expressions and non-verbal cues that affect communication, the patient-provider relationship, and risk for litigation. Drs. Kratzke, Rosenbaum, Cox, et al. conducted a randomized clinical trial of 200 patients, in which surgeons were randomly selected to wear either a ClearMask transparent mask or a standard mask during a new patient visit. After the visit, the patients took a survey to evaluate the mask itself and the surgeon's communication, empathy, and trust, while answering validated questions from the Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS). Compared to standard masks, patients reported improved communication with the ClearMask transparent masks, rating their physician significantly higher in providing understandable explanations, demonstrating empathy, and building trust. 100% of the patients whose provider wore the ClearMask preferred the transparent masks, citing improved provider communication and appreciation for full face visibility. Healthcare entities routinely administer patient satisfaction questions like CG-CAHPS, and higher patient satisfaction scores may factor into greater reimbursement from the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Increased patient satisfaction can also lead to better patient health outcomes, improved quality of life, and decreased litigation against healthcare entities. "Trust is the cornerstone of surgical care. Without it, patients would not let us operate on them or trust our judgment to forgo surgery. And how we speak may be more important than what we say," wrote Dr. Margaret Schwarze and Dr. Elle Kalbfell in an invited commentary to the study . "As surgeons, we do many bold things because they improve patient care, and wearing a clear mask with new patients should be one of them." About ClearMask The ClearMask brand is the first and only fully transparent mask on the market in the United States to have FDA 510(k) clearance as a Class II medical device . The mask is optimized for maximum clarity and comfort, and meets applicable ASTM Level 3 requirements for fluid resistance and flammability, which offers a high level of protection for medical use in environments such as operating rooms. ClearMask, LLC started developing the transparent mask in 2017 after their deaf co-founder had an adverse surgery experience where masks blocked providers' faces, preventing effective communication and safety. The company has sold nearly 16 million masks to date for use in hospitals, clinics, schools, businesses, theaters, and other settings. The masks can be purchased through the company's website at buy.theclearmask.com , starting at a box of 24 masks. The company has also partnered with several distributors, including Cardinal Health, Henry Schein, McKesson Medical-Surgical, Oaktree Products, and Owens & Minor. Media Contact: Margaret Justus E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 281-250-8253 Download Logo Download Photo SOURCE ClearMask Related Links www.theclearmask.com Oman, Qatar, Ethiopia and Somalia have been added to Englands red list and non-essential travel from these countries will be suspended from 4 am on March 19. British, Irish and third-country nationals with residence rights (including long-term visa holders) arriving from these countries will be required to quarantine in a government-approved hotel quarantine facility for 10 days, according to the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice. The move follows new data showing an increased risk of importation of variants of concern. The FCDO order said from March 19, direct flights from Oman and Qatar to England are prohibited. Visitors who have been in or transited through these countries in the previous 10 days cannot enter England. British and Irish nationals and third country nationals with residence rights in the UK arriving in England from the Oman and Qatar will be required to quarantine in a hotel. Different rules apply for arrivals into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. From 1 January onwards, those with residence rights includes: holders of Indefinite Leave to Remain; holders of existing leave to enter or remain (i.e those with biometric residence permits) or an entry clearance/visa that grants such leave e.g. students, workers, etc (excluding visit visas); holders of EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) leave; those who have rights of entry under the Withdrawal Agreements (including returning residents with a right of residence under the EEA Regulations and EEA frontier workers); family members of EEA nationals with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. The ban will impact a large number of people travelling through Dohas Hamad International Airport hub, reports said. Britain's financial regulator has started a criminal action against NatWest over allegations it failed to detect suspicious activity by a customer depositing nearly 400 million pounds ($553 million) over five years, mostly in cash. The action is the first such case against a British bank under a 2007 law. If convicted, the bank faces a maximum penalty of an unlimited fine. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it was bringing the proceedings after NatWest's systems failed to adequately monitor and scrutinise activity over an account held by a British customer between November 2011 and October 2016. Around 365 million pounds was paid into the unnamed customer's accounts, of which around 264 million pounds was in cash, the watchdog alleged. NatWest had previously disclosed in its 2020 annual report an FCA investigation in relation to "certain money services businesses and related parties". The business was Fowler Oldfield, a Bradford-based gold dealer and jeweller liquidated after a police raid in 2016, a source familiar with the matter said. Bloomberg first reported the identity of the customer. In the last statement by liquidators for Fowler Oldfield, dated December 2020 and filed at Companies House, they said NatWest was the secured creditor and that the police held the company's seized assets. Telephone numbers listed for Fowler Oldfield did not work. NatWest will appear in court on April 14, the FCA said. The watchdog was keeping the possibility of charging individuals under review, a source said. The bank said on Tuesday it took the matter "extremely seriously" and was cooperating with the investigation, adding it had made multi-year investment in its financial crime systems and controls. 'SHOCKWAVES' The case threatens NatWest with further costs for past misdeeds at a time when it has been trying to clean up its image under CEO Alison Rose, who took over in 2019. The bank - which remains 62% state-owned after a bailout in the 2007-09 financial crisis - rebranded from the scandal-tainted Royal Bank of Scotland name last year. "In terms of enforcement, initiating a criminal prosecution against a leading bank is like pressing the nuclear button," commented Jonathan Fisher QC, Barrister at Bright Line Law. "In terms of reputation it is potentially very damaging, and given that anti- procedures have been around for a long time, if NatWest has fallen short, it leaves the bank with a lot of explaining to do." Claire Cross, a partner at law firm Corker Binning, said the FCA's move would send "shockwaves" across the finance industry. "It also sets an important precedent - no-one is too big to escape the FCA's criminal net," she added. The company's shares fell 3% in early trading and were last down around 1%, compared to a 1% gain for the FTSE 350 banks index. ($1 = 0.7231 pounds) (Additional reporting by Kirstin Ridley; editing by David Evans and Angus MacSwan) During a southern border tour, House Republicans reported that the Biden administration's border policies had prompted cartel profits on solo children. Biden's border policies accelerate the smuggling of adults from all over the world, including those with links to terrorism, as per the House Republicans. Biden's reversal of Trump's border ban increases cartel profits The international cartels are "masterfully" manipulating the border, a ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, John Katko, a former federal prosecutor who served in El Paso, said. It owes to an easing of Trump-era border limits that prohibited citizens from seeking refuge at the border. Also, it barred anyone from being welcomed into the U.S., Washington Examiner reported. The names or affiliations of adults apprehended at the border by Border Patrol officers are kept confidential. Besides, the department has regularly detained people from more than 90 countries each year. McCarthy and a group of Republican colleagues traveled to West Texas earlier in the day. They visited a new $48 million Border Patrol facility constructed last year. The facility accommodates migrant families after families overrun the region's Border Patrol agents during the 2019 humanitarian crisis. President Joe Biden's decision to reverse former President Donald Trump's strategy of turning away unaccompanied migrant children has given smugglers more control in providing families safe passage for their children, as per Newsweek. Smugglers can take advantage of the chaos while the government reworks the nation's border policies, according to Tom Wong, founding director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego. Biden Fears for the Lives of Asian-Americans in the US Immigration crisis at the border getting away from Biden The border problem is reaching a breaking point, and Republican members of Congress and advocates fear it will spread to any country corner. Jessica Vaughn of the conservative Center for Immigration Studies told the Boston Herald Monday, "It's almost the biggest news out there, and it's the biggest story Joe Biden doesn't want us to notice." She spoke on the same day that House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and other Congress members paid a Texas border visit. Following increased crossing rates at the U.S.-Mexico border, including thousands of migrant children traveling without their parents, a 13-member Republican congressional delegation went to El Paso. Biden' Stance on Cuomo's Sexual Harassment Case McCarthy, R-Calif., said at a press conference that the current administration's presidential border policies triggered the situation. The same question was posed by Vaughn, who added that whether you liked or opposed Trump, his policies helped regulate the surge of immigrants at the southern border. "President Biden should be standing firm and restoring measures introduced by the Trump administration," she added, noting that forcing immigrants to stay in Mexico until their immigration appeal is settled was a positive first step. The lawmakers' comments came only two days after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas revealed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had been ordered to assist border authorities in securely processing and transferring migrant children who cross the border without their parents. According to the most recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics, border agents reported more than 100,000 border crossings in February, including 9,457 unaccompanied migrant children. Democrats Pressure Biden on Taxes in Infrastructure Bill @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. ADVERTISEMENT Unknown gunmen abducted staff of a construction firm, RCC and Polaris Bank at a quarry site in Ibadan on Monday, the police have said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gunmen invaded the quarry site along Ijebu-Ode/ Ibadan road and kidnapped Popoola Isaac and Ismail Adeoye, staff of the firm and bank respectively. The police spokesperson, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the abduction in a text message to NAN on Tuesday. Mr Fadeyi said that efforts were being intensified to secure the release of the victims and arrest the abductors. NAN reports that the incident occurred at Dalli Village (Binu Quarry) along Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road. The case was reported at the Idi Ayunre Police Station in Ibadan. (NAN) Editors Note: One of the victims abducted was initially reported to be a member of the RCCG. He is actually a RCC employee. We apologise for the error. Strictly following the Covid-induced guidelines can help control the pandemic, said Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa who was alarmed over rising of the Covid cases. "People should follow Covid-19 guidelines strictly. They should wear mask, maintain social distancing and hygiene," Yediyurappa told reporters here. Bengaluru accounts for over 50% of the state's caseload and has taken Covid tally to 4,11,439, with 6,107 positive cases, while recoveries rose to 4,00,812. For the second consecutive day, new cases crossed the 900-mark on Saturday with 934 registered after touching 921 on Friday across the southern state. As a result, the state's Covid tally shot up to 9,60,272, with 8,364 active cases, while 9,39,499 recovered till date, with 609 discharged in the last 24 hours. Bengaluru, which accounts for over 50 per cent of the state's caseload, has reported 628 fresh cases on Saturday, taking its Covid tally to 4,11,439, with 6,107 positive cases, while recoveries rose to 4,00,812 with 371 discharged during the day. The virus, however, claimed only three lives in Bengaluru on Sunday, taking the city's death toll to 4,519 till date, since the pandemic broke in the state on March 8, 2020. The Chief Minister has convened a meeting of officials and health experts at the secretariat on Monday to review the situation and take measures to contain the virus spread across the state, particularly in Bengaluru. The meeting will also chalk out strategies to step-up the vaccination drive to inoculate as many senior citizens, healthcare workers and frontline warriors to increase herd immunity across the state. The state government plans to regulate the entry of people from Maharashtra, which has been registering over 15,000 new cases a day, into the state through inter-state borders, in trains and flights. Besides banning late-night parties, the state health department has restricted large gatherings in public places, weddings, religious events and other functions to ensure social distancing and contain the pandemic. Source: IANS "Though there is no proposal to reinforce lockdown or curfew in the state, people should abide by the guidelines to prevent positive cases from rising further," he reiterated.For the second consecutive day, new cases crossed the 900-mark on Saturday with 934 registered after touching 921 on Friday across the southern state.As a result, the state's Covid tally shot up to 9,60,272, with 8,364 active cases, while 9,39,499 recovered till date, with 609 discharged in the last 24 hours.Bengaluru, which accounts for over 50 per cent of the state's caseload, has reported 628 fresh cases on Saturday, taking its Covid tally to 4,11,439, with 6,107 positive cases, while recoveries rose to 4,00,812 with 371 discharged during the day.The virus, however, claimed only three lives in Bengaluru on Sunday, taking the city's death toll to 4,519 till date, since the pandemic broke in the state on March 8, 2020.The Chief Minister has convened a meeting of officials and health experts at the secretariat on Monday to review the situation and take measures to contain the virus spread across the state, particularly in Bengaluru.The meeting will also chalk out strategies to step-up the vaccination drive to inoculate as many senior citizens, healthcare workers and frontline warriors to increase herd immunity across the state.The state government plans to regulate the entry of people from Maharashtra, which has been registering over 15,000 new cases a day, into the state through inter-state borders, in trains and flights.Besides banning late-night parties, the state health department has restricted large gatherings in public places, weddings, religious events and other functions to ensure social distancing and contain the pandemic.Source: IANS Noting that positive cases were surging since a week in the state, especially in Bengaluru, which is the epi-centre of the pandemic, the Chief Minister said people should cooperate with the government to avoid harsh measures such as curfew or lockdown to rein in the virus. Kathmandu, March 16 : A mountaineering expedition team consisting of Bahrain's Prince Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa arrived in Nepal to summit Mt Everest this spring season. Five months after climbing the 8,163m high Mt Manaslu in October 2020, a 16-member team consisting of Al Khalifa and other mountaineers arrived in Nepal on Monday evening, according to Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks, the company organising the expedition. "The expedition team comprising 13 Bahraini nationals and three British nationals will make (an) attempt to summit Mt Everest this spring," Sherpa told Xinhua news agency. "A chartered flight carrying the mountaineering team consisting of Bahraini Royal family members landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu 6.45 p.m.," a duty officer at TIA told Xinhua. Deo Chandra Lal Karna, spokesperson at the TIA, also confirmed the arrival of the team. After landing at the airport, the team had moved to a hotel where they will spend seven days in hotel quarantine as per the Nepal government's rule, according to Sherpa. The mostly same expedition team had climbed Mt Manaslu and Mt Lobuche, both in Nepal, as part of the preparation to summit Everest. According to Sherpa, his company has already initiated the process for obtaining climbing permits from the Department of Tourism. What a difference a year makes. Today sees the start of the four-day Cheltenham festival kicking off as the pinnacle of National Hunt racing gets under way. But in stark contrast to last years free-for-all, all 28 races will be run behind closed doors, with only 166 essential personnel making the trip over from Ireland. This year, we wont hear the Cheltenham roar from the stands for the start of the first race, nor will we witness any of the raucous banter from the 250,000 annual attendees. Instead, silence will prevail for the entire week, with the sprawling track in the Cotswolds resembling a ghost town. Yet this is surely a small price to pay to see the return of what ultimately became one of the biggest super-spreader events of 2020, leading to countless Cheltenham punters bringing home more than just a hangover. Read More Letting last years festival go ahead is now widely acknowledged as one of the British governments biggest failings, given that the World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic on day two of the event. Few will forget those images of punters packed into the stands while the rest of the world was closing down as the virus began to take hold. Questions were also asked of our own Government about the wisdom of letting up to 20,000 racing fans pour through Irelands airports and ferry ports and then head home to all corners of the country. But while we can expect to see a repeat of last years superb racing action, that is where the similarities will end as, off-track, it will be a completely closed shop. Strict Covid-19 regulations have been put in place by organisers. Everyone going to the Cotswolds event has to provide a negative PCR test 72 hours before travelling. Jockeys, classed as elite athletes, have to complete three tests. Around 18 Irish-based trainers will travel along with 30 Irish riders. Only essential staff have been allowed to travel, which means one trainer and their assistant, one groom and their jockey. An Irish zone has been created for the Irish travellers at the track to isolate them from their British counterparts, and the town of Cheltenham is out-of-bounds. In a far cry from the usual booze-fuelled scenes, no alcohol will be allowed on-site and everyone must stay and eat at the track. There will be separate entrances, stable yards and weigh rooms for the Irish jockeys as well as designated accommodation for trainers, jockeys and stable staff at the track. A spokesperson for Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) told the Irish Independent that the protocols are really rigorous and robust to ensure safe travel for those travelling. Along with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), the British Horseracing Authority and Cheltenham chiefs, they have spent weeks working on their safety protocols. Dr Jennifer Pugh, senior medical officer with the IHRB, has managed and overseen the protocols on behalf of Team Ireland. Travellers must do another PCR test 72 hours before travelling back and self-isolate upon their return home. A new charity link-up has also seen retired champion jockey AP McCoy named ambassador for the Jockey Clubs festival charity, WellChild, a local charity for seriously ill children. Several fundraisers will take place this week ahead of the re-named WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup. The artist from Belarus Victoria Valuk launched her personal world art tour show "Artifact" on the eve of spring! The start took place at the end of February, despite the coronavirus, epidemic, and the borders still closed for the most part! In this extraordinary art show, her paintings are and will be hidden in different parts of the world like a treasure. Whoever finds it will be able to keep the painting for himself/herself! Each of the artworks by Victoria Valuk in her show acquires the status of an artifact and a personal number. So, the first four artifacts were recently sealed in bottles and left in the hot Caribbean region from snowy Belarus! These are four wonderful pieces of art - oil on canvas, originals. Two of the bottles with artifact paintings set off on a sea voyage across the Caribbean, like the letters sent by pirates stuck on the island in the old days. Perhaps artifacts-paintings by Victoria Valuk will be found soon, and perhaps in a hundred years! Two more bottles with paintings by Victoria Valuk were hidden on the Caribbean Island of Saint-Martin, in the French overseas territories. This tropical island itself is divided into two parts, which are owned by France and the Netherlands, but now the French side is more fortunate. Now collectors and art hunters have a chance to get a unique piece for their collection if they are lucky enough to find a bottle with a painting in the sea or on the shore. The goal of my solo art tour show Artifact is to draw people's attention to art, to bring joy into their lives, to raise their mood and add vitality, says Vitoria Valuk. This is really important! After all, here and there all over the world, we see protests and upheavals. People experience emotional stress from the period with lockdowns and from other events taking place in the modern world. This great art show will continue and the artwork of Victoria Valuk will appear in other parts of the world. In which particular country her next artifact will be hidden is still a secret! Victoria Valuk is an artist from Europe. Lives and works in Belarus, in the city of Minsk. She is engaged in painting a lot and with great diligence, experiments, and works mainly with oil. She has more than 40 exhibitions, including both solo and group exhibitions in different countries. Last year Victoria Valuk represented Belarus at the prestigious international exhibition of 100 women - 100 paintings - 100 countries Art connects women in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She took part in the international festival "Art-Minsk", and also took part in the international exhibition "Present" at the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve in the city of Nesvizh, Belarus. For the first time ever Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) launches a virtual Go Fishing Week 2021, a national celebration of fishing with a programme of online events taking place. Running from Sunday, April 25 to Monday, May 3, Go Fishing Week provides an opportunity to connect with people virtually across the country to encourage them to try fishing by making information accessible to all. The programme of events will spread awareness of a series of themes during the course of the week including sustainability, protecting habitats and wellbeing benefits. CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland, Donegal man, Francis ODonnell, said this year Go Fishing Week aims to encourage people to learn more about angling while also having important conversations around sustainable fishing, climate change and the cultural significance of the inland waters here in Ireland. "We are delighted this year to be able to bring our events into a virtual capacity and make them accessible to everyone by doing so. "From webinars, podcasts and videos to virtual competitions we hope that people of all ages will get involved and join us in celebrating Go Fishing Week 2021," he said. Events Go Fishing Week 2021 events will take place online and are free to join, but registration may be required. A sample of the Go Fishing Week 2021 events taking place and available to join online are: Specimen Fish - Join the Irish Specimen Fish Committee in a webinar to learn all about specimen fish and the records of Irish specimen fish. The webinar will take place on Sunday, April 25. Free a Flounder - Watch a video to show you how to safely remove a hook from a flounder and release it back into the water. Safety on the water - Join a webinar on all things around how to be safe around water especially as we come into the peak angling season and raise awareness of safety among all the new anglers we have met recently. As part of the event Inland Fisheries Ireland will be running a video competition Why I love to fish. The competition is an initiative to get more people to spread the word about fishing by sharing a short video clip of their fishing adventures online and telling the world what angling means to them. To learn more about what is happening and how you can get involved, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie/gofishingweek. Details will also be posted in the run up to the week on Inland Fisheries Ireland Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/inlandfisheriesireland and Twitter: https://twitter.com/InlandFisherIE. This is the hilarious moment the most inappropriately-named pitbull terrier in the world was bullied by a kitten who moved into his dog basket. Odin, the pitbull cross, was filmed at his home in Terrace, British Columbia trying to squeeze into the cat's tiny basket. In Norse mythology, Odin is the god of war, but his four-legged namesake is clearly desperate to avoid conflict. Odin, the three-and-a-half-year-old pitbull cross from British Columbia, is filmed trying to settle into a kitty basket which a far too small for his large frame The large dog, named after the one-eyed Viking god of war, was unwilling to challenge a kitten The small black and white cat was not worried about the dog's discomfort, spending its time grooming itself in Odin's basket During the 20-second clip, the large dog is shown trying to settle in the small kitty basket. In the footage, his owner asks: 'Odin, what are you doing? Why are you standing in the kitty bed, is it because the kitty is in your bed? The owner pans to the far side of the room where a small black and white cat can be seen curled up in the dogs larger basket. The cat appears to be grooming itself. In an expression of sympathy, his owner exclaims: Oh buddy. Odin then gazes straight towards his owner with a look of resignation. According to the owner, who does not wish to be identified: 'Odin the 3.5 year old rescue pitbull mix is too scared to kick kitten out of his bed and instead decides to sit in the kittens tiny bed. Then looks up at his mom with a sad "help mom face.' 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. Two events to mark World Cannabis Day THAILAND: Two cannabis-related forums are set to be hosted in Thailand next month, as the country seeks to promote the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes to the public. agriculturehealthnatural-resources By Bangkok Post Tuesday 16 March 2021, 09:26AM A presenter shows off dried anchovy and fermented fish sauce products that use cannabis as an ingredient at a press conference at an event to mark World Cannabis Day and the 420 days that have passed since medical cannabis use was legalised in the country. Photo: Apichart Jinakul. The first major event will be held in Bangkoks Carlton Hotel on April 19-20 to mark World Cannabis Day. The event, which will be free, is expected to draw large crowds, with more than 50 participating vendors showcasing a variety of cannabis-based products, including food and drink. Jacky Ong, the president of Cannabis Investment Summit World (CISW) International, said the event would be a watershed moment for the cannabis use and trade both in Thailand and the wider Asian region. Thailand is ready to be a cannabis hub in Asia, as the regulations relating to legalisation have already been amended, he said. He added that the events dates were chosen to coincide with the 420th day since medical cannabis was legalised in Thailand a reference to 420, a number often associated with the cannabis counterculture that began in the United States. Another cannabis-related event that will take place next month is the 2021 International Medical Cannabis Association Conference, which will be held in Chiang Mai on April 16-18. The event will be attended by both medical experts and growers from 22 countries with a burgeoning medical marijuana industry. The public interest garnered by the events reflected the growing interest in cannabis in Thailand. According to Alexander K Lindgren, a medical tourism consultant for Thann Global Travel, said the tourism industry will also benefit from the governments decision to promote the use of medical marijuana. Thailand is known to be one of the worlds best sources of cannabis strains, in addition to its reputation for wellness and healthcare tourism. Combining the two together will attract many tourists from all over the globe, including China, Europe and the United States, he said. An adviser to the Association of Domestic Travel, Komsarn Wijitwikrom, agreed with Mr Lindgren, saying the move to legalise parts of the cannabis plant would allow future generations to learn and benefit from the crop, which could potentially translate into higher incomes in farming communities. We are on the right track now. We have a cash crop on our hands, so now we have to know how to market it, he said. While the use of bark, branches, leaves and roots of the cannabis plant has been legalised by the Food and Drug Administration, the flowers which contains most of the plants psychoactive ingredients remain classified as a narcotic. This lack of full disclosure only fuels public suspicion that somebody wants to protect someone from something. More than two years after the incident, and with public money ours being spent on resources dissecting this case, the public still has a right to see Webbs findings. Keeping it under wraps only feeds the perception that Cook County has different standards of justice for different defendants. TAIPEI, Taiwan and NAIROBI, Kenya , March 16, 2021(6734.TWO) iXensor, the pioneer of mobile health, partners with Ilara Health, the health-tech company, to solve the lack of affordable medical testing for non-communicable diseases in Kenya's primary care settings by providing integrated point-of-care diagnostics to more than a hundred of small clinics. "There is an acute need in Kenya and across the continent for early detection of metabolic diseases. With iXensor's PixoTest, our partner facilities can do this. The PixoTest POCT System is affordable, portable, and its data integration feature allows us to use it for remote patient management, ensuring that patients can receive the highest quality of care when managing their conditions," said Mr. Emilian Popa, the CEO of Ilara Health. More than 70% of the patients seeking medical care from small clinics require testing, and they are usually referred to larger centralized clinical centers. However, the time and cost of visiting large medical centers are enormous barriers to the majority. By connecting iXensor's palm-size PixoTest diagnostics to Ilara Health's Mbali Health platform, the two startups provide rapid blood testing and digital communication services to patients directly through clinics. Dr. Mwihurih Githinji commented, "Because of lifestyle changes, NCDs are becoming bigger healthcare burdens with diabetes and hypertension taking the lead. If I am able to identify diabetes or pre-diabetics earlier, then the management will be much faster." Dr. Carson Chen, the CEO of iXensor addressed that "Being able to communicate the blood test results directly through patients' mobile phones is a great benefit we are empowering the healthcare professionals on the front line. Together with Ilara Health, we will continue to expand the access to timely and quality medical testing for more patients in need of better care." About iXensor iXensor, the pioneer of mobile health, turns smartphones into lab-grade mobile medical diagnostics. In 2017, iXensor introduced the PixoTest Blood Glucose Monitoring System as the world's first US FDA-approved smartphone camera-based blood test. Based on the PixoTech platform, iXensor has ventured into at-home self-testing and clinical diagnostics across infectious diseases, women's health, and cardiovascular diseases. Media Contact Spokesperson: Patrick Liao Company Website: www.ixensor.com Email: pr@ixensor.com Phone: +886-2-8751-1335 ext.205 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d7fd3198-7a7b-4a9c-88eb-f3e27dd94060 Washington, March 16 : The US Department of Justice announced that two men have been arrested and charged for assaulting police officers, one of whom died, during the January 6 Capitol riots. Julian Elie Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, of West Virginia, were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Sunday over allegations that they worked together to spray police with chemical weapon during the riot, Xinhua news agency quoted the Department as saying on Monday in a statement. One of the officers they attacked, Brian Sicknick, died the following day. The two men were charged with nine counts, several of them relating to violence and assaulting officers, according to the Department's statement. The charges were laid on the defendants based on a criminal complaint filed by the FBI in the D.C. District Court earlier this month saying that "Officers Sicknick, Edwards and Chapman, who are standing within a few feet of Khater, all react, one by one, to something striking them in the face. The officers immediately retreat from the line, bring their hands to their faces and rush to find water to wash out their eyes". The FBI document contained detailed descriptions, aided by photos captured by police's body-worn camera, of Khater and Tanios's words and conducts on January 6 while they were on the Capitol Hill, joining a mob of then President Donald Trump's supporters in ransacking the building to obstruct Congress confirmation of the 2020 election results. It's yet to be determined whether Sicknick, who the Capitol Police said "returned to his division office and collapsed" on January 7 after engaging with the rioters a day earlier, died from the chemical spray attack. Besides Sicknick, four other people were also killed as a result of the violence. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Bhopal, March 16 : Despite being out of power in Madhya Pradesh, there are enough indications that the Congress is once again witnessing an internal discord. This was evident while giving party membership to Hindu Mahasabha leader Babulal Chaurasia. This decision by the party did not go down well with senior party leader Manak Agarwal, who attacked the party for which he has been expelled for six years. The identity of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh has always been known for factionalism, but the situation changed after the party handed over the leadership to Kamal Nath before the state Assembly elections and this was the reason it won the 2018 Assembly elections. In a span of just 15 months, the situation within the Congress deteriorated and the Kamal Nath government collapsed because former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia rebelled and joined the BJP along with 22 former Congress MLAs. After being out of power, the Congress has been continuously strengthening its presence at the ground level. Meanwhile, the voices of dissent have started rising after Babulal Chaurasia was inducted into the party. Senior party leader and former Union Minister Arun Yadav, former MP from Mandsaur Meenakshi Natarajan, MLA from Chachoura constituency, Laxman Singh, former minister Subhash Kumar Sojatia, and several other party leaders questioned Chaurasia's inclusion in the party. Everybody in the party opposed the entry of Babulal Chaurasia into the Congress. Manak Agarwal, former Congress Media Cell President and close aide of former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, launched a direct attack on Kamal Nath. The matter went to the party's Disciplinary Committee and Agarwal was expelled from the party for six years. Political analysts believe that by taking action against Manak Agarwal, the party has given a clear message to those leaders who raise questions and has also instructed them to remain within the ambit of discipline. It won't be surprising if this decision deepens the discontent within the party since Agarwal is said to be close to Digvijaya Singh. In such a situation, Digvijaya Singh's supporters and Kamal Nath supporters may even confront each other. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra has taken a dig at Manak Aggarwal's expulsion from the party and said, "Action was taken against Congress leader Manak Aggarwal for inducting a Nathuram Godse supporter in the party making him 'irrelevant'. The party did not even dare to say anything against Arun Yadav who was also against inducting the Godse supporter in the party. It seems that Congress is accepting pro-Godse supporters in its fold." Many party leaders believe that Manak Agarwal had directly attacked Kamal Nath which should have been avoided while the party should have asked for his clarification before taking action against him. This action has sent across the message that the party has taken a unilateral decision. This situation is not good for the party as the elections for the municipal bodies and panchayats are going to be held in the coming days. This will only increase the split within the party. The Siena poll was conducted throughout last week, with a vast majority of interviews taking place before many high-profile politicians in the state called on Cuomo to resign, including nearly the entire New York delegation in Congress. And late last week the State Assembly opened an impeachment investigation focused on Cuomos actions toward women. That investigation could turn up more damaging claims against him and it is possible that more allegations could trickle out in news reports, as they have over the past two weeks, putting even greater pressure on the governor to step aside. But its clear from the poll that many New York voters dont think his actions warrant booting him from office at least not yet. Cuomos pandemic capital Don Levy, the director of polling at Siena, said in an interview that the durability of Cuomos support appeared to be driven largely by his very public role guiding the state through the coronavirus pandemic and now that vaccines are being widely distributed, he may be reaping rewards. Levy cited the good will and capital that he built up with months of daily appearances, press conferences, PowerPoints, and pointed to a finding in the poll that 65 percent of New York voters said the worst of the pandemic was now behind us the first time a majority have said this in a Siena survey. You have to surmise that a sizable number of New Yorkers credit Andrew Cuomo with getting us to this point, Levy said. Of course, his handling of the pandemic has not been without hiccups. Last month, Cuomo publicly accepted responsibility for his role in suppressing the official count of Covid-19-related deaths in New Yorks nursing homes. Asked about a range of issues related to the pandemic, voters gave the governor positive marks on how he had handled all except one: publishing all data regarding Covid-related deaths in nursing homes. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The French Bulldog continues to hold Chicago's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in New York City, Atlanta, and Dallas. Compared to its 2019 rankings, the windy city continues to remain loyal to the same top five breeds. But there seems to be some shifting occurring within the top 10 most popular breeds. The Bernese Mountain Dog secured 10th place last year, but dropped to the 21st spot, and was replaced by the Dachshund this year. "The loveable Frenchie took Chicago's top spot again, but I think a top contender to look at is the Boston Terrier." said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "This non-sporting breed was in 12th place last year, but this year it came in as the 9th most popular breed, giving it some potential to move up in the ranks." Chicago's top 5 breeds for 2020: French Bulldogs Golden Retrievers Labrador Retrievers German Shepherd Dogs Bulldogs * Registration data pulled from Chicago's zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ English Estonian AS LHV Group confirmed a plan to place an investment of 4.455 million in the UK financial undertaking B-North and acquire a share of 9.9% in the company. Prerequisites for the transaction include completing the necessary investment round by the company and granting of a licence from the UK Prudential Regulatory Authority. Commercial and Northern Ltd, currently bearing the business name B-North is a Manchester based tech-enabled financial company, currently in the process of applying for a full UK banking licence from the UK Prudential Regulatory Authority and Financial Conduct Authority to start providing financing to regional SMEs. With an experienced team and high growth ambitions the company has a strong readiness to commence business activities, and aims to disrupt the 150 billion UK SME lending market. The mission of LHV is a better access to financial services and capital; the United Kingdom is one of the home markets for LHV, where the company is seeking growth opportunities. One can see clear parallels between plans of B-North and the journey of LHV bank so far. This provides LHV with the opportunity to contribute to fulfilling B-Norths ambitions, applying the experience of building a bank while gaining insight to the UK credit market. B-Norths plan to provide necessary credit to small and medium-sized enterprises more efficiently than competitors, combining the best technological solutions with relationship banking is a business of great growth potential, as proven by LHV. Existing investors in B-North include Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Channel 4 Ventures. Together with LHV Group, B-North is taking in capital from other investors, including pension funds managed by LHV Varahaldus. B-North is planning on completing its investment round in Q2 of 2021, after which the licensing process of the UK Regulators would have to be concluded. The exact detail of the investment and its impact on LHV's financial plan will be disclosed by the company after the conditions of the transaction have been met. B-North is a challenger that is being developed to serve the UK business lending market. Founded in 2018, B-North is in the process of applying for its banking licence. The team is taking its deep insight into the market for lending to UK businesses and using this to place the customer right at the heart of its business model. The result will be flexible, fast-paced and borrower-friendly. https://b-north.co.uk/. LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Groups key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, and LHV Kindlustus. LHV employs over 540 people. LHVs banking services are used by 269,000 clients, and pension funds managed by LHV have 179,000 active clients. LHVs UK branch offers banking infrastructure to 140 international financial services companies, via which LHVs payment services reach clients around the world. Priit Rum LHV Communication Manager Phone: +372 502 0786 Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee Kathmandu, March 16 : In a bid to pressurise the Nepal government to roll out its Covid vaccine, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has announced it will provide visas to only those who have been fully vaccinated with China-made Covid-19 vaccines. In order to resume personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries in an orderly manner, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal will provide facilitation to visa applicants who have been fully vaccinated with China-made Covid-19 vaccines and issued vaccination certificates, a notice issued by the Chinese mission read. Though the Nepal government granted approval for emergency use of the vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm on February 18, the lack of proper documentation of its trial results and logistic issues has prevented its rollout for larger public use. Some government officials told IANS that the Chinese move could be pressure on Nepal to roll out the Chinese vaccines as Nepal has only being using Covishield vaccine manufactured by India's Serum Institute. The Nepal government has not officially responded to the Chinese decision yet. Earlier too, Chinese officials made attempts to push for wider use of its Covid vaccine in Nepal but Nepali officials have been reluctant in absence of proper documentation and logistic issues, such as Nepal needing to bring the vaccine from China at its own expense. If they say they are gifting us, they have to hand it over to us here like Indians did, a senior Health Ministry official told IANS, but stressed that there is no prejudice over the Chinese vaccine. Nepal so far has received 2,348,000 doses of vaccines - 1,000,000 doses under grant assistance from India, 1,000,000 doses of the 2,000,000 doses that the government has bought from the Serum Institute of India, and 348,000 doses under the Covax facility. After India's announcement, China later announced that it will provide 300,000 Covid vaccines to Nepal as a grant. Later China added another 200,000 shots of vaccines to Nepal under the grant scheme on February 6 which was announced during a telephonic conversation between Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali and Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Yi. On March 2, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi announced that China will provide 800,000 doses of Covid vaccine up from half a million promised earlier. The gift is to support Nepal's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Hou said in a Twitter post. "Let us join hands to achieve the victory at an early date!" she said. As of Tuesday, over 1.6 million people have been administered the Covid vaccine in Nepal. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Credit: CC0 Public Domain In the past few years, several medications have been found to be contaminated with NDMA, a probable carcinogen. This chemical, which has also been found at Superfund sites and in some cases has spread to drinking water supplies, causes DNA damage that can lead to cancer. MIT researchers have now discovered a mechanism that helps explain whether this damage will lead to cancer in mice: The key is the way cellular DNA repair systems respond. The team found that too little activity of one enzyme necessary for DNA repair leads to much higher cancer rates, while too much activity can produce tissue damage, especially in the liver, which can be fatal. Activity levels of this enzyme, called AAG, can vary greatly among different people, and measuring those levels could allow doctors to predict how people might respond to NDMA exposure, says Bevin Engelward, a professor of biological engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study. "It may be that people who are low in this enzyme are more prone to cancer from environmental exposures," she says. MIT postdoc Jennifer Kay is the lead author of the new study, which appears today in Cell Reports. Potential hazards For several years, Engelward's lab, in collaboration with MIT Professor Leona Samson's lab, has been working on a research project, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, to study the effects of exposure to NDMA. This chemical is found in Superfund sites including the contaminated Olin Chemical site in Wilmington, Massachusetts. In the early 2000s, municipal water wells near the site had to be shut down because the groundwater was contaminated with NDMA and other hazardous chemicals. More recently, it was discovered that several types of medicine, including Zantac and drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, had been contaminated with NDMA. This chemical causes specific types of DNA damage, one of which is a lesion of adenine, one of the bases found in DNA. These lesions are repaired by AAG, which snips out the damaged bases so that other enzymes can cleave the DNA backbone, enabling DNA polymerases to replace them with new ones. If AAG activity is very high and the polymerases (or other downstream enzymes) can't keep up with the repair, then the DNA may end up with too many unrepaired strand breaks, which can be fatal to the cell. However, if AAG activity is too low, damaged adenines persist and can be read incorrectly by the polymerase, causing the wrong base to be paired with it. Incorrect insertion of a new base produces a mutation, and accumulated mutations are known to cause cancer. In the new study, the MIT team studied mice with high levels of AAGsix times the normal amountand mice with AAG knocked out. After exposure to NDMA, the mice with no AAG had many more mutations and higher rates of cancer in the liver, where NDMA has its greatest effect. Mice with sixfold levels of AAG had fewer mutations and lower cancer rates, at first glance appearing to be beneficial. However, in those mice, the researchers found a great deal of tissue damage and cell death in the liver. Mice with normal amounts of AAG ("wild-type" mice) showed some mutations after NDMA exposure but overall were much better protected against both cancer and liver damage. "Nature did a really good job establishing the optimal levels of AAG, at least for our animal model," Engelward says. "What is striking is that the levels of one gene out of 23,000 dictates disease outcome, yielding opposite effects depending on low or high expression." If too low, there are too many mutations; if too high, there is too much cell death. Varying responses In humans, there is a great deal of variation in AAG levels between different people: Studies have found that some people can have up to 20 times more AAG activity than others. This suggests that people may respond very differently to damage caused by NDMA, Kay says. Measuring those levels could potentially allow doctors to predict how people may respond to NDMA exposure in the environment or in contaminated medicines, she says. The researchers next plan to study the effects of chronic, low-level exposure to NDMA in mice, which they hope will shed light on how such exposures might affect humans. "That's one of the top priorities for us, to figure out what happens in a real world, everyday exposure scenario," Kay says. Another population for which measuring AAG levels could be useful is cancer patients who take temozolomide, a chemotherapy drug that causes the same kind of DNA damage as NDMA. It's possible that people with high levels of AAG could experience more severe toxic side effects from taking the drug, while people with lower levels of AAG could be susceptible to mutations that might lead to a recurrence of cancer later in life, Kay says, adding that more studies are needed to investigate these potential outcomes. Explore further How some drugs can turn into a cancer-causing chemical in the body Those who have followed the winter test in Bahrain over the last few days will have noticed that there has been relatively little talk about Ferrari. That in itself is a good sign, because it means that it wasn't disastrously bad, but so far the team hasn't been able to impress either. The F1TV experts who were watching around the track did say that the Ferrari looked a bit unsettled. This was also evident from the problems Carlos Sainz had with the car. After Lewis Hamilton he was the driver who probably ended up on the side of the track the most. Better atmosphere at Ferrari Although top speed is no longer a concern, according to Mattia Binotto, and the atmosphere within the team has improved significantly, he cannot yet say that all problems have now been solved. The following quote on Racer.com indicates that the Italian is already mentally preparing himself for a disappointment. Read more Marquez back on bike much sooner than expected and might be at Qatar "We are now at the start of a new season, you have got a different car, youve got new hope, so its normal that now the atmosphere is certainly better. But we know it will be a long season, 23 races; it may be very difficult again so I think we need to be prepared, be focused on what is our objective which is long-term and then not forget it, Binotto said. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase 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. 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. Protesters hold placards and shout slogans during a rally against a proposed extradition bill that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China, in Hong Kong on Jun. 9, 2019. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) Xi Jinpings Patriots Ruling Hong Kong Replaces Deng Xiaopings Hong Kong Policy Commentary A former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Deng Xiaopings principle of Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong is rapidly being replaced by current head of the CCP Xi Jinpings principle, patriots ruling Hong Kong. Of course, patriots, in this case, refers to people who hold allegiance to the CCP. On March 4, the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Wang Yang, chairman of CPPCC, delivered a work report at the meeting. He said that, on the issue of Hong Kong and Taiwan, Beijing firmly supports the full implementation of the principle of patriots ruling Hong Kong. People who are concerned about Hong Kong must have noticed that Wang Yang only emphasized patriots ruling Hong Kong and that there is no mention, in his work report, of the one country, two systems principle. Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong, and a high degree of autonomy, were principles of governing Hong Kong formulated by Deng Xiaoping before Hong Kong was handed back to CCP rule in 1997. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the CCP said in his speech, On January 27, when listening to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lams [Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor] report of her duties in 2020, Chairman Xi Jinping stressed that the significant turnaround from chaos to governance in Hong Kong has once again demonstrated a profound truth, and that is, to ensure that the practice of one country, two systems is stable and far-reaching, we must always adhere to the principle of patriots ruling Hong Kong. As a Voice of America report analyzed, the CCPs approach to Hong Kong has gradually changed since Xi took power, especially since the anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong. First, it emphasized the importance of one country over two systems in the expression one country, two systems. Later it omitted a high degree of autonomy. Now, Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong has been replaced by patriots ruling Hong Kong. After these three steps, Dengs promise of leaving Hong Kongs policy unchanged for 50 years has been changed. Hong Kong is now in reality governed by Beijing during Xis reign. The policy of Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong allowed Hong Kong citizens to take a place in Hong Kongs legislative and executive decision-making processes. However, the policy, patriots ruling Hong Kong excludes Hong Kong citizens from these processes altogether. In this way, with a change in phrasing, Hong Kongs legislature and administration will be completely monopolized by the CCPs agents, and the result will be the complete death of one country, two systems. Looking back on history, the CCPs commitment to this Hong Kong issue is still ringing in the ears. The CCP has failed to abide by its international commitments in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. In January 1990, Deng Xiaoping met with a wealthy Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing, and when talking about Hong Kongs one country, two systems, Deng said, [What] wont change, cant possibly change. Its not meant that there is no change for the short term. It wont change in the long term. That is to say, it wont change for the coming 50 years. There wont be any reason for changes after 50 years. It has been only 24 years since Hong Kong was handed over to CCP rule, not yet even half of the term of the 50-year Joint Declaration. The CCPs policy of governing Hong Kong has already changed from Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong to patriots ruling Hong Kong, proving once again that the CCP is purely a rogue party that does not keep its word and has no integrity! Author: Yuan Bin is a freelance writer and independent scholar on contemporary China issues. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A police union boss in Richmond has made his bid to unseat the longtime sheriff of Contra Costa County, days after a high-profile shooting by a sheriffs employee in Danville. Benjamin Therriault, 38, is no outsider California law requires that sheriff candidates have law enforcement certification. He has done police work for years, having served in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces before joining the Richmond Police Department in 2009. But he is running on a reform platform for the June 2022 election, emphasizing transparency and more robust communication with residents. He described the sheriffs office as a position that people need to see, identify with and understand, and have someone be present all the time and engaged with the community. And I just dont see that currently. For Therriault, this message of engagement is more a credo than a slogan. In 2011 he moved into the Richmond Village Apartments, a low-income housing complex on South 26th Street and Cutting Boulevard, which at the time was plagued by violent crime, Therriault said. He lived there rent-free as part of a Police-in-Properties program run by the Richmond Housing Authority, but has since moved to Martinez gang members had started surveilling his home, he said, and he worried for the safety of his 6-year-old daughter. Such housing choices brought Therriault publicity before he entered politics, with a slew of newspaper articles in 2014. Two years later he was elected president of the Police Officers Association. Hes since cultivated a profile that sharply contrasts with the incumbent, Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston, who won his first term in 2010 and then ran unopposed in 2014 and 2018. Livingston lives in the small Tri-Valley town of Danville, and is reticent with the news media. He drew criticism for contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold immigrant detainees in the West County Detention Facility in Richmond a contract that Livingston canceled in 2018. Later that year, the sheriff defended Andrew Hall, the Danville police officer who shot and killed Laudemer Arboleda, an unarmed man experiencing a mental health crisis. Hall shot and critically injured 32-year-old Tyrell Wilson on March 11, drawing renewed scrutiny toward the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office, which contracts with Danville to provide police services. Therriault declined to comment on either of the two shootings. The incident involving Wilson is under investigation. While its unusual for anyone to challenge an incumbent for Contra Costas top law enforcement seat, skeptics warn that Therriault is still part of the establishment. State Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, is pressing a bill to allow any registered voter to run for sheriff, which could open the door for a civilian to enter the Contra Costa race in 2022. On the other side, Therriault faces a powerful sheriff with longstanding institutional ties. Livingston has strong and widespread support, said Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, whose district spreads through the center of the county and includes Clayton, Concord, Pleasant Hill, parts of Walnut Creek and unincorporated areas. Mitchoff began her civil service career in 1981, working as an executive secretary for former sheriff Richard Rainey. Elections for Contra Costa County sheriff are seldom competitive, Mitchoff said, adding that she could not remember a past instance of a challenger beating an incumbent. She has endorsed Livingston three times. Livingston, meanwhile, told The Chronicle that he is not thinking about the race at this point. The election is over a year away, he said through a spokesperson. There will be plenty of time for politics later. I choose to spend my time and energy laser focused on one issue: keeping Contra Costa families safe. Traditionally, Contra Costa sheriffs have always been white men, which makes Therriault stand out. He is Native American and was raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. That doesnt mean hes an advocate for people of color who experience police violence, said Antioch City Council member Tamisha Torres-Walker, who grew up in Richmond and runs a nonprofit for formerly incarcerated people. In the past he has not shown up for the community or police accountability, Torres-Walker said. She noticed a softening of Therriaults tone earlier this year, when he joined Richmonds Reimagining Public Safety Community Task Force to discuss possible reforms after the death of George Floyd. Sitting in the task force meetings, Therriault appears more forthcoming with information and willing to have conversations about how we can make the job of law enforcement better, Torres-Walker said. She added, Its a fairly new position for him. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan A Byron Bay couple who claim to have potty trained their daughter when she was two weeks old have revealed the challenges they have faced and how far she has come in the first year of her life. Montana Lower and her partner Tom Linwood say they trained their daughter Blue using 'elimination communication', a method that involves looking for 'signs' a baby needs to go to the toilet and then taking them to the bathroom, without using a nappy. The NSW parents say the experiment has been so successful that their 15-month-old - who they claim hasn't done a number two in her nappy since she was two weeks old - now walks herself to the bathroom and knocks before opening the door. In a recent Instagram post, mum Montana updated her 213,000 followers on Blue's progress, admitting it has been 'by no means a linear journey'. Scroll down for video Byron Bay couple Montana Lower and Tom Linwood (left) almost completely toilet trained their daughter Blue using 'elimination communication' - and say the 15-month-old now walks herself to the bathroom and knocks before opening the door Montana (pictured with Blue in 2020) hopes the experimental training will help her daughter to be comfortable in her own skin What is elimination communication? Elimination communication is a gentle way to respond to a baby's natural hygiene needs, from as early as birth. Like all mammals, human babies don't want to soil themselves, their sleep space, and their caregivers, and they clearly communicate about it from birth. With EC, we learn the signals and assist them with this process until they naturally gain independence (usually by nine to 18 months of age). Source: Go Diaper Free Advertisement While the first six months were relatively straightforward, the mother-of-one said things got harder when Blue began to crawl. 'Months 0 to six were really easy for us as she was what I refer to as a baby potato and her signs were really obvious,' Montana wrote in the caption. 'At six months old she started to crawl and papa had a knee reconstruction leaving him bedridden. Being a working mama and still pretty fresh postpartum I didn't have the energy to focus on her potty time.' As a result, Montana said they 'momentarily switched' to 'eco-friendly' disposable nappies, but quickly noticed that Blue's progress had slowed. She said they returned to elimination communication once Tom was back on his feet, continuing to enjoy great success until Blue's first birthday when she started to walk, a development that led to a 'whole new world of discovery and distraction'. 'We had more misses for a month or so until things leveled out again,' Montana wrote. While the family was out for dinner in February, Montana said she watched on with pride as Blue stood up out of her seat, walked 40 metres to the bathroom and knocked on the door. While the first six months were relatively straightforward, Montana said things got harder when Blue began to crawl In a recent Instagram post, Montana updated her 213,000 followers on Blue's progress, admitting it has been 'by no means a linear journey' 'I opened the door for her, she pointed at the toilet and she went. We've been using undies for the past couple of weeks and now it feels like a big sign to trust ourselves and our babe,' she wrote. 'And that's what I've loved about this whole journey - it's just been her showing us the way and us remembering to make space for that.' Montana said she hopes that sharing Blue's journey will make elimination communication and other non-mainstream training techniques more relatable for other parents. While the family was out for dinner in February, Montana said she watched on with pride as Blue (pictured with Tom) stood up, walked 40 metres to the bathroom and knocked on the door Montana and Tom (pictured in 2021) hope that sharing Blue's journey will make elimination communication and other non-mainstream training techniques more relatable for other parents In August, Montana and Tom shared their story in a video on their YouTube channel On The Way, describing how elimination communication works and why it has been such a positive experience for their family. While Montana was initially skeptical of the practice and the accidents that would ensue, she believes this mindset came from not being exposed to it in Western countries. 'But it is practiced all over the world. It's a lot cleaner if you just take them to the toilet,' she said. The couple believe it's empowering for their child to know they are being heard and their needs are being met, which is a 'beautiful theme that leads to connection'. While Montana (pictured with a newborn Blue) was initially skeptical of the practice and the accidents that would ensue, she believes this mindset came from not being exposed to it in Western countries 'It's also a positive association for Blue and her private areas. Many women can feel disassociation and shame when it comes to their genitals and we just want Blue to feel like this is a natural thing, going to the toilet,' Montana said. She said Blue began by making different faces or even yelling if she needed to go, while some children shake their fist, grunt, squirm or frown. Montana and Tom recommend starting the training in summer when your baby can wear a dress or loose clothing, making potential 'accidents' easier to clean up. They also suggest setting one full day aside to begin the child's association with number one, twos and the toilet, as well as investing in a potty for the back of the car when you're out and about. Blue (pictured with Tom in 2020) began by making different faces or even yelling if she needed to go, while some children shake their fist, grunt, squirm or frown 'The most common question we get is do you have to be stay-at-home parents. Ideally it does work better if someone is home all the time and committed to this practice,' Montana said. Towards the end of the video Tom demonstrated how he holds Blue over the potty so she feels safe and comfortable, in a position that looks like a squat. 'When we take Blue to the toilet we use word association to actually reinforce what we're doing. We use "sheshe" for doing a wee and "poopoo" for doing a number two,' he said. While it's not a method that every family will feel confident adopting, Tom and Montana recommend 'giving it a go' if you've got the time. MONTANA AND TOM'S TIPS TO GET STARTED: Montana holding Blue over the potty while she 'eliminates' 1. It's much easier to start EC in summer so you can put your baby in dresses or clothing that doesn't take a long time to remove on the bottom half. 2. Get yourself a potty. It's good to put in the boot of the car for when you're out and about. You can pull over at any time and put the baby on the toilet. 3. Set aside one day to just learn with your child. Blue took one day to realise she needed to use the potty and after that it was up to us to read the signs. 4. Involve friends and family if you want to. It can be a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Advertisement Edwina O'Connell, who runs elimination communication workshops on the Gold Coast and across northern New South Wales, told the ABC she had seen an increase in interest since the pandemic began. 'It's definitely gaining in popularity, some people are saying "we're in lockdown, let's do this",' she said. Edwina was also skeptical before trying the method with her two children, but found it worked when both parties are understanding each other. 'I'm not an "Earth mother" or anything, and I was working four days a week when I first did it,' she said. "This is the opposite of regimented potty training and there are so many benefits: you stop changing nappies, you're not dragging around a nappy bag, you're saving money not buying nappies, and you have a really good connection with your child as well.' NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / An independent survey performed in the United States asked over 1,000 women what is the newest and useful addition to their beauty routine. The results revealed that Face Yoga ranked as the number one recent beauty practice, with the goal of reversing the effects of aging on the face. When someone wants to tighten and tone their body, it's natural to turn to yoga. Why should tightening and toning the face be any different? That's the question millions of beauty-conscious individuals are asking around the world, with the unique facial exercise programs of Face Yoga providing the ground-breaking answer. There are no difficult poses, no need to buy expensive yoga pants, no need to leave home at all. Put simply, the aim of Face Yoga is simply movement. With improved blood circulation, assisted by manual facial exercises, tired and sagging skin becomes tightened and toned, countering the effects of stress and age. As an alternative anti-aging beauty treatment, Face Yoga doesn't require painful injections, expensive over-the-counter creams, or even expensive private classes. In fact, this revolutionary skincare and beauty regime can, and is, performed at home. Using controlled programs, like those through FaceYoga.com, to target the 42 muscles of the face, Face Yoga is growing in popularity due to the COVID-safe protocols of each session. All that's needed is a face, spare time, and a willingness to follow a set Face Yoga routine targeting problem areas and trouble spots. More than a fleeting fad, dermatologists agree there is truth in the claims of this non-invasive beauty routine to minimize stress lines and smooth wrinkles. "The goal of face yoga is to increase the blood and oxygen supply to your skin, which improves the life of the cell," explains Deborah Longwill, a board-certified dermatologist at Miami Center for Dermatology. Relieving the constant pressure of expensive skincare treatments during the economic challenges of 2020/21, and reducing the need to travel to beauty appointments during a time when social mobility has been restricted, Face Yoga is part of the non-surgical skincare and beauty treatment wave embraced by women and men to prevent the onset of lines, wrinkles and age marks. There's no doubt the beauty industry will continue to grow and evolve to meet changing consumer demands and cultural expectations, as it always has. For now, Face Yoga is an entrenched and effective anti-aging and skincare routine, with thousands of years of history. Media contact Company: Face Yoga Contact: Media Team E-mail: support@faceyoga.com Telephone: +1(928) 297-0352 Website: https://faceyoga.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/faceyogacom Instagram: https://instagram.com/faceyoga.app SOURCE: Face Yoga View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635738/Face-Yoga-Becomes-1-Growing-Beauty-Trend-to-Combat-Aging Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Employees from the Lake County Health Department sat in a cool gymnasium with enough vials of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to inject 1,000 people. Hours passed, and only 210 showed up. Rae Bailey was one of the lucky ones. She heard about the March 6 event from a friend, who saw it first in a private post on Facebook: Montverde Academy, a private school in Lake County, was rumored to be vaccinating eligible people for a few hours that day. Vaccines available right now, the post read. No wait!!! There was nothing on the Lake County or Town of Montverde websites to confirm the site existed, but 64-year-old Bailey drove to the campus with a doctors note in hand. The parking lot was empty. She walked into the gym and looked around. There was nobody in there, Bailey said. There were just people there to give shots, but nobody to give shots to. Noelda Lopez, a spokesperson for the county health department, said the event was intended to be a closed pod, an opportunity for just private school employees to be vaccinated. Vials containing the remaining 790 doses werent opened or wasted, Lopez said. But some who attended said they wished the doses could have been administered instead. It just was a shame that there werent more people aware of it, Bailey said. It just seemed all so haphazard. Closed pods are private vaccination sites for a particular group, like law enforcement staff or teachers. They are not advertised to the public like open pods are. The county offered other closed-pod vaccination opportunities for teachers during the week prior, Lopez said. The health department and school administrators organized the event at Montverde Academy as an opportunity for private school employees alone. When asked why private school employees needed a separate event when they were also eligible to participate in closed-pod events available for public school teachers the week prior, Lopez didnt say. Because of the low turnout and extra doses, no eligible person was turned away at Montverde Academy, she added. Anyone who arrived with the proper documentation private school employee or not was given the vaccine. Perhaps due to the limited advertising, few did. Story continues The town knew nothing about the COVID shots, said BJ Cowan, the Town of Montverdes finance technician. Paul Larino, the town manager, said he heard about the event in passing a few days before it was held. He wasnt given much detail and didnt ask for more. I was told it was a clinic geared toward teachers, he said. I didnt take it any further. Larino said he believed teachers from neighboring schools may have been invited to the event, but a spokesperson for Lake County Schools said they were never informed. Most times, such communications come through my office, Sherri Owens said. But I did not receive anything. Owens said a Montverde Academy employee contacted her a few weeks before and mentioned hosting a vaccination event, but there was never any follow up. Stephanie Steele, an English teacher at Eustis High School in Lake County, said she would have liked to attend the event if she had heard about it. Im going to have to drive an hour to get to Valencia, she said, referring to the FEMA-run mass vaccination site on Valencia Colleges west campus in Orlando. I cant get an appointment online because Im at school when pharmacies post their appointments at 7 a.m. hphillips@orlandosentinel.com DUBLIN, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "CNG & LPG Vehicle Market by Vehicle Body Type (Passenger Cars, Three-wheelers & Commercial Vehicles) Fuel Type (CNG & LPG), By Kit type (Venturi & Sequential), By Fitting (OE & Aftermarket), by Engine System Type and by Region - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global electric vehicle charging station market size is projected to reach 4,389 thousand units sales by 2026, from an estimated 2,135 thousand units in 2021, at a CAGR of 15.5%. Governments are supporting CNG and LPG vehicles through subsidies & tax rebates for using low emission vehicles and working in collaboration with such OEM's to speed up growth of their countries. Increased demand for efficient and low emission vehicles along with government support will boost the CNG and LPG vehicle market. Consumers from developing countries are already feeling the heat of the increasing cost of petrol. CNG and LPG vehicles use can reduce the operating cost of these vehicles. To make the CNG and LPG vehicle market grow, a continued support from the government will be needed along with the growing numbers of bi-fuel and dual fuel vehicle users and reduced initial cost of adding CNG and LPG options for the vehicles. However, COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have a significant impact on the CNG and LPG vehicle market. Both the production and sales of CNG and LPG vehicles had come to a halt in Q1 and Q2 of 2020 across the globe as the whole ecosystem had been disrupted. However, in the next two quarters, the sale of CNG and LPG vehicles had been growing. OEMs had to wait until lockdowns were lifted to resume production, which affected their business. Post the pandemic, the demand for CNG and LPG vehicles might increase, as people are getting increasingly conscious of reducing emissions from vehicles around the world. The Passenger vehicle Segment is expected to be the largest market in the vehicle body segment in the forecast. Passenger cars are motor vehicles primarily used to transport passengers and have up to 9 seating capacity, including the driver. Some major types of passenger vehicles include sedan, hatchback, MPV/minivan, SUV/4X4, CUV/crossover, pickup, coupe, convertible, and station wagon. Many OEMs have been developing CNG and LPG fuel passenger cars over the years. Major manufacturers in this segment include Suzuki Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Company, Hyundai Group, Volkswagen AG, and Ford Motor Company. Governments around the world have been encouraging the use of CNG and LPG as low emission vehicles for passenger vehicles. Heavy-duty segment is expected to be the fastest growing in the vehicle type segment during the forecast period. The sales of heavy-duty CNG and LPG vehicles are projected to significantly increase during the forecast period due to the trend of commercial vehicles worldwide moving towards the usage of low emission fuels. This projected increase is also attributed to many countries around the world adopting new regulations to lower emissions on a large scale. These countries have encouraged the growth of CNG and LPG fuels especially in the heavy duty vehicles segment where electric vehicles are less of a competition to CNG and LPG vehicles market. Sequential Kit segment is expected to be the fastest growing in the Kit segment in the forecast period. The sequential kit is a much better option for vehicles. In this type of kit, the alternative fuel flow is controlled by injectors and directly sent into the intake manifold of the petrol injectors. Gas flow is monitored and fixed electronically by a separate ECU. Sequential engines, however, can only be installed on vehicles that have electronic fuel injection systems. Sequential injection systems offer better mileage and higher performance than venture kits. However, sequential kits perform best with high compression engines only. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in CNG and LPG Vehicle Market 4.2 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Region 4.3 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Fuel Type 4.4 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Vehicle Body Type 4.5 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Vehicle Type 4.6 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Fitting Type 4.7 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Kit Type 4.8 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Engine System Type 4.9 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Intake System Type 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Significant Increase in Vehicle Production and Sales Globally 5.2.1.2 Lower Operational Cost Compared to Petroleum Vehicles 5.2.1.3 Rising Petrol Prices in the International Market 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Higher Maintenance and Initial Vehicle Costs Compared to Petroleum Vehicles 5.2.2.2 Less CNG and LPG Fuel Availability in Many Regions 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Rising Concerns Worldwide About Vehicle Emissions 5.2.3.2 Availability of Dual Fuel Options in Vehicles 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Improper Drainage Causing Cylinder Damage 5.2.4.2 Improper Protection of Exhaust and Other Heat-Producing Components 5.3 Porter's Five Forces 5.3.1 Threat of Substitutes 5.3.2 Threat of New Entrants 5.3.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers 5.3.4 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 5.3.5 Rivalry Among Existing Competitors 5.4 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market Ecosystem 5.5 Supply Chain Analysis 5.5.1 CNG and LPG Providers 5.5.2 Tier I Suppliers 5.5.3 OEMs 5.5.4 End-users 5.6 Average Selling Price Trend 5.7 Technology Analysis 5.7.1 Bi-Fuel Vehicles 5.7.2 IoT in Alternative Fuel Vehicles 5.7.3 3D Printing Technology 5.7.4 Connected Vehicles 5.8 Patent Analysis 5.9 Case Study 5.9.1 a Case Study on Using Natural Gas for Regional Transport Trucks 5.10 Regulatory Overview 5.11 COVID-19 Impact Analysis 5.11.1 Introduction to COVID-19 5.11.2 COVID-19 Health Assessment 5.12 COVID-19 Economic Assessment 5.12.1 COVID-19 Economic Impact - Scenario Assessment 5.12.2 COVID-19 Impact on Automotive Industry 5.12.3 Oem Announcements 5.12.4 Impact on Automotive Production 5.13 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, Scenarios (2020-2025) 6 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Engine/System Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Operational Data 6.2.1 Assumptions 6.3 Research Methodology 6.4 Dedicated Fuel 6.4.1 Government Incentives to Drive Adoption of Dedicated Fuel System Vehicles 6.5 Bi-Fuel 6.5.1 Easy Fuel Switching to Encourage Bi-Fuel System Vehicles Growth 6.6 Dual Fuel 6.6.1 Favorable Government Policies to Increase Growth of Dual Fuel Vehicle Segment 6.7 Key Primary Insights 7 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Fitting Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Operational Data 7.2.1 Assumptions 7.3 Research Methodology 7.4 Oem-Fitted/Factory-Fitted 7.4.1 Oem/Factory-Fitted Vehicles to Grow Faster due to Growing Demand of Green Vehicles 7.5 Aftermarket 7.5.1 Government Regulations to Benefit Aftermarket Conversions ACross Various Countries 7.6 Key Primary Insights 8 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Fuel Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Operational Data 8.2.1 Assumptions 8.3 Research Methodology 8.4 CNG 8.4.1 Low Cost of Operations to Drive CNG Vehicle Market 8.5 LPG 8.5.1 Europe and North America to Encourage Autogas Adoption 8.6 Key Primary Insights 9 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Intake System Type (LPG Vehicles) 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Operational Data 9.2.1 Assumptions 9.3 Research Methodology 9.4 Converter-Mixer System 9.4.1 Low Cost of Conversion to Boost Market 9.5 Vapor Phase Injection (Vpi) System 9.5.1 Europe to be Largest Market for Vapor Phase Injection (Vpi) System 9.6 Liquid Phase Injection (Lpi) System 9.6.1 Higher Fuel Efficiency and Better Emission Control to Increase Market 9.7 Liquid Phase Direct Injection (Lpdi) System 9.7.1 Lowest Operational Cost to Increase Market 9.8 Key Primary Insights 10 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Kit Type 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Operational Data 10.2.1 Assumptions 10.3 Research Methodology 10.4 Venturi 10.4.1 Low Cost of Conversions and Lower Operating Cost to Drive CNG and LPG Kit Market 10.5 Sequential 10.5.1 Higher Fuel Economy to Increase Demand for Sequential Kits 10.6 Key Primary Insights 11 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Vehicle Body Type 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Operational Data 11.2.1 Assumptions 11.3 Research Methodology 11.4 Passenger Car 11.4.1 Growing Demand for Low Emission and Low Operational Cost Fuels 11.5 Commercial Vehicle 11.5.1 Europe and North America to Encourage CNG and LPG for Commercial Vehicles 11.6 Three-Wheeler 11.6.1 Asia Oceania is the Largest CNG and LPG Three-Wheeler Market 11.7 Key Primary Insights 12 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Vehicle Type 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Operational Data 12.2.1 Assumptions 12.3 Research Methodology 12.4 Light-Duty Vehicle 12.4.1 Growing Demand for Low Emission Passenger Vehicles to Boost this Segment 12.5 Heavy-Duty Vehicle 12.5.1 European and North American Governments to Encourage CNG and LPG for Heavy-Duty Vehicles 12.6 Key Primary Insights 13 CNG and LPG Vehicle Market, by Region 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Asia Oceania 13.3 Europe 13.4 North America 13.5 Rest of the World 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Evaluation Framework 14.2 Overview 14.3 Market Share Analysis for CNG and LPG Vehicle Market 14.4 Market Evaluation Framework: Revenue Analysis of Top Listed/Public Players 14.5 Market Ranking Analysis for CNG and LPG Vehicle Market 14.6 Competitive Scenario 14.6.1 New Product Launches 14.6.2 Deals 14.6.3 Expansions, 2017-2020 14.7 Competitive Leadership Mapping for CNG and LPG Vehicle Market 14.7.1 Stars 14.7.2 Emerging Leaders 14.7.3 Pervasive 14.7.4 Participants 14.8 Winners Vs. Tail-Enders 15 Company Profiles 15.1 Key Players 15.1.1 Ford Motor Company 15.1.2 Suzuki Motor Corporation 15.1.3 Honda Motor Company 15.1.4 Hyundai Motor Group 15.1.5 Volkswagen Ag 15.1.6 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 15.1.7 General Motors 15.1.8 Landi Renzo S.P.A. 15.1.9 Tomasetto AChille 15.1.10 Westport Fuel Systems 15.1.11 Toyota Motor Corporation 15.1.12 Tata Motors Limited 15.2 Other Players 15.2.1 Great Wall Motors 15.2.2 Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group 15.2.3 Saic Motor Corporation 15.2.4 Faw Group 15.2.5 Baic Group 15.2.6 Dongfeng Motor Group 15.2.7 Mahindra & Mahindra 15.2.8 Eicher Motors 15.2.9 Bajaj Group 15.2.10 Mazda Motor Corporation 15.2.11 Mitsubishi Motors 15.2.12 Nissan Motor Company 15.2.13 Subaru Corporation 15.2.14 Dongxu 15.2.15 Nikki Co., Ltd. 15.2.16 Daimler Ag 15.2.17 Renault 15.2.18 AB Volvo 15.2.19 Psa Group 15.2.20 Cnh Industrial Nv 15.2.21 AC Spolka 15.2.22 Kion Group 15.2.23 Atiker Group 15.2.24 Deere and Company 15.2.25 Paccar 15.2.26 Agility Fuel Solutions 15.2.27 Cummins 15.2.28 Quantum Fuel Systems 15.2.29 Agrale 15.2.30 Macropolo Sa 15.2.31 Iran Khodro 15.2.32 Saipa 15.2.33 IGT Motors 16 Analyst's Recommendations 17 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7nrjxg 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: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Are you eager for the City of Winnipeg Governance Review Report? I am. A total of $175,000 of our tax money is going to consultants to remake our city governance. We need to get our moneys worth. Opinion Are you eager for the City of Winnipeg Governance Review Report? I am. A total of $175,000 of our tax money is going to consultants to remake our city governance. We need to get our moneys worth. After the usual online meetings and survey, an interim report is on the Engage Winnipeg website outlining the review framework. Resident and community organizations jumped on the opportunity the governance review offered for a written objection to being treated like pesky flies, shooed away by city staff and elected officials. Community groups are advocating for a participatory governance model and structures that are more bottom-up rather than top-down. We offered alternatives to being treated like potholes, avoided, and manoeuvred around. Participatory governance moves us from autocratic structures, to collaborative, partnership-based models of governance, with power better distributed and shared, where citizens are not only consulted on the decisions that shape our communities and our lives but engaged as leaders. Better governance is essential for healthy communities and a vibrant city. The interlocking challenges we face of climate change, inequity, sexist and racist exclusion, and abuses of power can only be addressed when vast numbers of residents are engaged, and when the city, the business sector, and the community sector work collaboratively. Healthy communities have engaged citizens. Healthy communities share power. The community submission has recommendations for improving the Office of Public Engagement methodologies and strategies to ensure public input is meaningful, and actually impacts the decisions that are made about planning, the budget, bylaws, and development. Meaningful public input is made on a timely basis, with adequate notice about opportunities for input. And this big change takes leadership skills, meaning stakeholders work together to resolve differences and find common ground so development decisions reflect agreement on public policy. The current interim report for the governance review does not address the lack of accountability structures in place to ensure that public policy drives city decisions of the city, rather than deal-making and brokering from powerful private interests. One of the biggest problems with the City of Winnipeg is we spend millions of dollars making policy that is ignored, especially when it comes to the investment through the city budget. We have the lowest property taxes in Canada, more poverty, crumbling infrastructure, a low tax base per urban acre, sewage in the rivers, poor bus service, and people who are homeless freezing to death, not by accident but by design. It is all supported by a governance model and power structure designed to keep the community out. We must ensure decision-making is more inclusive, and make the city budget process more participatory, egalitarian, and inclusive. The review must ensure accountability tools link the budget to the many plans from OurWinnipeg and Complete Communities, to the parking strategy. Policy enforcement and accountability must come from policy and budget indicators, tracking progress on goals for a healthy city in budget documents and public reports. Most cities have this. Winnipeg does not. Now, accountability is non-existent. In meetings, commitments are made but followup letters receive no response. Similarly, administration sometimes does follow the direction from council to bring back reports. For example, on fiscal management plans. There must be new levers and tools for accountability. Participatory governance is needed to address the ills of our city government, including erasing silos, and turf protecting, buck-passing and deal-making. The most obvious governance change is to once again have EPC elected by all of council, not appointed by the mayor, as a majority voting block on council. The current "strong mayor model" was meant to get things done, but is a top-down model leading to a democracy deficit in our city, with non-EPC councillors having no rights. Reducing the size of city wards would also improve democracy. Winnipeg wards are twice the size of wards in other comparable Canadian cities. Current city councillors have about 43,000 citizens to represent. Councillors often seem overwhelmed and unable to respond to demands, including resident calls. Regina has 22,000 people per ward. The large wards also contribute to an incumbent advantage, prompting some residents to call for term limits for councillors. Some will argue a larger council is too expensive or inefficient. Yes, democratic deliberation takes time, but the decisions are better and will save money in other ways, including legal costs. Other cities understand grassroots democracy is essential to making needed changes for a healthy city. Other cities fund community-based Organizations to directly communicate their experience and advice with city officials. These structures for neighbourhood associations, resident advisory committees are essential for participatory governance and healthy communities. Our current city charter eliminated these participatory governance structures. It is time for new resident advisory groups. What I learned from my years as a MLA is, things change for the better when community is at the table. Marianne Cerilli is an educator, community-development consultant and former MLA. Her community-development work emphasizes all things participatory; governance, planning, budgets, decision making, meetings and research. Mariannecerilli.ca A Riverdance star who swapped a world-famous stage for the coronavirus frontline said the past year has felt more like a decade. Dr Maria Buffini (37) from Dublin, was dancing at Radio City Music Hall when the pandemic hit last year, cutting short her time performing in the New York leg of the show's 25th anniversary tour. The trainee GP felt unwell when she returned to Ireland and found out on St Patrick's Day that she had tested positive for Covid-19. When she recovered, Dr Buffini left her dancing costumes behind and changed into full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to care for coronavirus patients at Connolly Hospital in Dublin. Read More Reflecting on this time last year, she told the PA news agency: "I was dancing in the show in Radio City New York onstage, I think Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night, you know, very exciting, all very glamorous, all very once-in-a-lifetime kind of stuff." Dr Buffini said there was a "massive contrast" in her life over the course of a few weeks, adding: "Now I was dressing up in full PPE which wasn't quite as nice as my Riverdance costumes that I'd been wearing a few weeks previously." She said: "We basically did three shows, and then the rest of it was cancelled. "It was that week that really everything changed - on both sides of the Atlantic, I suppose." Dr Buffini, who made her debut in Riverdance in 2004 and has performed for the Queen and Michelle Obama, said returning to work was a "completely different environment" to the one she had left and described working on the Covid frontline as a "very testing experience". "It was just a really anxious time," she said, adding: "Every day you were going into work, it was kind of like: 'Is this going to be the day that we just get completely overwhelmed?'" Reflecting on caring for Covid-19 patients, Dr Buffini said she was aware of how lonely they must have been. "I always tried to be conscious that you were probably one of the only people that they'd have a bit of a social interaction with that day," she said. "It was really sad, especially for some of the more elderly people, you know, trying to arrange communication with their families, different things like that, and yeah I can still remember names and faces of people during that time. "Or obviously the really sad stories of people who passed on from it." Dr Buffini said that if she happens to be off work this Saint Patrick's Day she would like to celebrate by watching the Riverdance gala show performance which was filmed in Dublin last year to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. "It feels like 10 years ago since it happened, rather than just gone a year now, with everything that's happened," she said. Dr Buffini said she was aware of the historical nature of being involved in the performance and described it as an emotional experience and a "brilliant" feeling. "I think everyone in the theatre felt it that night as well, and it's those kinds of nights that you really would remember forever. "You've done thousands and thousands of shows but sometimes the select few will stick out and that will definitely be one of them," she said. Riverdance: The New 25th Anniversary Show will be available to stream exclusively at GreatStageOnScreen.com on St Patrick's Day, and the UK tour is scheduled to resume in August. Ambassador of Belarus A.Metelitsa meets the Federal Minister for Industries and Production Division of Pakistan On March 16th, 2021 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Andrei Metelitsa met with Federal Minister for Industries and Production Division of Pakistan Muhammad Hammad Azhar. During the meeting the Sides discussed the current state and promising areas of cooperation between Belarus and Pakistan in the industry. The interlocutors paid particular attention to the issues of holding the third meeting of the Joint Working Group on industry, as well as preparation for signing of the amended intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of industrial, scientific and technical cooperation. The Ambassador of Belarus also handed over to Muhammad Hammad Azhar an invitation on behalf of Minister of Industry of Belarus Petr Parkhomchik to visit our country. print version 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. BAGHDAD (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) The Iraqi air force's Balad base, which hosts US troops and contractors, has been targeted by two rockets, a source in the Iraqi security forces told Sputnik on Monday. The Balad air base is located some 50 miles (80. 4 kilometers) north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. "Two rockets hit the Balad air base north of Baghdad," the source said. According to UAE media, as many as seven rockets were fired at the air base. No casualties have been reported so far. On February 20, two servicemen were wounded as a result of a similar attack. The current opioid use is one of the most widespread drug epidemics in the history of the United States, which concerns all racial and ethnic groups. In 2017, it was declared a national public health emergency, with 47,600 reported deaths from an opioid overdose. This accounted for the majority of the overall drug-related deaths, according to Proviso Township Mental Health Commission report. The government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration claimed that the uncontrolled opioid use in the Latino community is a "matter of urgency." They released the report in 2020. In addition, studies have found that with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, opioid use in the country has risen, according to an NBC News report. In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that overdose deaths have increased by a historic 16.9 percent nationally, citing more than 81,000 deaths in the 12 months ending in May 2020. Experts expressed fear that the death toll from opioid abuse during the pandemic will be much higher, with some states seeing a rise in cases among Latinos. Opioid abuse among Latinos was furthered by the confinement, depression, and financial struggles that the pandemic brought. READ MORE: SALUD: Red Ribbon Week Brings Awareness, Education to Drug-Related Violence Disproportionately Affected Seventy-two percent of Latino households across the country report that they are facing serious financial problems, according to the NPR poll in September. This is double the percentage of whites who say this. In addition, 46 percent of Latino households were said to have used up all or most of their savings during the pandemic. This was due to having lost household income through reduced hours or wages and furloughs since the pandemic. David Hayes-Bautista, a UCLA professor of medicine and public health, said that Latinos have kept working through the pandemic. "In Washington, the idea is you're poor because you don't work. That's not the issue with Latinos," Hayes-Bautista was quoted in a report. The professor added that Latinos work, but they are still on the poverty line due to not enough pay. Latinos have the highest rate of labor force participation compared to any other racial or ethnic group in California. Despite many of them losing jobs like everyone else, they go back to work faster. "The reward that Latinos have for their high work ethic is a high rate of poverty," Hayes-Bautista was quoted. Other Factors Contributing to Opioid Use Mental health problems in the Latino community are not being spoken about loudly due to the stigma attached to it. Mental health stigma is the largest community barrier to improving global mental health. It persists in the Latin American cultures, according to Medical News Today. Dr. Lisa Fortuna, head of the department of psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital, also said that a stigma persists around those seeking help, coming from her experience treating Latino patients with depression, anxiety, and drug use problems. The lack of help often leads to consumption and abuse of substances, according to Fortuna. Fortuna noted that many do not publicly acknowledge that they suffer from any mental health conditions due to fear of being called crazy or weak. She added sometimes Latinos will seek help through religious institutions instead of asking for professional help. SAMHSA reported that about four percent of the U.S. Latino population abuses opioids, which includes people as young as 12. READ NEXT: Substance Abuse and Risky Sexual Behavior Decrease Among Latino Youth When Parents Communicate WATCH: Opioid overdose calls rise during COVID-19 pandemic -from KHOU 11 CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rush University Medical Center is the first partner in the United States in the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition, an effort led by Abbott to detect future pathogen outbreaks that could become pandemics. This first-of-its-kind scientific network is enlisting partners around the world to provide laboratory testing, genetic sequencing and public health research to analyze the potential risk level of newly identified pathogens, develop new diagnostic testing and understand the public health impact of the pathogens identified in real time. "Rush has been on the frontlines during COVID-19," said Alan Landay, PhD , professor and vice chairperson for research in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College and principal investigator at Rush. "We witnessed firsthand what it was like to have people lined up in our emergency room. We want to take the lessons we learned from this pandemic to help prevent this from happening again." The coalition will help the global scientific and health community identify new viral strains and take quick action to help contain and prevent future pandemics. The sequences of viruses that are found will be published in a public database, so that public health officials and laboratories can work together to identify if a virus is a novel strain, or a virus that has previously been detected. "We will work with Abbott to raise the flag if we see an undiagnosable illness in our hospital," Landay said. "We will then work with the entire coalition to conduct sequencing to determine if the strain is a new pathogen that could become a viral threat. The program is strategically positioned to connect partners in key areas around the world who can identify unknown diseases and carry out lab testing to address future threats." A global force of scientific experts The Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition brings together expert global collaborators specializing in virus identification, surveillance, sample collection, testing and data analytics. The process to identify potential new viral threats begins with physicians across the network identifying patients with unknown conditions that they cannot treat or diagnose. Next, patient samples are tested by the program organizations, followed by genetic sequencing and analyses to spot trends and identify peculiarities that may indicate an emerging threat or outbreak. If a potential threat is discovered, Abbott quickly will develop and deploy diagnostic testing to assist global public health agencies in anticipating the viral threat and help try to contain or stop the virus' spread before it becomes a pandemic. "We cannot fight what we cannot see coming. This program establishes a global network of eyes on the ground that are always looking for threats, which helps the global health community to stay one step ahead of the next viral threat, and allows us to utilize Abbott's expertise and technology to quickly develop tests to address them," said Gavin Cloherty, Ph.D., head of infectious disease research at Abbott. "The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a clear need for advanced surveillance and viral sequencing - and the critically important role of testing. Understanding what pathogenic threats are emerging will help us test, diagnose and ultimately help prevent the next pandemic." "We don't ever want to be caught off-guard again like we were with COVID. Knowledge is power and time is of the essence," Landay said. "The more collaborators you have who are working together towards the common goal of stopping further threats, the more prepared we'll be to track and prevent future pandemics." In addition to Rush, the growing network of partners currently includes the following organizations in strategic geographic locations: The program is in talks with additional non-governmental organizations, governments and research centers of excellence regarding participation and collaboration. This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com. SOURCE Rush University Medical Center Related Links http://www.rush.edu 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 next step in ubiquitous monitoring and data collection is your emotional state: are you angry, happy, depressed, content? Technocrats in China will meld this into the Social Credit Scoring system. China is exporting its Social Credit Scoring technology to any country that will accept it. TN Editor BIG Brother-like mass state surveillance is being developed by China with streets full of cameras that can monitor citizens emotions and track their social credit scores. The high tech systems will also help people snoop and rat on each other from the comfort of their homes or on the go with their smartphones. The Communist regimes nightmare-inducing plans involve installing spy cameras in all places and using artificial intelligence to calculate a persons social score which will determine benefits or punishments. The sheer level of surveillance being planned is straight out of the dystopia created by author George Orwell in his book 1984, where the eyes of the state Big Brother are always watching you. But now it is being made easy with 21st-century spy technology. It comes as privacy campaigners told The Sun Online that Chinas success in developing technology not only threatens the human rights of Chinese citizens but people across the world. Dahlia Peterson, research analyst at Georgetown Universitys Center for Security and Emerging Technology, told Sun Online: China is developing an Orwellian-style state. Domestically, the most frightening part is that many people inside China remain unaware of the true scope of surveillance, and still welcome it as a source of security. In programs such as Sharp Eyes, local governments nationwide have even successfully convinced citizens to take part in surveilling each other. Ms Peterson now feared Chinas surveillance model may continue gaining legitimacy after the pandemic. She said: This would only deepen Chinas normative advantages by allowing Chinese surveillance companies strategic expansion on a global scale. Vidushi Marda, from human rights and privacy charity organisation ARTICLE 19, said it is feared this highly invasive technology could now spread around the world. She told The Sun Online: We think it is crucial to focus on China not because it is a wildly different style of surveillance but because Chinese tech companies have fuelled an international boom in governments acquisition of surveillance technology. We can now reveal some of the terrifying measures being developed by Beijing to keep tabs on its citizens in a very real version of Big Brother. Social Credit China has been developing a social score system that has also created a dystopian nightmare where citizens can track each other on radar-style lowlife scanners. The nightmarish scheme blacklists lazy citizens who get into debt or spend their time playing video games in a creepy initiative that could have come straight out of Black Mirror. The scheme was first unveiled in 2014 and has been trialed in cities and provinces each using their own system tracking financial and social worth. Millions of people with low social credit have been banned from taking flights and planes because of the system. And then people with high credit get discounts, get shorter waiting times at government-run institutes and are more likely to get jobs. In Chinas next five-year plan, which covers 2021 to 2025, the regime has set out its ambitions to step up people watching even more. It states: We will also closely guard against, and a crackdown on, the infiltration, sabotage, subversion and separatist activities of hostile forces. Biometric Surveillance Biometric surveillance is another sinister development being spearhead by the no-holds-barred Chinese state. The northwestern region of Xinjiang, the home of the persecuted Uyghurs people, has often been described as the testbed for this. But now the tech is used in all places of transport, such as bus, train or subways. Among the tests in Xinjiang includes scanning cameras which read peoples emotions identifying whether they might be a threat to the state. It has also developed cameras which can detect who people are with a 99 per cent success rate based purely on the way they walk. Dr Matt Mahmoudi, Amnestys Artificial Intelligence Researcher, said: China dystopian system of mass surveillance offers a stark warning to the rest of the world about the dire consequences of ubiquitous facial and emotion recognition technology. Across the country, the government has rolled out projects such as Skynet and Sharp Eyes to keep the population under constant observation and control. Peoples movements, interactions, even their expression can be weaponised against them in Chinas system of total surveillance. Nowhere is this more terrifying that in Chinas Xinjiang Region, where it is estimated up to one million Uighurs have been arbitrarily held captive in so-called re-education camps and are subjected to brainwashing and torture. The pervasive use of biometric surveillance acts means law enforcement can exact total control over the lives of the Uighur population by watching their every move. Facial and emotional recognition is by design a technology of mass surveillance and antithetical to human rights, which is why Amnesty International is calling to Ban The Scan. Read full story 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A global review of coastal drowning science has found there is only one study worldwide that has evaluated beach safety education programs in schools. Researchers from UNSW's Beach Safety Research Group have conducted the first in-depth review specific to coastal drowning. The study, published in PLOS ONE, reviewed 146 coastal drowning studies from around the world. "We found that evaluation of coastal drowning prevention strategies is rare," said William Koon, the lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences said. "This means we simply don't have enough data showing what works and what doesn't work. "There was only one study worldwideinvolving a private primary school in Queenslandto see if beach safety education program is effective in schools." Since the review, an additional school-based evaluation of water safety virtual reality programs in Victoria has been published. Mr Koon said the review's findings are concerning as tens of thousands of Australian primary and secondary school students participate in beach or water safety programs from lifeguards and lifesavers every year. "There is remarkably little information out there to say [firstly], does it work and [secondly], here's how it works best," Mr Koon said. "We need to assess if programs function as intended, and continually refine them to improve effectiveness." Researchers and UNSW Beach Safety Research Group founding members Dr. Amy Peden, Dr. Jaz Lawes and Professor Rob Brander were also involved in the study. "I find it interesting that over the last 16 years we haven't really seen any improvement in the number of coastal drownings each year in Australia, despite lots of ongoing school and public education programs," Professor Brander said. The study found that more than three-quarters (76.7%) of coastal drowning research was from high-income countries. Australia is leading the way with 49 studies, followed by the US (28 studies). It also found that existing drowning prevention strategies are largely un-evaluated, with little research being done in low-income countries where a majority of drowning events occur. Mr Koon said while there were 125 coastal drowning deaths in Australia last year, the World Health Organisation estimates that more than 90 percent of all drowning occurs in low-and middle-income countries. He said to address this global health problem, researchers need to start looking to local data from lower-resourced settings to understand the coastal safety issues there and prioritise drowning prevention programs for different groups of people. "Researchers like myself need to ask 'is what I learned from Australian coastal safety research applicable to a place like Ghana or Costa Rica or India, where similar hazards exist, but the cultural context is very different'," he said. The researchers conducted the review to better understand the science driving safety initiatives and highlight gaps in the field of coastal drowning, in order to prioritise future studies and prevention initiatives that will ultimately save lives. They focused on fatal unintentional coastal drowning that was unrelated to boating, disaster (ie cyclones) or occupational accidents (ie commercial fishermen or scuba divers). They found studies inconsistently reported intentional, occupational and boating coastal drowning deaths, and the terminology used to describe coastal waters was also non-uniform. "Reviews such as this one are so important as they highlight gaps in the current evidence base, identifying opportunities for future research to really make a difference, rather than more of the same," study co-author Dr. Amy Peden, from the UNSW School of Population Health said. Over 100 different risk factors related to coastal drowning were identified, but the data sources, outcomes used, and analyses employed were variable. "What we learned is that the consistency in reporting and analysing of these different scenarios was just all over the place," Mr Koon said. "Not every place in the world is recording drowning in the same way. Studies were also published in a variety of journals representing different disciplines. Many studies recommended prevention measures, most frequently related to education, lifeguards and signage. "Is that enough? Are these efforts working? How well? We don't have enough data to answer these questions," Mr Koon said. There are limited resources for evaluations on water safety programs, he said. "But someone with a long-term view should start to see that investment in monitoring and evaluation is a way to really make sure the work is doing what it's supposed to do," he said. He says it is important to continue to refine school water safety programs. "There are probably different lessons to be learned, such as messaging at different ages, whether that's stopping to look for rips or putting on sunscreen, avoiding alcohol or avoiding jumping off rocks and cliffs. He said there has been "remarkably little information" studying prevention measures. "Research on danger signs on beaches has already told us that people don't really look at signs, and if they do, are not really influenced to change decisions or behaviour," he said. "We're still in the stage where most programs are driven by expert opinion without much supporting data." He said Australia continues to lead the world in drowning prevention and water safety research because organisations like Surf Life Saving Australia and Royal Life Saving SocietyAustralia maintain robust databases, with some of the most detailed drowning data in the world. UNSW Beach Safety Research Group researchers are currently working with Lake Macquarie lifeguards to evaluate a beach safety program which they deliver to high school students. "We hope to be able to offer some recommendations on how other people in the industry can move forward with evaluating some of their school and other beach safety education programs," he said. "As our review has shown, the kind of information this evaluation will yield addresses a massive gap in our understanding of what's effective and what's not in the drowning prevention education space," Dr. Peden said. "Identifying what can improving safety and reduce young people's risk of drowning during adolescence can result in positive behaviours throughout adulthood." More information: William Koon et al, Coastal drowning: A scoping review of burden, risk factors, and prevention strategies, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE William Koon et al, Coastal drowning: A scoping review of burden, risk factors, and prevention strategies,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246034 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. Tony Volpon O expert em economia e ex-diretor do Banco Central, Tony Volpon, atual estrategista-chefe de investimentos da gestora Wealth High Governance (WHG) tem promovido analises financeiras do mercado nacional e internacional, principalmente diante da situacao economica mundial provocada pela Covid-19. Reconhecido tambem no exterior por ser um dos especialistas mais renomados em economia, hoje, Tony Volpon tem como foco a gestao de investimento de familias com patrimonio a partir de R$ 20 milhoes mostrando, na pratica, que e possivel administrar as financas em um horizonte de longo prazo. Ademais, o economista mantem estudos e pesquisas sobre o impacto financeiro na economia diante de risco habituais do mercado e como resguardar o seu dinheiro. Stephen Bechtel Jr., a San Francisco philanthropist and retired CEO of a worldwide construction firm that started in San Francisco, died Monday morning in his 12th floor penthouse apartment in Pacific Heights. He was 95. Bechtels death was confirmed by a publicist at Bechtel, based in Reston, Va. The firm, with 55,000 employees and many subsidiaries, was founded in San Francisco in 1898 by Bechtels grandfather, Warren A. Bechtel. No cause of death was given. Steve Jr., as he was known, became CEO at age 35 and ran the company from 1960 to 1990. During his tenure, what had started as an engineering firm focused on projects in the Bay Area grew into a world leader in the construction industry, building major infrastructure projects on six continents, while sales and employees both grew exponentially. He retired in 1990 at 65 and was succeeded as CEO by his son, Riley Bechtel. My grandfather leaves behind a remarkable legacy of accomplishment, integrity, excellence and commitment to customers and communities, Bechtel CEO and Chairman Brendan P. Bechtel said on Monday. In every aspect of his life, he was driven by his strong values and a vision for helping to build a better world, which continue to guide us in partnering with customers today. Probably the biggest Bay Area project Bechtel completed under his leadership was the construction of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART). In 1974, Bechtel hired George Shultz and promoted him to president a year later, before he became secretary of state under President Ronald Reagan. The two were often seen together with their wives, Charlotte Shultz and Betty Bechtel, in the San Francisco social swirl. Shultz died in February at 100. The firm moved its global headquarters from San Francisco and Houston to the Washington, D.C., area in 2018. Bechtels main focus in recent years had been the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, which concluded operations in December. He was a marvelous man, said retired Marine Maj. Gen. Mike Myatt, who worked for Bechtel from 1995-2001, managing the construction of a high-speed rail line in Korea. Later, when Myatt ran the Marines Memorial Club, he could count on his fellow Marine to fund a scholarship every year for high school graduates interested in a STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) through his foundation. He really loved San Francisco and anything we needed we could always call him. He was a generous man who wanted to support worthwhile causes, Myatt said. Among those causes was the Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 2012 in the plaza between the War Memorial Veterans Building and the Opera House. The project cost $2.5 million and the Bechtel Foundation contributed half. The foundation also made a major donation in order to start construction of the Korean War Memorial, a $4 million monument that opened in 2016 in the Presidio of San Francisco. That Bechtel donation was the first large donation we got when we started, said Gerard Parker, executive director of the Korean War Memorial Foundation. It had a snowball effect for our fundraising. Born in Oakland on May 10, 1925, Stephen Davison Bechtel was a graduate of Piedmont High School who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned his undergraduate degree from Purdue University in Indiana and an MBA from Stanford University. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush awarded him the nations highest honor for technological achievement, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Forbes estimated Bechtels net worth in 2021 at $2.9 billion based on a 20% stake in the company. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @samwhitingsf "Their professionalism improves our professionalism, allowing doctors to make better use of their time and more quality medicine for existing clients, hopefully developing a larger number of new clients." - Dr. Jeff Witwer An organization of equine veterinary practice specialists, Avanti Equine Veterinary Partners provides resource management and marketing strategy with an innovative approach. Regularly closing on new partnerships with veterinary practices, Avanti established its newest alliance with South Carolina Equine Associates (SCEA) on December 8th. Avantis business model is to create a national network of equine veterinary hospitals and ambulatory practices that leverage a shared management team and have a common vision of collaboration and innovation, providing excellent care for patients, clients, and staff. At some stage in each practices business life cycle, the business owners realize that their business systems are inadequate to support growth, or perhaps, even the status quo, says Dr. Andrew Clark CEO of Avanti Equine Veterinary Partners'. A partnership with Avanti Equine Veterinary Partners offers each practice a shared service model that supports the non-veterinary activities of the practice. Developing a regional hub and spoke network, Avanti has "hub" practices with Tryon Equine Hospital in Columbus, NC, as well as Desert Pines Equine in Las Vegas, NV and spokes in Charlotte, NC, along with its newest partner, SCEA, in Camden, SC. The group also has plans to extend SCEAs reach to accommodate areas where reliable veterinary coverage is not easily accessible. Home of the National Steeplechase Museum, the beginnings of the equine industry can be traced to Camden, South Carolina. Called the "Steeplechase Capital of the World," the development of Camden as a winter resort and training center is what drew Dr. Jeff Witwer there to care for the horses, with the SCEA practice naturally evolving from there. Starting SCEA in 1994, Dr. Witwer says that the partnership with Avanti allows them to better live up to their mission statement which is, Striving to provide the best possible care for peoples horses with the most widely accessible resources. Giving their team unmatched support, SCEA is enthusiastic about the new technology platforms, updated equipment, and the ability to collaborate with the Avanti team of doctors, all of which enable them to be more efficient and innovative in their practice of veterinary medicine. Their professionalism improves our professionalism, allowing doctors to make better use of their time and more quality medicine for existing clients, hopefully developing a larger number of new clients, says Dr. Witwer. Enhanced technology gives them the advantage of focusing on veterinary medicine while Avanti manages support, human resources, accounting, marketing expertise, and more. SCEA is confident that the partnership with Avanti will continue to carry on the legacy of the practice with excellence. Offering specialization with new and current associates, the Avanti business systems support also provides even more expansive emergency coverage. In addition, the doctors will have hotline access to the Avanti network of specialists to consult or refer patients. Avanti is excited about the opportunity to partner with the veterinarians at SCEA who are committed to excellent patient, client, and staff care and looks forward to the growth of their network, of innovative, collaborative veterinarians About Avanti Equine Avanti Equine Veterinary Partners, LLC is an equine veterinary practice network that provides management and operational strategy by investing resources in equine practices to help with forward-thinking growth. Unlike other companies, Avanti's sole focus is on the equine industry and working with equine veterinarians to tailor a plan to meet their goals while supporting their staff and clients. To learn more about Avanti, visit https://avantiequine.com/ Eight people in a pickup truck filled with immigrants were killed after the vehicle crashed into another truck during a police chase that began when the driver refused to pull over for a traffic violation near the Texas border city of Del Rio, authorities said. The collision happened just weeks after one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants entering the U.S. without permission and amid rising crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Texas Department of Public Safety says troopers were chasing a red Dodge pickup truck on U.S. Highway 277 on Monday afternoon when the truck collided head-on with a white Ford F-150 nearly 30 miles north of Del Rio. Eight people in a pickup truck loaded with immigrants were killed when the vehicle collided with an SUV following a police chase, authorities said Debris is strewn across a road near the border city of Del Rio, Texas after a collision on Monday, Eight people in a pickup truck loaded with immigrants were killed when the vehicle collided with an SUV following a police chase, authorities said The driver and a child passenger of the Ford F-150 were hospitalized, as was one of the passengers from the Dodge pickup, according to the agency's statement. All eight of the people killed and the surviving passenger of the Dodge pickup were immigrants in the U.S. without authorization, according to DPS. In a statement Tuesday, the agency did not specify what type of traffic violation occurred that prompted patrol troopers to pursue the Dodge pickup. The people killed were all Mexican nationals between the ages of 18 and 20, according to Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez. He said seven were men and one was a woman. The scene of fatal crash Scene near the border city of Del Rio, Texas after a collision Monday A medevac helicopter landed at the scene to assist with the operation DPS did not say why troopers were pursuing the truck. A spokesperson said the agency would release more details on the cause of the pursuit and the names of the victims later Tuesday. 'Preliminary investigation revealed a red Dodge pickup was evading from DPS troopers traveling on US 277 when it caused a head-on collision with a white Ford F-150,' the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement to Fox News. 'Due to injuries sustained, 8 undocumented passengers from the Dodge pickup were pronounced deceased on scene.' The driver of the Dodge pickup truck, Sebastian Tovar, 24, ran away following the crash, but was later arrested, according to the state agency. A DPS spokesperson said Tovar was booked into federal custody and additional state charges were pending. "A driver and a child passenger from the Ford pickup and one undocumented passenger from the Dodge pickup were transported to a hospital in San Antonio and are in stable condition,' the statement continued. Earlier this month, 13 people were killed in one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants sneaking into the U.S. An SUV, pictured above, crossed over the US-Mexican border illegally earlier this month morning before crashing into a gravel truck in a fatal collision that killed 13 illegal immigrants The crash happened after a Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Suburban entered California through a section of border fence with Mexico that was cut away, apparently by smugglers, according to immigration officials. The crashes come amid rising crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border. 'We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years,' Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement issued Tuesday. 'This is not new,' he said, citing previous surges in border crossings in 2019 and 2014, but noted that the number of encounters at the southwest border has been steadily increasing since last April. This photo provided by the US Customs and Border Protection shows a hole cut into Southern California's border fence with Mexico through which 44 people crossed into the country. Thirteen of them died in a crash just an hour later But pressure is mounting on President Joe Biden to fix situation at the border as a group of Republicans went to visit the area on Monday to highlight the crisis amid reports the children are living in overcrowded 'jail-like' conditions. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy visited the border in El Paso, Texas, with fellow GOP lawmakers as a surge of unaccompanied minors has led to them being held in warehouse-like detention facilities run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The situation is being described as a humanitarian crisis as children live in crowded conditions - some without beds - and unable to shower or get enough to eat. The Biden administration repeatedly has refused to call it a 'crisis' as they struggle to process the minors so the children can be transferred to the DHS shelters where they would stay until they could be united with family members already in the U.S. or with a sponsor. The children are supposed to be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services within three days. But more than 4,200 kids are being held in jail-like stations unfit to house them, according to government records reviewed by CBS News, with 3,000 held past the legal limit. Migrant children and teenagers from the southern border of the United States being held a temporary facility in Midland, Texas Intensive care tents sit in a row at a Influx Care Facility (ICF) for unaccompanied children in Carrizo Springs, Texas, where another temporary shelter has been built And the centers are well above capacity to hold the children - some by as much as 700 per cent. An average of 565 unaccompanied minors entered CBP custody each day during the past week. And they are spending an average of 117 hours in a border facility, CBS reported. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said the facilities are 'no place for a child.' But the administration has argued it needs its nominee to led DHS - Xavier Becerra - confirmed to help manage the situation. Biden, however, has yet to name nominees to lead CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leaving those agencies without top leadership. Meanwhile, a new center was opened in Midland, Texas, on Sunday to help alleviate the overcrowding caused by the record number of migrants. A shelter also was recently opened in Carrizo Springs, Texas. The Biden administration also directed the shelters to return to normal capacity, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Previously, social distancing and other health protocols were in place to combat the disease. Media is not being allowed inside the shelters but lawyers are. Some of the attorneys told CBS News that the children told them they are hungry; only showering once in as many as seven days; and are not able to call family members. Migrant children and teenagers at the facility in Midland, Texas Coach-style buses carrying migrant children and teenagers from the southern border line up at the entrance of a temporary holding facility in Midland, Texas More than 4,200 kids are being held, according to government records reviewed by CBS News, with 3,000 held past the legal limit of three days In what was seen as a nod to the growing gravity of the situation, Biden administration officials announced over the weekend that FEMA will help process the influx of children coming into the country. 'Our goal is to ensure that unaccompanied children are transferred to HHS as quickly as possible, consistent with legal requirements and in the best interest of the children,' Mayorkas said in a statement. And ICE has asked for volunteers to help at the border. Both sides are blaming the other. McCarthy has put the blame solely on Biden. He and other Republicans claim the surge in migrants is because Biden rolled back President Donald Trump's more restrictive immigration policies. 'This crisis at the border is spiraling out of control,' McCarthy said last week. 'And it's entirely caused by the actions of this administration.' Democrats have claimed they inherited a 'broken system' while Republicans say the Biden administration sparked chaos at the southern border by ripping up Trump's hardline policies Before the migrants could get lost or come to any harm, agents led them to a clearing where they handed out face masks and started the laborious process of inspecting their papers and taking biometric data Biden lifted the Trump policy that required migrants to remain in Mexico while going through the legal process to enter the U.S., narrowed the ICE's criteria for arrests and deportations and stopped the building of Trump's border wall. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, blamed the Trump administration for the situation. 'What the administration has inherited is a broken system at the border and they are working to correct that in the children's interest,' she said Sunday on ABC's 'This Week.' Meanwhile, the House will vote this week on two bills aimed at tackling the immigration crisis: The American Dream and Promise Act would establish a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children - known as the 'Dreamers' - while the Farm Workforce Modernization Act would allow agricultural workers to establish temporary status with an eventual option to become a permanent resident. Last month, 100,000 migrants were caught trying to cross the southern border - up 30 percent from January. And numbers are continuing to increase this month, with 125,000 migrants expected to arrive along the border in March, according to current data. That is the highest number in years - and officials fear the figure will soar even further throughout the spring. Border Patrol reveals the SUV involved in fatal crash that killed 13 people drove through a hole in the Mexican border fence an hour before Earlier this month, thirteen people were killed after the SUV they were crammed into collided with a semi-truck in southern California having entered the United States illegally though a hole cut in the border fence. The SUV, a Ford Expedition, had been modified with the backseats removed so that 25 people in total could be packed inside, in what is now believed to have been part of a larger smuggling operation. It was one of the deadliest crashes involving migrants sneaking into the U.S. Border Patrol's El Centro sector released pictures of the 10-foot breach in the International Boundary Fence as it revealed that surveillance footage picked up the SUV and a Chevrolet Suburban driving through the gap before deadly crash. That section of the fence, consisting of steel bars 18 feet tall, was installed in 2009, some eight years before the Trump administration took office calling for a border wall. In total, 44 people crossed the border through the hole, including at least ten Mexicans and two Guatemalans. 'All are suspected to have entered the U.S. illegally,' US Border and Customs Protection said in a statement. 'Border Patrol is investigating the smuggling events.' Construction equipment is used to fix a border fence after two vehicles crossed into the US on Tuesday morning. One of the vehicles, an SUV carrying 25 people, was involved in a collision that was one of the deadliest crashes involving migrants sneaking into the U.S. US Customs and Border Protection revealed on that the Mexican migrants involved in the crash had entered the country illegally through this gap in the border fence The SUV pictured above crossed over the US-Mexican border illegally on Tuesday morning before crashing into a gravel truck in a fatal collision that killed 13 people The Suburban, carrying 19 people, 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 after they received a call about the fire at around 5:56 a.m. Agents arrived at the scene at around 6.30am where they found the vehicle engulfed in flames and 19 people hiding behind a nearby bush. The SUV had traveled further before it drove into an intersection in front of the truck. Twelve people were killed at the scene, including the 22-year-old driver of the Expedition who was a Mexican national. Another passenger in the SUV died in hospital bringing the total death toll to 13. Ten of the 13 killed in that crash were identified as Mexican citizens although some of their families are located in the U.S. The Border Patrol said its agents were not pursuing the vehicle before the wreck. The driver of the truck has been identified as Joe Beltran, 68, of El Centro. He was taken to hospital with major injuries. The opening in the fence was about 30 miles east of the crash in the heart of California's 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. 'Initial investigation into the origins of the vehicles indicate a potential nexus to the aforementioned breach in the border wall. Human smugglers have proven time and again they have little regard for human life,' Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol's El Centro sector chief said in a statement Wednesday. '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.' Border Patrol is still working to track down the families of those who crossed the border. There were 19 people in a second car who were taken into custody after the car set on fire Law enforcement work at the scene of the deadly crash earlier this month A California Highway Patrol officer examines the scene earlier in March 'We pray for the accident victims and their families during this difficult time,' he added. It was also confirmed that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has opened a human smuggling investigation into the horror crash. 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.' 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. When police arrived at the crash site about 125 miles east of San Diego, some passengers were trying to crawl out of the crumpled SUV. Others were wandering around the nearby fields. The big rig's 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 immediately killed in the collision. In total, paramedics took 11 people to area hospitals, police said. At least two are still being treated for life-threatening injuries. 'We know that there are families in the United States, as well as in several states in Mexico. The consulate has reached out to six families of the deceased individuals,' Mario Beltran Mainero, press officer for the Mexican consulate in Calexico told USA Today. He added at least one of the six families they located is in San Diego; the remaining families are in Mexico. The consulate would not confirm if the ten Mexican nationals killed were part of a smuggling operation. Investigators were trying to determine if the victims of the crash were immigrants or farm workers. 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. The SUV had crossed the border illegally that morning 'It was a pretty chaotic scene,' California Highway Patrol Chief Omar Watson said 'All are suspected to have entered the U.S. illegally,' Custom Patrol said in a statement of the 25 people crammed into the SUV. 'Border Patrol is investigating the smuggling events' The impact of the crash ejected several passengers from the vehicle (car seat pictured above) Tony Hernandez told USA Today that two of his relatives from Michoacan, a 25-year-old and a 32-year-old, had died in the crash. 'I already talked to my relatives. They are devastated,' Hernandez said, as he revealed that they had been on their way to Los Angeles. The crash occurred 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. It's not clear if the SUV ran the stop sign or had stopped before entering the highway. How fast both vehicles were going also wasn't 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. 'You're 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. 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. 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 An ICE spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com that 'Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations San Diego responded ... and have initiated a human smuggling investigation' Jaipur, March 16 : In a first in the state, the Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly has been accused of discriminating against Congress and BJP MLAs belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and religious minorities by the lawmakers themselves, who alleged that their voices are being suppressed in the House. In the last few days, MLAs from both the Congress and the BJP have accused Speaker C.P. Joshi of discriminating against them by not allowing them to raise their voice on the burning issues, besides allotting them seats without microphone in the House with an intention of suppressing their voices. The Congress MLAs who have raised the issue include Sapotra MLA Ramesh Meena, who was sacked as the Food and Civil Supplies Minister during the political crisis in July last year, Dausa MLA Murari Lal Meena and Chaksu MLA Ved Prakash Solanki, who alleged that the state government is trying to suppress the voice of the legislators representing the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minority communities. On Monday, BJP MLA Madan Dilawar also joined the Congress lawmakers and accused Joshi of making caste-based discrimination in the Assembly. However, Joshi has refuted the allegations, saying that he treats all the Assembly members as equals. "I have never judged anyone based on their caste," he said. Meanwhile, Meena has made an open announcement that he would not hesitate to resign if the problems of the MLAs are not addressed. He also sought a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss the matter. Accusing the ministers of following caste based discrimination, he said the ministers don't meet MLAs such as Ameen Khan and Babulal Bairwa due to their caste. His warning came a few days after he had an argument with Joshi in the Assembly over not having a microphone on his table. Speaking to the media, Meena asked if the people's representatives are not heard and taken seriously, how will the voice of those belonging to SC/ST and OBC communities be heard. Meena also alleged discrimination over seating issues of MLAs from the marginalised communities, saying two SC ministers, Tikaram Jully and Bhajan Lal Jatav, don't have a microphone on their tables. On Monday, BJP MLA Madan Dilawar also accused the Speaker of caste discrimination. He was speaking about crops destroyed by hailstorm during Zero Hour. When he started reading out the names of the villages affected by the hailstorm, the Speaker asked him to name his constituency and keep it short. But when Dilawar continued to read out the names of the villages, Joshi stopped him. Infuriated, Dilawar said, "It is a farmers' issue and you are stopping me as I belong to the SC." This left Joshi anguished and he sought opposition leader Gulab Chand Kataria's intervention, saying all leaders are equals before him. Meanwhile, former Speaker Kailash Meghwal confirmed with IANS that it is for the first time that such allegations have been levelled against the Speaker. "This is for the first time that such caste based allegations have been levelled against the Speaker," he added. BJP state President Satish Poonia said that the Speaker should look into such issues and ensure that all MLAs get fair representation in the Assembly. It needs to be mentioned here that all the three Congress MLAs have been part of former Seputy CM Sachin Pilot's rebellion against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot last year, while the BJP MLA has been a former minister and represents Ramgunj Mandi as its lawmaker. The allegation of caste based discrimination comes ahead of the bypolls in four Assembly seats. While the polls on three seats -- Rajsamand, Sujangarh and Sahada -- are scheduled on April 17, the date for polling in Vallabhgarh is yet to be announced. COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca plc. would not be authorised in Venezuela, the countrys vice-president Delcy Rodriguez said citing complications in vaccinated patients. Addressing residents on public television, the leader also stressed technical difficulties as the reason for denying a license to the vaccine. As of now, the Latin American country has authorised Russias Sputnik V and Chinas Sinopharm developed vaccine jabs. Last month, it started its ambitious inoculation drive-by vaccinating frontline health care personnel. Venezuela will not authorize the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the process of immunizing our population due to complications in vaccinated patients, Rodriguez said. Taking into account the technical difficulties, President Nicolas Maduro had decided... not to approve and not to license this vaccine in Venezuelan territory, she added. Severe side effects Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca made vaccine has attracted scepticism across the countries following complaints of severe side effects including blood clots. Multiple countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland and Norway have temporarily suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Defending its vaccines, AstraZeneca reported that it conducted a review of safety data from over 17 million recipients and found no evidence of increased risk of blood clots. The pharmaceutical was also backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which majorly uses AstraZeneca jabs for its COVAX scheme. Venezuela, which is also enlisted for the programme has demanded the liquidation of its frozen funds to pay for the COVAX vaccines. The news was confirmed by Rodriguez, who said that she had met with a representative of the Pan-American Health Organization to reiterate the government's demand that Britain release gold frozen in Venezuela's accounts in the country so as to pay for WHOs global inoculation scheme. Regardless, the Latin American country hopes to begin vaccinating its general public in April. Previously, the country's health minister Carlos Alvarado stressed that they aim to inoculate as much as 70 per cent of the Venezuelans before 2021 onwards so as to achieve herd immunity. Image: AP SHERMAN OAKS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Dear LL Cool J, I, Leo Robin's grandson, sent you an open letter on February 2, 2021 via FedEx, more than a month ago, but assume that you never received it since I haven't heard back from you. I am enclosing it once more so you will better understand the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the long-standing mistake made by the Hollywood Walk of Fame more than 30 years ago. The 1990 Walk of Fame Committee awarded a star to lyricist Leo Robin but the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce never installed it. The Hollywood Chamber as well as the Walk of Fame Committee continue to be morally adrift in regard to this unprecedented situation with the star awarded to Robin but not installed. And they must recognize that they bear responsibility for this on-going moral injustice and take the steps to address it. Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb And His Orchestra recording in 1937 of "Hallelujah," composed by Vincent Youmans with lyrics by Leo Robin and Clifford Grey, and Fats Waller & His Rhythm on air Studio recording in 1938 of "Hallelujah," originally introduced in the 1927 Broadway show Hit the Deck Ashley Lee from the Los Angeles Times first broke on May 23, 2019 this intriguing story, Leo Robin never got his Walk of Fame star. Now his grandson is fighting for it, about my serendipitous discovery of Leo's long-lost star which I believe got lost because "[The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce]...made this 30-year-old mistake," Ms. Lee quoting me. Leo Robin's wife, Cherie Robin, and actor, Bob Hope, sponsored Leo for a star in 1988 but, sadly, Mrs. Robin passed away slightly more than one year before the letter was sent out from the Hollywood Chamber announcing that her husband had been awarded the star and so, unfortunately, it was never installed. In the wake of the release of this story last year by The Times, Leo Robin Music was appalled to learn what happened 30 years ago. Ms. Lee reported, "The envelope was returned to its sender and has since remained in the Chamber of Commerce's records." She also tweeted, "at first I didn't believe that Leo Robin's star had really slipped through the cracks" with a photo of that acceptance letter and the envelope stamped "RETURN TO SENDER." Ms. Lee explained the Chamber's view, "A mistake it was not, noted (Ana) Martinez to The Times. Back in 1989, before the ease of email and cell phones, honorees were not as repeatedly and actively pursued to secure their star as they are today. That means no follow-up letters and no calls to co-signers, even if Robin's application was co-signed by (Bob) Hope, who has four stars on the Walk." When I called the Hollywood Chamber and spoke to Ana Martinez, Producer of the Walk Of Fame, more than three years ago on July 6, 2017, I told her about my discovery of Leo's long-lost star. She confirmed it was true and said, "Nothing like this has ever happened before." After I spoke with Ms. Martinez, I followed her instructions and wrote a letter addressed to the Walk of Fame Committee, of which you were a member representing the recording industry at the time. Ms. Martinez informed me that you along with the other members of the Committee had just met for the annual meeting to select the honorees and that she was going to call you and the others to inform all of you of this development. In the letter I sent to the Walk of Fame Committee on July 11, 2017, a fresh carbon copy is enclosed, I wrote, "In light of these bizarre circumstances, I...humbly request that the Walk of Fame Committee reinstate the award to Leo of the posthumous star." We are eager to hear from you on what your response was when you learned of this development. Were you in favor of the Hollywood Chamber correcting what occurred more than 30 years ago with now unveiling and installing the star awarded to Leo Robin on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Queens has always served as one of music's epicenters and the borough has produced icons like you along with Run-DMC, and 50 Cent. Long before, while Harlem and 52nd Street in Manhattan remained the center of jazz clubs, the most celebrated figures of jazz settled in Queens including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie, pianist Fats Waller and Lena Horne. Anecdotally, band leader Count Basie's house on Adelaide Road was renowned for its pool parties. The outstanding contributions Leo Robin has made to The Great American Songbook are celebrated time and again including recordings by all of these great jazz artists from the stomping grounds of Queens such as trumpeters Louis Armstrong with "Love Is Just around the Corner" and "No Love, No Nothin'" and Dizzy Gillespie with "Hallelujah" and "If I Should Lose You" and pianists Count Basie with "Easy Living" and "Thanks for the Memory" and Fats Waller with "Hallelujah," "Hate to Talk about Myself," "I Adore You," and "Rhyme for Love" and vocalists Billie Holiday with "Easy Living," "Havin' Myself a Time" and "Miss Brown to You" and Ella Fitzgerald with "Easy Living," "Hello Ma! I Done It Again," "Hallelujah," "Hooray for Love," "It Was Written in the Stars," "Thanks for the Memory," "Vote for Mr. Rhythm" and "Wishful Thinking" and Lena Horne with "Havin' Myself a Time," "In Love in Vain" and "Prisoner of Love." The featured song "Hallelujah!" was written by composer Vincent Youmans during World War I when he was serving in the U.S. Navy. It was heard by famed bandleader John Phillip Sousa who was known as "March King" and liked it so much that soon it was being played as a march at bases around the country. In 1927, lyrics by Leo Robin and Clifford Grey were added and the song was renamed "Hallelujah!" and was introduced in the original production of Hit the Deck staged at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway, opening on April 25, 1927, and running for 352 performances. The show was a hit and its song Hallelujah! achieved worldwide success. It turned out to be no less popular with civilians and has been around ever since -- its call to meeting hard to resist. Two films based on the musical were made. The first was in 1930 and starred Jack Oakie. It was remade in 1955 with a slightly different screenplay and differently named characters starring Jane Powell, Tony Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Vic Damone, Ann Miller, and Russ Tamblyn. This set the tune on its path to becoming a jazz standard and it has since been recorded by many of the greatest jazz artists such as pianists George Shearing, Oscar Peterson and Fats Waller, saxophonists Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, violinist Stephane Grappelli and The Tatum Hampton Rich Trio -- pianist Art Tatum, Vibraphonist Lionel Hampton with drummer Buddy Rich and vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Al Bowlly, Hank Jones, Earl "Fatha" Hines and Steve Lawrence with Eydie Gorme. Meanwhile, the Hollywood Chamber along with the Walk of Fame Committee have mislaid their moral compass. What happened 30 years ago - when the acceptance letter was returned to sender and there was no follow-up letters and no calls to notify co-sponsor Bob Hope - is wrong as wrong can be. The 1990 Walk of Fame Committee awarded a star to a deserved honoree and then the Hollywood Chamber and subsequent Walk of Fame Committees would take it back. These actions over the years that resulted in the failure to install the star awarded to Robin are manifest of a moral wrong. LL Cool J, I urge you, as a member of the Walk of Fame Committee, to find the moral compass that guides the Hollywood Chamber and the Walk of Fame Committee and set a new course. Right now, in contradiction to its mission, the Hollywood Chamber is not doing justice to the award to Leo Robin. Instead we are witness to the moral injustice of Leo's long-lost star and the Hollywood Chamber's refusal to honor their commitment to Robin's memory. I want to reaffirm my deepest level of commitment to achieving that all of you - the Hollywood Chamber and the Walk of Fame Committee - uphold the strictest moral authority in fulfilling your commitment. This is your moral imperative. Throughout the past sixty years, the Chamber has successfully kept track of 2,694 honorees and has seen to it that each and every one of them received a star and had it successfully installed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with their name on it -- except for Leo Robin. At this point, one can't help but conclude that Robin, his sponsors, his family and the 1990 Walk of Fame Committee, itself, have been treated unjustly by the Hollywood Chamber and the Walk Of Fame Committee. It is high time for the Hollywood Chamber to preserve their integrity and honor the decision of the 1990 Walk of Fame Committee and its obligation to put Leo's long-lost star in its rightful place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. LL Cool J, when "Going Back to Cali," borrowing this from the name of your 1988 hip hop hit song, you have the noble stature to make this happen. It is my hope that you, as a member of the Walk of Fame Committee, will take the necessary steps to correct this moral wrong and award my grandfather, the legendary songwriter, Leo Robin, his long-overdue star. In Leo Robin's lyrics from Gulliver's Travels -1939, "Faithful Forever," Leo Robin Music cc: copy sent FedEx overnight to LL Cool J For more information, visit the official website of Leo Robin at http://leorobin.com/. CONTACT: Scott D. Ora President - Leo Robin Music thanks4thememory@icloud.com (818) 618-2572 Leo Robin (@LeoRobinMusic) / Twitter SOURCE: Leo Robin Music View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/634606/Leo-Robin-Musics-Second-Open-Letter-to-LL-Cool-J-Re-Moral-Wrong-for-Failure-to-Install-the-StarLeosloststar-Awarded-to-the-Thanks-For-The-Memory-Oscar-Winning-Lyricist-More-Than-30-Years-Ago The proof-of-concept code for the Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerabilities, that was posted on code repository GitHub and removed by the company, has now been re-posted by a number of people other than the original poster. A security researcher, who has the Twitter handle Vess, [real name Dr Vesselin Vladimirov Bontchev] posted a screenshot of the message from one individual who re-posted the PoC, saying: "Lulz. The original ProxyLogon exploit is back on GitHub uploaded not by the author but by several others, sometimes accompanied with a nice comment." The code was originally published on GitHub on 10 March by a Vietnamese researcher Nguyen Jang, according to a report in The Record, a website owned by the CIA-backed threat intelligence firm Recorded Future. Lulz. The original ProxyLogon exploit is back on GitHub - uploaded not by the author but by several others, sometimes accompanied with a nice comment: pic.twitter.com/zwA8ZOTF2P Vess (@VessOnSecurity) March 12, 2021 But hours later, GitHub took down the code. iTWire asked the company why it did this, but has so far received no reply. British security researcher Marcus Hutchins, the first to make mention of the PoC, said in a tweet that it did not work in its original state, but needed some tweaks. Some other researchers were flabbergasted by the actions of GitHub. David Kennedy, the chief executive and founder of security firm TrustedSec, said in a tweet: "Wow, I am completely speechless here. Microsoft really did remove the PoC code from GitHub. correct timeline: MSFT: sorry guys all public OWA needs to go off as there is in-the-wild exploitation, details in the emergency patch next month. hunt for china chopper since Jan. ? (@nf3xn) March 13, 2021 "This is huge, removing a security researchers code from GitHub against their own product and which has already been patched. This is not good." The comment referred to by Vess was this: "Why does GitHub remove this exploit because it is against the acceptable use policy but tons of other proof of concept exploits and frameworks are OK? "Is it because GitHub is owned by Microsoft? "Censoring exploits is bad for security, even if an individual exploit sometimes can put companies at risk which should have already fixed their systems. And GitHub puts up a bad precedence." By Nariman Farvardin As the president of a technology university, I have the privilege of witnessing talented students pursuing STEM degrees and securing jobs in high-demand fields that have been largely immune to the pandemic. I am also extremely troubled that many students from underserved communities who could benefit from these educational and career opportunities are not getting that chance. The pandemic has only made matters worse. The path to a STEM career starts long before entering college, which is why emerging evidence on pandemic-related learning losses, especially in math, is so alarming. While the COVID slide in academic performance has affected almost all K-12 schools since last springs transition to remote learning, those who have fallen farthest behind are low-income Black and brown students. A McKinsey report estimates that students of color on average are likely to lose six to 12 months of math learning by the end of this school year, as compared to four to eight months for white students. Students of color in New Jersey and throughout the nation will be at a significant disadvantage as we emerge from this pandemic. While schools in the state have made tremendous strides closing the digital divide since transitioning to remote learning last spring from more than 300,000 students without computers or internet service down to 195 as of early February 2021 major barriers to learning continue to disproportionally impact low-income and minority students. National data show that only 60% - 70% of Black and Hispanic students are regularly logging onto their classes, and more students from high-poverty schools have been completely absent than those in more affluent areas. While standardized tests have exposed pandemic-related deficits in math achievement, it is reasonable to assume that student progress in high school science and technology learning has also suffered, especially in under-resourced school districts. This should not only be troubling to New Jersey educators, but also to the states business leaders and policymakers. STEM jobs are a major driver of economic growth in New Jersey and the nation and require a large and diverse talent pool. Prior to the pandemic, STEM jobs were projected to increase 1.7 times faster than non-STEM employment, and there are fewer skilled professionals for those positions than needed. These jobs also help raise individuals and families out of poverty; Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that the 2019 median annual wage of workers in computer and technology occupations was about $48,000 higher than the median salary of all occupations nationwide. Post-pandemic, fewer students, especially those of color, will be graduating high school with the skills needed to successfully pursue a STEM degree and career. Making up this lost ground will be a significant challenge but absolutely critical to reinvigorating the states and the nations innovation-based economy. It will require major public and private sector investments and a variety of different approaches and programs. Higher education needs to and is prepared to play an active role in this effort. One example of an existing initiative that offers a successful model is Stevens ACES (Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science) program. Stevens partners with high schools in underserved communities and the corporate sector to provide schools with educational support for students, professional development for school counselors and teachers, tuition-free scholarships for students to attend Stevens summer Pre-College programs, and ongoing financial and academic support for ACES students who go on to attend Stevens. ACES has made a real difference for the schools and students involved in the program. It has also substantially increased the number of minority students attending Stevens. Most importantly, theyre succeeding with an average GPA above 3.4 and a 97% average two-year retention rate. Our state will need to reinvest in these and other programs to overcome the effects of this lost pandemic year for our students, our workforce and our economy. But we should not stop there. Academic disparities that existed prior to the pandemic will continue unless we sustain our efforts to close gaps in STEM education and opportunity. We cannot afford to lose a generation of talent. Students from underserved communities must be provided the academic support they need and the belief that there is a path forward toward a STEM career. Nariman Farvardin is the president of Stevens Institute of Technology. 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. She recently quit TOWIE to pursue a career in real estate following her bitter split from James Lock. And Yazmin Oukhellou oozed with confidence as she posted a video to her Instagram Stories on Monday, flaunting her incredible physique. The reality star, 26, pouted in front of a mirror wearing a very low-cut, tight dress that showcased her ample cleavage and bronzed tan. Killer curves: Yazmin Oukhellou oozed confidence as she posted a video to her Instagram Stories on Monday, flaunting her hourglass curves in a low-cut, gold dress with ruched detail The former TOWIE star wore a deep cut gold dress with ruched detail on the front that hugged her hourglass curves as she posed in her bedroom. Yazmin's dark brunette locks were styled into glamorous waves that cascaded over her shoulders as she ran her fingers through them for the video. She finished the look with a full face of make-up and some gold jewelry, complete with a Christian Dior bracelet and gold watch. All glammed up: The reality star, 26, pouted in front of a mirror in the tight dress that showcased her ample cleavage and bronzed tan from her bedroom in Dubai It comes after Yazmin has embarked on a new career in Dubai, following the breakdown of her relationship in February. She has turned her back on the new series of The Only Way Is Essex because she 'wants to pursue a career in real estate in the United Arab Emirates'. A spokesperson for TOWIE told The Sun: 'Yaz has decided to stay in Dubai to pursue a career in real estate so she wont be starting this series of The Only Way is Essex. 'We support this decision and wish her well in this new venture. As with other cast, the door remains open should she return to Essex.' MailOnline contacted Yazmin's representatives and TOWIE for comment at the time. Yazmin has since posted a number of Instagram posts of her new job, working for real estate brokers Property Hawk, in the office and out on viewings with clients. Fresh start: Yazmin has since posted a number of Instagram posts of her new job, working for real estate brokers Property Hawk, in the office and out on viewings with clients Dubai is on the UK's red list of countries, meaning if Yazmin had decided to return home to star in the next series, she would have to pay 1,750 for a mandatory, 10-day quarantine at a government-mandated hotel. It appears Yaz wants a fresh start after the start of her trip to Dubai was marred by the breakdown of her relationship with co-star James Lock, 34. The TOWIE couple mutually agreed to cut ties after their relationship turned toxic, with James planning to fly home while Yazmin stays in the UAE. A source previously revealed to MailOnline: 'James and Yazmin haven't been in a good place for a while now and living together in Dubai only put further strain on their relationship. Times change: It comes after the reality srat quit TOWIE following her bitter split from James Lock in February with James flying home while Yazmin stays in the UAE 'Arguments between them have intensified and turned nasty, resulting in the couple deciding between them to go their separate ways and this time, for good. 'James plans to return to the UK for TOWIE filming but Yazmin has work in Dubai so is staying put.' A spokeswoman for Yazmin said: 'I can confirm James and Yazmin have split up. 'It's an amicable split and both of them are certain that it's time to move on with no animosity.' The Essex couple had experienced a tempestuous relationship, splitting up and reconciling on a number of occasions after they first started dating in 2017. All over: Yazmin broke up with her on-off beau, 34, 'for good' last month, while they were staying in Dubai on a 'work trip' They split in 2019 after Yazmin accused James of betraying her by partying with a group of women in a hotel room in Turkey, where the couple were on holiday together. A year after their bitter breakup they got back together, confirming their romance by kissing on a beach in Mallorca. Yazmin eventually took James back after the pair failed to keep their distance from each other amid filming for TOWIE and sharing the same group of friends. Last year, Yazmin said: 'I feel like the things that went wrong in the relationship before, we now know to put right this time. I look at that as a test run and now this is the real run.' Good morning, Please find below the press release issued today. Best regards, Florence Lievre Global PR Manager | Group Marketing & Communications Capgemini Group | Paris Tel.: +33 1 47 54 50 71 Email : florence.lievre@capgemini.com _____________________ Capgemini augments its 5G innovation program by opening additional '5G Labs' in France and India As catalysts for innovation, the new 5G Labs offer organizations across industries the opportunity to explore, test, deploy and put 5G at the heart of their business. Paris, March 16, 2021 - Capgemini Group has continued to implement its "Intelligent Industry" strategy with the opening of two labs to enable industry experimentation and deployment of 5G and Edge technologies. Located in Paris and Mumbai, each of these 5G Labs is designed to help organizations across every industry to pivot their business to be ready to take advantage ofthe 5G and Edge revolution, driving their data-driven transformation towards Intelligent Industry. They complement the 5G Lab for telecommunications companies , enterprises and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which opened in December 2020 in Portugal, focused on the development of network capabilities and solutions. The multidisciplinary team of experts at the labs will accompany organizations in the exploration of the latest use cases; experiencing new perspectives on how 5G is transforming their industry; and in helping them to build, monetize, and strategize what 5G brings next for their business. Services include strategy, ideation and planning, use case design and development, and ecosystem orchestration and integration. A platform to accelerate 5G adoption across every industry Capgemini's 5G Labs draw on an innovation ecosystem of partners to experience all the new possibilities offered to organizations and build their end-to-end solutions. They integrate the latest networking, cloud and edge computing technologies with cutting edge 5G connectivity, and an agile and modular application environment. With an ecosystem of partners (both telecom and technology driven) and focus on end-to-end solutions for industries, Capgemini's 5G experts have developed four dedicated areas of specialty, based on industry requirements and proven use cases: Smart Factory : for the manufacturing and automotive sector; it covers production activities carried out in factories and warehouses. Examples of use cases: augmented remote assistance, autonomous devices in warehouse & assembly lines, computer vision based Quality Assurance and safety & surveillance : for the manufacturing and automotive sector; it covers production activities carried out in factories and warehouses. Examples of use cases: augmented remote assistance, autonomous devices in warehouse & assembly lines, computer vision based Quality Assurance and safety & surveillance Smart Utilities : for the energy and chemicals sectors; it covers processes, logistics and operations. Examples of use cases: remote monitoring of sites, mission-critical process control, energy efficiency & sustainability. : for the energy and chemicals sectors; it covers processes, logistics and operations. Examples of use cases: remote monitoring of sites, mission-critical process control, energy efficiency & sustainability. Smart Cities : for the public sector (including transport, health, education); it covers services provided to large samples of population. Examples of use cases: public transport infotainment, immersive learning, crowd management, telemedicine. : for the public sector (including transport, health, education); it covers services provided to large samples of population. Examples of use cases: public transport infotainment, immersive learning, crowd management, telemedicine. Smart Retail: for the retail, consumer goods and luxury goods sector; it covers activities that enhance the personalization of services to end consumers. Examples of use cases: immersive shopping experience, purchase automation via smart carts. "5G brings a step-change in connectivity and automationto all industries and opens new perspectives and possibilities for business. By embracing the 5G digital revolution, organizations will be able to take advantage of the increasing volume of data and derive real-time actionable insights," said Pierre Fortier, Head of 5G at Capgemini Invent. "Our 5G Labs in Paris and Mumbai are designed to accompany organizations in their transformation journey towards Intelligent Industry, onboarding them in the 5G ecosystem to explore all innovation possibilities and helping them to build and monetize customized end-to end solutions for their business." To watch 5G use cases videos, click here . 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 Attachment Companies on the list for California grew, on average, 535 percent between 2017 and 2019 even while the broader United States economy grew just 10 percent. In addition to showing stunning rates of growth across all industries in California, these companies employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. As an Inc. 5000 Regional honoree, SmartBug joins a very exclusive club that includes Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Jamba, Timberland, Clif Bar & Company, Pandora, Patagonia and Oracle Corporation, among other notable alumni. "This is a team effort, and we are thrilled to be recognized with the honor of a high ranking in the world's most competitive business market," said SmartBug Media Founder and CEO Ryan Malone. "Our growth is a testament to the company's business model, innovative processes, values, positive workplace culture, award-winning client work and market lead in customer endorsements that have resulted in strength and resilience all of which have contributed to our ability to maintain sustained growth through the unique challenges of 2020." SmartBug's ongoing commitment to providing its employees with challenging careers along with the flexibility to spend more quality time with their families and make lifelong memories forms the cornerstone of its game-changing business model. Founded in 2008 as one of the country's few fully remote marketing agencies, SmartBug already had strong remote processes and best practices in place by 2020, making it a resilient and trusted authority and advisor to other companies navigating the challenges brought on by the global pandemic. In addition, SmartBug's commitment to professional development and its high standards for creating best-in-class client work have contributed to its rapid growth, earning it an impressive list of accolades over the years. SmartBug is HubSpot's highest-rated partner in the world, one of only 18 HubSpot Elite partners worldwide, and HubSpot's 2018 Global Partner of the Year. It was also named to both HubSpot's Partner Advisory Council (PAC) and the Adweek 100: Fastest Growing Agencies list for the second consecutive year in 2020. "This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry," said Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. "The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay." Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/california . Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit and independent not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies as of Dec. 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com . ABOUT SMARTBUG MEDIA SmartBug Media is a globally recognized Intelligent Inbound marketing agency assisting businesses in growing revenue by generating leads, increasing brand awareness, and building customer loyalty through content marketing, sales enablement, web development, marketing automation and public relations. As HubSpot's 2018 Global Partner of the Year, SmartBug is the highest-rated HubSpot partner in the world today. The company has not only been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies four years in a row, but it has also been named to the Adweek 100: Fastest Growing list twice and won a number of Great Place to Work and Comparably awards. With hundreds of awards for client work and a team holding a combined 650 marketing certifications SmartBug is fully dedicated to delivering client success and an unparalleled agency experience. For more information about SmartBug Media, visit smartbugmedia.com . For SmartBug Media Inquiries, Contact: Jennifer Tolkachev SmartBug Media 949-236-6448 x865 jtolkachev@smartbugmedia.com SOURCE SmartBug Media Related Links www.smartbugmedia.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. WOOD RIVER Every Illinoisan might be able to get a COVID-19 vaccination by the end of April, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker. President Joe Biden on Thursday said he would advise states to make a vaccine available to every adult by May 1. Pritzker said Illinois may act sooner. Im excited about the fact that we will be able to get to more and more people across the state of Illinois and Im confident that not by just May 1, but maybe even a little bit earlier, we could open up to everyone in the state, Pritzker said. The state will be receiving 100,000 doses per day from the federal government this month, including the one-shot dose from Johnson & Johnson, the governor said. At noon Monday, the health department had open vaccination times available on March 16, 18, 19 and 21. County residents who have internet and computer access should schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments at www.madisonchd.org. People who do not use a computer can call 618-650-8445 for first dose appointments when available. On Monday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 88,301 vaccinations had been administered in Madison County. The IDPH said 56,871 first vaccine doses or 21.5% of the population had been given and 31,430 residents, or 11.88% of the population, were fully vaccinated. The Madison County Health Department has said the actual numbers for both vaccination categories is higher than the IDPH figures. The IDPH on Monday also reported that 17.93% of Greene County was fully vaccinated. Other fully vaccinated rates were 18.72% in Jersey County, 14.51% in Macoupin County and 16.66% in Calhoun County. The IDPH on Monday said 4,623,735 doses of vaccine had been delivered to providers in Illinois. About 414,900 doses have been allocated to the federal governments Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 5,038,635. More Information Vaccinations First: 56,871 (21.5%) Fully: 31,430 (11.88%) Source: IDPH COVID-19 cases by county Madison - 28,032 (466 deaths) Jersey - 2,505 (47 deaths) Calhoun - 494 (5 deaths) Greene - 1,323 (47 deaths) Macoupin - 4,569 (108 deaths) Montgomery - 3,563 (71 deaths) St. Clair - 26,095 (481 deaths) Clinton - 5,603 (89 deaths) Bond - 1,919 (24 deaths) Monroe - 4,120 (89 deaths) Randolph - 3,999 (80 deaths) Washington - 1,597 (25 deaths) Source: IDPH & Madison, Macoupin and Jersey county health departments See More Collapse A total of 4,102,810 vaccines have been administered, including 354,773 for long-term care facilities. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 102,147 doses. The IDPH on Monday reported no additional COVID-19 related deaths in Madison, Macoupin, Jersey, Greene or Calhoun counties. A total of 12 additional COVID-19 related deaths were reported Monday by the IDPH, as well as 782 new confirmed and probable cases. Late Sunday the Madison County Health Department was reporting no additional COVID-19 related deaths, leaving the countys death toll to 466. 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 on Sunday was reporting 21 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals, one on a ventilator. The county reported 25 new confirmed and probable cases as well as 774 tests. To date, the county has reported 28,032 cases and 273,371 tests. The three-day positivity rate in the county on Sunday was 4.08%. The seven-day rate was 4.61% and the 10-day rate was 4.03, the lowest since July 9, 2020. The IDPH said the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests March 8-14 was 2.2%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity for the same period was 2.6%. To date, the IDPH has reported 1,210,113 cases, including 20,955 deaths. As of Sunday night, 1,112 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 227 were intensive care unit patients and 95 were on ventilators. For more 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 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. The Center Square contributed to this story. (Alliance News) - STV Group PLC on Tuesday reinstated its final dividend after reporting a "better than expected 2020 performance". STV shares were up 1.9% to 331.00 pence each in London. Revenue fell 14% in 2020 to GBP107.1 million, from GBP123.8 million a year prior, while pretax profit fell 65% to GBP6.7 million from GBP19.0 million, as advertising and TV production were hit by the pandemic. However, STV gave an upbeat view following a strong second half of the year and improving advertising trends at the start of 2021. The Scottish broadcaster proposed a final dividend of 6p per share, bringing the total 2020 dividend to 9p per share. The 2019 final dividend of 14.7p per share was cancelled at the onset of the pandemic. STV said it would repay the GBP1.6 million in furlough grants it received from the UK government before paying the dividend. The company set out a three-year strategic plan to increase its revenue from TV production and digital, as it diversifies away from linear broadcasting. It also said it has agreed to sell its lottery management subsidiary, STV ELM Limited, subject to regulatory approval. STV is "positive about the future" after good results so far in 2021. STV channel viewing is up 14% year-to-date, while STV Player viewing is up 83% with streams up over 100%. The company has also noted that advertising trends have started to improve materially. Chief executive officer Simon Pitts said: "With profit and net debt materially better than expectations, the 2020 financial results we are confirming today are testament to the strength of our business." By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. New Delhi: Actor Shahid Kapoor's stunning wife Mira Rajput has had a fab time recently after attending BFF's wedding. The gorgeous inside pictures on social media created a flutter, leaving fans all excited. Now, Mira is back to her fitness routine. Mira Rajput took to Instagram and shared a picture of her doing the plank perfectly. Her post got reactions from several celebrities such as actor and brother-in-law Ishaan Khatter. Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput got married 5 years back on July 7 at a Gurudwara in Gurgaon. Theirs was a family affair with only close friends in attendance. They are one of the power couples in the Hindi movie business and also a regular at various fashion dos. The duo got blessed with a baby girl named Misha on August 26, 2016, and welcomed their second child, a baby boy named Zain in September 2018. On the work front, Shahid is currently working on the Hindi remake of Telugu superhit 'Jersey' starring Nani. Murderer Charlotte Mulhall, one of the so-called Scissor Sisters, was not given an opportunity to respond to allegations of inappropriate relationships behind bars before she was transferred to another prison, the High Court has heard. The mother of one is challenging a decision to move her from Mountjoy Prison's Dochas Centre in Dublin to Limerick Prison after she was allegedly found in a very compromising position with a female prison officer in December 2018. As a result of the transfer, she alleges she has been unable to receive physical visits from her son, mother and sister, which has left her lonely and sad. In a letter to the governor of Limerick Prison, Mulhall (37) also said she missed her dog Heather, who was part of a canine programme at the Dochas Centre. Read More Her counsel, Conor Power SC, told Mr Justice Anthony Barr his client disputed allegations of inappropriate relationships or liaisons, had not been given an opportunity to challenge them before her transfer, and was not afforded fair procedures. The comments came as Mulhalls legal team sought leave to bring a judicial review of the decision to transfer her. In proceedings against the Irish Prison Service and the State, she is seeking damages and orders that the transfer be quashed and that she be returned to the Dochas Centre to facilitate visits from her son. Mulhall claimed in an affidavit the transfer had caused untold stress and upset to me, my son and my family. She is serving a life sentence for the gruesome murder of her mother Kathleen's boyfriend Farah Swaleh Noor in Ballybough, Dublin, in 2005. Mr Noors body was dismembered and some of his remains were discovered in the Royal Canal. His head was never found. Mulhalls sister Linda (45) was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter and has since been released. Opening the application, Mr Power, appearing with Cian Kelly BL and instructed by Tracy Horan and Co Solicitors, accepted the Prison Service has discretion to move inmates and that the courts cannot micromanage prisons. But he said the bedrock of his case was that fair procedures must be observed if prisoners are being transferred. Mr Power said certain matters were not considered by the Prison Service, including his clients family connections, which are in Dublin. He said this was a breach of her rights under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly in respect of the lack of physical visits with her son, which she hasnt had since July 2019. Mr Power also said prison authorities failed to consider Mulhall was on enhanced prisoner status at the time. He also said no reasons were given to her when she was transferred and reasons provided since then were to a degree contradictory. The court heard the application was being opposed on the basis that it was out of time and that the Prison Service has significant discretion as regards transfers. It is also claimed by the Prison Service that Mulhall told the Parole Board she was happy in Limerick Prison and therefore there was no need for the proceedings. An internal Prison Service email released to Mulhall under the Freedom of Information Act set out an allegation she had been found in a very compromising position with an officer in an office in the Laurel House section of the Dochas Centre on December 22, 2018. I think the relationship between these two women has been focus of media attention previously, the email read. It went on to say: This prisoner has been involved in a number of high-profile liaisons while in Dochas, all of which have received significant media coverage, including adverse comment. She should transfer to Limerick females by direction as soon as possible, preferably immediately, until further notice. Mulhall disputed what was alleged in the email, saying she had been performing a beauty treatment while sitting on the prison officer. She said that had she been given the opportunity to address the situation, she would have told the governor exactly what happened, and the transfer would have been avoided. In her affidavit, she said her solicitor was told in June 2020 the transfer was made in order to maintain good order and safe custody in the Dochas Centre. But she claimed the Prison Service had put forward differing grounds for the transfer to different parties. This included correspondence with another Government agency in October 2019 which said she had been transferred to Limerick for her own safety and wellbeing. Mr Justice Barr said he would deliver his ruling at a later date. Democrats face a structural problem in national politics: A good-sized majority of American voters support the party, but that currently translates into a tenuous hold on government. One straightforward solutionsome sayis to restructure things by adding more states. Numerous left-leaning analysts, looking at the long-term disadvantages Democrats face in the House and even more so the Senate, where sparsely populated, rural, red areas are overrepresented, have concluded that it is imperative that the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, presumably blue, be added as states as soon as possible. Advertisement If we implemented D.C. and Puerto Rican statehood and passed redistricting reform, that would roughly triple our chance of holding the House in 2022 and roughly the same in the Senate, polling expert David Shor told New York magazine in a recent interview. Democratic voters dont need convincing: 76 percent of them now support Puerto Rico statehood, according to a recent Data for Progress poll, a 7 percentage point increase since last year. President Joe Biden has been vague but certainly does not seem opposed to the idea. Even Joe Manchin, the Senates swing vote and previously a Puerto Rico statehood skeptic, now at least says hes open to the idea. (Hes not as open-minded about D.C.) Advertisement 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. Elected Democrats generally know better than to express their support for statehood in blatantly partisan terms, but some Republicans have gone ahead and expressed their opposition that way. During the last election cycle, thenSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described adding the two new states as an example of full-bore socialism. Arizona Senate candidate Martha McSally warned that if the new states were added, Republicans might never get the Senate back. For Democrats, the idea has obvious appeal: Democrats can support congressional representation for long-underserved populations and boost their own electoral odds at the same time. In the case of D.C., statehood also aligns with the clearly expressed preference of the place in question. In Puerto Rico, however, things are more complicated. Whether Puerto Rico actually wants to be a state is still an open question. With two new bills in Congress that seek to resolve Puerto Ricos status in very different ways, the debate is likely about to heat up, and it may break down along some unusual ideological lines. Advertisement The U.S. has governed Puerto Rico under various arrangements since invading it during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Puerto Ricans have had U.S. citizenship since 1917, but werent able to elect their own government until 1948. The island has been a semi-independent commonwealth since 1952, but the U.S. Congressin which Puerto Rico does not have a votestill exercises significant control over its political affairs. Advertisement When you try to analyze Puerto Rican politics in terms of American politics, you get lost, says Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who grew up in Puerto Rico and today represents parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in the U.S. House. This is because the question of Puerto Ricos final status has long been the main dividing line in Puerto Rican politics. The currently dominant New Progressive Party, or PNP, favors statehood. Its main rival, the Popular Democratic Party, or PPD, advocates continuing as a commonwealth with enhanced self-governance. The smaller Independence Party advocates for a complete break from the U.S. (A newly formed left-wing party, the Citizens Victory Movement, aims to distinguish itself by intentionally downplaying the statehood question.) Advertisement In 2020, on the same day as the U.S. presidential election, Puerto Rico held a statehood referendum. It was the sixth time a vote on the islands status had been held, but this one differed from its predecessors by only including two optionsyes to statehood, or no. Statehood won by 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent. Question settled? Not quite. Statehood opponents say the vote was invalidit wasnt recognized by the U.S. Department of Justiceand point out that turnout was low, at less than 55 percent. (This was at least an improvement over the 2017 referendum, which was boycotted by the opposition and only got 23 percent turnout.) Opponents also say the vote was a stunt by the PNP to bring its supporters to the polls for the governors election happening the same day. If thats true, it workedbut just barely. The PNPs Pedro Pierluisi won with just 33 percent of the votes. The candidates from the pro-commonwealth PPD, the Citizens Victory Movement, and the Independence Party combined for a little less than 60 percent of the vote, which also suggests that support for statehood is not exactly overwhelming. Advertisement Advertisement But neither is the support for any other option. One of the major damages that colonialism does to you is the fear of making final decisions, says journalist and historian Pedro Reina-Perez. The way I see it, whenever Puerto Ricans are faced with the question of making a final decision, most people walk away from it. Thats why you never have a referendum with major participation. But George Laws Garcia, executive director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council, a D.C.-based advocacy group, argues that the majority has spoken, and that its time to move forward. If we deny the capacity of the people of Puerto Rico to move forward in the process, what you have is a minority imposing a continued territory that everyone on the island recognizes as dysfunctional and undemocratic, he says. He also notes that in Alaska and Hawaii, support for statehood increased dramatically after Congress officially put statehood on the table, making it a viable and realistic option. Thats exactly what statehood advocates are trying to do now. Advertisement On March 2, Rep. Darren Soto, a Democrat from Florida, and Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Ricos nonvoting congressional representative and a PNP member who caucuses with the Republicans, introduced a statehood bill with 49 co-sponsors. If passed, the bill, modeled on the admission process for Hawaii and Alaska, would trigger one last in/out referendum in Puerto Rico, whichif it passedwould create the 51st state. Advertisement Despite growing public support for Puerto Rican statehood, the bills chances seem slim. The statehood movement faces resistance from two sides: partisan Republicans and statehood skeptics within the Puerto Rican and Puerto Rican American community. The Republican opposition to Puerto Rican statehood is a little ironic. While the islands parties dont map evenly onto U.S. partisan dividesthe PNP includes both Republicans like Gonzalez and Democrats like Pierluisistatehood is generally speaking the conservative position in Puerto Rico. There are McConnells full-bore socialists in Puerto Rico, but they tend to favor greater autonomy, as either a commonwealth or an independent country, rather than statehood. Advertisement So whether Puerto Ricos four House members and two senators would even be guaranteed Democrats is not as obvious as it might seem. That particular talking point is trite and cynical and kind of ironic. If you look at the actual data, Puerto Rico is genuinely a swing state, says Laws Garcia. Anyone who says Puerto Rico is automatically a Democratic state is just not being honest and probably just doing a dog whistle for their base. Republicans themselves have historically been divided on the question of Puerto Ricos status. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush gave the statehood movement its biggest presidential boost to date by affirming his support in the State of the Union address. The following year, however, another tendency in the party emerged when proto-Trumpian figure Pat Buchanan began publicly opposing statehood for Puerto Rico, which he portrayed as packed with welfare recipients and political radicals, not to mention Spanish speakers who would bring a fundamental change in the character of our union. Anticipating McConnell two decades later, Buchanan argued that Puerto Ricos liberal representatives and senators would overturn the Reagan revolution. As recently as 2016, the Republican Party platform explicitly backed making Puerto Rico a state, but Buchanans arguments still did their job: Only 30 percent of Republicans support the idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It does seem likely that Puerto Rico would be a mostly blue state for the time being. About twice as many Puerto Ricans participated in the Democratic primary as the Republican one in 2016the last time both parties had a competitive race. But that doesnt mean it would stay that way forever. During the debate over statehood for Alaska in the 1950s, the assumption was that the state would be Democratic, and indeed its first two elected senators were Democrats. Part of the argument for admitting Hawaii at the same time was that it was more Republican-leaning and would balance things out. Thats not quite how it turned out in the long run. Still, most Republicans dont seem in a hurry to take a chance. Even Florida Sen. Rick Scott, long on record backing statehood, has been backing away from that stance, saying the territorys debt issues should be resolved first. His colleague Marco Rubio has been urging colleagues to keep an open mind but is not yet on record backing the Soto-Gonzalez bill. Without the strong backing of figures like Scott and Rubio, the bill has almost no chance of getting 60 votes in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement At this point, the better question may be whether it can get 50 votes, from Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has backed statehood in the past, but recently changed his tune, saying that the 2020 referendum process was not fair and tying his objections to a controversial law critics say is aimed at turning the island into a tax haven. He may also be facing some pressure from Puerto Rican voters in New York, where support for statehood tends to be lower than it is in Floridathe other major center of the Puerto Rican population on the mainland. Two New York representatives of Puerto Rican descentVelazquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezare about to introduce their own competing bill, the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act. This bill, a previous version of which was introduced last year, aims to end the colonial situation in Puerto Rico, as Velazquez put it to me. This means a process held outside what she calls the territorial cloth. The bill would set up a status convention, with delegates elected by Puerto Rican voters, that would develop a long-term solution for Puerto Ricos status. These could include statehood, full independence, a free association status like that of independent former U.S. colonies like Palau and the Marshall Islands, or an enhanced commonwealth status, in which Puerto Ricans would gain the right to elect congressional representatives and the president while maintaining some degree of national sovereignty. This solution would then be put to the voters for a final referendum. Advertisement Advertisement While the bill is portrayed by opponents as an attempt to block statehood, Velazquez says she is not campaigning for any of the status options. As a member of Congress, I should not interfere with that process. Thats for the people of Puerto Rico to determine, she says. Statehood advocates like Laws Garcia dismiss this proposal as unnecessarily convoluted and argue that Puerto Rican voters have already had their say via their elected representatives. He also dismisses the enhanced commonwealth idea, which would probably require a constitutional amendment, as a Mickey Mouse Fantasy Land. But to Velazquez, the main point is that Congress should not be privileging one status option over another when its still a live debate on the island. Advertisement I have seven brothers and sisters. Theres a sister or two who support statehood. Some who support free association. Some who support independence. Who am I to tell any of my family whats right for them? she says. Even as Puerto Rico has lingered in the stasis of commonwealth status, it has been through an extraordinarily tumultuous few years materially and politically. The islands government was mired in a grinding debt crisisthe result, in large part, of federal economic policieswhich the Obama administration responded to in 2016 by setting up an oversight board to manage Puerto Ricos finances; the board is widely despised on the island as an unelected colonial imposition. Then in 2017 came Hurricane Maria, whose initial devastation was followed by indifference and neglect from the mainland, leading to prolonged suffering and mass death. In 2019 came a protest movement leading to the resignation of Gov. Ricardo Rosello. Then, in 2020, came a deadly earthquake. Its not clear how this periodand the Trump-led U.S. governments blithe disregard throughout itwill affect the statehood debate. What is clear, both from the anti-Rosello movement and from the strong performance of third parties in the 2020 election, is that it has led to widespread frustration at the status quo. That frustration, however, does not necessarily mean an end to the stalemate over Puerto Ricos status. Congress is unlikely to act without a clear and unambiguous signal from the island, but such a signal is unlikely unless Puerto Ricans see clear and unambiguous support from Congress. One thing the islands factions can probably agree on, from the strongest statehood supporters to the most ardent nationalists, is that framing Puerto Ricos future in terms of what it means for partisan control of Congress is not exactly helpful. The Royal Television Society Awards 2021 were presented at a virtual ceremony on Tuesday evening. And at the end of the night, acclaimed It's A Sin writer Russell T Davies OBE, 57, was honoured with the award for Outstanding Achievement. The screenwriter's work over the last 20 years was described by the judges as taking 'television drama to places it's never been before, explored themes never explored before, and more than anything - told stories never allowed before.' Congratulations! It's A Sin writer Russell T Davies OBE, 57, was honoured with the award for Outstanding Achievement at the Royal Television Society Awards 2021, on Tuesday evening The RTS Awards were hosted by Jonathan Ross, and streamed on the Royal Television Society's website. Announcing the winner of the Outstanding Achievement award, the judges praised Russell's contribution to the artform They said: 'This is presented to a screenwriter whose work over the last twenty years has taken television drama to places it's never been before, explored themes never explored before, and more than anything - told stories never allowed before. That writer is Russell T Davies.' Russell is one of the greatest dramatists of his generation, a writer who as he put it himself writes about 'the big stuffthe stuff that makes you laugh, the stuff that makes you cry'. Real stories: Channel 4 series It's A Sin follows the stories of three gay 18-year-olds who arrive in London in 1981, at the beginning of the HIV epidemic Gamechanger: The screenwriter's work over the last 20 years was described by the judges as taking 'television drama to places it's never been before' (pictured in 2019) Russell grew up in Swansea and his passion for Seventies television drama propelled him to the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre. There, he fell in love with the craft of communicating stories to an audience and he first began writing short plays of his own. After university he knew that television was what he wanted to pursue. The BBC turned him down three times for their graduate traineeship, but by chance he managed to land a job on the children's show Why Don't You? produced by BBC Wales. His early work in children's television included a turn as a storyteller on Play School and writing jokes for the Chuckle Brothers. He directed, wrote and produced all kinds of children's television at the BBC. In the early Nineties, Russell moved to Granada Television as a writer on Children's Ward. He became producer of the show and wrote an episode about a teenage boy with HIV, contracted through a blood transfusion. A later episode, also written by Russell, centred around the grooming of children by paedophiles in online chat rooms. This was on Children's ITV, at four thirty in the afternoon in 1994. It was groundbreaking television which won him his first Children's BAFTA. Living in Manchester during the Nineties led Russell to his breakthrough work, Queer As Folk, in 1999. He was writing mainstream shows for Granada by day - and by night immersing himself in the city's exploding gay culture, with Canal Street as its epicentre. Russell realised that if anyone was to put these vivid characters on television, or tell their stories, it should be him. Way back when: Living in Manchester during the Nineties led Russell to his breakthrough work, Queer As Folk, in 1999 (From left: Charlie Hannun, Aidan Gillen and Craig Kelly in the hit show) Queer as Folk put a hidden truth on television: young British men leading gay lives, lives that were raucous and messy, difficult and loud, loving and glorious. Quite incredibly, this type of content had never been on television before in the three decades since homosexuality had been de-criminalised. Working alongside his long time producing partner Nicola Shindler, Russell followed Queer as Folk with Bob and Rose in 2001 the story of a gay man who marries a straight woman and has a child with her. The following year brought an exploration of themes around faith in The Second Coming starring Christopher Eccleston, a work described by Russell's contemporary Paul Abbott as 'a television masterpiece'. In 2004 Russell wrote Casanova, a revisiting of the notorious lover's memoirs starring David Tennant, and its debut on BBC Three broke the channel record for first run drama. It was at this time that Russell realised an ambition that he'd harboured for years, all based on an obsession that went right the way back to that childhood living room in Swansea: he got the chance to reinvent Doctor Who. Previous projects: Russell's 2018 miniseries A Very English Scandal explored the passions, secrets and betrayals between Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott through the 60s and 70s For five years from 2005, Russell worked on Doctor Who; As showrunner and chief writer he re-imagined it for a new century and a sophisticated new audience, building epic stories around big, technicolour characters - adding special effects and production values that set new standards for fantasy drama. He allowed his imagination to run riot. But more than anything, he brought warmth and heart to Doctor Who, refashioning the show as a drama for the whole family to watch on Saturday teatime and even in primetime on Christmas Day. With spin off shows like Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures running alongside it, Doctor Who became a global hit that continues to enthrall audiences to this day Russell returned to writing about gay themes in his next major work - Cucumber, for Channel 4, and then in 2016 he adapted and produced what he called 'the gayest ever Midsummer Night's Dream' for BBC One. Two years later came the multi-award winning A Very English Scandal, which explored the passions, secrets and betrayals in the relationship between Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott through the Sixties and Seventies. The potential consequences of the rising tide of populism in Britain were examined in Years and Years in 2019. Russell time-travelled the Lyons family of Manchester fifteen years into the future, landing them in an era of mind-bending new technology against a backdrop of political and economic turmoil. And then in 2021 came It's A Sin, Russell's empathetic rewind to the arrival of AIDS in the Eighties; a timely story about how a mysterious new virus unleashed great waves of fear, denial and death. Russell unflinchingly writes about the truth of real life, gives his characters wit and authenticity and his shows undeniable integrity, then defends them to the hilt. As he once said, 'If it's true, then it's true. And you can never back down from that'.' Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. DALLAS, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE:J) was awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to support the West Desert Test Center (WDTC) at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), Utah. The DPG contract has an anticipated value of more than $60 million over a five-year period of performance. As the nation's leading test center for chemical and biological defense capabilities, DPG leads the United States' global preparedness and response capabilities for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) threats. The DPG West Desert Test Center is the designated U.S. Army Major Range and Test Facility Base for chemical and biological defense testing and the global leader in preparing Department of Defense, federal civilian, state agency, and allied nation personnel for mission critical CBRNE operations, tactics, techniques, and procedures. "In a world confronting the human, economic and geopolitical impacts of the COVID pandemic, there's a renewed and growing recognition of the importance of our nation's ability to prepare for and respond to pervasive, global threats to humanity and society," said Critical Mission Solutions Senior Vice President of Advancing National Security Defense Jennifer Richmond. "As the proliferation of potential threats unfortunately accelerates at pace with technology advancement, the CBRNE defense mission has never been more relevant and important to the world. Jacobs has supported DPG in executing this global defense mission since 2004 and we're honored to continue our longstanding partnership with the Army and Department of Defense." Through this mission support contract, Jacobs will provide subject matter expertise and technical and operations support across a spectrum of CBRNE defense capabilities and activities, including field range testing for the detection and defeat of chemical, biological, and radiological agents, pollutants, or simulants; laboratory testing and evaluation of technology, tools, and systems to detect and identify weapons of mass destruction; evaluation of the functionality of field-deployable detection, dissemination and decontamination systems and war-fighter personal protective equipment; and field deployment and testing of wireless communications systems to mobilize and modernize data collection in critical CBRNE incident environments. Also, Jacobs will facilitate the execution of CBRNE incident training and live and constructive field exercises for all military branches, civilian first-responder teams, and allied foreign partners. 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. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related reaction of governments on global and regional market conditions and the company's business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 2, 2020, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, 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. For press/media inquiries: Kerrie Sparks 214.583.8433 SOURCE Jacobs Related Links http://www.jacobs.com SAO PAULO, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The financial group Piemonte Holding, from Rio de Janeiro, closed last Friday (12) the acquisition of five data centers from Oi for a total amount of R$ 367 million (approx. USD 70 million). The transaction is in accordance with the amendment to the judicial reorganization plan of the telecom company, one of the largest in Latin America, and marks the first in a series of sales that Oi plans to carry out in the coming years. The R$ 367 million are divided into a R$ 250 million cash transaction, made on Friday (12); a deferred R$ 75 million payment, in addition to R$ 42 million in investments in the UPI Data Center. Last year, the purchase of Oi's UPI Data Center by Piemonte Holding was approved in the General Meeting of Oi's creditors by the judge in charge of the company's judicial recovery and also in a judicial bid. "Piemonte is a young organization that believes in the digital transformation of the economy. The pandemic has accelerated a process that was already underway and the reorganization of Oi, which is henceforth a fait accompli, is an injection of optimism for Brazil. The total assets and the planned investments in the telecom company exceeds R$ 40 billion. I believe that, with an appropriate digital infrastructure, this country may be brought back into the group of global major players, finally turning the page and forgetting past mistakes," says Alessandro Lombardi, CEO of Piemonte. The purchase made by Titan, one of Piemonte Holding's investment vehicles, took place through a finance operation supported by BTG Pactual and Banco Bradesco, two banks that are to be long-term business partners. The investment fund Alba Fund, managed and administered by Piemonte, also became part of the transaction package. The five new data centers that are now part of the Titan Elea Digital conglomerate, Piemonte's data center holding company, are located in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Sao Paulo and Brasilia, with two units. According to regulators and market researches, with this transaction, Elea Digital will become a federation covering about 10% of the Brazilian colocation market, which major strength is the geographic location of its assets. "Brazil is a continental-sized country and our data centers are unique: in addition to hosting, we can offer connectivity and minimize latency. We see an enormous potential, which is validated by our financial sponsors. We were lucky to find a management such as Oi's, with which we share values, strategic vision and excellent execution capacity," stated Alessandro. About Piemonte Holding: Based in Rio de Janeiro and with a branch in New York City, USA, Piemonte combines local and global knowledge, as its platform crosses borders. Piemonte strives for excellence in all its transactions, providing state-of-the-art tools for asset management, administration and financial services. Since 2019, Piemonte has invested in the Elea Project, a data center holding company that is one of the main digital infrastructure investment projects in Latin America. Piemonte's investment platform allows any investor, whether an entrepreneur from a small town or a multinational company, to reach new frontiers. The result of its investments exceeds any expectations. For more information, visit: www.piemonteholding.com SOURCE Piemonte Holding Related Links http://www.piemonteholding.com DUBLIN, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Infrared Cameras Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type, Component, Wavelength, and Application" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to this report the market is expected to reach US$ 9,055.58 million by 2027 and is likely to register a CAGR of 7.1% from 2020 to 2027. Several industries such as aerospace and defense, automotive, healthcare, and others are investing heavily in advanced technologies to strengthen their capabilities with advanced machinery and offer enhanced services to customers. The market players present in countries such as Russia, the US, and France are developing advanced infrared cameras for the global market. Rising procurement of infrared cameras by the US Army is propelling its market growth. Developing nations such as India, China, and Indonesia are strengthening their military capabilities due to rising border clashes with neighboring countries. Furthermore, the adoption of infrared cameras has increased in the automotive sector due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, in March 2020, the Chinese government planned to install temperature monitoring infrared cameras on the public transport. Furthermore, the rising defense expenditure of countries such as the US, China, and India is expected to drive the growth of the market. Additionally, the increasing number of product launches by companies such as FLIR Systems, Inc. is expected to drive the growth of the market. For instance, in April 2020, FLIR Systems, Inc. launched FLIR Ranger HDC MR high-definition medium-wave infrared (MWIR) border-security surveillance system. The system assists in countering illegal drug smuggling, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and human trafficking. Therefore, these factors are expected to drive the growth of the market. Manufacturing, automotive, semiconductor and electronics, oil & gas, mining, aviation, and other industries have witnessed a decline in their operations due to the temporary shutdown of activities. The infrared cameras market players also experienced a slowdown in the volumes because the manufacturing facilities were operating with a limited workforce. This has had a negative impact on the market. Additionally, the temporary closure has resulted in reduced procurement of infrared cameras among industries during the first quarter of 2020, and the scenario is likely to continue in the first six months of 2021. The automotive OEMs are increasingly emphasizing non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to detect flaws on a developed component or product. The use of infrared camera facilitates the auto maker to visualize defects, also reduce the cost and time for detecting defects or flaws. The functions of catalysts and electric systems of cars and motor assemblies can also be tested with the help of infrared camera systems. Moreover, several defects of multiple products and components in the automotive industry are detected through temperature changes. Therefore, various auto makers are focusing on infrared cameras to detect defects on windows and seats. This practice is foreseen to grow among the automotive industry players across the world, which would boost the infrared camera market in terms of value and volume. The introduction of advanced infrared cameras is set to generate substantial demand among the end users owing to the benefits of enhanced sensing and imaging capabilities. As the advantages of infrared cameras over traditional systems or products have been attracting end users, the infrared camera manufacturers are continuously upgrading their products for end users can procure advanced IR cameras. This factor is foreseen to bolster the growth of the infrared cameras market. Swift advancements pertaining to technologies, various initiatives by governments, and growing number of military systems manufacturing industries are expected to drive the market growth in APAC. APAC is expected to register substantial growth rate in the infrared cameras market during the forecast period owing to the factors such as increasing military expenditure, rising territorial conflicts, and growing industrialization. APAC countries have been investing extensively in defense owing to increased tensions between neighboring countries. According to the SIPRI, in 2019, China's defense budget was ~US$ 261 billion, while India had a budget of US$ 71.1 billion. Furthermore, increasing automotive and healthcare industries in the region are expected to drive the market growth in the region. Reasons to Buy Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the infrared camera market. Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the infrared camera market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1 Study Scope 1.2 Research Report Guidance 1.3 Market Segmentation 2. Key Takeaways 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Coverage 3.2 Secondary Research 3.3 Primary Research 4. Infrared Cameras Market Landscape 4.1 Market Overview 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.2.1 North America 4.2.2 Europe 4.2.3 Asia-Pacific 4.2.4 Middle East & Africa 4.2.5 South America 4.3 Ecosystem Analysis 4.4 Expert Opinion 5. Infrared Cameras Market - Key Market Dynamics 5.1 Key Market Driver 5.1.1 Accentuation in Use of IR Cameras at Borders and Airports 5.1.2 Stimulating Demand from Automotive Sectors 5.2 Key Market Restraints 5.2.1 Export Restrictions to Hinder the Market Growth 5.3 Key Market Opportunities 5.3.1 Continuous Development of Robust IR Cameras 5.3.2 COVID-19 has Spurred the Procurement of IR Cameras 5.4 Future Trends 5.4.1 Artificial Intelligence-enabled IR Cameras 5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints 6. Infrared Cameras - Global Market Analysis 6.1 Infrared Cameras Market Global Overview 6.2 Infrared Cameras Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 6.3 Market Positioning - Global Market Players Ranking 7. Infrared Cameras Market Analysis - By Type 7.1 Overview 7.2 Infrared Cameras Market, By Type (2019 and 2027) 7.3 Fixed 7.3.1 Overview 7.3.2 Fixed: Infrared Cameras Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 7.4 Portable 7.4.1 Overview 7.4.2 Portable: Infrared Cameras Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8. Infrared Cameras Market Analysis 2027- By Component 8.1 Overview 8.2 Infrared Cameras Market Breakdown, by Component, 2019 and 2027 8.3 IR Lens 8.3.1 Overview 8.3.2 IR Lens Market Forecast and Analysis 8.4 IR Sensor 8.4.1 Overview 8.4.2 IR Sensor Market Forecast and Analysis 8.5 Processor 8.5.1 Overview 8.5.2 Processor Market Forecast and Analysis 8.6 Others 8.6.1 Overview 8.6.2 Others Market Forecast and Analysis 9. Infrared Cameras Market Analysis 2027- By Wavelength 9.1 Overview 9.2 Infrared Cameras Market Breakdown, by Wavelength, 2019 and 2027 9.3 LWIR 9.3.1 Overview 9.3.2 LWIR Market Forecast and Analysis 9.4 MWIR 9.4.1 Overview 9.4.2 MWIR Market Forecast and Analysis 9.5 NIR 9.5.1 Overview 9.5.2 NIR Market Forecast and Analysis 9.6 SWIR 9.6.1 Overview 9.6.2 SWIR Market Forecast and Analysis 10. Infrared Cameras Market Analysis 2027- By Application 10.1 Overview 10.2 Infrared Cameras Market Breakdown, By Application, 2019 and 2027 10.3 Consumer Electronics 10.3.1 Overview 10.3.2 Consumer Electronics Market Forecast and Analysis 10.4 Security and Surveillance 10.4.1 Overview 10.4.2 Security and Surveillance Market Forecast and Analysis 10.5 Aerospace & Defense 10.5.1 Overview 10.5.2 Aerospace & Defense Market Forecast and Analysis 10.6 Others 10.6.1 Overview 10.6.2 Others Market Forecast and Analysis 11. Infrared Cameras Market - Geographic Analysis 11.1 Overview 11.2 North America: Infrared Cameras Market 11.3 Europe: Infrared Cameras Market 11.4 APAC: Infrared Cameras Market 11.5 MEA: Infrared Cameras Market 11.6 SAM: Infrared Cameras Market 12. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.1 Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Infrared Cameras Market 12.1.1 North America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.1.2 Europe: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.1.3 Asia-Pacific: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.1.4 Middle East and Africa: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.1.5 South America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 13. Industry Landscape 13.1 Overview 13.2 Market Initiative 13.3 New Development 14. Company Profiles 14.1 Leonardo 14.1.1 Key Facts 14.1.2 Business Description 14.1.3 Products and Services 14.1.4 Financial Overview 14.1.5 SWOT Analysis 14.1.6 Key Developments 14.2 Opgal Optronic Industries Ltd 14.2.1 Key Facts 14.2.2 Business Description 14.2.3 Products and Services 14.2.4 Financial Overview 14.2.5 SWOT Analysis 14.2.6 Key Developments 14.3 Teledyne DALSA 14.3.1 Key Facts 14.3.2 Business Description 14.3.3 Products and Services 14.3.4 Financial Overview 14.3.5 SWOT Analysis 14.3.6 Key Developments 14.4 Seek Thermal, Inc. 14.4.1 Key Facts 14.4.2 Business Description 14.4.3 Products and Services 14.4.4 Financial Overview 14.4.5 SWOT Analysis 14.4.6 Key Developments 14.5 LYNRED 14.5.1 Key Facts 14.5.2 Business Description 14.5.3 Products and Services 14.5.4 Financial Overview 14.5.5 SWOT Analysis 14.5.6 Key Developments 14.6 Thermoteknix Systems Ltd 14.6.1 Key Facts 14.6.2 Business Description 14.6.3 Products and Services 14.6.4 Financial Overview 14.6.5 SWOT Analysis 14.6.6 Key Developments 14.7 Axis Communications AB 14.7.1 Key Facts 14.7.2 Business Description 14.7.3 Products and Services 14.7.4 Financial Overview 14.7.5 SWOT Analysis 14.7.6 Key Developments 14.8 FLIR Systems, Inc. 14.8.1 Key Facts 14.8.2 Business Description 14.8.3 Products and Services 14.8.4 Financial Overview 14.8.5 SWOT Analysis 14.8.6 Key Developments 14.9 Fluke Corporation 14.9.1 Key Facts 14.9.2 Business Description 14.9.3 Products and Services 14.9.4 Financial Overview 14.9.5 SWOT Analysis 14.9.6 Key Developments 14.10 Infrared Cameras Inc. 14.10.1 Key Facts 14.10.2 Business Description 14.10.3 Products and Services 14.10.4 Financial Overview 14.10.5 SWOT Analysis 14.10.6 Key Developments 15. Appendix 15.1 About the Publisher 15.2 Word Index For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hw89zg 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 Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Demonstrators hold signs outside outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Monday, March 8, 2021. Photo: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg The lawyer for Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged in relation to George Floyds death, asked the judge overseeing the case to delay the trial , saying he was concerned the $27m (22.6m) civil settlement announced last week between the city of Minneapolis and the Floyd family has tainted the jury pool. Eric Nelson, Mr Chauvins defence attorney, questioned the suspicious timing of the settlement and argued it was highly prejudicial against his client. He called on Hennepin County District Court Judge, Peter A Cahill, to at least call back the seven jurors already seated in the case to question them to see if they had read the news of the settlement and if they could continue to be impartial in the case. The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury selection. Its perplexing to me, Mr Nelson said. Whose idea was it to release this information?" He criticised members of the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Jacob Frey, suggesting they had intended to sway public opinion in the case. He was particularly critical of Mr Frey, who is also a civil rights attorney, saying he should have known better. Mr Cahill didnt immediately rule on the requests, but agreed the developments were concerning. I wish city officials would stop talking about this case so much, he said. But the judge said he would take the motions into consideration while proceeding forward with jury selection. The settlement, unanimously approved by the Minneapolis City Council, was announced during a break in jury selection Friday and went unmentioned for the rest of the day, even as city officials, including Mr Frey, joined the Floyd family and their attorneys at a nearby news conference to announce the payout. Several observers have questioned the timing of the settlement and why the city didnt wait to announce the payout until after the trial. Read More In 2019, the city paid $20m to the family of Justine Damond, who was fatally shot in 2017 by a police officer as she approached his squad car after calling 911. That settlement was announced after a jury convicted the former officer. A Minneapolis official told The Washington Post on Friday that the city was concerned about the timing. The official, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said the city consulted with Hennepin County Chief District Court Judge Toddrick S Barnette, who told the city it could proceed. Seven jurors have been seated in the case a faster pace than expected as the court seeks 12 jurors and up to four alternates. Potential jurors have been asked to avoid the news since they were summoned in the case in late December. Some observers have said it is possible that Mr Cahill could scrap jury selection and start over. This development is not good for anybody. Nobody wants to redo this, said Joe Tamburino, a Minneapolis defence attorney. This is not good for the defence. And this is not good for the prosecution. ( The Washington Post) Washington Post Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - NSJ Gold Corp. (CSE: NSJ) ("NSJ" or the "Company") announces that it has appointed Mr. Rodney Stevens as Vice President of Corporate Development. Mr. Stevens is a CFA charterholder with over a decade of experience in the capital markets, first as an investment analyst with Salman Partners Inc., then as a merchant and investment banker. While at Salman Partners, he became a top-rated analyst by StarMine on July 17, 2007. Mr. Stevens was also a Portfolio Manager registered with Wolverton Securities Ltd. and over the course of his career, he has been instrumental in assisting in financings and M&A activity worth over $1 billion in transaction value. Mr. Jag Sandhu, CEO and President of NSJ, stated, "we are pleased to have Rodney join our senior management team. He has extensive experience in the capital markets and will be instrumental in the development of our Company." Mr. Rodney Stevens commented, "working with Mr. Sandhu on a successful $2.2M financing and expeditious direct public listing of the company has been a pleasure and I look forward to assisting in advancing the Golden Hills property towards a new, potentially large, copper-gold porphyry discovery in Arizona." About NSJ Gold Corp. NSJ holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Golden Hills Project (the "Property") in Arizona, USA, subject to a 3% net smelter returns royalty. The Property consists of 7 patented claims and 94 unpatented mining claims covering a total of 1,970 acres (8.5 km2). The Company's business objective is to explore for gold mineralization on the Property. NSJ's management team possess extensive experience in financing, exploration, development and mining. WWW.NSJGOLD.COM On Behalf of the Board of Directors Jag Sandhu, CEO and President 778-218-9638 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77469 In new TN assembly DMK has most MLAs with pending criminal background, crorepatis Tamil Nadu Polls: Congress releases manifesto, promises government jobs for youth India oi-Deepika S Chennai, Mar 16: The Congress party on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2021 at its party office in Chennai. Tamil Nadu Congress President KS Azhagiri said 500 youth in every district will be given training for government jobs. "We will also provide for tax exemption for startups and new entrepreneurs for at least 5 years." he further said. After our government comes, we will take steps to close liquor shops. To protect intercaste marriages and prevent honour killings, a separate law will be passed. We will take all steps to abolish the NEET exam, Azhagiri said. Daniel L. Davis is a senior fellow for Defense Priorities and a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army who deployed into combat zones four times. He is the author of "The Eleventh Hour in 2020 America." Follow him @DanielLDavis1. The U.S. military rushed thousands of combat troops to the Middle East in 1990 to prevent Saddam Hussein from capturing Saudi oil fields and disrupting global oil supplies. More than 30 years and two major land wars later, we're still there -- and still with no plan or strategy to leave. It is time to acknowledge the painful reality and finally, fully withdraw our troops. Then-candidate Barack Obama promised in October 2007 that if he were elected president, he would end the Iraq war. The reason, he said, was that the United States had engaged in a "misguided war in Iraq that never should have been fought." Now is the time, Obama firmly stated, to end the war and "start bringing our troops out of Iraq -- immediately." He won the presidency and made good on his campaign promise. The last U.S. troop withdrew from Iraq on Dec. 17, 2011. Unfortunately, "the end" proved only a temporary hiatus. In June 2014, a small contingent of Islamic State fighters captured several key Iraqi cities. Obama initially sent "a small number" of troops to assist Baghdad. Over the next two years, however, he continued to incrementally add to the number of troops and expand their mission so that by the end of summer 2016 there were more than 5,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, and some were helping Iraqi troops fight ISIS. In August of that year, I conducted a fact-finding mission to the frontlines in the fight for Mosul, which I described in a September article for Politico Magazine. Having previously deployed into combat zones four times in my military career (twice into Iraq), I focused my attention on the key military and political fundamentals that most relate to success or failure in war. My biggest concern after meeting with Kurdish political and military figures fighting ISIS at Mosul was not who would win the fight -- that was clear from the beginning: ISIS did not have the ability to hold its territory -- but on what would come next. The coalition arrayed against ISIS was nearly all Iraqi -- Kurdish Peshmerga, Shia militias and the multi-sectarian Iraqi army. All these disparate components were "fractious, (and) mutually mistrustful" of each other," I wrote, and after being deprived of the unifying force of having a common enemy, these disparate groups "could still easily fall into civil war again." The fall of Mosul, I concluded, may simply "mark the beginning of the next nasty conflict." Almost five years later, that concern appears to be playing out. In a February interview, Lt. Gen. Paul Calvert, commander of American Forces in Iraq and Syria, said that, based on conversations with Iraqi leaders and government officials, "There's a significant amount of concern in terms of the possibilities of an internal Shia civil war between those that are aligned to Iran [and] those that are Shia nationalist." In fact, added British Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Copsey, unless the Iraqi government "comes up with a proper strategy to deal with them, in five years' time, it could end up tearing the country apart." I fear that the default answer out of Washington -- whether senior uniformed leaders or elected officials -- will be that U.S. troops "have" to stay in Iraq to stabilize the situation. As was patently obvious during my 2016 visit -- and as these two generals confirm is still the case -- the political and military fundamentals in Iraq remain hopelessly arrayed against a peaceful end to the fighting. It didn't matter that U.S. troops kept fighting alongside Iraq for the past five years, and it won't matter if they stay the next five years. The result will be the same: continued instability. The good news for Americans, however, is that we don't need to "solve" Iraq's problems to guarantee our security. The blunt reality is that Obama's original instincts were right in 2007. That war shouldn't have been fought, and we should have withdrawn from Iraq. He was wrong in believing the United States should have gone back in 2014. However much a threat ISIS was, the most vulnerable to their fighting were the regimes in Baghdad and Damascus. Obama never needed to redeploy troops back to Iraq in order to keep America safe. He could have done that with our powerful ability to strike direct threats to the United States regardless of where in the world the threat originates. In like manner, even if Obama's successor believed it was necessary to keep the troops in Iraq to defeat ISIS, President Donald Trump could safely have withdrawn all our forces by 2019 when all ISIS territory had been reclaimed. It is time that Iraq takes sole responsibility for its security. The Iraqis may have to fight harder in getting control of their territory without our help. They may continue to struggle over how to deal with their internal militia problems. But they are responsible for figuring that out, not the United States -- which, in any case, cannot solve Iraqi political challenges with our military power. It is time to finally end the war in Iraq and fully withdraw all American troops. -- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. Mediterranean holiday poker is well under way as tourism-dependent nations seek to lure travel-hungry British visitors. Turkey has raised the stakes, with the tourism minister predicting UK holidaymakers will need neither evidence of their vaccination status nor a negative Covid test to enter the country this summer. These are the key questions and answers. When can I go to Turkey? Not yet, unless you are heading there for essential reasons such as work, family emergencies or issues related to property. All holidays from the UK are currently illegal, though the government says international travel may be allowed once again from 17 May. Are flights and holidays on sale? Yes, starting from 6am on the morning of Monday 17 May: Tui has a dawn departure from Belfast to Dalaman, with holidays in the resort of Marmaris on sale for 387 per person for a week, including flights, transfers and self-catering accommodation at the Sinem Hotel. Half-an-hour later, Jet2s first flight from Stansted departs for Izmir, with a self-catering week in Kusadasi at the Happy Apartments for 295 each. The pent-up demand particularly from people who have property in Turkey is evident from the prices charged by easyJet from Gatwick to Antalya on 17 May. The 6.15am departure is currently priced at 284 one-way, with a return leg a week later at 166. Read more: What needs to change before I can go on holiday to Turkey without too much hassle? First, the government must lift its ban on overseas holidays. Next, Turkey will need to remove the two weeks of quarantine imposed on anyone who has been in the UK within the previous 10 days. Britains arrival rules will need to be eased. At present anyone travelling to the UK must present a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of departure, self-isolate for 10 days on arrival (in a hotel if they travel direct to Scotland) and take further tests on days two and eight following arrival. Assuming that a pre-departure test for UK-bound travellers will continue, many Turkish hotels are preparing facilities for testing homebound tourists. Tests can also be carried out for around 25 at the main Turkish airports. What is Turkey likely to demand in terms of medical status? Nothing beyond the passenger locator form that has become common worldwide allowing public health officials to trace people who are thought to be at risk of infection. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkeys minister of culture and tourism, said: We will not require vaccination passports from international travellers when entering the country. A decision will be taken on 15 April about the current requirement for a negative PCR test certificate for travellers arriving from the UK. Mr Ersoy said: We will re-evaluate the situation and then decide if we will continue to require negative PCR test results from British citizens entering the country. I expect there will be no such requirement from British visitors as the UK government is rapidly, and impressively, rolling out the vaccination programme for the whole nation and a significant portion of the population will be vaccinated by early summer. Will I be safe there? Unsurprisingly, the Turkish government assures visitors that they will. Ahead of the main summer season, which begins in May, staff in hotels and other tourist facilities are to be prioritised for vaccination. Currently Turkey is seeing a sharp rise in infections up by half in two weeks to a rate of 180 new cases in the past 14 days per 100,000 people. Some corresponding rates are: UK, 141; Cyprus, 280; Greece, 256; Italy 445; and Malta 833. Turkey will offer an optional insurance package for arriving holidaymakers, priced at around 12. It covers Covid-related expenses such as treatment, medication and emergency care. Because Turkey is not covered by the Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic), proper travel insurance issued in the UK is essential. Wasnt Turkey in trouble last year? Yes. Turkey was removed from the UKs travel corridor list last October because of concerns about the way the country was reporting its data. While many nations in the region were reporting strong increases, Turkish figures were strangely flat with very little variation. The binge on public money is over and the motion will not make me stop, but continue even stronger, Economy Minister Claudiu Nssui said on Tuesday during the debate on the simple motion against him titled "Romania in agony, with Nasui at Economy", submitted by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) senators. "I did not come here to make political statements, I came to dismantle all the points you raised. Some deserve explanations, which I have given publicly several times, others are pure lies. (... ) You filed this motion because I disturbed your financial interests (...) You are cooking up figures to make it look like the motion has a basis, but in fact it has none. I have not destabilized any economy, only the clique economy with which you were used to and which you settled, the one that is connected to the taxpayer's money. You have the impression that you can intimidate or blackmail me, but you will not succeed (...) The binge on the taxpayers' money is over. did you really think that if you make a motion I will stop and start financing your clientele again or I will start giving money to interest groups if you call me and exert political pressure? Not in the slightest. All you do is encourage me to continue to be stronger," Nasui said. He analyzed, in turn, all the points in the motion, starting with the lack of a strategy to support the industry, noting that, for the first time, there exists the "most liberal and fair" strategy to support the whole economy, one of debureaucratization, facilitation of financing for all and reform of state-owned companies.Claudiu Nasui also addressed the accusation that he would like to sell state-owned companies for nothing, pointing out that, "after decades of PSD blood-sucking", many companies ended up being worth little or even less because they ended up incurring record losses, out of 37 companies where the ministry is a significant shareholder, 28 having serious economic problems.At the same time, Nasui described as "a big lie" the statement according to which StartUp Nation would no longer be financed and specified that this year there are 673 million lei for the payment of arrears.The Senate rejected, on Tuesday, the simple motion titled "Romania in agony, with Nasui at Economy", with 55 votes 'in favour', 72 'against' and one abstention. AGERPRES Hong Kong, March 16 : A Hong Kong court has sentenced a man who bit off a police officer's finger during the social unrest in 2019, to five and half years in prison. Twenty-four-year-old To Kai-wa, a University of Hong Kong graduate, was accused of disorderly conduct in a public place, assaulting a police officer, causing grievous bodily harm to another, and wounding with intent police sergeant Leung Kai-yip by biting off part of his right ring finger at a shopping mall in July 2019, Xinhua news agency reported. On Monday, the judge said that the two police officers under attack were performing their duties at that time and the defendant obviously had the intention of provoking others to disturb social peace and attack and insult the police. The two police officers had no prior contact with the defendant and they were attacked only because they were police, said the judge. London: Europes drug regulator says it is firmly convinced the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh any risks, as it attempts to head off an unproven and highly damaging suspicion that the jab may cause blood clots. European Medicines Agency executive director Emer Cooke on Tuesday took a swipe at the growing list of countries suspending use of the vaccine, noting thousands of people were still dying every day from COVID-19. Cooke, whose agency approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab for use across the European Union, stressed there was still no evidence that it caused clotting and feared the speculation would damage crucial public confidence. We are worried that there may be an effect on the trust in the vaccines, she said. It should be somewhat curious to the average individual that all the coverage about the ongoing Microsoft Exchange Server attacks has focused on anything but the entity responsible for these attacks: Microsoft. After all, if a bus driver causes an accident, then he/she will come in for criticism ahead of the passengers, the maker of the bus, the route being traversed or any other variable. But in the case of these attacks, all we hear about is China (terrible country, it appears), attackers (very bad people, apparently), exploit finders (again bad people), and the list goes on. One thing I dont understand is that if Microsoft was warned on Feb 2, even you couldnt release an official patch that fast, why not release an advisory and some workarounds? Haifei Li (@HaifeiLi) March 9, 2021 There has not been a single article asking why Microsoft, a company that is certainly not short of a dollar, does not take security more seriously. In the end, Exchange Server is a product sold by Microsoft. To that, I guess, the refrain will be "but, all software has bugs". As terrible as these? No, that is definitely not the case. Many of the bugs that surface in Microsoft's products allow attackers to have a picnic with very little effort. If I forget to lock the front door of my house and leave a pile of money on a table inside, would anyone sympathise with me if I came back and found I had been robbed? I would not expect any sympathy, given that the robbery was due to my stupidity. Yet, the whole technology industry is expected to be sympathetic to Microsoft and not say a word about the abysmal security of its products. One finds the occasional tale in tech rags about Microsoft's security staffers burning the midnight oil to build patches and the general tone is, "oh poor Microsoft, what nasty people do this to them?" Microsoft does not bother about security because there is no money to be made by spending time on sorting out bugs. Instead, it keeps releasing new features in existing products, or new products, because this will generate more revenue. In fairness to Microsoft, this attitude of making security the last priority is common to all companies that sell software. The company has perfected the art of playing the victim. It has more legal staff on its payroll than most companies and end user licence agreements that ensure it cannot be held liable for anything that happens as a result of bugs in its software. Those ranks of lawyers ensure that only foolhardy people would try to sue the company; it would take too long and involve too much expenditure. There are other ways to block the publicising of bugs, too. Recently, Xerox sued to prevent Raphael Rigo of Airbus Security Lab from presenting a paper titled "Attacking Xerox multifunction papers" at an online security conference. Microsoft benefits when there are security issues like the Exchange Server one. The company is using the attacks to push for people to move to its cloud, rather than run on-premise Exchange Servers. That will mean more money. When security assistance is provided to companies which are affected by these bugs, Microsoft charges the companies in question commercial rates. Same as it does with companies affected by ransomware which affects its Windows operating system. For maybe the last 18 months, Microsoft has been trying to disguise itself as a firm that has a good security arm, issuing proclamations about X being responsible for this, and Y being responsible for that. Companies that attribute attacks to countries that the US Government has on its list of enemies du jour will, of course, get a sympathetic hearing in Washington. The security industry always insists that Microsoft is the target of attacks because its products are the most widely used. In the case of Exchange Server, this does not hold good. But, in general, that is the argument advanced when Microsoft's products come under attack. When these people are asked why Android, which has roughly twice the number of users as Windows, does not attract even half as many attacks, there is no answer. For those who insist on continuing to use Microsoft's products, one has no sympathy. If they did not know earlier, they are now aware that the products from this vendor are of very poor quality. But then. taking responsibility for one's own set-up is difficult. And companies are loath to hire highly qualified techies or change things, both for one simple reason: it means more money has to be spent. So here's looking to the next round of this circus, which could be any time during the year. North Korea and Iran are the two remaining countries on the US' blacklist Russia and China have already had their turn so there's plenty of room when looking for countries to blame. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. A New York man has been arrested for allegedly peddling drugs out of his unlicensed daycare center, as another 32 suspects were detained in connection to the 'major narcotic traffic ring' operating out of Long Island. Lex Lloyd, 24, was detained as part of Operation Honeycomb which saw the indictment of 40 people for their alleged involvement in the drug ring that operated in Hempstead and surrounding areas. Authorities - part of a joint task force - found approximately 520 grams of cocaine, 50 oxycodone pills, two narcotics presses and bullets at Lloyd's Pierson Avenue residence in Hempstead, Long Island, according to a release from the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. Lex Lloyd, 24, was detained as part of Operation Honeycomb which saw the indictment of 40 people for their alleged involvement in the drug ring that ran out of the illegal daycare Authorities - part of a joint task force - found approximately 520 grams of cocaine, 50 oxycodone pills, two narcotics presses and bullets at Lloyd's Pierson Avenue residence in Hempstead, Long Island One of Lloyd's co-defendants, who has not yet been apprehended, was also said to have been running a daycare out of their residence in Rosedale. At that home, authorities found 100 grams of cocaine and 100 grams of crack cocaine. 'Think about that: Children were eating and playing and being cared for in the same space where cocaine was being packaged,' District Attorney Madeline Singas said at a news conference in Mineola on Monday, Newsday reports. She continued: 'Parents trying to work through the pandemic left their children at a day care and this is what their kids were exposed to. It's horrifying to me as a parent and as a district attorney.' Drugs and drug paraphernalia were confiscated during a drug trafficking bust, that consisted of 40 people running a drug operation from daycare centers in Hempstead, Long Island and Rosedale, Queens More of the items that were confiscated from the daycare centers Lloyd was indicted on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child, the New York Post reports. DA Singas shared in the release that the 18-month investigation into Operation Honeycomb resulted in the seizure of narcotics worth $2,772,000. Items recovered from various search warrants and car stops included: 38 firearms, including assault weapons and ammunition; 9.5 kilograms of nearly pure cocaine - approximately 31,000 doses; approximately 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine - close to 5,000 doses; more than one kilogram of heroin - 36,000 individual dose; 250 grams of fentanyl - close to 36,000 fatal doses; and more than $380,000 in cash. Inside the Day Care Center at 77 Pierson Avenue, Hempstead, New York, where drug trafficking took place close to where children were playing Another picture of the daycare in Hempstead. Drugs were trafficked from Puerto Rico, California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut The investigation was called Operation Honeycomb because a large portion of the drugs were stored in a defendant's home, commonly referred to as the 'honeycomb' by other defendants during wiretapped calls. Drugs were trafficked from Puerto Rico, California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut. One defendant is even said to have used mail to send three kilograms of cocaine that were recovered, the release states. Nine people were identified as major traffickers in the case, including: Able McTootle, Eric Butler, Willy Matias, Allen Evans, Eric Poston, Matthew Williams aka Vernon Howard, Orlando Ramsay, Rodney Highsmith and an unapprehended co-defendant. Firearms that were confiscated during a drug trafficking bust, that consisted of 40 people running a drug operation from daycare centers in Hempstead, Long Island and Rosedale, Queens More firearms that were taken from the daycare centers DA Singas shared in the release that the 18-month investigation into Operation Honeycomb resulted in the seizure of narcotics worth $2,772,000 To be designated as a major trafficker, drugs possessed or sold have to exceed $75,000 during a period of six months or less. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 to life. 'For years, Long Island's worst of the worst have terrorized our communities with acts of violence and the trafficking of firearms both in furtherance of operating a narcotics enterprise on our streets regardless of the lives negatively impacted,' said John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New York Field Division. 'But today, thanks to the efforts of the ATF New York Field Division Long Island Field Office, working with our partners from the Hempstead Police Department, the Nassau County Police Department and the FBI Long Island Gang Task Force, this criminal organization has been silenced once and for all.' [March 15, 2021] Kochi Prefecture Announces the Winners of "Yosakoi Challenge: Yosakoi Your Way to Happiness" KOCHI, Japan, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kochi Prefecture, Japan launched the "Yosakoi Challenge: Yosakoi Your Way to Happiness" campaign to encourage people to submit, a one-minute video of themselves performing a Yosakoi dance on social media. The campaign, which ran from February 1st (Mon) to February 28th (Sun), saw the submission of a great number of videos showing happy, smiling faces from 16 countries and regions from all over the world. Please take a look at their videos and enjoy their joyful Yosakoi dances: http://yosakoi-nippon.jp/remix/archive.html From a total of 116 submissions received, 60 were chosen strictly at random. The successful candidates are listed here: https://yosakoi-nippon.jp/remix, and each will receive a set of Yosakoi goods from Kochi, the bithplace of the Yosakoi Dance. About Kochi Prefecture Kochi is a prefecture located in the island of Shikoku. It is nestled between the magnificent Pacific Ocean and a steep mountainous region, a beautiful tourist area blessed with a warm climate. Kochi is full of astounding natural resources, including rivers of the best quality in Japan (Shimanto River, and Niyodo River), as well as a great variety of magnificent geographical features (Muroto Global Geopark Center, Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park, and Shikoku Karst), providing an abundance of colorful scenery and great beauty. Official web site "Visit Kochi Japan": https://visitkochijapan.com/zh_TW What is the Yosakoi Dance? Kochi Prefecture, Japan, is the birthplace of the Yosakoi festival, one of the most representative festivals of Japan, and well known in over 200 Japanese regions and 29 countries and regions worldwide. The Yosakoi Dance is the dance of the festival, featuring dancers holding a pair of instruments in their hands, which produce a rhythmic, clapping sound. Dancers move around freely to music based on a variety of dance styles, including Japanese dance. Kochi Product Range Launch We are currently living in a world where people are unable to enjoy international travel. With this in mind, we have launched a special Kochi product range at the Nangang Branch of the Tsutaya Bookstore, to allow people from Taiwan to enjoy products from Kochi. This product range is available for a limited time only, from March 1st (Mon) to April 30th (Fri), 2021. This launch is based on the theme of "Sharing delicious food and beautiful scenery from Kochi with family," offering miscellaneous goods to bring you the essence of Yosakoi festivals, Japanese sake brewed using the clear water from Kochi rivers, and more. Please feel free to visit the Tsutaya Bookstore, Nangang Branch, and enjoy the highlights of Kochi Prefecture. For more details: https://visitkochijapan.com/zh_TW/news/588 Introducing Kochi Prefecture on WakuWaku Japan On March 20th (Sat) and 21st (Sun), 2021, WakuWaku Japan will feature tourist information about Kochi Prefecture on its website. Please feel free to take a look. Sponsor International Tourism Division, Kochi Prefectural Government SOURCE International Tourism Division, Kochi Prefectural Government [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Sponsor: OSG Cloud is the sponsor of the Excellence in Innovation category in the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards 2021 OSG Cloud is proud to sponsor the category of Excellence in Innovation in the 2021 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in partnership with Ulster Bank. Its a category recognising and celebrating companies which have demonstrated creative thinking and developed innovative products, solutions and services during a global crisis. Companies which focus on and invest in innovation within their industry, are always better placed to positively react to local or global events. In addition to insulating a business from the worst impact of negative events, innovative businesses are best placed to discover and develop new business opportunities and generate new competitive advantages. For over 20 years the Outsource Group has progressed its own continuous improvement philosophy, collaborating with industry leading technology companies, to ensure that both local and international companies have access to the widest range of proven and innovative technology solutions and services which enables them to compete on a global scale. OSG Cloud was born out of our belief that the cloud needed a new, more innovative approach to allow businesses to fully exploit the full benefits of new cloud technologies. To deliver on our approach we have partnered with the worlds leading cloud specialists (DellEMC, VMware, Veeam) and jointly designed and delivered the best performing Cloud offering and services in the market. OSG Cloud has been built using some of the worlds leading cloud technologies. Built on DellEMCs hyper converged infrastructure VxRail, underpinned with VMwares Cloud software and management tools, and using Veeam for complete recoverability, this is simply best in class, resulting in unparalleled workload performance levels and a customer experience. We are so confident in our leading solution that we are the only cloud business which will guarantee performance, security and delivery levels. We also understand that some customers, in specific individual circumstances, may wish to retain elements of their existing cloud-based services on a generic public cloud. OSG Cloud infrastructure is such that we can readily incorporate and work alongside other public cloud offerings such as Azure, AWS, and Google as complementary services to deliver bespoke customer solutions. We will work with customers to help design, support and manage their digital transformation journeys by removing barriers and complexities of cloud enablement and delivering a highly scalable, flexible and performant enterprise cloud platform for businesses across the UK and Ireland. That allows business leaders to focus on growing their business and supporting their staff and customers. The expert team at Outsource Group empower businesses to solve tomorrows problems today. They utilise the power of technology to make life better for enterprises of all sizes, across all sectors. By providing an exceptionally high standard of managed IT and security services. They take care of customers technology needs, fully de-risking their IT, so they can focus on what is really important, their people, business and customers. Visit www.osgcloud.co.uk or contact info@osgcloud.co.uk To enter the Belfast Telegraph Business awards, click here. 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. Weill Cornell Medicine will launch a suite of innovative programs to foster and sustain a more diverse faculty through the support of a $5 million grant from the Mastercard Impact Fund. With the goal of establishing mentorship and inclusion standards in academic medicine and healthcare, the grant will support a range of diversity and inclusion programs including the development of a mentoring curriculum, the establishment of a faculty diversity incentive program and competitive career development awards for junior faculty from underrepresented in medicine (URM) populations and those with childcare commitments, often female faculty. The Mastercard Impact Fund was established by global technology company Mastercard in 2018 with 20 percent of the company's savings from U.S. and European tax reform to administer grants related to inclusive growth. Today's grant is an extension of Mastercard's In-Solidarity commitment to use the full breadth of its resources to combat discrimination and advance inclusion and equality. "At Weill Cornell Medicine, we have established diversity and mentorship as chief priorities and fundamental pillars of our institution's mission, developing numerous, robust initiatives geared toward increasing representation and nurturing talent in medicine," said Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine. "We are profoundly grateful to Mastercard for this generous grant, which will enable us to further cultivate generations of exemplary healthcare leaders whose diverse backgrounds and experiences will serve to advance patient care and medical research." "At Mastercard, we lead with decency to drive equality and ensure people, communities and businesses can thrive," said Shamina Singh, president of the Mastercard Impact Fund. "We are pleased to support the efforts of Weill Cornell Medicine to develop innovative programs that cultivate and nurture diverse talent for the betterment of patients, communities and the healthcare system overall." The Diversity-Mentorship Collaborative program will be administered jointly by Weill Cornell Medicine's Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Faculty Development, under the direction of Dr. Said Ibrahim, senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion, and Dr. Katherine Hajjar, senior associate dean for faculty. Together they will also convene an advisory committee, which will include senior Weill Cornell Medicine faculty and a Mastercard representative to provide advice and suggestions regarding program activities and assess progress towards strategic goals. "Advancing diversity and inclusion is a top priority for this institution, and one of our leading objectives is to boost the number of URM faculty through recruitment, retention, advancement and mentoring," Dr. Ibrahim said. "These programs will support our mission of leveling the playing field for all faculty, in both clinical care and research, and enhance access to high quality and equitable healthcare for all. We are incredibly thankful for Mastercard's support." "For faculty members who are underrepresented in medicine or face challenges as the primary parent in their household, building strong mentor relationships can provide them with a model for their own career path's potential," Dr. Hajjar said. "With Mastercard's support, these programs will allow us to recruit more diverse faculty, nurture their careers and help foster their successes in academic medicine and healthcare." The Diversity-Mentorship Collaborative will oversee four new faculty diversity and mentorship programs: The Mastercard Pilot Grant Program: One of the key barriers to professional advancement for physician-scientists is the lack of protected time for research. The Mastercard Pilot Grant Program will provide up to two years of competitive funding to URM faculty, defined by the National Institutes of Health as being underrepresented populations in science and medicine, with promising research projects. This will allow them to balance their clinical responsibilities with time in the lab and providing the opportunity to collect preliminary findings needed to apply for federal National Institutes of Health career-development grants. This program will fund five faculty members per year for five years, totaling 25 recipients, with a focus on the assistant professor level. The Mastercard Research Assistance for Primary Parents Program will allow faculty engaged in research who are also primary caregivers in their household to apply for funding for research assistance. The goal of this initiative is to help these faculty members with the challenges of balancing the research demands and family commitments often felt by young, predominantly female faculty. This program is also designed to benefit assistant professors, with special attention to URM faculty. The Mastercard Faculty Diversity Incentive Program will support diversifying Weill Cornell Medicine's faculty body, by offering salary support for up to two new URM faculty recruits per year for their first two years at the institution. While all hiring decisions will be made by Weill Cornell Medicine, based on applicable institutional policies, the program will seek to encourage department chairs and division chiefs to act as champions for faculty diversity. Faculty who are supported through this initiative will also participate in mentoring programs. The Mastercard Mentoring Program will seek to enhance and sustain a culture of mentorship at Weill Cornell Medicine so that all junior faculty would have access to those professional career-building connections. The Diversity-Mentorship Collaborative will aim to be operational by fall 2021. The initiative will ultimately build upon the institution's foundational mission of enhancing diversity and inclusion in medicine and aim to establish an infrastructure of mentorship that would support all research faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine. Through its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Weill Cornell Medicine has advanced a series of initiatives in recent years, including broadening the scope of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion, establishing an annual Diversity Week and supporting annual Diversity Awards, which honor service, research and leadership. The institution also maintains numerous pipeline programs aimed at recruiting underrepresented students into medicine. In the past year, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion has established regular virtual Diversity Town Hall meetings, which were initially launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic's disproportionate effects on Black, Latino and disadvantaged communities, but quickly developed into a broader dialogue about inequality. And in the wake of last summer's reckoning with racial injustice in America, the institution also created the Office of Institutional Equity to develop, coordinate and operationalize institutional programs and initiatives designed to advance equity at Weill Cornell Medicine. ### Weill Cornell Medicine Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world. The doctors and scientists of Weill Cornell Medicine--faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Weill Cornell Physician Organization--are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side's scientific corridor, Weill Cornell Medicine's powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar offers a Cornell University medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Weill Cornell Medicine faculty provide comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Weill Cornell Medicine is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu. Diane Spatz is a professor of perinatal nursing and the Helen M. Shearer Professor of Nutrition at the School of Nursing. She is also a nurse scientist for the lactation program at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Credit: University of Pennsylvania Fewer than 10% of women who give birth in the United States each year use doulas. But these professionalswho aren't medical providers, but rather individuals whose job focuses on supporting families during the birthing processhave been shown to improve birth outcomes. New research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing demonstrates that they can help families meet breastfeeding goals, too. Diane Spatz, a professor of perinatal nursing in Penn Nursing and manager of the lactation program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Penn senior Stephanie N. Acquaye, published the findings in the Journal of Perinatal Education. The project evolved naturally, after Acquaye, who became a doula her sophomore year at Penn, approached Spatz for help honing a research project for her upper-level Nursing course. "There had been various studies done on doulas and breastfeeding, but no one had synthesized the information," Spatz says. For several years, Acquaye had seen and heard firsthand the way doulas can change a person's birthing experience. "I learned about doulas at some point in high school," she says, "but it wasn't until May of my sophomore year in college that I heard about PALS," the Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support. "Part of PALS' mission is to increase access to doula care. One way we do that is to host a birth doula training on Penn's campus twice a year." Acquaye took the training, which included information on supporting new mothers in breastfeeding. She learned that although doulas focus on birth, they cross over into the immediate postpartum period, including breastfeeding initiation. That put the subject on Acquaye's radar. "In the class I was taking with Dr. Spatz, I got to pick a topic I wanted to research and write about; this was a natural choice," she says. Spatz helped Acquaye formulate a research plan. The integrative review they undertook included looking at both qualitative and quantitative data. Meeting weekly, first in person, then virtually, they did a detailed, systematic search of the published literature on the subject. Fourteen articles met their inclusion criteria, and they identified six themes around doulas and breastfeeding, including lactation training, doula care outside the hospital setting, and cultural cohesion. Analyzing what they'd found, they concluded that doulas can improve the likelihood a mother will initiate breastfeeding for her child, something the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends for the first six months of life or longer, when possible. "This work further highlights that doulas are a tool to improve maternal health outcomes, something we're increasingly focusing on in the U.S.," Acquaye says, "especially for Black and African American mothers who have lower rates of breastfeeding" than white mothers. Acquaye, who is a Hillman Scholar at Penn and will go directly from undergraduate to the Penn Nursing Ph.D. program, recently secured funding to study this disparity in breastfeeding rates, with a particular emphasis on African American mothers who breastfeed for longer than one year. "We want to make sure their voices are being heard," Spatz says. "All of this fits together in terms of doulas improving breastfeeding outcomes," she adds. "It gives us evidence in hand, yet another reason, why doula services are important. It's also a policy call to action to see an increase in coverage of and access to these kinds of services." Explore further Promoting and protecting human milk and breastfeeding during COVID-19 More information: Stephanie N. Acquaye et al. An Integrative Review: The Role of the Doula in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration, The Journal of Perinatal Education (2021). Stephanie N. Acquaye et al. An Integrative Review: The Role of the Doula in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration,(2021). DOI: 10.1891/J-PE-D-20-00037 CLEVELAND, Ohio Criminal defendants in Ohio who spend prolonged time in jail because they cant afford bail are more likely to be convicted than those charged with the same crime but released shortly after arrest. They also are more likely to be sentenced to jail or prison, and for longer terms, than those release early. Those are recent findings of the ACLU of Ohio, which analyzed data from municipal courts in Cleveland, Euclid, and Franklin County, as well as the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. Individuals who are held pretrial have worse outcomes, and the disparity grows with the number of days individuals are held pretrial, the report states. This has been identified and researched across the country, and has now been empirically demonstrated in Ohio, even when controlled for crime level and crime type. The analysis was released Monday as an addendum to a report released last fall that suggested Ohio could save up to $264 million a year through bail reform because fewer people would be spending time in jail. Last years report also recommended that courts institute a presumption of release that would allow all suspects to be let go the day they are arrested unless deemed a flight risk or threat to harm another person. After researching the potential financial savings of bail reform in Ohio, questions arose about the effect on defendant outcomes, prompting the additional analysis, said Claire Chevrier, policy counsel for the ACLU of Ohio. Among the findings published in the recent addendum: In Franklin County Municipal Court, those charged with a misdemeanor and jailed 14 or more days pre-trial were 40% more likely to be convicted than those who spent three days or less in jail for the same crime. In Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, the increased likelihood of conviction for certain felonies (categories one through four) was 12% greater for those jailed pre-trial for 14 days or more, compared to those incarcerated three days or less. In Euclid Municipal Court, those who spent 14 days or more in jail prior to conviction for a misdemeanor were 73% more likely to receive a jail or prison sentence than someone found guilty of the same crime and jailed three days or less. In Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, those found guilty of certain felonies (categories one through four) were 169% more likely to receive a jail sentence if their pre-trial stay was for 14 days or more, compared with those who were incarcerated for three days or less. In Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, those convicted of certain felonies (categories one through four) who spent 14 days or more in jail pre-trial were 31% more likely to get a longer sentence than those spending three days or less in jail. The disparity was even greater for those convicted of a felony 5 (the lowest level in the state). Chevrier said there are multiple reasons for the disparity. One is that the longer defendants remain in jail, the greater chance they are willing to accept a guilty plea. She said the prospects of going home and being with family often outweigh remaining in jail for a few weeks and trying to prove ones innocence. Also, its a lot harder to build a successful case from behind bars, Chevrier said, because it becomes more difficult to meet with an attorney and to track down evidence that could be helpful in court. Random sampling used in the analysis should account for outlying situations where someones extensive criminal history might account for longer pre-trial jails stay, Chevrier said. Also, in the case of felony 5 drug charges, where longer stays resulted in a greater chance of conviction, defendants can only be detained if they cant make bail. The results of the Ohio analysis coincide with other reports from around the country, Chevrier said, and reinforce the importance of bail reform policies that decrease the reliance on monetary bonds. Chevrier said Cuyahoga County made progress toward bail reform under John Russo, the Common Pleas Courts previous administrative and presiding judge, and that concerns about the coronavirus pandemic have spurred more changes that have reduced jail populations. Brendan Sheehan, the courts current administrative and presiding judge, told cleveand.com and The Plain Dealer last week that he has recommended that judges serving in the courts arraignment room, where bonds are often set, to release those charged with nonviolent third, fourth or fifth-degree felonies on a personal bond, which requires no posting of money up front. But Chevrier said it shouldnt take a pandemic to justify the reforms and that a lot of these policy changes should remain permanent. The things the pandemic has caused us to do is just good policy, she said. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Diversifying the film industry has been the goal for nearly a decade. This is why the New Mexico Film Office has invested in leading training programs in various aspects of the industry. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Its starting to pay off. The film office announced that 10 productions have either filmed or are getting ready to film around the state in addition to Roswell, New Mexico, Better Call Saul or any Netflix productions currently in production. Across the 10 productions, 488 crew members, 123 New Mexico actors and 327 extras will be hired. Amber Dodson, New Mexico Film Office director, said since production was given the green light months ago, the office has made sure each production follows COVID-safe procedures. There are seven projects that are independent features, as well as three new media productions. It is great to see projects of all types and sizes taking advantage of the New Mexico film tax incentive program and we are here to equally support independent and local New Mexico filmmakers, Dodson said. The feature Twalette is slated to begin filming in April and is directed by James Liaskos and produced by Tracy Jordan. The film stars Ashley Ward and Zain Walker and tells the story of two plain and shy individuals who undergo accidental transformations to look like supermodels. Their romance doesnt blossom until they return to their normal selves. The production will employ eight New Mexico crew members, six New Mexico principal actors, and two New Mexico extras. New Mexico offers so much more than the vast desert landscapes it is known for, Jordan said. Incentives, locations, skills and talents of the local crew and actors, costs, and a welcoming business climate all add up to make New Mexico an ideal place for filmmaking. While some productions are based in Albuquerque or Santa Fe, most are taking advantage of filming around the state. The productions that film 60 miles outside of the Albuquerque/Santa Fe corridor can get an additional 5% incentive. Areas seeing production are Colfax and Union counties for the film Peace River. Anton Chico, Madrid, Lemitar and Playas for Land of Dreams. Terror at Bigfoot Pond filmed in Canjilon, Cebolla, Tierra Amarilla, El Vado and Rio Arriba County. In recent years, the film office has made a push to develop more multimedia, or new media, productions. One of the biggest productions planting roots is Santa Fe-based arts collective Meow Wolf, which is producing Meow Wolf Denver in Santa Fe through May. The film is directed by Chadney Everett, Tristan Love, Kron, Brad Wolfley, Annie Jaynes and Adan Canto and produced by Todd Richins, Cathleen Sutherland, and Michael Becker. As Meow Wolfs reach expands beyond the boundaries of New Mexico, we are proud and excited to continue producing exhibition content on our home turf, taking full advantage of the exceptional local cast and crew base, Becker said. The production is making an impact by hiring 275 crew members, 60 principal actors and 75 extras. According to Meow Wolf, the fictional video, audio and new media content will be presented by traditional means throughout the Denver exhibit, but will also be integrated into the physical environment and interactive with a smartphone app. Dodson said the new media projects are utilizing New Mexicans to create amazing projects. This is an area where we want to expand the film and television industry and ecosystem, Dodson said. Productions in New Mexico The Wrong Guy Harem Complex Part 1Peace River Land of Dreams Terror at Bigfoot Pond [M]otherland Twalette Meow Wolf Denver* Third Story Automotive* Monogamy**denotes new media production Hopes were crushed when several illegal migrants were deported back to Mexico after spending most of their savings and went into debts to pay human smugglers to bring them to the United States. Many thought that President Joe Biden would let them stay in the U.S. But they were transported back across the border amid the increase in illegal immigration in Biden's administration, according to a New York Post report. Honduran migrant, Gladys Oneida Perez Cruz, said that Biden promised them that everything is going to change. "He hasn't done it yet, but he is going to be a good president for migrants," she told the New York Times. Biden terminated the Trump-era policy "Remain in Mexico" program that required Central American asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while U.S. courts review their cases. However, new Central American migrants are not yet welcome without a schedule. The new administration has exempted unaccompanied migrant children. But it lets go of adult detainees and families and tells them to walk back to Mexico to prevent a surge in illegal border crossings. Different groups of migrants walked back to Mexico after being detained for illegally entering the U.S. The group was expecting that the new president would welcome them. READ MORE: U.S. Near Max Capacity to Hold Migrant Children; Biden Administration Scrutinized Over Reopening Holding Facility Illegal Migrants' Stories One of the migrants that took a leap was Perez Cruz and her son Henry, who has cerebral palsy. Perez Cruz reportedly hired smugglers to transport them across the border shortly after Biden's inauguration in January. The smugglers told her that the border was open and they would help her disabled son across. Neither of the claims was true. Perez Cruz was apprehended and forced to go back to Mexico even after her sister in Maryland paid $9,000. She said that they plan to return to Central America. One unnamed Honduran migrant traveling with a caravan claimed that Biden would give them "100 days to get" to the country, according to another New York Post report. The migrant's group was the most recently stalled by border authorities in Guatemala that still tries to push through to the U.S. Meanwhile, authorities in the U.S. are struggling to manage a sharp increase in children crossing the border on their own. These unaccompanied children are being held in facilities, which was often longer than permitted by law, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Jenny Contreras, a 19-year-old Guatemalan mother, told her husband, who is a butcher in Chicago, that she did not make it. She was with her three-year-old daughter while making the travel to the border. Surge of Illegal Migrants Biden has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to manage the thousands of unaccompanied migrant children in detention facilities. According to a CNBC report, FEMA will help shelter and transfer a number of unaccompanied children migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Biden did not call the situation a national emergency. Former President Donald Trump had acknowledged in 2019 that it was a national emergency when his administration experienced an increase in border crossings. "I have said many times, a Border Patrol facility is no place for a child," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a report. He noted that the migrant children could be placed with a family member or sponsor until their immigration cases are processed. READ NEXT: Migrant Children in Texas Hotel Will Not Be Expelled, Immigration Officials Say WATCH: Biden: Trump's Zero-Tolerance Policy on Illegal Immigration Is a 'National Shame' - from Bloomberg Quicktake: Now Kim Yo-jong / Yonhap The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatened Tuesday to scrap a military peace agreement with South Korea and break up a Workers' Party organ tasked with inter-Korean dialogue as she lambasted the South for conducting military exercises with the United States. Kim Yo-jong also warned the new U.S. administration of President Joe Biden not to engage in such hostile acts, saying it better not do things that would "keep it from getting a good night's sleep" if it wants to sleep well for the next four years. It marked North Korea's first message toward the Biden government since its January inauguration. The statement also came ahead of planned trips to South Korea by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin this week. "South Korea has again chosen 'March of war' and 'March of crisis' instead of 'warm March' in front of all Korean people," Kim said in a statement carried by the Rodong Sinmun newspaper. "Whatever the South will do by following its master, it will be not easy that the warm spring days of three years that it strongly wants will return." [March 16, 2021] Arrivalist Expands Client Services Team with Addition of Melissa Melhorn as Account Director Arrivalist, the leading location intelligence platform in the travel industry, has expanded its client services team with the hiring of Melissa Melhorn as account director. "We're celebrating our 10th year by doubling down on the industry-leading account management that has made us the largest location data player in travel," said Founder & CEO of Arrivalist, Cree (News - Alert) Lawson. "Melissa embodies the kind of passion for customer insights and client service that we treasure at Arrivalist. We're excited to have her on board." Melhorn, previously at TripAdvisor, brings 13 years of experience working with destinations and non-profit attractions. Melissa's extensive expertise in the travel industry, together with her passion for travel and working with DMO clients, will elevate the company's ability t support its more than 150 travel and tourism clients. The hiring of Melhorn marks the second big hire for Arrivalist in 2021, signaling a push to grow in support of their growing list of clients. The company recently announced the addition of Jeff Summerson as its first vice president of product. Melhorn joins a seasoned team of account managers who each have, on average, 10 years of travel and tourism experience. "With Melissa's Arrival, we now have 125 cumulative years of tourism industry experience," said Lawson. "That's the kind of experience we want to bring our clients during these challenging times." About Arrivalist Arrivalist is the leading location intelligence platform in the travel industry. The company uses multiple location datasets to provide actionable insights on consumer behavior, competitive share, media effectiveness, and market trends. Over 200 travel marketers, including 100 cities, 40 U.S. states, and four of the top 10 U.S. theme parks use these insights to inform media strategy, operations, and destination development. Arrivalist is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco and Toronto. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005794/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SEOUL North Korea issued its first warning shot against the Biden administration on Tuesday, denouncing Washington for going forward with joint military exercises with South Korea and raising a stink on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea released its statement hours before Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III began meetings with officials in Japan before a trip to South Korea later this week. The visits were meant to strengthen alliances in the region, where the threat of North Korean nuclear weapons and Chinas growing influence have been cast as major foreign policy challenges. The statement was the first official comment on the Biden administration from North Korea. We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off a powder smell in our land, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said in a statement carried by state-run North Korean media on Tuesday. If it wants to sleep in peace for the coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step. Ms. Kims statement was the first indication that North Korea has plans to influence the new administrations policies by raising the prospect of renewed tension on the peninsula, analysts said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a virtual meet and greet with U.S. Embassy staff at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Tokyo, March 16, 2021. Reuters U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called for deeper economic and security ties with Japan, as he and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin seek to use their first trip abroad to strengthen Asian alliances in the face of China's assertiveness. Their visit to Tokyo and Seoul is the first overseas visit by top cabinet members of President Joe Biden's team and follows a virtual summit last week of the leaders the United States, Japan, Australia and India - the Quad alliance. Issues on the agenda range from freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas and semiconductor supply-chain security, to the North Korean nuclear threat and the military coup in Myanmar. "We really come to reaffirm the fact that the alliance is as we'd like to say the cornerstone of our peace, security and prosperity," Blinken said in remarks to U.S. embassy staff in Tokyo. "The economic relationship between the United States and Japan is, as you know very well, one of the strongest in the world," Blinken told a group of Japanese business leaders. He said the pandemic had exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains for critical products, including medical equipment, supplies, semiconductors. The countries needed to work together to build secure and resilient supply chains for the future, Blinken added. North Korea is also in sharp focus after the White House said Pyongyang had so far rebuffed efforts from the United States to engage in dialogue. North Korea warned the new U.S. administration against "causing a stink" if it wants peace, North Korean state media reported on Tuesday. At the opening of the meeting with the Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Blinken said he wanted to work with Japan and allies on the denuclearisation of North Korea. He also said Tokyo and Washington shared commitment to democracy, human rights and rule of law and said they are "under threat in many places, including in the region, whether it's in Burma or whether in different ways, China." After the Seoul leg, Blinken will fly to Alaska, where he will be joined by the national security adviser Jake Sullivan for their first in-person talks with Chinese counterparts. Defense ties Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said at the start of his bilateral meeting with Austin that his visit sent a strong message "about the U.S. commitment to this region and the robustness of the Japan-U.S. alliance." Kishi said the two would discuss China's movements in the East and South China Seas and "specific initiatives that Japan and U.S. should work on to enhance their capabilities to deter and respond." In response, Austin said the alliance was "the cornerstone in addressing today's and tomorrow's challenges as we work together to uphold the Free and Open Indo-Pacific." The concept of Free and Open Indo-Pacific is a major priority for Tokyo as it seeks to curb China's activity in the East and South China Seas. Following bilateral meetings, both Austin and Blinken were due to meet with their counterparts for a joint session of "2+2" talks and were expected to address some other items raised during Quad such as maritime, cyber and economic security. Analysts also expect Tokyo to seek U.S. support for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and follow-up talks on other subjects that figured at the Quad summit, such as the commitment to boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies in Asia and climate change. In his remarks to Tokyo-based U.S. diplomats Blinken said the summer Games "involve planning for several different scenarios," and added that "whenever and however, Team USA ends up competing, it will be because of you." The secretaries are expected to make a courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House as the first foreign leader to meet Biden in April. Both officials will leave Tokyo for Seoul on Wednesday and hold talks with counterparts in the South Korean capital until Thursday. (Reuters) EU finance ministers are set to park plans to tax Big Tech while they wait for global rules to be agreed. A worldwide deal, led by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), inched closer last month after the US removed one of its key demands. Portuguese finance minister Joao Leao said yesterday that he was relatively confident of a global deal by the middle of the year,. All member states agree that it is in their interests to provide room for the ongoing negotiations in the OECD on the reform of the corporate taxation rules. Finding a global consensus, in a multilateral context, is the right way forward. But finance ministers are concerned about the timing of the blocs own digital tax plans, which are pencilled in for June. Twenty-two of the EUs 27 finance ministers including Ireland's Paschal Donohoe took the floor at an EU meeting to express concern about the proposed timing of the EU levy. Mr Donohoe warned the EU not to undermine the OECD discussions or rekindle trade tensions with the US, which arose after the bloc's previous digital tax plans in 2018. While there remain substantial issues to be resolved, it is important that the EU sends a positive signal on the recent moves by the US that indicate its renewed engagement with the [OECD] process, said a spokesperson for the Department of Finance. Ireland has seen the benefits of international cooperation and we wish to achieve a sustainable, robust and growth-friendly agreement by the 139 members of the [OECDs] Inclusive Framework which meets the needs of all countries, large and small, developed and developing. Mr Leao said an EU levy should be a separate instrument, not linked with the corporate tax rules that are being negotiated in the OECD. The OECD is drawing up guidelines on taxable profits for tech firms that don't have a physical presence in each jurisdiction where they operate, alongside minimum tax levels for multinationals. Last year, the European Commission promised to table a digital levy of its own by June, focused on ending profit-shifting by large tech companies. But that pledge was made at a time when the OECD talks were going nowhere. The Commission is looking at corporate income tax top-ups, taxes on digital revenues and transaction taxes. The EU wants the proceeds of a bloc-wide digital levy to feed into its budget. EU vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters the EUs plans would complement the OECDs and would be compatible with World Trade Organization rules. This crisis makes it even more important to agree on taxation of digital businesses and other issues such as [a] minimum tax rate. This is both in order to secure much-needed tax revenues and to make sure that everyone pays their fair share of tax, he said. Several EU states - including France, Italy, Spain and Austria - have introduced digital taxes, but their rates and structures vary. EU leaders will meet on the issue in two weeks. CHICO, Calif. - California's Covid-19 Rent Relief program is now online and taking applications. It provides links for landlords, local cities and counties, as well as tenants. Sergio Garcia has been a landlord for five years. He said he's been in constant communication with all of his tenants, offering them whatever help they need. "It's challenging and you have to make sure that the people living in your apartments can manage dealing with the pandemic," Garcia said. "We are painfully aware that not everyone is as fortunate enough to remain with a job and still be employed. So we are in constant contact with our tenants to make sure they are able to make their rent and if not see how we can be of assistance." COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act - Read More Some of Garcia's tenants are working fewer hours at their jobs but he's been able to work with them. Garcia said help from the state is critical for landlords who are not as fortunate. "I think it's a Godsend, offering to pay 80% of the back-rents, that's super helpful to the landlord that also probably has a mortgage he or she needs to pay so that's helpful," Garcia explained. "Luckily, we have been very blessed ourselves and our tenants have not been forced to default, in that respect, we have been very fortunate but we are aware of the difficulties this pandemic poses." Garcia will continue to work with all of his tenants and offer them whatever help they need. Under the new rent relief program, landlords can get reimbursed up to 80% of past due rent from last April through the 1st of this March, if they waive the remaining 20%. Renters with landlords who opt out can still apply and get up to 25% of unpaid rent paid directly to their landlord, thats enough to legally keep them in their homes under the extended eviction protection law. People are seen through a hole of a house damaged by a rocket attack, in Abu Ghraib district, on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq on Sept. 29, 2020. (Saba Kareem/Reuters) Rockets Hit Iraqi Military Base, Security Officials Say TIKRIT, IraqAt least five rockets hit the Iraqi military air base of Balad north of Baghdad on Monday, without causing casualties, Iraqi security officials said. The officials said two more rockets fell outside the base at a rural area without causing casualties. No group immediately claimed the attack, but armed groups that some Iraqi officials say are backed by Iran have claimed similar incidents in the past. By Ghazwan Hassan and Ahmed Rasheed Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access New Delhi: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be visiting India on April 26. It will be his first visit abroad since the UK left the European Union. Announcing the visit in the British Parliament, Johnson said, "I am delighted to announce that I will visit India next month to strengthen our friendship with the world's biggest democracy". The visit aims at boosting UK opportunities in the region, and to create a democratic counterweight to China. During his India visit, Johnson is also expected to visit Pune. The world's largest vaccine manufacture Serum Institute of India (SII) is also based in the city. SII has been producing Oxford Astrazeneca's covid vaccine Covishield, which has been exported to many countries from there. It is, however, unclear whether Johnson will visit the institute. The visit was in making for a long time, with Johnson expected to visit India in January for India's republic day. But he could not make it then due to the concerns regarding the new strain of coronavirus in his country. The visit comes even as the UK released its foreign policy document that sees India as key to London's "Indo Pacific tilt". The just-released "Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy" mentioned India over 15 times, calling India an "international actor of growing importance." The document said, "The UK-India relationship is already strong, but over the next ten years we seek transformation in our cooperation across the full range of our shared interests. India as the largest democracy in the world". UK as the chair of the G7 grouping has invited India for the meeting of the grouping in June. Indian PM Modi will be travelling to the country for the summit, which could see on its first in-person quad meeting as well. Both sides are also working on a trade deal. Live TV Commemorative quarters are special. Houston deserves its own. The U.S. Mint pressed dozens of commemorative quarters honoring sacred and beloved national historic sites throughout the country, a decade-long program that started in 2010 once the last of the state and territory quarters were minted. TRANSPO VIGILANTES: Houston cyclists paint bike lanes where the city won't The sites included places from each state, like Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico and (finally) the Tuskegee Airmen's site at Moton Field in Alabama the last of the series. Texas's honors went to the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, a 2019 quarter that features an homage to old Spanish colonial coins. San Antonio is a vibrant city with a rooted history and deserves to have this recognition. But can Houston get a shout-out sometime? The U.S. Mint is hushed about what plans are in the works for another quarter program. But it's easy to guess that a new program could come down the pipe soon. And when it does, Houston should be featured. You heard it here first. Here's what Houston places should be on the next series: Johnson Space Center Space City. Enough said. The Astrodome The Eighth Wonder of the World deserves the George Washington treatment. Food! Houston is a world-renowned food town. It's time we got recognized for it. Katy Freeway The Katy Freeway's 26 lanes is an homage to our love of the automobile, oil and gas (it might be time for a breakup). Screwed Up Records & Tapes So the world can know DJ Screw and his mark on the music industry, as well as Houston's deep roots in rap and hip hop. What did I miss? Let me know on Twitter: @JayRJordan. ZURICH Credit Suisse warned it may have to book a charge over its dealings with Greensill, as scrutiny grows over its relationship with the British finance firm that collapsed into insolvency. The Swiss bank has had to close around $10 billion of supply-chain finance funds that bought notes issued by Greensill, and which it marketed to clients. It is also trying to recoup a $140 million loan it made to the company last year. Investors have been reassessing the risks to which the bank is exposed. In a worst-case scenario the bank faces years of litigation. While these issues are still at an early stage, we would note that it is possible that Credit Suisse will incur a charge in respect of these matters, it said on Tuesday. Greensill filed for insolvency last week after losing insurance coverage for its debt repackaging business. Credit Suisses share price has fallen more than 10% since it announced its supply-chain funds were suspended on March 1. It has paid investors about $3.1 billion in redemptions from the four funds so far, and said it would be announcing further cash distributions over coming months. The bank also said on Tuesday that, contrary to certain reports, its chief risk and compliance officer, Lara Warner, was not aware until Feb. 22 that insurance related to Greensill could expire on March 1. Greensill founder Lex Greensill said in a court filing last week that he kept senior individuals at Credit Suisse, including Warner, informed about the funds insurance coverage in the weeks leading up to its insolvency application on March 8. The collapse has put fresh pressure on Chief Executive Thomas Gottstein who has been trying to move Credit Suisse on from a string of bad headlines, spanning a spy scandal that ousted predecessor Tidjane Thiam to a $450 million write-down on a hedge fund investment. The level of oversight and risk management at the banks asset management division is under scrutiny, particularly as Gottstein had ordered a review of the Greensill funds last year. He said he was scrutinizing the structure and internal position of the asset management unit, which is part of the Credit Suisse international wealth management division. Gottstein said the closed supply chain finance funds had received an additional $800 million since their suspension. This brought current funds to $1.25 billion on top of the amount already repaid to investors, and the funds continued receiving cash on a daily basis as the underlying receivables and notes reached their term. I cannot promise a specific result, he said at the Morgan Stanley Financials Conference, of efforts to return proceeds at maximized value to investors. But I can promise that we will undertake all our efforts to reach the best possible outcome for our supply chain fund investors. Supply-chain financing, or reverse factoring, is a method by which companies can get cash from banks and funds such as Greensill to pay their suppliers without having to dip into their working capital. Greensill had large exposure to one client, GFG Alliance, which is controlled by steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta and has started to default on its debts, according to Greensills insolvency application. Gupta said on Friday GFG was in talks with Greensills administrators on a standstill agreement to pause its debt payments to Greensill for an agreed period. Costs Impossible to Estimate The saga overshadowed an otherwise strong start to the year for Credit Suisse, whose shares opened up 1.8% as it said it had achieved the highest level of pretax income in both January and February in a decade. Andreas Venditti, analyst at Bank Vontobel, said the bank was facing a loss of confidence among investors. Investors have been reassessing the risks to which the bank is exposed. In a worst-case scenario the bank faces years of litigation, he said. It is currently virtually impossible to estimate how high the direct costs of the case will be for Credit Suisse. Investors dont like uncertainty. Three Credit Suisse investors, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were concerned about the fallout. An investor in the banks debt said the main financial risk was to Credit Suisses reputation, which it said was a key asset for the wealth management business. One Credit Suisse shareholder said it should fully compensate investors in the supply chain funds. A second said that, as well as reputational risk, it was worried about the effect on the banks future asset-raising and its credentials in the growing business of socially responsible investing. Credit Suisse declined to comment beyond its statements. The bank has hired external firms to help deal with regulators and insurers amid questions over the contracts that underpinned Greensills security. It has also recovered some $50 million of the $140 million bridge loan, it said. Credit Suisse said that its asset management division, which sold the funds to investors, was working with Greensills administrator, Grant Thornton, and with other parties to facilitate the recovery of funds. Japanese insurer Tokio Marine, which provided $4.6 billion of coverage to Greensill credit notes through an Australian unit, is investigating the validity of those policies. A person with knowledge of the matter has said these were directly linked to the Credit Suisse funds. (Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and Oliver Hirt in Zurich, and Carolyn Cohn in London; additional reporting by Simon Jessop in London and Tom Sims and Patricia Uhlig in Frankfurt; Editing by Michael Shields, Pravin Char and Alexander Smith) Related: Lobbyist named in $60M Ohio bribery probe is found dead View Photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A powerful Ohio lobbyist who spent decades at the center of many of the states significant policy battles was found dead in Florida as he faced charges in a sweeping federal bribery investigation, authorities said Tuesday. Neil Clark, 67, was found dead Monday by a bicyclist in an isolated area of Collier County, Florida, where he had been living, authorities said. The local sheriffs office provided a report describing the body being found, and the county medical examiner confirmed the body was Clarks. The cause of death wasnt determined, but a medical investigation and an autopsy were being performed. When officials reached out to the mans wife, she said that the couple was having financial issues and that she had not heard from her husband for a couple of hours, according to the sheriffs report. Its just a tragic loss of a good friend, Clarks attorney Will Ireland told WBNS-TV. He declined to provide any additional information on Clarks death. Clark had pleaded not guilty to the role federal prosecutors allege he played in an elaborate $60 million scheme led by then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to pass legislation containing a $1 billion bailout for two Ohio nuclear power plants. Clark had denied all wrongdoing. Former U.S. Attorney David DeVillers mentioned Clarks death during a presentation on the governments bribery probe Tuesday to the board of the Office of Ohio Consumers Counsel, which represents Ohios residential utility customers. Clark was a larger-than-life figure at the Ohio Statehouse, where he often represented clients during their toughest legislative and public relations battles. He fielded media calls for the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, for example, as the now-shuttered online charter school wrestled with allegations of attendance tracking errors. Clark also lobbied for some payday lending interests before that industry became the center of a previous House speakers downfall. Federal prosecutors investigating what they dub Team Householder described Clark as the former speakers enforcer, strong-arming supporters and providing fundraising expertise. He had said he was writing a tell-all book about his time at the Statehouse. Before becoming a lobbyist, Clark was an aide and finance director for the Ohio Senate Republicans, gaining inside experience in state budget-making with which he was able to help his many lobbying clients. Clark parlayed his Senate work into an advertising and communications business and eventually a powerhouse bipartisan lobbying partnership with Paul Tipps, a former Ohio Democratic Party chairman who died in 2015. The pair formed State Street Consultants in 1999, which grew into the largest government affairs consulting firm in Ohio, with clients including BP, Limited Brands, AK Steel, the American Cancer Society and the Cincinnati schools. The two ultimately had a nasty falling-out, their firm dissolved, and Clark founded his own firm, Grant Street Consultants. In matters in which a defendant has passed away, the process is that a Suggestion of Death is typically filed upon receipt of a death certificate, resulting in dismissal of the decedent from the case but not impacting the rest of the case, Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel said in a statement. All that will be addressed in due course. For now, we extend our condolences to Mr. Clarks family and friends. ___ This story has been corrected to show the body was found Monday and to delete a reference to Clark dying Tuesday, and to show the name of one of State Street Consultants clients was Limited Brands, not Limited Bands. ___ Farnoush Amiri 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. By JULIE CARR SMYTH and FARNOUSH AMIRI AP/Report for America According to information published by Zawiya on March 15, 2021, Talwar-class frigate INS Talwar (F40) of the Indian Navy arrives at Mina Salman Port (Bahrain) as part of Operation Sankalp. According to information published by Zawiya on March 15, 2021, Talwar-class frigate INS Talwar (F40) of the Indian Navy arrives at Mina Salman Port (Bahrain) as part of Operation Sankalp. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Talwar-class frigate INS Talwar F40 (Picture source: Twitter account of the Embassy of India) INS Talwars visit highlights the Indian Navys commitment to build co-operative partnerships with friendly nations of the Indian Ocean to develop solutions to meet maritime challenges together. INS Talwar (F40) (translated as Sword) is the lead ship of Talwar-class guided missile frigates and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on June 18, 2003. In the backdrop of the prevailing maritime security situation in the Gulf region, the Indian Navy had commenced maritime security operations named Operation Sankalp, in the Gulf in June 2019 to ensure safe passage of Indian-flagged vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. INS Talwar is presently deployed for Operation Sankalp in the Gulf in pursuance of the Indian Navys commitment towards ensuring the safety and security of maritime trade. On March 11, whilst deployed in the Gulf of Oman, the ship received a distress call from a stranded UAE-flagged cargo ship MV Nayan requesting assistance. The cargo ship on transit from UAE to Iraq was adrift since March 9 owing to failure of its propulsion, power generation machinery and navigational equipment. INS Talwar deployed its teams which worked tirelessly for over seven hours and enabled the ship to resume her passage. One of the potent warships of the Indian Navy, she displaces about 3,700 tonnes and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots (about 55kmph). Equipped with an impressive array of weapon and sensors, the ship is capable of addressing and neutralising threats from the air, sea and undersea. The ships combat power is supplemented by its integral helicopter. The formidable ship is run by a professional and motivated team of 25 officers and 220 sailors. INS Talwar is presently being commanded by Captain Satish Shenai. The Talwar-class frigates or Project 11356 are a class of stealth guided missile frigates designed and built by Russia for the Indian Navy. The Talwar-class guided missile frigates are the improved versions of the Krivak III-class (Project 1135) frigates used by the Russian Coast Guard. The design has been further developed as the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate for the Russian Navy. Six ships were built in two batches between 1999 and 2013. STOCKHOLM, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bambuser today announced the creation of In-store Solutions, a new business unit dedicated to building interactive experiences connecting physical and digital spaces. Serving the evolving needs of businesses such as brick-and-mortar retailers, property owners, shopping centers and department stores, the new division will focus on new and value-added customer offerings for attracting and engaging with target audiences in today's ever-changing retail landscape. The initiative follows an evolving trend exemplified by the successful strategic collaboration with AMF Fastigheter, one of Sweden's largest property owners, which brought Live Video Shopping experiences to the fashionable MOOD Stockholm commercial center. This first-of-its-kind partnership resulted in the launch of MOOD TV, a live broadcast fashion and lifestyle series, and The Lobby Live, a studio space in which brands can host a combination of livestream and real-world shopping experiences and other events. Since launching Live Video Shopping in 2019, Bambuser has secured a leadership position in the space, supporting interactive, shoppable ecommerce experiences for numerous global brands and retailers including Moda Operandi, Farfetch and Samsung. With COVID-19's impact on brick-and-mortar footfall, the company experienced a surge in adoption by more traditional and legacy retailers including Dillard's and Showfields in the U.S., Ahlens and NK in Sweden, among others. "As the world slowly reopens following pandemic shutdowns, retailers find themselves challenged by a radically different paradigm for consumer behavior. To win back consumers who migrated to online shopping, they for instance need to reconceptualize their physical stores and better leverage technology to offer different, engaging and immersive experiences. We look forward to pioneering these new solutions and enabling businesses to thrive in this new, digitally-driven environment," said Jesper Funck, Chief Product Officer at Bambuser. Joining Bambuser to spearhead creating the new, impactful and interactive solutions will be Annelie Gullstrom, head of new business and innovation at AMF Fastigheter. For the past five years at AMF Fastigheter, Annelie kept the company ahead of rapid changes throughout the industry, playing a key role in executing The Lobby Live. With a nearly 20 year career as a digital strategist and change leader across various sectors, Annelie brings Bambuser a wealth of knowledge in bridging consumer behaviors, retail trends and emerging technologies, as well as she possesses an extensive experience driving digital transformation initiatives. "Retailers are under tremendous pressure to adapt to the industry's deep, abrupt transformation. As the line between online and offline commerce increasingly blurs, it's imperative they implement strategies that turn these challenges into an advantage. At AMF, I experienced first hand how Live Video Shopping can have that impact, and in my new role with Bambuser, I look forward to helping more businesses benefit from the symbiosis it drives. It's an exciting time filled with opportunity, and I'm excited to be part of the team developing solutions that will enable more businesses to thrive," said Annelie Gullstrom. Annelie Gullstrom will take up her new position on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Contact information Maryam Ghahremani, CEO | +46 8 400 160 02 | [email protected] or visit bambuser.com/ir Bambuser is a software company specializing in interactive live video streaming. The Company's primary product, Live Video Shopping, is a cloud-based software solution that is used by customers such as global e-commerce and retail businesses to host live shopping experiences on websites, mobile apps and social media. Bambuser was founded in 2007 and has its headquarters in Stockholm. Erik Penser Bank AB is Bambuser's Certified Adviser. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/bambuser/r/bambuser-creates-new-in-store-solutions-division-to-build-digital-opportunities-for-physical-retail-,c3306533 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/15749/3306533/1386956.pdf Release https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/annelie-gullstrom,c2888727 Annelie Gullstrom https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/jesper-funck,c2888728 Jesper Funck https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/annelie-gullstrom,c2888729 Annelie Gullstrom https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/annelie-gullstrom,c2888730 Annelie Gullstrom https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/annelie-gullstrom,c2888731 Annelie Gullstrom https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/live-video-shopping,c2888732 Live Video Shopping SOURCE Bambuser The billionaire Sackler family, who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, has agreed to pay nearly $4.3 billion to resolve thousands of lawsuits accusing them of fueling the opioid crisis in the United States. The huge payment from the members of the Sackler family who are involved with Purdue is part of a larger restructuring plan filed by Purdue on Monday night that intends to get the Connecticut-based pharmaceutical giant out of bankruptcy. Purdue's $10 billion plan to emerge from bankruptcy calls for it to be transformed into an entity that would see the Sacklers relinquish control of the company and steer revenue directly to plaintiffs. The billion dollar contribution from members of the Sackler family, who have denied any wrongdoing, would see them freed from opioid-related litigation. Purdue's plan was filed late on Monday night in US Bankruptcy Court in White Plains, New York after months of negotiations. The nearly $4.3 billion payment from members of the Sackler family is part of a larger restructuring plan filed by Purdue on Monday night that intends to get the Connecticut-based pharmaceutical giant out of bankruptcy. Kathe Sackler and David Sackler are pictured during a congressional hearing before the House Oversight Committee last year The Sacklers are one of the wealthiest families in the US. Pictured above is some of the Sackler family: Dr Richard Sackler, standing second from left and Jonathan Sackler standing second from right. Seated is co-founder Raymond and his wife Beverly Sackler Purdue had filed for bankruptcy back in September 2019 in the face of more than 2,900 lawsuits accusing the company of fueling the national opioid crisis through deceptive marketing. More than 470,000 deaths in the US since 2000 have been linked to opioids, including both prescription drugs and illegal ones such as heroin and fentanyl. The plan, which marks the company's formal offer to settle the lawsuits, sets up trusts that would indirectly control the new entity to distribute money to states, local governments and tribal organizations for opioid abatement programs. It also establishes trusts to pay out to private entities and individuals that have brought opioid-related lawsuits against Purdue, including hospitals, insurance carriers and legal guardians of children born with addiction-related issues. In its proposal, the company said the Sackler family members would contribute nearly $4.3 billion over a decade, the company would kick in $500 million upfront and its sales would generate another $1 billion through the end of 2024. The company says additional money would come from insurance claims. Individual victims and their families would share $700 million to $750 million over time. With nearly 135,000 such claims, that would work out to average payments under $5,600. Personal injury payments are expected to range from $3,500 to $48,000. The new entity will be overseen by a board comprising independent managers selected by states and local governments in consultation with Purdue and its unsecured creditors' committee, according to its plan. The Sacklers will not be part of that selection process. Purdue said the new entity will not promote opioid products to healthcare providers. The Sackler family issued a statement, saying: 'Today marks an important step toward providing help to those who suffer from addiction, and we hope this proposed resolution will signal the beginning of a far-reaching effort to deliver assistance where it is needed.' The huge payment from the Sacklers is part of a larger restructuring plan filed by Purdue on Monday night that intends to get the Connecticut-based pharmaceutical giant (pictured above) out of bankruptcy Purdue had filed for bankruptcy back in September 2019 in the face of more than 2,900 lawsuits accusing the company of fueling the national opioid crisis through deceptive marketing with its drug OxyContin Most of Purdue's plan is similar to what the company proposed a year and a half ago when it first sought bankruptcy protection - a move that halted lawsuits against both the company and Sackler family members. The plan must receive approval from US Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain in White Plains, New York. Purdue initially had support from about half of the US states and other governmental entities for its proposed settlement. Many other states have opposed Purdue's plan, taking issue with the public trust arrangement and the size of the initial $3 billion contribution from the Sacklers, which they said should be larger. 'The Sacklers became billionaires by causing a national tragedy. Now they're trying to get away with it,' Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement. 'We're going to keep fighting for the accountability that families all across this country deserve.' The Sacklers are one of the wealthiest families in the world but the true size of the family's fortune is unclear. An earlier court filing said family members received transfers of $12 billion to $13 billion from Purdue over the years, though a lawyer said much of that went to taxes or was reinvested in the company. In letters to the US House Oversight Committee last week, the two branches of the family that own the company said the family members who were board members had net assets of far less - about $1.1 billion. Raymond and Mortimer Sackler founded Purdue in 1991. They, along with their children, profited from the development of OxyContin. Other members of the Sackler family - including Arthur Sackler, who died in 1987, and his children - are not involved with Purdue. Until the opioid crisis became a national talking point, members of the Sackler family lived a largely unaffected life. As the issue plagued them, they had their name - which once carried them through high society around the world - stripped from museums and school scholarships. Raymond (left) and Mortimer (right) Sackler founded Purdue Pharma back in 1991. They, along with their children, profited from the development of OxyContin Other members of the wealthy Sackler family - including Arthur Sackler (pictured), who died in 1987, and his children - are not involved with Purdue Complicated litigation continues to play out in courts across the country in efforts to hold the drug industry accountable, including in thousands of cases filed in federal court being overseen by one Cleveland-based judge. Purdue was removed from those cases and others when it filed for bankruptcy protection. Trials in state and federal cases are scheduled to begin this year in California, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. Separately, Purdue has pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges and settled civil complaints. Purdue itself struck a deal with the Justice Department to pay $225 million toward a $2 billion criminal forfeiture. The Justice Department agreed to forgo the rest if the company developed a reorganization plan that would establish a public benefit company or similar entity that would dedicate the remaining $1.775 billion to U.S. communities battling the opioid crisis. The plan filed on Monday appears to comply with that. In a separate federal deal announced at the same time, Sackler family members agreed to pay $225 million to the federal government but admitted no wrongdoing. Purdue began selling OxyContin 25 years ago, encouraging doctors to drop long-held reservations about opioids and focus more on easing the pain of patients. Court documents show company officials continued to push to maintain sales even as it became clear the drug was being abused. More than 470,000 deaths in the US since 2000 have been linked to opioids, including both prescription drugs and illegal ones such as heroin and fentanyl. The US topped 50,000 opioid-related overdose deaths for the first time in 2019 and several states last year reported a record pace of overdose deaths due to all drugs. Nigeria on Monday recorded 238 new COVID-19 infections in 17 states as concerns about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines the country received almost four million doses of deepens. The new daily figure is higher than the 120 cases reported a day earlier as the lowest figure this year. Mondays figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 160,895. This is according to an update published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Monday night. After reporting an average of 1, 000 infections daily between December 2020 and January, infection figures have relatively dropped with daily cases hovering between 120 and 709 in the past three weeks. The death toll from the disease has reduced a bit. No death was recorded on Sunday. According to the NCDC data, three fatalities were recorded on Monday raising the fatality tally to 2,016 in total. Specifics The 238 new cases were reported from 17 states Lagos (72), Kwara (28), Bauchi (19), Kaduna (19), Edo (17), Ogun (15), Nasarawa (13), Rivers (10), FCT (9), Ondo (8), Akwa Ibom (5), Gombe (5), Niger (5), Osun (5), Plateau (4), Oyo (3), and Kano (1). Lagos had the highest figure on Monday with 72 new cases followed by Kwara and Bauchi with 28 and 19 infections respectively. Since the pandemic broke out in Nigeria in February last year, the country has carried out over 1.6 million tests. More than two-thirds of the over 160,000 people infected by COVID-19 in Nigeria have recovered after treatment. According to NCDC data published Sunday night, a total of 145,752 have recovered after treatment. Meanwhile, over 18,000 infections are still active in the country. Vaccination Nigerian authorities on Monday said at least 8,000 Nigerians have received their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines thus far. The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, while speaking at the weekly briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, on Monday, said no serious adverse effects have been reported from those who have been vaccinated. Elsewhere around the globe, especially in Europe, the Oxford vaccine is raising serious concerns as more than a dozen countries have halted its rollout over reports of blood-clotting. Germany, France, and Italy on Monday joined a growing list of countries to temporarily suspend the administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. On Sunday, the Netherlands joined Ireland in suspending the use of the vaccine following further reports of blood clots in people who have received it in Norway and Denmark. ADVERTISEMENT The Dutch health ministry Sunday evening said the move was precautionary as there was no proof yet of a direct link between the vaccine and reports of possible side-effects from Norway and Denmark. But the World Health Organization (WHO) and European regulators have assured that the vaccines are safe and expressed confidence in it. The Nigerian government has also assured of its safety as the country distributes almost four million doses of the vaccine to states. it is important to clearly state that Nigeria did not receive any doses from the batch of vaccines which is at issue, a statement signed by Mohammed Ohitoto, the head of its public relations unit, the NPHCDA said, implying that the vaccines are in batches. Los Angeles-based cybersecurity firm that provides outcomes-based security to cloud-reliant companies such as FilmRise and Sheinis number 97 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list provides a one-of-a-kind overview of the most successful companies within Californias independent small business segment. Its a great honor to be named as one of the fastest-growing private companies in California, and it validates our work, says CEO Lou Rabon, who founded the company in 2016. Our team came together and overcame challenges in the midst of the pandemic, and this award is a testament to our hard work and resilience. In the coming months, CDG will release a software product that will help with logging and visibility issues. The software augments CDGs services strategy and will ensure CDG can continue to innovate in the cybersecurity space. Cybersecurity is a hot industry, and the changes we made during the past year have allowed us to focus on outcomes-based security and vCISO services, says Rabon. He plans to continue expanding the firms reach while continuing its unwavering commitment to client services and skillful implementation. This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOS and that these businesses are here to stay. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: California, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/california. ABOUT CYBER DEFENSE GROUP: Founded in 2016 by cybersecurity expert Lou Rabon, Cyber Defense Group was designed to address the growing demand for experienced cybersecurity consulting for innovative cloud-native and cloud-reliant organizations. Their unique combination of Fortune 500 leadership experience and commitment to outcomes-based security enables CDG to fully protect their clients security posture while delivering desired business outcomes. Inc. 5000 METHODOLOGY The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regional are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. MEDIA CONTACT: pr@cdg.io Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The president of the new Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Manfi, has expressed the hope that the new government would work to make the citizens feel improvements in their lives Scammers are reportedly cold-calling households claiming they have filled in their Census forms incorrectly and 'fining' them. The 2021 Census is a legitimate survey conducted every decade to count the number of people in England and Wales, along with other details. It is a legal requirement to fill out the Census for all households. Sunday 21 March is Census Day and fines of up to 1,000 can be dished out to households for surveys that are not completed or if false information is given. But now fraudsters are using the nationwide survey and potential fine for their own benefit and duping people into believing that they are being penalised for giving out incorrect information. Scammers are cold calling victims and issuing 'fines' by telling them that they've provided incorrect information The results of the Census help organisations make decisions on vital public services such as transport, education and healthcare. Last week, Action Fraud tweeted a warning: 'Criminals may try to use this as an opportunity to send phishing emails or texts.' One police force is believed to have issued a warning saying that a cold caller claiming to be from a local authority accused an individual of filling in a Census incorrectly and told them that they had to pay a fine. The scammer then asked for basic identification details, which they claim was to confirm the Census record, and the individual's bank details so they could process the fine. What can I do if I'm a victim of a scam? To report scams, contact Action Fraud, or if in Scotland, contact Police Scotland. To report email scams, contact the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) by emailing report@phishing.gov.uk For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 A nationwide problem The Office for National Statistics said there are similar scams in other parts of the country where money has been taken from a victim's bank account. Ray Walsh, digital privacy expert at ProPrivacy, says: 'So far the scam has been reported in Hampshire and now Hertfordshire, but there is a real danger that it could spread nationally, which is why we must help to spread the word to family members and friends.' Walsh said that this latest scam is a reminder never to answer any questions or provide your bank details, no matter how genuine a cold-caller sounds. Action Fraud says members of the public will only be contacted about the Census via letter - never email, text or phone. It adds: 'When filling out the Census you will be asked for personal details such as your date of birth, your occupation and where you live. You will never be asked to provide your national insurance number or financial details.' Walsh adds: 'Anybody who receives a phone call from somebody claiming to be from their local authority or the ONS is advised to hang up at once. 'The ONS has made it clear that residents will only be contacted officially by letter, and never by phone or text message. The Census is meant to help organisations make decisions on vital public services such as transport, education and healthcare but scammers are trying to capitalise on it and fleece people out of their money 'If you stay on the line the scammer will claim that your census was filled out incorrectly and that you must pay a fine, but this is just a scam designed to steal your money. 'Do not engage with anybody who messages or calls about the census, and do not provide any personal information or payment details.' Luis Navarro, managing director of Totality Services, a London based IT support and security provider, says: Id recommend checking the sender or caller of anyone talking about the census before worrying about a fine. To help reduce unwanted phone calls Id recommend signing up for the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) as this can reduce the number of calls by up to 50 per cent. Royal Mail and DPD scam The Census scam comes on the heels of a Royal Mail and DPD scams reported last month and in January respectively. Both scams are conducted in a similar fashion. The Royal Mail scam saw fraudsters text people claiming that the postal service was seeking 2.99 for an unpaid shipping fee. Anybody who receives a phone call from somebody claiming to be from their local authority or the ONS is advised to hang up at once Ray Walsh, digital privacy expert at ProPrivacy Ray Walsh, digital privacy expert at ProPrivacy The text asks people to follow a link which sends them to a mocked-up version of the Royal Mail's website. The fake page requests personal and payment details which scammers then use to steal people's identities and cash. Meanwhile, the DPD scams involved scammers sending out emails claiming that recipients had missed a parcel delivery from DPD. The email, clad in DPD branding, then explained that a new delivery would need to be scheduled and sent victims to a link where they could choose another time but were also requested to pay a sum of money. Concerns about delivery scams have increased since the UK reported a surge in online shopping during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Criminals are aware that there is a good chance of the scam working as many people are awaiting a parcel from Royal Mail or other delivery companies, making people more vulnerable to this scam. Katherine Hart, a lead officer at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, says: 'This delivery scam is yet another example of fraudsters attempting to make money out of the unsuspecting public. 'Due to the lockdowns, many millions of people rely on product deliveries, so scammers have focussed their efforts on this theme. 'Royal Mail will only ever contact you via text or email if a customs fee is due, not for domestic parcel delivery. If you have any suspicions, contact Royal Mail to verify before you click any links or share details. 'Also, the public must also be aware that these types of scams may come in many forms, and scammers do not only use Royal Mail branding. Indeed, in January, I commented on a similar scam that used DPD branding. 'These types of scams come in many forms, not just via text but also in emails and through the phone.' HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For several months, after unilaterally implementing the "TimeTrax" program, CSX Transportation continues to short and/or mistakenly pay its rail maintenance employees, occasionally by thousands of dollars, while not effectively addressing the problems. Earlier this year the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) Allied Federation filed suit in federal court in Kentucky challenging CSX's unilateral implementation of the TimeTrax program. In the lawsuit, BMWED Allied Federation is seeking a court order directing CSX to stop using the TimeTrax program until the bargaining parties have negotiated and reached agreement on how the program would work. BMWED Allied Federation is also seeking an order directing CSX to fix the payroll mess that it and its botched TimeTrax program have created. CSX implemented TimeTrax on Nov. 14, 2020. Aside from providing non-specific and cursory information about the program, CSX never engaged the union regarding the implementation of the new payroll system. We maintain that CSX's unilateral implementation of TimeTrax violates the RLA, which requires the carrier to bargain with and reach agreement with the union before implementing changes in rates, terms and working conditions and before implementing any changes in our rates, terms and conditions of employment. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, we reached out to CSX attempting to settle the lawsuit by sitting down and working out a mutually acceptable agreement regarding TimeTrax, one that would ensure that implementation problems such as payroll shortages would be quickly identified and just as quickly fixed. While we were engaged in this out-of-court process, it effectively put the lawsuit on hold. Those settlement discussions have failed, however, and CSX has now left us with no choice other than to aggressively seek justice from the federal court. TimeTrax has been nothing short of a failure. Since implementation, TimeTrax has failed to accurately and equitably pay employees. BMWED members have seen their paychecks shorted by thousands of dollars. Many of these shortages occurred during the hardest months, when some members were facing the potential of furlough and other COVID-19 related service issues. A large amount of the pay shortages occurred to members on "floating teams" and commonly involved meal allowance pay, which remains a common shortage to this day. However, TimeTrax has involved payroll errors in all manners of ways, not just allowance pay. Time worked for straight time has been inaccurately calculated, as well as overtime pay and differential payments. Payroll errors are widespread and continue to be a huge problem for employees across the board. BMWED members on CSX continue to see their paychecks mishandled by CSX, causing economic hardship, stress and problems for thousands of our members. It is no secret to anyone, including CSX management, that the TimeTrax program is deeply flawed and caused undue hardship to thousands of CSX employees including BMWED members. We are concerned, however, that CSX management does not recognize the gravity and severity of the problems its TimeTrax program has created and continues to make. The Allied Federation, working with our sister federations across the CSX system, remain firmly committed to making sure that these problems are addressed and fixed once and for all. "The Allied Federation has attempted time-and-again to work with CSX to rectify and fix this ongoing and completely unacceptable payroll problem with TimeTrax," BMWED Allied Federation General Chairman Dennis Albers said. "We filed this lawsuit to obtain a reset of the TimeTrax rollout. We have done everything to convince management that the TimeTrax problems require priority attention from management and immediate resolution. We have asked that all the problems be resolved, but management still does not appear to recognize that TimeTrax is a serious problem, let alone one that should have been fixed already. CSX employees work hard for this railroad and they have a legitimate expectation that they will be fairly paid for their work and that their paychecks will be accurate. CSX is not fulfilling its contractual obligation. We hope the judge will agree with us and that he will order CSX to do what it should have done in the first place, to negotiate with the Union to develop a time keeping and payroll system that works fairly and works right, so that our members receive the proper pay they deserve when it is due, not weeks or even months later." Contact: Clark Ballew, Communications Dir. (248) 205-8327 [email protected] SOURCE Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) (Natural News) The Alabama Senate on Tuesday, March 2, approved a bill that would protect minors from the perils of transgender therapy. Senators voted 23-4 in favor of the bill sponsored by Republican Senator Shay Shelnutt called the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act. The bill is now headed to the state House of Representatives, which has already approved a companion bill. The bill, as well as the one already approved by Alabama representatives, would make it a felony for medical professionals to treat transgender minors under the age of 19 with gender-affirming care. Violators could face up to 10 years in prison or a $15,000 fine. School staff in the state would also be required to disclose to parents that a minors perception of his or her gender is inconsistent with his or her sex. Children arent mature enough to make these decisions on surgeries and drugs, Shelnutt told the Associated Press. The whole point is to protect kids. Similar measures have been considered in at least seven other states, but Alabama would be the first to pass such a bill. Advocacy groups oppose bills Advocacy groups said the bills would prevent doctors from providing the best medical care to transgender youth. (Related: Transgender HHS nominee Rachel Levine wants babies to get sex changes without parental consent.) The bills run counter to medical science, prevailing standards of treatment for transgender youth, and basic human dignity, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama said in a statement. Dr. Morissa Ladinsky, a pediatrician who has treated multiple transgender youths, told the Senate committee that genital surgery is never performed on children, and puberty blockers and hormonal therapy are used only after lengthy informed consent, mental health oversight and sub-specialized medical care. There arent pediatricians traveling around Alabama just writing (prescriptions) for hormones, just because they can. Its a lengthy process, Ladinsky said. The Alabama ACLU, along with the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, AIDS Alabama and several other groups, organized in-person and visual protests against the bills on March 2. Lawmakers are insisting that they know whats best for transgender young people and ignoring the recommendations of medical experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and more, Allison Scott, a director at the Campaign for Southern Equality, said in a statement. According to Scott, the bills are effectively endangering many possible lifelines for a transgender child. Under this bill they cant go to their doctor for help, and they cant seek counsel or comfort from their teachers or school staff, Scott said. In 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the controversial Transgender Mandate. It required doctors to perform gender transition procedures on any child referred by a mental health professional, even if they thought the treatment or hormone therapy could harm the child. Failure to comply could cost the doctors their job. The mandate was supposedly made to help children with gender dysphoria, a so-called psychological distress that results from an incongruence between ones sex assigned at birth and ones gender identity. But studies revealed that up to 94 percent of children with gender dysphoria (77 to 94 percent in one set of studies and 73 to 88 percent in another) would naturally grow out of their dysphoria and live healthy lives without the need for surgery or lifelong hormone treatments. Hormone therapy poses health risks The World Professional Association for Transgender Help (WPATH) said that in most cases, gender dysphoria would disappear before or early in puberty. According to studies, physical changes by hormone therapy could cause massive distress for many children who grew out of their dysphoria. (Related: Transgenderism is a disorder stemming from psychological trauma, says man who had TWO sex changes.) Hormone therapy in female to male patients could affect changes such as deepened voice, clitoral enlargement, growth of facial and body hair, cessation of menses, atrophy of breast tissue and decreased body fat percentage to muscle mass. On the other hand, the effects of hormone therapy in male to female patients could include breast growth, decreased erectile function, decreased testicular size and increased percentage of body fat compared to muscle mass. Transgender medical interventions could also carry very serious medical risks. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies noted that transgender individuals may be at increased risk for breast, ovarian, uterine or prostate cancer as a result of hormone therapy. Meanwhile, WPATH identified the following potential health risks associated with hormone therapy: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, venous thromboembolic disease and hypertension. Follow Gender.news for more news and information related to transgender people. Sources include: TheRightScoop.com CBSNews.com TransgenderMandate.org Huntington, WV (25701) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. [March 16, 2021] Star Localmart all set to unwind its Expansion Plan KOLHAPUR, India, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Star Localmart, in a short span of time, has lived up to its novel idea of 21st century retail franchise model by empowering local resources. It has also captured everyone's attention through its quality offerings and won the trust of millions of customers. After garnering notable success in its first phase of operations, Star Localmart, the retail arm of Sanjay Ghodawat Group, is now all set to expand its business further. The company currently operates 11 Star Localmart stores in Sangli and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra. Star Localmart is planning to expand its wings across the Konkan region of Maharashtra and also in Kalaburagi area of Karnataka in second quarter of 2021, which will cover Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg districts of Konkan (Maharashtra) and Kalaburagi, Vijapur, Yadgir, Bidar and Raichur districts ofKarnataka. One of the company officials said in a statement that the company plans to launch about 13 new stores in various towns from South Maharashtra area by April 2021 in Gargoti, Athani, Arag, Savlaj, Ashta, Umbraj, Ichalkaranji, Bambavde, Jamkhandi, Warna Kadoli, Kavthe Mahakal, Mahalingpur, and Manerajuri respectively. The company through its retail franchise model offers customers a unique shopping experience and ensures super savings with every purchase. Under a single roof, customers can buy a wide range of daily essentials at very affordable rates with a good product mix of renowned brands. Moreover, frequent weekend and festive offers further enhance customers' shopping experience. While speaking to the Managing Director of Sanjay Ghodawat Group - Mr. Shrenik Ghodawat, said: "It is a delight to see the way Star Localmart is expanding its footprint. It is heartening to witness so much love and customer appreciation towards Star Localmart. I am confident that we will live up to the expectations of our customers in the future as well and enhance their shopping experience further. We now look for the same support for our customers in North Karnataka." About Sanjay Ghodawat Group Sanjay Ghodawat Group is a prominent Indian business conglomerate that has its presence in various high-value business verticals ranging from salt to software. Aviation, Consumer Products, Education, Energy, Software, Mining, Realty, Retail, Software and Textiles are some of its key business domains. SGG was incepted in 1993 and since then it has witnessed an impressive growth under the splendid stewardship of its Founder and Chairman - Mr. Sanjay Ghodawat. With a strong base of millions of customers across India, SGG is moving ahead with great vigour and bringing significant changes in people's lives with its wide range of high-quality products and services. For Star Localmart franchise enquiry contact: +91-7758999555 / 8484828672 For more details, please visit : https://www.starlocalmart.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1309448/Star_Localmart.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Turkish charities have been helping victims of Syria's civil war for the last 10 years KILIS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2021 ) :Turkish charities have been helping victims of Syria's civil war for the last 10 years. Mahmut Temelli, Turkiye Diyanet Foundation's (TDV) Syria coordinator, told Anadolu Agency that they carry out holistic aid projects ranging from education to health, from food to shelter. Temelli said that 1,750 houses have been completed so far and delivered to people in need and that the construction of 1,700 more houses is ongoing. He went on to say that voluntary doctors give weekly health checks and medical support to residents of the camps. Temelli added that they carry out aid projects in areas of Turkey's anti-terror operations -- Euphrates Shield, Peace Spring and Olive Branch -- as well as Idlib. "Every day 114,000 loaves of bread and hot meals are distributed to 15,000 people. The free clothing store assists 8,636 people every month," he added.They also restored the places of worship damaged by terrorists, he said. "477 mosques in the region were restored and opened for worship," he went on to say.Mehmet Arslan, Besir Association's Syria coordinator, said that Turkey has never held back assistance to needy people. Underlining that the association continues humanitarian aid activities in many areas in Syria, Arslan said: "Our aid campaigns continue uninterruptedly in Tal Abyad, Rasulayn, Cobanbey, Afrin and Idlib. In our soup kitchens in Jarabulus, the daily distribution of hot meals to an average of 2,500 to 3,000 people continues." He added that they bake 31,000 pieces of hot bread daily in an oven built on an area of 500 square meters in Turkey's Kilis province, and that they deliver aid to more than 10 million people. Durmus Aydin, secretary-general of Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), said that they have carried out thousands of projects in areas such as food, housing, education and health since the beginning of the civil war in Syria. Noting that children suffer the most from wars, Aydin said that they support 18,000 children.They have delivered 5,000 truckloads of aid to those in need in Syria, he added. Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Over the past decade, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN officials. Sheila Savage learned to step dance almost as soon as she learned to walk. Coming from a family of Irish step dancers, Savage was the third generation to learn the craft, which survived the familys immigration to the United States where it continues to thrive. To commemorate her familys history with the art form, Savage has put together an exhibit of her familys step dance costumes, from the first generation down to the latest at the Irish American Heritage Museum. The costumes, made of velvet, cotton and polyester, have been preserved carefully through the years by her. The oldest costume is almost 70 years old. "It was a great honor for me to recreate the original exhibit of the museum and add on my daughter's collection, because when my mom did the first exhibit my daughter wasn't born yet, she said. The exhibit was originally curated, and displayed by Savages mother when the museum originally opened in 1990 in the Catskill Mountains. Savage updated the original exhibit with her daughters costumes, dedicating it to the memory of her parents. The exhibit is on display through the end of April. I think it's absolutely beautiful. It's both a local story, with her own family and the three generations of women, but it's also kind of a microcosm for Irish Americans because this story repeats, probably in every Irish American family, said Elizabeth Stack, executive director of the Irish American Heritage museum. And it's gorgeous to see the original immigrant bring the tradition and then pass it down through her descendants. Its exactly the mission of the museum here, to pass on the story. So, we're delighted to have the exhibit on the show. Savages mother, Sheila Kenny, came to the United States in the 1960s after answering a newspaper ad and being offered a job as a nanny in Loudonville. Irish step dance wasnt too well known until the stage production Riverdance became an international hit in the mid-1990s. Savage says before Riverdance it was difficult to explain the art to people. I just also want to say a shout out to anybody that was ever an Irish dancer prior to 'Riverdance,' because we had our own underground society so to speak, she said. The family competed in step dance competitions known as feisanna. Savage herself last competed only four years ago. She remembers her parents taking her to competitions across the country and even up to Canada. She did the same for her own daughter, who competed until she became pregnant with her first child. Savage has big hopes for her grandchildren. We're waiting to see if there's going to be a fifth-generation dancer. Please, God, there will be someday. Anne Hathaway reveals she had to suffer a DIY haircut just like everyone else during the pandemic before filming her latest movie. The actress, 38, admitted she was 'terrified' of using a stylist outside of her working bubble while shooting pandemic themed-film, Locked Down. Anne said she 'wrongly assumed' that the hair stylist on set in London would be able to cut her hair, but he said it wasn't in his skillset. DIY: Anne Hathaway reveals she had to suffer a DIY haircut just like everyone else during the pandemic before filming her latest movie Talking to the Radio Times, Anne said: 'I was so serious about it [coronavirus] that I gave myself a haircut because I realised it had gone too far. 'When I started work on set, I assumed my hair stylist would be able to give me a professional do but then he informed me that he actually didn't cut hair. 'He asked me if I wanted to have someone else come to set to clean it up, but I was so freaked out by the thought of being in contact with someone outside the filming bubble that I said no. My hair in the film is the hair I cut myself, which felt very 2020.' While Anne admitted the first few weeks of lockdown were 'scary', she soon realised she was in a fortunate position and was happy to have work to go to. Scared: The actress, 38, admitted she was 'terrified' of using a stylist outside of her working bubble while shooting pandemic themed-film, Locked Down She said: 'I had food on my table and I wasn't worrying about paying the mortgage. It began to feel disrespectful to people who were going through a harder time, so I learnt to change my focus.' Anne said that although filming a movie can often feel chaotic, Locked Down was especially fast-paced as they filmed it in just 18 days. The actress, who co-starred with Chiwetel Ejiofor in the film directed by Doug Liman, said: 'I feel like 2020 was chaotic in so many ways and film-making is also often chaotic, but this project was definitely more chaotic than others.' Anne also discussed her family life, as she detailed what living with her husband Adam Shulman and their two sons Jonathan, four, and Jack, one, has been like. The Witches star, who said she has loved being 'present' with her kids, said her husband has been 'amazing' at noticing the moments where she just needs to take a moment for herself. She added: 'I haven't had to go off and work much, although I don't feel guilty about working. 'I feel very, very competent, rather comfortable and proud of the fact that I have a job that can provide for my family but it's been great to spend time with the kids. I've been taking everything in.' Oops! Anne said she 'wrongly assumed' that the hair stylist on set in London would be able to cut her hair, but he said it wasn't in his skillset It comes following the revelation that Anne and her co-star Chiwetel used Marlon Brando's trick to help them learn lines for Locked Down. Marlon famously taped pages from his scripts to walls, ceilings and even his co-stars during filming so that he wouldn't have to learn his lines. Nearly 50 years after he used the trick in his masterpiece, The Godfather, the two actors admitted they had followed in his footsteps. London-born Ejiofor, 43, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in 12 Years A Slave, revealed that they taped pages to their clothes or held them in front of their faces while the other was on camera. Learning lines: It comes following the revelation that Anne and her co-star Chiwetel used Marlon Brando's trick to help them learn lines for Locked Down Under pressure: Marlon famously taped pages from his scripts to walls, ceilings and even his co-stars during filming so that he wouldn't have to learn his lines The film, Locked Down, which was devised and shot during the pandemic, follows a disillusioned couple who plan to steal a diamond from Harrods after struggling to find work during lockdown. Ejiofor said the nature of filming during Covid meant that they had just over two weeks to shoot the entire film with nearly 200 pages of dialogue to get through. 'The script came back at about 190 pages odd it was 18 days to shoot so we were just rattling through reams and reams of the story and the dialogue,' he said on the Graham Norton Show. 'I knew from the beginning, if you've got that number of pages, you're thinking there's no way of really learning all this so we're just going to have to come up with a couple of tricks to get through it.' He said that he'd seen a photo showing how Brando, during the filming of The Godfather, stuck pages of his lines on to co-stars such as Robert Duvall. Ejiofor decided to follow suit for Locked Down. 'Of all the genius things of Marlon Brando, actually looking like he's not reading lines is the greatest skill,' he said. Brando died aged 80 in 2004 due to heart failure. Interview: Read the full interview with Anne in this week's issue of Radio Times Locked Down, directed by The Bourne Identity filmmaker Doug Liman and written by Peaky Blinders and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? co-creator Steven Knight, was filmed using strict Covid-19 protocols during September and October last year. They were able to film inside Harrods and used the people who were working there as extras. Locked Down, which includes cameos from Sir Ben Kingsley, Ben Stiller, Stephen Merchant and Mark Gatiss, is available to rent on Amazon Prime. Read the full interview with Anne in this week's issue of Radio Times Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. MBABANE All good things come to an end. This notion rings true as Pageant Eswatini has notified the outgoing crown holders that their time has come to an end. This is according to a communique which was sent to all the outgoing crown holders, which includes Miss Eswatini, Miss Teen, Miss Cultural Heritage and Mr Eswatini. Miss Cultural Heritages reign came to an end last year in October while that of Miss Eswatini ended just before the COVID-19 outbreak early in March last year. Worth noting is that the different pageants could not be held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemics restrictions on gatherings. Confirming Confirming this was Pageant Eswatini President Catherine Potgieter who asserted that the outgoing pageant crown holders time had elapsed since the title was supposed to be for twelve months. We had planned to host another pageant last year, but because of the COVID-19 pandemics rules and regulations, we had to cancel everything. Normally, we have a year of reigns and so we made a decision to stop all the crowns so that we can start afresh, she said. Regulations She further highlighted that although they were in the dark as to how long the COVID-19 pandemic would continue being prevalent locally, she said the organisation was on the verge of putting new rules and regulations in place in order for Pageant Eswatini to move forward. Potgieter went on to add that it would have been amiss for them to plan for another pageant when there were still restrictions on gatherings. For now, we need to have a discussion on the new rules and regulations in order for us to move forward with the pageants. We will share information in due course when everything is finalised, she said. This publication then spoke to the outgoing Miss Eswatini, Nondumiso Dlamini, to comment on the matter at hand and she also confirmed receiving the letter of termination of her reign as Miss Eswatini. Termination Asked on how her tenure as the reigning queen was, she first acknowledged the fact that her reign extended beyond the twelve months, but said overall, her journey was beautiful and enlightening. She mentioned that she got the opportunity to work with other talented individuals and professionals alike who opened her mind on industry related projects. The main difficulty I came across was finding the right sponsorship to do my charity work, but the help I got from those who helped me really drove the initiative. I am humbled by the entire experience and not only will I continue doing charity work under my foundation, I will compete in other pageants, she said. Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) Chief Executive Officer Stanley Dlamini also mentioned that due to the COVID-19 pandemic which was unprecedented in the past year, this caused disruptions to the councils plans to prepare for all the pageants respectively. Constraints He went on to add that the reigning title holders could not fully implement their planned projects due to the constraints brought about by COVID-19. In some instances, where another pageant cannot be held, an extension is granted, but this was not possible due to the coronavirus, he said. Dlamini then said it was solely for that reason that the outgoing crown holders could not continue with their reigns. He, however, added that if the restrictions are eased to allow gatherings of 50 to 200 people, then there would be a possibility of the pageants being held once more for newly-crowned emaSwati in all the different pageants. As prepared for delivery. Opening Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Colleagues and Friends, We have heard how women are still vastly underrepresented in all facets of decision-making -- in part because of structural barriers and discriminatory social norms. It is a world where nine out of 10 people are still biased against women. Now, as some countries start to slowly recover from this devastating pandemic, women must have the opportunity to play a full role in shaping the pivotal decisions currently being made. These are choices that will affect the wellbeing of people and the planet for generations to come. To do this, we must create an enabling environment. And today, I would like to outline four key areas that can help us to achieve our aims. 1. Systems Transformation Firstly, as we start to shape the post- COVID-19 world, we need to think about an entire systems transformation. That means transforming institutions and systems to set the conditions for women to play a full role in public life. It involves working to simultaneously strengthen constitutional, legislative, and political processes -- including through the introduction of temporary special measures such as quotas. We know that gender quotas work when they are well designed and effectively implemented. Look, for instance, to the 84 UN Member States that have adopted legislated quotas. In those countries, women are on average elected to 26% of seats in parliament, compared with 21% in countries without such legislation. Temporary special measures are a key element of the UN Secretary-Generals Call to Action for Human Rights, aimed at strengthening system-wide application and promotion of womens leadership across all sectors. 2. Finance Secondly, there is a finance gap when it comes to promoting gender equality and womens equal participation. To address this gulf -- we must improve access to funding to support womens participation in public life and civil society organisations. We must also support the design and implementation of national gender budgets to help public administrations implement their commitments to gender equality. 3. Challenging and Reforming Workplace Culture Thirdly, we must challenge and reform workplace cultures to enable women to harness their full leadership potential. This includes both penalising and eliminating sexism, violence, and harassment -- and promoting a gender-inclusive senior management culture. We must also advance an improved work-life balance for both women and men -- including through flexible work arrangements and parental leave. And we must raise awareness. That includes working with religious and community leaders as well as male champions of gender equality to tackle harmful, deeply ingrained social norms. 4. Need for Better Data to Inform Responses Finally, we need more and better sex-disaggregated data so we can pinpoint where gender inequalities remain. That will also help us to demonstrate -- with evidence -- how womens equal participation makes a difference for all. UNDP is working with the University of Pittsburgh to monitor the state of gender equality in the public sector through our Gender Equality in Public Administration (GEPA) initiative. A new report, using data from 171 countries, will be launched in the coming months. And later this year, UNDP will launch a new Gender Equality Seal Award for Public Institutions -- a global recognition of institutions that advance gender equality and women's empowerment in their policies and programmes, and their workplace. UNDP also keenly recognises that we need to advance the conversation on how to contribute to the economic security and independence that is necessary for women to engage more deeply in the decisions that will change their future. Our new policy brief launched earlier this month explores how a Temporary Basic Income specifically for women in developing countries could help us to make progress in this area. Using new data, it puts forward the case that a worthwhile monthly investment of 0.07% of developing countries GDP could help 613 million working-aged women living in poverty to absorb the shock of the pandemic. And the COVID-19 Global Gender Response Tracker by UNDP and UN Women is helping Governments to analyse national measures that directly address womens economic and social security -- including unpaid care work, for instance. Such resources will play a part in paving the way for the structural transformation needed to amplify womens voices. UNDPs Wider Work/Added Value Across the globe, UNDP is working to promote womens equal participation and leadership in all forms of decision-making -- including in public institutions, parliaments, the judiciary, CSOs and the private sector. Thanks to UNDPs support, some 180 measures -- from electoral quotas to gender-smart business policies -- were put in place by countries across the world in 2019. Closing Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, To build forward better from the COVID-19 crisis, and to get the Global Goals firmly back on track, we cannot simply return to the world we had before. We must do things differently. And we must move much faster. That means shattering the barriers that hold women and girls back and disrupting the status quo. As we kick-off CSW65 today, I am inspired by the new and often pioneering measures taken by Member States to boost the participation of women in decision-making and leadership spaces. The United Nations Development Programme and the UN system will continue to partner with you in this critical work -- ultimately towards a more equal, more inclusive, and more sustainable future. Thank you. Over the past year the coronavirus pandemic has exposed disparities in education, like the health crisis did across so many sectors of society. When schools were forced to go remote a year ago, some students from low-income households struggled with online classes due to not having a computer, high-speed internet or a quiet workspace. Teachers also had added pandemic burdens: adapting lesson plans, attendance and progress reports to the unprecedented demands of remote learning, as well as dealing with elevated levels of anxiety among students and parents. Schools are not insulated from the socioeconomic circumstances of their communities, and those located in underserved areas experience higher rates of teacher turnover. A 2019 report from the New York City Comptrollers office found that turnover was concentrated in higher-need school districts, where the surrounding community is often lower-income and where the majority of students are children of color. Attrition costs to the public school system are substantial, the report found. But teacher churn, experts say, also imposes a cost on the culture of a school and can be a contributing factor to less stable learning environments. Many new teachers underestimate what its like to teach in a New York City public school. It is common for new teachers to struggle with classroom management, and they may only last a couple of years on the job. You can be a master of your content, but if you dont have that presence in the classroom that extra spice youre doomed, said a teacher at a Queens public school who asked to remain anonymous due to not being authorized to speak to the media. New teachers often misjudge the rigors of classroom management, and many are unaware of how many nights and weekends they will end up devoting to the academic and administrative demands of the job. You can be a master of your content, but if you dont have that presence in the classroom that extra spice youre doomed. a teacher in Queens Just as inexperience can be a liability in the classroom, so too can a lack of familiarity with the local community. According to the comptrollers report, in the 2017-18 school year approximately 60% of New York teachers were white, while the citys student body was 41% Hispanic, 26% African American, 16% Asian and 15% white. The report highlighted the need to ramp up recruitment of teachers of color. We need to really diversify our teaching corps as our population is diversifying and look at how we can be more intentional about ensuring that our teacher population really mirrors that of our student population, said Kenya Bradshaw, vice president of policy and community coalitions at TNTP, a nonprofit that helps urban school districts recruit and train new teachers. Bradshaw said school districts need to be more innovative in building pipeline programs to ensure that local teachers have the community and cultural context of their students. When I first started working at the high school, most of the staffers were Caucasian and they didnt really understand the culture, said a Hispanic former dean of a public school in Upper Manhattan, who asked not to be identified in order to speak candidly about his former workplace. I remember the school officials even decided to do a trip out to the Dominican Republic so the teachers could learn a little more about the students. Since boys tend to be more disruptive in class, the former dean said that male teachers from the community could help struggling students. Schools need more male role models that the students can identify with and whom they can relate to, he said. When I first started working at the high school, most of the staffers were Caucasian and they didnt really understand the culture. A former public school dean in Upper Manhattan Classroom management skills come more naturally for some people than others, but good training can help novice teachers make it past the first couple of years on the job. A teacher, for instance, is more likely to remain in control of their classroom if they can handle disruptions on their own without calling on outside help. A model championed by New Vision for Public Schools, a nonprofit that runs a charter school network and teacher prep program, places teacher apprentices alongside experienced educators before they receive their own full-time classroom assignment. These types of programs are difficult to scale because they require a larger upfront investment in the training, said Mark Dunetz, the organizations president. But they pay for themselves later because you have less teacher turnover and the teachers tend to be more effective than those trained in traditional models. Measures that have been shown to reduce teacher attrition often do require substantial investments. Smaller classes can ease teaching loads, but require building or acquiring more classroom space in addition to hiring more teachers. The research is crystal clear that all students benefit from smaller classes, but low-income students receive twice the benefit in terms of test scores, grades, disciplinary referrals, livelihood, graduating from high school on time and going to college, and graduating with a STEM degree, said Leonie Haimson, executive director of the nonprofit Class Size Matters. Sometimes it feels as though the schools run like a factory. a teacher in Queens In any profession higher pay can help attract and retain talent, but there are also smaller ways to improve teacher morale. For example, in some schools, teachers feel that principals place them under a microscope, such as requiring them to drop off lesson plans every day. In other schools, teachers feel that they lack the support system to deal with difficult working conditions. But school administrators in low-income neighborhoods can also become overwhelmed. Administrators often have to make sure that students basic needs are met such as housing and food before they can turn their attention to academic matters. Sometimes it feels as though the schools run like a factory, the Queens public school teacher said. I know theres been more of a movement towards social-emotional learning, so now you can get away with planning your lesson that way, but social-emotional only became the new buzzword because of the advent of COVID. The myriad ways in which the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately affected low-income communities have been well documented. With in-person instruction returning in New York City, the city could invest more in the mental health resources that many experts and educators have argued is long overdue. There is a push underway by the United Federation of Teachers, the union that represents New York City teachers, to create smaller class sizes to make up for the learning loss and academic regression that has occurred over the past year. The UFT had been lobbying for President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan, which was recently signed into law, that includes $126 billion to help K-12 schools reopen. UFT President Michael Mulgrew told City & State that public schools lack the capacity to address the needs of children who have experienced emotional trauma during the pandemic. He said: Yes, we have some psychologists, some social workers, some guidance counselors, and we know how to deal with emotional issues on certain levels, but we are not clinicians. The Mahurangi East Residents and Ratepayers Association (MERRA), says it is absurd that Auckland Council should declare a Climate Emergency, yet be prepared to accept hundreds of heavy diesel road vehicles servicing a proposed landfill in the Dome Valley. In June 2019, Auckland Council declared a Climate Emergency. It committed to halving Aucklands greenhouse emissions by 2030 and promised climate change would now be front and centre of its decision making. Likewise, the Climate Change Commission has promised strong and decisive action to address climate change across Aotearoa. National and local polices and targets around emissions, traffic congestion, road safety and freight-onto-rail mesh nicely. Momentum and commitment seems evident. So how does this manifest in practice? Buoyed by the rhetoric, the Mahurangi East Residents and Ratepayers Association (MERRA) embarked on a road test. Sensing the time was right we decided to challenge Waste Managements application for a new Auckland Regional Landfill in the Dome Valley. We appeared before Councils five independent commissioners at the recent consent hearing. We sought process and outcomes consistent with policies and press statements. We questioned Waste Managements plan to transport waste out of Auckland city in hundreds of heavy diesel road vehicles a round trip of over 120km up SH1 and through the notorious Dome Valley. Upwards of 520 trips daily and growing. A fossil fuel burn in excess of 14,000 litres, producing 38 tonnes of CO2 every day, seven days a week, all year. Over 5.1 million litres of diesel and 13.6 million tonnes of CO2 annually. MERRA asserted that Waste Managements consent application is blind to its time; a hangover from a dirtier, smokier past. We argued that the proposed 60 per cent increase over current heavy vehicle numbers was contrary to all current policies, targets and to public sentiment. We clarified that the newly-upgraded North Auckland rail line passed 2km from the proposed landfill site, showing that rail transport reduced CO2 emissions by over 66 per cent and road casualties by 95 per cent. Astonishingly, Waste Managements assessment of environmental effects was deathly silent on CO2 emissions. Ditto on road safety and congestion impacts on the wider network. Summer and weekend gridlock and tailbacks described by police as bedlam were glossed over as inevitable highs and lows. Unbelievably, the assessment simply ignored the waste-by-rail option and the benefits it could offer. Any prospect of commercial return on the $180m+ taxpayer funded rail upgrade was missing, too. We tabled Auckland Transports own standards for such assessments that urge proper thought be given to transport alternatives, policies and targets. Waste Managements consultants baldly replied that these were mere guidelines, not requirements, and their assessment would remain unchanged. Bewilderingly, Council officers explained that applicants are not bound to address applicable policy and targets nor follow such guidelines unless the commissioners demanded it. MERRAs submission and its data were not directly challenged. We felt it was sidestepped right under the regulators noses. The commissioners, clearly under time pressure, did not appear to challenge this tactic. MERRA had no right to further comment or question. Thus, our road test revealed a process seemingly at arms-length from headlined policy and targets. Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellisons pre-Christmas exhortation that regional CO2 emissions must fall by 64 per cent and doing what we have always done aint going to touch the sides did not resonate in the hearing room. Stuart Windross MERRA member Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) (FSE: 4YX) (OTC Pink: TRUFF) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company") an Ontario-based corporation engaged in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, announces it has completed the sale and import (the "Transaction") of the Company's high-grade consumer packaged goods ("iMicrodose Packs") from the Netherlands to Canada under a Health Canada psilocybin import permit obtained by CCrest Laboratories Inc. in partnership with Shaman Pharma Corp. The Transaction between Red Light Holland and the Montreal, Quebec-based cGMP lab, CCrest Laboratories, is the first of a multi-phase project to expand into the mental wellness pharmaceutical sector by demonstrating a legally compliant route for supplying raw materials containing psychoactive molecules, produced abroad by Red Light Holland, and imported into Canada. "Today is another ground-breaking, precedent setting and defining leap forward for the entire Psychedelic sector as Red Light Holland has successfully expanded the reach of iMicrodose packs across international borders. As interest in novel psychedelic therapies increase on a daily basis, we will continue to aim to take our natural-occurring packaged psilocybin products to global markets, allowing Red Light Holland to increase our distribution and sales channels. The agreement with Shaman Pharma to utilize its partnership with CCrest Laboratories is part of Red Light Holland's growth strategy, complementing the international groundwork which we established in the Netherlands, as one of the only legal sources for producing natural raw materials containing psilocybin," said Todd Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Red Light Holland. "The collaboration with Shaman Pharma, who have successfully received our iMicrodose packs on Canadian soil, simply put, is a significant day for the Company and its shareholders. We are very proud to have our Netherlands grown Magic Truffles designed for responsible use via education and information, in Canada. They've arrived home and Red Light Holland continues to trailblaze across the world." The Transaction is performed with the intent of exploring continued collaboration beyond successfully completing the shipment of Red Light Holland's consumer packaged goods under a Health Canada import permit. The multi-phase scientific undertaking by CCrest Laboratories is planned to perform each phase of developing viable ingredients to address the demanding requirements of clinical trials, patient's Special Access Programs, and the downstream supply of production-ready substances. "We are delighted to build a relationship with Red Light Holland as we access the global industry for the very best of both product supply and, with recognition of their position as a market leader in establishing a supply chain from Europe to North America, the ability to meet the exacting needs of a globalized medical marketplace," stated Alex Grenier, Chief Executive Officer of Shaman Pharma and President of CCrest Laboratories. "Today, we succeeded in demonstrating our strong ability to navigate the stringent regulatory landscape for conducting international transactions of controlled substances and setting the bar for scientific excellence. Furthermore, through this collaboration with Red Light Holland, we were pleased to find that Mr. Shapiro's vision and ethic is well aligned with compatible long-term objectives for pioneering the psychedelic therapy sector in a manner that exceeds the most complex compliance requirements." Having successfully completed the Transaction, Red Light Holland and Shaman Pharma are jointly looking forward to pursuing the next phases in evaluating the potential of the Company's psilocybin-containing raw materials as a viable source for high-quality Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). This world-first achievement marks an important milestone in securing a stronghold position at the forefront of the industry to supply the eventual manufacturing of psychiatric drugs as well as for other scientific and medical purposes. As well, subject to regulatory approval, Red Light Holland has engaged HE Capital Markets Ltd. to design and implement a North American multimedia digital advertising campaign for Red Light Holland on certain investor-focused and financial market websites. HE will also provide other media communications services to raise the company's overall corporate profile in North America. The cash consideration to be paid by the company for these services consists of $30,000 USD for a three-month campaign. HE acts at arm's length to Red Light Holland and is a London-based investor relations and capital markets advisory firm, providing comprehensive communications solutions to public company clients in North America and Europe through a combination of investor relations, public relations, and digital and social media services. HE's office address is 6 Hays Lane, London Bridge, London, SE1 2HB, United Kingdom. About Red Light Holland Corp. The Company is an Ontario-based corporation engaged in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles to the legal market within the Netherlands, in accordance with the highest standards, in compliance with all applicable laws. For additional information on the Company: Todd Shapiro Chief Executive Officer & Director Tel: 647-204-7129 Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com Website: https://redlighttruffles.com/ About Shaman Pharma Corp. Shaman Pharma is a federally registered Canadian corporation with the mission to power outstanding psychedelic life science innovation. Accelerating time-to-market through its portfolio of assets, Shaman launches and consolidates revenue-driven pharma-biotech life sciences ventures focused on supplying psychedelic drugs & novel active ingredients. Forward-Looking Statements 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. Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Red Light Holland. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to: statements pertaining to the Health Canada psilocybin import permit; the partnership with CCrest Laboratories Inc. and Shaman Pharma Corp.; the activities proposed to be conducted under the Health Canada import permit, including the sale and import of the iMicrodose packs from the Netherlands to Canada; the optimism surrounding the Company's expansion into the mental wellness pharmaceutical sector and the anticipated positive outcomes of the use of the Company's products in the sector. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by Red Light Holland, including without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian economy and Red Light Holland's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect Red Light Holland's business; there will be a demand for Red Light Holland's products in the future; no unanticipated expenses or costs arise; the Company will be able to continue to develop products that are allowed to be imported and sold under Health Canada's import permit; and the partnership with Shaman Pharma Corp. will help Red Light Holland to achieve its business goals. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what the Company believes to be reasonable assumptions, it cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to: renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals, licenses, and permits to operate and expand the Company's facilities; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal and provincial legalization, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use psilocybin industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; the Company's limited operating history; reliance on management; the Company's requirements for additional financing; and competition for mental health and wellness investments. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. 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/77392 Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the lawsuit against Sun-Maid Growers of California, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. The San Francisco employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a lawsuit against Sun-Maid Growers of California, alleging the company violated Labor Code 2699, et seq. seeking penalties for DEFENDANTs alleged violation of California Labor Code 201, 202, 203, 204, 210, 226(a), 226.7, 351, 510, 512, 558(a)(1)(2), 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, and 2802. The lawsuit against Sun-Maid Growers of California, is currently pending in the Fresno County Superior Court, Case No. 21CECG00406. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here. Cal. Lab. Code 204(d) expressly requires employers to pay employees all wages owed within seven (7) days of the close of the payroll period. Allegedly, DEFENDANT from time to time failed to pay PLAINTIFF and other AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEES all wages owed to them within seven (7) days of the close of the payroll period. PAGA is a mechanism by which the State of California itself can enforce state labor laws through the employee suing under the PAGA who do so as the proxy or agent of the state's labor law enforcement agencies. An action to recover civil penalties under PAGA is fundamentally a law enforcement action designed to protect the public and not to benefit private parties. The purpose of PAGA is not to recover damages or restitution, but to create a means of "deputizing" citizens as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code. As a result of their rigorous work schedules, "PLAINTIFFS and other AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEES were from time to time denied their proper rest periods by DEFENDANT and DEFENDANTs managers." For more information about the lawsuit against Sun-Maid Growers of California, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct. ***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT*** The election committee of Ho Chi Minh City has received the dossiers of 52 candidates in the upcoming election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly, among whom 16 are self-nominated. The election committee of Ho Chi Minh City held a meeting on March 16 to hand over the nomination documents of candidates to the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee. (Photo: VNA) Meanwhile, there are 172 candidates for the election of deputies to the municipal Peoples Council in the 2021-2026 tenure, including 13 self-nominated candidates. Eight self-nominated candidates register to run for seats in both the 15th National Assembly and the municipal Peoples Committee in 2021-2026 tenure. The committee held a meeting on March 16 to hand over the nomination documents of candidates to the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee. It was reported at the meeting that agencies, organisations and units of the city have organised meetings to collect opinions of voters on candidates at their workplace. They introduced 36 candidates to the NA, and 159 others to the city Peoples Council. Addressing the meeting, Nguyen Thi Le, Chairwoman of the city Peoples Council and head of the election committee lauded the efforts of members of the committee and related agencies in preparing for the elections, asking them to continue strengthening communications on the elections and supervising election activities. As scheduled, on March 18, the VFF Committee of HCM City will organise the second consultation meeting to make preliminary lists of candidates in the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and the 10th city Peoples Council. The lists should be submitted to the National Election Committee before March 19./. VNA Romania ranked 15th in the rankings of the most polluted countries in Europe in 2020, and the capital city of Bucharest ranked 51st in the world in this regard, in a hierarchy led by Delhi, India, reveal the latest data centralized in the global platform on air quality IQAir, informs Greenpeace Romania, in a release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday. According to statistics, last year, 84% of the monitored countries saw improvements in air quality, largely due to global measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Thus, the improvements in air quality in 2020, compared to 2019, were seen in cities such as: Beijing (-11%), Chicago (-13%), Delhi (-15%), London (-16%), Paris ( -17%) and Seoul (-16%). Worldwide, only 24 of the 106 countries monitored met the annual recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) for PM2.5 pollution, in 2020. In Europe last year, about half of European cities exceeded the WHO recommendation on annual pollution by PM2.5, and the highest levels were recorded in South-Eastern Europe, with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria topping the rankings. In this context, Romania ranked 15th in the rankings of the most polluted countries in Europe. According to the quoted source, European cities are chronically polluted, 18% experiencing 50 or more days in which the daily objectives of the WHO are violated. Also, government monitoring and reporting of air quality in Europe is relative, so that while Northern and Western Europe have the densest air quality monitoring networks, with 818 cities covered, in Eastern and Southern Europe there are only 616 cities covered. "In Romania, the authorities do not properly monitor PM 2.5 in urban areas. As a result of this lack of data, several independent measurement networks have emerged that bring valuable data to the public. In Bucharest, only one of the 6 official stations monitors fine dust and that is located on the outskirts of the city, on the shores of Morii Lake, so not very relevant," says Alin Tanase, Greenpeace Romania's campaigns coordinator. The specialized report also contains the rankings of the most polluted capitals in the world, where Bucharest ranks 51st. Against this background, the most polluted capital in the world is Delhi (India), and at the opposite end the cleanest air can be found in islands in the middle of the ocean, such as the Virgin Islands and New Zealand, or in the capital cities of the Nordic countries Sweden and Finland. UPDATE: Texas truck driver fatally shot in Harrisburg dreamed of owning his own company A Houston man who was in Harrisburg for work was shot in the head March 6 and later died from his injuries, police announced Tuesday. The March 12 death of Christopher J. Hill, 26, who was known as CJ, marked the second homicide so far this year in the city. Police said he drove trucks for a living, had no criminal history and was in town for his job. He was in a friends car Saturday night March 6, about 11:45 p.m., when he was shot and the vehicle crashed in the 200 block of Division Street. Hill spent six days in the hospital, where he died from his injuries. His aunt posted about his death on Facebook to let friends know and ask for prayers. She said he was shot in the back of the head. Family members started an online fundraiser for the unexpected medical costs and expenses to transfer Hills body back to their home in Florida for a funeral. On March 6, 2021, his life was changed forever due to an unfortunate gun incident while working out of state. Our family has been blindsided and nothing has prepared us for this immense feeling of heartache and pain, family members wrote on the GoFundMe page. Please know your kindness and generosity is much appreciated, as we navigate through this heartbreaking ordeal. Police released no information about a possible motive or suspects. The first homicide of the year occurred Jan. 11 at Sixth and Woodbine streets. Harrisburg police arrested an 18-year-old in connection with that drive-by shooting that killed Billy Grier, 50, who was standing in front of a convenience store. Jhajuan Russaw, of Susquehanna Township, was charged with criminal homicide and possessing a firearm while prohibited in connection with the 6:15 p.m. shooting in front of Antonios Grocery. Store employees told PennLive Billy came into the corner store every day for coffee and often hung out near the store offering to perform odd jobs. A surveillance camera outside the store recorded the killing, revealing that the gunshots came from a red car traveling south on North Sixth Street, according to court records. A store employee said Grier was an innocent bystander. READ: Harrisburg pedestrian expected to survive after being hit by vehicle last week READ: Heres why Dauphin County officials sent a 16-year-old straight to adult prison Kolkata, March 16 : Tripura's BJP government has been left red-faced by an Agartala High Court order this week quashing a lookout circular intended to prevent the entry of an NRI hailing from the state into India. Saumen Sarkar, a Vice-President with the Bank of America, runs the Tripura Infoway news portal that focuses on his home state. Sarkar says he has encouraged fearless reporting in his news portal which got him into trouble with both the former ruling CPI-M and then with the incumbent BJP governments. His portal has attracted defamation cases from CPI-M state secretary Gautam Das and incumbent Chief Minister Biplab Deb, besides other leaders of both camps. The state government on January 18, 2020, moved for and finally secured a lookout circular against Sarkar, who periodically visits his parents and relatives in Agartala. Sarkar immediately challenged the lookout circular in court, saying that this was a ploy to prevent him from visiting his ailing parents. "I have committed no grave offense like money laundering or murder, so the lookout circular was clearly motivated," Sarkar said, adding: "And I contesting the cases by engaging Indian lawyers because I have full faith in Indian justice." Justice Subashis Talapatra of the Agartala High Court has now quashed the lookout circular. "In the present case, no warrant of arrest issued by any court against the petitioner is pending and the petitioner is being represented by his engaged counsel. The notice under Section 41A of the Cr.P.C. was issued at a time when it was physically impossible for the petitioner to travel to India for contagion (Covid-19 lockdown). "Hence, his inability to appear before the police cannot be termed as deliberate. So far the question of impounding of the passport is concerned, no case has been made out by the respondents No.1 and 2 (Tripura government, DGP and SP-West Tripura district) in terms of Section 10(3) of the Passport Act. That apart, Passport Act does not authorize the Indian Passport Authority to cancel US Passport," Justice Talapatra said in his judgement, now available with the IANS. He ruled that the case of the petitioner falling under Section 10(3)(e) of the Passport Act cannot be sustained as the authority cannot be extended unless the travel document including a passport had been withheld by the criminal court in India or the holder of the passport has committed any offence. "So far the clause-10 (3)(h) is concerned, this will not apply in the case of the petitioner as there is no warrant of arrest or summon for appearance of the petitioner is pending being issued by a court of law," Justice Talapatra observed. "It is apparent that the passport authority has refused to act in accordance with the request made by the respondents No. 1, 2 and 3 (Tripura government, DGP and SP-West Tripura). " This court cannot shut its eyes to the right of the petitioner. The action which curtails or takes away the personnel liberty has to be reasonable and proportionate and has to be considered not in the abstract or hypothetical considerations. Having regard to all these aspects as recorded above, the lookout circulars as issued against the petitioner stands quashed." The judgement embarasses both the BJP-ruled state government and Tripura's leading opposition party, CPI-M, which ruled the state for two decades until it was ousted from power three years ago. An elated Sarkar told IANS over WhatsApp from New York that his faith in Indian justice system has been fully vindicated. "Ever since I started my news portal to encourage fearless journalism in my home state which I love so dearly, both the CPI-M and now the BJP have been after me. They have harassed my ailing parents and they conspired to prevent me from visiting them. Just see how inhuman they are." A state government spokesman told IANS that the cases of defamation and libel against Sarkar still stands and only the lookout circular has been quashed. "He should not celebrate his victory too soon," the spokesman said, pointing to a part of the judgement that said: " It is made absolutely clear that the observations as made above reflect in no manner on the merit of the investigation, but the investigations should be brought to its end without delay." Advertisement Staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives is the top post-lockdown holiday experience that Britons are dreaming about, according to a new survey. Researchers asked British travel-lovers what they dream most about doing and where as soon as it is possible, and a stay in overwater accommodation in the Maldives archipelago is top of the list for 39 per cent of them. Coming second is seeing the Northern Lights (37 per cent), while third is admiring the pink rocks of the Seychelles (28 per cent). Making the rest of the top five is enjoying a Greek salad in Santorini (joint fourth, 27 per cent), taking in the Great Pyramids of Egypt (joint fourth, 27 per cent), seeing the Grand Canyon by helicopter (joint fifth, 26 per cent) and hearing the water flowing at Niagara Falls (joint fifth, 26 per cent). Staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives is the top post-lockdown holiday experience that Britons are dreaming about Seeing the Northern Lights is No2 on Britons' list of dreamy post-lockdown travel experiences Admiring the pink rocks of the Seychelles comes third on the post-lockdown to-do list for Britons BRITS' TOP POST-LOCKDOWN DREAM EXPERIENCES 1. Stay in a water bungalow in the Maldives - 39% 2. See the Northern Lights - 37% 3. Admire the pink rocks of the Seychelles - 28% 4= Enjoy a Greek salad overlooking the sea in Santorini - 27% 4= Take in the Great Pyramids of Egypt - 27% 5= Enjoy a helicopter ride and see the Grand Canyon, America - 26% 5= Hear the water flowing at Niagara Falls, Canada - 26% 6= Go snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia - 25% 6= Eat fresh pasta in Sicily - 25% 6= Drink a Mai Tai on the beach in Phuket, Thailand - 25% 7. Swim in the blue waters of Amalfi, Italy - 23% 8. Walk along the Great Wall of China - 22% 9= Swim with turtles in The Seychelles - 21% 9= Swim and float in the Dead Sea - 21% 9= See the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan - 21% 10= Admire the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy - 20% 10= Go diving in the clear waters at Turks & Caicos - 20% 10= Swim with dolphins in Florida, America - 20% 10= Eat cheese and drink wine while overlooking the Eiffel Tower in Paris - 20% 11= Take a boat trip around Mauritius - 19% 11= Go on safari in South Africa 19% 12= See the leaves change colour during autumn in New Hampshire - 18% 12= Enjoy a luxury shopping spree in Dubai - 18% 13= Visit the Taj Mahal - 17% 13= Take a gondola in Venice - 17% 14. Drink rum at a beach bar in the Dominican Republic - 16% 15= Eat seafood by the beach in Mallorca - 15% 15= Cycle through the streets of Amsterdam - 15% 15= Drive through Havana in a vintage car - 15% 15= Discover the ancient ruins of the city of Petra, Jordan - 15% 15= Enjoy the casinos of Las Vegas - 15% 15= Go hiking in Yosemite, California - 15% 16= Drink rose wine at a restaurant overlooking the lavender fields in France - 14% 16= Swim with pigs in the water at Big Major Cay, Bahamas - 14% 16= Go trekking in Tibet - 14% 16= Visit Bilbo Baggins house where Lord of the Rings was filmed, New Zealand - 14% 16= Eat an acai bowl on the beach in Brazil - 14% 16= Eat authentic sushi in Tokyo, Japan - 14% 17. Go shopping in the souks, Morocco - 13% 18. Do yoga on the beach in Goa - 12% Source: Club Med Advertisement The study of 2,000 adults was conducted by Club Med to launch its new Zenventure holiday. Rounding off the top 10 is snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef (joint sixth 25 per cent); eating fresh pasta in Sicily (joint sixth, 25 per cent); drinking a Mai Tai on the beach in Phuket (joint sixth, 25 per cent); swimming in the blue waters of Amalfi in Italy (seventh, 23 per cent); walking along the Great Wall of China (eighth, 22 per cent); swimming with turtles in the Seychelles (joint ninth, 21 per cent); swimming and floating in the Dead Sea (joint ninth, 21 per cent); seeing the cherry blossom in Kyoto, Japan (joint ninth, 21 per cent); admiring the Sistine Chapel in Rome (joint 10th, 20 per cent); diving in the clear waters of the Turks and Caicos (joint 10th, 20 per cent); swimming with dolphins in Florida (joint 10th, 20 per cent) and eating cheese and drinking wine while overlooking the Eiffel Tower in Paris (joint 10th 20 per cent). Other highly ranked longed-for holiday experiences include enjoying a boat trip in Mauritius (joint 11th, 19 per cent), spotting exotic animals on safari in South Africa (joint 11th, 19 per cent) - where Club Med plans to open a new resort - and rum tasting at a beach bar in the Dominican Republic (joint 15th, 16 per cent). Meanwhile, the study also found that a third (34 per cent) of Britons enjoy daydreaming about holidays, and the average UK person spends up to two hours a week fantasising about their next getaway. Taking in the pyramids of Egypt is joint fourth on the bucket 'list of lists' Eating a Greek salad on the island of Santorini comes joint fourth on the list So, its no surprise that nearly two in five Britons (38 per cent) claim that the prospect of travel is one of the main sources of hope that has kept them going during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study also revealed that one-third of people in the UK confess they just cant wait until their next holiday abroad, and almost a quarter (22 per cent) plan to spend more on their next holiday. In fact, 16 per cent of Britons would like to finally plan the ultimate luxury trip of their dreams post-pandemic, while 15 per cent are considering packing their bags for a big round-the-world trip as soon as restrictions are eased. Meanwhile, over a third of the nation (36 per cent) say they will be looking for more adventure during their holidays post-pandemic, instead of just focusing on relaxation. Hearing the thunderous noise of water pouring over the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is joint fifth on the list Snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef comes joint sixth in the survey Estelle Giraudeau, managing director of Club Med UK and Northern Europe, says: 'Its hardly surprising that the travel ban has got the nation dreaming about all the exotic destinations and experiences theyd like to enjoy post-pandemic. 'Our research shows were open to plenty of excitement and adventure, whether thats staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives, walking along the Great Wall of China or drinking rum at a beach bar in the Dominican Republic. 'After a year like no other, we understand that people want that element of both zen and adventure and thats why we have created the Zenventure holiday.' New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a visit to a COVID-19 vaccination site at State University of New York in Old Westbury, N.Y., on March 15, 2021. (Mark Lennihan/Pool/Getty Images) Woman Who Accused Cuomo of Sexual Harassment Meets With Investigators One of the seven women who have accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment spoke to investigators on Monday. Charlotte Bennett, 25, a former aide, met with investigators in a Zoom meeting for more than four hours, her attorney Debra Katz said in a statement to news outlets. Bennett detailed her allegations and provided more than 120 pages of contemporaneous records and other records to corroborate her accusations. Bennett and her legal team remain confident that the probe will substantiate the sexual harassment claims against Cuomo, 63, and the failure of his senior staff to meet their mandatory reporting requirements under laws the Democrat himself signed. Bennett also provided detailed information about the sexually hostile work environment the Governor fostered in both his Manhattan and Albany offices and his deliberate effort to create rivalries and tension among female staffers on whom he bestowed attention, Katz said. One new piece of information that came to light today was the Governors preoccupation with his hand size and what the large size of his hands indicated to Charlotte and other members of his staff. Attorneys Joon Kim and Ann Clark are leading the team investigation the allegations against Cuomo. They were appointed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat. The New York legislature is conducting a separate probe and over 100 state lawmakers have urged Cuomo to resign. The third term governor, though, has refused to step down, asking voters to withhold judgment until the investigation is completed. Cuomo has denied inappropriately touching anyone and specifically rebutted Bennetts account, saying in a recent statement that I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate. Bennett is one of several former aides to allege Cuomo sexually harassed her. She told CBS earlier this month that Cuomo is a textbook abuser. He lets his temper and his anger rule the office, but he was very sweet to me for a year in the hope that maybe one day when he came onto me I would think we were friends or that it was appropriate or that it was okay, she said. Cuomo began inquiring about her love life and repeatedly talked about Bennetts history of being sexually assaulted, the former aide also alleged. I think its really strategic. I think abusers look for vulnerabilities, previous traumas, the idea that maybe Im more willing to accept behavior because I have a history of sexual violence. Perhaps Im not as confident in myself because of my history, she said. Cuomo has continued performing the role of governor, and he held a press conference on Long Island on Monday. Cuomos office didnt allow reporters to attend the event. Rise Paramus Rise Paramus is Green Thumbs second Rise location in New Jersey and 54th store in the nation. Profits from the first day of sales will be donated to the Paramus Childrens Health Foundation, which provides financial support to families of children who suffer from a severe illness or injury that results in economic hardship. Rise Paramus is Green Thumbs second Rise location in New Jersey and 54th store in the nation. Profits from the first day of sales will be donated to the Paramus Childrens Health Foundation, which provides financial support to families of children who suffer from a severe illness or injury that results in economic hardship. Rythm Cannabis Rythm premium flower and vapes are among the high-quality cannabis products available at Rise Paramus. Rythm premium flower and vapes are among the high-quality cannabis products available at Rise Paramus. CHICAGO and PARAMUS, N.J., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Thumb Industries Inc. (GTI) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of Rise Dispensaries, announces the opening of Rise Paramus in New Jersey. This is Green Thumbs second Rise location in New Jersey and 54th store in the nation. Profits from the first day of sales will be donated to the Paramus Childrens Health Foundation, which provides financial support to families of children who suffer from a severe illness or injury that results in economic hardship. We are honored to open Rise Paramus, which will benefit the thousands of registered medical cannabis patients in Bergen County with its geographical proximity and high-quality products for which Rise is known, said Green Thumb Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. We are also grateful to support the Paramus Childrens Health Foundation and its impactful work assisting the families of children suffering from serious illnesses. Marty Diamond, President of Paramus Childrens Health Foundation said: The Paramus Childrens Health Foundation is delighted to acknowledge the generosity of Rise Paramus in donating the sales proceeds of its first day of operation to our organization. Childrens health has continued to be a critical issue during the pandemic and these funds will be put to good use to help defray the medical costs of our target population. We welcome Rise Paramus to the community and wish it great success. Story continues Green Thumb opened its first New Jersey medical cannabis dispensary in Paterson in December 2019. Paterson is also home to Green Thumbs manufacturing facility that produces and distributes its branded products including Rythm premium flower and vapes. More than 100,000 New Jersey patients are registered active cardholders in the states medical marijuana program. Rise Paramus offers online reservations and in-store pickup for registered New Jersey medical cannabis cardholders. Patients may order online at www.risecannabis.com by creating an account and scheduling a pick-up time. They will receive a text message to confirm all reservations and will pick up during their designated time. Rise Paramus is located at 145 Route 4 West in Paramus and will be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.risecannabis.com. About Green Thumb Industries: Green Thumb Industries Inc., a national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and retailer, promotes well-being through the power of cannabis while giving back to the communities in which it serves. Green Thumb manufactures and distributes a portfolio of branded cannabis products including Beboe, Dogwalkers, Dr. Solomons, incredibles, Rythm and The Feel Collection. The company also owns and operates rapidly growing national retail cannabis stores called Rise. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Green Thumb has 13 manufacturing facilities, licenses for 97 retail locations and operations across 12 U.S. markets. Established in 2014, Green Thumb employs over 2,300 people and serves thousands of patients and customers each year. The company was named a Best Workplace 2018 by Crains Chicago Business and MG Retailer magazine in 2018 and 2019. More information is available at GTIgrows.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains statements which may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words may, would, could, should, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, or similar expressions and include information regarding the filing of the Documents and the timing thereof. The forwardlooking information in this news release is based upon the expectations of future events which management believes to be reasonable. Any forwardlooking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, GTI does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forwardlooking information in this news release is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those express or implied. When considering these forwardlooking statements, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in GTIs public filings with the applicable securities regulatory authorities on the SECs website at www.sec.gov and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, including the risk factors set out in the 2nd Amendment to GTIs Registration Statement on Form 10/A and its Form 10-K. Investor Contact: Media Contact: Jennifer Dooley Linda Marsicano Chief Strategy Officer VP, Corporate Communications InvestorRelations@gtigrows.com lmarsicano@gtigrows.com 310-622-8257 773-354-2004 Source: Green Thumb Industries Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/df487b27-a254-4efd-b56f-fae5725d143c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fc70a4c-ceac-42d8-a4ec-35c1cbc7c67b Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Declaring "help is here," President Joe Biden kicked off his administration's ambitious push to highlight the benefits of his $1.9 trillion plan to defeat the coronavirus and boost the economy. Speaking in the White House, the president touted the "shots in arms and money in pockets" that the massive relief package provides. His comments come as his administration begins its "Help is Here" road show tour, with Vice President Kamala Harris heding to Las Vegas and First Lady Jill Biden touring a New Jersey elementary school. Biden is scheduled to visit a small business in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday. The president also announced he has tapped Gene Sperling, a veteran of the Clinton and Obama administrations, will lead the oversight for distributing funds from President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package. Sperling will take a role similar to the one Biden had as vice president in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. He will work with the heads of the White House policy councils and federal agencies to get funds out quickly and optimize their effectiveness, just as Biden did with the Obama administration's stimulus package. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Index, the largest and longest running collection of interior products for trade buyers in the Middle East region, will be back this year in style at the Dubai World Trade Centre. To be held from May 31 to June 2, the event is co-located with The Hotel Show, Workspace and The Leisure Show, offering increased value with access to all shows with a single entrance badge. This exciting announcement allows the interiors industry to meet once again, and points to a positive new chapter for both Index and the regional design community after a highly challenging period. Index has enjoyed long-term success as the leading platform that connects architects, designers, buyers, developers and distributors with local and international furniture, lighting, decor and surface material brands, trend-setting start-ups and the biggest international names in the interior furnishings and fit-out scene for every type of project. The first show of its kind to take place in close to two years globally, this show will allow thousands of attendees and exhibitors the chance to interact safely in a face-to-face setting, gaining valuable news, insights and access to the latest industry developments. The announcement comes after the successful hosting of large-scale trade shows, Gitex Technology Week and Gulfood in recent months, both hosted in Dubai World Trade Centre, a venue which has been awarded venue safe Covid certification. For Samer Moukalled, Vice President of Scientechnic Lighting Solutions, this will be his debut at Index. "Lighting is the secret ingredient in adding character to a space, yet its magic is often overlooked. As a leading lighting solutions provider of this region, Scientechnic Lighting Solutions had to come onboard with the Index Design Awards and The Lightbox Forum at the Index Exhibition this year," he noted. "Index has long been a platform for the thriving Middle East interiors market, and is an excellent platform for likeminded professionals in this ever expanding industry to interact!," he added. Katie McBride, the Index Event Director, said: "We are delighted that Index will return this year. Now more than ever, the industry needs a platform from which to connect, and we are ready to allow our community the chance to finally meet in a controlled and safe environment, to showcase their innovations and successes from the past 24 months and to discuss how the market has evolved during the Covid-19 era." "We are very much a visual and physical sector and also thrive in challenging conditions. As such, Index is perfectly timed to allow us to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the GCCs rapid development goals. We are confident that all who visit us in 2021 will gain rich inspiration and leave furnished with new ideas, products and contacts," noted McBride. According to her, this year visitors can expect to find a show unlike previous editions, with ample social-distancing and with new seminars, experiences and opportunities to network and re-connect after a long pause. "Index is supported by the great and the good of the global and regional design scene, welcoming Cosentino, DuPont Corian, Eichholtz, Emkay, Geberit, Presto, Shure , Scientechnic, and VitrA alongside hundreds of other regional and international brands, designers and manufacturers," she added.-TradeArabia News Service Edwards files bill to grant tax credit to home-school families Sen. Chuck Edwards poses with homeschool parents Denise and Andrew Riddle, Abigail Riddle (grade 7), Leah Fibraio (grade 10), Chloe Byrd (grade 9), Abigail Byrd (grade 10), Lillian Riddle (grade 9), Alicia Riddle (grade 2), and Ella Riddle (grade 12). State Sen. Chuck Edwards is seeking legislation to give tax credits to home-school families. Along with co-sponsors Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) and Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell), Edwards filed the Homeschool Tax Credit this week. If signed into law, the bill would provide families a tax credit of $1,000 for every homeschooled student that meets all state home school requirements. Families of homeschooled students have been left out of the conversation of education funding for far too long, Edwards said. Its one more option for parents who want to be profoundly engaged and personally invested in the success of their children. COVID-19 has added more emphasis on the need for families to become involved in education at home. When a child is educated at home, the state avoids tremendous costs for school construction and operation. These families also pay taxes, and its only fair that a portion of their tax dollars is returned to help offset their expenses. Sawyer added: Families who choose to educate their children at home sacrifice both time and money in an effort to provide the best future for their children. This legislation serves to recognize their efforts. According to state statistics, the total statewide number of home schools is 94,863 with an enrollment of 149,173 students. Henderson County has 1,359 home schoo while Transylvania has 408 and Polk has 217. Columbia-Greene Media has recently teamed up with the US Postal Service to provide same-day delivery of your local newspaper with your mail. Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas: (Newser) An insurgency in Mozambique that began in 2017 is escalating in intensity and leading to disturbing new claims from human rights groups. This week, the UK aid group Save the Children accused insurgents allied with the Islamic State of beheading children as young as 11, reports Reuters. The aid agency offers eyewitness accounts from mothers whose villages were raided. "We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him," says a 28-year-old identified as Elsa, who was hiding with three smaller children. "We couldn't do anything because we would be killed, too." Her boy was 12. Another mother tells a similar story of her 11-year-old son. The New York Times, meanwhile, reports that the US military got involved this weekin the form of a dozen Green Berets who are training Mozambique solders on how to fight the insurgents. story continues below The war "is part of an alarming expansion of insurgencies believed to have ties to the Islamic State in several parts of Africa," write Declan Walsh and Eric Schmitt in the Times. "I don't think anyone saw this coming," says Col. Richard Schmidt, deputy commander of US Special Operations Forces in Africa. "For this to crop up so quickly is concerning." The BBC digs into the background of the war, which appears to have risen in part out of anger that locals weren't benefiting from the nation's burgeoning ruby and gas industries. The violence is centered in the northeastern province of Cabo Delgado. Both sides have been accused of atrocities, and Reuters notes that beheadings have been a hallmark of the fighting. But the new claims about the beheading of children raise the accusations of human rights groups to a new level. (Read more Mozambique stories.) Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Trotters tussled in series action Monday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park, as the Campbellville oval hosted round two of the Wine & Roses Trotting Series and the Family Day Trotting Series. Charmbo Prince was a repeat winner in the Family Day Trotting Series for driver Mike Saftic and trainer Jack Rier. The four-year-old son of Royalty For Life-Hetties Charm dictated the terms of the tempo when he threw down very sensible fractions of :28.4, 1:00 and 1:30.3. It turned into a final quarter sprint, and Charmbo Prince uncorked :27-second speed in the final frame en route to winning by a length over Franks Angel in 1:57.2. Toccoa Falls was third. Sent off as the even-money choice in the seven-horse affair, the homebred won for the second time this season and for the fifth time in his career. The gelding, owned and bred by Jack & Randy Rier, bumped his lifetime earnings to $82,953 with the win. Meadowbranch Noble turned a two-hole trip into a second division score for driver Scott Young and trainer Colin Johnson. The four-year-old son of Explosive Matter-Wen Mars Memo sprinted to the early lead and had the field chasing him to the quarter pole in :27.3. Bronze Yankee rallied from the three-hole in the backstretch, and he quickly seized command. He went on to slice out middle splits of :57.4 and 1:27.4, but he couldnt fend off deep stretch pressure. RJS Invictus came at him on the outside, and Meadowbranch Noble snuck through an opening up the rail. Meadowbranch Nobles final quarter of :28.1 was enough to earn him the win by three-quarters of a length over RJS Invictus in 1:56.1. Bronze Yankee was third. The improved the geldings 2021 record to 1-2-1 from four starts for owner Debbie Element of Rockwood, ON. The three-time winner pushed his lifetime earnings over $60,000 with the win. Tesla Seelster erupted for a 25-1 upset score in the lone division of the Wine & Roses Trotting Series for the tandem of driver Denis St. Pierre and trainer Tiffanee Staley. The four-year-old daughter of Muscle Mass-Tara Seelster sat fourth for most of the mile while Destiny Blue Chip and HP Starlette took turns on the lead through fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:26.4. Tesla Seelster revved up her engine in the lane, though, and used a :28.1 final frame to win by 2-3/4 lengths over HP Starlette in a career-best clocking of 1:55.3. Third prize went to longshot Oh Lina. Gestion R Zane Inc of Laval, QC owns the two-time winner who lifted her lifetime earnings to $27,940 with the victory. The card also featured the $34,000 Preferred Trot, and in that tilt it was more of the same for the white hot Buck Dancer. The Carmen Auciello trainee rallied to win his third consecutive start, and he did so with the greatest of ease yet again. James MacDonald got away fifth with his charge while Perfetto and Its Academic took turns on the lead through fractions of :27.2, :57.1 and 1:26.1. Oney Hall came first over heading into the final turn and MacDonald was quick to grab that foes cover with Buck Dancer. MacDonald tipped his charge off cover in the lane and the geldings :27.2 closing quarter earned him the win by 1-3/4 lengths over Its Academic in 1:54. Zig Zag grabbed the show dough. The victory improved Buck Dancers 2021 record to 4-1-0 from eight starts for owner Fox Racing Inc of New York. The five-year-old son of Guccio-Shaken Not Stirred is a 14-time winner with earnings in excess of $143,000. To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results Woodbine Mohawk Park. President Joe Biden's goal of providing health care for more Americans advanced this week with his signing of an economic stimulus package that includes subsidies for health insurance premiums and new incentives for states to expand Medicaid, as well as the potential confirmation of Xavier Becerra as secretary of Health and Human Services. But as the current administration works to reverse the actions of its predecessor, it should recognize that former President Donald Trump introduced policies on medical care and drug price transparency that are worth preserving. Those measures could help struggling patient-consumers while the new administration pushes for the far more ambitious reforms Biden campaigned on, which include a public health insurance option and a system that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. To be clear, the Trump administration, generally, put the health care of many Americans in jeopardy: It spent four years trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act, despite that law's undeniable successes, and when repeal proved impossible, kneecapped the program in countless ways. As a result of those policies, more than 2 million people lost health insurance during Trump's first three years. And that's before millions more people lost their jobs and accompanying insurance during the early days of the covid-19 pandemic. But the Trump administration did attempt to rein in some of the most egregious pricing in the health care industry. For example, it required most hospitals to post lists of their standard prices for supplies, drugs, tests and procedures. Providers had long resisted calls for such pricing transparency, arguing that this was a burden, and that since insurers negotiated and paid far lower rates anyway, those list prices didn't matter. Of course, prices do matter to the patients who are uninsured or end up at an out-of-network hospital when illness strikes and are charged full freight, or nearly so. Some patients, facing bills of hundreds of thousands of dollars, have been sued by hospitals or forced into bankruptcy or foreclosure. In 2019, the Trump administration proposed a rule that hospitals disclose the discounted rates that they agree to accept from insurers for common medical services, as well as prices for patients who pay in cash. To be clear, this type of transparency doesn't directly lower bills, but the information can help patients shop around for medical care. These master price lists span hundreds of pages and are hard to decipher. Nonetheless, they give consumers a basis to fight back against outrageous charges in a system where a knee replacement can cost $15,000 or $75,000, even at the same hospital. And the requirement might just motivate some providers to lower their prices, if only to compete with neighboring hospitals. Last summer, hospitals said it was too hard to comply with the new rule while they were dealing with the pandemic. They still managed to continue the appeal of their lawsuit against the measure, which failed in December. The rule took effect, but the penalty for not complying is just $300 a day a pittance for hospitals and there is no meaningful mechanism for active enforcement. The hospitals have asked the Biden administration to revise the requirement. Trump also used his bully pulpit to take on drug prices, remarking at his first news conference as president-elect that pharmaceutical manufacturers were "getting away with murder." His administration ordered drugmakers to list prices in advertisements for medications that cost more than $35 per month. (Some of the most commonly advertised drugs cost thousands of dollars.) Just before the order took effect, a court blocked it. Then, last summer, Trump issued a bunch of executive orders aimed at forcing drug price reductions. In September his health secretary, Alex Azar, certified that importing prescription medicine from Canada "poses no additional risk to the public's health and safety" and would result in "a significant reduction in the cost." This statement, which previous health secretaries had declined to make, formally opened the door to importing medication. Millions of Americans, meanwhile, now illegally purchase prescription drugs from abroad because they cannot afford to buy them at home. In Congress, bills allowing prescription drug importation have for years gained bipartisan support, but without the go-ahead from the Department of Health and Human Services, they were nonstarters. Now a number of states are moving ahead with efforts to import drugs from Canada. Biden said he supported the legalization of importing drugs during his presidential campaign. Becerra, Azar's potential successor, voted for an importation bill in 2003 when he was a member of Congress. But the drug lobby will no doubt prove a big obstacle: The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, an industry trade group, filed suit in federal court in November to stop the drug-purchasing initiatives. The industry has long argued that importation from even Canada would risk American lives. Finally, shortly before the election, Trump issued an executive order paving the way for a "most favored nation" system that would ensure that the prices for certain drugs purchased by Medicare did not exceed the lowest price available in other developed countries. The industry responded with furious pushback, and a court quickly ruled against the measure. Some of these initiatives, such as posting hospital prices, have already taken effect. But executive orders have limited power; some are stuck in court or require further governmental action to move forward. The Biden administration will have to decide which, if any, to pursue. Biden's proposals to get better, more affordable health care to every American are far more substantial and disruptive to the health industry than any of Trump's efforts. But Biden may find it difficult to get support for his plans in a Congress that is narrowly controlled by Democrats. The Democratic Party has historically been friendly to the health care industry: According to the Center for Responsive Politics, 71% of the money spent by the pharmaceutical industry in the 2020 elections went to Democratic candidates. Biden raised twice as much money from hospitals and nursing homes during the 2020 presidential campaign as Trump did. The health care industry is already aggressively advertising and lobbying against any sort of public option. The Trump administration's attempted market-based interventions shined some light on dark corners of the health market and opened the door to some workarounds. They are not meaningful substitutes for larger and much-needed health reform. But as Americans await the type of more fundamental changes the Democrats have promised, they need every bit of help they can get. 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 A media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Louis Okoroma, is dead. Mr Okoroma died on Thursday, two months after the death of his wife. Head of Atiku Media Office, Paul Ibe, said in a statement on Monday that the deceased was at work on Wednesday and bid us farewell when he left for the day, but little did we know that was going to be our last encounter with him. Mr Ibe described Mr Okoroma as a jovial person and a top-notch professional journalist who performed his job with passion and dedication. He added that Mr Abubakar and the entire staff of the organisation extend our deepest condolences to his family, including his children. Below is the statement Atiku Media Office Loses Staff The Atiku Media Office has announced the passing of one of its staff and a veteran journalist and political analyst, Mr. Louis Okoroma. A statement issued by the Head of the Media Office, Mr. Paul Ibe, who announced the sad news, said Okoroma died two months after the death of his own wife. The death of Mr. Okoroma comes to us as a great shock and his passing will be felt for months and years to come because of his incalculable contributions to our office. Okoroma was not only a jovial fellow, but he was also a top-notch professional journalist that performed his job with passion and dedication, Mr. Ibe added. The late Okoroma was always beaming with smiles; he came to work on Wednesday and bid us farewell when he left for the day, but little did we know that was going to be our last encounter with him. The office is devastated by his sudden death and his immense contributions cannot be forgotten for years to come, Ibe added sorrowfully. On behalf of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the entire staff of the Media Office, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, including his children. May God bring them comfort at this particularly challenging moment, Ibe said. A delegation of the Atiku Media Office, led by Ibe, on Monday paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Okoroma. Signed: Paul Ibe Atiku Media Office Abuja ADVERTISEMENT 15th March, 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. Finance Minister Conor Murphy has accepted the request from the UK Treasury that he should appoint a fiscal commission to consider the workings of the devolution agreement as they relate to funding to finance devolved services. The headline is to consider the scope for improved devolution arrangements which will lead into a review of the scope for increased flexibility in the application in Northern Ireland of the current taxation and charges system for public services. In particular, questions will be asked on whether Northern Ireland should have more devolved authority to raise or lower some of the taxes as set by Westminster. Would the NI Executive wish to operate with lower (or higher) income tax rates, lower corporation tax, lower capital gains tax or lower household rates, all on the assumption that any loss of revenue (or gain) is also applied in a compensating way to discretionary spending. Some years ago, a similar review in Scotland lead to arrangements which allow the Scottish Government to vary the incidence of income tax. As a result the Scottish Government has used its discretion to impose slightly higher tax rates on higher earnings and make a concession to reduce tax rates for lower earners. There has been no active suggestion that the Scottish Government should seek powers to vary the rate of corporation tax. Conor Murphy may be asking the fiscal commission to examine two different questions. First, what would be the scope for changes in taxation if the principles of the Barnett formula were to be retained? Second, does the Barnett formula allocate funds to Northern Ireland that are adequate to maintain equivalent services here to match the level of public services in other UK regions? Agreement is needed on the objective of a fiscal review. Ideally, would the outcome be fairer? Alternatively, would changes give better incentives for a stronger economy? Average taxation levels, per person, in NI are generally lower than in other regions. Income tax per person is lower because average earnings are lower; Income tax per person is lower because economic activity rates are lower; Household rates bills are lower because property values and rateable bases are lower; Households enjoy the absence of charges for water services. In contrast, spending on public services in NI is over 10% higher per person than the UK average. Fiscal fairness cannot be on a basis of equal spending per person. There would be little challenge to an answer which takes account of differences caused by allowances for different demographic features, differences in social needs and differences in infrastructural provision. Some of the differences have their origins in the economic history of each region and differences in cultural heritage. To be fair to the Treasury, it does not claim that the allocation of public sector funds should be a simple amount, equal per person. The Treasury and the other devolved UK regions (Scotland and Wales) work on allocations based on the Barnett formula. That formula has no scientific basis. It was a method of making allocations on the basis of an inherited pattern. On a date, about 60 years ago, when Barnett was a senior Treasury Minister, an ad hoc procedure was adopted that future funding allocations would be shared across the UK as a proportion of the UK population but with the bias then that Northern Ireland (and Scotland and Wales) started with a favourable allocation which had been determined by past events. Stormont and the Treasury have lived with the Barnett formula for a long time. It has not been a comfortable system. Time and time again, NI has won special adjustments by arguing for special needs. Through the 'Troubles' when special needs were in evidence, the Barnett formula was retained but with exceptions that made it more notional than logical. The perception for Conor Murphy is that Stormont is underfunded. From the Treasury perspective, Stormont is generously funded, maybe too generously. Will a special fiscal commission find an acceptable answer? A radical commission will search long and hard for an acceptable set of answers. Will the commission reactivate the proposal that corporation tax in Northern Ireland should be lower than the UK rate, especially now that the UK rate will increase to 25% in 2023-4? A special forces soldier arrested after the cold-blooded execution of a notorious bikie leader describes himself an outdoor loving humanitarian and adrenaline junkie with a passion for animals. The suspected hitman is still being questioned by police following Monday's dramatic arrest over the brazen murder of Rebels boss Nick Martin three months ago. Dozens of police officers shut down a quiet suburban street in Waikiki, in Perth's south, and stormed the man's red-brick home before arresting him. Police are still grilling the man over the high-profile execution and are expected to lay charges on Tuesday. The arrest comes three months after Mr Martin, 51, was shot in the back at a drag racing event, where he died at the scene in front of his wife and step-daughter. Police have always believed a sniper fired a single precision long-range shot form up to 300 metres away before fleeing the raceway, where hundreds of horrified families and young children were in attendance. It prompted Queensland University of Technology associate professor of criminology Mark Lauchs to suspect the attack was by a professional sniper as bikies don't typically have great marksmanship skills. A suspect accused of killing notorious bikie Nick Martin describes himself an adrenaline junkie and describes his Polish girlfriend as his rock Martin (pictured) was shot in the back at a drag-racing event in Perth in December last year. Police suspect he may have been shot by a sniper from a distance as far as 300 metres away 'If it's from a long way away, I would assume it's not bikie related as that's not how bikies do things,' Professor Lauchs previously told Daily Mail Australia. '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. Meanwhile, more details have emerged about the suspect still being questioned by police over Mr Martin's death. The man portrays himself on social media as a devoted boyfriend with a love for adventure. Dozens of photos on his Facebook page show the man paragliding, rock climbing skydiving and base jumping from buildings. 'Life isn't about how fast you run, or how high you climb, it's about how well you bounce,' a social media post from five months ago states. He also openly expresses his love for his Polish girlfriend, posing together for photos while rock climbing, selfies with quokkas and celebrating their one year anniversary. 'One year since I met my little Polish potato. She was apeeling from the very starch and suddenly we fell in love! I yam truly glad we met, here's to many more! P.s. This isn't a photo of us getting married, we just always look amazing,' he wrote. The suspect also portrays himself as a humanitarian with posts shows him in an Iraqi hospital dressed in medical scrubs. 'Brief calm moment before the intense chaos of an Iraqi ER! It was so amazing seeing this team of badasses in action after all of our training!! Prewarming fluids with our body heat while we prep the ER for the arrival of some casualties of ISIS,' he captioned one post. Another shows him treating a wounded patient laying on a hospital trolley. 'Emergency surgery on my buddies #friendshipgoals,' the post states. Another describes his time working in Kurdistan in northern Iraq. 'Have loved every minute of my time here in the ER in Sulay working with Sulays latest amazing Doctors! These Docs are super bright and knowledgeable and our aim was to get them thinking under pressure, in stressful environments using limited supplies or support in emergency trauma where seconds count,' a December 19 post read. 'As always, the secret was teamwork and leadership, which developed perfectly!' The suspect portrays himself as an adrenaline junkie on social media with dozens of photos pf him skydiving Other posts portray him as animal lover. He's pictured taking a selfie with a quokka The suspect (pictured) also has a love for the great outdoors and adventure sports The man also portrays a softer side with a love of animals with posts posing with quokkas and cuddling kangaroo joeys while urging others to consider becoming volunteer wildlife carers. Last year, the organisation shared a post online paying tribute to the soldier for his service in Iraq, describing him as their 'resident thrill-seeker and heartbreaker'. 'When the way to save lives is illegal or cast in the shadow of bureaucracy, it takes unorthodox attributes and attitudes to get the job done,' the group wrote. 'He was a natural fit for this role, and his tireless work, courage, and unique humor have given so much to those we serve. The man was an electronics engineer before serving in two wars, 'both privately and as a team leader, sniper and combat medic', according to the organisation. Police are still grilling the man (pictured) over the high-profile execution and are expected to lay charges on Tuesday He has also been described as an 'adrenaline junkie', with a passion for wingsuit BASE-jumping, which has seen him star in documentaries and 'compete on the world stage'. 'He has stated to us that while he loves the adventurous life, it is selfish that he pursues these risks simply for his own benefit,' the group wrote online. The man told the organisation he chose to serve with them because 'they are the only charity willing to break all the rules and take all the risks'. Police raided the man's home in Waikiki on Monday, seizing several items, with forensic teams scouring nearby bushland at Warnbro Police pictured raiding the man's house in Waikiki over the sniper shooting of bikie Nick Martin Forensics teams and detectives, including Australian Federal Police, spent all of Monday afternoon sweeping the man's home in Waikiki. Police spent a considerable amount of time examining a boat parked out the front and a motorbike before taking both items away. Other investigators were seen scouring bushland surrounding the salt water flats along Safety Bay Road, in nearby Warnbro, before loading evidence bags into vehicles. A car and boat were also towed away, Seven News reported. Armed officers formed a ring of steel around the station on Monday night in a bid to protect the man amid fears of a bikie revenge attack. Shocked neighbours said the man and his girlfriend were 'model neighbours' who always looked out for the community. Forensics teams and detectives swarmed the suspected shooter's home in Shoalhaven Place, in Waikiki, on Monday Police seized a boat from his Shoalhaven Place property on Monday A bike was also towed away from the property by police as part of the investigation The man's arrest comes after police posted a $1 million reward for information related to the brazen shooting. Mr Martin, 51, was shot in the back at a packed drag racing event at the Perth Motorplex, Kwinana Beach at 8.30pm on Saturday, December 12. He died at the scene in front of hundreds of horrified families and children including his own wife and step-daughter. After being hit, Martin told his wife Amanda: 'babe, I've been shot', as she tried to give him CPR while he died in her arms. Another man, convicted drug dealer Ricky Chapman, was injured in the shooting at the Kwinana raceway, south of Perth. Police said the same bullet that killed Martin had passed through to hurt Chapman - and a bullet fragment was recovered from his arm. The public were shocked by the brazen execution which happened right in front of families. Pictured: the scene on the night of the shooting One of the possible shooter locations previously identified at the Perth Motorplex. A long shot would indicate a sniper, experts say Martin (pictured) died in the arms of his wife Amanda as she tried to give him CPR. His last words were: 'babe, I've been shot' WA Police had reportedly been 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. Big outlaw motorcycle clubs often had individuals within them involved with organised crime even when the club itself was not an organised criminal group, he said. A $1 million reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of the shooter who killed Nick Martin, 51, (pictured with wife Amanda) 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. Rebels bikie Nick Martin was riden in to Pinnaroo Cemetery in a coffin covered in pictures of $100 bills (pictured) at his extravagant bikie funeral on December 23 (Newser) The Clayton County Sheriff's Office in Georgia says 88 suspected street racers were arrested early Sunday after they were surrounded in a parking lotand the only one who got away left his bumper behind. The metro Atlanta law enforcement agency says that after they received reports of drivers doing stunts in a parking lot outside a Sam's Club, officers surrounded the lot and deployed spike strips to stop the racers getting away, Fox reports. "Of course, some tried to leave, driving over sidewalks and medians attempting to flee but, no worries, we got them, too," officer Aubriel Stroud tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. story continues below "Once closing off all areas of escape, deputies and officers went from car to car and arrested all 88 of the street racing crew," police said in a statement. Police say four firearms were seized and 48 vehicles were impounded. Some 75 adults were charged with offenses including loitering and prowling. Parents of the 27 juveniles who were present were charged with curfew violations. Police have told the driver who got away to turn himself in. They say the suspect, identified as Eric Gallegos, had the bumper of his Dodge Charger HellCat knocked off in a tactical maneuver by a deputy who terminated the pursuit before entering a more populated area. (Read more street racing stories.) Legislative initiative on perpetual tenure for justices of peace adopted by State Duma flickr.com/ wp paarz 17:14 16/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 16 (RAPSI) A bill developed by Russias Supreme Court, which envisages that the terms in office of justices of the peace should be indefinite passed its third and final reading in the lower house of Russian parliament on Tuesday, according to a statement published on the State Duma website. The first tenure is to make three years, next ones, on the condition that a justice of the peace has passed a reassignment procedure, his or her term of office is to be indefinite. The age limit for justices of the peace tenures is to be set at 70 years. In spite of the fact that justices of the peace are included in the system of general jurisdiction courts, their status corresponds to that of judges of the subjects of the Russian Federation, Gruzdev reminded, Chairman of the Association of Russian Lawyers Vladimir Gruzdev told RAPSI earlier. Justice of the peace courts are formed by regional authorities; justices of the peace hear 80% of all cases submitted to general jurisdiction courts, so the role these courts play is of great importance for the society. The necessity to renew tenures could be used as a lever of influence over justices of the peace, therefore, it has been proposed to subject them to the same rules, as those applicable to the judges of federal courts, for whom the tenure is limited only by the age limit, the Chairman of the Association of Russian Lawyers observed. Gruzdev stressed that yet in 2017 the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) recommended Russia to improve stability of tenures of justices of the peace. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia The National Reform and Resilience Plan (PNRR) will be presented to the government this week for a first reading, and the formal decision will hopefully come next week, Minister of European Investments and Projects Cristian Ghinea said today. "The revised plan is not yet public, it will be presented to the government this week for a first reading, and we hope to have a formal decision of the government next week. (...) According to the timetable, we should have all the details presented to the government during this week, and we will have a first reading of the government decision mandating the Ministry for European Investments and Projects to initiate talks with the European Commission; in parallel with these informal discussions with the European Commission, we will work out some of these measures. (...) I hope that we will be able to negotiate with a clear mandate. Romania has a coalition government, but I can tell you that after very detailed negotiations we have managed to reach a consensus within the coalition, which will support the new draft of the plan," Ghinea told an online event organized by the Department for Sustainable Development in partnership with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Ghinea explained that the draft PNRR has taken into account all the sustainable development goals, noting that the legislation for the minimum inclusion income will be implemented under the umbrella of the poverty removal goal, "a sort of revolution in Romania's social welfare system.""This reform, which has been delayed for long in Romania, encourages the poor to enter the formal labor market. This will be a sort of revolution in the Romanian social welfare system and I hope we find a way to include it in the plan and to partially cover the cost of its implementation," Ghinea said.The Minister of European Investments and Projects also referred to the national program for reducing school dropout, which is tightly related to the poverty eradication target. "Basically, we will target the 1,600 schools that are the most vulnerable to this phenomenon and which will have a dedicated grant scheme, aimed at keeping children in school. We are preparing this scheme together with the Education Ministry and I am very optimistic about the potential results. It was ran as a pilot project with the cohesion funds and this is a type of reform could have a huge impact on Romania," he explained.Another facility mentioned is a bridge scholarship program for children who move to high school, given that this is the moment when many, especially in rural areas, drop out of school due to the high costs required by relocating from their home locality to where the high school is.The Minister of European Investments and Projects also referred to the goal of ensuring a healthy life and promoting general well-being."Regarding resilience-supporting investments in the health system, we have two directions. The first is to increase access to the health system, which has been a recurring recommendation made by the European Commission. We will invest a part of the funds in prevention and early diagnosis and treatment services. The second direction is the health infrastructure, new hospitals and the modernization of existing hospitals, because the system is in a quite serious situation," underlined the head of European Investments and Projects.Ghinea dwelled on sustainable forest management, the combat of desertification, stopping and reversing land degradation as on a "very ambitious" goal. "Our initial proposal is to invest 1.5 billion euros for afforestation and biodiversity. I hope I won't be accused of boasting, but I think we will have the most ambitious investments in forests, on the one hand in combating illegal logging with modern, digital means, by tracking the amount of wood that is cut from the forests, and on the other hand by a special line for planting new forests. Romania is below the EU average when it comes to forested areas. These are just some examples. I am very optimistic that in the final plan we will cover most of the sustainable development objectives, because it is a natural necessity of the Romanian society and this has been quite obvious during the public consultation process," Ghinea added.The PNRR will have 33 components grouped around the 6 pillars that have been introduced by the European Parliament, and each area of intervention will have both reforms and investments assigned, as well as milestones and targets to be achieved.Romania has an estimated budget of 30.4 billion euros under the "Recovery and Resilience Mechanism" financing instrument, of which 13.7 billion euros are available in the form of grants and 16.6 billion euros in the form of loans.The government of Romania, through the Department for Sustainable Development, organized on Tuesday in partnership with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development an online event on the sidelines of the 2021 Regional Forum for Sustainable Development held by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).The said event focuses on the common challenges to the policies for aligning post-COVID national recovery plans, in close connection with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but envisages also the role of policy coherence in supporting green and digital transitions.The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of the five regional commissions of the UN, having the mission to promote pan-European economic integration. The coordinator of the Department for Sustainable Development, state councilor Laszlo Borbely, serves as co-chair of the Regional Forum for Sustainable Development this year. AGERPRES The Vatican released a statement Monday announcing that churches have no power to bless same-sex marriage since God cannot bless sin, which clarifies Pope Francis stance on same-sex unions. The Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic churches have the power to bless same-sex unions. The question comes when plans and proposals for blessings of unions of persons of the same sex are being advanced in some ecclesial contexts. It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage , the Vatican statement reads. As is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex. The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing, since the positive elements exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creators plan. Source:The Christian Post 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. Board departure: Tony Garry, then-CEO of Davy (left) answers a question at the launch of the Davy Direct share-dealing service in 2000 while Bank of Ireland's Des O'Reilly looks on. Photo: Tony Gavin. Former Davy Group chief executive Tony Garry has resigned as chairman and director of BES Management, a joint venture between Davy and BDO for managing investments under the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS). He departed the board of the company on March 8, just six days after Davy was fined 4.13m and reprimanded by the Central Bank for a controversial 2014 bond deal in which he participated. His resignation was confirmed by a spokesperson for BES. The news follows his departure from the board of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, which was reported in the Sunday Independent, and the resignation of his colleague Brian McKiernan from the provosts council at Trinity College Dublin and the governing council of the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin. Mr Garry also is no longer listed as a director on the website of Brown Advisory, a US asset manager where he was a director of Brown Advisory Funds PLC, the company's Irish-incorporated umbrella fund. Mr Garry was appointed to the role in 2017. Brown Advisory did not repond to requests to confirm Mr Garry's departure from its board. Mr Garry resigned as a non-executive director of Econiq, an Irish-founded US-based remote meeting software company, on February 24, 2021 after serving for four years. CEO Jim Callan confirmed that Mr Garry would not be seeking a further term as director. Read More Mr Garry, a native of Ennis, Co Clare, last week stepped down as head of a review committee that was a compiling a strategic plan for Clare GAA. The resignations come at the tail end of two weeks of crisis at Davy, during which the firm ousted three of its most senior figures, lost its authorisation to deal Irish Government bonds, closed its bond desk, and put itself up for sale. Mr Garry was CEO of Davy in 2014 when Belfast businessman Patrick Kearney sold 27m in Anglo Irish Bank bonds via at a steep discount in order to settle a debt without knowing the buyers were 16 Davy employees, including Mr Garry, who went on to sell the assets at a much higher price. Mr Garry retired as Davy CEO in 2015 and was replaced by Mr McKiernan, who also participated in the scheme. Mr McKiernan resigned from Davy four days after the Central Bank enforcement notice, alongside deputy chairman Kyran McLaughlin and head of bonds Barry Nangle. Davy interim CEO Bernard Byrne spent the last 14 days firefighting the inferno threatening to engulf the firm. Last Friday, he wrote to clients to apologise for the firms conduct in the bond scandal and for the findings of a Central Bank investigation into the transaction, which determined that Davy staff acted with a lack of candour. Mr Byrne also reportedly instructed staff at the firm to review their transactions to determine whether any other deals failed to meet acceptable regulatory and ethical standards. Davy has pledged to appointed an independent external party to conduct a comprehensive review of the firm in light of the bond scandal and the subsequent fallout. [March 16, 2021] Watermark Scholars Program Awards Women Studying STEM AUSTIN, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Watermark, an educational intelligence software provider, announces its second year of the Watermark Scholars scholarship program, focusing on female students who are pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) studies. Watermark kicks-off second year of the Watermark Scholars scholarship program, focused on female students in STEM. Two scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded for the Fall 2021 academic term. Entry deadline is July 15, 2021. Who is Eligible? U.S. residents enrolled at U.S.-based colleges or universities (2- or 4-year institutions) Identifies as a woman With a sophomore/second year-or-higher standing currently enrolled in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics degree-granting program for Fall 2021 OR demonstrating plans to pursue a career in the field of science or technology after graduation How to Apply Students are asked to share stories of who inspired them to pursue a career in science or technology and what they are inspired to do with that knowledge in 500-word written essays or 2-minute video submissions. Watermark's Scholarship Committee will review all of the submissions after July 15, 2021, and assess each against a common set of criteria including: quality of response, clarity and proficiency in communication, and polish of presentation. Winners will be notified and asked to verify enrollment in an eligible institution. Previous applicants are eligible to reapply for the 2021 scholarship. Watermark Scholars is an annual program intended to provide financial opportunities to female college students pursuing STEM-related studies and careers. "As a technology company, we clearly understand the importance of a STEM education," said Erin Shy, CEO at Watermark. "This scholarship takes it a step further in supporting women, who are often underrepresented in science and tech fields." Last year's recipients, Kristen Palmer, an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science major at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Elise Ogden, a Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and Chemistry major at Bethel University, were selected from an applicant pool of 300+ submissions. About Watermark Watermark's mission is to put better data into the hands of administrators, faculty, and students everywhere in order to empower them to connect information and gain insights which will drive meaningful improvements. Through its innovative educational intelligence system, Watermark supports institutions in developing an intentional approach to learning and development based on data they can trust. Watermark currently supports over 1,700 higher education institutions with its innovative solutions for planning, outcomes assessment, ePortfolios, faculty activity reporting, course evaluations and institutional surveys, as well as curriculum, catalog, and syllabus management. To learn more, visit www.watermarkinsights.com . PR Contact: Mary Anne Connolly mconnolly@watermarkinsights.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watermark-scholars-program-awards-women-studying-stem-301248579.html SOURCE Watermark [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] TUNIS - Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, speaking from Paris after finding out that her film "The Man Who Sold His Skin" was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film, said, "This is a historic event, a first for Tunisia". Her film premiered in the Horizons section at the 77th Venice Film Festival, where it received the award for best actor (Yahya Mahayni) and the Edipo Re Inclusion Award. The director invited Tunisian authorities to further support national film production. The film, starring Italian actress Monica Bellucci, Tunisian actor Yahya Mahayni and Belgian actor Koen De Bouw, conjures the Faustian bargain between a Syrian refugee and a contemporary artist in order to cross the border into Europe. "I hope that after this event, decisions will be made to push Tunisian cinema forward to better support directors and give more importance to cinema, because currently all of our efforts are individual," said the 43-year-old French-Tunisian director who was born in Sidi Bouzid, a marginalised city in central Tunisia. She had already gained attention for her 2017 feature film "La Belle et la Meute", which told the story of a Tunisian rape victim's battle for respect for her rights and dignity. The film's co-producer Habib Attia said the nomination is "a success for Tunisian cinema, which is evolving and establishing itself on an international level". The nomination comes just days after the French Cesar Award given to French-Tunisian actor Sami Bouajila for his role in the Tunisian film "Un fils". The wind of freedom that came in 2011 with the spirit of the revolution seems to have given new life to Tunisian cinema. Since then, a young generation of Tunisian directors and producers has managed to courageously bring to the screen stories of social unrest, political issues and intimate conflicts, topics that had been long banned by the dominant socio-political system and that now have instead decreed their success. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The country's agriculture chief said ensuring food security for all Filipinos remains challenging as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. But Agriculture Secretary William Dar added government is doing its best to elevate food production in most of the country's commodity industries. "For this year, issues on the African Swine Fever (ASF) and stabilizing food prices very much remain the real problems that we have been dealing with by means of various strategies since 2020, and we are committed to ending the problem this year," Dar said during the virtual Asia CEO Forum Economy Update 2021 on Tuesday. The Philippines has been considered a food importing country since it's not yet producing 100% of Filipinos' food requirements. He explained raising food production levels include attracting more agriculture investments and increasing budget support for farmers. Dar added harnessing science and technology to prop up agricultural productivity is also part of the DA's long-term strategy. "There will be some deficiencies in one area but surplus in another area. So the strategy is to see to it that we mobilize food from surplus areas and to be marketed in deficit areas or provinces," the secretary said. Dar also urged local producers to engage in so-called food diversification to further ensure food security for everyone. This, after pork prices soared to more than P400 per kilo, as the ASF ravaged the local hog industry and created supply shortages. "In many ways, for example, pork today, there are many protein sources, not only pork. Of course, you have chicken, fish like tilapia and bangus, and even vegetable legumes," Dar said. The DA has promised transportation subsidies for hog farmers to send their excess supply to plug the supply shortage in Metro Manila. The support is worth 21 per kilo if the pigs are shipped from Mindanao, 15 if from the Visayas and regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, MIMAROPA, and Bicol, and 10 if the hogs are from Central Luzon and CALABARZON. The secretary said the government and the private sector have committed a total of 29 billion worth of investments for the hog industry's recovery. The department is aiming for the agriculture sector to grow by 2.5% this year after slightly declining by .02% in 2020. A then 13-year-old schoolgirl accused of spending thousands of euro in a shopping spree in Dublin using stolen bank cards wants to become a garda or to study criminology, a court has heard. The girl, now aged 15, faces charges at Dublin Childrens Court for thefts, attempted thefts and possessing stolen bank cards last year. The teen, who cannot be named because she is a minor, will face a series of hearings in July after witness availability caused a delay. Earlier, the defence successfully argued for the juvenile court to accept jurisdiction despite recommendations by the DPP that the case should be sent to the circuit court, which has tougher sentencing powers. Counsel also confirmed that the teenager was pleading not guilty. Outlining the allegations, Detective Garda Cathal Feeley told the court that on March 31, 2019, a man attended Sundrive Road garda station to make a complaint. He had been socialising in the Dublin 2 area the previous night and that morning at 11.30am he received an email highlighting suspicious transactions on his bank card. It was alleged the card was used at an ATM in an attempt to withdraw 500 at 1am, however, 100 was taken out from a nearby bank machine at 4.15am. At 11.24am at Argos in the Omni Shopping Centre, Dublin 9, an unsuccessful attempt was made to buy 1,449 of goods. There were more attempts to make purchases for that amount in the next five minutes. This was followed by two more attempted transactions of 1,449 and one for 2,688 at that location. The court hear that 15 minutes later there was another attempt at another Argos at the Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords, for about 1,400 of goods. A minute later there was another failed attempt to buy 1,279 worth of goods. Four minutes later his card was used for a 10 spend at a cafe and then successfully used to buy more goods. Det Gda Feeley said t it was alleged the girl was involved in purchases of 2,638 and attempted thefts of 10,751. CCTV evidence was obtained. He agreed with counsel that she was 13 at the time and during most of the incidents an older teenager was also alleged to have been involved. The incidents mostly took place at self-service kiosks. She had no prior convictions and wanted to become a garda or study criminology, counsel told the court. The court heard it was alleged that also in March 2019, the girl was involved in more fraudulent use of another card which had incurred losses of 7,000. It was alleged she bought a PlayStation games console. She unsuccessfully tried to buy 3,000 worth of goods using that card. Over two other dates in March 2019, another stolen bank card was allegedly used to buy 1,279 worth of goods. It is alleged that two months later the girl took out 300 from an ATM with another stolen bank card. Injured parties were reimbursed after complaints to the Financial Services Ombudsman. The girl, who was accompanied to court by a family member, remains on bail with restrictions banning her from the Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Santry and Swords areas. King George VI (L) and Queen Elizabeth (2nd R, future Queen Mother) meet French President Albert Lebrun and his wife Marguerite Nivoit at the Windsor Castle, England, on March 23, 1939. A republic can be parliamentary with monarch or weak president, or congressional with strong president. (AFP via Getty Images) Canada Is Already a Republic Commentary That interview, and you know which one, has led to predictable calls for Canada to be a republic. OK. Abracadabra. Canada is a republic. Now what? No, really. We have been a republic for at least 800 years, which isnt bad for a nation established 154 years ago. Because on Confederation we received a Constitution similar in principle to the United Kingdom, which is a monarchy, someone shouts. Youre a complete idiot. But first, a la Spike Milligan, not complete, Im missing several teeth. And second, the shouters are missing the difference between a republic and a monarchy. Its not whether your ultimate guarantor of constitutional propriety is Donald Trump or Queen Elizabeth. Or Bill Clinton or Queen Elizabeth. Or Richard Nixon or Queen Elizabeth. Or, to be fair, George Washington or George III. Or Joe Biden or Prince Charles. You win some, you lose some. But republics have nothing to do with a monarchy either way. A republic, John Adams rightly said, is a government of laws, not of men. Today we would say persons, as his wife Abigail would have then. But the essential point is that a republic is a res publica, a public thing, and a tyranny is not, regardless of form. At which point someone shouts, youre a complete pedant. Yup. Im so pedantic I can tell you that during the early 15th-century upheavals in England, before those of the late 15th but after those of the 14th, etc., the Percys of Northumberland thundered at King Henry IV, we send mortal diffidatio to you and your accomplices and allies, as traitors and destroyers to the respublica of the realm It didnt work. At least Henry Hotspur Percy was promptly killed at Shrewsbury, and they lost their estates. But they got them back from Henry V, betrayed Richard III for the Tudors, and carried on. (Uh, except the fourth earl, plucked from his horse and slain by his own tenants in 1489; he was carried off.) But nobody thought they were nuts because they called England a republic (or pedantic because they said it in Latin). As Betrandus Filiusgulielmus observed, A very common notion in this period was that of the respublica or common-weal which all men, including the ruler, were bound to sustain. And not just in this period. Some three centuries earlier, before parliament or even Magna Carta, John of Salisbury wrote in Policraticus at the court of Henry II, The difference between the prince and the tyrant is that the prince obeys the law and governs his people in accordance with right. In England, after much commotion, it was firmly established that the monarch reigned but did not rule. Nor did anyone else, from Lord Protector to Prime Minister. The law ruled, and it arose from the people via the common law, Magna Carta, legislatures, and later formal constitutions in the United States, Canada, Australia, etc. Its the rule of law that is crucial. Which is why Russia has a president but is not a republic, while Japan has an emperor and is one. And why India has a president and is a republic, while Saudi Arabia has a king and is not. And why Canada is one. A republic can be parliamentary with monarch or weak president, or congressional with strong president. And if you want to know which system is perfect, youre asking the wrong guy a silly question. As James Madison observed in Federalist No. 51, what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? You see, If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. Neither being true: In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. Different approaches have different strengths, and weaknesses. Strong presidencies put the peoples choice in charge. But with a ceremonial monarchy or presidency, a head of state above politics gives dignity to state functions and provides a constitutional emergency brake. The Queen could shout Stop in a crisis and have people across the spectrum listen. Joe Biden couldnt, any more than Donald Trump. But Israels president might be able to, in their parliamentary republic with ceremonial presidency and powerful prime minister. Like India. Go ahead. Name its president. (I couldnt either: Its Ram Nath Kovind.) But you knew its prime minister, right? You can certainly name Canadas. Partly because he has too much power. With a supine caucus, impotent Parliament, and no budget or governor-general in sight, our republic may be slipping away. But not because Her Majesty is a foreigner or some such colonial cringe. John Robson is a documentary filmmaker, National Post columnist, contributing editor to the Dorchester Review, and executive director of the Climate Discussion Nexus. His most recent documentary is The Environment: A True Story. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. Sen. Dianne Feinstein absolutely intends to serve out her term, she said Tuesday, dismissing questions about Gov. Gavin Newsoms pledge to name a Black woman to her seat if she retires early. Please, were very good friends, Feinstein told reporters at the Capitol in Washington. I dont think he meant it the way some people thought. Calling their relationship good and strong, Feinstein shrugged off the incident as people making a mountain out of a molehill. She did not answer a question about whether she was disappointed in Newsom for his remark. We are friends, we are colleagues, theres nothing to it, she said. During an interview Monday night on MSNBC, Newsom said he was committed to appointing a Black woman to the Senate if Feinstein does not finish her term and that he had multiple names in mind. Newsom faced pressure from African American and progressive political leaders to name a Black woman to replace Vice President Kamala Harris when she gave up her Senate seat in January. He was criticized when he did not, leaving the Senate without any Black women. The governor did not elaborate Monday on whom he was considering, but Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee of Oakland and Karen Bass of Los Angeles were among the Black women mentioned as top candidates to replace Harris. Newsom ultimately selected Alex Padilla, then the California secretary of state, who became the first Latino to represent the state in the Senate. At 87, Feinstein is the oldest member of the Senate, prompting constant speculation about her political future. She said Tuesday it was pretty obvious that she is able to serve fully and finish her term, which runs through 2024. Newsom defended his comment Tuesday as purely hypothetical, including during an interview with ABCs The View where he said he was not trying to push Feinstein out and he still believes she is lucid and focused. Visiting a school in Alameda later, Newsom said he had no anticipation whatsoever that shes going anywhere for years and years and called Feinstein a friend and mentor. I feel deeply connected to her, always supported her, will continue to, he said. Shes a magnificent and extraordinary person, and I think theres been a little too much punditry around her current term. I think we all would do a lot better if we move away from it. Asked for the names he had in mind as potential replacements for Feinstein, Newsom said, She should absolutely fill out the rest of her term. Alexei Koseff and Sarah Ravani are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com, sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff @SarRavani Sara F. Jacoby, MPH, MSN, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nursing. Credit: Penn Nursing After a traumatic injury, returning to work (RTW) can be a strong indication of healing and rehabilitation and may play a pivotal role in promoting physical and functional recovery. But how does RTW after a traumatic injury affect mental health recovery, particularly in individuals who experience social and economic marginalization? In a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing), researchers investigated the ways that RTW after an injury predict mental health outcomes in Black men living and recovering in Philadelphia. The study found that men who did not RTW after a serious traumatic injury had almost three times the odds of poor mental health when compared to men who did RTW. The study also found that younger age, lack of insurance or public insurance, and experiences of racism within and beyond the workplace were concurrently strong predictors of poor mental health outcomes. This is the first study to identify the unique contributions of RTW after injury on mental health outcomes in Black men who recover in the context of urban environments where there are stark and persistent racial disparities in labor force opportunity and unemployment. Results of the research appear in the journal Injury. The article "The Relationship Between Work and Mental Health Outcomes in Black Men After Serious Injury," is available online. "This study identifies the importance of considering RTW, not just as a marker of trauma recovery, but also as an important influence on mental health and recovery after hospitalization," says Sara F. Jacoby, MPH, MSN, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Nursing and senior author of the article. "Interventions that support RTW for those who seek job opportunities in ways that attend to post-injury realities, can be situated within or in addition to strategies that enhance engagement with mental health services, especially for patients who meet screening criteria for depression and PTSD." Explore further Understanding barriers to mental health care for urban black men who experience trauma A crash that killed eight suspected undocumented immigrants in Val Verde County was apparently part of an increase in smuggling activity with thousands of migrants crossing the Mexican border into the United States. The crash on Monday follows one in early March in California that killed 13 undocumented immigrants. Smugglers are bringing more and more migrants across the Rio Grande on rafts and have been caught hauling hundreds of them in semi-trucks, making border enforcement once again a flash point in Americas political discourse. The south Texas wreck also comes on the heels of criticism by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has blamed the Biden Administration for the surge and enlisted the Texas Department of Public Safety to help stem the flow of immigrants. In the latest crash, troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety were pursuing a red Dodge pickup on U.S. 277, about 30 miles north of Del Rio on Monday afternoon when that truck collided head-on with a white Ford F-150 at around 1:30 p.m., DPS said. Eight passengers from the Dodge pickup were pronounced dead at the scene, according to a DPS spokesman. One passenger was transported to a San Antonio hospital in stable condition. The driver, Sebastian Tovar, of the Dodge pickup fled on foot after the collision but was caught shortly after, DPS said. Tovar, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, was being held at a privately run jail in Del Rio on federal smuggling-related charges. DPS will be filing state charges with Val Verdes state prosecutors, DPS officials said. Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, whose territory includes much of Texas border with Mexico, confirmed its Del Rio office is handling the case, but limited comment so as to not compromise its investigation. Officials were working to determine the nationalities of the immigrants and notify next of kin. A man who drove the Ford F-150 and his young daughter were taken to a San Antonio hospital in stable condition, officials said. Also under investigation is a second vehicle that appears to have had another load of suspected undocumented immigrants on the same road, some related to the crash victims, who bailed out of their vehicle and ran off. I do know there was something like that, and I dont know if it was related, said DPS Sgt. Erick Estrada. I dont have much detail on that. The Border Patrol reported more than 100,000 encounters with migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico in February, illustrating the growing surge of people seeking amnesty that has quickly become a major political dilemma for the Biden administration. The 100,441 encounters represent a 28-percent increase from January. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said about 25,000 of those immigrants had been apprehended before. Nearly each week since the beginning of the year, the Border Patrol in south Texas has issued news releases saying agents thwarted large loads of undocumented immigrants being smuggled in tractor-trailers. In some cases, the Border Patrol has also apprehended immigrants being smuggled in regular passenger vehicles, or in pickup trucks towing smaller trailers. Amid the crush, the Border Patrol said it had less capacity to hold them than usual, and temporary facilities have been opened in south Texas and Dallas. In many cases, immigrants have been let go with instructions to appear later for immigration court hearings. Conservatives have blasted the Biden administration for easing up on restrictions imposed by his predecessor, President Trump. On March 6, Abbott announced the launch of Operation Lone Star, in which air, ground, marine, and tactical border security were added to high threat areas used by smugglers. The crisis at our southern border continues to escalate because of Biden administration policies that refuse to secure the border and invite illegal immigration, Abbott said then in a statement. Even some Democrats in Texas have warned Biden about problems with easing up on restrictions because of the potential of overloading services in border communities the Democrats represent. In late February, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, warned the Biden administration against easing up too much on undocumented immigrants, citing their impact on his constituents, local hospitals and their potential to spread the coronavirus. You just can't say, Yeah, yeah, let everybody in because then were affected down there at the border, Cuellar said. Amid a cold blast that crippled much of Texas in February, Del Rio mayor Bruno Lozano, a Democrat, posted a video on YouTube urging that migrants awaiting court dates not be released in Del Rio. Lozano warned that if it happened, he might have to use emergency declaration powers in order to refuse entry to the migrants into his city. I am pleading and requesting with you to please put a halt to any measures regarding the release of immigrants awaiting court dates into the city of Del Rio and surrounding areas, Lozano said. We do not have the resources available to house and accommodate these migrants within our community. Jerry Robinette, who served as special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio under the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, said the rising numbers could lead to more crashes as smugglers try to avoid being caught. Many of the drivers and smugglers are often young, even juveniles, Robinette noted. These people are not skilled drivers, theyre driving at a high rate of speed, and the vehicles are overloaded, Robinette said. You add to that the adrenaline or fear they have of being caught, theyre not familiar with the terrain and obviously nothing good is going to come out of that. Robinette said the issue is thorny no matter which side of the political aisle one is on, and it often ends up with border enforcers taking heat for decisions made in Washington, D.C. He recalled how his agents faced sharp criticism as critics called for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Homeland Security Investigations is that agencys investigative arm. At the end of the day, it doesnt matter if youre a Democrat or Republican, theyre going to be all over us, Robinette said. To those who, unfortunately, have to deal with enforcement and border security its just a roller coaster. Now theres a new sheriff in town, and they have to deal with immigration enforcement, Robinette said. As you can see, its not that easy. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | mark.dunphy@express-news.net The first batch of vaccinations began for critical health workers last week Quyen Pham, a staff member at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, felt perfectly normal half an hour after taking her first vaccination shot on March 8. I am proud to be among the first and I feel more secure now I have been vaccinated, she told VIR. I believe in this AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been studied and tested by experts around the world. Pham will take the second shot in the next 12 weeks. I believe that the COVID-19 vaccine will help health workers like me take care of patients better while being protected ourselves against the virus, she stressed. Pham was one of the first 377 health staff members in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Duong province to receive a first shot. Her colleagues in Hai Duong and Ho Chi Minh City also felt no different from usual, and simply felt more secure. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phong at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City said, Over the past year, health professionals faced great pressure over infections and deaths and complicated development of the pandemic. While Vietnam succeeded in controlling the outbreak, the global health crisis is still developing unpredictably globally. Therefore, the vaccination helps us ease our worries. According to Prof. Dr. Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, while the AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved and used in 25 countries, some side effects can occur after vaccination such as headache, nauseating, tiredness, and fever. There are possibly some rare reactions such as anaphylactic reaction or allergy. Vaccines are being carefully stored for optimal use After two days of vaccinations, no serious side effects were reported and the country continues to conduct the programme on a wide scale as planned. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, said that in the first stage, the country plans to conduct the vaccination of 117,000 doses for frontline health staff in the 13 cities and provinces recently hit by the pandemic, and the 21 hospitals treating COVID-19 patients. To quicken the process, the healthcare sector is negotiating to buy more doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while accelerating clinical trials and production of locally-made vaccines to ensure supply, he noted. Vietnam is scheduled to have over 5.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in March and April, including over 4.1 million doses from the COVAX Facility. At present, the pandemic continues to be controlled in the country after the recent latest wave affecting several localities, enabling the majority of people and businesses to continue their plans. Globally, while there remain some minor concerns globally over safety of vaccines after deaths were reported after taking a shot in Norway, Austria, South Korea, and others; more countries have begun vaccination programmes while the number of infections has tended to fall. Thus far, no links have been found between the reported deaths and a vaccine in South Korea and Norway, while Austrias government last week took precautions by suspending a batch of AstraZeneca vaccines while further investigation is carried out. Nevertheless, in general signs are looking positive for economic recovery around the world. Here, the Vietnamese government plans eventual resumption of international flights to facilitate travelling of Vietnamese overseas, international experts, and those for other purposes, thus expecting to boost trade and economic activities between the country and others as soon as possible. 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. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Racial slurs among probation officers were dismissed as 'banter' and ethnic minority staff were handed the cases of race hate criminals without being consulted, a watchdog said. One probation officer was even propositioned by a white male colleague because 'he had not had sex with a black woman before', a report on race equality in the service found. Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell said the findings were 'disappointing' and said staff did not feel experiences of racism had been taken seriously. Inspectors said they heard 'distressing stories' of inappropriate behaviour towards ethnic minority staff including instances of 'stereotyping, racist and sexualised language, and false allegations'. Several said they did not feel it was safe to raise issues of racial discrimination and serious complaints had been 'repeatedly downplayed, ignored or dismissed'. One probation officer was even propositioned by a white male colleague because 'he had not had sex with a black woman before', a report on race equality in the service found (file photo) Although inspectors described some of the problems as 'systemic', Mr Russell stopped short of branding the Probation Service 'institutionally racist'. The report found a 'reluctance at times for managers to call out racism for what it is', with inspectors hearing of complaints of 'racist language being found to be swearing, or racial slurs dismissed as banter', adding: 'The staff affected were distressed that their experiences of racism had not been taken seriously.' The woman who was propositioned told inspectors it was an example of her experience of 'oppression, alienation, exclusion, isolation, bullying and harassment'. Some 43 per cent of ethnic minority staff spoken to during the inspection said in the last year there had been 'no discussion' before being allocated a case of hate crime in which there was racial motivation, which inspectors branded 'insensitive and poor practice'. The report added: 'Although some black, Asian and minority ethnic staff (BAME) may be willing to work with such cases, managers cannot presume this, and the potential for reliving past trauma or experiencing further racism must be recognised.' More than 222,000 offenders are supervised by probation services across England and Wales and around a fifth are from BAME backgrounds. The inspection found staff lacked confidence in addressing issues of race with BAME offenders. Mr Russell said: 'Some officers, by their own admission, avoided talking about these issues altogether.' He added that there were concerns about 'every stage of probation supervision'. He said: 'Probation officers need to find out as much as possible about individuals to support their rehabilitation.' Probation's focus on racial equality has 'declined', the report said, since the service was part-privatised by then justice secretary Chris Grayling in 2014. The supervision of all offenders on licence and serving community sentences in England and Wales is to be brought back entirely under public control in June as a result of the controversial and heavily criticised reforms. Mr Russell said the change would be an 'important opportunity to reset and raise the standard of work' with BAME offenders and staff. Napo, the trade union for probation staff, said it was 'deeply shocked' by the findings. General Secretary Ian Lawrence said: 'I find it deeply disturbing that our members are being discriminated and disadvantaged in the workplace.' He added: 'There is a lot of ground that needs to be made up once the service is reunified in June to tackle disproportionality for BAME people in the criminal justice system.' The inspection, carried out between October and December, looked at services in Bradford and Calderdale, Liverpool and Sefton, Hackney and Tower Hamlets in east London, Bedfordshire and Birmingham, considering 150 cases while also speaking to more than 100 probation staff and 80 offenders. Inspectors made 15 recommendations for the Prison and Probation Service and the National Probation Service, which included calls for more training and a plan of how to work with BAME offenders. Director general for probation Amy Rees said it was a 'difficult' report to read and support 'clearly' needs to be 'better tailored' for BAME offenders. She added: 'We are working hard to diversify our workforce so that we have greater collective understanding for the particular challenges faced by ethnic minority offenders, and I want to reassure probation staff that we are listening and acting on their concerns.' ADVERTISEMENT Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents in the early hours of Tuesday burnt down a military base, school and health facility in Katarko village in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. Katarko is about 25 kilometres east of Damaturu, the state capital. The burnt primary school was renovated by Victim Support Fund a few years ago after the insurgents first burnt it down in 2013. Unconfirmed reports indicated that an NGO had stored food items in the school for distribution but the insurgents got the information and decided to attack the school and loot the items. Villagers said the gunmen also invaded the primary healthcare centre in the village and set the facility ablaze after looting its drugs store. Modu Katarko, a resident, told PREMIUM TIMES that the insurgents came around 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday and left the village unchallenged after more than one hour. We heard them shouting Allah Alkabar! Allah Alkabar! after the early morning prayers and shooting sporadically. Everyone ran indoors until about one hour when they finished their operation and left the village. The primary school, primary healthcare facility and the military base here were all burnt down, Mr Modu said. Neither the police nor military has issued an official statement on the attack. The army spokesperson, Sector 2 Operation Lafiya Dole, Kennedy Anyanwu, did not respond to messages sent to his phone for his comments by our correspondent. 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. California Gov. Newsom, Democrats Launch Campaign in Response to Recall Effort California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the states Democrat party have launched a campaign in opposition of ongoing efforts to oust the governor. The California Democratic Party announced on Monday that it is contributing $250,000 to what they have dubbed the Stop the Republican Recall campaign, making the party a major donor. The anti-recall campaign is to counter a grassroots movement seeking to recall Newsom. Organizers of the recall campaign have said their efforts are not partisan and have been driven by residents displeasure in the states on-going shutdowns, high poverty and homeless rates, high income taxes, and Newsoms extensive use of executive orders during the pandemic. Its not a Democrat thing. Its not a Republican thing. Its about the fact that people just feel helpless right now. They want hope. They want to have inspiration, Randy Economy, spokesman to the RecallGavin2020 campaign, told The Epoch Times previously. The recall effort has gathered more than two million signatures, enough to trigger the recall procedure in the Golden State. The procedure allows citizens to challenge public officials in a special election before their term ends. The petition requires a specific number of signatures over a specified period of time. If a valid number of signatures is collected, then a recall election can be held. Different states have different rules for this procedure. The Democrats campaign is seeking to paint the organizers of the recall campaign as a partisan, Republican coalition of national Republicans, anti-vaxxers, Q-Anon conspiracy theorists and anti-immigrant Trump supporters, according the its website. It has garnered the support of several vocal Democrats including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Stacey Abrams. The California Democratic Party unequivocally opposes the Republican attempt to recall Governor Gavin Newsom, stated Rusty Hicks, party chair, said in a statement. The Republican National Committee, wealthy Trump donors, and right-wing extremists have joined forces to disrupt Californias road to recovery. In a statement on Monday, Newsom stated that he wont be distracted by this partisan, Republican recallbut I will fight it, while promoting the Stop the Republican Recall campaign. He previously argued that his critics were engaging in partisan power grabs and were promoting outdated prejudices during his State of the State address. The state of our state remains determined. I remain determined! We wont change course just because of a few nay-sayers and dooms-dayers, Newsom, a Democrat, said during his address. So to the California critics who are promoting partisan power grabs and outdated prejudices and rejecting everything that makes California great, we say this: we will not be distracted from getting shots in arms and our economy booming again. The California petitioners must present 1,495,709 verified signatures to state officials by March 17, according to the organizers. If they do, voters will be asked to vote on whether Newsom should be removed from office later this year. Theyll also be asked who should replace the governor if a majority of respondents say the governor should be removed. Proponents of the grassroots movement have been concerned by the governors handling of the ongoing CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and his economic policies. The governor has done such a poor job on so many different fronts that we need the people of California to have an opportunity to come up with something better, Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner previously told The Epoch Times. Its not just the COVID response, which has been erratic and has been absolutely devastating to the mental, the physical, and the emotional health of so many people in California. We have the highest poverty rate in the nation. We have almost, if not the highest, unemployment rate in the nation. We are seeing people leave this state in droves. And its a result of very bad policies coming out of Sacramento, that all have Gavin Newsoms thumbprint all over them, he added. Under Article II of the California Constitution, Californian voters can recall and remove officials and justices of the State Supreme Court from office. If petitioners submit the required number of signatures, state officials will need to determine whether the signatures are valid and whether the requisite number of valid signatures have been met. The secretary of state would then need to notify the Department of Finance about the results, so that the department can estimate the cost of a recall election. Upon receiving certification of the recall petition, the governor must make public a notice for holding a recall election. The election must be conducted within between 60 to 80 days from the date of certification of the signatures. Or, officials can schedule it to align with a regularly scheduled election, provided its within 180 days. The Recall Gavin Newsom Campaign did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. Drew van Voohris and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Landingville Faith Reformed United Church of Christ, 8 Church St., will sponsor Jewel Jog 5K, a run along the Schuylkill River, with a flexible starting line from 10 to 11 a.m. May 1. It will have a personalized microchip timing system and there will be complementary refreshments for participants. Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome. For more information, call 570-728-2135 or go visit https://secure.ministrysync.com/ministrysync/event/?e=19969. McAdoo The Southside Community Partnership will hold a food distribution from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the pantry on Hancock Street, weather permitting. Residents from McAdoo Borough and Kline Township within the income guidelines are eligible. Only one box per household. First-time participants, or those with a change of address, must provide proof of residence. In line with COVID-19 safety guidelines, recipients must remain in their vehicles; the food will be brought out. Those attending should form a line by parking on the west side of Hancock Street starting in front of the pantry, and not blocking intersections. Call Marion at 570-929-1628 by 5 p.m. Thursday to reserve a box. Saint Clair The annual Welsh cake sale, sponsored by St. Johns United Church of Christ, is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 14, with pickups at the Lions Club hall, 259 McCord Ave. The order deadline is April 4; local delivery will be available. To order, or for more information, call Dot or Bob at 570-429-0549. Saint Clair Takeout-only roast beef dinners will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. April 16 at the Lions Club hall, 259 McCord Ave., sponsored by the club. To order, or for more information, including pricing and menu, call 570-429-9939. DENVER, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EnerCom, Inc. announces participating companies for the EnerCom Dallas Energy Investment & ESG Conference April 6-7, 2021. EnerCom Dallas is a financial conference that allows institutional investors an early 2021 opportunity to meet CEOs from leading independent E&Ps, including some of the industry's leading Permian, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Utica and Canadian producers, and the oilfield service companies supporting them, and hear them discuss their plans to drive development, fund operations and return value to shareholders in 2021. "We are excited to be one of the first, if not the first, energy investment conferences to start bringing industry and capital markets back together in person. I want to thank all our supporters and participating companies for helping us make this event a reality. EnerCom Dallas will give the investment community and peers an early opportunity to hear the leading independent oil and gas producers and service companies present their plans for 2021," said Aaron Vandeford, President of EnerCom. "Growing public expectations around CSR has increased the emphasis by investors on making investments in companies that are actively addressing ESG concerns. EnerCom will look to help facilitate this dialogue at our Dallas conference." Company lineup as of March 15, 2021 includes: EnerCom is confirming additional companies to the lineup daily. The complete daily schedule of presenters will be posted shortly on the website (presenters, days, times are subject to change). The conference investor presentations begin at 8:00 a.m. CT and run through 4:30 p.m. CT on April 6-7, 2021. Registration for EnerCom Dallas is now open Buyside professionals and oil and gas company executives may register for the event, at no cost, through the conference website. The EnerCom Dallas conference follows EnerCom's familiar 25-minute CEO presentation format, followed by 50-minute Q&A opportunities in separate breakout rooms, one-on-one meeting opportunities for buyside investors to meet company management teams, networking opportunities and global insight delivered by leading energy economists and strategists. The event also provides energy industry professionals a venue to learn about important energy topics affecting the global oil and gas industry. The conference offers healthy dialogue and informal networking opportunities for attendees and presenters. Conference Details: Modeled after EnerCom's The Oil & Gas Conference in Denver, EnerCom Dallas offers investment professionals a unique opportunity to listen to oil and gas company senior management teams update investors on their operational and financial strategies and learn how the leading energy companies are building value in 2021. This event will be hosted in a hybrid format (in person and online). We want to take the first steps of safely bringing the industry together in person while maintaining optionality for participants to join the discussion virtually depending on everyone's unique situation. Conference Dates: April 6 and 7, 2021 Venue: Dallas Petroleum Club (and webcast live) on April 6, 2021. Fully online on 7, 2021. Public and Private Company Presenters: EnerCom Dallas will feature both public and private companies headquartered in Canada and the U.S. with operations across the most active and prolific oil and gas regions and the globe. Who Attends the Conference: Institutional and hedge fund investors, private equity investors, energy research analysts, broker/dealers, trust officers, high net worth investors, commercial energy bankers and other energy industry professionals will gather in Dallas for the conference. One-on-One Meetings: EnerCom works in advance with presenting company management teams to arrange one-on-one meetings with the attending institutional investors and research analysts at the conference venue and online. About EnerCom, Inc. Founded in 1994, EnerCom, Inc. is an internationally recognized management consultancy advising companies on Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), investor relations, corporate strategy/board advisory, marketing, analysis and valuation, media, branding, and visual communications design. Headquartered in Denver, EnerCom and its team of experts are passionate about the energy industry and our work to provide clients with wide range of services to build brand recognition that drives valuation and returns. EnerCom's upcoming 2021 oil and gas investment conferences include: For more information about EnerCom and its services, please visit http://www.enercominc.com/ or call +1 303-296-8834 to speak with the management team or one of our consultants. Event Sponsors Include: About Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (NSAI) was founded in 1961 to provide the highest quality engineering and geological consulting to the petroleum industry. Today they are recognized as the worldwide leader of petroleum property analysis to industry and financial organizations and government agencies. With offices in Dallas and Houston, NSAI provides a complete range of geological, geophysical, petrophysical, and engineering services and has the technical experience and ability to perform these services in any of the onshore and offshore oil and gas producing areas of the world. They provide reserves reports and audits, acquisition and divestiture evaluations, simulation studies, exploration resources assessments, equity determinations, and management and advisory services. For a complete list of services or to learn more about Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. please visit https://netherlandsewell.com/. About Haynes and Boone Haynes and Boone, LLP is an energy focused corporate law firm, providing a full spectrum of legal services and solutions to clients across the oil and gas industry, including the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. Lawyers from our Denver office and 15 other offices work as a team to meet the legal needs of our domestic and international clients involved in oil and gas. We represent private and public oil and gas companies, financial institutions, investment funds and other investors. Our team of more than 100 energy lawyers and landmen understands the physical and financial energy markets, and the firm has been helping both operators and lenders complete some of the largest financings and M&A transactions in recent years. The BTI Industry Power Rankings, published by BTI Consulting Group, Inc., named Haynes and Boone a "Leading Recommended" firm for the energy industry in 2017, ranking our firm among the top three percent of all law firms. For more information, please visit www.haynesboone.com/. About Enverus In 1999, Enverus was founded as Drillinginfo, a groundbreaking provider of reliable oil & gas data, when the industry was on the brink of a digital revolutiona revolution that we would eventually fuel. Over the years, we grew exponentially through product innovation, market expansion, and acquisitions. Today, we are the energy industry's leading data, insights, and software company, helping customers outpace their competition and influence their respective industries. For more information, visit www.enverus.com Great Western Petroleum, LLC Denver-based Great Western Petroleum, LLC, is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the exploration, development, acquisition and exploitation of unconventional reserves of oil, natural gas and NGLs in the core of the Wattenberg Field, which is located within the DJ Basin. The Company's properties are primarily located in northwestern Adams County and western Weld County in Colorado. For more information, visit www.greatwesternpetroleum.com Noble Royalties Inc. Founded in 1997 by Scott Noble, Noble Royalties began assisting owners interested in monetizing their sub-surface rights by acquiring their mineral rights, royalties and overriding. He learned that buyers historically had been sharing little information and subsequently making offers below "Real Market Value". Mr. Noble knew that by internally evaluating with more depth, he could pay a "Real Market Value" and sellers would accomplish their personal or estate planning goals. Noble Royalties quickly became respected and one of the largest independent mineral/royalty buyers in the nation. Acquiring over $1,500,000,000 in minerals, royalties & ORRI, Noble has a deep understanding of owners and is able to offer a better owner experience. For more information, visit www.nobleroyalties.com SOURCE EnerCom, Inc. Related Links http://www.enercominc.com Friendly Kia offers March savings on select 2021 Kia Soul models. Friendly Kia is one of the Tampa Bay areas favorite Kia dealerships located conveniently in New Port Richey just a short drive from Clearwater. Automotive shoppers looking for a fun and quirky new vehicle option to head into the spring season with will enjoy the lineup of new Kia Soul model options available in the dealerships showroom. Interested individuals looking for budget-minded incentives may qualify for available March finance and lease offers at Friendly Kia. The brands standout 2021 Kia Soul continues to be an icon on the Friendly Kia lot and attracts drivers from all over the Tampa Bay area. Well-qualified buyers can take advantage of a 0% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) with a 48-, 60- or 66-month finance contract for select 2021 Soul models. Those looking for a longer finance contract may qualify for a 0.9% APR for up to 72 months or a 1.9% APR for up to 75 months. Friendly Kia is offering low-payment lease opportunities on select 2021 Kia Soul models for well-qualified lessees. Qualifying customers can enter a 36-month lease contract on select 2021 Kia Soul S models for $189 per month and $2,799 due at signing. Lease opportunities are also available on select 2021 Kia Soul LX models with automatic transmission with payments of $169 per month for 36 months and $2,799 due at signing. Qualification of all interested lease and finance customers is subject to approval by Kia Motors Finance. Anyone can view the entire lineup of available 2021 Kia Soul models and current incentives on the Friendly Kia website, friendlykia.com. The dealerships showroom is located at 5819 US-19 in New Port Richey, FL, and is open seven days a week. Members of the Friendly Kia sales team are available by phone, 877-544-6706, to assist with any specific inquiries. Overseas education startup Leap, which is building a suite of products and services for students to study abroad, has raised $17 million in Series B round of funding led by Singapore-based Jungle Ventures, with participation from Sequoia Capital India and Owl Ventures. This comes in less than a year after Leap raised $5.5 million led by Sequoia Capital India, taking the total capital raised by the startup to $22.5 million. The Silicon Valley-headquartered startup will use the new capital to expand its product portfolio. It plans to further strengthen its team across technology and business functions, expand geographically and grow its student communities aggressively. The company will also establish global offices for institutional partnerships and other business functions. Founded in 2019 by Vaibhav Singh and Arnav Kumar, Leap is a one-stop solution for study abroad aspirants with several products such as test preparation for IELTS, admission counselling, and financing. It has offices in Canada, the UK and Australia apart from India. Singh said Covid has allowed the Leap team the time to build the foundation of the business with an online community of over 500,000 students registered on the platform as of now. As we come out of Covid, we are fully geared up for massive scale as the world slowly comes back to normal. Not only do we have the natural demand to cater to in 2021, we have a backlog of students from 2020 as well. So Covid has given us an opportunity to hyper accelerate now given the next 12-18 months, demand will be much larger, said Singh. The company has already served 20,000 students in their journey to go and study abroad. Singh said since the company has been monetising all their products from day one, the company is confident of double digit million dollar revenue by the end of the year. Leap marks our first investment in the edu-tech space. India is the second-largest market globally for overseas enrolment, and in just a decade overseas higher education annual enrolments from India are up more than 300 per cent, said Amit Anand, Founding Partner, Jungle Ventures. California governor Gavin Newsom has hit out at the Republican recall effort aimed at removing him from office. Mr Newsom launched a political committee on Monday to defend his job ahead of Wednesdays deadline for recall organisers to submit 1.5 million signatures to get it on the ballot. Supporters of the recall last week said they had already got 2 million signatures, which will be reviewed by election officials by the end of April. I wont be distracted by this partisan, Republican recall - but I will fight it, said Mr Newsom on Twitter. There is too much at stake. Getting Californians vaccinated, our economy safely reopened, and our kids back in school are simply too important to risk. Read more: A string of national Democratic figures spoke out against the recall, while the state party promised Mr Newsom $250,000 in support. Gavin Newsom has shown the nation what courageous leadership looks like during the pandemic, said Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey in a statement. Defeating this cynical, Republican recall effort will be one of the most important priorities for Democrats this year. Mr Newsom has largely refused to comment on the recall effort, insisting that his focus was on the states response to the coronavirus pandemic. I am not going to take this recall attempt lying down, Mr Newsom said in an email from his campaign on Monday. And lets call it what it is: its a partisan, Republican recall backed by the [Republican National Committee], anti-mask and anti-vax extremists, and pro-Trump forces who want to overturn the last election and have opposed much of what we have done to fight the pandemic. If successful, the recall election would only be the second in California history, and only the fourth ever in United States history. Voters would first be asked whether Mr Newsom should be removed from office, and then be asked to choose from a list of candidates to replace him if it passes. An Emerson College poll showed that only 38 per cent of voters said they would vote to remove Mr Newsom if an election was held. If he successfully defeats the recall effort he is set to face re-election for a second term in office in 2022. President Biden promised entry to the migrants when stopped at the U.S.- Mexico border by the border patrol. They even insisted the US president encouraged them like a personal invite. The border crisis is devolving as it gets worse, and the administrations' open border policy has backfired. One of the biggest blunders in the first month is repealing border policies by Trump. Migrants swarm the US Border Illegal immigrants are trying to force their entry into the US by claiming that Biden told them to come. One of them even alleged that entry was assured if they go to America. One of them, Gladys Oneida Perez Cruz, a pregnant woman who traveled to the border, told the New York Times on March 14 that Biden was a migrant president. She said Coyotes or human smugglers asked for $9,000 as a charge to reach the border but was on her own shortly after. She and her son left for the border on February 7 and hoped to go to Maryland. She was one of the many Honduran illegals deceived by criminals caught by the border patrol, but she turned back said sources. Another of those immigrants holding to Biden's alleged promise from sources based in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, is located next to El Paso, Texas. Some illegals turned back at the border was overhead on the phone, saying they were refused entry. Acting Border Patrol Commissioner Troy Miller briefed reporters on the chaotic border crisis. He said the border was never opened even if Biden promised migrants as what they said. Added that those immigrants attempting an illegal crossing were fooled by the human smugglers. GOP House Members Sponsor Bill to Lessen Biden's Reach The Biden administration was warned about removing the past administration's border policies. Instead, they went ahead and only recently admitted the mistake. Jen Psaki held a press conference to address it, not avoid it finally. Biden's policies, according to critics, opened up the border problem, and migrant claims of an open border were mistaken. It was the president's undoing to remove his predecessors' orders that kept control of illegal immigration. The coyotes and cartels were hampered by Trump's policies, took advantage of the current president's unwise move. Republicans called on Biden to acknowledge the crisis earlier, as migrant surges threaten security. The House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) with 12 GOP representatives denounced the White House on March 15. He said it was the president who created this crisis and the border problems. To many, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) response reversing Biden's mistake on Trump's policies was not correct. Even the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed the same accusation against the past administration. But many sustained the gains in border security under Trump. Cartels and Criminal elements According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that reported a surge of 100,000 migrants at the border. Many officials asked for support and told the White House to admit its error but got excuses instead. Many times, Psaki was called out but did not answer anything. Many on the border say Biden promised migrants misinformation by the criminals and cartels to rake in profits. Another is taking advantage of the border patrols' inability to stop their activities. Also from HNGN: Ranchers to Biden: 'Do the Right Thing' about Mexico Border White House Still Denies Surging Border Crisis South Dakota Republicans Sponsor Bill to Null the Executive Orders of Biden @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. How an investment in modern equipment led to significant savings Thirty years ago, the Spijunovic family started a small home business. Today, the companys facilities span 4,000 m2. Bel-Plast, in the Serbian city of Uzice, specialises in producing foils and films (such as stretch hooding, shrink wrap and laminating film) for the food, beverage and construction industries. Over the past three decades, it has established itself as a leader in the product packaging sector. Sanja Markovic, a daughter of the founder, runs the family business with her sister and father. She tells us about her fathers 30-year-old business vision, which the company follows to this day. My father started the company in the 1990s, when product packaging and design in Serbia were not nearly as popular as they are today, Markovic says. Still, he knew that good packaging was one of the most important features of a successful product and that it had great influence on business and sales growth. Over the years, we have continued to invest in new equipment, technology and services with a view to improving our business, she adds. We have always striven for innovation, to offer our clients something new, because their perfect product needs perfect packaging, such as ours! Today, Bel-Plast employs 39 people and its packaging services are used by a vast array of companies in Serbia, including blue-chip corporations such as Coca-Cola and Holcim. Modern technology that generates savings With an eye on the future and keen to get on board with green trends, especially in the European Union (EU) markets, Markovic started to think more about how to improve the energy efficiency of Bel-Plasts production processes and how to increase the use of modern materials that would allow users to easily recycle their packaging with no harmful, polluting effects on the environment. We were interested in purchasing a modern production line by a German manufacturer something completely new for the Serbian market which would allow us to make significant resource savings during the production process, but at the same time increase our output capacity and make a better product, she says. This was a significant investment, the biggest in our companys 30-year history, but we expected great results and we started planning how we could achieve it with EBRD support. The EBRD and EU support private small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in making investments that help them become more competitive, both in local and foreign markets. To export to the EU, Serbian SMEs need to meet EU regulations, for example, in the areas of environmental protection, occupational health and safety, and product quality and safety all of which require additional investment. The EBRD and EU-supported programme offers SMEs access to credit lines through local partner financial institutions, precisely for this kind of investment. On successful completion of the investment, SMEs are eligible for a cashback grant of 15 per cent, which significantly reduces the overall cost of their investment. In addition, SMEs can obtain EBRD advisory support, which, in Serbia, is also funded by the EU. Greening the business We decided to take out a loan and invest in the new production line, Markovic says. The results have been very satisfactory: our production capacity has doubled and the modern technology has allowed us to create a full range of new products to meet the needs of even the most demanding customers. The investment has also allowed Bel-Plast to make significant cost savings. The new production line not only allows us to produce better and more, but to use fewer production resources, which has helped us to achieve significant savings, Markovic explains. We can now produce more in less time, using only 100 per cent virgin materials, with improved energy efficiency. EBRD and EU support Improving access to finance for SMEs is key to economic growth, especially in Serbia where SMEs account for around 65 per cent of the countrys employment. In addition to supporting entrepreneurs with EBRD and EIB, EU-funded projects in Serbia promote job creation, economic and technological development and legislative framework improvement, all of which contribute to an improved economic landscape. The EU supports the Serbian economy by strengthening its private sector and SMEs, which are essential for its economic growth. Through different mechanisms, the EU offers direct support for business development and supports business incubators. Furthermore, by promoting the cooperation between science and economy, the EU encourages companies and science and research organisations to create innovative products with commercial potential, said the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Ambassador Sem Fabrizi. "In 2020 alone, the EBRD provided over 480 million financing for private sector in Serbia, and biggest part of this support went to SMEs. Bel-Plast example shows how access to well-structured financial and advisory support can encourage local firms to invest in boosting their competitiveness. It pays off in the long run with higher sales with better quality products and higher production capacities, among other benefits. Encouraged by many great companies and their success stories to which we contributed through the 40 million programme to date, we are united with the EU in our ambition to continue providing support to the local companies in Serbia, said Zsuzsanna Hargitai, EBRD Director, Western Balkans. Oregon added 13,900 jobs last month, nearly twice as many as it gained in January, but the jobless rate remains stubbornly high. Unemployment was 6.1% in February, according to new data out Tuesday from the Oregon Employment Department. Thats on par with the national rate and down just a tenth of a percentage point from January. While the jobless rate has fallen for 10 straight months, the rate of improvement has slowed to a crawl over the past three months. Oregon remains down more than 150,000 jobs from February 2020. Oregon has regained a little less than half of the jobs it lost in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Last months job gains were almost entirely in the leisure and hospitality sector. Restaurants and bars began reopening to indoor service last month in many of Oregons largest counties after a three-month shutdown triggered by a steep rise in coronavirus infections and deaths. Oregon relaxed those rules in February as the outbreak faded. The re-openings in Oregons largest county didnt get underway until midway through the month, though, and their rebound may have been hindered somewhat by a snow and ice storm that hit the Portland area around Valentines Day. With business restrictions further relaxed this month, and COVID-19 hospitalizations continuing to trend downward, that offers some hope for greater improvement in March. Despite the pandemic recession Oregons deepest downturn on record some segments of the economy have added jobs over the past year. Transportation and warehousing is up 7.2%, 5,300 jobs, reflecting the shift to online shopping during the pandemic. Professional services are up 0.6% and architectural and engineering services are up 4.0%. Workers in those segments can generally do their jobs remotely, meaning they were somewhat insulated by the pandemics direct effects. Oregon listed 142,000 workers as unemployed last month, nearly double the number who were unemployed in February 2020. In addition, more than 100,000 Oregonians sought benefits last month through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, temporary aid Congress established at the outset of the pandemic. Congress extended that program, and other expanded benefits, into September in a new, $1.9 trillion relief package passed last week. But the employment department has warned that thousands of Oregonians may have a lapse in benefits while the agency adjusts its systems to accommodate the change. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia U.S. House of Representatives Passes Milestone Voting and Ethics Legislation State lawmakers in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona and other jurisdictions who continue to enact local voter suppression laws were put on notice by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives who passed a sweeping elections and ethics bill on Wednesday. House Resolution 1 the For the People Act of 2021 counts as a strong rebuke and counterbalance to voting restrictions considered or enacted in various Republican-led states across the country. It restricts partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts and nullifies obstacles for voters. Further, the bill demands campaign finance clarity. Top Democrats said the bill focuses on stopping corruption, expanding voting access, and improving accountability.Our purpose was to remove obstacles of participation for Democrats or Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared. That is what the law requires. That was the right thing to do. Thats what this legislation does. The bills passage, which now heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate, comes as the Supreme Court is poised to rule on two election rules from Arizona that could impose even more limits on the 1965 Voting Rights Act. ADVERTISEMENT The cases involve the return of absentee ballots and out-of-precinct provisional ballots. Democrats and others believe that if the court sides with Arizona Republicans, it would dismantle another Voting Rights Act section. GOP lawmakers in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan have all pushed for laws that would disproportionately impact voting rights, particularly those of African Americans. According to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, state lawmakers across the U.S. have filed more than 200 bills in 43 states that would limit ballot access. Two pieces of legislation making their way to the state Senate in Georgia would restrict voting access by ending automatic voter registration, banning drop boxes for mail-in ballots, and eliminate much of the states absentee voting. Legislation in the Peach State would also significantly reduce early voting on weekends and essentially halt the Souls to the Polls movement, a tradition for Black voters after leaving church on Sundays. Many view that effort as a response to President Joe Biden winning Georgia in 2020 and Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both Democrats capturing the Senate. ADVERTISEMENT The U.S. Houses For the People Act of 2021 automatically registers voters and provides voting rights to felons. It also mandates more than two weeks of early voting, offers voting-by-mail, and expands absentee ballot drop boxes all over the country. Speaker Pelosi and other Democrats have repeatedly shot down false claims by Republicans particularly former President Donald Trump of widespread voter fraud. Theyve noted that Trump and the GOP have targeted African American voters, ramping up rhetoric about fraud and conspiracy theories, specifically in heavily populated Black areas like Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia, Detroit, Michigan, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Regardless of political affiliation, voting should be easily accessible, Speaker Pelosi stated. However, the Speaker and others have maintained that Republicans are targeting minorities. They are not even coy about it. They are saying the quiet parts out loud, Tiffany Muller, the president of End Citizens United, a left-leaning group that aims to curtail the influence of corporate money in politics, told the Associated Press. For them, this isnt about protecting our democracy or protecting our elections. She noted that GOPs voter suppression tactics are solely for partisan political gain. The anti-democratic forces in the Republican Party have focused their energy on peddling unwarranted and expensive voter restriction measures, Stacey Abrams, who narrowly lost her 2018 Georgia bid to become the first Black female governor in U.S. history, told the Associated Press. We all have a right to take our seat at the table and our place at the ballot box, Abrams exclaimed. Despite the Houses action, the bill may be difficult to pass in the Senate, which is split 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris holding the tie-breaking vote. Unlike some bills that can pass through a process called reconciliation, the voting rights bill in its current form would need 60 yes votes to overcome a GOP filibuster. That means every Democrat must vote in favor of the measure, and 10 Republicans need to join them. When you look at what Republicans are doing across the country in statehouses to roll back access to the ballot box, we need to do what we can to establish baseline standards and best practices that allow people to register and vote in America without it being an obstacle course for them, stated Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Maryland), the bills lead sponsor. We may not get the opportunity to make this change again for many, many decades. Shame on us if we dont get this done. GARNER, Iowa A Hancock County man accused of being a drug dealer is pleading not guilty. Jeffrey Paul Reichardt, 52 of Garner, is now scheduled to stand trial beginning on June 9. Authorities say Reichardt has been bringing methamphetamine into the Garner area about every two weeks since May 2020 and selling it to other individuals. He was pulled over in Garner on February 2 for a stop sign violation and after a K9 dog was brought in, law enforcement says a search of Reichardts vehicle found 28 grams of methamphetamine, roughly a gram of marijuana, and a glass drug pipe. Authorities say a search of Reichardts home turned up approximately one gram of meth, two grams of marijuana, multiple glass pipes, small plastic baggies, and a scale. He is charged with two controlled substance violations, possession of a controlled substance-3rd of subsequent offense, and failure to use a drug tax stamp. In a potentially embarrassing development for the Left-led coalition in West Bengal, veteran Congress MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury Tuesday pitched for an alliance with the after the West Bengal assembly elections, if the situation so demands. Speaking to reporters, the Lok Sabha MP from Maldaha Dakshin said Congress' alliance partner CPI(M) forged a tie-up with ISF of Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui as it feared it will not be able to win a single seat. "We did not join hands with Abbas Siddiqui, CPI(M) allied with his party. I think they felt that they may not get a single seat in the elections, so they forged an alliance with him," Choudhury said. "We forged an alliance with the Left at first, then they went and allied with Siddiqui. We told them that we did not like it but they were scared that they may perform badly in the elections. So, they joined hands with Abbas, if he can get them eight-ten seats in the name of religion," he added. Choudhury said that Congress does not like those who play the communal card. "We don't like because of the behaviour they meted out to the Congress. But is not communal," he said. "If a situation arises post the elections, we will support the TMC to form the government in West Bengal, this is my personal opinion. This is because of philosophical reasons," said Choudhury, a four-time member of Parliament. The Left Front, Congress and ISF have forged an alliance to fight the elections in West Bengal, taking on the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP. Choudhury's comments stirred a row even as the three sides give final touches to the seat-sharing arrangement. "The Samjukta Morcha of the Left-Congress-ISF has been formed at the state-level after green-signal from Delhi. There is no doubt that we will fight this election together. He is a senior leader, I don't know what he has said and will not comment on it," CPI(M)'s Malda district secretary Ambar Mitra said. The BJP said that it was an "unholy" alliance, which will help the TMC to form government in case of a hung assembly. "We have been saying from the beginning that an unholy alliance has been forged in West Bengal and it will help the TMC in the future. Choudhury's comments make this thing clear that they will support TMC in case of a hung assembly," BJP's district vice-president Ajoy Ganguly said. The TMC claimed that the party will return to power with over 200 seats and it would not require anyone's support. "The kind of wave that is visible in West Bengal, I don't think we need some other party's support. We will come to power again with over 200 seats," TMC's district general secretary Hemanta Sharma said. Google is the lasted tech company to expand into the health market with a new Nest Hub assistant that monitors sleep. The seven-inch smart screen is packed with sleep-sensing technology that collects data while sitting at the owner's bedside. The feature, which Google intends to offer for free through at least this year, relies on a new chip Google calls Soli, which uses radar to detect motion, including the depth of a person's breathing. The data collected can be used to understand sleeping patters and how they change overtime, along with making suggestions on how it can be approved - such as recommending a certain time to crawl into bed. The new Nest Hub is available for $100, which displays pictures and video and users can access Google's voice-activated assistant for household tasks. This photo provided by Google shows the Nest Hub. Sleep-sensing technology will be a key feature on Google's next generation of its Nest Hub, a 7-inch display unveiled Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (Google via AP) But the latest Nest Hub's new trick may help differentiate from similar devices, such as Amazon's Echo Show, while also providing a springboard for Google to get more involved in helping people manage their help. It also offers a contactless approach compared to other companies like Apple and Garmin that already feature the option, but users need to operated a Smart Watch and app to make it work. The Nest Hub is supposed to generate weekly sleep reports with easy-to-understand breakdowns on the length and quality of sleep, how frequently the user gets up at night and snoring and coughing frequency, along with tips developed in consultation with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Google says it honed the technology by studying 15,000 sleeping people over a combined 110,000 nights. The Nest Hub is supposed to generate weekly sleep reports with easy-to-understand breakdowns on the length and quality of sleep, how frequently the user gets up at night This photo provided by Google shows the Nest Hub. Sleep-sensing technology will be a key feature on Google's next generation of its Nest Hub, a 7-inch display unveiled Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (Google via AP) That kind of help may sound appealing to the millions of people who have trouble sleeping. But the feature may also raise privacy concerns - especially given Googles long history of online surveillance to collect personal details such as interests, habits and whereabouts to help sell the digital ads that generate most of its revenue. It also underscores Googles obvious intent to extend its tentacles into new areas of peoples lives in its relentless quest to make more money, said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a consumer and privacy rights group. 'Google's goal is to monetize every cell of your body,' Chester said. The sleep sensing feature will remain free through the rest of this year, but Google could eventually sell it as a subscription service, acknowledged Ashton Udall, Google Nests senior product manager. The company may also eventually tweak the feature to work with its FitBit line of fitness devices, which Google took over in January. That $2.1 billion purchase has raised concerns that Google could use those gadgets to peer more deeply into people's personal health. Google is emphasizing the privacy protections built into the sleep sensing feature. For starters, users will have to turn it on themselves. The firm also notes sleep data collected will be stored separately from other data gathered by the device and 'will not be used for marketing' purposes. The Nest Hub will also have controls that Google says will make it clear when sleep tracking is on and to make it easy to delete data from the device. All audio will be kept on the device, meaning it won't be sent to Google's data centers, although other sleep information will be provided to generate the analysis and reports. None of the information collected through the sleep sensing feature will be used to sell ads, Udall said. But Chester is skeptical about that pledge. Knowing an individual's sleeping patterns, for instance, could help Google know when a person is feeling anxious or sick, Chester said, and those insights could influence which ads to show. The Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has defended governments decision to introduce new levies in the 2021 budget. Government is seeking to introduce four new levies and increase other existing ones this year. Some of the levies in question are COVID-19 health levy, Petroleum levy, Sanitation and Pollution levy as well as financial sector clean up levy. While presenting the 2021 budget in Parliament on Friday, March 12, 2021, Caretaker Minister for Finance, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained that Ghana has over the years faced difficulties with the economy arising from high excess capacity payments in the energy sector and other non-recurrent expenditures. Despite the substantial progress made by the Akufo-Addo Government, there is the need to find additional resources to cover the excess capacity charges that have resulted from the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed by the previous Government which required payments for capacity charges even when the plants involved were idle or unutilised. Mr. Speaker, it has become very necessary for Government to consider a review of the energy sector levies. The Energy Sector Recovery Levy of 20 pesewas per litre on petrol/diesel under the ESLA is hereby submitted to this House for approval. The Minority has however kicked against the decision. They argued that the taxpayer is already burdened by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and will be worse off with the introduction of the new taxes. But the Effutu legislator in a Citi News interview justified the need for the levies. According to him, they are needed for the efficient management of the economy. Look at the over GHS 21 billion that government had to give out to those who lost their investments and the social interventions the government had to give out to Ghanaians due to the COVID-19 pandemic and all these have to funded. Source: citi news 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 Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has issued a notice to former Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi for his statements against the Quran, asking him to tender an unconditional apology and to withdraw his comments within 21 days. The NCM has raised concerns about Rizvi's statements in the media on his plea in the Supreme Court for removal of the 26 verses from the Quran and has called it a "well thought conspiracy to disturb communal harmony." The notice sent by Joint Secretary, central government, Daniel E Richards, states that failing Rizvi's apology within the stipulated time, the NCM will hold a hearing under Section 9 of the NCM Act of 1992 and take appropriate legal action. The notice comes after NCM has received several complaints about Rizvi's statements and concluded after examination, that the statements were "provocative, malicious, against the national interest and creating animosity between different sects of Muslims and against rights of religious freedom guaranteed under the Constitution of India." The NCM further pointed out that Rizvi's statements violate Section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to wanton vilification or attacks upon religion, race, place of birth, residence and language of any particular group or class or upon founders and prophets of a religion. It also takes into account Section 295 A of the IPC pertaining to deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. The NCM has called the statement "prejudicial to national interest and with the intent to outage religious feelings by insulting a particular religion." Rizvi had recently approached the Supreme Court with a petition seeking deletion of 26 verses of the Quran which he has claimed are of "violent nature and not part of the original Quran, but added after the death of Prophet Mohammad." Complaints to NCM were made by one Abdul Majid Nizami, Ali Raza Zaidi, Mohd Faizan Chaudhary and Maulana Syed Nazar Abbas. New Delhi, March 16 : The internal probe carried out by the Army in the alleged Army recruitment scam has found that officers allegedly cleared candidates for the Services Selection Board (SSB) of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in December 2020 in lieu of money, sources said on Tuesday. The CBI has registered a case on March 13 this year on a complaint from the office of Additional Directorate General, Discipline and Vigilance, Adjutant General's Branch, Integrated Headquarter of Ministry of Defence (Army), DHQ PO, New Delhi. The CBI has booked 17 army officials including those of the ranks of Lieutenant colonel, Major, Naib Subedar, Sepoy etc; six private persons and others on the allegations pertaining to bribery and irregularities in recruitment of officers and other ranks through the SSB. The official said that several incriminating documents have been seized during the searches. The official said that the documents recovered during searches are being scrutinised. After registering a case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at 30 locations in at least 13 cities -- Kapurthala, Bathinda, Delhi, Kaithal, Palwal, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Vishakhapatnam, Jaipur, Guwahati, Jorhat and Chirangon. According to Army sources, it has been revealed that Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh, posted at Base Hospital at Delhi Cantonment sought assistance in passing SSB from Lt Colonel MVSNA Bhagwan in lieu of money. The source further said that Singh also touted aspiring candidates to Lt Colonel Bhagwan and he also accepted monetary gratification from Havildar Pawan Kumar for selection of his son in SSB. For the same, an undisclosed amount of cash was taken. Lt Colonel Bhagwan is currently on study leave in Visakhapatnam. The source further alleged that Lt Colonel Bhagwan, who was former GTO at 31 SSB, Kapurthala between 2015-19, received financial gratification for selection of Lt Navjot Kanwar. He said that he also lured candidates under the garb of clearing SSB in lieu of money. The source also said that Lt Colonel Bhagwan was also seen taking a package from Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh in a video footage of the passing out parade on February 26 this year. The source highlighted the role of Lt Colonel Surender Singh (Regiment of Artillery) Service Selection Centre, North Kapurthala. He said that Surender Singh allegedly accepted bribes for selection of 10-15 candidates and Rs one lakh was received by him in his bank account from Neeraj Kumar, son of Havildar Pawan Kumar. He also alleged that an undisclosed amount of cash for selection of 10-15 candidates was sent to Surender Singh's brother-in-law Bhupender Bajaj in Delhi. The source also said that Major Bhavesh Kumar (Corps of Engineers) SSC, North Kapurthala. Citing his role, the report stated that Bhavesh Kumar received undisclosed amount of cash for selection of 10-11 candidates, and the cash part of the gratification was later transferred into accounts of family members. Similarly, the role of Lt Navjot Singh, 12 GRENADIERS/21 Mountain Division in Assam's Guwahati has also been highlighted. He alleged that Lt Navjot Singh bribed Lt Colonel Bhagwan and Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh for his selection. Navjot Singh gave Rs 10 lakh to Lt Colonel Bhagwan through Kuldeep Singh and a civilian woman named Pragati. The source highlighted that Rs 5 lakh were transferred into the account of Kuldeep Singh through banking channels while Rs 4.5 lakh was transferred through banking channels to Pragati, who is a friend of Kuldeep Singh. The source further alleged that Havildar Pawan Kumar, posted at Army Service Corps Centre in Bengaluru, bribed Lt Colonel Bhagwan and Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh for selection of his son in NDA-146 course. For the same, Pawan Kumar transferred an undisclosed amount of cash to Kuldeep Singh and also transferred Rs 50,000 through UPI credit into bank account of Kuldeep Singh. He further highlighted that the undisclosed amount of cash was transferred through two cheques to Kuldeep Singh followed by Rs 2 lakh transfer through UPI into the bank account of Usha Kumawat, mother of Major Bhavesh Kumar and Rs 1 lakh each UPI tranfer in the bank account of Major Bhavesh's father Surendra Kumar and Major Bhavesh's wife Devyani. The source said that the Army's probe also pointed fingers at role of Lt Colonel YS Chauhan, who is posted at 6 Division Ordinance Unit, Bareilly for his alleged involvement as revealed by Lt Colonel Surender Singh, while he was posted at SSC, North Kapurthala and Lt Colonel Sukhdev Arora, Joint Director DG, Rect, New Delhi for his alleged involvement in selection malpractices as revealed by Lt Colonel Surender Singh. Citing the role of Lt Colonel Vinay, the source said that he was previously posted as GTO in selection centre in Bengaluru and he approached Lt Colonel Surender SIngh for selection of some candidates in SSB. It further said that the officer has retired from the Army. Meanwhile, Cadet Hemant Dagar SSC (T) 53, OTA Chennai and Cadet Indrajeet, NCC (SPL) Entry-47, OTA Chennai bribed Major Bhavesh Kumar for selection. The source said that the army probe also highlighted the role of private woman Pragati facilitated transfer of money from her account to other beneficiaries. He said that the army internal probe further revealed that Major Bhavesh used the bank acocunt of his father to transfer other monetary gratification received in cash. He said, it alleged that Neeraj Kumar, son of Havildar Pawan Kumar fraudulently enrolled for NDA, while Major Amit Fagna, posted at 422 Field Hiospital in Delhi Cantonment allegedly received bribe for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. He said, the report also stated that Naik Parwinder Jeet Singh, Medical Board Section, Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment was bribed for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. It further said that he also transferred cash to the tune of Rs 2.66 lakh for the same. The source said, Sepoy Kuldeep Singh used to assist Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh in referring candidates to Naik Parwinder to seek clearing of temporarily rejected candidates. Sepoy Rohit Kanwar, posted at Central Vehicle Depot Workshop in Delhi Cantonment was bribed for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. Havildar Harpal Singh of 227 Army Services Corps Batallion, was also bribed for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. Meanwhile, Havildar Rajesh Kumar, used to collect lists from Independent Recruitment Organisation of temporarily rejected candidates and divulged the merit list prematurely. (Anand SIngh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) New Delhi, March 16 : After Mahua Moitra of Trinamool Congress raked the issue of Swapan Dasgupta getting a BJP ticket in West Bengal assembly election despite being nominated member of the upper house, the Congress too have raised the issue. Congress Chief whip in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh has written a letter to Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu, and said that Dasgupta has neither resigned from the House but is set to contest election nor has he joined any party. Moitra had tweeted, "Swapan Dasgupta is BJP candidate for WB polls. 10th Schedule of Constitution says nominated RS member to be disqualified if he joins any political party AFTER expiry of 6 months from oath. He was sworn in April 2016, remains unallied. Must be disqualified NOW for joining BJP." Dasgupta's name was announced as the BJP candidate from Tarakeshwar assembly constituency on Sunday. Ramesh's letter to Naidu said: "A nominated member of the Rajya Sabha who has not formally joined a political party within six months of nomination and continues as a non-party, nominated member contest elections to Parliament or the assembly without first resigning as a nominated member?" Dasgupta was nominated to Rajya Sabha by the President in April 2016. As per the 10th Schedule that deals with disqualification of MPs, "A nominated member of a House shall be disqualified for being a member of the House if he joins any political party after the expiry of six months from the date on which he takes his seat after complying with the requirements of article 99 or, as the case may be, article 188." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text U.S. senators are introducing a resolution on Tuesday reiterating American support for the Northern Ireland peace deal struck more than two decades ago. The resolution was to be unveiled ahead of Saint Patrick's Day amid mounting concern in Washington that a post-Brexit row between London and the European Union is putting the Good Friday Agreement at risk. The office of Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, confirmed to CBS News that he and Republican Senator Susan Collins would offer the bipartisan motion on Tuesday. Last week, Ireland's minister for foreign affairs and the European Commission's vice president briefed a group of U.S. lawmakers on the latest developments regarding tension over the terms of the Brexit agreement, which came into effect at the beginning of this year, sealing the U.K.'s departure from the regional bloc. A dispute over implementing new checks on commercial goods moving between the U.K. mainland and Northern Ireland has strained the 1998 Irish peace agreement that ended three decades of bloodshed "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland. Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol The virtual briefing by the Irish and European officials was with members of the bipartisan Friends of Ireland caucus on Capitol Hill. That group was founded in 1981 to support initiatives in peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and was influential in securing support in Washington for the peace process. That peace is now in jeopardy over problems in implementing post-Brexit changes in trade, and in particular by the British government's unilateral decision to postpone implementation of new customs checks for several months beyond the agreed-upon start date in April. The decision has put the U.K. in breach of the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol, a provision in the Brexit agreement that London reached with the EU designed to allow continued free movement of goods and people between Ireland, which is an EU member state, and Northern Ireland, which left the EU with the rest of the U.K. in January. Story continues / Credit: Google Maps It took months of often acrimonious negotiations between Brussels and London to hammer out the Protocol, with the EU repeatedly voicing concern that the British government was ready to ride roughshod over provisions of the Irish peace deal. That peace agreement effectively and highly symbolically removed all signs of a physical border between Ireland and Northern Ireland 23 years ago. Borders and warnings Brexit has prompted a resurgence in discussion of, and calls for, a reunited Ireland. In the run-up to Ireland's national holiday on Wednesday, nationalist party Sinn Fein, whose aim is a reunited, single Ireland, launched an advertisement campaign in the United States calling for a referendum on reunification. But talk of a reunited Ireland which would mean the U.K.'s loss of Northern Ireland worries the mainly-Protestant Unionists, who fear losing the privileges they enjoy thanks to their slim political majority in the North. The EU sparked jubilation among unionists in Northern Ireland, and horror in Dublin, in January when, as as European nations struggled to find enough COVID-19 vaccine doses, it threatened to impose a hard border between the North and the Republic of Ireland to block vaccines from leaving EU territory. That ill-advised suggestion was promptly scrapped, but the damage was done. Outlawed unionist paramilitary groups, which were slow to get on board with the peace agreement in 1998, have now said they're temporarily withdrawing support for the peace deal due to concerns over the implementation of Brexit. Posters have appeared in many unionist areas of Northern Ireland opposing a Brexit border in the Irish Sea between Britain and the island that makes up both Ireland and Northern Ireland. Such a sea border would simplify customs matters, but underline Northern Ireland's separation from the rest of the U.K. Dog walkers walk past freshly painted loyalist graffiti in Belfast city center on January 31, 2021 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. / Credit: Charles McQuillan/Getty Some of the more sinister posters feature a masked gunman with the phrase: "Our forefathers fought for our freedom and rights. No border in the sea or we continue the fight." Brexit done, but still a sore point Tony Connelly, Europe editor at Ireland's national broadcaster RTE and author of "Brexit and Ireland," told CBS News that the current tension is very much part of wider, lingering friction between London and Brussels. "There are undoubted tensions within the unionist/loyalist community, as well as wider unease among business organizations at the disruptions the Protocol is causing," he says. "There is no sign yet of any immediate resort to violence, but these tensions will have to be carefully managed by the U.K., the EU, the Irish government, and local politicians. "The problem is that any shared EU-U.K. stewardship is being undermined by wider tensions between London and Brussels, including over COVID-19 vaccines and suspicion on the EU side that the U.K. has a tendency to breach the terms of the Brexit treaties it has signed, including the Protocol, for domestic political gain." Biden's "unequivocal" support Ireland's Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin was expected to update President Joe Biden on the latest post-Brexit developments when the two men speak on Wednesday to mark St. Patrick's Day. "President Biden has, of course, always taken a particularly supportive interest in Irish issues," former Irish ambassador to the U.K. and EU, Bobby McDonagh, told CBS News. "Brexit inevitably impacts on the delicate situation in Northern Ireland. The U.K. and the EU (including Ireland) have therefore negotiated a legally binding Northern Ireland Protocol to ensure that the balances of the Good Friday Agreement are respected insofar as possible in the new circumstances. It is essential that the Protocol is implemented effectively and in good faith. The continued interest of the U.S. President and Congress is therefore both welcome and important." We cant allow the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland to become a casualty of Brexit.Any trade deal between the U.S. and U.K. must be contingent upon respect for the Agreement and preventing the return of a hard border. Period. https://t.co/Ecu9jPrcHL Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 16, 2020 President Biden, some of whose family hails from the west of Ireland, has made no secret of his long-standing support for the Good Friday Agreement. In response to a question last week about Britain's move to postpone customs checks, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Mr. Biden's support for the deal remained "unequivocal." Congressman Ro Khanna on immigration reform, border crisis What can be done to address surge in migrant children at U.S.-Mexico border? Derek Chauvin's defense seeks delay in trial after $27 million Floyd family settlement Walk down just about any sidewalk in a commercial area, and at many intersections, youll come across utility boxes. Some house phone lines, others the controls for traffic lights and what not. All are usually grey or khaki green, terribly faded from the sun, and ugly. None of them are even close to appealing or interesting. Thats no longer the case in downtown Napa. This year, 13 of those boxes have been covered with artwork from local artists at intersections along First, Second, Third, Pearl and Jefferson streets as well as Soscol Avenue. Two installations are farther east on the Silverado Trail, one at the five-way crossing with Third Street and another at the Trails First Street intersection. The downtown project draws its inspiration from an earlier cabinet-art gallery, in which the Rail Arts District sponsored the decoration of a dozen metal boxes along the Napa Valley Wine Train in 2018. Details on how the funds will be spent remain to be worked out. But Stewart said roughly half of the grant money would go to organizations and initiatives seeking to promote racial justice and reconciliation. Some other funds would provide scholarships and other educational support for descendants of the 272. The company is finalizing production supply agreements with Bangladeshi pharmaceutical partners to produce Ivectosol 1% for use and distribution throughout the country Mountain Valley MD will be working under the supervision of Bangladeshs Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock on the trials ( ) (OTCQB:MVMDF) has said it is starting husbandry animal trials in Bangladesh for the companys injectable solubilized Ivermectin technology, Ivectosol 1%. Bangladeshs foreign minister HE Dr AK Abdul Momen welcomed the Toronto-based company to the country in a statement Tuesday. "We are very excited to be welcoming Mountain Valley MD to The People's Republic of Bangladesh and are proud that they have selected our country for important research projects and as a key production hub for its solubilized Ivectosol 1% product," Momen said. Mountain Valley MD will be working under the supervision of Bangladeshs Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock on the trials. Ivectosol 1%, a fully solubilized form of the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin, will be tested in cattle, goat and poultry under the supervision of the Bangladesh government's approved and authorized laboratories and research institutes, Mountain Valley told investors. The tests will be conducted by way of intra-muscular needleless injection of Ivectosol 1% in bid to demonstrate superior pharmacokinetics in terms of CMAX (peak serum concentration that a drug achieves) and AUC (area under the curve) with advanced drug withdrawal time control, versus current commercially available forms. The company is working with local partner R&G Group of Bangladesh to quickly advance research, development and manufacturing capabilities inside the country, it told investors. Trials are set to begin in early April and will last around 30 days, the company said. Mountain Valley MD is finalizing production supply agreements with Bangladeshi pharmaceutical partners to produce Ivectosol 1% for use and distribution throughout the country, and to use Bangladesh as a supply hub for wider global distribution. "We've been extremely impressed by the speed and pace with which the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh continues to provide our teams with incredible support for the testing and preparedness of an accelerated commercialization pathway for Ivectosol 1%," said Dennis Hancock, CEO of Mountain Valley MD in a statement. "Our pharmaceutical partners are both FDA and EU compliant and support our broader objectives to scale for global production. Securing top quality manufacturing within a competitive cost structure is critical to align with one of the core tenets of MVMD's mission to ensure accessibility to our technology for even the most disadvantaged nations." Dr Abdullah Al Mahamud, a PhD Fellow at Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, will be overseeing the trials. "Our government and its pharmaceutical partners realize the potential of this transformational project to not only impact our husbandry animal health, but also lay the groundwork to apply immediate effort on key human health applications, he said. Mountain Valley MD plans to pursue the broad husbandry and companion animal markets with its Ivectosol 1% technology to open up new applications such as poultry and duck that were not previously possible based on viscosity limitations of the generic Ivermectin drug to treat and prevent parasites in cattle, swine, goats and poultry. The study is also anticipated to demonstrate superior ease of administration by eliminating typically heavy restraint requirements and injection pain for the animal through needleless application, while dramatically reducing the risk of potentially fatal clostridial infection common with traditional injection site penetration from large gauge needles. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. IDC: shipments of wearables grows in the middle of a pandemic, hearables is the largest category IDC reports that shipments of wearables grew to 153.5 million in the final quarter of 2020, up 27.2% compared to the same period last year. The full year growth is about the same and shipments totaled 444.7 million. Last year the analysts started tracking a new category, hearables. They define it as an ear-worn audio device that does more than music: they access a digital assistant or provide health and fitness tracking. However, even an audio experience enhancement is enough for a headset to be classified as a hearable. Anyway, hearables are by far the largest category, making up two thirds of shipments. Smartwatches are a distant second with a 24.1% and then there are smart bands they proved to be the biggest loser and declined to just 11.5% share. While the pandemic has been negatively affecting the sales of many products, it has boosted health-conscious gadgets. Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC Mobile Device Trackers, says In-home fitness programs are quickly becoming a crucial component of the wearables offering for many companies. Beyond that, the proliferation of health sensors such as skin temperature, ECG, and heart rate tracking are allowing users and health professionals to better understand the onset and tracking of diseases.. Top 5 Wearable Device Companies by Shipment Volume, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q4 2020 (shipments in millions) Company 4Q20 Shipments 4Q20 Market Share 4Q19 Shipments 4Q19 Market Share Year-Over-Year Growth 1. Apple 55.6 36.20% 43.7 36.20% 27.20% 2. Xiaomi 13.5 8.80% 12.8 10.60% 5.00% 3. Samsung 13 8.50% 10.8 9.00% 20.50% 4. Huawei 10.2 6.70% 9.5 7.90% 7.60% 5. BoAt 5.4 3.50% 0.9 0.80% 470.10% Others 55.8 36.40% 42.9 35.60% 30.00% Total 153.5 100.00% 120.7 100.00% 27.20% Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, March 2021 Apple is the biggest player on the market with a 36.2% share. Apple Watch shipments shot up by 45.6%, hearables are growing too (though that growth is slowing down). Xiaomi placed second thanks to rising hearables sales, while the Mi Band is starting to lose ground. Next is Samsung, with 8.8 million hearables shipped (including Samsung-owned brands) and 1.3 million smart bands. Smartwatch shipments are down, however. Huawei ended up fourth, it saw increasing shipments in China (+9.4%), but it declined in most other markets. These numbers were for the final quarter of last year, heres the breakdown for the full 2020: Top 5 Wearable Device Companies by Shipment Volume, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, 2020 (shipments in millions) Company 2020 Shipments 2020 Market Share 2019 Shipments 2019 Market Share Year-Over-Year Growth Apple 151.4 34.10% 111.5 32.20% 35.90% Xiaomi 50.7 11.40% 41.7 12.00% 21.70% Huawei 43.5 9.80% 28.9 8.30% 50.70% Samsung 40 9.00% 31.4 9.10% 27.30% Fitbit 12.9 2.90% 15.9 4.60% -18.80% Others 146.1 32.90% 117.1 33.80% 24.70% Total 444.7 100.00% 346.4 100.00% 28.40% Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, March 2021 Source BELLEVUE, Wash., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Core Scientific , a leading infrastructure and software solutions provider for artificial intelligence and blockchain, announced it will provide innovative blockchain and AI solutions to the $314 million Agriculture Technology Campus in Early Branch, South Carolina. The high-tech agriculture campus is both the largest agricultural investment in the history of South Carolina and the largest agricultural investment in a Federal Qualified Opportunity Zone. Located between Charleston and Savannah, the Agriculture Technology Campus is a joint venture between Mastronardi Produce, Clear Water Farms, and LiDestri Food and Drink. The GEM Opportunity Zone Fund, a private investment firm focused on impact investing, will build and own all of the facilities on the campus, which includes greenhouses, a distribution center, and co-packing facilities. "Simply put, this is a major investment for the state of South Carolina, which has never seen an agricultural project of this scale. Additionally, a partnership of this nature between such well-respected names in the industry is the first of its kind," said Zeb Portanova, CEO at GEM Opportunity Zone Fund. "We're teaming with Core Scientific to create a bonafide technological epicenter for agriculture not just locally, but globally. Once fully realized, the Agriculture Technology Campus will be able to provide pesticide-free, locally grown produce for 50 to 60 million Americans in the Southeast from the vine to the shelf in just a couple of days." Blockchain provides a transparent and immutable registry of data, meaning produce recorded on the blockchain can be clearly traced from seed source to table. Thus, consumers can guarantee the provenance of their food while producers can identify and correct various issues throughout the supply chain. This technology, coupled with AI/ML, will have a broad impact on the interoperable manner the partners in the Agriculture Technology Campus will work. "This is one of the most technologically progressive teams I have worked with," said Ian Ferreira, Chief Product Officer of Artificial Intelligence at Core Scientific. "We will be working alongside the GEM Opportunity Zone Fund to commit all of the Agriculture Technology Campus facilities to Smart Agriculture increasing productivity, yield and crop provenance. Using blockchain paired with AI-enabled production processes and technologies, the goal is to create a Center of Excellence for this agriculture category right here in the US." SOURCE Core Scientific Related Links https://corescientific.com Canadian company Willful is proud to announce its entry into the Quebec market with todays launch of its fully bilingual online will platform for Quebec users. Willful is the first company to offer a fully digital notarial will, which can be completed 100% online without the need to physically print or consult a notary in person. The company, founded in 2017 by Erin Bury and Kevin Oulds, is the leading online estate planning platform in Canada, creating over 50,000 documents for customers in eight provinces since its inception. A human process, a personalized document Willfuls platform guides people through a series of questions about their life situation and helps them to appoint key roles like liquidators and legatees. Once the relevant information for end-of-life wishes has been gathered, Willful provides a customized document supported by a page of detailed instructions to ensure that all legal requirements are respected. Willful offers free updates in future, so you can keep your will up to date as life changes. The company partnered with local law firm Spiegel Sohmer to create its legal content in Quebec. Our mission is to use technology to simplify end-of-life planning, and were so excited to launch in Quebec today to help further that mission. Willful was part of Montreals FounderFuel accelerator in 2019, and were glad to bring our affordable, convenient, and easy platform to the local market, said Erin Bury, co-founder, Willful. We've worked with local estate lawyers to create the most complete online estate planning service available in Quebec, so you and your family can be prepared for tomorrow. Willful advantages 1. The cost Willful services are only a portion of the cost of a visit to a lawyer or notary. 2 plans are available: A will for $99 (will in front of witnesses) A notarial will for $349 (includes virtual execution by a notary and registration with the Chambre des notaires) 2. The convenience Consumers can create their will at home or work without having to make an in-person appointment or coordinate with another partys schedule. 3. The time - Once the key decisions have been made (liquidator, guardian, legatees), Willfuls online creation process takes less than 20 minutes. A few statistics 43% of Quebecers over 18 years old dont have a will. The main reasons being: Cost Feeling that it is not essential Confusion on how to proceed Time dedicated to the process 79% of Quebecers under the age of 35 don't have a will More than half (55%) of Quebecers say they have a will, with 45% saying that their will was drafted by a notary More than half (55%) paid more than $250 for their will Healthcare Workers Willful has a special promotion for healthcare workers. The company is offering free $99 wills to frontline healthcare works during COVID-19, and has given out over 3,000 wills to date across Canada. What else is possible with Willful platform? Appoint a liquidator and backups Appoint a tutor and backups Appoint a guardian for your pet (and backups) Leave specific legacies to people you care about Decide how your assets will be divided Outline funeral and burial wishes Willful's local partners: Legal advisor: Alexandre Dufresne, tax & estates lawyer, Spiegel Sohmer. Montreal-based partner notary who handles the execution of notarial wills virtually, in compliance with Chambre des notaires COVID-19 emergency orders. "COVID-19 has made emergency planning more top-of-mind for everyone, and restrictions have highlighted the need for more accessible online tools. I'm excited to partner with Willful to bring its simplified estate planning platform to Quebec, since we need more modern, technology-driven solutions to end-of-life planning." mentions Alexandre Dufresne Your will, your way: Willful's mission is to help people create the legal documents they need to protect and provide for their loved ones. To learn more about Willful, please visit the website: http://willful.co/en-qc Statistics Source : Leger Marketing An online survey of 1003 Quebecers was completed between November 13 and 15, 2020, using Legers online panel. Information: For more details, please contact: Karine Vezina, bicom, karine@bicom.ca, 514 827-7748 Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 18:28:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Unknown militiamen kidnapped 16 Ugandan fishermen on Lake Albert shared with eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), police said here on Tuesday. Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesman, told Xinhua by telephone that the fishermen were abducted together with their motorized engine boats and taken to DRC on Sunday. Hakiza said the abductors were asking for ransom before they release the captives. "This is not the first time the Congolese are abducting Ugandans. What normally happens is that they have their go-between negotiators who pick a ransom of between 500 and 1,000 U.S. dollars before the victims are released," the police spokesperson said. "We do not know exactly where they were taken because there are many landing sites on the Congolese side. What we are sure of is that they were taken to Congo," Hakiza said. He said the marine police have since intensified patrols on the lake. In October last year, suspected Congolese militiamen also abducted 16 Ugandan fishermen from the same lake. Enditem WINTER PARK, Fla., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Palmer Electric, the longest operating electric company in Central Florida, celebrates its 70th anniversary on March 21, 2021. Founded in 1951 by Howard Palmer, the company has evolved over the years, but has remained true to its beginnings as a family-oriented organization. Today, the company provides residential and commercial electrical services in addition to new construction and fire alarm and security system services. Palmer Electric Company celebrates 70 years in business. Left column images show the original 1951 headquarters on Jackson Avenue in Winter Park, FL, as well as vintage images of electricians at work, the Palmer Electric van, the Kissimmee storefront, and the lighting showroom. Right column images show Palmer Electric founders, the current headquarters at the same location, and a current Palmer Electric truck and van. CEO Tom Beard started at Palmer Electric in 1971 as an accounting intern and celebrates his 50th year with the company this year. "The environment the founder created was the sense of family. He respected the employee as an individual, not a number. It really felt like home, and I've tried to maintain that," said Beard. Over the years, Palmer Electric has provided services in multiple sectors, including electronics, pool service, and a subsidiary that made micro-computers for business in the early 1980's. "Looking to the future, Palmer Electric will continue to meet the rapidly changing needs of homeowners, businesses, and contractors. These include electric cars, the need for houses to be wired for electric car chargers, and solar panel installation," said Beard. The company is proud of its roots in Central Florida and still refers to the mission statement created by founder Howard Palmer in 1950, which includes their commitment "to provide safe, quality and reliable service as the true measure of thrifty value to all customers in the Palmer Electric marketplace." Palmer Electric is a longtime member of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and has held key roles in area non-profits and industry associations over the years. Beard credits their success in part to "a great number of residential and commercial customers who have known Palmer for decades" as well as a dedicated team. Receptionist Pam Ternus has been with Palmer Electric for 24 years and has managed administrative aspects of almost every division of the company, as well as permitting. Ternus said, "When I started here, we were just like a family. I wouldn't think of leaving except to retire." About Palmer Electric Based in Winter Park, FL, Palmer Electric is the leader in Orlando and Central Florida in residential and commercial electrical services, new construction, and low voltage services including fire alarm system installation and monitoring and security system installation and monitoring. For more information about Palmer Electric, visit palmer-electric.com. SOURCE Palmer Electric Company Related Links http://palmer-electric.com Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A day after the Texas Senate passed a bill requiring regulators to retroactively reduce wholesale electricity prices charged during last months catastrophic winter storm, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick declared the legislation dead, saying Tuesday that the Texas House has declined to take it up. Patrick, who rushed the bill through the Senate on Monday with a Saturday deadline for changing the prices, said the House will not bring it up for a vote. In a statement, House Speaker Dade Phelan made it clear he does not agree with repricing electricity to minimize damage done by an estimated $16 billion in overcharges during the storm. Phelan, R-Beaumont, called it an extraordinary government intervention into the free market, which may have major consequences for both residential and commercial consumers going forward. He sided with managers of the states electric grid the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utilities Commission who said the decision to leave sky-high prices in effect was intended to protect Texans from further outages. ERCOT and PUC failed Texas repeatedly during this tragic event, but the decisions made on pricing were made based on ensuring the reliability of the grid, Phelan said. I believe that the decisions may have saved lives. Phelans office does not agree that the House killed the bill and pushed back against Patricks statement on Tuesday. Still, the bill is not scheduled for any hearings in the House this week and would be moot after March 20. Phelans staff would not say when it might schedule such a hearing. IN-DEPTH: Texas electric grid failures fuel new divide between Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick As Patrick shared the news with members of the Texas Senate 27 out of 31 senators supported it he told them he was proud that they stood for the individual while the House stood for big business. Obviously its going to be complex. Obviously its going to be difficult, Patrick said. But I am so disappointed that something that 27 of you supported and all of you thought about, that is important to do 26 million people under ERCOT was dismissed without a serious looking at the facts. Patrick added in a statement later that the Senate hoped that House members would take a vote on the floor, so their constituents know where they stand, just like we did. Gov. Greg Abbott had also raised concerns that repricing would violate the Texas Constitution and stressed such a decision shouldn't be made hastily. The issue had caused an unusual rift between Abbott and Patrick, who rarely show anything but unity on priority issues such as this. Patrick spars with Abbott The downfall of Senate Bill 2142 is a victory for Abbott. After the storm, the second-term Republican governor had called for the Legislature to address the correction of any billing errors, but he later cast doubt on whether repricing was the right solution. The spat between Patrick and Abbott over the issue began Friday when Patrick blasted Abbotts newest appointee to the utility commission for a lack of competence and questionable integrity. The commission chair, Arthur DAndrea, has insisted that his agency does not have the authority to allow repricing at this point, and on Monday, Abbott said he worried lawmakers lacked the authority to take retroactive action on existing contracts. But Patrick, with the support of all but three senators, pushed forward. Phelan, in his first term as House Speaker, seems unlikely to call for a floor vote on the matter. Part of the House Speakers job is to protect members from taking votes that will spark political divisions without accomplishing anything. His office said in a statement: Speaker Phelan and Lt. Gov. Patrick have had no conversation about SB 2142. CPS Energy out $1 billion The high prices took a toll on retail electric providers and distributors who had to pay them to keep Texans power on. The states largest electric power cooperative, for example, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month. San Antonios CPS Energy is out $1 billion and on Friday sued ERCOT, alleging it erred by leaving the maximum prices in place too long. At the same time, generators that were prepared for the storm with weatherized equipment or that made money by reselling power through the grid have come out on top. The chairman of the utility commission, which oversees the states grid operator, had also warned of the possibility that repricing would lead to lawsuits by power generators who would have to return earnings. Phelan noted that after hearing almost 30 hours of testimony over the last several weeks, members have filed a number of bills to address the failures of electric grid, including alternatives to repricing that would give cash-strapped utilities the option to use securitized bonds to cover their debts over time. Similar bills have been filed by Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, who was one of three no-votes on the Senate repricing bill. These House bills are set for hearing this week, Phelan said. The House will continue to examine this issue that touched the lives of every single Texan directly and indirectly. The House State Affairs committee will meet at 8 a.m. on Thursday. Jeremy Blackman contributed to this report. Top Democrat Senator Says Biden Immigration Bill Unlikely to Pass A Senate Democrat leading the partys efforts to pass an immigration bill that would allow millions of illegal immigrants to get on an 8-year pathway to citizenship cast serious doubt on the likelihood of the proposal passing. Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the chambers second-ranking Democrat, declared that he doesnt believe there is enough backing in Congress to pass the aggressive bill, one of the issues that President Joe Biden campaigned on. I dont see a means of reaching that, Durbin said on Monday. I want it. I think we are much more likely to deal with discrete elements [of such a plan]. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has been insisting on dealing with the issues involved with the inpouring of children and families at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Durbin, and this would make it more difficult to deal even with the individual aspects of immigration law changes. When we start getting into the other areas, it gets much more complicated. He knows that, Durbin said, referring to Graham. Durbin said added later: I wish we could move one piece at a time, but I dont think thats in the cards. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to the press as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 13, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Graham noted that the problems at the border render the possibility of reaching an agreement much harder, further telling reporters that he believes a comprehensive immigration bill wont work out this year based. Its going to be really hard to get a bipartisan bill put together on anything that has a legalization component until you stop the flow, Graham said. Last month, Democrats in Congress formally introduced Bidens new immigration bill. The U.S. Citizenship Act provides an earned path to citizenship for our nations undocumented community, with qualifying Dreamers, TPS (Temporary Protected Status) holders, and essential farmworkers that feed America eligible for green cards immediately, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of the bill in a statement. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks about the Equality Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo) While the plan offers one of the fastest pathways to citizenship of any proposed measure in recent years, it does so without offering any enhanced border security, which past immigration negotiations have used as a way to win Republican votes. Without enhanced security, the bill faces tough odds in a closely divided Congress. Some GOP members expressed their opposition to the approach of the proposed reforms. No! This is not the right time and certainly not the right set of policies, Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) wrote in Twitter, pointing to the pandemic. Lets focus on those Americans who are struggling right now. The left wants to fund this border security around the Capitol but they dont want to fund a border wall at our southern border, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told Fox News. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that Bidens immigration proposal is blatantly partisan and disregards the countrys safety and economy. A worker disinfects a Manila village as the Philippine capital marks the one-year anniversary of a community quarantine to fight the spread of COVID-19, March 15, 2021. The Philippine government on Tuesday acknowledged a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, with more than 24,000 new infections over the past five days, but stressed that decisions to impose lockdowns would be left to local governments. The health department reported 4,437 infections on Tuesday, bringing the total to 631,320. It also recorded 11 deaths, bringing the toll to 12,848. To those who said we need to impose a lockdown, the truth is we have granular localized lockdowns. We use a lockdown as an instrument to slow the spread in a place where there is a high number of cases, presidential spokesman Harry Roque told a virtual news conference. On Monday, Roque announced that he had contracted the coronavirus. Right now there appears to be no need to declare an ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] because our hospitals have not been overwhelmed, we havent reached the yellow line. So we are not yet in a critical situation because we can attend to those who are getting sick. While some hospitals are at full capacity, a hospital command center is able to direct patients elsewhere, Roque said. Daily infections totaled 4,578 on Friday, 5,000 on Saturday, 4,899 on Sunday and 5,404 on Monday, the one-year anniversary of a nearly nationwide lockdown that was in place for two months. The Philippines recorded its highest number of infections to date, 6,968, on Aug. 10, 2020. We are nearing the peak that we saw last August, and its possible that we may surpass that number if we cant bring down the number of COVID-19 infections, Roque said.He said the national government has been allowing local governments, including Manila and nearby provinces, to decide whether they would declare granular lockdowns similar to what authorities in Hong Kong have been doing when they close certain districts or neighborhoods.In Manila, government officials have mandated that youths under 18 must not leave their residences for two weeks beginning on Wednesday, Reuters reported. In Pasay, a city in Metro Manila, authorities had arrested nearly 450 curfew violators as of Tuesday, after extending overnight curfew hours on March 12 and intensifying enforcement of health protocols, the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. A woman walks past a Manila hospital displaying a sign reading Full Capacity for COVID-19 Cases, March 15, 2021. [Basilio Sepe/BenarNews] Vaccine commitments The Philippine government, which began vaccinations this month, has received 1.12 million doses of vaccine, from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac and British-Swedish company AstraZeneca. As of Tuesday, 215,997 individuals had received shots, the government said. The countrys population is close to 110 million. To date, the Philippines has secured commitments for fewer than 18 million doses of vaccine. Neighboring Indonesia, by contrast, has received commitments for more than 400 million doses. On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte sought to assure the nation that more vaccines would arrive soon. We still dont have excess vaccines. This means that nothing has arrived, except those donated, he said. I will just say to my countrymen that do not despair. We can deal with this COVID. He also sought to downplay the impact of the coronavirus, saying that it was a small thing in our lives, as he urged people to not lose hope. The government official in charge of procuring COVID-19 vaccines, retired Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., has said 1.4 million doses of Sinovac vaccines and about 1 million more from AstraZeneca were expected by April. On Tuesday, Galvez offered an explanation for the rise in infections. When the people found out that the vaccines are arriving, we noticed they have relaxed, he told reporters during a virtual news conference. Richel V. Umel and Froilan Gallardo in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, contributed to this report. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A private school in Manhattan is encouraging its students to stop using the terms mom, dad, and parents because the words make assumptions about kids home lives. Instead, children are encouraged to use the terms grown-ups, folks, family, or guardians as substitutes. In its push for gender inclusion, the school wants its students to substitute people for boys and girls. Rather than lining up as boys and girls, they are to line up alphabetically or by types of shoes. If someone says, a boy cant marry a boy, they are encouraged to respond by saying, People can love and commit to whomever they please, its their choice who they marry. Instead of wishing each other Merry Christmas! or even Happy Holidays!, they are to say, Have a great break! When I saw the story, I assumed it was about another highly secularized school at war with Judeo-Christian morality. Multiple examples of such conflicts are in the news these days. For instance, a curriculum being considered in California seeks to displace Christian culture and recommends that teachers instead lead students in a series of songs and chants to the Aztec gods (whom the Aztecs traditionally worshiped with cannibalism and human sacrifice, by the way). It turns out, the school in Manhattan is Grace Church School. A school official explained their language policy: As part of our Episcopal identity, we recognize the dignity and worth common to humanity. Why we must be spiritual fruit inspectors There are two kinds of threats in our fallen world: those we can identify and those we cannot. Examples of the former abound: a New York bill that could force schools to teach sex education to kindergartners and gender identity to second graders; the escalation of forced marriages and physical violence against Christian women around the world; and the Biden administrations push for taxpayer-funded abortions, for instance. Like an Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid that missed our planet on March 5 but will return in eight years, we can see these threats coming. Other threats are not obvious until they are dangerous, like a meteor that caused Earth-shaking booms over Vermont on March 7. Such threats are especially insidious because, by the time we know we are in a conflict, it can be too late to respond. This is true medically of cancer, heart disease, and other ailments. It is true geopolitically with rising threats from China and elsewhere. And it is true spiritually as well. In fact, I fear threats from within the body of Christ far more than those from without. Jesus warned us to beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). How are we to identify them? He told us, You will recognize them by their fruits (v. 16). Ultimately, our Lord assured us, Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (v. 19). In the meantime, it is vital that we be fruit inspectors of those who claim to serve and represent our Lord. The Bible is an anvil Grace Church School is an example of this challenge. I wholeheartedly agree that we should recognize the dignity and worth common to humanity. Every human is created in the image of our Creator (Genesis 1:27), someone for whom Jesus died (Romans 5:8) and therefore a person of sacred worth. However, we do not recognize the dignity and worth common to humanity by violating Gods word and will for humanity. Scripture not only tells us that we are loved by God (John 3:16)it also tells us how to live our best lives and how to relate to others in truthful, redemptive ways. When we alter or reject biblical revelation on sexuality or any other issue, however kind our motive might seem, we do far more harm than good. The Bible has been likened to an anvilwe do not break Gods word; we break ourselves on it. This threat of internal compromise in the body of Christ is growing exponentially today. As I have written previously, for the first time we are facing widespread claims that religious freedom is being used by evangelicals to harm others and thus should be disallowed. We are being caricatured as homophobic, bigoted, and dangerous. We are seen as the majority oppressing the minority. If we stand for biblical truth, increasingly we will stand alone. Such pressure is especially difficult for those whose institutional futures are in question. Religious schools who affirm biblical morality could risk the loss of Title VI federal assistance for their students, inclusion in the NCAA and other organizations, and even their tax-exempt status. Trustee boards composed primarily of businesspeople will be sorely tempted to concede their moral codes rather than risk their institutions financial health. Similar risks await religious hospitals, adoption agencies, churches, and other ministries. What Christians should do How should followers of Christ respond to the cancel culture phenomenon? One: See persecution as a call to courageous perseverance. David said to the Lord, Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me (Psalm 25:19). This was the experience of someone the Lord described as a man after my heart (Acts 13:22). If he faced violent hatred, we should expect the same. And we should pray for Gods protection as we continue to share Gods word. Here was the secret to Davids courage: I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken (Psalm 16:8). Lets do the same. Two: Seek the reward of God before the acclaim of the culture. It is often possible to serve both Christ and Caesar (cf. Matthew 22:21). Joseph was able to serve the Egyptian pharaoh and his Jewish family. Nehemiah was cupbearer to the Persian king and governor of Jerusalem. Esther was queen in Persia as well as her peoples protector. But when we must choose, we must choose Christ over Caesar. Peter and John said to the Sanhedrins demand that the apostles cease preaching: Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:1920). Daniel continued praying to God in defiance of the kings edict (Daniel 6:10). Jeremiah risked his life to speak prophetic truth to the king (cf. Jeremiah 38:1423). It is a paradoxical fact that the less we seek the acclaim of people, the more faithfully we can minister to them. Henri Nouwen noted: We can really be in the world, involved in the world, and actively engaged in the world precisely because we do not belong to it, precisely because that is not where our dwelling place is. Precisely because our home is in God, we can be in the world and speak words of healing, of confrontation, of invitation, and of challenge. Three: Choose to engage the culture with truth and grace. Jesus words are emblazoned on libraries and universities across the land: You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32). But context is vital. In the previous verse, our Lord said to the Jews who had believed in him, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples' (v. 31). Only on this condition would they know the truth and be set free by it. Here we learn this vital fact: humans find true freedom only in obedience to the word of God. As a result, when we speak truth to culture, we are giving others a gift they desperately need but can find nowhere else. Counter to the postmodern claim that all truth is personal and subjective, which makes evangelism and ministry an imposition of our beliefs on others, we are sharing good news that is vital and transforming. An oncologist is not intolerant when she tells her patient that he needs lifesaving surgery. An attorney is not intolerant when he advises his client that she needs to plead guilty to avoid an even harsher sentence. It is urgent that we continue to speak biblical truth to cultural issues. But it is also urgent that we speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). In fact, such kindness is especially important as our response to the unkindness of others. Jesus told his followers, You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also' (Matthew 5:3839). In Jesus day, the left hand was never used in public. As a result, if I were to slap you on the right cheek with my right hand, I must employ a backhanded motion. This is obviously a shaming action rather than a life-threatening attack. Jesus words depict physically what cancel culture through social media attempts to do verbally. According to our Lord, we must not respond in kind. Scripture is clear: we are to put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander (1 Peter 2:1). Instead, we are to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people (Titus 3:2). With our words and attitudes, we are to reflect the truth and grace of our Lord. Conclusion Paul encouraged Timothy to fight the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12). We do this by our personal character: Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness (v. 11). To pursue (the Greek word means to run hard after) these virtues in our fallen culture is indeed a fight. And we do it by our public words: Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching (1 Timothy 4:13). Im convinced that if Paul were alive today, he would be using social media to spread the good news of Gods love and the truth of his word. And he would face criticism and worse. Cardinal Newman was right: Nothing would be done at all, if a man waited till he could do it so well, that no one could find fault with it. Those who oppose biblical truth may try to cancel those who proclaim it, but we know how the story ends. As my college professor said, we can summarize the book of Revelation in two words: We win. In the meantime, lets be faithful to speak biblical truth with biblical grace. Lets remember that those who reject this truth need it the most. And lets choose the courage that honors Jesus and demonstrates the relevance and power of our faith to our fallen world. Albert Schweitzer testified, Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is nowalways. Do you agree? Originally published at the Denison Forum Still, the age 65 requirement makes it hard not to focus on his own age. Roberts will turn 65 in late April. He has his annual physical slated for early in the month, he said, and plans to ask then about when and how he will be able to access a vaccine after his birthday. Lakkaboina Estheramma contested as YSR Congress nominee from the 18th ward in Addanki reserved for SC general candidate and she won with a 266-vote majority. (Photo: Twitter @balineni_vasu) Nellore: Luck favoured a woman from a Schedule Caste family and working as a labourer in a brick kiln to become chairperson of the Addanki Nagar Panchayat in Prakasam district. The seat is reserved for SC woman. Lakkaboina Estheramma contested as YSR Congress nominee from the 18th ward in Addanki reserved for SC general candidate and she won with a 266-vote majority. Notably, her win came even as the YSRC leaders paid little attention to the ward. The party nominated Estheramma as it could not find a suitable male candidate, and the ward was generally a sure seat for the TDP. The ruling party leaders, instead, worked hard to ensure the victory of YSRC nominees M Lakshmi Rajyam and Jallipogu Manemma in 6th and 15th wards respectively, which were reserved for SC women. Their aim was to nominate one of them to the chairperson post. As it turned out, both the women lost the elections. Then, the YSRC leaders decided to consider an ST woman candidate they had nominated for the 7th ward reserved for ST woman, for the chairperson post in view of a provision to nominate an ST candidate if a suitable SC candidate is not available. Unfortunately, she too lost with 10 votes. Though a recounting was taken up following the YSRC demand for it, the results remained the same. The leaders dropped their demand for another round of recounting and heaved a sigh of relief when some party workers reminded them about Estherammas victory from the 18th ward. YSR Congress leaders rushed to Ongole to seek the approval of energy minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy for the nomination of Estheramma for the chairperson post. A resident of Addanki, Hanumanth Reddy, said YSR Congress leaders hardly had any hope on winning 12 seats out of the 20 in Addanki. The town was a stronghold for the TDP, which won 7 seats, the highest for the party in the civic bodies of Prakasam district. He said Estheramma also had no hope of winning the seat and she remained at home, unconcerned about the outcome of the polls when the counting was in progress. She had concluded that she was set to loss the poll. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 04:59:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BUCHAREST, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Moldovan President Maia Sandu late Tuesday nominated Igor Grosu, acting chairman of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), as the candidate for prime minister. "I ruled to nominate Igor Grosu as the candidate for the office of Moldova's prime minister. I asked Mr. Grosu to prepare the program and the governance team, with which he is to go to parliament," Sandu said at a press briefing following her separated consultations with all parliamentary factions earlier in the day. "So, now a decision remains after the Parliament... we'll see what the factions' decision will be," said Sandu. Despite the nomination, the head of state still insisted on the idea of holding a snap general election and hoped that it would happen in the coming summer. The PAS remained firm on its position that a snap parliamentary election should be held this year, Grosu, acting chief of the party founded and led by Sandu before she became president, stressed soon after the party's consultations with Sandu. Moldova has been governing by a caretaker cabinet since Prime Minister Ion Chicu resigned on Dec. 23, 2020. On Feb. 11, the first attempt to form a new government failed after Natalia Gavrilita, the candidate for Prime Minister designated by the president, didn't obtain any vote in the parliament. Then, Sandu nominated once again Gavrilita for the premiership, but her decree was later declared unconstitutional by the country's Constitutional Court. Local media said that Sandu has been pushing for an early parliamentary election soon after her election as president at the end of last year. According to a survey conducted late last year, if an early election is held in the near future, the PAS may win and become the largest party in the new parliament. Currently, the Party of Socialists, led by former President Igor Dodon, is the largest party in parliament with 37 seats, while the PAS has 15 seats. If the current attempt to form the government fails, the parliament may be dissolved and a snap parliamentary election will be called. Under Moldova's constitution, an early parliamentary election is triggered if parliament fails twice to vote in a new government. Enditem * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. This is the shocking moment a young thug breaks a pensioner's ribs during an unprovoked attack in a London launderette. Detectives working on the case have re-released CCTV footage of the brutal attack in an effort to track down the man responsible. The footage shows the assailant enter the launderette in Harlesden, north-west London, before launching the unprovoked attack. The Metropolitan Police are searching for this man after a 78-year-old man was assaulted in a launderette in Harlesden, north west London, pictured The assailant pushed the man to the ground where he suffered four broken ribs The assault, which police described as 'frightening and cowardly' took place on June 6, 2020 A few minutes after beating the man to the floor, the assailant returned to apologise, even offering the 78-year-old victim 20 in compensation. The victim, who is a retired welder, suffered four broken ribs. He was taken from the launderette to hospital where he was treated for a week. The incident took place at around 11.30am on Saturday, June 6, 2020. According to detectives, the assailant arrived at the scene in a car with two other men, who did not take part in the assault. DC Jonny Byswater, from North West Basic Command Unit, who is investigating, said: 'I would like to continue to ask people to look at the CCTV footage and see if they recognise this man, then do the right thing and contact police. 'I believe someone out there will recognise this man and be able to tell us who he is. This was a frightening and cowardly attack on an innocent victim and it is imperative we find the person responsible. After the attack, the man returned to the scene to apologise and even offered his victim 20 so he could pay for his washing DC Jonny Byswater, from North West Basic Command Unit, who is investigating, said: 'It is imperative we find the person responsible' 'The victim and his family were left terrified following the callous actions of a man who preyed on a vulnerable, elderly person. We are doing everything we can to get justice for the victim and to make sure those responsible face the consequences of their actions.' Anyone with information on the attack can call 101 and quote reference CAD 2717/05JUN20. The can also tweet detectives @MetCC or provide an anonymous tip off to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 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committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia On Saturday, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina issued an order for all undergraduate students to shelter in place, citing a recent spike in positive COVID-19 cases. Effective at midnight, Saturday, March 13, all Duke undergraduate students are required to stay-in-place until 9 a.m., Sunday, March 21, wrote three administrators in the initial email to students Saturday. If this feels serious, its because it is, they added later on in the same email. Perkins Library, Duke University (Photo: Wikipedia) The order follows the largest one-week rise on campus since the beginning of the pandemic last March, with 180 students in isolation from a positive test, and 200 students in quarantine as a result of contact tracing measures. According to the universitys COVID Dashboard, over 300 students have tested positive this semester, more than twice the total of positive test results from the entire fall semester. For a week, all in person classes, including labs, have been shifted online, and on-campus students are required to remain in their residence halls at all times, except for essential activities related to food, health, or safety. Students living off campus will not be permitted on university grounds, except to participate in testing or to visit the Student Health Center. The administration is attempting to shift the blame for the outbreak squarely on the students. The email sent to students announcing the shelter-in-place order explicitly says that the recent case spike is tied to students attending recruitment parties for selective living groups. Previously, the university said many new cases were tied to events organized by fraternities that had disaffiliated from the university, the Duke Chronicle reported. Despite the role celebrations or other social campus activities play in the spread of the virus, the attempt to scapegoat students for the outbreak is a dishonest effort to cover over the culpability of the university administration itself. The conditions in student dormitories, classrooms, labs, and even off campus housing, are simply not conducive to proper social distancing measures. School administrations are fully aware of the devastating impact that school reopenings had on students, teachers and staff, along with the broader community in college towns throughout the country, during the fall semester. Towns and cities with colleges that reopened for in-person learning, or which, for one reason or another, allowed large numbers of students to return to their dorms, quickly become some of the worst hot spots in the country. In fact, recent research published in the science journalism website Science News, How 5 Universities tried to handle COVID-19 on campus: Fall semester was the start of a big experiment, shows that in-person education remains a breeding ground for the spread of the pandemic. With campuses reopening and bringing students back, Science News writer Betsy Ladyzhets found a 56 percent increase in COVID-19 cases during the three-week period of in-person instruction in comparison to the three weeks before, when the universities offered remote learning. The piece also found that in the same counties where universities offered remote learning, COVID-19 cases dropped by almost 18 percent. Despite the dire state of the pandemic, the deadly experience of the fall semester, and the immense amount of scientific evidence advising against reopening, Duke, along with dozens of other campuses, went ahead with their spring reopening plans. Universities are hoping the invocation of personal responsibility of students will be sufficient to contain outbreaks. It should go without saying that the task of keeping campuses safe is not primarily, let alone solely, the responsibility of students. In continuing to keep the university open, gathering over 15,000 students into a concentrated area, the Duke administration is following the lead of the entire American bourgeois political establishment in allowing the virus to rip through the population, come what may. Even as the scientific community is raising the alarm on the catastrophic threat that newly emerging variants of the virus pose to public health, federal and state governments are intensifying the drive-back-to-work campaign and the full-scale reopening of schools. All policies to control and contain the pandemic are pushed aside in the interests of the profit motive of the elite, even while countless students, teachers, and workers throughout the community die from the virus. The reopening of campuses now is all the more criminal when one considers that coronavirus vaccines are expected to be widely available around the time of the end of the spring semester. In other words, with a medical solution to the pandemic in sight, colleges and universities are taking action that will serve to maximize the number of deaths before it can be realized. In opposition to these policies, teachers, students and other workers across the US and internationally have been at the forefront of the fight for safe conditions and a rational, scientifically guided public health policy to control the pandemic. In September, over 1200 University of Michigan graduate students went on strike for 9 days against the unsafe reopening of campus, though their struggle was betrayed by the American Federation of Teachers union. Just this week, graduate students at Columbia University have begun striking for better working and living conditions, while graduate students and New York University are threatening similar actions. Teachers, particularly at K-12 schools, have conducted sickouts, work stoppages, and strikes against the unsafe reopening plans since the beginning of the pandemic last March. To organize this struggle, the World Socialist Web Site has facilitated the creation of rank-and-file safety committees, independent of the corporate-controlled trade unions, in dozens of cities and states across the country and internationally. The way forward for workers, students and teachers alike in their struggle against the back-to-work and back-to-school campaign must be based on an understanding of the class forces at play which have shaped the murderous policies that have been implemented so far. The spread of the COVID-19 virus is not the fault of a small section of students but is the outcome of a deliberate policy being pursued by the ruling class. We urge students and workers to draw the necessary conclusions from the last year of the pandemic: If there is going to be opposition to the policy of the ruling class it will only come from the working class, organized independently with its own socialist program. IFA Press Release Issued by the National Communications Office, The Irish Farmers Association www.ifa.ie Speaking after a meeting with the CEO of National Broadband Ireland (NBI), Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) National Treasurer Martin Stapleton has called on the Government to accelerate the rollout programme to rural areas such as Leitrim. "Rural dwellers, farmers and rural business owners need access to high-quality broadband. While the rollout of the national broadband programme is to be welcomed, the current seven-year target needs to be revised and made more ambitious, he said. The Covid-19 pandemic has put major pressure on farmers and rural dwellers. Many have found the lack of access to good broadband has severely curtailed their ability to conduct their daily business and access the online services necessary to run their farms and homes. This is simply not good enough, he said. Mr Stapleton welcomed the commitment of NBI to advance their discussions with Government about an accelerated rollout of the programme. If the Government ambitions of facilitating more remote working from rural areas is to be met, then they need to intervene to bring the rollout of the programme forward. Any commitments around this must focus on the areas that are deprived of a service most. In the current model, those most in need will be last in line, he said. A Vietnamese military medic receives her first shot of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Military 175 Hospital in HCMC before her peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, March 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa. A total 64 Vietnamese military medics set to join a U.N. peacekeeping mission to South Sudan received their first AstraZeneca Covid-19 shots Tuesday. They received the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company in collaboration with Oxford University at Ho Chi Minh City Military 175 Hospital. Their inoculation was part of Vietnams first batch of 117,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that arrived late last month. Since Vietnam began its mass vaccination campaign on March 8, only medical staff and Covid-19 frontline workers have been eligible for inoculation. The doctors from Vietnams second and third field hospitals are scheduled to embark for South Sudan on March 24 as part of the United Nations peacekeeping forces. According to protocol, each will be given two doses of the vaccine, 12 weeks apart. After Tuesday's first injection, the medics would get their second dose in South Sudan. Before injection, they had their health screened and signed a Covid-19 vaccination consent form. "I felt a little nervous but very reassured because I had my health checked and received close monitoring after injection," said Captain Tran Thuan Trang, a 35-year-old nurse. After vaccination, she said she would feel "more confident and secure" when participating in her work in South Sudan where the Covid-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc. Vietnam has enlarged its role in U.N. peacekeeping and is taking part in more operations in Africa. In October 2018, for the first time, Vietnam sent a team of military doctors to work at the U.N. field hospital in South Sudan. The second such team left for South Sudan in October 2019. South Sudan has recorded over 9,500 infections and 104 deaths so far. Last year, the U.N. requested Vietnam to set up a Covid-19 testing center in South Sudan thanks to its successful efforts to contain the disease. The testing center would help increase the U.N.s capability to fight Covid-19 across the area, overseen by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 16:40:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENTIANE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Organizers of the China-Laos Film Festival have expected to promote culture exchanges between the two countries as the 2021 version of the event are being held in Lao capital Vientiane. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the film festival on Monday, Director of Department of Cinema Khamphao Vannavong said this is the fourth time that the Department of Cinema collaborated with the Chinese side to host the event, which has become an activity that integrates the friendly relations between the Lao-Chinese people with increasing popularity among Lao people. "I believed that China-Laos Film Festival will become a platform for cultural exchange between the two nations by watching Chinese films in Lao language. It will also create opportunities for people of all ethnic groups in Laos to get to know and learn more about Chinese culture," said Khamphao. The China-Laos Film Festival 2021 invited famous Lao artists and professionals to participate in the dubbing of four Chinese movies and some Lao movies. The movies will be screened in eight provinces of Laos including Champasak, Sekong, Khammuan, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Huaphan, Bokeo and Xieng Khuang, besides capital Vientiane. The opening ceremony was held by the Department of Cinema under the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in collaboration with China Media Group. Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Savankhone Razmounty and more than 500 representatives from both sides attended the ceremony and watched Chinese films in Lao language. Apart from showing movies, the Chinese side will also donate movie players, and train technical staff in Laos. Enditem MPs pass bill on prison terms for insults to veterans in second reading RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 18:21 16/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 16 (RAPSI) The State Duma passed legislative amendments introducing criminal liability for humiliation of honor and dignity of veterans of the Great Patriotic War in the second reading on Tuesday, according to the website of the lower house of parliament. The liability introduced by the amendments has already been in force as to the rehabilitation of Nazism and involves imprisonment for up to five years and sets a fine of up to 5 million rubles ($68,000 at the current exchange rate). There is a general rule that the minimum threshold of liability makes two months in detention and, accordingly, 5,000 rubles ($68), according to an author of the amendments, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Irina Yarovaya. Yarovaya said that the changes in the legislation are to be introduced for the purpose to prevent illegal actions aimed at denying the fact that the value of the heroic deeds of the veterans for all citizens of Russia and the world is not diminished by the passage of time. Moreover, the bill envisages criminal punishment of up to 5 years in prison for justification of Nazism with the ise of Internet. Companies distributing such information will also face administrative fines ranging from 3 to 5 million rubles. Among the authors of the amendments are also the Chair of the State Duma's Committee on Defense Vladimir Shamanov, Chair of the Committee on Informational Policy Alexander Khinshtein and his First Deputy Sergey Boyarsky; the lawmakers from all other political parties represented in the lower house of Russias Parliament joined those deputies from the United Russia party. Among them are the First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Ivan Melnikov (Communist Party), member of the State Duma Committee on Security and Corruption Control Andrey Lugovoy (LDPR), and First Deputy Head of the State Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation Mikhail Yemelyanov (Just Russia). Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 criticism was made following advice from the municipal Department of Home Affairs. As investor of the Ben Thanh Tham Luong Metro Line, the second metro line of the city that will run 11 kilometers between districts 1 and 12, the HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) was late in signing an Independent Consultant (IC) Agreement contract, causing capital disbursement delays that have affected the projects progress, quality as also reflected badly on the city. Such delays have affected the progress of the project, its quality and the city's prestige, the administration said. The metro line No.2 originally had a consortium of three German companies, one Swiss company and a Vietnamese company as its Independent Consultant, providing engineering, design and supervision services. The services cost nearly 44 million euros ($52.4 million), funded by a non-refundable grant provided by German state-owned development bank KfW. The consultants services commenced in January 2012, but stopped in October 2018 after disputes broke out over fees for service packages not originally included in the first IC Agreement. The MAUR had failed to resume the IC agreement since. The consultancy price tag for the metro line has risen by nearly 29 percent following years of delays, jumping an additional 12.6 million euros ($15.5 million) from the original sum agreed in 2012, the MAUR announced early this year. The consultancy is demanding the extra payment for making adjustments in the design, the investor said. An independent consultant contract is also needed to extend a loan agreement with the KfW that had already expired December 30 last year. The agreement will enable bidding for two construction packages, tunnels and underground stations and land acquisition, which in turn will enable further borrowing from the Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank. Approved 10 years ago, HCMCs metro line No.2 had an original price tage of $1.3 billion, which had then ballooned to $2.1 billion by the end of 2019 over rising material and construction costs. Three international development banks, ADB, KfW and EIB, are funding the project with nearly VND37 trillion ($1.6 billion), and Vietnam is to contribute the remaining sum as counterpart funds. The route is one of eight metro lines planned in the city with a combined length of 220 kilometers and a price tag of nearly $25 billion. Disagreements over compensation have repeatedly delayed land acquisition, causing the project to be rescheduled several times. In a report sent to the Ministry of Investment and Planning on Sunday, HCMC said work on the line would start in mid-2022, with land clearance set to be completed this year. Its first phase is scheduled to finish in 2026, when it will carry 140,000 passengers a day. [March 16, 2021] SVKM's NMIMS School of Mathematical Sciences Invites Applications for B.Sc. Mathematics (Hons.) The three-year course is India's only undergraduate program in Mathematics MUMBAI, India, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SVKM's NMIMS Deemed to be University, a legacy institution with a stellar academic reputation, invites applications for its pioneering B.Sc. Mathematics (Hons.) program, at School of Mathematical Sciences (SoMS) in Mumbai. The program is noted for its academic rigor and industry exposure, offering students full placement assistance and international exposure. Applicants must have passed 10+2 or an equivalent examination from any recognised board, with a minimum aggregate of 70%, with mathematics in Grade 12. IB students need either an IB certificate or DP awarded, with a minimum of 24 credits, with 3 HL and 3 SL in any stream, and must have taken mathematics at Standard Level. To apply, visit https://nmims.secure.force.com/SoMS_BSCMS_Login. Selected candidates will be required to take an online entrance test and submit an essay. Speaking about the program, Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, SVKM's NMIMS, said, "Mathematics is a core subject with a very long history of scientific contribution. At the School of Mathematical Sciences, our aim is to inculcate a love for the subject, providing students with an in-depth understanding of its various aspects. We groom confident mathematicians who have the versatility and skills to work in different fields, whether it is in engineering, analytics, finance, communications, or business." Dr. Mayank Vahia, Dean, School of Mathematical Sciences, further added, "SoMS' B.Sc. Mathematics (Hons.) is the only undergraduate program in the country to focus solely on mathematics. We believein teaching mathematics as a language and not as a tool, helping students understand its grammar and syntax. It is a universal language, and a mathematician will find purpose anywhere and in almost every field. We use computers, animations, simulations and other tools to make learning exciting, and help students explore the different fields of application of mathematics." As a STEM subject, mathematics is considered highly desirable, with wide applicability across various fields. Mathematicians are in high demand in almost every sector, not just in academia. Some of the emerging fields for mathematicians include statistics, game theory, and analytics. The comprehensive curriculum includes Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics (including Statistics), and Computer Science in equal proportions. With a view of providing students with multidisciplinary learning, the curriculum also includes Humanities modules. The state-of-the-art classrooms are completely computer-centric to help students visualise mathematical concepts better. To know more about the course, eligibility, and the admission process, visit https://mathematics.nmims.edu/ About SVKM's NMIMS School of Mathematical Sciences: The school of mathematical sciences is a new initiative of NMIMS. The purpose of the school is to expose students to mathematics as a language in all its elegance. Visualising various aspects of mathematics through computer simulations, solutions, etc. is a part of the teaching. Similarly, mathematics, as used by other fields, is also important and provides good job options to students. The School of Mathematical Science will therefore endeavour to expose students to pure and applied mathematics and then give them freedom to pursue any specific aspects of mathematics for their future careers. Website: https://mathematics.nmims.edu/ About SVKM's NMIMS: Established in 1981, NMIMS is today recognized as a globally reputed university with strong industry linkages. It offers multiple disciplines across 8 campuses that consist of 17 specialized schools, more than 17000 students, and about 750 full-time faculty members, 10 faculty members with Fulbright Scholarship and Humboldt International Scholarship for post-doctoral researchers. It is known for its consistent academic quality and research-focused approach towards holistic education. SVKM's NMIMS has been granted Category-I Deemed University status by Graded Autonomy Regulation 2018 by MHRD/UGC and NMIMS Mumbai Campus is NAAC accredited with a CGPA of 3.59.) Website: https://nmims.edu/under-graduate Follow us on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/nmims_india LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/nmims_india/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nmims_india/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NMIMS.India/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Gov. Gavin Newsoms promise to name a Black woman to Sen. Dianne Feinsteins seat if she doesnt finish her term was a not-too-subtle reminder to Democrats that theres a lot more at stake in a recall election than just Newsoms job. Whats at stake, potentially, is Joe Bidens agenda. The subtext to Newsoms promise: He is trying to fear-monger Democrats about the national consequences should he be recalled and replaced by a Republican. That person would appoint a replacement to the Senate if the 87-year-old Feinstein does not complete her term, which runs through 2024. (That would also apply if Sen. Alex Padilla doesnt complete his term that ends in 2022, but the scare tactic doesnt work as well since Padilla is 47. ) Theres zero possibility that a Republican governor would choose a Democrat of any race, gender, ethnicity or shoe size to replace a Democratic senator. Suddenly, that 50-50 split that gives Democrats the upper hand in the Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote disappears. So does the hope of passing a sprawling bill called HR1, aimed partly at keeping Republicans in many states from making it harder for people to vote most of whom happen to be people of color. So does the Democrats desire to pass legislation on gun control, police accountability or immigration. And should another vacancy emerge on the Supreme Court liberal Justice Stephen Breyer is said to be mulling retirement that replacement would have to be conservative enough to get through a GOP-led Senate. Ask Merrick Garland about that. The Democrats majority is as tenuous as you can get. So if you remove one Democrat and you replace her with one Republican, then Republicans get back all the power in the Senate, said Jessica Taylor, who analyzes the Senate for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. It would be a huge impediment for Biden to get his agenda through, Taylor said. Susan Walsh / Associated Press During an interview Monday night on MSNBC, Newsom told Joy Reid that he was committed to appointing a Black woman to the Senate if Feinstein does not finish her term and that he had multiple names in mind. As Newsom himself might say, there was a great deal of intentionality to him making those remarks on left-leaning MSNBC. When you go on a national progressive show like Joy Reids, they (Newsom campaign operatives) know what the implications are, Taylor said. Hes going to need to be fundraising (for the recall). So in the same way that the Georgia (Senate elections in January) became about so much more than Georgia, hes trying to make the California recall about so much more than California. Newsoms best strategy is to make this into a partisan election, said Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College in New York and the founder of the Recall Elections Blog. Newsom wants to make this as partisan and as clear as possible that this is about Dianne Feinstein. It also helps raise funds from outside. The other reason Newsom did not hesitate to promise he would replace Feinstein with a Black woman is that he is trying to energize the Democratic base. Black women, as a bloc, are the most loyal voters in the Democratic Party, and Newsom wants to make sure theyre on board for the recall. Some Black women, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, were disappointed when Newsom named Padilla to replace Harris, the only Black woman in the Senate. Breed called it a real blow to the African American community, African American women, to women in general. Taylor said Newsom has to get the partys core voters excited about supporting him in the recall because this is going to be a game about turnout and hes got to make sure that voters come out. Because that is how you can lose a special election if they dont. Republican strategist Tim Rosales said that while Newsoms promise may rally more national Democrats to the California recall, that will be a small part of what he needs to do to stay in office. For California voters, he will have to point to things that are relevant to daily lives, said Rosales, who until recently was a strategist for Republican John Cox, who is challenging Newsom. Hes got to make the case on jobs, the economy and vaccines. Those are the things that will matter to them. Theres one big wet blanket smothering Newsoms promise: Feinstein reassured reporters Tuesday that she absolutely intended to finish her term. And she didnt drag Newsom under the bus with her. The two have maintained a positive relationship, even though she was one of many in the Democratic establishment who froze out Newsom in 2004 after he authorized same-sex marriages at San Francisco City Hall when he was mayor. Feinstein, then the most influential Democrat in California, said the same-sex marriage move was too much, too fast, too soon. But now, Feinstein said, theyre good. Please, were very good friends, Feinstein told reporters Tuesday at the Capitol in Washington. I dont think he meant it the way some people thought. Still, the idea that Newsom had a ready list of names to replace her did little to help Feinsteins dwindling reputation. Last month, a Berkeley IGS Poll found that 45% of the states registered voters disapproved of her job performance, while just 35% approved and 20% had no opinion. It was her lowest approval mark ever. Recent news reports, most prominently a New Yorker article last year, said she is seriously struggling with memory loss, though Feinstein said Tuesday its pretty obvious she can still do the job. She is becoming a more polarizing figure nationally. There seems to be more backlash in the state, Taylor said. And unfortunately, there are questions raised about her mental acuity. While talk of Feinstein not finishing her term may come off as unseemly, Taylor said, it has come up with other octogenarians in the Senate, including Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. These are morbid thoughts you dont want to have, Taylor said. But you do look at older members like Leahy, Feinstein and Grassley with a closer eye when it comes to this. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 07:51:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Visitors look at exhibits after the opening ceremony of Milipol Qatar 2021, an international event for homeland security and civil defense, in Doha, Qatar, on March 15, 2021. The exhibition which kicked off on Monday will last until March 17. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua) ADVERTISEMENT A bill for an Act to alter the 1999 Constitution to grant the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly powers to summon the president and governors has scaled second reading at the House of Representatives. Sergius Ogun (PDPEdo) ,who sponsored the bill in his argument, on Tuesday, in Abuja, said the doctrine of separation of power must be upheld. He said the basic doctrine closely related to the exercise of legislative powers in a democracy was the doctrine of separation of powers. Mr Ogun said such a law would help to invite the president and governors to answer questions on issues of national security. He added that it would help them to also answer questions on any matter whatsoever, over which the National Assembly and states houses of assembly have powers to make laws. You will recall what happened in January when the House summoned President Muhammadu Buhari but he failed to honour the invitation, he said. He said part of the reasons adduced for the presidents non-appearance was that the House had no constitutional powers to invite him. He said such invitations to the president were not expressly stated in Nigerian laws, adding that the lawmakers must give it constitutional backing to be able to summon the president and state governors. Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, however, referred the bill to the House Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. (NAN) In these circumstances, India must learn to do its own sums even as it seeks to be collegial Afghanistan is said to be the graveyard of empires, but it is also proving to be the breeding ground of ironies. Trophies are sought to be handed out to the most violent. (Photo: AP) It is becoming apparent that the Americans are finding it hard to orchestrate their plan to get out of the Afghan quagmire. The way things are going, an outcome satisfactory to all is unlikely from the set of ideas that Washington has lately advanced. In these circumstances, India must learn to do its own sums even as it seeks to be collegial. Its abiding interests in the Afghan theatre are self-evident. Its best bet is to align with the people of Afghanistan at a crucial juncture and to develop working relations with key constituencies, banking on the goodwill it has earned. The Biden administrations ideas were projected in a letter by the secretary of state Antony Blinken to President Ashraf Ghani, and the so-called draft peace proposals canvassed by Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy for Afghan Reconciliation, to enable constitution-making afresh (in a new order), shape post-US governance through an interim government to start with and pave the way for a comprehensive ceasefire. Practically rejecting this line, President Ghani declared on March 6: Transfer of power through elections is a non-negotiable principle for us. He further said that he was ready to discuss free and fair elections under the auspices of the international community. We can also talk about the date of elections and reach a conclusion, the Afghan President added, showing readiness to forgo more than half his term. The Presidents words were pithily reaffirmed by vice-president Amrullah Saleh, a redoubtable former intelligence chief, suggesting that this is a deliberated position -- indeed, the articulation of an alternative formulation to Americas. While the response of the key Afghan political elites like former President Hamid Karzai, chairman of the countrys reconciliation process Abdullah Abdullah, and others to the US proposals isnt developed yet, President Ghanis interjection can leave little doubt that the US plan is facing rough weather inside Afghanistan. There are indications the Karzai group gives little credence to guarantees for peace the regional powers may offer at Americas behest at the proposed UN-led conference in Turkey. Also, it is not enamoured of the idea of an unelected guidance council, or shura of theologians, to exist alongside government structures in the US scheme -- virtually a vetoing authority that may give the Taliban a further edge. After Mr Ghanis public stance, taken in the Afghan Parliament, on March 8, a US state department spokesman was quoted as saying that it was too early to say how the peace process is going. This seemed a dose of realism after Mr Blinkens hectoring letter. President Ghani is neither widely popular, nor known to be a consensus-builder, but he does represent the current Afghan Constitution which the US had helped fashion (along with then-interim President Hamid Karzai) in 2004, and which New Delhi had gone to considerable lengths to back. The gains arising from this Constitution at the popular level are backed by the new generation of Afghans, the largest constituency. The Blinken epistle favours an UN-routed conference in Turkey (a Bonn 2 of sorts) of leading countries that ring Afghanistan (India included, though it doesnt have a border with that country), presumably to get them to agree to a unified approach on Afghanistans future. This is not only wispy, it is self-serving. Does the US seriously believe that Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran and India, besides America itself (the six countries Mr Blinken envisages will be at the table), can project a unified approach as these countries share an abiding common interest in a stable Afghanistan? While Pakistan and China may be expected to be favourable to the Taliban outright, what the US is perhaps really saying is that Iran, India (and Russia) should lump it and accept the Talibans hegemony in Afghanistan once the remaining American troops have exited. Even if India or Iran can develop a functional relationship with the Taliban in time, how realistic is this prospect in the immediate future? The US of course already accepts the Taliban as the hegemon. That indeed was the basis for the earlier Trump administration to reach the Doha agreement with this Pakistan-nurtured politico-military outfit in February 2020, and the reason why the Biden administration is being openly solicitous of the group which continues to rain violence on the Afghan people. In the American scheme, half of all official positions will go to the Taliban in the envisaged interim government. Not to put too fine a point on it, the logic of things suggests that so long as the last US soldier exits unharmed, it will matter little to Washington if the Taliban (with Pakistans and Chinas support this time) seeks to bludgeon the country into submission yet again. Disregarding the promises it had given the US of a negotiated peace with the Afghan government, as a condition for the final withdrawal of American troops under the Doha agreement, the Taliban went on a spree of violence, killing thousands in the course of the past year, along with targeted assassinations. This was to project its military prowess to strengthen its negotiating stance vis-a-vis fellow Afghans and to suitably impress the Americans further. And yet, astonishingly, Mr Blinkens letter to President Ghani speaks of a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence -- not ceasefire -- to pre-empt the Talibans spring offensive, an annual feature, presumably so that peace parleys (to aid the US) are not prejudiced. The question to ask is whether the Doha accord survives as an instrument of any merit after a year of bloody Taliban violence. If not, are there lessons in this for the future? But uninterested, the US is headed for Bonn 2, probably on March 27. Besides, with the participation of the US, Russia, China and Pakistan, and invitations to senior Afghan figures, including government leaders, an earlier peace conference is due on March 18, hosted by Moscow. There is unseemly hurry. Negotiated settlement or not, a May 1 withdrawal agreed by the former US President is not off the table. On the first anniversary of the Doha accord, the Taliban threatened that any attempt against the agreement will end in failure of talks. The thought must terrify the Americans. Equally, Afghan national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib has said that Kabul was against imposing the Doha accord on the people. Completely split perspectives. Afghanistan is said to be the graveyard of empires, but it is also proving to be the breeding ground of ironies. Trophies are sought to be handed out to the most violent. A federal lawsuit contends that a Florida sheriff is violating peoples rights through an intelligence-based policing program that improperly targets and harasses them. The sheriff rejects those claims. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Tampa federal court claims the Pasco Sheriffs Office punishes people for crimes they have not committed and may never commit a practice dubbed predictive policing. Sheriff Chris Noccos office called the description false and said its Intelligence-Led Policing program is guided by a persons criminal history or a school students characterization as being at risk. Far from being a predictive policing program that focuses on future crimes that someone may commit, the prolific offender program and the at-risk youth program are focused on serving our community, a Pasco sheriffs statement said. The lawsuit was filed by the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm that represents four Pasco County residents who have encountered the sheriffs program. The lawsuits goal is to end it. Pasco County is just north of Clearwater, Florida, along the Gulf of Mexico coast. In an email Thursday, sheriffs spokeswoman Amanda Hunter said the office will look forward to defending any lawsuits in court but not through the media. The lawsuit follows an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times into the program that described people being repeatedly visited by deputies in their homes at all hours and arrests of their family members without solid legal reasoning. One plaintiff, Tammy Heilman, said she was arrested twice after deputies came to her house in 2016 to ask about a dirt bike that her son may have bought with stolen money. What followed was a traffic stop that led to Heilman being charged with several things, including battery on a law enforcement officer. She was later arrested for opening her screen door into a deputys chest and spent 76 days in jail. The lawsuit contends the programs aim is to make what it calls targeted persons miserable until they move or sue, quoting a former Pasco County deputy who is not named. The lawsuit says the program violates several constitutional rights. The government cannot punish you or your friends or your family for crimes you havent committed, the lawsuit says. The Pasco sheriffs office, in its lengthier statement, said the program is modeled after one adopted in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and that the idea is not to target anyone for harassment. It is the goal of the Pasco Sheriffs Office to have a positive impact on these individuals and our community, the statement says. The sheriffs statement specifically mentions the 2002 film Minority Report, which starred Tom Cruise as chief of a precrime police bureau that arrests people before any crime is committed based on information provided by psychics. The program, the sheriffs office says in part, is not in any way, shape or form the ideals or implementations projected in the film `Minority Report.' A central piece of that movie is the idea that some of the psychics disagree with the majority on whether a specific person will become a criminal. Other jurisdictions have tackled similar issues. The Los Angeles Police Department, for example, last year scrapped for financial reasons a controversial program called Pred-Pol that sought to predict where property crimes would occur. Critics said it focused disproportionately on Black and Hispanic communities. The Florida lawsuit contends the Pasco program violates constitutional amendments that protect rights of association and due process, and against unreasonable searches and seizures. It asks a judge to end the program and award each plaintiff $1, in addition to attorney fees and costs. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal A storm will bring cooler weather, strong winds and snow to northern New Mexico on Tuesday and Wednesday before most of the state warms up for the remainder of the week. Alyssa Clements, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said the wind and snow will hit hardest in the northeast corner of the state. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The storms track is going to mainly favor areas north of I-40 for any snow, particularly the northern mountains and Raton Pass area, which could see 4 to 8 inches of snow, Clements said. Tuesday winds will be strongest south of I-40, with wind gusts near 60 mph throughout the eastern plains. Snow and high winds will continue to impact northern and central New Mexico through Wednesday morning. Santa Fe and Los Alamos could receive less than an inch of snow from the storm. About an inch is expected in Taos, and Red River and Clayton may get about 4 inches of snow. Albuquerque is expected to reach a high of 51 degrees on Tuesday and hit a low of 32. There is a 10% chance of precipitation in the city on Tuesday. Winds will reach speeds of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts of 30 mph possible. On Wednesday, the city will be sunny with a high of 59 and low of 31. Clements said the state will see rebounding temperatures and quieter conditions as the week progresses. Albuquerque temperatures will reach the low 70s on Friday and Saturday. The weekend should be clear and sunny. All of New Mexico is experiencing some level of drought. Meteorologist Daniel Porter said that this weeks anticipated wintry precipitation is welcome, but will only appease short-term drought conditions in a relatively small region. We are deep into a severe to exceptional long-term drought phase across New Mexico, and it will take several of these (storm) events to eventually get us out of this situation, Porter said. "Significantly, these contracts will bring our relationship with AngloGold Ashanti at the Geita site to 19 consecutive years" ( ) has been awarded two new three-year contracts at 's Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania. The work includes surface delineation and open pit grade control drilling services in addition to underground grade control and delineation drilling. The underground contract will utilise nine rigs, including five from the existing fleet together with an additional four new rigs, currently in transit to the site. The surface delineation contract will utilise the existing fleet of five rigs. Capital, which has been providing drilling services at the Geita Gold Mine since 2006, said the new three-year contracts start in April and will generate revenues of US$65mln over the contract term. Jamie Boyton, executive chairman, said: The awarding of the contracts at the Geita Gold Mine maintains our long-standing relationship with and is in line with our strategy of focusing on long-term minesite contracts with premier clients "Significantly, these contracts will bring our relationship with at the Geita site to 19 consecutive years. "This follows our recently announced contracts with the Sukari Gold Mine in Egypt for provision of waste mining and expanded drilling services, which will extend our relationship with Centamin to 20 consecutive years. A decades-old border dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia is pouring fuel on a rivalry that analysts warn could flare into a broader conflict. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed insisted Tuesday his country does not want war with Sudan, calling for tensions over the Al-Fashaqa region to be resolved peacefully. Ethiopian farmers have long worked in the fertile border zone, but the area is also claimed by Sudan. Tensions have grown since fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing into Sudan late last year. Reports of deadly clashes between Sudanese and Ethiopian forces in Al-Fashaqa also come as Ethiopia faces off with Sudan and Egypt over Addis Ababa's Blue Nile dam, a hydro-electrict megaproject the downriver nations say threatens their vital water supplies. Abiy, already grappling with Ethiopia's internal conflicts, said Tuesday his country "is not ready to go to battle". But Sudan has insisted it will only hold talks if Ethiopia admits that Al-Fashaqa is Sudanese territory. - Who owns the land? - Arguments over Al-Fashaqa, between two rivers where Ethiopia's Amhara and Tigray regions meet Sudan's Gedaref state, date back to colonial times. Al-Fashaqa covers some 12,000 square kilometres (4,630 square miles), but analysts point to a flashpoint zone directly along the border, covering some 250 square kilometres (just under 100 square miles). Treaties signed during the colonial era drew the international boundary east of Al-Fashaqa, giving the land to Sudan, said East Africa expert Alex de Waal, a professor at Tufts University. But over the years, thousands of Ethiopian farmers have grown crops there during the rainy season, despite being periodically expelled by Sudanese forces. Relations between Khartoum and Addis Ababa nosedived in 1995 after a failed attempt to assassinate Egypt's then-president Hosni Mubarak while he visited Addis Ababa. Ethiopia blamed Sudan for the attack and sent forces into Al-Fashaqa. Story continues Since then, thousands of Ethiopian farmers have settled in the area, farming and paying taxes to Ethiopia. Talks between Khartoum and Addis Ababa over the years have never produced a final deal on a border. - Why have tensions escalated? - Al-Fashaqa abuts Ethiopia's troubled Tigray region, where deadly conflict erupted in November between Ethiopia's federal and Tigray's regional forces. Khartoum sent troops into the Al-Fashaqa region "to recapture the stolen lands and take up positions on the international lines," Sudanese state media reported. The fighting in Tigray sent over 60,000 Ethiopian refugees fleeing into Sudan, but the UN says arrivals have declined, with Ethiopians reportedly blocked at the border by "armed actors". Sudanese military expert Amin Ismail said authorities feared the situation in Tigray could "slip out of control" allowing fighters to infiltrate into Sudan. Ethiopian premier Abiy has leaned heavily on security forces from his country's Amhara region during the fighting in Tigray. Many Amhara officials view Al-Fashaqa as rightfully theirs, and some analysts fear Abiy will struggle to rein in their ambitions. In December, Khartoum dispatched reinforcements to Al-Fashaqa after "Ethiopian forces and militias" allegedly ambushed Sudanese troops, killing at least four soldiers. That sparked deadly clashes and mutual accusations. Sudan claims it has seized back large parts of the region, while Addis Ababa has accused Khartoum of "invading" Ethiopian territory and warned it could respond militarily. But Abiy sought to cool tensions on Tuesday, telling parliament: "We don't need war. It is better to settle it in a peaceful manner." - What are the risks? - Sudan and Ethiopia both face daunting domestic economic and political challenges. Sudan is navigating a rocky transitional period following the April 2019 ouster of dictator Omar al-Bashir. Aside from Tigray, Ethiopia faces internal unrest including in the Benishangul-Gumuz and Oromia regions. Abiy said Tuesday his country "has many problems, and we are not ready to go to battle." Sudan's head of state Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has previously ruled out talks unless Ethiopia acknowledges Fashaqa belongs to Sudan. But Khartoum announced Tuesday it would accept Emirati mediation in talks covering both the border and Ethiopia's vast new dam on the Blue Nile. The border issue has magnified strains in ties between Ethiopia and Sudan, which along with Egypt objects to Ethiopian plans to fill and operate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa's largest hydroelectric project. Sudan fears the dam will threaten its own waterworks unless there is a binding deal over the GERD's operation. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for some 97 percent of its water, sees the dam as an existential threat. Earlier this month Cairo and Khartoum signed a military cooperation deal. Analysts say the Al-Fashaqa issue, while separate from the dam, adds to those tensions. "There cannot be an all-out military confrontation," said Sudanese military expert Ismail. "It is simply not in the interest of both countries... It will be a major risk for both sides." ab-mz/ Queensland's Health Minister has revealed how a family friend with kids once asked her to kiss him 'like you would your boyfriend' when she was barely a teenager. Yvette D'ath opened up about her own scarring experiences with sexual harassment after joining thousands of women across the country in the March4 Justice rallies. Ms D'ath praised the protesters for demanding politicians to making bigger strides toward equality for women before describing two incidents she went through as a teenager. Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath (pictured) on Tuesday tweeted she had been sexually harassed as a teenager On Monday thousands of woman march in rallies across Australian cities demanding politicians makes greater strides toward equality for woman (pictured: the Melbourne rally) Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) also attended the Brisbane rally Ms D'Ath said it was 'incredible' to be involved in the march in Brisbane, which was also attended by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palszczuk. 'All of those strong girls & women. It was truly inspiring. We must all give a voice to our lived experiences. Only then will we see real change.' she wrote. 'Here's 2 of my experiences that I won't forget'. 'As a 13 or 14 yr old a male family friend (father of 2) asked me for a kiss goodbye. I gave him a peck on the cheek. He said no I want you to kiss me like you would kiss your boyfriend.' The MP also described another instance where an older man tried to kiss her while they were at work - which she had not spoken about for three decades. Ms D'Ath said those protesting were an 'inspiration' for other women Protesters rally as part of the Women's March 4 Justice rally in Canberra (pictured) Ms D'Ath detailed to experiences she said she would not forget including one when she was just 13 or 14 'At 18 a male twice my age came into my workplace & while alone in the office in a back room tried to kiss me. I quickly left the room. I was shocked & shaking. He left without saying a word & so did I (for 32 years). This has to STOP.' Colleague Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman thanked Ms D'Ath for her 'bravery'. 'Your courage will empower and give so many Queensland women their voice and show them that no matter where you work, your background or who you are - we will not be silenced.' Ms Fentiman also attended the Brisbane march with Ms D'Ath and the Premier. Protesters in Canberra on Monday held signs with one dressed in a costume of Scott Morrison A protester holds a banner proclaiming 'justice for women' outside Australia's parliament building in Canberra on Monday The #March4Justice rallies were held in more than 40 Australian cities and towns, with a major demonstration in Canberra following allegations of sexual assault in the nation's parliament. Dressed in mostly black, the crowd gathered outside Parliament House holding aloft placards with slogans including 'You're Not Listening', 'How Many Victims Do You Know?' and 'I Believe Her'. Protester Kathryn Jamieson, who travelled from Melbourne to take part, said she was 'fuming with rage'. In another incident Ms D'Ath detailed being cornered in her workplace as an 18-year-old 'I wanted to be at the heart of the matter, I've completely had enough,' she told AFP. 'We need immediate change -- I'm sick of women not being believed.' Former government staffer Brittany Higgins alleged publicly last month that she had been raped by a colleague in a minister's office in 2019. And earlier this month, Attorney-General Christian Porter vigorously denied swirling accusations he had raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988 when they were both students. On Monday, Porter launched defamation proceedings against public broadcaster ABC, which first published the allegations against an unnamed senior minister, with lawyers saying the attorney-general was 'easily identifiable' in the article and has since been subjected to 'trial by media'. The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Alabama has risen 40 cents in the last month. Gas tracking by AAA shows the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the state is $2.64 a gallon. A week ago, the average was $2.52 a gallon; a month ago it was $2.24. A year ago, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Alabama was $2.02 per gallon. The highest average price - $2.70 a gallon was in the Daphne, Fairhope, Foley area, according to AAA. National prices rising as well Nationally, the average price of a gallon of gasoline has risen for the 10th straight week, according to tracking site GasBuddy. The national average of $2.86 per gallon is 33.2 cents higher than a month ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 7 cents in the last week to $3.07 per gallon. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, the higher prices are due in part to strong demand as more people are hitting the road. As Americans turn optimistic on COVID-19 recovery, weve been seeing insatiable demand for gasoline, which continues to recover far faster than oil production. According to GasBuddy data, last weeks gasoline demand was just 1% below the pre-pandemic level, an extremely bullish factor likely to continue driving gas and oil prices up in the short term, De Haan said, cautioning even higher prices could be on the way. The recovery in the last few weeks has been astounding- both the speed and overall volume increases weve seen in our data lend credibility to the recovery, and perhaps will lead to continued price increases due to the continued imbalance between supply and demand. The states with the lowest average prices: Mississippi ($2.54), Louisiana ($2.56) and Texas ($2.60). The states with the highest priced states: California ($3.83), Hawaii ($3.49) and Washington ($3.27). High school senior Soleil Saint-Cyr started making crossword puzzles last August. Last month, she published one in The New York Times. Saint-Cyr, 18, also earned the distinction of being the youngest female puzzle constructor in the newspapers history. I was really excited, she said of publishing the puzzle at the age of 17. Paducah Shooting Suspects Appear in Court By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - A Paducah pair charged in an August double-murder case appeared in court Monday.The McCracken Circuit Court Clerk said 22-year-old Alexis Graham and 23-year-old Mykweze Cox appeared for a pretrial conference. The hearing was continued to May 21.They 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.Cox is facing two counts of murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, tampering with physical evidence, and convicted felon in possession of a handgun.Graham faces two counts of Murder, one count of first-degree robbery, and one count of serving alcoholic beverages to minors. SUV Some people hoped the switch to electric powertrains would bring an end (or at least curb its growth) to thetrend, because EVs were all about efficiency, and SUVs weren't. It made sense, as big, heavy vehicles with poor aerodynamics make for bad EVs.Sadly, the truth couldn't be further away. Yes, all that is true, but there's one more thing worth mentioning: the SUV (use the term interchangeably with "crossover") shape also provided the best solution to hide the vehicle's extra height generated by sticking the batteries into the floor. So, with this simple solution at hand and the public's seemingly insatiable demand for SUVs, what were the manufacturers supposed to do?We shouldn't be surprised, then, if Volvo launched an all-new C30 model and it looked nothing like the hatchback from 2006 we all knowand some maybe even lovethat went by the same name. Oh, and since it would be a new model from the Swedish manufacturer, it goes without saying it would have an electric powertrain; after all, Volvo said it would sell nothing but BEVs by 2030.But assuming that happened, the 2021 C30 would hopefully look nothing like this rendering. That's because the car you're looking at is nothing but a three-door C40 Recharge . It's essentially the even less family-friendly version of Volvo's tiny electric crossover or, if you prefer, its brother that has yet to settle down.Why shouldn't a 2021 Volvo C30 look like this rendering from Nikita Aksyonov , then? Well, that's because the C30 name already stands for something. There may not be that much history behind the moniker itself, but the 2006 model was itself (kind of) a tribute to one of the Swedish brand's classics: the 1800ES shooting brake with its iconic frameless all-glass tailgate. We don't know about you, but we feel that's something worth revisiting , so keeping the C30 nameplate vacant would make plenty of sense.With Tesla announcing a mysterious $25,000 model that everyone expects to be a hatchback and Volkswagen betting big on the ID.3, it's hard to imagine Volvo won't join in on the party. Whether that model will be called C30 or not, however, remains to be seen. I have spent most of my life, 33 years in fact, as a law enforcement professional. Over those three-plus decades, I learned a thing or two about keeping communities safe and serving those in need. From my first day on the job to my last, I understood that successful law enforcement takes an entire community working together, particularly in the field of narcotics. It takes doctors, public health professionals, teachers, parents and a host of others working in partnership with law enforcement to protect the public from highly addictive and dangerous substances, like heroin and opioids. In 2017, as Pennsylvania grappled with a raging opioid crisis that took scores of lives and shattered families, I found such a partner in Dr. Rachel Levine. She demonstrated a capacity for real leadership and results during a crisis. She was willing to listen and determined to do all she could to save lives. Those skills are what I believe America will benefit from if Dr. Rachel Levine is confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists, our nation remains in a struggle against opioid dependence. There are a myriad of strategies law enforcement can take to hold those who sell and traffic these dangerous substances accountable. I tried many of them. During my time as a as a Montgomery County Detective and later, as Deputy Chief at the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, I led large teams ranging from undercover detectives, local police officers, and agents assigned to investigate doctors who overprescribe pain medications. As Pennsylvanians fell victim to opioid overdoses, I realized we could not arrest our way out of this crisis. Thats where Dr. Levine came in. I represented law enforcement in Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs Opioid Command Center, which was a unique multi-disciplinary effort, including public health, to address the persistent crisis of opioid dependence. At those meetings, Dr. Levine, Pennsylvanias Health Secretary at the time, was helping to lead the effort to stem the tide of deaths and help those with a substance use disorder. At every turn, Dr. Levine relied on well-established science, research and best practices to inform our actions. She pushed stakeholders and government officials to do more and delivered results. On one occasion, I approached Dr. Levine about an issue that law enforcement was observing. Namely, that hospital emergency departments were not connecting overdose victims to treatment. Often times, individuals would overdose multiple times and their stay in the emergency room was the best opportunity to direct them to help. Thats when Dr. Levine went to work. She identified the training gaps of emergency department physicians and soon thereafter rolled out connection-to-treatment training for officials at every Pennsylvania hospital. Doctors and hospital officials now had the power to change lives in addition to saving them. Those with a substance use disorder had an opportunity to begin the road to recovery instead of continuing the cycle of addiction. While helping those recover was a key part of our efforts, there was also the urgent crisis of saving the lives of those experiencing an overdose. On that count, Dr. Levine took bold action that saved lives. She issued a standing order that allowed law enforcement officials to carry and administer naloxone. It saved countless lives. During an overdose event, every second matters. The ability of law enforcement to carry and administer this lifesaving drug worked to change the dynamic of Pennsylvanias opioid crisis. Dr. Levine knew the toll the opioid crisis took on families and those with a substance use disorder, but she also recognized the unique impact it had on those who are on the frontlines of the response. Much like COVID-19 has stressed doctors, nurses and a host of other workers to the brink, the opioid crisis has taken its own unique toll on those whose job it is to respond to a crisis. I approached Dr. Levine about the challenges those of us in law enforcement were dealing with. She implemented peer-led training of police, firefighters, EMS and other related professionals. The training that she implemented is now underway in Pennsylvania and is working to improve the lives of many. I never imagined myself writing in support of a public officials nomination to a Senate confirmed position. But then again, I have not met many officials like Dr. Levine. As the U.S. Senate considers her nomination to be Assistant Secretary for Health, I can assure the American people that the person I worked alongside to battle the opioid crisis, is someone who will put the health and wellbeing of all Americans first. She is smart. Shes dedicated. She listens. And she will never stop working until she solves the challenges that are put before her. I hope that Senators give her the opportunity to continue to serve and improve the lives of people across our nation. Stephen Forzato is director of the Center for Addiction and Recovery Education (CARE) of Saint Josephs University. New Delhi, March 16 : Parliament on Tuesday passed The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which increases the upper limit for abortions from 20 to 24 weeks for certain categories of women, and removes limits in the case of substantial foetal abnormalities, with the Rajya Sabha approving the measure. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill in March last year. During the debate on the bill, most opposition members, including those from the Samajwadi Party, the Shiv Sena, and the Communist Party of India-Marxist were of view that the bill should be sent to select committee as it lacks privacy clause. However, in his reply, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that nobody opposed the bill and once enacted, it will reduce the trauma and suffering of women. The amended act will regulate conditions under which a pregnancy may be aborted and increases the time period within which the process may be be carried out. Presently, abortion requires mandatory opinion of one doctor if it is done within 12 weeks of conception and two doctors if it is done between 12 and 20 weeks. The new act will allow the abortion to be done on the advice of one doctor up to 20 weeks, and in case of upto 24 weeks, two doctors' opinion will be sought. The Bill also provide to set up state-level Medical Boards to decide if a pregnancy to be terminated beyond 24 weeks in cases of foetal abnormalities. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), restrictive abortion laws, limited medical resources, and high costsall heightened by two decades of conflicthave led to barriers in access to safe abortion. Despite the legal restrictions, abortion is common in the DRC although national data are lacking. One study in Kinshasa estimated that 61% of pregnancies in 2016 were unintended, and there was a rate of 56 abortions per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 49. An estimated 88% of abortions in Middle Africa are unsafe. When performed in accordance with the World Health Organisation's guidelines, abortion is a safe, low-risk medical procedure. However, when performed in unsanitary conditions, with hazardous methods, or by an inadequately trained person, abortion is unsafe and ends in poor health outcomes, including death. An additional challenge is that abortion is highly stigmatized. In many countries, abortion is seen as a repudiation of traditional female roles of motherhood and procreation. To keep their procedure a secret, women who have terminated a pregnancy may avoid seeking potentially life-saving post-abortion care. They do this to avoid societal exclusion, the loss of marriage prospects, or the risk of being abandoned by their spouses and families. To better understand the barriers of access to and use of post-abortion care in North and South Kivu, DRC, my colleagues and I explored community perceptions of women who terminated a pregnancy. We also wanted to better understand attitudes towards their use of post-abortion care. We found that initial reactions towards abortion were negative. However, there were displays of understanding and empathy when discussing the reasons why women have abortions. For example, many considered it understandable that a woman would induce abortion after rape: perhaps unsurprising, given the prevalence of conflict-related sexual violence in this area. We also found that a majority believed that all women should have access to life-saving post-abortion care. Our findings indicate that there could be an opening to destigmatise access to abortion and post-abortion care. Early negative perceptions For our research, we conducted 24 focus group discussions with women and married men in six rural districts of North and South Kivu. Participants in all groups acknowledged that induced abortion occurred often in their community. In all groups, initial reactions towards induced abortion were overwhelmingly negative. Participants said that women who terminated a pregnancy were prostitutes or murderers, and should face criminal repercussions. They said these women would face social costs in their community: abandonment by their husband or family, loss of marriage prospects, or judgment or gossip by community members. Many participants believed that inducing an abortion could lead to infertility, injury, or death. They said that women who terminated a pregnancy might avoid seeking medical attention out of fear that her abortion would no longer be a secret or that she might face criminal repercussions. Less judgment Despite these negative perceptions, many participants expressed less judgment when they discussed reasons that motivated women to terminate a pregnancy. Examples of these reasons included when a woman's husband was unsupportive, unfaithful, or abusive. They also included situations in which the pregnancy was due to rape or sexual assault perpetrated by various armed groups in the ongoing conflict. In addition, they mentioned that a womanor couplemight choose to terminate a pregnancy because they could not afford to feed another child, or if she had recently given birth or already had many children. Participants expressed some empathy for an unmarried girl who would want to avoid the stigma of becoming an unwed mother, or who wanted to finish her education. Many participants explicitly voiced that abortion was permissible in order to save the life of the woman. As the discussions continued, a few participants concluded that it was inappropriate to judge a woman who induced an abortion. They recognized that the decision to terminate a pregnancy was personal. Other participants advocated against criminal charges for women who induced abortions. Despite their initial reactions, many agreed that women should eventually be reintegrated into society after inducing an abortion. Even among those who strongly opposed abortion, community members almost unanimously agreed that a woman who terminated a pregnancy should have access to post-abortion care. They also said they would help her reach care. As one man stated: "Even if she does it secretly, you can first send her to the health center despite what she did... you must first save her life." What now? Our study showed a clear opening to address community attitudes and stigma that prevent women from seeking post-abortion care. Attitudes towards women who terminate pregnancy are nuanced and complex, even in places with restrictive abortion laws. It's therefore important to engage with communities and reduce abortion stigma. An overwhelming majority of participants believed that women who induced abortion should have access to post-abortion care, even if they disagreed with the woman's action. It's therefore critical to explore beyond the initial negative attitudes to ensure women who have abortions access life-saving care. Explore further Only 50% of CO clinicians are willing and able to counsel women on abortion This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. We will offer John Stemkes customers the excellent customer service level provided to all of our PROSHRED Security customers and we will make the transition seamlessly PROSHRED Raleigh, central and eastern North Carolinas leading name in secure, convenient document destruction, has announced that it has purchased the document shredding services portion of JHS Services and began servicing customers in March. JHS Services is a Wilmington, NC-based document solutions company. The business is owned by John Stemke. We will offer John Stemkes customers the excellent customer service level provided to all of our PROSHRED Security customers and we will make the transition seamlessly, said Jim Klemes, owner of PROSHRED Raleigh. I have been providing document and hard drive destruction services in North Carolina since July 2007 and, prior to that, was with CPL/Progress Energy and provided energy services for more than 20 years. I have been fortunate to have known John Stemke during the past few years and have admired how John has taken care of his employees, and how the employees have taken care of their customers. PROSHRED Raleigh services central and eastern North Carolina and offers shredding solutions for both businesses and individuals. PROSHRED Security has been pioneering new shredding technologies for over 30 years and is the countrys only ISO 9001 Certified secure onsite shredding company. All PROSHRED franchises are locally owned and operated. For more information about PROSHRED Raleigh, visit their website at http://www.PROSHRED.com/Raleigh. Discovery Reports 2,290 g/t AgEq over 1.3 m and 1,605 g/t AgEq over 2.9 m in Vein Drilling at Cordero Posted by Publisher Internet Discovery Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DSV, OTCQX: DSVMF) (?Discovery? or the ?Company? https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/discovery-metals-Corp/) is pleased to announce results from 14 diamond drill holes targeting the Josefina and Todos Santos high-grade vein trends at its flagship Cordero project (?Cordero? or ?the Project?) located in Chihuahua State, Mexico. Multiple vein trends with a combined strike extent of more than 5 km flank the higher-grade bulk-tonnage domain at Cordero; the Josefina and Todos Santos vein trends currently represent approximately 3 km of this strike extent. Highlight intercepts include: Josefina Vein 3 m averaging 2,166 g/t AgEq1 from 95.6 m (1,581 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, 9.9% Pb and 5.4% Zn) in hole C20-381 0 m averaging 1,826 g/t AgEq1 from 41.2 m (1,280 g/t Ag, 4.24 g/t Au, 1.6% Pb and 3.4% Zn) within an 8.9 m interval averaging 410 g/t AgEq1 (267 g/t Ag, 0.91 g/t Au, 0.9% Pb, 0.8% Zn) in hole C20-382 3 m averaging 2,290 g/t AgEq1 from 136.7 m (1,607 g/t Ag, 2.06 g/t Au, 5.2% Pb and 8.0% Zn) in hole C20-396 South Corridor 9 m averaging 1,605 g/t AgEq1 from 44.4 m (992 g/t Ag, 0.73 g/t Au, 12.9% Pb and 2.4% Zn) in hole C20-383 Todos Santos Vein 4 m averaging 1,107 g/t AgEq1 from 135.4 m (552 g/t Ag, 0.33 g/t Au, 11.0% Pb and 3.4% Zn) within a 4.0 m interval averaging 763 g/t AgEq1 (377 g/t Ag, 0.28 g/t Au, 7.1% Pb, 2.7% Zn) in hole C20-385 2 m averaging 875 g/t AgEq1 from 186.5 m (241 g/t Ag, 0.52 g/t Au, 4.6% Pb and 10.4% Zn) in hole C20-387 8 m averaging 670 g/t AgEq1 from 166.3 m (207 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, 3.7% Pb and 7.7% Zn) in hole C20-397 Taj Singh, President and CEO, states: ?Our confidence in the continuity of the high-grade vein trends at Cordero continues to grow. 20 holes have now been drilled at the 1.5km Todos Santos vein trend. Remarkably, all 20 holes have intercepted the principal vein returning an average drilled width of 2.6m grading 635 g/t AgEq. At Josefina we continue to intercept bonanza grades along 1.5km of strike extent including, in this release, some of the highest grades intercepted on the project to date. We will continue to systematically advance this new and exciting component of our story as we move towards the delivery of our updated resource in 3Q 2021 and PEA in 4Q 2021. The updated resource and PEA will focus on the bulk-tonnage domain at Cordero; we hope to add the high-grade vein component to Cordero project economics in 2022.? JOSEFINA VEIN: The Josefina vein trend consists of two principal southwest-trending subparallel veins with an interpreted strike extent of approximately 1.5 km. The eight holes in this release were successful in confirming continuity of bonanza grade mineralization along the central and northeast parts of the vein trend. Drilling has confirmed the depth continuity of veins at Josefina to approximately 370 m below surface. The vein trend is open at depth below this and along strike in both directions. The veins along the Josefina trend dip steeply to the northwest and mineralization typically consists of semi-massive pyrite, galena and sphalerite. Further drilling is still required to accurately estimate the true width of the veins. Drill hole locations and current vein interpretations are shown in Figure 1 (see links below) and detailed drill highlights of the holes from this release at Josefina are provided in the table below. TODOS SANTOS VEIN: The Todos Santos vein trend, consisting of the Main Vein and Footwall Vein, has an interpreted southwest strike extent of at least 1.5 km and depth extent of at least 300 m based on historic underground workings and drilling. In total 20 holes have been drilled at Todos Santos; 9 historic holes and 11 holes drilled by Discovery (including four holes in this release). All 20 holes intercepted the Main Vein returning an average drilled width of 2.6m grading 635 g/t AgEq1. Holes C20-385 (4.0 m averaging 763 g/t AgEq1) and C20-387 (3.2 m averaging 576 g/t AgEq1) in this release extended the drill-confirmed strike extent of the Main Vein by approximately 50 m to the southwest. The Todos Santos vein trend is open along strike in both directions and at depth. High-grade mineralization in both the Main Vein and Footwall Vein is typically associated with quartz-carbonate veins that dip steeply to the northwest. Mineralization typically consists of galena, sphalerite and pyrite.? Further drilling is still required to accurately estimate the true width of the veins at Todos Santos. Drill hole locations and current vein interpretations are shown in Figure 1 (see links below) and detailed drill highlights of the holes drilled at Todos Santos from this release are provided in the table below. ADDITIONAL VEINS: C20-383, drilled to the northwest of Josefina and in the middle of the South Corridor intercepted a previously unidentified breccia-fault near-surface that reported 1.7 m averaging 2,242 g/t AgEq1. C20-389, drilled in the North Corridor to the southwest of Todos Santos, intercepted two previously unknown veins at depth. The veins reported 2.4 m averaging 463 g/t AgEq1 and 0.8 m averaging 941 g/t AgEq1. Evaluation of these new veins including follow-up drill targeting is ongoing. Further drill highlights from these two holes are provided in the table below. PHASE 1 DRILL PROGRAM UPDATE: The Company has completed 58,600 m (148 holes) as part of its expanded 65,000 m Phase 1 drill program.? Assays from 24 holes are pending. There are currently four drill rigs operating on site. Additional drill rigs may be added when the Company is confident that the health and safety risks related to COVID-19 can be managed effectively. Drilling is focused on two key concepts: (1) targeting of bulk-tonnage mineralization within and to the east and northeast of both mineralized corridors; and (2) systematic testing of the width, grade and continuity of extensive high-grade vein systems that transect the deposit. Our immediate focus is on drilling bulk-tonnage targets for inclusion in the updated resource estimate in 3Q 2021 and PEA in 4Q 2021. Supporting maps and sections, drill hole locations and full assay results can be found at the following link: https://dsvmetals.com/site/assets/files/5645/20210315_dsv_sa.pdf A PDF of this release with supporting maps and sections included as appendices can be found at the following link: https://dsvmetals.com/site/assets/files/5645/20210315_dsv_nr.pdf About Discovery Discovery?s flagship project is its 100%-owned Cordero project, one of the few silver projects globally that offers margin, size and scaleability. The project is located in a prolific mining belt in Chihuahua State, Mexico, and is supported by an industry leading balance sheet with over C$95 million of cash allocated for aggressive exploration, resource expansion and future development. Discovery was a recipient of the 2020 TSX Venture 50 award and the 2021 OTCQX Best 50 award.? Sample analysis and QA/QC Program True widths of reported drill intercepts have not been determined. Assays are uncut except where indicated. All core assays are from HQ drill core unless stated otherwise. Drill core is logged and sampled in a secure core storage facility located at the project site 40km north of the city of Parral. Core samples from the program are cut in half, using a diamond cutting saw, and are sent to ALS Geochemistry-Mexico for preparation in Chihuahua City, Mexico, and subsequently pulps are sent to ALS Vancouver, Canada, which is an accredited mineral analysis laboratory, for analysis. All samples are prepared using a method whereby the entire sample is crushed to 70% passing -2mm, a split of 250g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing 75 microns. Samples are analyzed for gold using standard Fire Assay-AAS techniques (Au-AA24) from a 50g pulp.? Over limits are analyzed by fire assay and gravimetric finish. Samples are also analyzed using thirty three-element inductively coupled plasma method (?ME-ICP61?). Over limit sample values are re-assayed for: (1) values of zinc > 1%; (2) values of lead > 1%; and (3) values of silver > 100 g/t. Samples are re-assayed using the ME-OG62 (high-grade material ICP-AES) analytical package. For values of silver greater than 1,500 g/t, samples are re-assayed using the Ag-CON01 analytical method, a standard 30 g fire assay with gravimetric finish. Certified standards and blanks are routinely inserted into all sample shipments to ensure integrity of the assay process. Selected samples are chosen for duplicate assay from the coarse reject and pulps of the original sample. No QAQC issues were noted with the results reported herein. Qualified Person Gernot Wober, P.Geo, VP Exploration, Discovery Metals Corp., is the Company\-\-s designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (?NI 43-101?) and has reviewed and validated that the information contained in this news release is accurate. TECHNICAL NOTES & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: The most recent technical report for the Cordero Project is the 2018 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) authored by M3 Engineering and Technology Corp and includes the most recent resource estimate, completed by Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. It is available on Discovery?s website and on SEDAR under Levon Resources Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery. The PEA assumes metallurgical recoveries of 89% for Ag, 84% for Pb, 72% for Zn and 40% for Au. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release is not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ?1933 Act?) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although Discovery 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 described in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in market prices, including metal prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. There can be no assurance that the Private Placement will close on the announced terms. Discovery does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable laws. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again, the Golden Retriever took Boston's number one spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Golden Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Charlotte and Cincinnati. Although the Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever steadily hold the top two spots, the Frenchie is slowly inching its way up. Last year, the German Shepherd Dog held 3rd place, but was knocked down to 4th this year by the French Bulldog. Another shift occurred with the Pembroke Welsh Corgi moving up one spot from last year and knocking down the Australian Shepherd from 5th to 6th place. "It's clear Boston loves the Golden Retriever, but what's fascinating is that the top 10 had a big shift from last year" said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The Bulldog leapt to 8th place from 20th place and the Bernese Mountain Dog came in at #9, jumping 8 spots from last year." She adds, "It will be interesting to see if the Bulldog manages to break into the top five next year." Boston's top 5 breeds for 2020: Golden Retrievers Labrador Retrievers French Bulldogs German Shepherd Dogs Pembroke Welsh Corgis * Registration data pulled from Boston's zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ Pakistan witnessed several hardships faced by its religious and ethnic minorities over years, particularly under the long spell of military rule. by K.M. Seethi If you want to see the brave, look at those who can forgive. If you want to see the heroic, look at those who can love in return for hatred, says Bhagavad Gita. Pakistans Hindu community has apparently followed this sacred verse while forgiving the accused in the demolition of a 100-year-old holy shrine in the Teri village of the Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) on 30 December 2020. But does this ensure that their basic right to live in Pakistan will be respected? The case emerged in the wake of a mob, under instigation of local Muslim clerics, resorted to attacks and vandalism on the temple, which was built way back in 1919, following the samadhi of Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj. Shri Paramhans is worshipped by the Hindu community in Pakistan as a mystic and spiritual master. Reports from Pakistan indicated that legal proceedings against the accused will be put to a halt following a meeting held between local Muslim religious leaders and the Hindu society at a jirga, which is the traditional justice system of the Pakhtuns. The Pakhtun habitants used to settle conflicts among themselves through jirgas according to their traditional set of rules called pakhtunwali. In this consensual justice dispensation system, the state does not have any role; nor does it control the process of conflict settlement. But, in this case, KPK Government played a major roleapparently under pressure of the countrys apex court and with the intervention of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. After the deliberations held in the jirga, an agreement was arrived atwith an apology tendered by the accused for the demolition and burning of the holy shrine. An apology was also made for a similar attack on the temple in 1997. The Maulanas made an assurance to the Hindu community that their rights and privileges would be fully protected as per the law of the land. KPK Chief Minister presided over the meeting. Dozens of people were arrested after the destruction of the temple with the intervention of the Human Rights Council of Pakistan and the Supreme Court. The deliberations of the jirga, including the consensus reached, will be intimated to the apex court of Pakistan. Pakistan Hindu Council leaders like Ramesh Kumar were positive on the issue. Kumar, however, reminded that the demolition had hurt the Hindu sentiments across the world. The Supreme Court was very vehement in its criticism of the vandalism and the Chief Justice even went to the extent of saying that the demotion had brought "international embarrassment to Pakistan." The court also ordered the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) to start the reconstruction of the shrine. Hundreds of people, instigated by some Muslim clerics (which included a faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam), were involved in the destruction of the temple. A similar vandalism was unleashed in 1997 when the holy shrine came under attack. The apex court had ordered its renovation in 2015. Following the Supreme Court direction, a Commission on Minorities Rights, KPK Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police visited the site and submitted a report which stated that more than a hundred people were taken into custody and several officials and police officers were suspended for dereliction of duty. The Chief Justice was, however, very particular that the authorities should also ensure recovering money from the perpetrators of vandalism. Meanwhile, the Shoaib Suddle commission noted in its report that the vandalism had brought shame to Pakistan by tarnishing the image of the country at the international level. The commission also recommended security and protection of other temples in the country. Pakistan witnessed several hardships faced by its religious and ethnic minorities over years, particularly under the long spell of military rule. Of the countrys biggest minority of 8 million Hindus (out of the 200 million population of Pakistan), nearly 93 per cent live in Sindh, and other provinces like KPK have only a small percentage of Hindus. There were reports of attacks on the holy places of minorities, including Hindus and Christians, in the past. This took a turn for the worse with the emergence of Taliban forces in Pakistan after the 1990s. Since then the neo-Wahhabi militant forces used to unleash violence and the shrines of minorities (which included Shia and Ahmadiyya communities) became the targets of frequent attacks. A few years back, the Pakistan Hindu Council leaders said that around 1,400 Hindu religious shrines in Pakistan required immediate attention as well as protection by the authorities. The Council had also mooted an idea of a federal agency to prevent atrocities against the minorities. The proposal came in the background of reports of forced conversion and cases registered under blasphemy laws. The National Human Right Commission of Pakistan (NHRCP) and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) testified that religious minorities had a troubled time in the country, and there were instances when they could not enjoy the freedom of religion or belief guaranteed under Pakistans Constitution. NHRCP reports of 2019 and 2020 and the USCIRF Report of 2020 are clear evidences of such incidents. The reconciliation statement is expected to reach the apex court soon. However, it remains to be seen if the Supreme Court can annul proceedings against the accused on the strength of a statement of reconciliation. Two years back, the apex court had held the system of jirgas and panchayats in violation of Pakistans international commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The verdict by the court said that these commitments placed a responsibility on Pakistan to ensure that everyone had access to courts or tribunals and would be treated equally before the law. The verdict came on a petition filed by the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) as well as the government of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The court held that the manner in which jirgas or panchayats functioned in Pakistan amounted to violating Articles 4, 8, 10-A, 25 and 175(3) of the Constitution and clarified that this practice did not fall under the constitution or any other law, because this system went to the extent of adjudicating on civil or criminal matters. It remains to be seen if the apex court of Pakistan can sustain the deliberations of jirga in the case of the demolition and burning of the holy shrine and thereby stall criminal proceedings against the accused on the strength of the Hindu communitys forgiving. The court, which intervened in this case most actively from the beginning, also knows that minority protection in Pakistan is a daunting task against the rising tide of fundamentalism and sectarianism in the country. Evidently, many Islamic militant groups function beyond the path of such reconciliation and consensus politics. The pattern of violence against the ethnic and religious minorities is a case in point. The author is Director, Inter University Centre for Social Science Research and Extension (IUCSSRE), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala.) He also served as Dean of Social Sciences and Professor of International Relations and Politics, Mahatma Gandhi University. He can be contacted at kmseethimgu@gmail.com Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. 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. TOKYO Defense and foreign ministers from the United States and Japan met Tuesday to discuss their shared worry over China's growing territorial ambitions in the East and South China seas as the Biden administration tries to reassure key regional allies. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in his opening remarks at the so-called two plus two security talks on Tuesday, joined by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, told their Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, that the U.S. ministers are here to reaffirm their commitment to the alliance and make it stronger. He also said the Biden administration is committed to work with the U.S. allies and those in the region and support their shared values of human rights and democracy as they face challenges from China and North Korea. On Tuesday, just as the two U.S. officials arrived, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister criticized the United States and South Korea for holding military exercises and warned Washington against further provocations if it wants a good night's sleep for the next four years." Kim Yo Jong's statement Tuesday was North Korea's first comments directed at the new U.S. presidential administration. President Joe Biden's decision to send key ministers to Japan as their first overseas visit rather than hosting Japanese officials in Washington means a lot for Japan, which considers its alliance with the United States the cornerstone of its diplomatic and security policies. Blinken, in his opening remarks at an earlier meeting with Motegi, said it is no accident that we chose Japan for the first Cabinet level overseas travel" of the Biden administration, and that he and Austin are here to reaffirm our commitment to the alliance and to build on it. He said the United States and its allies are working on together on climate change, cyber security and health security in support of our shared values. We believe in democracy, human rights and the rule of law, but they are under threat in the region, whether it's Burma or China," Blinken said. He said the United States will work with its allies to help achieve a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region." Blinken also said that the United States and Japan are expected to reaffirm the importance of their three-way partnership with South Korea and may touch on the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues. South Korea and Japan have been struggling to repair relations that sank in 2019 following South Korean court rulings that ordered Japanese companies to pay reparations for forced labor. Those rulings led to trade curbs by both countries and Seoul threatened to scrap a bilateral military intelligence-sharing agreement that was a major symbol of the countries three-way security cooperation in the region. Since then, Japan and U.S. have changed leaders, leaving hope for improved relations. Motegi, after the talks with Blinken, said the two ministers both oppose China's attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the regional seas and that they also shared strong concerns over Beijing's human rights violations in Xinjiang. The two ministers also agreed on the importance of complete denuclearization of North Korea, he said. Japan is in a delicate diplomatic situation because its economy, like those of other countries in the region, heavily depends on China. But Tokyo considers Chinas escalating maritime activity in the region a security threat. Beijing has built militarized manmade islands in the South China Sea and is pressing its claim to virtually all of the seas key fisheries and waterways. Japan is concerned about Chinas claim to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea and its increased activity in the disputed area. China has denied it is expansionist and said it is only defending its territorial rights. On the Biden administrations first Cabinet-level trip abroad, Blinken and Austin were expected to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and the situation in Myanmar after its military coup. Later Tuesday, the officials will talk with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is expected to visit Washington sometime in the first half of April to meet with Biden in person becoming the first foreign leader to do so since Biden became president in January. In a move meant to signal his intention for the United States to more strongly engage with the Asia-Pacific region, Biden on Friday held a first virtual summit of the leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the United States known as the Quad and emphasized Washingtons commitment to the region. Blinken and Austin on Wednesday will head to South Korea, with the focus of those talks being North Korea and its nuclear ambitions. Blinken will meet senior Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska, on his way back to Washington. Austin will go from Seoul to New Delhi for meetings with Indian leaders. ___ Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. This article was written by MARI YAMAGUCHI from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com. Page Content A San Antonio ordinance that would provide covered employees with paid sick leave violates the Texas Constitution, according to a state appeals court. The state of Texas and several business groups sued San Antonio officials to prevent the ordinance from taking effect. They argued that paid sick leave is a wage, and thus, the Texas Minimum Wage Act (TMWA) pre-empts the city's ordinance. The TMWA states that "the minimum wage provided by [the act] supersedes a wage established in an ordinance ... governing wages in private employment." On March 10, the state appeals court upheld a temporary injunction blocking the ordinance from taking effect. We've gathered news on paid-sick-leave laws from SHRM Online and other trusted media outlets. Ordinance Blocked San Antonio's paid-sick-leave ordinance would require employers to provide employees with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours they work. The San Antonio City Council passed the ordinance in October 2019, but a trial judge granted a temporary injunction blocking it from taking effect. A coalition of businesses filed a lawsuit arguing that the ordinance is an unconstitutional violation of the TMWA. (KSAT) Establishing a Minimum Wage The state appeals court in San Antonio said the TMWA supersedes local wage mandates. The TMWA doesn't define "wage," but the ordinary meaning is that a "wage is a payment to a person for services rendered," the appeals court said. "Because the ordinance's paid sick and safe leave provision establishes a minimum wage, which is inconsistent with the TMWA, and thus violates the Texas Constitution, we affirm the trial court's order," wrote Justice Patricia O. Alvarez. (Bloomberg Law) Austin and Dallas Ordinances Blocked Austin and Dallas passed similar paid-sick-leave laws, which also faced legal challenges. Austin's ordinance would have required most businesses to allow employees to accrue 64 hours of paid sick leave a year. A state appeals court in Austin deemed the ordinance unconstitutional under the TMWA, and the Texas Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal. Additionally, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Dallas ordinance. The federal judge said the local mandate conflicts with Texas law. (The Texas Tribune) and (SHRM Online) Paid-Sick-Leave Trend Continues at State and Local Level At least 13 states have passed paid-sick-leave laws and some states have enacted emergency paid-leave laws in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (though some laws have expired). Some cities in California and elsewhere have also passed supplemental leave ordinances. Employers should periodically check to see if state and local COVID-19-related paid-leave laws have been extended beyond their original end date. (National Conference of State Legislatures) Paid-Time-Off Resources With tough competition for talent, progressive company leaders are rethinking how to attract and keep employees happy. Offering an assortment of paid leave benefits can help employees balance work and life and come back to the job revitalized. Visit SHRM's resource center to discover ways to offer this popular benefit to employees. (SHRM Online) In 1942, Maj. Arthur Wermuth was crawling through mud to avoid a Japanese patrol marching through the jungle. The invaders had no idea he was there. When they passed, he continued crawling on the jungle floor. His destination was a ridgeline that overlooked the nearby enemy camp. He climbed to the top of the ridge and drew out his Thompson submachine gun. He then let loose on the encampment. The Japanese, now confused and panicking, thought the Americans had slipped into their rear. But it was only Wermuth, the One-Man Army of Bataan. Just nine hours after Japans surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched an invasion of the Philippines. But the Philippines didnt go easily into Japanese hands. Standing in their way were thousands of Philippine Scouts, led by seasoned officers like Wermuth. The scouts were professional Filipino soldiers, specially trained to fight and subdue rebels in the jungle terrain, slip through enemy lines to gather intelligence and perform devastating hit-and-run attacks. Japan had launched near simultaneous invasions of Hong Kong, Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Singapore and Thailand. Within three months, the Japanese war machine had overrun every Pacific nation and island in the region, with the exception of the Philippines. Among the 22,000 defenders of the islands in the early days of the war were more than 10,000 Philippine Scouts. Wermuth was the commander of the scouts 57th Infantry Regiment. They would prove to be the biggest advantage for the American defenders of the island. Growing up as a ranch hand and son of a World War I veteran, Wermuth almost was destined to be a soldier. He attended Northwestern Military Academy in Wisconsin and was an outstanding athlete. He joined the Army in 1936 and was sent to the Philippines as the United States rushed to build its armed forces in preparation for the war. But when the Japanese attack came, the island nation wasnt fully prepared for the expert soldiers who would land there. Much of the island was filled with non-combat troops, guardsmen and Filipino reservists. Overwhelmed by enemy air power, the defenders fell back to reinforced defensive positions in the Bataan Peninsula. To get there, they had to hold the Japanese advance from a series of fortified positions. The Philippine Scouts 26th Cavalry rode to fight the invaders, then manned the series of defensive positions as they withdrew. Once the defenders were on the peninsula, the scouts blew up the bridges. Bataan would not surrender until April 1942, and until it did, Maj. Wermuth would take every opportunity to give the Japanese a bloody nose, black eye or any other wound he could inflict. If ever there was a World War II officer we could compare to a real-life Rambo, Wermuth was it. In January 1942, the Japanese began their attacks on Bataan in earnest. Wermuth picked up his Thompson submachine gun, two pistols and a handful of grenades. He walked into the jungle looking for the attackers. He hid in the jungle until Japanese troops walked by him, then shadowed their movements to the front line. This is the kind of Japanese attack Wermuth had to sneak past. (Department of Defense) Wermuth followed the Japanese force for miles, and right before they were able to attack his camp, he pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it toward the enemy troops. It went off, alerting the Philippine Scouts that the enemy was near. As the Filipino soldiers fired into the Japanese, Wermuth fired into their flank and annihilated them. The Army officer became known to the Japanese as The Ghost of Bataan as his infiltrate-and-kill missions became bolder and bolder. By Jan. 11, 1942, the Japanese had pushed the Americans south past the Abucay Line near the city of Kalaguiman. The only way they could slow the advance was to destroy the bridge north of the city. Wermuth volunteered to go by himself. He carried his trademark Thompson and two pistols along with two five-gallon jugs of gasoline. The gasoline wasnt meant for the bridge, however. The plan called for Wermuth to enter the town and set a fire. When the smoke was visible, Filipino artillery would open up on Kalaguiman. The shelling would distract the Japanese long enough for Wermuth to set the charges and detonate the bridge. The American officer made his way silently through the entire city, but instead of just starting a fire, he doused the huts of sleeping enemy soldiers and lit them with a match. Japanese troops soon poured out. Those who werent on fire began looking for the arsonist. Wermuth made a break for the bridge. A hail of gunfire greeted his arrival at the bridge. Wermuth was shot in the leg but continued his dash to set the charges. As he began to work on the bridge, artillery began to rain down on Kalaguiman, giving him enough time and distraction to do the job. He then made a very slow beeline, through the sniper-infested jungles, for friendly lines. Wermouth was shot in the chest during a near-suicide mission, an effort to retake Mount Pucat from the Japanese. The bullet went through his lung, and he was forced into the hospital. After little more than a week, he attempted to rejoin the scouts, but fell into a ravine and was hospitalized again. The Americans surrendered in April 1942 while he was recovering. But he was too injured to be forced on the Bataan Death March that 60,000 to 80,000 other American soldiers would endure. He spent the rest of the war as a prisoner, finally liberated by the Soviet Red Army in Mukden, China, in August 1945. He credited his success in the fighting to his Filipino soldiers. Ninety percent of the credit for what I did was due to them, he told Montanas Billings Gazette. They're the best soldiers in the world. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time." -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This past year, the French Bulldog held onto Miami's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in NYC and Atlanta. The Bulldog made its way into the top five in 2020, kicking the Poodle down to number six. Miami's love for the Golden Retriever was also on full display this year, with the breed jumping up to #2 on the city's most popular list. "On trend with the rest of the nation, the Frenchie held tightly to the hearts of the people of Miami," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The playful, friendly pup remained the city's most popular breed, as it claimed the #2 spot in the country." Miami's top 5 breeds for 2020: 1. French Bulldog 2. Golden Retriever 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. Labrador Retriever 5. Bulldog * Registration data pulled from Miami zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 1. Labrador Retriever 2. French Bulldog 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. Golden Retriever 5. Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ Noogata, the leader in radically simple, no-code artificial intelligence (AI) data analytics for enterprises, today announced that it has secured a $12 million seed funding led by Team8 with participation from Skylake Capital. Investment proceeds will power product development and organizational expansion to fast-track and scale Noogatas innovative enterprise AI offering; support the companys expansion into new industries; and serve existing customers, including Colgate and PepsiCo. Noogata is an enterprise platform for collecting, enriching and modeling data insights, predictions and recommendations. It provides actionable data analytics across multiple departments, ranging from sales and operations to finance and marketing. This removes the need for internal development overheads or the use of limited out-of-the-box solutions. The platform easily and rapidly integrates with enterprise data systems. Noogata democratizes the development of enterprise applications by empowering non-developers to build the tools they need. At the core of the Noogata solution are modular, pre-set AI blocks, which are engineered to target mission-critical business needs such as managing eCommerce channels and supply chains and enhancing marketing ROI. Noogata utilizes no-code AI-powered frameworks to unlock valuable data insights that companies can integrate into their reports and dashboards to improve decision-making. We believe data teams are at the epicenter of digital transformation and that to drive impact, they need to be able to unlock the value of data. They need access to relevant, continuous and explainable insights and predictions that are reliable and up-to-date, said Noogata Co-Founder and CEO Assaf Egozi. Noogata unlocks the value of data by providing contextual, business-focused blocks that integrate seamlessly into enterprise data environments to generate actionable insights, predictions and recommendations. This empowers users to go far beyond traditional business intelligence by leveraging AI in their self-serve analytics as well as in their data solutions. Yuval Shachar, Managing Partner at Team8, said: "Noogata is perfectly positioned to address the significant market need for a best-in-class, no-code data analytics platform to drive decision-making. The innovative platform replaces the need for internal build, which is complex and costly, or the use of out-of-the-box vendor solutions which are limited. The companys ability to unlock the value of data through AI is a game-changer. Add to that a stellar founding team, and there is no doubt in my mind that Noogata will be enormously successful. Endre Sagi, General Partner at Skylake Capital, added: In most enterprises, data scientists, data engineers and software developers are among the scarcest resources. Noogatas no-code AI platform allows customers to unleash the power of AI and improve business decisions in a short period of time without committing significant internal technical resources. This makes Noogatas value proposition extremely compelling. Putting the Noogata Solution Into Practice As part of its investment in AI to revolutionize its digital commerce business, Colgate-Palmolive Company uses the Noogata platform to support key sales and marketing functions. According to Kitu Kumar, Ph.D., Associate Director of eCommerce Analytics at Colgate, "We always invest in understanding our consumers so that we can stay close to them. Noogata is giving us a large-scale solution that lets our business units leverage AI across digital commerce channels and touchpoints. As a result, we are improving our sales and marketing efforts dynamically to capitalize on shifting consumer interests. This creates a true competitive advantage for us. Global food and beverage company PepsiCo, Inc. is currently leveraging Noogatas technology across certain farming sites in Europe to help optimize the yield of agricultural raw materials. PepsiCo is always looking for ways to leverage breakthrough technology that can help advance our sustainability goals, said David Wilkinson, Senior Director, PepsiCo Global Procurement. By applying AI to the crop data captured in partnership with farmers, we can gather important insights to further improve decision-making across our agricultural supply chain. The Noogata AI platform is helping us take steps to further optimize crop yield, which helps support farmers productivity, profitability and resiliency. About Noogata Noogata is the leader in radically simple, no-code artificial intelligence (AI) data analytics for the enterprise. The company provides a modular, expandable, single-platform and analytics solution that is ready for immediate use, thanks to pre-built, domain-focused blocks that speak the language of business while targeting unique, mission-critical use cases. Noogata delivers the benefits of best-in-class AI for maximum business impact without the complexity and costs of having to develop it or maintain the AI solutions. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Tel Aviv, privately-held Noogata is backed by Team8 and Skylake Capital. To learn more, visit https://www.noogata.com/. About Team8 Team8 is a venture group that builds and backs technology companies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data, fintech, enterprise software, and infrastructure. We rethink venture to provide entrepreneurs with an unfair advantage, accelerating success in an increasingly competitive landscape. Our deep understanding of the challenges faced by our industry and extensive network of global leaders uniquely positions us as the venture partner of choice. Team8s leadership team includes unicorn founders, bank and fintech CEOs, and former leaders of Unit 8200, Israels elite military technology and intelligence agency. For further information, please visit http://www.team8.vc. About Skylake Capital Skylake Capital is a venture capital fund exclusively focused on investing in early-stage enterprise IT infrastructure startups across Europe and Israel. The funds key investment areas include data & cloud infrastructure, machine learning & artificial intelligence, development tools and cybersecurity. Skylake Capital partners with entrepreneurs to increase their chance of success by sharing the teams expertise in commercializing complex and core technology and by providing access to a network of potential customers, strategic partners, and other ecosystem participants. For further information, please visit https://www.skylakecapital.com. ROME, MAR 16 - Former economy minister Roberto Gualtieri is ready to stand as centre-left Democratic Party (PD) candidate for Rome mayor later this year, PD sources said Tuesday. Gualtieri would be up against a field including incumbent Virginia Raggi of the populist 5-Star Movement (M5S), a national partner of the PD. The final word on Gualtieri's candidacy is up to the PD's new leader, ex-premier Enrico Letta. Rome-born Gualtieri, 55, is a historian and academic who served as economy minister in the second government of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte from 2019 until 2021. He previously was a member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2019, where he chaired the influential Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee within the Parliament from 2014 until 2019. (ANSA). The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has ordered bank employees to declare their assets. The anti-graft agency has also... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has ordered bank employees to declare their assets. The anti-graft agency has also set a June 1 deadline for workers to comply with the directive. Abdulrasheed Bawa, EFCC chairman, disclosed this on Tuesday, while speaking with journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He said they discussed the efforts of the commission towards eradication of financial crimes in the country. Bawa explained that the move is aimed at checking the role of banks in keeping funds acquired illegitimately. Let me just put this, we understood that at the tail end of every financial crime is for the criminal to have access to the funds that he or she has illegitimately gotten and were worried about the roles of financial institutions, he said. And we have discussed, but we hope that all financial institutions, particularly the bankers, will declare their assets as provided for by the law, in accordance with the Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act. And that the EFCC, come the 1st of June 2021, will be demanding for these asset declaration forms, filled by the bankers so that the line that we have drawn from the 1st of June is really complied with by bankers in particular. The EFCC boss lamented that the agency has arrested about 300 cyber criminals across the country between February and March. As a young man, I am appealing to all young Nigerians to desist from these cybercrime activities. It is bringing bad image to our country, it is giving bad name to our country, it is also chasing away a lot of foreign investment that we need, Bawa said. And I call on all parents, guardians, and, of course, elders in the community, in the society to talk to these young people to desist from these crimes. These are crimes that they commit online. And of course, there is nothing like patting your back to say go and sin no more. Our laws does not provide for that. It is a crime and as we say in EFCC, EFCC will get you anywhere, anytime. A Baton Rouge man awaiting a double-murder trial and an armed robbery retrial rejected an offer Monday that would have tacked on 20 years to the 25 years he's currently serving, but taken a potential life sentence off the table. A prosecutor disclosed the offer during a habitual offender hearing for Jonathan Robertson, who was convicted of attempted armed robbery in 2019, simple robbery in 2010 and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in 2008. Robertson, 30, is serving a 25-year prison term on the attempted armed robbery. He also was convicted at that 2019 trial of armed robbery and sentenced to a consecutive 50 years, but the non-unanimous armed robbery conviction and 50-year term were thrown out after the U.S. Supreme Court last year declared split-jury verdicts unconstitutional. A new trial on that charge was ordered. The attempted armed robbery conviction was unanimous. Baton Rouge man accused in 2015 double murder faces years behind bars, despite partial appeals court win A Baton Rouge man's conviction and 50-year prison sentence on armed robbery charges has been overturned by an appellate court -- but his legal East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors now are seeking to have Robertson deemed a third felony offender and sentenced accordingly. He could face a prison term of 24 years to 99 years under Louisiana's habitual offender sentencing guidelines. Robertson faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if he's found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2015 slaying of two Texas women in Baton Rouge. The armed robbery and attempted armed robbery charges stem from incidents that occurred less than two weeks after the killings. Prosecutor Stuart Theriot told state District Judge Beau Higginbotham on Monday that if Robertson pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm in the double-slaying in exchange for a 20-year sentence to run consecutively with his 25-year term, then all of the cases against him would be resolved. 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 But Robertson refused to accept the offer, prompting the judge to schedule a May 4 court date for the habitual offender ruling and sentencing. After Supreme Court win, Baton Rouge robber could face longer term as habitual offender Just when it appeared the U.S. Supreme Court had handed Jonathan Robertson hope in his quest to reduce his 75-year prison sentence, the convic Depending on how severe a sentence Robertson receives as a repeat offender, prosecutors then will decide whether to retry the armed robbery charge and also whether to try the double-homicide, East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III has said. In the double-homicide, Brandi Gilbert, of Plano, Texas, and Corrine Rayford, of Grapevine, Texas, were shot in the head and found in a parked car on Boone Avenue on June 19, 2015. They were both 23. Less than two weeks later on July 1, 2015, Robertson allegedly robbed a Cracker Barrel on Jefferson Highway and tried to rob a Comfort Inn security guard off College Drive in incidents that occurred two hours apart. Baton Rouge man accused in 2015 double murder sentenced to 75 years for robberies A Baton Rouge man was sentenced to 75 years in prison Wednesday for the armed robbery of a store clerk and the attempted robbery of a hotel se The hotel guard disarmed Robertson in the parking lot, and that pistol was traced back to the double homicide. 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. An 18-year-old Port Richmond resident accused of shooting and wounding another person in his community last summer has been sentenced to a year in jail. Supreme Johnson was indicted on attempted assault, weapon and firearm charges stemming from the July 3 incident. A criminal complaint said the events unfolded around 3 a.m. on Park Avenue near Ann Street. The location is a few blocks from the defendants home. Johnson shot the victim in the shoulder and foot, said the complaint. The victim was treated at the hospital for bullet wounds, the complaint said. The complaint did not say what sparked the attack. In December, Johnson pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to attempted second-degree criminal weapon possession to satisfy all charges against him. He was sentenced Friday. My client was facing up to 15 years behind bars, but because of the tireless efforts of Robert Tsiglers office, my client is going to be out of jail in less than a year, said defense lawyer Joseph Caldarera, a member of the firm. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Botelho prosecuted the case. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Boris Johnson has failed to guarantee troop numbers will be spared cuts as he unveiled a major review of Britains foreign policy. The Prime Minister was pressed by Labour to explain whether the number of frontline personnel will fall, amid reports the Army could reduce by 10,000 in the coming years. After Conservative Richard Drax (South Dorset) suggested boosting the Armys regular force beyond 100,000, Mr Johnson said the combined strength including reservists will remain above 100,000 but tough decisions will be required. In 2015, the then governments review committed to maintain the size of the regular Armed Forces and to not reduce the Army below 82,000 troops while also making increases to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. In recent years the Government has been working to boost a shrunken regular force of 82,000 with an increased reserve force of 30,000. Expand Close The Guard of Honour 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards marching at Horse Guards Parade, London, during the Trooping the Colour ceremony (Sgt Randall RLC/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Guard of Honour 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards marching at Horse Guards Parade, London, during the Trooping the Colour ceremony (Sgt Randall RLC/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA) Speaking in the Commons, former Army officer Mr Drax asked: Global Britain remains the buzzword and our armed forces have a key role to play with the Integrated Review, and with that in mind, and the many responsibilities (Mr Johnson) has committed to, can he reassure me that he will expand the Army to 100,000 as our chief ally the US has recommended rather than see it wither on the vine to 72,000 by cutting recruiting thereby avoiding redundancies? The Prime Minister replied: The Army, including reserves, (Mr Drax) will be pleased to know, will be over 100,000. But it is the duty of this Government to take the tough decisions that are necessary to modernise our armed forces as well. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer earlier said: The Prime Minister cant avoid the question that everyone in our armed forces and their families will be asking today: will there be further cuts to the strength of our Army and our armed forces? The British Army is already 6,000 below the minimal level set out in the last review, its been cut every year for the last decade, and its been reported that the Army will see a further reduction of 10,000 alongside fewer tanks, fewer jets for the RAF and fewer frigates for the Royal Navy. Sir Keir went on: Successive Conservative prime ministers have cut the armed forces, but at least they have had the courage to come to this House and say so. Expand Close Crew members disembark from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (Jane Barlow/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Crew members disembark from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (Jane Barlow/PA) Mr Johnson said Labour had the chance to back the armed forces in the Overseas Operations Bill but voted against it. He said: And they want to talk about standing up for our armed forces, just in the last year the Labour Party has been given the opportunity to back our armed services, our armed forces, our troops, our soldiers in the Overseas Operations Bill. They had the chance to stand up for veterans, they voted against it on a three-line whip. Those are the instincts of the Labour Party: weak on supporting our troops, weak on backing Britain when it matters and weak on defence. Labours Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) later asked: Will the Prime Minister level with the country and tell us exactly how he plans to reduce the armed forces by 10,000 in the years ahead? Mr Johnson replied: Ive already explained that this is the biggest investment in our armed forces since the Cold War and therell be no redundancies across the armed forces. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 05:36:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LISBON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- In an attempt to assuage concerns among those who had received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Tuesday that the country's decision to suspend the jab was "just for precaution." "People need to understand what is happening: these suspensions are only provisional. The World Health Organization is doing a review of the data, the European Medicines Agency will comment until the end of the week," he said. Speaking to journalists, Costa recalled that he himself had been given the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine and that he "looks forward to the second dose," which he will receive in May. "All the scientific evidence shows that the [AstraZeneca] vaccine is a safe vaccine and that it is effective. To all who took the first dose of the vaccine, I tell you to be calm and confident," said the Portuguese head of government. "I hope that by the end of this week, everything will be cleared up and we can resume this vaccination plan as normal," he concluded. The Portuguese Directorate-General for Health (DGS) decided on Monday to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, joining the growing ranks of their peers making the same decision over blood clot concerns. According to the latest data from the DGS, Portugal has vaccinated 1,163,873 people against COVID-19, 824,313 of them given the first dose and 339,560 both doses. The country recorded 384 new COVID-19 cases and 13 more deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the national totals to 814,897 infections and 16,707 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic. Enditem A Riverdance star who swapped a world-famous stage for the coronavirus front line said the past year has felt more like a decade. Dr Maria Buffini, 37, from Dublin, was dancing at Radio City Music Hall when the pandemic hit last year, cutting short her time performing in the New York leg of the show's 25th anniversary tour. The trainee GP felt unwell when she returned to Ireland and found out on Saint Patrick's Day that she had tested positive for Covid-19. When she recovered, Dr Buffini left her dancing costumes behind and changed into full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to care for coronavirus patients at Connolly Hospital in Dublin. I was dressing up in full PPE which wasn't quite as nice as my Riverdance costumes Reflecting on this time last year, she told the PA news agency: "I was dancing in the show in Radio City New York onstage, I think Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night, you know, very exciting, all very glamorous, all very once-in-a-lifetime kind of stuff." Dr Buffini said there was a "massive contrast" in her life over the course of a few weeks, adding: "Now I was dressing up in full PPE which wasn't quite as nice as my Riverdance costumes that I'd been wearing a few weeks previously." She said: "We basically did three shows, and then the rest of it was cancelled. "It was that week that really everything changed - on both sides of the Atlantic, I suppose." Dr Maria Buffini, a Riverdance star who swapped a world-famous stage for the coronavirus frontline. Picture: Riverdance/PA Wire Dr Buffini, who made her debut in Riverdance in 2004 and has performed for the Queen and Michelle Obama, said returning to work was a "completely different environment" to the one she had left and described working on the Covid frontline as a "very testing experience". "It was just a really anxious time," she said, adding: "Every day you were going into work, it was kind of like: 'Is this going to be the day that we just get completely overwhelmed?'" Reflecting on caring for Covid-19 patients, Dr Buffini said she was aware of how lonely they must have been. "I always tried to be conscious that you were probably one of the only people that they'd have a bit of a social interaction with that day," she said. "It was really sad, especially for some of the more elderly people, you know, trying to arrange communication with their families, different things like that, and yeah I can still remember names and faces of people during that time. "Or obviously the really sad stories of people who passed on from it." Dr Buffini said that if she happens to be off work this Saint Patrick's Day she would like to celebrate by watching the Riverdance gala show performance which was filmed in Dublin last year to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. "It feels like 10 years ago since it happened, rather than just gone a year now, with everything that's happened," she said. Dr Buffini said she was aware of the historical nature of being involved in the performance and described it as an emotional experience and a "brilliant" feeling. "I think everyone in the theatre felt it that night as well, and it's those kinds of nights that you really would remember forever. "You've done thousands and thousands of shows but sometimes the select few will stick out and that will definitely be one of them," she said. Riverdance: The New 25th Anniversary Show will be available to stream exclusively at GreatStageOnScreen.com on St Patrick's Day, and the tour is scheduled to resume in August. [March 16, 2021] Fueled by Global Headquarters' Growth, Bounteous Ranks on Inc. Magazine's List of the Midwest's Fastest-Growing Private Companies Inc. Magazine again named Bounteous, a leading insights-driven digital experience consultancy, on its Inc. 5000 Series: Midwest list of fastest-growing companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional ranking represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Midwest economy's most dynamic segment-independent small businesses like Bounteous. The Bounteous Chicago office is the company's largest collaboration center and serves as global headquarters. This location, nicknamed "The Studio" by team members, sits in the heart of the charming Ravenswood industrial-corridor in northern Chicago. The recently updated two-story, 25,150 square-foot, loft-style space supports a team that continues to grow its headcount, practice, and client capabilities. The Studio's people-centered design reflects the dynamic work style of Bounteous and has given the team ample space to act as a centralized meeting hub for its distributed client and team members, from whiteboard walls, adjustable workstations, and smart TVs to sleek conference rooms and cozy nooks. "The Bounteous Chicago collaboration center has continued to expand, thanks largely to our top-tier talent and roster of both Chicago-based and international clients," said Phil Hollyer, co-founder and Executive Chairman, Bounteous. "When we moved to our new Chicago office space several years ago, we knew the vibrant neighborhood and collaborative office space would support our rapid growth for years to come, and it has. Because collaboration and producing innovative digital solutions are central to Bounteous, the space is not only open and inviting, it's designed to inspire creativity." Company-wide, Bounteous boasts more than 700 strategists, technologists, designers, analysts, content creators, and marketers across collaboration centers in Chicago, Denver, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Toronto, Wilmington, and, most recently, Atlanta with its acquisition of FortyFour. While the Chicago footprint continues to expand, Bounteous continues to invest in its collaboration centers, recently announcing that it doubled its space in Pittsburgh. Beyond physical locations, Bounteous has continued to grow its distributed workforce, with team hubs including New York, Mexico City, Berlin, Green Bay, and Detroit, as well as an apprenticeship program based in the Midwest region to help build the next generation of technology workers. Bounteous is a seven-time consecutive honoree of the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America, with triple-digital revenue growth over the last three years. Inc. Magazine in 2020 also named Bounteous as No. 37 on its inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Midwest list and No. 3 in I.T. Systems Development. Complete results of the 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/midwest. "The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay," said Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. About Bounteous Founded in 2003 in Chicago, Bounteous is a leading digital experience consultancy that co-innovates with the world's most ambitious brands to create transformative digital experiences. With services in Strategy, Experience Design, Technology, Analytics and Insight, and Marketing, Bounteous elevates brand experiences through technology partnerships and unparalleled platform expertise. For more information, please visit www.bounteous.com. For more information about co-innovation, download the Co-Innovation Manifesto at co-innovation.com. For the most up-to-date news, follow Bounteous on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005870/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China has launched a crackdown on illegal sand mining operations on the Yangtze river, which have made large parts of central China more vulnerable to drought. Excessive sand mining on the Yangtze, which provides water for a third of the Chinese population, is believed to be responsible for the abnormally low levels of water during the winter drought season in recent years. Sand mining in the river and its connecting lakes and tributaries has also affected shipping routes and made it harder for authorities to control summer floods. According to a notice issued by the water, public security and transportation ministries on Monday, the "comprehensive rectification" of mining activities on the Yangtze will help authorities improve flood control and ensure water supplies. Local authorities have been ordered to draw up plans to regulate sand mining more effectively, and to ban or restrict operations in sensitive regions. They must also crack down heavily on illegal mining and take action against illegal gangs involved in the business. However, the notice fell short of an outright ban on the activity, which is a lucrative source of income in a region already hit by a river-wide ban on fishing activities. Sand mining is believed to have lowered the bed of the Poyang Lake - a Yangtze river flood outlet and one of the world's largest sources of sand used in construction - by at least 20 metres (60 feet). Large parts of the lake now dry up in the winter season. The provincial government of Jiangxi, which oversees the lake, also announced plans in January to build a dam on the Poyang to try to better regulate water flows, but experts said it could make the problems worse. (Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Michael Perry) Libya on Monday swore in a new, interim government to replace the country's rival administrations and lead the war-torn North African nation through elections later this year. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and his Cabinet were sworn in before the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk, which is controlled by forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Hifter. The ceremony came after lawmakers last week endorsed Dbeibah's government amid international pressure on Libya's stockholders to implement a UN-brokered roadmap that set Dec. 24 as the date for general elections in the oil-rich country. Dbeibah, a powerful businessman from the western city of Misrata, was appointed last month to lead the executive branch of an interim government, which also includes a three-member Presidential Council, chaired by Mohammad Younes Menfi, a Libyan diplomat from the country's east. Dbeibah's Cabinet includes 33 ministers and two deputy prime ministers who he said are representative of Libya's different geographic areas and social segments. The parliament's endorsement came amid corruption allegations at meetings of a UN-led political process that appointed the interim government. Dbeibah denied the allegations and called on the UN to reveal conclusions of its investigations. Libya was plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that toppled and later killed long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country had in recent years been split between rival east- and west-based administrations, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong have formally arrested prominent rights activist Li Qiaochu, and are holding her in a psychiatric hospital in Linyi city, RFA has learned. Li, who was recently given the Cao Shunli Memorial Award for her rights activism, was initially detained on Feb. 6 on suspicion of "subversion of state power," and held at the Linyi Detention Center. Her detention came after she posted details of torture allegations by her partner, the detained rights activist Xu Zhiyong, and rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, to social media. Dings wife, Luo Shengchun, said Li's family had received the news from her lawyer. "[The lawyer] told her family that she has been arrested and locked up in the East District People's Hospital," Luo told RFA. "The residential compound where her family lives is under heavy guard, with plainclothes officers hanging around their home," she said. "Her parents are pretty timid, and won't let anyone come and visit." Luo said the authorities had much to gain from keeping Li behind bars. "Part of it is stepping up the pressure on Xu Zhiyong, but the most important thing is that they want to silence her," she said. The overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network, which gave the Cao Shunli award to Li, said she was likely also being targeted in retaliation for her engagement with United Nations human rights mechanisms. Li, who was diagnosed with depression two years ago, needs long-term medication, prompting concerns about her physical and mental health in detention, Luo said. "She had stopped taking her medication because she thought she could fight it through her strength of character and psychological counseling," Luo said. "Just before she was detained, we were trying to persuade her to go back to the doctor and start taking it again." "She was in a really bad state just before she was detained," she said. A form of leverage Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia, who knows Li, said the authorities could use her need for medication against her. "Li Qiaochu told me ... that she needs those meds, because she gets into a terrible psychological state without them," Hu said. "The people interrogating her have used her need for medication as a form of leverage before." Hu said Li had managed to find energy to carry on the struggle in spite of the depression and the authorities' mistreatment of her. "I felt that Li Qiaochu was pretty scarred, but kept fighting," Hu said. "She may have experienced fear, and she had her psychological challenges, but she always seemed to stay in touch with her own life force, enough to keep speaking out for justice." Hu said Li was the key to the CCP's ability to keep its nationwide operation targeting political dissidents who attended a Dec. 13, 2019 gathering in Xiamen under wraps. Li, 30, is also a long-term campaigner against gender-based violence and for labor rights. In 2017, Li Qiaochu volunteered to provide information and resources to affected migrant workers when Beijing authorities forcibly removed them from the city, CHRD said. She also boosted the visibility of Chinas #MeToo movement by compiling data on sexual harassment, and campaigned against a culture of long hours in the workplace. Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, takes part in a deliberation with lawmakers from Qinghai Province, at the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Monday stressed efforts to promote the regulated, healthy and sustainable development of the platform economy and incorporate the peaking of carbon emissions and carbon neutrality into the overall layout of building an ecological civilization. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the ninth meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. He is also head of the committee. The development of China's platform economy is now at a critical stage and more should be done to improve the weak links, create an environment for innovation, resolve prominent problems, and promote its regulated, healthy and sustainable development, Xi noted. To peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality is an extensive and profound systemic reform for the economy and society, and should be incorporated into the overall layout of building an ecological civilization, Xi said. He called for a spirit of perseverance in achieving the goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Other Chinese leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng attended the meeting. Attendees were briefed on measures for the healthy development of the platform economy, as well as strategies and major measures to bring the carbon emissions to a peak and achieve carbon neutrality. To build the national competitive strengths, China will establish and improve the platform economy governance system, giving equal importance to development and regulation, amid efforts to boost fair competition, fight monopoly and prevent the disorderly expansion of capital, the meeting said. It stressed the role of industrial Internet platforms in transforming traditional businesses and boosting advanced manufacturing. China will build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, control the total use of fossil fuels and take action to shift to alternative energy sources, the meeting said. The country will deepen the reform of its power system, build a power network based on new energy, reduce pollution and carbon emissions in key industries and promote green manufacturing in the industrial sector, it said. The meeting also called for efforts to push forward major breakthroughs in green and low-carbon technologies and accelerate the promotion and application of such technologies for reducing pollution and carbon emissions. It has underscored improvements in policies on fiscal taxation, prices, finance, land and government procurement that are conducive to green and low-carbon development. It is necessary to advocate a green and low-carbon lifestyle, give full play to the ecological environment, including forests, wetlands and grasslands, in increasing carbon sinks, and strengthen international cooperation on addressing climate change, the meeting said. Peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality is a tough battle, the meeting underscored, adding that it is also a major test for the party's capabilities in governing the country. San Antonio police have released video footage in hopes of identifying three people in connection with a fatal shooting of 44-year-old Kevin Clifton at a West Side IHOP on Saturday. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office identified Clifton and have classified his death as a homicide. Sheremetyevo airport challenges ruling in environment harm case flickr.com/ Petyo Ivanov 10:59 16/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 16 (RAPSI) - AO International Airport Sherermetyevo has lodged an appeal against a ruling of the Commercial Court of the Moscow Region ordering it to pay 74.3 million rubles ($1 million) to the regional Ministry of Environment in an environment harm case, according to court records. In February, the court after examining a claim of the regional Ministry of Environment ruled to collect the funds from Sherermetyevo. The amount was ordered to be transferred to the budget of the Khimki Urban District as a compensation of harm to the environment. According to the claim, local residents informed environmental authorities about the fact of dirty water discharge in a creek running from the airport territory. In 2019, the Ministry initiated an administrative case over these facts. As it was established, it was Sheremetyevo airport that used a waste treatment facility on the said creek under a concessionary agreement. Environmental authorities estimated that harm to the ecology made 74.3 million rubles; the airport was found guilty of the respective administrative offense. After Sheremetyevo had failed to comply with that decision, the authority turned to courts. The commercial court rejected the respondents arguments that the Ministry of Environment of the Moscow Region was not a proper claimant in the case. ADVERTISEMENT Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of playing politics with its agriculture development loans to states. Mr Wike said this on Monday in Port Harcourt when the Minister of State for Agriculture, and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, visited him. The governor said the CBN was being political in the implementation of the agriculture loan. We are among the states being denied access to loans meant for agriculture development, he said. It is wrong to play politics with certain issues, we should be dispassionate in implementing this kind of programme. Mr Wike said the CBN ought to partner the state government in the implementation of the loan scheme. This is a scheme that will enhance food security, create jobs and promote youth empowerment. In an atmosphere devoid of politics, we should be working together, we need to benefit from this loan, he said. Earlier, the minister, Mr Shehuri, said he was in the state to inspect ongoing agriculture projects. He expressed the federal governments readiness to support the state to achieve its potential in agriculture. We are willing to support farmers in the state to access new technologies, improve varieties and other support materials for improved farming, the minister said. (NAN) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Americas nearly 20-year war in Afghanistan has cost the U.S. taxpayer roughly $1 trillion in direct expenditures, hundreds of billions of dollars in additional interest on the debt incurred to fund the war effort, and likely an additional $1 trillion in costs to care for veterans of the war for the next several decades. Costs have come down over the last year as troop levels have dropped and attacks on U.S. soldiers paused. But those reductions were due to the agreement reached with the Taliban that U.S. and NATO troops would leave by May 1. If we blow past that deadline, troop numbers, casualties and costs are certain to go back up. [March 16, 2021] Meet World-Renowned Stage Director Ariane Mnouchkine, Livestreamed by UC San Diego for Virtual Kyoto Prize Symposium, March 24 University of California San Diego will virtually host world-renowned stage director Ariane Mnouchkine on March 24, 3:30-5 p.m.-PDT, during the annual Kyoto Prize Symposium, which is free and open to the public via livestreaming. This unique occasion will be the third time in the past 50 years for the iconic artist to share her personal life experience and performative work to a U.S. audience. Mrs. Mnouchkine joins the program from Paris. The event will be moderated jointly by Professor of Theatre Allan Havis, UC San Diego; and Robert Marx, President of the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation in New York. Marx has previously served as director of the National Endowment for the Arts Theatre Program in Washington, DC. Their conversation with Mnouchkine will highlight previously unpublished insights into her groundbreaking career. Please register before March 24 at http://kyotoprizesymposium.eventbrite.com to get log-in instructions well before the event. Mnouchkine is founder and director of the Theatre du Soleil in Paris. Since 1964, she has produced masterpieces with historical and political themes referring to traditional performances of both the East and the West. She started her theater in a transformed facory outside of Paris, where it embodies the ideal of "public theater." Theatre du Soleil often uses physicality, inspired by Japanese Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku, Indian Kathakali and Western works, including Shakespeare. Mnouchkine has been innovating theatrical expressions through her collaborative creations based on the methodology of her unique theatrical organization, which eschews hierarchical order. She holds honorary doctorates from the University of Oxford and Roma Tre University, and was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2007 by the Venice Biennale as well as the 2019 Kyoto Prize. In addition to Mnouchkine, the 2021 Kyoto Prize Symposium includes lectures by OLED pioneer Ching W. Tang, Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology, March 25 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.-PDT; and pioneering astrophysicist James E. Gunn, Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences, March 25 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.-PDT. For more information and event registration, please visit http://kyotoprizesymposium.eventbrite.com. About UC San Diego UCSD is one of the top 20 research universities in the world, driving innovation and change to advance society, propel economic growth and make our world a better place. Learn more at www.ucsd.edu. About the Kyoto Prize The Kyoto Prize is an international award created in 1984 by Japan's non-profit Inamori Foundation to honor those who have contributed significantly to humankind's scientific, cultural and spiritual development. The prize consists of a gold medal, a diploma, and a cash award of 100 million yen (over $900,000) per prize category, presented during annual ceremonies each November 10 in Kyoto, Japan. The Kyoto Prize Symposium, co-hosted by UC San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene University, brings the latest Kyoto Prize laureates to North America each year in March, followed by Oxford University's annual Kyoto Prize at Oxford events in the UK in May. Since 1984, the Kyoto Prize has been awarded to 111 extraordinary individuals from 17 nations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005851/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A police officer is under investigation after video emerged of a man being verbally abused while in handcuffs in the back of a car in New Zealand. The shocking footage showed a man slouched forward with his head on the passenger seat and his hands behind his back as a man can be heard calling him a 'worthless piece of s**t' and suggesting he self-harm. 'Why don't you stop being a fat c**t', a man can be heard saying. A man slouched forward with his head on the passenger seat and his hands behind his back remains still while he is called 'worthless piece of s**t' Someone is seated in the back seat filming the arrest as the man remained silent while the verbal abuse continued. 'Why don't you just kill yourself you piece of s**t?' the police officer was heard asking. The footage was allegedly posted last year on the account of an unnamed police officer, but has recently resurfaced online. Counties Manukau District commander superintendent Jill Rogers confirmed to the Daily Mail Australia that police are aware of the video involving an officer and a member of the public. 'This matter has only recently been brought to police's attention but we have immediately commenced an investigation into the matter in accordance with our internal disciplinary process.' Rogers said the incident occurred in early February 2020 after police were called to a family harm incident in Counties Manukau where a pregnant woman was assaulted. 'A male in his late thirties was arrested, charged and pleaded guilty to charges of assault with intent to injure and contravening a protection order.' 'He was subsequently sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.' The officer involved will be stood down and the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority. For 24/7 confidential support in New Zealand call Plunketline on 0800 933 922 or for support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14 Press Release March 16, 2021 De Lima seeks Senate probe into killings of activists in CALABARZON Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged Congress to thoroughly investigate the legitimacy of the recent joint and simultaneous operations by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that led to the killings of activists in the CALABARZON region. De Lima, a staunch social justice and human rights champion, filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 681 seeking to review the Duterte administration's counter-insurgency campaign in relation to the widespread allegations of human rights violation. "A careful review and scrutiny of the events that transpired that came at the price of human lives must thus be undertaken in order to determine the transgressions committed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," she said. "It is imperative to conduct a thorough, independent and impartial inquiry to determine, once and for all, if the government's whole-of-nation approach to counter-insurgency has truly been an effective means of addressing the decades-long communist insurgency," she added. Last March 5, President Duterte in a speech told police and the military to ignore human rights and gave the order to kill communist insurgents in all armed encounters. Barely two days later, on March 7, simultaneous raids conducted by the PNP and AFP led to the killing of nine and arrest of six individuals believed to be with activist groups in Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas marking the most recent in a long line of activist killings perpetrated by police and military in the country. The PNP maintained that their operations were legitimate but progressive groups decried these as nothing more than executions and "Tokhang-style" killings. "Simply buying into the narratives robs those who were killed of due process, their right to equality before courts and to a fair trial, which are guaranteed in international human rights law and denies the State's security forces the opportunity to reflect on and learn from the incident," De Lima maintained. Additionally, National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on March 9 confirmed that Duterte had issued a shoot-to-kill order against armed CPP-NPA rebels. "Sa nakalipas na mahigit apat na taon, walang tigil ang brutal na mga pagpatay--mula sa mahihirap at pinaghihinalaang drug suspect, abogado, LGU officials, mga kawani ng media, mga aktibista, hanggang sa mga tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao--na nag-uugat at pinalulubha pa lalo ng pag-udyok ng karahasan ng kasalukuyang rehimen. Ang patuloy na pananahimik at kawalang aksyon para panagutin ang mga salarin dito ay lantarang pagpapabaya sa tungkulin at malaking pagkakasala sa tiwala ng taumbayan," De Lima added. In filing the Resolution, De Lima underscored the importance of distinguishing between armed combatants and civilians to ensure that the rules of engagement are followed all the time. "The State should not condone the illegal activities of the NPA and should exert all efforts to neutralize any threats to destabilize government in order to maintain peace and order," she said. "However, the State should also be able to readily distinguish between armed combatants and civilians and ensure that human rights be strictly observed and respected at all times in the engagement of its suspects," she added. According to the Human Rights Watch, the fundamental problem in the State's counter-insurgency campaign lies in its deliberate inability to distinguish between armed rebels and rights defenders, labor leaders, and activists. 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. Nicola Pagett, the actress who played the rebellious and thoroughly spoiled Elizabeth Bellamy on the beloved British television series Upstairs, Downstairs and the title role in an acclaimed BBC version of Anna Karenina, died on March 3 at a hospice center in suburban London. She was 75. The cause was a brain tumor, her daughter, Eve Swannell, said. Ms. Pagett was 26 when she was cast in the original Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-76), the prestigious, multi-award-winning British drama set in a spacious Belgravia townhouse during the first three decades of the 20th century. The Bellamys, Richard and Lady Marjorie, live there with their two grown children and about a half dozen servants, as the world of London aristocracy changes around them. In the first season, Elizabeth comes home from school in Germany, a changed girl-woman of 17. She reads Goethe, talks politics incessantly, refuses an arranged marriage with a rich Scotsman, walks out on her debutante ball, rejects her parents conservatism and entertains ill-mannered socialist poets in the morning room. Then she marries a charming poet (played by Ian Ogilvy) who shares her progressive social attitudes but not her physical desires. In Season 2, inconveniently pregnant by his publisher (from an assignation the husband had arranged), she goes home to her parents. She gives birth to a daughter, goes to jail with fellow suffragists, has an affair with an Armenian financier and tries running a hat shop before sailing away to New York, leaving others in the household to deal with Englands experience of World War I, the Spanish flu and the stock market crash. A year ago, travel as we knew it ended. As Covid-19 consumed the planet, airlines mothballed their planes. Cruise lines docked their ships. Hotels closed their doors, some permanently. And under strict stay-at-home orders, millions of travellers canceled their holidays.. What did the virus do to travel? What will it still do? Like many travellers, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the new reality. A year ago, I was only a few months into a one-year trek across Europe with my three teenagers. We ended up stuck in Nice, France, and then evacuated back home to the United States, where we took refuge in my uncle's basement in Spokane, Washington. Between lockdowns, Covid-19 surges and quarantines, the only thing that I know for certain is that I desperately miss traveling. And I'm not alone. Paul Metselaar, CEO of Ovation Travel Group, says many people view travel as a necessity after a year of lockdowns, "not just for business purposes, but for living our lives to the fullest. Each journey enables us to discover other people, other cultures and more about ourselves." As we mark the first anniversary of the pandemic, it's clear that Covid-19 has left a permanent scar on the travel industry. The U.N. World Tourism Organisation called 2020 the worst year in tourism history, with international arrivals down 73pc and a loss of over 1 trillion in export revenue. Airline ticket purchases for leisure travel are down 63pc compared with 2019 levels, and business travel is down by an astounding 83pc, according to the Airlines Reporting Corp. The travel industry's reaction has been dramatic and unprecedented. Over the past 12 months, it has become more safety-conscious and consumer-friendly than perhaps ever before. Customers are behaving differently and demanding more from airlines, cruise lines and hotels. Car rental companies now offer contactless check-ins. Hotels have high-profile partnerships with cleaning brands and medical centres. But nothing comes close to cruise ships, which have had to reinvent themselves. When they sail again, the experience will be completely different, says Colleen McDaniel, editor in chief of Cruise Critic. New facial recognition technology will replace traditional check-ins. Payment wristbands will double as contact-tracing tools. "And we've likely seen the last of the self-serve buffet at sea," she adds. Read More The pandemic also stretched the definition of words such as "temporary" and tested our patience. "When the lockdowns happened, I think everyone believed it would all be temporary," says J.D. O'Hara, CEO of Internova Travel Group. But weeks turned into months, and longer. "People missed travel, and they are very eager to start traveling again." Travellers like me watched in disbelief as the carnage unfolded. I expected to return to Europe in the fall. Then I postponed my trip to the spring. Now I don't expect to go back until 2022. I'm not holding my breath. What's ahead? Even more changes. The new normal for travel feels like an episode of an '80s medical drama: "Getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, washing your hands, and keeping your distance," says manners expert Lisa Grotts, who has been closely tracking pandemic etiquette. For a lot of travellers - myself included - that doesn't feel like much of a vacation. Many destinations now require proof of travel insurance. They include popular destinations such as most European Union countries, Anguilla in the Caribbean and the United Arab Emirates, according to experts. More countries are expected to join in, as destinations try to cover hospitalisation costs in a post-Covid world. "As regions worldwide start to reopen, they will require travellers to have some form of travel insurance to enter their country," says Bailey Foster, vice president of trip cancellation response at Trawick International, a travel insurance company. The preferred way of holidaying - for now at least - is by car and RV. Autos have become like second homes for some travellers, a safe place where they can travel within their bubble. Jim Nichols, a spokesman for Volvo Cars USA, says he expects that trend to accelerate this summer. "I anticipate the resurgence of road trips to continue as people seek alternatives to traditionally crowded destinations," he says. Travellers have adopted a new, no-nonsense attitude, experts say. "They'll continue to prioritise and demand flexibility and easy-to-cancel reservations that have been more pervasive over the past year," predicts Brett Keller, CEO of the Priceline online travel agency. They're also less tolerant of travel company shenanigans. I suspect that we'll start to see a more aggressive attitude toward pricing as well. People won't travel just for the sake of traveling. They're going to demand more from their vacations, says Victoria Simmons, a senior vice president for travel at the marketing agency BVK. "The past year has caused us to think much more critically about the decisions we make and the impact they have on the world around us," she says. "Coming out of the pandemic, travellers will expect much more meaning out of the trips they do take, which may not happen as frequently as it did pre-pandemic." What does "more" mean? We'll set the bar higher than ever before for travel. No more throwaway weekends, no more same-old, same-old. Make every vacation count. "People are so ready to travel," says Rebecca Gallagher, owner of the Historic Smithton Inn B&B in Lancaster County, Pa. "When things truly open back up again, I think we're going to see a surge of guests." There's a lot of optimism that a rebound will happen - and soon. "We've seen many people begin to think about, and plan, future trips," says Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel. The numbers don't lie: Flight searches for domestic travel in the US have increased 58pc since January, according to the airfare search app Hopper. On the anniversary of the lockdowns, a new traveller is emerging - more patient, maybe a little pickier and definitely more safety-conscious. I'm not sure if I'm one of them yet. I'm still processing last year's events. The rules of travel are still being rewritten as the pandemic starts to ease. Will the balance of power tilt in the consumer's favour? Or will travel companies raise their prices and impose new restrictions to make up for the lost revenue? We're about to find out. Washington 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. THE Pallister government is looking at levying substantial fines against protesters who block trains, threaten oil pipelines, hamper certain construction projects or even prevent the effective functioning of the Manitoba legislature. THE Pallister government is looking at levying substantial fines against protesters who block trains, threaten oil pipelines, hamper certain construction projects or even prevent the "effective functioning" of the Manitoba legislature. Bill 57 would allow the owners or operators of "critical infrastructure" to apply to the Court of Queens Bench for an order to stop or limit protests. The court would have to be satisfied the infrastructure for which protection is sought qualifies as "critical," and it is being interfered with to such an extent an order is necessary to enable its safe and timely construction, use or operation. Those who disobey the court orders would face daily fines of up to $5,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations. Individuals could also face up to 30 days in jail. "We believe that this bill gets it right," Justice Minister Cameron Friesen said after the bill was distributed to MLAs on Monday. "It seeks to establish a good balance between the rights that people have in this province to assemble, to have their voices heard... (and) at the same time... recognize that we have an obligation to keep goods moving, to keep infrastructure open." The Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act would allow the court to establish "a critical infrastructure protection zone" at or around a particular site wherein protesters were forbidden from entry or their actions curbed. Judges could also designate specific areas at or near these sites where protests would be allowed. The bill would include a provision ensuring the court hear applications for protection zone orders on an expedited basis. Premier Brian Pallister expressed frustration early last year at the economic losses from cross-country rail blockades in support of B.C. hereditary chiefs who challenged the route of a natural gas pipeline. Friesen, however, maintained Monday the Manitoba government was being "proactive" with Bill 57, and not reacting to any particular incidents. "The intent would be to allow for people to gather, allow for their voices to be heard, but to keep them and everyone safe while ensuring the unfettered operation, construction or use of that infrastructure," he told reporters. The bill names 10 broad categories of critical infrastructure, including: agriculture and food production, finance, health-care institutions, courthouses and prisons, government, oil, gas and electricity, transportation, and waste disposal. Opposition MLAs said Bill 57 would cast a chill on citizens rights to protest. "I think its pretty clear to Manitobans that (Pallister) will attempt to silence anyone who disagrees with him. And this bill does just that," said NDP justice critic Nahanni Fontaine. She said its hypocritical of the government to control protests at infrastructure sites, yet block repeated Opposition attempts to legislate protest buffer zones around abortion clinics. Fontaine accused Pallister of "using his legislative powers to silence those that are attempting to protect Manitobans and Canadians from a variety of different activities, including climate change." Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said Bill 57 is "another example of the sort of crypto-fascist tendencies" of the Progressive Conservative government. The protesters the premier appears to be targeting in the bill were asking their rights be respected, he said. "Its Indigenous people whose land and basic rights have not been respected." While the legislature is mentioned specifically in the bill, Friesen said the government is not trying to stifle protest at the Legislative Building. "That is not the intent of the bill," he told reporters. However, it could be invoked if there was a protest that prevented legislators from doing their job, Friesen said. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Instagram has restricted the ability of adults to contact teenagers who do not follow them on the platform in a move to better protect its younger users. Under the new rules, adults are blocked from sending a direct message (DM) to any Instagram user under 18 who doesn't follow them. When adults try to do so, they'll see the message: 'You can't message this account unless they follow you.' Instagram has also made it more difficult for adults who have been 'exhibiting potentially suspicious behaviour' to find and follow teenagers in parts of the app like Explore and Reels, as well as under 'Suggested Users'. 'Potentially suspicious behaviour' could be sending a large amount of friend or message requests to teenage users, for example. It's also sending safety alerts to users aged under 18 to encourage them to be cautious in conversation with 'suspicious' adults that they're connected to. All these features are being rolled out from today. Instagram is also now developing new artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to help it better identify the real age of younger users, it also revealed. Adults will be blocked from sending a direct message (DM) to any Instagram user under 18 who doesn't follow them. They'll see a message: 'You can't message this account unless they follow you' The Facebook-owned photo sharing app acknowledged that some young people were lying about how old they were in order to access the platform. Its terms of service require all users to be at least 13 years old to have an account. 'While many people are honest about their age, we know that young people can lie about their date of birth,' Instagram said in a blog post on Tuesday. 'We want to do more to stop this from happening, but verifying people's age online is complex and something many in our industry are grappling with. 'To address this challenge, were developing new artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to help us keep teens safer and apply new age-appropriate features.' Instagram said the new safety alerts, which aim to encourage teens to be cautious in conversations with adults theyre already connected to, will appear in DMs. 'Safety notices in DMs will notify young people when an adult who has been exhibiting potentially suspicious behaviour is interacting with them in DMs,' it said. The safety notice will pop-up when the adult is messaging them, giving them the option to report, block or restrict them. The safety notice will pop-up when the adult is messaging them, giving them the option to report, block or restrict them. Restricting someone means they won't be able to see when you're online or if you've read their messages. The alerts will say things like: 'You don't have to respond to messages that annoy you or make you uncomfortable' and 'be careful with sharing photos, videos or information with someone you don't know'. Instagram is also encouraging teens to make their accounts private. It recently added a new step when someone under 18 signs up for an Instagram account that gives them the option to choose between a public or private account. 'Our aim is to encourage young people to opt for a private account by equipping them with information on what the different settings mean,' the firm said. If the teen doesnt choose private when signing up, they'll be sent a notification later on the benefits of a private account. When users below the age of 18 sign-up to Instagram, they're encouraged to make their account private The online safety of teenagers using social media has been a key issue for technology firms. Companies are under continued scrutiny in the wake of repeated warnings from industry experts and campaigners over the dangers for young people online. The government is set to introduce an Online Safety Bill later this year, which will enforce stricter regulation around protecting young people online and harsh punishments for platforms found to be failing to meet a duty of care. Instagram said it believes 'everyone should have a safe and supportive experience' on the platform. 'Protecting young people on Instagram is important to us,' it said. 'These updates are a part of our ongoing efforts to protect young people, and our specialist teams will continue to invest in new interventions that further limit inappropriate interactions between adults and teens.' Instagram revealed new features and resources as part of 'ongoing efforts to keep our youngest community members safe' In the blog post, Instagram also slipped in that it's moving to end-to-end encryption, so it's investing in features that 'protect privacy and keep people safe'. End-to-end encryption ensures only the two participants of a chat stream can read messages, and no one in between not even the company that owns the service. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is looking to roll out end-to-end encryption to both Instagram and Facebook Messenger at some undefined point in the future even though child protection agencies have continuously warned against it. One official at the National Crime Agency (NCA) recently said end-to-end encryption which is already used on Facebook-owned WhatsApp make apps a 'honeypot' and a 'superplatform' for paedophiles. Instagram and Facebook staff wouldn't be able to identify child sex offences in the form of messages and video sent between the abuser and the victim when end-to-end encryption is in use. ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) ("the Company" or "Kraig Labs"), the biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk, announces that the University of Notre Dame has been granted a Vietnamese patent on spider silk technology developed pursuant to the collaborative research agreement with Kraig . This patent plays a vital role in Kraigs growing portfolio of spider silk Intellectual Property. The Companys recombinant spider silk production is headquartered in central Vietnam. Patent number 26612, titled "A Chimeric Spider Silk Polypeptide, Composite Fiber Comprising the Polypeptide and Method of Making a Chimeric Spider Fiber" was issued to the University of Notre Dame (UND) under the Company's exclusive license agreement. Under the terms of that agreement, the Company paid for the development of the technology and the costs of patents issued to UND in exchange for exclusive global licensing rights. This patent provides protection for the Company's proprietary recombinant spider silk through September of 2031. With todays announcement, the Company now expands protection for its spider silk technologies to include; Australia, South Korea, Canada, and Vietnam, with numerous other applications in other jurisdictions under review. Recognition by the Vietnamese government of our specialized spider silk technologies opens new doors and opportunities for production expansion within Vietnam. Congratulations are in order for the researchers at the University of Notre Dame and Kraig for the breakthroughs that led to this patent. I would also offer a special thanks to our counsel at Workmann Nydegger, who have done an excellent job of spearheading Kraigs IP filings, said COO Jon Rice. Our team at Kraig continues to prove that our vision for a cost-effective and environmentally responsible system for the mass commercialization of spider silk is now a reality. To view the most recent news from Kraig Labs and/or to sign up for Company alerts, please go to www.KraigLabs.com/news. About Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc.: Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (www.KraigLabs.com), a reporting biotechnology company, is a developer of genetically engineered spider silk based fiber technologies. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information Statements in this press release about the Company's future and expectations other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These statements are made on the basis of management's current views and assumptions. As a result, there can be no assurance that management's expectations will necessarily come to pass. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as "believes, "plans, "expects, "anticipates, "foresees, "estimated, "hopes, "if, "develops, "researching, "research, "pilot, "potential, "could" or other words or phrases of similar import. Forward looking statements include future sales of SpydaSilk and descriptions of the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions and goals. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Ben Hansel, Hansel Capital, LLC (720) 288-8495 ir@KraigLabs.com Painful memories began to bubble to the surface for Health Minister Yvette DAth as thousands of women marched through the streets of Brisbane to demand an end to rape culture and gendered violence. Just a day later, the high-profile member of the Palaszczuk cabinet broke her silence on two historical allegations of sexual harassment she wont forget. Health Minister Yvette DAth speaking on the Gold Coast last month. Credit:Glenn Hunt/ Getty Images Ms DAth was aged just 13 or 14 when a male family friend, a father-of-two, allegedly asked her for a kiss goodbye. She gave him a peck on the cheek but he said no: I want you to kiss me like you would kiss your boyfriend. The White House is looking to fulfill one of President Joe Biden's campaign promises by raising taxes for the wealthy and on corporations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki affirmed on Monday. Psaki said at a White House briefing that Biden believes that 'those at the top are not doing their part' and 'obviously that corporations could be paying higher taxes.' Biden put forth several proposals during his presidential campaign that would raise taxes for the wealthy and on corporations by reversing some of the tax cuts that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2017. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday suggested a tax hike could be on the horizon when she said she expects the White House to put forward proposals over time to get deficits under control. '(Biden) hasn't proposed a wealth tax but he has proposed that corporations and wealthy individuals should pay more in order to meet the needs of the economy, the spending we need to do, and over time I expect that we will be putting forth proposals to get deficits under control,' Yellen told ABC. Then-candidate Biden proposed raising the top federal tax rate from 37% to 39.6%, its pre-Trump level. Under his plan, the corporate tax rate would rise from 21% to 28%. He would also establish a 15% minimum book tax and tax increases on international profits. Biden has pledged not to raise taxes on those earning less than $400,000 a year, which is more than 90% of taxpayers. He had also proposed changing the way 401(k) retirement savings accounts are treated in the tax code in order to give low-income earners a bigger tax break up front. Psaki said Monday that Biden shares liberal Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's view that 'middle class families are paying more than their fair share and those at the top are not doing their part,' when asked if Biden was considering a wealth tax. Warren, Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan Boyle unveiled the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act earlier this month that would levy a 2% annual tax on the net worth of households and trusts between $50 million and $1 billion as well as a 1% annual surtax on assets above $1 billion, for a 3% tax overall on billionaires. Warren pitched the idea of a wealth tax when she was running for president in 2020. Yellen said Sunday that a wealth tax is 'something that we haven't decided yet.' 'President Biden during the campaign proposed a higher tax rate on corporations, on individuals and on payments, capital gains and dividend payments that are received, and those are alternatives that address -- that are similar in their impact to a wealth tax,' Yellen told ABC. Nottinghamshire Police has become the first UK force to appoint a dedicated officer to tackle dog theft following a dramatic rise in incidents. The new role will be focused on canine crime, Nottinghamshire Police explained, which includes tackling the growing issue of working farm dog thefts. Dog theft is an ongoing problem that has seen a dramatic rise in the number of reported incidents across the country. With the demand for dogs skyrocketing following the UK-wide lockdown, the crime has also become an increasingly prevalent and worrying issue for farmers. According to DogLost, a UK charity that helps victims of dog theft, 'dognappings' have risen from 172 in 2019 to 465 in 2020, a rise of 170 percent. Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford said the move to introduce the specialist officer should send a clear message that this type of crime would not be tolerated. I want to send a clear message to those who seek to carry out this cold-hearted crime that it will not be tolerated, it is taken very seriously and we will come after you, he said. Nottinghamshires Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPPC) Emma Foody outlined a plan to tackle dog theft in the county and beyond. This includes Chief Inspector Amy Styles-Jones being appointed as dog theft lead for the force, and a renewed focus on safety advice for owners, including farmers. A Canine Coalition will be created to tackle the issue, with dog welfare organisations working together to tackle the scourge of theft and demand action on tougher sentences. The announcement comes as the UK recognises Pet theft awareness week, a campaign raising awareness of the devastation caused by thieves stealing dogs, including working farm dogs. Safety and preventative tips have also been shared, with the Countryside Alliance re-issuing its working dog theft awareness guide to farmers and landowners. The rural organisation welcomed the move by Nottinghamshire Police and urged other forces to follow suit. "We have all been horrified by the growing number of devastating stories in relation to thieves targeting dogs and, in some cases, the level of sophistication used is chilling," said Sarah Lee, of the Countryside Alliance. "Other police forces should monitor the developments in Nottinghamshire and think about whether they should be following suit. Only recently, Torpoint Police in Cornwall shared a warning on social media urging dog owners to be cautious of dog thieves posing as RSPCA officers. It comes after reports of a chilling new tactic being used in Kent, with some thieves reportedly driving around in a white van with fake RSPCA stickers and branding. 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 Vladimir Rozanskij In the Kabardino-Balkaria region, the dead from Covid arrive in polyethylene bags and closed coffins, after body and coffin treated with chlorine. However, Muslims bury their dead by wrapping them in a sheet, placing them in the bare earth, with their faces turned towards Mecca. Only 391 victims in Kabardino-Balkaria although mortality in the region is up by 20%. Moscow (AsiaNews) - A heated debate has broken out over the burials of people who have died of coronavirus, dividing the inhabitants of Kabardino-Balkaria. The North Caucasus region belongs to the Russian Federation, and has a Muslim majority population. Despite the recent provisions of the national health authorities, the deceased from Covid are buried here in polyethylene bags and in closed coffins, after having been treated with chlorine. However, this is sparking strong negative reactions from Muslims, who bury the bodies of the dead wrapped in a sheet. Already in February, the Memorial center, which deals with the defense of human rights, contacted the regional prosecutor's office to verify possible violations of the rights of the Muslim relatives of the deceased due to Covid-19. The inhabitants of Kabardino-Balkaria complain about the failure to observe religious traditions, and say that in the hospitals and morgues in the area they are forced to purchase coffins. They are not even allowed to keep them open for farewell with the deceased. According to Memorial representatives, the World Health Organization had already made it clear as early as March 2020 that the bodies of patients who died from the coronavirus do not constitute an epidemiological danger. The Russian agency in charge (Rospotrebnadzor) also allowed the dead to be buried in open coffins, but in the Caucasus these provisions are ignored. Some inhabitants of Kabardino-Balkaria told the Kavkaz.Realii website that hospitals take advantage of the Covid emergency to bury patients who have died of other causes, such as pneumonia or heart attacks, on which summary treatment protocols are often applied in closed coffins. A woman who lost her mother reported that she was even asked if she wanted a Muslim or Christian coffin, when it is known that Muslims do not use coffins and bury their dead by wrapping them in a sheet, and thus placing them in the bare earth, with their face turned towards Mecca. Sanitization with chlorine also contradicts the purification rules of the Islamic religion. The spokeswoman for the health ministry of Kabardino-Balkaria, Elena Kushkhova, provided some explanations: the federal provisions are "only indicative, and in any case there is no formal obligation to bury Muslims in coffins; as a precaution the dead are treated and wrapped in polyethylene, and to avoid dripping of mortuary liquids they are placed in simple wooden crates . Kushkhova claims that this procedure was agreed "with Islamic experts, who assure us that it does not contravene religious rules; relatives can wrap the body closed in polyethylene in a sheet." According to official data, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, only 391 patients have died in Kabardino-Balkaria, although mortality in the region has increased by 20%, out of a population of just under one million inhabitants. The deaths from Covid are probably much more, but the processing of data is rather dubious throughout Russia, particularly in the Asian regions (the Caucasus is on the border between Europe and Asia), the most denial of the pandemic. One year ago, South Carolina had its first recorded COVID-19 case. Within 10 days, the world stopped. Except ... it didnt stop. Skies became bluer. Air became cleaner. Extraneous noise lessened. Wildlife flourished. But so much of our activity stopped. Schools closed. Businesses closed. There were no sports, no concerts, no movies, no dining in restaurants. There was very little socialization and way too much division. Now things we missed are coming back. Lets bring back the best. Bring back or maintain your health. Exercise, drink lots of water, eat sensibly, take some vitamins. If you smoke, quit. If you drink too much, stop. If you dont drink, have one. Bring back or maintain your humanity, a sense of responsibility, a sense of humor, a sense of perspective. And lets stop pointing fingers of blame at Republicans, at Democrats, at whites, at blacks and at people on the other side of the street. And lets start treating other people not as how we perceive they treat us, but as we would have them treat us. Life is short. You only die once, so live well. PHILIP BEAUREGARD Raoul Wallenberg Boulevard Charleston Left lane a nonissue Some impatient S.C. legislators are trying to push through a bill that would result in left-lane drivers paying higher fines or going to jail if they stay in the left lane and block someone from passing them. It seems that Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, thinks the left lane is his, by right of election, and wed best get out of his way. This is one reason why many people have no respect for elected officials. Maybe they need to work on employment issues, education and, yes, even address COVID-19 issues, all of which are worthy of their time. Left-lane driving is not. WILLIAM STARNES Vincent Astor Drive Johns Island Let immigrants serve Why not offer immigrants coming across our borders illegally the opportunity to become legal American citizens by joining a branch of the military? If they are 18 years of age, have no criminal record or physical disability, what would prohibit them from serving? Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! After a required number of years in service, they could automatically become citizens if they served honorably. It would give them a chance to learn English; be provided dental and medical care; teach them a skill; help pay for college, meals, clothes and a safe place to live while earning U.S. citizenship while serving their new country. I would much rather my children join the military and have a chance at a new life than not know if they have food to eat and a safe place to sleep. IMOGENE C. THOMAS Orleans Road Charleston What is the origin? I would like to see all retail outlets, including Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes and others, to be required to prominently display the origin of all products they offer for sale. This is not to sound xenophobic, but many Americans would likely prefer not to purchase products from other countries if, and when, comparable items are manufactured in the U.S. DAVID G. FLESHMAN Pepperwood Court Charleston Fund mitigation plan The March 3 Post and Courier article, SC office was supposed to fund flood projects, but Gov. McMaster didnt ask for money, highlighted the need to capitalize the states newest mitigation revolving loan fund so that communities can implement projects to make them flood-ready. February storms in Horry County are a stark reminder that the revolving loan fund, created last year to get homeowners out of harms way, would find plenty of borrowers if there were only money in the coffers. Fortunately, state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, and state Rep. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, are calling for a $50 million infusion into the fund. Their colleagues in the General Assembly should follow their lead and ensure that communities hit with recurring flooding can cover the sometimes costly local match needed to access federal dollars for these risk reduction projects. And its a smart investment: Research shows a savings to society of $6 for every $1 invested in disaster mitigation. Gov. Henry McMaster took the important step last October of signing the legislation creating the Office of Resilience and the revolving loan fund. With fewer than 100 days until the official start of hurricane season, lawmakers should now give the programs the resources they require. That would help shift the cycle of spending away from costly recovery and toward funding resilience projects that keep residents from becoming inundated in the first place. YARON MILLER Flood-prepared communities program officer The Pew Charitable Trusts E Street Northwest Washington Lawton, OK (73501) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The Government's senior health advisers have warned of a fourth wave of Covid-19, as it was revealed that 'very particular' clustering of blood clots led to the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Deputy chief medical officer Ronan Glynn said there is an "understandable focus" on vaccine rollout, but stressed that the virus is already surging in other European countries. While, in time, vaccines will have a very significant positive impact on Covid, they will not stop a further wave of disease over the coming weeks," he said. We are seeing this play out across Europe, with many countries now experiencing pressure on their hospital and critical care capacities. We must not let this happen here. Dr Glynn said St Patricks Day must be a 'quiet one', urging people not to socialise, to avoid getting takeaway pints as a group, or meeting indoors. He said an equivalent rise here to what's happening in Europe would see average case numbers quickly hit 1,600 per day. The concern comes as a top adviser on the country's vaccine rollout programme explained that a 'very rare' set of circumstances led to the suspension of the AstraZeneca jab. Prof Karina Butler, chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, told last night's press conference about the rapid response of health officials to the new AstraZeneca data. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Professor Karina Butler, chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), said the particular blood clotting that occurred in patients in Norway sparked concern. Health officials received an alert from Norway at 10pm on Saturday night, met at 11pm, and sent the advice to pause the rollout before 2am on Sunday. "This isn't about just the normal clots that can occur," she said. "It was about a few very particular and rare conditions occurring, clustering together. For example, the three cases in Norway were in a single hospital within a two-week period that just made one say, 'we need to stop and think'," she said. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is expected to complete its safety review of AstraZeneca later this week, but Prof Butler said there are no guarantees that a final decision will be made. She said Ireland is ready to immediately resume the rollout of AstraZeneca if it is recommended by the EMA. Meanwhile, Professor Philip Nolan, chair of the Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, echoed concerns about increased socialising, with the return to schools, better weather arriving, and the St Patrick's Day festivities tomorrow. We can see Halloween in our caseloads, we can see the socialisation in our caseloads. We are coming up to more festive events," he said. I know it is painful to ask this, but we have to look back at Christmas, at Halloween, and say we can be together post-vaccination. Prof Nolan said last week showed a decrease of only 3% in case numbers, which is a strong signal of problems ahead. Dr Ray Walley, a member of the national Covid-19 GP liaison committee, said he has seen a spike in cases in his practice over the last week, and he urged people to keep making "emotionally tough choices". He gave the example of a woman who attended the funerals of her two brothers and caught Covid-19, as did other members of the family. He said: The mistakes are still the same. People present initially with a cold or sore throat and unfortunately, they are turning out as cases later on. Dr Walley said GPs support the decision to pause the roll-out of AstraZeneca until further clinical information is available. Meanwhile, the Government's deadline of yesterday for getting the mandatory hotel quarantine system up and running has been missed. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has now said he is unable to definitively state when that will happen. It is now ten weeks since the Government promised it would introduce it and two weeks after the legislation was passed by the Dail. Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a press conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on March 16, 2021. Days after the vice president of his party quit and announced support for the ruling coalition, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday alleged that five lawmakers had been threatened or offered enticements to do the same, ahead of general elections expected this year. Anwar also said that his partys talks with Malaysias oldest party, UMNO which has announced it will split from the ruling coalition in the next elections about joining forces in the polls are at a very preliminary stage. Anwar said that five MPs from the party he heads, Peoples Justice Party (PKR), were approached with offers to switch sides. He listed them as Natrah Ismail, M. Karupaiya, Kesavan Subramaniam, Awang Husairi Sahari and Michael Teo. The MPs had spoken about it - the threat, the enticement as bait to offer support for Perikatan Nasional, Anwar said, referring to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassins ruling coalition. We do not defend those who take bribes and we do not condone that the authorities are being used as a political weapon. It appears to be the case with the MACC. If you switch support, investigations will be postponed or thrown out, if not, the harassment continues, Anwar said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, after a meeting with PKR leaders and MPs. Anwar alleged that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Inland Revenue Board, and law enforcement officials were issuing threats to some of his party members to pressure them to change allegiance. On Saturday, PKR vice president Xavier Jayakumar said that he was quitting the party and pledging support to Muhyiddins Perikatan Nasional as an independent MP. Two other PKR lawmakers, Larry Sng and Steven Choong, quit the party on Feb. 28 and declared themselves independents in support of the ruling alliance. After Jayakumar announced his exit from PKR, the partys secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution alleged that the MACC had intimidated the MP. He also alleged that a senior minister had told Jayakumar to support Perikatan or face serious consequences. Anwar said on Tuesday that he planned to schedule a meeting with the MACC to discuss the issue. Utterly baseless A day after Jayakumar quit, a group of former PKR MPs issued a statement criticizing Nasution for alleging that opposition lawmakers were being threatened to support the ruling bloc. [T]he allegation that Perikatan Nasional is using enticement and intimidation to garner the support of MPs from Pakatan Harapan is utterly baseless, the statement said, referring to the opposition coalition of Anwars PKR and other parties. The fact of the matter is that these MPs have made their own objective assessment and realized that the PN Government has taken responsible measures in dealing with the pandemic. These former PKR MPs who now support the government as independents had quit the party in February 2020, around the same time that Muhyiddin and his Bersatu party quit the then-Pakatan Harapan government. Muhyiddin and Bersatu quit after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned following internal squabbling in Pakatan. Bersatu then joined forces with the United Malays National Organization, or UMNO which had been routed in the 2018 elections by Pakatan - to cobble together the Perikatan alliance. Muhyiddin convinced Malaysias king that Perikatan had majority support in parliament and became prime minister on Mar. 1, 2020. "Too early to talk about cooperation" Meanwhile, with UMNO declaring it wont contest with Perikatan in general elections expected later this year, all prominent parties are on the hunt for viable alliances. Anwar and Pakatan are also looking to gain from the break-up of Perikatan. Anwar confirmed at Tuesdays press conference that he was indeed in talks with UMNO which he had once disparaged as corruption-ridden. We have had initial discussion with UMNO. It has not been formalized. It is too early to talk about cooperation, Anwar said. I am not denying a possible pact in the future and I have said all this to [PKR] leaders and our MPs so they can disseminate this information to the grassroots. Anwar said that the he and PKR would not compromise on their principles if and when they decided to work with UMNO. Meanwhile, UMNO may not be as interested in an alliance with Pakatan, said political analyst and retired academic Azmi Hassan. UMNO is not really serious in striking a deal with PKR or Pakatan Harapan. This is just part of UMNO strategy to pressure Bersatu on seats allocation. UMNO is showing that they have other options, unlike Bersatu, Hassan told BenarNews. UMNOs relationship with Bersatu had been rocky for months before it announced it would not contest with Muhyiddins party in the next election. Lawmakers quitting PKR was expected, indicated political analyst Oh Ei Sun. That PKR is being decimated gradually is not surprising, as even absent the inducements and the threats, many have lost faith in Anwars boastful but fruitless leadership, Oh, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, told BenarNews on Monday. It is very likely that more will join the exodus. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina appeals court upheld the murder conviction Tuesday of a white man who fired a shotgun at an unarmed Black partygoer after reporting hoodlums in the neighborhood. A majority on a state Court of Appeals panel left intact the first-degree murder conviction of 43-year-old Chad Cameron Copley, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Copley killed 20-year-old Kourey Thomas in August 2016 as Thomas left a late-night gathering near the curb in front of Copley's house in Raleigh, according to authorities. Copley, who claimed self-defense, had complained about the noise and called 911, telling the operator he was locked and loaded. Members of the group, who were leaving a nearby party and met outside to decide what to do next, yelled back at him. Copley later fired his weapon through his garage window, according to evidence. Tuesday's ruling came nearly a year after the state Supreme Court overturned a 2019 ruling by the same three-judge Court of Appeals panel that had ordered a new trial for Thomas. A majority on the panel ruled then that the trial judge erred by failing to tell jurors to disregard parts of the prosecutor's closing argument that referred to the race of the defendant and the victim. But the Supreme Court decided last April that Copley wasn't placed at a disadvantage given the context of the comments and the otherwise extensive evidence of (the) defendants guilt. The Court of Appeals was told to review the case again for other potential errors. Judges John Arrowood and Donna Stroud agreed on Tuesday that Copley otherwise received a fair trial and that his conviction should stand. In a dissent, Judge John Tyson said the trial judge shouldn't have provided jury instructions to support a first-degree conviction on the basis that Copley laid in wait to fire his weapon at Thomas. Copley had testified that he feared for his familys safety after seeing men display guns while leaving the party. Witnesses testified at Copleys trial that Thomas was unarmed, and prosecutors told jurors that no gun was found where Thomas fell to the ground. Story continues Tyson said the instructions failed to tell jurors that they needed to disprove Copley's self-defense claims beyond a reasonable doubt before considering the lying in wait" claims. The trial courts failures denied (Copley) of the most fundamental rights to protect and defend himself, his family, and their home, Tyson wrote. But Arrowood, writing for the majority, said the instruction was justified. The states evidence shows (Copley) concealed himself in his darkened garage with a shotgun, equipped with a suppression device, Arrowood wrote. The shot bewildered bystanders because it was unclear what happened, and (the) defendant had not warned the crowd before firing his weapon. Tuesday's ruling by the state's second-highest court means the case would return again to the state Supreme Court for review if an appeal is sought. 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 Vancouver, British Columbia - March 16, 2021 (Investorideas.com Newswire) - Media alert for Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF / FSE: 35D). The company was featured in the following article: DEFENSE METALS, GEELY MOTORS, THYSSENKRUPP - WATCH OUT, CHINA IS COMING! Full article and Original source https://news.financial/comments/defense-metals-geely-motors-thyssenkrupp-watch-out-china-is-coming Excerpt The commodity rally is still in full swing. A messed-up economic forecast has turned into a witch hunt for all major ingredients for high technology products. Whether it's cell phones, electric vehicles, non-fossil fuel power generation and storage, or modern server farms, they are needed everywhere - industrial metals. For special applications, we even need rare earths; these, in turn, are the process of a political chain of demands against the leading supplier - China. If China no longer supplies these crucial materials, modern high-tech products can no longer be manufactured. But where to get them, if not steal them? DEFENSE METALS (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF / FSE: 35D). - A VITAL RESOURCE EMERGES Demand in the electric vehicle (EV) industry is causing supply shortages in key metals such as copper, nickel and lithium. For nickel, for example, demand growth from EVs is expected to increase 14-fold between 2019 and 2030. For lithium and copper, demand growth is expected to be 9-10 times. Many metals are extracted in specific regions, and it is not uncommon for there to be political instability due to the high economic dimension. Around 50% of the world's cobalt, another vital material, comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The same applies to the so-called rare earths, a unique group of extremely rare metals. The deposits of rare earths are found mainly in China, with more than 80%, and to a lesser extent in North America. The current bone of contention, also under the Biden administration, is arms exports to Taiwan - a major thorn in the Chinese government's side. Should the trade war escalate again, the electromagnetically important metals such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium could end up on the sanctions list against the US. Currently, the Western industrial nations agree that they have long been talking about strategic metals and that a supply-side dominated by China cannot be the egg of Columbus. So they are looking for new deposits that, if developed, could fill the successive gaps in supply. Canadian explorer Defense Metals has come to investors' attention with its property in Wicheeda, British Columbia. The results of an X-ray study show that the REE grades can be optimally extracted using low-cost front-end processing. The share price jumped from CAD 0.20 in December to over CAD 0.70 in February 2021 as the Defense Project now enters a new phase. With a current share price of CAD 0.46, the market capitalization reaches only CAD 27 million, an interesting level given the tight situation in the metals sector. GEELY AUTOMOBILE ( GELYF) - POOR SALES FIGURES WEIGH ON THE SHARE PRICE Chinese car Company Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. has published its delivery figures for February 2021 and has disappointed once again. Growth is declining - one would currently expect something different from e-mobility. In February, a total of 77,221 vehicles were sold, an increase of 265% compared to the same period last year. However, compared with the previous month, when the Company sold 156,326 units, sales slumped by more than half. The sales figures also include vehicles sold through the 50/50 joint venture Lynk & Co. Among the total number of cars delivered by Geely Automobile in February 2021 were 2,539 New Energy and Electrified Vehicles (NEEVs), a significant deterioration from the previous month's 4,289 units (December: 7,171 units). Without further ado, sales of alternative propulsion methods to the internal combustion engine are sputtering. One could invoke the Chinese New Year, but those who want to buy a new car will do so in a month of celebration (perhaps even more so then). Of course, the Geely Group has much more to offer. In December 2020, Geely Technology Group agreed with Daimler's Chinese partner Farasis Energy to represent their shared lithium-ion battery interests in a joint venture. Since Geely, in turn, has a stake in Daimler, an amalgamation of the plans of all three groups is obvious. Geely Automobile's share price has been under pressure since January 2021. From the high of EUR 3.63, it recently went down to EUR 2.40, but that was just about the distance that the share was able to gain in December. Over the year, the value has still doubled. THYSSENKRUPP AG (TYEKF) - GERMANY AT RISK AS A STEEL LOCATION The future of the German steel sector continues to raise many questions. North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister-President Armin Laschet has once again rejected a state takeover of ThyssenKrupp, leaving the Company itself to deal with the market's adversities. The much cheaper competition from China, in particular, is becoming increasingly dangerous. The industry has been struggling with dumped imports for years. A few years ago, products from the Middle Kingdom were still considered backward. Neither quality nor sustainability could keep up with the European competition, which was why the Chinese campaigned for import restrictions. But the tide has now turned. Arnd Kofler, the Chief Technology Officer at ThyssenKrupp Steel, made it public that the new steel mills in China also met the highest technological standards. The country is massively expanding its renewable energy capacities, which means that more green electricity can be used for climate-friendly steel production in the future. Like the entire European steel industry, ThyssenKrupp is therefore under technological pressure. Thinking a little further, hydrogen technology, for example, would push two issues at once. On the one hand, the automotive industry urgently needs an alternative to the unclean battery, and on the other, H2 could enable the production of a "green steel." Of course, this requires funds that are not easy to conjure up in Thyssen's battered balance sheet. So the pressure from China will tend to intensify. Investors who are willing to take risks have bought Thyssen shares on the upside for the time being because hopes of an economic turnaround are also expected to turn everything around for the better at Thyssen. At EUR 11.65, however, the stock is not yet out of the woods. A chart breakout would only be seen at prices above EUR 13.20. About Defense Metals Corp. https://defensemetals.com/ Defense Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition of mineral deposits containing metals and elements commonly used in the electric power market, military, national security and the production of "GREEN" energy technologies, such as, high strength alloys and rare earth magnets. Defense Metals has an option to acquire 100% of the 1,708 hectare Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Property located near Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Defense Metals Corp. trades in Canada under the symbol "DEFN" on the TSX Venture Exchange, in the United States, under "DFMTF" on the OTCQB and in Germany on the Frankfurt Exchange under "35D". For further information, please contact: Todd Hanas, Bluesky Corporate Communications Ltd. Vice President, Investor Relations Tel: (778) 994 8072 Email: todd@blueskycorp.ca Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forwardlooking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to finding partnerships, securing potential offtake agreements, and other business opportunities, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, 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 may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of rare earth elements, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather conditions, failure to maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of Covid-19 or other viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law. Paid News -Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Disclosure: this news release featuring Defense Metals Corp. is a paid for service on Investorideas.com ($750) more disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp About Investorideas.com https://www.investorideas.com/About/ Sign up for free stock news alerts at Investorideas.com https://www.investorideas.com/Resources/Newsletter.asp Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Professors Jamy Stillman and Katherine Schultz of the University of Colorado Boulder reviewed 2020 Teacher Prep Review: Clinical Practice and Classroom Management. They found it unlikely to improve teacher preparation due to its use of invalid measurements, limited research base, and reliance on questionable methods. The authors of the NCTQ report reviewed over 2,400 programs, including what NCTQ terms traditional and alternative programs in two areas: clinical practice and classroom management. Only 3% of traditional programs received the highest grade for their approaches to clinical practice, signaling their compliance with the internal standards set by NCTQ. Asserting that a positive environment is the product of classroom management, the report offers as a major conclusion that there was a 26% increase in the number of programs that taught five specific classroom management strategies. Professors Stillman and Schultz explain how the report assumes that a methodology relying exclusively on review of publicly available program artifacts is a valid approach for determining program quality. They state further that the report largely ignores the body of empirical literature that investigates clinical practice and classroom management. Of particular note is the exclusion of scholarship that centers equity and justice. The review concludes that the report, rather than analyzing the characteristics of successful programs preparing teachers for a wide range of contexts, is based exclusively on adherence to or compliance with NCTQ internal standards that are neither widely accepted nor evidence-based. Find the review, by Jamy Stillman and Katherine Schultz, at: https://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/teacher-prep Find 2020 Teacher Prep Review: Clinical Practice and Classroom Management, written by Laura Pomerance and Kate Walsh and published by NCTQ, here. NEPC Reviews (http://thinktankreview.org) provide the public, policymakers, and the press with timely, academically sound reviews of selected publications. NEPC Reviews are made possible in part by support provided by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice: http://www.greatlakescenter.org The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), a university research center housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Visit us at: https://nepc.colorado.edu The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Monday 4,901 new Covid-19 cases, raising Iraq's total nationwide infections to 763,085. The new cases included 2,150 in the capital Baghdad, 626 in Basra, 479 in Najaf, 231 in Maysan, and 205 in Qadisiyah, the ministry said in a statement. It also reported 37 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,788, while the total recoveries in climbed by 4,850 to 690,620. A total of 7,419,942 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020, with 33,485 done during the day, the Xinhua news agency reported. Iraqi Minister of Health Hassan al-Tamimi told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the infections have increased more dramatically than a year ago, especially with the spread of the new strain of the virus. According to al-Tamimi, the citizens' failure to follow health instructions has contributed to the increase of infections. Nevertheless, the health minister noted the death rate of the pandemic has decreased to 1.8 percent from 17 percent last year. He attributed the low death rate to the "remarkable and important development in the infrastructure of the Ministry of Health and its health institutions, as well as the better training of the medical staff." has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in Covid-19 infections after the health ministry announced on February 15 the detection of a new strain characterized by faster transmission and a higher level of severity. On March 2, received a shipment of Covid-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help combat the pandemic. The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of China's Sinopharm vaccines. --IANS int/rs (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DUBLIN, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market as it emerges from the COVID-19 shut down. The global electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market is expected to grow from $3262.34 billion in 2020 to $3451.79 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $4526.55 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 7%. Reasons to Purchase Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 50+ geographies. Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates. Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis. Identify growth segments for investment. Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market. Understand customers based on the latest market research findings. Benchmark performance against key competitors. Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing. Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis Description: Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution market global report answers all these questions and many more. The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market, and compares it with other markets. The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, the impact of the COVID-19 virus and forecasting its recovery. Market segmentations break down market into sub markets. The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the impact and recovery trajectory of COVID-19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets. Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified. The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers. The electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market section of the report gives context. It compares the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market with other segments of the utilities market by size and growth, historic and forecast. It analyses GDP proportion, expenditure per capita, electric power generation, transmission, and distribution indicators comparison. Major companies in the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market include Electricite de France; Enel; Engie; Iberdrola and Exelon. The electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market consists of sales of electric power by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that generate, transmit, and/or distribute electric power. Establishments in this market are engaged in operating generation facilities that produce electric energy; operating transmission systems that convey the electricity from the generation facility to the distribution system; or operating distribution systems that convey electric power received from the generation facility or the transmission system to the final consumer. The electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market is segmented into electric power transmission, control, and distribution and power generation. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market, accounting for 44% of the market in 2020. Western Europe was the second largest region accounting for 26% of the global electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market. Africa was the smallest region in the global electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market. Electric power generation companies are increasingly using batteries to store solar energy during daylight hours. These energy-storage sites consist of large lithium-ion batteries. These batteries store enough energy to serve as a back-up in case of fuel shortages. They are designed to absorb solar power and feed it back to the grid. These systems minimize the need for capital intensive power generation plants, thereby enhancing transmission and distribution efficiencies and thus reduce operational costs. For Instance, World Bank Group is planning to invest USD 1 billion for a new global program to accelerate investments in battery storage for energy systems. The outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has acted as a significant restraint on the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market in 2020 as demand for utility services from industrial and commercial establishments decreased due to trade restrictions and lockdowns imposed by governments globally. Many manufacturing facilities globally halted operations to contain the spread of virus among its workforce, thereby limiting the need for utility services such as electricity and wastewater treatment. COVID 19 is an infectious disease with flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. The virus was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province of the People's Republic of China and spread globally including Western Europe, North America and Asia. Steps by national governments to contain the transmission have resulted in a decline in economic activity with countries entering a state of 'lock down' and the outbreak is expected to continue to have a negative impact on businesses throughout 2020 and into 2021. However, it is expected that the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market will recover from the shock across the forecast period as it is a 'black swan' event and not related to ongoing or fundamental weaknesses in the market or the global economy The power generation industry is expected to see increased investment activity in the forecast period. Investments in microgrid technology, renewables and other advanced technologies are expected to drive the market. In the forecast period, the USA is expected to see investments of about $12.5 billion in microgrid. The renewable energy investments are expected to reach $ 1,000 billion in the USA during the forecast period. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Report Structure 3. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Characteristics 3.1. Market Definition 3.2. Key Segmentations 4. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Product Analysis 4.1. Leading Products/ Services 4.2. Key Features and Differentiators 4.3. Development Products 5. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Supply Chain 5.1. Supply Chain 5.2. Distribution 5.3. End Customers 6. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Customer Information 6.1. Customer Preferences 6.2. End Use Market Size and Growth 7. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Trends And Strategies 8. Impact Of COVID-19 On Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution 9. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Size And Growth 9.1. Market Size 9.2. Historic Market Growth, Value ($ Billion) 9.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 9.2.2. Restraints On The Market 9.3. Forecast Market Growth, Value ($ Billion) 9.3.1. Drivers Of The Market 9.3.2. Restraints On The Market 10. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Regional Analysis 10.1. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market, 2020, By Region, Value ($ Billion) 10.2. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Historic And Forecast, By Region 10.3. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market, Growth And Market Share Comparison, By Region 11. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Segmentation 11.1. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market, Segmentation By Type 11.2. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market, Segmentation By End-User 11.3. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market, Segmentation By Type of Operator 12. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Segments 12.1. Global Electric Power Transmission, Control, And Distribution Market, Segmentation By Type, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion) - Electric Power Distribution; Electric Bulk Power Transmission And Control 12.2. Global Power Generation Market, Segmentation By Type, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion) - Hydro Electricity; Fossil Fuel Electricity; Nuclear Electricity; Solar Electricity; Wind Electricity; Geothermal Electricity; Biomass Electricity; Other Electricity 13. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Metrics 13.1. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Size, Percentage Of GDP, 2015-2025, Global 13.2. Per Capita Average Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Expenditure, 2015-2025, Global 14. Asia-Pacific Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 15. Western Europe Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 16. Eastern Europe Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 17. North America Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 18. South America Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 19. Middle East Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 20. Africa Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 21. Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market Competitive Landscape 21.1. Competitive Market Overview 21.2. Market Shares 21.3. Company Profiles 21.3.1. Electricite de France 21.3.1.1. Company Overview 21.3.1.2. Products And Services 21.3.1.3. Strategy 21.3.1.4. Financial Performance 21.3.2. Enel 21.3.2.1. Company Overview 21.3.2.2. Products And Services 21.3.2.3. Strategy 21.3.2.4. Financial Performance 21.3.3. Engie 21.3.3.1. Company Overview 21.3.3.2. Products And Services 21.3.3.3. Strategy 21.3.3.4. Financial Performance 21.3.4. Iberdrola 21.3.4.1. Company Overview 21.3.4.2. Products And Services 21.3.4.3. Strategy 21.3.4.4. Financial Performance 21.3.5. Exelon 21.3.5.1. Company Overview 21.3.5.2. Products And Services 21.3.5.3. Strategy 21.3.5.4. Financial Performance 22. Key Mergers And Acquisitions In The Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market 23. Market Background: Utilities Market 23.1. Utilities Market Characteristics 23.2. Utilities Market Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Growth, By Segment, Value ($ Billion), Global 23.3. Global Utilities Market, 2020, By Region, Value ($ Billion) 23.4. Global Utilities Market, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Historic And Forecast, By Region 23.5. Global Utilities Market, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Segmentation By Type, Value ($ Billion) 24. Recommendations 24.1. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market In 2025- Growth Countries 24.2. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market In 2025- Growth Segments 24.3. Global Electric Power Generation, Transmission, And Distribution Market In 2025- Growth Strategies 25. Appendix 25.1. NAICS Definitions Of Industry Covered In This Report 25.2. Abbreviations 25.3. Currencies 25.4. Research Inquiries 25.5. The Publisher 26. Copyright And Disclaimer For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3gxwyh Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. (CNN) -- Facebook is teaming up with News Corp Australia just weeks after the country passed a groundbreaking law requiring tech companies to pay for news content. The three-year partnership was announced on Monday. It will allow content from much of Rupert Murdoch's local media empire, including The Australian newspaper, to be featured on Facebook News a section of the platform that curates coverage from selected publishers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The agreement adds to a stream of new partnerships News Corp has signed in Australia in recent weeks. Sky News Australia, a broadcaster owned by a local News Corp subsidiary, has struck a separate deal with Facebook, which "builds on an existing arrangement," News Corp said in a statement Monday. Last month, the conglomerate which includes much of Australian media and some UK outlets, as well as the Wall Street Journal and New York Post in the United States also unveiled an agreement with Google. The partnership allows News Corp's US, UK and Australian publications to be featured on Google's News Showcase platform. But it also is expected to include developing a subscription platform, sharing ad revenue and investing in audio and video journalism. Google declined to share terms of that deal, but News Corp has claimed that it would receive "significant payments." News Corp is already collaborating with Facebook in the United States, where its publications are paid to be featured on the social network. But the company had been pushing for new rules in Australia, where debate had been fierce about a media code that forces Big Tech to pay publishers for news shared on their platforms. The debate came to a head last month, just days before the law was passed. That was when Facebook decided to ban news content in Australia in anticipation of the law, forcing the pages of media organizations and even some unrelated essential services to go dark. It eventually restored news content there after the government agreed on making some changes to the legislation. Prior to that, Google had also threatened to pull its search engine in the country. It later took a different tack, inking partnerships with some of the country's largest media organizations, including News Corp, to get ahead of the law. News Corp had been one of the fiercest proponents of the law. The company was forced to cut jobs and shut down dozens of newspapers in Australia last year, saying that the blow from the coronavirus pandemic had been too great to withstand. In a statement Monday, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson alluded to the firm's longtime battle, arguing that "Rupert and [co-chairman] Lachlan Murdoch led a global debate while others in our industry were silent or supine." "This digital denouement has been more than a decade in the making," he added. "The agreement with Facebook is a landmark in transforming the terms of trade for journalism, and will have a material and meaningful impact on our Australian news businesses." Kerry Flynn contributed to this report. It was first published on CNN.com, "Facebook signs deal with Murdoch's News Corp in Australia" President is joining top messengers already crisscrossing the country to highlight the benefits of his massive COVID-19 rescue plan, in his case by promoting aid for small businesses. Biden is set to visit a small business in suburban Philadelphia on Tuesday, his initial trip outside Washington for the Help is here tour that got underway Monday. Vice President Kamala Harris dropped in on a COVID-19 vaccination site and a culinary academy in Las Vegas while first lady Jill Biden toured a New Jersey elementary school. We want to avoid a situation where people are unaware of what they're entitled to, Harris said at the culinary academy. It's not selling it; it literally is letting people know their rights. Think of it more as a public education campaign. The White House is wasting no time promoting the USD 1.9 trillion relief plan, which Biden signed into law last week, looking to build momentum for the rest of his agenda and anxious to avoid the mistakes of 2009 in boosting that year's recovery effort. Even veterans of Barack Obama's administration acknowledge they did not do enough then to showcase their massive economic stimulus package. Hope is here in real and tangible ways," Biden said Monday at the White House. He said the new government spending will bankroll efforts that could allow the nation to emerge from the pandemic's twin crises, health and economic. Shots in arms and money in pockets, the president said. That's important. The American Rescue Plan is already doing what it was designed to do: make a difference in people's everyday lives. We're just getting started. Biden said that within the next 10 days, his administration will clear two important benchmarks: distributing 100 million stimulus payments and administering 100 million vaccine doses since he took office. To commemorate those milestones, Biden and his top representatives are embarking on their most ambitious travel schedule of his young presidency, visiting a series of potential election battleground states this week. The sales pitch was leaving Republicans cold. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the target of doses that Biden set when he took office as not some audacious goal but just the pace that he inherited. And he mocked Biden's talk of Americans working toward merely being able to gather in small groups by July 4th as bizarre. The Biden plan cleared Congress without any backing from Republicans, despite polling that found broad public support. Republicans argued the bill was too expensive, especially with vaccinations making progress against the virus, and included too many provisions not directly linked to the pandemic. After beginning the sales campaign with high-profile speeches, Biden will head to Pennsylvania on Tuesday and then join Harris in Georgia on Friday. Others on his team are visiting the electorally important states of Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and New Hampshire. The trip Monday marked Harris' first official journey in office and included an unscheduled stop at a vegan taco stand as well as a coffee stand at the Culinary Academy Las Vegas. (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 most basic purpose of our justice system is to convict and punish the guilty while protecting the innocent and safeguarding the rights of all Americans. As part of that mission, rehabilitating offenders and helping them return to society should be a primary goal. Unfortunately, for decades, our criminal justice system has failed to fulfill this mandate. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace understands this, and her record proves it. Her time in public service is marked by significant achievements in criminal justice. And she works with anyone willing to work with her to make our justice system work for every American. As a state representative, she got a sweeping prison reform bill signed into law in the middle of both a pandemic and her congressional campaign. For that legislation, she brought together groups such as FreedomWorks and the ACLU. And in recent weeks, shes shown how determined she still is to keep up this valuable work. The House recently passed legislation in which Mace was the lead Republican sponsor alongside U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to bring millions of Americans due process rights into the 21st century. The bill is now in the Senate. Today, those in federal custody cant email their attorneys without the government able to read every word they say. Its a blatant violation of their constitutional rights, one that hasnt been allowed on any other form of communication for decades, and one that is particularly egregious under restrictions such as those put in place during the pandemic. For both violent and nonviolent offenders, our justice system has operated with a lock em up and throw away the key mentality for decades, and we throw more of our population into prison than China, Russia and North Korea. It does our communities a grave disservice. Perhaps equally importantly, it also costs a fortune. Our prison system costs $80 billion per year across every level of government. Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! Whats the return on that investment? What have the American people gotten for their money? On average, about 67% of prisoners are rearrested after release. More than half of all inmates in federal prisons were put there due to drug crimes, but rates of drug abuse have remained largely unchanged for more than a decade. Our justice system is supposed to stop crime, but instead it creates new criminals. Harsh prison sentences and tough on crime policies seem to have little effect on the real causes of crime: people unable to cope with the desperate situations in which they live. Once in the system, they are all too often destined to rebound in and out of prison for lack of the tools required to modify their actions on the street. When President Donald Trump signed the First Step Act into law, it was a powerful first step in making our justice system work for all of us. It created a structure where a long and brutal prison sentence was reserved for those were truly afraid of, and where those who simply made a few bad decisions could be empowered to turn their lives around. It created an opening for organizations such as Turning Leaf to help people become productive members of society after prison. Through therapy, transitional employment, job training and job placement, this North Charleston nonprofit has shown how our justice system can work. Eighty percent of the inmates who go through Turning Leafs program dont return to prison, compared to a national rate of only 23%. They become productive members of their community, all at a third of the cost of keeping these former inmates rotting in a jail cell. After the 2020 election, I worried criminal justice reform would fall to the bottom of everyones priority list. The chaos and division in Washington and across the country tend to drown out any real hope of Republicans and Democrats coming together on new reforms. But if more people in Congress can put aside their partisan blinders and work together like our congresswoman, Nancy Mace, theres a chance we can go above and beyond the First Step, and push forward to the Next Step of fixing our justice system. Tim Askins is an advocate for returning ex-convicts to the workplace with the Turning Leaf Project. Ok Computer Actor Vijay Varma Opens Up About Juggling Multiple Projects Vijay Varma has been juggling multiple projects ever since the lockdown has eased. Busy with an ongoing shoot schedule for Fallen by Reema Kagti in Rajasthan the actor also has promotions for Ok Computer starting, making his schedule all the more difficult to juggle simultaneously. Vijay said, "I was in the middle of a very hectic shoot and I joined the press conference for Ok Computer for a brief time during the lunch break, before getting back to the set. It is a very special one for me so I'm just glad I could make it, atleast for a bit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vijay Varma (@itsvijayvarma) The actor recently revealed a character motion poster for the first sci-fi series of India where he will be seen as Saajan Kundu, a cyber cell cop. This will also mark Vijay's first ever endeavour into a comedy role and fans definitely seemed excited for the same as per all the appreciation the actor received post the trailer release. Vijay is in Rajasthan shooting for Reema Kagti's web series, Fallen with Sonakshi Sinha. Some fans from the state have even shared a few videos of Vijay while they spotted him on the sets. The Gully Boy fame is all set to make 2021 quite a significant year with all the multiple upcoming projects he has announced back to back within a week like, Darlings with Alia Bhatt, Fallen with Sonakshi Sinha, Ok Computer with Radhika Apte as well as Hurdang with Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sunny Kaushal. US Sentencing Commission releases 2020 Annual Report and Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics | Main | Amusing (but still quite serious) reminder of what not to do while awaiting federal sentencing The title of this post is the title of this notable new commentary at The Appeal authored by Rachel Barkow and Mark Osler. I highly recommend the full piece, and here are parts of the preamble and the listed "14 steps": As the Biden Administration takes shape and the nation recovers from four years of Donald Trump, there may be a temptation to return to normal. That could be especially true at the Department of Justice, where so many longstanding norms independence from politics, high ethical standards, a commitment to facts took a beating. With many Obama-era appointees back in high-level positions, there is likely a desire to go back to the way things were when the same people were last in power. But thats setting the bar too low. While its critical that the department rededicate itself to its core values, its not sufficient to simply create an Obama Lite initiative. Instead, the DOJ, with its vast authority and discretion, and its power to unilaterally shape the federal criminal legal system, should be a driving force for dramatic, high-impact change. President Bidens Executive Order stating that the DOJ will not renew contracts with private prison companies is a prime example of largely symbolic but practically useless reform. It is a positive step that builds off an Obama-era policy, but it is only a tiny step forward. It does not get to the heart of what really needs to change. No one will be released or serve less time because of this order. Private prisons account for a small percentage of where people in federal prisons are housed, and most of the private contracts at the federal level are with the Department of Homeland Security, which is not covered by the Executive Order. In addition, many of the private contracts have long time periods, so another administration might undo this order before it ever takes effect. It is therefore possible the order will not change anything at all. The Obama Administration, just like administrations before it, had fatal flaws when it came to criminal justice, and the Biden Administration should aim to cure them. This isnt just important for better criminal justice policies and public safety. Its also important because of the institutional weakness that Trump put into stark relief. For too long, the DOJ has relied on the notion that it should have broad discretion because good people work at the department. While we agree that competent, well-meaning people generally do work at the DOJ, the Trump Administration showed why that isnt enough. For example, Obamas Department might have opposed abolishing mandatory minimum sentences because of its own policy to curb their use (though even that policy was inconsistently enforced), but preserving those laws enabled the Trump Administration to use them far more aggressively. If the Biden Administration wants both a lasting legacy of real criminal justice reform and to show a commitment to the rule of law, it needs to pursue critical institutional reform at the Department even if at the expense of its own discretion. With those goals in mind, we propose the following 14 policy recommendations. These are largely aimed at structural issues that can be addressed without legislation that would have the biggest impact in reducing prison populations and remedying disportionate punishments and discriminatory policies. These reforms cover different topics, but they are all backed by empirical evidence as being in the interest of public safety, reducing racial disparities, and giving the DOJ back its good name. These include substantive policy changes and personnel priorities, and we will cover those first precisely because they can be done without Congress. Other reforms require Congresss cooperation. While there is no guarantee Congress will agree, this is the time to pursue these shifts, with Democratic leadership and bipartisan support for criminal justice reform. But legislation will not move without DOJ support. DOJ opposition has been a chief impediment for more significant criminal justice reforms, so its long past time for it to take the lead on breaking the logjam. 1. Revise Charging Policies... 2. Reform Clemency... 3. Commit to Compassionate Release... 4. Ensure First Step Act Programming Credit... 5. Reform and Move the Bureau of Prisons... 6. Abolish the Death Penalty... 7. Appoint Reformers to Key Positions Within DOJ... 8. Support Reform at the Sentencing Commission... 9. Support Creating a High-Level Criminal Justice Advisor Position... 10. Implement Forensic Science Reform... 11. Revise Discovery Policies... 12. Support Legislative Reform... 13. Support Release Through Parole... 14. Eliminate Financial Incentives to Charge Cases... 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 Defiant anti-junta protests in Yangon and cities across Myanmar were suppressed by military gunfire that killed five protesters Tuesday, as grieving families buried their dead from violence in Yangon, and China issued a warning to protect Chinese businesses after dozens were vandalized, looted, and burned in Yangon in previous days. The five slain protesters raised to 181 the death toll RFA has recorded as of Tuesday, including four additional fatalities from Monday, in the six weeks of protests since the Feb. 1 military coup that deposed the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Tuesday saw emotive scenes as bereaved families held funerals of people killed by security forces, including Khat Nyar Hein, a first-year medical student and member of the countrys ethnic Chinese community who was shot dead by the police in Yangon on Sunday, the deadliest day since the coup. Today I lost my son. He was a good son. My heart aches. My heart is full of pain, said the young mans mother, speaking in Mandarin. Security forces shot 17-year-old Khant Nyar Hein in the head on Sunday during anti-coup protests in Yangons Tamwe township. Citizen video shows police approaching his body, beating up and arresting a young woman who was trying to help him, then later dragging his body away. His mother pleaded in a video posted on social media for Myanmars people to differentiate between ethnic Chinese citizens of the Southeast Asian country, who are among the millions of Myanmar people who oppose the coup, and the Peoples Republic of China in Beijing. I dont love your government China has protected the junta from international diplomatic pressure at the United Nations, but called for legal action over arson attacks on dozens of Chinese-invested factories in Yangon on Sunday. I am authentic Chinese, but I dont love your government there. Not a single bit, the slain students mother said in comments apparently directed at Beijing. The father of Khant Nyar Hein also weighed in, saying I hope [the Chinese government] will have sympathy for ethnic Chinese people in Myanmar and for our democracy movement and overturn this coup government. Like the ethnic Chinese in Myanmar, democratic Taiwan has taken great pains since the weekend attacks to inform the local population that it has no connection to China. Taiwans representative office in Myanmar has suggested Taiwanese businesspeople hang signs in Burmese reading Taiwanese company at their factories and to hang our countrys national flag, and explain to local workers and neighbors they are a Taiwanese factory to avoid outsiders getting confused and misjudging, Reuters news agency reported on Monday from Taipei. Ethnic Chinese, while not among multiethnic Myanmars 135 recognized ethnic groups, make up about three percent of the countrys population of 54 million. After arson attacks on 32 Chinese-funded factories in several Yangon townships Sunday and Monday, causing what Chinas state media was nearly 240 million yuan (U.S. $37 million) in damages, Beijing stepped up pressure on military authorities to quell the protests and to protect Chinese interests in the country. The rising anti-China sentiment could strain the relationship between the two countries and put the already besieged Myanmar economy under greater duress, said an editorial by Chinas state-run CGTN. If it is proven that Myanmar cannot ensure the safety of foreign investments and personnel, it wouldn't only turn off Chinese investment but all investment from overseas, it said on Monday. Chinese businesses create a large number of employment opportunities and help promote Myanmars economic and social development, the editorial said. We hope the Myanmar side will take further effective measures to ensure the safety of life and property of Chinese enterprises and personnel. A Myanmar anti-junta protester walks behind a street barricade in Hlaingthaya township, Yangon district, March 16, 2021. Credit: RFA Martial law Myanmar political analyst Than Soe Naing told RFA that the situation became worse when the two Chinese factories in Hlaingthaya and Shwepyitha townships were hit in arson attacks Monday. The declaration of martial law is the result of the Chinese Embassys call for an effective deterrent action, he said, echoing the widespread belief that China can influence the junta. Despite rising risk of death or injury from the increasingly aggressive junta forces, defiant anti-junta protests carried on in the cities of Yangon, Mandalay, Magway, Monywa, and Loikaw and in other parts of the country, which is the size of France. Security forces killed two protesters in Kawlin in the northwestern region of Sagaing as more than 3,000 demonstrators rallied at the township administrators residence, witnesses said. One of the people killed was a man in his 40s who was hit when police dispersed crowds in front of the residence, said a witness who did not provide his name. The bullet went through his arm and through his chest, he said. We can confirm hes dead. We heard there were two others injured, but we dont know exactly how many in all. When protesters regrouped in the afternoon and surrounded the police station, gunfire was heard, the witness added. Myanmar anti-junta protesters burn tires on a bridge in Hlaingthaya township, Yangon region, March 16, 2021. Credit: RFA Migrant workers trapped by violence In Hlaingthaya township, a factory zone west of Yangon that was the scene of more than 50 deaths Monday, demonstrators staged anti-military protests in defiance of martial law, only to be met with more violence by security personnel. Police and soldiers even chased the protesters into small alleys and fired indiscriminately, said one witness. The number of casualties is not known yet. He said the protesters did not confront police and soldiers because their numbers were large and they had brought in bulldozers to clear away protester barricades. Thousands of migrant workers from other parts of Myanmar had been trying to leave the township since early morning to escape the crackdown, a Hlaingthaya resident said. The migrant workers are leaving for their hometowns because of insecurity here. There are no jobs around for them, and they have to take up the duties of security guards at night, he said. People cannot move around safely in the wards given indiscriminate shooting that has occurred for the last three days, he added. Another unnamed man said that the wards are almost deserted. We all are furious. To say it frankly, we just want to hit them back, he said, referring to security forces. Villagers march during an anti-junta protest in Myaing, central Myanmar's Magway region. March 16. 2021. Credit: RFA Indiscriminate gunfire kills teen Video footage of soldiers and police brutally suppressing people at a peaceful nighttime sit-in Yangons Dawbon township on Monday have gone viral on social media, with one clip showing security personnel shooting a demonstrator and dragging him naked on the a street. Protests were staged in other townships in Yangon region, also under martial law, including North Okkalapa, where scores of young people led a demonstration, and in North Dagon, where security forces cleared makeshift barricades set up by protesters and fired their rifles down side streets, damaging cars and houses. The more they press, the more we will rise up, said one defiant township resident. Everything the military council is doing is total injustice. The security of the people has been diminishing. Some people are now having ideas to fight back until death. One protester died during a crackdown in South Dagon, witnesses told RFA. In Mandalays Thabeikkyin township, a 14-year-old girl and a man were killed when police and soldiers fired at protesters, residents said. Local residents who were checking traffic entering their town from Mogok to the north of Mandalay, confronted policemen inside a car who shot their way out as they left the scene. About 200 soldiers who entered the area fired indiscriminately at residents, hitting the teenager who was in her house, residents said. Several others were injured, some seriously, and about 20 people were taken away by security forces, they said. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a watchdog group, said that as of Tuesday, 2,181 people had been arrested, charged, or sentenced in relation to the military coup, with 1,862 still being held or with outstanding warrants. In the ancient town of Bagan, about 2,200 civil servants, including police, bankers, and General Administration Department staffers, comprising over 80 percent of state employees in the area, have joined the civil disobedience movement running in tandem with the protests, locals said. Some of the workers have stood their ground despite threats by their superiors who are angry that the striking employees have nearly brought state services to a stop. Rights organizations lambasted the military regime for the continued violence against peaceful protesters. They have prepared themselves to carry out the worst human rights violations, activist Nickey Diamond from the Southeast Asia-based Fortify Rights NGO, referring to the ruling military council. They have taken up positions in every township and have killed and injured many protesters. Their actions can be seen as crimes against humanity, he told RFA. RFA was unable to reach a military spokesman for comment. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. CHICOPEE A four-community police and fire dispatch center will soon have a chance to expand after purchasing a building that used to house a strip club and then a disgraced for-profit college. The Westcomm Regional Dispatch Center recently closed on the purchase of 645 Shawinigan Drive, buying the 18,432-square-foot building for $1.2 million, according to Hampden County Registry of Deeds records. The building has been empty for more than a year after state Attorney General Maura Healey settled with Premiere Education Group, which operated Salter College there, forcing what she called the predatory for-profit school to close. Previously the building had been designed for the Gold Club, which operated for a short period of time as a strip club with a juice bar. It was denied a liquor license due to owners suspected ties to organized crime. It was eventually shut down for license violations. We have to retrofit it for our own needs. We are now planning to go out to bid for an architect, said Erin Hastings, executive director of the dispatch center. The Chicopee and Longmeadow police and fire departments in December 2019 combined their four dispatch centers into one. At the time Chicopee was working to renovate its public safety complex. It created a room for Westcomm, and the state 911 system purchased the high-tech equipment for the center to operate. The state is encouraging police and fire departments to regionalize dispatch services to make them more efficient and save on the purchase and maintenance of specialized equipment. In the past year, the East Longmeadow and Monson police and fire departments joined Westcomm. Departments in other communities have now shown interest. While the equipment provided by the state can take up to 17 communities, there was no room left at the police station for more personnel, Hastings. The Ware and Southwick police and fire departments have already signed a letter of agreement to join the dispatch center as soon as there is enough room, Hastings said. Westcomm is set up as an independent entity, funded by each community paying a percentage of the budget based on its population and call volume. It has taken out a mortgage to purchase the building, she said. The cost of renovations will not be clear until an architectural study is completed. There are grants through the state 911 and we are hoping to fund it through that, she said. Westcomm has 32 employees spread across three shifts. Each dispatcher is trained to give emergency medical directions over the phone, such as giving CPR, handling overdoses or delivering a baby. Dispatchers are assigned to handle specific communities. But one of the advantages of the system is, when there is an emergency in one community, other dispatchers can step in and assist in answering calls, Hastings said. Related content: Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 23:16:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga on Tuesday expressed condolences over deaths related to heavy dust and snow storms that had swept through Mongolia over the weekend. "As the president of Mongolia, I deeply regret and express my deepest condolences for the loss of 10 lives, including two children due to the natural disaster," Battulga said in a statement. "There is no guarantee that such natural disasters will not happen again, so we need to pay special attention to protecting the lives of precious people, how herders and emergency workers can exchange information in case of emergency, and how to conduct a timely search operation," he said. A total of 580 people were found alive among the 590 people, mostly nomadic herders who got lost in the storms, according to the country's National Emergency Management Agency. Nine people were killed in the southern province of Dundgovi, and one death was reported in the central-western province of Arkhangai due to the storms. Mongolia has four seasons. Dust and snowstorms are common in spring in the country, one of the last nomadic countries in the world. Nearly 40 percent of the country's nomadic population depends on animal husbandry for their livelihood. Enditem (Newser) It's not often a person can say they introduced their parents, but that's sort of true for Arkansas' Laura Mabry. Mabry, who was adopted as an infant in 1968, took a DNA test in 2019 that connected her with her birth mother, Donna Horn. During text and email interactions, Horn told Mabry that she'd resulted from a two-year romance between high school sweethearts in Indiana, per ABC News. Horn was a cheerleader and Joe Cougill was a star athlete. The problem was that their parents didn't approve. As the Indianapolis Star reports, "Donna's father wanted Joe to never speak to his daughter again." So the couple went their separate ways, promising never to contact each other again, though that meant Cougill had no idea what became of the pregnancy. When Mabry reached out to him, he was ready to break his 51-year promise. story continues below "If you look anything like Donna I bet you're so pretty, Mabry recalls Cougill telling her on their first phone call, per the Star. He'd often wondered about his old flame over the years. "She was all I wanted, and I was all she wanted," he tells the Star. "It was obvious first love." As Cougill was divorced and Horn's husband had passed away, Mabry gave Cougill her phone number. They "immediately bonded," Mabry tells ABC. And "that was just that." A half-century after separating, Horn and Cougill married last May and now live together in Greenwood, Ind. It turns out it's a happy ending for the whole family. "This has fulfilled something in my life that even I didn't realize I needed so much," Mabry tells ABC. "I think that's been a key part of just knowing my history, [their story] has been so important in my life," she adds. "That helped complete my whole identity." (Read more reunion stories.) Smartphone benchmarks are not without their doping scandals in the latest turn of events AnTuTu has banned the Realme GT over suspicions of artificially boosting its scores. The benchmark team posted an explanation of what happened on Weibo along with with proof. Before the GT was announced, VP Xu Qi Chase posted a screenshot showing 770,221 points. Thats a lot higher than a typical Snapdragon 888 device, most phones top out at 710,000 and even Qualcomms reference design managed only 735,439. The AnTuTu team waited for the phone to go on sale and bought one for testing. The AnTuTu team bought a Realme GT from the Huantai Mall on launch day to examine it closely They got a 12/256 GB unit since RAM and storage affect the benchmark results (theres a photo of the receipt). And they did get a very respectable 750,000 points or so, but when they dug in deeper they found two issues. The first one was in the multi-core test. The Realme GT scheduler was found to be holding back some threads that were meant to run on the small CPU cores until they can run on the big cores instead. The Realme GT scheduler pushes threads to run on the big CPU cores instead of the small cores The second issue was discovered in the UX test (specifically JPG image decompression). The team noticed that the GT was skipping much of the processing that goes into JPG decompression and the resulting image is terribly pixelated and has gaps. Since decompressed images arent shown to the user, this wasnt noticed immediately. Incomplete JPG decompression The original image AnTuTu has decided to ban Realme GT scores for three months. If Realme changes the phones software so that it behaves as expected, the GT will be reinstated after the ban is over. If it does not, the GT will be banned permanently. When reached out for a comment a Realme spokesperson revealed to us that the company believes it hasn't broken any rules and that it's working with AnTuTu to resolve the issue. The AnTuTu team is meanwhile working on version 9 of the benchmark, which will have additional anti-cheating measures for example, if cheating is detected, then points will be deducted from the final score. Source (in Chinese) | Via Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez says her country will not approve the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus because of concerning side effects. "Venezuela will not give permission to the AstraZeneca vaccine due to the side effects that have occurred with this vaccine. Orders from President [Nicolas] Maduro," Rodriguez said at a Monday press conference, as quoted by the NTN24 TV channel. Multiple countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland and Norway have temporarily suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after citizens reported side-effects, particularly blood clots, from getting the shots. The UK-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said on Sunday that it had found no evidence of increased risk of blood clots from its COVID-19 vaccine after conducting a review of safety data of over 17 million inoculated people across the European Union and the United Kingdom. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) insists that immunization with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine must continue, head of the agency's health threats and vaccines strategy, Marco Cavaleri, said on Monday. The EMA also said in a separate statement on Monday that it was still investigating the possible link between the AstraZeneca shots and the increased occurrence of blood clots. ATLANTA, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent survey by the Association of Corporate Counsel Georgia Chapter and its in-kind sponsor and communications agency, Poston Communications, highlights a shift in the role of in-house counsel. Distributed in January, the survey, titled "The Role of In-House Legal Counsel in Corporate Communications," assessed ACC Georgia members' responsibilities overseeing corporate communication, the integration of legal and corporate communication departments, and their knowledge of and comfort executing communications initiatives on behalf of their organizations. This quick-pulse data reinforces current trends in cross-functional collaboration as all consumer markets continue to become more belief-driven and shareholder value is increasingly derived from community engagement. "The survey results offer important insights into the role our members play in their organizations," said Melloney Douce, ACC Georgia president. "We hope that this thought leadership survey will be the first of many for our chapter as we stay ahead of changes to our roles in the legal industry. "It was an honor to partner with ACC Georgia in this endeavor," said Dave Poston, CEO and general counsel of Poston Communications. "We hope that this data helps members benchmark best practices for how they can lead the integration of legal and communications to the greater success of both." Presented in an ACC Georgia webinar on February 3, the survey results highlight key considerations for in-house counsel regarding their relationship with corporate communications departments. "I believe it is important that attorneys work closely with their communications experts," said webinar panelist Alina Lee, founding partner of Your Ad Attorney, LLC. "Just as we hope that our corporate communications teams and other departments are proactive about reaching out to legal when they feel like there could be a potential legal concern, it is a good rule of thumb to invite your corporate communication partners to weigh in, especially if it's a public facing matter." In the realm of litigation public relations, the data also suggests that the integration of legal and communication is key to a winning strategy. "Litigation PR starts before the problem arises and before you have a claim or lawsuit," said webinar panelist Yoon Ettinger, chief counsel, litigation and claims at Southern Company Gas. "The work you do daily to build a reputation of quality and trust is what builds the foundation for litigation PR." To download a copy of the survey results, click here. About ACC Georgia: The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is a global bar association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel through information, education, networking opportunities, and advocacy initiatives. The organization's Georgia chapter adds value to its diverse community of in-house counsel through educational programs, public service opportunities, and professional relationships. The Chapter serves the needs of in-house counsel across Georgia. To learn more, visit https://www.acc.com/chapters-networks/chapters/georgia. About Poston Communications: Poston Communications is a national firm, providing media relations, crisis management and litigation communications, content and video services to clients internationally. The agency focuses on professional services companies including law, accounting, architecture, associations, construction, engineering, financial services, health care, human resources, interior design, investment banking, management consulting, real estate, recruiting, technology and venture capital. To learn more, visit https://postoncommunications.com/. Contact: Alexa Ferguson Poston Communications (404) 875-3400 [email protected] SOURCE Association of Corporate Counsel Georgia Chapter REVENUE officers have seized a significant quantity of contraband during separate operations. In one operation at Dublin Mail Centre this Tuesday, over 3kg of Herbal Cannabis, 70 Zopiclone tablets, 60 Diazepam tablets, 60 Benzodiazepine tablets and 3g of Butane Honey Oil were located were made with the assistance of Revenue detector dog Bailey. "The illegal drugs have a combined estimated value of almost 62,000 and were discovered in 20 separate parcels that originated in the USA, Canada, Germany and Croatia. The parcels were declared as items such as dog clothing, canvas artwork, glass ashtrays, board games, action figures and puzzles. All parcels were destined for delivery in Dublin, Cork and Galway," said a spokesperson. Separately, on Monday, Revenue officers at Rosslare Europort seized approximately 13,400 cigarettes and 830g of tobacco as a result of routine profiling. "The illicit cigarettes branded Benson & Hedges Option, Rothmans, L&M Red, L&M Blue and tobacco branded Drum, have an estimated retail value of over 10,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately 7,932," said a spokesperson. The illegal cigarettes were discovered when Revenue officers stopped and searched a Czech-registered van that had disembarked a ferry from Dunkirk, France. The search, which was carried out with the assistance of Revenues mobile x-ray scanner, led to the discovery of the cigarettes concealed within the load. A Czech national in his 40s was questioned. Investigations are ongoing. Revenue is appealing to businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence at 1800 295 295. It was an otherworldly sight early Sunday morning, a large, bright object streaking across the sky, seen not only in the Lehigh Valley but along the East Coast. There was some social media speculation early on about what it might be, but it was actually a SpaceX rocket heading to space, not a visitor from there. The American Meteor Society logged 120 reports of the object from observers in a dozen states about 6 a.m. Sunday, but determined people were seeing a launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. We received about 120 reports and many photos from East Coast States (CT, DE, FL, MA, MD, ME, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI,... Posted by The American Meteor Society on Monday, March 15, 2021 Syncere Thomas, of Easton, sent photos of the object to lehighvalleylive.com as he saw it flying over the city and heading toward Phillipsburg. I was pretty surprised and also confused at first, Thomas wrote. I just assumed it was something from space but the tail was in the wrong direction. So I hurried to take my phone out and take a picture of it because I just thought wow people have to see this! Danielle Lucas used her iPhone to capture this compelling image in Manasquan, New Jersey.Danielle Lucas On the Jersey Shore, Danielle Lucas got a picture of it while walking the boardwalk in Manasquan. It dissipated and disappeared after about 10 seconds, she told NJ Advance Media. SpaceX says Sundays mission was the ninth launch and landing of the Falcon 9 first-stage booster rocket, and delivered 60 Starlink satellites to orbit. Falcon 9 launches Starlink to orbit pic.twitter.com/BXtM7I3t5M SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2021 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia More countries halt AstraZeneca vaccine Germany, France and Italy became the latest countries to suspend use of AstraZenecas Covid-19 vaccine, citing reports of unusual blood clotting among a few people who recently received the shots in Norway. Evidence that the vaccine causes clots seems thin at best. The World Health Organization continues to recommend the use of the vaccine. Even Europes main drug regulator says the benefits outweigh the risks. And Ann Taylor, AstraZenecas chief medical officer, said yesterday that the rate of clotting among vaccinated Europeans was lower than would be expected among the general population. Thailand said it would resume distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha among the first to receive it. Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic. Third wave: Europe is facing a third wave of coronavirus infections, with France considering new restrictions. Hungarys prime minister predicted hospitals this week would be at their most overwhelmed since the start of the pandemic. He will oversee all operations for Tigre USA continuing to support Tigre to achieve its strategic goals. Grupo Tigre is the South American leader on building materials in PVF (pipes, valves, and fittings) with a presence in 40 countries, Grupo Tigre has 10 factories in Brazil where it was founded, and 14 through the Americas including our United States location in Janesville, Wisconsin. The brand represents high quality, exceptional customer service and innovation everywhere Grupo Tigre is present. Guilherme Bornholdt [email protected] SOURCE Tigre USA Related Links www.tigre.com Owners who sell such homes will be able to build some equity by increasing the price, but will need to keep them affordable for the next purchasers of modest income, Fronczak said. If the city doesnt extend the affordability period, the first owners could sell them at any price. Tens of thousands attended marches throughout Australia to rally against the sexual assault, discrimination and harassment of women. In every capital city and towns across the country, people gathered to hear voices and stories and to call for action against the perpetrators of crimes against women. In Canberra, Brittany Higgins, the former Liberal staffer who alleges she was raped in the office of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, spoke publicly for the first time since sharing her story. Australian of the Year Grace Tame, a survivor of sexual abuse, told a crowd in Hobart that evil thrived in silence and it was time for people to make noise. At the same time, in Parliament, Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared the rallies a triumph for democracy because in other countries, such events were met with bullets, a comment many critics described as tone-deaf. The family looks forward to the move for many reasons, Faber said. For starters, new customers looking for the retail store often use online directions and end up at the warehouse. Similarly, Google searches would give weekend customers the warehouse phone number instead of the retail number, and theyd receive a message that it was closed. The warehouse was closed, but the store was not. Foreigners and citizens wait to take coronavirus tests at a temporary screening center in Guri, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Seoul City has issued an administrative order for all foreign workers in the capital to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing, similar to a measure announced last week by the Gyeonggi provincial government. The city said, Tuesday, all foreign workers and their employers will have to get tested for the coronavirus from Wednesday to March 31. The measure, drawn up together by the central government's antivirus headquarters, has come as sporadic infection clusters have emerged at some companies employing foreign workers in other parts of the country, including Gyeonggi Province. Testing and receiving treatment are free of charge, and the city government plans to increase capacity at makeshift testing sites to 3,600 tests per day. Employers may face fines if they or their workers do not abide by the order. A Pennsylvania man who videotaped his repeated sexual molestation of a 16-year-old girl wasnt shortchanged when his lawyer failed to call character witnesses in his defense, a state appeals court panel has ruled. The Superior Court decision ensures that Timothy M. Merwarth will keep serving a 13- to 26-year prison term for the repeated assaults and his production of child pornography. Hell retain his certification as a sexually violent predator as well. Timothy Merwarth Merwarth, now 55, of Lehigh Countys North Whitehall Township, was arrested after the girl reported he had been sexually abusing her. He pleaded no contest to a charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and guilty to counts of sexual abuse of children, corruption of minors and child endangerment. Merwarths failed appeal to the state court centered on his claim that his attorney should have called character witnesses to testify during his sentencing hearing before county Judge Robert Steinberg. Those witnesses would have been Merwarths father and a former neighbor, President Judge Jack A. Panella noted in the Superior Court opinion denying Merwarths appeal. Although those witnesses werent called during the sentencing hearing Steinberg did hear from one of them during another hearing to consider Merwarths challenge to his sentence. The former neighbor didnt testify even though she was asked to do so, Panella noted. Merwarths father had little to say, only that he had learned of his sons arrest from a newspaper article and had little idea of what was happening in (his sons) life, Panella wrote. Even if it had been heard at the sentencing hearing, that testimony wouldnt have altered the outcome of Merwarths case, Panella concluded. Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. South Sudanese refugees tend their crops in Kenya's Kakuma camp. UNHCR/Samuel Otieno UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and partners are appealing for US$1.2 billion to provide vital humanitarian assistance for more than 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees living in five neighbouring countries in 2021. South Sudan became the worlds youngest nation nearly a decade ago, but today millions of its population are displaced either inside or outside its borders. The crisis continues to be a childrens one with more than 65 per cent of the refugee population under 18, including 66,000 children who have been separated from their parents or usual caregivers. While some progress has been made in implementing the latest peace agreement, humanitarian and protection needs remain high for the largest refugee situation on the African continent. The majority of South Sudanese refugees are hosted in relatively remote and under-developed areas. The COVID-19 pandemic combined with climate change-related challenges including severe flooding, droughts and desert locusts have compounded an already dire situation. Funding is urgently needed to provide life-sustaining assistance, including shelter, access to safe drinking water, education and health services. Food shortages are particularly acute with insufficient funding already leading to ration cuts impacting hundreds of thousands of refugees. With the pandemic taking a toll on socio-economic conditions for both refugees and host communities, this years response includes a renewed and increased focus on resilience and supporting livelihoods. Humanitarian partners will also intensify gender-based violence prevention and response, and prioritize support to persons with specific needs, including strengthening child protection programmes and scaling up psychosocial and mental health support. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda continue to generously host South Sudanese refugees and to take steps towards their inclusion in national systems including health and education, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees. We are calling for renewed support from the international community to support their efforts. While some 350,000 refugees have independently made the decision to return to South Sudan since 2017, and efforts are being made to move the peace process forward and support these returns, conditions are not yet in place for large-scale returns and funds are needed now to help the refugees and the local communities that have welcomed them. The 2021 South Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan complements the South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2021, also launching today. The HRP requires US$1.7 billion in funding to provide life-saving assistance and protection to 6.6 million people - including 350,000 refugees - in need within the country, many of whom are facing severe food insecurity due to conflict, climate change-related emergencies and the economic impact of COVID-19. For more information on this topic, please contact: Paramedics tend Christopher Elston after he was assaulted by masked individuals on March 12, 2021, while campaigning against 'puberty blockers' on Rue Saint Catherine in Montreal. (Courtesy of Christopher Elston) Man Campaigning Against Puberty-Blocking Drugs Assaulted in Downtown Montreal A man campaigning against puberty-blocking drugs for children was stormed by a group of masked individuals in downtown Montreal on the evening of March 12. Christopher Elston said he was wearing signs warning about the harms of puberty blockers for children and was having conversations with passersby on Rue Saint Catherine, near Concordia University, when the assailants approached him in what he described as a premeditated attack. I had no time to react. In about on second there were several people on me, Elston told The Epoch Times. They were ripping off my signs. I got punched in the face, and then its all kind of a blur, it happened really quickly. Another man punched me in the back of the head, people were pushing, it was just a crazy scene. He said there were roughly seven attackers who were wearing hoods and masks. The attackers took away his sign that had a body cam attached, but Elston was able to shoot a video with his phone. Im all good. Just waiting for an x-ray on my forearm but Ill be fine. I used it to block several pylon hits. They took my sign with the bodycam but I managed to film them with my phone during the tail end of the assault. pic.twitter.com/CELzJ31Zef (@christophelston) March 13, 2021 The video shows a man swinging a large traffic cone, shouting profanities at Elston and demanding he get out of the neighbourhood. Another male attacker squirted mustard from a bottle, while a female threw snow. Elston said he blocked several blows from the traffic cone with his left forearm, which was later found to be broken. In the video his lips are bloodied, as he and another man try to get away from the assailants. The man wielding the traffic cone throws it on the ground and walks away in the other direction. Elston said he has reported the incident to Montreal police, who will review CCTV footage from nearby stores. Montreal SPVM told The Epoch Times that due to security reasons, it cannot confirm or deny whether an investigation is underway. So far, the attackers have not been identified. Elston said that aside from the injuries, hes feeling really good because his campaign to protect children has received a lot of attention since the incident. What these violent thugs have done is exactly the opposite of what they were trying to do, which is to silence me, he said. Now were reaching a thousand times the people I could have reached out on my own. Because of their attack, so many people are now learning the truth about these harmful puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex hormone that we are giving to children on experimental basis. Christopher Elston taking a selfie after being attacked in downtown Montreal on March 12, 2021. (Courtesy of Christopher Elston) Elston noted that his campaign is not about hate against transgender people, but an effort to get the truth of these harmful drugs out to parents. He said the schools and social media are indoctrinating children with gender ideology that tells them that they were born in the wrong body. Now we are telling them they are actually the other gender, and we are medicalizing these children, giving them drugs, and then performing surgeries on them, he said. Elston has put up billboards warning about the drugs in British Columbia and numerous cities across the United States, including San Francisco, Los Angles, and New York City. He also did an awareness campaign in the Metro in Washington, D.C. We are constantly lied to about the effects of [the drugs], children are lied to, parents are lied to, and in my opinion this is the medical abuse of our times. I dont think theres been anything like this on children and we have to put a stop to it, he said. Out of an abundance of caution, Germany, France and Italy issued temporary bans on the use of AstraZenecas two-dose COVID-19 vaccine on Monday following reports of some people developing blood clots shortly after vaccination. A handful of people have died after receiving the shot, which is not yet authorized for emergency use in the U.S.; its unclear if the reported blood conditions caused their deaths. These countries join at least a dozen others in recent weeks that either partially or temporarily suspended use of the shot, despite a lack of evidence that the vaccine was responsible for the rare events. So far, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Luxembourg, as well as Congo in Central Africa and Thailand in Asia have stalled their rollouts of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, several media outlets reported. However, top health officials still support the use of the vaccine, including the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), both of which say theres no available evidence that suggest the vaccine caused the conditions that may have took the lives of at least two people in Italy and one person in Denmark. The vaccines benefits continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered while investigation of cases of thromboembolic events is ongoing, the EMA said in a statement Thursday. The agency said there have been 30 cases of thromboembolic events (formation of blood clots) among the nearly 5 million people vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine as of March 10. That number is no higher than the number seen in the general population, the agency said, meaning the medical conditions reported in vaccinated people are expected to occur randomly in a group so large. AstraZeneca shared the same reasoning in a statement posted Sunday. Around 17 million people in the EU and UK have now received our vaccine, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population, said Ann Taylor, AstraZenecas chief medical officer. The nature of the pandemic has led to increased attention in individual cases and we are going beyond the standard practices for safety monitoring of licensed medicines in reporting vaccine events, to ensure public safety. Story continues The company said a review of the millions of vaccinated individuals in the region reveals no evidence of increased risks for blood clots in the lungs or veins, or for thrombocytopenia a condition that lowers blood platelets in any age group, gender or batch of vaccines. There was also no evidence of increased bleeding in the more than 60,000 participants in AstraZenecas clinical trial. Additional testing has, and is, being conducted by ourselves and independently by European health authorities and none of these re-tests have shown cause for concern, the company said. The safety of the public will always come first. The Company is keeping this issue under close review but available evidence does not confirm that the vaccine is the cause. To overcome the pandemic, it is important that people get vaccinated when invited to do so. What to know about the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine The World Health Organization granted AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine emergency use for adults in more than 50 countries on February 15. The shot requires two doses separated by about four to 12 weeks. Late-stage clinical trials in the U.K, Brazil and South Africa, where more contagious coronavirus variants have emerged, showed the vaccine had an efficacy rate of 82% against symptomatic coronavirus infection after two doses were given about 12 weeks apart. It also prevented severe cases of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, and hospitalizations after 22 days following the first dose. Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S., the AstraZeneca shot works by delivering a harmless version of a chimpanzee virus called an adenovirus that has been genetically modified so it cannot make copies of itself in humans or cause disease. The manipulated virus contains instructions on how to make the spike protein the novel coronavirus uses to enter human cells. So, when a vaccinated person comes into contact with another infected individual, their immune system is already primed to recognize the coronavirus and attack it. The pharmaceutical company developed the vaccine with the University of Oxford. Results from the companys 30,000-person clinical trial in the U.S. are currently being reviewed by independent monitors to determine whether the shot is safe and effective, Reuters reported Monday. Director of the National Institutes of Health Dr. Francis Collins told the outlet that if the data prove positive, the vaccine could be granted emergency use in the U.S. in about a month, becoming the fourth COVID-19 shot in the nation. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. VIENNA (Reuters) - A dissident band of Roman Catholic priests leading a disobedience campaign against the Vatican said on Tuesday they would carry on blessing same-sex couples in defiance of Church orders. The Vatican said on Monday that priests cannot bless same-sex unions and that such blessings are not valid, in a ruling that disappointed gay Catholics who had hoped their Church was becoming more welcoming under Pope Francis. In some countries, parishes and ministers have begun blessing same-sex unions in lieu of marriage, and there have been calls for bishops to institutionalise de facto such blessings. Conservatives in the 1.3 billion-member Roman Catholic Church have expressed alarm over such practices. "We members of the Parish Priests Initiative are deeply appalled by the new Roman decree that seeks to prohibit the blessing of same-sex loving couples. This is a relapse into times that we had hoped to have overcome with Pope Francis," the Austrian-based group said in a statement. "We will -- in solidarity with so many -- not reject any loving couple in the future who ask to celebrate God's blessing, which they experience every day, also in a worship service." The Parish Priests Initiative led by Father Helmut Schueller has long been a thorn in the side of the Vatican. The group wants Church rules changed so that priests can marry and women can become priests. It has said it will break Church rules by giving communion to Protestants and divorced Catholics who remarry. Founded in 2006 by nine priests, the initiative says it now has around 350 members from the ranks of the official Church and more than 3,000 lay supporters. The Vatican in 2012 cracked down on Schueller, stripping him of the right to use the title monsignor and saying he was also no longer a "Chaplain of His Holiness". Schueller, a former deputy to Vienna archbishop Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, had been given the honorary title in his capacity as head of the Austrian branch of the Catholic charity group Caritas. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Gareth Jones) [March 16, 2021] Integrated Wealth Advisors Chooses Commonwealth After Departure From Regional Wirehouse Commonwealth Financial Network, a national firm dedicated to providing advisor-focused business solutions, announced the addition of Integrated Wealth Advisors (IWA) of Bellevue, Washington, to its network of independent financial advisors. Formerly affiliated with Ameriprise Financial, Austin Collins, RICP, AWMA, CRPC, CLTC, founding principal, and his support staff bring two decades of experience in financial planning and wealth management and are responsible for direct management of more than $100 million in total assets. Integrated Wealth Advisors functions as a virtual family office, serving clients before, during, and after complex financial transitions. The firm leverages a vetted network of top experts in various fields to build a fully customized professional team for each client. These teams collaborate to provide integrated guidance on complex, interconnected issues, such as business succession planning, real estate decisions, retirement transition, income strategies, and charitable planning. IWA often works with owners of companies valued from $3 million to $20 million who are contemplating selling their business, as well as clients in multistage retirement transitions, often involving direct real estate. When looking for a new home for his practice, Collins sought a community-minded firm partner that would invest in a technology stack that allows him to support his clients and their dynamic, intricate financial planning needs. To learn more about the Pacific Northwest practice, visit www.integratedwa.com. "I knew Commonwealth was the right place for me when every single person who I talked to had looked me up and were asking questions about what they'd found," said Collins. "Yes, we talked about the business and my practice, but that wasn't the lead domino. With many of the other firms I spoke to, that was the only domino. As someone who works systematically and intentionally-both personally and professionally-and brings my whole self to my role as an advisor, I value Commonwealth's approach to partnership and accountability." Collins and his support staff will leverage Commonwealth's access to extensive, holistic financial planning tools and platforms, as well as advisor-focused technology offerings, including premium website strategy and design services offered through Commonwealth's Brand Studio, to help clients optimize their multilayered financial world. "My systems-based approach to financial planning will thrive with Commonwealth's open architecture and commitment to developing technology with and for their advisors. I'll be able to do more for my clients, and more efficiently," said Collins. "We are honored to be a new home to Integrated Wealth Advisors and are inspired by the firm's unique, bespoke client service model," said Andrew Daniels, Commonwealth's managing principal, business development. "We know change can be daunting, but we're confident that Commonwealth's fanatical commitment to the advisor experience can make for a seamless transition-and a great future to come." About Commonwealth Financial Network Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser, provides a suite of business solutions that empowers more than 2,000 independent financial advisors nationwide. J.D. Power ranks Commonwealth "#1 in Independent Advisor Satisfaction Among Financial Investment Firms, Seven Times in a Row." Privately held since 1979, the firm has headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts, and San Diego, California. Learn more about Commonwealth by visiting www.commonwealth.com. Commonwealth received the highest score in the independent advisor segment of the J.D. Power 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Financial Advisor Satisfaction Studies of customers' satisfaction among financial advisors. Visit jdpower.com/awards. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005094/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Abhirup Roy MUMBAI (Reuters) - A government agency for child rights in India on Tuesday asked police to investigate Netflix Inc's show "Bombay Begums", saying some scenes in the drama series violated laws meant to protect children, letters seen by Reuters showed. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the U.S. streaming giant to remove five "objectionable" scenes from the series and wrote to the police chief in India's financial capital Mumbai to take action. "You are requested to investigate/inquire and take deemed lawful necessary action," NCPCR's chairperson Priyank Kanoongo wrote in the letter. A Mumbai police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Netflix declined to comment. "Bombay Begums" is a series about five women from different parts of society trying to get ahead in modern Mumbai, formerly called Bombay. It was released last week. In a separate letter to Netflix, NCPCR asked the company to remove five scenes which it said violated Indian laws governing Juvenile Justice and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences. In the series, children have been shown indulging "in snorting drugs and taking indecent pictures and selfies in the classroom", NCPCR told Netflix. The child rights group first asked Netflix to stop streaming the series last week after reviewing complaints on Twitter. As of Tuesday, the show was still available for viewing on Netflix in India. Netflix officials met the child rights agency on Tuesday to discuss details of the scenes and objections from NCPCR, which gave the company two days to consult its legal team. Video streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have recently faced a barrage of complaints around promoting obscenity or hurting religious sentiments in India, a key growth market. Amazon Prime Video's "Tandav" political drama is also facing complaints for depicting Hindu gods in a derogatory manner. The questioning of one of Amazon's executives has spooked the Bollywood fraternity and the video streaming industry, Reuters has reported. Fearing arrest, the executive put in an anticipatory bail plea, which was declined by a state court but the Supreme Court gave her protection from arrest. (Reporting by Abhirup Roy; Editing by Aditya Kalra and Nick Macfie) Named to reflect the dawn of a new age in travel, Vista will exemplify all the hallmarks of the Oceania Cruises experience that guests have come to expect. A marvel in the making, Vista will deliver The Finest Cuisine at Sea, exceptionally personalized service with two staff members for every three guests, a warm and welcoming ambiance as a result of the ship's captivating residential furnishings, and introduce several unique firsts for the brand in the realms of dining and guest experience. "Oceania Cruises is an innovative and ever-evolving brand. We are always looking over the horizon, and Vista represents our view to the future," stated Bob Binder, President & CEO of Oceania Cruises. Consumers and travel advisors can expect to be wowed by the dramatic and glamorous public spaces such as The Grand Dining Room, which soars almost two decks in height and pays homage to the "beautiful age" of early 20th-century Parisian society through its contemporary interpretation of Belle Epoque. Vista's nine additional best-in-class culinary experiences, luxurious signature public spaces, and spacious, residentially inspired suites and staterooms will be revealed starting in May 2021, with her inaugural voyages opening for sale in September 2021. Vista represents not just a view to the future for the Oceania Cruises brand, but also the unique vision of the company's thousands of officers and crew who played a pivotal role in the design of the ship and helped shepherd it from concept to design to reality. "Our officers and crew are always bringing great new ideas to the forefront and then implementing them. More than any other part of the Oceania Cruises organization, we owe our success to our onboard teams. They are the ones who made Vista possible, and it is a credit to them, these true visionaries of the seven seas, that we name the ship for them, in their honor," added Binder. Currently under construction by Fincantieri S.p.A. in Italy, Vista will sail her first commercial voyage in early 2023. Measuring approximately 67,000 gross registered tons, the ship will accommodate 1,200 guests and be staffed by 800 officers and crew, offering industry-leading space and staff-to-guest ratios. An unnamed sister ship will debut in 2025. For additional information on Oceania Cruises' small-ship luxury product, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com , call 855-OCEANIA, or speak with a professional travel advisor. About Oceania Cruises Oceania Cruises is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's seven small, luxurious ships carry only 684 or 1,250 guests featuring the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences aboard the designer-inspired, small ships call on more than 450 marquee and boutique ports across Europe, Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New England-Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Tahiti and the South Pacific in addition to the epic 180-day Around the World Voyages. The brand has two 1,200-guest Allura class ships on order. With headquarters in Miami, Oceania Cruises is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a diversified cruise operator of leading global cruise brands which include Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. About Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. With a combined fleet of 28 ships with approximately 59,150 berths, these brands offer itineraries to more than 490 destinations worldwide. The Company has nine additional ships scheduled for delivery through 2027. SOURCE Oceania Cruises [March 16, 2021] Glankler Brown Announces Tennessee Property Owners Prevail In Landmark Case Against Federal Government U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris ruled Monday afternoon in favor of the property owners and managers who brought a lawsuit against the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Justice, Health and Human Services, and Department of Housing and Urban Development, finding that the national eviction moratorium which has prevented residential evictions since September 2020, is unlawful and exceeds the authority delegated to the CDC under the federal Public Health Service Act. Judge Norris struck down the eviction moratorium and declared it unenforceable. In issuing his 20-page Order, Judge Norris stated that "[t]o hold otherwise would be to construe the statute so broadly as to grant this administrative agency unfettered power to prohibit or mandate anything." The case, Tiger Lily, LLC et al. vs. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development et al. was the first case of its kind filed anywhere in the United States to be filed on behalf of a broad and diverse coalition of business organizations and individuals owning and managing apartment complexes, duplexes, townhomes, and single-family residences. The Tiger Lily Plaintiffs argued that the government action exceeded its authority, was arbitrary and capricious, and infringed upon constitutionally protected liberties. "The Court's ruling is both of national significance and fundamental importance. We are grateful to Judge Norris for his reasoned decision which puts an end to the serious and unlawful infringement on constitutiona standards and fundamentally protected rights," noted Josh Kahane of Glankler Brown PLLC who served as Lead Counsel for the Tiger Lily Plaintiffs. "We are a country of laws and the current health pandemic does not relieve the government of its responsibility to comply with those laws," added Aubrey Greer, co-counsel for the Tiger Lily Plaintiffs. The Tiger Lily Plaintiffs brought their lawsuit in September 2020, following the expiration of the eviction moratorium contained in the March 2020 CARES Act. Counsel for the Tiger Lily Plaintiffs undertook all available steps to expedite the litigation in light of the extraordinary importance of the issues presented and the damaging effects suffered by owners under the moratorium. Over the objection of the government defendants, Counsel for the Tiger Lily Plaintiffs sought and obtained an expedited briefing schedule that placed the case in a position for final resolution in the beginning of 2021. "We are very grateful to Judge Norris for prioritizing resolution of this case," added Mr. Kahane. Subsequent to the submission of final briefs, in mid-January 2021, the government defendants argued that the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 ratified the eviction moratorium. In issuing its ruling, Judge Norris again sided with the Tiger Lily Plaintiffs rejecting the government's argument stating "a one-month extension of a halt order does not remedy the constitutional infirmities of an open ended delegation. For these reasons Defendants' arguments concerning ratification are unavailing." "We remain strong advocates for any lawful effort that will help tenants remain in their homes during this uniquely challenging time; however, these efforts to assist one important group must not come at the expense of damaging another," said Mr. Kahane. "We are proud to have successfully defended the rights of owners - both big and small - and now call upon state and local government to ensure that the funds allocated under last week's American Rescue Act are quickly and efficiently distributed to those most vulnerable," added Mr. Kahane. ABOUT GLANKLER BROWN: Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Glankler Brown, PLLC attorneys represent clients with matters throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to Tennessee, the firm's attorneys are licensed in Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, New York and the District of Columbia. With experience in more than 35 different areas of law, Glankler Brown's attorneys deliver quality legal services to local, regional, national, and international clients. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005411/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Volkswagen's battery strategy shift hurts LGES, SKI stocks By Kim Yoo-chul With a multi-billion-dollar battery plant in the U.S. state of Georgia hanging in the balance of a blockbuster trade dispute between LG Energy Solution (LGES) and SK Innovation (SKI), LGES CEO Kim Jong-hyun told Georgia officials recently that the company may build its own factory in the state but only if SKI's plant construction is scrapped. SKI felt dissatisfied over the LGES CEO Kim's remarks, as U.S. President Joe Biden has until April 11 to intervene in the verdict by the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), which ruled that SKI stole LGES' battery intellectual property. Chances are quite slim for the U.S. leader to block or alter the USITC's ruling, which left room for SKI's automotive clients to find alternatives by issuing a limited exclusion order prohibiting SKI from importing electric vehicle (EV) batteries at the time of its final ruling, according patent experts contacted by The Korea Times, Tuesday. As the dispute is reaching its climax ahead of Biden's deadline, LGES and SKI have continued trading barbs over the CEO's remarks either to strengthen or justify their respective positions in the dispute. LGES said in a statement that its CEO's remarks addressed to Democratic U.S. Senator Raphael Wornock, saying LG "is prepared to do whatever we can to help the people and workers of Georgia," weren't intended to force SKI to alter or hurt its battery business. Kim said LG could help run the $2.6 billion EV plant in the state, if some other entity acquires the SK plant. SK plans to hire 2,600 workers. "The core point of the dispute is SKI misappropriation of LGES' intellectual property. We are naturally positioned to seek proper compensation. LGES' recently announced battery investment plan in the United States is based upon the view that demand for batteries there will grow further," LGES said in the statement. "Our aim is to protect the best interests of Georgia and clients, those of which have been already procuring batteries from SKI and have plans to procure batteries from our competitor. We will do what we can." SKI responded to the LGES CEO's remarks by releasing a statement that included a tirade of criticism against LG's recently announced U.S. investment plan and its CEO's comments. SK Innovation's construction site in the U.S. state of Georgia is seen in this photo, Tuesday. Courtesy of SKI Kolkata, 16/03/2021 - Going through an issue that needs a legal consultation? Avail best lawyers online in Kolkata through the newly launched utility portal Orkos Appointment. From finding lawyers for property issues to cybercrime or divorce, Orkos Appointment will assist you with any type of legal difficulty with their vast category of the best lawyers in Kolkata. The world has gone through an evil juncture of a pandemic due Irish Foreign Minister Accuses UK of Perverse Nationalism Over Pursuit of US Trade Deal Irelands Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has described an effort by the UK to reach a trade deal with the United States ahead of the European Union as perverse nationalism. This idea that Britain can get there first is narrow-minded thinking, frankly. Its a perverse nationalism when actually Britain and the EU should work together as partners, he said in an interview with The Times of London on March 13. Coveney described how UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has done quite a skilful job in leading the UK through its Brexit deal, but that trust was vital for the UK in making trade deals outside of the EU. Coveney advocated Britain working with the EU and Canada to reach a joint trade deal with the United States, although the EU does not currently have plans for a major U.S. trade deal. Rather than the EU and UK competing for attention in Washington, looking to be first to do a trade deal, it makes sense for UK, EU and US and Canada to do one together, he said. He also criticised Britain for unilaterally extending a grace period for checks on food imports to Northern Ireland until Oct 1. The EU on Monday responded to the move by launching legal action, saying the extension breaches the Brexit divorce deal. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had previously said that the action the UK had taken was lawful and targeted. Its just to make sure that the commitment to preserve the integrity of trade in the internal market is properly respected, Raab told a news conference in Tallinn on March 11. Brandon Lewis, UKs Northern Ireland secretary, said in an interview with Northern Irelands News Letter newspaper on March 13 that the grace period is to be used to work out a permanent solution. My position and the governments position in terms of the grace period weve got for chilled meats at the moment is not that at the end of that grace period there is a cliff edge; its that we use the grace period to get a permanent solution to ensure that those products can continue to flow, Lewis said. The United States on Monday called on the UK and EU to preserve the Good Friday accord protecting peace in Northern Ireland, with the White House urging them to prioritise pragmatic solutions. On Wednesday, St. Patricks Day, President Joe Biden will host the Taoiseach of Ireland, Micheal Martin, for a virtual bilateral meeting, the White House said in a statement. On the agenda is discussing supporting political and economic stability in Northern Ireland. Reuters contributed to this report. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez received cocaine shipments from Colombia -- and duped the US anti-drugs agency, a Honduran former drug lord told a federal trial in New York on Monday. Leonel Rivera, who led the feared Los Cachiros cartel and now collaborates with the US government, said in the court in Manhattan that he met the defendant, alleged drug trafficker Geovanny Fuentes, in 2020 in the New York Metropolitan Jail. In that meeting, according to Rivera, the defendant told him that "he had evidence, photographs, videos to show how Juan Orlando (Hernandez), the president of Honduras, was receiving cocaine shipments from Colombia at the San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa airports." Fuentes wanted to ask the US Drug Enforcement Administration to release him for a month from prison to retrieve that evidence, Rivera said. But the former head of Los Cachiros assured that Fuentes told him that the alleged drug trafficking took place "in front of the DEA, but that the DEA was not aware of it and that Juan Orlando Hernandez was pulling a fast one on the DEA." Prosecutors for the southern district of New York claim that the president of Honduras and the defendant were partners in the trafficking of tons of cocaine to the United States, but Hernandez has not been charged. The Honduran president says that he is innocent and that Rivera is lying to get his sentence reduced. New York prosecutor Jacob Gutwillig last week told the trial that Hernandez was paid a $25,000 bribe by Fuentes. Hernandez, a lawyer who came to power in January 2014 and is in his second term, has styled himself as a champion in the fight against drugs. US prosecutors consider him a co-conspirator alongside Fuentes. He has called the allegations "false testimonies." The president's brother, Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernandez, was found guilty of large-scale drug trafficking in October 2019 in New York. He has not yet been sentenced. Story continues Prosecutors say he was the middle man between accused trafficker Fuentes and the president. Rivera faces a life sentence plus 30 years in prison but hopes it will be reduced in exchange for his testimony. lbc/mdl/st Discovery Announces Appointment of Jennifer Wagner to Board Posted by Publisher Internet Discovery Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DSV, OTCQX: DSVMF) (?Discovery? or the ?Company? https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/discovery-metals-Corp/) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Wagner to the Company?s Board of Directors (the ?Board?). Ms. Wagner is a corporate securities lawyer with 15 years of experience in the mining sector. She is currently Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (?Kirkland Lake?). Prior to joining Kirkland Lake in 2015, she acted as legal counsel and corporate secretary to various TSX and TSXV listed mining companies. Ms. Wagner has extensive experience advising companies on a variety of corporate commercial transactions, governance, and compliance matters. Ms. Wagner received a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University and an LL.B. from the University of Windsor. Murray John, Chairman of the Company, commented: ?I am delighted to welcome Ms. Wagner to the Board. Her well-recognized skills in commercial and corporate transactions and Environmental, Social and Governance matters complement the skill set of our current Board members. She will make a valuable contribution as the Company goes through its next stage of growth as we systematically advance and de-risk our flagship Cordero project.? Pursuant to the Company?s stock option plan, Ms. Wagner has been granted 300,000 stock options (?Options?). The Options, each exercisable for one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $2.08 per share, vest annually in two equal tranches beginning on the date of the grant of March 11, 2021. The Options will expire five years after the date of grant. Any common shares issuable upon exercises of Options will, in accordance with applicable securities laws, be subject to a hold period expiring four months from the date of grant. About Discovery Discovery?s flagship project is its 100%-owned Cordero silver project in Chihuahua State, Mexico. Our drill results to date show that Cordero is developing all the attributes of a tier 1 project ? grade, scale, significant organic growth opportunities and well located in one of Mexico?s premier mining belts. The project is supported by an industry leading balance sheet with over $90 million of cash allocated for aggressive exploration, resource expansion and future development. Discovery was a recipient of the 2020 TSX Venture 50 award and the 2021 OTCQX Best 50 award. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release is not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ?1933 Act?) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although Discovery 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 described in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: fluctuations in market prices, including metal prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. Discovery does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable laws. The Vatican issued an order Monday stating that the Roman Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions. The Vatican office that sets official church policy said the order was issued because God cannot bless sin. It said the order was approved by Pope Francis. The decision came after questions were raised by a number of Catholic clergy who sought guidance on the issue. Local leaders in some countries had begun blessing same-sex unions in place of marriage. The Vatican has said in the past that it welcomes gay people and urges church leaders and members to treat them with respect. But the Catholic Church does not permit same-sex marriages and condemns gay sex. The church teaches that marriage can only be entered into between a man and woman in a lifelong union. The new order said that permitting the blessing of same-sex unions would be seen as an official recognition of such unions within the church. It stated that such blessings were not permissible even though they were motivated by a desire to welcome gay and help them grow in the church. The order said the Vatican cannot officially bless any union that involves sexual activity outside of marriage because it is not in line with church policy and Gods plan. God does not and cannot bless sin, it said. Last year, the Vatican had to explain comments attributed to Pope Francis that seemed to support providing gay couples with legal protections in same-sex unions. His comments appeared in a documentary about his life and social issues that concern him. In the documentary, Francis said gay people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. He added: What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. But the Vatican said the popes comments were not correctly attributed and did not signal a change in official church policy. In an article issued with the latest order, the Vatican said there was a fundamental difference between gay unions and how gay individuals should be treated in the church. The article noted that the negative judgment on the blessing of unions of persons of the same sex does not imply a judgment on persons. At least two German bishops, including Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich -- one of the popes top advisors -- have expressed support for some kind of church blessing for same-sex unions. The head of the bishops conference, Bishop Georg Batzing, said There are no easy answers to questions like these. He added the German church would look at both the Vaticans moral teaching and the reality of Catholics today. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for Learning English. Hai Do 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 bless v. to ask God to help or protect someone or something sin n. something that goes against the rules of a religion gay adj. sexually attracted to a person of the same sex motivate v. to give someone a reason for doing something attribute - v. to say what someone wrote or said something fundamental adj. relating to the most important part of something negative adj. not having good or positive opinions about something imply v. to suggest of show something The latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada on March 16, 2021 (all times eastern): Staff prepares syringes for the Pziefer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee, Ontario, on Monday March 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg The latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada on March 16, 2021 (all times eastern): 6:30 p.m. British Columbia is reporting 556 new cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths. A statement from health officials says there have been 116 new confirmed cases of variants of concern found, for a total of 996, most of them involving the strain originally found in the United Kingdom. So far, 424,517 doses of three vaccines have been given as those in their 80s and up are eligible to book a shot this week. Health officials are reminding people who plan to celebrate St. Patrick's Day to do so in line with provincial health guidelines. 6 p.m. Alberta is reporting 355 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths. There are 260 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 44 in intensive care. The percentage of tests coming back positive was 5.9 per cent. Chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw says 11 per cent of the province's active cases involve virus variants believed to be more transmissible. She says that percentage is rising and surge capacity has been to test up to 1,000 samples per day for variants, if needed. 5:20 p.m. Quebec is pushing back the nighttime curfew in Montreal and its surrounding regions from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. starting tomorrow. Premier Francois Legault told reporters that on March 26, three less-populated regions, including the Gaspe peninsula, will move to the "yellow" pandemic-alert level and no longer have a curfew. Legault is also announcing that his government plans to offer every Quebecer at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine by June 24. Legault says all residents as young as 65 years old who want a COVID-19 vaccine should be vaccinated with one dose by mid-April. 4:45 p.m. Prince Edward Island is reporting one new case of COVID-19. Officials say the case involves a man in his 20s and his infection is related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. Public health says young people aged 18 to 29 who work in convenience stores, gas stations and grocery stores can now book appointments for a COVID-19 vaccine. Islanders 75 and older can also now book a vaccination, as can police, firefighters and those who work for power and utility companies. 4 p.m. Saskatchewan says it won't allow worship services in Regina to expand their capacity over concerns about the spread of more contagious COVID-19 variants. Worship services are currently capped at 30 people, but last week Premier Scott Moe announced capacity could increase to 150 people or 30 per cent, whichever is less. The Ministry of Health says worship services in Regina and surrounding communities will stay capped at 30 people until at least April 5. Another 66 confirmed cases of more infectious COVID-19 strains were reported in the province, mostly in and around the capital city. Moe's government is also asking Regina residents, especially older ones, not to take advantage of a loosened restriction that allows up to 10 people inside a home at once. 2:05 p.m. Manitoba is reporting 110 additional COVID-19 cases today and no new deaths. Health officials are also reporting 14 confirmed cases of variants of concern, all in the Winnipeg health region. 2:05 p.m. Manitoba's Opposition New Democrats are coming under scrutiny for holding an outdoor press conference during the COVID-19 pandemic that attracted a large crowd. The provincial Justice Department says investigations are underway into the event on Sunday, which attracted several dozen people. The NDP gave advance notice to the union that represents striking Manitoba Hydro workers. Current public health orders limit outdoor public gatherings to a maximum of 10 people. 1:05 p.m. Canadas top doctor says now is not the time for Canadians to increase their contact with others in light of a recent rise in average COVID-19 case counts across the country. Dr. Theresa Tam says this upswing combined with an acceleration of new variants of the virus in Canada is cause for concern. She says the most up-to-date stats indicate the percentage of Canadians with immunity to COVID-19 remains low, even as governments have been ramping up their vaccination efforts. And since todays case numbers reflect the situation in Canada two weeks ago, Tam urged Canadians to continue to keep their bubbles small, or the vaccines wont have time to take effect. Tam also reassured Canadians that Health Canada remains confident the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is safe, despite concerns raised in Europe about alleged adverse side-effects, such as blood clots, that may have affected a small number of people who have received the vaccine. Deputy chief health officer Dr. Howard Njoo says the benefits of all vaccines approved for use in Canada greatly outweigh any potential risks. 12:40 p.m. After three days without any new cases, Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting one new case of COVID-19. Officials say the case involves a man between 20 and 39 years old and his infection is related to international travel. According to public health, there are now 45 active reported COVID-19 infections in the province. Officials say two people are in hospitalized in intensive care due to the virus. 12:10 p.m. The federal government is investing millions of new dollars to boost Canadas domestic vaccine and drug development capacity. Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says Canada must build and expand homegrown biomanufacturing facilities and develop more equipment to secure more vaccines and therapeutics to combat COVID-19. Ottawa will contribute up to $54.2 million to KABS Laboratories and up to $13.44 million to Immune Biosolutions to expand their respective operations in Quebec. It will also provide up to $32.7 million to Novocol Pharmeceutical of Canada for growth of its biomanufacturing facilities in Ontario. Ottawa is also investing $150 million to help companies advance through the early stages of research and development of several Canadian-made vaccine candidates. 12:05 p.m. The Manitoba government is offering $8 million in COVID-19 relief to the tourism sector. Premier Brian Pallister says hotel and resource-tourism operators will get grants to offset a portion of their costs, such as mortgage interest and property taxes. Pallister says the sector has been hard hit by the drop in domestic and international travel. 12 p.m. New Brunswick is reporting five new cases of COVID-19 today and a presumptive case of a novel coronavirus variant. Health officials say the new cases were identified in the Moncton, Fredericton and Edmundston regions and are all linked to previously reported infections. Officials say the presumptive variant case was identified in the Edmundston area and has been sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for confirmation. They say a case reported at Ecole Notre-Dame in Edmundston has led to the temporary closure of the school. 11:30 a.m. Nova Scotia is reporting two new cases of COVID-19 today and confirming four more variant cases. The new cases are in the Halifax area, with one a close contact of a previously reported case and the other under investigation. Health officials say the National Microbiology Lab has also confirmed four new variant cases from previously identified cases two more of the variant first detected in the United Kingdom and two more of the variant first identified in South Africa. This brings the total number of confirmed variant cases in the province to 23. Nova Scotia currently has 17 active cases of COVID-19. 11:15 a.m. Ontarios science advisers say the province is experiencing a third wave of COVID-19. The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table says that more transmissible virus variants of concern account for almost half of new cases and are driving growth. The group, which gives independent advice and analysis to the province, says almost two thirds of Ontarios public health units are now experiencing exponential growth of the virus. The province's top doctor said Monday that Ontario could be going into a third wave but the extent of it remains to be seen. 11:10 a.m. Quebec is reporting 561 new COVID-19 infections and eight more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including three in the past 24 hours. Health officials say hospitalizations dropped by 20, to 533, and 91 were in intensive care, a drop of five. The province says it administered 28,861 vaccine doses Monday, for a total of 774,600, representing slightly more than 9 per cent of the population. Premier Francois Legault is holding a media briefing this evening, when he is expected to announce changes to public health orders, including the nighttime curfew in Montreal. 10:40 a.m. Ontario says there are 1,074 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today and 11 more deaths linked to the virus. Health Minister Christine Elliott says that 313 of those new cases are in Toronto, 199 are in Peel Region and 101 are in York Region. More than 51,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ontario since Monday's update. 10 a.m. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says there is now enough "real-world evidence" to show the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors. The decision reverses a recommendation made by the body on March 1, when the panel of vaccine experts said AstraZeneca hadn't included enough people over the age of 65 in its clinical trials. NACI chair Dr. Caroline Quach said Tuesday that two studies of patients who received the vaccine in the United Kingdom have been released since then and show the AstraZeneca vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors, particularly against severe disease and hospitalization. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. ~ DTC eligibility and listing on the OTCQB will provide easier access and greater liquidity of Plant&Co's common shares ~ Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. (CSE: VEGN) (FSE: VGP) (OTC Pink: VGANF) ("Plant&Co" or the "Company"), a modern health and wellness company curating delicious plant-based foods, is pleased to announce today that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement through The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") in the United States. The Company is also pleased to announce that it has submitted an application to have its common shares listed for trading on the OTCQB market (the "OTCQB"), a U.S. trading platform that is operated by the OTC Markets Group in New York. The listing of Plant&Co's common shares on the OTCQB remains subject to the approval of the OTCQB and the satisfaction of applicable listing requirements which includes the filing of a Form 211 with the governing US securities regulators (i.e. FINRA). "As we execute our business plan to expand our presence throughout Canada and the United States, we want investors to have direct access to our common shares in both countries," said Shawn Moniz, CEO of Plant&Co. "DTC eligibility will allow us to increase liquidity, broaden our shareholder base, and while building a strong presence for our plant-based brands and Company within the US food and capital markets. The listing on the OTCQB complements our Canadian Securities Exchange listing and will allow U.S. based institutional and retail investors to invest in our Company and take an active part in the emerging plant-based food sector. Furthermore, it will help promote our delicious plant-based foods brands YamChops, the vegan butcher, and Holy Crap breakfast cereals to a huge marketplace. We look forward to an exciting 2021." DTC is a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a United States company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC are considered "DTC eligible." This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash and thus accelerates the settlement process for investors and brokers, enabling the stock to be traded over a much wider selection of brokerage firms. The OTCQB is recognized by the Securities and Exchange Commission as an established public market providing public information for analysis and value of securities. As a verified market with efficient access for U.S. investors, OTCQB helps companies build shareholder value with a goal of enhancing liquidity and achieving a fair valuation. About Plant&Co Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. (CSE: VEGN) (FSE: VGP) (OTC Pink: VGANF) is modern health and wellness company curating delicious plant-based foods. For more information please visit: www.PlantandCo.com. About Holy Crap Foods Inc. At Holy Crap Foods Inc. our mission is to create products that create a healthy gut through simple, quality ingredients that ultimately feed the connection between gut and mind. Holy Crap is an organic breakfast cereal for today's consumer that expects their food to work hard for them. Our great tasting cereal helps maintain a healthy gut which creates a happy mind. For more information on the healthy and high-quality breakfast cereals visit: www.HolyCrap.com. About YamChops YamChops is a plant-based butcher shop based in Toronto, Ontario. Vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and even meat enthusiasts love visiting the beautifully curated shop located in the heart of Toronto's food district. Whether customers sample YamChops' Tunaless "Tuna", Chick*n Schnitzel, Szechuan "Beef", Montreal Style "Steak", or browse their vegan grocery market assisted by its knowledgeable staff, customers will have an unforgettable experience at YamChops vegan butcher shop. YamChops' mission is to provide extraordinary plant-based foods and provide extraordinary service to its customers, with a vision to expand its plant based culinary experience and make YamChops the destination of choice for all consumers. For more product information please visit: www.YamChops.com. For additional information, please contact: Shawn Moniz Chief Executive Officer Plant & Co. Brands Ltd. ir@plantandco.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. 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 CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Plant&Co. Brands 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. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77438 Durham, NC - Nuclear power offers an efficient, reliable way to provide energy to large populations - as long as all goes well. Accidents involving nuclear reactors such as those that took place in 1986 at Chernobyl and at Fukushima Daiichi after the March 2011 tsunami raise major concerns about what happens if the worst occurs and large numbers of people are simultaneously exposed to high levels of radiation. Currently, there are no effective, safe therapies for total body irradiation (TBI) - a condition known as acute radiation syndrome (ARS). That could change, in the future based on new research published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) demonstrated, for the first time, how allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can mitigate TBI-induced ARS. This would allow for the stockpiling of these cells to be used in case of a radioactive emergency. "In nearly all instances of TBI exposure, the primary life-threatening damage is inflicted on the hematopoietic system, which primarily consists of the bone marrow, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes involved in the production of blood. High doses of radiation can cause irreparable damage to the bone marrow, affecting the immune system and potentially causing inflammation and infection," said the study's co-author, Asim Ejaz, Ph.D., from the UPMC Department of Plastic Surgery. A matched hematopoietic stem cell transplant is the current therapy of choice. Patients are either able to donate their own stem cells for transplantation - called an "autologous" transplant - or a donor whose stem cells are a good match is found. The odds of finding an adequate match is low at about 30 percent and for some populations the odds are even less. "That fact leads to the major issue with relying on this type of therapy: In a mass population exposure scenario involving several hundred to millions of individuals, hematopoietic stem cell transfusion is an impossible way forward as there is just no way to treat massive numbers of people who are exposed to radiation at the same time. And unfortunately, such a delay in treatment for a large number of individuals would most certainly lead to an increase in their mortality rate," Dr. Ejaz said. Several drugs are currently being looked at as potential therapies, but none provides complete protection, and all have unwanted side effects. This leaves the need for alternative therapies. Previous studies have reported that mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow, placenta or Wharton's jelly can mitigate the effects of ARS. However, low yield and difficulty in harvest and mass production of these cells for stockpiling are some of their drawbacks. "There is one attractive cell-based candidate we're looking at," said J. Peter Rubin, M.D., chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery at UPMC and a co-author of the study, "and that is adipose-derived allogeneic stem cells (ASCs). These are mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue (fat), which can easily be harvested in vast quantities from donors via liposuction. "Adipose-derived ASCs have been proven to be safe, they have self-renewal capacity and can undergo differentiation to mature cells," he added. "They also are very easy to propagate in cell culture compared to other cell types, which means they can be stockpiled for application at mass levels in case of radiation accidents." The team's study focused on how treating mice that were exposed to high levels of radiation with injections of allogeneic ASCs measured up to treating them with autologous ASCs. In particular, they wanted to see if the injections would improve the animals' survival rates and repair damage to their hematopoietic systems. The injections were given 24 hours after the mice were exposed to the radiation. When, 35 days later, the researchers examined the results, they found that the allogeneic ASC-treated groups performed equally to the autologous cells in improving the animals' survival and recovery rates vs. the non-treated control group. "The ASCs had migrated to the bone marrow and facilitated repair by secreting several factors known to reduce oxidative stress and rescue damaged bone marrow cells from apoptosis," Dr. Ejaz said. Added Dr. Rubin, "This suggests that allogeneic ASCs therapy may be beneficial for clinical adaptation to treat TBI-induced toxicities. Further studies will help to advocate the scale-up and adaptation of allogeneic ASCs as the radiation countermeasure." "The data from this pre-clinical study suggesting the ability of fat-derived stem cells as a therapy to effectively mitigate acute radiation syndrome is interesting and potentially useful," said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and Director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. "Currently, there are no effective and safe approaches to treat mass population exposure to acute radiation syndrome; we welcome future studies that will enable the clinical adaptation of this type of therapy." ### The full article, "Allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells mitigate acute radiation syndrome by the rescue of damaged bone marrow cells from apoptosis," can be accessed at https:/ / stemcellsjournals. onlinelibrary. wiley. com/ doi/ abs/ 10. 1002/ sctm. 20-0455 . About STEM CELLS Translational Medicine: STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM), co-published by AlphaMed Press and Wiley, is a monthly peer-reviewed publication dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices. SCTM is the official journal partner of Regenerative Medicine Foundation. About AlphaMed Press: Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press with offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, publishes two other internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals: STEM CELLS, celebrating its 39th year, is the world's first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. The Oncologist, also a monthly peer-reviewed publication, entering its 26th year, is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. All three journals are premier periodicals with globally recognized editorial boards dedicated to advancing knowledge and education in their focused disciplines. About Wiley: Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions, help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www. wiley. com . About Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF): The non-profit Regenerative Medicine Foundation fosters strategic collaborations to accelerate the development of regenerative medicine to improve health and deliver cures. RMF pursues its mission by producing its flagship World Stem Cell Summit, honouring leaders through the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Awards, and promoting educational initiatives. The Friday editorial that criticized the size of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package is shortsighted. In a time of deep recession, it is imperative that the government provide funding to ensure that the economy doesnt slide into a deep depression that prolongs the time needed to recover. As many in government have said, it is better to err on the side of too much funding rather than too little. I think the child tax credit is one of the most transformative elements of the package, potentially lifting half of our children out of poverty. Income disparity has been widening, and the pandemic has made it even worse. By ensuring a basic income for all children, everyone will benefit from a more stable workforce. JAN ANDERSON Seagrass Lane Isle of Palms Protect my gun rights The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. If I have the right to possess an item but I must first get permission to possess that item, do I have the right of possession? Or do those who must give me permission own my right? It used to be that my government had the necessary responsibility to assure the public that those wishing to purchase a firearm had not been criminally convicted of a crime. But my government was not allowed to drag its feet in doing so or, after a short period of time, the law granted me the ability to own a firearm. But the Enhanced Background Checks Act, H.R. 1446, which is being touted as closing the Charleston loophole, would remove the guarantee that my government cannot drag its feet in my approval process. Yes, I may petition for a faster review, and the attorney general is obligated to expedite my request, but there is no penalty should that not occur. I still may not purchase a firearm. So again I ask: If I have the right to possess an item but I must first get permission to possess that item, do I have the right of possession? Or do those who must give me permission own my right? FORREST BONNER Madison Court Mount Pleasant Mace gun vote wrong With her vote against the bill designed to close the Charleston loophole, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace continues to prove that she is out of touch with the Lowcountry and nothing more than a partisan warrior. At the 2019 Charleston Forum, I sat in the audience and listened to then S.C. Rep. Mace extol the virtues of coming together and healing our community across partisan lines. Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! It is often said that actions speak louder than words, and Congresswoman Mace has declined to take healing action by voting against a bill that would have prevented the sale of the gun used to kill nine fellow Charlestonians inside Emanuel AME Church. It is sadly predictable that Mace would spend so much time on national talk shows rather than representing her constituents in the Lowcountry, but we must not forget in 2022 that her actions and votes are failing to live up to her sometimes lofty rhetoric and ability to represent our South Carolina values in Washington. DREW HOWELL Yeadon Avenue Charleston Try this festival idea I read with great interest Food Editor Hanna Raskins Wednesday Post and Courier article on the Charleston Wine + Food Festival as well as the Friday rebuttal letter from the festival director. What the festival lacks is a low- to no-cost series of events similar to those of Piccolo Spoleto. That would go a long way toward engaging the general population and giving the event a less elite tone. DENNIS ZABAWA Pine Cone Court Ladson Goldberg off base Syndicated columnist Jonah Goldbergs Friday commentary fosters an unfortunate narrative. His column provides comfort to climate deniers, those who oppose vaccines and others who dismiss evidence and data to further question the findings of science. Taken together, both the columns headline, The problem with just following what the scientists say, and concluding sentence, Science must have a voice in that conversation, but its just one of many, suggest that the expertise of scientists carries little more weight than nonscientific other voices. It benefits us all to remember that throughout history, science has been mankinds most successful systematic pursuit of knowledge and the truths of how nature works. Of course, one of the most conspicuous testimonials to what science is able to achieve takes the form of its remarkable discovery of a totally new kind of vaccine that is starting to rescue us from a deadly pandemic. As if we dont already have enough problems with people who ignore evidence, Mr. Goldbergs suggestion that the voice of scientific experts is just another voice among many is a message that does not serve us well. DAVE BROWN Creek Landing Street Charleston Regardless of your personal taste in transportation, you must have noticed the abundance of concepts online. Some are worthy of attention because they propose unique directions in design in their respective fields, while others are simply cool to imagine in a what if? scenario. Others just occupy space and help us pass the time.Then, theres the category of concepts that aims to be the real deal, a small but firm step toward mass production. Its what supposedly happened with Nikolas Badger or what weve seen in the ridiculous Arcanum hypercar from Alieno . Heres another entry on that list because its always nice to daydream, as the headline above says.And ditch common sense for a change.Late last year, an Albanian startup named Arrera Automobili came out, seemingly out of nowhere, with a bunch of renderings for its first supercar, the Illyrian Pure Sport. With it, they announced a very admirable goal: to deliver the first Albanian supercar in the world, of course. Arrera Automobili, a name only a handful are familiar with, has now ditched that mission in favor of a more challenging one: to deliver the first Albanianin the world. Because of course, why start small when you could go all out?For the past several days, Arrera has been teasing the unveiling of this hypercar, called DS+. With the big virtual presentation, someone from the company also spoke to Motor1 to claim that they were confident that the DS+ will break the record for the worlds fastest production car. SSC Tuatara , put that in your pipe and smoke it!The brains behind Arrera Automobili is automotive designer Qendrim Thaqi. He was born in Albania but now lives in Germany, and he attained a certain level of fame back in 2017, when his take on the successor of the Porsche 918 Spider, a concept called Porsche 9RE, went viral. He was relatively active on Behance until a while ago when he seems to have taken his design efforts into a different direction.That direction would be the unveiling of the Arrera supercar, the Illyrian Pure Sport. Powered by a 6.2-liter twin-turbocharged LT2 V8 developing 840 hp and mated to an eight-speed Tremec dual-clutch automatic transmission, it would boast a top speed of 375 kph (233 mph). Hitting 100 kph (62 mph) from a standstill would take just 2.7 seconds.For whatever reason, Arrera has decided to pause the Illyrian project and go forward with a new, even bolder one: a hypercar . Dubbed SD+, it boasts a drivetrain by Wolfgang Kizler that will make it the fastest production car in the world. A 7.0-liter V8 with a 1,800-hp output and 1,106 pound-feet (1,500 Nm) of torque on normal fuel would take the 2,712-pound (1,230-kg) machine straight into the record books, Arrera says.The all-carbon body bears direct influences from Formula One, and everything on it is meant to improve aerodynamics. As for the name, Arrera explains on Instagram that S mean: Skenderbeg which was Warrior and Hero which made Albania Indipendent. D mean: 500 of Roman number [sic]. The + is for its purported ability of delivering over 500 kph (311 mph).And heres one more, final extraordinary claim: the SD+ will show face, in metal form, as early as next year. If that turns out to be the case, it will be the most impressive accomplishment for a company that seems to exist on Instagram only, which doesnt even have a working website, and whose CEO has only given a couple of interviews to small local media outlets.Weve reached out to Arrera Automobili for more details on this Albanian hypercar and will update the story if we hear back from them. Until then, check out the renderings in the gallery above. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia 3 1 of 3 Hartford Fire Department / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Hartford Fire Department / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 HARTFORD There were no reported injuries from a fire at a vacant home Monday night in the citys South End neighborhood, according to fire officials. Fire crews were dispatched to a Franklin Avenue address for a reported house fire around 6:30 p.m. Subscribe now! Enter your email address and grab your free daily dose of Phantoms and Monsters You will only receive one email per day PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND CLICK THE LINK PROVIDED FOR SUBSCRIPTION AUTHORIZATION Delivered by FeedBurner The new summer campaign encourages one to embrace the spirit of adventure and keep a calm mind as they face fear with determination to win Come summer, new Mountain Dew Ice, the refreshing, lemon juice-based fizzy beverage offering by PepsiCo India unveiled its first-ever TV campaign in India. The new summer campaign, featuring Bollywood superstar and brand ambassador Hrithik Roshan, offers the proposition of Jeetne ki Aag aur Thanda Dimaag and encourages one to embrace the spirit of adventure and keep a calm mind as they face fear with determination to win. The Made for India Mountain Dew Ice has been developed to suit the Indian palate and is a significant milestone in PepsiCo Indias journey of innovation in the beverage category. In line with this, the first ever Mountain Dew Ice campaign is building a very aspiring extension to the Dew philosophy. The film opens with Hrithik Roshan contemplating a world record breaking bike stunt. Fear is visible on the actors face as he evaluates the choice in front of him. A resolute look crosses his face as he takes a sip of Mountain Dew Ice and takes the challenge head-on. The powerful words Har chunauti hogi paar, bas chahiye jeetne ki aag aur thanda dimaag help reiterate the brands philosophy of Darr Ke Aage Jeet Hai or overcoming ones fears to achieve great success. Speaking about his experience shooting the TVC, Brand Ambassador Hrithik Roshan said, "This campaign for Mountain Dew Ice is as refreshing as its name suggests! In time for summer, the TVC introduces the consumers to a 'chilling' experience. What is interesting is that it adds to the brand tagline - 'Darr ke aage jeet Hai' with emphasis of being responsibly fearless. Mountain Dew Ice propositions 'Jeetne Ki Aag aur Thanda Dimaag', is a valuable slogan. It is a perfect mix of the product attributes along with a message in public interest. That is as cool, as it can get!" Vineet Sharma, Category Director- Mountain Dew & Sting, PepsiCo India said, We are very excited to unveil the first-ever brand campaign for Mountain Dew Ice. The launch of Mountain Dew Ice has been a significant milestone for us in our beverage category innovation journey. With the new campaign, we are taking the Mountain Dew core brands philosophy of Darr Ke Aage Jeet Hai and giving it an Ice twist. The idea is to inspire the youth that they can overcome any obstacles in their way if they just keep a cool mind along with the fire to win while facing their fears head-on. We are confident that consumers will relate to the new campaign strongly and shower Mountain Dew Ice with the same love that our other campaigns for Mountain Dew have received over the years. The Mountain Dew Ice TVC will be amplified across TV, digital, outdoor, and social media with a 360-degree campaign. Mountain Dew Ice will be available in single/multiple serve packs across modern and traditional retail outlets as well as on leading e-commerce platforms. Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Many people have questions about the future of the new coronavirus that has spread worldwide. Will an international vaccination campaign, like the one against smallpox, completely stop the virus? Will vaccines work on new variants? Or will the virus stay among us for a long time and change into a mild illness, like the common cold? Recently, a group of international experts shared their ideas, predictions and concerns with the Associated Press. Here are some of the things they had to say. Doctor T. Jacob John studies viruses and was a leader of Indias efforts to fight the viral diseases polio and HIV/AIDS. He predicts that the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 will become yet another infectious disease that humanity learns to live with. Will vaccines work on new variants? The coronavirus, however, is changing quickly. New variants are appearing in different countries and present new risks. The more the virus spreads, experts say, the more likely it is that a new variant might be hard to treat or fail to be identified. Some of the recently developed vaccines seem less effective against new variants of the virus. For example, the company Novavax recently found that its vaccine did not work as well against mutated versions of the virus found in Britain and South Africa. However, since the injections provide some protection, vaccines could still be used to slow or stop the virus from spreading, said Ashley St. John. She studies immune systems at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. For now, scientists agree that vaccinating as many people as quickly as possible is important. Will the virus stay with us? How long the virus will continue to affect people will depend mostly on the strength of the immunity offered by vaccines and natural infections. Are people going to be frequently subject to repeat infections? asked Jeffrey Shaman. The Columbia University researcher does not have the information to answer that question. Like many researchers, he said chances are small that vaccines will provide lifelong immunity. So, people might have to learn to live with COVID-19. But that condition will depend on how long immunity lasts and also how the virus evolves. The question of what happens next concerned Jennie Lavine, a virus researcher at Emory University. She co-wrote a recent study in the publication Science. Lavine predicts a good result. After most people have been exposed to the virus either through vaccination or getting infected it will continue to circulate, but will mostly cause only mild illness, like a common cold. The co-writer of the study is Ottar Bjornstad. He studies viruses at Pennsylvania State University. He said people who get reinfected with the new coronavirus usually have a weaker form of the sickness. The prediction in Lavin and Bjornsads research is based on studies of how other coronaviruses have acted over time. The researchers claim SAR-CoV-2 will continue to evolve, but not quickly or in major ways. The 1918 flu pandemic could help predict how COVID-19 will act. At the time, no vaccines were available. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a third of the worlds population became infected. After infected people either died or developed immunity, the virus stopped spreading quickly. It later mutated into a less serious form, which experts say continues to circulate seasonally. Doctor Gagandeep Kang is an infectious disease expert at Christian Medical College at Vellore in southern India. Kang told the AP that the evolution of the virus raises many questions. At what stage does the virus become a new version? Will countries need to re-vaccinate? Or could extra injections be given? These are questions, Kang said, that you will have to address in the future. Some highly infectious diseases have been controlled with vaccines that provide lifelong immunity such as measles. The spread of measles drops off after many people have been vaccinated. However, unlike measles, she said, children infected with COVID-19 do not always show clear signs of infection. For this reason, they could still infect others. That means, she added, countries cannot let their guard down. And thats the Health & Lifestyle Report. Im Anna Matteo. Aniruddha Ghosal and Christina Larson reported this story from India for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. Quiz - What Will the Future Look Like with the New Coronavirus? Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story variant n. something that is different in some way from others of the same kind mutate v. to cause a gene to change and create a new, different quality in a plant or animal immunity n. the power to keep yourself from being affected by a disease frequently adv. happening often evolve v. to change slowly into a different, sometimes, more complex form with different qualities circulate v. to spread from one person or place to another mild adj. not strong or severe let their guard down idiom to stop being careful or concerned about possible risk St. Petersburg Church of Scientology leader returned to detention RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov 12:55 16/03/2021 ST. PETERSBURG, March 16 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) - The Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg leader Ivan Matsitsky charged with extremism and illegal business operations has been returned in detention, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts has told RAPSI. The case against Matsitsky and other defendants, including the organizations chief accountant Sakhib Aliyev, executive director Galina Shurinova, chief of the official matters department Anastasia Terentyeva, and her assistance Constance Yesaulkova. For a long time Matsisky and Aliyev have been in detention while Shurinova and Terentyeva have been held under house arrest and Yesaulkova has been released on travel restrictions. In February 2020, a court released Matsisky, Terentyeva and Aliyev and imposed a restrictive order on them; Shurinova was freed on travel restrictions. Thus, a year later, Matsitsky was again placed in detention until June 14 because of numerous violations of the restrictive order. In March 2018, searches were conducted at the premises of the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg. The raids were directed to identifying more items and documents confirming the criminality of the religious organization leaders actions, the FSB press-service said at that time. According to investigators, from 2013 to 2016, the organization received over 276 million rubles (about $5 million) for rendering its services. However, the Church of Scientology of St. Petersburg has not been incorporated under the law, an FSB representative said in court earlier. Dianetics and Scientology are a set of religious and philosophical ideas and practices that were put forth by L. Ron Hubbard in the US in the early 1950s. The scientific community never recognized it as science. A resolution passed in 1996 by the State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, classified the Church of Scientology as a destructive religious organization. The Moscow Regional Court ruled in 2012 that some of Hubbards books be included on the Federal List of Extremist Literature and prohibited from distribution in Russia. A further cut in international aid could cause the government in Afghanistan to collapse and return the country to chaos similar to the 1990s, a U.S. government watchdog has warned. The warning on March 16 by John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, comes amid efforts by the United States, Russia, and other countries to restart stalled Afghan peace talks and President Joe Biden faces a May 1 deadline for withdrawing all remaining U.S. troops. Eighty percent of Afghanistans budget is funded by the U.S. and the (other international) donors, Sopko said in a Reuters interview. If, for whatever reason, the donors keep drawing down funding ... that could bring the sudden demise of the Afghan government as we know it. He warned of history repeating itself, referring to the unrest and chaos that plagued Afghanistan after the Soviet Union ended its 1979-89 occupation and cut its assistance to the Kabul government. That instability paved the way for the Talibans takeover. International annual development aid to Afghanistan has decreased from a high of $6.7 billion in 2011, hitting $4.2 billion in 2019, according to World Bank data. Sopko is due to testify on March 16 before the House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee on his latest report. The report noted that donors at a November conference pledged at least $3.3 billion in civilian assistance for a year. If their annual commitments remain at that level until 2024, funding would be 15 percent below 2016 pledges, it said. The United States, which has been steadily reducing aid for Afghanistan, pledged as much as $600 million for a year, but made half contingent on progress in the peace talks between the Taliban and a delegation that includes government officials. The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met in Kabul with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on March 15. A spokesman for Ghani said Khalilzad had updated the Afghan president on his recent diplomatic trips to Pakistan and to Qatar, where peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government representatives began in September. The talks in Doha have stalled in recent months, with no tangible progress. With reporting by Reuters Advertisement Two people were killed after a house filled with a giant stash of fireworks exploded in a neighborhood east of Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The blast shattered windows in nearby homes and caused shaking throughout parts of Ontario, California. Details about the victims were not immediately available. Authorities confirmed the explosion was caused by a large amount of fireworks igniting. The FBI, ATF and a local bomb squad swept the area where the blast occurred, which was believed to be a backyard of about a half an acre, to ensure there were no other live fireworks, NBC4 reported. Multiple blasts of what were believed to be commercial grade fireworks erupted from a home in the area of Fern Avenue and Francis Street, engulfing at least two properties in flames and filling the air with clouds of thick smoke and fireworks going off. The home where the blast originated was reduced to rubble as firefighters battled the blaze and fireworks going off more than an hour later. The explosion prompted an evacuation order for the area and a temporary care and reception center was established at the De Anza Community Center. Emergency crews were seen taping off an area on the property with crime scene tape and covering what appeared to be a body at around 2 pm local time, ABC 7 reported. A house filled with a giant stash of fireworks has exploded in a neighborhood in Ontario, shattering windows in nearby homes and causing shaking throughout parts of California Multiple blasts erupted Tuesday afternoon from a home in the area of Fern Avenue and Francis Street engulfing at least two properties in flames and filling the air with clouds of thick smoke and fireworks going off It is not clear if anyone was in the property at the time and authorities have not yet confirmed any known injuries The first explosion went off around 12:30 pm with eyewitnesses saying there were two further blasts just minutes apart. Dan Bell, a City of Ontario spokesman, confirmed to DailyMail.com there had been 'multiple' explosions initially before fireworks started firing into the air. He said there were two structures on the ranch-like property - a main house on the street and a back house - and both were engulfed in flames. The city's Twitter account also confirmed the explosion was caused when a large amount of fireworks inside a home ignited. Aerial footage from KTLA shows the roof of one of the properties completely blown off and much of the charred building reduced to rubble. Firefighters battling the blazes were seen at one point trying to rescue a horse trapped in an enclosure on the compound, according to ABC 7. An eyewitness told the outlet he witnessed three separate explosions before the fireworks started going off. A neighbor and her dog were injured by debris from the blasts, he said. Aerial footage shows the roof of one of the properties completely blown off and much of the charred building reduced to rubble Emergency crews rushed to the scene with firefighters still seen battling the blaze around an hour later as fireworks were still going off Authorities confirmed the explosion was caused by a large amount of fireworks igniting Footage circulated on social media of one of the initial blasts shows a huge eruption coming from behind the back of some one-story properties in the residential area. Fireworks are seen shooting into the air while a thick plume of smoke billows out. Reports on social media said the blast was felt as far as a mile away with residents in Anaheim and Huntington Beach impacted by the blast. The City of Ontario urged people to stay away from the area while The Ontario Police Department and the Ontario Fire Department are on the scene. 'We are aware of the loud explosion that was heard recently,' it said on Twitter. 'The Ontario Police Department and the Ontario Fire Department are investigating it. Please stay clear of the area.' The first explosion went off around 12:30 pm with eyewitnesses saying there were two further blasts just minutes apart Social media footage shows the smoke from the blasts filling the air Tuesday afternoon Firefighters battling the blazes were seen at one point trying to rescue a horse trapped in an enclosure on the compound In a follow-up tweet, the city confirmed the blast was caused by a 'large amount of fireworks' which caused a 'large structure fire.' 'A large amount of fireworks at a house ignited, causing a large structure fire. Explosions being heard are by fireworks at this time,' the city tweeted. The Ontario Fire Department said multiple units were drafted to the scene and urged people to stay out of the area. Firefighters then issued an evacuation order for Francis Street and Maple Avenue between Fern and San Antonio avenues around 2 pm. Roads were also shuttered in the local area and a temporary care center was set up along South Fern Avenue. Bell told DailyMail.com authorities could not yet confirm if anyone was inside the property at the time of the blast or if there were any fatalities. Northern Hai Duong Province confirmed two Covid-19 cases from its ongoing outbreak Tuesday morning, raising its tally to 719 since late January. Both the new patients had close contact with previously confirmed cases. They have all been isolated as per the contact tracing protocol before the tests arrived as positive on Monday. Ever since community transmission returned to Vietnam on January 28, epicenter Hai Duong has recorded as many as 719 infections. Cases have since then spread to 12 other cities and localities. Yet for almost a month now, 10 of them, including HCMC and Hanoi, have not recorded any new infections. By far, Vietnam has registered 2,559 Covid-19 patients and 406 are active. The country has rolled out its mass Covid-19 inoculation campaign on March 8 after receiving 117,500 doses out of the 30 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine it had ordered. Until now, 16,000 in 12 cities and localities have been vaccinated. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, said his decision to prevent a member of the House, Mark Gbilah, from laying a petition last Thursday was strictly based on rules of parliamentary procedures. The deputy speaker disclosed this in a statement by his media aide, Umar Puma, on Monday. Mr Wase was reacting to a trending video, showing him preventing Mr Gbilah from laying a petition while he (Wase) was presiding during plenary session. Mr Gbillah, who represents Gwer East-Gwer West constituency of Benue State, was presenting a petition by a socio-cultural association based in the United States but was disallowed from doing so by the deputy speaker. The lawmaker explained the synopsis of the petition that some indigenes of his state had been sacked from their ancestral lands. The video had since been trending with many Nigerians criticising the deputy speaker for not allowing Nigerians in diaspora to air their views. Defence But Mr Wase said the House could not grant him the leave to present the petition because the petitioners were faceless and based outside the shores of Nigeria. Explaining his action further on Monday, the deputy speaker alleged that the reports in circulation had been doctored, slanted and bent to give political and ethnic coloration to an event that was otherwise strictly based on parliamentary procedures. He said he prevented the lawmaker from presenting the petition based on the identity(ies) of the petitioners and not based on the fact that they are based outside Nigeria. Whilst it would have been unnecessary to respond to such a show of clear mischief by mischief-makers with malicious intents, it has, however, become imperative to clear the air on the matter in order to educate the ignorant and reassure the enlightened, Mr Wase said. To set the records straight, let it be categorically stated that the crux of the encounter between the Deputy Speaker, presiding as Speaker, and Honourable Mark Gbillah was on the LEGAL IDENTITY (and flowing from that, the LOCUS) of the Petitioners and not on the whether Nigerians in diaspora have a right to petition the House or not. The House of Representatives belongs to all Nigerians and can be accessed by all Nigerians wherever they may reside. However, like other arms of Government, (such as Courts of Law), Petitioners must follow laid down rules and procedures in presenting their petitions to the House, otherwise there would be lawlessness, disorder and chaos. He explained that as a rule, every petition must be presented by a sponsor on behalf of an identifiable petitioner who can either be an individual/groups of individuals or registered corporate entity. He said, In the current incident, the Sponsor of the Petition read the Petitioners as: ASSOCIATION OF TIVS RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES. For any experienced Parliamentarian, this very coinage raises a lot of technical questions. Are the Petitioners represented here in Nigeria via a Nigerian Office or a Legal Practitioner or are they totally absent from the scene? Are they registered as an Association with the Corporate Affairs Commission? If they are absent and a hearing were to be organised, who would the members of the Committee on Public Petition be addressing, questioning or interrogating? Would the Petitioners be able to give first hand witness testimony as to the issues raised in their petition? These and other technical complications were what the Deputy Speaker tried to interrogate, to which sufficient answers were not provided thus stalling the presentation of the Petition. He said he premised his action on Order 8, Rule 3, para. 5 (a)-(f) of the House rules which says, Every petition must be signed by at least one person, followed by the addresses of the persons signing and a corporation should sign in a petition with its Common Seal. He said as a fourth term member of the lower legislative chamber and an old member of the committee on public petitions, he did nothing but bring to bear his experience in guiding the sponsor of the petition on the proper procedure to adopt in presenting the said petition. Note that the House has over the years entertained petitions from Nigerians in diaspora. However, those petitions were properly presented before the House without any ambiguity as to the identity of the petitioners or as to their locus and availability to speak to the issues raised in such Petitions, he said. ADVERTISEMENT He restated the commitment of the 9th House to continue to promote freedom of speech and associations as well as provide platforms for all Nigerians irrespective of their religions or tribes or whether resident in Nigeria or in diaspora; while also upholding the sacred principles, rules and procedures of parliamentary democracy. Metro21 Lunch and Learn: Public Policy Analytics: Code and Context for Data Science in Government On Monday, May 3, Dr. Ken Steif presented his book, "Public Policy Analytics: Code & Context for Data Science in Government." How do algorithms in government differ from business? In business, revenue is the only relevant bottom line, but in government algorithms must optimize for several disparate bottom lines like equity, fairness, bureaucracy, politics and more. In his new book, 'Public Policy Analytics: Code & Context for Data Science in Government', Dr. Ken Steif presents both code examples and an analytical framework for developing algorithms to meet these requirements. In this talk, he will discuss why data science and Planning are one in the same; how certain machine learning algorithms can help governments better allocate their limited resources; and how 'Algorithmic Governance' can help agencies develop data science tools that are both useful and fair. Take a look at the open source version of the book here. Dr. Ken Steif has been at the forefront of data driven public policy for more than fifteen years. He combines technical knowledge of Geographic Information Systems and applied statistics with an interest in housing policy, child welfare, education, the economics of neighborhood change, transportation policy and more. He is the Director of the Master of Urban Spatial Analytics program at the University of Pennsylvania and runs a consultancy, Urban Spatial, at the intersection of data science and public policy. View Ken's full presentation here. is looking to double the number of standalone retail outlets in the next two years as it seeks to ride on the burgeoning demand for personal mobility in smaller towns and cities, the company's top official said. As part of the plan, the RPG Group firm will open 100 CEAT Shoppes mostly in small towns and cities, over the next two years. The expansion, the biggest in the company's history, will take the total number of outlets to 600 from the current 300, said Arnab Banerjee, chief operating officer, There is a strong preference for personal vehicles both in smaller and bigger towns whether its a second hand car and two-wheeler or a brand new one. This secular trend across the country has boosted demand for tyres, said Banerjee. These new format stores which will be more compact and contemporary as compared to the large format stores in major metros will come in towns that have a population of less than 500,000. These exclusive stores will be more than just a sales channel. These will not just be exclusive outlets but an experience channel. We will be doing a pre and post purchase analysis by documenting the service experience of customers who walk into these stores. This will help in establishing a one to one connect with the customers, explained Banerjee. The move will also help in notching up the revenue coming from the exclusive channels, he added. CEAT will invest Rs 30-35 crore in setting up these outlets, other expenses including marketing and communication will be borne by the franchisee partner. Meanwhile, touching upon the overall business, Banerjee said the tyre maker has been operating at over 90 per cent capacity. The demand is holding up for both passenger vehicles and two-wheelers from automakers and the replacement market is also pretty strong. We expect capacity utilisation to remain at an elevated level despite the ongoing ramp up. We are entering a high growth phase, said Banerjee alluding to the June quarter which is typically a high demand quarter for tyres. CEATs expansion plans are also being driven by the trend of people holding on to their existing vehicles for longer. This, in turn, has been fueling demand for tyres in the replacement market, which has already reached the pre-Covid phase in volume terms. The implementation of anti-dumping duties has curbed imports and worked to the advantage of domestic tyre manufacturers, pointed out Banerjee. The replacement market accounts for 65-70 per cent of the companys revenue mix. Even when Indias auto market had hit the slow lane last year owing to the pandemic, the tyre industry was insulated due to its reliance on the more stable replacement market. Even when sales to original equipment manufacturers declined 16.3 per cent year on year in FY20, in line with the decline in auto industry volumes, the replacement market sales declined by a modest 2.6 per cent over the same period, according to India Ratings Research. Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. The Minister of Education must revisit this issue quickly. If he waits till the end of the tenure of the current Chairman of Council before the University gets a substantive Vice Chancellor, it would be correctly assumed that Abuja has imposed the politics of godfatherism on the countrys premier University. The Universitys alumni have also been too quiet. Established in 1948 as a campus of the University College, London, somewhere around Eleiyele in Ibadan, the University of Ibadan, as it later became known when it assumed an independent status in 1962, has the history of Nigeria, its greatness and challenges written into every grain of sand, every piece of grass, every sound in its chambers, the minutest echo in its premises, so much that any encounter with the University of Ibadan is an encounter with a piece of history. It is Nigerias first university. It has produced some of the brightest minds that Nigeria can ever boast of, and has served the country as a factory for the training of generations of skilled workers. At the height of its glory, every university in Nigeria was referred to by ordinary people as U.I. as in U.I. of Nsukka, U.I. of Kano, U.I. of Maiduguri, U.I. of Port Harcourt For years, indeed, the University of Ibadan, as symbol, signifier, and object of public imagination, embodied, in every sense, what John Henry Newman calls The Idea of a University. As Nigeria degenerated and small minds replaced visionaries at the commanding heights of governance, and touts became new superstars in a country once destined for greatness, the country careered down the downhill path and every value failed. The first place to notice the effect was in the education sector at all levels and in that very department, iconic institutions took a fall: From the primary to the tertiary level. The town and the gown began to look alike, sometimes with the latter sounding less informed than the former, in a reversal of roles. The idea of the university was trampled upon by an emergent anti-intellectual Nigerian elite that sought to dictate the processes, and standards, for the production of knowledge and ideas. When the rogue class wanted to destroy Nigeria, they started with the intellectual class or anything at all that they thought could stand in the way of the planned emergence of thugs, bandits, thieves and terrorists as the new elite. The University of Ibadan was badly hit over the decades. The teachers, among whom were some of the best in the world, were targeted and demoralised by their less talented colleagues who had connections in high places. U.I. once had the best Chemistry laboratory in Africa. One night, it went up in flames. U.I. once had the best library in West Africa. In due course, that library became something of a museum. U.I. had the best archival library in Africa. Somehow, that also failed. U.I. had the richest zoo in West Africa. It turned out that the animals in the zoo, a great attraction for tourists, were eaten up one by one or sold by those who were employed to conserve them. Once, a zoo keeper who had been converted into a growing wave of Christian Pentecostalism, went into the zoo and proclaimed himself Daniel in the Lions Den. He confronted a hungry lion. You know how the story ended. But that did not stop some of the brightest professors in the University joining the Pentecostal bandwagon too. Prayer rooms and night vigils became bigger attractions on campus. When some countries or institutions lose it, and the elite go astray, they manage to retain some value, a residual zone of redemption. But when things go wrong in Nigeria, they simply travel from bad to worse. This is the background to the current situation at the University of Ibadan, a metaphor for the overall Nigerian condition. Which is why it is so sad, and this is the point of this piece, that the University of Ibadan, once the breeding place of national diamonds, has now become a melting pot of the Nigerian factor. And to think that there are actually persons within that system who do not know the difference between the town and the gown, or they probably do, but they really do not care that the rot in town has so infiltrated the university; it may no longer matter anyway. It is particularly a crying shame that the University of Ibadan, since November 2020, has not been able to appoint a substantive Vice Chancellor, after the expiration of the tenure of the former Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka. There may have been issues with the Vice Chancellorship of the University in the past (Kenneth Dike, Tekena Tamuno). There was also once a Cross versus Crescent war between Christians and Muslims on the campus but what is now going on at the University is truly a new low. Every alumnus of the University must be concerned that his or her alma mater is now a war zone for religious and ethnic politics, and that both faculty and staff are embroiled in a do-or-die fight over the position of Vice Chancellor. In the face of that omission, mischief makers with their own agenda found an opportunity to step into the fray. They exploited the situation in typical Nigerian fashion. The emergent dominant position would eventually be defended as follows: The most vocal interest groups said they want an Ibadan indigene as Vice Chancellor of the University because no Ibadan person has ever been VC of the University. I once served on the Governing Council of a University Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. I was Chairman of the Establishments Committee and a member of the Appointments and Promotions Committee (known as A & P). Ordinarily, when a substantive Vice Chancellor is due to exit the position, the process for the recruitment of another would have begun more than three months before the scheduled exit to ensure a hitch-free transition. At the University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinkas tenure was due to end by November 2020. For one reason or the other, the University Council slept off, more or less on the matter of succession and did not activate the necessary processes in line with the Universities Autonomy Act. In the face of that omission, mischief makers with their own agenda found an opportunity to step into the fray. They exploited the situation in typical Nigerian fashion. The emergent dominant position would eventually be defended as follows: The most vocal interest groups said they want an Ibadan indigene as Vice Chancellor of the University because no Ibadan person has ever been VC of the University. They even went a step further to insist that the next VC must be a Muslim. This is in a University that was once specially categorised as a Research University and as a Centre of Excellence. In 2020, its professors and non-academic staff were busy fighting over the religious and ethnic extraction of a future VC. Several attempts have been made to resolve the impasse but they have proved futile and inconclusive. In the midst of that confusion, the Universitys Senate reportedly met and decided to appoint Dr. Adebola Ekanola, a professor of Philosophy, as Acting Vice Chancellor, with effect from Dec. 1, 2020. Ekanola did not previously show interest in the position. He served under V.C. Olayinka, as Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Academics. The main gladiators were Dr. Kayode Adebowale a professor of Chemistry, and a Christian, believed to be Olayinkas anointed successor. He served under Olayinka as DVC Administration. The second candidate was/is Dr. Abideen Aderinto, a Muslim and professor of Sociology. Aderinto is said to be the candidate of Professor Isaac Adewole, who after serving as Minister of Health, has since returned to the College of Medicine in the University. It is widely believed that he is using his Abuja connections to seize control of the University and to determine who becomes the next Vice Chancellor. We have several levels of conflict here: Adebowale vs. Aderinto (candidates seeking the office of VC); Olayinka vs. Adewole (conflict of egos between two former VCs trying to control the university through proxies); the Ibadan indigene vs. the outsider (should indigeneship be a factor in the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of a federal university?), and finally Christians vs. Muslims (and I ask: Do we now have bandits and kidnappers among the Ibadan academia?). Throughout his tenure as Council Chairman of the University of Ibadan, Waklek has functioned like a victim of Peters Principle. But then this is Nigeria: He is father in-law of the Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, an APC governor! In todays politics, that is big political capital. But to drop the ball and draw Nigerias premier University into the vortex of religious, party and ethnic politics is most unfortunate. These may perhaps be some of the considerations that led the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to suspend the process of appointing a new Vice Chancellor at the University of Ibadan indefinitely. But in taking that decision, the Minister merely complicated the process. He should have allowed the university to run its own affairs. His decision to stop the process has fuelled the suspicion that the Ministry or the Minister himself is a party to the conflict. On the streets of the University of Ibadan today, there is great suspicion and masked tension. The tenure of the present Chairman of the Governing Council, Nde Joshua Watlek Mutka ends in April. He cannot be compared to Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who served as Chairman of the Governing Council of the same University before him, or the likes of late Mr. Gamaliel Onosode, who also served with distinction as Chairman of the U.I. Governing Council. Throughout his tenure as Council Chairman of the University of Ibadan, Waklek has functioned like a victim of Peters Principle. But then this is Nigeria: He is father in-law of the Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, an APC governor! In todays politics, that is big political capital. But to drop the ball and draw Nigerias premier University into the vortex of religious, party and ethnic politics is most unfortunate. Who cares whether the Vice Chancellor is an Ibadan indigene or not? And what has being a Muslim or Christian got to do with University Vice-Chancellorship? The Minister of Education must revisit this issue quickly. If he waits till the end of the tenure of the current Chairman of Council before the University gets a substantive Vice Chancellor, it would be correctly assumed that Abuja has imposed the politics of godfatherism on the countrys premier University. The Universitys alumni have also been too quiet. They must not play possum and watch their alma mater turned into a battle-field of ambitions and egos. II. The Nigerian Diaspora Vs. Deputy Speaker Idris Wase Idris Wase owes NIDO and MUTA an apology for speaking so rudely and contemptuously about a group of Nigerians who continue to represent some of the very best that the country offers on the global stage. And Abike Dabiri, CEO of the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission must visit Idris Wase, post haste, to take him through a quick tutorial on the significance and relevance of Nigerians in Diaspora Idris Wase is the Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives. There is a video in circulation that shows him presiding over a session of the House of Representatives in the absence of the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila. The matter before the House was the attempt by Rep. Mark Terser Gbilah, representing the Tiv Federal Constituency, to present a petition by his constituents writing under the umbrella of the Mutual Union of Tivs in America (MUTA). These concerned citizens in the said petition sought to register their protest about the maltreatment, utter neglect and the wanton violation of the fundamental human rights of their kith and kin back home in Nigeria, who as a result of the attack on their homesteads and farmlands by herdsmen have been rendered homeless in the past few years and are now stranded in refugee camps in the Middle Belt. Members of MUTA want their peoples plight to be addressed by the Nigerian government and their seized lands returned to them. You need to watch the video. The evidence is compelling. The content is horrid. The Speaker-in-session, Idris Wase, did not even allow Rep. Gbilah to make the presentation. He dismissed Nigerians living in Diaspora as a company of ignoramuses who do not know what is going on in Nigeria. Really? In this age of the internet? He said he would rather listen to a petition coming from Nigerians living in Nigeria, but not anyone in Diaspora. Thus, Wase robbed Diaspora Nigerians of their right of expression and even their citizenship! He even argued that these are people with dual nationality. Here is a lawmaker, a No. 2 member of the House of Representatives, who is supremely ignorant of the fact that the Nigerian Constitution allows dual citizenship. Do they really know what is going on if they are in America? Do they have dual citizenship?, Wase asked with astonishing arrogance. He eventually asked Rep. Gbilah to be so advised and sit down. And poor Gbilah took the advice like a beaten chicken and put down the petition he was about to read. The evidence is graphic. It leaves Wase no opportunity to claim hereafter that he was quoted out of context or that the video was doctored. Other members of the House in attendance at that session looked as if the matter at hand was not their business. Are we surprised? No. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), representing the entire Nigerian Community in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania and Africa has jointly expressed its outrage in a letter dated March 14 and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila. NIDO definitely has every right to ask whether the only thing its members are good for is Diaspora Remittances! I was indeed so shocked that I had to rush to the internet to double-check Wases profile. He is described as a graduate of Plateau State Polytechnic! It is hard to believe. He actually spent some years in a school of higher learning? And wait for this: We are further told he is also a graduate of the Kennedy School of Government at the University of Harvard, United States. Wase went to Harvard! How? As what? As a tourist?, I wondered. And yet he sounds like that? He is on top of it all, a fourth-time member of the House of Representatives and he has been either a member or Chair of various committees of the House since 2007. The Idris Wase video should be circulated widely. It is a perfect illustration of the crisis of leadership that Nigeria faces and the failure of the countrys leadership recruitment process. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), representing the entire Nigerian Community in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania and Africa has jointly expressed its outrage in a letter dated March 14 and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila. NIDO definitely has every right to ask whether the only thing its members are good for is Diaspora Remittances! Idris Wase owes NIDO and MUTA an apology for speaking so rudely and contemptuously about a group of Nigerians who continue to represent some of the very best that the country offers on the global stage. And Abike Dabiri, CEO of the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission must visit Idris Wase, post haste, to take him through a quick tutorial on the significance and relevance of Nigerians in Diaspora, and the folly of his cow-brain, dishonourable comments. Whenever House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila returns, he must ensure that Rep. Gbilah gets the opportunity to present the petition of the Mutual Union of Tivs in America (MUTA) with Idris Wase in attendance! Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, writes from Lagos. ADVERTISEMENT Human neurodegenerative diseases affect men and women differently, yet sex is rarely included in in vitro bioengineered models of neurodegenerative disease. Sex-related differences include a wide range of biochemical factors, gene expression, and biomechanical cues. These sex differences must be included in blood-brain barrier models to improve the understanding of sex differences in neurodegenerative disease and eventually realize personalized medicine. Credit: Callie Weber Men and women are impacted differently by brain diseases, like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Researchers are urging their colleagues to remember those differences when researching treatments and cures. In APL Bioengineering, University of Maryland scientists highlight a growing body of research suggesting sex differences play roles in how patients respond to brain diseases, as well as multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, and other brain ailments. That is progress from just a few years ago, said Alisa Morss Clyne, director of the university's Vascular Kinetics Laboratory. "I have worked with vascular cells for 20 years and, up until maybe about five years ago, if you asked if the sex of my cells mattered at all, I would have said no," Clyne said. Then, she worked on a difficult study in which data appeared "all over the place." "We separated the cell data by sex, and it all made sense," Clyne said. "It was an awakening for me that we should be studying this." As of 2020, an estimated 5.8 million Americans were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, another 1 million with Parkinson's disease, 914,000 with multiple sclerosis, and 63,000 with motor neuron disease. These diseases happen when nerve cells in the brain and nervous system quit working and, ultimately, die. The changes are associated with the breakdown of what is called the blood-brain barriera border of cells that keeps the wrong kind of molecules in the bloodstream from entering the brain and damaging it. Published research has shown differences in the blood-brain barriers of men and women. Some of the research suggests the barrier can be stronger in women than men, and the barriers in men and women are built and behave differently. That could factor into known differences in the sexes, such as Alzheimer's disease being more prevalent in older women than men, while Parkinson's impacts men more frequently and tends to do so more severely. The authors said they hope their article will serve as a reminder to researchers not just in their own field, but across the sciences, that accounting for sex differences leads to better results. "I think there is an awakening in the past 10 years or so that you cannot ignore sex differences," Clyne said. "My goal is to inspire people to include sex differences in their research, no matter what research they are doing." Explore further MIND and Mediterranean diets associated with later onset of Parkinson's disease More information: "Sex differences in the blood-brain barrier and neurodegenerative diseases" APL Bioengineering, aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0035610 "Sex differences in the blood-brain barrier and neurodegenerative diseases" Industrial control systems security specialist Dragos has gained a well-known investor as it expands its presence in Australia and New Zealand, with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull having ploughed some of his hard-earned into the firm. This is Turnbull's second investment in a security firm, through his company Turnbull & Partners after he left Parliament. The former Liberal leader made an investment last year in a firm known as Kasada which is backed by In-Q-Tel, the investment arm of the CIA. Dragos chief executive and co-founder Robert M. Lee, an NSA alumnus, said in a statement: The convergence of an increasingly ICS-aware and capable threat landscape with the trend towards more network connectivity presents industrial organisations with a set of cyber security challenges that are truly global in nature. Our expansion into the Australia and New Zealand markets will enable us to not just better partner with companies in the region to ensure that they are successful in their industrial cyber security journey, but also to help foster the local ICS/OT cyber security practitioner community through ongoing education and engagement. Turnbull's investment in Dragos was made during the company's Series C round of fund-raising in December. The cyber threat to operational technology has never been greater than it is today, he commented. We face many challenges in defending Australia and New Zealands large, complex industries from these threats. "We chose to invest in Dragos because it is providing world-leading industrial cyber security expertise and technology at a time when vital industries are being challenged more than ever. Dragos said it had been working locally with energy infrastructure firm Jemena which serves 1.7 million NSW and Victorian customers' electricity and gas needs. Jemena owns the Eastern Gas Pipeline, the main arterial for gas distribution on the east coast. The company's Digital Security and Risk manager Dave Worthington commented: "Cyber-attacks pose an increasing risk to businesses like ours which are relied on to deliver energy to many homes and businesses across the country. By partnering with Dragos we have access to a team that goes beyond what traditional information technology cyber security vendors can offer. This gives us and our customers peace of mind that we are well defended from cyber threats. The man who died in a workplace accident in Wexford yesterday has been hailed as a fantastic family man who was part of the fabric of his local community. Philip Reck (41) died in a freak accident at the Cooney Furlong plant grain stores in Dranagh, Caim, near Enniscorthy, where he worked for 18 years, at around 9.50 a.m. on Monday. Paramedics attended the scene and Mr Reck's remains were taken by ambulance to University Hospital Waterford, where a post mortem was due to take place. Gardai and Health & Safety Authority personnel attended the scene late on Monday morning and two investigations are under way into the accident. Read More Philip is survived by his partner Martina and two daughters who attend school locally. A local resident said: 'We are all in pure shock. It's a double tragedy in a way because you also have the man who was involved in it.' Describing Philip as a family-oriented man who lived for his partner and children, the man said he will be dearly missed. 'He was a good community man and the kids would be involved in the community. Reck's Cross as you turn into the village is named after his family. It's just a complete shock to everyone. You feel for both families. 'It's a tight knit workplace - most of the staff have worked together for a long time and pretty much grew up with one another. They're more family than colleagues. Not a stone is out of place there and health and safety is key.' He said Mr Reck's eldest daughter was only after returning to school. 'It just doesn't bear thinking about it - what is going through their minds. We will do our best to do what we can. It's such a difficult time to try and do anything. We can't do what's bred into us to do for them.' A Health and Safety Authority spokesperson said: 'The authority is aware of, and is investigating this incident.' Gardai also confirmed they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragic case. A spokesperson for Cooney Furlong said: 'We are deeply saddened by the loss of our esteemed colleague. He was a committed and valued member of the team who worked with us for 18 years. We would like to offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at this time. 'The gardai and the Health and Safety Authority will continue to investigate the circumstances over the coming days, with our full co-operation. As this is now an ongoing investigation, we will not be in a position to make any further comment for the moment.' Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna said on Monday that the data on the pandemic and vaccination had not been accessed without the right to do so by the adviser to the health minister, mentioning that he had received this information from Prime Minister Florin Citu, according to AGERPRES. "I know for sure at the moment that no data have been accessed without the right to do so. I have already received this preliminary information from the prime minister. (...) It was a discussion if personal numerical codes or other personal data were accessed. There is this certainty that that part of the database was not accessed. (...) As far as I know, it was only a matter of access, which was clarified. He used another fixed IP, through a VPN, through which he accessed a part of the database, the transparent one, the data that we all know, on which no one at the moment raises any question of access correctness. I am waiting to see if there will be more data. From what I have had so far, it seems like an excess of zeal. (...) It is an almost trivial story. He asked for a separate IP, because the access from the Ministry of Health was on an IP of the ministry. He was given this IP and he accessed the part to which he was entitled in the database. That's the whole story," Barna told Digi 24. He noted, however, that the verification of the Prime Minister's Control Corps had not been completed. "For now, I understand that it is a check, a control of the Prime Minister's Control Corps. I have also seen the explanations of the health minister's adviser - they are very logical and relevant from my point of view. I am looking forward to seeing the result of the Control's Corps check. I hope it is about a misunderstanding. From a communication standpoint, it is very difficult for me to understand what was at stake. The explanations of the health minister's adviser show a perfectly legal and fair approach," Barna said. According to him, Minister Vlad Voiculescu has the support of the USR PLUS Alliance because through his efforts he ensures transparency, reform and unblocking the healthcare situation, "which for too many years has remained in a logic of client blockage, in which we see in many hospitals outrageous situations". Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on March 10 that he was notified regarding the data published by the Ministry of Health, a notification which he must follow. "The publication of the database is something that the Ministry of Health did, the idea is that I was notified and, for any notification, whether it comes from the citizens of Romania or from citizens of the state, I have to give a resolution. I am not a specialist, we will see if there is a problem or not. From my point of view, the issue is closed. Transparency is very important," he said. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Daqo New Energy Corp. (DQ) announced Tuesday that it signed a three-year high-purity polysilicon supply agreement with Gaojing Solar Energy Technology Co. Ltd. Gaojing is a newly established advanced solar wafer manufacturer. Daqo New, a manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry said the supply will be for a 50GW large-size solar wafer project to be carried out in three phases. The third phase is scheduled to finish by 2023. As per the supply agreement, Daqo New will provide Gaojing with high-purity mono-grade polysilicon in a total amount of 45,900 MT between June 2021 and May 2024. The actual prices will be negotiated on a monthly basis. 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. While domestic workers number in the tens of millionsconstituting a major proportion of Indias workforcetheir labor is not formally recognized, and they lack essential rights and guarantees. by Satarupa Chakraborty In India, the labor of millions of women domestic workers is not recognized, depriving them of labor rights, formal terms of employment, and respect. Official government records estimate a conservative figure of 3.9 million domestic workers in the country (2.6 million of whom are women). A report in the Economic and Political Weekly, however, puts the number of domestic workers much higher, at more than 50 million domestic workers, with women making up more than 75 percent of the workforce in this sector. Bengaluru, which is the capital of Indias southern state of Karnataka, has an estimated 400,000 domestic workers. They constitute a large proportion of the citys workforce, and yet they still lack fundamental rights, a fact that has become even more apparent since the start of the pandemic. In this sense, it is not surprising that the life of a domestic worker is not an easy one, with or without a hovering pandemic. Kajita (28) and Noor (45) are migrant workers from West Bengal. Living 2,000 kilometers away from home, they dwell in a slum in east Bengalurus Thubarahalli areahidden by the rising apartments in an upscale locality that connects the two major IT centers, Marathahalli and Whitefield. Indias migrant workers, who move from rural to urban areas in search of gainful employment, take a big share of the burden of household income onto their shouldersmost of them send a major part of their income to their families in the villages for their sustenance. They live in cramped shanties of tarpaulins and tins in a sprawling city of soaring expenses and expanse. Before the countrywide lockdown was announced in March 2020, Kajita would start her day at 4:45 a.m. and return home after 9 p.m. She would work for more than 15 hours a day in 10 households. Noor would go to work at 5:45 a.m. and return around 6:30 p.m. She used to work in four householdseight hours in one household and then dividing the rest of her time working in other houses. Their work includes but is not limited to sweeping, cleaning, cooking, washing dishes and clothes, and child and elderly care. While they take the heavy burden of physical work, their work is far from being recognized. The household chores have been historically seen as tasks that women are supposed to perform without asking for any remuneration. The United Nations highlighted the lack of public acceptance to consider a household as a place of workresulting in non-recognition of womens labor at a household as work. The UN also points out that India lacks comprehensive national legislation that would guarantee formal terms of employment, including minimum wage and decent working conditions, to the domestic workers. They are often left at the mercy of their employers without having access to any social and economic benefits from the state. Speaking up about their day-to-day exploitations often could mean threats, intimidation and violence. Weekly days off, time off for holidays, or annual paid leave is a privilege most domestic workers are deprived of. Instead, in many cases, during the festival days, their work increases exponentially. Kajita and Noors income comes from their devalued, hard physical labor. Their income was just about enough to support themselves and their families before the announcement of a lockdown in India. While a younger worker like Kajita might take up work in about a dozen houses to supplement her income, older workers like Noor typically take up an 8-hour or 12-hour job with one household and try to earn a major part of their income from there. The income they earned throughout a decade of work as domestic workers was neither sufficient to uplift their standard of living nor could it ensure them a healthy and safe stay at home during the pandemic. Once the lockdown began in India, Kajita and Noor and the other domestic workers found themselves without work for more than four months. One of Kajitas employers paid her the first two months of the salary during the initial phase of the lockdown, while the others refused to pay her during the lockdown. She lost around 90 percent of her monthly income for several months. Noor was paid half the amount of her salary for the first two months of the lockdown. Kajita now earns Rs 7,000 ($96) per montha sharp decline in her income by more than 70 percent from Rs 30,000 ($413) a month that she earned before the lockdown; and Noor earns Rs 11,500 ($158)her salary declined by almost 50 percent from Rs 20,000 ($275) a month. The household expenditure, however, did not fall with the falling income. It, in fact, increased compared to the proportion of income. Kajita and Noor each had to pay Rs 2,500 ($34) as the rent for their shanties and electricity bills even during the lockdown. They still had to buy a 20-liter can of drinking water for Rs 25 ($0.34)in the absence of access to clean drinking water in the slum area where they livealong with other essential items. Noor told me in October 2020, What we received [as a food kit from some organizations such as the Centre of Indian Trade Unions and Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti] for one month, we survived on [it] for more than two months. Since the lockdown, our life has changed. We have no income, but we continued to spend. Kajita said, We [Kajitas younger brother and sister] shared one meal three times a day. We have never seen [this kind of misery] earlier. Challenges in their lives escalated by the pandemic only revealed the grim picture about the conditions of Indias vast section of domestic workers. With a pandemic and lockdown, they lost their jobs. A battle for economic rights is a far-fetched dream if social rights are not ensured simultaneously. The stories of domestic workers like Meena (name changed) and Nilam (name changed) speak of the cruelty involved in the lives of these workers; they have little dignity and respectand are often subjected to violence. S. Selvi, the general secretary of a domestic workers union in Bengaluruaffiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)began her journey of working with domestic workers in 2012. In her experience, the most common threats of violence surface when a domestic worker asks for a hike in wageor refuses to perform tasks other than the ones agreed in verbal negotiations at the time of joiningor when a worker resists sexual abuse by the male employer. Intimidated by the threat that an employer could file a theft report with the police against them (even if they are innocent), most domestic workers tend to suppress their voice. They fear job loss; they fear actions on them or their families by employers. Therefore, in most cases, they avoid registering any complaint. Selvi told me about the case of Meena who was employed by a man in north Bengaluru. She said, The employer used to torture and sexually assault her. When she opposed, the employer beat her. Her body was marked with burnt wounds of cigarette butt stubbing. He used to torture her so much so that she had to be finally hospitalized. In another case, in north Bengaluru, she told me, the employers filed a police complaint against a worker, Nilam, alleging theft. She was innocent. The complaint was an insult for her; she could not take the blame, and she attempted suicide, said Selvi. With the intervention of the union, both Meena and Nilam were rescued. Selvi emphasized, In [these] situations, organizations [like] All India Democratic Womens Association (AIDWA) play an important role in giving confidence to the victim and motivating her to register a complaint. The continual battle by unions and organizations to safeguard the rights and lives of domestic workers has pushed the central government to at least introduce the Domestic Workers (Regulation of Work and Social Security) Bill, 2017. The formation of a national policy for safeguarding the interest of domestic workers has been pending for several years. However, the challenges in their lives are not pendingthey do not vanish, with or without a pandemic. Not only is their labor unseen, but they are also seen as less human. This mindset and the inhuman practices need an upfront battle with an organized struggle of domestic workersset to resolve their everyday distress and to advance their social lives. This article was produced by Globetrotter. Satarupa Chakraborty is an activist of the All India Democratic Womens Association (AIDWA). She is a Globetrotter/Peoples Dispatch fellow and a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and is currently based in the New Delhi office in India. She is also pursuing a PhD in philosophy at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in India. 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. Esha Gupta left her fans stunned as she shared a photo of her Maldives vacation on Instagram. Esha Gupta's photos featured the actress in a yellow floral bikini showing off her toned abs. Her series of photos received a lot of love and compliments from her fans. Esha Gupta flaunts her body in her latest post Esha Gupta was seen vacationing in the Maldives in her latest social media post. In the photos, the Jannat 2 actress is seen flaunting her toned abs in a yellow floral bikini. The actress let her hair down with wavy curls and kept her makeup neutral. She topped off her look with a golden chain and earrings. Fans react to Esha Gupta's photos Fans were awestruck by Esha's beauty and quickly filled up the comments section. The comment section was loaded with the fire emoticon indicating the actress' sultry avatar. One fan wrote, "Good lord HOW ARE YOU SO PRETTY". Another fan commented that she was a gorgeous woman wile one fan compared her to Kylie Jenner. Esha Gupta shares pictures of her workout sessions Esha Gupta's Instagram is filled with her workout pictures and videos. The actress is often seen flaunting her body and also shares with her fans how she keeps herself fit. The model turned actress very frequently shares photos of herself doing various yoga poses. Check out some of her posts here. A quick look at Esha Gupta's movies Esha Gupta started her career as a model and was the winner of the Miss India International title in 2007. The actress made her debut in Bollywood with the crime thriller Jannat 2 in 2012 opposite Emraan Hashmi. Gupta was next seen in the political drama movie Chakravyuh alongside Arjun Rampal, Abhay Deol and Manoj Bajpayee. She received praise from various critics for her performance in the movie. Since then, the actress has been part of various high grossing movies such as Raaz 3D, Rustom, Total Dhamaal and Baadshaho. Esha Gupta will next be seen in Hera Pheri 3, which is a sequel to the hit comedy series Hera Pheri and Hera Pheri 2. The movie also features Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty in lead roles. 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. Associated Press Lebanons president and prime minister-designate traded barbs Wednesday, accusing one another of obstruction, negligence and insolence in a war or words that has for months obstructed the formation of a new government as the country sinks deeper into economic and financial crisis. The power struggle between the premier-designate, Saad Hariri, on one side and President Michel Aoun and his son-in-law Gebran Bassil on the other, has worsened despite warnings from world leaders and economic experts of the dire economic conditions tiny Lebanon is facing. The World Bank on Tuesday said Lebanon's crisis is one of the worst the world has seen in the past 150 years. Prof. HUANG Weixin and ZHANG Qun from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), together with domestic collaborators, probed into the photocatalytic oxidation of methanol on various anatase TiO2 nanocrystals. The results were published on Angewandte Chemie International Edition. Semiconductor-based photocatalysis has attracted extensive attention since its discovery, owing to its environmentally friendly production of chemical fuel utilizing solar energy. A photocatalytic reaction consists of light absorption and charge generation within photocatalysts, charge separation and migration to photocatalyst surfaces, and charge-participated reactions on photocatalyst surfaces. The last step, rate-limiting of photocatalytic reactions, involves an interfacial charge transfer process from photocatalyst surfaces to surface adsorbates and subsequent surface reactions. However, due to its complexity, there are much less studies on it. To discover the underlying mechanism and the correlation with the photocatalytic efficiency, the researchers studied the photochemistry of CH3OH oxidation on various TiO2 nanocrystals, and the probe photocatalytic reaction for fundamental studies of complex photocatalytic reactions on oxide photocatalysts, with in situ and time-resolved characterizations and density functional theory calculations. The results revealed that the surface site and corresponding adsorbed methanol species are demonstrated to influence the valence band bending, and these factors can thus determine the TiO2-to-CH3OH interfacial charge transfer process and subsequently the photocatalytic efficiency. The finding was consistent with the previous study of Prof. HUANG, justifying the feasibility of oxide model catalysts from single crystals to nanocrystals. This study unveils the site sensitiveness of interfacial charge transfer, indicating surface structure engineering of photocatalysts to be an effective approach to maximize photocatalytic efficiencies. ### 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 United States overtook Saudi Arabia as India's second biggest oil supplier last month, as refiners boosted cheaper US crude purchases to record levels to offset OPEC+ supply cuts, data from trade sources showed. The switch in supplies, triggered by lower US crude demand, coincided with Saudi Arabia's voluntary extra 1 million bpd output cut on top of an agreement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) to maintain lower production. India's imports from the United States - the world's top producer - rose 48 per cent to a record 545,300 barrels per day (bpd) in February from the prior month, accounting for 14 per cent of India's overall imports last month, the data obtained by Reuters showed. In contrast, February imports from Saudi Arabia fell by 42 per cent from the previous month to a decade-low of 445,200 bpd, the data showed. Saudi Arabia, which has consistently been one of India's top two suppliers, slipped to No. 4 for the first time since at least January 2006. India's oil import data by country for before 2006 is not available with Reuters. "US demand was weak and refineries were running at low rates so the US crude had to go somewhere and Asia is the region which has seen rapid demand recovery," said Ehsan Ul Haq, analyst with Refinitiv. "China has not been taking US oil because of trade problem so India is the obvious choice," he said. India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, had repeatedly called on major oil producers to ease supply curbs to aid global economic recovery and had pointed to Saudi Arabia's voluntary cuts for contributing to a spike in global oil prices. Iraq continued to be the top oil seller to India despite a 23 per cent decline in purchases to a five-month low of 867,500 bpd, the data showed. Iraq has reduced annual supplies of oil to several Indian refiners by up to 20 per cent for 2021 as OPEC's second-largest producer tries to meet its obligations under the group's production deal. Also read: Centre admits to earning Rs 33 on every litre of petrol, Rs 32 on diesel Also read: No proposal to bring crude oil, petrol, diesel, ATF, gas under GST: Sitharaman James Bond star Yaphet Kotto, who played the first black 007 villain in 1973's Live And Let Die, has passed away aged 81. The death of the actor - who starred alongside the late Roger Moore as Mr Big/Dr Kananga in the 007 film - was announced by his wife Sinahon Thessa on Tuesday. She wrote: 'I'm saddened and still in shocked of the passing of my husband Yaphet of 24 years 'This is a very painful moment for me to inform you all fans, friends and family of my husband. RIP: James Bond actor Yaphet Kotto, who played the first black 007 villain in 1973's Live And Let Die, has passed away aged 81 (pictured with Roger Moore in the film) 'You still have plan to release your book and build a religious organization based on Yogananda's Teachings. 'You played a villain on some of your movies but for me you're a real hero and to a lot of people also. 'A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being, very rare to find. 'One of the best actor in Hollywood a Legend. Rest in Peace Honey, I'm gonna miss you everyday, my best friend, my rock. 'I love you and you will always be in my heart. Till we meet again.' Iconic: Off the back of his success in James Bond, he was cast as chief engineer Parker in iconic sci-fi horror film, Alien in 1979 (pictured) Legend: The death of the actor - who starred alongside the late Roger Moore as Mr Big/Dr Kananga in the 007 film - was announced by his wife on Tuesday (pictured 2004) A cause of death was not revealed. Yaphet was married three times and is survived by six children. The American actor's most famous role was that of the Bond villain in the iconic 1973 film where he played Harlem drug lord, Mr Big, who plans to distribute two tons of heroin for free, to put dealers out of business. However, Mr Big is revealed to be the alter-ego of corrupt Caribbean dictator, Dr Kananga, who rules over the fictional island of San Monique. He became the first black actor to portray a James Bond villain but later said he was banned from promoting the film because movie bosses were wary of the encouraging a negative perception to a black villain. Shaken, not stirred: The American actor's most famous role was that of the Bond villain in the iconic 1973 film where he played Harlem drug lord, Mr Big Horror: Yaphet's character met a famously grisly end in Alien (above) YAPHET KOTTO'S BLOCKBUSTER FILM CAREER 1963- 4 FOR TEXAS Yaphet makes his screen debut as an extra in 4 For Texas, which stars Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Ursula Andress 1968 - THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR // FIVE CARD STUD He progresses to bigger roles in The Thomas Crown Affair as Carl and 5 Card Stud as Little George (Mama's bartender) 1973 - LIVE AND LET DIE Aged 34, the star lands a soon-to-be iconic role as Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big in the latest James Bond film, Live and Let Die - alongside Roger Moore. He becomes the first black Bond villain with this role. 1976 - RAID ON ENTEBBE Yaphet receives an Emmy nomination for playing Ugandan strongman Idi Amin in the TV movie, Raid on Entebbe 1978 - BLUE COLLAR The star plays convicted murderer Smokey James in the crime drama alongside Richard Pryor and Harvey Keitel 1979 - ALIEN He was cast as chief engineer Parker in iconic sci-fi horror film, Alien in 1979. His character met a memorably grisly demise when he was killed by the Alien as he collected oxygen tanks 1980 - BRUBAKER Yaphet starred alongside Robert Redford in the prison drama, which tells the tale of a warden who attempts to clean up a corrupt and violent penal system. The actor played Richard 'Dickie' Coombes. 1987 - THE RUNNING MAN Yaphet also starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987 sci-fi film, The Running Man, playing resistance fighter William Laughlin 1988 - MIDNIGHT RUN The actor starred alongside Robert DeNiro in the critically and commercially successful drama - playing FBI Special Agent Alonzo Mosely Advertisement He told the Independent: 'They didn't play my character up. That hurt me a lot, man. 'I went through a lot of goddamn emotional hell because they were afraid people would be angry that a black guy was not being Sidney Poitier. I was the opposite of everything he created.' Yaphet also starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987 sci-fi film, The Running Man, playing resistance fighter William Laughlin. Off the back of his success in James Bond, he was cast as chief engineer Parker in iconic sci-fi horror film, Alien in 1979. His character met a memorably grisly demise when he was killed by the Alien as he collected oxygen tanks. Yaphet once revealed he turned down the role of Lando Calrissian in Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back, over fears he would be typecast in sci-fi films. Cult classic: Yaphet also starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987 sci-fi film, The Running Man, as resistance fighter William Laughlin Classic: As well as his stellar movie roles, the star was known for his starring role in police procedural drama, Homicide: Life on the Street, in which he played Al Giardello from 1993-1999 He also turned down the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, an iconic role which went to Patrick Stewart. Yaphet later said he regretted declining the role, saying: 'I think I made some wrong decisions in my life, man. I should have done that but I walked away. 'When you're making movies, you'd tend to say no to TV. It's like when you're in college and someone asks you to the high school dance. You say no.' The actor also claimed to be related to Queen Elizabeth II, naming his 1997 biography 'The Royalty' in honour of his supposed royal lineage. The star appeared opposite Robert De Niro in the comedy thriller Midnight Run (1988) as FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley. Stellar: He received an Emmy nomination for playing Ugandan strongman Idi Amin in the TV movie, Raid on Entebbe Family: Yaphet is pictured with his third wife Sinahon in 1997 - they wed the next year Family man: The star is pictured with his daughter Sarada, then 17, and his ex wife Toni Pettyjohn - who he divorced in 1989 As well as his stellar movie roles, the star was known for his starring role in police procedural drama, Homicide: Life on the Street, in which he played Al Giardello from 1993-1999. He received an Emmy nomination for playing Ugandan strongman Idi Amin in the TV movie, Raid on Entebbe. The NYC-born star began studying acting at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio aged 16, making his professional acting debut in Othello aged 19. He got his start in acting on Broadway, where he appeared in many productions, including The Great White Hope. His final film role was in 2008's Witless Protection and his final TV spot was in 2000's Homicide: The Movie - a continuation of the hit TV series. In 2015, Yaphet commented on speculation that Idris Elba was set to take over the iconic role of Bond, saying the secret agent role should only ever be portrayed by a white actor and 'political correctness be damned'. Acclaimed: The star played convicted murderer Smokey James in the crime drama Blue Collar alongside Richard Pryor (above) and Harvey Keitel In an interview with Big Issue, Kotto said: 'Political correctness be damned, we have to stay with what is literally correct.' He said: 'He was established as a white character, played by white actors. I don't think it's right for black actors or writers to do roles that whites have made historically white roles.' Kotto argued that a black man could play 003 or 006, but could not be 007, and suggested new characters should be written for black heroes. He returned to the 'Alien' franchise in 2014, voicing his character Parker in the survival horror video game 'Alien: Isolation.' In 2017, the star said he believed aliens really exist and are not just fictional monsters portrayed in sci-fi thrillers. Kotto opened up in a VICE interview about his beliefs, his first sighting and his experiences. 'I've never talked to anyone about it, man, this is the first time,' said Kotto. His view: In 2017, the star said he believed aliens really exist and are not just fictional monsters portrayed in sci-fi thrillers (pictured above in Alien) 'I've only told my wife, my rabbi and a psychologist. This is the first time I'm talking about it.' The actor claimed to have even been abducted by aliens and that it's been happening for decades. 'It started when I was about nine or ten years old,' Kotto said. 'I remember being told I couldn't go outside, so I would look out at the streets of my neighborhood in the Bronx, watching the kids play stickball. 'When I turned around, a figure was behind me, it was at least five or six feet tall with an elongated head. It appeared, then jumped to the back of me and disappeared. 'From that moment on, it was one experience after another which culminated into my sighting in the Philippines and during the filming of Alien.' He added that some of those experiences also include seeing strange lights near his home. Kotto said that the strange sightings seemed to follow him too. 'Every time I moved into a house, above it at some point, there would be a circle of what looked like smoke,' Kotto said. 'I'd wonder where it came from because it sure as hell didn't look like clouds. Bond role: In 2015, Yaphet commented on speculation that Idris Elba was set to take over the iconic role of Bond, saying the secret agent role should only ever be portrayed by a white actor and 'political correctness be damned' 'Those sightings continued for a good 10 to 15 years. I've also had time loss. I have a big loss of time between some of these moments, and I'd often wonder if I was taken.' The New York native shared that things became stranger when he went to the Philippines. 'It was one evening in my office in the Philippines. I heard my wife and the waiters calling me to come outside in very anxious voices,' Kotto said. 'So I went out and when I got there, I saw the same huge circle of smoke over the house. Early role: He played Little George alongside Robert Mitchum's The Rev. Jonathan Rudd in 1968's Five Card Stud 'When I asked them what they saw, they said they saw a UFO as big as the Yankee Stadium turned upside down.' He continued, 'They were freaking out. Two or three nights later, I saw it. The thing blotted out the entire sky. 'The moon and everything, it was huge. I just remember saying, 'Jesus Christ.' I mean I got so nervous, man, because you don't see something like that without being vulnerable to becoming psychologically blown away. 'You get scared to put it quite frankly. That messed me up for a good three or four days.' Koto noted that in order to believe they are real, aliens are something that must be seen. He said: 'I have an IQ of 196. Might as well say that the hundreds of other peopleincluding Canada's previous defense ministerwho came to the same conclusions about alien life had mental health issues too.' Tribute: The official James Bond Instagram account paid tribute to the late actor 'I'm already famous so what possible purpose would I have to tell these stories except how it relates to the movie Alien?' He added: 'This is the reason why I never talked about it after that movie because of course they'd say, 'oooh, he's trying to promote his movie.' Well I'm not promoting anything now. 'I've written no book and I have no movie that's about to be released. 'This is the time to reveal this because no one can connect it to anything that's a financial gain or form of media exposure.' Kotto said that he will soon be vindicated and that the aliens he has seen will reveal themselves to the rest of the world soon. He claimed that it will happen, since humans are destroying the planet. 'We need to take a serious look at what we're doing and [the aliens are] going to help us do that,' Kotto said. 'We're not alone, we're not alone in the universe. If you totally westernize the idea look at it from a supremacy viewpoint, then you'll say, everyone's imagining them when it comes to these things,'the actor said. 'We can say that, but much of the world would reject that premise. We're not alone.' [March 16, 2021] Groundbreaking Data Center Company Announces New Visionary CEO to Lead ServerDomes into the Future PORTLAND, Ore., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Reading Ken Patchett's resume is like seeing a Who's Who of technology giants: Compaq, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, and most recently, Oracle. He has been an instrumental leader in building and running successful, technology-forward data centers and teams across the globe. When the opportunity to lead a company with the most disruptive, innovative data center design presented itself, he knew it was a perfect match. Ken Patchett , data center visionary takes the helm at ServerDomes. "ServerDomes embodies the type of initiative and innovation that is desperately needed in the data center space," said Ken Patchett, chief executive officer, ServerDomes. "The need for cost-effective sustainable data centers closest to where the users are, is growing exponentially around the world. ServerDomes technology will enable more choices in site selection, environmental stewardship, configurability and cost control to both enterprise and hybrid-cloud based companies. I look forward to launching ServerDomes into the next phae and helping enhance access to technology around the world." Patchett takes the reins from Alan Resnik who will move into the position of executive chairperson. "We are thrilled to have Ken on board and leading the team at ServerDomes," said Alan Resnik, PhD, executive chairperson. "We look to his passion and depth of knowledge in the tech industry to take us to the next level." Background Ken Patchett is a well-known leader in the tech industry with 20 plus years' experience in the development and deployment of hyperscale data centers and network solutions around the world. He is an experienced leader who has excelled in the data center space. In fact, in 1999 he managed the beginnings of hyperscale growth at Microsoft including the original MosWest data center and the first Microsoft-owned data center in Bothell, Washington. Ken also built the Global MSN network operations organization. From there, Ken's expertise landed him at Google where he completed their first hyperscale data center in The Dalles, Oregon. Soon after, he joined Facebook as an integral part of the data center team that propelled Facebook onto the world stage. Ken then focused his efforts as a VP of operations at RStor, a stealth startup focused on edge and micro edge computing strategy to create a hyper-resilient infrastructure that supports micro edge and IoT all the way to a classic data center. Simultaneously, Ken was deploying and supporting Twitch (an Amazon Company) colocation data center strategy around the world as senior director of global infrastructure services. Most recently Ken was VP of data center services and operations at Oracle. About ServerDomes ServerDomes, established 2016, is a best-in-class data center company with a no compromise approach to design, build and operations. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, ServerDomes' mission is to transform data centers by building designs with superior efficiency, agility, scalability, and sustainability. ServerDomes is a "lights-out" facility, eliminating the need for 24/7 staffing. The future has landed. For more information, visit ServerDomes.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/groundbreaking-data-center-company-announces-new-visionary-ceo-to-lead-serverdomes-into-the-future-301248643.html SOURCE ServerDomes [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (@FahadShabbir) CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Moldova has confirmed it registered side effects in 2.2 percent of its citizens vaccinated with the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, the national public health agency said on Tuesday. The country started its vaccination drive using the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 2 and has already vaccinated 15,270 people. "Since March 2, when the vaccination began, and till this day, we have registered 334 cases of vaccine side effects. Let me note that this is 2.2 percent. All side effects showed within 24 hours after vaccination and disappeared in a day or two," the agency's epidemiologist, Laura Tsurkan, said at a briefing. According to the scientist, those vaccinated complained about headache, fatigue, feeling sore, allergy and higher temperature. The vaccination campaign in Moldova will be carried out in three stages. During the first stage that will last for two months, 70,000 medical and social care workers will receive the vaccine. The second stage that will last for 4 months will cover over 700,000 public servants and elderly population. During the third stage, the remaining groups of citizens will be vaccinated until the nation achieves the so-called collective immunity to the virus. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, during an official visit to Chisinau at the end of last year, vowed to provide Moldova with 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine as humanitarian aid; the first batch of 21,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Chisinau on February 27. Earlier in the month, Moldova became the first European country to receive coronavirus vaccine doses free of charge through the international COVAX facility launched by the World Health Organization with the arrival of 14,400 AstraZeneca vaccine doses in the country on March 4. Convention of States Project Head Seeks to Rein In Federal Overreach, Calls HR 1 Death of Democracy Political activist Mark Meckler, who heads the Convention of States Action project, warned that the Democrat-led election reform bill is a threat to democracy, while touting his initiative as a constitutionally-enshrined way to fight back and rein in federal overreach. Meckler, in an interview with The Epoch Times Crossroads program, took aim at H.R. 1, or For the People Act of 2021, which passed the Democrat-controlled House on March 3 on a largely party-line vote of 220-210, with all Republicans and a lone DemocratRep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)voting against it. They call it the For the People Act, I actually call it the Destruction of Democracy Act or the Death of Democracy Act, Meckler said. They intend to take the power away from the statesthe fundamental power to decide how their elections are run. Democrats have framed the bill as a crucial step against voter suppression and other alleged problems. Our democracy is in a state of deep disrepair, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after reintroducing the bill in January. During the 2020 election, Americans had to overcome rampant voter suppression, gerrymandering and a torrent of special interest dark money just to exercise their right to vote. President Joe Biden has strongly advocated for the bill, praising its passage and in a statement saying the legislation is urgently needed to protect the right to vote, as well as to safeguard the integrity of our elections, and to repair and strengthen our democracy. Calling H.R. 1 dangerous, Meckler said it means to do away with voter ID laws, which he called one of the simplest protections we can and should have in states against voter fraud. Provisions that ostensibly seek to limit dark money in politics would force organizations like his to expose their donor lists, potentially chilling their activity. The intent is that the woke mob, the cancel culture, will go after any donors that support the convention of states, Meckler said, adding that it would have a negative impact on the work of churches and charities. So I think this is very dangerous, he added. An expert at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, told The Epoch Times in a recent interview that H.R. 1 would eviscerate ballot security measures and called the Democrats voter suppression argument a ridiculous claim. Theres no voter suppression going on. In fact, we have seen turnout in U.S. elections consistently go up in the last few elections that weve had, while the states have been doing things like putting in voter ID laws, said Hans von Spakovsky, senior fellow and manager of the election law reform initiative at the Heritage Foundation. Frankly, I really cant see any reason for these provisions, other than to make it easy to cheat and easy to manipulate election results, he added, echoing remarks by other critics who have called the measure a power grab. It takes all the problems we saw in last years election and now cements them into federal law, and actually makes things worse, von Spakovsky said. Touting his project as a bulwark against federal overreach in the administration of federal elections and beyond, Meckler explained that the U.S. Constitution allows for states to muster a so-called conventiona body that could assemble and act independently of Congress to adopt constitutional amendments. The second clause of Article 5 says that the stateswhen two thirds of them request itcan gather in convention and propose amendments, and it was specifically inserted there to give the states power to push back against federal tyranny, said Meckler, who identifies as a constitutional originalist who believes Americas foundational document should be interpreted as close as possible to the original text and intent of its authors, rather than modified in line with the prevailing social or political trends. The most important piece of this is that Congress is not involved, the presidents not involved, Meckler said of the convention, adding that the measure would allow states to bypass Washington and restore the Constitution. What were looking to do is not change the Constitution, but restore the Constitution, he said, arguing that, over the years, the courts have dramatically expanded the limited powers given to the federal government. Theyre now basically unlimited, unenumerated, and the power pyramid has been flipped on its headmost of the power now resides at the level of the federal government instead of the states, he said, adding that the convention of states that he is pushing for is just trying to right the ship and put the power back in the states instead of the federal government. He said that, by law, it takes 34 states to call the convention and 38 to ratify any proposed constitutional amendments. His Convention of States Action project would be restricted to considering amendments that would limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, place term limits on federal officials, and impose fiscal restraints. So far, 15 states have taken all the necessary legal steps to call the convention, which he said has been attempted over 400 times since the United States was founded, but never successfully. Today, there are 21 states in session considering this. I expect that we will pass somewhere between five and 10 states this year, taking us well past the halfway mark of the 34 needed for the movement to get off the ground. Meckler is also the interim CEO of social media platform Parler. He discussed Parlers relaunch and his vision for creating a new tech ecosystem of companies and services in an interview with The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the weekly question time debate at the House of Commons in London on March 10, 2021. (Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament/Handout via Reuters) UK Shifts Towards Pacific in Foreign Policy Reset The UK is shifting its geopolitical weight towards the Indo-Pacific to take on Chinas dominance, as part of the largest reset of foreign policy and defence since the Cold War. Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced the publication of the long-awaited Integrated Review of security, defence, development, and foreign policy. The blueprint emphasises traditional allies, such as the United States. But it also sets the nations sights on Asia. Britain will remain unswervingly committed to NATO and preserving peace and security in Europe, and from this secure basis, we will seek out friends and partners wherever they can be found, building a coalition for openness and innovation, and engaging more deeply in the Indo-Pacific, Johnson told the House of Commons. HMS Queen Elizabeth berthed on Loch Long, in Glenmallan, Scotland, on March 15, 2021. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Our approach will place diplomacy first and the UK has applied to become a dialogue partner of the Association of South East Asian Nations and we will seek to join the Trans-Pacific free trade agreement. The prime minister noted that the UKs new aircraft carrier will be heading to the pacific later this year on her maiden voyage, demonstrating the importance that we attach to freedom of the seas. The so-called special relationship with the United States endures. In all our endeavours, the United States will be our greatest ally and a uniquely close partner in defence, intelligence, and security, said Johnson. Russia is still named as the top acute security threat. But China is now seen as the primary threat to economic security and as a long term systemic competitor. The review says that the UK will invest in enhanced China-facing capabilities, and improve its response to the systemic challenge that it poses to our security, prosperity and valuesand those of our allies and partners. Johnson acknowledged that Chinas human rights abuses, such as those in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, needed addressing, praising fellow lawmakers for their actions on the matters. There is no question that China will pose a great challenge for an open society such as ours, he said. But we will also work with China where that is consistent with our values and interests, including building a stronger and positive economic relationship and in addressing climate change. Johnson says the policy reset showcases post-Brexit Britain as an international, outward-looking nation. I believe, the United Kingdom, can thrive in an ever more competitive world, and fulfill our historic mission as a force for the good. The government is also rowing back on a previous commitment to reduce nuclear warheads from 225 to 180 by the middle of the decade. Instead, it will increase the stockpile to 260 warheads in response to a rising nuclear and strategic threat. Some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals, says the review. They are investing in novel nuclear technologies and developing new warfighting nuclear systems which they are integrating into their military strategies and doctrines and into their political rhetoric to seek to coerce others. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. ALBANY, N.Y., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sulfamic acid is used popularly used as an acidic cleaning agents for several applications, notably in descaling of industrial equipment and domestic appliances. The cleaning characteristics of the acid is used in the cleaning of boilers, condensers, and heat exchangers, and removing biological, chemical, and physical contaminants that clog pipes. Chemical companies in the sulfamic acid market find demand in high grade, pure grade, and technical products. Widespread demand for these exists in two key manufacturing industries comprising paper & pulp industry and dyes and pigments. Thus, the proliferation of demand for paper and pigments in various end-use industries also propels the production of sulfamic acid, thereby boosting the global valuation of the sulfamic acid market. A key end-use vertical is the packaging industry. By the end of 2030, the sulfamic acid market is projected to reach worth of US$ 226 Mn. Growing use of sulfamic acid in well rehabilitation applications underpins a large part of the current revenue streams. Manufacturers are cautious about the fire safety hazards arising out of vigorous reaction of sulfamic acid with bases, and, hence are leaning on adopting best-in-class tools and technologies to avoid mishaps. They are also striving to reduce the chances of adulteration. Request for Covid-19 Impact Analysis on Sulfamic Acid Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/Covid19.php Key Findings of Sulfamic Acid Market Study Adoption of Technologically Advanced Equipment Advance Custom Manufacturing Goals Chemical companies are looking for adopting ISO 9001 and 14001 certified manufacturing techniques to meet the need for advanced chemistries. A case in point is the demand for such chemistries for on-site biological wastewater treatment applications. They are also spending increasingly on custom manufacturing units and in developing cutting-edge blending capabilities. Technical Grade Sulfamic Acid Attractive Category The growing demand for sulfamic acid in chlorine stabilization applications has fueled the production of the acid. Pure grade and technical grades are both gathering traction among chemical producers to attract demand in end-use industries. A growing numbers of players are keen on producing sulfamic acid in various grades and forms to meet the needs of a wide cross-section of overall applications in the sulfamic acid market. Thus, they are keen on making the manufacturing units flexible. The growing demand for sulfamic acid among businesses in regular monitoring and preventative well maintenance has also stimulated them to diversify their product portfolio. Countries that are at forefront of technical grade substance are China, Dubai, and India. Download PDF Brochure - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php Chemical Companies Target Dyes and Pigment Applications Rise in utilization of sulfamic acid for removal of excessive nitrides in different stages of manufacturing pigments and dyes is bolstering the revenue generation in the sulfamic acid market. Thus, the rise in uptake of paints and dyes in packaging, printing, construction, and consumer is naturally a precursor to the rapidly growing demand for sulfamic acid production. Sulfamic Acid Market: Key Drivers Rising application of dyes and pigments spurs the demand for sulfamic acid Strides being made in plastic industry bolstering the prospects Rapidly expanding valuation of the packaging industries around the world is boosting the sulfamic acid market. Adoption of new safety protocols in chemical manufacturing is favouring the market growth. View Detailed Table of Contents at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/37226 Sulfamic Acid Market: Regional Dynamics On the regional front, Asia Pacific accounted for a sizable share of sulfamic acid market in 2019, amounting to 40%. The growth has been fuelled by the widespread demand for the chemical in plastics, pharmaceutical, pigment, and paper packaging applications. China and India are brimming with opportunities, and are expected to be potentially lucrative markets over the forecast period. North America and Europe have also been highly lucrative regional markets over the past few years. Purchase Premium Research Report on Sulfamic Acid Market @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Chemicals and Materials Industry, Polyethylene Pipes & Fittings Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/polyethylene-pipes-fittings-market.html Polyethylene Wax Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/polyethylene-wax-market.html Explore More Upcoming Reports: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/upcoming.htm 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 analyze 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] Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/sulfamic-acid-market.htm Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com SOURCE Transparency Market Research The supply of surplus COVID-19 vaccines from the EU to Ukraine is currently suspended due to the disruption of a schedule of supplies to these countries. "Since last year, we have had negotiations and agreements with some EU countries that they will share the vaccine with Ukraine. Specific agreements have been reached. But the schedule of vaccine supply to these European countries was actually disrupted and, respectively, the timeline when these countries can share surplus vaccines with us has been delayed," Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said during a joint press conference with Foreign Minister of Slovenia Anze Logar, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. However, this is just one of the potential vaccine supply channels, Kuleba stressed. According to the minister, Ukraine focuses on contracts with immediate vaccine manufacturers. In turn, the Slovenian Foreign Minister stressed that the world saw a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines and a growing demand for them. According to him, it is necessary to build up capacities to produce a sufficient volume of vaccines. It is now very important to ensure a fair distribution of vaccines among all countries, Logar noted and recalled that the COVAX Facility was very helpful in this context. "And it is in this sense that we need to be very careful about the so-called 'vaccine diplomacy' which can destroy bilateral relations between the countries," the Foreign Minister of Slovenia added. As reported, Ukraine should receive 8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine within the framework of the global COVAX Facility. Delivery of the first batch of Pfizer vaccine in the amount of 117 thousand doses was expected in mid-February. ol Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A man has been charged with producing and distributing child abuse material online in New South Wales Macarthur Region. As part of ongoing inquiries, detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Sydneys west on May 7, 2020. During the search, officers seized mobile phones, a laptop and electronic storage devices. A forensic examination of the items including a review of more than 9,800 images and videos was subsequently conducted. Following extensive investigations, officers arrested a 34-year-old man at a home near Tahmoor about 9.30am on Tuesday. As part of ongoing inquiries, detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Sydneys west on May 7, 2020 The man was taken to Camden Police Station and charged with possess child abuse material, two counts of produce child abuse material and intentionally record intimate image without consent. Police will allege in court the man produced child abuse material and distributed images and videos through a social media application online. He was refused bail to appear at Moss Vale Local Court on Wednesday. Investigations are continuing. Two Southeast Texas educators are among the 20 TEPSAN of the year recipients for outstanding service to the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association. Nederland ISDs Central Middle School Principal Erica Gauthier, was selected to represent Region Five, and Lamar University Assistant Professor Kathryn Washington was selected to represent Region Six. Members from the 20 TEPSA regions across the state annually honor a colleague for their outstanding service to the association, according to a news release. Award recipients must be committed to advancing the principalship and the association, as well as serving as a voice for Texas students. Were in awe of these leaders! Theyre working harder than ever to serve their students and staff, yet they continue to support and advocate for educators in their region, TEPSA Executive Director Harley Eckhart said. Were honored to recognize their tremendous work and servant leadership. Nederland ISD Superintendent Stuart Kieschnick lauded Gauthier for her contributions to the district. Mrs. Gauthier has served as a voice for not only our students but students across the state with her service to the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, he said. We are fortunate to have her talents in Nederland ISD and expect big things from her in the future. At Lamar University, Washington said she was humbled to be chosen. I believe to be a leader in education you must have a servants heart, Washington said in a statement. I serve for the love and not the recognition. When you love what you do, it does not feel like work. Washington is an assistant professor of educational leadership at Lamar University and previously worked in K-12 administration for 17 years. Most of her time was spent on elementary and middle school campuses in small school districts. I relied on TEPSA for professional development, networking with other principals from across the state and even for legal advice, Washington said. It is an honor to serve this great organization and to help the next generation of leaders succeed. My love for TEPSA runs deep. Washington is the current TEPSA regional president and a member of the governance committee, according to Lamar University. She is also responsible for advocating and supporting TEPSA members in Region 6 which includes 66 school districts and charters in 15 counties. I even had the opportunity to advocate in Austin to the Texas legislatures; that was fun, Washington said. As regional president, Washington plans, organizes and presides over regional meetings in the fall and spring. This year, Washington held the meeting on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic but got great participation and feedback. The response was great, and some commented that it was the best Zoom meeting they have ever had, she said. At Lamar University, Washington teaches at the masters degree and doctorate levels. TEPSA has served PK-8 school leaders since 1917. According to NISD, the organization is member owned and member governed, and has more than 5,900 members who direct the activities of more than 3 million PK-8 schoolchildren. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com twitter.com/isaacdwindes When it opened in 1933, it was, in a real sense, a temple to a citys generosity. The massive Neoclassical structure was of the type one might expect to find in New Orleans more fashionable neighborhoods. It had been built, however, as a place for the citys indigent elderly to enjoy their twilight years in comfort and dignity. For decades, it did just that. Then August 2005 came, and the sprawling Touro-Shakespeare Home on General Meyer Avenue in Algiers was rendered uninhabitable by Hurricane Katrina. In the 16 years since, it has only become more so, festering neglected and abandoned. Now comes word that the historical 90-year-old building might be poised to dodge extinction. The original Touro almshouse was built with money left by philanthropist Judah Touro, who, in addition to funding a litany of other public projects in New Orleans, left $80,000 in his will to build and operate it. A year after his death in 1854, the city had acquired land on Chartres Street in the Bywater neighborhood on which to locate Touros building, and by 1862 amid the Civil War work was completed on what was a three-story, castlelike Gothic structure, designed by William Alfred Freret Jr. Crowned with four parapets and two four-story towers, it was built to last, constructed largely of stone but, ironically, it wouldnt last. Within just months of its completion, the Union Army occupied New Orleans, and Touros would-be almshouse became its headquarters. In September 1865, with federal troops still occupying the building, a fire broke out in a makeshift Army kitchen. It was destroyed. Determination to rebuild it remained, however. It took a few years, but by 1895, then-Mayor Joseph Shakespeare combined proceeds from a gambling tax with interest earned by Touros original bequest to help build its successor, also constructed in the Gothic style, but this time out in the country of Uptown, at 5701 Danneel St. In exchange for his efforts, Shakespeares name was added to Touros in the name of the new building. That iteration lasted for about 30 years. By 1937, with the population of Uptown growing, the Danneel Street building had been demolished, the property on which it stood was subdivided, and it was all sold off. Bricks and other materials from the building were used to repair various public buildings. (At least one identifiable piece of that property remains: The iron fence surrounding it was sold and now adorns the picturesque Orleans Club grounds at 5005 St. Charles Ave.) By then, the almshouse and its residents had moved to the Algiers property, which was completed in October 1933 but which after a protracted legal dispute with architect William R. Burk over his compensation wasnt occupied until October 1934. The total cost: an estimated $228,000, or about $4.5 million in 2021 money. Burks plans called for a Neoclassical building that would be, in his words, as quoted in a 1929 Daily Picayune article, as beautiful and dignified as a private residence, but which also bears the stamp of being a municipal building. The three-story building would feature four prominent columns at its main entrance, with diamond-patterned brickwork adorning its 194-foot facade. It would also be big enough to house 200 residents, with the men living in one wing and women in the other, and with each wing boasting its own enclosed courtyard. Between the two wings was a nondenominational chapel, featuring a 20-foot domed ceiling, and a kitchen. The facility also featured a number of common rooms as well as spacious, well-manicured grounds. That is, until Katrina. In the years immediately after the storm, the city mounted an effort to renovate and restore the home, but the project and the building was eventually abandoned. Then, earlier this month, news: On March 5, the city announced it would begin accepting bids from those interested in renovating and leasing the historic building, in the hopes of returning it to commerce. Theres one key stipulation, though: It must remain what would be considered a modern-day almshouse, in keeping with Judah Touros dying wishes. Stay tuned. Know of a New Orleans building worth profiling in this column, or just curious about one? Contact Mike Scott at moviegoermike@gmail.com. Sources: The Times-Picayune archives, the Preservation Resource Center, the city of New Orleans. SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. The sweeping view of undefiled wilderness on the border with Mexico long rewarded hikers who completed the Arizona Trail, an 800-mile route winding through deserts, canyons and forests. Then something else came into focus a few weeks ago at the forbidding site in the Huachuca Mountains: a lonely segment of border wall, connected to nothing at all, in an area where migrants rarely even try to cross into the United States. There it was, this unfinished piece of completely pointless wall, right in this magical place, said Julia Sheehan, 31, a nurse and former Air Force mechanic who trekked to the site with three other military veterans who are hiking the Arizona Trail. Its one of the most senseless things Ive ever seen. The quarter-mile fragment of wall is part of an array of new barrier segments along the border, some of them bizarre in appearance and of no apparent utility, that contractors rushed to build in the waning days of the Trump administration well after President Joe Biden made it clear that he would halt border wall construction. Now the incomplete border wall, already one of the costliest megaprojects in U.S. history, with an estimated eventual price tag of more than $15 billion, is igniting tensions again as critics urge Biden to tear down parts of the wall and Republican leaders call on him to finish it. The latest controversy over the wall comes amid a significant increase in migration across the border that is prompting U.S. authorities to search for extra places to hold new arrivals, especially unaccompanied children and teenagers. More than 9,400 young migrants arrived along the border without parents in February, a nearly threefold increase over last year at the same time, creating a serious humanitarian challenge. ADRIANA ZEHBRAUSKAS/NYT The Biden administration suspended construction on the border wall on Jan. 20, the presidents first day in office, announcing a 60-day period during which officials are determining how to proceed. Former President Donald Trump made the wall a symbol of his administrations efforts to slash immigration. While many stretches of the 1,954-mile border already had some low-level barriers built by previous administrations, the project was mired in controversy from the start. Only a few miles were built in South Texas, the area most prone to illegal crossings. Instead, much of the construction, especially in the Trump administrations closing days, has taken place in remote parts of Arizona where crossings in recent years have been relatively uncommon. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency responsible for selecting border wall construction sites, contended in a statement last week that locations chosen for new border barriers are areas of high illegal entry. Border barriers slow and stop illegal activity, said Matthew Dyman, a CBP spokesman. Alejandro Mayorkas, Bidens homeland security secretary, has been directed to decide whether to resume, modify, or terminate projects when the 60-day suspension ends this month. But the last-minute construction efforts, with much of the rushed building activity taking place in the days between the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by Trump loyalists and Bidens inauguration on Jan. 20, have left a curious tableau for the new administration to evaluate. Some stretches of the border, especially on federal lands that are relatively flat, now have long, continuous segments of 30-foot high steel barriers that could endure in the desert for decades to come. But in other areas, border-crossers can easily tiptoe around far-flung islands of wall, some of which look more like conceptual art pieces than imposing barriers to entry. There are half-dynamited mountaintops where work crews put down their tools in January, leaving a heightened risk of rapid erosion and even dangerous landslides as the summer monsoon season approaches. ADRIANA ZEHBRAUSKAS/NYT In some areas, colossal piles of unused steel bollards linger at deserted work sites, next to idled bulldozers and water-hauling trucks. In Arizona, ranchers are complaining that rough roads carved by work crews into hillsides near uncompleted segments of wall now serve as easy access points for smugglers and others seeking to enter the once-remote areas along the border. Now there are so many access roads that its possible for someone to walk right up to places where the wall ends, and have someone just pick them up, said Valer Clark, a conservationist who has bought and sought to preserve about 150,000 acres of land along the border in both the United States and Mexico. Clark said a ranch manager recently quit after a break-in at his familys home, the kind of crime that was rare in the area before the new roads appeared. Altogether, the Trump administration completed about 453 miles of border wall since 2017. Almost $4 billion for the wall was diverted from funding originally appropriated to the Defense Department. Most of the construction involved upgrading smaller existing barriers. In places where no barriers previously existed, such as the rugged terrain where the Arizona Trail winds to its terminus, the Trump administration built a total of 47 miles of new primary wall. Matthew Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association, wondered why the Kiewit Corp., the Nebraska construction giant with the lucrative wall contract for the area, rushed to build a small piece of wall in January in an area conservation activists were fighting to preserve when it was likely that construction would be halted anyway once Biden took office. He questioned if it was an attempt to pressure the new administration into proceeding with additional construction at the site. Nelson said the location of the trail in the Coronado National Memorial, a protected expanse managed by the National Park Service, was chosen because of its natural beauty and its location along a relatively safe section of the border where few migrants cross. Why rush to put a quarter-mile wall in the middle of nowhere in an area that has never been identified as a high-profile border crossing? Nelson asked. Kiewit officials did not respond to a request for comment regarding the piece of wall the company built in January at the end of the Arizona Trail. CBP declined to provide specific information about border crossings at the location. Rodney S. Scott, the chief of the Border Patrol, conceded in November that constructing in South Texas, rather than Arizona, was a higher priority for the U.S. Border Patrol. But he said we elected to go ahead and shift down to a lower priority because I could make a difference there and then. The area near the Arizona Trail was not the only place where there was a flurry of building activity in the closing days of the previous administration. Between Jan. 4 and Jan. 8 alone, Customs and Border Protection began construction on 12 additional miles of border wall, according to the agencys disclosures. In some places along the border, such as Guadalupe Canyon in southeast Arizona, dynamiting crews were blasting hillsides on Inauguration Day. Even before the latest construction, there had been anomalies, like an island of wall in the Texas border town of Los Indios, and some of them attracted the attention of federal overseers. A 34-month audit of border wall construction by the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of Inspector General last year identified significant problems, including in decisions on where wall segments would be built. Customs and Border Protection did not use a sound, well-documented methodology to identify and prioritize investments in areas along the border that would best benefit from physical barriers, the auditors determined. The Biden administration has not made clear precisely what plans it has for the wall. But in February, after temporarily suspending building activities, Biden rescinded the national emergency that his predecessor used to justify advancing construction. Democratic members of Congress from border states, including Veronica Escobar of Texas and Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico, wrote to Biden this month urging him to cancel all remaining construction contracts and divert remaining funds to removing portions of the wall in places with particularly destructive environmental damage and destruction of sacred sites. At the same time, Republicans are positioning themselves around the gaps in the border wall, sometimes literally, in an effort to portray Biden as soft on immigration. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., complained after a visit in February to the border in Arizona that a gap in the wall there was allowing migrants to illegally enter the country across an unprotected wash. Nothing around here makes sense unless you plug this hole, Graham said. Even with the halting of new construction, parts of the federal bureaucracy are slowly continuing forward with the land acquisition process, alarming some landowners who had hoped Biden would heed their fears about the prospect of living in the barriers shadows. Ricky Garza, a staff lawyer for the Texas Civil Rights Project, said the federal government still has nearly 150 open lawsuits against landowners in South Texas to survey and seize property and potentially begin construction on the border wall or other measures that could be used to detect migrants. Garza, who represents some landowners in the region, said Justice Department lawyers have responded to Bidens suspension of wall construction by asking the courts to delay legal cases for 60 days. But some landowners continue to face pressure from the federal government in court, he said. One of them is Melissa Cigarroa, who said the government is still seeking a right of entry to her ranch in Zapata County, Texas, where she has long raised Barbary sheep. Why would they proceed with these cases if he already indicated he wasnt going to build another foot and said he would withdraw? Cigarroa said. It felt like the government was working in bad faith. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. A medical worker takes a swab sample from a man to test for COVID-19 at an office building in Harbin, in northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province on Jan. 14, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) COVID-19 Case Reported in Northern China Hospital Despite Stringent Measures, Source Says Over 100 medical staff at a hospital in Harbin city were quarantined after a nurse tested positive for COVID-19, but local authorities attempted to conceal the situation, a trusted source told The Epoch Times. According to documents obtained by the publication, authorities require hospitals to follow strict guidelines in dealing with COVID-19 infections. But one expert says that the process is just a political formality. Last month, an anonymous source told the Chinese-language Epoch Times that an infected case was confirmed at Heilongjiang COVID-19 treatment center, which is located at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, on Jan. 30. The hospital is located in Nangang district of Harbin, the provincial capital of Chinas northeastern Heilongjiang Province. Around 130 medical staff were quarantined in a hotel for over 20 days after a routine COVID-19 test. The hospital administrators offered no explanation, the insider said. The provincial health authorities did not report any COVID-19 cases in Nangang district from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. But they secretly knew that a nurse, who is in her 30s and works at the treatment center, was infected, the insider said. Hospital Protocols Local hospitals require staff to fill out many compliance forms to ensure that COVID-19 prevention and control protocols are being followed. The publication obtained various documents from hospitals in Nangang district of Harbin, including information of healthcare workers, nucleic acid test results, and a checklist for COVID-19 prevention and control measures. There is also a document that local hospitals are required to sign, which holds them accountable for implementing the measures and protecting staff from COVID-19. Heilongjiang Hemei Maternity Hospital, which is also located in Nangang, signed the form on Jan. 18, according to records provided to The Epoch Times from a trusted source. The mandatory document signed by Heilongjiang Hemei Maternity Hospital on Jan. 18. It holds the hospital accountable for nosocomial viral transmission. (Provided to The Epoch Times) According to the document, the medical institution would take legal responsibilities if any hospital-acquired infection [COVID-19] occurs or an infectious disease spreads from the hospital. However, the administrators of Heilongjiang COVID-19 treatment center and the local authorities were not held accountable for the infection case at the institution, the anonymous source revealed. The insider said the management of the treatment center is chaotic. The COVID-19 treatment center was established in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University on Jan. 20. Medical workers from various hospitals in Harbin were sent to the center, but they did not receive proper training, the insider said. Hospital patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were not isolated from those who tested negative or did not have symptoms. Patients and doctors have complained several times, but the administrators ignored them, the insider added. Political Formality U.S.-based China affairs commentator Li Linyi said the authorities began to issue instructions related to epidemic precautionary measures last year when hospitals in northern China experienced cluster outbreaks. To stem the virus outbreak in Nangang district, the Chinese Communist Party applied the same approach adopted in previous political movementseveryone has to pass the test, Li said. The phrase implies that every medical worker has to register their personal information, record nucleic acid test results, and complete all the necessary paperwork. But repeated outbreaks in hospitals suggest that local authorities and hospital staff are performing their duties as a political formality, Li added. They place more emphasis on filling out paperwork instead of taking real action in preventing and containing the spread of the disease. Then, the strict measures fail and local authorities continue to cover up the severity of the situation. A year ago, when the second wave of virus infections hit Harbin, an 87-year-old man who tested positive for COVID-19, surnamed Chen, infected dozens of medical staff at a local hospital. In January, an analysis published on the Chinese media platform Tencent news explained why the outbreak recurredit pointed out that there are more politicians than health experts who run the COVID-19 prevention and control groups in medical institutions. In addition, authorities can make rash decisions without consulting the medical experts. For instance, Dongning city of Heilongjiang entered wartime mode after a case of COVID-19 was reported and all the residents were required to take nuclei acid testing. Commentator Li said the medical workers are fed up with the politics behind implementing pandemic control measures. Black & Veatch: Hydrogen Economy Taking Shape as Decarbonization Planning, Investments Accelerate With expectations rising for more than $10 trillion (USD) of investments in hydrogen infrastructure by 2025, clean-burning, energy-dense hydrogen will be a critical element in decarbonizing the world's energy systems, supply chains and heavy industries, finds Hydrogen 2021: The Path to Net Zero Becomes Clearer, a new eBook from energy transition leader Black & Veatch (News - Alert) . Based on the expertise and insights of Black & Veatch's market, technology and infrastructure experts, the eBook explores the need to develop hydrogen infrastructure to help accelerate global carbon emissions reductions in the current decade. Although this effort will have its challenges, lessons from the renewable energy market provide a roadmap for rapid adoption. "While renewable energy, including battery energy storage, are playing a vital role in achieving the world's decarbonization targets, the need for a balanced generation portfolio continues," said Jason Rowell, associate vice president and global technology portfolio manager with Black & Veatch's global power business. "Hydrogen will play a pivotal role in tomorrow's energy systems and we need serious investment in hydrogen today to achieve a shared vision for a more sustainable planet." Hydrogen 2021: The Path to Net Zero Becomes Clearer explores how planning, policies and investment in hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel are gathering momentum and where progress is already underway. Key applications identified in the report include uses across power generation, transportation, residential and industrial heating, green chemicals and energy storage, which offers another alternative to battery energy storage. Plus, hydrogen's ability to be stored and transported as ammonia will also help spur wide-scale adoption, particularly given the extensive existing global infrastructure. More than 35 gigawatts of new hydrogen-capable power generation projects have been announced through 2030, including the Long Ridge Energy Terminal, a 485-MW combined-cycle natural gas project in Ohio and the Intermountain Power Project Renewal Project, an 840-MW combined-cycle gas facility in Utah. The eBook also references the 60-percent projected fall in cost of low-carbon and/or renewable hydrogen production by 2030 as outlined by the Hydrogen Council, which Black & Veatch recently joined. Industry estimates peg hydrogen is will replace upwards of 25 percent of oil demand by 2050 also. Other opportunities for investment today include the integration of ammonia-ready storage and transportation infrastructure with global liquified natural gas infrastructure, and the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles for heavy transport and commercial use. At the same time, investments in transmission and distribution systems and technologies also play a pivotal role in what has become an increasingly important integrated power infrastructure model. Editor's Notes: Download your free copy of Hydrogen 2021: The Path to Net Zero Becomes Clearer today. today. Black & Veatch is a member of the Hydrogen Council, "a global initiative of leading energy, transport and industry companies with a united vision and long-term ambition for hydrogen to foster the energy transition," a member of the Center for Hydrogen Safety, the Fuel Cell Hydrogen & Energy Association, California Hydrogen Business Council and the Ammonia Energy Association. Since October 2020, the EU, China, Korea, Japan and Singapore are among a growing number of major governments that have announced or tightened net-zero emissions targets. Learn more about Black & Veatch's role in the hydrogen revolution. About Black & Veatch Black & Veatch is an employee-owned engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries by addressing the resilience and reliability of our world's most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2019 were US$3.7 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005643/en/ [March 16, 2021] Quest Brings Galvanize GRC Technology to State and Local Government Agencies ROSEVILLE, Calif., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galvanize, the global leader in SaaS governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) software, today announced its Fulfillment Partner Agreement with Quest, the leading global technology management firm, for the purpose of using its NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement led by the State of Utah. Galvanize can now utilize Quests NASPO ValuePoint Cloud Solutions contract to sell its cloud-based risk management solutions to government agencies and political subdivisions across the United States and its territories. The NASPO ValuePoint contract eliminates the need for the participating states to solicit bids or develop RFPs, which typically slow down implementations and impact budgets. With no additional negotiations required, Galvanize can simplify its procurement process allowing governments to deploy GRC technology solutions faster with state, local and education (SLED) customers. The 14 Participating Addendums currently included in the contract are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and Washington. Additional Participating Addendums are in progress. As SLED agencies see a growing urgency for GRC programs, they dont want to deal with a long-winded RFP process for buying digital solutions like Galvanize, said Dan Zitting, chief product and strategy officer at Galvanize. By partnering with Quest, we can expand our work with government agencies in new states and streamline the process at the same time. Through our partnership, Galvanize can now proactively pursue SLED business and accelerate the purchasing cycle through the NASPO ValuePoint contract, said Adam Burke, vice president of sales at Quest. Galvanize can deploy its technology faster to address the challenges SLED customers face in todays evolving risk landscape. To learn more about Galvanizes SLED programs, please visit the state and local government area on our website. 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. About Quest Quest is a leading global technology management firm. For over 30 years, weve worked seamlessly with our clients to achieve their technology and business goals. Quest delivers IT managed, cloud, consulting, staffing, and support services for cybersecurity, disaster recovery, incident response, virtualization, networking, application development, datacenter and physical infrastructure including access control, wireless design, video conferencing, and cabling/fiber optic. Our unique and flexible service level agreement, QuestFlex, allows companies to customize managed technologies via on-premise, off-site, or in the cloud with one of our US-based or international service delivery centers. Quest and copyrights by Quest are registered trademarks of Quest Media & Supplies, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information, visit: www.questsys.com. About NASPO and NASPO ValuePoint The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing public procurement through leadership, excellence, and integrity. It is made up of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States. NASPO is an organization that helps its members as public procurement leaders by promoting best practices, education, professional development, research, and innovative procurement strategies. Learn more at www.naspo.org. NASPO ValuePoint is the cooperative purchasing division of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO), facilitating cooperative public procurement solicitations using a Lead State model. NASPO ValuePoint delivers high value, reliable, and competitively sourced cooperative contractsoffering public entities outstanding prices, favorable terms and conditions, and value-added services. Learn more at www.naspovaluepoint.org. NASPO, NASPO ValuePoint, and Lead State Model are trademarks of the National Association of State Procurement Officials. Contact information: galvanize@highwirepr.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Shen Yueyue (3rd, L), President of the All-China Women's Federation, meets women role model poverty fighters on February 26. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun] On February 26, Shen Yueyue, President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), met Bai Jingying, Xiang Zhonghong and Chen Wanghui, three women role models who had been honored the day before at a grand gathering held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the nation's poverty alleviation accomplishments and honor model poverty fighters. Shen said that the huge achievement of China's anti-poverty fight is a proof of the great strength of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese people, and has inspired the Chinese people to continue endeavoring for the realization of their dreams. Shen spoke highly of the women role models. She also noted that women have witnessed, contributed to and benefited from the country's poverty relief drive. They have made strenuous efforts in achieving decisive success in eradicating extreme poverty and have played a major role in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. "I am proud of my participation in the anti-poverty fight. I will continue guiding women to develop the embroidery industry and contribute to the rural revitalization of pasture areas," Bai Jingying, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Horqin Right Wing Middle Banner, in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and head of a Mongolian-embroidery promotion team, said excitedly. "I was very excited to receive the medal from General Secretary Xi Jinping and listen to the important speech delivered by him at the grand gathering," said Xiang Zhonghong, secretary of the Party committee of Xiadang Township, Shouning County, Southeast China's Fujian Province. "I will carry forward the spirit of the struggle to consolidate the accomplishments of poverty reduction and make more contributions towards promoting rural revitalization." Chen Wanghui, a woman entrepreneur in a poverty-stricken village in Xiaojin County, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, said that she will continue to guide women villagers to develop the local rose planting industry and to live happy lives. Representatives of women role models called on women around the country to promote economic development, to practice good family traditions, social etiquette and civility in rural areas, and to contribute to achieving the Second Centenary Goal of fully building a modern socialist country. Shen said she hopes that the women role models will take the lead in studying and implementing the spirit of the important speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping, carry forward the great spirit of poverty alleviation, contribute to consolidating poverty alleviation achievements and promoting rural vitalization, and encourage more women to make achievements in the new era and strive for a better life. Shen also urged women's federations at all levels to make contributions to the 14th Five-Year Plan period and welcome the Party's centenary with outstanding achievements. Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, members of the Leading Party Members' Group and members of the Secretariat of the ACWF, as well as part-time vice-presidents of the ACWF, also attended the meeting. (Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China) FOUR MEN who gang-raped a woman in front of her husband as the couple climbed a mountain have been executed, according to reports. The perpetrators are believed to have bound the man's hands and feet together before inflicting a vile attack upon his wife in front of him. The couple are believed to be keen mountain climbers who were ambushed in the Khorasan Razavi province in north-eastern Iran, according to Iran International TV. The four vile rapists named by the prosecutors office, Ruhollah Javidi Rad, Mohammad Sayadi Baghansgani, Mohammad Hosseini and Mohammad Watandoost, were arrested following a thorough investigation. The gruesome gang were charged with the kidnapping and rape of a woman and with threats of violence towards a man after they were identified by the city of Farimans police force. Read Full Story .... thesun.co.uk >>> : Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Virginia Hill, whose short life took her from a Lipscomb, Alabama horse farm to Chicago, Las Vegas, and Beverly Hills, was called to testify before the U.S. Senate in March 1951 about the organized crime figures she met along through the years. The testimony of the 34-year-old, in whose home her gangster boyfriend Bugsy Siegel was gunned down in 1947, was seen by 20 million Americans on national television. More vintage images and stories of Alabamas past On March 15, 1951, as Hill testified in a $5,000 mink stole before Tennessee Sen. Estes Kefauver, chairman of the committee investigating organized crime, her lifelong dream of fame finally came true. Though she guarded the secrets of the gangsters she befriended and bedded over 17 years, Virginias testimony sent the federal government after her like a bloodhound. In a matter of minutes, she turned her into a celebrity, pariah, legend, and a fugitive. Hill testified she made $30,000 a year, just by betting on horses. Today, thats more than $300,000 a year. I dont bet anything now, Hill said. I am afraid I will win, and then they will say I made more money than I did. As with everything in Virginias life, the hearing got off to a rocky start, hit a peak and ended in disaster. Hills responses to committee questions drew laughter and applause. She complained of the flash photography as the hearing began. Make them quit doing that, Hill barked at the senators. Ill throw something at them. The senators quickly urged the press to knock it off, even though they told Hill other witnesses were subjected to the same treatment. Most of them never went through with those bums what I did, Hill said of the reporters. Asked how the men who showered her with jewels and cash made their money, Hill said she didnt know anything about anybody. Hill told of leaving home at 17, the powerful men she met, including Siegel, who named his casino Flamingo in her honor, and how he had said she was not a lady when she beat up a woman she thought had her eye on him. See also: The life and times of Alabama mob queen Virginia Hill Long after her testimony ended, Hill was subjected to sexist columns describing her figure, outfit and their effects on the senators and the senators supposedly jealous wives. Retail sales dropped during the hearings, even as Easter neared, while people followed the spectacle at home or in bars. Hill left the hearing not knowing she had just painted a target on her back. Relentlessly trailed by reporters, Hill refused to answer the questions of male journalists. One of them pointed to writer Marjorie Farnsworth of the New York Journal-American and asked, Will you talk to this nice gal? Virginia turned her gaze to Farnsworth. Youre just a dirty little bum. She then punched Farnsworth in the jaw. As she made her way to a cab, Hill cursed at reporters. I hope the atom bomb falls on every one of you! Virginia Hill Hauser, wearing a picture hat and a silver blue mink cape, talks as members of the Kefauver Senate Crime Investigating Committee listen to her testimony during interstate crime probe hearings at Federal Courthouse, New York City, March 15, 1951. In foreground (back to camera, left to right): Rudolph Halley, chief counsel for the committee; Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn), Committee Chairman; and Sen. Charles W. Tobey (R-N.H.). Questioned as to her finances and source of income, the one-time girl friend of the late Bugsy Siegel said ithe only money I ever made I reported on my taxes.i (AP Photo)AP While pushing through the crowd, she hid her face and snarled at cameras, kicked at a photographer, and reared her hand back to strike another. Moments later, Virginia adjusted her large black velvet hat, smiled, and posed for those same photographers. If a life can be encapsulated within a single day, that 1951 appearance in Washington was pitch perfect Virginia Hill -- glamorous, brutal, cunning, and charming. She captivated America. The life of Virginia Hill sounds glamorous to the uninitiated, journalist Walter Winchell wrote after her testimony. For every girl like Virginia Hill who hit the highlights of the Shadow Circuit, there are 10,000 pitifully dependent upon the whim of a criminals twisted mind for their next meal. She appeared to have the entire committee mesmerized, as a bird stares hopefully at a snake. You even believed that Virginia Hill exists, which, of course, cannot possibly be true. She is a mirage, thought up by a drunken magician, Scripps-Howard columnist Robert C. Ruark wrote, adding that Hills testimony had created a new art form. Virginia Hill seems to have been an Alice in a wonderland of illegality. Any secrets she holds are safe, because this is a girl who dont know nothin about nobody and is little loath to say so, Ruark wrote. Senator Kefauver noted with some alarm that some segments of the populace showed a tendency to sympathize with the witnesses, no matter how shady their past, wrote columnist John Crosby, then one of the nations leading TV critics. The one person who seems to have won universal acclaim after a stint before the cameras was Virginia Hill, which suggests this isnt so Puritan a country after all. Where did she get all the money she spent? From the men she went out with.We used to have a name for that and those who pursued such a vocation were not encouraged to mingle with other folks.It was an astounding performance of vulgar impudence, columnist George Sokolsky wrote. After testifying, the IRS and FBI were quickly on Virginias trail and she was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of tax evasion. She had fled to Austria by the time the government auctioned her property to pay back taxes. Hill had given birth four months before the Senate testimony to a son with her fourth and final husband, Austrian skier Hans Hauser. She spent her final years in Austria even after separating from Hauser. Hill once offered the IRS $100,000 just to return to the U.S., her sister, B.H. Ward of Huntsville, later said. They said it wasnt enough. Virginia just wanted to come back and see our mother before she died. She kept my mother up like a queen with diamonds and clothes. Hills teenage son supported her by working as a waiter and they lived in an Alpine hut where she wrote her memoirs, when not walking the mountains in high heels. She never finished the book. Almost exactly 15 years after testifying, Hill left home on March 22, 1965, some say to meet her old lover, Genovese crime boss Joe Adonis. Hill was found two days later in the snow, alongside a tree-shaded brook just outside Salzburg. A note found with her indicated she was tired of life. Hill, 49, was dead after what was said to be her eighth suicide attempt. After her death, Hills life story was depicted in a 1974 TV movie starring Dyan Cannon and in the 1991 movie Bugsy, where Hill was portrayed by Annette Bening and Siegel by Warren Beatty. The two Hollywood legends began a relationship soon after the movie was filmed and married a few months after it was released. A well-known Irish priest has said the Vaticans decree the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions is rather harsh. It was announced by the Vatican yesterday that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions because God cannot bless sin. The Vaticans orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. The answer, contained in a two-page explanation published in seven languages and approved by Pope Francis, was negative. The decree distinguished between the churchs welcoming and blessing of gay people, which it upheld, but not their unions since any such sacramental recognition could be confused with marriage. Fr Brian DArcy said the statement is out of step with the way the religion had been going. He said: Hearing the news as it came out yesterday was very disappointing. And I thought rather harsh and out of kilter with the way the Church is going at the moment. It was really a hark back to former times. However, the CDF, they see it as their role to defend doctrine and dogma to the hilt. And while that is understandable, there is a greater awareness within the Church that that is not the Churchs only mission. The Vatican decision immediately disheartened advocates for LGBT Catholics and threw a spanner in the debate within the German church, which has been at the forefront of opening discussion on issues such as the churchs teaching on homosexuality. Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater acceptance of gays in the church, predicted the Vatican position will be ignored, including by some Catholic clergy. He said: Catholic people recognise the holiness of the love between committed same-sex couples and recognise this love as divinely inspired and divinely supported and thus meets the standard to be blessed. The Vatican holds that homosexual people must be treated with dignity and respect, but that gay sex is intrinsically disordered. Catholic teaching holds that marriage between a man and woman is part of Gods plan and is intended for the sake of creating new life. Since gay unions are not intended to be part of that plan, they cannot be blessed by the church, the document said. Credit Suisse warned it may have to book a charge over its dealings with Greensill, as scrutiny grows over its relationship with the Anglo-Australian finance firm that collapsed into insolvency. The Swiss bank has had to close around $US10 billion ($12.9 billion) of supply-chain finance funds that bought notes issued by Greensill, and which it marketed to clients. It is also trying to recoup a $US140 million loan it made to the company last year. Credit Suisses share price has fallen more than 10 per cent since it announced its supply-chain funds were suspended on March 1. It has warned warned it may have to book a charge over its dealings with Greensill. Credit:Bloomberg While these issues are still at an early stage, we would note that it is possible that Credit Suisse will incur a charge in respect of these matters, it said. Greensill filed for insolvency last week after losing insurance coverage for its debt repackaging business. The son of deceased former Prime Minister of Georgia Zurab Zhvania, Busa Zhvania, has been sentenced to three years in prison for aggravated assault of the grandson of businessman and former MP Gogi Topadze, Levan Topadze last year. Zhvania will spend one year and six months in prison, while the remaining term will be conditional. Busa Zhvania stabbed Topadze in his own home on August 2,2020. Zhvania also suffered from a light wound. Topadze, with four wounds, was operated on. The motive has not been identified by officials so far. However, Gogi Topadze mentioned it could have happened because of a woman, Agenda.ge reported. Georgian media outlets report that the confrontation between Topadze and Zhvania started because of a girl, at a festival in Mtatsminda district of central Tbilisi where Topadze appeared with Zhvanias ex-girlfriend. Initially Zhvania was charged with attempted murder. However, later the charge has been changed. Seventy-nine Kyrgyz children were returned to their homeland from Iraq where they lived in a dire humanitarian situation, the Kyrgyz foreign ministry press office told Sputnik BISHKEK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Seventy-nine Kyrgyz children were returned to their homeland from Iraq where they lived in a dire humanitarian situation, the Kyrgyz foreign ministry press office told Sputnik. "Seventy-nine children, the citizens of Kyrgyzstan, were returned from the Republic of Iraq to the homeland within a humanitarian mission," the press office representative said. According to them, children "who are in a situation that is quite dangerous for life and health and who have a right to state protection" were evacuated with the consent of their mothers who stayed in Iraq and the desire of relatives in Kyrgyzstan to accept them. The official added that the Kyrgyz government will provide the children with full assistance, and will take action to ensure their early rehabilitation, reintegration and return to a safe and peaceful life. Around 500 people, including women and children, have left Kyrgyzstan for the Syria conflict zone. Some of them ended up in Iraqi refugee camps. Anti-China sentiments surged in Myanmar after Beijing was seen supporting the Military coup. protestors chanted anti-China slogans, Dozens of factories in China were set ablaze and many pro-democracy protestors lost their lives. Anti-China sentiments have taken a rise in Myanmar and the new tone of hatred against China can be witnessed in Myanmar Protests where a large number of people are protesting against the military coup in which State counselor Aung San Sui Kyi was killed by the Tatmadaw. In February, Beijing was seen being supportive of the Military Coup after which the protestors took to streets in large numbers and raised anti-China slogans. those protesting against the military coup have been seen rallying outside the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, asking people for the complete boycott of Chinese products and businesses in the country to send a message to Beijing. Not only has China been seen supporting the coup but has also helped in supplying weapons and censoring the internet to put down those protesting against the coup. Chinese officers in Myanmar have claimed that Beijing was not aware of the coup before it happened. ignoring these defensive arguments, Protestors raised questions on Chinas decision to block the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) from issuing a statement condemning the Tatmadaw. Also Read: Delhi gears for e-charging stations: Transport minister urges corporates to adopt EVs Around 32 factories in the Hlaingthaya zone which includes Chinese investments have been damaged in attacks. as per the reports, two Chinese citizens were wounded and a loss of 240 million Yuan ( $37.8 million) incurred in property damage. at least 16 deaths were reported in other parts of the country and one factory with Chinese investment was set on fire after Martial law was imposed in the Hlaingthaya region and several other districts of Yangon. Also Read: If Taliban takes over, US wants mess to be handled by countries like India: Ram Madhav Advertisement The 'Amityville house of horrors' is back in the headlines following the death of convicted killer Ronald DeFeo. The five-bedroom property - located 40 miles from New York City - was where DeFeo murdered six members of his family back in 1974. The cold-blooded killings shocked the nation, but the home gained even more notoriety three years later when its new owners were forced to flee, claiming they were terrorized by paranormal phenomena while living there. The events inspired a slew of books and films that have made the home one of the most infamous in the United States. But today, the picturesque property shows no sign of the horrors that occurred there. The Dutch Colonial home, which is positioned on the waterfront in the affluent coastal village of Amityville, was built back in 1927. Set across three levels, the 5,000-square-foot residence has been tastefully updated and was last sold in 2017 for the sum of $605,000. The 'Amityville house of horrors' is back in the headlines following the death of convicted killer Ronald DeFeo last week Set across three levels, the 5,000-square-foot residence has been tastefully updated and was last sold in 2017 for the sum of $605,000 The property's formal dining area is pictured in a 2017 listing photo. The bright and airy home shows now indication of the horrors that occurred there more than four decades ago Ronald DeFeo's cold-blooded killings shocked the nation, and inspired a slew of books and films that have made the home one of the most infamous in the United States DeFeo, who was 23 years old when he slaughtered six of his own family members, died in prison on Friday. He is pictured in 1974 The affluent waterfront community of Amityville is located 40 miles from New York City on Long Island Photographs from the time of the sale show that the home features a comfortable and cozy lounge room complete with a grand fireplace. The home's kitchen has been remodeled, as has its formal dining room. Meanwhile, a sun room features sweeping views out to the nearby waterfront. Upstairs, there are five spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a deck which looks out over the tranquil surrounds. The property additionally boasts a boat shed and a swimming pool, making it a bargain for the family who snapped it up for just over $600,000 four years ago. They managed to secure the property for well below the $850,000 asking price. The Dutch Colonial home, which is positioned on the waterfront, was built back in 1927 The five-bedroom property - located 40 miles from New York City - was where DeFeo murdered six members of his family back in 1974. Today, the picturesque property shows no sign of the horrors that occurred there The home's kitchen has been remodeled, and features stylish stainless steel appliances A sun room boasts sweeping views out to the nearby waterfront The home's entryway - which comes complete with a grand sweeping staircase - is pictured Upstairs, there are five spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms. Each of the rooms has been freshly painted and the floorboards have been polished A large bedroom on the floor's third level is pictured. The home was redecorated prior to its sale in 2017 A deck features views out over the water. The home is located just an hour's drive from New York City, in the waterfront village of Amityville The property additional boasts a boat shed and a swimming pool, making it a bargain for the family who snapped it up for just over $600,000 four years ago In November 1974, Ronald DeFeo used a .35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle to slaughter six members of his family, who were found lying face-down in their beds on November 13, 1974. Father Ronald DeFeo Sr., 43, and mother Louise DeFeo, 43, were both shot twice. Siblings Dawn, 18, Allison, 13, Marc, 12, and John, 9, were each shot once. DeFeo's attorney mounted an insanity defense, claiming he heard voices saying his family was plotting against him. He was convicted in 1975 of six counts of second-degree murder and received six sentences of 25 years to life. A year after the killings, George and Kathy Lutz purchased the house, but left 28 days later after reporting paranormal activity. The events reported by the couple after they moved in served as the inspiration for the 1977 book and 1979 cult classic film of the same name starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder and Rod Steiger. George Lutz told ABC News in 2006 that some of the reported events such as the green slime were embellished, while insisting the book and movie were based on events that truly happened during the family's 28-day stay. DeFeo, at right, with his siblings in an undated family photo. The then-23-year-old shot his two brothers and two sisters dead Ronald DeFeo, Jr., is led from the Suffolk County Police Headquarter on Nov. 14, 1974 in Hauppauge, New York after being booked for six counts of homicide in the shooting of his family the day before A movie poster of the 1979 cult classic film starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder and Rod Steiger An ad for the classic 1979 film The Amytville Horror, which became a cult hit The family still moved in, but within days they noticed strange occurrences including 'odors in the house that came and went,' Lutz told ABC in 2006. 'There were sounds. The front door would slam shut in the middle of the night,' Lutz said. 'I couldn't get warm in the house for many days.' The family kept the fireplace burning constantly in a futile attempt to stay warm, while also finding gelatinous drops on the carpet when they woke in the morning, he said. Lutz claimed he woke at 3.15am almost every day, which was about the same time the DeFeo murders are believed to have happened. The 1979 film spawned several spinoff versions, including a 2005 remake of the original that starred Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George and Philip Baker Hall. Other movies based loosely on the crimes and the paranormal claims include Amityville: The Final Chapter; Amityville: The Evil Escapes; The Amityville Curse; Amityville: The Horror Returns; Amityville: The Nightmare Continues; and High Hopes: The Amityville Murders. DeFeo died Friday at the age of 69 while serving a sentence at Sullivan Correctional facility in Fallsburg, New York, officials said. The Albany County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to perform an autopsy to determine an official cause of death. The 1979 film spawned several spinoff versions, including a 2005 remake of the original that starred Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George and Philip Baker Hall. Reynolds is pictured in that film By Sharon Davis Gratto Despite international travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, two University of Dayton music education graduates have found new international school teaching positions abroad. Robyn Kammer 12 began teaching elementary music in fall 2020 at her fourth overseas school, the American International School of Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Connor McMonagle 15 was hired to begin his first full-time overseas post in 2020 at the Modern English School of Cairo in Egypt. Both began their overseas teaching experiences with internships Kammer at the American School of Bombay in Mumbai, India, and McMonagle at the International School of Manila in the Philippines. Family members and friends encouraged McMonagle to explore overseas teaching opportunities because of his love for travel. During his senior year, he attended a weekend international school job fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that led to his year-long internship in the Philippines. He enjoyed spending free time in the tropical parts of the islands, where he once went swimming with whale sharks. After his internship, McMonagle returned to Columbus, Ohio, to teach music to elementary and middle school children at Saint Joseph Montessori School. While there, he led the modernization of the schools music education and performance programs before starting his search for another international teaching opportunity. In February 2020 he attended an employment fair in New York City, where he obtained a position at a school in New Cairo, Egypt, teaching music in grades 1 through 6. Despite the challenges of COVID, McMonagle relocated to Egypt in August. He traveled with all he was permitted to bring: three guitars, two suitcases and a duffle bag. He purchased additional clothing after he arrived in the country. His cell phone, apartment, internet service and other essentials were taken care of before he arrived. Each morning he takes the school bus for the 20-minute ride to school, where in-person teaching has resumed. Even though COVID-19 caused 2020 to occur as a weird year, the Modern English School of Cairo has facilitated its faculty to get in the classroom, McMonagle said. I am still able to connect with my students in-person to ignite a passion for music and fun. Kammer wanted to teach music to foster a love and enjoyment in others. On the recommendation from a faculty mentor, she pursued a teaching internship at the American School of Bombay in Mumbai, India. She taught beginning band and interned in the other music classes for grades 3 through 12. That position led her to explore additional international teaching opportunities. Kammers next stop was at the Cayman International School in the Cayman Islands. In Cayman, she met her future husband, Nathan, who was a classroom teacher. The couple remained on the islands for three years before moving to Quito, Ecuador, for positions at the Academia Cotopaxi American International School. They remained in Ecuador for three years before beginning a search for joint positions in another part of the world. In October 2019, they interviewed and were both offered jobs at the American International School of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Making the transition to Saudi Arabia during the global pandemic presented several challenges. Kammer and her husband were required to be in the United States to move through the visa process. At the time, Saudi Arabias borders were closed. During the fall of their first academic year, they lived with Nathans parents in Texas and taught classes remotely from midnight to 8 a.m. Texas time. The school in Riyadh assisted with the visa process and their move was permitted once the borders reopened. Upon arrival at their new home, which had been set up with food and internet service, they were required to remain there in quarantine and teach classes remotely. A phone app served as a monitor to guarantee they would not leave their home. A final negative COVID-19 test ended their quarantine. Kammer describes her life in Riyadh as similar to being in an American suburban community. The couple has adopted a Golden Retriever and have taken some exciting day trips around the beautiful countryside. Teaching at the American School of Bombay definitely opened my eyes to international education because I had no idea that was a possibility, Kammer said. I have chosen to stay international because many of the schools value their arts programs, and the connections I have built with colleagues and students are inspiring. Teaching internationally has many benefits, including free housing or a housing allowance; health benefits and other standard insurance; small classes and good teaching facilities; roundtrip U.S. travel expenses at the start and conclusion of an assignment; and travel opportunities in each host country. International schools typically look for faculty with U.S. teacher certification, overseas travel or living experience, and two or three years of full-time stateside teaching. International school internships can provide less-experienced applicants with advantages for seeking permanent positions. For more information, visit the UD Department of Music website. Shown above: Robyn Kammer '12, with her husband Nathan in Saudi Arabia. Below: images from Kammer and Connor McMonagle highlighting their international teaching experiences. Sharon Davis Gratto is professor of music and the Graul Endowed Chair in Arts and Languages. She taught music for nine years in Department of Defense and international schools in Germany, Spain and Nigeria. BETHESDA, Md., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwest Biotherapeutics (OTCQB: NWBO) ("NW Bio"), a biotechnology company developing DCVax personalized immune therapies for solid tumor cancers, today announced that development of the initial production capacity of the Company's Sawston, UK advanced manufacturing facility has been completed and the facility is now in the final stages of preparation for an application for certification by the UK Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority ("MHRA"). To date, the Company's production of dendritic cell vaccine products in the UK has been taking place in a GMP (clean room) facility in London, with a capacity of about 4 - 6 patients per month. The Sawston facility contains a total of 88,345 square feet on two floors. The initial production capacity comprises two manufacturing suites, occupying approximately 4,400 square feet on the ground floor. These two suites, together with some additional support and storage space, have a potential production capacity of dendritic cell vaccines for about 40 to 45 patients per month, or approximately 450 to 500 patients annually, subject to regulatory approval. An intensive recruitment program has been underway for well over a year, and has successfully hired and trained the necessary 30 senior technical managers, scientists and staff technicians and operators for manufacturing, quality control and other operations of the first two production suites. The recruitment process for experienced personnel with these types of expertise is highly competitive because the cell therapy and immunotherapy fields are growing rapidly and the pool of experienced specialists is very limited. With the initial team of 30 specialists on board and trained, the recruitment and training are now continuing to expand the team. When the Sawston facility is fully built out and in full operation, it is estimated that it will employ in excess of 300 highly skilled personnel, including many who may be trained through apprenticeships in the Sawston facility. Since the initial dendritic cell vaccine production capacity will occupy only a small fraction of the total space in the Sawston facility, it is anticipated that additional capacity for third party production of other cell therapy products may be developed in some of the other space. GMP facilities are capital intensive both to develop and to operate. Third party production of other products will help support the Sawston facility costs and, in light of the growing demand for cell therapy manufacturing capacity, could substantially increase the asset value of the Sawston facility. The capacity for production of other products will also be an important resource for the region. Development of the Sawston facility has been under way for more than two years, and has progressed on parallel tracks in multiple areas, including physical buildout of the first two production suites, equipment procurement and validation, specialized operating systems, drafting of regulatory documents, and recruitment and training of key scientific and technical personnel for the first two production suites. All of the development activities for the Sawston facility have been carried out under contract with Advent BioServices, who is also the operator of the facility. The facility is now in the Performance Qualification (PQ) stage, following completion of the Design Qualification (DQ), Installation Qualification (IQ), and Operations Qualification (OQ) stages. Each of these stages has taken many months of work. In the PQ stage, practice runs are conducted for months and the performance data is collected to show that the operations meet all of the applicable regulatory requirements (sterility, quality control testing, etc.). Those data then form a major part of the application to MHRA for certification of the first phase of the facility. The Company currently anticipates that the PQ stage will be completed and the certification application will be submitted to MHRA within approximately the next six to eight weeks. The physical buildout of Phase 1a of the facility was carried out last year, and was completed ahead of schedule at the beginning of October despite COVID operating restrictions, by having the contractors work double shifts and other special measures. Advent BioServices worked with R.G. Carter as the general contractor. R.G. Carter and its team of sub-contractors did an exceptional job of overcoming the COVID related difficulties and achieving the early completion. For example, they enabled and managed double shifts throughout the project, worked out special operating arrangements to enable construction to proceed in a socially distanced manner, found alternate sources for specialized materials when the original suppliers were unable to deliver, and made special travel arrangements to bring European equipment vendors' installation engineers to Sawston. The Company is grateful to R.G. Carter and its sub-contractors for these special arrangements and solutions, and is looking forward to working with this team on subsequent phases of the Sawston facility. Phase 1a cost approximately 3.5 million ($4.6 million), including the double shift costs, and covered the support facilities for the first two manufacturing suites, which had already been built. Approximately 1.35 million ($1.77 million) of the Phase 1a cost was funded through a competitive loan from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Development Authority. This funding was instrumental in enabling the Sawston facility to reach initial manufacturing readiness. The Company is very grateful to the Development Authority for this funding, and is looking forward to continuing to work with the Authority. Following the physical buildout, the extensive and specialized equipment was sourced, installed, tested and validated. The COVID circumstances posed a number of difficulties. For example, there were supply chain and delivery difficulties to obtain the equipment. In addition, foreign vendors were unable to travel to the UK to conduct the installation, testing and validation as would usually occur. UK personnel had to go through training to conduct these activities instead of the vendor. The data from the testing and validation of each individual piece of equipment is required for the application package for certification of the facility. This work is now in the process of being completed. Certain specialized operating systems (environmental management systems, quality management systems, lab information management systems and others) are required to measure, tightly control and collect data on air flow sterility and turnover, particle counts, and other conditions, as well as lab operations. The sourcing, installation, testing and validation of these specialized systems also encountered difficulties due to COVID, but are now nearing completion. In parallel with the physical buildout, the equipment and the specialized operating systems, an intensive program has been under way to draft the necessary SOPs (standard operating procedures) and other regulatory documents. SOPs are tailored to a specific facility and cannot be procured ready-made. Detailed SOPs must cover every aspect of the facility's operations, from the time supplies arrive at the loading dock and are placed in quarantined storage all the way through to the release of finished doses of the dendritic cell vaccines to the physician and patient. Over 500 SOPs and other regulatory documents have been drafted and tested over the last year-plus period, involving many, many thousands of man hours. This set of regulatory documents is now essentially complete for the initial launch of product manufacturing in the Sawston facility. As previously reported, the Company has also been moving forward on optimization of the Flaskworks system for manufacturing of dendritic cell vaccines. The buildout of the Sawston facility is purposefully being done in phases, both for efficiency in the timing of capital costs and to allow flexibility in operations and usage. It is anticipated that implementation of the Flaskworks system will enable the buildout of some or all of the rest of the 88,345 square foot facility, beyond the initial manufacturing suites, to be simplified and streamlined at reduced cost. About Northwest Biotherapeutics Northwest Biotherapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing personalized immunotherapy products designed to treat cancers more effectively than current treatments, without toxicities of the kind associated with chemotherapies, and on a cost-effective basis, in both North America and Europe. The Company has a broad platform technology for DCVax dendritic cell-based vaccines. The Company's lead program is a 331-patient Phase III trial of DCVax-L for newly diagnosed Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). GBM is the most aggressive and lethal form of brain cancer, and is an "orphan disease." This Phase III trial is now completed and locked down, with announcement of top line data expected in the coming months. The Company is also pursuing development of DCVax-Direct for inoperable solid tumor cancers. It has completed a 40-patient Phase I trial and, as resources permit, is preparing for Phase II trials. The Company previously conducted a Phase I/II trial with DCVax-L for advanced ovarian cancer together with the University of Pennsylvania. Disclaimer Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements concerning future treatment of patients using DCVax and future clinical trials, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect," "believe," "intend," "design," "plan," "continue," "may," "will," "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement. Specifically, there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, such as risks related to the Company's ability to enroll patients in its clinical trials and complete the trials on a timely basis, uncertainties about the clinical trials process, uncertainties about the timely performance of third parties, risks related to whether the Company's products will demonstrate safety and efficacy, risks related to the Company's ongoing ability to raise additional capital, and other risks included in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. Additional information on the foregoing risk factors and other factors, including Risk Factors, which could affect the Company's results, is included in its SEC filings. Finally, there may be other factors not mentioned above or included in the Company's SEC filings that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by securities laws. SOURCE Northwest Biotherapeutics Related Links http://www.nwbio.com Great Western Mining PLC's (LON:GWMO, Euronext Growth:8GW) Brian Hall presents his 2021 plans to Proactive London with a busy year ahead in Nevada, with drilling work expected to get underway in April. Hall explains that they have signed up a rig to drill first at Olympic Gold and then at the Rock House as well as contracting a small coring rig which can test places that are difficult to access with the large rig, including testing a copper intersect at their M4 project and drilling gold and silver veins at Mineral Jackpot. Hall goes on to say 'we are an exploration company looking for the big one while at the same time looking to create revenue'. Aged care homes will lose up to $12 per bed per day by the end of the year, causing a catastrophe in the already failing system, if the government does not make immediate funding changes that operators and the opposition say are necessary to keep the sector afloat. Year-on-year funding for the sector has almost doubled in the past eight years, but the amount of funding per bed per day has been in steady decline as more people enter aged care facilities with higher levels of need and costs increase. Aged care facilities were struggling with declining per capita funding. Credit:Getty Images Former NSW premier and new chief executive of not-for-profit provider HammondCare, Mike Baird, said anyone who spent a night at an aged care home could see the pressure they were under. As I stood there, late one night, theres no doubt that an additional staff member, an additional number of staff, could have been helpful, he said. The demands are significant. The pressures on staff, huge. A shared vision of industry-leading Masterise Homes and renowned hospitality group Marriott International, Grand Marina, Saigon sits on a large-scale plot of developable land at the northern bank of the Saigon River within District 1. The development is a 10-hectare riverfront large-scale, mixed-use complex with ultra-luxe residential, office and commercial properties, featuring a landmark 850-metre Waterfront Promenade. It is set to be a highly exclusive and dynamic community and economic hub at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, attracting Vietnam's tastemakers as well as international high-net-worth individuals. The portfolio of the exquisite Marriott branded residences in Grand Marina, Saigon set across eight resplendent residential towers rising from the tranquil shorefront, surrounded by beautifully landscaped parks and plazas, represents a standard of luxury never before experiences in Vietnam. Grand Marina, Saigon offers its residents everyday access to the ultimate Marriott experiences, a world offering the highest standards of elevated modern living. Poised to be the most desirable and iconic residential address of the city with the unsurpassed waterfront position in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, Grand Marina, Saigon will also provide unparalleled accessibility to the city's cultural and commercial centres, with the country's finest schools, restaurants, shopping destinations on doorstep. The upcoming Metro link close by will put the entire city within easy reach. Grand Marina, Saigon will take the lead in introducing the first Urban Branded Residences concept in Vietnam. The proposition has intrinsic value with the promise of extensive amenities, tailored service and lifestyle benefits, and the backing of an internationally-recognised hospitality brand. The cluster of branded residences will create a community for individuals who enjoy the company of the like-minded with a similar level of affluence and lofty expectations. Moreover, the value of branded residences has proven to be resilient in times of market volatility. With Grand Marina, Saigon situated in the most desirable neighbourhood of Ho Chi Minh City with fetching views of Saigon River, demand of such class of properties by well-to-do elites will remain constantly high. The limited supply means these luxurious self-contained residences will continue to hold their value. Mr. Jason Turnbull, Deputy Managing Director cum Chief Financial Officer at Masterise Homes, said, "At Masterise Homes, we take great pride in creating exquisite real estate developments to impeccable standards. Each creation is not just a development, but a legacy, to be passed on to generation after generation. The crown jewel Grand Marina, Saigon is born under the vision. This is the first Marriott branded residence in Vietnam, located at the heritage landmark - Bason, where water meets land. This will be the Nation's icon and global landmark. We are proud to introduce the one-of-a-kind project to Hong Kong market." Mr. Kingston Lai, Founder & CEO of Asia Bankers Club said on behalf of Asia Bankers Club and Ashton Hawks, "Hong Kong is no stranger to Vietnam's real estate market due to its phenomenal potential. We believe branded residences will withstand shocks and challenges and sustain their value over time. Grand Marina, Saigon is a rare opportunity that ticks all the boxes, especially for the savvy and affluent who are looking to expand their portfolio with yet another trophy asset. We are delighted to partner with Masterise Homes to offer Grand Marina, Saigon to Hong Kong and beyond." Grand Marina, Saigon will be introduced exclusively at the event co-organised by Asia Bankers Club and Ashton Hawks in JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong on 27 & 28 March. During the event, a seminar session introducing the potential of Urban Branded Residences and how will they impact Vietnam's fast-growing luxury real estate market will be presented by Asia Bankers Club's Kingston Lai. To download high-resolution project images, please visit https://bit.ly/2PZXbTe. About Masterise Homes Masterise Homes is the member of Masterise Group that manages and develops all residential real estate brands of the group. With its philosophy of "Customer Centricity", Masterise Homes relentlessly applies world-class standards in our developments. We are committed to delivering unrivalled quality in all products and services for the ultimate in customer experience, contributing to the community and promoting sustainability, in Vietnam and beyond. masterisehomes.com About Branded Residences The concept of a branded residence can be traced as far back as the 1920s where the Sherry-Netherland Hotel on Fifth Avenue, New York pioneered the idea of serviced apartments for purchase alongside its successful hotel business. Since this time branded residences have consistently grown in popularity around the world on the back of a growing, globally mobile, high net-worth population. According to Savills World Research 2019, there are more than 420 branded residence schemes globally. Marriott International is the world's biggest player in the branded residences sector. With 100 branded residences across 25 countries, Marriott International brands represent one in every four operational projects globally. The company leverages 15 of its 30 leading brands for branded residential projects, with Marriott, JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and W accounting for nearly 70% of today's operational developments. Marriott International's extensive brand portfolio means it can offer a brand appropriate for every location and project type, in which a branded residence in New York, Shanghai or Bangkok will have the same exactly quality standard as a branded residence in Vietnam. Branded residences offer many advantages in a crowded global marketplace for luxury property. Globally-mobile, brand conscious wealthy individuals are attracted by brand name, quality design, security and the level of service branded residences offer. Luxury brands have proved appealing to the affluent, by whom they are viewed as a mark of success. While branded residences generally attract a price premium compared to a non-branded property, the value and benefits that owners enjoy often outweighs the premium. Wealthy individuals are also attracted to the trophy status of a branded residential product as it immediately provides the kudos of being associated with the internationally recognized brand. Their appeal makes branded residences a community of like-minded individuals with common values and share a similar level of affluence. Their limited supply also means they are more exclusive -- a value highly appreciated by the affluent elites. About Asia Bankers Club The Asia Bankers Club is an investment club for banking and finance professionals in Asia. With a vast member base, the Asia Bankers Club organizes events for its members and provides physical assets for investments, such as properties, fine wines, art, timepieces, and collectables. Our members are from top tier investment, private and consumer banks, asset management companies, private equity firms, hedge funds, and sovereign wealth funds primarily located in key financial centres. www.asiabankersclub.com About Ashton Hawks Ashton Hawks was established by a group of renowned investment gurus and private collectors who laid the very foundation of the discerning Ashton Hawks, balancing luxury leisure lifestyle and investment. Our headquarter office is located in Hong Kong, with overseas branches in Bangkok and Vietnam. Ashton Hawks' real estate portfolio is as diverse in style as it is in mega-estate location across the globe, and caters to luxury lifestyles of all kinds. Ashton Hawks takes pride in being a boutique yet original real estate consultant in the luxury market segment for the ultra-affluent. www.ashtonhawks.com For media enquiries, please contact: Asia Bankers Club Carol Li Business Director Tel: (852) 3998 3001 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Asia Bankers Club Related Links http://www.asiabankersclub.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. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A grand jury indicted a Cleveland woman who prosecutors say was driving drunk at nearly 90 mph when she crashed and killed two Lakewood men last month. Selena Colon, 23, is charged in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court with multiple counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault, and one count of driving under the influence in the deaths of Maximus X. Close and Alejandro R. Mercado, both 19. Colons arraignment is set for April 9. She is currently free after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 bond set in Lakewood Municipal Court. The crash happened about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 21 at the intersection of Clifton Boulevard and Fry Avenue. Colon drove her Toyota Camry more than 80 mph down Clifton Boulevard, where the speed limit is 35 mph, police said. She also did not have her cars headlights on, police said. Close, who was driving Mercado and an 18-year-old in a Subaru Outback, pulled onto Clifton Boulevard from Fry Avenue, and Colon crashed her Camry into it, police said. The impact from the crash split the Subaru car in half and caused two people inside to be ejected onto the street, prosecutors said. Police arrested Colon at the scene and she was taken to MetroHealth for treatment for undisclosed injuries. She was released later that morning, police said. The 18-year-old passenger was also taken to a hospital for treatment, prosecutors said. New Delhi, March 16 : Former Cabinet Secretary and Principal Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), P.K. Sinha, has resigned from his post on personal grounds. Sources said the retired 1977-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre put in his papers on Monday evening. Sinha was appointed in the PMO in September 2019 following the general elections, after he retired as the Cabinet Secretary. The veteran former bureaucrat was earlier made the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO on August 30, 2019 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the request of his Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra to be relieved from the post. After Misra, Sinha became the second high-profile official to the exit the PMO. Misra had resigned in August 2019 after the Lok Sabha elections, prompting a rejig in the PMO. Sinha had served as the Cabinet Secretary from June 13, 2015 to August 30, 2019. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Sinha as the Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister with effect from September 11, 2019. His appointment was co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever came earlier. Sinha has also held senior positions at the Centre. He had served as the Secretary in the Ministries of Power and Shipping and as a Special Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He also held various assignments in Uttar Pradesh. Sinha did his graduation in economics from the St. Stephen's College in Delhi, before doing his post-graduation from the Delhi School of Economics. He also obtained a Diploma in Public Administration and an M. Phil in Social Sciences. His areas of specialisation include energy, infrastructure and finance. 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 16, 2021 Governor Tom Wolf announced that COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and other establishments will be lessened on Easter. In Bucks County, a woman created a series of deepfake photos and videos to get members of her daughters cheerleading squad booted from the team. The National Park Service will expand its protection over Brandywine and Gettysburg battlefields. And that strange pink blob that appeared over the Jersey Shore was not the work of aliens. 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. FEL also welcomes two key team members - Eric Kiely and Stephen Danti further strengthening its management team. Planning for the commencement of early works activities is underway Fe Ltd ( ) (FRA:B4T) has signalled its intention to appoint emerging mining contractor Big Yellow as mining contractor for the West Wiluna JWD Iron Ore project in WA, which is approaching production. A letter of intent (LOI) has been signed with Big Yellow and FEL expects the full contract to be completed within the next 30 days, subject to receipt of necessary environmental approvals and logistic contracts. The LOI will enable Big Yellow to allocate the necessary mining fleet and people to the project. Well advanced with approvals, key contracts FEL executive chairman Tony Sage said: "With mining at Wiluna close to commencing, we are pleased to have advised Big Yellow of our intention to appoint them as our mining contractor. We are well advanced with the final approvals and other key contracts and would anticipate being able to update shareholders on these shortly. Team is strengthened FEL has also welcomed two key team members - Eric Kiely and Stephen Danti further strengthening its management team in the lead-up to production. Kiely joins the team as study manager and Danti as environment and land access manager. Sage said: Its fantastic to have the experience of Eric and Stephen joining our experienced management team, led by Mark Hancock and Jeremy Sinclair. We believe we are building a team with a level of execution and development capability that will differentiate us in the junior iron ore space. Big Yellow Big Yellow is a new contractor founded by experienced mining executives Brad Gordon, the former chief executive officer of Acacia and Intrepid, David Edwards and Mitch Wallace, both formerly from MACA. FEL believes that Big Yellows combination of experienced personnel looking to replicate their past success in a new entity is a good fit with FELs own aspirations to do the same and looks forward to continuing to work together. Early works activities Following the execution of the LOI, discussions have commenced on works that can be started in advance of final environmental approvals being received. The approvals received to date allow certain clearing and preparatory works to occur, along with refurbishment of the existing office facilities on site. These early works will allow a faster ramp-up of operations once the remaining approvals and key contracts are secured. Mine plan optimisation FEL has revisited the JWD geological model and mine plan, with opportunities identified for a reduction in the strip ratio and an improved average Fe head grade. If successfully implemented, this would have a positive impact on margin through reduced mining costs and improved pricing as a result of higher grade products than initially expected. Finalising optimal offtake Lump premiums for high-grade high iron such as that at JWD have been trading in the order of 50 US cents per dry metric tonne unit (per unit of iron) during the month to date. This implies an uplift to the JWD realised price over the quoted Platts headline fines price in excess of US$30 per tonne if the lump premium remains at these levels. The company has a number of parties interested in securing the JWD product and is working to finalise the optimal offtake arrangement utilising the companys extensive industry contracts. New appointments Eric Kiely will ultimately focus on the Yarram project, however in the interim, his operational and mine planning experience will be leveraged for the start-up of JWD. He has over 30 years experience in the mining industry, with senior roles in mine planning and technical roles spending time in operations in gold, coal, iron ore and lithium. Kiely has a strong background in strategic mine planning and was responsible for the development of the Rio Tinto strategic mine plans for their iron ore business in Western Australia during their significant expansion between 2005 and 2013. He has significant leadership experience as a general manager in Rio Tinto, Atlas Iron and Altura Lithium, responsible for the mining technical functions including geology, geotechnical, metallurgy, hydrogeology and mine planning. Stephen Danti has comprehensive knowledge of the WA environmental approvals system and has successfully managed the environmental approvals and operational compliance for several large mining companies. He has worked for a number of government agencies such as the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), Office of Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA) and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), consulting companies and in the private sector, and has extensive experience in environmental impact assessments, environmental approvals/compliance, land access, tenement management and stakeholder engagement. [March 16, 2021] University of Phoenix Hosting of The 1619 Project Webinar Series Continues With Discussion About the Multicultural Education Movement University of Phoenix's hosting of The 1619 Project will continue on Thurs., March 18, 2021, at 11 a.m. PDT with a second discussion, this time on multicultural education. Despite a renewed focus on diversity and inclusion education, misconceptions about the difference between multicultural education and anti-racist education persist. The presentation will define the difference between each approach and will include a candid discussion on whether multiculturalism and the study of cultural education is a success or failure. Participants will then engage in determining if anti-racist education creates a stronger paradigm for learning the experiences of all cultures. Dr. Arleen M Kennedy, superintendent of Balsz School District # 31, Phoenix AZ, will serve as the host of the webinar. Dr. Kennedy has more than 26 years of experience as an educator and specializes in urban education leadership. Her research centers around the educational policies and practices that promote diversity in education. She is a strong supporter of underrepresented families of children in school and advocates for school reform by way of cultural understanding and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in student learning. This webinar is the second session of a two-part series on The 1619 Project, a long-form journalism project from the New York Times Magazine which focuses on the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans. The project began in Aug. 2019, the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for her introductory essay to The 1619 Project. For more information, or to register, please click here. About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses and interactive learning help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. We serve a diverse student population, offering degree programs at select locations across the U.S. as well as online. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005990/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Australia is working to give one million doses of the internationally-produced AstraZeneca vaccines originally destined for Australia to Papua New Guinea, as the country battles a widespread outbreak of COVID-19. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced Australia will send 8000 locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccines to PNG to help immunise health workers, as the local health system struggles to contain the spread. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced further aid to PNG as the country battles a major epidemic. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Weve known that that challenge was always going to be too great for Papua New Guinea, as time went on, and that indeed is proving to be the case now, he said on Wednesday morning. Australia is making a formal request to both AstraZeneca and the European health authorities to send one million doses of the 3.8 million internationally-produced doses contracted by Australia to PNG. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott", a popular public television special that educates viewers on key retirement savings strategies to have more, keep more and make their money last, has recently been updated to include the latest retirement and tax-planning laws and strategies. Amid the global pandemic, Slott, CPA, who is a nationally recognized IRA expert, founder of Ed Slott and Company and creator of irahelp.com, was able to safely update this consumer-centric program with the latest information under the SECURE Act and CARES Act by recording from his home. "Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott" is currently airing on public television stations throughout the country. Those who wish to tune in should check their local listings to find out when this special will broadcast in their area. For additional information on the show, click here. Slott's public television show comes on the heels of the release of his highly anticipated, best-selling book "The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb." This #1 best-selling book on Amazon covers the latest events impacting tax code, from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to the SECURE Act to the CARES Act and breaks down how retirement savers need to plan differently since these laws were enacted. The book is available for purchase through all major retailers as detailed on irahelp.com/timebomb. It is also included as part of "The Slott Solution" 2021 gift basket available to those who support the pledge drives for public television. Through its specials over the years, Ed Slott and Company has helped raise tens of millions of dollars for public television. "Ed Slott is one of the most successful public television personalities who has brought the message of 'it's not how much you make, but how much you keep,' to tens of millions of viewers," said show producer Bob Marty at Slott's recent virtual book launch party. "Public television audiences respond enthusiastically to Ed because of his in-depth knowledge and how he delivers it with his inclusive, kind, funny and informed approach." "The retirement planning landscape has completely changed in the last year and Americans have more questions than ever about how to navigate the latest tax planning laws," said Slott. "The global pandemic has impacted nearly everyone and everything, but I am thankful I was still able to record this updated version of the show from the comfort of my own home. I'm thrilled I'm still able to provide viewers with the necessary updates they need to navigate retirement planning in 2021 and beyond." "Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott" includes: The latest retirement planning strategies and opportunities for 2021 How to move your money from forever taxed to never taxed by utilizing the two most powerful tools for creating tax-free retirement savings Slott's "always" rules for a successful retirement Strategies to help viewers get everything on their retirement wish lists Ways to avoid longevity risk, no matter how long you live Real-life stories about those who planned and those who didn't to help viewers gain a better understanding of the importance of retirement planning ABOUT ED SLOTT: Ed Slott, CPA, is the nationally recognized IRA and retirement planning distribution expert, best-selling author and professional speaker. His latest books include The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb (Penguin Random House, 2021), Ed Slott's Retirement Decisions Guide: 2021 Edition (IRAHelp, 2021) and Fund Your Future: A Tax-Smart Savings Plan in Your 20s and 30s (IRAHelp, 2021). He has also hosted several public television programs, including his latest, Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott (2021). As an AARP columnist, Slott also writes a monthly Q&A column where he answers consumers' retirement planning questions. He is a Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services and has been recognized by leading industry organizations for his significant thought leadership and contributions. His company, Ed Slott and Company, LLC, is the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys. Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM is comprised of over 450 of the nation's top financial professionals who are dedicated to the mastery of advanced retirement account and tax planning laws and strategies. Visit irahelp.com for more information. CONTACT: AdvisorPR (702) 685-7450 SOURCE Ed Slott and Company Related Links https://www.irahelp.com/public-television/login?destination=public-television After 1,000 days, Miriam Vargas still believes that God is watching over her and her two daughters as they hide from deportation inside First English Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio. But she is also still afraid. I do have that fear always, she told Christianity Today through a translator, that somebody is going to come into the church and take me away from my family. Vargas is one of about 50 women across the US who sought asylum in churches, as a revived sanctuary movement emerged in response to President Donald Trumps efforts to increase deportations and get tough on immigration, illegal border crossings, and refugees. Now that Joe Biden is in the White House, proposing a kinder, more generous immigration reform, the latest chapter of the sanctuary movement may be drawing to a close. Vargas spent 31 months worrying that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could still detain her; separate her from her two American-citizen daughters, ages 7 and 11; and send her back to Honduras, currently one of the most dangerous places in the world. In March, she had been granted an order of supervision from ICE, saying she wont be deported. But she, and others like her, are not ready to breathe just yet. Vargas doesnt love living inside a church. Its being in four walls 24-7, she said. But she will wait a little longer. Peter Pedemonti, co-director of the New Sanctuary Movement in Philadelphia, said that legal challenges to the deportation freeze and political opposition to Bidens day-one immigration bill have reminded immigrants that while change may be coming, its not here yet. They have reasons to stay worried even as they find new ... 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. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Kuwaits Ministry of Justice has described the year 2020 as a year of happiness and family bonding as the Gulf country recorded more 1,000 marriages than the previous year. Statistics from the ministry of justice, Gulf News reports citing local media, revealed that the Gulf country registered 12,973 marriages up from 11,973 recorded in 2019. Dr. Fahad Al Daen, Director of the Sharia Authentication Department at the Ministry of Justice due to the increase described the year as a year of happiness and family bonding. Out of the 12,973 marriage, Gulf News notes, around 82 per cent of them were Kuwaiti men, majority of which married Kuwaiti women. The statistics revealed that 1,044 Kuwaiti men got married to non-Kuwaiti women, the media further notes. While there is an increase in the number of marriages, the rate of divorce has dropped by 1,000 and put at 5,932. Majority of divorce that occurred were between citizens, with around 3,953 divorce cases filed, statistics of the ministry showed. As a company that is national and global, we need to have the ability to move our people between our assets, which is an important part of our growth and prosperity. As the world comes out of COVID-19, we need a sensible road map to integrate back into national and international travel whilst managing the COVID-19 risks. Fortescue Metals Group chief executive Elizabeth Gaines labelled the WA governments approach to the pandemic, including its border controls, as considered and thorough and said they had been a critical factor in controlling the outbreak. As the vaccine rollout gains momentum across Australia and additional controls come into effect, we support regular reviews by the government to ensure their COVID policies remain effective and science-based, ensuring Western Australia has access to the skills and expertise required to continue growing our economy, Ms Gaines said. Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines says the government has demonstrated a considered, thorough approach to the pandemic. Credit:Phil Gostelow Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Paul Everingham pointed to the strong working relationship between the government and the resources industry during the pandemic, which allowed mining operations to continue almost uninterrupted. He said the lobby group and its member companies would continue to work with the government to to refine the protocols that have enabled the sector to operate safely and effectively through the pandemic. The economy While S&P Global Ratings recently described the WA budget as the strongest in the world, thanks primarily to soaring iron ore royalties, business leaders cautioned the government on its fiscal management. Mr Chaney said the government had to use every opportunity it had to pay down debt, which had arisen during the pandemic. I like the idea of establishing a WA Future Fund, into which any windfall gains can be distributed, like those at the moment from iron ore royalties. If you do that it means your net debt goes down, but you may earn higher returns from such a fund and its there, available for future expenditure, if you need it, or for repaying debt, Mr Chaney said. South 32 chief executive officer Graham Kerr in the company's Perth offices Credit:Mark Griffin at Jacaranda Photog Mr Kerr urged the McGowan government to tread carefully with spending in its second term. While Western Australia has had a great windfall from the recent and unexpected surge in iron ore prices, that will not last forever, Mr Kerr said. I would like to see sensible stewardship of this windfall for the people of WA for now and into the future. Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief executive Chris Rodwell said the re-election of the McGowan government provided the strongest foundation for real economic reform. The fundamental task ahead will be to foster broader growth across WAs economy, Mr Rodwell said. Western Australians know the boom-bust cycle all too well, and we can use the next four years to set the state up for decades of growth. Mining makes up 43 per cent of WAs economy, with the next biggest share in Australia being finance in NSW at just 12 per cent. Last financial year, mining contributed nine times more growth than WAs next biggest sector, and 27 per cent of total general government revenue through iron ore royalties alone. Meanwhile business investment outside mining has been falling for seven of the last eight years. Skills shortages Mr Everingham said the resources industry was currently dealing with significant labour pressures. He said it would be seeking government support to ensure the mining and resources sector has access to the right people, with the right skills at the right time to seize current opportunities. While the sector is strongly focused on creating jobs and training West Australians, and the 135,000 people currently working within it is a record, there are significant labour pressures in the current environment, he said. Property Council WA executive director Sandra Brewer also identified labour pressures as one of three key issues. WA is growing quickly, and with growth comes both opportunity and challenge, Ms Brewer said. The first 100 days of government will see the end to the moratorium on rental evictions, ongoing labour pressures as the state continues to build significant infrastructure projects and increased health security as the vaccine rollout continues. The Property Council stands ready to work on policies that will support affordable housing and add to rental supply. It was around this time last year that San Antonio and well, the nation, became enthralled by Netflix's "Tiger King." Joe Exotic and feline foe Carole Baskin became household names, memes were shared, investigations into missing husbands relaunched, and everyone looked at tuna oil a little differently ever since. It seems some San Antonians are trying to emulate Exotic's passion for tiger-keeping. RELATED: 'Elsa,' the tiger rescued during San Antonio's freeze, gets a 'fairytale' ending In February, reports of a tiger spotted in the city's Southside caused a commotion and just before several days of freezing temperatures and snow blanketed San Antonio, the Bexar County Sheriff's office confiscated a tiger found in an outdoor cage. That tiger, named Elsa after Disney's Frozen princess, was eventually transported to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, which is about five hours north of San Antonio on February 23. Fast-forward to this Tuesday, just over a month after Elsa was found in the snow, when Sheriff Javier Salazar and San Antonio's Animal Care Services confiscated a 13-month old tiger and a 5-year-old bobcat from a residence in the 3100 block of Shane Road. Salazar was rightfully peeved. People need to use their brain and realize not only is it dangerous, not only is it extremely irresponsible, its illegal, said Sheriff Javier Salazar, per Mark Dunphy of the San Antonio Express-News. The feline duo was relocated by ACS to the San Antonio Zoo, where they'll receive any necessary care. READ MORE: Sheriff's deputies rescue caged tiger amid freezing conditions in Bexar County "Upon arrival at the zoo, our animal care and veterinarian staff's visual assessment leads us to believe that both cats are in poor condition, most likely caused by malnutrition and poor general care," the zoo shared in a release. "Our team is already at work providing both cats the proper care and nutrition they need until their forever home is found." Tim Morrow, president and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, echoed the statements from Salazar. ""Illegal animal trafficking is a global problem, and obviously San Antonio is not immune to this," said Morrow. "We're grateful to Sheriff Salazar, his officers, Animal Care Services, and San Antonio Police for their work on these cases and for aggressively prosecuting those committing animal cruelty in our community." The owner of the tiger, Jeremy Martinez, was arrested at the home for "violating a county ordinance on keeping exotic animals and possession of marijuana," and authorities believe the tigers in question are related, per the Express-News. Tigers, ACS stressed, don't make for good pets. A male of the species can weigh up to 680 pounds, in case any of you Tiger Kings out there think you can flout county ordinances. Plus, who wants to scoop that litter box? Jess Elizarraras is the managing editor for MySA.com. Send pitches, memes, story ideas to jess.elizarraras@mysa.com. Follow her at @JessElizarraras. The water supply in Jackson, Mississippi remains largely unusable by residents a month after a historic winter storm swept through the Southern United States. The storm left millions in the South without heat or water as temperatures fell well below freezing for days on end, resulting in more than 70 deaths in Texas alone. Madonna Manor maintenance supervisor Lamar Jackson pours potable water into a resident's empty jugs in Jackson, Miss., Monday afternoon, Feb. 22, 2021. Rising temperatures have melted the snow and ice in Mississippi but tens of thousands of people still had little or no water service, with some waiting a week for restoration since the outages began during an extended freeze. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Services across the South remain fragile or in a damaged state. Despite the restoration of water service, Jackson officials have maintained a boil-water advisory long after the extreme weather has dissipated, affecting more than 70 percent of residents. The boil-water notice has remained, preventing thousands of residents from using water for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing. Leaks and breaks in watermains caused by the freezing weather depleted the citys water supply, cutting service for many weeks. Surface water samples are being sent to the Mississippi State Health Department (MSHD) this week to determine whether the boil-water advisory may be lifted. No fewer than 120 samples from various locations throughout the city will need to pass the sampling tests for two consecutive days for the boil-water notice to be lifted. However, the city lifted a precautionary boil-water notice for the 16,000 connections served by the Jackson Maddox Well System last week on Wednesday. At the peak of the crisis, approximately 160,000 residents in Jackson and neighboring cities like Clinton, Pearl and Byram were estimated to have lost water service. This was due to water pressure plummeting from its proper working level of 80 to 90 pounds per square inch (psi) to 37 psi. According to city officials, the water pressure has returned to normal. As the city has yet to prove that most of its water is safe for consumption residents remain reliant upon charity and donations from neighboring cities and states. The antiquated water system in Mississippis capital city, which has components over a century old, was found in 2016 to have elevated levels of lead, prompting comparisons to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Century-old pipes have been left vulnerable to extreme cold snaps, despite decades of warnings by engineers and climate scientists. The lack of weatherization, winterization and modernization of such essential utilities negatively impacted 4.5 million Texans during the deep-freeze, which essentially crippled Texass electric grid and water systems, leaving said millions bereft of heat or drinkable water. Like many cities in Texas, pipes in Jackson city were bursting, leaving behind millions in damages. Mississippi is the most impoverished state in the country with a poverty rate of 19.7 percent, according to an annual report by the U S News & World Report. The state also ranks among the most publicly underfunded in regard to hospital, schools and various public services. The states median income is $23,121, well below the national median income of $33,706. Moreover, out of the 50 states, Mississippi ranks 50th in health care, 48th in economy, 46th in education, 45th in infrastructure and 44th in fiscal stability. Jacksons Democratic mayor, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, estimated that modernization of the citys water infrastructure would cost around $2 billion. Last week, he asked Republican Governor Tate Reeves for just $47 million for repairs to the citys derelict water system. Reeves, declaring a state of emergency, called in the National Guard last month to aid in the distribution of water, proposing the possibility of the state assuming control over the citys water supply. Reeves chief of staff, Brad White, said the governors office was helping the city to secure low-interest state loans to pay for modernization of its water system. White also made mention of Lumumbas meeting with members of the Republican-dominated state legislature, including Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, in an effort to secure more state funding for the city. In an interview last week, Lumumba stated that he hopes to push both state and city officials in the direction of a long-term solution. He said, Theres a saying that you should allow no crisis to go to waste. He continued, Its crises like these that really allow us to take stock of conditions of where we are as a city, where we are as a state and hopefully it allows us to build the resolve to address it. However, with no significant action after then-Mayor Tony Yarber issued a state of emergency related to the citys water and road infrastructure problems in 2015, residents can expect much of the same this time around. Bogus fixes, such as the fraudulently installed Siemens water meters, which cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and contributed to a water service shutoff crisis, are certainly in the offing. In an interview with the New York Times, Carolyn Willis, an elderly Jackson resident, reflecting on the crisis, said, You cant bathe. You cant wash. This has increased the danger posed by the COVID-19 pandemic with sanitation, including frequent hand washing, being of the utmost importance. Mississippi has recorded 301,000 cases of coronavirus and 6,901 deaths. Jackson accounts for 19,287 cases and 397 deaths. The conditions Jacksons residents have been subjected to are a reflection of the malign neglect of state and federal governments. The trillions of dollars which are needed to fix the United States crumbling infrastructure must be expropriated from the banks and corporations and placed under the democratic control of the working class. Only with the banks and utilities placed under the common ownership and operation of workers themselves can a rational plan be worked out to prevent future catastrophes and make those who have suffered from the latest disaster whole. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the opening of the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Florida GOP Bill Targeting Big Tech Clears Committee A Florida House panel has advanced legislation backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that would punish companies should they violate the privacy of Floridians and interfere with citizens access to candidates during an election. The first of a series of bills backed by the Republican governor was cleared by the House Appropriations Committee on March 15 in a 198 vote, mostly along partisan lines. Under the proposal from the Florida Legislature, technology companies that deplatform a candidate during an election will face a daily fine of $100,000 until the candidates access to the platform is restored. If a technology company promotes a candidate for office against another, the value of that free promotion must be recorded as a political campaign contribution enforced by the Florida Elections Commission. The legislation also will empower the states attorney general to bring action against Big Tech companies under Floridas Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act if they violate the new policies laid out in the bill. Tech companies would have to give users advance notice of a rule change before shutting down an account and apply the rule consistently. Technology firms using their content and user-related algorithms to suppress or prioritize the access of any content related to a political candidate or cause on the ballot would also face daily fines under the measure. The bill was filed days after former President Donald Trumps Twitter account was suspended following the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. President Donald Trump delivers his farewell speech on Jan. 19, 2021. (White House/YouTube) Republican Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, the sponsor of the bill, said its needed to protect Floridas citizens from arbitrary sanctions by Big Tech companies. Weve gotten to the point now that theyve become so powerful, Ingoglia said. When you have a handful of companies that are so powerful that they sort of dictate what can or cannot be seen or heard in order to make informed choices, I think that that is problematic. Critics of the legislation, however, argue that the measure is likely unconstitutional because it infringes on the social media companies First Amendment free speech rights by regulating the content allowed on their platforms. I share some of your concerns about these Big Tech companies, and I do think we need to do something about them, said state Rep. Joe Geller, a Democrat, calling the legislation ill-advised. Sometimes, Ive argued on some of our bills that were talking about something that aint broke, so dont fix it. Thats not the case here. This is broke, Geller said. I just dont think its within our purview to fix it. In announcing the legislation last month during a press conference from the Florida Capitol, DeSantis criticized the manipulation of news and censorship of certain individuals, and called for open, robust debate on issues that affect Americans rather than the censorship that Big Tech companies are currently engaging in. The governor said companies are discriminating against citizens when they change their rules as it suits them, without warning or consistency. Floridians should have the privacy of their data and personal information protected, their ability to access and participate in online platforms protected, and their ability to participate in elections free from interference from Big Tech protected, DeSantis said on Feb. 2. The legislation has another House panel hearing before it can receive a floor vote. It hasnt yet been heard yet in the Senate. Masooma Haq and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Downing Street has failed to deny explosive claims that Boris Johnson privately said the UK should ignore the spread of Covid-19 when the virus first emerged a year ago. The prime ministers official spokesman was repeatedly pressed at a Westminster media briefing on the claims, made in a BBC documentary drawn from anonymous interviews with government insiders. But four times he did not contest the report, pointing instead to the PMs public comments about protecting the NHS and saving lives. The prime minister warned an overreaction to the threat emerging as China imposed the worlds first lockdown could do more harm than good, the BBC report said. He was also told to follow government advice to stop shaking hands only to infamously then say, of his visit to Covid patients in hospital: Ive shaken hands with everybody. Read more: Boris Johnson attacked over shocking plan to increase nuclear warheads - live What are the new powers to manage protests in the police bill? The general view was it is just hysteria. It was just like a flu, a source told the BBCs political editor Laura Kuenssberg, saying there was a lack of concern and energy. The prime minister was even heard to say of coronavirus: The best thing would be to ignore it, the report claimed as it became clear there was no Emergency break-the-glass plan to unveil. Asked whether it was true that Mr Johnson had privately said it was best to ignore coronavirus, the PMs spokesman said: I would point you back to what the prime minister said at the time. It has always been our focus to reduce the rate of transmission, protect the NHS and save lives. Thats what we have sought to do throughout the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, we have been guided by the best scientific advice and medical data available to us. Thats what the prime minister has based his decisions on. An unnamed Cabinet minister quoted in the report was also strongly critical of the decision to open up the economy in the summer and the reluctance to lock down again, when infections soared again. We knew there was going to be a second wave and there was a row about whether people should work from home or not it was totally ridiculous, the minister said. In September, a small group inside Downing Street repeatedly tried to change Johnsons mind and convince him to lock down, but struggled to persuade him, Ms Kuenssberg claimed. The account comes as the UK prepares to mark the anniversary of the first lockdown, after the death toll surged past a once-unthinkable 125,000 fatalities. Notoriously, in February last year, Mr Johnson skipped multiple meetings of the Cobr emergency committee as he relaxed for 12 days with his fiance at the grace-and-favour country home of Chevening. He is facing growing criticism for refusing to start a public inquiry into the mistakes he has admitted were made, despite promising one last summer. The report said that, before the first major coronavirus briefing on 3 March, the prime minister was prepped by aides to say people should stop shaking hands with each other which was government scientific advice. But he said the exact opposite, telling journalists: Ive shaken hands with everybody, about visiting a hospital with Covid patients. The comment demonstrated the whole conflict for him and his lack of understanding of the severity of what was coming, the BBC was told. There was even talk of chicken pox parties, where healthy people might be encouraged to gather to spread the disease, as the government flirted with herd immunity. That was not considered as a policy proposal, Ms Kuenssberg was told, but whether suppressing Covid entirely could be counter-productive was. A Downing Street spokesperson told the BBC: The prime minister was very clear at the time he was taking a number of precautionary steps, including frequently washing his hands. Once the social distancing advice changed, the prime ministers approach changed. threatened to fully block within a month if it doesnt delete content flagged by the governments internet watchdog, escalating a conflict that has slowed access to the network since last week. hasnt responded to the Russian regulators repeated requests to remove illegal content. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said that pressure on some countries to refuse to buy Russia's Sputnik V jab was at unprecedented levels but had no chance of succeeding after a US report which showed that the United States had tried to dissuade Brazil from buying Sputnik V. HOUSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexitas, a leading provider of high-quality services to the legal market, and a portfolio company of funds advised by Apax, announced its acquisition of Confidential Communications International ("CCI"). CCI is a medical record retrieval and deposition services company based in Houston, Texas. Their clients include AmLaw 100 law firms, insurance companies and corporations, and large plaintiff firms involved in significant toxic tort and multi-district litigation matters. "CCI is an excellent fit with Lexitas and Annette Farley has built a best in class legal services company over the past 30 years. This acquisition will deepen our presence in the records retrieval and court reporting space while strengthening our reach nationwide. We are excited to continue to add service capabilities to better serve our highly valued clients," said Gary Buckland, Chief Executive Officer at Lexitas. Annette Farley, President & CEO of CCI, said, "CCI looks forward to the enhanced opportunities our clients will be able to experience with state-of-the-art technology and the large geographic footprint Lexitas brings to the table." Founded in 1987, Lexitas is a leading national provider of legal support services to law firms, corporations, and insurance companies. Services include record retrieval, court reporting, registered agent, legal staffing, document review and commercial contracts outsourcing. For more information visit https://lexitaslegal.com and https://recordsdiscovery.com/. SOURCE Lexitas Related Links www.lexitaslegal.com China to issue visas to foreigners who have taken Chinese jab WORLD: China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreigners including from the US, India and Pakistan back in, provided they have taken a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine. ChineseCoronavirusCOVID-19 By AFP Tuesday 16 March 2021, 05:28PM The Chinese-manufactured Sinovac vaccine. Photo: MOTS. The country has been closed to most foreigners since last March to stem the spread of coronavirus which it has largely brought under control at home, stranding many foreigners with jobs and family inside China overseas. But Chinese embassies in several countries have issued notices saying the country will open visa applications to select people who have taken a China-made jab. The Chinese Embassy in the US said in a statement dated yesterday (Mar 15) that it would begin to process visa applicants inoculated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines. This would apply from this week to those visiting the Chinese mainland for work resumption, business travel, or for humanitarian needs, such as reuniting with family members. Beijing is driving forward its inoculation plan for its vast domestic population with four domestically produced vaccines approved so far. But it has yet to approve any foreign-made jabs. China has also shipped its vaccines overseas as it works to blunt foreign criticism of the initial spread of the virus from its shores. The embassy statement said this applied to those who had either had two doses of the vaccine or a single-dose at least 14 days before applying for the visa. Chinese embassies in other countries including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Italy and Sri Lanka have published similar statements. Those arriving in China will still have to face a gruelling quarantine of up to three weeks. Chinas vaccines have been rolled out in several countries around the world, including Turkey, Indonesia and Cambodia. The Philippines received 600,000 vaccine doses from China two weeks ago, kick-starting its inoculation drive. But they are not readily available everywhere, including in India or Sri Lanka. And Beijing has struggled to gain international trust for its vaccine candidates, hindered by a lack of transparency on test results. But Chinese companies are still set to export nearly 400 million doses of home-grown vaccines overseas, state media has reported. AMSTERDAM, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amsterdam-born fashion brand Scotch & Soda reveals today the launch of its new identity whilst announcing the expansion of its store network by opening 15 new stores over the next 6 months. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-revea... [https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-revea...] The new brand logo embraces the symbol of unity at the heart of Scotch & Soda's name which embodies the free spirit of Amsterdam, blending the iconic ampersand with the brand's initials, whilst also nodding to the craftmanship that goes into the collections by following the delicate movement of a thread attached to the eye of a needle. The identity reflects Scotch & Soda's design ethos of connecting the expected with the unexpected, celebrating the power of self-expression and liberal thinking of Amsterdam. It is translated into collections which combine essentials with eclectic statements, grounding them with surprising details and unique functionality to deliver a modern everyday wardrobe across menswear, womenswear, kidswear and a premium denim line named after the iconic "Amsterdams Blauw." The new identity will first be revealed on the brand's social media channels, website and dedicated app, as well as in several new stores, before launching on collections in November. 15 new brick-and-mortar stores and 12 shop-in-shops will be opening worldwide over the next 6 months starting today, adding to the brand's existing retail network of 225 stores and 161 shop-in-shops. The acceleration of its global retail network in key markets across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, with the introduction of a new "Free Spirit" store concept that highlights its new brand identity, will be combined with the brand's unified commerce integration and omnichannel capabilities to be completed by early 2022. In addition to the new stores, the brand will also add new showrooms and offices in Shanghai (China) and Milan (Italy) this spring. Frederick Lukoff, CEO, commented: "With our new identity, we want to define our evolution, mark a new era of brand expression and storytelling with a renewed ambition for growth whilst still managing the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our current performance. We are relentlessly optimistic about the future and the next chapter of the brand and its story based on the profound values of unity that drive the unique spirit of Amsterdam." Key upcoming openings include 3 larger locations in the Netherlands in Utrecht, the Westfield's Mall of the Netherlands in Leidschendam, and the brand's largest flagship worldwide in 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch). In Germany, two stores will open, starting with a new location in Hamburg. In France, a new store will open in the Corso wing in the CAP3000 beachfront mall in Nice. A location will open in Ukraine, whilst in Poland two stores will launch in Warsaw. Additionally, three shop-in-shops will open with Globus in Switzerland, followed by 7 shop-in-shops in Ahlens department stores across Sweden. Scotch & Soda will open a store in the Seaport district of Boston in the United States in September, following the recent openings of two stores in California in January, adding to the existing 43 store portfolio in North America, all while currently looking into securing additional locations in key cities in California, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Continuing its expansion in the Middle East, the brand enters the new market of Israel in April, followed by Qatar, UAE and Kuwait. In Asia-Pacific, a franchise will open in April in Mumbai, India, as well as in October in Perth, Australia. Each store is unique, blending the original architecture and characteristics of each building with the brand's own signature design to embody the new store concept. All facades and interiors will carry the new brand identity and play on muted tones, combined with pop accents of sunshine yellow, rose pink, and burgundy. Bespoke fixtures in aged brass, textured tiles, marble, powder-coated steel and a custom bar, as well as selected vintage furniture and wallpapers designed in-house complete the new design concept. All new stores are fitted with LED lights, FSC wood herringbone flooring, new hangers made of recycled materials and selected soft furnishings such as sustainable rugs woven in ECONYL. The Westfield Mall of the Netherlands store is also BREEAM-certified for sustainability performance. Addressing sustainability is also at the core of Scotch & Soda's approach to creating responsible collections. For the current Summer 2021 season, 41% of all styles across all lines meet our standard of 20% use of responsible material by item, aiming to increase this so that 70% of styles to be made by early 2024 meet such standards. From the Summer 2022 collection onwards, Scotch & Soda will be increasing the responsible standard of materials use to a minimum of 50% of these materials. These are certified fibres that are organic, recycled, regenerative or renewable from a biological or technical source, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester or ECONYL, except in the use of recycled cotton, in which our threshold is 20% to ensure that we maintain the durability and quality of the fabric as the fibres of recycled cotton are shorter. About Scotch & Soda Born in Amsterdam in 1985, Scotch & Soda celebrates the free spirit of its birth city. Endlessly optimistic, the brand champions individuality, authenticity and the power of self-expression to create the unique - an attitude reflected in its collections, which include men, women, kids, denim, eyewear, fragrances and accessories, occupying a unique space in today's global fashion landscape. Collections can be found globally in 225 freestanding stores across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia, as well as in 7,000 doors in some of the world's biggest cities, including New York, London and Paris. The brand's online operations also ship to over 70 countries. www.scotch-soda.com [http://www.scotch-soda.com/] Media enquiries: Daniel Urrutia | Communications Director | urrutia.daniel@scotch-soda.com[mailto:urrutia.daniel@scotch-soda.com] Full versions of the press release: -- English [https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-revea... d-identity/docs/English_1615827145029-586478724.pdf] -- Dutch [https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-revea... d-identity/docs/Dutch_1615827311244-1909800734.pdf] -- German [https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-revea... d-identity/docs/German_1615827264733-953465838.pdf] -- French [https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-revea... d-identity/docs/French_1615827217841-2033919221.pdf] Visual assets: -- New Scotch & Soda Logo and Icon [https://wetransfer.com/downloads/7744dc482e0bbda47b3824194ac... 11212054/c663858453f73c5f1e2e8e775d06ff1520210311212054/7f2850] -- Utrecht store photography [https://wetransfer.com/downloads/2abd75f4bcff494b9c11d6a2242... 11213556/2d2897a57509dc9f5c06ff65d416f0a620210311213556/a023af] -- Westfield Mall of the Netherlands store photography [https://wetransfer.com/downloads/8eb1758972d1124e1368a2cfcad... 15094613/7f85af2fcada9901ee89c0ee2cfc089020210315094613/d4bbc5/grid] -- 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) store renderings [https://wetransfer.com/downloads/c11481c3e1fecd6605adcb1647d... 11212337/ffd6ec39e51b498acf037374fe79683920210311212337/0b3df3] (CONTINUA) AstraZeneca Vaccine Now Safe for Seniors in Canada, NACI Says OTTAWAThe National Advisory Committee on Immunization says there is now enough real-world evidence to show the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors. The decision reverses a recommendation made by the body on March 1, when the panel of vaccine experts said AstraZeneca hadnt included enough people over the age of 65 in its clinical trials. NACI chair Dr. Caroline Quach said Tuesday that two studies of patients who received the vaccine in the United Kingdom have been released since then and show the AstraZeneca vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors, particularly against severe disease and hospitalization. She said that while the clinical trial data show the two mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were more effective than AstraZenecas, the data on the vaccines since they began being widely used shows similar levels of effectiveness. Still, NACI says if there is a choice, the mRNA vaccines should be prioritized for use on seniors, but they no longer recommend against using AstraZeneca for anyone over the age of 65. Several European countries also reversed a recommendation against using it on seniors, including France, Germany and Italy. Many experts say that despite some differences among the vaccines available, all that have been approved are safe and effective against COVID-19 and the best one to get is the first one youre offered. A new poll suggests more Canadians are heeding that advice. Fifty-one percent of respondents to the online survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies say they will take whichever of the four COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in Canada. One-quarter said they would be willing to wait to get a shot they prefer. Few provinces are offering a choice at the moment, although Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Monday he felt people should be offered one. Quach also said Tuesday the panel is continually studying new reports and studies on the vaccines, including recent reports in Europe about blood clots. Health Canadas Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said last week there is no biological evidence that would show how the vaccine could cause blood clots. The company said a study of more than 17 million patients who received the vaccine did not identify any blood clots that were caused by the vaccine, and Thrombosis Canada also issued a statement saying the vaccine was safe. In recent days, countries including Denmark, Ireland, and Thailand have temporarily suspended the use of AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine after reports that some people who got a dose developed blood clots, even though theres no evidence that the shot was responsible. The European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization say the data available do not suggest the vaccine caused the clots. Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque said concerns about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine dont seem to be on Canadians minds. For now, theres no real major issue exactly (with the AstraZeneca vaccine), but could it in light of what weve seen over the past couple of days? I dont know, Bourque said. The online poll of 1,512 adult Canadians was carried out March 12 to 14 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based surveys are not considered random samples. The poll also found that 41 percent of respondents say they believe the worst of the COVID-19 crisis is behind us, while 25 percent say we are now in the worst period. Bourque said Canadians seem to feel that were rounding the corner as vaccination campaigns are accelerate across the country. By Mia Rabson and Maan Alhmidi Ewelina Rauch said she had been treated in a heartless manner. Photo: Don Moloney In January last year, Ewelina Rauch updated her CV after a recruiter at her agency told her there was a 23-month contract she might be interested in. A week later, she told them she was pregnant. The same day, she got an email indicating that her name would no longer be put forward for the job. In regard to the role it is a 23-months contract. We can put you forward for shorter roles up until May, it read. She describes the way she was treated as heartless. They could see that I really needed a job, I really needed every penny, she said. I felt it was cruel because I was in the most vulnerable place being pregnant. I needed the money for my baby. My partner is a chef and doesnt get that much money. I felt really depressed. She has since been awarded 20,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission. Adjudication officer Gaye Cunningham ordered La Creme Recruitment to make the payment for the distress suffered as a result of the discrimination against her. She found she suffered a clear example of discrimination on the grounds of her pregnancy or need to take maternity leave. Originally from Poland, Ms Rauch had lived in England but left because of Brexit. It was quite intimidating to be without representation and I had never been in a courtroom, she said. I used to watch Keir Starmer in the House of Commons, as he was a human rights lawyer, for tips and got help from an outstanding individual at citizens information services in Limerick. I would be really happy if this case helps people in similar situations. She hopes the Government changes the rules to give politicians a clear entitlement to maternity leave due to the difficulties posed for Justice Minister Helen McEntee recently. Why havent they seen this coming before? she asked. At a hearing last year, the agency, represented by Ibec, said the recruiter had congratulated her when she told them she was pregnant. It said it was mentioned that the 23-month role would involve six to nine months of training. The agency argued that following this, the recruiter reviewed the job description for the role and found she did not meet three of the four skills or experience level required. It was decided not to put her forward for the position. The recruitment agency denied it discriminated against her. It provided a chart relating to eight assignments of candidates during their pregnancies. Ms Rauch told the hearing she felt she had been treated as a lesser being because of her pregnancy. The adjudicator did not accept the recruiters decision that she was not suitable for the role which was communicated to her on the same day she revealed her pregnancy was made in complete separation from the fact of the complainants pregnancy. In a statement, La Creme said it is a responsible and caring company and an equal opportunities employer and recruiter throughout every aspect of its operations. We asserted that we did not discriminate in any manner in this matter and that remains our position, it said. We are disappointed with the outcome of this case, however in the interests of closure we have decided not to appeal the outcome of the adjudication. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Compiled from 14 years of results at Mount Gambier Hospital, the study has lead author Associate Professor Matthias Wichmannfrom Flinders Rural Health SA and Mount Gambier Hospitalsaying it's an important justification of rural hospitals' effectiveness and localized support for remote Australian communities. The incidence of colorectal cancer in Australia is among the highest in the worldand about 29% of Australians live in rural or remote areas, underlining the need for easy access to surgery that can be conveniently accessed by these communities. Importantly, the findings of the 14-year studyfrom 2006 to 2020support previous reports from briefer time frames that colorectal cancer surgery in rural hospitals is safe and that both short-term and long-term outcomes are good. "We found that colorectal cancer surgery in a nonmetropolitan surgical center is safe and associated with low 30 and 90day mortality rates," says Associate Professor Wichmann. "Oncological results at five and 10 years compare well with the results of other groups. "It is significant that this surgery can be provided close to the patients' homes and families in adequately staffed and equipped centers and can match outcomes in capital city hospitals." The paper"Colorectal cancer surgery in rural Australia can match outcomes in metropolitan hospitals: a 14year study," by Matthias Wichmann, Timothy McCullough, Eben Beukes, Thomas Gunning and Guy Maddernhas been published in the Medical Journal of Australia. The report is based on prospectively collected data for 311 patients treated for stages 1 to 3 colorectal cancer by four surgeons in the 110-bed Mount Gambier Hospital, between 1 February 2006 and 31 January 2020. Of these patients, the median age was 71 years (spanning from 63 to 78 years) and 55% were men. Overall fiveyear survival in this study of 79% exceeded the most recent reported value for Australia (20112015: 69.9%), and contrasts with a Californian study which found that rural residence was associated with poorer cancerspecific mortality. Published data on outcomes beyond 10 years after colorectal cancer surgery are limited, but the overall 10year survival rate of 45% stated in the new report is similar to the figures reported by an earlier study in Fremantle (44%). "Our findings confirm that tumor stage and age at diagnosis are significant predictors of death following curative surgery for colorectal cancer," says Associate Professor Wichmann. Explore further Equal care, survival rates for country cancer patients More information: Matthias W Wichmann et al. Colorectal cancer surgery in rural Australia can match outcomes in metropolitan hospitals: a 14year study, Medical Journal of Australia (2020). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia Matthias W Wichmann et al. Colorectal cancer surgery in rural Australia can match outcomes in metropolitan hospitals: a 14year study,(2020). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.50852 Feminist writer Julie Burchill today apologised 'unreservedly and unconditionally' to a Muslim journalist after she told her that her worship of the Prophet Muhammad was the 'worship of a paedophile'. Ms Burchill also revealed in a statement published on Twitter that she had agreed to pay Novara Media reporter Ash Sarkar 'substantial damages' for the 'distress' caused by the Islamophobia row last December. The spat began when Ms Burchill defended journalist Rod Liddle after Ms Sarkar criticised a 2012 article in the Spectator where Mr Liddle said he did not become a teacher because he would want to sleep with pupils. Ms Burchill had alleged Ms Sarkar's worship of the Prophet was the 'worship of a paedophile', referring to the 7th-Century leader's marriage to his third wife when she was around 10, and that she was an 'Islamist' and a 'hypocrite'. Her book Welcome to the Woke Trials: How #Identity Killed Progressive Politics, which was due to be released this month, was quickly dropped by her publisher Little, Brown following the Twitter row. The Hachette imprint called Ms Burchill's comments 'not defensible from a moral or intellectual standpoint' and had 'crossed a line with regard to race and religion'. Ms Sarkar brought defamation complaints about the posts, claiming they played into 'damaging tropes of anti-Muslim hate'. She also sought an undertaking or injunction to stop Ms Burchill from tweeting about her. In a statement today, Ms Burchill said she accepted that her statements were 'defamatory of Ms Sarkar and caused her very substantial distress' and agreed not to contact her directly except for legal reasons. Julie Burchill has apologised 'unreservedly and unconditionally' to a Muslim journalist after she told her that her worship of the Prophet Muhammad was the 'worship of a paedophile' Ms Burchill also revealed in a statement published on Twitter that she had agreed to pay Ash Sarkar 'substantial damages' for the 'distress' caused by the 'Islamophobic' row last December 'I unreservedly and unconditionally apologise for the hurtful and unacceptable statements I made': Julie Burchill's apology On 13th December 2020 I made statements concerning Ash Sarkar in response to her comment on an article by my friend Rod Liddle. I alleged that Ms Sarkar worshipped the Prophet Muhammad, that she worshipped a paedophile (referring to the Prophet Muhammad), that she was an Islamist, and that she was a hypocrite (the allegations). Although it was not my intention, I accept that my statements were defamatory of Ms Sarkar and caused her very substantial distress. I wish to make clear on the record that I do not believe, have never believed and never intended to make any allegation that Ms Sarkar is a promoter, supporter and/or sympathiser of Islamists or fundamentalist terrorism or to suggest that Ms Sarkar condones paedophilia in any way. I also now understand that it is blasphemy for a Muslim to worship Prophet Muhammad and I had no basis for stating that Ms Sarkar does so. I accept that there is no truth in any of these allegations, and I recognise that such comments play into Islamophobic tropes and did so in this case. I also accept that I was wrong to continue to tweet to and about her after that date. I should not have sent these tweets, some of which included racist and misogynist comments regarding Ms Sarkar's appearance and her sex life. I was also wrong to have 'liked' other posts on Facebook and Twitter about her which were offensive, including one which called for her to kill herself, and another which speculated whether she had been a victim of FGM. I regret that I did not pay much attention to them at the time. On reflection, I accept that these 'liked' posts included callous and degrading comments about Ms Sarkar and I should not have liked them. I can confirm that I have deleted all my posts and tweets and likes about Ms Sarkar. I have also now seen messages that were sent to Ms Sarkar following my posts about her which are abhorrent, and I wish to make clear that I do not condone any such messages. I did not know when I published my posts that Ms Sarkar had previously received death threats and other violent threats and abuse, some of which emanated from a far-right conspiracy theory circulating about Ms Sarkar during summer 2020, of which I had not been aware. I deeply regret having reacted in the way I did. I accept that I should have behaved better. On reflection, I accept that I misjudged the situation, and made statements that simply are not true, which I now want to put right. I also wish to make clear that I accept that Ms Sarkar did not call for my publisher to break ties with me and bears no responsibility for this. I unreservedly and unconditionally apologise for the hurtful and unacceptable statements I made to and about Ms Sarkar, particularly those concerning her religion and Prophet Muhammad. I have undertaken not to repeat the allegations or any similar allegations about her, undertaken not to engage in any course of conduct amounting to harassment of Ms Sarkar, and undertaken not to contact her directly other than for legal reasons. I have also agreed to pay substantial damages to Ms Sarkar for the distress I caused her and legal costs. Advertisement She also said she now understands it is 'blasphemy for a Muslim to worship Prophet Muhammad' and that she had 'no basis for stating that Ms Sarkar does so'. The writer added that she accepts that 'Ms Sarkar did not call for my publisher to break ties with me and bears no responsibility for this'. Responding to her statement, Ms Sarkar said: 'This outcome is a victory for anyone who believes that people shouldn't have to face abuse, harassment or smears just because they are part of a minority community.' She also wrote in the Guardian that she received messages calling her a 'dirty brown w****' and that the 'intensity of the abuse' she received online 'severely affected' her mental health. The spat began on December 13, 2020, when Ms Burchill defended Mr Liddle after Ms Sarkar criticised an article where Mr Liddle said he didn't become a teacher because he would want to sleep with pupils. Mr Liddle wrote: 'The only thing stopping me from being a teacher was that I could not remotely conceive of not trying to sh** the kids. 'We're talking secondary level here, by the way - and even then I don't think I'd have dabbled much below year ten, as it is now called.' Posting a portion of the piece, Ms Sarkar commented: 'It's astonishing that both he and his editor thought guffawing about hypothetically being a paedophile made for a good article.' In response, Ms Burchill said: 'Can you please remind me of the age of the Prophet Mohammad's first wife? Thank you in anticipation.' She later added: 'I don't WORSHIP a paedophile. If Aisha was nine, YOU do. Lecturer, lecture thyself!' Ms Sarkar subsequently accused Ms Burchill of Islamophobia, with the exchange shared widely on social media. Ms Burchill then claimed she had been 'cancelled' by her publisher following the row. Ms Sarkar had said she was 'appalled' by Ms Burchill's comments, telling the Times: 'It was quite upsetting to see that it's not the first time she's made derogatory insinuations about my faith.' The Novara Media journalist brought defamation complaints against Ms Burchill, accusing her of 'using her platform to make unprovoked allegations against an Asian Muslim woman that she is an Islamist who worships a paedophile [and] thereby combined two of the most damaging tropes of anti-Muslim hate: support for extreme fundamentalism and Islamic terrorism, and support for paedophilia and child sex exploitation/rape'. She said 'such tropes incite religious and racial hatred against Muslims, and against Asian people who are perceived to be of Muslim heritage'. Ms Sarkar also brought a claim under the Protection from Harassment Act seeking an undertaking or injunction to stop Ms Burchill from tweeting about her after she continued to tweet disparaging remarks about her for weeks after December 13. In her statement today, Ms Burchill said: 'On 13th December 2020 I made statements concerning Ash Sarkar in response to her comment on an article by my friend Rod Liddle. I alleged that Ms Sarkar worshipped the Prophet Muhammad, that she worshipped a paedophile (referring to the Prophet Muhammad), that she was an Islamist, and that she was a hypocrite (the allegations). 'Although it was not my intention, I accept that my statements were defamatory of Ms Sarkar and caused her very substantial distress. 'I wish to make clear on the record that I do not believe, have never believed and never intended to make any allegation that Ms Sarkar is a promoter, supporter and/or sympathiser of Islamists or fundamentalist terrorism or to suggest that Ms Sarkar condones paedophilia in any way. 'I also now understand that it is blasphemy for a Muslim to worship Prophet Muhammad and I had no basis for stating that Ms Sarkar does so. 'I accept that there is no truth in any of these allegations, and I recognise that such comments play into Islamophobic tropes and did so in this case. 'I also accept that I was wrong to continue to tweet to and about her after that date. I should not have sent these tweets, some of which included racist and misogynist comments regarding Ms Sarkar's appearance and her sex life.' She went on: 'I have also now seen messages that were sent to Ms Sarkar following my posts about her which are abhorrent, and I wish to make clear that I do not condone any such messages. 'I did not know when I published my posts that Ms Sarkar had previously received death threats and other violent threats and abuse, some of which emanated from a far-right conspiracy theory circulating about Ms Sarkar during summer 2020, of which I had not been aware. 'I deeply regret having reacted in the way I did. I accept that I should have behaved better. On reflection, I accept that I misjudged the situation, and made statements that simply are not true, which I now want to put right. 'I also wish to make clear that I accept that Ms Sarkar did not call for my publisher to break ties with me and bears no responsibility for this. In a statement published today, Ms Burchill accepted that her statements were 'defamatory of Ms Sarkar and caused her very substantial distress' She said she now understands it is 'blasphemy for a Muslim to worship Prophet Muhammad' and that she had 'no basis for stating that Ms Sarkar does so' 'I unreservedly and unconditionally apologise for the hurtful and unacceptable statements I made to and about Ms Sarkar, particularly those concerning her religion and Prophet Muhammad. 'I have undertaken not to repeat the allegations or any similar allegations about her, undertaken not to engage in any course of conduct amounting to harassment of Ms Sarkar, and undertaken not to contact her directly other than for legal reasons. 'I have also agreed to pay substantial damages to Ms Sarkar for the distress I caused her and legal costs.' Ms Sarkar's solicitor Zillur Rahman, of Rahman Lowe Solicitors, said the case 'really does highlight the dangers of people thinking that the law does not apply to them on social media - the costs could be severe'. He said in a statement: 'It shows that words have consequences. We nevertheless welcome Julie's approach in making a prompt concession of the claim, and her fulsome apology which starts to make amends for the harm done.' In an article for the Guardian published today, Ms Sarkar said she received a 'barrage of abuse on social media and by email'. She wrote: 'People speculated about whether I was really a woman, and really a Muslim - and I was subjected to rape threats and threats of physical violence. 'The intensity of the abuse, along with Burchill's continuing derogatory posts about me, severely affected my mental health. 'I couldn't sleep, and had bouts of trembling and heart palpitations. For the first time in my life, I was prescribed anti-anxiety medication.' She added that 'sometimes, the only thing that separates an anonymous troll and a journalist is a byline'. The rights for Ms Burchill's book have been by Edinburgh-based indie publisher Stirling Publishing. It is due to come out later this summer. ALBANY, N.Y. The New York State Board of Regents has canceled August Regents exams, and all but four June exams for high school students, as part of a series of emergency regulation revisions to 2021 diploma requirements. The state asked the federal government to waive all state testing this year due to the pandemic, but in February, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) said it would not grant a blanket waiver of all state assessments. The Board then began developing these emergency revisions. As we continue to see a global pandemic impact our schools and students in every corner of the state, the Board and I are determined to complete this school year in a manner that protects the health and safety of all of New Yorks children, said Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. While we were disappointed by the USDE decision not to grant blanket waivers for state assessments, we are confident that the regulatory amendments acted on today and other assessment-related actions by the Department provide for the flexibility necessary to meet federal requirements while ensuring the well-being of those in our school buildings. The New York State Education Department (NYSED), is awaiting final word on a request to waive some of the 2021 testing requirements. If the waiver request is granted, all state testing for all grades will be canceled, including the June and August Regents exams. If USDE denies the waiver request, the following regulations from the Board will come into play: Only the following four June Regents exams will take place: English Language Arts (ELA), Algebra 1, Earth Science and Living Environment. The August 2021 Regents exams will be cancelled. Only Session 1 of the 3 rd 8 th grade assessments in math and ELA will be required. 8 grade assessments in math and ELA will be required. Only the written test component of the 4th 8th grade science tests will be held; the performance tests will not be administered. The New York State United Teachers has been pushing for the cancellation of all exams, citing the inconsistencies in teaching and learning throughout the pandemic. In a year that has been anything but standard, forcing states to administer standardized exams is just plain poor federal policy, said NYSUT President Andy Pallotta. The state is making the most of a bad situation by scaling back this years testing requirements and limiting stress on students who already have gone through so much. Commissioner Rosa, Chancellor Young and the Board of Regents are doing whats necessary to put students needs first in a frustratingly backward situation. The emergency regulations will go into effect March 16. Former White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr Deborah Birx has said she still thinks about the moment Donald Trump mentioned injecting disinfectant into people as a possible treatment for Covid-19. While Trump was mocked for the dangerous suggestion, Birx was also criticized for not immediately correcting him during the press briefing. In footage from the press briefing last year, Birx appears visibly dumbfounded and shifts uncomfortably in her seat as Trump first suggests looking into light therapy as a treatment, then makes the infamous comment regarding injecting disinfectant to 'clean' people of Covid-19. When asked by Trump whether she could look into light therapy as a treatment for Covid, she politely responds that it does work as a treatment for fevers but that she has not seen it suggested as a treatment for coronavirus. 'Frankly, I didn't know how to handle that episode,' Birx told ABC News Live's The Breakdown on Monday. 'I still think about it every day.' Former White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr Deborah Birx (pictured) has said she still thinks about the moment Donald Trump mentioned injecting disinfectant into people as a possible treatment for Covid-19 Birx said that her three decades of military service had kicked in and that she thought it better to discuss the matter in private. 'You can see how extraordinarily uncomfortable I was,' Birx said, noting that at the time Trump had been speaking to a different official in the room. 'Those of you who have served in the military know that there are discussions you have in private with your commanding officers and there's discussions you had in public.' Birx revealed the strains of working under Trump who frequently downplayed the gravity of the pandemic, forcing herself and Dr Anthony Fauci - the government's top infectious diseases expert - to walk a fine line between contradicting misinformation spread by the president and making sure the public were appropriately informed about the dangers of the coronavirus and how to protect themselves from it. 'I can't tell you how many discussions [Fauci and I] had on how do we get the message out, realizing what's happening at the most senior levels of the White House,' Birx said on Monday. Birx announced in December she would 'retire' from her role when President Joe Biden took office following a backlash after she broke her own coronavirus safety guidelines to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. Birx traveled out of state to Delaware for the weekend while the CDC was urging Americans not to travel for the holiday. She now has several roles in the private sector. She has praised officials from the new administration for consistent and scientifically-backed messaging on coronavirus - a marked change from her experience working under Trump. 'Whether it's the CDC director or Dr. Fauci or President Biden or Vice President Harris, all of them and all of their spokespeople are communicating exactly the same pieces,' she said, 'and I think that is critically important.' Birx added that differing messages enable people 'to give themselves permission to perhaps do things that may put other people at risk.' She also praised the former presidents, with the exception of Trump, who have all promoted getting vaccinations. 'I hope President Trump lends his voice to that. I think it is important. But to every Trump supporter out there: Protect yourself, protect your family. Get vaccinated.' Indian benchmark indices ended lower for the third straight session on Tuesday as rising COVID-19 cases and weak macro data dampened market sentiments. The BSE Sensex ended 31 points or 0.06 per cent lower at 50,363, and the NSE Nifty ended at 14,910, down by 19 points or by 0.3 per cent. Among the individual stocks, Asian Paints, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, HCL Technologies, Hindustan Unilever, ITC were among top gainers on BSE Sensex pack. On the other hand, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, NTPC were among notable losers. Here's a look at top five losers on BSE and NSE today: ICICI Bank The private sector lender ICICI Bank was top loser on BSE and NSE on Tuesday, in line with Bankex index which was also among top laggards on sectoral space. ICICI Bank shares ended day's trade at Rs 594.90, down 1.38 per cent, against previous close price of Rs 603.25. The stock declined as much as 1.59 per cent to hit intraday low of Rs 593.60. Meanwhile, the BSE Bankex ended 1.03 per cent lower, led by fall in RBL Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank. State Bank of India State Bank of India (SBI) share price was also among top losers, falling 1.37 to close at Rs 378.45 on the BSE. Overall, banking stocks witnessed selling pressure for the second day amid report that operations across the country were impacted due to two-day nationwide strike. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has given a call for a two-day nationwide strike on March 15 and 16 to protest against the Centre's proposal to privatise two public sector banks. Kotak Mahindra Bank Kotak Mahindra Bank shares ended 0.78 per cent lower at Rs 1,903.80 apiece on the BSE on Tuesday. The stock of private sector lender opened flat at Rs 1,918.70 and touched an intraday high and low of Rs 1,940.85 and Rs 1,900, respectively. HDFC Bank Shares of HDFC Bank closed Tuesday's trade at Rs 1,512.80, down 1.07 per cent on the BSE. In the volatile trade today, the stock touched an intraday high and low of Rs 1,540 and Rs 1,509, respectively. NTPC Shares of state-owned NTPC were also among top laggards on the BSE today. NPTC share price settled trade at Rs 109.65, down 0.72 per cent, against previous close of Rs 110.45 on the BSE. Stock Market Highlights: Sensex ends 31 pts lower, Nifty at 14,910; ICICI Bank, SBI, HDFC Bank top losers Top losers on March 15: 5 shares fall up to 4%; Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Auto, L&T, Asian Paints Stocks in news: Tata Communications, MTAR Tech, Adani Green, Welspun, Max Healthcare, NIIT Panaji, March 16 : Days after facing Supreme Court strictures over the faulty reservation of wards for marginalised communities and women in the upcoming municipal polls, the Goa government's Directorate of Municipal Administration on Tuesday notified a fresh, corrected list of 74 reserved wards. The Congress has, however, slammed the Goa government for not following the traditional system of rotation for the reservation of municipal wards for women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Castes. According to a fresh notification issued on Tuesday by Director Municipal Administration Gurudas Pilarnekar, 34 wards have been reserved for women, five for SC, eight for ST and 27 for OBCs across five municipalities. Tuesday's fresh notification follows a Supreme Court order last week, which slammed the Goa government over the erroneous procedures followed in reservation of constituencies for the upcoming municipal polls and passed strictures against the Goa government for appointing a serving Law Secretary as a State Election Commissioner. Goa's 11 municipal councils and one municipal corporation were scheduled to go to polls on March 20. But after the Supreme Court, on Saturday, upheld an order of the Bombay HC faulting reservation proceedings in five municipal councils namely Margao, Mormugao, Mapusa, Quepem and Sanguem, polls in the named councils have been postponed till April 30. State Congress president Girish Chodankar said that while the Congress was glad that the fresh notification of reserved seats had given justice to marginalised communities and women, who were cheated out of their rights, the manner in which the fresh reservation has been carried out was haphazard. "The reservation carried out by the Pramod Sawant government was against the interest of women, OBC and ST and SC communities. The High Court and the Supreme Court order gave them justice," Chodankar told reporters on Tuesday. "Ascending and descending rotation procedure has not been followed by the government in the fresh reservation list. There is no transparency in the reservation process," Chodankar alleged. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close And so to Poland. There, Kaiser meets an octogenarian lawyer nicknamed the Killerwho specializes in Jewish property claims. She takes the case, estimates the buildings worth in the mid-six figures and warns Kaiser not to mess everything up by going for a visit. She knows her client better than he knows himself. As shtetl fever takes hold, Kaiser cases the drab structure at Malachowskiego 12, and then, under the cringeworthy pretense of writing an academic history of the building, he interviews a resident. This is my familys house, the man says innocently. My heart skipped, Kaiser writes. Here was his story intruding on mine, or my story intruding on his and in that moment I regretted coming here, asking for interviews, meeting and getting to know and becoming attached to people who would be, no matter how generous my outlook, no matter how right-minded my intentions, adversaries. Its also in that moment that Plunder comes alive because the facts Kaiser has built his expectations on turn out to be all wrong. A rereading of the file shows that the building his grandfather was trying to reclaim wasnt his home but, rather, an investment property. I went to my grandfathers hometown to see an address associated with my grandfather, so of course this was his home, writes Kaiser. The narrative had gotten stuck in a kind of sentimental default. Visiting an ancestral home is more meaningful than visiting an ancestral investment property, no? Oh, and Malachowskiego 12 is the wrong address. The actual building is down the street. Genealogists know that near-facts are the scourge of the trade, and Kaisers experience isnt unique; everyone he meets on the Polish ancestor trail builds myths on sand. But hes smart enough to recognize slapstick, and he facepalms well. If the facts in Plunder are unreliable, they do sometimes flip in Kaisers favor. Around the same time he engages the Killer, Kaiser feels compelled to explore Silesia, a region of Poland thats less Shoah and more Indiana Jones. Its home to Project Riese, a series of massive tunnels dug by the Nazis or rather their Jewish slaves in the Owl Mountains. Historians are baffled by the place and its become Polands Area 51, a magnet for treasure hunters chasing everything from Nazi gold to U.F.O.s. On a tour with some amateur treasure hunters, Kaiser is stunned by the scale. What is going on here? What was it they were trying to accomplish? And on top of that the mystery is itself a mystery: Why dont we know? How is it possible that a project like this is off the historical grid? I was beginning to understand whence the obsession. Last Thursday marked ten years since the Great East Japan Earthquake. The magnitude 9.1 earthquake, the strongest in Japanese history, triggered a massive tsunami that reached as high as 16.7 meters, and their combined power devastated Japans northeast Tohoku region. The tsunami struck the inadequately protected Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, leading to meltdowns in three out of six reactors and the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. The devastation that followed the March 11 triple disaster is ultimately an indictment of capitalism, which subordinates safety and human life to the drive for profit. Japan Earthquake An estimated 18,500 people were killed, while approximately 2,500 people officially remain missing. Nearly half a million people were forced to evacuate from their homes. Today 41,000 people are still classified as evacuees, with 23,000 unable to return to their homes around the Fukushima nuclear plant. Reconstruction of the region has cost more than 30 trillion yen ($US275 billion) and it is believed that it could take up to another three decades to complete the decommissioning and clean-up of the nuclear plant. Water is still being pumped through the damaged reactors at the Fukushima plant to keep them cool, with large amounts of highly radiated water stored in steel tanks outside the facility. The Japanese government and the owner of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), plan on dumping the radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. This is vehemently opposed by the countrys fishermen, who face stigma and potential loss of income out of the publics concern for the safety of their catches. According to TEPCO, the removal of fuel from the storage pool in reactor 3 was completed at the end of February. However, work has yet to begin on reactors 1 and 2 due to high radiation levels that prevent workers from approaching them. In marking ten years since the catastrophe, a common theme in the bourgeois media is that lessons have been learneda fact belied by Tokyos response to another disaster, the COVID-19 pandemic. The criminally inept response to the virus outbreak and failure to prepare is reminiscent of the events surrounding the earthquake. Both events cost thousands of lives, with the latest COVID-19 toll reaching 8,560 in Japan. Phrases like testing refugee entered the language last year as people shared horror stories online of struggling even to get a test, let alone receive treatment. In reality, disaster after disaster in Japan as in other countries is compounded by the capitalist system. It is not a matter of learning lessons as capitalism by its very nature subordinates everything to the drive for profit. These events were not unforeseen or somehow the product of Japanese groupthink, as one commentary in the Japan Times recently put it. The warning signs were consciously ignored. The notion that somehow Japanese culture was responsible for the Fukushima disaster has been used to deflect blame from the profit system. In 2012, the chairman of the Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) Kiyoshi Kurokawa claimed the causes of Fukushima disaster were to be found in the ingrained conventions of Japanese culture: our reflexive obedience; our reluctance to question authority; our devolution to sticking with the program; our groupism; and our insularity. This is nothing but a ploy. As the World Socialist Web Site has explained from the beginning, the disaster was caused by decades of collusion between governments, the nuclear power industry, and so-called regulatory agencies in order to maximize profits. When the disaster first struck the Fukushima plant, TEPCOs immediate regard was for its assets. It delayed pumping seawater into the reactors, which may have prevented radiation leaks, because the salt water corrodes reactors. Firefighting resources were also delayed for nearly a week. TEPCO waited two months before admitting there had been meltdowns at the Daiichi plant, something it did not formally acknowledge until 2016. The delay contributed to the confused evacuation and is believed to have led directly to the deaths of at least 44 people. When the facility was built in 1971, it was constructed to only withstand a tsunami of 5.7 meters with the company removing 25 meters from a natural seawall at the site. Its a typical act based on the thinking of the high-growth era, seismologist Kazuo Oike said in 2011, while serving on a government panel investigating the disaster. In other words, safety was ignored in the name of profit. The 15-meter tsunami that struck the Daiichi plant in 2011 overwhelmed the existing 10-meter seawall. After the disaster, it was revealed that TEPCO had at least 200 proven instances of safety inspection falsifications. In 2002, for example, TEPCO had covered up the existence of cracks in core shrouds going back to 1993. In July 2012, the NAIIC found that TEPCO had not reinforced its reactors to meet earthquake standards and the regulatory agency, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, did nothing to enforce the codes. To date, no-one has been held responsible for the actions of TEPCO. TEPCOs former chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata and former executives Ichiro Takekuro and Sakae Muto were charged with criminal negligence in 2016 in a trial designed to deflect public criticism, but all three were found not guilty in September 2019. During their trial, it was shown, based on a 2002 government report, that a 15.7 meter wave could overwhelm the facility if a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck. While safety measures were planned in 2008, the three executives quickly halted their implementation, fearing that the public would call for ending operations at the plant out of concern for safety. In other words, well aware of the danger that existed, TEPCOs executives chose to place profit over the lives of the people in the region. More recently, Tokyos High Court ruled on February 19 that the central government was just as liable as TEPCO for the disaster. The court found that the government had ignored a report that pointed to the possibility of a large tsunami striking the region and ordered the government and the power company to pay 280 million yen ($US2.6 million) to 43 plaintiffs. The Tokyo High Court pointed out that the construction of coastal embankments and the waterproofing of important equipment in the plant could have prevented the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The Sendai High Court also found the central government liable in September 2020. Seven of fourteen district courts have reached similar conclusions and a decision by the Supreme Court is expected to reach a final conclusion on the matter. After the Fukushima disaster, all of Japans nuclear plants were shut down pending review. Only nine are currently operational, supposedly under more stringent safety guidelines, compared to 54 before March 2011. While the government has pressed for more to restart, local communities have protested and mounted legal cases to oppose their operation. Some two dozen nuclear plants are to be decommissioned. For the fiscal year 2019, nuclear energy contributed just 6.2 percent to the countrys electricity generation, down from 30 percent before the Fukushima catastrophe. The government aim is to have nuclear energy accounting for 20-22 percent of electricity by 2030, despite strong doubts being raised by experts. Moreover, the shortfall in power generation has been taken up by coal-fire power stations, with plans to build another 22 in the coming years, compounding air pollution and the dangers of climate change. Questions also remain about the nuclear plants that have been restarted or are preparing to restart. An article by researcher Jun Tateno entitled 10 years after Fukushima: Are Japanese nuclear power plants safe? was published last week by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He reviewed in detail the limitations of the conformity assessment devised by the countrys Nuclear Regulation Authority after the disaster. Could a similar nuclear disaster occur again? Jun Tateno concluded his article by stating: Will the restarted nuclear power plants that have passed the conformity assessment following the Fukushima disaster be able to withstand such an earthquake? In light of current assessment practices, there is reason for extreme pessimism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. By Edward McKinley | Times Union, Albany Albany, N.Y. At the urging of his Republican colleagues, state Sen. James Skoufis who chairs the chambers investigations committee said he is interested in examining Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos Covid-19 policies at group home facilities for people with developmental disabilities, which have mirrored those of nursing homes. Skoufis said he had discussed the issue on a call Sunday night with Sen. Mike Martucci, the top Republican on the disabilities committee. Senate Republicans followed up with a letter Monday, signed by four members, asking Skoufis to initiate an investigation of the matter. The letter points to policies that didnt prioritize giving personal protective equipment to facilities overseen by the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. Staff at those facilities also were not required to work overtime to help deal with the challenges of coronavirus infections. But a focus of the push for the probe is an April 10 directive from OPWDD, an executive branch agency, that facilities should accept Covid-positive patients. Critics have compared that directive to the controversial March 25 order instructing nursing homes to accept Covid-positive residents. The April 10 policy is still in effect, and says if patients are medically stable and asymptomatic then, no individual shall be denied re-admission or admission. Some of the information and perspective that (Martucci) shared and brought to my attention last night is alarming and is worth looking into, Skoufis said. Given the similarity of the directive to the very controversial nursing home executive order, and the very simple fact that these group homes are congregate settings, this is something I want to do some information gathering on. Jennifer OSullivan, a spokeswoman for OPWDD, said in an emailed statement that certain legislators are spreading untruths about the policy. If they actually took the time to closely read OPWDDs guidance which was issued nearly a year ago, they would understand that residents of OPWDD group homes who were sent to the hospital for Covid-19 treatment were only returned to their homes after being deemed safe to return by the hospital physician, in consultation with the residential provider, she said. Group home providers were only to accept individuals if they could safely accommodate them within the group home. That is a similar defense to what Cuomos administration has offered of the nursing home policy. Some have said the directives unnecessarily exposed the most vulnerable New Yorkers to Covid-19, causing additional deaths. Cuomo has said the directives were issued to protect the hospitals from being overwhelmed. The letter cites a report from Disability Rights New York, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and the New York Civil Liberties Union that people in OPWDD were three times more likely to contract or die of Covid-19 than the broader population. OSullivan said that there have been 6,969 Covid-19 cases in OPWDD facilities in New York and 553 deaths, regardless of location of death. The total population of OPWDD residents was 34,551, as of Sunday. Skoufis added that there are important differences between OPWDD facilities and nursing homes families can more easily take people out of OPWDD facilities, for instance and that he wouldnt commit outright to holding hearings. But he said he wanted to explore the issue and potentially partner with Sen. John Mannion, who chairs the Committee on Disabilities, because, this is something that deserves examination. Cuomo is under two federal investigations for his administrations handling of Covid-19 in nursing homes and the decision made to withhold information about the total number of deaths from people who contracted the virus in those facilities. The signatories of the Monday letter connect the nursing home scandal and Cuomos handling of OPWDD facilities, saying the lack of transparency is the same. To date, OPWDD has resisted calls for greater transparency regarding the release of data related to group homes. I respectfully request that you launch a transparent and comprehensive investigation into OPWDD as the chair of the Investigations and Government Operations Committee, says the letter, which is signed by senators Anthony Palumbo, James Tedisco, Fred Akshar and Martucci. We must come together as New Yorkers and demand that OPWDD be transparent about their conduct during the Covid-19 pandemic. Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive and father of a child with a disability, has also been vocal on this issue. He sent a letter last month to legislative leaders, including Mannion, calling for a review of the OPWDD coronavirus policies. This has been a stubborn fight by the state every step of the way and its because those with disabilities have never been front and center in their spectrum of care, Molinaro said Monday, noting the directive for the facilities to accept Covid patients and that the state wouldnt allow counties to distribute personal protective equipment to the facilities last spring. Its almost as if Albany has washed their hands of responsibility and its really, really disturbing, he said. Prime Minister and his Portuguese counterpart Antnio Lus Santos da Costa spoke over the phone on Tuesday, during which they reviewed the preparations for the first ever India-EU Leaders' Meeting, scheduled to take place in May, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. The two leaders also reviewed the COVID-19 situation in their countries and noted the importance of a quick and equitable distribution of vaccines for the ending of the pandemic, the PMO said. Modi briefed da Costa on India's vaccination drive as well as on the support extended by India to more than 70 countries so far, it added. He said India would continue to support the vaccination efforts of other countries to the best of its capacities, the PMO said. The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction at the positive momentum in the India-Portugal partnership in the last few years. They also reviewed the preparations for the first ever India-EU Leaders' Meeting, scheduled to take place under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU in Porto in May. Modi appreciated the role being played by da Costa for strengthening the India-EU Strategic Partnership and said he is looking forward to meeting him in Porto. (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.) MILPITAS, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The pandemic's work-from-home reality resulted in an unprecedented change for organizations as they fought to defend exponentially greater attack surfaces from cybercriminals armed with powerful cloud-based tools, cloud storage and endless targets. As working environments evolved, so did the methods of threat actors and other motivated perpetrators, as detailed in the latest 2021 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report. "2020 offered a perfect storm for cybercriminals and a critical tipping point for the cyber arms race," said SonicWall President and CEO Bill Conner. "The pandemic along with remote work, a charged political climate, record prices of cryptocurrency, and threat actors weaponizing cloud storage and tools drove the effectiveness and volume of cyberattacks to new highs. This latest threat intelligence offers a look at how cybercriminals shifted and refined their tactics, painting a picture of what they are doing amid the uncertain future that lies ahead." The 2021 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report highlights how COVID-19 provided threat actors with ample opportunity for more powerful, aggressive and numerous attacks, thriving on the fear and uncertainty of remote and mobile workforces navigating corporate networks from home. "There is no code of conduct when it comes to cybercriminals, their methods of attacks and the selection of their targets," said Conner. "Technology is moving at an unprecedented rate. Threats that were once thought to be two or three years away are now a reality, with do-it-yourself, cloud-based tools creating an army of cybercriminals armed with the same devastating force and impact of a nation-state or larger criminal enterprise. Organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in hardening their cybersecurity posture." The 2021 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report goes inside the stories that headlined 2020, and takes a closer look at new and disruptive cyber threats to provide insight into the evolving cyber threat landscape. Major findings of the new in-depth SonicWall report include: Ransomware reaches new heights with increasingly targeted attacks: A 62% increase in ransomware globally, and 158% spike in North America , points to cybercriminals using more sophisticated tactics and more dangerous variants, like Ryuk, to earn an easy payday. A 62% increase in ransomware globally, and 158% spike in , points to cybercriminals using more sophisticated tactics and more dangerous variants, like Ryuk, to earn an easy payday. Ryuk ransomware rises from obscurity, sees astronomical increase: First identified in August 2018, Ryuk did not appear outside of North America, Europe or Asia as late as January 2020. The following month, Ryuk began climbing the charts, eventually overtaking top-ranking Cerber ransomware. With 109.9 million cases detected worldwide, Ryuk was logged nearly every eight seconds in September alone. More 'never-before-seen' malware variants identified: SonicWall's newly patented Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI), a component of the company's Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) sandbox service, discovered 268,362 'never-before-seen' malware variants in 2020, a 74% year-over-year increase. RTDMI is proven to proactively detect and block unknown mass-market malware, including malicious Office, and PDF file types. SonicWall's newly patented Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI), a component of the company's Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) sandbox service, discovered 268,362 'never-before-seen' malware variants in 2020, a 74% year-over-year increase. RTDMI is proven to proactively detect and block unknown mass-market malware, including malicious Office, and PDF file types. Malicious Office files surpass last year's preferred PDFs: SonicWall research shows the shift to employees working from home full-time could be directly linked to the increased utilization of Office files and PDFs as malicious vehicles armed with phishing URLs, embedded malicious files and other dangerous exploits. New SonicWall data indicates a 67% increase in malicious Office files in 2020, while malicious PDFs dropped 22%. SonicWall research shows the shift to employees working from home full-time could be directly linked to the increased utilization of Office files and PDFs as malicious vehicles armed with phishing URLs, embedded malicious files and other dangerous exploits. New SonicWall data indicates a 67% increase in malicious Office files in 2020, while malicious PDFs dropped 22%. Cryptojacking returns as cryptocurrency breaks records: Once thought to be a dying attack vector after the industry's major mining operation boarded its online service, cryptojacking is back thanks to rising cryptocurrency values and its appeal of concealed payouts. Total cryptojacking for 2020 set records with 81.9 million hits, a 28% increase from last year's 64.1 million total. Once thought to be a dying attack vector after the industry's major mining operation boarded its online service, cryptojacking is back thanks to rising cryptocurrency values and its appeal of concealed payouts. Total cryptojacking for 2020 set records with 81.9 million hits, a 28% increase from last year's 64.1 million total. IoT malware increases as pandemic creates potential network of disruption: In March 2020 , masses of employees packed their personal office belongings and equipment to work from home for months on end, simultaneously creating an explosion of new attack vectors. In 2020, SonicWall Capture Labs threat researchers recorded 56.9 million IoT malware attempts, a 66% increase that showed shifting tactics for lurking cybercriminals. In , masses of employees packed their personal office belongings and equipment to work from home for months on end, simultaneously creating an explosion of new attack vectors. In 2020, SonicWall Capture Labs threat researchers recorded 56.9 million IoT malware attempts, a 66% increase that showed shifting tactics for lurking cybercriminals. Intrusion attempts up as attack patterns change: The distribution of intrusion attacks took on an entirely new character as a result of the changes brought on by the pandemic. In 2020, Directory Traversal tactics (34%) took over the top spot after a tie with remote code execution (21% for both) in 2019. Retail, healthcare and government face mounting ransomware volume: Industry-specific ransomware data reflects the impact cybercriminals had on retail (365%), healthcare (123%) and government (21%) sectors over the course of the pandemic. The annual 2021 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report arms enterprises, small- and medium-sized business, government agencies and other organizations with actionable threat intelligence collected by the SonicWall Capture Labs threat research team. In-house researchers work collectively with other industry experts, over 50 industry collaboration groups, research teams and freelance security researchers. Data for the report is gathered from over 1.1 million sensors strategically placed in over 215 countries and territories around the world as well as cross-vector, threat related information shared among SonicWall security systems, including firewalls, email security devices, endpoint security solutions, honeypots, content filtering systems and the SonicWall Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) multi-engine sandbox. To download the complete 2021 SonicWall Cyber Threat Report, please visit www.sonicwall.com/ThreatReport . About SonicWall SonicWall delivers Boundless Cybersecurity for the hyper-distributed era in a work reality where everyone is remote, mobile and unsecure. SonicWall safeguards organizations mobilizing for their new business normal with seamless protection that stops the most evasive cyberattacks across boundless exposure points and increasingly remote, mobile and cloud-enabled workforces. By knowing the unknown, providing real-time visibility and enabling breakthrough economics, SonicWall closes the cybersecurity business gap for enterprises, governments and SMBs worldwide. For more information, visit www.sonicwall.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. SOURCE SonicWall Related Links http://www.sonicwall.com OMAHA, Neb. (AP) An Omaha police detective says the man charged with murder and other counts in the November shooting death of his friend had been aiming for another man, who was injured. 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. Following Kamaraj's complaint, the woman was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 341 (wrongful restraint), 355 (assault or criminal force with the intent to dishonour a person), and 504 (intentional insult with the intent to provoke breach of the peace). After a makeup artist and beauty influencer, Hithesha Chandranee, accused a Zomato delivery agent of assaulting her, the guy, identified as Kamraj, lodged a counter complaint with Bengalurus Electronic City police on Monday. Following Kamarajs complaint, the woman was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 341 (wrongful restraint), 355 (assault or criminal force with the intent to dishonour a person), and 504 (intentional insult with the intent to provoke breach of the peace). He said Chandranee was injured while attempting to hit him. He said in his police testimony that the roads he used to deliver her food that day were under construction, which is why he was late. Despite my apologies, the woman began to harass me and demanded that I return the food. Read More: We can never ever turn our eyes away from racism: Jaishankar in Parl on Rashmi Samant racism row On March 9, Hitesha Chandranee said Kamaraj hit her and left her bleeding in a video posted on Instagram. Kamaraj ran off after the incident, according to Hitesha Chandranee. After the video went viral, Zomato took action, apologised to Chandranee in a tweet, and sent a local official to assist her with the police inquiry and medical assistance. Kamaraj was later released on bail and is now suspended from Zomato pending the results of a police probe. Social media has been split between the two versions of the incident. The case is now being investigated. Zomatos top concern, according to company founder Deepinder Goyal, is truth, and the company has been in frequent communication with Chandranee and Kamaraj to provide them with all possible resources so that both sides stories can be revealed. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump step out of Marine One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Jan. 20, 2021. (Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images) Trump Says He Would Never Meet China in Anchorage Like Biden Officials Are Doing Former President Donald Trump told an advisor last week that he would never grant the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) a meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, like the one planned by the Biden administration for March 18. According to Jason Miller, an advisor to Trump, the former president said that he would make the Chinese come over to Washington to have the meeting. The fact that Joe Biden is having his team meet in Anchorage and not in Washington shows that hes already trying to be deferential to the Chinese. Hes already capitulating to the Chinese, Miller told Newsmax on March 14. I spoke with President Trump about this last night and he said he would never go and do that, Miller added. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan are scheduled to meet with the CCPs top diplomats, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi, on March 18 in Anchorage, according to the State Department. The meeting with the Chinese will take place after Blinkens trip to Japan and North Korea. The South China Morning Post was the first to report that the Biden administrations first meeting with China would take place in Alaska. Alaska is a geographical midway point between the continental United States and China. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Biden spoke with CCP leader Xi Jinping on Feb. 10. During the call, Biden called out the communist regimes human rights abuses, unfair economic practices, and the crackdown in Hong Kong. Biden is committed to pursuing practical, results-oriented engagements when it advances the interests of the American people and those of our allies, according to a White House readout of the conversation. During his first speech after leaving the White House, Trump criticized the Biden administrations approach to China. Companies that leave America to create jobs in China and other countries that have ripped us off for years should not be rewarded. They should be tariffed, fined, and punished, Trump said on Feb. 28 in Orlando, Florida. They should not be rewarded. Thats what the Biden administration is doing. But of course, as you know, they have a very close, personal relationship with China, so I dont expect much to happen. Its a shame because it really is a threat. Its a tremendous economic threat. OnePlus finally confirmed its design, specifications, and features for its flagship phone--the OnePlus 9 Pro--coming out this March 23. Many tipsters previously leaked the design on social media and online forums. Still, the company has decided to silence them all and initiate an official confirmation of its forthcoming phone. Confirmed OnePlus 9 Pro Specs and Features As reported by TechCrunch, OnePlus officially confirmed its OnePlus 9 Pro flagship phone's specs through its official Twitter account. The OnePlus UK Twitter account shared the teasers for the upcoming device, showcasing its Morning Mist variant for the OnePlus 9 Pro. This confirms that the flagship brand is sporting one of three color variants: Morning Mist, Astral Black and Pine Green. Specially designed reflective glass elevates the #OnePlus9Pro Morning Mist to new levels of design excellence. There's nothing else like it. See even more on March 23. https://t.co/18Op7zhU9l pic.twitter.com/lF07yB0TVX OnePlus UK (@OnePlus_UK) March 15, 2021 At first glance it may appear simple. But the more you look at it, the more you see its beauty is in how it reflects the world around you. This is the #OnePlus9Pro Morning Mist. pic.twitter.com/OohJzxqirh Pete Lau (@PeteLau) March 15, 2021 OnePlus fanatics have seen the camera design for the handheld, but this is the first time that they have witnessed an all-angle shot of the phone and in such detail. The publication also noticed that the Morning Mist color variant seems to have a reflective glass design with a white effect in the shots. Still, it is currently uncertain if that is the effect of the snowy setting to sell the color variant. Besides that, curved edges are seen on the OnePlus 9 Pro in front and on the rear part that matches the previous leaks shared online. However, the company did not state whether the display screen could have the AMOLED 120Hz refresh rate feature. Also Read: OnePlus 8T: What We Really Know So Far All eyes will be on the OnePlus 9 Pro, as it is the flagship phone the company is offering for its recent lineup. Moreover, it has also been revealed that the OnePlus 9 variant will have a Winter Mist hue. This confirms the previous leak that the mid-range variant will have three colors, which Winter Mist is included. The other two--Stellar Black and Arctic Sky--are still speculations. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has been teasing over the past few days and hyping up the Hasselblad camera setup of the OnePlus 9 Pro. Lau stated that it took 30 days and more than 25 days to create the finish on the Morning Mist OnePlus 9 Pro glass. Ok, I can't help but share one more. It deserves it, especially given it takes 30 steps and more than 25 days to create the final finish on this extraordinary glass. #OnePlus9Pro Also, stick around again, might have another little test for you in a few minutes. pic.twitter.com/9HSQO2H7sz Pete Lau (@PeteLau) March 15, 2021 Additionally, the company shared some images taken from the OnePlus 9 Pro on Twitter. Previous leaks suggested that the device will be featuring a Hasselblad camera, and on monday, it was made official. Capture a world of wonder and beauty with the #OnePlus9Series and @Hasselblad Camera for Mobile. Coming March 23. https://t.co/poRMwhH6Pq pic.twitter.com/neZBbqIy0b OnePlus (@oneplus) March 15, 2021 The #OnePlus9Series and @Hasselblad Camera for Mobile gives you the power to frame your memories with perfection. Coming March 23. https://t.co/poRMwhH6Pq pic.twitter.com/2cRIZDoFPQ OnePlus (@oneplus) March 15, 2021 Take it wide. Go up close. You get to do it all with the #OnePlus9Series. Coming March 23. https://t.co/poRMwhH6Pq pic.twitter.com/O6Zuc2TmaJ OnePlus (@oneplus) March 15, 2021 A Two-Year Warranty for the OnePlus 9 Pro GSMArena reported that the OnePlus 9 Pro will also get a two-year warranty instead of the company's standard of one year. Lau stated that it will have a two-year available warranty for the handheld device in selected regions such as the EU. The company has looked at surveys and found that flagship buyers had kept their phones for two years after upgrading to a new one. This move from the company will put its customers at ease at any defects the OnePlus 9 Pro may have in the future. Related Article: OnePlus 9, Pro 5G Leak Shows Color Variants, Classy Design: Specs, Release Date and More Updates 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. The long-awaited Zack Snyders Justice League film is about to arrive and the reviews are in (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) The long-awaited new cut of 2017 superhero film Justice League is almost here but has it been worth the wait? Featuring Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg and Superman, the movie was the result of a troubled production. Original director Zack Snyder departed the project due to a family tragedy before it was finished by Joss Whedon. The film was a flop and fans mounted a fervent online campaign for a re-do. Expand Close Ben Affleck stars as Batman in Justice League (Matt Crossick/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ben Affleck stars as Batman in Justice League (Matt Crossick/PA) Zack Snyders Justice League will be released in the UK on Thursday and the reviews are in with good news for fans. The original holds a rating of 40% on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, while the new, four-hour version boasts a much improved 75%. Writing in The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw gave the film a four-star review and described it as weirdly entertaining. Of Justice Leagues four-hour run time, Bradshaw said it is an epic so splurgingly huge that you can see how it might have been purposed as four streaming episodes, adding yet its dramatic and theological craziness only really come across when you consume it all at once. The reviewer compared Justice League unfavourably to the Marvel Cinematic Universes Avengers, but said: There is something absorbing about this operatically strange twilight-of-the-superhero-gods that might yet turn out to be daybreak. Expand Close Joss Whedon finished the original Justice League after Zack Snyder stepped back from the film, but fans were unhappy with the result (Ian West/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joss Whedon finished the original Justice League after Zack Snyder stepped back from the film, but fans were unhappy with the result (Ian West/PA) The Telegraphs Robbie Collin gave Justice League a glowing five-star review, praising it as a mad and magnificent, four-hour apocalyptic pop epic. He praised Tom Holkenborgs score and said it deserves to be experienced in a crowded IMAX auditorium. However, Collin questioned if the film would attract new fans and said: For those unsold so far on the Snyder approach to super-heroism, or super-heroic cinema in general, Justice League doesnt feel like the film to tip the balance in its favour. Varietys Owen Gleiberman also gave the new Justice League a glowing review. He said it is one of the most visually spellbinding comic-book movies ever made and the set-piece battles have been staged with a supreme conviction. The reviewer welcomed the expanded role of Ezra Millers Flash, writing he is given far wittier dialogue than anything Joss Whedon came up with. Expand Close Zack Snyder has recut the Justice League film (Yui Mok/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Zack Snyder has recut the Justice League film (Yui Mok/PA) Empire magazine gave the updated Justice League three stars. Amon Warmann wrote in his review the film is at times needlessly violent but more often than not it feels satisfying, especially in a crowdpleasing final act. Of the added material, Warmann notes there is still far too much exposition. The New York Times was less enthusiastic about Snyders Justice League. Its review criticised an arduously long epilogue and seemingly endless (and pointless) exposition, noting Snyders never been one for nuance. And writer Maya Phillips also criticised the film as an indelicate orgy of special effects, fight scenes burdened with slow-motion attacks set to Tom Holkenborgs tirelessly didactic score. The Hollywood Reporter was similarly unimpressed by Snyders Justice League. It said the movies dialogue overflows with redundancies, clinkers and head-scratchers and said whoever penned one particular line needs to go back to screenwriting school. The action scenes become numbing according to the Hollywood Reporter, and the reviewer added the epilogue is exasperating. Even a good superhero flick (and this definitely isnt) shouldnt be this long, the review concludes. Zack Snyders Justice League will be available on Sky Cinema and Now TV from Thursday March 18. New Delhi, March 16 : The acquisition cost for BPCL as part of the privatisation process could be $6.9 billion to $10.3 billion. As per Credit Suisse, the investment required by the acquirer could be $6.9 billion to $10.3 billion. "We expect the reserve price to be approximately Rs 500 per share, and post dividend (Rs 50-60/share), the government's stake is worth $6.9 billion. Post the open offer, the maximum outflow would be $10.3 billion," Credit Suisse said in a note. It also said that the buyer can halve the capex at BPCL and sell non-core assets to the tune of $4 billion. Among the bidders, Apollo Global has done a deal of this size while Vedanta has partnered with Centricus. It said that steady-state EBITDA for BPCL could be $2 billion to $2.5 billion. The higher end of range is possible when the potential acquirer is able to reduce refining costs, increase productivity of marketing outlets, and increase non-fuel revenues. The macro is also improving for the refining sector, with inventories now down for both gasoline and diesel, and the cracks have started improving. The note from the investment banking company said that there is ample scope to boost steady-state EBITDA by $450 million. "In our view, refining cost reduction can boost EBITDA by $150 millionn, higher non-fuel EBITDA at marketing outlets can add $100 million, and higher footfalls can add $200 million," it said. The BPCL started with project Nishchay in the financial year 2016 to promote non-fuel revenues, but it gave up on most of the initiatives in two to three years. Even the current app "SmartDrive" for customers does not have real-time data at the outlets, and thus the active users are few. "We show that globally retail outlets have a substantial contribution from non-fuel revenues. The 7-Eleven acquired Speedway outlets in the US for $21 billion where half of the gross profit was driven by merchandise sales," Credit Suisse said. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) An Omaha police detective says the man charged with murder and other counts in the November shooting death of his friend had been aiming for another man, who was injured. New Delhi: The assured fixed return approach of the EPFO, announced by the CBT every year, along with the tax exemptions makes it an attractive choice for investors, providing them with strong social security in the form of provident fund. EPF account balance can be checked by PF subscribers in four different ways --ONLINE, through UMANG App, through SMS and through MISSED Call. The members registered on the UAN portal may get their PF details by sending an SMS from their registered mobile numbers to SMS EPFOHO UAN to 7738299899. EPFO subscribers, registered on the UAN portal, may get their PF details available with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation by giving a missed call at 011-22901406 from their mobile number registered with UAN. However, if you don't know your UAN, you can still check your EPF account balance. You can do so in few easy steps. Here is how to EPF account balance ONLINE without UAN, Visit EPFO official website https://www.epfindia.gov.in/. Now press click here to know your PF balance link. The EPFO link will take you to a new page. You will land up on epfoservices.in.epfo. Now, enter your state. Mention the EPF office. Enter your establishment code. Punch in your PF account number, name and registered mobile number. Click on the acknowledgment box and press I agree. Now you can see your PF balance. In other latest update for PF Subscribers, the EPFO on March 4, 2021 decided to retain 8.5 per cent annual rate of interest on provident fund deposits for the current financial year for its more than five crore active subscribers. Live TV #mute The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) apex decision-making body Central Board of Trustees decided to fix 8.5 per cent rate of interest for 2020-21 at its meeting in Srinagar. A lab dedicated to entrepreneurs at the College of Business and Economics - UAE University (UAEU) in Al Ain was opened yesterday (March 15) by Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth. During the inauguration, Al Kaabi toured the college's TV studio, the first of its kind in Al Ain, said a Wam news agency report. The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest technologies, in line with the highest international standards, to meet the growing needs of media students and hone their skills. The minister also visited the campus of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, which feature artworks, maps, rare books, excerpts from the French Clubs activities, photos and art works by the Korean Club students. She also visited the universitys library. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, the Cultural Advisor to His Highness the President of the UAE, and the Supreme President of the UAE University, expressed his happiness at Al Kaabis visit and her inauguration of the lab. The lab was built as part of the UAE Government Vision 2071, he added, noting that UAEU is committed to educating a generation who can keep pace with the latest developments in areas of entrepreneurship and innovation. The launch of an entrepreneurship course by the college was also an important step, as it encourages student engagement in innovation and entrepreneurship, he further added, affirming that the college is committed to preparing innovative young cadres to work in areas relevant to the universitys strategy and the requirements of the UAEs national agenda related to innovation. The inauguration was attended by Prof Ghaleb Ali Al Hadrami, Acting Vice Chancellor of UAEU, and Prof Ahmed Murad, Acting Associate Provost for Research, along with Dr Ateeq Al Mansouri, Advisor to UAEU Supreme President, and several officials from the university. Myanmars military regime launched a vicious crackdown on unarmed protesters on Sunday, in which at least 63 people were killed and hundreds injured by security forces firing live ammunition, making it by far the bloodiest day since the February 1 military coup. Doctors and rescue workers fear that the present toll of over 150 deaths will continue to rise as many of the wounded victims are in critical condition. Reports are also surfacing of dead bodies seized by police, after protesters were unable to retrieve them. Residents march around their neighborhood despite an overnight curfew in an anti-coup night rally at the Myaynigone area of Sanchaung township in Yangon, Myanmar Monday, March 15, 2021. (AP Photo) As previously, demonstrations in towns and cities across the country were confronted early in the day by a massive show of force by riot police and soldiers. One protester was shot dead in Mandalay, the second largest city, and another in Hpakant in Kachin State. Two were found dead after gunfire dispersed a mass student rally in Bago: a young boy and a woman whose body was dumped in a drain by security forces. However, the most shocking display of violence was in Yangon, Myanmars largest city, where at least 59 people so far have been reported dead. Military assaults were largely focused on the citys poor industrial suburbs, including Hlaingthaya, Thingangyun, Shwepyitha, Kyimyindaing, and South Dagon townships. Local hospitals were still filling with dead or seriously wounded protesters late Sunday night and Monday morning. Health workers spoke to the independent news agency Myanmar Now of the devastation. A senior official at Yangon General Hospital claimed that seven of 56 people brought to hospital were pronounced dead on arrival, while Thingangyun Sanpya Hospital received around 18 dead and 70 injured, according to a striking doctor. In Hlaingthaya, which witnessed the bulk of the violence, 34 dead protesters were brought to the main hospital and 40 others admitted with serious gunshot wounds. The killing in Hlaingthaya Township, a working-class district on the western outskirts of Yangon, reportedly began after fires broke out at two separate garment factories early Sunday afternoon. Hlaingthaya is home to a large population of impoverished migrant workers from rural areas across the country. The circumstances surrounding the factory fires remain murky. An official from the industrial zone explained that the factories, Global Fashion and Tsang Yih, were owned by Chinese and Taiwanese investors, and that the cause of the fires is still under investigation. No group has claimed responsibility. Nevertheless, military-run Myawaddy TV stated that protesters, whom the junta is labelling criminals, had set four factories and a fertiliser plant ablaze and stopped fire engines from reaching them. Additionally, the Chinese embassy said many Chinese staff were injured and trapped in the arson attacks, with Beijing-based CGTN later claiming people armed with iron bars, axes, and petrol attacked 10 factories in Hlaingthaya. In response, protest leader Ei Thinzar Maung has insisted on Facebook that only two factories were found burnt. Military trucks swiftly rolled into the streets at around 1p.m. when soldiers opened fire on gatherings of peaceful protesters. The shooting continued all day and raged on into the night, residents said. Witnesses observed that troops used the nearby Aung Zeya bridge as a vantage point to fire on fleeing protesters, injuring dozens in the neighbouring Insein Township with sustained bursts of gunfire and rubber bullets. Retreating protesters carried injured people where they could. Footage from the Democratic Voice of Burma showed some attempting to revive dying victims. Billows of black smoke covered much of the district as police set fire to roadblocks constructed by protesters. A Hlaingthaya protester told the Irrawaddy newspaper, These shootings are totally unacceptable. They are not dispersing the protests. They are just murdering the people with violence. Video on social media showed that protesters demonstrated considerable courage, reconvening throughout the day. Mostly wearing hard hats and gas masks, protesters sprayed fire extinguishers as they fled, in order to smother tear gas and create a screen between them and police. Atrocities also occurred elsewhere in Yangon. In Tamwe Township, police dragged the wounded body of a junior medical student lying in a pool of blood while kicking and beating a woman trying to save him. Hours-long shooting was also reported in South Dagon Township, where around 50 were injured and three confirmed dead, including a 15-year-old girl who was shot in the head and abdomen. Martial law was later imposed on numerous Yangon townships where protests had been the largest: Hlaingthaya and Shwepyitha on Sunday night, and South Dagon, North Dagon, Dagon Seikkan, and North Okkalapa on Monday morning. More direct military control of security, instead of police, was also declared in several parts of Mandalay. The announcement, broadcast on state-owned MRTV, said the junta was enhancing security to restore law and order, entrusting Yangons regional commander with administrative and judicial powers in the area under his command. Moreover, in an apparent bid to suppress news of Sundays turmoil, telecoms service providers were ordered to block all mobile data nationwide, two sources told Reuters, leaving all mobile internet inaccessible. The bloodshed followed a week of heightened state repression. After the violence unleashed on March 3, authorities have relentlessly terrorised neighbourhoods in Yangon, conducting mass arbitrary arrests and nighttime police raids, during which they have beaten civilians with impunity, fired gunshots at buildings, set off stun grenades, and damaged cars and shopfronts. In particular, these actions have targeted sections of workers who have played pivotal roles in the widespread strikes and work stoppages known as the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), such as doctors, civil servants, and railway workers. Thailand-based monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners confirmed that at least 2,150 people had been detained by Saturday, the vast majority of them workers associated with the CDM. An onslaught of soldiers and police on Saturday killed 13 protesters, meaning the weekend toll is as many as 72 dead. Five were shot dead in Mandalay, two in the central town of Pyay, and a truck driver in Chauk, Magway Region died after being shot in the chest. In Yangon, where five were killed and dozens more injured, soldiers occupied hospitals and prevented families from collecting their relatives bodies. The killings did not stop the mostly young demonstrators who crowded into a downtown commercial area intersection past the official 8 p.m. curfew to hold a mass candlelight vigil. Similar after-dark rallies were held in Mandalay. Saturdays protests were called online to commemorate victims of the 1988 uprising against military rule, which was crushed by the armed forces in a brutal crackdown that killed an estimated 3,000 people. It has become clearer after last week that the military is fully prepared to ramp up repression even further and oversee a crackdown on the scale of the 1988 massacre. The juntas use of violence has greatly intensified since February 20, when security personnel attacked striking shipyard workers in Mandalay, deliberately firing live rounds on protesters for the first time. The mounting pressure caused by the nationwide strike movementwhich has persisted for six weeks and paralysed major sectors of the economyis also driving the military to adopt more drastic political measures. Former couple Ranvir Shorey and Konkona Sen Sharma recently came under one roof to celebrate their son Haroon's 10th birthday. Later, Ranvir took to his Twitter page to share a picture from the birthday celebration in which he and his ex wife Konkona are seen posing with Haroon with his birthday cake. While Ranvir and Konkona are seen showing five of their fingers making it ten, their son is seen making a goofy face while showing off his ten fingers. The Traffic Signal actor captioned his picture as, "10! Happy Birthday, Haroon Shorey! You light up our lives!" Ranvir Shorey and Konkona Sen Sharma tied the knot in 2010 and welcomed their son Haroon in 2011. After five years of marriage, the couple announced their separation in 2015. Their divorce came through in August last year. The couple has been granted the joint custody of their son, Haroon. Recently, during an interactive session on Twitter, when a netizen asked Ranvir about remarrying Konkona, the actor reacted by simplying dropping a bunch of laughing emoticons. In one of his interviews with a leading tabloid, when the Ek Tha Tiger actor was asked if there is any possibility of him working with his ex wife Konkona in a film, Ranvir replied, "I doubt that. With the first one (Konkona's directorial debut A Death In The Gunj), she made sure I was a part of it, but we were separating at the time. Even if the bitterness is there, it should not spill over to the child's life. That is more important for me. Whatever steps we take, they have to be right for Haroon." ALSO READ: Ranvir Shorey Tests Negative For COVID-19; Thanks Fans For Their Good Wishes ALSO READ: Ranvir Shorey Opens Up About His Fallout With The Bhatts; Says 'I Don't Think They Are That Powerful' Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 11:20:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People watch a street dance performance at the Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Fei) Nowadays, it has become unsurprising that some western politicians and media vilify and demonize China to pursue self-serving political and economic interests, as well as contain China's development through meddling in its internal affairs. Defamation of Xinjiang is a frequently-used tool of those anti-China forces. BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Over 70 years ago, when the United States was haunted by the notorious McCarthyism awash with vilification and frame-up, the American society was ripped apart and stuck into an ideological bigotry against communism. Recently, the spectre of McCarthyism has appeared to resurface in the western public opinion sphere, with a motive to instigate ideological antagonism and confrontation against China. Christian Mestre, a French professor from the University of Strasbourg, has recently been forced to step down from his post as the ethics officer of the Strasbourg Eurometropolis because of his academic relations with and alleged service for China, which was fiercely bashed and distorted by some French media outlets and anti-China politicians. Those French media outlets also invoked his viewpoints in 2019 when he attended an international seminar on counter-terrorism, de-radicalization and human rights protection in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The professor, reviled as "China's pawn," spoke highly of the country's counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures in Xinjiang in an interview, and called on France and other European countries to learn from China's anti-terrorism measures. Tourists and a performer dance at the Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Fei) Has criticizing or even smearing China become a new type of "political correctness" in western public opinion? Does the West now tend to regard as vicious all the objective narratives and comments on China, as well as efforts to promote cooperation with China? If so, one cannot help but wonder whether it is the freedom of speech, under the banner of objectivity and impartiality, once boasted by the western world. Nowadays, it has become unsurprising that some western politicians and media vilify and demonize China to pursue self-serving political and economic interests, as well as contain China's development through meddling in its internal affairs. Defamation of Xinjiang is a frequently-used tool of those anti-China forces. In fact, a multitude of western media reports on Xinjiang and China's Xinjiang policy are lies, fabrication and vilification, as they deliberately distorted facts, concocted stories and selectively presented information to serve their ulterior motives. Much worse, the case of Professor Mestre has demonstrated that those forces would not only suppress any voice different from what they hyped up about Xinjiang, but also attempt to incite ideological antagonism against China, which evokes the horrible ghost of McCarthyism. Such egregious moves would only boomerang and hurt the western community's overall interests. Pushing anti-China voices to become "politically correct" will largely erode the foundation for cooperation between China and western countries, as it stirs up hostility towards China among the public in the West. Aerial photo taken on Feb. 22, 2021 shows a container terminal of Tianjin Port in north China's Tianjin Municipality. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) Indulging Sinophobia and sowing hatred of China will also stoke discrimination and racism in the West. A recent survey from Australia's Lowy Institute, conducted with over 1,000 Chinese Australians in November 2020, found 18 percent of the participants had been physically threatened or attacked because of their Chinese heritage, and 37 percent said they had been treated differently or less favorably for the same reason. Letting anti-China voices, full of lies and biases, go unchecked in the mainstream of western public opinion will also damage the credibility of the western community and strike a heavy blow to the freedom of speech that it flaunts. Fortunately, quite a few western scholars and media professionals believe that their countries should view China's development objectively and respect its strength, so as to avoid losses caused by misunderstanding of and deliberate alienation from one of the world's top economies. Moreover, many have been telling China story on the basis of facts and fairness. China always welcomes foreigners from all walks of life to visit Xinjiang and see for themselves the real situation there so as to avoid being deceived. A healthy public opinion sphere is in no way confined to only one type of perspectives. Before McCarthyism poisons their public opinion, westerners should stop viewing China through colored spectacles and categorically reject the hijacking of their public opinion for political interests. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York City plans to bring two new homeless shelters to Staten Island by this fall, the Advance/SILive.com learned Tuesday. One site will house approximately 50 homeless senior women in Grasmere and another will house approximately 100 homeless men in Stapleton, according to information from the city Department of Social Services-Department of Homeless Services (DSS-DHS). With nearly 1,000 Staten Islanders experiencing homelessness citywide, but only one shelter currently serving the borough, these two high-quality facilities will give New Yorkers experiencing homelessness the opportunity to get back on their feet safely, closer to their anchors of life in these unprecedented times, a spokesperson for DSS-DHS said. According to the information shared, the Grasmere site at 1055 Hylan Blvd. and the Stapleton site at 119 Tompkins Ave. will be staffed with comprehensive social services and 24/7 security. Both sites will use existing structures that will be converted into the shelters. The Grasmere site selected for a homeless shelter for women. (Steve White/For the Staten Island Advance)Steve White for the Staten Islan The Grasmere site will be at the location of a former doctors office at Hylans intersection with Steuben Street, and will be operated by the Institute for Community Living. Single women receiving shelter there will need to be over the age of 50, including those with mental health challenges. The Stapleton site will be located at the site of the former New York Foundling building, and will be operated by Samaritan Daytop Village. That facility will be for adult men, including those facing mental health challenges. The Stapleton site for a homeless shelter for men. (Steve White/For the Staten Island Advance)Steve White for the Staten Islan For security, DSS-DHS committed to both sites having a minimum of two security officers at their entrances to control building access and to monitor security cameras, which will be located throughout the buildings and grounds around the sites. Services at the sites will include case management, individual and group counseling, permanency planning and housing placement assistance, along with on-site medical and mental health services, according to DSS-DHS. Borough President James Oddo first learned of the planned sites Tuesday, and said his understanding was that the information would be shared with other elected officials and community boards later in the day. DSS-DHS confirmed it notified the community Tuesday. Oddo said he was aware of opposition shelters have received across the five boroughs and that he expected a similar response to the two announced Tuesday. I fully get that no one wants a shelter in their community. I mean, thats the history of this borough. Thats the history of many other communities across the city, he said. PRE-NOTIFICATION NOT YET REQUIRED The amount of notice given on the two new shelters is in line with the average notice of 200 days that communities have received as part of Mayor Bill de Blasios Turning the Tide initiative first announced in 2017. Notice does not have to be given before a shelter is sited since the city considers shelters to be emergency resources. The city has held community-requested public hearings after announcing new shelters, including after it announced the site of a massive shelter for families under construction at the intersection of Bay Street and Victory Boulevard. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law late last year that requires the city to notify the community before it sites homeless shelters. However, that legislation, which State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) and Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-North Shore) brought to their respective chambers, doesnt take effect until a year after the governor signed it. Had the law Assemblyman Fall and I authored been in effect already we would have had advance notification of the project, not finding out the same time as the press, Savino said. A BOROUGH-BASED APPROACH So far, the city has started operation in 44 shelters, and identified 87 sites for the 90-site goal it set at the start of the Turning the Tide initiative, according to DSS-DHS. Those include one Staten Island site already in operation sheltering 100 homeless people, and the site under construction at 44 Victory Blvd. that is expected to shelter approximately 500 mostly women and children. It hasnt yet been made clear when that shelter will open. According to the citys borough-based approach, those shelters are meant to be prioritized for the almost-1,000 Staten Islanders experiencing homelessness. Usually, the city identifies a homeless persons borough through their last known address. Oddo, along with multiple other elected officials, expressed opposition to that site at 44 Victory Blvd. when it was first reported in January 2019. At the time, the city said there could be more sites planned for the Island. He said his office will reach out to the operators announced for the two new sites to get more specifics on their plans, but that given legal precedent around opposition to other city shelters there was little that could be done to stop the process. While Oddo conceded that he might be drawing lines between unconnected dots, he couldnt help but compare the citys handling of the pandemic on Staten Island and its siting of homeless shelters in the borough. In the early days of the pandemic, the citys focus was on its public hospital system, of which no sites are located on Staten Island, and vaccine sites located on the borough have been slow to come. The city delivers on the citys needs, and Staten Islanders have to fight tooth-and-nail at every turn for what Staten islanders want, and this is just another reminder of that, Oddo said. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Authorities have charged a Staten Island man in connection with 130 phone calls to law enforcement and crisis hotlines, during which he claimed he was abusing or planning to abuse children. John LaForgia, 36, of New Dorp, was charged in New Jersey with false public alarm following an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutors Office, according to a statement released Monday by prosecutor Mark Musella. During these phone calls, the caller told operators that he was currently sexually assaulting a child or was about to while on the phone with them, Musella said. It wasnt immediately certain if the defendant had an attorney who could comment on the allegations. A phone call to a number tied to LaForgia in public records went unanswered. On Feb. 15, the offices Cyber Crimes Unit was notified by several local police departments and a community crisis hotline that they were receiving repeated telephone calls from an unknown source using technology to anonymize the caller ID. Investigators determined the claims were false, and traced the calls to LaForgia, who prosecutors say works as a security guard. The defendant also allegedly made more than 100 similar calls dating back to Feb. 1 to other law enforcement agencies and crisis hotlines in multiple jurisdictions, including New York. Laforgia surrendered to authorities Friday and was released pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, N.J., Musella said. Public records show that Laforgia was charged with making bomb threats in Lodi, N.J., several times between Aug. 5 and Aug. 11, 2011. The cases were resolved in New Jersey Superior Court, NJ.com reported. Carlene Martin, a native Iowan and loving mother to three grown children and grandmother to three granddaughters, has completed her new book The Doctor and the Ice Princess: a gripping and potent depiction of small-town love between a metaphorical outsider and a literal outsider. Published by Page Publishing, Carlene Martins amorous tale follows Cassandra after a devastating loss, as she is comforted by the arms of her employer of ten years, Dr. Frank Miller, for whom she has worked as a nurse (amongst other tasks) at his medical clinic. Cassandra and Dr. Miller grew into a paternal relationship, and even though Cassandras father was lost, she knew Dr. Miller would always be there for her. They have a comfortable relationship, but their world is going to get turned upside down. Dr. Cody Grant, a young doctor just out of medical school, joins the clinic as Dr. Millers new protege. Dr. Miller intends for Cody to be his replacement when he retires soon, and he treats him as such. Cassandra always felt like something of an outsider to her small community, and after fighting for Codys acceptance into the clinic, she makes a powerful plea for the city to provide funding for another doctor on staff. As a new member of the community, Cody is drawn to Cassandra, and the two form an intimate relationship that changes both of their lives forever. With a delectable supporting roster of characters and swoon-worthy romance at its core, this book is a passionate romance about a small town getting turned on its head. Readers who wish to experience this dreamy work can purchase The Doctor and the Ice Princess 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. FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled "Astra Zeneca COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine" and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration photo COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A 60-year old Danish woman who died of a blood clot after receiving AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine had "highly unusual" symptoms, according to the Danish Medicines Agency. The woman had a low number of blood platelets and clots in small and large vessels, as well as bleeding, it said. A few similar cases were found in Norway and in the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) database of drug side effects, Danish Medicines Agency said. "It was an unusual course of illness around the death that made the Danish Medicines Agency react," it said in a statement late on Sunday. Norway said on Saturday that three people, all under the age of 50, who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of blood platelets, which were labeled "unusual symptoms" by health authorities. Denmark, Norway and Iceland said last week they would halt the introduction of the AstraZeneca vaccine. European vaccination programmes have been upset in the last two weeks by reports that recipients of the AstraZeneca inoculation have suffered blood clots. The European Medicines Agency has said there is no indication that the events were caused by the vaccination, a view that was echoed by the World Health Organization on Friday. AstraZeneca Plc said on Sunday a review of safety data of people vaccinated with its COVID-19 vaccine has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; editing by Catherine Evans, Larry King) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. Today Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 79F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. In an important milestone on Telstra's roadmap to bring 5G to more Australians sooner, Australia's biggest telco has completed testing on its low-band 5G spectrum and it is now ready for commercial use. This low band uses 850MHz, spectrum that Telstra currently use for its 3G network, which was the frequency championed by its Next-G network. However, as 3G traffic declines, Telstra reports being able to re-purpose part of the spectrum for more efficient and higher value 5G services while still maintaining its 3G services in operation. The tests and rollout, which started last November, have added another dimension to Telstra's 5G offering with "parts of the network now able to do a 5G data session over distances exceeding 80km." Channa Seneviratne, the Technology Development and Solutions Executive at Telstra said: The addition of low band 5G to our network is going to offer greater depth to our 5G coverage and help us bring 5G to some hard to reach places another part of our drive to make 5G accessible to as many Australians as possible. Today, Telstra reports having approximately 1,200 sites activated with the new software, ready for 3rd generation 5G devices. Meanwhile, Telstra says it is "continuing to work with ecosystem partners to optimise this new 5G network capability in combination with new device software." Seneviratne added: We are continuing to test and optimise 5G, work that will unlock further advanced 5G capabilities such as the aggregation of more carrier frequencies, lower latency like the ~ 5mSec we demonstrated previously and the progression of the 5G StandAlone Network which we first enabled in May 2020. We are also readying the 700MHz spectrum to add to our low band 5G. Telstra also reminds us that ithas started the roll out of 5G in more than 100 cities and towns and 2000 suburbs across the country, with 3000 5G sites now on-air across Australia. More than half of Australias population now lives within Telstras 5G footprint, with the company having "made a commitment to roll out its 5G network to 75% of the population by the end of June." Meanwhile, there are more than 1,000,000 5G devices on Telstras network, with the company "adding thousands of new 5G devices every single week as more customers take up new devices and the roll out continues." 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. The federal moratorium intended to prevent the evictions of people who fall behind on their rent payments during the coronavirus pandemic isn't stopping some landlords in the city-parish from putting their tenants out on the streets. Since Baton Rouge City Court has mostly halted eviction hearings while the moratorium is in effect, landlords are opting to have evictions approved through the parish's justices of the peace. Housing advocates say it's loophole that should be closed if the moratorium is extended before its scheduled March 31 expiration. "The moratorium only stopped certain kinds of evictions but doesn't stop all evictions," said Cashauna Hill, executive director of Louisiana Fair Housing Action. "The only evictions it stopped are for non-payment of rent. And even then, renters have to opt-in for those protections." Millions of dollars earmarked for rental assistance have been trickling into the state from the federal level, but the bureaucracy attached to that money hasn't given landlords or their tenants the relief they need as the country struggles to rebound from the economic impacts the coronavirus has caused. The city-parish at noon Monday began accepting applications for the rental assistance program it's implementing to allocate approximately $30 million in additional federal funds coming in to assist those in need. Baton Rouge rental assistance program overwhelmed with more requests than it can pay for Officials with a Baton Rouge rental assistance program say they don't have enough money to help the more than 3,000 people who have applied, a Vernell Lockett had to borrow more than $1,000 to stop his property manager at Greenwell Plaza Apartments in Baton Rouge from kicking him out after she obtained an eviction order from a justice of the peace in East Baton Rouge Parish. And Renee Melancon was evicted Feb. 25 by her landlord after falling behind four months in rent. But according to Tracy Batieste-Woodard, the justice of the peace in Melancon's district, Melancon was asked to vacate the home she rented in the 1700 block of McHugh Road in Baker because she had also violated terms of her lease, from which the eviction moratorium doesn't protect her. The parish's justices of the peace mostly handle eviction requests for areas outside Baton Rouge city limits. "We're not just evicting people, we're having mercy; considering the circumstances," said Batieste-Woodard, justice of the peace for Ward 2, District 3 in East Baton Rouge Parish. "I give them time to find somewhere to go." The eviction moratorium, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is intended to combat the spread of coronavirus by preventing people from becoming homeless during the pandemic, which could result in someone being forced into shared living spaces or shelters where they stood greater risks of spreading or contracting the respiratory virus. It was extended twice since being issued last year. While the order temporarily alleviates a tenant from making monthly rental payments if they meet certain criteria listed on an intake form they must complete to receive an exemption, it also says renters who violate terms of their lease can be evicted in the interim. Such lease violations can include engaging in criminal activity, threatening the health and safety of their neighbors, causing significant damage to their rental property and not adhering to any local and state code restrictions. Lockett said he's been out of work and fell behind four months in rent and even tried to seek rental assistance but couldn't get approved because his landlord refused to take the calls from assistance officials. He was served an eviction notice March 4. It was approved for the owner of his apartment complex, Sid LeJeune Properties, by Mark Miley, justice of the peace for Ward 3, District 1, according to court records. 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 "I had to come up with a portion of the $4,000 they said I owed for the rent and late fees," he said. "I had to rush and borrow money from family and friends. But I don't know what I'm going to do next." Connie Porter, who identified herself as the property manager at Lockett's complex, refused to answer any questions related to his situation. And Miley did not return multiple calls by The Advocate to reach him. Melancon said she has been staying with various friends since getting evicted. "Our landlord knew we were struggling," she said. "But they took us to (justice of the peace) court anyway and the judge wouldn't hear a word we said." The home Melancon lived in is owned by Stacey Jones, whose family owns about 30 rental properties throughout the city-parish. East Baton Rouge assessing needs ahead of rental assistance program funding The city-parish has launched a new website to assess the needs of residents still struggling to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic as it Jones said Melancon was a hoarder and things had gotten so bad that the city of Baker had levied fines after issuing multiple citations on the property. Jones also said Melancon had damaged the property in addition to falling behind on rent. Melancon denies those claims. "We're trying to do what we can to keep people afloat; this pandemic has been hard on all of us," Jones said. Batieste-Woodard sided with Jones, saying Melancon had code violations dating as far back as a year ago. "We've had about 100 (eviction) cases come across and I may have evicted about 50," she said. "At the end of the day, I can only speak for my ward. We're not evicting every request that we get. I continue a lot of cases so I can research and gather information." But Hill said there are landlords seeking to have their cases heard before certain judges and justices of the peace where they think they'll have a better chance of getting them approved quicker and without as much scrutiny. "Justices of the peace in Louisiana are a wildly differing group," she said. "There's no requirement a person serving has to have any sort of legal education. But they're making legal decisions that can result in families being kicked out of their homes." Cory Dennis, spokesman for the state's Attorney General's Office, said state law mandates they provide training to all justices of the peace and constables. "However, we do not have oversight authority over them," Dennis said. If local and state agencies aren't going to expedite the allocation of rental assistance funds, Hill thinks its incumbent on federal leaders to close the gaps that still remains when it comes to evictions. "Advocates as well as tenants are asking that those changes happen," Hill said. "But it's still hard to know what the next step will be." Identity theft has become more prevalent than ever and fraudsters are deploying a variety of techniques and tricks to hijack your personal information. Identity thieves can wreak havoc on your life by opening up credit cards in your name, selling your information on the dark web, or even using your identity if arrested for a crime. Luckily, there are identity theft protection services that can help keep your identity and personal information safe from criminals. The best identity theft protection companies will monitor your credit for suspicious activity, send real-time alerts if fraud is detected, and provide ID theft insurance in case you're a victim of a data breach. But with so many identity monitoring services to choose from, choosing the best company can feel like an overwhelming task. To help you decide, we've reviewed the best identity theft protection services. We evaluated each company on a variety of factors including protection plans, features, price, company reputation, and more. If you're serious about protecting your identity and keeping your personal information safe from criminals, here are the best identity theft services of 2021. Top 5 Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021 Credit Squad: Best overall Identity Guard: Best features IdentityIQ: Best for family plans LifeLock: Best for online fraud protection ExtraCredit: Best for credit monitoring #1 Credit Squad: Best Company Overall Credit Squad is our top choice for the best identity theft protection service of 2021. Relatively new to credit monitoring and identity theft services, New York-based Credit Squad has distinguished itself among big-name ID theft protection companies by providing a personal touch you wont find anywhere else. Credit Squad offers a myriad of services for monitoring identity, including: Bank account monitoring Credit score tracking Lost wallet replacement Nearby sex offender monitoring SSN tracing When you sign up, you tell Credit Squad what information you want it to track, which the company does using its proprietary Light Watch scanning technology. If Light Watch finds any of your information online, youll receive real-time alerts. And if you fall victim to identity theft, Credit Squad will provide coverage for up to $1 million in losses. Credit Squad is hands-down the best identity theft protection firm for customer service, with 24/7 United Statesbased support and access to trained credit counselors who can give you personalized financial adviceno matter which plan you choose. Youll also receive an assigned caseworker and paralegal to help you with the identity recovery process if your identity does get compromised. Credit Squads standard plan only includes credit monitoring, while the companys other two individual plans and three family plans all come with identity theft protection services. In fact, the basic family plan only includes ID theft services. Even if youre childfree, you may still want to consider this plan if you want ID protection and already have a credit monitoring service with another company. The top-tier Elite plans really have it all, though: tri-bureau credit monitoring, monthly credit reports, and in-depth identity theft protectionall for just under $50. If you want hands-on credit monitoring and identity protection services, then Credit Squad is the company for you. You will be able to rest assured that you have ultrasecure credit. Credit bureau monitoring from Equifax, Transunion, and Experian Choose from individual and family protection plans Full-service identity recovery services $1M in identity theft insurance Free email address scan Click Here To Learn More About Credit Squad #2 Identity Guard: Comprehensive Credit Protection Plans In 1996, Identity Guards founding company, Intersections Inc., emerged as one of the first identity theft protection services in the industryright as the Internet was becoming mainstream. Since then, this Virginia-based identity protection firm has served over 50 million customers and earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Identity Guard has cemented its status as one of the best identity theft protection entities in existence by offering several helpful services: Address monitoring Bank account monitoring Credit monitoring Dark web monitoring Social media monitoring Some of these services are available across all Identity Guard plans, while others are available only at certain levels. For example, Identity Guards credit monitoring service includes yearly credit reports and monthly credit scores from the three major credit bureaus in the premium Ultra plans, but only one bureau in the lower plans. Another area worth looking at when choosing a plan is social media monitoring. Youll only receive social media analyses in the Ultra plan, and cyberbullying alerts come with all family plans, making them excellent options for families with teens. Many identity theft protection services don't even offer social media monitoring, so the fact that Identity Guard includes these features at all is a huge plus. But no matter which plan you choose, youll get a dedicated case manager who is based in the United States, $1 million in identity theft insurance, identity recovery assistance, and an easy-to-use dashboard available both online and in the Identity Guard mobile app, all of which will provide you with ultra-secure credit, giving you great peace of mind. Plus, youll enjoy Identity Guards standout feature: IBM Watson artificial intelligence, a supercomputer that thinks as it processes billions of data points all across the web every day. According to the programmers, this artificial intelligence reduces the risk of identity theft by approximately 16%. If the artificial intelligence detects any theft, Identity Guard will alert you within three seconds. Identity Guard offers three reasonably priced plans: Value, Total, and Ultra. All of the plans are available for individuals and as family plans, which include protection for two adults and unlimited children, and even the Ultra Family plan costs under $40. Furthermore, you can save up to $5 per month if you bill annually, depending on your plan. When it comes to identity theft protection, you cant go wrong with Identity Guard. Real-time fraud alerts Identity recover assistance Individual and family protection plans Notifications from data breaches $1 million in ID theft insurance Click Here to Learn More About Identity Guard #3 IdentityIQ: Best ID Theft Insurance Las Vegas-based IDIQ founded its flagship brand IdentityIQ in 2010 to help keep their personal information safe. With the help of the companys United Statesbased support team, IdentityIQ has maintained an A+ BBB rating ever since. In particular, IdentityIQ draws praise for its comprehensive identity theft insurance coverage across all plans. Ideally, you wont even need to use the insurance, since IdentityIQ offers a wide range of monitoring services, including: Address change monitoring Bank account monitoring Dark web monitoring Lost wallet assistance Social Security number alerts In addition, the companys top two plans include annual triple-bureau credit reports and scores. With the top-tier Secure Max plan, you can use a credit score simulator to see how potential fraudulent actions would affect your credit score. IdentityIQ really stands out, though, in offering the best identity theft protection insurance in the industry. Even the lowest plan comes with up to $1 million in reimbursement, as well as coverage for attorney fees and personal expenses that are related to the recovery process. Therefore, you can rest easy knowing that safety nets are in place if your identity is ever stolen. Youll also let out a sigh of relief when you see how little IdentityIQ costs. The basic plan rings up at just $6.99 per month, and Secure Max costs only $29.99 each month, much lower than other companies top plans. If youre looking for a family plan, Secure Max also includes family protection with $25,000 in ID theft insurance per child under 25 years old. And before you sign up, make sure you take advantage of IdentityIQs seven-day trial for only $1. For ultimate peace of mind with your ultrasecure credit and ID theft protection service, whether you want to protect your assets or safeguard your family, look no further than IdentityIQ. Daily credit monitoring for suspicious activity $1 million in identity theft insurance Full ID theft restoration 12 credit reports and scores from all 3-bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) Family protection plans included at no additional cost Click Here to Learn More About IdentityIQ #4 LifeLock: Most Trusted Fraud Protection Service Twelve years after LifeLocks founding in Arizona, antivirus company Norton purchased LifeLock in 2017, making it the best identity theft protection service for online protection. As of 2021, LifeLock serves over five million customers and has an A rating with the Better Business Bureau. As its name implies, LifeLock is known for allowing you to easily lockor freezeyour credit so that no one else can access your credit report. If you have the LifeLock Ultimate Plus plan and lose your wallet or detect fraud, you can instantly freeze your bank accounts and credit cards, as well as lock inquiries with the three credit bureaus. In addition, LifeLock provides the following identity monitoring services in its user-friendly online interface and mobile app: Address change monitoring Bank account and credit card alerts Credit monitoring Dark web monitoring Data breach notifications LifeLocks credit monitoring service includes monthly credit reports and yearly credit scores, but where the company truly shines is online protection. All plans except for the base option come with Norton 360 antivirus software, which protects against computer viruses, phishing, malware, spyware, and more. Furthermore, Norton 360 with LifeLock searches for all kinds of personal information on the dark web, including your SSN, date of birth, email addresses, credit card numbers, phone numbers, and so much more. If someone is using your information for nefarious purposes on the dark web, LifeLock will find it. Plus, LifeLock can even help your kids stay safe online with LifeLock Junior, the family plan option. For an additional monthly fee per child, LifeLock Junior will protect your kids information from synthetic identity theft as well as monitor their peer-to-peer file sharing such as music and videos. LifeLock plans come in four tiers: Standard, Select, Advantage, and Ultimate Plus. As the price increases, so does the number of features, but theres also another important distinction: only Ultimate Plus offers $1 million in identity theft insurance. Advantage covers $100,000, and the lower two plans cover just $25,000. However, with all plans, LifeLock does cover up to $1 million in lawyer fees if you have to recover your stolen identity. LifeLock Ultimate Plus gives you the most bang for your buck at a maximum of $34.99 per month. This plan monitors the most kinds of data, including investment and retirement accounts. Includes Norton-360 to protect your devices from online threats Sends alerts via phone, text, email, or mobile app Save up to 25% the first year Up to $25,000 to $1 million in stolen funds reimbursement Click Here to Visit The Life Lock Website For More Information #5 ExtraCredit: Best For Credit Monitoring Since 1996, Credit.com has been a leader in the credit reporting industry with over a million members to date. Still, the companys new ExtraCredit service takes credit monitoring a step further with an entire identity protection suite. Instead of paying different services to build, guard, track, and restore your credit, you can do it all with ExtraCredit for a low monthly fee. Credit.com's ExtraCredit provides a ton of services for the price. The company breaks them down into five categories: Build It, Guard It, Track It, Reward It, and Restore It. For our purposes in this review, well focus on the identity monitoring services in Guard It and the credit monitoring ones in Track It, including the following: Data breach alerts Dark web monitoring Three-bureau credit monitoring 28 FICO credit scores Who knew you could get such comprehensive ID protection services from a company whose business is mainly monitoring your credit? And if your identity is stolen, ExtraCredit has your back, with identity theft insurance for up to $1 million. But if building and maintaining your credit is equally as important to you as identity protection, then youll enjoy ExtraCredits additional features. Credit.com reports your rent and utility payments to credit bureaus helping you bolster your credit report. Plus, the companys expert U.S.based restoration team will help you repair your credit if it has seen better days. And if all that wasnt enough, the ExtraCredit program can also help you earn up to $300 in cash offers. Who doesnt love earning money? Unlike other identity theft protection services, ExtraCredit doesnt have different tiers. Instead, everyone pays $24.99 each month for the entire suite. Credit.com estimates that if bought separately, ExtraCredits five services could total roughly $90, so youre getting an exceptional deal. And if youre not satisfied with ExtraCredit, you can cancel at any time. If you want an all-in-one solution for monitoring identity theft and building your credit score, ExtraCredit will meet all of your needs with ease. Best for credit monitoring and rebuilding credit score ID theft insurance included Dark web monitoring One low monthly-fee Click Here To Learn More About ExtraCredit What Is Identity Theft? Identity theft is a crime involving the unauthorized use of someone elses personal information, such as Social Security numbers, credit cards, bank accounts, health insurance, and other records. There are several types of identity theftfinancial, medical, tax, employment, and others. Basically, thieves can carry out a wide range of actions with your personal information, including making purchases, opening accounts, getting a passport, filing a false tax returnthe list goes on and on. Of course, youre probably familiar with credit card fraud, but there are a few other specific types of identity theft to be aware of. For instance, identity cloning occurs when someone lives their daily life as another person. This sounds like the plot of many movies, but it happens in real life more often than youd expect, often in the case of undocumented immigrants or U. S. citizens with criminal records and poor credit masquerading as other people, especially on social media. Another type of identity theft is synthetic, which means a mix of real and fraudulent personal informationa real SSN with a fake name and birthday, for example. Eventually, the fraudulent identity records could merge with the victims real records, which could lead to several complications. How Do Identity Protection Services Work? An identity protection service uses a combination of technology and professionals to regularly scan websites, databases, and social media in search of suspicious activity involving the personal information you provide. Plus, the company will look at your credit reports for any irregularities. If the service detects any fraudulent activity, it will notify you immediately via email, text message, or mobile app alert. And if you become a victim of identity theft, most identity protection service providers will offer identity restoration assistance and reimbursement for up to $1 million in damages. Its important to remember that credit monitoring services dont prevent identity theftno company can do that. That said, their constant identity monitoring and instant alerts will help you quickly take action to nip damages in the bud. Features to Look for in a Good Identity Theft Protection Service Credit Monitoring Your credit score can be a good indicator of identity theft, especially if you see actions on your credit report that you dont recall, like applications for credit cards or loans. Identity theft protection companies will monitor your credit score for any changes or suspicious activity. Your goal is ultrasecure credit. Some companies include credit reporting from just one credit bureau, but most obtain reports from all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Dark Web Monitoring The dark web is a deeper part of the Internet that isnt indexed by search engines; instead, it requires specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. The dark web is a hotbed for the sale of illicit personal information: credit card numbers, login credentials, Social Security numbers, and more. An identity theft protection service with dark web monitoring will scan this part of the Internet to detect if anyone is fraudulently using your information. Identity Theft Insurance Most of the best identity theft protection services offer identity theft insurance that covers you if your identity does get stolen, typically with a $1 million cap in reimbursements. Especially considering attorney fees and other costs related to the recovery process, insurance is a must, so you shouldnt settle for a service that doesnt include it. Family Plans If you want to protect the personal information of your spouse, children, or parents, you need to choose an identity theft protection company with a family plan. Family plans allow you to add members of your household to your account rather than creating individual accounts for each person. Mobile Apps Many identity theft protection services have mobile apps for monitoring identity theft on the go. Check the apps ratings on the App Store or Google Play store, depending on your smartphone. For the ultimate security, look for a company with a mobile app that has two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication requires you to provide two different types of information to log into your account, such as a password and fingerprint. Identity Theft Restoration If your identity is stolen, youll want dedicated support during the identity restoration process, usually in the form of counselors or specialists who will guide you through the steps of contacting credit agencies, finding an attorney, and completing important paperwork. Some companies even offer restoration support 24/7. Social Security Number Monitoring Your Social Security number (SSN) is unique to you and 100% confidential. If fraudsters get hold of it, they can use your SSN to get other personal information about you, create synthetic identities, or carry out tax fraud under your name. Social Security number tracing involves monitoring dark web areas for signs of fraud and then sending you a report that shows all the names associated with your SSN other than your own, if any. Triple-Bureau Credit Scores and Reports The best identity theft protection services obtain credit reports from all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Receiving reports from three credit bureaus instead of one will give you a complete picture of your credit score and help you determine whether or not someone has committed fraud with your personal information. How Much Do Identity Theft Monitoring Services Cost? According to identity theft protection reviews, prices can vary from only a few dollars to more than $30 per month, or $75 to a few hundred per year. The price often depends on the number of identity monitoring services a company offers. Some identity security services offer free subscriptions, but we dont recommend those because they usually dont do enough to really protect your identity. However, you should definitely take advantage of a companys free trial period if it offers one. Who Should Get ID Theft Protection? Its pretty simple: if you have personal information, you need identity theft protection. So pretty much everyone needs this service, especially in todays digital age when everything is online. If someone ever steals your identity, you want to be aware of the theft as soon as it happens in order to minimize the financial toll. This can be hard to do without a dedicated service looking out for you. In 2019 alone, the Federal Trade Commission received over 650,000 reports of identity theft, so its clear that its a widespread problem. Therefore, there's no such thing as being too careful. Helpful Tips for Protecting Your Identity Some of the best identity theft prevention practices include the following: Protecting Yourself on Paper Keep all your important documents, such as Social Security certificates, birth certificates, passports, credit cards, etc., in a safe place. Retrieve your mail from your mailbox as soon as possible to prevent anyone from stealing it and taking down your credentials. Shred any papers with your personal information on them immediately after you finish using them. If you dispose of important papers without shredding them first, thieves can dig through your garbage and take them. Protecting Yourself Online Create a long, unique password for each account. Use anti-phishing software to prevent hackers from accessing your accounts. Use a virtual private network (VPN) when using public wi-fi. Miscellaneous Identity Theft Protection Tips Regularly review your bank account and credit card statements for any unfamiliar transactions. Manually check your credit scores and reports from each credit bureau on a regular basis. Only give your Social Security number to businesses after confirming that its completely necessary. What Is Identity Theft Insurance, and Do You Need It? As stated earlier, most identity theft protection services will offer you up to $1 million in reimbursement if you're ever a victim of identity theft. Since no person or entity can truly prevent identity theft, its a good idea to make sure that your identity theft protection plan comes with this insurance. Other Identity Theft Protection Services to Consider ID Watchdog Equifax owns this Denver-based company, which has assisted the general public with identity monitoring since 2005. Much like your loyal canine friend, ID Watchdog will guard your identity with ferocity. In fact, a whole pack of Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialists (CITRMS) will help you navigate the identity recovery process if your ID becomes stolen. They wont leave your side until you get your identity fully restored, no matter how long it takes. Also, ID Watchdog provides 24/7 support in 100 languages. Pros: Dark-web monitoring Data breach alerts Three-bureau credit reporting Two-factor authentication Cons: No identity theft insurance No mobile app No social media monitoring ID Watchdog offers two plans: Plus and Premium. The main difference between the two is that for an extra $5 each month, Premium gives you monthly Vantage credit reports that pull from all three credit bureaus. Each plan is available as a family plan, but the price increases by more than $10. Overall, ID Watchdog is a viable identity theft protection service, although the lack of insurance is a major drawback. Even so, the company has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. PrivacyGuard PrivacyGuard is an identity theft protection company based in Connecticut. In addition to its credit reporting and ID theft protection services, the company is known for its vast toolkit, which includes simulation calculators and informational articles. Due to its fast and friendly customer service, PrivacyGuard boasts an A+ rating with the BBB. Like other identity theft protection services, PrivacyGuard alerts you when it detects fraud. However, youll also receive an all clear report each month if everything is fine to reassure you that the company is doing its job. Pros: Credit score simulator Monthly Vantage credit scores and merged reports with information from all three credit bureaus Free Norton Security antivirus software Secure browser extensions for Windows Up to $1 million identity theft insurance plan Cons: No family plans No 24/7 support Credit card and bank account limit Doesnt serve Iowa, Rhode Island, or Vermont residents When you sign up for PrivacyGuard, you choose one of three plans based on your priorities: Credit Protection, Identity Protection, or Total Protectionthe latter of which costs $24.99. If you arent ready to take the plunge yet, PrivacyGuard offers a 14-day trial membership for just $1. Individuals in most states with few bank accounts to monitor will benefit most from PrivacyGuard. However, families or those with extensive account monitoring needs should look elsewhere. Experian IdentityWorks IdentityWorks is a branch of the Irish multinational credit reporting bureau Experian. A major advantage of this ownership is that youll get your updated Experian credit score every day to help you spot fraud more quickly, in addition to monthly credit reports from all three bureaus. And if you become a victim of ID theft, the company will help you recover your identity. Pros: Daily credit monitoring Dark-web monitoring Social media monitoring Sex offender registry alerts Cons: Identity theft insurance only goes up to $500,000 Confusing cancellation policy Experian IdentityWorks offers two plans called Plus and Premium in three different levels: one adult, one adult with up to ten children, and two adults with up to ten children. Single parents might like that theres a plan just for them. Compared to Plus, IdentityWorks Premium costs $10 extra and includes credit reports from all three bureaus instead of just Experian, as well as other features including sex offender alerts that you wont find in the lower-tier plan. There really arent that many drawbacks to Experian IdentityWorks, but those with assets worth millions of dollars might want an ID theft protection service that provides better insurance. Final Thoughts - Is Identity Theft Monitoring Right for You? Honestly, theres simply no situation in which identity theft monitoring could be considered a bad investment, especially if you go with one of the companies weve reviewed in this article. So what are you waiting for? Choose the best identity theft protection service for your needs and arm yourself against the fraudsters today! WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A conference in Moscow this week on advancing the Afghanistan peace process does not replace the negotiations in Doha between the Taliban and a delegation that includes Afghan government officials, the State Department said on Tuesday. The Moscow meeting on Thursday "does not replace other ongoing talks in Doha," deputy State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told a news briefing. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay and Simon Lewis; Editing by Chris Reese) Britains Prince Philip returned to Windsor Castle on Tuesday, following a month in the hospital during which he was treated for an infection and underwent a heart procedure. Philip, 99, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, was admitted to the private King Edward VIIs Hospital in London on Feb. 16, where he was treated for an infection. He was later transferred to a specialized cardiac care unit at St. Bartholomews Hospital, before returning to King Edward VIIs. Photographers standing outside the door of the private hospital captured his departure in the back of a black car. Buckingham Palace later issued a statement confirming Philips release. His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VIIs Hospital and St Bartholomews Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes,' the palace said in a statement. Philips illness is not believed to be related to COVID-19. Both Philip and Elizabeth received coronavirus vaccines in January and chose to publicize the matter to encourage others to also take the vaccine. Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, retired in 2017 and rarely appears in public. Before his hospitalization, he had been isolating at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the queen. His illness comes as the royal family has been rocked by an interview with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry. In the explosive broadcast, Meghan, who is biracial, said the palace had failed to help her when she had suicidal thoughts and that an unidentified member of the royal family had raised concerns about the color of her babys skin when she was pregnant with her son, Archie. The interview, conducted by Oprah Winfrey, divided people around the world. While many say the allegations demonstrate the need for change inside a palace that hasnt kept pace with the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, others have criticized Harry and Meghan for dropping their bombshell while Philip was hospitalized. The longest-serving royal consort in British history, Philip married the then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Delays in the family law system are wreaking havoc on young children, mothers and fathers, a federal parliamentary inquiry has warned as it calls for more funding and more specialist registrars. 'We need the Morrison government to stop the words and start acting,' committee member and Labor MP Graham Perrett told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday. 'The government today could appoint registrars, the government today could increase legal aid funding.' The parliamentary committee has handed down an interim report making 29 bipartisan recommendations, including ways to make the process safer for children, capping lawyers fees and a call to fund 25 to 30 more registrars to crush backlogs and delays. Bipartisan inquiry has made recommendations to clearing some of the court backlog (Sydney's family court pictured above) The committee recommends more funding to legal aid and community legal centres, including looser means testing to increase legal assistance to vulnerable families. The inquiry found false family violence allegations were not widespread, despite One Nation's fears, but suggested anybody wilfully misleading the court in family law proceedings could be referred for investigation for perjury. 'This was something that motivated some of the members, particularly Pauline Hanson, to look at this system,' Labor backbencher Anne Aly said. Dr Aly questioned the commitment of the Morrison government to fixing a family law system currently facing long delays and aggravating family breakdowns, particularly in cases of family violence. 'Of all of the inquiries that have been done, of all of the recommendations that have been made, close to 100 now, not a single one of them was about abolishing the family court but that's the single action that this attorney general has taken,' she said. Supported by One Nation and independent senator Rex Patrick, Attorney-General Christian Porter brought in a single point of entry for the federal family law jurisdiction and, ultimately, a common set of rules, procedures, practices and approaches to case management. But the inquiry says amendments are needed to fix confusion about equal shared parental responsibility and new laws must reflect the impact of family violence on property settlements. A three-year screening and triage pilot in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, known as the Lighthouse Project, which involves the screening of parenting matters for family safety risks at the point of filing, is recommended for extension. The multi-party inquiry also wants the Family Law Council reinstated and tasked with determining how to make the family law courts less adversarial, citing cases where lawyers run up huge fees as a tactic. The Productivity Commission has been urged to investigate the costs of family dysfunction, marriage and relationship breakdown and whether measures to prevent family violence are working. The Law Council backed the push for more legal aid funding and greater focus on mediation and arbitration. But the peak body disagreed with a proposed cap - save in exceptional cases - on fees for property matters of $50,000 or 10 per cent of the combined value of the parties' identified property and superannuation (or whichever is higher). 'If a cap is invoked, litigants who reach any capped cost limit could become self-represented in the family law courts system and take up more judicial time, only increasing the delays that already exist,' council president Jacoba Brasch said 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. Patna, March 17 : In a shocking incident, some unidentified men have stolen bricks from a road in Patna's Phulwarisharif area, an official said. Local MLA Gopal Ravidas has moved an application with the Parsa Bazar police station and the block development officer of Phulwarisharif for a thorough investigation into the matter. The road made of bricks was prepared under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's ambitious project 'Tola (small village) Sampark Yojana', for which funds were allocated by the gram panchayat to connect the Simri Mushari village with Phulwarisharif. "As soon as I learnt about the incident, I went there for inspection and found that the bricks of the road were removed. Subsequently, I have lodged a complaint with the local police and the BDO about the incident. But none of the officials have got back to us over the incident," Ravidas said. "I have informed the district magistrate of Patna and I will raise this issue in the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly on Wednesday. Stealing a road's bricks is a serious matter. It is also attributed to the callous approach of government officials and law enforcement agencies for being unable to protect the state government projects," Ravidas said. Local villagers alleged that a strong man (Bahubali) of Simri Mushari village named Nagendra Singh and his two sons were reportedly involved in the matter. The villagers also informed the MLA that the alleged persons used a JCB machine to flatten the surface and remove every single brick from the road. When contacted, Jaffarudin Khan, BDO of Phulwarisharif, said that the matter is under investigation. The bank is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 14 April 2021. Natwest Group PLC ( ) is to appear in court next month to face criminal charges over alleged breaches of money laundering laws relating to a corporate customer. The FCA alleges that National Westminster Bank failed to adhere to the requirements of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 between 11 November 2011 and 19 October 2016. The regulator added that the case arises from the handling of funds deposited into accounts operated by a UK incorporated customer of NatWest. Around 365mln was allegedly paid into the customers accounts, of which around 264mln was in cash. It is claimed the banks systems and controls failed to adequately monitor and scrutinise the activity. It is the first criminal prosecution under the MLR 2007 by the FCA and the first prosecution under the MLR against a bank. These regulations require the firm to determine, conduct and demonstrate risk-sensitive due diligence and ongoing monitoring of its relationships with its customers for the purposes of preventing money laundering, said the FCA. NatWest is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 14 April 2021. In a statement, NatWest added it had already disclosed that the FCA started an investigation in July 2017 and has been co-operating to date. NatWest Group takes extremely seriously its responsibility to seek to prevent money laundering by third parties and accordingly has made significant, multi-year investments in its financial crime systems and controls." Shares eased 1% to 186.8p. -adds share price- NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Candice Payrovi, Chief Operating Officer of Tribeca Capital Group, LLC, announced the company's support of New York State Assembly Bill No. A03315, which is designed to provide regulation of the consumer litigation funding industry in the state. The bill was introduced by Erik M. Dilan, Assembly District 54. Two similar bills, Assembly Bill No. A01270 and its companion bill in the Senate, No. S00705, are also pending. All bills are currently in committee. Consumer litigation funding, also called pre-settlement funding or legal funding, offers plaintiffs primarily in personal injury cases a way to access a potential recovery without having to wait the months or years it can take the case to conclude. This non-recourse contract is satisfied exclusively from any recovery amount and only when the case is settled or results in a judgment in the consumer's favor. The amounts can range from a one-time advance of a few thousand to a series of transactions totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars over the length of the litigation. Litigation finance is a relatively new industry, and states have struggled to characterize these transactions. Some states treat the contract as a loan, even though it strays from the traditional consumer lending model. Others conclude that litigation finance is not a loan at all. Still more have left it up to the courts to sort out. The Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding, an organization that describes itself as a coalition of legal funders, consumers, community activists, and policy makers, has long supported sensible regulation that balances the consumer's needs with protecting the litigation funder's investment in the outcome of the case. The New York bills ensure that litigants understand their obligations and what to expect when the litigation is finally concluded. But they also recognize that the level of risk a litigation lender takes on is different from the risk a bank encounters with a traditional borrower. Both bills set out minimum disclosure requirements to ensure the consumer understands how the advance will be repaid and the fees the funder is charging. They require that the consumer's litigation attorney sign off on the proposed contract and agree to distribute any settlement or judgment award pursuant to its terms. They both also allow the consumer who has a change of heart a generous period in which to rescind the transaction and return the money. Beyond those similarities, Bill No. A01270/S00705 is more restrictive. It ties a litigation funding company's fees to the federal limit on the annual percentage rate a lender can charge a member of the military, and it prohibits a litigation funding company from assessing a prepayment fee. COO Payrovi explains, "After a careful review, we believe that Bill No. A03315 does a better job of protecting consumers where it counts most, while at the same time ensuring that they will have maximum access to reputable funding sources. First, it recognizes a growing industry that can provide an often-vital source of support when employment is disrupted or there are no financial resources to pay for medical costs or everyday expenses. Second, we don't need outliers taking unfair advantage of customers and making it difficult for the legitimate and ethical companies to make these advances available quickly. Third, rather than chase away potential litigation funders, the proper regulatory framework can attract ethical and responsible companies. The patchwork of statute and court decisions around the country has led to unpredictable and sometimes conflicting regulation. When a state enacts litigation funding legislation, we don't have to worry about stepping over an invisible line and suffering expensive litigation just to find out what a state considers proper consumer protection parameters." Tribeca Capital Group, LLC., a leading source of consumer litigation funding, applauds and encourages the efforts of the New York legislature to protect its citizens and to provide much needed regulatory guidance that will allow more consumers to benefit from the financial cushion a litigation funding contract can provide. For more information about these bills, litigation funding transactions, or to contact Candice Payrovi, Chief Operating Officer of Tribeca Capital Group, LLC, please call (866) 388-2288. Contact: Candice Payrovi, COO Email: [email protected] Phone: (866)388-2288 SOURCE Tribeca Capital Group, LLC Related Links https://tribecalawsuitloans.com The Honourable Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, in debating the President's State of the Nation Address, made a stronger case for press freedom and how important it is in our democratic journey. He was quick to add, however, that those in the media fraternity must be constructive in their work as excesses and irresponsible media reportage can derail the gains made so far as a country. He stressed that the phenomenon whereby journalists write stories about MPs without contacting them for their side of these stories should not be encouraged. The Effutu MP said, in particular reference to Ahmed Suale, in which the NDC General Secretary issued a statement that sought to incriminate Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, the Assin Central MP for the death of the young journalist as that could form the window of opportunity for the actual perpetrators to go scot-free. In his view, when such crimes are politicized and blamed on people, the criminals cannot be found. He said such practices incentivize these criminals to continue plying their trade. He also touched on political violence and indicated that it is a phenomenon that happens to all irrespective of which party is in power and cited an ordeal he faced in 2012 as an example. He called for collaboration amongst all political parties to work together to ensure that this becomes a relic of the past. 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 With the chance for severe weather on Wednesday, hospitals are already making plans on what to do if the weather disrupts coronavirus vaccine clinic operations. The Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations, Tracy Doughty, says they're already paying close attention to the weather and will likely put a plan out for the clinic in the next 48 hours. "Weather's not going to deter me from getting the shot," John Miller, who received a vaccine Monday, said. Miller said he's glad he was able to get his vaccine before severe weather arrives, but Doughty says people who do have vaccine appointments Wednesday shouldn't be worried. "We'll work it out so people are accommodated and taken care of. No one will be left hanging. We're going to take care of our patients," he said. Doughty said on weeks like these, when there is a chance for severe weather, they pay close attention to updates from news stations and the emergency management agency, so they can make the safest decision when operating the clinic. "Make sure we're being safe for our patients and our workers," he said. Doughty said a decision has not yet been made on if the clinic will operate a half day or not at all Wednesday, but says if this does occur, people with vaccines scheduled for the day will automatically be moved to Thursday or Friday at whatever time they were originally supposed to come. He said they have enough vaccine supply and staff to take on the extra patients on Thursday and Friday if they need to. "We can take care of it. We're pretty nimble, and we have people who are ready to go and add extra stations if need be," he said. Doughty said any announcement on changes made to the clinic will be sent out immediately. On May 19, 1955, 22,561 New York City first and second graders received Jonas Salks novel vaccine against poliomyelitis while at school, marking the start of the citys mass vaccination campaign. Describing the scene at P.S. 33, the New York Times reported, Seizing proffered lollipops the children raced through the door, exclaiming again, It doesnt hurt, it doesnt hurt, to reassure their classmates still waiting to be ushered in for shots. That year, public and private schools across the country served as sites of vaccination campaigns against a disease that, for decades, had instilled fear and disability in countless children and families. Advertisement Today, were once again faced with the monumental challenge of disseminating a vaccine. While children under 16 have not been approved to receive any of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines, pediatric clinical trials are underway and expect results by the summer. To develop a plan to vaccinate kids as quickly as possible, it is prudent to consider the strategies public health officials used during times when infectious diseases were prevalent. As the Biden administration encourages schools to open up, perhaps they should reprise their role of serving as vaccination sites as well. Advertisement Advertisement Vaccinating children in schools was common practice throughout the first half of the 20th century, helping to protect children from diseases like smallpox, diphtheria, and polio. Public health officials used schools for a number of reasons. Perhaps most obviously, they provided physicians and nurses easy access to those who were among the most at risk of these diseases. Schools helped disseminate the polio vaccine among children quickly and efficiently, which contributed to a dramatic decline in total casesfrom 38,000 in 1954 to 5,500 in 1957. The diseases epidemiology changed as well, from primarily affecting first and second graders to affecting preschool children and adults (prompting health officials to propose a Babies and Breadwinners vaccination campaign in 1961). Advertisement While a childs participation in a school vaccination campaign remained contingent on parental permission, schools could help encourage parents to participate. Parents in the 1950s were generally enthusiastic about the polio vaccine, but 30 years earlier, parents whose children were encouraged to receive the novel diphtheria toxin-antitoxin were more hesitant. William Hallock Park, then laboratory director of New York Citys Board of Health, wrote that when principals and teachers expressed their support for his 1921 school-based efficacy study of the diphtheria toxin-antitoxin (which, as physician-historian Jeffrey Baker noted, blurred the line between clinical study and immunization campaign), he obtained consent from three-fourths of the parents. Without their support, he was lucky if one-fourth agreed to participate. Advertisement Advertisement Notably, Park had another, related reason for using schools: He thought that the participation of school-age children would in turn encourage parents to vaccinate their preschool children, the age group that faced the highest rate of mortality from diphtheria. It was, in fact, common at the time for school and governmental authorities to use schoolchildren as messengers to encourage parents to adopt various health-promoting behaviors. Vaccinating children in schools likely also encouraged participation simply because it made it much easier for parents to participatethey didnt have to go through the trouble of bringing their children to a clinic or doctors office. This is also in part why many schools provided, and continue to provide, preventive health screenings to children, like vision and hearing tests. Advertisement Using schools as vaccination sites helped promote equity as well. The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (now the March of Dimes) provided the first two (of three) shots of the polio vaccine to first and second graders in schools across the country for free. Once their supply was exhausted and vaccinations largely migrated to doctors offices, some states continued to provide vaccines in schools to children whose parents couldnt afford to pay; the states didnt want protection against the disease to be a function of a familys wealth. Public health officials werent entirely successful at ensuring equity in all respects, though. Even among school-age children, a significant racial disparity in vaccination rates appeared. One study found that by the fall of 1961, 81 percent of white individuals under 20 had received all three shots, whereas 64 percent of nonwhite individuals had. This disparity would likely have been more severe if schools had not been involved, however. Advertisement Advertisement Now that children receive vaccines as part of routine well-child visits, school-based vaccination campaigns in the U.S. have become less widespread. But there have been several instances in recent years of public health officials redeploying this strategy. When the hepatitis B vaccine became recommended for all newborns in 1991, several cities administered catch-up vaccination programs in middle schools for adolescents throughout the 1990s. In 2009, New York City offered the H1N1 vaccine to students in more than 1,200 schools, as did other cities. Communities have also organized school-based chickenpox (varicella), HPV, and seasonal influenza vaccination programs. Schools have the ability to help disseminate vaccines quickly, and they can encourage participation by reducing logistical barriers and serving as trusted sources of informationa particularly valuable benefit today given the acute return of vaccine hesitancy. Schools ought to be part of our national strategy in disseminating COVID-19 vaccines to children in the coming months. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. 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. If you suffer from shy bladder syndrome, good luck using the bathroom at this Lithuanian restaurant, which makes you feel like youre being watched by dozens of people. The bathroom at Galeria Urbana, a restaurant in Kaunas, Lithuania, first made news headlines in 2018, when photos of its unique decor went viral online. The restaurant commissioned Gyva Grafika, a creative design and decor studio, to artistically redecorate the restroom, but made it very clear that they did not feel comfortable replacing the wall tiles. That didnt stop the creative geniuses at Gyva Grafika from implementing their vision, even if it meant thinking outside the box. Photo Gyva Grafika The idea behind the WC for Architects project was bringing the outside inside. Photographers went out to a Soviet era Kaunas neighborhood they grew up in and took photos of the apartment building facades there, complete with some of their inhabitants looking out the window. Photo Gyva Grafika There were people who didnt trust the paparazzi they saw through their windows. Some even went outside to question us, a Gyva Grafika spokesperson told Bored Panda. But we would tell them about the art project we were working on and they would happily leave us alone. Photo Gyva Grafika The original idea was to print some of the photos of old apartment buildings on bathroom tiles, but because Galeria Urbana didnt want its original tiles replaced, the designers had to come up with another solution. They found it in the form of high-definition stickers. Photo Gyva Grafika They printed the photos in sticker form and stuck them on the bathroom tiles, creating the effect of a Soviet era apartment building inside the bathroom. They even included a number of apartment windows with people looking out from them at the bathroom user, which may make shy users a little uncomfortable. Photo Gyva Grafika Lithuania often neglects its public spaces, Gyva Grafika stated. A lot of people live in the cleanest apartments but once they step outside the situation changes completely. Stairwells, yards, and other public spaces are usually abandoned and ignored. For this reason, we have decided to balance these daily surroundings and introduced the outside to the inside. Photo Gyva Grafika WC for Architects was a massive success, earning the Lithuanian design studio a lot of praise for originality and ingenuity. But that wasnt the end of their original idea. People were so impressed with their idea that they overwhelmed the studio with requests to buy the same style stickers for their own homes. In the end, Gyva Grafika gave in and started selling the stickers on its website. Photo Gyva Grafika You can actually still buy these artistic tile stickers from the Gyva Grafika online shop for 3 per sticker, 24 per pack of nine, 34 per pack of eighteen, or 52 per pack of forty-eight stickers. Photo Gyva Grafika Former Old Dominion University student John Kirby Kelley, 20, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison over a swatting conspiracy involving neo-Nazis A former Virginia university student who joined up with white supremacists in a sweeping swatting conspiracy that targeted a black church, his own alma mater and then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison. The 33-month sentence for John William Kirby Kelley, 20, of Vienna, Virginia, splits the difference between the five-year term sought by prosecutors and the 14-month sentence of time served requested by his lawyers. Kelley pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, interstate threats to injure, for hosting the Graveyard internet chatroom in which he and others called in fake bomb threats and attacks on more than 100 different swatting targets, many of which were targeted because of racial or religious animus. Swatting is defined by prosecutors as a harassment tactic that involves deceiving emergency dispatchers into believing that a person is in imminent danger of death or harm, thus causing the dispatchers to send police and emergency services to an unwitting target's address. Kirby Kelley hosted the Graveyard internet chatroom in which he and members of the Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group (symbol shown above), called in fake bomb threats and attacks on more than 100 different swatting targets Among those in the conspiracy was John Denton, the founder of Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi hate group. Denton, of Montgomery, Texas, has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Kelley was 17 and living at home in northern Virginia when he started the Graveyard chatroom. The chatroom soon became a haven for hateful rhetoric by white supremacists, who delighted in the chaos caused by their swatting calls. Among the targets was Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria and the home of Nielsen, Donald Trump's Cabinet member, who also lives in Alexandria. The group also targeted the Dar El-Eman Islamic Center in Arlington, Texas, and a black church in Schenectady, New York, the First Reformed Church. John Denton, the founder of Atomwaffen Division, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing In all, the co-conspirators placed 134 swatting calls across the US. Kelley also had his own school, Old Dominion University, targeted twice, on November 29 and December 4, 2018, prompting closures and a police response. University police contacted Kelley about the calls, but prosecutors said it was the subsequent call targeting Nielsen that led police to the conspiracy members. Even though Kelley regularly used racist language and admitted that the swatting conspiracy chose some targets because of race or religion, he denied that hes a racist and argued that he naively acquiesced to the hateful language prevalent in the internet channel he created. At his sentencing hearing in US Distinct Court in Alexandria, he apologized for his conduct and requested leniency. He said the time he has spent in jail has been difficult for him, noting hardships like a lack of access to the jails barber shop. 'The racial language that has been expressed by me and my co-conspirators, along with the swatting attacks, do not represent my values and beliefs,' he told the judge. 'Furthermore, I was personally disgusted by the direction that the chat room took after my departure. I made it a personal mission to improve and separate myself from bad influences such as these.' Among the swatting targets was the Alexandria, Virginia, home of then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen His lawyer, Cadence Mertz, objected to Kelleys crimes being classified as a hate crime, which resulted in a higher sentencing guideline. She said there was no proof that Kelley personally targeted anyone because of racial animus. 'He has made crystal clear that these views that he expressed, which are hateful and vile, are not who he is,' Mertz said. Judge Liam O'Grady ruled, though, that the hate crime designation is appropriate and said that his conduct and his association with known white supremacists 'demonstrates how far out you were and how aligned you were with this group.' But he credited Kelley for his youth, his renunciation of racism and mental health deficits in giving him a 33-month sentence that was lower than guideline range of 51 to 60 months. Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Raj Parekh, whose office prosecuted the case, said in a statement, 'Swatting attacks are serious crimes that disrupt the operations of local emergency agencies, take first responders away from real emergencies, and place victims ... in grave danger. EDVA will continue to bring to justice those who threaten public safety with these menacing hoaxes, especially when those threats are motivated by racial or religious animus.' We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form A woman in tears holds up a sign during speeches at a protest in Dublin to highlight violence against women in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard. Dozens of protesters gathered in Dublin today for a planned reclaim the streets protest following the death of Sarah Everard. The protestors gathered at the Spire on OConnell Street at noon today. Activists chanted reclaim the streets and we are the 97pc, while some held placards reading, pandemic of gender violence, end victim blaming, and not one more. Activists in attendance had their names taken by gardai and were warned they could face fines breaching covid-19 regulations if they did not disperse. Read More Some of those present chose not to continue with the protest, saying they could not afford the fines. A protestor named Sadbh McLaughlin said: Were standing in solidarity with women everywhere who have been the victims of gender-based violence." She said some of her friends had left due to threats of fines from the gardai. Our friends were within their 5km. This is very socially distanced and safe. Were coming out here to stand in solidarity. We are all masked up, were standing two metres apart, she said. Gardai issued 14 fines for breaches of the Health Act. The press office said officers have identified the organisers of the event, and all breaches of the public health regulations and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. An Garda Siochana has no role in permitting or authorising protest marches or gatherings, there is no permit / authorisation required for such events," a statement said. Ruth Coppinger, former Solidarity TD and activist was at the protest and told gardai to cop on. Be there for women when we actually need you. Not when were trying to expose a societal wide pandemic of gender-based violence. Were not here for fun. Were here because the political establishment does not care, she added. Todays protest was organised by the group Rosa (Reproductive rights, against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity) with further events planned for Cork, Limerick and Galway on Thursday. The protests comes following the death of 33-year-old Sarah Everard who went missing after walking home from a friends house in London on March 3. Her remains were later discovered in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent a week later. A member of the Met Police has been charged in relation to her kidnap and murder. One of the three companies currently administering COVID-19 vaccines in adults across the country has announced the expansion of a study testing their shot in children. In a news release issued Tuesday, Moderna announced its first participants in the KidCOVE study, the company's vaccine trial for children ages 6 months to 12 years. The study will aim to determine the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of two doses of a Moderna vaccine administered 28 days apart. Myanmar security forces shot dead two people overnight in the Dawbon area of Yangon, according to independent broadcaster the Democratic Voice of Burma, as the United Nations said at least 138 protesters have been killed since the 1 February coup. At least 56 died over the weekend. Video sent to The Associated Press shows anti-coup protesters starting to flee from a barricade in the district, on Monday night, amid the sound of gunfire. Shortly after, a squad of soldiers arrive and begin a search. A flashlight then picks out a body slumped at the corner of the barrier, which they drag away. The dead man's clothing comes off as he is pulled roughly over the barricade and down the street. The sound of anti-coup slogans can be heard throughout. Myanmar's ruling junta has declared martial law in a wide area of the country's largest city, as security forces killed dozens of protesters over the weekend in an increasingly lethal crackdown on resistance to last month's military takeover. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. On the 10th anniversary of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the top diplomats of the United States, Germany, France, Italy and Britain reaffirmed their commitment to a political solution to the conflict. In a joint statement on Monday, they recalled the human rights abuses, violations of international law, war atrocities and the humanitarian crisis triggered by the civil war. "It is imperative the regime and its supporters engage seriously in the political process and allow humanitarian assistance to reach communities in need," it said. "The proposed Syrian presidential election this year will neither be free nor fair, nor should it lead to any measure of international normalization with the Syrian regime. Any political process needs the participation of all Syrians, including the diaspora and the displaced, to enable all voices to be heard," it said. The statement was issued by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. They said they too were committed to "reinvigorating the pursuit of a peaceful solution" and will "firmly continue to press for accountability for the most serious crimes." The Syrian crisis, which started with peaceful pro-democracy protests on March 15, 2011, soon evolved into a full-blown conflict, drawing in foreign fighters and powers. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday that at least 388,652 people have been killed in Syria's conflict. Around 62 per cent of Syria is under the control of government forces and allied paramilitaries, while the remainder is divided among Kurdish militias, Turkish-backed rebels and Islamist fighters, the monitor said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video We Need Infrastructure Spending to Avoid Another Texas-Sized Mess I just talked with one of the most successful hedge fund managers in the country (in terms of returns over the last four years). He will not allow me to use his name. But I can tell you he is a raging bull. He believes the stimulus that we already had plus what we will getcoupled with a major infrastructure bill, plus extraordinarily easy monetary policy, combined with significant new technology innovationsadds up to a new bull market. This is someone with 5X returns over the last four years with a very diverse portfolio. So it could pay to pay attention. But lets talk about that infrastructure. It seems there is bipartisan support to do it, so let me throw out an idea or two. While everyone knows that I am not a fan of more debt , we clearly need to fix our ailing infrastructure here in the US. (Example A: Texas.) In my mind, there are two different categories. One is the portion of our national infrastructure that has some type of revenue attached to it: electricity, water, airports, harbors, etc. Many older cities have terrible water systems that waste up to 20% of their supply. They need to be replaced. Cheap money amortized by a slight increase in water bills could repair all those. In fact, replacing leaky pipes might actually reduce water prices. As for electricity, weve been talking about a smart grid for decades. Its not that expensive and would actually reduce costs over time. Further, if we really want to convert to electric cars over time, not to mention the increased need for electricity to power all of our new technology, we are going to need more capacity. Solar and wind, hydroelectric and thermal, are wonderful. But it will be many years before we can rely on them for all our daily needs. Im as much an environmentalist as anyone. I dont want to see the air I breathe, and I dont want anything in my water but scotch. But I also want my power to work when I flip the switch. Big Mess in Texas Texas is the largest producer of wind energy in the country. Those Texas wind turbines that didnt work? Seems like they didnt buy the heating option because it would have raised the cost of electricity. Wind wasn't the only problem. Much of the natural gas infrastructure wasnt sufficiently winterized, either. Texans (like me) think they have a God-given right to cheap energy. That attitude is so 1900s and will not work in the 2020s. Texas power generation was geared to, as one professor put it, work 99.9% of the time. But that 0.1% can bite you in the derriere, as we all learned. We must build excess capacity to handle extreme events, which means electricity will cost more. Congress should create a program to issue infrastructure bonds similar to Ginnie Mae: government-guaranteed debt that can be bought by the private market, and then even by the Fed. Thirty-year bonds yielding around 2%, as they do today, can finance a lot of self-amortizing, sorely-needed infrastructure to (finally) take us into the 21st century. The Nuclear Option China is eating our lunch infrastructure-wise. They are building new coal plants with scrubbing technology that supposedly makes it 90% clean. Well see. They are also building fourth-generation thorium nuclear reactors. The difference between these and older plants like Chernobyl and Fukushima is the difference between the Model T and the Tesla. The US needs to come to the party. Nuclear is the cleanest energy there is, in terms of carbon footprint. It takes a lot of carbon use to build wind turbines and solar panels. Yes, nuclear is more expensive than coal and natural gas. We need to get over our obsession with cheap energy. Then there are infrastructure needs like roads and bridges that dont have associated revenue streams. We will just need to pony up the money to fix them, perhaps in cooperation with the states. But it has to be done or we are going to have bridges collapsing just like the Texas electric power system collapsed. The Great Reset: The Collapse of the Biggest Bubble in History New York Times best seller and renowned financial expert John Mauldin predicts an unprecedented financial crisis that could be triggered in the next five years. Most investors seem completely unaware of the relentless pressure thats building right now. Learn more here. Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. John Mauldin Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. British pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca, whose Covid vaccine faces safety doubts in some European countries, announced Tuesday that it will supply the US with up to 700,000 doses of a possible antibody treatment London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2021 ) :British pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca, whose Covid vaccine faces safety doubts in some European countries, announced Tuesday that it will supply the US with up to 700,000 doses of a possible antibody treatment. The company said in a statement that it has signed a deal with the US government's Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense for an extra 500,000 doses of its potential Covid-19 antibody drug AZD7442. The announcement takes AstraZeneca's total planned US supplies to 700,000 doses, it added in a statement. The combined value, for the development and supply of the antibody drug in 2021, is about $726 million (608 million Euros), it added. AZD7442 is a combination of two antibodies and is currently in late-stage development for the prevention and treatment of Covid. "The long-acting antibody combination has the potential to offer almost immediate protection to those who are not able to be vaccinated, to both prevent infection or treat the disease in patients already infected with the virus," said AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot. "The US government's support is critical in helping accelerate the development of AZD7442, which we believe will be an important tool in the fight against Covid-19." The US government funded the development of AZD7442, which is currently in trials with more than 9,000 participants worldwide. Tuesday's news comes as the rollout of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, developed with Oxford University, has been suspended in several European countries over blood clot fears. The World Health Organization, AstraZeneca, and the European Medicines Agency have insisted the shot is safe, and that there is no link between the vaccine and reported blood clots. However, the three largest EU nations -- Germany, Italy and France -- joined others in suspending the shot Monday, dealing a blow to the global immunisation campaign against a disease that has so far killed more than 2.6 million people. A wind farm development near the village of Swatragh in Co Londonderry has been granted planning permission by the SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon The proposal will see 11 wind turbines erected on the site close to Brockaghboy windfarm in the Sperrins Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the turbines reaching a maximum of almost 150 metres in tip height. Explaining her decision, Mrs Mallon said she weighed up "carefully" the benefits against any potential harm to the local area. "I carefully considered both the findings of the independent Public Hearing alongside the recommendations of my planning officials," she said. "While I am always conscious of potential impacts to the surrounding environment, green infrastructure does however represent a real opportunity for tackling the climate emergency, helping to boost our economy and creating a sustainable infrastructure for future generations. In this instance, I agree with how the Commissioner has weighed up the considerations in this case, with the exception to their interpretation on the extent to which the proposal would impact on the settings of the archaeological monuments. "However, I do not consider that the impact is sufficient to warrant refusal. I am satisfied that the environmental and economic benefits are in favour of the proposal and outweigh any potential impact on the archaeological sites in the vicinity. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. The Financial Conduct Authority has launched criminal proceedings against Natwest Group for allegedly breaking money laundering rules. The majority state-owned lender is accused of having failed to properly 'monitor and scrutinise' the deposit of large amounts of cash into a UK customer's accounts that should have alerted suspicions. It is alleged that between 2011 and 2016, a customer of Natwest deposited around 365million at the bank, of which the majority, or around 264million, was in cash, the FCA said today. Money laundering accusations: It is alleged that around 365m was paid into a Natwest customers accounts, of which around 264m in cash The FCA suggested that Natwest, formerly known as RBS, should have detected and investigated the transactions, but instead failed to follow money laundering rules. These regulations require companies 'to determine, conduct and demonstrate risk sensitive due diligence and ongoing monitoring of its relationships with its customers for the purposes of preventing money laundering'. NatWest, which is still 62 per cent owned by taxpayers, is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 14 April 2021. This is the first time the FCA has ever launched a criminal prosecution under the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations and the first time it used it to prosecute a bank. 'The case arises from the handling of funds deposited into accounts operated by a UK incorporated customer of NatWest,' the FCA said. 'The FCA alleges that increasingly large cash deposits were made into the customers accounts. 'It is alleged that NatWest's systems and controls failed to adequately monitor and scrutinise this activity.' This is the first time the FCA has ever launched a criminal prosecution under the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations NatWest said it was notified in July 2017 of the investigation and has been cooperating with it 'to date.' 'NatWest Group takes extremely seriously its responsibility to seek to prevent money laundering by third parties and accordingly has made significant multi-year investments in its financial crime systems and controls.' Shares in Natwest Group were down 0.9 per cent to 186.75p in early trading on Tuesday. David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets UK, said: 'This news will chip away at NatWests reputation, in addition to that, it could face an unlimited fine from the FCA.' The White House is currently making plans to send massive shipments of COVID-19 vaccines to emerging hotspots in the U.S. Two senior administration officials told CNN the Biden administration is very worried that the number of Americans traveling over Spring Break will lead to a fourth surge of the coronavirus. Members of the federal government's COVID-19 response team have been scouring data to project where outbreaks of the virus might pop up and plotting different potential scenarios. In an attempt to avoid this, officials plan to speed up the vaccine rollout and inoculate Americans who are at the highest risk. So far, 21.7 percent of the population has received at least one dose and 11.8 percent are fully immunized - and about two million adults are being vaccinated every day. As of Tuesday, every state has vaccinated at least 10 percent of its residents. The Biden administration is planning to send huge shipments of COVID-19 vaccines to emerging hotspots in the U.S., including vaccinating workers in high-risk occupations. Pictured: A shipment of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine arrives at Northwell Health South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, New York, March 2021 It comes amid fears that Spring Breakers will lead to a surge in cases. Pictured: People spend spring break at the beach in Miami Beach, Florida, March 15 The boost in vaccines should help ramp up efforts as about two million Americans receive shots in arms every day 'Everything we do is with the thought in mind that there might be another surge,' a senior administration official told CNN. Over the past few days, record numbers of people have passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. More than six million people have been screened at airports over the last five days. That's more than 5.6 million screened in the five days after Christmas 2020. Photos have shown thousands of people crowding on beaches not wearing masks, drinking and being in close contact with each other. Officials told CNN are planning to mobilize vaccine resources at immunization sites across the country that are run or supported by the federal government. One such example includes giving shot to workers in high-risk occupations such as meat processing plants. Another examples includes sending more vaccine dose to pharmacies that have a partnership with the White House. This is a step up from the surge in testing sites and monoclonal antibody treatments the administration was creating earlier in the pandemic. 'We have different tools than we did last year,' the official told CNN. 'We can't play yesterday's game against this virus.' AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial data is being reviewed in the U.S. as several European countries halt use over blood clot fears. Pictured: A vial of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, March 2021 So far, 21.7% of the population has received at least one dose and 11.8% are fully immunized Meanwhile, the NIH revealed yesterday that data for AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine trial in the U.S. are currently being reviewed by independent advisors. If the vaccine appears to be safe and effective, it could be approved by the FDA within a month, adding a fourth weapon to the country's vaccine arsenal. At least 10 countries in Europe have suspended use of AstraZeneca's vaccine over reports of dangerous blood clots in a few recipients. The head of the European Medicines Agency said the organization is 'firmly convinced' the benefits of the shot outweigh the risks, but will make a formal decision on Thursday. On Tuesday, Mississippi became the second state - following Alaska - to make all residents able to be vaccinated. Pictured: boxes containing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the McKesson distribution center in Olive Branch, Mississippi, December 2020 In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont announced all adults will tentatively be eligible starting on April 5. Pictured: Granby kindergarten school teacher Christina Kibby receives the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, March 2021 It comes as more states expand vaccine eligibility to include all adults over age 16 after President Joe Biden called for everyone to be eligible for vaccines by May 1. On Tuesday, Mississippi became the second state - following Alaska - to make all residents able to be vaccinated. 'Starting tomorrow, ALL new appointments will be open to ALL Mississippians. Get your shot friends - and let's get back to normal!' Governor Tate Reeves tweeted on Monday. In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont announced that he would be accelerating the state's age-based rollout of the vaccine. Tentatively, all residents over the age of 16 will be able to schedule an appointment for the shot beginning on April 5. Connecticut officials say they continue to rank among the top five states in the nation in the percentage of population that has been vaccinated. 'We have some of the best and most dedicated providers in Connecticut who have been working around-the-clock to create the infrastructure that will provide vaccines to as many residents as we can as quickly as possible,' Lamont said. WASHINGTON - Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat whose district hugs the border with Mexico, is not happy with how President Joe Biden's team has responded to the surge of migrants trying to enter the United States. "His people need to do a better job of listening to those of us who have done this before," he said Monday. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who took a trip to the border Monday to slam Biden's approach, was even more critical. "There's no other way to claim it than a Biden border crisis," McCarthy, R-Calif., said during a visit to a migrant processing center in El Paso, Texas. And Neha Desai, an immigration attorney who recently visited a detention site, said that while the conditions there have greatly improved from the Trump era, "it is unacceptable for children to be spending days on end in dramatically overcrowded facilities." Nearly two months into his first term, Biden faces a growing political threat from the upheaval at the border and is drawing criticism from across the spectrum. Centrist Democrats are nervous about attacks casting them as soft on border security. Liberals and immigration activists are sounding alarms about how migrants are treated. And Republicans are increasingly laying the groundwork for immigration-centric attacks in the midterm elections. "The Republicans will turn around and use this for a political weapon against Democrats - that we're weak on the border, we're not doing enough, we're letting everybody in," Cuellar said in an interview. "I've been warning the party and the administration: Don't let this get out of hand, because all you're going to do is you're going to give Republicans an issue." Border arrests and detentions during the final months of the Trump presidency rose to some of the highest levels in a decade, and illegal crossings have skyrocketed since Biden took office. In February, detentions topped 100,000, a 28% increase from the previous month, and March is on pace for an even larger surge, with more than 4,000 border apprehensions each day, according to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) figures. "We recognize this as a problem. We're focused on addressing it," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday. The Trump administration, she said, "left us a dismantled and unworkable system." It's not clear whether voters will see it that way. Trump demonstrated that immigration can be an explosive issue that upends the political landscape, suggesting it could be a real threat to a president who is otherwise coasting on high approval ratings. And the dilemma is greater because so many people crossing the border are minors. Biden pledged to reverse Trump's lower-immigrant policies, and smuggling organizations have capitalized on that in their marketing efforts. Biden officials have attempted to counter smugglers' claims with statements from the White House insisting the border is closed and that anyone crossing it will not be allowed in - but those statements don't entirely reflect the reality. The president is receiving high marks from most Americans for his efforts to curtail the coronavirus pandemic, including a $1.9 trillion relief measure. That has left Republicans scrambling to find a potent issue as they seek to retake the House and the Senate in 2022. Many Republicans believe immigration may be that topic. In recent days, party leaders have shifted their focus to the border, culminating in McCarthy traveling there with a delegation of House Republicans. In a news conference, they said the huge flow of migrants presents safety risks and could worsen the pandemic, echoing Trump's message. "The security of our nation and our border is first and foremost the responsibility of our president," McCarthy said. "I came down here because I heard of the crisis. It's more than a crisis - this is human heartbreak." Republican leaders say border security is one of the most powerful motivators for their party base, and a topic that, if presented in the right tone, can appeal to suburban swing voters as well. Many GOP strategists believe the path back to congressional majorities runs through moderate suburban districts where Democrats have made huge gains, driven by a backlash against Trump's style and rhetoric. With Biden in office, they hope they can target Democratic policies without the distraction of Trump's unorthodox tactics. The National Republican Senatorial Committee recently commissioned polling that officials said showed that they would be running on favorable terrain when it comes to immigration. "They've been negligent," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., NRSC chairman, said of the Biden administration. "It's bad for the country to not have a secure border." Biden has rolled back some of Trump's deterrent policies using executive authority while halting construction of the border wall, curbing deportations and allowing the entry of more asylum seekers. Administration officials on Monday urged patience and emphasized how much the Trump policies, including off legal immigration channels and regional funding, have affected what they have been able to do out of the gate. To rebut political attacks, they plan to underscore the comprehensive nature of their border approach and are highlighting their commitment to the safety of migrant children. But they say it will take time. "You can't sort of like flip the switch on a dime overnight," said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak on the record. Incoming Biden administration officials were warned for months that sudden moves along the border would be risky, given that Central American economic misery has deepened with the pandemic. While the CBP continues to use a Trump-era public health order known as Title 42 to rapidly return most single adult migrants back to Mexico, the Biden administration halted the practice for teens and children. Their numbers have more than tripled to roughly 500 per day. The Biden administration continues to treat the crisis as a capacity shortage that can be managed by opening additional shelters, rather than one that requires a major policy shift. The CBP is looking at adding tent sites in Yuma and Tucson, for example, to ease overcrowding in border stations in Arizona, according to one official with knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the matter. That comes with its own political challenges, including potential pushback from communities that do not want undocumented immigrants in their area. Cuellar, like many others, said Biden's rhetoric was heavily responsible for the influx of migrants. Last week, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the new U.S. president had stirred hopes for many Central Americans seeking to emigrate or reunite with loved ones already in the United States. "They see him as the migrant president," Lopez Obrador told reporters. That illustrates the crux of Biden's dilemma: The promise of a gentler, more humane immigration policy was central to his campaign - but that message has prompted an influx that the administration is finding hard to control. "When you deliver mixed messages, the migrants and smugglers hear what they want to hear," said Alan Bersin, who served as CBP commissioner during President Barack Obama's first term. "They're saying the border isn't open - but in fact, for unaccompanied children and families with children under 6, the border is open. You simply can't thread the needle in messaging." Some activists say the Biden administration was dealt a difficult hand and should be allowed time to create a more effective system. "I think the Biden administration is doing emergency response," said Arturo Vargas, chief executive of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "They're dealing with what was left by the prior administration, which was a situation in crisis." Desai, an attorney with the National Youth Law Center who represents migrant children, was able to visit a tent site last week in Donna, Texas, that has filled far beyond capacity. The facility is not comparable to the Border Patrol warehouse whose chain-link holding pens were denounced as cages in 2018, Desai said. But she still has concerns. "What we saw concerned us profoundly, but I think we share the same goals as the Biden administration," he added. "No one wants to see these children hungry, terrified and apart from their family." Ken Wolfe, a spokesman for the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed Monday that the agency had opened an "emergency intake" site in Midland, Texas, with FEMA assistance. It will be staffed by the American Red Cross, private contractors and federal workers, Wolfe said in a statement. Many liberal Democrats have voiced concerns about how children are being treated, even as they acknowledge a difference from the Trump years. "The administration and Congress must prioritize better housing for these children while their asylum cases are being adjudicated," said Ro Khanna, D-Calif. Khanna, whose district is home to a proposed site, said that if it is used, "there would need to be a lot of work to make sure that it's a safe and appropriate place for housing large numbers of children." Some Democrats are looking ahead to the midterm elections, where the immigration debate probably will play a role, and where candidates will face an inordinately complex set of political crosswinds when it comes to the border. Democrats acknowledged that they will need to navigate sensitivities in states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, which are home to many White working-class voters who responded warmly to Trump's protectionist economic platform and hard-line immigration rhetoric in 2016. "You have to make sure that you don't skip over border security, because it's an issue that people have a concern about," said Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., a close Biden ally. "Sometimes Democrats get to part of the reform and part of the legislation, and they kind of skip over the concerns that people have about border security." Biden won back several of the Rust Belt states Trump carried in 2016, including Pennsylvania. But his national victory came with troubling signs for his party, as Trump outperformed expectations in South Florida and Texas's Rio Grande Valley. That stoked concerns among Democrats about their ability to bring in Latino voters. Biden faced criticism during his campaign for not doing more outreach in Latino communities. Those political complications loom over the party's efforts to pass a comprehensive immigration bill in Congress with a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The House plans to advance additional legislation this week that would provide protections to undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children and would open avenues for undocumented farmworkers to obtain green cards. But an evenly split Senate has raised doubts about whether such bill will become law. If it does not, activists, warn, there could be backlash in 2022 - just as Republicans warn of a backlash from the other direction. "There is an opportunity for something to happen," said Vargas, who recalled Obama's unfulfilled goals on immigration. "This is a test of American character." Samuel Joseph Cerniglia, who presided over a diverse realm of neighborhood bars, an upscale restaurant and nightspots that throbbed to a disco beat, died March 7 at his New Orleans home of a heart attack. He was 81. He loved to watch people have fun, his niece, Bari Giordano Blanks, said. It really energized him to see people have fun and dance and laugh. Starting in the mid-1970s, Cerniglia and his business partner, Frank Mumfrey, invested in Lucky Pierres in the French Quarter, the Uptown bars Fat Harrys and Friar Tucks, the Civic Theater discotheque and Stephen & Martin Restaurant, a bright eatery that shared a building at 4141 St. Charles Ave. with Forty-One Forty-One, a popular bar and disco. Lucky Pierre's Customers dance at Lucky Pierre's in New Orleans in 1991. (Photo by Ted Jackson, The Times-Picayune) Tourists gravitated to Lucky Pierres, and Fat Harrys and Friar Tucks were popular with collegians and people in the neighborhood. The Civic disco opened in time to capitalize on the disco craze spawned by Saturday Night Fever; for a prerelease screening of the film that made John Travolta a star, Civic guests lounged on cushions to watch the movie then danced the night away under pulsating strobe lights. The atmosphere at Stephen & Martin was more genteel. By day, customers such as Tulane University President Eamon Kelly could enjoy big salads. By night, Stephen & Martin was open not only to diners but also to parties. The legendary choreographer Agnes de Mille, whose Broadway credits include the original productions of Oklahoma! and Brigadoon, held court at Stephen & Martin in 1980 at the gala celebrating the opening of the Brigadoon revival, which she had helped restage, at the Saenger Theater. But no matter how refined the restaurants ambience and clientele were, there was no escaping the pounding beat from the disco next door. Among the revelers at Forty-One Forty-One in 1982 was Malcolm McDowell, who was dancing with cast members at a party to mark the end of the filming of Cat People. Fat Harry's Customers sit at the bar at Fat Harry's in 1989. (Photo by Irwin Thompson, The Times-Picayune) At the 1984 worlds fair, in what is now New Orleans Warehouse District, Cerniglia and Mumfrey ran a VIP lounge. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up His niece said Cerniglia and Mumfrey acquired places that were fun and well-located and fit their vision. It was something that just came natural to them. In managing these enterprises, Cerniglia and Mumfrey, who died in 2019, formed a perfect partnership, friends said, because Mumfrey was a serious businessman, while Cerniglia wanted to develop places, from neighborhood hangouts to high-toned restaurants, where people could have a good time. Cerniglia enjoyed it all, his longtime friend Gothard Reck said, and you liked to be around him because he found fun and excitement in everything. S.J. was the one who inspired other people to be involved because of his enjoyment of life. Despite his fun-loving facade, Cerniglia and his partner were always under the radar, preferring their establishments to do the talking for them, said his wife, Junel Barrois Cerniglia. He was a modest person in that way. A lifelong resident of the New Orleans area, Cerniglia graduated from St. Aloysius High School and enrolled at LSU but did not graduate. Throughout his life, Cerniglia enjoyed hunting and fishing, and he traveled widely to Africa, Alaska and New Zealand, to name a few destinations to pursue those avocations, his wife said. He was fabulous, Reck said. He enjoyed life to the fullest. In addition to Junel Cerniglia, survivors include his sister, Lynn Cerniglia Giordano, of Metairie; and nieces and nephews. The funeral and burial will be private. A reality TV star has revealed her nose is rotting away after having a botched cosmetic procedure as she begged followers to help fund corrective surgery. Anastasia Balinskaya, 29, from Belarus, took to Instagram to share graphic photographs of her decaying nose with her 153,000 followers. The former star of Russian reality show 'House-2' said that her nose swelled to a huge size before rotting away from the inside after a cosmetic operation several years ago. Anastasia revealed she's now in a race against time to save her nose from completely rotting away, revealing: 'The doctor told me that I had a month, a maximum of two, until everything decayed.' Anastasia Balinskaya, 29, from Belarus, has revealed her nose is rotting away after she had a botched cosmetic procedure as she begged followers to help fund corrective surgery The Russian reality TV star (pictured) took to Instagram to reveal her nose is rotting and could be completely decayed within the next few months She said that an implant caused the reaction and she was left outraged by the poor-quality service from the plastic surgeon. After several failed attempts to correct the procedure over the years, Anastasia said she has been prescribed antibiotics and nasal drops to help with the inflammation. She also admitted that she does't have enough money for further treatment at this time and couldn't take out a loan in her native Belarus. Asking for help on Instagram, Anastasia wrote: 'Victim of plastic surgery? Yes! I curse the day I went under the surgeon's knife for the first time! Anastasia revealed she has had several procedures over the last few years in the hopes of correcting a botched nose job Anastasia (pictured) said she fully regrets having cosmetic surgery and pleaded with other girls not to rely on altering their appearance to boost their self-esteem 'If you are a girl and are reading this post, I beg you to understand what I did not understand before. 'You can't use plastic surgery to boost your self-esteem.. You will never achieve the desired result.' She continued: 'For five years, I have already had three operations on my nose and with each op, it is getting worse and worse. I'm not chasing beauty right now, I just want a breathable, flat nose. 'After the last operation, my bone split and the bridge of my nose looked like I had been beaten in the ring. The 29-year-old posted a series of graphic photographs to show the part of the inside of her nose decaying (pictured) Anastasia (pictured) said the bone in her nose split after her last surgery and left her looking like she had been 'beaten in the ring' 'Yesterday I went to the doctor and found out that the artificial implant that was inserted into the tip of my nose did not take root, my body rejected it, the cartilage has come out in one nostril, there is inflammation, and my nose is rotting. 'I need an operation urgently, I have a maximum of 1 to 2 months. 'I cannot afford it, if you want to help me, I will leave my bank number in this post. Even if everyone translates 5p, you can help me save my nose. 'I have never asked or accepted help from anyone, but now I simply don't have anyone to turn to for help.' Anastasia said every operation that she's had to correct her botched surgery has made her situation worse (pictured left, and right) A new commercial complex hidden in a green ecological park in Beijing plans to build itself into the new landmark area of the Chinese capital. The complex project is named "Fairy Land Center," which will cover a total of 150,000 square meters, integrating technological innovation and cultural creativity. An agreement was signed by five parties -- Jiangtai township government under Beijing's Chaoyang district, China Television Industrial Group (CTVIG), Beijing Electronic Zone High-Tech Group (BEZ), Beijing Xing Tai Hong Xin Assets Management Co., Ltd., and Fushi Investment Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd. -- in Beijing on March 13. Bao Jian, deputy head of Beijing's Chaoyang district, said the Fairy Land Center project was a combination of a township collective industrial project and a technological innovation as well as a successful creation of great-leap-forward development with the help of market forces. Bao said the district local government would fully support the project and help attract investment, especially by formulating policies to encourage the entry of technological innovation and cultural creative enterprises, and those wishing to establish their headquarters there. The local government would provide a continuously optimized business environment and service support for the settled enterprises, he added. CTVIG is a large-scale wholly state-owned enterprise affiliated to China Media Group (CMG) and a wholly-owned subsidiary of China International Television Corporation (CITVC). A senior official who attended the signing ceremony revealed a plan to introduce abundant and exclusive contents and resources from CMG into the Fairy Land Center project, seeking to ensure that Chinese culture and Chinese stories could be "felt and known" in the complex. Gong Xiaoqing, president of BEZ, described the Fairy Land Center as an excellent technology and culture platform project, and the launch of the project will further promote regional innovative integration and coordinated development of technology and culture. Fairy Land Center is also the first urban greenbelt pilot project in Chaoyang district to get planning permission. In the development process, it has high positioning and high standards, integrating high-quality resources at home and abroad, and providing strong support for the continuous improvement of the quality of regional economic development. Song Shaowei, secretary of the CPC Jiangtai Township Committee, described the Fairy Land Center as a useful exploration for the innovative development of collective economy in the new era. From project positioning scheme, planning and design, to post-operation and property management, the goal was always to create a "world-class quality project." Demonstrating its 5G technology leadership, Optus reports achieving "another 5G milestone by combining 2100 MHz spectrum with 3500 MHz spectrum for the first time, through the use of 5G carrier aggregation and spectrum sharing technology, which will deliver customers with super-fast speeds and increased 5G coverage. Working together with technology partners Ericsson and Samsung, Optus tells us the testing "was completed at a live 5G site on non-stand-alone architecture in Sydney using a Samsung S21 device. "The combination of 5G FDD 2100MHz and 5G TDD 3500 MHz allows the simultaneous use of both 5G and 4G, enabling faster data speeds and improved network performance which is great news for Optus 5G customers as this technology is rolled out over the coming months." The deliberate and clever combination of our spectrum assets means that we are able to pull through the benefits of increased coverage thanks to the 2100Mhz band, coupled with the improved capacity offered by the 3500Mhz spectrum, said Lambo Kanagaratnam, Optus Managing Director Networks. This is important as increased coverage, capacity and speed will enable even more customers to enjoy the benefits of our super-fast 5G network for data hungry apps, high-resolution video-streaming, large file downloads and other data centric, cloud-based applications. As a technology innovator, we have focussed on futureproofing our 5G rollout from the outset which, together with our partners, has allowed us to provide our customers with a fast and flexible 5G network that is paving the way for the delivery of exciting new 5G experiences in both the consumer and enterprise market, added Kanagaratnam. We are pleased to support Optus in delivering another 5G milestone, said Martin Wiktorin, Head of Ericsson Global Customer Unit Singtel. With 8.8 billion 5G subscriptions forecasted globally by 2026, this achievement ensures that Australians will continue to have access to the best 5G technology." Garry McGregor, the VP of Samsung Electronics Australia's Mobile Division said: Samsung Galaxy devices are engineered to open new experiences for our customers and also help support our partners in breaking new ground for network performance and innovation. (continued next page) Our commitment in Australia is to ensure that Samsung is at the forefront of industry developments through ongoing collaboration with our partners. Optus currently has more than 1000 5G sites across Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra as well as key areas outside of these cities. Meanwhile, Telstra has boasted of superior coverage and over 3000 5G sites across Ausrtalia, which you can read about 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. A review of the governments harassment complaints procedure has been published after Alex Salmond successful challenged its use to investigate him (Andrew Milligan/PA) A review into the complaints procedure for claims of harassment by current or former ministers has called for allegations to be investigated independently, rather than by the Scottish Government. The report by Laura Dunlop QC was commissioned after the Governments investigation of sexual harassment allegations against Alex Salmond was found to be unlawful. Ms Dunlop makes a range of recommendations about how complaints against current and former Government ministers should be handled, including allowing complainers to refuse police involvement and for claims to be investigated by an independent body, rather than Government civil servants. It is clear that the investigating officers involvement with the complainers side of the process was considered to have been too close to be considered fair Laura Dunlop QC Referring to the revelation that Judith Mackinnon, the woman tasked with conducting the investigation into Mr Salmond, had previously contacted the complainers before her appointment to the role, Ms Dunlop said anyone investigating a claim must be free of prior involvement with any aspect of the matter being raised. It is clear that the investigating officers involvement with the complainers side of the process was considered to have been too close to be considered fair, Ms Dunlop states. She added: My suggestion would be a requirement that anyone involved in factual investigation, and/or preparation of a report, should have had no prior involvement with any aspect of the matter being raised, and should have no close association with either party before or during the investigation. On the issue of independently investigating complaints, Ms Dunlop states: The risks of perception of bias, either in favour of or against the person complained about, are obvious. Moreover, there is a specific issue of accountability inherent in any process which involves civil servants in investigating such complaints. Expand Close Laura Dunlop QC was asked to review the governments harassment complaints policy for current and former ministers (University of Stirling/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Laura Dunlop QC was asked to review the governments harassment complaints policy for current and former ministers (University of Stirling/PA) Her recommendation is that formal complaints against former ministers should be investigated and adjudicated independently, and suggests that it could be done either by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, or the Independent Advisers on the Ministerial Code. The Holyrood inquiry into the governments botched investigation of the former first minister also heard evidence that the two complainers had not wanted their case passed to the Crown Office and police, but that the Scottish Government decided to do so regardless. Ms Dunlop notes that the current policy, which remains in place despite Mr Salmonds successful legal challenge, gives no indication that persons wish not to involve the police may in some situations be respected. She, instead, suggests the Government give consideration to allow any complainer to avoid police involvement if that is what they want. Another recommendation is for there to be no time limit for complaints of a sexual nature, but other harassment complaints would have to be reported within three years albeit with an override position if there is deemed to be a public interest in pursuing a historic case. Ms Dunlop, who is Procurator to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, also suggests that the Government should adopt a process of censure with consent used by the church, which would require a minister to formally accept they have behaved inappropriately. Expand Close Deputy First Minister John Swinney thanked Ms Dunlop for the review (Jane Barlow/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Deputy First Minister John Swinney thanked Ms Dunlop for the review (Jane Barlow/PA) Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the Government would consider the recommendations for strengthening the process for handling harassment complaints, alongside the anticipated report from the Committee on the Scottish Governments Handling of Harassment Complaints (SGHHC) and James Hamiltons inquiry into whether Nicola Sturgeon breached the ministerial code. He said: The Scottish Government welcomes this independent review and the constructive, forward-looking recommendations that Laura Dunlop QC has made. We will now work with the Scottish Government Council of Unions, on how these could be implemented, noting that in some instances it will require us working across institutions to find a way forward. Our shared priority is to have in place policies and procedures that allow any future complaints to be raised and investigated with confidence. I would reiterate the Scottish Governments apology to the women who had the courage to make the harassment complaints. They were let down, and it is only right to ensure that lessons are learned for the future. Bullying or harassment of any kind is unacceptable and we want staff to feel safe and supported in raising concerns. We will finalise an implementation plan by June which draws on the lessons highlighted by this review, as well as the forthcoming report from SGHHC Committee. I am grateful for the attention Laura Dunlop has given to these important matters. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: Its clear why the SNP government tried to bury this review late in the day after a lockdown easing statement. They have tried to shut down scrutiny throughout this affair and today they sneaked out a report that lays bare 10 glaring flaws in the way the SNP government handles sexual harassment complaints. They completely failed the women at the heart of this scandal by using a catastrophically-flawed procedure to investigate Alex Salmond. Kerrville, TX (78028) Today Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Citizens of tribes across the U.S. cried and clapped in celebration Monday as Deb Haaland became the first Native American confirmed as secretary of a Cabinet agency. The U.S. Senate voted 51-40 in favor of the Democrat's nomination to lead the Interior Department amid a groundswell of support from tribal members. Many Native Americans have called Haalands historic confirmation an answer to their prayers and a long time coming, putting someone they trust in a position to carry forward their hopes and expectations. The Interior Department has broad oversight of tribal affairs and energy development. Haaland, of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, will resign as a U.S. representative to take the post. Here are reactions from Indian Country: ___ Jason Holuby, owner of Oklahoma City-based New Fire Native Design Group, 45. Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. It's a huge opportunity for Indian Country to have someone that's clearly going to be supportive of those things that can improve the lives of Native people. ___ Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians and the Quinault Indian Nation of Washington. The nation needs her leadership and vision to help lead our response to climate change, to steward our lands and cultural resources and to ensure that across the federal government, the United States lives up to its trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations and our citizens." ___ Marlene Helgemo, pastor of All Nations Indian Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 74. Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. However you do your meditation, pray for Deb. She is going to have the biggest challenges of her life coming forward, and we want to stand with her and beside her to support her. Shes going to have some of those days where shes going to wonder, how did I get myself into this? But shes called by the ancestors ... offer up those prayers as youre praying for your family, your friends, pray for Deb. Pray for all of our women leaders who are out there serving us in a variety of capacities. For that, we are so thankful. This is a day of gratitude. ___ Adam Crepelle, attorney and law professor at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 34. Houma Tribe of Louisiana From a tribal perspective, hopefully when she gets into office, she can roll back some restraints on tribal economic development. Trust lands are super regulated, and it's all federal land. If tribal economies can improve, hopefully that will lead to more funding for schools, tribal police, things like that. ___ Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. This is an unprecedented and monumental day for all first people of this country. Words cannot express how overjoyed and proud we are to see one of our own confirmed to serve in this high-level position. It's a wonderful feeling that we can now refer to her as Madam Secretary. Today's historic confirmation sets us on a better path to righting the wrongs of the past with the federal government and inspires hope in our people, especially our young people. It gives us a seat at the table to offer a new and different perspective from a person that has experienced the reality of adversities and challenges of growing up on what federal officials refer to as Indian reservations. ___ Deborah Dotson, president of the Delaware Nation in Oklahoma. Deb Haaland's willingness to work across the aisle and to share a broader view of the issues is a BIG win for Indian Country and for all Americans. My hope is that under Ms. Haaland's tenure, we can have true government to government consultation on the issues that affect Indian Country. ___ Leonard Forsman, chairman of the Suquamish Tribe of Washington. "Represent all of Indian Country very hard thing for one person to do, and Im just really proud of her and how shes carried that and been willing to step into that role. because sometimes these things are - the creator kind of puts you in a place and says, all right, this is your pathway, good luck with that. And then you just go follow that good red road, as we call it. And shes done a great job of doing that. ___ Mark Masters, owner of Chloeta, a Native professional services firm in Midwest City, Oklahoma, 38. Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. "The idea of the first Cabinet person that is of an Indigenous background is obviously historic, and the fact that it's Interior is even more important because Interior has a really unique responsibility as compared to other federal agencies. To have someone not just on the Cabinet itself who is Native but to also have someone in such a crucial position who's responsible for managing those trust relationships with tribes and the vast amounts of cultural and natural resources is unprecedented. It's amazing. ___ Gerald Gray, chairman of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. We are the first peoples of this country. Why does something like this have to take this long? ___ Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of IllumiNative. Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. Finally, a Native woman a powerhouse and history maker who will fight to ensure Native issues and voices are heard. Someone who will protect our land and water and is in a position to protect our planet for future generations. Shes given us a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the future of this country. This is a major milestone and a step forward in our continued fight to transform the systems who have for centuries been used against our communities. ___ Matthew L. Morgan, chairman, Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. She understands sovereignty and appreciates the trust relationship and our nations treaty obligations. She recognizes the importance of tribal businesses and knows how these businesses can be an economic engine for states, rural regions, and impoverished areas. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana; Matthew Daly in Washington, D.C.; and Manuel Valdes in Seattle contributed. (Newser) The Catholic order of Jesuit priests has pledged to raise $100 million for descendants of the enslaved people it owned in what the New York Times reports is "one of the largest efforts by an institution to atone for slavery." The order relied on slave labor and sales for more than a century before "272 enslaved men, women and children were sold by the Jesuit owners of Georgetown University to plantation owners in Louisiana" in 1838 and used as collateral by Citizens Bank of New Orleans, which was later acquired by JPMorgan Chase, according to a statement. To absolve for this legacy, the order has joined with descendants to create a trust to be used "in engaging, promoting and supporting programs and activities that highlight truth, accelerate racial healing and reconciliation, and advance racial justice and equality in America." JPMorgan will serve as a co-trustee, per Axios. story continues below Some $15 million has already been deposited to support the new Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation. Georgetown University, which has raised additional funds for descendants, donated $1 million. While the foundation works to raise the remaining funds, about half of its annual budget will go to groups working at racial reconciliation, and a quarter given to descendants as educational grants and scholarships, per the Times. Genealogists have identified about 5,000 living descendants of people enslaved by the Jesuits, including Joseph Stewart, who now serves as the foundation's acting president. He says it will "set an example and lead America through dismantling the remnants of slavery and mitigating the presence of racism," per the statement. Indeed, MIT historian Craig Steven Wilder tells the Times the move "will put tremendous pressure" on other US institutions "that share this history." (Read more Jesuits stories.) We have to really build out our model based on what we have in front of us right now in terms of the students who we know are in hybrid and work to grow from there. ... I appreciate the communitys patience on that front, Sanders said. January 2021 Monthly traffic update Auckland Airport total passenger volumes decreased by 71.8% in January 2021 versus last year. International passengers (excl. transits) were down 97.6%, transit passengers were down 97.0% and domestic passengers were down by 30.7%. Quarantine-free one-way travel to Australia was permitted to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and Victoria, with Queensland opening on 7 January 2021. However, the Australian Government suspended quarantine-free travel to Australia from New Zealand on 25 January for six days following active cases within the New Zealand community. Quarantine-free travel for Cook Islanders from Rarotonga to New Zealand commenced on 21 January 2021. February 2021 Monthly traffic update preview Auckland Airport total passenger volumes decreased by 71.0% in February 2021 versus last year. International passengers (excl. transits) were down 96.9%, transit passengers were down 96.4% and domestic passengers were down by 41.4%. The Australian Government suspended quarantine-free travel to Australia from New Zealand on 15 February 2021 for six days following Auckland entering Alert Level 3 lockdown and the rest of New Zealand entering Alert Level 2 for three days. Three Australian states (Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales) followed on by restricting travel bubbles with New Zealand and stopped all green flights coming from New Zealand on 24 February 2021. Domestic services in February 2021 were also impacted by further travel restrictions when Auckland re-entered Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm on Sunday, 14 February 2021 for a period of three days and again at 6am on Sunday, 28 February 2021 for a period of seven days. Please see the link below for details: January 2021 Monthly traffic update and February 2021 preview Source: Auckland International Airport Limited Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Confirms $10m Placement to Wholesale Investors 2nd June 2021 Morning Report New Zealand Rural Land Company Limited (NZX: NZL) Rights Issue Documents Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) Update on Infratil Infrastructure Bond Offer 1st June 2021 Morning Report Synlait Milk Limited (NZX: SML) Update Following Canterbury Flooding Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Full Year Results to 31 March 2021 31st May 2021 Morning Report The a2 Milk Company Limited (NZX: ATM) Media Reporting Regarding Potential Class Action Synlait Milk Limited (NZX: SML) Forecast Milk Price Update CU Cancer Center member Neil Box, PhD, is on a quest to decrease the deadly effects of melanoma. His Sun Bus is a fixture at many of Colorado's biggest summer festivals, offering free skin cancer screenings and education, sun-safety products such as hats, shirts, and sunscreen, and cutting-edge technology that measures hidden sun damage. And thanks to a new grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation, Box -- an associate professor of dermatology in the University of Colorado School of Medicine -- will conduct new research on the causes and predictors of the deadly skin cancer. "We know that sun exposure creates risks of melanoma, but it's really hard to get at someone's history of sun exposure because melanoma patients have recall bias," Box says. "They over-remember the number of sunburns or excessive sun exposures they've had in the past because they get the shock of a melanoma diagnosis and they unintentionally misreport. Melanoma is such a big deal that it makes patients say, 'I must have had heaps of sun exposure when I was a kid, because I got melanoma.'" To get more accurate data, Box worked with Lori Crane, PhD, MPH, in the CU School of Public Health to conduct a longstanding, longitudinal study of mole development in kids. The researchers followed a group of 1,150 young people over more than 10 years to see how sun exposure contributed to mole development, and therefore, risk of melanoma. "Moles may be a biomarker for risk in later life," Box says. "If you have a lot of moles, you have a much higher risk of melanoma. High childhood sun exposures induce the highest levels of moles in children." With the grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation, Box, Crane, and their collaborators will do further follow-up work with the study participants to determine the results of their early sun exposure. Using a specialized camera that shines polarized wavelengths of light on the face to reveal hidden sun damage, as well as a process called skin surface microtopography, in which researchers take a silicone cast of the back of the hand to investigate the presence of lines and pores, they hope to develop even more sophisticated measures of sun damage. It will be important in looking at some new measures of sun damage on the skin. We can start to understand the relationship between number of sunburns and sun damage as it appears on the skin, and by understanding that we'll be another step closer to actually using sun damage measures in melanoma studies directly." Neil Box, PhD, CU Cancer Center Member Currently, Box says, melanoma prevention and screening is based on generic sun safety recommendations, with additional cautions for those with fair or red hair color, fair skin color or freckling; those who report a history of excessive sun exposure; and patients with a history of melanoma. In his new study, he plans to explore how certain genetic markers and quantifiable sun damage measures can also be used as tools to evaluate risk of the disease. "You would think, based on genetics, that some people might need less exposure to hit some kind of melanoma threshold," he says. "Someone who gets melanoma in their 30s probably has some elevated genetic predisposition. But somebody who gets melanoma in their 50s or 60s -- which are the decades when most melanomas appear -- that could be due to sun exposures that happened 40 or 50 years ago." Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 21:29:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (2nd L, front) and Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun (1st L, front) pose for a photo as a batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrive at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on March 16, 2021. Zimbabwe on Tuesday received a second batch of Sinopharm doses donated by China plus an additional Sinovac doses commercially procured by the government. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang) HARARE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Tuesday received a second batch of Sinopharm doses donated by China plus an additional Sinovac doses commercially procured by the government. A chartered Air Zimbabwe plane landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport Tuesday morning with the consignment of the vaccines, which was received by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the health minister, the Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun and other senior government officials. The same plane also ferried another batch of vaccines for the government of Namibia, where they will be used to kick off the country's vaccination program. In his acceptance speech, Mnangagwa said the donation marks another milestone in the consolidation of bilateral relations and cooperation between Zimbabwe and China. "The continued assistance and solidarity has indeed lightened our burden in an otherwise difficult period, whilst also positively impacting the health, well being, protection and recovery of our people," he said. Mnangagwa once again expressed gratitude to China for donating vaccines and also in aiding Zimbabwe's fight against the pandemic. "We remain thankful to China for the support of this program. This includes the timely provision of epidemiological expertise and personal protective equipment among other aspects," he said. "China's unparalleled readiness to avail access to the vaccines for commercial procurement testifies to our enhancing cooperation particularly in these times of distress and competition of resources." Speaking at the reception ceremony, Ambassador Guo reaffirmed China's friendship to Zimbabwe, adding that China was a committed front-runner in promoting international vaccine cooperation. "China is a steadfast advocate for equitable vaccine distribution. We have joined COVAX, under which China has undertaken to provide an initial 10 million doses for emergency use in developing countries," he said. Ambassador Guo also said China opposes vaccine nationalism or any attempt to politicize vaccine cooperation and distribution. "All capable countries should do what they can to provide vaccines to countries in need, especially developing countries, so that people all over the world will be able to benefit from affordable vaccines," said Guo. Chiwenga, who also spoke at the event, expressed his gratitude to China for standing with Zimbabwe during trying times including during the armed liberation struggle against colonial rule. He said Zimbabwe expects to commercially procure 2 million doses from China. The latest delivery of vaccines will allow Zimbabwe to kickstart its second phase of the inoculation program which will target teachers, religious leaders, the judiciary, law and order, and those with underlying conditions. The first phase of Zimbabwe's vaccination program started on Feb. 18 after the country received first batch of the Sinopharm vaccines donated by China. Healthcare workers and other frontline workers including members of the media and immigration officials were the first in line to receive the jab as part of phase one of the vaccination program. Zimbabwe plans to inoculate at least 10 million people to achieve herd immunity. The country has so far approved use of Sinopharm and Sinovac from China, Sputnik V from Russia and India's Covaxin. As of Monday, 37,660 people had been vaccinated in Zimbabwe. Enditem A South Australian wine with a modest $22 price tag has won a coveted international award, being named the rose of the year by leading Chinese judges. Taylors Wines in the Clare Valley took the top prize for its 2020 Estate Pino Noir Rose at the China Wine and Spirits Best Value Awards on Monday night. The win comes at a contentious time following China's move to slap big import tariffs on Australian wines. Taylors Wines in the Clare Valley took the top prize for its 2020 Estate Pino Noir Rose at the China Wine and Spirits Best Value Awards on Monday night Judged blind by a panel of 100 experts, the Chinese awards are the largest and most prestigious in the country. Chinese President Xi Jinping toasts the Belt and Road Forum in 2019 'Australia hasn't been immune to the rose wave that has taken over the international drinks industry and it's exciting that Australia is being recognised amongst some of the best producers in the world,' winemaker and managing director Mitchell Taylor said. Judged blind by a panel of 100 experts, the Chinese awards are the largest and most prestigious in the country. Despite issues with authorities over imports, other Australian companies also did well. The Queen of Hearts Rose from Curtis Family Vineyards, Take it to the Grave Rose from Fourth Wave Wine, and Globe Skimmer Rose from Zonte's Footstep were all awarded medals in the rose category. In November last year, China announced it would impose significant anti-dumping duties on Australian wine of up to 212 per cent. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has accused Australian exporters of dumping wine into its market, which is when a country exports goods at a lower price than it is sold for in their own country. This would allow Australia to flood the Chinese wine market with product prices considered unfair, affecting its own domestic market. It has always been strenulously denied by Australia, with many believing China has political motivations atfer Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19. 'There is dumping of imported wines originating in Australia ... (and) it has been substantive,' the ministry said in a statement on its website. The $6billion Australian wine industry exports about 39 per cent of all product to China (pictured, Australian wine on sale in a Beijing shop in August 2020) 'There is a causal relationship between dumping and material damage and it has been decided to implement temporary anti-dumping measures ... in the form of a deposit from November 28.' The ministry said the 'margin ratio' for the deposit would be between 107.1 per cent and 212.1 per cent on Australian wine imports of 2L containers or less. It said the investigation had been conducted in 'strict accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations and WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules'. The $6billion Australian wine industry exports about 39 per cent of all product to China. This makes China the biggest destination for Australia's wine exports and means the country spends approximately $1.16billion on Australian bottles annually. There were already rumours in the Australian wine industry that China would introduce a tariff on Australian wine in October. Rathbone Wines chairman Doug Rathbone said the move is 'obviously politically motivated' and part of China's ongoing diplomatic spat with Australia at the time. Team New Zealand reached match point in the America's Cup Tuesday but were denied a chance to clinch the trophy when fickle winds forced the day's second race to be abandoned. The hosts staged a come-from-behind win in race nine to extend their lead over Luna Rossa to 6-3, needing just one more victory to seal the best-of-13 series. But inconsistent winds meant race 10 on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour was held over until Wednesday. "We are abandoning for the day, the breeze has gone massively left and unfortunately we can't re-lay the course in time," the race committee announced. The decision provided an anti-climatic end to the day for tens of thousands of Aucklanders who lined the foreshores hoping to see Team New Zealand claim yachting's most prestigious trophy. Luna Rossa co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill also expressed frustration, saying he had wanted the chance to claw back Team New Zealand's lead. "We were ready to go," he said. In a thrilling opening race, the lead changed five times in shifting winds. Luna Rossa, desperate to keep the series alive, were in front most of the way before the New Zealanders made a decisive late charge on the fifth leg of six. Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling said he enjoyed the helter-skelter contest but was coy on the prospect of retaining the trophy the Kiwis won in Bermuda in 2017. - 'Chin up and keep fighting' - "It's good fun racing, great to be out here having a battle with a really good team, great to get another win too," he said. Luna Rossa co-helmsman Francesco Bruni was disappointed at the result but refused to concede the Italians' campaign was over. "Unfortunately that was a painful one, but chin up and keep fighting," he said. "We couldn't get every shift right and we missed this opportunity." Team New Zealand entered the regatta as heavy favourites but Luna Rossa matched them in the early stages, taking the scores to 3-3. Story continues The hosts then found an extra gear and rode their luck at times to win three in a row, meaning the Italians must capture all four remaining races to lift the "Auld Mug", the oldest trophy in international sport. Team NZ will be mindful, however, of 2013, when Spithill, now Luna Rossa's co-helmsman, orchestrated Oracle Team USA's dramatic recovery from 8-1 down to win 9-8 in San Francisco. Facing a similar doomsday scenario in Auckland, the combative Australian displayed the same never-say-die attitude. "I'm excited, I'm honestly excited," he said. "We were disappointed in the race today but there was no negative energy when we came back to the dock. "I can't wait to get out there tomorrow, I wish we could do it right now." ns/dh Islamabad/New Delhi, March 16 : Pakistan's Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure with the Imran Khan government, saying it was incapable of running the country or taking decisions. Hearing the local bodies case, a two-judge bench, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq, expressing annoyance over the issuance of an ordinance on delimitation of constituencies by the Punjab government, referred the matter to the Chief Justice, the Express Tribune, Pakistan, reported. During the hearing, the apex court was informed that the decision regarding the census had not been taken by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). "Why hasn't the Council of Common Interests met in two months," Justice Isa asked, expressing his anger, the report said. "Is it not a priority of the government to release the census results," he asked. According to the judge, the government and its allies rule in three provinces, and yet not a single decision had been taken by the CCI. "The government is incapable either of running the country or taking decisions," he added. He also took exception to the postponement of the CCI meeting despite the court order, terming it an insult to the constitutional institution. According to the court, there were no war conditions that could prevent the CCI from holding its meeting. Justice Isa pointed out that nowadays meeting could take place via a video link. He mentioned that four years have passed since the census was conducted in 2017, the report said. Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman informed the court that the meeting of the CCI would be held on March 24, adding that it was a sensitive matter and therefore the government wanted to take decision with consensus. At this, Justice Isa asked why the report of the CCI has been kept secret. He observed that if good deeds are kept secret, it would raise doubts in the minds of the people. He further observed that the people should know "what are the provinces doing, and what is the federation doing", as per the report. The judge expressed his displeasure over the promulgation of an ordinance for fresh delimitation by the Punjab Governor. According to the Election Commission, the ordinance has created complications, he said. Simply put, he added, the Punjab government does not want local elections to be held. (CNN) - A small study of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa said the vaccine did not show protection against mild-to-moderate COVID-19 due to the variant widely circulating there, according to results published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The results were announced in early February by the University of Oxford and posted to a preprint server days later. They played a key role in South Africa scaling back its rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine last month. The study did not show efficacy of the vaccine against the variant also known as B.1.351 because the numbers of people infected in the vaccine and placebo groups were not significantly different from each other. The study included roughly 2,000 HIV-negative people with a median age of 30, evenly split between vaccine and placebo groups. Of the 42 total participants in the study who developed COVID-19 more than two weeks after the second dose, all but three were found to have the B.1.351 variant. The study also tested the blood of some vaccinated participants against live and engineered viruses in the lab, demonstrating that their antibodies had a more difficult time neutralizing the variant. In response to earlier announcements of these results in February, AstraZeneca said it still believed its vaccine may protect against severe disease and hospitalization caused by the variant. However, this study of predominantly young, healthy people was unable to evaluate whether the vaccine would be effective to those ends. There were no cases of hospitalization for severe COVID-19 observed in the study, the study authors wrote. In a different preprint last month, the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine showed overall 66.7% efficacy against symptomatic disease starting two weeks after the second shot, based on an analysis of more than 17,000 trial volunteers in the UK, Brazil and South Africa. This story was first published on CNN.com, "AstraZeneca vaccine did not show protection against variant found in South Africa, study says" A group of Comal County residents has won a big battle in a four-year legal fight to stop a proposed quarry north of San Antonio that they say will harm the environment and their quality of life. State District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble of Travis County earlier this month threw out a prior decision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, saying the regulatory agency acted arbitrarily or capriciously in granting an air quality permit to Alabama-based Vulcan Construction Materials LLC. The permit applies only to discharges generated by an 800-ton per hour rock crusher Vulcan intends to operate at the site at the corner of Texas 46 and FM 3009. It is rare for TCEQ to be overturned. The judges ruling stalls, at least for now, Vulcans plans for the proposed 1,500acre limestone quarry. The permit allowed Vulcan to emit up to 95,000 pounds of particulates a year into the air, but opponents said they believe it would have released much more. TCEQ cited the litigation in declining to comment. Neither Vulcan nor its lawyers responded to requests for comment. The site is near a number of new country subdivisions sprinkled among the rolling hills of live oak and ash juniper trees. It is less than 10 miles from the Bracken Bat Cave, home to the worlds largest colony of Mexican freetail bats, and about 3 miles from Natural Bridge Caverns. Neighbors are concerned about air pollution, water supply and quality, truck traffic, destruction of caves, and decreased property values that could result from the industrial quarry in a residential area populated by more than 12,000 people. A coalition of the communitys residents, known as Friends of Dry Comal Creek, Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry and Preserve Our Hill Country Environment, along with the Comal Independent School District, has opposed the quarry. The quarry would stretch about three miles over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, the principal water source for communities that include San Antonio and New Braunfels. Its monumental. We are excited about this, said Millan Guckian, president of Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry and Preserve Our Hill Country Environment. Her property is next to the proposed quarry site. Weve been fighting this for about four years. The battle had largely been fought in the administrative system within TCEQ, whose commissioners granted Vulcan the air quality permit in November 2019 after a series of hearings. A Vulcan spokesman, Scott Burnham, has previously said that the company has presented a responsible plan for this site that shows were committed to the county and doing things the right way. But the community groups and the school district appealed to district court, disputing, the accuracy of Vulcans core sampling results, a lack of nearby air-quality monitors and a limit on which emissions were considered by the TCEQ. In the March 5 letter to lawyers in the case, Judge Guerra Gamble found that TCEQ wrongly determined that crystalline silica emissions will not negatively affect human health or welfare because it was not supported by the evidence. Gamble also wrote that Vulcans calculations of its crystalline silica emissions are not representative of the site nor supported by the evidence. The judge found that TCEQs determination and Vulcans decisions to withhold some information was arbitrary or capricious. The district judge further found that an administrative judge had wrongly let Vulcan withhold some information from the opponents by claiming they were protected trade secrets, and not allowing the community groups to cross-examine Vulcan. David Drewa, a spokesman for Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry, said he doesnt believe Vulcan will drop its pursuit of the quarry. Its probably not the end of the road, Drewa said. We expect them to appeal. It Vulcan does succeed on appeal, it must then submit a water pollution abatement plan to the TCEQ and receive approval. Wed like for them to just walk away from it, Guckian said of Vulcan. But that probably isnt going to happen. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland 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. SAO PAULO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz, one of the largest hospital centers in Latin America, has announced a partnership with TriNetX to join the global health research network. The emergence of the novel coronavirus in 2020 underlined the urgency and importance of clinical research on a global scale. Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz joined the TriNetX network to contribute to the acceleration of clinical research and finding a path to better outcomes for its patients. Furthermore, through the hospital's Center for Innovation, Research and Education, Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz will help drive future expansion of the TriNetX network through its relationships with other healthcare organizations with the goal of cultivating the largest data cluster for clinical research in Brazil and Latin America. The TriNetX network and platform enable healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and contract research organizations (CROs) to collaborate utilizing real-world data (RWD) to optimize protocol design and feasibility, site selection, patient recruitment, and enable discovery through the generation of real-world evidence (RWE). "This is a strategic initiative that contributes toward our goals for innovation, research and education at Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz," said Kenneth Almeida, Executive Director of Innovation, Research and Education at Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz. "In 2020, our investigators published 163 studies in scientific journals. We are thrilled to broaden our research capabilities to publish moving forward, and in collaboration with peer institutions on the TriNetX network." Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz is now among the industry's leading research data asset in Latin America and across the globe. The data available on the TriNetX platform is de-identified, and TriNetX employs robust privacy and security measures in compliance with country and region-specific regulations including LGPD, HIPAA, and GDPR. "In these unprecedented times, while the global medical and research community works to manage the novel coronavirus pandemic, it is essential to have the support of a clinical and epidemiological database that is continuously updated and available for physicians in Brazil and Latin America to conduct research," said Almeida. "We are delighted to welcome Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz to the TriNetX network," said Steve Lethbridge, Senior Vice President of Global Healthcare Partnerships at TriNetX. "We are eager to support Oswaldo Cruz's efforts to increase their investigator-initiated research capabilities and opportunities to collaborate with peer institutions and industry sponsors." About the German Hospital Oswaldo Cruz Founded in 1897 by a group of German-speaking immigrants, The German Hospital Oswaldo Cruz is one of the largest hospital centers in Latin America. With 123 years of experience, it is a reference in services of high complexity and emphasis in Oncology and Digestive Diseases. In order for patients to have access to the highest standards of quality and safety in care, certified by the certification of the Joint Commission International (JCI) the world's leading health accreditation agency the Hospital has a renowned clinical staff, composed of more than 4,000 active registered physicians, and one of the most qualified assistance in the country. Its total installed capacity is 805 beds, 582 of them in private health and 223 in the public sphere. Since 2008, it has also been working in the public area as one of the five hospitals of excellence of the Program to Support the Institutional Development of the Unified Health System (Proadi-SUS) of the Ministry of Health. Oswaldo Cruz German Hospital - https://www.hospitaloswaldocruz.org.br/ About TriNetX TriNetX is the global health research network that connects the world of drug discovery and development, from pharmaceutical company to study site, from investigator to patient by sharing real-world data to make clinical and observational research easier and more efficient. TriNetX combines real-time access to longitudinal clinical data with state-of-the-art analytics to optimize protocol design and feasibility, site selection, patient recruitment, and enable discovery by generating real-world evidence. The TriNetX platform is HIPAA and GDPR compliant. For more information, visit TriNetX at www.trinetx.com or follow @TriNetX on Twitter Media Contacts Hospital Alemao Oswaldo Cruz Maria Teresa Moraes ([email protected]) Tel. (11) 99575-5872 Alessandra Miranda ([email protected]) Tel. (11) 98460-3733 Mayara Toni ([email protected]) Tel. (11) 94480-8372 Nicole Kloeble ([email protected]) Tel. (11) 99978-6566 Roberta Montanari ([email protected]) Claudio Sa ([email protected]) TriNetX Bill Stetson (mailto:[email protected]) Tel: +1 (857) 285-6038 SOURCE TriNetX, LLC. Suddenly, it seems like Byron Bay has gone to Canberra, as celebrities from the world of stage, screen and sport converge on Parliament House in rival lobbying efforts. In a city where popularity is everything, cinematic icon Bryan Brown, again returned to Parliament House on Tuesday, continuing to spruik the need to protect local film and television industries. Actors Bryan Brown, Justine Clarke, Simon Baker and Marta Dusseldorp at Parliament House on Tuesday. Credit:Getty While Brown had a clear run last month, this time he found himself up against a rival celebrity lobbyist five-time Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe. Brown and his thespian funky squad of Marta Dusseldorp, Simon Baker and Justine Clarke appeared the victors. The Parliamentary Friends of Screen lobbying event received about 90 RSVPs, while Thorpies Parliamentary Friends of LGBTIQ event had about 60 RSVPs. Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Thiruvananthapuram, March 16 : Two days after the Congress released its list of 86 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, senior party leader and MP K. Sudhakaran on Tuesday expressed his displeasure over the list, saying that he has lost both "hope" and "confidence". "I feel that the party's high command has been misled by the state leaders. Those who are responsible include Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and AICC General Secretary K.C.Venugopal," said Sudhakaran, the Lok Sabha Member from Kannur. Taking a dig at Venugopal, Sudhakaran alleged that the AICC General Secretary has played truant and sneaked in candidates in the name of having party's high command support. "Never before such a thing has happened, when the local leadership and the district committee was not taken into confidence while naming the candidates. No opinion was sought from us," added the Congress MP. In the 140-member Kerala Assembly, the Congress which speraheads the United Democratic Front (UDF) is contesting 92 seats, leaving the rest to its allies. Sudhakaran is at present one of the few working president's of the party's Kerala unit. On Monday, aggrieved president of the Women's wing of the Congress party in Kerala- Lathika Subhash, resigned from all the posts in the party and announced her decision to contest as an independent candidate from the Ettumanoor constituency in her home district at Kottayam. On Sunday, minutes after the list of candidates was announced in Delhi, she got her head tonsured. Chennithala added that never before has the party did such an exercise to select its candidates. "60 per cent of the candidates are new faces and such a thing has never happened before. Really do not know on why Sudhakaran is saying like this. He is a senior leader and we have huge liking towards him," said Chennithala. Meanwhile Sudhakaran said he is yet to think if he needs to contest against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from the Dharmadom constituency in Kannur. The Congress party is yet to announce its candidate in Dharmadom and is likely to take place in a day. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text In the aftermath of the deadly Capitol insurrection, Tom Wheelera technology regulation advocate and former chair of the Federal Communications Commissiongot back to work. These are the results of platform companies developing services without stopping to consider, What are the consequences? he said. Wheeler, who is seventy-fourand, now, a Walter Shorenstein fellow at the Harvard Kennedy Schoolmay be uniquely positioned to effect change. Leading the FCC under Barack Obama, Wheeler imposed rules for net neutrality, privacy, and cybersecurity. Then Donald Trump took office, and Ajit Pai was appointed FCC head; all of Wheelers signature accomplishments were rolled back. It was painful, he said. You have the things you fought hard for and believe strongly in, and then you see the manufacturing of alternative facts that were misleading and designed to do away with these kinds of improvements. When his term was up, Wheeler spent three months at the Aspen Institute (A fermentation process, he called it), mulling how to build a regulatory framework that could keep up with an industry whose mantra is Move fast and break things. He went to the Brookings Institution, then landed at Harvard, where, with two colleagues, he began to come up with an answer. Last August the trioWheeler, Phil Verveer, and Gene Kimmelmanreleased a proposal for a new government body, to be known as the Digital Platform Agency, that could regulate tech platforms just as the Federal Aviation Administration regulates airlines and aircraft builders. What were proposing is an agency that is reflective of the fact that internet capitalism is different from industrial capitalism, Wheeler said. The solution is not to try and force a square peg in the round hole. Currently, oversight of technology companies falls to the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission; neither has the capacity to do much, especially given how quickly platforms change. In contrast, the Digital Platform Agency would be granted the authority to hold companies to account by applying principles of common law: duty of care, aimed at mitigating harm to consumers, and duty to deal, which ensures that monopolistic companies make essential services available to all, including potential competitors. Regulating new technologies using centuries-old legal precepts may seem counterintuitive, but Wheeler is a history buff. His grandfather got him into it: I had walked all the major battlefields of the Civil War with him before I could drive, he said. Several years ago, on a tour of the National Archives, he saw handwritten copies of telegrams sent by Abraham Lincoln. Those are Mr. Lincolns T-mails! Wheeler was psyched. I got so wrapped up in that idea that I wrote a book about it. Wheelers professional history made him something of an unlikely advocate for consumer-friendly tech: in the eighties and nineties, he lobbied for private telecom companies and, early on, his appointment to the FCC caused a controversy among technology reformistsa group gathered in his driveway bearing a banner that read Save the internet! Critics assumed Wheeler would side with the industry stakeholders he used to represent: That is the equivalent of needing a babysitter and hiring a dingo, John Oliver said on an episode of Last Week Tonight. Olivers fans bombarded the FCC with complaints until the agencys website crashed. Speaking to a reporter, Wheeler said, Im not a dingo. He came through, strengthening online consumer protections by classifying the internet as a public good. (In a follow-up segment, Oliver called him a good dingo.) Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project Having won over some of his harshest critics, Wheeler now looks back on the scrutiny as a bucket of cold water to the face. Out of government, hes less likely to get hit. The Digital Platform Agency has its doubtersthe Atlantic Council, a think tank that prizes international solutions, called it a nation-state focused proposal, potentially appropriate for the 20th century when the world was not as networked as it is nowbut Wheeler contends that the agency will allow the United States to lead the world. Joe Biden has put tech regulation on his (long) to-do list, and, already, antitrust cases filed by the Justice Department against Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple have the potential to change the way American-made websites operate everywhere. Even if the Digital Platform Agency doesnt please everyoneand even if creating a new government body in a divided Congress is a long shotWheeler figures hes in a position to flex his influence. He didnt want to divulge much, but hes talking to people in Washington, he said. I know that the Biden administration knows of the proposals, and, you know, well see how they develop. Hes willing to be patient. I think those of us who are tech policy wonks need to take a deep breath, he said, and recognize that, while we think that the world revolves around us and our issues, there are a host of existential issues that this administration needs to deal with first. ICYMI: How Joanne McNeil copes with the inundation of news online Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Ian W. Karbal is a CJR fellow. Wellington (New Zealand) 16 Mars 2021 (SPS)- New Zealand High Court affirmed in a ruling issued yesterday that Morocco has no sovereignty or administrating power over the occupied territory of Western Sahara. In a judgment it issued on a case by Kamel Mohamed & Barton v Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Fund concerning the application for judicial review of the Funds investments in Western Sahara, the Court considered that the importation of Western Saharan phosphate poses reputational risk to New Zealands wider interest. Commenting on this position, Polisario Fronts Representative to Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Kamal Fadel, said Given that the High Court has recognised that the ongoing importation of Western Saharan phosphate to New Zealand poses a reputational risk to New Zealands wider interests, we urge the New Zealand fertiliser companies and all those involved in the plunder of Western Saharan phosphate to cease the trade. He further encouraged New Zealand Government investors, fertiliser companies and farmers to recognise the ethical problems related to the extraction of resources from the occupied territory of Western Sahara, to adopt alternative sources without delay, and to stop any activities that support Moroccos unlawful occupation. The Court examined however the legal status of Western Sahara, only to establish that Morocco neither has sovereignty nor an administrating power of Western Sahara, reaffirming that the territory is entitled to the exercise of the right of self-determination and decolonization. The Sahrawi people will continue to use all available means to protect their natural resources, said Mr. Fadel, referring to Saharawi decision to take to international courts all companies and countries institutions involved in illegal exploitation of Saharawi resources. (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) An Indian woman examining a thread of silk on a reel at a silk factory in Dharmanagar, in India's northeastern state of Tripura, on June 6, 2017.(Lovely Ghosh/AFP via Getty Images) Indian Silk Industry Seeks Curbs on Chinese Dumping Amid Geopolitical Clamor News Analysis VARANASI, IndiaAfter bilateral relations between India and China reached an abysmal low following a bloody border clash, Indias silk industry reiterated its call for a ban by the Indian government on silk imports and illegal dumping from China, accusing its neighbor of seeking to destroy the indigenous Indian industry. China is the largest silk producer in the world, while India stands at No. 2. The industry, which is one of Indias largest generators of foreign exchange, was a source of employment for 9.1 million Indians in fiscal year 2019, according to the Indian Brand and Equity Foundation. At a time when the pandemic further intensified the anti-China sentiment in the country, the Silk Association of India, a body consisting of stakeholders from the industry, wrote to the Federal Textile Minister seeking a ban on silk originating from China, while also raising concerns about the dumping of Chinese raw silk from neighboring countries that enjoy duty-free provisions from India. Production of silk in China is quantitatively far more than the quantity of silk produced in India. But India is the next highest silk-producing country in the world, C. Narayanaswamy, the honorary president of the Silk Association of India and a former member of Parliament, told The Epoch Times in a phone call. If the silk industry is ruined in the country, they will have a monopoly of silk production in the world globally, and they can price it as they like. He said that Chinese silk has been imported to the Indian market at below the cost of production of domestically produced silk, as Beijing has done with many other industries in the world. While this happened legally, the Chinese silk was also illegally dumped into the country through countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh, which enjoy duty-free provisions from India, he said. In fact, Japan was previously the leading silk-producing country. China overtook Japan because of these illegal, unethical business practices, Narayanaswamy said. A handloom weaver weaves a silk saree in the Revari Talab locality of Varanasi, India, on Feb. 18, 2021. The weaver is using both Chinese and Indian silk in this product. (Venus Upadhayaya/Epoch Times) In a Silk-Weavers Neighborhood As the world was plunged into pandemic-caused economic challenges, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign and announced an economic package to help the nation out of the coronavirus crisis. The Silk Association of India in its letter to the Federal Minister in July last year asked for a total ban, citing the new narrative of a self-reliant India assisting the domestic industry and seeking to block the exploits of the Chinese. Less than a year later, while the Indian government has increased the import duty on Chinese silk from 10 percent to 15 percent, a complete ban has yet to happen. The government of India has not gone into completely banning the import, but it has responded to the demands of the local industry stakeholders by imposing 15 percent customs duty in this years budget, said Narayanaswamy. As the weaving industry, particularly the traditional handloom industry, seeks a return to normalcy after the coronavirus lockdown was lifted, the weavers continue to use the Chinese silk stocked in the Indian market. They also identify the alternate routes through which Chinese silk is entering the Indian market. Ansar Alam, 45, a silk merchant in the Madan Pura locality of Varanasi, India, sat in his small shop on a mid-February afternoon, trading in Chinese silk and varieties of Indian silk that go into weaving Banarasi silk sarees, a six-meter (almost 20 feet) Indian garment for women. Ansar Alam, a silk merchant, sits in his shop in the Madan Pura locality of Varanasi, India, on Feb. 18, 2021. (Venus Upadhayaya/Epoch Times) The pandemic and the lockdown have impacted us so much that we still havent been able to recover, Alam, who has been selling silk for 25 years to the local saree weavers, told The Epoch Times. There are more than 400 silk sellers in Varanasi alone who supply the saree weavers; the most sold raw silk in the market is Chinese silk, followed by Indian silk coming from Bangalore, according to Alam, who survived on private loans during the pandemic. This year will also go like that. Were not earning profits, he said. For every 200 grams of Chinese silk used in a Banarasi silk saree, 400 grams of Indian silk is used, said Alam. He noted that Chinese silk is used for the base while Indian silk is used for ornamentation in the weave. Indian silk is used to bring out the design. If the base silk quality is good, the saree quality is good, he said. Amir Hamza, a master weaver who works with nearly 15 handloom weaver families, said Chinese silk is good for a Banarasi saree weave because the thread length for that particular weave is six and a half meters, which the Chinese silk thread provides. Because of such reliance on Chinese silk for a traditional weave, Alam said that the Chinese have found ways to enter the Indian market. Chinese silk is available because it was stocked. But other than that, it hasnt stopped coming, because its instead coming through Vietnam, he said. Narayanaswamy says the 15 percent customs duty is levied only on the import of Chinese silk and not on silk arriving from other countries. But other SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] countries, we have a commercial relationship and we have agreed to allow them to export silk and other commodities without imposing customs duty. Silk is still coming to India, and they are able to affect our sericulture production also, he said. Hamza said he believes Chinese silk is also being imported to India through Malaysia and Taiwan. The Epoch Times couldnt immediately verify Hamzas claims. Meeraz Akhtar, 40, a master saree weaver, sits in his handloom unit showcasing a Banarasi silk saree. The pink, or base, silk in this saree is from China, while the golden silk is Indian. (Venus Upadhayaya/Epoch Times) Thats because theres a policy in the country regarding the import of silk and certain other products from countries which enjoy the MFN [Most Favored Nation status]; they dont pay import duty. So the Chinese, what they do, they divert their sale through these countries, even though these countries dont produce [much] silk, said Narayanaswamy. The strained relations between India and China motivated the latest attempt to press for a ban on the import of Chinese silk, he said. We can increase the production of indigenous silk to meet the demand of silk locally in the country. Lately, we have greatly succeeded in increasing our silk production and also quality, improving the processing technology in India. Compared to previous years, we are in a better position, and well be shortly self-sufficient in silk production, he said. Above all, the best solution would be to impose a customs duty on the silk imported from other countries, given how the silk originally comes from China. Thats our main demand now. Media commentator Steve Price has backed calls for Peta Credlin to challenge for the leadership of the moribund Victorian Liberal Party, as supporters urge her to take on Premier Daniel Andrews. Credlin, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Tony Abbott and now Sky News presenter, tangled with Mr Andrews at press conferences last year, challenging him over hotel quarantine failures that triggered a second wave of coronavirus. Price, writing in the Herald Sun, says Credlin is uniquely qualified for the job given her professional experience working within politics, the media and independent companies, as well as her public battles with Premier Andrews. 'If thats not the most impressive job application for the next person to lead a Victorian Liberal Government, I dont believe one exists,' Price said. The calls came as a challenge for the leadership of the Liberals failed on Tuesday, with incumbent Michael O'Brien winning a party-room vote 22-9 against challenger Brad Battin. The Liberals, like most state opposition parties, had struggled for political cut-through during the Covid pandemic in which Premiers took on unprecedented highs of public profile and importance. Ms Credlin is a born-and-raised Victorian, growing up in town of Wycheproof before moving to Geelong where she was deputy school captain at Sacred Heart College. She worked as a senior advisor for Brendan Nelson when he served as federal Opposition Leader for the Liberals in 2007 before joining Malcolm Turnbull's team when he overtook Nelson for the top job. Peta Credlin has been urged by many supporters to run for the leadership of the Liberal Party in Victoria and challenge Premier Daniel Andrews Credlin then became Tony Abbott's chief of staff when he successfully overthrew then-leader Turnbull in 2009. Price, who is a regular on Channel 10's The Project, says her experience both in successful campaigns - like Tony Abbott's re-election as Prime Minister in 2013 - and failed campaigns including Turnbull's successful spill over Abbott two years later - makes her the best candidate to challenge Mr Andrews. Price acknowledges that Ms Credlin 'probably doesn't want' to challenge for the position despite strong backing among some party powerbrokers, but says her credentials 'don't need more of a sell'. Credlin had repeated run-ins with Premier Andrews during his daily coronavirus briefings towards the end of 2020, questioning his decision of using private security for hotel quarantine instead of police and defence forces. During a lengthy question she said: 'You obviously announced private security in hotel quarantine on March 27.' Mr Andrews interrupted her and insisted that was not true. 'I did not announce private security on March 27, we've been through this a couple of times,' he said. 'I'm not going to stand here and have things put to me in an attempt to perhaps have them put to me so often that they become the truth. 'I did not make that announcement on the 27th. I referred to private security, I referred to Victoria police and I referred to our entire health team,' Mr Andrews said. 'In the very next breath I indicated that these matters had not been settled.' Credlin then started reading the premier lines from his statement to the media on 27 March. He tried to interrupt before she said: 'Excuse me premier I'll finish.' Mr Andrews tersely replied: 'I've no doubt you will finish, I've no doubt at all.' Referring to their previous clashes during press conferences, he said: 'This is now the second or third time when you have put something to me that is absolutely incorrect and I will not have that. 'You can ask me any question you like and you are entitled to do that... but facts matter and no such announcement was made that day.' 'To assert otherwise is simply inaccurate.' Credlin will be celebrating her 50th birthday later this week, and her husband and former Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane is inviting many of her political and media friends, according to reports by The Australian. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott will 'definitely' be in attendance, the publication says. Credlin asks her Facebook followers each week for topics to discuss on Sky News -and her page has since been littered with requests from followers for her to run for parliament and challenge for the leadership. 'Will you give Daniel Andrews the fright of his life and run for State Parliament as the leader of the Liberal Party in Victoria?' one user commented. Peta, go for the top job in VIC, you will win for sure,' another replied. Open Water started with a simple mission: to stop plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean, so its inspiring to see that theres a passion from both individuals and businesses to join us to make a real difference for our planet. Inc. magazine today revealed that Open Water took the No. 1 spot on its 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the region. Open Water pioneered the canned water category in 2014, and last year became the worlds first certified Climate Neutral water brand. The company packages its ultra-purified still and sparkling water exclusively in infinitely recyclable aluminum bottles and cans, providing a more sustainable alternative to plastic, glass, and cartons. With a 3-year growth rate of over 2,400%, Open Water is making a real impact that is also shaking up the bottled water industry. The company is aiming to eliminate 1 billion plastic bottles within the next 5 years. We're honored that Open Water is listed among so many impressive companies, and I really couldnt be prouder of our team." says Nicole Doucet, Co-founder & CEO. "Open Water started with a simple mission: to stop plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean, so its inspiring to see that theres a passion from both individuals and businesses to join us to make a real difference for our planet. This list proves the power of companies in Midwest states no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/midwest starting March 16, 2021. CONTACT: Jess Page | jess@drinkopenwater.com | (305) 771-1357 About Open Water Open Water is on a mission to fight ocean plastic pollution. The company pioneered the canned water category and offers water in 100% recyclable aluminum bottles and cans, eliminating the need for plastic bottles. Open Water is also the worlds first certified Climate Neutral water brand and donates a portion of each sale to ocean conservation projects. Open Waters lineup includes still and sparkling water in reclosable 16-ounce aluminum bottles and still water in 12-ounce flip-top cans. All three products are available at a wide range of retailers across the country and online at drinkopenwater.com. For more information, questions, or compliments (especially compliments!), please email info@drinkopenwater.com. Open Water is a proud member of 1% For The Planet and is a certified Women-Owned business (WBENC). More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. The UAE banks provided AED3.9 billion ($1.061 billion) in industrial sector credit facilities for non-residents in 2020, according to figures revealed by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates. This brings to around AED20.8 billion the cumulative balance of this type of loans by the end of December 2020, a growth of 23 percent as compared to the same month 2019, said a Wam news agency report. UAEs loan growth and liquidity picking up pace is reflective of the country's robust financial profile despite the global economic slowdown triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, it said. Industrial credit facilities for non-residents account for 10.4 percent of the total loans provided for non-residents on other business activities, according to the bank's figures. (@FahadShabbir) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Mar, 2021) President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has declared 2021 "The Year 50", in the UAE, as the nation celebrates its milestone Golden Jubilee. "The Year 50" officially starts on April 6th 2021 and lasts until March 31st 2022. The declaration is coupled with the announcement of year-long initiatives, activities, and grand celebrations that will be governed by the UAE Golden Jubilee Committee under the chairmanship of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Deputy Chairwoman. The committee has members representing various Federal and local departments. The activities marking "The Year 50" have the following foundational pillars: -Launching the Year 50 with a festive spirit that engages all those who consider the UAE their homeland. -Calling upon all UAE nationals to contemplate the values and achievements of the past in acknowledgement of the UAE Founding Fathers. -Inspiring youth to have their vision about the ambitions of the next 50 years, while supporting them to make quality national achievements in furtherance of The March of Development, Progress and Prosperity. H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed said, "'The Year 50' represents a historic defining moment in our journey that started immediately after the declaration of the UAEs union in 1971. Its an acknowledgement of the resolute will and strong determination our Founding Fathers had while building up their nation. It also comes in recognition of the sincere efforts made by our citizens for our nation to be what we are seeing today as one of the best growing and fastest developing countries in the world." His Highness valued the efforts made by other foreign nationals who have shared with Emirati citizens the same journey and the efforts to build this young nation. He added that "'The Year 50' is an opportunity to contemplate the achievements made over 50 years at a time we are gearing up for the next journey." The celebration includes a series of initiatives to behold the UAEs revered history, noble values and unique achievements. These initiatives help delineate our future as the nation is heading toward its Centennial. In so doing, the nation will remain committed to building its future by relying on its youth and equipping them with all the skills they need to forge ahead with their plans for the future. Sheikh Khalifa continued, "We are living in a rapidly changing world. Amid this change, there are opportunities up for grabs to drive innovation and creativity. Therefore, well have to double efforts to generate novel ideas, and quality initiatives to preserve our heritage and values and protect the cultural diversity of our society. As such, these initiatives should contribute to creating a better tomorrow with a brighter future for our nation." The Golden Jubilee Committee was formed in December 2019 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. In addition to Governing the UAEs Golden Jubilee celebrations, developing a comprehensive preparation plan and forming organisation teams to execute plans to mark the nations 50th anniversary in 2021, the Committee is working on a diverse agenda built on four strategic pillars that cover several development initiatives aimed at driving changes through socio-economic and developmental policies for generations to come. For further information on The Year 50, please visit the following link: www.UAEyearof.ae @MattSeedorff Fresh on the heels of spring break kicking off in the Lone Star State, Texas experienced its first weekend without mask and capacity restrictions. On March 10, Governor Greg Abbott's order lifted the mask requirement in Texas, giving restaurants and clubs the green light to open 100 percent without COVID-19 restrictions. For many revelers that meant one thing: the masks were off and the party was on. In fact, Billy Bob's in Fort Worth made Texas headlines after celebrating the moment they could ditch the masks at a sold-out concert for 3,000 people in the packed club. Burma Kachin Villagers Flee Fighting Between Myanmars Military and KIA The Kachin Independence Army. / Jingpaw Movement Yangon Over 200 villagers in Injangyang Township in Kachin State were forced from their homes due to clashes between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Myanmars military. I heard gunshots when I phoned the township yesterday, said Ja Seng Hkawng, the deposed parliamentarian for Injangyang. Over 200 people from some 50 households in two villages in Injangyang have fled their homes, she said. Gunshots were first heard on Monday evening in Injangyang, according to residents. The KIA Brigade 1 and the militarys Northern Command are active in the area. The Malikha River, a tributary for the Ayeyarwady, separates Injangyang and Myitkyina, the Kachin capital. Around 109 villagers have fled to the church. They will return to the Pa La Na displacement camp [in Myitkyina]. But they are still stranded at a [military] checkpoint in Tang Hpare as the authorities have not yet given approval for them to pass through, said Stephen Sut Awng, a priest at a Catholic church in Tang Hpare village in Myitkyina Township. KIA information officer Colonel Naw Bu said: We have not yet received information from the ground. We will not be able to confirm the reports until this evening. There have been fewer major clashes between the KIA and Myanmars military since the two sides started negotiating a ceasefire in December 2018. Tensions have eased in Kachin, despite sporadic clashes between the two sides in northern Shan State. The KIA asked the Northern Command not to harm peaceful Kachin protesters against the military regime. The Northern Command, in response, warned the KIA not to get involved in protests, saying it would attack the armed group if it intervenes. It also threatened to use live ammunition on protesters if they go too far. Two male protesters were shot dead when security forces used live rounds on anti-regime protesters in Myitkyina on March 8. The KIA raided a military outpost near the village of Sel Zin in Kachin States jade-mining hub, Hpakant Township, overnight on March 11, which boosted military tensions across Hpakant, Tanai and Injangyang. Anti-regime protesters in Namti and Hopin in Mohnyin Township, Kachin State, have held posters in support of the KIA and called on deposed parliamentarians from the November election to establish a federal army. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Anti-Regime Protest Death Toll Reaches 191 Myanmar Regime Seizes Bank Accounts of Soros Open Society Foundation Myanmar Plants Run by Partner of Japans Fast Retailing Set Ablaze TAIPEI, Taiwan - Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest electronics manufacturer, is considering making electric vehicles at its highly anticipated Wisconsin plant that has been scaled back since its announcement in 2017, the company's chairman said Tuesday. Foxconn Chairman Young Liu speaks in a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest electronics manufacturer, is looking at making electric vehicles in its highly anticipated and controversial Wisconsin plant that has been scaled back since its announcement in 2017, the company's chairman said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Johnson Lai) TAIPEI, Taiwan - Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest electronics manufacturer, is considering making electric vehicles at its highly anticipated Wisconsin plant that has been scaled back since its announcement in 2017, the company's chairman said Tuesday. The decision will be between whether to go to Mexico or the U.S. for manufacturing electric vehicles, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu said at a news conference in Taipei, Taiwan's capital. He said the decision, which will be finalized before July 1, will hinge on business, not politics. The Wisconsin project was scaled back after Foxconn initially signed a contract with the state of Wisconsin under then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2017 to earn nearly $4 billion in state and local tax incentives for a $10 billion display screen manufacturing campus and plant that would employ up to 13,000 people. But the Republican governor lost a reelection bid in 2018 to Democrat Tony Evers, who ran as a critic of the project. After the deal was signed, Foxconn said it was downsizing the factory. In October last year, the state of Wisconsin told Foxconn that it wouldnt qualify for billions of dollars in state tax credits unless it strikes a new deal for a scaled-back factory complex. The two sides are now negotiating a new deal. I took over the Wisconsin task, and I need to make it a viable one, so I need to find a product that fits that location, Liu said Tuesday. Whether its Wisconsin or Mexico, its not political, its business from my perspective." But as I said, my consideration first would be to have a product that makes sense. That's number one," he added. He said he views government subsidies as a short-term form of support that "would not sustain if the product does not make sense. Foxconn, best known for making Apple iPhones, is now looking at the electric vehicle market, which automakers believe will dominate the industry in the coming years. Liu said that the company wants to take 10% of the market share of EVs, whether the company manufactures entire vehicles or components. On Monday, conservatives were outraged when the Washington Post, in a teeny little paragraph appended to a major story from January, admitted that the core of the story was a lie based upon false quotations. I find myself surprisingly unmoved. First, this is par for the course for the modern Pravda media. Second, as long as there are no consequences, and there never are, it's irrelevant that the Washington Post behaved in a morally corrupt, fraudulent way. This example of moral turpitude from the Washington Post began on January 9. That was when the paper published an "exclusive" entitled "'Find the fraud': Trump pressured a Georgia elections investigator in a separate call legal experts say could amount to obstruction." The word "obstruction" is extremely important in that title because the Washington Post wrote this alleged expose as the House was debating whether to impeach Trump for the events of January 6 and, of course, for daring to question the fact that doddering Joe, who barely emerged from his basement and had a vice presidential candidate even his own party couldn't stand, got more votes than Trump did. The allegations in the article were explosive. Amy Gardner alleged that, during a telephone call to a Georgia election investigator, President Trump pressured the investigator to make up fake evidence that would overthrow the results of the election in Georgia: President Trump urged Georgia's lead elections investigator to "find the fraud" in a lengthy December phone call, saying the official would be a "national hero," according to an individual familiar with the call who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the conversation. You noticed that this charge was based upon the media's go-to person when reporting on Trump: someone anonymous who is making an explosive allegation against the president of the United States but cannot be called to account for the honesty of the statement. Later in the article, the Washington Post got even more hysterical about Trump allegedly having pressured the investigator to "find the fraud" in exchange for national honor: Trump's earlier call, to the chief investigator, could also carry serious criminal implications, according to several former prosecutors, who said that the president may have violated laws against bribery or interfering with an ongoing probe. "Oh my god, of course that's obstruction any way you cut it," said Nick Akerman, a former federal prosecutor in New York and a onetime member of the Watergate prosecution team, responding to a description of Trump's conversation with the investigator. Akerman said he would be "shocked" if Trump didn't commit a crime of obstruction under the Georgia statutes. He said the fact that the president took the time to identify the investigator, obtain a phone number and then call "shows that he's trying to influence the outcome of what's going on." This charge against Trump was so explosive that, when the Senate finally tried the impeachment, the House managers raised the Washington Post article as evidence of Trump's wrongdoing. That is why it is so shocking that, on Monday, the Washington Post slipped in a little paragraph at the end of the January 9 article. It was an Emily Litella "never mind" paragraph, confessing that the central charge in the January 9 article was false: If you can't read the tweet, it says: Correction: two months after publication of this story, the Georgia secretary of state released an audio recording of President Donald Trump's December phone call with the state's top elections investigator. The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trump's comments on the call, based on information provided by a source. Trump did not tell the investigator to "find the fraud" or say she would be "a national hero" if she did so. Instead, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, Ga., asserting she would find "dishonesty" there. He also told her that she had quote the most important job in the country right now." A story about the recording can be found here. The headline and text of the story have been corrected to remove quotes misattributed to Trump. In a just world, the Washington Post would have placed on the front page an entire article confessing its major violation of journalistic ethics and responsibility. But this is not a just world. For that reason, the Washington Post's sly little confession of major wrongdoing is pretty much irrelevant. Neither the Washington Post nor Amy Gardner will suffer any consequences for this wrongdoing. They will not lose money, they will not be subject to criminal charges, Gardner will not lose her job, they will not experience humiliation within their community, no one is going to sue, and it's doubtful that anyone at the Post believes that these grotesque lies will see their being called to account before their God for having defamed the president of the United States. The very worst that will happen to them has already happened, which is that Republicans are angry and disgusted. As to that, they don't care. Republicans and other conservatives in America must figure out how to make the media feel pain for its devotion to the Democrat party line and its repeated willingness to abandon any ethical considerations to defame those who dare to stand up to the Democrats. Until then, conservative outrage, while showing us to be moral people, is useless. Image: Pinocchio puppet by Roland Schwerdhofer from Pixabay, with text by A. Widburg. Study sets the stage to learn about development of psychopathology and resilience among ethnically diverse children growing up in low resource contexts Washington, DC, March 16, 2021 - A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, reports on the young adult assessment of the now 20-year longitudinal Boricua Youth Study (BYS), a large cohort that brings much needed insight about development and mental health of children from diverse ethnic background growing up in disadvantaged contexts. The present article, with its companion report on prevalence of conditions and associated factors, provides an update on the study's fourth wave, which follows-up two probability-based population samples of children of Puerto Rican heritage. Unique to the study is its two-site design, which allows for comparison of a single ethnic group in two contexts: one in which the group is an ethnic minority living in an disadvantaged area (South Bronx, NY); and another where though challenges are many, children do not grow up being part of an ethnic minority group (San Juan, Puerto Rico). "The BYS provides a unique opportunity to understand developmental processes relevant to young adults who are not easily included in clinical, school, internet or telephone-based studies," said lead author Cristiane Duarte, PhD, MPH, Ruane Professor at the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York. "By focusing on an underserved ethnic group (Puerto Ricans), whose risk for future psychiatric disorders has been well documented in the USA, we add relevant information to a rich tradition of population-based longitudinal studies that have informed our knowledge of developmental psychopathology." Children have been followed since the year 2000, when the original 2,491 participants were between the ages of 5 to 13 years old. Young adults were re-assessed on average 11.3 years after the last study contact, with retention of more than 80 percent of the original sample. The current article presents the cohort composition during young adulthood as it pertains to survival, mobility, parental involvement and other parameters that are crucial to the understanding of developmental psychopathology processes but are not frequently captured by more selective studies. Hoping to help advance the field, the paper also provides detailed descriptions of methods and measures used, plus strategies utilized to engage and retain a low-income ethnically diverse cohort. The main aim of the first three waves of the study, initiated by Drs. Bird and Canino at the turn of the 21st century was to investigate development, specifically related to antisocial behaviors at the two study sites. Co-author Glorisa Canino, PhD, Professor at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, said: "The study included the ascertainment of a wide array of putative risk factors that could be related to differences across contexts. After the completion of the first three waves, the question remained as to whether similar patterns observed in childhood would persist into late adolescence and early adulthood." The risks threatening the positive development of Puerto Rican youth and other diverse racial/ethnic youth, living in disadvantaged contexts, are now likely being compounded by number of relevant factors. These include the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underserved racial/ethnic minorities; a prolonged economic depression; and a recent major natural disaster (Hurricane Maria) together with the long-term experiences of discrimination and structural racism that have afflicted these same families for centuries. The BYS gathers data from childhood through young adulthood on areas such as family relationships, cultural stress and psychiatric disorders, with the addition of domains specific to late adolescence and young adulthood (e.g., sexual risk behaviors, substance use, and financial independence). As such, the study is poised to answer questions that are important to the lived experiences of this ethnic group as they might pertain to mental health and has the capacity to assess the role of context and gender in these associations. "This study is distinctive and even more relevant today as we unpack the role of minority status in the development of Latinx youth," said co-author Margarita Alegria, PhD Professor, Harvard University. "This represents a unique opportunity to identify assets and risks of Latinx youths' mental health as they transition to emerging adults." Of note, currently Hector Bird, MD, study co-author states, "The retention of over 80 percent of a sample of children, now young adults, seen more than ten years after the last encounter, has been remarkable. We sincerely hope that the current readers and those of years to come will benefit from the results of this work both in informing epidemiologic methodology as well as from the implications of the findings for the mental health of Puerto Rican and other ethnic groups." ### Notes for editors The article is "Developmental Psychopathology and Ethnicity I: The Young Adulthood Assessment of the Boricua Youth Study," by Cristiane S. Duarte, PhD, Glorisa J. Canino, PhD, Margarita Alegria, PhD, Maria A. Ramos-Olazagasti, PhD, Doryliz Vila, MS, Patricia Miranda, MPH, Vijah Ramjattan, BA, Kiara Alvarez, PhD, George J. Musa, PhD, Katherine Elkington, PhD, Melanie Wall, PhD, Sheri Lapatin, MIA, Hector Bird, MD (https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. jaac. 2020. 02. 015 ). It currently appears on the JAACAP Articles In Press page and will appear in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, volume 60, issue 3 (March 2021), published by Elsevier. Copies of this paper are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact the JAACAP Editorial Office at support@jaacap.org">support@jaacap.org or +1 202 587 9674. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact Gregory Flynn at gregory.flynn@nyspi.columbia.edu">gregory.flynn@nyspi.columbia.edu. The study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Health (DA033172 and MH098374). Investigators are in the process of assessing the next generation Puerto Rican children born out of the original cohort participants as part of the US National NIH program ECHO (Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes). Find out more by visiting the ECHO homepage. About JAACAP Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) is the official publication of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. JAACAP is the leading journal focusing exclusively on today's psychiatric research and treatment of the child and adolescent. Published twelve times per year, each issue is committed to its mission of advancing the science of pediatric mental health and promoting the care of youth and their families. The Journal's purpose is to advance research, clinical practice, and theory in child and adolescent psychiatry. It is interested in manuscripts from diverse viewpoints, including genetic, epidemiological, neurobiological, cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, social, cultural, and economic. Studies of diagnostic reliability and validity, psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment efficacy, and mental health services effectiveness are encouraged. The Journal also seeks to promote the well-being of children and families by publishing scholarly papers on such subjects as health policy, legislation, advocacy, culture and society, and service provision as they pertain to the mental health of children and families. http://www. jaacap. org About Elsevier As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems. In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions and funders. Elsevier employs 8,100 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on our 2,500+ digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, our 40,000 eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world. Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. http://www. elsevier. com Media contact JAACAP Editorial Office +1 202 587 9674 support@jaacap.org">support@jaacap.org SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingUSA, a leading point-of-sale (POS) fintech company, today announced the new hire of Michael Brown as Vice President of Credit Risk & Pricing. Mike will report to Chief Risk Officer Jon Barhorst and will be responsible for the company's pricing, portfolio optimization, and strategic growth initiatives. LendingUSA Mike has 12 years' experience in the financial services industry, including eight years with Synchrony where he served in a variety of roles in risk, analytics, and consulting. Most recently, he was VP of Merchant Analytics where he was responsible for analyzing and optimizing merchant enrollment and engagement. He previously held several positions at Synchrony managing risk for a variety of client portfolios including Amazon, Dicks Sporting Goods, Ebates, Toys R Us, QVC, and others. He began his career with Fannie Mae, helping to navigate through the financial crisis and rebuild risk-based pricing models that had failed in the crisis. Following that, he worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago studying the impact of the post-crisis realignment on regional banks and working on banking reforms. "LendingUSA is excited to have Michael Brown join our team and strengthen our portfolio management as well as client partnerships. Michael's background as a credit risk portfolio manager, combined with his experiences in analytics and client consulting, will make him a critical leader on our team. The executive team at LendingUSA is excited to add Michael to our family as we shift towards smart-growth," said Jon Barhorst, Chief Risk Officer, LendingUSA. Mike earned his Bachelors of Business Administration at The George Washington University and his MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife and two children. About LendingUSA LendingUSA is an award-winning point-of-sale fintech company that offers merchants a seamless financing solution with access to loan decisions in seconds, promotional financing terms, and low monthly payment options for its customers across various niche markets. Founded in 2015, LendingUSA has enrolled over 10,000 merchants nationwide and has processed over $2 billion in borrower loan requests. LendingUSA is committed to creating the best financing experience available through its proprietary point-of-sale lending solution. The company boasts a consumer rating of 4.8 out of five stars on BirdEye. All loans are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey state-chartered bank, Member FDIC. Press Contact Harrison Woolmington, Marketing Manager [email protected] Related Images michael-brown.jpg Michael Brown SOURCE LendingUSA A student killed herself in lockdown after a series of failings by the University of Edinburgh, who knew she was struggling with her mental health - but did not warn her parents. Romily Ulvestad, 21, was found dead at her mother and father's London home four days after her birthday in April last year. Inner West London coroners court heard Miss Ulvestad who was known as Romy by her friends had been a part-time model. Her inquest was told a number of university departments had known she was struggling with mental health issues and her work but had not warned her family. The faculty admitted it had carried out its own internal review after her death which had identified gaps in support, including this missed chance to alert her parents. A university spokesman told MailOnline: 'The thoughts of the University are with the family and friends of Romily Ulvestad following her death. 'To lose someone so young and full of promise is a tragedy and we have all been shocked and deeply saddened by what happened. Romily Ulvestad, 21, was struggling at university and took her own life last year in London 'The University undertook a review of the case of our own volition, as we felt it was absolutely the right thing to do in the circumstances. Our own internal investigations identified gaps in the support we provided for Romily, and we are deeply sorry for this. It is important that we acknowledge and accept when there have been failings, as there have been in this case. 'We will learn from these and continue to implement the changes necessary to ensure that such gaps in the support systems we offer to our students do not occur in the future. Our review identified a range of improvements that should be made. A senior team has been appointed to oversee implementation of these recommendations, a number of which have already been put in place. 'The welfare and safety of our students is of paramount importance, we continue to invest very significantly in support for mental health and wellbeing in particular, and we have a wide range of policies, procedures and services in place to ensure that they get the help required whenever they are facing challenges and periods of difficulty be they pastoral or academic. 'These policies and practices are under regular review, as they have been in this case, and we will always bring in changes when necessary to improve the service that we provide.' Edinburgh University said its thoughts were with the family and friends of Romily Ulvestad Inner West London Coroner's Court, also known as Westminster Coroner's Court in London The Guardian reported that the inquest was told Miss Ulvestad had completed a successful first year at Edinburgh reading classics. But problems started in her second and in December 2018 visited a doctor and asked to resit her exams. She made two of the 'special circumstances' applications which both referenced her mental health - as well as asking for coursework extensions. The inquest was reported to have been told she missed her summer 2019 resits and did not attend a meeting with her personal tutor two months before she died. Despite the university being unable to get hold of her, they did not escalate concerns about her wellbeing. Miss Ulverstad's mother Libby said: 'By failing to let us know what was going on, they denied us the right to parent our child. 'If I'd known what was going on with her, I would have tried to get her all the support she clearly desperately needed. But we will never get the opportunity to parent her again. 'I'm going to spend the rest of my life wondering if they had behaved in a different way, whether my daughter's life might have continued. Maybe not. We might not have changed it, but I would have liked to have been given the opportunity.' The internal review by the university is said to have found 'more could and should have been done'. It said getting in touch with her emergency contacts without her permission was 'problematic' but the review said it should have been considered. The report said: 'Contacting a students emergency contact without their consent can be problematic. 'However, it is the opinion of the team that the school should as a minimum have discussed contacting Romilys emergency contact as a possible course of action in February and March 2020 given the seriousness of her situation.' The coroner's court - also known as Westminster Coroner's Court - said Dr Shirley Radcliffe recorded a verdict of suicide. If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org Tourists pose in a snow-covered park at Gagangeer, some 70 km northeast of Srinagar, on Feb. 28. Sweeping new regulations issued by Indias Home Ministry March 4 will require OCI cardholders to obtain permits before traveling to many parts of India, including portions of Kashmir. Indian American community leader Thomas Abraham told India-West the regulations are burdensome for OCI cardholders wishing to do business in India. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images) On March 10, the Los Angeles City Council released a 101-page report commissioned in the wake of mass protests against police violence following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota that documents the violent, heavy-handed crackdown on lawful demonstrators by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). A police officer arrests a woman as protests over the death of George Floyd continued in Los Angeles. (Image Credit AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) Independent Counsel Gerald Chaleff concluded that the LAPD again responded violently to demonstrations, despite having been slammed for its responses to mass protests that occurred at the Democratic National Convention in 2000, the MacArthur Park May Day rallies in 2007, the Occupy Los Angeles encampment in 2011, and in response to Michael Browns murder in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. The report made milquetoast recommendations about seven thematic areas where there were opportunities for improvement: (1) planning, (2) command and control, (3) public order policing, (4) less lethal tools, (5) mass arrests, (6) preparedness and training, and (7) wellness. The report documents there was virtually no planning or preparation for a response to mass protests. George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, and protests began to emerge around the United States on May 26. But there were no protests in Los Angeles until May 27, giving the LAPD at least 24 hours to prepare. The report found that the LAPD infringed on the rights of citizens to peacefully protest by sweeping up lawful demonstrators, purportedly to apprehend a few engaged in criminal behavior. The report found that during the protests, which lasted from May 27 to June 7, the LAPD authorized the use of four different so-called less lethal tools, including the 40mm Launcher deploying the 40mm eXact iMpact Sponge Round, the 37mm Launcher deploying the 37mm Foam Baton Black Powder Round, the Beanbag Shotgun, and the Hornets Nest Sting Grenade, .60 Caliber Rubber Balls. The 40mm launcher fires a single foam projectile that weighs 0.96 oz and travels at 325 feet per second. LAPD policy states that its use is only permissible when an officer reasonably believes that a suspect or subject is violently resisting arrest or poses an immediate threat of violence or physical harm and that it shall not be used to target the head, neck, face, eyes, or spine unless lethal force is authorized. Additionally, the weapon is designated for use only as a target-specific less lethal option, meaning that it cannot be used to disperse a crowd. The 37mm foam baton round consists of five foam rubber projectiles that are discharged at once. The LAPD uses it as a non-target specific impact tool. The foam baton rounds are supposed to be skip fired off the ground prior to impact on a person. The beanbag shotgun is a reconfigured Remington 870 shotgun with a colored slide handle and stock that deploys a super-sock round, which is a 12-gauge cartridge containing a shot-filled fabric bag full of BBs, designed to be non-penetrating and to distribute energy of a broad surface area when striking a target. Much like the 40 mm launcher, LAPD policy states the beanbag shotgun is a target-specific less-lethal option with the same rules for use. Lastly, the Hornets Nest Sting Grenade is a diversionary device that produces approximately 130 decibels at five feet, the volume of a jackhammer, and emits 1-2 million candelas, a blinding flash of light. Additionally, the device disperses 25, .60 caliber, rubber balls in a 360-degree pattern. According to the LAPD, only the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team has access to this weapon, which was used to target demonstrators on May 30 at the Pan-Pacific Park in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. According to the report, the LAPD could not provide the number of less lethal munitions fired at demonstrators between May 27 and June 7. According to inventory records, however, over 3,500 rounds of 40mm and over 6,200 rounds of 37mm munitions were not returned to the Department armory. Each 40mm round costs roughly $25, while each 37mm round costs nearly $15, meaning that the total cost of the munitions was $180,500. The report added that there are at least six serious use-of-force investigations stemming from the LAPDs use of the above weapons underway by an investigative team assigned to the Departments Professional Standards Bureau. The report criticized the LAPD for certifying officers on the 40mm launcher after only a single two-hour block of instruction. The last training session for officers, other than for those going through the police academy, was in 2018 and involved only static targets. The report described how the deployment of less lethal weapons was not always done at the direction of a supervisor or officer and in some instances, officers were directed to be in front of a skirmish line and left to deploy less lethal tools, including the 40 mm, with no direction or coordination. In other words, the majority of LAPD officers were barely trained on the use of these potentially deadly weapons and deployed them without serious supervision. The use of such target-specific weapons against large crowds as a dispersion tactic undoubtedly resulted in several serious injuries among the protesters. The report also criticized the LAPDs uncoordinated effort to manage the arrests of more than 4,000 individuals. Many were charged with violating Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 80.02 (failure to obey a lawful order of a police officer), an infraction similar to a traffic ticket. Individuals cited for infractions cannot be arrested if they show identification and sign a promise to appear in court. Hundreds of protesters charged with violating LAMC Section 80.02 were held for hours without access to water or bathrooms. Protesters were confined in field jails miles away from where the arrests occurred. Demonstrators were released late in the evening and early morning hours during the curfew period, placing them again in violation of the curfew declaration. Further, there was no public transportation available, and people were not able to call for someone to pick them up without also placing that individual in jeopardy of being arrested for a curfew violation. The report concluded with nearly two dozen recommendations, including proposals such as implementing an inventory system to track the use of less lethal munitions, increased protocols regarding the training, certification, and use of 40mm launchers, the operation of field jails, and better preparation and training of LAPD officers for future responses to mass events or emergencies. Considering the LAPDs track record and the fact that many of the problems identified in this report have been identified in the past after the conclusion of prior mass protests and through several lawsuits, it is highly unlikely that any meaningful changes will be implemented this time. LAPD officers, and more broadly, police officers globally, are the special bodies of armed men whom Frederick Engels characterized as tasked with defending capitalist property. Despite its mealy-mouthed call for cosmetic changes that will never be fully implemented, this recent report highlights once more the inherent violence of the state whenever its fundamental interests, and those of the bourgeoisie it protects, are threatened by a movement of workers and youth. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Priti Patel has ordered sweeping changes to asylum rules to stop adult migrants claiming to be children. The Home Secretary is set to act after refugees including a balding man who appeared to be in his 40s ended up in schools because they said they were minors. The most troubling case of a migrant lying about their age to enter Britain was the Parsons Green bomber. Ahmed Hassan pretended to be 16 and posed as a 'model asylum seeker' before setting off a 'Mother of Satan' bomb on a Tube train, injuring 69 victims. It is understood an independent age assessment body and no longer local councils will make decisions on asylum seekers who claim to be children. In 2018 a Home Office probe found an adult asylum seeker spent six weeks as a Year 11 pupil at Stoke High School in Ipswich. Siavash Shah (right), who is believed to be from Iran, was pictured on social media (left) by a fellow pupil who asked: 'How's there a 30-year-old man in our maths class?' Migrants to quit barracks Asylum seekers are to be moved out of a controversial military barracks, it was announced yesterday, amid reports of plans for reception centres to house Channel migrants. Conditions at Penally Camp in Pembrokeshire, used as emergency accommodation since September, were slammed as filthy and run down. Simple, safe and secure purpose-built accommodation is to be used while claims are processed, a Home Office source said. Advertisement Anyone who 'appears to be under 25' has been treated as a minor while they go through an age verification process. But new legislation will change this to anyone who 'appears to be under 18'. Home Office analysis shows that 55 per cent of asylum seekers who claimed to be children over the past five years proved to be over 18. Of the 598 age disputes that were resolved last year 61 per cent were ruled to be adults. The changes will be set out in full when borders legislation is published later this month. Hassan's real age remains unknown. But the judge who jailed the Iraqi for 34 years in 2018 said he was satisfied he was over 18 but probably no older than 21. The Old Bailey was told he 'cynically exploited to the full the generosity and naivety of the system'. Other examples of apparent deception include a balding male who appeared to be in his 40s and was being taught in a Coventry school. The unnamed asylum seeker, believed to be from The Gambia, was moved to solo lessons in December last year after parents complained. In 2018 a Home Office probe found an adult asylum seeker spent six weeks as a Year 11 pupil at Stoke High School in Ipswich. The Home Secretary (pictured) is set to act after refugees including a balding man who appeared to be in his 40s ended up in schools because they said they were minors Siavash Shah, who is believed to be from Iran, was pictured on social media by a fellow pupil who asked: 'How's there a 30-year-old man in our maths class?' Classmates shared old pictures from a Facebook account that appeared to belong to Mr Shah, showing him with a full beard, a hairy chest and swigging a beer. A 2003 High Court test case set out rules governing how an asylum seeker's age should be estimated by social workers. Physical examinations are not permitted on ethical grounds. Instead, applicants are assessed on other factors such as language skills. ATHENS, March 16 (Reuters) - Greece and Turkey began another round of exploratory talks in Athens on Tuesday, seeking common ground on a long-standing maritime boundaries dispute before a European Union summit later this month. The two neighbouring NATO allies are at odds over issues such as competing claims over their respective continental shelves, maritime rights and air space in the Mediterranean, energy, ethnically split Cyprus, and the status of some islands in the Aegean. Underlining the tensions, Turkey this week protested against a deal between Greece, Israel and Cyprus for an undersea cable linking their electricity grids. According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, Ankara believes the planned route for the cable runs through Turkey's continental shelf. The exploratory talks are meant to lay the ground for formal negotiations but the two countries have made little progress in more than 60 rounds of meetings since 2002 and cannot even agree on what issues to discuss. Ending a five-year hiatus, officials met in January after months of tension in the eastern Mediterranean. Diplomatic sources said another round of talks had resumed in a central Athens hotel on Tuesday, however no details have been given on the substance of the meetings. Athens has said it will discuss only the demarcation of exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean, not issues of "national sovereignty". Ankara, which hopes to improve its relations with the European Union, which has supported EU-member Greece and threatened sanctions on Turkey, has said it wants all issues, including air space and the Aegean islands, on the table. The talks are scheduled to end on Wednesday. European leaders are expected to discuss the eastern Mediterranean at a meeting on March 25-26. Greece, which in recent years has reached maritime accords with Italy and Egypt, argues that if the two sides fail to agree, they should refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas in Athens, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Editing by Giles Elgood) With this appeal, the Network of Action Committees for Safe Workplaces calls for support for the rally of WISAG workers on Tuesday and to extend their fight against layoffs. The rally will take place on Tuesday, March 16, from noon on the Dernschen grounds, Schlossplatz Wiesbaden, near the Hesse state assembly, where, at the same time, a major debate on the coronavirus policy of the state government is to take place. * * * Support the struggle of the WISAG workers to defend their jobs! These workers continue the fight for their rights with great determination. Their hunger strike at Frankfurt Airport was just the beginning. They are determined not to be intimidated by the WISAG Group and the Wisser family who own it, nor by the establishment political parties and the trade unionssuch as Verdi. Hunger-striking WISAG workers at Frankfurt airport (Photo: WSWS Media) The WISAG Group is enforcing the same measures that workers everywhere are currently experiencing. The WISAG Group, the Wisser family and their shareholders are taking advantage of the murderous coronavirus pandemic to enrich themselves immeasurably at the expense of the workers. At the same time, they have made a mint through exploiting short-time working and overtime. Now, some 250 workers are to be laid off so that wage costs are pushed down and profits rise. Many of them have worked at the airport for decades. They will be replaced by cheaper temporary staff. The airport bus drivers will be forced to sign on with a new WISAG low-wage subsidiary and give up all their acquired social rights and wages. WISAG and the Wisser family claim it is their right to do what they want with the jobs. The workers no longer accept this. Work is their only source of income. The lives and needs of the workers and their families stand higher than the profit interests of the corporations and shareholders. The demonstration in front of the Hesse state assembly should open the eyes of all workers about what is going on. Politicians from all parties are working together and making laws, which are then used by the corporations and the rich like the Wissers to fire a section of workers and to massively worsen working conditions for those remaining in the company. This situation is the result of the worldwide deregulation and privatization of formerly state-owned enterprises and public services. In recent years, more and more new laws have been made to deregulate air travel and trim the airline corporations for profit. The rights of workers in the formerly state-owned airlines and airport operators have been sacrificed to the international financial markets. Claus Wisser is a Social Democrat and has maintained close contacts with all parties for many years. In 2018, the Hesse State Minister of Economics and Transport, Tarek Al-Wazir (Green Party), explicitly supported the WISAG Group being awarded the contract for ground services at Frankfurt Airport. The red oligarch Wisser is just one of numerous capitalists who are using the pandemic to massively increase profits. This is now the normal business model. At Lufthansa, Fraport, Airbus and many other companies, too, mass layoffs are taking place and wages are being squeezed. In the automotive industry and supplier factories alone, hundreds of thousands of jobs are on the line. Hardly a day goes by without new bad news about mass layoffs, wage cuts and social welfare cuts. The unions are playing a key role in this. They collaborate closely with corporations and the government. Their functionaries sit on the supervisory boards, are involved in all the layoff plans, and the works council representatives often compile the layoff lists themselves. There is no rationalization programme without the signature of the works council. In return, they reap the rewards. Twenty years ago, when the Social Democratic Party-Green Party coalition government drew up the Hartz laws, creating the low-wage sector that is being used against us today, Verdi was at the negotiating table. Its board member Isolde Kunkel-Weber later became president of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) in Brussels. And it was precisely the EPSU that was instrumental in the liberalization of the European internal market. It is time to oppose this cronyism of the employers, political parties and trade unions. We must all take the fight for our rights into our own hands. We therefore call for support for the WISAG workers industrial action and for a joint struggle against layoffs and wage theft. BOCA RATON, Fla., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MDVIP, the market leader in personalized healthcare with a network of over 1,100 primary care physicians nationwide, has been honored by Fortune and Great Place to Work as one of the 2021 Best Workplaces in Healthcare & Biopharma. MDVIP is among 25 small & medium healthcare employers honored around the country and is the only national primary care network to earn a spot on this year's list. MDVIP is the only national primary care network named to Fortune 2021 Best Workplaces in Healthcare & Biopharma list. Tweet this MDVIP Chairman and CEO Bret Jorgensen MDVIPs nationwide team of physician development managers (pictured) are dedicated to helping over 1,100 affiliated physicians in the primary care network grow their practices. MDVIP's national ranking is based on feedback from more than 825,000 employees working at healthcare and biopharma companies across the U.S. Employees anonymously answered over 60 questions addressing key performance indicators, including their experiences of trust, the company's values and the effectiveness of company leadership. "We are extremely proud of this recognition from Fortune and Great Place to Work, which reflects the confidence and trust of our workforce and their shared commitment to MDVIP's mission and purpose 'to make healthier lives happen,'" said MDVIP Chairman and CEO Bret Jorgensen. "I've been inspired by the dedication and resilience of our employees during this past year of unprecedented challenges brought on by COVID-19. They adapted and pivoted quickly in every area of our business to provide essential support and resources to our network of primary care physicians and their staffs, who are working tirelessly on the frontlines of the pandemic response." Over the last 12 months, the company's workforce assisted MDVIP-affiliated practices to implement new measures to ensure patients continued receiving the care they needed, including: Providing technology, insurance, legal & regulatory support for doctors to rapidly expand their telehealth services Hosting over 100 webinars for doctors to engage and educate their patients on COVID-19 Supporting physician applications for, and procurement of, government support from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other relief initiatives "Congratulations to MDVIP on its placement on the Best Workplaces in Healthcare & Biopharma list," said Michael C. Bush, CEO Great Place to Work. "All of us owe a debt to the doctors, nurses, scientists and other colleagues in the industry over the past year, and we are honored to recognize the organizations that have done right by these pandemic heroes, including the many people working behind the scenes to support them." MDVIP, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has been a Great Place to Work-Certified company since 2018. In its most recent survey, over 90 percent of MDVIP employees said they have a consistently positive experience at the company. The Fortune Best Workplaces in Healthcare & Biopharma list is published here: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/health-care/2021 About MDVIP Based in Boca Raton, Florida, MDVIP leads the market in membership-based healthcare that goes far beyond concierge medicine services. With a national network of over 1,100 primary care physicians serving more than 350,000 patients, MDVIP is at the forefront of consumer-directed care. MDVIP-affiliated physicians limit the size of their practices, which affords them the time needed to provide patients with more individualized service and attention, including an annual, comprehensive preventive care program and customized wellness plan. Published research shows that the MDVIP primary care model identifies more patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, delivers more preventive health services, and saves the healthcare system millions of dollars through reduced hospitalizations and readmissions. In response to the growing consumer demand for a more personalized healthcare experience, hospital systems are incorporating the MDVIP model into their primary care offering. For more information, visit www.mdvip.com. Follow MDVIP on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. About the Fortune Best Workplaces in Healthcare & Biopharma Great Place to Work based its ranking on a data-driven methodology applied to confidential Trust Index survey representing over 825,000 employees working in the Healthcare & Biopharma industries in the United States. To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and recognition on Best Workplaces lists published with Fortune, visit Greatplacetowork.com. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All. To learn more, visit greatplacetowork.com, listen to the podcast Better by Great Place to Work, and read A Great Place to Work for All. Join the community on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Media Contact: Nancy Udell MDVIP Media Relations 561.310.5455 [email protected] SOURCE MDVIP Related Links http://www.mdvip.com (Natural News) Rockliffe Hall in Darlington, England attempted to claim on its insurance with Travelers Insurance after it was forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. The sum amounted to 250,000. However, the insurance company refused to pay the luxury hotel. The company stated that infectious disease was defined in its policy in reference to a list of 34 infectious diseases. COVID-19 did not appear on that list, which covered everything from mumps and chickenpox to the plague. The dispute was settled at a hearing on Feb. 25 at the Circuit Commercial Court in Newcastle upon Tyne, when Justice Sara Cockerill agreed with the insurers and struck out the hotels claim. Cockerill rejected the hotels claim that the insurance covered for a biblical kind of plague. She said the list was comprised of specific diseases. In that context, plague refers to the disease caused by Yersinia pestis. As such, it does not mean other diseases that may qualify as a plague, such as COVID-19. Cockerill said that its natural to interpret plague to mean only its bubonic, pneumonic or septicemic forms when put alongside cholera, smallpox, and typhus. The hotels legal team did not dispute this point. Famine, war and pestilence The five-star hotel owned by British entrepreneur Steve Gibson was forced to close for two weeks after some of the staff needed to self-isolate last October. Jason Adams, managing director of the hotel, said staff were asked to self-isolate via the governments contact tracing application. As a result, he said they were unable to operate their kitchens and restaurants as normal. Moreover, due to the current restrictions implemented in the United Kingdom, they will remain closed until May. The hotel attempted to claim a payout as it was insured for losses due to interruptions in the event of an epidemic. Rockliffe Halls legal team had argued that the term plague should be read as a general term for an infectious disease with a high mortality rate, not just a reference to illnesses caused by specific bacteria. The team also claimed that COVID-19 could cause or be linked to some of the diseases on the list, such as meningitis. However, the ruling came down to the wording. Cockerill said the insurers could have included a catch-all word in case of new diseases like COVID-19 but didnt. Several known diseases were also not on the list. Travelers Insurance said the claim was doomed to fail because the terms of their policy were clear. However, Cockerill noted that the ruling could have been different had the word plague appeared with words like famine, war or pestilence. All four refer to the four horsemen of the apocalypse mentioned in Revelations, the last book of the Bibles New Testament. The plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Y. pestis, which is normally found in small mammals and their fleas. The bubonic plague is its most common form. It can spread through contact with an infected persons bodily fluids or contaminated materials. Patients may develop fever, nausea and pus-filled sores. (Related: Los Angeles faces an imminent bubonic plague outbreak due to rampant homelessness.) The bubonic plague is known for the Black Death pandemic that struck Europe in the Middle Ages. It killed a third of the continents population. Outbreaks of the plague still occurred regularly until the 18th century. Rockliffe Hall was built in the 18th century on the banks of the River Tees in Northern England. The bubonic plague has now almost disappeared entirely from the developed world. However, some cases may still be found in places like Africa. The bubonic plague can now be treated with antibiotics. There are also vaccines available, but health experts do not recommend vaccination for the general public. Go to Pandemic.news for more articles with updates on the coronavirus pandemic. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk BoutiqueHotelier.com History.com Kim Kardashian has shared it was 'such a proud moment' when Martha Stewart told her she loves her shapewear line, SKIMS. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star and businesswoman founded the brand in 2019, and has revealed some of the celebrity fans. The 40-year-old icon recalled how the 79-year-old television personality and fellow businesswoman once told her at a party she 'needs' SKIMS. Pride: Kim Kardashian says it was 'such a proud moment' when Martha Stewart told her she loves her shapewear line, Skims In sync: Here the two businesswomen are seen at the TIME's 100 Most Influential People In The World Gala in New York City in 2015 Martha said to Kim: 'I just need Skims; I love it.' Kim was flattered: 'I was just like, "Anything for you." It was such a proud moment. I'll never forget it. I'm obsessed with Martha Stewart.' The TV star said they first met at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2012; they were also photographed together at TIME's 100 Most Influential People In The World Gala in New York City in 2015. Actress Kathy Bates, 72, is also a fan and Kim would love to get the Richard Jewell star in one of her campaigns. Should she end up shooting for Skims, Kathy would follow in the footsteps of the likes of Kim's daughter, North West, seven, and famous faces such as Paris Hilton, Rumer Willis and La La Anthony in promoting the brand. She loves her: Kim was flattered: 'I was just like, "Anything for you." It was such a proud moment. I'll never forget it. I'm obsessed with Martha Stewart' She is a great model for the brand: The reality TV maven in her beige SKIMS line Kim - who also has Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, 22 months, with estranged husband Kanye West - also explained why she decided to launch her own shapewear line. During an appearance on Vogue magazine's Good Morning Vogue, she added: 'I always try to see what I'm obsessed with and what's a necessity in my life. And if it's not perfect, how can I try to make something that is?' In the same interview she called 2020 a 'challenging year.' The star was asked about life beginning to return to normal post COVID-19 pandemic amid her impending divorce from Kanye West after nearly seven years of marriage. SKIMS for all! Kim - who also has Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, 22 months, with estranged husband Kanye West - also explained why she decided to launch her own shapewear line She saw a need: During an appearance on Vogue magazine's Good Morning Vogue , she added: 'I always try to see what I'm obsessed with and what's a necessity in my life. And if it's not perfect, how can I try to make something that is?' She said during the video interview: 'I think this year has been challenging for so many people but I also think that this year was a huge cleanse and just a huge opportunity for people to really be grateful for the simple things and and that is a huge -- I think awakening that some people had.' The sister of Khloe, Rob, Kourtney, Kendall and Kylie added: 'I always try to look at things in a positive way.' She continued: 'Even though it has been such a challenging year, it's a time to regenerate, get creative, spend so much time with family and just this time I've been able to spend with my children has been priceless. That part has been so beautiful.' The beauty was not asked directly about her divorce nor did she speak on it. Not easy: In the same interview she called 2020 a 'challenging year.' The star was asked about life beginning to return to normal post COVID-19 pandemic amid her impending divorce from Kanye West after nearly seven years of marriage. Seen in 2019 The star has revealed she is now halfway through her law degree and has just two years left of studying before she can take her bar exam and become a fully qualified lawyer. She said: 'Im still in law school, I have two years left. So I have two years under my belt. I actually am not doing an essay and doing this interview instead, so Im gonna have to get up really early tomorrow to write like a two-hour essay. So that is really steady and a lot of work.' Kim has been taking a break from her studies over the past year because the COVID-19 pandemic has meant shes been unable to meet with her teachers. 'Even the work schedule, I would have worked non-stop and I wouldve done anything and everything at all hours and never taken into consideration just slowing down at all. This was a forced halt.' The early days: Kim and Knaye in London in 2014; they are working through their divorce now Kanye reportedly changed his number and will only communicate with his ex via security guards after she filed for divorce last month. The rapper also reportedly 'cut her off' but is not cutting off his communication with their four children, North, seven, Psalm, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, 22, month, with various nannies helping make the co-parenting easier. The source went on: 'She leaves the house and he arrives and hangs out with the kids. They have an army of nannies so the transition is easy.' Insiders told Page Six: 'Even before Kim filed for divorce, Kanye changed his numbers and said, "You can contact me through my security." Despite this, she trusts him around the kids. He loves them and is seeing a lot of them.' The couple reportedly signed a prenuptial agreement and TMZ claimed neither party is contesting the terms of the document Kim's divorce documents were filed by Laura Wasser and reportedly don't list a date of separation, instead claiming the date is 'to be determined'. 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. Patna, March 17 : RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has slammed Sugarcane Minister Pramod Kumar for his offensive gesture in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday. The incident took place during a discussion on the budget for the home ministry. Tejashwi Yadav was presenting the data of incidents of crime between 1990 and 2005 and comparing the numbers with the period between 2005 and 2020, when Pramod Kumar reportedly made an offensive gesture at him. State Animal Husbandry Minister Mukesh Sahani also interrupted Tejashwi Yadav. The act of both the ministers was strongly objected by Tejashwi and other RJD MLAs present in the House. Tejashwi asked Pramod Kumar to apologise for non-parliamentary gesture, leading to a huge uproar from both the sides. The situation became extremely tense due to the aggression of the RJD leaders. Keeping this in view, Kumar went on the backfoot. "My gesture was meant for Mukesh Sahani, who was back-stabbed by the RJD in the run up to the Assembly elections last year," Kumar said. The offensive gesture of Pramod Kumar came a day after Tejashwi made a remark against him after he was unable to give proper answer to a suplimentary question. "Who made you the minister? You do not know how to answer questions in the House," Tejashwi had said. Tejashwi had also made similar remarks against Sahani 11 days ago, when the latter failed to give proper answer to a supplementary question asked by an RJD leader. The remarks promted Speaker Vijay Sinha to issue a strong warning to the lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties for unruly behaviour in the House. "The behaviour of both the sides is against the dignity of the House. No one in the House will be allowed to have a go at each other directly. The leaders of the ruling and opposition parties should address the chair. I will take action for breaching the code of conduct of the House," Sinha said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text DARPA starts effort to build modeling-as-a-service capability The Defense Department is looking for ways to develop a modeling and simulation as a service concept that would let teams from the different branches and U.S. allies develop and test new concepts. The need is there because of the increasing pace of operations and ever-evolving threats. DOD's goal is develop a set of tools that planners can tap on demand and running simulations and model operations, particularly with a broad set of assets across all domains lands, sea, air, space and cyber. In a notice for a set of small business innovation research contracts, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will be collecting proposals for phase one and two awards from March 17 through April 20. DARPA's SBIR lists three challenges it wants solutions for: Models that could address a given mission analysis problem. Assessment and classification of assets. Configuration of assets to meet the analytical need. The agency is looking for what it calls a smart model that can enable a multi-disciplinary team to work together to rapidly discover, evaluate and integrate solutions. They also want operational units to be able to conduct analysis at theater-level and across multiple domains. For phase two, DARPA wants the focus to be on the model management framework and process, such as identifying and classifying different types of assets currently in use, and an architecture for managing future types of assets. They also want to be able to determine the level of effort needed to create a solution for a given analytical question. Algorithms developed under this SBIR should have potential applications in private industry and defense, DARPA said in the notice. The SBIR contracts could be worth up to $225,000 for phase one awards and up to $1.5 million for phase two. Without treatment, Sienna Houston faces a life of debilitating agony. A 12-year-old Warkworth girl will travel to New York next month for life-changing pioneering surgery that will give her a chance at a normal teenage life. Sienna Houston has been diagnosed with idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, a severe curvature of the spine. If left untreated, her spine will continue to degenerate and result in a life of debilitating agony. Mum Kim Byrne says already Siennas ribs are already uneven and one of her shoulders sits nearly two inches higher than the other. Her ribs are putting pressure on her lungs and stomach, impairing her ability to breathe and eat. Sitting or standing for long periods of time causes her physical discomfort, and it is difficult for her to sleep. She isnt able to participate in sport, and she doesnt feel comfortable going swimming. It is a lot to deal with at age 12, Kim says. Siennas parents met with doctors and learned that her only option in New Zealand would be a spinal fusion of 12 vertebrae. It would leave her spine immobile, impairing everyday movements such as bending, lifting or twisting. The procedure would require cutting through back muscle, blood transfusions and would leave a large scar down the length of Siennas back. Spinal fusions are rare among children as fused vertebrae put strain on unfused vertebrae, often requiring further surgery. Kim signed up to an international forum for parents with children diagnosed with scoliosis and spent weeks reading interviews with doctors. She learned of a pioneering procedure called vertebral body tethering that has been practiced in the United States for 15 years and is gaining popularity around the world. Surgeons insert screws on both sides of the vertebrae and attach cords along the spine. It uses the bodys growth to improve the curve of the spine and allows a functional and flexible spinal column. It is a major procedure where surgeons enter the body underneath the armpit, and deflate a lung to provide access. However, it will give Sienna a chance at a normal life. Kim and her husband have mortgaged their house to be ready to start making payments for the surgery, which will take place in New York on April 26. Between the cost of surgery, travel, managed isolation and childcare for Siennas four siblings, who will remain in New Zealand, Kim estimates it will cost $350,000. We had to sit down and talk about the financial impact the surgery would have versus taking the fusion for free. It was an awful conversation to have. In the end, we had to do what we knew was right in our hearts. It was a no-brainer to give a life to our girl. Kims friend Nicole Callender started a Givealittle page for Sienna, which raised more than $12,000 in its first day. Kim is a very community-minded person who always gives up her already limited spare time to help out locally as needed, Nicole says. Now its time for us to give back to her and help through this stressful time. Kim says she has been blown away by the support they have since received. We wanted to do it privately. We are not the type to put our hands out, but our friends have found out and stepped up. Its very humbling. To donate, search Sienna Houston on Givealittle. 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! Mohundro Child Abuse Case Continued to March 22 By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - A woman charged with abusing a baby in her care was in court on Monday.According to the McCracken Circuit Court Clerk, 47-year-old Melany Mohundro appeared for a pretrial conference. The hearing was continued to March 22 at 9 am.Mohundro was arrested in July after authorities received a report of a 9-month-old baby that was barely breathing. Evidence was reportedly found showing that she had shaken the baby violently. Deputies say Mohundro was frustrated that the baby was crying.She faces a charge of first-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12. (Newser) A species of mosquito recently found in Florida is causing concern about the spread of disease, including yellow fever. Aedes scapularis has been present in Latin America and the Caribbean and has been discovered in Brazil to be infected with diseases including the yellow fever virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, NPR reports. Even though the mosquito has been infected with yellow fever, it's possible the species doesn't actually spread the virus. Still, researchers are concerned because species can bring diseases with them, which is what happened with Zika and dengue. The last yellow fever outbreak in the US was in 1905, per PBS. A University of Florida study warns that the new species, plentiful in the southern counties of Miami-Dade and Broward, could move north along the Florida coasts. story continues below The mosquito, which goes indoors, feeds on wildlife and people. "If you end up with a species that's capable of transmitting to [birds] and likes to also bite humans, that's the prime condition for a spillover event," says entomologist Lindsay Campbell, co-author of the study. That's how we got COVID-19, scientists say. Lawrence Reeves, the other study author, says 10 mosquito species new to Florida have been discovered since 2000. Climate change and travel will bring more. "There's one in particular right now that a lot of people are worrying about, Aedes vittatus," says Reeves. The mosquito, which originated in India and has reached Cuba, "is kind of a vector for pretty much everything we're worried about: dengue, chikungunya, Zika." (One plan to control Florida's mosquitos drew opposition.) AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Senate took less than three hours on Monday to file and completely pass a bill that would allow the states top utility regulator to claw back $16 billion in charges for wholesale electricity incurred by market participants during the states power outage last month. The Senate has acted, said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the chamber and has made the issue a top priority this session. We are asking the governor to join us and I think if he will say hell sign this bill, it may help us get this bill through the House. Gov. Greg Abbott has made the issue an emergency item this session. Having moved past the Legislatures bill filing deadline on Friday, the Senate employed a parliamentary procedure during an unscheduled floor session on Monday to rescind its vote to adjourn last Thursday. That meant the chamber was operating as if it was Thursday, one day before the bill filing deadline, which allowed Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, to present the bill and have it referred to the Senate Jurisprudence Committee. The committee, led by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, quickly approved the bill without any discussion or testimony by a vote of 3-1. Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, was the no vote. About an hour later, the Senate reconvened and Hughes laid out his bill, which says there is a compelling public interest for the states Public Utility Commission to reverse $16 billion in wholesale electricity charges incurred during the final days of last months winter storms. Those charges come from a decision by the commission and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to implement a $9,000-per-megawatt-hour cap on Feb. 15, during the first day of the power outages to incentivize generators to create more power. But by Feb. 18, the worst of the power crisis had passed and the cap was no longer necessary, the states independent market monitor said earlier this month. Still, PUC and ERCOT officials left the cap in place for an additional 32 hours on Feb. 18 and 19, which the independent market monitor said amounted to $16 billion in charges that would have been much lower if the cap had been removed. PUC officials, however, have warned that reversing the charges could erode trust in the Texas power market, lead to unforeseen economic consequences and result in lawsuits. The commissions chairman, Arthur DAndrea, told the Senate last week he did not believe he had the power to direct ERCOT to reverse the charges. The majority of senators believe he does. Hughess Senate Bill 2142, clarifies that the commission has the authority to reverse the charges, which senators have called a pricing error by ERCOT officials, based on the assessment by the states independent market monitor. The bill orders the commission to mandate the reversal of the charges by this Saturday. Experts have said the state must act quickly before further financial transactions are closed and cannot be reversed. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 27-3, with one senator absent. Its unclear whether the House will act with the same urgency. In hearings last week, House leaders said they would move methodically to tackle the failures exposed in last months power outages and expressed concern that reversing the charges would create financial duress in other sectors of the market. Retail electric providers and distributors who suffered from having to pay high electricity prices during the storm would benefit from the reversal of charges. But power generators which weather-proofed their equipment to be able to run in extreme weather conditions, and also racked up high costs from the price of producing electricity when Texans most needed it, would stand to lose a lot of money. Mayor LaToya Cantrell unveiled on Monday a 2021 spending plan that would cut city workers pay by 10% through next year and slash as much as 40% from department budgets, raising the ire of union leaders who warned of cuts to services as the city contends with the financial impacts of the coronavirus. The $633.5 million proposal, which sets the tone for negotiations with the City Council on the city budget that will run through the next month, is a more than 12% drop from this year's spending plan. It lays out sharp cuts to the Department of Public Works, which is responsible for maintaining streets and other public infrastructure, along with boards charged with recommending zoning changes and handling other city functions. The New Orleans Police Department will see a 8% cut, while the Fire Department will see a cut of 10%. Other steep cuts are projected across the board, with 11 departments seeing their funding reduced by more than 20%. Cantrell and Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano said in a special meeting Monday that the budget represented a conservative estimate of the citys finances, and didn't count on another round of federal coronavirus relief aid. And while a federal rescue could come, to ensure the citys fiscal health in the meantime, they said the furloughs that took effect this month for city employees should continue through next year for all workers who earn more than $30,000 per year, including public safety workers. This is a budget that reflects the needs of our residents, while preparing the city for some unknowns, Cantrell said. The way that this is structured is not based on the unknowns. Its based on the realities. Leaders from public safety unions warned that furloughs and other budget cuts could jeopardize the safety of residents and encourage an exodus of trained emergency workers. Police officers have already seen their incomes fall due to restrictions on overtime and a lack of opportunities for off-duty details as a result of the cancellation of events due to the pandemic, said Eric Hessler, an attorney with the Police Association of New Orleans. He noted the continuation of furloughs for officers comes as the city is seeing a spike in violent crimes. It doesnt bode well and for the life of me I dont know why theyre doing that to police, fire and EMS, those are three of the things youd think a city in our position wouldnt want to skimp on, he said. Firefighters union President Aaron Mischler also warned that neighboring departments may end up luring his members away. The hardest hit departments include Public Works, which will see its funding drop more than 40% to $34 million. That decrease includes cutting about 10% of its total positions. The City Planning Commission, which is responsible for reviewing development proposals, is also slated for a 40% cut, will lose 6 of its 26 positions. The Vieux Carre Commission, the small agency that enforces the historic preservation rules in the French Quarter, is facing the deepest cut in the city at 42%, will lose two of its six spots. Only a handful of agencies and departments will see their budgets increase next year and, within city government itself, nearly all of those are offices funded entirely by federal money that must be spent on specific purposes or dedicated revenue sources, such as the Office of Community Development. The exception is Clerk of Court Arthur Morrells office, which will see its $4 million budget increase by about $850,000. 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 Morrell sets his own budget, which is paid for from city funds, and has sued the city numerous times in recent years when the city has sought to impose cuts. The cuts are a response to a sharp drop in sales taxes and other revenue spurred by the coronavirus. Though New Orleans an early hotspot for the virus has some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions in Louisiana and has seen its case numbers fall, conventions and other large gatherings that would have otherwise brought sales tax revenue to New Orleans have either been canceled or have moved online for next year. The city has also cited a reluctance by many tourists to travel until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available, which means that, even if the city were to relax restrictions, officials dont believe theyd see the kind of revenue theyd need to avoid large cuts. Already in 2020, the city has had to make tough decisions as it sought to stabilize finances and close a $45 million budget gap, such as hiring freezes, cutting of contracts, and placing limits on overtime. But Cantrell has long warned that, absent government relief, other measures could be taken heading into 2021. The budget unveiled Monday fulfills that promise, stretching existing furloughs through next year if the council and Civil Service Commission approve. That commission approved the current furlough plans, which have seen about 670 "unclassified" employees, such as department heads and political appointees, and about 4,040 "classified," or rank-and-file employees, take one unpaid day per pay period. Under the 2021 budget, employees would be furloughed for one day per pay period, or 26 furlough days over the course of the year, saving the city approximately $25 million if the commission approves. Overall, nearly 300 positions will be cut from the city budget, though city officials said they are not currently planning layoffs, indicating that those spots are now unfilled. The furloughs are truly something that we are doing to avoid layoffs, Montano said. And we understand that people will be upset, but it will be temporary. He said the city would retroactively reimburse employees for lost pay should stimulus money come through. Overall, the administration says it must cut about $110 million from the budget in 2021. Some council members pushed Monday for the city to exempt more of its low-wage employees from furloughs, which, under the mayors proposal, would exempt a little more than 500 people earning $30,000 annually. Those and other suggestions are expected to be negotiated in the coming weeks as councilmembers take a critical look at the mayor's proposal. I want to see if we could bump that up to $35,000, council member-at-large Helena Moreno said of the salary level that would be exempted from furloughs. For a single parent household, someone with a family, thats really tough Every single dollar is so critical for these families. To raise the threshold to $35,000, it would cost the city an additional $1.6 million and impact about 932 employees, Montano said. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! New research, just published in the journal Ringing & Migration, has used state of the art tracking technology to investigate how one of Britain's largest ducks, the Shelduck, interacts with offshore wind turbines during their migration across the North Sea. Their findings reveal - for the first time - the length, speed and flight heights of this journey. Offshore wind farms are a key part of many governments' strategies to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change impacts. However, it is important to understand how they might affect wildlife. The risk of colliding with wind turbines, is a particular concern to migratory species travelling across the sea, and there is also a potential increased energetic cost if wind farms act as a barrier that migrating birds must fly around. The majority of British and Irish Shelduck undergo a 'moult migration' to the Wadden Sea, which runs along the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. They make this journey every year in late summer, after they have finished breeding. Once there, they replace their old and worn out feathers and become flightless in the relative safety that the Wadden Sea offers, before returning to Britain when their moult is complete. However, in journeying to and from the Wadden Sea, Shelduck must cross the North Sea and navigate its growing number of wind farms en route. Scientists from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) used state of the art tags to track four Shelduck from the Alde-Ore Estuary Special Protection Area on the Suffolk coast to the Wadden Sea. Each bird took a separate route across the North Sea, and used previously unreported stopover sites in the Dutch Wadden Sea, before continuing on to moult sites in the Helgoland Bight off the coast of Germany. Incredibly, one bird travelled back and forth between the Dutch and German Wadden Seas four times, adding an extra 1,000 km to its migratory journey. The reasons why remain a mystery. Ros Green, Research Ecologist at BTO and lead author on the paper, said, "Having a working knowledge of species' migratory movements is an essential first step in understanding the risks that offshore wind farms may pose to populations of Shelduck and other species. Further, our tags provided data on Shelduck flight speeds and height, giving additional vital information on the magnitude of the risks posed by developments." She added, "It is well known that British and Irish Shelduck populations move back and forth across the North Sea each year, but this is the first published data on the specific routes taken, how long the migration takes to complete, and how fast and high Shelduck fly." The four Shelduck were fitted with solar powered GPS-GSM tags, allowing BTO scientists to follow their migratory movements in great detail and in almost real time, as the GPS data are downloaded over mobile phone networks. Incredibly, although all four birds took very different routes across the North Sea, they all ended their migration in almost exactly the same place in the Dutch Wadden Sea. During the crossing, the birds flew at speeds of up to 55 knots, and up to 354 m above the sea's surface. The movements recorded indicated apparent interactions with several wind farm sites, though most of these are currently only at the planning phase. Only one data fix was recorded within an operational wind farm when a bird flew within the Egmond aan Zee wind farm. This Shelduck was flying at a height of 85 m, which would place it at potential risk of collision with the wind farm's spinning turbine blades, which sweep an area between 25 and 139 m above sea level. Indeed, the majority of the four Shelducks' flight occurred below 150 m above sea level, which would place them in the 'collision risk zone' of many of the offshore wind farms they may pass through. The BTO team plans to extend the tracking project and collect more data to investigate whether Shelduck are actually at risk of collision, or whether the population can adapt to this essential renewable energy infrastructure. "Further work", the research team add, "is also needed on tagging approaches in order to extend the deployment period beyond the main moult, and capture data on the return migration. A larger sample size of tracked birds is needed before firm conclusions on Shelduck migration can be drawn. Ideally this would include birds from a wider geographical range of British breeding sites, as well as Shelduck that breed on the continent but migrate to Britain for the winter." ### The GWS 2021 will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel, from November 1518 at the Hilton Tel Aviv, set on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The 2021 GWS will explore how wellness is at a crucial tipping point, with so many new directions and opportunities. Every business now needs to think like a start-up, and Israel, the Start-Up Nation, is the perfect place to jumpstart needed new ideas. The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, today announced that the dates and location of its 2021 conference are confirmed: It will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel, from November 1518 at the Hilton Tel Aviv, set on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Its the first time in its 15-year history that the GWS will be held in the Middle East. Delegates will experience three days of expert keynotes and panels on the very differentand very brightfuture for wellness as the world emerges from the pandemic. The GWS aims to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for attendees, immersing them in the vibrant cultures of Tel Aviv and Israel, bursting with history, art, spirituality and innovation. Balmy, beachy Tel Aviv, where world-leading innovation and ancient cultures come together, boasts more start-ups than any place other than Silicon Valley and is taking the lead in health and wellness technologies. The agenda, and an expanded Tech Innovation Pavilion, will expose delegates to the cutting-edge future of wellness. The 2021 GWS will also offer the most pre- and post-Summit trips in its history, including bespoke tours of historic Jerusalem and Petra, the archeological Lost City of Jordan. Learn more about the 2021 GWS and amazing Israel. Conference registration is now open. Booking at the Hilton Tel Aviv is open. Analysts agree that the long crisis has made wellness the number-one priority for consumers, and so much investment is flowing into our industry, said Susie Ellis, GWS chair and CEO. The 2021 GWS will explore how wellness is at a crucial tipping point, with so many new directions and opportunities. Every business now needs to think like a start-up, and Israel, the Start-Up Nation, is the perfect place to jumpstart needed new ideas. We want delegates to be immersed in (and do lots of) business, but to also have a profound and pleasurable bucket-list trip, so weve created extraordinary experiences where they can explore the unique history, cultures, cuisine and wellness of Israel, added Nancy Davis, GWS chief creative officer and executive director. Tel Aviv: The Capital of Mediterranean Cool Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps, is a center of ancient and modern cultureand incredible cuisine, art and nightlife. You can swim and take in sunsets on its five gorgeous beaches, with both air and water temperature averaging 72 degrees in November. One of the worlds most walkable cities, its packed with unique open-air markets and streets filled with authentic restaurants and shops: Stroll through Old Jaffa, party on Rothschild Boulevard, sample local cuisine at Carmel Market, and visit one-of-a-kind museums and galleries. Tel Avivs tourism authority will host the Summits opening night reception and will provide special benefits to delegates. Learn more about dynamic Tel Aviv. The Hilton Tel Aviv Located in the heart of Tel Avivs Independence Park and boasting its own beach (one of the citys best), the Hilton Tel Aviv offers stunning seaside views, a saltwater pool, five diverse restaurants, and a full-service spaand its just minutes from HaYarkon Park, business centers, attractions like the Aviv Museum of Art and the Israeli Opera, and shopping areas. Delegates receive special, negotiated room rates. A Record Number of Transformative Pre- and Post-Summit Trips The GWS is known for its pre- and post-conference travel experiences, and in 2021 it will offer the most (and most incredible) options in its history so delegates can discover Israel and the regions must-see destinations. Options include bespoke tours to the ancient, sacred sites of Jerusalem, the Holy Land for Jews, Muslims and Christians; to Petra, the historic Lost City of Jordan; and helicopter tours to extraordinary Israeli destinations. Unique Tel Aviv excursions span a Be a Tele Vivian for a day bike tour to a Tel Aviv Start-Up Nation Tour. In addition to group travel, the GWS will offer private VIP travel with a guide and driver. Each experience is created by Tova Wald, the leading expert in authentic, soul-stirring travel in Israel and the region. Explore the numerous trips here. Tel Aviv: The Worlds Lab for Health & Wellness Innovation Tel Aviv is home to more start-ups per capita (6,000+) than anywhere in the world, and no place has such a dizzying mix of technologies and innovators in one place. According to the 2021 Bloomberg Innovation Index, ranking the most innovative countries, Israel takes the #1 spot for both research and development intensity and research concentration. Even during the pandemic, Israels tech industry had a banner year, attracting over $24 billion in capital. Tel Aviv is becoming ground zero for health and wellness innovation, technology and investmentfrom companies reimagining a healthier future for food to those disrupting medicine, fitness, beauty, travel, mental wellness and workplace wellness. Israel: World Leader in Vaccination & Safe Reopening No nation has been as aggressive in vaccinating its population and working to reopen safely than Israel: According to Oxford University, theyre way out in front for vaccine doses administered per capita. The country expects that all citizens over 16 will be fully vaccinatedand that the economy will be completely reopenedby the end of March. Images can be found here. About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit is an organization that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. In addition to an annual conference held at a different location around the globe, GWS also hosts regular virtual gatherings, including Wellness Master Classes, Wellness Sector Spotlights and Investor Reverse Pitch events. The organizations annual Global Wellness Trends Report offers expert-based predictions on the future of wellness. The next GWS will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 1518, 2021. ( ) highlighted encouraging evidence of oil as it provided an update on its projects in Alaska. The companys comments, in a stock market statement, related to down hole samples gathered from the Merlin well that were then sent for more detailed lab analysis. It is important to note that whilst the percentages of hydrocarbon in the samples reach up to ~70%, which would be indicative of a discovery, the results are deemed qualitative, and the margin of error is uncertain, the company said. Therefore, further investigation is required to validate the actual percentage of hydrocarbon in the samples. The ratios of hydrocarbon indicate that the liquid present is highly likely to be oil rather than condensate, which also bodes well from a thermal maturity perspective regionally. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. One year ago, COVID decimated the music industry and the first band out of the blocks were Dundalk trio The Mary Wallopers. Unfazed by the immeasurable obstacle dropped in their path and forgoing all the industry grants, the three Dundalk men self-built a pub/studio in their house, becoming one of the first bands in the world to host a livestream on St. Patrick's Day 2020. Creating a space where Wayne's World meets Irish ballads, the show brought joy with over 40 thousand people watching it in the first 24 hours alone. They connected people through the chat room and speaking directly to camera the Wallopers have made their show unmissable to those trapped in lockdown or overseas. Two episodes later with one at Halloween and one at Christmas they introduced the Walloper's extended family with musical guests like CMAT, Daragh Lynch (Lankum), Radie Peat and Katie Kim alongside guest appearances from Junior Brother and Shane McGowan (The Pogues). On March 17, 2021 the Wallopers will be celebrating their first anniversary stream and promise even more surprises and less professionalism. Find out more through their social media channels. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia 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). (Photo : David Paul Morris/Getty Images) MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - MAY 4: Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California is shown in this photo on May 4, 2004. Google Inc., the world's No. 1 Web search provider, filed with U.S. regulators on April 29, 2004 to become a publicly listed company and sell as much as $2.7 billion in stock in a widely expected initial public offering. (Photo : Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) Kent Walker speaks onstage during the 2019 Concordia Annual Summit A TikTok user highlighted in a now-viral post as to how much Google knows about users, and it is alarmingly accurate. Trish Kabob, who goes under the handle @tiktoktrishkabob, responded to another TikTok post asking other users to share facts that they knew because of their job. In the video, Kabob explained that being a digital marketer she believed how only a few people knew about "how invasive Google is." She opened up Google Ad Settings and demonstrated how unusually accurate it is by collecting information every time someone uses any of the Google products. The page shows a list of assumptions made by Google, such as age, gender, languages, and many other interests obtained from internet activity. While some of the data gathered are not accurate, Google seemed to be able to find a way to narrow down important information about users, such as education level, job industry, and interests. Google apparently uses these collected data in advertisements, as she explained why users sometimes see ads that they find "weird." Kabob also demonstrated how anyone could either edit or turn off the feature altogether, should they opt not to let Google track their online activity. Also Read: Lawsuit Accusing Google Of Collecting Data Of Users During Incognito Browsing To Continue Feud With Microsoft Google had gone under fire after the company, along with Facebook, allegedly took ad revenue away from traditional media outlets and local newspapers. Microsoft Corp. seemingly took this opportunity to portray the California-based search engine giant in a bad light. When Australia recently passed the media payment law, the Washington-based software firm was happy to support the cause and announced that they would gladly fill the void Google would leave behind should the latter decide to disable their search engine in the country. In a blog post released on February 11, Microsoft President Brad Smith said that the U.S. government should require both Google and Facebook to pay media outlets to link to their news articles. Google Strikes Back Google took offense at this statement and bashed Microsoft over the company's system vulnerabilities, pointing out that the latter knew that it is being exploited but only took action after the damage has been done. Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post on March 12 alleging that Microsoft attacked Google in a bid to steer the attention away from its problems, which includes the recent hack on IT provider SolarWinds. The said flaw had opened the door for other hacking groups to exploit the vulnerability, allowing them to install ransomware and steal emails from corporate servers. Walker also responded to Microsoft, highlighting the search engine giant's efforts to support journalism including the $ 1billion three-year project to license content from media outlets. "We also believe that this important debate should be about the substance of the issue, and not derailed by naked corporate opportunism ... which brings us to Microsoft's sudden interest in this discussion," he wrote. He assured that the company is committed to working with "news organizations and policymakers around the world to enable a strong future for journalism." Related Article: Which Google Alternative is the Best? Here Are Top 5 Search Engines of 2020 This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Lee Mercado 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) passes through a hallway at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 5, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Sanders Planning on Passing Infrastructure Bill Without Republican Support Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is planning on attempting to pass an infrastructure bill by using a budget process to cut out Republicans, even though several Democrat senators have said they wont support utilizing the method. One always wants to try to go a bipartisan route. But what I have seen this year and in past years is that if we want to do something significant, it is very hard to get Republican support. So the devil is of course in the details, Sanders, a former Democrat presidential candidate, told reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. If Republicans are prepared to support a significant and important piece of legislation that deals with climate change, deals with infrastructure, thats great. My own feeling is at this point I doubt that that will be the case, he added when reporters noted Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) have indicated opposition to using reconciliation to pass another measure. When asked if he was intending to use reconciliation on such a package, he answered, Yes. Congressional Democrats used the budget process to pass the COVID-19 relief package with zero Republican votes. The major reason to turn to the method is to lower the threshold required in the upper chamber from 60 to 50. The current Senate makeup is 50-50, when Sanders and fellow nominal independent Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) are grouped with Democrats. Both largely align with the party. Responding to Sanderss remarks, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters in a press conference on Capitol Hill that Democrats will use infrastructure as a Trojan horse. Inside the Trojan horse will be all the tax increases that [Republicans] have been talking about, he said. They want to raise taxes across the board. And the only way I think they could pull that off, would be through a reconciliation process. They have one more of those available to them, and my suspicion is they will try to jam everything they can into that bill and call it an infrastructure bill. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters separately that there are many things we cant do by reconciliation as he urged Republicans to work together with Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last week directed key committee chairs to start drafting an infrastructure package, saying it would be big, bold, and transformational. Democrats have avoided publicly attaching a price tag to the proposal amid concerns of how to pay for it. President Joe Biden pledged during the 2020 campaign to invest $2 trillion in infrastructure, including for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. One potential funding mechanism that has been put forward is a wealth tax. Sanders told reporters on Tuesday that its a little bit too early to outline how the legislation would be funded. Manchin is planning to meet with a bipartisan group of senators for lunch on Wednesday to talk. They will probably discuss infrastructure, he said. According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, there is no infrastructure package yet. I know theres lots of conversations in Congress, and were certainly working very closely with them in consultations, she told reporters on Monday. Tom Ozimek contributed to this report. OLYMPIA, Wash. - Officials with the British Columbia and Washington state agriculture departments along with U.S. federal agencies are teaming up to trap, track and destroy invasive Asian giant hornets, which threaten honeybees. A Washington State Department of Agriculture workers holds two of the dozens of Asian giant hornets vacuumed from a tree Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in Blaine, Wash. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Elaine Thompson OLYMPIA, Wash. - Officials with the British Columbia and Washington state agriculture departments along with U.S. federal agencies are teaming up to trap, track and destroy invasive Asian giant hornets, which threaten honeybees. The so-called murder hornets have been found on both sides of the border, in B.C.'s Fraser Valley, on Vancouver Island and in Blaine, Wash., where a nest containing nearly 200 queens was discovered and destroyed last year. A full news conference on the governments' plans is set for Wednesday, but Washington's Agriculture Department says in a release it's preparing to bait and trap this year along with a strong emphasis on help from the public. The release says the focus in Washington will be in Whatcom County, where Asian giant hornets were detected in 2019 and 2020, while B.C.'s surveillance program will include traps where hornets have been found. The hornets are considered a serious honeybee predator with a large orange head, mandibles and a wingspan up to seven centimetres. The statement says public reports have been crucial for locating the pests and both B.C. and Washington are urging residents to be on the lookout. The hornet's life cycle begins in April when queens emerge from hibernation, to feed on sap and fruit and look for nesting grounds. Washington is encouraging residents in several counties to participate in trapping starting in July using orange juice or a brown sugar-based bait. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. The provincial government has set a new eight-year deadline for balancing Manitobas budget, largely due to the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertise With Us The provincial government has set a new eight-year deadline for balancing Manitobas budget, largely due to the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new target is to have the budget be balanced once again by the end of the 2028-29 fiscal year, Finance Minister Scott Fielding announced in a media release Monday afternoon. "The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant financial and economic harm in Manitoba and around the world, and in response to this unanticipated health and economic disaster, our government has committed $3.2 billion to protect Manitobans and support businesses," Fielding stated in the news release. "The unexpected costs of the pandemic and decreased revenues are driving our deficit. Given the uncertainty surrounding how long the pandemic will last and how much it will damage our economy, we are resetting our balanced budget legislation and charting a cautious and realistic path forward." To reach this milestone, the province will be amending the Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Act so that the deficit baseline is changed from the current $524-million mark to whatever is reported for 2020-21. The target will then be to reduce the deficit by one-eighth each year over the eight years of the plan. Updated projections for the deficit will be reported as part of the Budget 2021 process. Back in 2016, the current government promised that it would balance the budget within two terms after taking power from the NDP. Last year, Premier Brian Pallister and Fielding announced that the 2019-20 fiscal year had ended with a surplus of $5 million. Then COVID-19 happened. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew told the Sun on Monday afternoon that hes concerned about the changes to the law. "(Its) about protecting their salaries," said Kinew. "So they dont have to pay back their cabinet and premiers salaries because theres a deficit this year. Im sure there are a lot of small business owners and a lot of hard-working Manitobans out there who wish there was a bill out there to protect their incomes." As the act is currently written, 20 per cent of a ministers salary will be withheld if the province does not present a balanced budget. If two budgets in a row are not balanced and then a third budget is not balanced, then the amount withheld grows to 40 per cent. Bill 48 would amend the act so that the government can exclude pandemic expenditures in determining the deficit for the current fiscal year, would repay ministers for salary withheld in the 2020-21 fiscal year and would have any ministerial salary reductions be repaid if the deficit is eliminated in the 2028-2029 fiscal year or earlier. "Manitobas balanced budget bill has always been a sham," said Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont in a phone interview. "It has never once prevented a deficit. The one thing it shows and what it works to do is show what self-serving hypocrites the PCs and NDP have been." He said that both of those parties have changed the law every time theyve run a deficit rather than face the consequences. "Its not so much the balanced budget Im concerned about, its also why it wont be balanced," said Lamont. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark Tr. Hon. Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament has earned plaudits from disgruntled National Democratic Congress member, Koku Anyidoho, over his response to Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the party. Sammy Gyamfi accused Rt. Hon. Bagbin and the leadership of the NDC caucus in Parliament of shelving party interest for their personal interest in the approval en-masse of ministerial nominees. More importantly, he noted, its about time we understood that we dont have any NDC Speaker of Parliament. No, we dont! We have a Speaker who rode on the back of the NDC into office to pursue his own parochial agenda and nothing more. You trust them at your own peril, he warned members and supporters of the NDC. Bagbin, in a yet-to-be aired interview with Class FM, reminded Sammy Gyamfi of his role as a Speaker and not an official of the NDC. Because I say I belong or came from a party, does he [Sammy Gyamfi] think Im at the beck and call of the party? Now, I dont belong to any party. Im Speaker of Ghana. Im not a Speaker of NPP. Im not a Speaker of NDC. Im Speaker of Ghana. And I must hold the balance. So, decision-taking; no. My duty is to ensure that theres an even playing field and the decision is taken and I announce it. That is all, he explained his role. Koku Anyidoho, who is currently suspended by the party, in a tweet, commended the Speaker for putting Sammy Gyamfi in his right place. He attributed Sammy Gyamfis conduct to the failure of Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo to assert himself as National Chairman of the party. I respect Rt Honourable Speaker Bagbin for calling the bluff of that bed-wetting infant who has deceived himself into believing that he is the most important person in the NDC because, National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, is scared of being the LEADER of the Party, he posted. 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 [March 16, 2021] Operative Acquires Ad Tech Company STAQ NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Operative announced today the completion of its acquisition of STAQ, a data collection, normalization and visualization technology company, and a leader in programmatic digital business management. The acquisition will further expand upon Operative's capabilities to aggregate, automate, normalize and optimize data, allowing Media companies to take full control of their entire supply and demand chain. The parties have signed a definitive agreement and expect to close in the coming days. STAQ technology automates the collection of revenue and inventory information from over 400 sources, centralizing data for customers. The centralization of data is complemented with the ability to create and merge data sets and apply complex decisioning, providing customers with the necessary insights to increase yield and optimization. Data is surfaced to users through customizable visualization tools, making it easy to identify actionable insights to deliver meaningful business results. This acquisition solidifies Operative's commitment to provide leading digital advertising business management capabilities to customers. Combining direct and programmatic sales data in a single system gives customers the ability to make more informed pricing and inventory allocation decisions, ultimately resulting in higher yield. The benefits of easily accessing data across platforms embedde in a seamless workflow creates significant operational efficiencies for digital media companies, as well as providing holistic customer views. This has become increasingly important as marketers continue to diversify their advertising investments. These added capabilities dovetail with Operative's launch of the AOS digital beta program slated for May. AOS is an open, highly configurable business management solution built on modern technology to support the entire pitch-to-pay workflow across all inventory types. A combined Operative and STAQ will provide market-leading capabilities in an environment where fragmentation of viewership, data and technology has created remarkable complexities for media organizations to horizontally optimize their assets. The investment allows Operative customers to unify and analyze information across all supply and demand channels in an automated way, providing advanced decision-making capabilities embedded within the pitch-to-pay functions of AOS. STAQ's next generation integration technology and data processing services will also provide fully automated stewardship and verification across all campaigns regardless of inventory type. "Operative continues to provide customers the tools needed to succeed in a dynamic and complex market. Our investment in STAQ reinforces our commitment to help propel the industry forward by enabling media companies and marketers to optimize their business outcomes through unification of data and automation of process," said Lorne Brown , Chief Executive Officer, Operative. "The combination of Operative and STAQ is as natural as it gets, with a common customer base and complimentary product offerings. The benefit of improved interoperability coupled with Operative's unbiased approach to partner with the long list of companies STAQ integrates with today, seemed like a win-win for our customers," said Andy Ellenthal , Chief Executive Officer, STAQ. "It's not about building a media plan; it's about building the best media plan. This acquisition will combine the best-in-class data aggregation and normalization capabilities STAQ has to offer with open and highly configurable ad and content management capabilities of AOS. The investment validates our commitment to provide the gold-standard of digital advertising business management solutions, and to provide customers with a future-proofed converged operational tool set," said Jason Witt , Chief Product Officer, Operative. About Operative Operative is the preferred broadcast management for linear and digital, and a software partner for over 300 of the world's top media brands, including NBCU, CBS, ABC, AT&T, STARZ, Star India, Seven Australia and Sky. No other software company brings a comparable depth of experience to create truly innovative software that performs across all platforms, revenue models, and business units. Since 2000, Operative has grown to over 1200+ employees in 12 offices around the world and processes more than $40 billion in linear and digital advertising revenue for the best-known companies in the industry. For more information, visit www.operative.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/operative-acquires-ad-tech-company-staq-301248423.html SOURCE Operative Media [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Invalidations of Meghans claims of racism hurt Black women As Prince Harry and Meghans TV interview reverberate internationally, its left the more than 50 million viewers grappling with the couples claims of racism and lack of support that Meghan says drove her to thoughts of suicide. But for many Black women worldwide, the headlines and social media discussions were painfully familiar. With social media conversations questioning whether racism affected Meghans treatment by the British press and royal family, many Black women say it is yet another example of a Black womans experiences with racism being disregarded and denied. ADVERTISEMENT White supremacy seeks to isolate you, make you feel like no one is listening and no one is supporting you. It uses that as a tool to keep in power, said Gaye Theresa Johnson, associate professor in the Department of African American Studies at UCLA. And so when you arent validated in your feelings or feel supported, that does real harm. Meghan, the daughter of a white father and a Black mother, said that when she was pregnant with her son Archie, a member of the royal family expressed concerns about how dark his skin might be. The former television star also said she sought mental health help through the palaces human resources department but was told there was nothing it could do. Almost as soon as the interview with Oprah Winfrey aired, many were quick to deny Meghans allegations of racism. The New York Post published a column titled, Meghan Markles interview was full of bull. British television host Piers Morgan quit his job on Good Morning Britain after facing backlash for saying on air that Meghan lied about suffering suicidal thoughts in what he called a two-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family. On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying the whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan but that some recollections may vary. Johnson said the doubts and questioning cast against Meghans claims were emotionally wrenching for many Black women, who may relate to the trauma of having their personal experiences with racism invalidated by others. Its an insult when people are incredulous about the racism people like Meghan Markle experienced because that incredulity speaks volumes about what people refuse to see, what is right in front of their eyes all the time and that some people have to navigate daily, she said. That takes a toll on a person and their mental health. Dr. Anita Thomas, executive vice president and provost at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, said watching Meghans interview with Winfrey was emotional. ADVERTISEMENT It speaks to the burden that many African American women face, she said. For Black women, it was upsetting to see that, even when she had the courage to speak out about her experiences with racism, that she didnt get the support that she needed and, in many ways, her experiences were invalidated. Thomas said enduring such treatment requires psychological and emotional energy to navigate. As a psychologist, I hope people talk about this effect of racism and sexism on psychological functioning, she said. Sinai Fleary, founder of the UK-based Reggae and Rasta lifestyle publication Jus Jah Magazine, said while she initially saw an outpouring of support for Meghan, she quickly saw that change on social media. They will dismiss, gaslight and ignore what we have been saying, and what Meghan and Harry have been saying, Fleary, who lives in London, wrote on Twitter. This is how the media and certain parts of the public work. Same formula, every single time. Fleary told The Associated Press that Meghans interview brought back her own memories of being racially profiled in shops and seeing white women clutch their bags on public transit when they saw her. If racism as blatant as what Meghan spoke about is immediately denied, will people believe me when I tell them about these less overt, daily examples of racism I face every day? she asked. Fleary said the UK has a long history of dismissing Black women in conversations about racism. Theyre never believed, she said. Its always deny and dismiss. It can be so blatant and people will still say they dont see it. Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pointed to the racist attitudes of the British media as a reason for stepping away from royal duties and moving to North America last year, something Harry reiterated in the interview with Winfrey. As Meghan and Harry began dating, many pointed to the relationship as evidence of Britain entering a post-racial era, but the racism Meghan faced from the British media told another story. When the news first broke of their relationship, publications were quick to refer to Meghan in racist terms, with one tabloid columnist referring to her exotic DNA. A Mail Online headline stated Meghan was (almost) straight outta Compton, and a Daily Star headline asked whether Harry would marry into gangster royalty. Then, when Meghan and Harry announced they would step away from official royal duties last year, people quickly began to question that racism was what drove Meghan away.Heather McGhee, author of the book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, said the immediate rush by some to deny Meghans allegations were upsetting. And that denial is something Black women face every day, she said. Very often, Black women in conference rooms and offices experience discrimination and have no recourse, in the same way that one of the more powerful Black women in the world had no recourse except to give it all up, McGhee said of Meghan. I hope we realize theres a much less powerful version of Meghan likely at your office or school who is being discriminated (against) and doesnt have champions. I hope this encourages more people to stand up for their Black co-workers, neighbors and friends. Seeking to slow Democrats and get the attention of the White House, Mr. McConnell was adamant that Republicans would tie the Senate into knots in retaliation if they took the step. He made his declaration after Mr. Durbin, a respected veteran of the institution, had said on Monday that it was time to stop allowing the minority party to routinely block legislation by requiring a three-fifths majority to advance most bills. It was the most explicit call yet by a Democratic leader to take action. Mr. Durbin noted that it was Mr. McConnell who institutionalized the use of the filibuster, which historically had been used rarely before the Kentuckian was in charge. Mr. Durbin said the procedural weapon was a particularly sore point for him, since it is has for two decades prevented Democrats from enacting the so-called Dream Act, a popular bipartisan bill that he wrote that would create a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants brought into the United States as children. Though it has majority support, it has never been able to clear the 60-vote threshold. I brought it to the Senate floor on five different occasions, and on five different occasions, it was stopped by the filibuster, Mr. Durbin said on Tuesday. In his speech on Monday, Mr. Durbin argued that the burden should be shifted to opponents of a given bill to maintain a filibuster rather than on supporters to produce 60 votes to advance it, a view similar to the one expressed by Mr. Biden. Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia and one of the partys leading opponents to ending the filibuster, has also said he would entertain the idea of requiring talking filibusters. Democrats say they are not yet ready to move ahead with any attempt to overhaul the filibuster rules and they also lack votes in their own party to do so at the moment. For now, activists are urging them to build momentum by following the same strategy that they employed in 2013 before they used the nuclear option to effectively do away with filibusters against executive and judicial branch nominees. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks at a news conference at the State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 6, 2020. (Dustin Chambers/Reuters) Official in Georgia SOS Office Was Sole Source on Trump Phone Call An official in the Georgia secretary of states office was the only source for at least one story that falsely claimed former President Donald Trump told an investigator with the office to find the fraud. Jordan Fuchs, deputy secretary of state, relayed details of the conversation to The Washington Post, an official with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office confirmed to The Epoch Times. Fuchs was not on the call herself. She was told about the conversation by Frances Watson, the investigator. A recording of the call recently emerged from a records request, showing that the Post and a slew of other outlets had falsely reported Trump uttering several phrases. The office of Raffensperger, a Republican, says Fuchs did not present details of the conversation as verbatim. The Secretary of States Offices first reports of its investigators phone conversation with President Trump relied on the investigators recollection. Information about the content of the call was never presented as a word-for-word transcript, a spokesperson with the office told The Epoch Times via email. The Post said that it misquoted Trump, based on information provided by a source. It also outed Fuchs as its source, after previously describing her as an individual familiar with the call. The Associated Press in its correction used similar wording in explaining that it erroneously reported that Trump pressured Watson to find the fraud, and that if she did, she would be a national hero. CNN offered an editors note in stating that its initial version presented paraphrasing of the Presidents comments to the Georgia elections investigator as direct quotes. Then-President Donald Trump conducts a phone call in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Aug. 27, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) The Associated Press and the Post declined to answer questions about the reporting, such as whether they would commit to no longer using Fuchs as a source. CNN, ABC News, NBC News, and Reuters didnt return inquiries. Among the outlets, all have updated their original articles except for Reuters. All of the outlets reported on the conversation by relying on a single source, who appears to have been Fuchs in every case. Several generations ago, reporters largely couldnt pursue stories without at least two sources, Andrew Schotz with the Society of Professional Journalists Ethics Committee told The Epoch Times. The rise in competition and the Internet has led news outlets to value immediacy and being first over making sure things are correct, he added. Theres so many different sources people can turn to, and you want them to turn to you, he said. That kind of feeds upon itself, and the competition maybe lowers your standards at the same time. Raffenspergers office is defending the leaking of call details, arguing that while news outlets falsely reported several Trump quotes, the substance of the recollection was accurate. After hearing the tape, its clear that her recollection accurately portrayed the presidents assertions that there was fraud to uncover and that she would receive praise for doing it, a spokesman said, referring to Watson. That sentiment was echoed by news outlets in their updates: most offered editors notes instead of corrections and painstakingly outlined how Trump had uttered phrases similar to what they had originally reported, indicating journalists felt their initial stories were largely correct. Quoting sources on background, or not naming them, is common practice in journalism, Schotz said. One way the whole situation could have been avoided, he suggested, would have been reporters avoiding using quote marks in the first stories and paraphrasing the conversation. Quotes really are exact, so theres no doubt that the original wording was not right. But if you look at the substance, too, that matters as wellhow egregious of an error was this? You probably could have salvaged what it was by just taking out a quote. Taking the idea of youll be a national hero. And thats a direct quote. Well that wasnt said, but the substance of that was still in that conversation, youll receive high praise. How different is that? Its not opposite. Theyre pretty close in substance to what was said, he said. So if they would have just said without a quote youll be seen as heroic or something like that, they probably wouldnt have to go back and correct anything, it would have been accurate. William Drew, Director of Content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, says: "On behalf of the 50 Best team, we are honoured to unveil the Essence of Asia collection. At a time when restaurants need our support, this collection presents travelers and gourmets with an invaluable guide to some of Asia's most authentic and diverse dining experiences. Reflecting the breadth of the region's gastronomic scene, the range of establishments spans street vendors, time-honoured institutions, philanthropic businesses and pioneering newcomers." The collection comprises establishments in 49 cities across 20 countries and territories, stretching from Pakistan across to Japan. Integral to Asia's culinary ecosystem, these restaurants honour culinary traditions, reinvent indigenous cuisines and revive centuries-old recipes, all while playing a key role within their communities. This unranked selection will complement the ninth edition of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, which will be revealed on Thursday, 25th March. The Essence of Asia collection was created based on recommendations from the chefs of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2020 and 2021, 50 Best's Academy Chairs, as well as trusted gourmets in the region. Embodying Asia's rich diversity, the collection includes: Street food vendors, such as Pho Gia Truyen in Hanoi , Wattana Panich in Bangkok and Siam Road Char Koay Teow in Penang in , in and Siam Road Char Koay Teow in Much-loved local institutions like Australia Dairy Company in Hong Kong , Li Qun Roast Duck in Beijing , Shree Thaker Bhojanalay in Mumbai , The Sugar Palm in Siem Reap and Keng Eng Kee in Singapore , Li Qun Roast Duck in , Shree Thaker Bhojanalay in , The Sugar Palm in and in Community-focused establishments, including Earth Kitchen in Manila , a restaurant dedicated to supporting local farmers and indigenous communities in the Philippines , and Sincere Blue in Tokyo , a collaboration between chef Shinsuke Ishii and Chefs for the Blue, a group committed to promoting sustainable seafood , a restaurant dedicated to supporting local farmers and indigenous communities in , and Sincere Blue in , a collaboration between chef and Chefs for the Blue, a group committed to promoting sustainable seafood Progressive restaurants reinventing or elevating indigenous cuisines, from Restaurant Kin in Singapore and Akame in Taiwan to 102 House in Foshan, China Stefano Bolognese, Sanpellegrino International Business Unit Director, says: "The unranked Essence of Asia collection will offer us even more opportunities to recognise the spirit of Asian gastronomy and those that have had a positive impact on their local food communities during these unprecedented times, giving voices to their opinions about the industry of tomorrow. The Asian gastronomic sector today is still facing unprecedented challenges but there are hopeful signs of revival across the continent, and Sanpellegrino is here to support in its restart." Arranged by country, the Essence of Asia collection is unranked to celebrate the uniqueness of each restaurant. Presented in association with S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the full list of restaurants that make up the Essence of Asia collection is below: Bangladesh Haji Biryani, Dhaka Kasturi, Dhaka Cambodia Nesat Seafood House, Phnom Penh Lum Orng Farm To Table, Siem Reap The Sugar Palm, Siem Reap Mainland China Li Qun Roast Duck, Beijing Chen Mapo Tofu, Chengdu 102 House, Foshan Longjing Manor, Hangzhou Fuchun (Yuyuan Road), Shanghai Lihuayuan, Wuhan Hong Kong Australia Dairy Company Dignity Kitchen Kau Kee Pei Ho Counterparts Roots Yin Yang Coastal India Bengaluru Oota Company, Bangalore Mum's Kitchen, Goa Ahdoo's, Kashmir Shree Thaker Bhojanalay, Mumbai Swati Snacks, Mumbai Rustom's, New Delhi Indonesia Babi Guling Pande Egi, Bali KooD, Bali Pagi Sore, Jakarta Lupis Mbah Satinem, Yogyakarta Japan Natsukashiya, Amami Oshima Honke Owariya, Kyoto Pasania, Osaka Eatrip, Tokyo Sincere Blue, Tokyo Sushi Dai, Tokyo Laos Tamarind, Luang Prabang Doi Ka Noi, Vientiane Macau Henri's Galley IFT Educational Restaurant La Famiglia Malaysia Artisan Handmade Bread, Ipoh Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, Kota Kinabalu Bijan, Kuala Lumpur Siam Road Char Koay Teow, Penang Myanmar Rangoon Tea House, Yangon Shan Kitchen, Yangon Shwe Sa Bwe, Yangon Nepal Newa Momo Nepal, Kathmandu Tukche Thakali Kitchen, Kathmandu Pakistan N'ecos, Karachi Waris Nihari, Lahore Philippines Farmer's Daughter, Baguio Earth Kitchen, Manila Hapag, Manila Bale Dutung, Pampanga Singapore Botanico at The Garage Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap Keng Eng Kee Mr. and Mrs. Mohgan's Super Crispy Roti Prata Naked Finn Restaurant Kin South Korea Nangpoonbopsang, Jeju Base Is Nice, Seoul Guemdwaeji Sikdang, Seoul Miro Sikdang, Seoul Sri Lanka Cafe Kumbuk, Colombo Paradise Road: The Gallery Cafe, Colombo Mettha's Traditional Home Cooked Meals, Unawatuna Taiwan Akame, Pingtung Yu Li Cultural Bookstore and Community Kitchen, Taichung Huang's Lu Rou Fan, Taipei Plants, Taipei Thailand 100 Mahaseth, Bangkok Barefoot Bangkok, Bangkok Na cafe at Bangkok 1899, Bangkok Wattana Panich, Bangkok Locus Native Food Lab, Chiang Rai Samuay & Sons, Udon Thani Vietnam Pho Gia Truyen, Hanoi Ngoc Suong Seafood & Bar, Ho Chi Minh City Pizza 4P's, Ho Chi Minh City Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen, Hoi An The conversation around Essence of Asia continues with #50BestTalks, an online series of exclusive interviews featuring some of the region's leading chefs and thought leaders. With two appointments on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Facebook page, #50BestTalks will see celebrated chefs Gaggan Anand and Margarita Fores go on culinary explorations of their respective cities Bangkok and Manila to visit Essence of Asia restaurants and give viewers a unique insight into their work and the fascinating stories behind their signature dishes. Tune in at 16:00 Singapore/HK time on Thursday 18th March and Saturday 20th March to follow the action live. The ninth annual Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony will be broadcast on Thursday, 25th March, from 4.30pm (HK/SG; 5.30pm JPN), to a global audience via Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Facebook, the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel and Zoom. How the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled The annual list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants is created from the votes of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 300 leaders made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and regional culinary experts, with a 50/50 gender balance. The year's vote was adjusted to account for restricted travel opportunities, placing a greater focus on local dining experiences. 50 Best works with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner to help protect the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. For more details on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants voting process, visit: https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/voting/the-voting-system. 50 Best for Recovery 2021: Opportunity for Change The 50 Best organisation will reinforce its commitment to supporting and promoting restaurants and bars across the world through its 50 Best for Recovery 2021 programme. This year also brings opportunities for positive change as the sector rebuilds and remodels itself with a greater focus on inclusivity and long-term sustainability. 50 Best will use its global platform to highlight even more great restaurants and bars worldwide through its 50 Best lists, special awards, unranked collections and content series as well as showcase individuals shaping the future of gastronomy through its new 50 Next list, which will debut later this year. 50 Best will take the opportunity in 2021 and beyond to amplify diverse voices and positive messages, foster progressive discussion and cross-border collaboration, and encourage greater gastronomic discovery and exploration. Notes to Editors: William Reed Business Media The Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list is published by William Reed Business Media, which also publishes The World's 50 Best Restaurants, launched in 2002, and Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants, launched in September 2013, as well as The World's 50 Best Bars and Asia's 50 Best Bars. William Reed Business Media is entirely responsible for the organisation of the awards, the voting system and the list. Main sponsor: S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the main sponsors and official water partners of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the leading natural mineral waters in the fine dining world. Together they interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of excellence, pleasure and well-being. Other partners: Inedit Damm Official Beer Partner and sponsor of Inedit Damm Chefs' Choice Award American Express Official Credit Card & Booking Platform Partner (Resy) and sponsor of the American Express One To Watch Award Gin Mare Official Gin Partner and sponsor of Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award Beronia Official Wine Partner and sponsor of the Beronia Highest Climber Award Cinco Jotas Official Iberico Ham Partner and sponsor of Asia's Best Female Chef Award Flor de Cana Official Rum Partner and sponsor of the Flor de Cana Sustainable Restaurant Award Aspire Lifestyles Official Concierge Partner and sponsor of Highest New Entry Award Asia's 50 Best Restaurants social media Follow on Twitter: @The Worlds50Best #Asias50Best Follow on Instagram: @TheWorlds50Best Become a Facebook fan: https://www.facebook.com/Asias50BestRestaurants Subscribe to 50 Best Restaurants TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/worlds50best The awards ceremony will be streamed live on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Facebook page, the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel and Zoom on March 25 from 4.30pm (HK/SG; 5.30pm JPN). This release is also available in the following languages: English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. The official language of the press office is English. Note to media: To register for and access the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants online media centre, please visit https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/media-centre-registration.html Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1455248/Essence_of_Asia.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1455247/Essence_of_Asia_Logo.jpg For press enquiries, please contact CatchOn, A Finn Partners Company Email: [email protected] Telephone: +852 2566 8988 SOURCE Asias 50 Best Restaurants Global drylands are experiencing faster-than-average warming and are also among the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Meteorological metrics all point to an emerging trend of increased surface aridity, raising concerns of land desertification and degradation. However, recent satellite observations also show lusher drylands, in apparent contradiction to the image of drylands becoming drier. In a new Review Article published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, an international team comprehensively examined global dryland aridity changes with evidence from the literature and various sources of Earth observations and numerical modeling. A key message of this synthesis is that, by considering the physiological effect of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), the apparent paradox between enhanced surface aridity and lusher dryland vegetation can actually be resolved. Led by researchers from Peking University, the team includes scientists with diverse expertise on global dryland research from China, UK, France, Australia, USA and Austria. By employing a broad range of aridity metrics, the team provided a more complete picture of current and future aridity changes over global drylands. They found that atmospheric-based metrics generally show a strong trend of rising dryness; while soil moisture and runoff also imply increasing dryland aridity, yet at slower paces. By contrast, ecosystem-based metrics show a trend of greening and reduced plant water stress, despite the rising atmospheric dryness. The co-occurrence of atmospheric drying and ecosystem greening over drylands is also confirmed by model simulations of vegetation dynamics. Lian Xu from Peking University, the lead author of this study, explains: "Literally, aridity means insufficient water supply to meet the demand. However, for different parts of the land surface, their supply and demand sides are different; and they can move in divergent directions under environmental change. Therefore, when different dryness metrics are brought together in a unified framework, they can have very different trends". He further added: "No single metric fully captures the complex nature of the land surface aridity". Higher temperatures increase atmospheric demand for water, and are expected to aggravate plant water stress. However, dryland plants are found to experience reduced levels of water stress thanks to the simultaneously increasing concentration of atmospheric CO 2 . This is because the pores of plant leaves (stomata), which allow for water loss through a process called transpiration, partially close under higher CO 2 concentrations, conserves water under increasing aridity. For water-stressed ecosystems, the saved water allows plants to capture extra CO 2 and thus trigger more vigorous growth (greening). The reduced plant transpiration also impacts other land surface processes, leaving more water stored in soils and running off through rivers, but at the same time also making the near-surface air warmer and drier. "It is always tempting to define the water stress plants will feel under climate change by the new weather regimes they might experience. Our research shows that ignoring vegetation physiological response gives an incomplete picture, as the capability to adjust to drier conditions is stronger than expected", said Chris Huntingford from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The authors note that future changes to drylands may be highly nonlinear, and subject to additional drivers such as flash droughts, fire disturbances and intensification of human activities, which are not yet fully understood. "Understanding possible nonlinear behaviors and tipping points of dryland ecosystem changes, and improving their representation in Earth system models, is a high priority for future research", Lian added. In the future, the rapidly growing populations and socio-economic development in drylands may increase human water demand dramatically, which will become the key driving force of dryland aridity changes, competing with ecosystems for water and posing a growing threat to ecosystem health. "Dryland water-resource management and climate-change mitigation policies should consider how to manage water in more efficient and sustainable ways, to safeguard food security while simultaneously maintain healthy ecosystems", said Fu Bojie of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who leads the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme (Global-DEP) aiming to facilitate dryland social-ecological sustainability. ### * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... While some state lawmakers assert they should be paid an annual salary, our legislators proved last week they are not yet ready for prime time. As the pandemic hit New Mexico last March, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham invoked the states 2003 Public Health Emergency Response Act, passed in 2003 after the 9/11 attacks on America, which allowed her to act quickly in the name of public safety and provided a nimbleness that is the antithesis of the deliberative legislative process. It clearly was an emergency that required quick action and Lujan Grisham is the first governor to invoke the law. Unfortunately, it requires no input from lawmakers ever. Months later, lawmakers of both major parties began lamenting their inability to effectively represent their constituents. The governor issued public health orders closing schools, businesses and houses of worship, imposed fines of up to $5,000 a day for non-compliers, invoked a statewide mask mandate and suspended medical procedures. All 42 state senators and 70 state House members had little choice but to stand by and watch as the governor renewed the public health order, which automatically expires after 30 days, again and again. And those extensions made New Mexico more monarchy than representative democracy. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ So, last summer, after a measure failed in the June special session to require the governor to get legislative approval to extend public health orders, lawmakers began seriously working on bipartisan bills to provide for a smart transition from one person calling the shots in an immediate emergency to elected representatives and senators weighing in with the publics concerns over the longer haul. What emerged in the current legislative session as the most viable measure is Senate Bill 74, offered by Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca, R-Belen. It was amended in a Senate committee early last month to extend the original emergency order to 45 days and require renewal or changes be approved by a simple majority of the Legislative Council, a committee of top lawmakers that meets between legislative sessions. After passing its two assigned Senate committees with bipartisan support, SB 74 languished for nearly three weeks awaiting a vote on the Senate floor. During that time, the governor warned she would veto any bill that curbed her emergency powers. She said such legislation could make it more difficult for a governor to respond quickly to public health emergencies. Lujan Grisham predicted on Feb. 18 that no such bill would reach her desk this session, and it appears lawmakers in the Democratic majority heard her loud and clear, and complied. Last week, Senate Republicans tried to force a floor vote on SB 74, with Baca saying lawmakers would otherwise be impotent. But Bacas motion was rejected on a party-line vote. Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, was noncommittal about whether it would be brought up for debate before the session ends Saturday. He said it is an important discussion about separation of powers that needs to happen, but apparently not that important, and not this year. The great irony of ironies is the House passed two measures last week that would establish salaries for lawmakers, and review the need for staffing and transparency. Are they kidding? They wont demand the ability to do the job voters elected them to do, yet they think they should be paid an annual salary and have more staff? To do what, exactly? Block laws the governor doesnt like? Our Legislature had its chance in the big leagues last week, but when it came time to bat, members struck out looking. All it took was a veto threat from the governor. Lawmakers fearful of exercising their constitutional muscles to challenge the executive branchs unfettered powers so they could actually represent the 2 million average New Mexicans dont deserve more of anything. They should continue to pocket their $194 daily per diem and keep taking their orders from the Governors Office. While we need to keep the executive branch strong enough to deal with any crisis, lawmakers should not be shut out in perpetuity from decisions that affect every corner of the state during an emergency. If our state lawmakers want to be a full-time Legislature, then they need to act like it and bring SB 74 up for a floor vote and get it through the House ASAP. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. As SpaceX launched their latest Starlink mission with the Falcon 9, people across the US East Coast and Texas saw strange fireballs in the sky. The residents of the East Coast saw a bright streaking across the sky, leaving a trail of an extremely bright fire behind it, like a giant fireball in the sky. The early morning pitch-black sky made the sight even more spectacular. Read on to know how the Falcon SpaceX launch lit up the sky. SpaceX Launch Looked Like a Fireball in The Sky At 6:01 a.m. on Sunday morning, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket made liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, carrying a total of 60 Starlink Satellites to deploy them into the Earth's orbit. People all along the coast of Florida saw the rocket flashing up into the sky, as reported by Space.com. You can take a look at the pictures of the spectacular sight in the embedded tweet of SpaceX down below. As reported by Space.com, after the liftoff, the American Meteor Society(AMS) received about 120 reports of an 'observed object in the sky' the AMS said in a tweet. AMS also confirmed that the observed object was the SpaceX rocket and not a fireball in their tweet. Falcon 9 launches Starlink to orbit pic.twitter.com/BXtM7I3t5M SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2021 About Starlink According to the Starlink website, the company has started delivering initial beta services in the United States and select parts of the world and they will slowly continue deploying satellites till they can cover the majority of the world's population by 2021. As of now, the service is in closed beta and customers can register on the Starlink website to get a chance for access in the beta. Starlink have said users during the beta trials can expect to see speeds from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and a ping of 20ms to 40ms in most of the Starlink locations. Starlink also says that as they improve their network with more satellites and optimises their services, their speeds and latency will improve a lot. Starlink has already deployed more than 1000 Starlink internet satellites that are covering major metropolitan cities of the world. With every launch of the Falcon rockets, SpaceX adds about 60 more satellites around the planet to increase the range and latency of their internet services. SpaceX's mission is to provide high-speed internet access to remote areas and villages across the world that do not have good internet services in their locations. Stay tuned for more news on SpaceX and Starlink. 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, March 16 : Two men in their early 20s were stabbed to death after a horrifying chase by their assailants in a case of road rage in Outer Delhi's Paschim Vihar on Tuesday. The deceased Rohit Agrawal, 23, and Ghanshyam, 20, were chased by two bike-borne assailants after a minor case of grazing or touching between the two vehicles. The victims were chased down by the two attackers, including a juvenile, and were cornered near Udyog Vihar Metro Station before being stabbed to death. Both victims were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi hospital where they were declared brought dead. Police sid that Rohit Aggarwal was a resident of Shiv Ram Park and used to work in his father's Utensil Shop in Nangloi. The other victim, Ghanshyam, was from Bihar's Begusarai. He was a labour in Haryana Dairy in Shiv Ram Park. During the course of interrogation, it was revealed that a road rage incident between both parties led to the murder. "We have arrested an accused Pardeep Kohli (19 years) a resident of Jawalapuri, Delhi. He works as a labourer in scrap shop in Bahadurgarh. A juvenile also involved in the crime has been apprehended," said A. Koan, DCP Outer Delhi. The incident reminds one of the infamous Rohini road rage in which Sunita from Rohini was killed in May 2003 that shook the capital. Sunita had intervened in a road rage case and was gunned down. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Porterville, CA (93257) Today Mostly sunny. Near record high temperatures. High near 105F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 68F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) are seen in Washington in file photographs. (Getty Images) Arizona Attorney General Urges Sinema, Kelly to Reject H.R. 1 Arizonas attorney general this week implored the states two U.S. senators to vote no on H.R. 1, a massive election reform bill that the House of Representatives recently approved. Public servants have no duty more sacred than protecting the peoples right to vote while maintaining the integrity of elections. As the chief legal officer for Arizona, I respectfully urge you to vote No on the companion Senate bill to H.R. 1, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, wrote in a March 15 letter to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). The bill, he added, would not expand Arizonans right to vote, but only eviscerate the integrity of Arizona elections and undermine voter confidence. Federal officials would be permitted to subvert Arizonas ability to keep running elections in the state and impede traditional notions of federalism by eradicating virtually all state control of the time, place, and manner of federal elections, he wrote. Most of the provisions outlined in the act that would expand voting opportunities are already in place in Arizona, including no-excuse mail-in voting and in-person early voting, Brnovich noted. At the same time, the legislation would invalidate several Arizona election laws such as restrictions on ballot harvesting or the collection of mail-in ballots. As public officials, there is no higher priority than maintaining the integrity of our elections. The very foundation of our nation and our state rests on the notion that our government is derived from the consent of the governed. Distrust in the elective franchise shakes the core of that foundation and delegitimizes those in power. In Arizona, we have laws that allow every voter ample opportunity to vote, free from intimidation, and that prevent disenfranchisement and fraud. Our systems maintain the publics trust and provide for secure elections. Lets keep it that way, he concluded. Spokespersons for Sinema and Kelly didnt respond to requests for comment. The House of Representatives on March 3 passed H.R. 1, also known as the For the People Act. Every Republican voted against the bill, as did Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). The bill spans 800 pages and would impose a number of voting and election changes, such as requiring disclosure of donors to religious and nonprofit advocacy groups and enabling incumbent congressmen and their challengers to receive a salary from campaign funds. It would also force states to implement a minimum of 15 days of early voting, offer mail-in ballots, facilitate online voter registration, and allow no-excuse absentee balloting. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the legislation would protect the right to vote and remove obstacles of participation. Whats exciting about it is that it restores confidence that people have that their vote and their voice is as important as anyones, she told reporters in Washington on March 5. The Senates version faces uncertain prospects in the upper chamber, which has 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. The bill would need 60 votes to pass. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of the GOPs upper chamber leadership team, told reporters on Tuesday that the Senate bill is a partisan effort, frankly, to take over the elections in a way that sort of drives off a partisan clip. It is everything Democrats have tried to do for 20 years. And in some ways, things that Democrats never even thought about mentioning before, like a partisan Federal Election Commission, he added. Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report. Fox News was quick to jump on the bandwagon of a recent New York Post article calling for Generation X to stand up to so-called "cancel culture." The recent column by the Post's Mathew Hennessey had Fox taking a cue from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who had retweeted the story and has been vocal on social media about supposed digital lynch mobs and thought-policing. APPLE SUED: Houston woman sues Apple after claiming they ripped off 'racially diverse' emoji "The generation that fought for its right to party should be leading the charge against these millennial Maoists terrorizing the culture via social media. Why arent we?" Hennessey wrote. User @katkrayzay may have had the best response to Hennessy's tweet: "Of all the generations to ask for help, Fox thinks Gen X will help them? Have they met us?" Did America and Fox forget how Tipper Gore launched an all-out campaign in the 80s to censor popular music through her Parents Music Resource Center? Songs like "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister and "She Bop" by Cyndi Lauper were on the list of "filthy" songs, Hennessey said. Gen Xers were quick to count the ways why they don't care to come to the rescue. Screenshot Twitter Hennessey does make a good point about why Gen X is the natural choice for this war. "Dont let it happen. We are a generation with a certain set of skills. We can read a map. We can tell time on an analog clock. We can get along just fine without social media. And we know deep down that sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you." Where are my Gen Xers? What do you think about this latest challenge? Everybody needs a good headset, though not all headsets are created equal. COVID-19 saw massive work-from-home demand for headsets. Companies who chose a professional-grade headset saw their teams productive and comfortable while those opting for the lowest cost options invariably suffered can you hear me? all day long. If you're in the latter camp, here is a good option. Danish audio brand, Jabra, part of the GN Group, is known worldwide for its consumer and business headphones, spanning wireless, true wireless and corded options. The Jabra Evolve series is a professional headset thats sold millions since it launched in 2014 and is the leading unified communications (UC) headset series for noise cancellation in open office environments. With this background, it was interesting to see the evolution in the Jabra Evolve2 series, with iTWire able to try out a Jabra Evolve2 40 model. This is a comfortable, wired and certified option, meeting the audio standards set by Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Microsoft Teams and Unify. These certifications represent the audio quality standards Jabra has met in its engineering, with the headset guaranteed to give you the best out of VoIP platforms. A dedicated Teams button lets you interact with that app in one touch. Free firmware updates via the Jabra Direct software application. Office workers were sent home around the globe during COVID-19, scrambling to find whatever headset they could. Yet, for those taking up non-certified headsets found dropouts, echoes, noises and distractions the order of the day. If working from home during the pandemic had a mantra it would undoubtedly be can you repeat that? for these organisations. For my money, you want quality headphones if you work from home or collaborate remotely with any regularity, and even if you enjoy music or other options to help keep your attention focused in noisy offices. This has to be non-negotiable, and iTWire found the Jabra Evolve2 40 a tremendous choice. It's a USB corded device which means its ready for use in an instant on your PC or laptop or even smartphone or tablet. Theres no waiting for Bluetooth to pair or worrying about keeping it charged. It simply works and provides both USB-A and USB-C connectivity. iTWire was also taken by its comfort, with noise-isolating foam oval ear cushions and angled ear-cup design covered in leatherette. It weighs 113g and includes three digital MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) microphones. The speaker is 40mm with max power of 30mW and with built-in hearing protection. Along with the certifications listed above, the Evolve2 40 also meets premium open office standards when the boom-arm microphone is pulled down. This qualification is the strictest test requirement of how the headset microphone suppresses surrounding noise and office conversation from multiple directions. It is the ultimate reassurance that your headset will excel in an open office environment. Another feature iTWire really loved was the red busy lamp. When you are on a call or otherwise using the headset, the lamp will illuminate so your co-workers know you are on-air, so to speak. This is a great inclusion, with this writer suffering many times in the past from well-meaning colleagues shouting are you on a call? while wearing headphones over the years. Ultimately, the Jabra Evolve2 40 is elegantly simple. Sure, you can get truly stylish and lightweight high-end wireless audio equipment (actually, even from Jabras other product offerings) but for all-day comfort, ready-in-an-instant usage, and no battery life concerns this is a terrific choice. Its a headset thats deceptively simple in the modesty of its design but packed with noise-cancelling tech and solid microphones to keep you sane in the busiest of environments and deliver crisp, clear audio in every call you make - or in all your music and podcasts and other activities. The Jabra2 Evolve 40 is available now from various retailers at prices ranging between $145 and $205. Pictured: the Jabra2 Evolve 40 contains a dedicated Microsoft Teams button, and alerts you the first time you fire up Teams using it. GAUTIER -- It took nearly five months, but the City of Gautier finally named Josh Latch its permanent fire chief, five months after he was named interim chief in the wake of Robert Jones firing. Latchs appointment to the position was announced Monday by Gautier City Manager Paula Yancey. Josh is very organized, has great follow-up and is a team builder, Yancey said of her decision to name Latch the permanent chief. I feel that team-building is critically important, especially among first responders. Everyone wants to be heard, and I know that Josh listens and communicates with his firefighters. He has an open-door policy. The 44-year-old Latch has been with the Gautier Fire Department since 2008, advancing to lieutenant by 2016 and in 2018 was named an assistant chief in charge of training. Latch took over for Jones after the latters dismissal last October. Jones had held the position since November 2013, when he succeeded the retiring Ray Frair. I believe in having an open communication policy where everyone feels they have a voice and that their input is valued, Latch said. Communication must be at the top of the list from administration to all levels of rank to be effective in motivating others to perform at their ultimate level. Latch added its imperative his department operate in a manner which gives Gautier residents peace of mind. I want each and every citizen of Gautier to feel confident that the Gautier Fire Department will be there to assist with the best crew of firefighters available, he said. Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium Joins the Empire State Purchasing Group by BidNet Direct Registered vendors can access bids, related documents, addendum and award information. The Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium announced it has joined BidNet Directs Empire State Purchasing Group and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. The Empire State Purchasing Group connects participating agencies from across New York to a large vendor pool and streamlines the bid and vendor management process. BidNets Empire State Purchasing Group provides notifications to registered vendors of new relevant solicitations, as well as any addenda and award information from participating agencies across New York, and can be accessed at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-york. The Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium joined the purchasing group in March, and will utilize the system to publish and distribute upcoming bid opportunities. The Empire State Purchasing Group is a single, online location that manages sourcing information and activities and provides local government agencies throughout New York the tools needed to minimize costs and save time throughout the purchasing process. We are always looking to increase our vendor pool and competition, says Elin R. Dowd, Executive Director for the Consortium. We hope the Empire State Purchasing Group will help us extend the reach of our solicitations, and it can help our vendors find more local opportunities she continued. Registered vendors can access all open bids, related documents and files, additional addenda and award information. In addition, the Empire State Purchasing Group offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts. Registered vendors have access to not only the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium bid opportunities, but all participating agency bids. Vendors may register on the Empire State Purchasing Group at: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-york. BidNets vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2. Other local government agencies in New York looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the Empire State Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution. About the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium: The Health Consortium is a self-insured, self-funded, insurance company authorized under Article 47 of NYS Insurance law and is jointly owned by its 49 municipal partners. The Consortium mission is to be an efficient inter-municipal cooperative that provides high-quality, cost-stable health insurance for members and their employees and retirees. Consortium membership was initially offered to each municipality within the geographical boundaries of Tompkins County which included the County, City of Ithaca, and thirteen Towns and Villages. This has now expanded to any municipality in Tompkins County and the Counties contiguous to Tompkins County which includes any municipality in Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, and Tioga Counties. About BidNet Direct: BidNet Direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. BidNet Direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the Empire State Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers Bengaluru, March 17 : The Karnataka State Board of Wakfs has issued a circular prohibiting the use of loudspeakers between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. during 'azaan' or the Islamic call for ritual prayers recited at prescribed times of the day. In a circular, the board stated that the decision to bar the use of loudspeakers during the specified time was taken to prevent noise pollution. "With the objective of maintaining the ambient standards of noise, the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 are in force. The loudspeakers shall not be used in night time, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.," the circular said. However, the circular does not bar using loudspeakers for important announcements such as death, timing of burial, sighting of moon etc. "Congregational Salat, Juma Qutba, Bayans, religious, socio-cultural and knowledge-based-functions shall be performed with the speakers installed in the religious premises," the ciruclar added. The circular said that it is observed that increasing ambient noise level around many masjids and dargahs due to generator sets, loudspeakers and public address systems have deleterious effects on human health and the psychological well-being of the people. The area comprising not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts have been declared as silent zones. "Whoever uses any sound amplifier, sound emitting fire crackers, loudspeaker or public address system in the silent zones is liable for penalty under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986," the circular explained. It further stressed that this order has been issued after the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board directed the Wakf board to take necessary action to maintain ambient sound levels in and around religious places. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Report Summary: The report titled "Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Market" offers a primary overview of the Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar industry covering different product definitions, classifications, and participants in the industry chain structure. The quantitative and qualitative analysis is provided for the global Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar market considering competitive landscape, development trends, and key critical success factors (CSFs) prevailing in the Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar industry. Historical Forecast Period 2013 - 2017 Historical Year for Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Market 2018 Base Year for Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Market 2019-2027 Forecast Period for Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Market Key Developments in the Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Market To describe Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Click Here to Get Sample Premium Report @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10019 To analyze the manufacturers of Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers in Global, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type and application, from 2013 to 2019; To analyze the key countries by manufacturers, Type and Application, covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and South America, with sales, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications; Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2018 to 2026; To analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc. To analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers); Todescribe Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc. To describe Spruce Body Acoustic Guitar Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/10019/Single Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Martin Taylor LARRIVEE Lakewood S.Yairi Fender Gibson Ibanez Paul Reed Smith Guitar Santa Cruz ESP CORT B.C.RICH Fender Yamaha Seagull Market Segment by Countries, covering North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) Market Revenue and/or Volume Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy) Market Revenue and/or Volume Asia Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia) Market Revenue and/or Volume Middle-East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa) Market Revenue and/or Volume South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.) Market Revenue and/or Volume Market Segment by Type, covers O Type A Type D Type G Type Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into Professional Performance Learning and Training Individual Amateurs Request For Report Discounts @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10019 San Francisco, March 16 : Microsoft has started rolling out the latest Windows 10 update to fix bug issue that has left users with a blue screen of death (BSOD) when they tried to use a printer. In the update notes, Microsoft said that the issue only affected certain printers using some apps. It seemed to impact some printers from Kyocera, Ricoh and Zebra. "Addresses an issue that might cause a blue screen when attempting to print to certain printers using some apps and might generate the error, APC_INDEX_MISMATCH," the company said in a statement. The update will be available for anyone affected - specifically those on Windows 10 versions 1803, 1809, 1909, 2004, 20H2, and Insiders on 21H1. One can download the new update by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and then click Check for Updates. The second method to get the cumulative update is by directly downloading it from the Microsoft Update Catalog, where one will find the download links for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 10 respectively. Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has warned the Australian government to lay off 'tit-for-tat' with Beijing, saying the country could remain 'in the Chinese freezer' for years. Ms Bishop said the government needed to ensure they don't offend our 'largest customer' while hosting an online panel for the Australian National University on Monday night. She said she understood Beijing officials were refusing to meet with Canberra ministers to discuss levy's imposed by China on Australia, suggesting it would take years for the relationship to mend. The remarks were made hours after trade minister Dan Tehan announced he had escalated a complaint to the World Trade Organisation about tariffs on Australian barley, which has increased the cost by 80 per cent. Former foreign minister Julie Bishop (top left hand corner) as warned the Australian government to lay off China, saying the country could remain 'in the Chinese freezer' for years on a webinar (pictured) 'The infamous Chinese freezer can last for years,' said Ms Bishop, who is now the Chancellor of the ANU. 'China is an important trading partner, China is a significant world power and they are our largest mercantile trading partner. 'You don't unnecessarily offend your largest customer, so we need to re-engage with China.' The nation has imposed levies on various Australian industries, including wine, beef, lamb, cotton, lobsters, timber and coal. Ms Bishop (pictured) said the government needed to ensure they don't offend our 'largest customer' while hosting the panel for the Australian National University on Monday night On Monday trade minister Dan Tehan escalated a complaint to the WTO over China's tariffs on Australian barley, which at 80 per cent constitutes a virtual ban on exports. Pictured: Barley farm in New South Wales Ms Bishop said she believed the country was refusing to meet with Canberra officials and predicted the strained relationship would continue for years to come. 'I think it will be some time before we see a thawing of the relations,' she told the panel. Ms Bishop used the relationship between the United Kingdom and the red state as an example, saying the UK was freezed out for four years. 'Allow the temperature to cool a bit and be patient until such time as meetings become available so that negotiations on a range of issues can resume,' she said. 'The way for the Australian government forward is to continue to protect our national interest, of course, but avoid the unnecessary media tit-for-tat with Chinese officials.' She said she understood Beijing officials were refusing to meet with Canberra ministers to discuss levy's imposed by China on Australia, suggesting it would take years for the relationship to mend. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping In a statement on the decision to ask the WTO to intervene against China's barley tariffs, Mr Tehan said he hoped discussions could be settled 'in a respectful manner'. 'The WTO dispute settlement system is designed to allow Members to settle their differences over trade matters in a respectful manner,' Mr Tehan remarked. 'While there was constructive engagement on both sides, these consultations did not resolve our concerns. 'The anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed on Australian barley exports are not consistent with China's WTO obligations.' Border Patrol agents apprehend a group of illegal immigrants following the congressional border delegation visit near downtown El Paso, Texas, on March 15, 2021. (Justin Hamel/AFP via Getty Images) Illegal Immigrants to Be Housed in Dallas Convention Center Children who entered the United States illegally are set to be sheltered temporarily at a convention center in downtown Dallas, as the country struggles to house the influx of unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said on Monday. The Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center will be used as an emergency intake center as soon as March 17, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to The Epoch Times. Use of the site is intended to be temporary. The center will be equipped with clean and comfortable sleeping quarters and illegal immigrants will be provided meals, toiletries, and laundry. All children will be screened for COVID-19. The city of Dallas is leasing the convention center to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for an Emergency Intake Site to house unaccompanied immigrant minors for up to 90 days, a convention center spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email. The city is not involved in any day-to-day activities at this location, he added. According to a memo circulated among members of the Dallas City Council and obtained by The Associated Press, the facility will house 15- to 17-year-old boys who illegally crossed the southern border without an adult. The center was described as a decompression center in the memo. HHS told The Epoch Times that officials with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to make sure children are moved quickly from border facilities. HHS will utilize all available options to safely care for the children. These options include both short-term and long-term solutions. In the short-term, ORR is working to ensure children dont spend more time in border patrol facilities than necessary by: 1) safely increasing capacity in its permanent/licensed network by implementing CDC COVID-19 guidance; 2) using Influx Care Facilities with the same standards of care used in its permanent/licensed network; and 3) establishing Emergency Intake Sites to decrease over-crowding in CBP facilities, a spokesperson said in an email. Simultaneously, ORR is committed to aggressively moving toward the long-term goal of acquiring enough state-licensed beds in our care provider network to reduce the need in the future for Influx Care Facilities or Emergency Intake Sites. The news comes as the influx of illegal immigrants, including many minors, at the U.S.Mexico border has reached new highs since the last crisis in 2019. The number of illegal crossings is skyrocketing as President Joe Biden begins implementing his plan, which he campaigned on, to roll back Trump-era immigration rules and policies aimed at curbing the flow of illegal immigration. The Department of Homeland Security last week confirmed that the number of unaccompanied minors in custody along the southern border is currently more than 3,250more than triple the number from three weeks ago. Of those children, more than 1,360 have been staying at holding cells longer than the three days allowed by law. FEMA on Friday approached Dallas about using the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center to house unaccompanied youth, an email sent Monday by Rocky Vaz, the citys emergency management director indicates, according to The Dallas Morning News. Government officials confirmed the following day that they wished to lease space in the center. We are in the process of finalizing the contract and getting the facility ready for use and wanted to share this with you, Vaz said in his email, noting that all costs would be paid for by taxpayers through FEMA and HHS. T.C. Broadnax, city manager for Dallas, told The Epoch Times in a statement that the city will do our best to support this humanitarian effort. We are committed to working with our federal partners to accommodate the request to utilize our facilities, Broadnax said. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a statement Monday said that the Biden administrations reckless open door policies have created a humanitarian crisis for unaccompanied minors coming across the border and that his policies are risking the health and safety of Texans and putting children at risk from cartels and human traffickers. Biden has declined suggestions that the situation at the border is reaching crisis point and is yet to announce any concrete plans to address the growing number of illegal crossings. When asked by a reporter last week whether theres a crisis at the border, Biden replied, No, well be able to handle it. The Biden administration on Monday, however, acknowledged that the recent spike in illegal immigrants crossing the border is a big problem. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a daily press briefing that the administration is assessing whether to add additional facilities for unaccompanied minors. Psaki has defended the influx, saying that the Biden administrations policy of accepting unaccompanied minors was introduced to prioritize humanity. Read More US Judge Blocks Trump Administrations Plan to Detain Immigrant Families Past 20 Days The administration, she said last week, is working on putting in place policies that can address what were seeing, such as increasing the number of Health and Human Services facilities for unaccompanied minors to be transferred to after being apprehended at the southern border. It is also working to safely increase the number of children that can occupy current facilities in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she said. Zachary Stieber and Janita Kan contributed to this report. ADVERTISEMENT Gunmen have abducted a Catholic priest in Delta State, Nigerias South-south. The priest, identified as Harrison Prhinyovaw, was said to have been abducted at about 8:00 p.m. on Monday at a bad spot in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state. He is said to be in charge of St. Johns Catholic Church, Obinomba in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State. The victim was said to have been on transit from Warri to his station, Obinomba. According to a resident in the community, the cleric, with his Highlander SUV, was meandering through the bad spot in Oria-Abraka when the incident happened. The kidnappers shot sporadically in the air to scare away passers-by at the scene of the operation. They abandoned the clerics car at the scene of the incident, the witness said. Also, a member of the local vigilante who spoke with journalists, said he and his colleagues heard the terrifying gun shots fired by the kidnappers. He said the vigilante was not armed enough to go after the kidnappers. When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Edafe Bright, confirmed the incident. He said a team of police officers was already trailing the suspects. (NAN) Mr. Khater and Mr. Tanios were seen on video early in the afternoon standing five to eight feet away from police officers, including Officer Sicknick, the F.B.I. said. In a video of the attack, Mr. Khater said, Give me that, and then reached into Mr. Tanioss backpack, the F.B.I. said. Mr. Tanios protested that it was too early, apparently to attack the officers with the spray. Mr. Khater countered that he had just been sprayed and held up the can of chemical spray. At 2:23 p.m., as other rioters began to pull away a barrier between them and the Capitol, Mr. Khater aimed his spray can toward officers, the F.B.I. said, citing video footage including a body camera worn by an officer from Washingtons Metropolitan Police Department. The officers reacted one by one, to something striking them in the face, the F.B.I. said. The officers immediately retreat from the line, bring their hands to their faces and rush to find water to wash out their eyes. They were unable to defend the Capitol for at least 20 minutes while they recovered, video showed, according to the F.B.I. Two other officers who were assaulted described the spray to their face as a substance as strong as, if not stronger than, any version of pepper spray they had been exposed to during their training as law enforcement officers, the F.B.I. said, and one said she had scabs on her face for weeks. Officer Sicknick was later rushed to a hospital, where he died. Investigators opened a homicide investigation immediately after the death of the officer, a 42-year-old Air National Guard veteran who served in Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan. Both officers and rioters deployed spray, mace and other irritants during the attack. Given that evidence, prosecutors brought assault charges rather than a murder charge, law enforcement officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a continuing investigation. It remains unclear whether Officer Sicknick died because of his exposure to the spray. On Jan. 7, the day that he died, the Capitol Police said in a statement that he was injured while physically engaging with protesters at the riot and then returned to his division office and collapsed. BlackRock World Mining Trust plc LEI - LNFFPBEUZJBOSR6PW155 The Board of BlackRock World Mining Trust plc (the Company) announces that Ollie Oliveira has informed them that, if he is elected to join the Board of Vale in August 2021, he intends to step down as a Director on 31 July 2021. Ollie will be greatly missed by the Board given his tremendous contribution during the time he has been a Director but appreciates his decision given that Vale is the Company's largest investment.Enquiries: Simon White, Co-Head of Closed End Funds Group BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited - Tel: 0207 743 5284 16 March 2021 END Mumbai, March 16 : "Bigg Boss 14" sensation Rakhi Sawant has started shooting for a new web-series titled "Tawaif Bazaar-E-Husn", going by her social media. Rakhi posted a clip from the shoot of the web-series on Instagram. In the video, Rakhi is seen enacting a scene for the cameras. "Shooting for my new series OTT Tawaif Bazaar-E-Husn directed by Marukh Mirza," Rakhi captioned the clip. Replying to a user comment later, she said that it was difficult to portray a courtesan on screen. "Bhaisahab... I cannot beat Umrao Jaan best and Rekha ji you are the Bohot Mushkil Hai Tawaif ka Role Karna (it is very difficult to play a courtesan)," she wrote. Details about the series are still under wraps. Rakhi shared that the show is directed by Marukh Mirza. -- 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. Up to 1,500 former employees of travel firm Thomas Cook are in line for 4,200 in compensation each after a tribunal ruled the company failed to consult with their union before making them redundant. The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association said Thomas Cook should have started a consultation process with TSSA at least 45 days before making anyone redundant, but staff were laid off with immediate effect. A tribunal has now awarded the maximum of 90 days' pay for each of the affected employees, the union said. Compensation payouts: Up to 1,500 former Thomas Cook employees working in its head office and other departments may be able to claim compensation of up to 4,200 each That means up to 1,500 employees working in its head office, retail support, contact centre, and corporate and group functions may be able to claim compensation of up to 4,200 each. Thomas Cook collapsed into administration in September 2019 under huge debts, with around 1,500 London, Manchester and Peterborough employees losing their jobs. Its downfall triggered Britain's biggest ever peacetime repatriation, with the Government and the Civil Aviation Authority stepping in to bring more than 150,000 stranded holiday makers back home. It was then bought out of administration by its largest shareholder, Chinese giant Fosun, for 11million, which has relaunched it as on online-only travel company. General secretary Manuel Cortes said he was 'delighted' at the news, and added: 'Our union has fought for our members at Thomas Cook all the way and this judgment shows we have been justified. 'Our members endured harsh treatment from the start, not only through the actions of the company but at the hands of a government which failed to step in to save this cornerstone of our high streets when it made perfect sense to do so.' Daniel Kindell, a partner at law firm Morrish, which helped with the case, said: 'Unfortunately, time and again I see consultation obligations flouted in cases of insolvency, leaving staff unemployed at the drop of a hat. 'Such an approach should not go unchallenged. I hope the tribunal's decision gives ex-employees of Thomas Cook some sense of justice.' Bahrain affirms unwavering keenness to work with UAE and Chinese partners in fight against COVID-19 Bahrain affirms unwavering keenness to work with UAE and Chinese partners in fight against COVID-19 TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The ongoing pandemic has created opportunities for new types of stronger cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and other Asian countries in supporting international vaccination efforts. The Kingdom has affirmed its unwavering keenness to continuously work with the UAE and Chinese partners particularly in joint efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). This was emphasised by the Cabinet chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, during its weekly meeting, held remotely, yesterday. The Cabinet commended broad and ongoing coordination and cooperation with the UAE, including joint efforts to fight the deadly respiratory virus, and collaboration within Phase III clinical trials. It also noted Chinas important role, alongside others, in supporting international vaccination efforts. Bahrain and the UAE began inoculating their populations in mid-December last year. The two countries campaigns to vaccinate their citizens and residents marked a significant vote of confidence in the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine and opened a new chapter of close cooperation with China. The Cabinet reviewed the Kingdoms ongoing national vaccination campaign, noting the arrival of a large number of vaccines in March to be used in protecting the safety and health of everyone. The Cabinet also welcomed the recent bilateral talks held between His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic, including their role in further enhancing cooperation and coordination across areas of shared interest. It commended the positive outcomes of HRH the Crown Princes meeting with the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, during his visit to Saudi Arabia. During the session, the Cabinet also discussed and outlined several memorandums. It included the approval of a memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding changes to the patent system for the GCC countries, adopted at a recent Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. The system aims to develop legislation and a unified legal framework within the patent system. Also approved was a memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding an MoU on political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, which aims to strengthen bilateral relations across political, economic, cultural and scientific fields, and other areas of common interest. Michael Gardiner is a graduate student in International Relations at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. He can be found on Twitter @Mikey_Gardiner_. Divergent Options content does not contain information of an official nature nor does the content represent the official position of any government, any organization, or any group. National Security Situation: As China continues to extend its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, this influence could be addressed by the development of security institutions. Date Originally Written: February 2, 2021. Date Originally Published: March 15, 2021. Author and / or Article Point of View: This article is written from the point of view of New Zealands security calculus and whether it should join the QUAD Plus if given the opportunity. The author believes a shift in New Zealands view of the Indo-Pacific can take advantage of regional changes in a New Cold War. Background: The emergence of a New Cold War between the United States and China has catalysed significant changes to the Indo-Pacifics security outlook. While not completely analogous to the original Cold War, there are discernible similarities between the past and the present. New security institutions have been created by both sides for the purposes of strategic competition. China has established alternative geo-economic institutions in the region such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and is interested in establishing alternative regional security institutions similar to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation[1]. A reinvigorated Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), which features the United States, Australia, India, and Japan, has been touted as a forthcoming Asian North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) by U.S. officials, and appears to be purpose-built to contain Chinas regional ambitions[2]. China is naturally displeased with the QUADs revival, criticising the institution as representing a Cold War mentality and labelling it a big underlying security risk[3]. While its institutional arrangements are still relatively shallow, high-level meetings between QUAD officials has become more frequent since 2017. The QUAD harbours greater ambitions as a nascent NATO-esque institution in the Indo-Pacific. Expansion of QUAD membership in the long-term is possible, with the QUAD Plus incorporating New Zealand, South Korea, and Vietnam during a meeting in early 2020 at the vice-ministerial level[4]. Significance: The formation of a QUAD Plus is underestimated in terms of its significance to the regions geopolitics. While the QUAD currently lacks the institutional requirements to fulfil its role as an Asian NATO, the idea of formalising QUAD into a collective security arrangement is gaining momentum. Other states will need to decide on how they will secure themselves in a new era of Great Power Competition, especially if they are pressured into choosing between the United States and China. The QUAD Plus membership requirements will be scrutinised by small states such as New Zealand, who rely heavily on trade with China for economic prosperity but lean on traditional partners for security. If the QUAD Plus becomes a viable security institution modelled off NATO in the future, New Zealand will need to assess its strategic options and interrogate the price of admission. Option #1: New Zealand continues with the status quo a hedging strategy which balances its economic relationship with China and security relationship with the United States. Under this option, New Zealand does not join the QUAD Plus. Risk: New Zealands credibility among its traditional security partners takes another hit. New Zealand has already been singled out for being the soft underbelly of Five Eye[5]. After New Zealands Trade Minister Damien OConnor suggested Australia should show more respect to China in January 2021, an Australian newspaper referred to the country as New Xi-Land[6]. Not joining the QUAD Plus could negatively impact New Zealands reputation and endanger its traditional security partnerships. Gain: A more flexible strategy allows New Zealand to better navigate uncertainty. New Zealand affords itself time and greater manoeuvrability if the United States retrenches to focus on domestic issues. New Zealand can continue to reap the benefits of its free trade deal with China. This option can build on the Washington Declaration by improving New Zealands bilateral security relationship with the United States. New Zealand also remains a member of Five Eyes, thus securing the best of both worlds. Option #2: New Zealand officially recognises China as a threat to the rules-based international order by joining the QUAD Plus. Risk: Risks in this option include the high likelihood of jeopardising New Zealands economic relationship with China. New Zealand will have paid close attention to Beijings coercive diplomacy towards Australia, after China imposed punitive trade sanctions on Australian goods, restricted imports, and accused Australia of dumping wine[7]. As New Zealand recovers from the economic costs of the Covid-19 pandemic, angering China by joining the QUAD Plus could hinder New Zealands economic recovery, should Beijing set an example of New Zealand through measures comparable to those used in the Australian case. Depending on its level of institutionalisation, the QUAD Plus could significantly restrict New Zealands strategic options and tie the country down to unattractive commitments. Gain: New Zealand improves upon its moral standing as a defender of the rules-based international order. New Zealands reputation abroad as a fair-minded, peaceful nation improves the legitimacy and viability of the QUAD Plus as a bona-fide alliance network, attracting other countries in the region to join the institution. Membership within the QUAD Plus offers greater opportunities to diversify supply chains and develop stronger relationships with players like India. This option signals a renewed commitment to traditional security partners, avoiding the risks of Option #1. Other Comments: None. Recommendations: None. This article appeared originally at Divergent Options. Endnotes: [1] Parameswaran, Prashanth. October 19th 2016. The Diplomat. Can China Reshape Asias Security Architecture? Retrieved from: https://thediplomat.com/2016/10/can-china-shape-asias-security-architecture/ [2] Biegun, Stephen. August 31st 2020. U.S. Department of State. Deputy Secretary Biegun Remarks at the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum. Retrieved from: https://2017-2021.state.gov/deputy-secretary-biegun-remarks-at-the-u-s-india-strategic-partnership-forum/index.html [3] Jaipragas, Bhavan & Tashny Sukumaran. 13th October 2020. South China Morning Post. Indo-Pacific Nato: Chinas Wang Yi slams US-led Quad as underlying security risk at Malaysia meeting. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3105299/indo-pacific-nato-chinas-wang-yi-slams-us-led-quad-underlying [4] Grossman, Derek. April 9th 2020. The RAND Blog. Dont Get Too Excited, Quad Plus Meetings Wont Cover China. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/blog/2020/04/dont-get-too-excited-quad-plus-meetings-wont-cover.html [5] Satherley, Dan. 31st May 2018. Newshub. NZ labelled soft underbelly of Five Eyes spy network in Canadian report. Retrieved from: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/nz-labelled-soft-underbelly-of-five-eyes-spy-network-in-canadian-report.html [6] Small, Zane. 29th January 2021. Newshub. Daily Telegraph newspapers New Xi-land jab as China declares New Zealand an example for Australia. Retrieved from: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/01/daily-telegraph-newspaper-s-new-xi-land-jab-as-china-declares-new-zealand-an-example-for-australia.html [7] Stitt, Ross. 2nd December 2020. Newsroom. Beware the dragon: What the Australia-China trade war means for NZ. Retrieved from: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/beware-the-dragon Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slapped a monetary penalty of Rs 2 crore on State Bank of India (SBI) for deficiencies in regulatory compliance. The penalty is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers, the central bank said in a release. "The RBI has, by an order dated March 15, 2021, imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 2 crore on State Bank of India for contravention of provisions of section 10 (1) (b) (ii) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act) and specific directions of RBI issued to the bank on payment of remuneration to employees in the form of commission," it said. The statutory inspection of SBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2017, and March 31, 2018, and the Risk Assessment Reports pertaining thereto, and examination of the correspondence with the bank regarding payment of remuneration to its employees in the form of commission had revealed contravention of the provisions of the Act and specific directions issued by RBI. Consequently, a show cause notice was issued to SBI to explain why penalty should not be imposed on it for contravention of the provisions of the Act and directions issued by RBI. "After considering the bank's replies to the notice, oral submissions made in the personal hearing and examination of additional submissions made by it, RBI came to the conclusion that the aforesaid charges were substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty," the release said. Also read: RBI asks banks to implement Cheque Truncation System in all branches by Sep 30 Basin for water capture, stone bunds, zai pits. Credit: Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT/B.Vinceti Forest landscape restoration is attaining new global momentum this year under the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), an initiative launched by the United Nations. Burkina Faso, in West Africa, is one country that already has a head start in forest landscape restoration, and offers valuable lessons. An assessment of achievements there and in other countries with a history of landscape restoration is critical to informing a new wave of projects aiming for more ambitious targets that are being developed thanks to renewed global interest and political will to improve the environment. Burkina Faso has been fighting with desertification and climate change, and has seen a progressive degradation of its forested landscapes due to the expansion of agriculture. In 2018, the country planned to restore 5 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, as part of the pan-African initiative AFR100. However, the country is facing many challenges amid growing pressures on natural resources, extreme degradation processes, and changing climatic conditions. So far, restoration initiatives have only partly succeeded due to various constraints and have mainly targeted small areas when compared to the scale of landscape degradation that has happened. In 2019, researchers at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT interviewed managers of 39 active restoration initiatives in Burkina Faso to understand bottlenecks and opportunities for scaling up ongoing efforts. The initiatives examined were concentrated in the Sahelian and northern part of the Sudanian region, where most degraded lands are located. The majority of these initiatives were less than three years old and all aimed at bringing back tree cover in the landscape, among other objectives. They reported their findings in Sustainability in December. Initiatives combined objectives that spanned from recovering ecological functions of the ecosystems, increasing resilience of local communities to climate change and enhancing productivity in agro-sylvo-pastoral systems, in alignment with national policies that promote both livelihood improvement and ecosystems conservation. Most restoration initiatives had a strong involvement of local NGOs and associations, directly engaged in managing activities on the ground, while the funding was primarily provided through multilateral or bilateral international co-operation projects. Compost basin, half-moons in the background. Credit: Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT/B.Vinceti Assisted natural regeneration, an approach well-adapted to landscapes in which old tree stumps are sufficiently present and the soil seed bank is not totally depleted, was found to be commonly used to foster tree development. It favors regrowth from existing tree stumps, through their management and protection from disturbance. It is the most cost-efficient approach and have proved to be successful for restoring vast areas in other West African countries. Other practices, although very labor-intensive, are commonly adopted, as they are indispensable to cultivate in extreme environments where water is scarce and soil fertility limited. These consist in the creation of stone bunds, half-moons, Vallerani trenches and zai, which are pits filled with seed and manure. Shrubs and grass were often commonly planted along with trees, as they play a role in conserving soils, creating favorable microclimates, stabilizing moisture levels, and providing forage for animals, thereby creating a benefit from the early stage of restoration activities. Tree planting was implemented by the majority of the restoration initiatives, as natural regeneration alone is not sufficient to sustain the recovery of a tree cover in most contexts. Half of the restoration initiatives sourced at least part of their planting materials from the National Tree Seed Center, a government-run seed conservation and production research center. The center offers seeds of a large range of native species and ensures that collection practices follow best standards, guided by genetic considerations about the origin of the planting material. However, a significant number of initiatives relied exclusively on self-collected, locally procured seed, harvested from sources potentially depauperated and from a limited number of individuals available, raising concerns about quality of the planting material, its growth performance, and capacity to survive in the face of changing climatic conditions. Participatory approaches to involve local communities were generally adopted across the initiatives examined and capacity building activities were a common denominator, however, the role of local communities in decision-making seemed still limited. Women especially tend to be excluded and have very limited land-access rights. Despite all the critical aspects identified, the increasing number of restoration initiatives, the diversity of approaches used by local actors to overcome constraints and the support from the government are all encouraging aspects. The renewed interest of international donors in supporting the Great Green Wall for the Sahel and Sahara Initiative (GGW), an African-led initiative, involving 11 countries, to fight land degradation, desertification and drought will provide an ideal framework to achieve multiple objectives, scaling up efforts to restore degraded land, creating job opportunities, and strengthening resilience of rural communities. Explore further The long shadow of colonial forestry is a threat to savannas and grasslands More information: Barbara Vinceti et al, How Is Forest Landscape Restoration Being Implemented in Burkina Faso? Overview of Ongoing Initiatives, Sustainability (2020). Barbara Vinceti et al, How Is Forest Landscape Restoration Being Implemented in Burkina Faso? Overview of Ongoing Initiatives,(2020). DOI: 10.3390/su122410430 Provided by International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Anna Gauthier (lead author) and Aranteiti Tekiau (Kiribati) enjoy the sun and waves on the deck of the R/V Falkor, examining ROV SuBastian close up before it plunges to the depths. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute In the largest and deepest marine protected area in the world, a team of ocean experts peered over 3,000 meters below the surface to find new types of microbial organisms that people would have never encountered before. These microbestypes of bacteriacould now open up doors to new ways of understanding how the immune system responds to completely foreign invaders. A collaborative study among the Rotjan Marine Ecology Lab at Boston University, the Kagan Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, the government of Kiribati, and others has found that there are some bacteria so foreign to humans that our immune cells can't register that they exist, overriding the long-held belief of universal immunity, or that our cells can recognize any bacteria they interact with. Rather, the study found, some bacteria are solely defined by their local habitat or surroundings. Their findings were published Friday, March 12, in Science Immunology. "Our team discovered and cultured novel microbes that are completely immunosilent to human immune systems," says Randi Rotjan, meaning that the bacteria triggered no reaction or response from our innate immune system. Rotjan, a BU College of Arts & Sciences research assistant professor of biology and a co-lead author of the paper, says this discovery was completely unexpected. The research is the culmination of five years of study, across 2,000 nautical miles of central Pacific Ocean waters, with thousands of genes sequenced and with much of the work at sea being done on a floating laboratory. Rotjan, whose research focuses on live coral reefs, says that the interdisciplinary nature of their team was also a major strengthwith colead authors Anna Gauthier, a visiting student at BU in the Rotjan Lab whose research focuses on the immune systems of marine organisms, and Jonathan Kagan, who studies the ways cells interact with each other and with the microbes they encounter. In addition to being faculty in BU's biology department, Rotjan is cochief scientist of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, an expanse of marine and terrestrial habitats in Kiribatiand the largest and deepest UNESCO World Heritage Sitewhere the work took place. The Brink caught up with Rotjan, and this Q&A, which also reflects the findings and research of Gauthier and Kagan, has been condensed and edited. Credit: Boston University The Brink: How did this research get started? It's generally assumed that [our innate immune system] can detect any microbeor bacteriawe encounter, including from environments we are never exposed to, like the deep sea. But the more our team spoke, the more it became clear that there are major gaps in our knowledge. No one had ever really tested the universality of the rules of immunity. With all of us sitting in the same room, having different perspectives and expertise, we realized there was a unique opportunity to explore this further. How does this research change our understanding of immunity? To deep-sea bacteria, humans are Martians, and vice versa. The novel bacteria from the deep sea that we collected and tested would never have had the natural opportunity to interact with humanssince they live thousands of meters below the surface. So, we asked the questions, what would happen when organisms from these distinct ecosystems interact? Fast-forward five years, thousands of plates poured, and an immeasurable number of conversations, we have evidence that the immune system of mammals has the ability to detect microbial bacteria from our home habitat, not habitats that are foreign like the deep ocean. The inability of immune receptors to detect most bacteria from a different ecosystem suggests that pattern recognition strategies may be defined locally, not globally. Hard corals in the deep sea are biodiversity multipliers, hosting a diversity of seastars, crinoids, urchins, and other taxa along the vertical cliffs of an ancient volcano in the equatorial Pacific waters of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute What are the implications of these findings? All bacteria cells have an outer coating. Lipopolysaccharide, or LPS, is the outermost layer of the bacterial membrane. This outermost layer is what allows other organisms to recognize it. LPS receptors of human cells, mice and horseshoe crab were unable to detect 80% of deep-sea bacteria examined. Now that we know this, there is a pressing need to learn more about host-microbe interactions in every ecosystem, as new discoveries may be made in each habitat. This opens up the potential for new biological tools and therapeutics. For example, using the silent bacteria as a way to deliver medicine or an immune therapy. A mechanistic understanding of our own immune system, coupled with an increased understanding of deep-sea life, opens up new avenues of science to simultaneously help human health while also providing important justification for increasing ocean protection. Interdisciplinary collaboration really opens up new worlds. What is it like working in this floating lab? It's a completely and wholly immersive experience, in a very remote part of the worldother than our team and those on the island, the closest people near you are on the International Space Station. It's about a seven-day journey by boat from Hawaii. The Schmidt Ocean Institute research vessel we worked on, the R/V Falkor, costs upwards of $75,000 a day to operate, and is equipped with 38 screens in the control roomit's completely nuts. There were about 40 people on the ship all working toward the singular goal of viewing the corals and collecting samples. The bacteria are collected from the deep sea, using a tethered SUV-sized robot called the SuBastian controlled from the surface. The robot collected corals, slurped sediment, and sucked up water that was then analyzed at our labs back in Massachusetts. We were out [at sea] culturing the bacteria, but no one was expecting immunosilence. ROV SuBastian setting up to sample a bamboo coral, 2,000 m below the surface, with its robotic arm. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute What was it like to conduct research in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Kiribati, where our team was based in 2017, is listed by the United Nations as a least developed country, and they have made an incredibly large ocean conservation commitment. One important aspect of this study is that it is a collaborative effort with the government of Kiribati, showcasing the importance and beauty of international partnerships. The deep sea of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area was largely unstudied until now. These novel microbes may or may not be unique to the Phoenix Islands Protected Areafuture studies need to be conductedbut the existence and prominence of this protected area has driven cutting-edge research to this particular patch of ocean. Studies like these help to demonstrate the value of marine protected areas and conservation. Although most of the deep sea is unknown and unseen, it is clear that it has transformative potential both for the ocean and for ourselves. What excites you most about this discovery? The diversity of microbial life and the chemical structures they express in the deep sea are totally underexplored. This paper provides the first detailed examples and lays the foundational groundwork, but there is so much more to be done. Now that we have this new way of understanding LPS interactions with human cells, we can use this to understand more about mammalian immune systems: such as probe the origins of immune response, identify nuances in signaling pathways of microbial recognition, and increase the potential for immunotherapeutics. ROV pilot Adam Whetmore flies the submersible SuBastian onboard the R/V Falkor to collect a coral sample with its robotic arm, at the direction of the science team. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute What will you be exploring on your next expedition? We are heading back to sea with the Schmidt Ocean Institute in June 2021, building upon this last expedition, where we discovered these microbes. Our next trip will be back on the R/V Falkor, this time working in both Kiribati and US waters, since they have adjacent islands in the central Pacific. We will be following up on this initial study, but will also flip this question around to examine the immune systems of sponges and corals in the deep sea to understand the origins of these microbes, and how these microbes play a role in their home environments. Nature is so complex and has provided so many different mechanisms of response. There is much left to explore. Explore further Chlamydia-related bacteria discovered deep below the Arctic Ocean More information: Anna E. Gauthier et al. Deep-sea microbes as tools to refine the rules of innate immune pattern recognition, Science Immunology (2021). Journal information: Science Immunology Anna E. Gauthier et al. Deep-sea microbes as tools to refine the rules of innate immune pattern recognition,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abe0531 Amanda Burke covers Pittsfield City Hall for The Berkshire Eagle. An Ithaca, New York native, she previously worked at The Herald News of Fall River and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Find her on Twitter at @amandaburkec. Police officers were shocked when following up reports of a car driving 'erratically' over kerbs in a busy car park to find a two-year-old behind the wheel. A 40-year-old father has paid up $765 and lost three demerit points after letting his son drive an SUV while sitting on his lap on Sunday afternoon at Valley Lake car park in Mt Gambier, South Australia. At the time there were other vehicles, families and young children in the parking lot but police allege no one was hurt. Police officers were shocked when following up reports of a car driving 'erratically' over kerbs in the busy Valley Lake Car Park in Mt Gambier. Pictured: A different vehicle driving through the carpark The toddler was not wearing a seat belt and 'not a particularly good driver,' South Australian police said. 'Luckily, no persons were injured as a result of this parent's behaviour.' The parent was fined on the spot for having his child unrestrained in the car and driving with a person on his lap. ADVERTISEMENT The remittances from Nigerians in the diaspora have contributed to the sustenance of impoverished families across the country, Kingsley Moghalu, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has said. Posting on his Twitter handle Tuesday, Mr Moghalu expressed outrage at the action of the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, who blocked a fellow lawmaker from presenting a petition by a diaspora group because the petitioners were faceless and based outside the shores of Nigeria. Remittances from our countrymen and women at $20 billion a year keep alive families impoverished by our politicians, said Mr Moghalu, a former presidential candidate. Nigerians living and earning their living abroad is not a crime. It is their right. Their citizenship shouldnt be denigrated because of where they live. What opportunities exist for them at home if they did not move out of Nigeria? I'm OUTRAGED at @nassnigeria House of Representatives Dep. Speaker @HonAhmedWase saying Nigerians living abroad have no right to submit petitions to parliament. Remittances from our countrymen and women at $20 billion a year keep alive families impoverished by our politicians! Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) March 16, 2021 Nigerians living and earning their living abroad is not a crime. It is their right. Their citizenship shouldn't be denigrated because of where they live. What opportunities exist for them at home if they did not move out Nigeria? Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) March 16, 2021 Public outrage Mr Wase, a lawmaker representing Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, sparked outrage on social media after a video surfaced online last Thursday showing him preventing Mark Gbilah, a Benue State lawmaker, from presenting a petition from the Mutual Union of Tivs in America during plenary. ALSO READ: CBN says new scheme will ease diaspora remittances The petition, according to Mr Gbilah, who is representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, was to express concerns over the plight of Tiv people whose ancestral lands had been taken over by killer herders and how they have been in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps for years. Mr Wase has, however, defended his action, describing the online video as doctored, slanted and bent to give political and ethnic colouration to an event that was otherwise strictly based on parliamentary procedures. On Tuesday, the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation demanded an unconditional public apology from the embattled lawmaker, threatening to withhold home remittances with immediate effect. According to the World Bank, projected diaspora remittances to Nigeria in 2018 and 2019 stands at $23 billion and $25 billion respectively. Every country has a diaspora, some at leisure (people who just want to live in foreign lands), others by force of circumstances (economic migration). You wont get a Nobel Prize for guessing where we fit in, Mr Moghalu added. Every country has a diaspora, some at leisure (people who just want to live in foreign lands), others by force of circumstances (economic migration). You won't get a Nobel Prize for guessing where we fit in. Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) March 16, 2021 There are plenty of boozy ways to celebrate St. Patricks Day pints of Guinness, Irish coffee, even green beer comes to mind. But one New Jersey ice cream shop is celebrating the holiday with a bit of extra childhood nostalgia. Milk Sugar Love, the Jersey City artisan ice cream parlor known for limited releases of delicious and meticulous flavors, is celebrating St. Patricks Day with malted marshmallow ice cream loaded with Lucky Charms cereal marshmallows. That was my favorite kids sugar cereal growing up, I could not get enough of it. owner Emma Taylor said. And I thought, How cool would that be as an ice cream something with something malty, too? because you dont see a ton of malt ice cream out there anymore. Its nostalgically delicious, with the maltiness of the ice cream making it taste like the milk left over after youve finished your cereal and the crunch of the marshmallow adding an authentic texture. Cereal nostalgia has become a major trend in the ice cream industry, with spots like Milk & Cream Cereal Bar specializing in mixing the two sweet treats. Milk Sugar Love released the flavor this past weekend and quickly sold out selling more than 150 pints in one day but will be making more to be scooped on Wednesday, for day-of St. Patricks Day. The shop will also prepare more mint chip ice cream, an uncommon flavor for the show, in celebration, Taylor said. This is the third time Milk Sugar Love has released the festive flavor. The first time they made it, Taylor and her team sifted through boxes of Lucky Charms for the marshmallows I would never do that again, thats a little bit insane, Taylor said. Now they buy the marshmallow charms in bulk. Malted marshmallow is just the latest crazy flavor from Milk Sugar Love, which boasts unlikely flavors like lemon olive oil, midnight cocoa made with activated charcoal, and earl gray fudge. There are two Milk Sugar Love locations in Jersey City one near Hamilton Park and one in the Heights. Both are taking all orders online for COVID-19 safety reasons. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Adventurers and Slavers The Atlantic slave trade resulted in the enforced scattering of millions of Africans to the Caribbean, the Americas and elsewhere - including Britain. A significant early English figure was John Hawkins. His father, William Hawkins, made the first English expeditions to West Africa in the1530s. William Hawkins was an adventurous trader who set out to explore the Guinea coast. His voyages were made in search of commercial materials such as dyewoods. Exploration and trade were the most significant reasons for people to move around the world during the 15th and early 16th centuries. The French, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch sent their merchant seamen to Asia, Africa and the Americas, where trade developed rapidly. The English, anxious not to miss out on this bounty, became experts in shipping, finance and insurance and thus major players in overseas commerce. the common people' (119k) Document | Transcript 'The King of this Country is adored ofthe common people' (119k) From 1553, a group of London merchants began a series of ventures to develop English overseas trade. Two years later these adventurers returned carrying ivory, gold, Malaguetta pepper and, significantly, five Africans from Shama, in modern Ghana. These Africans were brought to England to learn English, and returned to Africa as interpreters for visiting English traders. Queen Elizabeth I assisted the early merchant adventurers in 1561 by supplying ships and provisions. When they returned to English ports they brought not only valuable cargoes of commodities, but also more Africans, some of whom had probably become sailors on these merchant ships. Queen Elizabeth soon realised the economic value of this overseas trade. She granted a patent to eight merchants from London and Exeter to trade exclusively with Senegambia, between the Senegal and Gambia rivers, for a 10-year period. European traders thus initially met Africans at a time long before colonial rule, when African societies possessed freedom of action and political power. As commercial trade and enslavement developed over the next 250 years, millions of Africans were transported from one continent to another. Some of those uprooted by the slave trade were also to end up in Britain - many as servants and labourers. into Hawkins' Third Voyage Document | Transcript Commission of Inquiryinto Hawkins' Third Voyage In 1562, John Hawkins set out on a voyage that would mark the beginning of the English slave trade. Documents reveal that he left Plymouth with the purpose of capturing Africans along the Guinea Coast. The travel writer Richard Hakluyt (c.1552-1616) says that Hawkins 'got into his possession partly by the sworde and partly by other meanes to the number of 300 negroes'. In Sierra Leone, he took a ship laden with ivory, wax and 500 Africans. Hawkins, commanding the ship Salomon, then made the voyage from the Guinea coast to the West Indies. He arrived at the port of Monte Christi, in what is now the Dominican Republic, where they 'did deposit 125 slaves at 100 ducats each' (about 25-30 in present-day terms). The Africans were offered for sale to estate owners in the Americas, who required a constant supply of cheap labour for their sugar and tobacco plantations. Triangular Trade Document | Transcript Pioneer of theTriangular Trade News of the slave merchants' success spread and they soon attracted wealthy, powerful backers, and additional support from Queen Elizabeth. In 1564 the queen sponsored Hawkins by lending him her very own 700-ton vessel, Jesus of Lubeck. Now John Hawkins, freeman of the city of Plymouth, left Plymouth specifically for the purpose of capturing Africans on the West African coast. Hawkins, in his own words, as noted by Hakluyt, 'profited by the sale of slaves' - so much so that he included a bound slave wearing a necklace and earrings on the crest of his coat of arms. His final voyage turned out to be a disaster for Hawkins, as he lost his ships and men to the Spanish. This event precipitated hostilities between England and Spain. Document | Transcript John Hawkins' Coat of Arms These early voyages proved to be early, tentative steps towards what was to become a highly organised trade in humans - and a major source of income for British merchants for some 300 years to come. References and Further Reading Churchill, W., History of the English Speaking Peoples, vol. 4, London, 1956-8 File, N. and Power, C., Black Settlers in Britain 1555-1958, London, 1981 Fryer, P., Staying Power: The History of Black People in Britain, London, 1984 Williamson, J. A., Sir John Hawkins: The Time and the Man, Oxford, 1927 About | Feedback | Glossary | Copyright | Sitemap back to top [March 16, 2021] EdTech Startup Mokusei Intelligence, which offers up to 100% Funding & Sponsorship to BETA Testers for Covering Education Fees & Travel Expenses, Seeks Journalists, Students, Members of Media & Press to Become 'Reviewers' for vallued.ai BANGALORE, India, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- [News portals and sites carrying this PR are requested to use 'vallued.ai' logo available on https://www.vallued.ai/about if they prefer to carry one] Mokusei Intelligence, a mass impact and education-centric tech startup which develops AI/ML-based algorithms and solutions to tackle social challenges, is set to launch its flagship mobile-only digital remote assessment app platform - vallued.ai - in May 2021. This app will be used to test Mokusei's 'cheating-detection' edtech software for deployment later. Mokusei had last week announced its plans to invite journalists and members of the media & free press to become independent 'Reviewers' for vallued.ai. Mokusei seeks 100 'Reviewers' from all over the world to review its planned pilot experiment to be conducted via vallued.ai app. This step, Mokusei believes, willkeep Mokusei grounded and focused while allowing independent monitoring & evaluation of vallued.ai rollout & implementation giving critical grassroots level feedback & reliable data. 'Reviewer' role is a part-time role and can be done remotely from anywhere. Reviews can be in any language and in any, or a combination of all, of the communication formats -- text, audio, video. Details and guidelines for 'Reviewer' role can be accessed on https://www.vallued.ai/operation-integrity Journalists, reporters, members of Press interested in deeper collaboration and engagement with Mokusei may check out https://www.vallued.ai/culture to get an idea about Mokuseiethics, culture and values. Interested individuals may feel free to reach out to Mokusei to share and discuss proposals if they like the idea/thought behind vallued.ai or find themselves aligned with Mokusei's vision. As a brief background, Mokusei Intelligence launched its website - www.vallued.ai - to invite people from all over the world to become Mokusei's BETA Testers so they can help to test & deploy company software, generate critical exam-behavior data to finetune algorithms, and so on. Mokusei seeks up to 10,000 BETA Testers for software testing as a user. This number might go up in future if BETA Tester role becomes popular and garners widespread interest. Individuals who join as 'BETA Testers' must take the BETA Test offered by Mokusei on vallued.ai app in August 2021. Format, basic syllabus, test details can be found on https://www.vallued.ai/about and https://www.vallued.ai/how-it-works Depending on score and rank, BETA Testers can get up to 100% 'no-strings-attached' 'loan-free' funding aid from Mokusei for their upcoming education, or as reimbursement for education fees they might have paid for ongoing or past education. To get an advanced idea for logistics planning and computation of financials, Mokusei also announced its exclusive EARLY BIRD REWARD PROGRAM. As a part of Mokusei's Early Bird Reward Program, individuals who fill up the FREE 'BETA Tester Subscription' form (aka 'Fund Seeker' form) on https://www.vallued.ai/subscribe can use funding that they get from Mokusei for the purposes of travel instead of education. Original deadline for indicating interest in BETA Tester role was 30 April -- Mokusei has on popular demand, however, decided to extend this deadline to 31 May 2021. Mokusei also seeks good partners and collaborators - including Media partners - aligned with Mokusei's vision & cause. Details can be found in previous Press Release - https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/edtech-startup-mokusei-intelligence-seeks-partners-collaborators-and-reviewers-for-its-upcoming-pilot-program-803970231.html About Mokusei Intelligence: Incorporated on 17 February 2021, Mokusei Intelligence received official Startup Recognition from the Government of India on 25 February 2021. Mokusei Intelligence, founded by Ashish Bohora, is a social impact and education centric tech company focused on developing AI/ML based solutions to address social challenges. The company's first flagship product cum service is a digital mobile-only online 'cheating-detection' assessment app platform called vallued.ai which is set to launch in May 2021. This young startup is officially registered in Bangalore and has its team spread across geographies. Ashish Bohora ashish@vallued.ai +91-9890536269 Mokusei Intelligence Private Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] State Police Arrest Two Men After Parkway Pursuit By West Kentucky Star Staff HOPKINS COUNTY - Two men were arrested on drug charges Monday night after a pursuit on the Western Kentucky Parkway.Kentucky State Police Post 2 said a trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle near the 48 mile marker, but the vehicle accelerated faster and began to flee. Troopers deployed a tire deflation device, and the vehicle ramped onto I-69 and came to a stop near the 107 mile marker.The driver, Michael Pierce of Lexington and the passenger, Jerrell Christian of Paducah were taken into custody. Troopers said two trash bags containing marijuana, suspected synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found inside the vehicle along with small individual baggies of suspected synthetic marijuana.Pierce is charged with fleeing or evading police, trafficking in synthetic drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and various other traffic offenses. Christian was charged with trafficking in synthetic drugs and possession of drug paraphernlaia.Both were lodged in the Hopkins County Jail. 16 March 2021 Statistics published today by the European Patent Office (EPO) show that innovation in healthcare drove patenting activity in 2020: Medical technology was the leading field for inventions in terms of volume, while pharmaceuticals and biotechnology were the fastest-growing areas. Despite the pandemic, the overall number of European patent applications filed in 2020 was nearly on a par with the previous year's, decreasing by 0.7%. The EPO received 180 250 patent applications in total last year, which was slightly below the record level attained in 2019 (181 532). "The EPO's Patent Index for 2020 shows that demand for patent protection has remained high. Overall, patenting activity has been robust, even though it fluctuated across technology sectors and economic regions. While this is a conclusive set of results for the year, it is far from presenting a complete picture of the longer-term effects of the pandemic. Those, I'm sure, are yet to be seen. And although we can't predict with any certainty the patent trends that will emerge in the coming months or years, we do know that it is innovation, research and science that will lead to a healthier world, and to stronger and more sustainable economies. Because innovation, supported by a strong IP system, is the motor of recovery, in every sense of the word," said EPO President Antonio Campinos. Life sciences inventions surge, digital technologies remain strong, transport down Among the leading technical fields, pharmaceuticals (+10.2%) and biotechnology (+6.3%) showed the biggest increases in terms of patent filings. Medical technology (+2.6%) accounted for the most inventions in 2020, retaking the top spot from digital communication, which had been the most active field in 2019. The previous growth champions, digital communication (which includes technologies enabling 5G networks) and computer technology (including AI-related inventions), continued to show strong patenting activity, ranking second and third respectively, and growing by 1.0% and 1.9% on 2019. Meanwhile, transport showed the largest drop (-5.5%), especially in the sub-fields of aviation and aerospace (-24.7%), and to a lesser extent automotive (-1.6%). China and South Korea post rapid growth In terms of geographic origin of inventions, the top five countries in 2020 were again the US (44 293 applications), followed by Germany (25 954), Japan (21 841), China (13 432) and France (10 554). But there was considerable variation in growth rates: As in 2019, the strongest increases among the top 10 countries came from Chinese (+9.9%) and South Korean (+9.2%) applicants, with Chinese firms filing more applications in biotechnology, electrical machinery/apparatus/energy (where many inventions for clean energy technologies are filed) and digital communication. Korean companies were particularly active in electrical machinery/apparatus/energy, telecommunications, semiconductors and computer technology. Conversely, US patent applicants, who account for a quarter of all applications at the EPO, filed 4.1% fewer applications in 2020, dropping significantly in the areas of transport, electrical machinery/apparatus/energy and organic fine chemistry. Patent applications from Japanese companies and inventors were down 1.1% on the previous year, with the biggest declines seen in transport and optics. Fewer applications from Europe - but Finland, France and Italy buck trend Companies and inventors from the EPO's 38 member states filed over 81 000 European patent applications last year, down by 1.3% due to fewer filings in fields such as measurement (which includes sensor technologies; -10.4%,), organic fine chemistry (-3.6%) and electrical machinery/apparatus/energy (-2.8%). Nevertheless, applicants from the EPO states posted significant growth in pharmaceuticals (+15%) and biotechnology (+4.5%). At country-level, the volume of filings also diverged significantly: While applications from Germany, Europe's biggest country of origin, dropped by 3.0% in 2020, French and Italian inventors filed 3.1% and 2.9% more applications respectively. Among the top 10 European countries, the Netherlands saw the biggest decline (-8.2%), followed by the UK (-6.8%). Patent filings from Sweden and Denmark reached the levels of 2019, while Finland recorded 11.1% growth, thanks to a strong increase in the number of inventions in digital technologies. Five European companies in the Top 10 ranking The 2020 top applicant ranking also reflects the sustained growth of patent applications from China and South Korea. Samsung (with 3 276 applications) heads the table, followed by Huawei (3 113), which led the ranking in the previous year, and LG in third place (2 909). The top 10 includes five companies from Europe (the highest number since 2014), two from South Korea, and one from China, Japan and the US respectively. Further information World Vision reaches 59 million with aid as charitys COVID-19 response was its largest ever Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As more than a year has passed since the coronavirus pandemic was declared, leading evangelical aid organization World Vision partnered with tens of thousands of faith leaders and communities worldwide to reach 59 million people through relief and virus prevention efforts. Not long after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, World Vision, an interdenominational aid organization that operates in nearly 100 countries, launched the largest global response in its 70-year history. Erica Van Deren, a senior program manager on World Visions emergency response team, told The Christian Post that as the world was shutting down, World Vision kept working since that is the purpose God has bestowed on the organization and its staff. COVID-19 has been our largest both domestic response and international response that weve ever organized as an organization, Van Deren said in an interview. Its been a remarkable amount of work and really just a wonderful opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this really, really challenging time. World Vision U.S. President and CEO Edgar Sandoval said the response would not have been possible without partnerships of churches and pastors. World Vision partnered with over 124,000 faith leaders through networks already formed from responding to Ebola, HIV/AIDS and Zika virus in the past. This incredible work could not have been done without our valuable church partners, Sandoval said in a statement. The Church has been a force for good living outside its four walls and working hand-in-hand with their neighbors to distribute life-saving food, PPE, and other essentials that saved lives. In the United States alone, World Vision worked with 1,300 churches and donated 3 million boxes of fresh food to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Farmers to Families program. The organization also provided 2.5 million units of personal protective equipment and impacted nearly 500,000 families by providing emergency essentials. Van Deren said this is the first time the charity has coordinated a response effort in every country it operates worldwide. Around the world, countries have faced increasing hunger. And the United Nations reported last year that virus-linked hunger led to the deaths of 10,000 more children a month over the first year of the pandemic. The World Food Program has warned that as many as 270 million people could be pushed to the brink of starvation. We sense that we are rounding the curve here in the U.S., but I think around the world, it will be months or years until many people are going to have the hope of a vaccine, Van Deren said. So, its World Visions job to do all that we can right now to bring hope to this generation of children in this second year. Van Deren said World Vision often serves as the bridge between the World Health Organization or the U.N. to actually get the resources to individuals in need. World Bank predicted the pandemic could add up to 150 million people to the extreme poverty category in 2021. Unemployment has increased, and extreme poverty is on the rise for the first time in 22 years. World Vision statistics also show that child marriage and violence against females are climbing due to the pandemic. The secondary impacts of the virus on the worlds poorest people especially children are deadly and long-lasting, Sandoval shared. World Vision's efforts reached over 26 million children in the last year. As we fight to protect people from the virus, we must also protect them from the deadly aftershocks of the pandemic," Sandoval said. "That is where World Vision will be focused. We are fully committed to empowering people living on the margins to fulfill their God-given potential. A year later, World Vision has transitioned its pandemic response focus to encourage vaccine acceptance around the globe and address the secondary effects of the pandemic. Plans include increasing assistance to families facing huger, helping to restore families livelihoods and informing communities about vaccines. Van Deren said a large part of World Visions efforts in the next year will be assisting families to build back their lives. World Vision will continue to utilize partnerships with faith leaders to reach communities and promote vaccinations. Pastors and faith leaders will continue to play a critical role as the most trusted leaders in their communities, Sandoval said. They are essential to vaccine acceptance and reaching the most vulnerable still suffering the impacts of this deadly pandemic. Despite the toll the pandemic had, Sandoval said World Vision has hope for the future and the lives that will be saved in the next year. Today, we remember the millions of precious lives lost to COVID-19 and countless more families suffering the impacts of the pandemic, Sandoval added. Yet, even as we mourn, we look ahead with hope to the many lives that will be saved with the rollout of the vaccine. Now as we focus on getting the vaccine to as many people as possible here in the United States, we also must not forget people living in some of the poorest countries in the world, each precious in Gods sight. Unless we consider their well-being as important as our own, COVID-19 will remain a threat, here and everywhere. 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. "Clarity and information delivered quickly and directly to those who need it" must be the tenets of how the government deals with the latest setback in the vaccine roll-out, according to Sinn Feins Ruairi O Murchu. The Louth TD was speaking after the government announced a pause in the roll-out of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday following concerns in Norway about blood clots. Deputy O Murchu had questioned Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Dail last week about whether there had been interaction at a State or EU level with pharma companies with a view to using the capacity that exists in Europe and elsewhere in the world. He told the Taoiseach it is a life or death situation. The latest blow to the governments vaccination plans means that hundreds of people in Louth will now not receive their planned AstraZeneca vaccinations this week. Deputy O Murchu said: "The government has to move as quickly as possible to inform people who were scheduled to get this vaccine in the coming days what is happening. "They also have to ensure that those who have already been given the first or second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine are updated and communicated with directly so they have the right information as soon as possible. "This needs to be done while the research into what has happened in Norway continues. "The government cant wring their hands on this, they need to be proactive and assertive in their communication with people in order to ensure that the public keeps faith with the vaccine roll-out. "And they need to quit the stalling over the implementation of mandatory hotel quarantine, which is even more important now because of this set-back and the delay in getting people vaccinated here and across the globe. "Mandatory hotel quarantine is imperative now because of the stubbornly high number of positive cases that continue in the State. "With primary schools fully back on Monday, every and all efforts have to be made to try to suppress the virus. "We need people to ensure that people continue, despite everything, to do what is needed to suppress the virus. "We are still living with deficiencies within the public health system such as antiquated IT structures along with the government not giving sufficient capacity to the test, trace and isolate system which we have still not got right." 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. Strictly Come Dancing star Stacey Dooley, Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh and TV chef Rick Stein are among the celebrities taking part in the BBCs literary series Between The Covers. Each episode of the six-part series features famous faces bringing their favourite books to the table while two novels will also be reviewed. Sara Cox is returning as host for the second series. Between The Covers is part of the BBCs culture in quarantine project and is described by the broadcaster as being a nationwide TV book club. Sara Cox will return as host for the BBCs literary series Between The Covers (Lia Toby/PA) The first episode will feature discussions on the books The Fine Art Of Invisible Detection and The Vanishing Half by stars Mel Giedroyc, Rick Edwards, Oti Mabuse and Griff Rhys-Jones. Stein, Rachel Parris, Vick Hope and Rob Delaney will take a look at the novels Should We Fall Behind and The Lying Life Of Adults while David Baddiel, Katherine Ryan, Adjoa Andoh and Phil Davis will discuss Sixteen Horses and The Girl With The Louding Voice. Don Warrington, Zoe Lyons, Hugh Dennis and Giovanna Fletcher will discuss the books Another Life and Agent Running In The Field and Dooley, Nish Kumar, Robert Webb and Caitlin Moran will look at The Last House On Needless Street and Hamnet. And Singh, Micky Flanagan, Sophie Willan and Reginald D Hunter will discuss The Frequency Of Us and Shuggie Bain. Emma Cahusac, commissioner for BBC Arts, said: The first series of Between The Covers sparked a national conversation about books, so Im delighted its returning with another fantastic line-up. Continuing BBC Arts commitment to books programmes, the series features a broad selection of genres and styles, so theres something for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to working my way through the reading list, and joining in the conversation on social media during each episode. Between The Covers series two is set to air later in the spring. 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. I had not met Yahaya Bello since I left RMAFC in 2005, even though I also read about him, like most people, since he set out on his political path and finally became a governor. However, the opportunity of engaging with his political trajectorycame when I received an invitation to join some editors for a media chat. Eh My Oga!, he exclaimed, with surprise written on his face. I quickly glanced backward to see who the call was meant for. Surprisingly, other guests, mostly editors and online publishers, were smiling and laughing. Alhaji Yushau Shuaib very long time! The unmistakable voice of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State rang out again. Through my face mask, I returned a smile and exchanged a COVID-19 greeting of an elbow bump, rather than a handshake or an embrace. A week prior to the face-to-face encounter with the governor, I had had an extensive conversation with the Auditor General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Mr. Usman Ododo Ahmed, who had highly extolled the success of Governor Yahaya Bello in securing and stabilising the State. Predictably, my guest had no prior inkling that I have known the governor since he was a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member with the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation And Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in the early 2000s, where I was then the Head of Media and Public Relations. The Chairman of RMAFC at the time, the now late Engineer Hamman Tukur had sought the posting of young, vibrant and knowledgeable graduates who could assist the Commission in its constitutional mandate, especially in terms of data analyses on economic issues. A renowned North-Central politician and industrialist, Dr. Faruk Abdul-Aziz, who was a board member of the Commission, was the one who had recommended Yahaya Bello, among the corps members who were selected to serve in RMFAC. For those conversant with the Nigerian economy during that period, RMAFC, through its PR Division that I directed, had created massive awareness campaigns that equally encouraged public participation on issues bordering on public finance, such as the monetisation policy of government, revenue generation, federal allocations, and the general fiscal efficiency of the country. As an Accountancy graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Yahaya Bello was among the Youth Corps members whose contributions in analysing financial data and other statistics, were invaluable in informing the public about fiscal issues properly. In fact, most times then, we worked till late into the night with the Chairman on sensitive assignments. At that time, the Commission was central to the execution of the monetisation policy of government, pertaining to the remuneration of public officers; resolution of the crises over disputed oil wells among States in the Niger Delta; proposition of a fair and just revenue allocation formula across government; recommendation of economic diversification policies to the federal authorities; and reconciliation of the external debts of the federal and state governments, while equally suggesting better measures of managing those debts. It also served as a forerunner in the campaigns for financial independence of the tiers and arms of government, whilst creating awareness on the need for transparency in public finance. Because of the open-door policy of the Tukur era, young staff members had opportunities to engage members of the board and management of RMFAC in vigorous and cordial debates on public issues, on one-on-one basis. Meetings at the Commission were the reflection of a market place of ideas, where the intellectual climate was such that it even encouraged National Youth Corp members to make contributions to issues, which they took up through factual analyses, employing historical perspectives, alongside appeals to legal and constitutional provisions, devoid of political undertones and counterfactual anecdotes. My office, then, was one of the vibrant hubs for the youth corp members, including Yahaya Bello. It was therefore not surprising that outstanding corps members, who excelled in their contributions to the Commissions mandate, were offered automatic employments at the end of their mandatory one-year service to the country. In this regard, some like Husseini Sani Kagara and Hawwah Dahiru, who served in my office, and Yahaya Bello, who served in the Allocation Department, were among those offered automatic employment. While Kagara later transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria and Hawwah (who won the NYSC Award) went into private business, Yahaya Bello stayed on and received rapid promotions for his efforts, which saw him serve in different capacities in the Commission, before also leaving the public service for other private endeavours. I recall the media intervention that I had spearheaded in opposition to Dr. Dora Akunyilis National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over the closure of Biomedical Services, a pharmaceutical company owned Dr. Faruk Abdulazeez, due to its production of certain Travenous Fluids in 2002. At that time, some media specialists, including the former Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Smart Adeyemi, had pointedly advised Dr. Abdulazeez not to engage Dr. Akunyili and NAFDAC in a media war because of her tremendous goodwill with the press. Yet, Yahaya Bello and one Abdul Bello (the Personal Assistant to Dr. Faruk then), who is now the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, were highly concerned about the plight of their benefactor and urged me to continue with and give greater momentum to the campaign. A press conference was eventually held to appeal to NAFDAC to reassess its clamp down on the products of Biomedical Services. The case was thereafter revisited, and in finding out that it had acted unfairly towards the company, NAFDAC subsequently reopened Biomedical Services. I had not met Yahaya Bello since I left RMAFC in 2005, even though I also read about him, like most people, since he set out on his political path and finally became a governor. However, the opportunity of engaging with his political trajectory, and particularly at this juncture when there is a movement towards his run for the Nigerian presidency, came when I received an invitation to join some editors for a media chat. ADVERTISEMENT I had intended to bombard him with a lot of questions, but he disarmed me by referring to me as Oga and jokingly reminded me of imported biscuits I had shared with them in my office. I was not his Oga but only his colleague at RMAFC, where I was just another senior civil servant. However, during the ensuing question-and-answer session, he was able to address some of the issues I had intended to engage him on. The session was moderated by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Dr. Ayoade Folashade Arike, who was recommended for the position by Governor Bellos now political arc-rival, Senator Dino Melayo, in 2015 On the COVID-19 vaccine, the governor pointed out that he did not need to take the vaccine because he is fully healthy and not in the danger of any health concern. He added that Kogi State, which he governs, is faced with several other health challenges that are more serious than COVID-19, which are being successfully tackled and resolved, including outbreaks of Lassa Fever and Yellow Fever, without any noise being made about these, unlike the hysteria surrounding COVID-19, which is considered as largely contrived. Pertaining to his relationship with former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who is a controversial politician, Yahaya Bello explained that he and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain are brothers who are mainly interested in the peace and progress of Nigeria, despite what might be their political divides. He noted that Fani-Kayode had joined him in brokering peace between the Amalgamated Union of Traders and our other aggrieved persons, which led to the aversion of a North/South war during the recent food blockade that threatened peaceful and progressive co-existence in the country. In terms of the 2023 presidential primaries, Governor Yahaya Bello dispelled rumours about the existence of a zoning clause in the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while pleading with leaders of the party to allow for unrestricted contest during the primaries, which should be open to all eligible party members nationwide. He nevertheless, expressed confidence that he would defeat any APC presidential aspirant if there is a level playing field at the primaries. While calling on politicians to think of the survival of Nigeria first in all they do, he pointed out that if it is the will of God, he would surely become the president of Nigeria in 2023. Could there be the possibility of a repeat of the Kogi gubernatorial victory of 2015 in the forthcoming presidential election in 2023? As much as it is emergent upon time to reveal what it has in stock for all, yet the future lies in wait only for the brave and undeterred. Yushau A. Shuaib; www.YAShuaib.com; yashuaib@yahoo.com The decision of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature of China, to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has won wide support from the 1.4 billion Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots. However, a very few countries in the west recently issued statements to smear the NPC decision, which trampled on international laws and basic norms governing international relations and came as blatant interference in China's internal affairs. Photo shows the beautiful scenery of the Wan Chai section of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. (Peoples Daily Online/Duan Changzheng) It only lays bare their ulterior motive to wish Hong Kong ill and use Hong Kong as a pawn to hold back China's development at large. Modern international relation system shall no longer be a jungle world from which justice and morality are absent. A very few western countries, however, have made unwarranted remarks about Hong Kong affairs on the pretext of democracy and freedoms, which only revealed their malicious intentions. To improve the HKSAR's electoral system is not about whether democracy and freedoms, but about a battle against those trying to grab power and commit subversion and infiltration. These western countries must be aware that China today is no longer the old one that was once bullied by the Eight-Nation Alliance. Chinese people do not believe in fallacy. Nor are they afraid of evil forces. No country should expect China to trade its core interests away or tolerate any infringement on its sovereignty, security and development interests. The statements made by these countries are nothing but ideological prejudices and hegemonic thinking, which expose their hypocrisy and double standard. Democracy never existed in Hong Kong when it was still a colony ruled by a UK-appointed governor. When did any of these western countries care about its democracy back then? Their statements today are not about democracy at all. If they really intend to uphold democracy in Hong Kong, they would have never sat back and watched riots attempting to break into the Legislative Council building, or rebuked China's effort to improve the region's electoral system and bring long-term stability of democracy. The value of democracy is how it brings governance, not chaos. Currently, the forces that impede Hong Kong's governance and make troubles on Hong Kong affairs are exactly standing at the opposite side of democracy. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the region has entered a new historical period featuring the principle of "one country, two systems" and high autonomy, and Hong Kong residents have enjoyed more extensive democratic rights than at any other time in history. However, in recent years, anti-China disruptors jumped on the loopholes of the electoral system to endanger national security, and some western countries and external forces added fuel to the fire and covered up the rioters. Facing such challenges, the NPC's decision to improve the electoral system is totally necessary and is conducive to the stable development of Hong Kong's democratic system. It has received wide support from Hong Kong compatriots, who believe it carries the central government's caring for the special administrative region and will develop a new democratic electoral system with Hong Kong characteristics. Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens recently joined an online petition to support the decision, which explained that to improve the electoral system is an unstoppable trend that complies to the aspiration of the people. The Sino-British Joint Declaration has always been taken as a tool by certain western countries to meddle in Hong Kong affairs. They did this because they wanted to label China as an irresponsible country that is reluctant to fulfill its international obligations. However, what they did was just comparing apples to oranges. It's known by all that as China resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, all rights and obligations of the British side under the Sino-British Joint Declaration were completed. And the Chinese government started administering it, in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, not the Joint Declaration. The relevant countries have no legal basis or any right to cite the Joint Declaration to point fingers at Hong Kong affairs. Hong Kong was, is and will always be Chinas Hong Kong. To improve the region's electoral system is a decision that carries the will of the Chinese people. The countries that covered up anti-China rioters have already been widely condemned by the international society, and no attempt of foreign countries to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs will ever succeed. To have the patriots govern Hong Kong and eliminate anti-China forces is a necessary choice of all Chinese people and the history. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy.) It shows a policeman going through six stages from abduction to murder in a pastiche of the Highway Code The sickening message allegedly sent by a rookie policeman joking about Sarah Everards murder emerged yesterday. The probationary officer, aged around 22, is said to have sent the meme a shared joke image to seven colleagues as he manned a cordon in woods near Ashford, Kent, where the 33-year-olds body was found. It shows a policeman going through six stages from abduction to murder in a pastiche of the Highway Code. In one image it shows the officer directing traffic holding a hand up to say Stop single girl. He then gives various signals for different sickening actions, culminating in the murder and disposal of a body. Yesterday there were calls for the officer who allegedly sent the appalling Whats-App message to be sacked. Miss Everards family are already reeling from the arrest of Metropolitan Police firearms officer Wayne Couzens, 48, on suspicion of kidnap and murder. The meme was sent last Thursday a day after Miss Everards body was found. She had disappeared from a street in Clapham, south London, as she walked home from a friends house on March 3. Horrified police colleagues immediately reported the message to senior officers who referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). A rookie police officer guarding the murder scene of Sarah Everard allegedly shared a vile message with other officers showing a parody of the Highway Code. It depicts a cartoon policeman going through six stages from abduction to murder A probationary officer, aged around 22, is said to have sent the meme a shared joke image to seven colleagues as he manned a cordon in woods near Ashford, Kent, where the 33-year-olds body was found The watchdog has launched three probes following an unprecedented seven referrals for alleged blunders regarding the case so far. The rookie officer, who has not been identified, was placed on restricted duties. Last June, two Met officers were arrested for allegedly sharing selfies on WhatsApp of the bodies of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, while guarding their murder scene in Wembley. Yesterday their mother, former Chelmsford Archdeacon Wilhelmina Smallman said: All I can say is when youve lost your children you think nothing else could possibly happen and then you discover another layer of betrayal and trauma. She added: When they [the officers] disclosed that police, whose job it was to protect the forensic area, had taken selfies with our dead children, it just took my grief to another level. I have been haunted by pictures of images I think they took and it has brought on a recurrence of mental health issues. I cant begin to tell you how much sympathy I have for Sarahs family. 'To hear the level of disrespect for their daughter is horrific and its another example of the toxicity of the Met Police. Of course there are good policemen out there, but actually, as an institution, theres misogyny. Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Womens Justice, said: We are never going to tackle violence against women if we have got police officers demonstrating this level of misogyny and hatred towards women. It is sick. Met Police detectives have continued to widen their search and were today seen scouring a stream in Sandwich, Kent after Ms Everard's body was found over 30 miles away Sir Peter Fahy, former chief constable of Greater Manchester, told Good Morning Britain: This is obviously another dent to potential confidence in policing but it mirrors my experience that police officers actually are very intolerant of misconduct by their colleagues and when they see things that are unacceptable... they are immediately reporting it and swift action is being taken. Met Assistant commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: The Metropolitan Police Service expects its officers to behave professionally at all times and this includes how they use social media. 'I take allegations that any officer or officers have failed to observe these standards very seriously and have referred this matter to the IOPC. The development comes after the Met were accused of heavy-handed tactics while arresting women at a vigil to Miss Everard on Saturday. Family of Sarah Everard look on as Met officer Wayne Couzens appears at Old Bailey charged with her murder The family of Sarah Everard watched the police firearms officer charged with her murder appear in court yesterday. Wayne Couzens joined the Old Bailey via videolink from Belmarsh Prison to face allegations that he snatched the 33-year-old as she walked home from a friends house in south London on March 3. Bearing cuts to his head and above his left eye, Couzens, 48, rocked back and forth and swayed in his chair throughout the 27-minute hearing. He wore a red sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms and kept his sleeves pulled over his hands and his head bowed. Couzens appeared to have a left black eye as he appeared by videolink to the Old Bailey Ms Everard's murder and Couzens' arrest has sparked vigils across the country in her memory He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. Prosecutor Tom Little QC told the court there has been a very significant and wide-ranging investigation given the circumstances of the case. Members of Miss Everards family joined the hearing in court 10 of the Central Criminal Court by video link, according to court officials. Defence barrister James Sturman QC did not make a bail application and Couzens, of Deal, Kent, was remanded into custody. The judge, Mark Lucraft QC, set a provisional trial date of October 25, with a plea hearing on July 9. Miss Everards body was found in woodland in Ashford on March 10. A post-mortem examination has taken place. The inquest into her death will open tomorrow. Sarah's tragic death has been hijacked by campaigners 'trying to smear all men with the same brush, says close friend The death of Sarah Everard has been hijacked by politicians who are trying to smear all men with the same brush, her close friend has claimed. Helena Edwards expressed dismay at how some campaigners have tried to capitalise on the shocking incident. The discovery of Miss Everards body after she was kidnapped while walking home in London has triggered a national outcry about how sexism in society fuels violence against women. The debate deepened last weekend when Metropolitan Police officers manhandled and arrested several protesters during a peaceful vigil for Miss Everard. The unsavoury scenes, which led to calls for Scotland Yard chief Dame Cressida Dick to resign, came hours after Met officer Wayne Couzens appeared in court charged with the marketing executives murder. Miss Edwards, who studied at Durham University and travelled the world with Miss Everard, said she joined other friends in boycotting the vigil in Clapham Common. She wrote in Spiked magazine: My reason for not attending is this: my friends tragic death has been hijacked. It is not a tribute to her any more, its about something else and I dont like what it has become. While the event was overwhelmingly peaceful, Miss Edwards said, some participants were trying to point the finger of blame at all men and the police. She said that Miss Everard would not have agreed with how some have rushed to look for reasons and apportion blame, adding: Sarah was a victim of one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. She was extremely unlucky that is all there is to it. Her abduction and murder is not, in my opinion, a symptom of a sexist, dangerous society. Following Miss Everards death, a Green Party peer called for a 6pm curfew to be introduced for men to make women feel a lot safer. Miss Edwards said that the suggestion was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard and that Sarah would not agree with the circumstances of her disappearance being used to promote these kinds of ideas. Miss Everard had many wonderful men in her life who are just as horrified as everyone else by what has happened, Miss Edwards said, adding: I dont think Sarah would have wanted them, or men in general, to be smeared with the same brush as her attacker. The fallout over Scotland Yards disastrous handling of last weekends vigil has led to renewed debate about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Labour said the proposed legislation, which passed its first parliamentary hurdle yesterday, does nothing to protect women. On Monday, Boris Johnson pledged an extra 45million for the Safer Streets initiative, with better street lighting and CCTV. Burma Myanmar Anti-Regime Protest Death Toll Reaches 191 A protester injured after security forces opened fire on an anti-regime protest in Yangons Hlaing Tharyar Township is taken to hospital./ The Irrawaddy Twenty-three people were reportedly killed in Myanmar on Monday, as the junta intensified its attacks on anti-regime protesters. The protest-related death toll since the militarys Feb. 1 coup had reached 191 on Monday night, with tens of thousands of protesters continuing to take to the streets across the country. The Irrawaddy confirmed 15 deaths early Monday evening from several cities including Magwe Regions Aunglan Township, Bago Regions Gyobingauk and Bago Townships, Sagain Regions Monywa Township and Mandalay Regions Thabeikkyin and Myingyan Townships. Eight more protest-related deaths were reported late Monday evening in Myingyan and Thabeikkyin in Mandalay region and Dawbon and South Dagon Townships in Yangon, as riot police and soldiers continued their crackdown on anti-coup protesters. In Yangons Dawbon Township, security forces attacked a night-time protest and shot one person dead and injured several others. A video showed soldiers shooting a man, removing his clothes and dragging him away, while firing shots at the neighborhood. A man was also shot dead and at least three people injured when police and soldiers opened fire in Yangons South Dagon Township at around 11pm on Monday. Other clashes between protesters and security forces took place in Hlaing Tharyar and Insein Townships in Yangon, with shots fired in both places on Monday night. Mondays deaths come after Myanmar recorded its bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 coup on Sunday. At least 73 protesters were killed on Sunday during crackdowns on anti-regime demonstrations across nine Yangon townships: Hlaing Tharyar, Shwepyithar, North Okkalapa, South Dagon, Insein, Hlaing, Thingangyun, Kyimyindaing and North Dagon, as well as in Bago Region, Mandalay Region and Hpakant in Kachin State. Of Sundays 73 deaths, around 40 were reported in Yangons Hlaing Tharyar Township. The increasing number of protesters dying at the hands of the security forces prompted the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, to issue a statement on Monday urging the international community to work collectively and bilaterally to help bring an end to the military regimes repression. Guterres said that the killing of protesters, arbitrary arrest and the reported torture of prisoners violate fundamental human rights and stand in clear defiance of calls by the UNs Security Council for restraint, dialogue and a return to Myanmars democratic path. He also urged the military regime to allow the UNs special envoy to visit Myanmar to calm the situation and set the stage for dialogue. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Regime Seizes Bank Accounts of Soros Open Society Foundation Myanmar Crisis Could Reset Toxic US-China Ties Myanmar Plants Run by Partner of Japans Fast Retailing Set Ablaze Grapes Digital, a digital-first communications agency has rolled out appraisals and arrears for all its employees. The management in the last few months has dedicatedly worked on the performance evaluation process for its employees for FY 2019-2021. All the employees have received the full amount effective from 1st April 2020, additionally, the arrears have been paid based on the appraisals from the same month. Grapes Digital is one of Indias leading and fastest-growing agencies with offices in Delhi and Mumbai. The decision has come after witnessing a positive result in the business growth, and the number of clients won across multiple sectors. The agency has observed growth in the overall business and as a gesture asserted to reward all the efforts of the employees who stuck with them through thick and thin. When the virus hit the nation, the agency made an informed decision to enforce salary reductions, as a basic survival instinct. However, when the business started coming back to the normal days, the management decided to pay back the full salary and restored the percentage amount of the salary cut in the form of arrears in October 2020. After seeing a significant increase in its business revenue due to the exponential rise in digital, the agency is planning to expand its headcount by hiring over 100+ employees across various roles this year making a total count of 300. Speaking on the development, Mr. Himanshu Arya, Founder, and CEO, Grapes Digital said, Last year has been the most challenging period in the business but we have managed to come out of the dark zone, and learn from the crisis. We have retained most of our clients, and have won multiple pitches, which has not only helped our business to grow but also come out stronger and united from the crisis. Nothing of this would have been possible without the collective approach of the team and their performance, who gave their best in the most difficult and testing times. The compensation from our end is a gesture of our appreciation and gratitude. Now we are gearing up to grow more in the coming year and will be hiring over 100+ employees. Also, after analysing the situation and looking at the decreasing case trends of COVID-19 in Delhi, the company has decided to reopen the office in New Delhi. The comeback has been implemented in a phased manner and the management will make sure that safety mandate norms will adhere duly in a calibrated manner. The 71-year-old driver who killed three people and injured six others when he plowed into them on a sidewalk in San Diego, California is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter and a DUI. Craig Voss was arrested at the scene of Monday's crash in a tunnel that runs underneath the San Diego City College campus and which is heavily populated with homeless people. Police said Voss was heading through the tunnel when he drove his Volvo station wagon up on the sidewalk shortly after 9am, struck several people and then veered back onto the road. He is being held on three counts of vehicular manslaughter, five counts of causing great bodily harm and a felony DUI. Craig Voss, 71, was arrested at the scene of Monday's crash in a tunnel, which is heavily populated with homeless people, that runs underneath the San Diego City College campus He is being held on three counts of vehicular manslaughter, five counts of causing great bodily harm and a felony DUI San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit revealed shortly after the crash that Voss was 'impaired' at the time but has refused to say whether he was under the influence of alcohol or other substances. He only said Voss, who is a retiree, had done a field sobriety test by a drug recognition expert. His neighbor told CBS8 that Voss had suffered a stroke last year that left him with a disability and speech impediment. 'Sometimes it's a slurred speech. So, it's really hard to understand him. I believe it's due to certain words that he says. So, I have to ask him multiple times,' Misty Herrera told the outlet. Three people died at the scene of the crash and five of the six others who were injured were taken to hospitals. Two are in critical condition but San Diego Fire Chief Colin Stowell said both were 'awake, alert and answering questions'. The crash occurred just before 9am on Monday under an overpass that runs underneath the San Diego City College campus that is filled with homeless tents Three people are dead and five others were rushed to hospital after the driver suspected of being impaired plowed into them on a sidewalk in San Diego, California on Monday morning Police officials load the body of a homeless man into a coroners van after a vehicle plowed through a homeless encampment Mayor Todd Gloria said most, if not all of the people who were struck, were homeless. 'They were there because they felt like they had nowhere else to go,' Gloria said. 'This crash... did not have to be so devastating. Let me state it very clearly, a street is not a home.' The mayor, who took office in December, said the encampment had been there a while. More people on Monday might have gone to the short tunnel because it was raining. On a typical weekday morning, the tunnel is a busy area with students walking by but classes have been online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lisa Brotzman said she was peering out of a window in her tent just as the car swerved to the right shoulder, 'spun out of control' and jumped onto the sidewalk in the tunnel where people were waiting out the rain. Three people died at the scene. Five of the six others who were injured were taken to hospitals It wasn't immediately clear who was among the injured but homeless people are known to set up camp in the tunnel It wasn't immediately clear who was among the injured but homeless people are known to set up camp in the tunnel. Images from the scene showed remnants of tents strewn across the underpass following the crash 'Someone was screaming, 'Ahhh! Ahhhh!'' Brotzman told The San Diego Union-Tribune. 'Two or three people were yelling and screaming. It was scary.' Images from the scene showed remnants of tents strewn across the underpass following the crash. Nisleit said Voss got out of his car and tried to help people before identifying himself to police. Authorities had initially said they believed the driver had tried to flee the scene. 'He was cooperative, (and) did not try to run away,' the chief said, correcting earlier reports from police that he had tried to flee. Multiple ambulances, five fire engines, a helicopter and more than 60 first-responders rushed to the scene. The crash occurred in a tunnel that runs underneath the San Diego City College in California just before 9am on Monday The driver - only identified as a 71-year-old man - has since been detained under suspicion of driving while 'impaired' New suspensions in the world for the anti-Covid vaccine AstraZeneca, which after the almost joint stop in Italy, France and Germany , which followed that of Denmark and Austria, was also suspended in Spain, Slovenia, Portugal, Sweden and many other countries . A decision made "as a precaution", in reality, because as Giorgio Palu, president of Aifa (Italian Medicines Agency) explains today, in the Corriere della Sera, "the scientific evidence of a cause-effect link is currently not available. 'is". And which originated "from the initiative of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, the German regulatory and research body. The institute suggested to the Minister of Health Jens Spahn to temporarily suspend the AstraZeneca preparation as a precautionary measure following the occurrence of 6 cases of thromboembolism ". THE DATA - "In the 12 million vaccinated people in the United Kingdom and in the 5 million in the European Union, the recorded cases of these serious events were so far prevalent in elderly people, average age 70 years - notes Palu - the incidence is therefore much lower to that of about one in a thousand cases, typical of these manifestations. It will be necessary to see if the women who died in Germany had conditions predisposing to thrombosis such as taking birth control pills or other basic alterations of coagulation ". "A direct causal link between vaccination and deaths is unlikely - continues Palu - at most there could be a contributing cause in the sense that the problems could only concern people predisposed to develop these pathologies. The authorization to AstraZeneca by Ema was conditionally given to a constant benefit-risk assessment. The agency and the national health authorities carry out a close surveillance action precisely in order to intervene quickly ". The EMA - Now, however, time is running out, and many are asking the EMA, the European Medicines Agency, for a clear and timely response - which should actually arrive only on Thursday. Because, even in Italy, there is no plan B compared to Astrazeneca. The "precautionary suspension", in addition to the dramatic "emotional" effect on citizens, risks slowing down a campaign which, on the other hand, Prime Minister Mario Draghi wants to restart immediately and massively. The government's confidence in the vaccine campaign sprint remains intact, however. And this is one of the priorities to which, in these days, Draghi continues to work with the utmost attention. INVESTIGATIONS IN ITALY - The investigation by the prosecutor of Biella into the death of Sandro Tognatti, which took place seventeen hours after the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine, hypothesizes the manslaughter, currently against unknown persons. Pending the autopsy, scheduled for tomorrow morning, the prosecutor Teresa Angela Camelio, who coordinates the investigations, did not rule out the "existence of an etiological link" between inoculation and death. And, even before the Aifa completely prohibited the use of the vaccine, it ordered the seizure of the "offending" lot. Over 393 thousand bottles that the Nas carabinieri collected throughout Italy, in the distribution hubs and in the vaccination centers to which they were delivered. Lot ABV5811 was the second to end up in seizure after ABV2856, blocked in recent days following the death of the non-commissioned officer of the Navy Stefano Paterno in Sicily. The prosecutor of Syracuse investigates his death and, pending the outcome of the autopsy and the results of the histological and toxicological tests, authorized the funeral. Instead, the Agrigento Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the death of a Licata health worker serving in a retirement home in Palma di Montechiaro excludes links with the anti Covid vaccination. The man, on the other hand, had been inoculated with a Pzifer dose. Biella is therefore added to the other prosecutors who were already investigating the vaccine, including Catania, Trapani, Syracuse, Bologna and Naples. And just in the Campania capital there is another suspected case, that of the 54-year-old Sonia Battaglia . The woman struggles between life and death at the Mare hospital, hospitalized in intensive care after an AstraZeneca dose of batch ABV5811, the same as the Biella professor. Like the musician, she had no previous pathologies: "She was always healthy as a fish - tell the family - and even after the vaccine she seemed to be fine, so much so that she went to work. Two days later she had a fever, she slept all the time. , he could not speak "until he became" totally still ". The lawyers of the relatives of Anna Maria Mantile, the professor who died in Naples a few days after the administration of a dose of the Anglo-Swedish vaccine, have meanwhile asked the Naples Public Prosecutor's Office to acquire the documentation on the data concerning the contraindications that emerged during the course of the experimental phase of the vaccine, administered to over one million Italians. To be exact, the doses used are 1,093,800 out of the 2,196,000 delivered, or 49.8% of those arrived in our country. The first inoculations were on February 11, when 2,919 were given, while the peak at the time was reached last Friday, with 64,684 doses administered. (Unioneonline / vl) New Delhi, March 16 : With an eye on the elections to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) scheduled next year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which recently won four out of five seats in the bypolls, on Tuesday attackied the Baratiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of waste management. The AAP slammed the the three civic bodies in Delhi which are governed by the BJP for not reducing the height of three main landfills in the city -- at Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla. Senior AAP leader Durgesh Pathak, who is in-charge for the civic elections, said during a press conference that despite ruling in all three civic bodies for the last 15 years, the BJP has failed to implement the waste management system, instead it turned the city into a pile of garbage. Pathak told the press that the MCD has submitted a report to the Delhi government regarding building a treatment plant, claiming that it would make the city free of garbage by 2022. "In its proposal submitted to the government, the MCD claims that a new treatment plant will eliminate further littering of the landfill sites and the height of the garbage dump will not increase. The BJP-ruled MCD makes tall claims that it has reduced waste at the landfill sites, but its own reports seem to state otherwise, thereby proving its claims to be false," Pathak said. Pathak claimed that the East Delhi Municipal Corporation generates around 2,800 metric tonnes of waste daily, of which 1,300 metric tonnes are treated. Similarly, out of 3,600 metric tonnes garbage generated daily in South Delhi, 1,600 metric tonnes are being treated while the rest is dumped at the landfill sites. In North Delhi, the civic body generates around 4,000 metric tonnes of waste per day, but it treats only 2,000 metric tonnes and the remaining untreated garbage is left behind at the landfill sites, Pathak said. DUBLIN, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "System of Insight Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Component, Application, and Industry" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to this report the global system of insights market was valued at US$ 1,537.86 million in 2019 and it is projected to reach US$ 4,914.52 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.9% from 2020 to 2027. Over the past few years, big data analytics has been a major research interest among practitioners and researchers. The private and public investment in the application of big data analytics has surged up to billion dollars around the world. A swift growth in data volume and its complexity due to rising mobile data traffic, cloud-computing traffic, and increasing development, adoption of technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT are propelling the big data analytics technology. This technology has an enormous potential to transform the business completely. Big data platforms enable effective analytics of huge structured and unstructured data sets. BFSI industry is one of the biggest industries that spend a significant amount on big data and analytics technology. The industry is one of the huge consumers of big data and analytics technologies. Potential regions such as North America and Europe are highly active in implementing these technologies; also, the governments of these regions are executing various projects to implement big data into various industries. For instance, the Big Data Europe Project of 2015-2017 received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The project designed big data application prototypes in several sectors that can offer a huge amount of data-sets and can progress toward data-driven solution approaches. Big data analytics technology is one of the significant drivers in systems of insight, which seeks to gain actionable insights from structured and the massive data volume available in unstructured data from various sources such as the web and social media. The insight gained from big data analysis helps businesses enhance various areas such as customer retention, discovery of new markets, optimized customer service, employee retention, and improved customer loyalty. Thus, the increasing need for big data analytics is propelling the growth of system of insights worldwide. Geographically, North America held the largest share of the system of insight market in 2019, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Further, Asia Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. The system of insight market is segmented into component, application, and industry. Based on component, the system of insight market is further segmented into solution and services. The solution segment represented the largest share of the overall market. In terms of application, the system of insight market is segmented into customer analytics, workforce management, operations management, sales & marketing management, risk & compliance management, and others. In 2019, the customer analytics segment accounted for a significant share in the global system of insight market. Based on industry, the market is segmented into BFSI, IT & telecom, manufacturing, retail & e-commerce, government & defense, healthcare & life sciences, and others. The BFSI segment represented the largest share of the overall market during the forecast period. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on System of Insight Market The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed numerous countries including developed as well as developing. The continuous surge in count of infected patients is threatening several industries across the globe. As of December 2020, the US, India, Brazil, Russia, and France, were some of the worst affected countries in terms of confirmed cases and reported deaths. However, while the market experienced fluctuations due to nationwide shutdowns in several countries and stay-at-home orders, the disruption has caused an acceleration in remote working. The software industry, which is considered a structural winner, has given greater digital capabilities to all industries. Good Data Corporation; INETCO Systems Limited; Medallia Inc.; NGDATA, Inc.; Oracle Corporation; Plutora, Inc.; SAP SE; Signals Analytics, Inc.; SAS Institute Inc.; and TIBCO Software Inc. are among the major companies operating in the system of insight market. Reasons to Buy Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the global system of insight market Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the global system of insight market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Key Takeaways 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Coverage 3.2 Secondary Research 3.3 Primary Research 4. System of Insight Market Landscape 4.1 Market Overview 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.2.1 North America 4.2.2 Europe 4.2.3 APAC 4.2.4 MEA 4.2.5 SAM 4.3 Ecosystem Analysis 4.4 Expert Opinion 5. System of Insight Market - Key Market Dynamics 5.1 Market Drivers 5.1.1 Growing Volume of Big Data and Need for Analytics 5.1.2 Digital Transformation to Gain a Competitive Edge in the Market 5.2 Market Restraints 5.2.1 Lack of Awareness in Underdeveloped Countries 5.3 Market Opportunities 5.3.1 Surging System of Insight Growth Opportunities in APAC 5.4 Future Trends 5.4.1 Increase in the Adoption of AI to Boost the Market Growth 5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints 6. System of Insight Market - Global Analysis 6.1 Global System of Insight Market Overview 6.2 System of Insight Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 6.3 Market Positioning - Five Key Players 7. System of Insight Market Analysis - By Component 7.1 Overview 7.2 System of Insight Market, By Component, 2019 & 2027 7.3 Solution 7.3.1 Overview 7.3.2 Solution: System of Insight Market- Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 7.4 Services 7.4.1 Overview 7.4.2 Services: System of Insight Market- Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8. System of Insight Market Analysis - By Application 8.1 Overview 8.2 System of Insight Market, By Application, 2019 & 2027 8.3 Customer Analytics 8.3.1 Overview 8.3.2 Customer Analytics: System of Insight Market- Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8.4 Workforce Management 8.4.1 Overview 8.4.2 Workforce Management: System of Insight Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8.5 Operations Management 8.5.1 Overview 8.5.2 Operations Management: System of Insight Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8.6 Sales and Marketing Management 8.6.1 Overview 8.6.2 Sales and Marketing Management: System of Insight Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8.7 Risk and Compliance Management 8.7.1 Overview 8.7.2 Risk and Compliance Management: System of Insight Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8.8 Other Applications 8.8.1 Overview 8.8.2 Other Applications: System of Insight Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9. System of Insight Market Analysis - By Industry 9.1 Overview 9.2 System of Insight Market Breakdown, by Industry, 2019 & 2027 9.3 BFSI 9.3.1 Overview 9.3.2 BFSI: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9.4 IT and Telecom 9.4.1 Overview 9.4.2 IT and Telecom: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9.5 Manufacturing 9.5.1 Overview 9.5.2 Manufacturing: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9.6 Retail and E-commerce 9.6.1 Overview 9.6.2 Retail and E-commerce: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9.7 Government and Defense 9.7.1 Overview 9.7.2 Government and Defense: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9.8 Healthcare and Life Sciences 9.8.1 Overview 9.8.2 Healthcare and Life Sciences: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9.9 Other Industries 9.9.1 Overview 9.9.2 Other industries: System of Insight Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 10. System of Insight Market - Geographic Analysis 10.1 Overview 10.2 North America: System of Insight Market 10.3 Europe: System of Insight Market 10.4 APAC: System of Insight Market 10.5 MEA: System of Insight Market 10.6 SAM: System of Insight Market 11. System of Insight Market- COVID-19 Impact Analysis 11.1 North America 11.2 Europe 11.3 Asia-Pacific 11.4 Middle East and Africa 11.5 South America 12. Industry Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Market Initiative 12.3 New Product Development 12.4 Merger and Acquisition 13. Company Profiles 13.1 Good Data Corporation 13.1.1 Key Facts 13.1.2 Business Description 13.1.3 Products and Services 13.1.4 Financial Overview 13.1.5 SWOT Analysis 13.1.6 Key Developments 13.2 INETCO Systems Limited 13.2.1 Key Facts 13.2.2 Business Description 13.2.3 Products and Services 13.2.4 Financial Overview 13.2.5 SWOT Analysis 13.2.6 Key Developments 13.3 Medallia Inc. 13.3.1 Key Facts 13.3.2 Business Description 13.3.3 Products and Services 13.3.4 Financial Overview 13.3.5 SWOT Analysis 13.3.6 Key Developments 13.4 NGDATA, Inc. 13.4.1 Key Facts 13.4.2 Business Description 13.4.3 Products and Services 13.4.4 Financial Overview 13.4.5 SWOT Analysis 13.4.6 Key Developments 13.5 Oracle Corporation 13.5.1 Key Facts 13.5.2 Business Description 13.5.3 Products and Services 13.5.4 Financial Overview 13.5.5 SWOT Analysis 13.5.6 Key Developments 13.6 Plutora, Inc. 13.6.1 Key Facts 13.6.2 Business Description 13.6.3 Products and Services 13.6.4 Financial Overview 13.6.5 SWOT Analysis 13.6.6 Key Developments 13.7 SAP SE 13.7.1 Key Facts 13.7.2 Business Description 13.7.3 Products and Services 13.7.4 Financial Overview 13.7.5 SWOT Analysis 13.7.6 Key Developments 13.8 Signals Analytics, Inc 13.8.1 Key Facts 13.8.2 Business Description 13.8.3 Products and Services 13.8.4 Financial Overview 13.8.5 SWOT Analysis 13.8.6 Key Developments 13.9 SAS Institute Inc. 13.9.1 Key Facts 13.9.2 Business Description 13.9.3 Products and Services 13.9.4 Financial Overview 13.9.5 SWOT Analysis 13.9.6 Key Developments 13.10 TIBCO Software Inc. 13.10.1 Key Facts 13.10.2 Business Description 13.10.3 Products and Services 13.10.4 Financial Overview 13.10.5 SWOT Analysis 13.10.6 Key Developments 14. Appendix 14.1 About the Publisher 14.2 Word Index For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/shgjyc 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 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 16, 2021] Mydecine Innovations Group Provides Update on European Operations DENVER, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mydecine Innovations Group (CSE: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA) (Mydecine or the Company), an emerging biopharma and life sciences company committed to the research, development, and acceptance of alternative nature-sourced therapeutic medicine for mainstream use, announced that it has appointed Michel Rudolphie, former CEO and President of Make-A-Wish International and former Novartis Norway CEO, as President of the Companys European Operations. In addition to adding new leadership, the Company also announces that it has partnered with Principal Investigator Dr. David Erritzoe at Imperial College London (ICL) to conduct leading research in the expanding field of psychedelics, as well as the creation of a novel collaborative psychopharmacology/psychedelic research clinic between ICL and a major mental health NHS Trust in London. In an effort to further develop the Companys international footprint and expand upon its existing clinical research efforts, Michel has been appointed to develop and lead Mydecines strategy, business development and comprehensive success across Europe. In addition, he will oversee Mydecines European clinical research initiatives and partnerships including its current Phase 2a clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat chronic PTSD in veterans and EMS personnel at Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Michel, a Dutch citizen with a MSc and MBA in Healthcare Management and Policy from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, has an impressive career record in the healthcare industry, with a succession of leadership positions at Novartis for 14 years, including four years serving as CEO of Novartis Norway. We have significant plans in 2021 to capitalize on the international renaissance for psychedelics-based therapies amongst the medical community and researchers. European universities and other research organizations, particularly those in the U.K. and Netherlands, have shown great enthusiasm and determination to better understand the science of how these drugs work and how they can be utilized to help people suffering from PTSD, said Josh Bartch, CEO of Mydecine. In our conversations with Michel, it quickly became clear that his extensive experience in the international pharmaceutical space coupled with his knowledge of developing and executing partnerships with both non-profit and for-profit organizations would be a great asset to our growth. His impressive personal qualifications and as importantly, his demonstrated passion and commitment to advocating for enhanced PTSD treatment for uninformed individuals, perfectly aligns with the vision and mission of Mydecine and we are thrilled to add him to our senior management team. In 2018, Michel joined Make-A-Wish International as CEO and President and was responsible for moving the international headquarters from Phoenix, Arizona to the Netherlands, in addition to assembling a new team and developing the foundation's internal and external strategy. Prior to joining Make-A-Wish, he served as the CEO and President of the Dutch Cancer Society, the largest health charity in the Netherlands. He has also previously served in a number of senior management roles within the healthcare industry including as CEO of Bioness and Vice President of European Operations for Nucletron, a global medical device company specializing in innovative products used for cancer treatment. Throughout my career, I have leveraged my experiences in the healthcare sector to advance both start up and mature companies through their various stages of development, said Michel. Im very excited to join the Mydecine team, which has outstanding expertise in new approaches to innovative solutions for treating mental health and enhancing vitality. Having built a culture of scientific excellence, and building a global network among leading research collaborators, Mydecine is poised for its next evolution in meeting compelling patient needs in mental illness and mental disorder. With regard to Mydecines work with ICL and Dr. Erritzoe, the research to be undertaken in the new NHS-based research clinic is set out to cover: Experimental psychopharmacology research in healthy populations and in addictions, obsessie compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and affective disorders; Proof of concept studies and clinical trials testing efficacy, safety and mechanisms using a range of doses from micro- to macro-doses of psychedelics and associated compounds; Use of multimodal human brain imaging to investigate mechanisms behind the actions of classic psychedelics and ketamine. Part of Dr. Erritzoes current work includes studies that evaluate the science and efficacy of different doses of psychedelics in order to uncover mechanisms of actions and effects on brain plasticity, and cognitive and emotional processes. The research of Dr. Erritzoe, who has published extensively on the science of psychedelics and microdosing, is critical to advancing the scientific efficacy of psychedelic medicines, and the results of studies from his team will be of critical importance as we develop the drug design and protocols for future controlled studies led by Mydecine, said Mr. Bartch. We are honored to be working with the Centre for Psychedelic Research and the new NHS-based research clinic as they progress and collect this important information to ensure safe use of psychedelics with the goal of producing the best possible outcomes for patients. Dr. Erritzoe is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Imperial College London. Alongside his clinical work in medicine/psychiatry, he conducts psychopharmacological research, using brain-imaging techniques such as PET and MRI. He was trained in PET imaging at Columbia University in New York and later undertook a PhD at University Hospital Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Since 2009 he has been involved in post-doc imaging research in the neurobiology of addictions and major depression at Imperial, and, together with Professor David Nutt and Dr. Carhart-Harris, he investigates mechanisms and therapeutic potential of MDMA and classic psychedelics. It is a very interesting time for psychedelic science and we are privileged and thankful to have received support to start an exciting new research clinic based at St Charles Hospital in CNWL Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust that will allow us to expand our clinical psychopharmacological research conducted from the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial, said Dr. Erritzoe. Mydecine supports the expansion of ongoing work in the Centre at ICL and their contributions and enthusiasm for furthering this important work. About Mydecine Innovations Group Mydecine Innovations Group (CSE: MYCO) (OTC:MYCOF) (FSE:0NFA) is an emerging biotech and life sciences company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions for treating mental health problems and enhancing vitality. The companys world-renowned medical and scientific advisory board is building out a robust R&D pipeline of nature-sourced psychedelic-assisted therapeutics, novel compounds, therapy protocols, and unique delivery systems. Mydecine has exclusive access to a full cGMP certified pharmaceutical manufacturing facility with the ability to import/export, cultivate, extract/isolate, and analyze active mushroom compounds with full government approval through Health Canada. Mydecine also operates out of a state-of-the-art mycology lab in Denver, CO to focus on genetic research for scaling commercial cultivation of rare (non-psychedelic) medicinal mushrooms. At the heart of Mydecines core philosophy is that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy will continue to gain acceptance in the medical community with many of the worlds best accredited research organizations demonstrating its remarkable clinical effectiveness. Mydecine recognizes the responsibility associated with psychedelic-assisted therapy and will continue to position itself as a long-term leader across the spectrum of clinical trials, research, technology, and global supply. Mydecine has also successfully completed multiple acquisitions since its inception. Learn more at: https://www.mydecine.com/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mydecine Innovations Group Media Contacts Anne Donohoe / Nick Opich KCSA Strategic Communications adonohoe@kcsa.com / nopich@kcsa.com 212-896-1265 / 212-896-1206 On behalf of the Board of Directors: Joshua Bartch, Chief Executive Officer contact@mydecineinc.com Corp Communications: Charles Lee, Investor Relations corp@mydecineinc.com +1 720-277-9879 For further information about Mydecine Innovations Group, Inc., please visit the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or visit the Companys website at www.mydecine.com. The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof. This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws regarding the Company and its business, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements current expectations and assumptions. Often but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as expect, intends, anticipated, believes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers 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 including, without limitation, risks regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability and continuity of financing, the ability of the Company to adequately protect and enforce its intellectual property, the Company's ability to bring its products to commercial production, continued growth of the global adaptive pathway medicine, natural health products and digital health industries, and the risks presented by the highly regulated and competitive market concerning the development, production, sale and use of the Company's products. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. 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 save as required under applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell securities and the Company is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. These securities have not and will not be registered under United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a U.S. Person unless so registered, or an exemption from registration is relied upon. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- From one end of the archipelago to the next, and apart from single-author book releases, there are two literary events that arguably open the way to the crush of Caribbean literature festivals in the first half of the year. The International Book Fair of Havana in February, though COVID-19-cancelled in 2021, sets the pace as the regions mega lit fest. The much-anticipated writers and book prize announcements by the OCM Bocas Lit Fest out of Port of Spain generally take place in March. Then its on to the rush of book fairs/literature festivals from The Bahamas, down to Trinidad and Tobago, up to Anguilla, across to St. Martin, barely skipping a country or territory or language zone. The five oldest Caribbean book fairs or lit fests in order of the most years in existence and connected to editions celebrated, are in this group, like a bunch of sweet ripe bananas: in Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St. Martin.1 I would like to think, going forward, that the Caribbean Literature Day, on July 12, will become the rallying point of this range of literary peaks from which to slingshot, with gusto, into the second part of the years literary activities. The first region-wide Caribbean Literature Day was launched on July 12, 2020. House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP) called for the pan-Caribbean literature day at the online closing ceremony of the 18th annual St. Martin Book Fair on June 6, 2020. Here is what happened, leading up to and on the first Caribbean Literature Day: The countries and territories with highly visible literary activities and statements, physically or virtually, by organizations and individuals, and with traditional media coverage, included Colombia, Barbados, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, Cuba, USA, Canada, Anguilla, Martinique, Virgin Islands, Antigua, Kenya, France, Singapore, Jamaica, St. Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, and Puerto Rico among others. The Faculty of Humanities and Education and the Writers Hub of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, and the Institute for Gender and Development Studies Regional Coordinating Office at UWIs Jamaica campus, organized Zoom conferences of Caribbean authors discussing and reading their work to digital world publics. Out of Puerto Rico, Conexion Caribe went live on Zoom and YouTube for its authors discussion, reflexiones sobre la literatura caribena. Martiniques Mawon Tv kept the announcement fresh on its Facebook page. At the University of Florida, the Latin American and Caribbean Collection marked the celebration by highlighting its substantial volumes of books and periodicals. The library invited people to learn about and share Caribbean literature! and hoped that its exhibition and promotion represented the broad scope of writers in all Caribbean nations and territories and in the diaspora.2 Blogs such as Petchary (Jamaica), Lovereading (UK), JamesMurua.com (Kenya), along with Radio Havana and TV Santiago de Cuba had a feature, news report, or livestreamed a UWI Zoom conference, encouraging readers and audiences to participate in the Caribbean Literature Day. Prensa Latina requested an exclusive interview with HNP and TeleSUR bumped up news of the literary day from print to its TV report. The Amuseum Naturalis (St. Martin), Gentle Steps Arts Studio (Barbados), and publishers, including EDP University (Puerto Rico), held exhibitions, readings and Caribbean book sales for the inaugural Caribbean Literature Day. Californias Tachyon Publications zeroed in on sci-fi fans to celebrate Caribbean Literature Day with Nalo Hopkinsons FALLING IN LOVE WITH HOMINIDS. Novelist David Ambrose was the one to take point in organizing Grenadian writers for the Spice Isle literature readings and recordings on July 12. A number of individuals like author Gerty Dambury (France/Guadeloupe), Faizal Deen (Canada/Guyana), Shujah Reiph (St. Martin), Dr. ChenziRa Kahina (St. Croix, VI), Fabian Adekunle Badejo (St. Martin), Prof. Opal Adisa (Jamaica), Julien Merion of CORECA (Guadeloupe) brought the weight of their years of organizational and communication skills to involve writers and readers of all ages with unique media images, interviews, and zooming with authors of various genres across the region and what noted thinker George Lamming has called the Caribbeans external frontiers. Bocas Lit Fest, unique in the Caribbean for having a full years calendar of literary activities that promote its book fair brand, went all out, Throughout the day sharing online resources of readings, excerpts, and interviews from our overall prize winners. It also featured events happening around the region for the first pan-Caribbean literature day, celebrating the roots, range, and excellence of writings and books across the language zones of our region.3 Following the June call, the United Women Book Club of St. Martin immediately picked up the charge in readying its enthusiastic members for a robust Facebook reading of selections from the members favorite Caribbean books. For the region, they did it with a style singularly natural to St. Martin: hosting multilingual readings. Club members accumulated over 1,300 views on Facebook. Caribbeanist Sara Florian went live on July 12 from Singapore, where she is a university lecturer. Opening with greetings in five languages, including her native Italian, to those who love Caribbean literature, Florian read from her forthcoming poetry collection and accrued over 800 views on Facebook. The idea that institutions and individuals would take it upon themselves to pick up the pan-Caribbean peoples celebration and do it their way was exactly what was called for at the St. Martin Book Fair platform on June 6, in other words, to: Celebrate the day by reading the works of your favorite Caribbean authors; buying Caribbean books, published in the Caribbean and beyond, and by Caribbean authors; and presenting Caribbean books as gifts. Celebrate the day with books, recitals, and with discussions about books, of poetry, fiction, drama, art, music, and all the other genres by Caribbean writers.4 At HNP were thankful to the Caribbean people and the writers and lovers of Caribbean literature everywhere for being part of this engagement. Lets have a ball reading in the 2nd annual Caribbean Literature Day July 12, 2021. Celebrate! Celebrar! Celebrez ! Jou Literati Karayib la 12 jiye 2021 / Dia de la Literatura Caribena 12 de julio, 2021 / la Journee de Litterature Caribeenne le 12 juillet 2021 / Dia di literatura di karibe Juli 12, 2021 / Dag van de Caribische literatuur 12 juli 2021.5 Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. A man who fatally struck a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Co Offaly last year while texting at the wheel has been jailed for two years. Eric Dunne (26), Belair, Ballycumber, Co Offaly, was found to have been sending text messages from his mobile phone seconds before his car fatally struck Aoife Doyle as she and her best friend Cara Cronly walked along the R436 Clara to Ballycumber road at Erry, Clara, Co Offaly on March 20 last. Mr Dunne pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death ahead of today's sentencing hearing before Judge Keenan Johnson. Dunne told gardai he had been out shopping with his girlfriend in Tullamore earlier that day. He said he was not able to remember seeing the two schoolgirls out walking along the side of the road or if the lights to the car he had purchased from his father just over a week previously were switched on. "All I remember was the bang," he said, adding he could not recall texting from his phone in the minutes leading up to the tragedy. In a letter penned by Mr Dunne and read out on his behalf by defence counsel Des Dockery SC, the former courier supervisor expressed his remorse. "I wish it was me instead of Aoife," he said. "She would be here today if it wasn't for my stupidity. I can honestly say I did not see her and there is not a day or night that I don't think of her." Expand Close Eric Dunne / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eric Dunne The court was told that Dunne was also a learner driver and was unaccompanied at the time of the incident. The soon to be father, who had been suffering from a "crippling anxiety condition" prior to the tragedy, had previously been driving for eight years and sat his driving test on three separate occasions, failing each time. "I would gladly take her (Aoife's) place," he told the court. "I have to live with this for the rest of my life. I know you must hate me, maybe some day you will forgive me. I am sorry and I always will be." Victim impact statements were also read out by Cara Cronly and by Aoifes aunt Emer Doyle, both of whom relayed the daily anguish which has been left by the sudden departure of the talented Taylor Swift fan. "We thought we would grow old together," said Cara. "We knew everything about each other. We had so many secrets together. I just miss her and I find it hard to see a future without her." Ms Doyle said the void left by Aoife's tragic passing had brought untold personal hardship to her parents, Oonagh and Damien, as well as the wider family. "One of the hardest days in all of this was her 15th birthday on September 20, six months to the day she was killed," said Ms Doyle. "Instead of giving her cake, we were laying flowers on her grave. We are broken behind repair. The impact of Aoife's death has been truly life changing and no words will ever capture that." Judge Johnson described the circumstances surrounding the case as "horrific" and "heartbreaking", describing Aoife as being a child who was "full of vitality, ability and talent." In determining sentence, he said the case centred on two "primary aggravating factors", being the fact the accused was texting and using a mobile phone at the time of the incident, something which was compounded by the revelation the accused was on a learner permit and unaccompanied. He referenced a 2015 road safety campaign by the Road Safety Authority which showed how texting while driving makes the possibility of a crash 23 times more likely. In light of those statistics, Judge Johnson urged car manufacturers to follow the lead set by the US in adopting phone apps which prevent drivers from texting when driving. "Consideration should also be given to lobbying phone manufacturers and car manufacturers about the mandatory installation of technology that prevents drivers from texting," he said. He sentenced Dunne to three years and six months in prison, suspending the final 18 months for five years subject to a number of conditions. They included that the accused enter into a peace bond, engage with probation services for 18 months post release and to liaise with mental health services and psychology services. He also disqualified Dunne from driving for a period of 10 years. "Some may feel that given the tragic consequences of the offending, the sentence is too lenient," he said, adding he would be thinking of Aoife's family on Saturday at what will be the first anniversary of her death. "However, I believe the sanction is measured, just and fair. "The sentence is structured not so much to punish the accused, but rather to deter others who might be tempted to text while driving and to emphasise the fatal dangers that such activity attracts." On foot of an application by State prosecutor Kevin White BL on behalf of Aoife Doyle's family for her to be named, Judge Johnson had little hesitation in acceding to the request. He said the move was one which was befitting of such a tragic case and in keeping with ensuring transparency in the delivery of justice. Advertisement A coroner has slammed the 'dehumanising' care given to five residents who died of neglect at a scandal-hit nursing home, where one elderly man was left looking like a 'prisoner of war'. Assistant Gwent Coroner Geraint Williams accused the owners and staff at Brithdir nursing home in New Tredegar, South Wales, of a 'gross betrayal of the trust' place in them by families of the residents by keeping them in the dark over poor standards of care. Mr Williams today recorded narrative conclusions for June Hamer, 71, Stanley Bradford, 76, Edith Evans, 85, Evelyn Jones, 87, and William Hickman, 71. He said Stanley James, 89, died of natural causes. They all died between 2003 and 2005 and suffered dehydration, malnourishment and pressure sores on their bodies. Residents were often unkempt and dirty, care plans would be ignored, documents falsified and residents would be humiliated by staff, an inquest was told. One former staff member said she saw a care worker draw a moustache with a permanent marker on the face of a female resident. During the inquest, several Brithdir staff apologised for the 'shocking lack of care', which was 'bordering on being negligent'. Others said there was a 'systematic failure of the system' at Brithdir, with staffing levels 'dire' and carers having to provide their own PPE. Mr Williams' verdict came as: The family of one victim spoke of their guilt in believing they could have done more to ease his suffering; The coroner claimed the care home boss was only interested in making money, not caring for the elderly; Experts vowed the shameful care experienced by residents must never be allowed to happen again; Another grieving family warned another scandal could happen as financial problems caused by Covid hit the care sector Stanley Bradford (pictured), 76, died just three months after moving to the Brithdir Nursing Home, New Tredegar, South Wales in 2005. His family said he looked like a prisoner of war He had previously suffered a stroke and had also been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, diabetes and schizophrenia. Pictured: A family photograph with Mr Bradford front centre How the Brithdir nursing home scandal was exposed Seven residents died at the Brithdir nursing home in south Wales between 2003 and 2005. Here is a timeline of events: - 1995: A television programme raises concerns about standards of care and staffing levels at three homes, including Holly House, owned by Dr Prana Das and his wife Nishebita and their company Puretruce Health Care. - 2001: The couple are fined 3,000 because one of their homes had no one in charge of it. - 2001 to 2005: Six care homes are deregistered by the authorities, three of them owned by Dr Das and his wife. - May 2002: Puretruce Health Care takes over management of Brithdir. - June 2003: Care Inspectorate Wales inspectors walk out of a meeting with Dr Das having felt threatened by him. - September: Paul Black is appointed deputy chief executive of Puretruce Health Care. He has a background in medical sales and marketing. Within weeks he has made savings of more than 100,000. - October: Puretruce Health Care is placed in receivership after running into financial difficulties. Care Inspectorate Wales inspectors issue Dr Das with a notice for 'urgent remedial action' over care standards in his homes, including problems with pressure sores. - November: Care Inspectorate Wales inspectors meet Mr Black about poor standards of care and staff levels at night. - January 2004: Dr Das writes to Care Inspectorate Wales to complain about an inspector and blaming them for the death of a patient. - February: Dr Das accuses a Care Inspectorate Wales inspector of racism. - July: At a Protection of Vulnerable Adults meeting Mr Black acknowledges staffing problems. - October: Caerphilly County Borough Council places an embargo on further placements at Brithdir. There are concerns residents had poor nutrition and pressure sores. - December: The embargo is lifted but with conditions. - May 2005: Dr Das appeals to the Care Standards Tribunal over the cancellation of the registration of Holly House. He later wins the appeal. - June: A BBC documentary exposes poor standards of care in homes owned by Dr Das. - September: Care Inspectorate Wales issues a new notice to cancel Holly House's registration. - September 29: Stanley Bradford dies at Brithdir. - September 30: Edith Evans dies in hospital. - October: Gwent Police launch Operation Jasmine following the death of a resident at another nursing home in Newbridge. The following month the police inquiry is widened to include Brithdir. - November: Caerphilly County Borough Council gives six months' notice of cancellation of its contract with Puretruce Health Care. - November 30: Evelyn Jones dies. - April 2006: The last resident is moved from Brithdir and the home is later sold. - July: A Care Standards Tribunal upholds the decision to cancel the registration of Holly House. It is deregistered in September. - October 2011: The Health and Safety Executive and the Crown Prosecution Service seek to bring charges against Puretruce Health Care, Dr Das and Mr Black. - September 2012: Dr Das is attacked at his home by burglars and sustains severe head injuries. - March 2013: Legal proceedings are halted as Dr Das is unfit to stand trial. - December: First Minister Carwyn Jones announces he is setting up a review of Operation Jasmine. - May 2015: The review by Margaret Flynn is published. - January 2021: Inquests into the deaths of six residents begin at Gwent Coroner's Court. - March: Assistant Gwent Coroner Geraint Williams records conclusions that neglect contributed to the deaths of five residents. He records a conclusion of natural causes for the sixth resident. Advertisement Mr Williams said: 'The view of Margaret Moody, the nursing expert, and Professor Malcolm Hodkinson, the consultant geriatrician, was that the attitude of the staff at Brithdir was that residents were being 'warehoused',' Mr Williams said. 'They explained this as a situation where the residents were simply kept and were being fed and watered with the bare minimum being done and then the staff going home. 'I accept without hesitation that description of the philosophy. 'What is worse, in my judgment, is that even the feeding and watering, to use Prof Hodkinson's phrase, was inadequate given that some of the residents were admitted into hospital suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, and that the bare minimum was resolutely below any acceptable standard. 'Such philosophy I find led inextricably to a neglectful and abuseful attitude on the part of many of the staff at Brithdir, which is clearly evidenced by the practice authorised and sanctioned by Peter Smith when he was the manager of changing the incontinence pads of residents in the lounge in the presence of other staff. 'He justified that practice on the basis that as the residents were suffering from dementia, they would not know what was happening to them. 'That practice I consider was one by which the residents were dehumanised and is perhaps the lowest point in the story of the Brithdir nursing home. 'I have no hesitation in confirming as an unequivocal fact all these matters contributed significantly to the deaths of Stanley James, Judith Hamer, William Hickman, Stanley Bradford, Edith Evans and Evelyn Jones.' Brithdir was part of a group of 24 care homes owned by local GP Dr Prana Das and his Puretruce Health Care company. Temporary embargoes on new residents were placed on Brithdir, regular inspections were carried out and improvements notices issued but it was not until 2006 the home finally closed. Dr Das was known to be 'very rude and offensive' with social care inspectors and would often launch legal challenges to decisions of regulators. Social workers also failed to carry out regular assessment of the residents being funded by Caerphilly County Borough Council. Police launched the Operation Jasmine inquiry in 2005 following the death of an elderly resident at another home. The inquiry lasted nearly a decade and cost over 11 million with detectives looking at 63 deaths. Charges were brought against Dr Das and the Puretruce chief executive but the trial collapsed in 2013 after Dr Das suffered severe head injuries in an aggravated burglary at his home. He died last year aged 73. Dr Das had been the subject of complaints about his homes dating back to the mid-1990s and there had been a long history of involvement with the authorities. Mr Williams did not criticise any individual from social services, the local health board or care watchdog but said there was a 'focus on system and process' which meant the needs of residents were not always recognised in a 'timely or appropriate fashion'. He said the authorities should have taken more significant action against Dr Das in the autumn of 2004 following the deaths of Mrs Hamer and Mr Hickman. 'I find that the legislative and regulatory framework hampered significantly the steps which needed to be taken,' he said. 'However, and through no fault of their own, their very proper protective actions created a significant and possibly insurmountable hurdle to achieving what I have no doubt was a genuine desire to deal with the delinquent and abusive behaviour of Dr Das. 'In my judgment it was a plain as a pikestaff that in October 2004 there was a serious risk to the life, health and wellbeing of residents at Brithdir.' Meanwhile the family of care home victim Stanley Bradford say they will continue to live with the guilt of believing they could have done more to ease his suffering. Former miner Mr Bradford died in September 2005 just three months after moving to the Brithdir nursing home. His family said he was so neglected by staff that he was left looking like an inmate in a prisoner of war camp because of malnourishment. His daughters Pam Cook and Gaynor Evans described the evidence they heard over the last few weeks as harrowing. 'We've been waiting a long time, all these years and this has been hanging over us like a black cloud,' Mrs Cook said. 'We have always felt we wanted some form of justice and we needed to hear the truth of what happened to our loved ones.' Mrs Evans said: 'We always carried a lot of guilt with us, but knowing what we know now and listening to all the evidence and what went on, we knew there was nothing more we could have done. 'He was let down by all the different agencies.' Assistant Gwent Coroner Geraint Williams accused the owners and staff at Brithdir nursing home in New Tredegar, South Wales, pictured, of a 'gross betrayal of the trust' place in them by families of the residents by keeping them in the dark over poor standards of care Coroner slams care home owner for putting money over resident care The owner of the Brithdir nursing home was only interested in making money, rather than caring for the elderly, a coroner has said. Geraint Williams condemned Dr Prana Das for his 'aggressive and threatening' attitude to the state agencies and his 'deliberately duplicitous' actions. Dr Das, a GP, owned more than 20 care homes in South Wales through several different companies, and had been well known to the authorities for poor standards of care and minimal staffing levels across his businesses. After a lengthy police investigation, Dr Das was charged with health and safety and fraud offences, but before he could stand trial, he suffered severe head injuries during an aggravated burglary at his home. He died in 2020. Mr Williams, the assistant Gwent coroner, criticised Dr Das, his chief executive Paul Black, and senior managers Peter Smith and Rachel Prichard. 'Dr Das was described in evidence by a number of witnesses including, significantly Paul Black and Rachel Prichard, as a manipulative, deceitful, dishonest bully,' he said. 'His attitude toward the state agencies and the regulatory requirements was clear from the outset of his involvement at Brithdir - at best it was cavalier and at worst deliberately duplicitous. 'He was known by the state agencies to be extremely litigious and was, I find, clearly determined to refuse to acknowledge any criticism or failure by him or his staff in the care given to his residents. 'I find, based upon the evidence that I heard, that he was aggressive and threatening to all who opposed him.' Mr Williams said Dr Das had persistently failed to stick to statutory and regulatory requirements, especially around staffing levels. 'I am completely satisfied that his sole concern was making money from his business and that the needs of residents, their safety and their welfare played little if any part in his thinking,' he said. 'The expert evidence, whilst given in connection with individual residents, is that there was a culture at Brithdir of warehousing the residents, ensuring that they were fed and watered, although even that was often inadequate, giving them medication although not always appropriately and doing the bare minimum for them. 'The evidence in support of that expert opinion is simply overwhelming and stems, I find, from the focus of the management on maximising profit at the expense of providing care. 'I find that such focus, attitude and culture represents the most gross dereliction of duty that could be imagined and amounts to a deliberate abuse of the elderly and vulnerable residents at Brithdir.' Advertisement They said they never knew their 76-year-old father was suffering from pressure sores - leaving him in agony when anyone tried to move him. 'He wasn't getting enough fluids and nourishment and we were never told he had any pressure ulcers,' Mrs Cook said. 'It was the first time we had experienced someone who was at the end of their life and was so ill. 'We saw him cry out when we did see him moved, which was rarely, but we thought it was because his body was shutting down. 'We didn't for one minute know about pressure sores, we had never been told. What has come out is that he had a number of pressure sores and they were necrotic. 'Being in that position for the first time, these people are professional people, in a professional caring job, and if they are telling you one thing, you are going to believe them. 'You shouldn't have any doubts at all to believe what they are saying.' Brithdir was one of several care homes run by Dr Prana Das, who had been the subject of investigations for a decade prior to the events with Mr Bradford, and his daughters believe action should have been taken much sooner. 'We can't believe how it was left to just go on and on. They knew what was happening and the risks to residents and he was still allowed to have his homes open. They should have been shut down,' Mrs Evans said. 'It makes me think now how many other residents, before this all came out, how many others suffered and died from neglect?' Mrs Evans's daughter, Haley, said: 'We know there were problems since 1995 and that's all been swept under the carpet. 'When we were choosing the nursing home never once did the social worker tell us it was Dr Das's home, never once did she tell us the home was in trouble and placed under an embargo and under investigation by the Care Inspectorate Wales.' Mrs Cook said: 'We knew he didn't have a good name or a good character. He was a doctor only a few miles from where we lived, and we knew his reputation and we wouldn't have, on that basis alone, let dad go in there. 'Listening to the inquest we've shed a lot of tears and had a lot of upset but besides that it has made us very, very angry. 'This was left to go on and no-one stopped it, and everyone blames each other. 'At least now we know exactly what went on in there. We know they failed him from the top to the bottom.' Her sister said: 'I think someone should have gone to prison, especially Dr Das. He got away with it all.' They praised the support they have received from their solicitors Hogan Lovells and the Justice for Jasmine group. Miss Evans said: 'Because they couldn't tell us, we couldn't stop it. But at least by fighting on we've proved to them that we did love them, and it wasn't covered up and left, unnoticed.' Her mother added: 'They knew the problems, but they were still sending people there. I still think the guilt will always be with us. I don't think we will ever get over that guilt.' Their comments came as the coroner said owner Dr Das was only interested in making money, rather than caring for the elderly, condemning him for his 'aggressive and threatening' attitude to the state agencies and his 'deliberately duplicitous' actions. Dr Das, a GP, owned more than 20 care homes in South Wales through several different companies, and had been well known to the authorities for poor standards of care and minimal staffing levels across his businesses. After a lengthy police investigation, Dr Das was charged with health and safety and fraud offences, but before he could stand trial, he suffered severe head injuries during an aggravated burglary at his home. He died in 2020. The family of victim Edith Evans (pictured) said today another nursing home scandal could happen as financial problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic hit the care sector Nursing home scandal must never happen again, expert vows The shameful care experienced by residents at the Brithdir nursing home must never be allowed to happen again, according to an independent voice for older people. Helena Herklots, Older People's Commissioner for Wales, said there had been many changes in the social care sector since the shocking events at the care home first came to light - to ensure there was never a repeat. 'I know that the pain and grief amongst families who lost loved ones following the shocking failures of care highlighted by this inquest are still very real, and I would like to pay tribute to the dignity with which they have made their voices heard and spoken up on behalf of their relatives,' she said. 'Their hard work and tenacity over many, many years has provided much needed, although often very painful, answers about the catalogue of failures, at both an individual and system level, which resulted in dehumanising and degrading treatment that ultimately contributed significantly to the deaths of their loved ones, vulnerable older people whose trust was betrayed in such an appalling way. 'Today's findings underline why the changes we have seen across our social care system in the years since these failures occurred have been so important, and why learning and work to deliver improvements must continue to ensure that older people never again experience the kind of shameful care that the residents of Brithdir sadly endured.' Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith said there was likely to be many more families who recognise the poor care loved ones suffered in homes owned by Dr Prana Das. 'I'm glad that this inquest has documented Dr Das' disgraceful behaviour and the appalling treatment that led to the deaths of elderly residents in his care,' Mr Smith said. 'Unfortunately, there are likely to be more families, former residents and staff who recognise similar instances of poor care that occurred under Dr Das elsewhere. 'Residents and their families will take small comfort from the coroner's findings, although I hope that some closure has been provided given that Dr Das was never held to account in the courts. 'Following Operation Jasmine, I successfully fought to secure a change in the law so that care home owners could be personally prosecuted for cases of neglect. 'I hope this has ensured older people are better protected against the kind of abhorrent treatment we have heard about during this inquest.' Advertisement Mr Williams, the assistant Gwent coroner, criticised Dr Das, his chief executive Paul Black, and senior managers Peter Smith and Rachel Prichard. 'Dr Das was described in evidence by a number of witnesses including, significantly Paul Black and Rachel Prichard, as a manipulative, deceitful, dishonest bully,' he said. 'His attitude toward the state agencies and the regulatory requirements was clear from the outset of his involvement at Brithdir - at best it was cavalier and at worst deliberately duplicitous. 'He was known by the state agencies to be extremely litigious and was, I find, clearly determined to refuse to acknowledge any criticism or failure by him or his staff in the care given to his residents. 'I find, based upon the evidence that I heard, that he was aggressive and threatening to all who opposed him.' Mr Williams said Dr Das had persistently failed to stick to statutory and regulatory requirements, especially around staffing levels. 'I am completely satisfied that his sole concern was making money from his business and that the needs of residents, their safety and their welfare played little if any part in his thinking,' he said. 'The expert evidence, whilst given in connection with individual residents, is that there was a culture at Brithdir of warehousing the residents, ensuring that they were fed and watered, although even that was often inadequate, giving them medication although not always appropriately and doing the bare minimum for them. 'The evidence in support of that expert opinion is simply overwhelming and stems, I find, from the focus of the management on maximising profit at the expense of providing care. 'I find that such focus, attitude and culture represents the most gross dereliction of duty that could be imagined and amounts to a deliberate abuse of the elderly and vulnerable residents at Brithdir.' Meanwhile, another grieving family said today another nursing home scandal could happen as financial problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic hit the care sector. Edith Evans, 85, died in hospital in September 2005 having been a resident at the troubled nursing home. She had been so poorly neglected by the nursing home that hospital staff were shocked by her condition. Mrs Evans, who did not have any children, was survived by her niece Gail Morris and twin sisters Gaynor and Betty Williams. They sat through weeks of evidence at Gwent Coroner's Court and were shocked at what they learnt, as they had believed that after 15 years of campaigning, a police inquiry and an independent Welsh Government review they knew everything. 'We were horrified. There's more come out and we thought we knew everything, we knew so little,' Gaynor Williams said. Mrs Morris said: 'We didn't think we could learn any more but we have, none of it good. 'I think we have been angry since October 2005 when Edie went into hospital and that's when we found out how bad things were.' They said they learnt their aunt had contracted MRSA twice and safeguarding meetings were held to discuss her care. Like other families they only found out Dr Prana Das ran Brithdir after the death of Mrs Evans. 'The exact same thing happened to us when they said Aunt Edie was going into Brithdir and we said didn't Dr Das own it and they said no, he's not there now,' Gaynor Evans said. 'I can remember them saying he didn't have it then when she went in.' Senior doctor Prana Das (pictured) was accused of neglect and fraud following a huge police investigation - but died before he could be brought to justice Pictured: Evelyn Jones. The police investigation spanned seven years, involved 75 police staff and 4,126 statements were taken Mrs Morris's husband Kelvyn said Dr Das should never have been allowed to take over Brithdir in 2002 as he was well known to the authorities. 'It has been one of the big things our barrister Ben Summers brought up. There were all these problems, yet the authorities kept registering him for new homes,' Mr Morris said. 'He'd use a different company name and the authorities had little teeth to stop him. The fact there was institutional abuse in so many places - probably more than the homes we are looking at - and yet they were happy to place residents there. 'What got me was the comment from Merthyr Borough Council social services put an embargo on any of their residents going anywhere near Das homes. 'Yet the Caerphilly County Borough continued to place residents there. Is that damning?' Mr Morris said the homes run by Dr Das should have been closed years before because the problems were known. 'There was institutional abuse back in 2003 - there were several opportunities many years before,' he said. 'We can see that Das was the biggest problem but when you see the quality of the staff he employed, you can why there were problems. 'With all the information we have received you can see the wider picture and the complicity of everybody involved with the state agencies. 'Nobody making the right decision, they all had other agendas and the poor residents were the last on the list to be thought about, apart from one person, Care Inspectorate Wales inspector Alison Price.' His wife said: 'Listening to her evidence, although it was very depressing, you realised she was the only one that stood up to Das and tried to do her very best for the residents.' Mr Morris said Operation Jasmine looked at the deaths of 106 elderly residents at homes in South Wales and there have since been changes to the care system. 'It is still not perfect, but I think it is a far better regime now. As long as they keep learning and not standing still then we will be OK,' he said. 'The line last week was, 'We believe it won't happen again'. It will, I hope it doesn't take as many deaths to make that change again. 'A lot of people died at his homes, they died prematurely and died distressingly and in pain, that they didn't need to. 'I think the triggers are the financial state of the care sector. There are so many stories going around at the moment about care home finances being perilous. 'If finances are under pressure then care will be under pressure. It doesn't have to be a Das, it can be Covid-19. Unless there is an oversight layer that really works, it can happen again.' Mrs Morris said: 'It would be nice to say it won't happen again, but I think it could easily happen again.' Cicero, N.Y. A Cicero man has been accused of having and sharing child pornography. Jacob Schoeneberger, 45, was arrested Friday and charged with having illicit, sexually exploitative images of children. The New York State Police searched his Conductor Avenue home and seized computer-related materials, troopers said. Schoeneberger has been charged with promoting a sexual performance by a child and possession of a sexual performance by a child, both felonies. He was initially taken to the Onondaga County Justice Center but is no longer listed in custody. 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 boy who died from his injuries after a small plane crashed head-on into his mother's SUV in Florida was identified on Tuesday afternoon as the four-year-old son of a local teacher's aide. Taylor Bishop was one of three people who lost their lives in the fiery crash that occurred in Pembroke Pines on Monday, including the two occupants of the Beechcraft Bonanza single-engine plane that dropped out of the sky shortly after takeoff. The four-year-old boy was traveling with his mother, school paraprofessional Megan Bishop, when the plane struggling to return to the airport crashed into them on a residential street and burst into flames. Scroll down for video Taylor Bishop, 4, was killed and his mother, Megan Bishop, was injured when a small plane crashed directly into their SUV in Southern Florida on Monday Bishop's SUV that was struck by the airplane Monday is seen behind police lines on a residential street near North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines A single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashed in Pembroke Pines, Florida, shortly after it took off from North Perry Airport at around 3pm Monday A neighbor's Ring camera captured the plane falling out of the sky and crashing directly into a passing SUV The plane and SUV burst into flames, with the fire spreading across the roadway Two people aboard the plane died in the Monday afternoon crash in Pembroke Pines. The plane had just left from North Perry Airport and was returning just before 3pm, the fire chief said. He said the single-engine plane may have experienced mechanical issues after taking off. 'The car literally looks like its just in half,' neighbor Salah Elshaer, who called 911, told WSVN. Annabel Fernandez's Ring doorbell camera captured the horrific crash, showing the victims' dark-blue SUV driving in the neighborhood moments before the plane drops out of the sky and strikes the vehicle head-on, scattering debris across the roadway and sparking a raging fire. Bishop works as a teacher's assistant at Hollywood Hills Elementary. Taylor was the woman's only son A union representative described the four-year-old boy as bright, smart and chatty 'We heard like a bomb, like a tremendous noise, and we went outside, and everything was on fire,' Fernandez told the television station. Bishop, a teacher's assistant at Hollywood Hills Elementary, was able to get out of the mangled vehicle and was trying to free her son. Firefighters eventually extricated the trapped child and they were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in serious condition. WSVN's aerial footage showed Bishop was sitting up and conscious while she was being loaded into the back of an ambulance. Firefighters arrived on the scene and pronounced the plane's two occupants dead Firefighters had to extricate a young boy from the crushed and scorched vehicle, who later died at the hospital The four-year-old Taylor later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. His mother was released from the hospital later Monday, Pembroke Pines Fire Chief Marcel Rodriguez told news outlets. Anna Marie Pierpont, a Broward School District union field representative, told Sun-Sentinel that Taylor was a smart and bright little boy who enjoyed taking part in video chats on Facebook and showing his toys. 'He just really enjoyed being with mom and being part of our gatherings. He was just a very happy little man,' Pierpont said. The names of the victims who died inside the plane have not been released. The Broward County Aviation Department released a statement extending its condolences to the families of the crash victims. 'We are saddened by this tragic loss of life and offer our sincere condolences during this difficult time,' the agency stated. The plane was just a few hundred feet short of the runway at the nearby airport when it took out a power line and came down near Southwest 72nd Avenue and 13th Street when it crashed, officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. A woman appeared conscious and alert as she was being loaded into an ambulance The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the accident This is the fifth small plane crash that has occurred at or near the airport in Pembroke Pines since last May. Four of the five crashes were fatal, resulting in a total of five deaths. In December 2020, a plane carrying two adults and two children crashed. All four on board survived. Earlier that month a plane landed upside down when the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing. In November of last year, the pilot of an experimental plane was killed when he crashed at the airport. Back in May 2020, a student pilot from one of the flight schools at the airport was killed when their plane crashed during a training flight over Miramar. Recently our team was invited to meet with 2020 election fraud investigators in downtown Austin. Our team, with some of the top criminal profiling talent in the country, was happy to attend. At the last minute, our new pals cancelled their meeting. Since we changed our schedules and lost those days, we decided to hold our own confab. Our team members were the lead builders of one of the worlds most sophisticated criminal profiling systems in use by law enforcement today. We broke the eBay auction fraud rings and deployed a never-before-used technology to end auction fraud as an emerging crime category. We identified numerous Medicaid fraud rings and were hired by most of the top 10 property and casualty insurance firms to solve auto crash rings that eluded the FBI and every fraud technology. What we do not talk about much is our teams record predicting crime. There were several occasions when we predicted terrorist activity and warned government agencies. There is a particularly famous one, involving a military base, where they did not listen. That's one for another day. When you are at the table with some of the top criminal profilers in the world, talking about industrial scale election fraud, you do more listening than talking. And the listening was interesting. The profilers have zero interest in U.S. elections. Two of them did not vote and had unflattering opinions about both presidential candidates. Their comments were most insightful because they saw the current questions about election fraud so differently than the American media. To them, 2020 election fraud was an industrial level crime. It was of such magnitude that it moved from the category of an election crime to a sovereign crime. Sovereign crime. It does have a ring to it. Sovereign crime is not something we see a lot of in America as our governmental institutions are generally not organized to commit, support or hide a crime. Most Americans have never seen an organized crime take place, in plain view, supported by or covered up by governmental institutions. But it happens all the time around the world, even in some countries that are quite Westernized. Sovereign crime means your government was a participant, active or passive, enabling vote fraud. Governors and secretaries of state refusing to cleanse voter rolls, refusing to check signatures for mail-in ballots even during recounts, changing the voting rules weeks before an election, qualifies as your government messing with your vote. The national government refusing to investigate the most egregious examples of voter fraud like hundreds of thousands of more ballots than voters in several states, that is a pretty good indicator that they are passive participants in industrial level vote fraud. The refusal of the FBI to fully investigate Jesse Morgans truck with the hundreds of thousands of ballots going from New York to Pennsylvania yet dispatching agents to a NASCAR location to investigate a garage pull-down they hoped was a noose well, thats a good indicator, too. Wait, were not done here. The United States Postal Service managers telling employees to backdate ballots so they could be counted illegally. Does that sound like your government sovereign government participating in vote fraud? Our team noted that this might be the first time in American history that the government from the states to the national to its agencies coordinated to either fake the vote or hide the faking. Our profilers comfortably said the 2020 election fraud was on such a scale that it was impossible for the major law enforcement agencies to not have known about it in advance. Governmental law enforcement either actively engaged in the fraud, which is impossible to prove, or knowingly acquiesced after the fact. Pretty clearly, the evidence is piling up that the FBI had zero interest in trucks with ballots crossing state lines, ballots being shredded in Maricopa County, tens of thousands of ballots received before being mailed and all sorts of other clues any competent law enforcement agency would at least investigate. The conversation did not go where I expected it. There was no interest on our profilers part in doing investigation of massive voter fraud. They felt it was so obvious and the current work being done by citizens and published on hard-to-find blogs was state-of-the-art and no further investigations would find much more. Their comments were striking because they said the data easily available showed the election fraud patterns had two very alarming characteristics: It was not the first time this was tried, and it will be performed again, at scale, in the next election. Here is where the conversation got very interesting: Violent criminals have known profiles and when law enforcement properly applies certain profiles, there can be very accurate predictions about what such persons will do next. Fraud criminals have their own patterns. When we were doing insurance fraud, we often said, with authority, that fraud is a constant. If you stop it one place, it will pop up somewhere else. Fraud criminals are often highly educated. In our world, they are doctors, attorneys, insurance investigators, chiropractors, running fraud rings spanning multiple states. If someone were caught and the ring broken, those who did not go to jail did not become priests or open small businesses. They started other fraud rings. Fraud is a constant. Fraud becomes a profession. Fraud rings, when organized, grow. They continue to expand with new entrants, slightly different profiles, corrupting more people with money that dwarfs what one might make honestly. Fraud techniques are like an organic species: what works, thrives; and what fails, dies out. Patterns emerge. Patterns equal prediction and prediction enables eradication. Here is where our profilers made a critical connection. The 2020 election fraud did not just happen. It is impossible for an organization, spanning many states, using similar techniques (fake ballots, shutting down counting at the same time, more ballots than voters, dead voters, underage voters) to succeed the first time at bat. There are just too many moving parts. So here we developed a thesis. The team, educated in some of the most sophisticated organized fraud tactics, posited that this was not a dry run. Their thesis is that if one were to seriously evaluate the balloting in many states for 2014, 2016 and 2018, one will find traces of what happened in 2020. That project is under discussion. Their second thesis is that this is not over by any means. This kind of election fraud was hugely successful. If one even questions the 2020 election, one can be banned from social media and labeled a conspiracy theorist by sovereign governmental agencies. The team believes the best is yet to come. Fraud perps are greedy and when left to commit fraud, for which there was likely millions of dollars in remuneration either presently or in the future, they are not going to stop. As fraudsters recognize that national law enforcement refuses to investigate and the courts will not look at evidence, they are emboldened. Who wouldnt be? Our courts and law enforcement are saying come, commit all the fraud you want, we wont investigate, and if there is litigation, we will toss it out on procedural grounds. If anyone protests, the FBI may raid their home with an assault vehicle. Dont believe me, well, meet Christopher Worrell. And meet retired Army Sergeant Kenneth Harrelson, who, like Chris, attended the Dont Steal The Vote Rally and was greeted by an FBI turreted vehicle while he was cleaning out his gutters. This is our government in action covering up election fraud. FBI Director Chris Wray is promising each of us the Roger Stone Experience if we doth protest too much. We are dealing with a new type of crime, at least new to most Americans: sovereign crime. This is it, folks! This is what it looks like. Just think if the courts and government did this for Medicaid fraud. We might all do it! So if you are an election fraud perp, what would you do? Double down! Yes, you would, you know you would. Fraud is a constant. What we saw in 2020 is going to happen in 2022 and 2024 in a very big way. Maybe bigger since there are no constraints. It is here the team made their most startling prediction. The data from 2020 are strong enough to predict exactly where the most egregious fraud is going to happen and how it is going to happen. Texas data sent to us showed the 2020-type fraud did happen in 2016 and 2018 in a smaller degree but with the same pattern. It was not reported. In hindsight, compared with 2020, a pattern emerges. Profiling works. Fraud is a constant. Bad guys without pushback overplay their hands. Your government, at the state and federal level, the FBI, government agencies can be in on the scam. That is the realization slowly being accepted by millions of Americans. We have technologies that can identify dead voters the moment they cast a ballot. We can identify people who are out-of-state, voted twice, are underage, live in a vacant lot or a UPS or FedEx postal box. We can even show a photo of that vacant lot so you can see where your fake neighbor claims to live. Literally, the second their ballot is counted, they can be flagged as a likely fraud. Yes, we can deploy that technology today. We have done it in the insurance industry for decades. We can predict where election fraud is going to happen. We can predict how it is going to be done. We can deploy technologies to identify likely fraud within seconds of when it happens. The question is, if the government is pretty much in on the election fraud, does it really matter? Jay Valentines website is www.JayValentine.com Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License Buyers and sellers of cryptocurrencies including bitcoin will no longer be able to trade assets anonymously in Ireland under an expanded anti-money laundering regime Cryptocurrency service providers in Ireland will have to comply with money laundering rules and other basic regulations for the first time starting next month. The Central Bank has warned all companies that exchange or transfer virtual assets like Bitcoin, as well as those that provide financial services to cryptocurrency issuers, that they will now have to complete due diligence on their customers and account for the origin and destination of client assets in line with anti-money laundering rules that apply to other financial services providers. The change will impose new costs on virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and remove a layer of anonymity from crypto transactions that previously might have been done without the standard checks and balances of normal financial services. Starting in April, Vasps will have to register with the Central Bank for anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) purposes after the latest European Union AML Directive is transposed into Irish law. Crypto firms will now have to satisfy the regulator that they have sound AML and CFT policies and that their management meet the standards for fitness and probity in the financial industry. The change in supervisory rules will give the Central Bank the power to block senior appointments at the firms or to take enforcement action for failure to live up to AML or CFT laws. Crypto-currency platforms have been accused of being vulnerable to criminal use and terrorist financing activities for years. The move to bring them into the wider financial regulatory framework is seen by legal and compliance sources as a necessary step in the development of a legitimate crypto-currency infrastructure for more widespread use and acceptance. Ireland has historically been slow to adopt new EU money laundering rules, however the Government has moved quickly to bring the latest directive into law. Last July the European Court of Justice fined Ireland 2m for failing to implement previous AML/CFT measures that were meant to become law as far back as 2017. I pick up the China Daily, the English-language newspaper thats been pushed under our door, to read over my instant coffee. Scanning the headlines in hope of reading something familiar to me, Im decidedly deflated when I dont find any news stories I know anything about. I feel like I may as well be reading the local paper on Mars. While Im battling my dismay over the paper, Ava is happily playing with her Barbies. I choose some clothes for her from her suitcase, then dish her up a bowl of raisin bran cereal that James has ordered for us from the buffet restaurant: Kelloggs, China style. I dont like this, Mama. I want Weet-Bix. Of course, all three-year-olds want what isnt available! Im not sure we can get Weet-Bix, bubba lets ask Daddy later. We get ourselves dressed and psyched to go outside, but just as were about to leave, a loud wailing siren rings out across the streets. It sounds like those war sirens you hear in movies, when bombs are raining down and you need to run for your life to a bunker. My heart does a little somersault and I scan the streets outside for any signs of panic. No one seems to be running; in fact, everyone is just moseying around. Theres no sense of urgency, or not that I can tell anyway. Loading Whats that noise Mummy? asks Ava. Um, not sure, maybe Daddy knows. I frantically text James and, after what feels like forever, he texts me back to reassure me its to commemorate the end of World War II and Chinas battle with Japan. It rings out five times for three minutes each. Still, commemoration or not, Im rattled. Not deterred, though, and Im determined not to let my fear show to the small person beside me. We slip into our gumboots and pull our coats on, then head down in the lift for a glimpse of our new neighbourhood. I feel all eyes are on us as we enter the lobby. James told me that, as I was the bosss wife, I should expect the staff to be wary and a little shy of me at first. I smile nervously at a few people and they cautiously smile back. The hotel doors slide open and we step outside into our new world. Its hard to miss the 1300-year-old, seven-tiered brick pagoda. It stands 64 metres high and is adorned with small arched windows on each tier. Located opposite the hotel, she is directly in front of us as we step out the door. In Chinese shes the Dayan Ta: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Built in 652AD during the Tang Dynasty, this ancient structure is visited by tourists the world over. It once housed Chinas first Buddhist manuscripts, brought from India (most likely on the back of camels) along the famous Silk Road. Nicole Webb with daughter Ava in Xian. We stand there looking up; Im trying to appreciate the pagodas significance and Ava is trying to avoid the pushbikes that weave around us on the footpath. In stark contrast to her ancient veneer, the pagoda is surrounded by giant LED screens advertising local restaurants and real estate. Its a pop of 21st-century colour cutting through the grey haze, shining down on Qujiang New District our new address. With a population of more than nine million (and growing), Xian is one of Chinas nearly 700 cities. Just a decade ago, the area around our hotel was completely bare, nothing but acres of green paddocks and the pagoda. Now shes surrounded by new China in the shape of hotels, restaurants and a mass of disorderly cars, plus a gazillion colourful kites frolicking against a grey sky like hungry seagulls. Locals are busy selling them to the hundreds of tourists who come from all over China to look at that pagoda. Next door, theres a large shopping centre. In fact, there seems to be one on every corner, with just as many under construction. A collection of mobile street-food stalls on the back of rickety, rusty carts, bikes and three-wheeler trucks are all selling foods I strain to recognise. Above us, a train is chugging around on a monorail. Its wet and slippery and a little cool, so we decide to venture inside one of the shopping centres and, much to my surprise, it feels like were the only ones there. I learn later that empty shops and apartment blocks punctuate this city (and many others in China). Theyre often referred to as ghost towns: cities built before the people come. Its almost like China is waiting for the future. Shop assistants are standing in front of their stores, waiting to lure in customers. They eye us suspiciously and shout something at us in Mandarin. All I can do is smile back. Why are they staring, Mummy? Hmm, because youre so cute, baby girl, I say, even though Im not actually sure thats why. Back on the street, we find ourselves under another giant LED screen. This one stretches right across the rooftop of the shopping centre, above crowds of tourists. Ava and I are standing under it, looking up in awe. The images floating across it keep changing, from spacecraft and planets to wartime aeroplanes, then to hot air balloons and an underwater world with ferocious sharks looming above. Motorbikes of all shapes and sizes skid past us, their drivers hidden under colourful umbrellas that are somehow wedged into the bike so they sit over the top as makeshift shelters. We cross the road with a lot of ducking and diving. I realise very quickly that here, the little green man does not mean all clear. I clutch Ava to my side. Cars just keep coming through the crossing from every angle. Its all very impressive, but my head is swimming. Im struggling to come to terms with the fact we actually live here. I look over to the hotel, already our sanctuary. From the outside, its one of those new modern touches to this ancient neighbourhood. Holding centre stage, the hotel is king in this tourist hotspot alongside the pagoda. Taking up a gigantic amount of space, it stretches down to the end of the street, a mass of charcoal-grey rendered concrete with splashes of red paint around the alcoves of its rectangular windows. Loading The words The Grand Westin run underneath in large Chinese characters. (Adding grand apparently gives it more kudos in Chinese culture.) On one corner theres the hotels bar, opening onto a small patio that faces the pagoda; small, manicured hedges fence it off from the crowds of people strolling by. To the right is the hotel driveway, protected by a wall of wooden slats and a small water feature, and at the very end are the hotel residences under construction. Mumbai, March 16 : Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin has been shooting for his digital series "Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein" in Madhya Pradesh and he says he loves the locations in the state that have been a revelation to him. "Madhya Pradesh has been quite a revelation. Earlier this month, we were shooting in Omkareshwar, an extremely picturesque temple town two hours from Indore. The centuries-old alleys and temples that line the banks of the clear waters of the Narmada have uplifted the visual aesthetics of the world that the series Yeh Kaali Kaali aankhein is set in," Tahir said. Tahir shared that the crew is now in Bhopal and is shooting in real locations. "This week we've moved our cavalcade of 200 crew members to Bhopal and I look forward to experiencing the Capital as we shoot here over the next week," he said. The actor said during the end of last year, most shoots were restricted to indoor studio set ups. He said: "Being outdoors in this beautiful city of lakes, with its rich architectural heritage lining the streets, has been a delight and has brought the best out of me and the crew. I look forward to exploring the city sights as we shoot on my days off." Tahir has been paired opposite Shweta Tripathi in the series. He plays a die-hard romantic and is excited to be in a fresh pairing with the "Mirzapur" actress. "Shweta Tripathi is a fabulous actor and a genuine person. I've really enjoyed creating scenes with her so far. She brings a definite authenticity to every role she plays, and it's been fascinating working with that energy, and adding to it," he said. Tahir added: "The part I play in this series is of a die-hard romantic, passionately committed to the girl in his life. What the audience can expect is a cracking chemistry and a suspenseful story to keep them on the edge." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Three bikini-clad women have been spotted standing outside the front of a Hermes store in protest of the high fashion label's use of crocodile and exotic animal skins. Each protester was dressed in a pale green bikini, donned a crocodile mask over their face and held up a sign cut into the shape of a handbag outside the store in Melbourne's CBD on Tuesday. Standing silently as thousands of commuters walked past, the trio of activists proudly held up their signs which read: 'cruelty to crocs unmasked', 'animals die for exotic skins' and a call out for the French luxury label to 'bin crocodile skin'. The demonstration in Melbourne, organised by animals rights group PETA, is just one of many that will be seen across Australia this month, with another protest due to be held in Brisbane in the coming weeks. Three bikini-clad women have been spotted standing out the front of a Hermes store in Melbourne in protest of the high fashion label's use of crocodile and exotic animal skins A woman at the Melbourne protest is seen holding a sign that reads: 'Hermes: Bin crocodile skin' 'For every bag, belt, or pair of boots made with the skin of a crocodile, a highly intelligent and sensitive animal was held captive, lived a horrible life, and endured unimaginable suffering before they were killed,' PETA spokesperson Emily Rice said. 'Conservation experts also warn that the fashion industry's use of skins from animals like crocodiles increases the risk that dangerous viruses will spread to humans. 'It's time for Hermes to do the socially responsible thing and switch to vegan materials.' At the start of the month a similar protest was held outside the Hermes store in Sydney. As well as the brand's use of reptile skins, activists are also protesting the plans to build a crocodile farm in Darwin. The proposal would mean up to 50,000 crocodiles will be farmed for skin and meat products. The demonstration in Melbourne, organised by animals rights group PETA, is just one of many that will be seen across Australia with another protest due to be held in Brisbane in the coming weeks Animal activists from PETA preparing for the protests with their eye-catching crocodile masks in Sydney at the start of the month A string of powerhouse fashion labels have announced they will not be using or selling exotic animal skins including crocodiles, lizards and snakes. Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein are just some of the major brands that have ditched exotic skins. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hermes for comment. A senior Palaszczuk cabinet minister has revealed she was sexually harassed, including by a family friend, as a teenager. The revelation from Queensland Health Minister Yvette DAth comes amid growing unrest nationally, following historical rape allegations made against federal Attorney-General Christian Porter, allegations made by former federal staffer Brittany Higgins and the advocacy of Australian of the Year Grace Tame. Health Minister Yvette DAth has shared two allegations of sexual harassment. On Tuesday morning Queensland Health Minister Yvette DAth used social media to break her silence on two historical allegations she said she wont forget. As a 13 or 14 yr old a male family friend (father of 2) asked me for a kiss goodbye, she wrote in a tweet. Rest easy Keiths, Alans and Bruces of the world. Your moment has arrived. Again. Only hours after the Womens March 4 Justice boldly overran the national dialogue, the NSW government determined it was a perfect moment to celebrate another Aussie fella. Australias first 22nd century city will be named after Sydneys celebrated 20th century engineer, John Bradfield. A naming committee, comprising the Premier, Gladys Berejikilian, her departmental secretary, Tim Reardon, Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres and Western Parkland City Authority Chair, Jennifer Westacott made the call, after fielding community suggestions. Womens March 4 Justice protest in Sydney. Credit:Nick Moir As the visionary behind Brisbanes Story Bridge, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the City Circle underground, theres no question, Bradfield, a Queenslander, warrants recognition. Hes got it. Deservedly. Two highways, a federal electorate, a college the list goes on. In pushing for Bradfield, the government that brought us the Ferry McFerryface naming debacle is sticking with a convention that enshrines deceased white Anglo males above all others. Vale Lords Castlereagh, Pitt and Sydney, salutations Sir James Martin, and go well governors Bligh, Bourke and Macquarie. Men, your legacy is assured. Enough. EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2021 Our Survival and Progress Depends on Three Great Nations Collaboration March 15 , 2021 (EIRNS)The full cooperation of the United States at least with Russia and China is essential for a world economic and social recovery. Even to successfully vaccinate most of the human population in time to prevent the pandemic from becoming a permanent plague, those nations must act together and in the interest of humanity firstwhich requires a new cultural paradigm. Just look at the COVID blunders of the European Union leaders while they try to avoid any use of Russias vaccine; the problems of Britains AstraZeneca vaccine when Russias Gamaleya Institute is not consulting on it. Look at the outrageous vaccine hoarding by the Biden administration of hundreds of millions of shots more than the entire American population needs, even hoarding vaccines not approved by the FDA, while repeatedly and even from public podiums refusing developing nations requests to buy vaccines. The pandemic-triggered famines which have reduced almost 100 million people to acute hunger and threaten 200 million more cannot be stopped without a crash mobilization to double food production, which takes joint credits and cooperative effort of the most efficient producers. Modern health systems cannot be built in nations all over the world which are without them in the face of pandemic, without such collaboration. How can this happen if British geopolitics is brewing military confrontations with both China and Russia? The Schiller Institutes two-day conference this Saturday and Sunday, March 20-21 will bring together experts and activists from nations all over the world to work out the solutions to these missions. To solve them requires a New Bretton Woods summit, a new credit system, a new cultural paradigm. This weekends conference, The World at a Crossroad: Two Months into the New U.S. Administration, will rehearse that summit and what it must agree upon. There will be four panels. The first to revive the creative power of the Classical cultures of all nations, with presentations marking the 700th anniversary of the great Dante Alighieris death; the Year of Beethoven who was born 250 years ago; the American leaders who understood the power of poetry; the campaign to teach Lyndon LaRouches works on every university campus. The second and third panels will hear leaders from China, Russia, America, France, Ibero-America, Southwest Asia nations discuss economic development to stop perpetual war, with the focus on the reconstruction of Southwest Asian nations. The fourth panel will feature American farmers and agriculturists joining medical professionals to tackle the combined threats to the human population of the pandemic and the ongoing famines. In the buildup to this conference the LaRouche movements EIR weekly magazine published the complete economic discrediting of the so-called Green New Deal (The Great Leap Backward: LaRouche Exposes the Green New Deal). How can the U.S. Secretary of State, as Antony Blinken did on March 9, cite a first priority task of decarbonizing Africa, when shutting down particularly coal power in power-short African nations means millions will die? And the same Green New Deal will ruin the American economy, as it has already thrown Germanys Europe-leading economy into quicksand. The March 20-21 conference, with that report being reissued in mass pamphlet form, will mobilize the opposition to reverse that disastrous policy! Join us there. Register for the Schiller/ICLC conference at the Schiller Institute website. Manitoba Public Insurance has reached a fork in the road with the associations representing car dealerships and auto body shops, after compensation negotiations broke down on the weekend. Manitoba Public Insurance has reached a fork in the road with the associations representing car dealerships and auto body shops, after compensation negotiations broke down on the weekend. In a news release Monday, the Crown corporation announced it had given 90-days notice to terminate an ongoing agreement with the Automotive Trades Association of Manitoba and Manitoba Motor Dealers Association groups responsible for repairing light vehicles after they could not reach a deal on payment for the trade workers. "We are very surprised that this is the situation we find ourselves in," said Geoff Sine, executive director of the MMDA. "It wasnt even on our radar, we thought we were negotiating in good faith with them." The current rate agreement was set to be in place until April 15, but MPI has given notice to terminate the agreement June 13. Sine said the associations had been in negotiation with MPI for months about rates for auto repair workers. The MMDA says they are being underpaid for their work, compared to nearby jurisdictions such as Saskatchewan. Last week, the groups met and each presented a potential new payment rate, to be imposed over a three-year period. When an agreement could not be reached Friday, the Motor Dealers invoked arbitration to settle the discrepancy. Early Monday morning, Sine said, MPI sent notice it would terminate the agreement without going to arbitration. Brian Smiley, a communications representative for MPI, said the deal was cancelled to prevent increases to insurance premiums. "If we were to accept their offer right now, as it stands, Manitobans would be looking at double-digit increases for premiums," Smiley said Monday. "This now allows us to individually reach out to accredited body shops and begin the process of allowing no disruption to our customers after the 90-day period." Smiley said the trade associations had put forward an "unprecedented" compensation rate that was "significantly higher" than the raise put forward by MPI. Sine said the proposed rate was determined by third-party firm BDO, whose research was presented to MPI. During the 90-day notice period, MPI said, customers with outstanding claims or repairs currently in progress can still have their vehicles repaired at any accredited repair facility. The work will be compensated at current rates. The Crown corporation said it is working to negotiate fair compensation that will have little impact ratepayers. "We have a strategy in place to ensure our customers will be serviced for all points in the province," Smiley said. julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers COLUMBIA The S.C. Senate could choose between a pair of options for a redesigned state flag, picking from proposals lawmakers hope will please critics who panned an earlier concept for its presentation of the iconic palmetto tree. A Senate subcommittee, which held the initial hearing March 16 on giving the state flag a standard design for the first time in 80 years, wanted to offer lawmakers options after the backlash about a proposed design with a palmetto that was ridiculed on social media for resembling a toilet brush, among other colorful descriptions. A panel of experts, who worked for two years on a design, then suggested two choices with more substantial trees, which is expected to reach the full Senate. After senators choose one, the new flag design will head to the House. Its become not only the symbol of the state, but everything to do with the state, so that's why there's a lot of passion about it, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, R-Boiling Springs, said during the hearing. Legislators are working out guidelines for the images upon it that generations of residents have come to love: Namely going with a particular shade of indigo and selecting an exact version of the quintessential palmetto tree in its center and crescent in the upper left corner. The fighting isn't going to be over the color or the crescent, it's going to be how the tree looks, state Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, said during the hearing before mentioning the much-maligned first proposal. That tree got hit with the ugly stick. There's just no question about it." Creating regulations for future flag designs is a big deal because over the decades manufacturers have produced inconsistent versions of it. Flags display palmettos with different looks and a range of blue hues, which is bad for marketing but also ignores the nuance of history baked into its imagery. The flags indigo, for example, matches a shade of uniforms worn by Col. William Moultries 2nd South Carolina regiment during the Revolutionary War. Indigo dye was also produced from that namesake plant in the Lowcountry during Moultries lifetime, and indigo became the states official color in 2008. It wasnt until 1910 when the familiar palmetto tree, crescent and indigo background were adopted by the General Assembly. Clemson University was tasked with producing and selling the flags at cost until it lost those exclusive rights, for unknown reasons, in 1940. Heres the thing about palmetto trees: They grow in unpredictable ways. Some have smaller trunks or raggedy fronds. Others are gifted with majestic canopies and bark patterns. Palmettos hold a vaunted place in the states lore. The trees absorbed cannonballs to stop a British invasion of Charleston and strengthened the walls of Fort Sullivan. The challenge for lawmakers is settling on a flag that respects the states history but is also aesthetically pleasing. California officials went through similar pains before settling on the grizzly bear that has prowled along its flag since 1911. Youre not going to find a palmetto tree that's symmetrical. As soon as we approve this, we're going to have people out there raising sand. Regardless of what we decide, you're gonna make probably 25 or 40 percent of the people upset, said state Sen. Ronnie Cromer, a Prosperity Republican who is lead sponsor of the flag standardization bill. A 17-page committee report explaining the flags iconography acknowledged the hardest element for officials to settle on was just how that palmetto tree should be depicted. We knew this was the thing there was going to be the most angst over, and there has been, Eric Emerson, director of the states Department of Archives and History, said during the hearing. Versions of the current flag are largely produced by two manufacturers: Annin, based in New Jersey, and Valley Forge Flag Co., which operates a plant in the Florence County town of Olanta. Lockdowns throughout the continent have forced salons and barbershops to shut their doors. Without them, many of us have had to find creative ways to keep our looks sharp. At the beginning, it was super hard. I was clueless, I didnt know what to do or where to start, Akello Matilda Sandra from Uganda told me. For shrewd businesses though, this has been an opportunity like no other. In online tutorials or home care products, they have found new sources of much-needed cash. That was the case for Dupe Talabi, who owns a salon in Lagos, Nigeria. Our books are not looking too bad, she told me. We still came to about the same, or even better than if there had never been a lockdown. But will this be enough to keep the hair care industry afloat amid the pandemic? 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Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Assistant / Service Operations Officer in Securities Transfer Services wygaso z dniem 2021-03-30 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia oferty to: oferta zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa wycofana z naszej bazy zleceniodawca zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc CV firma zmodyfikowaa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem WWW dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych nieprawidowy adres url ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Administracja biurowa, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Administracja biurowa Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Assistant / Service Operations Officer in Securities Transfer Services, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Assistant / Service Operations Officer in Securities Transfer 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: Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 16.03.21: Armenian first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan made a statement on Monday leading the heated discussions on social media. Ter-Petrosyan demanded the PM Nikol Pashinyan's resignation. "Thus, the only way out which will be the interests of the state, the people and the Prime Minister is, in my opinion, the immediate and voluntary resignation of the Prime Minister and perhaps temporary refuge of the Prime Minister abroad, by ensuring legal guarantees for immunity by the National Assembly," he noted. "In this case, the duties of the Prime Minister need to be performed by a non-partisan Deputy Prime Minister who will be able to ensure the holding of fair elections through neutrality," Ter-Petrosyan added. The ruling bloc representatives - particularly the MPs - have slammed Ter-Petrosyan's statement. They also noted that during his presidency, the elections have been falsified. In general, society is expecting Pashinyan's resignation and snap elections. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has notified the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe about the Armenian prisoners' issue. The court informed the Committee of Ministers that 58 of the Armenians were repatriated between December 2020 and February 2021 and that seven of them were presumed dead, according to the Armenian government - however, individual applicants in six cases claim that they did not receive any evidence death of their relatives. Of the 249 Armenians, 72 are still in Azerbaijan, and their capture and detention were recognized by the government of Azerbaijan. With regard to the remaining 112 people, the Azerbaijani government claims that they were unable to identify them among the captives. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedens FM Ann Linde is in Armenia. Today she visited the MFA and held a joint conference with the Armenian FM Ara Aivazian. During the briefing, she welcomed the establishment of a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict zone but expressed deep regret over the deaths and injuries. According to her, the implementation of the provisions of the statement on the ceasefire will allow moving forward in the process to resolve the Karabakh conflict. Armenian FM, in turn, noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey grossly violated OSCE commitments. "Throughout the war, Azerbaijan, with the effective assistance of Turkey, committed massive crimes: ethnic cleansing, war crimes against the Armenians of Artsakh, including against civilians, women, children, the elderly, destroyed numerous civilian and cultural heritage sites, the FM added. Aivazian also noted that Artsakh's status should be based on the right of Artsakh Armenians to self-determination. The search operations for the bodies of the fallen servicemen resumed Tuesday in Artsakh. A total of 1,499 bodies have been found so far as a result of the search for the bodies of servicemen killed in the recent Artsakh war. As of Tuesday morning, 585 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 179,287 in the country. Also, 12 more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 3,277 cases. The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 292, the total respective number so far is 166,702. The minister of health, Anahit Avanesyan, told reporters Tuesday that no new strains of COVID-19 have been detected in Armenia yet. According to her, a special DNA sequencing test is conducted to detect a strain of the coronavirus, several such tests have already been conducted in the country, but no new strains of COVID-19 have been found in the samples. Three Armenia citizens were held in slavery in Georgia for five years. Two local residents a father and a son have been arrested on charges of human trafficking, News Georgia reports. The two defendants had promised well-paid jobs to three Armenian citizens in 2015 and 2016 and helped them move to Georgia. Then they had taken these Armenian nationals to a cattle farm in a village of Ninotsminda and had taken away their documents, threatened to exact revenge upon revenge, and had forced them to work for free. One of these Armenian citizens has managed to escape and tried to illegally cross the Armenian state border. Defendants face from 12 to 15 years in prison. A group of protesters closed off one of the streets in downtown Yerevan with garbage cans demanding PM Nikol Pashinyan's resignation. One of the demonstrators told reporters that they could no longer live in a country whose PM was a traitor. Shortly afterward, police arrived at the scene and cleared the avenue, moving the garbage bins to the sidewalk. Another street has been closed with benches by the protesters. Another group of demonstrators arrived at the public relations and information center as the people believe it is running the governmental fake accounts in social media. They threw toilet paper and vegetables toward the doors of the building. It is over two weeks since parliament-led streets are being closed until Pashinyan's resignation. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday he has serious concerns over actions by member state Turkey. He insisted that the alliance was an important platform for resolving disputes involving Ankara, Arab Weekly reports. NATO foreign ministers will gather next week in Brussels for the US-backed alliances first face-to-face meeting involving Bidens team. NATO has long tried to smooth over internal disputes with Turkey pointing to the role Ankara has played in housing millions of refugees from Syria and in fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group. Two Armenian cinematographers are nominated for Oscars. Madeline Sharafian has been nominated for an Oscar for best Animated Short Film for "Burrow." And Sev Ohanian, one of the producers of "Judas and the Black Messiah," has been nominated for an Oscar in six categories, including Best Picture. 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. CHESTER, Pa. President Joe Biden turned up at a minority-owned flooring business in suburban Philadelphia on Tuesday to highlight how his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package can help small businesses and to put a face on those who have struggled throughout the pandemic. The visit to Smith Flooring, Inc. was Bidens first stop in a cross-country administration roadshow also involving his vice president and his wife designed to publicize, and take credit for, the virus relief package. It took some loud, strong voices to get this done, Biden said, making a subtle dig at Republicans during his visit to the small union shop that will benefit from the relief. And its not like it passed with 100 votes. It was close. While Biden was in Pennsylvania for his first stop on the Help is Here tour, Vice President Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff were reinforcing the small business theme Tuesday with stops in Colorado. With Harris and Emhoff taking notes during a business roundtable in Denver, Lorena Cantarovici, who began making empanadas in her garage after emigrating from Argentina, told of how her small shop grew over the years into three Maria Empanada locations but then was forced to lay off workers when the coronavirus struck. She said 80% of her team came back through previous relief programs but it could take two years to get back to full capacity and recover all this loss. Harris and Emhoff did their part by departing with empanadas in tow. Gabriela Salazar, whose Colorado Artisans represents more than 100 artisans in Denver, estimated more than 90% of those artisans are unemployed or collecting unemployment. Salazar, a small business owner for 30 years, told Harris that help from the Small Business Administration has kept me afloat but more is needed. In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, Smith Flooring had 23 employees during peak times but currently is employing 12 workers. It is using the loan to help retain workers and upgrade technology. Borrowers are eligible for forgiveness if they meet certain requirements, including devoting at least 60% of the proceeds to payroll expenses. In his chat with the owners of Smith Floors, Biden repeatedly asked what else they thought his administration should be doing to help businesses like theirs. In Washington, the Senate confirmed Isabel Guzman, Bidens pick to lead the Small Business Administration on Tuesday. She is expected to play a key role in implementing the relief bill. Biden is trying to showcase how the aid package will bring transformational change to the nation by halving child poverty, fueling record levels of hiring and pumping money to parents, schools and state and local governments. Its a sharp turn from the start of the Biden administration, when vaccination goals were relatively modest and Americans were warned the country might not return to normal until Christmas. The Biden administration estimates that 400,000 small businesses have closed because of the pandemic and millions more are barely surviving. His aid package includes a $28 billion grant program to support restaurants and drinking establishments. It also includes $15 billion in flexible grants. The visit to Smith Flooring was meant to drive home that point. The business saw revenue fall about 20% during the pandemic. It recently qualified for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan during a two-week window in which the Biden administration focused the program exclusively on helping businesses with 20 or fewer employees. Harris also held a virtual chat with the operators of a Fort Lupton, Colorado, vaccine clinic. The second day of the vice presidents tour to publicize the virus relief was disrupted because of a mechanical issue with the government plane that flew the vice president to Las Vegas and Los Angeles on Monday. A smaller backup plane was sent to fly her to Denver, relegating most of her staff, Secret Service and a small group of reporters to fly on a cavernous cargo plane. Because of the plane issue, Harris scratched her plan for her visit to the vaccine clinic, Plan De Salud Del Valle Inc., and instead spoke with the clinics staff over Zoom. She praised their work, making particular note of the clinics focus on helping minority communities get vaccinated. The President and I from the beginning of this have made it one of our highest priorities to make sure that we are taking into account racial disparities, and that we supply folks on the ground with the resources you need so that we have equitable outcomes, she said. ___ Josh Boak, Darlene Superville and Aamer Madhani of The Associated Press wrote this story. Superville reported from Denver and Madhani from Chicago. The Jesuits, a Catholic order of priests that counts Pope Francis among its members, have pledged to raise at least $100 million to atone for the order's ownership and sale of enslaved Black people in the early days of the American republic, The New York Times reported Monday. Historians and Catholic officials said it is one of the largest efforts by an institution to atone for participating in slavery. The money will be paid out through a new foundation, the Descendants Truth and Reconciliation Foundation, created through three years of discussions between Jesuit leaders and a group representing the descendants of 272 slaves the order sold to a Louisiana plantation in 1838 to save Georgetown College, now Georgetown University, the first Catholic institution of higher learning in the U.S. The sale raised $115,000, or about $3.3 million in today's dollars. Genealogists at the Georgetown Memory Project have identified about 5,000 living descendants of people enslaved by the Jesuits. The new foundation is headed by one of the descendants, Joseph Stewart, and its governing board includes representatives from Georgetown and other institutions with roots in slavery. The Jesuits have already contributed $15 million and plan to raise the other $85 million over the next five years. About half the annual budget will go toward grants for organizations engaging in racial reconciliation, a quarter will fund educational grants and scholarships for descendants, and some of the money will go directly toward supporting the needs of old and infirm descendants, the Times reports. Stewart wrote the Jesuit leadership in Rome in May 2017, calling for negotiations over the newly resurfaced Georgetown slave sale. The Jesuit superior general, Rev. Arturo Sosa, wrote back a month later, urging Stewart's group and American Jesuits to talk and describing the order's slaveholding past as "a sin against God and a betrayal of the human dignity of your ancestors." In August 2017, Rev. Timothy Kesicki, president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, flew to Michigan to meet with the Stewarts and lay the groundwork for the new foundation. "This is an opportunity for Jesuits to begin a very serious process of truth and reconciliation," Fr. Kesicki said in a statement. "Our shameful history of Jesuit slaveholding in the United States has been taken off the dusty shelf, and it can never be put back." More stories from theweek.com Biden face-plants on evangelical outreach Judge dismisses 2 jurors in Chauvin trial over their reactions to George Floyd family settlement Chess grandmasters can't stop laughing after opening their tournament match with the worst possible moves Our goal has always been to Empower IT for our clients by providing innovative solutions and powerful products, and we will continue to build on this approach for many years to come. Tallahassee-based software company, Kikoda, was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine after being ranked No. 21 of the fastest-growing private companies in Florida. The ranking was determined by the companys growth rates in the Inc. 5000 Regionals list, highlighting Kikodas two-year growth of 447 percent. The recognition comes as Kikoda continues its rapid expansion to meet growing demand while also providing superior customer support. This is the first year Kikoda was eligible to receive the recognition. We are very proud to be recognized so highly in the Inc 5000 Florida Regionals, said Matt Dufek, Kikoda President and CEO. We offer our congratulations to all of the companies that have worked so hard in such a dynamic and competitive business environment. Our goal has always been to Empower IT for our clients by providing innovative solutions and powerful products, and we will continue to build on this approach for many years to come. The recognition also includes the momentum reflected by the growth of Kikodas employee base, which saw an increase of 400 percent over the last three years, allowing the company to bring new products and services to clients nationwide. We are thrilled to be recognized for this Top 25 ranking, said Chris Korta, Kikoda Executive Vice President. Its important to emphasize that we would not be receiving this honor if not for the dedication of our talented and innovative team members and the trust that our clients place in them. It all begins with our incredible staff and the positive and supportive culture they help foster, Dufek added. Not only are they passionate about IT and their craft, but they are humble, responsible, charitable, and great stewards of our clients, communities, and company. Dufek noted that Kikodas proven expertise in custom software development, cloud services, and data analytics allows them to bring successful and innovative project deliveries to partners across the country in a range of industries including: insurance, healthcare, finance, agriculture, and genetics. As a GSA Schedule 70 vendor, Kikoda also provides technical services to governmental agencies. About Kikoda Kikoda is a client-focused software company providing comprehensive IT services including: on-demand custom software development, dynamic team scaling, accredited cloud services, and expert data analytics. Kikoda is headquartered in Tallahassee, FL for more company information, call 850.807.9722, visit Kikoda.com, or find them on LinkedIn. When Charleston County Council holds a public meeting, it's common for much of the meeting to be held in private, after council members declare a so-called "executive session" and recede from public view, into the back room. The Post and Courier reviewed all of the council's regular and committee meetings available online, covering a six-month period from October through early March, and found the council spent 17 hours behind closed doors over the course of 16 meeting nights. That amounted to 46.6 percent of the total meeting time. At six of the 16 meetings, more time was spent in private than in public. "The public should be outraged," said Bill Rogers, executive director of the S.C. Press Association. "The majority of public business needs to be done in open session." After a Feb. 11 meeting in which the council spent two hours and 16 minutes behind closed doors 76 percent of the meeting time recently elected Councilman Kylon Middleton said the county was conducting too much business in executive session. "I'm not voting to go in these executive sessions anymore," he said. Two of the three council meetings held since then included executive sessions nonetheless, but then a rare thing happened on March 4: The council held a public meeting entirely in public. "I will tell you, from my perspective, if the (county) attorney thinks we need to go into executive session I will follow that advice," said Council Chairman Teddie Pryor, a councilman since 2004. "It's not like we're making secret deals in the back room." Concerns about secret deals being made in the back room are exactly what's been driving a renewed interest in transparency. The council's unusual reliance on executive sessions burst into public view in February, when The Post and Courier reported that the county had paid $216,000 to former county attorney Joe Dawson, who is now a federal judge. The deal the subject of a federal judicial ethics complaint had not been discussed in public, and hadn't been the subject of a vote. At first, Pryor and former Council Chairman Elliott Summey, along with several other council members, denied knowing how the payment got approved, or who drafted the contract, and differing explanations were given for the payment. It later came to light that all the current council members, except for Henry Darby, had participated in a December executive session in which the deal was discussed. And the contract was drafted by Dawson himself, the recipient of the money. Darby said he would have objected, had he known about it. "I would have never gone along with that," he said at a Feb. 16 council meeting. "Never, ever." Council members who were in the closed-door meeting later disagreed about what was discussed, and some denied knowing details such as the amount the county paid Dawson. Others pushed back Councilwoman Anna Johnson said all council members except Darby were there when Dawson's contract was discussed in detail but the meeting was held in secret so the public is left with conflicting accounts. Charleston County's reliance on back-room meetings is uncommon among local governments. In 2020, the city of Charleston had 63 City Council meetings, and there were executive sessions during eight of them. Such meetings are allowed under state law, in specific circumstances, but they aren't required. You want to try to keep these as limited as possible," said Charlie Barrineau, a field services manager with the Municipal Association of South Carolina. We tell them that the public is skeptical of executive sessions to begin with, and while there is not a rule about a time limit, we tell them that the longer and the more of these you have, the more skeptical the public is going to be." Local governments can vote to go into an executive session to receive legal advice, but that doesn't mean they have to go behind closed doors every time they have a question for their attorney. Likewise, the law allows executive sessions to discuss appointments to a public body, but many local governments hold such discussions in public. From October through early March, Charleston County Council held 16 meetings that together lasted 36.4 hours. All but two of those meetings included executive sessions, and 10 of those sessions lasted more than an hour. Barrineau said executive sessions can be necessary to discuss economic development incentives, legal strategy involving lawsuits, or sensitive personnel matters. The law requires an explanation of the purpose of an executive session. They are required to do more than say executive session, personnel matter," he said. Yet, that's often exactly what happens. At three consecutive County Council meetings in November, for example, "personnel matter" was the reason given for executive sessions. In one case a "real estate sale" was also mentioned and in another "attorney-client privilege" was cited by Dawson, but none of the closed-door meetings was explained in the level of detail required by South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act. There's little recourse, other than going to court to seek a restraining order, Rogers and Barrineau said. Rogers said the easiest way to prevent abuse of executive sessions is for public officials to resist having them. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The second annual email marketing Inbox Expo will be held March 21-24 as a fully virtual event. The four-day event includes more than 120 speakers and panelists, over 1000 delegates, and 30 exhibitors and sponsors. Emailexpert is hosting Email Expo 2021 with Netcore serving as the title sponsor. The 2021 Netcore Inbox Expo Along with leadership keynote addresses, virtual expo booths, industry networking, workshops, email industry certifications and more, Inbox Expo 2021 also features specialty tracks for Australia and a day in the Dutch language as well as a musical performance from EmailGeeks. "Inbox Expo is the only email industry conference and expo bringing together email marketers, email designers, email engineers, antispam, industry & business leaders to discuss the future of email," said Nely Bonar, Managing Director, emailexpert. Event topics include utilizing the latest in email technology, list growth, interactive design, deliverability, metrics and meeting ongoing email marketing challenges. Inbox Expo 2021 will also feature a session on blocklisting from leading online brand Change.org and threat intelligence leader Spamhaus covering a topic most consider too sensitive for public discussion. "The quality of content and speakers is something I am particularly proud of," said Bonar. "We have worked hard to reach out to speakers and work with panelists in order to bring unique sessions and content that has not been presented before to Inbox Expo." Along with Inbox Expo host emailexpert and title sponsor Netcore, additional sponsors include Entrust, Validity, Red Sift, Mapp, Emailgistics, Zeta Interactive, Mailkit, Pure360, iAge Technologies, Kickbox, Octeth and Zeta Global. Event speakers and panelists represent leading industry brands such as Google, LinkedIn, DeinDeal and SpartanRace. "There isn't any other event that I know of that is this large and has so many topics covered from really technical stuff to email marketing strategies," said Tom Blijleven, marketer, Flowmailer and organizer of Email Expo 2021 Dutch Day on March 24. Following last year's theme of "diversity," the theme for Inbox Expo 2021 is "respect." Tickets are still available for one of the industry's "must attend" email marketing conferences in 2021. ABOUT EMAILEXPERT Emailexpert UK Ltd promotes smarter use of email and enables access to the tools, information and resources necessary for businesses to make better decisions in the email channel. The UK-headquartered company was incorporated in late 2019 with the support of Founding Sponsors Netcore and SparkPost. Media contact: Andrew Bonar [email protected] +1 415 851-2584 SOURCE emailexpert Gooten provides innovative smart supply chain solutions for brands looking to optimize their eCommerce business. Tweet this The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in the New York City area. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 214 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 48,000 people and added nearly $9 billion to the NYC Metro area economy. Companies based in Stamford, Connecticut, New York City, and central New Jersey brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: NYC Metro area, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/new-york . "This list proves the power of companies in the New York City area no matter the industry," says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. "The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay." As a globally distributed on-demand production and logistics company, Gooten is transforming how online stores manufacture and fulfill orders. The company's three-year revenue growth rate of 191.74% landed it near the top 1% of fast-growing regional companies honored by Inc. Gooten's print-on-demand platform enables high-growth eCommerce stores to manufacture a wide range of quality products without holding inventory, and its ability to dynamically route orders ensures items will be delivered to customers on time. Gooten's growth has allowed it to expand its global network of vetted manufacturers and logistics partners, as well as build out its management team. Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Gooten Gooten operates a smart supply chain for brands looking to optimize their eCommerce business with on-demand manufacturing. It combines proprietary technology and operational expertise with a global network of 30+ best-in-class manufacturing partners. This infrastructure allows Gooten to fulfill orders more efficiently, sustainably, and at a competitive rate. Gooten's manufacturing-on-demand model makes it possible for eCommerce brands to sell high-quality products without holding any inventory. Founded in 2015 and already profitable, Gooten is based in New York City. For more information, please visit http://www.gooten.com About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com . Contact: Becky Frost [email protected] SOURCE Gooten Related Links gooten.com Order comes same day as Italy temporarily suspends AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine. Italy's coronavirus emergency commissioner General Francesco Figliuolo has signed an order stating that if any vaccine doses are left over at the end of the day and cannot be stored they should be administered to whoever is "available in that moment" to avoid waste. Figliuolo's move, part of Italy's national vaccination plan, follows his comments on Italian television show Che tempo che fa on 14 March when he called for "common sense" in relation to vaccine waste. "Enough with wasting doses" - Figliuolo said - "If there are priority categories that can use it, good, otherwise it goes to the next category, or if not anyone who passes must be vaccinated." To date there have been 6,715,732 vaccines administered throughout Italy, with more than two million people receiving a second dose, according to the latest data from the health ministry. The order from Figliuolo came the same day that Italy temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a "precautionary measure." The move follows the vaccine's suspension by a number of European countries over reports of blood clots in some recipients, though the company and international regulators say there is no proof the shot is to blame. In recent days Italy gave the green light to Johnson & Johnsons single-dose coronavirus vaccine, the fourth to be licensed by the national medicines agency (AIFA) after Pfizer-BionTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca. Last week Figliuolo announced a plan to accelerate Italy's vaccination campaign which has dogged by delays and shortfalls in vaccines. The goal is to reach half a million doses per day nationwide, tripling the average daily number of vaccinations in recent weeks, and vaccinating at least 80 per cent of the population by September. Press Release The San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park is back in operation tomorrow Wednesday, March 17. Reopening begins at 10:00 a.m. Reopening provides guests from around the world and locally a fun, learning and inspirational experience so needed during this time of great challenge. Accordingly, the Museum is adhering to the safety measures established by the State and County for a safe re-opening to the public, including but not limited to: capacity limits, social distancing, requiring face masks for guests and employees (regardless of vaccination status), hand sanitizer stations, advising guests and staff who are not feeling well to stay home, continuous cleaning and sanitizing of the Museum, and more. The safety of our staff has and always will be our number one priority, period. Our entire team is very excited to once again provide the world-class experience everyone who visits the San Diego Air & Space Museum deserves, said Jim Kidrick, President & CEO of the Museum. Each time we have been forced to close, weve spent the entire time ensuring the Museum is a safe and welcoming place for families to come back and have a fun, safe experience. Were confident weve done everything possible to safely welcome guests back to the Museum. Its time for us to re-connect with old friends and make some new friends. Museum staff screen daily through a state-of-the-art thermal scanner prior to entering the museum. The San Diego Air & Space Museum is Californias official air and space museum and education center. The Museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and it was the first aero-themed Museum to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Museum is located at 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101. The Museum and gift store are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with admissions until 4:30 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Posted Monday, March 15, 2021 5:59 am Congress approved a sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Wednesday, March 10, sending what has been termed the American Rescue Plan to President Joe Bidens desk for approval. The process of getting more relief to Americans suffering during the pandemic has been fraught with partisan politics, and the package was pushed through with virtually no Republican support. Once signed, the bill sends many Americans $1,400 stimulus checks. The bill also broadens unemployment benefits, beefs up programs such as food stamps and those for struggling businesses, directs aid to child care providers, provides tax credits to some people with children and broadens health insurance eligibility. Help is here, Biden tweeted March 11 after the bill cleared the House. But U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, lambasted the bill, saying its not what Southwest Washington families want and not what America needs right now. Herrera Buetler and other Republican lawmakers have condemned the bill as a laundry list of long-standing Democratic priorities. In the last year I have already supported $4 trillion worth of COVID-related relief for Americans, and $1 trillion of it remains unspent. I would support a sixth COVID bill that gets direct aid to families and boosts vaccine delivery but the current bill tacked on a bloated wishlist of non-essential items like wiping out most of San Franciscos budget deficit with a $600 million payment, the Battle Ground Republican said in a statement to The Reflector. Americans need vaccines and COVID relief now, they need their kids back in the classrooms, but this bill inexplicably only dedicates 9% of its $1.9 trillion price tag toward combating the virus and holds two-thirds of the money for education until after 2023. Is Congress saying it doesnt expect schools to be opened for two more years? Supporters have pushed back, citing polls, including one from Pew Research Center, showing a broad swath of Americans in favor of the legislation. Washingtons U.S. Sen. Patty Murray Thursday applauded the stimulus bill for its effort to dramatically reduce childhood poverty via tax credits that, in effect, provide a guaranteed income from many families with children. The program has been characterized as a dramatic shift in the countrys approach to child welfare, and one that aligns the U.S. with many European countries. For Washington state alone, several billion dollars will begin streaming in both the state and local governments. WASHINGTON As President Biden pushes to vaccinate as many Americans as possible, he faces deep skepticism among many Republicans, a group especially challenging for him to persuade. While there are degrees of opposition to vaccination for the coronavirus among a number of groups, including African-Americans and antivaccine activists, polling suggests that opinions in this case are breaking substantially along partisan lines. A third of Republicans said in a CBS News poll that they would not be vaccinated compared with 10 percent of Democrats and another 20 percent of Republicans said they were unsure. Other polls have found similar trends. With the Biden administration readying television and internet advertising and other efforts to promote vaccination, the challenge for the White House is complicated by perceptions of former President Donald J. Trumps stance on the issue. Although Mr. Trump was vaccinated before he left office and urged conservatives last month to get inoculated, many of his supporters appear reluctant to do so, and he has not played any prominent role in promoting vaccination. Armchair farmers are being advised against making any 'rash' decisions over the leasing land and entitlements until further detail emerges on the reform of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) later this year. Concerns were recently raised that armchair farmers those renting out entitlements under long-term leasing arrangements could end up in legal battles with their tenants over the ownership of the entitlements. Ongoing uncertainty over the future of entitlement leasing is centred on EU proposals to define what a 'genuine farmers' is and who should receive EU farm supports. Francis Morrin, Head of CAP Entitlements Division in Department of Agriculture, told an Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers meeting last week that the armchair farmers issue is of 'great concern' to the Department. He said the original EU proposal in this area would have obliged all countries to define what a genuine farmer is, and if a farmer did not meet this definition, they would be unable to apply or own EU payment entitlements. However, he highlighted the latest developments in the CAP negotiations suggested that countries would be given the option of defining 'genuine farmers' or not. Morrin said the Department of Agriculture was reflecting on the issue and consulting with farm organisations stating that those discussions are 'very live' right now. If Ireland does decide to define 'genuine farmers' in such a way that armchair farmer can no longer hold and rent entitlements, he said those landowners would have time in 2022 to make decisions. "What I would advise anyone to do is to hold on until the middle or second half of this year, and the picture will be an awful lot clearer," he said. Asked if a farmer should retain a few acres of land to activate some entitlements, Morrin said, "I wouldn't do anything yet. We don't know what exactly should happen here. It is too early to make any rash decision". Morrin also addressed concerns in relation to the leasing of entitlements together or separately and stated that the regulations allow for either option. However, he said the Department is examining issues around the circumvention of the regulations. "That's where maybe a wife has inherited land from a late husband and she is not farming herself or has no interest in farming, but her son does. "If she rents the land to the son and rents the entitlements to 'Joe' down the road, does that mean the land becomes 'naked land' and the son can go as a young farmer or new entrant and drawdown new entitlements from the National Reserve? That's something that we would examine really closely," he said. Morrin also stressed the value of the payment entitlements would change in the next CAP. "There is very little question about that. Therefore anyone entering into a long-term lease this year or next year needs to be aware of that when drawing up that lease," he said. He also underlined the impact the planned new Eco Schemes could have on entitlement leasing. Up to 30pc of direct payments under the new CAP could be tied to farmers' participation in a new range of 'Eco-Schemes', which will replace the current Greening payment. However, in the next CAP, he said, the planned Eco Scheme will work much differently to the current greening system. "For them to avail of Eco Schemes, they will have to carry out actions on the land and will incur costs to do it. The cost will undoubtedly be more than what they are incurring in terms of greening," he said. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Bachelor: After The Final Rose episode revealed Monday that Katie Thurston and Michelle Young will both star in back-to-back seasons of The Bachelorette. Katie, 30, a bank marketing manager from Renton, Washington, will star this summer in the series' 17th season. Michelle, 27, a schoolteacher from Edina, Minnesota, will appear in the 18th season this fall. Back-to-back: The Bachelor: After The Final Rose special revealed Monday that Katie Thurston and Michelle Young will both star in back-to-back seasons of The Bachelorette Katie and Michelle both competed for the heart of Matt James, 29, on season 25 of The Bachelor. As the post-finale episode closed Emmanuel Acho, 39, brought out Katie and Michelle and announced their new roles. 'I am ready,' said Michelle, finally smiling. 'I really do think this process works.' Michelle finished as runner-up on season 25 after Matt gave his final rose to Rachael Kirkconnell, 24. Familiar faces: Michelle and Katie both competed for the heart of Matt James, 29, on season 25 of The Bachelor Fill-in host: As the post-finale episode closed, fill-in host Emmanuel Acho, 39, brought out Katie and Michelle and announced their new roles Matt revealed during the After The Final Rose episode that he broke up with Rachael after 'racially insensitive' photos from her past surfaced. He split from Rachael after realizing that she hadn't understood the full import of pictures she'd taken at an antebellum party in 2018. 'As Rachael acknowledged in her apology, there's a lot of work that needs to be done,' the first black Bachelor said just hours after their season 25 finale. 'I have to take a step back and allow her to put in that work. And I'm looking forward to seeing her put in that work.' Split up: Matt James revealed during the After The Final Rose episode that he broke up with Rachael Kirkconnell after 'racially insensitive' photos from her past surfaced They were no longer together, he admitted. 'If you don't understand that something like that is problematic in 2018, there's a lot of me that you won't understand, and it's as simple as that,' Matt said. The show leaned into the controversy surrounding it ever since the photos surfaced, and longtime host Chris Harrison, 49, said he was temporarily 'stepping aside' from the franchise. 'Good evening Bachelor Nation,' said fill-in host Emmanuel. 'I'm sitting in for Chris Harrison tonight. Which already makes this the most shocking 'After The Final Rose' ever.' Most shocking: 'Good evening Bachelor Nation,' said fill-in host Emmanuel. 'I'm sitting in for Chris Harrison tonight. Which already makes this the most shocking 'After The Final Rose' ever' Emmanuel promised there would be 'a lot to talk about,' including 'Chris Harrison's defense of insensitivity in his interview with Rachel Lindsay, for which he has since apologized.' Chris had failed to denounce and attempted to defend Rachael's actions in a recent interview with season 13 Bachelorette star Rachel, 35. As the runner-up on season 25 of The Bachelor, Michelle was the first cast member to hit the stage, striding on in a leggy black sheath. Second place: As the runner-up on season 25 of The Bachelor, Michelle was the first cast member to hit the stage, striding on in a leggy black sheath She said that it had been horrible watching herself get rejected by Matt on TV, adding that she'd tried to speak to him again the day he broke up with her, and he'd said no. 'I wasn't okay,' Michelle said. 'I needed to say my piece because I didn't get the chance toBut he refused to have that conversation with me.' Michelle spoke to the controversy around Rachael's antebellum photos, saying that her castmate 'has a good heart', but isn't 'educated enough' and came off as 'very inconsiderate.' Speaking up: Michelle spoke to the controversy around Rachael's antebellum photos, saying that her castmate 'has a good heart', but isn't 'educated enough' and came off as 'very inconsiderate' She felt that Chris' apology was 'another weight' at a difficult time, saying that people made statements, but didn't change anything. 'There is a point where you're just so exhausted,' Michelle said. When Matt was brought out, Michelle said that she'd 'crumbled' in front of producers when he dumped her, adding 'I wasn't okay. I wasn't okay at all.' Not okay: When Matt was brought out, Michelle said that she'd 'crumbled' in front of producers when he dumped her, adding 'I wasn't okay. I wasn't okay at all' Matt said that if he'd known she felt that way he would have agreed to talk to her, emphasizing that he 'really did care.' He praised Michelle for 'the emotional labor that you took on and continue to take on as a Black woman in your position, and showing grace and composure through a lot of situations where I would have snapped. My respect and admiration for you is through the roof.' Michelle seemed to forgive Matt, offering, 'You will always have a piece of my heart.' Heart piece: Michelle seemed to forgive Matt, offering, 'You will always have a piece of my heart' But she couldn't resist a final dig, adding, 'I hope you move on with kissing with your eyes closed, and I hope you come up with more phrases than just ''Thanks for sharing''.' When she left, Matt was asked about the pressure of being the first black Bachelor. 'It was a lot,' he acknowledged, noting that the role was so much bigger than he was. Show history: When she left, Matt was asked about the pressure of being the first black Bachelor Matt said he felt like on some level he had to take on the weight of current social-justice movements, and address issues within the franchise itself around diversity and inclusion. For many viewers, he would serve as a representative of all Black men, so he had to comport himself well and appear non-threatening; to make people feel comfortable. Asked what he'd loved about Rachael, Matt said he was attracted to how 'authentic' the graphic designer was, calling their time after the show 'an extended honeymoon period.' Final rose: Asked what he'd loved about Rachael, Matt said he was attracted to how 'authentic' the graphic designer was, calling their time after the show 'an extended honeymoon period' Hearing about Rachael's photos was devastating, he admitted. 'You wanna believe that you know your person better than anybody else knows your person,' he said. 'I dismissed them as rumors because that's what they were to me. You hear things that are heartbreaking, and you just pray they're not true. And then, when you find out that they are, it just makes you question everything.' It made him reflect on bitter memories from his own childhood in the South, he explained, and when he finally allowed himself to focus on how he felt about it, 'I wasn't okay.' He realized that 'Rachael might not understand what it means to be Black in America.' Tough realization: Matt realized that 'Rachael might not understand what it means to be Black in America' To those who said he needed to get over what she'd done 'a long time ago,' Matt said, 'You know what was a long time ago? Plantations. I would ask those same people who are so triggered to bring that same energy to supporting folks of color who are asking for change.' Emmanuel asked Matt if he wasn't 'callous' for judging Rachael instead of helping her grow. 'Those feelings don't go away overnight,' Matt admitted. 'You can still care about somebody and want them to do better. I don't think that anybody's irredeemable. There's a lot of processing I have to do. And it's just not a situation I think I would help.' Candid conversation: 'Those feelings don't go away overnight,' Matt admitted. 'You can still care about somebody and want them to do better. I don't think that anybody's irredeemable. There's a lot of processing I have to do. And it's just not a situation I think I would help' Rachael was then brought on to the show, and saw Matt for the first time since their split. Shown a photo of herself at the antebellum party, Rachael said she'd been 'living in ignorance without even thinking about who it would be hurting,' never questioning what she'd done. 'I'm not gonna sit here and say I didn't know any better,' the Cumming, Georgia, native added. 'If I would have taken the time, I easily could have understood what was wrong with it.' She'd heard from a lot of people who'd said such events were normal where they came from, but emphasized, 'That doesn't make it right, and that doesn't make it okay.' Not right: Rachael said she heard from a lot of people who'd said such events were normal where they came from, but emphasized, 'That doesn't make it right, and that doesn't make it okay' Asked by Emmanuel why she'd taken so long to release a statement, Rachael said it was because she wanted to understand what she'd done wrong, and why people were hurt. She hadn't ever worried about the photos, because she hadn't understood what they meant. Rachael admitted to being 'blindsided' by Matt's breaking up with her but realized he must have been very hurt to destroy their connection. Surprise split: Rachael admitted to being 'blindsided' by Matt's breaking up with her but realized he must have been very hurt to destroy their connection 'It was hard because I lost the love of my life, but in the process, I hurt him,' she said. Matt came back out, and Rachael told him again that she was 'really sorry' for everything. Matt was silent for many moments, saying only that it was 'heartbreaking,' 'devastating,' and 'disappointing' as tears fell from his eyes. Emotional moment: Matt was silent for many moments, saying only that it was 'heartbreaking,' 'devastating,' and 'disappointing' as tears fell from his eyes Rachael took his hand and said, 'It's okay.' Matt sighed and said, 'The most disappointing thing for me was having to explain to you why what I saw was problematic, and why I was so upset.' 'When I questioned our relationship, it was in the context of you not fully understanding my Blackness, and what it means to be a Black man in America, and what it would mean for our kids when I saw those things that were floating around the Internet,' he went on. 'And it broke my heart, because this is the last conversation I thought we'd be having.' Rachael said, 'You were the only reason I decided to do that show, and that includes every single part of you. And that obviously includes you being a Black man.' Asked if a reconciliation was possible, Matt said it hurt to see Rachael in pain but didn't want to be emotionally responsible for her tears, noting that she had to do the work herself. Tears flowing: Asked if a reconciliation was possible, Matt said it hurt to see Rachael in pain but didn't want to be emotionally responsible for her tears, noting that she had to do the work herself 'Rachael, you may never speak to this man again,' Emmanuel said abruptly. 'The man who held your hands at that last proposal site and said that he saw you as his wife, the mother of his children. If in fact you do never see him again, what would you finally like to communicate?' Rachael told Matt she thanked God for putting him in her life and wanted him to be happy. 'Well, if you all want to share one final embrace,' Emmanuel nudged. Matt said, 'I don't know if it'll never not hurt hearing those things.' The pair did not hug. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A man wanted in connection with the disappearance of a baby girl from the scene of a quadruple slaying was taken into custody Sunday, Indianapolis Police said. The Indianapolis Police Department and SWAT team were called to a home at around 2 p.m. where it was reported that Malik Halfacre, 25, was inside. Authorities launched a search for him on Saturday after he fled a home where the three adults and a child were found dead and a 6-month-old baby girl was reported missing. The infant, identified as Malia Halfacre, was later found unharmed. Police spokeswoman Genae Cook said authorities tried for several hours to get Malik Halfacre to come outside of the home on Sunday afternoon. Officers eventually used tear gas and entered. The suspect was found in the attic and was taken into custody, Cook said. Officials did not immediately say whether he had been charged with any crimes or if he was suspected in connection with the slayings. The initial investigation began after a woman was found shot in the back at around 8:15 p.m. and taken to the hospital, the Indianapolis Star reported. Police said the woman directed them to the home where the four people were discovered dead inside. It's unclear how the four died. Police said Saturday that the deaths appeared to stem from domestic conflict, though they have provided no details. Malia Halfacre was reported missing from the scene and a police advisory at the time said she may have been in the company of an adult male and riding in a black Chevy Impala. Sunday morning, police said the baby had been located unharmed, though no details were given about where she was found. Police have not confirmed the relationship of the baby girl to Malik Halfacre. They also haven't released the ages and identities of those found dead. Court records show Malik Halfacre has been convicted previously for carrying a handgun without a license and pointing a firearm at another person, the Indianapolis Star reported. In a statement, Indianapolis Mayor Joseph Hogsett cited the deaths and other recent violence in the city. Over the last year, weve seen far too many tragedies occur when the proliferation of guns has collided with interpersonal conflict, he said. These challenges are not just threats to our public safety, but the well-being of our community. BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan plans to import 432,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 300,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine over the next half year, government documents showed on Thursday. The former Soviet nation of 10 million people has not formally registered either of those vaccines for use. Two government orders signed by Prime Minister Ali Asadov and published on Thursday said the AstraZeneca vaccine should be supplied in line with a contract agreed last September. Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund, which is promoting Russia's domestically produced Sputnik V vaccine internationally, declined to comment on the plans. Azerbaijan has already bought 4 million doses of China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd vaccine and began a voluntary vaccine programme on Jan. 18. It will also receive 2 million doses through the COVAX international mechanism. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova and Gleb Stolyarov; additional reporting by Polina Nikolskaya; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Giles Elgood) New Delhi: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to visit India at the end of April in what will be his first major international trip after Britains exit from the European Union. The visit aims at boosting UK opportunities in the region, and to create a democratic counterweight to China, said a Reuters report, citing an official statement. With an aim to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region while preserving its strong ties with the United States, the British government will be laying out the country`s post-Brexit defence and foreign policy priorities on Tuesday, the report said. Calling the Indo-Pacific "increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world", the government reportedly highlighted a British aircraft deployment to the region ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson`s previously postponed visit to India in April. Earlier in January, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was supposed to be the chief guest at Republic Day, but due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK and the spread of a new strain, he cancelled his visit to India. Now, he is scheduled to visit India in April. On January 5, a Downing Street spokeswoman had stated that "The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning, to express his regret that he will be unable to visit India later this month as planned." The spokeswoman had further said, "In light of the national lockdown announced last night, and the speed at which the new coronavirus variant is spreading, the Prime Minister said that it was important for him to remain in the UK so he can focus on the domestic response to the virus." Notably, relations between the United Kingdom and China have strained over issues such as Hong Kong, COVID-19 pandemic and also denying Huawei an active role in Britain`s 5G network. The potential deployment of Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier`s is also expected to raise military tensions in the South China Sea. According to Reuters, Johnson will focus "on the UK`s place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead. "Britain will also be holding two influential roles this year: hosting the first post-pandemic G7 summit in June, and the COP26 climate conference in November. Since completing its exit from the European Union at the end of last year after an acrimonious divorce, Johnson`s government has vowed the "Integrated Review" will show Britain still had clout on the world stage and define a new era for the country. Live TV The 100-page document will be closely scrutinised for concrete measures showing how the government will deliver on Johnson`s rhetoric at a time when the country is struggling to come to terms with the realities of Brexit and has suffered more deaths than its peers from the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters report said. ADVERTISEMENT The House of Representatives has urged telecommunication operators to halt the planned withdrawal of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services to financial institutions in the country. This was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Nicholas Ossai (PDP-Delta) at plenary on Tuesday. Moving the motion, Mr Ossai said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the cashless policy in a bid to realise its statutory mandate of promoting monetary stability and a sound financial system in Nigeria. He said one of the innovations introduced with the policy was-USSD services used by Global System for Mobile Communication Technology to communicate with service providers computers via text messages. He explained that it was to check account balance or mobile airtime, generate bank statements or do fund transfer and data balance enquiries or to receive one-time passwords or pin codes. The USSD service which is controlled by Mobile Network Operators, is a critical infrastructure used to provide mobile financial services to banks and other financial institutions in cell phones at very low cost, without requiring access to the users SIM card. The USSD infrastructure service houses all the Nigeria telecommunications, MTN, Glo, Airtel & 9Mobile and internet service providers. The USSD made it possible for millions of Nigerians who do not have smartphones or data/internet connections to access banking and other financial services on a daily basis, especially during COVID-19 movement restrictions, he said. Mr Ossai said between January and June 2020, the value of USSD transfer payment in Nigeria was over N390 billion. According to him, since October 2019 till date, there has been a dispute between telecoms operators and the Nigerian banks over who should pay for USSD service sessions. Mr Ossai said the banks had always wanted the telecommunication operators to charge customers directly while operators insisted that the services were being offered to the banks and they should pay. The dispute has lingered for a long time to the extent that parties have been finger-pointing each other, all efforts at resolving the dispute proved abortive and the debt kept increasing until it is presently N42 billion. The telecom operators have issued a notice, threatening to withdraw and suspend the USSD service from the Nigerian banks starting from Monday, March 15, 2021. If the USSD service is withdrawn, Nigerian telecommunication users will fall back and continue with their old traditional modes, he said. The House mandated its Committee on Telecommunications to liaise with Telecommunications Operators, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigerian Banks and other financial institutions with a view to resolving the impasse. Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, mandated the committee to report back within six weeks for further legislative action. (NAN) VARNA, Bulgaria, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent figures released by the British watchdog, the UKGC, revealed the local gambling industry has generated over 14 billion in gross gaming yield between April 2019 and March 2020. While this represents a nominal decrease of 0.6% compared to the previous year, gambling remains prevalent in the country. The gambling regulator commissioned a survey for September 2020, whose results were equally unsettling. The question arises how much money do Brits feed into their local gambling industry. Perhaps more important is the question why does the general public in the UK gamble so much? Casino Guardian, a media website focused on the UK gambling industry, attempts to answer these questions in its latest report titled Why Do Brits Spend So Much on Gambling?. It is accompanied by exhaustive information about the gambling habits and expenditures of the local population. The information is arranged in tabular form, allowing readers to see the data clearly. The report starts by introducing readers to the scope and size of the UK gambling industry in terms of GGY (Gross Gambling Yield). Despite the revenue drop landbased operations suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic, the industry shows no signs of slowing down. Casino Guardian's report also sheds light on the local population's frequency of gambling. It shows that 22.2% of Brits have gambled two or more times per week for the year to September 2020. Also featured is information about how Brits gamble. Casino Guardian pinpoints two potential reasons for these trends in its report, starting with the prevalence of gambling venues in the country (10,098 at the moment of writing). The report tackles the subject of gambling as part of the British culture and history. Last but not least, Casino Guardian addresses the latest regulatory measures the British government has taken to protect the population from the harms of gambling. These include a credit card ban on gambling transactions and cuts on the maximum FOBT stakes. About Casino Guardian: Casino Guardian is a media website that focuses on the latest happenings from the UK gambling industry. The team behind the website strives to provide accurate, exhaustive, and impartial information so that readers can keep up to date with the latest events from the UK gambling sector. SOURCE Casino Guardian London Prince Philip left a London hospital on Tuesday after a four-week stay for treatment for an infection and to have a heart procedure. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and husband of Queen Elizabeth, was admitted to the King Edward VIIs Hospital on February 16 to receive treatment for an unspecified, but not COVID-19-related, infection. Prince Philip left Londons King Edward VII hospital on Tuesday. Credit:AP The 99-year-old was transferred briefly to another London hospital at the start of this month where he underwent a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. A Reuters witness said the duke left the King Edward hospital on Tuesday morning. He was taken to a waiting car in a wheelchair and returned to Windsor Castle, the royal residence west of London, waving to those outside as he arrived. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Pertunia Sibanyoni, CEO of InspectaCar, has been appointed as the new chair of Franchise Association of South Africa (Fasa) for 2021/2022. She boasts seventeen years' experience in franchising, twelve of them spent in the oil and energy sectors and the current four in automotive and financial services. Pertunia Sibanyoni Economy recovery #BizTrends2021: Franchising post-Covid - 5 trends to watch The franchise industry has proven itself to be resilient, innovative and collaborative, which is why it still survives. But it will need all these qualities, and more, to weather and adapt to what will continue to be a testing time... Strategic objectives Spur group to expand takeaway format following revenue slump The company is introducing drive-thru formats for its RocoMamas and Spur franchises and a drive-thru, click-and-collect option for Bento franchises... With strong skills in strategy stakeholder management, sales and operations and marketing, Fasa says that Sibanyoni is well poised to steer the organisation through the aftershocks of the pandemic and onto renewed growth in a sector that, in 2019, contributed an estimated turnover of R734bn (or 13,9% of GDP), through its around 800 franchise systems, 48,000 franchised outlets and employing close to half a million people.According to Sibanyoni, the franchise sector certainly took a serious knock during the height of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to until normality and the vaccine reaches all corners of the country. But to franchisings credit, and thanks to its strong business principles and support structures, most franchisors took strong leadership steps, tweaked their franchised systems, were pro-active on financial support and put in place recovery plans. The association also welcomed seventeen new members to the fold over that period.Fasa notes that no other industry, which spans around 14 different business sectors, has contributed so extensively and continuously over the past fifty years to the countrys GDP and brought together the winning elements of entrepreneurship, small business development and job creation. And we are prepared to do more to help get South Africans back to work and rebuild the economy, says Sibanyoni.In the latest Budget Speech, Minister Tito Mboweni said, The economy recovery plan recommends support for small and medium-sized enterprises, co-operatives and startups to facilitate inclusive growth. A more competitive economy will enable higher growth and job creation while providing consumers with lower prices and more product choice.Following on the heels of this address, the Fasa held its AGM and its board was able to take cognisance of governments proposed growth plans and dove-tail them to the strategic objectives set by the association for its members and the industry at large.Whilst acknowledging the measures announced by Minister Tito Mboweni to lower the tax rate for companies and give tax relief for lower and middle income earners, and establishing both a Tourism Equity and Small Business Fund, the Fasa board believes that they can play a greater role in governments push to kick-start the economy.With National Treasury continuing to work with industry bodies to promote South Africa as an industry hub for Africa, Fasa, as the leading franchise association in Africa, says it can act as a springboard for the many local and international brands that want to establish themselves in South Africa and then onwards to the rest of Africa.Whether its picking up on new trends emanating from the pandemic, encouraging entrepreneurs and corporates to look at the benefits of franchising to developing small business concepts in townships and rural areas through social and tandem franchising the franchise sector has a lot to offer and we appeal to government to engage with us and tap into our tried and tested business formats that can assist in rolling out entrepreneurial endeavours that will ultimately bring about transformation and much-needed jobs," says Sibanyoni.Fasas strategic objectives going forward will be dove-tailed to the needs of the country and in assisting government in the restructuring and rebuilding of the economy.Key amongst them will be: Continuously promote and enable responsible and ethical business practices. Pro-actively support and promote economic transformation. Collaborate with key stakeholders to drive economic growth and job creation. Prioritise innovation to increase awareness, training and development for the franchise industry through digitisation.Fasa salutes its members and the broader franchise community made up of thousands of frontline workers working in hospitality, restaurants, supermarkets and petrol stations ensuring the safety of staff and customers in adhering to Covid-19 safety regulations.Concludes Sibanyoni, Never underestimate a tough and resilient franchise industry full of talented and highly motivated entrepreneurs who excel during times of extreme stress and undue pressure and who, over the years, showed that their innovative thinking and unrelenting desire for success will help kick-start the South African economy and get the wheels of job creation and consumerism moving again. Samurai sword killer Blake Davis could spend less than three years in jail after being sentenced over the death of an aspiring rapper on a leafy Sydney street. He was found not guilty of murdering Jett McKee with a samurai sword, but guilty of his manslaughter. Davis' girlfriend Hannah Quinn, 26, was convicted of being an accessory after the fact to Mr McKee's manslaughter. New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Natalie Adams on Tuesday gave Davis, 31, a maximum prison sentence of five years and three months over Mr McKee's death. He will be eligible for parole after serving two years and nine months in jail. Mr McKee was struck in the head with the sword after fleeing Davis' Forest Lodge unit in the inner-city on August 10, 2018. The court heard the balaclava-clad Mr McKee had knuckledusters and a blank-firing pistol when he entered the unit with the intention of robbing the couple, who then chased him down the street. Blake Davis (right) pictured with his girlfriend Hannah Quinn. He was sentenced to a maximum prison sentence of five years and three months for the manslaughter of aspiring rapper Jett McKee in August 2018 Blake Davis arrives at the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday. He will be eligible for parole after serving two years and nine months in jail Davis fatally struck Jett McKee (pictured) in the head with a samurai sword after the ice-fuelled intruder fled his Forest Lodge unit Justice Adams said she found the case to be a 'moderately serious case of excessive defence manslaughter'. 'Those who unlawfully kill must be punished but the harshest punishment is reserved for offenders who exhibit the highest level of moral culpability,' she said. 'This is not that case.' Justice Adams also said she accepted Davis would have been in severe pain after being punched in the face with knuckledusters by Mr McKee and was suffering from a concussion and vision impairment. 'He was suffering fear and trauma given that he had just had his home invaded by a masked man wielding a gun and was terrified as to what had happened to his girlfriend,' she said. 'It would clearly have been a very traumatic event.' She said she was though satisfied nothing other than a full-time prison sentence would be sufficient punishment in Davis' case. She said Davis was not usually a man 'prone to violence' but had to be sentenced on the 'basis that he somehow mis-read the situation' in regards to the threat Mr McKee posed on his girlfriend. The court also heard Mr McKee had been high on ice at the time of the home invasion. Blake Davis and Hannah Quinn (left) were faced with a heavy media presence as they arrived at the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday The sentencing comes after it emerged Davis popped the question to his school teacher girlfriend in October last year, The Daily Telegraph reported. The pair shared a passionate kiss outside of court after an appearance in December, The 11-person NSW Supreme Court jury retired to consider its verdict on Monday December 21 and returned on Tuesday afternoon a guilty manslaughter verdict for Davis, deeming he had not acted in self-defence. However, the jury deemed Davis was not guilty of murder. Crown prosecutor Chris Taylor in Davis and Quinn's trial described the sword attack as senseless, unnecessary and unlawful. Davis, 31, popped the question to his school teacher girlfriend Hannah Quinn in October last year, right before their trial started The pair shared a passionate kiss outside of court after being permitted to remain on bail in December He contended Davis had not been acting in self-defence or defence of Quinn, noting the pair had chased the balaclava-clad Mr McKee about 80 metres down the street after he left their unit. Quinn had caught up with Mr McKee and pulled him to the ground, with Davis striking the fatal blow while Mr McKee was on his hands and knees. The blow with the samurai sword sliced Mr McKee's head open. Davis in the trial gave evidence about his belief the intruder had shot him and his belief that his girlfriend's life was in danger. The bloody scene in August, 2018 after McKee was killed with a samurai sword Davis was in possession of the samurai sword (pictured) - a legal weapon - as it was a gift from his brother on his 18th birthday But the Crown contended no witnesses saw the 30-year-old Mr McKee pointing a gun at Quinn before he was struck with the sword, as professed by Quinn. Quinn was then heard to say 'what the f*** have you done?' by witnesses after Davis' strike on Mr McKee. Davis was in possession of the samurai sword - a legal weapon - as it was a gift from his brother on his 18th birthday. Quinn will be sentenced next month. VANCOUVER, BC, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Angold Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AAU) (FRA: 13L1) ("Angold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received further favorable assay results for holes DO-21-02 and DO-21-03 from drilling on the Lajitas historic resource, at the Company's Dorado project located in the Maricunga belt of Chile. The most favorable intercepts in this second batch of assay results were 110 m at 0.75 g/t Au in DO-21-02 and 140 m at 0.82 g/t Au in DO-21-03, thus demonstrating excellent continuity of mineralization at Lajitas. Assayed grades of up to 4.06 g/t Au (over 2 m) also confirm the high grade potential of this target. First assay results, including the intercept of 302 m at 0.71 g/t Au from surface in DO-21-01 are outlined in the Company's news release dated February 16, 2021. Angold's CEO, Mr. Adrian Rothwell, stated: "With early results confirming higher grades than in historic drilling, long intercepts, and identifying continuous mineralization in new zones, we are confident in the expansion potential of the Lajitas historic resource." Assays from the second and third drill holes have identified new areas of mineralization: In DO-21-02 east of the East Zone, intersecting mineralization in an area not previously drilled; and In DO-21-03, extending mineralization approximately 50 m to the north of holes DO-21-01 and DO-21-02. Together, these drill holes demonstrate depth and strike continuity of the East Zone of mineralization, which was intersected from surface in hole DO-21-01. They also suggest that the mineralization in the East Zone strikes north-northeast and dips steeply to the east. Additional holes are planned to test extensions of this mineralization at depth and to the northeast and southwest (Figures 1 and 2). Mineralization observed in drill core continues to be typical of Maricunga-style gold porphyry deposits, consisting dominantly of banded quartz-magnetite veins (Figure 3), with apparent overprinting of a telescoped epithermal system. Assay results from the remainders of holes DO-21-02 and DO-21-03 are in progress (Table 1). The Company has planned a total program of approximately 5,000 m over 10 holes. DRILL RESULTS Angold's second drill hole DO-21-02 has intersected a new zone of mineralization in an area not previously drilled. Although lower grade, the intercept of 16 m at 0.35 g/t Au from 58 m downhole demonstrates expansion potential for the deposit. Drill hole DO-21-02 assayed 110 m grading 0.75 g/t Au, including two separate higher-grade intervals of 30 m @ 1.04 g/t Au and 32 m of 1.11 g/t Au. Hole DO-21-02 also intersected a second new zone of mineralization to the east of the East Zone, grading 0.38 g/t Au over 16 m, from 116 m downhole. The last assays received for hole DO-21-02 averaged 0.51 g/t Au over 6 m, with assays pending below the final assay of 1.03 g/t Au at 412-414 m downhole. This may be a deeper portion of the West Zone of mineralization (Figure 2). Drill hole DO-21-02 was drilled from east to west to test the NNE structural corridor controlling the mineralization. and has added additional mineralization to the east of intercepts in DO-21-01 and other historical drilling in the area (Figures 1 and 2). Drill hole DO-21-03 assayed 140 m grading 0.82 g/t Au, including 74 m @ 1.25 g/t Au (Figures 1 and 2). This hole was drilled from northwest to southeast and extends mineralization approximately 50 m to the north of holes DO-21-01 and 02. The 140-m interval in DO-21-03 ended in mineralization, with mineralization observed in drill core below 308 m downhole and assays pending. Table 1: Assay Results Hole ID Length, m g/t Au From, m To, m Notes DO-21-01 302 0.71 0 302 including 34 0.90 76 110 and 68 1.30 156 224 DO-21-02 16 0.35 58 74 DO-21-02 16 0.38 116 132 DO-21-02 110 0.75 200 310 including 30 1.04 228 258 and 32 1.11 270 298 DO-21-02 6 0.51 408 414 Open at depth, with assays pending DO-21-03 140 0.82 168 308 Open at depth, with assays pending including 74 1.25 194 268 Table 2. Dorado drill-hole collar table. Hole ID Collar East WGS84 Collar North WGS84 CollarElev m Collar Az Collar Dip Total Depth m DO-21-01 507080 6980110 4562 120 -60 540 DO-21-02 507350 6979975 4555 290 -45 484.5 DO-21-03 507093 6980248 4583 164 -54 513.7 DO-21-04 507200 6979970 4521 282 -70 in progress DO-21-05 506893 6980142 4525 110 -60 in progress Figure 1. Map of Angold's Dorado drill results and historic drilling. Figure 2. Cross section looking north at Angold Dorado drill results and historical drilling. Figure 3. Black banded quartz-magnetite vein at a depth of 252.7 m in drill hole DO-21-03. This vein is within a 2-m interval (252-254 m) grading 4.06 g/t Au, a relatively high-grade assay for Maricunga mineralization. More news on the Company's planned drill program may be obtained in the news release on January 12, 2021: https://www.angoldresources.com/post/angold-resources-begins-drilling-at-dorado. QAQC Statement All of Angold Resources' drill sample assay results have been independently monitored through a quality assurance/quality control ("QA/QC") protocol which includes the insertion of blind standard reference materials, blanks, and duplicates at regular intervals. Logging and sampling of the Dorado drill samples were completed at Angold's core handling facilities located in Copiapo, Chile. Drill core was diamond sawn on site and half drill-core samples were securely transported to ALS Laboratories' ("ALS") sample preparation facility in Copiapo. Gold content was determined by fire assay of a 50-gram charge with atomic absorption finish (ALS method Au-AA24). Thirty-three other elements were analyzed by ICP methods with four-acid digestion (ALS method ME-ICP61m). ALS Laboratories is independent of Angold Resources and its facilities are ISO 17025 accredited. ALS also performed its own internal QA/QC procedures to assure the accuracy and integrity of results. Parameters for ALS' internal and Angold's external blind quality control samples were acceptable for the samples analyzed. Angold is not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of its drill results data. Qualified Person David Smith, CPG, the VP Global Exploration for Angold and a Qualified Person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration programs at Angold's projects and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. About Angold Angold is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the proven districts of the Maricunga, Nevada and Ontario. Angold owns a 100% interest in the Dorado, Cordillera and South Bay-Uchi projects, and certain claims that append the optioned Iron Butte project. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF ANGOLD RESOURCES LTD. "Adrian Rothwell" Chief Executive Officer Further information on Angold can be found on the Company's website at www.angoldresources.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting the Company by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (866) 852 8719. 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. Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance and includes expectations of the resumption of trading of the Company's common shares on the Exchange. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and information are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "appear", "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "approximate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "would" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, timelines and information contained in this news release. SOURCE Angold Resources Ltd. Related Links https://www.angoldresources.com/ Highlights A few days ago Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey had put up his first-ever tweet on sale as NFT or Non-fungible token. Artists, painters have reported a theft of an unusual kind on the Internet and this has a lot to do with the NFTs. When a person buys the NFT of an artwork, they do not get the ownership rights of the artwork but the token containing the artwork. A few days ago Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey had put up his first-ever tweet on sale as NFT or Non-fungible token. However, soon after NFTs became a thing on the Internet, people reported many untoward incidents around the same. In simple terms, it gives an opportunity to digital artists to get paid more for their work. But what was being looked upon as profitable for the digital artists, has now turned entirely against them. Artists, painters have reported a theft of an unusual kind on the Internet and this has a lot to do with the NFTs. Several artists across the world have reported that their artworks have been stolen and sold on NFTs without their permission. Some of the painters had no idea about their work being sold at double the price, some of them have come across their arts on auction sites. It is also difficult to track down the digital thieves because they are not using their original id to sell the products, many of them were found hiding behind anonymous Twitter accounts. It was discovered that the automated NFT tweet-minting bot with the name @tokenizedtweets creates NFTs of tweets without informing the user about it. A user can simply mention @tokenizedtweets below a tweet to turn a tweet into an NFT. However, if the user has already tokenized her tweet, she will be informed about it by the bot. A Russian artist by the name of Weird Undead found @tokenizedtweets under one of her tweets that promoted her artwork. She became suspicious of the whole activity and started investigating the matter. On digging deeper, she discovered that her tweet along with the artwork was up for sale on an auction site called OpenSea, which is one of the largest marketplaces. She then sent a legal notice to OpenSea. Soon after which, the token disappeared from the auction site. So when a person buys the NFT of an artwork, they do not get the ownership rights of the artwork but the token containing the artwork. Now if you are wondering why would anyone pay an amount for a mere token, let us remind you that the bidding price of Dorsey's first-ever tweet is 2.5 million dollars. Valuables, which is selling his tweet, had mentioned on their page that the tweet would continue to be available on Twitter but the digital certificate of it will be issued to the buyer only. "The tweet itself will continue to live on Twitter. What you are purchasing is a digital certificate of the tweet, unique because it has been signed and verified by the creator. This autographed digital certificate will only be issued once on Valuables. It is signed using cryptography and includes metadata of the original tweet like when the tweet was posted, what the text contents are of the tweet, the timestamp of the tweet, and the digital signature from the creator's crypto wallet address," the page read. (Reuters) - Inc added "Technoking of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday, in a regulatory filing that also named finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn "Master of Coin." The electric-car maker did not explain the reasons for the cryptic new titles. Last month, revealed it had purchased $1.5 billion of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, sending the price of the world's most popular cryptocurrency soaring. Later on Monday, Musk tweeted an animation depicting what appeared to be a golden trophy decorated with coins and accompanied by a pulsing electronic soundtrack. "I'm selling this song about NFTs as an NFT," the tweet said. Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are a new type of digital asset that is authenticated by blockchain, which certifies its originality and ownership. Their popularity has exploded during the pandemic, as enthusiasts and investors scramble to spend enormous sums of money on items that only exist online. The buyer of a $70 million digital-only artwork was named last week by auction house Christie's as a crypto asset investor who goes by the pseudonym "Metakovan." It was not immediately clear if Musk actually intended to sell the video or the song. Musk's recent promotion of dogecoin on Twitter has also lifted the price of that cryptocurrency. Bitcoin hit new highs of near $62,000 over the weekend but retreated around 5% early in the European day on Monday. In another statement, said President of Automotive Jerome Guillen had moved to the role of President for Tesla Heavy Trucking, effective March 11. "As Tesla prepares to enter the critical heavy trucks market for the first time, Mr. Guillen will now leverage his extensive background in this industry to focus on and lead all aspects of the Tesla Semi program, including the related charging and servicing networks," it said. Tesla said in January that it will begin deliveries of its long-delayed Tesla Semi in 2021. (Reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Ira Iosebashvili; Editing by Anil D'Silva, David Gregorio and Sonya Hepinstall) (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 easing of Level 5 restrictions on April 5 could be impacted by St Patricks Day demonstrations and social gatherings, Simon Harris has warned. The Higher Education Minister has said that the most patriotic thing people can do tomorrow is to follow the public health advice. He said that in two weeks time, considerations will be given as to lifting some of the harshest Level 5 restrictions, such as the 5km travel limit, opening up construction sites and some outdoor activities. The former Health Minister urged people to not do anything on St Patricks Day that could risk the easing of measures. Read More The most patriotic thing people can actually do in terms of our national battle against Covid-19 is stick to the public health advice, he said. In about two weeks time, Government wants to be able to sit down with our public health experts and work out what the next few weeks look like. We desperately want to be able to see some of the harshest restrictions eased, particularly and I don't wish to exceed expectations here, particularly things like the 5km limit which is really punitive. He urged the public to not do anything tomorrow or in the coming days that risks that. For the sake of a day here or a day there, Id much rather have a summer, Mr Harris said. He said that the virus does not care what day it is tomorrow. You and I thinking, Sure Ill just get together for a few cans in the house next door with the mates, with the friends or with the neighbours, it seems somewhat innocent, he told Independent.ie. Tomorrow is a day to stay within your bubble, to try and keep yourself to yourself. Last night, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn pleaded with the public to not buy cans or takeaway pints tomorrow and congregate. Minister Harris also echoed Dr Glynns pleas to not protest tomorrow, with several anti-lockdown protests planned across Dublin. We are in such unusual times where the act of protesting could lead to people getting sick," Mr Harris said. I would suggest many of the things that people would protest for now, there will be opportunities in the future for people to gather and make their views known. He said that an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin several weeks ago was an attack on gardai, democracy and on Irelands people which featured far-right elements and thuggery. Minister Harris was speaking as he marked the 3,000th application under the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme, at Bus Eireann bus depot in Phibsborough. The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme provides employers with a grant of 3,000 which can be paid out over two years to support those who take on and retain apprentices. So far, 1,941 claims have been submitted online in respect of 3,300 apprentices. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Gauahar Khan's team says actor complying with BMC norms on COVID-19 India oi-Madhuri Adnal Mumbai, Mar 16: Bollywood star Gauhar Khan''s team has clarified that the actor has tested negative for COVID-19 and is complying with all the norms issued by the BMC. The statement from Khan comes after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday filed a police case against a Bollywood actor for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines. Though the BMC release did not disclose the name the actor, reports said the case was related to the "Tandav" actor. A statement from Khan''s team read that the 37-year-old actor is cooperating with BMC. The team also attached her COVID-19 report, dated March 15. "For everyone sending their best wishes and concern for Gauahar Khan, here''s the latest report. She''s tested negative in multiple reports. She''s a law abiding citizen and complying with all the norms of BMC," the statement read. "This is to appeal for all the speculation to be put to an end. Gauahar Khan is cooperating with everything that the BMC requires," it further said. The team also requested media to not "indulge in speculation" as the actor is emotionally at her lowest following the death of her father on March 5. BMC files FIR against Gauahar Khan for flouting Covid-19 guidelines "She''s going through everything that is expected from her by the BMC. So with folded hands we want Gauahar''s time to her self, respectfully and let her heart heal in this mourning time," the statement read. The civic body in a release on Monday said that despite being infected by the virus, the actor moved out in public places and took part in shootings, which led the BMC to file a case against the artiste. "No Compromise On City''s Safety! BMC has filed an FIR against a Bollywood actor for non-compliance to COVID-19 guidelines on testing positive. The rules apply to all alike and we urge citizens to follow all guidelines and help the city beat the virus," the civic body had tweeted along with a copy of the FIR. Hyderabad, March 16 : The Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday summoned Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Supremo and former Chief Minister, to appear before it on March 23 for investigation into a case of alleged land grabbing. CID officer A. Lakshmi Narayana Rao served a notice to Naidu at his Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad naming him as the main accused for allegedly grabbing land from Dalit farmers in the state capital Amaravati. "In exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 41 (A) of CrPc, I, A. Lakshmi Narayana Rao, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Cyber Cell, CID, being an investigating officer do hereby issue the following notice," said Rao. Naidu is scheduled to appear before the CID on March 23. The DSP has also imposed a slew of conditions on the TDP Supremo in the run-up to March 23, such as refraining from interfering with the process of investigation directly or indirectly and cooperating with the probe. "To cooperate for investigation by appearing before the undersigned as and when required by producing the evidence, if any in your custody or knowledge for effective and proper investigation and for arriving at logical conclusions," Rao added. Naidu has been warned not to get in touch with any of the witnesses or any person acquainted with the facts of the case to influence, intimidate or induce. He has also been told not to tamper with or cause disappearance of evidence in any manner whatsoever, along with being ready to appear at the jurisdictional Court whenever his presence is required. "Any other condition which may be imposed by the investigating officer or undersigned (Rao) as per the fact situation, Rao said. In the event if Naidu fails to obey the summons or the conditions imposed, the DSP warned him that he would be liable to be arrested under Section 41 A (3) and (4) of the CrPc. Naidu received the notice and endorsed the acknowledgment with his signature. Fresh trouble is brewing for Naidu as the CID police filed an FIR naming him and a former TDP minister for being allegedly involved in a case of grabbing land from Dalits in Amaravati. The other accused Minister is education baron, Ponguru Narayana, who owns the Narayana group of educational institutions. Narayana served as Andhra Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister when Naidu was the Chief Minister. This case has been registered following a complaint by Mangalagiri MLA and YSRCP leader, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, who alleged that up to 500 acres have been grabbed from Dalit farmers in this particular case and much more at other places. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Four asylum seekers have been jailed in Germany for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl. All four defendants were found guilty of rape for the attack on the 14-year-old, which took place on Halloween in 2019. One defendant was also found guilty of grievous bodily harm. The Ulm Regional Court sentenced the two men and two boys on Monday for raping the 14-year-old girl after plying her with alcohol and persuading her to return with them to their shelter. A 28-year-old was given two years and three months in prison without parole for rape, while a 26-year-old received the same sentence for aiding and abetting rape, grievous bodily harm and giving illicit drugs to a minor. Two 17-year-old received youth sentences of two years and three months each, also without parole. One was found guilty of rape and grievous bodily harm and the other was found guilty of three counts of rape. Four asylum seekers have been jailed in Germany for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl. All four defendants were found guilty of rape for the attack on the 14-year-old, which took place on Halloween in 2019. One defendant was also found guilty of grievous bodily harm. Pictured: Two of the defendants cover their faces in court on Monday The Ulm Regional Court sentenced the two men and two boys on Monday for raping the 14-year-old girl after plying her with alcohol and persuading her to return with them to their shelter. Pictured: One of the defendants covers his face in court on Monday The court heard how the four defendants drugged the girl and raped her several times in the refugee shelter in the town of Illerkirchberg in Alb-Donau in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg. They had previously given alcohol to the girl and persuaded her to join them in their accommodation, evidence showed. The day after the attack, the girl told her parents and went to the police. The defendants, who are from Iraq and Afghanistan, remained silent in court but two partially admitted their guilt towards the end of the trial. According to t-online.de, there were five defendants at the start of the trial, including a 15-year-old Iranian boy who knew the girl prior to the attack. Proceedings against the boy were dropped under the stipulation of perpetrator-victim compensation in which the two young people will speak to each other under professional guidance. Prior to the verdict, the prosecution, defence and co-plaintiff agreed that the 14-year-old girl would not have to testify. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Fear and uncertainty often walk hand in hand. In the last year, as our mortality and human fragility have come face-to-face with a devastating global pandemic, it has often produced a debilitating fear. Fear often prompts questions. Physicians, pastors, politicians, parents, epidemiologists and researchers can all attest that with the disuption of the COVID-19 pandemic have come an avalanche of questions. How? Why? When? How Long? Why me?; all of these queries, and many more, are at the heart of what Victor Frankl called, humanitys search for meaning which can become more acute during times of crisis and loss. With over 2.5 million lives lost around the world and over 500,000 deaths in the United States people are searching for answers, or at the very least, seeking a sense that their questions are being heard. As Christians, we affirm the truth that we serve a God who welcomes questions and loves us through our fear. As the book of Job poetically reminds us, God welcomes our questions in the middle of our grief. Existential questions invite a pastoral response. The Prophet Jeremiahs lament has served as a foundational Biblical template for NaLECs national information and service campaign in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The weeping prophet, beleaguered by an incessant siege, asked the question that millions in our underserved communities are asking, Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored? (Jeremiah 8:22) The pandemic has lasted more than a year and so many feel, like Jeremiah, as they are under a relentless siege. Just as millions were praying and hoping for healing to come, three vaccines were developed and distributed. And finally, the response today is, THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD! Still, even with this great news, many in our Hispanic and African-American communities remained concerned, our people had not been restored. The on-going challenges of historic distrust and lack of equitable access to healthcare served as a clarion call to our network of pastors and leaders to launch a national campaign that both informed and served the Latino Evangelical community with pertinent and timely information and services. The chasm between the need in our communities and the response required an urgent response. If there is a balm for our collective suffering; part of NaLECs vocation is to ensure that this balm reached our communities. Since the early days of the pandemic, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) assumed a posture of empathetic listening that has built bridges of trust and collaboration. As pastors and congregations continued to reach out to us, NaLEC felt responsible to provide responses that were culturally, linguistically, and theologically contextualized for Hispanic faith communities. Many pastors bemoaned the fact that while Latino communities were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus there was a scarcity of outreach and materials in our communities. In March 2020, NaLEC hosted multiple webinars and listening sessions with Latino Evangelical congregations across the United States and the Caribbean. NaLEC prepared a manual for Latino churches, in English and Spanish, for how to reopen congregations according to CDC guidelines. In addition, we trained thousands of pastors on how to access the funds for the Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) to keep them afloat. Early this year when the vaccines were announced, we discovered that fear concerning the virus was being further complicated by massive misinformation or lack of information concerning vaccinations. Questions are always welcome but when rumors and conspiracy theories are the rejoinders, crises are exacerbated. Rumors and conspiracy theories soon flooded social media platforms and dinner conversations. There were allegations that the vaccines were the mark of the beast or contained a microchip to track people. Moreover, the continued concerns around vaccination access for immigrants and uninsured people also needed a response. In the Latino community there is a long memory of sterilization experiments among Latina women and less-than-quality healthcare among the most vulnerable. Historical injustices, misinformation, and lack of information bred anxiety and distrust that compelled trusted spokespersons to respond. Christ harkens to us, You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Systemic challenges necessitate systemic responses. Systemic challenges necessitate systemic responses. Dr. King reminds us that one of the ethical implications of The Parable of The Good Samaritan is to take a closer look at the systemic failures on The Jericho Road. The lack of illumination and protection on The Jericho Road led to many injured travelers. As the Evangelical faith community responds to the historical distrust of medicine coupled with the disparate distribution of vaccines and healthcare, we ought to reply with the twin antidotes of prophetic advocacy and pastoral truth. The Better Samaritan not only lifts the injured traveler, but seeks to make The Jericho Road safer and more accessible. Healing balms without access are empty promises that feed frustration. In the end, we prisoners of hopeor as my son often says, Dad, we are hope dealers! It is that holy pursuit of becoming Better Samaritans that prompted our most recent national efforts to inform and serve Hispanics with COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The Better Samaritan not only lifts the injured traveler, but seeks to make The Jericho Road safer and more accessible. Better Samaritans must be relentless in our pursuits of healing and hope. The Prophet Jeremiah wept, The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Prayerfully, we can soon end the winter of our global ailment, but until then, we will work to proclaim that there is a balm in Gilead and we will carry it to as many as we can. No matter how long it tarries, we will see the Spring of our global healing. NaLEC has launched an intentional and aggressive campaign to combat the avalanche of obstacles, disinformation and myths that hinder our communities from obtaining much-needed vaccines. NaLEC, in partnership with the Ad Council, helped create a Spanish-language PSA on COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, NaLEC joined the CDC and HHS, and hosted three national Spanish-language calls, and partnerned with African-American pastors like Bishop TD Jakes and Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner to reach Black/Brown faith coalitions. NaLEC is collaborating with some of our partner congregations to help them become vaccination sites. Visit the NaLEC website for more information, or to donate. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. New Delhi, March 16 : Aimed at strengthening the Special Forces or intelligence branches in Maoist-hit states, the Centre has extended the duration of its ongoing Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) till March end. The SIS including construction of 250 Fortified Police Stations (FPS) in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas is going on since 2017. The scheme was initially approved for a period of three years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. "Now, SIS scheme has been further extended up to March 31, 2021," Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply, the Minister said that the Scheme envisages upgradation and strengthening of Special Forces (SFs) or Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs) of states along with construction of 250 fortified police stations. "Proposals of 10 states with respect to Special Forces or SIBs for an amount of Rs 371 crore and projects of seven states worth Rs 620 crore for construction of 250 FPS were sanctioned." Though, the Minister clarified, the scheme is implemented on reimbursement basis and an amount of Rs 152.67 crore has also been released as advance to the states. To combat the LWE menace, the government of India has formulated National Policy and Action Plan in 2015, which consists of a multi-pronged approach comprising security measures, development initiatives and ensuring rights & entitlements of local communities, the Minister said. The MHA is supporting the state governments extensively by way of deployment of Central Armed Police Forces Battalions, provision of helicopters and UAVs and sanction of India Reserve Battalions (IRBs) or Special India Reserve Battalions (SIRBs). Funds are provided under Modernization of Police Force (MPF), Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) for modernization and training of State Police. Apart from flagship infrastructure schemes of the Central Government, several development initiatives have been implemented for construction of roads, installation of mobile towers, skill development, improving network of banks and post offices, health and education facilities. Funds for development are also provided to most LWE affected districts under Special Central Assistance (SCA) scheme. Resolute implementation of National Policy and Action Plan has resulted in a consistent decline in the LWE violence and its geographical spread. In what appears to be an apparent problem for a messaging app called Signal, several platforms have reported that it was now blocked in China. Signal Has Been Blocked in China Since Mar. 15, some users from Beijing and other neighboring cities reported that the messaging app has been inaccessible, and it seems to have been proven true. They said that the app no longer allowed them to send any message, Endgadget reported. Earlier this week, users complained that they could no longer access Signal, and the only instance that they can use it is when they open a VPN. According to some Weibo users, "Signal has been walled," and this meant that China had blocked third-party apps like Facebook, Telegram, Whatsapp, and other news sites as well. Meanwhile, the app's official website was said to be inaccessible on Mar. 16, as per Greatfire.org, a team assigned to handle censorship issues of various apps. This made the users speculate on the possible cause of the blockage, but the company apparently did not comment on the question. When it comes to security, the history of China can be traced back to its strict implementation in its applications. Signal, the blocked app, has been a popular tool for common users and journalists, advocates, and other individuals with such related works. Last January, Elon Musk told his followers that they should download Signal. A few days later, the messaging app saw a surge of downloads and users as it became instantly famous. Read Also: Telegram 'Secret Chat' Might Still Reveal Deleted Files and Password: How to Access the Passcode? What is the Reason Behind this Blockage of Signal? According to the Washington Post, what happened is part of the Chinese government's campaign to tighten its internet control. During the yearly legislative session this month, Li Keqiang, China's Premier, said that content creation and management should be strengthened in order to foster an optimistic culture online. The statement of Li may sound different to others, specifically those who mainly rely on the internet for information dissemination like bloggers, online platforms, companies, and even some users. Meanwhile, Alibaba has been instructed by the Chinese authorities to give away its assets. This means that the e-commerce giant should sell its Weibo stakes and its stakes from the South China Morning Post, a Chinese newspaper. The only reason this occurred was that Alibaba influenced the public. In February, content creators and bloggers were required to submit an application before publishing their content. China's Cyberspace Administration spearheaded this requirement. In the same month, many Chinese citizens were imprisoned after they defamed Chinese soldiers, who have perished during their encounter with the Indians in 2020. Censorship is not a new issue in China, and Signal just became the recent app to have been blocked for access regulation. Previously, China also blocked Clubhouse over its contents involving human rights protests in connection to the 1989 massacre that happened in Tiananmen Square. Related Article: Facebook, Australia Agree to Lift News Ban in the Next Days This article is owned by Tech Times. Written by Joen Coronel 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. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2021) The US Department of State has approved the sale of more than 50 Stryker infantry carrying military vehicles to Macedonia, a NATO member state, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release on Tuesday. "The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the government of North Macedonia of Stryker Vehicles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $210 million," the release stated. The DSCA delivered the required certification notifying the US Congress of the possible sale also on Tuesday, the release said. The principal contractor for the deal will be General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and the vehicles will be produced at GDLS-Canada in London, Ontario, the release also said. The Macedonian government has requested the possible sale of 54 Stryker Vehicles, to include M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles, M1130 Command Vehicles and M1129 Mortar Carrier Vehicles, the release added. The sales package will also include M2A1 machine guns; M6 smoke grenade launchers and associated spares; Harris radios; common remote operated weapons station ; defense advanced GPS receiver; AN/VAS-5 driver's vision enhancer and spare parts and components, according to the release. The province is looking to revamp Manitobas education system, doing away with most school boards in favour of a new overriding education authority, Education Minister Cliff Cullen revealed on late Monday. Advertisement Advertise With Us The province is looking to revamp Manitobas education system, doing away with most school boards in favour of a new overriding education authority, Education Minister Cliff Cullen revealed on late Monday. Additionally, Manitobas 37 school divisions will be merged into 15 regional catchment areas, although these regions will not have "any legislative authority," according to Cullen. However, the organizational structure of the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine will remain unchanged due to Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees minority language educational rights to French-speaking individuals. Cullen said these changes are being brought about because of the provinces K-12 education review, which was finally released to the public on Monday after two years of development. The province concluded based on extensive consultations with teachers, parents and students that they needed to enhance the effectiveness of the education systems governance and funding structures, especially at the administrative level. "The current system is based on an unfair, inequitable and unsustainable funding formula, dependent on a communitys ability to raise property taxes," said Cullen. "As we have witnessed, the formula creates huge disparities across our province. It is a system that has ballooned over the years and it is past its prime." To Cullen, the desire to streamline this system became increasingly apparent in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, since he said the existence of 37 independent school divisions made it difficult to provide consistent pandemic relief. But even before that, the minister said that administrative costs remained some of the highest in the country, despite the fact that Manitoba students "achieve some of the lowest results" academically. "Our system has more trustees per capita than anywhere else in Canada," he said. "Our administration expenses, as a percentage of costs, is higher than most provinces. What we do need is a system that is consistent, efficient and student-focused." In order to bring about this desired change, Cullen said that the province plans to do away with school boards and school board trustees altogether, with school divisions now operating under a single government-appointed provincial advisory board. This provincial education authority will consist of six to 11 people, at least two of whom would be selected from parents of current public school students across Manitoba. Plus, each school will be represented by a community council that gives parents a formal process to influence decisions. "So its certainly a structural change, but I think this is where parents will have greater input in terms of their schools activity, theyll be able to work more closely with their local principals and theyll work more closely with the directors of education within the region," said Cullen. "So, I think this is a real benefit for parents and caregivers going forward." In addition, Cullen said the province will be condensing Manitobas 37 school divisions into 15 geographical areas to further streamline the system. While the Brandon School Division wont be grouped in with any nearby entity, other Westman school divisions will be amalgamated. According to a technical briefing that took place before Cullens announcement on Monday, Mountain View, Swan Valley and Turtle River will be combined into one. The same goes for the Beautiful Plains, Park West and Rolling River school divisions, alongside the newly merged region consisting of Fort La Bosse, Southwest Horizon and Turtle Mountain. However, as mentioned before, Cullen said these new geographic regions do not have any regulatory authority and only serve as a structure for the new provincial education authority. "There will be directors of education appointed within each region. That will be the contact to the schools within that respective region," he said. "So the principals will work closely with the directors of education, which will funnel directly into the provincial education authority." The Brandon School Division wasnt able to provide the Sun with an official comment as of press time, with a representative stating that BSD would need to undertake a more extensive dissection of the K-12 education review and its corresponding legislation, Bill 64, in order to provide a more detailed response. However, Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont didnt pull any punches talking to the Sun on Monday afternoon, claiming that this new governance structure could be the "end of public education as we know it in Manitoba." More specifically, Lamont characterized Premier Brian Pallister and his Progressive Conservative party as "control freaks" who want to politicize the education system by removing the democratic aspects of it. "Parents are going to lose, students are going to lose," he said. "If I have an issue, who do I go knock on the door of? The minister?" Representatives of the Canadian Union of Public Employees also believe that the elimination of school divisions will result in less public control and accountability. "This government wants to remove all of that local decision making and replace it with their own centralized, hand-picked appointees on Broadway," a representative wrote in a Monday afternoon news release. "Toothless advisory boards will leave parents and families with no real voice in education." Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew also panned the announcement, saying the Progressive Conservatives are repeating a lot of the same mistakes they made centralizing the health-care system. Now, Kinew believes that many education issues raised at the local level will just disappear into layers of bureaucracy without any real hope of local input. "Right now, if something comes up in your childs school, you can contact your local school trustee," he said. "But after this bill comes into law, youre going to have to take it up with Mr. Pallister." Right now, the bill designed to codify this new education system into law the Education Modernization Act or Bill 64 was tabled on Monday, with Cullen hoping that the legislative process will move along efficiently. If all goes according to the Progressive Conservatives plans, the new provincial education authority could be established as early as November 2021, with changes to the school trustees system expected by July 2022. "We know this looks like a lot of change and there will be a lot to digest over the coming days," said Cullen. "But making the changes our system needs is not a quick fix. For now, parents, rest assured that you will not see immediate changes in your local school. You children will continue to see their teacher and will continue learning." The province also launched a new website, bettereducationmb.ca, in tandem with Mondays announcement to give the public a better look at the full K-12 education review and this new proposed education system. kdarbyson@brandonsun.com, with files from Colin Slark Twitter: @KyleDarbyson KYIV. March 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) Former Ukrainian political prisoners, founders of the Liberation of Prisoners platform call on the authorities to refrain from discrediting and persecuting political and public figures in the wake of the right decisions to impose sanctions against pro-Russian TV channels and politicians. "We sincerely and unquestioningly support those actions of the authorities that are really aimed at the destruction and inevitable eradication of the ramified criminal network built and introduced in Ukraine by the aggressor country the Russian Federation [...] We urge President Volodymyr Zelensky [...] to state wisdom [...] Correct and necessary decisions aimed at the closure of pro-Russian TV channels and other media outlets, the introduction of sanctions against pro-Moscow politicians collaborators within the country, firstly, require the introduction of legislative justification, secondly, in no case should they be used as a formal pretext for criminal and sanctioning prosecution of political and public leaders, individuals who have undoubtedly proved their loyalty to the ideals of the Ukrainian state, but conduct their activities in opposition to the course of the current government, " according to the text of the appeal, which was presented on Tuesday at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine by former political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh. The appeal notes the inadmissibility of the priority of "permanent political competition and the struggle for ratings" over state interests. "We also strongly oppose and condemn the authorities' attempts to use the negative image of outspoken collaborator Medvedchuk in order to discredit the personalities who represented the authorities in the extremely difficult times of the outbreak of war, bloody hostilities [...] in particular, fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko," the appeal said. Balukh said that it is necessary to adopt a law on collaboration. "Everyone who carries out their activities, receiving 'dirty money' earned on our blood, should know that the punishment will be irreversible," he said. Former political prisoner Yevhen Panov, in turn, said that by fully supporting the appeal, he calls on the head of state "to stop political persecution." "While the patriots of Ukraine need to unite, we are starting to fight 'with our own people'. We have a stronger enemy on the eastern border to fight with. Why are the people who defended Ukraine at the front [...] are now behind bars?" he said. MP of Ukraine from European Solidarity party Ahtem Chiygoz said that the current situation "undermines the struggle of political prisoners who are in the penal colonies of the Russian Federation." "We should not mitigate the dignity and struggle of our political prisoners, who are in the hands of the enemy," he said. TOKYO Just days before the Biden administrations first face-to-face encounter with Beijing, two senior American envoys used a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday to set a confrontational tone for the talks, rebuking what they called coercion and destabilizing actions by China in its increasingly aggressive military forays in the region. Following a flurry of meetings, U.S. and Japanese officials issued a two-page statement that left little doubt that President Biden would defy China in territorial disputes, challenges to democracy and other regional crises. Its robust censure of Beijing represented the kind of vigorous approach that Japan has been seeking from the United States after four years of skepticism worldwide about whether America would remain a reliable ally. Accusing Beijing of violating the international order with maritime claims and activities, the statement defended Japans right to administer the uninhabited Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China. It also called for stability in the Taiwan Strait, as some U.S. military officials see a growing chance that China will move to assert sovereignty over self-governing Taiwan in the coming years. After the Japanese defense minister, Nobuo Kishi, referred to an increasingly tense security environment at the start of a meeting on Tuesday, the two U.S. officials, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, offered reassurance. Lake Charles Toyota offers free vehicle diagnosis tests for students with a valid student ID. Students in or near the Lake Charles, Louisiana, region can receive a free vehicle diagnostic test at Lake Charles Toyota. This service is designed to help students save money and time by having one of the dealerships skilled technicians check over the vehicle to find problems at no cost. Any issues found will be reported to the driver so that they may choose to get the issues resolved to avoid additional damage, repair costs, labor costs and potential breakdowns. This offer is valid for current students that present a valid student ID. Local colleges and universities that Lake Charles Toyota accepts student IDs from include McNeese State University, SOWELA Technical Community College, Louisiana State University, Lamar University, Lamar State College, Northwestern State University, Louisiana College, University of Louisiana at Lafayette and others. Those that do not present a valid student ID will not be eligible for this promotion. The service team at Lake Charles Toyota is trained to effectively identify and resolve issues with a variety of car brands. Customers that would like to get their vehicle checked out at Lake Charles Toyota may schedule a service appointment online or contact the service team directly at 337-419-2993. Individuals that would like to visit the dealership in person to get their vehicle inspected can do so at 3905 Gerstner Memorial Drive in Lake Charles. Those interested to learn more about Lake Charles Toyota and the services it provides are encouraged to explore its website at http://www.lakecharlestoyota.com. KABUL (Reuters) - Gunmen ambushed a bus carrying university staff in northeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday killing the driver and a student, officials said, as attacks on civilians continued, while peace talks between the government and the Taliban remained stalled. Six university lecturers were also wounded during the attack in Baghlan province, said Sayed Hamid Rushan, a spokesman for the interior ministry said. The ministry blamed the Taliban for the attack, but the militant group denied involvement. "The attack...has nothing to do with our mujahideen (fighters), we condemn the attack and consider it as a conspiracy of the enemy," said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman. On the other side of the country, unidentified gunmen attacked security forces guarding a dam in Herat, killing three, wounding one, according to officials in the western province. Four other members of the security forces were missing. Diplomats and advocates have become alarmed at the rising violence, including targeted attacks on government employees, journalists, academics and rights workers in recent months even as peace negotiations were being held in Qatar. Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the targeted killings, especially those against minority groups, women and journalists. "Unidentified attackers have also gone after journalists, civil society activists, and professionals, killing many, driving some from the country, and leaving the rest to live in fear," said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at HRW. With the U.S.-brokered peace talks struggling to make headway, Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is currently on a regional visit, trying to find a way forward before a looming deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in May. (Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi; Additional reporting by Storay Karimi in Herat; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Those who are food insecure in New Jersey can get help from local and statewide food banks. The need for assistance has increased greatly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Here is a list of nonprofits and agencies that offer food assistance as a primary service in Monmouth County. A list of statewide agencies follows. These organizations are also in need of volunteers and donations; here are ways to volunteer and make donations. To add a nonprofit organization or agency to the guide, email lobrien@njadvancemedia.com. MONMOUTH COUNTY community4u 18 Homestead Lane, Roosevelt, N.J. 08555 Roosevelt Community4u Food Bank was established in 2014 with a mission to help people in need with the basic necessities while preserving their dignity. The food bank delivers more than 350 weekly food packages and cooked meals to families and seniors in need. The organization reports that since March, we saw a growing need for food in rural and urban food-insecure communities. It is obvious that as the weeks go by and unemployment surges, this dramatically increases the vulnerability of these households. We now hold monthly food distributions serving over 2,000 families so that they can have food to put on their table. Since many of the recipients have never visited a food bank or been in need of our services we have really broken down the stigma that getting free food is only for poor families. For more information, click here. Freehold Area Open Door 39 Throckmorton St., P.O. Box 1073, Freehold N.J. 07728 The nonprofit Open Door is an interfaith agency that has been serving the Freehold Area since the late 80s as a food pantry plus supports an advocacy program and a after school program. Those who need assistance should visit the agency website, www.freeholdareaopendoor.org. Fulfill 3300 Route 66, Neptune, N.J. 07753 The mission of the nonprofit Fulfill is to alleviate hunger and build food security in Monmouth & Ocean counties and to make sure that all people at all times have access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life. To seek help from Fulfill, formerly known as the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, click here. Lunch Break 121 Drs. James Parker Blvd., Red Bank, N.J. 07701 lunchbreak.org Lunch Break provides lifes basic necessities of food, clothing, life skills and fellowship to the financially insecure individuals and families in Monmouth County and beyond. Soup kitchen hours are: Monday- Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot lunch served Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon - Hot breakfast served & bag lunches distributed from 11 a.m. to noon (Bagged lunches are donated by St. Leos the Great in Lincroft) Friday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. Community Dinner Nights Homebound Meals are provided to individuals who require food delivery due to a medical condition. Red Bank Residents ONLY. Meals are delivered Monday through Saturday. Registration is required. For more information, contact Taylor Oliveras at 732-385-3971, ext. 3013. For more information, go to https://lunchbreak.org/food-services/. STATEWIDE Community FoodBank of New Jersey 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, N.J. 07205 | 908-355-3663 The Community FoodBank of New Jersey works to fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long-term solutions. According to the organizations website, We engage, educate and empower all sectors of society in the battle. Working together with volunteers, donors and our many partners, we work to fill the emptiness caused by hunger with Food, Help and Hope. For those who need assistance, the Community FoodBank offers three ways to access services: 1. Text: 908-224-7776. Type find food or comida -- those seeking assistance will then be prompted to enter their zip code to be directed to a resource. 2. Website: For the food pantry locator, go to wfbnj.org/findfood 3. Call food assistance line: Call 908-838-4831 would put someone in touch with resource assess team. Team members can help in English, Spanish, haitian creole. Weve always done that. Have expanded resource access team. Helping people apply for snap is their specialty connect them to other resources. For additional information, click here. Feeding America The mission of Feeding America is to feed Americas hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. The Feeding America network secures and distributes 4.3 billion meals each year through food pantries and meal programs throughout the United States. To find a food bank, go to https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank or for more information on food assistance, go to https://www.feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food. SoupKitchen411 SoupKitchen411 is a nonprofit organization that purchases professional quality meals from local restaurants and serves them at soup kitchens. In 2015, friends Ken DeRoberts and Phillip Gentile established the nonprofit organization to serve as a hub for anti-hunger advocates to raise awareness about the epidemic of food insecurity in America and as a database of soup kitchens and other places where free meals are regularly served. The free online database at SoupKitchen411.com utilizes interactive maps to provide detailed information such as hours of operation and contact information for 250+ tri-state area, and over 700 national soup kitchens and food pantries. To locate a soup kitchen near you, click here. In April 2020, amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SoupKitchen411 launched the FeedNJ campaign that contracts bulk meals from New Jersey restaurants to be distributed to their local soup kitchens. FeedNJ is a campaign operated by nonprofit SoupKitchen411 to fight COVID-19-impacted food insecurity and keep struggling restaurants across New Jersey afloat by purchasing nutritious meals from them in bulk that are thereafter distributed to local soup kitchens. To date, the FeedNJ campaign has served over 35,000 meals purchased from local restaurants which have been served at soup kitchens and collective spaces for free, and plans to expand operations to all 21 New Jersey counties in 2021. Food Bank of South Jersey 1501 John Tipton Blvd., Pennsauken, N.J. 08110 | foodbanksj.org The Food Bank of South Jersey exists to provide an immediate solution to the urgent problem of hunger by providing food to people in need, teaching them to eat nutritiously, and helping them to find sustainable ways to improve their lives. A statement on the Food Bank of South Jersey website reads, During 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic altered so much of our everyday lives how we interact, how we travel, how we learn, how we work. For many members of our community, the impact has been severe. Unemployment. Homelessness. Financial crisis. Health emergencies. An alarming rise in food insecurity with tens of thousands facing life-altering hunger for the first time. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we remained in operation continuously, expanding and strengthening our capacity to distribute record high volumes of food throughout Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties. With a focus on low-to-no contact food distributions, including emergency food box drive-up food distributions, we responded to a 200 percent increase in food insecurity throughout our four-county region. To find food distributions in the surrounding area as well as a list of mobile and pop-up food pantries, click here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. If the initial reaction to Facebook's sudden decision to cut Australians off from the site on Thursday was idiotic, it became even more ludicrous on Friday, with reactions from politicians and the media competing to be dubbed the silliest of the lot. Primacy must go to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who dug his heels in and reiterated his determination to pass the news media code into law. Scomo was big on Facebook lingo in some of his statements, saying: "It is not OK to unfriend Australia because Australia is very friendly. We would like to remain very friendly and it is time for them to friend us again." Truly, a man of the times. And in a report that just came online, Australian politicians have said they are halting their ads on Facebook because of the ban. Now, that should make Mark Zuckerberg really worried about how he will meet next month's payroll. He also said he had the support of "world leaders" on the matter, citing Canada, the UK and India. So what do these leaders plan to do send their armies to invade Facebook's offices in the US and arrest Mark Zuckerberg? The Australian Government remains firmly committed to legislating & implementing the mandatory media bargaining code. This is all about levelling the playing field, protecting public interest journalism & ensuring journalists are rewarded for generating original content. pic.twitter.com/3gBRNUlehq Josh Frydenberg (@JoshFrydenberg) February 19, 2021 Remember, when Zuckerberg was asked to appear before the parliament of the UK, surely a much bigger and more powerful player on the world stage than Australia, he just ignored the request. His presence was sought in connection with the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which was made out to be much more serious when it was a hoax championed by a hysterical reporter, and was, in truth, a close competitor to the Russiagate rubbish. What does Morrison plan to do next? Take the issue to the UN? Call for a Security Council resolution? Exactly how silly can you get over a fracas like this? The narrative being spread is that poor Australia is being victimised by the awful Facebook and Scomo is trying to defend the country's sovereignty. What happened to support from Australia's greatest ally, the US of A? I doubt there will be a word out of Washington DC, praising Scomo's tenacity. The truth is that when the rubber finally hits the road, the US Government will not take a single step against the social media giant it is too valuable in terms of publicity for all American politicians and, more than that, campaign contributions. You know, money. Dollars. Moolah. We've seen hints of how the US defends technology companies, with the threats that were made against France when it levied a tax on these big tech firms. Before I forget, for all those who have been living under a rock for the last few days, Facebook announced, early on Thursday morning AEDT, that it would restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content on its platform. The curbs were said to be because Australia was trying to put in place a news media code officially known as the News Media and Digital Platforms Bargaining Code that would force Facebook and Google to pay for news content. A Facebook official has now apologised for nuking a number of Australian sites that had nothing to do with news and shown the necessary remorse so that this can be spun as a positive for Australia. We have willing media organs to perform this role and wave the Australian flag. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was active on Friday too, tweeting (our Josh likes to tweet): "The Australian Government remains firmly committed to legislating & implementing the mandatory media bargaining code. This is all about levelling the playing field, protecting public interest journalism & ensuring journalists are rewarded for generating original content." There was a gem from the Herald Sun too, with the demands made by Facebook (what are they? Facebook isn't saying) likened to the list of 14 demands made by China for it to restore good ties with Australia. In other words, Zuckerberg is as bad as those lousy Communists, the truculent Xi Jinping, and his cohorts. A childish reaction if anything. Another over-the-top reaction came from the verbose Paul Kelly, who called Facebook's action "an assault on Australias civic life"! Did someone say hyperbole? In a narcissistic world, where "look at me" has come to dominate, Facebook is the refuge of many a soul. You can't change that. It's probably easier to give up using the site than stopping smoking (and I know how hard the latter is, because I gave it up in the 1990s). There is no alternative. This is a hard truth that nobody has highlighted, the decline of society to the point where people are reduced to communicating in text messages and other such impersonal ways. I've asked many of my serious friends, mostly nerds, why they use Facebook and they all had the same reason: to keep in touch with family and friends. They are not into the sillier features offered by the site, but this is a valid reason for any human being to have an account. All that is left in this drama is for the Australian Greens to suggest that this country should set up its own national social media site. The party made an equally silly suggestion at the beginning of the month, when it said Australia should set up its own search engine. And they want people to take them seriously! Update, 21 February: The US reaction is in: the dispute is seen as a business negotiation between private companies and the Australian Government. Special relationship, indeed! NRL star Darius Boyd and his wife Kayla have welcomed their third child, a baby girl. The 32-year-old mother shared the exciting news to Instagram on Tuesday alongside a series of adorable photos of her newborn wrapped in a blanket. 'Gia Chele Boyd and just like that, an angel was born. Have been soaking up the past 32 hours with our third baby girl earth-side,' she wrote. 'There really is no love quite like this': NRL star Darius Boyd and his wife Kayla announced the birth of their third child on Tuesday 'You are everything darling girl, you are loved more than you will ever know and your two sissy's can't wait to meet you!' 'It's absolutely everything, and I mean everything that comes with having a newborn that does it for me. There really is no love, quite like this,' she continued. The couple are also proud parents to five-year-old daughter Willow and one-year-old Romi Yves. They announced the impending arrival of their third child in an Instagram post back in September last year. Growing family: The 32-year-old mother shared the exciting news to Instagram alongside a series of adorable photos of her newborn 'Gia Chele Boyd and just like that, an angel was born. Have been soaking up the past 32 hours with our third baby girl earth-side,' she wrote The announcement came months after Kayla opened up about their desire to have a third child throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 'We're not trying, but we're not doing anything to prevent it,' she told The Courier-Mail. It also followed the traumatic delivery of Romi in 2019. Shortly after the birth, Darius spoke about the 'trauma' he experienced watching his wife and then unborn child battle for lives. 'It's absolutely everything, and I mean everything that comes with having a newborn that does it for me. There really is no love, quite like this,' she continued Family: The couple are also proud parents to five-year-old daughter Willow and one-year-old Romi Yves. They announced the impending arrival of their third child in an Instagram post back in September last year The Brisbane Broncos captain watched helplessly as his wife struggled through an eight-hour premature labour at Brisbane's North West Private Hospital. Kayla and the child became distressed during the labour process, forcing medical staff to perform an emergency caesarean to save their lives. 'It was pretty awful seeing Kayla in such pain, going through contractions while they tried to put an anaesthetic needle in her back,' Boyd told New Idea. Mum and bub eventually pulled through, and Romi was born three weeks early on September 28, 2019. Syracuse, N.Y. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said the recent phone calls from the head of the states vaccination efforts asking county executives about their support for Gov. Andrew Cuomo were a chilling' sign of politics amid the fight against Covid-19. McMahon, a Republican, said he is not surprised that he did not receive a call from Larry Schwartz, who is leading Cuomos vaccination program. The embattled governor can dismiss Republican critics as partisan but needs to buttress his support among fellow Democrats, McMahon said. McMahon said he has spoken to other county executives who did receive calls from Schwartz to gauge their support for Cuomo, who faces calls for his resignation amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment. The calls from Schwartz were first reported by The Washington Post and The New York Times. People are pretty worked up,' McMahon said of his fellow county executives. Local leaders have long feared that their access to state resources or their ability to influence pandemic policies could depend on their political standing in the governors office, he said. Now you have evidence that suggests it could have been politicized,' he said. McMahon has not called for Cuomo to resign, but said he hopes the investigation into claims against the governor is resolved quickly. One county executive told The New York Times that after Schwartz had discussed the governors political situation on a recent phone call, he pivoted directly to a conversation about vaccine distribution. Schwartz and the governors office have said the calls had nothing to do with Schwartzs role as vaccine czar. Beth Garvey, acting counsel to the governor, issued a statement Monday denying any ethical conflict. To be clear, Larrys conversations did not bring up vaccine distribution -- he would never link political support to public health decisions,' Garvey wrote. Distorting Larrys role or intentions for headlines maligns a decades long public servant who has done nothing but volunteer around the clock since March to help New York get through the COVID pandemic. Schwartz should not have made the calls, given his role in the vaccination program, McMahon said. The phone calls, whether intentional or not, left a chilling effect,' he said. McMahon said the episode reinforces his call for a loosening of state control over county decision-making. He has consistently sought a bigger role for the county health department in vaccine administration. And McMahon objects to the states tight control over local business operations, which he said should be tailored to the coronavirus infection levels in each community. Most recently, for example, McMahon said he has asked state officials to allow local restaurants to stay open until 1 a.m. rather than closing at 11 p.m. Thats appropriate in light of Onondaga Countys low positive test rate, he said. McMahon said he shouldnt have to wait on the state to make such decisions. Many of the (governors) emergency powers that impact local governments day-to-day operations arent necessary anymore,' he said. We need to have local control back.' Do you have a news tip or a story idea? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023. HYDERABAD: Alleging that the state government was harassing Hindus in Bhainsa, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of intentionally depriving them of their constitutional and human rights. He said that if the government does not take any action against the culprits responsible for creating communal tension in the town, the party activists would storm Pragathi Bhavan demanding immediate justice. Leading a party delegation to Raj Bhavan, he submitted a representation to Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan seeking her intervention in the Bhainsa incident. He told the Governor that unless the issue was resolved early, there could be law and order problems across the state. Later, speaking to the media, he alleged that the government had entrusted the police administration to the MIM. He said that criminals, deported from Maharashtra and staying in Bhainsa were unleashing communal violence under directions from MIM leaders. He lamented that the government was not even coming to the rescue of the victims, who had lost their properties. The BJP leader said that it was unfortunate that the government was filing cases against Hindus and allowing the actual perpetrators to go scot-free. He wondered if Chandrashekar Rao had any humane considerations given that treatment of the rape victim, a minor, was being taken care of by the BJP and not the government. He wanted to know why leaders from the Congress and Left parties were silent on the rape incident but do not hesitate to raise a hue and cry if such incidents are reported in other states. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A Kashmiri political activist on Monday called on the United Nations to take serious note of human rights violations in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan, during his address at the ongoing 46th Session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Nasir Aziz Khan, central spokesperson of the United Kashmir People's National Party, highlights strict restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of opinion and association, press, media, and publications. imposed by the Pakistan administration. He asked the UN to intervene and ensure the release of British Kashmiri journalist Tanveer Ahmed, activist Humayun Pasha, and others. "Our organization is deeply concerned about systematic human rights violations in so-called Azad Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan which are incompatible with Pakistan's international human rights obligations. These areas are part of the erstwhile disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir held by Islamabad since 1947 and treated as its colony", Nasir told UNHRC. He added, "There are strict restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of opinion & association, press, media, and publications. Witchhunt of political opponents, Kashmiri nationalists, and rights activists is continuing." Nasir said that for those who oppose the state policy, Islamabad uses religion as a weapon and terrorism as a foreign policy tool against them. "Social and mainstream media is being used to defame activists, labeling them as anti-state, anti-religion, and foreign agents. Media trail, threats, fabricated charges, and politically motivated torture is systematically used to critical of the government to silent and changes their views," said the activist who hails from PoK. "Though in our areas never held free and fair elections, recently Pakistan imposed new restrictions on nationalist parties. The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK ) Elections Act 2020 make it mandatory for all political parties to declare loyalty to Pakistan. Article 126 of the Act provides, (1) No political party shall be formed with the object of propagating any opinion or acting in any manner prejudicial to the Ideology of State's Accession to Pakistan or the sovereignty and Integrity of Pakistan or Security of Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Pakistan or morality, or the maintenance of public order," said Nasir Aziz Khan. "We urge upon the UNHRC to take serious note of violations and ask Pakistan to release all political and rights activists including British Kashmiri journalist Tanveer Ahmed, Humayun Pasha and others who are peacefully struggling for their fundamental and basic human as enshrined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights UDHR", Nasir said in his intervention. (With inputs from ANI) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Permex Petroleum Corporation ("Permex" or the "Company)" (CSE: OIL) (OTCQB: OILCF) is pleased to announce the expansion of its royalty acquisitions program by purchasing producing royalty interests in (5) horizontal oil and natural gas wells plus four permitted wells located in Lea County, New Mexico. Major structural features in the region of Permian Basin Source: U.S Information Administration To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5999/77310_fd8b947454f97adc_001full.jpg These properties are located within the Wildcat field of the Wolfbone Shale (Wolfcamp - Bone Spring). Combined these wells have produced an average of 5,455 barrels of oil per day ("BOPD") and 7.3 million cubic feet of gas per day ("MMCFPD") over the past five (3) month reported period from completion intervals of 12,939- 23,536 feet. The wells are being operated by COG Operating, LLC of Midland, Texas. "This acquisition complements our existing oil and gas operations in New Mexico. The properties are located in an exceptional field which produces from the third Bone Spring formation as wells first top layer of Wolfcamp, this is done through simultaneous stimulation of these highly prolific oil and gas formations. said Mehran Ehsan, President and CEO. In addition to the current cashflow generated from the five producing wells, we can anticipate an upside in cashflow once the four additional wells have been successfully in the near future. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: Neither Canadian Securities Exchange, OTCMarkets nor their Regulation Services Providers (as that term is defined in their respective policies) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although Management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither CSE, OTC Markets nor their Regulation Services Providers (as that term is defined in the policies of either exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Mehran Ehsan President, Chief Executive Officer & Director (778)-373-5421 Scott Kelly CFO, Corporate Secretary & Director (778)-373-5421 Or for Investor Relations, please contact: admin@permexpetroleum.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77310 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. Concerts at the United Center and Soldier Field have also been rescheduled. Tickets are being sold to see James Taylor on June 9, 2021; Rage Against the Machine on July 12-13, 2021; and Tame Impala on Oct. 7, 2021 at the United Center. Meanwhile, Rammsteins Soldier Field date has been rescheduled to Sept. 1, 2021. The team behind the Pitchfork Music Festival applied for a September 2021 permit, while Riot Fest is slated for September as well. The next Lollapalooza in Grant Park has not been announced. Soaring property prices boomerang homeowners Government-assessed housing prices have surged this year, raising concerns about a far greater tax burden on homeowners, including those with only one home. So there are growing calls to ease the tax burden on those possessing a single home who are not engaged in any form of real estate speculation. On Monday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the publicly appraised value of homes around the country. The average housing price surged 19.08 percent in 2021 from last year when they rose 5.98 percent. The double-digit increase marked the highest jump since 2007. The steep rise is the direct result of runaway housing prices. There seems to be nothing wrong with the government's assessment because it is based on market value. A plan to adjust assessed housing values up to 90 percent of real market prices has also contributed to the surge. The new administrative town of Sejong led the increase with 70.68 percent year-on-year. Daejeon posted a 20.57 jump, followed by Seoul (19.91 percent) and Busan (19.67 percent). These cities recorded relatively high increases in housing prices due to speculative real estate purchases. As a result, about 520,000 homeowners will have to pay a comprehensive real estate holding tax a punitive tax to be levied on owners of homes valued over 900 million won ($796,000). They must also pay a much higher property tax. Those owning two or more homes are subject to a higher real estate holding tax designed to discourage property speculation. It is natural for owners of high-priced homes or owners of multiple homes to shoulder a heavier tax burden. It is all the more so when the country is battling ever-intensifying property speculation. Multiple home owners had better sell homes except the one where they live, if they want to reduce their tax burden. This is exactly what policymakers want to see as part of their efforts to stabilize housing prices. Notwithstanding, those subject to higher taxes are denouncing the government for dropping what they call a "tax bombshell." Critics argue that imposing an undue tax burden on homeowners will not work to bring property speculation under control. They call on the government to increase the supply of housing, instead of suppressing demand. Of course, higher taxes alone cannot be a fundamental solution to the problem. Yet they can serve as a tool to dissuade people from buying property for speculative gain. In this sense, it is reckless and irresponsible to scrap or ease the punitive real estate holding tax. The top priority now is winning the fight against speculation. However, that does not mean that there is no problem with the government tax policy. There are still concerns that a considerable number of people owning a single home could face punitive taxes. To ease such concerns, the Moon Jae-in administration needs to change related tax codes to ensure fair and just taxation. It also should mobilize all possible means to stabilize housing prices. EQS Group-News: TERRAOIL SWISS AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Terraoil Receives Approval for 2021 Work Program 16.03.2021 / 06:30 Project update: Terroil's 2020 and 2021 Visoka work plan approved by regulatory body (AKBN) and state-run Albpetrol Zug, Switzerland, Mar. 16, 2021 - Terraoil Swiss AG is pleased to announce that Albania's National Agency of Natural Resources ("AKBN") and state-run Albpetrol have approved the work plan proposed for the development of the Company's operations at the Visoka oilfield in Albania. Present at the Advisory Committee meeting were representatives from the Company, Albpetrol and the AKBN. During the meeting, the Company presented an overview of its operational activities for the years 2019 and 2020, the Revised Master Development Plan 2019 - 2036 ("RMDP") and the Work Plan and Budget for 2021 ("WPB"). Both the RMDP and the WPB involve scaled back programs from previous plans, further strengthening the focus on cost savings across all activities and increase the Company's flexibility in its capital programs. The Company may elect to expand the RMDP at a later date, when funding is expected to be readily available, and the impact of currently scheduled activities is assessed. The Company welcomes the approval of the WPB as it improves the short-term resilience of the Company, especially in this critical time driven by the pandemic.Peter Krempin, CEO, commented:"We are very pleased to have received this milestone approval for our Albanian oil project. Such government endorsement reflects our joint commitment to moving the project forward."Terraoil forward-looking statementsThis media release contains forward-looking statements such as projections, forecasts, and estimates. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those anticipated in this media release. Readers should therefore not rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this media release are based on the views and assumptions of Terraoil Swiss AG as of this date and Terraoil Swiss AG does not assume any obligation to update or revise this media release.Peter Krempin, CEOT: +41 71 544 01 20 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio Police continue to search for a suspect involved in a hit-and-run in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood that seriously injured a pedestrian. Police were called to the intersection of Kinsman Road and East 130th Street at about 12:50 a.m. Friday, March 12, after receiving reports of a man laying in the street. The 43-year-old victim was struck by a vehicle that immediately left the scene, police say. The victim was taken to University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, police say. Investigators believe the suspect was driving a red, newer Chevrolet Traverse. Surveillance video shows the vehicle heading north on East 130th Street after the incident. Anyone with information can call investigators at 216-623-5295 or 216-623-5290. Tips also can be provided by calling Crimestoppers at 216-25-CRIME. More crime-related content on cleveland.com: Shots fired at popular Columbus mall for 2nd time in less than 2 weeks Man shot to death in Clevelands Buckeye-Shaker Square neighborhood 28-year-old man fatally shot on Akron street Man armed with handgun robs Akron Family Dollar Man fatally stabbed outside Cleveland bar, police say Man found with fatal gunshot wound in Cuyahoga Valley National Park President Biden dropped by a flooring company in the Philadelphia suburbs on Tuesday to promote an assortment of measures in his $1.9 trillion aid package that are aimed at helping small employers and their workers endure the pandemics economic shocks. But Mr. Bidens most immediate and sweeping small-business initiative changes he made last month to the Paycheck Protection Program has been mired in logistical challenges. With the relief program scheduled to end in just two weeks, the effect of his modifications will be blunted unless Congress extends it. Last month, Mr. Biden abruptly altered the rules of the $687 billion program to make business owners who employ only themselves eligible for more money. The move was intended to address a clear racial and gender disparity in the relief effort: Female and minority owners, who are much more likely to run tiny businesses than larger ones, were disproportionately hobbled by an earlier rule that based the size of sole proprietors loans on their annual profit. Many companies were shut out of the program because of that restriction, while others got loans as small as $1. The administration switched to a more forgiving formula that lets those businesses instead use their gross income, a change that significantly increased the money available to millions of business owners. Its implementation, though, has been a mess. A Goldman Sachs analyst and his lawyer brother will face trial over claims they made 142,000 in profit from insider trading. Mohamed Zina and Suhail Zina, both of Stoke Newington, north London, are accused of having made the sum between July 15, 2016 and December 4, 2017. Mohamed, 32, was working for Goldman Sachs International's Conflicts Resolution Group in their London office, while Suhail, 33, was a solicitor at Clifford Chance. The brothers, who both left their respective roles in 2018, were charged by the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with six offences of insider dealing and three counts of fraud by false representation. The alleged insider trading offences involved trading in Arm Holdings, Alternative Networks, Punch Taverns, Shawbrook, HSN and Snyder's-Lance. The total profit from the alleged insider dealing was 142,000, the FCA said in a statement. The fraud charges relate to three personal loans totalling 95,000, which were purported to be for home improvements. Goldman Sachs analyst Mohamed Zina and lawyer Suhail Zina are accused of having made the sum between July 2016 and December 2017. Pictured, the Goldman Sachs office in London The FCA, which has powers to instigate criminal prosecutions, said that these were allegedly obtained from Tesco Bank and funded the insider trading. The brothers, who did not appear at Southwark Crown Court today, are yet to enter pleas but a trial date has been provisionally fixed for April 4 next year. Judge Deborah Taylor granted the pair unconditional bail ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Southwark Crown Court on June 28. The FCA said: 'Following an investigation the FCA has commenced criminal proceedings. Mohammed Zina was employed by Goldman Sachs as an analyst in the conflicts resolution group in their London office. Suhail Zina was a solicitor at Clifford Chance.' Goldman Sachs said the protection of confidential client information is of paramount importance for the bank, and it has worked very closely with the FCA. The US giant added: 'Neither the firm nor any other current or former employee of the firm is the subject of an investigation into the matters giving rise to the proceedings.' Insider dealing carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison and fraud carries a 10-year prison sentence. The FCA has brought a number of insider trading cases in the City of London and has secured 36 convictions in relation to insider dealing. HSE University researchers together with specialists from the Humanitarian Action Charitable Fund (St. Petersburg) and the University of Michigan School of Public Health (USA) studied the specifics of remote work with Russian people who use drugs to reduce the harm of drug use. They discovered that the use of online platforms increases the number of people who use drugs to seek help. Online platforms also serve as a kind of 'gateway' for people with problematic drug use to receive a wider range of qualified help. The authors concluded that remote work in this field should be developed and built upon in an ongoing systematic way even when the threat of coronavirus recedes. The results of the study are published in the Harm Reduction Journal. All over the world, people who use drugs face many health hazards. These include, for example, contracting HIV, hepatitis C, vein damage, overdoses, and numerous psychological problems. Drug-related harm reduction programmes, often run by NGOs, are aimed at combating that harm. Humanitarian Action is one such non-governmental organisation in Russia. Founded in 1997, Humanitarian Action provides accessible services for people with substance use disorders, that are designed to reduce the severity of the negative consequences of drug use. These services include: exchange and disposal of used syringes and needles; provision of motivational packages containing sterile syringes, alcohol wipes, water for injections, ointments, bandages; help with express testing for HIV, HCV, HBV, and syphilis; support and referral of clients to medical centres for HIV diagnosis confirmation and initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART); assistance in accessing treatment for opioid drug overdose; case management in accessing social, medical, and legal services. These services are provided at no cost to individuals when they visit the NGO's mobile units. The NGO has recently added web outreach work to its activities in order to increase the programmes' accessibility, including for people who use drugs who do not attend the mobile units. One of the main online services that the NGO actively uses to interact with people who use drugs is Telegram instant messaging. As of June 2020, the platform had 30 million active users in Russia. The researchers used the example of a St. Petersburg NGO to analyse the most frequent requests received via Telegram from people who use drugs, the difficulties they face with people who use drugs and the specialists assisting them, and the prospects for the development of a remote format of working in the field of drug use harm reduction. Researchers have analysed the working reports of NGO staff in 301 cases of web outreach work. The period of contact with people who use drugs in these cases was from November 2019 to June 2020. These included a description of the clients' needs as well as the nature of the assistance provided. In addition, the researchers conducted four semi-structured interviews with the NGO staff and the deputy director in June 2020, to study the process of web outreach in terms of organisational processes. A thematic analysis method was used in the study. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the St. Petersburg Association of Sociologists. It turned out that the most frequent online requests for help from people who use drugs concern: minor complications arising from injecting drugs; information regarding harm reduction, HIV, and HCV; information regarding detoxification at home; information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic; psychological support. The study provides a comprehensive picture of how the NGO works with people who use drugs. As a rule, NGO clients direct their question to a group chat. If the answer to a question may be important for all participants in the group chat, then the NGO specialist responds in the chat itself. If the question is of a sensitive nature and/or private communication is required, then the NGO staff member contacts the client privately. Sometimes other participants may provide answers in the general group chat. The NGO staff will then moderate the discussions in order to maintain a safe and comfortable space. The most frequent enquiries concern minor complications related to drug use. These fall into the category of minor complications when face-to-face medical care is unnecessary. In fact, they refer to such unpleasant consequences of injecting drugs as collapsed veins, venous bleeding, varicose veins, venous ulcers, and rashes. People who use drugs describe their problems text and/or with photos. The specialists' answers are verified by medical professionals before they are sent. In cases where a web outreach worker feels that more skilled medical assistance is needed, the client will be directly contacted by a doctor working at the NGO. Other common requests for help relate to information on how to reducing the harm and risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis -- for example, centres where antiretroviral therapy (ART) is available. Some clients enquire through the NGO staff about the ways in which HIV and hepatitis are transmitted. A less common, yet still important topic of enquiry is detoxification at home. Only a few clients have shown interest in this topic, the researchers noted. NGO staff informed people who use drugs about the potential risks, as well as providing general information on how detoxification is carried out in medical settings and contact information of specialists with whom clients can get in touch. Since April 2020, a number of COVID-19 pandemic-related needs have emerged. Specifically, clients have asked how they can get help during the pandemic, such as details of rehabilitation programmes or detoxification services. Another frequent reason people who use drugs ask for help via Telegram is the need for psychological support. Among the most common requests are: difficulties in combatting drug addiction, anxiety about the repercussions of quarantine measures (e.g. drug shortages), anxiety about the death of a partner, worries about possible infection. If the clients do not request the help of a certified psychologist, the web outreach workers provide them with advice based on their personal experience and the contact information of the NGO staff who can be contacted for additional help. During the study, the authors identified a separate block of enquiries that cannot be fully handled online because they require the client to be physically present. Such requests occurred in nearly a third of the cases analysed. For example, clients needed personal assistance in obtaining ART at a specialised centre, receiving ART in a home setting, personal assistance with hospitalisation for detoxification and rehabilitation, support from a certified psychologist, assistance with obtaining documents or confirming incapacity to work. In such cases, people who use drugs were invited to the NGO's mobile units for face-to-face assistance. Other requests that could not be processed online included severe complications from intravenous drug use, such as severe venous bleeding and lesions, swelling, and skin abscesses. In addition, people who use drugs sought help via Telegram related to HIV and hepatitis testing. In these cases, clients received instructions on how they could be tested. The smallest number of enquiries was related to overdose. For these requests, the NGO created a special Telegram bot that provided clients with the necessary information about symptoms, treatment options, and the contact information of a doctor who could provide online assistance. In two of the four cases, clients had to call an ambulance. The centre's staff stayed in touch with clients until the paramedics arrived. The researchers determined the difficulties that arose during communication between people who use drugs and the professionals assisting them online. These include, for example, sending voice messages when the staff member cannot listen to them or messages at night when the staff member is not available. Sometimes clients send illegible messages because they cannot formulate the request correctly. The centre's staff then offer to call them back, but further dialogue may not take place. Some staff noted that phone calls are the next step in communication between the client and the NGO specialist. Nevertheless, as the research has shown, Telegram serves as a kind of gateway to harm reduction for people who use drugs. From the point of view of the NGO's staff, it is a convenient 'first step' that clients can take to receiving assistance. Importantly, the availability of such services increases the likelihood that people who use drugs, who are not ready to discuss their drug-related problems face-to-face, will contact specialists. Researchers have concluded that existing online services aimed at reducing the harm of drugs could be improved. One of the possible solutions, they believe, is to automate some of the work, for example by using more bots that clients could use, including at night. 'However, not all services can be automated; therefore, it may be necessary to hire employees who can respond to clients during the night. This is especially important when it comes to critical situations such as overdose,' says the study. The researchers also suggest that an effective way to develop online harm reduction services could be to increase their presence on darknet forums. Every year in Russia, thousands of people die and suffer critical complications related to drug use. For example, according to data provided in a report by the State Anti-Drug Committee, 4,569 people died from drug use in Russia in 2019, an increase of 2.8% compared to 2018. There were also 18,053 cases of drug poisoning, an increase of 10.5% compared to 2018. Meanwhile, about half a million people (423,400) with mental and behavioral disorders related to drug use were registered in Russia in 2018, according to the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Among them, 5,400 were minors. During the pandemic, many services, including those related to healthcare, have become difficult to access -- especially for stigmatised groups. In this context, online services aimed at reducing the harm of drug use are of particular importance. The findings of the study show how effective web outreach work with people who use drugs can be. However, according to the authors, further research in this area is needed. It is important, for example, to understand the motivations behind the refusal of drug addicts to continue communicating with specialists by phone, to clarify their needs, and to develop new ways to reduce the harm of drug use. The last few years have sounded the alarm for racial justice in America. Weve seen the brutality of discrimination in our streets, our schools, and especially our courtrooms. Some of the most insidious forms of systemic injustice stem from unequal drug sentencing laws that disproportionally penalize blacks. Although crack and powder cocaine are chemically almost identical and one is not more physically harmful than the other, nonetheless federal penalties for the two are calculated quite differently. Today it takes 18 times more powder cocaine than crack to earn the same sentence in federal prison. This 18-1 sentencing disparity is not arbitrary, since crack is more accessible in marginalized communities of color. In 2019, 81 percent of federal defendants with crack cocaine charges were black. As a result, the federal crack-powder disparity has contributed to the overincarceration of black Americans. Their lives have been devastated by it. As Christian ministry leaders who are involved with justice reform, we are hoping that Congress and President Joe Biden will pass and sign the recently introduced EQUAL Act (not to be confused with the Equality act) to end this sentencing disparity for good. Proverbs tells us that the Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him (11:1). We believe this significant piece of legislation will help bring balance. Unjust sentencing has extended a long history of racial imbalances in the justice system. Though rates of drug use and trafficking are similar across all races, black males often face harsher-than-average sentences and fewer opportunities for reduced sentences, reduced charges, or plea agreements. This discrimination has harmed black communities and black families for far too long. One story in particular illustrates the point. Matthew Charles spent years enduring firsthand the systemic disparities borne by black men. His story grabbed the nations attention: Arrested for selling crack in 1995, Matthew received a hefty 35-year sentence for his nonviolent crime. He became a Christian and a productive citizen while behind bars. After 16 years, he was released, but the US Department of Justice cited an error and reversed the decision, sending him back for two more years. Nearly 140,000 people rallied to Matthews cause by signing a petition to support his release, and in 2019, he finally walked free for good. He was one of the first people released under the FIRST STEP Act, which allowed him to petition the court for a sentence consistent with the current 18-to-1 disparity for crack offenses. (It was an egregious 100 to 1 at the time he was sentenced.) When Christians remember those in prison, as it says in Hebrews 13:3, we must evaluate the system that puts people behind bars (and for how long) and also speak up to the powers that be. Pursuing justice that reflects Gods heart is not optional. Its central to the Christian life. God sees the downtrodden and the oppressed, and he cares about justice for all his children. Every person dealing drugs, every person in addiction, and those who are affected by crime are all equally valuable in Gods sight. Christ followers are compelled to flee complacency and seek a restorative approach to justice. Jesus wouldnt look the other way. Neither should we. Heather Rice-Minus is the senior vice president of advocacy and church mobilization at Prison Fellowship. Justin E. Giboney is an attorney, political strategist, and president of the And Campaign. They both serve as leaders within the Prayer & Action Justice Initiative, a diverse coalition of Christian organizations and leaders advocating for racial justice and nonpartisan criminal justice reform. Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication. Key equity barometers were trading with decent gains in early afternoon trade. Firmness in IT and FMCG stocks boosted the market. At 12:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, advanced 205.12 points or 0.41% at 50,600.20. The Nifty 50 index added 47.55 points or 0.32% at 14,977.05. In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.29% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.40%. The market breadth was positive. On the BSE, 1,508 shares rose and 1,275 shares fell. A total of 166 shares were unchanged. Derivatives: The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, dropped 4.95% to 20.1750. The Nifty 25 March 2021 futures were trading at 15,030.05, at a premium of 53 points as compared with the spot at 14,977.05. The Nifty option chain for 25 March 2021 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 27 lakh contracts at the 16,000 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 26.6 lakh contracts was seen at 14,500 strike price. Economy: India's overall exports in February 2021 were $27.93 billion, as compared to $27.74 billion in February 2020, exhibiting a positive growth of 0.67%. In Rupee terms, exports were Rs 2,03,201.56 crore in February 2021, registering a positive growth of 2.46%. Imports in February 2021 were $40.54 billion (Rs 2,94,985.04 crore), which is an increase of 6.96% in dollar terms and 8.86% in rupee terms over imports in February 2020. The trade deficit for February 2021 was estimated at $12.62 billion as against the deficit of $10.16 billion in February 2020, which is an increase of 24.14%. Taking merchandise and services together, overall trade deficit for April-February 2020-21 is estimated at $7.80 billion as compared to the deficit of $75.90 billion in April-February 2019-20. Meanwhile, Ministry of Finance has released the final weekly installment of Rs 4,104 crore to the States to meet the GST compensation shortfall. Coronavirus Update: Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 12,02,27,839 with 26,60,456 deaths. India reported 2,23,432 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 1,58,856 deaths while 1,10,27,543 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Buzzing Index: The Nifty FMCG index rose 0.61% to 33,260.80. The index fell 1.02% in the past two days. Varun Beverages (up 1.29%), ITC (up 1.17%), Britannia Industries (up 1%), Tata Consumer Products (up 0.80%) and Colgate Palmolive (India) (up 0.68%) were the top gainers in FMCG Services segment. Stocks in Spotlight: Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) declined 2.39% after Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) sold 93.73 lakh equity shares, or 2.012% equity of the company between 21 October 2020 to 12 March 2021. Post sale, LIC holds 8.04% stake in SCI from 10.052% held earlier. The transaction was executed as market sale. AU Small Finance Bank spurted 3.34% after the company successfully raised Rs 625.50 crore through qualified institutional placement (QIP) route. The capital raising committee of board of directors of the bank, at their meeting held on Monday (15 March 2021) approved allotment of 50 lakh shares to eligible qualified institutional buyers at the issue price of Rs 1251 per equity share. The QIP issue opened on 9 March 2021 and closed on 15 March 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) - Auction features equipment by Sperotto, Monforts, Monarch, Terrot and others; material handling and plant support equipment also available MONTREAL, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tiger Group will begin accepting bids on March 23 for the March 30 online auction of assets from one of the best-known knitting, dyeing and finishing operations in the North American textile industrythe 250,000-square-foot Tricots-Liesse plant at 2125 Lily-Simon. The auction represents a rare opportunity to acquire state-of-the-art circular-knitting machines and dyeing and finishing equipmentincluding German- and Italian-made pieces like a solvent-scour machine by Sperotto and a relaxation dryer by Monforts, said John Coelho, Senior Director for Tiger's Commercial & Industrial division. "Founded in Montreal in 1965, Tricots-Liesse grew to become the dominant domestic supplier of high-quality knits for the contemporary, swim and activewear markets, with a reputation for knitted textile fabrications, with and without Spandex," Coelho said. "In its manufacturing on behalf of a 'Who's Who' of brandsincluding Helmut Lang, Poprageous, Perry Ellis, Eileen Fisher and Nautica, to name a fewTricots-Liesse was uncompromising in its use of top-notch, carefully maintained equipment." An October 2018 profile of Tricots-Liesse in industry magazine BedTimes described its Montreal plant "as one of the most modern and efficient dyeing and finishing facilities in North America." The equipment available in the auction includes knitting machines and peripherals by Mayer, Monarch, Terrot, and Falmac, with an extensive parts inventory. Dyeing machines include soft-flow, jet-dye, and sample-dye models from Thies, Then, Brazolli, Roach and Datacolor. Finishing and inspection equipment assets up for bid include calanders, dryers, slitters, milling and scouring, 72 & 84 roll-to-roll inspection machines and winders from manufacturers such as Monforts, Parks & Woolson, Pentek, Calator, Pernic, Bianco, Fadis and many more. Specific highlights include: Monarch FX-JS3 Mini Jacquard.(28 gauge/30" diameter, 72 feeds) and Monarch MX-JS3 Mini Jacquard (20 gauge/30" diameter, 72 feeds; new generation, 2018). Both offer quick change and setups and are equipped with Lycra feeders, with the ability to knit mini-Jacquard pattern constructions and single jerseys with Spandex. Monarch F-LEC/2 Electronic Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, available 48 and 72 feeds). Double knit, fully computerized, with USB Interface. This model offers quick change and set-up with Lycra feeders, with the ability to knit Jacquard designs, Ponte de Roma, Ottoman, ribs, interlocks and more. Terrot SCC-4F-148 Electronic Single-Knit Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, available 48 feeds) and Terrot SCC-572 Electronic Single-Knit Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, available 72 feeds). Both are fully computerized and provide quick change and setup with Lycra feeders, with the ability to knit Jacquard designs, Ottoman, crochets and holding stitches. Terrot UCC-548T, Electronic Double-Knit Transfer Machines (18 gauge/34" diameter, available 48 and 54 feeds). These assets offer 2-3 way technique capabilities, set-up with Lycra feeders and SFE Storage Feeders. USB Interface, Piezo selection units, and the capability of manufacturing double-knit Jacquards, ribs, interlocks ad more. Terrot S296 Open-Width, Single-Knit Machinery (available in 28 gauge/30" diameter and 36 gauge/30" diameter, 96 feeds). These high-speed German-made machines are set up with Lycra feeders and capable of knitting open-width fabrics to eliminate center creases. Areas of application: swimwear, sportswear, safety wear and home textiles. In addition, the auction offers material handling, plant support, test/lab and machine shop equipment. Specific items include forklifts and trucks, walk-behind pallet jacks, scissor lifts and air compressors, as well as boilers, lab ovens, color meters, light boxes and lab hoods. Manufacturers include Toyota, Raymond, Caterpillar, Uline, Cobico, CAT, Verivide, Datacolor, X-Rite and Gretag Macbeth. Online bidding at SoldTiger.com will close on Tuesday, March 30, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). All bidders are required to register prior to the sale at SoldTiger.com. The sale is being conducted in Canadian dollars. Inspection of the assets on the day before the auction is available by appointment-only. To arrange an inspection, contact Tiger Group at 800-758-8443 or [email protected]. For photographs and other details on the auction and assets, visit https://soldtiger.com/sales/entire-knitting-dyeing-finishing-plant/ Media Contacts: Tiger Commercial & Industrial: Maria Hoang, [email protected] or (805) 497-4999. At Jaffe Communications: Bill Parness, [email protected], (732) 673-6852, or Elisa Krantz, [email protected], (908) 789-0700. SOURCE Tiger Group Related Links http://SoldTiger.com Vancouver, BC -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2021 -- The global Bioelectric Medicine Market will be worth USD 31.06 billion by 2027, according to a current analysis by Emergen Research. The growing pool of geriatric population has resulted in the requirement of bioelectric medicine, which is the primary factor anticipated to fuel the market growth during the forecast period. Moreover, the aging population is easily affected by medical disorders like cardiac arrhythmias, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and depression. Major competitors in the market majorly focusing on investments in R&D in order to enhance technological advancements across the industry. Furthermore, the growing levels of awareness regarding healthcare is leading to the popularity of electroceuticals in developing countries like Argentina, China, South Africa, and India are expected to propel the sector growth.. Request for a sample report here@ https://www.emergenresearch.com/request-sample/266 Key participants include Medtronic; Boston Scientific Corporation; St. Jude Medical; Cochlear Ltd.; LivaNova PLC; Sonova; BIOTRONIK; SECOND SIGHT; Nevro Corp among others. The research report draws focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the key players of the market through a comprehensive SWOT analysis and Porter's Five Forces analysis to project the growth rate. The global Bioelectric Medicine market report further segments the market based on product types offered by the market, applications, and key geographies of the market. The research study assesses the market in terms of market size, volume, revenue, and share. For the purpose of this report, Emergen Research has segmented into the global Bioelectric Medicine Market on the product type, application, end user and region: Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017-2027) Cardioverter defibrillators Cardiac pacemakers Cohlear implants Spinal cord stimulators Brain stimulators Sacral and vagus nerve stimulators Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017-2027) Arrhythmia Pain Management Sensorineural hearing loss Parkinson's disease Tremor Depression End User Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017-2027) Hospitals Ambulatory Surgery Centers Diagnostic Centers Regional Outlook (Revenue: USD Billion; 2017-2027) North America S. Canada Mexico Europe UK Germany France BENELUX Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan South Korea Rest of APAC Latin America Brazil Rest of LATAM MEA Saudi Arabia UAE Rest of MEA Make an Inquiry of this report @ https://www.emergenresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/266 Objectives of the Global Bioelectric Medicine Market Study: An in-depth study of the evolving market sectors and the growth & penetration status of the global Bioelectric Medicine market COVID-19 Impact Analysis to highlight the major opportunities and challenges Strategic recommendations to help readers formulate lucrative business strategies Identification of the emerging players and their tactical approaches to expand market presence An extensive study of the product portfolios of the major market players and their regional presence A closer look at the strategic initiatives undertaken by the leading companies across this industry, including mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, and joint ventures Table of Content Chapter 1. Methodology & Sources 1.1. Market Definition 1.2. Research Scope 1.3. Methodology 1.4. Research Sources 1.4.1. Primary 1.4.2. Secondary 1.4.3. Paid Sources 1.5. Market Estimation Technique Chapter 2. Executive Summary 2.1. Summary Snapshot, 2019-2027 Chapter 3. Key Insights Chapter 4. Bioelectric Medicine Market Segmentation & Impact Analysis 4.1. Bioelectric Medicine Market Material Segmentation Analysis 4.2. Industrial Outlook 4.2.1. Market indicators analysis 4.2.2. Market drivers analysis 4.2.2.1. Increasing geriatric population and the associated disorders 4.2.2.2. Consumer friendly grants and reimbursement policies 4.2.3. Market restraints analysis 4.2.3.1. Strict regulatory protocols across developing nations 4.2.3.2. Lack of skilled expertise across different parts of the value chain 4.3. Technological Insights 4.4. Regulatory Framework 4.5. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 4.6. Competitive Metric Space Analysis 4.7. Price trend Analysis 4.8. Covid-19 Impact Analysis Chapter 5. Bioelectric Medicine Market By Product Type Insights & Trends, Revenue (USD Million) 5.1. Product Type Dynamics & Market Share, 2019 & 2027 5.1.1. Cardioverter defibrillators 5.1.2. Cardiac pacemakers 5.1.3. Cohlear implants 5.1.4. Spinal cord stimulators 5.1.5. Brain stimulators 5.1.6. Sacral and vagus nerve stimulators Chapter 6. Bioelectric Medicine Market By Application Insights & Trends, Revenue (USD Million) 6.1. Application Dynamics & Market Share, 2019 & 2027 6.1.1. Arrhythmia 6.1.2. Pain Management 6.1.3. Sensorineural hearing loss 6.1.4. Parkinson's disease 6.1.5. Tremor 6.1.6. Depression Chapter 7. Bioelectric Medicine Market By End User Insights & Trends, Revenue (USD Million) 7.1. End User Dynamics & Market Share, 2019 & 2027 7.1.1. Hospitals 7.1.2. Ambulatory Care Centers 7.1.3. Diagnostic Centers CONTINUED..!! Take a Look at our Related Reports: Healthcare Business Intelligence Market Size Ambulatory EHR Market Share Healthcare CRM Market Growth Fiber Cement Market Trends Dairy Enzymes Market Demand Cold Plasma Market Revenue Industrial Lubricants Market Statistics Cooling Fabrics Market Key Players Opportunities Drug Screening Market Analysis Mammography Workstations Market Development Strategy About Emergen Research Emergen Research is a market research and consulting company that provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Our solutions purely focus on your purpose to locate, target, and analyze consumer behavior shifts across demographics, across industries, and help clients make smarter business decisions. We offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across multiple industries, including Healthcare, Touch Points, Chemicals, Types, and Energy. We consistently update our research offerings to ensure our clients are aware of the latest trends existent in the market. Emergen Research has a strong base of experienced analysts from varied areas of expertise. Our industry experience and ability to develop a concrete solution to any research problems provides our clients with the ability to secure an edge over their respective competitors. Contact Us: Eric Lee Corporate Sales Specialist Emergen Research | Web: www.emergenresearch.com Direct Line: +1 (604) 757-9756 E-mail: sales@emergenresearch.com Facebook | LinkdIn | Twitter | Blogs Read Full Press Release: https://www.emergenresearch.com/press-release/global-bioelectric-medicine-market In what the company acknowledges is a small branding change, professional services and insurance firm Marsh & McLennan has dropped the ampersand to become Marsh McLennan. The company says the change is meant to emphasize that Marsh McLennan is a combination of four businesses working together to serve clients. Our modernized name and logo, an abstract infinity symbol, embody and emphasize our heritage. Taken together, these changes also convey how our businesses Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Mercer and Oliver Wyman are working in unison to take on the worlds greatest challenges, the company stated in announcing the new branding. Marsh & McLennan was formed in 1904 when two ambitious insurance brokers, Henry Marsh of Illinois and Donald McLennan of Minnesota, merged their firms. The new company was the largest insurance agency in the world with annual premiums of $3 million. Marsh remains the largest insurance broker today. In 1921, Guy Carpenter, a cotton insurance broker who believed in quantitative analysis of losses, met Marsh and McLennan during a transatlantic crossing. Reinsurance intermediary Guy Carpenter & Co. would become part of Marsh & McLennan in 1923 and advance the science of analytics. Todays Guy Carpenter offers brokerage, strategic advisory and analytics services. In 1944, William Mercer was a young economist assigned to design a pension plan for a Canadian paper manufacturer. That led to him launching his own pension consulting business. In 1959, Mercers firm joined Marsh & McLennan, which had created an employee benefits division years earlier. Today Mercer offers investment management, employee benefits, human resources consulting, mergers and acquisitions advisory services. Alex Oliver and Bill Wyman left partnerships at Booz Allen Hamilton in 1984 to set up a company to deliver specialized advice to executives and organizations. Marsh & McLennan acquired Oliver Wyman in 2000. Today it has more than 5,000 employees worldwide offering management consulting services. Topics Marsh McLennan Pakistans Islamist populist Tehrik-e-Insaaf government was forced to admit last Thursday that the country is in a dangerous situation, due to a fast spreading third wave of COVID-19 infections linked to the more contagious B.1.1.7 or UK variant. However, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who in the past has vociferously opposed any measures to fight the pandemic that would impact on Pakistans economy, is refusing to order urgently needed social and public health measures to stop the spread of the virus and support the countrys largely impoverished population. People enter the Empress Market, a colonial era market that is one of the busiest and most popular for shopping in Karachi. (IMF/ Creative Commons) Local authorities are haphazardly attempting to lessen the spike in new cases with limited lockdowns. In the face of the federal governments inaction, seven cities in Punjab, the province that is home to more than half of all Pakistanis, imposed limited lockdowns as of Sunday, similar to the localized measures taken in March 2020. Three sub-sectors of Islamabad, the countrys capital, also began enforcing a lockdown Sunday night. Daily new cases have surpassed 2,000 for the first time since January with a positivity rate of 6.5 per cent, indicating an already significant presence of the virus. Official figures show only 607,453 confirmed COVID-19 cases after a year of the pandemic. Just 13,537 people are officially recorded as having died due to the virus. These modest totals conceal a far worse reality in a country where the virus was allowed to spread virtually unchecked and where the health care system was on life support long before the coronavirus arrived. A major contributor to the vast underestimation of infections by the official statistics is the lack of testing. Only around 173 tests per million people are being performed every day. Cities like Karachi and Lahore are densely populated, with millions forced to live in cramped slums. Speaking to a March 11 press conference, Planning, Reforms and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar said there was no doubt that the third wave of the pandemic is underway. Umar heads the governments response to the pandemic through the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) it established for that purpose. The phenomenon that is driving this wave, Umar said, is the spread of the UK [variant], which he admitted has now become the dominant form of the virus in Pakistan. The UK or B.1.1.7 variant was first confirmed to be present in Pakistan in late December. At that time, Dr. Faisal Sultan, a special assistant to Prime Minister Khan, downplayed the danger it represented, claiming even the British authorities dont have any strong evidence if the virus has become more infectious. In fact, British health experts were alarmed from the outset, identifying B.1.1.7 as a variant of concern in December. Subsequently, the new variant was shown to be both much more contagious and lethal. Umar has now been forced to contradict Sultans earlier complacent and irresponsible claims. He has admitted that the variant is more transmissible and will infect more people, leading to more deaths, and that Pakistan now faces a very dangerous situation. The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) minister and former Engro CEO revealed that Pakistans fatality rate is already rising. Our own statistics from the last few weeks show a sustained increase in our case fatality rate, Umar said. Yet Imran Khan and his PTI-led government are refusing to shut down non-essential businesses and provide social support to Pakistan workers and toilers so they can shelter at home, so as not to impede corporate profit-making and impinge on the wealth of the countrys venal capitalist elite. An emergency meeting of the NCOC held on Saturday merely called for strict implementation of various social-distancing guidelines it issued in March 2020. Many of these guidelines are impossible for much of the population to follow, due to cramped living quarters and lack of access to sanitation and clean water. The NCOC said that further steps for disease control, including expanded lockdowns are under consideration. The governments indifference to the development of a third wave of COVID-19 infections is entirely predictable. After all, the brunt of this new stage in the pandemic will be borne by Pakistani workers and their families and the poor. Pakistans government also has no plan to vaccinate the countrys 216 million people. Ruling out buying vaccines from the pharmaceutical giants, the government has said Pakistans vaccination effort will be almost entirely dependent on COVAX, a vastly underfunded World Health Organization (WHO) initiative tasked with providing free vaccines to poor countries. China, Pakistans closest ally, has pledged to donate a million doses of its Sinopharm vaccine. National Health Service (NHS) secretary Amir Ashraf Khawajas revealed that the government has budgeted no money to procure vaccines in a March 4 briefing to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly, the lower house of Pakistans parliament. Reporting on Khawajas comments, Dawn, Pakistans most widely read English daily, observed that the government aims to tackle the pandemic through herd immunity and donated vaccines as it has no plan to buy vaccines at least during the current year. Since the initial reports of COVID-19 and the WHOs declaration of a pandemic, the PTI government has shown a callous disregard of its impact on the population. It refused to adopt any lockdown measures, claiming Pakistan is too poor to do so because people would die of hunger, as Khan infamously put it. However, when a limited lockdown was forced on his government due to pressure from provincial governments and the military, Khan quickly set about spearheading a campaign to re-open the economy in April so as to protect corporate profits and investor wealth. Acting on the orders of the government and the military, the NCOC drafted guidelines known as special operating procedures or SOPs to provide a public health facade for the reopening of factories and other economic activities regardless of the spread of the virus. Khan also refused to take even minimal measures to protect the population from the economic impact of the pandemic. Economic assistance was limited to a face-saving measure of four monthly payments of 12,000 rupees (about US$74.50) to 12 million low-income earners. Conservative estimates place the job losses at 20 million during the first months of the pandemic. Hit by the economic fallout caused by the pandemic and Khans relentless implementation of International Monetary Fund-championed pro-market reforms, the countrys poverty rate has massively increased during the past year. According to the governments own estimates, poverty has increased by 10 million, meaning that 60 million people live below the poverty line. Despite relying entirely on donations to vaccinate its people, the Khan government is grandly propagandizing about its vaccination drive, with the number of times PTI spokespersons invoke the word vaccine appearing to be in inverse proportion to the number of Pakistanis actually getting vaccinated. The government launched the vaccination of frontline health workers and the elderly on February 3, following the arrival of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China, which has agreed to provide a further 500,000 free doses at an unknown date. A month after the campaign had begun, Pakistan health authorities had administered just 197,000 doses. Two-and-a-half million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that were supposed to be delivered to Pakistan on March 2 as part of the WHO COVAX initiative were delayed due to unexplained reasons, according to a March 9 report. The authorities now expect them arrive later this month. Pakistan is aiming to source up to 45 million free doses from the COVAX initiativemost, if not all of which, will have been manufactured in India, its arch-rival. At the same time, the government has allowed the commercial importing and selling of Drug Regulatory Authority-approved COVID vaccines and exempted them from price caps that otherwise would apply to imported drugs within the country. The cost of importing a single dose of Chinas CanSino is said to be $13 or a little over 2,000 Pakistani rupees, putting it beyond the reach of the vast majority of Pakistanis. Amid the raging pandemic and an unprecedented economic shock, nuclear-armed Pakistan increased military spending by 12 percent in its 2020/21 budget. Almost a fifth of the entire budget (18 percent) was allocated to the military. The only item to account for a larger portion of the budget was debt servicing. Yesterday, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ranked Pakistan the 10th largest arms importer in the world during the last 5-year period. Locked in a reactionary strategic conflict with India that has led to four all-out wars and countless war crises, including in 2016 and 2019, Islamabad is expanding its nuclear arsenal and high-tech missile stockpile so as to give it the capability to shower unimaginable destruction on Indias cities. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) With more vaccines slated to arrive in the weeks ahead, a government official says ordinary Filipinos may soon be rolling up their sleeves for COVID-19 shots. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a virtual briefing Tuesday that general public vaccinations led by local government units may already be held by late April or early May. Over a million doses of Chinese firm Sinovac's CoronaVac are expected to arrive this month, while some 900,000 doses from the country's second COVAX tranche might reach the Philippines by late March or early April, Galvez added. Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified there will be no door-to-door vaccinations, which President Rodrigo Duterte wanted particularly to be done to informal settlers so they can get inoculated ahead. RELATED: Duterte: Poor Filipinos remain a priority in gov't vaccination program "As explained to him by [Health] Secretary [Franscisco] Duque, meron pong mga iba't ibang vaccination centers na itatayo ang mga lokal na pamahalaan. At itong mga vaccination centers naman, hindi malalayo sa mga lugar o mga tahanan na tinitirhan ng mga informal settlers kasi importante rin na ma-monitor sila matapos mabakunahan, Roque said. [Translation: As explained to him by Secretary Duque, there will be various vaccination centers to be set up by local governments. And these vaccination centers won't be situated far from where informal settlers live, because it's important they also get monitored after getting vaccinated.] Apart from an ambulance always being on standby in case a vaccinee experiences adverse effects, Roque said vaccination centers will also be located near hospitals for this purpose. He also reiterated that the poor has always been among the priority sectors for the country's vaccine drive, with indigent senior citizens coming after health workers and the remaining indigent population after uniformed personnel. An Afghan official says gunmen opened fire at a minibus belonging to a university in northern Baghlan province, killing at least two people and wounding six. Baghlan Provincial Governor Mohammad Akbar Barakzai said a student and the driver of the bus were killed in the attack on Tuesday on the outskirts of Puli Khomri, the provincial capital. The wounded were all university lecturers. The bus was carrying students and teachers from the faculty of agriculture and was travelling to the university. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Value Colleges ( www.valuecolleges.com ), an independent online guide to the best values in undergraduate and graduate education, is pleased to share three new rankings: 25 Best Value Online Master's in Political Science for 2021 https://www.valuecolleges.com/ranking/best-online-political-science-masters/ Top 25 Best Value Online Bachelor's in Political Science for 2021 https://www.valuecolleges.com/ranking/best-online-political-science-degrees/ Top 25 Best Value Online Associate's in Political Science for 2021 https://www.valuecolleges.com/ranking/best-political-science-associates-degree-online/ For all rankings, Value Colleges focused specifically on fully accredited colleges and universities with an established reputation for quality. Value Colleges rankings are based on verified data from sources including IPEDS. Programs are ranked according to factors including tuition cost, student satisfaction, and alumni salary, so students can feel certain their choice of degree will have a positive impact on their career. The Top 10 Online Master's in Political Science are: 1. Harvard University - Cambridge, MA 2. Virginia Tech - Blacksburg, VA 3. Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore, MD 4. Northeastern University - Boston, MA 5. University of Nebraska Omaha - Omaha, NE 6. Sam Houston State University - Huntsville, TX 7. The Citadel - Charleston, SC 8. American Military University - Charles Town, WV 9. Ball State University - Muncie, IN 10. University of Illinois Springfield - Springfield, IL The Top 10 Online Bachelor's in Political Science are: 1. University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA 2. Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ 3. Texas Tech University - Lubbock, TX 4. Florida International University - Miami, FL 5. Penn State University World Campus - State College, PA 6. University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL 7. University of Baltimore - Baltimore, MD 8. Sam Houston State University - Huntsville, TX 9. University of Wisconsin Whitewater - Whitewater, WI 10. Oregon State University eCampus - Corvallis, OR The Top 10 Online Associate's in Political Science are: 1. Indiana University - Bloomington, IN 2. Foothill College - Los Altos Hills, CA 3. Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale, VA 4. University of North Georgia - Dahlonega, GA 5. Casper College - Casper, WY 6. Houston Community College - Houston, TX 7. Georgia Highlands College - Rome, GA 8. Lansing Community College - Lansing, MI 9. Front Range Community College - Westminster, CO 10. Cowley College - Arkansas City, KS Value Colleges congratulates the top 10 in each category, as well as all of the top political science degree schools! As the editors of Value Colleges explain, "Students who are interested in a career in government, public administration, or political office can find an online degree in political science might just be their best bet." While politics is often seen more as an art than a science, modern politics is driven by data and analysis. According to the editors, "Political science focuses on politics on the international, domestic and comparative levels. Students must grasp political ideas, institutions, ideologies, processes, policies, and the art of diplomacy." Politicians themselves may come from a wide variety of backgrounds - some with no political experience or knowledge at all. But the people who make the nitty-gritty of politics work - the campaign managers, the chiefs of staff, the bill writers, the speechwriters, and more - need the grounding of a formal education. Online programs in political science are of great help to working political operatives. As the editors note, "The only real way to break into a political career is by doing the work of politics, developing experience, and most importantly making connections." But along the way, earning an associate's, bachelor's, or master's online can make a difference. "If you're an adult with a family and a job, or if online learning is simple more accessible to you than classroom-based learning," the editors explain, "then an online political science degree can help you reach your goals while providing the flexibility that you need." Value Colleges is independent and unbiased, ranking degree programs, providing guides for the complex financial and professional questions of college students, and offering honest facts about the potential and pitfalls of a college education. Rhonda Corey Media Manager, Value Colleges [email protected] (919) 864-2220 SOURCE Value Colleges Related Links https://www.valuecolleges.com Dozens of people on Monday stormed a governmental complex in Yemen's eastern city of Sayoun in Hadramawt province, in protest against dire living conditions and continuous increases in prices. Forces affiliated to Yemen's internationally recognised government fired gun shots in the air to disperse the crowds while protesters burnt car tyres in the streets nearby. The secessionist Southern Translational Council condemned the government forces response to the protests. The UAE-backed separatist group is part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting against the Houthis in Yemen's war, but it is at odds with the internationally recognised government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The conflict in Yemen erupted in 2014 when Houthi rebels swept into the capital and seized much of the country's north. A Saudi-led military coalition launched a bombing campaign to dislodge the Houthis and restore the internationally recognised government. The stalemated war was has killed around 130,000 people, including more than 12,000 civilians, pushed millions to the brink of famine and spawned one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) New Delhi, March 16 : In a strong counter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the government's privatisation policy, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday that the previous UPA regime was the epitome of corruption, which privatised taxpayers' money besides nationalising corruption. Rahul Gandhi had alleged in a tweet on Tuesday that selling public sector banks to cronies will compromise the country's financial security. "Government of India (GOI) is privatising profit and nationalising loss. Selling PSBs to Modi cronies gravely compromises India's financial security," Gandhi tweeted. Sitharaman said that privatising taxpayers' money is what the UPA did for the betterment of one family. Referring to the bank nationalisation carried out during the tenure of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Finance Minister alleged that the UPA had nationalised loss making. "In fact, they (UPA) nationalised corruption," she said. Sitharaman said that as the leader of the main opposition party, Rahul Gandhi should engage in serious discussions rather than throwing two-liners. Earlier, the Finance Minister had defended the government's privatisation policy, which also involves privatising two public sector banks. She said that even after privatisation, each entity would perform for the betterment of the economy. She said the country needs banks that can scale up operations by bringing private capital into the segment. "It has not been a quick decision (to privatise)... the interests of the workers would be protected," she said. The Finance Minister's statement came even as about 10 lakh employees of public sector banks are observing a two-day strike stating March 15, opposing the government's bank privatisation plan. Head of Psychology at the University of Ghana, Professor Joseph Osafo has called on President Nana Addo to clarify his financial plans for the public sector. Speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Prof. Joseph Osafo asked the government to effectively communicate the incentives it has for public sector workers. He noted that the public sector workers have been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, citing incidents where a lot of the workers have been laid off and some public sector businesses losing huge revenues. He believed the budget allocation for the public sector workers should be clear and precise. "What plan does the government have for public sector workers?" he asked. He also advised the government to utilize the power of effective communication to and explain the 2021 budget statement read by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu at Parliament on Friday, March 12 to the understanding of the ordinary Ghanaian "We need good communication on this budget; compassionate communication," he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- As Washington is gearing up to reassert its presence in Asia-Pacific, it should set an example to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability, and fostering prosperity of the region. The United States has been quite active in diplomacy with Asia-Pacific countries these days: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are heading for Japan and South Korea, while the Pentagon chief will also visit India later this week. Prior to the current U.S. administration's first cabinet-level foreign trip to Asia-Pacific, U.S. President Joe Biden has held a virtual summit with leaders of the Quad -- a loose group of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. These back-to-back moves are clearly indicating the region's strategic significance in Washington's Asia-Pacific strategy. A prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific is in the fundamental interests of all members in the region. Thus its peace and development need to be jointly safeguarded by all relevant parties, particularly such major countries as China and the United States. While the Biden administration is drawing up its Asia-Pacific playbook, Washington needs to appreciate that development is what the region most aspires for at this utterly challenging moment, instead of another round of geopolitical confrontation. Economically dynamic though as a whole, the Asia-Pacific region is still facing a fleet of conundrums such as an accelerating climate change for island countries, chronical poverty and underdevelopment in Southeast Asia, as well as lingering security concerns in Northeast Asia. Extensive development deficits are one of the most notable and urgent problems. The Asian Development Bank estimated in 2017 that for Asia alone, 26 trillion U.S. dollars are needed in infrastructure investment until 2030. In the meantime, the number of people living in poverty in East Asia and the Pacific would go up by as many as 38 million in 2020 alone due to the COVID-19 shock, the World Bank has estimated. To address the imbalances and inequalities in regional development, every country needs to roll up sleeves. While China has made major progress in eliminating extreme poverty, it has also been energetic in bolstering common development by enhancing regional connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative. China is also a staunch champion of free and open trade in the region. Ahead of his visit to Asia, Austin claimed that his country intends to boost military cooperation with American allies and foster "credible deterrence" against China. The United States needs to realize that its allies in Asia-Pacific are also China's partners and friends. As the world's sole superpower, it should not focus on leveraging its economic and military resources to form exclusive clubs in the region, or force regional members to either pick side with Washington or Beijing. Such a divisive attempt goes against the collective wish of many regional countries. For that end, Washington needs to view Beijing as a partner for cooperation, not a threat that needs to be deterred. It should also work with the rest of the region to tackle their most pressing common challenges such as the ravaging pandemic, rising sea levels, and lackluster economic recovery. The Pacific Ocean is vast enough to accommodate China, the United States, and others. Any drive to turn this shared homeland into a battleground to jockey for self-interests will be counterproductive, if not calamitous. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority announced that the National Laboratory has been equipped to inspect telecom devices with the latest technologies to examine mobile devices compatible with 5G technology. This aims to ensure that these devices meet the approved technical standards. The lab has the capacity to scan mobile devices that provide 5G services. This step aims to examine, test and certify mobile phone devices compatible with 5G networks to operate on the UAE operators networks, and to protect users from using devices that do not meet the standard specifications, which may affect the safety of mobile networks as well as the users. It also helps government and private entities examine the devices before importing or buying them from abroad. Through these upgrades, the National Lab will ensure that 5G devices conform to the approved international standards and are compatible with the telecom networks in the country. It also ensures their compliance with the UAE specifications such as early warning, in order to guarantee the devices compatibility with local networks and regulations. In this context, Eng Saif Bin Ghelaita, CEO of Technology Development Affairs, said: The UAE has achieved advanced positions globally in adopting and implementing 5G technologies. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority is keen, under the guidance of the wise leadership, to accelerate the pace of spreading 5G due to its great role in achieving digital transformation, applying artificial intelligence and leveraging big data. Accordingly, the Authority is keen to ensure that all devices designated for using 5G are safe in order to achieve the desired benefit." Moreover, Mohammad Al Shamsi, Manager of National Lab, said: The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority works constantly to ensure that mobile phones are compatible with the approved technical standards included in the Type Approval Regime, with the aim of ensuring access to the best services and full compatibility with networks operating in the country. Moreover, given the high demand for 5G compatible devices, the Authority launched this initiative with the aim of ensuring that all mobile phones in the market are safe and meet the required standards. The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority provides many type approval services, including registering and approving telecom devices, registering suppliers of telecom equipment, and issuing custom release permits for telecom devices. The Authority's Type Approval Regime works to identify and register telecom devices that can be used in the UAE without causing damage to users, interference of frequency, or damage to telecommunications networks. It also supervises and participates in approving and registering telecommunications equipment in the country before importing them and ensuring that they comply with laws and regulations.-- Tradearabia News Service A fire marshal is investigating the cause a blaze in Lansford Monday that claimed a man's life. The victim, whose name hasn't been released, appeared to be in his 30s and was found dead inside 332 W. Bertsch St., after his wife and four children managed to escape, some of them by jumping out of a window. The other victims were taken to a hospital for treatment of unknown injuries, said Fire Chief Joe Greco of American Fire Co. No. 1 of Lansford. The house at 330-332 W. Bertsch St., was destroyed and will likely have to be torn down, said Greco. It appears the fire started in a middle room on the first floor, the chief said. A neighboring double home was damaged, too. Greco said it was about 4:50 p.m. when firefighters were called and he arrived within minutes to the house just two blocks away. "The police were there before us and they were getting people out," Greco said. He was told a mother and an infant and at least one of three older boys jumped out of a window. First responders assisted the woman, who had trouble walking, to the sidewalk, and an ambulance took her and her children to a hospital. Neighbors and passersby also went to the home to try to help, he said. Smoke and heavy fire was consuming the home. "It was a very chaotic scene in the beginning. Maybe that's an understatement," Greco said of the first approximately five minutes, noting there were reports of people trapped, people were gathering outside and there was heavy smoke and fire. He ran to the neighboring home to get those occupants out. At that point, heavy smoke and fire were evident on the first floor of 332 and venting from a middle window as the fire truck arrived. Strong winds exacerbated the flames. "When the trucks got there the fire just grew in intensity," Greco said. It was learned a man was unaccounted for. Crews attempted to enter the first floor but it flashed over with fire. "It was full room involvement with fire," Greco said. "Floor to ceiling fire." Crews still went inside and attempted to get to the second floor, dousing the flames with water, but the fire was too intense. Crews battling the flames inside were ordered out. Not long after, the roof, chimney and second floor collapsed, Greco said. It was about 30 minutes into the firefight when the collapses happened. Firefighters were able to contain flames to the roof and attic of 324 E. Bertsch St., and that work limited the damage to 328, which sustained damaged siding. Firefighters remained at the scene until about 11 p.m. and were called again early Tuesday when the fire rekindled. No serious injuries were experienced by firefighters, but ambulance personnel were attempting to set up a critical incident stress management meeting for first responders. Lansford firefighters were assisted by neighboring fire departments. 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. (JTA) Mank, the black-and-white Netflix film about Jewish screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, leads the slate of Academy Award nominations in a year when most Americans viewed movies via streaming services. Mank earned 10 Oscar nods, including for best picture, making up nearly half of Netflixs total nominations. The company also drew six nominations for The Trial of the Chicago 7. Meanwhile, Amazons nominations were bolstered by Regina Kings film One Night in Miami and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm one of two movies that earned creator Sacha Baron Cohen an Oscar nomination. Heres what you need to know about the notable Jewish nominees. The awards will be presented in a ceremony April 25. ADVERTISEMENT Mank dominates Starring Gary Oldman as Herman Mankiewicz, Mank was tapped for best picture among its nominations. Oldman and co-star Amanda Seyfried, as well as director David Fincher, are in the running. There are also nominations for original score, cinematography, costume design and more. Mank focuses on the story behind Mankiewicz writing the classic film Citizen Kane, and trying to get credit for his work following its success. Sacha Baron Cohen is recognized for two very different films Cohen was nominated for his portrayal of the Jewish activist Abbie Hoffman in The Trial of the Chicago 7 and for best adapted screenplay for the Borat sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Maria Bakalova, the Bulgarian actress who plays Borats daughter in the latter, scored a nod for best supporting actress. Trial of the Chicago 7 garnered six nominations, including for best original screenplay by the Jewish writer-director Aaron Sorkin. Crip Camp is recognized The Netflix documentary, nominated for best documentary feature, is the story of teenagers with disabilities who attend Camp Jened in upstate New York during the summer of 1971. The film, executive produced by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, follows a group of campers and counselors who become activists for the disability rights movement, including the Jewish activist Judy Heumann. Following the nominations Heumann tweeted, Make this year the first of MANY where the Oscars is accessible to all disabled people. Israeli and Palestinian short films score nominations The Israeli short film White Eye is up for best live-action short film. Its the story of Omer (Daniel Gad), a Mizrahi man whose bicycle is stolen. He spots his bike outside a factory and calls the police on an African migrant worker, Yunes (Dawit Tekelaeb), setting off a chain of events out of Omers control. The story actually happened to me, Tomer Shushan, the films writer and director, told Jewish Insider. I found myself fighting to get my bike back, and I almost made a man go to jail, to be deported from Israel. I just sat down like one hour after the situation and I wrote the script in 40 minutes. Competing against White Eye in the same category is the Palestinian short film The Present, which is directed by the Palestinian British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi. It tells the tale of Yusuf (Saleh Bakri) and his daughter, Yasmine (Mariam Kanj), who set out to buy his wife a gift. They navigate Israeli soldiers and military checkpoints in their frustrating attempt. You can portray checkpoints with all the facts and figures a woman can give birth at a checkpoint; people cant get to work or whatever. But you go stand at a checkpoint, its a very different perception to what the facts and figures provide. It was this life-changing trip, it had such an impact on me and I came back and battled with it for two years, Nabulsi explained of her inspiration to make the film. The first scene in The Present is filmed at a Bethlehem checkpoint. Diane Warren gets her 12th best original song nomination The Jewish songwriter Diane Warren was nominated for Io si (Seen) for the Sophia Loren Holocaust film The Life Ahead. She shares the nomination with singer Laura Pausini; it was the films only nomination. Warren has been nominated a dozen times over three decades but failed to take home a statuette. This could be the year: She won a Golden Globe in February. A joint operation between law enforcement from Spain and Colombia has dismantled what investigators describe as the largest drug distribution network in Madrid, authorities said Sunday. Authorities conducted raids in the Spanish provinces of Badajoz, Guadalajara, Madrid, Malaga and Valencia, where they arrested at least 12 members of the gang. The drug trafficking gang largely based its operations out of Madrid and the Malaga resort town of Marbella and was led by a Moroccan man identified as Said Al Moui and his two siblings, Mohamed Al Moui and Moustafa Al Moui. The network had been under surveillance since 2020 as part of operation Toga, according to Spain's National Police. Authorities seized nearly 600 kilos of cocaine, 20 luxury vehicles, weapons and nearly $1million in cash in the raids. Cops in Spain raided an apartment in Madrid and arrested one of the members of the city's most powerful drug distribution gang that was allegedly led by three Moroccan brothers. Operation Toga netted a total of 12 arrests, including the Moroccan siblings identified as Said Al Moui and Mohamed Al Moui and Moustafa Al Moui. Authorities confiscated at least 600 kilos of cocaine A Ferrari (right) valued at $298,000 was among 20 vehicles that were impounded during an operation by Spanish and Colombian authorities The Spanish National Police announced Sunday that a joint operation between law enforcement from Spain and Colombia helped dismantle Madrid's largest drug distribution gang. Authorities seized at least 600 kilos of cocaine They reportedly purchased large crops of marijuana from growers across all of Spain and used the proceeds to expand its business by purchasing cocaine that was smuggled from Colombia and hashish that was illegally ferried over from Morocco. The marijuana that was processed from the plantations was then stored away and later shipped in packages that weighed at least 20 kilos to the Netherlands and central Europe. The Spanish National Police learned that Moustafa Al Moui allegedly supervised the logistics of the smuggling and Mohamed Al Moui the distribution of drugs while Said acted as a frontman. Spain's National Police seized guns and a communication system used by members of a drug trafficking gang that was led by three Moroccan brothers. The network sold drugs in the Netherlands and central Europe A police agent removes a section of an apartment floor where the alleged drug traffickers hid 150 kilos of cocaine A Mercedes GL V8 (right) valued at $180,000 was among the 20 vehicles confiscated by the cops as part of a series of raids in Spain that dismantled the largest drug distribution gang in Madrid, the Spanish police announced Sunday The trio were aided by other relatives and associates, including a lawyer, identified as Alvaro S., who police said laundered the group's earnings and took part in some drug sales. Spanish newspaper ABC reported that Alvaro was released after posting $59,500 bail. Mohamed Al Moui and a woman identified as the wife of one of the three Moroccan men were freed after posting a bail bond between $5,900 to $9,500. Said Al Moui reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. Police investigators described the gang as 'sophisticated,' having a setup that allowed them to dispatch 'huge drug quantities' of drugs under 'dexterous security' conditions, including drivers transporting the drugs who wore suits to pretend they were businesspeople. Cops made a seizure of around $835,000 in cash following a series of raids in the Spain provinces of Badajoz, Guadalajara, Madrid, Malaga and Valencia A police officer removes a bag containing money that was hidden on top of the bathroom's ceiling panel inside an apartment in Madrid Source close to the investigation told ABC that the Moui brothers partnered with a Bulgarian criminal organization that was in charge of shipping the drugs to central Europe. Instead of the usual way of selling the cocaine by the kilogram, police said that the gang found an easier way of distribution by dividing it into packages of 370 to 390 grams, which were sold for around $11,950 each. Authorities impounded 16 apartments and around $835,000 in cash. While raiding a home in Madrid, the cops discovered almost $273,900 hidden over the ceiling panel of a bathroom. An inspection of a second home in the Spanish capital led authorities to 150 kilos of cocaine which was concealed inside a section of the apartment's floor. The police also confiscated an additional 200 kilos from a third dwelling. Authorities show the results of the raids that netted drugs, money, weapons and vehicles Authorities seized several firearms and sharp weapons, including three Japanese swords, that belonged to the alleged drug traffickers. Law enforcement agents also seized 20 vehicles, including six that featured secret compartments. Authorities also impounded a Ferrari worth $298,000, a Mercedes C63 priced at $297,600 and a Mercedes GL V8 valued at $180,000. As part of the same operation, the Spanish National Police's Special Operations Group shut down the attempt of two members of the drug trafficking organization who sought to recover a container with cocaine delivered from Colombia. The agents discovered 208 packages of cocaine totaling 230 kilos. There have been 18 further deaths and 349 more Covid-19 cases, the Department of Health confirmed today. Seventeen of these deaths occurred in March, and one in February. The median age of those who died was 78 years and the age range was 55 102 years. This brings the total number of coronavirus related deaths in the country to 4,552 and the total number of cases in the state to 227,663. Read More Of the cases notified today, 172 are men and 177 are women. The median age is 33 years old and 70pc are under 45 years of age. There were 156 cases reported in Dublin, 23 in Meath, 19 in Donegal, 15 in Louth, 14 in Kildare and the remaining 122 cases are spread across all other counties. As of 8am today, 355 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 88 are in ICU. There were 36 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. As of March 13, 615,934 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland. 451,589 people have received their first dose and 164,345 people have received their second dose. This comes as the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has been paused for use in Ireland due to the possible link between blood clots and the vaccine. However, The European Unions medicines regulator has said there is no indication that AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine is the cause of reported blood clots. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the benefits of AstraZeneca's inoculation continue to outweigh the risks after several countries halted its use. The EMA's Executive Director Emer Cooke said the agency was carrying out a case-by-case evaluation of incidents and was expected to complete a review on Thursday. But the watchdog has received more reports of blood clotting events associated with the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Ms Cooke said she could not reveal the full extent of reports but the recent highlighting of cases in countries like Austria and Norway has led to more notifications. Irish-born Ms Cooke said there is still no evidence that there is a causal link between the vaccine and the blood clotting events. At a Nphet briefing yesterday, Chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) Professor Karina Butler said the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine will continue to be monitored. We will continue to monitor the situation relating to Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and if we can be satisfied that these events are coincidental and not caused by this vaccine, we will reassess the situation and our recommendations, she said. We are seeing this play out across Europe with many countries now experiencing pressure on their hospital and critical care capacities. We must not let this happen here. Dr Ray Walley, member of the National Covid-19 GP Liaison Committee said every medication has side effects, and is reassuring those who have received the vaccines of its effectiveness. Every medication, including every vaccine, has side effects, he said. Our role as clinicians, is to weigh up the benefits and risks of medications. I want to reassure those who have received a Covid-19 vaccine in this country that there are, and continues to be, enormous benefits in the vaccine programme, based on evidence relating to all the vaccines were using in this country, including Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca. The temporary deferral of use of Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is necessary in order to give the assurance that were taking notice if there are any safety signals at all, any risks that may be identified during the considerable, ongoing monitoring of vaccination programmes internationally, and I hope people take comfort from this cautious approach. The Duke of Edinburgh has spent a month in hospital under the care of medical staff after originally being admitted with an infection The Duke of Edinburgh has spent a month in hospital under the care of medical staff after originally being admitted with an infection. Philip, the nation's longest-serving consort, has spent 28 nights as an in-patient his longest ever stay. He was initially taken by car to the private King Edward VII's Hospital in central London on February 16, after telling his doctor he felt unwell. But two weeks later was moved to St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City of London by ambulance. The duke, 99, underwent a successful procedure on a pre-existing heart condition at Barts on March 3, just three months before his 100th birthday, before returning to King Edward VII's a few days later to recuperate and continue his treatment. Philip was visited in King Edward VII's on February 20 by the Prince of Wales, who made a 200-mile round trip from his Gloucestershire home and stayed for about 30 minutes. Concern about the duke has been heightened because of his advanced age and his hospital stay comes amid troubled times for the royal family. During Philip's spell in hospital the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the monarchy into a crisis by accusing a member of the royal family of racism not the Queen or Philip and claiming that Meghan received no support with her mental health problems. Police officers outside King Edward VII's Hospital. Philip, the nation's longest-serving consort, has spent 28 nights as an in-patient his longest ever stay The Duke of Edinburgh had been spending lockdown at Windsor Castle with the Queen Harry and Meghan faced calls to postpone their interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey because Philip was unwell, but it went ahead and the couple made a string of claims about their struggles as working royals. The Queen, 94, said in a statement afterwards that the issues are concerning, but that 'some recollections may vary' and the matter is a family one that will be dealt with privately. Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge defended the House of Windsor, saying during a recent visit to a school in east London: 'We're very much not a racist family.' Philip has been treated for heart problems in the past and in 2011 was taken to hospital by helicopter from Sandringham after suffering chest pains as the royal family was preparing for Christmas. He was treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and underwent a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting. The duke had been spending the latest lockdown at Windsor with the Queen for their safety, alongside a reduced household of staff dubbed HMS Bubble. The couple, who have been married for 73 years, received their first Covid-19 jabs in January. During the past year, optimism has been often difficult to find. Conversations, minds, and hearts have been heavy. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the fragility of our diversity has been exposed. If we open our eyes, there are many examples of unfortunate realities surrounding equity and inclusion. Our individual credit unions, the Credit Union National Association, not even the Royal Family are able to ignore the need to respond to these challenges. While softened by economic impact payments, as well as the many other mitigations included in Covid-19 relief bills including the current American Rescue Plan, the recovery period will have a lasting impact on small businesses as well as peoples household financial budgets. To combat inequities and provide help for our members and communities, including Hispanic, Native Americans, African Americans, or Asian Americans, we must continue our mission as credit unions. We need to pursue Financial Well Being for All as was recently called out at the 2021 CUNA GAC. In 2005, Peninsula Credit Union established a core set of values and listed We are inclusive as the very first one. These are just words unless we take the time to rededicate ourselves to ensure this is true. The awareness raised by the past years events gives us pause to determine how we can be part of solutions rather than by-standers. We know there is a problem and we need to keep growing and learning to actively address inequities. Last year, the Chad Helminak wrote an article, National Credit Union Foundation: What do we stand for? Peninsula Credit Union strives to this inclusive approach to the cooperative operating principles upon which we are built: Voluntary and Open Membership There will be no discrimination in who we hire or who we serve. The financial stability of ALL people is importantalways! Democratic Member Control Last September, our Board of Directors expressed interest in increasing diversity of thought and experience as well as ethnic and age diversity on the Board. We continue to solicit interest from those who represent our entire membership to serve as leaders and advisors to the credit union. And, when it comes time to elect these representatives, regardless of how much you have on deposit, as a credit union member you have one vote, just the same as the next memberalways! Member Economic Participation The credit union uses its net income to build capital reserves. We make decisions to establish the best opportunity for your financial success. This capital is there to use during good times and badalways! Autonomy and Independence Our primary interest is our members. We will always make decisions based upon the financial well-being of our members and our team that supports youalways! Education, Training and Information The people we hire are trained to be empathetic listeners. We cannot help you improve your financial lives unless we first listenalways! Cooperation among Cooperatives Peninsula Credit Union works with and learns from other credit unions. We strive to advocate for the structure of financial cooperativesalways! Concern for Community When our members and communities suffer, Peninsula Credit Union seeks out opportunities to provide optimism for the futurealways! Financial Well Being for All built upon credit union cooperative operating principles brings me hope for a brighter 2021 and beyond. It motivates me to believe our credit union serving the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State can address any of the challenges brought to light over the past year. Stories from our credit unions conversations with members provide a glimpse at just a few examples as to how we see many members feel our approach to ALL after we express our empathy for their financial lives. Jessica ran into some unforeseen expenses and was unsure how to handle the situation. She sat down with a member relationship consultant, Mary Ellen, who was able to identify that a VISA card with a limit to satisfy her immediate needs could be addressed so that Jessica would not need to stress about that during the holidays. Tony had been trapped in a payday loan cycle for several months. Keiko, another membership relationship consultant, took the time to understand what was happening and provide some financial counseling. He applied for an unsecured loan to get caught up on his bills, including his power bills. He will now be able to pay his rent on time February 1 st which will save another $100 late fee. which will save another $100 late fee. Shawna was faced with falling just short on her credit score in order to get a mortgage loan. Our mortgage loan officer, Michael, put Shawna in touch with our community financial educator Scot who was able to educate her on the usefulness of a share secured loan no credit check, low interest, and the result would be to improve her credit score. Shawna was able to build up some savings, apply for a VISA platinum card, improve her score and qualify for a mortgage loan. Over the upcoming year, our credit union will be here to continue to do our best to help ALL of our members to pursue the next step on their financial journey. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 IDA is looking to appoint a business development consultant to work on its behalf in Israel. The remit for the new Israel-based consultant is to win new foreign direct investment for Ireland from Israeli companies. The IDAs brief for the job says the consultant "will be expected to identify Israeli-headquartered target companies with potential for investing in Ireland, engage with senior decision-makers in these companies and present Irelands value proposition as an investment location. An IDA spokeswoman said the move is in order to have a presence on the ground to complement and support our efforts from Ireland to win new investment". "This is a model we use across all territories. Currently, IDA Ireland has 20 offices across the world and last year, the running costs of its international network of offices increased by 14% to 3.44m. According to figures provided by the IDA in response to a Freedom of Information request, the most costly office to operate last year was New York at 689,000. The second most costly office was the IDAs Mumbai/Bangalore office at 532,000 with London the third most costly office at 316,000. The costs include annual lease and rents in addition to operating and telephone costs. 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. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. The chief scientist of the World Health Organization is recommending that countries continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for now despite concerns about blood clots in some people who have received it. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan says officials at the U.N. health agency don't want people to panic" even as close monitoring of the vaccine's use continues. She said a review is under way that could produce updated recommendations as early as Tuesday. Swaminathan noted that some 300 million doses of a variety of coronavirus vaccines have been given to people around the world, and there is no documented death that has been linked to a COVID vaccine." She said the rates at which blood clots have occurred in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine are in fact less than what you would expect in the general population." The EU's largest countries joined a stream of states halting their rollouts of AstraZeneca jabs on Monday over blood clot fears, as the World Health Organization and Europe's medicines watchdog insisted it was safe to use. Both organisations will hold special meetings this week after a host of countries said they would stop using the vaccine pending further review. The fresh suspensions were a major blow to a global immunisation campaign that experts hope will help end a pandemic that has already killed over 2.6 million people and decimated the global economy. The three largest EU countries -- Germany, Italy and France -- all paused rollouts on Monday and were later joined by Spain, Portugal, Slovenia and Latvia. The suspensions were not limited to Europe, with Indonesia also announcing a delay to its rollout of the jab, which is cheaper than its competitors and was billed as the vaccination of choice for poorer nations. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa - Some people who qualify for the vaccine are struggling to get an appointment in their home counties. Instead, they're turning to outside counties to get the shot. That was the case for Kerry Johnson of Winneshiek County. Although she meets the medical condition qualifications to be vaccinated in Iowa, her local vaccination site is only taking patients age 65 and older at the moment. When her church sent out lists of vaccination sites in neighboring counties, she jumped at the opportunity to sign up for waitlists. She was unsure of when she'd be able to secure an appointment locally. Within a matter of days after applying for waitlists, Johnson had an appointment lined up in Fayette County at Upper Iowa University. She drove about an hour to get first Pfizer dose on Thursday. "You take what you can get because who knows how long you're going to have to wait? If the opportunity arises, I think you need to take it," she explains. County-hopping to get the shot is acceptable. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, anyone regardless of their address or citizenship can be vaccinated. Minnesotans can search for nearby vaccination sites on the online vaccine connector. This week, Q+A turns the discussion onto Consent. A petition by a Sydney school girl has put the spotlight on an epidemic of sexual violence against Australian teenagers by their peers. Its prompted moves by government to improve consent education in our schools. But is it enough? With Australian of the Year Grace Tame inspiring a movement of passionate women and the Brittany Higgins scandal engulfing our Federal parliament, thousands have taken to the streets demanding justice for women. On Thursday night Q+A brings together students, parents, experts and educators for a frank look at the vexed issue of consent, how men can help change the power imbalance and what needs to be done to combat the cultures of violence and silence that threaten the daily lives of Australian girls and women. Joining Hamish on the panel: Yumi Stynes, Broadcaster and author, Welcome to Consent Briony Scott, Principal, Wenona School Michael Salter, Associate Professor of Criminology, UNSW Yasmin Poole, 2021 Youth Influencer of the Year Joe Williams, Former NRL player and mental health advocate 8:30pm Thursday on ABC. Related Chinas top leader warned that Beijing will go after so-called platform that have amassed data and market power, a sign that the months-long crackdown on the countrys internet sector is only just beginning. President on Monday chaired a meeting of the communist partys top financial advisory and coordination committee, ordering regulators to step up oversight of internet companies, crack down on monopolies, promote fair competition and prevent the disorderly expansion of capital, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Internet need to enhance data security and financial activities need to come under regulatory supervision, CCTV also reported. The unusually strongly worded comments from Xi and his lieutenants suggest Beijing is preparing to amplify a campaign to curb the influence of its largest and most powerful private corporations, which has so far centered mainly on Jack Mas Alibaba Group Holding and its affiliate Ant Group. The term platform economies could apply to a plethora of mobile and internet giants that offer services to hundreds of millions, from ride-hailing behemoth Didi Chuxing to food delivery giant Meituan and e-commerce leaders like JD.com and Pinduoduo. Some platform are developing in non-standardised ways and that presents risks, CCTV said, citing minutes of the meeting. It is necessary to accelerate the improvement of laws governing platform economies in order to fill in gaps and loopholes in a timely fashion. The report came days after Bloomberg News reported that governments watchdogs were now setting their sights on Tencent Holdings $100 billion-plus finance empire after ordering an overhaul of Ant. Top financial regulators see Tencent as the next target for increased supervision, according to people with knowledge of their thinking. Like Ant, Tencent will probably be required to establish a financial holding company to include its banking, insurance and payments services, said one of the people. The two firms will set a precedent for other fintech players on complying with tougher regulations, the people added. Tencent lost more than $65 billion of value in the two days following the report, and its shares were little changed Tuesday. Meanwhile, Chinas market regulator on Tuesday tightened scrutiny over the country's booming livestreaming e-commerce platforms, where internet influencers sell goods directly to consumers, citing concerns about poor quality products and misleading advertising. The State Administration of Market Regulation recently met several livestreaming e-commerce firms, which presented self-disciplinary measures, the agency said. It said all livestreaming platforms should "quickly conduct self-control and comprehensive inspections" on product quality. Chinese regulator clamps down on livestreaming e-comm platforms Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. UTICA Brandon Clark is scheduled to be sentenced today in Oneida County Court for the murder of 17-year-old Bianca Devins in July 2019. The court proceeding is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the court in Utica. Clark, 22, of Cicero, is facing a sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison after admitting in court in February that he killed Bianca Devins, of Utica. He later tried to withdraw his guilty plea, but Judge Michael Dwyer ruled last October that he couldnt. Clark was charged with second-degree murder after police and the Oneida County district attorneys office said he cut Devins throat after the two returned from a concert in New York City. He then posted grisly photographs of her body online, which were sent to the family via social media. His sentencing was originally scheduled for last November, but was postponed because of the coronavirus shutdown. Kim Devins, Biancas mother, said the family has waited a long time for this sentencing. Devins, along with Biancas grandfather and Biancas close friend are scheduled to read victim impact statements to the court. Bianca Devins was murdered in Utica on July 13. Courtesy of Kim DevinsProvided photos The horrific murder of Bianca drew national attention after Clark posted bloody photos of her death on social media sites. He also slashed his own throat, and then posted a selfie of himself with the body. Prosecutors said he had planned the murder and researched ways to livestream it online. On July 12, 2019, Devins and Clark attended a concert in New York City, where she had planned to meet another man she knew. Clark knew about it, and was mad when she kissed the other man at the concert, prosecutors said. In an interview with Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard in December 2019, Kim Devins talked about her daughters life, and how she found comfort and validation in an online world. She also talked about Biancas struggle with borderline personality disorder, and how she was able to overcome that and move on. She had a bright future, and that was taken from her, her mom said. Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com Seeking to address an epidemic of traffic violence, Assemblyman David Chiu is again introducing legislation that could pave the way for cameras with license-plate readers to enforce speeding laws on California streets. Assembly Bill 550, which Chiu introduced Tuesday, would require Caltrans to develop guidelines for a pilot program that would use speed safety programs or radar systems triggered by speeding vehicles to photograph the cars license plate to reduce speed-related injuries and deaths. The new effort follows a failed attempt to get similar legislation passed in 2017. Chiu, D-San Francisco, said hes trying again because the need for speed safety systems has only grown as tragedies have continued. I think that many more of my colleagues have attended too many memorials of our constituents, Chiu told The Chronicle. The use of technology like license-plate readers and facial recognition has long been a contentious issue for advocates, who worry about the potential for increased surveillance and governmental encroachments on individual privacy. In 2019, San Francisco became the first major city in the United States to ban the use of facial-recognition technology. A 2020 audit found that California law enforcement agencies were not doing enough to protect the data they collect through license-plate reading systems. However, police reform advocates have intensified their calls since last summer for measures that would reduce the number of interactions between police and civilians for issues that can be handled in ways that dont require armed officers and Chiu said his bill could be a way to protect public safety while responding to the needs of our community. Chius bill explicitly prohibits the use of facial recognition by jurisdictions that adopt the speed safety program, and requires the jurisdiction to adopt policies that set restrictions on the use of the speed data, and that protect and dispose of that data. The bill also requires the program to be operated by a municipalitys transportation agency not its police department. Any citations would be civil offenses and would not result in points on a persons drivers license. Penalties would be capped at $125, and jurisdictions must offer diversion programs for low-income drivers. The bill would require Caltrans to adopt guidelines on the use of a speed safety program before July 1, 2022. Local transportation departments can adopt the program after 30 days of the guidelines being announced and would have to submit a report on the program within two years. Chiu said the mayors of Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose are among the bills supporters. Michael Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: michael.williams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaeldamianw Last month, President Bidens Acting Assistant Education Secretary Ian Rosenblum sent a letter to state education administrators instructing them that standardized tests had to be administered to students in some form this spring, summer or fall. Rosenblumwhose previous job was executive director of the Education Trust-New York, a pro-standardized testing and pro-business organizationsaid states could delay the tests but they could not be canceled like last spring and they have to be conducted as soon as possible. The spring testing window for state tests, including the PSAT and SAT, typically given to high school juniors and seniors preparing for college, has already started in the United States. The states of Michigan, California, Illinois, Georgia, New Jersey and New York requested testing waivers for the 2020-2021 school year in December and January. Others, such as Texas, Tennessee, Florida and Indiana, are testing students regardless of the Biden administrations decision. Rosenblum, who currently heads the Education Departments Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, claimed the tests were needed 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. This is nothing but a political cover. Testing is being tied to school reopenings, with the push for standardized testing coinciding with the Biden administrations plans to open up all K-8 schools by the end of April. President Bidens first priority is to safely re-open schools and get students back in classrooms, learning face-to-face from teachers with their fellow students, Rosenblum wrote. To be successful once schools have re-opened, we need to understand the impact COVID-19 has had on learning and identify what resources and supports students need. He added, We must also specifically 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. Standardized tests have been among the greatest stressors to the nations children, teachers and families since they were aggressively scaled up under the Bush administrations No Child Left Behind (NCLB). These tests have been used to systematically defund public schools for the past two decades, and mandating them during a pandemic should be deemed cruel and unusual punishment. At a December 2019 Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh, Biden promised that he would end the federal mandate on standardized testing. Instead, his Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is a fierce advocate of standardized testing and school reopening who provoked widespread anger among teachers when he served as Connecticuts commissioner of education. During his confirmation hearing, Cardona reiterated his insistence on standardized testing, stating, If we dont assess where our students are and their level of performance, its going to be difficult for us to provide some targeted support and a resource allocation in the manner that can best support the closing of the gaps. In an effort to posture as teachers allies and cultivate illusions that Cardona and Biden can be pushed to the left, the heads of the national teachers unions and various Democrats have publicly opposed the Biden administrations mandate on standardized testing. National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle stated her opposition shortly after Rosenblums memo was circulated. Last week, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingartenwho has played the central role in facilitating Bidens homicidal campaign to reopen schoolsco-authored an article for NBC News with New York representative Jamaal Bowman, in which they only oppose standardized testing this spring. While stating that they understand why [standardized tests] exist, their only objection is that standardized testing this year will not reliably gauge student performance or identify areas in need of growth. Bowman, who is a member of the pseudo-left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), also recently co-wrote a letter to Cardona opposing testing with five Democratic members of Congress, including Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rep. Thomas Suozzi of New York and Rep. Mark Takano of California. Omar and Bowman are part of the DSAs congressional squad and promote identity politics to confuse workers and keep them tied to the Democratic Party. Their letter endorses the reckless campaign to reopen schools, writing, we must dedicate all of our efforts to a return to safe, in person learning, and we cannot divert our time and expenses to teaching to, implementing and administering federally mandated testing. The manner in which this years tests take place is being left to the states, with each one determining testing dates and whether they will be done virtually or in-person. Cardona claims that students should not be asked to go into buildings in areas where cases are high to take tests, which begs the question why any students are going into buildings at present, as COVID-19 continues to run rampant throughout the country. According to Burbios K-12 School Opening Tracker, only 53.7 percent of schools are open at some capacity, with many of those only in a hybrid form. According to a Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) study, 25 percent of students were missing for fall assessments. More broadly, there has been a loss of an estimated 3 million children from public school rolls during the pandemic. Students are missing due to loss of family members, caregivers loss of jobs, unstable housing, and the inability of parents to get childcare assistance for those forced to work. Among educators, parents and students, there is widespread opposition to the continuation of standardized testing during the pandemic. A Michigan teacher commented to the World Socialist Web Site, In mid-October, my students, now 9th graders, were given the PSAT, after over two months of virtual learning, and three months of summer where no learning took place. These scores could potentially be used for my evaluation. Students should not have been given this test. The country is in the middle of a pandemic and these students have over five months not receiving normal instruction or had accessibility issues with technology. A kindergarten teacher from Utah spoke about the standardized test for identifying letters and sounds, known as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). She said, Heres the thing about DIBELS: it doesnt really give us that much information we dont know or cant get other ways, especially the Beginning of Year test. It takes money from the district to hire the testers and have them travel around the various schools. The kids take their masks off for the DIBELS testing and the testers just wear face shields. Same thing for ELL testing. Its about 5 minutes per kid but the testers are in the same poorly ventilated room for hours at a time. And they travel between different schools. We also have standardized benchmark tests in Math and Reading given to us by the district. We are hanging on by the skin of our teeth. I am so burnt out. Every Friday I feel like Im going to fall apart and every Monday I wake up dreading going to school. And I LOVE teaching!! This is just exhausting and its so hard to teach kindergartners and kindergarten content with the masks and attempts at distancing and extra stress all the teachers and kids are under. Its just a lot. The entrenchment of standardized testing under Bush, which was escalated under Obama, followed decades of bipartisan budget cutting and the systematic destruction of working class living standards. Predictably poor results on tests were exploited to persecute teachers and close failing schools, which were either left to rot or converted into privately-run charter schools. Teacher evaluations and pay were also aligned with test results, further undermining a wide-ranging curriculum and converting it into mind-numbing teaching to the test, largely tailored to the needs of big business. Throughout this process, there has been a continual funneling of public resources to for-profit charter schools and other school privatization schemes, which will only deepen under Biden. Significantly, at the last minute, Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (NY) inserted $2.75 billion in funding for private schools into the COVID-19 stimulus package passed last week. This reactionary and unprecedented move was endorsed by Weingarten. The pandemic has been exploited to accelerate the attack on teachers and public education, with massive budget cuts implemented in states across the US and masses of educators leaving the profession early in response to the demand that they return to deadly classrooms for in-person learning. Among educators, parents and students, there is enormous opposition to testing and the reckless reopening of schools. This must be combined with a political struggle against the further starvation of public education and for a radical redistribution of wealth to greatly improve the quality of public education. Until the population in inoculated and the pandemic contained, all learning must remain fully remote. Only after a massive infusion of funds to vastly improve education should tests, designed and overseen by educators themselves, be conducted to see where improvements and more resources should be allocated. The Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee is leading the fight to put human needs and lives above profit, and to organize educators to carry out the necessary political struggle against both parties of austerity, inequality and war and the fight for the universal right to high quality public education. We urge all those who wish to take up this fight to sign up today to get involved ! STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Authorities allege that a 44-year-old man gunned down a young father and shot at two other men in broad daylight last month in Stapleton. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea announced the arrest of Arthur Williams, 44, of the 600 block of Richmond Road in Concord, in connection with the fatal shooting of Latiff Dudley, 26, of Farragut Avenue in Graniteville. Williams was apprehended in upstate Syracuse thanks to detectives from the 120th Precinct and the Regional Fugitive Task Force, the commissioner said. Dudley was pronounced dead at Richmond University Hospital in West Brighton after police found him Feb. 20 with gunshot wounds in the drivers seat of a 2016 black Infiniti that had crashed into an unoccupied car on the 300 block of Van Duzer Street in Stapleton, authorities said. Dudley drove about a mile after Williams allegedly shot him in the chest at about 3 p.m. on the 100 block of Osgood Avenue, according to the criminal complaint and police. Williams also allegedly fired multiple shots at two individuals a short distance away on the 100 block of Laurel Avenue, according to the criminal complaint. The gunfire was sparked by a dispute over a woman, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. Mr. Williams denies these allegations and looks forward to extensive investigation into these crimes when he expects to be fully vindicated, said his attorney, Louis Gelormino. We ask the public to refrain from a rush to judgment and wait for the investigation to be completed. At the time of his death, Dudley was working for Amazon, enrolled in a dentistry program at St. Pauls School of Nursing and had volunteered with the U.S. Census Bureau. Dudley, who had a 4-year-old son, was determined to turn his life around after some trouble with the law and was participating in career-building and parenting groups in the area, according to those who knew him. Williams was convicted of assault in July 2017, according to the criminal complaint. He has been charged with murder, attempted murder, attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm, according to the criminal complaint. Williams was remanded to jail and is due back in Criminal Court on Tuesday, according to public records. Stephen D. Bechtel Jr., who took over his familys global engineering and construction company, elevating its already formidable reputation and transforming what had been a hidebound, top-down hierarchy into a modern, if secretive, corporation, died on Monday at his home in San Francisco. He was 95. The company announced his death. Under Mr. Bechtel, sales swelled 11-fold at the Bechtel Group, the company founded by his grandfather that built scores of power plants, transit systems and other infrastructure projects on six continents, often pioneering new technologies in remote areas. He enhanced the Bechtel name, known for projects like the Depression-era Hoover Dam, with major work on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. He widened the companys global footprint with work on the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France as well as the construction of Saudi Arabias King Khalid International Airport and Jubail Industrial City, perhaps the biggest civil engineering project of modern times. Global growth was beginning to take off under him, said David J. OReilly, the retired chief executive of the Chevron Corporation and a Bechtel board member. He added that the company became much more international during Mr. Bechtels tenure, which lasted 30 years until his retirement in 1990. 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. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again, the French Bulldog took San Francisco's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in West Palm Beach and Philadelphia. The Poodle is rising up the ranks in San Francisco, making its way into the top five this past year. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is another favorite in the Golden Gate City, holding firmly to the #4 spot. The lovable Labrador Retriever also climbed up the ranks, stealing the number two spot from the Golden Retriever, pushing them to #3. "Love for the Frenchie has taken over the country, and San Francisco is right on trend," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "There was still a lot of movement in the city's favorites this year, though, with Dachshunds and Australian Shepherds both breaking into the top ten." San Francisco's top 5 breeds for 2020: 1. French Bulldog 2. Labrador Retriever 3. Golden Retriever 4. Pembroke Welsh Corgi 5. Poodle * Registration data pulled from San Francisco zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service There were notable favorites among the city's distinct neighborhoods: Soma: French Bulldog French Bulldog Castro: Labrador Retriever Labrador Retriever Portrero: French Bulldog French Bulldog Pacific Heights: Golden Retriever Golden Retriever Nopa: Golden Retriever Golden Retriever Nob Hill: Golden Retriever Golden Retriever The Mission: Golden Retriever The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 1. Labrador Retriever 2. French Bulldog 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. Golden Retriever 5. Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links www.akc.org Former CEO has a memoir coming out this fall that her publisher is calling an unvarnished take" on her rise to becoming one of the world's most powerful women. My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future" will be published Sept. 28, Portfolio Books announced Monday. Nooyi, 65, will trace her life from her childhood in India to her experiences as an immigrant at Yale University's business school to her many achievements as the rare woman and person of color in the upper echelons of the corporate world. She worked at for 24 years, 12 of them as CEO, before stepping down in 2018. While she was CEO, PepsiCo's revenues grew from USD 35 billion to USD 63.5 billion and she became known for promoting such good for you snacks as Baked Lay's potato chips and Naked juices made of fruits and vegetables. The mother of two children, she also spoke candidly while at of the difficulties in balancing commitments. As I wrote My Life in Full,' I saw how my own story relates to our evolving global economy and how it may inform our progress on better integrating work and family in the years ahead, Nooyi said in a statement Monday. (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.) RTHK: Chinese man held over arson attack on Berlin embassy A Chinese citizen suspected of throwing Molotov cocktails at the country's embassy in Berlin to protest Beijing's treatment of minorities is being held in custody for attempted arson, German prosecutors said on Tuesday. The 42-year-old man has been detained since March 11 on suspicion of launching an arson attack on the Chinese embassy the previous morning, Berlin state prosecutors said in a statement. They added that the suspect carried out his action "in order to protest against the Chinese government's policy towards minorities". Prosecutors did not provide further details on the man's motive. Last week, Berlin police reported arresting the suspect after security guards who had witnessed him throw the Molotov cocktails apprehended him at a nearby crossroads. According to police, the suspect allegedly threw the flaming devices over the wall of the embassy grounds on Brueckenstrasse, a street linking two central Berlin districts of Mitte and Kreuzberg. "The devices smashed at the foot of one of the walls of the embassy building, and embassy staff put out the fire with an extinguisher," the police statement said, adding that nobody had been injured. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Russia's state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has threatened to block Twitter in a month's time if the social-media network doesn't begin removing banned content. Roskomnadzor last week announced a slowing down, or throttling, of Twitter's speed across the country for its "failure" to remove what it said was banned content that encouraged suicide among children and information about drugs and child pornography. On March 16, Roskomnadzor's deputy head, Vadim Subbotin, said the company still wasn't complying with the demands of the Russian authorities. "Twitter doesn't react to our requests appropriately, and if things go on like this, then in a month it will be blocked, on an out-of-court basis," Subbotin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. Roskomnadzor said on March 10 that the measure was meant "to protect Russian citizens from the influence of illegal content" and threatened to fully block the U.S. social network if it did not act. The action came amid Russian efforts to tighten control on social media and a clampdown on platforms that have been used to organize protests in support of jailed opposition leader Aleksei Navalny. Last month, a law came into force that states social networks must themselves find and delete content banned by Russian law. If a social network is unable to determine if content contains banned materials, it must send the content to Roskomnadzor for an evaluation. The agency had said that, as of March 10, Twitter had 3,168 posts with banned content on its site, including more than 2,500 posts encouraging suicide among minors. It also referred to content on illegal drugs and pornography. Subbotin said that the Russian regulator at this point "is not registering specific steps by Twitter to remove prohibited content." Aleksei Pushkov, chairman of the Information Policy Committee of the Federation Council, Russia's upper chamber of parliament, said on March 16 that the authorities should consider completely blocking Twitter, but on a temporary basis. "My personal position as the head of the Committee on Informational policy is that we can block Twitter completely, but for a limited period -- for a month," Pushkov was quoted as saying by TASS. "By doing so we give them a warning signal that this is not just idle talk," Pushkov said. Twitter did not respond immediately to an e-mail request for comment. Roskomnadzor's Subbotin has warned that "it is possible" similar measures could be imposed against other social networks such as Facebook in the future if they do not follow Russian regulations. Moscow has been trying to curb social media in recent years amid increasing protests among citizens, especially younger Russians, and social media's role in amplifying dissent. Officials in January accused foreign Internet companies of interfering in Russia's domestic affairs over their failure to take down calls to participate in rallies in support of Navalny. The government has previously moved to tighten control of social media by requiring online services to store the personal data of Russian users on servers in Russia. Facebook and Twitter have been fined for failing to comply with the law. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova late last year accused Facebook and Twitter of "open censorship" after they blocked Russian accounts and content and after Twitter labeled government and state-affiliated media accounts. Late last month Roskomnadzor demanded Twitter explain why it removed 100 accounts linked to Russia. Twitter said in response that the accounts "amplified narratives that were aligned with the Russian government, focused on undermining faith in the NATO alliance and its stability," and targeted the United States and the European Union. In 2014, authorities adopted a law requiring online services to store the personal data of Russian users on servers in Russia and have since tried to make Facebook and Twitter comply with it. Both social-media giants have been repeatedly fined, first small amounts of around $50 and last year the equivalent of $63,000 each, for not complying. With reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax According to Paragon Group director Henning Rasmuss, with South African cities and towns fast deteriorating at an infrastructure and service delivery level, the new Lanseria Smart City revealed by President Cyril Ramaphosa during this year's State of the Nation Address is just 'papering over the cracks'. The urgent problems faced by South African cities, from deteriorating infrastructure to rapid urbanisation, are primarily social and economic in nature, says Paragon Group director Henning Rasmuss. #SONA2021: Ramaphosa's dream of a smart city President Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled the progress of the country's infrastructure plan to stimulate the economy and promote growth during his State of the Nation Address (Sona), which includes smart cities... Do we need new buildings and new cities? Paragon Group director Henning Rasmuss Deriving value for safe, smart cities The mobile revolution in Africa has had a powerful impact on job creation and community development. Now, off the back of this technological leap forward... Better systems thinking needed More important work needs to be done, across the country, says Rasmuss. In this regard, a positive outcome of the Covid-19 pandemic has been business and government having to learn to work together, to build trust, and to get things done in a hurry. The common enemy in the form of the pandemic has brought an urgency to co-operation and co-existence, he notes.All our cities and towns need to be smart cities. We suffer the effects of a lack of systems thinking. President Ramaphosa should encourage and build a culture of smart decision-making in all our towns and cities. That would change South Africa. All our cities should be less discriminatory, more equitable and safer. One smart city in Lanseria or elsewhere is going to do very little to change anything about how South Africa functions. We need a shiny new city less than ever. Perhaps there happens to be growth in Lanseria. Then lets manage that growth in a better way. Lets be smart about it, urges Rasmuss.The urgent problems faced by South African cities, from deteriorating infrastructure to rapid urbanisation, are primarily social and economic in nature, he says: We need to create work for people, so that we have citizens who have the ability to build a life.Architects can generate local work opportunities by critically interrogating how things are made and constructed, and where the materials come from that go into building elements, says Rasmuss: To counteract the job-destroying effects of our recent period of de-industrialisation, we need to deploy South African-made products where we can.Despite Ramaphosa stating that the mooted R100bn Infrastructure Fund is fully operational, with a 2021 project pipeline in place, Rasmuss reflects that very little is filtering down. It does put more focus on the question of whether we are spending well, and whether we are doing so in a smart way. Do we need new buildings and new cities after the pandemic? Perhaps less so than ever, says Rasmuss.One obvious solution to South Africas housing crisis, for example, is to repurpose existing buildings, he notes, adding that there has been a huge sell-off of properties, as listed and unlisted funds under cash-flow pressure liquidate parts of their portfolios in order to raise cash. This has resulted in a large number of property transactions, with noticeable changes in ownership groupings, and a trend towards conversions.Looking at the broader affordable housing shortage, Rasmuss points out that this is much more an affordability issue than it is a design issue, due to the limited range of routes to property ownership and a limited range of financing models. While the Sectional Titles Act protects end-user clients from fly-by-night developers, it excludes small and emerging developer players from the sectional title market, creating a high entry barrier for potential developers, he says.Much of what prevents access to housing lies not in the design of the units or in the technology of construction, but in the entire delivery chain. We need better systems thinking across the board. South Africa is good at crisis management, but systems thinking is not one of our national strengths. This is a large part of all of our current crises, asserts Rasmuss.One of these crises is a perceived failure in urban planning to rectify the current problems of our cities. While critically-thinking architects can instinctively tell what is wrong with our cities, Rasmuss reframes the question: Where are the visionary clients, those who think outside of the site boundary of their allotted land parcel? Perhaps the Lanseria Smart City is an example of such a visionary project, but Rasmuss remains unconvinced.The draft masterplan for the Lanseria Smart City seems pretty sensible; nothing that hasnt been done before. Interestingly, it aims to dissuade the production of high-rise glass towers. Thats an interesting debate. Perhaps we should not talk ambition down. Let the architecture arise from the individual business cases. Thats what Johannesburg has always been good at: value engineering the best out of what is available. And that is what the Paragon Group does best as a Johannesburg-inspired practice, concludes Rasmuss. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Ryan Flynn will step down as executive director of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association after the legislative session ends Saturday, the organization announced Tuesday morning. Flynn, who took the associations reins in September 2016, has led the group through the best and worst of times, including five years of record production in New Mexico, plus the biggest disruption in industry history during the pandemic. Hes leaving with nearly four years left on his current contract, which the NMOGA board renewed last year to run through 2024. Flynn will temporarily serve as a senior advisor while NMOGA searches for a successor and transitions to new leadership. He said hes leaving for personal reasons to pursue new opportunities. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Im leaving with a good team in place, Flynn told the Journal. Membership is the highest its ever been. NMOGA is New Mexicos oldest and largest oil and gas organization, with more than 1,000 members. Under Flynns leadership, public awareness of the industrys impact has grown significantly. He helped NMOGA spearhead a robust effort to educate local communities about the economic importance of oil and gas production, which contributes about one third of the states annual budget through taxes and royalties, including nearly $1.4 billion per year for public education. Previously, community awareness varied widely outside southeastern and northwestern New Mexico, Flynn said. Unless you were a state budget hawk, most people had no idea that New Mexico is not just a major producer, but now the third-largest state in the U.S. for oil and gas production, he said. Now, you go to Albuquerque or Las Cruces and its amazing how much more people know about the industry. NMOGA played a strong role in that education. Flynn also helped reinforce nonpartisanship in NMOGA policies, working with both Democrat and Republican officials and emphasizing cooperative dialogue about evolving policies on climate change and emissions reduction in the oil and gas industry. Many viewed (us)as representatives for the Republican Party, but the reality is, this industry is comprised of men and women of all backgrounds, and we always seek to work with both parties, Flynn said. Weve established NMOGA as a credible, nonpartisan leader thats fully participating in discussions on our state and nations energy future. NMOGA Chairman Leland Gould said Flynn has helped guide the association through a remarkable period of transition. He has built a very effective team and his vision and leadership have made NMOGA more relevant and recognized as our state and country have engaged in important conversations about the role and future of oil and natural gas in our society and communities, Gould said in a statement. Flynn said hes exploring new opportunities in the private sector. He previously served as state Environment Department secretary under former Gov. Susana Martinez. Codenamed XP1, the first functional McLaren F1 prototype was driven for the first time on December 23, 1992. By March, while it was undergoing hot-weather tests in Namibia, it was crashed by a BMW engineer. Thankfully, he survived, but the XP1 burned to the ground.Nineteen years later, its spiritual successor, the astonishing GMA T.50, was taken for its first drive at the Top Gear test track in Dunsfold, Surrey, UK, a few feet away from the factory where it will begin series production next year.Surrounded by GMA and Cosworth engineers, a visibly nervous Gordon Murray was waiting for the black T.50 XP2 prototype to be unloaded and fired up.After Cosworth engineers ran some final telemetry checks, the 654-hp naturally aspirated V12 sprang to life. Although the test run was performed with the powerplant limited to 3,000 rpm, far from its 12,100rpm redline, the slow idle growl it produces will send shivers down any gearheads spine.While the 393-pound (178 kg) engine was warming up, we were given a close-up view of the T.50s massive carbon fiber ground effect fan , set to dramatically improve its aerodynamics.Soon after, the cockpit was cleared, and the Professor hopped onboard, carefully adjusting the seatbelts as if he were getting ready to attempt a top-speed run.The T.50 will feature two additional passenger seats on each side of the centrally mounted drivers seat. However, on this prototype, the one on the left was removed to make room for equipment and the one on the right was occupied by a Cosworth engineer who got to witness this historical moment firsthand, albeit while holding a laptop and closely monitoring the engine.As the gullwing doors are closed, Murray puts the car in gear and cautiously drives off, as if somehow afraid that everything might fall to pieces. But of course, it doesnt, and a few seconds later, he gives the gas pedal a quick nudge, and although he's wearing a face mask, you can see the huge smile on his face.As the engineer gives him the "all clear," he starts pushing the car to its electronically controlled limit and drives it around the track for a few laps, testing the acceleration response, transmission , and brakes.Soon after the run was over, the relieved Professor described just how good it felt. He states that the response of the engine even up to 3 (thousand revs) is ridiculous. He goes on to explain that the V12 was chirping the wheels up when he accelerated.To see a legend like Gordon Murray get as excited as a boy on Christmas morning when talking about how the T.50 drives, even with about 25% power, is inspiring and speaks volumes about how epic this machine is.We look forward to future tests, where both the T.50 and its track-oriented T.50s Niki Lauda sibling will be unleashed with full power. This partnership will marry Crowleys transferable engineering, vessel operations, project management and logistics experience in the U.S. offshore markets to ESVAGTs global SOV design and operations capabilities. U.S.-based Crowley and Danish shipping company ESVAGT announced plans today to directly bolster purpose-built, Jones Act vessel availability in support of the emerging offshore wind energy market through a joint venture. The partnership will bring together two leading maritime solutions providers to serve the emerging industry. Consistent with the requirements of the U.S. Jones Act, Crowley will own and operate the vessels with its highly trained U.S. mariners, while Crowley and ESVAGT will share in the economics of the venture. ESVAGT is the leading Service Operation Vessel (SOV) operator in Europe and will provide technical advice on the design, construction, and operation of these vessels based solidly on their past performance with this specific vessel type. The venture will work to develop a best-in-class design and deliver its first wind-dedicated, U.S flag SOV. The companies, which share a long history of safe and reliable solutions within their respective markets, are now positioning to advance wind farm development by directly addressing shortages of compliant vessel capacity. Earlier this year, Crowley formed its New Energy division strategically focused on diverse services supporting the emerging energy sectors in the U.S. and adjacent regions. Within the offshore wind industry, Crowleys New Energy expansion, including this latest partnership, advances the company as a total lifecycle service provider. Service offerings include transportation of turbines during construction, industry-specific support vessels, shoreside terminaling and supply chain services from farm construction through decommissioning. This partnership will marry Crowleys transferable engineering, vessel operations, project management and logistics experience in the U.S. offshore markets to ESVAGTs global SOV design and operations capabilities. This will enable the continued growth of sustainable, greener energy solutions by directly addressing the offshore wind service capacity challenge, said Tom Crowley, Chairman and CEO. Our organizations share cultures that are based around the core values of safety, integrity, and high performance. We look forward to a long and successful partnership in support of North America's new energy solutions. ESVAGT pioneered the SOV concept in Europe more than a decade ago and is today the leading provider of SOV services to the European Offshore Wind Operation and Maintenance markets. ESVAGT possesses an unparalleled experience in safely transferring people to offshore wind farm installations from a fleet of innovative and specialized vessels operated by highly qualified crew: annually, ESVAGT safely transfers more than 115,000 personnel members from SOV to offshore wind farm installations. ESVAGT looks forward to further cementing its position as an offshore wind market leader by entering the U.S. offshore wind market with Crowley, a strong partner with an established track record of delivering solutions to its customers, said ESVAGT CEO Peter Lytzen. ESVAGTs experience in Europe will help deliver a seamless operation in the United States, and we also appreciate the opportunity to invest in the construction of these vessels in compliance with the Jones Act. About Crowley Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 129-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family- and employee-owned company that provides worldwide logistics, government, marine and energy solutions. Crowley operates with four business units. Crowley Logistics is a full-service end-to-end supply chain and managed transportation division that also includes ocean liner cargo services utilizing some company-owned vessels. Crowley Shipping encompasses ownership, operations and management of conventional and dual-fuel (liquefied natural gas) vessels, including tankers, container ships, multipurpose vessels, tugboats and barges; engineering, project management and naval architecture; and Crowley LNG, which provides LNG distribution, engineering and related services. Crowley Fuels provides petroleum transportation, distribution and sales primarily throughout Alaska. Crowley Solutions focuses on global government services and program management, government ship management, expeditionary logistics and government-oriented freight transportation services. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found at http://www.crowley.com. About ESVAGT ESVAGT is a Danish shipping company located in Esbjerg, Denmark. The company was founded in 1981 with the mission of making the sea a safe place to work by providing Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRVs) services to the Danish offshore oil & gas industry. Since then, ESVAGT has grown rapidly by expanding its services to cover the fast-growing European offshore wind industry with a fleet of modern purpose-built Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) equipped with state-of-the-art equipment such as motion-compensated gangway, cranes, workshop facilities, accommodation, etc. Today, ESVAGT continues to set the mark for operational excellence by shaping and continuously developing the SOV concept. ESVAGT operates a fleet of more than 40 vessels and engages more than 1.000 skilled employees offshore and onshore. ESVAGT is owned by 3i Infrastructure (50%) and AMP Capital (50%). Additional information about ESVAGT can be found at http://www.esvagt.com.. AUSTIN, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (NYSE AMERICAN: VNRX) ("Volition") today announced it will host a conference call on Tuesday, March 23, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time to discuss its financial and operating results for the full fiscal year 2020, in addition to providing a business update. Event: VolitionRx Limited Full Fiscal Year 2020 Earnings and Business Update Conference Call Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Time: 8:00 a.m. Eastern time U.S. & Canada Dial-in: 1-877-407-9716 (toll free) U.K. Dial-in: 0 800 756 3429 (toll free) Toll/International: 1-201-493-6779 Conference ID: 13717672 Cameron Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volition, will host the call along with Terig Hughes, Chief Financial Officer, Jake Micallef, Chief Scientific Officer and Scott Powell, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations. The call will provide an update on recent developments and Volition's activities, including details of new and ongoing clinical trials, important events which have taken place in the 2020, and milestones for 2021 and beyond. A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of Volition's corporate website at http://ir.volition.com. In addition, a telephone replay of the call will be available until April 6 2021. The replay dial-in numbers are 1-844-512-2921 (toll-free) in the U.S. and Canada and 1-412-317-6671 (toll) internationally. Please use replay pin number 13717672. About Volition Volition is a multi-national epigenetics company developing simple, easy to use, cost effective blood tests to help diagnose a range of cancers and other diseases. Early diagnosis has the potential to not only prolong the life of patients, but also to improve their quality of life. The tests are based on the science of NucleosomicsTM, which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream or other bodily fluid - an indication that disease is present. Volition is primarily focused on human diagnostics but also has a subsidiary focused on animal diagnostics. Volition's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with additional offices in Texas, London and Singapore, as the company focuses on bringing its diagnostic products to market. NucleosomicsTM is a trademark of Volition and its subsidiaries. For more information about Volition, visit Volition's website (http://www.volition.com) or connect with us via: Twitter: https://twitter.com/volitionrx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/volitionrx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolitionRx/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VolitionRx The contents found at Volition's website address, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are not incorporated by reference into this document and should not be considered part of this document. The addresses for Volition's website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are included in this document as inactive textual references only. Media / Investor Contacts SOURCE VolitionRx Limited Related Links http://ir.volition.com The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Advertisement An SNP supporter has been left red-faced after confusing aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth with the Queen herself. After Police Scotland warned people about restrictions in place while the HMS Queen Elizabeth was in the area, Kerry Newton took to Twitter to question why the Queen was allowed into Scotland given current coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The Police's tweet read: 'Please be advised that for the duration that the HMS Queen Elizabeth is visiting Glen Mallan, no aircraft are allowed to fly within three nautical miles of the ship and below 6,000ft within the three nautical mile radius.' The HMS Queen Elizabeth, an aircraft carrier, was mistaken for the Queen by a confused Twitter user after Police Scotland warned people in the community of Glenmallan that there were restrictions in place while the ship was in the area Kerry Newton was not alone in mistaking the HMS Queen Elizabeth for the Queen herself but other users were quick to point out her error and assure her the Queen was not breaking lockdown protocol by visiting the west coast of Scotland Not content with the news, Kerry responded: 'Why is the Queen visiting anywhere during the pandemic? 'Can I visit Aberdeen or Cheltenham?' Kerry, who says she is applying for Scottish citizenship in her Twitter bio, was not alone in the mistake with a handful others also asking why the Queen was allowed to break lockdown restrictions. Although the tweet has since been deleted, many were quick to pick up on Kerry's mistake, with the UK defence journal official account asking: 'Are you a 65,000 tonne Royal Navy aircraft carrier?' Another Twitter user pointed out: 'HMS means Her Majesty's Ship. As a military vessel it can go where it likes during Lockdown. The only constraints are that the water is deep enough.' The Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, visited western Scotland for the first time yesterday. The Queen at her home in Windsor speaking to experts and schoolchildren in a virtual event to mark British Science Week The fleet flagship arrived at the new Northern Ammunition Jetty at Glen Mallan, in Loch Long, on Monday as part of final preparations before her first operational deployment. The 3 billion vessel, which was assembled at Rosyth in Fife, has spent the last two weeks at sea testing and trialling her latest equipment. HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of the Royal Navy's fleet to visit the new 64 million facility, built at Glen Mallan by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). Captain Angus Essenhigh, HMS Queen Elizabeth Commanding Officer, said: 'We are very proud of the close connection our ship has with Scotland, especially with our affiliated city of Edinburgh. The 3 bn vessel, which was assembled at Rosyth in Fife, has spent the last two weeks at sea testing and trialling equipment 'HMS Queen Elizabeth embodies the best of British engineering and craftsmanship, including Scottish shipbuilding, and it is a privilege to return to her birthplace of Scotland.' This is the first time HMS Queen Elizabeth has visited western Scotland, after she became a familiar sight in the Firth of Forth where she was assembled. She berthed at the jetty for a routine loading of operational stores. HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to sail for Portsmouth at the end of the month, and will deploy to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and East Asia later this year, as part of the UKs Carrier Strike Group. The 65,000 tonne carrier is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft and is primarily used to launch F35 strike aircraft. HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth Best described as: Aircraft carrier Born: 2014 Base of operations: Portsmouth Cost: 3 billion Firepower: Anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence system Can carry up to 40 F35 fighter planes Fitted with small calibre automated weapons Motto: Semper Eadem (Always the same) Advertisement Elections are not just about voting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, noting that even Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi used to have elections, "Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi used to have elections and used to win them. It wasn't like there was no voting but there was no institutional framework to protect that vote. "An election is not simply people going and pressing a button on a voting machine. An election is about narrative. An election is about institutions that make sure that the framework in the country is operating properly, an election is about the judiciary being fair and a debate taking place in parliament. So you need those things for a vote to count," he said in a conversation with Prof Ashutosh Varshney of Brown University on the "Democracy And Dialogue". On criticism of India by certain foreign groups and institutions, Rahul Gandhi said: "We don't need foreign institutions to certify this... they have their views and frankly we don't need a stamp from them. But what they saying is correct, the situation is much worst than they imagine." He alleged that be it the parliament, judiciary or the media, there is a constant onslaught on the institutions by the current government. On the 'G-23' letter and subsequent meeting of the 'dissident' leaders in Jammu, Rahul Gandhi said that it is because that Congress has internal democracy, they can speak. "There is a group of about 20 people in the Congress who have different views but do you think they can exist in the BJP, the BSP or the TMC... No, they cannot exist in any other party except the Congress," he said. "Neither the BJP nor the BSP or any other political parties have elections but I understand that the Congress has a bigger responsibility, and we should absolutely have elections and absolutely elect our leaders." He also said that his biggest problem with the BJP and the RSS is that they have no capacity to look inside themselves. He also said that he is being attacked by the BJP "despite nobody from my family being a Prime Minister from the last 30 years but there is an obsession that somehow we are in power". On his defeat in 2019, he said massive polarisation in north India with total financial and social dominance could be some of the reasons. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday stressed Bahrains sustained drive to achieve economic diversification, by focusing on smart technology-driven sectors in particular. During yesterdays remote meeting with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, HM the King stressed commitment to support projects which would help boost the volume of joint trade exchange with Brazil, which stood at $902 million, consisting mainly of iron, steel and oil. We look forward to continuous growth in the commercial partnership between our two countries. We have directed the relevant economic authorities to discuss commercial opportunities with their counterparts in Brazil, he said. HM the King said that the Brazilian trade delegation to Bahrain would provide a propitious occasion to explore investment opportunities. He commended President Bolsonaros efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic which took a devastating toll on the global economy. We are convinced that boosting the volume of trade exchange between us will help support a strong economic recovery, he said, adding that Bahrain is looking forward to the opening of the Brazilian Embassy in Manama. HM the King said that he had directed competent authorities to expedite the operation, to reflect strong diplomatic relations between the two countries. He announced that Bahrain would soon appoint an ambassador to Brazil, looking forward to the official opening of Bahrains embassy in Brasilia as soon as possible. He welcomed the signing of a joint defence cooperation agreement to consolidate consultation across all fields of common concern. He noted the participation of Brazilian Navy servicemen in the coalition forces based in the Kingdom of Bahrain, extending an invitation to President Brasilia to visit Bahrain, adding that he would be received warmly given the appreciation that Brazil and its people enjoy from the people of Bahrain. President Bolsonaro also congratulated HM the King on the signing of the Abraham Accords with Israel, which represents a message of peace from HM the King to the world. He underscored the importance of strengthening political, economic, industrial and agricultural relations and developing ties in the sector of food security. President Bolsonaro said that his country would send delegations to the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss ways of consolidating cooperation across all fields. He said that he is looking forward to meeting HM the King soon, wishing such meetings to continue. He also extended thanks to HM the King for inviting him to visit Bahrain, wishing the Kingdom and its people further progress and prosperity. In attendance were Royal Court Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani. Sorry! This content is not available in your region 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. Jacksonville Police THEFTS, BURGLARIES A debit card that was inside a wallet lost Friday was used to make a purchase at a Jacksonville convenience store, according to a report filed at 3:31 p.m. Sunday. VANDALISM Several vehicles were shot with a paintball gun about 6:48 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of North Westgate Avenue. Police were able to clean off the paint and did not see any permanent damage, according to a report. OTHER REPORTS A caller reported a man walking up and down the street and making bird noises about 5:43 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Caldwell Street. Police could not find the man. Jersey County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Tyler A. Welch, 27, homeless, was arrested Wednesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Chad A. McAdams, 41, of Jerseyville was arrested March 9 on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of controlled substance. Bethany N. Vahle, 41, homeless, was arrested March 8 on charges of possession of methamphetamine and violation of an order of protection. Brian C. Ernst, 50, of Dow was arrested March 8 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine. Pike County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Kevin J. Martin, 49, of Griggsville was arrested at 12:16 a.m. March 8 on a domestic battery charge. John Martin, 27, of Griggsville was arrested at 12:46 a.m. March 8 on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated vehicle theft conspiracy and contempt of court. Jordan A. Clendenny, 26, of Meredosia was arrested at 10:52 p.m. Saturday on a petition to revoke. Anthony M. Westemeyer, 33, of Nebo was arrested at 8:47 p.m. Thursday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended and on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court. Pittsfield Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Brianna L. Higgins, 24, of Griggsville was arrested at 8:31 a.m. Sunday on a charge of possession of methamphetamine and on a warrant accusing her of failing to appear in court. Devin M. Doran, 36, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested at 2:28 p.m. March 8 on charge of possession of methamphetamine. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer Liam Cooper and Georgia Fairweather only tied the knot on Monday night's episode of Married At First Sight. But the couple's first breakfast TV appearance has sparked rumours they've called it quits since exchanging vows. The pair appeared live on Today Extra on Tuesday morning, but they both Zoomed in from different states, which suggests they're not living together. Apart: Married At First Sight intruder couple Liam Cooper (pictured) and Georgia Fairweather sparked split rumours on Tuesday while speaking to Today Extra from different states Despite the fact they both hail from Queensland, prison case officer Liam, 29, was speaking from the Southern Highlands in New South Wales. Meanwhile, model Georgia, 25, was broadcasting from Nine's Brisbane studio. The couple spoke to Today Extra hosts David Campbell and Belinda Russell about how Liam had addressed his bisexuality in front of the guests at their reception. Hmm! Despite the fact they both hail from Queensland, Liam, 29, was speaking from the Southern Highlands. Meanwhile, Georgia, 25, was broadcasting from Nine's Brisbane studio Liam said he wished he hadn't disclosed his sexuality in such a public setting. 'Now looking back at it I wish I would've been able to talk to Georgia - just me and her - instead of having the whole group to come out that way,' he said. 'I'm a big believer in we shouldn't have to have labels. Heterosexual people don't have to come out so why do anyone from the LGBTIQ community have to come out?' Coming out: The couple spoke to Today Extra hosts David Campbell and Belinda Russell about how Liam had addressed his bisexuality in front of guests at their reception Bad timing: Liam said he wished he hadn't disclosed his sexuality in such a public setting At one stage, Georgia, who loves the colour pink, was asked how the couple would decorate their home if they 'last' in the experiment. 'I'm happy for Georgia to have a pink room and she can hang out in there, but I feel like the whole house should not be pink,' Liam said. Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES CALGARY, Alberta, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CEMATRIX Corporation (TSXV: CVX) (CEMATRIX or the Company) is pleased to announce that further to the press release dated March 3, 2021 which announced the upsizing of the public offering and filing of the amended and restated preliminary short form prospectus, it has filed a final short form prospectus (the Prospectus) with the securities regulatory authorities in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, in connection with a marketed public offering (the Offering) of units (the Units) of the Company at a price of $0.65 per Unit. The Offering is being conducted on a commercially reasonable efforts agency basis by a syndicate of agents led by Gravitas Securities Inc. and Clarus Securities Inc., as co-lead agents and bookrunners, on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the Agents). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each a Common Share) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant will be exercisable for one Common Share at a price of $0.81, for a period of 24 months following closing of the Offering. The closing of the Offering is anticipated to occur on March 18, 2021 or such other date as the Company and the Agents may agree. Closing of the Offering is subject to customary closing conditions, including, but not limited to, the execution of an agency agreement and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the securities regulatory authorities and the TSX Venture Exchange. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to fund future acquisitions, new equipment and personnel to support regional expansion, and general working capital including repayment of debt. The Units to be issued under the Offering will be offered by way of short form prospectus in each of Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia and such other jurisdictions as the Company and the Agents may agree, pursuant to National Instrument 44-101 Short Form Prospectus Distributions. A copy of the Prospectus is available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com or by request to Gravitas Securities Inc. at syndication@gravitassecurities.com or Clarus Securities Inc. at nmonjes@clarussecurities.com . The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the 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 State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. ABOUT CEMATRIX CEMATRIX is a rapidly growing, cash flow positive company that manufactures and supplies technologically advanced cellular concrete products developed from proprietary formulations across North America. This unique cement-based material with superior thermal protection delivers cost-effective, innovative solutions to a broad range of problems facing the infrastructure, industrial (including oil and gas) and commercial markets. Through recent acquisitions of Chicago based MixOnSite and Bellingham based Pacific International Grout, CEMATRIX is now North Americas largest Cellular Concrete company. For more information please visit our website at www.cematrix.com . CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as plans, expects, estimates, intends, anticipates, believes or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might, will be taken, occur or be achieved. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions regarding the terms, timing and potential completion of the Offering, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and the Companys anticipated use of the net proceeds of the Offering. Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither 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 further information, please contact: Jeff Kendrick - President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (403) 219-0484 Glen Akselrod President, Bristol Capital Phone: (905) 326 1888 ext 1 glen@bristolir.com Jeff Walker, The Howard Group Investor Relations Phone: (888) 221-0915 or (403) 221-0915 jeff@howardgroupinc.com The Governor said the capital expenditure since the inception of the state stood at Rs 2.3 lakh crore against the capital expenditure spent in Telangana region in the united Andhra Pradesh at Rs 54,052 crore. By arrangement Hyderabad: Despite the financial crisis in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the shape of the state's economy remained under control, said Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan while addressing a joint sitting of the budget session of the State Legislature on Monday. The Governor said the state had evolved a strategy and ensured that the economy did not go out of control during the difficult Covid times. Several innovative programmes and schemes were introduced by the government led by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to place the state firmly on the path of progress. Telangana state is marching ahead with development in all sectors besides ensuring welfare to all sections of society. It is now stepping into another financial year with confidence, she noted. The Governor pointed out that the proof of Telangana emerging as a progressive and developed state is in its positioning as the third best on the UN-inspired Sustainable Development Goals India Index as adjudged by Niti Aayog. "Fully aware of Telanganas needs on various fronts, the state developed its own growth model by keeping the individual at the centre of all governmental schemes and finding solutions to their problems. It formulated plans based on available resources and needs. From 2014 to 2019, with a 17.24 per cent annual growth rate, the state increased its revenues and topped the country on this count, the governor said. In 2013-2014, the states GSDP was Rs 4,51,580 crore and by 2019-20, it increased by 114.71 per cent with the GSDP put at Rs 9,69,604 crore. Similarly, in 2013-14, the per capita income in Telangana was Rs 1,12,162, but by 2019-20, it has more than doubled to Rs 2,28,216," the Governor stated. The estimated per capita income in 2020-21 would be Rs 2,27,145 and the estimated GSDP would be Rs 9,78,373 crore. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) will launch an urgent appeal against the North Gauteng High Courts decision to grant Telkom and Etv an interdict against the high demand spectrum auction. ICASA said its Council had taken legal advice and resolved to pursue an expedited appeal against the decision, which may include directly petitioning the Constitutional Court. We are of the view and have been accordingly advised that there are good grounds for an appeal on this particular matter. Hence we are going ahead with such an appeal, said ICASA Chairperson Keabetswe Modimoeng. ICASA said it was mindful that the legal process may not be the only option to resolve the matter. As such, the Authority is also exploring entering into settlement discussions with active litigants in this matter whilst the legal processes are unfolding, it stated. However, Modimoeng said that ICASA will not be entering into any mediation process, as was previously called for by the Internet Providers Association of South Africa (ISPA) and the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies. The ICASA Council added it was of the utmost importance that the spectrum be licensed and that all avenues be pursued to avoid further delays in the process. Concern over analogue TV signals The auction of high demand spectrum was originally set to take place at the end of March 2021 but was delayed due to the interdict being granted. The companies asked the court to stop the spectrum auction from going ahead until their case concerning the assignment of spectrum in the 700MHz 800MHz band can be heard. According to Telkom and Etv, this spectrum cannot be allocated until South Africas digital migration process is completed, as this spectrum is used for analogue TV broadcasting. While Telkom wants digital migration to be completed by 30 June 2021, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has laid out a timeline that showed that this may only be done by March 2022. If Telkom and Etv are successful in their litigation but the deadline for digital migration remains unchanged, the allocation of the 700MHz and 800MHz spectrum, which is a crucial part of the spectrum set to be auctioned, will likely only take place after March next 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. Local leaders said during a press conference on Monday that they were blindsided by the federal governments decision to open a facility in Midland County for about 700 unaccompanied child migrants. We literally knew nothing until, for me it was early Sunday morning, Mayor Patrick Payton said during a press briefing at the Bush Convention Center. Its the strangest, most backward, disrespectful thing I think Ive seen in a long time. About 240 minors arrived at the Cotton Logistics man camp Sunday night and 700 total are expected to be transported to the facility, according to County Judge Terry Johnson. Payton said the children who will be at the man camp are boys between the ages of 13 and 17. Some of the boys have tested positive for COVID-19 and are being transported on separate buses from the other children, Payton said. He said if any of the minors need medical attention beyond first aid it will fall upon our hospital. Officials said they were told it will be a two-week process to send the minors to relatives living in the U.S., but they expected the facility will be open for several months. Representatives for Cotton Logistics said they signed a 90-day lease to the federal government with options for extensions, according to Johnson. The federal government will build a 10-foot security fence around the encampment, Johnson said. Midland County Sheriff David Criner said they would be increasing patrols in the area near the man camp. We can assure you that Midland County and its citizens will be protected in this crisis, he said. Criner said they were in the dark about migrants being transported to the county until the minors were about to arrive. He said the Sheriffs Office spoke with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Sunday but were not given any additional information about the situation. DHS and HHS will be responsible for security at the facility, officials said. Criner said theyve heard speculation that some residents may protest at the man camp but there have not been any protests yet. Payton asked residents to make their voices heard at the federal level by contacting their representatives and refrain from protesting at the facility. He said the minors are victims of whats going on around them and pawns, and some are being used by human traffickers. The kids are innocent in this, but the federal government is not, so lets make sure our protests and our voices are directed where they need to be, he said. The new interim government has been sworn in to lead the North African nation until elections later this year, in the first peaceful transition of power since 2012. Video Transcript [SPEAKING IN ARABIC] CHARLES STRATFORD: Libya's new interim government has been sworn in, a sign of hope for a nation that's suffered years of conflict. But the challenges ahead are immense. [WEAPON FIRING] Libya descended into chaos a decade ago, when a NATO-backed uprising overthrew and killed its leader, Muammar Gaddafi. [PEOPLE YELLING] [CROWD CHANTING] The revolution worsened, and deep tribal rivalries paved the way for the rise of Al Qaeda and ISIL, and resulted in geopolitical battles between countries including Turkey, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, all competing for influence and power in this strategically important and oil-rich country on the Mediterranean Sea. The new Unity administration, led by interim prime minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah, is expected to replace the UN-recognized Government of National Accord based in Tripoli and a parallel administration in the East controlled by the warlord Khalifa Haftar. Fighting intensified in April 2019, when Haftar's forces, which include various foreign militia groups supported by Russian mercenaries, launched a full-scale offensive on Tripoli. In June last year, the United States Africa Command said there were around 2,000 Russian mercenaries fighting alongside Haftar's men, many of them working for a company called the Wagner Group, which is owned by a close friend of Russian president Vladimir Putin. The UN Security Council has called on the estimated tens of thousands of foreign fighters, including those who have fought on behalf of the UN-backed government, to leave Libya without delay. - Unless you have a subservient, neutral military, there is no guarantees that just because you have elections in December that you will achieve democracy. Having a neutral, subservient military is going to be probably the hardest challenge for this next government. Story continues CHARLES STRATFORD: Another challenge will be reaching broad acceptance among all parties about Turkey's role and ambitions in Libya. Turkey has been training military units loyal to the Tripoli-based government in order to fend off attacks by Haftar's forces. Many foreign powers say Turkey sent Syrian fighters to help defend the capital. Turkey has always denied this. Ankara signed a security cooperation and maritime border agreement with the UN-backed government in Tripoli in November 2019. The new interim administration has already defended that partnership, saying it was in the interests of all Libya The deal will potentially give turkey access to disputed gas fields in the Mediterranean. While foreign powers continue to jostle for influence, Libya's seven million people continue to suffer under desperate economic conditions, unemployment, and corruption. The new interim government has promised to better tackle the spread of COVID-19. It says 300,000 vaccines will be imported in the coming weeks, and wearing masks will be mandatory. Libya has so far confirmed more than 140,000 cases, including more than 2,300 fatalities, but the real figure is believed to be much higher. The country also remains vulnerable to attacks from Al Qaeda and ISIL that have taken advantage of the security vacuum since the fall of Gaddafi in 2011. Elections are scheduled on December 24, but after so many years of chaos and bloodshed, and so many foreign players involved, ensuring the guns stay silent until that date will be a challenge in itself. Charles Stratford, Al Jazeera. Bloodied, unbowed and maybe doomed? Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images In the last few days, anyone paying attention to officials from his own party and media observers would have figured that Governor Andrew Cuomos political career would be finished pretty soon, concluding with a coerced resignation or a threatened impeachment. The crisis associated with a steadily growing number of reports of sexual harassment and misconduct by Cuomo (occurring on the heels of questions about his one-lauded handling of the COVID-19 pandemic) has quickly escalated from scattered reports to a scandal to an urgent matter of sanctions, made more inescapable by the mans refusal to admit wrongdoing and his famously combative and abrasive personality. But initial public opinion research on the reaction of New Yorkers to the firestorm threatening to consume Cuomo shows stronger support for (or perhaps tolerance of) his conduct than is evident among elites. A new Siena College poll of registered voters taken on March 8-12 shows voters by a margin of 50% to 35% believe Cuomo should not resign immediately. A similar margin, 48% to 34%, believe the governor can effectively continue his job as governor. Among the rank-and-file Democrats who are the constituents of so many elected officials (including most of Democrats in the states congressional delegation) calling for Cuomos resignation, resistance to the idea of kicking him to the curb is particularly high: 61 percent of self-identified Democrats and 69 percent of Black voters oppose his resignation. So is Cuomos apparent intention to tough it out and stay in office well-founded? Not necessarily. The same poll that shows half of voters opposing a Cuomo resignation show his job approval rating dropping to 43 percent from 56 percent a month ago. And only 34 percent of respondents are inclined to support Cuomo in a potential bid for a fourth term in 2022. There is also a good probability that support for the governor will erode once the details of the allegations against him are better known (or if more emerge). The Siena poll shows 35 percent of New Yorkers believe Cuomo is guilty of sexual harassment (25 percent do not, with the rest unsure), and that 57 percent are currently satisfied with how hes addressed the allegations. Its entirely possible that when the public at large becomes as thoroughly familiar with the details of the allegations as are the pols who are responsible for dealing with them, Cuomos public support, particularly among Democrats, may curdle. There is some historical evidence for the idea of a lag time before scandals fully persuade the electorate of their truth and salience. As FiveThirtyEight observed in a look back at the Watergate scandal. support for Richard Nixons impeachment or resignation was very late to develop, despite the many months and years the growing evidence of his misconduct had been in the news. But in the end, of course, Nixons presidency did not survive Watergate. Nor have most other pols engulfed by scandal, even before the #MeToo movement began chipping away at the double standards benefiting political men. In New Yorks most recent analogue, public opinion immediately and decisively turned against Governor Eliot Spitzer in 2008 when credible reports emerged that he had frequented a prostitution service. A Marist poll taken the very next day showed 70 percent of New Yorkers favored his resignation, which occurred within two days of the initial reports. It certainly didnt help that the misconduct involved cut directly against a reputation for personal and professional probity that Spitzer had carefully cultivated in his rise to the governorship. Perhaps, ironically, Cuomo is at least partially benefiting from his very long and unhidden history of abusive (though not sexually abusive) behavior towards anyone who crosses him. Another recent fall from grace for a New York Democratic pol involved Anthony Weiner, who abruptly resigned from Congress in 2011 after a lurid sexting scandal, only to stage what initially looked like a miraculous comeback when he briefly led the New York City mayoral field in 2013. Weiners political career collapsed for good when it was revealed he had continued online sexual misconduct on multiple occasions after his resignation from Congress. Yes, Weiner got (and wasted) a second chance from voters, but his misconduct was more remote from his official duties than the alleged misconduct by Cuomo, and he only got that second chance after resigning his office. How about governors in other states accused of personal misconduct? Nobody gutted it out more thoroughly than South Carolinas Mark Sanford, who faced a major impeachment threat after the 2009 disclosure of his much-ridiculed Appalachian Trial hike that was cover for a trip to Argentina for an extended tryst with the soul mate to whom he was not married. After a tearful confession, Sanford refused to resign, and although he did not face the kind of condemnation Spitzer immediately experienced, polls quickly showed about half of South Carolinians wanted him to leave. Sanford made it to the end of his term (he was term limited), avoiding impeachment in part because the lieutenant governor who would have inherited the office had a lot of intra-party enemies. Sanford, in a development that will always stand as inspiration to politicians caught up in a scandal, made a relatively quick comeback, winning his old U.S. House seat in a 2013 special election, before succumbing to a primary rival in 2018 who exploited GOP anger over his criticism of Donald Trump. Another Republican governor, Alabamas Robert Bentley, also defied demands for his resignation after evidence emerged indicating an extramarital affair with a staff member, even though polls immediately showed his approval ratings dropping into the teens. Impeachment threats didnt bring down the Love Guv, but he was eventually forced to resign over a year after the scandal broke as part of a plea deal when he was charged with using campaign funds to cover up the affair. A slightly more analogous situation to Cuomos occurred in Missouri in early 2018, when Republican Governor Eric Greitens confessed to an affair with his hairdresser, but was eventually charged with invasion of privacy after threatening his paramour with an embarrassing photograph. His polling numbers prior to a coerced June 2018 resignation were closer to Cuomos than were some of the scandalous figures mentioned above: a March survey showed 46 percent of Missouri votes favored his resignation. Other factors in his case, though, sharply distinguished Greitens from Cuomo: Greitens was a freshman governor and self-proclaimed outsider who inspired annoyance and resentment, not fear, among the Republican legislators who basically ran him out of office. There is virtually a statewide Republican political movement at present to keep Greitens from mounting a Senate comeback in 2022. The precedent that might give Cuomo most hope involved Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. who was all but left for dead by political observers when one of two racist photos in a medical school yearbook were attributed to him in early 2019. Northam apologized for the photos (though he later recanted, claiming neither image was his), and the list of prominent Virginia and national Democrats calling for his resignation included both U.S. senators, the state Democratic Party. and several Democratic presidential candidates. Unlike most of the sex scandal perpetrators we have been discussing, Northam did not suffer a collapse in public support: a few weeks into the scandal, a Quinnipiac poll showed a plurality of voters 48 percent to 42 percent opposing his resignation. Given the nature of the allegations against him, it was significant that 56 percent of Black voters wanted him to stay in office. One major reason Northam ultimately wasnt forced by Democrats to resign is that both of the pols next in line for the position had their own problems: Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax was confronted with two allegations of sexual assault, and Attorney General Mark Herring had his own scandal involving a blackface yearbook photo. Unlike Cuomo, Northam was limited to one term as governor. And in the end all the Democratic Partys leadership issues didnt keep them from outstanding performance in the 2018 and 2019 elections in Virginia. So yes, there is theoretically some precedent for Cuomo to believe if he simply refuses to bend to political pressure he will survive if not thrive. But it is precisely his reputation as a man who might become immensely more dangerous if politically wounded if not taken out of circulation altogether that separates him from those who hung on until they could not run for another term, or quit when the prosecutors showed up. The pols who started going on record demanding the governors resignation have put themselves on an enemies list that feckless characters like Sanford or Bentley or Greitens could not have put together, and unlike Northam, a surviving Cuomo would be in a position to pursue them (and perhaps his accusers themselves) to the ends of the earth. NEW DELHI: Amid a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with all chief ministers on Wednesday to discuss the prevailing COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive to contain the pandemic. According to reports, the virtual meeting will be held around 12.30 PM on March 17. The meeting has been called in the wake of a massive surge in coronavirus cases in several states. The Prime Minister, who has been holding regular communication with all the chief ministers of all states/UTs and top health officials since the outbreak of the pandemic, had last interacted with them in January before the launch of the COVID-19 mass vaccination programme. The PM had announced that the Centre will bear the expenses of vaccinating nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first round and suggested that public representatives, a reference to politicians, should not be part of this initial exercise. The mass vaccination drive is now in its second stage in which people over 60 years of age, and those aged above 45 years and having comorbidities are being vaccinated. On Monday, India registered 26,291 cases, a rise of 8,700 active cases. This is also the highest single-day spike in 85 days, taking the countrys infection tally to 1,13,85,339, according to Union Health Ministry data. The number of deaths due to the pandemic increased to 1,58,725 with 118 more fatalities being recorded in 24 hours. As many as 24 states and Union territories reported a rise in active cases, with Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab and Karnataka registering a maximum number of cases at 16,600, 1,800, 1,500 and 934 new cases, respectively. According to the Health Ministry, a rising trajectory of daily new cases is visible in eight states - Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka. There are a total of 2,19,262 active cases in the country which is 1.93 per cent of the total infections in the country, while the recovery rate has dropped to 96.68 per cent, the data stated. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had said negligence towards COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is to be blamed for rising cases of COVID-19, adding that few states account for more than 80 per cent of the cases. The Health Minister also urged people to follow coronavirus appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing despite the availability of a vaccine against the disease. Live TV 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. The apps enhance Contentful's platform for digital builders, enabling improved collaboration and faster time to market SAN FRANCISCO and BERLIN, March 16, 2021, the leading content platform for digital business, today announced the release of Contentful Compose + Launch - two apps that together greatly extend Contentful's native capabilities for content teams. Customers today engage with brands primarily through digital experiences, which means each experience must be delivered quickly and to an incredibly high standard. Meeting these customer expectations across an increasing array of channels requires companies to create, manage and publish more content than ever before. Compose + Launch give brands and their digital teams the power to not only meet this increased demand, but do so with greater efficiency. The apps allow content authors, editors and planners to deliver and adapt content independently, without having to rely on more costly developer resources to accomplish these tasks. Compose + Launch also transform a labor-intensive, manual process into one that is more automated, so teams can create, update, reuse and publish content everywhere - and deliver it faster - across a wide range of channels. Contentful customers and partners who were provided early access to Compose + Launch say the apps are yet another differentiator for the company. "Not only are we a partner of Contentful's, we are also a customer," said Brian Fletcher, VP Technology at Huge . "As a leading global creative agency, we have the chance to work with lots of great platforms and tools, so when it came to building our own site, we had a lot of choices. We chose Contentful to build our own site because it allows our team to push boundaries and not be constrained by technology. Compose in particular allows us to quickly make the changes we want to in a very straightforward way and it has really streamlined our process. We look forward to extending these capabilities to our customers so they too can have access to this intuitive, flexible platform." Other companies have also had early access to Compose + Launch, including European online bank, N26 . Attendees of Blueprints , Contentful's annual customer roadshow this April, will get to see the apps in action and hear first hand from companies that have been using them. Compose + Launch details Compose provides digital content teams with an easy-to-use interface to create, manage and edit web pages in a familiar, page-centric model. The user interface is simple, intuitive and aligns with the way content creators and editors work. Launch enhances the ability of content teams to plan and schedule releases. Content pieces can be viewed together, managed as one project and scheduled to publish in a flexible manner. Teams can easily manage and deliver content as part of large campaigns, such as a Black Friday sale or new product announcements. And campaign managers can use Launch to plan the release of content from a single destination, allowing teams to collaborate better and deliver faster. Compose + Launch make content teams more independent, so they can efficiently adapt and schedule content for delivery across channels. This in turn enables technical teams to spend less time managing content, and more time building and delivering. Ultimately, these apps give each individual in an organization the power to build together more easily, which is vital to success in today's digital environment, according to Contentful CEO Steve Sloan. "Everyone who is involved in delivering digital experiences is a digital builder," said Sloan. "Compose + Launch enable content creators, writers and editors to work alongside developers quickly and independently. These are powerful, extensible tools that boost productivity and speed, so companies can create compelling customer experiences." Compose + Launch are included at no additional cost in Contentful's Enterprise tier; customers in the Team tier can use the apps on all their content spaces for $1,995 a month. About Contentful Contentful, the leading content platform for digital-first business, helps 28% of the Fortune 500 and thousands of brands around the world create and manage digital experiences for their customers across any channel. It enables greater speed and scale than traditional CMS solutions. Contentful unifies content in a single hub, structures it for use in any digital channel, and integrates seamlessly with hundreds of other tools through open APIs. Companies such as Chanel, Bang & Olufsen, Shiseido, Peloton, BP and many others rely on Contentful's platform. For more information, visit https://www.contentful.com/ . Assets Media kit (https://press.contentful.com/media_kits/): contains logos, photos, illustrations and video Media Contact Tanya Carlsson Offleash PR for Contentful contentful@offleashpr.com 707.529.6139 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/144f783a-616f-4282-bcf1-d35ed800d518 Flash China supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers and will work with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's remarks came after China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the African mission area. This is a concrete measure to fulfill China's pledge to make vaccines global public goods, Zhao said, adding that it has fully demonstrated China's support to the UN and multilateralism as well as its concern for the health and safety of peacekeepers. As one of the champions of the safety and security issue under the "Action for Peacekeeping" initiative of the UN secretary-general, China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers, and supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers to protect their health and help them better perform their duties, he said. "China will work closely with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date," said Zhao. Burning factories light up an industrial neighborhood on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, on Monday. Photo: The Paper The Chinese Embassy to Myanmar urged the Southeast Asian countrys government to take effective measures to stop violence and punish attackers after dozens of Chinese-invested factories were vandalized at an industrial zone in the city of Yangon. The embassy confirmed that as of Monday, a total of 32 Chinese-invested companies have been attacked, causing damages worth about 240 million yuan and leaving two Chinese employees injured, according to state media reports in China. Most of the targeted companies are textile and clothing factories, located in the Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone in the northwest of Yangon, the country's largest city and its former capital. China urges Myanmar to take further effective measures to stop all acts of violence, punish the perpetrators in accordance with the law and ensure the safety of life and property of Chinese companies and personnel in Myanmar, the Chinese embassy said in a statement (link in Chinese) Sunday. China also called on the people of Myanmar to express their demands in a lawful manner and not to be incited or used in a way that undermines Sino-Myanmar ties, according to the statement. The attacks occurred on Sunday afternoon when dozens of Chinese clothing factories were smashed and set on fire by an unknown number of individuals at the industrial zone, Chinese media reported. Carrying iron bars, axes and gasoline, the attackers assaulted security guards and set fires at the entrances to several factories and in several warehouses, Chinas national broadcaster CGTN reported. Vehicles and nearby shops were also vandalized. The incidents came amidst the domestic turmoil after Myanmar's military deposed the country's ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) on Feb. 1 and declared a year-long state of emergency. The coup ended joint military-civilian rule in the country. In mid-February, Chinas ambassador to Myanmar, Chen Hai, said in an interview with local media that political turbulence in the country is not at all what the Chinese side wishes to see, adding that Beijing has friendly relations with both Myanmars armed forces and the NLD. Some demonstrations outside the Chinese embassy in Yangon appeared to be fueled by claims that Beijing is helping the military regime. We understand (the protestors) calls, and our work pushing for peace and dialogue reflects their legitimate demands, Chen said. Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said Monday during a press conference in Beijing: We hope parties in Myanmar will remain calm, exercise restraint, act in the fundamental interests of the people, strive to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation within the constitutional and legal framework, and continue to advance democratic transition. Zhao explicitly declined to respond to a question about whether China would evacuate Chinese nationals that reside in its Southeast Asian neighbor. He only said the Myanmar side should protect Chinese citizens and warned Chinese nationals about safety, but didnt directly answer the question. Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Follow the Chinese markets in real time with Caixin Globals new stock database. SACRAMENTO Some potential Republican candidates hoping to oust Gov. Gavin Newsom arent just rooting for a recall to qualify for the ballot theyre opening their wallets to fund the effort. A few of the largest contributors writing five-figure checks could wind up being replacement candidates in a recall vote. Tops among them is John Cox, the Republican millionaire defeated by Newsom in the 2018 election, who has contributed $60,000 to the recall. He gave $50,000 in October, when the effort lacked its current momentum, and an additional $10,000 this month. I did it the earliest of anybody, Cox said of his fellow Republican contenders for governor. Im doing this for the people of California, including my own children. Im going to do whatever it takes to turn around this state. He said he decided to help fund the recall last summer as blackouts and a record-breaking wildfire season plagued the state. Cox said Newsoms rhetoric about climate change glossed over the situation because the state was in crisis and is still in crisis. Cox, a tax attorney and real estate investor in the San Diego area, already has declared his candidacy in both the 2022 election and in a recall, should the effort qualify. He spent nearly $6 million of his fortune on his 2018 campaign and has already pledged to spend $2 million on another attempt. But Cox is expected to face several Republican opponents in whats likely to be a crowded recall field. Another potential contender, state Assembly Member Kevin Kiley of Rocklin (Placer County), has contributed $10,984 to the recall from his campaign account. Kiley has been at the forefront of the movement for months and even wrote a book, Recall Newsom: The Case Against Americas Most Corrupt Governor. He gave the bulk of his contribution, $10,000, to the recall in February. I was just kind of inspired to do whatever I could ... in helping them get across the finish line, Kiley said. Its just an amazing level of citizen activity that is brimming. While Kiley said he doesnt plan to run, his name has been mentioned in Republican circles, particularly after he helped lead a lawsuit challenging the governor over his executive orders that created pandemic-era shutdowns. You never say never in politics, but it is certainly not my current intention, Kiley said of running against Newsom. Organizers must submit about 1.5 million valid signatures of registered voters by Wednesday to qualify the recall for the ballot. They say they have collected more than 2.1 million total signatures. Newsom has called the recall a Republican power grab. On Monday, he launched a campaign to oppose the effort, boosted by a $350,000 infusion from the California Democratic Party, including a $100,000 in-kind contribution. Dan Newman, consultant for Newsoms planned re-election campaign, said challengers backing the recall are a collection of far-right Republicans who are crawling over each other for Donald Trumps support. The former president has been silent on the recall campaign and has not endorsed a potential replacement candidate, though he did endorse Cox in the 2018 primary, when other Republicans were in the race. Republicans are already squabbling over whom the party might back against Newsom in a recall, infighting that has pitted Cox against other possible candidates. Two additional contenders are former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who launched a campaign for the 2022 election and the pending recall, and Richard Grenell, who held several positions in Trumps administration and has hinted he might run. Neither Faulconer nor Grenell has made any contributions to the two committees leading the recall effort, according to available finance reports. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner Free Syrian Army fighter from the Al-Faruk brigade, center, steps on a portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad - AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File Britain has sanctioned senior members of Bashar al-Assads Syrian government for their role in the persecution and killing of civilians during the countrys ten-year civil war. Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on Monday announced travel bans and asset freezes against six figures he says were complicit in a wholesale assault on the very citizens they should be protecting. The Assad regime has subjected the Syrian people to a decade of brutality for the temerity of demanding peaceful reform, he said in a statement. The targets include Faisal Miqdad, the Syrian foreign minister; Luna Al-Shibl, a media advisor to president Assad; and Yassar Ibrahim, a financier who is accused of using his business empire as a front for the Assad familys personal hold on the Syrian economy. Also sanctioned are Major Generals Malik Aliaa and Zaid Salah, who are both accused of violent repression of the civilian population, and Muhammed Bara al-Qatirji, a businessman alleged to have profited from enabling oil and wheat trading with the Syrian government. The move marks ten years since the start of Syrias civil war, when government forces opened fire on protesters demanding democratic reform in the spring of 2011. Around a half a million people have been killed and 11 million displaced by the fighting since. Injured Syrian women arrive at a field hospital after an air strike hit their homes in the town of Azaz, in 2012 (file photo) - AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File The measures are the UKs first against Syrian figures since Britain adopted an independent sanctions regime after the end of the EU transition period. Sanctions adopted under the EUs sanctions regime, including against Assad and his British wife Asma al-Assad, remain in place. Guernica 37, an international justice chambers, on Friday submitted a confidential filing with the Metropolitan Polices War Crimes Unit to open an investigation against Mrs Assad over allegations of incitement and encouragement to commit acts of terrorism. Mrs Assad, a former investment banker who was born in London, could face an international arrest warrant if officers determine there is sufficient evidence to warrant a full investigation. Story continues The new sanctions come as Russian human rights lawyers demand a criminal investigation into the alleged torture and murder of a Syrian civilian by members of a Kremlin-linked private military company fighting on the side of Assads government. Syrian fighters of "The Beloved of Allah," brigade seen before fighting with government forces on the outskirts of Aleppo in 2012 - AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File A complaint on behalf of the brother of the victim was filed with Russias Investigative Committee, the countrys rough equivalent of the FBI, last week, three NGOs representing the family said on Monday. The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Russias Memorial Human Rights Centre described it as the first-ever case that seeks to hold the Russian state accountable for atrocities perpetrated by its hired hands. The man, identified as Mohamad A, was last seen in a gruesome video shot in June 2017 and obtained by Russias Novaya Gazeta newspaper which showed four Russian-speaking men pounding him with a sledgehammer and chopping at his body with knives and shovels. They later set his body on fire. Novaya Gazeta in 2019 identified the Russians as mercenaries from the Wagner group, a shadowy company linked to Yevgenny Prigozhin, a Russian businessman known as Putins chef for his close ties to the Kremlin. Clemence Bectarte, coordinator of FIDHs litigation team, said in a statement that the three NGOs worked for months to gather sufficient evidence to press their case. We will also continue to work through all available judicial avenues until justice is achieved, she said. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told reporters on Monday that he was aware of the complaint but said that it was up to the investigators, not the Kremlin, to look into it. Independent reporting by Russian and international media suggests that Wagner mercenaries have been operating in Syria with the full knowledge and blessing of Russias Defence Ministry. The Russian government has denied any links to Wagner. The Kremlin has previously described the video as shocking but insisted that it had no idea who the killers were. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. John Wren John Wren and the Omnicom executive team are collecting employee feedback for input on the return to the workplace, in some fashion or form, following widespread distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Though there are bound to be new work structures in place, we are thrilled at the possibility of being back together again in our offices, connecting in the safest way possible, he wrote in a March 11 internal memo. While Wren is eager to get the gang back together again, a survey from the Partnership for New York City found that less than half (45 percent) of Manhattan employees expect to return to their offices by September. Fifty-six percent of employees expect to work remotely at least part of the time. Currently, only ten percent of Manhattan office workers are back. The Partnerships survey found that large employers are bringing their staffs back to work at a slower pace than smaller companies. A fifth of workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees have returned to work, but only eight percent are back on the job at companies with more than 1,000 workers. Two-thirds of employers expect to adopt hybrid work models and 22 percent of companies will require workers to return to the office full time. Wren promised staffers there will be lasting behavioral changes in the way we work, with our teams remaining more flexible, nimble and collaborative. He vowed that nobody will be forced to go back to the office unless he or she is comfortable in doing so. Wren should take a trip to the Sunshine State. The folks at Omnicoms Zimmerman Agency in Fort Lauderdale allege that management is forcing them to return to the office. The reason: management blames the loss of the Party City and La-Z-Boy accounts on remote work. While there is no explicit mandate to get back to work, Zimmerman staffers told Insider that management highly recommends that they do so. Congress must do something to save trustworthy journalism before it is lost forever, said Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), chair of the House antitrust subcommittee. He backs the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act that would exempt news organizations from antitrust laws so they can join to negotiate compensation from Facebook, Google and other platforms. More than 2,100 newspapers died from 2004 to 2019. The NewsGuild-CWA says another 60 have closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cicilline said the bloodbath among legacy news companies also impacts digital publishers. He noted that the Huffington Post recently laid off dozens of journalists due to declining ad revenues. These layoffs occur at a time when more people are online than ever before, and online readership is at an all-time high, he said on March 12. Citing Pew Research, the Congressman noted that three-quarters of Americans get their news online, through either Facebook or Google. That gatekeeper power gives Facebook and Google the ability to distort the flow of information online. This means that Google and Facebook can divert their billions of users away from trustworthy sources of news with a single change to their algorithms, or through other subtle but meaningful ways, such as manipulating ad auction, he said. Cicillini blamed Congressional inaction and lax enforcement for triggering the waves of media consolidation and layoffs. Noting the Jan. 6 mob attack on the Capitol, he said: Our country will not survive if we do not operate with a set of shared facts, if corruption is not exposed and rooted out at all levels of government, and if power is not held to account. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote in 1927, those who won our independence believed that public discussion is a political duty, that the greatest threat to freedom is an uninformed citizenry, and that the freedom of thought and speech are indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth. This is the very reason the press is called the Fourth Estate. Whether it is an online publisher, national newspaper, or local broadcaster, we cannot have a democracy without a free and diverse press. Hats off to free press warrior, David Cicilline. Work is ongoing, and so far the edges of Kasiya have yet to be defined Just how big could the Kasiya rutile project in Malawi turn out to be? The answer is: very big, if the preliminary work undertaken by its discoverer, ( ), is anything to go by. A maiden resource for Kasiya is due in the next quarter, and right off the bat the numbers are expected to run into the hundreds of millions of tonnes. But Sovereigns managing director Dr Julian Stephens says that that will just be the start. We believe weve found a new rutile province, he says. Rutile mineralisation has been defined by drilling over an area of 66 square kilometres and this is expected to keep growing as more drill results are received. We believe it will be one of the biggest, and eventually potentially the biggest, rutile deposit in the world. Thats quite a claim to make, and hasnt yet been backed up by any hard numbers yet, but two things are worth noting at this stage. The first is that although the maiden resource is on the way, drilling hasnt stopped. Indeed, it isnt going to stop, says Stephens, until the edges of Kasiya are located. And they havent been yet. The other is the quality of the samples that have been returned by the drilling. Highlights from the most recent set of drill results include 13 metres at 1.47% rutile, seven metres at 1.28% rutile and 12 metres at 1.24%. Within these intercepts, in turn, are higher grade sections of up to 2% rutile, and these almost always occur directly at surface. And its not just the grades. Metallurgical work to date has shown word-class results. Weve done a substantial amount of metallurgical work to make sure we can produce a good specification product, says Stephens. We produced a premium product at 96% TiO2 with very high recovery rates. So, so far the stars are all aligning very nicely for Sovereign. The most recent drilling represented the completion of initial drilling in a core 30square kilometre central area, and allowed Sovereigns official statements to talk boldly of its ambition to delineate a large rutile resource that could support a long-life, large-scale rutile mining operation. In that sense, its a simple enough story: a high grade, large-scale, shallow resource that on a first pass looks like it could be mined at significant margin. A scoping study due in the third quarter will give further insight on this. But theres more to it than pure economics. Stephens is keen to point out the quality of rutile itself, over and above other titanium mineral products like ilmenite. Ilmenite, he says, requires substantial upgrading to make it acceptable to the pigment markets into which both rutile and ilmenite get sold. But as well as adding extra cost that upgrading is hugely carbon-intensive. A rutile deposit of the potential size and scale that Kasiya offers could deliver structural change in the pigment feedstock market as a whole, to the point where Sovereign becomes a significant player. But Sovereign wont be the only winner. Its significant that the government of Malawi, which doesnt play host to too many mining companies, has been highly supportive. Theres an understanding in the corridors of power there that a project like Kasiya is likely to deliver significant potential tax revenue as well as employment and wider economic benefits. For its part, Sovereign is only too well aware of its ESG responsibilities. In certain areas, indeed, there are a number of small villages on top of the Kasiya deposit. But, says Stephens, thats never likely to become an issue because the overall deposit is so vast, and likely to grow further, so the company can just go around the areas where people live. We just wont need those tonnes, he says. Whats more, with a project like this, the after-effects of the mining can be kept to a minimum. The company simply extracts the sands and returns the land to its former state. Theres unlikely to be any toxicity here, as no chemicals are used in the processing locals will be able to farm on top of previously mined ground, assuming that is they arent off using their newly-earned geological or other technical skills on other projects in the wider region. Which in turn brings us to Sovereigns second operation in Malawi, the Malingunde graphite project. This has taken something of a backseat, given the breakneck speed with which the company has moved Kasiya forwards, but now that the wheels have been well and set turning towards the scoping study, some attention can be paid to the graphite too. Were starting to re-invigorate the graphite project, says Stephens. Weve re-started work and are looking at the completion of the environmental and social impact study. Some more detailed testwork on the graphite material is also planned in regard to producing spherical graphite products suitable for lithium-ion batteries for the electric sector. So, all in all, Sovereign Metals looks to be a company on the move. Its primary rutile asset could end up being a world-beater, and its being advanced at an extremely rapid rate. No wonder, then, that the shares are trading at roughly four times the level they were at a year ago. But on this showing, there could be plenty more to come. We have an impressive team in a fast-growing industry, so we look forward to continued momentum and success, said Jayson Waller, POWERHOME SOLAR CEO. Inc. magazine today revealed that POWERHOME SOLAR is No. 23 on its 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Midwest economys most dynamic segment its independent small businesses. We are proud and humbled of this accomplishment and to be recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies, said Jayson Waller, POWERHOME SOLAR CEO. We have an impressive team in a fast-growing industry, so we look forward to continued momentum and success. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in the 12 Midwest states. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 199 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 43,000 people and added more than $11 billion to the Midwest economy. Companies based in the Chicago, Detroit, and Cincinnati areas brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/midwest starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in Midwest states no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. POWERHOME SOLAR is an energy efficiency company that provides high-quality American-made solar panels as part of a complete energy-savings package for residential customers. The company launched in 2014 in Mooresville, N.C., and today has more than 1,700 employees, including a commercial division. Operating in 12 states, it is ranked No. 255 on the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America the third time in four years that the company has made the top 300 of this prestigious list. For more information, visit http://www.powerhome.com. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. SAN ANTONIO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark the 20th anniversary of the event that sparked the museum's creation, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is expanding its signature exhibition and sale to a hybrid format. One of the premier Western Art events in the world is now in-person and online, allowing everyone to view and participate in the museum's Night of Artists 2021 Exhibition and Sale. Night of Artists includes the viewing and sale of more than 250 new works of painting, sculpture and mixed media by 75 of today's leading contemporary Western artists. Logan Maxwell Hagege, "Somewhere Free", oil, 24" x 36", one of 250 works from 75 of today's top Western Artists featured in the Briscoe Western Art Museum's 20th Anniversary Night of Artists Exhibition and Sale. "Somewhere Free" is part of the Grand Live Auction, 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. March 27, which features in-person, online and mobile app bidding in the livestreamed event. Open now, the Online Art Auction includes 242 works available through 10 p.m. March 27. Registration in both auctions is free. Featured artists include Logan Maxwell Hagege, Martin Grelle, Billy Schenck, Mark Maggiori, Kim Wiggins, George Hallmark, Michael Ome Untiedt, Teresa Elliott, Paul Rhymer, Stefan Savides, Mary Ross Ruchholz and C. Michael Dudash. Open now, the Night of Artists Online Art Auction concludes 10 p.m. March 27 during the Exhibition Opening Celebration featuring the Grand Live Auction 7:30 8:45 p.m. The live auction includes in-person, online and mobile app bidding (Apple and Android) and will be livestreamed. Bid registration for the online and live auctions is free and everyone can enjoy livestream. Night of Artists continues as a public exhibition and sale March 28 May 9 at the Briscoe and online. "Expanding the event online provides a larger platform to showcase the beauty and impact of the rich stories illustrated through Western art. We look forward to sharing it with everyone," said Michael Duchemin, President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Night of Artists serves as the primary fundraiser for the museum, benefiting the Briscoe's full array of exhibitions and educational programs throughout the year. Opening March 28, the Fixed-Price Sale features works not previously sold through auction. Available at a price set by the artist, these limited remaining works may be purchased online or in person. About The Briscoe Western Art Museum: Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West, #theweststartshere at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Located on the San Antonio River Walk and named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum features engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the West's rich traditions and shared heritage. Follow the Briscoe on social media, @BriscoeMuseum. Media Contacts: Meredith Balzen ([email protected]) 210.842.1003 Valerie Grant ([email protected]) 210.410.9898 SOURCE Briscoe Western Art Museum Related Links https://www.briscoemuseum.org SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pulse oximeter market size is expected to reach USD 3.4 billion by 2028, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2021 to 2028. Technological advancements in products, growing healthcare costs, and readmission, and increasing adoption of pulse oximetry devices are expected to boost market growth during the forecast period. Market players are introducing devices that are more efficient and support telehealth approaches. For instance, in February 2017, the company received a CE mark for Rad-97 Pulse CO-Oximeter used to monitor blood pressure at set intervals. It is also capable of transferring the data to a remotely connected device. GVR logo Key suggestions from the report: The fingertip pulse oximetry devices are being used by customers to self-monitor symptoms of COVID-19 contributing to segment growth since the onset of the pandemic In handheld pulse oximetry devices, the probe, which is very delicate and prone to damage, can be replaced, unlike in fingertip oximeters, and is expected to be in high demand due to the advantage of reduced risk of COVID-19 transmission There is an upward trend in the use of the medical device in homecare settings as it enables tracking and storing of patient's oxygen level readings, which reduces the need for hospital readmissions North America held the largest share in the market in 2020 due to factors such as availability of funds for R&D. The sales for fingertip pulse oximetry devices soared in January 2020 and March 2020 in the U.S. post the country-wide spread of the novel coronavirus and release of the WHO guidelines citing the oximeter as an essential device for monitoring blood oxygen during self-management In Asia Pacific, the demand for medical devices has increased from hospitals for monitoring critically ill COVID-19 patients. As the spread of the novel coronavirus has progressed significantly, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has notified all healthcare facilities to make necessary arrangements for devices used in diagnostics, treatment, and management of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) The industry is also witnessing mergers, acquisitions, and licensing agreements. For instance, in December 2016, Nihon Kohden announced an absorption-type merger of 11 wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries to improve management and efficiency of operations Read 80 page research report with ToC on "Pulse Oximeter Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Fingertip, Handheld), By End-use (Hospitals & Other Healthcare Facilities, Homecare), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pulse-oximeter-market Story continues There are various other types of oximeters such as wrist-worn oximeters, bedside, or desktop oximeters, and mobile phone pulse oximeters, the latest addition. These oximetry devices are equipped with a sensor that is compatible with the software installed in a user's mobile phone, which analyzes data to display information. For instance, iHealth Labs, a subsidiary of a China-based company, Andon Health, offers such products. In October 2013, the company received FDA approval for its wireless pulse oximetry device. Grand View Research has segmented the global pulse oximeter market on the basis of type, end-use, and region: Pulse Oximeters Type Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Pulse Oximeters End-use Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Pulse Oximeters Regional Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) List of Key Players of Pulse Oximeters Market Medtronic (Covidien) Carefusion Corp. GE Healthcare Philips Healthcare Masimo CAS Medical Systems, Inc. Opto Circuits India Ltd. Nonin Medical, Inc. Smiths Medical Welch Allyn Spacelabs Healthcare Meditech Equipment Co. Nihon Kohden Corporation Find more research reports on Medical Devices Industry, by Grand View Research: U.S. Medical Device Manufacturers Market The U.S. medical device manufacturers market size was valued at USD 176.7 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2021 - 2028. Sleep Apnea Devices Market The global sleep apnea devices market size was valued at USD 3.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. Vital Signs Monitoring Devices Market The global vital signs monitoring devices market size was valued at USD 6.88 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2021 to 2028. 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: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pulse-oximeter-market-size-worth-3-4-billion-by-2028--cagr-6-4-grand-view-research-inc-301247930.html SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. The new brand logo embraces the symbol of unity at the heart of Scotch & Soda's name which embodies the free spirit of Amsterdam, blending the iconic ampersand with the brand's initials, whilst also nodding to the craftmanship that goes into the collections by following the delicate movement of a thread attached to the eye of a needle. The identity reflects Scotch & Soda's design ethos of connecting the expected with the unexpected, celebrating the power of self-expression and liberal thinking of Amsterdam. It is translated into collections which combine essentials with eclectic statements, grounding them with surprising details and unique functionality to deliver a modern everyday wardrobe across menswear, womenswear, kidswear and a premium denim line named after the iconic "Amsterdams Blauw." The new identity will first be revealed on the brand's social media channels, website and dedicated app, as well as in several new stores, before launching on collections in November. 15 new brick-and-mortar stores and 12 shop-in-shops will be opening worldwide over the next 6 months starting today, adding to the brand's existing retail network of 225 stores and 161 shop-in-shops. The acceleration of its global retail network in key markets across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, with the introduction of a new "Free Spirit" store concept that highlights its new brand identity, will be combined with the brand's unified commerce integration and omnichannel capabilities to be completed by early 2022. In addition to the new stores, the brand will also add new showrooms and offices in Shanghai (China) and Milan (Italy) this spring. Frederick Lukoff, CEO, commented: "With our new identity, we want to define our evolution, mark a new era of brand expression and storytelling with a renewed ambition for growth whilst still managing the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our current performance. We are relentlessly optimistic about the future and the next chapter of the brand and its story based on the profound values of unity that drive the unique spirit of Amsterdam." Key upcoming openings include 3 larger locations in the Netherlands in Utrecht, the Westfield's Mall of the Netherlands in Leidschendam, and the brand's largest flagship worldwide in 'sHertogenbosch (Den Bosch). In Germany, two stores will open, starting with a new location in Hamburg. In France, a new store will open in the Corso wing in the CAP3000 beachfront mall in Nice. A location will open in Ukraine, whilst in Poland two stores will launch in Warsaw. Additionally, three shop-in-shops will open with Globus in Switzerland, followed by 7 shop-in-shops in Ahlens department stores across Sweden. Scotch & Soda will open a store in the Seaport district of Boston in the United States in September, following the recent openings of two stores in California in January, adding to the existing 43 store portfolio in North America, all while currently looking into securing additional locations in key cities in California, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Continuing its expansion in the Middle East, the brand enters the new market of Israel in April, followed by Qatar, UAE and Kuwait. In Asia-Pacific, a franchise will open in April in Mumbai, India, as well as in October in Perth, Australia. Each store is unique, blending the original architecture and characteristics of each building with the brand's own signature design to embody the new store concept. All facades and interiors will carry the new brand identity and play on muted tones, combined with pop accents of sunshine yellow, rose pink, and burgundy. Bespoke fixtures in aged brass, textured tiles, marble, powder-coated steel and a custom bar, as well as selected vintage furniture and wallpapers designed in-house complete the new design concept. All new stores are fitted with LED lights, FSC wood herringbone flooring, new hangers made of recycled materials and selected soft furnishings such as sustainable rugs woven in ECONYL. The Westfield Mall of the Netherlands store is also BREEAM-certified for sustainability performance. Addressing sustainability is also at the core of Scotch & Soda's approach to creating responsible collections. For the current Summer 2021 season, 41% of all styles across all lines meet our standard of 20% use of responsible material by item, aiming to increase this so that 70% of styles to be made by early 2024 meet such standards. From the Summer 2022 collection onwards, Scotch & Soda will be increasing the responsible standard of materials use to a minimum of 50% of these materials. These are certified fibres that are organic, recycled, regenerative or renewable from a biological or technical source, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester or ECONYL, except in the use of recycled cotton, in which our threshold is 20% to ensure that we maintain the durability and quality of the fabric as the fibres of recycled cotton are shorter. About Scotch & Soda Born in Amsterdam in 1985, Scotch & Soda celebrates the free spirit of its birth city. Endlessly optimistic, the brand champions individuality, authenticity and the power of self-expression to create the unique an attitude reflected in its collections, which include men, women, kids, denim, eyewear, fragrances and accessories, occupying a unique space in today's global fashion landscape. Collections can be found globally in 225 freestanding stores across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia, as well as in 7,000 doors in some of the world's biggest cities, including New York, London and Paris. The brand's online operations also ship to over 70 countries. www.scotch-soda.com Media enquiries: Daniel Urrutia | Communications Director | [email protected] Full versions of the press release: Visual assets: SOURCE Scotch & Soda Related Links https://www.scotch-soda.com/ TEL AVIV, Israel, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- International March of the Living will hold a Virtual March on Holocaust Remembrance Day led by Israel's President Reuven Rivlin, Holocaust survivors, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Jewish Agency Chair Yitzhak Herzog, KKL Chair Avraham Duvdevani and Rabbi Israel Meir Lau. Promo 2021 Virtual March of the Living Israels President Reuven Rivlin (Photo credit: Spokesperson, The Office of the President) (PRNewsfoto/International March of the Living) Among the Holocaust survivors participating are those who survived due to the selfless acts of medical professionals. Participants in the Virtual March from across the globe were filmed using innovative 3D technology so they appear to be marching along the traditional March of the Living route at Auschwitz Birkenau. As a tribute to the medical professionals who risked their lives at risk during the Holocaust, numerous medical associations around the globe, including the World Health Organization, as well as those on the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 will participate in this virtual program. Among those marching will be doctors, nurses and paramedics. Israel's Coronavirus Commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash, second generation to doctors during the Holocaust who is today leading physicians at the m front against Covid-19. The Virtual March will air on Thursday April 8, at 8am EST/ 2pm Europe/ 3pm Israel/ and will be followed immediately by an online memorial ceremony with the first torch of remembrance lit by President Rivlin. Israel's President Reuven Rivlin: "We all have a duty to pass on the memory of the Holocaust to future generations, not to forget, not to let it be forgotten. During this pandemic we are prevented from stepping on the accursed earth, saturated with the blood of six million of our people. Yet, we have vowed never to forget or let go. Technology allows us, each and every one of us, to participate in the March of Living without leaving home, while contributing to the commemoration of the Holocaust and its victims. We must harness all the tools at our disposal to fight racism, anti-Semitism, attempts at denial. We must continue marching." One of the most moving aspects of the March of the Living is the opportunity for participants to memorial plaques with personal messages on the train tracks at Birkenau. The public is invited to participate and have their personal message virtually placed against the backdrop of the infamous train tracks at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. Individual plaques and messages can be placed via a dedicated minisite https://nevermeansnever.com "The fact that this is the second year that we will not march in the March of the Living on Holocaust Remembrance Day at the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camps is difficult," said March of the Living World Chair, Dr. Shmuel Rosenman and March of the Living President, Phyllis Greenberg Heideman. "However, will never stop the work of remembrance. This year we found a unique way to hold a virtual march in a way that brings us as close as possible to a feeling that cannot be explained in words. We will be in Auschwitz-Birkenau in spirit and soul, and we will be joined by millions of people around the world." Jewish Agency Chair Isaac Herzog: "The 'March of the Living' connects between those who learned about the Holocaust firsthand and those who did not; between the generation of survivors that is disappearing, and the younger generation that grew up around the world not knowing firsthand the story of the Holocaust and the struggle of the Jewish people as well as the predatory powers of racism and antisemitism." International March of the Living is the largest annual international Holocaust education program which, until the Coronavirus outbreak in 2020, has taken place in Poland and Israel without interruption, since its inception in 1988. To date, close to 300,000 International March of the Living participants have marched en masse along the 3.2-kilometer path from Auschwitz to Birkenau, in tribute to the greatest loss in the history of the Jewish people and all humanity. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akdIQv9M9dk Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1457344/Israel_President_Reuven_Rivlin.jpg SOURCE International March of the Living With an aim to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region while preserving its strong ties with the United States, the British government will be laying out the country's post-Brexit defence and foreign policy priorities on Tuesday. New Delhi : United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit India in April to boost opportunities in the region and to create a democratic counterweight to China. Calling the Indo-Pacific "increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world", the government also highlighted a British aircraft deployment to the region ahead of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's previously postponed visit to India in April, reported Reuters. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was supposed to be the chief guest at Republic Day, but due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK and the spread of a new strain, he cancelled his visit. Johnson is scheduled to visit India in April. Relations between the United Kingdom and China have strained over issues such as Hong Kong, COVID-19 pandemic and also denying Huawei an active role in Britain's 5G network. The potential deployment of Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier's is also expected to raise military tensions in the South China Sea. The report in Reuters also mentioned that Johnson will focus "on the UK's place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead." Britain will also be holding two influential roles this year: hosting the first post-pandemic G7 summit in June, and the COP26 climate conference in November. Since completing its exit from the European Union at the end of last year after an acrimonious divorce, Johnson's government has vowed the "Integrated Review" will show Britain still had clout on the world stage and define a new era for the country. The 100-page document will be closely scrutinised for concrete measures showing how the government will deliver on Johnson's rhetoric at a time when the country is struggling to come to terms with the realities of Brexit and has suffered more deaths than its peers from the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reported. A statement previewing Tuesday's report listed "the importance of UK relationship with the US" alongside the defence of democracy and human rights, and safety from terrorism as fundamental components of the British policy. Britain is seeking a trade deal with the United States and reassurance over where it sits in US President Joe Biden's international priorities. 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. We are thrilled to have Life365 as a partner, especially as we continue to expand our digital health service offerings, said Jonathan Bandel, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at White Plains Hospital. Life365, a leading virtual care platform provider, today announced a partnership with White Plains Hospital, a leading healthcare provider in Westchester County, New York, to deliver remote care for patients located outside of the hospital and traditional care settings. The partnership will further serve to empower patients by providing them with the information and tools to be more aware and proactive with their health. Additionally, the remote care system will enhance the virtual health care experience as providers will have expanded access to patient information in nearly real-time, allowing for modifications to care plans between visits. Life365 will initially provide connected care kits curated with a variety of biometric devices (weight scale, blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, spirometers, etc.) that are connected to the cloud in a variety of ways, including via a consumer smart phone app, preconfigured smart devices and digital assistants. Patients will be able to track their data and understand the trends over time and the information transmitted by a patient at home will be reviewed by White Plains Hospital physicians and their care teams. The information can be flagged, and immediate action can be undertaken if the data indicates the patients urgent need for treatment. The initial kits being deployed for White Plains Hospital users include a respiratory bundle that includes pulse oximeters, spirometers and blood pressure cuffs. The respiratory bundle will allow lung specialists on staff at White Plains Hospital to treat patients with respiratory diseases like COPD and Asthma in their homes, improving outcomes for some of our most vulnerable patients. The kits will also allow the Hospitals pulmonary team to guide in-home respiratory treatments and assess the lung function of individuals in real-time, adjusting their treatments in order to keep them out of the hospital. We are thrilled to have Life365 as a partner, especially as we continue to expand our digital health service offerings, said Jonathan Bandel, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at White Plains Hospital. Our focus has always been on delivering an exceptional patient experience, with our informed consumers at the center of our care system. Life365 furthers that aim by making our patients true collaborators in their care journey and enables our highly skilled physicians and care teams to proactively partner in delivering patient-specific interventions. As we continue to define how digital health is utilized to connect individuals outside the four walls of the hospital, we have to work with people-centered innovators, like the administration at White Plains, to address overcoming challenges in creating a unified care experience, equal or better to traditional in-person care, said Kent Dicks, CEO of Life365. Life365s mission is to help eliminate the friction points in scaling care to home, including selecting the appropriate connected solutions for specific populations, deploying those solutions, integrating the solutions into the clinical workflow, and improving engagement for individuals surrounding their care. By eliminating these friction points, we can help White Plains Hospital deliver more cost-effective, efficient care, and address the needs of a broader population of patients. About Life365 The Life365 Virtual Care platform integrates health systems with healthcare solution/service providers and logistics companies to deliver a one-stop, integrated platform for engaging a growing patient population at home and beyond. The platform enables health professionals to remotely manage patients with a variety of disease states and offers consumer apps for self-managing their health and wellness. Life365 is headed by an experienced, industry recognized team, recently nominated for a 2021 Edison Award for their work in addressing COVID-19. The teams previous Connected Health Company was acquired by Alere (now Abbott). For more information regarding Life365, please visit http://www.life365.health. About White Plains Hospital White Plains Hospital is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. Centers of Excellence include the Center for Cancer Care, The William & Sylvia Silberstein Neonatal & Maternity Center and The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel Stroke Center. The Hospitals Flanzer Emergency Department is the busiest in Westchester County, with more than 60,000 patient visits a year. White Plains Hospital performs lifesaving emergency and elective angioplasty in its Joan and Alan Herfort, MD, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Marie Promuto Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, New Rochelle, Somers and Yorktown Heights; and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale. The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and earned its recognition as a Top Performer for Key Quality Measures in 2015 and 2013. The Hospital received Magnet designation in 2012 and 2016 from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020, White Plains Hospital received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades. It is a three-time recipient of an A Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group, for Spring 2019, Fall 2019 and Spring 2020, and has been consistently named Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. For more information regarding White Plains Hospital, please visit http://www.wphospital.org. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain ending this evening then becoming foggy. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain ending this evening then becoming foggy. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Srinagar, March 16 : The Jammu and Kashmir Police have saved four youth from joining terrorist ranks in Ganderbal and Budgam districts, officials said on Tuesday. The police said that prompt action in Budgam and Ganderbal prevented four youth from joining terrorist ranks. After proper counselling, the four youth were handed over to their parents. "In Budgam, the police received information that two teenagers had left their homes and gone missing on March 14. Accordingly, police teams were constituted which tracked both the youth in the Tral area of Awantipora. Both the youth are in their early teenage, and had got influenced on social media to join terrorist ranks. They were instigated by Pakistan-based recruiting handlers through social media handles. Both the youth were properly counselled in the presence of their family members and were handed over to their parents," the police said. In Ganderbal district, the police saved two youth, residents of Batwina and Kurhama areas in Ganderbal, who had left their home to join terrorist ranks and had initially gone to Shopian in south Kashmir. "When they reached the Karannagar-Batamaloo axis, they were apprehended by the police," officials said. "The duo revealed that they were motivated by Pakistan based terror handlers to join terrorism and were asked to establish contact with their ground cadre in Shopian district," they added. The police said that their families have hailed the efforts of the law enforcement agency for timely action. The Latest: China donates vaccine doses to UN peacekeepers View Photo UNITED NATIONS Chinas U.N. ambassador says China is donating 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to U.N. peacekeepers, with priority given to those serving in Africa. Ambassador Zhang Jun sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informing him of the donation, Chinas U.N. Mission said Monday. It follows the announcement by Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi of Beijings intention to donate vaccines at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Feb. 17. The mission said China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers and the donation is a further step to make Chinas vaccines a global public good, and also a demonstration of Chinas firm and continuous support to the U.N. and multilateralism. Last month, the U.N. thanked India for offering 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for U.N. peacekeepers. The U.N. currently has a dozen peacekeeping operations, half in Africa with a total of about 100,000 peacekeepers. There was no immediate word on what the U.N. plans to do with the two offers. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: Why countries are halting the AstraZeneca vaccine, though there is no evidence the shot is responsible for reported blood clots - Extent of COVID-19 vaccine waste due to mishandling, poor recording keeping and other reasons, remains largely unknown Former cruise ship passengers recall deaths, frustration and quarantine last year An alarming number of US prison guards are refusing vaccines despite COVID-19 outbreaks 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: SAN FRANCISCO Alcatraz, the historic island prison off San Francisco, opened up Monday for a limited number of indoor tours, which had been off-limits for more than a year due to the pandemic. Face masks and social distancing are still required at the island, which once housed Al Capone and George Machine Gun Kelly. Access will be limited only to visitors who sign up for the audio tour in advance. Officials say Alcatraz will host about 1,000 tourists a day instead of the normal 5,000. Safety modifications have been made throughout the island including social distancing markers, increased cleanings and hand sanitizing stations. The popular tourist destination opened to an outdoor-only experience in August. ___ NEW YORK U.S. health officials say some of the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the Trump administration fell short of the agencys standards. A review ordered by President Joe Bidens CDC director found examples of guidance that was not primarily authored by the agency, used softer language than was warranted or did not incorporate all the latest scientific evidence. Under then-President Donald Trump, the White House buried or shelved some of the guidelines CDC had assembled and allowed non-agency officials to vet what was posted on CDCs website, the AP and others have reported. The agencys long-standing principal deputy, Dr. Anne Schuchat, led the review to determine if the guidance was grounded in science and free of political influence. Schuchat noted examples of documents posted on the CDC site last year that were developed or finalized outside the CDC that have since been removed. One from July minimized health risks while emphasizing the importance of reopening schools. Another from August suggested it was not necessary to test asymptomatic people for the coronavirus after they had been in close contact with infected others. Schuchat also said the CDC used the word considerations for guidance that agency scientists felt deserved more emphatic phrasing. ___ OSAKA, Japan Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is the latest drugmaker to offer help with production of a rivals COVID-19 vaccine as their industry works to churn out billions of vaccine doses. Takeda, one of Japans top vaccine makers, said Monday its reached a deal to have a German contract drug manufacturer temporarily use capacity at its factories that had been reserved for Takeda to instead produce Johnson & Johnsons single-dose COVID-19 shot. Germanys IDT Biologika Gmbh previously had saved capacity to make Takedas experimental dengue vaccine, now in final testing before regulatory reviews, ahead of the planned launch of the dengue shot. Under the three-company deal, starting this month IDT will manufacture the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for three months, then resume manufacture of the dengue vaccine candidate. Takeda previously said it will manufacture more than 250 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax thats likely to be approved in a few months, with that supply meant for Japan. Meanwhile, Takeda has been testing its existing products to see if they are effective against the coronavirus. Takeda also plans to distribute 50 million doses of Modernas vaccine in Japan and has multiple partnerships with other companies to try to develop other treatments and vaccines to fight the pandemic. ___ ATLANTA Georgia threw open the doors for COVID-19 vaccination to a majority of adults Monday, as the state seeks to improve its worst-in-the-nation share of the population that has been inoculated against the respiratory illness. Monday was the first day that people aged 55 to 64 could get shots, as well as people with serious health conditions and those who are overweight and obese. Officials with Gov. Brian Kemps office say that, overall, another 3.3 million people are eligible, meaning more than 5 million Georgians overall can now seek vaccination. At the Macon State Farmers Market mass vaccination site, cars full of people waiting their turn for a shot formed a long but orderly line that stretched down the block and out onto a highway, partially blocking a lane of traffic. A few appointments remained available Monday morning at state and local public health mass vaccination sites, but some feared that older people will be crowded out in a new rush for appointments. The state will open five new mass vaccination sites on Wednesday, including Columbus, Emerson, Sandersville, Savannah and Waycross. The federal government will take over a Fulton County site at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. Georgia has only given 20.8% of its adult population at least one dose, the worst in the nation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The same data show Georgia has administered the second-lowest share of doses delivered among states, with more than one-third of doses still awaiting injection. ___ LISBON, Portugal Portugal is following other European Union countries and temporarily halting use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine while experts review its safety. The General Director for Health, Graca Freitas, told a Monday evening news conference that Portugal has so far seen none of the cases of dangerous blood clots in some recipients recorded elsewhere in Europe. Officials said they hoped a scientific review of the jab can be completed by the end of the week. Freitas urged people who have had the AstraZeneca vaccine to remain calm. Portugal is postponing the mass vaccination of educational workers scheduled for next weekend because of the AstraZeneca suspension. ___ NEW YORK Two new studies add evidence that a virus variant first detected in Britain is more deadly than the previous dominant form. Other research had already demonstrated the strain is more transmissible, but a new paper published Monday in the journal Nature suggests the U.K. variant may also be associated with an increased risk of death. Comparing cases in more than 1 million people infected in England, researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated the risk of death was about 55% higher for those with the new variant versus the previous one. For men in their 50s or 60s, that meant the risk of death went from 0.06% to 0.09% with the new strain. In a University of Exeter study published in the British journal BMJ last week, researchers followed about 100,000 positive COVID-19 cases, matching pairs of participants on age, sex and other factors. They also found those with the U.K. variant were at higher risk of death during the study. The variant has been found in all but a few states in the U.S. and is expected to become the dominant strain later this spring. ___ FORT COLLINS, Colorado A powerful late winter snowstorm that dumped over 3 feet of heavy, wet snow in parts of Colorado and Wyoming interfered with COVID-19 vaccinations as well as closing Denvers airport, state legislatures in both states and roads. Federal officials shut down vaccine shipments to the region as the storm neared so the vials packed in dry ice wouldnt spoil during mail delays, Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman Kim Deti said. We think theyll be at least a couple days, Deti said. Nobody is quite sure when things will be cleared and reopened. The storm also was keeping many people from getting to vaccine locations, Deti noted. ___ JACKSON, Miss. All Mississippi residents will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine starting Tuesday. Gov. Tate Reeves made the announcement Monday. Starting tomorrow, ALL new appointments will be open to ALL Mississippians, Reeves tweeted Monday. Get your shot friends and lets get back to normal! Vaccinations in Mississippi are currently available for anyone ages 50 or over, staff at K-12 schools, first responders, health care workers and those who are at least 16 and have health conditions that might make them more vulnerable to the virus. Reeves urged those in the 50 and up age group to make appointments Monday before eligibility expands to the entire state. People can get vaccinated at state-run drive-thru sites in counties across the state, at private clinics and community health centers and some pharmacies, like Walmart and Walgreens. ___ CHARLESTON, W.Va. West Virginians aged 16 and older with underlying medical conditions are now eligible for a coronavirus vaccine, along with all essential workers of any age, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced on Monday. The list of eligible conditions include asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, intellectual disabilities, autoimmune disorders and more. Pregnant residents are also eligible as are the caretakers of those with some diseases. All residents 50 and over have already been eligible for a vaccine. Last week, Justice said the state will absolutely step up to meet President Joe Bidens goal that all Americans be eligible for vaccinations by May 1. He and other governors, though, stressed the need for the vaccine supply to increase. ___ HARTFORD, Conn. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced plans Monday to speed up the next age-based phase of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout by a few days. Ultimately, the new timeline will allow everyone else, age 16 and older, to begin making their appointments for a shot tentatively on April 5. Meanwhile, the state plans to work with health care providers and the Department of Developmental Services to accelerate access for the most medically high-risk individuals under age 45 during April. The Biden administration has informed Connecticut that it should be receiving a significant increase in vaccine doses over the next several weeks. Currently, the state is receiving roughly 139,000 to 150,000 doses a week, and that will climb to about 200,000 doses a week by early April. Currently, everyone age 55 and older, health care personnel, medical first responders, residents and staff at long-term care facilities and select congregate settings, and pre-K-12 school staff and professional childcare providers are allowed to get the shot. ___ LJUBLJANA, Slovenia Slovenia has decided to temporarily halt the use of AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine pending a decision by the European Medicines Agency. Health Minister Janez Poklukar said Monday the Slovenian expert group for vaccines proposed the vaccination be suspended as a matter of precaution. Those scheduled to receive the vaccine will be rescheduled, while vaccinations with Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will continue as planned, he said. The decision comes after several European countries, including Germany, France and Italy, have decided to halt the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine amidst reports of blood clots in some who have received it. ___ GENEVA The chief scientist of the World Health Organization is recommending that countries continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for now despite concerns about blood clots in some people who have received it. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan says officials at the U.N. health agency dont want people to panic even as close monitoring of the vaccines use continues. She said a review is under way that could produce updated recommendations as early as Tuesday. Swaminathan noted that some 300 million doses of a variety of coronavirus vaccines have been given to people around the world, and there is no documented death that has been linked to a COVID vaccine. She said the rates at which blood clots have occurred in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine are in fact less than what you would expect in the general population. ___ ROME Italy on Monday temporarily halted administering the AstraZeneca vaccine only days after its government vowed to significantly step up the national vaccination program by tripling the number of shots given daily. Italy joined several other European Union nations who have temporarily suspended AstraZenecas vaccine out of precaution following the deaths of several persons who received it. Autopsies and other procedures were underway in Italy to determine if the vaccine was related to the deaths. Some 2.2 million of the 8.6 million vaccine doses of various brands delivered to Italy are AstraZeneca vaccines, so the temporary stoppage is likely to significantly hamper Italys current vaccine rollout. The temporary suspension comes as admissions to hospitals of COVID-19 patients, including to ICUs, have been steadily rising, and Italy sees some of its highest new daily caseloads in weeks. In the nation of 60 million people, about 5.7 million have received at least one injection of a COVID-19 vaccine. ___ GENEVA The head of the World Health Organization says it is routine practice to investigate concerns like those over the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus amid reports of blood clots among some people who received it. As a growing number of countries temporarily suspend the use of the vaccine, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the reported blood clots may not be linked to the vaccine. The main problem facing most countries is a lack of access to vaccines, he said, particularly at a time when some rich countries have been buying enough vaccines to immunize their populations several times over. He said a WHO advisory committee on vaccine safety was reviewing the data about blood clots among people who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine, and it would meet on Tuesday. The AstraZeneca vaccine is a pillar of a U.N.-backed project known as COVAX that aims to get COVID-19 vaccines to people in need around the world, especially in poorer countries. By The Associated Press Mumbai: The NIA which is probing the case related to the recovery of an SUV with explosives near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house on Tuesday searched arrested police official Sachin Waze's office here. A court, meanwhile, rejected Waze's plea contending that the manner of his arrest by the agency was illegal. Waze, arrested in the case on March 13, was attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of city police's crime branch till recently. The office is located in the police commissioner's office compound in south Mumbai. The National Investigation Agency team recovered some "incriminating" documents and electronic evidence such as laptop, iPad and mobile phones from Waze's office there, a police official said. The searches started around 8 pm on Monday and were going on till 4 am on Tuesday, he said. The NIA has so far recorded statements of seven officials of Crime Branch including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, the official said. The agency also questioned, on the third consecutive day, CIU's Assistant Police Inspector (API) Riyazuddin Kazi, he added. Kazi had collected Digital Video Record (DVR) of CCTVs from the housing society in Saket area of Thane where Waze lived on February 27, two days after the explosives-laden Scorpio was found on Carmichael Road near Ambani's house. The probe agency suspects that it was collected to destroy evidence which could implicate Waze himself, the official said. During the search, the DVR was seized. The wife of businessman Mansukh Hiran, who had claimed the Scorpio was stolen from his possession and who died mysteriously, has alleged that the SUV was being used by Waze for some time. API Kazi had also allegedly procured fake number plates found in the SUV, the police official claimed. The SUV case was taken over by the NIA following Mansukh Hiran's death. A special court on Sunday remanded Waze in the custody of the central agency till March 25. On Tuesday, the court rejected Waze's plea claiming that his arrest was illegal. His lawyers Sajal Yadav and Sunny Punamiya had argued that Waze was not produced before the courtwithin 24 hours after his arrest, as is required. No sanction was taken from the state government under section 45(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the lawyers contended. Under section 45(1), sanction of the government is necessary if an official is to be arrested for anything done in his/her official capacity. Special public prosecutor Sunil Gonsalves denied the allegations. Waze was arrested at 11.50 PM on Saturdayand produced before the court at about 2.45 PM next day, he said. Waze had been called in the morning for some clarification about the probe but he arrived late at night, the prosecutor claimed. Waze's lawyers had alleged he had been detained since 11 AM on Saturday. Sanction was not needed as Waze had not acted in discharge of his official duty, the NIA lawyer said. Judge P R Sitre, while rejecting Waze's plea, observed that he was a policeman and knew his rights. "The entry in the station diary clearly reflects that intimation was provided to the accused and the concerned police station and also information about his arrest, which means grounds of arrest were provided," the judge said. Whether he hadacted "in the course of performance of duty" can be examined during the trial, the court held. The court allowed Waze's lawyer to watch his interrogation from behind a glass partition but not within the hearing distance. Speaking to reporters here, BJP leader Pravin Darekar said the more the ruling Shiv Sena defended Waze, the more suspicion there will be about the state government's intentions. The Sena had on Monday said take-over of the case by the NIA was "insult" to Maharashtra police. Live TV As purveyors of smart hygiene, our goal is to equip the world with the tools it needs to prevent the spread of transmissible disease. Poverty Dignified, Inc. dba VirExit Technologies, Inc. (OTCMKTS PINK: PVDG) has selected Bay Capital as its investment banking company of record. New York Bay Capital was awarded the VirExit Technologies, Inc. account due to its significant expertise in the healthcare, lifestyle, technology, and other related verticals. Headquartered in Richland, Washington, VirExit Technologies, Inc. is a fast-growing public company focused on providing solutions for safer living in uncertain times. With a mission to make the world a safer place with innovative and effective technologies, VirExit Technologies, Inc. looks to screen, vet, and sell stellar technologies that provide both the business-to-business and the business-to-consumer markets with products that enhance our health and physical safety. We are thrilled to be working with New York Bay Capital, said James C. Katzaroff, President and CEO, Poverty Dignified, Inc. As purveyors of smart hygiene, our goal is to equip the world with the tools it needs to prevent the spread of transmissible disease. Our mission is not only to help us return to our normal lives, but to help prevent the future spread of any illness, disease or bacteria which may present a risk to anyone. Every product in our market is fully vetted, tested, and selected based on our stringent criteria. We selected New York Bay Capital because their values, history, and mission are consistent with ours. New York Bay Capital (http://www.nybaycapital.com) is a New York-based boutique cross-border firm experienced in providing financial advisory services in connection with mergers, acquisitions and capital raising initiatives primarily for foreign clients. The firm serves the growing demand for independent, partner-level advice by clients. We are very pleased that Poverty Dignified, Inc. will be working with New York Capital, said Joseph J. Ceccarelli, General Counsel and Executive Vice President for New York Bay Capital. NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements that include the words believes, expects, anticipate or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, description of anyones past success is no guarantee of future success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof. About Poverty Dignified, Inc. Poverty Dignified, Inc. (PVDG) is a diversified company with ownership of Sun Ovens, Inc., a company that decades ago, pioneered solar oven technology and produces, markets, and sells solar ovens and accessories. In 2020, PVDG acquired the registered brand, VirExit Technologies, Inc., along with other related intellectual property owned and developed by Patrick Netter. The VirExit brand pioneers innovative, effective, ethical, and safe products within the antiviral space. Also, during 2020, PVDG purchased Safer Place Technologies, LLC, whose purpose is to create a primary sales and marketing platform as a vertical online marketplace. This new acquisition seeks to provide a single source for buyers and sellers of protective products and services which resonate with the VirExit mission statement: Making the world a safer place with innovative, ethical and effective technologies. PVDG is anticipating a name change to VirExit Technologies, Inc. in the near future. About New York Bay Capital Founded in 2013, New York Bay Capital is a New York City, New York-based investment bank. The firm provides financial advisory services in connection with mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, and corporate restructuring to its clients. New York Bay Capital caters to hotels, resorts, fintech, film production, e-commerce, food, optical fiber, power plants, virtual reality, and cannabis sectors. For more information about New York Bay Capital please us online at http://www.nybaycapital.com. Migrants approach the U.S. border on Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas, on March 2, 2021. (Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images) Arizona Mayor Tells Biden Administration to Fix the Problem at the Border The mayor of a small town in Arizona told Fox News on Monday he is extremely concerned about the surge of migrants at the Mexican border and the large numbers that will be released into his economically depressed community. Chris Riggs, an independent mayor of the town of Gila Bend said he has seen an increase in foot traffic in the last few weeks, which he attributed to the federal government not doing enough to stop people from entering the United States through Mexico. We can barely afford to take care of the people that we have here, and as of [March 2], Border Patrol advisers are basically going to drop people off here, [telling us] theyre your problem, said Riggs. Gila Bend has a population of around 1,900 people and is located in the southwestern portion of Maricopa County, 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, and is a gateway to the Sonoran Desert National Monument. We just do not have the ability to care for these people, Riggs added. Quite frankly, its going to cost us tens of thousands of dollars a year to be able to just provide them with a bottle of water and a sandwich when they get dropped off. Many of the migrants who are attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally into the United States claim that President Joe Biden encouraged them to come. Biden promised us that everything was going to change, Gladys Oneida Perez Cruz, a woman who traveled to the border with her child, told The New York Times on March 14. He hasnt done it yet, but he is going to be a good president for migrants. Democrats have blamed the former administration for the problem at the southern border, saying there was a backlog and that migrants are now feeling hopeful about the more humane immigration policies of the Biden administration. The GOP, meanwhile, blames Bidens executive orders that were issued to reverse Trump-era immigration rules. Special Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Southern Border, Ambassador Roberta Jacobson, speaks in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on March 10, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Responding to a reporter who asked if the surges in immigration were linked to Bidens undoing of Trump-era border policies, Roberta Jacobson, Bidens southern border coordinator, said in early March: Weve seen surges before. Surges tend to respond to hope, and there was significant hope for a more humane policy after four years of pent-up demand. There was a hope for a more humane policy after four years of pent-up demand, so I dont know if I would call that a coincidence, said Jacobson. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), when asked by CNNs Alisyn Camerota if it is fair to call what were seeing today at the border a crisis, pointed to the Trump administrations immigration policies that he said created a backlog of children waiting in Mexico. Merkley said children coming to the border now were stranded, some for months, some for years, by the Trump administration in Mexico under completely intolerable circumstances. Republicans have been quick to denounce the surge of migrants at the border, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) leading a delegation of about 12 GOP representatives to the border on March 15. Meanwhile, Riggs said Border Patrol is not able to give him any information about the total number of illegal immigrants being dropped off, their criminal history, or their health records. We are completely in the dark, and weve asked documentation, some kind of documentation, give us something, and were still not getting anything, so were really very frustrated with how were being treated for a crisis that they started, Riggs said. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 3, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) McCarthy told reporters that doctors he spoke to on his visit to the border said more than 10 percent of migrants test positive for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus before being released into U.S. communities. Well, youre being stored together. In a time when the president will keep our country closed, then maybe we have hope for a Fourth of July, to get together just with our family, how much spread of COVID is he creating every single day by his policies along this border? said McCarthy. Riggs is concerned about the elderly population in his town being exposed to the virus through illegal immigrants that are arriving in his community. I have a lot of seniors and elders here between Gila Bend and San Lucy Village that are susceptible to COVID, he said. We have not seen the [CCP virus] outbreak that other areas have seen in Arizona, yet were going to get punished for their choices, he said. The mayor said his home is adjacent to the Sonoran Desert National Monument, and when he takes walks he is seeing more illegal immigrants and drug mules, or someone smuggling drugs on behalf of a larger organization. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency stated that theyve encountered more than 100,000 migrants at the border in February alone, while numerous elected officials who represent border areas have described the situation as a crisis. White House officials have so far declined to refer to it as such. It needs to stop. The federal government has to step up and do its job. Theyre the ones that created this problem, they need to fix it, Riggs said. Jack Phillips contributed to this report. A spokeswoman for Laws said: Hes in good spirits and coping well. The 85-year-old was admitted to hospital last week and will have a procedure, fellow broadcaster Ben Fordham said on Sydney radio station 2GB. Laws radio station 2SM shared the news just after 6am on Wednesday. Veteran radio presenter John Laws has been hospitalised with an infection. Lawsie, get well soon, Fordham said. He will be OK, he doesnt want anyone to get too fussed about the whole thing. Fordham said he learned of the news on Saturday when he contacted Laws to inform him of the death of radio godfather John Brennan. They asked at the time for this to be kept quiet because Lawsie didnt want anyone to be making a fuss, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 03:10:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is grateful for China's pledge to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, said a spokesman on Tuesday. "It's a very generous offer, and we're very thankful for it," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a press briefing. China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Monday notified Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, said the Chinese mission. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced China's decision to donate vaccines to UN peacekeepers at a Security Council meeting on COVID-19 vaccines on Feb. 17. Enditem According to a press release published by Philippine News Agency on March 16, 2021, the French Navy has committed to assist the Philippine Navy in the creation of a submarine force, Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said on Tuesday. According to information published by Philippine News Agency on March 16, 2021, the French Navy has committed to assist the Philippine Navy in the creation of a submarine force, Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said on Tuesday. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Bilateral meeting with Admiral Pierre Vandier, the Chief of Naval Staff for the Marine Nationale and Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo J Bacordo PN (Picture source: Facebook) Bacordo said this commitment was made during a bilateral high-level meeting between ranking officers of the PN and the French Navy in Paris on March 12. The PN earlier said that it is looking to acquire two diesel-electric submarine units as part of its modernization plan. Bacordo, who was head of the PN delegation in France, met with Admiral Pierre Vandier, chief of Naval Staff for the Marine Nationale. Also, he said that the two navies agreed on the continuation of visits of senior leaders from the two sides and regular talks to shape future cooperation and participation in bilateral and multilateral naval exercises. Philippines Navy already showed interest to purchase Scorpene-class submarines from France. The Scorpene submarine is capable of carrying out all types of missions, such as anti-surface vessel warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering. It is extremely stealthy and fast, and is equipped with a comprehensive range of weapons (torpedoes, missiles, mines). The Scorpene-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French Company Naval Group (formerly DCNS) and the Spanish company Navantia. The Scorpene class of submarines has four subtypes including the CM-2000 conventional diesel-electric version, the AM-2000 air-independent propulsion (AIP) derivative, the downsized CA-2000 coastal submarine, and the enlarged S-BR for the Brazilian Navy, without AIP. The Scorpene-class submarines are in service with Chile, Malaysia, India, and Brazil. Over fourteen Scorpene submarines were sold by Naval Group internationally. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The coronavirus pandemic has led to several temporary regulatory relaxations and policy innovations in treatment for opioid use disorder aimed at making it easier for those seeking care to access treatment without risking in-person interactions. The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) today announced it is providing grants totaling $1.3 million to six organizations to assess the impact of these temporary measures and inform future policies to improve access and promote equity for the treatment of opioid use disorder. "Temporary policy changes related to opioid use disorder treatment include the use of telehealth, allowing for take-home methadone doses, and alterations in toxicology screening," said Karen A. Scott, MD, MPH, President of FORE. "We have a short window of time to determine which policy changes are working to improve access, and how these policies improve or lessen equitable access to care, so we can develop longer term, evidence-based policies that sustain access to better care beyond the pandemic." The funded organizations are: Bipartisan Policy Center, RAND Corporation, University of Pittsburgh, New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, University of Arizona, and RTI International. Informing Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis Opioid related overdoses and deaths continue to be one of the nation's leading public health crisis. The latest provisional data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates an increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic, estimating over 81,000 drug overdose deaths from May 2019 to May 2020, the highest number ever reported in a 12-month period. Congress has invested billions of dollars in funding to tackle the opioid crisis, but despite these efforts, drug overdose mortality rates continue to riseand have accelerated even faster during the pandemic. With FORE's support, the Bipartisan Policy Center will establish an Opioid Crisis Task Force, comprised of leading experts and former federal and state officials to develop bipartisan recommendations for Federal policies to drive down overdose death rates. Funding: $250,000 Project: Launching the Opioid Crisis Task Force Leader: Anand K. Parekh, MD, MPH, FACP RAND Corporation will evaluate changes in buprenorphine prescribing, a gold standard medication for opioid use disorder, and how these changes may have affected access to care and treatment outcomes among underserved populations, including Medicaid beneficiaries and rural populations. This analysis can help guide decisions about whether to continue, amend or discard relaxed prescribing policies put in place during the pandemic to improve future access to treatment. Funding: $358,422 Project: Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic Leader: Bradley Stein, MD, PhD Learning from State-wide Experiences The University of Pittsburgh, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and the University of Arizona will assess the impact of COVID-19 measures on providers and at-risk opioid use disorder populations in Pennsylvania, New York, and Arizona. In 2017, Pennsylvania designated 45 primary care providers, hospitals, community health centers, and substance use disorder treatment providers as Centers of Excellence for Opioid Use Disorder. The University of Pittsburgh will examine how providers at these whole person, integrated care centers implemented COVID-19-policies related to providing medications for opioid use disorder and telehealth services. The project will look at the impact of temporary COVID-19 policies on opioid use disorder treatment, workforce morale, and patient outcomes. Funding: $100,000 Project: COVID-19 Policy Effects on Opioid Use Disorder Patient Services at the Pennsylvania Centers of Excellence Leaders: Antoine Douaihy, MD and Janice Pringle, PhD NYU Grossman School of Medicine will look at how temporary COVID-19 policies and changes have affected opioid use disorder treatment, particularly for Black and Latinx patients, at 660 addiction outpatient and opioid treatment programs (OTPs) across New York State. There will be an analysis of which clinics have been able to adapt and continue providing high quality care, which have not, and how different patient populations have been affected. Funding: $274,999 Project: Responses of Addiction Treatment Programs to COVID 19 - Impact on Disparities in Treatment Access and Quality Leader: Thomas D'Aunno, PhD and Charles Neighbors, PhD The University of Arizona will evaluate how providers in Arizona implemented COVID-19 policies related to providing medications for opioid use disorder and telehealth. This project will include a focus on access issues facing tribal, rural, and remote communities, as well as other communities of color. Funding: $230,357 Project: Evidence for Action - COVID-19 as a Window of Opportunity to Normalize Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Access Leader: Beth Meyerson, MDiv, PhD Measuring Results to Define Strategy In 2020, FORE provided nine Recovery Support Services grants to organizations around the country as part of the foundation's rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to help address the impact of social distancing restrictions on opioid use disorder recovery efforts. RTI International will evaluate the extent to which grantees were able to preserve access to recovery supports with social distancing requirements in place. An understanding of how, under what conditions, and among whom were the innovative approaches to recovery support services most effective will help develop promising strategies to address the opioid crisis long term. Funding: $125,621 Project: Evaluation of FORE's COVID-19 National Emergency Effort Leader: Jessica Cance, PhD, MPH and Phillip Graham, DrPH, MPH ABOUT FORE The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) was founded in 2018 as a private 501(c)(3) national, grant-making foundation focused on addressing the nation's opioid crisis. FORE is committed to funding a diversity of projects contributing solutions to the crisis at national, state, and community levels. FORE's mission is to support partners advancing patient-centered, innovative, evidence-based solutions impacting people experiencing opioid use disorder, their families, and their communities. Through convening, grantmaking and developing informational resources, FORE seeks to bring about long-term change. To date, FORE has awarded 41 grants totaling $12.6 million. SOURCE Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) Britain could use nuclear weapons in response to a threat from chemical, biological or 'emerging' weapons, it has been revealed. The significant shift in the policy on deploying the UK's devastating arsenal came as Boris Johnson moved to boost stocks of warheads held - with the top limit raised from 180 to 260. The Integrated Review published yesterday broadened the scenarios when they could be used by highlighting the 'future threat of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical and biological capabilities, or emerging technologies that could have a comparable impact'. Sources suggested 'emerging technologies' could include cyber attacks or the use of artificial intelligence - with experts saying nuclear weapons are no longer the only way to 'dismantle a society'. The UK has not subscribed to a 'no first strike' policy in the past, with ministers saying that might be necessary in 'extreme circumstances'. The stark warning came in a review that also warned it is 'likely' a terrorist organisation will launch a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) attack before 2030. Downing Street yesterday denied suggestions the decision to raise the cap on the UK's stockpile of nuclear warheads breaches its international treaty obligations. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty doesn't require us to reduce the number of warheads. All of our actions are consistent with our Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.' The spokesman added: 'In recent years we have seen nuclear-armed states ignore international norms. It remains the case that we believe the best way to protect ourselves and our Nato allies is to ensure that we continue to have a credible independent nuclear deterrent.' The Integrated Review, unveiled by Boris Johnson today, raises the limit on the number of Trident warheads that can be stored from 180 to a maximum of 260, an increase of 45 per cent. Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent is currently carried by the Royal Navy's four Vanguard Class submarines. They are due to be replaced by a new generation of four Dreadnought Class boats also armed with Trident missiles from 2030. The Vanguard Class can carry up to 16 missiles, each armed with up to eight Trident warheads, meaning the 260 warhead ceiling would not allow them all to deploy at once. The IR document states that: 'The UK will not use, or threaten to use, nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 1968 (NPT). But it adds: 'This assurance does not apply to any state in material breach of those non-proliferation obligations. 'However, we reserve the right to review this assurance if the future threat of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical and biological capabilities, or emerging technologies that could have a comparable impact, makes it necessary.' It adds that the UK is 'committed to maintaining the minimum destructive power needed to guarantee that the UK's nuclear deterrent remains credible and effective against the full range of state nuclear threats from any direction'. The move is said to be in recognition of the 'evolving security environment', including the developing range of 'technological and doctrinal threats'. A defence command paper to be published next week will set out the detailed plans to modernise the armed forces, with a new generation of warships and fighter jets. The Vanguard Class can carry up to 16 missiles, each armed with up to eight Trident warheads (pictured). Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent is currently carried by the Royal Navy's four Vanguard Class submarines (HMS Vanguard pictured) It will also include a major overhaul of the Army, which is expected to be cut by around 10,000 troops, with the force Challenger 2 main battle tanks reduced by a third and the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle axed altogether. The IR says it will prioritise the development of new technologies, with a 'digital backbone' to enable UK forces to operate alongside allies across a range of battlespaces. Overall, the review says the primary focus of Britain's security effort will remain the Euro-Atlantic region, where Russia poses the 'most acute threat'. However, in the face of China's growing power and assertiveness - described as 'the most significant geopolitical factor of the 2020s' - there will be a new 'tilt' towards the Indo-Pacific. The shock plans to increase Britain's nuclear arsenal by more than 40 per cent drew stinging criticism last night amid fears the move could spark an international arms race. Iran's foreign minister on Tuesday derided Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the plan to increase his country's nuclear warhead stockpile while expressing concern over Tehran's alleged attempt to seek atomic weapons. 'In utter hypocrisy, @BorisJohnson is 'concerned about Iran developing a viable nuclear weapon'. On the very same day he announces his country will increase its stockpile of nukes,' Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter. 'Unlike the UK ..., Iran believes nukes and all WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) are barbaric & must be eradicated,' Zarif said. Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons defence select committee, slammed the news, telling the Times: 'I'm not sure why that was put in the paper. It is inflammatory. I think it's dangerous talk, and certainly should not have taken place without consideration and discussion with our closest Nato partners.' Ellwood also said that increasing the nuclear warhead stockpile would undermine efforts to get Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal. He added: 'I have written to the Ministry of Defence seeking an explanation as to whether [the plan] is in response to an increased nuclear threat. 'We also need clarity on how the Government is blurring the lines in what constitutes a justified retaliation.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons: 'This review breaks the goal of successive prime ministers and cross-party efforts to reduce our nuclear stockpile. It doesn't explain when, why, or for what strategic purpose.' Scotland's Justice Secretary today said the planned increase was 'completely unacceptable'. The SNP administration in Edinburgh wants Scotland to be nuclear free, and Humza Yousaf said: ''Nuclear weapons are morally, strategically and economically wrong. Our opposition to Trident remains unequivocal. 'Scotland is home to one of the largest concentrations of nuclear weapons anywhere in the world, despite consistent and clear opposition from across civic Scotland and a clear majority of our elected politicians. 'The UK Government has wasted billions on weapons that must never be used - it is lamentable that just two months after the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons came into effect, the UK Government has concluded that even more nuclear weapons are required.' Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, said: 'The Prime Minister set out that the climate crisis was his number-one priority then spent billions on more nuclear warheads... 'They won't protect us from the climate emergency but will fuel a nuclear arms race.' However, last night, Downing Street insisted that the 260 number was only a 'ceiling' not a 'target'. A spokesman added: 'We believe the best way to protect ourselves and our Nato allies is to ensure that we continue to have a credible independent nuclear deterrent.' Ihar Losik, a popular blogger and RFE/RL consultant jailed in Belarus since last June on charges his supporters say are trumped up, has ended a hunger strike and is now in solitary confinement. Losik ended his hunger strike on March 15, his wife, Darya Losik, told RFE/RL's Belarus Service. "He was placed in solitary confinement for five days for going on the hunger strike. He was on the hunger strike for four days. He is still in solitary confinement now," Darya Losik said, adding that she and her husband's lawyer would travel in the coming days to the detention facility in Zhodino where her husband is being held. Losik tried to slit his wrists and launched the hunger strike on March 11 when fresh, unspecified charges were leveled against him. He had been charged already with allegedly using his popular Telegram channel to "prepare to disrupt public order" ahead of an August 9 presidential election that Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed he won by a landslide amid allegations of widespread fraud. Since then, Belarus has witnessed daily protests. More than 30,000 people have been detained, hundreds beaten, several killed, and journalists targeted in the governments crackdown. Lukashenka and top officials have been slapped with sanctions by the West, which refuses to recognize him as the legitimate leader of Belarus. The announcement comes after Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader who supporters say actually won the August poll, urged Losik and two other jailed Belarusians to end hunger strikes to protest their incarceration as part of the government's crackdown on those speaking out against Lukashenka. "You are now risking your lives by expressing your protest through a hunger strike. But, we, Belarusians, are not ready to risk you.... Your loved ones, parents, and children need you. Belarus needs you," Tsikhanouskaya said in the statement. Losik, a consultant for RFE/RL on new-media technologies, ended his hunger strike less than two months after he went on a six-week hunger strike to protest the original charges that he allegedly used his video blog to help organize riots to protest the election results. News of the new charges against the 28-year-old father of a 2-year-old daughter prompted RFE/RL President Jamie Fly to urge Lukashenka to release Losik immediately so he can be reunited with his family. Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent. "Journalism is not a crime and Ihar has been unjustly detained for far too long. Ihar and his family should not be tortured in this way," Fly wrote, adding that RFE/RL was "deeply distressed" by the new charges and Losik's deteriorating health situation. The oversight agency for RFE/RL and other U.S. international broadcasters has condemned the Belarusian authorities' decision to heap further charges on Losik and has demanded his release. The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) statement on March 12 cited "false charges" that have kept Losik in detention for more than 260 days. "It's unacceptable that reporting on the Belarusian election cost a respected journalist his freedom," USAGM acting Chief Executive Officer Kelu Chao said in a statement. "Belarusian authorities should drop all charges against Ihar and immediately release him." Yoon Yeo Jung continues to make waves in the international scene alongside the cast of "Minari." The drama film, directed and written by Lee Isaac Chung, earned six nods for the Oscars 2021. It came after The Academy Awards recently unveiled the final list of nominees, and "Minari" managed to score major nominations. This includes Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Original Musical Score, Best Actor for Steven Yeun, and Best Supporting Actress Yoon Yeo Jung. To recall, the 74-year-old actress performed the role of an unconventional grandmother Soon-ja who lived alongside her daughter's family in the United States in search of their American dream. ALSO CHECK: Yoon Yeo Jung Predicted To Be Nominated For 2021 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress In Minari Yoon Yeo Jung's Oscar Nomination In a recent report, Yun Yeo Jung shared her thoughts about the major achievements of "Minari." The veteran actress, who played various roles and portrayed complicated characters in the past, gave a piece of advice and said, "Whatever you do, you do it differently." Interestingly, the "Canola" star did not just score major nods but broke the record of being the first Korean actress to be nominated at the prestigious Academy Award. Yoon Yeo Jung Discusses Her International Debut Moreover, the Oscar contender details her experience working with Chung and her international film debut. In an interview with Observer.com, Yun Yeo Jung shared that she's very fortunate to be working with the "Minari" director. Moreover, she also pointed out that American born filmmaker is very "open" and has shown trust and faith in her as an actor. "I know many of them from Korea, but luckily and fortunately, Isaac was very open-minded about my acting, and he trusted me. He has a faith on me, so I could play with my freedom. I was very grateful," she explained. As for working with the "Walking Dead" star and newcomer Alan Kim, she mentioned that she predicted that Yeun "will do good" in the movie. Lo and behold, his role as the patriarch, Jacob, earned him a ton of nominations, including Best Actor for Academy Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead. Working with seven-year-old Alan was a different story for Yun Yeo-jung. Given that he never experienced acting before, the veteran actress thought that they might encounter concerns. "Alan was a 7-year-old boy, and I was shivering because [I was working with] a child actor, a 7-year-old boy [who] never had experience acting. I said, "Wow, I'm gonna die." (Laughs.) [But] I was wrong," she quipped. Just like Yeun, the child star scored major nominations and even won Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. Furthermore, he made it to the headlines after giving the cutest and most emotional acceptance speech ever. He broke down after calling his name and even pinched himself to check if it was a dream. "Minari" follows the story of Korean immigrants who moved to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American dream. The family faced challenges but remain resilient despite the hardships abroad. Kdramastars owns this article. Written by Geca Wills Scores of migrants burned to death when Houthi security forces fired unidentified projectiles" into an overcrowded detention center in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa earlier this month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said March 16. According to the New York-based rights group, the mostly Ethiopian detainees were protesting their living conditions on March 7 when Houthi guards rounded hundreds of them up, locked them in a hangar and told them to say their final prayers before firing two projectiles into the facility. The migrants said the first projectile produced a lot of smoke and made their eyes water and sting. The second, which the migrants called a bomb, exploded loudly and started a fire, HRW said in a statement. People were roasted alive, one migrant told the group. I had to step on their dead bodies to escape. Based on witness accounts and an analysis of video footage, HRW said it appeared the guards had used smoke grenades, tear gas cartridges or stun grenades on the inmates. Two videos showed scores of charred dead bodies lying in positions that suggests they were trying to flee but were overcome by smoke and fire. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated more than 170 people were injured in the fire, with at least 90 in serious condition. The United Nations migration agency called on the Houthis to allow aid workers and health-care staff access to the hospitals treating the injured. The Houthis shifted the blame to the UN, which the groups Interior Ministry said was fully responsible for its failure to play its role in providing shelters for gathering and accommodating illegal immigrants. In a statement provided to HRW, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said the fire shouldnt be politicized. "The incident that took place was a normal result that occurs in similar incidents all over the world, Abdulsalam said, adding that international organizations need to improve the conditions of boarding centers. Each year, some 100,000 migrants from the Horn of Africa arrive in Yemen by boat, with the hope of finding employment in the wealthy Gulf states. The migration agency estimates at least 6,000 migrants are stuck in detention centers across Yemen, with hundreds, if not thousands, more held by smugglers. HRW interviewed five Ethiopian migrants detained with some 550 other migrants at the Houthis' cramped and unsanitary holding facility in Sanaa. Detainees were not given mattresses to sleep on and had limited access to food and water, prompting some to drink from the faucets above the toilets, the interviewees said. Nadia Hardman, refugee and migrant rights researcher at HRW, called on the Houthis to stop holding migrants in dire conditions that put their lives at risk. The Houthis reckless use of weapons that led to scores of Ethiopian migrants burning to death is a horrific reminder of the dangers migrants face in war-torn Yemen, Hardman said. The Iran-aligned Houthi group, which is in control of Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, is fighting a Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in 2015 to restore Yemens internationally recognized government. The Houthis have launched an offensive to take the oil-rich Marib province and in recent weeks, have stepped up their attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia. On March 16, the coalition accused the Houthis of firing two ballistic missiles that struck an uninhabited part of southern Saudi Arabia on Monday. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for drones fired at the King Khalid air base in the Saudi city of Khamis Mushait. New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday (March 16, 2021) announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted Sheikh Hasina's invite to visit Bangladesh on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary. The MEA informed that PM Modi will visit Bangladesh on March 26 and 27. "At the invitation of Prime Minister H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be visiting Bangladesh on March 26 & 27, 2021," the MEA said. The visit is in connection with the commemoration of three epochal events - Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh; and 50 years of Bangladeshs war of liberation. PM Modi who had last visited Bangladesh in 2015 will also attend the National Day programme of Bangladesh on March 26, as the guest of honour. According to MEA, the programme of the Prime Minister, apart from holding bilateral consultations with Sheikh Hasina, also includes a call on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. "Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr A.K. Abdul Momen will call on the Prime Minister," MEA said. Prime Minister Modi's visit to the neighbouring country will be his first visit to a foreign country since the COVID-19 outbreak, which, the MEA said 'highlights the priority India attaches to Bangladesh'. This is to be noted that India has so far provided Bangladesh with 90 lakh Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines. Live TV WHO has said countries should continue to use the vaccine while also set to hold an expert meeting today on the issue A vial of AstraZeneca vaccine is pictured in a pharmacy in Boulogne Billancourt, outside Paris, Monday, March 15, 2021. Germany, France and Italy on Monday became the latest countries to suspend use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine over reports of dangerous blood clots in some recipients. (AP) PARIS: A dozen countries, including France, Italy and Germany, have suspended AstraZeneca's Covid-19 shots because of fears over blood clots and other possible side effects. Ahead of Tuesday's World Health Organization experts meeting, the company has insisted there is no risk and the WHO has said countries should continue to use the vaccine. Here is a recap: Nordic countries sound alarm Denmark is the first country on March 11 to say it will suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure over fears of blood clots in vaccinated people. Iceland and Norway follow the same day, temporarily suspending use. On Monday, a health worker in Norway dies of a brain haemorrhage after receiving the vaccine, though no direct link to the jab has been established, health authorities say. It is the second such fatality within a few days in the country. List grows On Friday, Bulgaria suspends the use of the vaccine as it investigates the death of a woman with several underlying conditions who recently received the jab. An initial probe had suggested the woman died from heart failure and an autopsy found no link with the vaccination. Thailand abruptly delays the start of its rollout of the vaccine, stopping Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha from getting the first jab. And the Democratic Republic of Congo, also due to start administering the vaccine, postpones its campaign citing "precautionary measures". Ireland and the Netherlands join the list Sunday, followed by Indonesia and then Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia, Spain and Latvia on Monday. Announcing its decision, the German health ministry says a closer look is necessary after the reported blood clotting incidents in Europe. Late Monday, Venezuela's vice-president also said the country would not approve the vaccine for use, citing "complications" those inoculated had experienced. Suspending batches The first suspension of a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine is announced by Austria on March 8, following the death of a 49-year-old nurse from "severe bleeding disorders" days after receiving it. Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg also suspend the use of doses from the same batch, which has been delivered to 17 countries and included one million vaccines. Italy's medicines regulator on March 11 also bans the use of a batch as a precaution, triggering a similar decision from Romania. And on March 14, Italy's northern Piedmont region suspends use of the vaccine after the death of a teacher who had received it the day before, with a national postponement coming a day later. Flash China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority to be given to peacekeepers working in Africa, said the Chinese mission. This is a further step to make Chinese vaccines a global public good, and a demonstration of China's firm and continuous support to the United Nations and multilateralism, said the Chinese mission in a press release. As one of the champions of the safety and security issue under the "Action for Peacekeeping" initiative of the UN secretary-general, China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers, and supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers to protect their health and help them better perform their duties. The Chinese government will work closely with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date, it said. The fight against COVID-19 is the most pressing task facing the world today. Vaccines are the most powerful weapon to win the battle. China attaches great importance to the equitable distribution of vaccines, especially the accessibility and affordability in developing countries. China will continue to work in solidarity with countries around the world to make unremitting efforts to win the final victory of the global fight against the pandemic, it said. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced China's decision to donate vaccines to UN peacekeepers at a Security Council meeting on COVID-19 vaccines on Feb. 17. UTICA, N.Y. A local group gathered in Utica Monday to call for the impeachment of Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the governor faces mounting scrutiny in multiple scandals. About a dozen people from the Mohawk Valley Main Street Patriots rallied outside of the state office building around 2:45 p.m., with signs reading Impeach Cuomo Now and Dump Cuomo. "We need to get him out of there, we need to Cuomo out, we need him out, now, we need to get the word out, said Cynthis Nadeau, member of the group. There were also petitions available for people to sign, which call on state representatives to begin the impeachment process in New York. Cuomo is facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment, and is under investigation for allegedly misreporting nursing home deaths during the pandemic. Out of the Pit: The Story of a Military Veteran's Journey for Peace: an inspiring tell-all about how one man was saved by God and found peace from the inside out through His endless love and guidance. Out of the Pit: The Story of a Military Veteran's Journey for Peace is the creation of published author John W. Mount, a retired US Army Sergeant. He served in both active duty and inactive duty capacities in the Army National Guard for nearly twenty-two years. Mount shares, This is a true story of a retired military veterans journey into the dark pit of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. It entails how he battled those issues and took control of his life again. This book also demonstrates how God intervened to deliver him out of that pit over time. That time became a learning process during which he obtained victory from depression as well as his anxiety and panic attacks." The end of his journey has resulted in Gods peace within himself, his family, and his life and have a stronger, totally committed life to God. Therefore, this book was written as a means to possibly help others who have experienced these devastating issues to overcome them and also, finally, achieve peace. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, John W. Mounts new book will inspire everyone with the touching memoir of a challenging battle against ones mental health. It is a journey from darkness emerging into light and into a closer and more committed faith in God. View a synopsis of Out of the Pit: The Story of a Military Veteran's Journey for Peace on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Out of the Pit: The Story of a Military Veteran's Journey for Peace at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Out of the Pit: The Story of a Military Veteran's Journey for Peace, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Thousands more people are scheduled for COVID-19 vaccinations in the Lehigh Valley this week as Pennsylvania coronavirus cases average around 2,500 a day. Tuesday was unfortunately above average. In its daily report, the state health department showed 3,119 new cases of COVID-19 and 65 reported deaths the most of each in at least two weeks. The state now totals 970,717 cases and 25,652 deaths since the pandemic reached Pennsylvania a year ago. Those figures include 60,293 total cases and 1,456 deaths in the Lehigh Valley, which reached 60,000 cases on Monday. Lehigh and Northampton counties combined for 231 cases and seven reported deaths in the last day. (Cant see the map? Click here.) Pennsylvanias vaccine rollout continues with a focus on Phase 1A: medical workers, seniors and people with high-risk conditions. The health department reports more than 3.7 million doses have been distributed since December. More than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated and 77,000 people are getting shots daily. The states figures exclude Philadelphia, which receives its own federal allotment. When Phillys own reporting is included, a little over 11% of Pennsylvanias approximately 13 million people have been fully vaccinated. In a news conference Tuesday, Lindsey Mauldin, the health departments senior advisor for the COVID-19 response, said the goal supply permitting remains to have an appointment for everyone in Phase 1A at least scheduled by the end of March. After that, the department will assess if it can move on to later phases, which target essential workers. When Pennsylvania does eventually move into Phase 1B (which includes first responders, educators and grocers) and 1C (which includes the food service, finance, communications and government sectors), distribution should move more quickly than it is currently, assuming Pennsylvanias weekly vaccine provisions from the federal government continue to increase, Mauldin said. The state has estimated between 4 million and 5 million people qualify for Phase 1A. (Cant see the chart? Click here.) This week, the Lehigh Valleys two major hospital networks say they will vaccinate several thousand more of people. St. Lukes University Health Network says 13,000 people will be vaccinated at its 10 hospital clinics, including 9,000 initial doses. St. Lukes has distributed more than 150,000 shots since December and says it is prepared to administer as many as 5,000 a day if given enough supply. (The latest appointments are scheduled out; you can register for the vaccine at sluhn.org/vaccine.) Lehigh Valley Health Network, meanwhile, is planning a drive-through clinic on Wednesday at Dorney Park that will provide 4,000 initial doses of the Moderna vaccine bigger than last weeks clinic treating 3,600, at the time LVHNs largest to date. Wednesdays clinic runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only. (Appointments are currently filled; to register for the vaccine, visit lvhn.org/treatments/covid-19-vaccines or call 833-584-6283.) LVHN also is organizing its first mass-vaccination clinic for Monroe County at Pocono Raceway from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, where it expects to provide initial doses of the Moderna vaccine to 3,000 people. Like its other large-scale clinics, this one will be by appointment only for people in Phase 1A. And the network is also working with the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBTQ Community Center in Allentown for a vaccine clinic on Friday. The clinic is open by appointment only to those who are or live with someone who identifies as LGBTQ, HIV-positive and qualifies under Pennsylvanias Phase 1A. The center announced the clinic on social media on Sunday; by Tuesday the online signup was closed due to overwhelming interest and a limited number of vaccine appointments. EXCITING NEWS! Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center and Lehigh Valley Health Network will be hosting a community... Posted by Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center on Sunday, March 14, 2021 Health groups have been partnering with community organizations like Greater Shiloh Church in Easton to help vaccinate specific communities. Health officials in Tuesdays news conference said they are endeavoring to reach vulnerable minority communities skeptical of government and medical professionals. Meanwhile, statewide case rates have held largely steady for weeks now after a steep decline from the winter peak. Over the last week, Pennsylvania averaged 2,512 COVID-19 cases a day, a slight increase from a week ago (2,472 daily cases) and slightly down from two weeks ago (2,569 daily cases). (Cant see the chart? Click here.) The current rate is comparable to (but still above) the first peak last spring, and still well below the 10,000-plus cases a day seen around the holidays. The state is conducting coronavirus tests at a rate of about 10,000 a day, less than half the peak rate two months ago. Rates of hospitalizations and death reports continue their overall decline. As of Tuesday, Pennsylvania averaged 37 reported deaths a day, down from 42 daily deaths a week ago and 56 two weeks ago. The health department estimates that 92% of Pennsylvania coronavirus patients have recovered so far, meaning they have survived at least 30 days from their initial test. (Cant see the COVID vaccine provider map? Click here.) Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. The FTSE 100 closed 53.91 points, or 0.8%, higher at 6,803.61 on Tuesday (Ian West/PA) European markets climbed higher after the European Medicines Agency sought to calm concerns over the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. London traders welcomed the agencys statement that it remains convinced that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the risk after a number of EU countries suspended its use on Monday. The FTSE 100 closed 53.91 points, or 0.8%, higher at 6,803.61 on Tuesday. Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex, said: Positive comments surrounding the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine appeared to give Europe a boost, despite a slow start from the US. Following Mondays suspension of the preparation in France, Germany and Italy, the European Medicines Agency has stated there is no indication the small number of blood clotting cases seen by people who have received the vaccine were caused by the dose itself. Benefiting from AstraZenecas own increase, as well as cables decline, the FTSE rose to around 6,800. German stocks were particularly strengthened by the announcement, with the Dax sitting just short of a new record high. The German Dax increased by 0.69% and the French Cac moved 0.32% higher. Across the Atlantic, the major markets opened with minor gains as traders assessed updates regarding the vaccine. US markets also appeared to be cautiously waiting for further clarity on the direction its economy could take ahead of the Federal Reserves meeting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, sterling lost ground on a dollar which benefited from some positive US retail data on Tuesday afternoon. The pound decreased by 0.04% versus the US dollar to 1.388 and was up 0.22% against the euro at 1.167. In company news, Natwest Group dipped in value after the City watchdog launched criminal proceedings against the taxpayer-backed firm for alleged failures under money laundering rules. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) alleges that increasingly large cash deposits were made into a NatWest customers account, with around 365 million paid in of which some 264 million was in cash. Shares slid by 2.75p to 185.7p on Tuesday. High street baker Greggs saw shares lift after it struck an upbeat tone with investors over plans to continue its expansion despite slumping to its first loss in 36 years. The Newcastle-based company announced a pre-tax loss of 13.7 million in 2020, compared with a 108.3 million profit a year earlier, but still hopes to open 100 sites this year. It closed 68p higher at 2,278p. Troubled lender Amigo tumbled by 1.8p to 11.9p per share after it told investors that the Financial Conduct Authority would extend its investigation into how Amigo assesses the creditworthiness of customers and its governance of the process. The price of oil moved back into the red as traders were keen to trim their exposure to the energy market amid concerns the pausing of the vaccine distribution could impact on travel. The price of Brent crude oil decreased by 0.8% to 68.33 dollars per barrel. The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were British Land, up 23.4p to 532p, Rolls-Royce, up 4.85p to 122.85p, Land Securities, up 27.3p to 705.8p, AstraZeneca, up 254p to 7,232p, and Ocado, up 75p to 2,189p. The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Just Eat Takeaway.com, down 158p to 7,182p, Shell B, down 27.4p to 1,459p, Shell A, down 27p to 1,523.4p, CRH, down 56p to 3,379p, and BP, down 4.9p to 311.25p. 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. Page Content Regional Review on School Safety in the context of Systemic Risk: The Virtual Caribbean Safe School Initiative Pre-Ministerial Forum. March 15 26, 2021 Remarks Drs. Rodolphe E. Samuel, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport Co-host of the forum and incoming chair of the CSSI. Opening Session As incoming chair of the Caribbean Safe School Initiative, and in my capacity as co-host of this forum and Minister of Education, Culture Youth & Sport, I bring you greetings from St. Maarten. COVID-19 and the increasing hazards that our region has been challenged with, substantiates the need for us to continue working as islands, countries and as a region on comprehensive school safety. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017, MECYS was catalyzed to make a number of strides toward ensuring education sector resilience. In July 2018 MECYS installed the Safety & Emergency Management Committee (SEMC). The SEMC was commissioned to adapt the Comprehensive School Safety Framework at the national level; set up plans and strategies for safety and emergency management; continuous disaster preparedness and maintenance; and crisis management. That same year, we began the consultative process on the school safety Roadmap. We trained stakeholders on assessing hazards in schools; safety & Emergency Response guidelines were approved and schools began to work on their school safety & emergency plans. In 2019, safety & Emergency teams were installed in each school; school safety material was distributed to schools, school evacuation procedures were drafted and work began on the Safety Ambassadors Program for elementary schools. St. Maarten signed on to the Antigua & Barbuda Declaration in April 2019 because we are committed to disaster risk management in our education sector and that commitment is one that we all share. By April 2020, our very recent commitment to the Antigua & Barbuda Declaration and progress made in the area of school safety were quickly tested as we faced the specter of another rapid onset that was this time invisible, insidious, persistent and just as crippling. COVID-19, which very much like Irma has resulted in devastating impacts to all our sectors, has given us further pause to review our definition and understanding of risk. We have learnt that risk is as much about the unknown as it is about the known. As Ministries of Education, we can only start to tackle the interconnected nature of systemic risk by becoming connected ourselves. We must do this despite territorial and political boundaries, across sectors and regardless of language differences. The recent and ongoing events have taught us if nothing else that our experiences are shared, that we can learn from each other and that none of us want to be caught off guard. Let us use the opportunity presented by the Virtual Pre-Ministerial Forum on Safe Schools to share our experiences and set the basis for the continued advancement of the school safety agenda in the Caribbean through the CSSI. The genius of this virtual forum is that it allows all stakeholders to participate and in so doing, builds stronger collaboration among the Ministries of Education in the Caribbean with relevant private sector entities, non-governmental organizations as well as other regional and international entities. The Third Ministerial Forum will be hosted by St. Maarten and will be defined by you the ministers, based on your national and regional priorities for action and dialogue for the remainder of 2021. It is our intention that this virtual forum will serve as the necessary catalyst. We ask you to ensure the participation of your Permanent Secretaries and School Safety Focal Points, during the entirety of the forum. I wish to formally recognize the partners who have worked together to make this event possible. As incoming chair of the Regional Safe School Working Group and the CSSI, I fully endorse this Virtual Forum. We must continue to make progress in the area of school safety as the sustainability of our nations depend on it. Chennai, March 16 : Gandhians and family of freedom fighter Sardar Vedaratnam Pillai, the hero of the Vedaranyam salt satyagraha and close associate of C. Rajagopalachari, are elated over the AIADMK election promise of installing his life-sized statue at Tamil Nadu's Nagapattanam. Talking to IANS, Pillai's eldest grandson, A. Vedaratinam, said: "This is a great moment. We had petitioned all the political parties to erect such a statute in memory of the great Sardar Vedaratnam Pillai who had fought for the nation's freedom along with the legendary C. Rajagoplachari. We welcome the announcement made by the AIADMK that it will erect a life-sized statue of Sardar." The salt march, led by Rajagopalachari, saw 150 volunteers walk 240 km to break the British Empire's salt law as part of the Civil Disobedience movement. The march, co-ordinated by Pillai, commenced from Trichinapoly (now Tiruchirapally) on April 13, 1930 and ended at Agasthyampalli near Vedaranyam on April 30, 1930. Freedom fighter and Gandhi Smarak Nidhi's former President K. Gopinathan Nair, talking to IANS from Neyyatinkara over telephone, said: "The decision of AIADMK to erect a life sized statue of Sardar Vedaratnam Pillai is to be welcomed and it is a fitting tribute to one of the proud sons of our country." A committee of Gandhians and surviving freedom fighters conduct salt marches each year on the anniversary of the Vedanaryam salt march of April 1930. Gandhian G. Manonmani told IANS that the people of the area are "proud of our forefathers who had forfeited everything for the sake of our freedom. Giving them due recognition is a fitting tribute to the memories of our freedom fighters". In the next few weeks, the Biden administration will launch a national vaccine promotional campaign aimed at encouraging hesitant Americans to get immunized, a marketing executive close to the project told CNN. The advertisements are part of a $250 million Covid-19 education campaign run by the US Department of Health and Human Services, which will include a podcast hosted by "a well-known person" outside of government, the executive said. In addition to the podcast, Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard professor and host of the PBS series "Finding Your Roots," has narrated an ad about the vaccines for the government campaign, according to the executive and a Biden administration official. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the Biden administration's Covid-19 equity task force leader, said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday that the administration is "on the cusp" of launching a national education campaign timed with the increase of vaccine supply. Asked by CBS' Margaret Brennan about how the White House will convince younger Republicans and non-Biden supporters who are more reluctant to get the vaccine, Nunez- Smith said there would unique messages for different groups within the US. "We're getting ready to launch that national public education campaign that will work closely with trusted messengers, influencers and others to get to everyone," Nunez-Smith said on "Face the Nation." She would not give a specific date. Work on the campaign began last fall, but the ads promoting vaccines haven't been released yet because the vaccine is still in short supply, and health officials don't want to create additional demand, a Biden administration official told CNN. "Once we get to a point where supply starts looking like it might outstrip demand, that's when the vaccine confidence messaging needs to kick in," the official said, adding that "we're getting close" to the right time. "The trickiest part of this effort from day one has been timing messaging with vaccine supply, and that magic moment is fast approaching," the official said. Changes of heart With many Americans fighting to get a Covid-19 vaccine -- spending hours online looking for appointments or even dressing like grannies or driving halfway across the country to get a shot -- it's easy to forget that many other Americans aren't so enthusiastic. "We know that behind the vaccine early acceptors we're seeing now, there lurks a group that is hesitant and reluctant," said Dr. William Schaffner, a longtime adviser to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines. A new CNN poll shows that more than 1 in 4 Americans haven't gotten a Covid-19 vaccine and don't intend to get one. To keep the virus from spreading, about 80% of Americans need to get vaccinated, Schaffner said. "I'm very concerned about these (poll) numbers," said Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "I hope for the best for this campaign. I hope it's wonderfully effective at reaching people," he added. "They need to use facts, which go to our head, but they also need to reach people's hearts, because it's the heart that makes behavior change." A campaign without Hollywood glitz The "vast majority" of the campaign's $250 million budget will be used to buy advertising on television, radio, billboards, and print and digital media, the government official said. Robert Ehrlich, a former pharmaceutical company executive, said that budget is on par with advertising campaigns for well-known prescription drugs. "That's a big campaign; $250 million can buy a lot of media," said Ehrlich, who now consults to pharmaceutical companies and is not involved with the government campaign. HHS started releasing ads in December as part of a "Slow the Spread" campaign to encourage Americans to wear masks, practice social distancing, avoid crowds, and take the vaccine, the marketing executive said. For the vaccine portion of the campaign, after extensive research and work with focus groups, the advertising executives decided to focus on a particular message to encourage people to get vaccinated for other people. "It really embraces this powerful idea that we heard from folks that they want to do it for others. They're not getting it for me, to help me live longer, but because I want to protect my family, I want to protect my community, I want to protect my culture," the executive said. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, will be used in the campaign, and other government doctors might later be involved. "Already we're thinking about how we can engage Dr. Walensky and Dr. Nunez-Smith and ... Corbett from NIH. We have so many people who are so interested in her," the executive said. Dr. Rochelle Walensky is director of the CDC and Kizzmekia Corbett is a researcher at the National Institutes of Health who helped develop Covid-19 vaccines. The campaign might at some point also include testimonials from people who were hesitant to get the vaccine but then decided to get it, the executive added. At this point, the campaign will not include any well-known figures aside from Gates and the unnamed podcast host. "We are not reaching out to celebrities," the Biden administration official said. Gates said on "The View" last month that he reached out to his friend Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the NIH, offering to help. Over the decades, other public health campaigns have gone in a different direction and made more use of celebrities. In 1956, Elvis Presley got a polio vaccine on "The Ed Sullivan Show," and in 2000, "Today" anchor Katie Couric got a colonoscopy on television to bring awareness to colon cancer prevention. Recently, Elton John and Michael Caine used their star power to encourage Britons to get vaccinated for Covid-19, and in the US, Black celebrities, including gymnast Simone Biles, actress Viola Davis and musician Questlove, are part of a mask campaign by the CDC Foundation. Former presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush and Obama, and their respective first ladies, are shown in new public service announcements getting vaccinated and urging Americans to take the shot when it's their turn. The ads were produced by the Ad Council and the Covid Collaborative project and are not part of the $250 million HHS campaign. The marketing executive close to the HHS campaign said while celebrities might be used more extensively at some point, right now that wasn't the right approach. "There's other more effective ways to try to provide people the information they need so they can make an informed choice," the marketing executive said. "In our research, we rarely, rarely hear people say, 'I'll get the vaccine if this or that celebrity gets it.' " In formulating the content of the campaign, the marketing experts decided to target those who are "vaccine hesitant" -- not the relatively small group of Americans who are adamantly anti-vaccine, the marketing executive and the government official said. "We're keeping focused on the folks who are questioning the vaccine," the official said. "There's only so much advertising can do." A video clip in which a schoolgirl from a previously impoverished village in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region revealed her lovely and innocent smile has garnered widespread attention among Chinese internet users. Tie Jiaxin Tie Jiaxin, 7, a first grade student at Daping Primary School, had just finished class and was waiting for the bus to go home when her teacher, Ma Rui, shot the video on March 4. Ma thought the girl was cute and her smile healing. Ma, who became a volunteer teacher at Daping Primary School more than one year ago, said it has been a habit of hers to record what she sees by camera on her phone as well as sharing the recordings with a wider audience. As I have observed, my students are becoming more confident than before, said Ma. Ma Rui and her students. Xiji county, where the school is located, was lifted out of poverty in November 2020. Poverty alleviation in the once impoverished county had faced major challenges in the past, but thanks to the implementation of efforts aimed at targeted poverty relief, the county has benefited from remarkable positive changes in recent years. Xiji county in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Daping Primary School serves as a vivid example of the outcomes of poverty alleviation. In the past, students there used to have classes in adobe schoolhouses and suffered from a shortage of exercise books. Today, they are provided with free meals and better facilities, such as new school buildings and playgrounds. In addition, more advanced teaching methods, including the use of multimedia teaching and Internet-assisted teaching facilities, have also broadened students horizons and have made them more confident in their studies. After the story of the school went viral online, the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, one of China's largest non-governmental organizations working in poverty reduction, donated kitchen equipment worth 50,000 yuan (about $7,685) to support the school. Aerial photo shows Daping Primary School. Seoul, March 16 : Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, on Tuesday threatened to scrap a peace agreement with South Korea as she slammed Seoul for conducting military exercises with the US. "South Korea has again chosen 'March of war' and 'March of crisis' instead of 'warm March' in front of all Korean people," Yonhap News Agency quoted Kim Yo-jong as saying said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper. "We will keep an eye on the attitude and behaviour of South Korea going forward and should it become more provocative, we could take special measures such as boldly scrap the inter-Korean military agreement," she said, referring to the deal signed in September 2018 to ease cross-border tensions. She also said that North Korea has no choice but to disband the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country handling cross-border affairs and dialogue, saying there is no reason for such an organisation to exist anymore. Kim Yo-jong's statement comes after the White House said it has reached out to North Korea for talks, but Pyongyang has remained unresponsive. South Korea and the US kicked off their springtime combined military drills on March 8 involving a "minimum level of troops" in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, reports Yonhap News Agency. The drills will last until Thursday. Kim Yo-jong also accused South Korea of making excuses about the reduced size and changed format of the annual drills, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. "We have opposed the joint military drills targeting the compatriots but never argued about their scale or form," she said. "It is because the essence and nature of the drills against the compatriots in the north never change despite any change in their forms." She also warned the new US administration against any provocative acts, saying "if it wants to sleep in peace for the coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step". Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said the Taoiseachs refusal to meet her is high handed and extremely arrogant. She said she has written letters to the Taoiseach 12 times in the past year and he has responded about 50pc of the time. Ms McDonald wrote to Micheal Martin on Monday seeking to discuss her request for Tanaiste Leo Varadkar to be removed from office over the leaking of a confidential Government document to a friend in 2019, which is now the subject of a garda criminal investigation. Mr Martins spokesman said earlier today he has no intention of responding to the request. "The Taoiseach received a letter last night and gets letters on a very regular basis from Mary Lou McDonald. "In many instances, these letters are purely political. Its a tactic used on a far too frequent basis by the Sinn Fein leader and it lacks sincerity. "The Taoiseach has no intention of responding on this occasion, they said. Ms McDonald said: Ive written to him about vaccine roll-out, about carers, people with disabilities, special education, speech and language therapy, Brexit and the Irish protocol, so the Taoiseach would need to clarify which of these issues is a waste of his time. I would have thought the head of Government would appreciate correspondence from all party leaders, but particularly from the leader of the Opposition. I certainly wouldnt have anticipated a dismissive and extremely arrogant approach such as weve heard today, she added. The Sinn Fein leader said she does not write letters to the Taoiseach because she is stuck for things to do and that she is an incredibly busy political leader. Speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk this morning, Mr Varadkar said gardai have not been in touch with him regarding the leaking of the GP document to tell me what crime or law I might have broken". "I can only tell you what I know, as of today, no public authority has been in touch with me, to tell me what I am accused of what crime or law I might have broken. He said everything he was hearing was coming from media reports and he did not know what was true. "I have offered to be interviewed and make a statement under caution...I want to have this matter concluded. He said the information contained in the document detailing an agreement between the Irish Medical Organisation had been in the public domain prior to his sending it to Dr Maitiu O Tuathail of the National Association of General Practitioners. But he admitted his sharing the document was inappropriate and added: I apologised for it. Meanwhile Labour TD Aodhan O Riordain said Sinn Fein is attempting to brew a political storm by calling for Mr Varadkars resignation and to divert attention from Sinn Feins abstention on an abortion vote in the North. Yesterday, Sinn Fein abstained from a vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly which would outlaw abortions being carried out in cases of non-fatal disabilities. Sinn Feins leader in Stormont, Michelle O'Neill, indicated her party would abstain as the focus should be on commissioning the services which should already be in place. Mr O Riordain said Sinn Fein needs to answer questions on why they abstained on a vote for basic issue of fundamental human rights for women. There is a political storm being brewed that is trying to divert attention away. What is the real motivation for heightening this discussion yesterday and today? Is it because you genuinely want the Taoiseach to sack the Tanaiste or is it because youd rather people talk about this or the vote of your own Assembly members in Northern Ireland? He said that Sinn Fein and Fine Gael are at each others throats deliberately, they know theyre not competing for the same votes. His claims were rejected by Ms McDonald, who said that the party has been absolutely consistent and that services which are already in place should be commissioned. She said that her party did not take part in the vote because it was a stunt by the DUP. Any legislative debate on the floor of the Assembly is irrelevant and is a distraction. We have the law and now we need the Executive and the Minister for Health in particular to do his job and to commission the services. She also rejected Mr O Riordains claim that their decision to abstain was a sign of conservatism within the party. That's ludacris and it shows a total misunderstanding of the current political situation, she said. Would you agree to live in a cave for 40 days, surrounded by complete strangers and with no access to a phone, watch or natural light, just for the sake of science? An extreme, 'world first' experiment is seeing 15 people do just that, in order to explore the effects on the human body of long-term isolation with no notion of time. The French volunteers, who are not being compensated for their participation, are aged from 2750 and include a biologist, a jeweller and a maths teacher. Sequestered in the Lombrives cave in Ariege, the team have four tons of supplies to live on along with water from the cave and a pedal-driven dynamo for electricity. Mission leader Christian Clot, who is one of the participants, was inspired to stage the test after seeing how the COVID-19 pandemic brought isolation in to our lives. However, the explorer has received some criticism in the French press because he assumes the title of 'researcher' while having no formal scientific training. The 'Deep Time' experiment began at 20:00 local time on Sunday, March 14 and, if all goes to plan, will be concluding on April 22. The findings of the project could be relevant to future space missions, submarine crews, mining teams and other settings were people are enclosed for long periods. Deep Time follows in the footsteps of the French geologist Michel Siffre, who spent several extended periods underground, including one six-month stint in 1972. He found that the human body's circadian cycle can vary in duration when untethered from the stimuli of natural light. Scroll down for video Would you agree to live in a cave for 40 days surrounded by complete strangers and with no access to a phone, watch or natural light just for the sake of science? An extreme, 'world first' experiment is seeing 15 people do just that, in order to explore the effects on the human body of long-term isolation with no notion of time. Pictured: experiment team members and reporters descending into the entrance of the Lombrives cave in Ariege on March 14, 2021 The French volunteers (pictured), who are not being compensated for their participation, are aged from 2750 and include a biologist, a jeweller and a maths teacher THE INTREPID 'DEEP TIME' TEAM MEMBERS Christian Clot, 49, Mission Leader Arnaud Burel, 29, Biologist Johan Francois, 37, Teacher Nicole Hueber, 27, Geoscientist Damien Jemelgo, 47, Technician Emilie Kim-Foo, 29, Nurse Marie-Caroline Lagache, 50, Jeweller Marina Lancon, 33, Trek Guide Francois Mattens, 35, Director Alexis Monseigny, 42, Unemployed Jerome Normand, 43, Anaesthetist Margaux Romand-Monnier, 31, Neuroscientist Kora Saccharin, 30, Analyst Martin Saumet, 29, Scientific Mediator Tiphaine Vuarier, 32, Therapist Advertisement 'Losing time is the greatest disorientation there is, and it is this aspect that the Deep Time mission wants to better understand,' the team said on their website. 'During certain events, our perception of time is altered it seems to pass very slowly or very quickly, unrelated to the reality of each passing second.' 'What happens then? How to find the sense of time? What are the connections between cognitive and biological time, between the brain and genetic cells?' 'What is the relationship between perceived time and normative time, that of our watches? How does our brain see time?' To answer these questions, the project leaders have said that the fifteen participants will be monitored by a dozen-strong team of scientists on the surface using data collected by an assortment of sensors. One of the participants 29-year-old Arnaud Burel told Oddity Central that he agreed to take part in the unusual experiment in order to 'to taste this timeless life, which is impossible outside with our computers and mobile phones that constantly remind us of our appointments and obligations.' However, the biologist added, he agreed that spending nearly six weeks confined in a cave with 14 strangers would not be easy and that he felt communication would be key to ensuring their time together goes smoothly. In the Lombrives the largest cave in Europe by volume the team will be forced to adapt to the constant 54F (12C) temperature and 95 per cent humidity. In the cave, 'three separate living spaces have been fitted out one for sleeping, one for living and one for carrying out studies on the topography of the place, especially the flora and fauna,' Mr Clot told Le Parisian. The experiment has been funded by a total of 1.2 million (1 million) from both public and private funding sources. Sequestered in the Lombrives cave in Ariege (pictured), the team have four tons of supplies to live on along with water from the cave and a pedal-driven dynamo for electricity Mission leader Christian Clot (pictured), who is one of the participants, was inspired to stage the test after seeing how the COVID-19 pandemic brought isolation in to our lives 'This experiment is a world first,' neuroscientist Etienne Koechlin of the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris told the Belgian news site 7sur7. 'Until now, all missions of this type focused on the study of the physiological rhythms of the body, but never on the impact of this type of temporal rupture on the cognitive and emotional functions of the human being,' he added. More information on the experiment can be found on the Deep Time website. The 'Deep Time' experiment began at 20:00 local time on Sunday, March 14 and, if all goes to plan, will be concluding on April 22. Pictured, the entrance to the Lombrives cave In the Lombrives cave the largest in Europe by volume the team will be forced to adapt to the constant 54F (12C) temperature and 95 per cent humidity New York City - The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and EY today kicked off the global segment of the Istanbul Innovation Days (IID) with a collaborative online dialogue to explore the role of stakeholders in politics, business and society for the transition to an inclusive and sustainable future. The Istanbul Innovation Days, which began in 2015, is an annual series of events and discussions which engage individuals, communities, organizations and policy makers from different sectors who are building new futures, designing new paradigms and challenging the status quo. The initiative has grown over the past three years to the point where IID 2021 will feature some thirty conversations and events around the world over 8 weeks. The focus is on learning from practice and exploring avenues for system transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the past year, the COVID pandemic has triggered, among other things, a radical rethink of development. The IID 2021 will explore questions around how we can rethink development going forward and unlocking new pathways to an equitable and sustainable world. IID 2021 is structured around 3 moves: questioning identity and its roots- development as a paradigm based on Western legacy; vibrations in the present- where opportunities for renewal are being shaped; and accelerating the prototyping of alternative narratives shaping different possible futures. The main IID event will take place 23-25 March and will feature panelists from the United Nations, Private Sector, Governments and Civil Society. Among the speakers invited feature Alicia Garza, Principal of Black Futures Lab and co-founder of Black Lives Matter, and Alaa Salah, a Sudanese student who gained world-wide media attention from a picture of her taken by Lana Haroun that went viral during the Sudanese revolution in April 2019. The dialogues will be streamed using Web Summits advanced event management solution, a first for the world's largest technology conference. To register for the main IID event 23- 25 March please visit: https://www.innovationdays.co/register-for-iid-main-event/. To view a full list of events and register for individual conversations, please visit: https://www.innovationdays.co/agenda/. For more information about IID 2021, please contact dylan.lowthian@undp.org. Military family advocates are worried that some beneficiaries dropped from the Defense Department's Tricare Select health program in January won't know they don't have health coverage until they go see a doctor. These beneficiaries -- working-age military retirees and their family members who were enrolled in the Tricare Select health program last year -- failed to set up payment plans for enrollment fees introduced Jan. 1, leaving them without access to comprehensive health care coverage under Tricare. Tricare's two main contractors, Humana Military and Health Net Federal Services, have been reaching out to individuals about their lapsed coverage and the new payment requirements; at least 400 have told the contractors they no longer want the coverage. Read Next: Two Charged With Spraying Slain Officer, an Air Force Veteran, During Capitol Riot But 14% of the 876,531 retirees and family members who were enrolled in Tricare Select in 2020 have not set up an allotment or payment plan, including at least 60,000 beneficiaries who haven't filed a medical claim in the past year. That leads advocates to worry that roughly 119,000 people have missed the news about the new fees. "We had concerns that it was going to be difficult to reach some of these folks from the beginning," said Karen Ruedisueli, director of health affairs at the Military Officers Association of America. "You have people who are no longer connected to the military community, living in areas where there's not a military treatment facility and are 10 to 15 years into retirement." According to data provided by Humana and Health Net, roughly 700,000 of those enrolled in Tricare Select last year have set up payment plans to cover the fees or have paid ahead for the year, including 54,000 who missed the Jan. 1 deadline. The Defense Health Agency has extended what originally was a 90-day deadline for reinstating coverage to 180 days, or the end of June. During the grace period, those who failed to establish payment can pay any missed monthly fees and renew coverage. If they miss the June deadline, however, they will have to wait until Tricare open enrollment season in November to re-enroll. "I worry that there will be people out there who aren't going to find this out until after the reinstatement period is over, and they are pretty much out of luck until the next open enrollment period in November," said Eileen Huck, deputy director for health care at the National Military Family Association. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., introduced legislation last month that would extend the reinstatement period to the end of 2021. Huck said her organization has urged the Defense Health Agency to extend the deadline and would support legislation if that doesn't happen. "I'm grateful [the senators] are following this issue and are concerned about it," Huck said. "I'm glad members of Congress are potentially aware that this is a big problem." The enrollment fees were included in the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act at the request of the Defense Department, part of an overall reform effort of the military health system. The monthly fees, for retired beneficiaries who joined the military before 2018 or their dependents, are $12.50 for an individual or $25 for a family. Last week, Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced legislation that would eliminate the fees altogether, effectively overturning the 2017 provision that introduced them. Tester said the bill would ensure that military retirees and their families aren't "burdened by costly enrollment fees [that] put their health care in jeopardy" during a pandemic. "This legislation is a critical step in supporting more folks during these tough times," he said in a release Friday. Murkowski said the fees affect most of Alaska's retired military population and should be eliminated. "COVID-19 has had significant impacts on America's veterans and their families. We must guarantee their hard-earned medical benefits are protected throughout this public health crisis, and beyond," she said in a release. Both senators voted in 2016 in favor of the bill that enacted the fees. The enrollment fees are payable by allotment, credit card or direct debit from a bank account. They apply to "Group A" retirees and their dependents -- working-age retirees under age 65 who entered the military before Jan. 1, 2018, and their family members or survivors. The fees do not apply to active-duty families who use Tricare Select or those who use Tricare for Life, are enrolled in Tricare Prime, or use any other premium-based plans through Tricare. The change also does not affect survivors of deceased active-duty members or medically retired retirees and their family members. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Pentagon to Retirees: Plan Now for Tricare Select Enrollment Fees in 2021 Burma India Must Break its Silence on Myanmar Coup to Avoid Global Embarrassment People carry away a man wounded after security forces opened fire on anti-regime protesters in Mandalay on February 20./ The Irrawaddy Indias ambivalence towards condemning the military coup in Myanmar raises several questions, including the most fundamental one pertaining to democracy. The Southeast Asian nation is witnessing widespread protests and a nationwide civil disobedience campaign, with more than 190 people killed and over 2,100 arrested since the Feb. 1 coup. The military regime is also continuing its crackdown on the media, arresting journalists and raiding newspaper and magazine offices. Even The Irrawaddy, one of the countrys most respected publications, has not been spared with the junta accusing it of disregarding the military while reporting the anti-coup protests. Media workers are being targeted under Section 505(a) of Myanmars penal code, which criminalizes the circulation of information that could cause government employees or soldiers to mutiny. At least 38 journalists had been arrested as of March 12, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, with 19 still being detained. Indias position raises suspicions A Reuters report on March 9 highlighting Indias purported role in changing a UN draft resolution triggered a massive backlash on social media. The news agency reported that the UN Security Council (UNSC) had failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the military coup in Myanmar. It said India, along with China, Russia and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday (March 9) to a British draftincluding removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action. The Indian embassy in Myanmar rejected the report, calling it mischievous and biased, but the damage had already been done. Social media users took exception to Indias role with Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, describing the four countries cited in the Reuters report as villains who had stopped the UNSC from issuing a much more forceful statement. India has been careful not to make any direct reference to the military coup or to condemn it in its statements since Feb. 1. Earlier this month, Indias permanent envoy to the UN said, India has direct stakes in the maintenance of peace and stability in Myanmar, given the fact that we share long land and maritime borders We are deeply concerned and saddened by the loss of lives in Yangon and other cities of Myanmar. We have urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint. We call on the Myanmar leadership to work together to resolve their differences in a peaceful and constructive manner. Northeast India facing influx of refugees from Myanmar Meanwhile, Indias federal government has asked the north-eastern states to stop the influx of Myanmar nationals, following reports of more than 100 people fleeing to the region. Four NE states Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh together share a 1,600-km land border with Myanmar. Media reports suggest as many as 116 Myanmar nationals crossed the Tiau River and reached Farkawn Village in Mizoram through a stretch where border guards, the Assam Rifles, were not present. It is believed several of them were police and fire services personnel who had fled because the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military), were hunting them after they refused to obey orders. In a communique to the chief secretaries of north-eastern states, Indias Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said that it has been reported that an illegal influx from Myanmar has started instructions were issued to sensitize all law enforcement and intelligence agencies for taking prompt steps in identifying the illegal migrants and initiate the deportation processes expeditiously and, without delay. It also stressed that State Governments and UT (Union Territory) Administrations have no powers to grant refugee status to any foreigner and that India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol. India faced a similar surge of refugees from Myanmar in 1988 after a violent crackdown on pro-democracy supporters. Thousands of people fled to neighbouring countries fearing persecution by the then junta. An estimated 360,000 Myanmar nationals were living in Thailand, China, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India in 1991-92, according to a 1992 study carried out by the International Commission of Jurists, a Geneva-based human rights organisation. A large number of the people who took shelter in India were from Chin state. They are largely concentrated in Mizoram with some living in New Delhi, Indias capital. The India office of the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees reported that some 3,300 Chin people were among the 21,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers from Myanmar. How India changed its position New Delhi seems to have made a complete U-turn from the position it took during the 1988 uprising. Then, India was the first country neighboring Myanmar to criticise the military regime. The Indian embassy in Yangon actively supported the pro-democracy student activists and many fled to India after the 1988 uprising was put down by the Tatmadaw. Between 1988 and 1990 India openly supported the pro-democracy forces and called for complete disengagement with the ruling military junta in Myanmar, according to the UK-based Burma Campaign. India even conferred the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who had emerged as the leader of the pro-democracy movement. Subsequently, India demanded that the junta recognize the 1990 parliamentary election results where the National League for Democracy party won 392 out of 492 contested seats. However, New Delhi changed its policy in 1993 and forged closer relations with the junta for fear of the growing Chinese influence in Myanmar. Perhaps its time that India, as the largest democracy in the world, called a spade a spade. New Delhi may have its strategic interest in mind for not denouncing the Feb. 1 coup, but its prolonged silence on the state of affairs in Myanmar may be seen as giving overt support to a dictatorial regime. Indias reputation is at stake and the country runs the risk of the international community placing India in the same league as authoritarian regimes such as North Korea and China. (Jayanta Kalita is a senior journalist and author based in New Delhi. He writes on issues relating to Indias northeast and its immediate neighborhood. The views expressed are his own.) You may also like these stories: Myanmar Anti-Regime Protest Death Toll Reaches 191 Myanmar Regime Seizes Bank Accounts of Soros Open Society Foundation A Rangers official was martyred and 10 others, including two Rangers personnel, were injured in an explosion in Karachi's Orangi Town on Monday evening, police said. West Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Suhai Aziz said that the attack was apparently directed at the Rangers personnel who were passing through the area in a vehicle when the bomb - fitted in a parked motorcycle - went off, the Dawn reported. As a result, three Rangers personnel and seven other people were injured, she added. They were shifted to different hospitals in the city. One Rangers official succumbed to his injuries, the SSP said. CTD DIG Omar Shahid Hamid said the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed responsibility for the attack through their social media account. Mominabad SHO Gul Mohammed Awan also confirmed that the bomb was planted in a parked motorcycle in Orangi Town-5. One official of the Karachi Traffic Police and a constable of the Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell who were passing through the area when the explosion took place were also among the injured, he added. A team of the bomb disposal squad was called to the area. Investigators were trying to obtain CCTV footage from the site of the blast as the police's Counter-Terrorism Department launched an investigation. Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar took notice of the "terror attack on Rangers mobile" on a main road and sought a detailed report from the West SSP, a police spokesperson said. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail termed the blast a "matter of great concern". In a tweet, he said an immediate inquiry into the attack was "essential". He also directed that medical aid be provided to the injured persons. "We realise (the Rangers') sacrifices for restoration of peace in Karachi," he said. In December of last year, four people, including two paramilitary soldiers, were wounded in a cracker attack on a moving Rangers mobile near the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre on University Road. An outlawed militant organisation had claimed responsibility for the attack. Human Rights Watch said Tuesday that "unidentified projectiles" launched by Yemen's Huthi rebels caused a March 7 blaze that killed dozens of migrants at a holding facility in the capital. The Iran-backed rebels control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, whose capture from the Saudi-backed government in 2014 sparked a devastating war. "Scores of migrants burned to death in Yemen on March 7, 2021, after Huthi security forces launched unidentified projectiles into an immigration detention centre in Sanaa, causing a fire," HRW said in a statement. It said detainees -- most of them Ethiopian migrants -- had been protesting against overcrowding when camp guards rounded up hundreds of them into a hangar and fired two projectiles into the building. "The migrants said the first projectile produced a lot of smoke and made their eyes water and sting. The second, which the migrants called a 'bomb', exploded loudly and started a fire," HRW said. Footage that AFP obtained from one of the survivors showed dozens of charred bodies piled on top of one another and strewn across the ground, with one person crying out in prayer. Another video published by HRW showed security forces walking among survivors outside the facility, as the fire raged inside with black smoke billowing. HRW said hundreds of injured migrants were being treated in hospitals in Sanaa where a "heavy security presence" had posed problems for humanitarian agencies. It cited interviewees as saying they saw the Huthis rearrest migrants who were not severely injured. "Huthi authorities should urgently engage with Ethiopian authorities whose nationals are languishing in Yemeni detention centres under their control," HRW said. - 'I was terrified' - Last week, the International Organization for Migration urged the rebels to provide unimpeded access to the injured. It said more than 170 people had been hurt, over half of them seriously, and cited local migrant groups as saying as many as 60 people were killed. Story continues "I don't have the words to express what it was like (the projectiles) exploded, and there was so much smoke and then there was a fire that spread," HRW quoted a 20-year-old migrant as saying. "I was terrified, I felt like my mind was blocked with smoke." In correspondence with HRW, Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said the incident "should not be politicised or exploited". "The incident that took place was a normal result that occurs in similar incidents all over the world," he said, according to the statement. He called for the lifting of a longstanding Saudi-led blockade on Sanaa's rebel-controlled airport, so migrants "can return home". The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to back the government against the rebels. Since then, tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Despite more than six years of conflict, the impoverished country is still a magnet for migrants from the nearby Horn of Africa seeking a better life in the wealthy Gulf Arab states. bur-aem/dm/kir You know greatness when you see it. Michael Jordan's elevation. Tom Brady's coolness in the pocket. The authoritative depth of Bill O'Brien's chimple. Whatever form it takes, there's an ineffable quality to true excellence that, when observed, is instantly recognizable for the talent it infers. Ex-Houston police chief Art Acevedo is one such example of individual greatness. The career lawman has accepted a new job as chief of police in Miami, Florida, where the mayor has already extolled his praises as "the Tom Brady or Michael Jordan of police chiefs." In this spirit, I've gone ahead and come up with some other superlatives that sum up the exemplary talents Art Acevedo has showcased as the top law enforcement officer in several U.S. cities to date. Let's start with an obvious one. Getty / Dan Carson 1. "The Peyton Manning of not releasing body cam footage" When it comes to performative transparency, Art Acevedo is second to none. Last summer the then-Houston police chief walked with BLM protesters and changed his Twitter avatar to an image of George Floyd while simultaneously sandbagging damning body camera footage of Houston police officers unloading bullets into the tased and dying body of 27-year-old Nicolas Chavez. Footage of the incident didn't see the light of day for nearly six monthsa testament to Acevedo's broad skillset and coolness under hypocrisy. 2. "The Meryl Streep of keeping poor people in prison" A master method actor, Acevedo has given us such characters as "Progressive Police Chief" and "Guy who praises his employees after they killed a couple folks." Nowhere does Acevedo's versatility shine more, however, than in his work portraying the complex, almost paradoxical "Guy Who Publicly Espouses Bail Reform then Gets Mad When it Happens." 3. "The Wilt Chamberlain of no-knock search warrants" Policing so violent and illegal they had to change the rules just for him. 4. "The Yo-Yo Ma of trumped-up assault allegations" As a renowned cellist might compose a tune out of air to amuse himself and others, the former police chief spun unprovable allegations of assault against then-Philadelphia Eagle Michael Bennett for attacking an elderly woman at NRG Stadium after Super Bowl LI. The charges were dropped a year later for lack of proof. Nonetheless, like a true musician, Acevedo never changed tune on the incident. 5. "The LeBron James of empty self-promotion" Like another all-time great who does his best work in front of flashing cameras, our former police chief is taking his talents to South Florida in the hopes of finally winning the police chief championshipa title that has eluded him at past cities. In closing, I wish the chief the best of luck in Miami and hope he finds the adoring crowds he seeks. Go Art! Isaiah delivers food from Maple, a meal delivery service, in the Financial District in Manhattan, New York, on July 20, 2015. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times) Huntington Beach Wont Restrict Food Delivery Apps Profits Huntington Beach city council rejected an urgency ordinance March 16 that would have capped delivery fees on companies such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Third-party food delivery apps charge local restaurants up to 30 percent of the customers order. The motion would have limited those fees to 15 percent for restaurants. I get a little bit nervous when city is dictating how a business is supposed to operate, Councilmember Barbara Delgleize during the meeting. And thats what this really feels like to me. This urgency ordinance, which needed approval from at least five councilmembers, would have expired after 120 days. It failed with a 4-3 vote. Councilmember Mike Posey said by imposing restrictions on third-party delivery companies, they could choose to take their business elsewhere. There isnt an infinite supply of app-based drivers to deliver food, said Posey, who voted against the proposal. Helping them by eliminating service opportunities is only going to drive those drivers somewhere else. Government shouldnt be involved in modifying contracts or setting prices, whether its an emergency or a perceived monopoly. Posey argued that the best way to support local restaurants is to patronize them by picking up food personally and leaving large tips, rather than placing restrictions on delivery services. Councilmember Natalie Moser, who voted in favor of the ordinance, said third-party delivery businesses can afford to take a lesser cut of the profit, unlike local businesses. Anything that we can do to assist them in that way, temporarily, I think that we should, she said of locally-owned restaurants. Mayor Kim Carr said the proposed ordinance made sense during the pandemic. I think long term, this doesnt make any sense, Carr said. But in the short term to give them a little bit of relief. It does make sense. Mayor Pro Tem Tito Ortiz opposed the ordinance, saying: It makes you want to say yes to help these small businesses, completely, but now all of a sudden were stopping another business from making money. Councilmember Dan Kalmick said third-party delivery companies have taken advantage of eateries, which relied heavily on take-out orders during state-implemented restaurant shutdowns. This small little piece could really mean the difference between a restaurant we all love staying open and having to close, Kalmick said. DoorDash and Uber Eats can take a little bit of a hit for our businesses here. If its a choice between the two, Im always going to [choose] our businesses here locally. Councilmember Erik Peterson opposed the ordinance, saying that the 30 percent charge was not burdening restaurants. People arent being overcharged, Peterson said. Theyre being charged what they signed contract to. We shouldnt get in the way of those contracts. I talked to a bunch of restaurants. Its just part of business right now Its not killing them. I havent heard of anyone going out of business or losing so much profit from a delivery service. They can do it themselves if they want. Pizza has been doing that forever. Irvine and Buena Park city councils adopted a similar urgency ordinance on Feb. 9. In those cities, third-party delivery service companies cant charge restaurants a fee more than 15 percent of the purchase price on an online order. These cities also forbid delivery companies from charging restaurants other fees, commissions, or any other costs that they choose to no greater than 5 percent of the purchase price. On top of that, delivery companies are not allowed to take any part of a gratuity provided to the delivery person. The ordinance also stops delivery companies from raising prices on the customer for any order, in an effort to offset the loss as a result of the ordinance. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against Instagram influencer Hitesha Chandrani based on the complaint from Zomato delivery executive Kamraj, who she had alleged of assaulting her. In the case filed with Bengaluru's Electronic City Police Station, she has been charged with Sections 355 (assault), 504 (insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code. "I don't want to make it more complicated, let the truth win. If not, I will fight it legally. I have a mother with co-morbid conditions, my father died 15 years back, I am the only breadwinner for my family. I am working in Zomato for the past 26 months with 4.7 ratings. As of now, the company has blocked my ID until this case completes and assured of taking it back once the matter resolves," Kamaraj told news agency ANI. Karnataka: FIR filed against Hitesha Chandrani, who had accused Zomato delivery boy Kamaraj of attacking her, at Bengaluru's Electronic City Police Station under Section 355 (assault), 504 (insult) & 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC; FIR registered on Kamaraj's complaint a ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2021 On March 10, Chandrani in a viral video had alleged that a Zomato delivery boy punched her in the face after an argument over the delayed food delivery. After the video of Bangalore-based Instagram influencer went viral, the Zomato delivery boy named Kamaraj was arrested on the charges of assaulting a woman on March 10. He was later granted conditional bail the next day. Kamaraj in a statement refuted the allegation made by the influencer in the viral video. Kamaraj alleged that Hitesha was acting rude and hit him with a slipper. Kamaraj noted that he was only defending himself by pushing her hands away. "She had a ring on her finger and this hit her nose. You can see the ring in the video she has posted on social media," Kamaraj added. ALSO READ: 'If he is innocent, penalise the woman': Parineeti Chopra on Zomato delivery boy case ALSO READ: Zomato delivery agent refutes Bengaluru woman's allegations; Netizens react ALSO READ: Zomato covers delivery boy's earnings, offers legal support ALSO READ: 'Abused me, threw slippers, hit herself': Zomato delivery boy refutes Bengaluru woman's allegations ALSO READ: Delivery boy who assaulted Instagram influencer in Bengaluru arrested; Zomato apologises New Delhi, March 16 : Addressing parliamentarians in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday, President of Inter-Parliamentary Union, Duarte Pacheco said that Portugal supports permanent membership for India in the United Nations Security Council. "In United Nations the Portugal supports the reform process and the inclusion of India as a permanent member of the UN Security Council," he said Pacheco said that India is the largest democracy of the world and in all levels, from local to national, is looking to be more inclusive with more women and young people. He emphasised that Portugal and India have over 500 years of relationship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present in the occasion. Earlier Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said: "We are now celebrating 75 years of independence. This Central Hall is a witness to independence. India is largest working democracy in the world and represents 130 crore people of the country. In last 74 years of independence, our democratic system has only strengthened." Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh said: "It has been a testing time for governments as well as Parliaments to deal with this extraordinary situation." The President of Inter Parliamentary Union, Geneva Duarte Pacheco, is on a visit to India from March 14 to 20 as a guest of Parliament of India. Pacheco was present during the Rajya Sabha proceedings in the House on Monday and was welcomed by Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkiah Naidu. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is an international organisation of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and cooperation among its members and its initiatives include advancing gender parity among legislatures, empowering youth participation in politics and sustainable development. It was established in 1889 as the Inter-Parliamentary Congress. IPU membership was reserved for individual parliamentarians, but it has since transformed to include the legislatures of sovereign states. The national parliaments of 179 countries are members of the IPU, while 13 regional parliamentary assemblies are its associate members. Nursing students at Lamar University are getting hands-on experience administering vaccines as the university begins to inoculate eligible faculty, staff and students this week. The objective is herd immunity, Student Health Center director Shawn Gray said. The more people who are vaccinated and protected from contracting the COVID-19 virus, the harder it is to spread the virus, therefore protecting large populations of people. The effort comes after the Texas Department of State Health Services expands eligibility for the vaccine effective Monday to include front-line workers, residents at long-term health facilities, people over 50 years of age and those with health conditions considered comorbidities. Lamar University was allotted 250 doses of the vaccine from Christus Southeast Texas Health System. Were thrilled that Christus reached out to us with the availability of shots, and we are collaborating to get this done and our people vaccinated, Student Health Center director Shawn Gray said in a release. Were doing everything we can to protect our campus, faculty, staff and students. In addition to the health benefits of providing the vaccine, student volunteers from Lamars JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing are learning practical skills in their field. Every nursing student gave several vaccines, an intramuscular injection in the deltoid, Gray said. All students completed training required by the CDC to give the vaccine and how to properly prepare and store the vaccine. Finally, the students monitored the vaccine recipients after the vaccine to watch for allergic reactions. No patients had an allergic reaction Monday. Related: LU applies to receive COVID-19 vaccine Nancy Dover, a nurse practitioner and assistant director of Medical Services, was among those administering the first doses at this weeks COVID-19 vaccination clinic being held in the Setzer Center on campus. She said the students participating in the drive were getting some good practice. Patients who received the vaccine were elated. My mom and sister both had it already, Carmen Savant told The Enterprise. And now I have my turn. At the end of the first day, extra doses were given to qualifying students who had appointments for later in the week. Among them were McKenzey Menard and Kimberly Gann. While the vaccines offered this week are a start, Gray has applied for more vaccine doses from the state. These vaccines are not the allocation requested from the state, Gray said. I registered and check every day to see when well get those and well administer them based on eligibility and just continue to do what we can to keep our community safe. Those seeking inoculation must bring their Lamar University identification to register, and they must be prepared to wait 15 minutes after the shot to ensure there are not allergic reactions or other adverse effects from the shot, according to the university. Each person will get an appointment for the second dose after they receive the first one. This is a great opportunity for Lamar University to begin the process of vaccinating against COVID-19, Gray said. I look forward to receiving more vaccines and widening the population of those who can take it. In addition to masking requirements and student-led efforts to provide Personal Protective Equipment, the University recently introduced a coronavirus testing center on campus for students, staff and members of the community to use. Related: Lamar University to host free COVID-19 testing kiosk According the online self-reported tracker, there have been 62 cases of the virus in the Lamar community since the start of the spring semester, and 414 since March 1, 2020. Lamar University continues to practice social distancing, enforce mask requirements and take other precautions, but Gray said the vaccine is a major step towards protecting both Lamar, and the greater community. I believe each vaccine given whether here or off campus is a turning point for individuals and for the greater good, Gray said. A turning point for individuals taking responsibility for their personal health and wellness, and collectively, that will impact the overall population and add to the greater good. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com Those who are food insecure in New Jersey can get help from local and statewide food banks. The need for assistance has increased greatly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Here is a list of nonprofits and agencies that offer food assistance as a primary service in Essex County. A list of statewide agencies follows. These organizations are also in need of volunteers and donations; here are ways to volunteer and make donations. To add a nonprofit organization or agency to the guide, email lobrien@njadvancemedia.com. ESSEX COUNTY Bessie Green Community, Inc. 510 Broad St., Newark, N.J. 07102 | 973-648-6800 Known among its neighbors as The Red Door, Bessie Green Community Inc. has been serving the Newark area since 1978. According to a statement on the organizations website, Our soup kitchen in Newark, NJ, is just one of our many popular programs. Providing hot meals, clothing, and bags of food, Bessie Green Community seeks to fulfill its mission statement of: Feeding, clothing, and supporting our neighbors with compassion and dignity. The food pantry is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Due to COVID-19, grab & go breakfast and lunch meals are offered from the soup kitchen Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark P.O Box 32189, Newark, N.J. 07102 Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark is operating a food pantry out of its West & Central Village Community Resource Hub at 298 South Orange Ave. in Newark. Distribution events are conducted every Wednesday at noon. Food boxes contain up to 12 shelf-stable meals per family. Mobile grocery delivery is available for Newark seniors, the immuno compromised, and other neighborhood residents who cannot leave their homes. Call 862-288-8365 or email cdock@habitatnewark.org for more information. Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity NJ (MEND NJ) 862-250-5216 | info@MENDNJ.org Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity NJ, also known as MEND NJ, is a not-for-profit organization that supports a network of 20 member food pantries throughout Essex County. To find a food pantry, click here. St. James Social Service Corp. 604 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, N.J. 07102 | 973-624-4007 The mission of this nonprofit is to support the family unit by helping to change the economic circumstances and improving the overall quality of life for children, the elderly, low-income families, the working poor and the homeless. The nonprofit, which offers an array of services, continues to distribute food bags and provide to-go plates for soup kitchen patrons during the coronavirus outbreak. Executive director Vesta Godwin Clark explained the food packages that the nonprofit distributes include at least four days of food, according to family size. Recipients are permitted to come once a month for packages which include fresh meat, starches, vegetables, sauces, grains. We also try and provide sweet things, Godwin Clark noted. For more information, click here. St. Johns Soup Kitchen 22 Mulberry St., Newark, NJ 07102 St. Johns Soup Kitchen has been providing food for those who have none in the Newark area for more than 40 years. According to a statement on the St. Johns Soup Kitchen website, the nonprofit has but one mission, that is feeding the hungry. Meal service times are: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. United Community Corp. 332 S 8th St., Newark, N.J. 07103 The United Community Corp. is a nonprofit that works to build on the intrinsic strengths of our clients; by connecting them to necessary resources, we support them in taking control of their lives, preventing or confronting crises, and achieving goals. The best way for those in need to access UCCs offerings is by connecting with UCC directly. If clients are looking for a specific service they can email info@uccnewark.org or call 973-642-0181 to be connected with someone that can help in their specific area of need. UCC also hosts monthly distribution events at West Side Park where essentials - including groceries, toiletries and clothing - are given out. The food pantry also operates in daily Monday - Saturday. The best way to keep up-to-date with UCCs services is within the news. UCCs events and services are often featured on NJ.com. All events and services are also posted and advertised on UCCs website uccnewark.org. Interested clients can also sign up for UCCs monthly newsletter by emailing info@uccnewark.org. STATEWIDE Community FoodBank of New Jersey 31 Evans Terminal, Hillside, N.J. 07205 | 908-355-3663 The Community FoodBank of New Jersey works to fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long-term solutions. According to the organizations website, We engage, educate and empower all sectors of society in the battle. Working together with volunteers, donors and our many partners, we work to fill the emptiness caused by hunger with Food, Help and Hope. For those who need assistance, the Community FoodBank offers three ways to access services: 1. Text: 908-224-7776. Type find food or comida -- those seeking assistance will then be prompted to enter their zip code to be directed to a resource. 2. Website: For the food pantry locator, go to wfbnj.org/findfood 3. Call food assistance line: Call 908-838-4831 would put someone in touch with resource assess team. Team members can help in English, Spanish, haitian creole. Weve always done that. Have expanded resource access team. Helping people apply for snap is their specialty connect them to other resources. For additional information, click here. Feeding America The mission of Feeding America is to feed Americas hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. The Feeding America network secures and distributes 4.3 billion meals each year through food pantries and meal programs throughout the United States. To find a food bank, go to https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank or for more information on food assistance, go to https://www.feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food. SoupKitchen411 SoupKitchen411 is a nonprofit organization that purchases professional quality meals from local restaurants and serves them at soup kitchens. In 2015, friends Ken DeRoberts and Phillip Gentile established the nonprofit organization to serve as a hub for anti-hunger advocates to raise awareness about the epidemic of food insecurity in America and as a database of soup kitchens and other places where free meals are regularly served. The free online database at SoupKitchen411.com utilizes interactive maps to provide detailed information such as hours of operation and contact information for 250+ tri-state area, and over 700 national soup kitchens and food pantries. To locate a soup kitchen near you, click here. In April 2020, amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SoupKitchen411 launched the FeedNJ campaign that contracts bulk meals from New Jersey restaurants to be distributed to their local soup kitchens. FeedNJ is a campaign operated by nonprofit SoupKitchen411 to fight COVID-19-impacted food insecurity and keep struggling restaurants across New Jersey afloat by purchasing nutritious meals from them in bulk that are thereafter distributed to local soup kitchens. To date, the FeedNJ campaign has served over 35,000 meals purchased from local restaurants which have been served at soup kitchens and collective spaces for free, and plans to expand operations to all 21 New Jersey counties in 2021. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Pope Francis presided over a Mass Sunday to mark the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines. The Mass in St. Peter's Basilica began with a procession in traditional Filipino costumes and was celebrated with several representatives of the Filipino Church, including Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. In his homily, the Pope said Filipinos received the joy of the Gospel half a millennia ago, "and this joy is evident in your people. We see it in your eyes, on your faces, in your songs and in your prayers, the joy with which you carry your faith to other lands." Francis also recognised the faith Filipinos offer through their work in the homes of many Italians where they serve as domestic helpers, babysitters or caregivers. The Philippines, the third largest Catholic country in the world, commemorates the baptism of over 800 Filipinos in 1521 on the island of Cebu, which marked the beginning of a long history of evangelisation. In 1595, the first Ecclesiastical Province was established. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A baby Vietnamese Pot-bellied pig is fed by an employee of the Thuy Phuong pig research center in Hanoi's Bac Tu Liem District, March 14, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Van Giang. For the first time, Vietnam has successfully cloned the endangered Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs using a somatic cell cloning technique. The National Institute of Animal Sciences under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced Sunday that four baby Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs have been reproduced through a cloning technique involving somatic cells derived from ear tissues. The Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a traditional, domestic breed reared for meat. It is native to northern Vietnam, with their characteristic black and wrinkled skin. Though it is not considered to bring in high economic value, its meat is regarded to be of high quality. The FAO has classified the pig as an endangered breed. Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs on rice terraces in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam. Photo by Viethavvh. Pham Cong Thieu, head of the animal sciences institute, said the "birth" of the baby pigs was a technological leap for Vietnam in animal cloning. "The achievement has opened up new research paths for applying animal cloning technologies in choosing and preserving animal breeds that are very rare or have big economic value," he said. Engel & Volkers Gainesville - 13085 SW 1st Lane, Suite 40, Newberry, FL 32669 in Tioga Town Center Carrie managed to attract top local talent to her new Engel & Volkers Gainesville shop before she had even secured a physical location. Engel & Volkers Florida today announced Engel & Volkers Gainesville, one of the companys newest franchises, will be opening at Tioga Town Center in Newberry, Florida. License Partner, Carrie Cason has been recruiting top local talent including Lynn Haller, Kimberly Mitchell, Anna Olcese, Emily Roberts and Tracey Todd. After learning about Engel & Volkers, I knew this was something that Gainesville sorely needed, said Cason. Thanks in large part to the brand platform, I was able to recruit some of the top realtors in Alachua County. Our real estate advisors are highly-trained, dedicated to their profession and truly understand the unique needs of each client in the North Florida real estate market. Our advisors are all excited to provide a luxury experience to all clients, regardless of price point. Engel & Volkers Gainesville will be located at 13085 SW 1st Lane, Suite 40, Newberry, FL 32669 in Tioga Town Center. Tioga Town Center takes pride in combining the best of a big city with the charm of a small community to bring the residents and guests the ultimate convenience through a mix of living, shopping, working and dining. Dedicated to outstanding quality in design and construction, the shopping mall includes 23-acres of mixed-use development, 100,000 square feet of retail and office space, as well as The Flats, 184 units of luxury residential space. It is the gateway to the fastest growing area in Alachua County, the Town of Tioga, a 500-acre master-planned community. Nearly $1,000,000,000 worth of real estate is transacted annually in Alachua County. The median purchase price was $257,000 of nearly 3,000 sales conducted in 2020. Carrie managed to attract top local talent to her new Engel & Volkers Gainesville shop before she had even secured a physical location, said Peter Giese, Chief Growth Officer at Engel & Volkers Florida. Thats a testament to her skill and likeability as a broker, as well as the strength of Engel & Volkers brand platform. This situation simply mirrors what we have seen in all the markets we operate within the state of Florida, and once again demonstrates how Engel & Volkers fills an unmet need for a collaborative global network and industry-leading services that top realtors want to affiliate with. Cason recruited Haller, Mitchell, Olcese, Roberts and Todd from companies such as Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish Realtors, Keller Williams Gainesville Realty Partners and Swift Creek Realty; together, they have conducted more than 1,000 transactions, totaling over $513,000,000. Cason came to Engel & Volkers after 10 years at Swift Creek Realty, a local, family-owned real estate agency. She was also previously affiliated with Westfield Realty Group and RE/MAX Professionals. She has been in the real estate industry for more than twenty years, earning her brokers license in 2004 and designations such as the GRI and CCIM along the way. Her specializations include residential real estate, new construction and corporate relocation. She has completed over 650 transactions throughout her career, totaling a volume of more than $160,000,000. She also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Public Relations from the University of Florida. ### Press contact: Linzee Werkmeister, Junior Vice President, Marketing & Franchise Support Email: Linzee.Werkmeister(at)evrealestate.com Tel: (239) 348-9000 About Engel & Volkers: Engel & Volkers is a global luxury real estate brand. Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1977, Engel & Volkers draws on its rich European history to deliver a fresh approach to luxury real estate in the Americas with a focus on creating a personalized client experience at every stage of the home buying or selling process for today's savvy homeowner. Engel & Volkers currently operates approximately 225 shop locations with 4,500 real estate advisors in the Americas, contributing to the brand's global network of over 13,500 real estate professionals in more than 30 countries, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services, including real estate, yachting and aviation. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Volkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and platforms; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit http://www.evrealestate.com. About Engel & Volkers Florida: Engel & Volkers Florida is the Master License Partner of the global luxury real estate brand Engel & Volkers in the state of Florida. Recognized for uniquely recruiting, training and equipping some of the top professionals in the real estate industry, Engel & Volkers Floridas exclusive franchise model positions its license partners at the top of the premium market to gain market share and support their bottom line. The company represents franchise locations in: 30A Beaches, Amelia Island, Belleair, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs-Estero, Cape Coral, Clermont, Delray Beach, Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers Downtown, Gainesville, Hollywood Beach, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jupiter, Madeira Beach, Marco Island, Melbourne Beachside, Melbourne Central, Melbourne Downtown, Miami Coconut Grove, Neptune Beach, Olde Naples, Orlando, Orlando Downtown, Orlando-Winter Park, Palm Beach, Palm Coast, South Tampa, St. Augustine, St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Stuart, Wellington, and Windermere. Engel & Volkers Florida is continuing to strategically strengthen and expand its presence in premium real estate markets across the state of Florida. If you would like to know more about the Engel & Volkers brand or how to join its global networkwhich is known for demonstrating competence, exclusivity and passion, feel free to call our corporate office, located at 633 Tamiami Trl N, Suite 201, Naples, FL 34102 USA. Tel: +1 239-348-9000. For more information about Engel & Volkers Florida, please visit http://www.florida.evrealestate.com TAMPA The Tampa teen who took control of well-known Twitter accounts last summer and used them to solicit more than $100,000 in Bitcoin has agreed to plead guilty to state charges in exchange for a three-year prison sentence. Paperwork filed Monday in Hillsborough circuit court indicates that Graham Ivan Clark has agreed to serve three years in prison, followed by three years probation. The agreement will allow Clark, 18, to be sentenced as a youthful offender. He may be eligible to serve some of his time in a military-style boot camp. Provisions of the plea agreement require that Clark will be barred from using computers without permission and supervision from law enforcement. A formal plea hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. Clark was 17 when he was accused of masterminding a brazen social media hack that targeted some of the worlds most famous names. Twitter users were flummoxed July 15 when accounts belonging to several celebrities, political figures and well-known corporations began tweeting strange messages. I am giving back to the community, tweeted the account belonging to President Joe Biden. All Bitcoin sent to the address below will be sent back doubled! If you send $1,000, I will send back $2,000. Only doing this for 30 minutes ... Enjoy! Similar messages came from Twitter accounts belonging to former President Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Kanye West, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mike Bloomberg, Warren Buffet, Floyd Mayweather, Kim Kardashian, Apple, Uber and other companies. Authorities said the scam netted about $117,000 in Bitcoin before it was shut down. Clark, a student at Gaither High School, was arrested days later at his home in the Northdale area of Hillsborough County. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement found that he accessed Twitters systems by convincing an employee he worked in the companys information technology department. He then managed to access the companys customer service portal. Clark used the phony tweets to direct people to send bitcoin to accounts he owned, prosecutors said. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that is difficult to track. Two others, Nima Fazeli of Orlando and Mason Sheppard of the United Kingdom, were also charged with federal crimes related to the scheme. Prosecutors charged Clark in state court, they said, because state law allowed greater flexibility to try a minor as an adult in a financial fraud case. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Lofven discussed, in particular, the fight against coronavirus. "The situation regarding the fight against coronavirus in both states and the provision of Ukraine with a vaccine licensed by Western countries was discussed," the presidents press service reported. Zelensky thanked Sweden for its continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and briefed Lofven on the security situation in Donbas and Ukraine's initiatives to strengthen the international community's response to the occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol. "As part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence, we plan to hold a number of important international events. We will be glad to welcome you to the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform in Kyiv on August 23," Zelensky said and invited the Swedish PM to take part in the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of our country's independence. The leaders discussed the deepening of bilateral defense cooperation and prospects for interaction between the two countries within NATO's Enhanced Opportunities Partnership. Zelensky also thanked the Swedish party for its support and significant practical assistance to Ukraine in implementing reforms. In turn, Lofven praised the personal leadership of President Zelensky in the reforms and progress achieved in European integration. The parties paid attention to the intensification of trade and economic cooperation. "Our priority is to find new ways to bring bilateral trade trends back to levels that preceded the COVID-19 pandemic," the president said. Zelensky also welcomed the entry of world-famous Swedish companies and brands into the Ukrainian market, in particular the opening of the first IKEA store in Kyiv. The parties noted the mutual initiative to work towards adopting the experience of Sweden in the construction of waste processing plants in Ukraine. Stefan Lofven invited Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Sweden and take part in the International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism to be held in October this year. 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. Authorities are probing the cause of a 'violent' Tesla crash in Detroit to determine whether the electric vehicle was in self-driving mode at the time of the collision. The crash occurred the white Telsa sedan drove directly beneath a tractor trailer at an intersection on the city's south side last Thursday morning. The car became wedged under the truck, critically injuring both the male driver and female passenger. The pair both remain in hospital. On Monday, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) said it will send a special crash team to the city to investigate what went wrong. Tesla has not publicly commented on the collision, but there is suspicion that the vehicle was running on Autopilot software at the time. Two Tesla drivers have previously been killed after their cars ran beneath tractor-trailers while operating on the Autopilot setting. The carmaker has previously stated that Autopilot is a 'driver assistance system' and that the driver 'must be ready to intervene at all times', The Detroit Free Press reports. Authorities are probing the cause of a 'violent' Tesla crash in Detroit to determine whether the electric vehicle was in self-driving mode at the time of the collision The crash occurred on the city's south side last Thursday morning when the white Telsa sedan drove directly beneath a tractor trailer at an intersection Last month, the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board penned a letter to the NHSTA urging them to 'enact regulations governing driver assist systems'. The letter specifically mentioned Tesla. 'Although Tesla includes a disclaimer that "currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous", NHTSA's hands-off approach to oversight of autonomous vehicle testing poses a potential risk to motorists and other road users'. Back in 2016, Joshua Brown, 40, of Canton, Ohio, was traveling in a Tesla Model S on a divided highway and was using the Autopilot system when he was killed. Neither Brown nor his car braked for a tractor-trailer, which had turned left in front of the Tesla and was crossing its path. Brown's Tesla also went beneath the trailer and its roof was sheared off. After that crash, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company made changes in its system so radar would play more of a role in detecting objects. Jeremy Beren Banner, 50, was killed when his Tesla collided with a semitrailer on March 1 2019. The vehicle became stuck beneath the truck and its roof was sheared off (pictured) On Monday, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) said it will send a special crash team to Detroit to investigate what went wrong In 2016, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company made changes in its system so radar would play more of a role in detecting objects The unidentified male driver was behind the wheel of a white Model Y Tesla sedan (similar to the one ipictured), when it collided with a truck on Thursday morning However, in 2019, the NTSB determined that Autopilot was also switched on during the death of another Tesla driver who became wedged beneath a tractor-trailer. Jeremy Beren Banner, 50, was killed on March 1 of that year when his Tesla crashed into a semitrailer which was turning onto a highway in Delray Beach, Florida. The Tesla became trapped beneath the trailer after the collision, and it was dragged along the road for 500 meters. According to authorities, the car's roof was sheared off, and Banner was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time, David Friedman, the vice president of advocacy for Consumer Reports, blasted Tesla for its inefficient safety measures. He claimed that the 2019 crash reinforced that Autopilot is being allowed to operate in situations it cannot handle safely. 'Their system cannot literally see the broad side of an 18-wheeler on the highway,' Friedman said. 'Tesla has for too long been using human drivers as guinea pigs. This is tragically what happens,' he added. Meyer Rape Case Continued to April By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - A man facing numerous counts of rape and other charges appeared in court Monday.The McCracken Circuit Court Clerk said 31-year-old Joshua Meyer appeared for a pretrial conference. The hearing was continued to April 26.He was arrested in 2018 after two teen girls from Tennessee told authorities he held them against their will and sexually assaulted them.Meyer faces six counts of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, two counts of second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, and possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. With COVID-19 cases down, camping picks up in South Dakota South Dakota parks are seeing camping reservations fill up. That includes at recreation areas in Aberdeen and Watetown. 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 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Celltick, the world's largest cell broadcast-based products provider and a global leader of Public Warning systems (PWS), announced it has been selected by Taiwan Mobile, one of the largest mobile operators in Taiwan, to expand its MAGEN CBC (Mass Alert Geo Emergency Notifications Cell Broadcast Center) to support its SA 5G network. The MAGEN CBC is used by the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) to alert citizens in time critical emergencies e.g. typhoons, floods, earthquakes and major fires. Taiwan Mobile deployed Celltick's CBC in 2015 together with 2 other mobile operators in the country - Taiwan Star and Asia Pacific Telecom (APT). As a global forerunner in digital communication, Taiwan Mobile launched its 5G services in July 2020. Sticking to its commitment of improving people's lives with technology, it is now among the first mobile operators worldwide to implement cell broadcast over its SA 5G network. "We are immensely proud for again being selected by Taiwan Mobile, which is a globally recognized innovative leader, for expanding cell broadcast over its SA 5G network," said Ronen Daniel, Celltick's CEO. "I look forward to further developing our partnership with Taiwan Mobile and keep playing a role in their technical leadership and striving to fulfill its vision of tomorrow's 5G era." Tom Koh, CTO of Taiwan Mobile, said: "We are pleased to launch this much anticipated 5G CBC project with Celltick. Taiwan Mobile will continue advancing its 5G and technologies to empower users to open their world to more possibilities." About Celltick Celltick is the world's largest cell broadcast-based products provider and a global leader of Public Warning Systems (PWS) and Mass Notification Systems. Its CBC (Cell Broadcast Center) has been adopted by over 70 mobile operators worldwide, delivering alerts globally to more than 1 billion users daily. Beyond cell broadcast, Celltick's MAGEN (Mass Alert Geo Emergency Notifications) suite of products allows alerts dissemination across multiple channels including Location-Based SMS, native and SIM apps, as well as non-mobile media, all from its MAGEN Command Post. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1446596/Celltick_Logo.jpg For more information please contact: Liza Sofer Marketing Manager lizas@celltick.com www.celltick.com Trial Date Set in Pugh Rape Case By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - A man charged with the rape and assault of an elderly woman appeared in court Monday.The McCracken Circuit Court Clerk said 39-year-old Gary Pugh appeared for a pretrial conference. A Jury trial was scheduled for June 7.He was arrested on July 20 after an 80-year-old woman told police he had come to her home and asked to pray with her. Authorities say he then forced the woman into a bathroom where he physically and sexually assaulted her.Pugh is facing charges of rape first-degree, sexual abuse first-degree, assault second-degree, and unlawful imprisonment first-degree. 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. There were apocalyptic scenes in one of the world's major cities on Monday as authorities warned of the worst conditions seen in a decade. The thick, orange haze blanketing Beijing was the result of a sandstorm which regularly plague northwestern China during its spring, however, its latest storm has hit much heavier than in recent years. The sand was whisked up from the expansive Gobi desert and had spread from Inner Mongolia into the provinces of Gansu, Shanxi and Hebei, which surrounds Beijing, The China Meteorological Administration said as it announced a yellow alert. A woman walks along a Beijing pedestrian bridge amid the sandstorm, as buildings behind are barely visible. Source: AP Dramatic images from China's capital revealed the faint outlines of the city's skyline as residents and motorists battled the conditions. "It looks like the end of the world," said Beijing resident Flora Zou, 25, who works in the fashion sector. "In this kind of weather I really, really don't want to be outside." Heavy sandstorms also hit neighbouring Mongolia, with at least 341 people reported missing, according to China's state news agency Xinhua. Must-read related stories: Sandstorm grounds flights in Beijing Flights have been grounded out of Hohhot, capital of China's Inner Mongolia. Around a fifth of the incoming and outbound flights at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport had been cancelled as of noon (local time), more than usual during the sandstorm season, according to aviation data provider Variflight. The sandstorms were expected to shift south towards the Yangtze River delta and should clear by Wednesday or Thursday, the environment ministry said. The storms prompted a wave of social media activity on Weibo and WeChat, with some editing their images and video to reimagine movie scenes. Story continues Vehicles struggled in the gloomy conditions in Beijing on Monday. Source: AP Beijing faces regular sandstorms in March and April due to its proximity to the massive Gobi desert as well as deforestation and soil erosion throughout northern China. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. China's attempts to minimise impact of sandstorms China has been trying to reforest and restore the ecology of the region to limit how much sand is blown into the capital. Beijing has planted a "great green wall" of trees to trap incoming dust, and has also tried to create air corridors that channel the wind and allow sand and other pollutants to pass through more quickly. The environment ministry said last year that the situation had improved, with the first storms now arriving much later in the year and not lasting as long as they did a decade ago. Beijing and surrounding regions have suffered from high levels of pollution in recent weeks, with the city shrouded in smog during the national session of parliament which began on March 5. Dozens battle the conditions at a crossing in Beijing. Source: Getty Beijing's CCTV building is engulfed in a thick haze from sandstorms in China. Source: Getty To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. "It's hard to claim we are moving forward when you can't see what's in front," Li Shuo, climate advisor with Greenpeace in Beijing, tweeted on Monday. China's pollution dropped off during the height of its coronavirus outbreak however has since shot back and surpassed pre-Covid levels, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. With Reuters [March 16, 2021] After More than Doubling its Revenue Over Two Years, Vyopta Ranks No. 131 on Inc. Magazine's List of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Texas AUSTIN, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine today revealed that Vyopta is No. 131 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Texas list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Texas-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Texas economy's most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. "Our mission is to make collaboration work so people can transform how they connect, serve, and innovate when using unified communications and collaboration technologies," said Alfredo Ramirez, CEO of Vyopta. "At Vyopta, we are focused on delivering collaboration intelligence to radically improve how people engage and collaborate to become high performing teams." Businesses around the world are continually facing new competitive threats, changing market dynamics, technological disruption, and the continual change of customer demand. The pressure is on for enterprises to more quickly adapt to change and to deliver better products and services to customers. Enterprise leaders and teams must more effectively collaborate intra-team and inter-team to foster creativity and greater innovation to scale business outcomes. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in Texas. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 210 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 44,000 people and added more than $9 billion to the Texas economy. Companies based in the largest metro areasDallas, Houston, and Austinbrought in the highest revenue overall. p>Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Texas , including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/texas . "This list proves the power of companies in Texas no matter the industry," says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. "The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay." Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Vyopta Incorporated Vyopta , the Collaboration Intelligence company, is a global leader in comprehensive monitoring and analytics for Collaboration Performance Management and Workspace Insights. By integrating insights from multi-vendor Unified Communications & Collaboration vendors and IOT devices, Vyopta helps organizations deliver the best UC user experience and optimize their UC and real estate investments. Vyopta helps hundreds of organizations worldwide spanning 20+ industries monitor 6 million endpoints and over 20 billion meeting minutes a year. About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/after-more-than-doubling-its-revenue-over-two-years-vyopta-ranks-no-131-on-inc-magazines-list-of-the-fastest-growing-private-companies-in-texas-301248437.html SOURCE Vyopta Inc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The government of southwestern Yunnan province is tracking 15 wild Asian elephants round-the-clock as the herd moves northward. The elephants, which started their journey from the southernmost prefecture in the province on April 16, were 10 kilometers away from the provincial capital Kunming on Tuesday. The local government has been tracking and escorting the animals to keep them away from residents. The elephants have damaged 561 square meters of cropland, according to media reports Jun 02, 2021 05:22 PM Posted Tuesday, March 16, 2021 4:32 am - Washington State Journal As the end of an emergency eviction moratorium looms over thousands of Washington renters, a bill requiring landlords to have just cause for evicting a tenant passed the House of Representatives in a 54-44 vote March 7. Stopping evictions means preventing homelessness, Rep. Nicole Macri, D-Seattle, told the House as the bills primary sponsor. HB 1236 puts an end to no-cause evictions, which some described as yet another way for landlords to practice discrimination against tenants. The bill defines reasons landlords can use to justify their reasons for eviction, such as nonpayment of rent and illegal activity, but would ultimately stop them from forcing someone to move out with little to no warning. This comes following the approval of another tenant protections bill, which passed the Senate in a 29-20 vote March 4. SB 5160 outlines legal and financial protections for both landlords and tenants in another attempt by lawmakers to address what many call an approaching housing crisis. We have to have a system in place that opens up opportunities for landlords and tenants to communicate with each other, Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, told the Senate. SB 5160 went through several changes from its original, which included an extension of the eviction moratorium by two years. The engrossed second substitute removed the extension and instead waives any late fees for someone who could not pay rent during the public health emergency. The bill also includes a guaranteed right to counsel for tenants who face civil action, as well as expanded access to rental assistance and housing resources. Senators who opposed the bill said the protections focused too much on renters and ignored problems property managers will face if they can not pay their own costs, which include property and utility taxes. The amount of intricacy in this bill creates so many little problems that it can result in more problems, not less, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, said. The substitute bill now includes access to rental assistance for landlords, which could come from COVID-19 federal relief funds, the state emergency solutions grant program or consolidated homeless grant opportunities. The Office of Civil Legal Aid must set aside funds for tenants who go to court with their landlord. The cost is estimated at $22.2 million between 2021-23. Landlords do not have the same automatic right to free counsel as renters under this bill. Fortunato also called out bad actors who have the means to pay their rent but choose not to. Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, said a sweeping law like this could address issues in highly populated urban areas, but would only hurt smaller property owners in rural areas. What were experiencing is one-off landlords, landlords who owned little homes who just sold their homes because they cant deal with the loss anymore, Rivers said. That home is no longer a part of the rental market, so we down here are actually experiencing a rental crisis. Kuderer said protections for tenants are vital to keep the houseless rate from skyrocketing after the end of the moratorium. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows more than 134,000 Washington residents face eviction after the end of the moratorium March 31. Provisions in this bill are aimed at ensuring that does not happen, Kuderer said. SB 5160 moves onto the House for further consideration. HB 1236 is scheduled for an 8 a.m. public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing & Local Government on March 11. The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website operated by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.com. You might not think about drought during winter, but drought areas do grow in the cold season. Now the latest analysis shows drought has officially developed in part of Michigan this week. Drought is also covering much of the United States. Here are the U.S. Drought Monitors rankings across Michigan. U.S. Drought Monitor assessment as of March 9, 2021 The amount of abnormally dry soil increased 30 percent in the last week, and now 77 percent of Michigan land is abnormally dry. The tan area is now ranked as officially in drought, with a moderate drought status. While its only three percent of land coverage, the Detroit area, Ann Arbor area and Monroe area have moderate drought. This area of moderate drought didnt exist last week. This time last year, Michigan didnt have any abnormally dry ground or any areas in the higher levels of drought status. Michigan is just on the edge of what looks like more severe drought spreading across the western half of the United States. U.S. drought status as of March 9, 2021 (source: U.S. Drought Monitor) Only 38 percent of the U.S. does not have any dryness ranking. Exceptional drought, which is the worst drought ranking, covers seven percent of the country. Extreme drought, one notch below exceptional drought, is on 15 percent of U.S. land. The current amount of U.S. land encompassed in dryness is more than double this time last year. Dryness in early spring is especially worrisome. This means the growing season will need ample rainfall to have decent crop yields. Crops wont be able to survive on subsoil moisture from winter precipitation. If we continue with dry weather across the growing areas of the U.S., crops will be very fragile in summer heat, and may have greatly reduced yields. The government of southwestern Yunnan province is tracking 15 wild Asian elephants round-the-clock as the herd moves northward. The elephants, which started their journey from the southernmost prefecture in the province on April 16, were 10 kilometers away from the provincial capital Kunming on Tuesday. The local government has been tracking and escorting the animals to keep them away from residents. The elephants have damaged 561 square meters of cropland, according to media reports Jun 02, 2021 05:22 PM The two candidates were asked by Pioneer Press what they would do to correct the operation of the board, which for the last four years has been largely Republican and plagued by meetings that frequently dissolve into arguments, include elected officials speaking over each other, and see many parliamentary rules being ignored. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. It's not quite a triumphant return but still better than pretending that youngsters were learning anything by pretending to pay attention in Zoom classes whilst looking at Tik Tok videos. Here's today's lesson in the soft bigotry of low expectations . . . Read more: "Since 1944, UNCF has played an integral role in changing the life trajectory for each student it has served, and l look forward to continuing that legacy," said Milton Jones. "Our member institutions and students remain the focus of our collective efforts. As we progress each year, we will grow our organization by building upon the strong foundation laid at UNCF's inception and strengthened throughout its history." "All of us at UNCF are excited to have Milton become our new Board Chair," said UNCF President and CEO Michael L. Lomax, who has known and worked with Jones for more than four decades. "Milton brings a wealth of business knowledge and a thoughtful and collaborative leadership approach that will help us thrive and continue to drive UNCF's and our HBUCs' impact and growth." Angela Webb, founding member of Peachtree Providence Partners said, "We are incredibly proud of Milton as he assumes this role with UNCF. Milton's life and career are a testament to his devout commitment to helping others and serving the community. We know he will do excellent things and leave a legacy that inspires others to support and revere our country's HBCUs." Walter Davis, founding member of Peachtree Providence Partners said, "Milton has been an indispensable member of our team at Peachtree Providence Partners, so I am certain his time leading with UNCF will prove to be fruitful and inspiring to the young people the organization serves. I look forward to supporting Milton as he advocates for the students and institutions that change the fabric of our nation." In this role, Jones will work to grow the UNCF endowment, benefiting the 37 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) belonging to the UNCF network of member institutions. Prior to his election as Board Chair, Jones served as Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee. He has been a member of the UNCF Board since 2005. Jones is a founding member of Peachtree Providence Partners Holding Company, LLC. In this role, he advises and collaborates with CEOs in key sectors that include financial services, healthcare, technology, government, and higher education. For more than 32 years while at Bank of America, he held a series of senior executive positions with global responsibilities including roles reporting directly to the Chairman and CEO. Jones is vice chairman of the Meharry Medical College Board of Trustees; treasurer and a board member of 100 Black Men of America; co-chair of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors and serves on the advisory boards of the Metro Atlanta YMCA, Boy Scouts and the Commerce Club. He is a member of the Downtown Atlanta Rotary Club and is a member and past chairman of The Atlanta Business League and of 100 Black Men of Atlanta. For media availability with Jones with Peachtree Providence Partners, contact Lauren Harper at [email protected] . For media availability with Jones with UNCF, contact Monique LeNoir at [email protected] . ABOUT PEACHTREE PROVIDENCE PARTNERS Peachtree Providence Partners Holding Company, LLC, is an Atlanta, GA, based private investment and consultant firm with a focus on income producing for small to middle market businesses. ABOUT UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF. MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Harper [email protected] (704) 222-3421 Monique LeNoir UNCF Communications (202) 810.0231 [email protected] SOURCE Peachtree Providence Partners The United States Air Force is preparing to test launch its new hypersonic missile that is said to be capable of flying 20 times the speed of sound. The Air Force said that the booster test, which will take place sometime this month, will have a B-52H bomber carry an AGM-183A missile high into the air and launch it at more than five times the speed of sound. The missile, an Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), would then deploy a dummy second stage that would disintegrate somewhere in the atmosphere. The upcoming test this month will only test the missiles rocket booster rather than the missile as a whole. When the finalized weapon is deployed, it is the second stage that will push the missile to hypersonic speeds making it almost invulnerable to anti-missile defenses. The test flight will demonstrate the boosters ability to reach operational speeds and collect other important data, according to the Air Force. The Air Force said that it is planning to test the booster for a hypersonic missile that is designed to one day travel at more than 20 times the speed of sound. The test, which will take place sometime this month, will have a B-52H bomber carry an AGM-183A missile high into the air and launch it at more than five times the speed of sound The weapons, which were first pictured being carried by a B-52 bomber during USAF tests in June 2019, are the first hypersonic weapons in the US arsenal The image above shows mock-ups of the missiles released by defense contractor Lockheed Martin The flight will validate safe separation and controllability of the missile away from the carrier B-52H, through ignition and boost phase, all the way up to separation of a simulated glide vehicle. After releasing the dummy glide vehicle, it will not sustain flight, and will disintegrate soon after separation. Our first BTF (booster test flight) will happen in the next 30 days, followed by several additional booster and all-up round test flight by the end of the year, said Air Force Brigadier General Heath A. Collins. The service said that the BTF-1 test flight will be the eighth flight test for the ARRW program, following seven captive-carry carriage flight tests. The ARRW will be the first hypersonic weapon in the American military arsenal. According to Live Science, the ARRW is supposed to move at about 20 times the speed of sound through the atmosphere. It is designed to be so fast so as to make it impossible for anti-missile systems to shoot it down. The AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (AARW) is loaded under the wing of a B-52H Stratofortress at Edwards Air Force Base in August of 2020 The Air Force said in a statement that the weapon was designed to destroy high-value, time-sensitive targets. The hypersonic missile is designed to operate in two stages. The first stage has the rocket accelerate to several times the speed of sound while flying at a lower altitude than a conventional Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). ICBMs fly along a high arc above the atmosphere and then deliver their nuclear payloads. In the second stage, the ARRW releases a glider that carries the weapon for the final leg of its journey to the target. Because ARRWs are designed to fly at lower altitudes than ICBMs, it makes them harder to detect and to intercept since missile defense technology is geared toward shooting down projectiles close to the peak of their arc through space. There are two primary categories of hypersonic weapons: Hypersonic glide vehicles that are launched from a rocket before gliding to a target and hypersonic cruise missiles that are powered by high-speed, air-breathing engines after acquiring their target. The US, as well as China and Russia, have so far focused research and development on both categories of hypersonic weapons - both of which could carry conventional or nuclear payloads. The two types of hypersonic weapons: Hypersonic glide vehicles A hypersonic glide vehicle is boosted aloft on a rocket to heights of between 25 miles to 62 miles above the earth before detaching to glide along the upper atmosphere towards its target. It is released at a height and speed that would allow it to glide unpowered to the target. Control surfaces on the glide vehicle mean it can steer an unpredictable course and maneuver sharply as it approaches impact. These glide vehicles follow a much flatter and lower trajectory than the high, arching path of a ballistic missile. Hypersonic cruise missiles These missiles are powered by high-speed, air-breathing engines after acquiring their target. While they have internal engines, unlike regular cruise missiles, they travel far faster and higher. Advertisement A hypersonic glide vehicle is boosted aloft on a rocket to heights of between 25 miles to 62 miles above the earth before detaching to glide along the upper atmosphere towards its target. It is released at a height and speed that would allow it to glide unpowered to the target. Control surfaces on the glide vehicle mean it can steer an unpredictable course and maneuver sharply as it approaches impact. The prototype missiles could be available to use on the battlefield in 2022. However, the ARRW project is reportedly a year behind schedule and has seen its total cost increase by almost 40 per cent. Development began in 2018, with the design contract being awarded to Lockheed Martin. In June 2019, a B-52 bomber was pictured carrying a test version of the missile. The plane is set to be the main launching platform for the missiles. 'Program officials stated that they plan to deliver eight hypersonic missiles: four to conduct flight tests and four spares,' according to the Congressional Government Accountability Office. 'Specifically, [the] ARRW [program] plans to develop an operational prototype with solid-fuel booster, ordnance package, and specialized equipment to enable it to be carried on the B-52H.' 'According to program officials, the program will build knowledge through the flight and operational testing of prototype units, as well as potentially provide an operational capability from the deployment of any remaining spare test units,' the review added. The US has been developing hypersonic weapons since the early 2000s, according to a Congressional Research Service report published in July of 2019. The Pentagon's budget request for all hypersonic-related research throughout 2020 was a whopping $2.6 billion, according to the GAO research report. New York, March 16 : Nearly everyone who got their first dose of a two-shot Covid-19 vaccine got their second dose within the recommended window in the US, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to a report in The Verge, during the first two months of the US Covid-19 vaccination campaign, around 12 million people got their first dose and were also scheduled for their second dose. The second dose is supposed to be given three weeks after the first for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and four weeks for the Moderna vaccine (with a few days' buffer on each side). In that group, 88 per cent of people had their second shot on schedule. Around 9 per cent of people who had their first shot between December 14 and February 14 had not yet received their second dose but were still within 42 days from their first dose, the report said. The CDC said that when a delay is unavoidable, people can wait that long. Three percent of people were outside of the 42-day window and had missed the dose, it added. To look at those numbers in a different way, the CDC also looked at everyone who'd received a second dose during those two months to see how many people received it within the recommended period. Over 95 per cent of people were on schedule. Just under 3 per cent of people were late (but within the 42-day window), and 1.5 per cent of people had their second injection early. Such high numbers of people getting their second dose -- and getting it on time -- are reassuring, the CDC wrote in its report. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines may have some protection with just one dose, but a single dose wasn't part of the clinical trials, and it's not clear how long that protection might last, the report said. The second shot boosts the immune system and gives people the full benefits of the 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. For the first time ever, researchers have found fossils under Greenland's ice sheet that are so large and well preserved that they can be seen with the naked eye. Following a relocation of ice cores to the Copenhagen suburb of Rdovre in 2017, University of Copenhagen researchers found unopened boxes of ice cores dating back to 1966--the first ice cores drilled on Earth. Analyses of the long-forgotten ice have now been completed and are presented in a new study with groundbreaking results. Within the cores, which come from deep within the ice sheet at Camp Century, Greenland, the UCPH researchers and their Belgian and American colleagues became the first ever to find these millions of years old macrofossils. The fossils are large enough to be seen without a microscope. "We pinched ourselves over the treasure we'd found! Because within the cores, which for the most part resemble compressed gravel, we could identify entire twigs and leaves, perfectly preserved after millions of years. We had never found anything like this, nor had anyone else," explains Professor Dorthe Dahl-Jensen of the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute, who adds: "Thorough DNA analyses are typically required to identify which plants and animals are in ice. But here, we could see things immediately. The ice was drilled in an amazing location where there were obviously plants and branches before ice covered Greenland." Revealing details about the past While twigs and leaves may not sound like much, they reveal a rare and unique story about the vegetation of the Greenlandic landscape as it was millions of years ago, when Earth's climate was warmer, and Greenland wasn't covered by ice. "Among the leaves, twigs and plant remnants we found are liverwort plants and and wooly feather moss. Our analyses show that they come from boreal forest--the conifer, birch and willow forests common to Canada and Alaska. These hardy plants and trees are tolerant of cold conditions," explains Dorthe Dahl-Jensen. The ice cores have also provided the researchers with knowledge about climate change in Greenland dating back several million years. This knowledge is useful for helping us peer into the crystal ball and see the climate of the future. "After measuring water isotopes in the ice, we can confirm earlier findings that the ice sheet has been intact and covered Greenland for roughly one million years. Before then, there were periods in between ice sheets when Greenland was ice-free, These results illustrate just how awesome ice is and how it can withstand so much--including periods of higher temperatures like the one we are in now," explains the climate professor. According to the researcher though, the ice will be strongly influenced by the rise in temperature that several climate models predict will occur over roughly the next 100 years. "Should the worst-case scenarios transpire, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets will start melting, which could cause sea levels to rise up to 70 meters. However, this will take a long time, thousandes of years. Fortunately, we can still do something about it and avoid these large rises in sea level--it's a matter of action," she says. The next step in working with the forgotten ice cores of Camp Century is to perform DNA analyses of both the ice and sedimentary residues. "We'll see if we can find remnants of beetles, butterflies and other insects too," concludes Professor Dahl-Jensen. ### The head of the European Medicines Agency says there is no indication that vaccines are the cause of blood clots reported in some shot recipients. Those reports led several European countries to suspend use of the vaccine. Emer Cooke said Tuesday that the agency is firmly convinced that the benefits of the shot outweigh the risks, but an evaluation is ongoing. Cooke said experts are meeting this week to discuss the available information and will make a recommendation Thursday. (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.) SPRINGFIELD - A joint operation by Springfield and state police targeting groups illegally riding off-road motorcycles and quads on city streets resulted in 17 arrests and 20 vehicle seizures, officials said. The crack down last week was in response a growing problem of groups of people on dirt bikes and quads riding recklessly on city streets and terrorizing drivers and pedestrians alike. Police have recently received complaints from drivers saying that they had been threatened, had vehicles damaged and in one case being shot at. It is illegal to operate an unregistered, off-road vehicle anywhere in Springfield. Illegal riding has been a problem for the last few years in Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke, primarily in the spring and summer. Springfield police and state troopers used different tactics and strategies to track groups of riders and then move in to arrest them. The state police Air Wing helicopter also helped track riders from above. Great team effort between our officers and the State Police. We noticed it was going to be a warm week and proactively wanted to get ahead of this issue to put a dent in some of this illegal dirt bike activity, said Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood. This is not a one and done operation. Well be out there again. Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, said We are grateful for the opportunity to work with our partners in the Springfield Police Department to crack down on this illegal activity, which endangers those who live, work, and raise families in Springfield and negatively impacts their quality of life. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno thanked officers and troopers involved in the crackdown. We will continue to cite, arrest, and confiscate these illegal vehicles, he said. We will continue enforcement in the name of public health, public safety, and for the quality of life for our residents and business community. Of the 17 people arrested, mostly on charges of operating unregistered, uninsured vehicles, three were juveniles. The 14 others were between the ages of 20 and 37, and residents of Holyoke or Springfield. What Was the Last Supper and Why Do We Remember it Now? Christians all over the world celebrate some form of this event, and its come to be known as the Last Supper. Christ instituted it 2000 years ago. Does the Last Supper have meaning for us today? As a kid, Communion scared me. Not because of the symbolism or the story of the cross of Jesus, but since my mother gave me the church yell-whisper at around five years old. The first time I held a tiny cup of grape juice and knelt near the altar with a little cracker in the other hand, she threatened me with the penalty of death if I spilled a drop on the white church carpet. I didnt, thankfully, but that is my earliest memory of Communion. When I was 15 years old and a new believer after fully committing my heart to God, my pastor brought in a Messianic Jew to host a Passover Seder at our church around Easter. The Jewish rabbi explained and showed the symbolism of Christ within the Seder. From that day, I never looked at Communion or the Lords Supper as some liturgical ritual. It was real, relational, and powerful. Jesus sat down with his disciples, the men closest to him through three years of hard and world-changing ministry. It was the night before his death on the cross, and in the midst of celebrating the Jewish celebration of Passover, the Son of God shared deep truth and comfort to prepare them for what was to come. Amazingly, Jesus redefined Passover for those that follow Him, made it completely new, explaining it as symbolic of the New Covenant. With that revolutionary revelation, he instructed them to continue participating in the dinner to remind each other of those new truths, a tradition infused with complex and powerful meaning. Christians all over the world celebrate some form of this event, and its come to be known as the Last Supper. Christ instituted it 2000 years ago. Does the Last Supper have meaning for us today? Get your FREE Holy Week Guide here. Have encouragement delivered straight to your inbox! What Was the Last Supper and What Happened that Night? To understand the radical nature of what Jesus said that night, we must begin thousands of years before Jesus, to Moses. Whether weve read the first five books in the Old Testament or seen The Ten Commandments (or both), most know the story in Exodus of how God delivered the nation of Israel from the bondage in Egypt. The people of Israel moved to Egypt during a famine while Joseph was the Governor of Egypt. They stayed after the famine ended, and over time, economic and racial tensions grew between the people of Israel and Egypt. A later Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites as a solution. The cry of the Israelites reached God, and He raised up the Israelite Moses to deliver them. Through Moses, God sent several plagues to break the oppressive Egyptian rulers, ultimately killing the firstborn of every household without the blood of a lamb over the doorway. The angel of Death would pass over a house with the blood. Thousands of Egyptians died that night. That did it. Egypt ran the Israelites out of the country. As a reminder of His deliverance, God instituted the Passover celebration, a feast used as a way to teach the Israelite history and the establishment of the Old Covenant. In the time of Jesus, the Jews and Israel were once again under oppression, this time with Rome, and Jesus took his disciples to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, as a good Jew would. They enjoyed a room that had been prepared for others but unused and now given to Jesus and his guests (Luke 22:7-14). Passover is a celebration. There is a ton of foodlamb is the central dish along with unleavened breadas well as dancing, singing, and drinking wine. While they ate the dinner together already full of history and meaning, Jesus started teaching. There are different moments when the meal stops, and everyone drinks a cup of wine together. At these pauses, the host of the meal teaches about the history, including the plagues and the death of the firstborn. Jesus, however, did something different. He used those moments to teach about Himself, His death, and the institution of the New Covenant. He picked up the cup of redemption, passed it around, and said, This is my blood, shed for you. He tore a piece of unleavened bread and said, This is my body, broken for you. Then he told them, Do this in remembrance of Me (Mark 14:22-25). In other words, when you celebrate Passover, from here on out, its not about Moses and the deliverance from Egypt anymore, at least not alone. Its not about the Old Covenant. The blood in the cup isnt symbolic of the blood of the lamb spread over the door that keeps us from the angel of Death. The unleavened bread isnt symbolic of the bread made for travelers, made in a hurry to escape Egypt. The Passover no longer means the kickoff of the Old Covenant. Something new has happened. The blood is now the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. The bread is now the body broken by whips and nailed to the cross. Jesus is the lamb that died for us, to deliver us from the eternal oppression of sin. The Passover is now symbolic of the New Covenant. This would have been radical, almost heretical, to the Jews of Jesus day. The Passover was never connected with the Messiah, who Jesus claimed to be. Christ focused more on the promises and prophecies of David, not Moses, at least to the Jews of that day. In essence, Jesus taught that the Passover was not simply remembering an historical event. The Passover also prophetically declared the ultimate solution and deliverance through Jesus Christ. It wasnt outside the scope of the Old Testament writings to teach this. Moses prophesied a prophet like me, (Deuteronomy 18:15) one that would bring a covenant after the earthly king system failed. Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied a New Covenant that was different than the old one (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:24-28). The revelation that Jesus combined these elements from the Old Testament in Himselfan eternal King in the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16), an eternal Kingdom described by Daniel (Daniel 2), another prophet like Moses to bring a second covenant, and a New Covenant, along with the Son of Man that would die (Isaiah 53:7)would have blown their minds. What Jesus does at the Lords Supper, in conjunction with all His teaching, was to declare Himself the fulfillment of EVERY promise of the Old Testament. Yet Jesus also takes it a step further. In a verse the King James version misinterpreted, He says that He was going to prepare a room in His Fathers house for them, and He would return to bring them there (John 14:3) (The King James translated it mansions.). In that culture, when a man would get engaged to a woman, he would go to his fathers house and build on an extra room for them to live together. When that room was finished, he went back to the woman and brought her to this new, prepared room to live as husband and wife in the fathers house. This was the picture in their minds when He says He goes to prepare a place and will return. The Son of God. A King. A Kingdom. A Covenant Bringer. A Sacrifice. A Savior. And a Husband. In a Family. He injects romance into the event, a promise of the future fulfillment of joy and restoration and intimacy. What Does the Bible Say about the Last Supper? The account of the Last Supper was so central to the first disciples, that there is a narrative within all four Gospels (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 13). Passover was only meant to be done once a year, but the ideas of eating together as an expression of the Christian community happened often with the first disciples (Acts 2:42). Jesus was the host of the Passover feast the night before His death. During the redemptive conversation with Peter after the Resurrection, Jesus tells Peter to feed my sheep (John 21:15-17). Three times. While that is also symbolic, the apostles actually passed out bread, literally fed the followers of Jesus, which got so time-consuming that they had the people choose leaders to take over that part of the ministry (Acts 6:2-6). The Church in Acts ate together constantly, every day. Paul broke bread with believers before teaching all night (Acts 20:7). Outside of the Gospels and Acts, the most discussion we have on the Last Supper (Lord Supper/Communion) comes from Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 and 11. He describes a meal where the local church gathers and shares together, not simply some crackers and juice, and warns them to treat one another with hospitality and love in the midst of remembering the body and blood of Jesus. Again, this appears to be a regular, even weekly, event instead of once a year and incorporated a whole meal. Both letters to the church in Corinth are corrective, so we must take that into account, but it still gives us great insight into the perspective of the early church. Some were getting drunk on the wine and others filled their bellies while a few went hungry at the Lords Supper. That isnt an expression of the equality of the Kingdom of God and the love of a family. Selfishness shouldnt exist there, and Pauls warning is that people who dont treat the sacred meal seriously could get sick and die (1 Corinthians 11:30). How Do Christians Observe the Last Supper? Over time, the meal celebration became more ritualistic, and most Christians today call it Communion. As a holdover from the Catholic and Orthodox liturgical traditions, a large percentage of Christians have a cracker and wine or grape juice in a solemn affair to remember the death and sacrifice of Jesus. How often the ritual of Communion is observed varies from one denomination to another. Some groups require participants to be card-carrying members of that church. It is more common today to open Communion for everyone. Some churches observe Communion once a year (like Passover) while others have it more often, every week in some cases. Generally, Catholics still believe in something called Transubstantiation, which means that when a priest blesses the wafer and wine, they literally become the body and blood of Jesus. Protestants and evangelicals believe the juice and cracker are simply symbols. That describes the majority of modern Christians. There are believers who celebrate it in different ways, however, including cultural contexts. People in the house church or small church community movements celebrate it as a meal together. Messianic Jews follow the traditional Passover structure and teach Jesus in the midst of that. Despite how seriously people may feel about their particular tradition, it is the meaning that should inspire us with the revelation that the Son of God came to Earth to give His life to save us from our sin and give us eternal life through an intimate relationship with Himself and His Father through the Holy Spirit. That is an eternal truth, not limited by time, so even though the dinner happened 2000 years ago, the impact and power of the meaning hasnt diminished one iota. We are called to constantly walk within that eternal reality. The tradition or ritual are only teachable moments as a community of the substance we have continually in Christ. If youve never participated in a traditional Jewish Passover hosted by either a Messianic Jew or a person who has been taught those connections, I highly recommend it. There is no legalistic obligation to do it, but the depth and richness of the celebration is amazing and inspiring. I highly recommend it! Photo credit: GettyImages/Mizina Britt Mooney (with his amazing wife, Becca) has lived as a missionary in Korea, traveled for missions to several countries, and now lives in Suwanee GA as a church planter that works bi-vocationally with Phoenix Roasters, a missional coffee company. He has a podcast about the Kingdom of God called Kingdom Over Coffee and is a published author with Say Yes: How God-Sized Dreams Take Flight. This article is part of our larger Holy Week and Easter resource library centered around the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ! What is the Holy Week? What Is Palm Sunday? What is Maundy Thursday? What Is Good Friday? What Is Easter? Easter Prayers At Easter, the Son of God took on the worlds sin and defeated the devil, death, and grave. How is it, then, that historys most glorious moment is surrounded by fearful fishermen, despised tax collectors, marginalized women, feeble politicians, and traitorous friends? In The Characters of Easter, youll become acquainted with the unlikely collection of ordinary people who witnessed the miracle of Christs death and resurrection. This FREE podcast provides a fresh approach to the Lenten season and can be used as a devotional or study for both individuals and groups. Farming businesses are being urged to check if their EU employees have applied to stay in the country as part of the post-Brexit settled status scheme. All EU citizens must apply to the scheme by 30 June 2021 to continue to live and work in the United Kingdom. The settlement scheme is designed to give those entered the UK under the EU's freedom of movement principle the right to remain. But failure to sign up to the scheme could result in them being deported, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has warned farming businesses. The group has encouraged farmers to ensure that foreign farm workers have applied 'sooner rather than later'. The free scheme is open to applications from nationals from the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland who are already resident in the UK. Successful applicants will either be given settled status if they have lived in the UK for a continuous five-year period or pre-settled status if they have for less time than that. This can be converted into settled status once they have passed the five-year mark. Receiving settled or pre-settled status will allow applicants to work in the UK, access health care, social services, study and claim benefits, if they are eligible for them. RABDF Managing Director Matt Knight said it was important for farming businesses to encourage EU workers to apply to the scheme by 30 June. He warned farmers to expect a big rush in applications over the next few months before the deadline. "There could also be a backlog because of Covid-19, so I would encourage you to do that now," Mr Knight said. If one of your EU workers fail to apply by the deadline, they will become an unlawful resident in the UK and could be asked to return back to their home country. We would encourage you to help them through the application process, he added. The latest government figures show that by the end of December 2020, a decision had been reached on 72,610 applications to the scheme. Almost 97 percent of those applicants were granted settled or pre-settled status. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Baywatch was one of the most successful series in television history. Its a combination of attractive models in skimpy swimsuits with a plot that allowed them a healthy dose of melodrama, billions of people around the world reportedly tuned in to the syndicated series. The iconic red swimsuits were custom-made for every actor and actress. However, as many involved told Yahoo!, this meant that they all had to stay on their toes. Baywatch was about lifeguards From L-R: Traci Bingham, Donna DErrico, Yasmine Bleeth, Gena Lee Nolin And Nancy Valen | Getty Images As IMDb notes, Baywatch was a show about lifeguards in Southern California. This was a simple premise. However, what set it apart was not a gripping portrayal of realistic scenarios, well-thought-out plots, and invigorating subtext. While the shows creators maintain that all of this applied, the show was mostly known for the voluptuous beauties and ridiculous stories. It must have worked. Although the series was canceled after one year on NBC, creators resurrected it in syndication. It remained on the air for more than a decade after. It made stars of Pamela Anderson and the rest of the actresses. Briefly, it boasted a young Jason Momoa while also bolstering the career of an already-popular David Hasselhoff. Just how big it was, however, may surprise some people. Why was Baywatch so popular? Putting a cast of Playboy bunnies past and present in revealing outfits and setting it to the melodramatic fare that was a staple of the 80s and 90s was a calculated move. After all, while the show had a writers room, plots, and even people trying to keep some semblance of reality on the set, most of the discussion of Baywatch had to do with the women on the scene and the swimsuits they were wearing. According to the Guinness Book of records, the series reached a billion people worldwide every week. While its easy to shrug this off as a testament to the beauty on the screen, they didnt just arrive on set in front of cameras. Creators put a lot of care into the swimsuits. However, the practices behind the series still might raise more than a few eyebrows. Staying in shape Looking back at the iconic swimsuits, Yahoo! writer Kimberly Potts explored what went behind them. A creation for the series based on little more than the makers creative vision, the costume department did not grab the swimsuits from the local Target. According to co-creator Greg Bonann, who was once a lifeguard himself, he wanted the swimsuits to show off every individual while remaining functional. TYR designed the suit per my specs, Bonann told Yahoo! The swimsuits had to look good on the women, but had to also be functional in the water. The now-famous slo-mo shooting required good support on the top and minimal creep in the back. This meant that the stars had to make sure that they fit into the skimpy wardrobe. Alexandra Paul spent five years on the series. During that time, she saw firsthand what went into making the show. However, while the show was a bright mark on her resume, it also meant that she had to think about everything she ate or drank. There was a clause in our contract that said we couldnt gain weight, Paul told Esquire in a since-deleted article, quoted by Yahoo!. When I first saw that, I was like, What? I cant believe this! Why, do they just have these for the women? While the show was often fairly criticized for objectifying its female stars, the weight gain clause was not just for the women. Try as they may to say that it was a show about lifeguards saving lives, its marketing was based on the sex appeal of its stars. This meant that Pamela Anderson had to keep a certain weight, but so did David Hasselhoff. However, while this practice may be questionable, at best, Everyone else seemed so disappointed and shocked about it our show did do a lot of good things, especially in places like China or Iran, where people saw women wearing bathing suits, and it was OK. To me, in a way, culturally, we did a lot of good. I think people dont give us credit for that. Whether or not it was objectification or liberation remains to be seen. However, the stories about the demands that they put on everyone on the set show just how seriously, right or wrong, the shows primary sell was taken. At a joint news conference with Swedens visiting Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde in Yerevan, Ayvazian said that Armenia views the trilateral statement signed by Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on November 9 to end six weeks of fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh last fall as a document aimed at restoring the ceasefire and reaffirming the security. Although it contains some provisions concerning the peaceful settlement, however it does not address its key elements, and the most important among them is the issue of the status of Artsakh [the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh], based on the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination. A final political solution to the conflict is possible only within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, Ayvazian said, referring to the format jointly headed by Russia, the United States and France that has had an international mandate to broker a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since the early 1990s. Recent developments in the region have underlined the need for a strong, I emphasize, strong OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, which will be able to lead the peace process on the basis of principles and elements developed over the years. We also need a strong, cohesive OSCE as an institute responsible for regional security and peace. In this context, we attach importance to the role of the OSCE Chairmanship, including the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the top Armenian diplomat underscored. In her remarks at the news conference Linde also hailed the work of the Minsk Group co-chairs and the efforts of her personal representative towards finding a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The OSCE chairperson-in-office arrived in Yerevan late on Monday after visiting Baku where she met with the president and foreign minister of Azerbaijan. The purpose of her regional visit is to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and the situation after the recent war with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the Armenian capital the OSCEs chairperson-in-office also met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian later on Tuesday. According to the Armenian prime ministers press office, during the meeting Linde highlighted the importance of the work of the Minsk Group co-chairs in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Pashinian, for his part, stressed the importance of close cooperation with the OSCE in ensuring stability and security in the region. The Armenian premier, too, emphasized that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is only possible within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. In this regard, Pashinian also stressed the need for the clarification of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and the exercise by Karabakh Armenians of their right to self-determination. As quoted by his press office, Pashinian pointed out that regional stability and lasting peace can only be achieved through constructive approaches and an appropriate confidence-building environment, while the Azerbaijani presidents continued aggressive and destructive statements cannot but undermine the process. In her capacity of the OSCEs chairperson-in-office, Linde reportedly prioritized the Minsk Group Co-Chairs efforts in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the efforts made by her personal representative towards achieving a lasting resolution and peace. She said that the OSCE and the international community, in general, have a role to play in terms of addressing the current situation and helping the parties find ways to settlement, a press release said. At the same time, the OSCE chairperson-in-office stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and addressing humanitarian issues and expressed conviction that this will help build an atmosphere of mutual trust, it added. Under the Moscow-brokered cease-fire that put an end to a deadly war, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration after almost 30 years of control by ethnic Armenian forces. Since then Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that he considers the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolved and sees no issue of the regions status. LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its recent launch, Straight Up Impact, a woman-owned, fully integrated media company, today announced that it's in development for a full-length feature film "Man's Search for Meaning," based on the seminal 1946 book written by Viktor Frankl about his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps. Produced by Straight Up Impact founders Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvino, in partnership with renowned life strategist and bestselling author Tony Robbins and Frankl's grandson, Alexander Vesely, "Man's Search for Meaning" chronicles Frankl's experiences and introduces his revolutionary psychotherapeutic approach, known as logotherapy. The "Man's Search for Meaning" team also includes screenwriter Angela Workman, whose previous writing credits include "The Zookeeper's Wife," starring Jessica Chastain and released by Focus Features. Pam Roy, who is a co-founder of Straight Up Impact along with Cohen and Polvino, will serve as executive producer of the film, slated for release in 2023. Straight Up Impactan offshoot of Straight Up Films, which has produced major motion pictures such as Transcendence, starring Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman, and released films with likes of Gavin O'Connor and Spike Leefocuses on financing, developing and producing thought-provoking stories that inspire audiences to change. The company will produce a variety of media, including feature films, series, documentaries and short films, up to $20 million. "We are honored that Viktor Frankl's family has entrusted us to tell his incredible life story," Ms. Cohen said. "Our mission is to share his teachings with the world in the hopes that more people find meaning in their lives." With more than 16 million copies sold, "Man's Search for Meaning" centers on the notion that people are motivated by finding meaning and purpose in their lives, rather than the pursuit of mere pleasure or happiness. In the book, Frankl explains that Nazi prisoners who were able to find meaning, even if only to help another person get through the day, were more likely to survive. "The ability to find meaning in the most difficult times, even in times of injustice or extreme stress is perhaps the most important skill we can develop in life," Mr. Robbins said. "Viktor Frankl's book, 'Man's Search for Meaning', provides the most compelling and triumphant account I have ever read of humanity's ability to persevere through the unimaginable. I've long recommended to those in a rough place in life to read Frankl's book. This film will allow the important life lessons contained in this timeless and significant work to reach and impact even more people." Born in Vienna in 1905, Frankl began counseling suicidal patients in the 1920s and lost his mother, father, brother and wife in concentration camps. After the war, he continued his work as a psychiatrist and neurologist in Vienna. "When suffering is inevitable, the attitude we choose matters most," said Mr. Vesely, a licensed logotherapist and co-founder of the Viktor Frankl Institute of America. "Despite experiencing unspeakable horrors and loss, my grandfather continued to help others to find meaning in life, even when great adversity and tragedy are a part of it. I hope this film inspires anyone dealing with their own struggles." For more information on Straight Up Impact, contact Jami Schlicher at 973-647-0655 or [email protected]. About Straight Up Impact Straight Up Impact is a spinoff of Straight Up Films, and it 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 March 16, 2021 Britain's Nuke Increase Is In Breach Of Its NPT Obligations Less than a month ago the British government pleaded with Iran to 'come back into compliance' with the nuclear deal: I dont think that we should be sending a signal that we are going to overlook this non-compliance or just brush it under the carpet, James Cleverly, Britains junior foreign minister who covers the Middle East and North Africa, told the BBC. This is in Irans hands, they are the ones breaching the conditions of the JCPOA, they are the ones that can do something about this, and they should come back into compliance, he said. In fact it is the U.S. and its European proxies, including Britain, which are not in compliance with the JCPOA. Iran has exceeded some technical limits of the nuclear deal. But it is allowed to do so under 26 and 37 of the deal as the other parties are not in compliance with their duties under the deal. It is also Britain which is now threatening to break another nuclear treaty: Britain is lifting the cap on the number of Trident nuclear warheads it can stockpile by more than 40%, Boris Johnson will announce on Tuesday, ending 30 years of gradual disarmament since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The increased limit, from 180 to 260 warheads, is contained in a leaked copy of the integrated review of defence and foreign policy, seen by the Guardian. It paves the way for a controversial 10bn rearmament in response to perceived threats from Russia and China. The UK has signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a nuclear weapon state. Britain, by increasing its stockpile of nuclear weapons, is now in breach of Article VI of the treaty: Article VI Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. In previous communication to other NPT states Britain has explicitly linked the number of nuclear warheads it has to its Article VI obligation. In a speech to the UN 2015 Review Conference of the NPT Baroness Anelay, Minister of State at the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, said: Madam President, the United Kingdom remains firmly committed to step-by-step disarmament, and our obligations under Article Six. We announced in January that we have reduced the number of warheads on each of our deployed ballistic missile submarines from 48 to 40, and the number of operational missiles on each of those submarines to no more than eight. This takes our total number of operationally available warheads to no more than 120. And this will enable us to reduce our overall nuclear warhead stockpile to not more than 180 by the mid 2020s. The UK has argued to be in compliance with its Article VI obligations because it was reducing the number of nuclear warheads. It thus can not claim to be in compliance with the treaty when it increases that number. The just published Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy which introduces the British policy change argues on page 76 that the higher numbers are necessary: The UKs independent nuclear deterrent has existed for over 60 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, helping to guarantee our security and that of our Allies. ... Some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals. They are investing in novel nuclear technologies and developing new warfighting nuclear systems which they are integrating into their military strategies and doctrines and into their political rhetoric to seek to coerce others. The increase in global competition, challenges to the international order, and proliferation of potentially disruptive technologies all pose a threat to strategic stability. ... In 2010 the Government stated an intent to reduce our overall nuclear warhead stockpile ceiling from not more than 225 to not more than 180 by the mid-2020s. However, in recognition of the evolving security environment, including the developing range of technological and doctrinal threats, this is no longer possible, and the UK will move to an overall nuclear weapon stockpile of no more than 260 warheads Technological threats against the British nukes are possible but what please are 'doctrinal threats'? The UK has at all times one nuclear submarine with nuclear armed missiles at sea. That is its sole nuclear deterrence element that could be endangered by new technological threats, for example swarms of armed submersed drones. But putting more nuclear warheads onto that one submarine at sea will not make that submarine more safe or change the technological threat level. It is the wrong solution to a potentially upcoming problem. This 'ambiguity' is also bad: While our resolve and capability to do so if necessary is beyond doubt, we will remain deliberately ambiguous about precisely when, how and at what scale we would contemplate the use of nuclear weapons. Given the changing security and technological environment, we will extend this long-standing policy of deliberate ambiguity and no longer give public figures for our operational stockpile, deployed warhead or deployed missile numbers. The hiding of such numbers can lead to miscalculations on the opponent's side and is as such a destabilizing element. It does not increase national security but potentially endangers it. The UK is intentionally breaching the Non-Proliferation Treaty and increasing its nuclear stockpile. It is also the UK which is following illegal U.S. sanctions on Iran despite their incompatibility with the JCPOA. Why then should Iran, or any other country, be expected to stay within the negotiated framework of the NPT and JCPOA? Posted by b on March 16, 2021 at 14:11 UTC | Permalink Comments By David Kirton SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - Huawei Technologies announced royalty rates for the use of its 5G phone technology for the first time, in a move its chief legal officer said was an effort to increase transparency at an event on Tuesday. The company was put on an export blacklist by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019 and barred from accessing critical technology of U.S. origin, affecting its ability to design its own chips and source components from outside vendors. But, Huawei is looking to showcase its own research achievements, with the company expecting to receive around $1.3 billion in revenue from patent licensing between 2019 and 2021, according to its head of IP, Jason Ding. For every phone that uses Huawei's 5G technology, which are capable of working the company will receive up to $2.5 in royalties, Ding said. Along with rivals Samsung Electronics, Nokia, Ericsson, and chipmaker Qualcomm, Huawei is one of the leaders in 5G patents, although studies about which company is ahead in the race vary. Huawei achieved positive growth for both 2020 revenue and net profit, the company's founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei had said in February, adding that the company continued to see significant levels of confidence from its customers. Yet, the company's smartphone business remains under intense pressure due to the U.S. ban. Huawei's consumer business made up 54.4% of the company's revenues in 2019. The company is expected to reveal full 2020 figures at the end of the month. By the end of 2020, Huawei held more than 100,000 active patents in over 40,000 patent families worldwide, the company said. Its R&D investments totalled 131.7 billion yuan ($20.27 billion) in 2019. ($1 = 6.4960 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by David Kirton; editing by Uttaresh.V) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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, March 16, 2021 -- Men and women are impacted differently by brain diseases, like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Researchers are urging their colleagues to remember those differences when researching treatments and cures. In APL Bioengineering, by AIP Publishing, University of Maryland scientists highlight a growing body of research suggesting sex differences play roles in how patients respond to brain diseases, as well as multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, and other brain ailments. That is progress from just a few years ago, said Alisa Morss Clyne, director of the university's Vascular Kinetics Laboratory. "I have worked with vascular cells for 20 years and, up until maybe about five years ago, if you asked if the sex of my cells mattered at all, I would have said no," Clyne said. Then, she worked on a difficult study in which data appeared "all over the place." "We separated the cell data by sex, and it all made sense," Clyne said. "It was an awakening for me that we should be studying this." As of 2020, an estimated 5.8 million Americans were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, another 1 million with Parkinson's disease, 914,000 with multiple sclerosis, and 63,000 with motor neuron disease. These diseases happen when nerve cells in the brain and nervous system quit working and, ultimately, die. The changes are associated with the breakdown of what is called the blood-brain barrier -- a border of cells that keeps the wrong kind of molecules in the bloodstream from entering the brain and damaging it. Published research has shown differences in the blood-brain barriers of men and women. Some of the research suggests the barrier can be stronger in women than men, and the barriers in men and women are built and behave differently. That could factor into known differences in the sexes, such as Alzheimer's disease being more prevalent in older women than men, while Parkinson's impacts men more frequently and tends to do so more severely. The authors said they hope their article will serve as a reminder to researchers not just in their own field, but across the sciences, that accounting for sex differences leads to better results. "I think there is an awakening in the past 10 years or so that you cannot ignore sex differences," Clyne said. "My goal is to inspire people to include sex differences in their research, no matter what research they are doing." ### The article "Sex differences in the blood-brain barrier and neurodegenerative diseases" is authored by Alisa Morss Clyne and Callie M. Weber. The article will appear in APL Bioengineering on Mar. 16, 2021 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0035610). After that date, it can be accessed at https:/ / aip. scitation. org/ doi/ 10. 1063/ 5. 0035610 . ABOUT THE JOURNAL STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. God cannot bless sin. Really? Im a practicing Roman Catholic. I attend Mass. I dont agree with everything that the Catholic Church teaches. The doctrinal differences have not stopped me from having a Catholic faith life. But church teachings on same-sex unions and homosexuality I cant defend. The Vaticans orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a document the other day in answer to the question of whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. The answer was a resounding negative. No surprise, even though the edict was published under the auspices of Pope Francis I, who famously said, Who am I to judge? when asked about where gay people stand in the church. The church teaches that homosexuality is illicit and that the only true marriage is between a man and a woman. This is how God designed it, the document reiterates. No same sex union can be blessed in the church. God cannot bless sin, the edict says. The church is about eternal values and traditions. I get that. And those values and traditions matter. They are not subject to changing times and fashions. The church is something you can rely on. The beliefs and rituals are the same today as they were centuries ago. Its not for nothing that Rome is known as the Eternal City. The churchs consistency is the very foundation of its strength and endurance. And if you dont believe the teachings, maybe the Catholic Church isnt for you. I havent come to that point yet. I still consider it my faith even though I disagree with some teachings. Of course, more doctrinally strict Catholics might think I have no business calling myself Catholic. You cant choose what to believe, theyd say. You cant choose from Column A or Column B. Undermining church teachings on homosexuality is a slippery slope, they warn. Ive heard those arguments. The church can bestow its blessings however it sees fit. But edicts against homosexuality and gay marriage, though ecclesiastically reasoned and in keeping with Gods plan as the church sees it, put me as a Catholic in a tough spot. Because, no, I dont see gay family members and friends as being inherently sinful. I dont view their positive, nurturing relationships as illicit. Its just not possible for me to do so. And, yes, the document this week calls upon clergy to welcome with respect and sensitivity persons with homosexual inclinations. Individual gay people can receive blessings from the church. But that gets undercut for me when homosexuality, a core part of identity for so many, is itself deigned to be contrary to Gods plan. I cant reconcile that. I know its not as easy as saying that the church should welcome everyone. The church has its reasons for what it does. Very deeply held and thought-out reasons. Theyre not just making this stuff up on the fly. I respect that. But I also know that if you are gay in the church, there are limits on your ultimate participation. And youre told that thats the way God wants it. How can that make sense for gay people who are truly receptive to Gods message as preached by the Catholic Church? I wrestle with the question myself: Can I accept divine revelation on some matters while resisting the teaching on homosexuality? Does it have to be all or nothing? Many LGBTQ people were likely not surprised by the Vatican document this week. They know where they stand with the church. Change comes very slowly if at all. Some will continue to attend Mass, though. And so will I. And I will continue to disagree. BEIJING, Mar. 16 -- Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe held a phone talk with Mongolian Defense Minister Gursed Saikhanbayar on the morning of March 16, 2021. General Wei Fenghe said that Chinas two sessions (the annual meetings of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) have been successfully closed recently. The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, adopted at the two sessions, maps out a blueprint for China's future development and leads China to embark on a new journey toward building a modern socialist country in an all round way. In 2020, China's epidemic prevention and control has achieved major strategic results, the achievements of Chinas economic and social development have attracted worldwide attention, and the poverty alleviation program has gained complete victory. Wei continued that China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership welcomes an in-depth development. Since the pandemic outbreak, China and Mongolia have been helping each other, which demonstrated the neighborhood friendship of sharing hardships together. China is willing to implement the important consensus between the leaders of the two countries with Mongolia, promote the exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries in a deepening and pragmatic manner, and jointly safeguard the regional peace and stability. Defense Minister Gursed Saikhanbayar congratulated the successful convening of the two sessions. He introduced the governance and epidemic prevention and control of the Mongolias new government. Mongolia highly valued the great achievements China has made in terms of country development and the fight against epidemic, the defense minister said. Saikhanbayar also thanked the Chinese government and military for their strong support and assistance. Mongolia is willing to enhance mutual trust and close cooperation with China and push the bilateral military relations to a new level, he stressed. The people behind the popular History Channel television series American Pickers are crossing their fingers that they soon will be able to cross the state on a search for hidden treasures. The documentary-style show has followed the excursions of collectors Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and Danielle Colby since 2010. They criss-cross the nation looking for unique or unusual slices of Americana, rooting through basements, attics, barns and sheds. Many of the items are sold through their Antique Archaeology shops in Le Claire, Iowa, and Nashville, Tennessee. Other items have become a part of their personal collections. The pandemic hasnt played nice with travel or with face-to-face gatherings but, as restrictions ease, more television programs are cautiously easing back into production. Cineflix Media, which produces the show, said safety is a key concern and health guidelines will be followed closely including rescheduling the visit if necessary. We understand that with the proliferation of COVID-19, we are all facing very uncertain times, the company said in a statement. We at American Pickers are taking the pandemic very seriously and will be following all guidelines and protocols for safe filming as outlined by the state and (Centers for Disease Control). If luck holds, the pickers will be in Illinois and Missouri in May on their collectibles scavenger hunt. While the guys are willing to buy pretty much anything old, their particular interests include items having to do with the auto industry and classic toys, according to a representative of the show. They are looking for private collectors only, though, and not stores, auctions or businesses that are open to the public. Those who have items that might be of interest particularly large collections or an accumulation of antiques can send their name, phone number, location and a description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-653-7878. [March 15, 2021] MKU Limited delivers next generation, high performance body armour to Military Police Sao Paulo, Brazil KANPUR, India, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global defense and homeland security company - MKU Limited based in India and Germany became the first company outside Brazil to provide ballistic vests to the elite Military Police Sao Paulo. Military Police Sao Paulo had initiated a tender for 14,500 ballistic vests based on the latest NIJ 0101.06 standard of the National Institute of Justice, USA. The specifications of the tender for the ballistic vests were highly focused on overall end-user experience with special emphasis on comfort, lighter weight & flexibility. This global tender attracted many international companies and was highl contested, but the tender was awarded to the proposal submitted by MKU Limited. MKU Limited is proud to be the true 'Make in India' global brand. All the products are manufactured in India under strict surveillance of the in-house team of experts. Focused highly on R&D, latest technologies & user comfort, products manufactured in India easily meet all the global standards in terms of performance. The MKU solutions often prove to be superior to similar products offered by other brands around the globe. Known for its expertise in providing advanced ballistic solutions using proprietary design and patented technologies, MKU has over 3 decades of experience coupled with state-of-the-art infrastructure and manufacturing processes. These high-performance vests, with Level IIIA protection were custom designed by MKU to ensure enhanced ballistic protection at lower weights, comfort, mobility, and ease of use. They are made using special antibacterial fabrics, which ensures comfort, even over prolonged use. MKU delivered the vests in over 21 different sizes as requested by Military Police Sao Paulo. The vests are NIJ certified and were thoroughly tested for performance, during the tender process and after they were delivered. Mr. Neeraj Gupta, Managing Director said, "We are proud to be associated with the elite Military Police Sao Paulo and are confident that these vests not only offer the best protection, but are extremely light-weight and very comfortable to wear. MKU is dedicated in providing its customers with the confidence they require while reducing the hassles. We look forward to working closely with Military Police Sao Paulo in the future and providing them with best-in-class products." He added, "MKU is delighted to be a lead contributor to 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' by making world class products entirely in its local facilities by Indian professionals; that are protecting heroes in the line of duty around the globe." MKU- Increasing Capability. Reducing Risks. MKU is a leading manufacturer of electro-optic devices, personal and platform armor solutions for military and homeland security forces with a customer base in over 100 countries. Operating out of India and Germany, MKU has provided protection to over 2 million soldiers and 2000+ platforms across 230 forces till date. Over the years MKU has developed several patented products that increase the capability and reduce risk for soldiers in the line of duty. Check out more at www.mku.com Media Contact- Arjun Trivedi (Manager Marketing) +91-7705001703 arjun.trivedi@mku.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Britain's top scientific advisory committee will be reviewed over fears it holds too much sway over the Government's decisions, it was claimed today. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which has guided ministers through the pandemic, has been accused of using dubious data to persuade No10 into locking the country down and prolonging curbs. Much of the criticism has been aimed at SAGE's pessimistic modelling of the crisis, which forecast an astonishing 500,000 deaths in the first wave and warned of 4,000 Covid victims per day this winter. There have been 125,000 Covid fatalities in the UK in total and daily deaths peaked at around 1,300 in mid-January. Government sources last night told The Telegraph a future independent inquiry into the handling of Covid is expected to probe whether SAGE held too much power. They said that up until now, the panel's advice had been taken as gospel with little scrutiny over its decision-making. The source claimed No10 is discussing plans to form a 'red team', which would challenge and fact check SAGE's advice. Critics of the expert panel, headed by Sir Patrick Vallance, have also warned there has been a lack of diversity of opinion. It has led to the formation of a number of a number of scientific spin-out groups, including Independent SAGE, which claims No10's experts have not been tough enough, and the Great Barrington Declaration, a group of lockdown-sceptic scientists. It comes after a bombshell account of the Government's handling of the pandemic claimed Boris Johnson suggested the UK should 'ignore' coronavirus when it was spreading in China at the start of last year. The Prime Minister was said to have been wary of an overreaction to the disease, according to a behind-the-scenes report by the BBC. The role of SAGE - headed by Sir Patrick Vallance (right) and Professor Chris Whitty (left) - will be reviewed, it has been claimed SAGE was initially set up to provide 'coherent, coordinated advice' on the science surrounding pandemics and other emergencies. It was a little-known body before the Covid crisis, and had only occasionally been called upon to assist in decision making. SAGE relied on data from Wikipedia to advise No10 No10's scientific advisers relied on dubious data from Wikipedia to help steer Britain through the spring's coronavirus crisis. Members of the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) admitted early virus modelling was based on unverified figures from the online encyclopedia, which can be edited and managed by members of the public. In an explosive BBC documentary last November, Professor Ian Hall, deputy chair of the SAGE subgroup SPI-M, said: 'The public may be surprised that we were using Wikipedia to get data very early on in the pandemic, but that was really the only data that was publicly available that we could access.' The BBC film also claimed that that Government advisers 'never checked' the impact agency workers would have on spreading Covid in care homes by moving between several different sites. More than 25,000 people died with coronavirus in care homes last year. Liverpool University Professor Calum Semple, a member of another SAGE sub-committee called NERVTAG, added: 'Quite a few of us had read the literature for SARS and MERS but there was no particular specialist who has just focused their entire life on human coronaviruses.' Advertisement It first met in 2009 for the swine flu pandemic, and then in 2014 to advise on Ebola, in 2016 over Zika and in 2018 over the Salisbury poisoning. It met only once in 2019 amid concerns the Toddbrook Reservoir dam in Derbyshire would collapse, according to The Telegraph. But since the pandemic began it has held 74 meetings, with its first held two weeks after the first cases of the virus emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Attendance varies between meetings, with scientists needing to have received an invite from Sir Patrick and the chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty. Ministers have privately admitted they were 'too reliant' on advice from SAGE at the start of the pandemic. SAGE members admitted the group relied on dubious data from Wikipedia to help steer Britain through last spring's crisis And yesterday close allies of Boris Johnson claimed SAGE's out-of-date data last spring led the delay of the first lockdown and cost thousands of lives. The group also said there was 'no evidence' large gatherings could spread the disease, just five days before last year's Cheltenham Festival was due to begin - which became a super-spreading event. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also previously said the role of SAGE will be reviewed, with many of its tasks taken over by the secretive Joint Biosecurity Centre. Little is known about the JBC, which is run out of the Cabinet Office where Michael Gove is the responsible minister. It is unclear how much engagement the JBC has with independent scientists. The Government is under pressure to carry out a public inquiry into its handling of the Covid pandemic. Britain has suffered the highest virus death toll in Europe, and the fifth highest death toll in the world. Experts say two of the most obvious failures were leaving the country's borders open when the virus was spiralling in Europe and sending untested hospital patients into care homes. Boris Johnson has promised to carry out an independent inquiry but claims this should not be started until the outbreak is fully under control. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Kids taking turns sleeping on floor as overcrowding impacts Texas migrant shelter: lawyer Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As unaccompanied minors and families seeking asylum continue to pour over the United States southern border with Mexico at a rapid rate, many of the children in one Texas shelter are sleeping on the floor due to a lack of space. Neha Desai, a lawyer who represents illegal immigrant youth, spoke with CBS News about the crisis last week. Desai spoke with children detained at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection holding facility in Donna, Texas. As of March 2, she said the Donna facility held more than 1,800 people, more than seven times its coronavirus-era capacity of 250. Some of the boys said that conditions were so overcrowded that they had to take turns sleeping on the floor, Desai reported. They all said they wanted to shower more and they couldnt. Additionally, Desai remarked that the children lamented to her that they never saw the sun. One of them shared that he could only see the sun when he showered because you can see the sun through the window, the lawyer told the news outlet. The crowded conditions at border detention facilities come as the U.S.-Mexico border experiences a surge in illegal border crossings. Amid the concerns of overcrowding at holding shelters, a memo obtained by The Associated Press Monday states that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will temporarily house thousands of young migrant teenage boys at a Dallas convention center. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the number of encounters at the southwest border between law enforcement and illegal immigrants rose from 78,442 in January to 100,441 in February. The number of encounters in February 2021 is nearly three times the number in February 2020 (36,687). The border surge comes less than two months after President Joe Biden took office. Biden has worked to undo most of former President Donald Trumps immigration policies, which were aimed at stemming the flow of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. In early 2019, the Trump administration invoked the Migrant Protection Protocols, forcing those seeking asylum to wait in Mexico, independent journalist Sharyl Attkisson explained on a recent episode of her weekly newsmagazine series Full Measure. As the coronavirus pandemic began to engulf the U.S. in March 2020, she said Trump enacted Title 42, an emergency health order that let border officials immediately turn back illegal immigrants. She added that after both the Migrant Protection Protocols and Title 42 had been implemented, 90% of illegal immigrants caught at the southwest border [in May 2020] were being expelled, and the number intercepted dropped from about a million in 2019 to roughly half that in 2020. Since taking office, the Biden administration has worked to reverse those policies, leading to illegal border crossers getting released inside U.S. border communities, Attkisson explained. While Biden has yet to visit the southern border since the latest surge in border crossings began, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., led a delegation of congressional Republicans to visit the region Monday. On March 5, McCarthy wrote a letter to Biden expressing concern about how his administration is handling the crisis. Citing a prediction that 117,000 unaccompanied alien children (UAC) will be crossing the border this year, McCarthy warned that such drastic increases in apprehensions will, and no doubt already have, put a strain on the capacity of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Health and Human Services officials tasked with caring for unaccompanied alien children. The House Minority Leader quoted Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who recently said that We are not saying dont come, we are saying dont come now. To be clear, there is never a right time to enter the country illegally and violate the laws of the United States, McCarthy said. Signaling otherwise is reckless and will make the situation worse. We must acknowledge the border crisis, develop a plan, and in no uncertain terms, strongly discourage individuals from Mexico and Central America from ever making the dangerous journey to our southern border, McCarthy wrote. While the surge in border crossings comes in the context of a new administration, it also comes as the U.S. and the world continue to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. As the Donna facility and others like it continue detaining migrants in numbers far exceeding their capacities, border crossers are testing positive for coronavirus at a higher rate than the American public as a whole. Migrant families tested in Brownsville, Texas, have a 12% positivity rate, compared to a 3.5% positivity rate among the general U.S. public, according to The Washington Times. A pastor who runs a shelter for migrant families in Harlingen, Texas claimed that 25% of one group of migrants who arrived at the shelter tested positive for coronavirus. The other group was not tested. In addition to facing expected criticism from congressional Republicans, local officials and even some Democrats have also criticized the Biden administrations immigration policies. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who represents a border district in Congress, spoke of three messages that those seeking to enter the U.S. hear in an interview with CNN last Thursday. Identifying the message from the White House as dont come now, come later, Cuellar contended that two other messages heard by would-be border crossers are far more attractive and encourage them to make the dangerous journey to the U.S.-Mexico border. One message comes from their family and friends, who tell them, Hey, Pedro, ya pasamos. Were able to come. Come over right now. The other message comes from criminal organizations, which say, Hey, I can get you across. Pay me a little bit of money. Speaking to The Houston Chronicle, Cuellar warned that we are weeks, maybe even days from a crisis on the southern border, adding that inaction is simply not an option. Earlier this month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his intention to deploy the states National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border to address the crisis. Abbott slammed the president for advancing policies that refuse to secure the border and invite illegal immigration. Texas supports legal immigration but will not be an accomplice to the open border policies that cause, rather than prevent, a humanitarian crisis in our state and endanger the lives of Texans. We will surge the resources and law enforcement personnel needed to confront this crisis, he continued. Del Rio, Texas Mayor Bruno Lozano urged the Biden administration to halt policies that would lead to the release of immigrants awaiting court dates into Del Rio and the surrounding areas in a video last month. By Ritah Kemigisa The Police political commissar Asan Kasingye has come out to defend the new Khaki uniform which traffic officers officially started wearing today. His response comes after many people on social media bashed the new uniform with many likening it to that of the Ex-servicemen while others say it is similar to a comedian group of olden days dubbed Abazeeyi be baama. However Kasingye has also taken to twitter to say that as police they are honored to associate with the Ex-servicemen for they served the country with a lot of dedication. I have said before on this photo that its an honor to be associated with these service men. They served with dedication. Please make it viral. We are honored, said Mr Kasingye. Kasingye meanwhile says all traffic officers and commanders have been warned not to taint the new uniform with corruption. He says any traffic officer indulging in corruption will be dismissed. All traffic police officers this morning started donning their new khaki uniform which have white belts, a white and black beret and white leg gutters for the female police officers. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Baby Food in Saudi Arabiaunder Food category. The Baby Food Market in Saudi Arabia is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports. Organic baby food will gain in popularity in Saudi Arabia in 2020 as a growing number of parents embrace the health and wellness trend. Consumers are becoming more focused on healthier nutrition for their children and are expected to show an increasing willingness to pay for this. With demand growing, new players have entered baby food, such as Arla Foods new Baby&Me products, DMK Deutsches Milchkontors Humana brand with its organic dried baby food and Holle Baby Foods Organic Infant Goat Milk... Baby Food in Saudi Arabia report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2015-2019, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2025 illustrate how the market is set to change. Product coverage: Dried Baby Food, Milk Formula, Other Baby Food, Prepared Baby Food. Request a free sample copy of Saudi Arabia Baby Food Market Report @ http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/sample/reports/169391 Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data. Why buy this report? * Get a detailed picture of the Baby Food market; * Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change; * Understand the competitive environment, the markets major players and leading brands; * Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop. Table Of Contents Baby Food in Saudi Arabia KEY DATA FINDINGS 2020 IMPACT Organic baby food will increase its presence in 2020 thanks to new product launches Nestle will maintain strong lead with new product launches and marketing investment COVID-19 fears caused a spike in retail volume sales in Q2 2020, as parents stockpiled baby food products RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES E-commerce is expected to become more important into the forecast period, due to COVID-19 changing shopping habits Increasing rights for women in Saudi Arabia may create more demand for baby food into the forecast period Government will look to encourage breastfeeding by stopping discounting on milk formula into the forecast period CATEGORY DATA Table 1 Sales of Baby Food by Category: Volume 2015-2020 Table 2 Sales of Baby Food by Category: Value 2015-2020 Table 3 Sales of Baby Food by Category: % Volume Growth 2015-2020 Table 4 Sales of Baby Food by Category: % Value Growth 2015-2020 Table 5 NBO Company Shares of Baby Food: % Value 2016-2020 Table 6 LBN Brand Shares of Baby Food: % Value 2017-2020 Table 7 Distribution of Baby Food by Format: % Value 2015-2020 Table 8 Forecast Sales of Baby Food by Category: Volume 2020-2025 Table 9 Forecast Sales of Baby Food by Category: Value 2020-2025 Table 10 Forecast Sales of Baby Food by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025 Table 11 Forecast Sales of Baby Food by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025 Browse our full report with Table of Contents: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/baby-food-in-saudi-arabia/169391 About Us Market Reports on Saudi Arabia provides you with an in-depth industry reports focusing on various economic, political and operational risk environment, complemented by detailed sector analysis. We have an exhaustive coverage on variety of industries ranging from energy and chemicals to transportation, communications, constructions and mining to Food and Beverage and education. Our collection includes over 2000 up-to-date reports all researched, analysed and published by top-notch international research firms. Contact us at: Market Reports On Saudi Arabia Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: info@marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Website: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. 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. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Hospitals, lawyers and others interested in competing bills to overhaul New Mexicos medical malpractice law are working on a compromise of sorts as the session heads into its final days. The revised proposal could surface soon in the Senate Judiciary Committee. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Whether the parties will reach agreement and the committee will approve is unclear. Everybody is mildly unhappy, which is perfect, said Daymon Ely, a Corrales Democrat and sponsor of one of the bills. Sen. Gay Kernan, a Hobbs Republican and co-sponsor of the other bill, said the parties are at least making progress in negotiations. Of course, no one is going to be 100 percent happy, Kernan said. The state Supreme Court, meanwhile, delivered its own news Monday, upholding the constitutionality of a $600,000 cap on damages under the states existing medical malpractice system. The case centered on a Placitas woman injured during a gynecological procedure in 2011. Her attorneys argued that the $600,000 cap on compensatory damages for lost wages, pain and suffering violated her constitutional right to have a jury decide her case. The justices, however, ruled that the cap does not invade the jurys role as fact-finder. The decision comes as lawmakers are considering whether to prohibit hospitals from being covered by the damages cap, among other potential changes. Before the Senate Judiciary Committee are two proposals: House Bill 75, sponsored by Ely, won House approval on a 35-34 vote last month. It would remove hospitals from the protection afforded by the $600,000 cap and other benefits offered by participation in the states patient compensation fund. Patients, plaintiffs attorneys and families who say they have been harmed by hospital wrongdoing have backed the bill, arguing the $600,000 cap allows corporate hospitals to avoid full responsibility for their mistakes. Ely also says the change would shore up the finances of the patient compensation fund. Senate Bill 239 would allow hospitals to remain in the Medical Malpractice Act with some adjustments to their participation in the compensation fund and make broader changes to the law. It would raise the cap on damages from $600,000 to $750,000. Its backed by a bipartisan group of senators and by the New Mexico Hospital Association, Medical Society and a variety of other groups. They argue their proposal, not Elys, would strengthen the finances of the compensation fund. By John Stone Response to consultation The regulation of genetic technologies This document is couched in up-side down language which some might term Orwellian: 1) It is actually about the deregulation of genetic technologies 2) It represents this as a green policy when it is patently an opportunistic attack by an industrial lobby on our natural environment, and upon bio-diversity. It could not be more anti-green in any way that could normally or traditionally be understood 3) Previous moves of this kind globally have left small and medium landholders at the mercy of grasping, unscrupulous manufacturers 4) If part of the argument is that the putative advances could also be achieved without GM technology, why do we need GM at all? This is not a credible explanation for changing the law 5) If GM is deregulated the only people the manufacturers will be answerable to is their shareholders, so how is the public interest represented? 6) I tried taking the survey but found it full of leading questions It is shocking that this matter is not being raised in an openly democratic manner. While the British public have always rejected GM produce to the extent that it is presently unsaleable in our country, deregulating it was never conspicuously brought up as a reason for leaving the European Union at the time of Referendum in 2016 or at the December 2019 General Election: the only time I recall this project being mentioned was the Prime Ministers speech on entering Downing Street in July 2019. This is a radical departure for the UK but the public are being cynically kept out of the picture - although there is the present consultation you will not read or hear about it in the mainstream media. One can deduce that the reason for this is that if it was adequately reported it would be overwhelmingly unpopular. The slogan Building back greener used in the document derives from the World Economic Forum who are also putting it out that in ten years-time no one but a tiny global elite will own anything but will be happy. If the government is dancing to the tune of the Great Reset perhaps it should tell the public who elected it where it is heading because no one could have imagined little more than a year ago what they were voting for. So much for Margaret Thatcher's property-owning democracy recently reiterated by the Prime Minister while apparently hooked into an alternative, techno-feudalist, ideology. What now are we to believe either about the environment, safe food, property or democracy? John Stone, UK Editor, Age of Autism Sorry! This content is not available in your region Mumbai, March 16 : Actor Rana Daggubati says it was challenging to shoot in the dense forests of Kerala for his new film Haathi Mere Saathi. The team had to travel six hours from Kochi airport to reach the town that was close to a forest where the shoot had been planned. Once they reached there, they had to undertake an uphill off-road journey, till they reached the location. The team was travelling by forest jeeps. Also, since they could only shoot till 5pm, the schedule had to start as early as 5am. "We shot in some of the toughest locations -- two to three dense forests in Kerala. The forest near Shanthanpara where we first shot had been destroyed by floods. So, we had to relocate our shoot location to another forest. Getting to those locations was a challenge," says Rana. However, the actor adds that it was a "thrilling experience" to shoot in these locations. "Apart from the challenging locations, shooting with 30-plus elephants in three different languages was a thrilling experience," he says. The trilingual film also stars Pulkit Samrat, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Zoya Hussain and is all set to hit theatres on March 26. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text [March 16, 2021] Peloton Capital Management and Stephen Smith Acquire Glass Lewis Peloton Capital Management and Stephen Smith (News - Alert) have acquired Glass Lewis from Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers') and Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). Glass Lewis is the leading provider of independent global governance solutions. Its unbiased research reports that provide analysis and recommendations on every proxy vote, including M&A and other financial transactions, along with its industry-leading proxy vote management solutions drive value across all governance activities for institutional investors. "Peloton Capital Management and Stephen are committed to long-term, sustainable value creation through good governance. This aligns strongly with the core values we have established at Glass Lewis," said Kevin Cameron, Executive Chair at Glass Lewis. "Together, we can advance our mission to help our customers drive value across their governance and stewardship activities." "Capital markets participants have become increasingly focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors as they build their business strategies. Glass Lewis is very well positioned to provide solutions to address the global demands generated by this shift," said Stephen. "Glass Lewis has built a venerable brand and we look forward to helping them deliver important governance solutions to the marketplace." With teams located throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, Glass Lewis offers customers global reach with a local perspective on important governance issues. With the support of Peloton Capital Management and Stephen, Glass Lewis can expand to new markets with new solutions while continuing its long-standing reputation of exceptional customer focus. "Investors and public companies across the globe depend on research, insights,and technology from Glass Lewis to run their governance programs. With climate risk and deep social changes at the forefront of conversations across boardrooms, Glass Lewis' solutions have never been more critical to sustainable business success," said Steve Faraone, Managing Partner at Peloton Capital Management. Lazard acted as financial advisor and Torys LLP was legal counsel to Ontario Teachers' and AIMCo. Perkins Coie LLP acted as legal counsel to Peloton Capital Management and Stephen Smith. About Glass Lewis: Glass Lewis is the leading provider of independent global governance solutions. We enable institutional investors and publicly listed companies to make sustainable decisions based in research and data. We cover 30,000 meetings each year, across approximately 100 global markets. Our customers include the majority of the world's largest pension plans, mutual funds, and asset managers who collectively manage over $40 trillion in assets. Our core solutions include Proxy Paper proxy research and Viewpoint proxy vote management platform. More information available at www.glasslewis.com. About Peloton Capital Management: Peloton Capital Management is a private equity firm that utilizes a long-term investment philosophy and sector-focused strategy to partner with founders and management teams to help build exceptional businesses and create attractive returns for our investors. PCM's (News - Alert) primary focus is investing in services businesses within the Healthcare, Financial, and Consumer verticals in North America. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, PCM was founded and is led by a team with extensive private equity experience. For more information please visit: www.pelotoncapitalmanagement.com. About Stephen Smith: Stephen Smith, one of Canada's leading financial services entrepreneurs, is the Chairman, CEO and Co-founder of First National Financial Corporation, Canada's largest non-bank mortgage lender with over $115 billion of mortgages under administration. He is the Chairman and a co-owner of Canada Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Company; Chairman and a co-owner of Duo Bank of Canada , formerly Walmart Canada Bank, whose subsidiary Fairstone Financial Inc., is Canada's largest non-bank consumer finance lender; and is the largest shareholder in Equitable Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank. In 2015, Queen's University announced the naming of the Stephen J.R. Smith School of Business at Queen's University in honour of Mr. Smith and his historic $50 million donation to the school. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005393/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A pregnant woman has allegedly hacked her husband to death over an alleged extramarital affair in Delta. The incident happened on Monday, March 15, at Ekrejebor axis of Ughelli town in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the 22-year-old woman identified as Faith Okiemute allegedly killed her husband, Edafe Unuakpor, aged 27, with a machete. According to reports, after allegedly committing the crime, she fled to the Ughelli A Division Police Station to escape jungle justice. "The woman was angry that her husband did not spend the night at home. After his return, she accused him of having been with another woman and macheted him in one of his hands and abdomen," a source told Nigerian Tribune "She ran to Ughelli A Division police to report herself while friends of her husband rushed him to the Ughelli Central Hospital where he was confirmed dead. Angered by his death, the friends brought and dumped his corpse at the entrance of the Ughelli A Division of the Nigeria Police which led to sporadic shooting by the police to disperse the crowd. the source added. The Delta State Police acting Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident, said investigation is ongoing. The couple has a two-year-old child together while the pregnant woman is said to have two children with a former husband before she married the deceased. Source: Nigerian Tribune 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 Ahead of the reopening of schools begun March 8 in England, with Scotland and Wales returned earlier, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the government is considering a five-term year, a longer school day and shorter holidays in the summer. The six-week summer break could lose two weeks. Boris Johnson during his televised speech from Downing Street on Tuesday evening (Credit: Downing Street--gov.uk) The proposals will increase the risk of pupils and educators catching and spreading the coronavirus. Dressed up as an education recovery package for children and young people to catch-up on lost learning during the pandemic, it will intensify the exploitation of education workersalready exhausted by the governments schools policies since the pandemic began. Williamson told Sky News the government's education recovery commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins, will "leave no stone unturned" in planning a catch-up programme. "We've got to look at what is going to have the biggest positive impact on children's lives, he said. The mind boggles at the pretence that childrens welfare is a government priority. Over the last decade, education has been starved of funding with billions of pounds cut. And everything it has done during the pandemic, driven by its homicidal herd immunity agenda, has severely impacted on children. Children have lost parents, grandparents, become ill themselves and in a small number of cases died. The disruption to education is due to the governments failure to stem the pandemic and fully resource safe remote learning. The Torys refusal to implement the necessary public health measures to suppress the viruswith the direct collaboration of the Labour opposition and trade unionsand to financially support families and small businesses has led to a health and social catastrophe. The Covid death toll has surpassed 140,000, when including the virus being mentioned on a death certificate. Prime Minister Boris Johnson absurdly claimed, The reopening of schools marks a truly national effort to beat this virus, while telling the public to expect more infections, more hospitalisations more deaths . Speaking to the BBC, Williamson said, [W]e are taking a cautious approach because we intend for it to be an irreversible approach and that schools will continue to remain open." This is in line with government policy that there will be no more lockdowns. He made a commitment that schools would reopen after the Easter break in April. While Johnson said he was "very hopeful" the reopening of schools would proceed as planned, one school sent an entire year group home after only a week. The Metro reported last Friday that 230 students at Budmouth Academy in Weymouth, Dorset went home to isolate for 10 days after several year 10 pupils tested positive for Covid. Last week, hundreds of children were sent home from at least 14 Greater Manchester schools only days after they reopened. On Monday, it was reported that a school in Gloucestershire school partially closed after confirmed Covid cases saw multiple year groups forced into isolation. The school was the fourth to be partially closed in the county in one week. The education unions have been an indispensable prop in the reopening of unsafe schools, in the teeth of mass opposition from their members. The response of joint national secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), Mary Bousted, to the governments recovery support package was only to complain that The 200 million funding for the National Tutoring Programme won't be anywhere near big enough to meet the learning and social needs the Government have identified, which have been created by Covid disruption. She added, The NEU and the Sutton Trust [educational charity] have recommended to Government that 750 million is needed as the first immediate boost to Pupil Premium. Instead, 302 million has been announced. Bousted even praised the way the government are allowing reopened schools to use the few crumbs offered them. Giving flexibility to schools to use the Recovery Premium in ways that they judge will best support their disadvantaged learners is vital. It is a rare recognition by Government that schools know best. Labour have described as a national mission shared with the Tories to have all schools fully reopened in the middle of a pandemic. Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green criticized the recovery packages lack of ambition, calling for catch-up breakfast clubs. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Green announced the launch of a Bright Future taskforce to develop a national strategy for childrens recovery. Any progressive or child centred development will be absent, as the taskforce is under the leadership of former education secretary Estelle Morriswho worked under Tony Blairs Labour government which started the Academy schools programme. Academies, publicly funded but privately run, were developed as a critical component of the marketisation of education. Teachers have already raised concerns, epitomised by a TES article penned by London primary school head teacher Colin Dowland, with the headline, Longer days? Shorter holidays? Watch the resignations. The government is utilising the pandemic to usher in long-planned education restructuring, to the detriment of educators and pupils. Williamson told Sky News the recovery package, to be developed over the next 18 months, will introduce fundamental changes in the education system. The credentials of Williamsons Education Recovery Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins are telling. He was chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation from 2011 to 2019. Prior to this, he was chief executive of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, overseeing a budget of 1 billion and 8,000 staff. In this post he implemented 50 million cuts over three years. Bousted welcomed Collins appointment, saying, We look forward to working with Sir Kevan Collins on a long-term strategy to respond to the inequality which blights children's lives. Successive Conservative and Labour governments have introduced reforms taking forward the marketisation of education claiming this would be the basis for raising standards in education and closing the attainment gap. Poverty, inequality and the attainment gap have increased under all governments. Hand in hand with the redistribution of wealth from the poorer sections of society to the super-rich has been a raft of reforms in education, including the imposition of the market model and increasing privatization. These have been massively detrimental to teachers pay, pensions and conditions, and have contributed to a reversal of child-centred approaches to teaching and learning. The following reforms were introduced without the unions lifting a finger. * Local Management of Schools (1988) whereby schools control their own budget under conditions in which education funding has been slashed. * The National Curriculum (1988), leading to target-driven teaching alongside rigorous testing and punitive Ofsted inspections. * Turning schools into academies (begun in 2000 under Labour), which are privately run but publicly financed. * The outsourcing of school support services to private companies. Over this period, the workload of teachers has vastly increased, along with the stress levels of teachers and pupils. The Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee calls for emergency meetings in every school and campus to demand the closure of schools and other education settings, in order to implement policies to protect the population, provide adequate remote learning and defend livelihoods. The fight against the pandemic, for decent pay and conditions, and a fully resourced education system based on scientific theories of child learning and development requires new organisations of struggle independent of the unions, based on a network of rank-and-file committees to fight to unite workers across all sectors and all nations in a common struggle for socialism. We call on teachers, parents and students to take up this fight and join the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee today . (Alliance News) - The UK Financial Conduct Authority has extended the scope of its investigation into Amigo Holdings PLC, the company said on Tuesday. Amigo shares were down 14% at 11.83 pence in London on Tuesday. The regulator will look at whether Amigo, a guarantor loans provider, appropriately handled complaints and whether customers have been treated fairly. That's on top of the FCA's investigation into Amigo's creditworthiness assessment process, which started on May 29, 2020. Amigo said it will "continue to cooperate fully with the FCA." By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Qatari Special Envoy for Counterterrorism Mutlaq Al-Qahtani will take part in the international conference on Afghanistan that Moscow will host on March 18, a Qatari official told Sputnik DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Qatari Special Envoy for Counterterrorism Mutlaq Al-Qahtani will take part in the international conference on Afghanistan that Moscow will host on March 18, a Qatari official told Sputnik. "The State of Qatar is committed to sustainable peace in Afghanistan. Qatar will continue to facilitate the ongoing intra-Afghan negotiations. Qatar is working closely with its strategic partners to establish international and regional consensus over this process. The Special Envoy of the State of Qatar for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution, HE Ambassador Dr Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, will participate ... in 18 March meeting on Afghanistan," the official said. The conference is expected to build upon the comprehensive intra-Afghan negotiations in the Qatari capital of Doha, and the historic agreement between the United States and the Taliban radical movement in particular, the official went on to say. "Qatar will continue to assist the Afghan people by hosting these negotiations, and we hope the efforts of multiple international parties will help bring an end to the decades-long conflict," the official concluded. On March 11, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani confirmed that the country had received an invitation to participate in the Moscow conference. Inferred Resource at 0.3g/t gold cut-off grade 4.4Mt @ 1.1 g/t gold for 156,000 ounces Mineralization at Obichnik Remains Open for Expansion Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC) ("Velocity" or the "Company") announces that as part of its Obichnik joint venture earn-in agreement it has received an initial Inferred Mineral Resource estimate for the Durusu Zone on its Obichnik gold Project ("Obichnik" or the "Project"), southeast Bulgaria (Table 1). Highlights include: Initial Resource ; 4.4 Mt @ 1.1 g/t gold for 156,000 ounces, at 0.3 g/t gold cut-off grade Near-surface ; 80% of estimated resources are located within 120m of surface Open ; The mineralized system at Obichnik remains open for expansion Drilling; Ongoing drilling of multiple additional targets Under the terms of an option agreement signed with Gorubso Kardzhali A.D. ("Gorubso"), Velocity can earn a 70% interest in the Obichnik property through delivery of a Mineral Resource estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") and an EIA prepared in accordance with Chapter Six of the Bulgarian Environmental Protection Act. The Company plans to publish an NI 43-101 Technical Report within 45 days. Table 1: Obichnik Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate, effective date February 11th, 2021(1) Cut-Off Grade (gold g/t) Tonnage (million tonnes) Grade (gold g/t) Ounces (gold x 1,000) 0.2 5.9 0.9 171 0.3 4.4 1.1 156 0.4 3.5 1.3 146 0.5 2.8 1.5 135 0.6 2.3 1.6 118 0.7 2.0 1.8 116 0.8 1.7 2.0 109 (1) Mineral resources were estimated by Jonathon Abbott, a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and employee of MPR Geological Consultants Pty Ltd of Perth, Australia. Mr. Abbott is a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Figure 1. Plan view of Inferred Mineral Resource extents relative to drill hole dataset To view an enhanced version of this Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4368/77369_780a2dab64467bd7_002full.jpg Figure 2. Representative section of Mineral Resource Estimate scaled and coloured by proportion above 0.3 g/t gold cut off grade To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4368/77369_780a2dab64467bd7_003full.jpg Ongoing Exploration An exploration program is currently underway, aiming to expand the Durusu mineralization to the south, where anomalous soil geochemistry and spectrometry remains untested. Resource Estimate Methodology and Assumptions Recoverable resources were estimated for the Durusu Zone at Obichnik using Multiple Indicator Kriging ("MIK") with block support adjustment, a method that has been demonstrated to provide reliable estimates of recoverable open pit resources in gold deposits of diverse geological styles. The resource estimates include a variance adjustment to give estimates of recoverable resources above gold cut off grades for selective mining unit ("SMU") dimensions of 5m east by 2m north by 2m in elevation. The variance adjustments were applied using the direct log-normal method. The estimates are based on data from diamond drilling undertaken by Velocity since 2019 and includes drilling information available on the 10th of February 2021 comprising 37 holes for 6,820m. Velocity's diamond holes are inclined to the southwest at generally 50o at generally around 25m spacing along generally 50 m spaced traverses with rare closer spaced holes. Resource modelling incorporated two steeply northwest dipping mineralized domains interpreted from 2m down-hole composited gold grades and capturing intervals of greater than 0.1 g/t. The main, northern domain extends over approximately 380m of strike with an average width of around 80m. The subsidiary southern domain averages around 40m wide over 320m of strike. Mineralization is characterized as structurally controlled steep epithermal replacement of the volcanic host with a large envelope of alteration that forms part of a 2.5km by 1km wide intrusive related hydrothermal mineralizing system. Mineral Resources are truncated at a maximum vertical depth 180m around 30m above the base of mineralized drilling, with around 80% of estimates from depths of less than 120m and less than 5% from below 160m. Model blocks are categorized by oxidation zone from triangulated surfaces representing the base of complete oxidation and top of fresh rock interpreted from geological logging of Velocity's diamond holes. Within the resource area the depth to the base of complete oxidation averages around 55m, with fresh rock occurring at an average depth of around 68m. Bulk densities of 2.30, 2.50 and 2.55 tonnes per cubic metre were assigned to completely oxidized, transitional and fresh material respectively on the basis of 30 immersion density measurements performed by Velocity on diamond drill core samples. All class grades were for MIK modelling determined from bin mean grades with the exception of the upper bins, which were reviewed on a case by case basis for each mineralized domain/oxidation zone subset and bin grades selected on the basis of bin mean, or median with or without exclusion of high grade composites. This approach was adopted to reduce the impact of a small number of outlier composites. Quality Assurance / Quality Control The work program at Obichnik was designed and is supervised by Stuart A. Mills, CGeol, the Company's Vice-President Exploration, who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project rigorously collect and track samples which are then security sealed and shipped to ALS Global laboratory in Romania. Samples were prepared and analyzed by fire assay using a 30-gram charge in compliance with industry standards. Field duplicate samples, blanks and independent controlled reference material (standards) are included in every batch. An additional sample taken from each pulverized sample is shipped to ALS Global laboratory in Ireland for aqua regia digest and silver plus multi-element analysis by Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS). General Notes with Respect to Technical Information The mineral resource disclosed herein has been estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum "CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" (CIM, 2014). Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Any known legal, political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Reserves are detailed below in the section entitled "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information". Qualified Persons The technical content of this news release that relates to Mineral Resource Estimates has been approved for disclosure by Jonathon Abbott, a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and employee of MPR Geological Consultants Pty Ltd. Mr. Abbott is a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Abbott is independent of the Company. The technical content of this release has been approved for disclosure by Stuart A. Mills, BSc, MSc, CGeol, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and the Company's Vice President Exploration. Mr. Mills is not independent of the Company. About Velocity Minerals Ltd. Velocity is a gold exploration and development company focused on southeastern Bulgaria. Velocity's strategy is to develop a low cost centralized "Hub and Spoke" operation whereby multiple projects within this emerging gold district produce gold concentrates for trucking to a central processing plant for production of dore. The Company envisions staged open pit mining of satellite deposits and processing in a currently operating carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant. Velocity has a 70% interest in the Tintyava prospecting licence, which includes the Rozino gold project, and has entered into option agreements to earn a 70% interest in the Obichnik and Makedontsi gold projects and holds a 100% interest in the Iglika project. Velocity's management and board includes mining industry professionals with combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Keith Henderson" President & CEO For further information, please contact: Keith Henderson Phone: +1-604-484-1233 Web: www.velocityminerals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer of sale of any of the above-mentioned securities in the United States. None of the foregoing securities have been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) or persons in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the foregoing securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: 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 to: statements related to proposed exploration and development programs at Rozino, grade and tonnage of material and resource estimates and the Alliance. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will result in sustained gold demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of Rozino in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the development, construction and continued operation of Rozino, and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities for Rozino, including the geological mapping, prospecting and sampling programs for the project, the fact that the Company's interests in Rozino (Tintyava property) is only an option and there is no guarantee that the interest, if earned, will be certain, actual results of exploration activities, variations to the geological and metallurgical assumptions (including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of mineral reserves and mineral resources), the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, the availability of a sufficient supply of water and other materials, requirements for additional capital to fund the Company's business plan, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, hedging practices, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual management's discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Information concerning mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates also may be considered forward-looking statements, as such information constitutes a prediction of what mineralization might be found to be present if and when a project is actually developed and / or is in production. The actual results or performance by the Company could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, any forward-looking statements relating to those matters. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. - 30 - To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77369 Two recent and extremely high-profile cyber attacks have pulled even more focus to the issue of vendor security and the myriad problems that come when their systems are breached.Most recently, an attack against Microsofts Exchange email servers in January exposed a mix of more than 30,000 public- and private-sector customers. Just a month before, SolarWinds and some 18,000 of its customers suffered a similar fate What the SolarWinds incident did to bring attention to the issue of supply chain security, the Microsoft incident magnified. But what, if anything, can government do to protect itself from threats concealed within proprietary software?According to Maria Thompson , North Carolina's chief risk officer, there are two key things that governments need to do. The first is to identify that it is a problem, and the second is to analyze the government contracts currently in place with vendors to establish more strict controls. This effort means increasing transparency between governments and vendors in terms of reporting cyber incidents, in addition to establishing a plan of action should a vendor fail to comply.Greater transparency is needed across the board, emphasized Thompson.With transparency comes a great need for information sharing, particularly between vendors and their customers. With the recent cyber attacks, many customers were not immediately made aware of the breaches.I can tell you that a lot of state entities and local government entities, were quickly losing our trust in some of these solutions that we have because, you know, we find out after the fact months after a data breach has occurred, Thompson said.This forces governments into reactionary mode, spending money and resources to remediate issues when their focus should be on operational activities. Ideally, though, governments could adopt a streamlined mechanism for more open sharing of information between governments and vendors.Dan Stroman, senior director of public sector at CloudCheckr, explained that some government entities are shifting their systems to the cloud, as on-premises software leaves vulnerabilities, noting the SolarWinds incident. His belief is that cloud platform providers are taking the proper steps to show customers that this is a secure option.The cloud platform providers have made a huge investment in assuring the constituency, their customers, that theyve got security really well covered, said Stroman. They have a lot of due diligence that theyre able to show.There are other steps that can be taken from a policy standpoint. For example, North Carolina has adopted supply chain security controls as part of the NIST 800-53 Rev 5 controls, and many other states are involved in similar discussions to improve visibility and controls. However, these risks are not something that state governments are able to handle alone and will require a coordinated effort between federal, state, and local governments working with the private sector. Pressure is also mounting for the federal government to implement a plan to help guide smaller government entities through these situations.It really takes a concerted effort at their level because we cannot do it at the state level by ourselves, Thompson explained. I think thats the key thing it has to go further up the chain for true change to occur when it comes to supply chain risk.A draft spending plan by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency looks to allocate more than $150 million in federal funding to Microsoft for cybersecurity in response to the recent hack, reported. Some government officials, including Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, have expressed concerns about this move, stating that if this is the only solution, the government needs to re-evaluate its dependence on Microsoft.The private sector can, and must, have a hand in enacting a plan of action in the case of another cyber attack, but it must be a coordinated effort with the public sector as well.The main thing that I would like to say about this attack is that I envision that more of these attacks will occur in the future, stated Thompson regarding the Microsoft hack. I think that its going to take a partnership between private and public entities to really figure out whats the best approach in how to mitigate the supply chain risk. And we have to do it as a team effort; its not done in a vacuum. "Our industry-leading supply chain has long played a key role in Safelite's success, helping us serve customers where and when they need us most," President and CEO Tom Feeney said. "Supply chain excellence will be even more essential moving forward, given our continued growth and the increases in windshield technology. Successfully evolving our operations will require new systems, optimized processes and outstanding leadership." Stacy brings deep supply chain expertise to Safelite, developed across multiple manufacturing and retail organizations. Most recently, he served as senior vice president, supply chain, for Kirkland's. In that role, Stacy led a significant end-to-end supply chain transformation, including implementing new warehouse, transportation and sourcing systems. Before Kirkland's, John excelled in various supply chain and finance roles over 11 years at Advance Auto Parts ultimately serving as vice president of supply chain operations excellence and analytics. John led numerous transformation initiatives around network optimization and process redesign in support of nearly 5,000 retail locations. At Safelite, Stacy will assume responsibility for all supply chain activities, including procurement, inventory, warehousing, distribution and logistics. John will lead the new end-to-end supply chain organization focused on delivering the right product, in the right place, at the right price. He will serve as a member of the senior leadership team, reporting directly to Feeney. "I know that John's track record of effectively evolving supply chains to enable outstanding retail operations will be crucial in Safelite's continued future growth and success," Feeney said. About Safelite Group Safelite Group is a multifaceted vehicle glass and claims management service organization based in Columbus, Ohio and operating company-owned facilities in 50 states. The company, which has been in business since 1947, is comprised of two major business operations: Safelite AutoGlass, a vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services provider; and Safelite Solutions, which offers fleet and insurance claims management services for vehicle glass and other claims. The company employs nearly 16,000 (and growing) people throughout the United States. Safelite is a subsidiary of Belron. Safelite AutoGlass is the largest vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration company under one brand in the world. Media Contact: To connect with a Safelite spokesperson, email [email protected]. SOURCE Safelite Group Related Links http://www.safelite.com Nokia announced that it has signed an agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to research and enable Cloud RAN (vRAN) and Open RAN technologies to support the development of new customer-focused 5G solutions. The collaboration, which will be conducted at Nokias facilities, aims to develop innovative proof of concepts (PoC) to explore and enable Cloud RAN and related technologies. Nokia is pursuing a strategy of collaborating with AWS to extend the reach of its Cloud RAN technologies in support of 5G deployments and the development of new use cases. The initiative will see engineering teams from both companies research how the combination of Nokias RAN (Radio Access Network), Open RAN, Cloud RAN and edge solutions can operate seamlessly with AWS Outposts. This collaboration will enable communications service providers (CSPs) and enterprises with 5G connectivity to utilize AWS across the topology of the mobile network. Operators will be able to simplify the network virtualization and platform layers for the Core and RAN network functions by leveraging the agility and scalability of cloud. This will also enable enterprises to achieve their desired business outcomes for new 5G use cases developed by AWS ISV Partners. AWS offers its customers a comprehensive suite of on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs on a pay-as-you-go basis. This collaboration will allow Nokia to leverage AWS services such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS), AWS Outposts, AWS Local Zones, and other related services for automating network functionality, or end customer application deployment, scaling, and management. The collaboration will cover three distinct areas. First, the project will focus on onboarding and validating Nokias 5G vDU (virtualized distributed unit) on AWS Outposts using Amazon EKS for far edge cloud or on-premises deployments. The second area will examine the implementation of Nokias 5G vCU (virtualized centralized unit) with AWS Outposts, AWS Local Zones, using Amazon EKS as a cloud native deployment. The third part of the collaboration will build a proof of concept for an end-to-end solution with Nokias 5G Cloud RAN and 5G standalone Core network running on AWS, where end enterprise users can leverage 5G for use cases such as an industrial application. As part of this collaboration, Nokia will run AWS EKS Anywhere on the Nokia AirFrame Open Edge server. Nokia AirFrame Open Edge distributes computing capacity into the edge of the network and drives the implementation of Cloud RAN, Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) as well as 5G. Nokia is accelerating its Open RAN and Cloud RAN leadership by leveraging its advanced equipment portfolio and combining it with the cloud. By collaborating with AWS, Nokia aims to expand the ecosystem of partners and drive end user business outcomes essential for monetizing 5G deployments. Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi, SVP Strategy & Technology Innovation, DT, said: Deutsche Telekom is on a journey to transform to a new open, disaggregated, and cloud-native infrastructure with an automated production model. This collaboration which combines Nokias leadership in 5G Open RAN and Cloud RAN with AWSs cloud platform capabilities and customer centricity can help to accelerate that journey. The expansion of cloud-native network functions and automation to the RAN will enable new agility and use-cases in the 5G era. Dave Brown, Vice President, Amazon EC2, AWS, said: This collaboration with Nokia will extend the reach of our industry-leading cloud technology to support our Telco and enterprise customers. We look forward to working closely on this collaboration and offer multiple deployment choices for customers to build 5G Cloud RAN and Open RAN solutions. Our customers will benefit from different options to run 5G RAN using AWS Outposts with either Intel or ARM-based CPU choices, or third-party bare metal servers while using Amazon EKS and EKS Anywhere. This will solve for the challenge of CI/CD, automation, and network orchestration by using a common framework of tools across Core and RAN. Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, commented: This is a critically important collaboration and the continuation of Nokias Cloud RAN leadership. At Nokia we are committed to supporting our customers and giving them the flexibility and elasticity they need on the network edge. We are building an ecosystem of public cloud partners that will ultimately support our customers and help them to build compelling 5G use cases. [March 16, 2021] American Water Donates $400,000 in Lab Equipment to Saint Louis University's WATER Institute American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE: AWK), the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, recently donated approximately $400,000 in lab equipment to the WATER (Water Access, Technology, Environment and Resources) Institute at Saint Louis University in St, Louis, Missouri. The LC-QTOF lab equipment typically costs more than $400,000 and is used to examine compounds occurring in the environment at a molecular level. "American Water is proud to support educational centers, like the WATER Institute. By donating this high-tech equipment, we are working collaboratively with our communities to advance real world water quality solutions that benefit efforts nationwide," said Lauren Weinrich, Ph.D., Water Research and Development, American Water. "This partnership highlights the unique relationship that our American Water research team has with leading scientists in solving water challenges of primary importance to our customers and the drinking water industry." St. Louis University's newly formed WATER Institute's mission is to support the advancement of water innovation to serve humanity and primarily focuses on addressing water-related social justice issues locally and around the world, protecting aquatic ecosystems and improving infrastructure to secure water supplies and address key societal needs. "Partnerships like the one with American Water are critical to building cutting-edge research capabilities and creating opportunities for our student and fculty researchers to excel and contribute to water research that will impact the world," said Amanda Cox (News - Alert) , Ph.D., director of the WATER Institute and associate professor of civil engineering. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with American Water and are honored that the company has been able to support our Institute above and beyond the donation of the LC-QTOF equipment." American Water's longstanding partnership with the WATER Institute includes several employee scientists which serve as co-advisors, adjunct professors, and associated researchers at the Institute. Weinrich also serves as an Associated Investigator at the WATER Institute. Recently, the company collaborated on a project building on knowledge gained from the "Sources and Fate of Taste and Odor Causing Compounds in the Missouri River" (Project #4683) joint research venture published in 2019 while expanding American Water's taste and odor monitoring in treatment plants. About American Water With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005976/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] With the Union Home Ministry introducing the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 in Parliament on Monday, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has opposed the decision terming it an unconstitutional and undemocratic move by the Centre. The party leaders along with all the ministers in the Delhi government will protest at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. Soon after the Centre moved the Bill, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers began opposing it calling the move an attempt by the BJP-led Central government to rule Delhi from the backdoor. The AAP also slammed the BJP saying the Centre's action was a reaction after it lost in the MCD bypolls in Delhi and also seeing the growing popularity of the AAP from Delhi to Gujarat. "The Centre has conspired to limit an elected government's powers, and is attempting to overturn the judgement of a Constitution bench, all of it to restrict the powers of the Delhi government to stifle its growth," Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said. Rai said that with introducing the NCTD (Amendment) Act, 2021 in Parliament the BJP has shown its clear intention to grab power in Delhi. "One would do well to remember how even earlier, MHA made several attempts to restrict the powers of the Delhi government. All powers were submitted to the LG, every file would have to be routed via his office, which had led to several files being stalled, being delayed. Files pertaining to constructing mohalla clinics were delayed for years. The LG house even sat on files for installing CCTV cameras across the city," he added. Recalling the past incidents, Rai said, "All of us had sat all night at the LG house just to get a file cleared for the installation of CCTV cameras." He said that the same situation had arisen now, which had become a cause of worry for citizens of Delhi. Rai also raised his concern that through the LG, the Centre would derail all its projects such as the Deshbhakti budget under which several schemes were introduced. "Now every decision will be implemented at the mercy of the LG," he added. "Thus, the party has decided to protest against the Central government's decision to introduce a Bill that renders an elected government powerless." Soon after the Centre presented the Bill, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took a copy of the Constitution and read Article 239AA, which said, "There shall be a legislative assembly for the national capital. This Assembly shall have power to make laws for the whole and any part of the subject except public order, land and the police." After this amendment, Delhi government will be dependent on LG office for every single file to get necessary approval from it before implementing. What is the meaning of having an elected government and the Council of Ministers when it has no power? he added. However, this is not the first time when the AAP-led Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor came face to face in a constitutional power struggle. The conflict between the Kejriwal government and the Delhi LG had emerged for the first time in 2014 when Kejriwal had resigned from the Chief Minister's post after the former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung sent the Delhi government's 'Jan Lokpal Bill' to the Centre. Again in 2015, the LG decided to appoint S Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary of Delhi. Kejriwal had then called it unconstitutional and had directed officials not to follow any order from the LG office without consulting him. In 2016, the Anti-Corruption Bureau filed an FIR against Kejriwal. Meanwhile, following the matter, Jung had axed the health and PWD secretaries of the Delhi government. Again, Jung set up a panel to probe over 400 files related to the decisions taken by the Kejriwal government. In 2017 the VK Singhlu committee claimed nepotism to financial irregularities in the AAP government. Then LG Anil Baijal had cancelled office allotment to the AAP and Kejriwal had called it a politically motivated decision by the LG. In the same year, 45 AAP MLAs had sat in protest for many hours accusing the LG of holding up the Delhi government's Mohalla Clinic project. The AAP had charged Baijal with acting on behalf of the BJP. The LG and the AAP government had confronted each other again on the matter of regularising guest teachers. In 2018, Kejriwal along with three cabinet ministers sat in protest at LG house for over a week, while the BJP MLAs sat in protest in the Delhi Secretariat due to this constitutional conflict between the elected government and the Centre appointed LG. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The government is considering using up all of the initial 525,600 AstraZeneca vaccine doses it has received as a first shot to provide partial protection to more frontliners, instead of storing half of the amount for the required second dose. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III proposed this in a televised meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte and other government officials on Monday. He said this strategy will also help ensure no supply goes to waste, as he explained the time interval between administering the first and second AstraZeneca shot is three months the same time the vaccines will expire. "We can cover more healthcare workers and frontliners, and mareresolba din po natin 'yung problema ng AstraZeneca na short shelf life. Ibig sabihin, after three months, expired na yung bakuna [This means that after three months, the vaccines will expire]," he said. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. backed this recommendation, saying he has also been asked by the World Health Organization to expedite the rollout of the British-Swedish-made vaccines to prevent wastage. Both officials allayed concerns this move may end up denying the timely administration of the second dose to those already injected with the first. Galvez said the country is expecting to receive more AstraZeneca doses through the WHO-led COVAX facility this March 22 or should there be delays by the first week of April. "We have an information from the WHO that we might be receiving an almost a million of AstraZeneca, also within this month or maybe early April, with 979,200 [doses]," Galvez said. Duterte acknowledged the proposal as "a good solution," as long as the needed shipments to provide full benefits to frontliners are delivered on time. They are eyeing to implement this once WHO country representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe issues a letter of reassurance that the next batch for the second dose will surely be delivered on time with officials hoping for its shipment by the last week of March to first week of April. Meanwhile, Duque said that the second dose for those who received CoronaVac vaccines made by Chinese company Sinovac BioTech is secured. He said the second dose has been set aside since the interval between the two required shots is shorter, only 28 days compared to the three-month interval for AstraZeneca. "Nakatabi na po yon. Wala na po tayong problema sa Sinovac [That's set aside, we don't have a problem with Sinovac]," he said. Besides the AstraZeneca deliveries, 1.4 million doses from Sinovac are also expected to arrive in the country within the month, according to Galvez. The Philippines has procured 1 million doses of CoronaVac, which may be delivered by "March 21 onwards," Galvez said in an earlier interview with CNN Philippines. Meanwhile, the Chinese government will also donate 400,000 more doses. This brings the total vaccine doses to arrive in the country this month to 2.379 million. Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. New Delhi: In a heart-wrenching incident, a tribal youth from Odisha's Mayurbhanj is seeking justice in an alleged fake case against him by walking on foot, carrying his parents on a sling. So far he has travelled 40kms. Kartik Singh has claimed that in 2009, Moroda Police lodged a fake FIR against him and locked him up in jail for 18 days. According to Singh, he approached the court seeking justice carrying his parents. He also said that his parents were left alone for 18 days and he can't leave them alone now. I have come here with my parents to appeal for justice before the judge. I have been wrongly accused in a harassment case but I have no idea about the woman. My attempt will at least let the judge know about how innocent people like me are implicated falsely, Kartik said. According to advocate Prabhudan Marandi, "It is not the first time something like this is happening. Several false cases are being filed." Advocate and social activist Kumar Patra added, "Kartik is drowned so much in debt that he cannot feed his parents or himself." He also added that Kartik even asked the district collector for a job as the society has abandoned him but received no response. "The state and the Central government have several schemes for the upliftment of the socially and financially backward classes, but everything is out of his reach and the Government representatives or political parties have not noticed anything," Patra said. Kartik Singh wants to prove himself as 'not guilty' in the eyes of his old parents. #WATCH: Tribal man in Odisha's Mayurbhanj travels 40 kms on foot carrying his parents seeking justice in an alleged fake case against him. pic.twitter.com/ULn6KGLLba ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and counsel to former President Trump who critics say fomented falsehoods of a stolen presidential election, can keep his honorary degree from St. John Fisher College. Some college alumni and current faculty had urged the school to revoke Giuliani's honorary degree, which was bestowed on him when he delivered the college's 2015 commencement speech. Giuliani undermined democratic principles with his insistence that rampant voter fraud ripped the 2020 election from Trump, the critics claimed. The college announced Friday that the Board of Trustees, which met last week, did not vote to strip the degree from Giuliani. "In January, the St. John Fisher College Board of Trustees was made aware of requests to rescind the honorary degree that the College bestowed upon former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in 2015 for his leadership during the 9/11 tragedy," a statement from the college said. "After extensive Board deliberations, the Board today voted on whether to rescind the honorary degree. A decision either to grant an honorary degree, or rescind an honorary degree, requires a two-thirds majority of the entire Board, which was not achieved. No further action will be taken." Argon, a new security startup securing the modern software delivery process, emerges from stealth mode as the first unified security solution that protects all stages of the continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline and ensures the integrity of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). The massive effect of the SolarWinds IT management software breach that began when hackers compromised one of its software updates, signalled the birth of a new cyberattack surface that organisations are not equipped to defend, said Eilon Elhadad, CEO, Argon. Strong security posture Our solution provides full visibility into the development environment and protects our customers from bad actors who seek to plant malicious code or tamper with the native behaviour and uptime of the applications. Automated software delivery through a CI/CD pipeline process offers application developers a fast and efficient way to develop, build, test, and deploy new software. The CI/CD pipelines use a series of cloud and hosted services and open-source tools which open the organisations network to new environments where the source code is copied, moved, and shared. Maintaining a strong security posture in a cloud-native environment requires security and DevOps personnel to have full visibility over the entire environment to mitigate risk. Code-tampering detection technology Argon seamlessly connects to the existing CI/CD pipelines via an agentless implementation and instantly maps the development environment, assets, and user activities. The solution prioritises and automates remediation of alerts according to security best practices and compliance rules, ensuring zero trust deployment. Argons code-tampering detection technology performs validity checks on every step of the CI/CD process to confirm no tampering has occurred. The way companies release software has evolved from a manual, controlled, and timed process to one that is fully automated, distributed, and complex, said Eylam Milner, CTO, Argon. Vendors deploy new code on a daily basis, and its irrational for them to expect their DevOps and security teams to protect their release pipelines without a dedicated solution. Accelerating development processes Elhadad and Milner are both former leaders of security and engineering teams in the Israeli military. Eran Orzel, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) has over 20 years of experience in sales leadership roles in cybersecurity and enterprise software. Prior to joining Argon, Eran held several roles at Check Point Software Technologies, most recently as the Global Head of Strategic Sales and Partnerships where he led and played a significant role in the rapid growth of Check Points major business growth engines. Companies are accelerating the development processes using DevOps pipeline infrastructures and the trend is at its peak, said Orzel. Consequently, the threats are growing stronger than ever, with dozens of incidents from code theft to code manipulation in the last six months alone. Argon is launching with 15 employees after raising more than $4 million (USD) in initial funding led by Hyperwise Ventures. Software-driven companies Bad actors are exploiting new weaknesses in the modern software delivery pipeline to gain access, leak data, and tamper with the products source code, said Nathan Shuchami, Managing partner at Hyperwise Ventures. Argon has developed an innovative solution that software-driven companies need in order to block those attacks and secure their customers and products. Several high-profile cybersecurity angel investors have joined Hyperwise Ventures, including Shlomo Kramer, the founder of Check Point, Imperva, and Cato Networks; Zohar Alon, Founder of Dome9; Giora Yaron, chairman of Amdocs Technology Committee; Avery More, managing partner of ORR Partners; and Harel Kodesh, a former partner at Silver Lake. A LIMERICK man is bidding to raise money for life-extending drugs to tackle a cancer which has ravaged his body. Ger Tracey, 40, has been in-and-out of hospital for the last two years, after he was diagnosed with stage four cancer, with doctors initially finding a 6.5cm tumour in his bowel. Now, friends of the father-of-one, who lived in Moyross and Dooradoyle and is now based in Spain, have come to his aid to set up an internet fundraiser which will help him pay for the immunotherapy he needs to extend his time with wife Laura and daughter Nicole, 12. It comes after Ger exhausted his sources of income, with insurers not covering the cost of the procedures he needed such as radiofrequency and testing of tumours and biopsies, crucial to his fight. We paid for them ourselves. We knew then that not alone was this going to a battle for my life, but also a battle for finances and a battle for everything, he said, acknowledging its rare for an insurer to cover everything. Gers concerns first arose in 2019 when after inexplicably gaining weight to the stage where his daughter said his neck could be used to swipe a debit card he went to the doctors, where the first tumour was discovered. It was at this stage where medics informed him that he had a metastatic tumour, which means the cancer had spread already. His first surgery involved removing half the bowel to take out the primary tumour. Since then, Ger has had a series of barbaric treatments which he says has left his body ravaged, while at one stage he was placed in an induced coma for a week. It came after 14 tumours were found in his liver, paving the way for him to have a 60% liver resection. Things did begin to look up for the former Enable Ireland staff member early last year, with doctors saying he was potentially curable. But the pandemic saw the cancellation of regular scans, and the cancer spread again. Another surgery followed last June which saw the removal of tumours from the left lobe of his liver and under his heart with Ger having to pay this out of his own pocket. Immunotherapy was offered to him at a cost of thousands per month again not covered by insurers which saw Gers pals step in. This disease is a criminal disease. When it gets to the stage I am at, you have to be super-wealthy to be able to afford treatment, he said, We had savings and we were coming to the end of them. We didnt tell anybody because we didnt want to take what we didnt need. We pulled out all the stops to try and do this ourselves, but we were eventually pushed into a corner. Ger has described the disease as being like Russian roulette, saying: The immunotherapy I am on has stabilised my lungs, but for how long? If I dont feel well, I could go to the hospital and they could tell me they see a tumour there. He says he feels held to ransom, stuck in a horrible catch-22, with a recent scan showing a recent scan showing immunotherapy stabilising his lungs, but with more progression in his liver. Its left him fighting for his liver a third time. Understandably, hes developed a great resilience, saying: Im not afraid of the word cancer anymore. Im afraid of the word progression now. Each day, Ger says he wakes up, and forgives the cancer. He takes a shower to wash away all the pain and says a prayer to Our Lady. To donate to the appeal, click here. Royal warfare erupted again last night after Harry and Meghan revealed deeply private family conversations to a journalist friend. They told Gayle King that the prince had finally spoken to his father and brother following the explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. Hours later, Miss King disclosed on American TV that the talks 'were not productive'. The breakfast show host also suggested that Meghan was unhappy no one in the Royal Family had thought to telephone her. And, in a thinly-veiled threat, the presenter said the duchess had 'documents to back up everything she said on Oprah's interview'. The fact the Sussexes chose to reveal sensitive discussions between senior members of the Royal Family met with an icy response from Buckingham Palace. 'None of the households the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be giving a running commentary on private conversations,' said a senior royal source. Harry and Meghan have prompted fresh outrage after sharing private conversations with Prince Charles and Prince William with US journalist Gayle King It was clear, however, that both the Windsors and senior officials see it as a severe betrayal of trust and unhelpful to attempts to rebuild bridges. Prince William, when he was questioned by a TV reporter on a public engagement last Thursday, said he had not yet spoken to his younger brother, but vowed he would. He also insisted the Royal Family were not racists after Meghan claimed one member had raised 'concerns' about 'how dark' her baby's skin would be, and suggested there was an attempt to deprive Archie of a title and security because he was of mixed race. The duchess also said she had been given so little support by the Palace that she suffered suicidal thoughts. Meghan Markle is reportedly unhappy after no one in the Royal Family had thought to telephone her following her bombshell interview, alongside husband Prince Harry, with Oprah Winfrey Harry said he felt 'really let down' by his father, accused him of cutting him off financially and refusing to take his calls, while also revealing the gulf with William. The Queen responded to the Oprah interview with a deeply personal message saying that while 'some recollections vary', the issues raised, particularly that of race, were 'concerning' and would be taken seriously. Significantly, however, she emphasised that from now on the difficulties would be addressed by the family privately. Prince William is pictured driving outside Kensington Palace in London on Tuesday, after it was revealed he had spoken with Harry over the weekend The Duke of Cambridge was seen in London on Tuesday afternoon after Gayle King revealed his conversation with Prince Harry There have been a handful of stories published in the UK media reporting that Charles and William felt hurt by what Harry had said, but with very little detail on what was taking place behind the scenes. That was turned on its head yesterday when Miss King, who attended Meghan's baby shower in New York in 2019 and is Miss Winfrey's closest friend, decided to speak out on her prime-time morning show on CBS, the same channel that broadcast the Oprah interview. Harry was accused of 'embarrassing' hypocrisy this week for speaking to CBS, which caused outrage in 2004 by showing a photograph of his mother dying in a 1997 car crash in Paris. Gayle King revealed Prince Harry had spoken to his father, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William, over the weekend, but talks did not help repair a rift within the royal family HOW GAYLE STIRRED UP A STORM 'Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too. The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive but they are glad that they have at least started a conversation. What is still upsetting to them is that the Palace keeps saying they want to work it out privately, but yet they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan still. No one in the Royal Family has talked to Meghan yet at this particular time. It's frustrating for them to see that it's a racial conversation about the Royal Family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant. They both want to move forward with this and they both want healing in this family. At the end of the day, that is Harry's family. Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview. Everything. Anyone who's worked with her [Meghan] will tell you exactly who she is, she's really a sweet caring person. No one has acknowledged 'Houston, we have a problem here'. That's really all they [Harry and Meghan] want. They want a conversation.' Advertisement Miss King told viewers she had called Harry and Meghan at their 10million California home 'over the weekend' to discuss the fall-out from the interview and revealed they had told her details of their intimate conversations. She said: 'Well I'm not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true, Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too. 'The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation.' Miss King also claimed the couple were unhappy that 'the Palace' had allegedly been leaking what they believed were untrue stories to the media. She added: 'And I think what is still upsetting to them is the Palace keep saying they want to work it out privately, but yet, they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan, still.' She made clear that the duchess was unhappy that no one in the family had called her. 'No one in the Royal Family has talked to Meghan yet, at this particular time,' she said. The Sussexes effectively accused the Royal Family and Buckingham Palace of institutional racism in their interview with Miss Winfrey. But Miss King claimed they felt 'frustrated' that much of the coverage had focused on this when they had apparently wanted only to provoke the monarchy into taking action against the media, which they believe has a racist agenda against Meghan. 'It's frustrating for them to see that it's a racial conversation about the Royal Family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant,' Miss King said. 'And until you can acknowledge that, I think it's going to be hard to move forward.' She also raised the issue of the investigation launched earlier this month by Buckingham Palace into how claims of bullying against Meghan lodged by a senior member of staff were handled. She said: 'Anyone who has worked with her will tell you exactly who she is. You know, she's really a very sweet, caring person.' There was no immediate indication from the couple's team of PR representatives either in London or California as to whether Miss King was speaking at their request. How on earth will lobbing yet more grenades help heal the rift? COMMENT BY STEPHEN GLOVER Only nine days ago, Meghan and Harry launched several bazookas in the direction of the Royal Family with the assiduous assistance of Oprah Winfrey, firstly on CBS in America and then on ITV. Tens of millions of people watched as Meghan alleged that an unidentified member of the Royal Family was racist, while Harry accused his father both of financial meanness and refusing to take his calls. Poor Prince William was said by Harry to be 'trapped'. As family spats go, this was a humdinger. Many people on the receiving end of such public insults from close relatives might prefer not to talk to them for a fair while. Speaking on CBS This Morning, Gayle King said: 'Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview. Everything' How Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview has caused a royal crisis February 15 It is confirmed Harry and Meghan will be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on CBS in March, in which they will discuss Megxit and other issues. It is confirmed Harry and Meghan will be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on CBS in March, in which they will discuss Megxit and other issues. February 16 Harry's grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh is admitted to hospital in London Harry's grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh is admitted to hospital in London February 19 Harry and Meghan are stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit has become permanent. Harry and Meghan are stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit has become permanent. February 26 Harry says the 'toxic' atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK, in an interview with James Corden Harry says the 'toxic' atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK, in an interview with James Corden March 1 A preview clip of the Oprah interview shows Harry saying his biggest fear is that 'history would repeat itself' in a reference to his mother's death, while the host is also seen asking Meghan if she was 'silent or silenced', but her answer is not revealed. A preview clip of the Oprah interview shows Harry saying his biggest fear is that 'history would repeat itself' in a reference to his mother's death, while the host is also seen asking Meghan if she was 'silent or silenced', but her answer is not revealed. March 3 A spokesman for Meghan says she is 'saddened' by a report in The Times that she faced a bullying complaint while at Kensington Palace. A spokesman for Meghan says she is 'saddened' by a report in The Times that she faced a bullying complaint while at Kensington Palace. March 7 Meghan and Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey airs in the US. The Sussexes laid bare their brief lives as a working royal couple, alleging a member of the family made a racist comment about their son, and how the duchess had suicidal thoughts but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down. Meghan and Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey airs in the US. The Sussexes laid bare their brief lives as a working royal couple, alleging a member of the family made a racist comment about their son, and how the duchess had suicidal thoughts but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down. March 8 The fallout from the interview continues and the couple's chat with Oprah airs in the UK on ITV. The fallout from the interview continues and the couple's chat with Oprah airs in the UK on ITV. March 9 Buckingham Palace issues a statement, saying the Queen is 'saddened' to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes and the issues raised around race are 'concerning'. Buckingham Palace issues a statement, saying the Queen is 'saddened' to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes and the issues raised around race are 'concerning'. March 11 - Prince William insists the royal family are 'not a racist family' while visiting a school in London. - Prince William insists the royal family are 'not a racist family' while visiting a school in London. March 16 - Gayle King reveals Harry has spoken to his brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles. Advertisement But, to their credit, Prince Charles and Prince William did not sit roasting. They appear to have picked up the telephone over the weekend to speak with hot-headed Harry. It seems they both love and care for him. And what was their reward? CBS presenter Gayle King a close friend of Meghan, as well as of Oprah Winfrey informed the world yesterday that Harry had spoken on the phone with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, jeopardising the peace process as she spilled the beans. Ms King boasted she had talked to the Sussexes, and got from them the 'word that these conversations were not productive'. According to her, it was 'frustrating' for Meghan and Harry that everyone was talking about the charge of royal racism. All they had ever wanted was for the 'royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant'. It appears that neither Charles nor William was keen to take up the cudgels on their behalf. I suppose we should consider the possibility that Gayle King is an out-and-out fantasist who imagines the thoughts whirling through Meghan's mind. But it seems most unlikely. Apart from anything else, the Sussexes have not contradicted her account. No, she was speaking as Meghan's spokeswoman and Harry's too, I fear in what almost amounts to an infringement of privacy by a couple who are forever complaining about media intrusion. Yet once again they have spoon-fed an American broadcaster. Appearances can be deceptive, but if Prince William's glum face yesterday was any guide, he was seriously cheesed off by the Sussexes' breach of confidentiality. One can understand his feelings. Why has Meghan, with Harry presumably at her side, chosen to lob another grenade at the Royal Family just as Charles and William were recovering from the last assault? For her calculated intervention will surely make the resumption of peace talks between the two sides more difficult. It could widen the gulf, and increase a justifiable sense of betrayal in royal circles. Meghan is evidently an intelligent woman, who is well aware of the likely consequences of Ms King acting as her mouthpiece. If she is prepared to risk the further souring of relations with the Royal Family, one can only assume it is because she has another motive. Basking in the approval of millions of Americans after her Oprah Winfrey interview, and now an international celebrity in her own right, she is evidently prepared to go on undermining the Royal Family until or unless it comes to heel. Her request for its help in her self-serving war against the Press is manifestly absurd. She I should say Gayle King accuses the Press of still running 'unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant' without (as usual) citing a single instance. The truth is that in Meghan's view any criticism of her must be racist. This is a wild and ridiculous assertion which does not prevent it from being shared by her uncritical admirers. Gayle King 'was speaking as Meghan's spokeswoman and Harry's too, I fear,' writes STEPHEN GLOVER How will this end? It seems increasingly unlikely that the wounds Meghan has caused, and continues to cause, will easily be healed. She gives no indication that she wants to heal them. From her spokeswoman Gayle King she received this implausible encomium. 'You know, she's really a very sweet, caring person. And, as I say, Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview. Everything.' That is certainly good to know. We await proof of her contention that she was married in secret three days before their wedding in Windsor. Documents confirming 'several conversations' when she was pregnant about 'how dark [her baby's] skin will be when he's born' will also be fascinating. There is, of course, one person who can help restore Meghan's sense of proportion, tighten her grip on reality, and rebuild bridges with the Royal Family. And that is her husband. Harry can't want this increasingly messy and unpleasant estrangement from those he still loves. I don't believe he can look forward to living as a celebrity, albeit one junior to his wife, in a foreign country, forsaken by his family. There were wise words yesterday from former First Lady, Michelle Obama. She spoke of the importance of public service, and insisted that 'there's nothing more important than family'. Yes, wise words. But will Meghan and Harry in particular listen? I fear this story may have the unstoppable momentum of tragedy. Prince Charles and Prince William were right to pick up the phone. If they get the same treatment again, next time could be the last time. A Capitol police officer was suspended after anti-Semitic materials were discovered by a congressional staffer near his work area. The discovery was made while the staffer was leaving the Capitol Hill office building on Sunday. Anti-Semitic Materials Found in Capitol Hill Zach Fisch was leaving the Longworth House Office Building on Sunday when he noticed something unusual, a printed copy of an anti-Semitic text. Based on the photograph published by a news outlet, the printed copy of the text sat on a table near the building entrance and was bound by a single binder clip, with the portions of the title written in large red capital letters. According to POLITICO, Fisch photographed the document and sent the evidence to The Washington Post, which provided the photo to the Capitol Police on Monday morning. The U.S. Capitol Police Department later announced an officer's suspension, but the department did not reveal his identity. The department's acting chief, Yogananda Pittman, said that they are taking all the inappropriate allegations seriously. She also added that she immediately ordered the officer's suspension when the matter was brought to her attention. Pittman mentioned that the officer would be suspended while the Office of Professional Responsibility investigation is ongoing. NBA Player Banned After Anti-Jews Livestream Slur Meanwhile, Fisch recounted his experience in a Twitter thread on Monday evening after the announcement. The congressional staffer shared that as he left his office, he discovered something that, as a Jew, horrified him. At the United States Capitol Police security checkpoint, someone left anti-Semitic propaganda in plain sight. Based on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the text, with the title of 'The Protocols of the Meetings of the Learned Elders of Zion,' is entirely a work of fiction intentionally written to blame Jews for numerous ills. The museum also shared that the exact origins of the work were unknown, but it was introduced to Adolf Hitler while developing his worldview and referenced by him in early speeches, Forbes reported. Fisch also tweeted that the text is evidence that not much had changed since the Capitol riot on January 6, where at least one man was photographed wearing a sweatshirt that read 'Camp Auschwitz,' which is in reference to the concentration camp where not less than 1 million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. Fisch also mentioned in his post the document's description, which was tattered and over two years old, Reuters reported. Vatican on Same-Sex Marriage: Church Cannot Bless 'Sin' In his tweet, Fisch pointed out that it is both a national security problem and a workplace safety problem as their office is full of Black, Jewish, Brown, Queer, who have the reason to fear white supremacists. He also added that they are very concerned about their safety. On the other hand, despite the Capitol's praises for their response to the riots and the award introduced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a bill with Congressional Gold Medal, concerns were also pointed out over the actions of numerous officers. Videos showed that some officers were pulling down barricades and even stopped to take a photo with a rioter. Also from HNGN: Biden Promise: Vaccines and Checks in 10 Days Biden's Economic Plan Includes First Major Tax Hike Since 1993 @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Haiti - Security : Jovenel Moise seeks help from the OAS The President of the Republic of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, met this Monday, March 15, 2021 with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Mr. Luis Almagro. "I had, with the Secretary General, Luis Almagro this Monday, March 15, an interview which focused exclusively on security. During this exchange, I asked this important Organization for technical support to the PNH in order to fight effectively against banditry and terrorism," informed the President Jovenel Moise. For his part, the Secretary-General clarified, "In meeting with the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, I was asked to provide strong technical support from the Organization in matters of security." S/ HaitiLibre HONG KONG, March 15 (Xinhua) -- A man who bit off a police sergeant's finger during the social unrest in 2019 in Hong Kong was sentenced to five and a half years in jail by a local court on Monday. Twenty-four-year-old To Kai-wa, a University of Hong Kong graduate, was accused of disorderly conduct in a public place, assaulting a police officer, causing grievous bodily harm to another, and wounding with intent police sergeant Leung Kai-yip by biting off part of his right ring finger in a shopping mall in Shatin of the New Territories in July 2019. The judge said that the two police officers under attack were performing their duties at that time and the defendant obviously had the intention of provoking others to disturb social peace and attack and insult the police. The two attacked police officers had no prior contact with the defendant and they were attacked only because they were police, said the judge. 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. Spain has followed the lead of Denmark, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands and Ireland and has temporarily suspended the administration of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The move comes after a number of cases of blood clots were reported among people who had received the medication. Germany, France and Italy also halted the use of the inoculation on Monday, opting to wait until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) clarifies whether or not it is related to these thrombotic events. The EMA, meanwhile, continues to investigate the issue and will make a statement on Thursday. In the meantime, it is insisting that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. The alarm raised by a series of these cases prompted the change of course by the Spanish Health Ministry, which until now had been a defender of the continued use of the AstraZeneca vaccine despite the move by Denmark and Norway. At the weekend the risk evaluation changed, said Maria Jesus Lamas, the director of the Spanish Medication Agency, on Monday after an urgent meeting of the Inter-Territorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS), which brings together the Health Ministry and the regional healthcare chiefs. From Saturday to Sunday we were made aware of a case of cerebral venous thrombosis, specifically of the venous sinuses, which developed with a reduction in platelets, which implies irregular coagulation activity. Fortunately, [the patient] is recovering, but that same day we found out about three similar cases in Norway, and Germany had also identified four cases. We decided that this accumulation of cases of this particular and specific thrombosis warranted additional evaluation. No medication is 100% safe, but we have to take into account the benefits of vaccinating the population against a disease that we know is killing millions Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organization In barely a week, part of the vaccination strategy in Europe has been shattered at least temporarily. It was Austria that first raised the alert last Tuesday after it suspended the administration of a batch of AstraZeneca on the suspicion that it could have caused a pulmonary embolism in one person and the death of another from multiple blood clots after being vaccinated. Two days later, Denmark went a step further and suspended the administration of the vaccine entirely. And since then, there has been a non-stop trickle of countries doing the same. The EMA and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both insisted that there were very few cases and that no causal link has been established. In fact, until March 10 only 30 cases of blood clots had been reported after nearly five million doses had been administered in the European Union, according to the EMA. Spain was following this line, but the detection of such specific and uncommon thrombosis cases prompted a change of tack and a new evaluation of the risk. Health workers administer the AstraZeneca vaccine in Seville. PACO PUENTES / EL PAIS These are few cases in absolute terms, but given the qualitative importance of each one of them and the fact that in the general population there are very few cases of clotting disorders, we believe it is prudent to stop, explained Health Minister Carolina Darias on Monday. According to her ministry, among the six million doses administered in the EU, 11 cases of this kind of cerebral venous thrombosis have been detected. Darias said that the vaccination would be halted for two weeks, or until the EMA takes a decision. The minister did not state whether the stoppage would affect Spains global objectives vaccinating 70% of the adult population by the end of the summer nor whether it would affect those people who have already received a first dose of AstraZeneca. There is time, the minister said, in order to arrange the second doses should there be a positive resolution from the EMA, given that the period between the two injections can be between 10 and 12 weeks. The minister called for calm, and said that for now, any link between the vaccine and blood clots is tentative and not causal. In Spain, where five regions temporarily suspended the use of one of the batches of the vaccine being investigated, a total of 939,534 doses of AstraZeneca have been administered. The number of thromboembolic events in general among people who have been vaccinated does not appear to be greater than those observed in the general population, the EMA insisted on Monday in a statement. The European organization, as well as the WHO, has insisted that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks of secondary effects. The rates in which thrombosis are being produced among those vaccinated are even lower than those among the general population, said Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the WHO. No medication is 100% safe, but we have to take into account the benefits of vaccinating the population against a disease that we know is killing millions of people across the world. English version by Simon Hunter. Columbus-native designed commemorative augmented reality cups and original mural in White Castle's home office COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle, a family-owned business since 1921, officially passed the century mark on March 10, 2021, the first fast-food hamburger chain to reach the milestone. When the iconic brand and its longest-running partner, Coca-Cola, considered innovative ways to commemorate the occasion, they turned to Bryan Moss, an artist born, raised and living in Columbus, Ohio, to design augmented reality (AR) cups for the restaurants and a large-scale mural for the home office. White Castle, in collaboration with Coca-Cola, has introduced a set of three collectible augmented reality soft drink cups to commemorate its 100th birthday and 100-year partnership with Coca-Cola. Designed by Columbus, Ohio, artist Bryan Moss, the cups come alive with sound and motion when viewed through a smartphone. White Castle introduces set of 3 commemorative augmented reality soda cups. It all started in the summer of 2020, with Coca-Cola eager to celebrate their partner of nearly 100 years with a truly unique and groundbreaking activation. As big as the outcome promised to be, the two brands at the outset knew they wanted to start locally. A short-list of Columbus-based visual artists quickly led to the selection of Moss, known for his lively and relatable graphic aesthetic. "We strive to support our local communities in all respects, and this project was no exception," said Erin Shannon, corporate relations manager at White Castle. "Bryan 'got us' from the very beginning, and I believe his shared passion for White Castle came through!" Resulting from the monthslong undertaking is a first in the 100-year partnership AR packaging, which White Castle introduced earlier this month. Customers can order a large drink to receive one of three AR cups, each wrapped with the artist's work representing an era from White Castle's history: 1920s to 1950s, 1960s to 1990s, and 2000s to the present. The comic book style of the designs is a nod to the rise of comics in America during the early days of the brand's history. Customers navigating to 1921.whitecastle.com on their smartphone can direct their mobile camera at the cup to watch elements come to life before their eyes. Story continues Photos and videos of the artist collaborations can be downloaded here. "As kids, so many of us would sit and eat our bowls of cereal while staring at the back of the box," Moss said. "Here, I see a 21st century version of that same experience with people eating White Castle while exploring the cup through AR. It's just so cool!" As a local artist with close ties to the Columbus community, Moss also saw this as an opportunity to pay it forward and get others involved. Throughout the project, he hired nearly a dozen fellow artists, designers and creatives to support different aspects. From 50-year-old professionals to 13-year-old interns, each brought an invaluable skill set and left with their contribution on a campaign of national scale. "We started this one goal in mind to celebrate our partners of 100 years," said Ashley Alexander, senior customer marketing manager at The Coca-Cola Company. "Bryan elevated the project to a whole new level and exceeded every expectation." In addition to the AR cups available in restaurants, Moss designed and hand-applied a large mural in White Castle's home office in Columbus. Featuring vignettes and design elements from the cups, the mural stands as a permanent fixture in the building to celebrate the history and innovation of the acclaimed brand. "I was so humbled by how much the teams at White Castle and Coca-Cola trusted me every step of the way," added Moss. "A 100th birthday this is a huge deal and I still almost can't believe I got to be a part of it!" About White Castle White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders as a family-owned business for 100 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider in 1921. Today, White Castle owns and operates more than 360 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers' cravings morning, noon and night and sells its famous fare in retail stores nationwide. The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time Magazine's most influential burger of all time, is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle's Impossible Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the "Best Plant-Based Fast Food Burger." White Castle's commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. White Castle is known for the legendary loyalty of its team members, more than 1 in 4 of whom have worked for White Castle for at least 10 years, and of its faithful fans, affectionately referred to as Cravers, many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app, available at iTunes App Store or Google Play, makes it easy for Cravers to access sweet deals and place pickup orders any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle's delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com. White Castle, family-owned business since 1921 and founder of fast food, celebrates 100 years! (PRNewsfoto/White Castle) Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-castle-and-coca-cola-enlist-columbus-artist-bryan-moss-to-bring-to-life-100th-birthday-and-century-long-partnership-301247942.html SOURCE White Castle iOPEX has helped Canvas Worldwide use employee time efficiently, allowing them to perform high value tasks by enabling innovation across ad stack strategies, new products and process improvements. iOPEX Technologies, a global business operations and technology services provider, and Canvas Worldwide, the world's second largest independent media agency, have partnered to provide Canvas Worldwide with a touchless automation framework to support the companys future-proof vision of automating ad operations tasks and gaining efficiency. This will equip Canvas Worldwide with progressive and proactive solutions to effectively engage with customers and improve the employee experience. Offering innovative marketing solutions for brands looking to challenge conventional thinking and instead make their own bold strokes, Canvas Worldwide relies on creative solutions and staff accountability to drive business success for customers. This starts with a client-centric approach and prioritizing increased speed to market. However, whether its campaign setup, creative management, or reporting and reconciliation, manual and mundane tasks lower productivity and enthusiasm. Recognizing this, Canvas Worldwide was in need of an automation solution that allowed the ad operations team to quickly meet customer needs while seamlessly creating and identifying advanced initiatives. By leveraging iOPEX Technologies touchless automation solutions, Canvas Worldwide has been able to enhance efficiency and transparency across the customer lifecycle, all the way down to billing reconciliation. As a leading media agency, it's imperative for us to always be evolving and entrepreneurial. Our technology team supports that mission by embracing new ideas from every part of our company, said Kevin McEvilly, SVP of Technology at Canvas Worldwide. The Canvas automation program actually grew from a cross-section of employees interested in improving accuracy and efficiency. We knew early on the partnership with iOPEX Technologies would be a natural fit. We were quickly reducing rote and error prone tasks, improving the quality of our data and increasing proactive engagements with vendors and clients. Ultimately, this has improved the quality of our work and freed up more time to identify better solutions for clients. Through iOPEX Technologies touchless automation framework, Canvas Worldwide is able to automate ad operations, handling ad/campaign creation, implementation, monitoring, billing and reconciliation processes for consistent, accurate and faster time to market deliveries. The solutions can redeploy seasoned ad ops analysts to spend more time with customers and improve return on advertising spend, move faster in offering custom and creative solutions to meet campaign objectives and better measure Canvas Worldwides true customer satisfaction rate and revenue. The solution will automate repetitive, voluminous operational and analytical tasks, improving resource utilization and avoiding reworks due to errors and meet tighter timelines with accuracy. This improves both availability and the customer experience. As consumer demand continues to increase, media agencies are being forced to transform their traditional ad operations to drive greater efficiency and scale business, we are excited to announce this partnership with Canvas Worldwide to help enhance outcome quality and greater customer success, said Nagarajan Chakravarthy, Chief Digital Officer at iOPEX Technologies. "Through extensive experience with automating ad operations, iOPEX has helped Canvas Worldwide use employee time efficiently, allowing them to perform high value tasks by enabling innovation across ad stack strategies, new products and process improvements. About iOPEX Technologies: iOPEX is a leader in digital operations. We help transform the business operations of large enterprises by integrating them with automation. We deliver operational solutions and automation for business processes like technology, finance, and marketing operations. Our framework for integrated workflow automation helps the journey for operational teams to go from manual operations to AI-based operations to No-Ops delivering up to 30% cost savings. We help some of the top fortune 500 companies to optimize enterprise operations and adopt digital transformation across different industry verticals. About Canvas Worldwide: Named Adweeks 2020 Breakthrough Media Agency of the Year, Canvas Worldwide is an independent media agency that provides innovative marketing solutions for brands looking to challenge conventional thinking and instead make their own bold strokes. Launched in 2015, the agency is dual headquartered in Los Angeles and New York, with regional offices in Chicago, Dallas, Denver and Atlanta. Canvas Worldwide services world-class clients such as Hyundai Motor America, Kia Motors America, McDonalds, United Artists Releasing, Heineken, and more. The agencys culture is built around the idea that in order to achieve anything great, one must always first make yourself uncomfortable. To learn more, visit: http://www.canvasworldwide.com. TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) China has approved a new COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, one that was developed by the head of its Center for Disease Control, adding a fifth shot to its arsenal. Gao Fu, the head of China's CDC, led the development of a protein subunit vaccine that was approved by regulators last week for emergency use, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Microbiology said in a statement Monday. It is the fifth coronavirus vaccine approved in China and the fourth to be given emergency use approval. Three of those given emergency approval have since been approved for general use. All were developed by Chinese companies. The latest vaccine was developed jointly by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team finished phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials in October and is currently conducting the last phase of trials in Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Indonesia, according to the statement. The vaccine was approved for use in Uzbekistan on March 1. It's a three-dose shot that is spaced out with one month each between shots, a company spokesperson said. Like other vaccines China has developed so far, it can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures. There is no publicly available information in peer-reviewed scientific journals about the clinical trial data showing efficacy or safety. A spokesperson for the company said that the data could not be shared at this time but that the company was providing the information to health authorities. The protein subunit vaccine is similar to many of the other vaccines that have been approved globally in that it trains the body to recognize the spike protein that covers the surface of the coronavirus, although the difference lies in how it tells the body to recognize the protein. Scientists grow a harmless version of the protein in cells and then purify it, before it is assembled into a vaccine and injected. China has been slow in vaccinating its population of 1.4 billion people, despite having four vaccines approved for general use. The latest numbers, according to government officials at a press briefing Monday in Beijing, is that it has administered 64.98 million doses of vaccines. Story continues China has targeted what it considers key populations for vaccination thus far, namely health care workers, those who work at the border or customs, and specific industries the government has selected. Other groups that have been notably absent thus far in comparison to many other countries are the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. The approved vaccines have previously been limited to adults 18-59 years old, as officials cited a lack of clinical trial data for those who are older, although the government appears to be signaling the limits are now being set aside. We will promptly carry out mass vaccination of relevant populations, Li Bin, a vice chair on the National Health Commission, said Monday. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported over the weekend that in certain neighborhoods in Beijing, local health centers started to offer the vaccines to those aged 60 and older. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the vaccine trains the body to recognize the spike protein that covers the surface of the coronavirus, not the surface of the coronavirus vaccine. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia The Land Development Agency (LDA) has today announced plans to begin opening offices outside Dublin, starting with Cork and Limerick. When public health restrictions allow, the LDA says it will open offices in Cork and Limerick this year, with more bases outside Dublin planned in the near future. The LDA today said that its mandate is to "increase the supply of affordable housing through the efficient use of state land" and stated that it already has "significant activities in Cork and Limerick". In Cork, the LDA has submitted a planning application to build 266 residential units on the site of St Kevins Hospital and has also formed a partnership with Cork City Council to bring forward plans for the regeneration of a 146-acre site in Cork Docklands. "I am delighted for the LDA move to be one of the first public sector agencies moving to a distributed working model," commented John Moran, Chair of the LDA. "Rebalancing the social and economic drivers of Ireland is critical to creating a more liveable and attractive country. "Given the re-evaluation of how we can all work more flexibly post Covid, there is no better time for the LDA to support more balanced regional development by opening offices outside of Dublin. "With our national team operating cohesively in numerous locations we will benefit from better diversity of thought as to how we prioritise and deliver on our mandate. "We can also offer challenging and rewarding career paths both in and outside of the capital," he continued. John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA said it is appropriate that the LDA expands its office footprint beyond Dublin. "This plan will have the effect of creating office hubs located outside of Dublin for our team and therefore provide welcome flexible working options for staff who may not wish to work in Dublin. "We are currently recruiting new members to our expanding team and hopefully the announcement of our intention about new offices will open up the opportunity for a broader range of candidates to consider working with us," he said. Guwahati, March 17 : Ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, some former leaders and cadres of erstwhile terrorist outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) have returned to the jungle and floated a group in a bid to resume the "armed movement", police, intelligence and other reports said. Various central and state security forces have stepped up their vigil in western Assam after the inputs received about the formation of the new terror outfit. Police officials said that the new group, named the National Liberation Front of Boroland (NLFB), is headed by M.D. Batha, who had surrendered along with over 1,600 extremists who joined the mainstream by laying down weapons in January last year after the Centre had signed the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) accord with four NDFB factions and the All Bodo Students' Union. In a video statement released to the media, the NLFB said the Centre and Assam governments are not serious and sincere in solving the Bodo issue and the "situation compelled them to continue with the struggle and fight for rights". The NLFB also criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Senior police and intelligence officials also said that some surrendered militants, who returned to the jungle to form the NLFB, might try to operate from the neighbouring countries. Additional Director General of Police, BTR, L.R. Bishnoi told the media that the new groups might be having 25-30 cadres comprising former militants and overground workers. "NLFB has procured some arms and ammunition. Outfit leader Batha went underground a few months after surrendering last year," he said. The opposition Congress doubted the BJP's sincerity in solving the insurgency problem in Assam. Congress spokesperson Bobbeeta Sharma said that formation of a new militant group is very unfortunate and it speaks volumes about the kind of sincerity of the BJP in keeping up the process of lasting peace in Assam. "During Congress government led by Chief Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, 14,000 militants belonging to 13 militant outfits had surrendered and joined the mainstream. The Union Home Ministry has not continued the process to pursue the militants to come to the mainstream. An interlocutor must be appointed to pursue the process of dialogue with the extremists after the expiry of the term of the former interlocutor A.B. Mathur," she said. Both the Congress and the incumbent BJP took steps to restore peace in Assam by negotiating with the militant outfits and in the election rallies, leaders of both the parties are seeking to take credit for it. Daniel Agbesi-Latsu, Kadjebi District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged Ghanaians to dispel the conspiracy theories and myths against the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in the country. Mr Agbesi-Latsu said conspiracy theories should be treated with contempt, adding that they have no scientific proof. He said the vaccination would contribute to the reduction in COVID-19 ill-health and deaths and also enhance the mental and psychosocial well-being of Ghanaians. Addressing congregants of the Roman Catholic (R.C) Church at Mempeasem in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, Mr Agbesi-Latsu, said the COVID-19 vaccination would also reduce disruption in social and economic functions and proof of COVID-19 vaccine for travel. He said the post-recovery effect of the pandemic was so dire and called on all to protect themselves against the disease. Mr Agbesi-Latsu said there were reports of patients with protracted symptoms such as coughing, impotence, infertility, fainting, forgetfulness, shortness of breathing, among others, as a post-COVID-19 syndrome and thus, urged everyone to get vaccinated. He also advised them to adhere to the COVID-19 preventive and safety protocols since the vaccination would serve as additional protection against the pandemic. Mr Augustine Abofuah, the Catechist of the Mempeasem R.C Church, urged the congregation to get vaccinated since the vaccines were safe, simple and effective tools to prevent diseases. He said the vaccination would help minimise the risk of complications of infected persons, so everyone should get involved. The Commission also sensitised members of Menuso, Titiaka, Yadzo, Ahamansu and other communities on the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video ADVERTISEMENT A Federal High Court in Ibadan has sentenced a 24-year-old drug trafficker, Sodiq Ramon, to life imprisonment for unlawfully dealing in narcotics. Mr Ramon was convicted for being in unlawful possession of 57.2 kg of cannabis, popularly known as hemp. In her judgment, the judge, Joyce Abdulmaleek, held that she convicted and sentenced Mr Ramon based on the evidence before her and that he was guilty as charged. Mrs Abdulmaleek also said that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Raman was guilty of the offence. Certainly, drug trafficking in the Nigerian society is assuming a more worrisome dimension and if offenders are not appropriately punished, there might not be a way out of the menace. Imagine what would have happened if 57.2 kg had gone into the society; no doubt, the damage would be huge. Therefore, to serve as a warning to others, Ramon is sentenced to a maximum of life imprisonment, the judge said. She ordered the agency to destroy the narcotics found in his possession. The Defence Counsel, J.A. Agbo, had before the courts verdict, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client. Mr Agbo stated that if the convict was given a second chance, he might be able to contribute positively to society because he would have learnt a bitter lesson. Earlier, Raphael Himinkaiye, counsel to the NDLEA in Oyo State, told the court that the convict was arraigned on a count charge bordering on unlawful dealing in Narcotics. Mr Himinkaiye further said the convict committed the crime on Aug. 29 2020, at Soro-Owo, Bodija area in Ibadan. According to the prosecutor, Mr Ramon was apprehended with sacks of marijuana, an illicit weed substance weighing 57.2 kg. The offence, he said, contravened Section 11 (C) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation 2004. (NAN) Buckingham Palace has instructed an external law firm to assist with its investigation into bullying allegations made against the Duchess of Sussex. Royal aides announced earlier this month that past and present employees of Meghan and Harry would be invited to speak in confidence about their experiences, after it was alleged she drove out two personal assistants and staff were humiliated on several occasions. Now it is understood an outside legal company will help Buckingham Palaces human resources team as it examines the circumstance of the allegations, first reported by the Times newspaper. Expand Close The Duchess of Sussex has been accused of bullying by former staff (Chris Jackson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duchess of Sussex has been accused of bullying by former staff (Chris Jackson/PA) According to other reports, the Sussexes are not expected to be asked to contribute to the review, but the duchess has written to the palace asking for any documents, emails or texts relating to the allegations against her. Lawyers for the duchess have denied the bullying allegations. Harry was also accused of bullying, with the Times reporting earlier this month that a member of staff told a colleague the couple were outrageous bullies. When the bullying allegations were first made, Buckingham Palace said in a statement it was very concerned about them, and stressed the Royal Household does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace. It added: 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. Expand Close Jason Knauf, the Sussexes former communications secretary (Dominic Lipinski/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jason Knauf, the Sussexes former communications secretary (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The investigation was launched after the Times reported that Jason Knauf, the Sussexes then communications secretary, made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. A source told the newspaper that Harry begged his senior aide not to take the matter further, but it also reported that 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 duchesss alleged actions to Simon Case, the Duke of Cambridges then private secretary and now the cabinet secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of human resources. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: Our commitment to look into the circumstances around allegations from former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is being taken forward but we will not be providing a public commentary on it. A spokesman for the Sussexes declined to comment. Soon after the bullying allegations were made, the monarchy was left reeling after Harry and Meghans interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey, in which they made a string of allegations, including accusing a member of the royal family of making a racist comment about their son Archie. PITTSFIELD Though Van Shields and Elizabeth McGraw no longer are with the Berkshire Museum, they will reunite this week to explain the museums drive to sell its most valuable art a few years back. People who opposed that sale may or may not be heard. Shields and McGraw will appear Thursday as members of an online panel in a symposium titled Deaccessioning after 2020, sponsored by Syracuse Universitys College of Law and Graduate Program in Museum Studies. The Berkshire Museums sale predates the coronavirus pandemic. Saying it needed to right its finances, the museum fought off court challenges and opposition from the local group Save the Art to sell famed works by Norman Rockwell, Alexander Calder and Albert Bierstadt, among others, raising $53.25 million. Nearly three years later, Shields and McGraw will sit on a panel called Regional Museums Making Difficult Decisions and Expanding Horizons. Its believed to be the first time the two Shields, the museums former executive director, and McGraw, its former board chairwoman have joined to speak publicly about the controversial sale. When Hope Davis of the group Save the Art learned of the panel, she appealed to its organizers to be included. The dean of the Syracuse law school turned her down, saying the panel is not meant to debate the merits of the sale. This session is not a forum to debate the right or wrong nor the good or bad of these decisions, Craig M. Boise, the dean, wrote in an email to Davis, declining her request to join the panel. Davis said in an interview that she believes the museums deaccession still is worthy of debate. And she believes that the design of the panel, which includes the experience of a small Syracuse museum that sold an artwork in 2020, might misrepresent the context of the Pittsfield sale. Van Shields Elizabeth McGraw Mark Gold.jpg Syracuse University symposium panelists with ties to the Berkshire Museum, from left: Van Shields, former executive director; Elizabeth McGraw They are de facto trying to legitimize what they did, Davis said. The Berkshire Museum remains very much on peoples minds. Even though it was an outlier, it was the precursor of what we are seeing now. Boise could not be reached Tuesday for comment on the makeup of the panel. In two messages to Davis, Boise said an opponent of the Berkshire Museum art sale is represented on another panel. That is Nicholas ODonnell, the Boston lawyer who represented three Lenox residents who sought, unsuccessfully, to block the sale. Boise also said the symposium includes at least two distinguished museum leaders Michael Conforti and Tom Campbell who are very conservative in their perspectives. Conforti is a former director of The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. If organizers intended to foster debate at the Thursday panel with Shields and McGraw, Boise said a group like Save the Art would have been included, along with people critical of a sale by the other museum represented on the same panel, the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse. We would certainly have reached out to those who opposed the actions of both these museums, Boise wrote to Davis. Copies of their email correspondence were obtained by The Eagle. In October, the Everson sold a painting by Jackson Pollock, Red Composition, 1946, for $12 million through Christies auction house. The museum said in a statement at the time that it would use proceeds to diversify its collection to focus on works by artists of color, women artists, and other under-represented, emerging and mid-career artists. Some of the sale proceeds, it said, also will be spent for the care of its 10,000-piece collection, a use sanctioned by the American Alliance of Museums and the Regents of the state of New York. Van Shields, proponent of controversial art sales, bows out at Berkshire Museum PITTSFIELD After taking the helm at the Berkshire Museum in 2011, Van Shields surprised his new colleagues by talking about "monetizing" the Pittsfield institution's collection.It took six The Berkshire Museum sale, by contrast, was criticized by trustees of the Association of Art Museum Directors for violating its policy on art sales. The group directed its 243 members not to collaborate with the Pittsfield institution. The sale also was opposed by the executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and by the American Alliance of Museums. It resulted in the Smithsonian Institution ending its affiliation with the Berkshire Museum. The museum is spending about $3.5 million to make repairs to its 39 South St. home, including sewer line, waterproofing and installation of a freight elevator and now is revamping space on its second floor. The panel Thursdays panel with Shields and McGraw is described by the symposium as a time to hear from people who have been there and done that and will share what went into their decision-making and their experiences, providing important takeaways for others involved in leadership of similar institutions. Along with the former Berkshire Museum officials, viewers will hear from the Eversons executive director, Elizabeth Dunbar, and its board president, Jessica Arb Danial. The symposium describes the panels participants as people who worked in smaller communities and on tighter budgets than big-city museum leaders. One might posit that museums in places like Syracuse, New York, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, are more closely connected and perhaps more essential to their communities than their counterparts in major metropolitan areas, the program says of the panel. Their volunteer boards are generally not people possessed of the means to backfill structural deficits nor to fund bold and important initiatives. It goes on: These museums are where the rubber hits the road in terms of professional standards and the ability of these museums to survive and thrive in service to their communities, all in the context of their legal duties to their institutions. McGraw and Shields arent the only local names taking part. Joseph Thompson, founding director of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, will participate in a Thursday panel titled Museum Resource Allocation: The Cost of Collecting. Archives Timeline on how Berkshire Museum trustees managed choices on art sales And two people who logged long hours on the disputed Berkshire Museum sale from different points of view will sit on the same panel. A session called Legal Issues, Strategies, and the Role of the Courts includes Courtney Aladro of the state Attorney Generals Office, who worked through 2017 and 2018 to ensure that the Pittsfield museum followed the law. On that same program will be the man who initially informed the office of Attorney General Maura Healey of the museums plan to sell works of art: Mark Gold, of the Pittsfield law firm Smith Green & Gold LLP. They will be joined on the four-member panel by ODonnell, the Boston lawyer who filed suit against the sale. Gold also will moderate a Friday morning panel on the ethics of arts sales by museums. Its title refers to direct care, a term used to describe the proper use of proceeds from sales. The panel is called Direct Care: A Critical Concept Still Struggling for Meaning. And Gold and ODonnell will sit on an Ask the Lawyers panel Friday. The impulse to use state legislation to tweak local zoning ordinances to favor particular kinds of land use begs the larger question whether the time has come not to tinker with local zoning for the policy interests of any moment, but to get rid of it altogether, unleashing economic growth by letting the free market determine what kind of development takes place where across Connecticut, and using free choice to achieve the very things sought to be achieved through the inefficient tool of zoning regulation. Zoning ordinances limit what we can do with our real estate in each of our 169 cities and towns, where we can build, and what we can do with what weve built. However, if we just kept the state building and housing codes to guide what can be safely built and how, and standards of repair for our buildings, our own economic decisions on real estate could be made without the hidden cost and burden of local zoning, and with greater efficiency and equity resulting from the market itself guiding land use. The town of Woodbridge has been a target of progressive efforts to put apartments and condominiums into a suburb of New Haven that, except for a modest area of mixed use commercial and residential property known as The Flats, is essentially zoned for farms or large lots with large homes. When New Havens Jewish Community Center built a Woodbridge campus similar to a large YMCA, the towns zoning would not allow the construction of an outdoor pool if it was open to all members of the public, so its use is limited, even use by JCC members. Under local zoning, excess land at the JCC cannot be used for congregate housing for the elderly or other multifamily housing. The local government controls the use of that property through zoning, just as with any property in any town, and inefficiency is the rule. Local zoning makes land use a government decision, distorting and discouraging investment and what can be built where. Marketplace decisions guide both profit and nonprofit investors to buy and build across Connecticut, and to use property, as they see fit. Every property owner would get to decide the highest and best use of its own property without zoning. Real estate and economic development would boom across Connecticut because rational owners, banks and other stakeholders would be the guide, not the expensive, often economically irrational and political hurdle of zoning. Only the availability of capital in the marketplace would determine whether and what we would build, where we would build it and how we would use it. Insiders or the influence of special interests in the state Capitol or town halls would no longer define land use. Investment would fund its expression in whatever kinds of housing or business construction would make sense across Connecticut including the very multifamily affordable housing that progressives want to see outside our cities, or a local United Way agency like the JCC in Woodbridge opening its pool to underprivileged children from other towns. Real estate investment and construction would not only boom across our state, but development would come to Connecticut rather than other states, because rational investment motives and potential profit would now freely govern decisions. Eliminating the expense of zoning compliance and its impact on the real estate marketplace could unleash a post-pandemic economic boom in a weary state, and the very public interests sought by the advocates of using zoning for housing equity could be achieved without regulation, simply through trusting stakeholders in real estate to follow their own self interest across Connecticut, and allowing the free market to work. Mark A. Shiffrin, a New Haven attorney, regulated real estate, home improvement, and building trades as Connecticuts Consumer Protection Commissioner. He can be reached at mark@markshiffrin.com . Actor Dan Wylie is settling back into normal life after being cleared of assaulting his estranged wife, director Shannon Murphy, last month. The Love My Way star, 51, looked upbeat despite sporting a leg brace as he went for a stroll in Sydney's Bondi Beach on Thursday, in his first public sighting since his not-guilty verdict on February 9. Dan was joined by musician Dave Galafassi - whose wife, Toni Collette, was a character witness at his trial - as well as actor Christopher 'Kick' Gurry and his former Offspring co-star Alexander England. Back to normal: Actor Dan Wylie is settling back into normal life after being cleared of assaulting his estranged wife, director Shannon Murphy, last month The men appeared to be offering their friend moral support as he rebuilds his life following the high-profile court case. Dan, who has appeared in several Australian dramas including the critically acclaimed Secret City, wore grey shorts and a T-shirt. While his pals carried beach bags and surfboards, Dan avoided any heavy lifting - perhaps due to his leg injury. Cheerful: The Love My Way star, 51, looked upbeat despite sporting a leg brace as he went for a stroll in Sydney's Bondi Beach on Thursday, in his first public sighting since his not-guilty verdict on February 9. Pictured with Alexander England He has kept a relatively low profile since he was cleared of assaulting his estranged wife, Shannon Murphy, in their Woollahra apartment. In an extraordinary twist, it was photos showing yoghurt dripping down his face that exposed a 'fatal flaw' in his wife's claims and saw him cleared of the charges last month. Ms Murphy had admitted tipping her dessert of yoghurt mixed with flax seeds on top of Dan on March 21 last year, after he refused to watch a movie with her at home following drinks with neighbours. She then claimed Dan had assaulted her, and a Sydney court heard allegations he pushed her into the hallway, repeatedly punched her and forced her against the ground so hard she feared her jaw was 'going to snap'. The boys: Dan was joined by musician Dave Galafassi (right) - whose wife, Toni Collette, was a character witness at his trial - as well as actor Christopher' Kick' Gurry (centre right) and his former Offspring co-star Alexander England (left) However, Dan's barrister Peggy Dwyer argued in closing submissions that Ms Murphy had made out the assault to be 'one continuous event' and had neglected to mention the actor had paused to shoot pictures and video of himself splattered in yoghurt. 'She's been caught out directly in what could only be a bald lie,' Ms Dwyer said. Ms Murphy claimed she 'instantly regretted' pouring the yoghurt on him, that Dan was furious, that she demanded to see his phone but he then pushed her across the hall and began assaulting her, the court heard. Taking it easy: While his pals carried beach bags and surfboards, Dan avoided any heavy lifting - perhaps due to his leg injury But her alleged failure to mention Dan had stopped to take photos and a video was a 'significant omission' in Ms Murphy's recount of what happened, Ms Dwyer argued. The court heard 'no explanation' of how the photos and short clip came about in Ms Murphy's seven statements to police. Dan always denied the assault charge, telling the first police investigator who called him about the incident that he had acted only in self defence to restrain his wife, and to prevent her from hurting herself, according to a document filed in court. Reclusive: Dan has kept a relatively low profile since he was cleared of assaulting his estranged wife, Shannon Murphy, in their Woollahra apartment Mates: Dan and Alexander starred together in Channel 10 drama Offspring The police prosecutor told the court that the inconsistencies in Ms Murphy account were 'minor' and argued she was a truthful witness. But Magistrate Greg Elks said Ms Murphy was 'less than honest' about what had happened that night and noted she was the original aggressor. 'I form the view that she was being less than honest with the court in relation to what truly occurred,' the magistrate said. Tough times: It's unclear why Dan is wearing a knee brace In his decision, Magistrate Elks recounted Ms Murphy's version of events, where the couple had evening drinks with neighbours before returning to their Woollahra flat. Dan went to the spare room and refused to watch a movie with Ms Murphy, who then went into the kitchen to get yoghurt for dessert, Mr Elks recalled. But then '[Ms Murphy] admitted to tipping the yoghurt with flax seed over his head,' the judge said in his decision. Catching waves: Kick carried a surfboard as he walked down the beach Ms Murphy claimed Dan was furious about the yoghurt attack, told her 'it's over, you f**king b***h', and stormed into the bathroom, according to the magistrate's summary of her claims. Ms Murphy alleged she then went to reach for Dan's phone to see what he'd been looking at in the room. She then claimed Dan threw her into the hallway. Ms Murphy alleged that Dan pinned her against the wall, with an artwork behind her falling to the ground. She then claimed he had hit her from behind and rained up to 10 blows down on her. Buddies: The three men looked cheerful as they strolled across Bondi's famous promenade At one point, she claimed to briefly black out. At another, she claimed her head was pushed to the floor so hard she felt her jaw was 'going to snap', the magistrate said. But Dan - who the court heard lost work due to the charges - always denied his wife's version of events and the charges against him were dismissed. The police prosecutor had described Ms Murphy as an 'honest' witness who 'gave an open and frank concession' to the court about striking her husband with the phone. Legal matter: In a bizarre twist, it was photos showing yoghurt dripping down Dan's face that exposed a 'fatal flaw' in his wife's claims and saw him cleared of the charges last month Evidence: This photo of Dan with his face covered with Ms Murphy's yoghurt and flax seeds after she tipped it over his head on March 21, 2020, proved his innocence 'She wasn't proud of her actions, she acknowledges she was the instigator,' he said. However, the magistrate had a different characterisation of what sort of witness she was. Mr Elks described Ms Murphy 'as an evasive witness who was prone to not answering questions that were asked', instead giving lengthy answers that portrayed her in a better light. New chapter: Dan seems to be rebuilding his life after being found not guilty Witness: Actress Toni Collette appeared as a character witness during the court hearings 'She was not an impressive witness and I formed the opinion she had tailored her evidence to suit a scenario in which she had been the original aggressor,' the magistrate said. In his decision, Magistrate Elks said he was also 'unsettled' by a revelation that Ms Murphy had told police at one point what she'd told them earlier wasn't true. 'A lie is a lie and that does cast a great pall over the complainant's evidence,' the magistrate said. Unreliable: In his decision, Magistrate Elks said he was 'unsettled' by a revelation that Dan's estranged wife had told police at one point what she'd told them earlier wasn't true The magistrate added each police officer who saw her following the incident recorded seeing no visible injuries to Ms Murphy. 'The raining down of 10 blows by the defendant would have resulted, in my view, in significant injury. Clearly in the photographs there is not significant injury,' the magistrate found. At one point, actress Toni Colette was dragged into the proceedings as a character witness for Dan in the high-profile case. EDWARDSVILLE A Wood River man faces two felony charges after allegedly striking a Wood River High School teacher and Wood River Police Officer in November. LaShelvy D. White, 18, of Wood River, was charged March 15 with two counts of aggravated battery, one a Class 2 felony and the other a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. According to court documents, on Nov. 17 White allegedly struck an East Alton High School teacher in the chest, and kneed a Wood River police officer in the groin. Bail was set at $60,000. In a separate case, a Maryville man faces felony charges in two separate filings March 15. Evan J. Fedro, 33, of Maryville, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony, and aggravated assault, a Class 4 felony. The battery charge was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department, the assault charge by the Maryville Police Department. According to court documents, on March 12 Fedro allegedly swung his fists at a Maryville police officer and struck a sheriffs deputy. Bail was set at $50,000 on the assault charge, and $60,000 on the battery charge. Other felony charges filed March 15 by the Madison County States Attorney include: Tamaija D. Gipson, 26, of Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On March 14 Gipson, who had a prior conviction for residential burglary in 2012 out of Madison County, allegedly was found to be in possession of a revolver. Bail was set at $15,000. Dorian C. Andrews, 33, of East St. Louis, was charged with domestic battery (second subsequent offense), and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On March 14 Andrews struck a family or household member in the head, and was found to be in possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine. It was noted he had a prior conviction for domestic battery in 2019 out of St. Clair County. Bail was set at $25,000. The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. The use of phrases including lost generation and catch-up may be damaging to young people, the UK governments youth mental health ambassador has told MPs. A&E doctor and Love Island star Dr Alex George said we must steer away from that language as it makes young people even more concerned about their futures post-pandemic. These comments came as Englands new childrens commissioner explained how she is absolutely determined to ensure that children do not become the lost generation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. A 1.7 billion fund has been made available by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help children catch-up, having faced huge disruption and school closures over the past year. Dr George urged ministers to be more cautious in the language they use to describe learning disruption. Speaking to the education select committee, he went on to say how he had raised his worries about such messaging with Number 10. The doctor explained how he felt phrases like lost generation and catch-up have the potential to be hugely damaging to young people. He added: They do listen, they see the media, they see social media, and I just wonder where that leaves young people feeling like they are left? Well if I dont catch up then what am I? And Ive actually had that echoed in messages across social media to myself - a lot of concern from young people saying: Am I part of this lost generation? What does that mean for our futures? The chairman of the education select committee, Robert Halfon, admitted that MPs have been using the words often and called it a lesson for all of us. Dr George said that a focus on wellbeing was vital for children, adding: Just like giving children time to form their social groups and again trying to bring that focus on wellbeing as a whole. He also called for school exclusions to be stopped for now. The former Love Island contestant, who was made youth mental health ambassador last month, told MPs that the stigma around mental health must be addressed. Dr George added: My brother took his life six months or so ago and he never spoke to anyone, or reached out, or told anyone that he was struggling. US payment processing company Payroc is creating 75 jobs paying around 48,000 in its first investment here, with staff receiving a monthly stipend for working from home costs. Payroc is seeking staff in areas including software engineering and data analytics at levels from graduate to director for its software engineering and innovation hub. Some customer services work will also be carried out by NI members of staff. Chief technology officer Paul Vienneau said staff will be receiving a one-off home office set-up allowance of 500, and a 60 monthly allowance to cover utility bills. Twenty roles have already been filled. The business was set up three years ago and is based in Illinois. It runs payment processing for clients like Visa and Mastercard, as well as software and technology for other clients to process payments for their own businesses. Mr Vienneau said it's the third time he's directed the choice of NI for investment by a US firm. NaviNet and Cayan, where he worked before, also set up operations here. "Now it's the same with Payroc, a high-growth company which wanted to ramp up capacity with great talent - and there's a deep and wide talent pool here, and it's logistically convenient to Boston." He told Business Telegraph: "I just happen to like Guinness so it's like the perfect trifecta. It's leveraging what's worked for me in the past." The fintech company has partnerships in 46 countries, and conducts around $25bn a year in bankcard volume for over 55,000 merchants. In a statement from economic development agency Invest NI announcing the new jobs, he also said: "We have experienced significant success globally, particularly in the US and Canada, and our ambition is to continue this rapid growth globally through investment in sales, marketing and specialist technology that will enhance our customers' experience. "Our new NI team will add considerable in-house engineering and support resources and expertise. This will help us to achieve our international growth plans, with a focus on the implementation of new technologies, delivering product improvements and increasing capacity to strengthen our customer support. "We looked at various US locations but the calibre of talent made NI the perfect fit for us." Economy Minister Diane Dodds said: "I am delighted we have been able to secure this investment... based on the quality of our highly-skilled talent pool." The roles are to be filled over the next three years, and when filled, will contribute 3.6m in salaries, suggesting an average of 48,000. Invest NI has offered Payroc strategic business advice and 445,000 towards the jobs. It comes as online payments firm Stripe announced it will add "at least" 1,000 jobs in Dublin over the next five years, after a new fundraising round brought its valuation to $95bn (68bn). The online payments firm, founded by Limerick's Collison brothers, is now the most valuable ever private technology company in Silicon Valley. Asked if it had held any talks with the business about creating jobs north of the border, Invest NI said it could not comment. "Our engagements with companies (indigenous or foreign owned) are commercially sensitive. We can only provide comment on those projects which we provide formal offers of support, and which are accepted by the company." Decode Your Future with an Online Computer Science Degree from Drexel Drexel University's online computer science programs are designed to prepare you for work on the cutting edge of technology. The curriculum is designed for students with any level of experience or previous knowledge. Choose the program thats right for you. Learn More. Cyberattacks are increasing in frequency, ramping up the data privacy threats they pose to government agencies and businesses alike. Governments both domestic and foreign need to step up efforts to pass legislation that bolsters technological defenses this year, warn privacy groups. Stiffer privacy laws are gradually being reviewed and signed into the U.S. market. But that process is mostly taking place at the state level. Meanwhile, cyberattacks present IT experts and legislators with a war on two fronts. The software industry struggles with security issues that make cyberattacks viable. Government officials and business execs struggle with complicated legal issues involving outdated or missing privacy protections. Bigger and more successful incursions into government, business, and personal computers are common events. Phishing campaigns and ransomware attacks are finding new victims regularly. The situation is much like a game of Whack-a-Mole. Privacy advocates see better opportunities for privacy laws taking hold as they focus on pushing federal legislators to enact stronger consumer privacy laws in the coming years. These new laws need to pay prime attention to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cloud computing, and blockchain. "I expect increasing regulation, especially when it comes to state laws that focus on sensitive personal data," says Scott Pink, special counsel in the Silicon Valley office of the international law firm O'Melveny & Myers, and member of the firm's Data Security and Privacy Group. Pink regularly advises media and technology companies on how to comply with the current patchwork of state and industry-specific privacy regulations. He believes that 2021 could mark a new era in privacy laws aimed to safeguard a wide array of valuable digital information. "COVID-19 health data is of immediate concern as we move into the pandemic's next phase. Governments and health care systems are collecting vast amounts of contact tracing and vaccine-related information. Implementing laws, policies, and procedures to ensure the integrity of that data will be key," Pink told TechNewsWorld. Cyberattacks are a significant risk, especially as remote working and the increasing sophistication of phishing and social engineering attacks create more vulnerabilities than ever before, he emphasized. Cyberattacks and their impact on data privacy can severely impact the operations of government agencies, companies, schools, and beyond. RATs in the Attack Mix The most prevalent threats lurking in 2021 are RAT infestations. The acronym RAT stands for Remote Access Trojan, a form of malware that allows hackers to control devices remotely. Once a RAT program is connected to a computer, a hacker can look at local files, acquire login credentials and other personal information, or use the connection to download viruses that can then, unbeknownst to the user, be spread to others. Remote access intrusions can be problematic, especially with millions of people now working from home, noted Robert Siciliano, cyber social identity protection instructor at ProtectNow. "Microsoft's remote desktop protocol and numerous third-party remote access technology services dramatically increase the attack surface for hackers wanting to break into corporate and government networks," he told TechNewsWorld. Some of the cyberattacks are based on escalated tactics made available since the pandemic and are different from those prior to last year, he noted. Neither corporate America nor local, state, and federal governments never saw this coming. The Cloud Factor Counts Too Still, hackers are not succeeding strictly by using modern-day- high-tech tactics. Today's threats are an escalation of existing threat methods that have been around for years and that have been accelerated by even more prevalent use of cloud computing and agile development, according to Naama Ben Dov, associate at YL Ventures, an American-Israeli venture capital firm that specializes in seed stage cybersecurity investments. The cloud migration is a big part of the data privacy troubles we are seeing today. Data remains the highest value target for attackers. As such, data theft is the most prevalent threat this year, insisted Eldad Chai, co-founder and CEO of Satori Cyber, a data access and governance firm in Tel Aviv that is one of YL Ventures' portfolio companies. "Through access to a corporation's data, attackers can inflict reputation, legal and operational damages that are disproportional to any other attack vector," he told TechNewsWorld. Of course, much of that data is in the cloud. The trend of moving data to the cloud has accelerated over the past years and is now at a record high with the success of platforms such as Snowflake and the boost 2020 provided to cloud migration programs, Chai noted. "The massive migration of data to the cloud, the democratization of data within an organization, and the work-from-home environment have expanded the attack surface for data and make it extremely hard to operate an effective data protection program," said Chai. WFH Also Problematic The work-from-home scenario has made the hacker's job so much easier. Attackers follow where their targets go, observed Ben Dov. Right now, more than ever, that data is dangling between home workers' computers, in-office workspaces, and cloud storage banks. Conventional wisdom has always been workers are more productive in an office environment; and when COVID hit, IT managers were mostly unprepared, Siciliano said. Although some companies deployed tech help to those employees using their own computers and routers at home to address security with devices outside the network, it simply was not enough. "Work at home devices connecting to company networks with misconfiguration is an IT manager's greatest fear," he said. Too Little, Too Late In the U.S., existing federal laws such as the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 never quite anticipated this level of work at home, for example. The federal government is unlikely to make any significant changes anytime soon with so many other life-threatening existential concerns, in Siciliano's view. One growing threat to data privacy incursions is ransomware. But it is an effect and not the cause of privacy loss. Ransomware ultimately ends up being an effect of a remote access Trojan or technology, he noted. "IT managers must be more proactive with hardware, software configurations, and security awareness training," said Siciliano about preventing data privacy disclosures. Shifting Tech Threatens Effectiveness Among the most prevalent privacy threats we faced in 2021 comes from a reliance on third-party IT services that increasingly displace, or replace, applications historically deployed on-premises, according to YL Ventures' Ben Dov. "Like the SolarWinds incident, many supply chain attacks target IT management systems that were in use long before the rise of the cloud. Organizations still depend on these tactics, and this attack will force a rethink of the extent of IT supply-chain exposure," she told TechNewsWorld. The same applies to software applications, she continued. Recent years have seen an explosion in the amount of third-party software. This reality makes organizations lose visibility into the risks entailed with being exposed to said third party components. That situation will no doubt get worse before it gets better, Ben Dov warned. Increased data privacy breaches, particularly private data, is increasingly on the sprawl. "As long as there is a lack of meaningful technological approaches to identifying and securing data, many leakages are bound to happen," she said. Fix What's Broken Many existing solutions focus on data governance and adherence to compliance. These goals are important but do not aim at the root of the problem. They are only good to the extent that certain regulations go, according to Ben Dov. "We need solutions that are able to track and monitor data through an entire lifecycle, in a way which will meaningfully integrate with existing business units of organizations and enable them to execute rather than stifle R&D, sales, and marketing. Security should be a cross-enterprise interest and goal which supports business processes," she countered. Currently, the lawmaker is mostly focused on our rights as individuals to privacy. While this is welcomed and needed, it overlooks the implementation of privacy programs, and every company has its own way of meeting the privacy requirements, offered Satori Cyber's Chai. "Focusing the laws on the outcomes, such as if data is lost you get fined, does not deal with many of the underlying issues in actually protecting individuals' privacy," he said. Chai is not sure it is likely to happen this year. But he hopes that governments will do a better job in defining and standardizing data protection programs in a manner that will guide the industry in implementing effective and sustainable programs. New Privacy, Security Wrinkles With adoption of both cloud infrastructure and cloud services (SaaS), more attacks tailored and customized to circumventing the existing guardrails of the cloud will occur. Hackers will seek ways to circumvent cloud authentication mechanisms, suggested Ben Dov. A related concern involves the trend of companies developing their own in-house applications, becoming their own software company. That opens the door to application-specific attacks, she cautioned. "Hackers will always choose the easiest path in, and until 2020 exploiting bugs in old operating systems to install malware or social engineering people to install malicious software on their laptops was an easy path in," added Chai. "With data and servers moving to the cloud, we will eventually see less such attacks and more attacks focused on the cloud environments." A key element that needs to be addressed, according to Siciliano, is a lack of concern for the security role employees need to play. That is especially true regarding phishing. Employees need a better understanding of how their ineffectiveness could result in calamity. "Security awareness training as it pertains to phishing simulation by itself is absolutely not enough and will not solve the problem. The discussion needs to shift from security awareness to security appreciation, and right now most organizations are not doing that," he complained. Final Thoughts The main gap Chai sees today regarding data security and privacy is that existing solutions are not suitable to a model that leverages the legal context of the data. Models for existing data protection tools are mostly black or white. Either you have or you do not have access to data, he explained. However, the privacy and legal context of data is much more complex, he reasoned. A piece of data could be authorized for usage based on the consent given when collecting the data, the geographical location of the data, the size and nature of the data set, the way the data will be used, and a set of other considerations. "Until the legal and privacy context are integrated into existing models for data protection, we will still be behind," he said. That process will need increased industry-government-academic cooperation and partnerships to share data pertaining to cybersecurity threats. It will also take knowledge about the threat to counter them, added Ben Dov. Jack M. Germain has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His main areas of focus are enterprise IT, Linux and open-source technologies. He is an esteemed reviewer of Linux distros and other open-source software. In addition, Jack extensively covers business technology and privacy issues, as well as developments in e-commerce and consumer electronics. Email Jack. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 15, 2021) - PARKIT ENTERPRISE INC. (TSXV: PKT) (OTC: PKTEF) ("Parkit" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of 5610 Finch Ave East (the "Property"), for an aggregate purchase price of $12,250,000 plus customary closing costs. The purchase was funded with cash on hand. Property and Expansion The Property complements Parkit's existing platform as it neighbors the Company's 5600 Finch Ave East property. Parkit now owns the adjacent Class A industrial property totaling 54,853 square feet of rentable space on 5.5 acres of land. The Company plans to expand the Property by approximately 62,000 square feet of rentable industrial space. Upon completion of the planned expansion, the Company will own over 245,000 square feet of industrial space on over 11.6 acres of land on the combined 5600 and 5610 Finch Ave East properties. Steven Scott, the Chair of Parkit, states, "The acquisition is a natural purchase for Parkit as it not only supports the Company's strategy of acquiring high-quality industrial properties in the Greater Toronto Area but provides for a valuable expansion opportunity and optionality in the future." About PARKIT Parkit is an industrial real estate platform focused on the acquisition, growth and management of strategically located industrial properties across key markets in Canada, with a focus on the Greater Toronto Area+ ("GTA+"), Ottawa and Montreal, to complement its parking assets across the United States. For further information: please contact Mr. Steven Scott: Investor Relations, Contact Number: 604-424-8700, Email: ir@parkitenterprise.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. Forward-Looking Information: This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian 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: statements as to the expansion opportunities and the timing thereof. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. These risks, uncertainties, and factors may include, but are not limited to the inability to satisfy the permitting conditions for the expansion, general business uncertainties, and in particular uncertainties relating to the impact and duration of COVID-19 on future financial performance. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what impacts they will have on the Company. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking information can be found in Parkit's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Parkit 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 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 Parkit as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. However, Parkit expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77382 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. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 [March 16, 2021] Greg Talbot Promoted to Vice President of Actuarial within Summit Summit, a leading provider of workers' compensation insurance services in the southeastern United States, is pleased to announce that Greg Talbot has been promoted to vice president of Actuarial. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005121/en/ Greg Talbot has been promoted to vice president of Actuarial at Summit (Photo: Business Wire) Mr. Talbot joined Summit as an actuary in 2010, and was responsible for overseeing the rate and reserve adequacy, predictive modeling and internal reporting. He most recently served as assistant vice president of Actuarial for Summit. "I am proud to announce that Greg's responsibilities for this crucial function of the company are expanding," says Carol Sipe, Summit's president and CEO. "He has demonstrated exceptional analytical skills and statistical data knowledge during his time with Summit, and I amconfident he will have a substantial impact on the organization in this role." Mr. Talbot earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Florida in 2003 and attained his credentials as a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society in 2009. About Summit Consulting LLC ("Summit") Based in Lakeland, Florida, Summit is a leading provider of workers' compensation insurance coverage in the southeastern United States and is a member of Great American Insurance Group. Summit manages the day-to-day operations of five workers' compensation insurance companies that include its two affiliates, Bridgefield Employers Insurance Company and Bridgefield Casualty Insurance Company, and three non-affiliates, BusinessFirst Insurance Company, RetailFirst Insurance Company and Retailers Casualty Insurance Company. Summit provides its comprehensive workers' compensation insurance services to businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Summit has offices in Lakeland, Florida, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Gainesville, Georgia. For more information, visit www.summitholdings.com. About Great American Insurance Group Great American Insurance Group's roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the operations of Great American Insurance Group are engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialty commercial products for businesses, and in the sale of traditional fixed and indexed annuities in the retail, financial institutions, broker-dealer and registered investment advisor markets. Great American Insurance Company has received an "A" (Excellent) or higher rating from the A.M. Best Company for more than 110 years (most recent rating evaluation of "A+" (Superior) affirmed October 28, 2020). The members of Great American Insurance Group are subsidiaries of American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), also based in Cincinnati, Ohio. AFG's common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFG. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005121/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] In a televised speech on March 14, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro accused the United States of monopolising vaccines, criticised the Brazilian President over the handling of the pandemic and ordered a fencing off of Caracas and other locations. Maduro noted that US President Joe Biden is hoping to get more than 70 per cent of the US population vaccinated by July 4. He added that the US has taken all the vaccines and it has monopolised them for itself. During the same speech, the Venezuelan President then criticised Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro over pandemic handling. He called Bolsonaro irresponsible, furthering the tension between the two leaders. Maduro then ordered the fencing off of Caracas, two neighbouring states of the Venezuelan capital and a border state to curb the spread of the virus amid an increase in cases of the new variant of coronavirus, which was discovered in Brazil. Vaccination drive to be launched in April Earlier this month, Venezuela had said that they have detected the variant found in Brazil within the countrys border. It is worth noting that the South American country has already received 200,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, representing two per cent of the 10 million initially agreed in December between the governments of Caracas and Moscow. Moreover, Venezuela has also received 500,000 doses of the Vero Cell vaccine from the Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm, donated by Beijing. Now, Venezuela is expected to be in a position to launch a massive vaccination campaign in April. So far, the South American nation has recorded more than 145,900 positive cases and nearly 1,400 deaths. Venezuela has not been hit as hard as in other South American countries, however, experts believe that the low number of cases compared to countries, including Brazil, Peru and Colombia, is largely due to the isolation of the country after years of political economic and social crisis. (Image: AP) Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Texas Republican leaders are preparing for another purge of suspected non-citizen voters, vowing to be more careful and avoid the mistakes from two years ago when the state threatened to knock nearly 60,000 legal voters off of election rolls. It must be done with extreme attention to detail, said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, of the proposal he filed to launch a new round of voter purges using state drivers license information to flag potential illegal voting. In 2019, the Texas secretary of state sent a list based on state drivers license data to county election officials showing the names of drivers whom state officials believed might be non-citizens who were voting in Texas. But a further review revealed that tens of thousands of legal citizens were incorrectly included on that list. Then-Secretary of State David Whitley eventually apologized to state lawmakers, saying the lists should have been reviewed more carefully. The Texas Senate ultimately forced Whitley out of office. Officials in Harris and several other counties refused to send notices that could have knocked voters off the rolls ahead of the 2020 election, and voter rights advocacy groups decried the states efforts, which they said unfairly targeted people who may have been non-citizens when they got a drivers license but had since been naturalized. Texas latest effort comes as Republican-led legislatures across the country move to limit voting access in the wake of Democratic gains last fall. The Brennan Center for Justice estimates that more than 250 restrictive voting bills have been introduced, prefiled or carried over in 2021 legislative sessions, a more than four-fold increase from a year ago. Bettencourt said the Legislature is going to set up a better process for the Texas Department of Public Safety and the secretary of state to follow in comparing databases and developing lists of possible non-citizen voters. They didnt understand the data, Bettencourt said of officials who oversaw the first mass purge attempt. Bettencourt touted the bill at a press conference in Houston on Monday morning alongside Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park. Abbott lauded the election measures that his fellow Republicans were pushing, but also used the time in Harris County to resume attacks on election officials in Texass largest county, which saw record turnout after allowing drive-thru voting and taking other steps to make it easier for people to vote. Abbott suggested they were encouraging voter fraud. The integrity of elections in 2020 were questioned right here in Harris County with the mail-in ballot application process, Abbott said. The county elections clerk attempted to send unsolicited mail-in ballot applications to millions of voters, many of whom would not be eligible to vote by mail. Election officials should be working to stop potential mail-in ballot fraud, not facilitate it. More than a dozen election-related bills have been filed in the GOP-controlled Legislature this year. But while Republicans call those measures a way to support election integrity, critics say they represent a form of suppression to make it harder for people particularly minority voters to cast ballots in a state that has become increasingly competitive for Republicans over the last six years. Democrat Joe Biden lost by less than 6 percentage points to Republican Donald Trump in Texas last fall, the best showing by a Democratic presidential candidate in the Lone Star State in decades. Another bill, Senate Bill 7, would bar local election officials from sending out mail ballot applications to voters who have not requested them, as Harris County did in 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The bill would also ban drive-thru voting, which Harris County put into place to allow people to avoid COVID-19 exposure. And the bill would limit early voting hours and days and bar 24-hour voting centers like those used in Harris County. Abbott characterized the measures as an effort to reduce voter fraud, even though studies have shown it to be rare. Baseless claims of voter fraud were at the heart of former President Donald Trumps failed effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Our objective is very simple, (and) that is to ensure that every eligible voter gets to vote, Abbott said. Its also to ensure that only eligible votes are the ones that count at the ballot box. Protesters who gathered outside the press conference werent buying it. Its an attempt to take away peoples right to vote, said Houston resident Nan Toole, as she stood with a few dozen people outside of an office building along the Energy Corridor where Abbott was holding his press conference. Shortly after Abbotts briefing, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Democrat, weighed in with her own press conference calling the so-called reforms a continuation of the big lie that Trump has pushed that somehow he actually won the 2020 presidential election that results showed he lost by more than 7 million votes. So many steps that are being taken under the guise of voter fraud that doesnt exist on a massive scale, Hidalgo said. Elected officials should earn their vote through good policy. They shouldnt hope to win by preventing people from voting. But while Hidalgo and others insist massive voter fraud doesnt exist, the governor said it remains a concern. What weve seen in the past is that election fraud takes place, Abbott said. Have no doubt that it took place here in the state of Texas. Even if there are only a few cases, Abbott said, such incidents have a big impact on voters' confidence in the system. Any voter fraud that takes place sews seeds of distrusts in the election process, said Abbott. Flagging the issue in Harris County comes as Republicans have watched their fortunes in the states most populous change dramatically in six years. In 2014, Abbott won Harris County by 4 percentage points over Democrat Wendy Davis en route to an easy victory for a first term. But after a massive surge in voter registration and increased turnout, Abbott lost Harris County by 6 percentage points to Democrats Lupe Valdez in 2018. Abbott is up for reelection in 2022. The shift was even more pronounced for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is from the Houston area. The conservative firebrand won Harris County in 2014 by 3 percentage points, but lost it four years later by 14 percentage points. That is the same election in which Hidalgo, then 27 years old, rode the 2018 blue wave to a stunning victory over the Republican incumbent, County Judge Ed Emmett. Jeremy Blackman contributed to this report. jeremy.wallace@chron.com This is happening in the toughest state, with the toughest company, at the toughest moment, said Janice Fine, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University. If the union can prevail given those three facts, it will send a message that Amazon is organizable everywhere. Even if the union does not prevail, the history of unions is always about failing forward, she said. Workers trying, workers losing, workers trying again. The effort in Chester, which The Times reconstructed with documents from regulators and the machinists union, as well as interviews with former facilities technicians at the warehouse and union officials, offers one of the fullest pictures of what encourages Amazon workers to open the door to a union and what techniques the company uses to slam the door and nail it shut. The employee notice was a hollow victory for workers. The National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that negotiated the settlement with Amazon, has no power to impose monetary penalties. Its enforcement remedies are few and weak, which means its ability to restrain anti-union employers from breaking the law is limited. The settlement was not publicized, so there were not even any public relations benefits. Amazon was the real winner. There have been no further attempts at a union in Chester. The tactics that Amazon used in Chester are surfacing elsewhere. The retail workers union said Amazon was trying to surveil employees in Bessemer and even changed a traffic signal to prevent organizers from approaching warehouse workers as they left the site. Last month, the New York attorney general said in a lawsuit that Amazon had retaliated against employees who tried to protest its pandemic safety measures as inadequate. Amazon declined to say whether it had complied with labor laws during the union drive in Chester in 2014 and 2015. In a statement, it said it was compliant with the National Labor Relations Act in 2016 when it issued the employee notice, and we continue to be compliant today. It added in a different statement that it didnt believe the union push in Alabama represents the majority of our employees views. The labor board declined to comment. The Chester settlement notice mentions one worker by name: Bill Hough Jr., a machinist who led the union drive. The notice said Amazon had issued a warning to Mr. Hough that he was on the verge of being fired. Amazon said it would rescind the warning. Kibrom Hailu wasn't too worried when his 15-year-old son stepped out to play volleyball one morning last month near their home in Wukro, in Ethiopia's conflict-hit Tigray region. There had been protests in town that week -- young men burning tyres and denouncing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed -- but his son, Henok, wasn't involved and promised not to go far. Only when he heard gunfire did Kibrom realise the danger, and by then it was too late: Henok's body lay dead in the dirt road right outside the gate of their compound. Henok was one of 18 civilians shot and killed that day by Ethiopian soldiers, according to a tally provided by St Mary's College in Wukro, which has documented abuses by security forces against civilians in the town since fighting erupted last November. For Kibrom, though, the timing was just as revealing as the toll: the killings came around two and a half months after Abiy announced military operations in Tigray had "ceased" and life would return to normal. In fact the opposite is true, Kibrom and other Wukro residents told AFP journalists who reached the town earlier this month. "The war is escalating. Now it is focused on the civilians," Kibrom said. "How can we live like this?" Every phase of the four-month-old conflict in Tigray has brought suffering to Wukro, a fast-growing transport hub once best-known for its religious and archaeological sites. Ahead of federal forces' arrival in late November, heavy shelling levelled homes and businesses and sent plumes of dust and smoke rising above near-deserted streets. Since then the town has been heavily patrolled by soldiers -- Eritreans at first, now mostly Ethiopians -- whose abuses fuel a steady flow of civilian casualties and stoke anger with Nobel Peace Prize-winner Abiy. "We are constantly receiving patients who are injured by the war," said Dr Adonai Hans, medical director of Wukro General Hospital. Story continues "If somebody says there is no war in Tigray, that would be a joke for me." - 'Sons of the junta' - Abiy sent troops into Tigray on November 4 after blaming the region's once-dominant ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), for attacks on army camps. Several weeks later, as federal forces advanced on the regional capital Mekele, Wukro residents realised their town, 50 kilometres (31 miles) north, would be overrun. Many fled to the surrounding mountains, looking on in horror as shells rained down on the town, some recording the carnage with their cellphones. What they returned to was even worse: Angry Eritreans who spent days looting homes, banks and factories and shooting dead scores of young men suspected of sympathising with the TPLF "junta", according to religious and medical officials. "Killing is their kind of daily work. They don't even sense they are killing people," a Catholic official in Wukro said of the Eritreans, requesting anonymity to avoid reprisals. Nebiyu Kiflom, a building materials vendor, was home with his housemates -- including three of his brothers -- when Eritreans barged through the door one night in late November. "They said, 'You are the sons of the junta,'" he recalled. "We were just sitting at home. We weren't doing anything." The soldiers killed six people that night, and Nebiyu was stuck indoors for three days with the bodies before he summoned the courage to go for help. By early December, scores of young men were dead in Wukro, including 81 now buried at the back of an Orthodox church. "We have seen the bodies with our own eyes. We have buried them," said priest Gebrehana Hailemariam. "They were killed in the town and brought to us." None of the death tolls provided could be independently verified. - Hospital shelled - During the first wave of killings, Wukro residents had almost no access to medical care. Damage from shelling and looting destroyed 75 percent of the hospital's facilities and equipment, forcing it to close for a month, said Dr Adonai, the medical director. The timing could not have been worse for Elisabeth Gebrekidan, who delivered twins in early December and suffered what her family believes was postpartum haemorrhage. Her brother, Elias, pleaded with a soldier for permission to hire an ambulance to take her to Mekele for treatment but was rebuffed. "He said to me, 'Get out of my face, you are a son of the junta'," Elias recalled, tears streaming down his face at the memory. Elisabeth died after four days at home, leaving Elias to raise the twins -- girls named Tsion and Roda -- with the help of his mother. These days, the hospital is open and running, albeit at limited capacity. Patients include rape survivors -- some of whom wait weeks or months before seeking medical care -- and freshly-wounded civilians who give an idea of just how close fighting continues to be. One recent afternoon, a 45-year-old construction worker named Meles was being treated for a gunshot blast to his right thigh. He said Eritrean soldiers had opened fire on civilians in his hometown of Agula, 12 kilometres south of Wukro, one morning in late February after pro-TPLF forces ambushed one of their positions in the town. "Still the fighting continues," Meles said. "The international community needs to act now before it's too late, before we vanish." - 'This is our home' - Ethiopia's military did not respond to requests for comment, though Abiy's government has previously rejected allegations that soldiers have killed civilians in Tigray. Both Addis Ababa and Asmara deny Eritrean soldiers are in the region at all, despite contrary accounts from residents, aid workers, diplomats and members of Tigray's Abiy-appointed interim government. These claims draw mocking laughter on Wukro's main commercial drag, where glass from shot-out windows litters sidewalks, and shopkeepers stand before empty shelves clutching photographs of what their businesses looked like before the war. The pro-TPLF network Dimtsi Weyane recently aired a 13-minute video highlighting the scars of conflict in Wukro, with a narrator lamenting that the town, once an "earthly paradise", now "looks like Syria and Yemen." Residents, for their part, said what they want most is for soldiers to leave so they can rebuild. "They shouldn't stay here even for a single night," said Nebiyu, the building materials vendor. "This is our home. It's where we live. Otherwise, we would leave." rcb/fb/tgb A father who was paralysed in the Manchester Arena bombing will climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for a spinal cord injury charity. Martin Hibbert, 44, was the closest person to the explosion to survive the attack on Ariana Grande's concert, which he had attended with his teenage daughter in May 2017, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. In September, the dad will carry the Paralympic torch from the London Games to the top of Africas highest mountain in an attempt to raise money for the Spinal Injuries Association. Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Martin told how he will use a custom made hand-operated bike to tackle the peak, and that for those with spinal cord injuries 'every day is like climbing a mountain'. Martin Hibbert, 44, will climb Mount Kilimanjaro using a custom-built handbike (pictured) to raise money for a spinal cord injury charity Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Martin told that for those with spinal cord injuries 'every day is like climbing a mountain' 'I've said it many times,' said Martin, 'Every day when you have a spinal cord injury, it's like climbing a mountain, so why not climb one? 'Kilimanjaro is going to be a massive feat and we cant wait to get started.' Martin will tackle low temperatures, diminishing oxygen and have to consume 5,000 calories a day - but says that he always has a 'positive mental attitude' because he's grateful to be alive. 'It's always been positive thinking,' said Martin. 'Everybody's life goes up and down and it's in those dark moments, having that positive mental attitude. Martin, pictured on his custom handbike, was the closest person to the explosion to survive the attack on Ariana Grande's concert, which he had attended with his teenage daughter in May 2017 'What happened to me, for an hour or so I thought I wasn't going to be here anymore. So to wake up two or three weeks later and be told that you're alive, albeit paralysed, to have that feeling you're alive keeps me going. 'So it's just having that positive mental attitude and getting through it, that's what I do. I've always been brought up, if there's a down moment you can sit and mope or you can get up and fight and get what's rightfully yours and that's what I do.' Martin decided to undergo the challenge after discovering that one in three of those who have spinal injuries are able to receive treatment at specialist spinal cord injury centres. 'I think for able-bodied people the success rate is 65 per cent, so for someone n a wheelchair I don't think I'd even want to even see the odds,' said Martin. 'It is going to be extremely difficult.' Martin will tackle low temperatures, diminishing oxygen and have to consume 5,000 calories a day - but told the show's hosts that he always has a 'positive mental attitude' Martin decided to undergo the challenge after discovering that one in three of those who have spinal injuries are able to receive treatment at specialist centres The dad was keen to use a hand-operated bike for the seven-10 day challenge so nobody thought he was 'cheating' with a battery powered chair, admitting that it will be 'extremely difficult' to reach the summit. 'I didn't want people at the end of it to say I've cheated because anybody can sit in a bike,' he said, 'So I'm using a custom hand bike, using my hands all the way up. 'So it's going to be extremely difficult, blood sweat and tears all the way there. That's my life at the minute. 'Doing Kilimanjaro gets people's attention and allows me to talk about the work the Spinal Injuries Association do for people like me to live a full life.' Martin says that along with his friends and family, the charity has 'held his hand every day' and hopes his climb can 'get people's attention'. Martin, pictured training for the climb, says that along with his friends and family, the charity has 'held his hand everyday' and hopes his climb can 'get people's attention' He said he counts himself lucky to have 'a lovely wife who supports me on a day-to-day basis and brilliant friends'. 'But it's the the Spinal Injury Association that have held my hand every day through thick and thin,' Martin added. 'There's many people that aren't getting the support I've got to live a full life and that's just wrong. 'Kilimanjaro gets people's attention so we can start having a conversation about what's not happening for people with spinal cord injuries and that's what this climbs about.' Chinas punitive trade measures have cost Australian exporters hundreds of millions of dollars and tested our resolve to stand up for our principles. But the good news today is that Australia is no longer facing this hostility alone. China imposed tariffs and bans on $50 billion a year of Australian seafood, wine, coal and barley as punishment for what it perceived to be unfriendly diplomatic and political moves on Australias part towards its growing ambitions and influence in the region. For the past year, Australia has complained and demanded China drop its economic coercion but, were told, Chinese officials would not even pick up the phone. Yet, as the Herald has reported today, the Biden administrations powerful Indo-Pacific co-ordinator Kurt Campbell has made a significant gesture by offering to stand by Australia in this dispute. We are not going to leave Australia alone on the field, he told political editor Peter Hartcher. The practical consequences are uncertain but the US has a lot more leverage in handling China than Australia. For instance, China is eager for the US to drop tariffs on Chinese imports worth hundreds of billions of dollars imposed by President Donald Trump in 2018 in protest at what he said were unfair trade practices. China also wants the US to allow it to buy US technology, such as microchips. DEAR ABBY: I recently moved from the U.S. to Germany. It has been a big change, and I honestly don't know how to handle it. A lot of the kids at school make fun of me and call me names. My family plans to stay here another two years. My parents say that when/if we move back to the United States, we won't return to our hometown. I find this very hard to accept because it was the only home I've ever known. I tried asking them if I could live with a friend there, but they always brush me off. I don't want my family to worry about me since my mom is working hard going back to college, but keeping my feelings bottled up inside seems like the wrong choice. Should I tell them honestly how I feel or keep crying into my pillow every night? -- LOST AND DEPRESSED DEAR LOST: Crying in your pillow every night isn't productive. You should ABSOLUTELY tell your parents everything you are experiencing -- that you are being bullied at school and made to feel you don't fit in, and that you miss your old hometown terribly. They might want to consult with the school administrator about it. Geographical distance does not mean you must lose relationships forever. While moving back to the town you left may not be practical, you can keep in touch with your friends online and may eventually be able to visit them. DEAR ABBY: A beautiful flower arrangement was delivered to me at my home today. While on the phone, I told my friend about the thoughtful gift and mentioned that my two cats wouldn't leave it alone. She said, "I hope there aren't any lilies in it!" There were, Abby -- white oriental lilies. I Googled it and discovered they are very poisonous to cats, although not to other animals. When I called the florist, they claimed not to know. Thought your readers should! -- LOVES MY FELINES DEAR LOVES: I agree. And thank you for sharing that information. I learned from my own Google search that lilies are not the only flowers that are poisonous for pets. Azaleas, daffodils, amaryllis, chrysanthemums, tulips, oleander, hyacinth, English ivy, sago palm, cyclamen, autumn crocus, widow's thrill, hydrangea, aloe vera, caladium, pothos, philodendron, lily of the valley, castor bean, poinsettia, asparagus fern, peace lily and corn plants can be lethal as well. Kitty lovers, be warned! DEAR ABBY: Is it possible for a single woman (me) to continue a neighborhood friendship with a widower who is now dating a woman? He shared homemade soup with me weekly, leaving it at my door, and occasionally we would have tea together on our decks. I feel awkward; he does not. Should I go with my gut? -- STUMPED IN MASSACHUSETTS DEAR STUMPED: It would be a shame to lose a good friend. Talk to him about the awkwardness you are feeling. Perhaps it can be resolved. However, if it can't, then follow your instincts and step back. Man takes umbrage at women who are stingy with thanks DEAR ABBY: I am a male reader with a complaint. Have you noticed that women hardly ever compliment men? On ANYTHING! They expect men to compliment them but never reciprocate. If you move furniture, take them out for a nice dinner, buy tickets to their favorite show, buy them a gift, they don't have enough manners or couth to say thank you or express appreciation. Getting a compliment is like pulling teeth from a great white shark while he's feeding. Don't women ever think, "Maybe I should say something to HIM instead of expecting him to say it to me"? Where do they learn this behavior? Are they taught this growing up? Or do they just not care or even realize? -- SHAKING MY HEAD IN NEW JERSEY DEAR SHAKING: My late mother, God rest her soul, once commented to me that people with "class" never use that word. In this case, I will make an exception and tell you that individuals of both sexes who have class were taught from early childhood the magic words "please" and "thank you," and to express gratitude. I don't know what kind of women you are involved with, but I'm suggesting it is time to upgrade the quality. Do not spoil anyone who isn't willing to spoil you right back. DEAR ABBY: I've been going to the same poke joint for more than five years now. Several of the employees have worked there for years. I feel at this point, I should know their names, but they don't wear name tags, and I'm embarrassed to ask what their names are after so many years. They don't know mine either, but they know enough about me to ask how my son is doing or how my work is going. I like calling people by their names, but I'm a little shy and awkward and don't know how to ask. Should I just keep our weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) exchanges at surface-level chitchat without worrying about what their names are? -- FRIENDLY IN THE WEST DEAR FRIENDLY: You can certainly do that. It has worked for you so far. However, if you would like to know the employees' names, just say that you are "terrible with names, and embarrassed to even have to ask after all this time, but ... what is your name? My name is (insert name)." DEAR ABBY: I'm getting married next month, and I'm so nervous. What can I do to not be scared? -- COLD FEET IN FLORIDA DEAR COLD FEET: I wish you had been more forthcoming about what you are worried about. Is it the wedding ceremony and your wedding day? If that's the case, have faith that you and your fiance will make it through together because you WILL. Is it your wedding night? A talk with your doctor should allay your fears. Is it that you are unsure about the person you are marrying? If that's the case, postpone the wedding and schedule premarital counseling for you and your intended. In some religions, the clergy recommend this type of counseling so issues like money and child-rearing can be discussed and not cause serious problems later. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. A message from Afghanistans education ministry that banned girls over 11 years old from singing at events has received a lot of attention recently. News of the ban has spread on social media. Afghan officials have reacted by saying the memo was a mistake. They said that the writers of the document misunderstood the memos goal. However, the hashtag #IAmMySong is gaining popularity on Twitter. Some Afghan girls are singing their favorite songs on video and putting their performances on the internet. Rights groups want to ensure that human rights gains of the last 20 years in Afghanistan remain central to peace talks with insurgents. The Afghan government is trying to negotiate a peace agreement with Taliban rebels. Sima Samar has been an Afghan human rights activist for nearly 40 years. Speaking about the memo, she said, This is Talibanization from inside the country. When they ruled the country, the Taliban denied girls the right to education. Music, except religious songs, was banned for everyone, as was television. The disputed memo was sent to all schools in Kabul. However, it was canceled, said ministry spokeswoman Najiba Arian. She said the memo writers had misunderstood its purpose. A new memo was sent after the first one. It said music groups for secondary school girls and boys are banned. The real goal was to prevent boys and girls from going to public events that could spread the coronavirus, she said. Afghanistan has recorded more than 55,000 cases of the virus and 2,451 deaths. But there has not been enough testing and the real numbers are believed to be higher. The hashtag campaign was started by Ahmad Sarmast, the founder of Afghanistans Institute of Music. He began #IAmMySong to let officials know that the people of Afghanistan oppose this decision and they will stand for the rights of the children, whether boys or girls. Haroon Baluch is with BytesforAll, a Pakistan-based rights organization that studies internet traffic. He said that the hashtag has gotten over 600,000 clicks and continues to grow. The Associated Press looked at a copy of the memo, which does not talk about the pandemic or health concerns. It states that educators in Kabul, the government and private companies are seriously advised not to let females aged 12 and up sing at events. The only exception is at all-female gatherings. The memo also says that only female teachers can teach music to girls older than 12 years of age. Sima Samar said the directive violates basic human rights. She also said it violates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children, an agreement Afghanistan signed. Sarmast of the Institute of Music said the memo violates both national and international law. After the reaction to the first memo, a second one went out but it too was criticized. It reportedly bans both boys and girls older than 12 from singing or performing in public. Sarmast said it takes the right of choice and freedom of expression away from all students in secondary and high schools. The education ministry has had to deal with other problems recently. In December, it was criticized after suggesting that children in first through third grade be taught in Muslim religious centers known as mosques. After a strong reaction, the ministry made a correction. The ministry said it meant that, in poor rural areas where there are no school buildings available, mosques are the only choice. Im Alice Bryant. The Associated Press reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story memo (memorandum) n. a short, written message or report form one person or department in a company or organization to another hashtag n. a word or phrase that starts with the symbol # and that shows what a message, such as a tweet, is about insurgent n. a person who fights against an established government click n. the act of choosing something on a computer screen by pressing a button on a mouse or some other device NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This past year, The French Bulldog took over Atlanta's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in Chicago and Dallas. Although the Frenchie moved up to the top spot, Atlanta's top five favorite breeds remain the same as last year. Last year the Dachshund rounded out the top 10 breeds, but this year fell two spots to 12th place. Although it fell out of the top ranks, it shows promise that it may return to the top 10 in the future. "Atlanta remains loyal to the same top five breeds, but there are a couple of new fan favorites to keep an eye on." said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The Doberman rounds out the top 10 breeds this year, and the Rottweiler joins its working group companion in 7th place jumping five spots from last year." Atlanta's top 5 breeds for 2020: French Bulldogs Labrador Retrievers Golden Retrievers German Shepherd Dogs Poodles * Registration data pulled from Atlanta's zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ The Palestinian Ministry of Finance released March 3 official data relating to the 2020 budget. The data revealed that Saudi and Arab financial aid sharply declined, with the total Arab aid and grants amounting to $40 million, an 84.9% decrease in comparison with $265.5 million in 2019. According to the figures, oil-producing countries are the main Arab financiers of the Palestinian budget. The Saudi support declined from $174.7 million in 2019 to $32.5 million in 2020, a decrease of 81.4%. As for the rest of the Arab support, it was divided between Qatar and Oman, with $6.51 million and $1.06 million, respectively. After the Palestinian Authority (PA) was established in 1994, the international community pledged to provide financial support that amounted to $35.4 billion until late 2017. The European Union was one of the largest donors during this period, with aid amounting to $6.7 billion i.e., 18.4% of the total aid provided to the PA, followed by the United States with $5.74 billion, or 15.7%, of the total grants. Saudi Arabia followed with $3.83 billion, or 10.5%. These figures were released by the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR) in February 2019. Most of this aid is earmarked for the Palestinian state budget and used to pay the wages of PA employees, ensure the continuity of the PA, and prevent the collapse of the Palestinian economic and financial situations. Mohammed Khabisa, a Palestinian economics editor for Turkeys Anadolu Agency, told Al-Monitor, The figures [relating to the 2020 state budget] show that Arab financial support, most notably the Saudi aid, as well as foreign aid, greatly dwindled." Khabisa added, All Arab donors provide direct support to the PA through the state budget, except for Qatar, which [also] implements some projects away from the budget. In order for the PA to compensate for the Gulf supports decline, it must increase taxes, improve tax collection and obtain more clearance funds collected by Israel. While the European Union and the World Bank are the only ones that continue to provide steady aid to the Palestinian budget, the French, Italian, US and German grants sharply decreased. Speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, an official from the Palestinian Ministry of Finance said, The PA is going through a deep-seated financial crisis. We contacted a number of Arab countries, particularly the Gulf countries, in order for them to resume and increase their support, because our economic and financial situations have [worsened] and the PA could collapse in case the financial crisis continues. We heard various responses from the Arab countries, some of which expressed willingness to pay but asked us to be patient. Others said they cant increase aid since they are facing their own difficult economic crises. The source refused to name the countries the PA reached out to, probably to keep these contacts secret until they succeed. The Palestinians have probably pinned hope, albeit little, on the possibility of obtaining support from the Gulf countries and the United States under the Biden administration although such aid would be either directed to other institutions such as municipalities, which obtain decentralized support as an alternative for the PA budget, or to nongovernmental organizations and the UNRWA. Jaafar Sadaqa, a Palestinian economist journalist, told Al-Monitor, There are two main points that could lead to the gradual resumption of Saudi aid to the PA: first the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Regarding that, the US could give the Arab and Gulf states the green light to resume aid to the Palestinians. Second is the completion of the upcoming legislative and presidential elections. In this case, foreign funds will not be pumped to the Palestinian treasury unless the elections are held except for the 25 million euros (about $30 million) monthly European contribution to help pay the salaries of PA employees. Meanwhile, some Palestinians expect the international community to stop paying the salaries of PA employees and suspend humanitarian projects in the Palestinian territories if Hamas wins the upcoming elections, just like what happened after the movements victory in the 2006 legislative elections. Iran, for its part, does not provide aid to the PA, as Iranian support is limited to the armed Palestinian forces, particularly to Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. The chief of Israel's Mossad, Yossi Cohen, estimated on July 1, 2019, Iranian support at $100 million per year, which Trump's special Mideast envoy, Jason Greenblatt, had confirmed in February 2018. Mohammed Abu Jayab, editor-in-chief of the Gazan weekly newspaper Al-Eqtesadia, told Al-Monitor, The Gulf support to the PA, particularly the Saudi one, has witnessed an unprecedented decline in the past three years. While some countries have even ceased such support, such as the UAE, others channeled it away from the PA and directed it to UN and civil organizations operating in Palestine. In 2020, Saudi Arabia announced a generous donation of $150 million to the support program for Jerusalem (carried out by PECDAR) and another of $50 million to the UNRWA. The Saudi aid to the PA amounted to nearly $6.5 billion between 2018-2000, including $250 million for the UNRWA. YEREVAN. Zhoghovurd newspaper of Armenia writes: At the moment, the topic of snap parliamentary elections remains an agenda issue of the domestic government and the opposition. So far, the proclamations sent to the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition on behalf of the authorities have given the impression that the elections will take place in June. Now the enlisting process has started in the political field. The government and the opposition are contacting people with authority, asking [them] to join, run in the elections with a joint list. If the opposition believes that the electoral system should not be changed, then the authorities intend to discuss the Electoral Code in this parliament. (). In any case, it is not ruled out that [PM] Nikol Pashinyan has his preferred time to go to the elections and has a clearly-formed agenda, but he does not say it honestly even before his [political] team. Let us note, however, that if there is an intention to hold elections in June, the process of dissolving the parliament has to start already. (). 14 days are needed only for the self-dissolution of the parliament. () it is obvious that the authorities must hurry already to hold snap elections in June. With the pandemic changing the way we live and work, many people are thinking hard about where they want to live if they no longer have a daily commute. Our Best Places to Live rankings are designed to help users find the next place they want to call home, Niche.coms Natalie Tsay said in an email. The head of the UN nuclear monitoring agency has said a U.S. return to the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran is possible, but stressed both sides need to be willing to negotiate. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi made the comment on March 16 during a video appearance before three European Parliament committees. The United States pulled out of the deal unilaterally in 2018 under former President Donald Trump, but President Joe Biden has indicated that Washington would be willing to rejoin. Complicating the matter, however, have been violations of the deal by Iran, including the amount of enriched uranium it can stockpile and the purity to which it can enrich it. Experts say its moves have been calculated to put pressure on the other nations in the deal -- Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain -- to do more to offset crippling sanctions reimposed under Trump. Iran has said that before it resumes compliance with the deal, the United States needs to return to its own obligations under the deal by dropping the sanctions. Asked about Iran's insistence that the United States take the first step, Grossi said that it takes two to tango. He noted that over the past two years Iran has accumulated much nuclear material and new capacities, and used the time for honing their skills in these areas." Even if you had a magic wand or the hand of God and said we go back tomorrow, there will be a lot of housekeeping, he said. Grossi said he had been talking to both sides in his agency's impartial neutral role and did think that a U.S. return to the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, was possible. They want to come back, he said. But of course...there are a number of issues that still need to be clarified. So it's not impossible. It is difficult, but not impossible. As part of its ongoing violations of the JCPOA, Iran last month began restricting IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities. Under a last-minute deal worked out in a trip to Tehran by Grossi, however, some access was preserved. Under that temporary agreement, Iran will no longer share surveillance footage of its nuclear facilities with the IAEA but it has promised to preserve the tapes for three months. It will then hand them over to the IAEA if it is granted sanctions relief. Otherwise, Iran has vowed to erase the tapes. Admittedly it is limited, but it allows [us] to maintain a record of the basic activities that are taking place, Grossi said. Granted, it is not the same as the whole access that we used to have. Grossi said it was important for the JCPOA powers to use this three-month diplomatic window of opportunity that Iran has granted. With reporting by AP Questions and answers on the AstraZeneca Vaccine after its use was temporarily suspended. Why has the use of AstraZeneca Vaccine been temporarily deferred? Following a new safety alert received late on 13th March (from Norway), and pending receipt of further information from the EMA, as a precaution, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) have recommended a temporary deferral of administration of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in Ireland. Pending further advice, the use of AstraZeneca vaccine will be temporarily deferred for the week commencing the 14th March 2021. The alert originated from the Norwegian Medicines Agency following four new reports of serious rare clotting, or thromboembolic, events, including some complicated by low platelet levels, or thrombocytopenia, in younger adults. These occurred after vaccination with COVID 19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. At this time, no link between the events and the vaccine have been confirmed. The EMA is already investigating a number of reports of thromboembolic events from the AstraZeneca Vaccine and a report is expected over the coming days. EMA information from 12th March was that the number of clotting or thromboembolic events in vaccinated people is no higher than the number seen in the general population. As of 10 March 2021, 30 cases of thromboembolic events had been reported among close to 5 million people vaccinated with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in the European Economic Area. This vaccine along with the others, is a very important tool in our fight against COVID-19 disease. Which groups will be affected by this temporary deferral? Vaccination of people aged 70 and over will not be affected. This group is being vaccinated by their GPs with mRNA vaccines, which are not part of the temporary deferral. The groups likely to be affected are frontline healthcare workers, and the planned start of vaccinations for Group 4 people who have conditions that put them at very high risk if they get COVID-19. What should I do if I have an appointment today or in the next few days to receive COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vaccine? You should not attend your appointment for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca until you receive further contact from the HSE or your healthcare team about the resumption of the programme. You should continue to follow all COVID-19 precautions in the meantime. Any appointments for a first or second dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can still go ahead as they are not included in this safety alert. This includes appointments for people aged 70 and over who are being vaccinated by GPs. What about my second dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vaccine? The recommended dose interval between the first and second dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is 12 weeks. There are no appointments scheduled for second doses at the present time. Further information will be provided about second doses as soon as it is available What should I do if I have already received COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vaccine? The events reported are very rare, and we do not know if they are caused by the vaccine. This vaccine is a very important tool in our fight against COVID-19 disease. We know that side effects of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca can occur within the first couple of days of the vaccine. After the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, more than 1 in 10 people may experience: feeling tired tenderness, bruising, pain, redness or itching in the arm where they had the vaccine injection headache muscle pain joint pain nausea, diarrhoea or vomiting fever (temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above) More than one in 100 people may have redness or swelling where they had the injection. Its common to develop a fever (temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above) after any vaccination. This usually happens within 2 days (48 hours) of getting the vaccine. It usually goes away within 2 days. If you feel uncomfortable, take paracetamol or ibuprofen following the instructions on the box or leaflet. What if I still feel unwell more than three days after my vaccine? People who have received the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and feel increasingly unwell for more than three days after vaccination, and/or who notice larger or smaller blue spots in the skin (purpuric, non-blanching rash, skin haemorrhages) should consult a doctor or out-of-hours medical service. The rare events that have been reported have usually occurred within 14 days of the vaccine. And, its important to remember that there is no proven link between these events and the vaccine at this time. What else should we remember? COVID-19 is a serious disease which has caused significant disease and death across the world including Ireland. COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and authorised for use after rigorous testing and have a favourable safety profile. More than 100,000 doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca have been used in Ireland so far, mainly in frontline healthcare workers, and we can already see the significant reduction in cases of COVID-19 disease in this group after the vaccine programme. What are the next steps? Further information is expected from the EMA in the next few days, which will include a review of these additional events. This information will be reviewed by NIAC and further advice on the programme will be issued following this. The HSE, NIAC and the Department of Health will continue to keep people updated and share information as it is available. Need information and advice on COVID-19? Go to www.hse.ie/coronavirus Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-15 23:49:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday conveyed President John Magufuli's greetings to the residents of the country's Tanga region. "President Magufuli is greeting you. He says we are safe and we should continue working hard. We should cultivate harmony and solidarity for the prosperity of our nation," Hassan told a public rally at the start of her official tour of Tanga region. She added that President Magufuli has expressed his gratitude to Tanga region residents for giving him resounding victory during the October 2020 presidential election. The vice president's remarks followed a spate of rumors in social and international media outlets alleging that President Magufuli has fallen ill and has been flown out of the country for medical treatment. Earlier on Monday, Hassan urged Tanzanians to ignore rumors flying around the country, saying the country is safe. On Friday, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced that President Magufuli was well and in good health. Majaliwa urged people to brush aside rumors and continue to nurture the prevailing harmony, peace and unity in the east African nation. Enditem BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Jair Bolsonaro has withdrawn his pick of a retired military man for the board of Brazil's federal health regulator Anvisa, the latest indication that he is starting to take the country's worsening coronavirus pandemic more seriously. Bolsonaro, who has faced widespread criticism over his handling of the world's second deadliest coronavirus outbreak, originally chose Jorge Luiz Kormann to be on the board of Anvisa, which oversees approvals of vaccines for use against COVID-19. Kormann was previously in the military-led health ministry, and his transfer to an important technocratic role at Anvisa drew widespread concern and raised doubts about whether he would be confirmed in the post by the Senate. However, Bolsonaro has now withdrawn Kormann's name and proposed Romison Rodrigues Mota for the role, according to a post in the official gazette on Tuesday. Mota is a career civil servant who is already serving as acting Anvisa director. The removal of Kormann appears to be part of a broader shift in Bolsonaro's attitude toward a pandemic he has long sought to portray as a "little flu." Faced with growing discontent over a record run of deaths and a slow vaccine rollout, there are signs Bolsonaro is starting to see his skeptical stance as a major threat to his hopes of re-election in 2022. After months of decrying protective masks, he recently appeared masked, and local media have reported he is planning to get vaccinated, despite saying he would not take any shot. Publicly, Kormann has shared Bolsonaro's interest in the unproven drug chloroquine and its cousin hydroxychloroquine for use against COVID-19. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Writing by Ana Mano; Editing by Mark Heinrich) China appears to have blocked the encrypted messaging app Signal, which was frequently used by journalists, activists and dissidents as an alternative to heavily surveilled local social media channels. Although the app used to be accessible to anyone, it now can only be used with a virtual private network (VPN), according to users in the country. Without it, messages currently cannot send and calls wont go through. Signals website was also inaccessible in mainland China on Tuesday. More from Variety Signal is the countrys latest foreign social media casualty. The countrys so-called Great Firewall already blocks sites such as Facebook, Google, Twitter and a host of foreign news outlets, as well as other chat apps like Telegram and WhatsApp. Last month, the Clubhouse app was also blocked in the country after Chinese users began participating in live chats about topics seen by Beijing as politically sensitive, including the ongoing genocide in Xinjiang. Signals end-to-end encryption made it possible for users to communicate without a third party viewing messages or listening in. On other apps such as Tencents WeChat, the countrys most dominant platform, users have been detained by authorities for messages theyve sent in private and group chats. Certain terms and images are also wiped from the app, with posts deemed too politically sensitive taken down altogether. Signals app and website still appear to be working normally in Hong Kong on Tuesday, and its app is still visible and available to download on Apples app store in the mainland. Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Tuesday he was not aware of a Signal ban, stating that as a principle, Chinas internet is open. Story continues This is not the first time the app has gone down in the country without warning or reason. In past instances, service later resumed. The app had been downloaded nearly 510,000 times onto Apple devices in China, according to data from Sensor Tower. It has been downloaded 100 million times globally off Apples app store and Google Play. In comparison, Tencents WeChat app, the countrys most popular messaging app, has more than a billion global users. The crackdown on Signal hits as Beijing executes a broader crackdown on free speech and communications outside the reach of government censors. News emerged Monday that authorities have reportedly ordered tech giant Alibaba to sell off its many media assets out of concern over its ability to sway public opinion. Last month, Beijing enacted its tightest restrictions to date on the publication of original online content via short video and blogging accounts. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. The article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. It was a blazing-hot morning in October 2019 on the old Ho Chi Minh Trail, an intricate web of truck roads and secret paths that wove its way across the densely forested and mountainous border between Vietnam and Laos. Susan Hammond, Jacquelyn Chagnon and Niphaphone Sengthong forded a rocky stream along the trail and came to a village of about 400 people called Labeng-Khok, once the site of a logistics base inside Laos used by the North Vietnamese Army to infiltrate troops into the South. In one of the bamboo-and-thatch stilt houses, the ladder to the living quarters was made from metal tubes that formerly held American cluster bombs. The family had a 4-year-old boy named Suk, who had difficulty sitting, standing and walking one of three children in the extended family with birth defects. A cousin was born mute and did not learn to walk until he was 7. A third child, a girl, died at the age of 2. That one could not sit up, their great-uncle said. The whole body was soft, as if there were no bones. The women added Suk to the list of people with disabilities they have compiled on their intermittent treks through Laoss sparsely populated border districts. Hammond, Chagnon and Sengthong make up the core of the staff of a nongovernmental organization called the War Legacies Project. Hammond, a self-described Army brat whose father was a senior military officer in the war in Vietnam, founded the group in 2008. Chagnon, who is almost a generation older, was one of the first foreigners allowed to work in Laos after the conflict, representing a Quaker organization, the American Friends Service Committee. Sengthong, a retired schoolteacher who is Chagnons neighbor in the countrys capital, Vientiane, is responsible for the record-keeping and local coordination. The main focus of the War Legacies Project is to document the long-term effects of the defoliant known as Agent Orange and provide humanitarian aid to its victims. Named for the colored stripe painted on its barrels, Agent Orange best known for its widespread use by the U.S. military to clear vegetation during the Vietnam War is notorious for being laced with a chemical contaminant called 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin, or TCDD, regarded as one of the most toxic substances ever created. All primary school pupils could be back at their desks within a week if the Stormont Executive backs proposals by the Education Minister. The Northern Ireland Executive meets today to discuss a recommendation by Peter Weir that all year four to seven pupils return to school on Monday next, March 22. They will also consider a recommendation that all pupils be back at school by April 12. The recommendations are among a number of items to be discussed as Ministers look to ease the Covid-19 restrictions that have been in place since December last. Sorry! This content is not available in your region (Newser) For the first time, a drug-resistant hospital superbug has been found in the wildon an isolated beach in the Andaman Islands. The organism has been in hospitals for about a decade, but its origin remains "a medical mystery," said Dr. Arturo Casadevall of Johns Hopkins, who wrote an editorial that ran with the study Tuesday in the journal mBio. He called the new findings "a very important part of the puzzle." An Australian scientist has called the deadly superbugs a greater threat to humans than COVID-19, the Guardian reports. Candida auris had never been found in a natural environment before, but experts including Casadevall had wondered whether it had adapted in such places to higher temperatures driven by climate change enough to successfully jump to humans. Usually, per Live Science, human body temperature is too high to accommodate fungi. story continues below To test that theory, experts analyzed soil and water samples from eight sites around the islands, a tropical archipelago between India and Myanmar. The organism showed up in samples from a salt marsh wetland rarely visited by humans and a beach that sometimes is. The beach version was multidrug resistant and a closer relation to strains found in hospitals than the marsh version. The findings don't mean that the microbe originated in the islands; it could have been brought by people or ocean currents, per Live Science. If scientists demonstrate that it originated in a natural environment and that global warming helped its jump to humans, others might be able to do the same thing. "If this idea gets validated we need to start mapping out more of these pathogens that are out there so we don't get surprised," Casadevall saidwhich is what happened with the coronavirus. (An MIT team reported a breakthrough in the quest for an antibiotic that can handle superbugs.) Chief Ministers Statement - Covid-19 "Mr Speaker, It is exactly a year today since we locked down our over 70s. I want therefore to just quickly reflect today that a year has passed since we took measures to confine some of our citizens to their homes. These days that sounds like something quite normal but it was something quite abnormal before." "Days later, we would act to lock down our whole population. It has been a year like no other. I want to briefly say thank you to everyone for their help this year. I do not want to break down that general thank you beyond highlighting those who work in the GHA and ERS. But I want to extend my personal thanks and the thanks of the whole Government also and no doubt all members of this House to everyone in this community. We have all played a different part in this difficult year. From leading in difficult decision making to accepting the equally difficult obligation to stay home. All of us have been just as important. All of us have been Team Gibraltar. Mr Speaker, we have worked together in the Cabinet and in this Parliament. We have worked together across the political divide, across the community and across the whole nation. That is what has been the core of our work. And additionally, we have felt the real support of the United Kingdom. In the provision of PPE, testing and the sovereign guarantee for our COVID spending. But perhaps, Mr Speaker, most importantly, with the provision, at no cost to Gibraltar, of the COVID vaccine in quantities that enable me to say today that Gibraltar will be the first nation to complete a whole nation vaccination programme. We will do that thanks to the UK, thanks to its Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary and thanks to its Department of Health and Care. Mr Speaker, those in the Convent, in King Charles Street, and in Downing Street who have been there to help will live forever in our political hearts and in our political history as our guardian angels at this time. Our sincere thanks. The loyalty of the People of Gibraltar to the Crown of the United Kingdom has never and will never be in doubt. In these harrowing and difficult times, our deep loyalty has been recognised and repaid. The United Kingdom has played a blinder on vaccinations and we have been among the beneficiaries in the British family of nations. Mr Speaker, today I must also report the COVID-19 statistics to Parliament. The total number of Gibraltarians lost to COVID-19 is 94, 87 of them since the start of the year. Happily though, we have no patients in our Critical Care Unit and we have only two non-resident visitors in our Victoria Ward. As at midnight last night, we have now administered 48,296 inoculations. Of these, 18,629 have had a second dose and 29,667 only a first dose for now. After 200,713 tests, 1,489 of which have happened overnight, and after some weeks of very low daily numbers, today I must report 7 new cases in our community. Four of these were close contacts of an existing, identified active case. That active case was a waiter in restaurant. I want to highlight that 4 of those infected have had one vaccine dose and one had had both vaccine doses. I highlight that so that people are reminded that we must remain cautious and vigilant even after vaccinations. One positive is a lunch lady in one school and that has led to 3 staff (not teachers) and 17 children isolating. Another is a lunch lady in another school and that has led to 4 staff (not teachers) and 15 children isolating. Additionally, we have had an infection in one of our elderly care facilities through one of the care professionals. In this case, the care professional had already had two doses of the vaccine and the two residents exposed have also had two doses of the vaccine. So there is evidence that we must remain vigilant even post vaccination. Please let us remind ourselves that the virus is still around us, even though we have been inoculated and that vaccination does not provide 100% immunity. I am aware, Mr Speaker, that the Community, the Media and fellow Parliamentarians have been keen to receive information on the variants that have been in play in Gibraltar. The Government is now in receipt of this information. It tells us the following, and please excuse the technical aspects of this information: We have had 60 results back from samples dating 27th December 2020 to 6th January 2021. Of note is that 15 of these were the B.1.1.7 lineage (Kent variant of concern). None of these cases were particularly severe cases or in inpatients or residents of healthcare/residential facilities. We still have over 300 results on samples pending at PHE. We should soon be able to carry out this testing here in Gibraltar. All sequencing on GHA samples to date has been undertaken by Public Health England. To date, we have had valid sequencing results from PHE back on 565 SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA extracts sent from 624 positive cases. The dates of the samples for which we have valid sequencing results span from the 8th August 2020 to 6th January 2021. Of the 565 samples sent, 59 samples sent have failed to yield a valid sequencing result at PHE (due to technical reasons). There remain over 300 results on GHA samples pending at PHE from samples dating from December onwards selected & sent for sequencing from the GHA in January, February & March 2021 Samples sent to date have largely consisted of an unselected random sample of positives obtained by testing from GHA labs: both St Bernards Hospital & Public Health University Laboratory. The predominant strain type detected in the 565 samples sent has been the B.1.177 strain which emerged as the predominant strain in the UK & Western EU from late summer onwards with 357 out of 565 classified as within that B.1.177 lineage (333 pure B.1.177 & 24 being subtypes of this). One important point to emphasise is that we still have over 300 samples pending results which date from December to February during the third wave we have just come out of. But for now what we have seen is that the predominant strain in our third wave was the B.1.177 strain, that is to say, not the Kent strain. In short hand this was labelled the "Spanish" strain by some sectors of the UK media back in autumn, as it was first identified in arrivals from Spain. The important issue of course is that the data we have up to now suggests we were not seeing the third wave here or around us prompted, at least originally, by the more transmissible Kent variant (B.1.1.7) or any other variant of concern, based on the data we have available to us at the moment. This is based on the results on a relatively small sample we have had back from PHE and there remains the possibility this may change once we get more genotyping results back of that third wave in the period of December 2020 to February 2021. The B.1.177 variant is not associated with any notable mutations of concern in the spike (S) protein and is not classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC) The predominant sequence from results to date from samples dating from wave 3 over Xmas-NY period remains the B.1.177 strain outlined above There have been to date 16 samples that have shown either a mutation of note in the spike (S) region (N501Y mutation) and / or are classified as a Variant of Concern. 15 of these 16 have been sequenced as the more transmissible Kent variant of concern (lineage B.1.1.7), with 1 of 16 as a B.1.1.49 lineage. B.1.1.7 (Kent variant) lineage was detected in samples dating from 27th December 2020 to 5th January 2021. From the analysis, none of these 15 originated from severe or fatal cases or from admitted or resident cases within a healthcare or residential facility. The ages of these cases ranged from 16-74. As far as the Government is aware there has been no assessment of antecedent travel on these cases to ascertain route of acquisition. So, in summary Mr Speaker, although we have identified some instances of the KENT variant in Gibraltar, our third wave seems, for now, to have originated from the SPANISH variant. There have been no cases in samples sent from Gibraltar identified as a South African (B.1.351 lineage) variant of concern or a Brazilian (P.1 lineage) variant of concern. No Gibraltar viral sequences of any lineage have been reported as having the E484K escape mutation to date (associated with increased evasion of the immune response & reported in some cases of B.1.1.7 in Bristol/ Somerset/Liverpool regions in UK). At present, there are no data available on sequencing results to be able to communicate any findings on specific groups, including but not limited to: severe or fatal cases, post-vaccination cases or any clusters or outbreaks. I know, Mr Speaker, that this is very detailed and very technical information. But it is information that must be put in the public domain. I also ask that people do not read the references to KENT variant or SPANISH variant in any political terms. These are shorthand terms adopted to label variants with numerological names and are associated only with place of first detection only. Finally, Mr Speaker, the sun is shining and we are all now vaccinated or on the way to being vaccinated. But we are not out of the woods yet. One year on from our first restrictions, we are in a good place. But we are not yet in our happy place. We have a road still to travel. I want to assure our Community that we remain exacting in the continuation of restrictions. We will release all restrictions including on the freedom of assembly as soon as we are advised we are able to. But we will only do so when we are advised it is safe for us to do so. For now, we have released all the restrictions that we have been advised we are safe to release. We will not keep any restriction in place for one moment longer than is strictly necessary. But caution must remain our watchword. Prudence must define our approach. And success must be the objective we keep in mind. Thank you." Jeanine Anez took over Bolivia's presidency from Evo Morales in 2019 when the latter resigned from his post after the head of the military asked him to step down amid protests over vote-rigging claims. The Trump administration back then welcomed Morales' resignation, saying that his departure preserves democracy. On the other hand, the foreign minister of Brazil's far-right government said there was an incident of a coup in Bolivia. And the recent arrest of Jeanine Anez tells a similar story. According to an Aljazeera report, a judge ordered Anez of four months of preventive detention for her role in Morales' ouster. Anez and two former members of her cabinet were recently arrested and charged with sedition, terrorism, and conspiracy. According to Morales, the events constituted a coup. Jeanine Anez was a conservative senator before she became the interim president of Bolivia. She was also known to be a longtime critic of leftist Morales before he fled the country during violent election protests. "I denounce before Bolivia and the world that in an act of abuse and political persecution, the MAS (Movement for Socialism) government has ordered my arrest," she said on Friday, as reported by AFP News. MAS is the left-wing political party led by Morales. Apart from Anez, former ministers of energy and justice, Rodrigo Guzman and Alvaro Coimbra, were also arrested. RELATED ARTICLE: Bolivia's Interim President Jeanine Anez Chavez Must First Prove Her Legitimacy as a Leader Cases Against Jeanine Anez Bolivia's Minister of Justice and Institutional Transparency, Ivan Lima, said there would be additional charges against Anez and her cabinet members, citing corruption and human rights violations. Lima noted that his ministry would request up to 30 years in prison for Anez. Morales was reportedly ousted when he ran for a fourth term in office, which violates the country's term limits. Morales was the first indigenous president and was widely popular during his 14 years in office. His popularity then declined due to accusations of mismanagement and refusal to give up his position. Morales won during the 2019 presidential elections, but he was accused of voter fraud, causing nationwide protests. More than 30 supporters of Morales' regime were killed during protests after his resignation. He then returned to Bolivia from exile and won the election in 2020 through the MAS party he founded. The presidency and congress are reportedly now under the control of MAS, according to another AFP News report. "I inform the Bolivian people that Mrs. Jeanine Anez has already been apprehended and is currently in the hands of the police," government minister Carlos Eduardo del Castillo said in his Twitter and Facebook posts. Jeanine Anez wrote letters to the European Union and Organization of American States requesting to send observer missions to follow the case. She denounced her arrest as illegal. Anez noted that she was accused of "having participated in a coup that never happened." The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, said the Bolivian judicial system is not in a position to give the minimum guarantee of a fair trial. The United Nations, European Union, and the United States have called for the due process to be respected, AFP News reported. Carlos Mesa, a centrist former Bolivian president, said that Anez's arrest is arbitrary, illegal, and a violation of her human rights. Congress voted last month to give amnesty to those prosecuted during Anez's presidency for acts of violence following Morales' resignation. READ NEXT: After Receiving Asylum in Argentina, Evo Morales May Be Arrested for Treason WATCH: Bolivia Ex-President Jeanine Anez Behind Bars Over Alleged Coup - From Al Jazeera English The Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, which hears cases from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, stands in Lower Manhattan, New York City, on Jan. 18, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) 40 Indicted in Drug Trafficking Ring Accused of Operating Out of Day Care Centers Forty people have been indicted for their involvement in a massive drug trafficking ring that operated on Long Island, following an 18-month long takedown dubbed by Nassau County, New York officials as Operation Honeycomb. Authorities said Monday that the major narcotic trafficking ring operated in the Hempstead area including out of illegal daycare centers. Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said her office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Task Force began an investigation in 2019 amid a spike in drug dealing and violence, and last year, amid an increase in drug overdoses. The DAs office and ATF investigators identified nine individuals as alleged major traffickers, and as distributing high-value narcotics as far away as Puerto Rico and California, as well as Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. These individuals include: Able McTootle, Eric Butler, Willy Matias, Allen Evans, Eric Poston, Matthew Williams a/k/a Vernon Howard, Orlando Ramsay, Rodney Highsmith, and an unapprehended co-defendant. The charge of operating as a major trafficker carries a potential maximum sentence of 25 years to life. The designation requires the aggregate value of narcotics possessed or sold by the trafficker to exceed $75,000 during a period of six months or less. This massive multi-agency takedown strikes a heavy blow to the narcotics trafficking infrastructure in our region, Singas said in a statement. We recovered huge quantities of drugs, stockpiles of weapons, and 40 drug traffickers and dealers have been indicted for their alleged roles in this dangerous network. Im grateful to our partners for their work and incredible perseverance to protect our communities. Two of the suspects, Lex Lloyd, and an un-apprehended co-defendant conducted their narcotics business from two illegal daycare centers in Hempstead and Rosedale, officials allege. Children were eating and playing and being cared for in the same space where cocaine was being packaged, Singas said. Officials recovered approximately 520 grams of cocaine, 50 oxycodone pills, two narcotics presses, and bullets from Lloyds residence on Pierson Avenue in Hempstead. Approximately 100 grams of cocaine and 100 grams of crack cocaine were allegedly recovered from the un-apprehended co-defendants Rosedale residence. In total, investigators seized more than $2.7 million in narcotics including, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, 38 firearms, and more than $380,000 in cash. The operation was given its name because a large volume of drugs was allegedly packaged and stored at a defendants home that was frequently referred to as the honeycomb by co-defendants in wiretapped calls. EU regulator plays down AstraZeneca vaccine worries Controversy continues in Europe over the AstraZeneca vaccine. File photo: Reuters Global health experts came under increasing pressure on Tuesday to clear up questions over the safety of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 shot, as Sweden and Latvia joined countries suspending their use in a further blow to Europe's vaccination rollout. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was investigating reports of 30 cases of unusual blood disorders out of 5 million recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In total, 45 million Covid shots have been delivered across the region. The EU regulator will release its findings on Thursday but its head, Emer Cooke, said she saw no reason to change its recommendation of AstraZeneca one of four vaccines that it has approved for use. "The benefits continue to outweigh the risks, but this is a serious concern and it does need serious and detailed scientific evaluation," Cooke told a news conference. A World Health Organisation (WHO) committee of experts was reviewing the cases and was expected to issue a statement by the end of the day, a spokesman said. The EU's largest members Germany, France and Italy suspended use of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Monday pending the outcome of investigations into unusual cases of a rare cerebral thrombosis in people who had received it. The addition of Sweden and Latvia on Tuesday brought to 13 the number of EU countries to act since reports first emerged of thromboembolisms affecting people after they got the AstraZeneca shot. The WHO and EMA had earlier joined AstraZeneca in saying there is no proven link, but some experts said the episodes of blood clots, bleeding and low platelet counts in younger people seemed to indicate a causal connection to the AstraZeneca shot. "The benefits of vaccination significantly outweigh the risks, especially for the elderly," said Karl Lauterbach, health spokesman for Germany's Social Democratic Party. "But it could be the case that the risks of the vaccine are higher for certain patient groups such as young women," Lauterbach, an epidemiologist whose party is part of the Berlin coalition, told Deutschlandfunk radio in an interview. Other epidemiologists note that similar cases have not been found in unusual numbers in Britain, which began using AstraZeneca earlier and has given more than 10 million doses. Nicola Magrini, the director general of Italy's medicines authority AIFA, told daily la Repubblica in an interview that the choice to suspend the AstraZeneca shot was "political". He said it was safe and said its benefit to risk ratio was "widely positive". There have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects in Italy following vaccinations, he added. (Reuters) Consumer bureau bans LGBT lending discrimination following Biden executive order; FRC responds Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the latest federal agency to announce its plans to enforce discrimination protections for LGBT individuals, citing a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that a leading conservative organization warns could have future implications for people of faith. Last week's interpretive rule asserts that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits banks or lenders from prohibiting credit or lending services based solely on LGBT status or gender identification. In issuing this interpretive rule, were making it clear that lenders cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity, acting CFPB Director David Uejio said in a statement. The CFPB will ensure that consumers are protected against such discrimination and provided equal opportunities in credit. CFPBs Tuesday statement cites the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the ruling that determined Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned sex-based discrimination, also applies to sexual orientation and gender identity. But critics of the move argue that the Supreme Courts ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County botched the interpretation of federal civil rights law. In an email statement provided to Christian Post, Travis Weber, vice president for policy and government affairs at the Christian conservative activist organization Family Research Council, said the agencys action further shows how the Biden administration seeks to over-apply the June 2020 Supreme Court ruling. This is just the latest episode of federal bureaucrat activist lawyers and policymakers looking to make hay over the Supreme Courts ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which botched the statutory interpretation of Title VII last year, Weber said. Despite the fact that Bostock dealt only with employment law, no doubt Biden administration activists will try to apply it wherever they wish. The court's 6-3 decision in Bostock, which ultimately consolidated three cases involving the firings of LGBT and trans-identified employees, found that Title VII (which prohibits employment discrimination) also extends nondiscrimination protections to sexual orientation and transgender status. After President Joe Biden issued the Preventing and Combatting Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation executive order in January, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced it would enforce the Fair Housing Act based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Weber said this executive order will have implications for people of faith and faith-based organizations that uphold biblical views on gender, marriage and sexuality. He said it is likely the beginning of similar actions from the Biden administration. President Bidens executive order on Bostock issued shortly after he took office only added fuel to the fire for actions like the CFPBs, which are the natural consequence of activist bureaucrats who think their job is to make the law instead of follow the law, Weber wrote. As FRC noted at the time, Bidens order will likely have significant, negative ramifications for people of faith. We can likely expect much more of this from the Biden administration over the next four years. Conservatives argue that interpretations of federal discrimination law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity skirt congressional authority because those terms are not included in discrimination laws passed by Congress. During the Obama administration, efforts were made to interpret laws that ban sex discrimination to also include gender identity and sexual orientation. In its statement, CFPB stated that it looks forward to working with Congress on the Equality Act. This act, which passed the House, would codify protections against gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination in federal law. Ryan Weyandt, founder and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, praised CFPBs recent announcement. Our community, until now, has been too easily subjected to personal hate and historical bias allowed by both the Fair Housing Act and fair lending guidelines, Weyandt said, according to Housing Wire. As a former mortgage banker and professional for nearly a decade, this is a welcome change of pace. Our community holds over $1T in purchase power, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Why anyone would want to block that potential is mind-boggling. This interpretive rule means a creditor can't reject an application based on the applicant's masculinity, femininity, sexual orientation or any form of gender or sexual status. Before the 2020 Bostock decision, at least 20 states and Washington, D.C. already prohibited discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation in some housing-related credit transactions, according to the CFPB. The CFPB is a federal agency that helps consumer finance markets operate by fairly and effectively enforcing rules to empower consumers to have control over their economic lives, according to its website. Roy Sanford arrived at Mt. Moosilauke in New Hampshire early Sunday to hike. Almost 12 hours later, he hadnt return home, and his family was beginning to worry. It wasnt until the next afternoon after a two-day search involving the National Guard and state conservation officers, through heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions, that Sanford was found, according authorities. Foot tracks had led authorities down a brook, where they discovered the Plymouth, Massachusetts mans body, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department recounted. The Army National Guard was able to lower a litter and eventually hoist Sanford onto the helicopter. Sanford was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased, the department said in a statement. It appears severe weather conditions played a major role in the 66-year-old mans death, according to authorities, who noted late winter and early spring can still be a dangerous time for hiking in the Granite State. Earlier this month, A Massachusetts man was rescued after sliding 100 feet and injuring his leg while hiking in New Hampshire. In February, four other lost, hypothermic hikers from the Bay State were rescued after being overcome by extreme cold and fatigue on a nearby mountain. This time of year always offers a challenging time for enjoying the wilds of the state, the department said. Temperatures have the potential to change by 20 degrees in a day. Additionally, the mountain tops have retained most of their winter feel but still swarm brooks and streams with water, making crossings more difficult. Sanford had started his hike in Benton, New Hampshire around 7:45 a.m. Sunday. He planned to trek the mountain via Glencliff Trail and be back home for dinner by the evening, according to the department. By 7 p.m., though, he hadnt returned to Plymouth. His family grew concerned and called New Hampshire State Police, officials said. A state trooper found the mans car at the Glencliff Trailhead off High Street, and group of conservation officers was called to kick off a hasty search up the trail, where they were met by the blizzard-like conditions, battered by snow, heavy wind gusts and below-freezing temperatures right at the trailhead, authorities described. The officers were able to reach the south peak of Mt. Moosilauke before they were forced to turn around due to the high winds, the lack of visibility and concern for their safety, according to officials. Nearby trailheads were checked throughout the night and morning to make sure Sanford had not wound up in another area due to the fierce winds, the department said. Their efforts overnight werent successful, however. The next morning, several ground teams of conservation officers and volunteers from the Mountain Rescue Service and the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team searched all the trails on and around the mountain, according to authorities. The New Hampshire Army National Guard also deployed its Blackhawk helicopter to search for the missing man from the skies. Around 3 p.m., conservation officers saw foot tracks in fresh snow that led down Gorge Brook from the summit. They passed their observation on to the National Guard, which continued its search of the brook from the air, officials said. The ground team followed the tracks in the snow, which led them to Sanfords body around 3:40 p.m., according to the department. In an interesting approach, Tata Tea took up the varied dialects of Kerala, which differ every few kilometres, in its strategy for the relaunch of its brand Tata Tea Kanan Devan. Despite being different in terms of cultural nuances and the way of life, Keralites are united by their love for tea. Keeping this thought in mind, the brand has crafted a beautiful and innovative TVC, sprinkled with a tone of humour that becomes absolutely relatable to the audience. In conversation with Adgully, Puneet Das, SVP, Marketing Beverages, Tata Consumer Products, speaks about the strategy behind announcing the re-launch of Tata Tea Kanan Devan, celebrating the unique diversity of Kerala, evoking regional pride amongst the people and much more. What was Tata Tea Kanan Devans strategy behind announcing its re-launch in Kerala? Tata Tea Kanan Devan, having its roots from Keralas very own Kanan Devan Hills, enjoys a legacy status in the state. Our goal is to deepen the emotional connect of the brand by celebrating uniqueness of Kerala, that instils a sense of pride in every Keralite. Our latest television commercial illustrates this difference in dialects of Malayalam, spoken across the various districts of Kerala and how it can lead to humorous situations. The depictions are so authentic to the state that only a brand as ingrained as Kanan Devan in Kerala can understand and appreciate the humour. We are sure our audiences will enjoy these witty situations and will definitely agree to the fact that one has to be from Kerala, just like Tata Tea Kanan Devan, to really appreciate this uniqueness of the state. Can you give us more details about the conceptualising the latest campaign made for the people of Kerala? What other elements of the mix have been designed specifically for the market? The campaign is conceived by Mullen Lintas Bangalore and aims at strengthening the brands roots in Keralas soil. The films are directed by national award-winning director VK Prakash, a famed ad-film maker, and foremost of all, a true Malayalee. The cast of the film includes renowned actors from the place of origin of each dialect, to enhance the authenticity of the dialogue delivery. Biju Menon, one of Keralas most celebrated actors, gave the narrators voice in the film to further spice-up the Malayalee flavour. The film showcases that the dialect in Kerala is so different in different regions that words in the same language are misunderstood. This was a unique and fresh idea and an integral part of our conceptualisation. The communication is also supported by unique packs that have been designed keeping in mind all the elements that evoke regional pride amongst the people. Visual elements such as vibrant Kathakali and Mohini Attam dance, serene Kanan Devan hills, and the popular boat ride in backwaters, all instil a sense of oneness in the people of Kerala, which the brand Kanan Devan aims to celebrate. Besides using dialect as a lens to explore how the state is unique despite diversity, what other elements have you used in the brand communication? Kerala is a state which is rich in its culture and heritage and becomes a prominent tourist spot that brings the state on the global map. There are many elements that make the state unique food, classical dance & music, its beautiful landscape. And this uniqueness even extends to the world of Kanan Devan through its source of origin Kanan Devan Hills, a place known for its unique climactic condition, which lends the blends of Kanan Devan a very unique taste. Thus, celebrating unique Kerala is the pivot around which our refresh communication is centred around. As a brand which is integral to Kerala, we know how the dialect in Kerala varies across few kilometres and often has several meanings to the same words. Marrying this unique idea with our restage proposition, we decided on building on the concept. Hence, Kanan Devan campaign is based on this central insight and celebrates the fact that it takes someone who belongs to Kerala, to understand this unique diversity of the state. Just like Tata Tea Kanan Devan, from Keralas own Kanan Devan hills. Who is the creative agency that has worked on this campaign? And who is the production house + director Agency Mullen Lintas Bangalore Production House Trends Ad Films Director V K Prakash What was the creative brief given to the agency? The creative brief was to capture three key aspects which are integral to the brand: How do we celebrate Keralas uniqueness, by showcasing a slice from the everyday life of a Keralite? Portray this uniqueness in a manner thats authentically Malayalee, yet fresh in its take, with the brand seamlessly woven into the narrative. Evoke sense of local pride through this narrative. What is the objective of this campaign? Kanan Devan is a home grown brand of Kerala and is woven into the fabric of the states tea drinking culture. The objective of this refreshed campaign was to celebrate the deep bond that the brand already shared with the state and its people and thus deepen the emotional connect of the brand. How different is this strategy as compared to the earlier ones? What peg have you taken for this campaign? While Kanan Devan is a legacy brand from Kerala, the earlier campaigns have talked about the source story of Kanan Devan, which reinforces the local connect of the brand. With this new campaign, we have taken a step further to delve into the regional nuance of language and used it as a lens to celebrate the uniqueness in the diverse population of the state, which instils pride in the local people. How different is the execution of the story, in terms what has been previously done in playing the story of a state? The TVC celebrates the uniqueness of state by exploring the beautiful and colourful lens of its unique language and the many dialects of the region. It has a completely local cast, directed by award-winning local director, and has been shot in the actual locations where the dialects from, are making it a truly authentic Kerala film. Biju Menon, one of Keralas most celebrated actors, gave the narrators voice in the film to further spice-up the local flavour. How well has the TVC been received so far? Any quick reads? In just over 48 hours of it going live, the TVC had more than 2 lakh views on social media. The growing popularity of the video film organically amongst our audience puts us in a bright light where relatability is what is helping us give the extra mileage. Consumers are also proudly sharing it within their friends and relatives in various social groups. How is Tata Tea planning to grow the tea market in Kerala, where coffee has a very strong hold? Kerala is also a large tea market, with the size of the category being significantly larger than that of coffee. And a large chunk of that market is dominated by loose and local tea. Kanan Devans new communication is planned to rejuvenate the brand core, leading to higher consideration for the brand and accelerate the rate of upgrades from loose tea. Kabul, March 16 : At least two people were killed and six teachers injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire at a university bus in Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Tuesday, police said. The shooting incident took place outside the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri at about 8.40 a.m., a senior police official told Xinhua news agency. The victims were the bus driver and a university student, the official said. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far. The gunmen fled the scene soon after the incident which is the latest in a string of targeted attacks in the Asian country. On Monday, 15 people were wounded in a bomb attack that targeted a bus of the Ministry of Information and Technology in Kabul. In 2020, targeted attacks caused 2,250 civilian casualties and 1,172 injuries, according to the commission. Bitcoin extended losses as a rally that took it past $61,000 over the weekend unwinds, reminding investors of the digital tokens volatility. The largest cryptocurrency slid as much as 9.64% in the last 24 hours and was trading at about $54,578.04 as of 9:51 am in New Delhi. Bitcoin has still surged about 1,000% over the past year, a mesmerizing rally that outstripped more traditional assets like stocks and gold. The Saturday jump to a record was partly linked to optimism over U.S. stimulus checks, since some of the cash could end up in financial markets. Chart watchers were looking for the digital coin to hold above thresholds such as the previous peak of $58,350 in February, to boost confidence in a bullish leg higher. A senior government official told Reuters that India, Asia's third-largest economy, is preparing a bill that would criminalise possession, issuance, mining, trading and transferring crypto-assets. The bill was in line with India's January government agenda that called for banning private virtual currencies such as bitcoin while building a framework for its own official digital currency. "Renewed interest from the Indian government in banning cryptocurrencies led to the initial drop from the $60,000 range down to $56,000," said John Wu, president of AVA Labs, an open-source platform for creating financial applications using blockchain technology. In India, despite government threats of a ban, transaction volumes are swelling and 8 million investors now hold 100 billion rupees ($1.4 billion) in crypto-investments, according to industry estimates. No official data is available. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. 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. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Mar, 2021) The UAE has strongly denounced the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militias for attempting to target civilians and civilian structures in Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, with two ballistic missiles and a bomb-laden drone. In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC), the UAE affirmed that these systematic terrorist attacks by the Houthi group reflect its blatant disregard for the international community and all international laws and norms. The Ministry also urged the international community to take an immediate and decisive stance to stop these repeated acts, which threaten security and stability in the Kingdom, stressing that the continued threat of these attacks in recent days is a grave escalation that represents new evidence of these militias' attempts to undermine security and stability in the region. MoFAIC reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Kingdom over these terrorist attacks and reiterated its stance against all threats to the Kingdom's security, stability, and the safety of its citizens and residents. The statement emphasised that "the security of the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are indivisible, and that any threat facing the Kingdom is considered by the Emirates a threat to its security and stability." Paschal Donohoe heads the Eurogroup and says there is 'strong consensus' yesterday on current budgetary policy. Photo: Yves Herman/ Reuters Eurozone finance ministers have agreed to keep spending until the recovery is firmly under way. Acting on advice from the European Commission, which said it would suspend EU debt and deficit limits until 2023, the 19 euro finance ministers agreed on Monday to avoid premature spending cuts. We are united in our approach that until the health crisis is over and recovery is firmly under way, we will continue to protect our economy through the deployment of the necessary level of fiscal support, the 19 ministers said in a joint statement. For the time being, and as long as the acute health emergency prevails, broad fiscal measures remain necessary to protect citizens and companies. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who chairs the monthly Eurogroup meetings, is attempting to coordinate the eventual unwinding of pandemic spending without damaging the blocs economy. He said there was strong consensus yesterday on current budgetary policy. Todays agreement demonstrates that we remain united in our approach and will continue to support European jobs, businesses and citizens in this acute phase of the health crisis, Mr Donohoe said. Read More In a note to the ministers, the European Commission said business supports should be closely monitored, evaluated, and adjusted and have built-in incentive structures to avoid being used to prop up zombie firms. EU economy commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said pandemic spending should be unwound gradually to avoid "the risk of an increase in bankruptcies and of more lasting economic and social damage. Meanwhile, all 27 EU finance ministers will restart talks on taxing Big Tech on Tuesday, after the US removed a key roadblock to a global deal. It seems that there are better chances to get an overall agreement, a senior EU official said. There is indeed a new behaviour from the new US administration. Lets see where this will lead us in terms of an overall agreement. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is coordinating talks on a voluntary rulebook for taxing multinationals. They are expected to report back by the summer. The European Commission, which intends to propose its own digital levy by June, is keen to use part of the proceeds of any EU digital tax for its own budget. This is a smart, short, simple and common sense approach to start a process of state-wide vote integrity. No more private sector cash allowed into the coffers of any state election official. States fund the election, precincts manage the election, no outside financial influences allowed inside the election process; period. ARIZONA In 2020, private grants, largely funded by donations from Facebooks founder, helped pay for elections across the country. Now Republican lawmakers in Arizona and other states are voting to prohibit election workers from ever accepting such funds again. The Arizona House approved HB 2569 last week in a party-line vote. The legislation would ban election officials at all levels of government city, county and state from receiving private funds to help pay for any aspect of election operations, including voter registration. Republican Rep. Jake Hoffman, the bills sponsor, said its a matter of election integrity. That means keeping elections free of influence or interference, he said. (read more) Steve Baldwin, writing at the American Thinker writes: As we all know, the last election was a tipping point election on many different levels. An election won with the use of illegal last-minute changes to state election laws has led to a rogue regime that threatens the very foundations of America. This is being achieved through highly questionable executive orders, the decimation of the concept of national sovereignty and an attack on fossil fuels, the lifeblood of our economy. Moreover, Biden is converting our military into a social justice agency and transforming our intelligence services into witch-hunters for conservatives who dared to protest a stolen election. More alarming is the lefts goal to make its political power permanent by granting amnesty to 20-30 million illegal aliens, granting statehood to D.C. and Puerto Rico, expanding the Supreme Court, and normalizing the censorship of conservatives, not to mention the institutionalizing of election fraud, especially in key swing states. There is little doubt, if history is our guide, that should the left achieve permanent political power, future elections will just become show elections, our 1st and 2nd Amendment rights will be diminished, if not gutted, and our economy will become permanently stagnant as with all other socialist economies in the world. It will be the beginning of the end of America as we know it. A proposal to challenge this attack on our rights The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Over the last 150 years or so, liberal legislators and judges have violated the Tenth Amendment by illegally expanding the scope and power of the federal government. We know that Federal power is limited because such powers were actually enumerated or listed in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution and include actions such as To lay and collect taxes, coin money, and raise and support Armies. The federal government was not given any role in education, health, welfare, transportation, energy, or even with maintaining secure borders. All those issues were left up to the states to decide. If our founders wanted to expand the federal government into every area of our life, they would not have specifically listed the very few powers they granted it. Conservative constitutional scholars such as Thomas E. Woods, in his book, Nullification, How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century, documents that our Founders believed that if a law is unconstitutional and therefore void and of no effect, it is up to the states, the parties to the federal compact, to declare it so and thus refuse to enforce it. The left will scream about such nullification efforts, but they have been engaged in nullifying federal laws for years. For example, all state laws legalizing marijuana are illegal since theyre in conflict with federal narcotic laws, but states have simply refused to enforce these federal laws and so have nullified them. Likewise, states controlled by the left have allowed various cities and counties to become sanctuaries in which they refused to abide by federal immigration laws. And no, the Marines were not sent in nor did any state or city even suffer the loss of federal funding. It is time our side use this tactic as a way of protecting our constitutional rights. Here are some of the issues that could be affected by the concept of nullification: Nullify all 1st Amendment Restrictions. States should refuse to enforce all federal edicts and Supreme Court rulings that impinge upon the 1stAmendment protections of our religious freedom, such as efforts by radical gays to force churches, faith based adopting agencies, religious schools, colleges, and businesses to carry out a radical gay and transexual agenda. Nullify all federal efforts to undermine the 2ndAmendment. States should nullify all federal laws that compromise the 2nd Amendment such as those being proposed by the Biden Nullify open border policies. With Biden announcing his intent to grant amnestyto all illegal aliens, combined with his hostility to border security, expect the border to get out of control. Already, migrant caravans are heading to the border. States should nullify such pro-open border policies and use their resources to stop illegal immigration. The reality is that states were originally involved in setting immigration policy and indeed, used to detain and deport illegals prior to the existence of a Border Patrol or ICE. The only mention in the constitution regarding immigration is "to establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization." Nullify the anti-police agenda. During the Obama regime, his DoJ hamstrung city police departments all over the country with phony civil rights investigations, resulting in cities hesitant to arrest or prosecute violent thugs. With anti-police activists surrounding Biden, his administration will do the same,thereby empowering leftist rioters in our cities. The founders never gave the federal government a law enforcement role as they thought this responsibility best be carried out by local police and sheriff departments. States should resist and ignore all federal anti-police regulations and DoJ harassment of local police departments. Nullify all federal efforts to preserve fraudulent voting procedures. Conservative states need to immediately take action on election fraud and pass comprehensive voter ID laws, which, of course, will be attacked by Bidens DoJ as a civil rights violation. States also need to remove the estimated 2-3 million illegal aliens from its voting rolls. Indeed, a fact check site has documented that the millions of illegalaliens are currently voting and may have thrown the election to Biden. States need to stop disenfranchising its legal citizens and also purge from its voter rolls dead people, repeat registrations, and those who moved out of state. Of course, states will be reluctant to invoke nullification but the alternative would be to watch our constitutional rights be trashed by leftists. The MAGA movement in the Red States needs to became active in urging legislators and governors to start reclaiming their constitutional powers and begin nullifying illegal Federal law. Once states are engaged in nullifying federal laws, I believe we will witness what I call the great migration in which conservatives will leave blue states to live in red states and vice-versa. And yes, this could lead to a peaceful balkanization of America in which the Red states become redder and the Blue states become bluer, but this is not our fault. It is the left that is assaulting our constitutional rights and if conservatives desire to live in states that protect their rights, then so be it. Already, we are seeing some movement in the states on the nullification front. The Arizona Senate passed a bill that declares it will not enforce federal gun control laws. Oklahoma, South Dakota and North Dakota legislators have all introduced legislation that nullifies Bidens executive orders. Nullification is simply returning America to its original system of governance in which most governmental authority is decentralized to the states and counties. The federal government cant do much about it other than to cut federal funding for some state programs, but perhaps the time has come for states to do away with these federal handcuffs. Original source: Its time for Red States to start nullifying federal law - American Thinker Hat tip to Ray Leary for sending us this link. A former longtime Worcester Public Schools educator is now facing possession of child sex abuse image charges after authorities say he admitted to using the dark web to find the illicit material. Thomas Gagnon, 70, of Uxbridge was arraigned Friday in Uxbridge District court on three counts of possession of child sex abuse images and one count of disseminating a photograph depicting sexual or intimate parts of a child, court records show. MassLive confirmed Gagnon worked for the Worcester Public Schools from 1974 until 2008 and is retired. The 70-year-old was arrested after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported multiple tips to the Massachusetts State Police Cyber Crime Unit/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that an account user had uploaded multiple files described as Child Pornography to Imgur, an online image hosting site, Trooper Meghann Benesh wrote in the statement of facts filed in court. State police executed a search warrant on March 11 at Gagnons Uxbridge home at 16 Pinecrest Road where he was found using a laptop, according to Benesh. Gagnon told officers he had an unsecured 9mm handgun in his bedroom and that he was the sole resident in the home, along with his dog. He also informed authorities he had three laptops, a desktop and multiple external storage devices in his possession, and that he was the only one that uses the WIFI, the court document states. Authorities say Gagnon admitted to using Tumblr and Imgur for adult pornography. He also admitted to using the dark web to download and view child sex abuse material. In the statement of facts, the trooper said Gagnon admitted to being sexually attracted to both boys age 12 and older and girls age 11 and older. Gagnon told the investigators he would click specifically named links when searching for child sex abuse material on the dark web and that he had the material on all of his laptops, desktop and external storage devices, Benesh wrote. According to court documents, Gagnon told troopers he felt remorse for viewing the child sex abuse material, but viewed it for hours everyday even though it did not arouse him. Authorities said Gagnon admitted to viewing and downloading child sex abuse material for more than three years and uploading material to Imgur about once a week, but he believed the victims in the photos were 17 or older. A total of 17 devices including laptops, external storage devices and a desktop computer were seized during the execution of the search warrant, court records show. The charges stem from images authorities said they discovered on the various equipment. Gagnon posted $500 cash bail after his arraignment. He will return to court on April 15. Court records show he was ordered to have no contact with children under the age of 16. MassLive reporter Melissa Hanson contributed to this report " " A little girl grins with delight at the prospect of Tate & Lyle's Golden Syrup on sliced bread, 1957. The tin has not changed design in over 100 years. Jamie Hodgson/Getty Images In "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," you may recall the Queen of Hearts made some tarts. But what kind of tarts were they? If you believe the Dormouse, they were treacle tarts. Harry Potter's favorite dessert was treacle tart as well. But what's treacle anyway? "Treacle is the uncrystallized syrup that remains after sugar is refined. The 'refiner's return syrup' is heated to recover the sucrose after a lengthy refinement process," says Barry Tonkinson, director of culinary research and development at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, in an email. "After this process, what is left is deemed treacle." Ragus Sugars Manufacturers in England describes the process this way: Sugar is, of course, made from sugar cane. The juice from the cane is boiled, which causes sugar crystals to form and leaves behind a concentrated sugar syrup, called refiner's syrup. After the third and final boiling, the left-behind syrup is called molasses. Once the molasses is filtered and purified, it is blended with refiner's syrup to make black treacle. Similar to American molasses, treacle is a beloved ingredient in British baking and cooking, particularly when it comes to cakes, biscuits, pies, puddings, porridge and flapjacks. The syrup can even be used in marinades, as well as in some cocktails and hot beverages! Indeed, you'd be hard-pressed to find a British kitchen that isn't stocked with the stuff. "For most British people, the distinct green tin of Abram Lyle & Sons Golden Syrup or the red tin of Lyle's Black Treacle is a staple in their home," says Tonkinson. In fact, the "gloopy" syrup was originally sold by the barrel just to Lyle's workers, as it was thought to have little value. (Scotsman Abram Lyle owned a refinery that processed sugar cane into sugar). Before long, word spread of the stuff, however, and Lyle's Golden Syrup launched in 1883. Advertisement What Is Treacle Like? Thick and sticky, treacle's consistency lies somewhere between a truly watery liquid and a solid. There are two main types of treacle: golden syrup and black treacle. " " Black treacle is very similar to molasses. Rachel Husband/Getty Images Golden syrup: This is the sweeter of the two, known for its buttery taste and golden amber color, which deceives people into thinking it tastes like honey. In fact, it is much more akin to caramel or butterscotch. "It flows much more readily than honey and can be tricky to weigh and measure," Tonkinson says. This type is equivalent to American light molasses. Treacle tart is traditionally made with this kind of syrup. Dark treacle: Also known as black treacle or blackstrap molasses, this version is much stronger in flavor. "It is best combined as part of a batter along with another sweetener to avoid an overly bitter taste," says Tonkinson. Dark treacle is responsible for the caramelly rich flavor found in foods like toffee, fruit cakes and other sweets. "Black treacle is a vital ingredient in my Christmas cake recipe," says Josette Crane, from the town of Keynsham in southwest England. "I only use it once a year but it adds sumptuousness to the cake that no other ingredient can give." Treacle is, of course, super-sweet. Two tablespoons (about 43 grams) of black treacle will have 41 calories, 11 grams of sugar and 11 grams of carbs. But it is also full of minerals like manganese, iron, copper, magnesium and calcium. Advertisement Can I Make My Own Treacle? You probably could make your own treacle, in much the same way as you could grind your own flour or churn your own butter, but it's much easier to simply purchase a bottle or tin and be done with it. Lyle's is the largest producer of treacle in the world, shipping out more than a million tins of the sticky stuff every month. Adventurous chefs can still give it a shot, though. Here's a quick and relatively easy way to make homemade treacle from Steve's Kitchen: Advertisement Ingredients 200 g (7 oz) Sugar 60 ml (1/4 cup) Water 500 g (1.1 lb) More Sugar 250 ml (1 cup) Boiling Water 1/4 of a Lemon Advertisement Method Put the 200 g (7 oz) measurement of sugar into a saucepan. Then add 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water. Turn on the heat. Let sugars dissolve. Heat sugar without stirring until it turns a black or dark brown color. It should smell like rich, burnt caramel. Turn off heat and let the sugar cool until the bubbling stops. Add in the next round of sugar (500 g/1.1 lb), as well as the cup of boiling water. Fizzing and bubbling may occur. Dark sugars also may solidify. Squeeze a quarter of a lemon's worth of juice into the mixture. Put the lemon quarter in the pan. Return to heat. Gently stir and heat until all sugars are dissolved and liquidy. Simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes. At this point, Steve's Kitchen suggests checking to see if the treacle is the correct consistency. Do this by getting a pan lid. Then drop a small amount of treacle onto it. Allow to cool. Once it's cool it should be thick and sticky. If it's not thick enough, keep simmering a bit longer. If it's too hard, add more water and stir. And if you'd like to try your hand at treacle tart, the BBC has a recipe. Now That's Cool Treacle was originally used as a remedy against poison. The name comes from an ancient Greek word theriake, when meant "antidote against venom." RTHK: Putin, not China, 'tried to meddle in US election' Russian President Vladimir Putin likely directed an effort by Moscow to try to swing the 2020 US presidential election to Donald Trump, according to an American intelligence report released on Tuesday that linked the Kremlin and allies of the former president. The 15-page report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, added heft to longstanding allegations that some of Trump's top lieutenants were playing into Moscow's hands by amplifying claims made against then-candidate Joe Biden by Russian-linked Ukrainian figures in the run-up to the November 3 election. It also added new findings that Putin either oversaw or at least approved of the election meddling to benefit Trump. The report also punctured a counter-narrative pushed by Trump's allies that China was interfering on Biden's behalf, concluding that Beijing "did not deploy interference efforts". "China sought stability in its relationship with the United States and did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk blowback if caught," the report said. The findings about Putin's role are likely to receive particular attention given the report's conclusions that Russia-backed figures such as Ukrainian parliamentarian Andriy Derkach enlisted unnamed US political figures in their campaign to smear Biden and his son Hunter. The report named Derkach, who met Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani in 2019, as someone whose movements were being tracked, if not directed, by Putin. "Putin had purview over the activities of Andriy Derkach," the report said. "Other senior officials also participated in Russia's election influence efforts including senior national security and intelligence officials who we assess would not act without receiving at least Putin's tacit approval." Biden, a Democrat, defeated Trump, a Republican, and became president in January. US intelligence agencies and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller previously concluded that Russia also interfered in the 2016 US election to boost Trump's candidacy with a campaign of propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. The US intelligence report also found other foreign attempts to sway American voters in 2020 including a "multi-pronged covert influence campaign" by Iran intended to undercut Trump. As president, Trump pulled the United States out of an international nuclear deal with Iran and imposed fresh sanctions. US officials said they also saw efforts by Cuba, Venezuela and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to influence the election, although "in general, we assess that they were smaller in scale than those conducted by Russia and Iran." (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Health official: 'We are very pleased with the decline in case numbers' NEWTOWN - An audit of the security camera footage that was hacked at Sandy Hook school and other classroom buildings in Newtown last week has shown that no one got their hands on images of the childrens faces or other compromising information, police said on Monday. We can tell through the audit trails what the scope of the breach was, and we are confident that our children were not in jeopardy, and their safety will not be further jeopardized, said Newtown police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde. Our chief has been in direct contact on a daily basis with representatives from Verkada, and working with the school district, we have had multiple meetings to determine the extent of this breach. The police departments assurance that Newtown school children were not endangered by last weeks breach of the California-based video security vendor Verkada backs up the initial assessment of town leaders, who said they were disappointed by the attack but not concerned that it put students at risk. At the same time, Newtowns top educator stressed that the hackers didnt have access to compromising information about children or staff at Sandy Hook and the towns other six school buildings, because the school district does not use Verkadas recognition software that tracks individual characteristics, such as face, gender and clothing. Newtown Public Schools does not (now) nor has it ever utilized the people analytics feature (facial recognition) or the audio capabilities available on the Verkada cameras, schools Superintendent Lorrie Rodrigue said in a statement. Our cameras are used for the review of live and recorded footage only. No classroom footage is viewable. Meanwhile Verkada continued to investigate the attack, which affected scores of its clients across the country, including hospitals, jails, nonprofits and Newtowns own newly built police headquarters. Police Chief James Viadero said cameras at the $15 million headquarters are in common areas, such as hallways and vestibules and not in private areas such as locker rooms. Its always concerning when you hear about something like this, but I have no concerns about our physical security, Viadero said. The main thing is the breach was corrected, and they are making sure it doesnt happen again, and I am very, very pleased with the response. Verkada did not return a request for comment on Monday but issued a statement - its third since announcing the breach on March 9. If you have not been contacted, we want to let you know that currently available evidence shows no access to your organizations image or video data by the attackers, said Kyle Randolph, Verkadas chief information security officer. It was not clear on Monday who else in Connecticut was in Newtowns shoes. The FBI, which is involved in the investigation, declined to comment on Monday about others who may have been hacked in Connecticut. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that Swiss authorities raided the home of a software engineer who took credit for helping to break into Verkadas system. Last week, the AP reported that the intention behind the hack was, in part, a desire for funand a better world. As such, neither Sandy Hook School nor Newtown were singled out for the hack, police said Monday. The hackers just wanted to expose the fact that they have the ability to get into the system and exploit a weakness, Bahamonde said. This is a nationwide issue with Verkada. We werent the primary targets of this breach. Even if the school was targeted, it would take more than hacking into the security camera system to make it vulnerable, Bahamonde said. After the 2012 murder of 20 first-graders and six educators, Newtown built a new Sandy Hook elementary school with multiple security features, including armed school security officers. The Verkada cameras, which replaced an older and more expensive video security system at Sandy Hook and other school buildings in 2019, gave police more options than the previous models, Bahamonde said. We are continuing to use their services and we are confident going forward with them, based on the steps theyve taken, Bahamonde said. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 A New York man who slashed teen Instagram star Bianca Devins' throat before posting gruesome images of her bloody body online has been sentenced to at least 25 years in prison. Brandon Clark, 22, was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to killing the 17-year-old in Utica, in central New York, back in July 2019. He will spend between 25 years and life behind bars. Devins was known among her 170,000 Instagram followers as an e-girl who posted about emo fashion and video games. She was murdered by Clark after the pair returned to Utica from a concert in New York City the night of July 14, 2019. Brandon Clark, 22, was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to killing 17-year-old Bianca Devins in Utica, New York, back in July 2019 After slitting Devins' throat, Clark posted photos of her bloody body on Instagram and chat app Discord. He posted one of the photos with the caption: 'I'm sorry Bianca'. Clark slit Devins' throat after they returned from a concert in New York City. He then cut his own throat and took a selfie with Devins' body before police arrived The gory photos were widely shared online and remained up for almost a day before being removed. Instagram was heavily criticized for not removing the photos sooner. Officers were trying to find the teen when Clark called 911 himself to report what he had done after authorities started receiving calls reporting the online photos. A recording of the 911 call was played during his trial where Clark was heard saying: 'My name is Brandon, the victim is Bianca Michelle Devins, I'm not going to stay on the phone for long because I still need to do the suicide part of the murder-suicide.' Clark then cut his own throat and took a selfie with Devins' body before police arrived. Officers who tracked the call found Clark stabbing himself in the neck. He was taken into custody and hospitalized. His mugshot showed a scar on his neck from where he stabbed himself. Devins was known among her 170,000 Instagram followers as an e-girl who posted about emo fashion and video games Devins and Clark had met on Instagram about two months prior, according to police. Authorities said the two were friends but not romantically involved Police said at the time that Clark had slit the teen's throat in a jealous rage after seeing her kiss another man at the concert. Authorities said the two were friends but not romantically involved. Devins and Clark had met on Instagram about two months prior, according to police. Clark pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February last year before trying to withdraw his plea five months later because he claimed he hadn't been given effective legal representation. He was given a new attorney in August last year before a judge denied his request to change his plea two months later. Clark was initially scheduled to be sentenced last November but the hearing had to be delayed due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the prison where he was being held. One year ago, bars and streets were empty as the coronavirus put a hard stop to most planned events for St. Patrick's Day. While the pandemic continues on, Connecticut has adapted to bring some normalcy back to the holiday. Though bars and other crowded events have taken yet another year off, there is still plenty to do around the state. Patna, March 16 : A Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) president in Bihar's Motihari town was shot at in broad daylight on Tuesday. The incident occurred around 11 a.m. when Pawan Gupta, who heads one of the basic co-operative credit institution, was sitting in his fertilizer shop in Matiyari Panchayat area under Harsidhi police station. Eyewitnesses said three assailants came on two bikes and barged into the shop. They open fired on Gupta, and tried to escape. Gupta received bullet injuries to his head and chest. The employees and owners of adjoining shops managed to overpower one of the attackers and brutally thrashed him. They also set his bike on fire. When contacted, an official of Motihari police station said that the accused was critical and he was admitted to a government hospital. "The accused is not in a position to give statement. We are waiting for his recovery. The reason of murder will be clear after that," he added requesting anonymity. The angry shop owners also blocked a road connecting to a state highway. They demanded immediate arrest of the other attackers. Sofa and flooring retailer ScS has pledged to return the furlough money it received from the Government - as long as it can reopen its shops later this year - after it unveiled 'record' sales in the six months to the end of January. The Sunderland-based company, whose 100 stores around the country are all still temporarily closed, said the release of pent-up demand at the end of the first lockdown helped boost sales. Revenues rose 14 per cent to 173.9million in the first half of its financial year to the end of January, also helped by strong online sales, which rose 81 per cent to 17.7million in the period. Booming online sales: ScS said investments in digital channels helped lift online sales by 81% Strong demand for furniture from Britons wanting to spruce up their homes during the pandemic has helped the company swing from a loss of around 600,000 to a 17.7million profit before tax. ScS said that although its core 'store' customers waited until their stores re-opened to buy sofas and other furniture, it has seen a strong growth in online sales, which has cushioned a 9 per cent decline in like-for-like order intake as stores closed. The online boom was helped by the relaunch of its website in July, which the company says it makes it easier for customers to browse for products on mobile phones and tablets, as well as the launch of web-only products. Then in January, ScS launched 'MyScSLive', where customers can make video calls with members of staff in store who can give product demonstrations and talk about products. Customers wanting to buy flooring can also book virtual appointments with ScS' surveyor teams, who can video chat with shoppers help them measuring rooms in their homes. All these new digital options have helped boost online sales, ScS said. Investments in digital channels seem to pay off for furniture retailers, as rival DFS Furniture saw profits more than quadruple in the last six months of 2020, partly thanks to a boom in online sales as more customers relied on 'augmented' reality images to buy sofas without trying them out first. Still closed: All of ScS 100 stores are currently closed; they should reopen at the earliest on 12 April, although ScS said it was prepared for it to happen later - in May or end of June Outgoing ScS chief executive, David Knight, said: 'We are delighted to be reporting a strong result for the first half of the year, and continue to make progress on our strategic priorities.' And added: 'The business continues to adapt and respond to trading conditions, with increased focus on the development of our digital channels.' ScS shares rose almost 6 per cent to 245.60p in afternoon trading on Tuesday. Since the end of January, things have been going even better online, with sales up nearly 158 per cent across the first seven weeks of the second half, although overall order uptake is down 87 per cent. Knight said that uncertainties in consumer confidence and the economic environment made it difficult to give a clear outlook for the months ahead. 'However, we remain cautiously optimistic as recent government announcements have provided further clarity on the anticipated reopening of our stores,' he added. Matt Walton, a senior retail analyst at GlobalData, said the company is likely to see a second bounceback once stores reopen, as pent-up demand is released and shoppers visit stores to test products prior to purchase. But he added: 'The lag between purchase and delivery, which has recently been exacerbated by the European foam shortage and disruption with shipping, means the benefit of this recovery will not be felt straight away.' The company's pledge to repay furlough money it claimed during the six months before the end of the financial year also depends on stores being able to reopen 'in line' with the company's expectations. In theory, non-essential stores like ScS should be allowed to reopen on 12 April, according to the latest Government guidance. However, ScS said that under its 'base' scenario, this may not happen until 1 May, and under its 'severe but plausible' scneario, it may have to wait until the end of June to reopen stores. The company was given 1.3million via the furlough scheme, which covered 80 per cent of furloughed ScS staff's salaries. The company topped up the additional 20 per cent during the time staff were furloughed. Jharkhand: Set to produce 2.4 lakh metric tons of fish in FY 2020-21 March 16,2021 | Source: Daiji World Jharkhand has set a target to produce 2.4 lakh metric ton of fish in the current Financial Year 2020-21. For achieving this, the state is encouraging farmers to opt for fish farming and earn higher profits. The Jharkhand government is promoting fish farming and trying to encourage it as a practice among the farmers. In addition to public ponds, fish farming is being practised in privately-owned ponds as well. With the goal of making Jharkhand a leading producer of fish in the country, the state government has set a target of producing 2.65 lakh metric ton of fish during the Financial Year 2021-22. "In FY 2020-21, the state government has set a target to produce 2.4 lakh metric ton of fish. As compared to this target, by January this year, more than 1.94 lakh metric ton fish has been produced," said the Animal Husbandry department. The target of 1,000 crore fish seed production in FY 2020-21 has also been achieved. Additionally, during 2020-21, the state government created a fish rearing pond on 58 acres of land. In the recently tabled state budget for 2021-22, the government has revised its target in the sector and aims at producing 1,100 crore fish seeds and develop a fish rearing pond utilising 80 acres of land. With support from the state government, the number of fish farmers and fish producers has risen to 7,390. Jharkhand also aims to become a leader in fish seed production in the country. To support fish farmers and promote the occupation, the state government has stored 349.24 lakh major carp and 81 lakh grass carp fish seeds along with 1,44,438 fish spawn. The government is promoting feed-based fisheries to quicken the pace of development for this sector. During the Financial Year 2021-22, the Central government has promised support with fish seeds and provide boats at subsidised rates. The Central government is also providing floating fish seed to the fisheries at a subsidy of 50 per cent to help increase the fish production for more profits. The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty are likely to open higher on Tuesday, tracking positive global cues and firm trading at Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange. Among the individual stocks, shares of Tata Communications, MTAR Tech, Adani Green, Welspun, Max Healthcare, NIIT, AU Small Finance Bank and others will be in focus in Tuesday's trading session. Also read: Stock Market Live Updates: Sensex, Nifty seen opening higher; Tata Comm, MTAR Tech, Adani Ports in focus Stocks to watch today: Here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in Tuesday's trading session. Tata Communications: The central government has proposed to divest 10 percent shares in Tata Communications, along with an additional 6.12 per cent as Green Shoe Option, according to Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). The offer for sale (OFS) of the government equity in Tata Communications Ltd (TCL), which currently stands at 26.12 per cent, will open on March 16. PSU banks: Shares of public sector banks will remain in focus as the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has given a call for a two-day nationwide strike to protest against privatisation of state-owned lenders. Adani Green: Adani Renewable Energy has reportedly placed the lowest bid in an auction conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) for setting up and supplying 1.2-gigawatt (GW) wind power capacity. Welspun India Ltd: Shares of Adani Group and Welspun will be in focus as Adani Welspun Exploration Ltd. (AWEL), a joint venture between the Adani Group and Welspun Enterprises Ltd., discovered natural gas reserves in an area off the Mumbai coast. The first-ever gas discovery was made in the NELP-VII block MB-OSN-2005/2, Adani Welspun Exploration Ltd (AWEL) said. Spread across 714.6 square kilometers, the block is located in the prolific gas-prone Tapti-Daman sector of the Mumbai Offshore basin where production is already underway by other operators. NIIT: NIIT (USA) Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of NIIT, has inked a managed services agreement with a US based financial services organisation (an existing client) to provide a range of learning services. The term of the agreement is 5 years. Kalyan Jewellers: The IPO of Kalyan Jewellers will opens for public subscription on Tuesday and will close on Thursday. The price band of the issue is Rs 86-87 a share, while half of the issue has been reserved for qualified institutional buyers, 35 per cent for retail investors and 15 per cent for non-institutional bidders. Ahead of IPO, the company has raised Rs 352 crore from anchor investors. MTAR Technologies: Shares of MTAR Technologies will remain in focus after the stock made strong debut on bourses on Monday. The stock was listed at 82.60 per cent premium over its issue price at Rs 1,050. AU Small Finance Bank: The bank said that its board has approved allotment of 50,00,000 equity shares of face value Rs 10 each to eligible qualified institutional buyers at the issue price of Rs 1,251 per equity share. The shares will allotted at a premium of Rs 1,241 per share worth Rs 625.50 crore. Max Healthcare: The company has acquired 42.8 per cent equity stake in Saket City Hospitals Ltd (SCHL) from Kayak Investments Holding Pte. Ltd. Allcargo Logistics: The company has said that its board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per share of face value of Rs 2 each for FY21. The dividend will be paid to all equity shareholders of the company on or after March 24. Swastika Investmart Ltd: Swastika Investmart to distribute interim dividend of Rs 2 per equity share or 20 per cent of a face value of Rs 10 per share for FY21. The record date of payment of dividend is 23 March. People wear face masks as they walk through a market in Montreal, Sunday, March 14, 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes THE FORUM Making the victim pay I almost choked on my coffee this morning when I read Jennifer Dukes article (Super lifeline for abuse victims, The Age, 16/3) about women fleeing family violence being able to access their superannuation. This passes on responsibility to those who can least afford to carry it. As the article says, women are already severely disadvantaged in relation to superannuation, with many being forced to live in poverty as they grow older because their superannuation is so poor. It can take a woman several times to leave a violent partner so she could withdraw her superannuation, then, for all sorts of reasons, go back to the partner who would then benefit from superannuation. Women fleeing family violence require support, but surely as a civilised society her choice should not be between poverty in later life and safety. Marg DArcy, Rye Abusers getting a free ride If a victim is fleeing a domestic abuser surely it is the abuser who should be paying out of their super to assist the victim. Why should the victim lose super for being a victim? Its the same with support services. If a family violence victim has to use a shelter or relocate, the abuser should be sent the invoice to pay for it. At the moment abusers the vast majority who are male are getting a free ride. Make them pay for the consequences of their actions, not the taxpayer, charity or victim. Lorraine Beyer, Woodend Overtime deserved Hospitals are facing legal action on doctor junior pay (The Age, 16/3.) By the time the salaries and performance bonuses for all the chief executives have been allowed for, it is possible there is not enough money for anything else. Nurses have never been allowed overtime. I do wish the doctors all the best, it is likely they could face some sort of discipline for even thinking about this action. Anne Flanagan, Box Hill North Clocking accountability As a 25-year hospital emergency doctor, I now work at breakneck and unsustainable pace. Staff stress and misery is widespread. The straw that could well break this camels back is payroll querying a hospital doctors clinical urgency to do overtime and a senior doctors claim for call-ins to resuscitate patients. Its time to arrest the malignant growth of the non-clinical and strategy-devising executive tier, deploying the saved hundreds of millions to nurses and doctors looking after patients. Touch screen clock in, clock out, paid break, meal break real-time monitoring technology is intended to better remunerate workers for time spent at work. This includes overtime that could have been overlooked or ignored by employers in the past. This technology holds potential to minimise wage theft and ensures penalties are applied for working non-social hours and weekends. Stingy bosses will now be unable to shorten submitted work hours to contain wage costs, dissuaded by an electronic audit trail of time sheets. Joseph Ting, Carina, Qld Split shift It is amazing that Christian Porter is allowed to delegate key parts of his job to others to keep his cabinet position as he pursues his defamation allegations against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan (Porter to return as defamation fight looms, The Age, 16/3). Effectively this means that the taxpayer is helping to fund his case. Of course he is entitled to the presumption of innocence but this is while women are being permitted to tap into their own superannuation accounts up to $10,000, which will disadvantage them in the later years. Perpetuated bias against women is both overt and covert and appears multifaceted and pervasive. No wonder so many women are outraged. Jan Marshall, Brighton Stand aside Excising the courts from Christian Porters responsibilities diminishes the position of Attorney-General and makes a mockery of the title First Law Officer of the Crown. To preserve the institution, Porter should stand aside entirely, until his conflict of interest is resolved. Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills Identity guesswork Christian Porters defamation proceedings against the ABC and Louise Milligan apparently claims that, while unnamed in the original report, he was identifiable with accuracy by any reasonable person. I report here on an actual test of this claim. I had contacted a few friends to see who they thought was this man of mystery. All of us are avid followers of news, and made guesses as to the identity of the unnamed figure. My guesses were based on membership of cabinet, a birthdate based on the date of the allegations, and the location. This gave me a shortlist of two, neither being Porter. Another friend suggested a third and different candidate, also not Porter. So, based on this actual attempt, I would say that identification of Porter solely from the ABC report has about the accuracy of sticking a pin in a list of all 16 male cabinet ministers. Don Newgreen, Brunswick West Political nerds Like Michael Douglas (Tricky issues in Porter defamation suit, Opinion, 16/3), my partner and I would probably qualify as political nerds. We had an ongoing debate over the breakfast table about the identity of the minister accused of rape, which was only settled when Christian Porter fronted his press conference. If it had been possible to identify him from the February 26 story, I think we would have done so. Caroline Williamson, Brunswick Not a denial When confronted in Parliament with the allegation that his media unit had undermined and discredited the loved ones of Brittany Higgins, Scott Morrison said he had no knowledge of that and would never instruct that. But he didnt deny it had happened. So, PM, who in your media unit authorised and conducted the undermining? Have you asked? Stephen Williams, Wandin North Leadership mirage Michael OBrien joins the long list of opposition leaders elected by their party just after an embarrassing election loss only to find that it was all a ruse. The role was really only to be the political night-watchman, destined to be the fall guy. Paul Miller, Box Hill South Billion-dollar reminder Michael OBrien has claimed that as a former state treasurer he would make the most suitable candidate for state LNP leader, as he would understand the intricacies of state financial recoveries. This is the same bloke who deliberately left Victorians with a $1 billion debt after he did a watertight deal with the east/west tunnel developers. John Cain, McCrae Clear the roads Melbourne traffic is making movement increasingly frustrating for many people. Solutions seem to always require massive infrastructure or costs. Maybe it would be better to make better use of what we already have. Why not open up the road space by making all 60 km/h roads within 20 kilometres of the CBD clearways all day. Most of these roads are major transit arteries and half closed by parked cars. We could double the available space for movement with the stroke of a pen. I can hear the small shop owners squealing already but why does the taxpayer have to provide business with free car parking. Another possible measure would be to restrict right hand turns on these roads. It is a Melbourne culture that does not exist in other states that drivers expect to turn right at any time no matter what the effect on traffic. It is time for this practice to be restricted to turn right lanes only. Philip Crowley, Canterbury Discount wasted I have discovered by chance I was not getting the 30 per cent off-peak discount granted on tram journeys until April 30. That was because after being conditioned not to we must touch off on trams to get the discount. I am not the only who has been missing out. On my tram this morning no one was touching off. Yarra Trams need to make on board announcements advising passengers how to get the reduced fare. Jan Lacey, North Melbourne Pokie hours Regarding Anna Bardsleys experience (Pokies seemed like a good idea at the time, Opinion, 16/3), 30 years ago, I wouldnt have thought that the pokies would cause me any problems but in 2016, aged 64, I was sentenced to 18 months in prison and had lost more than $400,000 over seven years to the pokies. I got the help I needed through a Gamblers Help Counsellor in prison to understand the addictive nature of these horrible machines. I met many women in prison whose families had disowned them because of their gambling. I agree with Anna that nothing good happens in a pokies venue at 3am and shorter hours, reduced bet value, slower spinning and the addictive nature of the machines removed would have helped me and will help many others. Carolyn Crawford, Frankston Church out of touch Once again the Pope and the Catholic Church ties itself in knots over accepting the possibility of homosexuality as a legitimate attribute acceptable to God. Similar archaic attitudes to premarital sex and contraception are driving young people away from the church in droves. If the church is to have ongoing relevance in a rapidly evolving world, it will need to accept that sexual pleasure, alone or with others of whatever sex, married or unmarried, is a fundamental human right. There is much to admire in Christian teaching: love, forgiveness, generosity and selflessness. That is where the emphasis should lie. Peter Barry, Marysville Wright stuff How good a writer is Tony Wright? One only has to read two of his recent epistles, about the loneliness of long-distance seafarers (The Age, 6/3) and the entertainment provided by the British royal family (A royal spectacle, just not the usual kind, 13/3) to arrive at the obvious answer. Absolutely brilliant. Richard Davies, Hawthorn East AND ANOTHER THING... Politics Josh Frydenberg sees light at the end of the tunnel (Light at end of tunnel as Treasurer eyes budget fix, The Age, 16/3.) He is looking the wrong way: with so few achievements he must be looking at where he started. Ralph Tabor, Pakenham Illustration: Matt Golding Credit: Thank you Prime Minister. Its a great comfort to know that we wont be machine-gunned if we march in peaceful protest in the streets of our cities and towns. John Mosig, Kew I suppose Scott Morrison is also grateful that he hasnt been carted off to a secret location by the military. Happens in countries not far from here. Jane Lovibond, Margate How good is not getting shot! Graham Spooner, East Melbourne When Morrison speaks he is not addressing The Age/ABC crowd. His messaging is for a different crowd, and they love it. Graham Fetherstonhaugh, Carlton North Victoria It appears Brad Battins average of nine is not enough to become team captain. Alan Inchley, Frankston Will James Merlino be borrowing Daniel Andrews North Face jacket for his press conferences? Seems its hard to run this state without it. Kevin Chambers, Greensborough To correct your correspondent, (Letters, 15/3), Premier Daniel Andrews did not go public he first went to Peninsula Private Hospital (not Frankston Public Hospital, which was just as close) before moving to the trauma unit of the Alfred Hospital. Lindsay Cooper, Brighton East Furthermore The pandemic must be over: petrol is at pre-COVID prices. Vincent ODonnell, Ascot Vale Witness Saw Plane 'Back Flip' Before Fatal Crash By West Kentucky Star Staff GRAVES COUNTY - The National Transportation Safety Board's recently released Aviation Accident Preliminary Report on a fatal plane crash last month near Mayfield describes what witnesses saw as the aircraft plummeted to the ground.Dr. Henry Babenco of Paducah was killed on the evening of Feb. 22 when his experimental Vans RV-7 crashed less than a mile from the north end of the Mayfield-Graves County Airport runway.The report says witnesses saw the plane doing touch-and-go landings on Runway 1 immediately prior to the crash.Another witness reported seeing the aircraft climb, before the tail dropped and the plane went into a backflip, heading nose first toward the ground.An examination of the wreckage revealed that all components of the aircraft were accounted for at the scene, and flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface.Examination of the aircraft's engine reportedly revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions prior to the crash, and there was an odor of aviation fuel at the crash site.The report says an engine data monitor was recovered for further examination.The NTSB says all information in its preliminary report is subject to change, and may contain errors which will be corrected when the final report is released. The Two Sessions are the two most important political meetings of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). They are annual gatherings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). As the two meetings are held annually at the People's Great Hall in Beijing, they are collectively called the Two Sessions. The NPC is the highest legislative body in the country, similar to the lower house of a bicameral parliament, while the CPPCC is equivalent to the upper house of parliament. Though I have drawn similarities here for the sake of understanding the nature of the two bodies of China, the Two Sessions are not exactly the same as parliaments in other countries. The fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) The Two Sessions are totally different from a traditional parliament in every sense including formations, functions, and procedures. They are completely democratic, but at the same unlike the parliaments of other nations around the world. That's why they are called the embodiment of democracy with Chinese characteristics. China believes that there is no single democratic model that can be applied to all countries. They believe that every nation has the right to pick its own model based on its history, economy, culture, tradition, society and national conditions. Keeping this in mind, China isnt just copying a Western democratic model. Rather, the country has settled on a new model called democracy with Chinese characteristics that differs from other models, as does Chinas history, culture, tradition, lifestyle, society, and economy. However, democracy with Chinese characteristics is totally people-oriented and takes people as the ultimate goal of development. In this unique form of democracy, China has rural autonomous village committees, and urban resident committees at its grassroots. The committees are directly elected by citizens who decide, manage and supervise their own affairs in a democratic manner. In the upper strata, China has Peoples Congresses at national, provincial, municipal, county and township levels. Peoples Congresses at county and township levels are elected directly by their constituencies, while Peoples Congresses at national, provincial and municipal levels are elected by the Peoples Congresses at the next lower level. Moreover, although many people know that China is run by a single party, the country has a multi-party cooperation and political consultation system under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The system is fundamentally different from both the Western two-party or multi-party competition system and the one-party system practiced in some other countries. There are nine political parties in China at present, with the CPC as the ruling party and the other eight parties participating fully in the exercise of state power and administration of Chinas state affairs. Under this unique party system, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Committees are established at national, provincial, municipal, and county levels. They are composed of members of all parties, personages without party affiliation, representatives from non-governmental organizations, ethnic minorities and all walks of life. This is how members of the NPC and the CPPCC serve as representatives of the people. The members of the NPC are called deputies as they are mandated and given authority by the people of China. Every deputy enjoys full freedom to express his or her opinions about any issue inside and outside the sessions. The majority always decides everything in the annual highest legislative and consultative meetings and other forums. From electing leaders to making decisions, there are strict practices of democracy at every stratum of the NPC and the CPPCC. The Two Sessions are, therefore, considered the embodiment of democracy with Chinese characteristics. People's Congresses at all levels exercise legislative power, supervise the enforcement of the Constitution and other laws, appoint or remove personnel and make decisions on important issues. The National People's Congress exercises powers to elect the President and the Vice-President of China and decide the Premier of the State Council upon nomination by the President. The CPPCCs at all levels exercise the functions of political consultation, democratic supervision, and participate in the administration and discussion of state affairs. Under this unique form of democracy, all Chinese, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or regional identity, enjoy equal political, economic, social and cultural rights. They have basic and fundamental human rights including rights to freedom of religion, speech and press, and of association. This year, the session of the NPC concluded on Thursday, while the curtains to the CPPCC session fell on Wednesday. Just as in the past, the just-concluded two sessions have also drawn global attention as they have dealt with some special issues related to interests outside China, including many domestic affairs. The decisions made in the sessions matter to the world, especially developing countries, as China has risen to global prominence as the largest factory and economic engine on the planet. The sessions have raised global hopes by making some important decisions that will influence the global economy, poverty alleviation, sustainable development, climate change and green economy, and cooperation on defeating the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese people have been similarly optimistic about the decisions including the domestic growth target, economic subsidies, agriculture and rural development, development of public livelihoods, and reducing income gaps between cities and villages. The Chinese are delighted to see the ratifications of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, and particularly, the improvement of the electoral system of Hong Kong, as they think the improvement is a long overdue duty of the NPC. The highest organ of state power, which is mandated and tasked with the duty by the constitution of China, has finally fulfilled its obligation. This article is edited and reprinted from the Bangladesh Post. Md Enamul Hassan is a news editor and broadcast journalist at China Media Group (CMG) in Beijing, China. Buckingham Palace has hired an external law firm to investigate claims that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, bullied royal staff, CNN understands. The Palace initially said it would investigate after a British media report earlier this month cited unnamed royal aides as saying a complaint had been made against Meghan in 2018. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said on Monday: "Our commitment to look into the circumstances around allegations from former staff of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex is being taken forward but we will not be providing a public commentary on it." CNN was not told which firm would be investigating the claims. The move comes as the Palace faces a crisis over the allegations made by Prince Harry and Meghan in their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry and Meghan did not comment on Monday, but a spokesperson for the couple previously dismissed bullying accusations reported by The Times newspaper as "defamatory." "Let's just call this what it is -- a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation," the Sussexes' spokesperson said. "We are disappointed to see this defamatory portrayal of The Duchess of Sussex given credibility by a media outlet." The Palace's aggressive plan to probe the report contrasts starkly with its approach towards Meghan's allegation of racism against a senior royal, which the family said it would keep in-house. Contrasting approaches from the Palace The war of words between the two camps erupted shortly before the airing of Meghan and Harry's discussion with Winfrey, in which the couple lifted the lid on the difficulties of their lives as royals and made a series of damning allegations against the family. Most strikingly, Meghan said that there were "concerns and conversations" about the skin color of their baby, Archie, and "what that would mean." Buckingham Palace later said the allegation of racism was "concerning" but that it would "be addressed by the family privately." It has taken a different approach with the claims that Meghan bullied royal staff, which emerged in an article in The Times. Critics of the Palace are also likely to point out that they have launched no such independent inquiry into the relationship between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, the late disgraced financier and convicted pedophile. But those allegations differ in that they relate to senior royals rather than staff, whose complaints are more likely to fall under the remit of human resources. The hiring of an outside firm comes after the Palace said their "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 earlier statement. During their interview with Winfrey, Harry and Meghan said they complained several times to the Palace that their mental health was suffering, but were dismissed. Meghan revealed that at one point she contemplated suicide, claims that have reverberated throughout Britain's media and put the royals under scrutiny. The only senior royal to face questions on the interview so far has been Prince William, who told a reporter last week that the royals are "very much not a racist family." Joe Biden will hold his first presidential press conference next Thursday, the White House announced on Tuesday amid criticism about the amount of time it has taken the president to hold a formal question and answer session with the press. 'President Biden will hold a formal press conference on the afternoon of Thursday, March 25th,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. Press conferences are ways for public officials to be held accountable for actions they are taking and policies they are implementing. That date is Biden's 64th day in office, a record for a modern president in waiting to hold a press conference. The previous record was set by President George W. Bush, who waited 33 days before hosting one. Most presidents - including Donald Trump and Barack Obama - hold a press conference in the first month of their administration. Trump held one on day 27 while Obama held one on day 20. A CNN analysis of the past 100 years found Biden is behind his 15 most recent predecessors, who all held a solo press conference within 33 days of taking office. Joe Biden will hold his first presidential press conference next Thursday That date is Biden's 64th day in office, a record for a modern president in waiting to hold a press conference Earlier this month Psaki defended Biden, saying he answers questions from reporters at events even though he hasn't held a formal press conference. 'Well, first as all of you know the president takes questions several times a week,' Psaki answered. 'He took questions actually twice yesterday, which is an opportunity for the people covering the White House to ask him about whatever news is happening on any given day.' During what's called a 'spray,' when reporters pop into a meeting with Biden for several minutes to take his photo and observe what he's doing, he's often answered a question or two. However the president also strains to hear what's being asked over the calls from his aides telling journalists to leave the room. 'I'm sorry, can't hear him,' Biden said in early March during an event in the Oval Office as reporters shouted questions and aides asked the media to leave. Biden also has answered questions when he's leaving the White House for trips and after he's made various announcements. Psaki also pointed to the current crises the president is tackling - the coronavirus pandemic and the economic fallout. 'So I think the American people would certainly understand if his focus, his energy and his attention has been on ensuring we secure enough vaccines to vaccinate all Americans, which we will do by the end of May and then pushing for a rescue plan that will provide direct checks to almost 160 million Americans,' the press secretary added. Asked if Biden was 'too busy' too hold a press conference, Psaki wouldn't latch on to that phrasing. Presidents usually take questions from journalists in a press conference format in the early days of their administration - Barack Obama talks to the press in January 2017 President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in September 2020 'I think he's answered questions, I believe the count is almost 40 times, so, and I would say his focus, again, is on getting recovery and relief to the American people,' she answered. 'And he looks forward to continuing to engage with all of you and to other members of the media who aren't here today.' Psaki has held a briefing every weekday since the inauguration unless the president is traveling. Briefings, however, have been limited to a rotating cast of reporters, in order for the press corps to maintain social distancing protocols. President Donald Trump was known for holding rollicking press conferences where he would tussle with reporters. Biden has been more press shy. For months on the campaign trail, he'd ignore shouted questions. When he started doing Q&A during the end of the campaign and the transition, one of his aides would give him a list of reporters to choose from, often from friendlier or the mainstream broadcast outlets. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Amber had been 'talking to something' in the middle of the night A terrified grandma is begging for help after capturing 'a demon' standing over her grandchild's bed - just days after the toddler was heard warning an invisible intruder to 'go away'. Tory McKenzie, 41, set up a motion-activated camera at her son's house after complaints his two-year-old daughter Amber McKenzie was talking to something unseen in the middle of the night. The grandma checked her camera's app four days later to find a bone-chilling image of a figure standing inches away from the sleeping tot and her seven-month-old brother Michael McKenzie, with 'a horn on its head and long claws'. The 'creature' is captured standing awkwardly, looking upwards just before 3am - and Tory insists the discovery has left her fearing for her grandchildren's lives. When she tried to rid the house of the 'evil presence' by burning oils, she claims cabinets and curtains opened and closed and music began to play by itself. A grandmother has captured a terrifying image of a 'horned demon' standing over her grandchild's bed in the middle of the night. She caught the creature on video after son said two-year-old Amber had been speaking in the night The mother-of-five shared her story via a paranormal Facebook page to ask for advice, leaving users horrified with many warning her to sell the house and others agreeing the being looked 'demonic'. The fearful grandma hit back at those who claimed the image had to be a fake, insisting she just wants to protect her family and does not have the technical knowhow to have changed the image. The family have recorded orbs floating around the children's bedroom, but the new image, captured in January, has triggered Ryan to take Amber and Michael out of their room and into his. Tory, from Las Vegas, Nevada, said: 'It was so shocking when I saw it. I had to do a double take. The first thing I saw was horns on its head, so you immediately think it's the devil or a demon. Mother-of-five Tory McKenzie, 41, shared her story via a paranormal Facebook page to ask for advice, leaving users horrified with many warning her to sell the house and others agreeing the being looked 'demonic' 'When we caught videos of the orbs we thought it was a family member looking after the kids, but that picture, I have no idea. It's terrifying. 'I showed the kids and my 13-year-old son was scared by it. I ran over to the house and showed my eldest son. We were just in shock and he couldn't explain it either. 'Everybody was asleep, so it couldn't have been my son or his partner. We have still shots of him in there and it looks nothing like that. I know that it's something supernatural. 'Ryan has moved the kids out of their room and into his room. Nothing bad has happened to them yet, but it's the fact that it could. Tory has hit back at critics who claim the image had to be a fake, insisting she just wants to protect her family and does not have the technical knowhow to have changed the image 'The two-year-old isn't scared of [the figure] and thinks it's her friend, but one night she told it to "go away". 'For the most part everybody's been supportive, suggesting what to do and who to speak to. I just want to get rid of whatever it is. 'I'm not that talented when it comes to technology to fake the photo, and I didn't share it on my own page so it's not like I was trying to get attention from it.' Tory says the two-bed condo is only around 20 years old, so she's surprised it would harbour such a dark presence. The cardiologist lives with her four other children Jonathan McKenzie, 19, Melissa McKenzie, 17, Travis McKenzie, 16, and Nicholas McKenzie, 13, a few minutes' walk away from Ryan and his partner Alicia Johnson. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of Alleghany Corporation (NYSE: Y) concerning possible breaches of fiduciary duty. To obtain additional information, go to: https://www.zlk.com/compensation2/alleghany-corporation-information-request-form or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500. There is no cost or obligation to you. Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized firm with offices in New York, Connecticut, California, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Joseph E. Levi, Esq. 55 Broadway, 10th Floor New York, NY 10006 jlevi@levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500 Fax: (212) 363-7171 www.zlk.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77444 Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia At Tigin Irish Pub in Stamford, the busiest two weeks of the year normally fall between the citys St. Patricks Day parade and March 17. Crowds of green-clad revelers descend upon the pub to enjoy drinks and Irish fare, with live music, dancing and drinking extending to an outdoor tent. But almost exactly one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Tigin isnt planning an all-day party or hiring a band. Because of the states continued restaurant restrictions and safety protocols, and the pubs own strict adherence to safety, the holiday will be just another day of business in 2021. I think there's a desire for people to want to get back to normal, and to have St. Patrick's Day, but it's not going to be this one, said general manager Dani Corbett. Not at our pub. When Gov. Ned Lamont ordered restaurants and bars closed as of 8 p.m. on March 16, 2020, the shutdown was a shock to the entire industry. But it was an even more substantial blow to Irish pubs, who were stocked up on corned beef and cabbage and extra kegs of beer, expecting to head into their biggest business day of the year. It probably couldnt have happened at a worse time for us, said Johnny Vaughan, owner of Vaughans Irish Pub in Hartford. He ended up donating extra food to local homeless shelters, and soon after that closed the restaurant temporarily for six months, as the city had emptied of office workers, travelers and eventgoers. In the West End of the capital city, The Half Door also missed out on the holiday, which normally pulls in about 10 times the revenue of a normal Saturday, said manager Alex Jensen. The pub traditionally opens at 8 a.m. on March 17 with a kegs and eggs style breakfast, and extends the party outdoors with patio seating, weather permitting. That was a big wrench in our plans last year, but were looking to recover this year, Jensen said. Obviously minimally, but to the best we can. Restrictions on capacity, table spacing, alcoholic beverage service and party size (limiting tables to 8 guests) will impact the scope of St. Patricks Day events at restaurants this year. Though Lamont recently announced the state would lift most capacity restrictions at restaurants, the next phase doesnt go into effect until March 19. Even then, restaurateurs say it wont make much difference, as tables still need to be spaced six feet apart for social distancing, or protected by non-porous barriers like Plexiglas. That effectively limits capacity. The state also continues to require restaurants to serve food with alcohol, characterized as similar in quality and substance to a meal, and alcoholic beverages may not be served to any patron unless the person is seated at a table or bar and is presently consuming food prepared on the premises. Bars that serve only beverages will remain closed. At Tigin, Corbett says she doesnt know what to expect in terms of crowds. But the pub staff is planning to treat it like any other day. We still have the same restrictions, she said. You can't drink alcohol without ordering food; our tables have to be spaced. We can only have certain capacity...we can only do what we can do. So it's really just another day of business for us. And people are really disappointed, but it is what it is. Its hard to plan this year, because you dont know if people will be out or not, said Eamonn Ryan, owner of Playwright Irish Pub in Hamden. Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media In addition to March 17, Ryan said, Playwright normally also sees crowds on the day of the Greater New Haven St. Patricks Day parade, and the restaurant will cater events at private clubs. The club events are very minimal this year, he said, and the states parades are on hiatus for the 2021 season. But the restaurant will be serving up its Irish specialties for the holiday: corned beef dinners, sandwiches and Reubens; bangers and mash, fish and chips, shepherds pie. Ryan also said hes beginning to see more guests return for indoor dining, as they receive their vaccinations. Vaughans and The Half Door will welcome diners by reservation on March 17. The Half Door will open at 8 a.m. for brunch until 4 p.m., with guests seated for two-hour slots. After 4 p.m., the restaurant will offer regular dining, with a three-course menu. Vaughans will open at 11 a.m. and offers a $35 prix-fixe menu, with appetizer, choice of entree, dessert and choice of adult beverage, Johnny Vaughan said. Neither restaurant will present its traditional St. Patricks Day entertainment, which in the past has included Irish step dancers, bagpipers and live bands. But at the Half Door, Jensen plans to stream a live performance by the musical group Flogging Molly. This will be our 17th season, Vaughan said. This one is a little strange, because I think we all sort of enjoy the normal chaos of St. Patricks Day. I think its like the best and the worst day, all kind of rolled into one. St. Paddys Day is kind of like spring break for adults. I think this year it will be more structured and regulated. JayStation telling his audience on Twitter about his ban Twitter/ItsJayStation Jason Ethier, known as JayStation, has had his last two YouTube channels banned. On Twitter, Ethier said he plans on suing YouTube and that the bans were "random." Ethier has a long history of controversy and recently called COVID "fake" on Instagram. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Jason Ethier, known online as JayStation, said he plans to sue YouTube after the platform terminated his last two channels. The controversial YouTuber's "ImJayStation" channel had over 6.2 million subscribers before it was "terminated for a terms of service violation," according to a tweet from YouTube's creator-support account. Ethier's second channel, "666," which had under a million subscribers, was also taken off the site. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ethier is no stranger to controversy and has been making waves in the YouTube space since he started posting in 2015. After his main channel was demonetized following a November 2016 arrest, Ethier began posting on different channels, which have since been suspended. The creator's previous channel suspensions have all come after major controversies. YouTube did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, and it was not clear whether the creator recently violated the platform's guidelines. In a series of tweets on Friday, Ethier claimed that he recently "switched his content" from pranks to reaction videos in an effort to comply with YouTube rules. He claimed he would sue the company. Ethier can no longer create a YouTube channel as it would constitute ban evasion and cause his newer channel to be taken down. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ethier claimed in a video posted to Twitter at 3 AM on Saturday that the ban was "random." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "I'm going to have a channel on YouTube, it's going to be big but I can't tell anybody and it isn't going to have my face," Ethier says in the video. Ethier also sparked controversy on Instagram, falsely claiming that "COVID is fake as f---" and telling followers not to get vaccinated or wear masks to protect themselves from the deadly illness. Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ethier did not respond to a request for comment. JayStation has a long history of contention with YouTube Ethier's original JayStation channel was dedicated to pranks, where he posted "24-hour challenge" videos that showed him seemingly entering homes and businesses with no legal right to be in. In November 2016, Ethier was charged with five counts of trespassing by the Ottawa Police, and YouTube demonetized the channel shortly after. The Ottawa Police Department did not immediately respond to Insider's inquiry regarding the status of the charges. Though the original JayStation channel remained up, Ethier switched over to ImJayStation to post his monetizable content. There, he became an even larger infamous figure, posting his "3 am Challenge" videos that had him pretend to use a Ouija board to contact deceased celebrities shortly after their passing, like Desmond "Etika" Amofah, XXXTentacion, and Kobe Bryant. But the creator's most widely publicized controversy came in January 2020, when he claimed that his girlfriend, YouTuber Alexia Marano, had been killed in a drunk driving accident. Four days later, Ethier admitted that her death was just a prank, causing social-media users to pick up on the story. In a now-deleted video on his channel, Ethier said, "I expected all of this to stay on YouTube and it didn't." Marano said in a since-deleted video that she did not want to take part in these pranks and left Ethier right after. The pair then started posting videos again together in April, though they have not appeared together in recent months. Ethier claimed in a January 2020 video that Marano spoke to police and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. The Toronto Police Department told Newsweek in February 2020 that Ethier was charged with both assault and assault with a weapon. The status of those charges was not immediately clear at press time. By the end of that month, Ethier's "ImJayStation" channel had also been demonetized and the YouTuber said in a video that he would be taking a break from the channel. Ethier had transitioned to a new "666" channel last summer, creating commentary and gameplay videos to capitalize on YouTube's algorithm in an effort to reach new viewers. That channel was also removed by YouTube on March 12. Read the original article on Insider Farmers' Protest: Government should open doors for dialogue, says Unions protesting against farm laws India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Mar 16: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting against the Centre's new agriculture laws at Delhi's borders, on Tuesday said the government should remove "obstacles" and open the doors for dialogue, over a month and a half since the talks between the two sides hit a roadblock. The government and the farmers have held 11 rounds of talks, the last one being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the protests at different border points of the national capital that began in November last year. "The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has always been in favour of dialogue. The government should remove various obstacles and open the way for dialogue," a statement issued by the SKM said. The farmers have already rejected the old proposal of the government, it said. Farmers' Protest: Farmers likely to block Delhi-Noida border Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had last month said the government was ready to resume the talks with the protesting farmers, but first they should respond to its offer to put the three contentious farm laws on hold for a year and a half and set up a joint committee to find solutions. The talks between the two sides have not resumed following the widespread violence during a tractor rally by the protesting farmers on January 26. The protesters have been demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. It has been more than three months since the protests began at Delhi's borders and the government is not even showing basic humanity towards the protesters, the SKM alleged. It also condemned and "opposed" the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property During Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021, claiming that it will suppress the voice of people. "This effort is being made to suppress the current farmers' movement and engage the farmers in false cases," the SKM said. In order to strengthen the movement nationwide, a joint session of trade unions, transport unions and rights organisations will be held on Wednesday, it added. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 21:29 [IST] World Vision's $3.7 million coronavirus campaign to aid nearly 400,000 in China Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As over 1,600 people in China have died due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the international evangelical humanitarian agency World Vision is spending millions to provide assistance to nearly 400,000 people in the midst of the deadly health crisis. Sponsoring over 55,000 children and employing 300 staffers in China, World Vision is one of the largest humanitarian aid organizations operating in the country. The organization remains concerned about the increasing rate of confirmed coronavirus cases as China reported at least 121 more deaths from the virus on Friday. The Chinese government reported Saturday that 1,665 people have died from the virus. Erica Van Deren, World Vision program manager for humanitarian and emergency affairs, told The Christian Post that about 39,000 of World Visions sponsored children live in areas of China that are at immediate risk of the coronavirus. However, she said that none of the World Vision sponsor children have contracted the virus. Were working with our sponsor children and their families to make sure their families have the protective equipment that they need, Van Deren said. Then also [they need the] education and understanding of how they need to protect themselves from this and talk to kids about the fear and stress they may be having. World Vision aims to help 390,000 people in 10 Chinese provinces by distributing personal protective equipment and sanitation products that include facemasks, thermometers, sanitizers and soap. The cost of World Visions coronavirus-related efforts in China is estimated to be about $3.7 million. Van Deren said World Vision has already distributed 50,000 hospital-grade facemasks to people in five counties in four provinces. These are incredibly poor families, she said. World Vision China has a history of addressing the needs of these communities. World Vision will work with local partners to reach vulnerable families to educate them on the importance of proper hygiene and handwashing techniques. In addition to helping sponsor children and their families, World Vision is also helping local community health workers in provinces like Hubei and Hunan to ensure that they have the right protective supplies. Those include gowns, gloves, eye protection and respirators. World Vision will also seek to assist Chinese institutional homes for vulnerable children. Such homes include orphanages or centers for disabled children. Right now, that is sort of a gap in the response, Van Deren explained. World Vision is helping to fill that gap and working with the government to make sure that the people working in those homes have the protective equipment that they need. World Vision has experience assisting vulnerable communities through its work in past health crises such as Zika, Ebola and H1N1. As the total number of coronavirus cases has surpassed 68,500 worldwide, World Vision is also working on a global preparedness plan with all of its offices, especially those bordering China and some of its offices in Africa. As of Saturday, four reported coronavirus-related deaths have been reported outside of China. We dont want anybody out there to think there is a big fear of transmission being outside of China, Van Deren said. Really, the biggest concerns are inside China. But every office is assessing what is the World Vision capacity to respond if this were to come [to their countries] and if the host governments are ready to respond if this were to happen. Van Deren said that in Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, Myanmar and the Philippines, they are confident in the abilities of the World Vision offices and the national governments to respond. However, there is concern about countries with inadequate health systems. Our biggest concern is if this were to go into countries that dont have strong health systems or dont have strong governments that are able to control and trace the virus, she stressed. What we have right now is the grace of time. Lets be thinking about what would happen if this were to come to a country in southern Africa and think about who would lead our response there and who would be our public health leaders. In a lot of these places we have worked for a long time on infectious diseases like Zika, Ebola and HIV and we already have strong connections to the ministry of health and local health workers, she added. There has just been an incredible amount of learning from the Ebola outbreak that we can be applying to this coronavirus outbreak. In the U.S. there have been 15 cases of the coronavirus confirmed in seven states. "Right now we're in an aggressive containment mode," Centers for Disease Control Director Dr. Robert Redfield told CNN, adding that they dont know a lot about the virus. "This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission." London: Britain will seek more trade and direct investment from Beijing, despite a major review of its foreign and defence policy describing China as the biggest state-based threat to the UKs economic security. It will also seek a transformation of its relationship with India over the next decade, as part of a major tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region. People walk through a quiet Chinatown in London. A review of the British governments foreign policy advocates for more Chinese investment in the UK. Credit:AP Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to release the long-awaited Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy on Tuesday evening AEDT. The strategy is touted as the biggest overhaul of Britains outward policies since the Cold War. It was due for release late last year but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A deaf barista was shocked to learn that an angry customer had emailed the owner of her coffee shop to complain about the 'Airpods' she wore while taking her order which are actually her hearing aids. Helen, 20, from California, was surprised and confused when she came into work one day last month to learn that a customer had made a formal complaint about her. The customer had emailed the owners of the company to blast her for being 'extremely unprofessional' by wearing wireless earbuds during her shift, not realizing that the devices she saw on Helen's ears were her medically necessary hearing aids. Uh-oh! A deaf barista called Helen, 20, was shocked when she went to work at a coffee shop and learned that a customer had made a formal complaint about her wearing AirPods Oh dear: Helen, from California, is medically deaf and was actually wearing her hearing aids, not a pair of AirPods Helen - who has otosclerosis, a condition that causes the abnormal growth of bone in the middle ear and results in severely impaired hearing - explained what happened in a viral TikTok video that's been viewed over 655,000 times. 'So I go into one of my jobs, I go to my coffee shop job, I have an amazing day. Everything's fine. I go home,' she says. 'Next day, I walk into my job and my shift lead says to me, "Hey Helen, there's something that happened, and it's gonna p*ss you off, it p*ssed me off, I already defended you, so don't worry about it, but you're gonna be annoyed.' Helen wondered what could possibly have happened. 'I haven't done anything wrong at this job, I love this job,' she said. She turned out to be right and the issue was a clueless, meddlesome customer who got ahead of herself. 'Apparently, one of the ladies that I helped out that day emailed our owners,' Helen says. NItpicky: The customer had complained that event though Helen's customer service was great, she was wearing Airpods Sticking her nose in: The woman said it 'was extremely unprofessional and a horrible look for the company' 'In this email, [she said] that she had a fantastic experience with me, great customer service, but I was wearing AirPods while taking her order, which was extremely unprofessional and a horrible look for the company,' she says. 'Yeah, I don't own AirPods. Those are my hearing aids,' Helen adds, moving her hair back to show one of the hearing aids in her ear. 'I guess I had my hair up in a bun, she saw something in my ear, and was p*ssed and emailed our owners,' she says. TikTok commenters are infuriated by her story, with many expressing hope that the 'Karen' who complained was made aware of her embarrassing error. 'I hope they tell her and she feels sooooo embarrassed,' wrote one. 'If you were in a wheelchair she would have complained you were sitting down,' speculated another. In a follow-up video, Helen said that the owners did wrote back to the complainer. Joke's on you! Helen wears hearing aids, which are what the woman saw 'Obviously, the owners emailed back,' she said. 'I don't know exactly what they said but what was relayed to me that they said is that [it was something along the lines of, "The employee that you're referring to is hard of hearing/deaf and wears hearing aids. If that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to bring your business elsewhere.' Helen added that it felt 'good' to have them stick up for her, and she doesn't know what the woman who complained looks like. 'I only had really good interactions with people that day, that's why I was so confused that I got a complaint,' she said. 'People will convince themselves that their emotions are completely a hundred per cent justified, and kind of rewire the truth into thinking that that's their truth.' She also promised that she isn't offended and thinks the whole thing was 'funny.' Helen had previously gone viral for revealing that she didn't even know she was deaf until she was 16 because of major failure of her school, which conducted hearing tests every year but dismissed her hearing issues. 'For as long as I can remember I was failing those tests, but they would always ask me one question after them: "Have you been sick within the last few weeks?" 'I always was sick when I was younger, so I'd say "yes" and they would say, "Oh your sinuses are probably just clogged up,"' she recalled. This happened all through her schooling until her sophomore year of high school, when the school nurse told her that she'd failed the hearing test again. 'I explained to her, this has happened every year, it's not really a big deal to me. And she was like, no, it kind of is a big deal, this happens every year?' The nurse was surprised to learn that no one had every contacted her parents about it, so she finally did. Finally, Helen was taken to a series of doctors, including an audiologist, to further test her hearing. An ENT eventually diagnosed her with otosclerosis, a condition that can cause mild to severe hearing loss. 'The bones in my ears that are supposed to conduct sound aren't conducting sound properly,' she said. explaining how she finally got her hearing aids. 'I love my hearing aids and I love being part of the deaf community,' she added. The new 1.5 acre facility, situated in an opportunity zone in Cleburne, Texas, will produce approximately 500 tons of leafy greens per year for its local offtake partners. Eden Green Technology's greenhouse modules are more sustainable and scalable than other hydroponic vertical farms, low-tech greenhouse formats, and traditional soil-based farming methods. The new facility will rely on 99% sunlight, rather than 100% LED lighting, and recycled water of up to 7,500 gallons a month. Combined with annual water consumption equal to only two households, the facility will produce 11 to 13 harvests per year, compared to 1-2 harvests yielded by traditional farming methods. In all, Eden Green Technology's facility will use 99% less land, and 98% less water, than an equivalent yield on a soil-based farm. "If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's the need for our communities to work together to make smart, sustainable, and resource-efficient decisions in pursuit of a better future," said Eddy Badrina, CEO of Eden Green Technology. "The fact is that land, water, and energy aren't being used efficiently to produce and distribute our food, and if we want to be responsible shepherds for future generations, we need to embrace solutions that maximize productive yield and profitability using our limited resources. This facility symbolizes a paradigm shift for how capital investment is being leveraged to do the most good where it's needed." Representing a new model for agribusiness, the investment and new greenhouse bring together capital, labor, and government in addressing local environmental issues and food security. With offtake partners prepared to buy the majority of the new facility's harvest, the greenhouse is slated to be profitable immediately, sustain 30 year-round, full-time essential jobs, and demonstrate the economic, environmental, and resource-use potential of smart vertical greenhouses. Scalable to any 1.5-acre footprint in almost any climate, the Cleburne facility is an example of Eden Green Technology's turnkey platform. These greenhouses, with their patented vertical farming technology, are available to retailers and food distributors, entrepreneur-led investor groups, nation states and municipalities, and philanthropic ventures and foundations. Because of the flexibility and quick construction of its location-agnostic greenhouse platforms, Eden Green Technology's greenhouses can drastically cut down transportation costs and food waste, with farm-to-shelf time counted in days, not weeks. The company's plans include partnering with companies and organizations not only in Texas, but also in other domestic and international locations. The company projects that there will be more than 20 greenhouses around the world by 2024. About Eden Green Technology Eden Green Technology, a Dallas-Fort Worth-based privately held company, is revolutionizing agriculture at a time when accessibility to safe, healthy and affordable fresh food is urgently needed. Eden Green Technology offers a Greenhouse-as-a-Service model, helping businesses vertically integrate, cities become food secure, and regions around the world combat commodity dependence. The company's proprietary "micro-climate" technology and hydroponic vine systems are modular, so that clients can build their greenhouse and celebrate their first harvest in less than a year. By shortening the food supply chain with local and sustainable solutions, the company's goal is to eliminate the problem of fresh food accessibility for every family no matter their economic situation. SOURCE Eden Green Technology Related Links https://www.edengreen.com/ Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on March 16, 2021 2021/03/16 CCTV: On March 15, Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, informing him of China's decision to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the peacekeeping missions in Africa. Do you have any comment on this? Zhao Lijian: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced China's decision to donate vaccines to the United Nations peacekeepers at the UN Security Council Ministerial Open Briefing on COVID-19 Vaccine Issue in February. Recently, the Chinese government has decided to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the peacekeeping missions in Africa. This is a further step to follow up on President Xi Jinping's pledge to make China's vaccines a global public good, a demonstration of China's support to the UN and multilateralism, the great importance China attaches to and its care for the safety and security of peacekeepers. The Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations sent a letter to UN Secretary-General yesterday to inform him of this decision. As one of the champions of safety and security issue under the "Action for peacekeeping" (A4P) initiative of the UN Secretary-General, China values highly the safety and security of peacekeepers, and supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers to protect their health and help them better perform their duties. The Chinese side will work closely with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date. Beijing Youth Daily: ROK media citing the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that the recent dust storm affecting the country and causing its air quality to plummet originated from China. This has triggered heated discussion in both China and the ROK over the issue of environmental and air pollution. Do you have a comment? Zhao Lijian: This topic is nothing new. Environmental and air pollution issues can cross borders easily. Science-based monitoring and comprehensive analysis is needed to reach a conclusion on the origins. According to the analysis of Chinese monitoring authorities, the dust storm originated from outside China and China is only one stop on its route. I noted the information released recently by the Mongolian government on the hazardous dust storm. The Chinese public doesn't criticize Mongolia because it may be the previous stop. All sides should look at the matter in a science-based and constructive manner, guide public opinion toward the positive direction, and refrain from unnecessary hype-up or hasty labeling. I would also like to add that China attaches high importance to preventing, curbing and combating desertification. We've made visible progress, with a marked drop in dusty weather in recent years. This has not only benefited China, but also contributed to improving air quality in the region. This dust storm shows that there's much to be done in regional cooperation to improve the environment. We stand ready to join hands with neighboring countries and the international community to do a better job in improving and protecting the regional and global environment and contribute to the building of a more beautiful and cleaner world. Bloomberg: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets officials in Japan today as part of efforts to find common ground to deal with China. Would the foreign ministry like to comment on this? Zhao Lijian: We believe that exchanges and cooperation between the US and Japan should help regional countries enhance mutual understanding and trust, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and uphold peace and stability in Asia Pacific. Their interactions shall not target a third party or hurt the interests of a third party. Prasar Bharati: Regarding China's announcements on visa facilitation in certain countries where Chinese vaccines are not being used, I'd like to understand what are the purpose and utility of these announcements. Has China approached these countries for recognizing Chinese vaccines? If not, then who do you think will benefit from these announcements? Zhao Lijian: So far, many countries and international organizations have floated the idea of linking vaccination status with opening up international travels. Some have already rolled out specific arrangements to implement such ideas. Our proposal to facilitate the travel of those who have been inoculated with Chinese vaccines is made after thoroughly considering the safety and efficacy of Chinese vaccines. We believe this is a meaningful exploration of facilitating international travel once mass vaccination has been achieved. It is not linked to the recognition of Chinese vaccines. Follow-up: That's fine. It's a meaningful attempt to open up the travels. But if the Chinese vaccines are not available at all in these countries, and China is not approaching those countries for using the Chinese vaccines, then how can anybody from those countries get inoculated by Chinese vaccines and get the benefit of the announcement? Also, would it not be better if China recognizes the WHO-approved vaccines, for most of Chinese vaccines are also in the process of approval by WHO? Wouldn't it be more useful? Zhao Lijian: I can understand what you were suggesting. But as I just said, China's proposal is a meaningful step we are trying to facilitate international travel. This is an arrangement made by the Chinese side unilaterally. It is a different thing from vaccine recognition. As to your question about China approving other countries' vaccines, I already stated China's position yesterday. China Review News: A survey among U.S. tech employees conducted by U.S. media Protocol which focuses on technology said that 56 percent of the respondents agree that "U.S. restrictions on Chinese technology companies have gone too far." About 60 percent agree that U.S. tech companies should work more closely with their Chinese counterparts and 58 percent agree that "a Cold War with China could cripple U.S. tech companies." I wonder if you have a comment? Zhao Lijian: Global cooperation in science and technology, key engines driving socioeconomic development, is the common aspiration and the overriding trend. The United States has long benefited enormously from the open global cooperation in this area. Scientific exchange and cooperation between China and the United States serves the interests of both countries and peoples. The previous U.S. administration, in a bid to retain its monopoly in the scientific field, chose to politicize scientific matters, over-stretch the concept of national security and abuse state power, erecting walls, decoupling and cutting supplies. Such moves ran counter to the trend of the times and the market economy rules, hurt others and itself, and could only lead to self-isolation and backwardness. The new administration should heed the objective and rational voice of domestic enterprises, correctly view China's scientific progress and China-US ties in the scientific sector, stop unjustifiable suppression and restrictions targeting Chinese tech companies, provide an enabling environment for China-US exchange and cooperation in this field and jointly contribute to global scientific development. Bloomberg: AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has demanded in a letter to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that the Biden administration and Congress cut off imports of solar energy products from Xinjiang. Trumka singled out products that "contain polysilicon made with forced labor." Does the foreign ministry have a comment on this? Zhao Lijian: There is not a grain of truth in the absurd allegation that there is "forced labor" in Xinjiang. Such an allegation was made to hold back the development of the relevant Chinese side and Chinese companies. We have repeatedly offered facts and truth on multiple occasions. We hope that the relevant organization and companies on the US side will talk and act responsibly, not only for themselves but also for others, tell truth from falsehood, respect facts, trust and spread no rumors, and make the right choice that serves their own interests. Shenzhen TV: Mr. Geir O. Pedersen, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, said in his press remarks at the Security Council that "it is important that we establish this new international format, in a manner where we bring in all the different parties that have an influence on this conflict, so obviously it will have to involve, one way or the other, all permanent members of the Security Council." What is China's comment? It has been ten years since the beginning of the Syrian tragedy. What role has China played in resolving the Syrian issue? Zhao Lijian: In the past 10 years, Syria has been injured by illegal invasion and foreign occupation and maimed by terrorism and unilateral sanctions. National development has almost ground to a halt. There are profound lessons the international community can take from this tragedy, and an important one is that wanton interference in internal affairs and unjustified pressuring and sanctions bring nothing but misery. It is the Syrian people who own their future. The international community should support a Syria-led and Syria-owned political process, support Special Envoy Geir Pedersen's mediation efforts, and play a constructive role in an early political settlement of the Syrian issue. Over the past decade, on the basis of respecting Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, the Chinese side has been promoting the political process in Syria and supporting the UN's mediation efforts. We maintain that terrorist forces in Syria must be uprooted and Syria's efforts to uphold national security and stability must be supported. We urge the relevant countries to lift their unilateral sanctions and illegal blockade over Syria and support Syria's efforts to improve its people's livelihood. China will continue to play a positive role in advancing an early, peaceful, just and proper settlement of the Syrian issue. Bloomberg: The encrypted messaging app Signal seems to have been blocked in China. Does the foreign ministry have a comment on this? Why does China block foreign social media platforms? Zhao Lijian: I'm not aware of what you mentioned and refer you to the competent authorities. I can reiterate our principled stance for you. China's internet is an open space which the Chinese government regulates in accordance with laws and regulations. Bloomberg: A Biden aid has said that China-US ties will not improve until Beijing stops economic coercion of Australia. Does the foreign ministry have a comment on it? Zhao Lijian: China and the United States will hold a high-level strategic dialogue in the coming days. The two sides are still in discussion on the specific agenda. We hope that building on the spirit of the phone conversation of the two heads of state on the eve of the Chinese lunar new year, the two sides can have candid talks on issues of common concern. China will make its position clear on relevant issues during the dialogue. The two sides should respect and treat each other as equals, enhance mutual understanding through dialogue, manage and dissolve differences and bring China-US relations back to the right track. The Chinese side has stated on many occasions its views on China-Australia relations. The root cause of the current difficulties in bilateral relations is Australia's wrong words and deeds on issues concerning China's sovereignty, security and development interests, which have undermined the foundation of mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries. The Australian side knows the ins and outs better than anyone else. Bloomberg: Bloomberg has reported that the Chinese government is telling Alibaba to sell some of its media assets including the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Can you confirm this? Does China want a state-owned company to buy the South China Morning Post? Zhao Lijian: I'm not aware of what you mentioned and have no specific information for you. NTV: I have a question about the Japan-US foreign ministers' meeting. At the meeting, US Secretary of State Blinken mentioned China and Myanmar as countries based on different values from western countries. What is your comment on this? Zhao Lijian: I'd like to stress that democracy is a common value for all mankind. There is no set model to achieve democracy or standard answer. True democracy must be rooted in the local soil and serve the people. China upholds the socialist political democracy with the CPC's leadership, the people being the masters of the state and governing the country by law integrated. This is whole-process and most broad-based democracy that reflects the people's will, suits China's national reality, and has the endorsement of the people. China has made unique and important contributions to the progress in mankind's political civilization. As has been fully proven by facts, there is no such thing as a unified standard or version of democracy in the world. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. 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. Indiana Indiana Senate Eric Holcomb Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council Mike Young Indianapolis St. Joseph County Senate (TNS) State lawmakers have agreed to give prosecutors in 10counties additional resources for investigating and bringing charges against individuals involved in computer-related crime.Thevoted 46-1 Monday to advance House Enrolled Act 1082 to Republican Gov., who is expected to sign it into law. It previously passed the House, 98-0.The legislation authorizes the(IPAC) to provide funds to establish high tech crime units in 10 to-be-determined counties that must include every region of the state.The units are tasked with aiding prosecutors in investigating, collecting evidence and prosecuting financial, sexual and other crimes committed with, or assisted by, network or communications technology.State Sen., R-, the sponsor, said the plan is based on a program already successfully operating inwhere Notre Dame computer science students work with local law enforcement to combat computer crimes."They were able to solve a lot of crimes, quickly, and put the bad person in jail," Young said. "But you really need a technical crew that understands how you can find crimes within a computer system."The proposal headed to the governor's desk does not include any money for IPAC to pay for the 10 high-tech crime units.However, the House-approved state budget included $3 million for them in each year of the two-year spending plan. House Bill 1001 currently is awaiting action by the, which is expected to maintain that appropriation.Young said he anticipates the high-tech crime units will be "one of the most useful tools we're going to pass this year for crime detection and conviction." 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. 1.20pm - Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle Willie Mullins trains the favourite for the very first race on the card this year in APPRECIATE IT (7/4) who should win to get punters off to a good start from their sofas. His only defeats for Willie Mullins came on debut back in 2019 at Fairyhouse and at Cheltenham last year when his colours were lowered by Ferny Hollow in the Champion Bumper. Since then, he has looked iron clad over hurdles, winning three from three, including at the Dublin Racing Festival in February where he stamped his authority on a good field which included Ballyadam, currently third in the betting market for this race. If 7/4 is too short for you from a betting perspective, BLUE LORD (12/1), also trained by Willie Mullins, could well spring a surprise if he lines up here. He was third behind Appreciate it and Ballyadam last time out and new tactics could see him relish the Cheltenham test. 1.55pm - Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase With Willie Mullins pulling Energumene out of this race last week, Shishkin has been left as the 1/2 favourite for Nicky Henderson. It is a very short price but he warrants it with a winning run of six races stretching back to January 2020. Included in that sequence was a win in last year's Supreme where he beat Irish challenger Abacadabras. He has won effortlessly three times since with an average winning distance of 15 lengths. The expected good to soft ground will suit him too but I'm going to oppose him. I think he'll be in a proper race in the Arkle for the first time since he won by a head in that Supreme last year. I think ALLMANKIND (9/2) is the horse to give him that race. He was a tearaway last year over hurdles and either jumped out, went 100 miles per hour from the front and won by a street or he ran himself into the ground and got overturned. I tipped him for last year's Triumph Hurdle thinking he could do a similar job to Our Conor in that race way back in 2013. It didn't work and he finished third but he's turned into a mature jumper over fences, despite not being a big horse. He has won three times over the larger obstacles including a 17-length demolition of Sky Pirate in Warwick last month. He is still a little sticky at the odd fence so will give you the odd scare but he seems to have a bottomless engine. I think he can match Shishkin up the hill if he gets him into a dogfight. I think this guy could be a special horse for the Skeltons. 2.30pm - Ultima Handicap Chase This is a great punter's race if you're looking for value. The favourite has only won once in the last ten runnings of this race and that was back in 2018 with Coo Star Sivola. This column tipped the winner in 2019 in the shape of Beware The Bear at 12/1 while The Conditional won at 15/2 last year. This race is for out and out stayers and one I'm willing to stick with despite his advancing years is VINTAGE CLOUDS (25/1). He has had wind surgery since finishing eighth in this race last year. He's run once since the surgery and he was honourable if not impressive during that pipe opener at Kelso where he finished third. He was second behind Beware The Bear in this race in 2019 and carries less weight than each of the last two years. He will be up against it with younger horses but he always gives his running and can certainly get involved if still in fighting fettle. 3.05pm - Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy It could be a battle of the mares in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. Last year's impressive winner Epatante is back to defend her crown with Ireland's great white hope coming in the form of the unbeaten HONEYSUCKLE (3/1). Epatante lost some of her allure when she laboured to a defeat at the hands of the admirable Silver Streak at Kempton over Christmas. Silver Streak is a good yardstick and was 6th in last year's Champion Hurdle but is no superstar and had six lengths to spare over Nicky Henderson's super mare. Honeysuckle is the favourite here but is still decent value at 3/1. With an unbeaten record stretching back over 11 races, you have to stick with her. I would be wary of the enigmatic Goshen who could be as brilliant as he was in beating Song For Someone by 22 lengths last month, or he could throw all the toys out of the pram and get pulled up halfway round. If you want an each-way punt, Silver Streak is reliable and will give you a run for your money, no doubt. 3.40pm - Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle Concertista is a warm favourite for this but I am very much against her. She won by 12 lengths in last year's novice mare's hurdle and hasn't done anything wrong this term. I think she's had the measure of Minella Melody in two races this year but I'm keen to see her up against ROKSANA (4/1) who I think will win this. I was there to see it when she won this race in 2019 but that came at the expense of Benie des Dieux who had fallen when bounding clear at the last. Many Irish punters cursed their luck that day after a Willie Mullins accumulator was undone but Roksana probably deserved a day in the sun. She has been running over further this season and was thought to be heading to the Stayer's Hurdle. She was third behind Paisley Park at and Thyme Hill in the Long Walk at Ascot last December, a serious piece of form. She also beat Magic of Light last time out and annihilated Next Destination, a very good horse from the Paul Nicholls yard, at Wetherby last October and I think she is a tougher horse now than she was when she won this race in 2019 and when she finished fourth in it last year. I don't think the race is as strong as it was last year when Honeysuckle beat Benie Des Dieux and that's why Roksana gets my vote to regain her crown. I also think Great White Shark (12/1), a second-string from Willie Mullins' yard, could run into a place, maybe even ahead of Concertista. 4.15pm - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle This is a very interesting race with the likes of Busselton from the Joseph O'Brien yard, Saint Sam for Willie Mullins and Dermot Weld's Coltor all with a chance from an Irish perspective. However, I'm going for a UK horse via France in the shape of HOMME PUBLIC (14/1). To me, he represents excellent each-way value at the weights considering he went down by just a neck to current second favourite Houx Gris when they were both plying their trade in France. They carried the same weight that day but the selection will carry three pounds lower than that rival here. Homme Public has been very good in both his races since the switch to the UK to the Oliver Greenall stable. He was second at Catterick first time out for Oliver on heavy ground but was seen to better effect on soft (good to soft) ground when beating Gilbertina by six lengths at Market Rasen. Going at Cheltenham this week is similar after some unexpected rain at the weekend so at the prices, this fella is a great value bet. Let's hope he's there or thereabouts as they clear the last hurdle. 4.50pm - Sam Vestey National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Chase There is a lot to like about Next Destination here, a horse who was an exceptional novice hurdler for Willie Mullins before moving to the Paul Nicholls yard. He will stay and looks a top staying chasing prospect but he's gone a bit skinny in the market for me now with the redirection of long-time favourite for this, Royale Pagaille, to the Gold Cup. I'm going for familiar colours in this race with REMASTERED (8/1) trained by David Pipe. He was a fair hurdler but has a touch of class over fences and has recorded three wins from three runs over the larger obstacles, including a career-best to win the Reynoldstown at Ascot last month. He's won over three miles in the mud at Wetherby and so is a proven stayer. He will ensure this will be an absolute slog and I'm not sure others will stay as well as him up the hill. Native River ran in the same Brocade Racing colours in this race in 2016 and was only beaten by Minella Rocco. We all know what Native River went on to do in the Gold Cup in 2018 and who's to say this lad isn't good enough to emulate him on that front some day. SELECTIONS AT A GLANCE: 1.30 - Appreciate It - 6/4 & Blue Lord (Eachway) - 12/1 1.55 - Allmankind - 9/2 2.30 - Vintage Clouds - 25/1 3.05 - Honeysuckle - 3/1 3.40pm - Roksana - 4/1 4.15pm - Homme Public - 14/1 4.50pm - Remastered - 8/1 SUGGESTED TREBLE Appreciate It, Honeysuckle and Roksana - ALL TO WIN - 28/1 Kafafi's 'contributions to materials technologies for organic optoelectronics' recognized with one of the highest honors given to engineers in the United States Zakya H. Kafafi, Distinguished Research Fellow within the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science at Lehigh University, was recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest honors given to engineers in the United States. The NAE provides guidance to the federal government and conducts independent studies in engineering while honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to research, practice, and education, and who have been influential in new fields of technology. Kafafi was recognized for her "contributions to materials technologies for organic optoelectronics," according to the NAE's announcement. She will be formally inducted during the NAE's annual meeting on Oct. 3, 2021. The newly elected class brings the total US membership to 2,355 and the number of international members to 298. "I'm honored to join colleagues dedicated to service the engineering profession and to the technological advancement of our nation," says Kafafi, who is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Materials Research Society (MRS), the Optical Society of America (OSA), and the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE). Kafafi's work has been motivated by newly emerging technologies based on organic electronics and photonics, spanning a wide spectrum of disciplines including the chemistry and physics of organic and nanostructured materials, organic nonlinear optics, light-emitting materials and devices, photovoltaics, and plasmonics. She served as an assistant professor in Egypt, conducted research in catalytic chemistry using the technique of Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy at Rice University in Houston, and worked at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in Washington, DC, (where she led an interdisciplinary research team and established a section on organic optoelectronics) prior to joining Lehigh in 2008 as an adjunct professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). "We are thrilled that Dr. Kafafi has been elected to the NAE," says Chengshan Xiao, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and chair of Lehigh's ECE department. "She has been an impactful technical leader." Xiao points to Kafafi's tenure at the National Science Foundation (2007-2011), where she served as the first female director of the Division of Material Research. In that role, she managed a nearly $1 billion budget portfolio and oversaw the funding of a wide range of research projects and initiatives, instrumentation, research centers and major facilities. He also credits her "invaluable contributions" to Lehigh's ECE department, where she launched a joint research program with the group of Fil Bartoli on Plasmonic Nanostructured Organic Photovoltaics. Kafafi holds a PhD and MA in chemistry from Rice University; she received her BS from the University of Houston with a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. She has spent time as a visiting scholar/professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University. She was one of the founders of the Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) Network and started a mentor program for which she won the NRL Commanding Officer's Award "for achievements in the field of equal employment opportunity and the creation of a mentor program for scientists and engineers." Kafafi was the founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Photonics for Energy and was the inaugural deputy editor for chemical, physical, materials, mathematical sciences and engineering for Science Advances. She serves on numerous advisory boards and committees and chairs conferences including the annual SPIE Symposium on Organic Photonics and Electronics and the Conference on Organic, Hybrid, and Perovskites Photovoltaics (OHPVs). In 2019, she launched and organized a new conference on Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) that rotates yearly between different countries. Kafafi received an IR-100 Award (now known as the R&D 100 Award) for designing a cryogenic link that rotates and translates in vacuum; she also holds an NRL Edison Patent Award for inventing a simple two-step, cost-effective method to pattern electrically conducting polymers for flexible optoelectronic devices. She is a member of the American Chemical Society and, in 2018, received the Hillebrand Prize, the ACS Chemical Society of Washington's highest honor, for her pioneering contributions in organic optics and electronics technologies through innovative physical chemistry and materials chemistry research. She was also honored with the Kuwait Prize in Applied Sciences in the field of Renewable and Sustainable Energy for her research on the uses of organic solar cells to generate clean and sustainable energy, and to improve their performance and efficiency. In 2020, she became one of the Founding Members of the Academy of Arab Scientists in Kuwait. ### Just when we thought Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez were officially over, the retired NBL player is out here proving to everyone that he and the actor are still very serious about each other. Two days after rumors spread that the pair had ended their four-year relationship, Rodriguez reunited with Lopez on the location of her new movie, seemingly proving that all is well between them. Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez at the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards Gala | Rich Fury/Getty Images for Palm Springs International Film Festival Alex Rodriguez is in the Dominican Republic with Jennifer Lopez According to E! News, A. Rod flew out to the Dominican Republic on Mar. 14 to be by Lopezs side while shes filming her new project, Shotgun Wedding. Rodriguez shared a photo of himself in the tropics to his Instagram Story. Happy Monday. New week. New day. Onward. Upward, he captioned the photo. He also tagged J.Lo in the post but pushed her handle out of view to seemingly keep their reunion on the down-low. Sources tell the outlet that before the couple reunited in the Dominican Republic, they had been apart for a while seeing as Lopez has been filming her new rom-com film. They havent had a situation come up like this and its been hard on the relationship, the source explains. Since the distance has been difficult for the couple, A. Rod decided to fly out to the tropical paradise to be with the Maid In Manhattan star and seemingly get their relationship back on track following breakup rumors. News recently broke that Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez had called it quits Rodriguez and Lopezs reunion comes a few days after rumors spread that they had called off their engagement. Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez at ELLEs 25th Annual Women In Hollywood Celebration | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ELLE Magazine RELATED: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguezs Breakup Would Be Similar to a Divorce On Mar. 12, media outlets reported that the pair had split just two years after getting engaged. Following the news of the alleged breakup, many began to speculate that Southern Charm star Madison LeCroy had played a part in the couples split since she was previously rumored to have had an affair with Rodriguez. However, sources insist that LeCroy had nothing to do with Lopez and Rodriguezs breakup. Like any couple, they have ups and downs, a source told E! News. Shes filming in DR [the Dominican Republic], hes working in Miami. The day after news of their alleged breakup made headlines, J. Lo and A. Rod released a joint statement in which they denied the gossip surrounding their relationship. All the reports are inaccurate We are working through some things, the statement read, per TODAY. Where does Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguezs relationship currently stand? Though theyve been going through a difficult chapter these last few months, Lopez and Rodriguez are still very much together and plan to put in the work to keep their romance afloat moving forward. They never officially broke up and had talked about it but are still together, insiders tell told TODAY. They hit a rough patch that made them think about what they should do. They are sticking together, they are working through things. The source continued, Shes working in the Dominican Republic and hes in Miami so its tough seeing each other especially with quarantining and COVID but they are staying together. WORCESTER - University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan will propose that the UMass system keep in-state undergraduate tuitions the same for the second straight year as a way of helping students and their families during a difficult economy brought on by the pandemic. Meehan said he intends to recommend a tuition freeze for the 2021-2022 academic year to the universitys Board of Trustees . The board in July followed Meehans recommendation on a tuition freeze for the current school year. He made his remarks Monday in a presentation at the UMass Medical school in Worcester. To lessen the financial burden on our students and their families, many of whom have suffered from job losses, business closures and other impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, I intend to recommend to the UMass Board of Trustees that we freeze tuition for in-state undergraduate students for the second consecutive year, he said. He said the freeze is possible by the states congressional delegation, which helped pass the American Rescue Plan legislation. He also thanked the support of the state legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker. If approved, the system-wide average in-state tuition will remain at $14,722, which is lower than any public university in New England except for the University of Maine. For UMass-Amherst, the largest of the four undergraduate campus, tuition for Massachusetts residents will remain at $15,791 per year. The freeze only applies to in-state tuition, not to out-of-state or graduate school tuitions. The undergraduate tuition at the Amherst campus for non-residents of Massachusetts is $35,112 per year. For Massachusetts residents enrolled in a graduate program at Amherst, the cost is $14,778. It also does not include cost of room and board, which this year is around $13,600. UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Robert J. Manning said, President Meehans recommendation reflects his recognition that our students and their families have been dealing with significant financial hardship throughout this pandemic. The board, he said, shares this concern, and also knows that the skilled management of the university by President Meehan and our five chancellors makes this freeze possible. Meehan said the UMass system is working toward what he called near normal operations this fall with students returning to campus for in-person instruction, and employees returning to their jobs. He said the UMass system succeeded during COVID-19 because of the incredible dedication and commitment of students, faculty and staff. UMass has not only survived this crisis, it is ready to emerge even stronger than before, he said. The University of Massachusetts has answered the call. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A 21-year-old New Jersey man surrendered to police at his attorneys office Tuesday morning and was charged with murder for allegedly shooting 43-year-old Kenton Smith on Bay Street March 4, police said. Ishawn Bryant, a resident of Sayre Street in Elizabeth, has also been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal use of a firearm, according to a written statement from the NYPD. Police believe the shooting occurred as a result of an ongoing dispute between Bryant, Smith and a family member, cops said. Police investigate a reported shooting in Tompkinsville on Friday, March 5, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta) Smith, a resident of New Brighton, was shot multiple times while on the 100 block of Bay Street. He was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton following the incident, where he was pronounced dead. Doug, an owner of a store near where the shooting occurred who wished to only have his first name published, said Smith was a good guy and didnt hang out in the area often. Mario Gallucci, Smiths attorney, said he arranged a voluntary surrender to the NYPDs homicide squad this morning. This is a very emotional case where the victim in the case physically abused Mr. Bryants mother for years and recently threatened Mr. Bryant with death if he continued to help his mother, said Gallucci. The terroristic threats arose to such a grave danger that my client changed all the locks on his mothers home and installed video cameras. My client looks forward to the day he can tell his story The night after Smiths murder, a shooting at the same Bay Street location prompted an NYPD response, the Advance/SILive.com reported. Police have not linked the two incidents. There have been five homicides on Staten Island this year. Since Smiths slaying, 26-year-old Mark Bajandas of Mariners Harbor was fatally shot attending a memorial outside the Stapleton Houses on March 11. Latiff Dudley, 26, a young father determined to make up for the time he had missed with his then 2-year-old son after a prison stint, was shot and killed in late February in Stapleton. Jahade Chancey, 23, a Stapleton resident known among friends and colleagues in the local music industry as Panda, was shot and killed at a recording studio in late January. In early February, 68-year-old Yanqi Wen was found with fatal trauma inside her Ragazzi Lane home in South Beach. Police believe she was killed by her boyfriend, 63-year-old Qin Juo Miao, who was found hanged in a closet in a suspected murder-suicide. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate on Monday said anaemia among pregnant women in the Metropolis reduced by six per cent in 2020. It recorded 21.7 per cent anaemia cases among pregnant women at their first visit to the Ante-Natal Clinic (ANC) last year as compared with the 27.7 per cent in 2019. Mr Samuel Atuahene Antwi, the Tema Metropolitan Nutritionist, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema. He said while Tema North had the highest anaemia cases of 29.5 per cent; Manhean, a suburb of Tema, recorded the lowest of 14.5 per cent, whereas Community One and Tema South recorded 29.5 and 21.8 per cent, respectively. He said anaemia at 36 weeks of gestation stood at 23.7 per cent for 2020 as against that of 29.7 per cent for 2019, showing a six per cent decrease. According to the statistics, three pregnant women had severe anaemic conditions at their first visit in 2020, while 937 showed up with moderate anaemia and 97 with normal haemoglobin (HB). A total of 1,639 pregnant women registered and went through counseling at the various ANCs in the Metropolis. Tema North and South accounted for 1,472, while Manhean Polyclinic and TMA Maternity handled 78 and 89 cases, respectively. Mr Antwi noted that out of the total number of registrants, 91 reported to the hospitals in their first trimester, 431 in their second trimester and 1,152 in their third. Touching on Iron Folic Acid supplementation intervention for pregnant women, Mr Antwi stated that the Metropolis was able to achieve 85 per cent of coverage, however Manhean Polyclinic had the lowest coverage of 29 per cent distribution. Mr Antwi encouraged pregnant women to take their nutrition seriously to prevent becoming anaemic as that could have adverse effects on their foetus. He said they must consume more green leafy vegetables and other iron rich foods. 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 Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Farmers and people living in NSW rural communities are crying out for help to deal with an escalating mice plague that's threatening their health as well as the winter crop. NSW Farmers is seeking urgent action from the NSW government as farmers in many parts of regional NSW report a drastic increase in mice populations, which are decimating crops, destroying stored hay and invading silos, sheds and homes. The rodents are also affecting human health impact, with the NSW Western Area Health Service reporting increased cases of leptospirosis as a result of mice in domestic dwellings. Dead mice are seen at a property in Coonamble in central west NSW, Tuesday, February 2, 2021 NSW Farmers President James Jackson said grain growers hold grave concerns about the winter crop planting season, which is due to start within weeks. 'Farmers need some more control options. We are requesting that an Emergency Use Permit be issued for Zinc Phosphide to treat seed,' Mr Jackson said on Wednesday. 'This will allow farmers to have their own grain professionally treated, removing the biosecurity risks posed by using foreign seed. 'It will also reduce the cost of sourcing sterilised or de-vitalised grain by farmers using their own treated seed to be sown for winter cropping.' NSW Farmers is also seeking some financial assistance through a small grants program. Hundreds of mice were captured in traps at properties in Orange, which is also located in the New South Wales central west 'Mouse control is very costly. The severity of the current plague has resulted in the need for multiple aerial and ground bait applications in cropping regions,' Mr Jackson said. 'Potential options we are putting up include a rebate on rodenticide products or a subsidy for ground and aerial baiting. Action is needed now. This mice situation is only getting worse.' Mice damage reports were flooding in from farmers and rural communities from the north, south and central west. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - Butte County unanimously passed a needle ban last week, but now the California Department of Public Health is attempting to completely eliminate local control over the establishment of needle giveaway programs. James Gallagher, Assemblyman for Californias 3rd District, is pushing for local control of this issue. Were not going to allow the Department of Public Health to circumvent local control and our ability to determine our own destiny and what we think is best for our communities, Gallagher said. Syringe Service Programs throughout the state do not only hand out needles, but also provide testing and counseling to help prevent outbreaks of diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there has been a 50% decline in the risk of HIV transmission with these types of programs. The CDC also states that when two similar cities were compared, the one with a syringe service program had 86% fewer syringes in places like parks and sidewalks. Gallagher is outspoken on the issue and disagrees. These needles end up in our creeks, in our parks, our public places and become a danger and a hazard, said Gallagher. People throughout Butte County said they are tired of seeing needle litter, but also understand that these people need help. Id certainly like to see things go forward so that these people can have opportunities to make a little bit of change to their life, said Polly Tripp, who has lived in Chico for over 20 years. Butte Countys ban will not go into effect until it is finalized at a future meeting. The county is asking anyone with comment on the issue over local or state control to email regulations@cdph.ca.gov with Syringe Exchange Program Regulatory Consistency by April 5. Today Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 79F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. LORIS In September 2008, the body of Kelly Joe Elliott was discovered in his Loris home off Dew Lane, a quiet stretch of dirt road a couple miles just outside of town limits. Bradley Gerald Mullins, the man ultimately convicted of murder in 2013, maintains he didn't do it and a key prosecution witness has recanted his testimony, saying "he can not live with what I have done any longer." Mullins is petitioning the court for a new trial and hopes that the 2015 post-trial written statement by the co-defendant will aid his cause. Mullins alleges his former post-conviction relief lawyer Steven Fowler had vital pieces of evidence in his possession and failed to subpoena witnesses to testify on his behalf to prove his innocence," leading to a denial in 2018. He claims the vital evidence was the letter made by co-defendant Anthony Earl Ray in 2015, where he wrote that he was coerced in cooperating with the state. Ray claimed that the only reason he testified in the Mullins trial is that the state said he would receive leniency. I decided to cooperate with the Solicitors Office and falsely accused Brad Mullins because it insured me a lighter sentence, Ray wrote. Ray said in that statement that he does not want any more part in wrongfully convicting and falsely accusing a person who wasnt even at the scene of the crime nor had any participation in the crime. Flash back to 2008 At the time of the slaying, no one in the small farming community had heard from Elliott in days, so two men performed a welfare check and found him behind a couch in his house dead from a gunshot wound. The initial investigation by law enforcement found few leads; subsequently, the case went cold. For three years. In March 2011, investigators received a tip that led them to four suspects, who were eventually arrested in Elliotts death. Those men Arlie E. Mullins, Bradley Gerald Mullins, Charles H. Mullins and Anthony Earl Ray all happened to be cousins. A plan was made during a cookout to steal the victims vast gun collection, according to court records from Bradley Mullins' trial in 2013. After arriving at Elliotts home, Ray testified that he beat on the front door to see if anyone was home. Bradley Mullins then broke a windowpane on the backdoor, entered the house and started packing up Elliotts gun collection. Some 20 minutes later, Bradley Mullins kicked in a bottom panel of a door to the only room the duo had not been in yet. Elliott who had been sleeping, came out of the room armed and pointed a revolver at Bradley Mullins and Ray. Ray testified he told Elliott to put the gun down, but he pointed it in his direction, so he fired a shot hitting the victim in his side. Elliott fell to the ground near the back on the couch and Bradley Mullins got on top of the victim and shot him in the head, according to Ray's original statement. After the trial was over, Bradley Mullins received two life sentences without the possibility of parole on charges of murder and burglary. Nearly five months later, Charles Mullins pleaded guilty in 2014 to neglect in reporting a crime and sentenced to five years in prison, which was suspended to 18 months on probation. Arlie Mullins also pleaded guilty to failing to report a crime and received a 10-year sentence, but that was suspended to three months on probation. Ray pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a 15-year sentence in prison. At one point, all four men were charged with murder, burglary and robbery in Elliotts death. Taking aim at his defense Currently incarcerated at the Keen Mountain Correctional Center in Virginia, Mullins wrote to the court that Fowler was ineffective and neglected to investigate his case. He included written statements in his relief request from others that he said should have been called to testify. One statement was from a man who alleged that Ray told him in jail that he robbed a man, shot him two times and killed him. Another statement was from a woman who claimed that it was Ray, not Mullins, who shot Elliott in the head. She claimed that Elliott and Mullins got into a struggle, with Mullins yelling to Ray for help. Anthony went to him and the man had Brad down and Anthony said he assumed the guy was gonna call the cops and he placed the gun between the mans eyes and told him to let him go, the statement read. And the man said, Dont shoot me. Dont kill me please. And Anthonys exact words were, Say goodbye (expletive),' and he shot him." Kerala elections 2021: Discontent in Kerala Congress over selection of candidates India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Kannur, Mar 16: Discontent is brewing in the Congress in Kerala over the selection of candidates for the April 6 assembly polls with senior party leader K Sudhakaran attacking AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and veterans Ramesh Chennithala and Oommen Chandy, alleging they were responsible for all troubles. AICC general secretary Kerala in-charge Tariq Anwar rejected the allegations of Sudhakaran, party's Kannur MP, saying the candidates were selected after taking him also into confidence. Meanwhile, a convention of "A" group workers of the party in Kannur district on Tuesday decided to urge the party high command to withdraw the candidature of Sajeev Joseph from Irikkur seat and field their leader Sony Sebastian. The protesting Congress workers warned of serious consequences in the election if it failed to heed their voices. The "A" group workers who assembled at an auditorium in Sreekantapuram said winnability should be the criteria and Sajeev Joseph will not be able to win Irikkur seat, a party stronghold, in the election. UDF convener MM Hassan and senior party leader KC Joseph, who were deputed by the state party leadership to tackle the situation, failed to mollify the workers in Irikkur where the infighting erupted over denial of ticket to Sony Sebastian. Congress, BJP MLAs clash in Haryana Assembly over farmers' issue The two leaders held talks with the leaders of the agitating groups but in vain. The "A" group leaders also alleged that the "I" group took the seat from them, using the influence of Venugopal in the party high command. "I" group in the state Congress is led by senior leader Ramesh Chennithala. The seat had been held by KC Joseph, a senior leader associated with the "A" group led by Oommen Chandy, since long. Joseph, a former minister, is not contesting this time. The protesting "A" group leaders have quit various posts in the Kannur district congress over denial of ticket to Sony Sebastian. The election campaign exercise of the Congress in Kannur district is virtually hit by the protests. The two groups-- "A" and "I"-- have been active in the state unit of Congress since the period of veteran leader and late K Karunakaran and senior leader AK Antony. Attacking Venugopal over the issue, Sudhakaran claimed he was responsible for all the troubles in the Congress in Kannur. West Bengal elections 2021: 'TMC government playing with emotions of Hindus,' says UP CM Yogi Adityanath In a television interview, Sudhakaran, who is also the working president of the KPCC, said he was not interested in continuing in the post. In an emotional outburst, he also alleged that for Kerala's party workers high command means Venugopal, not party president Sonia Gandhi or leader Rahul Gandhi. "Venugopal, Oommen Chandy and Chennithala are responsible for all the troubles in the party," he said. Dismissing the allegations, Anwar said he had spoken to Sudhakaran individually. "I heard him individually (during the selection process) and whatever he suggested we tried to accommodate," he said. Sudhakaran was later placated by the party's state leadership. Talking to reporters, he said he would work for the defeat of the CPI(M)-led LDF in the election. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 22:22 [IST] Today Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 79F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Taking a dig at the government, leader on Tuesday alleged that selling public sector banks to "cronies" will compromise the country's financial security. He also accused the government of "privatising profit" and "nationalising loss". "Government of India (GOI) is privatising profit and nationalising loss. Selling PSBs to Modicronies gravely compromises India's financial security," Gandhi tweeted. The leader also expressed solidarity with the protesting bank employees, who are on a two-day strike against alleged privatisation of public sector banks. "I stand in solidarity with the striking bank employees," he said on Twitter. The bank strike, led by nine unions of public sector banks (PSBs) in the country, continued for day-two on Tuesday. Customers will be inconvenienced to get services such as cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearances, remittance services. Government transactions related to treasury as well as business transactions will also be impacted. (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.) Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Moradabad, March 16 : An FIR has been lodged against a lawyer on charges of promoting enmity between classes and criminal intimidation after he allegedly announced a Rs 11 lakh reward for the "beheading" Waseem Rizvi, the former Chair of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board. Rizvi has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the removal of 26 verses from the Quran that he alleged "promote terrorism and jihad". The case against lawyer, Amirul Hasan Zaidi, a former district bar association president, was filed after his speech went viral on social media. Taking cognizance of the "objectionable" speech, the FIR was lodged against Amirul Hasan under IPC section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The case has been lodged on the complaint of sub-inspector Kapil Kumar. Assistant Superintendent of Police, Moradabad, Amit Kumar Anand said that action in the case would be taken on the basis of evidence collected during investigation. Police are yet to record Hasan's statement. Station House Officer, Civil Lines police station, Yogendra Krishna said a CD containing Hasan's speech would be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory for examination. According to the police, during preliminary inquiry, it came to light that on March 13 at a function organized at IMA Hall in the Civil Lines area, Hasan, while accusing Rizvi of hurting religious statement of community, announced that whoever will bring the latter's head would be rewarded with Rs 11 lakh. Protests are being organised in Uttar Pradesh since Rizvi filed PIL seeking the removal of the 26 verses. Seven IEDs planted in series seized in Chatra, defused later Chatra, Mar 16 (UNI) A joint team of the district police and 190th battalion of CRPF seized seven can bombs which were planted in a series under Lawalong Police Station area of this district on Tuesday. Police said that the maoists had planted these seven IEDs in a series near a school to inflict damage on the security forces. Each of these can bombs weighed 5 kilograms each. Later the bombs were defused by a bomb disposal squad. ASP operations Nigam Prasad said that a tip off had been received that the maoists had planted the can bombs near Hahe School following which a team of district police and CRPF personnel were sent to the spot. COLUMBIA Two more South Carolina men, including a Citadel cadet, face charges connected with participating in the U.S. Capitol riot in January. Elias Irizarry and Elliot Bishai face charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building without lawful authority, knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in any restricted buildings, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to federal court documents. The men are not accused of any direct acts of violence during the Jan. 6 riot. They were released on $25,000 unsecured bond after a hearing March 16 at the federal courthouse in Columbia. They have another hearing March 22. The men said nothing during the hearing. Irizarry, 19, is a freshman at The Citadel who has hometowns in Fort Mill and just outside Los Angeles. He remains a cadet at the school pending an investigation, a spokeswoman said. Irizarry received a gold star from The Citadel after earning a grade-point average of 3.7 or more in the fall semester, according to a school news release. On his Facebook profile he posted he is studying security and intelligence studies at The Citadel. His father is veteran soap opera actor Vincent Irizarry, who appeared for years in "All My Children" and "Guiding Light." Bishai, 20, also is from Fort Mill. He was slated to attend Oklahoma State University in its ROTC program with plans to become an Air Force pilot, according to a Facebook post for the Gastonia Civil Air Patrol. He now has been accepted into an Army flight program and was scheduled to start training at Fort Jackson later this spring, his father, Hani Bishai said. The two men are said to have traveled to Washington, D.C., with Grayson Sherrill, of Cherryville, N.C., who also faces federal charges for breaking into the Capitol. The FBI was told Sherrill's father shared a screen grab of his son inside the Rotunda with relatives, according to a federal complaint. Hani Bishai and Lorraine Irizarry, Elias' mother, told reporters after the hearing their sons did not intend any harm and were swept up in the hundreds who stormed inside the Capitol to protest the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden. Lorraine Irizarry said her son had stopped to thank Capitol police for their service while he was inside the Capitol. Elias Irizarry cried when he returned home from Washington, saying he did not expect the protest to be so violent, Lorraine Irizarry said. The parents said their sons, who are accused of committing misdemeanors, were being lumped in with other Capitol rioters charged with acts of violence. When you hear them say things about your child like that, and hes put in with others that did so wrong, its hard, Lorraine Irizarry said. I think there were many bad actors and what happened shouldnt be taken lightly, Hani Bishai said, but he felt sending a large contingency of officers to search the home where he lives with his son was excessive. An unidentified witness sent a tip to the FBI identifying two men inside the Capitol as Bishai and Irizarry, according to papers filed in federal court. The witness, along with two others, knew the men from a Civil Air Patrol unit. They told the FBI they recognized clothing the men wore at the Capitol. One witness said based on their location on the social media app Snapchat, that Bishai and Irizarry were in Washington on Jan. 6. A relative of Bishai's said he took selfies at the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to the complaint. They are seen in photos and videos entering the Capitol through a broken window, walking around halls and taking photos next to a statue of Dwight Eisenhower, the complaint said. At least two other South Carolinians have been arrested for their roles in the Capitol breach. William Robert Norwood III, 37, of Greer faces charges including theft of government property for allegedly stealing an officers helmet and tactical vest, which an FBI agent said were later found in a storage trailer in Greenville. Andrew Hatley was charged with breaking into the U.S. Capitol after an investigation that relied on GPS data and a selfie the man allegedly took while inside the building. Ketrice Burrell sits in her car in the parking lot of the local Family Dollar store, one of the only businesses in Uniontown. She chats through the driver-seat window with friends who pass by. Burrell was scheduled to get a vaccine at a clinic down the street earlier in the day. I just changed my mind about it, she said laughing. My aunt is a nurse in Detroit, I called her to ask what she thought. She wasnt for it. Burrell has sleep apnea, which increases her vulnerability to COVID-19. Her aunt said that makes the vaccine risky, though there is no documented evidence of this in the vaccine trials. The future of Burrells small town is at stake, along with Alabamas ability to resume regular life and prevent more deaths. Herd immunity, a point where COVIDs chain of spread is ended, requires 70 to 90 percent of the population to be protected, experts say. Recent polls show nationally, the racial gap around vaccine hesitancy has closed. Democrats and people with higher incomes say they are more open to vaccination than Republicans and people with low-incomes. Alabama has vaccinated significantly more whites than Blacks relative to its population so far. As public health experts aim to understand why some people remain unsure about vaccinations, Black Alabamians in rural parts of the state say their distinct history and life experiences are key to understanding pervasive vaccine hesitancy in some communities. Still others argue that the prevalence of hesitancy among African Americans is overblown and the real issue is disparity of access. Uniontown is a rural, predominantly African American, Black Belt community, where many of its roughly 2,000 residents know someone who has died from COVID-19. Similar to some communities across the state, distrust, uncertainty, and misinformation continue here over vaccines. (People) have been reluctant, saying, Theyre not going to put a (computer) chip in me, and things of that nature, said Uniontown Mayor Chris Jones. Some locals tell him they dont know if the vaccine is safe or whether its been tested long enough. As some vaccine appointments at Alabamas pharmacies are beginning to go unfilled, the question remains whether hesitancy and access issues will be the longest lasting barriers to ending the pandemic. We need to step up as a state An estimated 70 percent of Alabamas population lives in rural areas. Yet equipment barriers due to the vaccines refrigeration requirements and staffing shortages initially delayed the rollout to rural areas. In the urban and suburban areas, were not doing great, but were doing at least pretty well. In rural Alabama, were just really not making much progress, UABs Dr. William Curry, a professor of internal medicine, said last month. The Biden Administration is launching a $250 million ad campaign to address concerns about vaccine hesitancy as large portions of groups like prison guards and firefighters refuse to get vaccinated in some cities and 49 percent of Republican men polled say they wont take the shot. But as the rollout continues, polls show Americans may be warming up to the idea of vaccines. National surveys show about 77 percent of people want to get vaccinated. There is still plenty or resistance and uncertainty in small towns, where pop-up clinics can struggle to fill all their appointments. A December study by UAB, in the days before the rollout, found just 1 in 6 people of color from low-income communities in Alabama were ready to get a vaccine. Nationally, the percentage of Black Americans who plan to get a vaccine has increased in recent months Dr. Curry has one ready solution at hand. He is helping organize vaccination at trusted local churches throughout the state. Still his program has been slow to get vaccines. If were not going to have our rural communities become sources of COVID variants, we need to step up as a state, he said. Vaccines arrive in Uniontown A few blocks away from the Family Dollar, across the main drag and behind a few residential streets, volunteers sit outside a makeshift vaccine clinic in a municipal recreational building helping people fill out paperwork and file inside for a shot. Cahaba Medical Care, a statewide network of clinics serving the underinsured, is one of the few groups that has begun to reach rural, disadvantaged parts of the state with day-long vaccine clinics. On a day in early March, they distributed about 400 vaccines to Uniontown. Local volunteers helped some residents get to the clinic. Lizzie R. Williams is disabled and was driven to the clinic and vaccinated inside the van. With all the people dying, I really think everyone needs to take the vaccination, she said. Other locals corralled carloads of their own elderly relatives to help them get the shot. You have to have a relationship with people, and thats whats drawn the crowd today is the people who have relationships with other people, said Emefa Butler, founder of the community non-profit C.H.O.I.C.E., which helped organize the clinic. The Black Belt has some of Americas highest poverty rates and greatest health disparities. A lack of internet and transportation are barriers for local residents to get the vaccine. The nearest vaccination site is typically in Marion, 20 miles away. (Bringing the vaccine to Uniontown) really shows us, being in the Black Belt, that were just not a number, there are actually people that care about us, she said, adding that the state health department has yet to supply vaccine to its local clinic. As the afternoon wanes, Mayor Jones stands outside the vaccine clinic, dialing through the contacts in his phone to ask people to come get the shot. A handful of vials briefly remained without a taker. Some of them are thinking about the Tuskegee experiment, he said They feel the government would do them that way. Rural vaccination campaign missing Dr. Karen Landers, assistant state health officer at the Alabama Department of Health, said hesitancy is not something the department has encountered yet. Im more concerned in rural communities about transportation issues than I am about vaccine hesitancy, she said. The state is starting to make a push into rural Alabama with vaccines, especially in the Black Belt. The department sent an email Monday saying 1 in 5 residents of the region had been vaccinated. Overall half as many Blacks have been vaccinated as whites in Alabama. To help with coordination and education around the rollout, the state health department is seeking grant proposals for CDC funding for community groups to do outreach around vaccines. The $100,000 grants will be available in July. Jim Carnes, policy director at the community advocacy group, Alabama Arise, said July is late. Given the delay in supply, he thinks the state be mobilizing trusted community groups to do outreach to address questions and hesitancy. We just havent seen a coordinated multi-faceted, multi-agency, public, private, non-profit partnership thats organizing a vaccination campaign. Thats what I think is missing, he said. Carnes would like the governor to organize a committee on educating and vaccinating the states most vulnerable populations. He said a multi-lingual messaging campaign with branding and visuals saying, I got my shot. Wait-and-see approach in Tuskegee Barbara Wiggins, 78, recalls when her father, Freddie Lee Tyson, learned he had been a part of the Tuskegee Syphilis study in a 1972 Ebony Magazine article. The U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee deceived Black men into believing they were being treated. We all were terribly upset when we first heard it. Being neglected, number one, for all those years, said Wiggins. Wigginss father had nine children. Born in 1905, he was a sharecropper with a 3rd grade education. Because he was asymptomatic, he did not realize he had congenital Syphilis until he learned the truth about the study, she said. They didnt tell them. They just said it was a study, and in the study, I guess they would go meet at some gathering place and they would give them lunch. Wigginss father told his children to make sure this type of thing never happens to other people by asking them to stay informed. To Wiggins and her siblings, part of furthering their fathers legacy is promoting the COVID-19 vaccine. Im telling everybody I see, go get the shot. Its better to be alive than dead, she said. Not everyone in Tuskegee shares her confidence. Dr. Lucenia Dunn, is a former Tuskegee mayor and is the CEO of the Tuskegee-Macon Community Foundation. She says distrust about vaccines cant be pinpointed to one particular fear. We have been abused, medically and scientifically, for centuries, and if you want to put a date on it, 1619, when they brought the first African slaves here, she said We had to endure the message that we didnt feel pain, so you could do whatever it was to our bodies, she said. We had to go around the back door to the doctors office and they refused to even touch us. Tuskegee University Professor Vivian Carter studies health disparities. She believes the Tuskegee Study, has become too easy of a shorthand for understanding hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines. Dont act like, oh, that syphilis study, everybody is having these flashbacks. Its not just that, because I can tell you, numbers of people can tell you, how theyve been treated when they go into healthcare systems, she said. Still, she says, most people who are hesitant simply want more information about the vaccine. They want to know, Okay, if I take this vaccine, what does it do? Is it going to keep me from getting COVID or what specifically does it do? Weighing the decision Tuskegee Universitys Physician, Darnita Hill Muhammad, thinks hesitancy is a good thing. She advises her patients to take a wait-and-see approach to the vaccine. Go within yourself. You look at it. You study. It is a very introspective decision because this is a new type of vaccine, she said in a February 25 online community meeting on vaccines. About 60 people attended the forum hosted by the Macon County Community Task Force on COVID-19. Dr. Muhammad encouraged people to study the history of deaths resulting from the polio vaccine in California. She said she believes that repeated COVID-19 vaccinations could create a risk of neurological damage or autoimmune disease. Instead, she advised home remedies like vitamins, lemon, garlic, and gargling hydrogen peroxide. We know that there are pharmaceutical monies that are at stake, she said. Panelist Dr. Deloris Alexander responded that COVID-19 has become the leading cause of death in the United States. What each person has to do is take the data, the facts, not the street committee reports. Not the anecdotes, but the actual data, said the Tuskegee University professor of Integrative Biosciences. She explained that vaccine trials for Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines showed efficacy for reducing deaths. Take this information and live. Were just going to use you Cynthia Holmes is a former public transit driver in Uniontown who retired recently to avoid COVID-19. She came to the one-day vaccine clinic after reading up on the vaccine. At first I was afraid, but after I did my own research, I decided to do it, she said. The final factor was watching the President. Joe Biden got it. But she says her family wont get the shot. Her daughters read on Facebook that the vaccine is a government chip that gets implanted in peoples bodies. Locals say Uniontown is a place where many people distrust big government and are wary of strangers. So often, people come into the community to get information and people feel like theyve been taken advantage of, said Butler, who runs the local non-profit, C.H.O.I.C.E Theres a history of researchers rolling into town to collect data for studies on health problems, only to disappear without offering solutions, she said. For so long in our culture, thats happened. Were just going to use you as a number. And we sense that, and so we wont allow you to use us as a number. We will just kind of keep our space and our distance and say no. Keshee Smith, CEO of the Rural Health Medicine Program, a group of Federally Qualified Health Center clinics based in the Black Belt. Her clinics are waiting for the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine which does not have the refrigeration or second-appointment requirements of other vaccines. I dont think that they feel that people care about what happens to them, she said of her clients who she said have lived through a life-long pandemic of poverty. To Smith, Black Belt residents have little history of agency or reciprocity with the outside world. That experience has shaped peoples perceptions of whats possible. Why would they suddenly see a shot in the arm as help on the way? Growing up in Uniontown, Alabama I didnt think that anyone in D.C. cared that there was a water septic issue in Uniontown because it never got fixed. Im 35 and its still going on, said Smith. High turnout in Africatown Pastor Christopher Williams at Yorktown Missionary Baptist Church in Mobiles Africatown pushed hard to get the vaccine at his local church. He went to the state health department, but with little luck, so he approached the University of South Alabama. COVID is devastating our area, our state, our nation, and we should be prepared to do what it takes to make sure everybody is safe, said Williams. With the help of USA staff, Pastor Williams vaccinated about 400 people at his church in Mobile in February. Its an elderly community, and so sometimes they dont get to travel like the younger people can travel, and that was my biggest concern, he said. We can pick them up and bring them to the church. Pastor Williams put out a robocall to residents in his area and had no problem with turnout. With us, it was more like five to one, five people want it, maybe one didnt, and it may have been larger in that spirit, because everybody that we talked to was happy about doing it, he said. They would go home and come back and have two more (people) in the car Butler, the Black Belt community organizer, sees a similar pathway to vaccinating entire communities through trusted groups like hers. When you say, Im going to take it, that may draw in 10 other people, she said, adding that 10 may become 20. Thats going to continue to double, and then youve got a whole community thats vaccinated. The company logo is seen on the hood of an unsold Tesla at a dealership late Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Littleton, Colo. On Monday, March 15, 2021, the U.S. government's highway safety agency said it is sending a team to Detroit to investigate a crash involving a Tesla that drove beneath a semitrailer. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) The U.S. government's highway safety agency is sending a team to Detroit to investigate a crash involving a Tesla that drove beneath a semitrailer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Monday night that a special crash investigation team will go to the city to investigate the "violent crash." Two people were critically injured in the crash that happened last Thursday on the city's southwest side. The crash circumstances are similar to two others in Florida in which Teslas drove beneath tractor-trailers, causing two deaths. In both crashes, in 2016 and 2019, the cars were being driven while using Tesla's Autopilot partially automated driving software. Detroit Police Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood could not say if the Tesla driver was using the company's Autopilot or "full self-driving" software. "It's still under investigation," she said. A message was left Monday night seeking comment from Tesla. The Palo Alto, California-based company has said previously that Autopilot and "full self-driving" are driver-assistance systems and that the driver must be ready to intervene at all times. But the company has been criticized by the National Transportation Safety Board for failing to adequately monitor drivers to make sure they are paying attention. The NTSB, which investigates crashes and makes recommendations, also criticized Tesla for allowing the system to work on roads that it can't handle. In a Feb. 1 letter to the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt urged the agency to enact regulations governing driver assist systems as well as testing of autonomous vehicles. NHTSA has relied mainly on voluntary guidelines for the vehicles, taking a hands-off approach so it won't hinder development of new safety technology. He wrote that Tesla is using its owners to test "full self-driving" software on public roads with limited oversight or reporting requirements. "Because NHTSA has put in place no requirements, manufacturers can operate and test vehicles virtually anywhere, even if the location exceeds the AV (autonomous vehicle) control system's limitations," Sumwalt wrote. "Although Tesla includes a disclaimer that 'currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous,' NHTSA's hands-off approach to oversight of AV testing poses a potential risk to motorists and other road users," he wrote. Detroit police said in a statement that a white Tesla sedan drove through an intersection around 3:20 a.m. Thursday, struck the trailer and became wedged beneath it. Both the male driver and female passenger were taken to a local hospital. The woman was in critical condition Thursday, while the driver's condition was not immediately known. Police said the information was preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation. Explore further US to probe fatal Indiana crash involving Tesla Model 3 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A woman walks along the border separating Gibraltar from Spain. PACO PUENTES Spain will take Gibraltar off its list of tax havens after an agreement with the United Kingdom on tax cooperation entered into force earlier this month. While the British Overseas Territory was no longer on the European Union or the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)s lists of non-cooperative jurisdictions, it remained on Spains own blacklist, created in 1991. The goal of this unprecedented treaty, which was published in Spains Official Gazette on Saturday, is to ensure that Gibraltar applies EU-equivalent legislation in terms of tax transparency and the fight against money laundering following Britains exit from the EU. The agreement also seeks to reinforce cooperation and information exchange to prevent the British Overseas Territory from becoming a magnet for Spanish tax evaders. The agreement entered into force on March 4, two years after being signed by the Spanish and British governments, and it sets out clear rules to define when a natural or legal person shall be considered tax resident in Spain (read the full text of the treaty in English here). Spanish tax residency According to the text of the agreement, natural persons will be considered tax resident only in Spain in the following cases: when they spend over 183 overnight stays of the calendar year in Spain; when their spouse (from whom they are not legally separated) or the natural person with whom a similar relationship has been established, as well as any dependent ascendants or descendants, reside habitually in Spain; when the only permanent home at their disposal is in Spain; or when two thirds of their net assets, whether held directly or indirectly, are located in Spain. As for legal persons and entities, they will be considered a tax resident only in Spain, even if they are established or managed in Gibraltar, if any of the following circumstances exist: the majority of the assets, whether directly or indirectly owned, are located in Spain; if the majority of the income accrued in a calendar year derives from sources in Spain; if the majority of the natural persons in charge of effective management are tax resident in Spain; or if the majority of the interests in the capital or equity, voting or profit-sharing rights are under the direct or indirect control of either natural persons who are tax residents in Spain or legal entities linked to tax residents in Spain. The agreement notes that these rules do not apply to legal persons or entities that were incorporated in Gibraltar before 16 November 2018, as long as several conditions are met. It also underscores that any Spanish natural or legal persons who set up their residence in Gibraltar after the date of entry into force of the treaty will still maintain tax residency only in Spain. Information exchange There will be administrative cooperation through liaison bodies to deal with any discrepancies that may arise and to exchange tax information. Gibraltar will give Spanish tax authorities annual information on workers registered in Gibraltar as residents in Spain, fully identifying every aspect of the underlying employment relationship or any trade, business, profession or vocation carried on or exercised by these workers, including details of duration, economic terms and employer. Gibraltar will also give Spanish tax authorities information on vessels, aircraft and motor vehicles registered in Gibraltar relating to tax residents in Spain. It will furthermore provide direct and free access to the records of the Registrar of Companies in Gibraltar [...] as well as to the Gibraltar Land Registry. People walking along the Gibraltar airport runway to reach the border with Spain. JON NAZCa / REUTERS This and other tax information will be exchanged every six months, but the first exchange of information on several of these points will take place within the next four months and cover the period beginning in January 2014. Spanish diplomatic sources said that this agreement complements the preliminary agreement reached on December 31 to let Gibraltar join the Schengen space, and whose finer points are still being discussed by London and Brussels. The same sources said that the ultimate goal is to bring Gibraltars legislation in line with Spains on import duties, value-added tax and special taxes (on alcohol, fuel and tobacco products). The treatys preamble notes that the treaty does not imply any modification of the respective legal positions of the Kingdom of Spain or of the United Kingdom with regard to sovereignty and jurisdiction in relation to Gibraltar. The agreement was approved by Spanish Congress on July 15 and by the Senate on September 23, despite votes against by the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox. Gibraltar, which sits at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, was ceded to Britain in 1713 during the War of Spanish Succession, although disputes over sovereignty and jurisdiction issues remain to this day. In the Brexit referendum of 2016, Gibraltarians overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU. English version by Susana Urra. Dominic Raab defended paying a Russian firm 2.6million to create a White House-style media briefing room in Downing Street today, amid safety and cost fears. The Foreign Secretary suggested the project represented 'value for money' and said the UK was open to investment from firms based in Russia and China 'where it's safe'. Yesterday it was revealed that a firm called Megahertz was hired to install microphones, control desks, cameras and computers in the No 9 Downing Street suite. Megahertz is owned by Okno-TV, a Moscow-based company that works closely with state-controlled broadcaster Russia Today, whose UK output has repeatedly been censured by Ofcom. But Mr Raab told LBC radio today: 'We're not saying that we've got a problem with the Russian people or the Chinese people. Indeed if you look at, for example on the Chinese front, the British Chinese community make an incredible contribution here. 'We're not saying all businesses from either of those two countries are bad, far from it, we welcome, we want to be an outward open looking country and of course in relation to any government contract, we want to get the best value for money. 'Yes of course the big emphasis on buying British but ultimately we want to get the best value for taxpayers money.' He added: 'The reality is we're an open, outward looking country, we want foreign direct investment where it's safe, where it can be done without risk to our own country or dirty money making its way into this country, but that is part of our shtick, our USP as global Britain.' But Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, told the same radio station there were 'serious questions to be answered'. The Foreign Secretary suggested the project represented 'value for money' and said the UK was open to investment from firms linked to Moscow and Beijing 'where it's safe' Downing Street's new White-House style media briefing room, created with 2.6 million of taxpayer's money, has been revealed In a nod to the White House, a podium is at the head of the room complete with an official Downing Street lectern in front of four Union Jack flags Earlier this month, it was revealed that the government spent 2.6 million on renovations to make the room ready for the briefings, which will be fronted by fronted by former journalist Allegra Stratton Boris Johnson to unveil review saying Russia and China are 'biggest threats' to UK security Boris Johnson will today declare that the UK is boosting its nuclear arsenal as a major review warns that Russia and China are the 'biggest threats' and a biological 'dirty bombs'. Unveiling a strategy that could define Britain's future as a world power, the PM will signal a shift to a 'more robust position on security and deterrence' including troops being deployed overseas 'more often and for longer periods'. The limit on the number of nuclear warheads is set to be increased from 180 to 260. But the Integrated Review of security, defence, and foreign policy will also herald a huge shift in emphasis from conventional forces to cutting edge warfare, with investment in space and laser weapons. It is set to highlight the 'active threat' of Russia under Vladimir Putin, while stressing that Beijing poses a 'systemic challenge' to prosperity. A successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack is considered 'likely' by 2030. And worryingly the document says another pandemic is a 'realistic possibility' this decade. 'Infectious disease outbreaks are likely to be more frequent to 2030,' it says. The blueprint will be laid out by Mr Johnson in a statement to the Commons, where he will warn that Western values are not guaranteed to come out on top - and restate his commitment to spending 0.7 per cent of Britain's income on aid once the coronavirus crisis is past. The 100-page review, which was leaked last night, will set out the Government's view of Britain's place in the world after Brexit. It declares: 'We will move from defending the status quo within the post-Cold War international system to dynamically shaping the post-Covid order.' Advertisement Sir Alistair said: 'I couldn't quite believe it, really, because the two refurbishments we've had in Downing Street recently have been very bizarre. 'To use a Russian [owned] company in a highly sensitive security area seems incredible, really. 'I don't think the government [has] explained yet whether this contract went out for competitive tender and it seems to be one of a whole series of very expensive projects that haven't gone out to competitive tender.' The construction of the room within No 9 Downing Street began last year when the government announced plans to hold televised briefings. Earlier this month, it was revealed that the government spent 2.6 million to make the room ready for the briefings, which will be fronted by former journalist Allegra Stratton. Now, photos have revealed the result of the work including a plush new studio and seating for reporters. In a nod to the White House, a podium is at the head of the room complete with an official Downing Street lectern in front of four Union Jack flags. A source told ITV News last night: 'A Russian-owned firm has been installing all of the communications equipment in Number 10. Questions need to be asked, the company does big installations for a number of organisations - but this is government.' Ms Stratton, a former journalist, said there were 'absolutely not' any security concerns, adding: 'Clearly, in a contract like that we take all the necessary measures to ensure the highest standards of security.' However, the Labour Party questioned the contract process for the renovation. The revelation came as images of the new briefing room were ridiculed online with some users questioning the liberal use of Tory blue and dubbing it a 'dictator's podium'. Last night Labour's shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'Given how much money Boris Johnson has thrown at his latest vanity project, we were expecting something a bit more impressive. 'This raises serious questions on who is getting rushed-through government contracts. 'And that's before we even get to why our nurses are getting a pay cut while the government spends millions on a media briefing room. 'The fact the government seems to have simply brushed this off with no further transparency or assurances on how they're spending British taxpayer money is deeply concerning.' The televised briefings were said to be the brainchild of Boris Johnson's former adviser Lee Cain and are expected to be vehicles for the Conservative government to report on its policies. They are expected to run in a similar way to White House press briefings with Ms Stratton answering questions on behalf of the Prime Minister and government. As a politically-appointed special adviser, rather than an impartial civil servant, she will be able to take aim at opponents as well as defend the Government's actions. Critics slammed the design on social media after the photos were revealed. One wrote: 'Dictators Podium. Why is it blue. Is it going to be a Trump like party political broadcast room?' Another said: 'The blue is disturbing here. It subliminally says U.K. state = the Tory party. Whereas until now, elections, the apparatus of state, its laws, traditions, and erm, accountability mechanisms and standards were the framework within which parties operated.' While a third said: 'Looks a bit cheap doesn't it?' The new briefing room seems to have been inspired by the White House. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily press briefing on March 15 Much of the equipment used in the briefing room was installed by a Russian-owned company with links to state broadcaster Russia Today Firm Megahertz was hired to install microphones, control desks, cameras and computers. Megahertz is owned by Okno-TV, a Moscow-based company that works closely with state controlled broadcaster Russia Today In response to a Freedom of Information request earlier this month, the Cabinet Office issued a breakdown of the costs of the renovations totalling 2,607,767.67, largely excluding VAT The televised briefings were said to be the brainchild of Boris Johnson's former adviser Lee Cain and are expected to be vehicles for the Conservative government to report on its policies They are expected to run in a similar way to White House press briefings with Ms Stratton answering questions on behalf of the Prime Minister and government In response to a Freedom of Information request earlier this month, the Cabinet Office issued a breakdown of the costs of the renovations totalling 2,607,767.67, largely excluding VAT. It said the funds had been spent to allow daily broadcasting by news organisations within the Grade-I listed building. 'This will necessarily require one-off capital works, including audio-visual equipment, internet infrastructure, electrical works and lighting,' the response said. 'This spending is in the public interest as the new broadcasting of lobby briefings will increase public accountability and transparency about the work of this Government now and in the future. 'Such spending on maintenance and technical facilities reflects that 9 Downing Street (the Privy Council Office) is a Grade I listed building.' An advert said the salary for the press secretary role would be based on experience, but reports suggested the taxpayer-funded post would pay around 100,000 a year. The FoI response, which was delayed by several weeks as officials decided whether the disclosure was in the public interest, included 1,848,695.12 for the 'main works'. Other costs included 198,023.75 on 'long lead items', and 33,394.63 on broadband equipment. The launch of the televised briefings had been anticipated as early as the autumn, but in January No 10 said they were being delayed as ministers planned to hold regular press conferences during the lockdown. Lobby correspondents, the political reporters based in Parliament, currently have daily briefings with the Prime Minister's official spokesman, or his deputy. Both are civil servants. But under proposals set out in July, an afternoon session will be filmed at 9 Downing Street and will be led by Ms Stratton. Amusing (but still quite serious) reminder of what not to do while awaiting federal sentencing | Main | Reviewing all the notable criminal justice work of the Washington Supreme Court in recent times The title of this post is the full headline of this notable piece recently in The Atlantic authored by Irene Oritseweyinmi Joe. Here are excerpts: Public defense might be one of the rare professions in which doing ones job too well can lead to being fired. The reasons for this are structural public defenders are tasked with an obligation they cannot fulfill without upsetting those tasked with helping them fulfill it and the system can be fixed structurally: by creating a state-level office whose job it is to defend public defenders.... Working as a public defender can be like walking a tightrope. Attorneys are constitutionally required to provide effective representation to their clients, ethically required to do so as officers of the court, and subject to the ordinary human desire to keep their jobs. Other actors in the criminal process complicate the public defenders ability to do each of these things. At times, courts set restrictive and unconstitutional bail, show little patience for the time it takes attorneys to investigate and prepare cases, and fail to hold prosecutors accountable. Prosecutors sometimes bring so many cases that public defenders cannot meaningfully represent every client they are assigned, and then use this tactic to move cases quickly through the criminal process. Then, the leaders of the institutions within the executive and judicial branches of government can fire or reassign a public defender when they are displeased with his or her work. It can be a vicious cycle, where a public defender is fighting a battle against the very entity that must provide that public defender with the resources and support it needs to do so. So who defends public defenders when they are faced with serious consequences for challenging the decisions of opposing actors, when those very actors oversee the public-defender institution? Most states house the public defender under either the judicial or executive branch, and each placement provides its own unique challenges. The executive branch has a clearly articulated objective of enforcing a jurisdictions laws. This role is in some ways similar to the public defenders role of ensuring that law enforcement complies with both constitutional and statutory law, but it also contradicts the mandate of the public defender to protect the individuals charged with violating those laws. The state judicial branch is tasked with advancing the resolution of the courtroom process neutrally, efficiently, and fairly. This role can sometimes lead courts to deprioritize the public defenders needs in larger decisions about the courtroom process, as when judges feel they must support the requests of others involved in the criminal process, such as prosecutors and victims. Courts can also punish the public defender who acts in a manner inconsistent with the courts view of how the process should evolve.... The obvious solution would be to make the public defender an independent institution, so it could define its own structure to best suit the needs of its client base without fear of reprisal. But doing so would overlook the need to secure funding in a government system where all actors must compete for limited resources. While the public defender plays an important role in the criminal-justice system and protects the rights of the public at large, its influence and political efficacy are often smaller in comparison to other executive or judicial agents. To secure a seat at the table, the public-defender institution requires an authoritative presence that can effectively pursue its agenda within the state structure. Instead of asking for pure independence, public defenders should seek a protector, a state actor that possesses a degree of independence but is also able to effectively advocate for the institution. This actors primary responsibility would be to ensure that public defenders receive the resources they need to comply with constitutional and ethical duties. The position would also challenge the leadership in its assigned branch, including identifying practices that hinder public defenders ability to do their job and holding other actors accountable in the larger system. Fortunately, the nation already has a model in place for such a position: the inspector general. Established by statute in 1978, the inspector general is a relatively independent government office tasked with neutrally assessing whether members of the executive branch have violated constitutional principles. The public-defender version could notify the court of constitutional and ethical violations related to the delivery of public-defender services. This position would also reaffirm the role of the public defender as a protector of the general public, as it serves as a check on the governments intrusion into a citizens life through the criminal process. THE Land Development Agency has announced its plans to open an office in Limerick. The plan will facilitate more flexible working arrangements for staff, but most importantly the move recognises the role of the LDA as a national agency with a mandate to help boost the scale of cities outside Dublin, in line with Project Ireland 2040s ambition for growth outside Dublin. When public health restrictions allow, the LDA will open offices in Limerick and Corkthis year, with more bases outside Dublin planned in the near future. The Agency's mandate is to increase the supply of affordable housing through the efficient use of state land, and it already has significant activities in Limerick and Cork. In Limerick, the LDA is working with the local authority on plans for the redevelopment of a 50-hectare site around Colbert Station, to create a new urban quarter with a mix of residential, educational, health, community, and recreational uses. Commenting on the plan to open additional officer, John Moran, Chair of the Land Development Agency said: "I am delighted for the LDA move to be one of the first public sector agencies moving to a distributed working model. Rebalancing the social and economic drivers of Ireland is critical to creating a more liveable and attractive country. Given the re-evaluation of how we can all work more flexibly post Covid, there is no better time for the LDA to support more balanced regional development by opening offices outside of Dublin." Mr Moran, a former secretary general at the Department of Finance added: " With our national team operating cohesively in numerous locations we will benefit from better diversity of thought as to how we prioritise and deliver on our mandate. We can also offer challenging and rewarding career paths both in and outside of the capital. John Coleman, Chief Executive of the Land Development Agency added: "The LDAs mandate of improving the supply of affordable housing and making better use of state land is a nationwide project, and so it is appropriate that we expand our office footprint beyond Dublin. This plan will have the effect of creating office hubs located outside of Dublin for our team and therefore provide welcome flexible working options for staff who may not wish to work in Dublin. We are currently recruiting new members to our expanding team and hopefully the announcement of our intention about new offices will open up the opportunity for a broader range of candidates to consider working with us. The new Land Development Agency Bill currently before the Oireachtas will allow the LDA to identify underused public lands, to draw up masterplans to develop those lands, and to manage the State landbank with the goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. It will also free up very significant capital from the Strategic Investment Fund for the LDA to drive on quickly with its mission. The bill has been criticised by some members of Limerick City and County Council who have expressed strong concerns as to its impact. Rapid deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning to tackle coronavirus must still go through ethical checks and balances, or we risk harming already disadvantaged communities in the rush to defeat the disease. This is according to researchers at the University of Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) in two articles, published today in the British Medical Journal, cautioning against blinkered use of AI for data-gathering and medical decision-making as we fight to regain some normalcy in 2021. "Relaxing ethical requirements in a crisis could have unintended harmful consequences that last well beyond the life of the pandemic," said Dr Stephen Cave, Director of CFI and lead author of one of the articles. "The sudden introduction of complex and opaque AI, automating judgments once made by humans and sucking in personal information, could undermine the health of disadvantaged groups as well as long-term public trust in technology." In a further paper, co-authored by CFI's Dr Alexa Hagerty, researchers highlight potential consequences arising from the AI now making clinical choices at scale - predicting deterioration rates of patients who might need ventilation, for example - if it does so based on biased data. Datasets used to "train" and refine machine-learning algorithms are inevitably skewed against groups that access health services less frequently, such as minority ethnic communities and those of "lower socioeconomic status". "COVID-19 has already had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities. We know these systems can discriminate, and any algorithmic bias in treating the disease could land a further brutal punch," Hagerty said. In December, protests ensued when Stanford Medical Centre's algorithm prioritized home-workers for vaccination over those on the Covid wards. "Algorithms are now used at a local, national and global scale to define vaccine allocation. In many cases, AI plays a central role in determining who is best placed to survive the pandemic," said Hagerty. "In a health crisis of this magnitude, the stakes for fairness and equity are extremely high." Along with colleagues, Hagerty highlights the well-established "discrimination creep" found in AI that uses "natural language processing" technology to pick up symptom profiles from medical records - reflecting and exacerbating biases against minorities already in the case notes. They point out that some hospitals already use these technologies to extract diagnostic information from a range of records, and some are now using this AI to identify symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Similarly, the use of track-and-trace apps creates the potential for biased datasets. The researchers write that, in the UK, over 20% of those aged over 15 lack essential digital skills, and up to 10% of some population "sub-groups" don't own smartphones. "Whether originating from medical records or everyday technologies, biased datasets applied in a one-size-fits-all manner to tackle COVID-19 could prove harmful for those already disadvantaged," said Hagerty. In the BMJ articles, the researchers point to examples such as the fact that a lack of data on skin colour makes it almost impossible for AI models to produce accurate large-scale computation of blood-oxygen levels. Or how an algorithmic tool used by the US prison system to calibrate reoffending - and proven to be racially biased - has been repurposed to manage its COVID-19 infection risk. The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence recently launched the UK's first Master's course for ethics in AI. For Cave and colleagues, machine learning in the Covid era should be viewed through the prism of biomedical ethics - in particular the "four pillars". The first is beneficence. "Use of AI is intended to save lives, but that should not be used as a blanket justification to set otherwise unwelcome precedents, such as widespread use of facial recognition software," said Cave. In India, biometric identity programs can be linked to vaccination distribution, raising concerns for data privacy and security. Other vaccine allocation algorithms, including some used by the COVAX alliance, are driven by privately owned AI, says Hagerty. "Proprietary algorithms make it hard to look into the 'black box', and see how they determine vaccine priorities." The second is 'non-maleficence', or avoiding needless harm. A system programmed solely to preserve life will not consider rates of 'long covid', for example. Thirdly, human autonomy must be part of the calculation. Professionals need to trust technologies, and designers should consider how systems affect human behaviour - from personal precautions to treatment decisions. Finally, data-driven AI must be underpinned by ideals of social justice. "We need to involve diverse communities, and consult a range of experts, from engineers to frontline medical teams. We must be open about the values and trade-offs inherent in these systems," said Cave. "AI has the potential to help us solve global problems, and the pandemic is unquestionably a major one. But relying on powerful AI in this time of crisis brings ethical challenges that must be considered to secure public trust." ### MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A legislative committee has advanced a bill that would outlaw using hormonal treatments and puberty blockers to treat transgender minors. The House Health Committee on Tuesday approved the bill that would make it a felony to use puberty-blocking drugs, hormonal therapy and surgery to treat transgender minors. Republican Sen. Shay Shelnutt, the sponsor of the bill, argued minors are not mature enough to make the decisions. Democratic Rep. Neil Rafferty responded that lawmakers are inserting themselves into medical decisions. The bill, which has already cleared the Alabama Senate, now moves to the full Alabama House of Representatives. LOWELL, Mass., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rapid Micro Biosystems, Inc., the leading provider of data integrity and automation technology for microbial detection in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, today announced the completion of an $81 million equity financing. The funding round was led by new investor D1 Capital Partners, along with funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Adage Capital Management, Sunley House Capital Management, and CaaS Capital Management. These new investors join an existing investor group that includes Bain Capital Life Sciences, Ally Bridge Group, Longitude Capital, Xeraya Capital, Endeavour Vision, Quaker Partners, and Asahi Kasei Medical. Including this latest financing, Rapid Micro Biosystems has raised over $340 million of equity to fuel its expansion. A majority of the global top-20 pharmaceutical companies use Rapid Micro Biosystem's Growth Direct System to automate their critical compendial microbial testing processes. The Growth Direct System enables pharmaceutical companies to ensure robust data integrity and regulatory compliance, meaningfully decrease errors, and significantly increase efficiency of their global supply chains, thereby reducing the risk of catastrophic contamination events and product recalls. Rapid Micro Biosystems has seen accelerating adoption of the Growth Direct System by leading biopharmaceutical companies to expand drug and vaccine production by meeting stringent quality requirements and maximizing capacity in response to growing global demand. "This new investment will enable continued acceleration of our company's growth as we help global drug manufacturers significantly improve data integrity, reduce risk, accelerate decision making and improve the operational efficiency of their quality control processes," said Robert Spignesi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rapid Micro Biosystems. "We are excited about the support of our new investors, who share our mission of improving the robustness and safety of the global pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem." "We believe that Rapid Micro Biosystems is modernizing microbial quality control, bringing much needed data integrity and automation to a critical function in drug manufacturing," said James Rogers, Analyst at D1 Capital Partners. "The company is exceptionally well-positioned to address the fast-emerging class of cell and gene therapies, a category of personalized medicines which are manufactured in small batches with extensive material handling under intensive microbial quality control. As significant numbers of these highly advanced therapeutics come to market, leading pharmaceutical companies will rely on Rapid Micro Biosystems to enable the complex processes necessary to ensure these products are safe for patients." Rapid Micro Biosystems has seen significant global demand for its system as regulators push for more stringent quality and data integrity as volumes and manufacturing complexity of high-value drug production increase. The ongoing global health threat posed by infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, only serves to intensify the need for pharmaceutical companies and regulators to drive much needed investment in advanced technologies, such as those provided by Rapid Micro Biosystems. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as sole placement agent to Rapid Micro Biosystems in connection with the transaction. About Rapid Micro Biosystems Rapid Micro Biosystems is the industry leader in automated detection of microbial contamination with innovative products for fast, accurate, and efficient detection of microbial contamination in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, biologics, biotechnology products, medical devices, and personal care products. The company's Growth Direct platform - the only growth-based platform to fully automate traditional microbial testing - detects contamination more quickly, delivering compelling economic benefits to manufacturers while improving their quality control. Follow RMB at @rapidmicrobioor LinkedIn. About D1 Capital Partners D1 Capital Partners is a global investment firm that operates across public and private markets. The firm combines the talent and operational excellence of a large, premier asset management firm with the flexible mandate and long-term time horizon of a family office. Founded in 2018 by Daniel Sundheim, D1 focuses on investing in the global internet, technology, telecom, media, consumer, healthcare, financial, industrial, and real estate sectors. Contact for US and Global Media: media@rapidmicrobio.com Tokyo, March 16 : Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said it was too early to determine if the Covid-19 state of emergency in place for the Tokyo region could be lifted on March 21 as planned, although according to a senior administration official, an exit "looked likely". Addressing an upper house budget committee session on Monday, Suga said that a final decision will be made after consulting with experts, although informed sources have said there could be an early exit from the emergency period for the greater Tokyo area, with a possible announcement on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency. This, according to the sources, is down to declining infections and an improvement in the situation of hospitals in the capital and its surrounding prefectures that were previously overburdened, but now have more beds available to treat patients. The Health Ministry is expected to assess the situation on Wednesday, the sources said, with Suga likely to announce the decision on the state of emergency deadline for the Tokyo region possibly as soon as Thursday. Suga will also hold discussions with his cabinet on whether the COVID-19 situation in the greater Tokyo area has improved enough to lift the emergency period,. The Prime Minister himself has said there has been a decline in new cases recently, while according to Shigeru Omi, head of the government's Covid-19 subcommittee, extending the state of emergency would not be a "real solution". Tokyo on Monday reported 175 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the capital's tally to 115,584. The local government and health officials said the seven-day average of daily cases stood at 287.6, which is 113.5 per cent of the average for the previous week. The seven-day average remained high of late and above the metropolitan government's aim to keep the figure below 70 per cent of the previous week. Under the current state of emergency, restaurants and bars must close by 8 p.m. and people are being urged to avoid leaving home unnecessarily, particularly in the evenings. Businesses are requested to promote remote working, while attendees at large-scale events have been capped at 5,000 people. The Japanese leader declared a month-long state of emergency for the greater Tokyo area on January 7, before expanding the emergency measure to a total of 11 prefectures. It was then extended for another month for the majority of prefectures to March 7 and then by two more weeks to March 21 for Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Orleans residents who need transportation to their coronavirus vaccination appointment can now get a free or discounted ride from Uber. The program will provide up to 20,000 rides to residents through a partnership with the city, the Orleans Parish Communications District, LCMC Health, the Greater New Orleans Foundation and the Urban League of Louisiana. "This ride donation will remove transportation barriers that could potentially prevent residents from accessing the life-saving vaccines and we know that the vaccine is our way out of the pandemic," Laura Mellem, public engagement manager for New Orleans' Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Those looking to take advantage of the offer can get a code in the Uber app to get four $35 credits for rides between any location in New Orleans and a vaccination site. Those that don't have the app can call 311 to schedule a ride. "We know that the low-income and elderly have added transportation barriers that may prevent them from getting a vaccine," said Uber spokesperson Trevor Theunissen, adding that the ride-hailing company aims to "help make the largest-ever global immunization campaign a success and deliver the benefits of the vaccine quickly, effectively and also equitably." 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 311 center is also scheduling vaccination appointments at community locations and adding people to a vaccination waitlist. Vaccinations at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, which is being run as a mass vaccination site by LCMC, can be scheduled by calling (504) 290-5200. The 311 system currently has 33,000 individuals registered for vaccines, Orleans Parish Communications Director Tyrell Morris said. +3 Louisiana coronavirus: Nearly 150,000 more vaccine doses administered The Louisiana Department of Health reported 146,666 more vaccine doses administered in its noon update Monday. "Be mindful, the free rides are a limited supply so we do ask that if you have the ability to get to a vaccination site on your own you save this for those who need it the most," Morris said. Alternatively, the Regional Transit Authority runs free shuttle buses to the Convention Center. Those shuttles depart every 15 minutes from Duncan Plaza and every 45 minutes from the Park and Ride on the west bank and from the Walmart in New Orleans East. The man told police he was driving east in the 2800 block of Lawrence just after 8 a.m. when he got into an argument with another motorist in traffic. BUDAPEST, Hungary, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hungarian brand,878 enters the international market for premium sailing apparel with its products that are designed, developed and manufactured in Hungary. These original clothing items address the unresolved issues of professional sailing and combine technological and material innovation to help increase the performance of both leisure sailors and professional athletes. The development of sailboat racing has accelerated tremendously in recent years yet, the changes of clothing and protective equipment of sailors did not follow this pace, which brought many problems to the surface. Solution is provided by 878's clothes made of unique components and materials, which are rarely utilized on the market at the moment. In these sailing apparel, sustainability, digital solutions, many years of product development and manufacturing technology is combined with material innovation. The products are made of graphene, a material that is ultra-lightweight yet flexible, stretchy, perfectly waterproof, stronger than steel, which, as a main feature, provides about the same feeling of heat at both 5 and 20 Celsius. The creators of the "super material" received a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. Moreover, the apparel can be perfectly made-to-measure thanks to the 3D body scan. The Budapest-based company used a unique approach already during its planning phase, as it involved the sailing community, with which the most important needs of the athletes were mapped out. Aiming to become a large-scale, world-class sportswear, in addition to material innovation and functionality, the design has also been given a significant role. "The 878 was created with the mission to securely adhere to an innovative approach and to the application of intelligent solutions in order to develop products that can reach 2% share of global sailing apparel market," said Istvan Papp, CEO of 878. Wearable innovation is reflected in this unique product: a digital, foldable display built in the jacket, to which an on-board unit transmits data from the boat instrument via bluetooth, and different data can be set up by the captain for the team. The company also strives for sustainability: only chemical-free and environmentally friendly materials are used for manufacturing, water use is minimized, and part of the profits will be spent on water and ocean clean-up initiatives. 878 operates as a waste-free company thanks to their fully digitized production. The ambassador of the 878 brand is Zsombor Berecz, World and European champion Hungarian sailor. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1454047/878_Sailing_Apparel.jpg Global sales of art and antiques in 2020 were estimated to have declined by 22 percent on the previous year, according to the latest annual Art Basel and UBS Art Market report, published on Tuesday. The 359-page report, the most comprehensive analysis of the coronavirus pandemics effect on the international art trade to date, found that combined dealer and auction house sales totaled $50.1 billion, their lowest level since the financial crisis of 2009. With art fairs postponed and galleries shuttered, dealer sales declined an aggregate 20 percent, to $29.3 billion, in 2020, while public auctions, many of which were conducted in online-only formats, were down 30 percent, to $17.6 billion. One brighter spot was in private transactions at auction houses, which were up 36 percent, to $3.2 billion, according to the report. It could have been a lot worse than it was, said the economist Clare McAndrew, the author of the report, which was compiled from publicly available data from auction houses and estimates based on survey responses from 1,715 art and antiques dealers. CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Envestnet (NYSE: ENV) announced today it has acquired technology from Apprise Labs to advance Envestnet's roadmap to deliver a reimagined client portal experience that will focus on helping clients achieve financial wellness through deeper connections with their advisors. The deal also includes the acquisition of cash flow planning and advanced estate planning solutions that will enhance Envestnet | MoneyGuide's robust financial planning ecosystem. It becomes a true superpower for the advisorhelping their clients intelligently connect their financial lives. Tweet this Preview of Envestnets reimagined client portal experience that will focus on helping clients achieve financial wellness through deeper connections with their advisors. Preview of goal planning in Envestnets reimagined client portal experience. "Apprise Labs has developed a groundbreaking digital experience for advisors to engage and collaborate with their clients," said Bill Crager, CEO and Co-Founder of Envestnet. "This access and engagement completely transform the way clients view and interact with their finances. It becomes a true superpower for the advisorhelping their clients intelligently connect their financial lives." The financial planning technology solutions acquired from Apprise Labs will now be offered by MoneyGuide as Wealth Studios. This includes a detailed cash flow report that allows advisors to engage their wealthy clients differently using a goals-based approach. The offering also comprises advanced estate and legacy planning that addresses ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) client needs, like trust modeling and inheritance fairness planning. "It has long been our mantra that everyone needs and deserves a quality financial plan; we're a giant leap closer to helping advisors deliver this essential benefit. The acquisition will help advisors expand their ability to better address the needs of all clients, regardless of level of wealth, stage in life, and complexity of finances," said Tony Leal, President of Envestnet | MoneyGuide. "By adding this product, developed by an industry leader in financial planning, advisors and institutions can now provide more tailored solutions, ranging from debt management strategies to multi-generational planning with one vendor relationship." These enhancements to the Envestnet ecosystem will help the firm execute on its mission to deliver an intelligently connected financial life for investors. The data and insights powering these capabilities support each phase of advice, from determining an estate goal to engaging with the Envestnet Trust Services Exchange to meet the estate's needs, within a hyper-personalized client portal that can be accessed anywhere and from any location whenever clients decide they need it. This new environment is rolling out to a beta group of clients in June, and will be rolled out more broadly by the end of 2021. "Envestnet truly understands the value of financial advice, and the advisor-client relationship. I'm excited that they continue to take client engagement to the next levelnow with more interactive experiences as well as deeper income and legacy planning capabilities," said Edmond Walters, Founder and CEO of Apprise Labs. "I look forward to continuing our collaboration to provide new ways for advisors to improve the way they connect with their clients." Terms of the deal were not disclosed. About Envestnet Envestnet, Inc. (NYSE: ENV) is transforming the way financial advice and wellness are delivered. Our mission is to empower advisors and financial service providers with innovative technology, solutions, and intelligence to make financial wellness a reality for everyone. Over 106,000 advisors and more than 5,100 companies including: 17 of the 20 largest U.S. banks, 47 of the 50 largest wealth management and brokerage firms, over 500 of the largest RIAs and hundreds of FinTech companies, leverage Envestnet technology and services that help drive better outcomes for enterprises, advisors and their clients. For more information, please visit www.envestnet.com, subscribe to our blog, and follow us on Twitter (@ENVintel) and LinkedIn. Media Contact: Dana Taormina JConnelly for Envestnet 973.647.4626 [email protected] SOURCE Envestnet, Inc. Related Links http://www.envestnet.com/ Kolkata, March 16 : A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a night-long meeting with the state BJP leaders to troubleshoot the candidate selection jinx, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday trained her guns at the saffron camp for allegedly hatching a conspiracy against the state government in poll-bound Bengal. "They (BJP) have no other work but to hatch conspiracies against me in order to kill me. They only know how to manipulate the Election Commission (EC) and tamper the voting process," the wheelchair-bound Chief Minister said while addressing a public meeting in Bankura district. "Will the Union Home Minister run the country or hatch conspiracy and harass the Trinamool Congress in Bengal? He only plans for riots. They are sending notices to our leaders using Central agencies," she added. Referring to the removal of the security-in-charge by the EC, Banerjee said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had issued a summon to the West Bengal Home Secretary on Monday. The Trinamool supremo further said that there was poor turnout at Amit Shah's rally in Jhargram on Monday, as the people of the district did not want to listen to a conspirator. "Why should our mothers and daughters turn up for the person who only hatches conspiracies against women? They think they will intimidate me and choke my voice. But I want to tell them that I shall always remain vocal about my stand against the BJP till the time I am alive," the Chief Minister said. "Do they (BJP) think they will win the elections if they kill me? I want to ask is Amit Shah running the EC and giving instructions to it," Banerjee asked. Boris Johnson in Downing Street on Tuesday, as data showed COVID cases are rising in one in three areas of the UK. (Getty Images) Coronavirus cases are now increasing in one in three areas of the UK, the latest infection data show. The governments new figures covering the seven days up to 11 March show cases are rising in 135 out of 380 local council areas or 36% of the UK. By comparison, Mondays figures, which covered the week up to 10 March, showed the infection rate was rising in 111 areas (29%). The latest seven-day case rate per 100,000 people in your area, and how this changed compared to the previous week, can be viewed on this interactive map. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Made with Flourish South Ayrshire saw the biggest increase of 326.9% compared to the previous seven days. While the UKs rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has been one of the most successful in the world, and this has been a major factor behind the sharp decline of infections since the beginning of the year, the speed of that decline has been slowing down, as this government graph demonstrates. Cases by specimen date. (gov.uk) The fact cases are increasing in more than a third of the UK's local council areas also offers a reminder that the target dates for ending lockdown are not a given though it will not be infection numbers alone that drive the final decisions. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon, for example, set out plans on Tuesday for a return to near normality by the end of June. Later on, however, she was warning there is no room for complacency following a recent increase in Scotlands daily average of coronavirus cases. Boris Johnson has also set a target of 21 June "at the earliest" to lift all restrictions on social contact in England. Watch: How England is leaving lockdown The UK's latest case rates came as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was conducting a full scientific review of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID jab while adding it currently remains convinced the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the risk. The regulator, which approved the vaccine for Europe, is due to offer a further update on Thursday after several European countries halted its use due to reports of some people suffering blood clots following vaccination. Story continues The World Health Organization (WHO) also issued a new statement saying it is also evaluating the reports, but still believed the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighed any risks. Emer Cooke, the EMAs executive director, told a press briefing on Tuesday there was no current indication that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was the cause of the very rare reported blood clots. Read more: Downing Street refuses to deny report Boris Johnson wanted to 'ignore' COVID pandemic Half of all UK adults to have received a COVID vaccine by this week I want to stress at present there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, she said. They have not come up in the clinical trials and they are not listed as known side events with this vaccine." Johnson and Sturgeon have both backed the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Watch: Do coronavirus vaccines affect fertility? Several bills under consideration in the Oregon Legislature would help people who menstruate feel less of the financial strain of paying for period products. Senate Bills 717 and 521 and House Bill 3294 all address menstrual products in various forms. SB 717 would provide $10 per month to people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to purchase personal hygiene items. SB 717 has the support of the Oregon Food Bank and Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. SB 717 would make critical investments to improve SNAP by adding $10/month for the purchasing of personal hygienic items. Many of the 1,400 food pantries Oregon Food Bank serves across the state stock such items for this very reason, wrote Matt Newell-Ching, public policy manager for the Oregon Food Bank, in written testimony in favor of the bill. SB 521 would exempt businesses from paying commercial activity tax on sales of period products as well as diapers, formula and prescription drugs. The commercial activity tax was passed in 2019 to help Oregon fund education. The third bill, HB 3294, would require all public schools to provide pads and tampons to students at no charge. That bill, called the Menstrual Dignity Act, has more than 15 sponsors. This bill is for all our students who have missed school due to lack of menstrual product availability, said Rep. Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, in a press release. Our students deserve to learn with dignity, and our failure to take action has negatively impacted our students. As legislators, we must change our view of our educational systems from school-ready students, to student-ready institutions. Im excited to be partnering with legislators, partners and most importantly, our students - who are at the center of our work. This isnt the first time the Oregon Legislature has turned its attention towards people who menstruate. In 2019, officials passed a law requiring free pads and tampons be made available in adult correctional settings. That law wasnt extended to include youth facilities even after reporting showed that youth in the care of the state at a Klamath Falls facility could get tampons only if a family member brought them in, they were donated or the youth earned points with good behavior and bought them. Hillary Borrud contributed to this report. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker A fired-up Scott Morrison blasted accusations from opponents that he suggested Australian women are lucky not to be shot for protesting against sexual violence. As thousands of women marched in cities around Australia on Monday, including just outside Parliament House, Mr Morrison championed the right to free speech - but a reference he made to the violent clamp down of protest in Myanmar sparked anger. 'This is a vibrant liberal democracy, Mr Speaker. Not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets - but not here in this country,' he had said in Parliament. A fired-up Scott Morrison (pictured) blasted accusations from opponents that he suggested Australian women are lucky not to be shot for protesting against sexual violence Labor leader Anthony Albanese asked Scott Morrison if he regretted comparing the March For Justice with protests in Myanmar Labor leader Anthony Albanese asked Mr Morrison on Tuesday if he regretted this turn of phrase on the second anniversary of the Christchurch mosque massacre in which an Australian white supremacist shot down 51 Muslims. 'Does the Prime Minister reflect equally on the second anniversary of the Christchurch massacre, conducted by an Australian citizen?,' Mr Albanese asked during Question Time. That reference infuriated Mr Morrison who raised his voice and accused the opposition leader of politicising a tragedy. 'The leader of the opposition has engaged, I think, in a very unworthy and egregious slur in this place,' he said. 'When has it been a bad thing for a prime minister to proclaim the strength of democracy in our country? 'What issue does the leader of the opposition have with celebrating democracy and the right to protest? 'What issue could he possibly have, Mr Speaker, other than a twisted attempt, a twisted attempt to try and pervert what is being said in good faith in this place, to celebrate the fact that Australians anywhere in this country can come and express their concerns?' Mr Morrison then accused Mr Albanese of being 'unworthy' of office. 'This demonstrates, Mr Speaker, that on this issue, the leader of the opposition does not act in good faith. 'He does not act in good faith, But on this issue, over many weeks now, has simply tried to twist this issue for his partisan [gain]. 'He is proving himself unworthy at the office, he even holds, now, let alone the one he seeks to take.' Thousands of women marched in cities around Australia on Monday. Pictured: Brisbane Victorian state MP Adem Somyurek, who quit the Labor Party last year following branch-stacking allegations, also slammed Mr Albanese. 'Appalling politicisation of the massacre of Muslims in NZ,' he tweeted. 'Muslims were not protesting when they were massacred they were minding their own business at their place of worship praying.' On Monday Greens leader Adam Bandt slammed the prime minister for his 'bullets' comment. He tweeted: 'Scott Morrison to marchers today: be glad we didn't shoot you. Unbelievable. He just doesn't get it.' Scott Morrison to marchers today: be glad we didnt shoot you. Unbelievable. He just doesnt get it.#qt Adam Bandt (@AdamBandt) March 15, 2021 A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw later blasted the Prime Minister on her show. She said: 'Telling us how lucky we are because if we gathered like this in another country like this, we'd be shot, well that just didn't cut it today, PM.' Liberal Senator Jane Hume said the comment should not be over-interpreted and insisted he was just making the point that Australia supports freedom of speech. Thousands of women protested in capital cities on Monday as part of the March 4 Justice campaign. Labor criticised Mr Morrison for not attending the Canberra rally - but he said he invited organisers to meet in his office and they refused. Senator Hume said she did not think Mr Morrison would be welcomed by women at the march. Greens leader Adam Bandt (pictured) slammed the prime minister for the comment The mass protest came after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped in Parliament in 2019 and Attorney-General Christian Porter denied allegations he raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988. Ms Higgins addressed a crowd in Canberra and took a swipe at the prime minister, accusing his staff of briefing journalists with smears against her boyfriend David Sharaz. 'Privately the media team actively undermined and discredited my loved ones,' she said. Speaking about sexual violence endured by one in five Australian women, Ms Higgins told the cheering crowd: 'If it can happen in Parliament House, it can happen anywhere.' The first Indian female president of Oxford University's students' union has been backed by India's foreign minister after she was forced to resign. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told MPs he would talk to Britain about Rashmi Samant after she had to step down due to old social media posts. He suggested her treatment was 'racism' and vowed his country would 'never ever turn our eyes away from' it. Ms Samant, an energy systems master's student at Linacre College, claimed a 'cancel culture mob' had brought about her removal. The student, from Karnataka in south-west India, was accused of racism after she captioned a photo of herself in Malaysia with the words 'Ching Chang'. Ms Samant previously claimed the phrase 'Ching Chang' translates from Mandarin to 'eat the plants' - an inside joke about her vegetarianism. But Mandarin speakers said the term is a reverse Google Translation not used by native speakers. She was also 'insensitive' to Jews after posting a photo at the Berlin Holocaust Memorial, saying: 'The memorial *CASTS* a *HOLLOW* dream of the past atrocities.' Ms Samant issued an apology for the posts but resigned under pressure from the Oxford Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality and the LGBTQ+ Campaign. Ms Samant (pictured), an energy systems master's student at Linacre College, claimed a 'cancel culture mob' had brought about her removal Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (pictured) told MPs he would talk to Britain about Rashmi Samant after she had to step down due to old social media posts Mr Jaishankar told MPs yesterday he would discuss the issue with Britain, adding: 'As the land of Mahatma Gandhi, we can never ever turn our eyes away from racism. 'Particularly so when it is in a country where we have such a large diaspora. We have strong ties with the UK. We will take up such matters with great candour when required.' Ashwini Vaishnaw, from the Bharatiya Janata Party, claimed her treatment was a 'continuation of attitudes and prejudices from the colonial areas'. What did Rashmi Samant say? 'Holocaust 'pun'' (June 2017): 'The memorial *CASTS* a *HOLLOW* dream of the past atrocities and deeds. Reflecting on it gives us the power to live with the past vouching for a bettecr future. #holocaustMemorial #uniqueArchitecture'. 'Ching Chang' (December 2019): Following a post from Malaysia in which she used the caption 'Ching Chang', one Chinese student told Cherwell it was 'awful' that Ms Samant appeared to 'show no remorse for the use of a phrase which has been used to make fun of Chinese people for our whole lives.' 'Women vs transwomen' [date N/A]: In an Instagram post, she wrote 'women, transwomen and men'. By separating 'women' from 'transwomen', she was accused of transphobia. 'Cecil is like Hitler' (February 2021): At a union debate uploaded to YouTube, Ms Samant commented on Oriel's statue of Cecil Rhodes: 'If an organisation would come up to you and give you a heap of money to set up a scholarship and say 'I want to name this the Hitler fund or the Hitler scholarship', would you do it?' Advertisement Before she stepped down, Ms Samant apologised to 'every student who has been hurt by my actions or words and seek a chance to gain your trust in me again'. She wrote in Cherwell: 'I fully acknowledge my shortcomings over the years and the past few days in my capacity as President-elect. 'I come to you with an apology and a willingness to learn. I earnestly seek your help in making amends for my mistakes.' Despite her apology, Ms Samant announced on February 16 she had decided to resign as President-Elect. She wrote on Facebook: 'In light of the recent events surrounding my election to the Presidency of the Oxford SU, I believe it is best for me to step down from the role.' She added: 'It has been an honour to be your President-Elect.' But when she returned to India she claimed she had been a victim of a 'cancel culture mob' fuelled by 'anti-Hindu prejudice'. She told the Indian Express: 'There was a conscious attempt made to unearth posts made by me... 'It was only after I won that they were brought up. I believe my posts were not malicious or racist.' Oxford's Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality told the Times: 'There is no suggestion of malicious intent; as such, CRAE is confident in its firm recommendation that the president-elect should stand down from her position.' Graduate student Ms Samant became the first female Indian President of the Oxford University Student Union following their biggest-ever turnout for voting. Indian MP Shobha Karandlaje hailed Ms Samant's landmark win on social media, describing her success as a 'moment of pride for [the] whole [of] Udupi!' The postgraduate student had studied at the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka before accepting a postgraduate place at Oxford University. Ms Samant, who went to school in Manipal and Udupi, is the daughter of Vathsala Samant, a homemaker, and businessman Dinesh Samant, the Times reports. Her manifesto (pictured) included plans to 'tackle institutional homophobia and transphobia, first through conducting a university-wide consultation with the LGBTQ+ community' Indian MP Shobha Karandlaje hailed Ms Samant's landmark win on social media, describing her success as a 'moment of pride for [the] whole [of] Udupi!' According to Oxford University, Ms Samant received 1,966 of the 3,708 votes cast for SU President - which is more than all three of her opponents combined. But Ms Samant was thrust into controversy after social media posts recently emerged which saw her branded 'insensitive' and 'racist'. In one, she was seen posing at the Berlin Holocaust Memorial in Germany in June 2017. Oxford SU President-Elect steps down: Who is Rashmi Samant? Oxford student Rashmi Samant Rashmi Samant was last week elected as the first Indian female president of the Oxford University Student Union after its biggest-ever voter turnout. The postgraduate is studying for an MSc in Energy Systems at Linacre College. She previously attended the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka before accepting a postgraduate place at Oxford University. Ms Samant, who went to school in Manipal and Udupi in southwest India, is the daughter of Vathsala and Dinesh Samant, a businessman from Parkala and a homemaker. The student, who speaks several languages, has previously held the position of Women's Representative at Linacre College. She was also on the Student Council in India as a Sabbatical Officer. Her course ends this year but her father Mr Samant said she was expecting to serve a year in the Students Union post before returning to India next year. In an interview with the Oxford Student ahead of her win, Ms Samant had described her priorities as 'decolonisation and inclusivity', alongside introducing 'Covid interventions for all' and improving access to mental health resources. The MSc Energy Systems student, who moved to the UK from India in October, had planned to lobby the University to 'remove all statues proven to be imperialist', and 'conduct a comprehensive consultation on decolonisation of syllabi.' Her manifesto also included plans to 'tackle institutional homophobia and transphobia, first through conducting a university-wide consultation with the LGBTQ+ community.' Advertisement The caption reportedly read: 'The memorial *CASTS* a *HOLLOW* dream of the past atrocities and deeds. 'Reflecting on it gives us the power to live with the past vouching for a better future. #holocaustMemorial #uniqueArchitecture'. The comment was perceived as a 'pun' on the Holocaust, an atrocity during which millions of Jewish people were murdered by the Nazis. One student, known as Ethan, chose to message Ms Samant explaining why her Holocaust post was offensive. In messages seen by Cherwell, Ms Samant responded: 'I completely condemn the Holocaust in that caption and am not being insensitive. 'It is upto [sic] the interpreter. I am by the end of the day [sic] a non-native English student. I wouldn't even dare to be insensitive about something like that'. When told her actions were perceived as insensitive, she replied: 'I don't agree with you there.' Ethan told Cherwell: 'The main problem I have with her responses is that she focused her election slate around inclusion and acceptance, but when she was called out for ignorance, she has made no effort to recognise her mistakes'. Following a post from Malaysia in which she used the caption 'Ching Chang', one Chinese student told Cherwell it was 'awful' Ms Samant appeared to 'show no remorse for the use of a phrase which has been used to make fun of Chinese people for our whole lives.' Ms Samant also apologised for an Instagram post which separated 'women' and 'transwomen'. The Free Speech Union said last month it was 'disappointed' to see Ms Samant resign from her post. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'She has apologised for the things she said and that should have been enough. 'Publicly shaming young people and hounding them from the public square just because they've said something a bit daft on social media will deter all but the most boring to get involved in student politics. I hope Rashmi runs for office again soon.' Free speech campaigner Calvin Robinson added: 'Whilst we must do all we can do clamp down on racism where it still exists, we must also not lose perspective and context should always be considered. 'Rashmi's comments were entirely inappropriate, there's no doubt about that, but she has since apologised. It is now our job to forgive her and move on. 'We need to get to a point where we can accept someone for the person they are today, without trudging through their social media history from years ago in order to find evidence to discredit them. 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Cancel culture is unforgive and unhelpful; it's a misguided approach at social justice. 'We'd do far better to remember the British value - the Christian value - of forgiveness.' It is understood a by-election will now be held to elect a new SU President. Pictured: Oxford University Student Union In an interview with the Oxford Student ahead of her win, Ms Samant had described her priorities as 'decolonisation and inclusivity', alongside introducing 'Covid interventions for all' and improving access to mental health resources. The MSc Energy Systems student, who moved to the UK from India in October, had planned to lobby the University to 'remove all statues proven to be imperialist', and 'conduct a comprehensive consultation on decolonisation of syllabi.' Her manifesto also included plans to 'tackle institutional homophobia and transphobia, first through conducting a university-wide consultation with the LGBTQ+ community.' It read: 'Being a BAME woman from a former British colony, Rashmi is empathetic towards the struggles faced by marginalised groups.' The current Sabbatical Officers of the Student Union released a statement in the wake of the controversy. It said: 'As your elected representatives and in recognition of the Office we hold, we sincerely apologise for the hurt and discomfort caused by the actions of the President-elect. Oxford SU has a no tolerance policy towards discrimination. Racism, transphobia, and antisemitism have no place in our organisation.' It is understood a by-election will now be held to elect a new SU President. According to state prison records, Ronald 'Butch' DeFeo Jr., the man who inspired "The Amityville Horror" books and movies, died last Friday while imprisoned. DeFeo, who murdered his entire family in 1974 in their Amityville home while they were asleep, served a 25-years-to-life sentence at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg for each of the six killings. DeFeo was reportedly transferred to Albany Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 6:35 PM. Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s cause of death is yet to be determined by the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office. El 13 de Noviembre de 1974, Robert DeFeo Jr a las 3:15 de la madrugada, asesino a sus padres y a sus hermanos con un rifle. pic.twitter.com/jGyHxv3pkv media calva lunar (@memedialuna) January 23, 2020 Nature of the Amityville Murders Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s parents and four siblings were found dead in their beds on the morning of Nov. 13, 1974, after creeping in their rooms and shooting them. In total, he killed six of his family members. According to reports, it took DeFeo about 15 minutes to complete the act. He initially tried to cover up for the murders by running into the street and yelling for help. But when police arrived at the scene, they knew that something wasn't right. There were no signs of struggle, and even the neighbors didn't hear anything odd. The only sign that something was happening in that home was when their family dark continuously barked. DeFeo's alibi of being at work when the killings happened was quickly dismantled under police scrutiny.DeFeo later pointed his finger at hitman Lou Falini and an unknown accomplice, saying that Falini forced DeFeo to watch him commit the murders. Eventually, Ronald DeFeo Jr. confessed and told the police simply that "Once I started, I couldn't stop. It went so fast." Here are other creepy facts about the entire "Amityville Horror" case that gained worldwide attention Identical Positions When all six victims were found, all of their bodies were lying on their stomachs, suggesting that they were arranged by DeFeo that way. The police also determined that the rifle used didn't have a silencer, which meant that the gunshot should have woken the family up. However, there was no sign of struggle, nor any sign of sedatives to knock the victims out. Furniture Still There In the first chapter of Jay Anson's book, "The Amityville Horror," the furniture that had been in the house when DeFeo committed the murders were reportedly still there when the Lutzes purchased it. It was also still in the exact sample place it had been that night of the murders. Lutzes Stayed for Less than a Month George and Kathy Lutz and their three kids lived in the house for 28 days and never returned due to terrifying experiences. Demonic Boy Pic Ed and Loraine Warren, the famous paranormal investigators, we're able to capture a photo of what seemed to be a boy with glowing eyes in the doorway. Many believe it's the spirit of John Matthew DeFeo, who was nine years old when his older brother murdered him. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles AI has, for some time, been applied to diagnose medical conditions in specific fields. It can build on knowledge of particular disciplines to hone in on details such as the shape of a tumor that suggests breast cancer or abnormal cells that indicate cervical cancer. While AI is very good when trained on years of human data in specific domains, it has not been able to deal with the huge number of diagnostic tests (about 5000) and disorders (about 14,000) of modern clinical practice. Now, a new algorithm developed by engineers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering can think and learn just like a doctor but with essentially infinite experience. The work comes out of the lab of Gerald Loeb, a professor of biomedical engineering, pharmacy and neurology at USC Viterbi School of Engineering and a trained physician. Loeb spent years applying AI algorithms to haptics and building robots to sense and identify materials and objects. His previous research on this surpassed the state of the art. While the state of AI for haptics was to identify about 10 objects with about 80 percent accuracy, Loeb and Jeremy Fishel, his graduate student at the time, were able to identify 117 objects with 95 percent accuracy. When they extended it to 500 objects and 15 different possible tests, their algorithm got even faster and more accurate. That, Loeb says, is when he started thinking about adapting it for medical diagnosis. Loeb's new form of AI suggests the best diagnostic strategies by mining electronic healthcare records in databases. This could lead to faster, better and more efficient diagnoses and treatments. The work was published in the Journal of Biomedical Informatics. The algorithm works just like a doctor- "thinking about what to do next at each stage of the medical work-up," said Loeb, a pioneer in the field of neural prosthetics and one of the original developers of the cochlear implant, now widely used to treat hearing loss. "The difference is that it has the benefit of all the experiences in the collective healthcare records." How it Works Conventional AI has long used a specific algorithm to suggest to physicians the most likely diagnoses given a set of observations. Called Bayesian Inference, it uses whatever information is currently available to suggest which diagnoses are the most likely. Loeb's algorithm reverses this process and instead seeks those tests that would most likely identify the correct illness or condition, no matter how obscure. He calls this Bayesian Exploration. The algorithm can also take into account the costs and delays associated with various diagnostic tests. "This hasn't been done before," he said. "This is new." Loeb said his new algorithm has several benefits.First, this algorithm could help doctors make better diagnostic and testing decisions by suggesting several good options, including some a practitioner might not have otherwise considered. Next, the diagnostic software would automatically update and improve, as myriad physicians input additional data into electronic medical records. In addition, Loeb believes doctors would more easily generate complete and accurate medical records. Instead of having to hunt for codes or work their way through many drop-down menus, they could simply select a particular illness or diagnostic procedure suggested by the AI, which would automatically input the correct information into the electronic records. Loeb emphasizes that physicians could, of course, override the AI and go with their own judgment. "The algorithm isn't meant to make decisions for doctors or replace them," Loeb said. "It's meant to complement and support them." Looking to the future Loeb believes this algorithm could revolutionize medical and testing diagnostics. But the USC Viterbi and Keck School of Medicine professor acknowledges the huge financial and technological challenges of applying AI to electronic health records. The United States' balkanized medical system and spotty usage of electronic medical records he believes make it an inhospitable environment for his technology to take root. Loeb says his system would be much easier to introduce in other countries, for example in Scandinavia or in South Korea, places with nationalized healthcare and the widespread usage of electronic medical records. However, its implementation would face major challenges even there, including the large expense and brainpower needed to develop and deploy the massive database and user interfaces for the widespread adoption and integration of his algorithm. Instead, Loeb puts his faith in tech. He believes that Amazon, Microsoft and Google have the resources and know-how to disrupt American healthcare the way Uber and Lyft upended the taxicab industry. "If the promise of success is great enough, then people are going to be motivated to do it," Loeb said. "And that's what we think this algorithm provides: the possibility, the promise of offering a solution to a huge problem that wastes a lot of resources, trillions of dollars' worth." ### 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 OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) recorded 143 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 31 in Luhansk region between the evenings of 12 and 14 March. The OSCE SMM said this in a report issued on 15 March, based on information from the monitoring teams received as of 19:30 on 14 March 2021, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 12 and 14 March, the SMM recorded 143 ceasefire violations, including 33 explosions (one airburst, two impacts and 30 undetermined), the report reads. The majority of ceasefire violations occurred at southerly directions of Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) and at north-easterly and easterly directions of Hnutove (government-controlled, 90km south of Donetsk). In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 12 and 14 March, the SMM recorded 31 ceasefire violations, including 12 undetermined explosions. The majority of ceasefire violations occurred in areas south-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk). In addition, the SMM lost spatial control of its mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle near Petrivka, Donetsk region. The SMM recovered the UAV, which suffered minor damage. ish NEW YORK and TOKYO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Perception Neuroscience (Perception), an atai Life Sciences (atai) company focused on developing innovative therapies in neuropsychiatric disorders, and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka), announce a collaboration and licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of Perception's lead molecule, PCN-101 (R-ketamine) in Japan as a potential treatment for mood disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Outside of Japan, Perception is developing PCN-101 for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression. PCN-101 is a formulation of R-ketamine, a single isomer of ketamine that belongs to a new generation of glutamate receptor modulators, being developed as a rapid acting antidepressant (RAAD). Pharmacologically, PCN-101 is a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. In nonclinical depression models it possessed more durable and potent effects than S-ketamine, a lower affinity to the NDMA receptor, and potentially a more favorable safety and tolerability profile. A Phase 1, single ascending dose study has been completed for PCN-101 and a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in TRD is planned to be initiated by Perception in the first half of 2021. Under the terms of the license, Otsuka will have exclusive rights to develop and commercialize products containing PCN-101 in Japan. Otsuka will undertake development, regulatory, and commercialization activities in Japan, with input and guidance from both companies. Perception will receive an upfront payment of $20 million, which will help fund the company's overall development of treatments. In addition, Perception will be eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as tiered, double-digit royalties on future sales. "Otsuka is one of the world's premier pharmaceutical companies in the neuropsychiatric space." said Terence Kelly, PhD, CEO of Perception. "To have such a strong collaborator at this early stage of development is a significant vote of confidence in the potential of PCN-101 for patients suffering from depression." Florian Brand, CEO and co-founder of atai, said, "Otsuka is dedicated to finding unconventional solutions to treat mental health disorders with a deepening focus on digital medicine. Its innovative approach to mental health paired with their experience in commercializing neuropsychiatric drugs as demonstrated by the successful roll-out of products such as Rexulti and Abilify Maintena, makes Otsuka a great company for us to work with. We look forward to working together with them on Perception's lead compound". Makoto Inoue, president of Otsuka Pharmaceutical, remarked, "We have a long and deep engagement in the CNS field, including our in-line products Rexulti, Abilify Maintena, and specific to the U.S, the first-in-the-world digital medicine, Abilify Mycite. Looking to the future, Perception Neuroscience's PCN-101, a candidate with rapid onset for use in treatment-resistant depression, could provide an urgently needed treatment option. Perception Neuroscience is uniquely positioned to work with us in Japan on this urgent task." About Perception Neuroscience, Inc Perception Neuroscience is a New York City- based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing therapies for neuropsychiatric diseases. Perception's mission is to provide substantially more effective treatment solutions to serious psychiatric disorders. The company is a majority-owned subsidiary of atai Life Sciences. About atai Life Sciences atai is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders. atai was founded in 2018 as a response to the significant unmet need and lack of innovation in the mental health treatment landscape. atai is dedicated to acquiring, incubating and efficiently developing innovative therapeutics to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health disorders. atai's business model combines funding, technology, scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on psychedelic therapy and other drugs with differentiated safety profiles and therapeutic potential. By pooling resources and best practices, atai aims to responsibly accelerate the development of new medicines across its companies, seeking to effectively treat and ultimately heal mental health disorders. atai's mission is to bridge the gap between what the mental healthcare system currently provides and what patients need. atai is headquartered in Berlin, with offices in New York, San Diego and London. For more information, please visit www.atai.life. About Otsuka Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: "Otsukapeople creating new products for better health worldwide." Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products to meet unmet medical needs and nutraceutical products for the maintenance of everyday health. In pharmaceuticals, Otsuka is a leader in the challenging areas of mental, renal and cardiovascular health and has additional research programs in oncology and on several under-addressed diseases including tuberculosis, a significant global public health issue. These commitments illustrate how Otsuka is a "big venture" company at heart, applying a youthful spirit of creativity in everything it does. Otsuka Pharmaceutical is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 47,000 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 13.3 billion in 2020. All Otsuka stories start by taking the road less traveled. Learn more about Otsuka at www.otsuka.co.jp/en/ . Investor Contact : Greg Weaver atai Chief Financial Officer Email: [email protected] Media Contact : Anne Donohoe KCSA Strategic Communications Phone: +1 (212) 896-1265 Email: [email protected] Otsuka contact in Japan : Jeffrey Gilbert Leader, Pharmaceutical PR Email: [email protected] Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains statements that are or may be forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to the company's future prospects, developments, and strategies. The forward looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the potential therapeutic benefits of PCN-101, our plans to initiate and conduct a Phase 2a proof-of-concept study evaluating PCN-101 as a potential treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), our plans to advance PCN-101 for the treatment of TRD and those risks and uncertainties described in the risk factors included in the regulatory filings for Perception Neuroscience, Inc. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions regarding the present and future business strategies of the company and the environment in which it will operate in the future. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date of this press release. Except as required by law and regulatory requirements, neither the company nor any other party intends to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE atai Life Sciences Related Links http://www.atai.life/ 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 Meet Roy Edward Floyd, the self-proclaimed "Number 2 man at the City Hall." In this edition of the Houston Post, reporter Dean Reed charted Floyd's rise from Mayor Oscar Holcombe's chauffeur to assistant chief of police to head of the city's treasury department and civil service system, to name a few. His work with the city continued into Roy Hofheinz's administration. Before that, Floyd worked for the Southern Pacific before being let go during the Depression. * Also in this issue Ralph O'Leary examined the intricacies of how taxes are levied in Harris County. Click on image to enlarge. (Click to enlarge) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Married At First Sight's Jake Edwards has seemingly given up trying to hide his relationship with Gold Coast personal trainer Sophie Guidolin. Despite the fact he's still with 'wife' Beck Zemek on the Nine show - which was filmed months ago - the charity CEO, 33, has been parading his new squeeze on Instagram. Jake, who is based in Melbourne, flew to Noosa, Queensland, on Monday ahead of Sophie's 33rd birthday, Daily Mail Australia can reveal. Open secret: Married At First Sight 's Jake Edwards has seemingly given up trying to hide his relationship with Gold Coast personal trainer Sophie Guidolin. The charity CEO flew to Noosa on Monday ahead of Sophie's 33rd birthday and she documented the trip on Instagram (above) The following day, Jake appeared in an Instagram video Sophie posted from the beach, which she captioned: 'Birthday swims.' Later, Sophie hinted her boyfriend had given her a memorable birthday present, but said she couldn't provide any details for 'a couple of days'. The fact they are being so open about their relationship suggests Jake and Beck's departure from Married At First Sight is on the horizon. Coming soon: Later, Sophie hinted her boyfriend had given her a memorable birthday present, but said she couldn't provide any details for 'a couple of days' Sophie, a mother of four, confirmed on Monday night she was in a new relationship by sharing a photo of herself cuddling a man in a green shirt. While the man's face wasn't visible in her Instagram post, the shirt resembled one Jake was pictured wearing during filming in November. The man's upper-arm tattoos also matched Jake's. Their days are number: The fact they are being so open about their relationship suggests Jake and 'wife' Beck Zemek's departure from Married At First Sight is imminent Something to tell us? Sophie, a mother of four, confirmed on Monday night she was in a new relationship by sharing a photo of herself cuddling a man in a green shirt (left). While the man's face wasn't visible in her Instagram post, the shirt resembled one Jake was pictured wearing during filming in November (right). The man's upper-arm tattoos also matched Jake's Earlier on Monday, Sophie told her 535,000 Instagram followers she was 'taken' after ending her long-term relationship with bodybuilder Nathan Wallace last year. Several days ago, she and Jake were pictured together at a popular restaurant in Broadbeach, on Queensland's Gold Coast. According to an eyewitness, they were 'holding hands and didn't care who saw'. New romance: Earlier on Monday, Sophie told her 535,000 Instagram followers she was 'taken' after ending her long-term relationship with bodybuilder Nathan Wallace last year 'Everyone at the pub was looking at him and saying, "Oh, my god, that's Jake from Married At First Sight!"' they added. Another source claimed they'd seen Jake and Sophie holidaying together in northern NSW. Following their night out, Sophie shared a selfie with yet another cryptic caption. 'Reflecting on chapters losing, new ones opening and gratitude,' she wrote, seemingly alluding to her break-up with her ex and subsequent romance with Jake. 'The life ahead and of course reflecting on what has been 2020. You were incredibly humbling and lesson building,' she added. Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Tamil Nadu and Assam: Nine fishermen stranded in Arabian Sea March 16,2021 | Source: The Times of India Nine fishermen on board a deep sea multi-day fishing vessel were stranded in the Arabian Sea and are awaiting help after their boat developed a technical snag. Activist P Justin Antony of International Fishermen Development Trust said that the issue has been taken to the notice of the union fisheries minister, Indian coast guard, navy and the chief ministers office. The nine fishermen include four from Kanyakumari and five from Assam. The Kanyakumari fishermen have been identified as Surling 60, Sajin 32, Sujin Kumar 19, and Kejin, 26, all from Thoothoor. The activist said that the fishermen went fishing in the multi day fishing vessel bearing registration number TN-15-MM-384 from the Cochin harbour on February 25. On Wednesday, the engine suffered a technical snag and could not be fixed as an important component was damaged off the Lakshadweep Coast at a distance of 270 nautical miles (500km) from Cochin. With no other boats close to them for help they informed the owner of the boat Benziger through satellite phone in the boat. A fisheries department official said that their boat is stranded beyond the Lakshadweep. Their nearest land is Agatti Island in Lakshadweep that is 70 nautical miles (130km) away. We have informed the Coast Guard, Chennai, to help them and are awaiting a positive response, the official added. A North Korean soldier stands guard in front of sacks of ore on the banks of the Yalu River near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in a file photo. North Korean state-run companies have begun hoarding molybdenum ore, causing the price of the high-tech industrial input to spike in a move that suggests that trade with China could resume soon, sources in the country told RFA. Since January 2020, Beijing and Pyongyang closed their 880-mile border and suspended all trade to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The move has had disastrous effects for the North Korean economy, especially for those industries that rely on trade with China for raw materials or as a market to sell goods. Molybdenum is a rare-earth metal with a very small yield that is essential for the manufacture of alloy steel and is used for its electromagnetic and heat-resistant properties in the semiconductor, precision machinery, high-speed train, and aviation industries. North Koreas supply of molybdenum ore has been off-limits to China during the pandemic. Hoping to cash in when the border reopens, trading companies have begun stockpiling molybdenum, which they anticipate will be in high demand. Since last week, the military-affiliated Kangsung trading company has been buying hundreds of tons of molybdenum ore concentrate that had been piled as high as a mountain at the Paegam mine, a resident of North Koreas central northern Ryanggang province told RFAs Korean Service on March 10. All of the ore concentrate is transported to Hyesan, where the trading base of Kangsung is located, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons. Hyesan lies just across the border from China. Once trade resumes, the ore stored in Hyesan could be shipped across the border quickly. The border closure put a stop to the ore trade and smuggling. During that time the price of molybdenum fell to 5,000 yuan [about U.S. $770] per ton, and 30,000 yuan [about $4,600] per ton of molybdenum powder. But once Kangsung started hoarding it, molybdenum powder rose to 50,000 yuan [about $7,700] per ton, said the source. According to the source, Kangsung is a powerful company that is believed to have insider information that the border will reopen soon. People think the company is hoarding ore because it expects that trade will resume soon. The source also said that Kangsung is using money from its Chinese trading partner to buy the ore, which points to a trade resumption sooner rather than later. By hoarding the ore, the company could manipulate prices and sell the ore at a substantial profit. Another source, a resident of North Pyongan province in the countys northwest, told RFA that other companies are looking to get in on molybdenum. As more and more trading companies want to buy molybdenum ore concentrate here in North Pyongan, the mines are beginning to focus on shipping their stockpiles of ore, the second source said. Bags of the ore concentrate piled up in the open air for the duration of the coronavirus crisis are now transported one after another by truck, the second source said. The second source said a ton of molybdenum ore concentrate rose from 50,000 yuan to 70,000 yuan [about $10,700] in Sinuiju, a major trade city located across the border from Dandong, China. If border trade resumes in three months, and if they continue to buy ore concentrate right now, the profit will be considerable, the second source said. When trade was open before the coronavirus, molybdenum powder was worth almost 130,000 yuan (about $20,000) according to the second source, who anticipated that others would try to cash in on rare-earth element ores. While the powerful trading companies have taken the lead in hoarding ore concentrates, the wealthy class will probably look into hoarding some themselves. Reported by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form ADVERTISEMENT Unknown gunmen abducted staff of a construction firm, RCC and Polaris Bank at a quarry site in Ibadan on Monday, the police have said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gunmen invaded the quarry site along Ijebu-Ode/ Ibadan road and kidnapped Popoola Isaac and Ismail Adeoye, staff of the firm and bank respectively. The police spokesperson, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the abduction in a text message to NAN on Tuesday. Mr Fadeyi said that efforts were being intensified to secure the release of the victims and arrest the abductors. NAN reports that the incident occurred at Dalli Village (Binu Quarry) along Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road. The case was reported at the Idi Ayunre Police Station in Ibadan. (NAN) Editors Note: One of the victims abducted was initially reported to be a member of the RCCG. He is actually a RCC employee. We apologise for the error. Syria Foils Suicide Bombing Plot in Capital Damascus: State News Agency BEIRUTSyria foiled a suicide bombing plot in the capital Damascus with security forces killing three people they described as terrorists and arresting three others, state news agency SANA said on Monday. SANA quoted a security source as saying the plot, which involved the use of explosive belts, was thwarted with the cooperation of residents of two towns of a formerly rebel-held rural region southwest of Damascus. It did not say when the would-be attack was foiled, or give further details. President Bashar al-Assads government regained control over the heavily populated region from insurgents about three years ago after reaching reconciliation deals with its local elders. But security forces continue to restrict movement into the towns of Kanaker and Sasaa, from which those involved in the bombing plot came according to state media. Russian-brokered deals brought back much of the strategic southern border area with Jordan and Israel back under state control after years in rebel hands. But the region continues to suffer from lawlessness and targeted killings, residents say. By Maha El Dahan (Alliance News) - Stockbroker AJ Bell PLC on Tuesday said it has picked Helena Morrissey as its next chair. The pre-market announcement confirmed a Sky News report late Monday. Morrissey will join the AJ Bell board as chair designate on July 1 and succeed Les Platts as chair at the next annual general meeting in January 2022. Morrissey will step down as a non-executive director of wealth manager St James's Place on July 1 "to avoid any potential conflict of interest", St James's Place said. Morrissey was head of Personal Investing at Legal & General Investment Management, part of insurer Legal & General Group PLC, and prior to that chief executive of Newton Investment Management. AJ Bell said it also has hired Evelyn Bourke as a non-executive director, joining the board on July 1 as well. Bourke was chief executive of health insurance provider Bupa until this past December. She currently is a non-executive director of retailer Marks & Spencer Group PLC and of Bank of Ireland Group PLC. "The appointments of Helena Morrissey and Evelyn Bourke further strengthen the AJ Bell board and will help develop the company's ambitious growth strategy," said Senior Independent Director Laura Carstensen. "They each have a broad depth of experience in a range of financial services business and we are confident this will bring new ideas to the business that will benefit all our stakeholders." Manchester-based AJ Bell operates the AJ Bell Investcentre platform for financial advisers and the AJ Bell Youinvest platform for retail investors. Shares were up 0.8% at 421.00 pence in London early Tuesday. St James's Place shares were up 1.6% at 1,263.50p. By Tom Waite; thomaslwaite@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Mr Bidens decision to make Kurt Campbell his Indo-Pacific co-ordinator with a clear message that Washington is in Canberras corner is a very promising start, though talk of a US pivot to Asia has raised and then disappointed hopes before . So which will it be diamond or foam? Is the Quad a new NATO or does it straddle too many political landscapes, leaving it to face the same failures as the long-forgotten Cold War alliance known as the Baghdad Pact or CENTO? Ahead of the meeting the White House hailed the Quad as having been formalised in 2007, but this elides the fact that for 10 years after that it gathered dust on the diplomatic shelf. Mr Sugas predecessor, Shinzo Abe, envisioned it as a democratic security diamond, something hard and definite. More recently Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi dismissed the Quads Indo-Pacific remit as a headline-grabbing idea that would vanish like the sea foam in the Pacific or Indian Ocean. Prime Minister Scott Morrisons virtual meeting this week with US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a new high point in the fortunes of the Quad, four nations struggling to work out a response to the rise of the Peoples Republic of China. Up until now the Quad has been understood mainly in military terms such as naval drills in the Indian Ocean, freedom-of-navigation patrols in the South China Sea and the question of Taiwans security. The truth is that pushing back against Beijing in these theatres will only get the Quad so far. To be effective, it needs to come up with initiatives rather than reactions, and these need to go beyond the military sphere. The decision announced at the leaders meeting to make 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine available to developing nations is a step in that direction, though it also highlights a rift between India and its three friends, who all opposed New Delhis call to temporarily waive vaccine patents so that poorer countries could manufacture doses more affordably at scale (a proposal Beijing supported). Writing for the Lowy Institute last year, Macquarie Universitys Lavina Lee suggested that the Quad, acting in concert with smaller Asian and Pacific nations, could also provide a practical and genuinely alternative source of infrastructure funding to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. The ability of the Quads big fish to convince the regions small fish that it can promote their economic interests will be vital. Trade and markets are powerful tools in forging alliances, yet both India and the US have in recent years baulked at committing to East Asia, with deep-seated domestic opposition to the RCEP trade accord and the Trans-Pacific Partnership respectively. Shaping a rules-based order that other countries (and even China) want to be part of requires everyone to play. The other key to the Quads effectiveness is whether it can offer a compelling social and political vision. Mr Abes talk of a democratic security diamond was deliberate, but we have since seen Chinas willingness to weaponise Australias failures on human rights to counter criticism of the party-states conduct. If the Quad were to campaign on behalf of oppressed Uighurs, for example, what would Beijing have to say about the Modi governments policies towards its Muslim population in Kashmir and elsewhere? * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! BC Partners agreed to take over insurance service company Davies, as it bets on fast-growing demand for outsourcing in the financial industry. The private equity firm signed a definitive agreement to buy a majority stake in London-based Davies, it said in a statement Tuesday, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. The deal values Davies at about 1.2 billion pounds ($1.7 billion) including debt, people familiar with the matter have said. Investment funds have been pursuing service providers used by financial firms that are increasingly looking to cut costs and pass off routine work. Davies helps insurers, reinsurers and brokers assess and manage claims, as well as handle administrative duties. It uses technology including drones, which help capture images of disaster sites for use in claims processes. We at BC have been watching Davies progression over the past few years with keen interest, Cedric Dubourdieu, a partner at BC Partners, said in the statement. Over this period it has expanded geographically, successfully entering and establishing a presence in the U.S., Canadian and Bermudian markets, completed more than 30 acquisitions, diversified its service offering and cemented its position as a clear leader in its sector. Deal Flurry Davies, led by Chief Executive Officer Dan Saulter, competes with claims management companies such as Sedgwick. The company employs more than 4,000 people, its website shows. Existing investors HGGC and Alberta Investment Management Corp. will retain minority stakes in Davies after the deal, according to Tuesdays statement. The deal adds to a flurry of acquisitions in Europe by private equity firms, which are looking for ways to deploy record amounts of unspent investor cash. BC Partners last month completed a take-private of IMA Industria Macchine Automatiche SpA, a producer of automatic packaging machines. The firm manages more than 33 billion euros ($39 billion) of assets, according to its website. We are excited to welcome BC Partners as a majority investor as we embark on this next phase of international growth and technology investment, Saulter said in the statement. Eligible employees will receive payments in the wake of the transaction, he said. Waller Helms Advisors, Macquarie Group Ltd. and PwC worked with BC Partners on the acquisition, while Davies management was advised by Liberty Corporate Finance. Photograph: Skyscrapers in London on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. Photo credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Mergers Entrepreneurial leader, Michael Edelman, joins Ionic Materials as CEO "Michael Edelman has the perfect combination of industry vision and experience to help drive the company forward," said Ionic Materials Chairman, Jan van Dokkum Ionic Materials, a material science company focused on innovative polymers for solid-state batteries, healthcare and 5G applications, today announced executive management changes to accelerate the companys development and growth. The company named Dr. Michael Edelman, a business leader with 30 years experience across the material science, semiconductor electronics and chemical sectors, as the new Chief Executive Officer. Mike Zimmerman, Founder of Ionic Materials, will continue to drive technical innovations at the company through his new role as Chief Scientist. Mike Zimmerman has done an excellent job building Ionic Materials from a research idea into a leading source of polymer innovation, said Ionic Materials Chairman, Jan van Dokkum. However, it was clear that as the company grows, Mike would have less and less time to spend driving technical innovation, so it is a natural time to adjust his role and add additional management firepower. Michael Edelman has the perfect combination of industry vision and experience to help drive the company forward. Ionic Materials Chief Scientist, Mike Zimmerman added, The Board and I have decided it is time to add to the management team to help propel Ionic Materials through its next phase of growth, and Im delighted to get the chance to work closely with Michael. Im looking forward to handing over the business management reins and get back to focusing on what I love and what is critical to the companys success creating the innovative, impactful polymers that are the foundation of Ionic Materials. An entrepreneurial leader with 30 years experience, Michael Edelman has led companies in the material science, semiconductor electronics and chemical sector. He specializes in bringing new, IP-rich technologies to large markets, and has been responsible for developing strong partnerships and raising money from both the private and public markets. Prior to joining Ionic Materials, Michael served as the Chief Executive Officer of Nanoco Group PLC, a world leading technology developer and manufacturer of semiconductor nanomaterials for use in advanced electronics. Michael was responsible for building the company from seed funding through the companys public listing. Michael holds a Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of Sussex, England, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Classics, from Tufts University, Boston, MA. I couldnt be more excited about the opportunity to join the team at Ionic Materials, said new Ionic Materials CEO, Michael Edelman. Under Mikes leadership, the company has built an amazing foundation of innovation and Im looking forward to creating the future of advanced polymers with this talented team. About Ionic Materials Ionic Materials is a material science company focused on innovative polymers for battery, healthcare and 5G applications. The company provides breakthrough innovation to its customers creating and delivering novel polymer solutions, at scale, with the technical capabilities to transform important markets. Developed by a world-class team of polymer scientists, Ionic Materials is headquartered in Woburn, MA. CLEVELAND, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting this spring, more than half of Ohio's 35,000 Realtors and brokers will have access to property data across the State of Ohio to better service their clients. MLS Now, Dayton Realtors, and Northwest Ohio Realtors are partnering together to share property data access among their MLS subscribers, powered by CoreLogic's Matrix. Starting this spring, more than half of Ohio's 35,000 Realtors? and brokers will have access to property data across the State of Ohio to better service their clients. MLS Now, Dayton Realtors?, and Northwest Ohio Realtors? are partnering together. Northwest Ohio Realtors CEO Megan Foos and Dayton Realtors CEO Carlton Jackson developed the idea of having CoreLogic place their three Ohio-based MLS customers on the same platform. The idea was welcomed by a third MLS, MLS Now, which serves Northeast Ohio and parts of Central Ohio. "We want Realtors in Ohio to have broader data access so they can better serve their clients," said Foos. "By allowing seamless reciprocal access to all three Matrix systems through one interface, we were able to achieve that without the expense and challenges of merging companies or data." The National Association of REALTORS has adopted policies that give Realtors a choice in what local association they join and which multiple listing service they choose to use. "Our cooperation negates the need for members to have to choose between joining one MLS or another," stated Jackson. "This will give our members the best resources across the state, enable us to deliver the highest quality of service, and provide maximum listing exposure for Ohio homeowners." CoreLogic has been focused on delivering cooperative services between multiple listing customers. They developed a method of reciprocal access whereby each Matrix system has a single sign-on link that will allow the agent to access another instance of Matrix. "All of us use CoreLogic Matrix for our MLS system and sharing access between us is going to deliver immense benefit to Realtors and their clients," said Carl DeMusz, CEO of MLS Now, the state's largest multiple listing organization. "We have monitored the success of CoreLogic's reciprocal access in California and Ontario and it is a very elegant solution. This will be a beneficial endeavor for all three Matrix MLS operations here in Ohio." Rollout for this new data access partnership is slated for Spring 2021. About MLS Now MLS Now is Ohio's largest MLS, serving 13,600 subscribers belonging to 8 Associations of REALTORS, across 36 primary counties in Ohio and West Virginia. MLS Now is one of the most recognized MLSs in its area, standing out through a commitment to digital tools and resources for members. For more information visit MLSNow.com. About Dayton Realtors Dayton REALTORS serves 4,200 MLS members in Montgomery, Miami, Clark, Greene, Warren, Butler, Preble and Darke Counties. Dayton REALTORS MLS also extends service to clients in neighboring Indiana and Kentucky. For more information visit http://www.daytonrealtors.org About Northwest Ohio Realtors Northwest Ohio REALTORS, served 2,100 members and is dedicated to serving the needs of home sellers and buyers in Northwest Ohio, including Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Williams, and Wood Counties. For more information visit https://nworealtors.com/noris.php Note: The term REALTOR is a federally registered collective membership mark, which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Media Contact: Victor Lund WAV Group Communications [email protected] | 805-709-6696 Related Images mls-now-cleveland-dayton-northwest.png MLS Now: Cleveland, Dayton, Northwest Ohio MLS Systems Partner to Share Listing Data Starting this spring, more than half of Ohio's 35,000 Realtors and brokers will have access to property data across the State of Ohio to better service their clients. MLS Now, Dayton Realtors, and Northwest Ohio Realtors are partnering together. Related Links MLS Now Dayton Realtors SOURCE MLS Now Sydneys new, problem-plagued River Class ferries will enter service almost a year late, with the NSW government blaming the pandemic for the delay, as fresh concerns emerge the boats can stall under emergency conditions. The 10 vessels, which were initially scheduled to be operating on Sydney Harbour by mid-2020, have not yet been given the green light to enter service, with testing crew recently warning the ferries can stall when put into reverse during emergency stops in extreme conditions. Two of the new River Class ferries. Credit:John Bennett A Transport for NSW spokesman said the government was aware of concerns the vessels may stall under one specific operating scenario. The government has blamed the lengthy delay of the River Class rollout on the coronavirus pandemic, saying the vessels had been shipped to Australia earlier than first planned from Indonesia, where more manufacturing work was meant to be completed. Chennai, March 17 : The South Indian Hosiery Manufacturer Association has called upon the Centre to ban the export of yarn and fabric and bring yarn under the Essential Commodities Act. Talking to IANS, association President C. Easwaran said: "We demand a total ban on the export of yarn and fabric from our country and to bring them under the Essential Commodities Act, otherwise the Tiruppur garment industry will turn into a memory." The Tiruppur exporters forum had called for a one-day strike in the garment industry on Monday against the hike in yarn prices and the non-availability of raw materials. The strike was supported by 30 industrial associations of Tiruppur and eight trade unions. Tiruppur Exporters Association President Raja M. Shanmugham told IANS that the strike was to highlight the plight of the industry to the authorities. "The yarn prices are at an all-time high and the raw material is not delivered on time." "The high yarn prices coupled with non-delivery of the raw material on time is affecting our garment industry and there is nothing which we can do other than shutting down the companies." The representatives of the industry and the trade unions also informed the District Collector of the dire situation the industry is facing. Major international brands are outsourcing their work to the Tiruppur garment industry and the non-delivery of the finished materials in time will lead to loss of major orders, thus affecting the garment industry. Shanmugham said: "There are more than 10,000 workers and allied staff who are employed at the Tiruppur garment industry. If there is no proper intervention in the price of yarn, the industry will be shut down and these workers will lose their jobs." The price of yarns has gone up since December 2020 and generally the price stabilises after a couple of days, but this time the price has not come down, he added. Several European countries are restricting the use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. Monday morning, Germany announced a pause on vaccinations using those doses. Italy, France, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria and the Netherlands have announced similar restrictions. They were prompted by an Italian man dying after receiving an AstraZeneca dose. The European Union is investigating links between AstraZeneca doses and reports of blood clots. Canada's Prime Minister said the country will not pause their AstraZeneca rollout, despite the European concerns. The vaccine is not yet authorized for use in the United States. However, it is expected to file for emergency use authorization within weeks. Huntsville Hospital Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Ali Hassoun said since the U.S. has such a complex system to approve vaccinations, if AstraZeneca gets approved, Americans should trust it. "It's not one agency that will look at the data," Hassoun said. "Several agencies will look at the data." Hassoun said the United States' authorization process includes almost twice as many steps as Europe. But as some European countries put a pause on rolling out the vaccine, skepticism is growing. Out of the 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and Britain, 37 blood clots were reported. The drugmaker claims there is no evidence the vaccine carries an increased risk of clots. "Millions of people have got it and it's been shown it's efficacious. For example in England, the majority got the AstraZeneca shot and you see the cases in England have gone down significantly," Hassoun said. He said if it becomes an option here in the U.S., people should not be afraid to get it. "I don't think they should be hesitant and again, till now, the data that we have, it really shows it's safe and has the benefit for those who have it," Hassoun said. Hassoun said it is not unusual to have several different vaccines available, adding there are typically several options every year for a flu vaccine. "If it's safe and efficacious, the more the better definitely, so we'll have much more options and easier and faster vaccinations," Hassoun said. A third round of travel vouchers to boost South Australia's tourism sector hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic will focus on tours and experiences. It follows the first two rounds of accommodation vouchers which provided a $32 million boost to the local economy. Premier Steven Marshall says vouchers worth $50, $100 and $200 will be available from late April, after the Easter and school holiday period. South Australia has announced a third round of travel vouchers to boost sector (stock image) Premier Steven Marshall says vouchers worth $50, $100 and $200 will be available from late April, after the Easter and school holiday period. Pictured: Dolphin Bay on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia A limited number will go to interstate tourists. 'Expanding the scheme to direct cash-flow into South Australian tour and experience businesses following the busy Easter period and after the JobKeeper subsidy ends is the right support at the right time,' the premier said. 'We've listened to industry and business owners across SA, and this latest round of vouchers will see locals spending up on tours and experiences which they ordinarily might have overlooked while holidaying at home.' About 500 operators are expected to register their experiences, from shark-cage diving and swimming with sea lions, to helicopter and mountain bike tours, guided food and wine trails, and hosted wildlife experiences. The government will introduce a new 'fair and equitable' system to distribute the vouchers but said more details would be released after tour operators completed the expressions of interest process. Mr Marshall said the new vouchers would include the July school holidays, which would allow families to make the most of a break at that time. The worst hit was reported from the government-run Minorities Welfare Residential School at Nagole in Hyderabad, where 36 children one in five students in the school were found to have contracted the virus. (Repesentational Image/DC) Hyderabad: Over hundred students at various schools tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday, likely the largest-ever number since the first case was registered in the state last year. The worst hit was reported from the government-run Minorities Welfare Residential School at Nagole in Hyderabad, where 36 children one in five students in the school were found to have contracted the virus. A day after 12 teachers and two staff at the government school in Mancherial were tested Covid positive, health department officials tested another 174 students, staff and parents and found 29 fresh cases among the children at the school. Nine adults, all parents of different children, also tested positive. In Kamareddy district, 32 students in a government residential school were found positive for Covid-19. According to a health department official at the Nagole school, following discovery of the cases, some students complained of body pain and fever on Monday. With no relief in these symptoms on Tuesday, Covid-19 tests were conducted. From the first group of 25 students checked by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits, 18 were found Covid-19 positive. This prompted a school-wide testing of all students and staff with a total of 165 individuals being tested of whom 36 were found to have contracted the highly communicable disease, he was quoted saying on a local news channel. Meanwhile, the Nagole school began informing parents to urgently come to the school. It was only after the parents arrived there that they realised the enormity of the problem. An agitated father said that one of his two girls in the school tested positive while another tested negative. Several parents who rushed to the school said they were being advised to take their children who tested negative home to be kept in isolation. Many parents said that before sending their children to the school, they had their children tested. Only when we confirmed by test that the children were Covid-19 free, we sent them to school. Now we are being asked to take them back, a parent said. According to the health department official, no advice was given to parents to take the children back but some were doing this on their own accord. All those who tested negative were tested using RT-PCR kits to ensure that no infected individual, whether a staff member or student, is left undetected, health department officials said. The RT-PCR test are the most reliable testing method for Covid-19 as RAT kits are considered the world over as highly unreliable and have been recorded to find presence of Covid-19 virus in a person only if the viral load is very high. The 10 students who were showing symptoms at the school in Nagole have been shifted to the fifth floor of the building while the 26 others were accommodated in other floors and kept under observation. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has sent to the Constitutional Court bill (No. 5133) amending the Constitution of Ukraine concerning the procedure for appointing and dismissing directors of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) to obtain a conclusion on the compliance of the bill with the requirements of Articles 157 and 158 of the Constitution. Some 267 parliamentarians voted for Resolution No. 5133-b on including the bill in the agenda and sending it to the Constitutional Court. The bill proposes to amend Articles 85 and 106, according to which the parliament agrees to the president to appoint and dismiss the directors of NABU and SBI based on the results of a competitive selection. According to the explanatory note, the introduction of these amendments to the Constitution will help to optimize and balance the powers of the head of state and parliament in the field of appointing and dismissing directors of NABU and SBI, and will also ensure maximum independence and efficiency of the functioning of the agencies headed by them. According to Fedir Venislavsky, the presidential envoy to the Constitutional Court (the Servant of the People faction), the proposed amendments to the Constitution "will ensure the maximum independence of these anti-corruption institutions." The MP said that according to the decision of the Constitutional Court, the president does not have constitutional powers to appoint the head of NABU, and the relevant bill was registered in the Verkhovna Rada, but it bears no relation to bill No. 5133. At the same time, MP from the Batkivschyna faction Serhiy Vlasenko believes that the introduction of these amendments to the Constitution will allow the president to influence the appointment of the leaders of the NABU and SBI. "This bill bears no relation to the fight against corruption. This is a bill on control over the law enforcement system. This bill on the president's ability to influence the appointment of the leaders of the NABU and SBI in an unconstitutional, illegal, illegitimate way," Vlasenko said from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada. According to the Constitution, the Verkhovna Rada considers the bill on amending the Constitution if there is a conclusion of the Constitutional Court on the compliance of the bill with the requirements of Articles 157 and 158 of the Constitution. According to Article 157, the Constitution of Ukraine cannot be changed if the amendments provide for the abolition or restrictions of human and civil rights and freedoms, or if they are aimed at abolishing independence or violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine. According to the same article, the Constitution cannot be changed in conditions of martial law or a state of emergency. As noted in Article 158 of the Constitution, the bill on amending the Constitution, which was considered by the Verkhovna Rada, and the law was not adopted, can be submitted to parliament no earlier than a year after the date of the decision on this bill. According to this article, the Verkhovna Rada during its term of office cannot change the same provisions of the Constitution twice. The Constitution of Ukraine provides that a bill on amendments to the Basic Law, previously approved by a majority of the constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada, shall be considered adopted if at the regular session of the parliament no less than two-thirds of the constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada voted for it [300 votes]. Scotland's chief constable warned against the Scottish Government going public about its investigation of Alex Salmond. A Police Scotland detective chief superintendent - whose identity is unknown - said they and chief constable Iain Livingstone 'voiced concerns', according to a newly-released witness statement. They warned against the government announcing allegations of sexual harassment by the former first minster before detectives had chance to investigate them. Details of the statement emerged today after the Holyrood Inquiry compelled the Crown Office to release the document. Chief Constable Iain Livingstone warned against the government revealing the allegations Former Scottish National Party leader and former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond The inquiry is currently looking into the Scottish government - led by Nicola Sturgeon - and its handling of complaints against Mr Salmond. This latest paperwork also confirmed Crown Agent David Harvie offered to give the police a copy of the findings of the Government's internal investigation - but was rejected. In the witness statement, the detective chief superintendent - whose name has been redacted - recounts the meeting where police were told that the government had referred the complaints about Mr Salmond to the Crown Office 'for investigation of potential criminality'. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is at the centre of the probe into how the government acted The key issues in the row engulfing the SNP How and why did the Scottish government mishandle allegations against Alex Salmond? The Scottish government launched an official investigation into the complaints in January 2018, which was made public in August when details of the decision were leaked to the press. Salmond then 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'. 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 They said that it was agreed a 'proactive approach' was required to identify other potential complainers, including by contacting other people who held similar roles to the women who had already come forward. They added: 'Mr Harvie was in possession of a copy of the Scottish Government's internal conduct conclusion report and offered to provide me with a copy. 'I refused this offer and neither I, nor the chief constable, viewed this document. 'I was also informed that Scottish Government may be making a public statement in relation to the outcome of their investigation and potentially refer to information being provided to Police Scotland. 'Both the chief constable and I both voiced our concerns about such a statement being provided. 'As such, it was agreed that the main priority was to make contact with the two individuals who had made a complaint to the Scottish Government.' The former SNP leader subsequently challenged the lawfulness of the investigation and the Government eventually conceded the judicial review after prior contact between the investigating officer fatally undermined their defence. Lord Pentland at the Court of Session described the investigation as 'unlawful' and 'tainted by apparent bias', and Mr Salmond was awarded the maximum possible legal costs of 512,250. He was later acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault at Edinburgh's High Court. Responding to the Holyrood committee's Section 23 order for the release of the operational witness statement, Procurator Fiscal Kenny Donnelly also offered to share its notes from the evidence given under oath by the detective chief superintendent during the criminal trial. When giving evidence to the committee, Ms Salmond said he was told the government planned to issue a public statement announcing it had investigated two women's complaints and was passing it on to the Crown Office. Mr Salmond said he thought that would be 'remarkable' because 'any hope of confidentiality in the process would have gone once that statement had been made'. He then said the government's plan was 'even more remarkable' once he learned that the Crown Agent 'was advised against any publicity by the police in a meeting two days previously'. Around the time that the government had intended to make a statement, details of the investigation were leaked to the Daily Record, who then broke the story. Referring to the leak, Mr Salmond said: 'The Permanent Secretary [Leslie Evans] was asked about that in questioning, and she said that it had caused enormous distress to everyone concerned. 'I am absolutely sure that it did - to the complainants, to me, to everybody. 'The only question that I would have for the permanent secretary is this: notwithstanding the leak, what did she think would have happened if she had gone ahead and put out the statement at 5 o'clock on that day? 'I find it extraordinary.' 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 After the American Rescue Plan waived taxes on cancelled student loan debt, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday there's no reason President Joe Biden shouldn't immediately erase $50,000 in student loans for each borrower. The American Rescue Plan, signed into law last week, makes all student loan forgiveness tax-free until 2025, including private and institutional loans. The move helps current borrowers who receive loan forgiveness during this period and sets the stage for Biden to wipe away thousands of dollars in student debt. Schumer and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., held a press conference Monday to again push Biden to wipe away student debt. "The provision would apply to nearly 100,000 students who are already in repayment programs that offer some student loan forgiveness, but even more importantly and crucially, it would apply to future efforts to forgive student loans," Schumer said. "Making student debt cancellation tax free clears the way for the Biden administration to cancel $50,000 in student loan through executive action." Biden has edged away from the senators' pressure, opting for a narrower proposal. He has supported canceling $10,000 of student loan debt for all borrowers and the rest of the debt for people who went to public or historically Black colleges and universities and earn less than $125,000 a year. The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a legal review on how to use executive authority to do so, the senators said. Biden has already used executive action to extend a pause for federal student loan borrowers until at least October, giving borrowers a break from payments and accruing interest. When the federal government or a lender forgives a student loan under certain plans, that cancelled debt may be treated as taxable income under federal tax laws, leaving some students with an unexpected bill. In many states, the money is also subject to state income taxes. "The average student borrower who earns $50,000 in income would save approximately $2,200 in taxes for every $10,000 of forgiven student loans," said Warren. It's unclear how much annual revenue the federal government would lose due to this temporary change in the American Rescue Plan. Waiving thousands of dollars of student debt per person would come at a much greater cost to federal coffers. Already, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, Biden's signature COVID-19 relief package, is expected to decrease federal revenues by $53 billion over the next 10 years and increase direct spending by $1.8 trillion, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. New Yorkers have the fifth highest collective student loan balance for borrowers of any state, according to the state comptroller's office. New Yorkers average student loan balance rose by 3.9 percent from the previous year to $37,600 as of last June, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That figure has increased 20.1 percent since 2016. From 2006 to 2016, student loan debt more than doubled in New York. Canceling student loan debt is part of a larger conversation about the affordability of college, as tuition climbs. Many conservatives have blasted the idea of spending billions to wipe out student loan debt, saying if people choose to go to college, they need to shoulder to the burden of higher education. The Republicans' ranking members of the Senate and House education committees did not respond to requests for comment Monday. Rachel Gentry, assistant director of federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, previously said that her organization has recommended that Congress explore debt forgiveness options that are targeted to borrowers with the greatest need. But she also emphasized the need to double the maximum Pell grant, which now is $6,345, because the money does not need to be repaid. Beshear Celebrates 1 Millionth Vaccination By West Kentucky Star Staff FRANKFORT - Governor Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear, and Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack recognized the milestone of 1 million Kentuckians being vaccinated during a ceremony at the state Capitol on Monday.The first vaccines that arrived in the state were administered to health care workers on December 14. Now, just three months later, health care workers have vaccinated 1 million Kentuckians."This is truly both a miracle of modern medicine and tribute to so many Kentuckians whose tireless work made this possible," said Gov. Beshear. "This milestone brings us hope after losing nearly 5,000 of our beloved family members, friends, and neighbors to COVID-19. Think about how far we have come in our ability to fight this virus, and how fast."Just days before the first vaccinations were distributed in Kentucky, the state reported more than 3,500 new cases of the virus daily, with a positivity rate close to 9 percent.As the millionth Kentuckian is vaccinated, the state's positivity rate is below 4 percent, and Beshear marked the state's ninth straight week of declining cases.Beshear expects Kentucky can meet the president's goal of giving every adult a vaccine that wants one by the end of May. He says Kentucky can beat the goal of opening up vaccinations to every adult by May 1.You can see the entire ceremony below. Burma Myanmar Regime Seizes Bank Accounts of Soros' Open Society Foundation Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi holds talks with George Soros, founder and chairman of the Open Society Foundation, in New York in September 2016. / Ministry of Information The military regime has seized control of the bank accounts of billionaire George Soros Open Society Foundation (OSF) in Myanmar and announced that it will take legal action against the foundation, which is accused of violating restrictions on the activities of such organizations. On Monday, military-controlled MRTV announced that the military had issued arrest warrants for 11 staff members of OSF Myanmar, including its head and deputy head, on suspicion of giving financial support to the civil disobedience movement against the military junta. The regime also claimed that the worlds largest private funder for justice, democratic governance and human rights had failed to obtain approval from the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)s Foreign Exchange Management Department for a deposit of US$5 million (7.04 billion kyats) with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank (SMED) in Myanmar in 2018. The foundation is also accused of illegally withdrawing $1.4 million from its account at SMED a week after the military takeover in Myanmar, as the civil disobedience movement was gaining momentum among civil servants across the country. The military junta also took control of assets totaling $3.81 million and 375 million kyats in OSF bank accounts at four private banksKanbawza Bank (KBZ), Ayeyarwady Bank (AYA), SMED and Co-operative Bank (CB), according to MRTV. The military said it had begun taking control of all illegal flows of money to OSF Myanmar, saying the foundation had breached the law that lays downs the rules and regulations for organizations in the country. It said it would take legal action against SMED for allowing OSF to deposit $5 million and withdraw $1.4 million without obtaining approval from the CBM. On March 12, the CBM notified all international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that they would be required to report all financial transactions involving international organizations or individuals from abroad, with relevant bank account information, since April 1, 2016. The order indicates that the military regime intends to investigate the financial transactions of organizations since the National League for Democracy (NLD) took office in early 2016. The regime said the opening of the OSF Myanmar office came about after George Soros met ousted Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi four times between 2014 and 2017. It said OSF deputy chair Alexander Soros met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi six times from 2017 to 2020. Military-aligned groups including the Union Solidarity and Development Party have accused Soros of manipulating Myanmars politics by supporting civil society organizations in the country. In 2017, lawmaker U Soe Thane, who served as Presidents Office minister under U Thein Seins administration, objected to a ministerial appointment by the NLD government on grounds that the appointed minister had failed to disclose his previous work for the George Soros Foundation. He said that making the official a national security adviser could hurt Myanmars relations with China. OSF has been supporting Myanmars democratic transition and promoting human rights, including those of marginalized groups, since 1994. The foundation said it had awarded more than 100 grants each year, mostly to grassroots civil society organizations including exile, ethnic media and educational organizations. Following the coup, the military regime launched an investigation into the finances of the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, a charity founded by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The move is believed to be a pretext to file more charges against the countrys de facto leader. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Plants Run by Partner of Japans Fast Retailing Set Ablaze Another 15 Protesters Slain as Myanmar Military Junta Continues Nationwide Crackdown China Faces Backlash for Demanding Tougher Action on Myanmars Protesters Thorn Kimsan, a member of the CNRP, posted to social media that the product is "unsafe" and has reportedly caused several victims" in the country. Plainclothes officers arrested her while she was working in a restaurant in the capital. For her daughter it is a "political" arrest. Other activists are in prison for the same reason. Phnom Penh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Phnom Penh authorities arrested an activist and member of the dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) over the weekend. They have charged Thorn Kimsan with fomenting revolt for criticizing the Chinese anti-Covid vaccine. Kimsan has stated that the product made by Beijing is "unsafe" and would have caused "several victims" in the country. The woman, a party member for the municipality of Koh Totem, in the province of Kampong Cham, was placed in custody by plainclothes officers on March 14 while she was working in a restaurant in Phnom Penh. Asked by Radio Free Asia (RFA) her daughter Thorn Somethea charges: "They arrested her for no reason, I waited all night for her to return to her home". It is a "politically motivated" detention, she continues, "unjust" and without any "arrest warrant". They didnt explain anything. They only said that they were going to take her to the Tuol Kok district office. I want the authorities to get in touch with [our family] and tell us what is going on, she said, adding that her mother suffers from hypertension and high cholesterol and now needs medicine brought to her in jail. Phnom Penh Police Commission spokesperson San Sok Seyha told RFA on Monday that Thorn Kimsan had been arrested because of statements made on her Facebook page that had gravely affected social security. She sent a voice message saying that the Chinese vaccine has caused people in Cambodia to die, and this is not true. This constitutes incitement to create social unrest and misunderstandings. In reality, there has been no such problem so far, he said Thorn Kimsans arrest was the latest in a string of arrests of political opposition and social activists on unspecified charges or accusations of incitement, with no warrants shown or explanations provided to suspects or their families. At least two other CNRP activistsThun Chantha and Mey Sophonwere recently arrested for making comments on Facebook criticizing the Chinese-made vaccine, with a court in Phnom Penh charging them on Feb. 28 with making comments likely to incite grave social unrest. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has variously spoken in favor or against Chinese vaccine. Cambodias Ministry of Health on March 11 confirmed the countrys first COVID-19 related death, one year to the day that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus that causes the disease a global pandemic. The victim 50, was a driver for a Chinese company chief who lived in Sihanoukville city, and who had also tested positive for COVID-19, according to a ministry statement. The driver died at a Phnom Penh hospital, the statement said, without providing further details. So far, China has approved four vaccines developed in the country: two by the China National Pharmaceutical group; one from Sinovac Biotech and one from CanSino. In an emergency, they have been inoculated into millions of Chinese and distributed to at least 97 countries. But data on the third stage results, showing its large-scale efficacy, have not yet been published. According to some experts, the effectiveness of some Chinese vaccines is just over 50%. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. 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. New Delhi, March 16 : The Delhi police has busted a fake currency racket and arrested a Bhojpuri film actor who runs a production studio in Hari Nagar Ashram. The accused Md Shahid was held with his accomplice Sayyad Zain Hussain who is allegedly involved in vehicle theft cases. Police said that the duo was arrested during random checking to check car theft cases in South East Delhi when both Md Shahid and Zain Hussain were intercepted near New Friends Colony on Friday. During their cursory search, 200 wads of fake currency notes were recovered from a bag they were carrying. The scooty they were travelling on was found to be stolen. Fake currency amounting to 50 lakhs was seized from their possession. During the investigation, Md Shahid disclosed that he is running a film studio in the name of Sahil Sanny Film Production at Hari Nagar Ashram, Delhi, where film editing and work on portfolios is done. Shahid had also worked in a Bhojpuri movie 'Allahabad to Islamabad'. Apart from this he was part of some Bhojpuri songs which are available on YouTube. "During his business, he came in contact with a con and started to lure people through fake notes. He used to give people three fake notes for one genuine note, telling them they may be used in the market freely like genuine ones. Meanwhile, during the lockdown he suffered a huge financial loss and came in contact with auto lifter Sayyad Zain Hussain of Jamia Nagar and started stealing two- wheelers," said RP Meena, DCP South East Delhi. Both the accused used to target people in the market areas of Nehru Place, Lajpat Nagar and New Friends Colony. They used to give three fake notes in exchange for one genuine currency note to the people stating that they may be used in the market like genuine notes. Md Shahid is a resident of Batla House in Jamia Nagar, Delhi. He was previously involved in eight cases of cheating, snatching and under the Arms Act. Sayyad Zain Hussain is from Jogabai Extension, Okhla, Jamia Nagar in Delhi. He worked as a taxi driver. Advertisement Kate Garraway today shared heartbreaking images of her husband Derek Draper fighting for his life in hospital a year after contracting Covid. In an upcoming ITV documentary, the Good Morning Britain presenter tells of her fears for the 53-year-old's future as he battles long Covid from an ICU bed. Miss Garraway, 53, says on a trailer for the programme, which will air on March 23: 'Derek is the sickest person the team of doctors have treated this year.' 'Is he going to be able to come back or will he be alive but no longer the person he was?' Photos are shown from the couple's wedding day in 2005 before the screen goes blank and a message reads: 'One year later, Derek is still in hospital.' Mr Draper, who is the longest surviving Covid patient in the country, no longer tests positive for the virus, but it has left him with multiple health conditions including diabetes and holes in his heart and lungs. He is one of 186,000 long Covid patients in Britain who suffer a range of symptoms from fatigue and aches to serious organ damage. He has also lost 8st over the course of his ordeal. Miss Garraway has given emotional on-screen updates on her husband's Covid battle over the course of the last year, and has taken some time off work to go and visit him. MailOnline has asked ITV when the latest photos were taken but has not yet received a reply. In the first clip of a new ITV documentary, Finding Derek, Kate Garraway, 53, says: 'Derek is the sickest person the team of doctors have treated this year' Miss Garraway's 53-year-old husband is seen fighting for his life in hospital in an image released by the Good Morning Britain presenter Mr Draper, who is the longest surviving Covid patient in the country, no longer tests positive for the virus, but it has left him with multiple health conditions including diabetes and holes in his heart and lungs Miss Garraway recently admitted she fears what her husband's life will be like if he is able to leave hospital. She said Mr Draper's current state is something from a 'horror story,' as she tries to come to terms with the possibility that his health battle could leave him suspended between life and death. She said to The Sunday Times: 'The very worst moment was when they said he could be locked in forever. And I just thought, this is a horror story. 'I don't know if he'll ever have any kind of life again. We just don't know.' Mr Draper, a former adviser to the Labour Party, was admitted to hospital in March after contracting Covid-19 and placed into a medically induced coma a month later before he awoke in July. The virus caused havoc throughout his entire body, resulting in kidney failure, liver and pancreatic damage. Miss Garraway with former Labour adviser Mr Draper in 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' on December 8, 2019 Photos are shown from the couple's wedding day in 2005 before the screen goes blank and a message reads: 'One year later, Derek is still in hospital' Miss Garraway has given emotional updates on her husband's Covid battle over the course of the last year, and has taken some time off air to go and visit him. They are pictured on their wedding day Derek Draper's battle that has made him the longest surviving Covid patient in the country MARCH 2020 Miss Garraway revealed she and Prince Charles had got 'relatively close' at the Prince's Trust Awards on March 11 - Charles was diagnosed with coronavirus in mid-March. She said: 'Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said [to Derek] 'god you look ill.' 'He said he had a headache, numbness in his right hand, and was struggling to breathe, 'I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance' Mr Draper, 52, was taken into hospital on March 30 and remained in an unresponsive condition. APRIL Mr Draper is put into an induced coma. Miss Garraway and her children isolated at home after she displayed 'mild symptoms'. She said: 'Derek remains in intensive care and is still very ill. I'm afraid it remains an excruciatingly worrying time. 'I'm afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.' MAY Miss Garraway said: 'The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight. 'But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.' That month, Miss Garraway and her family took part in the final clap for carers She said: 'I'll never give up on that because Derek's the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty' JUNE On June 5, Miss Garraway revealed her husband is now free from coronavirus but continues to fight against the damage inflicted on his body JULY On July 5, Miss Garraway revealed Mr Draper has woken from his coma but he remains in a serious yet critical condition. On July 8, she announced she would be returning to GMB, after being urged by doctors to 'get on with life' during Mr Draper's recovery. She added that Mr Draper had 'opened his eyes' after waking from his coma, but has been told his recovery could take years. On July 13, Miss Garraway returned to GMB for the first time since her husband was hospitalised. On July 28, She revealed she'd paid an 'extra emotional' first visit to her husband, and admitted she's 'frustrated' by his slow progress. AUGUST On August 14, Miss Garraway reassured GMB viewers that Mr Draper was 'still with us,' but it was 'a waiting game.' On August 19, She revealed she celebrated Mr Draper's birthday with their two children, and described the day as 'challenging' for her family. SEPTEMBER At the end of September, Mr Draper reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with coronavirus after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care. Miss Garraway reveals her husband has lost eight stone during his battle. The presenter announces she is returning to her Smooth Radio show so Mr Draper can hear her voice. OCTOBER On October 30 Miss Garraway reveals that Mr Draper has spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word 'pain' to his wife, who watched on 'in tears' over FaceTime. She says a day later that her husband no longer needs a ventilator to breathe. NOVEMBER Miss Garraway reveals her family car has been stolen in latest 'body blow' to her family life, as kind-hearted fans offer their cars to help. She says she feels 'physically sick' at the prospect of facing her first Christmas without her husband. DECEMBER The GMB star tells viewers it is her dream to visit Mr Draper on Christmas Day. She also reveals she missed two weeks on GMB after her children were exposed to the virus, but thankfully she and the kids tested negative. On December 17, Miss Garraway has an emotional conversation live on GMB with two nurses who treated her husband when he was first admitted to Whittington Hospital in North London. On New Year's Eve she reflects on a 'calamitous' Christmas without Mr Draper, as her house was flooded and she struggled to get a food delivery slot until her pal Emma Willis stepped in to help. JANUARY 2021 Miss Garraway reveals she and her children got to visit Mr Draper in hospital over the Christmas period, and it was the first time her family had seen him since he was hospitalised. She also says she's banned from seeing him due to new restrictions introduced during the government's third lockdown. FEBRUARY Miss Garraway reveals she is unsure how much her husband will 'ever be able to recover' following warning from doctors that he may never wake from his coma. MARCH Miss Garraway tells the Sunday Times that Mr Draper's current state is something from a 'horror story,' as she tries to come to terms with the possibility that his health battle could leave him suspended between life and death. On March 16, a trailer is released from a new documentary, Finding Derek, in which Miss Garraway will tell of his struggle. Advertisement On more than one occasion his heart stopped beating, he battled bacterial pneumonia and fought multiple infections which punctured holes in his lungs. Miss Garraway- who shares children Darcey, 15, and William, 11, with her husband of fifteen years - admitted it is 'shocking' to see his current state, including his dramatic eight stone weight loss. She revealed that on multiple occasions the hospital told her: 'Prepare yourself, he's going to die.' During one incident, the TV presenter was told 'he may have died' and that 'somebody will call you back,' as she spent countless hours calling the hospital to get an answer, to no avail. She eventually got through and discovered someone of a similar name had passed away. But the worst was yet to come as Miss Garraway had to learn to accept the possibility that Mr Draper could be frozen indefinitely between life and death. 'They said, 'It's highly unlikely he will make a good recovery,' she recalled the comment from doctors while they confirmed they couldn't rule out a 'reasonable recovery.' When she asked what that would look like, the mother-of-two was told that being able to lift a hairbrush would be an example of a 'reasonable recovery'. Trying to make sense of her husband's current condition, Miss Garraway said it appears he is in an 'ocean of unconsciousness,' and only manages to rise to the top for air on rare occasions. However she did note some tentative progress with her husband during the Christmas period. As she pretended to forget her accountant's name, Mr Draper was able to fill in the blank and vocalise the name. He also heartbreakingly mouthed the word 'pain' in October. By the end of last year, he had had reportedly made some small steps towards recovery. He was able to breathe naturally throughout the day and was able to swallow his own saliva - despite still being fed by a tube through his stomach. Mr Draper no longer required kidney dialysis and had managed to increase his movement on one side, allowing him to move his glasses on his nose. He was even able to recognise some faces and add snippets to conversation before sinking back into the deep waters of his unconscious mind. She is still not allowed to visit her husband due to coronavirus restrictions. Miss Garraway said she tried to keep his hopes up by promising things would improve, but tragically his only response was: 'How?' When Boris Johnson enforced a new lockdown in December, Miss Garraway wasn't able to see her husband at all, as she revealed his health worsened 'dramatically,' counteracting the progress they had made. 'I have tried to sort of wake up from that and think about the future,' Miss Garraway added. 'But nobody can tell you what the future is.' Finding Derek will air on 23rd March, and will show Miss Garraway giving an 'unflinching account' on the past 12 months. In the special one-off film, she will offer an 'intimate insight' into coping with the impact of Covid-19 on her family, as well as meeting survivors of the disease. ITV said in a statement: 'Kate offers an unflinching account of the profound effects on her family and on others as she opens up on camera for the first time on the reality of the past 12 months. 'As Kate lays bare in the film, her family, along with many others who have suffered the effects of the virus, is now facing the reality of adjusting to a very different way of life to the one they lived before the pandemic hit.' During one of her darkest moments Miss Garraway was told her husband may 'never come out of a coma' amid his ongoing battle. Mr Draper has regained minimal consciousness from his medically induced coma and while he has not been speaking, he heartbreakingly mouthed the word 'pain' in October last year. Last week, the Smooth presenter shared her heartache about not being able to visit her husband due to coronavirus restrictions. She said to her co-host Ben Shepherd: 'Well, I haven't been able to see him, Ben. I haven't seen him since Christmas, which of course means he's back into a situation where he's looking at strangers in masks... 'And I think that's the situation for everybody, they've got somebody in the hospital at the moment, it's not unique. It's tough... 'It's also the same for people in care homes. And when you're someone like him who is dealing with a consciousness problem and trying to emerge, I can't help but fear it's not helpful.' In September, Mr Draper, passed the grim milestone of becoming the longest patient battling coronavirus in hospital in the UK, with doctors telling Miss Garraway that his infection was the 'highest they had seen in a patient who had lived'. Reflecting on her last hospital visit with their children in December, Miss Garraway admitted the family reunion was 'heightened with emotion' because they saw how Mr Draper had been ravaged by the virus. 'It was very heightened with emotion, because he's very changed,' she told viewers. 'So all the routines that we'd normally do, it was one of those moments that it was so wonderful but also it amplified how sad everything was. 'And how different it is. But it was still fantastic, and we're very grateful to have had that opportunity.' Miss Garraway has also spoken about how she is coping with looking after her and Mr Draper's two children, Darcey, 14 and William, 11, while he remains in hospital. She told Good Housekeeping: 'I'm not sure I am coping! I honestly don't know how single mums do it; it's just so hard. 'A lot of the time I find myself thinking, 'What would Derek say?' and 'What would Derek do?' 'I'm lucky that I'm being supported by lots of friends, too, and Ranvir [Singh] has been really helpful because she's been operating as a single mum since her son, Tushaan, was very little. 'I asked her, How do you do it?' and she said, 'You just have to accept that you can't do everything.' Miss Garraway - who shares Darcey, 15, and William, 11, (pictured in 2019) with her husband of 15 years - admitted it is 'shocking' to see his current state, including his eight stone weight loss Miss Garraway wiped away tears as she took part in a nationwide applause in honour of the NHS key workers in May while her husband fought Covid in hospital What is long Covid? How virus can damage organs and cause dangerous complications Most coronavirus patients will recover within a fortnight, suffering a fever, cough and losing their sense of smell or taste for several days. However, evidence is beginning to show that the tell-tale symptoms of the virus can persist for weeks on end in 'long haulers' the term for patients plagued by lasting complications. Data from the COVID Symptom Study app, by King's College London and health company Zoe, suggests one in ten people may still have symptoms after three weeks, and some may suffer for months. Long term symptoms include: Chronic tiredness Breathlessness Raised heart rate Delusions Strokes Insomnia Loss of taste/smell Kidney disease Mobility issues Headaches Muscle pains Fevers For those with more severe disease, Italian researchers who tracked 143 people who had been hospitalised with the disease found almost 90 per cent still had symptoms including fatigue two months after first falling unwell. The most common complaints were fatigue, a shortness of breath and joint pain - all of which were reported during their battle with the illness. Another study in Italy showed one in ten people who lose their sense of taste and smell with the coronavirus - now recognised as a key sign of the infection - may not get it back within a month. In the most serious cases, like Mr Draper's, Covid can damage organs and cause conditions such as diabetes, or holes in the heart and lungs. The UK's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has said the longer term impacts of Covid-19 on health 'may be significant'. Support groups such as Long Covid have popped up online for those who 'have suspected Covid-19 and your experience doesn't follow the textbook symptoms or recovery time'. Advertisement Miss Garraway recently spoke about how Piers Morgan had helped her during her husband's battle with long Covid. Mr Morgan, who helped transform the once struggling breakfast show into a ratings juggernaut, quit his role following backlash over his negative response to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's explosive CBS interview. Describing him on GMB, Miss Garraway said: 'He is very passionate. 'He does fly kites and have debates but it always comes from a place of authenticity and he always believes in what he says. 'He's decided to quit and as he put it himself, fall on the sword of free speech. 'But as you rightly say, I've known him a long time, before he started working on this programme. 'Our friendship will go on, our personal friendship, and he's been very supportive of me personally. 'But yeah, it's a different show, isn't it? But the show goes on.' Piers made the decision to walk away from Good Morning Britain shortly after storming off set during a heated argument with weatherman Alex Beresford over his condemnation of Meghan. Although Mr Draper's long Covid is particularly serious, one in 10 people who have had the virus suffer some lingering symptoms afterwards, a recent study found. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) analysed more than 300 scientific papers from around the world as part of its second review into 'Long Covid'. It found around 10 per cent of survivors continue to suffer from symptoms at least three months after clearing the disease. The most common issue was fatigue, followed by breathlessness and 'brain fog', but more serious symptoms included organ damage, anxiety and depression. The review found the more severe the initial illness was, the more likely patients were to suffer from Long Covid. For example, 60 to 90 per cent of people who were hospitalised with Covid experienced lingering symptoms two months later. But the NIHR said a 'lack of consistency around the definition and measurement of Long Covid' makes it difficult to pin down exactly what the condition is. It added: 'The review finds that there is a considerable variation in the range of symptoms that have been considered Long Covid by researchers. 'Used as an umbrella term, Long Covid may cover conditions which may have different causes.' The NIHR said it believes Long Covid may include up to four different syndromes, with different underlying causes and treatment needs. Kate Garraway: Finding Derek airs March 23 ITV 9pm. There were also 64 Covid deaths recorded today, which is down 1.5 per cent on the same time last week The young hacker accused of being the mastermind behind a breach last year of high-profile Twitter accounts pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a Florida court, agreeing to serve three years in juvenile prison. Graham Ivan Clark, 18, faced fraud charges after a hack that compromised Twitter accounts belonging to Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, former President Barack Obama and other celebrities. Under Mr. Clarks control, the accounts tweeted fraudulent messages soliciting Bitcoin, promising to double the money of anyone who sent cryptocurrency. The scheme netted Bitcoin worth more than $100,000 before it was shut down. Mr. Clarks plea agreement brings some closure to one of the oddest and most alarming episodes in Twitters history. In an election year that had already pulled the company into the center of American politics, the breach raised questions about Twitters corporate security and generated speculation that state-sponsored hackers could be responsible, rather than teenagers. The arrest of Mr. Clark also raised questions about how someone so young could penetrate the defenses of what was supposedly one of the tech industrys most sophisticated companies. The attack took control of Twitters internal systems that are used to manage accounts, and forced Twitter to temporarily block verified accounts from tweeting as the company scrambled to push the hackers out of its systems. Somerset County prisons toured in wake of COVID A media tour was held Wednesday at both Somerset County prisons to show how officials have adapted to COVID-19. OSLO, Norway, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meltwater B.V., a leading global provider of media intelligence and social analytics, has entered into an agreement under which it is committed to acquire Linkfluence, a French SaaS company using artificial intelligence to algorithmically mine social media for consumer insights. The Linkfluence acquisition would be Meltwater's ninth since 2016, and the first since the company was listed on Euronext Growth Oslo in December 2020. The acquisition is part of Meltwater's growth strategy, which involves investments and acquisitions in the social media segment. For the full year 2020, Linkfluence reached a revenue of 17 million euro. Excluding earn-out, Meltwater has agreed to purchase Linkfluence for a price of 2 times 2020 revenue, to be settled 50% in cash and 50% in new shares to be issued by Meltwater at a volume weighted average price to be determined prior to closing. The acquisition has been board approved by both companies and remains subject to completion of the information consultation process of the Linkfluence employees' committee, as well as other customary conditions to closing. The transaction is expected to close by May 2021. "Market research is a 73 billion-dollar industry which historically has relied heavily on manual labor. We have been impressed with Linkfluence's deep client relationships with some of the world's most demanding brands and its pioneering work in using smart algorithms and social media to automate market research. By combining Linkfluence's award-winning SaaS solutions and expertise within market research and Meltwater's global reach with 50 sales offices on 6 continents, we will be well positioned to be the driving force of automating the multi-billion dollar market research industry," says John Box, CEO of Meltwater. Since Linkfluence was founded in 2006 the company has grown into an international organization with 150 employees across seven offices, headquartered in Paris. Clients include industry-leading brands such as LVMH, Nike, Danone, Pernod Ricard, Toyota and Epic Games. "We share the same vision of the future as Meltwater of bringing AI-enabled consumer insights to global brands through social listening. There has never been more data available to more companies, and the winners of tomorrow will be the brands that understand their customers at the speed of the web by using the internet as an important source for leading indicators. Joining forces with Meltwater will bring tremendous value to our clients by enabling us to leverage their fantastic assets and strengthen our innovation capabilities," says Guillaume Decugis, CEO of Linkfluence. Linkfluence's SaaS solutions are used by brands to identify buyer communities online and understand how to activate them, see how a brand is associated with certain topics or values to measure brand perception as well as detect and monitor trends or analyze customer experience. For each of these use cases, Linkfluence's technology analyzes billions of public content pieces on the social web using natural language processing or computer vision and structures this data into actionable insights, available to its clients in real-time and on demand. By providing an enterprise-grade platform scalable to global organizations, Linkfluence helps brands make better, more customer-centric decisions at every step of their lifecycles. "Given Meltwater's sophisticated technology platform Fairhair.ai and our global reach, we are uniquely positioned to integrate best-of-class companies in key social use cases into a comprehensive social enterprise suite. Market research is one of the largest and most interesting opportunities within the social space. With Linkfluence's industry leading SaaS solution in AI-enabled consumer insights, Meltwater will add a complementary and strategic solution to its current social suite which will benefit our 28,000 customers globally," says John Box. The information contained in this statement has not been audited and may be subject to change. Please see Meltwater Company Disclosures on https://www.meltwater.com/en/about/investor-relations to stay up to date on company news and updates. For further information, please contact: Geir Arne Drangeid Investor Relations and Media Contact gad@meltwater.com About Meltwater Meltwater provides social and media intelligence. By examining millions of posts each day from social media platforms, blogs and news sites, Meltwater helps companies make better, more informed decisions based on insight from the outside. The company was founded in Oslo, Norway, in 2001 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with 50 offices across six continents. The company has 1,700 employees and 28,000 corporate customers, including industry leaders in several sectors. Learn more at meltwater.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to the business, financial performance and results of the Company and/or the industry in which it operates. Forward-looking statements concern future circumstances and results and other statements that are not historical facts, sometimes identified by the words "believes", "expects", "predicts", "intends", "projects", "plans", "estimates", "aims", "foresees", "anticipates", "targets", and similar expressions. Any such forward-looking statements are solely opinions and forecasts reflecting views as of the date set out on the cover of these materials, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from any anticipated development, including the risk factors set forth in the Information Document prepared by the Company in connection with the Listing, available at https://newsweb.oslobors.no/message/519564 under the heading "Vedlegg". No liability for such statements, or any obligation to update any such statements or to conform such statements to actual results, is assumed. Furthermore, information about past performance given in this communication is given for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as, and is not, an indication of future performance. Amazons labor practices, which recently earned the company a subtle rebuke from President Biden, is likely to face even greater scrutiny now. The New York Times is reporting on the tactics the company allegedly employed to block a union drive in Virginia. As the company faces one of its biggest organizing votes, the paper uncovered details of a settlement made with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in 2016. As part of the deal, Amazon had to publish a list of things it wouldnt do to stifle the drive, but did not admit to any violation of labor laws. The list includes pledges not to engage in employee surveillance, threaten would-be union workers with reprisals or dismiss those interested in joining. The Times, however, quotes the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, who believe those practices were used. Amazon is currently reckoning with a drive to unionize warehouse employees at Bessemer, Alabama, and if successful, could mark a watershed moment for the mega-retailer. Ahead of the vote, the company was found to be airing anti-union ads through its game-streaming service, Twitch. When Twitch was alerted to the news, it pulled the ads, saying that they should never have been allowed to run on our service, since it bans all political advertising. The company also stands accused of asking county officials to shorten the waiting times at a nearby stoplight. The Times says that the move was designed to make it harder for canvassers to approach employees as they left for work. As well as the union drive, Amazon is also facing questions about the safety procedures it used to keep its warehouses open through the COVID-19 pandemic. Last summer, employees at the companys Staten Island warehouse sued the company for failing to follow CDC and New York State safety guidelines. Similarly, Canadian authorities ordered Amazons Brampton facility to close after a mass outbreak of COVID-19 in the warehouse. You can read the full story over at The New York Times. The links between the two automotive icons go even further. We'll remind you that, back in the early 1960s, Carroll Shelby, who had retired from racing, approached British carmaker AC Cars, convincing the company that its Ace roadster should be mated to a V8the model was almost a decade old at the time. The Texan designer's first choice as an engine supplier was Chevrolet, but the Golden Bowtie dismissed the project fearing Corvette cannibalization. Shelby then turned to Ford in what is now a legendary chapter of automotive history.More than two decades later, Shelby participated in the development of the original Viper , even though reports from back in the day saw the aficionado stating that his contribution was limited. That was because he once again had to deal with the heart condition that had determined him to quit racing back in the day.Returning to the rendering we have here, it brings together a second-generation Viper, which entered service in 1995, and the Shelby Cobra 427 introduced three decades earlier. The latter used a new chassis and featured more serious Ford inputpixel tip to Instagram label carfrontswaps for the image.And if you looked at this mix and thought of a third car that happens to be the Mazda MX-5 Miata, you should know you're not alone. We'll once again seek a connection that goes beyond our eyes, telling us that the Miata and the Viper share quite a few visual treats.To be more precise, the original NA Miata, which entered production in 1989, just two years before the Viper, has been developed using the 1960s Lotus Elan as a benchmark. And here we are, talking about a classic British two-door once again.Update: As you'll notince in the images we have here, the said label has also come up with the opposite approach, gifting the Viper with the face of the Shelby Cobra, so you can now pick your digital face swap poison. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form 3 1 of 3 Contributed Photo /Ansonia Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed Photo /Ansonia Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3 ANSONIA An Ansonia man is facing charges, including criminal attempt at first-degree assault and first-degree reckless endangerment, following a Sixth Street shooting Sunday, according to police. Melvin Burroughs has been charged with two counts of both criminal attempt at first-degree assault and first-degree reckless endangerment, according to a post from the Ansonia Police Department. He also was charged with first-degree threatening, unlawful discharge, criminal use of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm and third-degree criminal mischief, according to the post. SPRINGFIELD Another police officer has been fired for violating the departments social media policy, an increasingly thorny issue for municipal employees in this and other local cities. A spokesman for the Springfield Police Department confirmed Officer John Toledo was fired on March 5 after four years on the job. While Public Information Officer Ryan Walsh declined to offer up more details, sources familiar with the matter told The Republican that Toledo took a photo of a handcuffed, male prisoner on his cellphone then sent it to a number of friends. While the photo wasnt salacious in nature, the move was still a violation and Toledo was terminated, according to department members who spoke on condition of anonymity. Toledo is the third Springfield police officer to be fired over the policy and at least the fifth public employee in this city to run afoul of the rule. And last week, Holyoke Police Officer Rafael Roca was suspended with pay for violating a similar policy after taking to YouTube to denounce Holyoke Police Chief Manuel Manny Febo and other members as corrupt and racist. In the 43-minute video, Roca pleaded for the FBI to investigate the department, while Febo responded that hed welcome any outside scrutiny from any agency. Toledo could not immediately be reached for comment. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. Prior to Toledos firing, Detective Florissa Fuentes was let go for posting an aggressive Black Lives Matter post to her personal Instagram account; Officer Conrad Lariviere was fired for mocking Black Lives Matter protesters on his personal Facebook account; former mayoral aide and community activist Darryl Moss was fired over posts to his social media accounts for calls to action by civil rights advocates; and a firefighter city officials did not name was forced to retire over insensitive posts to his social media accounts, also directed at protesters. In Chicopee, longtime police department spokesman Mike Wilk retired after coming under fire for his social media posts, also about the Black Lives Matter movement. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno has said his administration will be consistent in its enforcement of the social media policy on the books through an executive order by Sarno in 2017 and accepted by the vast majority of the citys unionized employees. Certain city councilors have denounced the policy as selectively applied and retaliatory. I think this whole process is extremely gray. I dont see consistency, Councilor Victor Davila said during an interview in October. It appears to me it is being weaponized, and I have real problems with this. Other councilors worried it danced too close to infringing upon free speech. Councilor Melvin Edwards called the policy a slippery slope. There has not been any public debate over the social media policy since then. Sequels hitting shelves this month include five adorable pups on an animal farm, the conclusion to a magical prophecy, a queendom on the brink of war, and more. Picture Books and Graphic Novels Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold, illus. by Susanne Kaufman (Knopf, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-525-57974-8) In this sequel to All Are Welcome, Penfold and Kaufman help children navigate the emotional challenges they face in their daily lives. See our In Conversation with the co-creators. The Little Library by Margaret McNamara, illus. by G. Brian Karas (Schwartz & Wade, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-525-57833-8) Mr. Tiffin and his students are back in the third installment of Mr. Tiffins Classroom series. Everyone in Mr. Tiffins class is excited that the new school library has openedexcept Jake, who is a slow reader. That changes when a librarian offers him a woodworking book. When the school year comes to an end, Jake has the perfect gift idea for the librarian. Little Polar Bear and the Pandas by Hans de Beer (NorthSouth, $17.95; ISBN 978-0-7358-4428-5) Lars the beloved little polar bear has returned and wants to steer clear of humans and their big snow vehicles. When he catches a whiff of something on their ship, he decides to investigate. Before Lars knows it, hes on an adventurous trip to China where he meets two lovely pandas. The Old Boat by Jarrett Pumphrey, illus. by Jerome Pumphrey (Norton, $17.95 ISBN 978-1-324-00517-9) In this follow-up to the Pumphrey brothers' debut,The Old Truck, a boat provides the impetus for an exploration of home, family, and intergenerational stories. Rockets Puppy Friends by Tad Hills and Alan Batson (Random House, $8.99 paper over board; ISBN 978-0-593-18131-7) Rocket and his friends, Bella and Owl, go to the farm and meet five puppies. The puppies show Rocket and his friends around the farm and introduce them to various animals. But Rocket soon notices a puppy is missing. Novels Aminas Song by Hena Khan (Simon & Schuster, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-534-45988-5) In this companion novel to Aminas Voice, it is the last few days of vacation in Pakistan and Amina is excited to share her experience with her friends back home. But her friends dont seem interested. When she decides to do a presentation on Pakistani hero Malala Yousafzai, her classmates focus on the worst parts of the story. Amina wonders how she can share the beauty of Pakistan when no one wants to listen. See our q&a with the author. Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare (S&S/McElderry, $24.99; ISBN 978-1-481-43190-3). In the second book in The Last Hours series, Cordelia seems to have everything she wanted. But the truth is far grimmer. Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia must uncover who is murdering the Shadowhunters of London, while keeping dangerous secrets of her own. Charlie Thorne and the Lost City by Stuart Gibbs (Simon & Schuster, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-534-44381-5) Charlie is ready to take it easy after saving the world, in this sequel to Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation. Things change, however, when she is approached by the mysterious Esmeralda Castle, who has a code she knows only Charlie can decipher. The Chosen One by James Riley (Aladdin, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-534-42584-2) Fort is finally reunited with his father and wants nothing more than for life to return to normal. But normal isnt an option anymore, since the Old Ones could still return to enslave humanity. Fort and his friends must race to find the truth surrounding the Chosen One prophecy, in the finale of the Revenge of Magic series. City of Spells by Alexandra Christo (Feiwel and Friends, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-31840-4) In the follow-up to Into the Crooked Place, after the loss of Wesley and the startling reveal that Zekia is helping the Kingpin of her own free will, Tavia, Saxony, and Karam flee to Saxonys home to rebuild their rebellion. Meanwhile, trapped in the Kingpins darkness, Wesley must fight against the deadly magic that invades his mind. Gilded Serpent by Danielle L. Jensen (Tor Teen, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-250-31779-7) Lydia returns to Mudaire to train at the healing temple, in the third entry in the Dark Shores series. She delves into the history of the gods only to discover a truth that will change her life forever. Meanwhile, Killian embraces the darker side of his markand in doing so, risks starting a war. Golden Gate by James Ponti (S&S/Aladdin, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-5344-1494-5) The City Spies return in this second installment and are gearing up for their next mission. Sydney is a surfer and a rebel from Australia. Shes also a field ops specialist for the City Spies and is excited to go undercover on a marine research vessel, but things dont go as planned. Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (Delacorte, $17.99; ISBN 978-1-984896-40-7) In the sequel to A Good Girls Guide to Murder, Pip and Ravi have released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera (HarperCollins/Quill Tree, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-288231-8) The sequel to Infinity Son picks up after Emil and Brighton beat the Blood Casters and escaped with their livesor so they thought. When Brighton drank the Reapers Blood, he believed it would make him invincible, but instead the potion is killing him. In Emils race to find an antidote, he will have to dig deep into the past lives hes trying to outrun. See our q&a with Silvera on the series. The Only by Katherine Applegate (HarperCollins, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-233559-3) Applegate wraps up [the Endling trilogy], https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/59235-harpercollins-signs-new-katherine-applegate-series.html in which Byxs original quest was to discover if there were more of her kind, or if she was destined to become an endlingthe last dairne alive. She did find more dairnes, and created allies among other creatures in her world. But Byx and her new friends have learned that it isnt just dairnes who are in jeopardy of extinction. Phoenix Flame by Sara Holland (Bloomsbury, $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-0382-4) Continuing the Havenfall series, Maddie saved the Inn at Havenfalla sanctuary between magical worldsfrom the evil Silver Prince. And her uncle is recovering from a mysterious spell that left him not quite human. But theres more work to be done to protect the Inn; Maddie must put an end to the black-market trading of magical objects and open the Inns doors to the once-feared land of shapeshifters. The Queen of Gilded Horns by Amanda Joy (Putnam, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-525-51861-7) In the sequel to A River of Royal Blood, Eva is on the run and desperate for answers. Her sister, Princess Isa, is a difficult, unremorseful captive, and Eva knows better than to trust her. Despite their history, Eva is convinced that to survive the growing unrest in the queendom, she and her sister must make peace. The Queens Secret by Melissa de la Cruz (Putnam, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-525-51594-4) In the conclusion to The Queens Assassin duology, Lilacs birthright makes her Queen of Renovia, and a forced marriage made her the Queen of Montrice. But taking the throne meant giving up the opportunity to be with lthe ove of her life, Cal. Worse, Cal must leave the castle when magical attacks threatens Lilacs sovereignty. Ravage the Dark by Tara Sim (Little, Brown, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-7595-5533-4) Sim delivers the conclusion to the Scavenge the Stars duology. Amaya Chandra had one plan: to survive. But now, survival is not enough. After escaping Moray by the skin of her teeth, shes determined to track down the man who betrayed her and her friends. Red Tigress by Amelie Wen Zhao (Delacorte, $18.99; ISBN 978-0-525-70783-7) In the sequel to Blood Heir, Ana is the only surviving member of the royal family of Cyrilia. She has no army, no title, and no allies, and now she must find a way to take back the throne or risk the brutal retribution of the empress. Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo (Imprint, $22.99; ISBN 978-1-250-14230-6) Concluding the King of Scars duology, Nikolai must summon every bit of his ingenuity and charmand even the monster withinto win this fight. Zoya has already lost too much to war, but now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. And deep undercover, Nina risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter (HMH, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-358-00440-0) April thought she had her happy ending, but she also has a very big new secret. The kids of Winterborne House are the only ones who know that Gabriel Winterbornefamous billionaire and terrible cookis really a sword-wielding vigilante. What they dont know is that hes not the only one. See our q&a with Carter 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. Doubles the revenue processing capability for Qualifying Startups. SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chargebee, the global leader in subscription billing and revenue management, today announced that it will be pledging $5 billion dollars of revenue processing capability for early-stage startups. With this pledge, qualifying startups will be able to use Chargebee's revenue management platform and services for free until they clock $100,000 in revenue. Chargebee enables businesses across industries to transition and scale their subscription revenue. This pledge makes its best-in-class capabilities used by thousands of high-growth, pre-IPO, and public organizations accessible to early stage startups. Chargebee has already invested in the startup ecosystem since 2016, with over 10,000 early stage startups getting to product-market fit and beyond with its "Launch Program" that offered up to $50K of free revenue processing. In 2020 alone, startups on Chargebee's Launch Program raised over $250M in Seed and Series-A Funding. With today's announcement, Chargebee has doubled the revenue processing limit for qualifying startups from $50,000 to $100,000 .With this increase, the company aims to enable 50,000 early stage startups in the next 2 years, effectively allowing $5 Billion to be processed for free through its billing platform. A recent beneficiary of Chargebee's Launch Program is Cocoon, which provides a 'family hub' that doubles up as a safe space for kids to play and learn, while allowing parents to get their work done. According to Karl Chong, CEO of Cocoon, "For many startups, it's difficult to spend a lot on technology up-front. Chargebee's Launch Program plan allowed us to test our billing and subscription management workflows in a risk-free proposition. Providing that for startups speaks a lot about Chargebee's commitment to growing the ecosystem and offering founders the ability to experiment and grow". Regarding the timing of this announcement, Krish, Chargebee's CEO and Co-founder says, "The post-covid economy has opened up possibilities for a new breed of startups. Traditionally 'non-scalable' businesses like learning, fitness, health, and more break down geographic and market barriers by moving to a digital subscription based business model. This fund will allow these innovative startups to build and scale their revenue without impacting their current cash flow". Omar Nawaz, CPO of Chargebee, added "The first $100K is the most difficult phase in a startup's journey, as it struggles to identify the right value metrics and product-market fit. This pledge gives businesses the ability to use Chargebee's capabilities to experiment with pricing, rethink packaging, and scale revenue operations in this critical discovery phase of their business." About Chargebee: Chargebee automates revenue operations of high-growth, subscription-based businesses. Its SaaS platform helps businesses manage subscriptions, billing, invoicing, payments and revenue recognition processes. Founded in 2011, Chargebee has raised north of USD 100M so far and is used by over 2500 companies in 53 countries using more than 120 currencies. For more information, visit www.chargebee.com or follow on Twitter @chargebee An unincorporated Gretna man was indicted on charges that he raped three young girls -- one at knifepoint -- and inappropriately touched a fourth girl over the course of five years. Glen Buchanan, 60, was charged with first-degree rape of a victim under the age of 13 while armed with a dangerous weapon, first-degree rape of a juvenile while armed with a dangerous weapon, two counts of first-degree rape of a victim under the age of 13 and sexual battery of a victim under the age of 13, according to Jefferson Parish court records. Buchanan pleaded not guilty Tuesday when he appeared in Jefferson Parish Magistrate Court via video conference. The victims in the case are now 15, 14, 12 and 9, court records show. The alleged sexual abuse occurred between 2015 and 2020. Buchanan is known to the victims' families and spent time at their residences in Harvey and Marrero, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. The eldest victim accused Buchanan of repeatedly raping her, starting when she was 11, according to authorities. On two occasions, the girl told investigators Buchanan held a knife to her throat while he sexually assaulted her, then threatened to kill her or her parents if she ever told, according to prosecutors. The 14-year-old victim also described being raped by Buchanan more than once and said he began inappropriately touching her in assaults that began when she was about 8, according to authorities. 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 third victim, now 12, told investigators Buchanan forced her to perform oral sex in exchange for bubble gum, the Sheriff's Office said. He is also accused of raping her. The victims revealed the abuse to relatives shortly before Thanksgiving, after they learned their families would be spending the holiday with him, the Sheriff's Office said. None of the girls realized that the other was being molested, according to authorities. The fourth victim, a 9-year-old girl, came forward after Buchanan's Nov. 22 arrest. Her relatives are also known to Buchanan and questioned her and her siblings after they learned what he had been accused of, authorities said. The girl told investigators Buchanan had put his hands in her shorts and inappropriately touched her when she was 7, prosecutors said. Buchanan has denied the allegations against him. A conviction of first-degree rape of a victim under 13 is punishable by death in Louisiana. The Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office has not indicated whether it will pursue the death penalty, according to court records. If it doesn't, then Buchanan faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted of those charges. After his indictment, the court increased Buchanan's bond from $1.6 million to just over $2 million. He was being held Tuesday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. The Queen sent her best wishes. The Queen has used an Irish greeting in a message to people in the Republic ahead of St Patricks Day. In a letter to Irish President Michael D Higgins, the Queen expressed her best wishes ahead of tomorrows celebrations, and acknowledged her visit to Ireland a decade ago. Read More The message read: On the occasion of your National Day, I would like to convey to Your Excellency my congratulations, together with my best wishes to the people of Ireland. This year marks 10 years since my visit to Ireland, which I remember fondly, and it marks a significant centenary across these islands. We share ties of family, friendship and affection the foundation of our partnership that remains as important today as 10 years ago. She signed off her message with: La Fheile Padraig sona daoibh go leir. It translates as Happy St Patricks Day to you all. The Queen spoke briefly in Irish during her historic 2011 visit when she attended a state dinner in Dublin Castle. She began her address that evening by saying: A Uachtarain agus a chairde. Throughout the speech she spoke of the ties between Ireland and Britain, acknowledging the relationship as firm friends and equal partners. Her latest message comes amid strained Anglo-Irish relations in recent years following Brexit and its impact on Northern Ireland. The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited Ireland for four days in May 2011 following an invitation from President Mary McAleese. The visit marked 100 years since the last royal visit to what is now the Republic, which took place when Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom. In response to the Queens message, Mr Higgins wrote, both in Irish and English, about the family ties and friendships between Ireland and the UK. We know St Patricks Day will be celebrated in the hearts of generations of Irish people who have made their home in Britain, and their British friends and family as well as by the many British people who have happily made their home here. The President signed off: Guim La Fheile Padraig shona agus siochanta ort agus ar do mhuintir. It translates as: I wish you and your family a happy and peaceful St. Patricks Day. Almost a decade of the tumultuous relationship between Jordans King Abdullah II and Israels Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu finally boiled over last week when Amman scuttled what was to be a historic visit by the Israeli premier to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On March 10, Jordans Crown Prince Hussein had to cancel a pre-arranged trip at the last minute to East Jerusalems Al-Haram Al-Sharif (what Israel calls the Temple Mount) when Israel, according to Jordan, violated the visits protocols. Israel had claimed that the cancellation of the trip was the result of disagreements over security arrangements to protect the Jordanian royal, which Jordan had denied. Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi told the media on March 11 that Israel tried to impose complications to hinder Jerusalemites entry to the mosque, adding, We agreed with Israel on arrangements of the visit, and we were surprised at the last moment that Israel wanted to impose new arrangements and change the itinerary. The prince wanted to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque to mark a Muslim holy celebration. He was also supposed to visit Christian churches in the Holy City. For Jordan, that would have been a historic visit too: the first by a Jordanian royal since Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994. Al-Monitor has learned that Abdullah, who apparently has had enough of Netanyahus attempts to challenge the kings role over Muslim holy places in Al-Haram Al-Sharif and provoke the Jordanians, was so angry that he ordered the government not to grant Netanyahu permission to come to Amman and board a UAE private jet that was sent to him to take him to Abu Dhabi on March 11. When the approval had finally come, hours later, Netanyahus plan for a short visit to Abu Dhabi, where he was supposed to meet Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Zayed, had been ruined. Later on that day, Safadi told CNN that Amman was angry, and how could Netanyahu who disrupted a religious and peaceful visit by the crown prince to Al-Aqsa Mosque expect to come to Jordan and fly out of Jordan? It was an equally calculated response by the Jordanians that hit Netanyahu where it really hurts: his re-election bid next week. If Netanyahu thought he could take a victory lap by flying to the UAE to mark the exchange of diplomatic ties between the two countries at the expense of Amman, then he had another thing coming, a well-informed source close to the government, who requested anonymity, told Al-Monitor. At the crux of the matter is the issue of the Hashemites custodianship of Muslim holy places in East Jerusalem. Netanyahu wanted to make that custodianship an election issue to woo far-right Jewish voters 10 days before Israel goes into its fourth election in two years. This would not be the first time that he had tried to challenge Jordans special role and provoke the king. For Jordan, there is no legal or political case for Israel to be made. That special role is enshrined in the 1994 peace treaty and has been reaffirmed after then-US Secretary of State John Kerry mediated between the two countries in 2014. That understanding reaffirmed commitment to the status quo at Al Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount compound, and recognized again Jordans custodianship of the compound. But soon after, Netanyahu reneged on his promises again by allowing Israeli officials and extremist Jewish groups to enter the compound and perform prayers there. The occasional incursions have become regular since 2014 despite continued Jordanian diplomatic protests. Some of these groups, which openly support Netanyahu, declare openly that they seek to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and build a Jewish temple on its ruins. Jordans custodianship is not being disputed or contested by any third party. It has been supported by the Arab League and recognized by the Palestinian Authority and the Muslim and international community. But Jordans refusal to accept Donald Trumps decision to relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem and recognize a united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty has irked Netanyahu and senior White House officials. Even more, when Netanyahu threatened to go ahead with the unilateral annexation of major parts of the West Bank, the king threatened that such a move would have a dire effect on the peace treaty. It is no secret that Abdullah has long distrusted Netanyahu. Multiple sources confirm that the king had rejected many attempts by Netanyahu to meet and refused to take his calls since the Israeli premier reneged on a promise to put on trial an Israeli diplomat who killed two Jordanians at the Israeli Embassy compound in Amman in 2017. Abdullah has angered Netanyahu by meeting secretly with Defense Minister Benny Gantz last February. Gantz, a rival of Netanyahu, lashed out at his boss on March 11 when he said the conduct of Netanyahu in recent years has severely harmed Israel's relations with Jordan. He tweeted: Jordan is a strategic partner of Israel. Our defense and diplomatic ties are a foundation stone in our national security outlook. A number of Israeli security officials have warned against harming Israel-Jordan ties. With Netanyahus political fate hanging in the balance, it is difficult to say where ties with Jordan are heading. The anonymous source has confirmed that the Joe Biden White House had prior knowledge of the royal visit to Jerusalem. He added that the issue of Jordans special role over Al-Haram Al-Sharif will feature again when the king visits Washington in the coming weeks. Karachi, March 16 : A Rangers official was martyred and 10 others, including two Rangers personnel, were injured in an explosion in Karachi's Orangi Town on Monday evening, police said. West Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Suhai Aziz said that the attack was apparently directed at the Rangers personnel who were passing through the area in a vehicle when the bomb - fitted in a parked motorcycle - went off, the Dawn reported. As a result, three Rangers personnel and seven other people were injured, she added. They were shifted to different hospitals in the city. One Rangers official succumbed to his injuries, the SSP said. CTD DIG Omar Shahid Hamid said the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed responsibility for the attack through their social media account. Mominabad SHO Gul Mohammed Awan also confirmed that the bomb was planted in a parked motorcycle in Orangi Town-5. One official of the Karachi Traffic Police and a constable of the Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell who were passing through the area when the explosion took place were also among the injured, he added. A team of the bomb disposal squad was called to the area. Investigators were trying to obtain CCTV footage from the site of the blast as the police's Counter-Terrorism Department launched an investigation. Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar took notice of the "terror attack on Rangers mobile" on a main road and sought a detailed report from the West SSP, a police spokesperson said. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail termed the blast a "matter of great concern". In a tweet, he said an immediate inquiry into the attack was "essential". He also directed that medical aid be provided to the injured persons. "We realise (the Rangers') sacrifices for restoration of peace in Karachi," he said. In December of last year, four people, including two paramilitary soldiers, were wounded in a cracker attack on a moving Rangers mobile near the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre on University Road. An outlawed militant organisation had claimed responsibility for the attack. Two nurses have been suspended without pay from a Quebec hospital for mocking an indigenous patient. The woman, who has not been named, was 'the subject of intimidation, mockery and harassment' by the two medical staff at Lanaudiere Hospital Center in Joliette, Quebec, on March 12. The nurses, who have not yet been identified, allegedly compared the patient to another indigenous patient; Joyce Echaquan. Echaquan, 37, died at the same Lanaudiere Hospital back in September after filming staff cruelly taunting her as 'stupid' and 'only good for sex' she lay writhing in agony - sparking national outrage when the video went viral. 'Another situation where an Atikamekw woman... was the subject of intimidation, mockery and harassment,' the grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, Ghislain Picard, wrote in a statement Friday. 'In the city of Joliette of all places! You would think they would have learned their lessons on how they treat indigenous peoples! 'The staff from this clinic saw her name and told her 'I think we'll just call you Joyce'.' In a statement, the regional health authority in Joliette said it was investigating 'discriminatory and racist remarks' made against a member of the Atikamekw community. Scroll down for video Two nurses have been suspended without pay from a Quebec hospital for mocking an indigenous patient. The Joliette hospital, 70kms north of Montreal, where Joyce Echaquan died has been the scene of another alleged racist incident involving an indigenous woman The woman was compared to another indigenous patient, Joyce Echaquan, 37, (pictured) who bravely filmed herself being subjected to racist abuse as she lay dying in agony (right) in Joliette hospital in Quebec last year 'Another situation where an Atikamekw woman... was the subject of intimidation, mockery and harassment,' the grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, Ghislain Picard, wrote in a statement Friday Caroline Barbir, interim head of the health authority, told the Canadian Press she has asked for a full investigation and for the two nurses to be suspended without pay. 'I am deeply shocked since I heard the news this morning. We immediately launched an investigation to find out what happened,' Barbir said on Monday. While no formal complaint had been registered about the latest incident, Barbir said she's asked that a new cultural liaison set up after Echaquan's death make contact with the victim and try to restore confidence to the local indigenous community. Echaquan's death set off shockwaves in Canada after staff at Joliette hospital in Quebec were caught on camera calling her 'stupid' as she writhes in pain, moments before her death. Echaquan, a member of the Atikamekw Indigenous tribe, used her phone to livestream the nurses' remarks on Facebook and they were later broadcast on Canadian television network CBC. The mother-of-seven was admitted to Joliette hospital in Quebec last September with stomach pains. During her stay, she filmed staff speaking in French calling her 'stupid as hell,' and suggesting she was only good for sex. The phone footage captured a nurse saying: 'Are you done acting stupid? Are you done?' There was an outpouring of grief and anger among the indigenous community of Quebec after Echaquan's death Carol Dube (center), husband of Joyce Echaquan who died at the local hospital over the weekend, and her mother Diane Echaquan Dube, right, attend a vigil in front of the hospital in Quebec in September Another nurse said to her: 'You made some bad choices, my dear. What are your children going to think, seeing you like this?' 'She's good at having sex, more than anything else,' the other nurse adds. More than 30,000 people tuned in for an online benefit concert for Echaquan on January 3, which raised US$80,000 for her grieving family. This month, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the Manawan Atikamekw Council complained to the United Nations and asked that it investigate systemic racism in the Canadian Government in response to Echaquan's death. Several initiatives to improve indigenous peoples' access to healthcare have been launched in recent years. These include a $3.2 million initiative to improve training, and $1.6 million for additional healthcare services to the First Nations governing authorities of Manawan Atikamekw Council and Atikamekw Nation Tribal Council in Quebec. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to overhaul indigenous healthcare prior to his reelection in 2019. But a pressure group known as the Brian Sinclair Working Group, set up after the death of another patient in 2017, have called Trudeau's efforts 'inadequate'. ROME, MAR 16 - A 61-year-old man, Antonio Granata, hanged himself from an olive tree with steel wire in countryside near Taranto after murdering his wife and mother-in-law on Monday. Granata killed the two women by attacking them in the face and throat with a knife and a work tool in the town of Massafra. His body was found early on Tuesday by Carabinieri police. (ANSA). The S.C. Freedom of Information Act guarantees citizens access to public records and meetings of government bodies in South Carolina. The aim is to promote transparency in government and allow the public to learn more about the performance of public officials and how taxpayer dollars and other public funds are spent. But that doesn't mean that officials are always eager to share those records with you. So, The Post and Courier has prepared a citizens' toolbox for using the state's sunshine law to get the records and information you need. These tips are drawn from our reporters' extensive experience using the FOIA, as well as helpful guides published by the South Carolina Press Association. Public records The law gives citizens access to a variety of records from government agencies, including reports, audits, budgets, memos, letters and other correspondence. It also covers electronic records such as photographs, spreadsheets, emails and text messages sent from government-issued cell phones. Agencies aren't required to create a record that doesn't already exist, and the law allows some information, such as Social Security numbers and business trade secrets, to be shielded from release. But officials shouldn't use that an excuse to withhold the entire document. They are supposed to redact, or black out, that information and then release the rest of it. Changes to the FOIA in 2017 set firmer deadlines for complying with requests for records. Public bodies must respond to a written FOIA request within 10 business days unless the requested record is more than two years old, in which case the deadline is 20 business days. They then have 30 calendar days to turn over those records. If a deposit is required, the clock starts ticking when that money is received. And for records older than 2 years, the deadline is extended to 35 days. Though the new deadlines were widely celebrated by open records advocates, lawmakers also snuck in new language that allows public bodies to charge money for searching, retrieving, redacting and copying records. Some agencies will waive those fees upon request, so it's always good to ask. But many will not, and those fees can add up fast. If they come back with what some might consider an excessive fee we were once quoted $200,000 to get access to a police database don't hesitate to reach out to the public body and negotiate a little. The law requires public bodies to develop and post online a fee schedule for fulfilling FOIA requests. Production fees should be based on the hourly wage of the lowest paid employee who has the skills and training to fulfill the request. Here is a sample letter to get you started: A few more tips: Ask for the information orally first and see if it can be obtained without a formal written request that can take weeks to fulfill. Be as specific possible about what you are looking for. For example, a request for statements of bank card expenditures from the school board between June 1, 2020, and July 30, 2020, will likely be more successful and less costly than a request for all financial transactions processed by the school district last year. When requesting emails and other correspondence, try to narrow your request as much as possible by listing specific keywords and recipients to search. For example, a request for emails between the state's top two health officials for emails about coronavirus vaccine protocols between February, 25, 2021, and March 12, 2021, will likely get you closer to what you need more cheaply than a request for all emails from the health agency concerning coronavirus. Initially ask for access to review the records, not specifically for copies of them (unless you cant physically get to where they are to review them). That way, you might have some leeway to negotiate or limit copying costs, if assessed. Send your request by email to avoid lag time with mail and get the clock ticking sooner. Include read receipts and delivery notifications for your records. Donate to our Investigative Fund to support journalism like this Our public service and investigative reporting is among the most important work we do. Its also the most expensive reporting we do. We cant do it without your support. Donate Now FOIA exempts some records from release, including legal correspondence that would violate attorney-client privilege, industrial development offers under negotiation and certain police records that might thwart a prospective arrest. But it also makes some records, such as jail logs and police incident reports for the previous 14 days, available for public inspection without a written request. A full list of available records and exemptions can be found here. Public meetings The law guarantees citizens access to meetings of public bodies when a simple majority, or quorum, of that body is present. Notice of meetings must be given 24 hours in advance. All public business is supposed to be performed in an open and public manner, but the law does provide certain exemptions that allow a public body to close its proceedings. Those include contract negotiations; personnel discussions involving hiring, firing or discipline of an employee; economic development negotiations; and security matters. But all votes resulting from these discussions must take place in an open session, with the public allowed to be present. The SC Press Association offers this advice for what reporters should say if officials attempt to close a public meeting or court session. The same statements can also be used by regular citizens who object to closing the proceedings. Pro tip: Many reporters carry these statements around in their wallets so they will be prepared with legal language to register an objection if needed. Background checks It's amazing what you can find out about a person these days by simply doing a Google search or scrolling through their Facebook or LinkedIn profiles. But certain information, including criminal histories and civil lawsuits, may be harder to track down, particularly if the incidents go back several years. An experienced investigator can plumb some obscure corners of the internet to establish a background profile on someone running for office or applying for a job or a position with an organization. But there are few simple and accessible places the average citizen can turn to as well. The State Law Enforcement Division allows citizens to run criminal history checks using a portal on its website. The search costs $25, and you will need both the person's name and date of birth for it to work. One caveat is that the search will only pick up arrests made in South Carolina. If you don't mind a little more legwork, much of the same information can be found for free on the South Carolina Judicial Branch website. The site allows searches of court filings by county, so you might have to hop around a bit if the subject of your search has lived or been arrested in different areas of the state. But you will be able to see where and when arrests have occurred, as well as the charges filed, the status of the case and its eventual disposition. Searches for civil cases yield even more, providing downloadable PDF files of the lawsuits and various filings in the case. As with many great classic cocktails, the debate is spirited as to how the Irish coffee came to be such a phenomenon in San Franciscobut locals serious about their history may know the gist of the tale. Most people believe that a chef by the name of Joe Sheridan made the drink at Foynes (now called Shannon) Airport in Ireland for then-San Francisco Chronicle travel writer Stanton Delaplane. The scribe loved it so much that we went on and on about it to Jack Koeppler, then-owner of SF's Buena Vista Cafe. R&D to recreate the drink ensued, going so far as to take Koeppler to Ireland to learn about whiskey. There was cream testing too, and obviously a lot of imbibing. The recipe that was settled upon would be served in the iconic goblet, and is a slightly sweet and delightfully creamy coffee drink where the Irish whiskey never dominates, but the maltiness and alcohol provide a constant humthe white noise of the drink, if you will, that ends up leading imbibers to make a lot of noise themselves. While there are other excuses to head for the Buena Vista without the requisite out-of-towner in towlike breakfast all day and Ghirardelli's hot fudge sundaesthe Irish coffee, with its fun bit of history, is still the draw. (The drink is also, unsurprisingly, a regular on 7x7's list of the 50 most iconic cocktails in SF.) Want to make it at home? KYODO NEWS - Mar 16, 2021 - 17:05 | World, All, Coronavirus Thailand resumed its rollout of AstraZeneca Plc's COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, which had been suspended since Friday following reports of blood clots among people who had received the vaccine in European countries, according to the Thai public health ministry. The ministry gave the green light for the launch of the vaccine rollout as the World Health Organization said Monday no causal link had been established between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clotting. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and some ministers received their shots Tuesday after the cancellation of their appointments Friday following the reports of blood clot cases in Europe including one fatality in Denmark. After receiving the vaccine, the prime minister said the government will start the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine soon and elderly people as well as those with underlying conditions would be the first groups inoculated. "I hope this first jab (of the AstraZeneca vaccine) helps boost confidence for the public to be inoculated," Prayut said after receiving the jab. He added that the government will consider relaxing measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak after the vaccine rollout has expanded nationwide, including opening the country for tourists from overseas. Earlier this month, Thailand began inoculations with a vaccine made by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd. As use of that vaccine is limited to people aged 18 to 59, Prayut, 66, did not receive a shot. The Thai government has ordered a total of 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 2 million doses of the Sinovac one. The country also plans to allow Thai pharmaceutical companies to produce their own vaccine doses in collaboration with AstraZeneca. The city of Bethlehem is working to find a new grocery store to replace one of the Southsides two major grocery stores, which is closing at the end of April. For about 20 years, Aharts Market, 410 Montclair Ave., has been a vital source of high-quality and affordable food for residents of South Bethlehem and neighboring Fountain Hill. News broke last week that Aharts would be closing, leaving South Bethlehem with C-Town Supermarket as its only full-service grocery, prompting a groundswell of community support urging the city to offer incentives to attract another grocery store. Mayor Bob Donchezs administration is heeding the call while working to offer residents short-term options like a mobile market and maps showing food providers to fill the immediate needs of residents. Donchez is expected to provide Bethlehem City Council with an update on the administrations efforts Tuesday night. The Southside neighborhood is already considered a food desert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture based on census tract stats related to income, transportation and other community indications. Food deserts often feature a large proportion of households with inadequate access to transportation and limited access to stores selling fresh produce and healthy groceries at affordable prices, Councilman J. William Reynolds said in a memo to Bethlehem City Council. A petition urging Donchez and council to find a new grocer, notes that 25% of Southside residents live within a half-mile of Aharts and more than a half-mile from C-Town, 230 E. Third St. A quarter of these residents live below the poverty line and 19% dont have access to a car. Unlike many predominantly low-income neighborhoods throughout our country, South Bethlehem has historically benefitted from access to affordable, healthy food thanks to direct action by our city government to secure quality supermarkets to serve our community, the petition states. The announcement of Aharts closure threatens to put the quality of life in our neighborhoods at risk and place an unfair burden on our community. Reynolds and Councilwoman Olga Negron plan to introduce a resolution Tuesday night urging the administration to investigate all options and incentives it could offer to ensure a high-quality grocery store continues to operate at the Aharts Market site in order to promote equity and protect the health and well-being of individuals and families in South Bethlehem. The citys previously offered interest loans and other financial incentives to encourage the opening of grocery stores in the neighborhood. Missy Hartney, downtown manager of of the SouthSide Arts District, said losing Aharts will certainly make shopping in the Southside more difficult, leaving just C-Town and neighborhood small grocers and delis. Hartney said shed like to see another grocer move into the area or perhaps, Ctown move into the Aharts space to expand. C-Town, 230 E. Third St., replaced Supermercado Mi Tierra after it closed in 2013. Its a vital grocer for Southside residents, but it could be a long walk with groceries for those who live closer to Aharts and doesnt have all the same offerings. Bethlehem Director of Community and Economic Development Alicia Miller Karner said as soon as the city learned about Aharts closure they began brainstorming. The citys provided the property owner with the names of interested grocers in hopes of getting another supermarket in place, Karner said. A city retail analysis showed there was demand for more grocery store square footage in the Southside before Aharts announced it was closing, Karner said. The landlord is open to another grocery store, she said, adding this likely wont be a quick process. Donchez announced Tuesday afternoon that the Kellyn Foundations committed to bringing its mobile market to the Southside two more days a month in the area of Aharts. I want to let the public know we are doing everything we can to recruit another grocery store, Donchez says in a news release. In the interim, we have partnered with Kellyn Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that has a mission to develop, support, facilitate and implement food programs that encourage family and community physical and emotional wellness. The city also plans to publicize the bus routes to area grocery stores and is also working with the Southside Arts District and Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem on maps and resources for residents, Karner said. The districts online map on its website will be updated upon Aharts closure to show where all food shopping options on the Southside, as well as the LANTA bus schedule that can help residents get to PriceRite on Eighth Avenue and Weis Markets at the Westgate Mall, Hartney said. The city is working with its neighborhood partners to anticipate challenges and offer valuable information, like how long does it take to go to the Weis by bus, Karner said. We want to make sure people understand where they can go to get some of those products, Karner said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann contributed to this report. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. St Patricks Day can create opportunities for the spread of Covid-19 that we must resist, Taoiseach Micheal Martin is warning. Calling for renewed vigilance against infection, the Taoiseach said everyone should celebrate St Patricks Day responsibly. But he stopped short of threatening to abandon an Easter relaxation of the rules if people fail to comply. Mr Martin said his advice was to avoid social gatherings or congregations of any sort. Read More We are dealing with a variant that spreads far more easily. And we know from the research that it is more deadly, he said. It's very important, difficult and all as it is for people, that we keep the pressure on this virus and keep the pressure off our hospitals, and protect the vulnerable. Asked by independent.ie if plans to loosen restrictions after Easter could be put at risk, he said: We will discuss what happens after April 5 in the week before. Government colleagues will look at that. We have identified the areas we're going to look at. We understand this is very difficult for people, and the public has responded magnificently. Notwithstanding to transmissibility of the virus, the numbers have come down significantly. They are flattening now, but there are challenges. And therefore occasions like St Patricks Day can potentially create opportunities for the spread of the virus, which we must resist. And that's my appeal to people. We've made a lot of sacrifices, and the sacrifices have been effective. They brought the numbers down. Lets keep at it. Mr Martin avoided discussing pubs providing takeaway pints. The key issue is the avoidance of congregation, the avoidance of gathering, because with this variant if we gather together the spread is very significant. "And we know that from experience, not just here but across Europe. Member states are witnessing an increase in numbers growing significantly in some countries, and thats down to evidence as to its transmissibility. Its very important that we avoid household gatherings, and that's my key message. He said we've made very good progress overall since the Christmas period in driving down numbers, and in particular, reducing pressure on our hospitals. "I think it's very important that we keep focused on this aspect of our battle against Covid-19, he said at Government Buildings. The vaccine programme continues to roll out, and is making very good progress in terms of the over-70s, he said. It would continue, he said, pointing to the good news additional vaccines to come to the EU and Ireland from Pfizer-BioNTech in quarter two, on top of the additional vaccines that they announced for the last two weeks of March. He said: That's important news. We can see that there are ups and downs in relation to supply issues around the vaccines, but I think the continuing improvement in terms of the output of Pfizer-BioNTech is significant. But for the moment, difficult and all as it is for people, its very important that we keep the pressure on this virus and keep the pressure off our hospitals. Read More Exactly one month after entering the hospital "feeling unwell," Prince Philip was finally heading home on Tuesday. Images captured Tuesday morning showed the Duke of Edinburgh leaving a London hospital in a black BMW. "The Duke of Edinburgh has today been discharged from King Edward VII's Hospital and has returned to Windsor Castle," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII's Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes." The 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II was admitted to the private King Edward VII Hospital in mid-February as a "precautionary measure" for "observation and rest." The palace later said he was being treated for an infection. In early March, however, the duke was transferred to another London facility with a renowned cardiac unit, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where he underwent surgery for a preexisting heart condition, according to the palace. Britain's Prince Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London, Britain March 16, 2021. / Credit: PETER CZIBORRA / REUTERS The Duchess of Cornwall, the wife of Philip's son Prince Charles, said the Duke of Edinburgh was "slightly improving" after his surgery. Prince Philip was visited in the hospital by Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne. The queen, who is 94, remained at Windsor Castle, where the couple has been throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The duke, who is due to celebrate his 100th birthday in June, spent exactly one month in the two hospitals, marking his longest-ever stay. Prince Philip has been treated for heart problems in the past. In 2011, he was taken to a hospital by helicopter after experiencing chest pains in at the royal estate in Sandringham, eastern England. At the time, he was treated for a blocked coronary artery, undergoing a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting. The royal family has faced a slew of controversies in recent weeks stemming from Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's formal exit from royal duties and subsequent bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Story continues During one particularly explosive moment in the interview, the royal couple revealed that there were discussions about "how dark" their baby's skin color would be. The next day, Oprah told "CBS This Morning" that neither Queen Elizabeth II nor Prince Philip made the comments. The royal family is now grappling with the racism accusations, with Prince William telling a reporter that they "are very much not a racist family." Moderna begins testing COVID-19 vaccine in young children Syrian engineer invents an internet-free communication app Prince Philip leaves hospital following heart surgery By Joseph W. Tobin On Oct. 5, 2020, the Catholic bishops of the state of New Jersey published a statement that conveyed our strongest possible opposition to the proposed Reproductive Freedom Act. At that time, we urged all Catholics and all people of goodwill to reject this proposed legislative initiative in our state and to contact their state legislators to express vigorous opposition to its passage. I would like to outline in simple, straightforward terms why we take this strong stand. As our statement last October made clear, the Catholic Church believes and teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death. That is why we oppose all threats to human life and dignity evident in contemporary society, including abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide and capital punishment. We join with Pope Francis in noting that the right to life of the unborn is the most fundamental right. This is not first a religious issue; it is a human rights issue. (Pope Francis to American Catholic Bishops, USCCB Region IX, January 16, 2020). Our opposition to the proposed Reproductive Freedom Act is based on our absolute commitment to human life and dignity. The Catholic Church stands with all who advocate for civil rights and racial equality. We strongly support the right to quality healthcare for women and men in all regions of our state, regardless of their economic, social or religious status. We especially want to advocate for those in our communities who are poor or on the margins of our society. For these reasons, we cannot support provisions of the proposed Reproductive Freedom Act that threaten the life of unborn children or remove existing laws and regulations that are intended to protect the life and health of mothers. For instance, if passed as written, clauses in sections 2 and 3 of the Reproductive Freedom Act would codify a proposal by the State Board of Medical Examiners to amend certain rules for surgeries and procedures. We believe this would, in certain situations, allow non-physicians such as physician assistants and certified midwives to perform abortions in non-hospital settings any time throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Finally, we cannot support any legislation that would eliminate New Jerseys longstanding legal tradition that protects the freedom of conscience of healthcare workers who do not want to perform or assist with abortions because doing so would violate their most fundamental beliefs as individuals and as healthcare providers. Based on my review, the absence of any language in the Act to protect this clause means that one could challenge, in court, a medical professionals decision not to perform an abortion for moral, religious, or ethical reasons. Our opposition to this proposed legislation can be summarized in the following terms: Abortion is not healthcare, and we vigorously oppose all attempts to create a false equivalency between the taking of innocent human life and the reproductive health of women in our society. Justice demands that civil rights and racial equality must be guaranteed for all members of our society, especially for the most vulnerable members of our society, our unborn children. While section 2 of the proposed Act addresses the issue of barriers to healthcare faced by women of color, immigrants, and other disenfranchised and minority populations, it is not necessary to support this legislation to achieve civil rights and racial equality for women in our state. In fact, we believe that the proposed Reproductive Freedom Act does a particular disservice to women of color who are poor or socially disadvantaged because it denies them legal protections against what I personally view as unscrupulous policies or services that threaten human life and the dignity of mothers and their children. The Catholic Church in New Jersey stands with all women and men regardless of race, religion, social or economic status in advocating for universal access to excellent healthcare. We also join with our fellow citizens in demanding that justice be guaranteed for all members of our communities, no matter what their past background or current circumstances are. We oppose the proposed Reproductive Freedom Act because we believe it is not the right way to safeguard the health and dignity of women and children, who are entitled to the best protection and care that our society can offer. We invite all members of our community to join us in letting state legislators and other public officials know that we continue to oppose this legislation in the strongest possible terms. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. is the archbishop of Newark. 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. EDWARDSVILLE The early morning and late-night writing sessions at the Edwardsville Starbucks are finally paying off for Kristina Brune. A mother of two and an Edwardsville resident since 2004, Brune will have her debut novel, Weight of Memory, released on March 30 from Sands Press. Brune started the book as a National Novel Writing Month project in 2017, with much of it written before or after school and work at Starbucks. I have a lot of writing experience, but it was business-focused, said Brune, who is a marketing copywriter for Integrated Solutions Consulting in Edwardsville. Ive been an avid reader my whole life and Im always in the middle of at least one or two books. It was always in the back of my mind that I would love to write a book, but I never really thought that I would do it. I randomly had an idea for this book one day and I knew National Novel Writing Month was coming up. Brune and her husband, Chip, live in Edwardsville and have one son, Caleb, 14, and one daughter, Leah, 10. The fictional novel is inspired by the loss of her younger brother Nathan, who died in a car accident in 2006 in St. Louis at the age of 20. The book tells the tale of Lara Kemp, a wife and mother who is grief-stricken after the death of her brother. Lara has lost all her memories of her brother and can only remember him through the stories other people share. When Lara comes close to taking her own life, she and her husband take steps to get her the help she needs. They go on a much-needed visit to Laras aunt in the small town of Grafton, Illinois, on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. Lara finds an old book in an antique shop. The book tells the story of a woman from a wealthy family in the 19th century, whose brother died in a fishing accident. Lara finds comfort in the book and her life slowly begins to return to a new normal. Months later, she reads the book again, but this time, the book is different. Lara thinks the book has changed. It appears to be small changes at first, and Lara chalks it up to just misremembering. But as she reads on, the story takes a dark, sinister turn. That was and remains something that was super difficult for me and my family and I always thought if I wrote a book, it would be something about losing him, Brune said of the death of her own brother. I tried that, and it was just too painful. But when I started writing this novel, it just all kind of flowed out. I had a very loose idea when I started, but I didnt really plan anything. It was very much the book I needed to write at the time. Even though its not a memoir, its about a woman who loses her brother and it was healing and therapeutic for me in a lot of ways and even though its fiction, there are elements that come directly from my experience. Brune describes the novel as a supernatural thriller that also examines grief and healing (think Stephen King meets Jodi Picoult). Obviously everybody knows Stephen King, but Jodi Picoult (an American writer whose 26 novels have sold 40 million copies worldwide) writes books that are very emotional and usually on some big-ticket topic, Brune said. When I first started writing, I just wanted to write a scary book and I didnt intend for it to be as emotionally deep as it is. But as Toni Morrison said, If theres a book you want to read, but it hasnt been written yet, then you must write it. The book is still scary but its also very emotional and I think it works. For Brune, writing the novel was just part of an adventure that has taken more than three years. As a first-time author, she got a crash course in the publishing business. If youve ever tried to publish a book, its a long, slow and painful process, Brune said. I started out wanting to go the traditional route (through a literary agent and established publisher). When I finished the contest for National Novel Writing Month, I had 50,000 words but little did I know that was only half of the story. I ended up finishing the writing over the next four or five months and after that, I went through edits and I was doing all of that myself. I got two beta readers and got their feedback and started the process of trying to find a literary agent. I did that for about a year from August 2018 to August 2019. I was getting positive feedback and some agents had requested being able to read the full manuscript but passed graciously. Publishing is very finicky and very subjective and there are a ton of factors involved. Wanting to speed up the process, Brune launched a crowdfunding campaign on a website that helps authors publish their books. They want to you presell 700 copies and then they will step in and do the edits and publish the whole book, Brune said. I had started the campaign and it wasnt going great. All my friends and family bought copies but its hard to market that and I was getting frustrated. I decided to go back to all of the agents and publishers that I hadnt gotten a definitive no from. Thats was when Brunes luck started to change, as she eventually got the book deal that she was looking for. Sands Press had requested the full manuscript after a Twitter pitching event and I had gotten some positive feedback from them but never heard back, Brune said. I emailed them and a couple of days later I got a response back saying the person that had handled my submission had left and it had gotten lost in the shuffle. The next day I got another note with an offer for publishing. Sands Press is a small Canadian press and I dont have an agent. I worked directly with them to have the contract reviewed. Brune signed with Sands Press in January 2020 and spent the rest of the year working on editing and cover design, and now the book is finally ready for release. Weight of Memory is available now for pre-order on most online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Target and Walmart. It can also be ordered through bookshop.org, which supports independent bookstores. A lot depends on the distributor, but Im hoping it will be available at stores here in Edwardsville and in St. Louis, Brune said. Brune is already working on her second book, which she says is about 75 percent complete. The second book is actually a young adult novel and it keeps the spooky themes, Brune said. It will be much closer to the Stephen King kind of stuff and not so much the emotional aspect of it. For now, though, Brune is anxious to see what the reception to her first novel will be. I havent made a dime from this yet and Ive spent hundreds of hours on this book, Brune said. The money is not the point, but its a weird feeling to put so much time into something like this where its going out there into the world and you dont know how its going to be received. To order Weight of Memory through Amazon, go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1988281962?pf_rd_r=6507SBPH9D4KWPRQ34WY&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8 My main hope is that this story resonates with other people who have lost a sibling, Brune said. So often siblings feel a little forgotten and grieving can be very lonely. I hope others find something in the story that they can identify with and feel seen. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has discovered that two days after the explosives-laden SUV was found near Mukesh Ambani's residence, the Mumbai Crime Intelligence Unit confiscated the digital video recorder (DVR) of police officer Sachin Vaze's residence. The counter-terrorist task force has now initiated a probe into the matter. The vehicle, with unassembled gelatin sticks, a letter, and a fake number plate, was found parked on Carmichael Road near Ambani's house 'Antilia' on February 25. Vaze, who was arrested in connection with the case last week, has been remanded to the NIA custody till March 25. The agency has now retrieved a letter, dated February 27, written by Assistant Police Inspector (API) Riyaz Qazi of CIU to obtain the DVR of the Thane housing society where Vaze lived. As per the NIA sources, four cops reached the Mumbai police officer's residence on February 27 and furnished a letter to the society's secretary, stating that they required the CCTV footage for investigation. Also Read: Ambani bomb scare: 'Police officer Sachin Vaze killed my husband,' says wife of Mansukh Hiren The letter, written hurriedly at the building, noted that the CIU was probing the case and needed the CCTV and DVR for further investigation into the case. The CIU team reportedly picked up two DVRs from the building. After recovering the letter, the NIA is now scrutinising the likelihood of Vaze keeping the SUV in his own housing compound till February 25. Meanwhile, API Riyaz Qazi of CIU is also being interrogated by the agency. The NIA, which arrested Vaze (49) on March 13, brought him to the court in south Mumbai after taking him to a local hospital for his medical examination. The court remanded him to the central agency's custody for further probe in the matter, he said. Also Read: 'Time to say goodbye': Sachin Vaze shares cryptic message; files anticipatory bail plea in Hiren murder case The NIA, while seeking Vaze's custody for 14 days, told the court that they had received some inputs about his role in placing gelatin sticks in the SUV that was found parked near Ambani's multi-storey residence 'Antilia' on February 25. The agency further informed the court that Vaze admitted to his involvement when he was questioned about it. The Ambani bomb scare case was handed over to the NIA after the mysterious death of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiren, who claimed the vehicle had been stolen a week earlier. His body was found in a creek in Thane on March 5. Following that, Vaze was placed under arrest, the probe agency said. Hiren's wife claimed that her husband had given the SUV to Vaze in November, which the officer returned in the first week of February. However, during his questioning by the ATS, Vaze denied using the SUV that was in possession of Hiren. New Delhi: Campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday (March 16) called CM Mamata Banerjee's allegations of attack on her by BJP a desperate bid. He said that the TMC supremo in her desperation to win the polls hatched out a conspiracy theory and blamed BJP for her leg injury. "No one levelled allegations except Mamata didi. The reports of probe agencies and observers state that the accident occurred due to security lapses," Singh was quoted as saying by ANI. "But it is a result of her desperation that she is accusing BJP for her injury. I hope she recovers soon," Singh added. Singh said he was confident of BJP's victory with a clear majority in the upcoming polls. "The numbers in 2019 Lok Sabha polls is an indication of the change that is going to happen in Bengal with the upcoming state Legislative Assembly election," Singh said. When asked if not declaring a CM candidate before the elections could hamper their chances, Singh replied in negative. "No. Ours is a democratic party. The elected MLAs will choose their leader," he said. On Banerjee's jibe at PM Narendra Modi calling him incompetent, Singh said that those allegations hold no value and that the party has been successfully running the government at the centre since 2014 under PM Modi's leadership. "People have supported us. We got more number of seats in the second term. If we had not run government properly then we would not have achieved a majority in 2019 polls," Singh said. He further said that the Congress and Left parties, who are also contesting the polls, have lost their political significance in the country. Meanwhile, Banerjee mounted a scathing attack on the BJP alleging that they are conspiring to kill her. Addressing a poll rally at Bankura in West Bengal, Banerjee said that despite farmers protesting at the Delhi borders, all the BJP ministers are here in Bengal. Banerjee also accused Union Home Minister and BJP senior leader Amit Shah of hatching a conspiracy to harass Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. She further claimed that he is getting "frustrated" by "poor turnout" at his rallies. Live TV LONDON (Reuters) - There is no evidence that blood clots are any more likely to occur after people are given AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday, citing the country's medicine regulator. "As the MHRA (Britain's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) has said, blood clots occur naturally but there is no evidence that they are any more likely to occur following vaccination, so as such there's no evidence of any causal link between blood clots and the AZ vaccine," he told reporters. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Alistair Smout) Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. [March 16, 2021] Fortescue and EIG-Backed Companies Sign MoU to Explore Joint Development of Green Hydrogen Plant in Brazil EIG, a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector, and Prumo Logistica S.A. ("Prumo"), a private Brazilian company controlled by EIG, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") between Prumo's subsidiary, Porto do Acu Operacoes S.A. ("Port of Acu" or the "Port"), and Fortescue Future Industries Pty Ltd ("FFI"). FFI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd ("Fortescue"). Under the terms of the MoU, the parties will jointly conduct feasibility studies on installing a green hydrogen plant at the Port of Acu, Latin America's largest privately owned deep-water port-industrial complex, marking a major step toward developing a system capable of producing industrial-scale green hydrogen. The MoU also lays the groundwork for onsite solar power and offshore wind development projects in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo. The proposed green hydrogen plant would have 300 megawatts of capacity with potential to produce 250,000 metric tons of green ammonia. The availability of green hydrogen and renewable power is expected to drive further sustainable industrialization at the Port, including production of green steel, fertilizers, chemicals, fuels, and other sustainably manufactured industrial products. If the project moves forward, it will accelerate the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors such as transportation, manufacturing, and heavy industry. FFI Chief Executive Officer, Julie Shuttleworth, said, "FFI is assessing renewable energy and green hydrogen opportunities globally and will lead and drive the green energy and product industry as we transition away from fossil fuels. I am excited to announce this MOU with Port of Acu. The opportunity to establish totally new and future large-scale industries will drive growth in the Brazilian economy. We expect the potential for new green industries at Port of Acu to substantially diversify, broaden and deepen Brazil's already skilled workforce." Carlos Tadeu Fraga, CO of Prumo, said, "We are thrilled to partner with FFI on this exciting project, which allows us to explore new opportunities in the growing green hydrogen space. This partnership is the latest milestone in Prumo's mission to build a port complex that fosters economic and social progress by sustainably optimizing the development of Brazil's energy and infrastructure assets. We are already well-positioned to achieve that mission, and this project would help us further realize these ambitions in Brazil and across the region." R. Blair Thomas, CEO of EIG and Chairman of Prumo's Board of Directors, said, "We are pleased to welcome FFI as a partner in support of this potentially ground-breaking green energy project. We are realizing tremendous progress at the Port and believe that Prumo, with its roster of world-class partners and clients, is primed to be a leader in Latin America's energy transition." About Port of Acu Port of Acu is the largest privately owned deep-water port-industrial complex in Latin America. In operation since 2014, Port of Acu is managed by Porto do Acu Operacoes, a partnership between Prumo Logistica and the Port of Antwerp International, a subsidiary of the Antwerp Port Authority. Planned for the next five years, the port's industrialization will be founded on, amongst others, sustainable projects and clean energy generation: chemicals, fuels, pelletizing, steel and other companies will be able to use green hydrogen as input to make their energy mix more sustainable. About Prumo Logistica Prumo is the multi-business economic group responsible for the strategic development of the Port of Acu. We are controlled by EIG, a US-based fund focused on energy and infrastructure, and by Mubadala Investment Company, an active and innovative investor that allocates capital in a variety of segments. Through the Group's 6 companies (Porto do Acu Operacoes, Ferroport, Acu Petroleo, GNA, Dome and BP Prumo) and our clients and partners, the Port of Acu serves the oil & gas, port logistics and mining segments. Its infrastructure has unique potential to support new businesses and several industrial niches. Guided by Prumo's strategic perspective, Acu is now one of the largest and most promising enterprises in Brazil. With operational safety and efficiency combined with the strength of the Group's long-term vision and the proximity to the main oil exploration basins, Acu is consolidating into the best solution for the most challenging demands. About EIG EIG is a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector with $22.0 billion under management as of December 31, 2020. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 39-year history, EIG has committed over $34.9 billion to the energy sector through more than 365 projects or companies in 36 countries on six continents. EIG's clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul. For additional information, please visit EIG's website at www.eigpartners.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005290/en/ [ 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. Nepal's three former prime ministers on Tuesday boycotted an all-party meeting called by President Bidya Devi Bhandari to discuss contemporary issues amid the political crisis that has gripped the country. Former premiers Baburam Bhattarai, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal skipped the meeting called by President Bhandari at Shital Niwas, questioning her role in the row of the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP), My Republica newspaper reported. While both Khanal and Nepal belong to the rival faction of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (UML), Bhattarai heads the federal council of the Janata Samajbadi Party. They have publicly alleged that President Bhandari had failed to act as a custodian of the Constitution, supporting even unconstitutional moves taken by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli who had dissolved the House of Representatives in December. Tuesdays meeting was attended by Prime Minister Oli, CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of Janata Samajbadi Party Mahanta Thakur, and former Chairman of Council of Minister Khil Raj Regmi. Meanwhile, a meeting of the CPN (Maoist Center) parliamentary party picked Prachanda as its leader, said Devendra Poudel, a lawmaker belonging to the party. Oli was the parliamentary party leader when the NCP existed. Dev Prasad Gurung has been named the CPN (Maoist Center) party's chief whip while Dinanath Sharma is the new leader of the party in the National Assembly, the upper house of the bicameral federal parliament. However, the party's parliamentary party has yet to designate the party's deputy parliamentary party leader and whip, the paper said. The all-party meeting by the President came at a time when the CPN (UML) too appears to be headed for a split. The CPN (UML) faction led by Madhav Nepal on Tuesday accused party Chairman and Prime Minister Oli of trying to divide the party. Yogesh Bhattarai, a senior leader of the Nepal-led faction, said that Chairperson Oli is promoting factional feud in the name of holding party meetings, rejecting to abide by the verdict of Supreme Court and making attempts to split the party, the paper reported. Talking to reporters ahead of the Nepal-led faction's national gathering scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Bhattarai said the party should uphold the verdict of the apex court which quashed the unification between the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center). "The factional gathering organised by the Oli-led faction on March 12 has further deepened discomfort, distrust and suspicion in the party, taking the party toward a split," Bhattarai said. He objected to the "unilateral decisions" taken by the party's central committee meeting on March 12 and demanded that they must be scrapped. On March 12, the central committee meeting dominated by the Oli-led faction nominated 23 new members to the partys Central Committee (CC). It also nominated 23 former Maoist leaders who joined the UML as CC members. Prime Minister Oli's move to dissolve the House of Representatives led to the Prachanda-led CPN (Maoist Center) to split from the ruling NCP. In a landmark ruling, the apex court last month reinstated the lower house of Parliament. According to a report in The Himalayan Times, a meeting between the leader of the two CPN-UML factions on Monday ended in a stalemate with Nepal and Khanal demanding Oli to take back his March 12 decisions that divested leaders close to the duo of key responsibilities in the party. The Nepal-led faction wrote a letter to the Election Commission on Sunday, urging it not to implement the decisions taken by the establishment faction led by Oli. They have argued that the amendment made to the party's statute by the Oli-faction was illegal, stating that as per the party's statute, its provisions could be amended only by the party's General Convention or Statute Amendment Council. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The state House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Tuesday to ensure the General Assembly has an equal voice with Gov. Ned Lamont in carving up more than $2.6 billion in new federal pandemic relief headed Connecticuts way. The measure, which the Senate is expected to approve next week, also directs the administration to give lawmakers a detailed accounting of how federal coronavirus aid has been allotted to date. The bill, lawmakers asserted, is not a power grab or an effort to battle Lamont for control of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act funds authorized by Congress and President Joe Biden earlier this month. Connecticuts recovery will be planned, said Rep. Toni E. Walker, D-New Haven, longtime co-chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, as a team, as a state. We do it along with the governor. We do it side-by-side, Democrats and Republicans. Paul Mounds Jr., Lamonts chief of staff, said after Tuesdays House session that this legislation is consistent with Gov. Lamonts approach since the beginning of the pandemic, which has been to work with the legislative branch throughout the pandemic emergency on critical decisions. Mounds added that the administration has followed a transparent process regarding the use of federal relief funds since the pandemic began. All expenses relating to federal funding have been posted online and reported to the General Assembly and Office of the Comptroller, he said. But legislators from both parties have complained periodically that the administration hasnt provided sufficient detail on how previous rounds of federal relief have been spent. This measure directs the governor to provide a detailed accounting on past spending, and a proposal for how he would use the latest round of relief, to lawmakers by April 26. From there, the Appropriations Committee would have until May 16 to develop its proposal, which then would go to legislative leaders and the governors office for final negotiations. Connecticuts state and local governments are expected to receive about $4.35 billion as part of the American Rescue Plan, with more than $2.6 billion sent directly to state government. The remainder would be distributed among municipalities and regional organizations. House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford, objected in early January when Lamonts emergency powers were kept in place through April 20, instead calling for an extension only through March 1. While the governor needed emergency authority during the early months of the pandemic, Candelora said, the time is overdue for legislators to plan a holistic recovery from the coronavirus one that addresses not only vaccine distribution but also a host of education, health care and economic issues. This is the time, now, where we start to be part of the process and make sure that the people we represent are being addressed, Candelora said, adding that legislators are the segment of government most in touch with the public and best-suited to tackle problems in all of the nooks and crannies of Connecticut. House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, and Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, wrote in a joint statement that a strong partnership between both branches of government is key. The very nature of any pandemic response requires agility and flexibility - federal guidance has changed and evolved throughout the past year - and we recognize that there will likely be changes even after the governor provides us with his allocation plan in April, they wrote. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia (Natural News) Health workers in France have expressed their hesitation in getting vaccinated against COVID-19. News reports said around half of care home employees in France do not want the vaccine after seeing the jabs effect on their elderly wards. One health worker in a care home called the vaccine hesitancy a complete loss of trust, while others espoused a wait and see approach toward the Wuhan coronavirus shot. Forty-eight-year-old Marie-France Boudret works in a Paris care home for the elderly. She watched a patient suffocate to death in front of her due to the effects of COVID-19 on his lungs. Because of this, Boudret hesitated to get vaccinated when her employer offered the Wuhan coronavirus jab. She told Reuters: I have some doubts. I prefer to wait. Doubts toward the COVID-19 vaccine similar to that of Boudrets have been observed in other European countries. A survey conducted by German care home operator BeneVit Group in November 2020 found that only 30 percent of nursing home staff wanted to get the vaccine. Meanwhile, ProSenectute head Peter Burri said at most half of nursing staff in the medical sector were willing to get vaccinated. ProSenectute is Switzerlands biggest advocacy group for seniors. But advocates for the elderly have said that vaccine hesitation could have disastrous consequences. They warned that if significant numbers of care home workers refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine, they could transmit the Wuhan coronavirus to residents who are not vaccinated and at high risk of serious illness. The French government has previously mulled allowing older people with pre-existing conditions to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. It warned against doing so earlier, but French health authorities reversed the decision on March 2 permitting people 65 years old and above to get the vaccine. Tough conditions, low pay and pressure from the French government contribute to vaccine hesitancy But there is a deeper reason why French health workers are expressing doubts about the vaccine, if not rejecting it. The French government recommends that health workers get immunized against COVID-19, but it has also been blamed for workers low pay and tough working conditions. Care worker and trade union official Malika Belarbi said government inaction to the demands of care workers has led to a complete loss of trust. Boudret had the same sentiments, saying she felt neglected and under-appreciated by the state. Recalling the time she fought to save her patient during the first wave of infections, she said her efforts were a losing endeavor due to short-staffing and equipment problems. Two more patients under her care later died. That day, I broke. It was the last straw, she commented. Boudret contracted COVID-19 since then. It made her sick for a couple of days, but she has fully recovered from the illness. (Related: 33 elderly people dead after first dose of coronavirus vaccine.) Staff at the care home where Boudret works, located in the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt in the French capital, were offered vaccination appointments. However, she opted out as she was not in a high risk group. The care home nurse continued that there had been insufficient time to properly assess the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, 66-year-old care home activity coordinator Marie-Dominique Chastel declined the jab. The care home staff member said her own immune system could fight off COVID-19. But Chastel added that some relatives of residents in the care home at Clamart, located south of Paris, had asked when she was going to get vaccinated. The staff member said she was going to wait a bit before doing so. (Related: Coronavirus outbreak ensues following vaccination of residents at nursing home.) Despite care workers hesitating to get vaccinated, Paris has not considered it a cause for concern. French National Institute for Health and Medical Research Research Director Patrick Peretti-Watel said the number of care home workers turning down the COVID-19 jab has dropped to half compared from December 2020. He added that convincing more health workers to get vaccinated would require more than addressing the issues surrounding pay and working conditions. Its a question of winning [their] trust, he said. Visit VaccineInjuryNews.com to read more about the risks of COVID-19 vaccination on the elderly and care home workers. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Reuters.com BBC.com A Florida man accused of spitting at a Disney World security guard who asked him to wear a mask was arrested last month, according to a sheriff's report released Monday. Kelly McKin, 51, of North Palm Beach, faces a charge of battery on a uniformed security guard in the Feb.5 incident, according to arrest and court records. McKin denied spitting on anyone, according to the arrest report. The Orlando Sentinel first reported the alleged spitting incident earlier this month in an article about belligerent behavior Disney World employees have been dealing with over Covid-19 rules. McKin allegedly spat at the guard after he was told he was required to wear a mask even outside, the arrest report says. The guard said she was struck by saliva on her forehead but most of it missed, according to the report. The incident prompted her to contact a Covid-19 exposure hotline and told police she wanted to press charges, according to the report. McKin, who was arrested at Disney the next day, denied spitting and was "adamant that he did not spit on the guard," the sheriff's deputy wrote in the arrest report. He told the deputy that he got into a discussion with the guard about the mask and that he told her he would wear it while inside the resort. Disney requires masks at all times except when swimming or dining. The guard told the arresting deputy that McKin spat at her after he was asked a second time to put on a mask. Online court records show that McKin is free on bond. They do not list an attorney. No one answered at a phone number listed in the arrest report Monday evening, and the voicemail could not accept messages Monday. Related video: NIH director warns Floridians of gathering without masks Innovation management specialist Axillium has convened a new 39.6-million (US$55-million) composite materials consortium, funded by a 20.0-million (US$28-million) commitment from industry and a 19.6-million (US$27-million) commitment from the UK Government via the ATI Program. Named ASCEND (Aerospace and Automotive Supply Chain Enabled Development), the consortium will focus on facilitating the adoption of new composite technologies, the industrialization of new technologies, as well as accelerating aerospace production rates to meet future high-volume requirements. The collaboration will help develop technologies from across the UK supply-chain to develop the advanced materials and automation equipment required to manufacture lightweight structures for more sustainable aerospace and automotive applications. The Axillium team initially identified the opportunity for a consortium-led approach to fund companies developing composite materials and processes with collaboration partner GKN Aerospace. After providing initial funding to catalyze the collaboration and define innovation outcomes, Axillium used its proprietary e-Volution innovation framework to convene potential partners around the industry challenge. Having defined the funding support with the ATI, Axillium and is now independently managing the ASCEND programs innovation delivery in line with Innovate UKs monitoring processes. Through a 3-year commitment, the consortium will bring together expertise, capabilities and resources from across the wider UK aerospace and automotive supply chain. ASCEND lead partner GKN Aerospace will use its long-term experience and in-depth knowledge of composite engineering for integrated airframe structures, and is joined in the ASCEND consortium by partners Assyst Bullmer, Airborne, Cobham Mission Systems Wimborne, Cygnet Texkimp, Des Composites, FAR-UK Ltd, Hexcel Composites, Hive Composites, LMAT, Loop Technology, McLaren Automotive, the National Composites Centre, Rafinex, Sigmatex (UK) and Solvay Composite Materials. The consortium will be led from GKN Aerospaces 32-million Global Technology Center (GTC) in Bristol. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 21:03:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The UN agencies on Tuesday appealed for 1.2 billion U.S. dollars to provide vital humanitarian assistance for more than 2.2 million South Sudanese refugees living in five neighboring countries in 2021. The refugees are being hosted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. The majority of South Sudanese refugees are hosted in relatively remote and under-developed areas. The UNHCR and other partners said this year's response includes a renewed and increased focus on resilience and supporting livelihoods with the COVID-19 pandemic taking a toll on socio-economic conditions for both refugees and host communities. "Funding is urgently needed to provide life-sustaining assistance, including shelter, access to safe drinking water, education, and health services," UNHCR said in a joint statement. And the crisis continues to be a children's one with more than 65 percent of the refugee population under 18, including 66,000 children who have been separated from their parents or usual caregivers, according to UNHCR. According to the UN, the COVID-19 pandemic combined with climate change-related challenges including severe flooding, droughts, and desert locusts have compounded an already dire situation. Enditem Brighton Bomber Patrick Magee has revealed he plotted an attack against Jim Callaghan's Labour party at their conference in the seaside town, before going on to kill five people in the 1984 blast during the Tory's event. Magee placed a bomb at the Grand Hotel on the Sussex seafront in a bid to kill Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative cabinet as part of an IRA attack. Five people died in the blast and 31 were injured. Magee was given eight life sentences but was released in 1999 after serving just 14 years in prison. He has now revealed how seven years before the Grand Hotel attack, he had scouted out the Brighton conference centre in October 1977 as the IRA plotted to hit back at the then-Labour Government over its Northern Ireland policies. Patrick Magee left a time-delayed bomb in a room at Brighton's Grand Hotel with the intention of killing Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet members during the Conservative Party conference of 1984 Magee told The Guardian it was retaliation for then-Northern Ireland secretary Roy Mason's approval to interrogate IRA suspects. He said: 'They had the green light to torture us, without a doubt. That was a Labour administration.' He said the atmosphere at Castlereagh, an IRA holding centre in Belfast, had 'changed,' when he visited after Mason came to power, claiming that he was beaten for two hours after interrogations were approved. Magee, who was released from prison in 1999, has revealed he scouted out a Labour Party conference seven years before the Brighton bombing, as the IRA wanted to retaliate over interrogations of suspected members In a new memoir, Where Grieving Begins, Magee writes: 'We stood on the top floor of a shopping mall overlooking the rear of the Brighton centre during the British Labour partys annual conference and imagined Masons reaction if he knew how close we were.' In 1984 Magee stayed at the Grand Hotel under the pseudonym Roy Walsh. He planted a time-delayed bomb under the bath in his room, which was five floors above Margaret Thatcher's suite for the Conservative Party conference taking place in the seaside town. On October 12 the bomb went off, Thatcher, who was working on her conference speech at the time, and her husband Dennis were unharmed. Five people were killed in the Brighton Bombing, but Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet members, the original IRA targets, all left unscathed Five people were killed, while two were left permanently disabled, including Lady Margaret Tebbit, the wife of Conservative life peer, Lord Norman Tebbit. The IRA claimed responsibility the next day and said it would try again. On 24 June 1985 following investigations into who had stayed in the room, Patrick Magee was arrested in Glasgow. Four members of an IRA unit were also imprisoned for involvement in the plot. The South Indian Hosiery Manufacturer Association has called upon the Centre to ban the export of yarn and fabric and bring yarn under the Essential Commodities Act. Talking to IANS, association President C. Easwaran said: "We demand a total ban on the export of yarn and fabric from our country and to bring them under the Essential Commodities Act, otherwise the Tiruppur garment industry will turn into a memory." The Tiruppur exporters forum had called for a one-day strike in the garment industry on Monday against the hike in yarn prices and the non-availability of raw materials. The strike was supported by 30 industrial associations of Tiruppur and eight trade unions. Tiruppur Exporters Association President Raja M. Shanmugham told IANS that the strike was to highlight the plight of the industry to the authorities. "The yarn prices are at an all-time high and the raw material is not delivered on time." "The high yarn prices coupled with non-delivery of the raw material on time is affecting our garment industry and there is nothing which we can do other than shutting down the companies." The representatives of the industry and the trade unions also informed the District Collector of the dire situation the industry is facing. Major international brands are outsourcing their work to the Tiruppur garment industry and the non-delivery of the finished materials in time will lead to loss of major orders, thus affecting the garment industry. Shanmugham said: "There are more than 10,000 workers and allied staff who are employed at the Tiruppur garment industry. If there is no proper intervention in the price of yarn, the industry will be shut down and these workers will lose their jobs." The price of yarns has gone up since December 2020 and generally the price stabilises after a couple of days, but this time the price has not come down, he added. --IANS aal/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Posted Tuesday, March 16, 2021 2:43 am Earlier this month, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing her concern over the lack of COVID vaccines in rural areas of Southwest Washington State, according to a news release. In the letter, Herrera Beutler urged the administration to make distribution of vaccines to rural pharmacies a priority. She said to Biden that rural communities do not always have easy access to large chain drug stores. This lack of large pharmacy retailers puts remote communities at a disadvantage to receive COVID-19 vaccines and further underscores the need to prioritize the distribution of vaccines to small and independent pharmacies. your administration announced an initiative to deliver vaccines directly to retail pharmacies throughout the United States. While I applaud this effort, big chain drugstores are limited, if nonexistent in many rural areas. For this reason, small and independent pharmacies must be prioritized for vaccine deliveries. I urge you to immediately expand the guidelines for this program to ensure that small and independent pharmacies are receiving larger allocations of vaccines so that all Americans have equitable access, Herrera Beutler wrote in her letter. A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Charlie Bakers approval rating has dropped by one third since August, according to a new UMass Amherst/WCVB poll. The Republican governors approval rating has sunk to 52%, about one-third down from his 78% approval rating in August, according to the poll released Monday. His disapproval rating rose to 39%, up from 20%. One of the nations most popular governors, Baker has faced increasing criticism over his handling of the states vaccination rollout, especially over the past month. The Baker administration has caught flak over the so-called rate race residents faced when signing up for vaccine appointments, leading the website to crash twice; announcements that ran deviated from the COVID-19 vaccination plan allowing caregivers of any age to get their doses alongside 75 year olds; decisions to pause shipments at hospitals and halt shipments altogether at many local health departments, instead spending $10 million and counting on private vendors running large-scale sites. Then theres the latest tiff between Baker and the teachers unions. His staff says they want to reserve their own doses at the expense of older, sicker residents, while union representatives say they want the doses already reserved to them to be distributed at schools so staffers could more easily get their shots. Union leaders also expressed concerns that despite the limited supply of vaccine doses coming from the federal government, Baker and Education Commissioner Jeff Riley have held firm on plans to require elementary schools to resume in-person learning five days a week in April. To no ones surprise, Bakers approval ratings have dipped and this is true across all demographic and political groups in the state, says Tatishe Nteta, associate professor of political science at UMass Amherst and director of the poll. Controversies over the vaccine rollout, the return to in-person learning and statewide lockdowns all did real damage to Bakers status as Americas most popular governor. The states vaccination numbers, however, have shown improvements. As of Monday, more than 914,000 residents are fully vaccinated and the pre-registration site that replaced the vaxfinder tool launched Friday with few, if any, issues. Meanwhile, the number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have declined gradually. Baker has a 38% approval rating among Republicans, but 61% of Democrats and 43% of independents approve of him. Baker also has a higher approval rating among nonwhites than whites, rating 55% and 51%, respectively. While he has come under fire for racial disparities in COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths alongside similar racial gaps in vaccinations, a majority of people of color still approve of his job as governor and do so at a higher level than whites, Nteta said. The poll also looked at how Baker would fare against potential candidates for governor if he ran for a third term, suggesting he would hold a solid lead over most rumored contenders. The Republican governor hasnt announced any plans to seek reelection. Attorney General Maura Healey, who many have speculated will run in 2022, came within 3 percentage points of Baker in the poll, garnering 28% to Bakers 31%. Another 34% of the respondents said they were unsure who they would support. Baker holds a solid edge over former state Sen. Ben Downing the only official gubernatorial candidate as well as former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz and Harvard political science professor Danielle Allen. In each matchup, a large chunk of registered voters said they werent sure how they would vote. But Baker garnered 37% of support to Kennedys 27%; 31% of support to Downings 12%; 30% to Chang-Diazs 16% and 30% to Allens 14%. It may be too early to tell, but if Attorney General Maura Healey decides to challenge Governor Baker, he may have a real fight on his hands as Healey only trails Baker by 3 percentage points in our hypothetical matchup, Nteta said. "What makes the company's platform unique is that it can tailor to the specific needs of the entire fleet, segments of the fleet, or the individual driver's needs. With its open platform, Platform Science enables a customer's development team to create and integrate their apps onto the unified platform, enabling a collaborative ecosystem of innovations," said Krishna Chaithanya Bathala, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Its platform management service uniquely oversees any device that connects to a truck or driver at any given time. To enable this flexibility, the company reduces the number of platform components, which, in turn, reduces the time and resources needed to extract and consolidate relevant data." Platform Science offers a suite of enterprise-grade apps to improve customers' compliance, productivity, and safety. These apps include asset and driver monitoring with real-time communications and location tracking, electronic logs for regulation, compliance, vehicle inspections, driver hours, training, and safety monitoring. The company also allows companies to choose from authorized vendors and third parties to address their fleet's challenges and needs better. Platform Science's platform management service includes an easy-to-use workflow experience for drivers and an intuitive driver command center. Aside from streamlining the telematics process, it empowers companies by working alongside them as a development partner. This approach allows fleet owners to create, deploy, manage apps when necessary and share data to create powerful context, minimize downtime, and ensure real-time and accurate updates. "By not forcing clients into pre-packaged suites and instead, allowing them to choose what best fits their needs, Platform Science has established itself as a customer-first company," noted Elizabeth Whynott, Best Practices Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Its services and platform assure customers that their fleets stay compliant, connected, and outfitted with the exact tools they need to keep drivers safe mile after mile." "Platform Science was built with a laser focus on the needs of our customers and not just what they need right now but partnering with them to help figure out what they will need in the future," said Jack Kennedy, co-founder and CEO of Platform Science. "This is why we're so honored to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan for the North America Customer Value Leadership Award. We are excited to continue to identify ways to bring value to fleets and to help them future-proof their overall operations." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that demonstrates excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company's unique focus on augmenting the value that its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and customer base expansion. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Lindsey Whitaker P: +1 (210) 477-8457 E: [email protected] About Platform Science, Inc. Platform Science is an IoT technology company that empowers enterprise fleets to take control of their technology on one user-friendly platform. Founded in 2015, Platform Science makes it easy to develop, deploy and manage mobile devices and applications on commercial vehicles, a process previously defined by fragmented architectures and proprietary protocols. The platform offers flexibility and delivers an unlimited canvas to fleets and developers seeking to innovate and create new solutions as customers' needs, businesses and industries evolve. For more information, visit www.platformscience.com. SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Discussions have reached an advanced stage to secure a strategic partner for the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said the partnership was seeking to leverage TOR's competent workforce, technical expertise and vast infrastructure to operate profitably. Dr Opoku Prempeh told the workers of TOR during a familiarisation visit to the refinery last Thursday that the fortunes of the company would be turned around once the discussions were concluded and the company recapitalised. The minister said the intervention would also aim to increase the capacity of the refinery to about 100,000 barrels of crude oil per stream day. Currently, the refinery has the capacity to process about 45,000 barrels of crude oil per stream day. Furthermore, he explained that the partnership would ensure that TOR was well equipped to service the local market and export to neighbouring countries. "We are working towards that and I assure you that it will happen very soon. It takes time, yes, but that is because we have to get a good investor who will come and grow TOR, not to kill it," Dr Opoku Prempeh said. He also said he had initiated discussions with the State Interest and Governance Authority to explore possible ways of recapitalising the refinery, along with the search for a strategic partner. Support Pre Order Ghana Year Book 2021 Dr Opoku Prempeh said the ministry would do everything possible to support TOR to regain its glorious past and be able to protect existing jobs, while creating new ones. He promised to collaborate with the workers of TOR to make the company the premier refinery in Africa. He stated that he was fully aware of the endemic challenges facing the refinery and added that he had resolved that the national crude oil processor would not be dismembered in the regime of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who appointed him. He said the visit followed a meeting he had held with the unionised staff of TOR, during which various concerns about the refinery's fortunes were raised, necessitating the need to address the workers along with their management. He said that was needed to address the debt overhang of the refinery and endear it more to investors. Low morale Dr Opoku Prempeh said it was painful that the national refinery was challenged on various fronts, including accumulating legacy debts and operating inefficiently with staff who had low morale. He said when the initiatives he was pursuing began to take shape, those difficulties would be over and the refinery would be in a better position to deliver real value for the state. He challenged the staff to put in their best to reverse the fortunes of the company, and warned that the government would not hesitate to take action against management and unionised members whose actions and inaction would affect the smooth revival of the company. "It is not the duty of the union to tell who manages TOR. It is up to the leaders to ensure that the company is profitable, and if they're not able to do this, the shareholder has the right to take action against them. With the government being the sole shareholder, I can assure you that this will not be difficult," the Energy Minister said. Management position The Managing Director of TOR, Mr Francis Adu Tutu Boateng, commended the minister for the visit and assured him that management would give of its best to help turn the fortunes of the company around. He said the visit was a morale booster for the staff and management and expressed the confidence that TOR would support the minister to bring his ideas into fruition. 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 New Delhi, March 16 : Ahead of the West Bengal assembly polls, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it had arrested Trinamool Congress youth leader Vinai Mishra's brother Bikas Mishra in connection with its probe into the money laundering case in an alleged illegal coal smuggling case. According to ED officials, Mishra was arrested from the national capital. The official said that he was produced before a Special PMLA court here which sent him to six days agency custody. The CBI has issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Bikas Mishra on March this year, as he was absconding. The ED case of money laundering is based on the CBI FIR, which it registered in November last year. The CBI had registered a case against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket Anup Majhi alias Lala, Eastern Coalfield Ltd General Managers Amit Kumar Dhar and Jayesh Chandra Rai, ECL chief of security Tanmay Das, area security inspector Kunustoria Dhananjay Rai, and SSI and security in-charge Kajora area Debashish Mukherjee. The CBI has also issued an LOC against Vinai Mishra in January this year after his name cropped up in the case. The CBI has also questioned Trinamool COngress MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Banerjee and his sister-in-law Menka Gambhir in connection with the case. The agency also recorded the statement of Gambhir's husband Ankush Arora and her father-in-law Pawan Arora in connection with the case. Following the questioning of Rujira and Gambhir, the CBI team also carried out searches in Kolkata on the premises of a businessman Randhir Kumar Barnwal on February 26 this year. The action of the CBI assumes importance as the polling to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases, on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. The ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP are engaged in a bitter war of words in the state. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Chandigarh, March 16 : As many as nine Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislators from Punjab were booked on Tuesday for allegedly trying to confront and heckle Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in the state legislative complex as the former demanded a resolution to repeal the three farm laws. The incident took place on March 10 within the premises jointly shared by the Punjab and Haryana Assemblies here. The booked legislators included legislative party leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and former state Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia. A case under various sections under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) was registered in the state capital. Earlier, Haryana Speaker Gian Chand Gupta demanded that SAD President Sukhbir Badal should apologise to the Chief Minister for blocking his passage, accosting and trying to heckle him and misbehaviour by his party legislators. Explaining the incident, the Speaker had said, "Akali Dal legislators were sitting in cars much after the Assembly session (in Punjab) was over. Our proceedings were over at around 6.30 p.m. and the Chief Minister was interacting with the media, they suddenly came out of their vehicles and started misbehaving with him." "Such incident is really shameful. I spoke to the Punjab Speaker (Rana K.P. Singh) over the incident and he condemned it and also asked me to apologise to the Chief Minister on his behalf," he had said. The SAD legislators in a statement after the incident said they have always agitated for the welfare of farmers and they would continue to raise their voice against repression meted out to farmers and human rights activists in Haryana even if its government has registered 10 cases against them. "We will not be cowed down by registration of any case against us as is being threatened by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker. We are even ready to go to jail for the cause of the farmers. We will continue our agitation against the repressive policies of the Haryana government," Sharanjit Singh Dhillon had said here. Sorry! This content is not available in your region "Significantly, these contracts will bring our relationship with AngloGold Ashanti at the Geita site to 19 consecutive years" ( ) has been awarded two new three-year contracts at 's Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania. The work includes surface delineation and open pit grade control drilling services in addition to underground grade control and delineation drilling. The underground contract will utilise nine rigs, including five from the existing fleet together with an additional four new rigs, currently in transit to the site. The surface delineation contract will utilise the existing fleet of five rigs. Capital, which has been providing drilling services at the Geita Gold Mine since 2006, said the new three-year contracts start in April and will generate revenues of US$65mln over the contract term. Jamie Boyton, executive chairman, said: The awarding of the contracts at the Geita Gold Mine maintains our long-standing relationship with and is in line with our strategy of focusing on long-term minesite contracts with premier clients "Significantly, these contracts will bring our relationship with at the Geita site to 19 consecutive years. "This follows our recently announced contracts with the Sukari Gold Mine in Egypt for provision of waste mining and expanded drilling services, which will extend our relationship with Centamin to 20 consecutive years. Apartment Income REIT Corp. (NYSE:AIRC) ("AIR") was created to be the best and most efficient way to own multifamily real estate. AIRs simple and transparent business model, with best-in-class operations, low overhead costs, and the safety of a diversified portfolio and strong balance sheet supports a high current return of 4.0%1. AIR was also created to be tax efficient. AIR is not currently expected to have any need for taxable stock dividends and should have a more favorable dividend profile for taxable investors. Only approximately 60%2 of AIRs dividend is expected to be taxable, versus the apartment sector average of approximately 99.8%2. Approximately 40% of AIRs dividend is expected to be a tax-free return of capital. For a taxable investor, AIRs already superior current yield should be even better. Percent of Dividend AIR Expected 2021 Apartment Sector Average for 2020 Taxable Dividend 60.0 % 99.8 % Non-taxable Return of Capital 40.0 % 0.2 % About AIR AIR is a real estate investment trust focused on the ownership and management of quality apartment communities located in the largest markets in the United States. AIR is one of the countrys largest owners and operators of apartments, with 99 communities in 12 states and the District of Columbia. AIR common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AIRC, and are included in the S&P 400. For more information about AIR, please visit our website at www.aircommunities.com. Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical statements of fact and those regarding our intent, belief, or expectations, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the expected taxable nature of AIRs future dividends. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Story continues These forward-looking statements are based on managements judgment as of this date, which is subject to risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, but are not limited to: the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on AIRs business and on the global and U.S. economies generally, and the ongoing, dynamic and uncertain nature and duration of the pandemic, all of which heightens the impact of the other risks and factors described herein, and the impact on entities in which AIR holds a partial interest, and the impact of the lockdown on AIRs residents, commercial tenants, and operations; real estate and operating risks, including fluctuations in real estate values and the general economic climate in the markets in which we operate and competition for residents in such markets; national and local economic conditions, including the pace of job growth and the level of unemployment; the amount, location and quality of competitive new housing supply; the timing and effects of acquisitions and dispositions, which could materially impact the tax character of future dividends; changes in operating costs, including energy costs; negative economic conditions in our geographies of operation; loss of key personnel; AIRs ability to maintain current or meet projected occupancy, rental rate and property operating results; insurance risks, including the cost of insurance, and natural disasters and severe weather such as hurricanes; financing risks, including the availability and cost of financing; the risk that cash flows from operations may be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest; the risk that earnings may not be sufficient to maintain compliance with debt covenants, including financial coverage ratios; legal and regulatory risks, including costs associated with prosecuting or defending claims and any adverse outcomes; the terms of laws and governmental regulations that affect us and interpretations of those laws and regulations; possible environmental liabilities, including costs, fines or penalties that may be incurred due to necessary remediation of contamination of apartment communities presently or previously owned by AIR; Aimcos and AIRs relationship with each other after the business separation; the ability and willingness of Aimco and AIR and their subsidiaries to meet and/or perform their obligations under any contractual arrangements that were entered into among the parties in connection with the business separation and any of their obligations to indemnify, defend and hold the other party harmless from and against various claims, litigation and liabilities; and the ability to achieve some or all the benefits that we expect to achieve from the business separation; and such other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in filings by AIR with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, AIRs current and continuing qualification as a real estate investment trust involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and depends on AIRs ability to meet the various requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code, through actual operating results, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership. Readers should carefully review AIRs financial statements and the notes thereto, as well as the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of AIRs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the other documents AIR files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect managements judgment as of this date, and AIR assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect future events or circumstances. This press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale. 1 Based on ten-day average closing price ending March 15, 2021 of $42.63 and annualized dividend of $1.72. 2 The tax character for AIR is based on managements current estimate for 2021 and actual results could differ materially; the character of income for the six large, publicly-traded apartment REITs (AVB, CPT, EQR, ESS, MAA and UDR) is based on 2020 as reported. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316006032/en/ Contacts Conor Wagner SVP, Chief Investment Officer (303) 691-4498 investors@aircommunities.com She's due to welcome her second child any day now. And on Tuesday, Sylvia Jeffreys, 34, showed off her blossoming baby bump as she headed out to the grocery store with her one-year-old son, Oscar, in Sydney. The Today Extra host, who is expecting a second son with husband Peter Stefanovic, looked effortlessly chic in a camel-coloured frock as she pushed Oscar in his stroller. She's ripe! Sylvia Jeffreys, 34, showed off her blossoming baby bump as she headed out to the grocery store with her one-year-old son, Oscar, in Sydney on Tuesday Sylvia teamed her midi dress with a pair of comfortable Birkenstock sandals and tortoiseshell sunglasses. Her flaxen hair was styled loosely, and she opted for minimal makeup. At one stage during the outing, Sylvia perused the fruit section and looked surprised when she saw the prices. Pricey? Sylvia perused the fruit section and looked surprised when she saw the prices Effortlessly stylish: Her flaxen hair was styled loosely, and she opted for minimal makeup Sylvia's shopping trip comes days after she commenced her maternity leave at Nine. On Friday, the journalist celebrated her last day at work in the lead-up to the arrival of her baby. She posed for an Instagram snap with fellow Nine presenter Jayne Azzopardi, who is also pregnant. Babies on board! On Friday, Sylvia shared this picture on Instagram of herself posing with fellow Nine presenter Jayne Azzopardi (left), who is also pregnant Both stars looked radiant as they cradled their growing bellies while posing in the Nine newsroom. 'My last day at work = last chance for a bump comparison with @jayneazzo,' Sylvia captioned the post. 'How did we get here so fast? (Hint: 2 x turbo toddlers),' she added. Your goal is helping credit union members live their best financial life, and that starts with investing in your employees. What if you could team up with a top-ranked institution to help employees increase their ability to support the economic well-being of individuals and families? The University of WisconsinMadison offers an exciting opportunity for your employees to upgrade their knowledge and increase your credit union members satisfaction: an online Bachelor of Science in Personal Finance from UWMadison Online. Ranked the #2 personal finance degree in the U.S. by WealthManagement.com, this program is taught by the same world-renowned faculty who teach on campus. UWMadison Onlines BS in Personal Finance complements your human resources tools in developing employees and upskilling them in their jobs and career. Students in this program will: Learn from behavioral experts and economists about supporting credit union members holistically and with trust, empathy and understanding. Explore aspects of financial literacy, client management, financial planning, financial markets, leadership, accounting and consumer behavior. Leave the program fully prepared to sit for the Certified Professional Planner (CFP) exam, if they complete the CFP required courses. Support members life goals, such as buying a home, sending a child to college, starting a savings plan or planning for retirement. The BS in Personal Finance from UWMadison Online places special emphasis on serving underserved populations. Employees learn to solve real-world problems creatively and compassionately. This UWMadison Online degree is designed for working adults, with at least 12 college credits, who need to balance career, school, family or other obligations. Students work alongside a close cohort of committed fellow students and faculty in this flexible, engaging program. And, regardless of where your credit union employee resides, the tuition is the same. UWMadison Online has other degree options, such as a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies and three different Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degrees: in Marketing, Management and Human Resources, from the top-ranked Wisconsin School of Business. Weve spent decades developing top-quality online programs for professionals. And all our online degrees carry the weight and rigor of a University of WisconsinMadison in-person education. Were eager to work with your credit union to explore a partnership on this exciting new opportunity for your employees. Please visit our Employer partnership page or contact Laura Thomas at lthomas22@wisc.edu for more information. Praise for UWMadisons BS in Personal Finance At Summit Credit Union, we are a learning organization and value both in-person and online courses. Having relevant degree programs now available online is an advantage for our organization and our staff, as they will be able to continue working for Summit while pursuing a degree in their area of interest, with more flexibility and opportunities to balance their lives. We are fortunate to have UWMadison as a strong partner for our organization. Nancy Kasten, senior vice president, Human Resources and Organizational Development, Summit Credit Union The UWMadison personal finance program has shaped my entire career. From the lessons on time value of money to risk management and life insurance, the content and educators of the program inspired my career decisions. The core of the program is focused on the long-term relationship with the clients, which parallels our focus within the credit union movement. Everything we do is focused on the member. Their financial education and success, and their CU experience is always our highest priority. I am fortunate to work with advisors and credit union leaders that share the same values! Heather L. Willborn, CFP, sales manager- NE Region Team, CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc., CUNA Mutual Group The personal finance major provided the knowledge and skills that I use in the real world. All the courses that I took at UWMadison apply to my everyday work. Sara Strohmaier, investment advisor and former UWMadison personal finance student With three years of experience, I can get that CFP designation behind my name. I feel like its a bonus, but it also shows my future clients that I have integrity and the willingness to go above and beyond for them. Michelle Zemplinski, UWMadison personal finance student When I got accepted (to UWMadison), I was super excited. I just want to be able to help people know there are things out there to potentially help them out. Online classes are definitely helpful and convenient because it allows you to have time to do other things as well. I can work during the day and still come back to my coursework at night. Bobbie Egeston, UWMadison personal finance student Whats nice about the UWMadison Online bachelors in personal finance is that students will learn skills that are increasingly necessary, whether you want to enhance critical skills or advance in your job. Demand for these skills is high and growing. Plus, were training people to become helpers and advisors. Theres a lot of demand for that, too. UWMadison Professor Clifford Robb A prominent order of US Catholic priests has created a foundation to raise a reported $US100 million ($129 million) for the descendants of the slaves it once owned and sold and to promote racial reconciliation across the country. The Jesuit priests Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation is a partnership among descendants of both the enslaved and enslavers. In a landmark undertaking in the pursuit of racial healing and justice, descendants of ancestors enslaved and sold by the Jesuits and the Jesuits of the United States have announced a partnership to create the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation, Jesuit priests said in a statement. The partnership is supported by JPMorgan Chase, according to the statement. Squall Line of Storms Possible Wednesday Night By National Weather Service PADUCAH - The National Weather Service in Paducah is looking at the chance of a few strong to severe storms Wednesday through Wednesday night.The greatest likelihood is in the afternoon and evening from southeast Missouri into southernmost Illinois and western Kentucky. Damaging wind, hail and a brief tornado or two will be possible, along a line from Greenville Missouri to Murray Kentucky.Additional rainfall from 1 to locally 2 inches on already saturated ground could cause localized flooding.Our storms will be just the northern edge of an even stronger chance for severe weather in the Tennessee Valley and southward through the Gulf states on Wednesday.On the Net: YEREVAN -- Armenias armed forces are due to begin large-scale military exercises on March 16, one day after Azerbaijan launched four days of drills involving thousands of troops. Deputy Defense Minister Arman Sargsian said Armenias armed forces will aim to test their defense capability during their first major military exercises since a defeat in a war against Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh last fall. The March 16-20 drills will involve 7,500 soldiers, about 100 tanks and armored vehicles, some 300 artillery and antiaircraft systems, and aircraft, Armenias Defense Ministry said. A ministry statement said they will take place in all operational directions of the armed forces in accordance with the Armenian armys training plan for the first half of this year. The statement added that the drills are designed to check the combat readiness of troops and their ability to rapidly act in the existing situation. Every military exercise has its own clear goal: it is to check the defense capability of troops, the general use of available resources, and so on. I can say that at this moment the Defense Ministry and the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia are in control of the situation, Deputy Defense Minister Sargsian said at a news conference. The Defense Ministry statement did not specify whether unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also called drones, will be used in the exercises. But over the past two weeks, Armenias High-Tech Industry Minister Hakob Arshakian has been posting videos of tests of Armenian-made combat UAVs on Facebook and Twitter. According to the minister, these drones can operate at a distance of up to 500 kilometers and carry up to 12 kilograms of explosives. Show Of Force According to military expert Karen Hovhannisian, the scale of exercises announced by Armenia shows that the nation also wants to demonstrate its force after the defeat in Nagorno-Karabakh, where hostilities were stopped due to a Russian-brokered cease-fire that took effect on November 10, 2020. In other words, it is a kind of message that after the war the armed forces of Armenia are quickly back on their feet, having restored their potential, Hovhannisian told RFE/RL. Political analyst Ruben Mehrabian also said that the current military exercises primarily carry a political message about Armenia restoring its military potential and seeking to regain its role in regional events. The fact that only four months after the end of the war, large-scale tactical military exercises are being held in Armenia is already an important event on the way towards strengthening the security of Armenia, Mehrabian told RFE/RL. Meanwhile, on March 15, Azerbaijan began four-day military exercises with the participation of 10,000 troops, about 100 tank units, other armored vehicles, missile systems, and aircraft, including drones. The Defense Ministry in Baku said last week that the drills would be held in unspecified mountainous areas. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on March 12 that the Azerbaijani war games were planned beforehand and will not jeopardize stability and security in the region. Last month Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian said that Russia, which has a military base in Armenia, is helping Yerevan restructure and modernize its armed forces. He said concrete recommendations have already been made on how to rearm the Armenian army but did not give any details. In an interview with foreign media on February 26, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Russia should avoid helping Armenia modernize its army and urged it not to give weapons to Yerevan, according to TASS. The military exercises are taking place during a visit to the region by Ann Linde, head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). She met in Baku with Aliyev on March 15 and is due to visit Yerevan on March 16 for meetings with top Armenian officials to discuss security issues. The OSCEs Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, still has an international mandate to mediate a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Avast (LSE:AVST), a global leader in digital security and privacy products, today announced that its Chief Information Security Officer Jaya Baloo will be moderating a panel discussion titled, "Ethics of Hacking: Doing Good with Security Skills" at the virtual SXSW Interactive Conference 2021. The session will be available to event attendees on-demand beginning Tuesday, March 16 at 10:15 a.m. Central Time (US) until the show's close on Saturday, March 20. The conversation, which is part of the conference's "Uncharted Future" track, explores the ethical boundaries and legal considerations of hacking for good. Panelists Katie Moussouris, CEO and founder of Luta Security and Chris Roberts, vCISO of Hillbilly Hit Squad will share first-hand anecdotes from their cybersecurity careers as well as advice for those interested in the field. Both Moussouris and Roberts have recently been featured on the new Avast Hacker Archives ("AHA") podcast, in which Baloo unveils the "a-ha!" moments of famous hackers' and renowned cybersecurity experts' careers. Launched in January 2021, the series so far includes three interviews available on YouTube and other podcast streaming platforms worldwide. Media: Jaya Baloo is available for interviews. Please contact [email protected] to arrange a time during the event. Event Details When: On-demand beginning Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 10:15 a.m. CT Where: SXSW Virtual ( register ) Who: Jaya Baloo, CISO, Avast Katie Moussouris, CEO & Founder, Luta Security Chris Roberts, vCISO, Hillbilly Hit Squad What: In this panel, a renowned Chief Information Security Officer from one of the world's largest digital security companies will sit down with two of her peers to discuss the ethical boundaries of hacking: from hunting APTs from their own home network, to altruistic intrusions from an airplane WiFi. Attendees will hear first-hand anecdotes from these disruptors and walk away with an understanding of the moral underpinnings of the unique skill set of hackers. About the Speakers Avast CISO Jaya Baloo is formally recognized within the list of top 100 CISOs globally and ranks among the top 100 security influencers worldwide. She joined the company in October 2019 after serving as CISO of KPN, the largest telecommunications carrier in the Netherlands. Baloo has been working in the field of information security, with a focus on secure network architecture, for over 20 years. Katie Moussouris is the founder and CEO of Luta Security, which specializes in helping businesses and governments work with hackers to better defend themselves from digital attacks. She is a bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure expert and scholar as well as a well-known hacker. Moussouris also holds the title of MIT Sloan and Harvard Belfer Visiting Scholar. After launching Microsoft's and the US Department of Defense's first bug bounty programs, the industry's first vulnerability coordination maturity model, and helping many others realize the benefits of working with hackers, she helps even more people and governments worldwide in policy, vulnerability coordination and bug bounties. Chris Roberts is vCISO and researcher at HillBilly Hit Squad where his most recent projects are focused on deception, identity, cryptography, and artificial intelligence. Regarded as one of the world's foremost experts on counter threat intelligence within the information security industry, Roberts constructs and directs a portfolio of defense services designed to improve the physical and digital security posture of both enterprise and government clients. About Avast Avast (LSE:AVST), a FTSE 100 company, is a global leader in digital security and privacy products. With over 435 million users online, Avast offers products under the Avast and AVG brands that protect people from threats on the internet and the evolving IoT threat landscape. The company's threat detection network is among the most advanced in the world, using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to detect and stop threats in real time. Avast digital security products for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others. Avast is a member of Coalition Against Stalkerware, No More Ransom and Internet Watch Foundation. Visit: www.avast.com. Keep in touch with Avast: Follow us on Twitter: @Avast_antivirus For security and privacy insights, visit the Avast blog: https://blog.avast.com/ For handy guides, advice and tips, visit Avast Academy: https://www.avast.com/c-academy Join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/avast Visit our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/avast Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Avast Related Links http://www.avast.com Mumbai, March 16 : Primary steel producers are expected to reduce debt by 15%, or Rs 35,000 crore, between fiscals 2021 and 2022, using the higher operating profits generated for prepayment, ratings agency Crisil said on Tuesday. According to a report based on sectoral analysis, a partial deferral of capex this fiscal will strengthen the balance sheets and credit metrics of five primary steel producers, which account for 55 per cent of domestic production. Domestic demand recovered strongly in the second half of this fiscal, growing 10 per cent between October and January versus a 30% on-year fall in the first half. Consequently, demand contraction will be less than 10 per cent for the whole of this fiscal, Crisil said. Higher infrastructure spending by government, and recovery in residential real estate are expected to improve steel demand by 10-12% next fiscal, it added. Domestic hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices rallied to a multi-year high of Rs 56,000 per tonne in February from Rs 39,200 per tonne in March 2020 as demand improved amid iron-ore supply constraints and high global prices. Since last month, however, prices have moderated with iron-ore supplies improving, and also because of the reduction in customs duty announced in the Union Budget. Says Manish Gupta, Senior Director, CRISIL Ratings, "...while the tailwinds to realisations from higher input costs and global prices could abate going forward, domestic demand growth would provide an offset. Consequently, realisation next fiscal may still be 15% higher than the average of the past five years. That, along with rising volumes and moderate coking coal prices would mean healthy operating margins of 23% next fiscal, compared with 25% likely this fiscal." Operating margins had plunged to 9% in the previous steel downcycle of fiscal 2016. Since then, what has helped are improved raw material linkages, and better operating efficiencies of stressed assets (following consolidation with stronger peers). Cash accruals could surge over 40% on-year to Rs 40,000 crore this fiscal, and rise another 10% next fiscal, the ratings agency said. That, and a reduction in capex this fiscal (to conserve cash and pare debt) will fortify financials amid the pandemic uncertainties. Says Naveen Vaidyanathan, Associate Director, CRISIL Ratings, "The five steel makers could cut Rs 25,000 crore of debt this fiscal. Next fiscal, despite capex rising 15%, they can slice debt by another Rs 10,000 crore. That would drive a sharp improvement in credit metrics with financial leverage (ratio of debt to Ebitda) declining below 2.5 times next fiscal compared with above 4.0 times in fiscal 2020." Any fall in steel prices due to weaker global demand and higher supplies, especially from China, and the second wave of Covid-19 afflictions impacting domestic demand will bear watching, Crisil said. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw Hill today announced that it has acquired Kidaptive, Inc., an adaptive learning platform company with industry-leading expertise in learning science, early learning, and data analytics worldwide. Kidaptive's world-class team of learning scientists, psychometricians, data scientists and engineers will join a new Center for Innovation within McGraw Hill's School group, led by Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Shawn K. Smith, who joined the company in November 2020. The team is focused on developing smarter and lighter student-centered solutions that will power even more personalized learning experiences. "We see tremendous potential in this combination of McGraw Hill's content development expertise, vast curriculum inventory and extensive student interaction data with Kidaptive's ability to pinpoint each student's position on a personal learning journey," said Sean Ryan, President of McGraw Hill's School group. "This is about delivering precision at scale to the benefit of students, teachers and families." All Kidaptive employees will be joining McGraw Hill following the acquisition. "The Kidaptive team is thrilled to join McGraw Hill and bring to scale the ideas and innovations we've worked so hard to develop over the last 10 years," said Dr. Dylan Arena, Co-Founder and CEO of Kidaptive. "With learning science as our guide, we're continuing to pursue a future where students are able to get the support, content and instruction they need at the moment they need it," said Smith. "Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we've seen just how important it is for teachers and students to have access to digital tools that give them personalized, equitable support. This work has never been more urgent." The acquisition of Kidaptive is one of several McGraw Hill has made since it became an independent company in 2013, with a focus on strengthening the company's capabilities in adaptive and digital learning. Those include ALEKS Corporation in 2013, the LearnSmart technology in 2014 and Redbird Advanced Learning in 2016. Kidaptive was represented in this transaction by Berkery, Noyes & Co. McGraw Hill McGraw Hill is a learning science company that delivers personalized learning experiences that drive results for students, parents, educators and professionals. We focus on educational equity, affordability and learning success to help learners build better lives. Headquartered in New York City, McGraw Hill has offices across North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions for PreK-12, higher education, professionals and others available in more than 75 languages. Visit us at mheducation.com or find us on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn or Twitter . Contact: Tyler Reed McGraw Hill (914) 512-4853 [email protected] SOURCE McGraw Hill Related Links https://www.mheducation.com The first children enrolled in Modernas coronavirus vaccine study received their initial doses of the immunization, the Massachusetts-based company announced Tuesday. As part of the Phase 2/3 study, called the KidCOVE study, the biotechnology company is testing to see the effectiveness of its vaccine, named mRNA-1273, in protecting children whose ages range from 6 months to less than 12 years, according to a statement from Moderna. The company, which is headquartered in Cambridge, is expecting to enroll 6,750 healthy pediatric participants younger than 12 years old in the study. Moderna is conducting the trails in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. We are pleased to begin this Phase 2/3 study of mRNA-1273 in healthy children in the U.S. and Canada, and we thank NIAID and BARDA for their collaboration, said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. Modernas announcement comes a year to the date after the first adult participant in its Phase 1 COVID-19 vaccine study was dosed. Since then, the companys vaccine has finished trails, proved to be roughly 95% effective and has been approved by the federal government for distribution. Nearly 17.8 million adults in the United States have been fully immunized with the Moderna vaccine as of Tuesday, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention It is humbling to know that 17.8 million adults in the U.S. have received the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to date, Bancel said. The current Phase 2/3 two-part study is randomized and placebo-controlled. Researchers aim to evaluate the safety, tolerability, reactogenicity and effectiveness of two doses of mRNA-1273 administered 28 days apart, according to Moderna. In the first part of the study, each participant ages 2 years to less than 12 years may receive one of two dose levels, either 50 or 100 micrograms. Participants ages 6 months to less than 2 years may receive one of three dose levels, 25, 50 or 100 micrograms, the company said. An interim analysis is expected to determine which dose will be used in Part 2. Participants will then be followed for 12 months after their second vaccinations. As of Monday afternoon, 2,620,671 total vaccine doses had been administered in Massachusetts, according to the CDC. Related Content: The collection draws inspiration from the bold, sophisticated looks of the early and mid-twentieth century. Rolling effortless style and hip sophistication into one unmistakable contemporary look, Bucardo's classic engraved pinstripe cover flips open to reveal the Apple Watch face. Accessories are constructed of stainless steel and available in three colorways: gold, silver and matte black. Patented designs and technology developed in the USA enables seamless Apple Watch integration while providing optimal protection and a unique wearable alternative. The Pocket Watch slides easily into the band slots of the Apple Watch and is accompanied by a 15-inch matching detachable chain. Bucardo specializes in developing contemporary accessories that bridge fashion and technology. "As wearable technology becomes an increasingly important part of our everyday lives, our passion is to offer unique ways to integrate our devices with our personal style and needs," said Jonas Lee, co-founder of Bucardo: "We are thrilled to offer our take on an enduring pocket watch collection that fits the latest Apple Watches." The Bucardo Pocket Watch for the Apple Watch will fit the larger size Apple Watch, 44mm, Series 4/5/6/SE. The collection is available on Kickstarter now at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bucardo/pocket-watch-accessory-for-apple-watch About Bucardo Based in Los Angeles, CA with satellite offices in San Francisco and New York, Bucardo is a lifestyle brand whose mission is to elevate the wearable tech experience through inspired creations that marry contemporary designs with timeless sensibilities. The company's collection of unique products is sold globally at www.bucardo.com . Contact: Jonas Lee [email protected] SOURCE Bucardo Related Links https://www.bucardo.com This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. New executive chef named for New World Bistro Bar Ian Brower, who has run kitchens at Albany restaurants including Lost & Found Bar & Kitchen and the former Capital City Gastropub and was chef de cuisine at the original incarnation of Donnas Italian in Troy, has been named executive chef of New World Bistro Bar in Albany. Owner Annette Nanes said the restaurant, closed since mid-January for a pandemic-related winter break, is projected to reopen on or about April 21 with a new menu by Brower. There will be a large tent in the rear parking lot, as New World had in late summer and fall last year, and indoor seating will be at up to 75 percent capacity, assuming that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos announced capacity expansion happens starting Friday. Nanes opened New World with her husband, Scott Meyer, in 2009. They parted ways with New Worlds celebrated founding chef, Ric Orlando, in June. His replacements, Hannah and Zachary Welton, married chefs who moved cross-country during the pandemic last summer to take over the kitchen at New World, resigned earlier this month, saying they could not come to agreement with Nanes and Meyer on the terms and timing of the restaurants reopening. The management team at NWBB is excited to move forward to again create a Bistro where people enjoy our creative food, lively staff and exciting atmosphere, Nanes said in a statement. New World is at 300 Delaware Ave. Spice Malabar opens in Clifton Park this week Spice Malabar, the next restaurant from the owners of the Indian restaurant Karavalli in Latham, opened Tuesday at 7 Southside Drive in Clifton Park, in The Shops at Village Plaza. The retail complex is opposite Clifton Park Center mall. The menu is online at spicemalabar.com. The lunch buffet costs $10.95 weekdays, $14.95 weekends. Dinner entrees costs $12 to $26, with most priced at less than $20. A vegan menu includes 20 entrees. The chef, Vince George, is a native of India who has been Karavalli's executive chef for the past decade. Hours for Spice Malabar: Lunch, noon to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m. weekends; dinner, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m Sunday. Call 518-478-8087. Karavalli in Latham and Spice Malabar are no longer affiliated with Karavalli Saratoga, on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs. DP Brasserie celebrating anniversary with discount The downtown Albany cocktails and casual-fine-dining spot dp: An American Brasserie, which opened on March 17, 2006, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a 15 percent discount on all dining checks from through Thursday this week. Located at 25 Chapel St., adjoining the Hampton Inn & Suites, dp is open from 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. The discount is available for dine-in and takeout customers who mention the anniversary. It does not apply to meals in dps formal sibling, Yonos. As an anniversary special, dps beloved kobe sliders, off the menu for about five years, will return as a featured item for at least Thursday through Saturday this week. Call 518-436-7747 or reserve online at dpbrasserie.com. Compiled by Steve Barnes. Items to be submitted for publication should be emailed to sbarnes@timesunion.com. Visit blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP ("Anchin"), a leading accounting and advisory firm, announced that it has launched an emerging manager platform for start-up and early-growth hedge, private equity, real estate and venture capital funds, offering a unique mix of traditional and non-traditional professional services across audit, tax, advisory and consulting. The platform combines the expertise of Anchin's Financial Services, Private Equity and Real Estate Groups. The Emerging Manager Platform bundles Anchin's expert services on a sliding fee scale that keeps pace with a fund manager's growth. Anchin understands the issues an emerging manager faces during a fund's early stages. In addition to traditional services such as preparation of tax returns, including Schedule K-1s, and audits of year-end financial statements, Anchin develops tailored solutions to meet the needs of emerging managers at pre- and post-launch, including but not limited to: Fund structuring and modeling Tax planning and structuring across your funds, portfolio companies, joint ventures, advisors and principals Fund document and offering memorandum review International tax planning Selection of basis of accounting and level of attest service for financial reporting purposes Performance record verification With Anchin's strategic guidance and structuring assistance, many of its current clients began as start-ups and today are established funds. Funds that start with Anchin, stay with Anchin as they grow in size and complexity. "As these fund groups matured and have become more complex, we have continued to support their growth through our extensive portfolio of audit, tax, advisory and transaction services," said George Teixeira, a Tax Partner and Member of the Emerging Manager Platform team. "The value in starting with advisors that understand the complexities of launching a fund brings stability at every stage of the lifecycle of the fund, allowing fund managers to focus on executing their business strategy" Teixeira added. "Quality matters. Reputation matters. When you call Anchin, you get a partner with deep institutional knowledge, who can draw on years of industry experience to provide answers and proactive guidance that is vital to an emerging manager's success," said Jeffrey Bowden, a Tax Principal and Member of the Emerging Manager Platform team. To learn more about Anchin's emerging manager platform, please visit us at www.anchinemergingmanagers.com. About Anchin: Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP is consistently recognized as one of the "best of the best" accounting firms in the country, a Best Place to Work in New York City and New York State, and a Best Accounting Firm to Work For nationwide. The full-service firm, with a staff of nearly 400, including 56 partners, provides a wide range of assurance, tax and advisory services, including accounting and auditing; tax planning and compliance; tax credits and incentives; management and succession advisory; growth, transition and exit strategies consulting; transaction advisory; client accounting advisory services; cybersecurity and digital risk solutions; and litigation support, forensic accounting and valuation services. Additional information is available at www.anchin.com . For further information: Lisa Tomlinson 212.863.1433 [email protected] SOURCE Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP Related Links http://www.anchin.com Add CoolSocial badge. Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Innovativeroots.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 5 Oct 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Add a widget like this on your site: click here The total number of people who shared the innovativeroots homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the innovativeroots homepage on Twitter + the total number of innovativeroots followers (if innovativeroots has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the innovativeroots homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the innovativeroots homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the innovativeroots homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if innovativeroots has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE Innovative Roots providing all web design solutions. DESCRIPTION Innovative Roots is the best outsourcing company in Pakistan. We offer affordable web design, website development, ecommerce solutions, internet marketing, Branding & Identity and content writing services world wide. KEYWORDS Outsource in Pakistan, Pakistan Outsource, Web Design and build Company Pakistan, Web site Design and Development Services in Pakistan, Outsource Web Design Professional Web development company, Freelance Development Company. OTHER KEYWORDS innovative, innovative roots, roots, solutions, web design, design, about 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 description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux The language of innovativeroots.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Type of server and offered services. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for innovativeroots.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 Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 10:54:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SARAJEVO, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Bosnian movie "Quo Vadis Aida?" (Where are you going, Aida?) has been nominated for the 93rd Academy Awards, or the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Monday. The Bosnian movie, featuring the 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), competes in the category of International Feature Film, along with four more movies from Denmark, China's Hong Kong, Romania and Tunisia. The leading character in the movie is Aida, a translator for the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping troops in the small town of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp. The movie has also been nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) EE Rising Star Award in two categories, the best director and the best non-English-language film. It also won awards in other movie festivals, including the Luxemburg City Film Festival and the Miami Film Festival. Enditem Member of Parliament(MP) for North Tongu constituency in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the Akufo-Addo government should have considered a cash grant in the 2021 budget to private school teachers and workers in the hospitality sector who have been laid off without any pay for about a year now. According to him, the government in all honesty should have cut down its expenditure in terms of buying new cars, travelling and salaries as well as cut down the number of special assistance, aides and presidential staffers in the 2021 budget. I thought that we could have considered a cash grant for this category of workers. So, to be honest with you, I was expecting that this budget will cut down on expenditure in terms of the government expenditure on itself, in terms of buying of cars, travelling, salaries and the number of all these special assistance, special aide and the presidential staffers, he opined. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the former Deputy Education Minister reiterated that he expected some cuts in the expenditure of the executive government in order to save money to offer relief for those who are in dire need of help as a result of this pandemic. Touching on the Covid-19 intervention programme that the government introduced during the early stage of the pandemic, the NDC MP said that it was not enough, especially the sharing of the food items as it did not cover the whole country except few people. With the Covid-19 expenditure, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is suggesting a special forensic audit into the claim of the government spending Ghc54 million as what he has read about the expenditure does not add up. When it comes to contingency, the government spent over Ghc39m more than what Parliament approved in terms of the Covid-19 expenditure. The item which is more important, which is frontline healthcare workers 50% allowance, the government is rather in arrears as it has not released over Ghc40 million; meanwhile, the government has overspent in terms of its contingency for Covid-19, he indicated. Other relief items like free water, free electricity, it is for the vulnerable, the lifeline consumers and the people in this category are not even up to 20% of the entire population and so it should tell you that there is the need for a more expanded relief that will help, he added. Without discounting that the government did something earlier in terms of free water, free electricity and NBSSI funds, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa insisted that the intervention of the government could not reach many people. A lot of people have been left out in the government relief programme so far and that is why it will be necessary to consider other segments of the society. I am not surprised that if you look at the feedback from TUC, Poultry Farmers Association, Hospitality Industry, and Private School Teachers, you can tell that they are not happy, they dont see hope and relief in this 2021 budget, he posited. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Facebook created this engine of amplification. They know exactly how widely these posts can spread and why they should stand in the way, said Ryan Calo, a University of Washington law professor. When people violate their rules, they should all be held to the same standards. In other words, when rules are enforced inconsistently, why should anyone respect them? Its not as though Facebook didnt have ample evidence that its site could and would be used to incite real-world violence. Left to its own devices, the company allowed bigoted and provocative posts to remain, such as Mr. Trumps threat to protesters after George Floyds death that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, an external audit found. Even two years into Mr. Trumps term, Facebook admitted it hadnt done enough to prevent its site from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. But nothing much changed. So, Mr. Trump most likely felt emboldened after spending years flouting Facebooks rules about election misinformation, the pandemic and the glorification of violence with only feeble blowback from the company. In just his final year in office, roughly a quarter of his 6,081 posts contained misinformation, lies or harmful rhetoric, according to the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America. Abroad, Facebook has been used by politicians to promote the harming of Filipino citizens, the destruction of mosques and a genocide of the largely Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar. Incitement is, as they say in Silicon Valley, a feature, not a bug. Facebook and other social media sites caution about taking down posts or accounts in democratic elections may be understandable, but prominent people are more likely to be believed, which is why the companys standards should be higher for them, not the other way around. There is a growing body of evidence that far from being dispassionate, Facebooks software algorithms are designed to amplify and more broadly spread untrustworthy or extreme content, essential to keeping users on the site longer, where they can see more lucrative advertisements. WASHINGTON, D.C. Members of Oregon's congressional delegation are once again working to take a Eugene-based crisis intervention program nationwide, an effort to create widespread mental health response teams that would work alongside police in responding to these kinds of incidents. The CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On the Streets) crisis response program started in the Eugene-Springfield area during 1989 as a community policing initiative. It functions as an alternative for police response to non-violent mental health crises, with two-person teams consisting of a medic and an experienced crisis worker deploying to de-escalate situations without the use of force. Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Peter DeFazio sponsored bils in 2020 that would have helped fund similar programs across the country, but they both stalled in committees. Rep. DeFazio announced on Tuesday that the CAHOOTS Act has returned in 2021, with renewed hopes that it will come to a vote. For decades, Eugenes White Bird Clinic innovative CAHOOTS program has led the way in prioritizing community-based mental health resources in crisis response situations, said DeFazio. As our country continues to explore ways to reduce police brutality and adequately address mental health and substance use disorder crises, we must invest more in proven models that prioritize effective, trauma-informed care." The Eugene program is managed by the community-based White Bird Clinic and supported by a combination of city and county funds. If passed, the CAHOOTS Act would grant states enhanced Medicaid funding for three years in order to establish their own community-based mobile crisis services. It also provides $25 million for planning grants to aid states in establishing their programs. "By connecting individuals in non-violent crises with robust health care and social services rather than immediately involving law enforcement, we could alleviate a significant burden on local police and prevent violence," DeFazio continued. "The CAHOOTS Act will help to bring Eugenes successful model to communities across the country. DeFazio's bill in the House is a companion to a Senate bill introduced by Wyden last month. 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. NOV Inc. (NYSE: NOV) announced today that it expects operational disruptions and softer-than-anticipated customer orders will cause first quarter 2021 operating results to fall below prior guidance. "Unfortunately, the extreme winter weather across Texas and Oklahoma, the ongoing effects of COVID-19 lockdowns, and the continued spending austerity from our oilfield customers are combining to take a greater-than-expected toll on our first quarter results," stated Clay Williams, Chairman, President and CEO. Severe weather in Texas and Oklahoma during February adversely affected the financial results of all three segments. In addition to the weather-related disruptions, the Companys Completion & Production Solutions and Rig Technologies segments were impacted by certain project delays, COVID-19 shutdowns in Southeast Asia, and an acute global glass fiber supply shortage impacting the Companys Fiberglass Systems operations. Within NOVs Wellbore Technologies segment, recent improvements in North American drilling activity levels and incremental cost savings initiatives are expected to offset weather-related disruptions and allow for segment results that are in-line with prior guidance. The Company now forecasts consolidated first quarter 2021 revenues will be between $1.20 and $1.25 billion with an adjusted EBITDA loss of $15 to $25 million. Williams continued, "While the first quarter result is disappointing, we expect the prospects for our business to improve through the remainder of the year. The combination of $60+ oil, the continued recovery in the North American rig count, improvements in international activity, and the emergence of a number of our offshore drilling customers from bankruptcy is expected to lead to meaningfully better results in the second half of the year. In the meantime, we remain focused on reducing operating costs and investing in new products and technologies to position NOV for the upturn." Story continues The Company will announce first quarter results in a press release issued after market close on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 and will conduct a conference call on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at 10 a.m. (Central Time). The call will be webcast live on www.nov.com/investors. About NOV NOV delivers technology-driven solutions to empower the global energy industry. For more than 150 years, NOV has pioneered innovations that enable its customers to safely produce abundant energy while minimizing environmental impact. The energy industry depends on NOVs deep expertise and technology to continually improve oilfield operations and assist in efforts to advance the energy transition towards a more sustainable future. NOV powers the industry that powers the world. Visit www.nov.com for more information. Adjusted EBITDA is operating loss plus depreciation and amortization and other items. The Company discloses Adjusted EBITDA in its periodic earnings press releases and other public disclosures to provide investors additional information about the results of ongoing operations and uses it internally to evaluate and manage the business. Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to replace GAAP financial measures. Cautionary Statement for the Purpose of the "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Statements made in this press release that are forward-looking in nature are intended to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and may involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from the actual future events or results. Readers are referred to documents filed by NOV Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K, which identify significant risk factors which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Source: NOV Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005372/en/ Contacts Blake McCarthy Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations (713) 815-3535 Blake.McCarthy@nov.com 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. Navy Veteran Brings Jeremiahs Italian Ice to Jacksonville Beach Floridas favorite frozen treats brand opening in Jacksonville Beach, FL March 16, 2021 // Franchising.com // Jacksonville, Fla - Orlando-based Jeremiahs Italian Ice is now bringing its beloved brand to Jacksonville Beach. The new location, set to open in mid-March, officially brings Jeremiahs premium frozen desserts closer to the beachfront at 1500 Beach Blvd. 1.5 miles from the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Local Ponte Vedra Beach resident Chris Harvey, alongside his business partner, will own the new Jacksonville Beach location and has plans to open additional locations across Duval County in the near future. Harvey grew up eating Jeremiahs frozen treats while he was in high school in Orlando. A nine-year veteran of the US Navy, Harvey spent his tour traveling the world while stationed on the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, visiting nearly every continent. The opening of the Jacksonville location completes a business dream of his that started in 2016, bringing his favorite childhood treats to the Jacksonville Beach community and its local military service men and women. Its in Jeremiahs culture to create a memorable experience, said Harvey. We show that through the vivid colors of our shop and the unique flavors we offer. Growing up in Orlando, the brand was always visible in the community and at local events displaying its generosity. It was our goal to bring that same energy and community involvement to Jacksonville Beach. Jeremiahs frozen treats have gained immense popularity across Florida, gaining loyal followings at each of their locations since its original expansion out of Orlando. Each Jeremiahs location boasts an upbeat atmosphere full of vibrant colors and offers over 40 flavors of indulgent high-quality Italian Ice as well as Soft Ice Cream. The Jeremiahs Gelati, which features layers of their Italian Ice swirled with thick, homemade Soft Ice Cream, offers nearly limitless flavor combinations and is the star of the menu. The Jacksonville Beach location will include an open-air layout and plans to follow stringent safety protocols, as well as offering drive-thru service and outdoor seating to ensure guests can enjoy their frozen treats with a peace of mind. The location will even include a handwashing station in the dining room. Jeremiahs Italian Ice is committed to showing our appreciation for the Jacksonville Beach community and its residents, said Harvey. Our location boasts a mural of a Navy destroyer, visually showing our support for the local military. We not only want to help develop our employees to be model citizens, we want the culture of Jeremiahs to be positively felt here locally. Jeremiahs Italian Ice in Jacksonville will be providing military members in uniform free small treats to show their appreciation. SOURCE Jeremiahs Italian Ice ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus COMPANY NEWS: Artificial Intelligence scale up program, Boab AI, has announced the launch of its first cohort of companies and the commencement of its $100m Boab Global AI Fund. Boab AIs first cohort comprises PI.EXCHANGE, Remi AI, Strongroom AI, Plaetos and Daitum. Boab AI Managing Director, Andrew Lai (pictured), said, We are exceptionally pleased with the calibre of these Australian companies. With Boab AI being the first AI scale up program in Australia providing funding, advice and services bespoke to each company, we expect these companies to scale quickly and expand internationally. Although a total of $1.5m is being invested in this first cohort, each company is eligible for up to $5m in follow-on funding in future investment rounds. Chief Executive Officer of PI.EXCHANGE, Quan Pham, said, Historically weve had to go overseas to find investors but were very happy to be now receiving such support here in Victoria. Wed love to see the entrepreneurial ecosystem grow further in Australia, and Victoria particularly, with the hope to help rally both industry and entrepreneurs to support local AI companies and scale AI employment opportunities. Building on the initial traction of the scale up program, Boab AI today announced the formal launch of the Boab Global AI Fund and a capital raise of $100m. The Boab Global AI Fund intends to invest in another 150 artificial intelligence companies. Investment manager, Artesian, the venture capital backer of Boab AI, says that the Boab Global AI Fund will have a complementary focus to the Boab AI scaleup program. Boab AI is currently focused on supporting companies predominantly based in Victoria. The Boab Global AI Fund will invest in both international and domestic companies. In this way, we are not only investing in local talent, but also drawing on world-class founders, globally, to build a complete ecosystem, says Artesian Managing Partner, Matthew Clunies-Ross. The Boab AI program is backed by the Victorian Government investment agency LaunchVic as part of a wider push to establish Melbourne as both a startup hub and a centre of excellence for artificial intelligence. Victorias Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy, Jaala Pulford, says that the investment will position Victoria as a world leading innovation ecosystem. Australia is forecast to need 161,000 more artificial intelligence experts by 2030 and with initiatives like Boab AI and the Boab Global AI Fund attracting the worlds best talent, theres no better place for these jobs than Victoria, says Minister Pulford. The five companies in the initial Boab AI cohort are: PI.EXCHANGE provides an AI Machine Learning platform for enterprises, reducing the barriers for AI usage and providing advanced data analytics to help organisations make better decisions. Remi AI provides a Machine Learning platform for demand forecasting, supply chain AI and price optimisation. Strongroom AI provides an AI based secure digital gateway to quickly and safely access specialised treatment plans for patients. Plaetos is a safe, moderated AI driven virtual forum for employees to contribute their knowledge, feelings and ideas. Daitum provides a powerful platform that automates decision-making prescriptive analytics to solve decision-based problems. Applications for the second intake of scale up AI companies will commence in March 2021. Information relating to the Boab Global AI Fund can be found at www.boab.ai or email info@boab.ai About Boab AI Boab AI, is a scaleup investment program based in Melbourne, investing in Victorian and other AI companies ready to expand globally. Our mission is to connect an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, government organisations, universities, research institutes, corporations, industry groups and investors working to grow AI opportunities in Victoria and around the world. Boab is backed by Artesian Venture Partners, Australia's largest and most active early-stage VC firm. Boab offers an investment of $300,000 capital and best-in-class support services for company selected to participate in the scaleup program, with potential follow-on investments of up to $5,000,000. www.boab.ai or info@boab.ai LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - A serving British police officer is set to go on trial in October accused of the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard whose killing sparked anger and soul-searching about what police, government and society can do to stop male violence against women. Everard, 33, was abducted as she walked home from a friend's house in south London on March 3, with her body later found in woodland around 50 miles away in southeast England. Wayne Couzens, 48, a London officer whose role it was to guard diplomatic premises, appeared by videolink from prison at the British capital's Old Bailey central criminal court on Tuesday. A provisional trial date was set for Oct. 25 and he is due to enter a plea in July. Wearing a red T-shirt, Couzens, who police said needed treatment for a head injury while in custody, had a noticeable cut on his forehead. He made no application for bail. The murder of Everard has provoked outpourings of anger from women who have recounted their own experiences and fears of walking the streets on their own at night, while the police have faced severe criticism for how they handled a vigil for the murdered woman on Saturday when officers scuffled with mourners. Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired a meeting on Monday night to discuss what reassurances women could be given, and the government promised more money for better street lighting and to pilot schemes where plain clothes officers would visit pubs and clubs to "identify predatory and suspicious offenders". "The horrific case of Sarah Everard has unleashed a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night," Johnson said. "We must do everything we can to ensure our streets are safe." (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) A coronavirus patient in the US suffered a painful ulcer inside her vagina due to a rare complication from the disease, doctors say. The unidentified 19-year-old, from Colorado, tested positive for Covid after being taken to hospital with a cough, sore throat, fevers, and a rash across her body. After being sent home to rest and isolate, she began experiencing pain in her vagina which saw her return to hospital just two days later. Doctors found she had developed a 2cm-wide ulcer, which left her struggling to walk and in extreme pain when she used the toilet. After running a series of tests, the medics concluded her sore had been caused by Covid. It is thought to be the first documented case of its kind and adds to the list of unusual side effects linked to the disease. Doctors are unsure of exactly how Covid triggered the ulcer but claimed it may have been the result of inflammation or her weakened immune system. Many people who get infected suffer inflammation as a natural result of their body trying to fight the infection, which can irritate the skin and cause rashes. Having a weakened immune system also makes it easier for other common bacteria to enter the body and do damage. A coronavirus patient in the US developed a painful ulcer on her vagina due to a rare complication from the disease (stock photo) CAN COVID CAUSE GENITAL ULCERS? Doctors from the University of Colorado who treated the patient diagnosed her with an aphthous ulcer, a type of benign and non-contagious sore. It is the first time the symptom - a common variety of ulcer that form on the mucous membranes - has been linked to Covid. The cause of aphthous ulcers is unclear, and there is no cure. They are more common in the mouth, but in rare cases they form in the genitals. It is thought they are brought about by one or a combination of triggers that weaken the immune system. Triggers include: stress, an injury, deficiency of certain vitamins and/or minerals, infections or hormonal changes. Aphthous mouth ulcers affect around one in five people at least occasionally and most commonly begin to appear between the ages of 10 and 19. It may also be partly genetic, with 40 percent of people who experience ulcers having a family history of the condition. Many people who fall ill with Covid suffer inflammation as a result of their body trying to fight the infection, which can irritate the skin. Having a weakened immune system also makes it easier for other common bacteria to enter the body and do damage. Advertisement The woman was readmitted to hospital and given strong painkillers, alongside the steroid dexamethasone, which calms the immune system down as it fights Covid. She was discharged after two days and was advised to urinate in the bathtub to lessen the pain when using the toilet. The woman made a full recovery after two weeks, doctors wrote in the Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Doctors from the University of Colorado who treated the patient said: 'In conclusion, this case highlights a novel association of Covid infection with vulvar aphthosis [vaginal ulcer] in an adolescent. 'It has been recognized that vulvar aphthous ulcers occur in response to systemic EBV [Epstein-Barr virus] CMV [cytomegalovirus], and viral gastroenteritis, and now has been documented in response to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.' The case report was published on February 15 but it is unclear when the patient was admitted to hospital. When the immune system defends against infection it lets off lots of inflammatory products that are designed to fight viruses, known as cytokines. In some people the immune system can go into overdrive and these substances begin attacking healthy cells, including on the skin. The case in Colorado comes after a Covid patient in Ohio suffered a painful three-hour erection due to a different complication of the virus. The unidentified 69-year-ol was diagnosed with the condition, known medically as priapism, while in hospital with a severe bout of Covid last autumn. Writing in The American Journal of American Medicine, medics who treated him said they believed Covid had caused blood clots in his penis. An ice pack was applied to the patient's penis to try to bring the swelling down but the stiffness persisted for three hours. Doctors then had to drain the blood from his penis using a needle. While the priapism did not return, the patient died in ICU when his lungs eventually failed. It is believed that the same cytokine storm caused the blood in his penis to clot. It would be putting it mildly that there is now a growing apprehension among citizens who are trying to comprehend what seems to be an emerging trend of military intervention in matters that would normally fall within the parameters of pure business transactions. Not long ago, army personnel were deployed to interrupt a public auction; an act which was later described as triggered by miscommunication. Now we see members of the army placed at the centre of a controversial Sicunusa quarry mine business deal, which the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy says was necessitated by an alleged plundering of national resources. This is not the picture we want to see of our local business environment that is desperate for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), particularly when justice can be sought through existing civil avenues which are capable of resolving conflict and addressing business transgressions. In the case of one Mandla Mkhaliphi, a farm owner at Sicunusa and director of NDI Investments, the ministry alleges he broke the law by carrying out mining activities without the prerequisite licence which he failed to renew within the stipulated timelines. What the ministry is not addressing in its statement though, are the counter reports of a non-transparent application that has been made by other parties with great interest in the mine and how it intends to deal with this application. involvement Clouding this development is the alleged involvement of a member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), who is also from the royal family, in this business matter. If the ministry claims to be protecting State resources, it goes without saying that it also has a fiduciary duty to protect the law of the land by carrying out a transparent process of either affording NDI Investments an opportunity to appeal the non-renewal of its licence (if indeed the law has been violated), or seek a new operator by putting the licence out to public tender. To handpick an operator for the mine would be to reinforce the perception that doing business in this country was becoming more dangerous than risky. We do not and will never condone the breaking of the law by any citizen or business entity; neither should the ministry. Therefore, let the natural course of justice prevail without military intervention to avert an undesirable precedent which, in the eyes of the ordinary citizen, comes across as intimidation. Leverage for Vietnam agricultural products to take off International integration offers Vietnam agri-products opportunities to scale the value chain, though with strict requirements. Vietnam typically exports eight types of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products with an annual turnover of over $1 billion, many of which have achieved high positions in the global market. However, experts say Vietnam's agricultural sector has yet to develop modern production methods due to its small scale and lack of technological applications. As a result, agricultural production has low productivity, competitiveness, and added value. To optimize the stages of the agri-product value chain, one solution is to remove bottlenecks in production and preservation. Also, food loss needs to be reduced, transportation costs optimized, and stable output markets found for agri-products. Mekong Delta agri-products could enjoy significant opportunities should Vietnam encroach more onto the international stage. Photo by Phong Vu. Infrastructure and logistics development Economic experts say to boost the sustainable development of Vietnam's agri-products, priority policies are needed for Mekong Delta, the nation's rice basket. Government's resolution No. 120 on the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta in response to climate change has a hundred-year vision with several distinct investment phases. Accordingly, priority must be given to investment in logistics and transport infrastructure, seen as the lifeblood of the economy. The government has approved a five-year $2 billion allotment for infrastructural development in the area. Nguyen Phuong Lam, director of the Can Tho branch of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Mekong Delta has recently made heavy investments in infrastructure and diversified transportation means to improve the trade flow of agri-products. Once opened for traffic, Trung Luong-My Thuan Expressway is expected to significantly speed up product delivery. With regards to logistics, Lam said that for a long time, localities across the Mekong Delta have only focused on stages from the field to factory but paid little attention to those from the factory to port, shipping, packaging, and inspection despite their decisive role in the competitiveness of agri-products. "That is the reason why it is very important to develop logistics centers that are capable of handling all stages of agri-production from Mekong Delta to ports and consumption markets. This would reduce waiting times and cumbersome procedures." Logistics companies are urged to resolve this pressing problem. Most recently, the first phase of Hanh Nguyen Logistics Center, a self-contained logistics hub for all agricultural export procedures, entered operation in southern Hau Giang Province. Situated in a prime location, the logistics center provides convenient access to the Mekong Delta and southeast region. Hanh Nguyen Logistics (Hau Giang Agri-product Export Logistics Center) promises to open up optimal solutions for Mekong Delta agri-products to enter overseas markets. Photo by Hanh Nguyen Logistics. Pham Tien Hoai, Hanh Nguyen Logistics CEO and board chairman of Tien Thinh Group, said, "After many years of supporting farmers, we want to create a breakthrough for them so their work is less strenuous and they achieve greater results." The opening of a logistics center will connect all stages in the agricultural supply chain and open more markets. "Customers and farmers need only bring their products to the center, we will take care of the rest, from cleaning to preserving and irradiating. We also handle transportation, customs clearance, exports, and financial procedures to find suitable markets for products," Hoai added. The workshop titled "Logistics Leverage for Mekong Delta Agri-products" will take place by the end of March, with the participation of economic and logistics experts, along with representatives of leading agricultural enterprises. The initiative will raise many issues that hinder the resilience of Mekong Delta agri-products, offering comprehensive solutions to reach foreign markets. I want to remember the people who helped me get here and who will be part of my life no matter where I go, said Hannah Smith, a fourth-year student at East Carolina Universitys Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, N.C. For Smith, that includes Charles Rhodes, M.D., a family physician from Mt. Pleasant, N.C., who has been her mentor for nearly a decade. I called Dr. Rhodes and told him to keep Match Day open on his calendar because Im going to invite him to Zoom, said Smith, who will get her results along with thousands of others from the National Resident Matching Program at noon ET on March 19. Smith volunteered at a local hospital as a high school sophomore before family members who are Rhodes patients encouraged her to shadow the family doctor. I have another doctor at that practice, but my family mom, dad, aunts, uncles, cousins see Dr. Rhodes, she said. They all said, Youll love Dr. Rhodes. They were right. Rhodes, one of the founders of the Atrium Health Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency program , was planning a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Smith took night classes during her junior year of high school to become a certified nursing assistant so she could help with the mission trip the following school year. She missed a week of school (and her senior prom), but the trek through multiple villages left a lasting impression. I loved how Dr. Rhodes could treat anyone anywhere, Smith said. We saw people in their homes, at a church, in abandoned buildings. I want to be able to treat anyone, anywhere, with any problem. I want to take care of the underserved. It doesnt matter if its urban or rural. I want to help people who wouldnt get care otherwise. Smith, who grew up on her parents cattle farm near a town of fewer than 2,000 people, ranked more than a dozen residency programs during the Match process. Although she doesnt yet know where she will complete her training, she has a good idea about where she ultimately wants to practice. I definitely want to practice in North Carolina, she said. I also want to teach. It doesnt have to be in medical school. I want to have students and residents who can come and learn from my community and be inspired to take care of people wherever they are. Smith has learned her own share of lessons in recent years as a student leader at the state and national level. She serves as a student member of the North Carolina Medical Societys legislative cabinet and as her medical schools delegate to the AMA student section. Her role as student director-elect of the North Carolina AFP Board will include serving as an alternate delegate at the AAFPs Student Congress during the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students in July. Smith is national coordinator of the AAFPs Family Medicine Interest Group Network, where she served as a regional coordinator last year. Shes also a member of the Academys Commission on Education. Smith said her plethora of leadership roles have provided her with mentoring as well as connections to other medical students. Ive learned that everyones journey is different and you cant speak for everyone based on your own experience, she said. The best way to create change is to bring people to the conversation who have experienced something different from you. But events moved so fast over the intervening two years that that not only did the Quad leaders meet by video link on Saturday, they also announced an immediate initiative to provide an extra 1 billion doses of COVID vaccine to needy nations and a four-part, longer-term work agenda. The Quad, said Modi, had come of age it will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region. Only one man could have achieved this transformation of the geopolitics of the Indopacific region, from ocean foam to a Coalition spanning two oceans in two years. Xi Jinping, Chinas dictator. They are only there because of China, says the Australian Strategic Policy Institutes director, Peter Jennings. Well done, Beijing. Illustration: Andrew Dyson. Credit:The Age The vaccines outcome was a stunning coup in the words of Mike Green, an American Asia expert who served in the George W. Bush White House. Supplying an extra billion doses for nations of South-East Asia by the end of 2022 addresses their most urgent need. It gives the Quad a constructive first mission. And it pits the group against China in a game of vaccine geopolitics. For the US, this is a big change from Trumps America First mantra. If we have to compete, at least millions of Asians and others in developing nations will benefit from it, former US diplomat Bob Manning reflected. The summit, says Mike Green, should also silence the many critics of this grouping of countries. Green explains in the journal Foreign Policy that it had long been en vogue for so-called realists to pooh-pooh the Quad as ideologically driven and overly provocative towards China. But then Chinese President Xi Jinping began bullying everyone. With Washingtons credibility waning and its options limited, the Biden team just played its one high-value card to the greatest possible effect. So what next? The Australian military strategist Hugh White, one of the sceptics whod thought the Quad would come to naught, concedes that he was wrong: I dont think you can call the first summit an insignificant event. However: We are right to see China as a risk to Australia diplomatically and even strategically. So great idea, guys, but its not going to work. For two main reasons. First, because he thinks its too late. This sounds like melodrama, but the South China Sea has been the Berlin of this new cold war, he tells me. The Soviets started to press the West at Berlin, and the West pressed back. In the end, the West convinced the Soviets they were willing to fight a nuclear war to stop them taking Berlin. But when Beijing started grabbing South China Sea territories from its neighbours starting with the Philippines, the US and its allies let them: The Philippines said, do you mind if we borrow the Seventh Fleet for the weekend, and the US said no. China won. So Berlin has already been taken in the contemporary cold war? They have taken a few suburbs at any rate, says White. Loading Second, White argues that the Quad nations lack the will needed to halt Chinas next steps. Their joint statement showed just how nervous they were about declaring their purpose the word China wasnt mentioned. Im pessimistic because whats required will be very much like what was used to contain the Soviet Union. There has to be a very clear conviction to make it clear to Beijing that an attempt to change the status quo will be met with force. The Quad nations are too ambivalent, says White: We all want to contain China, but none of us want to damage our relationship with China, hoping for more trade and investment with Beijing as well as co-operation on climate change and other matters. But just as the sceptics wrote off the Quad prematurely in the past, might they be repeating their mistake? Chinas aggression forged the Quad. Further aggression from Xi could harden the Quad. History is in the making. Peter Hartcher is international editor. Congressman Darin LaHood has joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to introduce the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act, known as DRIVE-Safe. This legislation promotes job opportunities, enhances safety training for new members of the workforce, and addresses issues driver shortages cause in the trucking and related industries, he said. Forty-nine states, including Illinois, allow commercial driver licenses to be issued at age 18, but federal regulation restricts CDL-holding drivers from operating across state lines until they are 21. An American drone strike on Baghdad airport on January 3, 2020 killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds Force and one of the country's most powerful men, and brought Washington and Tehran to the brink of all-out war. While the strike marked a sudden and violent escalation of tensions between the two countries, trouble has been brewing since early 2018 - when former US president Donald Trump tore up the nuclear deal signed under Obama. Here is the series of events that left the Middle East teetering on a knife-edge: 2018 May 9: Donald Trump announces that the US will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, calling it 'defective at its core', and says strict new sanctions will be imposed on Tehran May 21: The US issues a list of 12 demands that it says Iran must comply with - including the complete abandonment of its nuclear energy program - or else face sanctions. The list is rejected by Tehran Donald Trump signs an executive order reimposing sanctions on Iran and effectively tearing up the nuclear deal signed by Obama August 7: America imposes the first round of sanctions, including cancelling a multi-billion dollar deal for Boeing aircraft and banning the sale of gold to Tehran November 5: Second round of sanctions announced, this time against Iranian oil exports - Tehran's primary source of income - and cutting off access to banking markets 2019 April 8: Donald Trump designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's domestic military force, a 'terrorist group', imposing travel bans and economic sanctions against its leaders May 5: National Security Adviser John Bolton announces a Carrier Strike Group and Air Force bombers are being deployed to the region to combat 'a number of troubling and escalatory indications' May 8: On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Trump tearing up the deal, Iran says it will stop complying by increasing it stockpiles of Uranium and enriching to near weapons-grade levels May 12: Four oil tankers belonging to Saudi Arabia, Norway and the UAE are hit by explosions near Fujairah in an attack that America blamed on Tehran An oil tanker burns in the Strait of Hormuz - one of two belonging to Japan and Norway that were attacked on June 13 June 13: Two more tankers, this time belonging to Norway and Japan, are rocked by explosions which Washington again attributes to the Iranian regime June 19: A US Navy drone is shot down by Iranian anti-aircraft missiles over the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Trump to order and then rapidly cancel airstrikes against Iranian targets July 4: British Marines seize the Grace 1, an Iranian oil tanker which they said was bound for Syria, off the coast of Gibraltar as it sailed into the Mediterranean July 10: British Heritage tanker is harassed by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, but they are driven back by a Royal Navy warship July 20: British-flagged tanker Stena Impero is seized by the IRGC and towed to Bandar Abbas, where it is kept under armed guard by gunboats August 15: Britain agrees to release the Iranian tanker after seeking assurances that it will not head to Syria September 14: Drones and cruise missiles are used to attack a Saudi oil field at Khurais and the country's largest refinery at Abqaiq, knocking out a third of the world's oil supply. The US and Saudis blame Iran, which denies responsibility September 27: Iran releases the Stena Impero and its crew Smoke is seen billowing from Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery at Abqaiq, after and attack that Riyadh blamed on Iran October 11: Iranian oil tanker sailing off the coast of Jeddah is rocked by two explosions which Iran says were caused by guided missiles fired by Saudi Arabia December 27: An American military contractor is killed in a rocket attack near the city of Kirkuk, Iraq, in an attack which Washington blames on Iran December 29: America launches retaliatory strikes against Kataeb Hezbollah, part of pro-Iran People Mobilization Forces in Iraq, killing 25 people December 31: American embassy in Baghdad is attacked by PMF forces led by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who is pictured among camouflage-clad protesters outside 2020 January 3: Qassem Soleimani arrives in Baghdad airport on a jet from either Lebanon or Syria, is hit by missiles fired from an American Reaper drone and killed. Muhandis is also killed, along with Mohammed Ridha Jabri, a senior PMF figure The burning wreckage of a car believed to have been carrying General Soleimani at Baghdad airport after being hit by a US drone Pictured: Officials stand near the wreckage after an Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 carrying 176 people crashed near Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran, killing everyone on board; in Shahriar, Iran, 08 January 2020 January 8: Iraq's Al Asad Airbase, which hosts U.S.-led coalition troops, was attacked with ballistic missiles as a part of Iran's 'Operation Martyr Soleimani', named for general Qasem Soleimani. It was also reported that the airbase in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan was attacked as well. Hours after the attack, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crashed just after taking off from Tehran International Airport, killing all 176 passengers and crew, including 82 Iranian and 63 Canadian citizens. March: More rocket strikes in Iraq. One strike kills two Americans - a soldier and a contractor - and a British soldier. April: Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami says he has ordered Tehran's naval forces to destroy any US warships that threaten the 'security' of Iranian vessels, after Trump said he had told the US Navy to fire on any Iranian ships that harass it at sea. October: US threatened to close its embassy in Baghdad unless the attacks stopped. December: Spray of rockets are launched at the US embassy. Trump vows that if one American is killed he will launch a massive bombing campaign. 2021 January 4: Iran seizes a South Korean-flagged tanker in the Gulf, the first such seizure in more than a year. Iran cited 'environmental reasons' and demanded money for its damage to the environment. January 22: Iran's supreme leader appeared to threaten Trump with revenge on Twitter, before the social media platform suspended the ad-hoc account. February 15: Rocket fire targeted Erbil Airbase in Iraqi Kurdistan; one US-led coalition civilian contractor was killed and eight others, including a US soldier, were wounded in the attack. February 26: U.S. President Joe Biden ordered airstrikes against Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities in the town of Abu Kamal, Syria in retaliation for a recent rocket strike in Erbil. The attack left casualties among Kata'ib Hezbollah and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, with the dead ranging from 1 to 17 or as high as 22 militants, with varying reports. 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. Vaccines: Croatia, 'trust in EU, but not excluding Sputnik' Health minister: 'If supplies don't normalise' (ANSAmed) - ZAGREB, 16 MAR - Croatia trusts European vaccines and hopes that supplies through the European Commission soon improve, but it is also ready to look at other manufacturers, said Croatian Health Minister Vili Beros. "Croatia is strongly oriented towards EU purchases, but if supplies don't normalise we will be forced to also look outside European borders," Beros said, alluding to a possible order of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, for which the ministry asked for documentation. The Croatian Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices (HALMED) is, in fact, examining documentation for the vaccine, even though for now the government has assured that it isn't thinking about ordering before an opinion is issued by the European authorities. Beros specified, however, that an eventual importation of Sputnik V shouldn't be excluded. "Which will mean that we have no other choice, because the European mechanisms have failed," he said. (ANSAmed). [March 16, 2021] Wells Fargo Survey: Construction Industry Hopeful About 2021, Despite Optimism Dip Wells Fargo (News - Alert) today released the results of its 45th annual Construction Industry Forecast, revealing an initial decline in sector sentiment on the tail end of a complicated year, and a renewed optimism for the second half. In November 2020, the bank queried hundreds of industry executives to determine the 2021 U.S. National Optimism Quotient (OQ). Survey results show that leaders ended 2020 feeling cautiously optimistic with a 2021 OQ score of 78, representing a 21-point drop from 2020. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005347/en/ Wells Fargo releases the results of its 45th annual Construction Industry Forecast (Photo: Wells Fargo) "From a global health pandemic to civil unrest to a historical election year, it was more important than ever to survey our construction industry peers to understand their sentiment as they reflected back on the past 12 months, and anticipate what 2021 might bring," said James Heron, national sales manager for Wells Fargo Equipment Finance's Construction Group. The OQ is the survey's primary benchmark for measuring the degree of optimism in the nonresidential construction business for the coming year. The survey posed questions about equipment sales, purchase expectations, and rental market trends, while also exploring major cost and risk concerns that industry executives were considering as they geared up for the new year. At 78, the 2021 OQ indicates optimism tempered with restraint. Any score between 75 and 99 is considered more cautious or measured optimism. An OQ score of 100 or more represents strong optimism for increased local construction activity relative to the perceived level of activity for the prior calendar year. A score below 75 signals that most responding executives believe local construction activity will decrease - a more pessimistic poin of view. The 2021 score represents a significant dip compared to the 2020 OQ of 99, which was just shy of the 100 points considered strongly optimistic. Other key findings include: Industry optimism Pessimism for nonresidential construction activity continues to grow among executives. While executives are becoming more pessimistic of nonresidential construction activity, their optimism for residential construction activity strengthens. Of executives who think that nonresidential construction activity will remain the same, most feel it will begin to increase in the year's second half as vaccines continue to rollout. The outlook of the construction industry as a whole remains positive, with 59% believing it will expand in the next two years. Trends in rentals and purchases Overall trends in equipment rentals and purchases among contractors remain unchanged. More distributors report renting out less equipment now than a year ago; however, they continue to utilize the majority of their fleet. Top cost concerns Executives expressed uncertainty about the local and national economy, political changes, and public health as it relates to COVID-19. Potential tax increase concerns rose from 4% in 2020 to 13% voicing tax concerns in 2021. More about the Construction Industry Forecast The 2021 Construction Industry Forecast results represent the 45th year in which Wells Fargo Equipment Finance has surveyed construction industry executives to gather insight into current business conditions and trends and to measure sentiment. Responses came from more than 200 construction industry executives in 44 U.S. states. Nearly all of the respondents report that they have been in the industry five years or more. To learn more, download the complete report. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets and proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of all middle market companies in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 30 on Fortune's 2020 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter (News - Alert) : @WellsFargo. News Release Category: WF-ERS View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005347/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SHIJIAZHUANG, China, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In an announcement published by Yiling Pharmaceutical on Tuesday, it is disclosed the enterprise has received the herbal product license for Lianhua Qingwen Capsules from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of the Ministry of Health of Kenya. Kenya is the 5th African country issuing market entry approval for Lianhua Qingwen, after Mozambique, Uganda, Mauritius and Zimbabwe. Up to now, Lianhua Qingwen has got market entry approvals from 21 countries and regions, including Canada, Russia, Kuwait, Singapore, etc. Mr. Li Changhong is the general manager of Kenya's agent of Lianhua Qingwen, the Kenya J&K Investment Co., Ltd. He said in an interview that the approval has made Lianhua Qingwen the only Chinese herbal medicine registered in Kenya. As a member of the "three drugs and three prescriptions", Lianhua Qingwen has played an important role in the prevention and control of Covid-19 globally, and has received extensive focus and good feedbacks from the international communities. "We believe that Lianhua Qingwen will definitely make the most of its advantage and create welfare for Kenyan people", Li said. As an innovative Chinese herbal medicine invented 17 years ago to curb the spread of SARS, Lianhua Qingwen has been recommended for use for more than 20 times by the Chinese government and has become a representative drug to deal with major public health events caused by different types of infectious diseases, such as swine flu H1N1/H7N9, MERS and COVID-19, etc. Lianhua Qingwen was widely applied in hospitals admitting the infected. Zhong Nanshan, Li Lanjuan and Zhang Boli, members of China Academy of Engineering, have jointly conducted a study named Efficacy and Safety of Lianhuaqingwen Capsules, a repurposed Chinese Herb, in Patients with Coronavirus disease 2019: A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial. It has shown that Lianhua Qingwen can significantly increase the improvement rate of the clinical symptoms such as fever, fatigue and cough, dramatically improve the pulmonary imaging lesions, obviously shorten the duration of symptoms and elevate the clinical cure rate. The study has been published in Phytomedicine, an European magazine in May 2020. SOURCE Yiling Pharmaceutical Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. Exchange District Pharmacy staff doled out their first 20 or so doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning, as Manitoba's immunization rollout continued. Exchange District Pharmacy staff doled out their first 20 or so doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning, as Manitoba's immunization rollout continued. Ryan Chan, the McDermot Avenue pharmacy owner, said its appointments were fully booked Tuesday, and expects Wednesday slots to be full, too. "Its good to start vaccinating people. Its the first step to getting back to the new normal, its the first step of getting back to reopening society," said Chan. As of mid-day Tuesday, Manitoba had administered 109,875 total COVID-19 vaccines, including the Pfizer and Moderna shots. Meanwhile, the province doesnt foresee issues with pharmacies and clinics issuing the AstraZeneca vaccine, after the Anglo-Swedish firms shot was temporarily suspended for use in more than a dozen European countries over perceived safety fears. Countries including Germany, France and Italy suspended the shot amid reports of blood clots in recipients about 30 people of the approximately five million European Union residents who've received an AstraZeneca dose. The World Health Organization, European Medicines Agency and Health Canada have tried to quell fears over the shots safety. Canadas chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said Tuesday theres no indication the vaccine is causing adverse effects and its benefits outweigh potential risks. The WHO said its advisory panel was reviewing reports and would release its findings as soon as possible, saying it was unlikely to change its recommendations issued last month. Ryan Chan, executive director of Exchange District Pharmacy, books appointments and organizes supplies for upcoming COVID-19 vaccinations at his pharmacy in Winnipeg. Chan's pharmacy willreceive 100 vaccine doses to innoculate people in the early roll-out of the pharmacy and doctor clinic vaccination program. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press files) The EMA said its conducting a case-by-case evaluation of reported incidents and plans to release a review this week, but has not yet found evidence connecting the clots to the shot. A Manitoba vaccine task force spokesman said all pharmacies and clinics were involved in discussions about the rollout of the AstraZeneca doses, and willingly agreed to participate. "A total of 18,000 doses of AstraZeneca/Covishield vaccine have been distributed to 190 clinics/pharmacies throughout all regions of Manitoba," the spokesman said in an email. The province first received those 18,000 doses March 11. The spokesman did not respond when the Free Press asked when those discussions with clinics and pharmacies occurred, and whether the vaccination task force plans to revisit them after the shots use had been temporarily suspended in some countries. "However, if a pharmacy/clinic has questions they are encouraged to reach out to their contact within the vaccination implementation task force," the spokesman said. The spokesman noted all doses administered in pharmacies and medical clinics are to be reported to the Public Health information management system. Doctors Manitoba said its physicians continue to have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine, in line with the WHO and Public Health Agency of Canadas guidelines. Pharmacists Manitoba said none of its members have contacted the organization about concerns over the vaccine or potential side-effects. with files from Reuters, The Canadian Press erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Efua Kyere Amponsem, the New Juaben South Chairperson of the Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled (GSPD), has called for the establishment of a special school for persons with mobility disability. She said having that special school would facilitate education and empowerment of women and girls with mobility challenges. Ms Amponsem said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua on the need to focus more on the physically challenged girl-child during celebrations such as the International Women's Day (IWD). The IWD is a global day marked annually to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is also to call to action for accelerated gender parity. Ms Amponsem noted that the absence of a school for persons with mobility challenges had been a huge barrier to their access to education. "Even though this has affected the education of both the physically challenged girl and boy, it has affected the former the most, she added. A distinctive school with facilities tailored to suit their conditions would break the barriers impeding their development and progress, she said. She cited the schools for the deaf and the blind as examples of special schools tailored to fit specific conditions and needs of the beneficiaries, saying the blind used braille and the death, the sign language. "People with blindness and hearing impairment are able to go far in education because of this special provision to meet their needs," she said. Ms Amponsem, a product of St Roses Senior High School and All Nations University College, said but for her parents who were educationists and the family support, she could not have pursued higher education. She recalled her days in the secondary school as a boarder with physical disability requiring the use of crutches. She said it was difficult for her since all facilities from classrooms to the dining hall, washrooms, assembly hall and dormitories - were not accessible. Ms Amponsem expressed regret that many others with my condition have become liabilities to society; begging for alms to survive on daily basis." She said people with mobility disability suffered widespread discrimination and stigma as most failed to go to school or learn a trade and secure decent work. She recalled that in 2016, after her university graduation, she applied for a job but was informed that though she performed better than all the other applicants during the interview, the organisation could not give her the job due to her condition. Ms Anponsem is now a secretary at Mathew 25 House, HIV and AIDS Care Centre, and as a government appointee at the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly. She appealed to the Government to put in place systems and measures to ensure the education and empowerment of the physically disabled. That, she said, would ensure that disability would not be the basis for denial of employment opportunities. Ms Amponsem called on women, particularly those with disability, to take their destinies into their own hands and break every barrier to become independent and live fulfilling lives. Source: 3 news 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 LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced its donations to the Society of Extraordinary Women (SOEW) and The Pasadena Delta Foundation, Inc. (PDF) with $25,000 grants respectively to provide supplies and services to aid female high school and college minority students pursuing an education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). "SoCalGas strives to create systematic change for racial equality and social justice focused on equality and inclusion. It's been an amazing opportunity to partner with organizations like the Society of Extraordinary Women and the Pasadena Delta Foundation in driving programs that help support the youth in our communities," said Jill Huppenbauer, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at SoCalGas. "These funds will help provide materials and resources for these students to help them continue to learn and grow, hopefully allowing them new opportunities to excel." "Our exceptional programs at SOEW provide exposure to great opportunities that they would otherwise not have. We're extremely grateful and proud to partner with SoCalGas to assist our students in need with necessary funding and help make their aspirations a reality," said Shirley Coates, founder and president of Society of Extraordinary Women. "Through our programs, students are exposed to technology, for now and for the future. They're able to study subjects such as GIS, mapping, robotics, coding and more, which allows them to discover new opportunities in traditionally male-dominated career paths in STEM and various trades." The $25,000 grant provided to SOEW will help expand its Ignite Leadership and STEM Academy program, which encourages middle through high school female students to pursue careers in STEM and GIS, to the Inland Empire. Through this grant, students without internet services were provided access to Spectrum internet and those without access to a computer received notebooks and writing supplies. Additionally, the funds were also used to provide stipends for participating teachers and for the hiring of program coordinators. "The Ignite Leadership and STEM Academy has changed my life significantly and I've been a proud participant since the seventh grade," said Aleeyah, a freshman at Spelman College. "Being a part of this program has opened many doors that I didn't even know could be open for me, such as attending flight school to learn how to be a pilot. I just want to thank Mrs. Coates in pushing us to be the best that we can be and helping us grow our confidence. Together, we can achieve more." "The Pasadena Delta Foundation, Inc. is excited to present STEM scholarships to underrepresented students in the greater Pasadena area. We are extremely grateful and proud to partner with SoCalGas to provide necessary funding to make these opportunities a possibility for our college students," said Debra Ward-Samad, president of the Pasadena Delta Foundation, Inc. "These funds will allow our students the financial freedom to pursue their interests in STEM freely." The PDF STEM Scholarship program is designed to assist deserving students currently enrolled in a four-year college with a STEM field major by providing scholarships for the completion of their degree, and to further enhance their competitiveness in the workforce. The $25k grant will provide five students with $5,000 scholarships that will be used towards tuition, living expenses, school supplies, study materials and additional courses to further their education. "I am beyond grateful to be receiving this award from the Pasadena Delta Foundation. I cannot thank the organization enough -- the scholarship will be used towards my study materials and help pay for my Spring and Fall tuition," said Nicole, a freshman at California State University, Northridge. "I am so thankful for this opportunity and extremely appreciative of the support on this exciting journey towards becoming a Mechanical Engineer!" About SoCalGas Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants. SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. About the Society of Extraordinary Women The Society of Extraordinary Women is a group of dedicated business professional, educators, and community leaders offering girls a path to a greater future by providing access to high quality training and mentoring the produce extraordinary outcomes designed to make an indelible impression on each participant. Mission: "Empower girls to discover their extraordinary selves through education and mentoring for a life time". About Pasadena Delta Foundation and Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The Pasadena Delta Foundation (PDF) was founded in 1994 as a means to fund scholarships for youth and other community benefits programs that promote, improve and sustain the quality of life and equity advancements in education, economic, health and social justice in the Black community in the greater Pasadena area. PDF is proposing a scholarship program focused on underrepresented Black college students studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. SOURCE Southern California Gas Company Related Links http://www.socalgas.com A Florida teen and her mother have been accused of rigging a high school homecoming court election by hacking students' accounts and casting fake ballots. Emily Rose Grover, 17, and Laura Rose Carroll, 50, were arrested on Monday in Pensacola after investigators uncovered their alleged plot to tamper with the election at Tate High School so that the teen would win homecoming queen last fall. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) said it opened the investigation in November after officials with the Escambia County School District (ECSD) reported that hundreds of student accounts had been accessed without authorization. Investigators alleged that Carroll, an assistant principal at Bellview Elementary School, which is part of ECSD, used her credentials to break into the accounts and cast votes for Emily, who ultimately won the title. Emily Rose Grover, 17, (left) and Laura Rose Carroll, 50, (right) were arrested in Pensacola, Florida, on Monday after authorities said they rigged a high school homecoming court election by hacking students' accounts and casting fake ballots The two women were charged with offense against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks, and electronic devices; unlawful use of a two-way communication device; criminal use of personally identified information; and conspiracy to commit the aforementioned offenses. Carroll was booked into Escambia County Jail, the FDLE said in a statement. Records show she was released on $8,500 bond soon after. Emily was booked into the Escambia Regional Juvenile Detention Center. The agency said a total of nearly 250 fraudulent votes were cast, and that 'multiple students reported that Carroll's daughter described using her mother's account to cast votes' Carroll's husband told CNN: 'We have no comment right now. Our lawyers told us not to speak and we will have our day in court.' Carroll (pictured in her mugshot) was booked into Escambia County Jail The alleged scheme came to light after Tate High School officials noticed that 117 votes for the homecoming court were cast from the same IP address within a short period of time. After being contacted by ECSD, investigators found evidence of unauthorized access of student accounts on Carroll's phone and home computers, the FDLE said. The agency said a total of nearly 250 fraudulent votes were cast, and that 'multiple students reported that Carroll's daughter described using her mother's account to cast votes'. The investigation also found that Carroll's account allegedly accessed 372 high school records - 339 belonging to Tate students - beginning in August 2019. Carroll was suspended from the ECSD, a spokesperson told the Pensacola News Journal. Pakistan's Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure with the Imran Khan government, saying it was incapable of running the country or taking decisions. Hearing the local bodies case, a two-judge bench, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq, expressing annoyance over the issuance of an ordinance on delimitation of constituencies by the Punjab government, referred the matter to the Chief Justice, the Express Tribune, Pakistan, reported. During the hearing, the apex court was informed that the decision regarding the census had not been taken by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). "Why hasn't the Council of Common Interests met in two months," Justice Isa asked, expressing his anger, the report said. "Is it not a priority of the government to release the census results," he asked. According to the judge, the government and its allies rule in three provinces, and yet not a single decision had been taken by the CCI. "The government is incapable either of running the country or taking decisions," he added. He also took exception to the postponement of the CCI meeting despite the court order, terming it an insult to the constitutional institution. According to the court, there were no war conditions that could prevent the CCI from holding its meeting. Justice Isa pointed out that nowadays meeting could take place via a video link. He mentioned that four years have passed since the census was conducted in 2017, the report said. Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman informed the court that the meeting of the CCI would be held on March 24, adding that it was a sensitive matter and therefore the government wanted to take decision with consensus. At this, Justice Isa asked why the report of the CCI has been kept secret. He observed that if good deeds are kept secret, it would raise doubts in the minds of the people. He further observed that the people should know "what are the provinces doing, and what is the federation doing", as per the report. The judge expressed his displeasure over the promulgation of an ordinance for fresh delimitation by the Punjab Governor. According to the Election Commission, the ordinance has created complications, he said. Simply put, he added, the Punjab government does not want local elections to be held. Kyrgyzstan has brought back dozens of children from Iraq, becoming the latest Central Asian state to repatriate its citizens since thousands from the region went to fight with extremist groups in Iraq and Syria. A special plane carrying 79 children born to Kyrgyz parents in Iraq and Syria landed at Bishkek's Manas Airport on March 16 as part of a humanitarian mission dubbed "Meerim" (Grace). Hundreds of women from Central Asia have been languishing in prison in Iraq or at special camps in northeastern Syria since the Islamic State extremist group was largely defeated. Many of their husbands are believed to be imprisoned or dead. Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry said the repatriation was carried out with the consent of the children's imprisoned mothers in Iraq and on the commitment of relatives in Kyrgyzstan to accept the children into families for upbringing. It also said the government would support the children's rehabilitation and reintegration. The operation was conducted with the support of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent. In a statement, UNICEF representative Christine Jaulmes commended the Kyrgyz government for repatriating the children and "treating them primarily as victims in need of protection." "Children are just children," the Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent wrote on Facebook. "They are not guilty of anything and adults must care of children no matter where they were born and or their destiny." More than 800 Kyrgyz, including an estimated 150 women, went to Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups during the conflicts in those countries. Most ended up with the Islamic State group. Kyrgyzstan follows Central Asian neighbors Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in completing a repatriation mission from either Iraq or Syria. "The United States applauds the Kyrgyz government's repatriation of 79 children from Iraq, which will give these young people a chance to live a normal life in their home country," the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek said in a statement. "The Kyrgyz government deserves praise for its commitment to help the returned children and to carry out all measures for their early rehabilitation, reintegration, and return to a safe and peaceful life." "We encourage other nations around the world to follow the example set by the Kyrgyz Republic and other Central Asian nations that have made progress in repatriating their citizens from conflict areas," it added. More than 41,000 foreigners from more than 100 countries joined the Islamic State or other extremist groups in Syria and Iraq, both before and after the declaration of its so-called caliphate in June 2014. At least 6,000 of them are believed to have come from Central Asian countries, according to a 2018 study by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King's College in London. In addition to several thousand foreign fighters and their wives being held in Iraqi prisons, almost 62,000 people are being held by Syrian Kurdish forces at the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria. According to UNICEF, there are more than 22,000 foreign children of at least 60 nationalities at the camp. 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. Huntington, WV (25701) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. I implore the New York state governor, Assemblymember John Lemondes, and state Sen. Peter Oberacker to ensure the education foundation aid formula is updated with current data to include Auburn Enlarged City School District's true numbers. Stop using outdated data now! Auburn is a high needs district in accordance with the States Foundation Aid formula. Yet, AECSD is being funded as an average needs district. It angers me, along with other community members, that we have the data, yet it is being ignored. NYS boasts that it spends, on average, the most per pupil on education of all states, yet when you look at the actual funding numbers, it is a facade. AECSD is in the bottom 1% of funding per pupil in our state and well below the average. This is not fair. Our students deserve just as much funding as other students. Why are Auburn children being neglected? National carrier Gulf Air has announced that four of its Bahraini pilots - Ahmed Ismaeel, Ahmed Janahi, Mohammed Kamal and Mohammed Malek - have been promoted as captains following their succesful completion of the final check for command upgrade training programme. The airline's top management commended all the four for the achievement and also their uniform upgrade from three to four stripes. Gulf Air said all the newly promoted captains have started their flying career with Gulf Air beginning from second officer and completing the required training and flying hours to become first officers and recently captains. In line with its commitment to invest in the Bahraini workforce and their career development, the flag carrier continues to provide opportunities for the nationals to take over senior positions in the company. Lauding the achievement, Gulf Airs Acting CEO Captain Waleed AlAlawi said: "We are very proud of our Bahraini workforce and flying crew and Im happy to see them work their way up and be promoted from first officers to captains." "This is not the peak of their career but only the beginning of them shining in Gulf Air with opportunities to become senior captains, trainings captains, fleet managers or part of senior or executive management in the future," he stated. The airline boasts 100% Bahrainisation of second officer and first officer pilots and it continues its initiative of training Bahrainis to help become aviation professionals and contribute to the kingdoms legacy of being a longstanding reliable source of aviation industry professionals who have served the national carrier and other regional airlines, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The Maryland Senate voted Friday for a package of steps to fight climate change by planting 5 million trees over 10 years, increasing energy efficient buildings and committing to more electric state vehicle use. The measure would require the Maryland Department of the Environment to plan to increase the states greenhouse gas reduction goals from 40% of 2006 levels by 2030 to 60%. It also would require the state to achieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Supporters described it as a far-reaching measure to address climate change in a state particularly vulnerable to sea level rise due to its large number of tidal communities. Sen. Paul Pinsky, a Democrat who sponsored the measure, said stronger action is needed in a state that is starting to see islands disappear in the Chesapeake Bay from rising waters. He also noted that sewer systems are being flooded in severe storms, and farmers on the states Eastern Shore are losing acres of crops because of salt water intrusion. This is not anything we can ignore, Pinsky said. We see here in Annapolis and in Baltimore days during flooding, people cannot get to their businesses. It is already starting to affect our economy. Opponents, however, focused on a provision that would transfer millions of dollars a year from a fund for bay restoration until fiscal year 2030 to help pay to plant 500,000 trees a year for a decade. They say the money would be redirected from critical infrastructure needs that fight pollution, such as improvements to septic systems. Sen. Bryan Simonaire, the Senates minority leader, said the bill creates a false narrative that Maryland must choose between planting more trees or protecting local sewage projects in communities. We dont believe that it is good policy to divert tens of millions of dollars from the Bay Restoration Fund that are desperately needed to address sewage issues adversely affecting our bay and our communities, Simonaire, an Anne Arundel County Republican, said. Pinsky, a Prince Georges County Democrat who chairs the Senates environmental committee, countered that the fund is not an infrastructure fund, and he said during debate earlier this week that scientists believe trees are actually better at reducing nitrogen pollution. The bill also includes provisions to expand solar energy and increase the use of electric vehicles in the state government fleet. It would expand requirements for high-performance buildings to capital projects that are at lest 25% funded by state money. Current requirements apply only to projects that are solely funded with state money. Josh Kurtz, the executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, praised the legislation. Climate change is making the Chesapeake Bay clean-up tougher, and warmer water temperatures are depriving Bay life of oxygen, Kurtz said in a statement. Todays vote by the Maryland Senate shows state leaders are prepared to face this threat head-on. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Climate Change Politics Maryland The logo of car manufacturer Tesla is seen at a branch office in Bern, Switzerland (Photo : REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann//File Photo) The U.S. auto safety agency said on Monday it is investigating a crash in Detroit on Thursday involving a Tesla that became wedged underneath a tractor-trailer and reportedly left a woman in critical condition. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Monday it is "aware of the violent crash that occurred on March 11 in Detroit involving a Tesla and a tractor trailer. We have launched a Special Crash Investigation (SCI) team to investigate the crash." Advertisement WDIV-TV in Detroit reported last week a 21-year-old woman who was a passenger in the Tesla was in critical condition after suffering a head injury and was taken to the hospital. It aired video of a badly damaged Tesla crushed underneath a tractor-trailer. NHTSA has previously launched around at least 14 SCI teams to investigate Tesla crashes that may be tied to the vehicle's advanced Autopilot driver assistance system, but taken no action against the automaker as a result of those probes. It is not clear if Autopilot may have been a factor in the Detroit crash. Tesla and the Detroit police did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Autopilot has been engaged in at least three Tesla vehicles involved in fatal U.S. crashes since 2016. NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board have probed other crashes in which a Tesla struck a trailer, including two fatal crashes in Florida. In a 2019 crash, a Tesla struck a tractor trailer and the roof was sheared off as it passed underneath the trailer and stopped three-tenths of a mile south of the collision. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. In May 2016, a Tesla Model S driver was killed near Williston, Florida, using Autopilot when he slammed into a tractor trailer that also sheared off the vehicle roof. Tesla advises drivers they must keep their hands on the steering wheel and pay attention while using Autopilot. However, some Tesla drivers say they are able to avoid putting their hands on the wheel for extended periods when using Autopilot. In February 2020, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sharply criticized Tesla lack of system safeguards in a fatal 2018 Autopilot crash in California and called U.S. regulators' approach in overseeing the driver assistance system "misguided." The NTSB can only make recommendations, while NHTSA regulates U.S. vehicles. A marketing manager whose hashtag was called 'old school' by her younger co-worker has lost her age discrimination case after being fired for her 'attitude'. Lydia Roganovic, who was 50 at the time, insisted on using capital letters in a social media hashtag which a younger co-worker, Linda Okachi, referred to as 'old school'. A tribunal ruled that while the term 'old school' could be used offensively in relation to someone's age, in this instance the remark had nothing to do with how old Miss Roganovic was. Instead it was meant to describe an old-fashioned approach, meaning she was not the victim of discrimination. Lydia Roganovic, who was 50 at the time, insisted on using capital letters in a social media hashtag which a younger co-worker, Linda Okachi, referred to as 'old school'. Pictured: Central London employment tribunal in London The employment tribunal heard that Miss Roganovic was working as a marketing manager for iPlato Healthcare Ltd, in Hammersmith, west London, which creates apps for healthcare companies. She began working for the business in October 2018 but was eventually let go in 2019 after her managers said they found problems with her performance and attitude. After her employment was terminated, she launched a claim alleging age discrimination, automatic unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal. The central London hearing was told that in January 2019 a new digital marketing manager had just been recruited. Linda Okachi was line managed by Miss Roganovic and shortly after she joined she was asked to help with a social media post on a campaign raising awareness for cervical cancer. The tribunal heard that Miss Roganovic was extremely unhappy with an initial template, suggesting that Ms Okachi use the hashtag #SAVE1WOMANSLIFEPERWEEK. Ms Okachi replied via email, and said: 'It isn't good practice to use caps - It's a bit old school and also connotes to shouting. A tribunal ruled that while the term 'old school' could be used offensively in relation to someone's age, in this instance the remark had nothing to do with how old Miss Roganovic was 'Not sure how many people would actually search for the suggested hashtag as it is quite complicated - From my experience, it is too long.' The tribunal found that Miss Roganovic's reply to her junior colleagues suggestion was extremely 'harsh and admonishing' She wrote: 'The reason for asking you to utilise the below is that the copy needs to bring out the MAIN POINT OF THE POST and actually shouting about SAVING WOMENS LIVES is something worth doing Linda as I am sure you will agree Linda... 'I also cannot spend all my time solving these issues for you for every post and tweet it is hugely time-consuming.' Judge Bernard Hodgson considered in detail the issue of whether calling someone 'old school' could be classed as age discrimination. He said: 'Old school is a phrase which is in common usage. In general, it appears to refer to trends or practices and it may suggest that they are not cutting- edge. 'It may suggest that they are old fashioned. It may simply suggest that they are no longer used. 'It can also suggest approval, especially if the implication is a careful or thorough approach. 'Old school can be used to refer to practices. It does not necessarily tell you anything about the individual who is adopting the practice. 'A person who is young may adopt a view or practice which may be described as old school... 'Many terms can also, in context, be used negatively. It may be possible, at least in theory, to refer to a person as old school, rather than the practice that person adopts. 'It would also be possible to assume that a person had old school ideas because a person was older.' Ms Okachi told the tribunal that her comment had nothing to with Miss Roganovic's age, but was a reference to her outdated practice of using capitals. Judge Hodgson went on to conclude: 'To the extent that old school can be seen as a negative comment, we are satisfied that [Miss Okachi] would have used it regardless of age. '[She] was challenging the use of capitals which she saw as outmoded and hence the term old school.' He also concluded that Miss Roganovic was not dismissed because of 'alleged protected disclosures' she claimed to have made and therefore her claims of direct age discrimination, whistle blowing and unfair dismissal all failed. He said that a final decision on her claim of wrongful dismissal would be made at a further hearing. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Former Congress leader P C Chacko, who quit the party last week, joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Sharad Pawar on Tuesday and said he was happy to be part of a "functional, active party with a direction". Taking a dig at the Congress, Chako said the need of the hour is to forge an alternative to the BJP but he does not see his former party taking that initiative. "I am happy to be part of a party which is functioning, active and a party moving with a direction," he told reporters. Chacko was welcomed into the party-fold by Pawar, senior leaders Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Sunil Tatkare and others. After formally joining the NCP, Chacko said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will return to power in Kerala, which is going to polls on April 6. The is a constituent in the LDF in Kerala. Chacko said he will start campaigning for the LDF in the southern state. Announcing his resignation from the Congress last week, Chacko had alleged group interest in deciding the party's candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala in the Lok Sabha. "Today, what is needed is unity of the opposition. A united opposition should emerge as an alternative to the BJP. I do not see that initiative very much from the party that I was in earlier. "I am sure that Pawar sahab, his leadership, contacts will be most effective in forging the unity of the opposition in the country against the misdeeds of the BJP," Chacko said. Pawar said he was welcoming Chacko in the party also on behalf of senior leaders in the LDF. Chacko recalled his association with Pawar when both of them were in the Congress. Prior to Chacko joining the NCP, Pawar met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. (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.) [March 16, 2021] Skye Bioscience's Cannabinoid-Derived Drug Candidate, THCVHS, Demonstrates No Eye Irritation in Preclinical Assessment San Diego, Calif., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skye Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: SKYE) (SKYE or the Company), a biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary, synthetic cannabinoid-derived molecules to treat glaucoma and other diseases with significant unmet need, announced preclinical data demonstrating that THCVHS, the Companys novel THC prodrug, showed no signs of irritation of the eye using an in vitro assay, the EpiOcular TM MTT ET-50. The EpiOcular TM MTT ET-50 risk assessment assay determines the effective time when a material causes a 50% reduction in the viability of tissue being assessed. Test materials are then categorized into one of four classifications, ranging from non-irritating to severe/extreme irritation, which correspond to groupings of the in vivo gold standard, the Draize eye test. The preclinical findings from this study demonstrate that THCVHS achieved the lowest possible ranking of mild/non-irritating at each dose range (0.5-2.0%) anticipated to be used in Skyes upcoming Phase 1 study. Our aim is to develop cannabinoid-derived medicines using rigorous pharmaceutical methods and standards, and we are pleased that these results demonstrate the best possible level of safety and non-irritation of the formulation for our novel prodrug of THC, THCVHS, said Punit Dhillon, Chief Executive Officer of Skye Bioscience. It is important to evaluate the irritation potential of a drug formulation in order to avoid exposing humans to potentially irritating materials during clinical testing and/or approved use. The data from this study further underpins our confidence in our novel molecule, marking a key step forward as we prepare to enter the clinic later this year. EpiOcularTM is an in vitro eye irritation test alternative to animal (in vivo) testing using human epithelial cells in a 3D model which closely mimics the histological, morphological, biochemical, and physiological properties of the human corneal epithelium. EpiOcularTM has been used for many years by the industry as a non-animal in vitro alternative to the Draize test to assess irritation caused by materials in contact with the eye. In vitro alternatives such as the EpiOcularTM assay, which strongly correlate to the Draize test, have become favored to avoid unnecessary harm to animals. The Draize test is an acute toxicity test devised in 1944 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in which a test substance is applied to the eye or skin, most commonly of albino rabbits, and monitored for signs of erythema, redness, swelling, discharge, ulceration, hemorrhaging, cloudiness, or blindness in the tested eye. Skye is currently advancing manufacturing and formulation work on THCVHS in preparation for entering the clinic later this year. The company anticipates releasing topline data from its first-in-human Phase 1 study of THCVHS for the treatment of glaucoma in early 2022. About Skye Bioscience, Inc. Skye Bioscience Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company unlocking the pharmaceutical potential of cannabinoids through the development of its proprietary, cannabinoid-derived molecules to treat diseases with significant unmet needs. The companys lead molecule, in preclinical studies, has demonstrated potential as a new class of therapy to lower intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma or elevated intraocular pressure that is superior to currently available drugs. For more information, please visit: www.skyebioscience.com . CONTACT Karam Takhar VP, Corporate Development & Investor Relations Email: ir@skyebioscience.com Phone: (858) 410-0266 FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our product development, business strategy, timing of clinical trials and commercialization of cannabinoid-derived therapeutics. Such statements and other statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on managements current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, our business, operating results, financial condition, and stock price could be materially negatively affected. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology including anticipated, contemplates, goal, focus, aims, intends, believes, can, could, challenge, predictable, will, would, may or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. We operate in a rapidly changing environment and new risks emerge from time to time. As a result, it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements the Company may make. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, our capital resources, uncertainty regarding the results of future testing and development efforts and other risks that are described in the Risk Factors section of Skyes most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as expressly required by law, Skye disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Joint Army- and Air Force-funded researchers have taken a step toward building a fault-tolerant quantum computer, which could provide enhanced data processing capabilities. Quantum computing has the potential to deliver new computing capabilities for how the Army plans to fight and win in what it calls multi-domain operations. It may also advance materials discovery, artificial intelligence, biochemical engineering and many other disciplines needed for the future military; however, because qubits, the fundamental building blocks of quantum computers, are intrinsically fragile, a longstanding barrier to quantum computing has been effective implementation of quantum error correction. Researchers at University of Massachusetts Amherst, with funding from the Army Research Office and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, identified a way to protect quantum information from a common error source in superconducting systems, one of the leading platforms for the realization of large-scale quantum computers. The research, published in Nature, realized a novel way for quantum errors to be spontaneously corrected. ARO is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory. AFOSR supports basic research for the Air Force and Space Force as part of the Air Force Research Laboratory. "This is a very exciting accomplishment not only because of the fundamental error correction concept the team was able to demonstrate, but also because the results suggest this overall approach may amenable to implementations with high resource efficiency, said Dr. Sara Gamble, quantum information science program manager, ARO. "Efficiency is increasingly important as quantum computation systems grow in size to the scales we'll need for Army relevant applications." Because qubits, the fundamental building blocks of quantum computers, are intrinsically fragile, a longstanding barrier to quantum computing has been effective implementation of quantum error correction. Today's computers are built with transistors representing classical bits, either a 1 or 0. Quantum computing is a new paradigm of computation using quantum bits or qubits, where quantum superposition and entanglement can be exploited for exponential gains in processing power. Existing demonstrations of quantum error correction are active, meaning that they require periodically checking for errors and immediately fixing them. This demands hardware resources and thus hinders the scaling of quantum computers. In contrast, the researchers' experiment achieves passive quantum error correction by tailoring the friction or dissipation experienced by the qubit. Because friction is commonly considered the nemesis of quantum coherence, this result may appear surprising. The trick is that the dissipation has to be designed specifically in a quantum manner. This general strategy has been known in theory for about two decades, but a practical way to obtain such dissipation and put it in use for quantum error correction has been a challenge. "Demonstrating such non-traditional approaches will hopefully spur more clever ideas for overcoming some of the most challenging issues for quantum science," said Dr. Grace Metcalfe, program officer for Quantum Information Science at AFOSR. Looking forward, researchers said the implication is that there may be more avenues to protect qubits from errors and do so less expensively. "Although our experiment is still a rather rudimentary demonstration, we have finally fulfilled this counterintuitive theoretical possibility of dissipative QEC," said Dr. Chen Wang, University of Massachusetts Amherst physicist. "This experiment raises the outlook of potentially building a useful fault-tolerant quantum computer in the mid to long run." ### DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory?is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. As the Army's corporate research laboratory, ARL is operationalizing science to achieve transformational overmatch. Through collaboration across the command's core technical competencies, DEVCOM leads in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more successful at winning the nation's wars and come home safely. DEVCOM is a major subordinate command of the Army Futures Command. Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was arrested on Monday as he took part in a protest in the capital, according to a post on his Twitter page Kampala, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2021 ) :Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was arrested on Monday as he took part in a protest in the capital, according to a post on his Twitter page. The 39-year-old popstar-turned-presidential contender last week had called on Ugandans to "rise up peacefully and unarmed" against President Yoweri Museveni who won a sixth term in office following disputed elections in January. "Bobi Wine arrested as he led MPs and other leaders in a peaceful protest against the abduction, torture and murder of his supporters," said the post, written by an account administrator. Around 15 MPs and activists from Wine's National Unity Platform (NUP) political party, wearing business suits and red ties, took part in the brief protest which was quickly halted by police officers and soldiers. Bystanders cheered their support for the small group of protesters but did not join the demonstration itself. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, was first taken to a police station before being driven in a police vehicle to his home outside Kampala which is "now surrounded by police and the military," his Twitter account said. Following the January 14 election, Wine was held under effective house arrest for 11 days until a court ordered his release. Demonstrations against Wine's arrest in November during the campaign for the poll were brutally dispersed and at least 54 people died. The police pre-emptively declared Wine's latest call for protests illegal and warned "organisers... to desist from participating in any unlawful activities". Wine was demanding the release of hundreds of his supporters he alleges have been abducted by security forces since the start of the presidential election campaign late last year. On Thursday Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for an end to what it called "ongoing abductions by suspected state agents and cease the unlawful detention without trial of opposition supporters". Museveni and his ministers have admitted that hundreds of Ugandans are in military detention but say they will either face a military tribunal or be released. In a television address on Sunday night Museveni referred to people who had been abducted as "children", described their actions as criminal and accused them of attacking government supporters. "The children who were arrested by the security forces, many of them have been talked to and they have given us a lot of information and we have helped them to go back to their families," he said. Parents have rushed to collect their children from a Gold Coast primary school plunged into lockdown as a gunman involved in the incident remains on the run. An emergency declaration was sparked for Ormeau State School and part of the surrounding suburb at 11.50am on Tuesday and was lifted by police at 3.50pm despite the man not being located. Investigations began on Monday night after police were called to an address at Upper Coomera following reports of a domestic violence incident. Police are seen stopping cars on Mirambeena Drive at Ormeau on the Gold Coast on Tuesday after a school placed into lockdown Ormeau State School in Pimpama (pictured) was placed in lockdown and armed police were patrolling the area. The declaration was lifted at 3.50pm allowing parents to collect their kids Pictured: Police blocking off Mirambeena Drive at Ormeau on the Gold Coast on March 16 amid a search for a potentially armed man who remains on the run Officers say no one was physically harmed in the incident and the 37-year-old man had left the scene. Unconfirmed reports indicated the man had threatened to harm his former partner. Officers had to escort the children out to waiting relieved parents late on Tuesday afternoon. They had to wait a tense four hours between being notified of the lockdown and being allowed into the area. The emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act was made the following morning with police searching bushland around Ormeau and Pimpama. Pictured: Helicopter footage showing the police search in the exclusion zone during the search for a man Pictured: Police blocking roads into the lockdown zone at the Gold Coast on Tuesday 'That's why it has taken so long today, to make sure the public was safe and that he wasn't hiding in that area,' Acting Inspector Kevin Gant said. 'We believe he was possibly armed, so we're looking into those inquiries.' The declared zone has been re-opened following the extensive search. 'We'll continue to search for him and to try to locate him, so we can resolve the issue,' Mr Gant said. He also urged the man to give himself up to police. 'Speak to police and assist us,' he said. 'We want a peaceful resolution for his own personal safety and the safety of the public'. Pictures from the scene showed multiple police cars and heavily armed officers swarming the area. Specialised groups from the Public Safety Response Team and the Special Emergency Response Team also joined the manhunt along with the dog squad and Polair teams. Helicopter footage showed officers in fatigues gathering at Calgray Realty, on the corner of Mirambeena Drive and Guara Grove in Ormeau. Pictured: A police officer stopping traffic on Mirambeena Drive at Ormeau on the Gold Coast Pictured: A police vehicle on a Gold Coast street amid a search for a man who is potentially armed Roadblocks were established and police commandeered the Ormeau Station Shopping Centre as a command centre. Parents had earlier that morning received a text message on that read 'The school is currently in lockdown.' 'Children and teachers will continue learning inside classrooms but will not be leaving their rooms. Police have cordoned off the area as a precaution and police will not allow you access to the school.' Following that, at midday, principal Kimberley Button wrote on the school's Facebook page: 'Please be advised children are safe, have had their lunch and are working in their rooms.' 'We are focused on your children's safety.' 'We will keep you updated to the best of our knowledge no updates at this time.' She also urged parents not to phone the school for updates, but to check their phones and emails. Terrified parents flooded the comments section, begging for more information. 'Is there an update? Has the person been caught? This has been going on for two hours with very little information,' one mum wrote. Queensland Police made an emergency declaration on Tuesday morning during the hunt for a man wanted on domestic violence matters (police during the search pictured) 'I hope they aren't telling the kids they are in lockdown. My Year 1 daughter will freak out,' another wrote. Other parents were concerned they would not be able to pick their children up if the lockdown was not lifted by the time school finished for the day at 3pm. 'Police say the whole area is in lock down parents won't be able to get in,' one mum wrote. A Goodstart Early Learning pre-school near the school is also located within the lockdown area. Boundaries for the zone were north from Mirambeena Drive into Wharf Rd intersection with Pimpama Jacobs Well Rd, east from Pimpama Jacobs Well Road to Hotham Creek, south from creek line of Hotham Creek to Creek Street and west from Creek Street to Mirambeena Drive. And what will happen now, in the days and weeks following Sundays mass shooting? More retaliation, on the streets, the homes, the neighborhoods, maybe even at a funeral? That was another mass shooting, July of last year, when a drive-by shooter aimed out the window of a moving vehicle and unloaded a weapon at mourners waiting outside a South Side funeral home. A disabled woman dove from her wheelchair to avoid being hit. As we said then: The chaos is so beyond reason that it threatens to no longer shock. The creator of several of the BBCs biggest shows says it is one of the least efficient broadcasters and claims some staff are work-shy. Jed Mercurio - best known for writing Line Of Duty and Bodyguard said the BBC had real issues that needed to be reformed. His comments come after Russell T Davies, creator of the Channel 4 hit Its a Sin, said the BBC was doomed as a drama producer. Asked if he agreed, Mercurio, 55, told Radio Times: I dont know if its doomed. Russells pretty smart, so he may see this more clearly than me. Its a tricky one. Jed Mercurio says the BBC has 'real' issues which need reform as he described some staff as 'work-shy' I think the BBC has some issues that are real and need to be reformed and some that are misperception problems. He added: Its still one of the least efficient broadcasters, in my opinion, from my experience of others. There are institutional issues around levels of professionalism and work ethic, to be honest. I am very fortunate that, in the course of my career, Ive migrated towards the people I have a good working relationship with, who are supportive and carry out their professional duties in the right way so we can address concerns in good time. But there are people within the BBC who I avoid like the plague because they have been there a long time and they are fundamentally work-shy. Doctor Who writer Davies previously told Gaby Roslin on her podcast that while drama is in a golden age with streaming giants such as Netflix, the state of traditional broadcasters is not so magnificent. She asked: Is it heading that way [to extinction]? He said: I think the BBC is, right now ... I dont think [TV] is. Jed Mercurio's sixth series of Line of Duty, starring Martin Compston (right) and Shalom Brune-Franklin, starts Sunday Jed Mercurio also created Bodyguard starring Richard Madden (left) and Keeley Hawes (right) Mercurio, whose highly-anticipated sixth series of Line of Duty begins on Sunday night, also took aim at BAFTA. Asked if he felt overlooked by the organisation having not won an award since his breakthrough in 1994 with Cardiac Arrest, he said: Organisations such as Bafta dont have an institutional attitude to my work. Bafta movie awards are voted for by the Academy membership, which is thousands and thousands of people voting for the films they admire the most, but, for whatever reason, Bafta has decided that the best way to determine its TV awards is to appoint one of their chums to chair a jury, and that person gets their chums in to form a jury and, between them, they decide who wins. Juries in the legal justice system are predicated on the fact that jurors dont know each other, and they dont know the defendant. But, in Bafta, they all know each other, and they all know the defendants. So I think theres room for reform. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. 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. Protests continue across Paraguay demanding the ouster of the fascistic administration of President Mario Abdo Benitez over its refusal to take measures to contain a massive surge of COVID-19 infections. In recent days, however, the crowds have significantly diminished, largely due to the collapse of the health care system. The government continues to oppose the demands by demonstrators and doctors associations, including the Pneumology Society, for a return to lockdown measures, including the shutting down of all nonessential activities and schools. Paraguayan nurses protest for health supplies (Photo: Twitter) The surge in cases since early February has been exponential, with the seven-day average rising from 700 daily infections to 1,730. According to Our World in Data, Paraguay has the highest rate of new infections in the world, with 44.6 percent of COVID-19 tests coming out positive. On Sunday, the specialist in infectious diseases Tomas Mateo Balmelli raised the prospect that, given the current trend, the health care system will remain collapsed for the rest of the year. He pointed to the dangers of a rise in flu and Dengue cases, as well as the new and more transmissible coronavirus variants. Several health care experts have suggested that the recent surge is being dramatically worsened by the new strains from Brazil, after thousands of Paraguayans traveled there for vacations. The rapid surges in Brazil, Paraguay and much of Europe, fueled by the new variants, are a major warning for the rest of the world. The surge has saturated ICU beds in Paraguays public hospitals and led to shortages of medicines, which have in turn increased the death rate to 25 a day. At the same time, infections have translated into guaranteed bankruptcies for working class families. On Sunday, in unprecedented scenes, the broadcaster GEN interviewed long lines of family members of patients outside the public hospitals, as they waited for doctors to send them on frantic searches for the medicines needed to save their loved ones. While appreciative of the care by the medical staff, a woman whose uncle is being treated for COVID-19 at the Clinicas Hospital said the family has spent about 10 million guarani ($1,520) out of pocket in one week of intensive care. This is the equivalent of more than two years of the average salary in the private sector in Paraguay, the second poorest country in South America. At the IPS Ingavi public hospital, a woman said she spent two million guarani for her father, who has been intubated for five days. She explained, We are spending the nights here because they will call you constantly for anything, for some report or medicine. We have to stay. We just dont know what to expect. Midazolam, for pain and anxiety, has been particularly requested. It was precisely the protests by nurses and doctors in Asuncion over the lack of supplies and vaccines, along with partial strikes by teachers against the return to in-person learning, that detonated the wave of mass demonstrations earlier this month. Reports of extreme exhaustion among medical personnel were widespread. In this context, vaccinations have barely begun. Besides the 4,000 doses previously received from Russia, out of an order of one million doses, the government claims that 20,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived from Chile and 3,000 from the UAE. Less than 4,500 of these doses have been administered in total, according to Johns Hopkins University. When the UN-led Covax program promised 4.3 million doses to Paraguay, this news was used to defend the continued reopening of businesses and schools. Yet, to date, none of these vaccines have arrived. Four ministers, including the health care and education chiefs, were dismissed during the first week of protests. Nevertheless, the crowds only grew larger, reaching a peak on March 5, when thousands marched in the capital Asuncion, and thousands more joined roadblocks and other actions across the country. This showed that social anger is only mounting, despite the smaller size of the protests last week. Last Friday and Saturday, a few hundred demonstrators took to the streets of Asuncion, mostly students and youth, accompanied by existing protest groups focused on anti-corruption demands and oriented to the main political parties. Several demonstrators minimized the danger of COVID in their signs and statements made during an open-mic. Appeals were also made to the police to join them, as well as to the trade union bureaucracy, which is entirely integrated into the state and reliant on its handouts. Only about six percent of workers are affiliated to a union, almost exclusively among education, medical, energy and transportation workers in the public sector. A more amenable tone in the coverage by the corporate media outlets also registered this change in the composition and political orientation of the demonstrations in recent days. For instance, the right-wing ABC Color reported that the citizenry demonstrated conviction and perseverance, while Diario Hoy, added: The demonstration without incidents stood out. At the same time, the continued resistance among teachers and the public condemnations by health care experts compelled the government to suspend in-person learning starting on Thursday in 23 districts on red alert. The Abdo administration has also declared a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., enforced by the military and the police. Its only conceivable intention is to intimidate the population and prepare a crackdown against potential unrest late into the night. This was made clear by an exception until midnight for indoor restaurants and bars for employees and those with receipts or reservations. Interior Minister Arnaldo Giuzzio stated on Monday that the demand by the health care sector for phase 0a full lockdownis not possible and indicated that the new measures will be reevaluated in two weeks. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party and the pseudo-left Frente Guasu have sought to channel the growing social anger behind an impeachment motion against Abdo and Vice President Hugo Velazquez. This has allowed the supposed opposition parties to feign support for the demonstrations while focusing their appeals on the ruling Colorado Party itself, which they absurdly blame for not listening to the protesters demands. While composed of two large factions, one led by Abdo and the other by the former President Horacio Cartes, the Colorados have so far remained together in opposing the impeachment drive, which has only secured 29 of the 53 votes needed to proceed in the lower chamber of Congress. The Colorado legislators have been refusing to attend sessions to prevent a quorum and forestall any debate of the pandemic crisis. On March 10, the Frente Guasu released an equally futile appeal for Abdo and Velazquez to resign and call presidential elections. This was accompanied by a seven-point program demanding medicine, supplies, vaccines, a halt to evictions and an end to corruption. What their document shows, above all, is a hostility no different than that of the Colorados to implementing any of the urgent measures needed to contain the virus that impinge upon the interests of the financial and corporate elite. [March 16, 2021] Dorsey Adds Denver Team to Cybersecurity, Privacy & Social Media Practice International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP is pleased to announce that Partner Deborah Howitt and Associate Austin Chambers have joined the Firm's Cybersecurity, Privacy & Social Media Practice in the Denver office. Both Ms. Howitt and Mr. Chambers join Dorsey from Williams Weese Pepple & Ferguson in Denver, Colorado. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005956/en/ Partner Deborah Howitt has joined Dorsey's Cybersecurity, Privacy & Social Media Practice in the Denver office. (Photo: Dorsey & Whitney LLP) Deborah Howitt has focused on privacy, internet, technology and media law, and commercial transactions for over 20 years. She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), a designation given by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and has a J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, California. Ms. Howitt's practice encompasses data privacy, cybersecurity and intellectual property transactions. She has counseled clients in various industries on compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), the EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), and other privacy and security las, and has guided clients through complex data security breaches. She has advised on hundreds of transactions involving technology, personal data, and content, and has represented service providers and content or technology creators, as well as their enterprise clients. As the former general counsel to a digital media company, Ms. Howitt provides practical guidance and solutions to her clients based on their unique circumstances. She is a frequent speaker on topics related to data privacy, and has been an adjunct professor of Privacy Law at both the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver (News - Alert) Sturm College of Law. Austin Chambers has a practice focused on domestic and international data privacy and security, and software licensing, and general technology law. He is CIPP/US and CIPP/E certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. His representative matters include: advising on domestic and international data privacy and security compliance; drafting and advising on privacy policies and data transfer/use agreements; creation of information security and incident response programs; and negotiating software licenses, data protection agreements, and other common technology agreements. He has a background in both legal and business roles, and has client and work experience across industry verticals, and ranging from startups to multinationals, nonprofits, and government. Mr. Chambers is a graduate of the University of Colorado Law School. During his time at CU Law, he was one of the founding directors of the Silicon Flatirons Student Group, editor and member of the executive board of the Colorado Technology Law Journal, and student attorney in the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. "Dorsey has built a premier, multi-office Cybersecurity, Privacy and Social Media practice. Our team uses its broad and deep expertise to help clients anticipate problems and rapidly address those that cannot be avoided," noted Managing Partner Bill Stoeri. "We are pleased to have Deb and Austin join the Dorsey team serving clients in one of the fastest growing sectors of the legal industry." About Dorsey & Whitney LLP Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in banking & financial institutions, development & infrastructure, energy & natural resources, food, beverage & agribusiness, healthcare and technology, as well as major non-profit and government entities. www.dorsey.com/cybersecurity-privacy-social-media View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005956/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] La Paz, March 16 : Former Interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Anez, currently in preventive custody after she arrested on charges of terrorism, sedition and conspiracy, has been transferred to a women's prison in the capital city. Anez, who has been been due to her role in the events of November 2019 that ended with the resignation of then President Evo Morales, was arrested on March 13 and faces four months of preventive custody as the case proceeds, reports Xinhua news agency. Her former ministers Alvaro Coimbra and Rodrigo Guzman were sent almost simultaneously to the San Pedro prison in La Paz. All the detainees were transferred under strong police presence. Anez, like Coimbra and Guzman, will remain isolated from the rest of the prison population for 15 days in keeping with safety regulations in place due to Covid-19. All three stand accused of sedition, terrorism and conspiracy in relation to what prosecutors allege was a coup d'etat that led to the forced resignation of Morales. Morales agreed to quit office after disputes over the October general elections prompted weeks of widespread protests in the country. At least 30 people died in the crisis and more than 700 others were injured. Anez served as the 66th President of Bolivia on an interim basis from 2019 to 2020. She was Bolivia's second female President after Lidia Gueiler Tejada. Flash It was on Harvard's campus that Liu Xi hit upon the idea to set up a program to bring the real China to more Harvard students. Liu attended a master's program at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) from 2013 to 2015. While studying in the U.S., she realized that many Americans have a biased view of China, her home country. "I want to do something to change the situation," Liu told Beijing Review. Liu was motivated by a desire to make a positive difference in the world, a desire shared by many Harvard alumni. Her determination became firmer after she learned that Charles Data, a Harvard alumnus from the Republic of South Sudanwhich became a sovereign state in 2011passed up high-paying job offers after graduation and returned to his homeland to help establish its financial system, earning a salary of less than $200 a month. In the same spirit of public service, a female student from Somalia planned to run for the presidency in her country in an effort to combat piracy and drug trafficking problems there. She remained committed to this path even though the previous Somali presidents faced high risks of assassination. The commitment In the United States, after speaking to students who expressed biased ideas about China, Liu realized that many of them held negative opinions about China because they had never been to China and had no direct knowledge of the country, and they had gained their misunderstandings mostly from media reports. Some students argued that China, with skyscrapers in megacities and super fast trains, should be identified as a developed country; some accused China of human rights abuses, citing "facts" that Liu, a Chinese citizen, had never heard of. Liu realized that to change the stereotyped images of China in the Western world she should bring Harvard students to China. "Students from Harvard might grow up to become leaders in various areas and I hope an insight trip to China can help them to explore with their own eyes the real China," she said. Journey to the East In 2014, Liu initiated a program to bring a team of Harvard students to China every year. In her idea, it should not be a sightseeing trip: The students would be invited to visit core government departments, emerging private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and universities, where they would speak with government officials, entrepreneurs, college students and media workers. Liu and her team named the trip China Insight. Liu moved quickly from idea to action. The program was launched in 2014 with the help of alumni, who offered financial support and helped to make contacts in China. It attracted many applicants on campus, and the selection process for the first group to China was highly competitive, with only one out of 10 applicants accepted. She interviewed every applicant and selected the finalists. "They need to be really interested in China and have the potential to do something for the China-U.S. exchanges in the future," Liu said. After graduation, Liu found a job in Nanjing, Jiangsu province in east China, but the trips continued. In 2016, Liu set up an NGO, Hi China International Youth Development Alliance. In 2017, Liu quit her job to focus on the NGO full-time. From 2014 to 2019, Liu and her team regularly organized teams from Harvard each year, including China Insight treks and smaller teams for academic exchanges. Theodora Skeadas, now an alumna of HKS, joined the China Insight trek in 2016 as a master's student. She read five books on China before leaving and prepared over 10 questions she hoped to have answered through the trip. As part of the program, she visited the Information Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Alibaba Group, and historical sites including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. "My trip to China was an experience I will never forget," Skeadas told Beijing Review. She said that she found answers to all the questions she had. She got firsthand knowledge of China's history, economy, politics and society. She learned that China has entered a "new normal" stage as the country adjusted its economic structure and shifted its focus from fast to quality economic growth. She also learned about China's efforts to eradicate absolute poverty. "There is no political system that can be called absolutely right in the world; as long as a government can guide its people to work hard toward a proper goal, it is an appropriate political system for the country," she said. Now, almost five years since that trip, Skeadas is running for city council membership in Cambridge, a city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Amid the great changes the world has been experiencing, especially the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Skeadas said, "I've become increasingly aware of our interconnectedness, and the importance of cross-country partnership in tackling challenges that will increasingly become global." The program was forced to halt in 2020 due to the pandemic, and it's hard to say when it will be able to resume. In the meantime, Liu has initiated online exchanges for young people to share their ideas on the global situation. "The eagerness of Harvard students to know more about China has never changed," she said. In 2017, Liu began to study at Tsinghua University for her doctoral degree. She is now working on her thesis on how NGOs promote China-U.S. exchanges. "Now there are more government-level exchanges between China and other countries, but NGOs still face many challenges in promoting international communications such as lack of funding," Liu said. "NGOs create soft links to supplement inter-governmental communications as they are less formal and hence more flexible. I will continue to explore more possibilities in people-to-people diplomacy." ADVERTISEMENT Femi Falana, Counsel to the detained Venezuelan diplomat, Alex Saab, has asked the Cabo Verde Government to respect the latest ruling of ECOWAS court on the case. The regional court on Monday ordered the release of Mr Saab from the Islands detention and awarded him $200,000 as compensation for his illegal arrest and detention. Until February when he was moved from prison to house arrest, the Cape Verdean government had kept the Venezuelan diplomat in prison against the December 2, 2020, ruling of the court. In its explanation, the countrys Attorney General office said it snubbed the regional courts earlier ruling because Cape Verde was not in agreement with the body on the supplementary protocol on the ECOWAS court that empowers the code to entertain human right ramifications. Mr Falana, however, in another letter addressed to both Jorge Fonseca, and Jose Silva, the President and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cabo Verde respectively, on Tuesday, cautioned the country against disrespecting the regional courts new judgment like the previous one. As an important member State of the African Union and the ECOWAS, the Republic of Cabo Verde has both legal and moral responsibility to respect the sanctity, integrity, authority and independence of the community court of Justice, the letter, obtained by obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, reads in part. Mr Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, added Having fully participated in the ECOWAS Courts process (as evidenced by the attendance and participation of your counsel Dr Henrique Borges on both 5 February and 15 March) and therefore submitted to the jurisdiction of the ECOWAS Court, we would expect your immediate compliance with the Honourable Courts decision. He noted that in view of the fact that the judgment of the court is binding and immediately enforceable, we are compelled to respectfully request your Excellencies to ensure that the government of the Republic of Cabo Verde complies with the judgment as well as provides safe passage for Mr Saab to enable him to assume his diplomatic duties as an Alternate Permanent Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the African Union. While awaiting immediate compliance with the judgment of the ECOWAS Court by the Republic of Cabo Verde please accept the assurances of our highest esteem and professional regards. This is the third time the human rights lawyer is writing to the Portuguese speaking government in the space of three months. Background Mr Saab was arrested on June 12, 2020 during a stopover at Amilcar Cabral International Airport on the Island of Sal by the Cape Verdean government. According to the Venezuelan government, the diplomat was on a humanitarian mission to Iran from Venezuela. His arrest by the Cape Verdean government was hinged on an international arrest warrant purportedly issued by Interpol at the request of the United States. The Venezuelan authorities have continued to call for Mr Saabs unconditional release, adding that he had diplomatic immunity at the time he was arrested. The ECOWAS Court had in its December 20, 2020 ruling ordered Cape Verde to place Mr Saab under permanent home detention in good conditions, including access to medical treatment and visits. The court also ordered that the applicant should not be extradited pending the decision of the court on the substantive suit. A Chinese envoy on Monday called for more efforts to end the Syrian conflict by adhering to political settlement and upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The Syrian crisis has lasted for a full decade. Over the past 10 years, Syria has suffered from illegal invasion, external occupation, terrorism, and unilateral sanctions. The national development process has almost stalled and people's lives are in dire straits. The Security Council should vigorously promote an early end to the Syrian crisis and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. Abdulhamid Hana, a 50-year-old Syrian pigeon keeper, watches his birds on the roof of his home in Syria's eastern city of Raqa on March 13, 2021. /Xinhua He asked for adherence to the general direction of political settlement. China supports UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen's continued efforts to promote the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254 and advance the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, Geng told the Security Council. "We call on all parties in Syria to maintain communication with the special envoy, carry out in-depth political dialogue on the basis of existing consensus, and make progress at an early date." The Constitutional Committee must remain independent in discharging its functions and be free from outside interference, he said. All parties concerned in the Syrian crisis should actively respond to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' appeal for a global ceasefire, stabilize the security situation, and create conditions for a political settlement, he said. Humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Syria should not be linked to the political process. Doing so violates the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, and will undermine the mutual trust of the parties, he said. China welcomes the establishment of a tripartite coordination mechanism for Syria by Russia, Qatar and Turkey, and welcomes the positive considerations by relevant Arab countries for Syria's return to the Arab League, said Geng. "We hope that this positive momentum will produce pragmatic results and form synergy with the mediation efforts of the United Nations. The international community should encourage countries in a region to strengthen dialogue and cooperation instead of threatening or obstructing them." Cityzenith, a technology startup that builds advanced software solutions for buildings, infrastructure, and smart cities, said it is hitting new heights with a pioneering contract to create a multi-purpose Digital Twin for an ultra-luxury residential condominium tower in the Middle East. The Lamina Tower is under construction at the Jeddah Corniche in the Saudi Arabian port city, and with premium 10,000 sq ft units offering unobstructed views of the Red Sea from all rooms, is billed to be one of the most luxurious residential properties in the country, said the statement from Cityzenith. The contract with Cityzenith makes it the first of its type in the Middle East to use a Digital Twin to optimise and enhance marketing and sales, daily operations, and the overall tenant experience, it added. On the major win, CEO Michael Jansen said: "This is a breakthrough contract for a landmark building and location that highlights the fact that sophisticated real estate owners are getting smarter about Digital Twins, not just in the US and Europe, but in the Middle East, Asia, and around the whole world." Lamina Tower developer, Hajaj & Associates, also confirmed the projects pioneering ambitions. "It is an ultra-luxury residential skyscraper, offering residents cutting-edge technology-driven services and amenities," noted company CEO Motasim Hajaj. "Together with our partner Cityzenith we are implementing AI-driven Digital Twin technology customised to help us provide a unique, technology-enabled experience for residents, emphasizing convenience, safety, and discretion," he added. According to the agreement, Lamina Tower will be the first of several Digital Twin projects awarded by Hajaj to Cityzenith over the next 24 months and totalling up to $1 million. As per the agreement, Cityzenith will be responsible for delivering three unique pieces of technology: *A 3D digital twin of the property and the surrounding area using Cityzeniths SmartWorldOS Digital Twin desktop application, installed securely on the premises and primarily intended for use by building operations professionals, architects, engineers, and contractors *A web-based application version of SmartWorld to be embedded in the Hajaj website for sales and marketing purposes, empowering prospective buyers to tour the property virtually, from outside the building to inside individual units *A mobile application, connecting residents to important services via the palm of their hands. Jansen said the Lamina Tower residents will have access to a mobile version of SmartWorldOS, delivering a fully integrated and connected experience allowing them to find parking, book appointments such as the spa or beauty salon, check out local restaurants and inspect security camera footage in real time inside and outside the building. "They will also be able to customise temperature preferences at home, switch lights on/off, lock/unlock doors and so much more to complement life at Lamina," he explained. "All of this is made possible by our SmartWorldOS Digital Twin platform. Digital Twins are virtual replicas of physical buildings and infrastructure connected to the data in and around them and are used to optimise design, construction, and ongoing operations and management functions," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Ten years after the crisis that engulfed the Arab Republic, the Apostolic Nuncio to Syria reiterates the need for aid to lift people out of poverty, where schools and hospitals are often lacking, as "the ground is trampled and the skies furrowed by the armed forces of five powers at odds with each other". By Massimiliano Menichetti The war in Syria has devoured lives and peace and risks erasing hope. This is the fear of the Apostolic Nuncio in Damascus, Cardinal Mario Zenari, who has been living in a country torn apart by war, violence and vested interests for ten years. He recalls that things were not always so in the nation, but that today everything is missing and a "river" of targeted aid is needed. Pope Francis, both on his return trip from Iraq and during his Sunday Angelus on 15 March, turned his thoughts once again to "beloved and tormented Syria". Q: Your Eminence, the Pope has once again called for reconstruction, coexistence and peace for Syria.... Since the beginning of the conflict, Pope Francis often recurring phrase in his appeals has become famous: "beloved and tormented Syria". It is one of the countries closest to his heart. Even recently, during his Apostolic Visit to Iraq, the Holy Father mentioned Syria. During yesterday's Angelus, speaking of the sad anniversary marking ten years of war, he recalled once again the immense suffering of the population, and made an urgent appeal for international solidarity and to put an end to the use of weapons, to set about reconciliation, reconstruction and economic recovery, and thus revive the hope of so many people, sorely tried by growing poverty and an uncertain future. Both Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, have started numerous and varied initiatives in recent years, to bring an end to violence and to initiate the peace process. There have also been many initiatives regarding humanitarian aid. The Pope famously called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria on September 7, 2013, just a few months after his election as Pope. St. Peter's Square was packed with faithful, in a dramatic moment, perhaps one of the most crucial ones for Syria. He recalled it himself on the plane, a few days ago, during his return trip from his Apostolic Visit to Iraq. Q: What is the situation in the country today, as it also faces the Covid-19 emergency? It is no longer the Syria I knew when I arrived there twelve years ago as Apostolic Nuncio. Today, going out into the streets of Damascus, I see long queues of people in front of bakeries, patiently waiting for their turn to buy bread at prices subsidized by the State. Often it is the only food they can afford. There are scenes that have never been seen before, not even during the hardest years of war. And to think that Syria is part of the so-called "Fertile Crescent", Upper Mesopotamia, with plains as far as the eye can see, stretching for about 500km between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers: a carpet of gold during the month of May, when the crops are golden! You can also see long queues of cars in front of petrol stations, and it is difficult to find diesel fuel for heating in houses, although in the eastern part of the country, on the border with Iraq, there are oil wells that would be enough for almost a complete supply of fuel for domestic use. Q: What are the effects now, ten years after the outbreak of the conflict? The Syria of today has the face of a country where, compared to ten years ago, several categories of people are missing: about half a million people have died in the conflict; 5.5 million people are Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries; another 6 million wander, sometimes back and forth, from one village to another as internally displaced persons. There are also about one million missing migrants. Tens of thousands of missing persons in total. Young people - the future of the country - are missing. More than half of the country's Christians are missing. There are no fathers, and sometimes even no mothers, for many children. For many of them, there is no home. There is a lack of schools, hospitals and medical and nursing personnel, and all these, in the midst of a Covid-19 emergency. There is a lack of factories and other activities. Entire villages and neighbourhoods have disappeared, razed to the ground and depopulated. The famous archaeological heritage, which attracted visitors from all over the world, is now dilapidated. The social fabric, the mosaic of exemplary coexistence between ethnic and religious groups, has been seriously damaged. Nature also groans with the air, water and soil pollution due to the use, for ten years, of explosives and devices of various kinds. The ground is trampled and the skies ploughed by the armed forces of five powers in disagreement with each other, as the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Geir Pedersen often reminds us. In short, a truly bleak picture. Q: After these long years of war, the economy is heavily damaged, basic services such as schools and hospitals are lacking, and poverty is another plague that crushes the people. Is Syria in danger of being completely abandoned? It is true that in several regions of Syria, for some time now, bombs no longer fall, but what could be called the "bomb" of poverty has broken out. According to the latest data from the United Nations, about 90% of the Syrian population currently lives below the poverty line. This is the worst figure in the world! The Syrian lira has lost much of its value and prices of basic consumer goods have skyrocketed. People call this phase of the conflict "economic war". In addition, factories are wanting, work is hard to find and salaries are very low, and there is still no sign of a substantial economic recovery. Q: For about two years, the bombs have stopped falling in most of the country, the United Nations continues its efforts to negotiate between factions and government has started work on a new Constitution, but this does not seem to be enough to restore hope and confidence. Why? Unfortunately, there is a sense that the peace process, outlined in the road map of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015), is at a standstill. In his briefing to the same Security Council on 9 February, the UN Special Envoy drew attention to the need for "constructive international diplomacy on Syria," both for the continuation of constitutional reform and for the peace process in general. During some crucial moments, in these years of war, there have been bitter debates and divisions within the Security Council, and the use of the veto right has been resorted to about fifteen times, by some permanent members, when it came to the adoption of important resolutions. From this, it is easy to conclude that there will be no peace in Syria as long as these diatribes and divisions within the highest body in charge of world security and peace continue. However, beyond these disappointing and unsuccessful moments, it is also necessary to remember the unanimous agreement of the international community on at least two crucial occasions: the first, in September 2013, when, thanks to the agreement between the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States, Putin and Obama, the serious and delicate problem of the dismantling of the Syrian chemical arsenal was resolved; another occasion was when the aforementioned Resolution 2254, which, as mentioned, establishes the road map for the peace process, was voted unanimously. Q: There are children who have experienced only violence and deprivation. How will their wounds heal? As with all wars, this long and cruel conflict has had devastating effects especially on the weakest sectors of the population, especially children, women and the elderly. Many children have died under the bombardments or in the crossfire, others have been pulled out wounded and mutilated from under the rubble, some have died in the sea crossing, several others have suffered psychological traumas difficult to heal, many have been left without one or both parents. Many have died of malnutrition, cold, dehydration, like the fifty or so babies who died in their mothers' arms while fleeing from Baghouz in the winter of a couple of years ago. A certain number of them, together with their mothers, are still waiting in various refugee camps for repatriation to their countries of origin, in very precarious conditions, especially in the sadly famous camp of Al-Hol (Hassake). After the bloody battle of Aleppo in 2016 happened, several thousand children, without family, without name and surname were left wandering in the streets and ruins of the city. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Muslim and Christian religious authorities of Aleppo, efforts were made to register them at the registry office with a name and surname, and to set them on a path of social reintegration. As one out of three schools is out of use, about two million Syrian children are not in school. Some are victims of sexual exploitation and some are conscripted. Girls, especially, are exposed to early marriage. The fuse that sparked the conflict was unconsciously lit by a dozen children in Daraa, southern Syria, who were arrested and detained for several days because they had written slogans against President Assad on their school masonry. All this then inexorably fell back on their peers like a cruel boomerang. A real massacre of innocents. Q: What role do young people have, those of now and of the future, in the reconstruction of the country? Young people are a country's best resources. They are the future of society and the Church. Unfortunately, Syria and the Church have lost much of this incomparable heritage. A large number of them, in fact, not seeing a secure future, have taken the path of exile. One could define this incalculable loss as another deadly "bomb" for Syria. Q: To relaunch Syria, it is estimated that about 400 billion dollars are needed. Do you think more effort is needed from the international community? The United Nations, the various NGOs and Churches involved in the humanitarian field are trying to deal with the many emergencies, especially food and health. Unfortunately, reconstruction and economic start-up, for which several hundred billion dollars would be needed, have not yet begun. The sanctions, some in particular, have a negative effect on all this, in addition to the serious phenomenon of corruption and various other factors. For this work of reconstruction and economic recovery, there is a need for a powerful and urgent intervention of the international community. Peace will not come to Syria without reconstruction and economic start-up. "Development is the new name for peace," wrote Pope St. Paul VI in the 1967 Encyclical "Populorum Progressio." Pope Francis, in his Encyclical "Fratelli tutti," No. 126, quoting Pope St. John Paul II's "Centesimus Annus," speaks of the need to ensure the "fundamental right of peoples to subsistence and progress." If I may borrow and paraphrase the title of a novel that appeared a few years ago, "Peace like a river", there is a need for a "river" of aid aimed at the reconstruction of hospitals, schools, factories and various infrastructures. Q: What is the role of the Church in this context? An enormous challenge facing the various religions present in Syria, particularly Christianity and Islam, is reconciliation and the mending of the social fabric damaged by these long years of war. Moreover, the Church is active on the ground with a vast network of humanitarian projects open to all, without ethnic-religious differences, thanks to aid from various charitable institutions from all over the world. We could say that it is the work of the "Good Samaritan". Q: How are you living this period of Lent, and with what horizon? We are trying to live this "Lent" together with the people. It has been going on without interruption for 10 years now. We are waiting to catch a glimpse of the end of the tunnel and a glimpse of Syria's recovery, a "resurrection" of this country. Q: What is your wish, your appeal for this country? A Syrian journalist, by the pseudonym of Waad Al-Kateab, wrote in "The New York Times" on 7 February, 2020 an article entitled: "We are left to face death alone". And Pope Francis, on 9 January, 2020, on the occasion of the exchange of New Year greetings with the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, said, "I refer to the blanket of silence that threatens to cover the war that has devastated Syria over the course of this decade." Syria, in these long years of war, has lost peace, has lost people, has lost young people, has lost Christians. Many people have lost and are losing hope as well. It could be compared to the unfortunate man in the parable of the "Good Samaritan": attacked by thieves, robbed and left half dead and humiliated on the side of the road. She is waiting to be raised socially and economically, and to see her dignity recognised. For this, special thanks go to all the "good Samaritans", some of whom have even lost their lives in showing her their generous solidarity: these are international humanitarian institutions, religious organisations, private individuals. Let us not let hope die! (HealthDay)Prescribing of psychotropic drugs increased for residents of nursing homes in Ontario, Canada, from January-February 2020 to March-September 2020, according to a study published online March 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Nathan M. Stall, M.D., from Sinai Health and the University Health Network in Toronto, and colleagues examined the monthly proportion of nursing home residents who were prescribed psychotropic drugs as a proportion of the monthly residents filling a prescription for any drug in Ontario, Canada, from April 2018 to September 2020. Data were included for 77,291 residents living in the province's 623 licensed nursing homes as of March 1, 2020. The researchers found that compared with January to February 2020, from March to September 2020, there were absolute increases in the mean monthly proportion of nursing home residents who received prescriptions for antipsychotic medications, antidepressant medications, and trazodone. Comparing January to February with September 2020 indicated absolute increases of 1.6, 1.6, and 1.0 percent in the proportion of residents receiving prescriptions for antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, and trazodone, respectively. There was a slight decrease in prescribing for benzodiazepine medications (0.2 percent). Decreases were also seen in the proportion of residents receiving prescriptions for two negative tracer drugs: metformin and statins (0.3 and 0.7 percent, respectively). "The study's findings highlight the importance of balancing infection prevention and control measures in nursing homes with the well-being of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic," the authors write. One author disclosed receipt of payments from private law firms. Explore further March to November 2020 saw drop in COVID-19 mortality at nursing homes Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. First Milk has announced the launch of a new environmental offset scheme at its Lake District Creamery to enhance the protection of local watercourses. The scheme will see around 30 local farmers voluntarily work with the co-operative to adjust their practices to reduce nitrate, phosphate and sediment discharge. The aim is to completely offset any nutrient discharge from manufacturing at the creamery site. Each participating farm will have a nutrient management benchmarking audit undertaken by consultants from ADAS. A range of tailored mitigation measures will be agreed with each farm, which will then be audited by ADAS to ensure ongoing compliance. At the same time, the overall discharge load from wastewater treatment at the creamery will be monitored, and then evidence of additional mitigation at farm level can be compared with actual emissions to verify that an offset has been achieved. Mark Brooking, sustainability director at First Milk, said the initiative would help farmers improve nutrient use whilst saving money on farm inputs. "The extension of this proven First4Milk project to our Lake District Creamery will help us to completely offset the environmental impact of cheese production on local water quality. This is a great example of how co-operative working can deliver multiple benefits - improving the sustainability of dairy farming in the area, whilst enhancing the local environment. The new initiative is based on a project that has been running at the dairy co-operative's Haverfordwest Creamery for around five years. Involving 33 farms, they have achieved a 12% fall in nitrates, 21% fall in phosphorus and 12% in sediment losses to watercourses over the last 12 months, as well as more than offsetting factory discharges. [March 16, 2021] Lenovo Delivers Edge-to-Cloud Solutions With AMD EPYC 7003 Processors, Setting a New Standard for Modern IT Architectures Today, Lenovo (News - Alert) (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) Data Center Group (DCG) announces new industry leading ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solutions to support edge-to-cloud computing. These new and enhanced hybrid cloud solutions are designed to help organizations of all sizes, modernize, better secure their IT infrastructure, and deliver faster data insights - all powered by the new AMD EPYC 7003 Series processors. Specifically optimized to run demanding cloud computing workloads such as VDI, database and analytics, artificial intelligence and more, these solutions have built-in security features to help protect against data integrity and firmware threats. "Organizations are accelerating their IT infrastructure transformation and shifting investments to focus on more agile edge-to-cloud solutions," said Kamran Amini, Vice President and General Manager of Server, Storage and Software Defined Infrastructure, Lenovo Data Center Group. "Customers have the advantage of partnering with Lenovo and our consulting services team to take advantage of the latest technologies that drive IT modernization and gain faster insights with Lenovo's new top performing ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile portfolio powered on AMD EPYC 7003 Series processors." Cloud Service Provider Hetzner Online GmbH, Offers Customers Excellent Performance and Value Hetzner Online GmbH, one of the largest cloud service providers in Europe, recently turned to Lenovo to build out their cloud infrastructure expansion with Lenovo ThinkSystem SR635 and SR645 servers equipped with AMD EPYC processors. The ThinkSystem servers increased Hetzner Online's performance by up to 100% at the same energy costs and reduced their energy costs by 35-50% compared to other CPU vendors in their data center. "Our partnership with Lenovo and AMD enables us to create customizable servers that meet our customers' requirements: high-performance, energy-efficient cloud services at affordable prices," said Markus Schade, Head of Cloud Services, Hetzner Online GmbH. "Our AMD powered systems are in high demand, as customers rush to take advantage of enhanced CPU performance-particularly those using their servers for virtualization, AI, and big data storage. We believe that AMD EPYC processors and their good price-performance ratio are the ideal choice for our needs." University of Florida Provides Researchers with Latest Innovative IT Architectures The University of Florida is also working with Lenovo's ThinkSystem servers to infuse AMD EPYC processors into their supercomputer, HiPerGator 3.0 environment. The HiPerGator supercomputer supports more than 3,000 users, across 400 research groups, running 1,400 different applications from gene sequencing, engineering designs and research, physics, materials engineering, social science, natural language processing and more. "The Lenovo team was very knowledgeable and responsive to our business needs and requirements. It's important our researchers have the latest technology. Lenovo's AMD based ThinkSystem servers have more RAM (News - Alert) per core, which is critical to our researchers' data intensive applications that require more memory," said Dr. Erik Deumens, IT Research Computing Director, University of Florida. Lenovo ThinkSystem Servers Deliver Breakthrough Performance and Economics To help customers maximize their IT investments, Lenovo extends the ThinkSystem server portfolio to include the new 2-socket Lenovo ThinkSystem SR645 and SR665 and new Lenovo ThinkSystem 1-socket SR635 and SR655 servers, powered by AMD EPYC 7003 Series processors. These solutions can take advantage of the AMD EPYC 7003 series processors' ~25% more generational performance in its 16 core category2*. The combination of Lenovo's industry leading server reliability and performance enhancements are ideal for customers building their edge-to-cloud infrastructure. Beneficial for research and development, financial services, retail and manufacturing, these new platforms are designed to accelerate computational power to deliver business insights: Organizations running their systems with accelerators and GPUs, can expect to see up to 25% improvement in system performance and greater VDI density when using heart-of-the-market 16 core AMD EPYC 7003 series processor, compared to the previous generation Businesses running compute-intensive workloads such as HPC and AI can achieve up to 15% faster computational (floating point) results from the top of the stack AMD EPYC 7003 series processors, compared to the previous generation 3 Customers running scientific research or engineering applications can expect to see up to 15% better performance using 48 to 64 core AMD EPYC 7003 series processors for improvement in-time-to-results supporting efforts to solve humanity's greatest challenges The third-generation AMD based 2-socket ThinkSystem SR645 and SR665 servers will be available this month; the 1-socket ThinkSystem SR635 and SR655 servers will be available in June "Moving the bar once more for workload performance, EPYC 7003 Series processors provide the performance needed in the heart of the enterprise to help IT professionals drive faster time to results," said Ram Peddibhotla, Corporate Vice President, EPYC product management, AMD. New ThinkAgile HCI Solutions with VMware & Nutanix Lenovo launches new ThinkAgile VX Series hyperconverged platforms combined with third-generation AMD EPYC processors. These solutions are tightly integrated with VMware vSAN to enable public cloud-like simplicity, in a private or hybrid cloud environment including: ThinkAgile VX3575-G : Designed for compute-heavy applications such as VDI and AI workloads with the ability to support up to eight NVIDIA (News - Alert) GPUs : Designed for compute-heavy applications such as VDI and AI workloads with the ability to support up to eight NVIDIA (News - Alert) GPUs ThinkAgile VX5575 : Offers a storage-dense 2U solution for fast, high-capacity storage applications including email management, data, and analytics : Offers a storage-dense 2U solution for fast, high-capacity storage applications including email management, data, and analytics ThinkAgile VX7575 and ThinkAgile VX7576 : Optimized 2U for high-performance workloads such as analytics and databases and : Optimized 2U for high-performance workloads such as analytics and databases Third-generation AMD-based Lenovo ThinkAgile VX solutions will be available in the second quarter of 2021 Additionally, Lenovo is updating the Lenovo ThinkAgile HX series HCI solutions, with Nutanix, to take advantage of the third-generation AMD EPYC processors. ThinkAgile HX3375 and ThinkAgile HX3376 provides simplified operations, increased workload density, stronger data protection and seamless application across clouds to enable a true hybrid architecture. Customers will be able to run their virtual desktop workloads with increased performance. The third-generation AMD based ThinkAgile HX solutions will be available in the third quarter of 2021. Comprehensive Approach to Security Lenovo's ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile portfolio includes enterprise-class security features, leveraging Lenovo ThinkShield standards. Lenovo ThinkShield is a comprehensive approach to enhancing security in all products from end-to-end, including supply chain and manufacturing processes. This enables customers to be confident that they have a strong security foundation. As part of the solutions announced today, Lenovo enhances ThinkShield security capabilities including: New standards-compliant NIST SP800-193 Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) with Root of Trust (RoT) Hardware to provide key platform subsystem protection against cyberattacks, unauthorized firmware updates and corruption Discrete security processor testing validated by leading third-party security firms - available for customer review, providing unprecedented transparency and assurance Learn more about Lenovo's edge-to-cloud infrastructure portfolio. Lenovo offerings are available as-a-service through TruScale Infrastructure Services. 1 Lenovo has 2X more benchmark world records on ThinkSystem with the second-generation AMD EPYC processors than HPE and Dell (News - Alert) combined as of Feb. 23, 2021. https://www.amd.com/en/processors/epyc-world-records 2 MLN-059: EPYC 7313 and 7343 CPU powered 2P servers have measured estimated SPECrate2017_int_base scores of 287 and 295 respectively is up to 25% higher than the highest posted score 2P EPYC 7282 and 7302 powered servers with SPECrate2017_int_base scores of 215 https://spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2021q1/cpu2017-20210104-24739.pdf and 246 https://spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2020q1/cpu2017-20191220-20441.pdf respectively on 02/20/2021. OEM published score(s) for 3rd Gen EPYC may vary. SPEC, SPECrate and SPEC CPU are registered trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. See www.spec.org for more information. *Does not include High Frequency parts 3 MLN-060: EPYC 7643 and 7763 CPU powered 2P servers have measured estimated SPECrate2017_fp_base scores of 510 and 614.7 respectively is up to 15% higher than the highest posted score 2P EPYC 7552 and 7662 powered servers with SPECrate2017_fp_base scores of 435 https://spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2020q3/cpu2017-20200706-23314.pdf and 546 https://spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2020q2/cpu2017-20200427-22094.pdf respectively on 02/20/2021. SPECrate2017_int_base scores on 02/20/2021 for the OEM published score(s) for 3rd Gen EPYC may vary. SPEC, SPECrate and SPEC CPU are registered trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. See www.spec.org for more information. LENOVO, THINKSYSTEM, THINKAGILE and LENOVO TRUSCALE are trademarks of Lenovo. AMD, the AMD arrow logo, EPYC, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices (News - Alert) , Inc About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$50 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 63,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world's most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation - to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Weibo and read about the latest news via our StoryHub. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005367/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Grain by grain, sandbars are ecologically important to the Colorado River system for humans and wildlife, say scientists. How sand, silt and clay move along and become deposited within the river corridor in the Grand Canyon National Park, downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, has become an important question to a number of government agencies as well as to Native American tribes. The answer impacts the entire Colorado River ecosystem and will help scientists better understand how the Colorado River system works. Matt Kaplinski, a senior research associate in Northern Arizona University's School of Earth and Sustainability (SES), is the principal investigator on a project, "Long Term Monitoring of Sediment Resources and Channel Substrates of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park," designed to study how the sandbars in the river may be preserved through conservation management. Funded through a $438,000 grant from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the project goal is to determine the magnitudes and trends in fine sediment storage in the Colorado River ecosystem of the park. To achieve this, Kaplinski will track the effects of flows from Glen Canyon Dam, including planned flooding, or High Flow Events (HFEs), which are part of the National Park Service's long-term management plan for the Grand Canyon. He also is investigating the interactions between dam operations, sand transport and eddy/sandbar dynamics and monitoring changes in submerged aquatic vegetation along with the material that makes up the channel bed to discern channel sand storage. "Sandbars are a big part of the river corridor. They form the foundation of the riparian ecosystem and are also where people who visit the corridor camp. Without sandbars, there would just be boulders and talus--debris that falls from the canyon walls," Kaplinski said. "In order to sustain the system, you have to have enough fine grain sediment to be redeposited from the bed up onto the sand bars. Our main hypothesis is that dam operations can preserve the amount of sand necessary to maintain sandbars over the long term." Because most of the sand, silt and clay - about 80 to 90 percent - is stored along the river bottom, a key aspect of the project is bathymetric mapping, which is plotting underwater topography through state-of-the-art multibeam sonar surveys, which Kaplinski adapted to fresh water river systems. "We started mapping in 2009 and have mapped 150 miles from Phantom Ranch to Diamond Creek several times to measure change," he said. "The next section to be mapped, from Phantom Ranch to National Canyon, is very exciting because this part of the Grand Canyon has never been mapped with multibeam before." Eventually, Kaplinski expects to have a full bathymetric map of the channel and banks of the river corridor, a total of 270 miles. "Pre-dam, an average of 65 million metric tons passed Lees Ferry's gauge every year. The dam cut off all of that sediment supply from the upper basin through the Grand Canyon," he said. "The sediment we are left with is what was there when the dam was built plus what comes in from tributaries below the dam. Fortunately, the Paria River enters at the Lees Ferry area and supplies one to five million metric tons annually. Dam operations designed to maintain sandbars utilize that input from the tributaries to rebuild eroded sandbars. The high flows stir up the sediment and deposit it on the banks of the river. So far, the system seems to be working pretty well." Kaplinski has been measuring the shifting sand for three decades. "Since high flows have been released, the size of the sandbars is about the same or greater today than they were in 1990." As one might expect in the Grand Canyon, sediment movement can be dramatic. "We've measured 25-30 vertical feet of change in some pools and eddies before and after HFEs. That's a massive change," he said. "We've also mapped some surprisingly big rocks in the bottom of the river that were previously unknown and are not really visible from the river. And the river, we've learned, can be quite deep - about 80 to 100 feet deep in some places." Also involved in the project is Joe Hazel, an NAU senior research associate who specializes in Colorado River sandbar studies. The team includes up to 20 USGS employees, three full-time NAU employees, several undergraduate students and up to 10 people hired to crew river rafting expeditions that haul sophisticated equipment through the Colorado River's famous rapids. "All of our research trips are 18 to 22 days long," Kaplinski said. "We've been taking two trips a year since 1990. These river trips are big operations, with six to eight boats and 20-24 folks." After the team collects the sonar data, they process it to reveal where the sediment is stored in the system. Researchers also are classifying the river bed material. "From the information we collect above and below the water, we merge several data sets to produce a digital elevation model and bed substrate map of the river corridor," Kaplinski said. The sediment study is part of a larger USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center program that involves hundreds of local and international scientists and includes research into how dam operations effect native fish populations, as well as other natural and cultural resources. The team will report their findings to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program work group made up of 27 stakeholders, including state and federal agencies, environmental organizations, recreation groups, power companies and 8 tribes. The current USGS grant supports the project for one year. Kaplinski believes the findings will help scientists understand other river systems as well as the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon National Park. ### 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. Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi said the Syrian crisis has no military solution and must therefore be settled peacefully and in full conformity with international law, particularly the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. "The conflict cannot and will not end without ensuring the full sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. This can, in no way, be compromised," IRNA cited him as saying. "We once again call for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces present in Syria without the permission of its Government, particularly U.S. forces that continue to occupy parts of the Syrian territory," Majid Takht Ravanchi added. The envoy concluded by noting that "Iran is committed to political resolution of this crisis and will continue supporting the people and Government of Syria to restore the unity and territorial integrity of their country." Hentaiteki.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. 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Basic Information PAGE TITLE 18: zip & rar DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS , , , , , , Hentai Manga, , 18, hentaiteki, hentaiteki.com OTHER KEYWORDS comic, comic , new, rar , 10 comic, 2013 10 comic , rar The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. 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 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 Japanese Japanese SERVER Apache/2 (PHP/5.3.27) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of hentaiteki.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. 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Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND BNY Mellon: Expect the unexpected in EU elections, Netherlands vote will have important implications for EU fiscal policy and Euro exchange rates Analysts at BNY looks at Wednesdays general election which will be a key indicator of voter satisfaction over government coronavirus responses. The result will also have important implications for EU fiscal policy and Euro confidence. Defeat for Prime Minister Rutte would tend to undermine the Euro initially, but potentially increase the potential for long-term fiscal support. Netherlands election kicks-off EU voting cycle BNY Mellon notes that the General election in the Netherlands is the first national vote in what will be an important 15 months in politics for the EU with elections also due in France and Germany. BNY adds; In particular, we would watch out for the prospect of breakthroughs for non- or anti-establishment forces in the eurozone a risk currently not priced into eurozone assets. If there is a shift toward populism, there would be the risk of losses in Euro-zone asset prices and a weaker Euro. At present, the Netherlands has a coalition comprised of four parties and led by Prime Minister Ruttes Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD ). Above: Dutch parliament seats chart Current opinion polls suggest that the VVD could boost its market share slightly compared with 2017. There is, therefore, the possibility that the current coalition could continue with a slight increase in seats. Vote is first test of government coronavirus response The politics of populism and nationalism was extremely important four years ago, but this election is likely to be dominated by the governments coronavirus response. There have inevitably been major controversies, especially over the curfew policy. This is liable to blur traditional distinctions between the parties. According to BNY; As such, a vote against incumbents may be an expression of protest against various pandemic-related policies rather than alignment with a particular set of political views espoused by an individual party. BNY also considers that the VVD party will be potentially vulnerable due to the slow vaccine rollout with less than 10% of the population vaccinated. The performance of mainstream parties will have potentially important implications for Germany and France. This will be particularly important for Franc with increased support for anti-establishment parties increasing expectations of a strong performance by the National Front. BNY notes, however, that there was a sharp drop in support for the German AfD party in German state elections at the weekend. A weak performance by the Dutch opposition Party for Freedom (PVV) would suggest support for populism has been overshadowed by coronavirus and economic priorities. This would tend to be positive for the Euro exchange rates Fiscal policies also in focus, Netherlands is a key member of the frugal four A rejection of populism would tend to support euro-zone confidence. There is, however, another important element surrounding fiscal policy. Last year, the so called frugal four were strong opponents of the EU fiscal support programme with an insistence that funds to weaker countries needed to be on a loan basis rather than through grants. There was a prolonged battle over the EU support package and BNY notes; For the European Union however, another four years of Rutte in power would also mean that the Netherlands will remain a bulwark against efforts to further fiscal integration. Opposition to fiscal support would tend to maintain fears over weak underlying Euro-zone growth and hurt the Euro exchange rates. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. 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. 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. CO. by Colgate has launched, which features products marketed toward Generation Z, which are available exclusively at Ulta Beauty. Previously: Beauty x Oral Care: the Next Opportunity Products in the collection include: Oh So Dazzling: Enzyme-powered teeth whitening toothpaste TLC Toothbrush: Manual toothpaste with ultra soft bristles The CO. Worker: Rechargeable electric toothbrush Later, Stains!: Foaming anti-stain mouth rinse SuperNova: Rechargeable at-home teeth whitening kit It's Lit: Overnight teeth whitening wand Co. to Go: On-the-go anti-cavity toothpaste tabs According to the brand's website, "We made this line of products to reimagine your wellness routine. CO. will make you smile brighter, so you can have more fun, speak up louder and live your truth boldly." CO. is said to represent a fluid idea around self-care or "one that change based on what you want and when you want it." CO. by Colgate is building a donation model into the brand to give back with every purchase, focusing on non-profit organizations that help ensure a future where everyone can live their truth boldly. Monica Arnaudo, chief merchandising officer, Ulta Beauty, said: "We're delighted to be the exclusive retail partner for CO. by Colgate and provide a platform for this innovative collection to be discovered and embraced. As a beauty leader and preferred destination among Gen Z beauty enthusiasts, we know how important daily routines are to our guests' holistic well-being. CO. by Colgate turns the simple act of brushing one's teeth into a self-care ritualand that's something to smile about." Dana Medema, VP and general manager, Oral Care, Colgate North America, said: "Self-expression is at the core of CO. by Colgate, underscored by our belief in a future where everyone can feel confident to express themselves freely. CO. by Colgate is more than a line of transformative oral beauty products that help create brighter smiles. It aspires to celebrate and support those working every day to build a brighter, more inclusive future. We hope to help shape a world where everyone feels safe and encouraged to be who they truly are." Ingredients (Oh So Dazzling): Sodium Monofluorophosphate, Poloxamer 105, Calcium Pyrophosphate, Triacetin, PEG-12, PVP, PEG/PPG-116/66 Copolymer, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Silica, Flavor, Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Saccharin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Sucralose, Carboxylesterase, Maltodextrin, BHT. The judge presiding over the closely watched Derek Chauvin trial pushed back on Tuesday against reports that the court had quietly given city officials its blessing to hand George Floyds family a record-breaking $27 million wrongful death settlement. Mr Chauvins lawyers argue the timing of the settlement, which occurred amid jury selection, will prejudice the case. The bottom line is this is a federal lawsuit. This court was not involved, Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter A Cahill said in court on Tuesday. I think the city is trying to dump their responsibility back in the court where it does not belong, he added. Previously, the Washington Post reported that Minneapolis officials consulted with Hennepin County Chief District Judge Toddrick S Barnette, who gave them the go-ahead on the settlement, the largest in the citys history and one of the biggest ever in a policing death. But on Tuesday, Judge Barnettes colleague, Judge Cahill, overseeing the Chauvin trial, dismissed this description of events. A I recall in my discussions with Judge Barnette, the answer was, We cant tell you what to do, Mr Cahill said. And I think he expressed the concern that we have about doing such a thing in the middle of jury selection. So there is no approval by this court. We had no authority to approve any release at this time. On Friday, the city of Minneapolis approved a record-breaking $27 million settlement with the family of George Floyd, who Mr Chauvin is charged with murdering, after he kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest last May. At the time of the award, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and Mr Floyds family celebrated the decision, arguing it marked a watershed moment in addressing police brutality. Its not just enough for America to say that Black lives matter, Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney who represented the family, said of the settlement. We have to show that Black lives matter by our actions. Following the announcement, Eric Nelson, Mr Chauvins attorney, said the timing of the deal could be incredibly prejudicial on the outcome of the trial, which is still in its early stages. I am gravely concerned with the news that broke on Friday related to the civil settlement, Mr Nelson said in court at the time. The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury selection, its perplexing to me, your honour. Mr Nelson asked to push back the date of the trial to later this month, while raising the potential of renewing his previous motion of moving the trial to another city. Judge Cahill says hell likely rule on the request for a delay on Wednesday. The Hennepin County Court and city of Minneapolis did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent. Maricopa County elections officials count ballots behind boxes of counted ballots at the Maricopa County Recorders Office in Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 4, 2020. (Matt York/AP Photo) Arizona GOP Must Pay $18,000 in Failed Election Lawsuit, Judge Rules A judge has ruled that the Arizona Republican Party and its lawyers must pay $18,000 in legal fees to the Arizona Secretary of State over a failed lawsuit it previously filed seeking a hand count audit of ballots in Maricopa County, the most populous county in the state, due to concerns over the integrity and legitimacy of the results of the November 2020 election. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John R. Hannah last week ruled (pdf) that the legal fees requested by Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who intervened in the case, were reasonable and appropriate because the lawsuit filed by the Arizona GOP was legally groundless and was filed in bad faith. Hannah explained in his 10-page ruling that the suit was groundless because because the relief sought was not legally available from the parties that were sued at the time the suit was filed. He also said that plaintiffs failed to address procedural defects and other issues in their lawsuit. Meanwhile, the judge said he did not think the state GOP had brought the case in good faith because it was brought primarily for an improper purpose. The plaintiff has retreated from the position that a fair election requires a hand count audit based on a sample of precincts. The plaintiff now professes to have wanted nothing more than a hand count audit conducted completely by the book and in strict accordance with the law, even to the point of conducting another quick sampling in strict legal compliance as was requested in this suit. The plaintiff goes on to say that [p]ublic mistrust following this election motivated this lawsuit, Hannah wrote. The plaintiff is effectively admitting that the suit was brought primarily for an improper purpose. It is conceding that the method of sampling ballots for the hand count audit is a minor procedural requirement, not a necessary step toward a fair election. It is saying that it filed this lawsuit for political reasons. Public mistrust is a political issue, not a legal or factual basis for litigation, he added. The case (pdf) stems from a dispute between the Arizona GOP and state officials. Under the Secretary of States manual, election officials must perform a limited precinct hand count audit after every general election. For the 2020 election, Maricopa County set up vote centers across the county rather than assign voters to polling places in their precincts, as had been the traditional practice in prior elections. The difference in sampling vote centers compared to precincts is that there are significantly fewer vote centers. The states Republicans, hence, asked the court to order the sampling of precincts rather than vote centers for the hand count audit. Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs argued at the time that the challenge was a delay tactic to undermine the certification of the election results. That suit was quickly dismissed with prejudice after a hearing in November. Hannah also denied the partys request for an injunction to block Maricopa County from officially certifying its results. Upon rejecting the lawsuit, he indicated that he would ask the Arizona GOP to pay the legal fees under a state law that allows for such when a frivolous lawsuit is brought by a party. Hobbs requested $18,237.59 in attorneys fees. Jack Wilenchik, one of the attorneys representing the Arizona GOP, issued a statement saying the decision would be appealed and that the judges conclusion that public mistrust in an election is an improper reason for a political party to bring to court is sorely disrespectful to the views of the many Americans whom I am proud to represent. Wilenchik said the order encourages public distrust in the government for being openly hostile to them. The Arizona GOP didnt immediately respond to a request for comment by The Epoch Times. Janita Kan and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Record CSG Flow Rates at Reids Dome Brisbane, Mar 16, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - State Gas Limited ( ASX:GAS ) refers to recent announcements1 relating to its production testing activities at its 100%-owned Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL 231) in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. As previously advised, State Gas is undertaking production testing of three coal seam gas (CSG) wells in the Nyanda area at Reid's Dome in order to appraise that area for early development.The Nyanda-4 well has provided exceptional results overnight, producing a total of 620,000 cubic feet in the previous 24 hours.Drilled in late 2018, the Nyanda-4 well was placed on test for two periods last year; in each case promising gas production was interrupted by pump breakdowns after six and nine weeks respectively. Production in the current test has exceeded previous rates achieved, on both a daily production and instantaneous basis.Production testing at the Nyanda-7 and Nyanda-8 wells drilled in 2020 also continues.Nyanda-7 is experiencing strong water recharge, indicating good permeability, although slowing the progress in reducing downhole pressures aimed at accelerating gas production. Despite this, and in a positive early sign, gas production at the well has commenced, with 5000 cubic feet/day recorded.Nyanda-8 gas flows also continue to build, producing 31,000 cubic feet/day over 24 hours yesterday.State Gas Executive Chairman, Richard Cottee, expressed his delight: "Last week I advised we had 'cracked the code' at Reid's Dome and these results truly confirm it.""The rates we are seeing from Nyanda-4 are well above the indicative threshold for a commercial well (commonly taken to be around 100,000 cf/d), and I am confident the area will prove commercial." Mr Cottee said."In addition, the fact that the well has come back to exceed previous rates so quickly and emphatically is great news - this suggests the well hasn't been damaged by stoppages in production, as is so often the case with CSG wells. The implication is that Reid's Dome can supply intermittent volumes, enabling it to optimise sales into a volatile market to achieve best pricing. This is very exciting", Mr Cottee added."I am also pleased with the progress at Nyanda-7 and 8. Neither of these wells has the benefit of the "free gas" that Nyanda-4 has because of its location on the crest of the anticline and this means the pumps have to work harder and longer until the higher flows come through. Nyanda-8 is flowing at one third of the indicative commercial threshold of 100,000 cubic feet/day. I have no doubt both these wells will produce at the levels we want to see", Mr Cottee said.State Gas also advises that the Secure Well Services Rig 2 was mobilised to site on 15 March 2021 to undertake a workover at the Serocold-1 well. This well will be cleaned out and a new pump installed, prior to a production test commencing to establish the producibility of gas in this central area of PL231.Planning is also progressing for drilling at the Company's new Rolleston West permit (ATP 2062), located to the north-east of PL 231, with drilling anticipated to commence in mid to late April, weather permitting.Further details will be available on Wednesday, 17 March 2020 via a company presentation by Mr Cottee to the Australian Energy & Minerals Conference, to be held in Brisbane. A copy of the presentation will be released to the Australian Securities Exchange on 17 March.About State Gas Limited State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) is a Queensland-based developer of the Reid's Dome gas field, originally discovered during drilling in 1955, located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. State Gas is 100%-owner of the Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL-231) a CSG and conventional gas play, which is well-located 30 kilometres southwest of Rolleston, approximately 50 kilometres from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network. Permian coal measures within the Reid's Dome Beds are extensive across the entire permit but the area had not been explored for coal seam gas prior to State Gas' ownership. In late 2018 State Gas drilled the first coal seam gas well in the region (Nyanda-4) into the Reid's Dome Beds and established the potential for a significant coal seam gas project in PL 231. The extension of the coal measures into the northern and central areas of the permit was confirmed in late 2019 by the Company's drilling of Aldinga East-1A (12 km north) and Serocold-1 (6 km to the north of Nyanda-4). State Gas is also the 100% holder Authority to Prospect 2062 ("Rolleston-West"), a 1,414 km2 permit (eight times larger than PL 231) that is contiguous with the Reid's Dome Gas Project. Rolleston-West contains highly prospective targets for both coal seam gas (CSG) and known conventional gas within the permit area. It is not restricted by domestic gas reservation requirements. The contiguous areas (Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West), under sole ownership by State Gas, enable integration of activities and a unified super-gasfield development, providing economies of scale, efficient operations, and optionality in marketing. State Gas is implementing its strategic plan to bring gas to market from Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West to meet near term forecast shortfalls in the east coast domestic gas market. The strategy involves progressing a phased appraisal program in parallel with permitting for an export pipeline and development facilities to facilitate the fastest possible delivery of gas to market. State Gas' current focus has been to confirm the producibility of the gas through production testing of the wells. A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus stands against the China Central Television building as capital city is hit by polluted air and a sandstorm in Beijing, Monday, March 15, 2021. AP Beijing was cloaked in thick yellow smog on Monday with pollution levels surging off the charts as the worst sandstorm in a decade descended on China's capital from the Gobi desert. City residents used goggles, masks and hairnets to protect themselves from the choking dust and sand, with landmarks including the Forbidden City partly obscured behind an apocalyptic-looking haze. The city government ordered schools to cancel outside sport and events and advised the public to stay inside where possible, as hundreds of flights were cancelled. Chinese weather agencies blamed the poor air quality on a sandstorm sweeping across northern China from northern Mongolia, where authorities there said it had left several dead, before being carried south by winds and reducing visibility in Beijing to less than 500 metres. Under heavy skies, which draped buildings in an eerie glow, Beijing residents fretted over the health risks of a storm which compounded days of hazardous PM 2.5 pollution in the capital. "I feel every breath will give me lung problems," Beijing resident Zhang Yunya told AFP. It was the worst sandstorm in a decade to hit a capital, which had pegged its hopes of rebuilding a natural barrier to such phenomena on intensive tree replanting in stripped forest areas, also known as the "green great wall". Beijing said last year it expected fewer and weaker sandstorms to hit northern China due to its reforestation efforts. A 2019 study published in the journal Nature Sustainability found some two million square miles of vegetation had been added to the surface of the earth since 2000, a quarter of which was contributed by China. But the impact of those greenbelts is disputed against the prevailing desertification of the country's northwest. A man walks past buildings shrouded in haze after a sandstorm in the Central Business District of Beijing, China, March 15, 2021. Reuters In the spirit of growing scientific collaboration, grants will provide support for four projects across 15 research institutions using cutting-edge technology to address crucial issues in pediatric cancer research Philadelphia (March 16, 2021)- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a nonprofit foundation devoted to finding cures for all children with cancer, announces grant award recipients of their Crazy 8 Initiative. The recipients will receive grants totaling more than $18.5 million, which is the single, largest funding commitment from ALSF to date. The Initiative kicked off in the Fall of 2018 with a meeting that brought together more than 90 scientists from around the world to help define the research landscape in eight key areas of need in order to tackle major obstacles impeding progress toward cures for childhood cancer. Through a rigorous review process, ALSF received over 100 letters of intent from researchers that resulted in 83 full grant applications which were ultimately narrowed down to four projects that will work to accelerate the pace of new cure discovery. Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children, and the Crazy 8 Initiative is poised to change the trajectory of pediatric oncology. Grants from the Crazy 8 Initiative will fund research for innovative and rigorous approaches that directly address the most obstinate issues in pediatric cancer research. A key component of the Initiative is its approach in bringing cross-disciplinary scientists to work collaboratively in order to accelerate the pace of new cure discovery. For example, connecting neurologists and biologists with pediatric oncologists to work hand-in-hand in growing scientific discovery, while aiming to provide detailed roadmaps for hard-to-treat childhood cancers. "The Crazy 8 Initiative is vital because it orchestrates talent from around the world and creates collective solutions. Pediatric cancer research is at an incredibly pressing moment right now, and we're thrilled to be at the forefront of this progress--generating opportunities to turn competition into collaboration by bringing world-class researchers together," said Liz Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. "This initiative is monumental, and we know it will provide a tremendous impact globally in moving the needle for pediatric cancer research over the next five years." An overview of the awarded Crazy 8 Initiative projects including project investigators, key institutions, and cross-cutting technologies can be found below. Yael P. Mosse, MD, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and a group of investigators from various institutions are teaming up to create a drug that will target the transcription factor MYCN, which drives aggressive pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. They will employ cutting-edge technology called targeted degradation to design a drug that will trick the cancer cells to dissolve MYCN, leading to cancer cell death. The team of investigators includes: John Maris, MD and Ophir Shalem, PhD, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Seychelle Vos, PhD, MIT; Gwenn Hansen, PhD, Nurix Therapeutics; Martine F. Roussel, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Natalia Jura, PhD, Kliment A. Verba, PhD, and William A. Weiss, MD/PhD of University of California San Francisco; Martin Eilers, PhD and Elmar Wolf, PhD of University of Wurzburg Charles G. Mullighan, MBBS(Hons) MSc MD FRACP FRCPA, of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading a team to tackle mutant transcription factors that drive acute leukemias and medulloblastoma, two leading causes of cancer-related death in children. Aberrant transcription factors are difficult to inhibit with traditional drugs, and that's where this team is focusing its efforts, utilizing a new technology called molecular glues to degrade previously undruggable transcription factors. They will develop a library of molecular glues to screen for agents that are successful at killing acute leukemia or medulloblastoma cells. The team of investigators, all from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, includes: M. Madan Babu, PhD, FRSC; Marcus Fischer, PhD; Jeffery M. Klco, MD/PhD; Paul A. Northcott, PhD; Zoran Rankovic, PhD; and Martine F. Roussel, PhD. Led by Leonard Zon, MD, of Boston Children's Hospital, investigators are joining forces to use a new genetic fingerprinting technology to study how blood cancers, such as leukemia, arise in development. They aim to understand what types of blood stem cells lead to different forms of pediatric leukemia and which key gene and pathway disruptions can alter stem cell function and subsequently kill leukemia cells. Ultimately this will inform new drug development for therapies that will disrupt leukemic stem cells and not normal blood stem cells. The team of investigators includes: Scott A. Armstrong, MD/PhD and Serine Avagyan, MD/PhD of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center; Fernando Camargo, PhD and Vijay G. Sankaran, MD/PhD of Boston Children's Hospital; Ross Levine, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Juerg Schwaller, MD, University Children's Hospital and Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Switzerland; Jay Shendure, MD/PhD, University of Washington School of Medicine; Peter Campbell, MD/PhD, Wellcome Sanger Institute Heinrich Kovar, PhD, of St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria is leading a team to examine the developmental origins of malignant bone tumors, such as Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma. Using new single-cell genomics technology that examines single cells, as opposed to clusters of cells, and trans-species epigenomics, this team aims to better understand the developmental programs underlying bone tumor initiation and progression. Elucidating the biological mechanisms that lead to bone tumors will allow for the development of better pre-clinical models in which to study the disease and will lead to rational design efforts for developing new drugs for these tumors. The team of investigators includes: Martin Distel, PhD and Florian Halbritter, PhD of St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria; Igor Adameyko, PhD and Matthias Farlik, PhD of Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Cornelia Kasper, PhD, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria Building on its history as a leading funder in pediatric cancer research, ALSF established the Crazy 8 Initiative to harness collaborative spirit across global institutions to go after the most pressing pediatric cancer research roadblocks. ALSF focused the program to address the eight most challenging aspects of pediatric oncology: embryonal brain cancers; high-grade gliomas; fusion-positive sarcomas; fusion-negative sarcomas; leukemias; neuroblastoma; big data; and catalyzing clinical trials. While work on the first awarded Crazy 8 Initiative grants is underway, a second Crazy 8 Initiative request for applications was recently issued, bringing the total commitment to $25 million. To learn more visit: https:/ / www. alexslemonade. org/ crazy-8-initiative . ### About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation The Duchess of Cornwall today revealed she was given the AstraZeneca jab but said 'it didn't matter' to her as she proclaimed: 'You take what you are given.' During a visit with Prince Charles, 72, to a pop-up jab centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in London, Camilla, 73, joked: 'I don't even ask because I hate injections so much that I shut my eyes... whatever comes out.' It was announced in February that Camilla and Charles had received their vaccine a month after the Queen and Prince Philip received their coronavirus jabs. However, Buckingham Palace refused to tell MailOnline which vaccine Her Majesty, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, had been given. The duchess spoke to Dr John McGrath, a GP, who was administering the AstraZeneca vaccine at the pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque. And she agreed with him when he said: 'We want to get this vaccine into the arms of everyone. No matter of race, colour or creed.' He continued: 'And the way we do that is yes, you do it though your GP surgeries, your pharmacies, hospitals....but also through doing it in local communities..' 'You need to get people in,' said Camilla. Dr McGrath asked the duchess which vaccine she had received and was told AstraZeneca. Camilla added: 'Although it didn't matter. I didn't ask. I don't even ask because I hate injections so much that I shut my eyes.... whatever comes out.' Her intervention comes amid a raging Anglo-EU row over the AstraZeneca vaccine as panic over blood clot fears sweeps across the European mainland and causes 14 governments to call a halt to the roll-out amid a third wave of cases. The European Medicines Agency today insisted there is no evidence the vaccine causes dangerous side-effects, and said it was 'firmly convinced' that injections with the AstraZeneca shot should continue. The regulator joins the Government and the World Health Organisation in a full-throated defence of the vaccine amid fury at EU nations including France and Germany for suspending the jabs. The Duchess of Cornwall today revealed she had been given the AstraZeneca vaccine but revealed 'it didn't matter' to her and she 'didn't ask' Prince Charles and Camilla visit a Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Finsbury Park Mosque The Prince of Wales during a visit to the vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque The Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to the pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque Prince Charles and Camilla visit a Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Finsbury Park Mosque The Prince of Wales during a visit to the vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (right) during their visit to the vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in north London Regulatory reports show that blood clot diagnoses are about equally likely after either the two jabs being used in the UK and scientists insist the risk is no higher than a random person in the population could expect, meaning the vaccine remains safe Figures from AstraZeneca and the European Medicines Agency show the number of blood clot-related conditions from 17million doses dished out in the UK and Europe up to March 13 The countries around the world that have stopped using the Oxford jab Europe: Sweden France Italy Spain Germany Iceland Portugal Ireland Bulgaria Denmark Slovenia Netherlands Norway Luxembourg Stopped using one batch: Austria Lithuania Latvia Estonia Romania Non-Europe: Indonesia Thailand Venezuela Advertisement Today, Downing Street again defended the AstraZeneca vaccine and said Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be happy to take it when his turn came to have a jab. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency had been 'extremely clear that both vaccines are both safe and effective'. The World Health Organisation has also 'been clear that the AZ vaccine is both safe and effective, they said there was no reason for concern and distribution of the vaccine should not be suspended'. Asked if Mr Johnson would be willing to have the AstraZeneca jab, the spokesman said: 'Yes, he would be perfectly happy to take the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.' EMA safety experts say a 'very small number of people' have come down with blood disorders but there is 'no indication' that these were caused by the jab, which 11million people have already had in the UK. 'We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,' said EMA chief Emer Cooke. Countries including France will now face pressure to resume AstraZeneca jabs after the EMA delivered its verdict and reiterated that the number of blood clots 'seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population'. Italy earlier admitted that its suspension of AstraZeneca jabs was a 'political' move while French doctors accused Emmanuel Macron of 'giving in to panic' and a German lawmaker said the ban could cause a 'catastrophe'. Germany sought to justify its move by saying that one particular kind of blood clot, a 'sinus vein thrombosis', had occurred seven times among the 1.6million people vaccinated when only around one case would be expected. By contrast, only four such cases have been identified in the UK out of 11million doses administered. Nicola Magrini, the head of Italian medicines regulator AIFA, said politicians had come under pressure to call off the jabs after Germany and France made similar moves in what one Tory MP described as a 'Brexit sulk'. 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations... to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one,' Magrini said in an interview with La Repubblica. Fourteen European countries including 12 EU members have now suspended their use of the shots altogether - with Sweden joining the list today - while another five have black-listed specific batches and a handful of governments outside Europe have also pulled the emergency brake. The AstraZeneca jab was already an unloved choice in Europe after top officials lashed out at the firm in a post-Brexit row over supplies and raised unfounded doubts about its effectiveness. Scientists fear that Europe's moves could now fuel 'more extreme anti-vaccine sentiment' despite findings by the EU, UK, WHO and AstraZeneca that there is no evidence of a link to the sporadic blood clots. Belgium's health ministry said it would continue using the jab because it was in a race against time to protect its population. Extraordinarily, one French minister told Politico that it decided to copy Berlin's move to avoid 'stress' - and at the same time Paris is threatening to sue AstraZeneca for failing to supply enough doses. Europe is presiding over one of the world's slowest jabs roll-outs which has left people vulnerable to infection, while the UK has masterminded one of the world's fastest, with Covid cases and deaths now falling sharply Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have suspended their use of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine over blood clot fears despite health bodies saying there is no link and cases trending upwards - threatening more lockdowns Many EU countries are seeing cases rise again with vaccines still coming too slowly to protect large chunks of the population against sickness and death What deaths have been linked to the Oxford- AstraZeneca jab - and have they been proven? So far, more than 11 million doses of the Oxford jab have been administered in the UK alone, with countless more distributed worldwide. Out of the millions of vaccines already given, fewer than 50 reported blood-related issues post-vaccine, with no confirmed causal link to the jab. AstraZeneca, the World Health Organization and EU regulators have all rejected the blood clot fears. But even so, Ireland joined Denmark, Norway and Iceland in temporarily halting all AstraZeneca vaccinations following reports of 'serious blood clotting events' in Norway. Norwegian health authorities of Saturday confirmed that three healthcare workers who had the AstraZeneca jab were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of blood platelets. All three individuals in hospital in Norway for conditions including blood clots were under the age of 50. The Government were notified on Saturday. Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency reported one person in Austria was diagnosed with blood clots and died 10 days after vaccination - but it stressed there is 'currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions'. A further patient was admitted to hospital in Austria with pulmonary embolism - a blockage in the arteries in the lungs - after being vaccinated, while one death involving a blood clot was reported in Denmark. A 50-year-old man is also thought to have died in Italy from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), while there has been an unconfirmed report of another death in the country. Italy also followed Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and Lithuania in banning jabs from one particular batch of one million AstraZeneca vaccines, which was sent to 17 countries, after reports that a 49-year-old nurse died soon after getting one of the jabs. On Saturday, US boxer Marvin Hagler, died aged 66, after he reportedly suffered side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. What vaccine he received has not been confirmed and the link between his death and a jab has not been proven. Advertisement Whitehall sources claimed the suspensions were a 'cynical attempt to discredit' AstraZeneca in the wake of the bloc's row with the Anglo-Swedish drugs firm amid a shambolic rollout. 'I genuinely don't know what they are playing at,' said one insider. 'There is no data to support what they are doing. They just don't seem to be able to get over their disputes with AstraZeneca.' In Britain, Tory and Labour MPs highlighted the assurances given by regulators and experts as they appealed for Britons to ignore 'fake news' and accept invitations for jabs. Nearly half the UK population has now had their first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was 'crystal clear' the vaccine was safe, while Conservative backbencher Anthony Browne said European leaders were driven by 'politics not science'. 'The EU's Brexit sulk will cost EU lives,' he said. Among the 17million people across Europe who have received the vaccine there have been 37 reports of blood clots, which experts say is well below the expected level. Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon leapt to the defence of the jab yesterday, saying it is 'safe and effective' and no such side effects have been witnessed in the UK, which has used more doses than anywhere else in the world. The attempts to quell safety concerns over the jab came after a host of European nations announced they would be pausing their roll-out of the Oxford vaccine. Swedish chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said it was suspending the jabs as a 'precautionary measure'. Portugal, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Slovenia and Bulgaria have also called a halt to the AstraZeneca's vaccine. Meanwhile, Austria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Romania have stopped the use of one batch of the jab. Australian MP Matt Canavan said last night that he wants the country to follow the 17 European nations and stop using the vaccine. Italian prosecutors on Monday also launched a manslaughter probe after a music teacher died at the weekend just one day after receiving AstraZeneca's jab. The judiciary in Biella, a city in the north of the nation, opened a preliminary probe into 57-year-old Sandro Tognatti's death to decide whether there is a case to answer. Mr Magrini, the Italian medicines regulator said the AstraZeneca vaccine was safe and that the benefit to risk ratio of the jab is 'widely positive'. There have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects following vaccinations in Italy, he added. German health minister Jens Spahn was accused by the opposition of caving in to political pressure by announcing the stoppage on Monday, which another German MP described as a potential 'catastrophe'. 'If AstraZeneca were completely dropped, that would be a catastrophe for Germany but also for the EU... there's no other vaccine that can replace it before the summer,' said epidemiologist-turned-politician Karl Lauterbach. Germany has already had problems with public reluctance to take the vaccine, with around 1.3million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine lying unused. Frank Ulrich Montgomery, a German doctor and council chair of the World Medical Association, warned: 'The bottom line is that this good and effective vaccine is hardly going to gain higher acceptance as a result of this kerfuffle and the suspension in many countries'. Spahn said the decision to suspend AstraZeneca shots was taken on the advice of the country's vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation into seven cases of clots in the brains of people who had been vaccinated. In France, a medical union condemned Emmanuel Macron's move to suspend vaccinations on Monday, accusing him of 'giving in to panic' and failing to consult doctors. The syndicate of private doctors 'believes that the subject of vaccination and the fight against Covid-19 is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians', it said. 'No clear instructions are given to doctors, who find themselves in the greatest embarrassment in the face of patients who are made more sceptical every day by the government's multiple communication errors'. Macron said he will suspend shots until later this week, when the EMA could lay out firmer findings. Falola operates at a distinctively different level, unlike any other. By working in terms of a principle of individual and collaborative action, he multiplies his scholarly and interpersonal impact, the impressions of his efforts in the world of ideas and knowledge and his creatively shaping influence in the lives of others, far beyond what he would have achieved if he had focused on working alone You cannot stand in one spot to watch a dancing mask, states an Igbo proverb quoted by the novelist, Chinua Achebe. You need to watch the mask from various vantage points in order to better appreciate its dynamism, its combination of visual power and dazzling motion. As with the mask, so is it with life. Its scope cannot be adequately appreciated from one perspective, from any one body of ideas and insights. The ever-unfolding totality of approaches to understanding reality represents human efforts to grasp the ultimately ungraspable. Even then, the quest is central to what makes us human. The hunger to know as much as possible about this universe we find ourselves in is a pursuit that takes the seeker into various disciplines, and various bodies of knowledge. One such seeker I deeply admire is Toyin Falola, the dancing mask of many sides, whose multifaceted genius needs multiple vantage points to be appreciated. Toyin Falolas Multidisciplinary Creativity His academic education is in History. From the grand narrative about the scope of the human journey that is history, he enters into various tributaries of the mighty ocean, seeking, in the rivers, creeks and other waterways that feed into the tumultuous sea, the varied motivations and engagements with reality that define human existence. He is particularly interested in those who still people the continent from which humanity branched out across the world, Africa, as well as in the journeys of Africans across the ocean into the Americas. Falolas work is to be found in every area in which Africans are active, with the sciences being the only field he has not explored in depth, perhaps because he considers himself safer within the humanities and social sciences; ready areas of competence for him. Even then, the study of the history and philosophy of science in relation to Africa would benefit from the depth of consistent exploration that Falola brings to his scholarly projects. Falola is a scholar and mobiliser of scholarship whose achievement dazzles with the glory of the sun at noon. The relentless creativity represented by this achievement, its year after year, decade after decade of engagement with almost all aspects of the African experience, requires constant reevaluation. In this essay, I examine a brief selection of Falolas works, beginning from his latest book, published this year, to other publications from the last nine years. On a Selection of Books Edited by Toyin Falola I begin from Falolas most recent publication, The Palgrave Handbook of African Oral Traditions and Folklore, 2021, edited alongside Akintunde Akinyemi. Looking through the contents of this book, and even more, reading the survey of the contents in the introduction by Falola and Akinyemi makes clear the staggering scope of ambition and execution the book represents. Comparing the book with more recent single and multi-authored productions in the field and going back to the second generation texts by such scholars as Isidore Okpewho and first generation works represented by Ruth Finnegans African Oral Literature, makes it clear that unless there is another work of this scope in existence, this is likely to be the most expansive study of the field and the most up to date, spanning the foundations of African oral literature in orality centred societies to the crossing over, across centuries, of African oral literature into contemporary digital media. Another book edited by Falola and published shortly before the one on oral traditions is The Philosophy of Nimi Wariboko: Social Ethics, Economy and Religion, 2021, in which Falola has two long essays, one of which is the introduction. This is a fantastic production on an amazing scholar whose work ranges across Kalabari thought, Pentecostalism, continental philosophy, urban studies and economics, published in a sequence of trenchant books. The Philosophy of Nimi Wariboko is the first book on Wariboko, foregrounding and contextualising his creativity through analyses from scholars in various disciplines, on various continents, exploring his work from diverse angles, along with an overarching exposition of Waribokos world view and expressive styles; a monumental text. Refencing another multi-authored book on the creative achievement of an individual, Victor Ekpuk: Connecting Lines Across Space and Time, 2018, was also initiated, organised and edited by Falola. It is the first print book on Ekpuk, an artist remarkable for his transposition of the aesthetics of the ancient Nigerian Nsibidi symbol system, dramatising both its esoteric allure and its potentially playful possibilities, in a manner that is distinctively Ekpuks as he creates his own expressive language through this inspiration, in harmony with other inspirations from different cultures. What if the selection of Falolas edited books, from which I have made these presentations, were both numerically larger and broader in terms of disciplines, representing the more extensive range of Falolas edited works? Before the Ekpuk book, The Palgrave Handbook of African Philosophy, edited by Falola and Adeshina Afolayan, 2017, was published. It is another multi-authored text, comprising essays written for that volume, as most of Falolas edited multi-authored texts known to me are. This handbook is an encyclopedic exploration of the scope of African philosophy, sweeping in its examination of broad issues and incisive in its analysis of specific ideas, in relation to the role of philosophy in various aspects of existence, with particular reference to Africa. It is one of the more up to date in the field, if not the most up to date, distilling the achievement demonstrated by the history of the discipline, introducing new voices and integrating them within a sensitivity to contemporary developments. In 2013, Esu: Yoruba God, Power and the Imaginative Frontiers, edited by Falola, was published. This is a comprehensive exploration, by scholars from various parts of the world, spanning diverse disciplines and referencing information from Africa and beyond, on one of the richest, most complex figures of Yoruba origin, the Orisa cosmology, thereby creating perhaps the most informative, multi-authored and almost certainly the most up to date book on Esu, a distinction it is likely to enjoy for a long time. So broad is its thematic scope and so ancient and yet modern, its temporal range. In 2020, The Palgrave Handbook of African Social Ethics, edited by Falola and Wariboko, was published, examining ethics in relation to Africa across the family and community, the state and politics, economics, culture and religion. That list of texts is a small selection from Falolas edited works in which he writes the introduction, when he is sole editor or co-writes it when he is joint editor and often contributes a sole authored essay to the book. This selection is decided by the fact that these are the Falola books I am familiar with at the moment, as I proceed with studying his works. ADVERTISEMENT What if the selection of Falolas edited books, from which I have made these presentations, were both numerically larger and broader in terms of disciplines, representing the more extensive range of Falolas edited works? Could such a larger scope of possibility imply that studying Falolas edited books enriches our understanding of Africana Studies, with some of the most comprehensive and up to date texts in the field? Let me now turn to some of Falolas sole authored essays and books, again using texts Im well acquainted with. The first Falola book I read was The Toyin Falola Reader on African Culture, Nationalism, Development and Epistemologies, 2018, which examines the African experience within the mother continent and the Americas, through social, economic, intellectual, educational and literary history and philosophical analyses, a very competent achievement yielding a panoramic view of modern African developments, enriched by detailed analysis of specific issues within its historical sweep. In this selection of Falolas essays, two, Pluriversalism and Ritual Archives, stand out for me for analytical, expository and imaginative force. Ritual Archives is particularly striking in being developed both through a conventional argument employing a linear logic, as well as being an imaginative exercise, where the author dramatises his vision of the distillation of African thought and practice as scholarly vehicles, through a meditation on the deity, Esu. Cooperation, mutual enablement, is key to surmounting the challenges faced by Africana Studies worldwide and by African scholars within and beyond Africa. Such cooperative work is one of Falolas great strengths as a remarkable scholar and a great cultivator of human potentials in relation to scholarship Through the imaginative exercise he conducts in the essay, Falola transposes the material character of ritual to the mental plane, where the imaginative force of ritual is concentrated, a reworking of ritual already well developed in Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity but only slowly growing in Orisa spirituality, as it expands to include a broader range of theological perspectives and approaches to sacred action. My favourite sole authored book by Falola is In Praise of Greatness: The Poetics of African Adulation, 2019. It is a series of short biographies and assessments of the achievements of various figures, either Africans or related to Africana Studies, enriched by poetry in Yoruba and English, and subsumed by a meditation on life, death and the afterlife, on mortality and immortality, understood both in physical terms and in relation to the tracks of memory and the enduring impact of ideas. What makes Falolas achievement unique is what I will call the principle of collective growth. Most humanities, and I expect, social sciences scholars, and particularly those who are academics scholars employed by institutions of higher education are self centred in their work. Not surprising, given the often solitary mobilisation of mental and physical resources, often across the span of years, required to practice scholarship. This challenge is greater within academia on account of the particularly high level of mental and physical effort, sustained for decades through rigorous discipline, from schooling to self-directed scholarship, necessary for academic success. Thus, it is challenging enough to harness ones own resources for success. This could explain why, within the context of scholarship on the humanities in academia, working together to achieve joint success does not seem common. Falola generates success in himself and helps thousands of others cultivate their own successes, explaining why he is one of the continents most successful scholars. Falola operates at a distinctively different level, unlike any other. By working in terms of a principle of individual and collaborative action, he multiplies his scholarly and interpersonal impact, the impressions of his efforts in the world of ideas and knowledge and his creatively shaping influence in the lives of others, far beyond what he would have achieved if he had focused on working alone, as represented by sole authored texts, as most scholars and academics do. Falola has consistently combined, almost on a yearly basis, the sole publication of articles and books, with publications where he is editor or co-editor, either of existing texts selected by himself, or of newly written texts in a scholarly initiative created by himself or with a co-editor. He is also keenly alert to ideas for book publishing, emerging from the efforts of others, as I can testify from my interactions with him. Through these methods, involving sole authored and collaborative publishing, his publishing presence soars astronomically, even as the constellation of scholars constituted by his collaborators are empowered in terms of their own impacts in the world of knowledge. They are further enabled through the scholarly training realised by participating in the dynamic and highly efficient publication network Falola has created. Their academic careers are elevated and strengthened, with positive implications for professional visibility and job security. Cooperation, mutual enablement, is key to surmounting the challenges faced by Africana Studies worldwide and by African scholars within and beyond Africa. Such cooperative work is one of Falolas great strengths as a remarkable scholar and a great cultivator of human potentials in relation to scholarship, as his work contributes to cultivating an endogenously grounded, though globally interdependent African scholarly tradition, within knowledge empowered development in Africa. He pursues this vision through co-writing and co-editing books with scholars at different stages of their careers, including doctoral students, providing publishing opportunities for any competent person, inside or outside academia, such as Independent Scholars as myself, engaging as writers-scholars skilled in the varied subjects his works address, even if they dont have academic training in those fields, like I am self-educated in the fields of art and philosophy, on which I have contributed to Falolas edited books. He works on multiple sole authored, co-authored, sole edited and co-edited texts simultaneously, often across years. As these projects mature into birth, they suggest a sense of miraculous, multiple flowerings. The fruits of a great river flowing underground across a far distance, eventually rising above ground to wondering eyes. Dance on, O great mask, your footsteps, vibrating across space and time. Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju is an independent scholar whose work is centred in the comparative exploration of the visual and verbal arts, philosophy, spirituality and science. He is the founder and director of the research and publishing initiative Compcros, Comparative Cognitive Processes and Systems. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Today in Texas homes and businesses, the lights are on and clean water flows. But for one week in February, the entire state of Texas was brought to its knees by a massive winter storm creating such a demand for electricity that much of Texas went without power and water for days on end. The widespread loss of electricity caused mass devastation on a scale rivaling any natural disaster. The only thing certain now is that the road to recovery will be long and the specter of litigation even longer. Those suffering losses following natural disasters invariably ask themselves, Who will pay for this? There is no easy answer to that question, but insurance will play a key and deceptively complex role in any recovery. It should not only pay for property damage and lost profits, but also fund the defenses of those sued for causing harm and bolster certain industries, like the gas and electric power industry, against unique hazards. That is why as we collectively scramble to account for our losses, we must understand the many roles insurance may play. Only by doing so can Texans and Texas businesses hope to be made whole. Diverse Damages Unlike those losses typically associated with natural disasters, which arise directly from the force of nature itself (e.g., wind damage in a tornado), some losses arising out of the 2021 winter storm have less to do with the impact of the storm at any given location, and more to do with the effect and handling of a state-wide demand for power that outstripped the states generative capacity. This makes the 2021 event quite novel insofar as natural disasters go and has led to an unusually large breadth of losses both in terms of geographic reach (i.e., much of Texas) and type. The losses suffered are significant and far-reaching. In terms of bodily injury, we are still hearing of fatalities that occurred due to hypothermia and personal injuries caused by lack of medical care or medication. And with respect to property damage, losses range from water damage due to burst pipes to equipment and structural damage caused by ice and tree limbs. Many businesses also suffered an entire week (or more) of lost profits thanks to rolling blackouts, lack of clean water, and/or lack of access to their properties. These individuals and businesses have begun asking who may be responsible for their losses. Insurance and Natural Disasters Go Hand in Hand. It is no surprise that we have seen an enormous influx of insurance claims arising out of the storm. With respect to property and business losses, the first line of defense is the standard property policy. Commercial property policies principally insure against damage to the insureds own property, but they may also afford coverage for business interruption (lost revenue due to disruptions in ones operations), contingent business interruptions (lost revenue due to interruptions in the supply/customer chain), service interruption (losses caused by utility disruptions), so-called extra expenses (expenses incurred to resume operations), and transit losses (loss of property in transit). Property policies may also afford coverage for losses caused by government actions. The potential applicability of property policies is broad, but every policy is different. For instance, those seeking to recover for business interruption may find that their policies have anywhere from a 24-hour to a 60-day waiting period, only after which coverage kicks in. As for liability policies, there are options available to protect companies from claims asserted against them. The front-line defense in the third-party context is the commercial general liability (CGL) policy. CGL policies insure against the perils normally associated with owning a business. For example, if a power companys downed powerline burned down a house, a CGL policy may cover the ensuing claim. Frequently complementing CGL policies are specific policies geared toward the insureds business that fill in any coverage gaps. For example, an engineering firm should have a professional liability (or errors and omissions) policy that specifically insures against design defects. Another type of third-party insurance likely to be receiving much attention given the numerous lawsuits against the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), local utilities and others is the directors and officers liability (D&O) policy. D&O policies protect company management (and often the company itself) when it is sued for wrongful acts arising out of management-related misconduct. They may even cover investigations by government agencies. For example, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced various investigations and sued electric retailer Griddy, alleging Griddy misled its customer using deceptive business practices, resulting in certain customers being billed tens of thousands of dollars for electricity during the state-wide shortage under variable rate electricity plans. Griddys and those investigated entities D&O policies may afford them a defense. Property damage, personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits have proliferated in the weeks that followed the storm. In these cases, the defendants have typically been ERCOT, PUC, utility companies, generators, and the like. Given the extensive media coverage and political attention, the fact that these entities have been primary targets is no surprise, although the plaintiffs road to recovery will be difficult. Observers expect the defendant pool to grow in the coming months to include other entities, like landlords, who may be accused of creating unsafe conditions, and contractors, who may be accused of faulty design or construction efforts giving rise to generation or transmission problems. Regardless of the ultimate merit of these various suits, liability policies of all sorts will be called upon to defend and pay settlements and judgments. While not yet in litigation, we will inevitably also see a wave of insurance coverage lawsuits in which policyholders fight for all types of coverage including coverage for property losses, business interruption, and liability coverage. As with all waves of coverage litigation following a natural disaster, there is typically a calm before the storm as insurance companies attempt to formulate a uniform coverage position. Thus, at this early stage, it is important not to confuse temporary tranquility with clear skies on the insurance front. Conclusion The floodgates are open. Right now, plaintiffs fill the courts with claims against government officials, ERCOT and power companies. At the same time, policyholders are filing claims with their insurance companies in record number all across the state. For policyholders who have suffered a loss during the 2021 winter storm, the worst thing to do is adopt a wait-and-see approach. They must work quickly to document their losses, understand their claims and the insurance and other available funds, and make those claims as quickly as possible to stay one step ahead of the avalanche. Topics Texas The Indian militarys first tri-service missile, which will protect naval warships, air force bases and army combat units from airborne attacks took a step towards full-scale production on Tuesday with the roll-out of its first components. The eponymous Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) has been developed for the army, navy and air force by the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO), in close partnership with Aerospace Industries (IAI). The delivery on Tuesday was of the first batch of MRSAM components being manufactured in Hyderabad by an Indian joint venture (JV) called Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS). On July 11, 2019, KRAS was awarded a $100 million contract to build the mid-sections of 1,000 missiles. These will be integrated with MRSAM components built elsewhere into combat-ready missile systems by defence public sector undertaking, Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL). Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd holds 51 per cent of the JV, with Rafael Advanced Systems holding 49 per cent. The MRSAM is amongst the most lethal surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) in service anywhere. Fired from under-deck canisters on-board Indian warships, it is guided by the on-board MF-STAR radar to intercept incoming anti-ship missiles at ranges out to 70 km a feat akin to hitting a bullet with a bullet. The ship-borne version of the missile is called the Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM). The army and air force versions, called the MRSAM, are mounted on trucks for mobility. They primarily guard against enemy fighter aircraft, striking them 70 km from where the missile battery is deployed. So high is the militarys confidence in the MRSAM that in September 2016, when the army was planning to strike Pakistan-backed terrorist camps across the Line of Control to avenge the killing of 19 Indian soldiers near Uri, the MRSAM then still under development was moved from BDL to protect a vulnerable air force base. When Indian commandos crossed on LoC on the night of September 28, 2016, the MRSAM was ready for operational use. As it turned out, the missiles were not required. KRAS will deliver more than 1,000 MRSAM production kits over the next 3-4 years. In case of export orders, the numbers could increase. We are confident KRAS will not only build products for the Indian armed forces but will, at the same time, trigger and help achieve Indian governments vision of exports from India, said Brigadier General Pinhas Yungman of Rafael Advanced Defense System. Apart from the missile kits, we will extend our support in maintenance and repair operations, said Kalyani Group chief, Baba Kalyani. KRAS plans to ramp up its employee strength to 300 technical experts by 2023. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The French Bulldog, once again, claimed Los Angeles' top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in West Palm Beach, FL and San Francisco, CA. Pomeranians have gained a bit of popularity moving from a 10th spot ranking to 9th, signifying the only real change in Los Angeles' 2020 list. Dachshunds and Cane Corsos are two other breeds that have gained popularity in 2020, moving up to a 11th and 12th place ranking, respectively. "The French Bulldog continues to be a top favorite for people of Los Angeles for a third year in a row," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "This breed's playful, alert and smart temperament make it a popular choice for both current and potential dog owners." Los Angeles' top 5 breeds for 2020: French Bulldog Bulldog Labrador Retriever German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever * Registration data pulled from Los Angeles zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ The death has occurred of Ida Clery Of Glasnevin, Dublin and Kilmallock On March 16, 2021. Peacefully, in the loving care of the staff of Maryfield Nursing Home, Chapelizod, Dublin. Sadly missed by her nieces Ann and Gabrielle and her nephews Michael and Richard (all of the Murch family), extended family and friends. A private funeral will take place due to government advice regarding public gatherings. The funeral can be viewed on Friday, 19th March, at 11.00 am on the following link: https://churchmedia.tv/camera/chapelzoid No flowers please - donations to a charity of your choice. ******* The death has occurred of Tommy Greene Of Ballyglass, Ardnacrusha, Clare and Limerick Tommy died peacefully, in Milford Hospice. Beloved husband of Sandy Fitzpatrick and adored father of Ashley and Megan. Sadly missed by his loving wife and daughters, parents Tom and Mairead Greene, sister Maria, Megans partner Dylan, parents-in-law Nuala and Dynan Fitzpatrick, aunts, uncles, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and his many friends. May he rest in peace. A private cremation, for family will take place in Shannon Crematorium on Thursday, March 18th, at 12 noon. Family flowers only; donations, if desired, to Milford Care Centre. Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the death notices section of www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffins Funeral Home. ******* The death has occurred of Patrick (Pat) Histon Of The Square, Dromcollogher and Tullylease, Cork Passed away peacefully at Mallow General Hospital on March 15, 2021. Sadly missed by his loving sisters Phil, Carmel and Pauline, brother Tom, brother-in-law John, nephews, relatives, neighbours and wide circle of friends. May he rest in peace In keeping with government guidelines regarding public gatherings Pats Funeral Mass will take place privately. Reception into St Berichearts Church, Tullylease on Thursday, 18th March, for 1pm requiem Mass. Funeral afterwards to Tullylease new cemetery. ******* The death has occurred of Kathleen O'Sullivan (nee Kennedy) Of Chapel Street, Kilfinane and Effin Late of Thomastown, Effin, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick Peacefully on the March 13, 2021 at University Hospital Limerick. Predeceased by her parents, brothers, sisters and granddaughter Aisling. She will be sadly missed by her loving husband Donie of 54 years, sons Donal and Tommy, daughters Marie, Jose and Brid, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and her brother Thomas Kennedy in England, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, wide circle of friends and neighbours. May her gentle soul rest in peace Kathleen will leave McCarthy's Funeral Home, Kilfinane this Saturday morning to arrive at St Andrews Church, Kilfinane for requiem Mass at 11am with burial immediately afterwards in the local cemetery. Due to current Covid-19 regulations and HSE guidelines a private family funeral will take place. ******* The death has occurred of John Scanlon Of Mount Catherine, Clonlara, Clare and Limerick John, died (suddenly) at his residence Beloved husband of the late Philomena. Dearly loved father of Annemarie and Siobhain. Sadly missed by his daughters, cherished grandchildren Shane, Laura and Dylan, sons-in-law Tim and Declan, brother Michael, nephews, nieces, the extended Scanlon and Hallinan families, neighbours and friends. May he rest in peace A private requiem Mass, for family only, will take place in St. Senan's Church, Clonlara, on Thursday, March 18, at 11.00am and funeral afterwards to Effin Cemetery. Mass will be live streamed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5sfUZAmVaY 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. Cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Cross' Funeral Directors, Lower Gerald Griffin Street, Limerick. ******* The death has occurred of Paddy Forde Of 3 Clontemple, Ballingarry and Duagh, Kerry Former serving member of the12th Infantry Battalion,Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick Peacefully, after a short illness on March 15, 2021. Predeceased by his parents Luke and Ellen, sister Bridget, son-in-law Ger and Danny Scanlon. Sadly missed by his loving wife Catherine (Tut) nee Scanlon, sons John, Noel and Padraig, daughters Helen and Margo, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sister, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, 12 adoring grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren, relatives, kind neighbours and many friends. May he rest in peace Arriving at the Church Of The Immaculate Conception, Ballingarry, on March 17, 2021 for 12noon requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in St. Mary's new cemetery. Mass can be viewed at http://www.churchservices.tv/ballingarry Family flowers only. For those wishing to pay their respects to the family, the funeral cortege will leave his residence at 11.30am approx en route to church. In compliance with HSE guidelines, Paddy's Funeral Mass will be restricted to family only. Sympathies may be expressed by post to O'Grady Funeral Directors, Ballingarry, Co. Limerick. Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. ******* The death has occurred of Liam Walsh Of Ballinacourty, Pallaskenry The death has occurred of Liam Walsh late of Ballinacourty, Pallaskenry and Balliston, Shanagolden. Peacefully, at Abbott Close Nursing Home, Askeaton. Liam will be sadly missed by his sister Ann, life long friend Betty, nephews, nieces, extended family and large circle of friends. Liams funeral cortege will pass his residence on his way to Ballysteen Church for 10am Mass on Tuesday, March 16. Private cremation afterwards. Unfortunately, due to current restrictions, Liams funeral will be private. Liams family thank you for your understanding at this difficult time. President Joe Biden heads to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to kick off his COVID relief sales pitch in a series of battleground states as Republicans slam him for going on tour instead of visiting the border. Biden will visit a small business in the Philadelphia suburbs as Vice President Kamala Harris makes a stop in Denver to talk with small business owners. Both Pennsylvania and Colorado were essential wins for Biden when he defeated Donald Trump in last year's election. The president also will tape an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in Pennsylvania that will air on 'Good Morning America' Wednesday morning. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said officials want 'to engage directly with the American people and make sure they understand the benefits of the package, how they can benefit from the package; and how it's going to help them get through this difficult period of time.' Then Biden and Harris will appear together in Atlanta on Friday. The Democrats' win in two Georgia special Senate elections gave the party control of the Senate. And the votes of Democratic Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock from that state helped make the legislation law. Biden could also travel to Ohio next week, The Washington Post reported. Harris was in the politically important state of Nevada on Monday. And second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be in New Mexico on Wednesday while first lady Jill Biden will be in New Hampshire. The administration is touting the benefits coming with its $1.9 trillion America Recue Package but Republicans have slammed the president for going on a roadshow during an immigration crisis at the border. The criticism comes as Department of Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas warned more migrants are on their way. 'We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years,' he said in a long statement that detailed the administration's efforts to handle the migrant surge. President Joe Biden heads to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to kick off his COVID relief sales pitch in a series of battleground states House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy challenged President Joe Biden to come to border and see situation for himself In February, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested about 100,000 people at the southern border - including nearly 9,500 unaccompanied children - a 28 per cent jump over January. And more than 4,200 kids are being held in jail-like stations unfit to house them with the government building more shelters to handle the surge. 'It's more than a crisis. This is a human heartbreak,' House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters after he and a group of GOP lawmakers who visited a detention center in El Paso, Texas, on Monday. 'The sad part about that is this didn't have to happen. This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration.' 'I know the president's going to travel this week. This is where he should bring Air Force,' McCarthy said. 'This is where he should look the people in the eye. This is where he should talk to the border agents, and let them know that this is beyond a crisis.' The American public gives the Biden administration high marks for its COVID relief plan - which did not garner a single GOP vote in Congress - leaving Republicans searching for an issue headed into the midterm elections. Even some Democrats are questioning the administration's handling of the thousands of unaccompanied minors. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat whose district is on the border with Mexico, expressed his unhappiness with the president. 'His people need to do a better job of listening to those of us who have done this before,' he told The Washington Post. 'The Republicans will turn around and use this for a political weapon against Democrats that we're weak on the border, we're not doing enough, we're letting everybody in,' he noted. 'I've been warning the party and the administration: Don't let this get out of hand, because all you're going to do is you're going to give Republicans an issue.' Biden lifted the Trump policy that required migrants to remain in Mexico while going through the legal process to enter the U.S., narrowed the ICE's criteria for arrests and deportations and stopped the building of Trump's border wall. The White House still refuses to call the thousands of migrant children being held - some without beds or enough food - a 'crisis,' but Psaki did say it is a 'big problem.' She also blamed Donald Trump's administration for leaving the border a mess. 'We recognize this is a big problem. The last administration left us a dismantled and unworkable system, and like any other problem, we're going to do everything we can to solve it,' she said at her briefing on Monday. Psaki was asked multiple times if the president would consider a trip to the border. 'I don't have any trips to preview at this point in time,' she said. She said Biden's focus 'is on developing solutions, pushing his team, encouraging his team to develop solutions that will expedite processing at the border, that will open more facilities that will ensure kids are treated with humanity and also treated safely. And that's his focus, and so that's where he's putting his efforts on immigration.' Migrant children and teenagers from the southern border of the United States being held a temporary facility in Midland, Texas Intensive care tents sit in a row at a Influx Care Facility (ICF) for unaccompanied children in Carrizo Springs, Texas, where another temporary shelter has been built The administration is struggling to house a surge of migrant children as they work to process the minors so the children can be transferred to Department of Health and Human Services shelters where they would stay until they could be united with family members already in the U.S. or with a sponsor. The children are supposed to be transferred to DHS within three days of being caught by border agents. In his statement on Tuesday, Mayorkas acknowledged that wasn't being met. 'The Border Patrol facilities have become crowded with children and the 72-hour timeframe for the transfer of children from the Border Patrol to HHS is not always met. HHS has not had the capacity to intake the number of unaccompanied children we have been encountering,' he said. Border agents are apprehending more than 400 children a day, which is many more than the number of children that HHS is processing and releasing to sponsors. Media is not being allowed inside the shelters but lawyers are. Some of the attorneys told CBS News that the children told them they are hungry; only showering once in as many as seven days; and are not able to call family members. Psaki said the situation was 'heartbreaking' for the kids but there were not a lot of options. 'This is heartbreaking. It's a very emotional issue for a lot of people, and it's very difficult and challenging. And obviously, these CBP facilities are not made for kids,' she said. 'It's not acceptable, but I think the challenge here is that there are only there are not that many options,' she said. 'The options here are send the kids back on the journey, send them to unvetted homes or work to expedite moving them into shelters where they can get health treatment by medical doctors, by educational resources, legal counseling, mental health counseling. That's exactly what we're focused on doing.' Meanwhile, a new center was opened in Midland, Texas, on Sunday to help alleviate the overcrowding caused by the record number of migrants. A shelter also was recently opened in Carrizo Springs, Texas. The Biden administration also directed the shelters to return to normal capacity, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Previously, social distancing and other health protocols were in place to combat the disease. Additionally the administration is looking at using The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas to house migrants as they run out of space, the Associated Press reported. The center is estimated to be able to hold 3,000 children. DUBLIN, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Overview of Stellantis' (FCA-PSA) Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Strategies, 2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This study assesses Stellantis' LCV strategies and takes a close look at the implications of the consolidation on the European LCV market. The research service offers a point of view of the expected changes that the newly merged company will implement to maintain its leading position in the region; emerging growth opportunities in the European LCV market are also examined. The proposed merger between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the PSA Group will be one of the most significant mergers among automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The joint entity will be called Stellantis, and it will become the fourth-largest automotive OEM in terms of sales volumes. The new group will have a combined revenue of more than $180 billion and an operating profit margin of 6.8%. The expected synergy is approximately $4 billion. The combined annual R&D potential is more than $6.5 billion per year, which is a fair amount to invest in electrification and other technologies. One of the most important outcomes of this merger is that Stellantis will become the largest van maker not just in Europe but across the world as well. In 2019, FCA and PSA (together) sold 1.12 million LCVs and vans, accounting for 13% of the global market share. The impact of this consolidation will be especially evident in Europe's most profitable vehicle segment, that is, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and vans. LCV demand has been increasing steadily over the past 5 years in Europe due to the high penetration of eCommerce. After integrating Opel-Vauxhall into its portfolio in 2017, PSA attained a leading position in the European LCV space. After this merger, FCA and PSA (together) will control more than 34% of the LCV market share in Europe. The future outlook is positive due to increasing orders from delivery service providers, which will further drive LCV demand in Europe in the near future. More than sales volumes, the importance of LCVs for Stellantis lies in their profitability. LCVs offer lower production and development costs than passenger vehicles (PVs), resulting in higher profit margins in the range of 8-11% for OEMs. In addition, customers do not expect advanced technology features in vans, which further reduces production costs. Profitability also comes from shared platforms among OEMs, which allows for common parts and component sharing. This reduces the cost per vehicle for OEMs and raises profit margins. FCA and PSA have a 30-year joint development relationship in the LCV space; therefore, the synergies associated with shared van development already exist for Stellantis. PSA also produces LCVs for Toyota, and Stellantis will increase production capacity for Toyota to win merger approval from the EU. This can increase Stellantis' market share up to 36%. LCV electrification is another important objective that both PSA and FCA are trying to accomplish. In Europe, electric LCVs (eLCVs) are expected to account for 15% of the total LCV share by 2025 and nearly 35% by 2030. With a big push from European pollution reduction regulations, OEMs are looking at the electrification of their LCV fleets as a viable option and are expanding their electric LCV lineups. PSA has begun electrifying its small vans. The Group expects 100% electrification of its LCV lineup by 2021. PSA's LCV electrification strategy will lay the foundation for Stellantis to maintain and strengthen the Group's leading position in the European LCV market. Key Topics Covered: 1. Strategic Imperatives Why Is It Increasingly Difficult to Grow? The Strategic Imperative The Impact of the Top Three Strategic Imperatives on the FCA-PSA Merger in the European LCV Industry Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine Growth Drivers and Restraints 2. FCA-PSA Merger - An Overview Merger Implications - Stellantis' Business Strength Merger Implications - Stellantis' Investment Spending Capability Merger Implications - Cost Synergies 3. Merger Impact on the European LCV Industry LCVs - More Profitable than Passenger Cars for Stellantis Stellantis' Performance in the European LCV Market Stellantis' LCV Manufacturing Footprint in Europe 4. LCV Electrification Focus LCV Electrification will be Key to Stellantis' Success in Europe eLCV Strategy - Multi-Energy Platforms eLCV Strategy - Shift from Multi-Energy to 100% Electrified Modular Platforms Stellantis' eLCV Strategy - Vertical Integration of the EV Value Chain 5. Retail and Aftermarket, Autonomous Development and Regional Expansion Retail and Aftermarket Network Optimization through Multi-Brand, Multi-Channel, and Multi-Service and Digitalized Offerings Autonomous Strategy for Commercial Vehicles - Focus on Robo Taxis Expansion into New Geographies 6. Growth Opportunity Universe Growth Opportunity - Increasing Profit Margins through Platform Consolidation and Plant Capacity Utilization 7. List of Exhibits Companies Mentioned Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Opel PSA Group Stellantis Toyota Vauxhall For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a1qbwu 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 Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks from 2nd District of Iowa says the democrats are playing dirty to unseat her. Democrats want to win by any means possible, even if by technical cheating. Miller-Meeks Calls Out the Democrats' Dirty Methods The GOP gained the last election, and the Democrats lost many seats. DEMs are intent on keeping seats and even stealing them. They do not want to lose anymore. The Congresswoman answered that Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) claim that an investigation will be done. Pelosi stated that their investigation might replace her. The representative said that they want to put the loser instead. Democrat Rita Hart challenges her win, but she was sustained, reported the Epoch Times. Rep. Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) told Fox News last Monday that it is reprehensible what Democrats do. She won the elections and even the recount, which verified her in the race. Attempts to subvert the results with Hart, who lost with few votes, are in the works. Pelosi allowed Democrats to start an investigation with dubious ends. For many, this might lead the DEMS to cheat a legal electoral winner. They want to find a pretext to prove the six votes questionable. Pelosi told ABC News on Sunday that Miller won by six votes over Hart. Several critics say the Democrats ignored the Iowa voters and replaced the GOP winner. Hart lost as many more Democrats bested during elections. Rep. Miller-Meeks got her seat in Congress after she won and with certified votes. All the counting and recounting proved she won not hart. It leads to assuming the Democrats want to replace the GOP congresswoman by any means. Quad Leaders Discuss Security Problems in China with Biden The congresswoman said that the state upheld her election results with no objections. Even during her oath-taking before or after that declared her electoral win. Hart lost and ignored Iowa courts, using the Democrat majority to cheat. She questions if Congress has the right to overrule the state. She outlined how the loser DEMs will try to get an illegal win over her. Hart admitted she ignored Iowa courts over the case. Instead, Congress bypassed the state declaration supported by DEMs willing to deny Iowa voters their choice. Rita Hart lost because Iowa voters don't want another Democrat as a representative. No one believes the intention of Democrats when it comes to unstable election integrity. Pelosi and the Administration Committee's probe is not seen in a positive light. They will find a way to disregard the 6-vote lead. Pelosi said that the six votes would be disregarded to prove Hart would have won. The probe will be done to find the problem of a six-vote win certified by the state. Justifying that Congress will be the final arbiter with an impartial Democrat majority. The GOP congresswoman has no intention to sit back while Democrats do a steal. Voters are secondary to their agenda of getting more power in Congress. Many consider it two-faced when they can assail election results by Republicans cannot. Rep. Miller-Meeks shots back, saying six DEMs are not enough to overturn the results in the House Administration. Also from HNGN House Democrats Charged for Trying to Steal GOP Seat Rep. Crenshaw Slams Democrats for Calling ID Laws Suppressive Gas Prices Soar Due to Biden Energy Policies, Says Oil CEO @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Its hard to say; Ive always found something to like: Ive worked in a bakery, as a nanny, as a barista, a bartender at the UCSD college pub, as an environmental scientist and, of course, a doctor! One of my least favorite tasks was cleaning the floor mats of the pub after closing; they were greasy and dirty, to say the least! 5. What is the biggest challenge the healthcare industry has faced? COVID-19 is the obvious answer, and there are other challenges, too. It is a rewarding and challenging field, which is why we all love it, but it can also be emotionally exhausting, especially in these pandemic times. Positive patient interactions and gratitude go a long way to refill our buckets! 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. 6. Whats on your to-do list? Traveling to Vietnam, Jordan, and Yosemite. And I miss live performances, such as Carlos Nakai and Sir James Galway. And I miss reading a book for leisure from start to finish! 7. Who do you most admire in the business world? Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari called for an all-party meeting on Tuesday to address the country's political fallout, an official statement released by the office of the President confirmed. However, My Republica newspaper reported that three former prime ministers Baburam Bhattarai, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal have boycotted the meet as they questioned President's role in the row of the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP). The Himalayan nation trickled into unprecedented constitutional turmoil after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's dissolution of the parliament, last year, which India called an 'internal matter'. Oli took the drastic step unilaterally following a tussle with former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, and noncooperation within his ruling Nepal Communist Party, which has 2/3rd majority in parliament over Constitutional Council Act that he passed. Oli's ordinance was about a new map for Nepal that included many Indian territories, which attracted dissent from many Nepali political leaders, including Prachanda, who Oli accused of conspiring to dislodge his government. The infuriated Nepali leader also launched attacks on India for instigating efforts to overthrow him from the position of power. His remarks were launched against India as the country played a key mediator in the peace process with the two times ex-Prime Minister Prachanda in tackling insurgency. As Oli dissolved the Lower House of Parliament without the threats of 'no-confidence vote or members questioning the constitutionality of his decision, the country plunged into a political upheaval with uncertainty surrounding its governance framework. Nepal's elections were due to be held in April-May 2021 that created a political emergency with the House of Representatives dissolved. "In order to discuss the prevailing political situation, the all-party meet has been summoned for 4 PM (Local Time) today. President has invited leaders of parties representing in parliament as well as some former Prime Ministers," Dr Bheshraj Adhikari, Secretary of President told ANI in a telephonic remark. A unanimous resolution However, last month, Nepal's Supreme Court stepped in and reinstated the parliament, revoking the unification of Oli's ruling Nepal Communist Party and declaring a merger between erstwhile CPN-UML and CPN Maoist Centre. This threw Nepal's center in fresh chaos as Oli, who held majority government earlier, lost seats in the parliament. Weeks after the court's verdict, Oli's CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) that garnered 120 seats is still struggling to prove the majority. To find a unanimous resolution to the contemporary political stalemate in the country, Nepal's president invited the leaders of parties representing in parliament as well as some former Prime Ministers to "discuss the situation". A man used two gun and explosive lookalikes in an attempt to rob a bank in Phuc Tho District, Hanoi on Monday afternoon. According to the Phuc Tho police, at around 12:00 pm on Monday, a man wearing a uniform jacket of a ride-hailing brand entered the transaction office of BIDV Bank in Gach Town in Phuc Tho with an object that looked like a gun and a mass wrapped with black tape that he claimed to be explosive in his hands. Whether the gun is real or fake was yet to be determined. The man then threatened the bankers and took away some money. This supplied photo shows a gun lookalike and a mass wrapped with black tape used by a man during a bank robbery in Phuc Tho District, Hanoi, March 15, 2021. He, however, was arrested by the bank security guards during his way out of the transaction office. There was no damage to property and the health of the employees, said a banker at the transaction office. Police in Phuc Tho immediately arrived at the scene after being informed of the case. Currently, the case is being further investigated for clarification. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! In remaking local versions of Thai and Chinese language content Bangkok- and Beijing-based Artop Media may have lucked onto one of the hottest trends of the moment in the Asian TV space. Thats because Thai content is increasingly successful on mainland Chinese streaming networks, and, as multiple speakers have noted in the first two day of FilMart, Thai content is increasingly working across East and Southeast Asia too. More from Variety At FilMart this week Artop is pitching currently in-production series My Lucky Star an adaptation of an earlier Taiwanese show. The new version is directed by Pantham Thonsang, well known as a producer and line producer of films including Shutter, and Apichatpong Weerasethakuls Tropical Malady and Syndromes and a Century. It stars Thanapat Kawila and Anchasa Mongkhonsamai (Bifern) as the male and female leads. For 2021, it also has 2021 Meow Ears up! which was previously a novel in China and an anime in Japan that is now being made as a Thai limited series (eight episodes of 45 mins each). Thenstory focuses on un uncommunicative manga artist whose life is transformed by encounters with a boy with cat ears. The show is directed by director Phadung Lit Samajarn (SOTUS) and has already found broadcast homes on AIS Play in Thailand, BiliBili in China and TV Tokyo in Japan. Artops previously-completed works are also on display at FilMart. The include Frog Prince (aka The Prince Who Turns into a Frog), a recent Thai adaptation of a well-known Taiwanese series originally broadcast in 2011. The modern-day romantic drama contains story lines about a property sales agent, amnesia, real estate skullduggery and criss-cross love lives. The 26-part Thai version is directed by Peerapol Kirdjareun with a cast that is headed by Vill Wannarot Sonthichai and Son Yuke Songpaisan. It went to air in Thailand on GMM One and on Tencents WeTV in January. Story continues Artop is also showing In Time with You, which is another Taiwan to Thai adaptation in the romance genre. It already broadcast in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with Thailand set to screen it on PPTV from next week (March 24, 2021.) The contemporary story concerns two friends, one male one female, who go all out to look for a life partner, ignoring what they might have already had together. Available as 24 60-minute episodes, it stars famous Thai actor Pae Arak and actress Mo Monchanok. Its other previously completed series Fleet of time has been a best-seller. A book to series adaptation, it has now stretched to a Chinese feature film, a Chinese series and latterly a Thai series. The Thai version has been translated into 13 languages and is currently playing on platforms including Tencent, iQiyi and Bilibili in China), Dim Sum in Malaysia, Line TV and Netflix in Taiwan, Viu and Now in Hong Kong and Macau; KT, SK, LG Homechoice, Sky in South Korea and on Viki for the U.S., Europe, Middle East and India. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEW YORK A U.S. Army soldier pleaded not guilty Monday to plotting terrorist attacks on city landmarks with an undercover FBI employee posing as a member of the Islamic State militant group. Cole Bridges faces a maximum of 40 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to Islamic State and attempted murder of U.S. military service members. Prosecutors say Bridges, 20, shared his disenchantment with the military in online chats with the undercover FBI employee starting in 2019. The radicalized soldier eventually began advising the fake Islamic State sympathizer on how to thwart U.S. military attacks in the Middle East and provided advice on potential targets in New York City, including the 9/11 Memorial, according to a complaint. Bridges, a resident of Stow, Ohio, and member of the 3rd Infantry Division, was arrested in January at the Army base at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He even recorded a video of himself in body armor in front of an Islamic State flag and narrated another video hyping what he believed was an an imminent Islamic State ambush of U.S. troops, authorities say. Bridges attorney Sabrinia Shroff said during the Manhattan federal court hearing that she expected to discuss a disposition of the case before it goes to trial meaning the soldier could soon plead guilty. This article is written by Stephen Rex Brown from New York Daily News and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com. TUPELO, Miss (WTVA) -- The Lee County Board of Supervisors voted Monday to take off Good Friday and not take off on Confederate Memorial Day. "State statute allows the board to move one holiday per year at their discretion. And ever since that statute has been in place, the board has always moved Confederate Memorial Day, which is the last Monday in April, to have the holiday on Good Friday," said Lee County Chancery Clerk and county administrator Bill Benson. Benson said making the change is good for everyone. "And that works well for employees who have children out of school, they're off on that day. The general public understands and a lot of those folks are off too," he said. We spoke with one African American leader who did not care to be identified. He said he certainly had no problem with the county making the move. "The general public understands and a lot of those folks are off too. And the board has approved that move every year for the past ten or fifteen years," Benson said. (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News: Pelatro PLC - London-based marketing software firm - Wins several orders, adding USD400,000 worth of deals to be delivered in 2021. "With these, the total value of contracts in hand representing 2021 revenue is about USD6 million," Pelatro says. Chief Executive Officer Subash Menon says confident about "meeting our financial expectations for this year". AFC Energy PLC - provider of hydrogen power generation technologies - Signs strategic partnership in UK with consultancy and construction firm Mace Group Ltd. Duo will develop ways to assist with the transition to zero emission hydrogen generators for construction sites from "highly pollutant" diesel generators which are currently used. "Multiple flagship sites under Mace's control will be identified across the UK and in international markets for the initial leasing of AFC Energy's off-grid, zero emission H-Power system from early 2022," AFC says. Oriole Resources PLC - AIM-quoted exploration company focussed on West Africa - Notes 25%-owned unit Thani Stratex Resources Ltd signs deal with investment firm Red Sea Resources Ltd at Hodine exploration licence in Egypt. RSR pays all outstanding fees and expenditure commitment at asset, totalling USD2.2 million. RSR initially takes 7% stake at asset, Thani holds remaining 93%. RSR can earn up to 85% interest at Hodine as part of deal with Thani. Oriole says: "RSR has the option to pay USD1.2 million in exploration expenditure (or cash) during the subsequent 12-months to acquire an additional 44% interest, for a total 51% in the holding company, with TSR holding the remaining 49% interest. RSR will have a second option to spend a further USD1 million on exploration to earn a further 34% interest, for a total 85% interest in the holding company." Empire Metals Ltd - London-based resource exploration and development company - Updates on next phase of work at Eclipse gold project, Australia. Next programme of work includes resource modelling and estimation, a further 1,700 metres of reverse circulation drilling of 17 holes and "additional structural interpretations to support updated vein wireframes and modelling". Also plans further 200 metres of diamond drilling of three holes. IronRidge Resources Ltd - Australia-based minerals exploration company - Spots new lithium targets at Ewoyaa project, Ghana. "We are very pleased with the initial results received, which have confirmed the high-grades and mineralisation continuity seen in the first pegmatites drill tested," Chief Executive Officer Vincent Mascolo says. Lexington Gold Ltd - gold projects in US states of North Carolina and South Carolina - Boosts exporation rights at Jones-Keystone-Loflin project to 179.66 acres from 50.66 acres. "Lexington Gold has entered into additional mining lease with option to purchase agreements on the south-western side of the JKL project," Lexington says. "Three additional Lease with Option to Purchase agreements have been signed with certain landowners for an additional 129 acres of mineral exploration rights and a further 22 acres of surface rights." Phoenix Copper Ltd - US-focused base and precious metals explorer - Names Zachary Black as general manager for Idaho operations, including Empire mine. "The addition of Zach to our team coincides with the Empire Mine project transitioning from advanced exploration to development. Zach will be "on-the-ground" and responsible for managing the day-to-day rigours of permitting, engineering, process design, and pre-construction activities at Empire, as well as providing oversight to the exploration teams at Red Star, Navarre Creek, and the deep sulphide project," Chief Executive Officer Ryan McDermott says. Shanta Gold Ltd - Tanzania-focused gold miner - Says 22 core holes drilled at New Luika asset in west Kenya and Singida, Tanzania. "High grade intersections have been hit in early holes at west Kenya," Shanta says. "Drilling at Singida has identified a potential new hanging wall zone that is richer than the main zone at Cornpatch West." Inspiration Healthcare Group PLC - Crawley, West Sussex-based medical devices - SLE Ltd unit which provides neonatal ventilators secures Japanese regulatory approval for the enhanced SLE6000 product. Also pens GBP400,000 initial order for product. "We are delighted to have received this significant order and the successful registration of these products in Japan and to see that our global reach continues to expand as the advanced technologies we have developed are adopted in the leading neonatal Intensive care units all over the world," Chief Executive Officer Neil Campbell says. Intuitive Investments Group PLC - closed-end investment company focused on life sciences sector - Invests GBP200,000, via convertible loan note, in Micrima Ltd, a firm developing an imaging method to improve early diagnosis of breast cancer. "The convertible loan note has a term of three years, with 8% interest which is non-cumulative and rolls up to be part of the final conversion amount," company says. "The investment into Micrima is part of a GBP1.9 million round which is being matched by the 'Future Fund', the UK government initiative delivered by the British Business Bank, thereby providing Micrima with GBP3.8 million of funding in aggregate." Volvere PLC - turnaround investment firm - Expects to post 2020 revenue of GBP30.8 million, up by a third from GBP23.0 million. However, expects a swing to a pretax loss of GBP530,000 from a GBP3.2 million profit. Guild Esports PLC - London-based owner and developer of e-sports teams - Wins first major e-sports trophy. Says four of its Fortnite players finished in top-eight of Fortnite Champion Series European Grand Finals. By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Pennsylvania has put more juveniles behind bars for life than anywhere else in the country. And, of those people, Joe Ligon has the tragic distinction of being the oldest and longestserving juvenile lifer in the country. He was recently released from a Pennsylvania prison after 68 years. CBS This Morning: Saturday co-host Michelle Miller spoke with Ligon in his first U.S. television interview since his release. Video Transcript - The US has long led the world in the number of children sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. And one state, Pennsylvania has put more juveniles behind bars for life than anywhere else in the country. Of those people, Joe Ligon has the tragic distinction of being the oldest and longest-serving juvenile lifer in the country. He was recently released from a Pennsylvania prison after 68 years. "CBS This Morning Saturday" co-host Michelle Miller spoke with Ligon in his first television interview since his release. Michelle, good morning. MICHELLE MILLER: Good morning. Joe Ligon was released from prison back in February after a series of US Supreme Court decisions found that those mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles were unconstitutional. This highlights the issues of over-sentencing in America's criminal justice system. And for Ligon, now a free man, he's entering a world, a modern world, he barely knows. What was the first thing you did as a free man? JOE LIGON: I almost cried, OK? But I broke down with a big smile on my face, a free man, free at last. MICHELLE MILLER: 83-year-old Joe Ligon was released from prison last month after serving nearly seven decades for crimes he committed when he was 15. Ligon, the son of Alabama sharecroppers, was incarcerated when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. DWIGHT EISENHOWER: Good evening, my fellow Americans. MICHELLE MILLER: And Nat King Cole's "Pretend" was on the music charts. JOE LIGON: Yeah, those buses over there, they didn't exist when I [INAUDIBLE]. They had the streetcar-- Story continues MICHELLE MILLER: Streetcar lines, yes. JOE LIGON: Yeah. MICHELLE MILLER: He returns to a changed world. JOE LIGON: I look [INAUDIBLE], seeing all these high buildings. But I expect to see that. They locked me up they did. But they didn't lock my mind up. MICHELLE MILLER: In 1953, Ligon and four other Black teenagers were involved in an alcohol-fueled spree of robberies and stabbings in Philadelphia. Two people died. What were you guilty of? JOE LIGON: I was guilty of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't with the intention of hurting nobody. I didn't murder anybody. MICHELLE MILLER: There are people out there who are going to watch, and they're going to say, he stabbed someone. He committed a crime. You say to them what? JOE LIGON: I'm sorry that I committed a crime. I'm sorry that someone was murdered. I'm sorry about that. MICHELLE MILLER: Ligon concedes he did stab someone that night, but maintains he didn't kill anyone. He says he's a changed man. Did you feel remorse for what you did? JOE LIGON: Yes, I did. Yes, I did. I had to feel remorse. MICHELLE MILLER: The teenagers were tried together. JOE LIGON: It was the City Hall. MICHELLE MILLER: When you were tried? JOE LIGON: Yeah. That's what they told me. MICHELLE MILLER: They pleaded guilty and were convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of ever getting out. BRADLEY BRIDGE: This is the habeas petition I filed. MICHELLE MILLER: Public defender Bradley Bridge has represented Ligon for more than 15 years. BRADLEY BRIDGE: I sensed there was an injustice. I felt compelled to do something about it. MICHELLE MILLER: So why was Joe convicted? BRADLEY BRIDGE: Joe was convicted largely by guilt by association. There were four kids that were tried together. And a lot of the evidence against one child was considered against the other two or three other children. If this case went forward to trial today, he'd probably be found guilty of a manslaughter charge, maybe a third-degree murder. He might do 5 to 10 or 10 to 20. MICHELLE MILLER: Ligon's niece, Valerie, came to our interview because she wants to show the world Ligon has a supportive family. VALERIE: Yeah, she told me. She told me all the stories. MICHELLE MILLER: His fate started to change in 2016 when the US Supreme Court ruled that all juvenile lifers should have a chance to be resentenced. But after nearly seven decades behind bars, Ligon refused to be released on parole because he didn't want to be supervised for the rest of his life. So they kept fighting until a federal judge recently vacated his sentence. He was released without parole. You're free outright. JOE LIGON: Outright. Thank you, Jesus. MICHELLE MILLER: Does Joe's case symbolize what's wrong with the criminal justice system? BRADLEY BRIDGE: First of all, it symbolizes that we really should sentence people individually based on who they are and what it was that they did. So a mandatory sentence doesn't do that. And the second thing is that children are particularly unique in their ability to grow, change, and reform themselves. And therefore, giving an adult sentence to a child is inherently wrong. MICHELLE MILLER: The world may have changed. Most of his immediate family is long gone. But Joe Ligon says he's not dwelling on the past. JOE LIGON: Ain't nothing I can do about the past. The only thing I can say-- I hope I have a better future. MICHELLE MILLER: And consider this. It cost the state of Pennsylvania $3 million to incarcerate Joe Ligon for those 68 years. And that's without any medical costs. Gail. - Boy, Michelle. Listen, we all think you should be punished when you commit a crime, but we also say the punishment should fit the crime. In that case, it doesn't seem to have done that. I'm glad he's out. Michelle, thank you very much for that story. On March 1, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 2727 filed a lawsuit against UPS Airlines, alleging that it has not resolved serious sanitation problems at its Worldport hub in Louisville, Kentucky. The complaint refers to serious, chronic sanitary concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic that put flight crew workers in an environment where they have a high risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus. The 30-page lawsuit says that The Union seeks injunctive relief herein to prevent the potential loss of life or serious injury of its membersand indeed, the public at largebecause of the Companys intentional disregard for their well-being. UPS's Worldport in Louisville (Louisville Images/ Creative Commons) The lawsuit seeks to compel UPS to create a cleaning schedule for all frequently touched surfaces, including vehicles and restrooms. The corporation would also be required to come up with a deep-cleaning procedure for after an employee tests positive for COVID-19 and the union is told where it happened. The lawsuit claims that serial complaints have been filed by the Teamsters about the lack of sanitary conditions. The complaints allege that UPS failed to keep restrooms clean and stocked with paper towels, soap, wipes, and hand sanitizer. Break rooms with food preparation areas are said to be dirty and unsanitary with walls that are dirty and covered with waste particles. The Teamsters Local 2727 represents aviation maintenance and simulator technicians at its Louisville hub, many of whom have to share equipment and workspaces. Other Worldport employees, including the large body of lower-paid warehouse workers, are covered by Teamsters Local 89, which represents UPS Air District, UPS Ground Division, UPS Freight, and UPS Cartage (CSI) in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Worldport, located at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, is the worldwide flight hub for UPS. Approximately 20,000 work in the massive 5.2 million-square-foot (48ha) facility, processing up to 416,000 packages per hour. Worldport helps make Louisville the second-busiest airport in the United States and the fourth-busiest in the world. The essential workers at Worldport clearly play a critical role in the shipping industry in the United States and internationally. Worldport is also indispensable for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. Early last year, when a health emergency was originally declared, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued guidance, in line with Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, for air carrier operations that would give flight crews hand sanitizer and the requirement for positive COVID-19 cases to not come to work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a warning that airline operations like UPS might be subject to elevated risk from the pandemic. OSHA received eight complaints by the end of March 2020 about a lack of sanitizer, masks, and appropriate social distancing. By mid-April, two Worldport employees had died of COVID-19. One of these workers was Howard Hopkins, 55. His sister and roommate recalled him worrying about the lack of masks at UPS and crowded shuttle buses with little to no social distancing. As of early February 2021, 838 of the 11,600 workers at the Worldport facility have contracted COVID-19. Kentucky OSH has fined UPS only $10,450 so far due to COVID-19 violations. While UPS contests the decision, they are not obligated to cease the practices alleged in the lawsuit. While workers have confronted deadly conditions and infections, UPS has seen its profits rise precipitously. Like Amazon and FedEx, UPS has profited immensely from the global health crisis, in large part because of increased retail shipping as commerce has shifted to the digital realm. In 2020, UPS saw revenue increase by 14.2% ($84.6 billion) while operating profit was up 7% ($8.71 billion). This year-end increase is all the more staggering given the companys underwhelming earnings in the first quarter in the beginning of the pandemic. These record profits were only made possible because of the workers who continued coming in to work, putting themselves and their families at risk of infection and death. The Teamsters union says that its members are faring much better than the average worker right now. The union further states that if employers purposefully discard safety guidelines, the Teamsters will make sure that penalties will exist. This attitude presupposes that their workers must go to work despite the risks, and the company might be penalized afterwards for putting their workers at risk. Despite their belated threats of penalization, the Teamsters union has actively enforced the companys unsafe work on the floor, ignored workers concerns, and blocked any attempts by workers to take unsanctioned actions to keep themselves and their families safe. The trade unions in general have acted to enforce unsafe working conditions, acting to smother working class opposition and prevent independent struggle, while keeping workers on the lines so that the corporations can make profits without any interruptions. In 2018, the Teamsters forced through two contracts for UPS and UPS Freight that eroded safety protections and helped UPS restructure the labor force to be more profitable. The UPS contract established a $13 starting hourly wage for warehouse workers, up from the previous rate of $10 per hour but still significantly less than even the $15 hourly wage at nonunion Amazon. Invoking an undemocratic clause in its constitution, the Teamsters rammed through the deal in 2018 despite a majority no vote. At the beginning of this year, the Teamsters shut down a strike of Hunts Point grocery workers in New York with a sellout agreement that did not even achieve the demand of a paltry $1 hourly wage increase, nor did it resolve any of the COVID-19 safety concerns in the wake of the deaths of at least six workers at the distribution center. In opposition to the trade unions and both Democrats and Republicans, all of whom defend the profit interests of the ruling class, workers must advance their own interests through the formation of rank-and-file safety committees. These organizations, democratically controlled by the workers themselves, will allow workers to carry out a struggle for workers control of their own health and safety, working conditions, and a program to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the lead of autoworkers in the Midwest, Amazon workers in Baltimore, and educators across the world, UPS workers can establish their own committees at Worldport and all facilities. The network of rank-and-file committees will allow UPS workers to unite with Amazon and logistics workers, teachers, autoworkers, health care workers and other sections of the working class, so that the working class can coordinate a common struggle. We urge all UPS workers at Worldport and across the world to take this fight into your facility. Contact us today for help setting up a rank-and-file safety committee at your workplace. Greg Steltenpohl, the founder of juice giant Odwalla and nut-milk maker Califia Farms who was a leader in the national beverage industry for decades, died Thursday from complications from a liver transplant. A longtime Bay Area resident, he was 67. Steltenpohls passions for wellness and the environment spawned two socially conscious beverage companies that aimed to make the world a better place. Odwalla was one of the first companies to bring premium fresh juice to grocery store shelves. Now, Califia Farms is one of the fastest-growing beverage companies in the U.S. and the most recognizable brand in plant-based aisles, with its distinctive curvy bottle inspired by Queen Califia, the goddess of California. To his family and friends, he was much more than an entrepreneur. He was also an insatiable creative, a lover of ideas, and a committed father and grandfather. He was my rock while I was young, said his sister, Jan Johnson. He was a guide and a wisdom holder. He was a force. Steltenpohl was born in Florida and grew up in Southern California. His love of the environment came from his father, Jerome Steltenpohl, who organized family vacations to national and state parks every summer. His interest in food stemmed from his French-Canadian mother, Benita Desjardins, who was a creative cook and regularly made fresh-squeezed juices from local citrus. He came to the Bay Area to study environmental science at Stanford University, moving to Santa Cruz in 1977 and starting an experimental jazz band with two friends. To support his musical endeavors, the saxophonist bought a $250 juicer and started making fresh orange juice in his backyard. Odwalla was born in 1980, famously serving up juice from the back of the bands van. The Chronicle 1993 He was extremely smart and intellectual and had the capacity to really engage all types of people and all of their passions, and make people feel both appreciated and excited, said his son, Eli Steltenpohl. Odwalla grew to astronomical heights, going public in 1993. Three years later, disaster struck. Odwalla sold a batch of apple juice contaminated with E. coli, killing a 16-month-old girl and sickening dozens. The company never fully recovered, forcing a sale to private equity firms and then to the Coca Cola Co., which shut down Odwalla last year. The trajectory of the business disappointed Steltenpohl. But more than that, learning that his juice had hurt so many people shattered Steltenpohl on a personal level. It took years for him to regain his footing and re-emerge with another hit: Califia Farms. He still had a mission to do, said Kiff Gallagher, a longtime friend who also worked alongside Steltenpohl during the Odwalla crisis. He was an incredibly resilient human being who ultimately had an optimistic view in what could be possible. He was fearless in a lot of ways. He started Califia Farms in 2010, zeroing in on quality nut milks made with California almonds as a way to fight industrial agriculture. The company has grown to produce other vegan milks, creamers, butters and coffee beverages, and Califias extra creamy barista blend milks are used in cafes around the country. Last year, it raised a landmark $225 million in the quest to expand globally while maintaining significant sustainability goals, such as transitioning to 100% renewable power and achieving zero-waste certification. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Califia started before I think plant-based foods were really trendy. ... I think he saw the growth potential, said Sabina Vyas of the Plant-Based Foods Association, adding that the company has stood out in the industry for its commitment to sustainability and employee empowerment at every level. Soledad DAgostino While Steltenpohls fruit juices and alt-milks have entered millions of homes, his values-based approach may be even more influential. I think his legacy will continue to be the entrepreneurs and professionals who are in business for more than just to make a buck, Gallagher said. Steltenpohl stepped down as CEO from Califia last fall. He was ready to spend more time with his grandson and immerse himself in the eastern Sierra, one of his favorite places on Earth. He bought a house near Mono Lake and wanted to set up a music studio there. But at the end of 2020, his body started rejecting a liver transplant he had nine years earlier. His family is planning a celebration of Steltenpohls life for the early summer. He is survived by his son, Eli Steltenpohl; his grandson, Theodor Steltenpohl; his sister, Jan Johnson; nieces Kendra Thompson and Emma Knight; daughter-in-law Soledad DAgostino; and stepsons Justin Meade and Kevin Meade. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Among the states progressive activists, Cuomo has long been seen as a thuggish reactionary. Alessandra Biaggi, a state senator who once worked for Cuomo, told me that his abusive behavior has definitely been an open secret, but one that people were afraid to share because they were afraid of retribution, which is exactly why its been kept below the radar of most people in the state and country. His emergence as a Resistance hero during the first U.S. wave of the coronavirus only made Cuomo more intimidating, she said. Yet even as he became a national star, the growing power of the left in New York created new vulnerabilities for him. Before 2018, a bizarre and infuriating deal between Republicans and a conservative Democratic faction called the Independent Democratic Conference prevented Democrats from controlling the State Senate, despite holding a majority of seats. Though Cuomo has denied it, he was reported to be deeply involved in creating the coalition that kept his own party from taking power in the chamber. The arrangement served Cuomos interests by ensuring that the left couldnt push him farther than he wanted to go, solidifying his control over the states political agenda. Defeating the I.D.C. was a major goal of the Working Families Party, and in 2018, a year of historic progressive victories, it succeeded. W.F.P.-backed candidates, including Biaggi, ousted six of the eight I.D.C. senators. Democrats took control of the Senate, and they did so with a bloc of people not beholden to Cuomo. Speaking of the W.F.P., Biaggi said, To say that theyre critical is not even giving them the credit, frankly, that they deserve for the significance of the role that they played in ushering in new leadership. That new leadership, in turn, has made it easier for Democrats to stand up to Cuomo. Perhaps the key figure in throwing open the anti-Cuomo floodgates has been Assemblyman Ron Kim of Queens. He was one of the first Democrats to press for an investigation of Cuomos handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, and later went public about what he said was the governors threat to destroy him. Former Deputy General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Koku Anyidoho has lambasted the National Communication Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi for attacking the partys leadership in Parliament including the Speaker of Parliament. Describing Sammy Gyamfi as an upstart who recently joined the NDC, Koku Anyidoho wondered why and how he could muster the courage to attack the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, Hon Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority Chief Whip, Hon Muntaka Mubarak for their role in approving some ministers-designate of President Akufo-Addo. It was about two weeks ago that we heard that a certain small boy in the NDC who feels the NDC is his bonafide property; the boy who recently joined the party has attacked the Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of the NDC in Parliament, he chastised. This boy who joined the party recently wants to be carried in a palanquin; he has no respect for anyone and he says whatever he wants and now he has clashed with the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin, he chided. The Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills however applauded the courage of the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin for responding to Sammy Gyamfi and also for making it clear that he will not sit down and allow his office to be abused. Mr Koku Anyidoho stressed the need to build a healthy institution and a healthy governance process as it is the agenda of the Atta Mills Institute to promote a good governance system in the country. As for the politics we will do it but we should not allow the culture of insult to take over the governance process. We thank Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Bagbin for saying that he is not a Speaker of a political party but a Speaker for Ghanas Parliament, he applauded. He reminded Sammy Gyamfi and his likes who are attacking and calling the Speaker of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka as betrayals to think of how Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin assumed that position when both the NDC and NPP have an equal number of seats in Parliament. He, however, could not fathom the cause of the insults the like of Sammy Gyamfi in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) rained on the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin when he was not the Chairman of the Appointment Committee in parliament. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. Delivery workers drive motorcycles equipped with top boxes on a street in Seoul in this file photo. Yonhap By Park Jae-hyuk KB Insurance has come into conflict with Woowa Brothers running the nation's leading food delivery app, Baedal Minjok, because part-time delivery workers driving motorcycles equipped with top boxes have been excluded from the insurer's budget insurance product for part-time delivery workers. The two companies and insurance startup Smallticket joined hands in 2019 to come up with the special insurance product for part-time food delivery workers using Woowa Brothers' Baemin Connect service. Starting from the first half of this year, the insurance products will also be available for part-time delivery workers using Yogiyo, Delivery Hero's food delivery platform which looks likely to be sold off to market to make way for the German company's planned takeover of Baedal Minjok. Some part-timers, however, have begun to complain about the policy recently, alleging they were not eligible for the insurance because of top boxes on their motorcycles. "The insurer abruptly started to ask us to send photos of motorcycles to show that they are not equipped with top boxes," a part-time delivery worker wrote on the internet. Another part-timer said he was told by a Baemin Connect official to use a backpack, instead of a motorcycle top box. A Woowa Brothers spokesman explained part-time delivery workers can take out the special insurance policy, if they remove their motorcycle top boxes temporarily, when they go through screening for subscription. "If they pass the screening, they will be able to get compensation for their accidents, regardless of their motorcycle top boxes," he said. Representatives from KB Insurance, Woowa Brothers and Smallticket pose at the insurance company's Seoul headquarters in November 2019, after signing a memorandum of understanding regarding their partnership to launch an insurance product for part-time delivery workers. Courtesy of KB Insurance By Makiko Yamazaki and Yuki Nitta TOKYO (Reuters) - Recent carve-out deals by tech giants such as Hitachi Ltd are just the beginning of potential divestitures of non-core assets by Japanese firms, U.S. buyout firm Carlyle Group's Japan chief said. The comments come as Carlyle recently successfully exited one of its own investments and sees plenty of opportunities for private equity firms in the horizon in Japan. "These are just the tip of the iceberg," said Kazuhiro Yamada in an interview with Reuters, referring to a flurry of recent non-core asset sales by Hitachi, Panasonic Corp, and Toshiba Corp . "There are still a substantial number of firms with hundreds of subsidiaries in Japan, and these firms are considering various options." The bullish outlook for deal-making in Japan followed Carlyle's complete exit from its investment in Japanese data and software company WingArc1st through a 19.4 billion yen ($178 million) initial public offering. WingArc1st, which Carlyle acquired from Japan's Orix Corp in 2016 for an undisclosed sum, debuted on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Tuesday. WingArc1st marks Carlyle's eighth IPO in Japan, the highest among global equity funds operating in the country, Yamada said, adding that nearly half of the buyout firm's 18 full exits to date have been through IPOs. In the same interview, Hiroyuki Uchino, founder and chairman of WingArc1st, said he tapped Carlyle five years ago due to its best IPO track records. Carlyle "has allowed to make investments necessary to continue growth even after the IPO," he said. Yamada said Carlyle sees a number of potential acquisition targets like WingArc1st that are strong in global niche markets, or small specialised parts of the global market. Earlier this year, Carlyle announced the acquisition of another such company, Rigaku Corp, an X-ray-based testing tools manufacturer aiming to go public. The deal represents the first investment of Carlyle's new Japan-focused buyout fund worth 258 billion yen ($2.5 billion), its fourth and biggest to date in the country. Story continues "We will probably make two or three more deals this year (by the new fund)," Yamada said. ($1 = 109.1700 yen) (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Yuki Nitta; Additional reporting by Takashi Umekawa; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa) Roslyn Smith knows how the existing parole system can affect incarcerated individuals, especially women serving sentences in New York prisons. Smith served a lengthy prison sentence for the robbery and murder of a Brooklyn couple. Her co-defendant, Valerie Gaiter, also received a long sentence 50 years to life. While Smith was released on parole after serving 39 years in prison, Gaiter remained behind bars. Gaiter was the longest-serving female inmate in the state prison system when she died in 2019. She was 61. Smith believes her fate could have been avoided if she was eligible for parole. "If this bill would have been in place, she would've been home," Smith said during a virtual press conference Tuesday. "She would've gotten the medical treatment that she needed. Her death was unnecessary." The legislation Smith referred to would establish elder parole in New York. If the bill is adopted, incarcerated individuals who are age 55 and older and have served at least 15 years of their prison sentence could be eligible for parole. The parole board would conduct an evaluation to determine whether an eligible incarcerated individual should be released. SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine -- The authorities in Crimea have arrested a man for allegedly spying on behalf of Ukraine, a move Kyiv characterized as propaganda ahead of the seventh anniversary of Moscow's forcible annexation of the region. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on March 16 that Vladislav Yesypenko, who holds dual Russian-Ukrainian citizenship and is a freelance contributor to Crimea.Realities, a regional news outlet of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, was arrested on suspicion of collecting information for Ukrainian intelligence. According to the FSB, an object "looking like an explosive device" was found in Yesypenko's automobile during his apprehension. It also said he confessed to collecting data for the Ukrainian Security Service. Yesypenko, along with a resident of the Crimean city of Alushta, Yelizaveta Pavlenko, was detained on March 10 after the two took part in an event marking the 207th anniversary of the Ukrainian poet and thinker Taras Shevchenko the day before in Crimea. Pavlenko was later released. Yesypenko's lawyer, Emil Kuberdinov, said on March 15 that he had not been allowed to meet with his client since his arrest. "At a time when the Kremlin is employing harassment and intimidation against any possible alternative voice in Russia-annexed Crimea, the recent detention of Vladislav Yesypenko, a freelancer for RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, is deeply troubling. Yesypenko should be released immediately, so that he can be reunited with his family," RFE/RL President Jamie Fly said in a statement. Russia annexed 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 Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service said in a post on Facebook that with the arrest, the FSB was trying create the atmosphere the Kremlin needs to "celebrate the anniversary of the occupation of Crimea." "Such propaganda on the eve of the anniversary is a convenient attempt to distract the attention of the population away from the numerous internal problems of the peninsula," it said. "Russia is deliberately inflating the situation, trying to shift responsibility for the settlement process in eastern Ukraine to Ukraine." Moscow also backs separatists in a war against Ukrainian government forces that has killed more than 13,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. On March 15, the Russian-imposed authorities in the Black Sea peninsula temporarily lifted coronavirus pandemic restrictions to mark the seventh anniversary of the region's annexation with a variety of events organized by the pro-Kremlin Night Wolves bikers club, as well as patriotic events at schools and military schools on March 18. [March 16, 2021] Vancity Empowers Employees, Drives Business Results with UKG Pro, UKG Dimensions UKG (Ultimate Kronos (News - Alert) Group), a leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions, announced today that Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity), Canada's largest community credit union and one of the country's top employers, is enhancing its employee experience and driving exceptional business outcomes with UKG's solutions. Vancity is a financial co-operative with 2,700 employees, 54 community branches, and more than a half-million member-owners. A UKG Pro (formerly UltiPro) customer for more than a decade, the company sought to take advantage of the Platform Configuration and Rules Engine within Pro to simplify the decision points for managers and streamline workflows. In 2020, Vancity migrated to the cloud-native, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered UKG Dimensions (formerly Workforce Dimensions from Kronos) to improve the workforce management experience for managers and make work more meaningful for employees. "We have transformed the employee experience with UKG Pro and UKG Dimensions, and we are excited about the future," said Marky Payne, manager of HR Systems and Reporting at Vancity. "UKG is showing us that customers remain its priority, with structured opportunities to provide feedback on Pro and Dimensions. From the beginning, the combined company's decision makers wanted to know what we found to be the unique strengths of each solution and what they could learn from us to improve. We were given a voice and a channel to express our needs, and, just as in previous years, they truly listened. In addition, the communication around the merger was excellent. We were provided with an abundance of information, webinars, updates, and specific contacts for any questions that might arise." By selecting a unified HCM solution, Vancity has been able to collect and manage its people data with consistency and accuracy while tailoring UKG Pro to meet its unique business needs. The company is providing more personalized support to employees, improving productivity, and minimizing compliance issues. Prior to the release of Platform Configuration and the Rules Engine within Pro, the managers at Vancity were often overwhelmed by the number of fields presented through the solution's direct access. The company's HR Systems team took advantage of the solution's flexible Platform Configuration to streamline workflows for updates such as new hires, job changes and salary increases, status adjustments and terminations, and contract extensions. "Managers need only to enter the general ledger code for their departments, and the Rules Engine will automatically populate the rest of the organizational levels," said Payne. "Depending on manager's selection, additional fields appear to guide managers in filling out the relevant information. Links to additional resources for managers have been added to various workflows to support manager self-service. As a result, we've cut down on the phone calls to our helpline requesting changes to incorrect information, and we've brought consistency to our internal corporate portal that pulls data from Pro." According to Payne, managers have offered enthusiastic feedback about the Rules Engine. Navigation through administrative tasks is simple, and frustrations caused by options they didn't know how to complete have been eliminated. Most importantly, the quality of data increased. "Departments across the company trust the system and the reports they're creating," said Payne. "We work closely with our fiance department to make sure our organizational levels match and that restructures are consistent, which directly impacts the company's budget. We're also increasing the accountability of our leaders. Managers can see on their dashboards what the system is reporting. Gone are the days of haggling over spreadsheets. Managers have the responsibility to make their own updates and ensure the solution reflects the correct information." Vancity also improved the manager experience by launching UKG Dimensions. The company is gaining unprecedented insight into daily workforce operations via real-time visualization and reporting. The responsive user experience allows managers to view the data most important to them. In addition, employees have access to convenient self-service features that allow them to request time off and view schedules, giving them greater control over their work-life balance. "Our employees loved the new landing page and the visual, user-friendly improvements to the solution," said Payne. "The visuals in Dimensions immediately tell managers the story of their teams, and they can take action as needed. It's made a big difference to them." "Technology is crucial to building an engaged workforce," said Chris Todd, president at UKG. "Success is also dependent on building long-lasting relationships. At UKG, we are committed to developing meaningful, lifelong partnerships with our customers and helping organizations such as Vancity sustain an engaging and effective workforce strategy that evolves with their needs." Supporting Resources Learn why inspired work follows when you put people first with UKG. inspired work follows when you put people first with UKG. UKG named a Leader in the Gartner (News - Alert) Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites for 1,000+ Employee Enterprises (November 2020) for fourth consecutive year. Read the report . (November 2020) for fourth consecutive year. . Learn how UKG Pro transforms organizations with a connected global workforce experience. transforms organizations with a connected global workforce experience. Discover UKG Dimensions AI-powered workforce solutions with tailored industry experiences. About UKG At UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), our purpose is people. Built from a merger that created one of the largest cloud companies in the world, UKG believes organizations succeed when they focus on their people. As a leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions, UKG delivers award-winning Pro, Dimensions, and Ready solutions to help tens of thousands of organizations across geographies and in every industry drive better business outcomes, improve HR effectiveness, streamline the payroll process, and help make work a better, more connected experience for everyone. UKG has more than 12,000 employees around the globe and is known for an inclusive workplace culture. The company has earned numerous awards for culture, products, and services, including consecutive years on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list. To learn more, visit ukg.com. Copyright 2021 UKG Inc. All rights reserved. For a full list of UKG trademarks, please visit ukg.com/trademarks. All other trademarks, if any, are property of their respective owners. All specifications are subject to change. Follow UKG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005159/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. Lightning strikes were just as important as meteorites in creating the perfect conditions for life to emerge on Earth, geologists say. Minerals delivered to Earth in meteorites more than 4 billion years ago have long been advocated as key ingredients for the development of life on our planet. Scientists believed minimal amounts of these minerals were also brought to early Earth through billions of lightning strikes. But now researchers from the University of Leeds have established that lightning strikes were just as significant as meteorites in performing this essential function and allowing life to manifest. They say this shows that life could develop on Earth-like planets through the same mechanism at any time if atmospheric conditions are right. The research was led by Benjamin Hess during his undergraduate studies at the University of Leeds in the School of Earth and Environment. Mr Hess and his mentors were studying an exceptionally large and pristine sample of fulgurite, - a rock created when lightning strikes the ground. The sample was formed when lightning struck a property in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA, in 2016, and donated to the geology department at Wheaton College nearby. The Leeds researchers were initially interested in how fulgurite is formed but were fascinated to discover in the Glen Ellyn sample a large amount of a highly unusual phosphorous mineral called schreibersite. Phosphorus is essential to life and plays a key role in all life processes from movement to growth and reproduction. The phosphorous present on early Earth's surface was contained in minerals that cannot dissolve in water, but schreibersite can. Mr Hess, now a PhD student at Yale University, Connecticut, USA, said: "Many have suggested that life on Earth originated in shallow surface waters, following Darwin's famous "warm little pond" concept. "Most models for how life may have formed on Earth's surface invoke meteorites which carry small amounts of schreibersite. Our work finds a relatively large amount of schreibersite in the studied fulgurite. "Lightning strikes Earth frequently, implying that the phosphorus needed for the origin of life on Earth's surface does not rely solely on meteorite hits. "Perhaps more importantly, this also means that the formation of life on other Earth-like planets remains possible long after meteorite impacts have become rare." The team estimate that phosphorus minerals made by lightning strikes surpassed those from meteorites when the earth was around 3.5 billion years old, which is about the age of the earliest known micro-fossils, making lightning strikes significant in the emergence of life on the planet. Furthermore, lightning strikes are far less destructive than meteor hits, meaning they were much less likely to interfere with the delicate evolutionary pathways in which life could develop. The research, titled Lightning strikes as a major facilitator of prebiotic phosphorus reduction on early Earth, is published today (SEE EMBARGO) in Nature Communications. The School of Earth and Environment funded the project under a scheme which enables undergraduate led research using high-end analytical facilities. Dr Jason Harvey, Associate Professor of Geochemistry in Leeds' School of Earth and Environment, and Sandra Piazolo, Professor of Structural Geology and Tectonics in the School of Earth and Environment, mentored Mr Hess in the research project. Dr Harvey said: "The early bombardment is a once in a solar system event. As planets reach their mass, the delivery of more phosphorus from meteors becomes negligible. "Lightning, on the other hand, is not such a one-off event. If atmospheric conditions are favourable for the generation of lightning, elements essential to the formation of life can be delivered to the surface of a planet. "This could mean that life could emerge on Earth-like planets at any point in time." Professor Piazolo said: "Our exciting research opens the door to several future avenues of investigation, including search for and in-depth analysis of fresh fulgurite in Early Earth-like environment; in-depth analysis of the effect of flash heating on other minerals to recognize such features in the rock record, and further analysis of this exceptionally well-preserved fulgurite to identify the range of physical and chemical processes within. "All these studies will help up to increase our understanding of the importance of fulgurite in changing the chemical environment of Earth through time." ### Further information Pictures: An illustration of early Earth, as it would have looked around 4 billion years ago (credit Lucy Entwisle) The fulgurite sample excavated in Glen Ellyn, Illinois (five pictures, credit Benjamin Hess) For media enquiries contact University of Leeds press officer Lauren Ballinger on L.ballinger@leeds.ac.uk. The University of Leeds The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 38,000 students from more than 150 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. The University plays a significant role in the Turing, Rosalind Franklin and Royce Institutes. We are a top ten university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and are in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2021. One of Sarah Everard's friends has criticised the way her death has been 'politicised', saying, 'This is not what Sarah would have wanted'. Helena Edwards, who attended Durham University with the 33-year-old marketing executive, said she had planned to attend her vigil on Clapham Common on Saturday but decided not to over fears her death had been 'hijacked'. Explaining that many of Ms Everard's other friends also decided not to go, she claimed it was 'not a tribute to her anymore' but had been taken over by political campaigners. Helena Edwards, who attended Durham University with Ms Everard, (pictured) said she had planned to attend her vigil on Clapham Common on Saturday but decided not to over fears her death had been 'hijacked' Writing in Spiked Magazine, she said it was wrong to try and blame other people for the actions of one 'psychopath', adding: 'Sarah was a victim of one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. She was extremely unlucky that is all there is to it. 'Her abduction and murder is not, in my opinion, a symptom of a sexist, dangerous society. When something awful like this happens there is a rush to look for reasons and apportion blame. 'If the suspect police officer in custody is eventually tried and found guilty of her murder, then I will hold him alone responsible. I will not be blaming ''men'' or ''the police'' for the actions of one individual.' Ms Edwards said that her friend 'knew many wonderful men' in her life, several of whom had played key roles in the effort to try and find her. She continued: 'I don't think Sarah would have wanted them, or men in general, to be smeared with the same brush as her attacker. Most people, and indeed men, are good. 'They would never wish harm on anyone else, let alone attack or kill someone. Despite what has happened to Sarah allegedly at the hands of this man, I will continue to believe that.' Ms Edwards also described as 'ridiculous' a proposal by Green Party peer Baroness Jenny Jones to subject men to a 6pm curfew, as she vowed not to 'live in fear' when social activities began again after the end of lockdown. Paying tribute to Sarah, she concluded: 'I will miss my friend deeply. I am so sad she will never see the end of lockdown and, as her friends, we will never get to enjoy these experiences with her again.' Saturday's vigil saw four people arrested amid ugly scenes of scuffles between police and mourners that have sparked intense criticism of the Met Police. Met Commissioner Cressida Dick has rejected calls for her resignation, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had full confidence in her. Mourners laying floral tributes to Ms Everard at the bandstand on Clapham Common today Patsy Stevenson - who was pictured being pinned to the ground, handcuffed and arrested by two male officers - has also called for the agenda to shift away from politics and back towards how to stop violence against women. 'I accidentally went viral. I didn't want this to happen. This happened like a whirlwind,' she said on Sky News. 'I've been thrown into the public eye and the only way I can make this not in vain is to not make it political, not against the police. It's just about the safety of women and we need to talk about it,' she said. An estimated 85,000 women are raped and more than 400,000 sexually assaulted in England and Wales each year, with only a tiny fraction of incidents leading to criminal convictions. The most recent figures showed the conviction rate per rape allegation recorded by the police was 2.6%, a record low. Since Everard's disappearance, many women have taken to social media to recount their own experiences of harassment and assault on Britain's streets and to demand change. One of the factors that turned the case into a rallying cry was the fact that police advised women near the spot where Everard went missing to stay at home for their own safety. This enraged many women who said the onus should be on men to change their behaviour, not on women to give up their freedoms. 'Too many of us have walked home from school or work alone, only to hear footsteps uncomfortably close behind us,' interior minister Priti Patel told parliament. 'Too many of us have clutched our keys in our fists in case we needed to defend ourselves, and that is not OK.' In a sign of the strength and breadth of feeling, the government has received 78,000 new responses to its appeal for evidence on violence against women, which was reopened on Friday in light of the reaction to the Everard case. Patsy Stevenson - who was pictured being pinned to the ground, handcuffed and arrested by two male officers - has also called for the agenda to shift away from politics and back towards how to stop violence against women It comes as Wayne Couzens, 48, the police officer charged with Ms Everard's kidnap and murder appeared at the Old Bailey for his first hearing at the court this morning. The court heard he faced a trial of up to four weeks, which has been pencilled in for the start of October. He is accused of snatching Ms Everard from a friend's flat in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3. Prosecutor Tom Little, QC, told the court: 'There's been a very significant and wide-ranging investigation. 'The position is that Sarah Everard was walking home a distance of some two and a half miles - if she had made it home - at 9 o'clock on the evening of March 3.' The prosecutor said the case has received 'almost unprecedented media and public attention.' Couzens appeared via video link for the hearing today, wearing a red sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms. He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth at the hearing, before the Recorder of London Judge Mark Lucraft QC. New Delhi, March 16 : Amid reports of the UK mounting pressure on the Indian government for massive tariff concessions on imports of Scotch whiskey in the free trade agreement negotiations, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has strongly objected to any plans to slash the Basic Customs Duty (BCD). The CIABC has said that since the imports are already dominating the Indian market, any reduction in the BCD will make matters worse and squeeze Indian products totally out. "The balance of trade in alcoholic beverages is highly skewed in favour of the UK and any reduction in BCD will further worsen it," said CIABC Director General Vinod Giri. The CIABC has been part of various recent meetings that the Ministry of Commerce has been organising with various stakeholders before the trade talks with the UK. "India exports just Rs 5 crore worth of alcoholic beverages annually to UK against an import of Rs 1,300 crore. Exports to the UK constitute only 0.2 per cent of India's total exports of alcoholic beverages whereas imports from UK are 24 per cent of India's total import of alcoholic beverages," Giri said. To support its argument, the CIABC has said that in premium segment of liquor (products costing above Rs 1,000 per 750 ml in Delhi) fully imported products and products imported in bulk and just bottled in India account for a whopping 98 per cent of the sales while a miniscule 2 per cent sale comprises genuine Indian products. The CIABC has pointed out that preferential treatment to imported liquor by some state governments has created undue hurdles in growth of high quality Indian products. "Earlier imported products did not have direct competition in India, but today there are several super premium Indian products; including Indian premium malt whisky brands such as Amrut, Paul John, Rampur etc, which are being exported to over 60 countries. They are in a nascent phase and need support from the Indian government in order to build scale and be globally competitive," said Giri. "Already Indian products are at a disadvantage even at current BCD level. In many major Indian cities, imported products have a price advantage vis-a-vis comparable Indian products. Reducing BCD will make Indian products less competitive." Giving reference of pricing and sales in Delhi, the largest market for such premium products in India, Giri said imported premium scotch/whiskey like Johnny Walker Black Label which costs Rs 2,920 sold 26,736 cases of 9 litres each in 2019-20, while the sale of Indian scotch Amrut Amalgam which costs Rs 3,640 stood at 922 cases. The CIABC has suggested that if the government needs to tweak the BCD to facilitate the trade treaty between India and the UK, it should reduce BCD gradually to a sustainable level over a time window which allows existing disparities to dimmish. The BCD should be reduced from today's level of 150 per cent to 50% in the next 10 years, it added. The Indian liquor manufacturers have also asked the government to prevent predatory pricing and dumping through a threshold import price (MEP) so that products priced below which are taxed at the same rate. "For the first year the government should fix the threshold import price at $60 per case (of 9 litres at cif), which can be reduced to $50 in next three years, then $40 in five years and $35 in 10 years. This is needed because the cost of production in India is at least 50-75% more. The cost of capital in India is 12-14 per cent compared to 2-3 per cent in the UK, evaporation losses are 3 to 4 times higher in India due to warmer climate which increases cost of production and cost of maturing," said Giri. "Similarly, fixed fees and charges on manufacturing like distillery license fee, brand registration fee, label registration fee, bottling fees, local cess etc in India are among the highest in the world. Excise duties and taxes on production of alcohol are also very high in India (300-400 per cent of company billing price) and in many states, the governments fix company's selling prices thus denying them opportunity to pass on high taxes." The CIABC DG also pointed out that the Indian products face other intangible cost disadvantages. For instance, Indian laws allow local products only in fixed few pack sizes, and in alcoholic strength of 75 Proof only. Products imported from the UK enjoy tremendous flexibility helping them target consumers tastes, wallets and occasions more effectively. Similarly, Indian-made products are subject to multiple regulatory agencies such as FSSAI, States' Excise and Legal Metrology which increases the cost of compliance, while imports are exempt from most such controls. Giri further noted that restrictive trade policies are also hampering growth of Indian exports to the EU and UK. "While export of alcoholic beverages from India stood at 7.3 million cases (9 litre each) in year 2019-20, the exports to the entire EU (including UK) were less than 30,000 cases which consisted of Indian super premium malt whiskies. Definition of products by the UK is such that it does not permit Indian Whisky and Indian Rum which are predominant exports to the rest of the world. This has made the Indo-UK Exim heavily skewed against Indian products." The CIABC has asked the Indian government to ask the UK government for removal of non-tariff barriers to allow easy export of Indian made alcoholic beverages to the UK. It has also demanded that the Indian whiskies should be allowed to be sold in the UK as whiskies irrespective of whether they are made from malt, grain spirits or molasses-based spirits. "They should accept Indian recipes as India accepts British recipes for whiskey," said Giri. Similarly, the UK should remove the EU restriction of minimum three years maturation period for whiskey as well as for rum as it has been scientifically established that in warm Indian conditions spirit ages 3-3.5 times faster than in the UK. Also, the evaporation losses in India are much higher and forcing 3 years maturity adds significantly to cost of production, the CIABC said. Exactly 12 months after Mayor London Breed somberly announced she would shut down San Francisco in the face of the coronavirus, she got a shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Tuesday. It was a small sign of hope after a brutal year. It was important for me to make sure that I not only get this vaccine, but more importantly, that I demonstrate, as the leader of the city, that its safe, Breed said. The mayor got the single-dose vaccine at Maxine Hall Health Center in the Western Addition, where she was raised by her grandmother in public housing. The Western Addition has one of the highest case rates in the city, but its vaccination rate is on par with many San Francisco neighborhoods. Still, Breed said she has heard from many in the African American and Latino communities who are nervous about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. She purposely got her shot in the public eye as several TV cameras and reporters watched so that she could encourage those who may be hesitant, particularly when it comes to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. What were trying to do is demonstrate that they are not going to be used as experiments, she said. And if I would do this, Im hoping they will say Okay, Ill do it too. Breed touted the Johnson & Johnson shots efficacy and efficiency, and said the community should be confident that its just as good as vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. Unlike the other two vaccines, Johnson & Johnson only requires one shot. All three vaccines are about 100% effective at preventing hospitalization and death. But some have been wary of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of its slightly lower efficacy rate than the other two in preventing mild to moderate illness. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 95% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19. The one-shot Johnson & Johnson prevents about 85% of severe illness. It can also be stored in a normal refrigerator, unlike the other two. People achieve full immunity faster overall with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine about four weeks after the injection, compared with 10 days to two weeks after the second injection for the other two. Amy Osborne / Special to The Chronicle Breed said its very likely that the city will prioritize the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for homeless people who are now eligible for the vaccine, regardless of age as it is just one shot. When health care workers go to vaccinate people with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Breed said, I want them to be able to say that this is the same shot that the mayor got. UCSF infectious disease expert Dr. Monica Gandhi said it was an incredibly strong statement for Breed to get her vaccine so publicly. I think it is a profound and symbolic gesture for an African American mayor to show her African American residents that she is very convinced of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, Gandhi said. I think its an incredible thing to do. After Breeds remarks to the press Tuesday, she was directed over to a tent at the makeshift-vaccine clinic on the health centers tennis courts. Then, she took off her blue blazer and a nurse poked her with a needle. The mayor didnt flinch. Thats it! she said, ecstatically. Im safe mama, Im safe! Breeds shot came a week after Dr. Nadine Burke Harris the surgeon general of California, who is Black got a shot of Johnson & Johnson at the Oakland Coliseum as part of a public relations tour to convince people the one-shot vaccine is as good as the Pfizer and Moderna. But even with a third vaccine available from Johnson & Johnson, San Francisco still has a long way to go until the entire population over 16 is vaccinated. City officials say the city is stymied by a limited supply from the state a complaint they have been making since the beginning of the vaccine roll out. The city is focusing on making its distribution as equitable as possible. According to city data, 3.3% of the citys vaccine supply has gone to Black people, who represent 4.9% of San Franciscos overall population. Meanwhile, 10.3% of the citys supply has gone to Hispanic and Latino people, who represent 14.1% of the citys overall population. San Francisco also expanded the pool of people eligible to receive vaccines on Monday. People 16 to 64 with disabilities or other health conditions that put them at high risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 are now eligible. Those who live or work in high-risk group care settings including correctional facilities, homeless shelters and residential care and treatment facilities are also eligible, as are people living on the streets. Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the Department of Public Health, encouraged those who are eligible to keep trying to get an appointment. But, he said, its going to still take a little more time for there to be more widespread availability. We will get there, he said. When more supply comes in, youll be able to get that appointment for yourself, your loved ones, or your neighbors and your friends. Editors note: A previous version of this story mischaracterized the Western Additions vaccination rates. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani European Union countries were warned on Tuesday that the slow pace of vaccinations, as well as moves to block the use of some doses, could put the recovery effort at risk and increase the likelihood of prolonged lockdowns. The European Commission on Tuesday pushed back against member states attempts to dodge any blame over the EUs lackluster vaccination rollout, which has been plagued by slow regulatory approvals and delivery disruptions by AstraZeneca Plc. The blocs health chief, Stella Kyriakides, told EU ministers in a call that out of the 70 million doses delivered to member states so far, only 51 million have been administered. Vaccines dont save lives, vaccination does, and we must use every single precious dose available to us, Kyriakides told a crunch call of health ministers, according to two officials familiar with the exchange. The Commission has committed to immunizing 70% of adults by the end of September, but the performance of most EU governments in administering the limited number of shots available doesnt bode well for when supplies are expected to increase in the coming months. Vaccine Trust The U.S. has so far administered three times as many doses as the EU when adjusted for population. The lag could keep Europes economies in recession-inducing restrictions for longer and delay an anticipated rebound from the steepest recession on record. Adding another layer of complexity, several EU member states decided to suspend vaccinations with Astra shots over fears of life-threatening clotting incidents among recipients. The decision took place against the advice of the blocs drugs regulator, which on Tuesday reiterated that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh any potential risks. In Tuesdays ministerial call, the European Medicines Agency said it would give definitive guidance Thursday after examining all available evidence, according to one of the officials familiar with the discussion, who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. We are worried that there may be an effect on the trust in the vaccines, EMA executive director Emer Cooke said at a hastily convened press conference on Tuesday. Theres no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, Cooke told reporters in Brussels. Unfair Distribution The dispute has inflamed tensions within the bloc itself, with some governments saying they are unhappy with how shots are being shared. On Tuesday, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a correction mechanism of vaccine distribution in the EU to avoid political tensions. Speaking in Vienna alongside the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Slovenia, he declined to be drawn on how such a mechanism should work, except saying that the guiding principle should be that every member state has the same access to vaccine doses at the same time. Kurz said the leaders were already in talks with Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen about their proposal. Despite the vaccination setbacks, the Commission on Wednesday will unveil its strategy to gradually lift coronavirus lockdowns. The coordinated easing will be based on a tier system reflecting the epidemiological situation in each member state, according to a draft of the proposals seen by Bloomberg. Reopening Strategy The system, due to be proposed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, will simulate how much latitude each government has to lighten the measures without risking a reversal in the spread of the virus. Any easing will be conditional on close monitoring of the virus for mutations, which could render it resistant to existing vaccines. The Commission will also publish on Wednesday a legislative proposal for a digital pass certifying that holders have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from the virus. The aim is to allow the gradual resumption of travel, and the easing of the current ban for incoming visits from outside the bloc, amid pressure from tourism-dependent economies to not risk another lost summer season. In her comments to ministers on Tuesday, Kyriakides warned there is still a long way to go until a return normalcy, according to the two officials familiar with the discussion. Measures such as social distancing will have to remain in place to protect health care systems from a new surge in infections. Jessica Marais has been working hard on her fitness. And on Tuesday, the 36-year-old actress was spotted working out at the Sweat1000 gym in the Sydney suburb of Coogee. She looked focused as she lifted a hex bar with a couple of weight plates on it. The Strong Girl! Actress Jessica Marais showed her strength as she lifted heavy weights at the gym at the Sweat1000 gym, in the Sydney suburb of Coogee, on Tuesday The blonde beauty, who starred in Channel 10 series The Wrong Girl, dressed for the sweat session in a white T-shirt with blue leggings and grey trainers. The candid image, shared by the gym on their Instagram Story, also featured a very flattering sticker that said: 'Super Heroes.' Jessica's show of determination at the gym comes after she reunited with her ex-boyfriend Jake Holly for a beach date on the weekend. Still friends: Jessica's show of determination at the gym comes after she reunited with her ex-boyfriend Jake Holly for a beach date on the weekend In the photo, they posed close together, and appeared relaxed in each other's company. In 2019, Jake moved to the United States, however he has since returned, and has maintained a friendly relationship with his ex. In August last year, the Packed to the Rafters star shared a photo with Jake to Instagram, where they nestled in close to one another at a Sydney beach. Support: In August last year, the Packed to the Rafters star shared a photo with Jake to Instagram, where they nestled in close to one another at a Sydney beach. Jake was believed to have been supporting her as she mourned the death of her mother, Karen Jake was believed to have been supporting her as she mourned the death of her mother, Karen. Jess was previously engaged to actor James Stewart, but they split up in 2015 after they met on the set of Packed To The Rafters in 2009. During their relationship, they welcomed daughter Scout, now eight. Doting co-parents: She was previously engaged to actor James Stewart, but they split up in 2015 after they met on the set of Packed To The Rafters in 2009. During their relationship, they welcomed daughter Scout, now eight In 2014, Jessica spoke about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 'I was diagnosed at one point with bipolar. I have developed ways to talk myself down from any ledges I find myself on,' she told The Australian Women's Weekly. 'There's probably one day a month when I am an absolute mess. In my case it's hard to separate what is due to trauma or stress and what is due to a simple chemical imbalance.' If you, or someone you know, needs support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 LONDON, March 15 (Reuters) - Five more liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are scheduled to arrive in Britain and the Netherlands in March, Refinitiv Eikon data showed. * LNG tanker LNG Rosenrot is scheduled to arrive at Rotterdam's Gate terminal March 17. * LNG tanker Gaslog Chelsea is scheduled to arrive at Gate on March 19. * LNG tanker Gaslog Westminster is scheduled to arrive at Gate on March 27. * LNG tanker Vladimir Vize is scheduled to arrive at Britain's Isle of Grain terminal on March 22. * LNG tanker Um Al Amador is scheduled to arrive at Britain's South Hook terminal on March 30. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale, editing by Louise Heavens) Both sides of my wife's family were broken up during and right after World War II. As a result, she has family in Poland and Croatia and has kept in close touch with both. We've sent our teenage sons to the month-long Polish Scout Camp, where they teach the kids fieldcraft and basic survival skills. It isn't basic training, but the kids build their own camps, prepare their own food, and get ready for another Russian or German invasion. My son's welcome gift upon arrival was a Fiskars ax. In the 1970s, when my wife visited Croatia as a teenager, the country was still clearly under communist control. She happened to be there during the Christmas holidays, a celebration that the communist government forbade. Despite this edict, Croatia has always been a predominantly Catholic country. Therefore, many Croats, rather than abandoning Christmas, tended to celebrate the holiday quietly, out of the neighbors' sight, lest a non-Christian neighbor inform on them, subjecting them to a police visit and arrest. When my then-teenage wife learned of this, she exclaimed that she could not believe people could get arrested for celebrating the birth of Christ! Her Croatian family quickly closed the windows and pleadingly "shushed" her to prevent unscrupulous neighbors from hearing the incredulous teen and, perhaps, informing the police. The Catholic Poles, on the other hand, collectively told their communist leaders to jump in a lake if they thought they could prevent Poles from going to church or celebrating religious holidays. Make no mistake: there was government pressure to suppress religion, but too many Poles were willing to stand up, and the authorities were not quite as feared as Tito's secret police in Croatia. In the past, these were things we Americans knew about communist oppression during the Cold War, and, like my future wife, we were outraged whenever we heard about them. Even though various groups in the United States have been oppressed for their beliefs throughout our history, we have made steady progress toward becoming a more free society. Ironically, in the mid-20th century, we oppressed people in this country who had ever considered being communist. Many ended up "blacklisted" and could not get work and were cut off from association with coworkers and friends. The U.S. has never been perfect, but it was always our general belief that we should try to be. Nonetheless, today in America, we are seeing the return of another round of oppression. Cancel culture is the most obvious, but now we are seeing neighbors and colleagues informing on each other. After the Capitol Rush on January 6, the FBI made available on social media images of suspects in the hope that friends, family members, co-workers, and others would inform on them. Recently, a Georgetown law school professor resigned under pressure simply because, during a Zoom call with another professor, he did not correct her for "racist" comments. The other professor expressed her concerns that Black students generally had lower academic performance every semester. That professor was fired by the dean of the Law School. I am not privy to all the information, and there may be evidence that both professors are in fact racist. On the other hand, perhaps neither one is racist, and they were simply discussing truthful information. Since I do not believe that systemic racism and Critical Race Theory are the real problems faced by Black Americans today, I tend to think the latter, but I reserve the right to change my opinion with more evidence. Still, the thought of one person losing a lifetime's career because he did not correct a fellow worker who was speaking in good conscience smacks of the behavior we saw in those communist countries I described. I wonder how a third party even obtained that Zoom meeting to find out what was said. This reminds me of the "telescreen" in Orwell's 1984 that the Party used to monitor everything anyone did that might be considered disloyal to "Big Brother." Leftist Big Tech tells us what we should think and what we cannot say on social media. The tech companies punish anyone who violates these norms, as in the case of Amazon shutting down Parler and Apple deleting content it deems white supremacist and Disney firing right-leaning actors. Are we now being monitored by our neighbors and colleagues to see if we are loyal to the leftist agenda? Are we now prepared to turn in our neighbors, friends, and even families? As the left increases social and political power, will we be able to push back as the Poles did, or will we be terrorized like the Croats? Image: Spying by Andrew Gustar. CC BY-ND 2.0. (Newser) "The Cave of Horror" has given up a new wonder: the first fragments of the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls found in 60 years. Israeli archeologists have been combing the caves and ravines of the Judean Desert since 2017 in the hope of beating looters to relics preserved in the hot and arid landscape. From "the Cave of Horror," named for the 40 human skeletons found there in the 1950s, came dozens of fragments of parchment featuring text from the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Hebrew Bible, specifically the books of Zechariah and Nahum, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Tuesday. Written mostly in Greek, they've been dated to the second century AD and are thought to be the missing piece of another Minor Prophets scroll found in 1952, per Haaretz. The IAA said these were the first fragments of a biblical scroll found in "approximately 60 years," per Deutsche Welle. story continues below Archaeologists also found rare coins bearing Jewish symbols which, like the skeletons, are thought to date to a revolt against the Romans in the second century CE, when the 900 or so discovered scrolls may have been hidden; the 6,000-year-old skeleton of a child, likely a female aged 6 to 12, who'd been mummified in a piece of cloth; and what might be the world's oldest surviving basket. Believed to be more than 10,500 years old, the lidded basket found at the Muraba'at caves in the Nahal Darga Reserve is made from woven reeds and has a capacity of 100 liters, per Haaretz. IAA Director Israel Hasson says these are "gifts of immeasurable worth for mankind," per the Washington Post. One line of text from the scroll advises, "Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates. And do not contrive evil against one another," per Haaretz. (Read more Dead Sea scrolls stories.) Many Japanese businesses investing in Vietnam have been seeking co-operation in joint-surveys, research and human resources exchange with local universities as a crucial step to expand in Vietnam beyond HCM City and Hanoi. A Japanese introduces nursing skills for Vietnamese students at Skills Lab in Da Nang's ong A University. The lab was supported by Aijinkai Healthcare Group from Japan and the University in a co-operation deal in human resource training between Japanese businesses and local university. Photo courtesy Phuong Chi A survey on potential co-operation between 24 universities of Vietnam and Japanese businesses in Vietnam was recently organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO). The survey revealed that 68 per cent of surveyed Japanese businesses in Vietnam wanted to implement shared research or surveys and human resources exchanges with universities in Vietnam. JETRO said 24 per cent of Japanese enterprises said they expect to host Vietnamese students at their factories, while 33 per cent raised concerns about employing Vietnamese university graduates. Twenty-two per cent of Japanese enterprises wanted more exchanges with areas in Vietnam outside of Hanoi and HCM City in Vietnam, according to JETRO. JETRO said 80 per cent of co-operation and joint-venture projects among Japanese firms and universities and colleges in human resources and research still remained concentration in Hanoi and HCM City. Director of JETRO Hanoi Office Nakajima Takeo said Japanese investors have been seeking new destinations in Vietnam in recent years, but human resources, research, technological capabilities and science knowledge at local universities are limited. He said JETROs survey aimed to show the true potential in co-operation and shared research and studies among Japanese businesses and local universities. Students join a vocational training session in automobile engineering at a college in central Vietnam. Many Japanese businesses have been seeking co-operations with local universities in expanding their investment in Vietnam. Photo courtesy Phuong Chi Although remaining a bit different, training programmes at universities in Vietnam are quite similar to Japan. However, Vietnamese universities in Hanoi and HCM City have built up better links with Japanese businesses rather than in other provinces and cities, Takeo said. Some colleges in big cities such as Hanoi, HCM City and Hue have developed research and infrastructure, but not yet in other places. English is the most popular foreign language at Vietnamese universities, while Japanese and Korean followed, he said. He added Japanese businesses and Vietnamese colleges had built links through scholarships, joint-research programmes and employment. He hoped the co-operation between Japanese enterprises and Vietnamese colleges would promote human resources supplies for the two countries. Japanese Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Asazuma Shinichi said the relationship between Japan and Vietnam has drastically developed in different fields. He said last years visit to Vietnam by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga confirmed the good bilateral relationship between Japan and Vietnam. The webinar (held on March 5 to report the JETRO survey results) promised to raise concerns in co-operation between the Vietnamese education system and Japanese enterprises. Among positive co-operation ties with localities, businesses and universities, ong A College in Da Nang has promoted efforts in meeting the human resource demands at the two countries, Shinichi said. He hoped the Japan-Vietnam relationship would be strongly prompted as 2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Japan. Joint support Yamamura Tomokazu, head of project development in Vietnam under the Aijinkai Healthcare Group, said the group developed two nursing training projects in Thailand and Vietnam, and a skills lab at the Da Nang-based ong A University. We developed 70 healthcare centres, hospitals and a nursing home for the elderly with total of 2,600 beds. Our group sent experts and trainers to help train Vietnamese at nursing centres and colleges, Tomokazu said. Aijinkai Group and ong A have joined hands to boost practical and training for Vietnamese nursing students at the skills lab which offers Japanese standard nursing conditions for Vietnamese senior students under the training programmes by Japanese experts to provide skills and knowledge for Vietnamese students before working in Japan, he said. He said Vietnamese students will join practical internship courses at hospitals in Japan before returning to work at high-quality hospitals in Vietnam. Vietnamese students who learned experience from senior Japanese nurses at hospitals in Japan will help other Vietnamese nurses in Vietnam deal with human resource deficiencies in both countries, he added. According to JETRO, the co-operation between ong A University and Aijinkai Group is a positive and effective example of co-operation between Japanese and Vietnamese partners. Students are given a practice session at a laboratory of food industry. Local universities and Japanese enterprises joined hands in providing more vocational training for students. VNS Photo Cong Thanh Chairman of ong A University Council, Luong Minh Sam said the Da Nang-based university has been building long-term co-operation in education and human resources training with 72 Japanese partners and seven cities in Japan over the past 10 years. He said more than 300 students from the university have qualified for internships and high-quality human resources programmes in Japan. Despite the hit of COVID-19, we still sent 25 qualified students to study and practice in Japan. A group of 500 students in automobile, hospitality, economics, food industry and construction are planned to work in Japan in 2021-22, Sam said. He added the university offers Japanese language education to more than 2,000 students, and it plans to select 2,500 qualified students to work and practice at hospitals in Japan under co-operation deals with Aijinkai Group and other partners each year. He also said ong A had inked education and technology transfer contracts with universities in Japan such as Shibaura Institute of Technology, the University of Tokyo, Nagasaki University, Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology and the Japan Foundation. Yamamura Tomokazu also shared that Japanese senior nurses will help Vietnamese students to overcome initial difficulties and difference in culture and working skills while in Japan. He said the group would support Vietnamese students with an internship visa for a less than one-year working scheme in Japan as well as accommodation and traffic. To help Vietnamese students study in Japan, Ha Long University in the eponymous northern province asked Japanese businesses to grant scholarships, recruitment and workshops on Japanese language and start-ups. The university launched its Japanese language faculty in 2016 and implemented a joint-research at the UNESCO-recognised world heritage Ha Long Bay and other environmental science activities with Shiga Prefecture in 2018. Hai Phong Maritime College could not establish a Japanese language department as it has only one Japanese teacher and six Vietnamese lecturers in the Japanese language. JETRO also said Nam inh nursing college where provided graduated students for training in Japan and Germany called Japanese businesses funding vocational training equipment, Japanese language for students from the first year. Vietnamese young students prefer working in Japan in terms of better payment, similar culture, professional working environment and friendly relationship between Japan and Vietnam, according to Luong Minh Sam of ong A University. ong A College is the only education centre in central Vietnam providing human resources for the Japanese labour market. VNS Japanese language centre founded in central Vietnam The first Japanese language studies and culture research faculty in the central and Central Highlands region has been set up at the Da Nang-based Dong A College, providing human resource education and co-operation between Vietnam and Japan. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 14:49:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A mountaineering expedition team consisting of Bahraini Prince Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa arrived in Nepal on Monday with the aim of summiting Mt. Qomolangma this spring season, the company organizing their expedition and the airport authority confirmed. Five months after climbing the 8,163m high Mt. Manaslu in October, last year, a 16-member team consisting of Al Khalifa and other mountaineers arrived in Nepal on Monday evening, according to Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks, the expedition organizing company based in Nepal. "The expedition team comprising 13 Bahraini nationals and three British nationals will make (an) attempt to summit Mt. Qomolangma this spring," Sherpa told Xinhua on Monday. Mt. Qomolangma, which lies between the border of Nepal and China, is the world's tallest peak with a height of 8,848.86 meters as per the recently revised height. This Himalayan mountain which is known as Sagarmatha in Nepal, attracts thousands of foreign tourists every year and is an important source of tourism-related earnings for Nepal. "A chartered flight carrying the mountaineering team consisting of Bahraini Royal family members landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu 6.45pm (local time)," a duty officer at TIA told Xinhua on Monday evening. Deo Chandra Lal Karna, spokesperson at the TIA also confirmed the arrival of the team. After landing at the airport, the team had moved to a hotel where they will spend seven days in hotel quarantine as per the Nepali government's rule to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to Sherpa. The mostly same expedition team had climbed Mt. Manaslu in western Nepal and Mt. Lobuche (6,619m), in eastern Nepal last year as a part of the preparation to summit Mt. Qomolangma this spring. "The team has once again arrived in Nepal to complete this mission," said Sherpa. According to him, his company has already initiated the process for obtaining climbing permits from the Department of Tourism, a government authority responsible for issuing climbing permits. The department said that it has so far issued permits for two expedition groups to climb Mt. Nuptse (7864m) and Mt. Manaslu for this spring. Enditem Health authorities are investigating a potential coronavirus outbreak at Sydneys Sofitel Hotel after a possible missing link was found between a returned traveller and a security guard who tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday night. NSW reported one new local COVID-19 case on Wednesday: another recently returned traveller who was quarantined on the 11th floor of the hotel, where the security guard worked. Premier Gladys Berejiklian says a possible missing link has been found to connect multiple COVID cases at a Sydney hotel. Credit:Getty On Sunday, the guards infection was genomically linked to a different returned traveller who was quarantined on the floor before being moved to a health hotel, although the pair had no contact. Genomic sequencing indicates the new case, the third linked to the quarantine hotel, acquired their infection during their stay at the Sofitel, not while they were overseas. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Irving, Texas. March 16, 2021 State Bank of Texas (SBT)a $1-billion asset full-service commercial bank currently headquartered in Dallas, TXannounced today that it has finalized plans to build a new headquarters building in the Las Colinas Urban Center. Construction on the new headquarters should commence by the end of 2021 and is expected to be completed mid-2023. The building project was announced by Chan Patel, CEO and board chair of SBT. We are tremendously pleased to be locating our headquarters in the vibrant Las Colinas Urban Center, said Patel. This investment further strengthens our commitment to the Irving/Las Colinas community and allows our business ample room to continue growing. The Patels connections to the community as business and civic leaders run deep. Irving residents since 1981, Chan and Surekha Patel recently announced a $2 million gift to enhance the surgical and cardiovascular care at Irvings only charitable community hospital, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Irving. This is the single largest gift given by any donor in the history of the Baylor Scott & White Irving Foundation and was recognized by having the Patels names added to the hospitals Medical Office Building One. In addition, the Patels spearheaded the construction of the SLPS Community Center, an Irving facility that serves as a gathering location for the Dallas Surti Patel community of over 900 families and is named in the Patels honor. Sushil Patel, SBT president, is the current vice chair of the Las Colinas Association, has served on the City of Irving Bond Task Force, and as chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. When it came time to select a location for the banks headquarters, we knew it had to be in Irving/Las Colinas, Sushil Patel said. This announcement is more than just about a building; its about our company and our familys commitment to our associates, and to a lasting legacy in Irving/Las Colinas. We are proud of SBTs commitment and investment in Irving, said Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer. We believe SBTs decision to establish this boutique build-to-suit, corporate headquarters in the heart of the Las Colinas Urban Center will be beneficial to not only its workforce with nearby residential options and quality amenities, but also to the community through new job creation and significant capital investment. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with this banking leader and its employees into the future. State Bank of Texas is another wonderful addition to the Irving-Las Colinas business community and reinforces our national reputation as the Headquarters of Headquarters in Texas, said Beth A. Bowman, President & CEO of the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber and Irving Economic Development Partnership. Not only does State Bank of Texas bring jobs and global financial services to our city, but the leadership talent and personal generosity of the Patel family are a significant contribution to the benefit of all Irving-Las Colinas residents and our workforce. Congratulations to the Patel family and the State Bank of Texas team. Welcome to your new home in Irving-Las Colinas! The LCA is truly excited that State Bank of Texas has chosen to develop its new headquarters at one of the most high-profile sites within Las Colinas, said Las Colinas Association President & CEO J. Hammond Perot. The Patel familys choice of the Las Colinas Urban Center for the new home of State Bank of Texas not only evidences that the district is a fantastic business address but it also highlights the deep connections and commitment the Patels have to our community. The new SBT headquarters is being designed by the Dallas firm of Malone Maxwell Dennehy Architects. The Class AA 48,000-square-foot building will be four stories, with a full glass curtain wall with a datum wall feature. Executive underground parking along with a parking structure for employees will provide protected, easy access for building tenants. Occupying the top two floors, the bank will be consolidating operations from Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta. In addition, an SBT branch will be located in the lobby. Remaining space on the first and second floors will be available for tenant lease. We have worked closely with the architecture firm, explained Rajan Patel, SBTs chief lending officer, to design a building that is aesthetically pleasing, forward-looking with technology and workspace considerations, and sized appropriately for the community and our business needs. With our extensive experience in the hospitality industry as well as banking, we appreciate how important the right building can be. The resulting design is one we will be proud to claim for SBTs future. Presented by Business Wire. MASON CITY, Iowa A report of gunfire ends with a North Iowa man going to prison. Norance Adolf Reyerson, 58 of Mason City, was arrested after a confrontation with another person in the 400 block of East State Street in Mason City on November 7, 2020. Police say Reyerson tried to force his way into an apartment and after closing the door, the victim reported hearing a loud bang. Investigators say they found a bullet hole in the structure. Reyerson pleaded guilty to intimidation with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced Monday to up to five years in prison. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) California health authorities approved more counties to reopen to business thanks to low coronavirus case rates. About 90% of California's nearly 40 million residents can enjoy a restaurant meal indoors, watch a movie at a theater and sweat it out inside a gym. RELATED: Tehama County moving into red tier San Diego and Sacramento counties join Los Angeles and Orange counties, which were authorized to reopen Sunday. The San Francisco Bay Area county of San Mateo can reopen even more, including bowling alleys, cardrooms, wineries and breweries at 25% capacity indoors. California has been on a reopening roll since a deadly winter surge that saw skyrocketing hospitalizations and positivity rates. Loading the player... US overtakes Saudi Arabia to become India's second biggest oil supplier The United States overtook Saudi Arabia as India's second biggest oil supplier last month, as refiners boosted cheaper US crude purchases to record levels to offset OPEC+ supply cuts, data from trade sources showed. India's imports from the United States - the world's top producer - rose 48 per cent to a record 545,300 barrels per day (bpd) in February from the prior month, accounting for 14 per cent of India's overall imports last month. Ratan Tata-funded Generic Aadhaar pharmacy chain launches app; to take on online pharmacies Ratan Tata funded Generic Aadhaar, a pharmacy chain selling low cost medicines, has launched a mobile app to take on competition from online pharmacies. The app, launched by Ratan Tata yesterday in Mumbai, has facilities to upload prescriptions and place orders. The medicines will be delivered from the nearest generic Aadhaar franchise store. Bill to hike FDI in insurance sector to 74% tabled in Rajya Sabha Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has tabled a Bill in Rajya Sabha to amend the Insurance Act to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector to 74 per cent from 49 per cent. The Union Cabinet had approved the amendments listed in the Insurance Amendment Bill 2021 last Wednesday. Germany, Italy, France suspend AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine amid safety fears Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would hit pause on AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots after several countries reported possible serious side-effects, throwing Europe's already struggling vaccination campaign into disarray. Denmark and Norway stopped giving the shot last week after reporting isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and a low platelet count. Zomato delivery man lodges FIR against woman in assault row A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against Instagram influencer Hitesha Chandrani based on the complaint from Zomato delivery executive Kamraj, who she had alleged of assaulting her. In the case filed with Bengaluru's Electronic City Police Station, she has been charged with Sections 355 (assault), 504 (insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code. On March 10, Chandrani in a viral video had alleged that a Zomato delivery boy punched her in the face after an argument over the delayed food delivery. GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- State lawmakers across the country have filed more than 200 bills in 43 states that would limit ballot access and county officials and residents rallied against those efforts in a news conference Tuesday, March 16. Why are we not pursuing the path for 100 percent participation (in elections) rather than trying to subdue and limit participation? asked county Clerk-Register John Gleason, who organized the event in downtown Flint. Gleason also asked the county Board of Commissioners last week to approve a resolution that declares the November election was free, fair and transparent and that blames former President Donald Trump and his congressional allies with having created an environment that openly encouraged insurrection. Tuesdays news conference included representatives of faith, union and Black Lives Matter groups, and the clerk-register said it was necessary to oppose voting rights restrictions that have been introduced in Republican-controlled states across the country in the wake of Trumps repeated false claims about a stolen election. This was the best election Michigan ever ran ..., Gleason said. We went to early voting to keep the public safe (and) it was fabulous. The Brennan Center for Justice says 43 states are trying to enact legislation that could make it harder to vote and has advocated for the For the People Act, which has passed the House of Representatives. The Associated Press has reported that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pledged earlier this month that Senate Republicans would block passage of the voting rights bill known as HR 1, which would restrict partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, strike down hurdles to voting and bring transparency to the campaign finance system. Steven Low, director of the Flint Jewish Federation, called voter suppression efforts the modern day extension of the poll tax. Whatever obstacles are created by those who want to suppress the votes, we must take action to register people and get them out to vote, Low said. Claudia Perkins Milton, a member of the Democracy Defense League, and DeWaun E. Robinson of Black Lives Matter, also urged residents to fight any effort to restrict voting rights. We all have the opportunity to be on the right side of history, Robinson said. Read more on MLive: Genesee County asked to declare November election was fair and that Trump created environment for insurrection As Genesee County certifies election results, clerk says Trump hurting democratic process with challenges Genesee County Clerk-Register John Gleason speaks on the Nov. 3 election 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 delegation of the National Assembly (NA) inspected bauxite ore mining projects of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) in the Central Highlands on March 15. The NA delegation inspects the Tan Rai Alumina Plant in Lam Dong Province on March 15 (Photo: VNA) In Lam Dong Province, the delegation examined the mining site and production processes in Bao Lam District, especially the management and treatment of hazardous chemicals during the alumina production process at the Tan Rai Alumina Plant of Vinacomins Lam Dong Aluminum Co. Ltd. They paid special attention to environmental rehabilitation at former mining areas and red mud treatment. Nguyen Tien Manh, Deputy General Director of Vinacomin, reported that the bauxite projects in Lam Dong and neighbouring Dak Nong province have spent 40 billion VND (1.7 million USD) on environmental protection. In 2020, the two projects exploited more than 1.4 million tonnes of alumina, generating nearly 9.46 trillion VND in revenue, which has considerably contributed to the State budget, he noted. The Lam Dong Aluminum Company said it mined over 3.61 million tonnes of crude ore last year, equivalent to 707,200 tonnes of alumina, earning nearly 2.74 trillion VND in revenue and paying about 241 billion VND to the State budget. It has carried out most the NA working groups recommendations issued during an inspection visit in February 2018, including building dust and exhaust treatment facilities, installing three automatic wastewater monitoring stations, conducting environmental rehabilitation on about 100ha of land, and constructing a rainwater collection and drainage system. Meanwhile, the Dak Nong Aluminum Company under Vinacomin noted almost 4.5 million tonnes of crude ore, equal to 715,268 tonnes of alumina, was mined in 2020. The business earned 2.9 trillion VND in revenue and contributed 410.6 billion VND to the State budget. The firm also highlighted its good performance in following four of the seven recommendations made by the NA delegation three years ago, including completing legal procedures, installing automatic wastewater minoring stations, setting up a hazardous waste warehouse, and dealing with dust in the mining and production areas. The other recommendations about dealing with odour from the coal residue dumping ground, building a red mud storing lake, and planting trees in the mining and production areas are being implemented. At the working session, Chairman of the NAs Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Phan Xuan Dung said despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bauxite projects in Lam Dong and Dak Nong exploited over 1.4 million tonnes of alumina equivalent and brought about profits of 320 billion VND last year. In particular, he noted, they have helped ensure livelihoods for 1,000 workers with average monthly income of 12 million VND, affirming the Party and States right policy on bauxite exploitation in the Central Highlands. He also spoke highly of the two companies following the NA delegations recommendations, asking them to push ahead with those efforts, apply scientific advances to turn waste into resources for social development, and quickly upgrade technology at the two alumina plants. VNA LONDON After the European Unions biggest countries suspended the use of AstraZenecas vaccine, the continents top drug regulator pushed back hard on Tuesday against fears about the shot, saying there was no sign of its causing rare but dangerous problems, and strong evidence that its lifesaving benefits outweigh the risk of the side effects. The reassurance by Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency, came a day after Germany, France, Italy, Spain and others halted use of the vaccine, even as Europe faces a third wave of the virus, hundreds of millions of its people are still constrained by severe pandemic restrictions and many are facing the prospect of rules tightening even more. The vaccine suspensions were a startling about-face after government officials had spent days assuring the public of the vaccines safety. After Germany indicated that it would put the shots on hold, others quickly followed, wanting to present a united front and avoid the political fallout from being an outlier if real problems with the vaccine emerged. Concerns about possible rare side effects like blood clots and abnormal bleeding have rattled confidence in the vaccine and delayed the already slow and troubled inoculation campaign in Europe. No country in the European Union is on pace to reach its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of its population by September. 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. With his entire archive retracted by the Southern Poverty Law Center and a growing record of disgrace, Alexander Reid Ross now collaborates with ex-CIA agents, cops, DHS officials, and a GOP congressman turned Bigfoot scholar, with funding from a Koch brother. Through his many hatchet jobs smearing anti-war leftists as crypto-fascists engaged in a supposed red-brown alliance with the far-right, writer Alexander Reid Ross has earned widespread derision and the retraction of his entire archive by one of his former publishers. Ironically, the self-described anarchist is now openly collaborating with a network of former cops, spies, right-wing Republicans, and Department of Homeland Security agents at a militaristic think tank funded in part by billionaire Charles Koch. Ross fellowship with the recently founded Network Contagion Research Institute suggests the US national security state has an increased interest in undermining the progressive anti-imperialist forces he has targeted for years and is also curiously uninterested in his long record of journalistic malpractice. Ross introduced his red-brown (communist-fascist) theory to a national audience in a series of stem-winding screeds published by the Southern Poverty Law Centers Hatewatch blog in 2018. His articles consisted of confusing Venn diagrams and wild insinuations linking anti-imperialist and progressive activists with white nationalists and the Kremlin. In one entry, Ross alleged that Brian Becker, a veteran anti-racist and anti-war activist, was in league with the Oathkeepers because he once debated a member of the far-right group on his radio show. In another, Ross accused liberal Nation Magazine publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel of ultra-conservatism and Kremlin ties largely on the grounds that she was married to Stephen F. Cohen, a top Russian scholar and US foreign policy critic. Ross then blamed Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal for a deadly shooting spree by a neo-Nazi because well, there was simply no basis for his defamatory claim. Ross blog posts were so full of errors and slanderous attacks that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was forced to delete his entire archive. In March 2018, after the SPLC scrubbed Rosss work from its website in humiliation, it issued an effusive apology to his many targets, including the authors of this article. When Ross disgrace became the subject of national embarrassment and widespread mockery, he blamed pro-Russia trolls and cried that he had been censored. Alexander Reid Ross SPLC multipolar fascists " data-medium-file="https://i2.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-SPLC-multipolar-fascists.png?fit=300%2C168&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i2.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-SPLC-multipolar-fascists.png?fit=1024%2C573&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> The SPLC issued a similar apology in April, after retracting Ross libelous hatchet job targeting Cohen, the former Princeton professor and renowned Russia expert. We take this opportunity to emphasize that the opinions expressed in it are those of the author, not SPLC, and we regret any confusion that our posting it may have caused, the organization stressed. Another apology issued after the SPLC retracted a lie-filled smear piece by Alexander Reid-Ross " data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-SPLC-apology-Stephen-Cohen.png?fit=300%2C181&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-SPLC-apology-Stephen-Cohen.png?fit=1024%2C619&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> Following the publication of this present article, James W. Carden, a former State Department advisor who has since become a critic of hawkish US foreign policy, who was also attacked by Ross in his defamatory rants, said former SPLC President Richard Cohen called me to apologize for this morons article. Richard could hardly believe that he was let down so badly by his editorial team. He was embarrassed by this Portland creep, Carden added, referencing Ross. Richard Cohen (SPLC) called me to apologize for this moron's article. Richard could hardly believe that he was let down so badly by his editorial team. He was embarrassed by this Portland creep. Of course only @thedailybeast under noted idiot Noah Shachtman would run this dolt. JW Carden (@maurice_bendrix) March 15, 2021 But never one to let a bit of inconvenient fact-checking get in the way of his fanatical war on the anti-imperialist left, Ross continued. This February, he sat down at his laptop and fired off a series of emails to numerous prominent left-wing media personalities, probing them about right-wing connections that existed primarily in his own imagination. Ross wound up publishing a characteristically long and barely coherent rant at the Daily Beast accusing his targets of playing footsie with the right. Among those smeared by Ross was academic Norman Finkelstein, the son of Holocaust survivors, whom he accused of Holocaust denial. Finkelstein spoke at length about his familys suffering during the Holocaust in the interview that Ross referenced in his article, which Finkelstein conducted on the podcast TrueAnon. But Ross, in an especially revealing example of his misleading smear tactics, chose to ignore his targets personal testimony. Indeed, Ross did not mention Finkelsteins family history at all, and omitted his well-established scholarly credentials, describing the academic merely as an anti-Zionist activist. Ross then attempted to link leftist comedian Jimmy Dore to the Pizzagate conspiracy on the grounds that a promoter of the far-right narrative once retweeted him. Next, he attacked the hosts of popular socialist podcast Chapo Trap House for an obviously humorous comment about the US being ruled by a cabal of cannibalistic psychotic abusers, baselessly linking them to the right-wing QAnon conspiracy cult. The smears went on for 4500 words, targeting a dizzying array of lefty podcast personalities, both major and almost unheard of, in an absurdly obsessive manifesto that ultimately said more about the paranoid mind state of its author than any of his targets. Like most readers, the editors of the Daily Beast appeared incapable of deciphering Rosss scrawling. But they published it anyway, exposing themselves and its author to widespread mockery and embarrassment when the articles multiple falsehoods, copy errors, and generally demented quality came to light. Among the many false claims featured in Rosss piece was that podcaster Nick Mullen dropped the n-word multiple times on Bill Maher. In fact, Mullen has never appeared on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher and it was Maher who used the n-word on air. Did your editors run this claim through fact-checking? Or did they, like 99.9% of your readers, just give up on a bottomless, incoherent rant about podcast & Twitter comments? Maybe this time your screed will achieve just Correction-level, besting your normal Full Retraction. pic.twitter.com/F5qywnY46f Aaron Mate (@aaronjmate) March 8, 2021 The derision and contempt inspired by Rosss diatribe became so intense that Daily Beast editor-in-chief and former Clinton operative Noah Shachtman attempted to wash his hands of the editorial disaster, declaring that his managing editor, Katie Baker, was singlehandedly responsible for landing this incredibly complex, important story. Meanwhile, the Daily Beast quietly updated and corrected Rosss article without inserting an editors note that would have stood as a permanent marker of the journalistic catastrophe. Rosss disgrace soon became the subject of a Daily Dot article that carefully surveyed his extensive record of wild smears and facepalm-level falsehoods. Desperate to salvage his credibility, Ross issued a statement to the Daily Dot that read as though it had been crafted by a bargain basement reputation management specialist. He claimed that he was dedicated to honest journalism that enables readers to work through societys increasing divisions and negotiate common ground for a more decent, peaceful, and just world for future generations. Under sustained questioning, Ross was ultimately reduced to beseeching his interviewer not to publish her report: I am concerned, based on your questions, he complained, that your article will perpetuate the intense and damaging campaign against me, becoming fodder for people who have very little commitment to either truth or dignity. With his long trail of retractions and editorial embarrassments and his risible excuses for them it is difficult to understand how a serial bungler like Ross continues to find work. But even as his byline has become a dangerous liability to any journalistic institution, he has found cachet within a new and lucrative racket dedicated to combating online disinformation and anti-establishment conspiracy theories. By marketing himself as an anarchist and libertarian socialist with an inside track on both the radical left and fascist right, Ross has managed to make himself seem useful to the national security state hardliners behind the burgeoning counter-disinformation industry. And by impugning left-wing anti-imperialists as conspiracy theorists [who] undermine a democratic political consensus, he has signaled to his employers a commitment to the shared cause of defending the US national security state against perceived domestic threats. So in a twist of comical irony, the red-brown researcher Ross has become a senior research fellow at a recently founded think tank backed by billionaires, including the right-wing oligarch Charles Koch. There, Ross has co-authored reports with the retired chief of operations for counterintelligence at the CIA, ex-Department of Homeland Security officials, former police officers, and even an erstwhile Republican congressman who proudly calls himself a Bigfoot scholar. Having once boasted, ive been an anarchist since I was in elementary school, Ross is now a proud colleague of cops, spies, and militarists, helping advance their commitment to suppressing any narrative that threatens to erode ruling-class control. Alexander Reid Ross (left) speaks at the main event organized by the UK government-sponsored, NATO-funded Integrity Initiative, in Seattle in December 2018 " data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Emmi-Bevensee-Alexander-Reid-Ross-Integrity-Initiative-event.jpg?fit=300%2C166&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Emmi-Bevensee-Alexander-Reid-Ross-Integrity-Initiative-event.jpg?fit=857%2C475&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> A self-proclaimed anarchist works alongside former CIA spies, DHS feds, and cops The Grayzone previously exposed Alexander Reid Rosss audition for the Integrity Initiative, an information warfare operation aimed at generating hostility with Russia and targeting dovish officials that get in the way. The now-defunct Integrity Initiative was overseen by British military-intelligence operatives and covertly funded by the UK Foreign Office. Its existence had been hidden from British taxpayers until a series of leaks exposed the disturbing project, triggering a national scandal and outrage in the UKs parliament. Ross was invited to speak at what the Integrity Initiative called its main event, in Seattle, Washington in December 2018. There, he delivered a typically incoherent talk laying out a furtive network of red-brown alliances and syncretic communist-fascist media outlets. His presentation ended by accusing Zero Hedge, an alternative financial and news outlet, of inspiring anti-migrant militia violence on the US-Mexico border. In January 2021, Ross was named a senior research fellow by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), a think tank funded by billionaires including right-wing oligarch Charles Koch. NCRI proclaims its mission is to track, expose, and combat misinformation, deception, manipulation, and hate across social media channels. At the NCRI, Ross has co-authored reports with former top officials of the US national security state whom any self-respecting anarchist would undoubtedly view as an existential threat and absolute menace. On March 11, the NCRI published a report on Viral Disinformation of the COVID Vaccine. The first contributor named in the list of co-authors was Alexander Reid Ross. Collaborating on the project with Ross was Kelli Holden, the former chief of operations for counterintelligence at the CIA. Alexander Reid Ross Network Contagion Research Institute CIA DHS report " data-medium-file="https://i2.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-CIA-DHS-report.png?fit=300%2C266&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i2.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-CIA-DHS-report.png?fit=1024%2C908&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> Holden worked at the CIA for 28 years, retiring in 2019. On her LinkedIn profile, Rosss colleague describes her former work at the notorious coup-plotting agency: Concluding her career as Counterintelligence Chief of Operations for CIA, Ms. Holden served in numerous foreign and Washington-based CIA leadership positions managing significant projects and budgets directly impacting U.S. national security collaborating closely with U.S. intelligence entities, law enforcement, policymakers, military leaders and foreign partners. She had comprehensive expertise in program management, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, insider threat, and global risk management. Joining Ross and Holden as a fellow co-author of the NCRI report was Brian Harrell, former assistant secretary for infrastructure protection at the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Harrell got his start working as a cop at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. He then did anti-terrorist operations with the US Marines, before moving over to a slew of private security companies and DHS. Harrells work earned him recognition in Security Magazines list of the most influential people in security in 2017. Alexander Reid Ross colleague worked at DHS from 2018 to 2020. Harrell makes it clear on his LinkedIn page that he was appointed by Donald Trump, declaring, Thank you, Mr. President! Alexander Reid Ross colleague, former DHS Assistant Secretary Brian Harrell " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Brian-Harrell-DHS-Alexander-Reid-Ross.jpg?fit=300%2C203&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Brian-Harrell-DHS-Alexander-Reid-Ross.jpg?fit=996%2C674&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> During Harrells tenure, DHS aggressively cracked down on anti-fascists and left-wing activists, formally classifying vandalism by supposed members of the decentralized Antifa movement as domestic terrorist violence. Ross claims to be a staunch supporter of Antifa, and has even sarcastically included the description Antifa ideologue in his Twitter bio. How he squares those sympathies with the fact that his co-author was actively involved in a state campaign to criminalize Antifas activities is unclear. A 2020 report in Politico cited a DHS memo that listed anarchists and anti-fascists alongside domestic terrorist actors, warning they might exploit the anti-racist protests against the horrific police killing of George Floyd in order to provoke violence. The Politico article cited Ross current colleague, Brian Harrell, who emphasized that as cops were brutalizing protesters and arresting journalists DHS, as the nations largest law enforcement organization, will continue to support our state and local police and first responder agencies, to bring a quick, safe, and peaceful ending to the disorderly violence in the streets. Another co-author of the NCRI report with Alexander Reid Ross is Paul Goldenberg, who was also named as one of Security Magazines most influential people in security in 2020. Goldenberg is a member of the Department of Homeland Securitys Advisory Council (HSAC), and has led numerous DHS committees focused on violent extremism, terrorism, and radicalization efforts that often target Muslims, Black liberation organizations, and self-styled radicals like Ross anarchist friends. Goldenberg previously served as the head of the transitional policing mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Before that, he oversaw the New Jersey attorney generals office domestic terrorism efforts. Ross colleague began his career as a cop. Goldenberg worked first as a police officer in New Jersey, then spent years as a deep undercover agent in Florida, earning the title South Floridas Officer of the Year. Alexander Reid Ross NCRI colleague Paul Goldenberg, back when he worked as a New Jersey cop " data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Paul-Goldenberg-police-Alexander-Reid-Ross.jpg?fit=300%2C187&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Paul-Goldenberg-police-Alexander-Reid-Ross.jpg?fit=946%2C589&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> Another associate of Alexander Reid Ross at the Network Contagion Research Institute a co-author of the March 2021 report with the self-proclaimed anarchist is former New Jersey state Attorney General John Farmer. Farmer, who was dubbed a New Jersey Super Lawyer, served as senior counsel and team leader for the US governments 9/11 Commission. Perhaps the most absurdly ironic association Ross enjoys at NCRI is Denver Riggleman, a staunchly conservative, Tea Party-backed former Republican member of Congress. A former Air Force intelligence officer who later served as CEO of an NSA contractor, Riggleman became somewhat of a national laughingstock when, during the 2018 Virginia Congressional race, his opponent accused him of having a Bigfoot erotica collection. Riggleman had posted an image on Instagram of a sketch of a furry monster bearing Rigglemans face, with the creatures genitalia redacted. The future Republican congressman joked that the picture was part of an upcoming book he wrote called The Mating Habits of Bigfoot and Why Women Want Him. From my opponent Denver Rigglemans Bigfoot erotica collection. pic.twitter.com/ELe0TWJh21 Leslie Cockburn (@LeslieCockburn) July 29, 2018 After losing the Republican Partys nomination in the subsequent election, Riggleman returned to writing Bigfoot fantasy fiction. Although he says he does not believe the monster exists, Riggleman published a book in 2020 titled Bigfoot Its Complicated, in which he identified himself as a Bigfoot scholar. A local newspaper summarized Ross colleague: Riggleman is really into Bigfoot. Hes gone on hunts for the creature. He recently watched a musical performance from a man dressed up in a big hairy suit playing the saxophone Saxsquatch. Riggleman worked on the March 2021 NCRI report with Ross on vaccine disinformation. In December 2020, Riggleman also collaborated with Ross on an investigation into the QAnon conspiracy. Alexander Reid Ross Network Contagion Research Institute Qanon " data-medium-file="https://i2.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-Qanon.png?fit=300%2C203&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i2.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Alexander-Reid-Ross-Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-Qanon.png?fit=1024%2C694&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> Riggleman has no apparent expertise in technology, and aside from his outre Instagram posts, does not seem to have anything particularly insightful to say about social media. He spends much of his time tending to a distillery he owns in Virginia and lobbying for less restrictive alcohol laws. Why a think tank that claims to be dedicated to research on disinformation employs such a figure is difficult to discern. Alexander Reid Ross employer, the NCRI, lists its funders at the bottom of its official website: the Charles Koch Foundation, of the notorious right-wing oligarch, as well as the Open Society Foundations of the staunchly anti-communist billionaire George Soros. Network Contagion Research Institute ADL Soros Koch Working with the ADL, a pro-apartheid outfit that spies on the left " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-ADL-Soros-Koch.png?fit=300%2C143&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-ADL-Soros-Koch.png?fit=1024%2C490&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> NCRI is also affiliated with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a pro-Israel lobby group with a decades-long track record of collaborating with police agencies to spy on the US left. During the McCarthy era, the ADL conducted espionage on progressives its suspected of communist sympathies and reported them to the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Later, the ADL spied on and attacked Black leaders in the civil rights movement. The organization went on to surveil anti-apartheid activists, working directly with intelligence operatives from the white supremacist South African regime. As it did with activists who opposed South African apartheid, the ADL has spied on Americans who oppose Israeli apartheid, sharing the intelligence it gathers on them with Israeli government officials, which Israel then uses to persecute Palestinians. In 2017, the ADL called for US police to infiltrate groups that call themselves Antifa in order to spy on the kind of anti-fascist activists with which Ross identifies. 2/ This is part of a decades-long pattern of working with police to target and spy on activists. In 2017, the ADL released a document urging police to infiltrate and film anti-fascist and anti-racist movements. #DropTheADL https://t.co/nQgYIshOGX pic.twitter.com/TI6xxnvjrE JVP DC Metro (@JVPDCMetro) August 14, 2020 Besides defending and lobbying on behalf of the apartheid regime in Israel, the ADL openly supported the US military invasion of Iraq in 2003. The ADLs activities have grown so noxious that progressive American Jewish groups organized a Drop the ADL campaign, requesting that progressive organizations refuse to partner with the organization. Despite the ADLs deep links to US, Israeli, and South African cops, and its extensive right-wing ties, the self-declared anarchist Alexander Reid Ross has been supportive of the organization. Ross regularly shares the ADLs research, and frequently cites the league in his work. Ross even defends its malicious operations from criticism by other leftist activists, while echoing ADL smears to defame progressive anti-Zionists like Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal. Last month, the ADL wrote Max Blumenthal up for joining the far right in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories re: Soleimani, and now a far-right grifter uses his weird "Zionists may be to blame for Iowa" theory to promote anti-Semitism. Normal year I guess.https://t.co/HmlHg7s4oy https://t.co/OfVEYEpvfj pic.twitter.com/0STmZG4LiJ Alexander Reid Ross (@areidross) February 8, 2020 Echoing the messaging of the ADL, Ross consistently portrays critics of the Zionist movement as anti-Semites while echoing liberal Zionist talking points. But the connections that Ross employer have to the ADL go even deeper. In fact, the founder and director of the Network Contagion Research Institute that awarded Ross his fellowship, Joel Finkelstein, worked as a research fellow at the ADL from 2018 to 2020. Before founding NCRI, Joel Finkelstein worked at Google, a CIA contractor that collaborates extensively with the US military and police departments, assisting them as they spy on activists. Joel Finkelstein is not the only NCRI staffer with a history at the Silicon Valley Big Tech corporation. The director of research at Google, Peter Norvig, also serves as an NCRI strategic advisor. Strategic advisors at the Network Contagion Research Institute, which employs Alexander Reid Ross " data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-advisors.png?fit=300%2C213&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-advisors.png?fit=1024%2C727&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> More than footsie: Alexander Reid Ross works alongside a right-wing homophobe and NYPD intelligence agent Rounding out the dubious cast of spooks and cops that Ross has elected to work with at NCRI is Jack Donohue, a veteran New York City Police Department intelligence officer who served as former chief of strategic initiatives at the NYPD. According to the NCRIs website, Donohue is a former three-star chief and 32-year veteran of the New York City police department with a role as chief of cyber intelligence and strategy, and an innovator of the now annual Cyber Intelligence and Counterterrorism Conference who authors expertise reports on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security Another colleague of Alexander Reid Ross at NCRI: former NYPD chief Jack Donohue " data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-Jack-Donohue-NYPD.png?fit=300%2C83&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Network-Contagion-Research-Institute-Jack-Donohue-NYPD.png?fit=1024%2C283&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> Finally, and perhaps most hypocritically, the proud anarchist Alexander Reid Ross works alongside a notorious anti-gay, anti-abortion, far-right academic. NCRI lists Robby George as another strategic advisor. In 2006, Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal published an investigation into George in The Nation, exposing him as a fanatically anti-choice Republican theocrat. George previously led the National Organization for Marriage, a right-wing lobby group that oppose same-sex marriage. In 2008, Republican President George W. Bush awarded George the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor in the United States. Alexander Reid Ross right-wing NCRI colleague Robby George with President Bush in 2008 " data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Robby-George-George-Bush-NCRI.jpg?fit=300%2C173&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Robby-George-George-Bush-NCRI.jpg?fit=514%2C296&ssl=1" data-recalc-dims="1" /> So while Ross falsely smears anti-imperialist leftists, claiming they are participants in a supposed red-brown conspiracy, he is actively collaborating with far-right Republicans who have dedicated their lives to limiting the constitutional and civil rights of women and LGBT citizens. It is impossible to overstate the irony of an anarchist academic huckster engaging in a sordid alliance with reactionary securitocrats and accepting sponsorship from a Koch brother while spinning out his retracted, discredited conspiracies. The mysterious making of Alexander Reid Ross as an expert Alexander Reid Ross is mostly a fringe figure. But he does have friends who promote his conspiratorial work with a religious-like fervor. Ross political allies created a highly sympathetic Wikipedia article for him, which really just amounts to a piece of crude marketing, in October 2020. A look at the pages edit history shows it was written by the same trolls who, in blatant violation of Wikipedias guidelines, rabidly vandalize and even delete the entries on anti-war journalists and scholars. Among the co-authors of Ross fawning Wikipedia article are some of the politically motivated editors who participated in the lie-filled smear campaign that led to a blacklisting of The Grayzone on the website. Another editor who has helped shape Ross page is Philip Cross, the notorious British troll who edits Wikipedia for hours each day, relentlessly pushing the hawkish propaganda line of Western governments, and vandalizing the pages of prominent anti-imperialists, including Max Blumenthals Wikipedia entry, to downplay their accomplishments, play up controversies, and falsely impugn them as Russian assets. With mysterious entities such as Cross providing Ross with de facto marketing services, Ross has been able to survive the humiliating PR disasters that are unleashed when his lie-filled works blow up in his editors faces, as they so often do. His editors appear to share his support for interventionist US policies and a burning resentment of the anti-imperialists who challenge them. That might help explain why Ross faced no consequences for a 2020 article in the liberal Zionist Israeli newspaper Haaretz which has since been discredited. In the long and characteristically confusing piece, Ross claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been supporting neo-Nazis in the United States. As evidence, he pointed to a white supremacist group called The Base. However, The Base has long been suspected of serving as a front for US law enforcement, and therefore as a geopolitical tool aimed at painting Russia as the worlds most prolific exporter of white nationalist ideology. This February, the DHS confirmed it has employed the leader of The Base, Rinaldo Nazzaro. Nazzaro had previously worked as a Pentagon contractor, and served with US Special Operations forces on counterterrorism efforts. Given his pedigree, perhaps it is only a matter of time before Nazarro joins Ross as a counter-disinformation researcher at the NCRI. Alexander Reid Ross, wannabe Grayzone contributor Before Ross made himself the laughingstock of leftist Twitter and a collaborator with cops, he made himself known to The Grayzone. A few months before publishing the paranoiac smear job that was ultimately retracted by the SPLC, Ross contacted Max Blumenthal to pitch an article for publication in AlterNets Grayzone Project, a predecessor to The Grayzone (now independent of AlterNet). Ross delivered his confusing pitch behind two assumed names, Lilac and Sasha, using an email from the radical environmentalist website earthfirstjournal.org. He proposed to write an article exposing the DHSs surveillance of Antifa activists an ironic angle considering his present-day work. Ross has previously worked as an editor of Earth First Journal under the pseudonym Lilac Sash@. In 2010, he posted a job listing seeking short term journalistas (sic) to help with the publication: you get paid $200 a month plus a roomy ho Brett Jordan on Unsplash In order to get more Americans vaccinated for COVID-19, Facebook is launching a tool to help folks find appointments near them. In a Facebook post, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared details about the upcoming tool. "We're launching a tool that shows you when and where you can get vaccinated, and gives you a link to make an appointment. This will be in the Covid Information Center, which we'll show people right in their News Feed," Zuckerberg said. Along with the new tool, Zuckerberg says they will be bringing the 'COVID Information Center' to Instagram. Customer First, Customer Last has been Arubas #1 core value since our founding in 2002, a mantra our customers have come to know and trust. And its a key contributor to our loyal customer base and continued market growth, which has outpaced the industry for the past several years. This core value extends to our recent acquisition of Silver Peak and its industry leading WAN edge platform, formerly Unity EdgeConnect. Everything we do, whether its in our approach to engineering our products, delivering 24/7 customer support, or enabling enterprises big and small to architect modern WAN edge infrastructures that help to transform their business operations, revolves around this maniacal focus. So, when Gartner Peer Insights recently published its 2021 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer: WAN Edge Infrastructure report, we were delighted to be officially recognized as a Customers Choice among the 35 other WAN Edge Infrastructure companies, measured per Gartner Peer Insights strict selection criteria, scoring an overall rating of 4.8/5.0. This recognition joins other Customers Choice designations for Aruba by Gartner Peer Insights, including last October in the Network Access Control category for Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager, and in February 2020 in the Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure category for Aruba Gateways and Controllers. First, and most important, is to express our gratitude and a huge thank you to all of our customers, as well as the entire Aruba team and global channel partners for improving day-to-day customer experiences and business outcomes with Aruba EdgeConnect. Now, Id like to briefly share some insights, commentary, and a few customer review examples about the Gartner Peer Insights program and whats behind Arubas Customers Choice recognition. Gartner Peer Insights Its worth noting that because the surveys tell the stories of actual experiences from verified customers, Gartner Peer Insights reviews have become a trusted source of experiential information. Gartner Peer Insights reviews frequently influence enterprise IT teams when evaluating and purchasing a vast array of technology products. All reviews go through a strict validation and moderation process in an effort to assure authenticity. For vendors in the WAN Edge Infrastructure market category, the Gartner Peer Insights Customers Choice designation is a recognition that takes into account both the total number of reviews and the overall customer ratings. To ensure fair evaluation, Gartner maintains rigorous criteria for recognizing vendors with the highest customer satisfaction ratings, and only the highest ranked vendors are named a Customers Choice. Aruba EdgeConnect Assessment Based on a 5-star point system from 68 reviews over the past 12-months, Aruba achieved an overall rating of 4.8, with 93% of reviewers stating they would recommend the companys EdgeConnect SD-WAN edge platform. Breakout scoring was 4.9 for Evaluation and Contracting, 4.7 for Integration and Deployment, 4.7 for Service and Support, and 4.7 for Product Capabilities.* Aruba EdgeConnect reviews are listed as Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect, the name change resulting from Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, acquiring Silver Peak last September. In addition to core Customer First, Customer Last values, a sharing of Arubas common vision and goal to provide simplicity, scalability, and application-awareness at the edge, were key factors in completing the acquisition, along with the companys placement as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for WAN Edge Infrastructure report for the past three years. Now its time to hear from a few of our customers. Exceptional Customer Experiences Below are verbatim excerpts of Gartner Peer Insights customer reviews for Aruba EdgeConnect submitted and verified by Gartner Peer Insights over the past 12-months: Silver Peak - The Powerhouse of SD-WAN Products The deployment of this product has been flawless and made our replacement of our existing infrastructure (Cisco ISR 4331) uncomplicated and efficient. Network Engineer, Finance industry (firm size $10 - $30B USD) "Amazing SD-WAN System. Simple, Yet Extremely Robust. Very Well Designed." "Silver Peak's SD-WAN solution is absolutely amazing. We performed POC's with several of Gartner's highest rated solutions and none of them are even close to offering a fully packaged and simplified solution like Silver Peak. We began by only deploying three sites on Silver Peak and performed an 18-month POC. Once that completed, we started moving all of our sites to Silver Peak. SVP, Director of IT, Finance industry (firm size $3B - $10B USD) Easy Win: Performance, Visibility, and Stability With EdgeConnect "Our overall experience was very positive. We were able to perform a proof-of-concept (POC) and verify that this product met our technical requirements and solved the problems we were looking to solve. We were able to quickly implement this solution globally and have continued to be very satisfied with our decision to choose this product." Senior Network Engineer, Manufacturing Industry (firm size $500M - $1B USD) To learn more about this distinction, or to read some of the other 65 Aruba EdgeConnect reviews, from the network and IT infrastructure teams who rely on them 24/7, please visit the WAN Edge Infrastructure page on Gartner Peer Insights. Lastly, if you have an Aruba or Silver Peak story youd like to share, we encourage you to join the Gartner Peer Insights crowd and weigh in. Your peers will find considerable value in reading your story. 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. ----- *Reviews and ratings current as of Feb. 24, 2021. The GARTNER PEER INSIGHTS CUSTOMERS CHOICE badge is a trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc., and/or its affiliates, and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner Peer Insights Customers Choice constitute the subjective opinions of individual end-user reviews, ratings, and data applied against a documented methodology; they neither represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartners research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Retail sales slid in February after a jump the month before, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday, putting a spotlight on the effect of stimulus money on consumer spending, which is likely to move in fits and starts as the economy recovers. Sales for February dropped 3 percent, government data showed, as consumers grappled with waning stimulus effects and severe winter storms in parts of the country. The decline was sharper than some economists had expected, but sales for the month were still higher than a year before, when the pandemic began to squeeze the economy. Retail sales sharply declined in March 2020 amid widespread shutdowns. Sales in January had surged 7.6 percent a gain that was most likely fueled by stimulus checks deposited at the end of last year. The increase in January, revised upward on Tuesday, benefited a broad array of retailers. Consumers spent more on goods, including at furniture sellers and department stores, as well as in restaurants, offering a positive sign for an economy that has been battered by the coronavirus outbreak. The data suggests that the recovery in consumer spending is likely to be bumpy as the retail sector recovers from shifts in consumer spending and a new round of stimulus payments arrives in Americans bank accounts. Retailers saw largely uneven sales for the better part of last year, as consumers flocked to big-box chains and grocery stores and spent less at many apparel retailers and restaurants. Balancing out those categories is likely to take a combination of stimulus money, vaccinations, improvements in unemployment numbers and warm weather. Tata Communications slumped 4.68% to Rs 1236.60 after the offer for sale (OFS) opened for non-retail investors today, 16 March 2021. Through the OFS, the Government of India proposes to sell up to 2,85,00,000 equity shares (representing 10% stake), with an option to sell an additional 6.12% stake or 1,74,46,885 equity shares in case of oversubscription. The floor price for the OFS is Rs 1161 per equity share, a 10.51% discount to Tata Comm's closing price of Rs 1297.30 on Monday, 15 March 2021. The total OFS size (base size + green shoe) stands at 4,59,46,885 shares, representing 16.12% of outstanding equity shares of the company, aggregating to Rs 5,334.43 crore. The Government of India held 26.12% stake in Tata Communications as of 31 December 2020. The OFS opened on Tuesday (16 March 2021) for non-retail investors, while both retail as well as non-retail investors will be able to subscribe on Wednesday (17 March 2021). A total of 10% of the total offer size is reserved for retail investors. As on 12:50 IST, the OFS received subscription for 30,39,965 shares. It was subscribed 11.85% on the base non-retail offer size of 2,56,50,000 shares and 7.35% on the total non-retail total offer size (base size+green shoe) of 4,13,52,196 shares. Public sector VSNL was privatised in the year 2002 by disinvesting 25% shareholding along with transfer of management control to the strategic partner, Panatone Finvest. Following the strategic disinvestment, the name of the company was changed to Tata Communications. Panatone Finvest held 34.80% stake in Tata Communications (TCL) as on 31 December 2020. On Friday (12 March 2021), Tata Communications announced the signing of amendment agreement between Government of India, Panatone Finvest, Tata Sons and the company for sale of the entire shareholding in the company by the Government of India. Immediately after the OFS, the government shall sell the remaining equity shares held by it in the company to Panatone. Upon completion of aforesaid transactions, the government will cease to be a shareholder of the company. Tata Communications is an Indian telecommunications company. On a consolidated basis, the company posted 428.1% jump in net profit to Rs 309.15 crore on a 0.1% decline in net sales to Rs 4,222.83 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.) Geneva, March 16, 2021 (SPS) - The United Nations International Youth and Students Movement and the Federation for the Protection of Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities expressed, Monday, their concern over the human rights situation in Western Sahara and the ongoing occupation of the Saharawi territories by Morocco. "The human rights situation is deteriorating at various levels, as reported by reports from human rights organizations," both organizations affirmed during the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council, held by videoconference. The voices of those who defend the self-determination of the Saharawi people are "suffocated" and the natural resources belonging to the people of Western Sahara are "plundered", the authors of the declaration deplore. SPS 125/090/TRA Two children were in a car that led gardai on a terrifying pursuit on the M50 on Tuesday evening when two shoplifting suspects failed to stop for officers. Thankfully the kids who were taken from the car by gardai were uninjured in the incident. The shocking drama began when it is alleged that around 300 worth of cosmetics was stolen from a pharmacy in Dundrum which has been allegedly targeted on a number of occasions in recent weeks. Shortly after the shoplifting incident, gardai attempted to stop the black Ford Focus car that the suspects were travelling in but it sped away and drove for almost 30km being followed by a large number of garda cars. Gardai were unaware that there were young children in the car when a stinger device was used to attempt to stop the vehicle. Read More However the chase came to an end in Ballymun with well over a dozen garda cars involved in the operation and the suspects being arrested. At approximately 4pm a car failed to stop for gardai investigating reports of an alleged retail theft from a pharmacy in Dundrum, a garda spokesman said in a statement. The car fled from a Garda unit at Dundrum Shopping Centre in the direction of the M50 where a managed containment operation was put in place. The car travelled northbound on the M50 motorway and was intercepted at Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, a short time later. Two of the occupants of the car, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s, were arrested. They were both taken to Dundrum garda station where they are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. Approximately 300 worth of cosmetic products were recovered from the car. Minor damage was caused to a Garda patrol car during the incident. There are no reports of any injuries, the spokesman added. The arrested male is a 33-year-old Ballymun man who is extremely well known to gardai and is considered a prolific shoplifter. He has well over 100 previous convictions many for robbery, larceny and attempted robbery offences and has been homeless on occasion. He was being questioned last night about other thefts that have occurred at the pharmacy in Dundrum Shopping Centre in recent weeks. The dramatic chase happened just a fortnight after a 24-year-old woman was arrested by gardai after she livestreamed a lengthy chase from Dublin to Wicklow and back before the pursuit ended in Ballymun. At one point a helicopter from the Air Support Unit and around 20 vehicles, including 4x4s from the Armed Support Units (ASU), were involved in the chase. During the Instagram livestream, she can be heard singing along to music and boasting about how she is outrunning gardai in her car. BOSTON, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TearClear continues to make progress on the development of its first-in-class platform of preservative-free topical medications. With a successful Pre-IND meeting with the US FDA achieved in Nov. 2020, the TearClear team is now advancing the preparation of clinical trial material required for its proprietary latanoprost pivotal study in anticipation of an IND submission later this year. Today, TearClear also announces the appointment of Stuart Raetzman to interim CEO. Stuart is a TearClear Board Member and long-term Industry veteran with a proven track record of building successful pharmaceutical businesses. Raetzman commented, TearClear thanks Robert Dempsey for his contributions and wishes him well. We are excited for the Companys next chapter as we scale our platform and advance our innovative ophthalmic pharmaceutical portfolio. At TearClear, our goal is to disrupt the way current topical medications are delivered to the ocular surface. About TearClear TearClear is an emerging ophthalmic pharmaceutical company with the goal of disrupting the way current topical medications are delivered to the ocular surface. Our lead product candidates in glaucoma will pave the way for future indications across multiple programs in development. This novel platform of drugs enables medication delivery to ultimately enhance patient safety and compliance by capturing preservatives before they reach the ocular surface. TearClear is based in Boston, MA. For more information, visit TearClear and connect with us on LinkedIn: LinkedIn. About Preservative Free Preservatives, such as benzalkonium chloride (BAK), are necessary in ophthalmic solutions to maintain sterility. However, on the ocular surface, they have been reported to be associated with adverse effects like hyperemia, tear film instability and conjunctival inflammation potentially leading to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). By removing preservatives from the ocular surface, the potential for long term deleterious effects on the eye are reduced. TearClear offers the only means of delivering a preservative-free dose directly from preserved solutions. Contact: Patrick Crowley TearClear 859-462-4245 pcrowley@strategicadvisersllc.com DENVER, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mydecine Innovations Group (CSE: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA) (Mydecine or the Company), an emerging biopharma and life sciences company committed to the research, development, and acceptance of alternative nature-sourced therapeutic medicine for mainstream use, announced that it has appointed Michel Rudolphie, former CEO and President of Make-A-Wish International and former Novartis Norway CEO, as President of the Companys European Operations. In addition to adding new leadership, the Company also announces that it has partnered with Principal Investigator Dr. David Erritzoe at Imperial College London (ICL) to conduct leading research in the expanding field of psychedelics, as well as the creation of a novel collaborative psychopharmacology/psychedelic research clinic between ICL and a major mental health NHS Trust in London. In an effort to further develop the Companys international footprint and expand upon its existing clinical research efforts, Michel has been appointed to develop and lead Mydecines strategy, business development and comprehensive success across Europe. In addition, he will oversee Mydecines European clinical research initiatives and partnerships including its current Phase 2a clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat chronic PTSD in veterans and EMS personnel at Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Michel, a Dutch citizen with a MSc and MBA in Healthcare Management and Policy from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, has an impressive career record in the healthcare industry, with a succession of leadership positions at Novartis for 14 years, including four years serving as CEO of Novartis Norway. We have significant plans in 2021 to capitalize on the international renaissance for psychedelics-based therapies amongst the medical community and researchers. European universities and other research organizations, particularly those in the U.K. and Netherlands, have shown great enthusiasm and determination to better understand the science of how these drugs work and how they can be utilized to help people suffering from PTSD, said Josh Bartch, CEO of Mydecine. In our conversations with Michel, it quickly became clear that his extensive experience in the international pharmaceutical space coupled with his knowledge of developing and executing partnerships with both non-profit and for-profit organizations would be a great asset to our growth. His impressive personal qualifications and as importantly, his demonstrated passion and commitment to advocating for enhanced PTSD treatment for uninformed individuals, perfectly aligns with the vision and mission of Mydecine and we are thrilled to add him to our senior management team. In 2018, Michel joined Make-A-Wish International as CEO and President and was responsible for moving the international headquarters from Phoenix, Arizona to the Netherlands, in addition to assembling a new team and developing the foundation's internal and external strategy. Prior to joining Make-A-Wish, he served as the CEO and President of the Dutch Cancer Society, the largest health charity in the Netherlands. He has also previously served in a number of senior management roles within the healthcare industry including as CEO of Bioness and Vice President of European Operations for Nucletron, a global medical device company specializing in innovative products used for cancer treatment. Throughout my career, I have leveraged my experiences in the healthcare sector to advance both start up and mature companies through their various stages of development, said Michel. Im very excited to join the Mydecine team, which has outstanding expertise in new approaches to innovative solutions for treating mental health and enhancing vitality. Having built a culture of scientific excellence, and building a global network among leading research collaborators, Mydecine is poised for its next evolution in meeting compelling patient needs in mental illness and mental disorder. With regard to Mydecines work with ICL and Dr. Erritzoe, the research to be undertaken in the new NHS-based research clinic is set out to cover: Experimental psychopharmacology research in healthy populations and in addictions, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and affective disorders; Proof of concept studies and clinical trials testing efficacy, safety and mechanisms using a range of doses from micro- to macro-doses of psychedelics and associated compounds; Use of multimodal human brain imaging to investigate mechanisms behind the actions of classic psychedelics and ketamine. Part of Dr. Erritzoes current work includes studies that evaluate the science and efficacy of different doses of psychedelics in order to uncover mechanisms of actions and effects on brain plasticity, and cognitive and emotional processes. The research of Dr. Erritzoe, who has published extensively on the science of psychedelics and microdosing, is critical to advancing the scientific efficacy of psychedelic medicines, and the results of studies from his team will be of critical importance as we develop the drug design and protocols for future controlled studies led by Mydecine, said Mr. Bartch. We are honored to be working with the Centre for Psychedelic Research and the new NHS-based research clinic as they progress and collect this important information to ensure safe use of psychedelics with the goal of producing the best possible outcomes for patients. Dr. Erritzoe is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Imperial College London. Alongside his clinical work in medicine/psychiatry, he conducts psychopharmacological research, using brain-imaging techniques such as PET and MRI. He was trained in PET imaging at Columbia University in New York and later undertook a PhD at University Hospital Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Since 2009 he has been involved in post-doc imaging research in the neurobiology of addictions and major depression at Imperial, and, together with Professor David Nutt and Dr. Carhart-Harris, he investigates mechanisms and therapeutic potential of MDMA and classic psychedelics. It is a very interesting time for psychedelic science and we are privileged and thankful to have received support to start an exciting new research clinic based at St Charles Hospital in CNWL Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust that will allow us to expand our clinical psychopharmacological research conducted from the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial, said Dr. Erritzoe. Mydecine supports the expansion of ongoing work in the Centre at ICL and their contributions and enthusiasm for furthering this important work. About Mydecine Innovations Group Mydecine Innovations Group (CSE: MYCO) (OTC:MYCOF) (FSE:0NFA) is an emerging biotech and life sciences company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions for treating mental health problems and enhancing vitality. The companys world-renowned medical and scientific advisory board is building out a robust R&D pipeline of nature-sourced psychedelic-assisted therapeutics, novel compounds, therapy protocols, and unique delivery systems. Mydecine has exclusive access to a full cGMP certified pharmaceutical manufacturing facility with the ability to import/export, cultivate, extract/isolate, and analyze active mushroom compounds with full government approval through Health Canada. Mydecine also operates out of a state-of-the-art mycology lab in Denver, CO to focus on genetic research for scaling commercial cultivation of rare (non-psychedelic) medicinal mushrooms. At the heart of Mydecines core philosophy is that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy will continue to gain acceptance in the medical community with many of the worlds best accredited research organizations demonstrating its remarkable clinical effectiveness. Mydecine recognizes the responsibility associated with psychedelic-assisted therapy and will continue to position itself as a long-term leader across the spectrum of clinical trials, research, technology, and global supply. Mydecine has also successfully completed multiple acquisitions since its inception. Learn more at: https://www.mydecine.com/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mydecine Innovations Group Media Contacts Anne Donohoe / Nick Opich KCSA Strategic Communications adonohoe@kcsa.com / nopich@kcsa.com 212-896-1265 / 212-896-1206 On behalf of the Board of Directors: Joshua Bartch, Chief Executive Officer contact@mydecineinc.com Corp Communications: Charles Lee, Investor Relations corp@mydecineinc.com +1 720-277-9879 For further information about Mydecine Innovations Group, Inc., please visit the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or visit the Companys website at www.mydecine.com. The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof. This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws regarding the Company and its business, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements current expectations and assumptions. Often but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as expect, intends, anticipated, believes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers 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 including, without limitation, risks regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability and continuity of financing, the ability of the Company to adequately protect and enforce its intellectual property, the Company's ability to bring its products to commercial production, continued growth of the global adaptive pathway medicine, natural health products and digital health industries, and the risks presented by the highly regulated and competitive market concerning the development, production, sale and use of the Company's products. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. 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 save as required under applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell securities and the Company is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. These securities have not and will not be registered under United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a U.S. Person unless so registered, or an exemption from registration is relied upon. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Today marks 100 years since the MoscowTreaty was signed by representatives of the government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and the government of Soviet Russia (RSFSR). Yesterday, on the eve of the anniversary, a conference titled "Relations between Turkey and Russia on the centenary of the conclusion of the Moscow Treaty of March 16, 1921" was held in Ankara. It was attended by Turkish parliament speaker Mustafa Shentop, the rector of Bilkent University, professor Abdullah Atalar, co-chairman of the Turkish-Russian public forum and deputy of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Ahmet Berat Conkar, Russian ambassador to Ankara Alexei Erkhov, Anadolu agency reports. The Russian diplomat in his speech, published on the embassy's Facebook page, drew attention to the very name of the agreement - "Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood", stressing that such a formulation, which is quite rare in diplomatic practice, clearly "reflects the romantic spirit of that difficult time." *Twelve months in, the states unemployment office is still having problems dealing with the volume of people filing for aid. The billionaire governor acknowledged quick response is important, when Vinicky pointed out a viewer had wrung out their savings trying to get some assistance from Illinois Department of Employment Security. As he has stated before, the state has tried to beef up staffing and technology but recognizes there are still issues. UAE-based Eltizam Asset Management Group, the leading physical asset management company in the Middle East, has announced that it has started an internship program as part of its commitment to support the economic development of the UAE. The semester-long internship program is part of Eltizams Get Wonky corporate culture, a business enhancement framework designed to amplify customer experience, workforce performance, and sustained revenue growth, said the statement from Eltizam. While the internship program is open to all nationalities, there is a particular focus on fostering young Emirati talent, in line with its commitment to empower local sectors and the UAE governments nationalisation efforts, it stated. All subsidiaries under the Eltizam group, including Three60 Communities, Tafawuq Facilities Management, Omnius, 800TEK, Fixis and OrionTEK, are all involved in this programme. For instance, Three60 Communities will offer on-ground experience with community managers, working on residence welfare, customer satisfaction, homeowners associations, community events, and face-to-face engagement with residents. CEO Chris Roberts said: "We are committed to supporting the government in their drive to empower young Emiratis and fortify the domestic workforce, a core pillar in our Get Wonky culture, 'In-Country Value'." As part of the program, the interns will get hands-on experience and exposure while working with experts in the field, learning business strategies and communication skills. Eltizam believes that identifying and nurturing young talent will drive the development for any organization, stated Roberts. "Through this internship programme, we aim to support the youth residing in the UAE, to learn from different aspects under asset management and grow a strong career leading to the countrys development," he added.-TradeArabia News Service A police federation chief has defended the actions of officers at the vigil for Sarah Everard and claimed the event had been 'hijacked' by Antifa, Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion protesters. Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said that 90 per cent of those at the Clapham Common vigil on Saturday had walked away before it became a rally in breach of lockdown. Police faced heavy criticism and the Met's Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick was under pressure to resign after officers were seen man-handling women at the event. Mr Marsh says the peaceful vigil had been infiltrated by Antifa, BLM and Extinction Rebellion demonstrators - and officers had been punched, spat at and abused at the event. 'Twenty-six of my colleagues were abused, spat at or punched,' Mr Marsh told The Telegraph. 'One black female officer was racially abused. An individual was arrested. This is unfortunately what happens with things like this. They get hijacked.' Footage from the vigil shows mourners packed together around floral tributes left for Ms Everard - with a number of demonstrators shouting: 'No justice, no peace, f*** the police.' One of the attendees, stood next to the person filming, had brought a megaphone. Demonstrators marched through the streets of London for the second night on Monday, with crowds gathering in Parliament Square and outside New Scotland Yard before briefly blocking traffic on Westminster Bridge - amid growing pressure on the Government to tackle violence against women. Boris Johnson has now unveiled plans to place plain-clothed police officers in nightclubs, while also spending 45million on improving street lights and CCTV coverage to better protect women after thousands took to the streets demanding action to protect women from predators. March 15: A woman holding a 'kill the bill' sign at a demonstration protesting violence against women and new proposed police powers demonstrate in London Patsy Stevenson, who was pictured being held on the floor by police at the vigil, said she was arrested 'for standing there, I wasn't doing anything' People attend a vigil by a band stand in Clapham Common, London, after the Reclaim These Streets vigil for Sarah Everard was officially cancelled in London, 13 March Pictured: A woman arrested by police during a vigil by a band stand in Clapham Common, 13 March. On the police van is scrawled the phrase 'ACAB' - which means 'All cops are b*******' Mr Marsh said four or five officers are required to restrain one person because they might fall or harm themselves if just one officer tried to. Boris Johnson unveils plans to place plain-clothed police officers in nightclubs and double spending on street lights and CCTV Boris Johnson has unveiled plans to place plain-clothed police officers in nightclubs, while also spending 45million on improving street lights and CCTV coverage to better protect women after thousands took to the streets demanding action to protect women from predators. Demonstrators marched through the streets of London for the second night on Monday, with crowds gathering in Parliament Square and outside New Scotland Yard, before briefly blocking traffic on Westminster Bridge. Yesterday Boris Johnson chaired a meeting of the Criminal Justice Taskforce, amid a huge campaign to end violence against women and girls in the wake of Sarah Everard's death. The PM said last night: 'The horrific case of Sarah Everard has unleashed a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night. 'Ultimately, we must drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to better protect and defend them.' The Government's announcement last night saw 25million added to the Safer Streets Fund, which provides neighbourhood measures such as better lighting and CCTV, bringing the total budget up to 45million. It also said there would be a 'commitment' with officials to ensure potential target areas such as parks and alleyways and routes from bars, restaurants and nightclubs, are properly policed, with officers 'focused on preventing sexual violence'. It also plans to work with local constabularies to deploy uniformed and plain clothes officers around nightclubs and bars to ensure women are safe, while also increasing patrols as people leave at closing time. It follows a successful scheme dubbed 'Project Vigilant,' which was used by Thames Valley Police. The PM's comments came ahead of a vote on Tuesday for the The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could allow officers to intervene in events that are deemed to have caused 'serious unease, alarm or distress'. It has been criticised for plans to raise the maximum sentence for vandalising statues up to 10 years. Last night the Government said the bill would provide tougher sentences serious violence and sexual assaults, while improving protection for victims and creating news offences, such as non-fatal strangulation. Advertisement 'It looks overbearing and heavyhanded, it's not. It's to protect you as much as us,' he said. 'If it was just a peaceful vigil, there would have been no issues but it wasn't unfortunately. We had to take the action we had to take.' A senior Met source said they had seen body-worn footage and by one stage of the evening the event had 'definitely' become 'a protest and not a vigil'. The source said: 'There is a real discomfort at what we feel has been the politicisation of the police. We don't always get it right but we must be allowed to be operationally independent. 'There is no doubt that it will make things difficult during the remainder of lockdown because groups intent on causing trouble will see this is an opportunity to make the police look bad.' Four people were arrested and two received fixed penalty notices amid further protests over the policing of the Sarah Everard vigil in central London. Demonstrators again took to the streets of the capital on Monday afternoon and evening to continue to protest over the police's handling of the vigil as well as over the Government's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The Metropolitan Police said it had 'maintained an appropriate policing plan' during the protest action around Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and parts of the West End. Protesters blocked 'a number of roads' and caused traffic disruption, the force added. Many protesters chose to leave the area when encouraged to do so by officers, but others remained in the Westminster area, the Met added. Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jane Connors said: 'Whilst I understand why people feel the need to express their views at this time, we must remember that we are still in the middle of a pandemic, and that there is the constant risk of transmitting the coronavirus. 'Our officers were once again out on the streets, with the primary role of trying to ensure people's safety during this health crisis. 'Despite many people adhering to officers' instructions to leave the area and go home, we had to take some enforcement action as the evening progressed.' Yesterday Boris Johnson chaired a meeting of the Criminal Justice Taskforce, amid a huge campaign to end violence against women and girls in the wake of Sarah Everard's death. The PM said last night: 'The horrific case of Sarah Everard has unleashed a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night. 'Ultimately, we must drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to better protect and defend them.' The Government's announcement last night saw 25million added to the Safer Streets Fund, which provides neighbourhood measures such as better lighting and CCTV, bringing the total budget up to 45million. It also said there would be a 'commitment' with officials to ensure potential target areas such as parks and alleyways and routes from bars, restaurants and nightclubs, are properly policed, with officers 'focused on preventing sexual violence'. It also plans to work with local constabularies to deploy uniformed and plain clothes officers around nightclubs and bars to ensure women are safe, while also increasing patrols as people leave at closing time. It follows a successful scheme dubbed 'Project Vigilant,' which was used by Thames Valley Police. The bandstand was surrounded by flowers laid three-foot deep as people gathered for a vigil, March 13 Police officers scuffle with attendees gathered at a band-stand where a planned vigil in honour of murder victim Sarah Everard was cancelled after police outlawed it due to Covid-19 restrictions, on Clapham Common, south London on March 13. One attendee holds a sign saying 'ACAB' Pictured: Scenes from Clapham Common, south London, following the vigil on March 13 People gather at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand, following the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard, in London, March 13. One attendee is seen holding a sign with a cartoon pig wearing a police hat, a red handprint, and the words: 'Is this a safer London?' Pictured: Sarah Everard. A senior Met source said they had seen body-worn footage and by one stage of the evening the event had 'definitely' become 'a protest and not a vigil' The PM's comments came ahead of a vote on Tuesday for the The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could allow officers to intervene in events that are deemed to have caused 'serious unease, alarm or distress'. Woman claims police officer IGNORED her plea for help after being confronted by man who exposed himself as she walked home from Sarah Everard vigil A young woman claims police ignored her pleas for help after a man exposed himself to her as she walked home from the vigil for Sarah Everard. Georgina Ashby attended Saturday night's vigil on Clapham Common, held in memory of 33-year-old Ms Everard. But when Ms Ashby walked to her home nearby after being told to leave by police, she says she was confronted by a man who flashed his genitals at her. The 27-year-old says she reported the incident of indecent exposure to officers at the scene but was told they'd 'had enough with the rioters tonight' and would not be investigating. Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Ms Ashby claims she told police about the incident but was told by an officer: 'I don't wanna deal with it, I don't wanna deal with the rioters.' She told the show: 'I was told by a couple of police officers to leave [the vigil], which is what I did, abide by what they asked. 'As I headed home there was a man who was quite incoherent, unfortunately he had his genitalia out as I tried to walk past him. I felt really uncomfortable. 'This isn't the first time this has happened to me, I know that this has happened to many, many women but a lot of times we haven't really had an opportunity to talk to police right at the moment. 'And as I was walking there were police just a couple of moments away, so I felt it was appropriate to go and tell them what had happened. 'At the very least even if I had been walked to a safer, better lit area I would have accepted that. 'The female officer said they'd go and check it out but the male officer did interject.' Ms Ashby told the BBC she had approached a group of 'about five or six police officers' to ask them for help. She told the BBC: 'The female officer said 'ok, fine, we'll go' and she was about to go when a male colleague said 'we're not dealing with this anymore, no, we've had enough with the rioters tonight, we're not dealing with it'.' She added: 'It's such a huge challenge that women don't feel they have a safe space to even speak on these things let alone that these things even happen and continue to happen.' Scotland Yard said two female officers had since visited Ms Ashby. Advertisement It has been criticised for plans to raise the maximum sentence for vandalising statues up to 10 years. Last night the Government said the bill would provide tougher sentences serious violence and sexual assaults, while improving protection for victims and creating news offences, such as non-fatal strangulation. Former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith urged caution before passing judgment against police who had attended the vigil, adding that he had been contacted by a female officer who had been on duty that night. He told the House of Commons: 'She was threatened. She was told she should have been murdered, not Sarah Everard, and she was manhandled. 'We should be dialling this down not raising the temperature by calling for resignations.' Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has commissioned an investigation into officers' actions by HM Inspectorate of Police, replied: 'I have been written to by many police officers expressing very similar sentiments from their own experiences.' The day after the gathering, Mr Marsh said: 'Yesterday, 26 Metropolitan Police officers were assaulted - punched, kicked, spat at - policing Covid-19 lockdown laws that a democratically-elected Government have imposed... laws that the Mayor of London has called on us to enforce to keep Londoners safe. 'Now colleagues are being condemned by politicians of all parties for doing what we have been asked to do by politicians on behalf of society. 'This is not right or fair. Damned if we do. Damned if we don't. Are we supposed to enforce Covid-19 regulations or not? 'Political leaders should be doing much more to support the police officers they have put in this impossible position. 'The thoughts of the Metropolitan Police Federation remain with the family and friends of Sarah Everard.' Now, following a meeting of the Government's Crime and Justice Taskforce chaired by the Prime Minister, Downing Street said it was taking a series of 'immediate steps' to improve security. Among them is to roll-out across the country pilots of a programme where uniformed and plain clothes officers seek to actively identify predatory and suspicious offenders in the night time economy. Dubbed 'Project Vigilant', the programme can involve officers attending areas around clubs and bars undercover, along with increased police patrols as people leave at closing time. Project Vigilant was originally launched in 2019 by Thames Valley Police, and last year won a crime prevention award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Other steps unveiled by Downing Street include a doubling of the Safer Streets fund - which provides neighbourhood measures such as better lighting and CCTV - to 45 million. It also said ministers were committed to working with police forces and with police and crime commissioners to ensure the measures were more focused on preventing sexual violence. Boris Johnson said it could mean siting measures in parks and routes used by women on their walks home. 'The horrific case of Sarah Everard has unleashed a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night. We must do everything we can to ensure our streets are safe,' he said. March 15, two days after the vigil: Crowds chanted 'black lives matter' outside the Houses of Parliament, as protestors raised various issues during the demonstration The atmosphere was peaceful in Clapham Common on Saturday as tributes were laid, but tensions rose after nightfall 'Ultimately, we must drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to better protect and defend them.' Earlier the PM backed Metropolitan Police chief Dame Cressida Dick following calls for her resignation in the wake of the weekend's events on Clapham Common where crowds gathered to remember the 33-year-old marketing executive. Serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her kidnapping and murder. Earlier in a Commons statement, Home Secretary Priti Patel said 'too many' women felt unsafe in public. Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said that 90 per cent of those at the Clapham Common vigil on Saturday had walked away before it became a rally in breach of lockdown 'Too many of us have walked home from school or work alone, only to hear footsteps uncomfortably close behind us,' she said. 'Too many of us have pretended to be on the phone to a friend to scare someone off. 'Too many of us have clutched our keys in our fist in case we need to defend ourselves and that is not OK.' She said footage of the Clapham Common event - where four protestors - were arrested had been 'upsetting'. But she defended restrictions on protests put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus, urging people not to participate in large gatherings while they remained in force. 'The right to protest is the cornerstone of our democracy, but the Government's duty remains to prevent more lives being lost during this pandemic,' she said. The Clapham Common vigil had originally been organised by the protest group Reclaim These Streets before it was forced to cancel after police said it would be in breach of coronavirus rules. An organiser from the group said on Monday she did not want Dame Cressida to resign, but asked for the police chief to meet with them. Anna Birley told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'We are a movement of women seeking to support and empower other women, and as one of the most senior women in British policing history, we do not want to add to the pile-on.' Hundreds of women have left floral tributes in the park near to the route where Ms Everard, who went missing while walking home from a friend's flat on March 3, walked. Throughout Monday, mourners arrived from across the capital to leave flowers and cards on the bandstand at Clapham Common. A tunnel in which 270 German First World War soldiers were buried alive has been found after more than 100 years with the men's bodies still lying inside. The Winterberg tunnel, built near the town of Craonne in Northern France, is where men of Germany's 111st Reserve Infantry Regiment, from the Baden region, met their horrendous deaths. The men were killed in May 1917 after a French shell detonated during the Second Battle of the Aisne exploded munitions in the tunnel, trapping them inside. As oxygen ran out over the next six days, the men either suffocated, took their own lives, or asked comrades to kill them. Although French authorities were said to be reluctant to help find the tunnel, it has now been discovered thanks to the work of father and son amateur historians Alain and Pierre Malinowski. Risking criminal charges, Pierre used a mechanical digger at a site his father had identified and found items including gas mask canisters and machine guns, as well as the remains of two soldiers, confirming it was the entrance to the tunnel. Speaking to the BBC, Pierre said on Monday that every soldier in the tunnel would 'have a story'. 'It will be the biggest ever reserve of human material from the First World War,' he added. Scroll down for video. The Winterberg tunnel, built near the town of Craonne in Northern France, is where men of Germany's 111st Reserve Infantry Regiment, from the Baden region, met their horrendous deaths. Pictured: Members of the regiment sit outside the tunnel The Winterberg tunnel, built near the town of Craonne in Northern France, is where men of Germany's 111st Reserve Infantry Regiment, from the Baden region, met their horrendous deaths. The men were killed in May 1917 after a French shell detonated during the Second Battle of the Aisne exploded munitions in the tunnel, trapping them inside. Pictured: The site of the tunnel after heavy bombardment The men's fate was sealed when an artillery bombardment targeted at two ends of the tunnel was launched by the French on May 4, 1917. One shell hit the entrance, exploding ammunition stored inside the tunnel and sending toxic fumes down its shaft. A second shell also sealed off the exit, trapping the 10th and 11th companies of the German regiment inside. However, three men did survive long enough to be brought out alive before the Germans abandoned their position to the French forces. One soldier, Karl Fisser, recalled how the men were 'calling for water' while another soldier asked him to 'load his pistol' for him. Once the ridge above the tunnel was taken by the French, the men's bodies lay forgotten. German troops travel the famous route Chemin des Dames, from Soissons to Craonne, on their way to the Aisne battlefields. The first Battle of the Aisne occured in September 1914 in which German forces withstood an Allied offensive. In April 1917 the second Battle of the Aisne began with a French offensive, halted with heavy losses. Only in September 1918 was the Aisne finally taken by French troops. By October 1918 Germany had lost Laon, its final foothold in France The tunnel was discovered by amateur historian Pierre Malinowski after he excavated the site last year. He spoke of his discovery this week. Pictured: Mr Malinowski during his dig The men were killed in May 1917 after a French shell detonated during the Second Battle of the Aisne exploded munitions in the tunnel, trapping them inside. Pictured: Some of the men who died in the tunnel Because the men were not French, it was decided after the war to leave them be and knowledge of the exact location of the tunnel was lost. The site today is a wooded area popular with dog walkers. However, local man Alain Malinowski worked for 15 years to find the tunnel and in 2009 chanced upon a map showing both its original location and two paths which still existed. Although French authorities are said to have refused to follow it up, Pierre decided in January 2020 to use a mechanical digger to search the spot his father had identified. After digging down four metres, Mr Malinowski and his team found the treasure trove of remains. Mr Malinowski then covered up the hole to prevent looting and contacted the authorities. Although French authorities refused to help find the tunnel, it has now been discovered thanks to the work of amateur father and son amateur historians Alain and Pierre Malinowski (pictured) A German WW1 map shows the location of the tunnel, just outside the northern French town of Craonne But, frustrated by their response, he told his story first to Le Monde and then the BBC, on Monday. However, Pierre's actions have also upset the archaeological establishment. According to the BBC, they claim he has broken the law and, through his actions, forced the French government to either open the tunnel fully or protect the site. A spokeswoman for the German War Graves Commission (VDK) said the find was 'most unfortunate' But Pierre said he has returned the human remains he found to the ground. Speaking of those which are still trapped in the tunnel, he said they will have been preserved 'like mummies', with 'skin and hair and uniforms', It is now hoped that the descendants of the trapped men can be identified. A separate official search of the site was under way in February, according to The Times. The German War Graves Commission were preparing to use a remote camera to explore the tunnel before a decision was made over whether to conduct a dig. American Media and Old Soviet Media Are Now Peas in a Pod Commentary This correction in the news pages of The Washington Post a few days ago is simply stunningand tells you all you need to know about the state of the mainstream media today: Two months after publication of this story, the Georgia secretary of state released an audio recording of President Donald Trumps December phone call with the states top elections investigator. The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trumps comments on the call, based on information provided by a source. Trump did not tell the investigator to find the fraud or say she would be a national hero if she did so. Instead, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, Ga., asserting she would find dishonesty there. He also told her that she had the most important job in the country right now The headline and text of this story have been corrected to remove quotes misattributed to Trump. The story, part of the Posts scorched-earth coverage of the former presidents activities in the aftermath of the disputed 2020 election, sought to depict Trump in the worst possible light, while relying entirely on anonymous sources who had a vested interest in destroying the Trump presidency. It begins: President Trump urged Georgias lead elections investigator to identify wrongdoing in the states vote in a December phone call, saying the official would be praised for doing so, according to an individual briefed on the call who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the conversation The presidents attempts to intervene in an ongoing investigation could amount to obstruction of justice or other criminal violations, legal experts said, though they cautioned a case could be difficult to prove. (This corrected story is not to be confused with this one from Jan. 3, which charged Trump with flagrant abuse of power and a potential criminal act in a conversation with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, which was based on a leaked recording of their private conversation.) A better headline for the Posts correction, of course, would be Washington Post irresponsibly publishes false story based on malicious hearsay, but that would be a bridge too far for the Democratic operatives currently masquerading as journalists at newspapers such as the Post and The New York Times. In the interest of pursuing their shared political and social objectives, the major media have aligned their fortunes with the Democrats, and now no longer even pay lip service to the industrys former ideals of impartiality and fairness. Ethical Principles Heres the preamble to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics: Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair, and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity. The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media. Ha ha ha. One formerly ironclad rule of real journalism was the proscription against employing anonymous sources (who may have an ax to grind and who may or may not even exist) in news stories. But since Orange Man Bad came on the scene, fairness is out the window: Identify sources clearly, the Society writes. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources. Consider sources motives before promising anonymity. Reserve anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm, and have information that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Explain why anonymity was granted. That last bit is particularly laughable. As far as the Post and the NY Times are concerned, the sensitivity of the conversation is a perfectly good reason to grant anonymity to one of the Democratic medias useful anonymice, who nibble at the cheese and then scurry back to their rat holes as the media protects them from an exterminator wielding the disinfecting sunlight of on-the-record statements and allegations. Campaign of Misinformation Ah, but the ends now justify the means, which is why the Posts correction is only seeing the light of day now that Trump has been vanquished. For the truth doesnt matter anymorehow some adulterated version of it can be misrepresented and weaponized is all that counts. After all, its better to beg forgiveness, in the form of a correction that few will read and nobody will remember, than to act responsibly in the first place. Its not that we werent warned. Trump Is Testing the Norms of Objectivity in Journalism, ran the headline over Jim Rutenbergs New York Times piece of Aug. 7, 2016. Even before Trumps surprise victory in November of that year, the corrupt and ethically compromised media was preparing the battlespace for what has turned out to be a years-long campaign of mis/disinformation, all in the partisan service of overturning the results of the Trump-Clinton election. Mission accomplished! If youre a working journalist and you believe that Donald J. Trump is a demagogue playing to the nations worst racist and nationalistic tendencies, that he cozies up to anti-American dictators and that he would be dangerous with control of the United States nuclear codes, how the heck are you supposed to cover him? wrote Rutenberg. The question that everyone is grappling with is: Do normal standards apply? And if they dont, what should take their place? Well, now we know: outright fabrication, absolute malice, and reckless disregard for the truth. From the Russian collusion hoax to the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, to the sham impeachment over a meaningless (and willfully mispresented) phone call to Ukraine, to a second, ex post facto sham impeachment over the Jan. 6 breach of Capitol Hillfalsely dubbed by the press an armed insurrectionthe American news media has turned into the spitting image of their counterparts in the old Soviet media: Pravda (the New York Times), Izvestia (The Washington Post) and the state-parrot news agency Tass (The Associated Press). Prerequisite for Tyranny As it happens, I spent a good deal of time in the USSR and the Eastern bloc between the years 1985 and 1991, being in country for (among other things) the meltdown at Chernobyl, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the immediate run-up to the attempted coup against Mikhail Gorbachev just before the Soviet Union collapsed. While there was never a dull moment, it wasnt a place you wanted to live in, much less admire and emulate. What the communists understood, however, was that state control of the media was a prerequisite for tyranny: Who were you going to believe, Pravda (which means truth in Russian) or your lying, counter-revolutionary eyes? Consider this recent headline in The Washington Post, which might have been liftedas honest leftist journalist Matt Taibbi notes in this piecedirectly from Pravda: Biden stimulus showers money on Americans, sharply cutting poverty and favoring individuals over businesses. The only thing propping up the sham presidency of Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.along with razor wire and 5,000 armed National Guard soldiers protecting the capital from dangerous radicals like youare the chirping robinettes of the national media, who filter, massage, shape, flake, and form the news into a journalistic version of Soylent Green and then shove it down the throats of the American people. This is called ethical journalism. Had enough yet? And if not, why not? Michael Walsh is the editor of The-Pipeline.org and the author of The Devils Pleasure Palace and The Fiery Angel, both published by Encounter Books. His latest book, Last Stands, a cultural study of military history from the Greeks to the Korean War, was recently published. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SHANGHAI, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Citrine Medicine, a China-based rare disease therapeutics company, today announced that it will participate in three industry conferences in March, including a presentation at the 2021 WuXi Healthcare Forum, which will be held from March 15-18, 2021. Conference details are as follows: WuXi Healthcare Forum: Citrine's management will participate in the CEO Roundtable on March 16 from 6:15-6:45 p.m. PT , and on March 17 from 6:45-7:15 p.m. PT . The discussion will be accessible live and interactively via a dedicated portal for registered attendees. from , and on from . The discussion will be accessible live and interactively via a dedicated portal for registered attendees. ENDO 2021: Members of Citrine's management team will attend the Endocrine's Society Annual Meeting from March 20-23 . . BIO Europe: Members of Citrine's management team will attend BIO Europe from March 22-25 . About Citrine Medicine Citrine Medicine is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with rare and intractable diseases by making diagnosis and essential treatments available and accessible to those who need them in China. Our mission is to build the first rare disease ecosystem in China and in doing so, enable people with rare diseases to live more normal lives. In addition to developing and marketing rare disease drugs, Citrine aims to establish a patient-centric platform which educates people on rare diseases, trains doctors on diagnosis and treatment, and helps doctors develop a full disease management protocol. Citrine's lead product candidate, Wakix (pitolisant), is an investigational oral drug in development for the treatment of narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea in China. Citrine has initiated an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission for pitolisant in the treatment of narcolepsy and expects to complete the IND submission in the first quarter of 2021. Citrine also recently announced a strategic partnership that will allow the company exclusive rights to develop, register, and commercialize Alkindithe first clinically validated pediatric treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasiain the Greater China market. Citrine is headquartered in Shanghai and has other offices in Beijing, China and Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.citrinemed.com Citrine Medicine Media Contacts: Sarah Sutton Finsbury Glover Herring [email protected] 202-337-0808 SOURCE Citrine Medicine Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Infutor This talent is a huge win for 2021 and will open doors to develop new relationships with brands and more quickly deliver on our aggressive solutions and strategy roadmap. --Gary Walter, CEO of Infutor Consumer identity management expert Infutor today introduced a new CFO as well as senior sales, strategy and marketing leaders as it looks to accelerate growth both organically and through additional acquisitions in 2021. Drew Thomas has joined as CFO, Rachel Calomeni has joined as SVP of Sales, Todd Schoenherr has joined as VP of Strategy, and Zora Senat has been promoted from VP of Strategic Partnerships to SVP of Marketing and Partnerships. This set of talent is a huge win coming into 2021 and will open doors to develop new relationships with brands and more quickly deliver on our aggressive solutions and strategy roadmap, said Gary Walter, CEO of Infutor. The cookieless future and new data privacy rules mean identity will become a core asset to marketers, if it hasnt already. Drew, Rachel, Todd and Zora are top-performing leaders in their respective areas with a variety of experience enabling brand marketers, martech agencies and partners to capitalize on our new market offerings. Infutor CFO Drew Thomas is a successful investment banking and software executive with experience helping lead multiple high growth private equity-backed technology businesses and overseeing more than 30 acquisitions totalling $8 billion in aggregate transaction value throughout his career. Prior to joining Infutor, he was VP of corporate strategy and development, where he led accounting, finance, corporate strategy, and M&A for government technology company Granicus, a portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners and Harvest Partners. He also was previously VP of corporate development for cybersecurity firm Webroot, a portfolio company of TCV. Im excited to join Infutor at its inflection point to help the company scale and accelerate growth, added Thomas. Privacy-compliant identity is a critical need in the market and my financial strategy and acquisition management background as well as familiarity with cybersecurity and privacy will be helpful as Infutor continues to mature in strategic finance and inorganic growth as the company evolves its winning solution. As SVP of Sales, Rachel Calomeni will combine her adtech and martech sales leadership experience with her brand manager background to build a collaborative sales team that can help forge new brand relationships for Infutor. Previously, she led the Advertising and Media solutions sales team at data and analytics company, Numerator, and held an executive sales role at Visual Measures and The Central Group. Her background also includes 14 years as a brand and product manager at P&G. Also new to Infutor is VP of Strategy Todd Schoenherr, an established product and technology leader with more than 20 years experience leveraging innovative technology to solve business challenges. With deep adtech, martech and identity resolution experience, Schoenherr previously led product management at mParticle, a leading CDP for consumer brands, and is a former Chief Product Officer for Signal. He was also previously a VP at Guild Capital, a boutique venture capital firm focused on growth media and technology companies, and worked at Orbitz and Accenture. Infutors new SVP of Marketing and Partnerships, Zora Senat, was promoted from her previous VP of Strategic Partnerships role. An established tech and marketing entrepreneur, she joined Infutor in 2019 and has helped build and grow Infutors channel partnerships. Prior to Infutor, Senat quickly rose to the rank of President at Exact Data, beginning as the first marketing staff member and rapidly being promoted to VP of Marketing and Operations, CMO and then President. Infutor has continued to demonstrate strong business growth and employer benefits year over year. In 2020, the company was recognized as a MarTech BreakThrough Company of the Year, and recognized on the 2020 Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies and ranked #64 on the Crains Chicago Business Best Places to Work list. About Infutor Infutor is the expert in data-driven consumer identity management and identity resolution. The company is solely focused on enabling brands to instantly gain access to the most complete and accurate information about consumers, exactly when they need it, to make informed marketing and risk mitigation decisions. Infutor is regularly named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies and recognized by Crains Chicago and Built In Chicago as a Best Place to Work. A privately held company founded in 2003 with strategic investments from Norwest Venture Partners, Infutor is headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. For more information, visit http://www.infutor.com. Jennifer Indovina was working for a semiconductor startup setting up digital boxes and internet TV for the One World, One Dream summer Olympics of 2008 in Beijing. The startup was one of the companies where shed had a co-op placement while earning her bachelors degree in electrical engineering and then an MBA at Rochester Institute of Technology. Working at the Olympics seemed an exciting start to her career. Her experience observing the behavior of the startups founder and his companys collapse was pivotal in her decision to start Tenrehte and how she approaches leadership. Tenrehte (pronounced TEN-rate) is ethernet spelled backward. The company is based in Rochester. It designs and sells custom, energy-saving electronics. Its main product is called PICOwatt, a patented wireless smart plug that monitors and reduces energy waste from electric devices. (PICO stands for Portable Intelligent Communicator.) Indovina is president and CEO. She has been a TED Fellow, and she is an advisory board co-chair for the Science Ambassador Scholarship for women seeking undergraduate degrees in science, engineering, or math. Indovina speaks with passion and joy about moving Tenrehte to Upstate from California: Im proud of Central New Yorks history in technology. And Im extremely excited for its future because there are good partnerships here and good people you can work with. I love the partnerships that weve created with companies like Opticool in Webster and EMCom in Auburn. We want to grow with Opticool. We want EMCom to grow with us. Close proximity and understanding of resources that we can share helps everyone. She says aspiring leaders need to be observant it may teach them what doesnt work. Leaders also need to bring joy to what they do because successful business relationships tend to involve fun and empathy. Give me the elevator pitch for Tenrehte. Tenrehte is a design and manufacturing company. We make electronics that save energy. Most industries are in search of a sustainability vision or plan for themselves. When I was founding Tenrehte with my team, we were talking about sustainability. Its become more important that companies build in metrics and tolerances that are measurable. A lot of those metrics have been sort of post-processing. The product has been made and after the fact theyre looking at integrating some sustainability. My vision is different. Its got to start at the beginning, at the germination of the idea. We have to believe that we are making something that is worth the natural resources that go into it the cobalt, the gold, the printed circuit board that youll never get back, and the energy that goes into running the machines that make these electronics. Are you making something that is worth all of those natural resources? If the answer is yes, OK, then we move forward with the design. You can be a successful, profit-making company that aspires to do it in a responsible, green, and sustainable way. There doesnt need to be a trade-off. Tell me about the founding of Tenrehte. I graduated from RIT with an electrical engineering degree and my MBA in 2007, and I went to work for one of the companies I had done my co-ops for. So my first job out of school was waiting for me, ready to go. It was this startup semiconductor company, and I got to go to China in 2008 for the summer Olympics. It was all so exciting and glamorous and wonderful. But behind the scenes, the CEO was quietly reincorporating the company with Chinese investors and cutting out the American investors. The CEO sort of did a few other things in China, and the company ran out of money. We got furloughed. We founded Tenrehte because we kind of had to do something. So at the worst time in recent history to start a company, the Great Recession in 2008, a small group of us started Tenrehte. We built a few prototypes for networked product ideas. We made a smart TV prototype. With our connections made at that failed startup, we were able to get in touch with companies like Samsung and say, Hey, what do you think about this smart TV? We were lucky that we knew people we could trust, who gave us feedback immediately: Oh no, no, no. Dont bother with your smart TV. Well be coming out with our own smart TVs. So that prototypes not gonna work out for you. One of the prototypes we built was a smart plug, and we entered it into a bunch of prototype competitions. The Consumer Electronics Show is the worlds largest industry trade show. Its held every January in Las Vegas. They used to have a prototype competition, called iStage. So we entered our PICOwatt smart plug into the competition. We didnt win. (Laughter) The winner of that competition was a solar power charger for the iPhone. But we did win a free booth at CES and my experience working for the failed startup was if youre going to go to a trade show, you better make it worth your time. So I emailed every technology partner and supplier that we had put in PICOwatt and said, Hey, were this tech startup from Central New York. Were doing this smart outlet plug, and its got your product inside of it. So you should come visit us at our booth at CES. And boy, did they come visit. It was just me and Carlos Barrios, one of the other founders of the company, with our PICOwatt prototype. We got onto Fox Business News for interesting green startups. C|Net came to us and handed us a garbage bag full of merchandise that said Best of CES. Theyre like: This is for all your booth people. There were just the two of us. (Laughter) They said: Make sure to show up to the award show. We did, and my gosh, we were so surprised. We were nominated for Best Green Product of the Year. One of the companies showing products in the same space was Control4. Google PowerMeter was showing that year, too. We won we were picked Best Green Product of the Year. Since then weve been designing custom, energy-saving electronics. We do about a half-million dollars in business a year. We want our customers and our suppliers to grow with us. We partner with a contract manufacturer called EMCom in Auburn. EMCom manufactures the circuit board and populates the circuit board with the electronics that we design onto the board. Is PICOwatt sold to consumers? When we designed PICOwatt, we thought we were going to be a direct-to-consumer company. What we found was, even though we were willing to raise money, we werent willing to raise the kind of money and make the tradeoffs needed to go to big box retail stores. It didnt seem sustainable. When our initial direct-to-consumer effort stalled, it led to partnerships with companies. For instance, a company in Webster New York, called Opticool Technologies, makes large energy systems for data centers. Opticool contacted us and said: Hey, can we take PICOwatt and put that into our systems to make data centers run more efficiently? We were able to save some of Opticools customers 30, 40 percent on their electricity consumption of large-scale data centers. They dont have to build power plants or construct their own solar plants or buy energy bulk in wholesale. You mentioned another founder, Carlos. Who owns the company? Im the CEO. My father, Mark Indovina, is the COO. Russell Priebe is our CTO and a partner. Carlos Barrios was our first engineer. Hed worked for the prior startup, and we brought him into the Tenrehte team. And now Carlos is my husband. So Tenrehte is a family business. You could kind of think of us as the Wegmans family, but for electronics not produce. (Laughter) Tell me about early influences. Were you in leadership roles growing up? My parents were both working engineers and absolutely influential. My mom (Yvette Indovina) finished her bachelors degree when I was about 9. She was an inspiration, and it never entered my periphery as a child that there are jobs that women cant do well. My mom is a software engineer for L3Harris Technologies. Having a career that is typically gender stereotyped to be male was very formative to me. My dad is entrepreneurial. Hes also a hard-core feminist. Hes always been completely supportive. That emotional and financial support of your parents gives you a platform to build your personality. I went to camps and after-school programs. One program was part of the Boy Scouts called Explorer, where you could do career exploration. And I performed in musicals in high school (Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester, class of 2001). Theater is absolutely an incredible tool for young leaders. Theater and live performance teaches you self-confidence and communication skills, which are invaluable to all leaders, not just entrepreneurs. There are times being an entrepreneur when you sort of quote-unquote have to get into costume. You have to put on the power suit and you have to go sell, sell it, sell the team, sell the dream and the vision to move things forward. Then there are times where you take off that costume and put on the engineering costume and get down in the trenches with your team. Youre pulling all-nighters to make the software compile and build the hardware to fit into the enclosure. As a leader, you need to move between scenes smoothly and confidently. I absolutely think that the performing arts helped me with leadership. I also did sports. I was a competitive swimmer (sprinting freestyle and backstroke) from the ages of 5 to 22. So being part of a team, understanding and learning listening skills, and knowing the dedication that practice takes and how you have to focus your skills for performance all of that mattered. When I got to college and enrolled in electrical engineering, the ratio of female to male made it hard to find female role models. But I found many feminist male role models in my department in electrical engineering. They completely supported me being there. These were rigorous programs and a hard curriculum and faculty mentors helped build my self-competence and self-reliance. I dont think you can ask for more from mentors. You mentioned theater. What did you perform? I got to play interesting roles. I think my favorite role was in my freshman year at Bishop Kearney. I played the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist. In my sophomore year, I played the lead secretary in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. My junior year, I played Jan in Grease. And then my senior year, we did Guys and Dolls. They kind of made up a role for me. They took a male lead role and transformed that into a female lead role. Those roles were absolutely a joy. What advice would you give to be an effective leader? The first thing, probably the most important, would be to be observant. I say that because of my own past experience at that semiconductor startup. It was almost a reverse case study be observant of what not to do. I dont know if you can get it from just having a conversation with me, but I enjoy having fun. There needs to be an aspect of play or fun with fellow employees and even customers. We need to enjoy each other because were spending a lot of time together. A product can be a five- to 10-year lifespan. Thats a long time. Thats a relationship, and there needs to be some fun there. Then, of course, we could talk about the importance of listening and being honest, not just with your clients but with yourself. Be willing to get down in the trenches to get something built and shipped. When you look at leaders that you admire, what qualities do you see? Accurate and honest distribution of resources. Its important for leaders to manage time, effort, and money for their teams. Some people call it vision or strategy, but I see it as the proper distribution of resources so that your team can function well and have fun. I keep going back to fun. It is absolutely instrumental for our team to succeed that we enjoy the work were doing. If were not having a good time, its obvious in our deliverables, right? I think that a lot of very large companies sort of suffer from that lack of fun. I am privileged to run this small company and run it the way I want to. Were probably only going to see a certain size in order to keep this personality, but Im really proud of us and the size we are and how were doing. As part of raising money for the company back in 2011, we participated in a San Francisco incubator. It was called Green Start, and I met some invaluable friendships at that incubator. One of them was Will Glaser. Will Glaser is a Cornell graduate go Central New York! He moved out to the Bay area. Will Glaser, as part of his student work at Cornell, developed the music genome project. The music genome project became the algorithm behind Pandora. So Will Glasers the founder of Pandora. He met with me and spoke with me about Tenrehte. I told him about the team and what we want to do. I told him this is a family company. Were protective and proud of it. His reaction gave me confidence, and I learned so much from my interactions with Will. Society has a specific stereotype about a successful entrepreneur. In that moment with Will, I realized that stereotype doesnt have to be true for every successful company. I could grow Tenrehte, we could be successful, and I dont have to look like the next Elon Musk or Steve Jobs or worst-case scenario like an Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos. By the way, Elizabeth and I were raising money at the same time in Silicon Valley in 2011. So for a little bit of context, Tenrehte was getting nos at a lot of VC (venture capitalist) offices while Theranos was getting a lot of yeses and welcomed into board rooms. It was sort of a gut-check moment back in 2011. Im about the same age as Elizabeth, and Im proud that I was willing to walk away from some of that glamor, that level of money, and certainly any criminal activity. (Laughter) Im proud that we raised money and kept the company headquartered here in Rochester. We want to stay here. Tell me about that gut-check moment. It sounds like a test of your leadership. Oh yeah! I talk about 2011 a lot, because thats when we participated in the seed round of funding in San Francisco. We met with a lot of famous VCs, some of the most famous VCs in the world at the time. One wanted to make a huge, multi-million-dollar series A investment in Tenrehte, but only if I got rid of my entire founding team. So I would have to fire my father and my boyfriend, now husband. This VC wanted to reincorporate, reboot Tenrehte with his team in San Francisco. I would have a new office in his VC office so he could basically like watch me every day. We considered the investment. We even signed paperwork. At the time, we were looking at the money and thinking how could we say no to this? The investor came to Rochester to see our work. I had been honest with my team about the fact that he wanted me to get rid of all of them. And some of them were like, sure, lets take the money and figure out what to do after the fact. He came to meet the team in Rochester, and I like to think that because we felt the vibes of what he was requesting, we made it inhospitable enough that he withdrew his offer. Our lawyers and their lawyers had to get involved, and it was a David-and-Goliath situation. I dont want you to think ill of this famous VC because everything was done above board. Ultimately, it was a live-and-let-live situation. We recognized that their investment, even if it was enormous, was asking too much to tear apart the team. They wanted a company inside their office, like a portfolio company that they could completely control. To some people, it might seem like a failure on our part we failed to raise that massive multimillion dollar Series A investment. In hindsight, I handled it the way that I thought was best for the team. Im proud of how the company has evolved and grown and changed from that pivotal moment. Now that Ive told you this story, Im aware of a nepotism anecdote that could get created that I didnt want to fire my father and my boyfriend. But it goes deeper than the face value of the story. There are other people in the company who are not family, but I treat them that way. Going back to Will Glasers advice to me, know the size of your company and know what you want to work with. That has guided me in many ways to make difficult decisions that I can live with and that Im proud of and that the team is proud of as well. The weekly Conversation on Leadership features Q&A interviews about leadership, success, and innovation. The conversations are condensed and edited. To suggest a leader for a Conversation, contact Stan Linhorst at StanLinhorst@gmail.com. Last week featured Nick Pinchuk, CEO and chairman of Snap-on. The former Carrier executive says: I counsel people to be gentle of speech, even with those who deserve sternness. Billionaire PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel has donated $10 million to a super PAC supporting Hillbilly Elegy author and venture capitalist, JD Vance, for a possible Senate campaign in Ohio. Thiel made the hefty donation to Protect Ohio Values, which is a PAC formed last month to back Vance's potential run for retiring Republican Senator Rob Portman's seat. Vance, who lives in Cincinnati with his wife and children, has not officially announced a run for the US Senate. The PAC is pushing heavily to recruit Vance. In addition to Theil's $10 million donation, PAC adviser Bryan Lanza told the Cincinnati Enquirer that hedge fund manager Robert Mercer's family had also made a 'significant' contribution. PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel (left) has made a $10 million donation to Protect Ohio Values, which is a PAC formed last month to back JD Vance's (right) possible Senate campaign in Ohio It is not clear how much the conservative Mercer family donated. 'We're a network of grassroots conservatives committed to electing a Senator who will stand for and defend Ohio's values in Washington, DC,' Lanza said. 'We believe JD Vance is the right man for the job and we are signing up supporters and raising funds to demonstrate a groundswell of support in the Buckeye State.' Vance, who is a venture capitalist and best-selling author, rose to prominence with his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy about poverty in the US Midwest and his roots in Appalachian Kentucky. His memoir was turned into a Netflix film produced by Ron Howard late last year starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams. Close received an Oscar nomination on Monday for supporting actress for her role in the film. Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and was an early Facebook investor, has previously backed Vance's Narya Capital venture firm, which he runs out of Cincinnati. Thiel was also was one of the few prominent Silicon Valley tech moguls to publicly back President Trump. Theil's $10 million donation will be a boost for Vance given the state's 2022 Senate race is already heating up after current GOP Sen. Rob Portman announced earlier this year that he is retiring. Vance (above), who is a venture capitalist and best-selling author, rose to prominence with his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy about poverty in the US Midwest and his roots in Appalachian Kentucky His memoir was turned into a Netflix film produced by Ron Howard late last year. He is portrayed in the film by Gabriel Basso (center). It also stars Haley Bennett (left) and Amy Adams (right) The donation could result in Vance being a front-runner in the potentially crowded GOP primary. A number of high-profile Republican names already in the mix, including former state Treasurer Josh Mandel and former Ohio GOP chair Jane Timken. Vance considered running against Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown back in 2018 but ultimately declined. At the time, Vance said he was busy with investment work, a nonprofit he started to help address Ohio's opioid crisis and a young family. 'Count me out of politics for now,' Vance said back then. Vance's memoir, released in 2016, became an election-year explainer to liberal America about the white underclass that fueled President Trump's rise. It quickly made the New York Times' best sellers list later that year. Vance, who is a former US Marine who served in Iraq and studied at Yale Law School, quickly became a popular talk show guest for his insights into Trump's white working-class support. His memoir details his roots in Appalachian Kentucky and how they related to growing up in Middletown, Ohio. His family were originally hillbillies from the poor and remote Appalachian Mountains that run from Pennsylvania to Alabama. He details in his memoir growing up with violent, alcoholic grandparents, a heroin addicted mother and an absent father. As state lawmakers in Austin wrap up the latest legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday threatened to withhold their pay by vetoing a line item in the states budget because a Democratic walkout killed his priority elections bill. No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities, Abbott tweeted. Should the governor veto Legislature funding? You voted: This was before Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all restaurant dining rooms to close, as the state desperately tried to contain the spread of the coronavirus. When the closures were announced just days later, it seemed like the least terrible option, but it also meant restaurant owners had to do what would have seemed unthinkable a month before shut down all business, leaving most of their employees out of work with no sense of when their jobs might resurface. By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union launched legal action against Britain on Monday for unilaterally changing trading arrangements for Northern Ireland that Brussels says breach the Brexit divorce deal agreed with London last year. The bloc has sent a letter of formal notice to kick-start an "infringement procedure", which could lead to fines being imposed by the EU's top court, although that could be at least a year off, leaving time for a solution to be found. Britain's withdrawal agreement with the EU leaves the British-ruled province of Northern Ireland in the EU single market for goods and so requires checks on goods arriving there from other parts of the United Kingdom. Some of those checks are meant to start when a grace period expires at the end of March. The plans have already disrupted some supplies reaching supermarkets in Northern Ireland. Britain says it intends to extend the grace period unilaterally until Oct. 1, a decision the EU letter demands it reverses. Britain said it has not violated the agreement and that it would reply to the EU's legal action "in due course". The United States called on both sides to preserve the Good Friday accord protecting peace in Northern Ireland, with the White House urging them to "prioritize pragmatic solutions". Maros Sefcovic, the top EU official in charge of UK relations, has also sent a separate letter to British counterpart David Frost, seeking talks in good faith to resolve the issue this month. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday the extension was simply a technical decision aimed at being fair. The protocol, he said, should guarantee trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as across Northern Ireland's land border with Ireland. "That's all we're trying to sort out with some temporary and technical measures which we think are very sensible, but obviously we'll look forward to our discussions with our EU friends and see where we get to," he said. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels, Alistair Smout, Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton in London, Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Gabriela Baczynska, Peter Graff and Alexander Smith) A serving MP accused of harassment has had her trial adjourned after her barrister fell ill. Claudia Webbe, who was elected Labour MP for Leicester East in December 2019, was due to stand trial today to face a single charge of harassment, which she denies. The 56-year-old was set to appear at Westminster Magistrates' court later today, charged with harassing a woman named Michelle Merritt. Claudia Webbe was pictured this morning arriving at Westminster Magistrates' court, where she is charged with harassing a woman named Michelle Merritt Leicester East MP Claudia Webbe with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn Ms Webbe is charged with one count, that between September 1, 2018 and April 26, 2020, she pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of Michelle Merritt, which Webbe knew or ought to have known amounted to harassment. The prosecution alleges that Ms Webbe made numerous unwanted telephone calls to Ms Merritt and made threats on at least two occasions. Ms Webbe, who lives in Islington, north London, acknowledges calls were made but disputes the content. She pleaded not guilty to one charge of harassment in November last year. Her solicitor Raj Chada told Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday that Webbe's barrister was unable to attend the hearing, and asked for an adjournment. Mr Chada, who represented Webbe, said the barrister had notified the defence team at 8.44am that he was 'feeling unwell' and was going to 'call an ambulance'. He told the court the message was the last communication they had with him, despite attempts to make contact since. Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring agreed to adjourn the trial, adding: 'It is clear the interests of justice are only met by granting an adjournment.' Webbe, who was granted unconditional bail, is now due to stand trial at the same court on September 27. It is due to last one day. Ms Webbe entered the Commons in the December 2019 general election, winning the seat formerly held by Keith Vaz, the Labour veteran who retired from Parliament in the wake of a scandal. Ms Webbe chaired the party's disputes panel under Jeremy Corbyn and previously examined the work of the Met as the force attempted to tackle gun crime among the black community. The 56-year-old MP made a fashionable arrival in her polka skirt, ruffle blouse and blazer today She was also head of the Trident independent advisory group for more than a decade. In that role, Webbe would often comment publicly on the police force's efforts to solve gun-related crimes which disproportionately affected black people. Before Leicester, Ms Webbe was a councillor in Islington, between 2010 and 2018, and was a member of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee. Earlier in her career she was a political adviser to then-London mayor Ken Livingstone. Prior to this hearing, Ms Webbe had issued a public statement that said: 'I am innocent of any wrongdoing and look forward to proving this in court. I will be vigorously defending myself against these claims.' Ms Webbe, who was allowed unconditional bail ahead of her trial, was suspended from the party in September pending the outcome of the case. Spain could become one of the first countries in the world to trial the four-day working week after the government agreed to launch a modest pilot project for companies interested in the idea. Earlier this year, the small leftwing Spanish party Mas Pais announced that the government had accepted its proposal to test out the idea. Talks have since been held, with the next meeting expected to take place in the coming weeks. From New Zealand to Germany, the idea has been steadily gaining ground globally. Hailed by its proponents as a means to increase productivity, improve the mental health of workers and fight climate change, the proposal has taken on new significance as the pandemic sharpens issues around wellbeing, burnout and work-life balance, The Guardian reported. Leftwing parties in Spain where a 44-day strike in Barcelona in 1919 resulted in the country becoming one of the first in western Europe to adopt the eight-hour workday have seized on the idea. While the exact details of the pilot will be hashed out with the government, his party has proposed a three-year, 50m project that would allow companies to trial reduced hours with minimal risk. The costs of a companys foray into the four-day work week, for example, could be covered at 100% the first year, 50% the second year and 33% the third year. Around 200 companies will participate in the project. [March 16, 2021] BrightFi Selects i2c to Enable Low-Cost Financial Services for the Underserved i2c Inc., a global leader in digital payments and banking technology, today announced cloud-based banking engine BrightFi has selected i2c solutions to help provide low-cost, feature-rich, mobile financial services to underbanked and unbanked consumers, as well as to organizations and financial institutions aiming to serve the historically overlooked market segment. A 2019 Insider Intelligence report found that one in four households in the US, or 33 million families, were either unbanked or underbanked, with more than half of the respondents in the survey noting that they didn't have enough money to maintain an account with minimum deposit requirements. Historically, the high cost of operating financial services made servicing this population difficult for traditional institutions, according to BrightFi. By creating a technology stack designed to reduce operational costs, BrightFi delivers a subscription-based, 100% digital banking experience to the communities that need it most. When paired with i2c's building-blocks platform, BrightFi can pass savings to end customers while delivering secure, modern features at an affordable cost. "Our company and platform are built for visionaries and innovators like BrightFi who want to challenge the status quo and think differently," said i2c CEO and founder Amir Wain. "BrightFi has reimagined financial services from the backend forward to create something truly remarkable that impacts a large number of people wih great unmet needs -- and they can enable others to do the same." "We're thrilled to work closely with i2c, as we push the reach of financial services," said Michael Coghlan, CEO of BrightFi. "As part of a flexible, best-in-class stack, i2c enables us to lower the cost of banking to expand access and increase financial wellness for millions. i2c understands our vision, offered us a plug-and-play platform with faster time-to-market, and the reliability our customers deserve." Customers will enjoy products and features such as no minimum balance requirements, payment and mobile deposit, savings accounts and live customer service available seven days a week. Accounts will have no hidden, overdraft or transfer fees and funds will be held by FDIC insured institutions for up to $250,000. Additionally, i2c's technology will allow customers to access up to $2,000 of a mobile paycheck deposit within minutes. As a technology enabler, BrightFi also offers organizations and financial institutions the ability to leverage its platform to support their own branded financial wellness and inclusion programs, helping even more communities extend low-cost, reliable financial services. About BrightFi BrightFi, a subsidiary of Verdigris Holdings Inc., delivers a cloud-based technology and operations BaaS platform that lets financial institutions configure, test and deploy new products or digital brands at a fraction of the time and cost. By integrating optimized back-office workflows into their technology platform, BrightFi Services significantly reduces the cost to serve a bank's customers. The Company is accelerating its platform offering to credit unions and community banks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information: www.brightfiservices.com. About i2c Inc. i2c is a global provider of highly-configurable payment and banking solutions. Using i2c's proprietary "building block" technology, clients can easily create and manage a comprehensive set of solutions for credit, debit, prepaid, lending and more, quickly and cost-effectively. i2c delivers unparalleled flexibility, agility, security and reliability from a single global SaaS (News - Alert) platform. Founded in 2001, and headquartered in Silicon Valley, i2c's next-generation technology supports millions of users in more than 200 countries/territories and across all time zones. For more information, visit www.i2cinc.com and follow us at @i2cinc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005743/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kaley Cuoco has said that she felt she had to 'prove' she could take on the lead role in her TV series The Flight Attendant after being typecast as a comedy actress. Talking in a new candid interview, the actress, 35, who is best known for her role as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, admitted that she knew she would be 'judged' for whatever project she took next following the show's end in 2019. Kaley serves as an executive producer on The Flight Attendant, where she plays show lead Cassandra Bowden, and it is created by her production company, Yes, Norman. Prove: Kaley Cuoco has said that she felt she had to 'prove' she could take on the lead role in her TV series The Flight Attendant after being typecast as a comedy actress (pictured in The Flight Attendant) The actress admitted that due to her role in The Big Bang Theory, she knew she would be 'judged' at auditions and that she would never have been cast as the dramatic lead in her TV series if she had not created it herself. Talking to The i, Kaley said: 'Coming off such a successful show, I knew people were going to judge whatever I did next not look down on, but question. It was a huge risk. 'I believe in my heart that no one would have cast me in this part even if I'd given the audition of my life. I felt like I had to prove I could do something else.' However, despite her initial fears of being 'judged' Kaley, who made $1M per episode of The Big Bang Theory, admitted that she has never worried about the misconception of being typecast as the 'girl next door in a sitcom'. 'Judged': Talking in a new candid interview, the actress, 35, who is best known for her role as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, admitted that she knew she would be 'judged' for whatever project she took next following the show's end in 2019 (pictured in 2011 show still) She continued: 'I used to laugh because I was like, "If I'm typecast as the girl next door in a sitcom for the rest of my life, that's the best thing that could ever happen to me".' Kaley has received critical-acclaim for The Flight Attendant with the star and the show both being nominated for a gong at the 2021 Golden Globes. It has also been renewed for a second series. The series follows her flight attendant character Cassandra who wakes up in Bangkok after a night of partying to find the passenger she has spent the night with has been murdered as she flees the scene and goes on the run. She missed out on the Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical award to Schitt's Creek star Catherine O'Hara. Amazing! Kaley serves as an executive producer on The Flight Attendant, where she plays show lead Cassandra Bowden, and it is created by her production company, Yes, Norman. It was nominated for two Golden Globe awards Amazing: She missed out on the Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical award to Schitt's Creek star Catherine O'Hara, although Kaley insisted that she was 'thrilled' and would have voted for Catherine, 67, herself if she was able to Although Kaley insisted that she was 'thrilled' and would have voted for Catherine, 67, herself if she was able to. During filming for The Flight Attendant, it was halted by the coronavirus pandemic but the show was the first American series to resume production in New York City. It premiered during the HBO Max Thanksgiving slot in November 2020. Kaley admitted that she had to be the 'example of faith' for the show but added that it was 'sad' as she had to form her own bubble in case she tested positive and halted filming again. 'Typecast': However, despite her initial fears of being 'judged' Kaley, who made $1M per episode of The Big Bang Theory, admitted that she has never worried about the misconception of being typecast as the 'girl next door in a sitcom' (pictured in 2009 show still) Elsewhere during the chat, the actress admitted that she can never 'compare anything to Big Bang' as it was such a 'special situation'. Kaley added that she would like to do a reunion in the future but the show needs a 'little bit of a break' at the moment. The actress starred as Penny in The Big Bang Theory and was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, making 1M per episode. The show ended in 2019 after Sheldon star Jim Parsons decided not to continue. Following the show's end, Kaley found a passion project in The Flight Attendant - the series she executive produced for HBO Max based on Chris Bohjalian's book - gaining the rights to make the show in 2017. Plot: The series follows her flight attendant character Cassandra who wakes up in Bangkok after a night of partying to find the passenger she has spent the night with has been murdered as she flees the scene and goes on the run Reading only one sentence of the book's Amazon description which read, 'something like "fun-loving, drunk flight attendant wakes up next to dead body in a strange hotel,"' Kaley previously shared that she 'got a chill'. She told Warner Bros chairman Peter Roth, 'I think this is my next show,' and after also delving into the book text he decided to develop show with her, alongside Berlanti Productions head Sarah Schechter. Kaley credited longtime mentor, the late John Ritter (who played her dad on 8 Simple Things) for setting the tone for what she wanted on a set - a 'whodunit' thriller that also stars Girls' Zosia Mamet. It was recently reported that Kaley will play legendary actress Doris Day in an upcoming limited series with the same team behind her The Flight Attendant. Tiny Robin Meets Health Worker for Lunch Every Single Day for Over a Year: Its Crackers! A health worker has been getting moral support from a feathered friend who comes to visit him for lunch every day outside the hospital where he works. The bright-colored robin first appeared in December 2019, joining him daily on his chosen park bench ever since. Richard Coates, 25, works for Royal Victoria Infirmarys critical care unit in Newcastle, England. Before the robin, whom Coates dubbed Little Dude, started joining him, he would spend his 20-minute breaks eating alone on the bench in Leazes Park, opposite the hospital. Its absolutely crackers! Coates exclaimed, as reported by Metro. He just popped out of the bush behind me and kind of never left! I work three days a week and he comes pretty much every day for breakfast and lunch, but not always at teatime because it gets a bit dark. Richard Coates on the park bench near the hospital with Little Dude (Courtesy of Richard Coates) The robin dubbed Little Dude by health worker Richard Coates (Courtesy of Richard Coates) The little songbird, said Coates, flies over as soon as he recognizes his friend. He perches just six inches away, but reserves the right to fly away if anybody else approaches. Coates works 12-hour shifts at the job he loves, where he has worked for three years. A third-generation healthcare worker, he hopes to qualify as a nurse in the futureCoatess grandmother worked for the NHS in its infancy, and his mother was a nurse for 30 years. Amidst the CCP virus pandemic, Coates has found comfort from his feathered friend over the past months. Its peaceful when he pops up, also gives me a break from the hectic life on the unit at the moment, he explained. Just a reminder that eventually everything will be okay and back to normality, just going to take some time, thats all. Coates pays forward his moments of peacefulness with Little Dude to his colleagues, who describe him as a true joy to work with. The European robin, Little Dudes subspecies, is a celebrated songbird associated with Christmas, and the UKs first official national bird, according to the BBC. They are known to be bold, having always lived on the fringes of human settlements. (Courtesy of Richard Coates) Besides his own lunch, Coates sometimes brings bird food or dried fruit to work for Little Dude. On occasion, he even offers the robin a sip of his cappuccino. Early on in their friendship, Coates took a weeks break from work. I brought my little dude some extra mealworms and nuts, he shared, posting a video on Reddit. Going to have to pop up to see him over the next week, for sure. I know he has a family in a tree about 20 or 30 feet away, Coates said, as he sometimes picks up some food and goes away to drop it off and then comes back to eat his own! Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter 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. Joe Biden's lazy, unguarded border policy has incentivized tens of thousands of illegal migrants to pour into the U.S. from our south. That's billed as a crisis here (and an opportunity for Democrats), but in the background, it's also created some frightful-looking catastrophes for Mexico and Central America, our neighbors to the south. Hence Mexico's swift, fierce, scramble to halt illegal migration through its territory, unilaterally, with neither the request nor any help from doddering old Joe up north. According to a report that just ran in the U.K.'s left-wing Guardian, emphasis mine: Mexico has stepped up immigration raids hauling hundreds of people off trains in recent weeks to stem an increase in Central American migrants heading for the United States since Joe Biden took office, according to advocates and data from immigration authorities. The crackdown by immigration agents backed by the military and police marks an escalation of Mexico's efforts to control migration. While Mexico has welcomed Biden's pledge to tackle the root causes of migration from Central America, it is concerned that the new administration's efforts to make it easier for people to claim asylum in the United States is encouraging migration and putting a burden on Mexico. About 1,200 migrants from Central America including more than 300 children were swept up in raids between 25 January and 16 February along train routes in six southern and central Mexican states, as well as in the capital, according to Mexico's immigration agency. Biden leaves the U.S. border unguarded and lays out a whole goodie table of incentives, and it doesn't take long for Mexico to find itself in a crisis. Mexico now is just doing the job Joe Biden won't do. Crisis is the right word for it. According to this analysis from RealClearPolitics, Mexican cartels and their cruelty are the crisis at the border. Every transmission of an illegal migrant into the U.S. is another load of cash into the pockets of Mexico's vicious cartels, who corrupt and threaten Mexico's state. RCP's Josh Jones writes (emphasis mine): Organized crime involving even the police is an integral part of the worsening immigration crisis. Criminal organizations are involved at every stage of the migration process, from motivating migrant departures for the United States to security along human smuggling routes through Mexico, to the mechanisms for entering the United States undetected. There are two kinds of criminal groups at work here transnational gangs and transnational criminal organizations. The brutal violence and unchecked extortion perpetrated by transnational gangs in the Northern Triangle (the nations of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala), targeting both civilian populations and rival gang members, motivate Central Americans to uproot their lives and families in the hope of a better, safer life in America. Transnational criminal organizations control, regulate, and tax every land port along the southern border. They also control smuggling routes through Mexico and impose a tax, called a piso, on the smugglers and migrants who use them. These groups control the flow of migrant caravans, strategically diverting Border Patrol resources from sectors of the border that are used to smuggle illegal drugs into the United States. For those who choose to leave the Northern Triangle for a better life in America, the escape from territory controlled by transnational gangs leads them into territory controlled by the transnational criminal organizations. This, for Mexico, most certainly is a problem. It's not just Mexican citizens protesting the crime and disorder of unvetted migration from elsewhere, their nation turned into an illegal immigration superhighway. It's the specter of cartel cash growing from "taxes" and smuggler fees, and government offices corrupted by that cartel cash, as well as violent cartels shooting it out among one another for control of territory and routes, all of which makes life in Mexico unliveable. For Mexico's president, Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador, all of that decreases his power, popularity, and actual sovereign control in Mexico. AMLO knows well what the cartels are about and their quest to steal the power and democracy of the entire Mexican state. Sure, he's some kind of lefty, but he was right about the signs of electoral fraud in the U.S., and he sure as heck knows a threat to the state under his own administration when he sees one. The cartels, which make money on unchecked border crossings, are establishing themselves in the absence of the Border Patrol, brought on by old Joe. That's a threat to Mexico. For migrants, the deal is horrible, too. Hollywood filmmaker Namrata Singh Gujral set about to write about the illegal immigration experience from the perspective of those from India who slip in from Mexico with the aid of the human-smuggling rackets and cartels and found the whole thing to be a horror, something no one should ever get involved with, given the criminals involved. According to the Washington Times: Ms. [illegal alien Maria] Garcia's tale is a horror show of rape and abuse handed out by what she calls "a cartel" masquerading as an immigration service. They held her hostage and extorted more and more money from her before eventually trying to bring her across the border in a locked car trunk. "America's Forgotten" concludes that, for many, the surprisingly large sum of money they expend on their illegal odyssey isn't worth it. The grim 1983 indie flick El Norte tells the same kind of story for migrants. The horrors already are happening. Jones cites a migrant massacre in Mexico not far from the Texas border, where 19 migrants from El Salvador were discovered burned beyond recognition in two trucks, apparently having been shot first, but this can't be entirely known. In the U.S., 13 illegal migrants were killed in a car crash outside Holtville, Calif. on March 8 in Mexico-bordering Imperial County. Another eight were found dead in a head-on crash in Mexico-bordering Val Verde County in Texas yesterday. To say this isn't about crime and empowering crimes is to ignore the carnage all around one, in all its many forms. Biden is indifferent. All that matters to him is amnesty and expectations of wheeling in the Democrat votes. Let the Mexicans solve this, doing the job he won't do. In Central America, the crisis is equally frightening. I had a look at just the Salvadoran press, three of the top newspapers: El Diario Hoy, a mainstream publication; El Faro, an investigative paper; and La Prensa Grafica, a tabloid. There was a curious silence in all of them about the migration crisis affecting them. None of the three had this crisis on its front pages. But there was some coverage not just about dead migrants, but a broader picture suggesting something negative. In El Diario de Hoy, a columnist who apparently runs a migration brokerage, urges would-be migrants to jump right in and claim benefits while the Biden window is open. Via Google translate: Now comes the good news, and it is that on February 24, President Joe Biden revoked the aforementioned proclamation made by his predecessor, so now there is no impediment for cases of permanent residence by family petition (the processes of greater demand) continue their course. In fact, the National Visa Center said they will gradually resume all cases that were on hiatus. It is important to clarify that the provision did not affect the initiation or advancement of a family petition process, for example, it mainly affected their final appointments. It should be noted that Presidential Proclamation 10059 that prohibits the entry of applicants for the same reasons of non-immigrant visas type H1B, H2B, L1 (all work) and J-1 (exchange) as well as their derivatives (accompanying family members ) is still in effect. However, the bulk of our people are in family petition cases, and that restriction has already been revoked, so take action on the matter now and reactivate your cases as soon as possible; yes, be patient because the reactivation process will be gradual, but you are already aware. La Prensa Grafica had an item on the rise of remittances, 95% of which come from migrants in the United States, noting that the only sizable dip due to COVID was last April. It also had a reprinted item from BBC Mundo from Guatemala's former commissioner against impunity, warning that Joe Biden's solution for the immigration mess, which was to shovel $4 billion at Central America's governments, was going to do nothing. Ivan Velasquez, the former head of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (Cicig), analyzes in an interview with BBC Mundo the deterioration of Central American democracies and the idea of the US president to attack the causes of emigration with investments . Honduras is branded a "narco-state" in a trial in the United States. El Salvador has an increasingly powerful leader. Guatemala saw its Congress burn in a recent protest. And in Nicaragua the opposition has been harshly repressed. Central America has become the epicenter of a phenomenon that runs through Latin America: the deterioration of democracies that seemed to flourish years ago. El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras were the three Latin American countries with the least popular support for democracy in the 2018 Latinobarometer survey, the last available. In recent times, those three Northern Triangle countries and Nicaragua have accumulated accusations of lack of balance of powers, corruption, human rights violations or attacks on freedom of expression. "There are many common negative signs in these countries," says Ivan Velasquez, the former Colombian magistrate who headed the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (Cicig) Created with the backing of the United Nations in 2007, the Cicig led by Velasquez helped uncover dozens of corruption cases in Guatemala that involved authorities and led to the resignation of President Otto Perez Molina in 2015, until it was dissolved in 2019. During an interview with BBC Mundo, Velasquez analyzes the deterioration of the Central American democracies and the idea of the president of the United States, Joe Biden, to allocate US $ 4,000 million to countries in the region to attack the causes of emigration, such as poverty. or violence. "The US $ 4,000 million is not going to change reality," says Velasquez. And it warns that "economic aid should not be granted if there is no commitment from the countries to respect the rule of law and the strengthening of democracy." So the migrants will continue to pour over. And threatened Mexico can stop it alone. In El Faro, a column by Carolina Rovira appeared with the translated title "The Costs of Migration No One Is Talking About," warning of a host of ills for El Salvador and the region if Joe Biden continues to entice migrants to get involved with cartels and smuggling rackets and leave the borders open. According to data from the latest study that we published in the Foundation for Higher Education (FES), there are 2.7 million Salvadoran migrants. In other words, the equivalent of 35% of Salvadorans decided to build a life far from their native country and with the hope of a better future. I deeply question the idea that leaving is a free decision for everyone, that is, one that they made among several alternatives, choosing the one they considered best. Certainly you can migrate with the privilege of a real option, like studying or getting your desired job. However, the history of Salvadoran migrants is usually less happy, since more than half emigrate illegally: they go in search of a job that they cannot find in our country, urged to send remittances to their families so that they survive or fleeing from the citizen insecurity. Among these migrants there are undoubtedly stories of resilience that end in successes, but there are also too many stories about lives sacrificed and precariousness, all in exchange for sending a monthly respite to their family or saving their lives. She writes of broken homes, children growing up without fathers, educational opportunities sacrificed, children without values, opportunity costs, and underdevelopment all a result of this illegal migrant trade Joe Biden is encouraging. From another perspective, the constant flight of compatriots in conditions of social vulnerability has functioned as an escape valve from the social pressure that poverty generates and as a source of income for consumerism in an economy with very low productivity. Without a doubt, migration has been useful to the country's politics and economy. Millions of dollars equivalent on average to 15% of GDP have entered the country for decades, offsetting crises such as civil war and economic depressions. But these remittance inflows have had a high cost that we do not always want to account for. The first cost has to do with the loss of human capital measured in average years of education. El Salvador has been stuck in meager growth for more than 20 years and its social indicators have been deteriorating rapidly for a decade. The need to transform the country's productive matrix to generate resources to satisfy social demands and face the pressures of the global economy is evident. Achieving this requires a vision of the country, political leadership, awareness and citizen solidarity to increase tax collection and reduce evasion. But even with all that going for it, the country would need the human capital prepared to carry out the necessary transformation. This is what's going on now, and this is what Joe has wrought. He's doing it to satisfy open-borders activists, but obviously, he has no problem dumping all the problems from this onto our southern neighbors. He's empowering cartels. He's letting Mexico fight this surge alone. He's destroying the development and family structure of families in Central America. He's empowering their elites and criminals. And insanely enough, he calls it all a "more humane" border policy, which is one of his biggest crocks. There is nothing human about leaving Mexico to fight cartels alone, or enticing migrants to put themselves into the claws of criminal organizations, becoming forever their slaves. The picture is frighteningly bad south of the border. Biden is amazingly ignorant and callous, wrong on every foreign policy question, as Bob Gates noted, and especially wrong on this one. Image: CalTrans via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The awards included $60,000 in Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund grants, used this year to advance projects that bring forward the vision for the cross-country Great American Rail-Trail, a developing 3,700-mile trail that connects across 12 states between Washington, D.C., and Washington State. This year's Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund grants are made in honor of the legacy of the late rail-trail philanthropist, Jeffrey L. Doppelt, who passed away from COVID-19 in January 2021. A member of RTC for more than 25 years, Jeff invested over $800,000 in the nation's rail-trails, benefiting more than 40 projects nationwide. "The RTC Trail Grants Program offers support to projects that are often not funded otherwise and are left out of traditional funding streams. These grants often fill critical gapsboth in trail development and fundingdelivering returns on investment that bring lasting benefit to communities," said Ryan Chao, president of RTC. "As we mourn our good friend Jeff Doppelt, we see his legacy and vision live on with the progress we are making on the Great American and on completing trail projects large and small that have significant impact on the nation." The 2021 Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund grants contribute to the development and maintenance of trail gaps on or near the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail. Recipients include the following: Cedar Trails Partnership ( Iowa ), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund matching grant to help rehabilitate a 1.5-mile section of trail closed due to flood damage ( ), receiving a Doppelt Fund matching grant to help rehabilitate a 1.5-mile section of trail closed due to flood damage Yellowstone Historic Center ( Montana ), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund grant for the conversion of a 9-mile abandonment along the Yellowstone Shortline Trail into a multiuse path from the MontanaIdaho border ( ), receiving a Doppelt Fund grant for the conversion of a 9-mile abandonment along the Yellowstone Shortline Trail into a multiuse path from the MontanaIdaho border Headwaters Trail System ( Montana ), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund matching grant to support the development of the 0.8 mile remaining to complete a 12-mile network in Gallatin County to connect the Headwaters Trail, as part of the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail ( ), receiving a Doppelt Fund matching grant to support the development of the 0.8 mile remaining to complete a 12-mile network in to connect the Headwaters Trail, as part of the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail Northwest Nebraska Trails Association ( Nebraska ), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund grant for the Cowboy Trail Connection's development of engineering documents for construction of the first miles of Cowboy Trail Connection into Chadron in Dawes County ( ), receiving a Doppelt Fund grant for the Cowboy Trail Connection's development of engineering documents for construction of the first miles of Cowboy Trail Connection into in Rails-to-Trails of Wayne County ( Ohio ), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund matching grant to complete a 1.6-mile gap between two sections of the Heartland Trail ( ), receiving a Doppelt Fund matching grant to complete a 1.6-mile gap between two sections of the Heartland Trail Peninsula Trails Coalition ( Washington ), receiving $10,000 to support a consultant for the Olympic Discovery Trail, as part of the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail in Jefferson and Clallam counties The 2021 Trail Grants Program recipient list emphasizes investments in projects with the potential to strengthen or connect trails in five communities nationwide. The recipients include: Downtown Greenway ( North Carolina ), receiving a $15,000 RTC Trail Grant to support the completion of a final 1-mile rail-trail section ( ), receiving a RTC Trail Grant to support the completion of a final 1-mile rail-trail section Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor ( New Hampshire ), receiving a $10,000 RTC Trail Grant to construct a trail segment, trailhead and amenities ( ), receiving a RTC Trail Grant to construct a trail segment, trailhead and amenities New Jersey Rail-Trail Projects, receiving $60,000 in RTC Trail Grants, including $20,000 to the New Jersey Bike-Walk Coalition to advance community engagement for the Essex-Hudson Greenway trail and $10,000 to the Embankment Preservation Coalition to advance the proposed 1-mile trail along the Harsimus Stem Embankment For a listing of all grant recipients, visit railstotrails.org/grants. Gifts in memory of the life of Jeffrey L. Doppelt will honor his dedication and commitment to support trail building in every community across the country: railstotrails.org/jeffdoppelt. To learn more about the Great American, visit railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is the nation's largest trails organizationwith a grassroots community more than 1 million strongdedicated to building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors. Connect with RTC at railstotrails.org and @railstotrails on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. CONTACT: Patricia Brooks, [email protected] , 202.351.1757 SOURCE Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Related Links http://www.railstotrails.org The Washington Post issued a retraction on Thursday regarding its December article on former President Donald Trump allegedly pressuring Georgia Elections Investigator Frances Watson to "find the fraud" prompting the former to respond on the issue. Breitbart reported that the Washington Post changed its original article headline from "'Find the fraud': Trump pressured a Georgia elections investigator in a separate call legal experts say could amount to obstruction" to a new one on March 11, "Trump pressured a Georgia elections investigator in a separate call legal experts say could amount to obstruction". In addition to the revised headline, Breitbart pointed out that the said article had a very long note that came with it that actually contained the news organization's retraction on the matter, which was recently used as evidence against Trump in his second impeachment last February. "Correction: Two months after publication of this story, the Georgia secretary of state released an audio recording of President Donald Trump's December phone call with the state's top elections investigator. The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trump's comments on the call, based on information provided by a source," began the Washington Post's long note written under the headline and before the actual article. "Trump did not tell the investigator to 'find the fraud' or say she would be 'a national hero" if she did so. Instead, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, Ga., asserting she would find 'dishonesty' there," the Washington Post continued referring to Watson, "He also told her that she had 'the most important job in the country right now'. A story about the recording can be found here. The headline and text of this story have been corrected to remove quotes misattributed to Trump." According to the Washington Examiner, the Wall Street Journal published the controversial audio of Trump and Watson last week where the former president urged that Fulton County mail-in ballots be checked for fraud. The audio recording clearly debunked the original claim of Washington Post and CNN that Trump's telling Watson to "find the fraud" so she can be a "national hero" were mere fake news. The Washington Examiner pointed out that despite the existence of the audio and its content clearly showing that Trump was badly misquoted, CNN refused to retract on its report on the matter unlike the Washington Post. In addition, the Washington Examiner highlighted that both outlets originally held the disbelief that such an audio record on the controversial phone call actually existed until Georgia's secretary of state came out with it. The recording was actually found after Watson responded to a public information request on it and it was discovered in her device's trash folder. Trump, following Washington Post's retraction, issued a statement thanking the outlet for admitting its mistake and calling for an investigation on the widespread fraud that took place Georgia's November elections. "While I appreciate Washington Post's correction, which makes the Georgia Witch-Hunt a non-story, the original story was a Hoax right from the very beginning. I would further appreciate a strong investigation into Fulton County, Georgia and the Stacey Abrams political machine, which I believe would totally change the course of the presidential elections in Georgia," Trump said. In the statement, Trump elaborated that Fulton County "had not been properly audited for vote and signature verification" and said that investigators only looked in areas where there would be small problems yet actually "found large numbers of mistakes." He stressed that many Georgians agree that there was a "large scale election fraud" that took place such that they did not fully participate in the January senatorial elections. Trump also cited the Consent Decree signed by Georgia Governor Brad Raffensperger and Stacey Abrams that the state legislature did not approve and questioned why the former even approved it in the first place. Since it was not approved by state legislature, he said it was invalid and makes the election results invalid as well. The former president then highlighted the media's effect in politics especially during the last election. "You will notice that establishment media errors, omissions, mistakes, and outright lies always slant one way--against me and against Republicans," he highlighted, "Meanwhile, stories that hurt Democrats or undermine their narratives are buried, ignored, delayed until they could do the least harm--for example, after the election is over." Trump cited the negative coverage on the vaccines before the election--being his term--and the "over celebration" on the vaccine after the elections were finished--after his term. He reminded that an "honest press" is necessary for a "strong democracy," which the recent circumstances that media outlets exhibited show otherwise. He said the media outlets have become "political entities" instead of "journalistic enterprises." Scott Disick has admitted his 'close relationship' with ex Kourtney Kardashian did lead to his split from girlfriend Sofia Richie. In the latest teaser for the final season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Scott, 37, sits down with ex Kourtney to discuss his relationship with the model, 22, admitting he 'isn't easy' to date due to his close relationship with his ex. Scott and Sofia ended their relationship in August 2020 after three years together, with sources claiming their 15-year age gap and his dedication to his three children go in the way. Drama: Scott Disick has admitted that his 'close relationship' with ex Kourtney Kardashian did lead to his split from girlfriend Sofia Richie The teaser for KUWTK's final season, set to begin on Thursday March 18, kicked off with Kourtney and Scott, who share kids Mason, Penelope and Reign together, sitting on the couch chatting together. After reflecting on the end of his relationship, Scott said: 'I realise that Sofia has been an absolute trooper but the truth is anybody dating somebody is going to feel neglected when their significant other is spending more time with their ex than with them. He added: 'I don't think I could do it the other way around but I've always been clear that my priority has been my children, my life with them and I even put it out there that taking care of you is one of my priorities.' Over: The couple split in August 2020 after three years together, with sources at the time claiming claiming their 15-year age gap and his dedication to his three children go in the way Focused: In the latest teaser for the final season of KUWTK, Scott sits down with ex Kourtney to discuss his relationship with the model Speaking: Scott tells Kourtney it's 'not easy' dating someone else when he has remained close friends with his ex, adding: 'Anybody is going to feel neglected' During the clip, Kourtney asks Scott how he was doing following his split from Sofia, leading him to say: 'Yeah I don't know, I think people come into our lives and think its maybe easier thank thank think...' 'Easier like what?' Kourtney asks him. He explained: 'To be with you or to be with me... but it's very true that we do come with a lot of baggage and its definitely not easy that we see each work together and are friends. 'When you first get with someone, everyone is like making changes and ''oh I will do anything because I'm so happy and so in love'' and so excited but then when it sinks in and it becomes real life it's a lot different,' Scott said. Back on the couch, Scott adds: 'You know I just don't know are we just gonna like grow old just travelling the world with the kids living like one house down from each other or together at some point. Listening: Kourtney listens as her ex adds that anyone willing to date him must know he comes with 'a lot of baggage' His thoughts: He added: 'I don't think I could do it the other way around but I've always been clear that my priority has been my children' Kourtney said: 'Well I think that its great we can do that with the kids and the kids like love it you know. But I do think that we have to be respectful of our relationship and make sacrifices for that if it means a lot to you,' to which Scott appeared to agree. Sofia and Scott broke up for good August 2020, with reports at the time claiming the pair went their separate ways due to his close friendship with ex Kourtney. The brunette beauty first split from her beau in May after a three year relationship, but the couple were believed to have reunited on the Fourth of July before splitting once again. Finished: Sofia first split from her beau in May after a three year relationship, but the couple were believed to have reunited on the Fourth of July before splitting once again Together: Scott is currently thought to be in a relationship with teen Amelia Hamlin, 19 TMZ also noted he was 'seeking a quieter lifestyle to focus on his business ventures ... and it didn't mesh well with Sofia's life.' UsWeekly claimed earlier that Scott and Sofia were not spending time together. 'Scott and Sofia are spending time apart. She is making it a point to do her own thing.' They were previously said to be taking things 'day by day.' The duo were reportedly 'slowly' easing back into a relationship following Scott's stint in rehab earlier in 2020. A source explained: 'Scott and Sofia never lost touch while spending time apart, but have been seeing each other more often recently. 'They have hung out a handful of times in the last couple of weeks and are slowly easing back into a relationship. It feels totally back to normal from how things were before Scott went to rehab, but they've decided they don't want to put pressure on the status of the relationship. Scott is currently in relationship with teen Amelia Hamlin, 19. Coming soon: KUWTK's final season premieres Thursday, March 18 on E In another teaser clip, Kim Kardashian revealed that she almost wore a diaper when she was going to take the baby bar. Kim said: 'The baby bar is being taken in quarantine and they are testing it with a software that you have to install into your computer and you have to be in an empty room, you have to make sure your eyes aren't looking around the room because they are going to assume you have something written on your walls and you're gonna cheat.' 'I noticed that I'm going to have to pee and so we literally bought Depends diapers. I didn't have to wear one but they will fail you if you get up so I will pee in my chair I don't care,' Kim said with a laugh. Keeping Up With The Kardashians' final season premieres on Thursday, March 18 on E! Rajasthan: 30-year-old woman raped in front of husband; 3 detained India oi-Madhuri Adnal Kota (Raj), Mar 15: A woman was allegedly raped by the brother of a man she had married and later left in Rajasthan's Baran district, police said on Monday. The woman was returning home with a man she was now living with along with the child and her minor sister when her former brother-in-law and four others waylaid them near Chajawar village Saturday night, they said. The culprits took the family to a nearby field. They attacked the man and tied his hands and legs with a rope. The main accused then raped the woman in front of her current husband, DSP Yogendra Singh said. The former brother-in-law and two of his accomplices were detained on Sunday, he said. The officer said the woman, in her twenties, had left her first husband after she was unable to beget a child. She remarried through ''Nata Pratha'', a tradition which allows a marital relationship without any wedding ceremony. According to police, the accused fled from the spot after the crime following which the woman along with her child and sister managed to reach the main road and sought help from passers-by. Raped by 3, married woman forced to drink alcohol The passers-by informed the police about the incident. The police have booked five people for abduction and gang-rape under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The victim''s medical examination was conducted on Sunday and her statement was recorded before a magistrate on Monday, Atru Station House Officer Ramkishan said. He said efforts are on to find the remaining accused in the case. The victim and her former husband had filed complaints against each other in the past and investigation into the cases is also underway, the SHO added. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 9:46 [IST] New Delhi, March 16 : The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have opposed the proposed amendments to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill-2021, moved in the Lok Sabha. Congress has termed the bill as retrograde, anti-democratic and an insult to the people of Delhi Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said: "The demand is for enlarged legislative powers to Delhi and the will of the people. On the contrary, the proposed amendments will make the Delhi government less than a municipality and rob the people of any kind of representative government. "Under the proposed amendments, the L-G appointed by the Central government will become a Viceroy exercising all powers according to the wishes of his master. "The people must resist the amendments. The Opposition must vote against the amendments." Also in a tweet, party leader and former Union Minister, Manish Tewari said: "Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2021 effectively buries democracy in Delhi 10 fathoms deep. If passed elected govt and Assembly would be mere petitioners in L-G's Durbar. "L-G would now rule Delhi more aggressively as MHA Viceroy." As a show of protest, AAP members staged a protest in front of the Gandhi Statue in Parliament premises on Tuesday. On Monday, the Centre tabled the new bill in the Lok Sabha, which is an amendment to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and also seeks to better define the role of the Council of Ministers and the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) in Delhi. As per reports, the Bill is proposed to give more powers to the L-G. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Its up to us, like those before us, to protect these precious lands for future generations to enjoy just as weve been able to do. At the 11th session that will open on March 24, the National Assembly will secretly vote to dismiss the President, Prime Minister, and Chair of the National Assembly and elect and approve many state leaders. At the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee to comment on the content and agenda of the 11th National Assembly session on March 15, National Assembly Secretary General Nguyen Hanh Phuc said that the 11th session will take place from March 24 through April 8. Most of the time NA deputies will focus on personnel tasks, which is expected to start on March 30. General Secretary of the National Assembly Nguyen Hanh Phuc The National Assembly will secretly vote to dismiss the National Assembly Chair Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on March 30. The new National Assembly Chair will be elected the next day, March 31. On April 1, the National Assembly will secretly vote to elect the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly. On the same day, the National Assembly will dismiss President Nguyen Phu Trong by secret ballot. On the morning of April 2, the National Assembly will elect the new President by secret ballot. The new President will take the oath as soon as the Vote Counting Committee announces the results of counting votes. On the afternoon of April 2, the National Assembly will secretly vote to dismiss Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Shortly thereafter, the President will submit a list of nominations for the National Assembly to elect a new Prime Minister. The election of the Prime Minister will be held on the morning of April 5. The State President will then submit to the National Assembly to dismiss the Vice President, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, and Head of the Supreme People's Procuracy. The Standing Committee of the National Assembly will submit to the National Assembly to dismiss some members of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, Chairman of some Committees of the National Assembly, the State Auditor General, and the General Secretary of the National Assembly. The vote to dismiss the above positions will be conducted on the afternoon of April 5. Then, the State President will submit a list of nominations for the National Assembly to elect the Vice President, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, and Head of the Supreme People's Procuracy. The Standing Committee of the National Assembly will submit nominations for the National Assembly to elect a number of members of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. The National Assembly will elect these positions on the morning of April 6 by secret ballot. The Prime Minister will submit to the National Assembly for approval the dismissal of a number of Deputy Prime Ministers, a number of ministers and other cabinet members, and the National Assembly will hold votes on the same afternoon. After that, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly will submit a list of nominations for the National Assembly to elect the Heads of several Committees of the National Assembly, the State Auditor General, and the General Secretary of the National Assembly. The meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on March 15. Photo: QH On the morning of April 7, the National Assembly will vote to elect the Chairman of some Committees of the National Assembly, the State Auditor General, and the General Secretary of the National Assembly. On the afternoon of April 7, the National Assembly will vote to approve the proposal of the President of the National Election Council on the dismissal of some Vice Presidents and some members of the National Election Council, and ratify the President's proposal for the dismissal of some Vice Presidents and some members of the National Defense and Security Council by secret ballot. Also on the afternoon of April 7, the Chairman of the National Election Council will submit to the National Assembly for approval a list of a number of Vice Presidents and some members of the National Election Council. The Prime Minister will submit a list for the National Assembly to approve the appointment of a number of Deputy Prime Ministers, a number of ministers and other cabinet members. On the morning of April 8, the National Assembly will approve the proposal for a list of some Vice Presidents and some members of the National Election Council, the appointment of a number of Deputy Prime Ministers, a number of ministers and other members of the Government by secret ballot. After that, the National Assembly will close. Thu Hang The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight on Tuesday is hosting its first virtual meeting to debate a $400 million bond bill to finance a reimagined Holyoke Soldiers Home, as the Baker administration races against a tight deadline to secure critical federal funding. National Guard Major Gen. Gary Keefe, also the chairman of the Holyoke Soldiers Home Board of Trustees, led the debate by urging committee members not to miss the opportunity despite skepticism over the accelerated timeline. The bond bill, H.64, was sponsored by Gov. Charlie Baker and presented in February to capture a 65 % contribution from the federal government by April 1. This year the (U.S. Veterans Administration) has robusted its VA grant program, Keefe testified. We cant guarantee this money will be there next year .. all federal programs will be facing cuts in 2022. He told committee members he has received unofficial support from the VA for the project, which captured the attention of the federal government after at least 76 veterans died after contracting COVID-19 last spring. Baker and his cabinet called for reforms including a fast-tracking a new, eight-story home on the hill on Cherry Street for more 230 veterans. The new facility will offer largely private rooms, a small house model designed more as a community than an institution and an adult day health program for up to 50 more veterans. The new design allows for a greater level of mental health treatment, more privacy for women veterans and those who have suffered sexual trauma, plus veterans suffering from new diagnoses linked to specific conflicts around the globe. Since the ask is so big, Assistant Secretary for Administration and Finance Alda Rego said backers of the Holyoke project want to be first at the table. We want to be the first in the nation, Rego told members of the committee, which must report favorably on the bill in order for the proposal to advance to additional committees, through both legislative chambers and on to the governors desk. Final plans must be submitted to the VA by Aug. 1. Legislators and veterans advocates from other parts of the state have expressed some sticker shock, and worry over what feels to them like a frantic timeline for the project. Putting a $400 million project together and coming to the Legislature with the timeline with have to deal with is extremely unusual, said state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, co-chairman of the committee. Why werent we given more time for consideration of this enormous project? And, theres no one here suggesting we shouldnt invest in Holyoke. Pacheco and others argue the greatest numbers of veterans live in other counties, and government dollars would be better utilized for veterans services throughout the state. Also arguing against the $400 million was too large an expenditure for one home was Jesse Flynn adjutant general for Disabled American Veterans of Massachusetts. We should consider similar construction in other areas of the commonwealth, Flynn told the committee. State Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, asked whether Flynn or the DAV spoke out publicly when the $200 million rebuild of the Chelsea Soldiers Home was announced. No ... I dont think we came out publicly, Flynn said. Any reason for that? Velis asked? Were evolving as an organization, Flynn answered. Members of Bakers administration responsible for finance, veterans services and construction provided testimony and fielded questions from committee members, as well as former administrators from the Holyoke Soldiers Home and others. Testimony continues. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A 43-year-old Stapleton man flashed a phony police badge and threatened to harm a woman and her family if she did not prostitute herself on the borough, authorities allege. Miguel Daniel Gatica Zeferino, of Tompkins Street, was arrested on Saturday on charges of sex trafficking and promoting prostitution for incidents from March through September of 2019, according to the criminal complaint. The victim was in her early 20s at the time, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The suspect forced the victim to engage in prostitution by intimidation, in a scheme which caused her to fear for her safety and the safety of her family should she refuse to continue prostituting herself, make a report to police, or leave the defendants operation, the complaint alleges. Authorities allege that Gatica Zeferino made threats to the informant, including but not limited to displaying what appeared to be a police badge. He told the victim that he had contacts within the police department, and other contacts that the informant did not know about all over the world, that would locate the informant and cause physical harm to her family, the complaint alleges. He told the woman he would find her, even if she was under a rock, according to the complaint. He also allegedly lied and made false promises to the victim by telling her that he was saving money for her to use at a later date to start a business. The investigation was handled by the NYPD Vice Squad. Bond has been set at $100,000 for the suspect, who is due back in Criminal Court on Thursday, according to public records. An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. PROSTITUTION LEGISLATION IN STATE Several Democratic lawmakers in New York are fighting to change laws in the state to protect sex workers who may be vulnerable. They have cited the deportable element of prostitution laws, which they say pimps use as one tactic to threaten sex workers who in many cases already are trapped by poverty, a language barrier and threats of violence to their families back home. A bill introduced recently by state Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) would decriminalize prostitution for the person performing the work, while still holding clients, traffickers and pimps accountable. Another large coalition of lawmakers, legal experts and advocates want to decriminalize for sex workers and customers. A 2019 bill sponsored by state Sen. Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn) and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan) would do just that. The two lawmakers have argued previously it would make for a safer environment for sex workers and their clients by eliminating the fear of arrest. Larry W. Smith/Getty Images A man accused of killing a woman in her San Marcos home earlier this month was arrested Monday in San Antonio. Kiril St. John Sokoloff, 42, was charged in connection with the death of 36-year-old Cheryl Ritzer, who was found dead March 12 during a welfare check by San Marcos police. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Research Future has published a Half-Cooked Research Report on the Global Cryogenic Insulation Market. Market Synopsis According to the MRFR analysis, Cryogenic Insulation Market is expected to reach over USD 3.7 Billion by the end of 2025 at a CAGR of 7.2%. Cryogenic insulation is used to reduce or eliminate the energy loss from the cold storage tanks and transfer lines. Cryogenic insulation effectively controls a systems environment and helps in maintaining economic effectiveness. Cryogenic insulation are high-performance materials such as polyisocyanurate, polyurethane, expanded foams, fiberglass cellular glass, polystyrene, and aerogel. The growing demand for cryogenic equipment in the food & beverage and medical industries coupled with increasing demand for liquified natural gas (LNG) and various industrial gases is expected to drive the growth of the cryogenic insulation material market during the forecast period. Pricing The price of the cryogenic insulation varies according to material type. The average price of cryogenic insulation ranges from USD 1,500/ton to 13,800/ton. SEGMENTATION By Material Type PU/PIR: The segment accounted for the largest share of the global COVID 19 Impact on Cryogenic Insulation Market and is projected to witness moderate growth during the forecast period. The high demand for PU/PIR insulation is attributed to low thermal conductivity, fire resistance, moisture resistance, and good workability. PU and PIR are widely used for insulating cold storage buildings, pipelines, storage tanks, and valves in various industries. Furthermore, the high vermin resistance enables its use in the food & beverage and medical industries. Polystyrene: The polystyrene segment is expected to witness moderate growth during the forecast period. Polystyrene is mostly preferred for cryogenic insulation applications in the areas of high moisture exposure. Cellular Glass: Cellular glass is widely used for insulating piping, fittings, tanks, and equipment operating in the temperature ranges of -268C to 480C. It is widely preferred in the chemical industry and ground chilled piping systems. The cellular glass segment is expected to witness healthy growth driven by its superior properties, chemical resistance, and corrosion resistance. Others: The others segment includes perlite, fiberglass, aerogel, and elastomer foams. This segment is expected to witness fastest growth during the forecast period owing to the high demand for aerogel for pipeline insulation. Browse Full Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cryogenic-insulation-market-8494 By End-Use Industry Energy & Power: The segment dominated the global cryogenic insulation market in 2018 and is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The growth is primarily attributed to the increasing demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel, favored by government policies encouraging a cleaner energy mix. The US and China accounted for over 60% of the global LNG consumption. Food & Beverage: The segment is expected to witness healthy growth driven by increasing demand for cold storage and frozen food transportation. The long-term outlook of the food & beverage segment is expected to remain positive backed by socio-economic trends such as economic growth, urbanization, changing demographics, population growth, and increasing disposable income. Medical: The medical segment is expected to witness moderate growth driven by increasing healthcare spending. According to the World Health Organization, in 2016, the global spending on health was USD 7.5 trillion and average per capita health expenditure was USD 1,000. The spending on healthcare in the low- and middle-income countries is expected to be 6%, and 4% in high-income countries during the forecast period. Chemical: Increasing investment to increase the production capacities of various chemicals across the globe, particularly in Asian countries such as China and India, is expected to augment the growth of the global cryogenic insulation market. Others: The others segment is expected to witness moderate growth during the forecast period. In another sign of life starting to return to normal, the Pennsylvania Capitol will reopen to the public on Monday, March 22, with enhanced security protocols in place. When visitors return, the state Department of General Services said they will be required to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the Capitol and masks will be made available for visitors who do not have them. The ban on events or rallies inside the Capitol will remain in place for now but outdoor events on the Capitol front steps, Soldiers Grove and other locations around the Capitol will be permitted but COVID-19 mitigation orders must be followed, according to General Services. Those who do not have a Capitol access badge will be able required to pass through a metal detector at the public entrances. The Capitol has been closed to the public since Dec. 10 due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. That included a few days in January when employees who work at the Capitol were barred from entering the building due to security concerns spurred by reports of some threatening activity at a handful of state capitols in the days leading up to President Joe Bidens inauguration. In response to those events, General Services is working in a bipartisan manner with the House and Senate to identify steps to strengthen security at the Capitol. Additionally, Capitol Police will maintain a high-visibility presence with increased patrol by its officers and members of the Special Response Team, according to General Services. The Capitol was first closed in mid-March last year at the onset of the pandemic. It remained closed until June 22 when it reopened after Dauphin County moved into the green phase, or least restrictive, of the Gov. Tom Wolfs reopening plan, until it closed due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. SALINE, MI Its telling that her young son is thriving this year in virtual learning, despite his struggles with managing his behavior, parent Heather Finch said. As a Saline Area Schools kindergartener last year, Finch said her son, who is autistic, was put in a cell more than 30 times in a seven-month period, leaving him traumatized and with lasting PTSD. Her son, Finch said, is one of a few Saline Area Schools students disproportionately impacted by the districts use of seclusion and restraint. Michigans State Board of Education policy defines emergency seclusion and restraint as a last resort emergency safety intervention necessitated by an ongoing emergency, providing an opportunity for the student to regain self-control while maintaining the safety of the student and others. The practice is used in the classroom when students are exhibiting behaviors that threaten to harm themselves or others. Rooms designated for seclusion cant be locked and students may never be prevented from exiting the area. Emergency physical restraint shouldnt be used any longer than necessary, to allow a student to regain control of his or her behavior - generally no longer than 10 minutes. Finch said she doesnt understand why the emergency intervention needed to be used so often on a 38-pound kindergartener. How is it a child who struggles with self-regulation is restrained and placed into a cell and then expected to miraculously gain calming skills alone in solitary confinement? Finch asked during a recent Saline School Board meeting. At the end of the day, Im left trying to fight a system that clearly wasnt made for my child. My child who loves learning and loves people fears school. Hes had years of damage and trauma from this dehumanizing ordeal. Saline Area Schools has seen its number of seclusion and restraint cases more than double since Michigan school districts were required to submit data in 2017-18. Use of seclusion and restraint has increased from 121 seclusions and 23 restraints among students with disabilities in 2017-18 to 167 seclusions and 310 restraints in 2018-19, according to data from the states Center for Educational Performance and Information. Data from 2019-20 was not included in the review due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting how special education services are offered. A recent Washtenaw Intermediate School District review notes the number of seclusions and restraints from 2018-19 in Saline was actually 308, which was attributed to some entries being reported more than once. Eight students or less than 1% of Salines special education population - made up 81% of the incidents of seclusion and restraint, districtwide, said WISD Assistant Special Education Supervisor Melissa Paschall, who provided a review of the districts processes and procedures during a recent board meeting. The districts board policy states seclusion and restraint should be used only as a last resort in an emergency situation. That is a concern when incidents continue to happen with the same students, board member Michael McVey said. When it happens over and over and over again, you start to wonder, Are we doing the right thing? Is this working? McVey said. Are we doing the right thing for that handful of students, I guess is my biggest concern. Inclusion in special education Its difficult to quantify whether the number of seclusion and restraints Saline has performed is too many, Interim Superintendent Steve Laatsch said, noting that the district has long made an effort to place students with high-level disabilities in general education environments to help students develop independence., rather than transferring them to WISD-based programs. The state audits Salines special education programs three times a year and has never found the district to be in violation of the seclusion and restraint policies, Laatsch said. We take some of, if not most emotionally impaired students in Saline because we definitely want to be an extremely inclusive district, Laatsch said. So, that often results in us having to use interventions and other strategies that potentially other districts dont need to do because theyre having those students go to a different program. In its review of Salines special education department, the WISD reported that 146, or 42%, of the districts 344 special education students are highly impacted by their disability. Thats the highest percentage of students highly impacted by their disability in the county. Ann Arbor Public Schools 301 students highly impacted accounts for 30% of its overall special education population. Among the most severely impaired students in the county receiving services through the WISD, Saline accounts for just 2.9% of students the same percentage as significantly smaller districts like Whitmore Lake Public Schools and Manchester Community Schools. Saline was the first district within the county to offer inclusion in the classroom, said WISD Interim Deputy Superintendent Cherie Vannatter, who has 37 years experience in special education instruction, including at Saline. Students who are in the least restrictive environment show the most growth. They also become the most independent. A matter of trust Salines use of seclusion and restraint has resulted in broken trust with some parents, Board member Aramide Boatswain said, adding that she wants to see more parental input in helping to improve the processes and procedures surrounding the policy. We have a seclusion and restraint policy in place that parents want to go away, Boatswain said during a Feb. 23 school board meeting. It doesnt matter how it went wrong. The point is how do we cater to this position going forward? We cant come back to this table and have this conversation again. When parent Tiffanie Alexander raised concerns about Salines use of seclusion and restraint of special education students, she asked the district to listen to parents whose children have been impacted by the practice, pointing out that a WISD review did not involve speaking with parents or students. After speaking out in support of parents and questioning the districts use of seclusion and restraint during a recent school board meeting, both Finch and Alexander were removed from the districts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Coalition by Laatsch. The district has since invited both Finch and Alexander back in their coalition roles. Laatsch said the district doesnt comment on specific individuals. This is just a symptom of what these parents have been dealing with for years from this special needs department under their current leadership, said Alexander, who does not have a student who has been subjected to seclusion or restraint, but is an advocate on behalf of other parents whose children have. Weve been saying for years, someone please pay attention to these kids. In its review of the districts processes and procedures, the WISD offered recommendations for more specific record keeping and additional professional development for special education staff. The review showed the district offered very robust training with guidance from the Michigan Department of Education for special education staff, but recommended Saline conduct monthly reviews of its seclusion and restraint reports and provide more written instead of verbal - training, Vannatter said. Among parents surveyed in 2018-19, Vannatter said 84% rated Salines special education services as a seven or higher on a scale of one to 10. In another survey the WISD sent to Saline teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators, 72.1% said they did not restrain in the past two years. Among the 111 respondents to the survey, two people indicated they thought seclusion and restraint had been used in the district as a punishment. Many of the replies were that the student was having aggressive physical behaviors toward themselves or others, the student was self-harming, the student was a danger to themselves or to staff, Vannatter said. Laatsch has reached out to parents of students with special needs, he said, offering a chance for them to communicate their concerns about the districts special education services. He credited the districts special education staff for its care and willingness to improve practices going forward. Theyre trying to make sure that other kids arent either hurting themselves or hurting another staff member, Laatsch said. But if there are specific families that are saying there are students that definitely need greater support than we are providing, then I want to be talking to those families more. READ MORE: More in-person classes coming for Saline students Saline Area Schools selects firm to lead search for superintendent Enrollment decline in Saline schools caused by COVID 19, progressive curriculum, officials say Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Mountain Valley MD (CSE: MVMD- OTCQB: MVMDF) CEO Dennis Hancock joined Steve Darling to share news the company has announced it is commencing husbandry animal trials in Bangladesh. Those trials are to validate the commercial pathway for the Companys injectable solubilized Ivermectin technology, Ivectosol 1%. Hancock telling Proactive how big this step is for the company and also how Bangladesh will serve as a production hub for broader global distribution. TUCSON, Ariz., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly passed 2021 Covid Aid Plan is a great financial relief package for U.S. small businesses the 2021 CARES Act Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERC). The 2021 CARES Act ERC provides small businesses, restaurants, hotels and the hospitality industry with payments up to 70% or $28,000 of an employee's wages for retaining employees in 2021. For example, a small business, with only 5 employees could be available for $140.000 in U.S. government help. To be eligible for the 2021 Employee Retention Tax Credit, employers have to demonstrate that they incurred at least a 20% decline in gross receipts compared to 2020. Businesses that were forced to shut down or reduce their capacity, such as restaurants, hotels, inns and the travel and hospitality industries are targeted in the new 2021 Covid Aid Plan. Small businesses, non-profit organizations, churches and schools up to 500 employees are also eligible To assist small businesses navigate through the complex ERC Act, the national accounting firm, Profitopia, LLC, is providing free consultations to small businesses and organizations to help them determine if they are eligible for the program. The calculations for qualifying and determining employee retention credits are complicated and require professional expertise. Profitopia's accountants are experts in the 2021 CARES act Employee Retention Tax Credits. They are trained in all specifics of this unprecedented legislation. There is no application process unlike the PPP Paycheck Protection Program. Instead, Profitopia files amended tax forms to obtain the credit for the small business applicant. Kevin Marshall, CPA, President, Profitopia. believes the ERC Act, is the "best financial shot-in-the arm to help small businesses thrive during the economic challenges of the pandemic. The ERC is free money for small businesses it does not require repayment." At no cost or obligation to a small business or organization, Profitopia, will analyze a business' eligibility and calculate their potential cash refund. If a business or organization elects to retain Profitopia to file their ERC Tax Credit, the accounting fee is not due until the business receives their money from the US government. There is no risk or cost for US small businesses or organizations to get their free consultation. The 2021 CARES Act ERC can be a lifeline for a small business. "For example, if a small business or organization has 5 employees, they could be eligible to get up to a $140,000 check back from the US government," according to Kevin Marshall, CPA. For a free consultation, Profitopia's ERC experts can be reached at 888778-6742 or www.ERCHotline.com Trained experts are available daily, 7am to 11pm, EST. Media Contact: David Arond 520-401-4193 [email protected] SOURCE Profitopia, LLC Queues of trucks waiting to leave the country on Tuesday afternoon are stretching for more than 25 kilometers, before Nadlac and Varsand, and the waiting times for control are almost eight hours in Varsand. Representatives of the Arad Road Police told AGERPRES that, against the background of the congestion at the border in the case of heavy traffic, the queue of trucks formed on DN 79A streches from the Border Crossing Point to the town of Chisinau-Cris, being of about 25 kilometers. And in the case of the A1 motorway, the Press Office of the County Police Inspectorate (IPJ) Arad reported that a line of trucks was formed over a distance of about 25 kilometers."Colleagues from the Motorways Bureau guide the drivers on the emergency lane, so that there are no more bottlenecks. From the information we have, the bottlenecks are caused by the fact that the Hungarian border police are thoroughly checking every shipment that enters the country, 10-15 minutes of verification for each truck," IPJ Arad spokesperson Adina Aconstantinesei told AGERPRES.In PTF Varsand there are waiting times of 460 minutes for transit, according to the online application for monitoring border traffic, on the border police website. Three exit lanes are opened here in the country for heavy traffic.At Nadlac II, on the pan-European motorway, the waiting time in the queue is at least 300 minutes, and six exit lanes are opened. At Nadlac I, the waiting time for transit is 120 minutes, and the control is done on a lane.In Bihor County, in PTF Bors, where three lanes are available for heavy traffic on the exit, the waiting time is 190 minutes, and at Bors II - 100 minutes, four lanes are also available here.In PTF Petea, the exit from the country is done on two lanes for trucks and the waiting time is 420 minutes.Regarding this situation, IGPF reported that "the Romanian Border Police has contacted the Hungarian border authorities for additional staff from the Hungarian side, for the opening of additional lanes for the verification of self-driving cars"."At the Bors, Bors II and Varsand border crossing points formalities are carried out for about 90 lorries per hour, and at PTF Nadlac II more than 140 lorries per hour, where about 60 trucks are processed on a normal day during this time. Since the lifting of the restrictions, the border police at the border with Hungary have carried out the specific formalities for 5,500 lorries, of which 4,000 have been on the way out," the IGPF states.The lines of truck were formed on Tuesday morning at the main crossing points on the border with Hungary, on the way out of Romania, due to restrictions applied to heavy traffic until Monday evening.The Arad Border Police stated that the congestion was formed "as a result of traffic restrictions on the territory of Hungary from 13 to 15 March, when freight vehicles did not circulate in the territory of the neighbouring state". AGERPRES The Washington Post, AP issue retractions over reporting of Trump phone call to Georgia election official Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Associated Press, Washington Post and other news outlets issued corrections to earlier reports that claimed former President Donald Trump had pressured a Georgia election investigator to "find the fraud" in an audit of mail-in ballots in the state's most populous counties. These reports were cited as evidence in the articles of impeachment by the U.S. House in its second impeachment of Trump. As the AP admitted Monday, its article "erroneously reported that Trump pressed the (lead Georgia elections) investigator to 'find the fraud' and said it would make the investigator a national hero." The national news outlet acknowledged that "a recording of the call made public two months later revealed that Trump did not say either and instead said that if the investigator looked into Fulton County the investigator would 'find things that are gonna be unbelievable.' Trump also told the investigator: 'When the right answer comes out, you'll be praised.'" The Washington Post issued a lengthy correction to its Jan. 9 story asserting that "Trump pressured a Georgia elections investigator in a separate call legal experts say could amount to obstruction." The correction noted that "two months after the publication of this story, the Georgia secretary of state released an audio recording of President Donald Trump's December phone call with the state's top elections investigator. "The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trump's comments on the call, based on information provided by a source. Trump did not tell the investigator to 'find the fraud' or say she would be a 'national hero' if she did so. Instead, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, Ga., asserting that she would find 'dishonesty' there. He also told her that she had 'the most important job in the country right now,'" the correction continued. Trump's Dec. 23 call to Frances Watson came as the Trump campaign was contesting the election results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, which showed then-President Trump narrowly trailing now-President Joe Biden. The call, which lasted for six minutes, was released by the Georgia Secretary of State's office last week and the audio of the call was published in a separate Washington Post article highlighting the details of the conversation. After discussing his comfortable victories in nearby states and other swing states, Trump asserted that "I won Georgia, I know that, by a lot, and the people know it." He maintained that "something bad happened" and urged Watson to conduct thorough signature verification of mail-in ballots in Fulton County, home to the state's capital and largest city of Atlanta. "I appreciate your comment ... and I can assure you that our team and the GBI, that we're only interested ... in the truth ... and finding ... the information that's based on the facts and ... we've been working 12, 16 hour days and ... we're working through it," she responded. Watson told Trump that she was "very honored" and "shocked" that he called her in light of his busy schedule. The former president also asked Watson if the audit would continue after Christmas, citing the impending certification of electoral votes by the United States Congress on Jan. 6. Watson answered in the affirmative. "Call any time you need. If you need help, call me," Trump said as the call came to a close. According to the AP, the finalized vote tally in Georgia shows that Biden narrowly defeated Trump by slightly more than 12,000 votes out of nearly 5 million votes cast. This equates to a margin of 0.24%, making Georgia the closest state in the 2020 presidential election. Following the controversy surrounding the results of the 2020 presidential election, the Republican-controlled Georgia state Senate passed legislation that would repeal no-excuse absentee voting. Under the legislation, which has yet to pass the Republican-controlled House, only voters who are either 65 years old or older, absent from their precinct, observing a religious holiday, required to work for the entire time the polls are open, serving in the military or living overseas will qualify for an absentee ballot. The 2020 presidential election featured the use of a record number of absentee ballots, which critics argue are more susceptible to fraud. In addition to issuing stricter requirements for the use of absentee ballots, the legislation also strengthens voter ID requirements. Critics of the new Georgia legislation argue that it is designed to create obstacles that would "restrict the freedom to vote." The AstraZeneca logo is seen with a hand holding a syringe and needle in this photo illustration in Warsaw, Poland on March 1, 2021. Photo: Jaap Arriens/Sipa USA/PA AstraZeneca is likely to remain "under pressure" this week until Europe's official medicines watchdog delivers an official verdict on the risks associated with the company's COVID-19 vaccine. Multiple countries around the world have moved to suspend the rollout of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine in recent days amid concerns it could cause blood clots. Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy have all announced suspensions. Germany's Paul-Ehrlich-Institut on Monday said it observed "a striking accumulation of a special form of very rare cerebral vein thrombosis (sinus vein thrombosis) in connection with a deficiency of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) and bleeding in temporal proximity to vaccinations with the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca." READ MORE: Vaccine ban weighs on AstraZeneca shares amid clotting fears Watch: Germany, France, Italy and Spain halt use of AstraZeneca vaccine The case has been referred to Europe's top medical watchdog, the European Medicine Agency (EMA). An official verdict is due on Thursday. The EMA said on Monday that it "currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects." AstraZeneca said there had been 15 events of deep-vein thrombosis and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among more than 17 million people vaccinated. Ann Taylor, the firm's chief medical officer, said this was "lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population. AstraZeneca said there was no evidence of a causal link between its vaccine and blood clotting. "Blood clots are unfortunately fairly common," said Dr Adam Barker and Dr Tara Raveendran, research analysts at stockbroker Shore Capital. "Epidemiological studies would put the incidence of blood clots at around 1 in 1,000 people. Importantly, the incidence of blood clots increases significantly with age and can reach 1 in 100 people in those over 80 years of age. In addition, there are also several other important risk factors including (but not limited to) obesity, periods of immobility, male gender, smoking and family history." Story continues READ MORE: European stocks fall as list of countries suspending AstraZeneca vaccine grows Dr Barker and Dr Raveendran said public data they had seen suggested "the risk of blood clots associated with AZD1222 appears to be lower than the level observed in the overall population." "There is arguably more data to support an increased risk of blood clots from the virus, than there is to support an increased risk of blood clots from the vaccine," the pair wrote in a research note on Monday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week said vaccine rollouts should continue and said there was no cause for alarm. Experts from the WHO will meet on Tuesday to review the data, the BBC reported. Analysts said the incident could prove damaging for AstraZeneca's reputation even if the blood clot fears prove to be unfounded. "AstraZeneca's stock price is likely to remain under pressure, and unless the company can control the situation fast, the damage is likely to be big," said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Avatrade. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, said: "This is yet another blow to the credibility of the Oxford vaccine, and ultimately the last thing AstraZeneca, and more importantly the populations of Europe, needs given that of all the vaccines the Oxford jab is by far the easiest to transport." Jim Reid, a senior strategist at Deutsche Bank, said the reputation of AstraZeneca's vaccine could be permanently tarnished whatever the outcomes of official reviews. "The problem with this incident is that its going to be hard to persuade Europeans that there is no smoke without fire with regards to the AZ vaccine, given the previous travails and misinformation, even if vaccinations resume soon," Reid and his team wrote in a morning note sent to clients. AstraZeneca makes no profit from its COVID-19 vaccine and so its underlying business performance will be untroubled. However, any damage to its reputation could prove costly. Shares in the drug maker were up 2.5% on Tuesday to trade at 71.49. AstraZeneca was helped by a rating upgrade to buy from investment bank Jefferies and a bullish note published by Deutsche Bank. The investment bank rates the stock a buy and said its target price for shares was 100. Watch: Dominic Raab: Crystal clear that AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine is safe English Lithuanian The leading tour operator in the Baltic States Novaturas from the 27th of March resumes flights from Latvia to Egypt. From April, 4 flights per week program will be operated from Latvia to the main Egyptian resorts. "On the 9th of March, the Latvian government has lifted restriction on traveling to the third countries. The governments decision states that flights to the third countries are allowed to be operated from the 17th of March. We are starting with two flights per week program from Latvia to Egypt. The first plane after almost a year from Riga airport to Hurghada is planned to take off on the 27th of March, and on the 28th of March - to Sharm El Sheikh resort. From April, the number of scheduled flights will double - we will operate 4 flights a week program. Planes to Egyptian resorts have been departing from Estonia and Lithuania for some time now, and we are glad that travelers from Latvia will soon be able to enjoy their holidays in Egypt as well, says Audrone Keinyte, head of Novaturas group. The Company currently operates flight programs to Tenerife and Egypt. From mid-February, holiday destinations program has also been supplemented with holiday offers to the United Arab Emirates, and from March to - Maldives. Flights to Turkish resorts will be resumed in all markets in April. Depending on the period, up to 10 flights per week are planned from Lithuania, four flights are planned from Latvia and five flights from Estonia per week. About Novaturas group AB Novaturas group is the largest tour operator in the Baltic States, offering summer and winter package holidays in more than 30 destinations worldwide and more than 100 sightseeing routes. In 2019, the group served more than 293 thousand customers. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here The Chairperson and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has decried the high rate of illicit drug trafficking in Lagos State. Mr Marwa, a retired brigadier-general, spoke during a visit to the agencys command in Lagos for an on-the-spot assessment of its facilities. He said the state was responsible for 30 per cent of the total drug abusers in the country. In the country, an estimate of 15 million people belong to one or more aspects of illicit drug dealing. This means about 4.5 million people in Lagos State are into illicit drugs, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NDLEA boss is on a three-day familiarisation and assessment visit to the various commands of the agency in Lagos state including other entities that are of strategic importance to its operations. Mr Marwa ordered operatives of the agency to completely wipe out drug cartels in Lagos State. He said some of the factors responsible for the illicit drug scourge in Lagos State include: the huge population, the presence of two seaports and airports and a huge number of unregistered medicine sellers. According to the NDLEA chairperson, there are about 1.058 million patent medicine stores in the country. Out of the figure, only 58,000 patent medicine outlets are registered while about 1 million others remain unregistered. This has really enhanced sales of illicit drugs in the state, Mr Marwa, who is also a former military administrator of the state, said. ALSO READ: NDLEA seizes cocaine worth over N32billion in Lagos port He, however, commended the agencys commandant in Lagos State, Ralph Igwenagu, on his efforts at ridding the state of illicit drug trafficking and abuse. It is only through the combined efforts of all the officers that the agency can win the fight against drugs, Mr Marwa said. He reassured officers of his commitment to improved conditions of service for enhanced effective service delivery. I know this command needs a befitting edifice. This will be worked on as soon as possible, he said. Mr Igwenagu commended the NDLEA boss for according Lagos States command utmost attention within his short time of assumption of office. He said the command would speedily intensify efforts to achieve his directive, to ensure a drug-free Lagos State. Mr Igwenagu said the command arrested 471 drug offenders in 2020 in spite of the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. He said the arrest comprised 424 males and 47 females and added that the offenders were arrested at various locations in Lagos. This year, the command seized 11,798 kilogrammes (over 11 tons) of various illicit hard drugs and 722.31 litres of same illicit drugs (liquid) from dealers and joints in the state, Mr Igwenagu said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT [March 16, 2021] Cloud Nine Closes Acquisition of Limitless VPN Platform VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cloud Nine Web3 Technologies Inc. (Cloud Nine or the Company) (CSE: CNI) (OTC: CLGUF) (CNSX: CNI) is pleased to announce that it has signed and closed an asset purchase agreement dated March 15, 2021 to acquire certain intellectual property assets related to a development stage VPN platform (the Acquisition) from Victory Square Technologies Inc. ("Victory Square") (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF). The acquisition of these assets will further position Cloud Nine at the forefront of the Web 3.0 movement, enabling it to deliver additional products and services that make the Web more connected, more open, and more intelligent, said Allan Larmour, CEO. The Company acquired the development stage assets previously owned and advanced by Victory Squares development team, including the Limitless Technologies brand, Next Decentrum Ed-Tech platform, virtual private network (VPN) platform and related decentralized storage technologies. The Company intends to finalize development of the assets and incorporate monetization and integration strategies with Cloud Nines pre-existing platform to build out new and efficient ways of educating and furthering user experience in the world of Web 3.0. Victory Square has developed the platform over a period of 3 years at a cost of approximately $3.2 million. Cloud Nine anticipates it will incur a further $0.5 million in development to advance the platform to the beta testing phase and hopes to offer a finished product on or before Q3 2021. The Acquisition furthers Cloud Nines commitment to leveraging the latest technology to deliver products and services for an open and more secure internet. Innovations that change the way the world manages information, analyzes data, purchases and consumes goods, and communicates across the globe. Terms of the Acquisition In consideration for the Acquisition, the Company issued 4,411,765 common shares in the capital of the Company at a deemed isue price of $1.36 per common share for a purchase price of $6,000,000. The common shares are subject to a restricted period of four months and one day. In addition, the common shares are subject to a further restriction whereby after the expiration of the restricted period, the common shares may not be sold, transferred or assigned on a per diem basis that exceed 5% of the prior trading days total trading volume. A 5% cash finders fee will be payable in connection with the Acquisition. On behalf of the Board, CLOUD NINE WEB3 TECHNOLOGIES INC. /s/ Allan Larmour Allan Larmour President and CEO 778-240-7724 About Cloud Nine Web3 Technologies Inc. Cloud Nine Web3 Technologies Inc. is an education-based technology company focused on incorporating emerging technologies into its Ed-Tech platform. Cloud Nines mission is to fuel innovation and education. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to hereafter as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements that address activities, events or developments that Cloud Nine expects or anticipates will, or may, occur in the future, including statements regarding: the post-closing development, integration and monetization strategies of the acquired assets; the anticipated date for a commercialized product; and the intention to offer additional products and services. In some cases, forward-looking statements are preceded by, followed by or include words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "intends", "proposes", "anticipates", "targeted", "continues", "forecasts", "designed", "goal", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of Cloud Nine, including, but not limited to: the ability of the Company to finance operations and future growth; successful integration of the software with the Companys existing platform; ability of the Company to attract qualified personnel to further advance and monetize the Companys products and services; and general market and technology risks in general. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Companys expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the management of Cloud Nine believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement herein will prove to be accurate. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Additional risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company, as well as trends identified by the Company affecting it can be found in the Company's continuous disclosure record available on Sedar. Such cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements made in this press release. Cloud Nine undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Pan-African technology group Liquid Telecom has rebranded itself as Liquid Intelligent Technologies, the culmination, it says, of its extensive business transformation from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology group. The company is already a leading pan-African digital infrastructure provider with an extensive network spanning over 73,000 km. This rebrand to Liquid Intelligent Technologies highlights the organisation's expansion of its cloud business, cyber security services, and other technologies added to its existing telecoms and connectivity capability. This strategic rebrand also reflects the company's new digital-first product offerings, enabling employees and customers to interact with each other digitally irrespective of the time or location. Among its plans, Liquid Intelligent Technologies will expand its managed services offerings to drive and ensure successful adoption of tools to re-imagine its customers' businesses and how they work and connect, whether they are focused on enabling collaboration or utilising the most advanced cloud applications. The company has also recently launched a cyber security business unit. According to local press reports, Liquid Intelligent Technologies has also been aggressively expanding into new countries, including Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has appointed a CEO in Nigeria and has been recruiting staff. Plans are also under way to build one of Africas largest data centres in Nigeria. Liquid Intelligent Technologies already operates five data centres in South Africa, Kenya and Rwanda. It launched an IoT network in Kenya in 2018 to connect sensors across multiple sectors. More recently Liquid Intelligent Technologies has completed a new, high-capacity fibre link running 2,600 km across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and connecting East and West Africa. The project has been ongoing for the past decade. The fibre line will be officially commissioned on 23 March. By Imbolo Mbue Random House. 364 pp. $28 - - - In 2016, during a presidential campaign punctuated by racist alarms about immigration, Imbolo Mbue published her first novel about an African man struggling to become an American citizen. Informed by her own experience as an immigrant from Cameroon, "Behold the Dreamers" captured the hopes and frustrations of millions of people drawn to this country. Mbue's capacious sympathy and careful fidelity to the voices of her characters - from the extraordinarily rich to the precariously poor - made "Behold the Dreamers" one of the most illuminating and touching novels of the year. When it won the PEN/Faulkner prize, Mbue's success felt like a double celebration of the artistic talent of a young writer and the growing diversity of our literary canon. Mbue's new novel, "How Beautiful We Were," once again asks us to behold the dreamers. But it's an entirely different book, born of a very different dream. Begun almost two decades ago, this is the story of people touched by the United States from thousands of miles away. Though they place their trust in American decency, they're not hoping to be allowed in but to be left alone. "How Beautiful We Were" - that past tense is devastating - takes place in the village of Kosawa in an unnamed African country. Guessing the real location isn't necessary; the tragedy that unfolds in these pages has been repeated in nations across the continent. "We should have known the end was near," the story begins. "When the sky began to pour acid and rivers began to turn green, we should have known our land would soon be dead." This is the old pattern of the West clawing through Africa, scraping away its resources, despoiling its land and murdering its people. As usual, the program of exploitation is driven by greed, enforced by guns and sanctified by a philosophy of natural superiority. But that familiar desecration is made wrenchingly fresh by the power of Mbue's storytelling. Through some rare alchemy, she has blended the specificity of a documentary with the universality of a parable to create a novel that will disturb the conscience of every reader. When we meet the villagers of Kosawa, the damage to their homeland is already pervasive. Pexton, an American oil company, has failed to protect the local people and environment. Promised "a wonderful thing called 'prosperity,'" they have instead reaped only sickness. Repeated spills and leaks, along with the attendant chemicals necessary for extraction, have poisoned the water, clogged the air and ruined the land. Babies and children have borne the brunt of the toxins. The raspy cough is the first symptom - then the rash, then the fever. "Those of us who survived feared our death was close," the plural narrator says. "We were certain we'd be the next, though sometimes we feared we'd be the last." Nothing is more heartbreaking in this novel than the villagers' persistent faith that if they could only explain their plight to the right officials at Pexton, the company would stop killing them. "Waiting has become us," they note. These people are not fools, but they have neither the legal sophistication nor the weathered cynicism to imagine such autonomous evil. Despite all they've endured, the Kosawans can't fathom that corporations - possibly the West's most magical invention - are entities perfectly designed to insulate people from the ethical implications of their actions and their wealth. Pexton administrators express the appropriate concern while continuing to pay the nation's vicious leader for unencumbered access to the country's oil. And so the promises and the deaths continue their grisly duet year after year. Until the center cannot hold. In 1980, near the end of another dispiriting meeting between Pexton representatives and the local people, the village madman interrupts the proceedings. "Gentlemen," he tells the stunned officials, "you'll be spending the night with us in Kosawa." That politely announced act of kidnapping lights the fuse on a series of violent acts and government reprisals that will rip through Kosawa for decades. With a style that conveys the musical cadence of a local dialect, Mbue creates the African village in all its ancient nuance. Time flows and eddies in this telling, rushing forward and looping back the way legends gradually coalesce in the shared memories of scattered people. As Mbue moves through these years, the voices of the children return again and again to describe the struggles of their village. But the novel also focuses on one of those young people, a precocious girl named Thula Nangi. After witnessing the abuse of her village and the particularly high price paid by her family, Thula promises herself: "I know nothing about how a girl makes men pay for their crimes, but I have the rest of my life to figure it out." "How Beautiful We Were" is largely the story of Thula's effort to solve that conundrum. It's an effort that draws her to the United States, where she studies the history of civil rights and national revolutions. Playing the long game, she hopes to return to Africa someday equipped with the knowledge and the passion to reclaim her land. Growing up under a dictatorship in Cameroon, Mbue knows the despair that germinates in the contaminated soil of these industrial crimes. Her novel follows out the endless cycles of acquiescence and resistance, exposure and neglect, litigation and corruption that grind down exploited people. But polemical as the novel may be, it never loses its moral complexity. Although "How Beautiful We Were" is a love letter to a communal way of life lived close to nature, it's not a wholly romantic vision that ignores the villagers' own flaws. Despite their "brand of fragile innocence," Mbue affords the people of Kosawa the full range of human decency and selfishness. And though Thula eventually enjoys considerable respect as the leader of an opposition movement, she must always contend with her own chauvinistic culture that's deeply skeptical of an unmarried woman who asserts herself. In any practical sense, the village that Thula and her friends are trying to save is already gone. From the first line, we know what awaits Kosawa. But the fatalism of this story is countered by the beauty of Mbue's prose and the purity of her vision. "We hoped," the children say, "that we would die where we were born." As long as there are novels this powerful, the fight's not over. YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received the delegation led by Foreign Minister of Sweden, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, first PM Pashinyan held a private meeting with Ann Linde, followed by an expanded-format meeting. The PM welcomed the visit of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to Armenia, congratulated her and wished productive work in that responsible mission. PM Pashinyan highlighted the close cooperation with the OSCE for ensuring stability and security. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be possible exclusively within the format of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship, highlighting the necessity of the intensification of the activities of the Minsk Group aimed at the restoration of the peace process and a comprehensive settlement of the conflict. PM Pashinyan emphasized the necessity of clarification of the status of Nagorno Karabakh and the implementation of the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). According to Nikol Pashinyan, only constructive efforts and creation of an appropriate atmosphere will allow establishment of stability and lasting peace in the region, but the ongoing aggressive and un-constructive announcements of the Azerbaijani president in no way foster it. The PM emphasized that many issues still remain unsolved the issue of the status of Nagorno Karabakh, humanitarian issues, protection of the rights of the Armenian people of Artsakh and the cultural heritage and emphasized the role of the OSCE for contributing to the solution of the mentioned issues. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the return of war prisoners remains a key priority and the understanding of the Armenian side is that the 8th point of the November 9 declaration should be implemented without any pre-conditions, while Azerbaijan continues keeping Armenian POWs and civilian hostages in detention. Ann Linde highlighted the works of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and her personal representative in the efforts of NK conflict settlement. According to her, the OSCE and the international community have an important role for assisting the sides to find ways for the settlement of the conflict. At the same time, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office highlighted the commitment to the international humanitarian law and solution of humanitarian issues, which will also promote the atmosphere of mutual trust between the sides. During the meeting the sides also discussed the regional situation and other issues referring to the future cooperation. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia In Romania, the immunization campaign will continue with all the vaccines against COVID-19 currently authorized at the European level, according to the National Coordinating Committee for Vaccination Activities against COVID-19 (CNCAV). An extraordinary meeting was held on Monday evening, attended by representatives of the National Coordinating Committee for Vaccination Activities against COVID-19, the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Public Health and the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (ANMDMR) to analyze the recent decisions taken at the European level related to the vaccine produced by the AstraZeneca company, which decisions were triggered by a number of cases of coagulation disorders being reported in persons immunized with this type of vaccine, informs a press release sent to AGERPRES. "Following the analysis of the adverse reaction reports registered in Romania, the explanatories of the decisions of the other countries, the events reported at the international level, but also the recommendations of the European regulatory authority, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the representatives of the abovementioned institutions have decided to continue the vaccination campaign in Romania with all the vaccines against COVID-19 currently authorized at the European level," the same source informed. CNCAV said that, until the completion of the assessment of the reported cases of blood clotting disorders by the pharmacovigilance committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), namely the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), and until the recommendation is released after the extraordinary meeting of this body of March 18, the EMA recommends continuing vaccination, emphasizing that the benefits of vaccination in preventing severe forms of COVID-19 and death outweigh the risk of side effects. "Cases of coagulation disorders have occurred in a small number of vaccinated patients without exceeding the reported frequency in the general unvaccinated population. It should be borne in mind that these disorders have different causes and may occur independently of the administration of the vaccine. The European experts are currently investigating with all rigor the data available to determine whether there is a causal relationship between the administration of the vaccine and these events. Vaccination remains the safe and effective solution to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, and vaccines used in Romania are authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the most rigorous decision-making body that brings together experts at European level. We recommend people and specialists to report any suspected adverse reactions by both professionals and patients. CNCAV ensures the population full transparency and full responsibility in communicating information of interest to all promptly so that the vaccination process be carried out in a favourable and safe environment for all persons wishing to be immunized against COVID-19," it is also specified in the same press release. 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 There are many things that are in this bill that Indiana should be proud of ... that Hoosiers should be proud of, said Republican Sen. Jack Sandlin of Indianapolis. There are things that law enforcement agencies have been doing right for a long time, but this brings it across to all law enforcement agencies in Indiana, which is where it should be. And there should be accountability, and I think thats whats here. The United Kingdom will never recognize a sham "referendum" held by Russia in Crimea seven years ago to legitimize its illegal control over the peninsula. British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons wrote this on Twitter. "Seven years ago, Russia held a sham referendum in an attempt to legitimise its illegal control of the peninsula. The UK will never recognise this blatant disregard for Ukraine and international norms. Our message remains clear: Russia must return Crimea to Ukraine," the ambassador wrote. On March 16, 2014, contrary to Ukrainian legislation and the legislation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a so-called "referendum" on the status of Crimea was held in the Russian-occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. According to the official data of the aggressor state, 96.77% of Crimean residents allegedly supported the annexation of the peninsula to Russia, while 95.6% of Sevastopol residents "voted" in favor of joining Russia. Two days later, on March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation was signed at the Kremlin. Most UN member states and other international organizations declared the Crimean referendum falsified by the occupiers illegitimate. ish Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a virtual business roundtable at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Tokyo, Japan, on March 16, 2021. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool/Reuters) US, Japan Express Concern Over Chinas Coercion and Aggression on First Asia Trip TOKYOU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Tuesday against using coercion and aggression as he sought to use his first trip abroad to shore up Asian alliances in the face of growing assertiveness by Beijing. Chinas extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-U.S. relationship and are an important security concern for Japan. We will push back, if necessary, when China uses coercion and aggression to get its way, Blinken said. His visit to Tokyo with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is the first overseas visit by top members of President Joe Bidens cabinet. It follows last weeks summit of the leaders of the Quad grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India. Blinkens comments come ahead of meetings in Alaska on Thursday that will bring together for the first time senior Biden administration officials and their Chinese counterparts to discuss frayed ties between the worlds top two economies. Washington has criticized what it called Beijings attempts to bully neighbors with competing interests. The Chinese regime has denounced what it called U.S. efforts to foment unrest in the region and interfere in what it calls its internal affairs. In the statement issued with their Japanese counterparts, Blinken and Austin said, Chinas behavior, where inconsistent with the existing international order, presents political, economic, military and technological challenges to the alliance and to the international community. The two countries committed themselves to opposing coercion and destabilizing behavior towards others in the region that undermines the rules-based international system, they added. The meeting was held in the 2+2 format with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi as hosts. North Korea was in sharp focus after the White House said Pyongyang had rebuffed efforts at dialogue. The isolated nation, which has pursued nuclear and missile programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, warned the Biden administration against causing a stink if it wanted peace, state media said on Tuesday. Blinken underscored the importance of working closely with Japan and South Korea on the denuclearization of North Korea. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Japans Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Japans Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi attend the 2+2 Meeting at Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan, on March 16, 2021. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool/Reuters) We have no greater strategic advantage when it comes to North Korea than this alliance, he said. We approach that challenge as an alliance and weve got to do that if we are going to be effective. Unwavering Commitment The ministers also discussed Washingtons unwavering commitment to defend Japan in its dispute with China over islets in the East China Sea and repeated their opposition to Chinas unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea. They also shared concerns over developments such as the law China passed in January allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. China has sent coast guard vessels to chase away fishing vessels from countries with which it has disputes in regional waters, sometimes resulting in their sinking. Motegi said China-related issues took up the majority of his two-way talks with Blinken, and expressed strong opposition to the neighbors unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing that U.S.-Japan ties shouldnt target or undermine the interests of any third party, and should boost peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. Blinken expressed concern over the Myanmar militarys attempt to overturn the results of a democratic election, and its crackdown on peaceful protesters. He also reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to human rights, adding, China uses coercion and aggression to systematically erode autonomy in Hong Kong, undercut democracy in Taiwan, abusing human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet. Motegi said Blinken expressed support during the meeting for the staging of the Tokyo Olympics, set to run from July 23 to Aug. 8 after being postponed from last year because of the coronavirus crisis. But Blinken sounded non-committal in his remarks to Tokyo-based U.S. diplomats, saying the summer Games involved planning for several different scenarios. But he added, Whenever and however Team USA ends up competing, it will be because of you. The U.S. officials ended the visit with a courtesy call on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House in April as the first foreign leader to meet Biden. Both will leave Tokyo for Seoul on Wednesday for talks in the South Korean capital until Thursday. By Humeyra Pamuk, Kiyoshi Takenaka and Ju-min Park Legal advisers to the International Criminal Court, including two Bay Area law professors, have sued to challenge the Trump administrations sanctions on the courts prosecutors for investigating Israel and U.S. actions in Afghanistan sanctions that the Biden administration has left intact so far. The penalties include potential criminal charges against anyone, including the law professors, who provides information to the international courts prosecutors or assists them in any way, the advisers said in their lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco. They said the governments orders violated freedom of speech and federal law. The 123-nation court, based in the Netherlands, announced an investigation in March 2020 into possible war crimes by combatants in Afghanistan, including the government, Taliban militias, U.S. military forces and CIA personnel, but has put the investigation on hold to consider the Afghan governments own examination of the events. The court proposed a separate review in December 2019 of possible war crimes by all sides in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. It began its investigation two weeks ago after a branch of the court concluded that Palestine was a proper participant. Declaring the courts actions an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, President Donald Trump issued an executive order in June imposing sanctions on the courts chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, and a chief aide, Phakiso Mochochoko. The order froze their property or possessions in U.S. territory and banned U.S. travel by either prosecutor or their families. It also said any Americans who provided services or support to either prosecutor could face civil penalties or criminal prosecution. The lawsuit noted that although the United States is not a member of the court, it has been a driving force behind the creation and use of international justice tribunals, including the Nuremberg Tribunal that tried Nazi leaders after World War II. Israel also does not belong to the court, but Afghanistan and the Palestinian Authority are members, and the court can investigate events on their territory. No compelling interest justifies the imposition of sanctions on senior ICC leaders pursuing justice and accountability for atrocity crimes at the very court that the United States helped create for that purpose, or for prohibiting law professors and attorneys from supporting those efforts, the suit said. The plaintiffs are Leila Sadat, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis appointed as a special aide to the chief prosecutor in the case; K. Alexa Koenig, director of the Human Rights Clinic at UC Berkeley law school and an adviser to the prosecutors; Naomi Roht-Arriaza, a law professor at UC Hastings in San Francisco who researches human rights crimes; and Steven Watt, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney who represents victims of rights abuses in Afghanistan. All have halted their work for the court because of the sanctions, the suit said. In a separate suit, a federal judge in New York ruled Jan. 15 that the penalties were likely to violate freedom of speech and barred their imposition on a human rights group and four law professors. The Biden administration has said it is reviewing the issue, but it has not lifted the sanctions. Scarlet Kim, an ACLU attorney in the San Francisco suit, said Monday the sanctions are another terrible legacy of the Trump administration that President Biden should rescind. In the meantime, she said, judicial action would allow the plaintiffs to return to their critical work supporting the ICCs mandate to pursue justice for human rights atrocities. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Jenelle Evans' ex Nathan Griffith is a wanted man in North Carolina, stemming from a 2019 DWI. The 33-year-old Griffith, who dated Evans between 2013 and 2015, and share a son, Kaiser together, was charged with DWI in October 2019. A North Carolina judge issued an order for his arrest on Monday, when he failed to show up in court for a hearing in connection with the DWI, via TMZ. Wanted: Jenelle Evans' ex Nathan Griffith is a wanted man in North Carolina, stemming from a 2019 DWI Exes: The 33-year-old Griffith, who dated Evans between 2013 and 2015, and share a son, Kaiser together, was charged with DWI in October 2019 Griffith was arrested outside of a grocery store in Cary, North Carolina last October, and taken into custody. He posted a $10,000 bond and was released, though he revealed a few days later in an interview with TMZ that the arrest shouldn't have happened because he wasn't even in the car. He revealed there was a call of a man sleeping behind, or inside, his car, but by the time the cops go there, Griffith claims he was already walking away from the car for five minutes when the police brought him back. Arrested: Griffith was arrested outside of a grocery store in Cary, North Carolina last October, and taken into custody 'I pretty much practically told them I didn't want to deal with them and I said everything was fine,' Griffith said. He added he was 'going ahead and meeting some friends' so he locked his doors and was walking down the street, and five minutes later he got 'pulled over by a police officer.' Griffith added that the cops told him to 'walk back to your vehicle' and he denied that he was sleeping or operating the vehicle. Can't deal: 'I pretty much practically told them I didn't want to deal with them and I said everything was fine,' Griffith said The cops then gave him a field sobriety test, with Griffith adding he thought, 'they were highly subjective as to whether I was passing or failing.' They placed him under arrest for DWI, which prompted him to ask the cops how they could arrest him if he wasn't operating the vehicle and it wasn't turned on. The cops told him that, 'we have witnesses saying you were asleep behind the wheel with the vehicle turned on.' Asleep: The cops told him that, 'we have witnesses saying you were asleep behind the wheel with the vehicle turned on' He said that 'obviously' wasn't true because, 'I could not even get into my vehicle,' and he asked the cops to arrest him for 'public intoxication.' Despite his pleas, the cops arrested him for DWI in October, and now he's a wanted man in North Carolina. Griffith was locked in a nasty custody battle with Griffith over their son Kaiser, which was ultimately settled in October. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 a busy time of year at a hectic time of recovery, and if youve been thinking about nominating your company for a Hearst Connecticut Media Top Workplaces award, weve extended the deadline. The contest is now open until Friday, April 16, giving employers in Fairfield, New Haven and Lichfield counties time to seek recognition for great work at a time of change. Twelve months ago, as we launched the 10th year of the Top Workplaces contest, the biggest worry for most people managing companies was finding good workers. Unemployment hovered well under 4 percent, the range where employers struggle on the market for talent. Now, of course, your biggest headache is about coping with the pandemic and your colleagues safety and returning to a normal work life that wont look like what came before. One constant: People matter the most in any organization. And one of the most effective claims you can make is that youre a Top Workplace. That means the Hearst Connecticut Media Top Workplaces awards for 2021. Its a great way for all businesses and nonprofits to showcase all the ways theyve valued employees throughout the coronavirus crisis. Click here to see the 2020 winners. Watch this animated video about how Top Workplaces works. Click on www.topworkplaces.com/nominate/hearstct/ to nominate your company whether youre the CEO or the newest employee. Were looking to honor the best places to work whether theyre privately owned companies, publicly traded corporations, subsidiaries, partnerships, nonprofits or government agencies. A company need not have its headquarters here to compete. The contest is open to any employer with 35 or more people in the three counties. Recognition is given for small, midsize and large organizations, and the contest also rewards the best executives. The cost to compete and win is zero. Last year, Hearst Connecticut Media honored 49 employers from across the region. Awards are based on short, 24-question employee surveys by our partner, Energage, about how well employers value their ideas, communicate, puts their strategies to work, operate ethically and create a culture of teamwork and competence. The currently reigning top winners from 2020 include Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties (1st place among large employers for the third consecutive year), and Indeed at No. 2 for the large size category. Wheeler Clinic Inc. was No. 3 among large employers. For midsize employers, Shelton-based Barnum Financial Group finished at No. 1. No. 2 was HAI Group, a specialty insurer to housing authorities, based in Cheshire, which anticipated the COVID-19 crisis ahead of most of us. And third was Splash Carwash, based in Milford with 14 locations in the region. Criterion, a small but global software developer in Norwalk, won 1st place among small employers in its first year on the list and its CEO, Sunil Reddy, won the top leadership award in that category. Autism Behavioral Health, a Danbury company, was No. 2 among small employers. And Greenwich Emergency Medical Service was No. 3. Only one company, ICON International Inc., the corporate barter firm, has made the winners list all ten years. All of these winners, and all 49 from the 2020 list, have amazing stories to tell about working through coronavirus. And they can tell you why their Top Workplaces designation matters. Hearst Connecticut Media Top Workplaces winners will be featured in the Connecticut Post, The News-Times of Danbury, Greenwich Time, The Stamford Advocate, The Norwalk Hour, New Haven Register and The Register Citizen of Torrington in September and will be highlighted on all of the associated websites. For complete coverage of last years winners, go to any of those media outlets websites and type /topworkplaces such as www.ctpost.com/topworkplaces. Energage, formerly known as WorkplaceDynamics, carries out the Top Workplaces surveys for more than 40 metro newspapers including some of the biggest. The company has surveed more than 20 million employees at tens of thousands of organizations. Employers can be nominated online at topworkplaces. com/hearstct or by calling 203-617-0727. Dan Haar is associate editor and columnist at Hearst Connecticut Media Group. dhaar@hearstmediact.com House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy held a press conference on the Texas border to discuss Bidens border crisis. McCarthy was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: I want to thank every man and woman for the border patrol, for the exceptional job theyre doing and under extraordinary times. Their attitude, their work was exceptional. The security of our nation and our border is first and foremost the responsibility of our president. I came down here because I heard of the crisis. Its more than a crisis, this is a human heartbreak. The sad part about all of this, it didnt have to happen. This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration. Theres no other way to claim it, then a Biden border crisis. Every part of what we sat and talked to, we learned more of how it was created. Congressman Gimenez talked to a family from Honduras and asked, How long have they been traveling? 22 days, just in coincidence of the actions taken by President Biden of why people think they come here to break the law. We went through a new facility that was built just more than a year ago. They built it with the capacity they thought they could never meet, 1,040 people be processed. Today, broke that record today. Today, theyre beyond capacity. Theyre having to build into the parking lot a makeshift facility. Even though the US Congress just passed a $1.9 trillion bill, not $1 in there to help them. Its taken away the operation costs for the border to be protected. But for all these children, that are on a company thats sitting in there, theres 120 border agents that are now inside that unit that are not on the border protecting us when a surge is coming. As we went up to Monument Three, speaking to the men and women on the front lines, they catch from a hundred to 200 people a night. As we talked to the medical units And as I tell you, not as a member of Congress, but as a father of a son and a daughter, and you look in the eyes of these children, they came unaccompanied. They tell the story of a one, a three and a five-year-old holding their hands, walking up to an agent with no parents, no adults in sight, who brought them? When you talk to the medical units, talk about the percentage of that get trafficked, they get harmed along the way, who knows what dangerous and who doesnt make it. All because the policies of our president has changed and told them something different, told them to risk their lives and broke families apart. We were better as a nation than this. This is about the safety and security of our border, but its also about the opportunity that Americans want, and the prosperity. I know the president is going to travel this week. This is where he should bring Air Force One. This is where he should look the people in the eye. This is where he should talk to the border agents and let them know that this is beyond a crisis. He can continue to deny it, but the only way to solve it is to first admit what he has done. And if he will not reverse action, its going to take congressional action to do it. And thats why were here, we want to find solutions. Before we even came here, I sent a letter to the President to work together, to solve this problem. I thought maybe he would reach out. Maybe hed set an appointment. He doesnt even acknowledge a letter, let alone a crisis that his policy has created. So we will work together, across the aisle, within our own party, because we know the solutions that it will take. When you talk about whats coming across, I just left a few border agents and I asked them, Who are the individuals youre catching? Yeah, theyre from Central America. But you know who else? Iran, Yemen, Sri Lanka. When I walked through the facility, there was more Haitians than any other nationality I saw. And why were they coming now? You asked the border agents, they were shocked themselves because theyre being released into the country. When I talked to the doctor to see when theyre being tested for COVID, when they get out. More than 10% are testing positive, while youre being stored together. In a time when the president will keep our country closed, when maybe we have hope for a 4th of July to get together just with our family, how much spread of COVID is he creating every single day by his policies along this border? Its wrong, and it has to end and it needs to end now. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. The largest genome-wide association study for eye color to date, involving up to 192,986 European participants from 10 populations, has identified 124 independent associations arising from 61 genomic regions, including 50 previously unidentified, and demonstrated that several of these genes also have an effect on eye color in Asians. Eye color is primarily determined by melanin abundance within the iris pigment epithelium, which is greater in brown than in blue eyes, and both the density and distribution of stromal melanocyte cells, said co-senior author Dr. Pirro Hysi of Kings College London and colleagues. Ratios of the two forms of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin, within the iris as well as light absorption and scattering by extracellular components are additional factors that give irises their color. Absolute melanin quantity and the eumelanin/pheomelanin ratio are higher in brown irises, while blue or green irises have very little of both pigments and relatively more pheomelanin. European populations, or those with partial European origin, display the largest diversity of iris color, varying from the lightest blue to darkest brown, they added. The prevalence of blue eyes correlates with geographic latitude across Europe and neighboring areas, likely as a result of human migration, sexual, and possibly natural selection. Similarly, eye color variation with varying degrees of brown irises is seen in Asian populations, although with a much reduced range compared to brown eye color variation in Europeans. The study involved 157,485 individuals of European ancestry in the discovery stage and an additional 35,501 ancestral European individuals in the replication stage. The authors identified 61 eye color genes, including 50 previously unidentified, and clearly demonstrated that eye color is a genetically highly complex human trait, similar to hair and skin color. They found evidence for genes involved in melanin pigmentation, but they also found associations with genes involved in iris morphology and structure. The further analysis in 1,636 Asian participants of Han Chinese and Indian ancestry suggests that iris pigmentation variation in Asians is genetically similar to Europeans, albeit with smaller effect sizes. The findings are exciting because they bring us to a step closer to understanding the genes that cause one of the most striking features of the human faces, which has mystified generations throughout our history, Dr. Hysi said. This will improve our understanding of many diseases that we know are associated with specific pigmentation levels. This study delivers the genetic knowledge needed to improve eye color prediction from DNA as already applied in anthropological and forensic studies, but with limited accuracy for the non-brown and non-blue eye colors, said co-senior author Dr. Manfred Kayser, a researcher at the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam. A paper on the findings was published in the journal Science Advances. _____ Mark Simcoe et al. 2021. Genome-wide association study in almost 195,000 individuals identifies 50 previously unidentified genetic loci for eye color. Science Advances 7 (11): eabd1239; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd1239 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Kodak TV India on Tuesday announced an investment of over Rs 300 crore over the next three years to strengthen its capabilities in IoT technologies. The investment in IoT technologies will focus on building intelligent TVs that are intuitive and meet the demands of the "new Indian customer", a company statement said. Avneet Singh Marwah, Director and CEO, Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd, Kodak Brand Licensee in India, said: "In 2020, we focused on expanding our manufacturing capacity and market presence with an investment of Rs 500 crore. Now, we will be expanding our IoT investment so we can continue to give competition to phones brands which are entering into the TV category. With the new pipeline, we are confident that we can capture more than 10 per cent of market share by end of 2021." The "new Indian customer" has evolved during the Covid-19 and the definition of TV has changed. It is estimated that by end of 2023 there will be more than 1 million smart homes devices in the Indian market. The investment will help Kodak HD LED TVs disrupt the market by becoming a one stop platform for work-from-home needs for the new customer, the statement added. With fresh investment, Kodak Android TVs will also now have technology that will help the TV also connect all the smart home devices in the house. The company is also developing a mobile application which would integrate the TV and appliances, just by voice command one could now book service call, increase or decrease temperature of your AC, adjusting the lighting according tv mode (movie, sports, news). Kodak HD LED TV also announced a product line-up of 10 new models in 2021, after back-to-back successful launches of CA and 7XPRO series in 2020. The Investment will bring best of technology and experience to the customer, including voice commands in 7 regional languages with Google assistant and hand free experience. MONTREAL, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tiger Group will begin accepting bids on March 23 for the March 30 online auction of assets from one of the best-known knitting, dyeing and finishing operations in the North American textile industrythe 250,000-square-foot Tricots-Liesse plant at 2125 Lily-Simon. Assets featured in Tiger Group's March 30 online auction of equipment from Tricots-Liesse Montreal plant include this 1998 Monfort Dynair relaxation dryer with four chambers and thermal oil boiler. Other key assets up for bid from the 250,000-square-foot plant include this 1998 Sperotto solvent scour machine. The auction represents a rare opportunity to acquire state-of-the-art circular-knitting machines and dyeing and finishing equipmentincluding German- and Italian-made pieces like a solvent-scour machine by Sperotto and a relaxation dryer by Monforts, said John Coelho, Senior Director for Tiger's Commercial & Industrial division. "Founded in Montreal in 1965, Tricots-Liesse grew to become the dominant domestic supplier of high-quality knits for the contemporary, swim and activewear markets, with a reputation for knitted textile fabrications, with and without Spandex," Coelho said. "In its manufacturing on behalf of a 'Who's Who' of brandsincluding Helmut Lang, Poprageous, Perry Ellis, Eileen Fisher and Nautica, to name a fewTricots-Liesse was uncompromising in its use of top-notch, carefully maintained equipment." An October 2018 profile of Tricots-Liesse in industry magazine BedTimes described its Montreal plant "as one of the most modern and efficient dyeing and finishing facilities in North America." The equipment available in the auction includes knitting machines and peripherals by Mayer, Monarch, Terrot, and Falmac, with an extensive parts inventory. Dyeing machines include soft-flow, jet-dye, and sample-dye models from Thies, Then, Brazolli, Roach and Datacolor. Finishing and inspection equipment assets up for bid include calendars, dryers, slitters, milling and scouring, 72 & 84 roll-to-roll inspection machines and winders from manufacturers such as Monforts, Parks & Woolson, Pentek, Calator, Pernic, Bianco, Fadis and many more. Specific highlights include: Monarch FX-JS3 Mini Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, 72 feeds) and Monarch MX-JS3 Mini Jacquard (20 gauge/30" diameter, 72 feeds; new generation, 2018). Both offer quick change and setups and are equipped with Lycra feeders, with the ability to knit mini-Jacquard pattern constructions and single jerseys with Spandex. Monarch F-LEC/2 Electronic Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, available 48 and 72 feeds). Double knit, fully computerized, with USB Interface. This model offers quick change and set-up with Lycra feeders, with the ability to knit Jacquard designs, Ponte de Roma, Ottoman, ribs, interlocks and more. Terrot SCC-4F-148 Electronic Single-Knit Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, available 48 feeds) and Terrot SCC-572 Electronic Single-Knit Jacquard (28 gauge/30" diameter, available 72 feeds). Both are fully computerized and provide quick change and setup with Lycra feeders, with the ability to knit Jacquard designs, Ottoman, crochets and holding stitches. Terrot UCC-548T, Electronic Double-Knit Transfer Machines (18 gauge/34" diameter, available 48 and 54 feeds). These assets offer 2-3way technique capabilities, set-up with Lycra feeders and SFE Storage Feeders. USB Interface, Piezo selection units, and the capability of manufacturing double-knit Jacquards, ribs, interlocks ad more. Terrot S296 Open-Width, Single-Knit Machinery (available in 28 gauge/30" diameter and 36 gauge/30" diameter, 96 feeds). These high-speed German-made machines are set up with Lycra feeders and capable of knitting open-width fabrics to eliminate center creases. Areas of application: swimwear, sportswear, safety wear and home textiles. In addition, the auction offers material handling, plant support, test/lab and machine shop equipment. Specific items include forklifts and trucks, walk-behind pallet jacks, scissor lifts and air compressors, as well as boilers, lab ovens, color meters, light boxes and lab hoods. Manufacturers include Toyota, Raymond, Caterpillar, Uline, Cobico, CAT, Verivide, Datacolor, X-Rite and Gretag Macbeth. Online bidding at SoldTiger.com will close on Tuesday, March 30, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). All bidders are required to register prior to the sale at SoldTiger.com. The sale is being conducted in Canadian dollars. Inspection of the assets on the day before the auction is available by appointment-only. To arrange an inspection, contact Tiger Group at 800-758-8443 or [email protected] For photographs and other details on the auction and assets, visit https://soldtiger.com/sales/entire-knitting-dyeing-finishing-plant/ Media Contacts: At Tiger Commercial & Industrial: Maria Hoang, [email protected] or (805) 497-4999. At Jaffe Communications: Bill Parness, [email protected] , (732) 673-6852, or Elisa Krantz, [email protected] , (908) 789-0700. SOURCE Tiger Group Related Links http://SoldTiger.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Gold Terra Resource Corp. (TSXV:YGT)(FSE:TX0)(OTCQX:YGTFF) ("Gold Terra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an updated mineral resource estimate on its Yellowknife City Gold project (the "YCG Project"), located 12 kilometres from the City of Yellowknife, NWT. The classification of the mineral resource estimate was completed in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). This updated mineral resource estimate includes the Sam Otto, Crestaurum, Barney and Mispickel gold deposits (see Figure 1) previously reported in the initial November 2019 mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and includes assay results from the 2020 drill program on the Sam Otto (9,622 metres) and Crestaurum (7,648 metres) deposits. The 1,207,000 ounce inferred mineral resource consists of an: Open pit constrained inferred mineral resource of 21.8 million tonnes averaging 1.25 g/t for 876,000 ounces of contained gold, and an Underground inferred mineral resource of 2.55 million tonnes averaging 4.04 g/t for 331,000 ounces of contained gold. Figure 1 - YCG Sam Otto, Crestaurum, Barney and Mispickel deposits President and CEO David Suda stated, "We are pleased to announce the significantly expanded inferred mineral resource for the YCG Project, which demonstrates the growth potential of this project to all stakeholders. With a 1.2 million ounce inferred mineral resource, the mineralized system is open for further expansion in most directions. Currently, our focus is drilling the unexplored potential of the Campbell Shear structure which produced more than five million ounces of high-grade gold at the Con Mine. The Campbell Shear drilling, which commenced in late 2020, has the potential to demonstrate that our district scale YCG Project may host multiple deposits." To hear about the updated inferred mineral resource and the YCG Project, please join us at our webinar event: Adelaide Capital Hosts Gold Terra Update Webinar Registration Click Here Topic: Update by Gerald Panneton and David Suda Date and Time: March 17, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) The 2021 updated mineral resources and its upside potential The 2021 inferred mineral resource estimate illustrates the growing value of the Yellowknife camp and has opened-up several exploration opportunities to increase mineral resources on the Northbelt property. The Yellowknife camp was developed along the Campbell Shear, the main structure in the belt and host to the largest gold plumbing system of the area on which both the Giant (8 million ounces produced) and Con Mines (6.1 million ounces produced) were developed. Similar to most Archean gold camps in Canada and in the world, numerous gold deposits within the YCG Project may re-establish Yellowknife as a premier mining camp in close proximity to the City of Yellowknife where all the infrastructure is already in place, making the development of these deposits much easier. Specific targets with the potential to increase mineral resources include: The untested depth extension on both the Sam Otto Main and the Sam Otto South deposits. Both Sam Otto deposits are open to the North and at depth and it is recommended to follow up with a drill program at depth below the current deposit outline or below the 250 metre vertical depth. Both Sam Otto deposits are open to the North and at depth and it is recommended to follow up with a drill program at depth below the current deposit outline or below the 250 metre vertical depth. Selective closer spaced drilling at the Crestaurum deposit can potentially increase mineral resources below the 300 metre depth . SGS Geological Services constrained the Crestaurum deposit to above 300 vertical metres as 2020 drilling below this depth and down to 500 vertical metres that successfully intersected the gold structure was deemed too widely spaced to be included in the inferred mineral resource. . SGS Geological Services constrained the Crestaurum deposit to above 300 vertical metres as 2020 drilling below this depth and down to 500 vertical metres that successfully intersected the gold structure was deemed too widely spaced to be included in the inferred mineral resource. In addition, 2020 drilling on the Crestaurum deposit revealed an untested three-kilometre strike length of this gold bearing structure to the south of the current resource , possibly extending to the Ranney Hill high-grade showings on surface and effectively tripling the strike length of this gold bearing structure. A review of the structural controls on the Mispickel and Barney deposits during the 2021 mineral resource estimation revealed potential for increasing these higher grade zones both along the plunge of the known high-grade zones, and for discovery of new high-grade lodes over a potential three-kilometre mineralized structure at Mispickel. Estimation Methods The mineral resource estimate for 2021 includes the four gold deposits previously reported in the initial mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 in November 2019: Sam Otto, Crestaurum, Barney and Mispickel, which are all within a three-kilometre radius. The initial mineral resource estimate incorporated the results from the 463 drill holes totaling 90,751 metres used in the 2019 mineral resource estimate, and for this update an additional 59 holes totaling 17,540 metres are incorporated from drilling completed in 2020 on the Crestaurum and Sam Otto deposits. In general, the drilling is variably spaced reflecting different mineralization styles and ranges from 25 to 100 metres apart. The mineral resource estimate was prepared by Dr. Allan Armitage, P.Geo., from SGS Geological Services ("SGS"). SGS used Geovia Gems software to construct mineralized wireframes for each zone and then interpolated tonnage and grade into block models constrained by the mineralized wireframes and used inverse distance squared (ID2) or inverse distance cubed (ID3) interpolation. Appropriate interpolation parameters were generated for each deposit based on the mineralization style and geometry. The pit shells were created using Whittle pit optimization software and applying the following optimization parameters: US$1,500 gold price; US$2.20/tonne for mining cost; US$16.00/tonne for processing and G&A costs; 90% metallurgical recovery; 5% dilution (external); 5% mining loss; and 60 pit slopes (the deposits occur in areas of extensive outcrop with negligible overburden). A review by SGS engineers of the size, geometry and continuity of mineralization was conducted to determine underground mineablility of the deposits. On the Sam Otto deposit it was concluded that bulk underground mining below the pit shells was possible, and a cut-off grade of 1.4 g/t Au is used to define underground inferred mineral resources on this deposit using an underground mining cost of US$44.00/tonne and US$16.00/tonne processing and G&A costs. Similarly, bulk underground mining at the Barney deposit uses a cut-off grade of 2.0 g/t Au and a mining cost of US$68/tonne with US$16.00/tonne processing and G&A costs. Crestaurum is considered a high-grade selective mining deposit and a 2.5 g/t cut-off grade is used with a mining cost of US$79.00/tonne with US$16.00/tonne processing and G&A costs. The mineral resource estimates are summarized in the following table. A supporting technical report prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days of this release. Mineral Resource Estimate for Yellowknife City Gold Project (Effective March 14, 2021) Sam Otto/Dave's Pond Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Contained Gold Ounces In-pit 0.4 20,403,000 1.10 721,000 Underground 1.4 948,000 1.75 53,000 Mispickel Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Contained Gold Ounces In-pit 0.4 893,000 2.22 64,000 Crestaurum Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Contained Gold Ounces In-pit 0.4 461,000 6.17 91,000 Underground 2.5 954,000 6.16 189,000 Barney Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Contained Gold Ounces Underground 2.0 646,000 4.30 89,000 Total Inferred Mineral Resources Tonnes Grade (Au g/t) Contained Gold Ounces In-pit 21,757,000 1.25 876,000 Outside-pit/UG 2,548,000 4.04 331,000 Grand Total Inferred Mineral Resources 24,305,000 1.54 1,207,000 The classification of the current mineral resource estimate into an inferred mineral resource is consistent with current 2014 CIM Definition Standards - For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. All mineral resources are presented undiluted and in situ and are considered to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to a measured mineral resource and an indicated mineral resource. The quantity and grade of reported inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these inferred mineral resources as a measured mineral resource or an indicated mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading the inferred mineral resource to a measured mineral resource or an indicated mineral resource. It is envisioned that parts of the Sam Otto/Dave's Pond, Mispickel and Crestaurum deposits may be mined using open pit mining methods. Open pit mineral resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t Au within a conceptual pit shell. It is envisioned that parts of the Sam Otto/Dave's Pond and Barney deposits may be mined using lower cost underground bulk mining methods whereas parts of the Crestaurum deposit may be mined by underground selective narrow vein methods. A selected cut-off grade of 1.4 g/t Au is used to determine the underground mineral resource for the Sam Otto/Dave's Pond deposit, 2.0 g/t Au for the Barney deposit (assuming it can be accessed underground from the Crestaurum deposit), and 2.5 g/t for the Crestaurum Deposit. High-grade capping was done on 1 m composite data. Capping values of 55 g/t Au were applied to Crestaurum and 60 g/t Au for Mispickel. Specific gravity values were determined based on physical specific gravity test work from each deposit: Crestaurum at 2.85; Barney at 3.00; Sam Otto and Mispickel at 2.80. Cut-off grades are based on a gold price of US$1,500 per ounce, a gold recovery of 90%, processing cost of US$16.00 per tonne milled, and variable mining costs including US$2.00 for open pit and US$44.00 to US$79.00 for underground. The results from the pit optimization are used solely for the purpose of testing the "reasonable prospects for economic extraction" by an open pit and do not represent an attempt to estimate mineral reserves. There are no mineral reserves on the Property. The results are used as a guide to assist in the preparation of a mineral resource statement and to select an appropriate resource reporting cut-off grade. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Significant increases in the in situ mineral inventory from the 2019 mineral resource estimates was achieved by the 2020 drilling at Sam Otto and Crestaurum, which increased the strike and dip of both these deposits. Increases in reported total inferred mineral resources in 2021 also reflects the change in gold price from $1,300/oz Au in the 2019 resource estimate to $1,500/oz Au in the 2021 mineral resource estimate. Other economic parameters for generating cut-off grades remained the same as in 2019. The increase in gold price resulted in a drop in open pit cut-off grade from 0.50 g/t Au in 2019 to 0.40 g/t Au in 2021. Additionally, changes in underground mining methods and higher gold price resulted in a lowering of underground mining cut-off grades from 3.0 g/t Au in the 2019 mineral resource estimate to 2.5, 2.0 and 1.4 g/t Au for Crestaurum, Barney and Sam Otto respectively. It should be noted that for the Crestaurum deposit, the reported inferred mineral resource estimate was only extended to 300m vertical depth. Gold Terra drilled several holes below this depth in 2020 that intersected the Crestaurum mineralized structure, but it was decided by SGS that the spacing between these deep holes, and their distance from the shallower drilling on Crestaurum precluded their inclusion in the 2021 mineral resource estimate. Technical Information and Quality Control Procedures The technical information contained in this news release has been verified, reviewed and approved by Dr. Allan Armitage, P.Geo. from SGS, who is an independent Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The information contained in this news release was also verified, reviewed and approved by Joe Campbell, P. Geo., Chief Operating Officer for Gold Terra and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Gold Terra's drilling programs are monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program. The drill core (NQ size) is logged and sample intervals for assay are selected by Gold Terra's geologists. In general, the sampling intervals vary from half a metre to one metre in length depending on the geology and mineralization observed. The drill core samples are cut by diamond saw at Gold Terra 's core facilities in Yellowknife. Half of the core sample is left in the core box and stored in a dedicated core storage facility in Yellowknife. The other half-core samples are transported in securely sealed bags by Gold Terra personnel to ALS Limited ("ALS") preparation laboratory in Yellowknife. After sample preparation, samples are shipped to ALS Vancouver facility for gold and a complete digestion four acid ICP analysis for 33 elements. Gold assays of >3 g/t are re-assayed on a 30 gram split by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. ALS is a certified and accredited laboratory service operating to ISO 17025 standards. ALS routinely inserts certified gold standards, blanks and pulp duplicates, and results of all QC samples are reported. Gold Terra inserts certified standards and blanks into the sample stream as a check on laboratory QC. In addition to traditional assay methods, Gold Terra also carries out a variety of spectrometry tests on selected core and rock samples to determine the associated mineral characterization and the gold deportment within the mineralized zones. About Gold Terra's Yellowknife City Gold Project The YCG Project encompasses 800 sq. km of contiguous land immediately north, south and east of the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. Through a series of acquisitions, Gold Terra controls one of the six major high-grade gold camps in Canada. Being within 10 kilometres of the City of Yellowknife, the YCG is close to vital infrastructure, including all-season roads, air transportation, service providers, hydro-electric power and skilled tradespeople. The YCG Project lies on the prolific Yellowknife greenstone belt, covering nearly 70 kilometres of strike length along the main mineralized shear system that host the former-producing high-grade Con and Giant gold mines. The Company's exploration programs have successfully identified significant zones of gold mineralization and multiple targets that remain to be tested which reinforces the Company's objective of re-establishing Yellowknife as one of the premier gold mining districts in Canada. Visit our website at www.goldterracorp.com. For more information, please contact: David Suda, President and CEO Phone: 604-928-3101 | Toll-Free: 1-855-737-2684 dsuda@goldterracorp.com Mara Strazdins, Manager of Investor Relations Phone: 1-778-897-1590 | 604-689-1749 ext 102 Strazdins@goldterracorp.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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements made and information contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation ("forward-looking information"). Generally, this forward-looking information can, but not always, be identified by 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 statements that certain actions, events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotations thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently 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. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding the future plans for drilling and exploration at the YCG Project; current drilling at the YCG Project; the ability of the Company to expand the mineralized system at the YCG Project; forward looking assumptions used relating to the mineral resources estimates; statements related to the growing value of the Yellowknife camp; future development at specific targets; the possibility of bulk underground mining below the pit shells at the Sam Otto deposit; statements with respect to mineral reserves and mineral resource estimates (including proposals for the potential growth, extension, update and/or upgrade thereof, the anticipated timing thereof and any future economic benefits which may be derived therefrom; the timing for filing an updated mineral resource estimate; and the Company's objective of re-establishing Yellowknife as one of the premier gold mining districts in Canada. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as the Company's actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in the Company's most recent MD&A and annual information form available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that would 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. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this news release. 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. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Except as required under applicable securities legislation and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. CAUTIONARY NOTE TO UNITED STATES INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MEASURED, INDICATED AND INFERRED RESOURCES The Company prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Terms relating to Mineral Resources in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in CIM Standards. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments effective February 25, 2019 (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC Modernization Rules have replaced SEC Industry Guide 7, which will be rescinded following a transition period and after the required compliance date of the SEC Modernization Rules. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC will now recognize estimates of "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", which are defined in substantially similar terms to the corresponding CIM Standards. In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" to be substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Standards. United States investors are cautioned that while the foregoing terms are "substantially similar" to corresponding definitions under the CIM Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any Mineral Resources that the Company may report as "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", investors should not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories would ever be converted into a higher category of Mineral Resources or into Mineral Reserves. Mineralization described by these terms has a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources", or "Inferred Mineral Resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable. Further, "Inferred Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the Inferred Resources exist. In accordance with Canadian securities laws, estimates of "Inferred Mineral Resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101. In addition, disclosure of "contained ounces" is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC has historically only permitted issuers to report mineralization as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. SOURCE: Gold Terra Resource Corp View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635702/Gold-Terra-Announces-Significant-Increase-of-64-for-the-Inferred-Mineral-Resource-to-1207000-Ounces-at-its-Yellowknife-City-Gold-Project Priyanka Chopra who announced the Oscar nominations with Nick Jonas, is currently busy shooting for her next project in England. The actress is shooting for the Amazon original series titled Citadel. Pictures from the show's set recently went viral on social media. The actress can be seen dressed in a white and black suit shooting for an action scene. One of the viral pictures shows Priyanka swinging off the harness along with Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden, while another pic shows Priyanka shooting on the ground while pointing a gun at the camera. The actress reportedly was also seen in a combat vehicle armed with guns. The pictures showed Chopra donning a body-hugging costume with simple makeup and her hair tied in two crown braids. Meanwhile, Richard can be seen in an armed uniform with modern armour, belt and gloves. A couple of other pictures from the sets show them chilling between shots and having fun shooting. Take a look at the pictures, The makers haven't revealed much about the show, but the viral images led fans to speculate that the Russo Brothers show will have some sci-fi elements. Russo Brothers had told indianexpress.com that Priyanka is an incredible star and added, "Unfortunately, we are being very secretive with the details around the show so we won't say any more than that but she is amazing and she's going to be amazing in the show." Citadel is set to release on Amazon Prime Video and will mark Priyanka's digital debut with a show. She had also appeared in Netflix's feature films like The White Tiger and We Can Be Heroes. Before shooting for the web series, Priyanka had wrapped up the shoot for her upcoming Hollywood film Text For You alongside Sam Heughan and Celine Dion. She will also be seen in Keanu Reeves' Matrix 4. ALSO READ: Priyanka Chopra On Adarsh Gourav's BAFTA 2021 Best Actor Nod: Proud Moment For Indian Talent ALSO READ: Nick Jonas Hails Wife Priyanka Chopra As The White Tiger Gets Nominated At The 93rd Academy Awards STOKR, the EUs pioneering digital marketplace for alternative assets, today announced the conclusion of its pre-series A funding round with strategic investments from Borderless Capital, Utopia Genesis Foundation, and G1 Ventures. With over 3.9 million (over US$4.6 million) raised in total, STOKR plans to scale up its investment platform to meet the surging demand for EU-compliant security token offerings (STOs). Despite the pandemic, STOKR received massive interest from ventures throughout 2020 as a turn-key solution to efficient fundraising in Europe. We bootstrapped STOKR in 2017, when we founders pooled together over 1 million of our own funds, STOKR co-founder Tobias Seidl shared, it has been great to see the company grow as we have been able to welcome more ventures and investors to our platform, and the support from our own early investors will help scale up our operations even further. The successful pre-series A round follows a seed round In 2018, in which STOKR received a strategic investment from iFinex Inc. doing business as Bitfinex. The strategic investments will add to STOKRs suite of tools for ventures looking to raise funds: by integrating with Borderless Capital, STOKR now offers Algorand as an issuance platform for security tokens, in addition to its already available issuance options on Ethereum and the Liquid Network. G1 Ventures, a venture capital firm with a primary focus on blockchain innovation on the European market, brings its valuable network from the blockchain space for STOKR to better service its venture partners. The tokenization of securities enables a whole new wave of surrounding financial services such as fractional ownership of securities, integrated dividends payments with stablecoins such as Tether (USDt), lending, and capital markets, to name just a few, said David Garcia, CEO and Managing Partner of Borderless Capital. The innovation that STOKR platform has developed, combined with the power of the Algorand blockchain, will allow these new financial instruments to grow at an exponential level; we are very excited and proud to back the plans and vision of the STOKR team. STOKR hosts investment opportunities from a diverse range of industries, including sci-fi strategy MMO title Infinite Fleet, Italian luxury car manufacturer Mazzanti, and an upcoming partnership with the Utopia Genesis Foundation to issue tokenized music rights. In the first quarter of 2021, STOKR will facilitate the tokenization of over 100 million (US$ 120 million) worth of assets. About STOKR STOKR is the EUs pioneering digital investment marketplace for alternative assets, where smart investors connect with and fund innovative businesses. STOKR is the all-in-one solution for young and growing ventures looking to raise capital in the EU. Operating out of Luxembourg, STOKR provides founders with the full suite of technical deployment, investment structuring, and compliance support for the issuance of EU-compliant security token offerings (STOs). Through carefully selected high-profile offerings, STOKR fosters a risk-reduced environment, liberates investment opportunities from traditional venture capital, and directly connects visionary ventures to a network of professional and retail investors. STOKR allows investors to participate in the future success of a diverse range of ventures through profit- or revenue-sharing rights, without middlemen such as custodians or brokers. About Borderless Capital Borderless Capital is a modern financial institution investing capital and co-building financial products that accelerate access, bootstrap adoption, and create value globally through the Algorand Borderless Economy. We do not stop with just investment. We also provide guidance and mentorship to grow our portfolio companies into successful and category leading businesses. As a thought leader in blockchain with deep expertise in the Algorand ecosystem, we advise our portfolio companies on go-to-market strategies to effectively build their network effect. In short, we leverage the synergy of our portfolio, partners network, and domain expertise to create value for everyone. For more info: http://www.borderlesscapital.io While both Russia and Iran sought to influence the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election, no foreign country tried to change the results of any ballots or votes. Thats the main takeaway from a newly declassified report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). As The Washington Post reports, the document supports claims US government officials like former CISA director Christopher Krebs made at the end election when they said the contest was the most secure in American history . ODNIs findings also directly contradict that of former President Trump, who frequently sought to paint China as the greater threat to US election security. China is a FAR greater threat than Russia, Russia, Russia, he said in a tweet from September. According to the agency, going into the 2020 election, the country wanted a more stable relationship with the US. However, it decided, whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden won, neither result would have changed things enough to risk meddling. China instead turned to tools like lobbying to exert its influence. Pipeline 16 March 2021 The much-anticipated Le Meridien Pasadena Arcadia Hotel is expected to officially open its doors on May 25, 2021, boasting 234 thoughtfully designed rooms and suites plus over 14,000 square feet of stylish event space in Los Angeles. Taking cues from the brand's mid-century modern design aesthetic, the new hotel will bring Le Meridien's distinctive European heritage to the Southern California destination. Located opposite the Santa Anita Racetrack and developed by Chateau Group founders, Eric Chen and Ann Sung, the hotel celebrates the glamorous halcyon days of travel and the rich heritage of the area through illuminating textures and layers of sophisticated equestrian design, brought to life by Linda Snyder Associates and AO Architects. Le Meridien Pasadena Arcadia is owned by SAICP, LLC and managed by Pacifica Hotels, the largest owner and operator of lifestyle, design-inspired hotels on the Pacific Coast. Guests can indulge in a culinary journey at the hotel's dining destination Melange, which will showcase Asian-fusion inspired cuisine helmed by Chef Mako. The hotel's Hub, Longitude 118, is a social gathering place for the creative-minded traveler and will offer rare private label and international spirits, wines and beers, along with a curated high tea and highballs cocktail programme - a nod to the Le Meridien brand's European heritage by creating a modern twist on the traditional aperitif hour. The concept melds the refinement of traditional high tea with sophisticated custom highball cocktail mixology using the centuries-old craft of tea infusion. Guests can also enliven the senses with expertly crafted illy coffee each morning. With over 14,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces spanning five separate rooms - three of which are private dining rooms - as well as over 1,800 square feet of indoor pre-function space and an expansive event lawn in a prime location, Le Meridien Pasadena Arcadia is poised to be the preeminent destination for business and social banquets and events. Spark discovery and illuminate insights with Creative Meetings by Le Meridien, designed to unlock inspiration and foster innovation. From locally inspired flavours to cultural experiences, the team will create an immersive meeting atmosphere that brings the destination in. The hotel's ballroom will feature floor-to-ceiling glass walls and doors that will open to the event lawn where guests can enjoy unrivaled views of the nearby racetrack. Le Meridien believes the sun never sets on the jet set, and Le Meridien Pasadena Arcadia will offer poolside delivery and dining experiences at the year-round outdoor heated pool, as well as 24-hour in-room meal, spirit and packaged-item delivery. Linger longer over a glass of rose and enjoy classic games by the pool. Elevated dining experiences that offer something more than meets the eye will also be available upon demand. With curious culture seekers in mind, global art installations curated by renowned local art consultancy Daniel Fine Art will provide thought-provoking conversations and unique cultural experiences throughout the property. Upon entering the hotel, guests will be welcomed by an impressive handmade porcelain and glass abstraction of peacock tail feathers by Ron Dier Design. Works throughout the hotel will also include pieces by Serge Bloch, the most prolific illustrator in France who frequently illustrates advertisements for Hermes, David Ellis, an international multimedia artist and William Attaway, an established Venice Beach artist with several public art sculptures around Southern California. "The development of Le Meridien Pasadena Arcadia is a huge accomplishment, and this premium, full-service property is certainly an esteemed addition to the Pacifica Hotels portfolio," said Matt Marquis, CEO at Pacifica Hotels. "We look forward to opening day when we can welcome the public to this special hotel." For additional information, please visit: www.LeMeridienArcadia.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. (Natural News) A number of establishments in Texas said they will keep making masks mandatory in their premises. Their statements came amid Gov. Greg Abbotts announcement that he will lift all previously ordered COVID-19 restrictions. His decision to open Texas 100 percent received mixed reactions from the business community. Some welcomed the lifting, while some expressed concern that businesses will experience more difficulty in enforcing safety protocols. Hyatt Hotels, Target, Starbucks and CVS Health were among the companies who announced continued mask mandates in their establishments. A CVS spokesman said the drugstore chain will continue to mandate masks in adherence to federal health guidelines. Drugstore employees are instructed to avoid confrontation with mask-less customers and try to serve them as quickly as possible, he added. CVS first mandated masks in its stores nationwide back in July. Meanwhile, rival drugstore chain Walgreens followed its competitors footsteps in maintaining face masks as a requirement for customers. Grocery chains in the Lone Star State have responded to Abbotts lifting in different ways. Kroger said it will continue to require both customers and employees to wear masks until such time that its workers get vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus. Albertsons said it will continue requiring employees to wear masks. However, it will now encourage customers to wear face coverings: Albertsons previously required customers to do so. H-E-B also announced it will retain its policy of requiring employees and vendors to mask up while encouraging customers to do the same. Gym operator Life Time said it will no longer require customers to wear masks or keep social distance as soon as the mandate repeal takes effect on March 10. A company spokeswoman said employees must still wear masks and undergo temperature checks. She added that clubs will maintain strict cleaning protocols and individual locations may reinstate restrictions should hospitalization rates in their area spike. Twenty-six of Life Times 150 locations are located in the Lone Star State. Restaurant owners express concern over Abbotts decision to lift restrictions Back in July 2020, Abbott ordered a mask mandate days before the Fourth of July celebration that year. It required Texans to wear face masks whenever they are inside business establishments and outdoor public spaces. The Texas governor said on Feb. 25 that he is considering a total repeal of the mask mandate and other restrictions which he eventually did. (Related: Texas ends all coronavirus lockdowns, mask mandates, business occupancy restrictions.) Starting March 10, residents of the Lone Star State will no longer be required to wear face coverings when going to establishments. In addition, restaurants will be allowed to operate at full capacity starting March 10. Prior to the full repeal of restrictions, restaurants were already permitted to resume indoor dining operations at 75 percent capacity. But the restrictions have caused concern for food retailers, which have remained open amid the pandemic. They have required both customers and employees to wear face masks, but some customers have either worn face coverings improperly or pushed back entirely against these requirements. Some restaurant owners are worrying that Abbotts decision will make it more difficult to ensure a safe environment for both customers and employees. (Related: Texas movie theaters, malls and restaurants reopen with airport security-style checkpoints.) Yasmeen Tadia, who owns confectionery company Make Your Life Sweeter Brands, told The Wall Street Journal: I already get screamed at when people dont want to wear their mask. If that happens with the mandate, how am I going to manage without it? Still, this has not dissuaded her from continuing to insist on masks. Ive already printed out a sign that masks are required upon entry, Tadia said. Tinku Saini, the co-founder of Tarka Indian Kitchen in Austin, said he was concerned that Abbotts rollback on restrictions came too soon. He immediately started getting calls from worried restaurant employees following the governors announcement. Nevertheless, he said that existing safety protocols such as limited indoor capacity and six-feet spacing between tables will continue. Saini added that Tarka employees wont confront mask-less patrons to avoid putting staff members in a position of creating adversarial relations. But some restaurant owners chose to play it safe. Michael Neff, owner of Houstons Cottonmouth Club, said he is keeping his bar closed despite the relaxed restrictions. He defended his move to keep his establishment closed as he is more concerned about the safety of staff members and patrons. Neff remarked: Nothing has changed for us. Just because Greg Abbott says its safe doesnt mean its safe. Based on data collated by Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. currently has 28.9 million COVID-19 cases with 522,876 fatalities. Visit Pandemic.news to read more about mask mandates and other measures put in place to curb COVID-19. Sources include: WSJ.com TexasTribune.org KHOU.com Coronavirus.JHU.edu Tamaqua chamber touts trout derby TAMAQUA The Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce has announced in a release it will sponsor the Tom Banditelli Memorial Trout Derby in cooperation with the Schuylkill Headwaters Association. The event will run from noon May 1 through noon May 29 on the Little Schuylkill River. Trout will be tagged for anglers to catch and turn in for prizes. Registration will be held from 8 a.m. to noon May 1 across from the all-American Jeep dealer on Route 309 South. The registration fee is $20, which includes a 2021 trout button and stocking schedule. Registration forms and rules are available online at tamaqua.net and at Toms Auto and Marine. Pre-registrations can be turned in to the Tamaqua Borough contactless drop box at the municipal building, 320 E. Broad St., or in person at Toms Auto and Marine, 250 S Greenwood St. Checks for registration should be made payable to the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce. The grand prize is a two-person fishing boat filled with fishing gear, valued at more than $800 and generously donated by Toms Auto and Marine, according to the release. Additional prizes include fishing gear and gift certificates donated by local businesses. Aimee Dotson, the chambers office and outreach coordinator, thanked Tom Banditelli Jr. for again agreeing to have Toms Auto and Marine the turn-in location for any tagged fish caught during the derby. Participants are asked to turn in tags during Toms business hours. Dotson and chamber President Linda Marchalk praised Banditelli Sr. for is dedication to fishing, the derby and the Tamaqua Bass Club saying he was an unforgettable part of the Tamaqua community and served on the board of directors of the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce until he retired in 2017. Schuylkill Headwaters will stock the Little Schuylkill River at 10 a.m. May 1 and weekly throughout the derby. All ages are welcome to participate. Anglers 16 and older must have a valid Pennsylvania fishing license and a trout stamp and all anglers much comply with the laws set by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. For more information, call the chamber office at 570-668-1880. Businesses wishing to sponsor prizes may call the chamber office, or email chamber@tamaqua.net. MAEA extends nomination cutoff POTTSVILLE The Pottsville-based Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association has extended the deadline to noon Wednesday for nominations for its excellence awards. The awards dinner will be held on May 4, according to an MAEA release. MAEA honors firms that have invested and innovated in areas such as community involvement, process improvement, product innovation, expansion, and environment, health and safey plus the MAEA investment award. Nomination forms must be completed and forwarded to Joan Trosterud via email to jtrosterud@nepamaea.com, or via fax to 570-622-2776 or by mailing to NEPA Manufacturers & Employers Association, P. O. Box 541, Pottsville, PA 17901. DSI is selling Fling calendars SHENANDOAH The revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc., 116 N. Main St., is selling Spring Fling calendars for April featuring prizes/gifts donated by local businesses. In the DSI Herald newsletter, DSIs executive director, Susan Williams, said the calendars are being sold through the end of March and then at noon April 1, we will start drawing names and announce one winner every day, eventually a total of 30 winners. Calendars are $5 each and the more one buys, the more chances there will be for winning, Williams said. Anyone who buys four calendars will have his/her name automatically entered into a bonus May 1 drawing for a prize worth more than $100. To buy calendars, visit the DSI office, email swilliams@downtownshenandoahinc.com or call 570-462-2060. All proceeds will benefit DSI programs, Williams said. Participating businesses, Williams added, include: Kowaloneks Kielbasy Shop, Suglias, Redners, Cobblestone Bakery, Luckys Kielbasi Shop, Vernalis Restaurant, Burger King, La Casita De Familia, Hair Designs by Roseann, Mikes Seafood, One Stop Shop, Dominos, Chill Out Ice Cream Parlor, Lyric Restaurant, Francescos Restaurant, Giant, A To Z Food Market, SherryDental, Weis Markets, Shenandoah Pharmacy, Luna Dimaggios, Mrs. Ts Pierogies, Souchuck Lumber, Boyers, Cake Pros. Export sales topic of chamber initiativePOTTSVILLE A Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce presentation set for 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday is titled The Pennsylvania Global Access Program: Export Promotion Grant Program, designed to enhance the capability of small to mid-size Pennsylvania companies to increase export sales. The program is administered by the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development and provides up to $10,000 per award period to qualifying Pennsylvania firms to reimburse up to 75% of eligible expenses involving specific export promotion activities, according to a chamber flyer. Speakers will include Christa Mummau, trade program manager, Office of International Business Development; Kate Skopp, director of global partnerships and operations, Office of International Business Development, and Debbie Langan, senior international business manager, Northeastern Pennsylvania Business Alliance. To register, go online to zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYodOGsqjMuGtds74tmG1Q7BpTxcJZt49PT. Chamber slates St. Patrick mixer POTTSVILLE The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a St. Patricks Day Business After 5 Oclock mixer for 5 p.m. Wednesday at Carmelos Roman Delight, 1240 Centre Turnpike, Orwigsburg. The event, according to a chamber release, is sponsored by Carmelos and Schaeffers Harley-Davidson. Registration is required. People may register by going online to: business.schuylkillchamber.com/events/details/03-17-21-st-patrick-s-day-mixer-3817. 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. They were three of the most popular celebrities of the day, and their highly publicized night out was recently featured in the buzzy documentary Framing Britney Spears. On a recent episode of her podcast This Is Paris, famous heiress Paris Hilton discussed the now-infamous paparazzi shot of herself and friend Britney Spears along with Lindsay Lohan during a girls' night in 2006. Hilton, now 40, remembered the moment as 'just weird' and 'very stressful,' especially since Lohan was not expressly invited to join them in her car at the time. On a recent episode of her podcast This Is Paris: Paris Hilton discussed the now-infamous paparazzi shot of herself and friend Britney Spears along with Lindsay Lohan from 2006 'Oh my god, the amount of times I've seen this photo, the memes. Wow, brings back memories,' Paris reminisced about the November 27th, 2006 snap. 'That was a night that Britney and I went out, and we were at the Beverly Hills Hotel, at our friend's party, and we were deciding to leave to go home. We were walking to the car and all of as suddenly got swarmed by a tons of paparazzi. As we got to the car, that's when Lindsay came up. It was kind of awkward because at this point we are just having some drama.' The drama, of course, had to do with Paris and Lindsay's 'frenemy'-type relationship, which at the time involved accusations from LiLo that The Simple Life star had hit her at a club. Looking back: Hilton, now 40, remembered the moment as 'just weird' and 'very stressful,' especially since Lohan was not expressly invited to join them in her car at the time 'As we were getting into the car, a paparazzi screamed at me, "Is it true that you hit Lindsay?!" And at that moment all of a sudden, I see Lindsay walking towards us, and I said "Why don't you just ask her?"' Paris recalled. 'And Lindsay said something like, "No, Paris would never hit me, I've known her since I'm 15." It was basically just, not admitting what she did. It was quite awkward to be asked that question, and then it was just weird how that whole thing happened,' she continued. 'All of a sudden, I looked over, and she's in my car,' Hilton then added. 'We weren't getting along, so I was polite. Lots of flashes, it was hard to get out there because I couldn't see with all the cameras and people were literally falling on top of the car trying to get the shot. It was very stressful to drive in that situation.' 'It was just weird how that whole thing happened,' Paris said on the podcast: 'All of a sudden, I looked over, and she's in my car,' Hilton then added She went on to comment on how the photo was 'everywhere' the next day, and how the media started 'inventing stories' about the girls' night out, when they 'had literally no idea it was just Britney and I'... and not Lohan. The moment was also rehashed in the recent Hulu/FX documentary Framing Britney Spears, which unpacks Britney's conservatorship dispute and the many factors that contributed to her very publicized mental health problems in 2007. The photo of her out with Paris and Lindsay, according to the documentary, added to the rumors at the time that she was a wild child, even though she had two small children at home. Clearly, the added attention from Lindsay 'crashing' their night added fuel to the fire. Media fodder: That moment, and similar snaps of Britney out with Paris back in the mid-aughts, were featured in the recent documentary Framing Britney Spears; the two seen with Alli Sims (right) in December 2007 As for how Hilton feels about Lohan now, she claimed in the podcast that although they had a fair amount of previous beef, it's all water under the bridge. 'Back in the day we were actually close friends, and then she did a couple things that really hurt me and just betrayed my trust and caused a lot of drama,' Paris stated. 'So we weren't friends anymore, and it was kind of like this on and off friendship.' 'But when I think about it now, we were just so young, immature. It's just kind of like high school drama, especially in the LA scene,' she added. 'And then also having to live it out in public with the media just constantly trying to stir things up and make things even worse than they were. It's hard with any friendship and, back then, the media really enjoyed having girls feud with each other.' Toward the end of the podcast, Hilton ended things on a high note, saying of Lohan: 'I hope she's doing great and sending her well wishes. That is the truth.' As for how Hilton feels about Lohan now: She claimed in the podcast that although they had a fair amount of previous beef, it's all water under the bridge The issue received bids for 5.72 crore shares as against 9.57 crore shares on offer. The initial public offer (IPO) of Kalyan Jewellers India received bids for 5.72 crore shares as against 9.57 crore shares on offer, according to the stock exchange data at 17:00 IST on Tuesday (16 March 2021). The issue was subscribed 0.60 times. The issue opened for bidding on Friday, 16 March 2021, and it will close on 18 March 2021. The price band for the IPO is set at Rs 86-87 per share. The issue consists of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 1175 crore, which comprises of a fresh issue of up to Rs 800 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to Rs 375 crore. The OFS comprises of sale of equity shares worth Rs 125 crore by one of the promoters T.S. Kalyanaraman and sale of equity shares worth Rs 250 crore by an investor shareholder Highdell Investment. The post issue promoter's shareholding in the company would decline to 60.53% from 67.99% while that of Highdell would fall to 26.36% from 32.01%. Ahead of the IPO, the company on 15 March 2021 finalised allocation of 4,04,48,275 equity shares to anchor investors at Rs 87 per share, aggregating to Rs 351,89,99,925. The company proposes to utilise Rs 600 crore from the net proceeds from fresh issue of equity shares to fund its working capital requirements and rest for the general corporate purpose. The company expects that listing of the equity shares will enhance visibility and brand image and provide liquidity to shareholders. Kalyan Jewellers is one of the largest jewellery companies in India in terms of revenues. The company was established by the founder and one of the Promoters T.S. Kalyanaraman in 1993 with a single showroom in Thrissur, Kerala. The company has since expanded to become a pan-India jewellery company, with 107 showrooms located across 21 states and union territories in India, and also have an international presence with additional 30 showrooms located in the Middle East as of 31 December 2020. All of the showrooms are operated and managed by the company. The company designs, manufactures and sells a wide range of gold, studded and other jewellery products across various price points ranging from jewellery for special occasions, such as weddings, which is the highest-selling product category for the company, to daily-wear jewellery. On a consolidated basis, the company reported a net loss of Rs 80.49 crore and revenue of Rs 5516.70 crore in the nine months ended on 31 December 2020. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ECONOMY Minister Diane Dodds has been urged to look again at extending a 500 one off Covid hardship payment to full-time students who are studying outside Northern Ireland. Almost 40,000 students at university and in further education in Northern Ireland are expected to receive the support payment within the next few weeks, but the Minister said that legislation meant she had been unable to extend the payment to those in other jurisdictions. While Mrs Dodds confirmed that those payments will be made soon, she said that despite exploring all options for including other externals students from Northern Ireland in the payments, that had not been possible. Im acutely aware that all our students have experienced terrible disruption since the onset of the pandemic, she told the Assembly yesterday and said she and her officials had a discussion with the Student Loan Company about arranging payments to NI students studying in the republic of Ireland and across Great Britain. Subsequent legal advice indicated that the department would not have the power to make such payments to public bodies outside of Northern Ireland, she said, adding that those students without access to the NI scheme will have full access to the payments and the supports that are available from within their institution. But Sinn Fein has called on the Minister to think again about how students should be supported. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the lives of so many, said Caoimhe Archibald MLA. Students have been left in a situation where, despite the best efforts of lecturers, teaching assistants and other staff, the university or college experience is not what many had expected or signed up for. Dr Archibald welcomed the fund, which will see 500 payments for full time students but questioned why it hasnt been extended to all students from Northern Ireland studying in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. There is still time for you minister to say to students I hear you, she said. I hope you will heed the calls and finally do this. DUP MLA Gary Middleton defended the Economy Minister adding: Students of all ages, right across the province, have faced very challenging circumstances throughout the Covid pandemic. The 500 payment for students was part of a 37m package to address issues across the further and higher education sector. Students from NI studying in England, Scotland and Wales do have access to support from the institutions that they are enrolled in. And Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson said that if the minister keeps hearing the same speech in the chamber perhaps shell maybe start to get the message. Just because she cant doesnt mean she shouldnt be making the effort to try and do it, the East Antrim MLA told the Assembly. And Sinn Fein MLA Pat Sheehan added: The Minister has used every trick in the book to avoid bidding for Covid funding. Where theres a will theres a way, he said. The Finance Minister has made it clear that funding can be made available and has invited the Economy Minister to bid for this. The minister says she cant give money to universities in Britain, fair enough, but she must find innovative ways of getting money into the hands of hard-pressed students. RED BLUFF, Calif. - Tehama County will be moving out of the most restrictive COVID-19 tier and into the red tier effective Wednesday, according to the California Department of Public Health. In total, ten counties Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, Lake, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Sutter, Tehama and Tulare will move into the red tier. However, Yuba, Nevada, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties remain in the most restrictive purple tier. The data requirements to qualify for the red tier include a case rate of 4-7 cases per 100,000 residents with a test positivity rate of 5-8%. 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%. The state has mentioned they will create a green tier soon, with even fewer restrictions, but haven't released further details. By Xiao Dongfeng The Biden administration is quickening its steps of making military and diplomatic deployments in the Asian Pacific region. In addition to increasing the appropriation to the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) and building a missile network along the first and second island chain in West Pacific, Washington is also trying to rope Japan, ROK, India and Australia into its military blocs. To strengthen deployment of forces American media reported that the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) submitted its budget report to the Congress on March 1, asking for a huge increase of appropriation to the PDI from USD 2.2 billion in 2021 to USD 4.6 billion in 2022, with a planned investment of USD 27.3 billion in the next five years. The submission of this report marked the beginning of the implementation of this initiative. The PDI aims to concentrate resources on shoring up America's key military capabilities, including investing in land-based remote assault, theater missile defense, expeditionary airport and port infrastructure, and fuel and ammunition stock, so as to modernize its combat platforms and enhance its deterrence capability in the Indo-Pacific region. Besides, the Pentagon announced that the White House has appointed Admiral John Aquilino, the incumbent commander of the US Pacific Fleet, to be the next USINDOPACOM commander. To seek a united front It is reported that the new US Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin will visit Japan and ROK in mid-March. This will be the first overseas visit by Biden's cabinet members, as well as the first time for his top diplomatic and military officials to visit Asia, indicating the great importance attached by the new administration to the region. Yonhap News Agency analyzed that Washington will use Blinken and Austin's ROK and Japan trip to cement the trilateral cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo in a bid to put up a united front against external threats. Meanwhile, Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported on March 8 that Japanese prime minister Suga Yoshihide may visit the US in April or May, which the media said was aimed to showcase the US-Japan alliance to the international community. However, due to the deep-rooted conflicts between Japan and ROK, the relations between which have been bumpy, to say the least, and have continuously deteriorated in recent years, an iron-clad US-Japan-ROK united front is hard to come by. To create the "quadrilateral mechanism" Apart from forming a united front with Japan and ROK, the US also intends to form a quadrilateral mechanism with Japan, India and Australia against threats from the Pacific. Biden chaired an online summit of leaders of the four countries on March 12, the first time after he took office. Foreign media interpreted the summit as a sign that Biden will shift his military and diplomatic focus to the Indo-Pacific, and the four-country mechanism is labelled as an "Asian version of NATO". Previously, the foreign ministers of the Quad countries agreed at a teleconference on February 18 that they strongly oppose "any attempts to alter the status quo in the Indo-Pacific by force or coercion". However, just like the US-Japan-ROK alliance is not iron-clad, it's not easy to form the Quad mechanism either. In the first phone conversation between Biden and his Indian counterpart Modi, the Indian prime minister didnt mention the quadrilateral security dialogue, but vowed to consolidate their strategic partnership. Indian scholars believe Washington is dragging New Delhi into an alliance the Quad that the latter doesn't want. India has all along nursed a doubt about America's "Indo-Pacific strategy" for fear of its influence in the Indian Ocean being undercut and breaking the regional balance if it joins the Quad. The fact that the US has been only paying lip service in the Asia Pacific all these years has seriously hurt its credibility. Its eagerness to make deployments in the region now reveals its hegemonistic nature again and is sure to undermine regional peace and stability. OSHA Cites Shipping Company After Man Suffers Leg Amputation, Crushed Pelvis Compliance officers find ITS Conglobal ignored safety regulations. A life-threatening accident left a Chicago shipping facility employee with an amputated leg and crushed pelvis. The 30-year-old fell off the a powered heavy-lift vehicle after being allowed to ride unsecured. The employee was then run over by the vehicle leading to his injuries. OSHA requires specific training for operating industrial vehicles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2011 to 2017, 614 workers lost their lives in forklift-related incidents and more than 7,000 nonfatal injuries with days away from work occurred every year. The shipping facility failed to renew its refresher training every three years to make certain employees know how to safely operate all powered industrial vehicles. ITS ConGlobal is North Americas largest rail terminal operator. ITSC has more than 120 locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico. OSHA penalized the company proposed penalties totaling $156,038, according to a press release. This worker's life-altering injuries could have been prevented if ITS Conglobal had followed its own and federal safety regulations against employees riding improperly on moving powered industrial vehicles, said OSHA Chicago South Area Director James Martineck in the press release. Each year, hundreds of employees suffer injuries from powered industrial vehicle hazards and it remains one of OSHA's top 10 cited safety standards. Employers must review and enforce workplace safety procedures. To learn more about employee safety and powered industrial trucks, visit OSHAs webpage on forklifts. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Fujitsu Australia Data Centres announce a carbon offset program for customers News Facts: Fujitsu Australia offers its data centre customers the opportunity to offset emissions from their electricity consumption. Fujitsu Australia uses offsets sourced from Qantas Future Planet that meet Australian and international standards, including the Verified Carbon Standard and the Gold Standard. Fujitsu will also offset direct emissions from fuel consumed by its Australian and New Zealand corporate fleet of nearly 200 cars. The action is part of Fujitsus climate and energy strategy, aligned with its science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Sydney, March 16, 2021 - Fujitsu Australia today announced it is making carbon offset options available for customer electricity use across its six Australian data centres as part of its continued commitment to sustainability. Carbon offsetting involves purchasing carbon offset units to cover the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from activities such as electricity and natural gas use or vehicle operation. The purchase of carbon offsets reduces or prevents GHG emissions to compensate for carbon emissions produced by an activity such as the power used within a data centre facility. James Veness, Head of Portfolio, Data Centres, Fujitsu Australia, said, Climate change is a real challenge that must be tackled with conventional and unconventional solutions. Data centre customers demand their suppliers demonstrate innovation and commitment to reducing their impact on the environment. Fujitsu is supporting customers who have committed to offsetting their emissions with this opt-in program. In turn, Fujitsu manages the energy-efficiency of its data centres closely to minimise both financial and environmental costs for its customers, with Fujitsus NABERS-rated portfolio achieving efficiency of 35 per cent higher than the market average and charting a course towards 100 per cent renewable energy in Australia. The offset option gives Fujitsus Australian data centre customers a new way to further reduce impacts and help meet their own environmental targets. Fujitsu Australia selected Qantas Future Planet as its offset provider. Qantas Future Planet is one of the largest B2B offset programs of its kind in Australia. Since 2014 they have been partnering with leading businesses to reduce environmental impacts and offset carbon emissions through projects that meet Australian and global standards, including the Verified Carbon Standard and the Gold Standard. Offset projects invest in a range of programs throughout Oceania and around the world, including rainforest regeneration projects and renewable energy finance. These projects also deliver a range of economic and social benefits to local communities, in line with Fujitsus continuous efforts to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). David Young, Executive Manager Sustainability and Future Planet, Qantas, said, Qantas is delighted to welcome Fujitsu to the Qantas Future Planet program, building on a long history of sustainability collaboration between our organisations. The ICT sector is a significant electricity user and forecasts continued growth. Carbon offsets can help play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of increased electricity consumption. Qantas looks forward to working with Fujitsu and its customers to bring this carbon offset program to life. In addition to the customer data centre offering, Fujitsu will also be offsetting emissions from fuel consumed in its fleet of nearly 200 vehicles across Australia and New Zealand. The vehicles are used by field engineers who perform onsite maintenance and repair services for customers across the region. Fujitsus six data centre facilities are located in Western Sydney, Homebush and North Ryde in New South Wales Noble Park in Victoria, Malaga in Western Australia, and Eight Mile Plains in Queensland. In October, Fujitsu announced a 20MW expansion to the Western Sydney facility and, in November, announced a 99.6kw solar installation at the Eight Mile Plains facility, which was performed by Bunjil Energy, a Supply Nation-certified Indigenous-owned business. In August 2017, the Fujitsu Groups GHG emissions reduction target from its business facilities and a part of its value chain was approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The Fujitsu climate and energy vision is the Fujitsu Groups medium- to long-term environmental vision through to 2050, which includes bringing the Fujitsu Groups CO2 emissions to zero. As an RE100 member, the Fujitsu Groups commitments include hitting the target of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050, with a milestone of a 40 per cent by 2030. Online resources Read the Fujitsu blog: Follow Fujitsu on Twitter: Follow us on LinkedIn: Find Fujitsu on Facebook: For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom: Read the Fujitsu blog: http://blog.au.fujitsu.com Follow Fujitsu on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/FujitsuAU Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fujitsu-australia-limited Find Fujitsu on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FujitsuAustraliaNewZealand For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom: https://www.fujitsu.com/au/about/resources About Fujitsu Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 130,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.9 trillion yen (US$35 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com. About Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand is a leading service provider of business, information technology and communications solutions. We partner with our customers to consult, design, build, operate and support business solutions. From strategic consulting to application and infrastructure solutions and services, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand have earned a reputation as the single supplier of choice for leading corporate and government organisations. Fujitsu Australia Limited and Fujitsu New Zealand Limited are wholly owned subsidiaries of Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702). See www.fujitsu.com/au. Media Contacts Communications team Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand Phone: +61 2 9776 4555 E-mail:marcomms@fujitsu.com Communications teamFujitsu Australia and New Zealand+61 2 9776 4555 All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice. After joining the BJP ahead of polls, former Puducherry minister P Kannan said he resigned from the as the party is dismantled. "I was Congressman for the past 55 years. I joined politics to do social work, bring up the downtrodden, help youngsters get employment and aid the nation's development. I was disappointed after a long time. The old party has disappeared. It is dismantled. I will say that they have virtually killed the party," Kannan said. "There is no Congress party that we dreamt of. I came to the Congress party after seeing Kamraj, the great leader. Now I am coming to the BJP seeing PM Narendra Modi. He is a very courageous leader who takes the boldest steps," he added. Asked if he has any plans to contest elections, he said, "I am not contesting elections in Puducherry. I gave up my seat to a boy 20 years ago after continuously winning from there for five consecutive terms. I am not after power or positions". Ahead of assembly polls in Puducherry, P Kannan and his son on Sunday joined the BJP in the national capital. Puducherry BJP in-charge Nirmal Kumar Surana on Tuesday had announced that the party has finalised its seat-sharing deal with the NR Congress and All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections in the union territory. "NR Congress, BJP and AIADMK are going to contest the elections together. NR Congress will contest on 16 seats and BJP-AIADMK to contest on 14 seats. We will face elections in Puducherry under the leadership of N Rangaswamy," Surana said adding that the alliance will contest polls under the leadership of NR Congress chief and former CM of the Union Territory N Rangaswamy. Polling for 30 assembly seats in Puducherry will be held on April 6.Of the 30 assembly seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Caste candidates. As many as 10,02,589 electors will choose the candidates for the 15 legislative Assembly of Puducherry. The Congress-led government in the union territory fell before completing its five-year term under Chief Minister V Narayansamy. Narayanasamy had resigned on February 22 ahead of a floor test in the 33-member House (including three nominated) following the resignations of five Congress and one Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) legislators. On February 23, President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the resignation of Narayanasamy and his council of ministers. In the 2016 assembly polls, Congress had won 15 seats, All India NR Congress eight seats, AIADMK got four seats, DMK walked away with two MLAs. BJP could not win any seats. (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.) Bullying and groping women, a Mad Men office culture and pushing women to wear dresses and heels? I mean it sounds like Cuomo basically thought of himself like a bouncer outside a nightclub, which is convenient for him, because that might be his job in a couple of months. TREVOR NOAH And practically every day now there are more and more accusations piling up. Its getting so bad that hes going to have to bring back his PowerPoint slides just to track the harassment claims. TREVOR NOAH I mean just in the past couple of weeks weve heard about him harassing staffers, journalists, wedding guests it seems like no women in New York were safe from this guy. At some point were going to find out the Statue of Liberty only holds that torch so she can fend him off. TREVOR NOAH First of all, you know youre in a bad spot when even Chuck Schumer calls on you to resign. That dude doesnt do anything hastily. Before he makes any decision, he has to have at least four brow furrows and inch his glasses down to the tip of his nose. SETH MEYERS Second, so many Democrats have called on Cuomo to resign that at this point its easier to ask who hasnt done so: Good news, Governor, the Oswego County Commissioner for Water and Sewer Services is standing by us. Wait, nope, sorry, he said you should resign. Somebody call the Schenectady Parks Department theyll never turn on us! SETH MEYERS Rep. Debra Haaland, D-N.M., U.S. President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of the Interior, testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resource, at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24 in Washington, D.C. Galaxy's proprietary CENTAURI system on track for EU registration and US pivotal trial start later this year. Tweet this PEF treats arrhythmias by delivering quick, non-thermal bursts of high-voltage, high-frequency energy to ablate the heart. Two major inventions are unique to the CENTAURI PEF system: The proprietary WAVE1 waveform reduces muscle stimulation and eliminates microbubbles seen with other PEF ablation products that can cause strokes. The proprietary CENTAURI Connect box allows physicians to perform PEF ablation procedures with focal catheters and mapping systems they currently use for routine radiofrequency procedures, saving training time, workflow adjustments, and cost. To date, 50 patients have been treated with CENTAURI in a registrational trial in Europe called ECLIPSE-AF. Galaxy Medical plans to submit data on the 50 subjects for CE Mark in Europe. The Series A funding from ATP will enable Galaxy Medical to complete enrollments in the ECLIPSE-AF trial currently underway in Europe, to launch a study of CENTAURI in Canada called SPACE-AF, and to commence a pivotal US trial later this year pending FDA signoff. The financing will also support preparations for Galaxy's planned commercial launch of CENTAURI to European medical centers later in 2021. "We are excited about the rapid progress of our clinical trials, encouraged by the highly positive results to date, and bolstered by the funding and vote of confidence from ATP," said Jonathan Waldstreicher, M.D., CEO of Galaxy Medical and a partner at ATP. "Millions of people worldwide suffer from cardiac arrhythmias, and we believe that CENTAURI has the potential to help many of them resume lives free from debilitating symptoms and life-threatening risks." CENTAURI is an investigational device and not commercially available. About Galaxy Medical Galaxy Medical (www.galaxymed.com) is a privately held medical device company based in San Carlos, CA, that is dedicated to developing therapies to treat patients with cardiac arrhythmias. Formed by ATP, a leader in life sciences venture capital, Galaxy is building a portfolio of technologies to address the needs of cardiac electrophysiologists. About ATP Founded in 1999, ATP is a leader in life sciences venture capital, with $2.65 billion in committed capital and offices in New York, London, San Francisco, and Cambridge, MA. ATP creates companies starting at various stages, from pre-IP ideas to asset spinouts, investing in them from seed stage through IPO and beyond. The core of ATP's strategy is to provide flexible capital and access to a world-class team of venture partners and EIRs, to build sustainable, research-driven enterprises that improve human lives. For more information, visit www.appletreepartners.com. Media Contacts Galaxy Medical: Michael Iversen [email protected] +1 520 400 9190 ATP: Sally Jacob [email protected] +1 805 338 9603 SOURCE Galaxy Medical Related Links https://www.galaxymed.com AUSTIN, Texas, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New research, conducted by Mark Nadel and published in the UC Berkeley Business Law Journal, found traditional brokers have used anticompetitive practices to overcharge Americans by $50 billion annually. The paper describes how the cartel operated by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and their members works to protect the traditional 6% commission fee against price competition and firms operating outside the MLS structure who deploy superior consumer-facing technology and customer service to dramatically lower cost. Nadel's research describes how the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and their members use their monopolistic stranglehold over the market, such as restrictive "all or nothing" membership rules and commission tying practices: "So, why haven't new entrants with lower and different pricing models undermined the current pricing structure of the approximately $90+ billion/year residential real estate brokerage market and led prices to spiral downward? The problem for those entrants is that the residential real estate industry is structured to require peer cooperation to complete transactions. Thus, innovative entrants offering to compete on price have been stymied by traditional real estate brokers acting as an informal cartel." ( Obstacles to Price Competition in the Residential Real Estate Brokerage Market , Nadel, Mark S., 2021) In November 2020, the United States Department of Justice announced a lawsuit and simultaneous settlement with the National Association of Realtors over anticompetitive practices across the real estate brokerage industry. At the same time, American consumers have filed multiple class action lawsuits in Federal court over costs and a lack of transparency in the industry. In addition to anticompetitive practices, Nadel's study found brokers take advantage of the agent-facing MLS structure to continue forcing inflated commissions on Americans even as consumer-facing technology has eliminated the labor cost in real estate transactions. Questions Worth Asking: With the steady drumbeat of technology in real estate, why have fees remained largely unchanged since the early 1900s? Why are consumers paying 6% on transactions when agent labor costs have been eliminated by superior consumer-facing technology? Why do Americans pay more on real estate commission fees than anywhere else in the developed world? Consumer-facing technology and solutions, such as those presented by REX , have shown fees can be reduced to as low as 2% when combining machine-learning technology, improved search capabilities, and end-to-end bundled services. REX has also shown consumers have greater freedom and better experience when listing, shopping, and transacting real estate outside of the outmoded MLS structure with the support of the company's salaried licensed agents. REX CEO and Co-Founder Jack Ryan commented on the publication of the study in the UC Berkeley Law Business Journal: "This important research shows that real estate fees should be tied to valuable service, yet according to the National Association of Realtors, most consumers already do the work themselves. "We founded REX to give Americans greater access to homeownership and a better customer experience. In 2020, we reduced commission fees to just 2 to 2.5% by combining consumer-facing technology with salaried licensed real estate agents who are focused on giving consumers the best experience possible. "This reduction in fees helps close the wealth gap in America, helps job mobility so that families can move to places where they can live their fullest lives, increases the jobs and wages for electricians, plumbers and carpenters, provides tax revenue for local and state governments, and allow Americans to spend money on healthcare, education and homes that can improve their quality of life. "Technology has already created the opportunity. It is time to free Americans from inflated real estate fees." FOR SCHEDULING PURPOSES: On Wednesday, March 17, Jack Ryan will be the keynote speaker at a forum hosted by the American Antitrust Institute. The forum, entitled Competition in Real Estate Taking Stock of the "American Dream," is free for the media to register and attend virtually. The event kicks off at 12:00 pm ET with Ryan's events scheduled for 12:10 pm ET. SOURCE REX Related Links http://www.rexhomes.com Former F1 driver Christijan Albers has dismissed claims that Mercedes may be sandbagging ahead of the 2021 season. "Mercedes wouldn't achieve such a bad outcome deliberately," the Dutchman told De Telegraaf in light of the team's issues in Bahrain. "And a top team like that can turn a lot around in two weeks." Mercedes' early struggle has coincided with a notably smooth start for Red Bull, with most observers putting the Honda-powered team at the top of the hierarchy. "We wanted a faster car that is predictable," Dr Helmut Marko told n-tv. "Everything worked straight away so it's nice to see that all of our work has borne fruit. "It was our goal to be competitive from the start." Albers thinks Mercedes is struggling more than Red Bull with the aerodynamic rule tweak to the cars' floors for 2021. "If you remove downforce somewhere, you can get a car with a different character," he said. "But you can see that the Red Bull cars have responded very well. "Apparently their aerodynamic concept is more resistant to the changes." Albers said the fact that Aston Martin is also struggling is evidence that the Mercedes philosophy struggles more with the floor changes. "The biggest struggle is with Mercedes and Aston Martin," he said. "Those teams were looking for grip at the rear of the car all the way through the tests." If there is a question mark about Red Bull, Albers thinks it could be because Max Verstappen is having to adjust to a new chief engineer. "That mechanic was very important to Max," he said. "Now that Max looks promising for the title, the question is about that change. I'm sure he would prefer to build with the same trusted people." (GMM) A lot can happen in a year. Exactly one year ago today, Hamilton County Schools closed its doors and transitioned to remote learning for what we thought would only be two weeks due to the recent appearance of COVID-19 in our state. Our students and staff never returned to school buildings for the rest of the school year, and the way we approach educating our students changed forever. Through the summer, we worked furiously alongside our teachers, parents, students, and community members to outline a plan for the 2021-2022 school year that offered a safe learning environment and robust instruction, whether students were learning at home or in person. Thanks to this collaborative effort and the buy-in of our staff, students, families and community, Hamilton County Schools was able to successfully open schools for in-person learning right on time on Aug. 12, 2020, making us the first large school district in the state of Tennessee to open schools. Our HCS staff, students, and families remained committed to the healthy behaviors outlined in our HCS SAFE Pledge, and allowed us to keep our schools open for 84 days of in-person instruction during the first semester. As we approached the holidays, our entire country saw a surge in COVID-19 cases and we were forced to transition to remote learning for all. Despite learning from home, our teachers and staff continued the momentum gained in the classroom and kept our students on track. After the immensely challenging year weve all experienced, I found myself quite emotional last week as we were able to take a major step in our reopening plan. Increased access to the vaccine for our staff and the continued decline in COVID-19 cases in our community allowed us to officially transition away from using the Phase Tracker to dictate our school schedule, ensuring our in-person learners can be in school five days a week for the rest of the school year. Although we feel cautiously optimistic that we are finally getting to the other side of this incredible feat, we must not lose our focus and continue to accelerate our work to ensure every student leaves Hamilton County Schools future ready. The last year has shown how incredibly resilient our staff, students, and families are, and we want to maintain that momentum and drive going forward. Hamilton County Community: Over the last year you have shown what a strong and resilient partner you are for our school district. We thank you for your continued support and grace as weve navigated these trials together, and we ask you to continue to work alongside us in our mission to provide the best education possible to every student in Hamilton County. When COVID-19 is over, our students will still have needs and challenges. In the State of the System, I outlined four areas of acceleration as we approach the summer and 2021-2022 school year: Improving Literacy and Intervention, Enhancing Learning Environments, Educational Equity and Increasing Early Post-Secondary Opportunities. In the coming weeks, we will provide updates on our progress in these areas and the plans ahead. The work is not over, but after seeing what our community is capable of over the last year, we are more hopeful than ever for the future. We Are Hamilton, Dr. Bryan Johnson Superintendent, Hamilton County Schools After dropping the high-end Pro X Wireless headset last year, Logitech is switching gears with its first wired in-ear monitors (IEMs) for gaming. The G333 cost $50, come in three colorways, and are aimed at gamers seeking a more compact (and potentially more comfortable) fit compared to over-ear headsets. Opting for wired headphones is certainly a leftfield move that's out of step with the rest of the market, which is home to plenty of sub-$100 wireless options. But, maybe, that's the point. If these look familiar, that's because they were technically announced way back in October as part of Logitech's K/DA merch set. They appear to be an upgraded version of the Oculus 2 headphones Logitech released in September. There are a few notable changes this time round including a mic which packs the core buttons you'd expect to play, pause and control the volume of your chats and a longer cable. Logitech says they don't cut back on audio quality thanks to their dual audio drivers, one for highs and mids and one for bass. Given these are at the low end of the IEM pricing spectrum, we'll have to see how good they sound. The G333 come with a 3.5mm jack and a USB-C adapter, so you can hook them up to virtually any gaming platform, from Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo to PC and mobiles and even Google Stadia. Plus, the vibrant colors (silver/light purple, black/bright blue, purple/yellow) add a touch of variety. You can grab the headphones today online through Logitech and from a bunch of retailers. 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. Children are the backbone of the nation who have the power and the passion to drive a positive change in society. To inspire kids to be catalysts for conservation and do their bit towards a sustainable society, Sony BBC Earth launched Young Earth Champions contest at the start of the year, in partnership with Climate Warrior, Bhumi Pednekar. The month-long contest which concluded recently, saw thousands of young eco-conscious minds lead by example to prove that every step counts when it comes to sustainability. This nation-wide contest, open for 5th to 9th standard kids, invited the most innovative ideas for building sustainable cities and communities. From the hundreds of entries received, the experts from IIT-Bombay helped shortlist 10 winners who then got a chance to interact with Bollywood actor Bhumi and with Prof Vamsi Botlaguduru from IIT-Bombay about their ideas and the future of sustainable living. Additionally, top 50 participants received a certificate of excellence from Sony BBC Earth. Bhumi, who is a strong advocate of environmental conservation through her flagship initiative - Climate Warrior, played an important role in inspiring kids to participate in the contest and encouraging them to continue their efforts towards a more sustainable tomorrow. She also announced the mega winner during the live interactive session, Avigyan Kishor Das, who will soon be featured on the channel and will win an exclusive hamper worth 50K for his innovative green device which can help curb pollution caused by emission from vehicles. Overall, the month-long contest received over 1100+ entries from young minds all over India and led to over 3.2 Lakh visits on the website. This was possible due to the extensive marketing efforts which included promos not only on Sony BBC Earth but also on other channels within the Sony network. Additionally, extensive promotions on Sony BBC Earths social media pages, further amplified by cross promotions on other handles of Sony network, on Bhumis social media pages and even on promotional partners - Mom Junction and Baby Chakras pages helped spread the word about the contest. To find out more about the top 10 winning entries, one can visit https://www.sonybbcearth.com/ youngearthchampions/. Commenting on the initiative, Tushar Shah, Business Head, English Cluster, Sony Pictures Networks India, said, "Every programming or marketing initiative at Sony BBC Earth is aimed at bringing the audience closer to the natural world and making them feel alive. Through Young Earth Champions contest, we decided to elevate the voices of the youth and let them lead the way towards a sustainable future. It was overwhelming to see the enthusiasm and passion in the children. We are also extremely thankful to Bhumi Pednekar and Professor Vamsi for supporting us and for inspiring children to not stop with this one contest, but to make this a lifestyle. Bhumi Pednekar, actress and climate warrior, added here, Addressing issues about our environment and promoting sustainability is a need of the hour and there is no better audience set than the children of our nation as the future lies in their hands. I am glad that Sony BBC Earth involved me in this project as sustainability for me is a way of life. It was inspiring and reassuring to witness the innovative ideas of these young eco-conscious minds. These children indeed have the potential to be the catalyst for change and inspire many others. NASAs planet-hunting Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) missions previously discovered exoplanet dubbed KELT-9 b or HD 195689 b is found to be hotter than the stars with record temperatures that exceeded the hottest giant exoplanet Orb. About the size of Jupiter, the humongous exoplanets daytime temperature hit an alarming 7,800 Fahrenheit or 4,300 Celsius, particularly so hot according to the scientists, that it literally boiled away in space. Were fascinated with the weirdness that nature hands us, said B. Scott Gaudi, an astronomer at the Ohio State University who helmed the study published in the journal Nature, and recently in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. An astronomer at Universities Space Research Association in Columbia, Maryland, and NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, John Ahlers, explained that KELT-9 bs high temperature were extremely weird as the giant exoplanet was close to the polar orbit located next to a rapidly rotating bright star Sadr and it was odd that it turned out to be a very hot Jupiter approximately 670 light-years away. The exoplanet, about 1.8 times larger than Jupiter has characteristics traits like the Earths moon, experiences 2 summers, 2 winters, and each of its seasons lasts about 9 hours. It orbits its host star in just 36 hours, implying it must have a hot pole and a cool equator. But scientists found that the oblate spheroid-shaped Kelt-9 b, which was twice the size of the sun, was 56 percent hotter than the sun, and 38 times faster, comparatively. Kelt-9 bs ultra-hot atmosphere could likely be due to the thermal inversions because of the presence of titanium oxide (TiO), vanadium oxide (VO), iron hydride (FeH), and other metal hydride/oxides on its surface, scientists Quentin Changeat and Billy Edwards said in the study. It is the hottest exoplanet discovered yet, with its atmosphere dominated by neutral hydrogen, they further revealed. Scientists analyzed the exoplanets eclipse spectrum obtained from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3. Despite being at a distance nearly 10 times more than Mercury is to the sun, kelt-9 b is 90 percent hotter than most of the stars in the universe. This could be due to the chemical and thermal processes that changed its atmospheric dynamics. [Credit: NASA'S Goddard Space Flight Center] [Credit: NASA'S Goddard Space Flight Center/ESA] Super-Earth planets Earlier, similarly, NASAs Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovered three Super-Earth planets located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where rocky planet presumably has liquid water. Astronomers said that the findings were a breakthrough in identifying the extra-terrestrial life outside the solar system with perfect atmospheric conditions. Observed some 73 light-years away from Earth, the trio planets do not exist in the solar systems and are between the size of Earth and Neptune, packed in the system known as TOI-270 revealing key mysteries about super-Earths. TESS spotted the planets that were visible within the range of ground-based telescope and NASAs orbiting instrument James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). (Image Credit: NASA) New Delhi, March 16 : With the Union Home Ministry introducing the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 in Parliament on Monday, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has opposed the decision terming it an unconstitutional and undemocratic move by the Centre. The party leaders along with all the ministers in the Delhi government will protest at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. Soon after the Centre moved the Bill, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers began opposing it calling the move an attempt by the BJP-led Central government to rule Delhi from the backdoor. The AAP also slammed the BJP saying the Centre's action was a reaction after it lost in the MCD bypolls in Delhi and also seeing the growing popularity of the AAP from Delhi to Gujarat. "The Centre has conspired to limit an elected government's powers, and is attempting to overturn the judgement of a Constitution bench, all of it to restrict the powers of the Delhi government to stifle its growth," Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said. Rai said that with introducing the NCTD (Amendment) Act, 2021 in Parliament the BJP has shown its clear intention to grab power in Delhi. "One would do well to remember how even earlier, MHA made several attempts to restrict the powers of the Delhi government. All powers were submitted to the LG, every file would have to be routed via his office, which had led to several files being stalled, being delayed. Files pertaining to constructing mohalla clinics were delayed for years. The LG house even sat on files for installing CCTV cameras across the city," he added. Recalling the past incidents, Rai said, "All of us had sat all night at the LG house just to get a file cleared for the installation of CCTV cameras." He said that the same situation had arisen now, which had become a cause of worry for citizens of Delhi. Rai also raised his concern that through the LG, the Centre would derail all its projects such as the Deshbhakti budget under which several schemes were introduced. "Now every decision will be implemented at the mercy of the LG," he added. "Thus, the party has decided to protest against the Central government's decision to introduce a Bill that renders an elected government powerless." Soon after the Centre presented the Bill, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took a copy of the Constitution and read Article 239AA, which said, "There shall be a legislative assembly for the national capital. This Assembly shall have power to make laws for the whole and any part of the subject except public order, land and the police." After this amendment, Delhi government will be dependent on LG office for every single file to get necessary approval from it before implementing. What is the meaning of having an elected government and the Council of Ministers when it has no power? he added. However, this is not the first time when the AAP-led Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor came face to face in a constitutional power struggle. The conflict between the Kejriwal government and the Delhi LG had emerged for the first time in 2014 when Kejriwal had resigned from the Chief Minister's post after the former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung sent the Delhi government's 'Jan Lokpal Bill' to the Centre. Again in 2015, the LG decided to appoint S Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary of Delhi. Kejriwal had then called it unconstitutional and had directed officials not to follow any order from the LG office without consulting him. In 2016, the Anti-Corruption Bureau filed an FIR against Kejriwal. Meanwhile, following the matter, Jung had axed the health and PWD secretaries of the Delhi government. Again, Jung set up a panel to probe over 400 files related to the decisions taken by the Kejriwal government. In 2017 the VK Singhlu committee claimed nepotism to financial irregularities in the AAP government. Then LG Baijal had cancelled office allotment to the AAP and Kejriwal had called it a politically motivated decision by the LG. In the same year, 45 AAP MLAs had sat in protest for many hours accusing the LG of holding up the Delhi government's Mohalla Clinic project. The AAP had charged Baijal with acting on behalf of the BJP. The LG and the AAP government had confronted each other again on the matter of regularising guest teachers. In 2018, Kejriwal along with three cabinet ministers sat in protest at LG house for over a week, while the BJP MLAs sat in protest in the Delhi Secretariat due to this constitutional conflict between the elected government and the Centre appointed LG. Chennai, March 16 : Ahead of the Assembly polls, several Right to Information (RTI) activists have taken a plunge in Tamil Nadu's electoral battle contesting from the mainstream party tickets, which include, DMK, AIADMK and VCK. Senthil Arumugam, an RTI activist for the past 15 years, has been bringing out several issues pertaining to the lives of people. Arumugam is contesting from the Pallavaram constituency under the banner of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM). Speaking to IANS, Arumugam said: "I have been an RTI activist for the past fifteen years and have brought to the forefront several issues which were hushed up. Now I intend to take this up to a larger audience by fighting the elections and a win will directly help me intervening in the people's issue as a legislator." Several activists have now turned to the mainstream political parties as there is a dearth in their funding following the governmet's implementation of tough legislation restricting foreign donations. R.R.Senthilnathan, a Chennai-based RTI activist who also runs an NGO, said: "The central government has brought in tough restrictions on foreign funds and this is creating a major hindrance to our activities. I am now supporting VCK and am providing them materials which will be useful for their election campaign." He added,"I am charging money from them as I don't have a single penny as the funds were stopped from some major NGO's who are now running from pillar to post for meager funds to stay afloat." Shiv Ilango , who is contesting from Tambaram, told IANS: "I had contested elections against Karunanidhi and this is not new to me. However there is a lack of funds and I am now shifting from activism to mainstream politics which is a direct way to serve the people." While several civil society organisations and NGO's in and around Chennai are struggling to manage their affairs, several others are now trying their hands at the mainstream political parties who will take care of their affairs M. Arumugham, Chennai's DMK leader, said: "RTI activists among several others of them, need no formal political and social training as they are already in the helm of affairs and for us they are a big help as they provide us with a lot of information. They have information at their fingertips and in the modern world, information is the key, so we help them and instead take their help in getting each and every information regarding the constituency and local issues." Single phase polls to a total of 234 seats in Tamil Nadu are scheduled on April 6. The counting will be on May 2. Washington: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday that he has signed orders for deployment of new troops in Afghanistan as part of a new South Asia strategy announced recently by US President Donald Trump. In an interaction with Pentagon reporters, Mattis, however, refused to give any details of the new troop levels in terms of their numbers, deployment and where they are coming from. Yes. Ive signed orders but its not completed. In other words Ive signed some of the troops that will go and were identifying the specific ones, Mattis said. Mattis announcement came a day after the Pentagon disclosed that there are about 11,000 US troops in Afghanistan as against 8,600 announced earlier. Unveiling his South Asia strategy ten days ago to win the war on terrorism, Trump said he will prolong the US military intervention in Afghanistan, which he had once described as a complete waste. Trump acknowledged that his instincts told him to pull out troops from Afghanistan. Historically, I like following my instincts, Trump said. A hasty withdrawal, Trump said, would create a vacuum for terrorists. Let me just be real clear when you go into Afghanistan and youre carrying a gun youre going into a combat zone. I dont buy it. Dont get me wrong the fight will still be carried by the Afghan security forces plus the 38 other allies who were there alongside us and will be working, Mattis said. We have some counterterrorism strike teams that are there as you know. But by and large this is to enable the Afghan forces to fight more effectively. And there are some other things logistics, he said. Mattis said he would reveal details of the new troop level before the Congress soon. Theres always some who are going in and probably the specific alignment of those forces are starting to align with the decision to put more enablers in. In other words youll start seeing the change in the forces who are there as they become more aligned to the Presidents new assigned mission, he said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (Adds detail, background, reaction) By Terje Solsvik and Tim Barsoe OSLO/COPENHAGEN, March 16 (Reuters) - Norway, Britain and the European Union have reached a trilateral deal on catch limits for jointly managed North Sea fish stocks following the UK's exit from the EU, the three parties said on Tuesday. The new trilateral deal, covering common North Sea fishing quotas for cod, haddock, plaice, whiting, herring and saithe, is the first step toward ending legal havoc in key fishing waters since Britain completed its exit from the EU on Dec. 31. British Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis said that while the new accord covers common North Sea quotas, bilateral talks were underway with the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands to confirm access arrangements and fish quota exchanges. British, Danish, German, Swedish and French vessels all catch fish in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, home to some of the richest fishing stocks in Europe. Norway had sought a trilateral pact with Britain and the EU on management of North Sea fish that swim between waters belonging to the EU, Norway and Britain - before making separate deals with the EU and Britain on quotas. Norway, which is outside the EU but inside the European single market, had previously negotiated annually with the bloc about management of common fish stocks, access to each other's waters and exchange of fish quotas. That had to change, however, after Britain completed its exit from the EU at the end of last year. The lack of a deal especially harmed Danish fishermen as it had governed their catches of cod, pollock, hake and monkfish in a key Norwegian area of the North Sea. Many Danish fishing vessels have been confined to ports since January. "The deal will mean that Danish fishermen will have access to Norwegian waters again," said Kenn Skau Fischer, head of the Danish Fishermen Organization, the EU country's main fishing lobby group. "And it will mean that they have the possibility to plan their fishing for the whole year. Now they can actually make money again," he told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Gwladys Fouche and Mark Heinrich) HONG KONG, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 crisis has revealed several key issues in the procurement of medical equipment. As the number of suppliers drastically increased, many that had no track record in the sector were attempting to profit at the expense of public budgets and national healthcare systems. Trace Labs - the core developers of blockchain-based OriginTrail protocol - set out to create a decentralized Trusted COVID-19 Essential Supplies Repository to address these challenges. The project recently received important support from the World Economic Forum (WEF). In the newly released article "This is how blockchain can help fight pandemics", the WEF describes OriginTrail's admittance to UpLink, the WEFs crowdsourcing platform for innovations which is run together with COVID-19 Challenge partners like the World Health Organization and the Goldman Sachs Foundation. The vast scale of the effects of broken procurement of essential protective equipment was clearly visible in a single Interpol action fighting counterfeit products that spanned over 90 countries. Fraudulent products without proper certification were not only targeting consumers, they were very visibly targeting governmental procurement as well. Moreover, a recent report published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) - a consortium of investigative centers, media, and journalists operating in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Central America - showed how substandard protective equipment for COVID-19 is being sold in over a dozen countries, using misleading certificates produced by businesses in the heart of Europe. "Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, countries across Europe have been inundated with fake, substandard, and unverified personal protective equipment (PPE), endangering the lives of those who use it," the report stated. Many European countries have been deceived by misleading documentation issued by long-lasting European standards certification businesses. One such example was a company from Italy, which was quick to provide suppliers of non-conformant products with a document that alluded to certain verifications. Post-festum testing of the protective equipment performed in an independent laboratory in Sweden showed that over 50% of masks failed to meet minimum requirements. Additionally, there were also plenty of cases of pure falsification of CE certificates and the copying of logo images of standards certification companies to mislead governments, businesses, and individuals alike. Trusted COVID-19 Essential Supplies Repository To tackle these challenges, Trace Labs leverages the novel OriginTrail Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) - a paradigm-shifting approach to address supply-chain-specific issues based on multiple blockchain networks (Ethereum, xDai, and Polkadot). The OriginTrail DKG is already being used in several industries and global organizations, including the British Standards Institution and Supplier Compliance Audit Network (SCAN) which is comprised of some of the largest US importers like Walmart, Target, The Home Depot, and Costco for regulatory assurance and traceability purposes. Querying the OriginTrail DKG enables the finding of all available (connected) information on a particular product or location in a matter of seconds, spanning any number of datasets with any structure originating from different sources, easily verifying data provenance and integrity. Due to the innovative approach, the Trusted COVID-19 Essential Supplies Repository was admitted into the UpLink accelerator, which is the World Economic Forum's crowdsourcing platform for innovations . Trace Labs was able to benefit from numerous events and activities organised by WEF and COVID-19 Challenge partners such as the World Health Organization, Goldman Sachs Foundation, 500 Startups, Top Tier Impact, Impact Africa Network, Village Capital, and the Global Education & Leadership Foundation. As a first step, a crowdsourcing campaign was held to collect available open data on COVID-19 essential supplies, which resulted in data on over 16,000 essential supplies products being submitted to the repository. Following the successful crowdsourcing campaign, Trace Labs aims to enable procurers to access the data. Building resilience for the future The work on building greater resilience against the negative impacts of pandemics does not stop here for Trace Labs. Leveraging data privacy, security, and integrity will drive many future updates to the trusted repository, ensuring resilience for the current and possible future pandemics. About Trace Labs Trace Labs is a blockchain company developing enterprise solutions for trusted data exchange across the supply chain. Their solutions enable forward-thinking organizations to gain the most knowledge possible and make better decisions based on interconnected data from their supply chains. Trace Labs is also the core development company of the open-source OriginTrail protocol for blockchain-based data exchange. Founded in 2013, Trace Labs has built award-winning enterprise solutions for supply chains, including those for traceability and verifiable claims. In 2017, Trace Labs received an award from the Walmart Food Safety Collaboration Center. Trace Labs believes sustainable supply chains are only possible when all organizations, big or small, are allowed to benefit from trusted data exchanges. For more information about Trace Labs, please visit: tracelabs.io . For more information about OriginTrail, please visit: origintrail.io . Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGbS-iH37Qs Damascus, March 16 : UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen has called for more international diplomacy to end the ongoing war, suggesting the need for a new format of international engagement and discussion. "Yes, the Syrian parties must negotiate a settlement in a Syrian-led process and they need to show the political will to do so. But I am absolutely convinced that they will not progress far if a Syrian-led process is not supported by a constructive international diplomacy on Syria," he told the Security Council in a briefing on Monday. "After all, this is among the most deeply internationalised conflicts of a generation, with many of the issues that matter most to the Syrians not even in Syrian hands." The UN envoy's remarks came as the crisis marked its 10th year on Monday. According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are 6.2 million people, including 2.5 million children, displaced within Syria, the biggest internally displaced population in the World. Briefing the Council on the atrocities inflicted on the people in the last 10 years, Pedersen said: "The Syrian tragedy will go down as one of the darkest chapters in recent history. The Syrian people are among the greatest victims of this century. "They have been injured, maimed and killed in every way imaginable -- their corpses even desecrated. They have been snatched from the streets, thrown into prisons or abducted, disappeared, mistreated, tortured, paraded in cages, and ransomed or exchanged in prisoner swap deals." The world has not succeeded in helping deliver the Syrians from what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called "a living nightmare", Pedersen noted. "I express the profound regret of the UN that we have yet not been able to mediate an end to this tragic conflict." The unrest in Syria, which began on March 15, 2011 as part of the wider 2011 Arab Spring protests, grew out of discontent with the Syrian government and escalated to an armed conflict after protests calling for President Bashar al-Assad's removal were violently suppressed. A number of foreign countries, including Iran, Israel, Russia, Turkey, and the US, have either directly involved themselves in the conflict or provided support to one or another faction. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at 387,118 people have been killed as of December 2020, among them 116,911 civilians. There were 205,300 people missing or presumed dead, including 88,000 civilians believed to have died of torture in government-run prisons. Chennai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tamil Nadu president L Murugan on Sunday (March 14) lashed out at the DMK over its promise of abolishing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) examination and they have a habit to lie. When asked about the DMK`s manifesto, he said that they themselves introduced the NEET during the UPA government and now they are promising to withdraw it."The DMK always lies. They have a habit to lie. They themselves introduced the NEET when the UPA government was in power and now they are promising to withdraw it. They are just trying to influence people. But everyone knows who introduced the NEET and people are very clear that the DMK introduced it," Murugan said. As part of its manifesto for the Tamil Nadu elections, the DMK has said that it will bring a law to abolish the NEET if it is voted to power. The state BJP chief further said MLAs are joining his party because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's good, dynamic and strong governance. "You cannot say this is my hard work. Whoever is joining our party has faith in PM Modi. MLAs want to come to join BJP as PM Modi is giving good, dynamic and very strong governance," Murugan said. Murugan alleged the DMK and Congress are following dynasty politics."We have quoted them as 2G, 3G and 4G. 2G is Maran brothers, 3G Stalin brothers and 4G is for the Nehru dynasty. They are following dynasty politics," he said. He further alleged that DMK and Congress only give importance to the son of their leaders."Their party members are all fed up because they are not getting any importance even they are working hard. But in the BJP, only hard work and dedication is enough. But in DMK and Congress, only dynasty politics is enough. They must be the son of leader or son of an important leader that is the eligibility criteria there," Murugan added. Earlier on Sunday (March 14), BJP has announced the names of its 20 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. The DMK will contest 173 seats out of the total 234, while 187 will contest under the DMK symbol.DMK will contest 173 seats while apportioning a total of 61 seats to its alliance partners. MK Stalin-led party has allotted 25 seats to its Congress party, and six each for CPI, CPI (M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Vaiko`s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK). Elections to the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly will be held on April 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2. Live TV Tetra Pak and Rockwell Automation, announced a strategic business collaboration for Cheese and Powder Solutions. The combined business expertise will deliver data and technology to reduce variability and improve quality consistency, helping ensure finished products are produced sustainably and cost effectively within demand-driven manufacturing environments, a statement said. The collaboration starting with Evaporation and Spray Drying has resulted in Tetra Paks new Powder Plant Booster solution, to be packaged with Rockwell Automations Model Predictive Control (MPC) and its Pavilion8 and PlantPAx MPC technology. The combination of Tetra Paks food application expertise and the leading digital technology of Rockwell Automation1 will help producers to adapt to fluctuating demand-driven manufacturing far more quickly and more cost effectively. Pavilion8 driven applications have been shown by Rockwell Automation to deliver possible product quality variability reductions of up to 60%, reductions in off-spec products by up to 75%, improved throughputs up to 9%, and reductions in energy per unit of product up to 9%2. This allows producers to fully optimise their operations helping them stay competitive while meeting changing market demands. Fred Griemsmann, Vice President Cheese & Powder Systems at Tetra Pak said: The food and drink industry now requires that producers have a level of agility never seen before. This means we must be ready to offer our customers advanced processing control technology that is both flexible and precise. Customers can leverage our food application expertise, have access to production data in real time and adapt their process variables to match requirements without any loss in quality, productivity, or throughput. This unique collaboration with Rockwell Automation provides the foundation upon which this capability is based. Matthew Fordenwalt, VP GM, Systems & Solutions, Rockwell Automation, said: Rockwell Automation is delighted to build upon a relationship that spans 35 years and collaborate with Tetra Pak, a company that shares our view that deeply understanding customers and their best opportunities for productivity creates value. We believe shared customers insights, coupled with technology and domain expertise, will deliver real value focused outcomes to the industry. This business collaboration showcases how a combination of expertise can help customers achieve important business-critical goals, even on a global scale. Tetra Pak can now offer its Evaporation and Spray Drying customers proven Advanced Process Control and Model Predictive Control solutions that have demonstrated success all around the world. The Powder Plant Booster solution with complementary Pavilion8 software is a process modelling, advanced control and optimisation platform that integrates with any control system to continuously provide real-time insight, diagnostics, and advanced control. It achieves this by delivering an intelligence layer on top of basic automation systems, which, due to its built-in performance metrics, continuously drives plants towards addressing multiple business objectives.--TradeArabia News 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 Williamstown Accused of Trying to 'Crush' Critics of Police Department WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A member of the town's diversity committee Monday suggested that the town's decision to place a police sergeant on administrative leave could be a retaliatory move and that the allegations against the sergeant are less egregious than those against officers accused of under investigation for unlawfully accessing a Registry of Motor Vehicles database. On Tuesday morning, the town manager said the town is "keenly aware of the obligation to avoid any retaliatory actions" and that the paid administrative leave is justified by the need to investigate efforts to look into new information about Sgt. Scott McGowan. The decision on administrative leave and the revelation of the data breach involving 20 residents of the town sparked outrage on Monday night. "I want to know why Scott McGowan is on leave because of some internal bickering when citizens have been violated in this fashion and there are people who are the level of discipline is not commensurate with what an officer right now, who is on administrative for, I believe, doing less, causing less harm," Bilal Ansari said at the outset of the Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee meeting. "I want to know why. I hope that this is not a retaliation from [Town Manager Jason Hoch] against Scott. "If that's the punishment that has been sent, why are not these officers held to the same standard. I have a problem with injustice anywhere. And if this is not being done across the board, I have a problem with that." When McGowan's paid leave was announced, Hoch noted that such an action is not punitive but rather a step that will allow an investigation to take place while McGowan is not on active duty. When acting Chief Michael Ziemba last week announced the violations of the commonwealth's Criminal Justice Information System, he said the personnel involved were "disciplined" but declined to get into specifics. Hoch indicated Tuesday that the town is not ready to announce the extent of that discipline but would do so at a later date. "Right now, as some of the discipline has just been issued, we're respecting the appeal provision of the contract," Hoch said. "We are also putting together our report to CJIS about the incident, corrective measures implemented and discipline taken. I expect that report, when completed, will be able to be shared more broadly." McGowan, meanwhile, has been the subject of a series of articles in The Berkshire Eagle detailing allegations of misconduct ranging back over the last 20 years; according to The Eagle's reporting, those allegations were known to the Williamstown Police Department at the time they occurred and McGowan was disciplined at the time. Hoch said Tuesday that the recent administrative leave is connected to new information and not related to McGowan's complaint of whistle-blower discrimination raised in filings with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and, later, a federal lawsuit that McGowan withdrew in December. "We became aware of new information that merited further investigation," Hoch said. "The decision was made to fulfill our responsibility to review those claims and is not retaliation. The town is keenly aware of the obligation to avoid any retaliatory actions. "The administrative leave is based on new information. We continue to consider past administrative responses to all incidents in the past as closed." Ansari on Monday night accused town and Police Department of trying to "crush" McGowan or anyone critical of the department, including residents whose personal information was accessed in the CJIS database. "The suspension or the putting Scott McGowan on administrative leave is a direct slap in the face to any momentum going forward, and this smear campaign and personal attack against him is: If you dare come against the town, if you dare come against the WPD, this is what we'll do. We will crush you," Ansari said. "It's the same retaliation. It's the same retaliation. This going after us, the 20 [whose information was accessed] is the same retaliation. If you dare go against the system, we will crush you, even if you're a white man with white as white skin with blue eyes, we will crush you. Even if you wear blue, if you go against us, we will crush you. "This has to stop. Stop it. "I feel bad because Scott [McGowan] came to my house for three hours. I said, 'Scott, stop it. This lawsuit is stopping me and people in town from talking to the WPD.' Scott had decency enough, when things changed, when [former Police Chief Kyle Johnson] stepped down, he stopped it. And, guess what? They came after him." Hoch said Tuesday that he made the final decision to place McGowan on administrative leave in consultation with Ziemba and the town counsel. Hoch said it is up to the Select Board to decide whether to add the investigation related to McGowan or the accessing of the CJIS database to the responsibilities of Brookline attorney Judy Levenson, who the board contracted to do an independent investigation into allegations raised in McGowan's lawsuit. Depending on the outcome of the WPD's internal investigation, the personnel involved in the unauthorized database search could still be subject to discipline beyond what they already have received, Hoch said. Ziemba on Friday sent a letter to residents whose information was accessed illegally, explaining that the information was "limited to name, date of birth, address, vehicle description and plate number, license number and, in some cases, Social Security number." Ziemba told the residents, "this information was not disseminated nor used or retained for any reason by the officers accessing it." Such assurances did little to assuage the anger of members of the DIRE Committee or members of the public who spoke during its Monday meeting. "Anybody else's sister got searched, who is listening to this right now?" said Jeffrey Johnson, a DIRE Committee member who is running for Select Board in May's town election. "That's my sister who was on the radio today. My 110-pound sister. There's nothing appropriate I can say right now. You can hear it in my voice, right? "As I sat around on Facebook watching people go back and forth over the weekend, you know what I did? I actually started doing something. I've already talked to Ziemba, multiple times. I'm very happy that he's trying to move toward transparency. I'm going down there on Thursday with the HR information I have from the state to help develop some policies so we know who, what, when, where and why in the future. I know that things happen, but this is very personal to me now. "Nobody should feel like this." DIRE Committee member Aruna D'Souza criticized members of the Select Board for recently saying Hoch was "bullied" into resigning, and said that WPD personnel illegally accessing records truly is bullying behavior. "It really needs to be said to the Select Board, who very blithely threw around the word 'bullying' at one of their recent meetings, that this is actually bullying," D'Souza said. "What the police officers did was actual bullying. The letter the police union sent in the fall accusing the DIRE Committee and other activists in town of criticizing what they seemingly believe to be their unchecked authority and the Select Board seemingly endorsing that letter by praising the actions of the police and not standing up for the DIRE Committee or activist who were acting in fully appropriate ways that took advantage of the democratic process in this town and their ability to speak back to power that was bullying." D'Souza later said it is ridiculous that some in town tolerate police misconduct as alleged in McGowan's lawsuit and more recently with the CJIS breach, when there is relatively little crime and the police appear to spend most of their time "helping direct traffic." "At this point, it feels like the Police Department is actually causing more problems than they're helping with in our town," D'Souza said. "I may be wrong about that. I may not know about secret plots to rob all our houses and tie us up and whatever that the Police Department has secretly been able to avert. But my sense right now is what we are dealing with is a Police Department that has turned our jobs into full-time jobs. "Even just from a management point of view, that seems like a problem. If you've got a department in your town that has created so many problems that you are now full-time devoted to dealing with the problems in that department, that seems like something that needs to be dealt with." In addition to expressing its anger over recent events at the WPD, the DIRE Committee on Monday passed a resolution calling on the Select Board to involve a member from DIRE in the selection process for advisory groups to be named this year to find a permanent town manager and a permanent police chief. Further, the panel wants one of its members to be named to each of the search committees and that those committees, "include input from diverse community members, with particular emphasis given to recruiting and selecting members from traditionally marginalized groups." 'Progressive nationalism': Scholars evaluate the state of liberalism in 2021 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A George Washington University academic and author warned during a recent panel discussion about the acceleration of an anti-liberal progressive nationalism that seeks to impose a highly specific and controversial vision of social order. Dr. Samuel Goldman, the executive director of the John L. Loeb, Jr. Institute for Religious Freedom and the director of the Politics and Values Program at George Washington University, spoke during a discussion titled Evaluating Liberalism hosted by Baylor University Friday. According to Goldman, Many of the challenges to traditional or other religious communities today are not grounded in liberalism, theyre grounded in the abandonment of liberalism in favor of an immersion of submission of private or communal goods to the national public good. While many in the United States have come to associate the term liberalism with the political left, Goldman explained that much of the agenda of the modern left is anti-liberal in effect and often also in intention. Goldman maintained that Christian nationalism, mentioned as a threat to the traditional understanding of liberalism by another member of the panel, was a far less significant and powerful phenomenon" than "the revival of a non-liberal and even anti-liberal progressive nationalism, which seeks to impose a highly specific and controversial vision of social order. Although she did not contend that cancel culture was a result of the anti-liberal progressive nationalism Goldman warned about, Kristen Johnson of the Western Theological Seminary brought up the phenomenon when describing the idea of tolerance as a virtue of liberalism. She cited cancel culture as an example of how the country may have reached a point where were not sure how to live together with those differences. If I think about boycotts that were in the Civil Rights Movement, [they] werent to shut down a business, but to garner a level of rights and participation in our civil and political society," Johnson, an associate professor of theology and Christian formation, said. "And now it seems like when I look at how boycotts are being used, its often to shut down a business because of a conviction with which one disagrees. Thats not really the good part of tolerance that I think liberalism was trying to carve out space for. She praised the idea that we can allow certain levels of difference to coexist and be OK with that and view that as a good. Goldman and Johnsons analysis followed the panelists' attempts to come up with a working definition of liberalism. Dr. David Corey, a political science professor at Baylor University and the director of Baylors Washington, D.C. program known as Baylor in Washington, served as the panel's moderator. Corey described liberalism as a way of doing politics that competes with socialism on the one hand as a way of thinking about politics and the authoritarian state on the other hand. He asserted that traditional liberalism values individual freedom and autonomy and formal equality. William Cavanaugh, the director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Technology and a professor of Catholic Studies at DePaul University, described liberalism as an ideology that focuses on the prioritizing of the free over the good. Proponents of liberalism argue, he contended, that as a society, were not going to decide on substantive goods." Rather, he said, they argue that "were going to prioritize freedom and let everybody decide what they think is good. Most progressives are liberal and most conservatives are also liberal, Corey stressed. He alleged that both groups have a desire to adjust some of the rawness of a kind of natural liberal order, with conservatives wanting to attenuate some of the ways in which liberalism tends to undercut associations while progressives may be wanting to attenuate the tendency towards wealth inequality. Liberalism is an attempt and not always a successful one to find a middle course between two parallel dangers, Goldman said. One is the immersion of the private into the public that is the subordination of individual freedom to ostensibly shared purposes. The other is the reduction of the public entirely to the private, so it becomes impossible to recognize any purpose or any good that is not derived from individual, unaccountable subjective preferences. The GWU professor stated that because liberalism has "emerged historically as a way of preventing the first danger," it is "constantly at risk" of "encouraging or enabling the second danger." Cavanaugh referred to two of the principles associated with traditional liberalism: the ideas of religious toleration and the idea that you would take coercive power away from the Church as unvarnished goods. He clarified that the separation of church and state does not necessarily mean the separation of religion and politics. The discussion also focused heavily on the contemporary challenges of abiding by traditional liberalism, with Corey conceding that freedom is actually a very difficult thing to live out. It requires self-discipline," the moderator said. "If were not going to be disciplined by family and by church, then it requires self-restraint and self-discipline if its going to correlate reasonably to human flourishing. We place such a value on freedom that anything in our culture that exercises restraint upon us, like our churches or like our families, finds itself swimming upstream, he continued. The project of living a free life is incredibly demanding. And to expect that all citizens can do this and thrive without restraint is ideological and utopian. Cavanaugh recalled how James Madison believed that You need virtuous citizens to make this experiment work. Agreeing with Corey that society has to depend on other kinds of communities to inculcate virtue, Cavanaugh lamented the advancement of a kind of patriotism and nationalism that in a way substitutes for more traditional forms of belonging. He stated that the "danger" becomes that people "make a God" out of the "nation" or a "God out of the nation-state." And so, once youve kind of made freedom the ultimate good and the protection of freedom, a kind of contentless freedom as the ultimate good, then that becomes what you kill and die for," the DePaul University professor argued. "And it becomes a new sort of perverse God. And that, especially for people that believe in a real God, is a real and present danger to me. As the conversation concluded, Goldman called for a 21st-century counterpart to one of the great efforts of 19th-century classical liberal association, which was the temperance movement. He said the movement was precisely about "cultivating self-discipline in the face of temptation, not merely on an individual level, but through association and formation. Acknowledging that the temperance movement gets a bad rep, Goldman promoted it as a useful model of citizens confronting a problem of social corruption and individual temptation and trying to figure out what they could do about it together without ... relying entirely on the force of government. The Evaluating Liberalism panel was the first event in a partnership between Baylor in Washington and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America called the Joint Initiative on Faith and the American Commonwealth. The goal of the new initiative is to explore together some places where people from different faith traditions have to wrestle with issues of social, political, or economic life and serve as a platform where people can think out loud about some of these difficult issues. New Delhi, March 16 : India and Bangladesh are expected to sign an economic partnership agreement over the next five years which will preserve trade rights for Bangladesh. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, "Over the next five years, we expect the two countries to sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), which will preserve trade privileges for Bangladesh once it graduates from the UN's least developed country status in 2026." The Economist Intelligence Unit has detailed the focal points of India-Bangladesh relations over the next five years. This comes ahead of the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to Bangladesh on March 26th- his first foreign visit in the last 15 months. "Although no major agreements are expected to be signed, we view Mr Modi's visit as a significant show of the continuation of warm ties between the two neighbours, despite some tense undercurrents recently," EIU said. The CEPA will be wider than a traditional bilateral free trade agreement, addressing non-trade barriers, e-commerce, services investment and facilitation of trade at the border, EIU said. The resolution of the Teesta River water-sharing issue, which faces opposition from the state administration in the Indian state of West Bengal, will depend on the upcoming legislative elections (March 27th-April 29th) in that state, the report said. "We expect the outcome of the state elections to be close between the incumbent All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the former retaining a much-weakened mandate on balance," EIU said. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on March 15, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) 50 House Democrats Call on Biden to Slash Pentagons Budget Fifty House Democrats sent a letter to President Joe Biden to slash the Department of Defenses $700 billion budget. While we are heartened that your administration is not contemplating expanding the Pentagons already inflated budget, our new Democratic majorities in Congress along with your administration should go further, House lawmakers wrote Tuesday in a letter to the president. Rather than requesting a flat Pentagon budget, we urge you to seek a significantly reduced Pentagon topline. The letter, signed by 50 lawmakers, was organized by Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.). Thoughtful analysis from experts across the political spectrum shows that significant cuts can be achieved without reducing the support, pay, or benefits provided to our men and women in uniform and their families. We could cut the Pentagon budget by more than ten percent and still spend more than the next ten largest militaries combined, according to their letter. At the same time, the Democratic lawmakers called on the administration to end the forever wars, referring to U.S. intervention in conflicts in the Middle East. A broad cross-section of voters and organizations, including conservative, faith-based, and progressive groups, support responsible spending reductions at the Pentagon, the letter added. The same voters who sent you to the White House on this promise sent us to Congress, expecting us to make this vision a reality and to chart a new course. Therefore, we strongly urge you to request a reduced Pentagon budget when you send your Fiscal Year 2022 budget to Congress. The letter did not elaborate on the percentage that needs to be slashed at the Pentagon. They furthermore argued that hundreds of billions of dollars that are being used by the military could have greater return if invested in diplomacy, humanitarian aid, global public health, sustainability initiatives, and basic research. Efforts to cut the DODs budget will likely face strong bipartisan opposition in Congress. Republicans are pushing Biden to increase the defense budget by between 3 and 5 percent, according to The Hill. Their strategy seeks to position the U.S. military to compete more with Russia and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rather than focus on counter-terrorism operations. The Epoch Times has contacted the DOD for comment. COVIDs erosion of informal mechanisms in the workplace has been a boon for enterprise service management (ESM) vendors. For example, if you worked on a large corporate campus pre-pandemic and had an HR question, you could literally wander the halls to find your answer. That world is gone, said Charles Betz, principal analyst covering infrastructure and operations at Forrester. Thats why enterprise service management vendors have done very well. ESM vendors all saw revenue increase last year, according to Betz, as enterprises recognized the need to publish services in service catalogs where employees working from home could find them. ServiceNow is among the key ESM vendors profiting from this shift: In January it posted its sixth consecutive quarter of year-on-year revenue growth over 30%. The company has also just posted an update to the Now Platform software on which its ESM offering is built. The workflow paradigm ServiceNows Now Platform Quebec release builds on last Septembers Paris release, with new tools for process and workforce optimization, and a significant expansion of the development tools for ServiceNows low-code platform. Stephen Elliot, IDCs program vice president for management software and devops, sees improvements in three areas with this release: allowing enterprises to take advantage of ServiceNow faster; further differentiating ServiceNows offering through artificial intelligence and more automation; and a focus on continuous optimization of the way teams work and collaborate. Those are all issues of concern for ServiceNow users, he said: Increasingly, customers are looking at, How fast can I learn this? How many people can hop on? How easy is it for me to work with my peer groups? ServiceNow, he said, is looking to increase its role in enterprise automation: They really want to be that platform of platforms, the thread to pull all the workflows together. Low code isnt low risk Although ServiceNow is making it easier for anyone to begin coding with the Quebec release, enterprises must think carefully before giving just any end-user access to the new tools, warned Foresters Betz. You can have the easiest-to-use development tool in the world, but if the person using it is not a logical thinker, bad things are going to ensue, he said. That means ensuring (low) coders have a clear understanding of the enterprise data model and how the steps in the process they are automating depend on one another. But he also made a case that software development whether no-code, low-code, or pro-code should no longer be reserved for the IT team, rolled up under a dedicated leader. ServiceNows answer is to add a new category of workflows to the IT, employee (HR), and customer workflows it already supports. The new Creator workflows are intended to support the process of automating other workflows using two new low-code development tools. The first, App Engine Studio, is a visual development environment that guides the creation process, while App Engine Templates are workflow building blocks that already embody some of the necessary logical thinking. Coding is increasingly taught with highly visual paradigms, so App Engine Studio will reduce friction for new citizen developers in the enterprise, said Betz. He suggested that CIOs wait for new coders to come forward themselves and let them develop something low-risk that theyre interested in: Theres a lot of harmless workflows that are done in spreadsheets or emails. If somebody shows theyve got an aptitude for it, have them move onto bigger and better things. If that sounds too freewheeling, then App Engine Templates can provide a way for ServiceNow to respond to a different need: governance. CIOs are looking to put guard rails around development tools such as this, to take care of access rights and security, according to IDCs Elliot. ServiceNow is in an interesting spot, he said. They can put these guard rails in out-of-the-box templates right off the jump for developers or business analysts to write these things. Optimizing processes and productivity Automating processes is all very well, but it doesnt necessarily speed them up: There can still be bottlenecks. An enterprise might have a process in place for onboarding new employees that takes eight weeks from end to end, and its only through investigation and analysis that it can pinpoint security approvals, say, as the main cause of delay. In the context of a process management framework its not necessarily easy to run those kinds of analytics, said Betz. To respond to that need, ServiceNow has added new visual tools for process optimization and workforce optimization, identifying bottlenecks in workflows and monitoring staff workload and productivity. These are the most revolutionary elements in the Quebec update, according to Betz. The modern knowledge worker has been undermanaged or inappropriately managed, and the lack of visibility into knowledge work remains a problem for many enterprises, he said. The consolidation of workflows on platforms such as Now opens up the possibility of running analytics to identify processes in need of improvement, and where best to make those changes. Companies say that staff are their greatest asset, he said, but to start managing processes as enterprise resources is absolutely spot on here. With this release, ServiceNow is becoming an ERP-class solution, he said: Its no longer ERP for IT, its ERP for knowledge work. CIOs can also make use of these process management tools to ensure software development does not go off the rails, Betz said. Agile teams are often hostile to internal shared services such as infrastructure and are reluctant to rely on them, fearing they will take too long. If CIOs can optimize internal shared processes to the point that developers can rely on them, they will be less likely to try to do everything themselves. Youve got to be customer-focused because they will just go to Amazon and spin up a dev instance if you dont produce it for them, and then youve got all kinds of security and compliance headaches, he said. The Quebec software release also includes new UI builder capabilities, Employee workflow tools for HR services, more AI enhancements for predictive AIOps, personalized search, and chatbot creation. It became generally available on March 11. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Tuesday (March 16) accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) of vandalising its Ambedkar yatra in Kakdwip, West Bengal. Accusing the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC of vandalism, Nadda said, "I had inaugurated the yatra from Kotulpur but the yatra that was scheduled to start from Kakdwip was vandalised by TMC goons, they tried to stop it. The BJP condemns it." "The BJP had decided it will take out two Ambedkar yatras, one from Kakdwip and another from Kotulpur. These yatras were planned from the point of view of the development of our Schedule Caste brothers, for their harmony. They were organised to glorify Dr Ambdekar`s life, the way he worked for the upliftment of the society and specifically to bring the brothers of the Scheduled caste into the mainstream of our society," the BJP senior leader told ANI. "The BJP was trying to take forward the ideologies of Dr Ambedkar through these yatras and establish peace and harmony in the society, but the TMC did not let that happen." He claimed that TMC is resorting to vandalism because of restlessness and that Banerjees party knows BJP will form a government in West Bengal. Earlier, Nadda had taken a dig at Mamata Banerjee and asked her when she would quit politics. Reminding her that she had said she will leave politics if the Batla House encounter turned out to be true, Nadda said at West Bengal's Kotulpur, "The Batla House incident took place 13 years ago where the Delhi Police was fighting the terrorists. When a terrorist Ariz Khan was arrested there, Mamata didi said that this encounter is fake, if it will be true, I will leave politics." He asked, "The court has now ordered that Ariz Khan should be hanged. I ask when will you retire from politics Mamata Didi?" The eight-phased West Bengal Assembly polls are scheduled to begin from March 27. The votes will be counted on May 2. Live TV LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Cyber Apps World Inc. (OTC PINK:CYAP) ("Cyber Apps" or the "Company") (Cyberappsworld.com), an acquirer and developer of innovative cyber technologies with the potential for disruptive scalability and eventual spin-off success, is excited to announce that the Company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 50% interest in "Privacy and Value", a technology solution geared toward management of remote workers with an emphasis on balancing privacy and productivity concerns. Once the acquisition and development are complete, the Company plans to file an S-1 registration statement and spin off its interest in Privacy and Value as a separate trading entity, benefitting CYAP shareholders through proportional issuance and allocation of shares. The Company recently released an explanatory video detailing this spin-off process (related to its "WarpSpeed Taxi" project, which is another solution in late-stage development at Cyber Apps). "We are locked in on the thesis that the post-pandemic world will be a new operating environment," commented Mohammed Irfan Rafimiya Kazi, President of Cyber Apps. "Expert workplace analysis suggests that, in the developed world, up to 10 times as many people may be permanently working from home after the pandemic compared to before it. This massive disruption of the management industry opens up a massive opportunity. However, no solution to remote managerial oversight will work unless it proactively and responsibly addresses the concerns of employees in terms of privacy and respect. Striking that balance is key, and we believe we have a solution with the potential to set a new standard capable of scaling on a global level." Cyber Apps' agreement to acquire an interest in the Privacy and Value software solution was executed with LIMITLESS PROJECTS INC ("Limitless"), a software development firm located in Wyoming. The intended features of the Privacy and Value software solution include: Monitoring employees' computer activities, but only while they are actually working on the system -- ie, while logged in for work, Accessing and viewing employee activity in real time (including keystrokes), recording, timestamping, and storing employee data for future management use, Gauging worker productivity and engagement with work activities during prescribed work hours for which workers are being compensated, Offering tools for managers in tabular and graphic form to compare employee efficiency based on inputs relevant to the system. Kazi added, "Complex systems reorganize in powerful ways when a large percentage of people making up those systems all change their behaviors in important ways simultaneously and for extended periods, and the technology horizon moves in reaction. This is even more true when the direction of that change is aligned with basic widespread preference. In other words, most people would rather work from home if they could. Companies seeking to attract skilled workers in the post-pandemic world will be at a competitive disadvantage if they can't evolve to meet this new constraint." The Company sees the Human Resources Technology market as primed for explosive growth as large and small organizations increasingly shift toward greater long-term reliance on work-from-home standards, creating significant new needs at the enterprise level set to drive a wave of investment in innovative HR technology solutions. According to analysis from Global Workplace Analytics, 56% of the U.S. workforce holds a job that is compatible (at least partially) with remote work and only 3.6% of the employee workforce was working at home half-time or more prior to the pandemic health crisis. Global Workplace Analytics projects that number will rise 7-9 times over, resulting in the need to manage 25-30% of the total workforce on remote terms. Kazi added, "We intend to finalize development of this state-of-the-art software solution and then launch, market, and sell the product. During this process, we will focus on spinning off the solution as an independent trading entity." About Cyber Apps World Inc. Cyber Apps World, Inc. is a company that is dedicated to acquiring and developing a worldwide e-commerce internet platform with the purchase and sale of products and services by way of mobile/computer applications worldwide. Cyber Apps World anticipates making available to subscribers, an ever-growing list of applications and programs. For more information go to: https://cyberappsworld.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information 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 contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Cyber Apps World, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Cyber Apps World, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Address 9436 W. Lake Mead Blvd. Suite 5-53 Las Vegas, NV 89134 Phone: (702) 805-0632 For All Inquiries Contact: info@cyberappsworld.com Public Relations EDM Media, LLC https://edm.media (800) 301-7883 SOURCE: Cyber Apps World Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635660/Cyber-Apps-World-CYAP-Enters-Agreement-to-Acquire-50-Interest-in-Scalable-Work-From-Home-HR-Software-Solution-for-Launch-and-Subsequent-Spin-Off Shoppers are obsessing over a $6.95 cleaning product called The Pink Stuff that can banish tough stains, grease and grime in just minutes. The Mrs. Hinch-approved paste has just landed in Australia after becoming a go-to cleaning product in millions of homes across the UK. Fans of the brand claim the product works wonders for leaving surfaces shiny clean without hours of scrubbing - all while using 99 per cent natural ingredients. The paste can be used on most surfaces in all areas of the home, including tiles, glass, paintwork, outdoor furniture, cooktops, ovens, pots and pans, door handles, sinks, baths, showers, BBQs and even trainers. The sell-out product has been so popular on social media, 'thepinkstuff' hashtag has been used more than 90 million times on TikTok. Scroll down for video Shoppers are obsessing over a $6.95 cleaning product called The Pink Stuff that can remove tough stains, grease and grime in just minutes (left picture showing a dirty pan; and right shiny clean after using The Pink Stuff) The product is very easy to use, simply leave a layer of the pink paste on stubborn stains for a few minutes before gently wiping off with a dry cloth The product is very easy to use, simply leave a layer of the pink paste on stubborn stains for a few minutes before gently wiping off with a dry cloth. Hundreds of Australians have shared their glowing reviews online, with one Sydney shopper saying the product 'does more than clean the kitchen and bathroom'. 'It removed the baked-on splatter from our air fryer and it took the corrosion and rust off the old Harley Davidson muffler with no effort after sitting there for 40 years. It cleans heavy weathered corrosion and rust well plus more,' she said. Another fan said she simply 'loves' the product after she was able to remove stubborn marks from her wall including nail polish, permanent marker and stamp ink. 'Everything else striped the paint except this... It cleaned so much more than just my walls - it's an everything product - love it,' she said. One father said he was intially 'skeptical' when he saw the product going viral online. 'I was absolutely wrong. If you have kids who love drawing on the walls or cleaning anything is difficult - get this product you won't be disappointed. Must buy and this is a necessity if you have kids,' he said. And another customer added: 'Worked so well - I've tried everything from natural cleaners to the most chemical ridden stuff and this by far exceeded my expectations.' Before and after: A $6.95 'miracle' cleaning product with a huge following in the UK has landed in Australia for the first time (picture showing the result after a shopper used the paste to get her oven glass sparkling clean) The product has been popular among thousands, including queen of cleaning Sophie Hinchliffe, aka Mrs. Hinch, who raved about the paste on her Instagram page with more than four million followers, calling it nothing short of miraculous The product has been popular among thousands, including queen of cleaning Sophie Hinchliffe, aka Mrs. Hinch, who raved about the paste on her Instagram page with more than four million followers, calling it nothing short of miraculous. 'Get your tub of Pink Stuff and start Hinching away all those stubborn marks on the inside of the oven and glass,' Mrs. Hinch said. 'Or work a decent amount of the paste onto the filthy underside of a saucepan. Leave for a bit and then work your [sponge] in circular motions to work the paste into the pan then scrub off any burnt-on debris.' The Pink Stuff is produced by Star Brands, a British company dedicated to designing cleaning products that allow you to clean your home with ease. The Mrs. Hinch-approved paste can be used on most surfaces, including pots and pans Dozens have been sharing their incredible results on social media after using the cleaning paste, including one who was able to remove 10 years worth of grease and grime from her oven. Thousands are swearing by the product for removing stubborn marks, baked-in stains and even rusty items including doorknobs, knockers and handles, towel rails, toasters, kettles, sinks and bins. Shoppers also using the paste on wheels and frames from old bicycles or scooters to bring the piece back to life while the product works well on lifting rust off outdoor metal chairs and tables to make them shining like new again. The cleaning paste is sold exclusively on CleanHQ online store for just $6.95 for a tub of 500g, or shoppers can find great deals on bundles - including The Pink Stuff and Scrub Mommy twin pack for $13.50 or a three-piece set for $19.50. 'Scrub Mommys is non-scratch so you won't damage your pans, leaving them as good as new,' Mrs. Hinch added. A local publican who led the way by closing ahead of St. Patrick's Day last year has described the past twelve months as a disaster for business but is optimistic about reopening early summer. It is twelve months since Derry pubs took the tough decision to close because of the risks posed by Covid-19. Pressure was mounting on the British and NI Governments to act when the first Coronavirus cases emerged in the UK in January and NI at the end of February, 2020. Before the government issued any formal directive for businesses to shut, the owners of Peadar ODonnells announced that they would shut its doors on March 15, 2020. Assessing the past year, joint-owner William McGuinness said: Its been a disaster for us, its been a disaster for everybody. What can you say, its the same for everybody. Hospitality has been the worst hit. A lot of people can work from home and people can go on furlough and get a big percentage of their wages. But pub owners like ourselves who arent a limited company, our income has just stopped. William McGuinness and his business partner Phil Nolan took the decision to close two days before the busiest date on the calendar for Irish bars - St Patricks Day. They did so in the interests of public health. The men also own The Gweedore and Fifty Seven nightclub which sit next door to Peadars on Waterloo Street. Along with other publicans in the city, they took a massive financial hit by closing. At the time British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stalled before announcing that all non-essential businesses would close on March 23 his delayed response was viewed as a mistake. Speaking to the Derry News over the weekend, Mr McGuinness said he didnt expect to be closed a full year later. I dont think anybody could have thought it would be like this a year down the line. We were hoping for some kind of resolution in the summer, whatever that would have been, he added. While open for a five-week period when restrictions were eased the atmosphere wasnt the same. Mr McGuiness explained: Were used to big crowds of people enjoying the live music. But when we had to put social distancing in place our capacity was slashed even more than other people because it was standing room only in Paedars for people at the weekend. So people sitting two metres apart just wasnt viable for us. The Derry man previously said the business had taken a massive hit. Since then it has received a bit more help in terms of financial support from the government and workers have been supported through the furlough scheme. From a personal point of view, Phil and me are sole traders and we havent received anything but were a victim of our own success because thats based on business up to 2020, he said. SUMMER PINTS Stormont ministers recently agreed additional funding to support businesses and jobs during the pandemic. Finance Minister Conor Murphy proposed extending rates relief for another 12 months for almost 30,000 businesses, in a package worth 230m. Mr McGuiness said pubs couldnt be charged rates as it is based on the annual level of turnover and that amounts to zero at present. Hes happy to put 2020 in the rear-view mirror and hopes to return to some sort of normality in 2021. The reopening of all businesses will be informed by the NI Executives five-step plan for easing the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. In England some pubs could open as early as April 12 and hospitality venues in Scotland on April 26. NI's pathway does not include a timetable but will depend on public health criteria being met. The Executive will review its restrictions each month starting tomorrow and continuing until June 10. Based on the easing of restrictions in the past its anticipated that pubs will be at the back of the queue. Mr McGuinness believes the ideal scenario is to see punters with a fresh pint of Guinness in their hands on Waterloo Street by early summer. Were hoping to get back to some sort of normality this year, he said. The vaccine programme seems to be going well but its a bit of an unknown quantity with these variants. The government is being very careful about reopening because of the fear of another spike and thats understandable. He continued: Its likely that bars that dont serve food will be the last to open again but the last time it was a bit of a fiasco, it just didnt work because people were anxious to get out. I have my eyes set on early summer. The Council and City Centre Initiative are trying to come up with schemes to make outside drinking a bit more appealing so hopefully that will help. India's top engineering and construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) said one of its units, Power Transmission & Distribution, has won a major substation contract from Qatar. As per the deal, L&T's Power Transmission & Distribution unit will install a 400 kV equipment in bid to help improve grid stability and enable use of existing switchgear without major replacements. In addition to this, L&T has won a slew of orders across its spectrum of offerings in India including two engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) orders to establish more than 400 MW solar photovoltaic projects in Gujarat, a 765kV double circuit transmission line package in Rajasthan. It also clinched orders from West Bengal for installation of high voltage distribution systems in certain districts on a turnkey mode and another order to construct 220kV and 132kV transmission lines in the state. According to L&T, its business unit sealed a 400 kV substation order from Tamil Nadu. The scope of the package involves establishing a complete substation including associated transformers, reactors, switchgear, control and protection, substation automation systems. Commenting on the win, T. Madhava Das, the Whole-Time Director and Senior Executive Vice President (Utilities), said: "These orders stand testimony to the fact that L&T is uniquely positioned as a dependable EPC player to deliver projects ranging from electrification to energy transition with speed and scale, to utilities and developers globally." Container activity at Port Houston slowed to a halt in February as a deadly ice storm shut port facilities for nearly a week. The impact of the storm and sub-freezing temperatures on both commerce and activity at Port Houston resulted in a tough month as vessel calls and terminal activities were suspended. Container traffic fell 10 percent to 198,763 twenty-foot equivalent units, a measure of cargo capacity, from 255,474 TEUs in Feb. 2020. Container traffic through the port is down 13 percent for the year, compared to the same period in 2020. Port Houston leadership made the decision to halt operations during the storm to err on the side of safety and ensure the well-being of employees, longshore workers, truckers and others, Executive Director Roger Guenther said. Icy conditions made it difficult to operate. On HoustonChronicle.com: Financial damage from deadly Texas blackouts is spreading It was a people issue first and foremost, Guenther said in statement. Ensuring the safety of our team and partners was our top priority. The winter storm was an event not unlike a hurricane, which would require the port to close for a similar amount of time, Guenther said. He anticipates theyll be able to make up the loss in cargo over the next few months as the economy picks. Economists are forecasting a strong recovery as COVID-19 vaccinations bring the pandemic under control and the $1.9 trillion stimulus package boosts the economy. We are still forecasting for 2021 to exceed the (cargo) volume in 2020, Guenther said. So far the import demand has been really strong starting last quarter of 2020. The demand in Houston is still high. A lot of retailers are interested in moving cargo through Houston. Steel volumes were down due to the downturn in the oil and gas sector, but those volumes are expected to begin to increase as the energy industry recovers. Oil prices have risen rapidly in recent weeks, pushing crude to about $65 a barrel. Oil settled in New York Tuesday at $64.80 a barrel, down 59 cents. We are hopeful that tonnage will begin looking better in the months ahead, with energy prices on the rise that may spur an increase in drilling activity and demand for pipe, Guenther said. Wind turbine activity, meanwhile, was up considerably again in February 2021 as new renewable energy-related cargo growth unfolded. Texas leads the nation in the production of wind energy. becca.carballo@chron.com ALBANY A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal by the city of Troy and the widow of a patrol sergeant who fatally shot an unarmed DWI suspect in 2016. The decision upholds a federal magistrate's prior ruling that found there were "material questions of fact" about the shooting that should be resolved by a jury trial. The ruling by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals also declined to grant qualified immunity to the deceased sergeant, Randall French, because eyewitness testimony called into question the officer's claim that the shooting was justified. The appeal centered on a June 2019 decision by U.S. Magistrate Daniel J. Stewart rejecting the city's motion to dismiss the case. He had noted in his ruling that conflicting witness accounts raised too many questions about the city's claim that French was constitutionally authorized to use deadly physical force. The city had argued that French, "in a moment of existential terror, found himself pinned between his squad car and the still accelerating vehicle of Edson Thevenin." The appellate court, in a decision handed down Monday, noted that Phillip E. Gross III, one of two civilian witnesses to the shooting, contradicted French's statement that his legs were pinned between Thevenin's revving Honda and his patrol car when he opened fire. Gross, a tow truck driver, told police the vehicles were about four feet apart when French, without saying anything, opened fire on Thevenin, whose vehicle then rolled slowly into the officer's legs. "Under this version of the facts, as to which a rational jury could find that Thevenin posed no significant threat of death or serious physical injury to French or others at the time of the shooting, we conclude that it would have been clear to a reasonable officer in Frenchs position that ... his conduct was unlawful," the appellate panel said. The ruling will put the civil rights lawsuit filed on behalf of Thevenin's widow, Cinthia, and his two sons back on course for trial. "We are pleased that the Court of Appeals agreed with Judge Stewart that the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of Edson deserve to be heard by a jury," said Michael Rose, one of the attorneys for Cinthia Thevenin. "We look forward to a trial so that the unwarranted actions of Sgt. French that led to Edsons death can be brought to light." John D. Aspland, Jr., the attorney for the city in the case, said they are "disappointed that the Second Circuit did not reverse the decision from the District Court regarding the application of qualified immunity on summary judgment." "We stand ready to defend Randy French at trial when that time comes," Aspland said. The city had argued that French's split-second decision to use deadly force was based on the officer's perception that he was in imminent danger and justified to open fire. But Stewart, like the appellate court, noted that witnesses including other police officers gave varying accounts of what unfolded, and the nearby tow truck driver had sharply contradicted French's claim of being trapped against his patrol car by Thevenin's revving Honda Civic when he opened fire. An internal affairs investigation that had been concealed by Troy city officials also concluded that French was not in imminent danger when he fired the first two rounds through Thevenin's windshield. The report, which recommended disciplinary action against French, was drafted in 2018 by former Capt. Joseph L. Centanni at the end of a nine-month internal investigation. An expert also concluded that French may have lied about Thevenin crashing his car into a concrete barrier. That expert's determination was that French had sideswiped Thevenin's Honda sedan and forced it into the barrier in violation of departmental policies. The report was issued by Brian F. Chase, a former New Hampshire State Police sergeant who is considered an international expert in vehicle forensics. Chase had been hired by the Troy Police Department as part of the internal investigation. Centanni had determined that French gave "empirically untruthful statements" about what happened that night, including his alleged decision to force Thevenin's vehicle off the road. Troy city police officials declined to take action against French who died last year of symptoms related to a COVID-19 infection based on Centanni's report. That report sustained a total of four allegations against the sergeant, including his having engaged in "several reckless acts which dramatically increased the likelihood of a violent confrontation with Thevenin upon Sgt. French's exit from his patrol vehicle." Top officials in the administration of Mayor Patrick Madden had secretly hired a law enforcement consultant, Michael D. Ranalli, who had been recommended by Troy police officials. Ranalli composed a 19-page legal memorandum that they claim rebuts Centanni's findings. The city has declined to disclose Ranalli's report. But Stewart ordered the release of Centanni's report after a whistleblower alerted Cinthia Thevenin's attorneys about its existence. The finding of that report were first reported by the Times Union. A yearlong investigation by the state attorney general's office that was completed in January 2018 also had raised questions about French's version of what unfolded, and sharply criticized the investigations conducted by the Troy Police Department and former Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel E. Abelove. Abelove was charged with perjury and official misconduct as a result of his handling of Thevenin's killing. Last year, a Columbia County judge acquitted Thevenin of all charges he had faced, including felony perjury. (AP) Among the items on Texas governor Greg Abbotts list of emergency priorities in 2021: election integrity. The phrase has emerged among Republican lawmakers in state legislatures across the US, as states consider dozens of GOP-backed bills to restrict voting access in the wake of the 2020 elections that saw unprecedented voter turnout and expanded vote-by-mail options during the coronavirus pandemic. Republican lawmakers in Texas have filed more than two dozen bills aimed at restricting voting in a state that already has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country, which voting rights groups say disproportionately threaten and suppress votes from Black voters. Governor Abbott said on Monday that the bills are aimed at restoring trust and confidence in the outcome of the states elections, although he also admitted that he is not aware of any elections altered by fraud. Texas is among 43 states where Republican lawmakers have introduced more than 250 bills restricting voting rights, limiting ballot access or adding barriers to voting. GOP lawmakers have said the bills aim to restore trust in elections, compelled by baseless claims of election fraud promoted by former president Donald Trump. Read more: Voting rights advocates and civil rights groups have argued that the former presidents persistent lie that the election was stolen from him, and his legal teams attempts to overturn millions of Americans votes, has emboldened Republican state lawmakers across the US to do what Mr Trump and his attorneys could not, using election integrity or election safety to mask Mr Trumps claims at the heart of their objections. Election officials across the country as well as the former presidents own attorneys, Justice Department and a federal elections commission, which he disbanded have failed to produce any evidence that such widespread fraud exists. Story continues Right now, I dont know how many, or if any, elections in the state of Texas in 2020 were altered because of voter fraud, Governor Abbott said on Monday. A day earlier, the governor accused Democratic lawmakers in Congress of trying to institutionalise voter fraud in the US with the passage of HR 1, or the For The People Act, which would enshrine into federal law some voting access efforts already in place in several states, including automatic voter registration and same-day registration and expanded mail-in voting. Everyone knows, including Democrats in Texas that one of the easiest ways to cheat in elections is through these mail-in ballots, he said, without providing any evidence. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons office has spent 22,000 hours looking for voter fraud and uncovered just 16 cases of voter registration forms that contained false addresses, according to The Houston Chronicle. Texas the second-most populous state in the US has more than 16 million registered voters. The office has discovered 100 voter fraud cases since 2005. GOP-sponsored bills in Texas would purge voter rolls, add more layers to voter ID laws, shrink mail-in voting periods, and shutter early voting and mail-in voting sites. One proposal would eliminate the use of tents and other structures for drive-through early voting, which was used in several large Texas counties to accommodate mail-in ballot drop-offs to ensure ballots were delivered on time amid a pandemic with a beleaguered US Postal Service that saw widespread delays and service cuts. Harris County, one of the largest counties in the US, had 12 satellite offices, covering the greater Houston area. The county covers more than 1,700 square miles, with more than 2.4 million registered voters. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. In Travis County, which holds the states capital of Austin, officials had opened four satellite locations for voters to hand-deliver their mail-in ballots. The county of 1.2 million people includes more than 800,000 registered voters, all within a county thats more than 1,000 square miles. Last year, Republicans repeatedly targeted early voting sites in lawsuits and in an executive order from the governors office. On Monday, the governor called it an unauthorised expansion of mail-in voting. Texas Democrats and voting rights groups in the state have slammed the governors agenda and GOP-backed legislation. If Governor Abbot wants to talk about election integrity, he can start with this: when the voters have spoken, respect the results, said Chris Turner, chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. Voting rights are human rights, said Texas State Representative Nicole Collier. All citizens of this state deserve to have their voices heard and to legally access the ballot box without fear. Read More Textbook voter suppression: How Trumps stolen election lies are shaping the future of democracy Everybody shouldnt be voting: Arizona Republican defends voter restrictions as GOP pushes fraud claims A collective of parents who send their daughters to an exclusive private school have revealed some of their main 'gripes' in leaked WhatsApp group messages. For many, the chief worry would understandably be the astronomical fees Ascham School in Sydney's east charge annually - as much as $39,900 a year for boarders - but it turns out stubborn school socks are a modern day cause for concern. 'Hi are anybody else's kids upset with the school socks? Mine are really sensitive to the hard bits at the end of the little toe,' one mother posted on the thread dubbed Ascham Parents Social Chat.' 'At first I thought my eldest was just too fussy, but now she is really upset about them. It's a hassle every morning.' One of the first world problems for students at Ascham - sensitive socks, which are 'a hassle' for some A pony ride in Sydney's Centennial Park as well as picnic is on offer for parents and students at Ascham Another conversation starter was the best recommended age to stop cutting up tomatoes on school lunches, before an open invitation was extended to group members about an upcoming picnic and pony ride, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. 'Our pony's name is Zeus and we are going for a ride in (Sydney's) Centennial Park,' one of the messages read. 'If youre free and wanting to join, please do.' Ascham School, located at Edgecliff in Sydney's ritzy east, charge $39,900 per year in school fees alone. Text books, laptops and school uniforms come at additional costs. Notable Ascham alumni include journalist Mia Freedman, philanthropist Gretel Packer and Macquarie Bank chief executive Shemara Wikramanayake. Only neighbouring SCEGGS Darlinghurst charge more for 'elite education' in Sydney, with their yearly fees a whopping $41,090 according to data obtained from Edstart 2021 National School Fees Report. Ascham School, located at Edgecliff in Sydney's ritzy east, charge $39,900 per year in school fees alone (stock image) Despite a global pandemic last year, only 20 per cent of NSW private schools elected to freeze fees for parents. A number of principals defended the ever-increasing costs as 'necessary', pointing to higher costs associated with paying their staff. 'There are parents who work three jobs to keep their children at some schools schools are very aware of the pressures on parents,' Association of Independent Schools NSW chief executive Dr Geoff Newcombe said at the time. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Karriem Allah illustrates how millions of people throughout the world are witnesses of the Honorable Louis Farrakhans extraordinary Messianic Mission, and how this bears on the future of humanity. In this vital 2-hour Message, which is divided into two parts, Karriem Allah discusses the Honorable Louis Farrakhans imminent return to the Great Mother Plane, in the context of the completion of the directive given to Him by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad on the Great Mother Plane on September 17, 1985. The completion of this great task gives rise to the one more thing the Honorable Louis Farrakhan is to accomplish before His departure from among the people for a time. Karriem Allah, referencing the Holy Quran (25:1), discusses how the Messiah, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, was/is raised as a divine warner and guide to the nations of the Earth. Karriem Allah illustrates how millions of people throughout the world are witnesses of the Honorable Louis Farrakhans extraordinary Messianic Mission, and how this bears on the future of humanity. Karriem Allah explains how the directives for proper human behavior and relationships presented in the Holy Quran is among the best means, if followed, through which peace is achieved within households, neighborhoods, and communities; and within and among nations. Karriem Allah also explains how the intensifying discord between the Biden Administration and Iranextending through the Middle East and Asiais intricately associated with the departure of the Messiah, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan. Karriem Allah provides divine insight and guidance regarding this and other critical events unfolding according to the Messianic Prophecies. This lecture, Definitive Tasks of the Messiah, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, before His Departure to the Great Mother Plane is part of the The Messianic Prophecies Series and is available on Karriem Allahs Youtube channel and through his website. A Met Police constable accused of the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard finished a shift on the morning of her disappearance and was not on duty when the 33-year-old was last seen walking through south London, it has emerged, as a date for his trial was set for the autumn. Wayne Couzens, 48, is accused of snatching the marketing executive as she made her way home from a friends flat in Clapham on the evening of 3 March. Mr Couzens, who worked on the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command unit, appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from Belmarsh Prison on Tuesday. The defendant was wearing a red top with grey tracksuit bottoms and appeared to have cuts on his forehead. He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. Judge Mark Lucraft QC set a provisional Old Bailey trial for 25 October with a plea hearing on 9 July. Read more: Members of Ms Everards family joined the hearing in court 10 of the Central Criminal Court by video link, according to court officials. Prosecutor Tom Little QC said the circumstances of the case had led to a very significant and wide-ranging investigation. He told the court the case had attracted an almost unprecedented media and public attention. Mr Couzens, who sat with his head bowed throughout the hearing, was remanded into custody. Ms Everard was reported missing by her boyfriend on 4 March. Her body was found hidden in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent, on 10 March. She was discovered inside a large builders bag and was formally identified through her dental records. A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has yet been given. The accused police officer, from Deal in Kent, was charged with kidnap and murder on Friday and appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court the following day. Ms Everards death has sparked vigils across the country in her memory and demands for action to tackle violence against women. Footage of women being arrested by police officers at a vigil on Clapham Common on Saturday night led to widespread condemnation and protests. Additional reporting by PA Police are investigating two complaints from Rural Fire Service members following social media posts urging members to report bullying and sexual harassment allegations. It comes as Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers told staff and volunteers on Tuesday that instances of sexual harassment and violence had been raised with him since he took on the role last year, prompting plans for a new model to deal with such claims. In an unusual statement apparently in response to social media posts, Mr Rogers said that since becoming head of the service, he had been concerned with instances of workplace conduct by both staff and volunteers. He said he had written to all staff about my concerns on February 11 and is readying a similar communication to our volunteer members. RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers has sent a statement out to volunteers and staff warning them to treat colleagues with respect after a letter circulated to MPs about complaints within the service. Credit:Jessica Hromas It genuinely disturbs me that in 2021 we still have instances where female members of the NSW RFS, being paid or volunteer, are not treated with respect and dignity and in some cases do not feel safe at the RFS, Mr Rogers said in the statement obtained by the Herald. Britain's Prince Charles visits a temporary Covid-19 vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in east London Londoners receiving the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday dismissed concerns about its potential risks, after several countries suspended its use due to fears about blood clots. "I've just had the AstraZeneca jab and I'm very happy with that," said Sofia Harding, a 57-year-old seamstress, at the Science Museum in the British capital. "I'm not concerned about other countries being a bit cautious because I don't think there's enough evidence," she told AFP. The low-cost jab, developed by scientists at Oxford University with the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant, was initially hailed as a game-changer in the fightback against the virus. But it has since faced problems internationally, with doubts expressed in some EU countries about its suitability for older people. Further concerns over cases of blood clots have prompted several countries to halt its rollout, even as regulators and global health experts said it was safe to use. Those receiving the jab in Britain include Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who received her first dose earlier this year. On a visit to a vaccination centre at a mosque in north London with her husband Prince Charles on Tuesday, she told a doctor she had received the AstraZeneca jab. The low-cost jab, developed by scientists at Oxford University with Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, was initially hailed as a game-changer in the fightback against the virus "Although it didn't matter. I didn't ask. I don't even ask because I hate injections so much that I shut my eyes... whatever comes out," she said. The Science Museum in west London is renowned for its interactive displays but reopened as a vaccination centre this month. People said they were aware of the controversy but did not take it seriously. "I think it would be better to have the jab than sit around debating whether or not it's safe because you could get the virus and then where are you? Very ill," said Harding. Pros and cons Giles Johnson, a 57-year-old photographer, also insisted he was "completely relaxed" about getting the AstraZeneca jab rather than the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine also being used in the UK. British people are not being given a choice and it depends on what has been allocated to each vaccination centre. "Statistically, people have blood clots as a matter of routine," Johnson said. Map of Europe showing countries which have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, or batches of it, as of March 16. "I think the overall benefits of both vaccines... far exceed the possible negatives." He was one of several Londoners to suggest the European decisions had political motives, toowhich the countries involved firmly deny. "Everything's political," he said. Nick Roscoe, a 56-year-old who works for a software company, agreed. "Maybe being a bit cynical, I wonder if there aren't political undercurrents," he said after receiving the vaccine with his wife. "I think there will always be somebody who reacts badly to some injections," he said. He added, chuckling, that for him, "the only obvious side effect is a desire for red wine, but other than that, I'm OK." Steve Landrew, a 59-year-old market trader, admitted he had worried about getting the jab, however. "I was a bit dubious about going through with it," he said, citing the cases of blood clots. Ellen Prosser, 100, receives the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in London on January 7 "Obviously it did alarm me but I... weighed it all up, the pros and cons, I thought the pros outweighed the cons and I thought: 'Let's go ahead'," he said. One deciding factor was the hope being vaccinated will allow him to travel more freely, he said. "I've got a little bit more freedom to fly, go places." The Science Museum, like many other major buildings, is being used as a vaccine centre while unable to open during national lockdown. Its director, Ian Blatchford, welcomed the museum's new use, saying its exhibitions "tell the story of how vaccination has saved millions of lives" and now it can "play a part in ensuring vaccines protect the nation from COVID-19." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... LAS CRUCES A civil complaint filed in Albuquerque alleges a former Las Cruces Catholic priest sexually abused a teenage girl in the 1970s. The Rev. Jesus Goni was a pastor at St. Genevieves Catholic Church at the time of the alleged incident. The plaintiff, who is identified as Jane Doe 43 in the lawsuit, accuses Goni of ordering her into his office in approximately May 1970 and inappropriately touching her. She was about 14 years old at the time. She was brought up to obey priests and did not think she would be believed if she told anyone what had been done to her, the lawsuit stated, and kept the incident secret for many years. This is believed to be the first accusation of sexual abuse against Goni. According to the St. Genevieves website, Goni became an assistant pastor in 1965 and head pastor in 1970. It appears that he left the church by 1974. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The plaintiff is asking for a trial by jury and damages to compensate for the emotional stress and physical and psychological harm. The Catholic Diocese of El Paso and St. Genevieves Catholic Church were also named in the complaint as being negligent and failing to prevent the abuse. St. Genevieves was a part of the El Paso Diocese at the time. Fernando Ceniceros with the Diocese of El Paso said they were unable to provide any information about Goni due to the ongoing lawsuit, but are aware of the allegation. Christopher Velasquez with the Diocese of Las Cruces confirmed that Goni was never part of the Las Cruces Diocese, which was formed in 1982. The law firm of Hall & Monagle, LLC is representing the plaintiff. The firm has represented several alleged victims of abuse by Catholic leaders in New Mexico. This is the latest in a string of abuse allegations against southern New Mexico Catholic leaders from the 1950s to 2001 that have come to light. The Las Cruces Diocese, in February 2019, released thousands of pages of files involving 28 priests who face credible allegations of sexually abusing children and 13 additional priests who have been the subject of credible allegations while serving in another diocese. A lawsuit filed in August 2019 alleges a 9-year-old boy was sexually abused multiple times by a nun at Holy Cross Parish and School in Las Cruces in 1978. In September 2019, two lawsuits were filed, one alleging a pastor of San Miguel Parish in La Mesa sexually abused children in the 1970s and another alleging a pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Roswell sexually abused an 11-year-old girl in 2001. In May 2020, a lawsuit centered on child molestation allegations involving a priest at two Alamogordo Catholic parishes. The court trial for the Rev. David Holley has been scheduled for July 2022. Two southern New Mexico Catholic priests were accused in August 2020 of child sexual abuse. The Revs. Roderick Nichols and Damian Gamboa were named as defendants in those cases which occurred in the 1980s and 1990s in Silver City and Tularosa. Trials have been set in the two cases for February 2022 in 3rd Judicial District Court. 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. New Delhi, March 16 : RJD MP Manoj Jha has given notice of suspension of business in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday under Rule 267 on the bank union strikes. The United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions, are on a two-day nationwide strike starting Monday against the privatisation of Public Sector Banks and retrograde banking reforms. The Rajya Sabha is scheduled to take up its legislative business of consideration and passing of bills -- The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020. Health Minister Harshvardhan will move both the Bills. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020 provide for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals, assessment of institutions, maintenance of a Central Register and State Register and creation of a system to improve access, research and development and adoption of latest scientific advancement and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Minister of Jal Shakti is expected to reply on the discussion in working of the ministry, while discussion on working of Railways will also commence on the day. Reports of various standing committees -- Defence, Finance, Law and Justice are also to be presented in the house. The second leg of the Budget session began on March 8 and disruption marred the first three days after which Parliament was on an extended four day break. -- 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. SUV Ever since the days of the Toyopets , which were built to withstand the disastrous infrastructure of post-war Japan, Toyota vehicles were highly valued for their excellent build quality and reliability That hasnt changed in the coming decades, with models such as the Corolla, RAV4, or Camry becoming some of the most dependable vehicles one could buy.However, nobodys perfect, and throughout the lifespan of these models, some versions were far more unreliable than others, as were about to see in this article.In the U.S, the XV40 generation Camry began production in February 2006, and the last of the batch rolled out the factory gates five years later. Like all Camrys, its generally regarded as a very reliable car, with one major exception: the 2007 model.Those were plagued by many issues, which is part of the reason why Toyota dropped from first to fifth place in the annual Consumer Reports reliability survey.Although the inline-four version was as dependable as you would expect, models equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 suffered from excessive oil consumption leading to premature wear, which often required expensive repairs.The 2007 Camry was also subjected to many recalls, the most serious of which caused the gas pedal to get stuck in the wide-open position, leading to numerous deadly crashes. After further investigation, it was discovered that the defective floor mats caused the problem.Toyotas famed crossover is among the manufacturers most reliable models. However, the third generation XA30 model had its fair share of hiccups.As with the Camry of the time, the 2007 RAV4 was another model that contributed to the carmakers drop to fifth place in the Consumer Reports reliability survey undertaken that year.Among the available engines, we find the same 3.5-liter V6 that powered its sedan sibling and was notorious for its excessive oil consumption problems. Other reliability issues involved defective steering assembly components, leading to annoying clunking noises while turning the steering wheel.The SUV was also subjected to numerous recalls that included premature corrosion of rear tie rods, power window switch melting, and defective flexible flat cables. The latter could lead to the drivers airbag not deploying in the event of a collision.Like the previous two models, the Corolla is one of the most popular models in the Japanese carmaker's history. One of the main reasons for its popularity is the excellent reliability record of each generationexcept for the tenth, produced from 2007 to 2013 in North America.By far the most problematic, the 2009 model also had serious issues with excessive oil consumption, but this time, the culprit wasnt a V6 but an inline-four, specifically the 1.8 2ZR-FE version.The reliability issues didnt stop there, with customers reporting failed water pumps that led to engines overheating, causing extensive damage and expensive repairs.This model was recalled because of the pedal entrapment issue, faulty power window switch that sometimes overheated and started melting, or the defective flexible flat cable that sometimes disconnected the drivers airbag.Although these models had their fair share of issues, Toyota remains a global leader in terms of dependability. The fact that it has been leading multiple reliability surveys over the years is a testament to that. [March 16, 2021] Buying.com Develops Rewards Marketplace Using the NetObjex Platform for the Machine Economy MAHWAH, N.J., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Buying.com, a leading player in hyperlocal e-commerce fulfillment and distribution, has created a marketplace for tokenized rewards points built on the NetObjex Data Marketplace technology. Buying.com is a leading player in the food service fulfillment sector, and its flagship technology is an innovative system that aggregates the orders and deliveries from popular food-ordering apps such as DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber Eats, and Postmates. NetObjex's Data Marketplace allows for Machine to Machine (M2M) and Human to Machine (H2M) financial and non-financial transactions. It combines cyber-physical systems - the linkage of real world devices to the cyber world, comprised of the cloud, enterprise systems, blockchain and more. "Buying.com has a great business model, and we are proud to launch their Rewards Marketplace on the NetObjex system, as it exemplifies the new and interesting fintech business models that we support on our platform," said Raghu Bala, CEO of NetObjex. "NetObjex has been a trusted partner, and the NetObjex platform provides the capabilities to tokenize loyalty into our BUY tokens which made it a superb fit for our marketplae," stated Jean Gabriel, CEO of Buying.com. About Buying.com Buying.com provides an on-demand delivery system for restaurants to streamline their delivery processes. The all-in-one order management system handles both internal and external orders, allowing restaurants to easily schedule drivers and track orders while reducing delivery costs. The on-demand delivery system eliminates any costs associated with external delivery apps while expanding the business' customer base. About NetObjex NetObjex, based in Irvine, California, provides enterprise software and business solutions for real-time tracking, tracing and monitoring of digital assets. The industrial grade NetObjex Matrix digital twin asset management platform unifies IoT, AI and blockchain technologies as a continuum for intelligent automation and data marketplaces. NetObjex clients and partners benefit from global coverage across key verticals like e-commerce, energy, manufacturing, transport, healthcare, communications, retail & government. Media Contact: Joseph Rivello, Chief Operating Officer, Buying.com Related Images buying-com-logo.jpg Buying.com logo The logo of Buying.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/buyingcom-develops-rewards-marketplace-using-the-netobjex-platform-for-the-machine-economy-301248575.html SOURCE Buying.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 00:45:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MAPUTO, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) agreed with the Mozambican Ministry of the Sea, Interior Waters and Fisheries on Monday in Maputo to provide technical support for a period of two years (2021-2022) to help the country fight non-reported and non-regulated illegal fishing. "The plan focuses on the revision and improvement of the policy, legal, institutional and operational frameworks with a view to facilitate the implementation of the Agreement of Port States Measures and strengthen the mechanism to combat illegal fishing in Mozambique," said the FAO representative in Mozambique, Hernani Coelho da Silva. The technical assistance plan to combat illegal fishing will be placed in the ports of Beira, Nacala and Maputo, south, center and north of the country respectively. The agreement will allow the country to reduce losses to benefit more than 60 percent of population that depends on fishery to earn their living. The Mozambican Minister of the Sea, Interior Waters and Fisheries, Augusta Maita welcomed the technical support and said it will strengthen local efforts and capacities for an effective fight against illegal fishing. "By its nature, the Indian Ocean is a place rich in fishing resources that sustain a prosperous fishing industry, which has a commercial value that makes it one of the main targets for practice of non-reported and non-regulated illegal fishing," said the minister. The minister praised regional coordination, brotherhood and partnership as fundamental for better preparation, efficiency and strength to put a stop in non-reported and non-regulated illegal fishing and to advance the country's development process. FAO's partnership with the government of Mozambique dates from the 1970s and it has been supporting in different sectors namely agriculture, livestock, forest and fishing among others. Enditem Advertisement Stranger Things fans got their first look at the spooky Upside Down in new set photos revealed on Monday. A mobile home park set in Griffin, Georgia, got a shocking makeover when it was enveloped by thick tendrils from the spooky alternate dimension featured in the popular Netflix science-fiction series. Although reports from season four have suggested some of the action might shift to Russia, where David Harbour's character Hopper was being held, the new photos confirm that the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, isn't finished with the Upside Down. First look: New photos from a the set of Netflix's Stranger Things in Griffin, Georgia, show a trailer park engulfed in eerie vine-like tendrils to depict the scary alternate dimension of the Upside Down Multiple trailer homes were shown, each with thick tendrils or vines snaking around them. The twisting vines were extra squirm-inducing thanks to a translucent webbing decoration some of them. A tendril-covered sign revealed that the fictional neighborhood was named Forest Hills Trailer Park. A closeup of one vine showed that it was black and red and gave a clearer glimpse of its mottled plastic texture. The set was impeccably dressed to fit the time period and featured dilapidated 80s-era cars, along with an abandoned couch and fallen trash cans. Hard at work: Stranger Things is filming its fourth season in Georgia, which is attractive to filmmakers because of its generous tax breaks; still from Stranger Things season three Spooky: Multiple trailer homes were shown, each with thick tendrils or vines snaking around them. The twisting vines were extra squirm-inducing thanks to a translucent webbing decoration some of them Life-like: A tendril-covered sign revealed that the fictional neighborhood was named Forest Hills Trailer Park Detailed: A closeup of one vine showed that it was black and red and gave a clearer glimpse of its mottled plastic texture Like many film and television projects, Stranger Things is primarily shot in Georgia to take advantage of the state's generous tax incentives. With the proper lighting and special effects, the trailer park set will become the alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. The strange world, a mirror image of our own reality controlled by sinister Lovecraftian monsters and enveloped in the frightening plant-like tendrils, was first introduced in season one of Stranger Things, when the psychokinetic test subject Eleven made contact with the dimension while part of a top-secret government experiment. By opening the gate to the alternate dimension, she also allowed a humanoid beast with chilling plant-like jaws, the Demogorgon, to escape. Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) was abducted into the Upside Down after encountering the creature, setting his friends on a quest to rescue him. Even though he was initially freed, the creatures of the Upside Down continued to advance on Hawkins in subsequent seasons, when the gigantic creature known as the Mind Flayer, which controls the creatures of the alternate dimension, was revealed. Horrors: The Upside Down is a mirror image of our own reality controlled by sinister Lovecraftian monsters and enveloped in the frightening plant-like tendrils; still from Stranger Things season one Whoops: It was first introduced in season one of Stranger Things, when the psychokinetic test subject Eleven made contact with the dimension while part of a top-secret government experiment; still from Stranger Things season three Production on the hit Netflix series resumed in September of 2020, after it was put on hold only one month into filming amid the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Although little is known about the focus of the new season, Robert Englund, best known for playing Freddie Krueger, will join the series as a murder imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital. Sweeney Todd actor Jamie Campbell Bower will also be featured as an attendant at the hospital who pushes against its inhumane practices. Although pandemic delays have caused havoc for several film and television productions, Executive Producer Shawn Levy told Collider that the delay had helped Stranger Things in an interview from November. Back on: Production on the hit Netflix series resumed in September of 2020, after it was put on hold only one month into filming amid the start of the coronavirus pandemic; still from Stranger Things season three New faces: Robert Englund, 73, best known for playing Freddy Krueger, will join season four of Stranger Things as a murderer imprisoned in a mental hospital; shown in 2015 Horror mainstay: Englund's biggest role was as the serial killer who stalks children's dreams in A Nightmare On Elm Street; publicity photo for A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) ''The pandemic definitely massively delayed shooting and therefore the launch of our current season four... but it impacted very positively,' he said. 'It allowed the Duffer brothers, for the first time ever, to write the entire season before we shoot it and to have time to rewrite in a way that they rarely had before so the quality of these screenplays are exceptional, maybe better than ever.' So far, a release date for season four hasn't been announced, but its expected to arrive sometime in mid-2021. Posted Monday, March 15, 2021 4:54 am Woodland High School sophomore Jaylee Graham recently created a video to teach Carey Hansons fourth grade class at Columbia Elementary School how to sign the schools Woodland Way pledge using American Sign Language (ASL). According to a news release, the Woodland Way pledge is about making good decisions and exhibiting excellent behavior. I like to have my kids recite the Woodland Way immediately following the flag salute so the concept of making appropriate choices at school and home are forefront in their minds, Hanson said in a press release. I wanted to make the pledge even more meaningful, so I figured ASL would be the way to go. Hanson reached out to Kim Novak, Woodland High Schools ASL teacher, who enlisted Jaylee Graham, a sophomore, to record a video teaching the fourth grade class how to sign the pledge. The video was perfect Jaylee was so great in the video that she has a future in teaching if she wishes, Hanson said. The kids think being able to sign the pledge is so cool, and Ive posted the ASL alphabet in my room so my students can learn more whenever they want to. According to the release, Graham comes from a family of teachers and has thought about going into the field of education after high school. Making the video was a great project to help me give education more thought, Graham said. I think the most challenging part of making the video of myself signing was having to watch myself and try not to mess up. Graham decided to take ASL at the high school because the father of one of her brothers friends is deaf. I had always wanted to find some way to talk to him and now I can, she said. Another reason I wanted to learn sign language is that its a very fascinating language. For Hanson, the idea for her classs project stemmed from her own interest in sign language. Ive always wanted to learn ASL, but Ive never had the chance to take a formal class, she said. Additionally, Im always looking for ways to include movement, interest and fun in my class, so this seemed perfect as its also something my students will always remember and may continue to do. According to the release, knowing how to sign the Woodland Way also increased student engagement for Hanson. It can be challenging getting my fourth-graders to join me in a GoNoodle video, but every one of them will participate when signing, she said. We learned to sign pretty quickly by watching Jaylees video and slowing it down, stopping to practice when necessary. With Columbia Elementary School home to the districts Dual Language Immersion program, Hanson now plans to introduce yet another culture to her class. My next goal is to have my students learn and recite the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish as well as English, she said. Hopefully, one day well be able to recite both pledges in English, Spanish and ASL. phoenixNAP, a global IT services provider offering security-focused cloud infrastructure, dedicated servers, colocation, and specialized Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) technology solutions, today announced the launch of its Data Security Cloud platform in its Ashburn, VA, data center location. As a secure multi-tenant platform built to meet the highest cloud security standards, Data Security Cloud helps companies protect their data and achieve their compliance goals. Now available from two of phoenixNAPs data center locations, Data Security Cloud is available to a greater number of businesses looking to enhance their infrastructure security. With cyber threats continually growing, business organizations need a safe and scalable platform to host their sensitive data. In a recent Cloud Security Alliance report, 83 percent of IT decision makers said they are looking to improve their cloud security, while 50 percent of respondents said they do not have skills and staff to do so. phoenixNAPs Data Security Cloud aims to provide a way for such organizations to access enterprise-grade security technologies and expertise without having to build a secure on-premises platform or hire security specialists. Available on an opex-based model, Data Security Cloud can be deployed in a matter of hours and is billed on a monthly basis. The predictable monthly costs enable companies to enhance their security strategies while optimizing their IT budget. Now available in Phoenix, Arizona, and Ashburn, Virginia, Data Security Cloud is accessible to companies looking to improve their presence in this region while maintaining the highest level of data security. Many companies depend on their ability to secure their and their customers data, said William Bell, EVP of Products at phoenixNAP. Our main goal with DSC is to make enterprise-grade security technologies accessible to businesses that do not have the resources or skillsets to facilitate this level of security for their production environments in a cloud deployment. We continually build upon its capabilities by adding new features and the new location is certainly a part of this effort to make security available to everyone. phoenixNAPs Data Security Cloud offers a unique security model to organizations looking to improve data protection. The subscription-based pricing allows for significant budget optimizations, while its multi-layered security ensures protection for sensitive and compliance workloads. The platform leverages cutting-edge hardware to provide core protection for the data, network micro-segmentation to strengthen the VM security, automated threat detection and response to minimize the impact of a potential attack or disaster, as well as advanced threat intelligence to provide increased visibility into the environment. Data Security Cloud plan includes Essentials and Advanced option selection, which provide different levels of protection to fit different needs. The Essentials model offers basic security, while Advanced is suited for organizations with more sophisticated security needs and compliance goals. The Ashburn location is an important step in our path to build a secure-by-design cloud platform, said Martin Wielomski, Director of Products Infrastructure Services. Data Security Cloud has greatly evolved over the past few years in terms of its security capabilities, and we are now excited to expand its geographical availability too. We will continue leveraging our technology partnerships to continue adding new security features to meet even the most sophisticated business needs. Its geographical expansion is aligned with our customers needs and demands, as well as our companys mission to democratize the concepts of security-focused cloud infrastructure while offering familiar VMware environments and the levels of SOC and NOC services they are expecting from us. The launch of Data Security Cloud in Ashburn also extends backup and failover capabilities between the two regions where the service is currently available. The platform can be managed using a single-pane-of-glass with optional access to multiple data center regions where phoenixNAP has presence. This will also contribute to lowering latency for the US East Coast or Europe. To learn more about the benefits and features of the platform, visit the Data Security Cloud page. About phoenixNAP phoenixNAP is a global IT services provider with a focus on cybersecurity and compliance-readiness, whose progressive Infrastructure-as-a-Service solutions are delivered from strategic edge locations worldwide. Its cloud, dedicated servers, hardware leasing, and colocation options are built to meet always evolving IT business requirements. Providing comprehensive disaster recovery solutions, DDoS-protected global network, hybrid IT deployments with software and hardware-based security, phoenixNAP fully supports its clients business continuity planning. Offering scalable and resilient opex solutions with expert staff to assist, phoenixNAP supports growth and innovation in businesses of any size enabling their digital transformation. Migrants and Korean activists protest near Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, urging local governments to pay COVID-19 relief funds to foreign residents, in this May 7 photo. Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Although the number of COVID-19 infections among foreign residents here has been rising nationwide, a study shows that they have had difficulty accessing virus tests due to a lack of information on testing and quarantine measures as well as difficulty communicating in Korean. The research, conducted at the request of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) by Solidarity with Migrants, a human rights group for migrant workers, revealed foreigners have been more vulnerable to the pandemic than locals. According to the survey of 1,055 foreign residents, 10.7 percent, or 113 said they did not know that they could receive free treatment if infected with COVID-19 regardless of their nationality or status of residence. 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. Cayuga: Voters can make their selections for mayor and two trustee seats, all carrying two-year terms, from noon to 9 p.m. at the Cayuga Village Office, 6205 Railroad St. Running for mayor are Cayuga First Party candidate William Sherman and Citizens for a Better Cayuga Party candidate Shane Ellis. The trustee candidates are Chris Ryan (150+ Party) and Donald Wilson Jr. (Cayuga Loyalists Party). Jordan: After more than four decades as Jordan's mayor, Richard Platten will not be running for the seat this year. Platten's run as Jordan village mayor began when he took office in 1979. Two candidates, both members of the Citizen Party, are running for the four-year post: Mark Gustafson and Casey Brim. There are also two trustee seats with four-year terms, and that race features Citizens Party candidates Karen Simko and Timothy T. Stapleton. The polling place is the Whitely Community Building located, 13 Mechanic St., and voting hours run from noon to 9 p.m. Jordan mayor looks to continue serving 'full-service community' after nearly 40 years in seat Jordan Mayor Richard Platten stands in the village board meeting room in front of a painting of the Erie Canal in the village in 2017. Meridian: Polling hours run from noon to 9 p.m. at the Town of Cato Office, 11320 Short Cut Road, with four-year terms for mayor and a trustee slot on the ballot. The mayoral candidate is Donald Bratt Sr. of the Carpenter Party, and trustee candidates are Amed Perrotta on the Shamrock Party line and Theresa Hirsh on the Pug Party line. Even before her brother died, Honoria Bush knew she needed help. The COVID-19 pandemic began one month after her first day as a nurse at Houston Methodist, and Bush was regularly working 14-hour shifts in the emergency room. Every day was work, walk the dog, shower, sleep, cry, repeat, she said. That takes a toll on your body. You realize youre not taking care of yourself like you should. I remember thinking, Theres no way Im going to be able to function like this. 'ZERO HUNGER': Houston's biggest mural is spreading an important message on citywide hunger and poverty issues She looked for a counselor, preferably one who would use a faith-based approach. However, Bush kept working long hours, mostly because she felt like she had to. Coronavirus cases were surging in Houston, and her team was scrambling to keep up. The nurse is quick to point out that there is plenty that experts still dont know about COVID-19, but during the pandemics first few weeks, medical professionals had far more questions than answers. Patients would tank so fast, and it would get so overwhelming, Bush said. You start to look at yourself and think, What am I doing wrong? The hardest part was the families. Courtesy of Honoria Bush Parents, spouses and children would come to the hospital to check on a patient, and Bush had to turn them away to prevent possible exposure. One of her patients, a woman well call Joan, lost her mother to COVID-19. Soon after, Joan started exhibiting her own symptoms, and she had to miss her mothers funeral while she stayed at Houston Methodist. Joan would eventually succumb to COVID-19, becoming one of the many deaths Bush saw at the hospital. For the 31-year-old nurse, it was a painful reminder that this pandemic can destroy families. Some days she was wracked by fear, wondering if she would become one of the frontline workers whose life was claimed by the virus they were fighting. But she worried more about her loved ones. Bush stopped visiting her grandparents, and she thought often of her younger brother, Chris. She knew Chris was taking the virus seriously, often refusing to go out with friends, but she couldnt help worrying about the boy she helped raise. In some ways, he feels like my baby, too, Bush said. He was six feet, 300 pounds, but everyone knew he was a teddy bear. He was our gentle giant. While in high school in Houston, Bush played in a band that melded rock and soul. When she wasnt making music or immersed in her studies, much of her time was spent helping her mother with Chris. The pair grew especially close when their older sister left for college. Chris dreamed of becoming a chef, so he often made pasta for Bush, his unofficial taste tester. Courtesy of Honoria Bush I dont even like pasta, she said, but I have to admit: this shrimp dish he was made was so good. Eventually it was her time to leave for college, and Bush chose Hampton University, a historically Black university in Virginia. My mom told me Chris was so distraught that I was going out of state, she recalls. So I left him a CD of my band. My mom said he played that CD every single day until I came home for Christmas break. The pair remained close, and eventually they lived in the same state again: Bush worked several healthcare gigs in the Dallas area and Chris enrolled at Austin College, a small liberal arts school in north Texas. When brother and sister would hang out, Bush would often coerce Chris into taking a photo. He always got on me and my sister, saying, All yall do is take photos, she said. But now we have all these pictures of him. In late August 2020, Chris lost his sense of taste shortly after attending an opening-of-school event at college. Roughly a week later, his roommate found him on the ground in their home, struggling to breathe. He was admitted to a hospital near his college, starting a torturous four-month series of ups and downs for Bush and her family. Courtesy of Honoria Bush Because she is a nurse, Bush knew exactly how viciously the virus was affecting her brother. It was one thing to help a stranger through it, she admitted, and another to watch her brother fight it. A few days after being admitted to the hospital, Chris was struggling so hard to breathe that he was placed on a ventilator, and later his lungs began to bleed. Thats when doctors placed him in the medically induced-coma in which he would remain for nearly a month. He also had a tracheotomy, a surgical procedure that opens an airway in the windpipe. Chris was eventually brought out of the coma, and he regained enough strength to return home and help his family cook a Thanksgiving meal. Yet the damage to his lungs required a series of surgeries, only one of which would ever occur. On the night of Dec. 17, Bush FaceTimed her mother, who was by Chris bedside as he tried to recover from surgery. He was having trouble talking, she recalls, but he could say two things: Hello and I love you. Later that night, a fistula created by his tracheotomy caused an artery to burst. Early in the morning on Dec. 18, Chris died. I couldn't go to sleep, Bush said, recounting the days after her brothers death. I couldnt eat anything. I think I cried every day for days. She took some much-needed time away from work, and started seeing a grief counselor. According to Bush, that counselor is saving her, and helping her realize that the caregivers need to be taken care of, too. The two talk about Chris, about Bushs grief and feelings, and about how to express her emotions instead of reserving them for late nights when she is alone and no one can see her cry. Shes helping me stand up for myself, Bush said of her counselor. She tells me all the time, I know Im ripping you apart, but Im helping you come together again. Bush knows that many people are afraid of the COVID-19 vaccine, or questions its efficacy. Nevertheless, she got vaccinated the first chance she got, and she says her entire family plans to do the same, for Chris. My brother didnt have the chance to even consider a vaccine, she said. When asked how she is doing a few months after her brothers death, Bush said, Im functioning. But she lights up when talking about her brothers contagious smile, his love of Scripture, and the way he always tried to help people whenever he could. He always stayed true to the moniker his family gave him at a young age, the same moniker that is now etched on his tombstone: Our Gentle Giant. After some time away, Bush returned to the hospital and the team she said got her through those long shifts when she was worried about her sick brother. Initially, her supervisors wanted to limit her exposure to patients battling the same affliction that took Chris. Nevertheless, they gently eased her back into rotations with the COVID unit, a move that Bush welcomed. I wanted to get back there, she said. I wanted to help people fight the same thing Chris fought. Thats my purpose now: to tell people about my brother and help them protect themselves. I have to keep going. Courtesy of Honoria Bush She has taken a step back, though; she now works just three days a week, giving her plenty of time to spend with family, friends and her dog. Her schedule, once consumed by work, tears and little sleep, is now much more manageable. Shes going to always miss her brother, she says, but she believes her memories and his smile will keep her going. Thats why, when she returns home from work, she adores her new wall of photos, the same photos Chris once tried to avoid. I get to see him every day, she said. My sister is on one side, Im on the other. And hes in the middle, right next to us. Boris Johnson has said the Government is committed to doing everything we can to make the streets safe for women in the wake of the killing of Sarah Everard. Following a meeting of the Governments Crime and Justice Taskforce chaired by the Prime Minister, Downing Street said it was taking a series of immediate steps to improve security. They include a doubling of the Safer Streets fund which provides neighbourhood measures such as better lighting and CCTV to 45 million. At the same time it said ministers were committed to working with police forces and with police and crime commissioners to ensure the measures were more focussed on preventing sexual violence. Mr Johnson said it could mean siting measures in parks and routes used by women on their walks home. The horrific case of Sarah Everard has unleashed a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night. We must do everything we can to ensure our streets are safe, he said. Ultimately, we must drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to better protect and defend them. The meeting took place as demonstrators again took to the streets of central London to protest at the policing of a vigil for Ms Everard on Saturday. There were a number of arrests after the police ordered the protesters to disperse, warning they were in breach of coronavirus regulations. Earlier the Prime Minister backed Metropolitan Police chief Dame Cressida Dick following calls for her resignation in the wake of the weekends events on Clapham Common where crowds gathered to remember the 33-year-old marketing executive. Serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her kidnapping and murder. Mr Johnson acknowledged that the scenes when a number of women were arrested had been distressing but said the police had a very, very difficult job to do. He said that Sir Thomas Winsor, chief inspector of constabulary, would be carrying out a review into the way the event was policed. I think people have got to have confidence in the police and Toms going to look at that, he said. Earlier in a Commons statement, Home Secretary Priti Patel said too many women felt unsafe in public. Too many of us have walked home from school or work alone, only to hear footsteps uncomfortably close behind us, she said. Too many of us have pretended to be on the phone to a friend to scare someone off. Too many of us have clutched our keys in our fist in case we need to defend ourselves and that is not OK. She said footage of the Clapham Common event where four protestors were arrested had been upsetting. However she defended restrictions on protests put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus, urging people not to participate in large gatherings while they remained in force. The right to protest is the cornerstone of our democracy, but the Governments duty remains to prevent more lives being lost during this pandemic, she said. Floral tributes at the bandstand in Clapham Common (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The Clapham Common vigil had originally been organised by the protest group Reclaim These Streets before it was forced to cancel after police said it would be in breach of coronavirus rules. An organiser from the group said on Monday she did not want Dame Cressida to resign, but asked for the police chief to meet the group. Anna Birley told ITVs Good Morning Britain: We are a movement of women seeking to support and empower other women, and as one of the most senior women in British policing history, we do not want to add to the pile-on. Hundreds of women have left floral tributes in the park near to the route where Ms Everard, who went missing while walking home from a friends flat on March 3, walked. Throughout Monday, mourners arrived from across the capital to leave flowers and cards on the bandstand at Clapham Common. "Todays tech business has a responsibility to make a change in the under representation of women in the tech sector." - Christopher Thomas, Founder/Chairman, VirtMe Technology, Inc According to a report by The World Bank, women make up less than 40% of the total global workforce. Of course, this number differs when you zoom in to specific countries or regions. While the rate has improved over the years, its still less than men and women tend to be employed in lower paying jobs. What About the Women in Tech Workforce? Only 17% of Tech specialists are women. Only 34% of STEM graduates are women. Women in the Tech sector earn 19% less than men. In the Atomico report on gender composition by job title for Executive-level positions, the study found just 1 female Chief Technology Officer out of a sample of 175. 93% of the capital invested in tech companies went to all-male founding teams. VirtMe Technology was built with women inclusion from its idea phase, with Ly Averette named as a Co-Founder. Christopher Thomas, Founder and Chairman of VirtMe Technology states, Todays tech business has a responsibility to make a change in the under representation of women in the tech sector. We could initially blame it on unawareness; but now there are too many reports that support the fact of the lack of women (and blacks) on a global scale within the technology industry we have to stay conscious and intentional to improve it. From VirtMe Technologys Co-Founder, to Legal Counsel and Intellectual Property Attorney all are women. The company is committed to ensuring that women will continue to be a major part of its structure for the life of the business. About VirtMe Technology VirtMe was created for individuals and businesses that cant be stopped. We understand the time, creativity, effort and resources that go into planning and executing a stellar event. One of the biggest factors is securing the right venue. The balance is delicate and at any moment, one misaligned piece has the potential to derail the entire event. Well, no more. With VirtMe, regardless of the outside elements, the show goes on. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships, we help provide the right infrastructure to empower meeting and event planners (including event operations, training, conferences, and other varied aspects of meetings and events) to create and manage amazing curated, personal experiences that can influence and grow businesses, relationships and communities. We were created for organizations and individuals who value the right combination of high-tech and high-touch, and, through our proprietary platform for large event portfolios; we provide the magic that can make that a virtual reality. With VirtMe, its more than an eventits an experience. For more information about VirtMe Technology, visit http://www.VirtMe.tech. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald described the Taoiseachs response to her letter as arrogant and high-handed (Cate McCurry/PA) Mary Lou McDonald has criticised the Taoiseachs response to her request for a meeting about Leo Varadkars position as arrogant and high-handed. Micheal Martin said he had no intention on meeting the Sinn Fein leader about the Tanaiste, and described the letter as purely political. Sinn Fein has called on Mr Varadkar to resign or be sacked after a garda inquiry into his leaking of a confidential document was upgraded to a criminal probe. Ms McDonald called the leak of a doctors pay agreement by the then taoiseach to his friend an abuse of power and said politically this cant be tolerated. "It's not good enough for the bar for Leo Varadkar to be 'I didn't break the law' there should be a much higher bar. However it is quite clear that what SF have tried to do yesterday and today is to divert attention away from what their assembly members did in Northern Ireland" pic.twitter.com/iRMl4y6n9n The Labour Party (@labour) March 16, 2021 The Tanaiste has admitted that in April 2019, while taoiseach, he sent a copy of a doctors pay deal between the State and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to his friend, Dr Maitiu O Tuathail. Dr O Tuathail was head of the rival organisation, the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), at the time. Ms McDonald requested a meeting with Mr Martin about Mr Varadkar. However, in a statement Mr Martin said the letter was a tactic used on a far too frequent basis by the SF leader and it lacks sincerity. The Taoiseach has no intention of responding on this occasion, the statement added. Mr Martin also said that he receives letters from Ms McDonald on a regular basis. Mr Varadkar defended his position on Tuesday and denied doing any act that was illegal or corrupt. He told Newstalk that he shared a document in a way that was inappropriate. I accounted for that in the Dail. I apologised for it, Mr Varadkar said. I wouldn't have anticipated a dismissive and extremely arrogant approach so as we have heard today Mary Lou McDonald There was no personal gain, no personal benefit. I did no harm to anyone and conferred no advantage on anyone. Ms McDonald hit out at the Taoiseachs response to her letter, adding that it was Mr Martins job to deal with the leader of the opposition. I think his response is arrogant and high-handed, Ms McDonald said. To give the background to this, I have written to the Taoiseach on 12 occasions this year. Ive written to him about vaccine rollout, about carers, people with disabilities, special education, speech and language therapy, Brexit and the Irish protocol. So the Taoiseach would need to clarify which of these issues is a waste of his time, as he sees it. I think it is extraordinary to think that this Government seems to believe it is OK to leak confidential, sensitive documents to your friends, but there is a problem answering correspondence from the leader of the opposition. Expand Close Tanaiste Leo Varadkar (Julien Behal Photography) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tanaiste Leo Varadkar (Julien Behal Photography) All the more extraordinary given the fact that the Dail isnt fully operating. We are operating on a limited schedule, so I thought the head of the Government would have appreciated correspondence from all parties. I wouldnt have anticipated a dismissive and extremely arrogant approach so as we have heard today. Labours Aodhan O Riordain said his party did not believe the Tanaistes story. We voted no confidence in them at that point (November) and we still have no confidence in him, he said. We felt he should have resigned last November and we feel that he should not be in the position that he is in. But in a pandemic and in this particular political situation we find ourselves in, the rules have changed slightly, and I imagine if it wasnt for the pandemic he would no longer be Tanaiste, and no longer be a minister and no longer leader of Fine Gael. Its not good enough for the bar for Leo Varadkar to be that I didnt break the law. There should be a much higher bar for the office holder of Taoiseach or Tanaiste. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 21:22:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIGA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Latvia has temporarily halted the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, health officials informed on Tuesday. The Latvian Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), the State Immunization Council, the State Agency of Medicines of the Republic of Latvia (SAM) and the Health Inspectorate recommended the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine after several other countries took similar measures over fears that the jab might cause thrombosis. The decision has been taken based on reports from some European Union member states that a small number of recipients developed blood clots after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, said the SAM. Health Minister Daniels Pavluts said that experts' decision to suspend the use of the vaccine had been unexpected and that it meant a pause in the immunization process. Meanwhile, health ministry officials underlined that so far, no evidence has been found to associate the reported cases of thromboembolism with the COVID-19 vaccine. Although there have been a small number of cases in Latvia where people have died a few days after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, none of these cases involved thromboembolism and no evidence has been found to suggest that the deaths were caused by the vaccine, the SAM said. Dace Zavadska, head of the State Immunization Council, projected that it will take one or two weeks to examine the suspected link between the vaccine and thromboembolism and make sure the vaccine is safe. On March 9, the SAM suspended the use of one particular batch of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to safety concerns. Enditem Sorry! This content is not available in your region 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. Heritage said this sales milestone was achieved despite product availability still ramping up in Ontario and Alberta, and with orders pending from Quebec Heritage Cannabis says its sales growth was propelled by its popular brands Purefarma, Pura Vida, Premium 5 and RAD Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp ( ) ( ) (FRA:2UE) said its weekly revenue exceeded C$1 million during the second week of March, the first time the company achieved this since the launch of its own brands in 2020. Heritage Cannabis noted that this sales milestone was achieved despite product availability still ramping up in Ontario and Alberta, two of Canadas largest markets, and with orders pending from Quebec. This achievement is an exciting milestone for Heritage as we continue to develop and innovate new products within our already popular brands, Heritage Cannabis CEO Clint Sharples said in a statement. Sharples added: While there is still much more work to be done to make this a consistent outcome, we are energized by our first million-dollar week in the Canadian market. We continue to make significant progress on both our medical and recreational product offerings. Expanding our international strategy in conjunction with growing larger in all Canadian provinces will continue to drive this revenue number higher in the future. The company added that this growth was propelled by its popular brands Purefarma, Pura Vida, Premium 5 and RAD. 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. Contact Sean at sean@proactiveinvestors.com Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. In a letter to staff Monday, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry defended his handling of sexual harassment complaints against one of his top aides, encouraging staffers to report misconduct but complaining that "a hostile media environment" has affected the office. One of Landry's top aides, criminal division director Pat Magee, resigned from his job last week as The Advocate | The Times-Picayune was preparing to publish a story about a second sexual harassment complaint surfacing against him. Magee was the subject of an earlier complaint last year, and Landry's office filed a lawsuit against the reporter who sought a copy of it. Nineteenth Judicial District Judge Tim Kelley ruled the complaint should be released to the public after Landry sought to have it sealed. Kelley issued redactions to protect the names of potential victims of witnesses, and the complaint described Magee's interactions with and comments about several women. The complaint said that he would not promote one because her good looks made him worried about controlling himself around her sexually; while he requested for another to enroll as co-counsel on a case because "male jurors would want to have sex with her." Here's one important common thread in LSU, Jeff Landry aide sexual harassment scandals To outraged Louisiana lawmakers, its been hard to miss the parallels in a pair of sexual harassment scandals that have engulfed LSU and state An investigation into Magee from the law firm Taylor Porter found some of his comments unprofessional but said they did not rise to the level of sexual harassment. Landry's office has yet to release that investigation. Magee said upon his resignation that the allegations against him were "false and unjust." He defended the investigation that concluded he did not sexually harass employees and said he does not condone sexual harassment. In his letter to staff, Landry wrote that he has an "open door" policy and that employees should feel free to make their concerns directly known to him if they have concerns about how they are being treated. And though Landry did not fire Magee, he said anyone engaging in sexual harassment would lose their job. "First and foremost, sexual harassment is wrong and it will not be tolerated in this office," Landry wrote. "It does not matter your division, your job title, or your length of service; if you found to be engaging in this type conduct you will no longer be employed. Actions have consequences, and no one is above reproach." Landry also defended his recent lawsuit against an Advocate reporter, saying he felt that revealing information about sexual harassment in his office would be "counterproductive to protecting the rights of those who may wish to express concerns." Kelley disagreed, however, saying that redacting names of employees and in some cases their titles would be sufficient -- remedies this newspaper had proposed before Landry filed suit. Pat Magee aide to Jeff Landry resigns amid second sexual harassment complaint Pat Magee, a top aide to Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, resigned Thursday as a second sexual harassment complaint against him came to The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up A former Attorney General's Office employee, who filed the second complaint against Magee last week, alleged that his harassment prevented her from pursuing the types of cases she was interested in. She alleged that Magee gave women assignments like traffic tickets, while he encouraged men to take serious criminal cases. But Landry wrote that he has tried to shield his employees from attempts to distract from their great work. "We believe in transparency, that light is the best source of disinfectant," Landry wrote. "That is why we provided, to the media, upfront not only the findings of the investigation but also the discipline applied in this most recent case at hand. It was not hidden." His comments notwithstanding, Landry received a "Black Hole Award" Monday from the Society of Professional Journalists, a national organization. The annual award, given to an American public official for an act of "outright contempt of the publics right to know," is bestowed during Sunshine Week, which runs this week. +2 Inside the complaint against top Jeff Landry aide: 'Jurors would want to have sex with her' A sexual harassment complaint against a top aide for Attorney General Jeff Landry alleges that Pat Magee insisted that one woman should be dep Landry wrote that his staff made no attempt to hide any information. He accused the media of using hyperbole to "sell newspapers and gain eyeballs" on TV news. "It is unfortunate; and, as they say, no good deed goes unpunished," Landry wrote. The journalists' group, however, said that Landry's lawsuit could create a chilling effect on any future efforts to get records from the Attorney General's Office, especially when they come from smaller newsrooms, freelancers or others who fear the monetary burden of being sued. "Open truly open records are crucial to maintaining our fragile democracy, and all citizens benefit from transparency in government," said SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair Haisten Willis. "Attempting to bully someone out of holding government officials accountable has earned the Louisiana attorney general a well-deserved Black Hole Award." 3 1 of 3 Skidmore College Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Skidmore College Show More Show Less 3 of 3 SARATOGA SPRINGS - A Skidmore College faculty member and a recent Skidmore graduate have collaborated with 28 scientists internationally on a study suggesting that the Amazon rainforest is likely having a net warming effect on global climate. Lead author Kris Covey, visiting assistant professor of environmental studies and sciences, and 2020 graduate Zoe Pagliaro have co-authored the study Carbon and Beyond: The biogeochemistry of climate in a rapidly changing Amazon, which was published March 11 in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. Their paper resulted from a July 2019 visit to Manaus, Brazil, where Covey and Pagliaro attended the National Geographic Societys convention of 30 scientists. Pagliaro was the only undergraduate student to attend, and played a key role in compiling into a single table the majority of studies that have explored forest biophysical climate feedbacks in the Amazon over the past 10 years. The table was used to for discussions among the scientists for a first-of-its-kind assessment of the Amazon rainforests cumulative climate impact. The study is considered the most comprehensive assessment to date of human and natural causes that contribute to the Amazons complex interactions with climate. She's expecting her third child in three years with her fiance Dane Goodson. And Casey Batchelor, 36, took to Instagram to show off her huge baby bump to her thousands of followers on Tuesday. 'I've still got 3 months to go! So if I look like I'm about to 'POP' now, what am I going to look like in 3 months?' questioned the glamour model. 28 weeks!: Casey Batchelor took to Instagram to show off her huge baby bump to her thousands of followers on Tuesday Posing in a mirror selfie, Casey looked comfy but stylish in a stretchy grey body suit with a white shirt layered over the top. The Celebrity Big Brother star wrote: 'So, today I was told "Wow you look like you're about to POP!!!" 'I mean yes, I get very large bumps, and yes, I do like like I'm about to pop!! 'But I've still got 3 months to go! So if I look like I'm about to 'POP' now, what am I going to look like in 3 months, 'I guess where I'm so short I have no place for the baby/bump to go apart from out.' Not done yet: 'I've still got 3 months to go! So if I look like I'm about to 'POP' now, what am I going to look like in 3 months?' questioned the glamour model The post comes after Casey revealed earlier this month that she was finding her third pregnancy exhausting. In a candid Instagram post, the yoga teacher told her followers: 'I've not really been on social this weekend. I keep getting massive waves of tiredness where I literally can't keep my eyes open!' Casey is already a doting mum to Florence, two, and Sadie, 13 months, who she co-parents with her fiance. Tired: The post comes after Casey revealed earlier this month that she was finding her third pregnancy exhausting She said: 'I remember feeling tired in both my previous pregnancies but this time it's a whole other level, unless I've just forgot how tired I felt before. Or maybe that I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old that needs my attention. 'I am definitely starting to balloon, starting to swell a little, my face is starting to fill out or in more blatant terms.... I'm getting fat.' Confirming her latest pregnancy to OK! magazine last month, the mum-of-two said that although she'll have a 'crazy' household to manage, she feels 'happy and fortunate' at how easy she they have found it to conceive. For many Portlanders, it seems like the days when national media gushed over the Rose Citys livability, food and good coffee are a distant memory, and that the citys reputation has instead taken a major hit. The conservative Fox News Channel, for example, has frequently portrayed Portland as a city consumed with violent protests, which makes some viewers across the country assume that the city has been left a charred ruin. The coronavirus pandemic and the homelessness crisis have also taken a toll on Portland. With all that grim news, seeing a Today show report Tuesday mentioning Portland as one of the top cities to live in, once the worst of the pandemic is over, felt like a time machine trip to the past. The report came during the Tuesday morning show, as hosts Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer spoke with Stefani Berkin, president of the R New York real estate firm. Berkin said that the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired many people to think about where they live, and to ask the question, What does home mean? With home often being turned into an office, a gym, a Zoom school and a child care center, Berkin said people are looking to live somewhere that makes them feel content. On the show, Berkin mentioned three cities that she said will be good choices for the post-COVID period: Des Moines, Iowa; Boulder, Colorado; and Portland. Here are the top 10 cities to live in after the pandemichttps://t.co/Ptgd0sgbsd TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 16, 2021 Portland, Berkin said, stands out because theres no sales tax, which she said is a big plus. She also described Portland as having tons of Millennials and great coffee, environmentally conscious, and so laidback that not only can you go to work in jeans, but your boss might also go to work in jeans. In a longer piece about the Top 10 cities to live in after the pandemic, on the Today show website, Berkin lists such other spots as Austin, Texas. -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Galveston, TX (77553) Today Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Heavy thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Wiluna Underground Gold Reserves Grow by 142% Perth, Mar 16, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Wiluna Mining Corporation Limited ( ASX:WMX ) ( FRA:NZ3 ) ( OTCMKTS:WMXCF ) is pleased to report an Ore Reserve update for the Wiluna Mining Centre as it transitions to underground mining and production of gold in dore and concentrate from a new flotation circuit.The 2020 Ore Reserve estimate is based on the Mineral Resources announced on 5 November 2020 with depletion to 31 October 2020 and has been updated in accordance with the JORC Code 2012 edition.This Ore Reserve update has included an assessment of- Underground mining at the Wiluna Mining Centre- Surface stockpiles at Wiluna, Williamson, Matilda and Galaxy Mining Centres- Retreatment of historical tailings- Open pit mining potential at each of Wiluna, Lake Way (Williamson) and Galaxy Mining Centres- Processing of free milling ore through the existing CIL circuit and sulphide ore through the 750ktpa Stage 1 Sulphide flotation plant due to be commissioned in October 2021A gold price of A$2,550/oz has been used for all Ore Reserve assessmentsThe large increase in underground Ore Reserves affirms the Company's "Under the Headframe" strategy to expand underground Ore Reserves through methodical infill drilling of Mineral Resources between previously mined areas to support near term production before progressively stepping out to expand Ore Reserves and production areas to support an expanded production rate.Full details in relation to this estimate have been provided in the Appendix to this announcement titled JORC (2012) Table 1*. This new Ore Reserve estimate is an update from the Annual Resources and Reserves released on 27 September 2019.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Wiluna Mining Corporation Ltd Wiluna Mining Corporation (ASX:WMX) (OTCMKTS:WMXCF) is a Perth based, ASX listed gold mining company that controls over 1,600 square kilometres of the Yilgarn Craton in the Northern Goldfields of WA. The Yilgarn Craton has a historic and current gold endowment of over 380 million ounces, making it one of most prolific gold regions in the world. The Company owns 100% of the Wiluna Gold Operation which has a defined resource of 8.04M oz at 1.67 g/t au. In May 2019, a new highly skilled management team took control of the Company with a clear plan to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation's multi-million-ounce potential. 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. SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania woman allegedly cheered on rioters as they stormed into the U.S. Capitol in early January and was photographed in a trashed conference room inside the building, the FBI said in a newly unsealed affidavit. Annie C. Howell of Swoyersville, Luzerne County, was charged earlier this month with trespassing, disorderly or disruptive conduct, violent entry and obstruction of Congress during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. A message seeking comment was left Tuesday for her public defender, Brandon R. Reish in Scranton. The case was unsealed Monday, and Howell is being prosecuted in Washington. The FBI said in the affidavit that one witness alerted them to social media posts in which Howell allegedly appeared to be inciting the crowd in order to storm the building. Another informant told investigators Howell sent a 27-second video of a ransacked Capitol conference room with broken furniture and TVs ripped from the walls. The source told the FBI that Howell gave them the video directly. In a Facebook post in early January, the FBI wrote, Howell said she had been hit on the head with metal rods. We were gassed 5 times in the matter of 2 minutes and thousands fell to their feet and we couldnt see or breathe, she allegedly wrote. The Justice Department has said about 300 people have been charged with federal offenses related to the riot. More: Pa. man among pair charged in assault of Capitol officer who died after riot New charges filed against Palmyra Capitol riot suspect Lycoming County man, woman charged with breaking into the U.S. Capitol during riot Two persons, George Asare and Madam Portia Mensah, have been charged by the Suhum Magistrate Court for insanitary bathhouse drain with blue-algae formation on their premises. The two accused persons have been fined a sum of 1,800 Ghana cedis each or in default face six months imprisonment with hard labour by Mrs Cynthia Blagoggee, the Presiding Magistrate of the Suhum Court. The accused persons after failing to comply with notices served on them by Environmental Health Officers pleaded guilty with an explanation, but their explanation was not accepted by the court which therefore fined the duo. According to the prosecutor, Mr George Theophilus Agyalo, Senior Environmental Health Officer, the first accused person George Asare is a resident at Supresu a farming Community in the Suhum Municipality and an occupant of a house with the mess. That on 27th October last year, Environmental Health Officers led by Mr Joe Gyato and Mr Isaac Yeboah on their normal routine, visited the premises of the accused person and they found an insanitary bathhouse drain with blue-algae formation. Mr Agyalo said after the officers introduced themselves to the accused person, they then brought him to the scene of the mess and gave him abatement notice and came back for re-inspection on another day. But George Asare failed to comply with the orders given him. He stated that on 20th January this year around 1500 hours when the summons was served on the accused person, the mess still existed and he refused to collect the summons but rather insulted the environmental officers to go and find better work to do. He was subsequently issued with a summons to appear before the court. Mr Agyalo said the second accused person Portia Mensah is also a resident of Supresu a farming community in the Suhum municipality and an occupant of another house and that on the 27th October last year, two of their officers led by Mr Joe Gyato and Mr Isaac Yeboah on their normal routine found an insanitary bathhouse drain with blue-algae formation on the premises of the accused. He said the accused person refused the collection of the abatement notice given to her by the Environmental Health Officers and also failed to comply with the directive of the officers to get rid of the mess created. The prosecutor noted that on 20th January this year around 1500 hours when the summons was served on the accused person, the mess created still existed and she refused to collect the summons served on her saying, I will never come to court today or tomorrow unless you take me by force. A bench warrant was subsequently issued for her arrest to face the law court. 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 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 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 At least four persons have been confirmed dead and 189 others on treatment for poisoning from consuming an expired juice drink in Kano. The chairperson of the committee on infectious diseases outbreak in Kano, Bashir Lawal, disclosed this to reporters on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, the National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said the poison came from expired satchet water and a locally produced juice drink. Mr Lawal said the incident came to notice on Thursday after hundreds of persons in Kano metropolis were hospitalised with cases of frequent vomiting, joint dizziness and blood in urination. He said two of the deaths were recorded at a health facility while the other two infected persons died at home. Health officials initially thought the disease was a lassa fever outbreak. However, subsequent laboratory examination revealed a case of food poisoning, Mr Lawal, a medical doctor, said. The official said so far, 189 persons have been confirmed poisoned by the drink and are receiving treatment at various infectious diseases control centres across the state. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that there is fear of unreported deaths across the state after many low income residents resorted to consuming uncertified products due to hot weather in northern Nigerias most populous city. The states Ministry of Health said it had expanded its treatment centres to health facilities across the local councils as the figure of infected persons surged. Mr Lawal said the emergency had spread to about eight local council areas, as the state government was taking measures to prevent further spread. Meanwhile, the states consumer protection agency said it had apprehended four persons in connection to the distribution of the poisonous drink. The acting Managing Director of the consumer protection agency, Baffa Babba-Daagundi, said the agency bursted a warehouse in Minjibir Local Government Area where the drink was being kept for distribution. Reacting to the development, the states coordinator for NAFDAC, Shaba Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kano that the samples were referred to its laboratory in Kaduna for analysis. Mr Muhammad said the agency received a report of manifestation of a strange disease suspected to be caused by drinking sachet water and locally processed drinks in the metropolis. Reports indicated that the infection involves sachet water and local drinks suspected to be prepared with expired and adulterated products. We collected samples of the suspected water and the products for analysis to establish the cause of the disease, the official was quoted as saying. SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pulse oximeter market size is expected to reach USD 3.4 billion by 2028, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2021 to 2028. Technological advancements in products, growing healthcare costs, and readmission, and increasing adoption of pulse oximetry devices are expected to boost market growth during the forecast period. Market players are introducing devices that are more efficient and support telehealth approaches. For instance, in February 2017, the company received a CE mark for Rad-97 Pulse CO-Oximeter used to monitor blood pressure at set intervals. It is also capable of transferring the data to a remotely connected device. Key suggestions from the report: The fingertip pulse oximetry devices are being used by customers to self-monitor symptoms of COVID-19 contributing to segment growth since the onset of the pandemic In handheld pulse oximetry devices, the probe, which is very delicate and prone to damage, can be replaced, unlike in fingertip oximeters, and is expected to be in high demand due to the advantage of reduced risk of COVID-19 transmission There is an upward trend in the use of the medical device in homecare settings as it enables tracking and storing of patient's oxygen level readings, which reduces the need for hospital readmissions North America held the largest share in the market in 2020 due to factors such as availability of funds for R&D. The sales for fingertip pulse oximetry devices soared in January 2020 and March 2020 in the U.S. post the country-wide spread of the novel coronavirus and release of the WHO guidelines citing the oximeter as an essential device for monitoring blood oxygen during self-management In Asia Pacific , the demand for medical devices has increased from hospitals for monitoring critically ill COVID-19 patients. As the spread of the novel coronavirus has progressed significantly, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has notified all healthcare facilities to make necessary arrangements for devices used in diagnostics, treatment, and management of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) The industry is also witnessing mergers, acquisitions, and licensing agreements. For instance, in December 2016 , Nihon Kohden announced an absorption-type merger of 11 wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries to improve management and efficiency of operations Read 80 page research report with ToC on "Pulse Oximeter Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Fingertip, Handheld), By End-use (Hospitals & Other Healthcare Facilities, Homecare), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pulse-oximeter-market There are various other types of oximeters such as wrist-worn oximeters, bedside, or desktop oximeters, and mobile phone pulse oximeters, the latest addition. These oximetry devices are equipped with a sensor that is compatible with the software installed in a user's mobile phone, which analyzes data to display information. For instance, iHealth Labs, a subsidiary of a China-based company, Andon Health, offers such products. In October 2013, the company received FDA approval for its wireless pulse oximetry device. Grand View Research has segmented the global pulse oximeter market on the basis of type, end-use, and region: Pulse Oximeters Type Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Fingertip Handheld Others Pulse Oximeters End-use Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Hospitals & Other Healthcare Facilities Homecare Pulse Oximeters Regional Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa (MEA) & (MEA) South Africa List of Key Players of Pulse Oximeters Market Medtronic (Covidien) Carefusion Corp. GE Healthcare Philips Healthcare Masimo CAS Medical Systems, Inc. Opto Circuits India Ltd. Nonin Medical, Inc. Smiths Medical Welch Allyn Spacelabs Healthcare Meditech Equipment Co. Nihon Kohden Corporation Find more research reports on Medical Devices Industry, by Grand View Research: U.S. Medical Device Manufacturers Market The U.S. medical device manufacturers market size was valued at USD 176.7 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2021 - 2028. in 2020 and is anticipated to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2021 - 2028. Sleep Apnea Devices Market The global sleep apnea devices market size was valued at USD 3.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. Vital Signs Monitoring Devices Market The global vital signs monitoring devices market size was valued at USD 6.88 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2021 to 2028. 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. 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 week-long serious efforts by film star and MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna too was of no help to the TD. (DC File Photo) ANANTAPUR: Telugu Desam with a long history of dominance in Hindupur, the home turf for party founder NT Rama Rao, suffered major shock as the party was relegated to the fourth place in two wards and to the third place in eight wards in the present municipal polls there. A further jolt was that the MIM won a seat and occupied the second place in 5 municipal wards where Telugu Desam has registered a steep fall in its performance graph. The week-long serious efforts by film star and MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna too was of no help to the TD. His campaign failed as the party found itself winning only six wards against a total of 38 wards in the special grade municipality. Balakrishna had stayed at his residence for a week and held roadshows through all wards and connecting villages of the municipality, seeking votes for the TD. The YSRC party especially aimed to grab Hindupur municipality also as it falls in Balakrishnas constituency segment. MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi had also campaigned in Hindupur and fielded strong candidates and proved he could get substantial support from the Muslim segment of the electorate. In 15th municipal ward, Telugu Desam candidate got just 140 votes and took the humiliating fourth place while the YSRC candidate got 874 votes, MIM 722 votes and the CPI 312 votes to take the third place. Interestingly, BJP candidate A. Anjali won from the 11th ward where she got 915 votes while nearest rival, the YSRC candidate, got 783 votes, the MIM 255 votes and Telugu Desam just 184 votes to take the fourth place. The TD had ruled the municipality in the last five years as also previously. The MIM proved its presence in all wards where candidates were fielded and won the 16th ward. There, the MIM candidate got 883 votes and YSRC candidate 760 votes while TD got 143 votes to stay in the 3rd place and the CPI got 122 to remain at the 4th position in the 16th ward. Further, an independent candidate took the second place in the first ward where the Telugu Desam was satisfied with the third place. The YSRC won the seat. Similarly, TD stayed at the 3rd position with 244 votes in Ward 3 where the YSRC got 1145 votes and the MIM 303 votes. In the 5th ward, the Telugu Desam candidate couldnt compete with the YSRC. The YSRC got 1,160 votes and the MIM stood in second place with 716 votes. Analyst L. Prasad observed the MIM has succeeded to poll for it the votes of TD dissidents. We noticed a competition between YSRC and MIM in many wards, while TD fell below the mark, he said. YSRC leader Naveen Nischal claimed that his partys victory was due to the people's appreciation of the welfare schemes initiated by the chief minister. Europe's medicine regulator said it was "firmly convinced" that the benefits of AstraZeneca's vaccine outweigh any risk Why have several countries in Europe suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, citing fears of blood clots, even as the European Union's top regulator insists there is no evidence of a link and calls for the inoculations to continue? Germany, Italy, France and at several other nations say they need time to determine whether the vaccine is in any way responsible for very rare incidents of unusual blood events. But they have faced challenges over the wisdom of pausing vaccination with AstraZenecaa key component of national immunisation campaignsas the epidemic sweeps the continent. Deaths across Europe have topped 900,000 since the pandemic began must over a year ago, making it the worst-hit global region in absolute terms, according to an AFP tally of official figures. "We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke said on Tuesday. The World Health Organization (WHO) and AstraZeneca have also said the shot is safe. What's the issue? The vaccine was developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford in Britain, where more than 11 million doses have been administered without a sign of increased thrombosis risk. The EMA has said it has not detected a higher number of thromboembolic events in vaccinated people than would normally be expected in the general population. But last week Denmark was the first to announce it was suspending the jab over blood clot concerns, though it stressed the move was precautionary. Then on Monday, the Paul-Ehrlich Medical Institute, which advises the German government, said it believed more investigations were needed because of "new reports of thromboses of the cerebral veins in connection with the vaccination in Germany and Europe". Cerebral venous thrombosisthe formation of clots in veins in the brain that can cause strokesare both "much rarer than classic thromboses" and also potentially more serious, said infectious disease specialist Odile Launay, of the COVID Vaccines Committee created by the French government. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said seven cases of cerebral venous thrombosis had been seen out of more than 1.6 million injections. The risk was therefore "very low", he said, but added it would be above average if confirmed to be linked to the vaccine. Despite the tiny number, it is the unusual type of thromboembolic events that seems to have caused the concern. But so far the EMA has not been persuaded. "At present there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions," the EMA's Cooke said. However, Cooke said the regulator was "looking at adverse events associated with all vaccines" and expected to publish its findings on Thursday. COVID risk As with all medicines, regulators seek to balance the benefits with any potential risks. In this case, experts say, the calculation must take into account the risk from COVID-19. Belgium on Monday said it would continue using AstraZeneca, judging that to stop immunising people with an effective vaccine in the face of rising cases would be "irresponsible". That echoes the view of experts across Europe, which is already lagging in its vaccine rollout compared to Britain and the United States despite rising cases. Stephen Evans, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said COVID-19 is known to cause sometimes very serious problems in the body's coagulation systems. So the "very likely explanation of at least some of the clotting disorders seen are a result of COVID-19 rather than the vaccine". "Hence, even if there were a problem, acknowledged to be very rare with the AZ vaccine, the overall benefit would be so much greater than any speculative harm," he added. Regardless of what the EMA reports, French specialist Launay said the damage to public confidence has likely already been done. She said "whatever the outcome, it will have a significant impact on immunisations". Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP People seen in Singapore's central business district. (PHOTO: Getty Images) SINGAPORE The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed the detection of 17 new cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore on Sunday (14 March), taking the country's total case count to 60,105. All 17 cases are imported and there are no new cases of locally transmitted infection. "Amongst the new cases today, 15 are asymptomatic, and were detected from our proactive screening and surveillance, while two were symptomatic," said the MOH. Amongst the 17 imported cases, four are dependants pass holders who arrived from France, India, and Nepal. Two are a long-term visit pass holder and a student's pass holder who both arrived from India. Another case is a work pass holder who arrived from Nepal. Eight cases are work permit holders who arrived from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and the Philippines, of whom one is a foreign domestic worker. Sunday's two symptomatic cases are both work permit holders a 31-year-old Filipino woman who arrived from the Philippines and a 34-year-old Bangladeshi man who arrived from Bangladesh. The remaining two cases are short-term visit pass holders, including one who arrived from the Philippines to visit her Singaporean relatives and another who arrived from India to visit his family member who works in Singapore. All 17 imported cases were placed on the stay-home notice upon their arrival here and were tested while serving their notice. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The MOH said that the number of new cases in the community has decreased from four in the week before to two in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased from three in the week before to two in the past week. On Saturday, the MOH reported Singapore's 30th COVID-19 related fatality a 61-year-old Singaporean man who had been in the United Arab Emirates for work and returned to Singapore on 30 January. The man had a past history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and gout. 99% of total cases have recovered, none in ICU Story continues With seven more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Sunday, 59,968 cases or 99.8 per cent of the total have fully recovered from the infection. Most of the 17 hospitalised cases are stable or improving. None of them are in the intensive care unit. A total of 90 patients with mild symptoms or are clinically well but still test positive are isolated and cared for at community facilities. Apart from the 30 patients who have died from COVID-19 complications, 15 others who tested positive for the virus were determined to have died from unrelated causes, including three whose deaths were attributed to a heart attack and another four, whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease. Amongst the 72 confirmed cases reported from 8 to 14 March, 32 cases have tested positive for their serology tests, 28 have tested negative, and 12 serology test results are pending. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore More Singapore stories: Double-masking not necessary, proper mask usage more important: Singapore experts MCCY investigating unauthorised versions of Count on Me, Singapore HIV-positive man who donated blood during circuit breaker given stern warning COMMENT: FAS has its work cut out to woo sceptical public and make football project a success Prime Minister Florin Citu reiterated on Tuesday, in southern Craiova, that the COVID vaccination campaign is going well in Romania, emphasizing that the target of reaching 10.4 million people immunized against SARS-CoV-2 virus by September remains the same. "The target stands - and we checked when the vaccine doses are coming - so that we can vaccinate 10.4 million Romanians by the end of September. That means 70 percent of the active population and it would mean that we can say that we are moving to the other side of the pandemic. There are signs that it may be earlier, but I don't want to think about it ... Today, at this point, the target remains the same: 10.4 million people by September. So, as concerns the vaccination, I say things are going well, they went very well, they will go well," said Citu. The head of the Executive explained, when asked on this topic, that the decision not to suspend the vaccination with the AstraZeneca serum in Romania was made by specialists in the field. AGERPRES 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. DISH Network has been elected to the O-RAN ALLIANCEs Board of Directors O-RAN ALLIANCEs Minimum Viable Plan to expedite the delivery of high-priority O-RAN functions 28 new or updated O-RAN specifications have been released since November 2020 O-RAN Open Summit held on February 25, 2021 now available for re-play on O-RAN website As of February 23, 2021, the O-RAN ALLIANCE welcomes DISH Network as a new member of its Board of Directors. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005553/en/ O-RAN Logical Architecture (Graphic: Business Wire) Carriers around the world are recognizing the importance of building next-generation, programmable networks that are open, intelligent and flexible, making the work of the O-RAN ALLIANCE more critical than ever, said Sidd Chenumolu, DISH vice president of technology development. At DISH, we are in a unique position as we build a 5G network entirely upon O-RAN standards, and the work of this organization creates a unified roadmap as our partners join us in developing a disaggregated and open RAN. We look forward to playing a continued role in the success of the O-RAN ALLIANCE and the development of standards that enhance connectivity worldwide. O-RAN ALLIANCEs Minimum Viable Plan (MVP) Towards Commercial O-RAN Solutions O-RANs specification effort, open software development, as well as testing and integration, will focus on priorities set by its operator members. This approach will allow the O-RAN ecosystem players to prioritize the delivery of a minimum viable set of end-to-end O-RAN solutions applicable in commercial networks. The first release of the MVP includes already published specifications and additional work items in the area of: Open fronthaul specifications provide fully specified control, user and synchronization interface, management plane interface between O-RU and O-DU, and relevant conformance and interoperability tests, enabling multi-vendor interoperability. specifications provide fully specified control, user and synchronization interface, management plane interface between O-RU and O-DU, and relevant conformance and interoperability tests, enabling multi-vendor interoperability. Open transport defines the requirements of xhaul transport, proposes the best practices of deploying WDM and IP technologies in xhaul. defines the requirements of xhaul transport, proposes the best practices of deploying WDM and IP technologies in xhaul. Open hardware offers hardware reference designs for different modes of indoor picocell, outdoor microcell, outdoor Macrocell and open fronthaul gateway to accelerate the use of whitebox and facilitate RAN ecosystem diversity. offers hardware reference designs for different modes of indoor picocell, outdoor microcell, outdoor Macrocell and open fronthaul gateway to accelerate the use of whitebox and facilitate RAN ecosystem diversity. Open stack provides a software reference design for O-CU/O-DU architecture, interfaces, internal modules, and APIs, to promote and guide the open source software development. provides a software reference design for O-CU/O-DU architecture, interfaces, internal modules, and APIs, to promote and guide the open source software development. Open cloud presents O-Cloud reference design with the fundamental synchronization requirements and real life deployment recommendations. presents O-Cloud reference design with the fundamental synchronization requirements and real life deployment recommendations. Testing and integration sets the criteria and guidelines for the formation of Open Testing and Integration Centers (OTICs), ensuring consistency and quality of the testing of O-RAN products and solutions. Subsequent O-RAN releases will extend the MVP with additional features and functionalities based on continuing surveys and updates of operators deployment priorities. 28 New or Updated O-RAN Specifications Released since November 2020 On February 26, 2021, the O-RAN ALLIANCE published another 28 specification documents, including 10 new titles. For more details on the new specifications, please check this O-RAN blog post. To download O-RAN specifications, please proceed to www.o-ran.org/specifications. O-RAN Open Summit Held on February 25, 2021 Available for Re-play The O-RAN Open Summit on February 25, 2021 has gained attention with more than 2500 global visitors. The recording of Open Summit is available at the O-RAN website. The recording includes full content of the event, including five keynotes: Opening address - Alex Jinsung Choi , COO of O-RAN ALLIANCE and SVP Technology Strategy & Innovation of Deutsche Telekom , COO of O-RAN ALLIANCE and SVP Technology Strategy & Innovation of Deutsche Telekom Chairman address - Andre Fuetsch , Chairman of the O-RAN ALLIANCE and Chief Technology Officer of AT&T , Chairman of the O-RAN ALLIANCE and Chief Technology Officer of AT&T O-RAN Technical progress - Chih-Lin I , Co-Chair of O-RAN Technical Steering Committee and China Mobile Chief Scientist, Wireless Technologies, China Mobile Research Institute , Co-Chair of O-RAN Technical Steering Committee and China Mobile Chief Scientist, Wireless Technologies, China Mobile Research Institute Testing and Integration Focus Group update - David Orloff , Co-chair of O-RAN Testing and Integration Focus Group, AT&T , Co-chair of O-RAN Testing and Integration Focus Group, AT&T O-RAN Software Community update - Jack Murray, Co-Chair of OSC Technical Oversight Committee, AT&T The event recording also includes the panel discussion on Paths to O-RAN implementation providing valuable insights on possible ways towards open RAN introduction in the public mobile networks. The panelists represent a great variety of players in the O-RAN ecosystem: AT&T, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, TIM, O-RAN ALLIANCE, Intel, Keysight, ONF, Nokia and Radisys. About O-RAN ALLIANCE The O-RAN ALLIANCE is a world-wide community of more than 270 mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. As the RAN is an essential part of any mobile network, the O-RAN ALLIANCEs mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. The new O-RAN standards will enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem with faster innovation to improve user experience. O-RAN based mobile networks will at the same time improve the efficiency of RAN deployments as well as operations by the mobile operators. To achieve this, the O-RAN ALLIANCE publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations. For more information please visit www.o-ran.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005553/en/ Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 wealthy heiress who was allegedly drowned by her husband at their Danish holiday home so he could claim 3.5million in life insurance suffered 13 injuries to her head and body, a court has heard. Donald McPherson, 47, from Sale, Greater Manchester, is accused of drowning his wife Paula Leeson, 47, while on holiday at a rented cottage with a swimming pool in Denmark. The prosecution claims that he 'stood to gain a vast fortune' after the couple took out joint life insurance policies worth around 3.5million. They also allege he 'skilfully staged' the alleged murder to make it look like an accident. Donald McPherson (left), 47, from Sale, Greater Manchester, is accused of drowning his wife Paula Leeson (right), 47, while on holiday at a rented cottage with a swimming pool in Denmark Professor Peter Leth, a pathologist based in Denmark who appeared via video link, told jurors at Manchester Crown Court that the cause of Mrs Leeson's death had been changed to undetermined. He told jurors that following Mrs Leeson's death in the town of Norre Nebel in June 2017, a post mortem examination was stopped and the police were informed after bleeding around the neck was found. Further examinations found there was no indication of strangulation, the professor said. Ms Leeson had sustained 13 separate external injuries, mainly to her face and arms which were described as bruises, abrasions or haemorrhages. The cause of her death was found to be drowning, and the manner of death was said to be accidental. Professor Leth said the manner of her death was changed to 'undetermined' after receiving more information from Greater Manchester Police. 'This is not a legal opinion, it is simply for medical, statistical purposes,' the professor said. 'In this case we found that we could no longer be sure that it was an accident.' The prosecution claims that he 'stood to gain a vast fortune' after the couple took out joint life insurance policies worth around 3.5million. Pictured: Manchester Crown Court Professor Leth said he was initially told the swimming pool was 180cm deep, about five foot nine. He was later informed it was actually 120cm deep, just under four foot. Ms Leeson was said to be five foot five. 'Did that have any impact on your opinion?', prosecutor David McLachlan QC asked the professor. Professor Leth said it would be 'less likely' for someone to drown in shallower than deeper water. He said: 'It is not impossible to drown in shallow water, but that is usually children and people who are intoxicated. 'In people that are not intoxicated who are adults, it is less likely, not impossible, but less likely.' Ms Leeson's family said she could swim, but that she didn't like swimming. Professor Leth said his work revealed there was no indication of a 'fight or struggle'. He added: 'It is possible to drown a person without much struggle if you are heavier than this person, and the person is taken by surprise. 'There are examples of that in the literature. That would not leave any marks of any kind.' In cross-examination, defence barrister John Ryder QC asked the professor: 'You could drown in a bath as well as in a large body of water, couldn't you?' 'I do agree with that, but it is more likely to drown accidentally in deep water than shallow water,' Professor Leth replied. Mr Ryder added: 'From a pathological perspective, you are unable to help as to how this lady landed up in the pool aren't you?' 'That's correct,' Professor Leth replied. Mr Ryder continued: 'Of the various different options, that she was pushed into the pool, or that she fainted and fell into the pool, you cannot say that one did happen did you?' 'No, we cannot say that,' the professor replied. Mr Ryder continued: 'These injuries could be explained by falling and later attempts to recover or resuscitate her?' The professor replied: 'Yes, that's exactly what we have said in our report.' The case continues. Its done: The 3.45 am call to NSA Doval after Balakot was hit and Operation Bandar was competed JeMs lackey who plotted attacks in Delhi, Jammu booked by NIA JeM commander killed in encounter at Shopian India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Srinagar, Mar 16: In a major breakthrough, security forces killed Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Vilayat Hussain Lone in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Monday, taking the death toll of the ultras in the three-day operation to two. Lone -- alias Sajjad Afghani, who was one of the most-wanted militants in Kashmir -- was killed in a fresh exchange of fire with security forces in Rawalpora area where an anti-militancy operation was launched on Saturday, police said. Batla House encounter: BJP seeks apology from opposition after court gives death penalty to Ariz Khan A militant -- identified as Jahangir Ahmad Wani of the Lashkar-e-Taiba -- was killed in the gunfight on Sunday. Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar congratulated the security forces for killing Afghani. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 9:39 [IST] The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia March 16, 2021 Dr. Togba-Nah Tipoteh In a drive to find a way out of the longstanding and widespread poverty in Liberia and other countries, we can take some helpful lessons from some movies, like the Nigerian Movie called Sons of Thunder, to help us solve the poverty problem. The movie, Sons of Thunder, is about the Struggle to get rid of the system of injustice and bring in the system of Justice for All, the only ingredient that leads to peace and sustainable better-living conditions. A Struggler for Justice died and left living his Wife and Son. The Son, taking the family tradition and struggling against injustice, saw two men trying to rape a woman who was on her way to the village creek to get some water. Immediately, upon seeing the rape attempt, the Son wrestled with the two men and defeated them to the point that they ran away. The Son then comforted the woman and made sure that she got her water and went back to her home in the village. One of the men who attempted the wait went to his Mother and complained that he had been violently attacked by the Son. The Mother immediately ran with him to the Mother of the Son and began yelling about the bad thing that the Son had done. The Mother of the Son told him to tell her what had happened. He told his Mother that upon seeing the two men trying to rape the woman, he beat them, and they ran away. The Mother of the attempted rapist apologized to Sons Mother and began to chastise the son, the attempted rapist, who ran away in shame. When the Igwe, King of the Area, learned about the courageous act of the Son, he sent for the Son, thanked him, in full view of his Mother, and awarded him a scholarship to attend school up to the completion of the first University degree. The Son studied well and became a well-known activist, promoting Justice for All. One day, when the Son was in a bookstore, he met a female student who wanted to buy the book that he was to buy and she begged him to buy the book because it was the only copy in the store. He told her that she could have the book. Talking from one thing to another, she recognized that he was the well-known activist on campus, and they became friends. He invited her to lunch many times and, in their conversations, he asked her about her family situation. She said that she had run away from home with the help of her mother because her father did not want her to go to school and was keeping her at home to get money from some rich men who wanted to marry her as a teenager. Upon hearing about her situation, the Son got angry and became motivated to work even harder against rape, forced marriages, unequal treatment of females, and other human rights violations in the Struggle to get Justice for All. As they got to know one another well, he asked for her hand in marriage and she agreed. Her father, having already got the money from the Rich man for his daughter, went wild when his daughter ran away, and he began looking for her all over the place. He even went to his Brothers home in the nearby city where his daughter was staying. The Brother refused to let her go back home because she insisted that she had to go back to school to prevent marriage without equal rights and schooling. As the Brother called the security guards to get the father out of the Brothers compound, all that the father was thinking about was that he had to pay back the money for his daughter that he had already received from the rich man. Well, the father had created his own problem he had to deal with. As for the Son, he married the daughter upon completion of her first degree at the University. Then, the son went to a higher level in the Struggle for Justice by confronting the Igwe about the longstanding and widespread poverty in the Kingdom while the Igwe and his Councilmen were benefitting from the money given to them by the foreign oil companies that were producing and exporting oil from the Kingdom. The Igwe threatened to put the son away if he did not stop his talk against poverty. This situation is just like the situation in Liberia, where foreign business people have access to USD 2 million a day and their national decision-makers have access to USD 1,000 a day while nearly all Liberians (over 80 percent) have access to less than USD 2 dollars a day. The son used his knowledge about the oil business to send a fine-looking woman to sleep with the owner of the largest oil company. She managed to get the owner to get himself naked while she went to the bathroom, having planted a video device to film the naked owner. After she got the video recording, she said that she had forgotten something that she had to get and come back quickly. But she never came back. She gave the video recording to the son. The Son managed to get to the owner and told him that if he did not return all the profits from the oil production to the poor people in the communities of the Kingdom, he would send the video recording to newspapers, radio stations, and televisions all over the country and abroad. The owner, realizing that he would come to an end if he did not do what the Son wanted to be done, he agreed to what the Son told him to do. From that time, no more money came from the owners of the oil companies to the Igwe and the Council. The Son then worked with other activists to form a company to produce and refine the oil locally to get gasoline and fuel. Locally, they got enough refined products for themselves and began supplying neighboring countries. While encouraging civil society there to form local value addition (e.g. manufacturing) businesses. In effect, the Son had provided leadership in engaging in value addition by moving away from the corruption that promoted the production of raw materials for export and poverty generation and bringing in a fair electoral system to elect persons with good records; records of having helped the poor people to help themselves in improving their living standards sustainably, through ownership of local income-generating resources Version en espanol On Monday, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, joined other European countries in suspending use of the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeaneca after reports emerged that some recipients of the vaccine developed blood clots. However, the company and international regulators noted that there is currently no evidence that the vaccine is the culprit. The AstraZeneca formula is one of three vaccines used on the European continent. But the growing concern represents another setback in the European Union's vaccination campaign, which has been plagued by shortages and other problems, and lags far behind those of Britain and the United States. The European Union drug regulatory agency called a meeting for Thursday to review the experts findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine to determine a course of action. German Health Minister, Jens Spahn said the decision to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine was made on the advice of the country's vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which asked to investigate seven cases of thrombi (or blood clots) in the brains of people who had received the vaccine. "Today's decision is simply a precautionary measure," said Spahn. French President Emmanuel Macron said France would suspend administering the vaccine until at least Tuesday afternoon. Italy's drug regulator also announced a temporary suspension, as did Spain, Portugal and Slovenia. Denmark was the first country to suspend use, action which was followed by Ireland, Thailand, The Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, the Congo and Bulgaria. For now, Canada and Great Britain continue to use the vaccine. AstraZeneca is expected to request emergency use approval from the FDA in the United. Currently, the United States uses vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. AstraZeneca said there have been 37 reports of thrombi among more than 17 million vaccinated people in the European Union and Great Britain. 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. (CNN) -- Engineers want to build an underground lunar ark, filled with millions of seed, spore, sperm and egg samples from Earth's species, hidden in a network of tubes on the moon to provide a genetic backup for the planet in the event of a doomsday scenario. Scientists from the University of Arizona have proposed an ark, dubbed a "modern global insurance policy" for 6.7 million species from Earth, cryogenically preserved and hidden inside a series of caves and tunnels under the moon's surface. They said the vault could protect the genetic materials in the event of "total annihilation of Earth" which would be triggered by a major drop in biodiversity -- but any move to build such a bunker is a long way off. "Earth is naturally a volatile environment," researcher Jekan Thanga, a professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering in the University of Arizona College of Engineering, said in a statement. "As humans, we had a close call about 75,000 years ago with the Toba supervolcanic eruption, which caused a 1,000-year cooling period and, according to some, aligns with an estimated drop in human diversity. Because human civilization has such a large footprint, if it were to collapse, that could have a negative cascading effect on the rest of the planet." Similar "doomsday vaults" exist on Earth: The Global Seed Vault, home to just under 1 million seed samples, is located on a remote island in Svalbard, an archipelago located between Norway and the North Pole. In a paper presented earlier this month, the team from the University of Arizona think their concept could preserve life from Earth in the event of destruction of the planet we call home. The researchers said the project is dependent on advancements in cryo-robotics technology -- to be cryopreserved, the seeds must be cooled to minus 292 Fahrenheit, while stem cells must be stored at minus 320 Fahrenheit. But the team says that at such temperatures, metal parts of the base could freeze, jam or cold-weld together. Scientists also still don't understand how a lack of gravity could affect preserved seeds, or how to communicate with an Earth base. Experts uncovered a network of some 200 lava tubes beneath the surface of the moon in 2013, which had formed when streams of lava melted through soft rock to form underground tunnels billions of years ago. Scientists think the tubes -- 100 meters (328 feet) in diameter -- could provide the perfect shelter for the precious cargo, protecting it from solar radiation, surface temperature changes and micrometeorites. Powered by solar panels, the underground ark would be accessed by elevator shafts, which would lead to a facility storing cryogenic preservation modules. Scientists say that 250 rocket launches would be required to transport about 50 samples from each of 6.7 million species to the moon. Some construction is already scheduled to take place on the moon for another project. Last week, China and Russia agreed to jointly construct a lunar space station, which will be "open to all countries." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Scientists want to build a doomsday vault on the moon" DETROIT -- Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg virtually stopped by a Detroits Economic Club meeting Tuesday to talk about the role of social media in small business growth. Before the Zoom talk, Sandberg met nine owners of Detroit businesses ranging from skin care to tea. The virtual roundtable was comprised mostly of women and minority business owners. She highlighted their stories as examples of small business ingenuity. Sandbergs first Instagram Gift Guide also features five female founders in Detroit, including The Little Flower Soap Co., Pure Detroit, House of Pure Vin, Bon Bon Bon, and Ellis Island Tea. She said Facebook provided social media training to 100 million small businesses, including one million woman-owned businesses, in 2020. Sandberg announced Boost with Facebook is coming to Michigan this month in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan. The Boost with Facebook program gives business owners marketing, advertising and data analysis tools for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The free tools offer help with increasing online awareness, connecting in local markets and increasing online sales. To register for a webinar focused on how to raise online awareness, small business owners can go to Small Business Association of Michigans website or Facebook page. Throughout the pandemic, more businesses turned to e-commerce. The National Retail Federation reported online sales increased 21.9% in 2020. In previous years, online shopping accounted for about 7% of total shopping volume. I think coronavirus has been an acceleration to what is online, but that was a move that was happening, Sandberg said. They say never waste a good crisis. We need to make sure that small businesses come out of this crisis not just surviving, but stronger. Pre-pandemic, one third of businesses did not have an online presence, Sandberg said. Facebook and Instagram offered cost efficient ways to bring businesses online, she said. Sandberg said about 200 million small businesses use Facebooks free tools and 10 million use advertising products. When you think about what it used to take to start a small business get a storefront, get a loan, raise a lot of capital that was prohibitively hard for people, much harder for women, much harder for minorities, even harder for women of color, she said. This is the great equalizer. Online anyone can do this in minutes. Last month, Apple announced changing its privacy settings to let iPhone users turn off their unique advertising ID. Facebook has launched an opposing campaign: Good Ideas Deserve to be Found in defense of personalized ad data. Sandberg repeatedly brought up personalized ad data as a benefit to small businesses, using examples of Detroit yoga studios and bakeries that wouldnt be able to afford widespread advertising, but could effectively reach their core markets with more localized advertising. Tightening up on personalized ad data as a way to protect privacy is an untrue promise, Sandberg said. She defended Facebooks advertising strategies, saying that when users see a local ad, their information does not go to that business. Part of Facebooks campaign involves educating users and business owners on how personalized ads work. Sandberg said the company does take responsibility for protecting privacy and being transparent around privacy issues. Our job is to make sure we protect peoples privacy and make sure we explain that well, she said. I dont think weve explained it well, which is part of why were having this conversation today. More on MLive: 5 initiatives aimed at bringing women back to work in Michigan Michigan considers whether company vaccination rates should trigger office reopenings Unlike last stimulus, unemployment pay wont be delayed this time, Michigan leaders say A map representation of research data showing how mortality rates changed by state in the USA from first wave to second wave COVID-19 infection periods. Credit: The University of Sydney Wealthier northeastern US states and Western European countries tended to have significantly lower mortality rates during second-wave COVID-19 infections, new research from the University of Sydney and Tsinghua University has shown. However, the pattern was not as general as expected, with notable exceptions to this trend in Sweden and Germany. Researchers say mortality change could have several explanations: European first-wave case counts were underestimated; First-wave deaths disproportionately affected the elderly; Second-wave infections tended to affect younger people; With some exceptions, lower mortality rates occurred in countries with more socialised and equitable health systems. The researchers, Nick James, Max Menzies and Peter Radchenko, believe their new methodology could assist epidemiologists to analyse data consistently to assess the impact of COVID-19 mortality across populations. "We have been able to look at the mortality rates in a more dynamic way," said Mr James from the University of Sydney. They have published their results today in the mathematical journal Chaos. "We take a time series of infection rates by country, apply an algorithmic approach to chop it up into first and later waves and then do some relatively simple optimisation and calculations to determine two different mortality numbers," said Nick James, a Ph.D. student in the School of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of Sydney. European countries experienced more than one wave, with greater case numbers observed in subsequent waves than in the first. Credit: Nick James, Max Menzies, and Peter Radchenko The mortality rate of the massive European second wave turned out to be less severe than expected: at least with respect to reported cases and deaths. The researchers wanted to know how big that drop in mortality was and how it differed between countries. "We think answering these questions is important and we wanted to answer this for all of Europe, not just the wealthier Western countries," said Dr. Max Menzies from Tsinghua University. "In Belarus, for example, the mortality rate actually increased during its second wave, while Ukraine and Moldova were still in their first wave as of the end of November 2020." Map depiction of data showing change in mortality from COVID-19 in European countries between the first-wave and second-wave of COVID infection in 2020. Credit: The University of Sydney The researchers discovered this was very different from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and other countries that drastically reduced their mortality ratesat least with respect to reported numbersbetween their first and second waves. The differences tended to be less marked in the United States, with a flatter outcome. However, states such as New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, which were particularly hard hit in the first wave saw second-wave mortality rates decline in line with many western European countries. Using a sophisticated mathematical model, each country in Europe and each state in the US was given a mortality data point for the first and second waves. Comparing these figures gives each country or state a data point, or mortality ratio. In Europe, only Belaruswith a data point of 0.72saw a ratio below 1.0, which means that its mortality increased. In the US two statesArkansas (0.69) and Tennessee (0.88) - had ratios below 1.0 indicating an increase in mortality. Countries that experience a more than tenfold decrease in mortality in Europe were: Belgium (11.25), Denmark (14.28), France (13.67), the Netherlands (16.17). "Our work shows sharp drops in mortality with respect to reported cases and deaths," Dr. Menzies said. "However, the problem will always be what is the true number of cases in the early first wave? We may never know, but we imagine future research and analysis will try to determine it." When the researchers reran their analysis on estimated true cases and estimated deaths, Associate Professor Peter Radchenko, from the University of Sydney Business School, pointed out that those measures show serious limitations. "Excess mortality can be negative relative to previous years due to fluctuations from other causes, so it's unsuitable for measuring the true numbers of COVID-19 deaths," Associate Professor Radchenko said. "We hope others will more closely analyse the true numbers, perhaps using more specialised data such as out of particular hospitals or regions where testing was more reliable." Broad similarity was also observed between Europe and the US, where northeastern states behaved similarly to wealthy Western European countries in their sharp reductions of mortality during the second wave. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: "COVID-19 second wave mortality in Europe and the United States" Chaos, aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0041569 Journal information: Chaos "COVID-19 second wave mortality in Europe and the United States" Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Mar. 16MANKATO A Mankato senior home worker is accused of a third sexual assault on a resident with Alzheimer's disease. Olabamidele Olumide Bewaji, 52, of Mankato, was charged with a third count of criminal sexual conduct Monday in Blue Earth County District Court. Last week a witness reported seeing a man later identified as Bewaji sexually assaulting his 83-year-old mother at The Pillars of Mankato. The son witnessed the assault on a web video feed from a camera in his mother's room, court complaints said. Bewaji reportedly told authorities it was the second time he had sex with the woman after she initiated the encounters. Investigators subsequently found surveillance footage showing Bewaji sexually assaulted the woman three times, the new charges said. Seth Narh, the father of one of the kids who drowned at the Apam beach, is still in a state of denial over his son, Benjamin Narhs death. According to Mr Narh, who is based in Spain, he arrived in Ghana a few weeks ago with the now deceased and his twin brother expected to travel with him. I have visited Ghana on countless occasions but this is the first time I am coming for my boys to live with them abroad but the unthinkable happened, he disclosed. I am done with all the documents and have even purchased a ticket for them so we should have been there by now as the date for our departure was on the 12th of March Sunday but it was rather unfortunate that I have lost one, he said sadly. Speaking in an interview at the mass burial held on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, he disclosed he is now left with no option than to go with the twin. I have postponed the date for our travel due to what has happened, so I will be going with Benjamins twin brother, I have no choice, Mr Narh added. The deceased was part of some 20 teenagers believed to be between the ages of 13 and 17, who drowned after swimming in the sea at Apam, in the Central Region, on Sunday, March 7, 2021. Source: adomonline.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 CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) will host a webcast and conference call to review its fiscal 2021 third quarter results on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at 9:30 a.m. ET. The company's news release will be issued at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET. The live audio webcast and presentation slides will be available on conagrabrands.com/investor-relations under Events & Presentations. The conference call may be accessed by dialing 1-877-883-0383 for participants in the U.S. and 1-412-902-6506 for all other participants and using passcode 3971008. Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes prior to the call start time. Following the company's remarks, the conference call will include a question-and-answer session with the investment community. A replay of the webcast will be available until April 8, 2022. About Conagra Brands Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Marie Callender's, Banquet, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim, Reddi-wip, and Vlasic, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com. For more information, please contact: MEDIA: Mike Cummins 312-549-5257 [email protected] INVESTORS: Brian Kearney 312-549-5002 [email protected] SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc. Related Links https://www.conagrafoods.com Universities have avoided using suspension or expulsion to deal with breaches of Covid-related regulations. Students have been banned from living in campus accommodation, fined, or told to write reflective essays or letters of apology after partying or breaking public health rules. But none has been expelled and available information suggests there have been no suspensions, although that could change after a recent street party near the University of Limerick (UL). It is a year since universities closed to on-site teaching and learning, other than for essential in-person activities such as lab classes, and they have been pretty much deserted ever since. Read More However, some students opted to live in campus residences, or in nearby student accommodation, which is where breaches of rules around congregation have tended to occur. Universities incorporated the Covid-related public health rules into their codes of conduct and say there has been widespread observance, but all have had occasion to discipline students. UL students were at the centre of controversy recently after a party involving dozens of people in rented accommodation close to the campus. Gardai were called and the university is seeking to identify any of its students who attended, which it said represented a serious breach of both public health restrictions and its code of conduct. Any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full investigation, or possible expulsion. Prior to that, UL sanctioned a number of students who had been officially reported and found to have broken the rules. Four students have been issued with cautions and there are a further seven cases being processed. At Dublin City University (DCU), one student has been banned from living on campus for two years and fined for breach of Covid-19 regulations and interfering with fire safety equipment. Otherwise, DCU said a number of fines had been imposed by its campus residence office, and a small number of students were banned from staying on campus for the rest of the academic year. Maynooth University said a number of students had breached their licence to reside in campus accommodation under Covid-19 restrictions, and are deemed ineligible for campus accommodation in future years. At Trinity College Dublin, sanctions have varied from fines to devising community projects or writing letters of apology or essays reflecting on the importance of adherence to public health guidelines. A spokesperson said there were large numbers in college accommodation, and the vast majority of students had adhered well to the restrictions. UCD said any campus-based breaches were very much in the minority among our student population. They had been firmly and effectively responded to through fines ranging from 50 to 250 with a small proportion also referred to the disciplinary process under the student code. NUI Galway has imposed sanctions on a number of students but did not provide figures, or details of the sanctions imposed. Possible sanctions range from fines, paid to the Student Hardship Fund, letters of apology to staff affected by breaches, reflective essays, formal caution, suspension or expulsion. UCC said a small number of students had appeared before its disciplinary committee. No student had been expelled, and the majority of the cases related to breaches that occurred last semester. Ulrika Jonsson was forced to hit back at a troll on Tuesday after they criticised her for having 'four children with different fathers'. The presenter, 53, is a mother to Cameron, 26, with first husband John Turnball, Bo, 21, with ex Markus Kempen, Martha, 16, with ex-husband Lance Gerrard-Wright and Malcolm, 12, with her third ex-husband Brian Monet. Taking to her Instagram Story, Ulrika branded the social media user an 'a**ehole' and joked there was 'another Karen amongst us', which is a term used in meme culture for a 'self-righteous' woman. Hitting back! Ulrika Jonsson was forced to hit back at a troll on Tuesday after they criticised her for having 'four children with different fathers' The troll had commented on a recent picture of Ulrika, which she shared on Mother's Day, and cruelly criticised the star's family set-up. They said: '4 children... all with different fathers.... such a mixed up world we now live in...' Ulrika was quick to call out the troll as she shared their comment on her Instagram Story and added: 'We have another Karen amongst us. 'You know the ones with 2 followers and an a**hole for a mouth #byefelicia.' Family: The presenter, 53, is a mother to Cameron, 26, with first husband John Turnball, Bo, 21, with ex Markus Kempen, Martha, 16, with ex-husband Lance Gerrard-Wright and Malcolm, 12, with her third ex-husband Brian Monet '#byefelicia': Taking to her Instagram Story, Ulrika branded the social media user an 'a**ehole' and joked there was 'another Karen amongst us', which is a term used in meme culture for a 'self-righteous' woman Karen is a term typically used to describe a 'self-righteous woman' and it has become popular in meme culture while 'Bye, Felicia' was coined by Ice Cube in the 1999 film Friday as a cold way to say goodbye to someone. In her original Mother's Day post, Ulrika had shared a mirror selfie of herself and her mother as she reflected on their 'tricky relationship'. She penned: 'It won't be a Happy Mother's Day for everyone. And not every woman wants to become a mother. I only had one ambition in life and it coursed through my veins from the age of 10 - and that was to be a mum. 'It's been an absolute honour and a privilege. It's also been a pain in the a**e (literally); a struggle; a psychological f**k-up; and terrifying at times. Heartfelt: The troll had commented on a recent picture of Ulrika, which she shared on Mother's Day, and cruelly criticised the star's family set-up (Ulrika's post and caption pictured) 'The second pic is of my beautiful mum who had me when she was 19 and with whom I've had a tricky relationship since I can remember. I guess I didn't want to make what I saw as 'her' mistakes but have doubtless made my own. 'To all the women out there who would have loved to have been mothers; who never could be; who aren't biologically but in every other way; who do it on their own; to the men who are the mother; to the women who have lost theirs. 'Even if you never wanted to be one, we celebrate you anyway. And we think of all the mothers who have lost their children, big and small. .' Earlier this year, Ulrika hit back at people who use the term '4x4 mum' as she defended Stacey Solomon after a cruel troll criticised her family set-up. Clapping back! Earlier this year, Ulrika hit back at people who use the term '4x4 mum' as she defended Stacey Solomon after a cruel troll criticised her family set-up The TV presenter told how she was happy to read that Stacey, 31, whose three sons all have different fathers, defended herself when an internet user questioned her home life. Writing in her column for The Sun, Ulrika, who has four children with four former partners, told how she has been called a '4x4 mum' numerous times over the years, saying it is term used to shame women. She wrote: 'For me, it wasnt just about the humour of it. It was meant to injure. To hurt and, above all, to shame a woman. I didnt particularly want to be associated with the label because I felt no sense of shame. At all. 'My simple history was made to look and seem complicated by the fact that my life had worked out differently to normal expectations to the "norm". Candid: Writing in her column for The Sun, Ulrika, who has four children with four former partners, told how she has been called a '4x4 mum' numerous times over the years, saying it is term used to shame women (pictured with daughter Martha, 16, and ex Brian Monet in 2012) She added: 'The simple truth which applies to both me and Stacey is that we are good, caring mothers. We chose to have our children we longed for them, regardless of the circumstances of their creation.' Ulrika recalled how hurt she felt when, 12 years ago, she watched an episode of Loose Women where one of the panellists, who she did not name, said: 'It must be like Euston Station at her house with all the kids coming and going.' The presenter admitted the comment 'burned' but she was defended by then panellist Jane McDonald. Ulrika had her son Cameron, 26, with her first husband John Turnball followed by daughter Bo, 21, with her ex Markus Kempen. 'Maternal: Ulrika said she was always maternal and does not look at the end of any of her relationships as failures, noting she still co-parents Malcolm with Brian (pictured with ex Lance Gerrard-Wright who she welcomed Martha, 16, with in 2004) She welcomed daughter Martha, 16, with ex-husband Lance Gerrard-Wright and had her fourth child, Malcolm, 12, with Brian Monet. Ulrika said she was always maternal and does not look at the end of any of her relationships as failures, noting she still co-parents Malcolm with Brian. Recalling other hurtful comments from the past, Ulrika told how Jack Whitehall made a '4x4' jibe at her after she won Celebrity Big Brother in 2009. Ulrika said she realised at the time the term would be her 'mantle' and felt it was 'bleak' to think her career achievements had amounted to that. Support: The TV presenter told how she was happy to read that Stacey, 31, whose three sons all have different fathers, defended herself when an internet user questioned her home life The broadcaster added that the term '4x4' is used to imply a woman is promiscuous but Ulrika insisted all of her children were planned and deeply wanted. Ulrika also noted there is far less stigma directed towards men who have children with multiple women. It comes after Stacey recently hit back at a troll after she was criticised for having three different fathers to her three different boys. The Loose Women presenter is mother to Zachary, 12, with her teen boyfriend Dean Cox, Leighton, eight, with her ex Aaron Barham, and Rex, 22 months, with her fiance Joe Swash, who is father to Harry, 13, with his ex Emma Sophocleous. Her loves: Stacey is mother to Zachary, 12, with her teen boyfriend Dean Cox, Leighton, eight, with her ex Aaron Barham, and Rex, 22 months, with her fiance Joe Swash As she took to Instagram to post her usual content, Stacey interrupted her stories to hit back at the message, which read: 'It must be very sad having three different dads for your boys. Always apart. Oh well, I suppose you're happy about it.' Stacey lives in Essex with Joe, and her three boys, while Joe's son Harry lives with his mum. Zachary, Leighton and Harry all transit between their parents' homes. The unkind comment was sparked when Stacey revealed that her boys had decided to stay at their dads' houses to continue their homeschooling, as the UK is in lockdown and most schools remain closed to children. Stacey wrote: 'I'm really missing the big pickles today. They wanted to stay at their dads' and because they are doing school from home they can... Sweet: Stacey pictured with Joe, with whom she shares Rex, he sweetly popped the question on Christmas Eve 'I do get sad when they don't want to come home but I know how happy it will make their dads and I never want to stop them from having the chance to make memories with their family. But oh my gosh I miss them. 'It's lovely for a couple of days, less mess, less noise but they the house just feels so empty and Rex looks for them everywhere'. Once Stacey had spotted the critical comment, she said: 'Woah there Wilma! Its far too early for that kind of judgement and of course I'm happy about it, they're the best thing to ever happen to me regardless of how they happened to me.' She then wrote over the top of the video: 'Never let anyone make you feel like you're not good enough just because things just happen to work out differently from the "norm". Keep doing you the best way you know how... 'Unconditional love from anywhere in different shapes and sizes is all they'll need.' PRISONERS may be temporarily released to attend funerals, weddings and other important family functions provided they apply and get permission from the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, prison authorities have said. Only a few who are conversant with the Prisons Act have over the years, successfully applied for temporary release. Upon release, the inmate is accompanied by officers who will tightly monitor him or her throughout the function. Section 129 of the Prisons Act (Chapter 7:11) reads: The Minister may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, grant a prisoner permission in writing to be absent from prison for a specified period for personal, family or other reasons if, in the opinion of the minister, the circumstances of the case warrant the granting of such permission. Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), spelt out the law while responding to an outcry by some people that suspected land baron Felix Munyaradzi had been seen attending a funeral during his incarceration last year. A relative, Mr Collen Mavhundutse had deposed an affidavit insinuating the temporary release of Munyaradzi was scandalous. However, ZPCS spokesperson Principal Correctional Officer Peter Chaparanganda set the record straight. The organisation would like to categorically state and advise the public that Felix Munyaradzi, an inmate remanded in custody at Harare Remand Prison, was granted temporary release from prison to go and attend the funeral of his father-in-law by the Minister of Justice, legal and Parliamentary Affairs Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi on 14 August 2020, said PCO Chaparanganda. He added that a number of prisoners have previously benefitted from the cited provision of the Prison Act to an extent of attending weddings. The case of Felix Munyaradzi is not the only case where incarcerated inmates have been legally granted temporary release from prison. Several have previously benefitted in line with the provisions of the Prisons Act whenever circumstances warranted the granting of such release. Previously requests were granted, for prisoners who know the law, to attend weddings and funerals. They can even be released to marry their loved ones, with the ministers permission, he said. Harare lawyer Ms Jacqueline Sande of Sande & Partners said the law allows for that and it is up to a prisoner to make use of it whenever he or she needs to attend to something important out of jail. The minister is empowered to grant any prisoner, what so ever, the permission to be out of prison if the minister deems there are justifiable reasons, and it is purely at his discretion, she said. Another lawyer Mr Caleb Mucheche of Caleb Mucheche Law Chambers said the minister has a wide discretion to temporarily set prisoners free for a specific period. The applicable legal provision confers upon the Justice Minister a very wide discretion to avail or afford a prisoner a lawful break or permission to leave prison under conditions stipulated by the minister. South Africa-based Zimbabwean lawyer Mrs Tambudzai Gonese-Manjonjo said: According to Section 129 of the Prisons Act, a prisoner can get permission from the minister to attend to personal situations out of prison. The permission has to be in writing. It only becomes a problem when permission comes from prison authorities or any other person, said Mrs Gonese-Manjonjo. Last year, six inmates were released from prison to attend to personal issues upon being granted permission by the minister. On December 26, Christopher Mhembere was temporarily released from Chikurubi Prison to bury his mother at Marimo Village, Goromonzi. Gugulami Mabandla who was at Harare Central Prison, left prison to bury his mother on December 4 at Restlands Cemetery in Harare. Fainos Dick got the green light to attend his wifes burial at Granville Cemetery in Chinhoyi on September 17 last year. Dick was at Chinhoyi Prison. Minister Ziyambi also allowed Victor Moyo to temporarily leave Khami Medium Prison on February 29 last year to attend the burial of his son at Nkunzi, Tsholotsho. Tawanda Munaiwa Mapinda who was at Marondera Prison on February 13 last year successfully applied for permission to attend her daughters burial at Marondera Cemetery. Herald A special MCOCA court in Mumbai on Tuesday sentenced gangster to 10 years in jail for a firing incident in suburban Malad in 2013. A bookie-turned-builder Ajay Gosalia was shot at and injured when he was coming out of a local mall. Special Judge AT Wankhede convicted Rajan and five others under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC as well as MCOCA provisions. Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said 50-60 witnesses were examined, including Gosalia and an accused who turned approver. Rajan, an accused in at least 70 cases in Maharashtra, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi after deportation from Indonesia in October, 2015. (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.) House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) traveled to the southern border on Monday, where he claims border agents he met with warned him that suspected terrorists are trying to cross into the United States via Mexico. "You saw it in their eyes," McCarthy said, referring to the agents. "They talked about 'they're on the list.' ... The terrorist watch list." Democrats are dubious, arguing that McCarthy was merely attempting to stoke fear as part of a larger effort to curb immigration. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Tex.), who represents the El Paso area, said she also recently spoke with border agents and none mentioned anything about catching terrorist suspects. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), the chair of the House subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, pointed out that he hasn't caught wind of the concerns, either. "Gonna ask for a briefing," he tweeted. "Pretty sure [McCarthy] is either wrong or lying." McCarthy was also criticized for suggesting Americans should be worried about allegations that people from Iran, Sri Lanka, Yemen, and Chinese are trying to cross the border. Read more at The Washington Post. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. More stories from theweek.com Why the Atlanta spa shooting feels different Biden face-plants on evangelical outreach Disneyland set to reopen on April 30 "I'm here nurturing primarily emerging artists who have been under-recognized," Michelle Barnes told Chron. "It's very gratifying." Launched as a non-profit to support African-American artists, the Community Artists' Collective in downtown Houston has helped nurture the talent of Houston art icons like Annette Lawrence, Robert Hodge, Tierney Malone and, most recently, Ricardo Osmondo Francis. HOUSTON SPOTLIGHT: A Houston nurse returns to work after losing her brother to COVID Collective co-founder Barnes said that when she and her co-founder, Dr. Sarah Trotty, first established the Collective in 1985, she discovered that Houston artists voiced a need for a venue for exhibition. "What the artists wanted was a venue to show and sell their work so they work as the professional artists they are," Barnes said. "We started to do exhibitions and programs and discovered the real needs and the chasms that existed, between the market and artists." At the age of 14, Francis forged a strong connection to Barnes after he sold his first painting to her. Now, at 44, Francis has unveiled his solo exhibition of new work at the Collective. Even though he now lives and works in New York through Leonides Arts NY, Francis calls Houston his creative home. A native of the Third Ward, Francis said his work grew through his introduction to Barnes and his HSPVA (now Kinder) teacher, John Gaines. Ricardo Osmondo Francis "It changed my perspective of what art is," Francis said. "I definitely wanted to be a painter after that." The Community Artists' Collective goes a step beyond serving the community as a platform for emerging artists. Today, the 36-year-old nonprofit blends art forms including woodworking, pottery and quilts into a vibrant educational experiences for both children and adults. The Collective has collaborated with Project Row Houses to coordinate classes for youth at Emancipation Park and SHAPE Community Center. It hasn't been an easy road this past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barnes said. "By the time COVID-19 hit, we were inspiring each other as artists. The classes for children were essential for grounding us and keeping us rooted in our purpose," Barnes said. "Our expertise is best supplied in small groups." What the Community Artists' Collective excels in is providing a nurturing home for African-American artists in Houston. "I do believe artists have an extended family. My own mother calls Michelle Barnes my extended mother," Francis told Chron about the Collective. "...The Collective helps you deal with the demands of being a visual artist." Ricardo Osmondo Francis Barnes said that she had an epiphany of sorts about artists and their involvement in the Collective. "One of the jarring kind of moments included that artists don't like to be organized," Barnes said. "They don't necessarily like to be pulled away from the artist's studio. They are ready to plug in for a short period of time and then in-and-out later." The work that was cut out for Barnes was more in the realm of organizing and spotlighting the work of Houston's emerging artists. Built on a legacy of serving the Houston community, the Collective has grown even stronger despite COVID-19, Barnes said. "It's cooperative, collegial and it's collaboration," Barnes said. "The job of coordinating all of that energy is creative work. We intend to support our artists. We intend to support our program. We dont overpromise." So far, President Biden has made only a passing comment on the crises that have engulfed Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, and he seems to be hoping to avoid getting pulled in any further. But as a longtime friend of the New York governor, Mr. Biden is one of the very few people in the nation with the potential to prevent a protracted standoff between an increasingly isolated Mr. Cuomo and the rest of the Democratic Party. That has strained Mr. Bidens efforts to stay firmly on the sidelines as the governor faces a fusillade of calls to resign. Mr. Cuomo is confronting a spiraling set of allegations and investigations involving sexual harassment, a toxic workplace, the manipulation of the number of deaths at New York nursing homes and perceived loyalty tests from the governors vaccine czar. Mr. Biden and Mr. Cuomo have not spoken, people close to both men said. Asked on Sunday night whether Mr. Cuomo should resign, Mr. Biden said only, I think the investigation is underway, and we should see what it brings us. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- By the end of 2020, Shanghai had opened up a total of 243 roads that spans 559.87 kilometers for the road tests of intelligent-connected vehicles (ICVs), according to a report recently issued by the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission. Photo credit: DiDi The roads opened for ICV road tests are mainly located at Jiading, Lingang, Fengxian and Pudong New districts. The government plans to build an innovation pilot zone for Level 3+ autonomous driving in Jiading and has deployed there 166 roads spanning 315 kilometers in total within three years. Lingang district aims to develop a demonstration zone themed the future transport models with 41 roads spanning 118.2 kilometers launched by 2020. Besides, the demonstration zones in Fengxian and Jinqiao, Pudong New Area have contained 24 (97.37km) and 12 (29.3km) roads, focusing on the full-fledged mobility chain for intelligent driving and the integrated traffic infrastructures respectively. As of December 2020, Shanghai government also had granted 22 companies 152 license plates in total that allow them to carry out ICV road tests or pilot applications, according to the report. The permits were issued to 129 new energy vehicles (NEVs)/ clean energy vehicles and 23 fossil fuel-powered vehicles. Among them, 105 vehicles have been deployed into the demonstration for ICVs. In 2020, cumulative mileage of ICV road tests for Shanghai amounted to 397,000 kilometers. In terms of annual testing distance, the top three companies were SAIC Hongyan, Didi Chuxing and TuSimple, seeing their vehicles drive for 102,061 km, 90,688 km and 32,861km respectively. Last month, he and the Hatchs manager, Robin Easterbrook, opened Pothead, a flower and wine shop, next door to the Hatch. They also took on a third lease in the empty space next to Pothead as a place to build larger floral arrangements for events, to stage a new operation making bottled cocktails and sauces, and to sublease the storefront to some friends apparel business. Such a bet in the midst of a pandemic was bold, but Mr. Kachingwe saw opportunity. He had just received his second $72,500 forgivable loan from the federal government, and his landlord was desperate. So Mr. Kachingwe negotiated a deal that gave him access to the three adjacent storefronts for $7,500 a month, or 20 percent more than what he was paying for only the Hatch before the virus. The landlord said they would assess the arrangement at the end of April. Mr. Kachingwe said he had tried to reassure his employees for months that his plans just needed time to work. Now were finally getting there, he said. That seems to be a big turning point for the entire staff, going from being depressed by the pandemic to being like, OK, maybe things will turn around. Yet some members of his staff are struggling. Santos, one of the Hatchs two cooks, who asked to be identified only by his first name because of his familys immigration status, has been stuck for months in his three-bedroom home, which he shared with 11 relatives on the outskirts of Oakland. He had complications after hernia surgery in June, and hasnt worked since. The Hatchs new takeout business was so slow, he also wasnt needed. (Natural News) Commentary H.R. 1, the bill that would seize control of federal elections from the states, comes with an unusual twist. It supposedly promotes access. But it says anyone challenging its constitutionality is barred from every court in the nation but a single federal trial court in Washington, D.C.! (Article by Rob Natelson republished from TheEpochTimes.com) Under H.R. 1, some citizens get more access than others. Mark Twain is said to have quipped that history doesnt repeat itself, but often rhymes. And heres one of those rhymes: Limiting challengers to one court in the nation sounds a lot like Founding-Era warnings that if Congress could regulate its own elections it might limit voters to one polling place per state. More on that shortly. As my last essay noted, H.R. 1 claims to rely on three sections of the Constitution, two of which probably are irrelevant. The third is the Elections Clause (Article I, Section 4, Clause 1)more appropriately called the Times, Places, and Manner Clause. It reads as follows: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations . H.R. 1 quotes some out-of-context Supreme Court language to the effect that the italicized language gives Congress broad authority to overrule state election law. But the text of the Elections Clause tells a very different story, as does its history. The text tells us that Congresss power applies only to congressional elections. It doesnt apply to presidential contests, as the drafters of H.R. 1 pretend. In addition, the text focuses principally on the power of state legislatures. It adds Congresss authority only in a subordinate clause. This subordinate clause is what lawyers and judgesboth in the Founding Era and in modern timescall a proviso. Provisos traditionally are interpreted narrowly, leaving the earlier language (the state legislatures power) to be interpreted broadly. In this case, narrow interpretation means that if theres reasonable doubt about whether Congress has authority, the issue is decided against Congress. Now lets look at the history: When the Constitution was publicly debated, the proviso giving Congress power to revise state election laws was highly controversial. Even many of the Constitutions supporters wanted it taken out. Dr. James McClurg of Virginia, who had served at the Constitutional Convention, was one of these. Another was Noah Webster, later famous for his American dictionary. Webster wrote an influential pamphlet strongly supporting the Constitutionbut demanding that the proviso be removed. Why the concern? They understood the danger of allowing incumbent politicians to dictate the laws governing their own re-election. Experience shows that if incumbents write the rules, they write the rules to suit themselves. A glaring example is how the Democrat sponsors of H.R. 1 seek to alter state voter registration systems to their own advantage. Skeptical Founding-Era writers explained in detail how the proviso could be abused. They pointed out, for instance, that if Congress could fix a Place for election, it might severely limit the number of polling places and locate them to benefit incumbents. Thus, a congressman from Philadelphia might induce his colleagues to locate only one polling place in Pennsylvaniain the congressmans own neighborhood in Philadelphia. Sound familiar? Its a lot like Democrat partisans providing that the one court where H.R. 1 can be challenged is in heavily Democrat Washington, D.C. During the constitutional debates, there was so much public resistance to the proviso that advocates became very concerned. What if these few words led the public to reject the entire Constitution? So advocates assured the public that Congresss power over congressional elections would be extremely limited. They said the proviso was designed only for emergencies. As I reported in my 2010 study of the Elections Clause: [T]he proponents decisive argument was one that had first been raised at the federal convention: that the Times, Places and Manner Clause was needed to enable Congress to preserve its own existence. In absence of a congressional power to regulate congressional elections, a group of states could destroy the House of Representatives by refusing to provide for those elections or by creating regulations designed to sabotage them. As a precedent, the Federalists alleged that Rhode Island had damaged the operations of the Confederation Congress by refusing to send delegates to that body. The Federalists made this argument over and over, using it to sway votes in crucial states. Moreover: In Maryland, convention delegate James McHenry added that an insurrection or rebellion might prevent a state legislature from administering an election. As James Iredell told the North Carolina ratifying convention, [a]n occasion may arise when the exercise of this ultimate power in Congress may be necessary if a state should be involved in war, and its legislature could not assemble, (as was the case of South Carolina, and occasionally of some other states, during the late war). Marylands famous jurist, Alexander Contee Hanson, added that Congress would exercise its times, places, and manner authority only in cases of invasion, legislative neglect, or obstinate refusal to pass election laws, or if a state crafted its election laws with a sinister purpose or to injure the general government. It was never meant, he wrote, that congress should at any time interfere, unless on the failure of a state legislature, or to alter such regulations as may be obviously improper. Based on these assurances, the public accepted the proviso and ratified the Constitution. Of course, the Constitution doesnt actually say the proviso is limited to emergencies. But courts routinely consider the history behind a documents words when deciding how broadly to interpret them. I explained above that the text tells us to construe the proviso narrowly. History backs this up. Heres an illustration of how the courts should apply Congresss Election Clause authority. Suppose the question arises of whether the manner of holding Elections extends only to mechanics such as the form of the ballot, or also includes regulating campaigns. Narrow construction would give force to the Founding-Era evidence that manner of holding does not include campaigns. Bottom line: The drafters of H.R. 1 were wrong to proclaim unlimited power to regulate federal elections and campaigns. On the contrary, the Elections Clause grants Congress only limited authority. A runaway Congress should never be permitted to seize more power than the Constitution gives it. Robert G. Natelson, a former constitutional law professor, is a leading originalist scholar and senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver. The Texas attorney general twice relied on his 2010 study of the Elections Clause in Supreme Court litigation earlier this year, and Chief Justice John Roberts used it in a 2015 Supreme Court case. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com and NationalSecurity.news. PORTLAND, Ore., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Reading Ken Patchett's resume is like seeing a Who's Who of technology giants: Compaq, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, and most recently, Oracle. He has been an instrumental leader in building and running successful, technology-forward data centers and teams across the globe. When the opportunity to lead a company with the most disruptive, innovative data center design presented itself, he knew it was a perfect match. Ken Patchett, data center visionary takes the helm at ServerDomes. Tweet this Ken Patchett, CEO, ServerDomes "ServerDomes embodies the type of initiative and innovation that is desperately needed in the data center space," said Ken Patchett, chief executive officer, ServerDomes. "The need for cost-effective sustainable data centers closest to where the users are, is growing exponentially around the world. ServerDomes technology will enable more choices in site selection, environmental stewardship, configurability and cost control to both enterprise and hybrid-cloud based companies. I look forward to launching ServerDomes into the next phase and helping enhance access to technology around the world." Patchett takes the reins from Alan Resnik who will move into the position of executive chairperson. "We are thrilled to have Ken on board and leading the team at ServerDomes," said Alan Resnik, PhD, executive chairperson. "We look to his passion and depth of knowledge in the tech industry to take us to the next level." Background Ken Patchett is a well-known leader in the tech industry with 20 plus years' experience in the development and deployment of hyperscale data centers and network solutions around the world. He is an experienced leader who has excelled in the data center space. In fact, in 1999 he managed the beginnings of hyperscale growth at Microsoft including the original MosWest data center and the first Microsoft-owned data center in Bothell, Washington. Ken also built the Global MSN network operations organization. From there, Ken's expertise landed him at Google where he completed their first hyperscale data center in The Dalles, Oregon. Soon after, he joined Facebook as an integral part of the data center team that propelled Facebook onto the world stage. Ken then focused his efforts as a VP of operations at RStor, a stealth startup focused on edge and micro edge computing strategy to create a hyper-resilient infrastructure that supports micro edge and IoT all the way to a classic data center. Simultaneously, Ken was deploying and supporting Twitch (an Amazon Company) colocation data center strategy around the world as senior director of global infrastructure services. Most recently Ken was VP of data center services and operations at Oracle. About ServerDomes ServerDomes, established 2016, is a best-in-class data center company with a no compromise approach to design, build and operations. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, ServerDomes' mission is to transform data centers by building designs with superior efficiency, agility, scalability, and sustainability. ServerDomes is a "lights-out" facility, eliminating the need for 24/7 staffing. The future has landed. For more information, visit ServerDomes.com. SOURCE ServerDomes Bethlehem Area School District leaders support bringing K-5 hybrid schedule students back in the classroom four days a week starting April 12. Superintendent Joseph Roy wants the school board to approve the plan to return students to class two more days a week at its March 22 meeting. April 12 is the start of the fourth marking period. Roy presented his recommendation for a four-day schedule at Monday nights school board meeting. We are now at a critical juncture. We must reexamine the balance we struck in August, Roy wrote. Students have not attended school regularly for an entire year. The academic and mental health challenges caused by the pandemic are undeniable. These challenges paired with growing scientific evidence that children under 10 are less likely to spread and contract COVID-19 led to the recommended change, Roy said. The districts plan is supported by the Bethlehem Health Bureau, St. Lukes University Health Networks epidemiologist/vice president of community health, infectious disease doctors and the districts medical director, who is a pediatrician, he noted. This is solely driven by the need to get kids back into school more often, Roy said. The majority of parents 84% in a district survey of elementary hybrid students want them back in class full-time. While, the majority of elementary teachers did not in a survey, it was conducted before Pennsylvania launched its teacher vaccination campaign. Bethlehem Education Association President Laura Keding told the school board the teachers union supports a full return to school as long as it is done in line with safety guidelines. She praised the administration and board for making decisions based on science and relying on medical experts. The union is requesting an open dialogue on class size, procedures for unmasked interactions and certain safety protocols, Keding said. Two teachers repeatedly raised class size and layout concerns during the meeting. There are people here with legitimate, real concerns but that is an outside the norm issue that will be dealt with by principals, Roy said. Kids need to be back in school... Those are obstacles to overcome. They are not reasons to not move ahead for the good of all children. All Bethlehem teachers and staff members who wish to be vaccinated should have a chance to get a shot before April 12, according to the district. And current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines state that if a vaccinated person is exposed to the coronavirus they do not need to quarantine, Roy noted. If someone is not vaccinated two weeks in advance of April 12th, thats because they chose not to be, Roy said. The need to keep students six-feet apart has been the biggest barrier to expanding in-person learning. Currently, the Pennsylvania Department of Education only requires six-feet of distance when student arent wearing masks, allowing more flexibility. We can get safe distancing within our schools, Roy said. Again it is masking combined with safe distancing. The superintendent acknowledged these are hard choices. But there is research that with good masking theres a negligible difference between three and six feet of distance, he noted. Add in an immunized staff and the scales tip towards getting students into classrooms to address their educational, social and emotional needs, Roy said. Bethlehem will allow as many fully-virtual eClassroom students to return to four days of in-person learning as space allows. The district moved 44 elementary teachers to fully virtual to teach 1,100 elementary eClassroom kids, so shifting back to four days of learning will be a logistical challenge. Requests to move students will be handled in the two-week window following March 22. We anticipate a tension between maintaining class size targets and meeting the requests of eClassroom students to return to the four-day hybrid model, Roy wrote. The district will aim to keep a class size of 20 students per elementary class on average. Board President Michael Faccinetto, who is an Allentown School District teacher, said its not an easy decision, but it is a good plan that supports and meets the needs of students. The district is currently averaging six coronavirus cases a day, compared to a December peak of 17. There have been 14 cases in elementary students in the last two weeks. About 800 cases have been reported amongst student and staff since schools reopened. There were about 200 positives amongst elementary students, with the fewest cases amongst young students, mirroring national trends. Roy thinks the district can easily maintain three-feet of social distancing amongst a full class of students, six is where it becomes a larger challenge. The district would still quarantine close contacts of positive cases defined as anyone with sustained contact of less than six feet for 15 minutes or more and there may be more of them with larger class sizes, officials said. Individual schools would still move to remote learning if theres a cluster of cases. Gym classes would be held outside and students will still be six feet apart for eating. Outside walks may be the best way to accomplish mask breaks, the district said. Director Karen Beck-Pooley suggested the district put out an updated frequently asked questions for parents and teacher guidances to ease some concerns, which officials said is underway. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. A man whose most recent job had him working in State College for more than a year was arrested Sunday, accused of assaulting police officers using bear spray on the officer who died after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. Its unclear where Julian Eli Khater, 32, has been since May 2020, but according to his LinkedIn page, he was the general manager and co-owner at Frutta Bowls, a smoothie shop in State College. The Centre Daily Times reports that the shop has closed. On Jan. 6, 2021, Khater was at the U.S. Capitol. He is accused of attacking several officers, including Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the riot. Khater was arrested along with West Virginia resident, George Tanios, 39, on charges of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy and other offenses. The affidavit filed in Khaters case describes a video of him making his way toward Tanios, saying give me that bear [expletive] and reaching into Tanios backpack. Tanios then tells him to wait because its still early. Khater tells Tanios he was just sprayed and is then seen holding a spray canister. Body camera footage from an officer shows rioters pulling on a bike rack to the left of the officer, with Khater then putting his right arm up in the air while appearing to be holding a canister, according to the affidavit. Khater is then seen waving his right arm from side to side, the affidavit states. From the body camera footage, investigators say they believe that Khater was standing only five to eight feet away from the officers. In other surveillance and body camera footage, Sicknick and two others officers are seen standing within a few feet of Khater and each are seen reacting to something hitting them in the face. The officers can be seen immediately retreat, bring their hands to their faces and rush to find water to wash out their eyes, according to the affidavit. While not much personal information for Khater was listed by investigators, they say they were able to identify him from his LinkedIn page. According to the page, he managed and co-owned Frutta Bowls from January 2019 until May 2020. The shop also had a location in North Carolina. The Daily Beast spoke to a business partner of Khaters who said Khater showed himself to be an awesome guy and just a hard worker. Khaters LinkedIn profile shows he lived and worked in North Carolina and New Jersey over the years. The Washington Post reported that Khater and Tanios knew each other from growing up in New Jersey. Officials have not released a cause of death for Sicknick as of Monday, but have previously said he was injured while engaging with protesters. Read more on PennLive: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. New Delhi: A pedestrian was killed when an SUV ran over him on Thursday night in Madapura Cross in Honnali taluk of Karnataka. Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappas son was also travelling in the same vehicle. As per reports, Shikaripur MLA BY Raghavendra, son of Yeddyurappa, was on his way to his constituency.The deceased has been identified as Suresh (24), a resident of Madapura village. Hundreds of people gathered at the spot following the accident.Honnali inspector J R Ramesh and former minister MP Renukacharya visited the spot. A case has been registered at the Nyamati Police Station in Karnataka. It is still not clear that who was behind the wheels. Karnataka: Pedestrian died after being run over by SUV in Madapura, Former CM Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra was travelling in the vehicle pic.twitter.com/o49Ah8TUQh ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2017 In a similar incident last week, a man was run over by a vehicle driven by two alleged BJP pparty workers near Rajghat in Central Delhi. The deceased's two wheeler was hit by the Honda City from behind. The victim died on the spot. Pedestrian died after being run over by SUV in Madapura, Yeddyurappa's son Raghavendra was travelling in the vehicle. Complaint registered pic.twitter.com/g7GsVXgAWB ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Andrea Wang, author of The Nian Monster and Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando, holds an M.S. in environmental science and an M.F.A. in creative writing for young people. Wangs new picture book, Watercress, illustrated by Jason Chin, is inspired by her experience growing up in rural Ohio as a child of Chinese immigrants. Chin is the Caldecott Honoree, Sibert Honoree, and NCTE Orbis Pictus Award-winning author-illustrator of Grand Canyon. He is also the creator of Your Place in the Universe, as well as other acclaimed nonfiction titles, including Coral Reefs, Redwoods, Gravity, and Island: A Story of the Galapagos. We asked Wang and Chin to interview each other about their collaborative process and their personal connections to Watercress. Andrea Wang: Hi, Jason! I just discovered that both of us started out doing books about the Chinese New Year, which I think is a fun coincidence. But yours was nonfiction and since then youve mainly written and/or illustrated nonfiction books. What made you decide to take on an emotionally heavy book like Watercress? Did your Dad talk you into it? :) Jason Chin: Yes, my first illustrated book was Chinese New Year by Judith Jango-Cohen, and I actually illustrated the Nian monster in it, which, for anyone who doesnt know, was the title of your first book. I took on Watercress because it was so good and I couldnt say no. I was a little afraid to do it because it was heavy and because it was autobiographicalespecially because it was autobiographical. I always feel a great responsibility to the author when I illustrate a book, but I was especially anxious because I was basically illustrating you as a child. But a text like this doesnt come along very often, so I just had to do it. I am very glad that we had the chance to talk early in the process. It was good for me to hear about your familys story for a lot of reasons. At the time we spoke I was trying to get into the mindset of the characters and hearing your stories really helped. After those discussions I felt much more comfortable, like I had permission to do the job. Although its only in retrospect that I would describe it that way. At the time, I just knew I felt more at ease and that was really important. I have a related question for you. I remember you telling me that Watercress was originally written for adults and was much longer. What made you choose to adapt such an emotionally heavy story into a picture book text? Wang: Even for a writer, a text like this doesnt often happen. Watercress in its final form took me years to write. My first attempt was in the form of a personal essay for adults. My parents had both gotten sick and after my mom passed, I wrote a series of essaysmy way of grappling with grief and conflicting emotions. But the watercress piece wasnt particularly emotional, because I couldnt figure out what the memory meantnot just within the small confines of my life, but also in the larger scheme of things. It was just this scene that I couldnt stop thinking about. Later, after I had kids and started taking classes in writing for children, I was inspired to turn the memory into a fiction picture book. The story was told in third person and the girl character had a different name than mine. That gave me some needed distance and I was able to explore the girls embarrassment and feelings of not belonging because it wasnt happening to meat least, not on the page. But I still couldnt find the heart of the story. It wasnt until years later, with a better understanding of what my parents had gone through during the Chinese civil war, that I was able to find the connections between our lives and rewrite the manuscript from a first-person POV. I was able to incorporate more about memory and loss, both my own and my parents. Thats when Watercress became emotionally heavy, when I realized how ashamed Id been of my own family and how guilty I still felt about it. Im relieved to hear that telling you about my family helped you feel less anxious about illustrating Watercress. I didnt know what kind of info you were looking for and worried later that I blathered on for too long about my parents. And then I inundated you with random family photos. You had asked me for photos of Ohio during that time period (the late 1970s, for anyone whos curious), and I went through boxes and boxes of old photographs looking for ones that might be relevant. It was harder than I expectedall the photos were so carefully composed back then, because my parents didnt want to waste film. Cornfields and roadside ditches didnt fit their idea of a beautiful backdrop! You did a stellar job depicting the landscape and the characters, I have to say. Even though they dont look exactly like me and my family (which I think you told me was a deliberate decision and one Im happy about), you captured our personalities perfectly. I really enjoyed collaborating with you but was wary of imposing any of my ideas. I wanted you to be able to express your vision of the story. I didnt really have to do any research except to mine my memories, but you did a huge amount. Was the research process for Watercress different from your process for your other books? Chin: Im glad to hear that the Ohio scenes ring true. I cant remember if I mentioned this to you, but between the ages of two and six I lived in Michigan and occasionally we visited Ohio. Some of my earliest memories are from the Midwest and the photos you shared felt oddly familiar. The research process was different from my other books because the subject was different. I am normally researching science and trying to learn the concepts and facts that will help the reader connect with the subject. For this book, I had to learn about culture and history so that the images would be accurate, but also so I could get to know where these characters were from and who they were. For the American characters and scenes, I felt comfortable drawing from my own experiences. Im American and I made those parts of the story from the perspective of an insider. Details like the CorningWare bowl that the watercress is served in were pulled from my own life. When the mother goes to get the family photograph, the father looks at his bowl and buries his feelings. I knew right away that thats how he would react, because thats how both my father and I would react. But the scenes of China were more difficult, because I was illustrating as an outsider and I had to do a lot more research to be able to make informed images. I started by reading and watching testimonies of survivors of the great famine. It was gut-wrenching, but it helped me begin to imagine the familys experience. I spent more time than anything else doing visual research for the architecture, decor, and clothing for the three images set in China. This is where your suggestion to visit the Yin Yu Tang House at the Peabody Essex Museum and the Yenching Library at Harvard really helped. At the Yenching Library the librarian, Mr. Ma, was incredibly helpful. He pulled about two dozen books for me. Most were in Chinese and I never would have found them on my own, and one was exactly what I was looking for: a book from the 1980s on traditional Sichuanese architecture that was full of photos. These photos were critical reference material, because they included interiors of siheyuan, or courtyard houses, and were taken before China began to quickly modernize. At Yin Yu Tang, I was able to stand in a real courtyard house and get a sense of the space and the light. Even though the house was from a different region, it helped give context to the photos. I also picked up on quite a few objects that made their way into the illustrations, like the thermos on the table and the poster on the wall. While I was working on it, I showed the book dummy to as many Chinese and Chinese American people as I could. I wanted to get as many knowledgeable eyes on it as possible and it was really helpful to have their perspective. Several people who were second-generation Chinese immigrants shared stories of being embarrassed of their parents attitudes to food and foraging. It seems these stories are more common than I realized. Have you heard similar stories from friends or readers? Wang: Thank you to Mr. Ma! Librarians are crucialnot just in getting books into the hands of readers, but in the creation of the books themselves. All your research added so much depth and richness to the illustrations, and to the book itself. I love the detailsespecially the thermos, which feels like such a cultural touchstone to me. My father always carried around a thermos of hot tea, no matter where he went. And Im pretty sure I didnt send you any photos of my father in a short-sleeved, striped polyester shirt, but you totally nailed that, too. Thats wonderful to hear that Watercress resonated with the Chinese and Chinese American people you showed it to. I actually have been hearing more stories about foraging from peoplesome whose parents did it, others for whom it was a family activity like in the book, and still others who were sent out by themselves. That last group, though, usually were sent to gather food that wasnt technically, um, growing in the wild. I think the theory being that kids would be forgiven more readily. Recently, illustrator Jax Chow emailed to tell me about how her parents, Taiwanese immigrants, used to pick loquats from trees in the parking lot of a strip mall. Jax wrote, In our majority white suburb in Jacksonville, Florida, my teenage self was mortified. My grown-up self recognizes how that fruit must have reconnected my parents to a world they missed. That realization is one of the things I hope young readers take away from Watercressthat their parents had lives before they were born and deserve empathy and understanding. Another thing I learned was that watercress-picking was actually a fairly common practice in some states. My aunt-in-law recalled that her older brother used to pick watercress in Missouri, and taught her husband to collect it, too. It wasnt just immigrants, eitherI mentioned the premise of the book to a group of teachers last year and several came up afterwards to tell me that their families used to pick watercress, too. And that a town in Alabama used to be known as The Watercress Capital of the World! Now, watercress is farmed and sold in grocery stores, which makes the adult me very happy. You mentioned once that you spent time in China. Did that inform how you approached the scenes of China or the art techniques that you used? Chin: Ive been to China several times, including in college when I studied abroad in Beijing. On that trip I took an introductory class in Chinese calligraphy and painting, and many of the things I learned influenced my approach to art. One idea that influenced me was that the goal of the artist was not visual fidelity, but the expression of the inner spirit of the subject. In one essay, a painter was praised for a painting of bamboo. It was written that he didnt just paint bamboo, but he became the bamboo when he painted, and in this way he was able to manifest the essence of bamboo on the paper. Surprisingly, this idea was familiar to me. My mentor, the American illustrator Trina Schart Hyman, was emotionally invested in the characters in her books. I think they were real to her the way that an actor becomes a character for a time while on stage, and her illustrations are brimming with vitality. So here was this idea being practiced by different artists, from different traditions, on opposite sides of the globe. That really resonated with me. Through research and imagination, I try my best to develop a deep understanding of the people, animals, and places that Im depicting, in the hopes that their inner spirit comes through in the art. For example, in Watercress, I did a series of paintings of cornfields to prepare, hoping that I could better capture the character of corn in the illustrations. As far as techniques go, I pulled out my old books of Chinese art to study and I tried to incorporate some aesthetic elements from Chinese painting. Chinese painters use soft edges and empty, or nearly empty space, to convey expansive distance. Ive always felt this gives their paintings a dreamlike quality. I incorporated many soft washes and empty spaces in my paintings to represent the theme of memory that runs throughout the story. Chinese paintings are created with linear brushstrokes and I really like the expressiveness of the brush. My paintings are not linear, but for this book I looked for opportunities to make the brush strokes visible. This is most apparent in the dry-brush marks in the vegetation. Many of the marks were made with Chinese brushes, because their strokes have more personality to my eye. My thought was that the combination of Chinese and Western brushes, with their different characters, might make the art a kind of visual blending of culture. We talked several times about your family story, but I dont remember asking you if you have spent time in China. Have you ever visited the area where your mothers family is from? Wang: I love that ideato understand and embody something so well that their inner spirit is expressed in the art. Like method acting, but with paint. Ive been to mainland China several times to visit my in-laws, but unfortunately never got to visit the ancestral seat of my moms family. Both of my maternal grandparents were from a town called Danshui in Guangdong Province and were part of a Chinese ethnic group called the Hakka. They were high school sweethearts and got married at 19. My grandfather joined the Nationalist military and they moved around a lot. Each of their six children was born in a different province! Actually, their youngest child, my surviving uncle, was born in Taiwan after the rest of the family fled there at the end of the civil war. My mom was born in Chengdu, Sichuan ProvinceId love to visit someday, although Im not sure Ill be able to handle the spicy food there! My younger son, on the other hand, loves super spicy Sichuan food. Okay, now that Im on the subject of food (one of my favorite things to talkand writeabout), I have to ask: have you eaten watercress and do you like it? Also, do you have any strong food memories? Chin: Im glad were finally talking about food! Its funny, when talking about this book Ive [spoken] a lot about the Great Famine and Chinese art, but very little about watercress! I love watercress. My favorite recipe is watercress soup made with ginger, broth, watercress, and tofu. Its so simple and just right. As for childhood memories of food, I have fond memories of the char-siu bao (buns with pork filling) that my parents would make every New Year. When I was young, around three years old, they made a whole batch for a New Year party and apparently I kept going up to the basket and taking bites out of the buns, then putting them back. When the party started all the bao had little bites taken out of them. I think I was looking for one with a lot of filling and I kept getting bites of dough. Another food memory that stands out is about dan tat, or egg pastry. On my seventh birthday, my parents decided to bring dan tat into my class to celebrate, instead of cake or cupcakes. It went pretty well. The treats were new to everyone, but I think they enjoyed them. My parents were always looking for opportunities to share Chinese culture with my friends and with our community. They always cooked Chinese food at the church pot-luck, and invited my friends families to our Chinese New Year parties. I was too young to know it, but I realize now that they were doing this in part to protect me and my brother. By inviting outsiders to participate in Chinese culture through food, they were taking the mystery and foreignness out of it. They normalized it for our friends and I dont think my brother and I felt as much like outsiders because of it. My parents shared our culture by sharing our food, but that reminds me of what you wrote in the authors note about the importance of sharing stories both good and bad. Of course you were writing about sharing family history, but I see a similarity. Our food was part of our familys story, if you will, and sharing it was an act of inviting outsiders to be a part of our story. Do you think there is a connection here, or is this a stretch? Is there anything else about the importance of sharing stories that youd like to elaborate on? Wang: Ha! I can just see toddler you taking bites out of every bao. Thats such a wonderful way to describe your parents hospitalitythat by sharing their food and culture, they were sharing your familys history. I definitely think theres a connection. I love writing about food because food brings people together across generational and cultural divides. Sharing food builds community. The same could be said of sharing stories. I wrote Watercress mainly for the kid I was. Kids know that life isnt always easy. Life is hard. Tragedies happen. This is particularly true of the past year. We all want our children, our students, to be happy, and the temptation is to only give them the fun books, to share only the sweet family stories. But avoiding the tough topics does them a disserviceI think it gives children the message that they shouldnt talk about the sad things or the negative emotions, that they should hide these parts of themselves, which isnt healthy. Sharing difficult stories gives them a way to process their feelings and the words to talk about them. It can inspire a new understanding of each other, like the girl and her mother in the book. In addition to the guilt and grief in the story, there is also redemption and hope and love. Those are the things we need to look for to get us through the difficult times. Watercress by Andrea Wang, illus. by Jason Chin. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 Mar. 30 ISBN 978-0-8234-4624-7 After years of waiting, the most-awaited installment of Godzilla and King Kong movie will finally arrive. Originally, Warner Bros. set it to debit on May 29, 2020 - almost the exact day to mark the anniversary of "Godzilla: King of the Monsters." But like most films, the flick has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and suffered from cancelations after cancelations. From a supposed Memorial Day weekend release, it was moved to March 13, 2020, before moving it again on November 20. Still, the long wait is finally over, and the upcoming film will reveal who the villain is. Who is the REAL Villain: Godzilla or King Kong? Ahead of its release, fans began theorizing who will triumph in this film. The result will determine who is the villain all along. However, even before it arrives, the possible appearance of Mecha-Ghidorah seemingly hints that Godzilla is the villain - and it is the reason why he is behaving like one. When Collider visited the "Godzilla vs. Kong" set, it reported that "gigantic Ghidorah skull that had been wired up and made technological." The news outlet added that the set used Ghidorah's head to create a mechanized creature. Thus, it means that Godzilla has more rivals than expected. In the official trailer of the film, it can be seen that Godzilla is coming after Kong. This leaves an impression to the viewers that he has been the villain since the beginning. The official synopsis also hints the same theory, saying, "They unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans-instigated by unseen forces-is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth." Meanwhile, Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) notes that Godzilla is "hurting people" and they have no idea why. The giant monster may also have an idea about APEX and its plans to build Mecha-Ghidorah. With that said, it could explain why Godzilla keeps on showing different behavior. Despite that, Screen Rant theorized that, while Godzilla seemingly wants to attack King Kong, he might team up with him if Mecha-Ghidorah suddenly appears. If that happens, then viewers would realize that the two might be the lead characters in their own ways. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State said at least 7,000 youths would be trained and engaged when the proposed $1.4 billion fertilizer and ammonia plant becomes operational in the state. The Nigerian government earlier this month signed a pact in Morocco with OCP Morocco, a leading global provider of phosphate and its derivatives, for the building of a fertilizer and ammonia plant in Akwa Ibom State. The deal is to aid the second phase of the Nigerian Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) and is expected to boost fertilizer production in Nigeria. Governor Emmanuel was part of the Nigerian delegation to Morocco. He signed the agreement on behalf of the Akwa Ibom State government. Mr Emmanuel, who spoke on Tuesday on his arrival at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, from official engagements outside the country, appealed to Akwa Ibom youth to get set to embrace the opportunity, as the training and engagement of the 7,000 semi-skilled labour were part of the governments effort on human capacity building in the state. It is not only a fertilizer plant, its fertilizer and ammonia that is coming in. So many other projects will be coming in relating to that and so many other things. I like us to be given a little bit of time, but I think what is very urgent is for us to go back and see the human capacity that is on ground. This is the time the youth must be willing to go on training to be useful, so that people from other places will not come and occupy these opportunities. A lot of construction work will be ongoing in some of these projects, we need close to 7,000 semi-skilled labour, and to train 7,000 will cost us some time, money and other resources. So I think what is very urgent now is human capacity development. Its not for me to keep analysing the projects, as you can see, the projects are at an advanced stage, Mr Emmanuel said. He also said that a bigger project would soon be unveiled in the state. While we are celebrating this one, I think something much bigger is coming, we just concluded it, and it will unfold soon, he said. Mr Emmanuel inspected the Green House facilities at the precinct of the airport. He pledged to support local farmers to boost the production of crops that would feed the citizenry. While inspecting the onions, tomato and pepper farms, the governor expressed satisfaction with the state Ministry of Agriculture. He said onions were not very common within the region, noting that their cultivation would put an end to dependence of external supply to the state market. I am more excited with the onion plantation, I think this is the same thing people thought is rocket science because we didnt even try, we thought probably this could not be done here. But look at it now, within three to four months, we are harvesting onions. It is perfect, its really excellent. I only inspected the tomatoes and the pepper farm to actually assess the level of harvest and be sure that as it is being harvested the nursery is in tune to replant. ADVERTISEMENT Within the week, I am going to inspect rice, cassava, all staple foods, so we will use this end of the first quarter to look at providing inputs for local farmers this planting season, Mr Emmanuel said. He said that the state took advantage of the cut in supply of onions, which necessitated the Ministry of Agriculture to swing into onions cultivation. I keep saying that our target before we leave office in May 2023 is to at least produce 80 per cent of what we eat in our locality. So, we got challenged last year when they said there are no onions in the market. We said lets try planting onions inside the Green house, and another outside, at least you have seen the result. We have given an order to clear more hectares and plant more, so I am sure by June we should harvest a lot of onions, pepper and other vegetables so that we can feed the people, he said. (NAN) Vaughan, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Spyder Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: SPDR) ("Spyder Cannabis" or the "Company"), an established Canadian cannabis accessory and vape retailer, is pleased to announce that, further to its press release of January 6, 2021, it has completed its previously-announced debt settlement transaction (the "Transaction") pursuant to which the Company has issued, to certain creditors of the Company, an aggregate of 9,966,666 common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at a deemed price of $0.03 per Common Share, in settlement of an aggregate of $299,000 in indebtedness of the Company. The Common Shares issued in connection with the Transactions are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and a day from the date of issuance, expiring on July 16, 2021. Related Party Transaction Mr. Daniel Pelchovitz (the Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company), Mr. Mark Pelchovitz (the Chief Financial Officer and a director of the Company), and Mr. Steven Glaser (a director of the Company) (collectively, the "Participating Insiders") participated in the Transaction and acquired an aggregate of 7,933,332 Common Shares in settlement of an aggregate of $237,999.96 in indebtedness of the Company. The participation of the Participating Insiders in the Transaction constitutes a "related party transaction", as such term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Shareholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), and would require the Company to receive minority shareholder approval for, and obtain a formal valuation for the subject matter of, the transaction in accordance with MI 61-101, prior to the completion of such transaction. However, in completing the Transaction, the Company has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, in each case on the basis that the fair market value of the Participating Insiders' participation in the Transaction does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the closing date of the Transaction (the "Closing Date") as a result of the participation of the Participating Insiders having been contingent on, and subject to, the receipt of certain required approvals, which approvals were only secured by the Company and the Participating Insiders closer to the Closing Date. Early Warning Repor t Prior to the closing of the Transaction, Mr. Mark Pelchovitz beneficially owned (i) 5,115,089 Common Shares, representing approximately 10.86% of the total issued and outstanding Common Shares (on a non-diluted basis), and (ii) assuming full exercise of 33,333 common share purchase warrants of the Company ("Warrants"), and 600,000 stock options of the Company ("Options") prior to the Transaction, 5,748,422 Common Shares, representing approximately 12.21% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. Following the completion of the Transaction, Mr. Mark Pelchovitz now has ownership and control over (i) 11,781,755 Common Shares, representing approximately 20.65% of the total issued and outstanding Common Shares (on a non-diluted basis), and (ii) 33,333 Warrants, and 600,000 Options, which together with the 11,781,755 Common Shares, and assuming full exercise of the Warrants and the Options, represents approximately 21.76% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. The Common Shares acquired pursuant to the Transaction were acquired by Mr. Pelchovitz for investment purposes, and depending on market and other conditions, Mr. Pelchovitz may from time to time in the future increase or decrease his ownership, control or direction over securities of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, or otherwise. For the purposes of this notice, the address of Mr. Pelchovitz is 57 Greenbank Drive, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4E 4C4. An early warning report pursuant to the requirements of applicable securities laws will be issued by Mr. Pelchovitz and will be posted to SEDAR at www.sedar.com and available on request at the number and addresses below. For further information, including a copy of the early warning report required under applicable Canadian securities laws to be filed by Mr. Pelchovitz as a result of the Transaction, please contact Dan Pelchovitz, the President & Chief Executive Officer, at 1-888-504-SPDR (1-888-504-7737). About Spyder Spyder is a Cannabis and Vape retailer that operates in jurisdictions where the products are federally legal in Canada. The Company, through its subsidiaries, is a retailer involved in the development of two retail business units. The first is the sale of Cannabis products and the second is the sale of smoking cessation products in Ontario and Alberta. Additional Information For more information, please contact: Spyder Cannabis Inc. Dan Pelchovitz President & Chief Executive Officer Contact: Investor Relations Phone: 1-888-504-SPDR (1-888-504-7737) Email: corporate@spydercannabis.com Cautionary Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Certain statements contained in this press release may 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 Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the satisfaction of the closing conditions contemplated under the Debt Settlement. 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 Company. Risk factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by forward-looking information include, among other things, general economic and business conditions and a changes in the regulatory conditions in the markets within which the Company operates. The Company cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77454 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. Most of SoonerCare may be privatized by mid-year Wanuri Kahiu, the Kenyan film director behind Rafiki, has signed up for a new feature film project with Netflix. Wanuri will direct the time-bending drama titled Plus/Minus that will star Riverdale star Lili Reinhart. Reinhart will star as Natalie, whose life, on the eve of her college graduation, diverges into two parallel realities. In one, she becomes pregnant and must navigate motherhood as a young adult, while in another reality, she moves to L.A. to pursue her career. In both realities throughout her 20s, Natalie experiences life-changing love, devastating heartbreak, and rediscovers herself. Reinhart will also serve as an executive producer, with Wanuri Kahiu taking to Twitter to express her excitement over teaming up with the Riverdale sensation. Very excited to be joining @lilireinhart on this epic journey of celebrating womanhood in all its mess, laughter, love, heartbreak, and joy! Yay @netflix! she tweeted Sunday. A release date for Plus/Minus is yet to be announced. MADISON A proposal to create seven housing units on a Boston Post Road site is to be aired by the Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday. The proposal is for a cluster housing development on about 2 acres at 856 Boston Post Road, also known as The Ledges. Site work would include blasting as The Ledges is built on ledge. The property owner is Faith Whitehead and the applicant for The Ledges of Madison is 856 Boston Post Road LLC. The plan for the 1.81 acres includes knocking down the carriage house currently on the property; construction of three new homes, of which two would be duplexes; renovation of the main house into two residences and the construction of a driveway, parking area and sidewalk, wastewater system, storm drainage and landscape improvements. according to the Coastal Site Plan application filed on Feb. 19. Each individual home in the newly constructed buildings would not exceed 2,250 square feet. There is an exception for the size of the two units in the main house, once divided. Plans include maintaining and preserving the main house, The Ledges, built in 1903, as well as the existing stone walls. This home is not visible from Route 1. One home, called the Gatehouse, would be built at the foot of The Ledges, on Boston Post Road. That residence, along with the two residences in the existing house, would have a two-car garage. The duplexes would each have a bay with a two-car garage. Town Planner Dave Anderson said he supports the project in theory, but the specific detail of the proposal obviously need to be carefully considered. The general concept of trying to find opportunities for new housing in proximity to the downtown is something that the Planning and Zoning Commission supports, he said. Anderson said a development like this in town should be of interest to all residents. Theres probably some folks that feel that its a positive project because it is increasing our housing opportunities in the proximity to the downtown, he said. So, I think it should of interest to everybody. The proposal has drawn both supporters and detractors. Laura Downes, whose home abuts 856 Boston Road to the south, said she is worried about the proposed blasting, as well as noise and traffic. Blasting was discussed extensively at the March 1 meeting of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency. Geologist and explosives engineer Richard Hosley, Jr. presented a geologic history of the property, according to the meeting notes. If the explosion is designed correctly, only the rock that needs to be broken can be broken, according to Hosley, who showed photographic examples of line drilling done to preserve adjacent structures, the meeting minutes said. At that meeting Hosley noted that state and federal regulations govern the use of explosives on site; there is a lot of public involvement, notification of the work to take place, conversations with property owners to determine how structures were built, and blasting always starts furthest away from a point of concern. Resident Austin Hoag supports the proposal. I believe downtown is the best place for higher density housing as it will keep the area vibrant with foot traffic, he wrote via Facebook messenger. Whitehead said the project would be explained during the hearing. Resident Robin Phillips said he thinks the development would irrevocably change the charm of the neighborhood. It is going to change the character, he said. Regarding banners and lawn signs that have popped up about the proposal, Anderson said he is saddened in some ways by the way the way that opponents of this application have chosen to voice those concerns. I think we provide a really good mechanism for them to do so without these giant banners being posted. The Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the plan 7 p.m., Thursday, March 18 via Zoom. Find the link here. The proposal will then go before the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency. That agency group must make a decision on the plan before the Planning and Zoning can make their decision. FILE PHOTO: The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran on Tuesday launched human trials of its third domestic COVID-19 vaccine candidate, as authorities banned travel to 40 cities and towns during the Iranian New Year holidays. Iran, a coronavirus epicenter in the Middle East, is developing several vaccines, including one in cooperation with Cuba, to help it fight the pandemic despite U.S. sanctions interfering with its ability to import vaccines. The new vaccine has been named Fakhra in honour of assassinated nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who headed a Defence Ministry research body which helped develop the drug, according to state media. A son of Fakhrizadeh received the first jab of the Fakhra vaccine in a ceremony on Tuesday which was carried live on state TV. Authorities have banned travel to and from nine "red" (high risk) cities in the southwest and 31 "orange" (medium high risk) cities and towns across the country during the two-week New Year holiday period starting on Friday. To discourage gatherings, a night driving curfew will continue to be imposed on private cars in most cities across the country of 83 million, which has had nearly 1.8 million COVID 19 cases and more than 61,400 deaths. COVIran Barakat and Razi CovPars are other locally developed vaccines which are in clinical trials, and Soberana-02 is being jointly produced with Cuba. Several other Iranian vaccines are in earlier stages of development. Iran, the Middle East country worst-hit by the global COVID-19 pandemic, complains that its ability to buy vaccines is hampered by U.S. sanctions, reimposed after Washington abandoned a 2015 nuclear agreement. Food and medicine are exempt from the sanctions, but banks have been discouraged from financing Iranian deals. Iran says it has received more than 400,000 of the 2 million Sputnik V vaccines on order from Russia, and still awaits the delivery of 4.2 AstraZeneca vaccines. Tehran says it has received 250,000 doses of China's Sinopharm vaccine and part of an order of 500,000 doses of India's COVAXIN. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom, editing by Ed Osmond) A furious farmer who would rather be arrested than take down a billboard slamming his village as the 'nastiest in Worcestershire' has already been in trouble over a another sign threatening to shoot trespassers, MailOnline can reveal today. Carl Powell, 75, put the sign up on an old grain dryer and described his village of Peopleton, 10 miles from Worcester, as a 'murderous, lawless, godforsaken place'. Mr Powell has accused villagers of putting 'their own self interest before anything' after a series of planning rows - but police say that his words caused 'harassment, alarm or distress' to villagers, fining him 90 fine on February 24. But MailOnline can reveal that around a month earlier the police were called over a sign that warned: 'NO TRESPASSERS. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again'. They told officers they had safety concerns because it is close to a public footpath. West Mercia Police has been asked to comment. Locals have hit back, insisting Peopleton is a wonderful place. Parish council chairman Tim Mason said: 'It's a lovely village to live in - the only bit that isn't is the bit near his sign. We want the police to remove it, he's refusing so they want to take him to court'. He says parts of Mr Powell's land are an eyesore. Mr Powell was already angry with the community of Peopleton after neighbours objected to his plans to build eight new affordable homes on his land. And he then put up the sign 15ft up on a grain silo calling the village a 'godforsaken place' after villagers refused to back his plans to put a new track allowing better access to his 100 acre farm. He was fined 90 for the sign in February after residents reported him to the police but he has refused to take it down and is willing to face further police action. He said: 'If I'm going to be arrested for telling the truth, bring it on. I've nothing to hide.' Farmer Carl Powell has criticised the village he lives in has been in trouble with police before, over this sign on his gate threatening to shoot trespassers - and fire again if they survive Mr Powell, 75, put a sign up criticising the village of Peopleton in Worcestershire on an old grain dryer, and says that he will happily be arrested before it is torn down The two signs are right next to each other on the farmer's land around ten miles east of Worcester Parish council chairman Tim Mason has defended the village and says Mr Powell's farm lets down the area - not the residents While Mr Powell is clear why he believes Peopleton is a 'lawless, godforsaken place', it is not yet clear why he has branded it 'murderous'. However in January it was revealed that that some cats in the village were left seriously ill or even died after someone left out rat poison for them to eat. Mr Powell described the complaints to parish councillors from villagers against his new track as the last straw. It is not clear who he asked to make the sign for him. He told the Sun: 'The people in this village will object to anything it's pathetic. They put their own self interest before anything. 'Several years ago I wanted to build some affordable housing on my land to help the less well-off but they petitioned to stop it.' Police fined Mr Powell 90 after ruling that the sign was likely to cause 'harassment, alarm or distress. However, the farmer wasn't cowed by the fine and is challenging it. Mr Powell also insisted he would not be pulling the billboard down despite the anger of his neighbours, many of whom had already opposed his latest planning application. Police visited Mr Powell at his farm twice in the past two months over signs he put up, it has been claimed Mr Powell was fined 90 for the sign after residents (pictured is the church in Peopleton) reported him to the police but has refused to take it down Some used the consultation to accuse him of starting work before getting permission. One said: 'The work has already been started by the Applicant, without prior permission, and no planning notice has been seen at the location. It has not been shown that the development is reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture, when existing farm tracks already provide amply adequate access at 3 separate points. Therefore there is no agricultural justification for the track and permission should therefore be refused'. Another critic wrote: 'Work has already started and is an obvious intrusion on to 'farm land'. Unnecessary for farming but very useful 'access' for future planning applications. A third person who opposed his application said: 'There is no need for this track - the applicant already has 3 tracks in and out of his land; it is unnecessary. 'It is likely the Applicant is using this as a stepping stone to gain an additional road access point to his land to make its saleability more attractive to any potential purchaser; he is already advertising it for sale on a 'promotion only' basis.'. The neighbour added: 'The point where the proposed track is to join the public highway is a 60 mph zone and is close to a 90 degree right hand bend; this would be a dangerous access point and would create a potential hazard to highway users'. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 07:39:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir (at podium), addresses the opening of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN headquarters in New York on March 15, 2021. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, on Monday called for bold and strong moves toward gender equality at this year's session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). "Let this be a defining CSW session of our time and in a time of crisis. It is my heartfelt hope that in this year, also my last year at UN Women, we can witness bold and strong moves that will propel us in a much stronger way to gender equity and will end the discrimination against women and girls and empower all of us," she told the opening of the 65th session of the CSW. Under-representation of women is a factor in the slow progress in all aspects of gender equality, she said. "It is inconceivable that we can address this situation that is faced in the main by women and solve problems that women and girls face without the women themselves taking part in decision-making." "We currently confront the two biggest challenges of our generation: the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, and the unfolding climate change crisis. In both, women are disproportionately affected. In neither are women appropriately represented as negotiators and policy-makers," she noted. In a recent survey of COVID-19 task forces from 87 countries, it was found that less than 5 percent of those task forces had gender parity in the composition of their membership. This gives men the self-imposed, impossible task of making the right decisions about women without the benefit of women's insights, she said. "Neither the pandemic nor the financial crisis deters us from making progress in the representation of women. In fact, quite the opposite, the pandemic shows us how much we need to change so that we can truly build back better. Representation of women in decision-making is the only way to build back better -- in a gender-responsive manner, in an equitable manner, and in a greener manner." Change is possible and political will is critical in that respect, said Mlambo-Ngcuka. In Estonia, both the head of state and head of government are women. In Lithuania, the share of women in government has risen from 8 percent to 43 percent. In Rwanda, more than half of ministers are women. In the United States, women in charge of ministerial portfolios rose from 17 percent in 2020 to 46 percent in 2021, she noted. She called for special measures to boost gender parity in leadership positions. "Most important is to institute special measures, like well-designed and effectively implemented gender quotas and targets." Only 13 countries currently have gender-equal cabinets, a number way too low, she said. The premise of this year's priority theme -- women's full and effective participation and decision-making in public life -- is that it is not acceptable that institutions that are male-dominated should decide on matters that affect women's lives and concern the lives of all humanity, she said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 23:24:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday 5,267 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the pandemic, raising the total nationwide infections to 768,352. The ministry said in a statement that 39 new deaths were recorded, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,827, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed by 4,564 to 695,184. A total of 7,459,431 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020, with 39,489 done during the day. Meanwhile, spokesman of the ministry Sayf al-Badr said in a press release that despite the seriousness of the epidemiological situation in the country, the pandemic is still under control. "The health restrictive measures have succeeded in preventing thousands of coronavirus infections, and we can prevent more if there is a serious adherence to the instructions of the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety," al-Badr said. Earlier in the day, spokesman of the Iraqi Ministry of Planning Abdul-Zahara al-Hindawi told the state-run al-Iraqiya channel that the poverty rate in Iraq has reduced to 24.8 percent after a sharp increase in the country's poverty rate at the beginning of the outbreak of coronavirus in early 2020. A ministry's latest research, in cooperation with the World Bank, showed that the poverty rate in Iraq reached 24.8 percent of the population in the second half of 2020, down from 31.7 percent in the first half of the year, al-Hindawi said. Iraq has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in infections after the health ministry announced on Feb. 15 the detection of a new strain characterized by faster transmission and a higher level of severity. On March 2, Iraq received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help combat the pandemic. The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm vaccines, in addition to AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Sputnik V vaccines. Enditem Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The Skyway Stage 3 will remain open to motorists, San Miguel Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang clarified on Tuesday. "Skyway 3 will remain open," he said in a statement. The Skyway O&M Corporation on Monday announced that the Skyway Stage 3 was to be closed indefinitely starting Tuesday afternoon. SMC, which funded the 18-kilometer infrastructure project, said the closure comes after the Toll Regulatory Board issued the directive to complete the construction of all ramps. The government agency, however, denied ordering its closure. It was not immediately clear why there were conflicting statements. Ang later explained that TRB insisted that Skyway 3 cannot start full operations and collect toll until all ramps are completed, but he said the supplemental toll operation agreement states that SMC can start collecting at 95% completion, which the project has already exceeded. To avert the losses incurred due to the delayed start of toll collection, SMC said closing the Skyway 3 from motorists would have helped in the faster completion of the ramps. "We are now 97% complete. We need sufficient funds for the toll roads daily maintenance, proper long-term upkeep, and to keep it safe and efficient for the motoring public. As Skyway 3s losses have been mounting because TRB keeps delaying the start of toll collection, the quickest way for our infrastructure unit to speed up 100% completion of the ramps would have been to close Skyway 3," he said. The initial announcement will not push through after Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade pledged to act upon SMC's concerns with urgency, Ang said. The Skyway Stage 3, which connects the North Luzon Expressway to the elevated highway above the South Luzon Expressway, has waived collecting toll fees since it opened on Jan. 15. while waiting for the toll board to set rates. Fleming Island, FL, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OBITX, Inc., (OTCMKTS: OBTX), an advanced software development and services company specializing in blockchain technologies and decentralized processing, announced today the selection of Eric Jaffe as the companys Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Jaffe will assume the responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer immediately, while the former Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Michael Hawkins, will continue as the companys Chairman and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Jaffe will focus on OBITXs worldwide expansion of services and operations, along with the development and implementation of OBITX Ventures merger and acquisition concept. Eric will oversee, along with board member Mark Gilroy, the Company's sponsored role in the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), Everything Blockchain, headquartered in the Cayman Islands. Mr. Jaffe brings a wealth and expertise to OBITX in business management. Eric is an industry leading technology professional, CEO, and serial entrepreneur. In his career he has had the opportunity to lead or be a part of many great teams that have leveraged vision, strategy, technology and great people to create great companies. His experience has focused on the manufacturing, legal, non-profit, blockchain and technology industries. He has grown companies from start-up to successful acquisition that have grown into national leaders in their space. Recently he sold his former business, The Integrity Consulting Group, to CompassMSP, expanding operations to Florida, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Illinois. He has been a part of no less than 11 technology company acquisitions and has continually been on the forefront of emerging technologies. As a systems engineer he managed 10 staff offices that supported more than 500 attorneys in Florida, Latin America, and London with Steel, Hector, & Davis. He was an early adopter of Bitcoin and blockchain, an early investor and adopter of Ethereum, having championed it and created companies around it since 2015. Through his consulting practice he has helped no less than 35 major companies set their technology strategy and accelerate their business growth. He couldnt be more excited than to have this opportunity to lead a great team in fulfilling Obitixs incredible vision. He is a graduate of Florida International University with a degree in Business Management and carries multiple technological certifications. I am very excited to be joining the OBITX team, said Eric Jaffe. I believe OBITX has a great business model and is building a strong management team, a versatile board of directors, while adding some of the markets most talented advisors that uniquely position us to capitalize on the changing business environment. As industries and processes evolve through innovative and dynamic structuring, consolidation and technology migrations, I believe OBITX is in a position to provide a suite of services and solutions to help our clients efficiently manage their blockchain networks and maximize their budgets. Michael Hawkins, OBITX Chairman and CFO stated, Eric is the right person for the OBITX team. His proven leadership skills, extensive merger and acquisition experience, and business development skills will help strengthen OBITXs partnerships, develop strategic alliances, and expand our national and international sales presence. About OBITX: Headquartered in Fleming Island, Florida, OBITX, Inc., (OTCQB: OBTX) is a development, consulting and services organization specializing in blockchain technologies and decentralized processing. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as anticipate, seek, intend, believe, estimate, expect, project, plan, or similar phrases may be deemed forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Companys reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on the Arab nations and the West to resume dialogue with Syria and abandon the policy of isolation MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on the Arab nations and the West to resume dialogue with Syria and abandon the policy of isolation. "Russia consistently believes that Arab nations and Western nations should gradually abandon their policy of isolating Syria, and resume dialogue with Syria instead," Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. Countries that resume direct dialogue with Syria will have more grounds to actively engage in the settlement process, the Kremlin spokesman specified. A firefighter prepares a vaccination against COVID-19 at the Gymnase Le Moulin in Cergy, a northwestern suburb of Paris, on March 13, 2021. (Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images) EU May Exclude China-Made Vaccines as Vietnam Looks Elsewhere The European Union is expected to exclude Chinese-made vaccines from its vaccine passport certification program because they arent approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). At the same time, Vietnam is reportedly buying large quantities of COVID-19 vaccines from Western countries and Russia, although not from China. On March 12, Euronews reported that the EU is expected to vote on a vaccine passport proposal on March 17 as a requirement for travel within the EU. The passport could only accept vaccines approved by the EMA, according to Ylva Johansson, commissioner for internal affairs of the EU. At present, the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved by the EMA, with trial data for all four vaccines published in medical journals. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been temporarily suspended by several European nations due to potential side effects. None of the Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by the EMA. China has produced four types of COVID-19 vaccines from Sinopharm, Sinovac, and CanSinoBIO. However, detailed data about their clinical trials havent been published. The lack of transparency of the Chinese vaccines is the major reason why the EMA hasnt approved any of them, according to SCMP, because data on the safety and efficacy of vaccines is required for approval. Adding to concerns, three people in Hong Kong died after being vaccinated with the Sinovac vaccine, and another three people were rushed to the hospital shortly after being vaccinated. Employees unload the newly arrived CCP virus vaccines from Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm in Budapest, Hungary, on March 3, 2021. (Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI via AP) So far, Serbia and Hungary have ordered Chinese vaccines. Earlier this month, the Chinese regimes foreign minister, Wang Yi, said that China has provided vaccines to 69 developing countries free of charge, while exporting vaccines to 43 countries, a move that is seen by some as pushing forward the regimes soft power. The Chinese Communist Partys mouthpiece Global Times pressured the EU to include Chinese vaccines in the vaccine passports program, and called the rejection of them vaccine nationalism. Meanwhile, according to Radio Free Asia, Vietnam is importing a large number of COVID-19 vaccines from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and other countries, but has overlooked the Chinese vaccines. The Health Bureau of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam recently submitted a proposal to import 5 million doses of the Modena vaccine from the United States. The Ministry of Health of Vietnam is also negotiating with other U.S. manufacturers to obtain more vaccines. In February, Vietnam received 117,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the UK. At the end of February, Vietnam also approved Russias Satellite-V vaccine, ordering around 150 million doses from Russia. YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. According to Member of Parliament Taguhi Tovmasyan, Interpol rejected the Armenian authorities request to issue a red notice for ex-official Gevorg Kostanyan. Tovmasyan, citing documents which she said were the paperwork sent by the Interpol General Secretariat to the Interpol National Bureau in Armenia, claimed that the motion of the Armenian authorities was turned down because it contradicted Article 3 of the Interpol Constitution, which states: It is strictly forbidden for the Organization to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character. This means that Kostanyans case was considered to be political and the information about this person was withdrawn from the Interpol database, Tovmasyan told reporters. ARMENPRESS wasn't immediately able to validate the documents obtained by the lawmaker. Kostanyan, a former prosecutor general, is indicted in Armenia on charges of abuse of power and falsification of documents as part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the 2008 March 1 unrest. Kostanyan was the deputy minister of justice in 2008 and then went on to become Assistant to the President. He then served as the Military Prosecutor of Armenia. He denies any wrongdoing. Law enforcement agencies werent immediately available for comment. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan [March 16, 2021] Fort Lee Offers Parkers More Ways to Pay with Passport FORT LEE, N.J., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Parking Authority of Fort Lee is bringing more contactless parking payments to its parkers with the addition of the Passport Parking app. The on-going pandemic has increased the need for digital solutions to everyday activities, such as paying to park. The app, powered by the Passport Operating System, allows parkers to manage parking sessions quickly and seamlessly from their smartphones, eliminating the need to interact with public surfaces. By offering multiple payment methods, motorists have the ability to choose how they want to pay for their parking sessions. Paying to park through the Passport Parking app is user-friendly and simple. To begin a session, a user enters the respective zone number (posted on nearby signage and decals) license plate number, and the desired amount of time for parking. "We wanted to add another mobile payment parking option to our operations to give our community of parkers more safer options to pay for parking," said Director of the Fort Lee Parking Authority, Gloria Gallo. "Passport was able to match its zone numbers with our current vendor which helped streamline our operations." With a flexible and scalable solution like the Passport Operating Sstem, more than 1,000 cities, universities and private operators have the ability to easily monetize, regulate and enforce their entire curb space and the various modes of transportation that occupy it. The addition of Passport Parking allows Fort Lee to drive compliance by offering its community a convenient, cashless method to pay for parking. "Cities are looking for ways to simplify their operations especially as we continue to progress through the pandemic," said Anthony Caddell, Passport sales executive. "Leveraging Passport's Operating System means that Fort Lee can reduce hardware costs, enhance the user experience and streamline processes all through one central management tool." The free Passport Parking app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. Users can also manage their parking online at passportparking.com. About Passport Passport sets cities in motion, helping to create more livable, equitable communities. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Passport is a transportation software company, delivering the operating system that enables cities to manage vehicle interactions with streets and sidewalks. With Passport, city leaders increase convenience, efficiency and compliance today and tomorrow. Trusted by more than 1,000 cities, universities and agencies, including Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles and Miami, Passport is one of the fastest-growing companies on the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists, and was named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies for 2020. Media Contact: Allison Guthrie (818) 523-8581 passport@greenbrier.partners View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fort-lee-offers-parkers-more-ways-to-pay-with-passport-301248381.html SOURCE Passport [ 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. Labor has raised concerns Attorney-General Christian Porter's defamation action against the ABC will be used as an excuse to dodge questions about the issue. Mr Porter is seeking aggravated damages over a story published on February 26 headlined: 'Scott Morrison, senators and AFP told of historical rape allegation against Cabinet Minister'. Mr Porter's lawyers allege the story - which did not name him - was defamatory because it imputed he raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988 and that contributed to her taking her own life. Senior opposition MP Tanya Plibersek signalled the court action wouldn't stop calls for a separate investigation into the allegations. Tanya Plibersek is seen outside Parliament House on Monday during the March 4 Justice rally in Canberra. Thousands of protesters across Australia were calling for action against gendered violence in Parliament 'What really worries me is that this will be used as an excuse for the government not to have an inquiry and to stop answering questions about the Christian Porter matter,' she told ABC radio on Tuesday. Ms Plibersek said it was nonsense for the government to suggest an independent inquiry would offend the rule of law. The minister identified himself as the subject of the article almost two weeks ago. His lawyer Rebekah Giles said he was forced to go public after a series of news articles, social media posts and interviews made him 'easily identifiable to many Australians'. The statement of claim lodged in the Federal Court in Sydney says Mr Porter's character and reputation was gravely injured as a result of the story. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has questioned why Labor never sought an extrajudicial inquiry into historical rape allegations against former leader Bill Shorten. Christian Porter (pictured at the press conference on March 3) is seeking aggravated damages over a story published on February 26 headlined: 'Scott Morrison, senators and AFP told of historical rape allegation against Cabinet Minister' Ms Plibersek said the difference was police spoke to the alleged victim, Mr Shorten and people who were there at the time. She said the same wasn't true in Mr Porter's case because the alleged victim had died. 'Police didn't even receive all of the information the prime minister was given by the victim and her friend,' Ms Plibersek said. Mr Porter's lawyers claim journalist Louise Milligan acted with malice because she knew it was impossible for criminal or civil guilt to be proved. Senior opposition MP Tanya Plibersek (pictured on Monday) signalled the court action wouldn't stop calls for a separate investigation into the allegations The attorney-general is seeking aggravated damages, costs and removal of the article and related material on the web. Mr Morrison told parliament on Monday it was appropriate the matter be considered in a court of law. 'The arguments will be made, the evidence will be presented and that matter can be rightly addressed through our courts where it should be.' No date has been set for an initial hearing. Mr Porter will return from mental health leave on March 31. TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou showcased her growing bump in a stylish grey knitted dress as she joined her co-stars for filming at the Paradise Wildlife Park on Sunday. The reality star, 29, opted for the chic ensemble as she arrived at the zoo with her beloved pet pooch Monkey. Georgia was joined by her glamorous co-star Amy Childs who opted for a semi-sheer black blouse and matching skinny trousers to film scenes for the new series, which kicked off on Sunday. Glowing: TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou showcased her growing bump in a stylish grey knitted dress as she joined her Amy Childs (right) for filming on Sunday Georgia looked radiant as she accentuated her bump in a tight grey knitted dress to get up close and personal with the animals during filming. The star opted for simple black trainers and a padded cross-body bag as she joined her co-stars to record the scenes. Georgia is just weeks away from giving birth to her first child with boyfriend Tommy Mallet, and has openly documented her pregnancy on social media. Beaming: Georgia looked radiant as she accentuated her bump in a tight grey knitted dress as she arrived for filming at the Paradise Wildlife Park Sweet: The star opted for simple black trainers and a padded cross-body bag as she joined her co-stars, and her beloved dog Monkey, to record the scenes All dressed in black: Elsewhere Amy cut a glamorous figure as she arrived to film a slew of evening scenes with her co-stars As well as filming TOWIE, the blonde and her boyfriend Tommy, 29, are preparing to document parenthood on their very own reality show. The couple will follow in the footsteps of Ferne McCann and sisters Sam and Billie Faiers and film an ITVBe spin-off about life as new parents. A TOWIE insider told MailOnline in December: 'Due to the couple's popularity, ITVBe have also signed them up for a spin-off series and they're planning to share their baby with viewers on TOWIE in the future.' Funky: Chloe Sims opted to channel the 1970s with her fun and colourful look, teaming an orange chunky knit jumper with a cream suede coat with a fur trim Standing out; She opted for flared blue jeans and silver heels as she strutted into filming Chic: Amber Turner accentuated her slender physique in a black halterneck jumpsuit teamed with YSL branded heels Speaking on Vicky Pattison's podcast The Secret To, the influencer said: 'Me and Tommy are doing our own show. Like a special of the baby.'I'll be filming TOWIE and the idea is that viewers won't miss anything with the pregnancy.' 'We'll film an hour [long episode] before the baby is here of the preparation, moving house and stuff. And then the next step will be the baby's first moment.' Georgia also explained why she decided to do the show, stating: 'For me, where we met on the show I just think it felt right. It was just real. I feel like I had to give something back to the viewers.' Looking good: Meanwhile Chloe Brockett channelled her inner explorer in a safari-inspired ensemble Cute: She opted for a cropped camel jacket and rust-coloured harem trousers, teamed with taupe suede heel boots and a matching wide-brimmed hat Surprise! During filming Chloe appeared to be leading a blindfolded Harry Lee through the zoo to get a chance to see some of the animals Happy: The pair have been on much better terms in recent weeks following a turbulent split Petrified! It seemed that at first Harry and Chloe were nervous about getting so close to one of the planet's most fearsome creatures Safety first! As she prepared to filming Chloe donned a plastic visor to converse with Harry during the scenes Meanwhile Chloe Brockett channelled her inner explorer in a safari-inspired ensemble as she and boyfriend Harry Lee got up close and personal with the animals. The star donned a camel brown cropped jacket and ruse harem trousers along with a wide-brimmed hat, as she surprised Harry with the chance to feed the tigers. Chloe grinned with excitement as she gingerly placed her hands close to the tiger's mouth while Harry watched on. The pair have been back on friendly terms following their split in 2019, even sparking tensions with their flirty behaviour following his split from Frankie Sims. Don't be scared! Harry appeared to face his fears by getting to feed one of the tigers in the enclosure Nothing to be scared of! Grabbing a piece of meat, Chloe managed to feed one of the tigers through the barrier Reuniting? Chloe and Harry have been back on friendly terms following their split in 2019, even sparking tensions with their flirty behaviour following his split from Frankie Sims Oh dear! Chloe and Harry's behaviour even sparked a row between the beauty and Saffron Lempriere during Sunday's show who accused her of being insensitive Chloe and Harry's behaviour even sparked a row between the beauty and Saffron Lempriere during Sunday's show. Elsewhere Amy cut a glamorous figure as she arrived to film a slew of evening scenes with her co-stars. The mother-of-two opted for a black blouse with sheer sleeves and skinny trousers with a belt to highlight her slender waist. Chloe Sims made a bold statement in a bright orange jumper and a cream suede coat with a dramatic fur trim, teamed with 70s-inspired jeans and silver heels. Don't be shy! Following Chloe's lead, Harry got a chance to feed one of the tigers with the help of zoo staff Filming: Harry wore a pale grey coat over a black scarf to film the scenes with Chloe, wearing gloves as he fed the animals Jovial: He was in good spirits as he arrived at the wildlife park for filming Revealing: Courtney Green put on a leggy display in black denim cut-off shorts and studded ankle boots as she arrived for filming Sexy: She opted for a plunging black silk blouse with her brunette tresses in loose waves Courtney Green put on a leggy display in black denim cut-off shorts and studded ankle boots as she arrived for filming. Chloe Meadows flashed a glimpse of her toned abs in a more casual look, teaming a cropped lilac polo shirt with cut-off jeans and heels. Ella Rae Wise turned up the glamour in black sequinned trousers and a dramatic feathered trim top as she arrived to film a date scene with Pete Wicks. Fashion forward: Courtney Green put on a leggy display in black denim cut-off shorts and studded ankle boots as she arrived for filming Standing out: Ella Rae Wise turned up the glamour in black sequinned trousers and a dramatic feathered trim top as she arrived to film a date scene with Pete Wicks Suave: Pete Wicks, who was seen enjoying a date with Ella during Sunday's launch show, was also seen arriving to film his date with Ella Sunday saw TOWIE return to screens with a new series despite the Covid lockdown, with cast adhering to social distancing and filming a vast majority of scenes outside. Amber Turner surprised her pals with the bombshell news that she was going to be a 'mother' soon, later clarifying she was getting a dog with boyfriend Dan Edgar. After Courtney said they'd be preparing a Mother's Day bouquets, Amber said: 'Okay, well I'm going to make them for myself because I am going to be a mother soon.' Night out: Also arriving for the evening scenes were Harry Derbridge (left) and Bobby Norris (right) as production for the series continued despite the Covid lockdown Suited and booted: Elsewhere Liam Gatsby sported a pale grey two-piece suit as he arrived at the latest locaiton for filming Look what I'm up to! As ever the star documented his day for fans on social media Chloe Meadows and Courtney were shocked by the statement, asking Amber 'what' she meant as they looked at her expectantly. Realising what they were thinking, Amber then said: 'No, when Dan buys me a little baby dog.' Courtney claimed she 'nearly c***ped herself' as Amber claimed once more that she was 'going to be a dog mum'. She then asked: 'Amber, honestly, how many times did you facetime Dan since you've been here?' Clearly smitten with Dan, Amber admitted: 'I miss him! I'm joking. I feel like now we are living together it has been really nice, yea all loved up. 'He actually said the other day, "I was a bit nervous but we actually get on so well and it's actually been really nice and I'm really happy." I was like I" told you, I did tell you it was going to be fine."' The Only Way Is Essex airs on Sunday at 9pm on ITVBe. 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 port would facilitate the economic development of the entire Mekong River Delta region On March 13, at the third meeting on the sustainable development of the Mekong River Delta and adapting to climate change, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The emphasised that transport is the core of the economy. The more convenient transport is, the more developed the economy is, he explained, as transport development paves the way for the economy. Thereby, over numerous tenures, especially in 2016-2020, the government poured a lot of resources into developing the transport system of the Mekong River Delta. In Resolution No.120/NQ-CP dated November 17, 2017 on the sustainable and climate-resilient development of the Mekong Delta, the government highlighted the disadvantages of the local transport system that cannot accommodate the potential of the province. "The government assigned the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and localities two tasks. First, adjusting the master plans of the regional transport system and building a mid-term plan for 2021-2025 for further investment in the regional transport system. Second, concentrating all resources to accomplish all major projects and developing projects in the region. Thereby, the MoT has worked closely with localities to carry out these tasks," the minister said. So the minister proposed developing a deep-water port in the Mekong River Delta to receive vessels of 100,000 DWT and connect Vietnam to the world. "We will call for investors to develop this port. Along with Can Tho International Airport, the port and airport will enable the Mekong River Delta to develop and change the economic structure from a salinised region to an industrial region," Minister The said. Additionally, a number of projects are being accelerated. Over the last three years, Cao Lanh Bridge, Vam Cong Bridge, and Cao Lanh-Rang Soi Boulevard have already connected Cao Lanh and Kien Giang. Moreover, VND5 trillion ($217.4 million) of public investment will be disbursed to develop the three expressways connecting Trung Luong, My Thuan, and Can Tho, which have just started construction. Of this, My Thuan-Can Tho Expressway will be finished in 2022. "In the public investment plan for 2021-2025 for the transport system of the Mekong River Delta, the MoT and the Ministry of Planning and Investment have agreed to disburse VND57 trillion($2.5 billion), far more than the VND29 trillion ($1.26 billion) of the last development period. We hope the transport system of the region will be improved significantly by 2025 in a sustainable direction," Minister Nguyen Van The said. The Mekong River Delta includes one centrally-run city Can Tho, and 12 other provinces as Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau. It has a total area of 3.94 million hectares and a population of 17.5 million, accounting for 12 per cent of Vietnam's natural land area and 19 per cent of its population. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. If you're looking for a new gaming laptop, you can get yourself ready for Acer Malaysia's refreshed Nitro 5 in two weeks. Originally priced at RM5499, the company is having a pre-order promotion for the Nitro 5 for RM4999 which comes with a free McAfee LiveSafe for 3 years. It has already begun on Shopee and Lazada until 17 March 2021. In terms of tech specs, the Nitro 5 is back with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. Gamers shouldn't worry about the memory configuration, as it offers 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD which are upgradeable up to 32GB and an additional M.2 storage slot. You can also expect a high refresh rate on the 15.6-inch IPS FHD display with 144Hz, 4-zone RGB keyboard, as well as an Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet (RJ-45) which supports Killer Ethernet E2600. In conjunction with the launch, Acer Malaysia is also hosting a #CreateYourDreamSpace contest with over RM210,000 worth of prizes. All you have to do is purchase a selected Acer device and be entitled to redeem up to 3 entries to the #CreateYourDreamSpace contest and up to RM200 e-voucher credit for either Touch n Go or Boost or the Predator Hybrid Backpack worth RM379. On top of that, every participant also stands a chance to win their dream space makeover by Woody Lab worth up to RM21,000 each for 3 categories which are Productivity, Learning and Gaming. Makeover items include Acer monitor or projector and Woody Lab Smart Desk, monitor stand and other items. You can check out the details below for the contest period and announcement: To find more selected models and participating stores, you can fill up the redemption form via a-redemption.com. For more information, you can also call Acers Product Infoline at 1800-88-1288 (9am 6pm, Mondays to Fridays), or email ama.marcom@acer.com. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com. Don Lemon hopes his new book can be a balm for the United States, which he says has been made both better and worse by a Donald Trump-run America. "It breaks my heart and burns my tongue to say it, but in 2016, Donald Trump was exactly the president we deserved and probably the president we needed in the way you need symptoms that alert you to a disease," he writes in "This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism" (Little, Brown), available now. "With the election of a blatant White supremacist, the problem became palpable, impossible to ignore." Lemon highlights the spread of misinformation as part of the fallout of Trump's presidency in a conversation with USA TODAY. But the "CNN Tonight" host is glad Trump's term exposed racism. "We know who the racists are, and it used to be that you weren't sure because people would hide their hands and hide their racism, and now it's just on the surface," he says. "Its easier to root out when you can see it." "This Is the Fire" inspired by the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd last year pays tribute to James Baldwin's 1963 nonfiction title, "The Fire Next Time," which also focused on race relations. If we do not now dare everything, the fulfillment of that prophecy, recreated from the Bible in song by a slave, is upon us," wrote Baldwin, who died in 1987. "God gave Noah the rainbow sign, No more water, the fire next time. 5 books not to miss: Don Lemon confronts racism, new Ruth Bader Ginsburg collection, more Brooke Baldwin leaving CNN to focus on her new book: 'Yes, I'm feeling vulnerable'; network shifts lineup Don Lemon's "This is the Fire" is available now. "The fire has come, and I believe that we're in it, and I think that this is a moment that's going to shape the country for the next decades to come," Lemon says. "Either we deal with this issue of race, and we deal with it in a profound and a meaningful way, or it's gonna continue." Story continues For Lemon, that includes being able to have honest discussions and "allowing people leeway to make mistakes in conversations and to be open about it." Lemon's CNN colleague Chris Cuomo recently upset some on Twitter after he joked on-air that he knew the theme song to the 1970s sitcom "Good Times" because he is "Black on the inside." Lemon denies that his friend "really got in any hot water," writing it off as the nature of Twitter, where people are often "spouting off." "What I will say is that I'm sure that there were some people out there who took offense to it, and fine, thats their prerogative," he says. "But Chris is my friend, I know his heart, I know where he's coming from, and I know that it was a joke amongst friends." Cuomo addressed the comment on Twitter on March 5, explaining his remark was "Said with all respect to reality," while acknowledging that "there is no understanding what it is to live as a black person in america if you are white but it is so important to listen."" CNN reinstates ban on Chris Cuomo interviewing, doing stories on governor brother Tucker Carlson, New York Times tussle over online harassment of journalist Host of CNN's "Prime Time," Chris Cuomo Growing up in Louisiana, Lemon experienced colorism. In his younger years, his own desire to be darker "because I thought it was beautiful" was offset by society's preferential treatment to those with lighter skin tones. "I thought the brown kids with the kinky hair were cooler looking, but that's not what society was teaching us," he says. ." Similar to Baldwin, Lemon includes a letter to his nephew, Trushaad, in "This Is the Fire," dated May 25, 2020, the day Floyd took his last breath, impaired by then-police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes. "You made me believe I was beautiful, because there was not one thing I would change about you not the kinky hair I had tried so hard to relax, nor the tapered nose that failed to match my fathers, and no, absolutely not that rich russet skin," Lemon writes Trushaad. "My hope, then and now, is for you to embrace your beautiful Blackness with an ease I never mastered, no matter how many times your grandmother told me I was a thing of beauty." Derek Chauvin murder trial begins amid peaceful protests Derek Chauvin trial: 9th juror selected; judge to consider delay after $27M civil settlement with George Floyd's family Writer James Baldwin photographed on March 21, 1983. Lemon compares the state in which Black people live to the moments before a race begins. "I think African Americans are always at the 'Set' position, where at any moment we know that something can happen to us, as we say in the vernacular, something can 'pop off,'" he says. "At any moment someone can say something, or do something, or call the cops on you, or follow you around a store, or pull you over just for walking or living while Black." Lemon believes legislature is the best tool we have to help eradicate racism. "It would be great to change hearts and minds, that's all well and good, but I want to stop the behavior," he says. "I want to stop people from getting killed, especially unarmed African American mostly men it happens to women, too stop them from getting killed, stop people from being discriminated against in the workplace, and just stop the racism and the bias." 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read, from Abi Dare to Zora Neale Hurston 6 Dr. Seuss books will stop being published due to racist, insensitive imagery This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CNN's Don Lemon talks new book This is the Fire, racism and Chris Cuomo Puro Politics is a weekly podcast hosted by columnist Gilbert Garcia, covering the drama and nuance of local government issues. Produced by Luis Vazquez and Joy-Marie Scott. The latest round of collective bargaining between the city and the San Antonio Police Officers Association is happening in a climate of uncertainty. The activist group Fix SAPD has a measure on the May municipal ballot that would repeal the power of the police union to engage in collective bargaining. During this weeks episode of the Express-News Puro Politics podcast, City Hall reporter Joshua Fechter asked SAPOA President Danny Diaz what would happen to the current bargaining process if the ballot measure passes. Were going to keep working as if were going to be victorious, Diaz said. If, for some reason, we wind up losing, its all up to the city and what they decide to do and where we go from there, because they will have taken the right from us to keep bargaining. On ExpressNews.com: S.A. police union urges voters to keep collective bargaining, calls ballot measure 'a form of defunding' The repeal of collective bargaining likely would put San Antonio in the same position as Dallas, Austin and Houston. They employ a meet-and-confer process, which makes bargaining with police officers voluntary rather than compulsory for cities. Basically, we would fall under civil service, so we would get a certain amount of rights and benefits, Diaz said. But thatll be totally up to the city and what they would want to give us. Its very detrimental. We lose out on a ton of things: pay, benefits, longevity, the assurance that officers are taken care of here for a city that they take care of. What could happen is officers could go elsewhere and look for jobs at other cities. Hear more about Diazs positions on Fix SAPD, the collective-bargaining process and police reform on the new edition of Puro Politics. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Maharashtra lockdown: Full list of what is permitted and what is not This village in Maharashtra is COVID-19 free, thanks to its youngest sarpanch Maharashtra seeks 2.20 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses from Centre India pti-Deepika S Mumbai, Mar 16: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has demanded 2.20 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Centre for the ongoing inoculation drive in the state. He requested the Centre to supply 20 lakh doses per week to the state, as per a letter dated March 15 written to Union health minister by Tope, who went to Delhi on Tuesday. "The state is planning to immunise 60-plus age group and 45-plus population with co-morbidities. It needs supply of 2.20 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Covishield and Covaxin) during the next three-and-a-half months. You are requested to supply 20 lakh doses per week to Maharashtra," Tope said in the letter. Maharashtra has been the worst hit by the coronavirus infection in the country. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan recently wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, expressing disappointment over the state''s measures to curb spread of the coronavirus infection. The state does not seem to be serious about controlling the situation, the letter said. A central delegation visited Maharashtra between March 7 and 11 and also discussed the COVID-19 situation with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. On Monday, Maharashtra reported 15,051 new cases of coronavirus, taking the state''s caseload to 23,29,464, while 48 fatalities took the death toll to 52,909, according to the health department. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia New Delhi, March 16 : Actress Kajal Aggarwal has been roped as the new face skin care brand of Lacto Calamine. Speaking on her association, Kajal said,"I am delighted to associate with Piramal's Lacto Calamine, a trusted product that I have personally grown up using. I identify with the brand's vision of redefining how women look at their daily beauty regime -- with minimal effort to enable timeless beauty." The brand has a range of trusted skin care products that include oil control lotions, sunscreen, facewash and facial wipes. The core of the brand offering is a daily clear, matte look by virtue of the product's brand promise to absorb excess oil and prevent oily skin related problems like pimples, blackheads, patchy skin and dark spots. "We are pleased to bring together the winning combination of Lacto Calamine, a deeply trusted and efficacious skin care brand and Kajal Aggarwal, who embodies modern-day contemporary beauty. The brand has millions of loyal consumers in the country and Piramal is committed to continue to enhance and enrich its unique product offering," said Nandini Piramal, Chairperson, Piramal Pharma Limited. Over the last few decades, the brand has grown its presence across multiple channels, including chemists, cosmetic and general stores, hyper-super modern retail outlets and e-commerce. The brand intends to strengthen its position in the skin care market by becoming the preferred brand for consumers facing problems related to oily skin. Piramal's Lacto Calamine plans to enter into new-age formats of beauty and skin care, in addition to the current product range. (Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in) -- Syndicated from IANS This is happening in the toughest state, with the toughest company, at the toughest moment, said Janice Fine, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University. If the union can prevail given those three facts, it will send a message that Amazon is organizable everywhere. Even if the union does not prevail, the history of unions is always about failing forward, she said. Workers trying, workers losing, workers trying again. The effort in Chester, which The Times reconstructed with documents from regulators and the machinists union, as well as interviews with former facilities technicians at the warehouse and union officials, offers one of the fullest pictures of what encourages Amazon workers to open the door to a union and what techniques the company uses to slam the door and nail it shut. The employee notice was a hollow victory for workers. The National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that negotiated the settlement with Amazon, has no power to impose monetary penalties. Its enforcement remedies are few and weak, which means its ability to restrain anti-union employers from breaking the law is limited. The settlement was not publicized, so there were not even any public relations benefits. Amazon was the real winner. There have been no further attempts at a union in Chester. The tactics that Amazon used in Chester are surfacing elsewhere. The retail workers union said Amazon was trying to surveil employees in Bessemer and even changed a traffic signal to prevent organizers from approaching warehouse workers as they left the site. Last month, the New York attorney general said in a lawsuit that Amazon had retaliated against employees who tried to protest its pandemic safety measures as inadequate. Amazon declined to say whether it had complied with labor laws during the union drive in Chester in 2014 and 2015. In a statement, it said it was compliant with the National Labor Relations Act in 2016 when it issued the employee notice, and we continue to be compliant today. It added in a different statement that it didnt believe the union push in Alabama represents the majority of our employees views. The labor board declined to comment. The Chester settlement notice mentions one worker by name: Bill Hough Jr., a machinist who led the union drive. The notice said Amazon had issued a warning to Mr. Hough that he was on the verge of being fired. Amazon said it would rescind the warning. CORK communication software company Poppulo has struck up a deal with a US company in what has been described as a "game-changer" of a merger by Poppulo's CEO. Poppulo, which provides email and mobile employee communication software, is to merge with Four Winds Interactive, which provides enterprise digital signage and workplace experience software. The combination is backed by global investment firm, Vista Equity Partners. "This merger is a game-changer that will, for the first time, enable organizations to deliver long-overdue consumer-grade workplace communications that their people are used to in their personal lives," said Poppulo's CEO, Andrew OShaughnessy. "The ability to connect and engage with every employee and to give them a sense of belonging and purpose, has never been as critical as it is right now because of how radically the workplace has changed and thats where internal communication is critical." The combined company will maintain operations out of offices in Cork, the US and the UK and will sell to customers in more than 80 countries. The companies say they will maintain their current operations for a period of time. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Friends and family are mourning the loss of a little Homewood girl who died Monday night, two days after she fell into the familys swimming pool. Annie Montgomery, 2, was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m. at Childrens of Alabama, according to the Jefferson County Coroners Office and her Caring Bridge online journal, which provided multiple updates throughout the weekend on Annie as she fought to live. Dozens gathered outside the familys home Sunday night to pray for Annies healing. Homewood police and firefighters responded at 5:03 p.m. Saturday to the familys residence in the citys Hollywood community. Annie was immediately given CPR and then rushed to Childrens of Alabama where she remained in critical condition until her death. Those who knew Annie said she impacted everyone who met her. Dozens held a prayer vigil Sunday, March 14, 2021, in Homewood to pray for healing for 2-year-old Annie Montgomery. She died Monday at Children's of Alabama. (Caring Bridge) Baby Annie transitioned into the next life with Jesus at 6:45pm today, March 15th, 2021. She was in her momma and daddys arms,' according to the Caring Bridge journal. Annie leaves behind the most incredible family that will need your support through constant prayers, and the needs mentioned in my earlier post from today. Please know that the Montgomery family will need some space to heal, but please know that they will be reading all of your notes and messages. They feel your prayers so PLEASE dont stop. Lord, please be with us. Annie Montgomery, 2, died Monday, March 15, 2021, at Children's of Alabama. (Contributed) Her mother had written this on the site before Annie died. God is our savior. He is sovereign. And the story that he has already written for Annie is perfect. I have no idea what good is to come of this. I dont know if it is to help and serve others... or to serve her for the rest of my life. But I am here for it. And I know everyone else is too. ADVERTISEMENT To Wase and his ilk, Diaspora Nigerians are only good for their economic remittances Unfortunately for him, economic remittances are most often accompanied by social remittances. As money flows from migrants to their home countries, ideas, practices, skills, identities, and social capital go with it. The video of Ahmed Idris Wase, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who said Nigerians who sit in their comfort zones abroad are not eligible to file petitions against the Federal Government on violent crimes committed linked to Fulani herdsmen got me thinking. As citizens, we have good reasons to be concerned about bigoted, myopic and ignorant political actors. The video of Ahmed Wase making the rounds showed that it does not matter if a political office holder is from Zamfara or Bayelsa. When we elect people to positions of authority, they do not just rule over those who voted for them, they rule over the entire society. That broad exercise of power is why we have the responsibility to be informed with our vote. Who holds power should be our concern, lest we elect fools or tin gods. Last Thursday, while Wase sat in for the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, he rejected a petition filed by Mzough U Tiv Amerika (MUTA) on the insecurity in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States. Mark Gbillah, representing Gwer East/Gwer West constituency, was seen in the video holding a copy of the petition. In the petition, MUTA accused the Federal Government of ignoring the plight of Tiv people who have been forced to vacate their ancestral land, and are now living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps as a result of killer herdsmen activities. I can bet my last Kobo that Wase has not read the Constitution and does not care if it exists. As far as he is concerned, Nigerian in diaspora should be stripped of their rights because they do not live within Nigerian borders. His utterances prove that he is a zealot appealing to the worst elements of occupation, dispossession and subjugation. In response, Wase said Nigerians abroad have no right to file a petition on the crisis. For him, it would be understandable if this petition is coming from those who are within the country Honourable Gbillah, did you say Tivs in America? What do they know about Nigeria? What is their business? They cant sit in their comfort zones and know what is happening in Nigeria. Apparently shocked, Gbillah argued that Nigerians abroad should be able to file complaints because they have family members residing in the State. He said: Some of them are just studying, some just went they to do courses and theyre a union and are Nigerian citizens. To drive his point home, he referenced the freedom of association as guaranteed under section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution. The Deputy Speaker could not be bothered. He dug in and questioned whether or not MUTA was even registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The argument of inclusiveness for Nigerians in the Diaspora wouldnt sway Wase, whose antenna went up at the mention of herdsmen: Ill refer you to the functions of the committee on diaspora, if you go through that, it is nothing relevant to what youre now presenting, Im not convinced that we have to take that petition, he said. I can bet my last Kobo that Wase has not read the Constitution and does not care if it exists. As far as he is concerned, Nigerian in diaspora should be stripped of their rights because they do not live within Nigerian borders. His utterances prove that he is a zealot appealing to the worst elements of occupation, dispossession and subjugation. It is blight on Nigeria that Wase is Nigerias Deputy Speaker. His lack of knowledge, training and decorum is confounding. Most perplexing is his ignorance of citizens rights, public policy, the Constitution and the sensitivity that one expects a legislator of his standing to bring to the table. Wase is emblematic of Nigerias embrace of mediocrity. How can an ignorant and pompous man like Wase be given such a pedestal to retail his ignorance and peddle his demagoguery? His disjointed statement did more harm to him than good. It pictured a man in an armour of lies and arrogance. His video is in the cloud for posterity. The realities of global communications in the age of social media gives no room for the control of silly narratives. To Wase and his ilk, Diaspora Nigerians are only good for their economic remittances. Who are those who do the remittances? Who are those who live in the Diaspora? They are people Wase does not care about. His dismissal is a dog whistle. Unfortunately for him, economic remittances are most often accompanied by social remittances. As money flows from migrants to their home countries, ideas, practices, skills, identities, and social capital go with it. Nigeria cant take our money and have people like Wase ask us to shut up. No! It does not work that way. As Nigerians, we have the same right as he does. He and those like him cannot take our rights away. No one can prevent us from influencing social protests, elections, greater transparency and reform in all areas of governance. Our lived experience abroad is rooted in freedom, development and opportunity. We want to see a free, prosperous Nigeria with equal opportunity for all. In the era of globalisation, the mechanics of political change through democratic diffusion and transfer of norms is a moving train. A million Wases cannot stop it. Reform, justice, equity is Nigerias destiny. He is fighting a losing battle. His disjointed statement did more harm to him than good. It pictured a man in an armour of lies and arrogance. His video is in the cloud for posterity. The realities of global communications in the age of social media gives no room for the control of silly narratives. It is laughable that he doubled down and lied in his non sequitur clarification on Monday, that his comments were distorted. Instead of apologies, he touted his 16-year stint as veritable experience; unfortunately it is not. In the last few days, he successfully advertised his ignorance and political insensitivity for all to see. Even his much touted experience as a parliamentarian is a betrayal of time. A pompous man, who retailed his lack of curiosity so carelessly in his dismissive attitude towards fellow citizens should be a source of concern to well meaning Nigerians. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju a farmer, youth advocate and political analyst writes this weekly column, Bamidele Upfront for PREMIUM TIMES. Follow me on Twitter @olufunmilayo A number of councillors from the Edenderry Municipal District over a funding solution for a feasibility survey into retrofitting homes in the town. There was an exchange at the March meeting of the Edenderry Municipal District Council between Cllrs Noel Cribbin, Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick and Cllr John Foley. Fine Gael councillor Noel Cribbin made a proposal to draw down 13,000 from an existing 170,000 fund for community projects, to enable the completion of the feasibility study on retrofitting homes. Cllr Cribbin says the completion of the study would allow homeowners in Edenderry to share in a 1 million grant to have their homes retrofitted as Ireland continues to move away from the burning of solid fuels, particularly peat, on which many homes in the Edenderry area are dependent. Cllr. Cribbins proposal was supported by Cllr Liam Quinn, Fine Gael and Cllr Mark Hackett, Green Party. However, a number of councillors disagreed with Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick from Fianna Fail tabling a counter-motion, to raise the 13,000 by asking homeowners interested in the retrofitting to pay a fee in the region of 70 towards the survey. "Then they are buying into the project," Cllr Fitzpatrick said, "but at the minute this is not a project, it's just a feasibility study." The two proposals tied at the vote stage with three councillors (Cllrs Cribbin, Hackett and Quinn) voting against the counter-proposal and Cllrs Robert McDermott, Eddie Fitzpatrick and John Foley voting in favour. As chairman of the municipal district, Cllr Foley had the deciding vote and voted for the counter-proposal. An incensed Cllr. Cribbin, who has been working on progressing green projects in Edenderry for a number of years expressed his anger following the meeting. "At this time, with unemployment in the town at an all-time high and the people of Edenderry continuing to struggle through the pandemic, the idea of going door-to-door and asking families to hand over 65 is ridiculous," he said. "Edenderry Tidy Towns was one of a tiny number of community groups who were successful in being considered for the joint community retrofit scheme, which is a massive opportunity for the town, not only for homeowners who would see the benefits in their own homes, but also local tradesmen, who would benefit from the significant employment the scheme would provide. "I saw an opportunity to fund the scheme by applying through the Just Transition Fund, which, after a rigorous application process, was approved. This means Edenderry is in line for a grant of 1 million but prior to that the Transition Fund has already granted 70,000 on the condition that the town provides matching funding of 13,000. "This money is to be used to complete the feasibility study to get the information required on the exact number of homeowners interested in benefiting from the grant and the level of work needed in their homes." Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick pointed out that homeowners will only see the benefits of the retrofitting if they can provide 50% of the funding themselves because the grants will only cover 50% of the costs. He estimates a retrofit could cost 30,000 overall, meaning homeowners would have to stump up 15,000, something out of the reach of most people. He questioned the logic of spending 13,000 from this community funding on a survey with this in mind, given the numbers likely to take up the grants down the line. "I proposed that a survey be carried out of private homes and businesses within Edenderry town to identify who would or might be interested in having their homes retrofitted as part of this Just Transition project and this, in turn, would give all homeowners an opportunity to buy into this project to ensure its success for Edenderry. "It is estimated that the cost of a BER rating survey would be an average of 300 per house or business and that the Just Transition fund would cover part of this cost and therefore if each household interested in having their homes retrofitted made a contribution in the order of 70, this would provide the match funding and ensure that those homes were committed to this project as part of the Carbon Challenge project for Edenderry." Cllr Cribbin estimates that approximately 300 homes in the town could benefit from the grant. He went on to say, "It is beyond belief that a community fund of 170,000 is sitting there untouched, precisely for use in benefitting community projects such as this. Meanwhile, some local representatives have voted against a proposal that would have far-reaching benefits for the town. "The opportunity to benefit from participation in the project has a deadline and I am terrified that this vote means the people of Edenderry will be denied this brilliant opportunity. It is local politics at its worst," he claimed. Cllr Cribbin raised the issue at the full Offaly County Council meeting on Monday, March 15, but Cathaoirleach John Carroll said it wasn't on the agenda and he said "that is an Edenderry so we will leave it at that" as he moved on in the agenda. Cllr Cribbin said he contacted Cllr Carroll and other councillors about the issue last Friday prior to the meeting. Cllr John Foley also released a statement in response to what he described as "misinformation into the allocation of taxpayers money." He said of Cllr Cribbin's proposal: "Nothing was submitted in writing for councillors to consider for this proposal, which is standard procedure. "It would be wrong for any Councillor to use taxpayers money without a proper proposal being submitted. The money requested from Cllr Cribbin was to carry out a survey. The proposal, if passed, would not benefit one household in Edenderry financially." "It is only a survey. Cllr Cribbin said Just Transition funding was granted but nothing has been produced to state funding was granted. It was also said that they were approved by SEAI to run community projects under their guidance. Again nothing was produced to confirm this. "Surely when looking for funding, some form of homework should have been done on the project such as, who is going to carry out the survey? Is there a quote for the work? What area does the survey cover? Are there houses in the catchment area going to be left out? Remember this funding is for a survey only and if a household were to proceed further they would need a BER cert which would cost the household approximately 125. "The cost of retrofitting is beyond the average household, anything from 30,000 - 50,000. Cllr Cribbin mentions 300 - 400 houses and giving a few thousand to each house. That would cost up to 800,000 where is that money going to come from? As I already stated, this is taxpayers money. We did not have the information required in writing from the various organisations to consider this proposal." Cllr Cribbin insists he has been working on progressing the project for a number of years and that he would continue to seek funding to make it a reality. Hyderabad, March 16 : The Telangana Assembly on Tuesday rich paid tributes to TRS legislator Nomula Narsimhaiah and former members who died recently. On the second day of the budget session, the house was adjourned after paying tributes to Narsimhaiah, who represented the Nagarjuna Sagar constituency, and former MLAs. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao moved the condolence resolution. Members cutting across parties paid tributes to the departed MLA and others. The house observed two-minute silence as a mark of respect. The house also paid tributes to former Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy, former MLAs Gunda Mallesh, Komtam Ramreddy, K. Madhusudhan Rao, and Katta Venkata Narsaiah. Ministers K.T. Rama Rao, V. Prashanth Reddy, Jagdish Reddy, T. Srinivas Yadav, E. Dayakar Rao and members of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and opposition parties spoke on the condolence motion. The Chief Minister described Narsimhaiah as a people's leader who worked relentlessly to serve society. He said the late leader had dedicated his life for the upliftment of backward classes. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, said Narasimhaiah served people as a student, lawyer and communist leader. Born on January 9, 1956 in a poor family in Nalgonda district, he did MA, LLB from Osmania University. While practicing as a lawyer, he took up the cases of poor and became popular as people's lawyer. Narasimhaiah, who died on December 1 last year, was a three-time MLA from Nakrekal and Nagarjunasagar constituencies in 1999, 2004 and 2018. He was active in Communist Party of India-Marxist for long. He was elected to the Assembly of undivided Andhra Pradesh from Nakrekal in 1999 and 2004. Narsimhaiah joined the TRS in 2013 and contested as the party candidate from Nagarjunasagar. He, however, lost to senior Congress leader K. Jana Reddy. He won the seat in 2018 polls. A former licensed insurance agent was arrested for the second time in Florida last month after allegedly selling insurance without a license. The Florida Department of Financial Services said Orestes Valentin Rodriguez is accused of transacting more than $38,000 in insurance business related to rental property renewal coverage despite a 2019 arrest for a $620,000 alleged fraud scheme. Rodriguezs insurance agent license was surrendered and revoked under a Department Settlement Stipulation for Consent Order in 2018. The order outlined Rodriguez was not to engage in any business transaction where a license or appointment is required pursuant to the Florida Insurance Code. A previous investigation by fraud detectives resulted in the arrest of Rodriguez in March of 2019 for stealing over $620,000 in premiums. However, a bank representative discovered the press release of Rodriguezs arrest and notified the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office (SAO) that Rodriguez transacted insurance business with the bank after his arrest. The SAO notified the Florida Department of Financial Services Bureau of Insurance Fraud (BIF) of the new allegation against Rodriguez. A follow-up investigation revealed that after his license revocation and arrest, Rodriguez went back to the bank and collected insurance premium checks that totaled more than $38,700 related to rental property renewal coverage. Rodriguez provided a fraudulent certificate of insurance document as proof of renewal coverage. On February 25, 2021, Rodriguez was arrested by BIF detectives and transported to Miami jail (TGK). Rodriguez is charged with 10 counts of transacting insurance without a license and one count of organized scheme to defraud. If convicted, he faces up to 55 years in prison. DFS said it is asking for the publics help in identifying any insurance transaction by Rodriguez and his business, Blue Guard Insurance Group Inc., after his revocation. If anyone has conducted business with Valentin Rodriguez after January 2019, please call the DFS Fraud Hotline at 1-800-378-0445. Source: Florida Department of Financial Services Topics Agencies Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday asked the team probing the murder of advocate couple Gattu Vaman Rao and P.V. Nagamani to identify and add more eyewitnesses from among the passengers of the three buses that were present at the murder scene. On Monday, the Ramagundam police commissioner submitted the second status report to the court on the progress of the investigation. Referring to a mention in the report by the investigation team that five passengers of three RTC buses were enlisted as witnesses, the High Court said this will not suffice. More eyewitnesses from among the passengers should be included. The court felt that the investigation being done by the police was progressing in the right direction and hence it was not inclined to order the hand over of the probe to the CBI. The court said it will monitor the investigation regularly. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with two petitions on the dual murder. Of these, one was a suo motu petition and another a petition filed by G. Kishan Rao, father of Vaman Rao, seeking a CBI probe. The status report said that out of the seven main accused, the confessional statements of the first three Kunta Srinivas, Chiranjeevi, Kumar were recorded under Section 164 Criminal Procedure Code and a requisition has been made before the magistrate for recording the statements of the remaining accused. The report said 21 eyewitnesses had been examined and the statements of 19 were recorded. CCTV and video recordings pertaining to the murder had been forwarded to the forensic laboratory and its report will be available within four weeks. Police protection has been extended to the eyewitnesses who sought police protection. Drivers and conductors of three RTC buses and five passengers travelling by the three buses were recorded. The court responded to this by saying more witnesses from among the passengers need be identified and statements obtained from them. Advocate-General B.S. Prasad informed the court that the chargesheet will be filed after receipt of the FSL report. When counsel for Kishan Rao expressed doubts over the fairness of the investigation by the local police and sought a CBI probe, the court said it doesnt want to jeopardise the case and observed that handing over of the investigation to another agency right now would result in a phenomenal loss of time. Asking the petitioner to keep faith in the court, it was pointed out that the court had suo motu taken up the matter and decided to monitor the case immediately after the murders. The Ramangundam police was directed to file the next status report by April 7 and the case was adjourned to the same day for further hearing. Vicky McClure on the set of the sixth series of Line Of Duty (Liam McBurney/PA) Line of Dutys Vicky McClure has revealed that one of the downsides of filming during a pandemic was not getting to socialise in Belfast after coming off set. The actress, who plays DI Kate Fleming in the BBC One crime drama, said that on previous shoots, the cast had bonded in the citys bars and restaurants, but that lockdown had taken the fun aspect away. She also said that while filming series six had been challenging, she counted herself lucky to be in Belfast with her best friends and co-stars, Adrian Dunbar (Superintendent Ted Hastings) and Martin Compston (DS Steve Arnott). Speaking on ITVs This Morning, Vicky said: In the great scheme of things, we were lucky to be at work but the thing I found most difficult was the schedules, the practical things and also that it (lockdown) took the fun out of stuff. There were no bars open and when youve done a big scene all day, like a 30 page interrogation scene, going to the pub a for a pint afterwards was a sort of release. In the same breadth we were very aware of getting the job done and we looked after each other. Of all the jobs to be on, this is the one I wouldve favoured. Theyre my best mates; I was away from home and it was nice to be with my friends. McClure, whose character is the undercover specialist in anti-corruption unit AC-12, said theyd been looking forward to bringing cast newcomers, Kelly Macdonald and Shalom Brune-Franklin, to some of Belfasts best nightspots. Good day at work with my besties! #dancelikenooneiswatching pic.twitter.com/3LefklRYqk Vicky McClure (@Vicky_McClure) October 8, 2020 When we started the shoot in February, it was like oh great, there are loads of really good bars and restaurants where we all hang out, she said. Its really important to be together to learn the lines to start with, and wed just got into our stride when we got shut down, which was a shame. The Nottingham actress went on to say that show creator Jed Mercurio had a lot of fun with Dunbar, working on his Northern Irish colloquialisms to throw into the script. And she said that despite the intensity of the shoots, the best mates still managed to have a laugh on set; including dancing in a TikTok video, which went viral. I was a bit bored hanging around and Id seen these men dancing to this video, she said. I liked the fact the song was about being best friends, so I took the phone into green room and said lets do it. You can tell Martin hasnt a clue whats going on but Ade (Dunbar) quickly got involved and now hes being called Snakehips. MIDDLETOWN The City of Middletown, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, Wesleyan University and Russell Library in collaboration with the Triangle Community Center announces the third annual Middletown Pride celebration is set for June 5. Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives and has made getting together as a community virtually impossible, the committee said in a press release. This years goal is to provide a safe space for the community in-person and virtually to raise awareness of, celebrate, and empower the history, lives and contributions of Middletowns LGBTQIA+ residents, it said. The event, which will take place June 5, includes a Main Street Clean-up hosted by Cinder & Salt in the morning. Registration space is limited. Organizers will be working with a media sponsor, NBC & Telemundo Connecticut, on the virtual parade. with Taylor Kinzler from CT Live! Middletown Pride will also be hosting smaller in-person events throughout the month, including the Middletown Pride Showcase Event June 5 and 6 (with a rain date of June 12 and 13), and a movie night at the Wadsworth Mansion June 17. Registration details will follow in the coming weeks, the release said. In just a short time, Middletown Pride has become a signature event for our city and I couldnt be more, well, proud, Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said in a prepared statement. We are a diverse community, we are a welcoming community, and we are a community that knows how to celebrate and have a good time. I am so excited for Pride to come back this year with all the energy and enthusiasm of the original parade, and to see Middletowns year-round commitment to equity and inclusion continue to grow and thrive thanks to the efforts of our great people, Florsheim said. Individuals or groups interested in registering to participate in the downtown cleanup, the virtual parade, volunteer at in-person events, or sponsoring Middletown Pride, can visit middletownpride.org. All proceeds, sponsorships and donations raised for Middletown Pride goes entirely to ensure the continuity of Middletown Pride, and also goes to support local vendors, artists and performers, organizers said. For all of our in-person events, Middletown Pride will be working in strict compliance with any and all local, state and federal COVID-19 guidelines. Middletown Pride is also working directly with the Middletown Health Department to ensure the safety of all of our guests, staff, volunteers and performers. For other information, contact Haley Stafford at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce at 860-347-6924 or Info@MiddletownPride.org. Burma Continuing Brutality by Myanmar Military Junta Pushes Death Toll to 193 Flowers mark the site in Yangon's Dawbon Township on Tuesday where a man shot dead and dragged away by soldiers during a crackdown against anti-regime protests on Monday night. / The Irrawaddy Two more people, including a pedestrian, were shot dead and three were wounded Tuesday by the military regimes security forces when they fired on anti-regime protesters in Yangon and Sagaing regions. As of Tuesday, Myanmars protest-related death toll since the militarys Feb.1 coup totaled 193. On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of protesters returning home from an anti-regime demonstration in Sagaing Regions Kawlin Township were fired upon by security forces while they were surrounding a man accused of being an informer for the military regime. During the shooting, a male protester was shot dead and another was injured. Three protesters were arrested. In the evening, police and soldiers used live rounds and stun grenades in cracking down on protesters who had gathered in front of the townships police station demanding the release of three detainees, according to residents and news reports by Sagaing Region-based media. During the shooting, two more protesters were wounded. On Tuesday morning, a male pedestrian was reportedly shot dead by security forces removing roadblocks in Yangons South Dagon Township. A witness told The Irrawaddy that the man was deliberately shot dead while he was walking along the roadside, despite the fact there was no protest near the area. Security forces also removed roadblocks set up by protesters to protect the anti-regime demonstrations from crackdowns across Yangon on Tuesday. Police and soldiers also took violent action against an anti-regime protest near the Bayintnaung junction in Yangons Mayangone Township. On Monday, 23 protesters were reported killed by riot control and military personnel across several major cities, including Myingyan, Mandalay, Thabeikkyin, Monywa, Bogo, Govbingauk, Aunglan and Yangon. Security forces of the military regime killed at least 73 protesters on Sunday, making it the countrys bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 coup. Amid the deadly crackdowns, tens of thousands of people across Myanmar have taken to the street day and night to protest the military regime. You may also like these stories: Myanmars Military Regime Hands Down Prison Sentences to Striking Civil Servants Kachin Villagers Flee Fighting Between Myanmars Military and KIA Under Martial Law, Myanmar Military Commanders Empowered to Issue Death Penalty iStock/wingedwolf (WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- As an increased number of unaccompanied minors show up at the southern border, U.S. advocates expressed concern over the overcrowding of detention centers. With the U.S. immigration system starting to become overwhelmed, detention centers are running out of space to hold the minors for processing. Lawyers also expressed concern over the condition of the holding centers, citing cases of frightened children unable to contact family members or access the outdoors for fresh air. Leecia Welch, Senior Director of Child Welfare at the National Center for Youth Law, said, "What we saw this time was a lot of very young, very scared children." Children who are as young as one, but the majority in their mid teens, are held in tents -- with some being held longer than a week -- sparking concerns about COVID-19 transmission. "It just makes it all the more scary for them, because ... these are places that no child should have to be in on their own," adds Welch. Border Control, when apprehending unaccompanied minors at the border, are placed under Customs and Border Protection custody temporarily as they await being transferred to a resettlement office. Two U.S. Customs Border Protection officials told ABC News on condition of anonymity said there are currently some 8,800 minors in HHS care. The Biden administration blames the prior administration for dismantling the U.S. immigration system. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Monday led a delegation to the border at El Paso, Texas, where he called the influx of unaccompanied young people "the Biden crisis" and refuted claims that the issue is a result of the Trump administration. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 16, 2021, Mountain View, CA - In a comment published today in Nature Astronomy, Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, Director of the Carl Sagan Center for Research at the SETI Institute, challenges assumptions about the possibility of modern life on Mars held by many in the scientific community. As the Perseverance rover embarks on a journey to seek signs of ancient life in the 3.7 billion years old Jezero crater, Cabrol theorizes that not only life could still be present on Mars today, but it could also be much more widespread and accessible than previously believed. Her conclusions are based on years of exploration of early Mars analogs in extreme environments in the Chilean altiplano and the Andes funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute. It's essential, she argues, that we consider microbial habitability on Mars through the lens of a 4-billion-year-old environmental continuum rather than through frozen environmental snapshots as we tend to do. Also critical is to remember that, by all terrestrial standards, Mars became an extreme environment very early. In extreme environments, while water is an essential condition, it is far from being enough. What matters most, Cabrol says, it's how extreme environmental factors such as a thin atmosphere, UV radiation, salinity, aridity, temperature fluctuations and many more interact with each other, not only water. "You can walk on the same landscape for miles and find nothing. Then, maybe because the slope changes by a fraction of a degree, the texture or the mineralogy of the soil is different because there is more protection from UV, all of a sudden, life is here. What matters in extreme worlds to find life is to understand the patterns resulting from these interactions". Follow the water is good. Follow the patterns is better. This interaction unlocks life's distribution and abundance in those landscapes. That does not necessarily make it easier to find, as the last refuges for microbes in extreme environments can be at the micro- to nanoscale within the cracks in crystals. On the other hand, observations made in terrestrial analogs suggest that these interactions considerably expand the potential territory for modern life on Mars and could bring it closer to the surface than long theorized. If Mars still harbors life today, which Cabrol thinks it does, to find it we must take the approach of Mars as a biosphere. As such, its microbial habitat distribution and abundance are tightly connected not only to where life could theoretically survive today but also where it was able to disperse and adapt over the entire history of the planet, and the keys to that dispersion lie in early geological times. Before the Noachian/Hesperian transition, 3.7-3.5 billion years ago, rivers, oceans, wind, dust storms would have taken it everywhere across the planet. "Importantly, dispersal mechanisms still exist today, and they connect the deep interior to the subsurface," Cabrol says. But a biosphere cannot run without an engine. Cabrol proposes that the engine to sustain modern life on Mars still exists, that it is over 4 billion years old and migrated out of sight today, underground. If this correct, these observations may modify our definition of what we call "Special Regions" to include the interaction of extreme environmental factors as a critical element, one that potentially expands their distribution in substantial ways and could have us rethink how to approach them. The issue, here, says Cabrol, is that we do not yet have the global environmental data at a scale and resolution that matters to understand modern microbial habitability on Mars. As human exploration gives us a deadline to retrieve pristine samples, Cabrol suggests options regarding the search for extant life, including the type of missions that could fulfill objectives critical to astrobiology, human exploration, and planetary protection. ### The work reported here was supported by the NASA Astrobiology Institute via Grant No. NNA15BB01A. About the SETI Institute Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF. Contact information Rebecca McDonald? Director of Communications? SETI Institute? rmcdonald@seti.org The United States Constitution is not some musty piece of parchment, written in barely legible calligraphy and irrelevant to our lives. To the contrary, it is a governing document of profound significance that all Americans should revere. If you dont believe that, here are five reasons why you should change your mind. 1). A Written Constitution. Nearly all scholars agree that the Constitution was the first written document that established a major nations government. For thousands of years, mankind had been ruled by some combination of fear, force, custom, and tradition. Having a written document that laid out the powers of government and the duties of the representatives of We the People was a huge leap forward, both for the rule of law that is, the idea that the law governs rather than the personal desires of those in power and the argument that mankind has the capacity to participate in self-government. 2). Approved by the People. Until 1788, as far as we know, no major country in the course of human history put its form of government up to a vote of the people. The people in each state voted to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where a new governing document was created through robust debate. Unless the ratifying convention of any respective state approved the Constitution, it would not be adopted, another amazing advancement. We literally created a new social compact for the country that was agreed to by the people of each state. 3). Separation of Powers. Although England and ancient Rome had some pretense of separation of powers, it was muddled and often subverted. Until the Constitution, no major central government in world history firmly divided the three major functions of government into co-equal, separate branches. By dividing power between the legislative (Congress), executive (President), and judicial (Supreme Court) branches, the Constitution protects liberty by making it difficult for one person or group from taking complete control of the federal government. 4). Checks and Balances. Hand in glove with separation of powers, by giving each branch the ability to check the other branches, the Constitution better protects liberty. It requires that the three branches act together to enact policy and ensure that it does not violate the Constitutions text. For example, the president can veto legislation passed by Congress, but Congress can override that veto with a two-thirds vote. The president is the commander in chief of the military, but only Congress can fund it and declare war. Even if Congress passes legislation and the president signs it into law, if it violates the Constitution, the Supreme Court must set that law aside. The president nominates judges, but the Senate must approve nominees. Again, liberty is protected by limiting the power of any particular branch of government. 5). Enumerated Powers. Most governments in human history presume that the government is all powerful, and then carves out certain restrictions where it cannot act. The Constitution does exactly the opposite. Unless the Constitution specifically enumerates that is, lists powers where the federal government has the authority to act, it cannot do so. By substantially limiting the reach of federal power, the doctrine of enumerated powers safeguards the peoples liberties. There you have it, a list of top five reasons why the Constitution is vitally important today and should be revered. Whether or not we will maintain our Constitution, freedoms, and liberties is entirely up to you. Accept the challenge! Michael Warren is an Oakland County Circuit Court Judge and co-founder of Patriot Week, author of Americas Survival Guide, and host of the Patriot Lessons: American History & Civics podcast. 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A record 19.2 gigawatts of solar generation was installed nationally last year, the equivalent of 43 percent of the new power plants in 2020, according to a report published Tuesday by Wood Mackenzie and commissioned by trade group Solar Energy Industries Association. The U.K.-based energy research firm forecasts the U.S. solar industry will install 324 gigawatts of new solar farms over the next decade, more than quadrupling the current solar fleet. One gigawatt can power at least 3o0,000 homes, according to estimates. The recent two-year extension of the investment tax credit will drive greater solar adoption through 2025, said Michelle Davis, Wood Mackenzies senior energy analyst. The market's economic conditions and increasing efforts to reduce carbon emissions could boost the installation rate to over 50 gigawatts per year by the end of the decade, she added. The solar industry is booming as the price of cells that convert light to energy has fallen and government tax incentives have made the technology more cost-effective in recent years. Rystad expects the U.S. will need about 1,000 gigawatts of new solar and 600 gigawatts of new wind capacity to meet Bidens climate goals. This could put at risk more than 56 billion cubic feet per day of future natural gas demand, the Norwegian energy research firm said. Some large oil companies are investing heavily in solar to prepare for a lower-carbon future. French oil giant Total is developing 16 solar farms in the U.S., including three in West Texas, one in central Texas, one in south Texas and four in the Houston area. Totals solar projects, which will generate nearly 4 gigawatts of solar power, are expected to come online by 2024. ENERGY TRANSITION: Total to develop 4 solar projects near Houston, expanding renewable footprint The scene is set for gigawatt-scale solar photovoltaic projects to be launched, said Felix Tan, senior energy analyst at Rystad. We expect more gigawatt-scale solar PV projects to follow, including hybrid developments. Texas saw the second highest number of new solar installations last year, according to Wood Mackenzie. Installed solar capacity in Texas now produces about 6,750 megawatts of power, enough for 783,663 homes. The state added 3,425 megawatts of solar in 2020, the Solar Energy Industries Association said. Nationally, the installation of residential solar panels increased 11 percent to a record 3.1 gigawatts. Nearly 14 gigawatts of utility-scale solar farms went online nationally. The U.S. solar industry, however, faces several challenges as it tries to expand in the coming years, including meeting battery storage demands and installation of transmission lines, Rystad said. Solar farms also require vast amounts of land. Rystad estimates that the industry will need 13,412 square miles of land, about 20 times the size of Houston, to install enough solar panels to meet Bidens net-zero target. Although building all these solar farms is no easy task, with the right choice of unoccupied land and with sufficient investments in infrastructure, it can be done, Tan said. Not every state is a good fit for large-scale solar plants, but certain southern states could take on larger gigawatts-scale projects than others. Reporter Marcy De Luna contributed. [March 16, 2021] AUDIENCEX Named Number 88 on Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Companies in California Annual Accolade Based on Three-Year Revenue Growth MARINA DEL REY, Calif., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AUDIENCEX , the largest independent trading desk built for marketers and agencies, announced today that the company had placed number 88 on the Inc. 5000 regional list of fastest-growing private companies in California. This is the third consecutive year the company has been listed on the prestigious Inc. 5000 annual ranking. The companies recognized show impressive rates of growth across all industries in California. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 535 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. Companies based in major metro areasLos Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diegobrought in the highest revenue overall. Weve experienced tremendous growth this past year, achieved in a uniquely challenging environment, and I couldnt be more proud of our team as we receive this recognition, said Jason Wulfsohn, Co-Founder and COO of AUDIENCEX. This has also been a period of continued evolution for AUDIENCEX, including our recent acquisition of BBMG , and were excited for whats possible for our company, clients, and partners as we look forward to the remainder of 2021. AUDIENCEX uses proprietary technology to reach defined audiences with precision and e?ciency. The companys independent trading desk, tdX, provides integrated and unified access to 22 programmatic platforms, including search and social, assessing millions of historical campaign data points to idetify the best performing platforms for each marketing campaign. The company is currently hiring for multiple open positions as they continue to provide their agency and brand customers with expanded performance solutions across the entirety of the acquisition funnel. This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. About AUDIENCEX AUDIENCEX is a leading digital advertising platform for brands and agencies. We offer strategic, unbiased, omnichannel performance solutions, and create value for our clients by delivering a combination of high-impact creative, innovative technology, strategic media buying, and data-driven analysis to help them effectively target and acquire customers throughout the entire purchase funnel. Named one of the fastest growing and most successful companies in America by Deloitte, Inc., The Financial Times and the Los Angeles Business Journal AUDIENCEX is headquartered in Los Angeles and operates in offices throughout North America, including New York, Dallas and St. Louis. For more information visit www.audiencex.com . More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regional are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com . Media Contact: press@audiencex.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The President of the Brooklyn Borough, Eric L. Adams, has highlighted Ghanas progress as a nation and underscored the need for its citizens to be celebrated for their contribution to the countrys growth. The wealth of natural resources has made Ghana a leading and prosperous nation to this day, but the people of Ghana are its greatest resources who need to be celebrated, he said. Mr Adams said that when the Brooklyn Borough, a borough of the New York City, honoured 10 Ghanaian-Americans for their accomplishments and contribution to the area at a Ghanaian-American Heritage celebration. They were Tinah Marie Akosua Bouldin, Bishop Dr Akwasi Amankwah, Madam Rose Ivy Quarshie, Catherine Cudjoe; former Great Olympics player, Joe Agyeman; Eric Darko; Wall Street Analyst and Founder of Adinkra Republic, Agyeman Senkyire; Frederick Kofi Ameyaw of the Ghana Permanent Mission in New York; G. Ofori-Annor and the Abotare Women Associations. The event took place at the Brooklyn Borough Hall in New York City to commemorate Ghanas 64th Independence Day on March 6. Cooperation Frederick Ameyaw, who spoke on behalf of Ghanas President, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, said the country was thankful for the effort made to commemorate Ghanas Independence Day in a beautiful ceremony. He stressed the renewed cooperation between Ghana and the Brooklyn Borough in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and other socio-economic issues. Mr Adams acknowledged the important role of Ghana in the emancipation of the black race from colonialism. Pre Order Ghana Year Book 2021 On March 6, 1957, the great nation of Ghana became the first black African nation south of the Sahara to achieve independence from colonial rule. Over the next decade, 30 African countries also followed Ghanas example to nationhood, he said. This years celebration was limited to just hosts and honourees due to COVID-19 related restrictions. However, the full ceremony was recorded and transmitted virtually for a digital audience and other special honourees. Proud Ghanaian Mr Senkyire said he was proud to be Ghanaian and to bring his rich cultural heritage to North America through his fashion brand. My culture has been a source of great inspiration and wisdom to me, especially in America, which has informed several of my decisions, and it is a great privilege to express my culture to the world, he said. Guests were treated to live performances of the national anthems of both Ghana and the United States of America (USA) by Lysandra Tachie and Monifa Maat respectively. It was climaxed by a flag performance by Tinah Marie Akosua Bouldina and poetry recitals. Ghana-US relations The 2010 Census indicated that there are approximately 91,322 Ghanaian Americans living in the USA, especially in cities such as Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan and are some of the most law-abiding immigrants. Ghanas relationship with the USA was further strengthened by the launch of The Year of Return in 2019 which saw a significent number of African-American tourists visit Ghana to retrace their ancestry, and to learn more about the Slave Trade. 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 VAN BUREN COUNTY, MI A former Paw Paw insurance agent was sentenced to probation and house arrest for embezzling money from an elderly client who had dementia. Brian Lietzau, 60, was sentenced March 15 to 36 months of probation, with six months of house arrest, by Van Buren County Circuit Judge Kathleen Brickley. He is also required to pay $70,000 in restitution. Related: Former Paw Paw insurance agent admits to embezzling money from client with dementia Lietzau pleaded no contest Feb. 5 to one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult, $50,000 or more but less than $100,000, after accepting a plea agreement. Additional felony charges were dismissed as part of the agreement. The victim is deceased, so Lietzau will pay restitution to her estate, according to a joint press release from Michigan Attorneys General Office and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services. The defendant owned Farm Bureau-Lietzau Insurance in Paw Paw, where he stole $270,000 from an elderly female client between November 2012 and November 2013, after being granted fiduciary and power of attorney, according to previous reporting. Lietzau has surrendered his license to practice insurance, the attorney generals office said. We have a duty to protect those who are most vulnerable in our state and to hold the bad actors who seek to take advantage of them accountable, Attorney General Dana Nessel said in the release. I am grateful to the hardworking professionals at the Department of Insurance and Financial Services for their continued collaboration on these cases. Read more from MLive: Kalamazoo approves measure to continue electronic meetings due to COVID-19 pandemic Kalamazoo Youth for Christ settles into new Eastside City Life Center Police recover 3 pistols, methamphetamine in Paw Paw traffic stop Thought Leaders Ron Phipps Vice President Apimondia Scientific Commission on Beekeeping Economy With a growing focus on healthy eating, the demand for honey has been increasing. Producers of genuine honey cannot compete with the fraudsters since their honeys are continually being undercut by cheap imitations. In this interview, News-Medical talks to Ron Phipps about food fraud within the honey industry and the methods for investigating it. Can you give us an overview of food fraud and why it is such an issue for honey production? Food fraud has devastating consequences, particularly in the field of honey production, which the U.S. Pharmacopeia has classified as the third largest area of adulteration in the current era. Our aim is to find solutions to solve this problem and prevent its recurrence. During the past two decades, there has been a food fraud epidemic. This has involved economically-motivated adulteration, customs fraud, label fraud and other types of fraud; including a variety of products such as honey, meats, coffee, wines, juices, maple syrup, edible oils and frozen versus fresh fish. The USP's food fraud list describes foods that have been the most common subjects of adulteration. In response to this food fraud epidemic, a growing international movement is working to oppose food fraud - this includes the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization. Food fraud in the sphere of international honey has provided the international community with a very vivid case study. Over a 20 year period there has been explosive growth in the quantities of product produced, but at the same time, the number of beehives throughout the world has been stable. During the same period, numerous factors affecting bees and plants have caused productivity (measured by the weight of honey per hive) to decline. This decline in productivity is coupled with the collapse of honey pricing resulting from food fraud. Image Credit: Billion Photos / Shutterstock.com How has this impacted the honey market? We have seen a contradiction between retail and wholesale honey prices - patterns that have been described as manifesting a complete aberration of the laws of economics. Demand has increased and prices have increased on the retail level, but on the beekeeper level, both prices and productivity have declined while the cost of production has substantially increased. In this scenario, the prices of input should dramatically increase, not collapse. Food fraud has created an existential economic catastrophe for beekeepers producing authentic honey, who now find themselves in price competition with sellers of low-priced fraudulent products. Dr. Stan Daberkow (Emeritus Economist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture) has illustrated this contradiction, whereby the prices of honey on the retail level have increased and the prices for the beekeepers have collapsed. Ron Phipps: Honey AuthenticityWatch Presentation Here Two scientific committees representing the World Congress of Beekeepers issued a report regarding the decreasing prices of honey. This report describes adulteration as the greatest threat to beekeepers in the history of beekeeping, showing that the economic damage to beekeepers who produce authentic honey is approximately $1 billion. When we look at a more macro position, however, the losses are in fact many billions of dollars just during the past 5 years. What methods are being used in honey adulteration? Authentic honey can be understood as honey resulting from the complete interaction of zoological and botanical lifeforms, bees transforming nectars and other secretions of plants into honey. Reports of adulteration in Europe, Canada, Australia, and India, as well as numerous reports in the Chinese press and the Indian press indicate that adulterated honey is being sold to consumers all over the world. In the United States, honey anti-dumping orders resulted in a number of prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Commerce, charging honey importers with criminal activity, and highlighting the collusion of packers, importers and exporters. This was referred to as Honeygate and was described as the largest example of food and customs fraud in the history of the United States. There are various modes of adulteration in the honey industry, including addition of extraneous sweeteners, use of resin technology, added pollen, and extraction of unripe honey, and these modes are used separately and/or in combination with one another. It is relevant to note that currently a composite containing adulterated products - irrespective of the percentage of the adulterants - is regarded as adulterated. This is per Codex standards. These methods of illicit production have created a situation where the quantities of adulterated honey have no ceilings and their prices have no floors. This allows those engaged in adulteration to reap illicit profits while those who produce authentic honey have faced declining economic incentives, putting in jeopardy their economic survival as beekeepers. Recently a report of French beekeepers who were interacting with a Chinese delegation in France was published on the website Apiservices. The beekeepers were mocked by the Chinese delegation who described the French modes of authentic honey production (which are similar to American, Canadian and Argentine modes of production) as archaic. Walter Haefeker (President of the European Beekeepers Association) described the Chinese method of honey production as comparable to a modern European brewery, certainly not the classic modes of honey production. He further contrasted the methods as "fast food vs. slow food.". Image Credit: Shaiith / Shutterstock.com What methods are being employed to investigate the authenticity of honey products? The detection of any of the above modes of adulteration requires the use of most advanced scientific instrumentation, along with a comprehensive global honey database. This is especially true for a food product like honey, which is the product of many variables and manifests great chemical diversity. Fortunately, the analytic toolbox for detecting food fraud in honey, as well as numerous other products, contains very sophisticated scientific methodologies. The quality and authenticity of food products cannot be abstracted from either their chemical constituents or the modes of production of those products. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is one of the most prominent scientific tools used for the analysis of honey. This technology is continuously being updated, and there are currently approximately 20,000 samples which form the global database of honey, which is continuously expanding. This contrasts with the database of traditional methods used to deal with the types of adulteration that were prevalent 20 years ago - then, the database had only 100 samples, and 98% of these were from American beekeepers. NMR can be used to test over 36 parameters characterizing the chemical profiles found in authentic honey. It can detect numerous features including geographic and local origin, as well as botanical origin, and must be used in a comprehensive way. NMR in Honey Click Here to Learn More The struggle against food fraud and for justice in the honey industry has led to a wide range of countermeasures including deferred prosecution for honey circumvention involving 30 countries. All of the honey that was being circumvented, in order to avoid anti-dumping duties, was believed to be adulterated honey, produced using models of production which are not consistent with the authenticity of honey. Where can our readers find out more about the issue of honey adulteration? There is a very important Netflix documentary 6 part series called Rotten, the first of which concerns honey adulteration. Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a commercial description of honey in December, 2019, and the U.S. Pharmacopeia's has released a standard for honey in 2020 and has now completed its comment period. Professor Michael Roberts, a legal expert in food fraud, has two important "White Papers" regarding food fraud in the honey industry. These should be mandatory reading because they describe the importance of honey on a global basis. Not only are beekeepers an endangered species, as Michael describes, but their endangerment constitutes a grave threat to global food security and ecological sustainability. Image Credit: Shablon / Shutterstock.com What are the global honey industrys next steps in the fight against adulterated honey? The Apimondia Forum on Honey Adulteration was held in September 2019 in Montreal, Canada. It had 5,000 members in attendance, a thousand of which attended the largest meeting on honey adulteration in the history of the honey industry. That meeting was an inflection point, because those who had historically opposed NMR testing and those who had supported modes of adulteration like adding bio-engineered sweeteners, use of resin technology, or extraction of immature honey before it has been properly transformed from nectar into honey, became totally isolated. These members were forced to realize the impact that improper practices had on the honey industry, and these milestones can be understood as a tributary flowing into a large river, leading to an era of justice for beekeepers. The struggle against food fraud, both in the sphere of honey and more generically, is evolving and is being manifested in many spheres. The foundation of these efforts resides in scientific advances in detecting modes of adulteration and food fraud. It also includes developing a rigorous, comprehensive, and more intrusive traceability regime that more fully incorporates the methods of production within the traceability. A demarcation between legitimate and illegitimate modes of production is emerging and we are in an era of unprecedented awareness, opposition, and concern with food fraud in general. About Ron Phipps Ron Phipps is Vice President of the Apimondia Scientific Commission on Beekeeping Economy, and author of International Honey Market Reports which appear in the American Bee Journal and the apiservices.biz website. He is also chief author of Marketing of the American Honey Crop in the Hive and the Honeybee (Dadant, 2015). He has organized international symposiums on Honey and Health. He is a pioneer in the international honey trade and actively involved in efforts to promote authenticity of honey as the foundation for the creative marketing of honey. His academic work includes service as the Personal Assistant to the President of the American Philosophical Association. With the support of the National Science Foundation, his work in theoretical physics has led to publications, including "An Infinite, Open and Integrated Universe," "The Modalities to Develop an Educational System of Discovery, Innovation and Creativity" and "Integral Philosophy: An Essay in Speculative Philosophy." Phipps has helped to guide the Long Island Concert Orchestra and Chamber Players International, as Chairman of the Board. New study finds slow walkers four times more likely to die from Covid-19 SLOW walkers are almost four times more likely to die from COVID-19, and have over twice the risk of contracting a severe version of the virus, according to a team of researchers from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre led by Professor Tom Yates at the University of Leicester. The study of 412,596 middle-aged UK Biobank participants examined the relative association of body mass index (BMI) and self-reported walking pace with the risk of contracting severe COVID-19 and COVID-19 mortality. The analysis found slow walkers of a normal weight to be almost 2.5 times more likely to develop severe COVID-19 and 3.75 times more likely to die from the virus than normal weight fast walkers. (1) Professor Yates, Lead Researcher for the study and a Professor of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Health at the University of Leicester said:- "We know already that obesity and frailty are key risk factors for COVID-19 outcomes. This is the first study to show that slow walkers have a much higher risk of contracting severe COVID-19 outcomes, irrespective of their weight. "With the pandemic continuing to put unprecedented strain on health care services and communities, identifying individuals at greatest risk and taking preventative measures to protect them is crucial." A further key finding from this research was that normal weight slow walkers are more at risk for both severe COVID-19 and COVID-19 mortality than fast walkers with obesity. Furthermore, risk was uniformly high in normal weight slow walkers and slow walkers with obesity. Professor Yates continued:- "Fast walkers have been shown to generally have good cardiovascular and heart health, making them more resilient to external stressors, including viral infection but this hypothesis has not yet been established for infectious disease. "Whilst large routine database studies have reported the association of obesity and fragility with COVID-19 outcomes, routine clinical databases do not currently have data on measures of physical function or fitness. "It is my view that ongoing public health and research surveillance studies should consider incorporating simple measures of physical fitness such as self-reported walking pace in addition to BMI, as potential risk predictors of COVID-19 outcomes that could ultimately enable better prevention methods that save lives." ### The study 'Obesity, walking pace and risk of severe COVID-19 and mortality: analysis of UK Biobank' was published on 26 February 2021 in the International Journal of Obesity. The analysis was restricted to England and outcomes were assessed during the first wave of the pandemic. Notes to Editors For more information please contact Corinne Scotland, Senior Media Officer at the University of Leicester, on cjs78@leicester.ac.uk/ 07590403166. To contact the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre please contact Rachael Dowling, Communications Lead, on Rachael.dowling@uhl-tr.nhs.uk/ 07950891193 (1) BMI was categorised as normal weight (18.5-24.9kg/m2), overweight (25-29.9kg/m2), and obese (?30kg/m2). Underweight individuals (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) were removed from the analysis due to insufficient cases. Habitual walking pace was self-reported as slow (<3 mph), steady/average (3-4 mph), or brisk (>4 mph). This research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration - East Midlands, and a grant from the UKRI-DHSC COVID-19 Rapid Response Rolling Call (MR/V020536/1). T The University of Leicester The University of Leicester is led by discovery and innovation. It is an international centre for excellence renowned for research, teaching and broadening access to higher education. It is among the top 25 universities in the Times Higher Education REF Research Power rankings with 75% of research adjudged to be internationally excellent with wide-ranging impacts on society, health, culture, and the environment. The University is home to just over 20,000 students and approximately 4,000 staff. Find out more: https:/ / le. ac. uk/ about The NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is a partnership between University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University. It is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR Leicester BRC undertakes translational clinical research in priority areas of high disease burden and clinical need. These include cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and lifestyle, obesity and physical activity. There is also a cross-cutting theme for precision medicine. The BRC harnesses the power of experimental science to explore and develop ways to help prevent and treat chronic disease. It brings together 70 highly skilled researchers, 30 of which are at the forefront of clinical services delivery. By having scientists working closely with clinicians, the BRC can deliver research that is relevant to patients and the professionals who treat them. http://www. leicesterbrc. nihr. ac. uk The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is the nation's largest funder of health and care research. The NIHR: Funds, supports and delivers high quality research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care Engages and involves patients, carers and the public in order to improve the reach, quality and impact of research Attracts, trains and supports the best researchers to tackle the complex health and care challenges of the future Invests in world-class infrastructure and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services Partners with other public funders, charities and industry to maximise the value of research to patients and the economy The NIHR was established in 2006 to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research, and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. In addition to its national role, the NIHR supports applied health research for the direct and primary benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries, using UK aid from the UK government. LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of International Women's Day, Dr The Hon. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, said he is proud of advancing women's rights and gender equality in his nation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, there were more women in the workplace than at any time in the Federation's history. According to a government report published in 2019, the five main areas of progress for gender equality in St Kitts and Nevis comprise education, social protection measures, steps to address violence against women and girls, gender sensitisation training, and the launch of a national Gender Equality Policy and Action Plan. Recently, an international organisation noted that women in the Caribbean were hit especially hard by the crisis that caused significant exits from the workforce and demands for unpaid care. Taking these trends into consideration, Prime Minister Harris expressed his commitment to creating more opportunities for women. "We have created those jobs and those opportunities before and we will do it again," he said. The Federation is expected to witness a 5.5 percent economic growth in 2021. With the theme for this year's UN International Women's Day being "Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world", the Prime Minister recognised the leadership role women play in COVID-19 management and response. "Our Health Minister is a woman. Our Chief Medical Officer is a woman. Our Financial Secretary is a woman. Our Cabinet Secretary is a woman. Our Chief Personnel Officer is a woman. Permanent Secretaries in Health, Tourism, Sports, Culture, ICT, Talent Development and Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development, Legal Affairs, etc., are all women. Most of our Ambassadors are women," he said. "Our nurses. Our front-line workers. Our caregivers. All these occupations are made up predominantly of women. It is their leadership and their commitment to the front line that is keeping us safe." Thanks to the endeavours of women on the front-line and the country's targeted use of Citizenship by Investment (CBI) funds in the healthcare sector, there have been no casualties in St Kitts and Nevis due to COVID-19. Furthermore, transitioning into the reopened economy was made more accessible due to CBI supporting many who lost their jobs through monthly stipends during the lockdown. Of all CBI programmes, St Kitts and Nevis remains a popular choice for investors seeking a second citizenship. Its longevity within the investment migration realm has been hailed as the industry's Platinum Standard brand. Applicants who pass the necessary security checks unlock access to visa-free travel to 156 destinations, the right to live, work and study in the nation and build a legacy by passing down citizenship for generations to come. Economic citizens also gain access to higher quality services from education to healthcare. Under an extended offer, families of up to four can contribute US$150,000 instead of US$195,000 to the Sustainable Growth Fund and become economic citizens. The contributions made by women in St Kitts and Nevis are "irremovable from our place as the best run, best managed small island state anywhere in the world; and one of the best places to live on this planet," the Prime Minister acknowledged. [email protected] www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners The Biden Administration is putting forward a defense of its border policy amid an influx of child migrants at the border and packed facilities to hold migrants with homeland chief Alejandro Mayorkas warning the influx at the border will soon reach a 20-year high. Faced with a rising number of migrants at the southwest border and criticism from all sides, Mayorkas insisted Tuesday that the situation is under control as he defended a policy of allowing teens and children crossing by themselves to remain in the country. Mayorkas conceded that a surge in the number of children, mostly from Central America, is a challenge for the Border Patrol and other agencies amid the coronavirus pandemic. But he rejected a Trump-era policy of sending them immediately back to Mexico or other countries. 'They are vulnerable children and we have ended the prior administrations practice of expelling them,' Mayorkas said in his most detailed statement yet on a situation at the border that he characterized as 'difficult' but not the crisis that critics have portrayed. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is defending the Biden Administration's immigration policy, and warned in a new statement that immigration at the southern border would soon hit a 20-year high 'We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years. We are expelling most single adults and families,' he said in a statement . 'We are not expelling unaccompanied children. We are securing our border, executing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health authority to safeguard the American public and the migrants themselves, and protecting the children. We have more work to do.' His statement comes a day after Republicans visited the southern border, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calling the situation 'more than a crisis' terming it 'human heartbreak.' A migrant child is being carried by a Mexican municipal worker while crossing the Gateway International Bridge to be processed to seek asylum in the U.S., in Matamoros, Mexico February 26, 2021 House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks to press during a tour for a delegation of Republican lawmakers of the US-Mexico border, in El Paso, Texas, U.S., March 15, 2021, where he blasted President Biden for problems at the border Central American children wait with their parents after being dropped off by Border Patrol at the bus station in Brownsville, Texas, U.S. March 15, 2021. Picture taken March 15, 2021. The administration seeks to reunite childhood arrivals with relatives. Single adult undocumented arrivals who don't meet asylum criteria are sent to Mexico or their home countries It was a turnaround from recent years, when Democrats visited border facilities and blasted the Trump Administration for its handling of immigration. The increasing number of migrants attempting to cross the border, which is at the highest level since 2019 but is on pace to rise to hit a 20-year peak, has become an early test for President Joe Biden as he seeks to break from his immediate predecessor, President Donald Trump, who waged a broad effort to significantly curtail both legal and illegal immigration. 'Do not come now. Give us the time to rebuild the system that was entirely dismantled in the prior administration,' Mayorkas urged potential migrants in an appearance on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' Republicans in Congress have claimed that Biden's support for immigration legislation and decision to allow people to make legal asylum claims has become a magnet for migrants, but Mayorkas noted that there have been surges in the past, even under Trump. Some progressive Democrats and others, meanwhile, have assailed the Biden administration for holding migrant children in U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention facilities longer than the allowed 72 hours as it struggles to find space in shelters run by the Department of Health and Human Services. The number of children crossing by themselves rose 60% from January to more than 9,400 in February, the most recent statistics available. The overall increase is blamed on a number of factors, including the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic in Central America and two recent hurricanes in the region. U.S. officials have also conceded that smugglers have likely encouraged people to try to cross under the new administration. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy led a delegation of a dozen Republican lawmakers on Monday to the border in Texas and blamed the Biden administration for driving an increase in migrants by actions that include supporting legislation in Congress that would provide a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented people now in the country and halting border wall construction. 'The sad part about all of this is it didn't have to happen. This crisis was created by the presidential policies of this new administration,' McCarthy said. Trump, however, also confronted a similar surge in 2019 even as it rushed to expand the border wall system along the border and forced people seeking asylum to do so in Central America or remain in Mexico. A year earlier he forcibly separated migrant children from their families as part of a zero-tolerance campaign that became one of the most significant political challenges of his administration. Asylum seekers are seen in a makeshift processing center set up under a highway overpass At least 3,000 teen boy migrants between the ages of 15-17 are being transferred to the Dallas Convention Center Detention facilities for undocumented immigrants crossing the border are overflowing by at least 700 per cent as immigration agencies had to call in FEMA and volunteers with the Red Cross to help After dropping during the start of the pandemic, the number of migrants caught while crossing the border began to rise in April. Some of the increase is due to people who are repeatedly caught after being expelled under the public health order. The total number of people encountered by CBP rose about 28% from January to February to just over 100,000, most of whom were single adults. The last time the number was that high was in June 2019. Migrants who are under 18 years old are being allowed to remain in the country while the government decides whether they have a legal claim to residency, either under asylum law or for some other reason. The U.S. is continuing to expel most single adults and families either to Mexico or to their countries of origin. Mayorkas said exceptions are being made for adults with 'certain acute vulnerabilities' that he did not specify or for families when Mexican authorities don't have capacity in shelters to accept them. Mayorkas noted that 80% of the children, most of whom are from the three Northern Triangle countries of Central America, have a relative in the U.S. and 40% have a parent. The Biden administration last week ended a Trump administration policy that made relatives reluctant to contact HHS to retrieve children for fear of being deported themselves. It has enlisted the Federal Emergency Management Agency to set up new temporary facilities to house migrant children in Texas and Arizona. It is also working with HHS to expand shelter capacity and backing aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to try to stem the flow of migrants at the source. Mayorkas took swipes at the previous administration for dismantling an asylum system that would have enabled a more 'orderly' immigration system, cutting aid to Central America and failing to vaccinate Border Patrol agents. 'The situation we are currently facing at the southwest border is a difficult one,' Mayorkas said. 'We are tackling it.' The White House has yet to refer to the situation at the border as a 'crisis,' despite overflowing centers and immigration agencies becoming so overwhelmed they had to call in FEMA and Red Cross volunteers to help. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki conceded to the crisis as much as the administration has so far on Monday when calling the situation a 'big problem'. 'The last administration left us a dismantled and unworkable system and, like any other problem, we are going to do all we can to solve it,' she said. Now, 3,000 immigrant teens are being moved to the Dallas Convention Center, an Associated Press report revealed Monday, as the administration searches for space to house the surge of immigrants showing up at the border since Biden took office. Beginning as early as this week, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will be used as a 'decompression center' for up to 90 days, according to a memo sent Monday to members of the Dallas City Council. The thousands of immigrants who will be held there only include boys ages 15-17. In February alone, authorities encountered people without legal status crossing the U.S.-Mexico border 100,000 times. The move to the convention center is just another sign that the Biden administration is struggling to find space for a surge of migrant children and teens numbers that are almost three times the levels seen around the same time in 2020. The handling of the border crisis during Biden's first few months in office is troubling to lawmakers as Congress prepares to take up immigration legislation. 'I think we're going to just watch to see what happens,' a top House GOP aide said of letting Democrats deal with the situation. A White House push for a major immigration overhaul with a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants is already hitting problems in the Capitol. 'I think Speaker Pelosi has discovered that she doesn't have support for the comprehensive bill in the House,' Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said. 'And I think that indicates where it is in the Senate as well.' Democrats are looking to pass two smaller bills this week one aimed at providing DREAMers temporary protected status and one granting legal status to migrant farm workers. VANCOUVER, BC, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Solaris Resources Inc. (TSX: SLS) (OTCQB: SLSSF) ("Solaris" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kevin Thomson to its Board of Directors effective immediately. Mr. Thomson brings over 35 years of senior strategic mergers and acquisitions experience in the mining industry. Mr. Thomson currently serves as Senior Executive Vice President, Strategic Matters for Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") where he is involved in all matters of strategic significance, including the management of complex negotiations, development of corporate strategy, involvement in complex legal issues, and governance related matters. Prior to joining Barrick in 2014, Mr. Thomson was a senior partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP ("Davies Ward"), and was one of Canada's leading mergers and acquisitions lawyers where he advised many of Canada's largest and most successful public companies, including Barrick, on a number of industry leading transactions and also was a key strategic and legal advisor to a number of the country's leading private enterprises. Mr. Thomson was the longest standing member of the committee responsible for managing the Davies Ward firm. Richard Warke, Executive Chairman, commented, "We are pleased to welcome Kevin to the Board. His mergers and acquisition experience will be a valuable asset to the Board as we continue to progress the Warintza Project in south-eastern Ecuador." On behalf of the Board of Solaris Resources Inc. "Daniel Earle" President & CEO, Director About Solaris Resources Inc. Solaris is advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in the Americas, which includes: a high-grade resource with expansion and additional discovery potential at the Warintza copper and gold project in Ecuador; discovery potential on the grass-roots Tamarugo project in Chile and Capricho and Paco Orco projects in Peru; exposure to US$130M spending / 5-yrs through a farm-out agreement with Freeport-McMoRan on the Ricardo Project in Chile; and significant leverage to increasing copper prices through the 60%-interest in the development-stage La Verde joint-venture project with Teck Resources in Mexico. Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking Statements This document contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of the word "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding our intent, or the beliefs or current expectations of our officers and directors, including statements made with respect to Mr. Thomson's mergers and acquisition experience being a valuable asset as we continue to progress the Warintza Project in south-eastern Ecuador. Although Solaris believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Solaris can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements are based on a variety of assumptions including assumptions made about the Company's ability to advance efforts at the Warintza Project and the extent to which the Company undertakes mergers and acquisition activities in the future. These statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in the latest Solaris Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form available at www.sedar.com. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and Solaris does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements except as may be required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Solaris Resources Inc. Related Links https://www.solarisresources.com With Trump Hatred Moving Off Stage, Biden Administration Seeks Its Footing Commentary The administration continues to tack sharply to the left, and the president, who was sold to a skeptical Democratic Party after being rejected in last years early primaries, as a proven moderate to put as the hood-ornament on what was threatening to become a Sanders-Ocasio socialist party, continues to mumble about systemic racism and the existential crisis of climate change and other leftist shibboleths. Every sensible American knows that the United States ceased decades ago to be afflicted by institutional and consensual racism. Non-white Americans have now held practically every major federal public office; segregation has been hunted down like the last defenders of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and virtually incinerated or asphyxiated by flame-throwers. So far have public attitudes tilted that while last summer as rampaging mobs most conspicuously composed of African-American militants ransacked many of Americas greatest cities, smashing storefronts on some of the worlds most illustrious and opulent boulevards, committing $2 billion of random damage, killing over 50 people, and injuring over 700 policemen, the Democratic party in convention uttered not a word of it, and their municipal machines hamstrung the police. It was Donald Trumps America. Black Lives Matter, whose New York leader threatened to burn America down if all its demands were not met, was celebrated and honored and even ultra-white nominal Republicans like 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney joined their marches. False Allegations Only the forceful intervention of President Trump, severely contested as it was by the morally bankrupt, almost airtight wall of the rabidly pro-Democratic national political media, prevented the destruction of statues of Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Grant, and other champions of the rights of African-Americans. The whole concept of systemic racism in the United States has been bunk since the time of President Lyndon Johnson, and is now just a putrid corpse of convenient recollection. Since the entire Democratic playbook of the last five years has been Trump-hate, it was necessary to portray the former president as a racist, despite the irritating absence of a scintilla of evidence to support the charge. All that was bad was racist; thus the president-elect and the vice president-elect instantly confected the complete fraud that the hooliganism at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was a white-supremacist assault, as part of President Trumps attempt to provoke a violent insurrection in response to the election that he had falsely claimed to have been rigged. Every word and every letter of every word of these allegations were false and practically all of those who uttered them knew them to be false. Of the 28 legal claims made by the Trump campaign about the election results in a number of the swing states, and the claim of the Texas attorney general, supported by 18 other states, none was adjudicated on its merits. The entire judicial system took refuge in deadlines, technicalities, arbitrary disposals and interpretations, and illegal aggrandizement by state courts over the prerogatives constitutionally allocated to the state legislatures, in order to prevent the issues of the fairness of the election and vote-counting to be tried. The Supreme Court simply dodged the appeals as they came and refused to hear the original interstate action as the court of first instance in the Texas case. It may have been a correct political judgment, to avoid the opprobrium that would have arisen had the high court overturned the election, but it was a grievous abdication of responsibility that left 48 percent of the voters of America justly angry. It is already clear from the testimony of FBI director Christopher Wray at the Congress two weeks ago that there was no connection between the Trump campaign and the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, (despite the new attorney general, Merrick Garlands waffling about a complex investigation last week). There was no incitement to illegality by the outgoing president, no attempt at insurrection, no racist character to the previous administration, and it was a tainted election result, ignored by the judicial system importuned to examine the results. But it is over, and Trump-hate will slowly perish, despite what may be confidently anticipated to be almost taxidermical efforts by the Trump-hating media to maintain a fading ghost of their terminal addiction to demonizing the ex-president. Administrations Confusion As the curtain of Trump-hate is inexorably pulled back, as in the abject apology of the Washington Post this week for publishing a falsely reported conversation Trump had with a Georgia election official, the Biden administration will, like all of its predecessors, have to endure the total immersion of governing. At some point, unless it wishes to see its popularity descend into subterranean nether regions, the demarcation will have to be made more carefully between the demands of the left and the political requirements of the always-preeminent center. In fairness, it must be said that the administration is trying to maintain the momentum expected of a comprehensive 100-day legislative program. Already visible are a massive infrastructure bill, what is billed as the greatest tax increase in 30 years, the attempted dismemberment of American electoral democracy that is implicit in House of Representatives Bill 1, and the quasi-emasculation of Second Amendment rights to own firearms. It should not be assumed that these measures will pass in a recognizable form, although something should be possible on the infrastructure side; the Republicans dont wish to become the party of potholes and collapsing bridges. (Next to health care reform, this was Trumps biggest failure to deliver.) But the ability of the administration to make a more politically balanced selection between leftist (the arrogation of progressive is specious), and moderate policy options is unclear, and it is trying to prolong a falsely exaggerated and extended pandemic as a cover for its confusion. This wont fly much longer either, despite the help of the egregious teachers unions and the media fear-mongers. Nor can the depredations of those claiming with John Kerry that life on earth will end in nine years if the United States doesnt eliminate carbon emissions, be taken seriously much longer; the condition of the United States does not allow the wholesale indulgence of insane public policy, which is effectively where the instant veto of the Keystone XL pipeline belongs. The environment isnt an existential threat, and the further Biden goes down this rabbit-hole, the more heavily he will pay for it politically; ultimately the American electorate has never been dominated by faddists. Quieter On the plus side, the political ambience, with Donald Trump in the wings, is quieter and much less exhausting and generally to the countrys taste, and is assisting the ex-president in maintaining his following without allowing his enemies to frighten the nation with his spectre. The president is bringing forward parts of his radical, so-called unity (with Bernie Sanders) program, but it is not yet clear whether it is coming in a tactically designed sequence or as in the operation of a laundry-tumbler. The administration has only a couple of weeks to declare the success of its southern open-door policy and close the door, leaving it to the docile media to clean up the public relations debacle, or to wear this fiasco like a scarlet letter. We shall soon see if there is anything to this administration except post-Trump, primal scream and reflex-rejection therapy. At this point the betting is at best even, and the prospects, in the ghastly current mangling of the language, are concerning, as the United States contemplates its greatest foreign policy challenges since the pre-Reagan era. Conrad Black has been one of Canadas most prominent financiers for 40 years, and was one of the leading newspaper publishers in the world. Hes the author of authoritative biographies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon, and, most recently, Donald J. Trump: A President Like No Other, which has been republished in updated form. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Chris Taylor, President and CEO of Great Bear said, "We returned to the northwestern kilometre of the LP Fault zone after more than a year drilling elsewhere along strike, and completed seven new drill holes, four of which are located within a 200 metre long previously undrilled segment of the zone. We encountered new high-grade gold mineralization in addition to the expected bulk tonnage intervals , and will undertake additional drilling in this area over the coming months." Note the drill holes in this release are located 1.93 2.40 kilometres northwest of the drill holes provided in the Company's news release of March 11, 2021, within the same multi-kilometre continuously mineralized gold zone, the LP Fault. This news release provides results from 7 new LP Fault drill holes completed along 250 metres of strike length. Great Bear has now published results from 267 LP Fault drill holes and anticipates at least 133 additional LP Fault drill holes will be completed by the end of 2021, for a total of at least 400 drill holes. New LP Fault drill results from this release are provided in Table 1 , Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 . Table 2 contains highlighted drill results from initial drilling completed from May 2019 to March 2020. New LP Fault Drill Results Northwest Area Several drill holes were planned for previously undrilled section 22200, testing a 200 metre long undrilled segment of the LP Fault zone. The four deepest holes were completed first and are reported in this release, testing from approximately 180 to 550 metres vertical depth . All drill holes intersected the same geology with gold mineralization. Near-surface drilling will follow. . All drill holes intersected the same geology with gold mineralization. Near-surface drilling will follow. Drill hole BR-271 intersected several mineralized zones including : 25.12 g/t gold over 4.25 metres from 406.25 to 410.50 metres from 406.25 to 410.50 metres This included a high-grade core of 197.00 g/t gold over 0.50 metres from 407.50 to 408.00 metres. from 407.50 to 408.00 metres. 1.11 g/t gold over 23.65 metres from 460.35 to 484.00 metres. from 460.35 to 484.00 metres. 1.07 g/t gold over 53.60 metres from 495.50 to 549.10 metres. from 495.50 to 549.10 metres. Drill hole BR-239 also intersected several mineralized zones including: 19.00 g/t gold over 1.30 metres from 268.50 to 269.80 metres. from 268.50 to 269.80 metres. 1.01 g/t gold over 42.50 metres from 377.20 to 419.70 metres. from 377.20 to 419.70 metres. Drill hole BR-270 intersected 0.85 g/t gold over 81.70 metres from 397.50 to 479.20 metres. The Company formerly referred to this area as the Bear-Rimini or Discovery zone, prior to determining the LP Fault comprises a multi-kilometre continuously mineralized gold zone. The Company's LP Fault discovery drill hole DNW-011 was completed here, intersecting 12.33 g/t gold over 14.00 metres, 194.21 g/t gold over 2.00 metres, and 0.74 g/t gold over 50.60 metres (May 28, 2019). Also see Table 2 . Figure 1: Map of current drill results showing the location of the new 1.2 kilometre cross section. The Company notes that its predictive geological models were highly accurate on Section 22200. Geology and gold mineralization were successfully intersected to within 3 10 metres of expected locations within the 200 metre long previously undrilled gap in the LP Fault zone, as shown in Figure 2 . An image of the high-grade visible gold from BR-271 is provided in Figure 3 . Figure 2: Mineralized zones on section 22200 as predicted prior to drilling, and as drilled. Figure 3: High-grade gold mineralization from 407.70 metres downhole in BR-271. Image is of a selected interval and is not representative of all gold mineralization on the property. Table 1: New drill result highlights from the northwest LP Fault. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Width* (m) Gold (g/t) Section BR-259 and 347.05 512.00 353.05 519.35 6.00 7.35 4.65 1.20 22050 BR-239 including and including and 224.50 268.50 295.00 296.00 377.20 229.00 269.80 305.00 298.05 419.70 4.50 1.30 10.00 2.05 42.50 3.24 19.00 1.71 6.55 1.01 22200 BR-258 and and 424.75 473.50 633.75 438.00 479.95 639.90 13.25 6.45 6.15 1.05 3.86 1.09 22200 BR-270 and including and including 304.50 397.50 397.50 445.25 312.50 479.20 407.00 453.75 8.00 81.70 9.50 8.50 1.00 0.85 1.75 1.87 22200 BR-271 including and and and 406.25 407.50 460.35 495.50 552.40 410.50 408.00 484.00 549.10 555.00 4.25 0.50 23.65 53.60 2.60 25.12 197.00 1.11 1.07 3.88 22200 BR-256 529.40 564.20 34.80 1.54 22300 BR-257 442.50 457.50 15.00 1.62 22300 * Widths are drill indicated core length, as insufficient drilling has been undertaken to determine true widths at this time. Average grades are calculated with un-capped gold assays, as insufficient drilling has been completed to determine capping levels for higher grade gold intercepts. Interval widths are calculated using a 0.10 g/t gold cut-off grade with up to 3 m of internal dilution of zero grade. Table 2: Top 5 of 32 previously reported drill holes completed in the northwest kilometre of the LP Fault. Formerly referred to as the Bear-Rimini or Discovery zone. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Width* (m) Gold (g/t) Section DNW-011 including and including and including and including and including and including and 58.00 58.00 58.50 75.00 75.95 78.45 78.45 78.95 88.00 119.00 60.00 58.50 60.00 89.00 80.55 80.55 79.55 79.55 89.00 169.60 2.00 0.50 1.50 14.00 4.60 2.10 1.10 0.60 1.00 50.60 194.21 759.38 5.81 12.33 30.90 60.27 98.78 130.97 27.15 0.74 22350 BR-040 including including 360.50 361.50 401.30 432.10 365.50 422.00 71.60 4.00 20.70 1.39 5.57 2.22 22225 BR-043 including and including and including and including 310.50 318.50 348.00 433.50 436.00 459.70 443.90 363.00 437.80 437.80 149.20 125.40 15.00 4.30 1.80 0.95 1.08 2.05 6.09 12.45 22125 BR-088 and and including and including and including 357.00 375.35 515.55 515.55 549.95 606.30 366.00 383.50 616.50 527.00 557.45 616.50 9.00 8.15 100.95 11.45 7.50 10.20 0.97 0.74 0.71 1.38 1.12 1.80 22000 BR-127 including and including and including and 423.00 423.80 430.00 431.40 530.70 455.60 433.90 433.90 431.90 564.75 32.60 10.10 3.90 0.50 34.05 1.79 5.04 10.28 64.10 0.52 22500 * Widths are drill indicated core length, as insufficient drilling has been undertaken to determine true widths at this time. Average grades are calculated with un-capped gold assays, as insufficient drilling has been completed to determine capping levels for higher grade gold intercepts. Interval widths are calculated using a 0.10 g/t gold cut-off grade with up to 3 m of internal dilution of zero grade. Great Bear's progress can be followed using the Company's plan maps, long sections and cross sections, and through the VRIFY model posted at the Company's web site at www.greatbearresources.ca, which will next be updated in Q2 2021. All LP Fault drill hole highlighted assays, plus drill collar locations and orientations can also be downloaded at the Company's web site. Drill collar location, azimuth and dip for drill holes included in this release are provided in the table below (UTM zone 15N, NAD 83): Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Length Dip Azimuth BR-239 455778 5635230 376 480 -60 227 BR-256 455769 5635363 378 657 -60 228 BR-257 455734 5635328 378 495 -61 226 BR-258 455825 5635338 377 690 -60 223 BR-259 455929 5635241 375 747 -60 225 BR-270 455812 5635267 377 627 -62 227 BR-271 455848 5635307 377 672 -61 226 About the Dixie Project The Dixie Project is 100% owned, comprised of 9,140 hectares of contiguous claims that extend over 22 kilometres, and is located approximately 25 kilometres southeast of the town of Red Lake, Ontario. The project is accessible year-round via a 15 minute drive on a paved highway which runs the length of the northern claim boundary and a network of well-maintained logging roads. The Dixie Project hosts two principal styles of gold mineralization: High-grade gold in quartz veins and silica-sulphide replacement zones ( Dixie Limb , Hinge and Arrow zones). Hosted by mafic volcanic rocks and localized near regional-scale D2 fold axes. These mineralization styles are also typical of the significant mined deposits of the Red Lake district. High-grade disseminated gold with broad moderate to lower grade envelopes (LP Fault). The LP Fault is a significant gold-hosting structure which has been seismically imaged to extend to 14 kilometres depth (Zeng and Calvert , 2006), and has been interpreted by Great Bear to have up to 18 kilometres of strike length on the Dixie property. High-grade gold mineralization is controlled by structural and geological contacts, and moderate to lower-grade disseminated gold surrounds and flanks the high-grade intervals. The dominant gold-hosting stratigraphy consists of felsic sediments and volcanic units. About Great Bear Great Bear Resources Ltd. is a well-financed gold exploration company managed by a team with a track record of success in mineral exploration. Great Bear is focused in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwest Ontario, where the company controls over 330 km2 of highly prospective tenure across 5 projects: the flagship Dixie Project (100% owned), the Pakwash Property (earning a 100% interest), the Dedee Property (earning a 100% interest), the Sobel Property (earning a 100% interest), and the Red Lake North Property (earning a 100% interest) all of which are accessible year-round through existing roads. QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols Drill core is logged and sampled in a secure core storage facility located in Red Lake Ontario. Core samples from the program are cut in half, using a diamond cutting saw, and are sent to Activation Laboratories in Ontario, an accredited mineral analysis laboratory, for analysis. All samples are analysed for gold using standard Fire Assay-AA techniques. Samples returning over 10.0 g/t gold are analysed utilizing standard Fire Assay-Gravimetric methods. Pulps from approximately 5% of the gold mineralized samples are submitted for check analysis to a second lab. Selected samples are also chosen for duplicate assay from the coarse reject of the original sample. Selected samples with visible gold are also analyzed with a standard 1 kg metallic screen fire assay. Certified gold reference standards, blanks and field duplicates are routinely inserted into the sample stream, as part of Great Bear's quality control/quality assurance program (QAQC). No QAQC issues were noted with the results reported herein. Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure Mr. R. Bob Singh, P.Geo, VP Exploration, and Ms. Andrea Diakow P.Geo, Exploration Manager for Great Bear are the Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the accuracy of technical information contained in this news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Chris Taylor" Chris Taylor, President and CEO Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements This release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, statements in respect of the proposed Offering including the proposed use of proceeds, the closing date of the Offering, receipt of regulatory and stock exchange approvals, the timing of future drilling, exploration and budgets. Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Great Bear undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SOURCE Great Bear Resources Ltd. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia The best way to avoid paying ransom to attackers who have infected your systems with ransomware is to have those systems adequately backed up so you can wipe them and restore them from safe backups. Here are several options for making sure those backups are up to the task. In this article, backup refers to any system that you're going to use to respond to a ransomware attack, including old-school backup systems, replication systems, and modern hybrid systems that support backup and disaster recover. For simplicitys sake, theyll all be referred to as backup here. Backup everything using the 3-2-1 rule Before anything else, one idea is paramount: Back up all the things. Investigate your backup system's ability to automatically include all new systems, filesystems, and databases. This is easiest in the virtualization world where you can configure your backup system to automatically backup all VMs on a host whenever they show up. This can also be done with tag-based inclusion, where VMs of different types get automatically included based on their included tags. This is one of the best uses of automation in a backup system--automatic inclusion of all the things. Also make sure to follow the 3-2-1 rule in your backup system, no matter who tries to tell you its old-fashioned. The rule says make at least three copies or versions of data stored on two different media, one of which is off-site. The big parts here are the two and the one--store backups on a different system and in a different location. Don't store your backups in the same place as your primary system. Even better, store them on a different operating system and a different physical location, but in the real world thats not always possible. There should be some type of automatic reporting by your backup system so you can be sure the backups you think are happening actually are. This should include both success reporting and failure reporting. A third-party monitoring system is probably best so it can continually look at everything and point out when things are a little off. A reporting system with machine learning would be ideal it can it can notice patterns that indicate problems. This is easier than having to read dozens or hundreds of emails from your backup system every day just to make sure things are working. DR security should top the list Your backup and DR system should be one of the most secure systems in your computing environment. It should be hard to get to and hard to log into. It should be really hard to login as Administrator or root. Hopefully, your backup system supports role-based administration so you can login as yourself and run backups as you. You should not have to run your backups as root or Administrator. Logging in as those accounts is incredibly dangerous and should be restricted whenever possible. Your backup and DR system should also be the most up-to-date system you have. Security patches should be installed there first not last because your backup and DR system is your last line of defense. Make sure its not subject to a security hole that should have been patched weeks ago. All claims of data integrity and immutability go out the window if you have physical access to a server, so the backup server should also be very hard to get to physically. Perhaps it's in a different room that requires different physical access, or inside a computer rack that not everybody has the key to. Another great way to do this is to get the backup system out of your data center altogether. Put it in the cloud. Encrypt everything All backup communications should be encrypted, so make sure your backup provider is encrypting traffic between systems. That means if you do get an advanced persistent threat, and it is sniffing the network, its not going to identify the backup servers or what they're up to. This can prevent your backup systems from being attacked by ransomware. In addition to encrypting backup traffic in flight, you should also encrypt all backup traffic at rest, especially if the data is stored anywhere outside your physical control. This includes tapes that you're going to hand over at any time to anyone, including your own employees. This also includes data that youre storing in cloud-provider networks, because even though they are very secure, nothing is perfect. Make sure that your backup data cannot be used as a way to further investigate your network and attack it. Build DR based on business needs A well-tested DR system is the best defense against a ransomware attack. A poorly designed system is the best way to guarantee that you end up paying a ransom. This should be the case in every area of IT, but the DR system should be built on requirements that come from the business. There should be many meetings where requirements like recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO) are discussed and agreed to long before you decide how you're going to actually meet those requirements. Once you agree to an RTO and RPO, design a backup and DR system that satisfies those requirements. Test like your life depends on it A recent news article said that the reason Austin, TX, lost its drinking water for so long during a statewide power failure was that no one at the water-treatment plant knew how to turn on the backup generator. Don't be that company. Don't be the company that has a perfectly fine backup and DR system and doesn't know how to use it. There are too many risks to your data today for you to not follow this crucial piece of advice: Frequently test your DR system. The good news is that most modern backup and DR systems support frequent testing of the whole system. You can bring up your entire data center in a sandbox as often as you need to so you can see how it actually works. Do it at least quarterly. It should only take a few hours, and it should be boring because its proving that it works. If it's boring when you test it every quarter, it will be easy when you need to actually use it to recover from ransomware. Each time you run the test, rotate the personnel who run it. They should not be the people who designed the system nor the people that use the system every day. They should have good technical know-how and be provided with good documentation to follow. That is the best way to confirm that both your system and your documentation work. A ransomware-ready DR system that can bring your entire data center back online after a ransomware attack is the only way you can avoid paying ransom. Please look into doing this now before your company becomes another statistic. Posted Monday, March 15, 2021 5:43 am On Tuesday, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, joined Rep. Cindy Axne, D-West Des Moines, Iowa, to introduce legislation expanding access to Medigap insurance coverage to all patients living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), regardless of age, according to a news release. Folks living with end stage renal disease should have access to life-saving medications, dialysis, and kidney transplants needed to treat their illness. Unfortunately, thousands of Americans under the age of 65 living with ESRD are barred from obtaining a Medigap plan that could help cover the cost of these treatments. Removing this barrier would not only improve care for Southwest Washington residents, it would result in long-term savings on health care spending. Im proud to partner with my colleague Congresswoman Axne on this important legislation to put Medigap plans within reach and thereby ensure patients regardless of their age can access the care they need, Herrera Beutler said in the release. According to the release, for Americans living with ESRD, lack of access to Medicare or private insurance that covers dialysis can mean $72,000 in annual out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving treatment with no alternatives. The Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act would allow anyone nationwide with ESRD to purchase Medigap supplemental plans that cover kidney treatments by removing the existing age requirement. The Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act is named in memory of John Jack Reynolds from Carlisle, Iowa, who required decades of treatment for kidney failure stemming from an accident he sustained at age 4. Jacks health condition inspired him to pursue a lifetime of advocacy for expanded coverage for others living with kidney disease. As a formal response to a question regarding whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions, the Vatican declared on Monday that the Catholic Church will not bless same-sex marriage emphasizing that God 'cannot bless sin.' Vatican Says No to Same-Sex Marriage In the two-page explanation of the orthodox office of the Vatican that was published in seven languages, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith answered and declared that same-sex marriage is not welcome in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis also approved the declaration and mentioned that it was negative. According to Associated Press, the note distinguished between the welcoming and blessing of gay individuals by the church, wherein they mentioned that they upheld but not their union. The explanation also pointed out that such unions are not part of the plan of God and that any sacramental recognition of them could be confused with marriage. Moreover, the note did not only immediately pleased conservatives and disheartened advocates for LGBT Catholics but also threw a wrench in the debate within the German church. The German church has been at the forefront of opening discussion on hot issues, such as the teaching on homosexuality of the church. Meanwhile, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, Francis DeBernardo, who is an advocate for the greater acceptance of gays in the church shared that he predicted that the Vatican position would be ignored. He also added that it also includes the position of numerous Catholic clergy. Biden Promise: Vaccines and Checks in 10 Days In his statement, DeBernardo shared that Catholic people recognize the holiness of the love between committed same-sex couples. They also recognize that this love was divinely inspired and divinely supported and thus meets the standard to be blessed. But despite the fact that the Vatican holds that gay individuals must be treated with dignity and respect, they emphasized that gay sex is "intrinsically disordered. The document that they released also mentioned that based on Catholic teachings, marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman, which is part of the plan of God as it is intended to start creating new life, CNN reported.. In addition, the document also states that since gay unions are not intended to be part of the plan of God, they cannot be blessed by the church. Despite the presence of positive elements and the fact that they are valued and appreciated, it cannot justify to render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing as it is not ordered to the plan of the Creator, the document stated. Biden's Economic Plan Includes First Major Tax Hike Since 1993 On the other hand, Pope Francis has endorsed previously providing gay couples with legal protections in a same-sex marriage, however, it was clarified that it was in reference to the civil sphere, but not within the church. The said comments of the pontiff were made in a 2019 interview but were censored by the Vatican until it was revealed in a documentary last year. As the documentary fudged the context of same-sex marriage, Pope Francis was referring to the position he took when he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires. At the time, lawmakers in Argentina were considering approving gay marriage, which was opposed by the Catholic Church, NPR reported. Also from HNGN: Women Dominate in 2021 Grammys' Awards and Performances Stimulus Checks Sent To Wrong Bank Accounts @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Berlin: Germany, France, Italy and Spain became the latest countries to suspend use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine over reports of dangerous blood clots in some recipients, though the company and European regulators have said there is no evidence the shot is to blame. AstraZeneca's is just one of three vaccines in use on the continent. But the cascading number of nations raising the alarm amounts to another setback for the European Union's vaccination drive, which has been plagued by shortages and other hurdles and is lagging well behind the campaigns in Britain and the US The EU drug regulatory agency called a meeting for Thursday to review experts' findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine and decide whether action needs to be taken. The furor comes as much of Europe is tightening restrictions on schools and businesses amid surging cases of COVID-19. Germany's health minister said the decision to suspend AstraZeneca shots was taken on the advice of the country's vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation into seven cases of clots in the brains of people who had been vaccinated. Today's decision is a purely precautionary measure, Jens Spahn said. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will likewise suspend shots until at least Tuesday afternoon. Italy's drug regulator announced a temporary ban, less than 24 hours after saying the "alarm over the vaccine wasn't justified. And Spain said it will stop using the vaccine for two weeks while experts review its safety. AstraZeneca said there have been 37 reports of blood clots out of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the 27-country European Union and Britain. The drugmaker said there is no evidence the vaccine carries an increased risk of clots. In fact, it said the incidence of clots is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar to that of other licensed COVID-19 vaccines. The World Health Organization and the EU's European Medicines Agency have also said that the data does not suggest the vaccine caused the clots and that people should continue to be immunized. Many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for different reasons, the European Medicines Agency said. The incidence in vaccinated people "seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population. The agency said that while the investigation is going on, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risks of side effects. Blood clots can travel through the body and cause heart attacks, strokes and deadly blockages in the lungs. AstraZeneca reported 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis, or a type of clot that often develops in the legs, and 22 instances of pulmonary embolisms, or clots in the lungs. The AstraZeneca shot has become a key tool in European countries' efforts to boost their sluggish vaccine rollouts. It is also pillar of a U.N.-backed project known as COVAX that aims to get COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries. Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines are also used on the European continent, and Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine has been authorized but not yet delivered. In the US, which relies on the Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines, AstraZeneca is expected to apply for authorization in the coming weeks. Denmark last week became the first country to temporarily halt use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. It said one person developed clots and died 10 days after receiving at least one dose. The other countries include Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo and Bulgaria. Britain and Canada are standing by AstraZeneca's vaccine for now. Dr. Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton in England, said there is no data yet to justify suspending the AstraZeneca vaccine and called the decision baffling." Halting a vaccine rollout during a pandemic has consequences, Head said. This results in delays in protecting people, and the potential for increased vaccine hesitancy, as a result of people who have seen the headlines and understandably become concerned." Spahn, the German health minister, said of the decision to suspend the AstraZeneca shot: The most important thing for confidence is transparency. He said both first and second doses would be affected by the suspension. German authorities have encouraged anyone who feels increasingly ill more than four days after receiving the shot for example, with persistent headaches or dot-shaped bruises to seek medical attention. Germany has received slightly over 3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and about half of those have so far been administered, compared with almost 7 million of the Pfizer shot and about 285,000 from Moderna. The head of the Spanish Medicines Agency, Maria Jess Lamas, said Spain detected its first case of clots last Saturday. She said the ban was not an easy decision because it further slows the national vaccination campaign, but it was the most prudent approach. Almost 940,000 people in Spain have received the AstraZeneca shot. Europe, meanwhile, is reimposing restrictions in a bid to beat back a resurgence in infections, many of them from variants of the original virus. Live TV Also unknown until now was that Cormann quietly returned to Europe this time via a commercial airline in January and February to lobby each of the OECDs 37 Paris-based ambassadors. One figure involved in the campaign said Cormanns face-to-face meetings in 18 countries were crucial to his ultimate victory. The encounters also allowed him to gather the most valuable currency in diplomacy: mobile phone numbers. A key sign Australia was really in the running came on February 3, when Liberal WhatsApp groups started pinging with a link to an opinion piece Cormann had published on LinkedIn in which the conservative enthusiastically embraced the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Loading To say the post was met with scepticism from some of Cormanns former colleagues in Canberra would be an understatement but the pledge helped largely neutralise concern that he would not take climate change seriously as secretary-general. In private meetings, Cormann stressed he had never denied climate science, highlighted Australias takeup of renewable energy and argued he was actually better placed to help build consensus on the topic than his more hawkish final OECD rival Cecilia Malmstrom of Sweden. He also entered meetings equipped with a colour-coded spreadsheet noting the many countries which arent on track to meet their own emissions reductions targets. At that point it was clear Cormann would probably face Malmstrom in the final leg of the race, but the Continents dominance in the OECDs membership still loomed as a barrier to his ambitions. Cormann was uniquely qualified to clear the hurdle. His 25 years spent in Europe before moving to Australia in 1996, proficiency in English, German, French and Dutch, and network of contacts developed from his seven years as a globe-trotting finance minister gave him a foot in the door no other Australian candidate could match. A list of who backed Australia can only be drawn up via informed speculation because the final ballot was confidential. In another complication, the selection process operates on a consensus basis where all members ultimately endorse the winner. No country is keen to undermine that principle by confirming where they directed their vote. The consensus approach meant Cormann had to play three games: consolidate the OECDs non-European membership, peel off votes from Europe and also reassure the most hesitant members that they could do business with him in Paris, observers said. Mathias Cormann in Santiago with Chiles Foreign Minister Andres Allamand, left. Credit: Rallying the OECDs non-European membership meant Cormann entered the final round with the backing of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Chile, Colombia, Israel, United States and probably Canada. Locking them up was never guaranteed many were under pressure to let the post return to a European for the first time in 25 years. With those nine votes in the bag, Cormann needed at least another 10 from Europe. Australias lobbying blitz is thought to have peeled away Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. It may have also won over France, Latvia, Lithuania and even Austria. The United Kingdoms vote had already been safely locked up by high commissioner George Brandis last year. Morrison made 55 phone calls to 30 world leaders to help get the votes, and also exploited his regular virtual meetings with the so-called First Movers coronavirus group. Morrison would home in on Cormanns work ethic and performance as the governments leader in the Senate a job which required negotiation to get bills passed. These skills would be perfect for the OECDs consensus-style of operation, Morrison told them. Scott Morrison sits in the Senate to watch Mathias Cormann deliver his valedictory speech in October. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One person familiar with Morrisons calls said the Prime Minister made several important interventions with some leaders in the final fortnight of the contest. Morrison and Cormann have not said what if any trade-offs Australia pledged to secure support. When some leaders told Morrison they could not support Cormann, the DFAT taskforce went back to the drawing board to work out what could be done to win that country over a tactic which was successful a couple of times. Josh Frydenberg also spruiked the bid in calls with Bidens new Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, British Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Marise Payne raised Cormanns candidacy during 50 conversations with her counterparts. No diplomatic lever was left untouched. The political blitz was complemented by Australian ambassadors and high commissioners based in OECD member countries, and lobbying of ambassadors based in Canberra. Mathias Cormann at dinner in Bogota with the Colombian Vice-President Marta Lucia Ramirez. Credit: Wherever Cormann went he carried a bundle of testimonials, including a letter from Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Albanese wrote that Cormann had earned the respect not only of those who share his political views but also those who dont. Mathias is a skilled negotiator with the ability to effectively engage across the political spectrum, the Labor leader said. On the prospect of a Cormann win, Albanese wrote: Australians would regard this as an achievement not just for Mathias but a proud recognition of our nation. Albanese and Labors foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong resisted pressure from some MPs to withdraw the oppositions support after The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported in November that the government gave Cormann the RAAF jet to conduct his lobbying blitz through coronavirus-ravaged Europe. There were also testimonials from former Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes, who described Cormann as a person of the utmost integrity, former Shoppies union boss Joe de Bruyn, Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive James Pearson. Cormann regularly sought counsel from Ben Morton, the West Australian federal MP who is a friend and influential Morrison confidant. Another crucial figure was Alexander Robson, Australias ambassador to the OECD. Robson pushed Australias case among fellow ambassadors in Paris and would regularly relay the information to DFAT and Cormann. It was lost on nobody that Robson was once the senior economics adviser to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has loathed Cormann since the 2018 leadership implosion in Canberra. But Alexander was completely brilliant and a total professional, one official said. Cormann stayed with Robson in Paris during his trip in January and February. Turnbull and Cormann enjoyed an extremely close working relationship between 2015 and 2018 but Turnbull later concluded that his finance minister had long been aware of Home Affairs Minister Peter Duttons intention to challenge for the Liberal leadership. In a text sent to Turnbull after his demise, Cormann denied he had been part of any conspiracy. Turnbull replied: Mathias, at a time when strength and loyalty were called for, you were weak and treacherous. Cabinet ministers Mitch Fifield, Mathias Cormann and Michaelia Cash announce they could no longer support Malcolm Turnbulls leadership. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Cormann and his campaign team were therefore not surprised to learn earlier this year that Turnbull had launched an attempt to kneecap his former allys OECD bid. Sources claimed Turnbull contacted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Kurt Campbell, a former Biden-era official who Biden tapped to be his Asia tsar. Accounts of these conversations made it back to Canberra and angered even some of Turnbulls own allies who felt it undermined the Team Australia spirit of the bid. Emirates SkyCargo has marked one year of passenger freighter operations with more than 27,800 cargo flights on passenger aircraft, starting just four days after Covid-19 had been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo said: It has been exactly one year since what was considered impossible in the air cargo industry became not just a reality but a strong operational pillar for Emirates SkyCargo. Prior to the pandemic, nearly two thirds of our total cargo was transported in the bellyhold of our passenger flights. With increasing flight suspensions and restrictions on passenger travel imposed due to Covid-19 in early March 2020, we could foresee a situation where there would no longer be adequate cargo capacity available in the market to transport essential supplies. In order to bolster the cargo capacity offered by our 11 Boeing 777 freighters and make sure that we could meet the urgent demand for goods such as PPE, ventilators and other pharmaceutical goods and food supplies from across the world, we proactively made a radical and innovative plan to utilise our widebody passenger aircraft to operate cargo only flights. We trialled this passenger freighter concept with a flight to Kuwait on 16th March last year. Over the next few weeks, as regular passenger operations were completely suspended, we started increasing our passenger freighter flights to a point where we had close to 90 passenger aircraft being used for cargo operations. Our team worked tirelessly to flesh out a new business model from the ground up- seeking approvals from authorities, drawing up a new route network, drafting new operational and safety guidelines and speaking to our customers around the world to make sure that as a socially responsible carrier, we were able to maintain essential supplies of cargo into markets and at the same time sustain exports around the world in challenging economic conditions. Our passenger freighter strategy has been the backbone of our operations during the pandemic transporting cargo to more than 125 destinations across six continents. It has showcased our resilience as a global facilitator of trade and supply chains. With resumption and growth in passenger operations, we have started gradually moving towards our traditional model but our passenger freighters continue to remain a strong component of the Covid-19 pandemic response. To meet the global demand for transport of PPE and essential supplies, Emirates SkyCargo followed up on the introduction of passenger freighter services with further innovations including the loading of cargo on passenger seats and in overhead bins inside the passenger cabin and introducing mini freighters which were Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with seats removed from Economy Class to make more room for transporting cargo. Emirates SkyCargo currently has 16 Boeing 777-300ER mini-freighters for cargo operations. Emirates SkyCargo has operated more than 27,800 cargo only flights on passenger aircraft during the last year. These flights have helped transport more than 100,000 tonnes of essential supplies including PPE, Covid-19 testing kits, ventilators, pharmaceuticals, vaccines and food. This is the equivalent of cargo carried over 1000 full flights on the Boeing 777 freighter aircraft. Emirates SkyCargos flights helped maintain food security in a number of import reliant markets while also providing an income stream to communities dependent on agricultural exports. The air cargo carrier also operated a record number of charter flights using passenger aircraft exclusively to transport cargo. Emirates SkyCargo has been leading the global air cargo industrys response for the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. The air cargo carrier has set up a dedicated GDP certified airside hub in Dubai for Covid-19 vaccines and has also partnered with leading Dubai based entities and with UNICEF for the rapid transport of Covid-19 vaccines to developing nations through Dubai. Emirates SkyCargos passenger freighters have also played a key role in the transport of Covid-19 vaccines. TradeArabia News Service * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Denied benefits, Chinese single moms press for change View Photo TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Sarah Gao had a busy job. As the head of a 500 million yuan ($76.8 million) investment fund, she was constantly flying across China on business trips. Then she found out she was pregnant. Her pregnancy, with her then-boyfriend, was unplanned. But Gao, who was 40, thought she wouldnt have any more chances, and decided to keep the baby. What she did not realize was how that decision would lead to a nearly four-year legal battle for her maternity benefits. Her protracted fight highlights the consequences that Chinese women face when they raise a child outside of a marriage. The vast majority are unable to access public benefits, ranging from paid maternity leave to prenatal exam coverage, because their status is in a legal gray zone. Some may even face fines. Gao and some other single mothers want to change this. They are part of a small group, organized by Advocates for Diverse Family Network, that petitioned the Legal Affairs Committee of the National Peoples Congress at its recently concluded annual meeting. They dont expect immediate action, but they hope their needs will be reflected in the legislative agenda in the future. Chinas population is rapidly aging, and the government is eager to promote higher birthrates, relaxing restrictive family planning laws in 2015 so that each family can have two kids. Yet, the laws have not changed as quickly with regards to single parents. There are no official statistics on the number of single-parent households in China, but a National Health Commission survey in 2014 estimated that there would be nearly 20 million single mothers by 2020. Many of them come from divorce, with divorce rates in the country nearly doubling from 2009 to 2018, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Following a difficult pregnancy, Gao gave birth to her daughter in November 2016. She went back to work after seven months of sick leave and maternity leave. Throughout her sick leave, her company, KunYuan Asset Management, paid her the bare minimum: roughly 1,000 yuan ($153) a month, a huge drop from her usual monthly salary of 30,000 yuan ($4,606). The company did not pay her during maternity leave. Gao pressed the company for full salary and maternity leave benefits, part of which would come from the social insurance to which companies contribute by law. In Beijing, where Gao lives, an employee can apply for those public benefits only through their company. But Gaos company refused to apply for her, saying her materials were incomplete because she lacked a marriage license. When she forced the issue, the company asked her to resign. Gao refused to quit at first, but eventually she was fired. However, the company refused to issue her a formal letter that would acknowledge her departure, making it difficult for her to find a new job. The company did not respond to requests for comment via email, and phone calls to the head office in Beijing went unanswered. Gao is suing the company for 1 million yuan ($153,645) in back pay, in addition to her maternity leave payment. She has lost twice in court since July 2017 and is appealing for a third time. Each time, the court said that Gaos unmarried status while giving birth is not in line with national policy, and therefore lacked the legal basis for her to receive a salary during maternity leave. Chinas family planning policy does not explicitly forbid unmarried women to have children, but says that the state encourages a husband and wife to have two children. At the local level, this has been interpreted to mean that only a married couple can have children. This becomes an obstacle when trying to access benefits, such as reimbursement for prenatal visits and salary during pregnancy leave. Many local governments require a marriage permit during this process, said Dong Xiaoying, the founder of Advocates for Diverse Family Network. There have been some changes. In Guangdong province and Shanghai, governments have changed regulations so that a woman does not have to provide proof of marriage before getting benefits. In January, Shanghai quietly implemented a new regulation that removed the need for a marriage permit to apply for benefits, helping women like Zou Xiaoqi, a single mother turned activist in Shanghai. Zou sued a Shanghai government agency in 2017 to get her maternity leave salary and the public insurance benefits. After years of media interviews, court appearances and lobbying city politicians, Zou received her benefits earlier this month. The laws must change, Zou believes, as the cultural stigma is still very intense. Only recently did she find out that the mother of her sons playmate was also a single mother. They had known each other for five months before the woman revealed that detail. Its direct impact is that there are some single moms already facing great difficulties who fall into more difficult positions, Zou said. The indirect impact is that some people are afraid to speak up, and some are afraid to face society and will face a lot of suppression. People who dont want to marry end up getting married and enter into an unhappy marriage. Single moms and activists are hoping that a change on the national level can smooth out the situation for single mothers in the rest of the country, like Gao. A Guangdong delegate to the National Peoples Congress said in February that the family planning law may need some clarifications to address the needs of single mothers, acknowledging their legal quandary. I just want to know in the national policy, as a single parent, as an unmarried woman, do I have the right to give birth? Gao said. By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press A member of medical staff shows the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at the vaccinodrome set up in the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, on on March 15, 2021. (Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images) Italy Opens Manslaughter Probe as Teacher Dies Hours After Getting AstraZeneca Vaccine Italian officials have begun a manslaughter investigation following the death of a 57-year-old music teacher hours after receiving AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine, according to local media reports. Officials have so far said there is no evidence of a direct link between the mans death and his shot. Prosecutors in the northern Italian region of Piedmont announced they opened a manslaughter probe into the death of Sandro Tognatti, who received the vaccine in his hometown of Biella on March 13. His wife told news outlets that he went to bed that night with a high fever. The next day, she said, an ambulance was called for him, and he later died. The local prosecutor in Biella, where Tognatti lived, announced the opening of a criminal case for manslaughter after his death, Italys La Repubblica newspaper reported. Teresa Angela Camelio, the prosecutor, announced that the move follow[s] the decision of the Piedmont Region to suspend momentarily the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine included in batch ABV5811, pending the decisions of the judicial authority and the drug supervisory commission. Camelio said that an autopsy regarding Tognattis cause and manner of death has been scheduled for this week. Italian wire service Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA) also reported on the manslaughter probe announcement. Batches of the vaccine were seized in Piedmont on March 15 as a precaution, Camelio confirmed to La Repubblica. British drug regulators and AstraZeneca officials have said there is no link between the Oxford University-developed vaccine and a higher instance of blood clots. In a statement to The Epoch Times on March 15, an AstraZeneca spokesman said that the pharmaceutical giant is working with national health authorities and European officials and look forward to their assessment later this week. Around 17 million people in the EU and UK have now received our vaccine, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population, AstraZeneca stated. Both the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) asserted last week there is no evidence the vaccine is causing clots. Authorities from the European Medicines Agency said that there is currently no indication that vaccination causes these conditions, while stating that the vaccines benefits continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered. Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and a number of other European nations have suspended usage of the AstraZeneca shot in the wake of unusual or adverse reactions that were reported among recipients. On March 16, Sweden became the latest country to join the list of countries to suspend usage. German officials said the European Medicines Agency was expected to make a decision this week on whether the new information will affect the authorization and rollout of the AstraZeneca shot. Officials in those countries have said there is no evidence the vaccine caused the blood clots, adding that the clots occurred after the shot was administered. Dr. Phil Bryan, the chief of vaccine safety with the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), told the BBC that we are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of [AstraZeneca] doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause. Tognattis death came just days after a 60-year-old Danish woman suffered highly unusual symptoms and died after receiving the vaccine, the Danish Medicines Agency said this week. The woman had a low number of blood platelets and clots in small and large vessels, as well as bleeding, it said, reported Reuters. It was an unusual course of illness around the death that made the Danish Medicines Agency react, it said in a statement late on March 14. Norway said on March 13 that three people, all under the age of 50, who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots, and a low count of blood platelets, which were labeled unusual symptoms by health authorities. Reuters contributed to this report. Type address separated by commas Your Email: New Delhi : The vaccines produced by Oxford University in collaboration with AstraZeneca to protect against COVID-19 are safe and there is no evidence to suggest that the jabs are the cause behind blood clots as reported in some European countries, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical major and the UK's medicines regulator have said. The interventions come as Germany, France and Italy joined the Netherlands as the latest countries to suspend the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which also has a tie-up with the Serum Institute of India, after some reports of blood clotting. It follows the Republic of Ireland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Norway and Iceland all pausing the administration of the vaccines as a precautionary measure after concerns raised around thrombotic events or clots. Around 17 million people in the EU and UK have now received our vaccine, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population, said Ann Taylor, Chief Medical Officer at AstraZeneca. The nature of the pandemic has led to increased attention in individual cases and we are going beyond the standard practices for safety monitoring of licensed medicines in reporting vaccine events, to ensure public safety, she said. The company said that safety is of paramount importance and the company is continually monitoring the safety of its vaccine. A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union (EU) and UK with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country, it said. Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group that developed the jab, told the BBC that there was "very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most of the doses in Europe (have) been given so far". So far across the EU and UK, there have been 15 events of DVT and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among those given the vaccine, based on the number of cases the company has received as of March 8. This, it is said, is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines. The stance has also been backed up by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with people being urged to carry on receiving their jabs. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said: "As soon as WHO has gained a full understanding of these events, the findings and any unlikely changes to current recommendations will be immediately communicated to the public. "As of today, there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine and it is important that vaccination campaigns continue so that we can save lives and stem severe disease from the virus." The reports are being closely reviewed but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause, said Dr Phil Bryan, MHRA Vaccines Safety Lead. People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so, he said. He explained that blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon and that the reports of blood clots received so far are not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population. The safety of the public will always come first. We are keeping this issue under close review but available evidence does not confirm that the vaccine is the cause, he added. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated when asked about vaccine safety: In the MHRA we have one of the toughest and most experienced regulators in the world. They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programme. The European Medical Association which is also currently carrying out a review into incidents of blood clots said the vaccine could continue to be administered. More than 24 million people in the UK have now received the first dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines currently being offered in age-wise cohorts by the National Health Service (NHS). All adults over 56 and those in vulnerable medical categories are being encouraged to book their jabs to protect against the deadly virus. Thank you for Reading. As a community service, our obituaries are always free to view. In order to better know our audience, we ask that you register to continuing viewing. Some Scranton students will return to their classrooms by the end of the month, according to a new plan unveiled by district administration Monday night. School directors approved the purchase of air purifiers and filters to further prepare buildings, and also approved the closure of George Bancroft Elementary School and the annex to Whittier Elementary School through at least the end of the school year due to ventilation issues. Bancroft students will move to Isaac Tripp Elementary School for hybrid learning, and could stay there permanently if the board votes to follow the reconfiguration plan and close the school at the end of the year. Fourth grade students at the annex, a leased building, will return to the main Whittier building, and fifth grade students will move to South Scranton Intermediate School. The district will provide transportation to the affected students. Under the phased hybrid plan, children in group A will attend school Monday and Tuesday and group B on Thursday and Friday. Students will learn from home the remaining three days. Start dates are: Thursday, all staff returns to school buildings. March 29, preschool through second grade. Group B will start April 8, after Easter break. April 12, third through ninth grades. April 19, tenth through 12th grades. I think its very exciting, board President Katie Gilmartin said after the meeting. There are challenges that we anticipate but its time. Families will continue to have the option to keep their children fully virtual if desired. The district anticipates that all employees will have the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as of today. The return to classrooms comes amid growing frustration from parents and students, envious of surrounding districts that all offer some in-person instruction. The district delayed a return planned for earlier this month after engineers found numerous issues in building ventilation systems. Crews have fixed issues throughout the district, and some schools have rooms or offices that are now closed due to lack of ventilation. Buildings should now be safe for students and staff, said Arif Fazil, president of DHuy Engineering. Several speakers questioned why the district was willing to fix other schools, but not Bancroft. Repairs needed are much greater than what was first noted in the draft ventilation report, and could lead to full rewiring of the building, since the cloth-covered wiring is original to its 1928 construction, said Paul Dougherty, director of secondary education/technology/operations. The board will vote April 12 whether to close Bancroft permanently. If the school is closed, parents and students will now have to travel, said 9-year-old Haley Passero, urging the board to not close her neighborhood school. Director Sarah Cruz was the lone vote against the now-temporary move, calling it a precursor to closure. Children, who have already been through so much this year, should return to a building for hybrid learning they feel comfortable in, she said. The district will spend $111,858 on 181 bipolar ionizer air purification units, and approximately $50,000 on MERV 13 air filters for locations throughout the district. Elementary students may attend some Wednesdays to take Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests and high schoolers to take Keystone Exams. Intermediate students will take the PSSA tests on their scheduled days in school due to space issues. The district decided to administer the state-mandated exams in the spring instead of taking the option of waiting until the fall so students are not tested twice next school year, Superintendent Melissa McTiernan said. In other business: Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 20:03:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Finland will return to pre-COVID-19 economic levels towards the end of this year, with growth of 2.3 percent, according to Danske Bank. Danske Bank, one of the largest financial enterprises in the Nordic region, also forecasted on Tuesday that the Finnish economy would grow by 3 percent in 2022. Finnish business daily Kauppalehti noted that Danske Bank has upgraded its estimates from the previous estimation of 2.2 percent in 2021 and 2.8 percent in 2022. "The world economy will help pull up Finnish investments and exports. Consumption and the service sector are expected to recover in the summer," Pasi Kuoppamaki, chief economist at Danske Bank, elaborated in the release. The current turbulence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the big picture of the economy, Mikko Spolander, the director general of the economics department at the Finnish Ministry of Finance, was quoted by business media Talouselama as saying on Tuesday. Growth in Finland will be at a standstill this spring but will pick up during the summer and autumn, Spolander said. The Finnish economy was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic comparatively less than some other European countries. On Monday, the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy predicted that economic growth in 2021 would be 3 percent and fall to 2.4 percent the year after. Enditem Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi was to play a pivotal role in Aamir Khan's upcoming film Laal Singh Chaddha. Unfortunately, things didn't walk out and the Master actor exited the project. Now, if the latest buzz is to believed, Telugu star Naga Chaitanya has been approached for this role in Aamir Khan starrer. If things go as planned, Laal Singh Chaddha would be Naga Chaitanya's Bollywood debut. One hears that the Majili actor is likely to begin shooting for the film in May. However, there isn't no official word on this yet from the makers. Earlier, there were reports in the media that Vijay had quit Laal Singh Chaddha post a fallout with Aamir over weight issues. However, later, the Super Delux actor broke his silence on these reports citing that the pandemic affected the dates which he had allocated to this film. "COVID happened. It ransacked all our plans. After the lockdown I had five Telugu projects in various stages of production to complete. I just couldn't accommodate Laal Singh Chaddha in my schedule," Vijay was quoted as saying by the news portal. Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha is the remake of Tom Hanks' 1994 American film Forrest Gump. The film helmed by Advait Chandan, stars Kareena Kapoor Khan as the leading lady. On a related note, Aamir was recently seen in a special dance number titled 'Har Funn Maula' with Elli AvrRam for Amin Hajee's upcoming film Koi Jaane Na. The superstar was also in the news for quitting social media. The superstar who celebrated his 56th birthday on Sunday wrote, "Hey guys, thank you so much for all the love and warmth on my birthday My heart is full. In other news, this is going to be my last post on social media. Considering that I am SO active anyway I have decided to drop the pretence. We will continue to communicate as we did before." ALSO READ: Aamir Khan Quits Social Media To Focus Completely On Work ALSO READ: When Aamir Khan's Interpreter Ran Away In China And Jackie Chan Became His Interpreter! Boy and 2 Adults Dead After Small Plane Crashes Into SUV in Florida A single-engine airplane crashed into an SUV while it was driving in Florida on Monday, killing two people aboard the small plane and a young boy who was inside the vehicle, according to officials. The fiery incident was captured on a Ring security camera installed at a nearby home, showing the moment the airplane crashed into the SUV before it burst into flames. According to a statement released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane went down shortly after taking off on Monday around 3 p.m. from the North Perry Airport in southern Broward County, Local10 reported. Authorities said the cause of the crash is under investigation and FAA and National Transportation Safety Board officials have been investigating at the scene. The plane seems to have clipped a power line and then crashed into the SUV that was driving in a residential neighborhood. The Pembroke Pines Police Department said on Twitter they shut down the street of the crash site and the roadway will remain closed until Tuesday afternoon. ATTENTION DRIVERS: SW 72nd Avenue, between SW 10th Street and SW 15th Street, remains closed due to an on-going plane crash investigation by the @NTSB. The roadway is expected to be cleared by this afternoon. Please use SW 71st Avenue or University Drive for north/south travel. pic.twitter.com/U0HJxCULnx Pembroke Pines PD (@PPinesPD) March 16, 2021 The mother of the four-year-old boy who died was driving her car when the plane, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza, struck the SUV. Both occupants of the car were transported to a hospital in serious condition. The boy did not recover from his injuries and was later pronounced dead. All occupants of the plane were pronounced dead. Officials havent released any information regarding the passengers identities. Witnesses who have described the crash said the wing touched the ground first before nose diving into the moving vehicle. Firefighters responded quickly and were able to extinguish the flames shortly after arrival. Regrettably, two persons aboard the single-engine aircraft were killed in the accident, as well as a young child traveling in a vehicle that collided with the plane before it crashed, the Broward County Aviation Department said in a statement released on Tuesday, Local10 reported. We are saddened by this tragic loss of life and offer our sincere condolences during this difficult time. From NTD News A major road project aimed at opening up the North West and addressing decades of regional imbalance has once again been delayed. Northern Irelands biggest ever road project was first mooted in 2007 but has been plagued by funding issues and legal challenges. In the New Decade, New Approach document which helped restore government in NI, the UK and Irish governments vowed to provide increased funding for the A5 and A6 roads. The A5 represents a significant link in plans to improve road infrastructure between Derry and Dublin with road improvements through Strabane, Omagh and Aughnacloy. Reports specify that it will cost 1.2bn, making it the single biggest roads scheme ever envisaged in the country. Today's news comes after Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon published the report on the proceedings of the inquiry from the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) into the scheme. She says it has been delayed for new assessments on flood risk and possible alternatives. The PAC report found that the scheme would have large beneficial effects on journey times and on economic competitiveness; and that it would have significant beneficial effects on road safety, on North/South links and on the balancing of regional infrastructure provision. However, it also found that Phase 3 of the scheme (Ballygawley to south of Aughnacloy) offers 'no significant benefits and represents overprovision'. The report states: "I have found that the scheme would have large adverse effects on climate, on the landscape and on certain local communities; and that it would have significant adverse effects on the cultural heritage." It adds: "It would interfere with rights and freedoms guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights, namely the right to respect for private and family life and the right to the peaceful enjoyment of possessions. "These are, however, qualified rights and interferences may be justifiable provided it is shown that there is a compelling case in the public interest." In a letter shared by Sinn Fein MLA for Foyle Martin Anderson, the Chairperson at the Infrastructure Minister says a public inquiry will be reopened and after further representations it expects to be furnished with a 'final report later in 2022'. Reacting to the news, Martin Anderson said: "This delay to A5 announced by Infrastructure Minister Mallon is shocking and is a blow for the entire north west particularly Derry and Strabane. "The A5 is needed to tackle regional inequality transform the economic fortunes of the north west and improve road safety for the whole region." FLAGSHIP PROJECT Speaking today, Minister Mallon said: "The A5 is an absolute priority for me as a strategic road. It will open up connectivity in the North West and the rest of our island, ensure safer travel for communities and deliver opportunities for our local economy. "I know this project has been long awaited and I am determined as Minister to see it progress through the statutory process as quickly as possible, ensuring the project is delivered properly for citizens and our wider environment. Commenting on the Interim PAC report, the Minister added: I would like to thank the Commissioner for the efficient manner in which he held the Inquiry over the course of seven days in February and March 2020. "The Inquiry dealt with a number of key themes and issues relating to the Environmental Statement Addendum which had been published by the Department in 2019. After careful consideration of the PAC Interim Report and having taken legal advice, I have, today, published the Report. I have accepted the Commissioners key recommendation regarding the preparation of and consultation on further documents on the important topics of flood risk and the consideration of alternatives to the proposed scheme. "As such, I have asked officials to prepare a further addendum to the Environmental Statement (ESA) for consultation in early autumn. I have also today published the Departments formal response to all the recommendations made by the PAC and this is in the form of an Interim Departmental Statement." She added: While I anticipate this approach will lead to the re-opening of the public inquiry, as recommended by the PAC, early next year, it will enable it to consider further public representations made on the two key topics of flood risk and scheme alternatives and prepare its final report. "This, in turn, will allow a decision on the next steps for this important transformative scheme. Further consultation will be undertaken under the Habitats Regulations of a number of Reports of Information to Inform an Appropriate Assessment relating to the likely impacts of the A5 scheme upon Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Ramsar sites. I would once again re-iterate my commitment to the A5WTC flagship project, which is of significant strategic importance to the North West region and our wider island, helping to tackle regional imbalance, improving the economy, job prospects and prosperity, connecting communities and improving road safety. The PAC Interim Report and Interim Departmental Statement on the A5 Western Transport Corridor (A5WTC) Dual Carriageway scheme are available on the following link: https://www.a5wtc.com/Publication-of-the-PAC-Interim-Report-and-the-Interim-Departmental-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. The city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, will pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit filed by George Floyds family. The city council unanimously approved the settlement on Friday amid the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who is charged with murder and manslaughter for killing Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25, 2020. Derek Chauvin The Floyd family filed a civil rights lawsuit against Minneapolis, Chauvin and the three other former officers charged in Floyds death. The suit declared that the Minneapolis Police Department violated Floyds constitutional rights when they restrained him, and that the city created a culture of excessive force and impunity in its police department. Ben Crump, the attorney for George Floyds family, called the deal the largest known pretrial civil rights settlement in US history. The Floyd familys settlement surpassed the $20 million Minneapolis paid to the family of Justine Damond, the 40-year-old Australian-American woman who was killed by a police officer in 2017 after she called 911 to report a possible crime. The latest settlement includes $500,000 to be spent on the south Minneapolis neighborhood that includes the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd was killed, which has become known as George Floyd Square. Since his death, a massive metal sculpture and murals have been constructed in Floyds honor. During a news conference Friday, Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, said he would return the money if he could see his brother again. I thank the state of Minnesota for getting this settlement taken care of, he said. But even though my brother is not here, hes here with me in my heart. Because if I could get him back, I would give all of this back. He also expressed gratitude for the demonstrations against police brutality following his brothers death. I want to be able to thank all the supporters, all the protesters for standing, especially during a pandemic, Philonise Floyd said. You put your lives on the line. George Floyds sister, Bridgett Floyd, said in a statement, Our family suffered an irreplaceable loss May 25 when Georges life was senselessly taken by a Minneapolis police officer. While we will never get our beloved George back, we will continue to work tirelessly to make this world a better, and safer, place for all. Bridgette Floyd founded the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, which will honor her brothers legacy as a community-minded volunteer who would truly give the shirt off his back to someone who needed it. The news of the settlement comes amid jury selection in Chauvins trial. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, and a third-degree murder charge reinstated on Thursday. Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Defense attorney Eric Nelson said he was worried that the announcement of the settlement would make it impossible for Chauvin to get a fair trial. I am gravely concerned with the news that broke on Friday, Nelson said, adding that the settlement announcement has incredible potential to taint the jury pool. Nelson asked Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill to postpone the trial and asked if the trial could be moved to another city. Nelson also asked that the defense and prosecution be given extra strikes to remove jurors that might be biased after hearing of the settlement. Cahill stated he did not think it was appropriate to grant additional strikes but agreed to recall the seven jurors already selected for further questioning. The seven jurors selected so far include five men and two women, ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s. Four of the jurors are white, one is multiracial, one is African American and one is Hispanic. Meanwhile, Nelson dismissed a potential juror Friday after she acknowledged she had a negative view of Chauvin. In response to the questionnaire issued to jurors, the woman said she had a somewhat negative view of Chauvin and thought he held his knee on Floyds neck for too long. I could only watch part of the video, and from what I saw as a human, I, that did not give me a good impression, she said. She said she did not watch the bystander video in its entirety because I just couldnt watch it anymore. The woman stated that she could set her opinions aside and judge the case objectively but was nonetheless dismissed. The first potential juror questioned Monday told Judge Cahill she had inadvertently heard about the settlement and knew that it was a record sum. She said she guessed it meant the city did not think it would win the civil lawsuit. When I heard that I almost gasped at the amount, she said, adding that she could not promise she could disregard it. Cahill excused the woman from the case. Minneapolis remains prepared for potential demonstrations during the trial and in its aftermath. The citys government center has been blockaded with concrete barriers, fencing, and barbed wire and is being guarded by National Guard troops. The earliest date for opening statements in Chauvins trial is March 29. Jaish-ul-Hind is a terror group on Telegram and not Indian Mujahideen 2.0 India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: In both the Israeli embassy IED blast case and security scare outside the home of Mukesh Ambani, a lesser known or non-existent group called the Jaish-ul-Hind group claimed responsibility. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that although the same group claimed responsibility, there is no link between the two incidents. First and foremost, the group is a non-existent one and has no operational capabilities. In the Mumbai case, the agencies traced the message to the phone of Indian Mujahideen terrorist Tehseen Akthar. The official cited above says that the Jaish-ul-Hind is not Indian Mujahideen 2.0. Ambani bomb scare case: Sachin Vaze suspended Although its founders Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal are alive in Pakistan, there has been no movement by them for several years now. The officer also said that the IM is not in revival mode as most of its top operatives are behind bars. The first major arrest was that of Yasin Bhatkal in 2014. He was running the operations of the IM in India. Following that the likes of Akthar who was responsible for targeting the election rally of then Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi in 2013 have also been arrested. The last major arrest was that of Abdul Subhan Qureshi, one of the founders of the Indian Mujahideen. The last known attempt by the Indian Mujahideen to revive itself was in 2018. Qureshi had come to India from Nepal after evading security agencies for nearly 8 years. The police learnt that he was tasked with reviving the IM, but was nabbed in the nick of time. While no link has been found between the IM and Jaish-ul-Hind, the NIA which is probing the Ambani case is likely to look into whether there is any link or does such an outfit exist at all. While some reports say that the Jaish-ul-Hind was created inside the Tihar jail, officials say that it needs to be probed. As of now, it could be said that the Jaish-ul-Hind is a terror group just on Telegram. In the Israel embassy case, Indian investigating agencies have learnt that the Quds force of Iran was behind the terror plot. The agencies have also found that a local module was used to plant the bomb. Investigators say that the bomb was a low intensity one and this clearly suggests that the group did not want any casualty. Further, Iran also did not want to rub a friendly nation like India the wrong way. It was clearly aimed at sending a message to Israel, officials say. Mukesh Ambani security scare: Indian Mujahideen terrorist to be questioned in Tihar While there is nothing conclusive as yet owing to the false flags, officials in New Delhi say that the probe into the Iran angle is on and some of the leads are pretty strong. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 10:49 [IST] Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. New Delhi, March 16 : Kodak TV India on Tuesday announced an investment of over Rs 300 crore over the next three years to strengthen its capabilities in IoT technologies. The investment in IoT technologies will focus on building intelligent TVs that are intuitive and meet the demands of the "new Indian customer", a company statement said. Avneet Singh Marwah, Director and CEO, Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd, Kodak Brand Licensee in India, said: "In 2020, we focused on expanding our manufacturing capacity and market presence with an investment of Rs 500 crore. Now, we will be expanding our IoT investment so we can continue to give competition to phones brands which are entering into the TV category. With the new pipeline, we are confident that we can capture more than 10 per cent of market share by end of 2021." The "new Indian customer" has evolved during the Covid-19 and the definition of TV has changed. It is estimated that by end of 2023 there will be more than 1 million smart homes devices in the Indian market. The investment will help Kodak HD LED TVs disrupt the market by becoming a one stop platform for work-from-home needs for the new customer, the statement added. With fresh investment, Kodak Android TVs will also now have technology that will help the TV also connect all the smart home devices in the house. The company is also developing a mobile application which would integrate the TV and appliances, just by voice command one could now book service call, increase or decrease temperature of your AC, adjusting the lighting according tv mode (movie, sports, news). Kodak HD LED TV also announced a product line-up of 10 new models in 2021, after back-to-back successful launches of CA and 7XPRO series in 2020. The Investment will bring best of technology and experience to the customer, including voice commands in 7 regional languages with Google assistant and hand free experience. 20 percent must be used to address learning loss through summer school, extended days, afterschool programs, extended school year programs, etc. Other school spending can be from more than a dozen categories, including training, mental health services, tracking attendance, indoor air quality and public health protocols A final subsection allows spending on "other activities" needed to provide schooling (TNS) Schools in Georgia will share in more than $4 billion from the latest round of federal stimulus, a massive influx of funding that comes atop two prior rounds.Local officials were still awaiting word Friday afternoon about their actual allotments, but statewide the amount earmarked for school districts and for the Georgia Department of Education is $4.25 billion, the state agency said.That excludes other education-related funds the state is expecting, such as nearly $1.6 billion for the care and schooling of children before kindergarten and at least $1 billion for higher education.This latest influx for K-12 education is more than double the nearly $2 billion approved for Georgia just after Christmas. That amount was in turn about four times what the state got from the first round of stimulus that came after COVID-19 shutdowns last spring idled local economies and forced all students online.The earlier rounds of money were easier to spend since they were focused on quick purchases of computers, masks, cleaning supplies and other tools needed to cope with the pandemic.As with the prior funding, schools will be at liberty to spend the new money on just about anything education-related. Together, these three rounds of funding equal more than half what the state sends to schools annually. But that $10 billion in state funding pays for core, ongoing costs, mainly salaries. Schools will be wary of using these federal dollars for such ongoing expenses.They are more likely to focus on temporary expenditures, such as training, overtime pay, further technology upgrades or contracted services.School leaders generally agree that the biggest, and as yet unquantified, need is to help students who fell behind this school year and last. The traditional yardstick to measure learning mandatory standardized tests in every state was waived last year. The tests are back this year but students can skip them and many who are attending online probably will."You'll see programs probably for summer school, mentoring and tutoring those types of things that will try to help recover the learning loss," said Charles Burbridge, the CFO for the DeKalb County School District, which is just now reopening classrooms. "I've seen some estimates of three-to-four-months of learning loss during the pandemic."In the coming months, the school district will outline a plan for the money, he said. Meanwhile, DeKalb is still filling in the details with the last round of funding. For instance, money from the December round will likely be used in next year's budget to restore the four days cut from the school calendar due to the pandemic-inspired state budget cuts, he said.Among the big-ticket items he imagines is a retooling of teaching for a technological age: "Children just spent a year learning on Chromebooks. Are you really going to bring them back into the classroom and give them a textbook again?"Many districts, including Fulton County, will be spending some of the money on summer school.Fulton will pay teachers their normal rate to staff it, plus an incentive bonus, which spokesman Brian Noyes pegged at a total cost of $1.8 million. The rest of the summer program price tag has yet to be finalized.Thomas Toch, director of FutureEd, a non-partisan education think tank at Georgetown University, said he thinks schools should also spend on tracking down parents of chronically absent students, whose numbers appear to have multiplied."There are a lot of kids who just sort of drifted away," he said.Daniel Sobczak, a high school teacher in DeKalb who saw his students in person for the first time last week, said his top priority would be to acquire trailers to spread students out for safety and to add bus routes so they aren't packed together so much during the rides. He'd also like to see money spent on ventilation systems to clean classroom air."Most of our buildings, the windows won't open," he said. The next thing would be more reliable internet access for students. Some students will also need counseling, he said, especially older students who were stuck at home looking after siblings while their parents were at work. They were forced into duties beyond their years, he said, and they'll need someone to talk to."The isolation of the last year has really been hard on a lot of students," said Sobczak, vice president of the Organization of DeKalb Educators.Unlike prior rounds of funding, this latest bundle totaling $1.9 trillion lacked bipartisan support, with Republicans bashing it as "reckless, " and complaining that Democrats rammed through a bill that "lacks commonsense provisions to help our schools safely open immediately ... ."Most schools in Georgia have been open for months, if not the entire school year. However, students in many districts opted to remain online.Megan King, a high school teacher in Houston County who has been teaching online students, said her teens bear a sense of "grief" from the experience. Like Sobczak's students, many of hers have been home alone while their parents were out working. She would also like to see money for counseling.King, the president-elect of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, said she appreciated an idea her assistant principal had for the money: teacher training. Many baby boomers are retiring and new recruits tend to lack the additional certifications necessary to teach a gifted or Advanced Placement class, King said."These funds are going to open those doors to us," she said.The $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan includes $122.8 billion for schools, with $4.25 billion earmarked for Georgia.Source: H.R.1319 American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 EVERGREEN, Colo., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Functional Chocolate Company today announced that Dr. Aimee Gould Shunney has joined its Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Aimee has been a naturopathic physician in private practice since 2001, currently at Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine in Santa Cruz, California. "With her deep experience in women's wellness that bridges both traditional healing arts and modern medical science, Dr. Aimee is an ideal fit for our team," explained Nicole Smith, CEO, The Functional Chocolate Company. "We're so pleased to have her join us as we develop better ways to support everyday health realities for our customers." Dr. Aimee completed her undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University where she graduated cum laude then attended the National College of Naturopathic Medicine where she received her naturopathic medical degree. Dr. Aimee continues to pursue additional postgraduate education with the Institute for Women's Health and Integrative Medicine, International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health, Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, and others. She is licensed to practice medicine by the state of California. A dynamic educator, radio personality, and writer, she is on a mission to empower people to take charge of their health with integrative medicine. Whether she is hosting local events or presenting nationally, her engaging style, emphasis on individualized treatment, and passionate belief in radical self-care make her an audience favorite. "The Functional Chocolate Company has created a truly unique way to help women deal with the most common everyday health realities that we all face," said Dr. Aimee. "With the combination of thoughtfully curated active ingredients at clinically studied therapeutic doses and vegan, gluten-free chocolate, these products offer a delicious, easily accessible alternative to capsules and tinctures. I look forward to working with this team to develop more powerful offerings and to help educate customers on the many benefits of plant-based wellness." The Functional Chocolate Company bars are made with Fair Trade 60% cacao from a cooperative of South American farmers. Crafted in the USA, these bars are 100% plant based, vegan, dairy-free, Non-GMO, cholesterol and gluten-free. Flexible, fully customizable individual boxes, subscription and gift options are available at funcho.co . Look for Functional Chocolate Company products in your favorite retail locations beginning this month. About The Functional Chocolate Company: Founded in 2020, The Functional Chocolate Company is headquartered in Evergreen, Colorado. We believe that treating your health should be a treat. With a team from consumer product development, confectionary, nutraceutical, women's health and nutrition backgrounds, we've learned that there is a better way to treat everyday health realities. Learn more at funcho.co . Supporting Resources: Learn more about the science of Functional Chocolate on our blog - https://funcho.co/blogs/articles Follow @FunctionalChoc on: For wholesale inquiries, please contact [email protected] or find us on RangeMe . SOURCE The Functional Chocolate Company Related Links https://funcho.co ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) was awarded an approximately $32M five-year contract to support the Assessments and Investment program office within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy (DASD INDPOL). Under this contract, SPA will support the Department of Defense in strengthening and protecting the resiliency of the US industrial base. Using business intelligence analytics and other methods, SPA will work with DASD INDPOL to assess risk to the US industrial base and identify mitigation strategies, support the execution of Defense Production Act Titles I & III, and provide industry engagement and liaison support for senior DoD leadership. "Ensuring U.S. warfighting capabilities maintain the advantage over our adversaries is an essential mission of the Department of Defense and one that our team of dedicated professionals is passionate about," said Dr. William Vantine, SPA President and CEO. "We are honored to have been supporting the Department over the last 16 years, helping to strengthen the defense industrial base and supply chain resiliency. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership with this new contract well into the future." Systems Planning and Analysis provides innovative and leading-edge solutions that integrate technical, operational, programmatic, policy, and business factors in support of important national security objectives. Our capabilities include Advanced Analytics; Software Tool Development; System Engineering and Safety Analysis; Strategy, Policy and Compliance; and Program and Acquisition Management. Our employees have expertise in many domains, including Land, Undersea, Surface and Air Warfare Operations; Radar and Sensor Systems; Unmanned Systems and Counter Systems; Nuclear Deterrence Policy, Safety and Security; Defense Industrial Base; Space Systems; Ballistic Missile Systems; and Hypersonics. To learn more about SPA, please visit www.spa.com and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. SOURCE Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. Related Links spa.com TRINIDAD and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) executive director, Nigel Edwards, says the changes the 39-year-old financial institution is undergoing at this time are transformational. The UTC is now in the middle of a three-year cycle of strategic changes that will culminate in 2023 and beyond, he said. New Delhi: Rajesh Galati, then 37, who chopped his wife seven years ago has been held guilty and sentenced life term by a Dehradun court on Friday. Rajesh, a software engineer by profession, had murdered his wife Anupama in October 2010 and chopped her body into 70 pieces using an electric saw in 2010. He had hid the chopped body parts in a deep freezer for two months before disposing them in a forested area in the outskirts of Dehradun. Rajesh along with his wife Anupama was living in Dehradun with their two children since 2009. Additional District and Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar on Thursday held Gulati guilty under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destroying evidence). The Anupamas brother Sujan filed a missing complaint with the Dehradun Police after he did not hear from his sister for two months in December 12,2010. The brutal murder had then sent shockwaves in Dehradun after the brutal murder came to surface. According to police investigation records Rajesh and Anupama had moved to United States after getting married in 1999. But after their return to Dehradun in 2008, their relationship started getting strained. Anupama used to charge Rajesh of having an extramarital affair with a woman from Kolkata. Rajesh, then 37, had killed his wife Anupama in their two-room rented house at Prakash Nagar in Dehradun Cantonment area after a fight. Rajesh to hide evidences of the murder bought an electric saw from the market and chopped up his wife's body into 70 pieces. Later he packed his wifes body parts in polythene bags and stored them in a deep freezer. To prevent suspicion of the murder he kept throwing away the polythene bags, one at a time, at various locations on the outskirts of the city. Rajesh stayed in the same house for two months and kept telling his children twins that their mother had gone to Delhi until one day Anupamas brother visited the rented house. Sujan filed a missing complaint with the Cantonment Police station after suspecting foul play. Police raided Rajeshs house and then had recovered severed parts of Anupamas body, including her head from the deep freezer. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- What does a successful advisory practice look like today? PracticeLab, Capital Group's new digital destination for financial professionals, with insights and actionable ideas to help build advisory businesses and serve clients, will help answer that question. The new practice management platform gives financial professionals access to regular webinars with Capital Group specialists, including practice management consultants and wealth strategists, as well as articles, podcasts, and other resources and tools. These cover a wide range of topics, from how best to market your advisory business and client acquisition strategies to tax and estate planning and how to navigate challenging client conversations, such as the recent "how to talk politics with clients." The platform content reflects insights from Capital Group's first comprehensive study benchmarking the practices of over 1,500 financial professionals across the U.S. The study found that practice management choices are often the driving force behind outsized growth of advisory firms. "We found a compelling and actionable insight," said Mike Van Wyk, vice president, customer research and insights, Capital Group, home of American Funds. "The average financial professional spent nearly half their time on client management activities, but if they could shift even 1% of that time to activities such as team management, strategic marketing or prospecting, our study showed this boosted their firm's AUM by 3%." PracticeLab is designed to help financial professionals focus on higher-value activities they deem important. "Financial professionals are business owners as well as experts when it comes to understanding their clients' financial needs and goals," said Riley Etheridge, president, wealth management client group, Capital Group. "Our benchmark study reinforces that each firm has its own unique pathway to growth. PracticeLab meets advisors where they are and provides them with resources to help them manage and scale their business." The benchmarking study also found that deploying sound acquisition strategies, creating "relationship alpha" and achieving strategic scale are crucial to the health and future growth of an advisor's practice. Van Wyk added, "Our research shows there isn't a one-size-fits-all way to grow one's advisory business, yet practices do consistently have better growth outcomes when they are intentional about practice management." Additional findings from the Advisor Benchmarking study, available on PracticeLab, include: Always-on acquisition High-growth practices are 25% more likely to implement client acquisition goals. 71% of high-growth practices have built-in procedures for client onboarding versus just 57% of low-growth practices. High-growth financial professionals are 50% more likely to say they are experts in marketing or building a digital presence, and are more likely to use direct mail, email or text messaging as a new client channel. Relationship alpha The fastest-growing advisory firms in the study are more likely to offer services such as generational wealth transfer education, tax and estate planning, and charitable giving. These same firms have a higher ratio of clients gained to lost compared to others in the survey. Practices whose book of business contains 50% or more high net worth clients are not growing any faster than the average practice, but those firms that optimize their relationship with other high net worth clients (i.e., multi-generational relationships) tend to see higher growth. Financial professionals with a higher percentage of institutional assets under management from retirement plan consulting are twice as likely to be growing their business. Strategic scale Financial professionals in the highest growth segments spend 14% less time preparing for client meetings, 10% less time monitoring the market, and are 13% more likely to use models than lower-growth practices all while being 38% more likely to have an expert-level skill in practice productivity. Financial professionals in the highest-growth segments use tools such as portfolio management software, trading/rebalancing software, and CRM and document management software. Higher-growth segments of financial professionals spend more time on team management and less on client book management. This new practice management hub, including regular webinar and podcast series and additional findings of the Advisor Benchmarking Study, can be accessed at practicelab.com. About Capital Group Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2021, Capital Group, home of American Funds, has been singularly focused on delivering superior results for long-term investors using high-conviction portfolios, rigorous research and individual accountability. As of December 31, 2020, Capital Group manages more than $2.3 trillion in equity and fixed income assets for millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. Capital Group manages equity assets through three investment groups. These groups make investment and proxy voting decisions independently. Fixed income investment professionals provide fixed income research and investment management across the Capital organization; however, for securities with equity characteristics, they act solely on behalf of one of the three equity investment groups. For more information, visit www.capitalgroup.com. For more information, contact: Sarah Christiansen, Capital Group Ph: (213) 615-3052 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Capital Group Related Links http://www.capitalgroup.com Elton John has slammed the Catholic Church for "hypocrisy" after the Vatican said on Monday that Catholic clergy cannot not bless same-sex unions. The music legend and prominent figure in the LGBTQ community posted screenshots of a pair of articles on Instagram Monday, one from The Guardian announcing the Vatican's stance on blessing same-sex unions and the other from The Daily Beast reporting that the Vatican spent millions in funding John's 2019 biopic, "Rocketman." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "How can the Vatican refuse to bless gay marriages because they 'are sin', yet happily make a profit from investing millions in 'Rocketman' - a film which celebrates my finding happiness from my marriage to David?? #hypocrisy," he wrote. Related: "Im truly a blessed man, the legendary singer wrote while marveling at all those who've rallied to his side. According to the 2019 story by The Daily Beast, the Vatican reportedly spent $4.5 million to finance the 2019 films "Men in Black: International" and "Rocketman," the latter of which references John's love story with husband David Furnish. The Vatican told The Daily Beast at the time that "investigations are in progress" about the funding. Elton John, David Furnish (Marc Piasecki / Getty Images) Related: David Furnish and Elton John became civil partners in Britain 15 years ago before officially wedding in 2014. The Vatican decreed on Monday that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions because God "cannot bless sin." The decree came as a response to a question about whether Catholic clergy could bless gay unions, and the answer, approved by Pope Francis, was "negative." The church leadership maintains that gay people must be treated respectfully, but that gay sex is "intrinsically disordered" and marriage is intended for the sake of creating new life. God does not and cannot bless sin: He blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him, the Vatican's response said. Story continues The Vatican's position on the blessing of same-sex unions drew strong criticism from many LGBTQ celebrities and supporters. Several of them referenced the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal, during which thousands of priests have been accused of child abuse over the course of decades. The U.S. Catholic Church has spent millions of dollars over the years on lobbyists to prevent victims of clerical sexual abuse from suing for damages. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "Heartbreaking for Catholics but maybe also: lets normalize disregarding morality decisions issued by institutions who harm children and protect and pay their abusers in the name of God," bestselling author Glennon Doyle tweeted. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "On a serious note, to everyone who goes out of their way to talk about how 'cool' this pope is...NO," comedian Billy Eichner tweeted. "The Catholic Church has abused the LGBTQ community for MILLENIA. So, go to church if you need to I guess but THATs what youre enabling. Bye!" This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "This is shameful, dangerous, and embarrassing (for them). Not to mention t h e h y p o c r i s y . . ." actor Dan Levy from "Schitt's Creek" tweeted. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "As a graduate of a catholic high school, I am deeply saddened by this archaic rhetoric and not at all surprised," Jesse Tyler Ferguson of "Modern Family" tweeted alongside a picture of his husband. "The good news? Im still happily married & I dont need the Pope to acknowledge the love that exists in my family." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "Im all for journeys, but not ones that tell people I love that their marriage cannot be blessed," TODAY contributor Maria Shriver tweeted. "Whats up with that? Jesus Christ was about welcoming and loving everyone. Isnt that what we are taught as Catholics? Im struggling with this. Very disappointed." Representational Image Nine bank unions under the banner of the United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU) started a nationwide two-day strike against the privatisation of public sector banks and retrograde banking reforms. As many as 10 lakh bank employees are participating in the strike. Read more Here's more top news of the day: 1) In A Landmark Ruling, Kerala High Court Allows Trans Woman To Enroll In National Cadet Corps File Photo Justice Anu Sivaraman gave the order on a plea by a transwoman, challenging a Section of the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948, which excludes the transgender community from enrollment with the NCC. Read more 2) This Punjab City Is Vaccinating All Teachers, Journalists & Bankers. More Cities To Follow? BCCL The expansion of vaccination programme by the Ludhiana government comes two weeks after Centre started administering vaccines to all above 60 and those above 45 with illnesses. Read more 3) How Schoolgirls Forced Afghanistan Government To Reverse 'Talibani' Ban On Singing In Public Representational Image A social media campaign became a powerful tool forcing the government of Afghanistan to overturn a ban on girls singing in public imposed by education officials. Read more 4) Mumbai's Crowd Vs Deserted Nagpur: Two Sides Of Maharashtra As Govt Imposes New COVID Curbs File Photo As the second wave of Covid-19 infections show no signs of ebbing in Maharashtra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray-led government has announced fresh curbs amidst rising COVID-19 cases in the state, on Tuesday. Read more 5) Cheque Books & Passbooks Of These Banks Will Become Invalid From April 1: All You Need To Know Representational Image In the Union Budget presented last month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs) as part of its disinvestment plan. Read more 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. Japan, US criticize China in top Biden officials first trip View Photo TOKYO (AP) Japan and the United States joined forces to criticize Chinas coercion and aggression in Asia as senior ministers from both countries held their first in-person talks since President Joe Biden took office in January. Aside from the sharp rhetoric aimed at Beijing, the meeting Tuesday in Tokyo and a planned stop next in Seoul are as much an effort by the Biden administration to reassure worried allies in Asia after occasionally confrontational dealings with the Trump administration. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after holding the so-called two plus two security talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said democracy and human rights are being challenged and the United States will push with its partners for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to work with U.S. allies as they face challenges from China and its ally North Korea, which is pursuing an illicit nuclear weapons program. We will push back if necessary, when China uses coercion or aggression to get its way, he said. In a joint statement released after the talks, the ministers shared strong worry over Beijings human rights violations in Xinjiang, unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea and unilateral action that seeks to change the status quo over the Japan-controlled East China Sea islands that China also claims. The statement also stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. On the Biden administrations first Cabinet-level trip abroad, Blinken and Austin also agreed with their Japanese counterparts to cooperate on the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and the situation in Myanmar after its military coup. Earlier Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns powerful sister warned the U.S. to refrain from causing a stink if it wants to sleep in peace for the next four years. She also criticized the U.S. and South Korea for holding military exercises. Kim Yo Jongs statement was North Koreas first comments directed at the Biden administration. The White House noted the Cabinet secretaries travel in the region and said its focus was partnering with allies on issues such as security in the region. Our objective is always going to be focused on diplomacy and denuclearization of North Korea, press secretary Jen Psaki said. Bidens decision to send key ministers to Japan as their first overseas visit rather than hosting Japanese officials in Washington meant a lot for Japan, which considers its alliance with the United States the cornerstone of its diplomatic and security policies. Blinken said the choice of destination was no accident and that he and Austin were in Japan to reaffirm our commitment to the alliance and to build on it. He said the United States and its allies are working on together on climate change, cyber security and health security in support of our shared values. Blinken also said that the United States and Japan reaffirmed the importance of their three-way partnership with South Korea, though the ministers did not publicly mention the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues. South Korea and Japan have been struggling to repair relations that sank in 2019 following South Korean court rulings that ordered Japanese companies to pay reparations for forced labor during World War II. Those rulings led to trade curbs by both countries and Seoul threatened to scrap a bilateral military intelligence-sharing agreement that was a major symbol of the countries three-way security cooperation in the region. Since then, both Japan and U.S. have changed leaders, leaving hope for improved relations. Austin referenced Chinas destabilizing actions and said it was a a pacing challenge for his department. He said the allies need to develop operational capability to respond quickly to a security threat like China. We know that competing in todays shifting global dynamics, can only be done through the spirit of teamwork and cooperation, which are the hallmarks of our alliance with Japan, he said. Kishi said Japan, which has increasingly worked side-by-side with the U.S. military, will bolster extended deterrence and readiness across domains including space and cybersecurity by deepening coordination and aligning security policies. Japans constitution prohibits the use of force in settling international disputes, and any attempt to increase its military capability is a sensitive issue in Asia. Japan is also in a delicate diplomatic situation because its economy, like those of other countries in the region, heavily depends on China. But Tokyo considers Chinas escalating maritime activity in the region a security threat. Beijing has built manmade islands in the South China Sea and equipped them with military equipment and is pressing its claim to virtually all of the seas key fisheries and waterways. Japan opposes Chinas claim to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea and its increased activity in the disputed area. China has denied it is expansionist and has said it is only defending its territorial rights. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday said U.S.- Japan dialogue should not target or harm the interests of third parties. The U.S. and Japan should engage in exchanges and cooperation that will help enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust among regional countries, contribute to solidarity and cooperation, as well as peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, Zhao said at a daily briefing. Later Tuesday, the American officials met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is expected to visit Washington sometime in the first half of April to meet with Biden in person becoming the first foreign leader to do so since Biden became president in January. Blinken and Austin on Wednesday will head to South Korea, with the focus of those talks being North Korea and its nuclear ambitions. Blinken will meet Chinas State Councilor Wang Yi and the foreign affairs chief of the Communist Party, Yang Jiechi, in Anchorage, Alaska, on his way back to Washington. Austin will go from Seoul to New Delhi for meetings with Indian leaders. ___ Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press The head of the Spanish Government Pedro Sanchez and French President Emmanuel Macron signed an agreement in Montauban (southern France) this Monday that will allow citizens of both countries to have dual nationality, if they meet the necessary requirements for it and so wish. Thanks to the agreement, the nationals of both countries will not have to renounce their original nationality when they acquire the nationality of the other. Until now, Spain only allowed dual citizenship with the Ibero-American countries, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines and Portugal. France, on the other hand, allows double or triple nationality. "We're making a historical claim of the descendants of Spaniards exiled in France [after the Spanish Civil War] a reality," Sanchez said. This agreement "corrects a historical anomaly for many of them, Spanish and French, deeply rooted in their respective host countries, who could not have their dual identity," explained the Spanish president. It is also an important gesture for expats from both countries. "We owe it to the 150,000 French living in Spain and the 190,000 Spanish living in France," Macron said on Twitter after the agreement was signed during a bilateral summit. This agreement, however, does not provide for privileged access to nationality nor will it modify the deadlines for obtaining Spanish nationality by residence, which will continue to be 10 years for French citizens. And, in order to acquire French nationality by residence, it is necessary to live in the country for at least five years before applying. Norm Cummings / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo WINSTED Members of the Gilbert School Corp. announced Tuesday they have hired Greg P. Shugrue as its new head of school starting July 1. Shugrue has been principal at New Milford High School for 16 years. According to a statement from the Gilbert School, Shugrue served four years in the U.S. Air Force, then began his education career as a social studies teacher in Florida before moving to Meriden in 2000. He was assistant principal at Orville H. Platt High School; principal at Maloney High School; then went to New Milford High School in 2005, the statement said. This $20 a month donation gives you full online access to all four of our local papers - Sonoma West, The Healdsburg Tribune, Windsor Times and Cloverdale Reveille - and will help the paper survive. This renews automatically, and we will charge your card monthly until you tell us to stop. Thanks for going above and beyond! The on Tuesday released the second list of four candidates for the assembly elections. According to the list, JG Prince has been fielded from Colachel, from where he is the sitting MLA currently. Another party MLA S. Vijayadharani will contest from the Vilavancode constituency. Youth President JMH Hassan will contest the polls from the Velachery constituency. S Rajakumar has been fielded from Mayiladuthurai. had released the first list of 21 candidates for the polls on March 14. The 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will be done on May 2. Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri had said that the party has reached a seat-sharing pact with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and will contest 25 assembly seats in the upcoming (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. UTICA, N.Y. Brandon Clark, the man who admitted to murdering Utica teen Bianca Devins in July of 2019, has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Clark, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February of 2020. Five months later, he tried to withdraw his plea, saying he was denied his right to effective counsel. He was assigned a new attorney in August. Then in October, the judge denied Clarks request to change his plea. Clark was originally scheduled to be sentenced in November of 2020, but the hearing was postponed after a coronavirus cluster was reported at Oneida County Correctional Facility. Clark killed 17-year-old Bianca Devins the morning of Boilermaker Sunday, July 14, 2019, after the two returned from a concert in New York City the night before. Clark posted photos of her body on social media before calling 911 and threatening to harm himself. The 911 recording was played during court proceedings, where Clark was heard saying "My name is Brandon, the victim is Bianca Michelle Devins I'm not going to stay on the phone for long, because I still need to do the suicide part of the murder-suicide." He was formally charged with second-degree murder the following day. Biancas family spoke at the sentencing Monday, including her mom and sister, Olivia. Olivia says she has terrifying and vivid nightmares, and fears meeting anyone new since her sisters murder. Biancas mother, Kim Devins, said she is haunted by the images of her daughters murder. She said the worst part is there are no more hugs, kisses or I love yous from her daughter. In September of 2020, former Congressman Anthony Brindisi introduced Biancas Law, legislation that would prevent the spread of graphic and violent content on social media. The law would require to social media platforms to establishes offices dedicated to finding and removing graphic content. SYDNEY and BOSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pendal Group (ASX: PDL) (or Pendal) today announced that Group CEO, Mr Emilio Gonzalez, will step down after 11 years in the role, and that Mr Nicholas Good, currently CEO of the J O Hambro Capital Management (JOHCM) operations in the USA, will be Mr Gonzalez's successor. The Chairman of Pendal Group, Mr James Evans, said, "The Board sincerely thanks Emilio for his contribution, constancy, and commitment for over a decade and recognizes his significant achievements, particularly the successful acquisition of JOHCM in 2011 that transformed the company into a global funds management business. "Our robust succession plan has enabled the Board to appoint Nick as the new Group Chief Executive Officer of Pendal Group. "Nick is a global leader in the funds management industry with a strong track record of building and growing businesses. He is an impressive strategist and has an inspiring leadership style. "Importantly, the biggest future potential for the Group is in the USA. With Nick on the ground there, and with the support of the talented Global Executive Team, including the regional CEOs, Pendal Group will be well-positioned and equipped as it transforms its business to take advantage of future growth opportunities." Mr Gonzalez has a six-month notice period and is committed to ensuring a smooth transition. Mr Evans said, "Under Emilio's leadership the business underwent a step-change in funds under management, scale, distribution, product offerings to clients, and importantly, shareholder returns. "Emilio truly diversified the business across geographies, asset classes, and channels. He will leave Pendal with acknowledgement and thanks for a job very well done and our best wishes for the future." Mr Gonzalez said, "With the multi-year investment program announced in November 2020, it is timely and important that my successor has a clean run to drive this program. It will require a long-term commitment, and after 11 years as CEO, it is the right time for a new Group CEO to step in." "It has been a privilege to lead the company and transform it from a domestic equity fund manager, with AUD$ 41.9 billion under management, to a diversified global fund manager with AUD$ 97.4 billion in AUM. "I would like to thank all of my colleagues at Pendal Group whom I have worked with over the years. It has been a team effort and I leave knowing the business is in a strong financial position and well placed for the future." Mr Good commented, "I would like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of Emilio to the Pendal Group. It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with him, and I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead this great company. "Pendal is recognized for its talent, diversified business model and strategic global footprint. It has long-tenured, highly regarded fund managers and has consistently delivered long-term outperformance. I am confident that there is a very bright future ahead as we position to take advantage of the fast-paced changes, and inherent opportunities, in global funds management." Mr Good will remain based in Boston, MA. NOTES TO EDITORS: J O Hambro Capital Management Limited J O Hambro Capital Management Limited (JOHCM) is a U.K.-headquartered active asset management company with investment offices in London, Boston, New York, and Singapore and a dedicated mutual fund sales team based in Berwyn, PA. It manages $USD 41.2* billion of assets (as at December 31, 2020) across U.K., European, Asian, Japanese, U.S., Global/International and Emerging Markets equities and multi-asset strategies. JOHCM constrains investment strategy capacity in order to promote market-leading portfolio performance. *AUM includes assets managed by JOHCM and its wholly owned affiliates JOHCM (USA) Inc. and JOHCM (Singapore) Pte. Limited. SOURCE J O Hambro Capital Management Chahid Al-Hafed, March 10, 2021 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Mr. Brahim Gali, stated that Morocco undermines the existing consensus at the African level regarding the issue of Western Sahara and continues to violate the Constitutive Act of the African Union. When African leaders accepted the readmission of Morocco as a member of the Union in 2017, they emphasized that this step only sought to achieve the objective of finding African solutions to African problems and offering the opportunity to unite our countries and peoples on the values that defended the founding fathers of the African Union, which are solidarity, unity, freedom and equality, the president stressed. In this regard, Mr. Ghali also said that "four years have passed and we continue to see no progress in this regard, but rather an increase in intransigence and violations by the Kingdom of Morocco of the Constitutive Act of the African Union", making emphasis on the fact that the annexation of territories by force and the disrespect for the borders inherited from colonialism represent the greatest danger that threatens the continent and even the very existence of the African Union. On the other hand, he asserted that the lack of making a firm decision, either by the United Nations or the African Union, towards this behavior has encouraged the Kingdom of Morocco to continue underestimating the continental organization, trying for all the means prevent it from fulfilling its duty, responsibility and capacity to put an end to the decolonization of the continent and solve the African problems, such as the conflict between the Sahrawi Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco . SPS 125/090/TRA Hong Kong authorities have trapped hundreds of residents in a sudden lockdown and sent children into quarantine fuelling concerns about the separation of families as the city attempts to stop a new wave of COVID-19. The response came after a coronavirus outbreak at a gym popular among foreigners swelled to more than 100 close contacts. As concerns about the spread grew last week, health teams set up testing stations around apartment blocks before locking people inside their homes until they were all tested. Separately authorities transferred COVID-positive cases related to the gym outbreak, including some unaccompanied children, to government quarantine centres. Residents wait in line for Covid-19 tests outside the closed Ursus Fitness gym. Credit:Bloomberg The measures have seen children separated from their parents, drawing outrage from locals and sections of the diplomatic community over the weekend. It is the latest in a string of developments that have sparked anxiety among expats who are still coming to grips with the implications of national security laws imposed by Beijing, new electoral laws and growing business uncertainty in the global financial hub. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chobani LLC informed the National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs that it will permanently discontinue challenged express claims that its Chobani Complete 5.3-ounce yogurt cup contains 25 grams of protein. The advertiser's claims, which appeared in video advertisements, were challenged by Danone North America, a competing manufacturer of yogurt products. During the proceeding, the advertiser informed NAD that it had permanently discontinued the challenged video advertisements and represented that going forward, any new television advertisements about the Chobani Complete line would be clear that it is the 10-ounce shake product (not the 5.3-ounce cup) that contains 25 grams of protein. In reliance on the advertiser's representation that it has permanently discontinued the challenged express claims, NAD did not review these claims on their merits. In its advertiser's statement, Chobani stated that it agrees to comply with NAD's decision although noted that it "does not concede that there was anything misleading" about the challenged advertisements. All BBB National programs case decisions can be found in the case decision library. About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org. About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business. SOURCE BBB National Programs Related Links www.bbbprograms.org After an entertaining week, the contestants of Bigg Boss Malayalam 3 witnessed the fifth-week nomination. Ramzan Muhammad who won the captaincy task along with the nomination free pass, was excused from the process. For the nomination, 15 contestants were required to enter the confession room and nominate any two contestants and state a reason for the same. In the process, most votes (7) were received by Sajna and Firoz (the couple should be counted as one contestant). The duo was voted by many for hurting their emotions with personal comments and for provoking others during arguments. Dimpal Bhal and Majiziya Bhanu, who are touted to be friends in the show received 5 votes each. Well, a total of 7 contestants were nominated in the fifth week including Rithu Manthra, 'Kidilam' Firoz, Dimpal, Sai Vishnu, Sajna & Firoz Khan, Remya Panicker and Majiziya. Going by the nomination process, looks like the house of Bigg Boss Malayalam 3 will soon witness spitter-spatter among contestants. Let us tell you that the fifth week has begun with Dimpal and Sai Vishnu's big argument. The duo was seen locking horns after the morning task where Dimpal was asked to opine about the changes to be brought in each contestant. Well, the audiences who were not happy with Sai's aggressiveness and Dimpal's attitude during the argument, were also seen requesting Mohanlal to question the two in the upcoming weekend episode. Nominations This Week Rithu Manthra Firoz Dimpal Bhal Sai Vishnu Sajna and Firoz Khan Remya Panicker Majiziya Bhanu Voting Procedure For Bigg Boss Malayalam 3 Install the Disney+ Hotstar App (Available in both Android and iOS phones). Create an account using your email id, phone number or social media account. Type 'Bigg Boss Malayalam 3' in the search bar. Click on the 'Vote Now' icon and cast your vote to save your favourite contestant. Users have 50 votes each day, which they can either use for a single contestant or can split among the other contestants on the list. (250 votes per week) It is also to be noted that the vote bank closes on Friday at midnight. Also Read: Bigg Boss Malayalam 3 Week 3 Elimination: Angel Thomas Is Evicted From The Mohanlal Show Also Read: Bigg Boss Malayalam 3: Contestants To Lock Horns For The Nomination Free Pass A former commander of the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has been arrested in Belgium for alleged war crimes committed during the countrys war with Serbia in the 1990s, an international court said Tuesday. Pjeter Shala, also known as Commander Wolf was a local military leader in western Kosovo during the bitter conflict which only ended in 1999 after a NATO air campaign forced Serb forces to withdraw. Shala will be detained in Belgium, pending any transfer to the detention facility in The Hague, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers said. More information will be provided in due course, including information about the publication of the confirmed indictment, the Hague-based court added. Shala was mentioned in a war crimes trial held in Kosovo several years ago as a member of the KLA who was physically abusing Kosovo Albanian prisoners in KLA detention camps in northern Albania by the end of the war. He was then questioned by Hague-based investigators in 2019. After the conflict ended, top Serbian military and police officials were convicted of war crimes in other international courts. But rebel leaders of the KLA have also been accused of revenge attacks on Serbs, Roma and ethnic Albanian rivals during and after the fighting. Former Kosovo president and one-time liberation hero Hashim Thaci in November pleaded not guilty to war crimes charges at a hearing before the court. Thaci, 52, and at least three others face war crimes and crimes against humanity charges including murder, torture, illegal detention, enforced disappearances and persecution, committed between 1998 and 1999. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers was set up with EU backing five years ago, following a 2011 Council of Europe report which named Thaci and others as allegedly being involved in crimes. burs-jhe/dl After a coup in the South American country of Bolivia in November 2019, democratically elected president Evo Morales was forced to flee. Foreign Office documents obtained by Declassified show Britain saw the new military-backed regime, which killed 18 protesters, as an opportunity to open up Bolivias lithium deposits to UK firms. By Matt Kennard and cross-posted from Declassified UK. On 10 November 2019, after the head of the army called for his resignation, Bolivias socialist president, Evo Morales, stepped down. It followed weeks of protests after the release of a report by the Organisation of American States (OAS) alleging irregularities in the election Morales had won the previous month. Persecution from the new regime forced Morales to flee the country and an interim president, Jeanine Anez, was installed. Widely condemned as a coup, resulting protests were met with lethal force. Days after taking power, on 14 November, the Anez regime forced through Decree 4078 which gave immunity to the military for any actions taken in the defence of society and maintenance of public order. The following day, on 15 November, Bolivian military forces shot and killed eight protesters in the city of Sacaba. On 21 November, regime forces killed another 10 protesters in the neighbourhood of Senkata just outside the capital La Paz. Despite the deadly violence, which was condemned by human rights groups, the British embassy in La Paz moved quickly to support Bolivias new regime, Declassified can reveal from documents we have obtained. We have seen a project list for a Foreign Office programme in Bolivia called Frontline Diplomatic Enabling Activity, which the UK government describes as a small pot of money that [embassies] receive and have authority over to spend on projects supporting [embassy] activity. The deposits Bolivia has the worlds second-largest reserves of lithium, a metal that is used to make batteries and which has become increasingly important due to the burgeoning electric car industry. The UK government has stated that lithium battery technology is a priority for its industrial strategy. In June 2019, it announced it was investing 23-million in electric car battery development. The government has further noted: Its estimated that South America holds 54% of the worlds lithium resources, which are increasingly in demand to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and energy diversification programmes. It added: The UK aims to have a thriving, sustainable battery industry, which would translate to a 2.7 billion opportunity and our bilateral partnerships are essential to ensure this. In February 2019, Evo Morales government had chosen a Chinese consortium to be its strategic partner on a new $2.3-billion lithium project which would focus on production from the Coipasa and Pastos Grandes salars (salt flats under which the lithium is deposited). But after the coup, the regimes new minister for mining cast doubt on whether the deal would be honoured by the new government. These particular salt flats were of interest to the UK embassy. One project it co-funded from 2019-20 sought to optimise Bolivias lithium exploration and production (in the Coipasa and Pastos Grandes salars) using British technology. After the coup, this project was quickly moved forward Continue reading the article Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans has slammed the NRL for handing Sharks forward Toby Rudolf an official warning for remarks deemed offensive during a post-match interview, but ARLC supremo Peter Vlandys insists the situation was perfectly handled. Rudolf was interviewed on The Matty Johns Show after Sundays round one victory against the Dragons and was asked how he could be celebrating the win. Rudolf said he would drink 1000 beers before heading to Cronulla bar Northies to try and pull something. Anything will do. No, honestly, its all about recovery these days, he then said following the comments. Ill be going straight home, straight to the ice bath and staying very, very quiet. WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 -- As Europe experienced its enormous second wave of the COVID-19 disease, researchers noticed the mortality rate -- progression from cases to deaths -- was much lower than during the first wave. This inspired researchers from the University of Sydney and Tsinghua University to study and quantify the mortality rate on a country-by-country basis to determine how much the mortality rate from the second wave decreased from the first. In Chaos, by AIP Publishing, Nick James, Max Menzies, and Peter Radchenko introduce methods to study the progression of COVID-19 cases to deaths during the pandemic's different waves. Their methods involve applied mathematics, specifically nonlinear dynamics, and time series analysis. "We take a time series, apply an algorithmic approach to chop it up into first and later waves, and do some relatively simple optimization and calculations to determine two different mortality numbers," said James, from the University of Sydney. The mortality rate of the massive European second wave turned out to be much less severe -- at least with respect to reported cases and deaths. But how much less severe and how did it differ between countries? "We think answering these questions is important, and to answer this for all of Europe, not just the wealthier Western countries," said Menzies, from Tsinghua University. "In Belarus, for example, the mortality rate actually increased during its second wave, while Ukraine and Moldova were still in their first wave as of the end of November." The researchers discovered this was very different from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and other countries that drastically reduced their mortality rates -- at least with respect to reported numbers -- between their first and second waves. "Our work shows sharp drops in mortality with respect to reported cases and deaths," Menzies said. "The problem will always be, what is the true number of cases in the early first wave? We may never know, but we imagine future research and analysis will try to determine it." When the researchers reran their analysis on estimated true cases and estimated deaths, Radchenko, from the University of Sydney, pointed out that those measures show serious limitations. "Excess mortality is often negative relative to previous years, so it's unsuitable for measuring the true numbers of COVID-19 deaths," Radchenko said. "We hope others will more closely analyze the true numbers, perhaps using more specialized data such as out of particular hospitals or regions where testing was more reliable." Broad similarity was also observed between Europe and the U.S., where Northeastern states behaved similarly to wealthy Western European countries in their sharp reductions of mortality during the second wave. ### The article "COVID-19 second wave mortality in Europe and the United States" is authored by Nick James, Max Menzies, and Peter Radchenko. It will appear in Chaos on Mar. 16, 2021 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0041569). After that date, it can be accessed at https:/ / aip. scitation. org/ doi/ 10. 1063/ 5. 0041569 . ABOUT THE JOURNAL 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. Haiti - Social : The WB grants a donation of $75M to strengthen social protection in Haiti Last Tuesday, the World Bank Board approved a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) for an amount of $75 million, to finance the Adaptive Social Protection for Increased Resilience (ASPIRE) project. This project will support Haiti's efforts to establish an adaptive social safety net system to respond to shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, and reduce the country's vulnerability to food insecurity and disasters. natural to come. Social protection systems can advance human capital, reduce inequalities, build resilience, and break the cycle of poverty, said Javier Suarez, World Bank's Acting Head of Operations in Haiti, adding This project offers immediate resources to come to the aid of the poorest households, while supporting the country in the implementation of its social protection program in order to develop resilience as well as human capital, in the medium term." Remember that an adaptive social protection system allows vulnerable households to develop their resilience by investing in their capacities to prepare, respond and adapt to shocks. As a result, the ASPIRE project will provide immediate support to poor and vulnerable households, while strengthening their resilience through unconditional cash transfers and measures to improve health, nutrition and financial inclusion. The project provides for an expansion of cash transfers in emergencies, such as natural disasters or health crises. It will also support the capacity building of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST) with a view to improving the management and governance of social protection programs. Ars also planned unconditional cash transfers that will be offered to 18,000 households (or about 90,000 people), including extremely poor families, living in rural areas prone to natural disasters, including young children, pregnant women or people with disabilities. reduced mobility. The project will first focus on the department of Grand'Anse, and will also establish the necessary foundations for the implementation of the national policy of social protection and promotion, allowing 200,000 additional households to be registered in the social register. of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. HL/ HaitiLibre The speech by Theodore Roosevelt, popularly known as "Man in the Arena," was entitled Citizenship in a Republic, and given at the Sorbonne in Paris on April 23, 1910. (Fotosearch/Getty Images) What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity: Embracing the Arena Nothing in life, Winston Churchill once wrote, is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result. Though Im a Churchill fan, and though no ones ever shot at me with or without result, here I must disagree with him. Falling in love, and having that person love you, is surely exhilarating. An inheritance of a couple million dollars or a big-time winning lottery ticket might also induce euphoria. As for me, escaping death three times in as many years certainly proved exhilarating. Doe and Heart A little more than two years ago, I was driving from North Carolina home to Virginia on I-81 at 74 miles per hour when a deer appeared out of nowhere and smashed into the side of my car. Both the car and the poor doe were totaled. Although at another point in my life I might have cursed this piece of ill luck, this time I stepped from my totaled vehicle and silently thanked whatever powers that be for my salvation. Had that deer struck my Honda Accord a split-second earlier, she would undoubtedly have broken through the window shield, separating my body from my soul. Last September, I had planned a trip back to North Carolina. I had cleaned the house, packed my luggage in the car, and was 20 miles into the trip when I pulled from the interstate into the parking lot of a gas station in Woodstock, Virginia. For a couple of weeks, I had suffered an aching in the left side of my chest, a pressure Id ignoredIm often a fool in such matters. At any rate, I sat for five minutes in the car, contemplating the pain, which seemed worse, and then ordered the fool temporarily banished. I drove back to Front Royals urgent care center, fearing the whole way I might drop dead from heart failure. After the staff had administered various tests, including an EKG and a blood pressure check, the doctor informed me I was suffering from costochondritis, an inflammation of the upper rib cage. He prescribed some cheap medication, and I left that clinic with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. Visit to the ER In mid-February came the latest travail. Not only had the inflammation returned, but my heart rate and blood pressure had both accelerated, like some race car shooting out of the starting post. Encouraged by two friends, and by the readings from a blood pressure cuff Id purchased earlier, off I drove once again to the urgent care center. A nurse listened to my complaints, and then advised me to go to the emergency room at our local hospital. For the next five hours, I lay on a gurney in a room without books or magazines. An attendant gave me the remote control to the television, but I havent watched TV in years and didnt intend to start then. The cubicles around me, rooms with porous walls and in some cases curtains rather than doors, provided some diversion. One man across the way complained of excruciating back pain, a young woman vividly described her suffering from kidney stones, and a poor child in the next room spent three hours crying, whimpering, and intermittently throwing up. My bed faced the hallway, and as I watched the sick and wounded pass my door, I thought what a sad parade of humanity they made, and even sadder, that I was a member of that parade. I pondered the stupidities I had practiced in my lifetimesmoking at times, drinking too much wine and other spirits, failing to exercise these past two yearsand thought, Well, whatevers coming down the pike, you have no one to blame but yourself. Then once again came the reprieve. The doctor recommended I notify my family physician about the incident and my symptoms, which I had already done, and then ask him whether I needed to begin taking medication to reduce my blood pressure. Otherwise, I was good to go. Once again came a feeling of exhalation. On arriving home, had it not been for the melting snow and patches of water on the ground, I might have dropped to my knees and kissed the earth. Lessons Learned Many of my readers, I am certain, have undergone similar experiences, times when an illness or an accident might have killed or maimed them. Once averted, these disasters can act as teachers for us, reminding us of the preciousness of life and leading us to see the world through a new pair of glasses. Many of us, for example, may fall more fiercely in love with the world. Life is short, and all too often we fail to appreciate it. We get so wrapped up in obligations and duties that we overlook beauty: a sunset, the smile of a child, the laughter of a young stranger at the next table in the coffee shop. In the past 10 years or so, Ive gotten better at appreciating the little things, but the deer and the two health care visitations underscored my need to find even more time for such diversions. Those five hours in that hospital bed without diversions also made me think of those I cared for or loved. Some of them, I am confident, would miss me were I to hit the dirt rather than sticking around for as long as possible. My daughter and my friend John have already told me theyd be angry with me for failing to take better care of myself. Its past time to reform some of my habits and aim for longevity. Plus, I have promised a beloved and adventurous 8-year-old granddaughter that when she turns 21 well have a wild party. Finally, I told myself I needed to get my personal affairs in order. If I were to die suddenly, I would leave behind a huge mess for my children. Bank accounts, life insurance, the phone numbers and emails of friends, funeral arrangements, a will: all these need to be recorded in an orderly fashion, and I will soon have in hand a workbook that will help me in this endeavor. Gladiator The morning after my latest adventure, and for no particular reason, the movie Gladiator popped to mind. Ridley Scotts film contains some memorable lines about death, and three in particular seem appropriate here. At one point, Maximus, a Roman general enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator, says of his mentor, Marcus Aurelius, I knew a man who once said, Death smiles at us all. All we can do is smile back. To be afraid of death, which comes to us all, seems to me a fruitless enterprise. I do fear a prolonged fatal illness, one that would make my hours on that gurney look like a stroll in the park, but regarding death itself, I find myself in agreement with a remark made by Giovanni Falcone, the Sicilian prosecutor and hero murdered in 1992 by the Mafia: He who doesnt fear death dies only once. When a man sees his end, he wants to know there was some purpose to his life. So says Marcus Aurelius to Maximus, and the emperor then questions his own purpose and how others will remember him. Those words set me to thinking. What has been the purpose of my own life? Why am I here? What is the meaning of my life and how will others think of me when I am gone? Big questions, and I continue to mull over the answers. In the Arena As Maximus prepares to lead his men into battle against the Germans, he says to them, What we do in life echoes in eternity. I believe this to be true. All of us, whatever we do, however long we live, however insignificant our deeds, leave a footprint. That now-unknown Roman foot soldier in the legions of Marcus Aurelius may have fathered children who learned love from him or inspired friends to emulate his generosity and humility. His was but a tiny ripple in the big pond of history, but a ripple nonetheless. That line from Gladiator then led me to recollect Theodore Roosevelts Man in the Arena speech. Here is the core of that address: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Every day, I see men and women who enter that arena, who rise from their beds and assume their responsibilities. They go to work, raise children, and perform a thousand small tasks every day. These people along with heroes from history and literature inspire me to enter that arena as well, no matter my advancing years, to stay engaged and in love with life. Like the aged Ulysses in Tennysons poem, I have been made weak by time and fate, but must push myself, as must we all, to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings, and two works of non-fiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make The Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog. New Delhi, March 17 : The vaccines being supplied to foreign nations are not being sent on the expense of Indian taxpayers and a healthy balance is being maintained in the utilisation of vaccine doses, following the criteria set by the World Health Organization (WHO), Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. "A healthy balance is being maintained. Yesterday, over 30 lakh people got the vaccine. The criteria has been fixed according to the World Health Organization and other international standards. It is a dynamic process. Even today among the priority groups, anyone who wants a vaccine can register on the Co-WIN portal and get vaccinated. The vaccine is free at all government hospitals. Private hospitals can only charge Rs 250," he said while responding to query in the Upper House. He said that on Monday alone, 30 lakh people were vaccinated against Covid-19 and till now up to 3 crore people have been inoculated. Harsh Vardhan informed the Rajya Sabba Speaker that 5.94 crore doses of vaccines have been sent to 72 foreign countries so far. To a question by Sukhram Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party on whethere arrangements could be made for people above 60 years to get vaccinated at home, the minister replied that the matter will be raised before an expert committee. "The issue has been flagged to us but everyone who is vaccinated at hospitals is required to be kept under observation for 30 minutes. The matter will be raised before an expert committee and if it does not compromise their health, it can be considered," he said. On a query about the efficacy of the vaccines against the UK, South African and Brazilian variants, the minister stated that a particular vaccine is believed effective in neutralising the mutations. He assured the House that the Union Health Ministry in association with the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration against Covid-19 (NEGVAC) is in touch with all the latest developments in and outside the country. Meanwhile, Congress member Shakti Sinhg Gohil rued the slow pace of vaccination and said that so far only 0.35 per cent population has been vaccinated. "At this rate, it will take 18 years to complete the vaccination process for the entire population," he said. (HealthDay)A commonly prescribed component of the life-saving antiretroviral drug cocktails used to treat HIV may trigger weight gain, new research warns. The concern stems from tracking patients taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). Since the mid-1990s, the therapy has relied on various drug combinations to essentially outwit HIV, controlling viral loads and turning a once-deadly infection into a manageable condition. But the new research is raising questions about one drug featured in many ART recipes: tenofovir alafenamide, also known as TAF. There's no question that TAF works. The researchers noted that it is both effective and well-tolerated. And TAF has gained popularity in recent years because it poses less risk to kidney and bone health than another medication, called tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). But the new study found that over 18 months, patients on an antiretroviral regimen containing TAF gained nearly 4 pounds on average, compared to about 1.5 pounds among patients on drug cocktails containing TDF. That resulted in nearly 14% of normal weight TAF users becoming overweight or obese, compared with just over 8% of their TDF counterparts, the findings showed. "TDF and TAF are common parts of these combo drugs and most ART regimens," said Dr. Michael Horberg, director of Kaiser Permanente's division of HIV/AIDS and STDs. "That's why this study is so important." Horberg, who was not involved with the study but reviewed the findings, pointed out that both drugs are also part of most so-called PrEP regimens. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is designed to prevent HIV infections from taking hold in the first place, "so an even greater number of people [are] maybe using it for that," he said. Horberg said the newer TAF medication has been regarded as "the answer" to the main problem with the older TDF drug, which raised creatinine levels in some patients, an indicator of worsening kidney function. "And, in the most part, that's true," Horberg said. He said the new study is critical, however, because weight gain and worsening lipid levels are "not small issues either." Lipids are fatty substances that can build up and clog arteries. Most people don't want to gain weight because of medication, "and rising lipids can be associated with cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, strokes), which we want to prevent in people with HIV also," Horberg said. For the study, a team led by Dr. Bernard Surial of Bern University Hospital in Switzerland, reviewed weight gain data collected from more than 3,400 Swiss HIV patients between 2016 and 2019. All had been taking an antiretroviral cocktail containing the older TDF drug for at least six months, before switching to an ART regimen containing the newer TAF drug. Weight gain among patients who made the switch was then stacked up against nearly 900 patients who stuck with TDF during 18 months of tracking. In that time, the researchers found that not only were weight gains much more significant among TAF users, but so were rises in their cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which can signal increased risk of heart trouble. Horberg said the findings come as little surprise. "Our patients were noticing this weight gain before we were," he said. "And we used to say 'oh, it's not the meds. You're just eating more because you're doing better.' Well, we now know that's not true. And if they weren't having any kidney problems, we may have been trying to fix a problem that didn't exist" in switching therapies. So what does this mean for treatment options going forward? "Frankly, this has to be done on a case-by-case basis," Horberg said. One consideration is money, he noted, as TDF is now a generic medication and much cheaper than TAF. "We want everyone to have these medications available, including for PrEP," Horberg said. "But weight gain is a serious issue, and many patients do not like how it makes them feel or look," PrEP takers included. If weight gain is due to the medication, they'll stop taking it, Horberg said, so a balance must be struck. If there are kidney concerns, it's important to switch. If not, doctors should discuss the pluses and minuses of any change with their patients, he suggested. Dr. Rajesh Gandhi, a fellow at the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and chairman of the HIV Medicine Association, also reviewed the study findings. "This weight gain difference is something we pay attention to because we're trying to keep people healthy for decades, not for years," Gandhi said. The medicines that revolutionized HIV treatment in the mid-1990s effectively got the virus under control, but they don't eliminate it. That means once a patient starts taking ART meds, they continue for the rest of their lives, making side effects a concern, he explained. "Today, there are far fewer side effects than when ART came on the scene," Gandhi said. "And the weight gain found among those taking the newer formulation of tenofovir was relatively small. And not everyone was affected. But there was a difference." For patients with borderline kidney disease or osteoporosis, the new formula has a lot of advantages, Gandhi said, adding that more research into weight gain concerns is needed. In the meantime, decisions about which formulation to use should be based on a discussion with each patient's health care provider "and decided case by case," he said. The study was published online March 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Explore further Increased weight gain with HIV-therapy TAF medication Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SAN DIEGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alliant International University has, once again, received an eight-year accreditation reaffirmation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The WSCUC Commission evaluates institutional effectiveness and certifies eligibility for federal funding, including federal financial aid. The latest reaffirmation was conferred after an extensive institutional review which included evaluation of impact areas such as educational effectiveness; meaning, quality, and integrity of degree programs; student success; financial sustainability; and strategic planning. "This reaffirmation of accreditation affirms the quality of an Alliant education and highlights the value of our professional practice programs and our commitment to inclusive excellence across our university," said Andy Vaughn, President, and CEO of Alliant International University. "Alliant is proud of our strategic plan and growth and, more importantly, our ability to execute a plan that results in student success with transparency and accountability." As part of the accreditation reaffirmation review process, Alliant received recommendations for future improvement along with commendations. The Commission specifically commended the Alliant community for: Articulating a strong emphasis on professional practice, values and making a positive contribution to the community Committing to inclusive excellence by increasing focus and resources Implementing and executing an 18-month strategic plan, followed by a five-year strategic plan that set the university on a positive trajectory Improved morale through transparency, communication, accessible leadership, and commitment to employee well-being Adopting new technology to strengthen the infrastructure that will increase operational effectiveness and improve the student experience Strengthened assessment support "This process strengthens our university and serves as a reflection of the many contributions and significant impact of our Alliant community," said Tracy Heller, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Alliant International University. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with WSCUC in our efforts to continually improve academic outcomes and foster the highest levels of student success for all Alliant students." "As an Alliant community, we are proud of our strong student outcomes and lasting contributions students and graduates are making in their communities," said Patty Mullen, Associate Provost, Alliant International University. "We are grateful to our entire Alliant community for demonstrating their commitment and their efforts to support student success, which is an important factor in any accreditation decision." This is the most recent reaffirmation of accreditation; following various programmatic accreditation reaffirmations including the American Psychological Association, the Committee on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and the Arizona State Board of Education. More information on all of Alliant accreditations can be found here. "We are immensely proud of the Alliant community for this great milestone," said Jeff Keith, Chair, Alliant International University Board of Trustees. "It bolsters Alliant's role as a leader in professional practice education and is a testament to the impact of rigorous scholarship paired with extensive real-world practice." More information about Alliant's WSCUC Accreditation can be found here. More information about WSCUC can be found here and more information about Alliant can be found here. About Alliant International University Alliant is a private university accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) which offers programs in psychology, education, business management, forensic studies, and law. Alliant's mission is to prepare students for professional careers of service and leadership, and to promote the discovery and application of knowledge to improve the lives of people in diverse cultures and communities around the world. Alliant's vision: An Inclusive World Empowered by Alliant Alumni. More information is available at www.alliant.edu . Contact: Cielo Villasenor Alliant International University 858.635.4050 [email protected] www.Alliant.edu SOURCE Alliant International University Related Links www.alliant.edu Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., a professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, shows the experimental assays that test for compounds that may treat COVID-19. Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute A Nature study authored by scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and the University of Hong Kong shows that the leprosy drug clofazimine, which is FDA approved and on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, exhibits potent antiviral activities against SARS-CoV-2 and prevents the exaggerated inflammatory response associated with severe COVID-19. Based on these findings, a Phase 2 study evaluating clofazimine as an at-home treatment for COVID-19 could begin immediately. "Clofazimine is an ideal candidate for a COVID-19 treatment. It is safe, affordable, easy to make, taken as a pill and can be made globally available," says co-senior author Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., professor and director of the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. "We hope to test clofazimine in a Phase 2 clinical trial as soon as possible for people who test positive for COVID-19 but are not hospitalized. Since there is currently no outpatient treatment available for these individuals, clofazimine may help reduce the impact of the disease, which is particularly important now as we see new variants of the virus emerge and against which the current vaccines appear less efficacious." Promising candidate revealed by screening drug library Clofazimine was initially identified by screening one of the world's largest collections of known drugs for their ability to block the replication of SARS-CoV-2. Chanda's team previously reported in Nature that clofazimine was one of 21 drugs effective in vitro, or in a lab dish, at concentrations that could most likely be safely achieved in patients. In this study, the researchers tested clofazimine in hamstersan animal model for COVID-19that were infected with SARS-CoV-2. The scientists found that clofazimine lowered the amount of virus in the lungs, including when given to healthy animals prior to infection (prophylactically). The drug also reduced lung damage and prevented "cytokine storm," an overwhelming inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 that can be deadly. "The animals that received clofazimine had less lung damage and lower viral load, especially when receiving the drug before infection," says co-senior author Ren Sun, Ph.D., professor at the University of Hong Kong and distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). "Besides inhibiting the virus, there are indications that the drug also regulates the host response to the virus, which provides better control of the infection and inflammation." Clofazimine also worked synergistically with remdesivir, the current standard-of-care treatment for people who are hospitalized due to COVID-19, when given to hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. These findings suggest a potential opportunity to stretch the availability of remdesivir, which is costly and in limited supply. How clofazimine works The study showed that clofazimine stops SARS-CoV-2 infection in two ways: blocking its entry into cells and disrupting RNA replication (SARS-CoV-2 uses RNA to replicate). Clofazimine was able to reduce the replication of MERS-CoV, the coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), in human lung tissue. "Potentially most importantly, clofazimine appears to have pan-coronavirus activity, indicating it could be an important weapon against future pandemics," says co-senior author Kwok-Yung Yuen, M.D., chair of Infectious Diseases at the University of Hong Kong, who discovered the coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). "Our study suggests that we should consider creating a stockpile of ready-made clofazimine that could be deployed immediately if another novel coronavirus emerges." In July 2020 Sumit Chanda shared more about his team's race to find a treatment for COVID-19. Testing clofazimine in the clinic A Phase 2 trial evaluating clofazimine in combination with interferon beta-1b as a treatment for people with COVID-19 who are hospitalized is ongoing at the University of Hong Kong. Interferon beta-1b is an immunoregulator that is given as an injection and is currently used to treat people with multiple sclerosis. "Our data suggests that clofazimine should also be tested as a monotherapy for people with COVID-19, which would lower many barriers to treatment," says Chanda. "People with COVID-19 would be able to simply receive a regime of low-cost pills, instead of traveling to a hospital to receive an injection." Explore further New study identifies 21 existing drugs that could treat COVID-19 A city in Massachusetts legalized polyamory, a domestic partnership that allows three or more individuals. This is the second municipality to do such a thing in America. Reason wrote that the city of Cambridge approved an ordinance on Monday, amending an existing rule that says a domestic partnership is defined with only one partner. With the new statute, the city now defines a domestic partnership as an "entity formed by two or more" unrelated individuals. It will have to file a registration declaring that the individuals in the said partnership are "in a relationship of mutual support, caring and commitment" and intend to stay in such relationship, are not engage in another domestic partnership and regard themselves as a family. The new ordinance also does not require the individuals to be living together, as well as proving their familial relationship. Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition (PLAC) promotes polyamorous partnerships to be legally recognized, as well as other forms of "non-nuclear families." Diana Adams of Chosen Family Law Center said that the ordinance will protect non-nuclear families from stigma and discrimination. "The lack of legal protection makes non-nuclear families especially vulnerable to stigma and discrimination in employment, health care, housing, and social life. I have represented hundreds of clients who have been discriminated against because they're polyamorous, whether that meant being unable to visit their life partner in the hospital, losing child custody in court battles, or losing their job. Legal recognition of these families reduces social stigma and provides families with the stability we all deserve," Adams said. The City Council of Somerville legalized polyamorous partnerships in June last year. But Adams said that Somerville's statute stipulates provisions that are hard to put into practice, whereas the new Cambridge ordinance was drafted by PLAC's legal expert team and thus will "have much greater practical impact." Polyamory defies the biblical standard, since God created only one woman, Eve, to be Adam's partner. It will also contradict New Testament's description for an ideal specification of a deacon or elder to be "the husband of one wife," stated in 1 Timothy 3. As a blogger puts it, there is no love in polyamory and is incompatible with the biblical definition of marital love. Love in marriage is pure, committed, faithful and jealous. "Just as God is jealous for the worship that only He is worthy of (Exodus 20:5), so should spouses be jealous of the love that should only be given to them. Advocates of polyamory warn against the tendency towards jealousy," the blogger added. Christianity.com also stated that a relationship with multiple partners is not right before God, citing Exodus 20:14. The article added that Israel's practice of having several partners was picked up from its pagan neighbors. Another sign of God's opposition to this kind of partnership is the Bible's illustrations of individuals ending in chaos due to committing in such, like Solomon. The third king of Israel took a thousand wives that led him into idolatry and caused him to be unfaithful to the Lord. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Rapid deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning to tackle coronavirus must still go through ethical checks and balances, or we risk harming already disadvantaged communities in the rush to defeat the disease. This is according to researchers at the University of Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) in two articles, published today in the British Medical Journal, cautioning against blinkered use of AI for data-gathering and medical decision-making as we fight to regain some normalcy in 2021. "Relaxing ethical requirements in a crisis could have unintended harmful consequences that last well beyond the life of the pandemic," said Dr. Stephen Cave, Director of CFI and lead author of one of the articles. "The sudden introduction of complex and opaque AI, automating judgments once made by humans and sucking in personal information, could undermine the health of disadvantaged groups as well as long-term public trust in technology." In a further paper, co-authored by CFI's Dr. Alexa Hagerty, researchers highlight potential consequences arising from the AI now making clinical choices at scalepredicting deterioration rates of patients who might need ventilation, for exampleif it does so based on biased data. Datasets used to "train" and refine machine-learning algorithms are inevitably skewed against groups that access health services less frequently, such as minority ethnic communities and those of "lower socioeconomic status". "COVID-19 has already had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities. We know these systems can discriminate, and any algorithmic bias in treating the disease could land a further brutal punch," Hagerty said. In December, protests ensued when Stanford Medical Centre's algorithm prioritized home-workers for vaccination over those on the COVID wards. "Algorithms are now used at a local, national and global scale to define vaccine allocation. In many cases, AI plays a central role in determining who is best placed to survive the pandemic," said Hagerty. "In a health crisis of this magnitude, the stakes for fairness and equity are extremely high." Along with colleagues, Hagerty highlights the well-established "discrimination creep" found in AI that uses "natural language processing" technology to pick up symptom profiles from medical recordsreflecting and exacerbating biases against minorities already in the case notes. They point out that some hospitals already use these technologies to extract diagnostic information from a range of records, and some are now using this AI to identify symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Similarly, the use of track-and-trace apps creates the potential for biased datasets. The researchers write that, in the UK, over 20% of those aged over 15 lack essential digital skills, and up to 10% of some population "sub-groups" don't own smartphones. "Whether originating from medical records or everyday technologies, biased datasets applied in a one-size-fits-all manner to tackle COVID-19 could prove harmful for those already disadvantaged," said Hagerty. In the BMJ articles, the researchers point to examples such as the fact that a lack of data on skin colour makes it almost impossible for AI models to produce accurate large-scale computation of blood-oxygen levels. Or how an algorithmic tool used by the US prison system to calibrate reoffendingand proven to be racially biasedhas been repurposed to manage its COVID-19 infection risk. The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence recently launched the UK's first Master's course for ethics in AI. For Cave and colleagues, machine learning in the COVID era should be viewed through the prism of biomedical ethicsin particular the "four pillars". The first is beneficence. "Use of AI is intended to save lives, but that should not be used as a blanket justification to set otherwise unwelcome precedents, such as widespread use of facial recognition software," said Cave. In India, biometric identity programs can be linked to vaccination distribution, raising concerns for data privacy and security. Other vaccine allocation algorithms, including some used by the COVAX alliance, are driven by privately owned AI, says Hagerty. "Proprietary algorithms make it hard to look into the 'black box', and see how they determine vaccine priorities." The second is 'non-maleficence', or avoiding needless harm. A system programmed solely to preserve life will not consider rates of 'long COVID', for example. Thirdly, human autonomy must be part of the calculation. Professionals need to trust technologies, and designers should consider how systems affect human behaviourfrom personal precautions to treatment decisions. Finally, data-driven AI must be underpinned by ideals of social justice. "We need to involve diverse communities, and consult a range of experts, from engineers to frontline medical teams. We must be open about the values and trade-offs inherent in these systems," said Cave. "AI has the potential to help us solve global problems, and the pandemic is unquestionably a major one. But relying on powerful AI in this time of crisis brings ethical challenges that must be considered to secure public trust." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak Homeowners Collection provides an elegant experience for guests looking to get away from the hustle and demands of everyday life. With upscale amenities and lavish touches, each experience features Peacock Alley linens, a personal cottage greeting by cottage hosts and concierge services. Homeowners Collection Vacation Rentals is now Seasides largest vacation rental company in the idyllic Florida town, with more than 135 private vacation homes in its portfolio. The company, owned by Seaside homeowners, focuses on the luxury of simplicity. Founded in 2012, Homeowners Collection provides an elegant experience for guests looking to get away from the hustle and demands of everyday life. With upscale amenities and lavish touches, each experience features Peacock Alley linens, a personal cottage greeting by cottage hosts and concierge services. Guests can find the perfect vacation home in the walkable community on the Homeowners Collection website, with the selection ranging from cozy one-bedrooms to spacious six-bedroom cottages. For instance, the two-bedroom Sea Pearl with its open floor plan and multiple open-air porches is a favorite for some, while the classic Dune House with spectacular Gulf views is ideal for others. Beyond boasting the most homes to choose from, Homeowners Collection is one of the only vacation rental providers in the community that offers guests the option of next-day check-in for their trips, making spontaneous visits to enchanting Seaside possible. In addition to private home rentals, Homeowners Collection is the exclusive rental company for all Seaside venues, including The Chapel at Seaside, Chapel Courtyard & Lawn, Ruskin Park and Di Bicci Park for event venues and wedding venues. Now is a great time to book a trip to Seaside, with the new addition of The Green Stream food truck featuring organic cold pressed juice, acai bowls and smoothies, as well as the upcoming opening of The Spa Seaside, which will provide guests a chance to relax with a massage, facial or nail service. The town also has a number of outdoor concert series lined up this summer for those missing live music. Guests can avoid up to 12 percent of fees when they book directly on Homeowners Collection website: https://homeownerscollection.com/ About Homeowners Collection Vacation Rentals Homeowners Collection Vacation Rentals is an exclusive collection of premier vacation rentals operated by the homeowners of Seaside, Florida. The company manages more than 135 vacation rentals directly in Seaside, one of Americas most celebrated beachfront communities. For more information, call (855) 411-1557 or visit the collectives website at https://homeownerscollection.com. In the midst of daily suffering, Syria, a land long-tormented by the tragedy of war and violence, continues to seek the path of peace. Vatican News looks back at the care and concern the Popes have shown for the land and its people throughout the years. By Amedeo Lomonaco After ten years of conflict, Syrias ongoing civil war has exacted a heavy toll: more than 400,000 victims, 12 million persons displaced, and 12.4 million people suffering from food insecurity. Amid such darkness, the light of authentic peace has yet to be found. The way of peace "Peace does not demand winners or losers, but rather brothers and sisters who, for all the misunderstandings and hurts of the past, are journeying from conflict to unity. Let us ask for this in praying for the whole Middle East. Here I think especially of neighbouring war-torn Syria." The way of peace is not possible without "sharing and acceptance." These are the words that sum up the greatest hope for Syria, expressed by Pope Francis on 6 March during the Inter-religious Meeting in the Plain of Ur, in Iraq, in the land of Abraham. In the Press Conference two days later, on 8 March, during the return flight from Baghdad to Rome, Pope Francis recalled the suffering of the Syrian people. In particular, he thanked the generous countries, including Lebanon, that are receiving the migrants; and he recalled the prayer vigil for Syria on 7 September 2013. "I remember at the beginning of my pontificate that afternoon of prayer in St. Peter's Square, there was the rosary, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. And how many Muslims with carpets on the ground were praying with us for peace in Syria, to stop the bombing, at that moment when it was said that there would be a fierce bombing. I carry Syria in my heart. Fraternity for Syria and the world Dialogue and fraternity are the paths to take to eradicate the scourge of war. At the Angelus on 9 February 2020, the Pope recalled "this beloved and tormented Syria" and renewed a heartfelt appeal "to the international community and all those involved to use diplomatic means, dialogue and negotiation, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, to safeguard the lives and future of civilians." Also in 2020, during his visit to Bari for the Meeting on the Mediterranean as a frontier of peace, the Pontiff launched a new appeal for Syria at the Angelus. In 2019, Pope Francis recalled Syria's tragedy in his Address at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi. "Human fraternity, he said on that occasion, " requires of us, as representatives of the worlds religions, the duty to reject every nuance of approval from the word war. Let us return it to its miserable crudeness. Its fateful consequences are before our eyes. I am thinking in particular of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya. Together, as brothers and sisters in the one human family willed by God, let us commit ourselves against the logic of armed power, against the monetization of relations, the arming of borders, the raising of walls, the gagging of the poor." Jesus in the faces of the children of Syria One cannot remain indifferent before the suffering of the Syrian people, especially of Syrian children. In 2018, addressing participants at the Working Meeting on the Crisis in Syria and Neighbouring Countries, Pope Francis said, For too many years the conflicts of bloodshed in that region, and the situation of peoples in Syria, Iraq and neighbouring countries, have continued to cause great concern. He added, Every day, in prayer, I bring before the Lord the suffering and needs of the Churches and the peoples of these beloved lands, as too the needs of those seeking to provide help. In his Urbi et Orbi Message for Christmas 2017, the Pope said: "We see Jesus in the faces of Syrian children still marked by the war that, in these years, has caused such bloodshed in that country. May beloved Syria at last recover respect for the dignity of every person through a shared commitment to rebuild the fabric of society, without regard for ethnic and religious membership." Surviving despite the bombs For years, Syria has been torn apart by unspeakable suffering, caused by an evil that, above all, destroys consciences. "Today I want to speak to you about something that saddens my heart a lot: the war in Syria, now in its fifth year, said Pope Francis at the beginning of a video message on the occasion of the Caritas Internationalis campaign for peace in Syria in 2016. "It is a situation of unspeakable suffering that the Syrian people are victims of, forced to survive under bombs or to find escape routes to other countries or areas of Syria that are less war-torn: to leave their own home, everything." In 2015, receiving participants at the Meeting Organized by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum on the Humanitarian Crisis in the Middle East, Pope Francis noted that there are many victims of the conflict. In Syria and Iraq, evil destroys buildings and infrastructures, but especially the conscience of man. Syria and the so-called Islamic State In 2014, another dramatic page marked by unspeakable violence opened in Syria and Iraq with the creation of the so-called Islamic State. On 29 June 2014, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed from the mosque of al Nuri, in Mosul, the birth of a caliphate in a territory that included north-eastern Syria and the western region of Iraq. The city of Raqqa in north eastern Syria was declared its capital. A month before the birth of the so-called Islamic State, the situation was already explosive. Clashes and fighting had been raging for some time in large areas of the Middle East. On 30 May 2014, the Pope addressed a Message to Charity Workers in Syria: "I ask that all parties involved, looking to the common good, immediately permit humanitarian aid and as soon as possible silence the weapons and engage in negotiation, placing first the good of Syria, all of her inhabitants, and those who unfortunately have had to flee elsewhere and who have the right to return promptly to their homeland. I am thinking in particular of the beloved Christian communities, which are the face of a suffering and hopeful Church." How much more suffering must be endured? Reconciliation is the gift Pope Francis has always asked for the Syrian people. In 2013, a few days after his election as Pope, in his Urbi et Orbi Message for Easter, Pope Francis called for peace "for dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees who await help and comfort. How much blood has been shed! he exclaimed. And how much suffering must there still be before a political solution to the crisis will be found? It is a question that can be connected with the numerous appeals launched by Pope Francis for Syria, such as the one at the Angelus on 25 August 2013: "The increasing violence in a war between brothers and sisters with the escalation of massacres and acts of atrocity that we have all been able to see in the appalling images of the past few days impels me once again to raise my voice so that the clash of weapons may be silenced. It is not conflict that offers prospects of hope for solving problems, but rather the capacity for encounter and dialogue. Why so much horror? Benedict XVI on violence in Syria Earlier, Pope Francis predecessor, Benedict XVI implored the gift of peace for the people of Syria and neighbouring countries. Sadly, the din of weapons continues to make itself heard, along with the cry of the widow and the orphan, he said in Beirut during his Apostolic Journey to Lebanon. Speaking at the Angelus on the final day of his visit to the Land of the Cedars, Benedict asked, Why so much horror? Why so many dead? He followed up these questions with an appeal to the international community. "Those who wish to build peace must cease to see in the other an evil to be eliminated," he insisted. Benedict prayed, "May God grant to your country, to Syria and to the Middle East the gift of peaceful hearts, the silencing of weapons and the cessation of all violence!" John Paul II and the prayer from the Golan Heights The wounds in Syria's history were also recalled on several occasions by St John Paul II. In particular, during the Jubilee pilgrimage to Greece, Syria and Malta, Pope John Paul prayed at the Golan Heights, in the church in Quneitra, which had been half destroyed by the war. From this place, so disfigured by war, the Pope said, I wish to raise my heart and voice in prayer for peace in the Holy Land and in the whole world. The history of the city of Quneitra is connected to the "Six-Day War." It was almost completely destroyed before the Israeli withdrawal in June 1974. Paul VI: from hate to brotherhood Let feelings of envious rivalry and hatred be transformed into a feeling of forgiveness and fraternity: this was the hope expressed by St Paul VI in his Urbi et Orbi Message for Easter 1968. The Pontiff's words also refer to the difficult context of the Middle East. The world, in its constructive system of world harmony, has had a frightful shock from the recent conflicts in the Far East and in the Middle East, as well as in the land of Africa, Pope Paul said. May the great ideals of the orderly and peaceful organisation of the world rise again; may scepticism concerning the constitutional ineptitude of humanity to progress in freedom, justice and peace not triumph; but may hope be confirmed and, with hope, action be taken to resolve present conflicts and prevent future ones. Pius IX and the afflicted faithful of Syria The tragedy of war and violence is not a new factor in Syrias history. In the 19th century, shortly before Christmas 1860, Blessed Pope Pius IX, in his allocution Multis gravibusque, recalled "the afflicted faithful of Syria": We are distressed and moved," the Pontiff said, "by the wretched state of Christians in Syria." Although there had been some respite "from the suffering of a cruel massacre," violence had risen once again with "robberies and massacres". Pope Pius words referred to the bloody conflict that broke out in that region in the summer of 1860, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Christians. Even after 1860, Syria's history is marked by other dramatic moments. The future, for this tormented country, is a path to be travelled between anxiety and hope, a path that must be taken with a commitment to live in fraternity and peace and not only for Syria. To guard the safety of residents & employees, New Haven Assisted Living is offering COVID testing and vaccinations Tweet this "Being one of the first senior living communities to offer over 25 COVID vaccine clinics throughout our 10 Texas locations, we are excited to offer free COVID-19 testing so New Haven residents and staff can rest easily knowing they are living in the VERY safest place, said Tessa Wilson, Director of Operations at New Haven "I remain confident that the COVID-19 vaccines and testing will transform the healthcare industry so New Haven can continue to provide a safe place for our current and future residents." With the recent executive order issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, which went into effect March 10, 2021 relating to the opening of Texas business in response to the COVID-19 disaster, New Haven will continue following guidance from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding visitations, and infection control policies and practices. New Haven continues to excel in all 10 of their communities by identifying different ways to keep current and future residents safe from exposure to COVID-19. The New Haven team understands families still have concerns about placing their loved one in senior living, and their ongoing commitment is to provide high-quality care in an environment that is safe for seniors. About New Haven Assisted Living & Memory Care - New Haven Assisted Living & Memory Care is a luxury assisted living and memory care residence with 10 locations across Texas. New Haven invites residents to enjoy days filled with relaxation and ease of living, along with the finest in accommodations and senior care in a boutique style setting. Contact: Justin Yarmark, [email protected] SOURCE New Haven Assisted Living & Memory Care Related Links https://newhavenassistedliving.com/ In a moment of embarrassment for Pakistan's (PTI) government, Prime Minister Imran Khan's special assistant Shahbaz Gill was attacked with eggs and ink at the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday. Reports suggest that members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) threw two eggs and black ink at Gill as he walked inside the court premises. Speaking to reporters after the incident, Shahbaz said, "They are throwing the ink of their own corrupt actions. This is hooliganism. We will not hit 10 slaps in return for one, nor will we curse them in return for their curses. We are Imran Khan's followers, we will not take revenge, we will instead respond politically." An hour before the incident took place, Gill took to Twitter suggesting that he had learned of a deliberate assault on him. "I will be appearing before the honourable judges at the Lahore High Court at 2 pm today. My journalist has friends who found out that PML-N's gangster group was preparing to attack me. I am Imran Khan's soldier. I will come to the court as I am not afraid of you. I believe in politics, not in bullying like you," he tweeted. Ink and egg thrown on Shahbaz Gill , special assistant of PM @ImranKhanPTI at Lahore Hight Court pic.twitter.com/GmzjVoJOc2 PANKAJ CHOUDHARY (@PANCHOBH) March 15, 2021 Gill remained unhurt, however, a few drops of the ink landed on his face and palms. Chinese 'spy-cameras' found in Parliament's polling booths The incident comes just days after a massive ruckus broke out at Pakistan's upper house of Parliament after Opposition lawmakers found six spy-cameras at polling booths hours before casting votes for the Chairman post. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Dr. Musadik Masood Malik landed upon the secret 'Chinese' cameras placed right over the polling booths stirring another controversy in the already contentious elections for the Senate Chairman. Taking to Twitter, the two shared photographic evidence from the incident which showed how the pinhole cameras were installed inside the booth along with tiny ones hidden inside the screws of the doors. Following the shocking discovery, the house broke into an uproar with the voting process being disrupted. The session was later adjourned till 3 PM. The secret ballot was to be held on March 12 to elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Senate. SACRAMENTO Gov. Gavin Newsom would appoint a Black woman to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein if she does not finish her term, he said Monday. Newsom faced pressure from African American and progressive political leaders to name a Black woman to replace Vice President Kamala Harris when she gave up her Senate seat in January. Instead, he picked California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who became the first Latino to represent the state in the Senate. Harris departure left the Senate without any Black women. MSNBC host Joy Reid brought up the subject of what Newsom would do should another vacancy arise in an interview Monday. If in fact Dianne Feinstein were to retire, will you nominate an African American woman to restore the seat that Kamala Harris is no longer in the United States Senate? Reid asked. And do you have a name in mind? Newsom told her, We have multiple names in mind and the answer is yes. Feinstein, who at 87 is the oldest member of the Senate, has given no indication that she plans to retire before her term ends in 2024 or even then. She has no plans to step down, her spokesperson, Tom Mentzer, said in an email Monday. Newsom is under immense pressure to keep the states broad tent of liberal voters on his side as he launches a campaign to save his job in a likely recall election later this year. Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee of Oakland and Karen Bass of Los Angeles were among the Black women mentioned as possible replacements for Harris. Although Padillas selection made history for the states largest ethnic group, many Black women and groups promoting women in color in politics were upset that Newsom overlooked the most reliable base of Democratic voters. San Francisco Mayor London Breed, in December, called it a real blow to the African American community, African American women, to women in general. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global precast concrete market size is expected to reach USD 139.33 billion by 2028 registering a CAGR of 5.3%, according to a new report by Grand View Research Inc. Growing product utilization in the residential construction industry to reduce the overall cost of construction is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period. China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam are some of the major Asian economies that are witnessing an infrastructure boom. Thus, growing investments in the construction of underground and over the ground metro rail projects, bridges, tunnels, subways, and high-speed rail networks are anticipated to provide a major boost to the global market. Key suggestions from the report: In China , the structural building components segment is expected to grow at a CAGR 7.3% over the forecast period on account of the growing adoption of precast building structural piles and other foundational structures In 2020, the revenue for the residential end-use segment in the North America region stood at USD 10.62 billion owing to wide usage of precast architectural building components, such as walls, staircases, and bathroom pods, in residential construction In India , the infrastructure end-use segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.6% over the forecast period This growth can be attributed to the growing investments in the construction of various infrastructure projects, such as metro rail, high-speed train network, and bridges Technological advancements in concrete admixtures and construction chemicals are having a positive impact on the global market as these products help reduce the required curing time for the concrete and help reduce the overall construction time Read 80 page research report with ToC on "Precast Concrete Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Structural Building Components, Transportation Products), By End-use (Residential, Infrastructure), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028" at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/precast-concrete-market The product use helps the construction companies to achieve economies of scale, reduce overall labor requirements, and ensure the quality of the finished concrete modules. In addition, it also helps in speeding up the overall process and helps achieve significant savings, in terms of the overall time and cost required to complete the project. Key players in the market have undertaken several strategies, such as joint venture agreements with the local construction companies, to access the local markets. For instance, companies, such as Gulermak A.S. and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company are successfully carrying out metro rail construction projects in India in partnership with local companies. Grand View Research has segmented the global precast concrete market on the basis of product, end-use, and region: Precast Concrete Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2028) Structural Building Components Architectural Building Components Transportation Products Water & Waste Handling Products Others Precast Concrete End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2028) Residential Non-residential Infrastructure Precast Concrete Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2017 - 2028) North America U.S. Europe Germany France Italy U.K. Asia Pacific China India Japan South Korea Singapore Central & South America Brazil Middle East & Africa & Saudi Arabia List of Key Players of Precast Concrete Market Boral Ltd. Lafarge Gulf Precast Concrete Co. LLC Olson Precast Company CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. Forterra Tindall Corporation Spancrete ELO Beton Gulermak A.S. Find more research reports onAdvanced Interior Materials Industry, by Grand View Research: Indonesia Precast Concrete Market - The precast concrete products are majorly sold through two channels to the supply contractors and the construction companies. Top construction companies own in-house production capacities and subsidiaries for the production of precast concrete. Thus, market participants are highly inclined toward integration across the supply chain. Construction Chemicals Market - Growing infrastructural developments and rising demand, especially from Asia Pacific region, will propel the market growth in the coming years. The global market is expected to witness considerable growth on account of rising building and construction and other infrastructure activities. region, will propel the market growth in the coming years. The global market is expected to witness considerable growth on account of rising building and construction and other infrastructure activities. Civil Engineering Market - Rapid industrialization & urbanization in emerging economies coupled with the growing focus on the development of high-quality infrastructure worldwide is anticipated to drive market growth. An increasing number of infrastructure and capital projects is projected to boost the growth of the construction segment, which, in turn, is expected to drive the product demand over the forecast period. 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: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of Exxon Mobil Corporation ("Exxon" or the "Company") (NYSE: XOM) from November 6, 2019 through January 14, 2021 (the Class Period). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you purchased Exxon securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Exxon Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or MGuarnero@bernlieb.com. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose to investors: (i) Exxon forced its employees to use unrealistic assumptions regarding the timelines for well drilling in the Permian Basin; (ii) the foregoing assumptions served to artificially inflate the value of the Companys well operations in the Permian Basin; (iii) the foregoing conduct, when revealed, subjected Exxon to a heightened risk of regulatory investigation and oversight; and (iv) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On January 15, 2021, pre-market, the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled Exxon Draws SEC Probe Over Permian Basin Asset Valuation. The article reported that the SEC probe stemmed from a whistleblower complaint that, during a 2019 internal assessment, workers were forced to use unrealistic assumptions about how quickly wells in the Permian Basin could be drilled to reach a higher valuation, and that at least one worker who complained about the assumptions was fired. On this news, Exxons stock price fell $2.42 per share, or 4.81%, to close at $47.89 per share on January 15, 2021. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 29, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesnt require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member. If you purchased Exxon securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/exxonmobilecorporation-xom-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-stock-fraud-358/apply/ or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or MGuarnero@bernlieb.com. Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journals Plaintiffs Hot List thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2021 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. Contact Information Matthew E. Guarnero Bernstein Liebhard LLP https://www.bernlieb.com (877) 779-1414 MGuarnero@bernlieb.com 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. Human rights organisations in Tunisia and abroad called Tuesday for the release of a gay rights and democracy activist sentenced to jail for insulting police officers. Rania Amdouni, a 26-year-old LGBTQI rights campaigner often seen at pro-democracy protests, has been the target of an alleged smear campaign by police unions after taking part in protests against police repression in January. She was arrested on February 27 and sentenced days later to six months behind bars. Her appeal is set for Wednesday. Amdouni "was arrested when she complained of aggression on the street due to her physical appearance, considered 'non-conforming' to gender stereotypes," dozens of Tunisian, Moroccan, Algerian and French associations and activists said in a joint statement. Like many other lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex activists, Amdouni "is threatened daily on the street and in public places by security forces as well as anonymous citizens," they said. Amdouni's photo has been repeatedly posted on social media, particularly by police unions, accompanied by degrading comments, Amnesty International has cited her as saying. "Today Rania is the target of a police and judicial downward slide that the Tunisian authorities have chosen to favour in response to the economic, social and political crisis suffocating the country," said the statement's signatories, which included France's Human Rights League and the Tunisian Organisation Against Torture. They also called for the release of young people incarcerated during social unrest in January, which they said numbered more than 2,000. Tunisia's 2011 revolution sparked major advances in terms of freedom of expression and political freedoms. But the police and justice systems have seen few reforms. Consensual same-sex conduct is punishable by imprisonment. Amdouni's arrest and prosecution "sends a chilling message to activists who face harassment that if they dare to come forward to report police abuse they risk being turned from victim to accused", Amna Guellali, Amnesty International's regional deputy director, said in a separate statement. Story continues Guellali called Amdouni's sentencing "outrageous". "She must be immediately and unconditionally released and all the charges against her should be dropped". kl/cnp/lg/dv Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The Supreme Court has dismissed the legal challenge against President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to pull out from the International Criminal Court, a tribunal looking into the killings and alleged human rights violations in the country. The justices voted unanimously to junk the petition "for being moot and academic," the 15-member high court announced in a statement on Tuesday. Opposition senators filed their petition in May 2018, just two months after Duterte sent an "Instrument of Withdrawal" to the UN Secretary General, but it took the Supreme Court nearly three years to decide on the case. The country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, already took effect in March 2019. Petitioners urged the high court to invalidate the President's move, saying it violates Article 7, Section 21 of the Constitution, which states: "No treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate." Senators Kiko Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Leila De Lima, and Risa Hontiveros, as well as then Senators Antonio Trillanes and Bam Aquino said the provision applies to both entering and withdrawing from a treaty. The Duterte administration, however, argued that the Constitution is silent on this matter since it only requires Senate concurrence in the ratification of an agreement. The decision penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has not been released. But in its statement, the high court acknowledged that while the President is chief architect of foreign policy, he is still "subject to the Constitution and existing statute." "Therefore, the power of the President to withdraw unilaterally can be limited by the conditions for concurrence by the Senate or when there is an existing law which authorizes the negotiation of a treaty or international agreement or when there is a statute that implements an existing treaty," the tribunal said. A highly placed source from the Supreme Court told CNN Philippines that this "guidance" can be used for future reference, since the ICC case was already considered moot. According to the source, withdrawal from a treaty should follow the same manner it was entered into, citing the "Mirror Doctrine." Under the Rome Statute, a state may withdraw from the ICC upon a written notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. However, the pullout cannot prejudice any matter that was already under consideration of the tribunal before the withdrawal. This is why the ICC went on with its preliminary examination of Dutertes bloody war on drugs. The Senate approved a resolution ratifying the Rome Statute in 2011. After more than two years of study, the Office of ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said it found "reasonable basis to believe" that crimes against humanity have been committed in the anti-drug campaign. It cited crimes of murder, torture, and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm, based on information gathered from July 2016 and March 2019 the first three years of the drug war. The ICC is expected to decide by the first half of 2021 if it has jurisdiction to push through with a formal investigation. Malacanang insists it doesn't. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the country will not recognize any ICC probe. His predecessor, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo maintained that the Philippines was never a member of the ICC, saying the country's ratification of the Rome Statute was not published in the Official Gazette. CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. Memphis, Tenn. (March 16, 2021) - The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recently awarded Jonathan Wall, PhD, professor in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, a $1.79 million grant for his study titled "Developing a Theranostic Immunotherapy for Systemic Amyloidosis." Amyloidosis is a rare disease that occurs when abnormal protein aggregates (called amyloid) build up in tissues and organs, interfering with their normal functioning. Since early stages of the disease are often asymptomatic, most patients only seek treatment once it is clinically advanced, at which time significant amyloid deposits exist in the tissues and organ damage is present. In most cases, a diagnosis of amyloidosis results from symptoms of cardiomyopathy, renal insufficiency, or peripheral neuropathy. Current treatment focuses on limiting further production of amyloid protein in already diseased patients, but there is an urgent need to find a way to remove existing amyloid deposits. Lab studies involving amyloid-binding antibodies or antibody fragments designed to recruit cells capable of clearing amyloid, have been successful, however, none have yet been approved for clinincal use. In this study, Dr. Wall and his team in the Amyloidosis and Cancer Theranostics Program in Knoxville aim to develop a new peptibody (a peptide-fused antibody fragment) capable of clearing amyloid deposits in tissue, that is also "readily labeled for imaging." Dr. Wall has devoted 26 years to studying the pathogenesis of amyloid diseases. He and his team have conducted a Phase 1 FDA-approved PET/CT imaging trial involving a synthetic peptide capable of binding to amyloid and detecting the deposits in patients. In this new proposal, he will test how effective these novel peptibodies are at recruiting macrophages (cells that can recognize, engulf and destroy amyloid) and removing amyloid, using animal models of the disease. Their aim is to identify a lead candidate to use for molecular imaging and amyloid removal in clinical trials. "Our long-term goal is to generate an immunotherapeutic peptibody that can be radiolabeled to demonstrate amyloid binding in patients," Dr. Wall said. "The combination of identifying patients that would benefit from peptibody therapy, and an efficacious pan-amyloid reactive therapeutic could result in significant clinical benefit for patients with these devastating diseases." ### As Tennessee's only public, statewide, academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health through education, research, clinical care, and public service, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region. The main campus in Memphis includes six colleges: Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. UTHSC also educates and trains medicine, pharmacy, and/or health professions students, as well as medical residents and fellows, at major sites in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville. For more information, visit uthsc.edu. Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/uthsc, on Twitter: twitter.com/uthsc and on Instagram: instagram.com/uthsc. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - 57083 new coronavirus cases and 751 deaths from the disease were reported in the United States on Monday. With this, the national total of COVID cases increased to 29495420, according to latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. COVID death toll rose to 535628. California and Texas, the two worst-affected states, reported more than 100 COVID deaths while New York had the most number of daily new infections - 7119. CDC's most recent data show that cases continue to fluctuate somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 per day, with the most recent seven-day average approximately 52,500 cases per day. The most recent seven-day average of hospital admissions has also declined to just more than 4,700 per day. The United States continues to see decline in deaths, with the latest seven-day average just over 1,200 deaths per day, far better than where the country was in early January. Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that more than 1.3 million travelers passed through U.S. airports Friday, which is the highest number in a single day since last March, before the WHO declared the global pandemic. 'We have seen footage of people enjoying spring break festivities maskless. This is all in the context of still 50,000 cases per day. Equally concerning are the resurgences we are now seeing in some European countries. Each of these countries has had nadirs like we are having now, and each took an upward trend after they disregarded known mitigation strategies. They simply took their eye off the ball. These should be warning signs for all of us,' Walensky said at a Press Briefing Monday. 'Cases climbed last spring. They climbed again in the summer. They will climb now if we stop taking precautions when we continue to get more and more people vaccinated,' she told reporters. The CDC chief shared positive information emerging from nationwide vaccination. Quoting data from a new CDC MMWR report, she said that the vast majority of people are receiving both doses of anti-coronavirus vaccines within the recommended time frames. Based on the report, only about 3 percent missed their second dose. She added that the UK variant of coronavirus would be dominant in the U.S. by the end of March, or early April. White House COVID-19 Response Team Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt announced that the Biden administration will nearly double Medicare's reimbursement rates for administering COVID vaccines, from about $23 per shot to $40 per shot. That translates to a total of $80 for a two-dose vaccine. He also announced that under the American Rescue Plan, the administration will cover 100 percent of the cost for Medicaid and children's health insurance beneficiaries to get vaccinated. This protects states from bearing any costs associated with the increased Medicare reimbursement rates. He said that healthcare providers across the country are administering an average of 2.4 million vaccine shots per day. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de 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 contract extension of this previously entered into Master Supply Agreement provides an extension to a license to the companys patented SEA technologies along with a supply of custom sorbents over the next two years. Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. - - ( ) said it has signed a two-year master supply agreement contract extension with a major coal-fired utility located in Oklahoma. The contract extension of this previously entered into Master Supply Agreement provides an extension to a license to the companys patented SEA technologies along with a supply of custom sorbents over the next two years. We are pleased to continue working with this utility, which has been a continuous customer of ours for the past 5 years, receiving numerous operational benefits by working directly with ME2C for both a technology license and for ongoing product supply, said Richard MacPherson, president and CEO of ME2C Environmental in a statement In addition to a license to operate our patented SEA process for mercury emissions, the customer plant also receives operational support from our skilled team to improve overall plant operations and efficiency. This new contract extension reaffirms our attractive recurring revenue model. We believe that our business-first approach to our utility partners creates a mutual foundation for future growth opportunities in other burgeoning areas affecting the global power industry, concluded MacPherson. ME2C Environmental is a leading environmental technologies company developing and delivering patented and proprietary solutions to the global power industry. The company's leading-edge services have been shown to achieve emissions removal at a significantly lower cost and with less operational impact than currently used methods, while maintaining and/or increasing power plant output and preserving the marketability of byproducts for beneficial use. ME2C Environmental is a trade name of Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com A man accused of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking and receiving thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine through the mail was given bail on Monday. Advertisement Advertise With Us A man accused of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking and receiving thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine through the mail was given bail on Monday. Steven Gervais is charged in a number of incidents, the most serious of which happened on Nov. 11, 2020, federal Crown attorney Daniel Manning told the Brandon provincial court. Gervais is presumed innocent until proven guilty and the charges are still before the courts. On Nov. 11, Manning said a Brandon police officer was training a police dog to detect drugs at a local courier depot. The RCMP crime reduction enforcement support team was involved in an investigation of people using the courier to ship drugs from British Columbia to Brandon. One of the packages from B.C. had the return address marked as the courier depot it came from, said Manning. The police officer had information the address it was being sent to was someone related to Gervais. The officer had grounds to suspect the package could contain drugs, the Crown said, and the police dog gave the same indication. As a result, police set up surveillance on the delivery of the package, including the address it was set to go to. Manning said the officer saw a white taxi pull up outside the residence. Gervais then got out. Gervais allegedly then went to the door and went inside, before emerging a few minutes later with the package police had noted could contain drugs. Police stopped the taxi, said Manning, and Gervais was the only person inside. When officers approached the taxi, they allegedly saw him trying to discard the package in the seat behind him. "Theres some effort by Mr. Gervais to disassociate himself with that package," said Manning. Officers searched the package and found it contained approximately 247 grams of crystal methamphetamine, according to the Crown. Manning said the street value is between $5,000 to $6,000. Gervais was also allegedly found with more than $700 in cash. Then, on the morning of March 11, Gervais was allegedly at the Circle K convenience store on First Street, where Manning said he bought approximately $180 worth of merchandise with counterfeit American money. On Saturday, Manning said he was found at Walmart, after allegedly using more counterfeit money. The accused is also facing other drug charges from October 2020. Manning opposed Gervais being released on bail again, saying he had many opportunities to be in the community, but he keeps coming before the court and breaching conditions. Defence lawyer Andrew Synyshyn argued Gervais could be released on bail again, saying police saw fit to release him after arresting him on a number of occasions on significant charges. He also argued Gervais wasnt caught reoffending for a significant time between December 2020 and March 2021. Synyshyn suggested a bail plan where Gervais would live outside Brandon, which would hopefully keep him away from activities that bring him before the court. "Mr. Gervais did contact my office, he did say to me Brandon was becoming too much of a place where he found himself relapsing into his old ways," he said. Judge Patrick Sullivan said the decision wasnt an easy one to make, but he granted Gervais release on bail to live with family outside Brandon. He also placed him on a nighttime curfew. He said though if Gervais is arrested again, a judge would be very unlikely to release him. "I want to impress upon you, Mr. Gervais, the seriousness of the charges youre facing and reiterate that if you do not abide by these conditions, the likelihood of you being released again is very slim," said Sullivan. Gervais is next scheduled to appear in court in April. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Four-year agreement supports University of California's transition to Open Access Test and learn approach will implement UC's pioneering shared funding model at unprecedented scale ?LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Elsevier, a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, and the University of California (UC) have signed a ground-breaking memorandum of understanding to support open access (OA) publishing across the 10-campus UC system. Elsevier aims to find the right solutions to meet the diverse needs of academic institutions, researchers and funders around the world, while ensuring published research remains trusted and high quality. The four-year agreement pilots UC's pioneering shared funding model at an unprecedented scale and will support UC's libraries, funders and authors to increase open access publishing while also enabling all UC researchers to read Elsevier's extensive portfolio of journals. This agreement has the potential to support sustainable open access for the future, in particular for a highly research-intensive university such as UC and helps deliver the University's goal of securing open access to UC research. As part of the agreement, Elsevier will implement UC's shared funding model utilizing the company's leading publishing systems which enable funding from multiple sources such as library budgets, funder grants and researcher funds. It also presents an opportunity to better understand and learn from author adoption, helping progress open access publishing at UC and beyond. Ivy Anderson, Associate Executive Director of the California Digital Library, and co-chair of UC's publisher negotiation team said: "UC strives to support all scholars who wish to publish their findings open access, and this agreement marks a significant step toward that goal. We came a long way together to reach an agreement that will enable all UC research published in Elsevier to be freely available." Gino Ussi, Executive Vice President Research Solutions said: "Our agreement with UC delivers a real win for the world-class researchers across the UC system, supporting them to publish open access and read high quality, trusted research by others in Elsevier journals. The collaboration and flexibility from both sides led to a truly tailored approach, based on the needs of the research-intensive UC community, so that we can test and learn from author choices and enable a sustainable transition to open access for UC research." This agreement is the latest in a series of open access pilots Elsevier has launched with universities across the US and around the world. Elsevier is testing and learning from these agreements, enabling us to work with our partners to provide researchers and institutions around the world with choices that meet their diverse needs. In 2020 Elsevier published 81,000 open access articles, up 65 percent from 2019, making the company one of the largest open access publishers in the world. Nearly all of Elsevier's 2,600 journals now enable OA publishing. For more on how Elsevier supports open access, please visit our website. About Us About Elsevier As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems. In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions and funders. Elsevier employs 8,100 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on our 2,500+ digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell; our 40,000 eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world. Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com Playing our part in open research Where the need is greatest and we can make the biggest difference in a sustainable way, Elsevier makes research completely free to access. In addition, all our reading and discovery platforms have extensive free-to-read options. Some examples of this commitment include: Authors who publish with our journals are immediately able to share their peer reviewed, accepted manuscript on non-commercial personal homepages or blogs, within their institution, and with collaborators. We offer free access to relevant research for health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and caregivers are provided with papers related to medicine and healthcare upon request to help them better understand the latest research on their conditions. We ensure everyone can access a collection of the work from each year's Nobel Prize winners. We have also completely opened the archives for 140 journals, including Cell Press research journals after 12 months. Through Research4Life, institutions in 120 low- and middle-income countries receive affordable access to nearly 100,400 peer reviewed resources. As a founding member, Elsevier provides over a quarter of that content, as well as access to the abstract and citation database Scopus, and trainings for librarians. We automatically apply waivers or discounts to articles in fully gold OA journals for which all authors are based in a low-income country. Contacts: Alice Hunt Senior Vice President, Elsevier Communications UK a.hunt@elsevier.com Andrew Davis Vice President, Elsevier Communications UK andrew.davis@elsevier.com SOURCE: Elsevier View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635756/University-of-California-and-Elsevier-Sign-Ground-Breaking-Transformative-Agreement MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Gov. Tim Walz and several Democratic members of Minnesotas congressional delegation toured a community vaccination site at the Mall of America on Monday to highlight several pieces of the federal stimulus package passed last week. The package includes nearly $5 billion in aid for Minnesotas state, local and tribal governments, which includes funding to bolster the states vaccination apparatus. State officials warned against flouting public health measures like masking and social distancing as coronavirus mutations continue to circulate in the state. Health officials said the variant has the potential to derail the states progress against the virus. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) A bill to overhaul Mississippis tax structure is facing a critical deadline. It appears unlikely to survive, despite a push from Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. The governor says eliminating the income tax is the most important thing Mississippi can do for long-term growth. But the second-ranking leader in the Senate, Republican Dean Kirby, says he does not think there are enough Senate votes to pass the bill. It would phase out the income tax and the grocery tax. It also would increase the general sales tax and several other taxes. Tuesday is the deadline for Senate action to keep the bill alive. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. Foreign malign influence is an enduring challenge facing our country, Avril D. Haines, the director of national intelligence, said in a statement. These efforts by U.S. adversaries seek to exacerbate divisions and undermine confidence in our democratic institutions. While it was declassified by the Biden administration, the report is based on work done during the Trump administration, according to intelligence officials, reflecting the vastly different views that officers had from their political overseers, who were appointed by Mr. Trump. The report rebutted yearslong efforts by Mr. Trump and his allies to sow doubts about the intelligence agencys assessments that Russia not only wanted to sow chaos in the United States but also favored his re-election. They were disingenuous in downplaying Russias influence operations on behalf of the former president, Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California, who leads the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview. It was a disservice not to level with the public and to try to fudge the intelligence in the way they did. Some of the reports details were released in the months leading up to the election, reflecting an effort by the intelligence community to disclose more information about foreign operations during the campaign after its reluctance to do so in 2016 helped misinformation spread. During the 2020 campaign, intelligence officials outlined how Russia was spreading damaging information about Mr. Bidens son, Hunter Biden, in an attempt to bolster Mr. Trumps re-election chances. It also outlined efforts by Iran in the final days before the election to aid Mr. Biden by spreading letters falsely purporting to be from the Proud Boys, a far-right group. Accusations of election interference have been some of the most politically divisive in recent years. The intelligence report is akin to a declassified assessment in early 2017 that laid out the conclusions about Russias efforts in Mr. Trumps electoral victory, further entrenched the partisan debate over his relationship with Moscow and cemented his enmity toward intelligence and law enforcement officials. Uber said that, starting on Wednesday, all drivers in Britain would be defined as workers, a legal classification in the country that entitles the drivers to a minimum wage and vacation time. It does not give the full protections of the classification known as full employee, which includes paternity and maternity leave and severance pay if dismissed, among other benefits. In a statement, Uber said last months court decision provides a clearer path forward as to a model that gives drivers the rights of worker status while continuing to let them work flexibly, in the same way they have been since Ubers launch in the U.K. in 2012. Uber said drivers would receive the countrys minimum wage from the time they accept a ride request until they drop the passenger at the location, but not while they wait for someone to request a ride. Drivers can still earn more if a fare is higher than the minimum wage, as is often the case, Uber said. Starting April 1, Britains minimum wage for people over 25 years old will be 8.91 pounds, or about $12.40. Further legal disputes are still likely in Britain. An influential group of drivers criticized Ubers decision because it does not guarantee a base wage while drivers are waiting to be assigned a ride. A common complaint among Uber drivers is that the supply of drivers often exceeds demand from passengers, driving down wages because there are fewer fares to go around, a dynamic made worse during the pandemic as ridership has collapsed. This means that Uber drivers will be still shortchanged to the tune of 40 to 50 percent, the App Drivers and Couriers Union said in a statement. It is not acceptable for Uber to unilaterally decide the driver expense base in calculating minimum wage. This must be subject to collective agreement. The debate over whether drivers should be paid while they wait for fares has been contentious in Britain and abroad. Uber has argued that drivers would log on to the app to collect pay without giving any rides, forcing the company to assign shifts or limit when drivers work. But labor advocates said pay during wait time was essential for drivers to earn a wage comparable to workers in other sectors. What Uber is being forced to give workers in the U.K. is quite significant, said Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California, Hastings, who studies the gig economy. Theres a much broader opening available to the labor advocates and unions to make sure that all the laboring time is paid for, but it is certainly going to be a battle. Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister will be visiting India at the end of April. This will be the first International trip after Britains exit from the European Union as part of efforts to boost UK opportunities in the region, his office said on Monday. Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister will be visiting India at the end of April. This will be the first International trip after Britains exit from the European Union as part of efforts to boost UK opportunities in the region, his office said on Monday. PM Johnson had planned a trip in January to India as part of efforts to speed up trade talks between the two nations but had been compelled to cancel due to surging Covid infections at home. At the time, his office said he had hoped to rearrange the visit before Britain hosted the meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven rich nations in June, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to attend as a visitor. PM Johnsons government said it would be focusing towards the Indo-Pacific region as part of its Integrated Review of government policy for the coming years, saying the area increasingly represented the geopolitical centre of the world. It was only last month when Britain had made a formal request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), seeking membership of the 11-country bloc to open new avenues for post-Brexit trade and influence. In addition, she also applied to become a dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. We are pursuing trade deals from Australia to the US and around the world particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, a huge growth market for the future, foreign minister Dominic Raab wrote in December. Also Read: TSG CCP Spy Bust Exclusive: Unearthing of CCPs spy operations in Canada Also Read: NSIL aim to invest 10k crore on ISRO; India worlds next space hub? China and UK have a strenuous relationship over issues such as Hong Kong, Covid-19 and also denying Huawei an active role in Britains 5G network. It is believed that the deployment of Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers is also expected to raise military tensions in the South China Sea. The report in Reuters also mentioned that Johnson will focus on the UKs place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead. She will be holding the G-7 Summit and the COP26 climate conference in November. Also Read: Delhi gears for e-charging stations: Transport minister urges corporates to adopt EVs California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that he would appoint a black woman to her seat if 87-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein steps down. 'We have multiple names in mind and the answer is yes,' Newsom told MSNBC's Joy Reid. In December, Newsom selected California's Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill Sen. Kamala Harris' seat in the weeks before she was sworn-in as vice president. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (right) told MSNBC's Joy Reid (left) Monday that he would pick a black woman to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein if she stepped down 87-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the oldest person currently serving in the U.S. Senate. She was criticized for her handling of Justice Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing in October and has suffered some age-related slips Vice President Kamala Harris (left) was replaced by Alex Padilla (right), the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate. With Harris' exit there are no black women currently serving in the Senate Padilla was a historical pick as the first Latino to represent the state in the U.S. Senate. But without Harris, there are zero black women currently serving in the U.S. Senate, and just three black men: Sens. Cory Booker and Raphael Warnock, both Democrats, and Tim Scott, a Republican. Feinstein hasn't indicated that she'll retire anytime soon. Her office did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. She told pool repoters on Capitol Hill that she planned to serve her full six-year term. Feinstein is up for re-election in 2024. She said she was 'absolutely' able to server fully. 'I think that's pretty obvious,' she said. The California Democrat told reporters she and Newsom are 'good friends.' 'I don't think he meant that the way some people thought,' she said. 'I don't know about his plans but his relationship with me I think is good and strong. I mean, you're making a mountain out of a molehill.' However, there has been pressure for the octogenarian to leave her seat after her handling of now Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings. Democrats were angered when Feinstein, as the Judiciary Committee's ranking member, gave a hug to Chairman Lindsey Graham and complimented his handling of the hearings - which gave former President Donald Trump a third Supreme Court pick in four years, after Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell held up former President Barack Obama's final Supreme Court pick Merrick Garland for 10 months, allowing Trump to fill the vacancy instead. San Francisco Mayor London Breed (pictured) is among the women on California Gov. Gavin Newsom's list to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein, according to Politico's California Playbook Also in the mix, according to Politico's California Playbook are Reps. Barbara Lee (left) and Karen Bass (right) In late September and October, Republicans jammed through Barrett's nomination - filling liberal stalwart Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat - within weeks, with hardly any resistance from Senate Democrats including Feinstein. Responding to criticism from some prominent Democratic groups, Feinstein announced in November she wouldn't lead the Judiciary Committee in the next Congress. Feinstein, the oldest senator currently serving, has also had some age-related embarrassing moments - like asking Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey the same exact question twice at a hearing, as captured in a New Yorker report. Politico's California Playbook reported that on Newsom's list were Reps. Karen Bass and Barbara Lee, along with San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Aimee Allison, the founder of She the People, a California group trying to get women of color in higher office, told Politico that Newsom's statement was a 'game changer,' calling his commitment 'incredible - and long overdue.' But Newsom, speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper Tuesday afternoon, said of Feinstein 'she's not going anywhere,' calling her both a mentor and a friend. 'I talk to her all the time, but in the context of that question about a hypothetical, yeah, I answered it and I stick by my answer, but I have all the confidence in the world I'll never have to make that decision.' AU Small Finance Bank share rose over 4% today after the company raised Rs 625.50 crore via qualified institutional placement (QIP). Share of AU Small Finance Bank gained 4.28% to Rs 1,238.05 against previous close of Rs 1187.25 on BSE. The stock trades higher than 20 day, 50 day, 100 day and 200 day moving averages but lower than 5 day moving averages. The large cap share has gained 35.83% in one year and risen 43.93% since the beginning of this year. Market cap of the firm rose to Rs 37,666 crore on BSE. "..... board approved allotment of 50,00,000 equity shares of face value Rs 10 each to eligible qualified institutional buyers at the issue price of Rs 1251 per equity share, i.e., at a premium of Rs 1241 per equity share aggregating to Rs 625,50,00,000," the company said in BSE release. Stock Market Live Updates: Sensex, Nifty hold early gains; Tata Communications falls 7% The issue was launched on March 9 with a floor price of Rs 1,181.06 and closed on March 15. Pursuant to the allotment of equity shares in the issue, the paid-up equity share capital of the bank stands increased from Rs 307,08,99,980 consisting of 30,70,89,998 equity shares to Rs 312,08,99,980 consisting of 31,20,89,998 equity shares, the company said. The issue saw strong interest from both domestic and international institutional investors. The entire QIP was subscribed by sovereign wealth funds, large foreign portfolio investors, life insurance company and domestic mutual funds. AU Small Finance Bank share climbed 3% on March 10 after the lender launched its qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue to raise growth capital. The large cap stock has gained after 3 days of consecutive fall. The share touched an intraday high of Rs 1,268, rising 2.98% against previous close of Rs 1,232.55 on BSE. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - An investigation is underway after a bald eagle was found dead in Vigo County. It happened in the southern part of the county. Indiana DNR the juvenile bald eagle was found dead in a tree on March 10. An investigation into the eagle's death determined it was shot in the breast area. Officials have offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to a conviction of the person who shot the eagle. West Bengal elections 2021: 'TMC government playing with emotions of Hindus,' says UP CM Yogi Adityanath India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Balarampur, Mar 16: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, campaigning in West Bengal for the upcoming assembly polls, on Tuesday alleged that the TMC government here was playing with the emotions of the Hindus by "forcibly opposing" anything associated with Lord Ram. Advising his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to refrain from doing so, the BJP's star campaigner said, if she did not do so, people will remove her from power. In this context, without naming the Samajwadi Party (SP), the UP chief minister said, "there was a government in my state which opposed Lord Ram. It is nowhere now". Addressing a rally for the upcoming assembly polls, Adityanath said, "In Bengal, there is an attempt of forcible opposition against (Lord) Ram... the state government is playing with the emotions of the Hindus. I will urge Mamata didi not to oppose Ram." West Bengal elections 2021: Change brought by BJP compelling Mamata to visit temples, says Yogi Adityanath He asserted that 'Jai Shri Ram' is not only used as a slogan by BJP activists, people also invoke Lord Ram's name as a greeting and for other reasons as well. "Even after a man dies we chant 'Ram naam satya hai' during the last rites. (Lord) Ram is there in our every breath. Nobody can separate us from Ram," he said. The TMC's rhetoric opposing Lord Ram will not succeed, the BJP leader said. The saffron party, he said, has brought about a change in the country after coming to power at the Centre as prior to it, a section of people believed that even visiting temples would pose a threat to their secular credentials. The change is also compelling Mamata Banerjee to visit temples and do 'Chandi Path' in public now, the UP chief minister said. "Isn't this a change? This is new India. Each and every person has to go to God," Adityanath said at Balarampur in Purulia district. The 'Chandi Path' is one of the most ancient and complete systems of mantra worship of the divine mother goddess in the Hindu tradition. Slamming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his temple visits at the time of elections, the BJP leader said, "A priest had to tell him to sit in a correct posture when he went there." West Bengal elections 2021: Amit Shah hatching conspiracy to harass us, says Mamata Banerjee Hitting out at the Congress, he said, that by including Article 370 in the Constitution, the "seeds of terrorism were sown in the country". Article 370 acknowledged the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of autonomy and its ability to formulate laws for its permanent residents. "In 1952, the Congress forcibly included Article 370 in the Constitution sowing the seeds of terrorism in the country. The BJP government under Narendra Modi(ji) scrapped Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir to take the country forward," Adityanath said. Describing the BJP as a party which fulfills its promises, the UP chief minister referred to building of the the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Highlighting the advantages of having 'double-engine' government at the Centre and state, Adityanath cited successful completion of several projects in Uttar Pradesh. The UP CM was here to address three election meetings in Balarampur (Purulia), Raipur (Bankura) and Belda (Paschim Medinipur). The 294 assembly seats in West Bengal will go to the polls in eight phases beginning on March 27 and the votes will be counted on May 2. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 19:54 [IST] A member of staff at a cafe in Rome on Monday as much of Italy returned to lockdown. (AFP via Getty Images) Italy went back into lockdown on Monday as Europe battles a third wave of coronavirus infections. It is one of the European countries that has been worst hit by coronavirus, with more than 100,000 deaths, a figure second only to the UK. Italy's lockdown comes as a number of countries suspend the rollouts of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine over fears the jab is linked to blood clots. Yahoo News UK looks at lockdown measures across parts of Europe. GERMANY At the start of this month, Angela Merkel announced plans to extend lockdown until 28 March at the earliest while, crucially, easing some restrictions at the same time. As a result, some schools as well as businesses such as florists and hairdressers have been allowed to reopen. It was also announced that regions with low infection rates could unlock more quickly. However, since then, infections have climbed with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases now warning that the number of daily reported cases could exceed 30,000 in the 14th week of the year starting April 12. The death toll from the virus in Germany stands at 73,301, with a reported 2,558,455 infections. Frustration about the ongoing lockdown and the slow pace of vaccinations has also been denting support for Chancellor Angela Merkel. Leaders are due to meet again on March 22 to discuss whether any further relaxation of the rules is possible. PORTUGAL At the other end of the scale, Portugal has slowly emerged from a two-month lockdown that saw it, at one point, have the highest death rate on the continent. From today, nurseries, pre-schools and primary schools will reopen, as well as hair salons and book shops. Restaurants will only be allowed to open their doors in May. The measures to ease the lockdown will be revaluated every 15 days, ITALY Watch: Italy lockdown leaves Venice deserted Infections in Italy increased by 10% last week, leading the country back into lockdown from Monday. Story continues Schools and shops are closed in more than half of the country, including Rome and Milan, while there will be a national shutdown over Easter from 3 to 5 April. Prime minister Mario Draghi announced on Friday that Italy would return to lockdown, meaning people must stay at home except for work, health or essential reasons. Coronavirus cases have been rising for the past six weeks, reaching more than 25,000 a day. Seven of the countrys 20 regions have been moved to its most severe tier of restrictions red including Lombardy and Lazio comprising Milan and Rome. CZECH REPUBLIC According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 1.4 million coronavirus cases and more than 23,300 deaths in the Czech Republic. Last month, prime minister Andrej Babis warned of "hellish days ahead". At the beginning of this month, its government announced a three-week lockdown until 21 March. Residents have been told to remain at home except for essential travel and are banned from moving between districts, apart from for work. The only shops that can open are supermarkets, pharmacies, opticians and florists. The restrictions follow a state of emergency that has been declared for 30 days between 27 February and 28 March. FRANCE At the beginning of this month, French president Emmanuel Macron said a current nationwide curfew would remain in place for another four to six weeks. Under the restriction, people in France must stay at home from 6pm to 6am. An 8pm curfew was brought in across the country on 15 December but was brought forward to 6pm a month later. An end date for the measure has not yet been set. A man wearing a face mask walks past a cafe in Paris on Monday. (AFP via Getty Images) On Sunday, France reported more than 26,000 new daily cases of coronavirus, while the country has had more than 90,000 deaths. Prime minister Jean Castex said on Sunday the country must do everything it can to avoid another nationwide lockdown. GREECE On Friday, the government announced that all schools would close nationwide. It also placed three more regions in Greece in its top red tier for COVID-19 restrictions. Greece has a current average of about 2,100 new daily cases of coronavirus. A lockdown in Athens has been extended until 22 March. Non-essential shops are also closed and curfews have been in force in Athens and other red zones since February. Greece has had more than 221,000 cases of coronavirus and more than 7,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. However, it has already started inviting Britons to book their summer holidays there. SPAIN A six-month state of alarm is currently in place and is set to run until 9 May. It allows Spains regional governments to introduce their own restrictions, including curfews. However, Spains health minister Carolina Darias said last Friday that the state of alarm could be extended. The state of alarm imposed a nationwide curfew between 11pm and 6am, although regions can alter these times by one hour. Last week, Spain announced strict measures on travelling between regions over the Easter period from 26 March to 9 April. Watch: More European nations suspend use of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine Welcome Guest! You Are Here: New Delhi, March 17 : Elections are not just about voting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, noting that even Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi used to have and win polls. "Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi used to have elections and used to win them. It wasn't like there was no voting but there was no institutional framework to protect that vote. "An election is not simply people going and pressing a button on a voting machine. An election is about narrative. An election is about institutions that make sure that the framework in the country is operating properly, an election is about the judiciary being fair and a debate taking place in parliament. So you need those things for a vote to count," he said in a conversation with Prof Ashutosh Varshney of Brown University on the "Democracy And Dialogue". On criticism of India by certain foreign groups and institutions, Gandhi said: "We don't need foreign institutions to certify this... they have their views and frankly we don't need a stamp from them. But what they saying is correct, the situation is much worst than they imagine." He alleged that be it the parliament, judiciary or the media, there is a constant onslaught on the institutions by the current government. On the 'G-23' letter and subsequent meeting of the 'dissident' leaders in Jammu, Gandhi said that it is because that Congress has internal democracy, they can speak. "There is a group of about 20 people in the Congress who have different views but do you think they can exist in the BJP, the BSP or the TMC... No, they cannot exist in any other party except the Congress," he said. "Neither the BJP nor the BSP or any other political parties have elections but I understand that the Congress has a bigger responsibility, and we should absolutely have elections and absolutely elect our leaders." He also said that his biggest problem with the BJP and the RSS is that they have no capacity to look inside themselves. He also said that he is being attacked by the BJP "despite nobody from my family being a Prime Minister from the last 30 years but there is an obsession that somehow we are in power". On his defeat in 2019, he said massive polarisation in north India with total financial and social dominance could be some of the reasons. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label. NATO to analyze comprehensive aid package allocated to Ukraine for its further adaptation to Kyiv's modern needs Secretary General's report The Allies in the North Atlantic Alliance intend to review the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, the decision on the allocation of which was made at the 2016 summit in Warsaw, to adapt to the current needs of Kyiv. Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in the report presented during a virtual press conference, that work on preparation for the upcoming review of the Comprehensive Aid Package for Ukraine to better align this package with current Ukrainian requirements is already underway. The review will be completed in 2021. The document states that during 2020 the allies remained firm in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Despite the challenges posed by coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the NATO-Ukraine Commission met several times throughout the year to promote a special partnership between NATO and Ukraine. NATO Allies and Ukraine supported each other in the delivery of medical equipment and expertise. The Secretary General also said that since June 2020, the North Atlantic Council granted Ukraine the status of a partner with expanded capabilities, recognizing the country's great contribution to NATO missions and operations, including in Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as its participation in the NATO Response Force and NATO exercises. ... Stoltenberg said this shows Ukraine's commitment to Euro-Atlantic security. In addition, according to the report, NATO continued to support the reform of the Ukrainian security and defense sector. The alliance's advisers have worked with their Ukrainian counterparts to develop a new Ukraine's National Security Strategy and Intelligence Law. Both were adopted by Ukraine in September and represent steps forward on Ukraine's path to Euro-Atlantic integration. The secretary general also said that NATO has also invested in practical support for Ukraine through 16 different programs under the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 05:54:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel will allow flights to the country from all locations, following a decision by the cabinet to enable Israelis to arrive ahead of the national elections scheduled for March 23. However, the cabinet decided to keep a quota of no more than 3,000 arrivals per day. Passengers will be required to carry out coronavirus tests at the airport. Israel has imposed a ban on incoming and outgoing flights on Jan. 24, 2021. It later eased the restrictions, allowing some flights from London, Frankfurt, Paris, Kyiv, and New York. The reopening of the skies comes about a week before Israel's unprecedented fourth elections within two years, following three rounds of inconclusive elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a tight race with several rivals, seeking to be re-elected despite a criminal trial over corruption charges. Enditem Millions of people in dozens of countries have received the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine with few reports of ill effects, and its prior testing in tens of thousands of people found it to be safe. But recently, blood clots and abnormal bleeding in a small number of vaccine recipients in European countries have cast doubt on its safety, although no causative link has been found between the patients conditions and the vaccine. The reports have prompted more than a dozen countries to either partly or fully suspend the vaccines use while the cases are investigated. Most of the nations said they were doing so as a precaution until leading health agencies could review the cases. The AstraZeneca vaccine has not been authorized for use yet in the United States, although a review of its U.S. trial is expected soon. What types of problems caused the countries to take precautionary steps? The cascade of decisions to pause the use of AstraZenecas vaccine, mainly by European countries, followed reports of four serious cases in Norway, which were described among health workers under age 50 who received the vaccine. Most developed clots or bleeding abnormalities and had low platelet counts, health authorities there said. Two of them have died from brain hemorrhages, and the other two are hospitalized. The death of a 60-year-old woman in Denmark and of a 57-year-old man in Italy also fueled quick decisions, although none of the deaths have been fully investigated to determine whether there is any link to the shots they received. Inc. magazine today revealed that Ruby Has Fulfillment is No. 82 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: New York City Metro list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing New York City area-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the NYC area economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Ruby Has is thrilled to rank on the annual INC.5000 regionals list of fastest-growing private companies in the NY Metro, said Rafael Zakinov, founder and CEO of Ruby Has. This distinction demonstrates our commitment to provide best in class ecommerce fulfillment offerings during a time of radical transformation in the retail industry. With a focus on advancement of technology, automation, robotics and a growing footprint of distribution centers, we will continue to work hard to help our clients not only navigate but thrive in the current environment. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in the New York City area. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 214 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 48,000 people and added nearly $9 billion to the NYC Metro area economy. Companies based in Stamford, Connecticut, New York City, and central New Jersey brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: NYC Metro area, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/new-york starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in the New York City area no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. About Ruby Has Fulfillment: Ruby Has is one of the fastest growing e-commerce fulfillment providers (ranked by Crain's Fast 50 in 2018-2020 and Inc. 5000 for five consecutive years) for direct-to-consumer brands and retailers. Ruby Has leads the 3PL industry with cutting-edge technology, seamless integration, and an uncompromising commitment to quality. With distribution center locations in New York, New Jersey, California, Nevada, Kentucky and Ontario, Canada, Ruby Has provides a strategically located international footprint of fulfillment solutions, with faster shipments and reduced costs. For more information, visit rubyhas.com. CONTACT: Ali Finer Ruby Has ali@rubyhas.com 612-209-4575 More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. The Mini is to go all-electric by 2030, bosses at parent company BMW will announce tomorrow. The Oxford-based British car-maker will launch its last vehicle using internal combustion engines in 2025. BMW predicts that by two years from then half the cars it sells will emit zero emissions. And by 2030 they will account for 100 per cent of production, a date that sits in line with Britain banning the sale of pure internal combustion engine cars, with hybrids allowed until 2035. Only electric Minis are expected to be on sale from 2030, with the Oxford-based car-maker set to launch its last petrol-powered vehicle in 2025. The Electric Mini is pictured here The Oxford plant employs more than 4,000 workers who produce around 1,000 Minis a day, a small fraction of them electric. In December BMW announced a deal with Great Wall Motor to make Minis in China from 2023 to meet the rising demand for emission-free driving both in China and in the other global markets. This caused concerns over the longer-term future of the Oxford site. However, insiders point out that the plant is the first of the BMW Group in Europe to have an integrated production line for electric and petrol vehicles. It is hoped this will ensure a relatively seamless switch to electric-only. BMW has also invested heavily in the UK, with an engine plant at Hams Hall in the Midlands. There has even been speculation that the company may take over the soon-to-be vacant Honda site in Swindon. BMW predicts that by 2027 from then half the cars Mini sells will emit zero emissions The Mini plant in Oxford employs 4,000 workers who produce around 1,000 Minis a day, insiders believe the move to electric could be a good sign, as the factory is the first of the BMW Group in Europe to have an integrated production line for electric and petrol vehicles The move from BMW follows similar decisions to go all-electric by Ford, Jaguar and Volvo. Bentley also says it will pursue greater electrification. Britain has brought forward its ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to 2030 and Europe is moving in the same direction. Jaguar Land Rover revealed its plans to shift away from petrol and diesel engines recently. The most eye-catching element was Jaguar moving to a pure-electric brand by 2025. Land Rover will also launch six new pure electric models in the next five years and every car in its range will have an electric option by 2030. The I-Pace SUV (pictured) is currently the only electric vehicle in Jaguar's range. Launched in 2018, prices start from 65,195 BMW said recently it planned to lower its CO2 emissions on the road by 40 per cent through millions of electrified vehicles, adding: In ten years, the goal is to have a total of more than seven million electrified BMW Group vehicles on the roads around two-thirds of them with a fully-electric drive train. CEO Oliver Zipse said then: We are using our exceptional technological expertise in both hardware and software not only to make these vehicles desirable, but also to help reduce CO2 through them. Ford which recently launched its all-electric Mustang Mach-e - said last month that all its cars sold in Europe will be electric only by 2030. Britain has brought forward its ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to 2030 and Europe is moving in the same direction. BMW took control of Mini in 1994 when it bought the Rover Group, keeping the iconic small car brand when the rest of the firm was sold on. The first modern BMW-made Mini rolled off the Oxford line 20 years ago in April 2001. Security forces shot and killed at least 51 people in Myanmar over the weekend as the nationwide protests against last months military coup carried on in cities and towns across the Southeast Asian country despite the juntas violent crackdown. According to The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 38 protesters were killed on Sunday alone, a day that has been described as one of the bloodiest since the unrest began on Feb. 1. On Feb. 1, the military detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in response to her National League for Democracy partys landslide victory in last years election. The coup makes an army general the de-facto leader of the country. The New York Times reports that at least 51 people were killed by soldiers and police officers over the weekend as the nationwide civil disobedience movement shows no sign of waning despite the military juntas continued use of force, teargas, rubber bullets and live rounds to silence protesters. Source:The Christian Post INDUSTRY INSIGHT 3 ways agencies can restore cybersecurity trust Government agencies have been unable to maintain trust in their cybersecurity capabilities this past year, and for good reason. The onset of the pandemic, followed by a year of tumultuous cyberattacks, has further damaged an IT infrastructure that had long been vulnerable to bad actors, nation-state and otherwise. The perfect storm of pandemic-related events and vulnerable infrastructure has challenged federal, state and local governments. Not only did 2020 see a massive increase in data breaches, with the first quarter of the year showing a 278% increase in leaked government records, cyberattacks happened on a much larger scale, as seen with the SolarWinds hack that affected governments and businesses. These events have clearly shown that if governments continue relying on outdated and insufficient systems and protocols, the number of successful attacks will only grow in size and consequence. Governments must seriously re-evaluate how to safeguard their data and valuable assets, for the protection of both their sensitive infrastructure and their employees. Fortunately, there are three steps that organizations can take to significantly decrease their chances of suffering a severe cyberattack in the near future. 1. Implement a security-first infrastructure Unlike perimeter-based security, security-first infrastructure has the potential to be dynamic, flexible and effective in various scenarios. A foundational piece of a security-first infrastructure is zero trust, an IT methodology that always assumes that a threat can come from both outside and inside an organizations network. Zero trust uses constant vigilance and verification to ensure all data, devices, applications and users can be trusted. It must be a given to ensure a security-first infrastructure, especially with remote workers. In fact, zero trust helped limit the severity of malware spreading across networks from the SolarWinds attack. A zero-trust infrastructure does have its challenges, such as migrating legacy applications and defining use cases, but these issues can be solved with an incremental yet consistent application of zero trust, as well as leadership setting and defining scope and expectations for choosing appropriate tools. A security-first infrastructure also requires proper tools and platforms to enable its success. Its important that organizations choose tools and platforms that are built on secure foundations specifically meant to protect sensitive and valuable information. This would include tools and software that implement out-of-band communications for data protection and provide end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across all collaboration platforms, including voice, video, messagin, and file sharing. The use of unauthorized tools should be strictly prohibited, as consumer-focused applications or shadow IT could result in major breaches of compliance policy. After implementing zero trust and secure collaboration tools, agencies can then evaluate the rest of their practices and policies. 2. Eliminate BYOD Theres no doubt that the shift to remote work blurred certain lines when it came to rebuilding the workplace at home. Although bring-your-own-device policies existed prior to the pandemic, personal devices had never been utilized to the extent that was required this past year. However, BYOD has become far too great of a security risk to continue as a common operating practice in 2021. Remote workers operate outside of standard-based protections, like firewalls and secure systems. This fact -- combined with a lack of secure infrastructure and proper cybersecurity training -- puts a massive target on the backs of employees and, in turn, on the whole agency. Whats worse is that employees are usually working on unprotected home networks, and they may be more likely to use platforms or software that is not IT sanctioned, creating more unnecessary risk. Given that no one could have anticipated how long shelter-in-place mandates would last, BYOD seemed like a reasonable solution for a short period of time. Today, however, remote and hybrid work is how business gets done. The lack of secure devices and cybersecurity training, combined with outdated legacy systems, outweigh the temporary convenience that BYOD might bring. We must look toward solutions that will allow employees to work securely from anywhere. Although sending government approved devices to each employee will be a heavy lift, we must prioritize security over short-term monetary savings -- security is not a corner that can be cut. There is nothing stopping bad actors from targeting individual government employees that have far lower standards for secure operations. Of course this type of initiative will take some time, so in the meantime, manual protections like implementing E2EE tools, regularly updating all software and clearing all mobile device data should help mitigate immediate severe risks. 3. Prioritize training Once these glaring security risks have been addressed, rebuilding trust will be key to maintaining a security-first infrastructure that can withstand remote work and the coming cyber threats. Some governments have mandated cybersecurity training for all employees. In Texas, a law was passed that requires all government employees to complete an annual cybersecurity training program. This is a very productive step that re-instills the confidence in a governments cybersecurity capabilities, and should be considered throughout all governments, both at the national and local levels. Its important to keep in mind that cybersecurity is not a silver bullet. Human error is inevitable, but the best outcome is an exponentially less vulnerable government. The solution not only includes phasing out BYOD -- and phasing in E2EE and zero trust -- but also prioritizing the knowledge and preparedness of all government employees. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe concerned over Russias refusal to pay compensation to Georgia By Veronika Malinboym The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) expressed its profound concern over Russias refusal to pay a compensation amounting to 10 billion to the Georgian citizens who were illegally deported from Russia in 2006.The compensation concerns the cases of arrest, detention, and consequent deportation of Georgian citizens from Russia in 2006 the events that unfolded shortly after the arrest of four Russian officers on charges of espionage in Georgia.The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2019 that Russia is obliged to repay 10,000,000 euros for non-pecuniary damage suffered by a group of at least 1,500 Georgian nationals:In its judgment in the inter-state case concerning just satisfaction (Georgia v. Russia) the Court held that the Russian Federation had to pay the Georgian Government a lump-sum of 10,000,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage suffered by a group of at least 1,500 Georgian nationals. It further ordered the Georgian Government to distribute the amount received between the victims of the established administrative practice, the Court press release reads.Earlier this year, on January 8, Georgian Minister of Justice Gocha Lortkipanidze announced that Russia is finally ready to participate in discussions of its obligations to repay 10 million to Georgian citizens, as well as default interest accrued after numerous refusals and after the expiration of the payment deadline in 2019.However, during the recent meeting of the CoE, deputies expressed their concerns over the repeated delays in the payment of the compensation and urged both Russian and Georgian authorities to settle the issue through a Council of Europe bank account held in escrow.According to the Georgian government, more than 4,600 expulsion orders were issued by the Russian authorities in 2006, 2,300 of which were detained and expelled against their will, while the others left the country of their own volition. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. A body-positive influencer has slammed Kim Kardashian's SKIMS shapewear line after buying a size large thong that was painfully too small, explaining that she had even sized up when she had ordered it. Mikayla Zazon, a 25-year-old blogger from Columbus, Ohio, tried on the constricting shapewear over her leggings and shared her horror over the sizing in a now-viral TikTok video that has been viewed more than 2.7 million times. 'I ordered SKIMS because I've been hearing people rave about Kim Kardashian's shapewear, and I decided to get it,' she said at the start of the clip. 'Because women's sizing is so f'd up, of course, I decided to size up to a large.' Scroll down for video Unhappy customer: Mikayla Zazon, a 25-year-old influencer from Columbus, Ohio, tried on a constricting thong from Kim Kardashian's SKIMS line in a now-viral TikTok video Say what? Even though the thong was larger than her normal size, it was painfully tight and pushed her stomach above the waistband instead of smoothing it Mikayla pointed out that she is a 'straight-sized woman' and typically wears a size small or medium. She couldn't help but make a face when she held up the tiny nude thong for the camera. 'I'm going to put them on over my leggings so you can see how bad it is,' she said The influencer's jaw dropped in shock as she modeled the unflattering shapewear that pushed her stomach above the waistband instead of smoothing it. 'Like I can't make this up,' she said after trying to pull them higher up. Mikayla also took issue with the lack of coverage in the crotch area, asking: 'Whose lips are supposed to fit into this? A large this is the large.' It still didn't fit! Mikayla, who held up the tiny thong for the camera, explained that she typically wears a size small or medium, but she bought a large because 'women's sizing is so f'd up' Hard to handle: The influencer's jaw dropped in shock as she modeled the unflattering shapewear. She also took issue with the lack of coverage in the crotch area 'KIM REALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS OKAY,' she captioned the clip. Thousands of people commented on the video, with some saying the same thing happened to them when they ordered pieces from the collection in their normal sizes or larger. 'I got a small and literally cut them off... not sure if I'm still fertile,' one person wrote, while another added: 'Honey, I'm a large and got a large. So many tears were shed.' 'I mean, she called it Shape Wear, she just didn't tell you what shapes you'd be in the end,' someone else joked. In a follow-up clip, Mikayla shared that she had also ordered the thong in a medium to see which size would fit better, but it turned out that neither did. Big mistake: In a follow-up clip, Mikayla shared that she had also purchased the thong in a size medium, and that one was so tight that she couldn't walk Ouch! When she stretched out the top of the thong to release the pressure, it snapped back, causing her to double over in pain 'I forgot to tell you because I was so overwhelmed by how small the large was,' she explained, holding up both sizes for the camera to show how tiny the medium was. She did another try-on for viewers, and this time she could barely move while wearing the thong in her normal size. 'It hurts to walk,' she said. 'Oh no, I can't breathe.' When she stretched out the top of the thong to release the pressure, it snapped back, causing her to double over in pain. Mikayla hasn't been the only person to go viral after taking grievances with Kim's SKIMS line to TikTok. Influencer: Mikayla has 860,000 TikTok followers as well as 856,000 on Instagram. More than 2.7 million people watched her video bashing SKIMS Not alone: Thousands of people also commented on the video, with some saying the same thing happened to them when they ordered pieces from the collection Last month, Adria Barich, 23, from Nevada, shared footage of herself modeling the brand's $32 sculpting briefs and she didn't hold back while pointing out all of its flaws. 'Hiii Kimberly. What is this?' she asked, stepping back from the camera to show how the nude briefs give her an unflattering muffin top. 'I thought SKIMS were supposed to make me look curvalicious. Not Winnie the Pooh wearing too small underwear,' she griped. 'I look like the Pillsbury Doughboy. I have two more butt cheeks than I started with.' Adria then threw on a pair of tight black spandex shorts over the briefs, sarcastically asking the camera: 'Do you like my curves?' Not a fan: Last month, Adria Barich, 23, from Nevada, gave Kim's SKIMS shapewear line a scathing review in viral TikTok video Hitting back: Adria griped that the too-small shapewear made her look like the 'Pillsbury Doughboy' and 'Winnie the Pooh wearing too small underwear' 'Why yes, I am wearing shapewear,' she continues. 'Oh, you didn't know? You couldn't tell? That's all.' Some of Kim's fans argued that Adria had just ordered the wrong size, but others pointed out that the issue is the fact that the line's sizing is wonky in general. 'The sizing is extremely inconsistent,' Adria told BuzzFeed. 'I ordered a size small/medium, which typically would fit me perfectly, but the shapewear I received could fit a doll. 'It makes people feel bad about themselves because a size that normally would fit them is suddenly way too small.' Kim has yet to respond to the SKIMS sizing backlash on TikTok. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form About 15 years ago, a Dutch researcher named Jan Van den Bulck conducted one of the few studies out there about people who tend to fall asleep watching TV. Now a professor of media psychology at the University of Michigan, he told me that when he presented the study (which was never published) the response was basically I was looking at the most trivial subject, and why even bother on something like this. But he never did like how the links between TV and sleep were treated by other researchers. According the National Sleep Foundation, about 60% of us watch TV before bed and most of us do it too much. (If you dont like the Centers for Disease Controls guidelines on mask wearing, you probably wont love their suggestion to avoid screens two hours before heading to bed.) Van den Bulck doesnt necessarily dispute those warnings. New Delhi: Noida police shunted out four police personnel, including a post-in-charge, for negligence in responding to the theft of an engineer's car by unidentified miscreants in Greater Noida, according to reports. These police officials were sent to the police lines with immediate effect, Central Noida Deputy Commissioner of Police Harish Chander told PTI. "Junpath chowki in-charge sub-inspector Arun Verma, head constable Upendra Singh and constables Sahil Sultan and Akash Vikal have been shunted to the police lines with immediate effect due to negligence in the case related to the engineer that took place in Surajpur area on Sunday," DCP Chander told PTI on Monday. According to reports, the engineer was out shopping with his wife and a child when he was waylaid on Sunday evening at gunpoint by miscreants, who then fled with his car, in Greater Noida (West). The incident took place when Nishant, who works with a private company, was returning after buying vegetables to his car parked near the Migsun roundabout in the Surajpur police station area. Live TV Nishant's wife and child were reportedly in the car when the miscreants entered it and forced them out of the vehicle. The police have lodged an FIR in the case, and an investigation is underway. Ayor Makur Chuot, 31, was a long way from the Kenyan refugee camp her family lived in for nearly a decade on Saturday night as she realised she would soon be elected to the West Australian Parliament. Surrounded by a boisterous crowd of Labor die-hards at Seafood Nation at Hillarys Boat Harbour and watching Liberal seats tumble, the accountant and former model running for the upper house said she started to get excited when she saw Hillarys candidate Caitlin Collins would take the traditional blue-ribbon seat. Labor North Metropolitan MLC-elect Ayor Chuot. Credit:Peter de Kruijff I knew if we had a big swing from Caitlins section and also other bigger areas, it means I was going to have a big chance of getting in the upper house, she said. I was a little bit shocked on Saturday night and then ... when I started receiving phone calls from people. I got a text from Stephen Dawson and I was like, Oh really, this is real. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW. CALGARY, Alberta, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leucrotta Exploration Inc. ("Leucrotta" or the "Company") (TSXV - LXE) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters for a $20.0 million bought deal financing (the "Financing") by way of a short form prospectus offering. The Company will be conducting a concurrent non-brokered private placement of $2.0 million flow-through units of the Company. The Company has also entered into a definitive agreement with an Alberta based publicly traded oil and gas company in connection with disposition of its non-strategic lands (the "Asset Sale") comprising 5% of Leucrotta's Montney land base for an aggregate consideration of $30.0 million. The Company intends to use a portion of the combined proceeds from the Financing and the Asset Sale to advance the initiation of a Pad Development program in the High GOR (gas to oil ratio) Light Oil Window of the Lower Montney at Mica (the "Mica Project"). The acceleration of the Mica Project will transform Leucrotta into a high-growth pure play Montney entity with one of the largest contiguous positions in the Montney light oil window. The funding and expected debt capacity on successful drilling of the Mica Project is expected to create cash flow sustainability, and management estimates that the Mica Project could increase Leucrotta's production to 15,000 - 20,000 boepd within three years. Leucrotta Land Map: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c65e7e88-0197-40e9-a261-448b8261122b *Source: AccuMap Rob Zakresky, Chief Executive Officer and President of Leucrotta comments, "We are excited to kick-off our Mica Pad Development drilling program with years of drilling ahead of us. Leucrotta has captured and delineated an enormous resource in the Montney and are thrilled to be in the financial position to surface that value for our shareholders." Strategic Rationale The New Funding Kickstarts the Mica Development while Minimizing Dilution The Asset Sale helps minimize dilution while only disposing of approximately 5% of the Company's Montney acreage; Added equity allows Leucrotta to be debt-free well into 2022 when production is estimated by management to be materially higher; Exit 2021 production is expected to exceed 4,500 boepd (27% oil and condensate) with approximately $20.0 million cash remaining; and Future capital can be accessed by adding a prudent amount of debt as cash flow grows. Shareholders Remain Exposed to Large Resource in Place while Generating Cash Flow The Mica Project is planned to ramp production to over 30,000 boepd exploiting only 30 sections of land in only 1 of 3 Montney zones. However, Leucrotta owns over 240 net sections of land where the Montney averages 300 metres thick with numerous potential benches and has 17.8 billion bbls of OOIP and 17.2 tcf of OGIP. Value for shareholders can be realized well beyond the Mica Project as: Additional Montney benches in the Basal and Upper at Mica (not included in initial Mica Project) to be production tested over next 12 months; Two Rivers Montney acreage north of the Peace River (140 net sections) located within the Light Oil Window have had encouraging initial results; and Technology continues to enhance economics of large resources such as the Montney High GOR Light Oil Window through longer wells (2400+m) and improved extreme limited entry completion technology resulting in increased recoveries. Highly Economic Drilling Inventory in the Mica High GOR Light Oil Window On full pad development, new wells are expected to generate an IRR of greater than 100% and a payout of approximately one year based on commodity pricing of WTI USD$50.00/bbl; AECO CAD$2.25/GJ; FX 1.28 CAD/USD; and The production from the Mica Project is estimated to increase to over 30,000 boepd within 5-year time frame utilizing only 30 of the 100 sections of delineated lands (over 240 total Montney sections). Mica Pad Development The Mica Project is anticipated to start with an initial 3-4 well pad in 2021 using modern technology that will incorporate 2,400 metre horizontal laterals, the latest frac designs, and increased frac intensity. Wells will be produced through existing infrastructure and will be the basis for an accelerated development from 2022 forward. The Mica Project was modeled solely on the Lower Montney horizon, however, Leucrotta will production test both the Basal and Upper Montney horizons at Mica in 2021 to determine if the Company can enhance economics even further through a stacked development program. The accelerated development (expanded Pad Development) is expected to take production to over 30,000 boepd and incorporate existing Leucrotta infrastructure, expanding current infrastructure and utilizing available third-party infrastructure where appropriate. Leucrotta estimates it will take approximately five years to reach its production targets. The Mica Project has the following characteristics that will enhance economics and allow for ease of development: Initial Target (Lower Montney) contains light sweet oil (39-42 API) and sweet liquids-rich natural gas; Low water rates and high GORs limit artificial lift requirements; Egress in area is excellent with access to various competing pipelines for oil, gas and liquids; Proximity allows for access to various markets for gas and liquids including potential markets in Asia for LNG and NGLs; Surface access is excellent with lands being predominantly farm land with an established road system; Access to services is also very good given proximity to Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Grand Prairie; and A significant portion of the initial infrastructure and field gathering system is already in place which will reduce infrastructure capital required. Financing Leucrotta has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters (the "Agreement"), co-led by Haywood Securities Inc., as sole bookrunner, and Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase for resale to the public, on a bought deal basis: (i) up to approximately 27.4 million units of the Company ("Units") consisting of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and 0.5 Common Share purchase warrants (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") at a price of $0.73 (the "Offering Price") per Unit for gross proceeds of approximately $20.0 million. The Warrants have an exercise price of $1.00 per Common Share and a term of two years from the closing date of the Financing (the "Financing Closing Date"). The Underwriters have also been granted an unassignable option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable in whole or in part and from time to time, at any time until 30 days after the Financing Closing Date, to purchase from Leucrotta up to approximately 4.1 million additional Units at the Offering Price for additional gross proceeds of up to approximately $3.0 million. If the Over-Allotment Option is exercised by the Underwriters in full, aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering (including the Over-Allotment Option) will be approximately $23.0 million. The Common Shares to be issued under the Financing will be distributed by way of a short form prospectus in each of the Provinces of Canada, other than Quebec. A portion of the Financing will be conducted on a private placement basis in the United States via Rule 144A to Qualified Institutional Buyers only under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended and certain other jurisdictions outside of Canada as the Company and the Underwriters may agree on a private placement basis. No prospectus will be required to be filed in any jurisdiction other than the Canadian jurisdictions. The Company will be conducting a concurrent non-brokered management private placement of up to 2.0 million units of the Company ("Flow-Through Units") consisting of one Common Share to be issued on a flow-through basis in respect of Canadian Development Expenses ("CDE") under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (a "Flow-Through Share") and one Flow-Through Share purchase warrant (a "Flow-Through Warrant") at a price of $0.75 per Flow-Through Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1.5 million. The Flow-Through Warrants have an exercise price of $1.00 per Flow-Through Share and a term of three years from the date of issuance. The Financing is expected to close on or about March 31, 2021 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Grant of Stock Options The board of directors of the Company has approved the granting of incentive stock options ("Options") under its stock option plan to certain of its directors and officers to acquire up to an aggregate of 4.0 million Common Shares of the Company. The Options are exercisable for a period of five years at a price of $0.78 per Common Share and vest over three years. Following the grant of the Options, Leucrotta will have a total of 17.6 million Options outstanding. Leucrotta's share based incentive plans limit the total number of Common Shares underlying the outstanding stock options and performance warrants to no more than 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. As of the date of this press release, the total number of Common Shares underlying the outstanding stock options represents about 8.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Asset Sale Leucrotta signed a definitive agreement to sell 10.25 sections of Montney lands including approximately 375 boepd of production for a purchase price of $30.0 million. The Asset Sale is scheduled to close on or around April 1, 2021. For Leucrotta, the lands were assessed to be non-strategic as they: were not conducive to long well development given proximity to other companies; are located in the wet gas window with Leucrotta focusing on the High GOR Light Oil Window; only comprise approximately 5% of Leucrotta's Montney land base; have a small production base (approximately 375 boepd) with a net cash flow to Leucrotta of $0.7 million in 2020; and had only 0.9 MMboe of reserves on a PDP basis assigned by GLJ Ltd. ("GLJ"), independent qualified reserves evaluator of the Company, as at December 31, 2019. Undeveloped reserves of 21.2 MMboe were also assigned by GLJ with corresponding $79.8 million of future development costs (FDC). Additional Transactions Could Augment and Pull Forward Asset and Share Value There is tremendous potential to augment shareholder value given initial Mica Project develops only 30 of over 240 net sections of total Montney lands and only one of three potential Montney zones. Such transactions may include, among other things: Selling additional lands to accelerate drilling; Executing Joint Venture arrangements on portions of the land base other than the Mica Project; and Other capital arrangements to accelerate capital development and bring value forward. Financial and Guidance On completion of the Financing and Asset Sale, Leucrotta will have no debt and approximately $45 million cash. Based on a 2021 capital program of approximately $30 million, Leucrotta estimates it will have cash on hand at year-end of approximately $20 million and no debt. Leucrotta anticipates that the 2021 Exit Production Rate will be approximately 4,500 boepd (27% light oil and condensate). Advisors RBC Capital Markets acted as Financial Advisor with respect to the Asset Sale and Haywood Securities Inc. acted as Strategic Advisor with respect to the Asset Sale and Financing. Oil and Gas Metrics and Disclaimer This news release contains metrics commonly used in the oil and gas industry, such as "IRR", "OGIP" and OOIP. These terms do not have standardized meanings or standardized methods of calculation and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Readers are cautioned that the information provided by these metrics, or that can be derived from the metrics presented in this presentation should not be unduly relied upon. The following oil and gas metrics have the following meanings as used in this news release: IRR - Internal Rate of Return. IRR is the discount rate required to arrive at a NPV equal to zero. Rates of return set forth in this news release are for illustrative purposes. There is no guarantee that such rates of return will be achieved in the future. NPV - Net Present Value is defined as the present value of future cash flows minus the initial capital. PV - Present Value is defined as the present value of future cash flows. Boe - Barrel of Oil Equivalent. All boe conversions in the report are derived by converting gas to oil at the ratio of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent. A boe conversion rate of 1 Boe: 6 Mcf is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Readers are cautioned that Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. OGIP (Original Gas in Place) and OOIP (Original Oil in Place) are equivalent to Total Petroleum Initially In Place ("TPIIP") for the purposes of this news release. TPIIP, as defined in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluations Handbook ("COGEH"), is that quantity of petroleum that is estimated to exist originally in naturally occurring accumulations. It includes that quantity of petroleum that is estimated, as of a given date, to be contained in known accumulations, prior to production, plus those estimated quantities in accumulations yet to be discovered (equivalent to "total resources"). There is no certainty that any portion of the resources will be discovered. If discovered, there is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources. The OGIP and OOIP estimates quoted in this news release are unaudited internal estimates effective December 31, 2020 prepared by a qualified reserves evaluator in accordance with the COGEH Handbook. "Internal estimate" means an estimate that is derived by the Company's internal APEGA certified engineer(s), and geologist(s) and prepared in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities. Product type for the OOIP number is "tight oil" and product type for the OGIP number is "shale gas". The location of the resource is the lands depicted in orange on the map on page 1 of this news release excluding the sections labelled "disposition". Of the 246 net sections, Leucrotta has an average ownership working interest of 95% (258 gross sections). The key variables relevant to the evaluation are porosity, reservoir thickness, pressure, water saturation and gas composition which have increasing uncertainty, both positive and negative, with distance from existing wells. Mica Project The "Mica Project" referenced in this press release is a conceptual development study of Leucrotta's resources (Prospective and Contingent Resources) of tight oil and shale gas in the Lower Montney formations on 30 net sections (30 gross) of land in the Mica Area. Leucrotta's average working interest in the lands is 100%. The evaluation is an unrisked full development of the resource with multi-stage frac'ed horizontal wells using best-estimate type curves scheduled over a 5-year time period, effective January 2021. A total of $543 million of capital (undiscounted) is required for the project with an initial cash outlay of $112 million before payout is anticipated (5.5 years). The assumed commodity price is a flat WTI USD$50.00/bbl; AECO CAD$2.25/GJ; FX 1.28 CAD/USD forecast. There is no assurance that the forecast price and cost assumptions used in the evaluation will be attained and variances could be material. The actual scope of the project will be dependent upon the availability of funding, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, oil and natural gas prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information that is obtained, and other factors. There is uncertainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources. For the prospective resources there is no certainty that any portion of the resources will be discovered and if discovered, there is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any of those resources. The evaluation is an internal estimate prepared in accordance with the COGE handbook by a qualified reserves evaluator. Reserves Data There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of light and medium oil, tight oil, shale gas, conventional natural gas and NGL reserves and the future cash flows attributed to such reserves. The reserve and associated cash flow information set forth above are estimates only. In general, estimates of economically recoverable light and medium oil, tight oil, shale gas, conventional natural gas and NGL reserves and the future net cash flows therefrom are based upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, such as historical production from the properties, production rates, ultimate reserve recovery, timing and amount of capital expenditures, marketability of oil and natural gas, royalty rates, the assumed effects of regulation by governmental agencies and future operating costs, all of which may vary materially. Individual properties may not reflect the same confidence level as estimates of reserves for all properties due to the effects of aggregation. This news release contains estimates of reserves and FDCs of the Company's individual properties contained in the Asset Sale. The reserves data contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with NI 51-101. The reserve data provided in this news release presents only a portion of the disclosure required under National Instrument 51-101. All of the required information will be contained in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2019, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Reserves are estimated remaining quantities of oil and natural gas and related substance anticipated to be recoverable from known accumulations, as of a given date, based on the analysis of drilling, geological, geophysical and engineering data; the use of established technology, and specified economic conditions, which are generally accepted as being reasonable. Reserves are classified according to the degree of certainty associated with the estimates as follows: Proved Reserves are those reserves that can be estimated with a high degree of certainty to be recoverable. It is likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will exceed the estimated proved reserves. Probable Reserves are those additional reserves that are less certain to be recovered than proved reserves. It is equally likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will be greater or less than the sum of the estimated proved plus probable reserves. This news release discloses reserves information for the Asset Sale in two categories: (i) proved developed producing (PDP); (ii) proved plus probable undeveloped locations. The evaluation was part of the year-end corporate reserves evaluation effective December 31 2019 and was prepared by an independent qualified reserves evaluator. The PDP reserves pertain to three producing gas wells. The proved plus probable undeveloped reserves pertain to 21 locations on the Asset Sale lands of which 10 are proved undeveloped and 11 are probable undeveloped. Certain information provided in this news release may constitute "analogous information" under applicable securities legislation, such as reserve and resource estimates or the reserves and resources present on the Company's lands, and nearby lands, total production and production-rates from wells drilled by the Company or other industry participants located in geographical proximity to lands held by the Company. This information is derived from publicly available information sources (as at the date of this news release) that the Company believes are predominantly independent in nature. The Company believes this information is relevant as it helps to define the reservoir characteristics in which the Company may have an interest. The Company is unable to confirm that the analogous information was prepared by a qualified reserves evaluator or auditor or in accordance with the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook and therefore, the reader is cautioned that the data relied upon by the Company may be in error, may not be analogous to the Company's land holdings and/or may not be representative of actual results of wells anticipated to be drilled or completed by the Company in the future. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this document contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company's capital programs, timing of the completion of the Asset Sale, management estimated 2021 Exit Production Rate, management estimated debt and cash as at year end and management estimate on anticipated future sources of capital. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions relating to prevailing commodity prices and exchange rates, applicable royalty rates and tax laws, future well production rates, the performance of existing wells, the success of drilling new wells, the availability of capital to undertake planned activities, the availability and cost of labour and services, the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, the use of proceeds of the Financing; the closing of the Financing and the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production rates, costs and expenses, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, marketing and transportation, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in tax, royalty and environmental legislation. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this document are made as of the date hereof for the purpose of providing the readers with the Company's expectations for the coming year. The forward-looking statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements regarding the Company's expected 2021 cash flow and debt are included herein to provide readers with an understanding of the Company's anticipated cash flow and the Company's ability to fund its expenditures based on the assumptions described herein. Readers are cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for other purposes. For further information, please contact: LEUCROTTA EXPLORATION INC. 700, 639 5th Ave SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 0M9 Phone: (403) 705-4525 www.leucrotta.ca Robert Zakresky President and Chief Executive Officer Nolan Chicoine Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer 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. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again, the French Bulldog took West Palm Beach's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S for the fifth year in a row. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in New York, NY and Houston, TX. West Palm Beach's favorite breeds remain largely unchanged; however, Poodles have worked their way up to break into the top five at 5th, knocking the Bulldog back down to 8th place. "Frenchie fever has swept the nation," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The loveable French Bulldog continues to be a favorite in many cities, and with its friendly disposition and adaptability, it's clear why so many people love the breed." West Palm Beach's top 5 breeds for 2020: French Bulldog Golden Retriever Labrador Retriever German Shepherd Dog Poodle * Registration data pulled from West Palm Beach zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ The sensitivity is understandable. Having slogged their guts out to get into government and then campaign again for such a commanding re-election, why should Labor be penalised for its success? Loading My own view is that democracies work much better when governments are held in check by viable oppositions and media. The Liberals in their newly diminished form are barely that, though they are responsible for their own circumstances, however, and I would never suggest Saturdays Mark-nado as one talkback caller dubbed it represents anything other than the will of the WA people. Im not going to second-guess what the people have done. People vote and democracy takes its course, the Premier told me on 6PR Breakfast on Monday when I asked, somewhat provocatively, if the margin was too big. The main thing is, therell be an election again in four years, and theyll get their chance to vote again in four years. Back to the turkeys, though, specifically West Australians who live outside the Perth metropolitan area. The entire history of WA democracy is one of malapportionment, where some voters votes are worth more than others especially in rural areas and the North West. In 1917, for example, the average metropolitan seat had 6108 enrolled voters compared to 2642 for rural seats and 958 for seats in the North West. According to a 2012 paper by ANU political scientist Norm Kelly, by the 1920s the malapportionment had reached its most extreme disparity, with 17,347 voters in the seat of Canning compared to just 265 voters in the North West seat of Menzies, a 65:1 disparity. Electoral laws were reformed to reduce the disparity in 1922 and 1947 but since at least the 1980s, when the Burke government had another go at the issue, Labors policy platform has been one vote, one value across both houses of parliament. In reality they have never been able to achieve it, because the status quo favours their political opponents (especially the Nationals) and they have never had the numbers to force the issue through the upper house. Loading You could write a book on the Gallop governments efforts to achieve one vote, one value between 2001 and 2005, suffice to say it involved challenges in the Supreme and High Courts and reforms were achieved only after a Liberal MP, Alan Cadby, resigned from the party after an unfavourable preselection outcome, resulting in the system we have today. While those reforms, led by Labor attorney-general Jim McGinty were labelled one-vote, one value, they didnt really achieve that, with rural over-representation continuing in the lower house on the basis of concessions for large and remote electorates and a different but still malapportioned upper house of three six-member metropolitan seats and three six-member regional seats. If politics is the art of the possible, our present system is what McGinty was able to negotiate with his dance partner, the Greens, and the result was, as Norm Kelly put it: [A]n ingenious solution to the impasse that had nothing to do with voting equality principles and everything to do with political expediency and self-interest. Now, for the first time ever, Labor controls both houses of Parliament. During the campaign, asked repeatedly whether electoral reforms were on the cards, Mark McGowan used the very specific form of words that its not our agenda. Zak Kirkup tried to warn about the dangers of total control but the election results showed the voters werent buying it and most analysts pre-poll (including senior McGowan ministers) still believed a Labor majority in the upper house was a remote possibility. The Mark-nado, though, will deliver Labor 23 of the 36 Legislative Council seats, according to Antony Greens latest projections, and so I had to press the issue again with the Premier on Monday. MM: Im not going to change my answer at this point in time, Gareth, the answer I gave during the campaign stays. GP: So will you rule it out for the term? MM: Well, I didnt rule it out during the campaign, I said it wasnt on our agenda, that is our current position. GP: So its likely to be something that will be revived between now and 2025? MM: (Chuckles) well Im not going to keep answering the question, but Ive answered the question as best I can. Weve got a lot of things we need to do. Lets just wait and see what happens with the make-up of the Parliament. I will be stunned if Labor does not seize this historic opportunity to at least tinker with and maybe perform major surgery on the rules of WA democracy. Loading After all, what could be fairer than each persons vote being weighted equally? It is a political reality that such a rewriting will favour Labor over the conservative parties and see regional West Australians lose ground to voters in Perth. So who did the turkeys vote for in the upper house? (And regional West Australians please forgive the pejorative.) As of 3pm on Tuesday, Labor had: The new children's commissioner for England wants to extend free school meals over the summer as she warned the pandemic has had a 'profound impact' on children. Dame Rachel de Souza today said she wants to 'rebuild childhood' in the wake of the Covid crisis and likened the challenge to reconstructing the social security system after the Second World War. The new children's commissioner is launching a 'once-in-a-generation' review to reach every child and identify any barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential amid the pandemic. She said: 'There has been too much talk of the lost generation, we need to make this the most successful generation.' She also said the 20-a-week boost to universal credit should remain beyond the autumn. The new children's commissioner is launching a 'once-in-a-generation' review to reach every child (file photo) Dame Rachel de Souza today said she wants to 'rebuild childhood' in the wake of the Covid crisis Fears over Universal Credit payments England's new children's commissioner said she was worried about the 20-per-week Universal Credit uplift being stopped. Dame Rachel de Souza told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I have been very worried in the current climate about that going and if it does go I will absolutely be fighting and challenging for services that really focus on young people and children.' When asked how long the uplift should be kept for, Dame Rachel said: 'I think we need to look at how post-pandemic pans out, none of us know what's going to happen. 'We need to recognise the levels of need and levels of need in struggling families and children. 'So I think we need to get creative and we need to be thinking about 10-year plans for children.' Advertisement Dame Rachel called on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to include children in every speech and ensure that childhood is 'right at the top' of the Government's agenda. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think the pandemic has had a profound impact on children and young people's lives, on many of them, on their education, on the time they spend with friends and family, on their mental health. 'There are some real worriesparticularly for the most vulnerable children. 'But I have also been delighted by the return to school and I think that's where children and young people need to be and that's where we can really start to sort these things out. 'So I think it's time that the adults recognise what the children have been through, I think it's time we put children at the heart and the centre of policy making. 'I would like to hear the Prime Minister and the Chancellor mention children, and policies for children, and children and the economic recovery in every speech.' Dame Rachel, who was chief executive of an academy chain with 14 schools in Norfolk and Suffolk before taking up the post this month, said: 'I have seen first-hand the effect of this crisis on young people's hopes and dreams, and sometimes our answers simply have not been good enough.' The review, titled The Childhood Commission, aims to address policy shortfalls that have held back the lives of children for decades, as well problems that have been amplified by the pandemic, the commissioner said. Dame Rachel told the PA news agency that she was 'absolutely determined' to make sure that children are prioritised so they do not become the 'lost generation' as a result of the pandemic. Dame Rachel called on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to include children in every speech and ensure that childhood is 'right at the top' of the Government's agenda Children arrive at Manor Park School and Nursery in Knutsford, Cheshire on March 8, as pupils in England return to school for the first time in two months as part of the first stage of lockdown easing Commissioner says she will be 'fearless in her independence' Dame said she will be fearless in her independence. When asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme if she could give people confidence she will be tough with ministers due to her close links with senior Conservatives, she said: 'I have had a 30-year career in education, 15 years of those working in the most disadvantaged schools, turning them around, setting up new schools. 'I have had to be absolutely independent and stand up for myself and stand up for young people. 'I will be absolutely fearless in my independence. 'But whilst I will criticise where things are not good, I will also praise where things are going well.' Advertisement She said: 'If we think about it, those children have in many ways made the biggest sacrifices for the least return. In terms of their experience, they've been stuck at home, they've not seen their friends, they've got worries about their exam results, they've got worries about their next steps. 'Now it's time for us to give something back and put them first. I really believe that.' The children's commissioner is aiming to ask every child in England how the pandemic changed their lives, what their aspirations are and the barriers to reaching them, how things are at home, how their communities could be improved, and how they feel about the future Dame Rachel said: 'We've got an epidemic of mental health problems that was bubbling. I'm really interested to see what children and young people say because every conversation I have this comes up now.' A study from NHS Digital shows that one in six children in England aged five to 16 reporting having a probable mental health disorder in 2020, up from one in nine in 2017. The new children's commissioner is calling for a counsellor in every school to help tackle the problems. She added: 'I want to see childhood right at the top of the Government agenda. That means every speech from the Prime Minister and Chancellor mentioning children, and every Government department constantly pushing to improve the lives of children. 'We will start by listening to children, holding the largest consultation with children in England that there has ever been.' Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said a change to the summer holidays and longer school days are being examined as part of long-term recovery plans for helping pupils catch up with missed learning. On proposals to change the school calendar, Dame Rachel added: 'I think it's really interesting. When I was running a trust myself, it was the children themselves who wanted to come back to school and wanted to come back to school early in the summer holiday so they didn't miss out.' She added that lots of schools already run 'longer school days in ways that work for their communities'. Dame Rachel said: 'So I think we should be exploring these ideas with headteachers, with parents, with children, but for me, as children's commissioner, my job is to ask children and young people what they think and to share that. So hence, that's why we are doing 'The Big Ask'.' An online survey will be distributed to all schools as part of consultation which will take place after the Easter break and it will also be sent to youth custody organisations, CAMHS inpatient units and children's homes. The children's commissioner added: 'I want to see a 10-year-plan and I want it to be a plan that really puts children at the centre of all areas of policy so they can have successful lives.' The Commission will be inspired by the ambition of William Beveridge's report in the 1940s, which laid the foundations of the country's welfare state. Dame Rachel said: 'Our response to the trauma of the Second World War was to create a blueprint for a social service system and a National Health Service that improved our lives. 'We have the chance to do the same again now for children. There is a huge opportunity to remake our social settlement which won't come again for decades, and we must seize it.' There were also 64 Covid deaths recorded yesterday, which is down 1.5 per cent on the same time last week Britain's Covid cases have risen eight per cent compared to the same time last week after 5,089 were recorded. It is thought this is linked to mass swabbing in schools, which is picking up more cases. The test positivity rate - a more reliable measure - is still falling in all regions Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said a change to the summer holidays and longer school days are being examined as part of long-term recovery plans for helping pupils catch up with missed learning Mark Russell, chief executive of the Children's Society, said: 'The scale of the challenge is huge and we need to be big and bold. 'Ultimately, it's up to the Government to deliver change through an ambitious agenda for children and young people, and we hope their intention for putting children's wellbeing first as we emerge from the Covid crisis are not just warm words but lead to tangible action.' A Government spokeswoman said: 'We know that children and families have faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. 'We've expanded frontline charity support and provided new resources for schools and teachers to support children and young people's mental health, as well as training from experts to overcome any anxiety or trauma as they return to the classroom. 'Our 1.7 billion investment in recovery support will help tackle the impact of any lost learning and we are investing an additional 79 million to increase the number of mental health support teams working with schools and colleges.' Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-15 20:02:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People register to vote at a polling station in Haarlem, the Netherlands, on March 15, 2021. At 7.30 a.m. local time on Monday, some polling stations in the Netherlands opened their doors for the 2021 Dutch parliamentary elections. Election day is actually on Wednesday, but some polling stations open on Monday and Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an online story by the NL Times news portal. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) THE HAGUE, March 15 (Xinhua) -- At 7.30 a.m. local time on Monday, some polling stations in the Netherlands opened their doors for the 2021 Dutch parliamentary elections. Election day is actually on Wednesday, but some polling stations open on Monday and Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an online story by the NL Times news portal. The opening of around 1,600 out of the total of 9,200 polling stations is intended to allow people who belong to the risk groups, and are therefore extra vulnerable to the coronavirus, to vote on Monday and Tuesday. All other polling stations will open on Wednesday from 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m., allowing people of 18 years or older eligible to vote. The Netherlands, with a population of a little over 17 million people, has an electorate of around 13.2 million. A total of 37 parties, a post-World War II record, and 1,579 candidates joined the race for the 150 seats in the House of Representatives. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberal party VVD (People's Party of Freedom and Democracy) leads the latest public opinion polls. VVD is forecast to win about 30 seats in parliament to become the biggest party again. That means Rutte, who has been in power since 2010, is likely to become prime minister again, making him the longest-serving Dutch leader. The right-wing Party for Freedom PVV of Geert Wilders is second in the polls, ahead of the Christian Democrats CDA, leftist liberals D66, Labor PvdA, Socialist Party SP, green lefties GroenLinks and right-wing Forum for Democracy. In 2017, the VVD party won the elections by a landslide with 33 seats, ahead of the PVV (20), the CDA (19) and D66 (19). It formed a government coalition with CDA, D66 and the Christian Union. On Jan. 15 2021, Rutte's cabinet resigned as a result of the so-called child benefits scandal, in which parents were wrongly accused of fraud. Enditem Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. More 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. Washington is the next stop on the FitzMagic tour. Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and cornerback William Jackson have agreed to sign with the Washington Football Team, according to a person with direct knowledge of the moves. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the deals cannot be official until the new league year starts Wednesday. Fitzpatrick who has earned the FitzMagic nickname for his late-game heroics late into his 30s gives Washington more experience at football's most important position after it released AP Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith. The team now has Fitzpatrick, journeyman-turned-playoff standout Taylor Heinicke and coach Ron Rivera favorite Kyle Allen under contract at quarterback. Washington also has the 19th pick in the draft and could use one of its first few selections on a QB of the future. Fitzpatrick would be in the mix for the present on whats expected to be a one-year deal. Multiple reports put the value at $10 million with an additional $2 million in incentives. Fitzpatrick is joining his ninth NFL team at age 38 after stints with the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins. He started seven and played in nine games last season for Miami, throwing for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Much like with the Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa, Fitzpatrick could serve as a combination of a bridge to the future and a mentor for a rookie QB getting accustomed to the pros. The Harvard graduate was a seventh-round pick, 250th overall, in the same 2005 draft where Smith went first. He has appeared in 165 NFL games, all in the regular season. He has 223 touchdowns, 179 interceptions and 34,977 yards passing. Jackson, 28, joins Washington after four seasons with the Bengals during which he recorded three interceptions in 59 games, including 48 starts. He replaces Ronald Darby, who left Washington after one season to sign a $30 million, three-year deal with the Denver Broncos. ___ More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Chief Steve Dickson answers questions about his test flight of a Boeing 737 MAX after landing at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington (Photo : Mike Siegel/Pool via REUTERS.) The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday he will indefinitely extend a "zero tolerance policy" on unruly air passengers first imposed in January, after hundreds of reported incidents. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement he will extend the policy, which had been due to expire March 30, "as we continue to do everything we can to confront the pandemic." Advertisement "The number of cases we're seeing is still far too high, and it tells us urgent action continues to be required," he said. The FAA said the extension will last at least as long as a federal transportation face mask order remains in effect. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention imposed the federal mask mandate in nearly all transportation modes in late January. The FAA said that airlines have reported more than 500 unruly passenger cases to the FAA since late December. To date, the FAA has initiated about 20 enforcement actions and is reviewing more than 450 cases. The agency added the majority of those incidents involved non-compliance with the facemask order but added that it "continues to be concerned about unruly behavior of all types." U.S. airlines have banned hundreds of passengers from future flights for failing to comply with mask policies. Delta Air Lines said last month it had banned about 950 passengers since it adopted the policies to address COVID-19 last year. Dickson signed the zero tolerance order directing the policy after supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump were disruptive on some flights around the time of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack. Dickson warned that disruptive passengers could face up to $35,000 in fines and possible jail time. On Thursday, Representative Peter DeFazio, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urged Dickson to extend the policy for passengers not wearing masks or causing disturbances on flights, "until public health officials determine that mass vaccinations have eliminated the risk of infection." Research by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at QUB will explore the experiences of families across the UK A team of researchers from Queens University Belfast has been awarded a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to research the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on families with loved ones with profound and multiple learning disabilities. The research by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at QUB will explore the experiences of families across the UK and Ireland to understand the challenges they have faced during the pandemic with a view to making recommendations about service provision. There are also plans to create a co-designed support programme with family members with a loved one with severe learning disabilities, academics in the fields of learning disabilities, disability and psychology and partners from the independent sector who provide care and support for families. Dr Mark Linden, Senior Lecturer from School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queens and lead researcher on the study, said: The Covid-19 pandemic has been difficult and disruptive for us all, and families of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities have been severely negatively impacted. This research is an important opportunity to work with partners across the UK and Ireland to highlight the concerns of this group and will help to ensure that families of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their experiences during this pandemic are heard and supports developed for the future, he added. This project is led by Dr Mark Linden in collaboration with academics from Queens University, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Glasgow, University of South Wales and The University of Sheffield. The project also includes independent sector partners from PAMIS, Sunderland People First, Brain Injury Matters, All Wales Forum of Parents and Carers and Irish Society for Autism. A video clip in which a schoolgirl from a previously impoverished village in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region revealed her lovely and innocent smile has garnered widespread attention among Chinese internet users. Tie Jiaxin Tie Jiaxin, 7, a first grade student at Daping Primary School, had just finished class and was waiting for the bus to go home when her teacher, Ma Rui, shot the video on March 4. Ma thought the girl was cute and her smile healing. Ma, who became a volunteer teacher at Daping Primary School more than one year ago, said it has been a habit of hers to record what she sees by camera on her phone as well as sharing the recordings with a wider audience. As I have observed, my students are becoming more confident than before, said Ma. Ma Rui and her students. Xiji county, where the school is located, was lifted out of poverty in November 2020. Poverty alleviation in the once impoverished county had faced major challenges in the past, but thanks to the implementation of efforts aimed at targeted poverty relief, the county has benefited from remarkable positive changes in recent years. Xiji county in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Aerial photo shows Daping Primary School. Daping Primary School serves as a vivid example of the outcomes of poverty alleviation. In the past, students there used to have classes in adobe schoolhouses and suffered from a shortage of exercise books. Today, they are provided with free meals and better facilities, such as new school buildings and playgrounds. In addition, more advanced teaching methods, including the use of multimedia teaching and Internet-assisted teaching facilities, have also broadened students horizons and have made them more confident in their studies. After the story of the school went viral online, the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, one of China's largest non-governmental organizations working in poverty reduction, donated kitchen equipment worth 50,000 yuan (about $7,685) to support the school. Actor Henry Darrow died on Sunday at the age of 87. Darrow's publicist, Michael B. Druxman, announced the news on his Facebook page on Monday as he shared: 'Rest in peace, my friend. You will be missed.' The actor is best known for his role as Manolito Montoya on the late 1960s Western The High Chaparral, an American Western action adventure set in the 1870s starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell. Charming presence: Henry Darrow died on Sunday at the age of 87. The actor is best known for his role as Manolito Montoya on the late 1960s Western The High Chaparral. Western vibe: The NBC show was a an American Western action adventure set in the 1870s that aired from 1967 until 1971 He also played police detective Manny Quinlan in the first season of ABC's Harry O in the mid-1970s. The star played Zorro several times: first in the series Zorro and Son and also has provided the voice for the animated series of The New Adventures of Zorro. He replaced Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Zorro's father from 1990 to 1994, in The New Zorro. Later he starred on the soap opera Santa Barbara in the 1980s, for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1990. He played Rafael Castillo. His career included roles in films such as 1959's Revenge of the Virgins, 1964's The Glass Cage, 1973's Badge 373, 1981's St. Helens, 2003's Runaway Jury and Soda Springs in 2012. He also made appearances on a number of iconic TV shows through the years, including Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Mod Squad, Kojak, Baretta, Hawaii Five-O, The Waltons, Dallas, and Star Trek: Voyager. Another hit: Later he starred on the soap opera Santa Barbara in the Eighties for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1990. He played Rafael Castillo Stoic: Darrow was seen playing the role of Sweet William in 1973's Badge 373 He was born in New York City as Enrique Tomas Delgado Jr., but moved to Puerto Rico when he was a teen. Henry stayed until after college and which time he headed to Pasadena, California - which is near Hollywood - to work on acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. His first big hit was The High Chaparral, which ran on NBC from 1967 through 1971. Darrow said he landed the job after Bonanza creator David Dortort saw him in a play of The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit by Ray Bradbury. 'I said, I'd like to speak in Spanish and that I would learn Indian sign language,' he told Richard Armstrong's Classic Film & TV Cafe website in 2015. I said, I'm ready to read for the part.' Dortort told him in response, 'You don't have to. You've got it. You talked us into it.' Legacy: Darrow accepted the Ricardo Montalban Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 NCLR ALMA Awards in Pasadena, California Still dashing at an older age: Here he poses for a portrait during the 2008 CineVegas film festival held at the Palms Casino Resort in 2008 in Las Vegas Steady: Darrow appeared alongside Silvana Gallardo on the late 80s show Easy Street Stalwart: Darrow portrayed Zorro's father from 1990 to 1994 in The New Zorro The way he lived: Darrow and Lauren Darrow arrive at the 2012 NCLR ALMA Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in 2012 in Pasadena, California Darrow in 1957 tried out for the lead role in the ABC show Zorro; while he missed out on the role - Guy Williams played the part - he said that he learned a lot from the audition. 'I overacted, and I remember the director walking away and then announcing to the rest of the cast and crew, "It looks like we have a Spanish [Lionel] Barrymore on our hands,"' he told Jeremy Roberts in 2016. 'I thought, "Oh boy!" I wrote my mother and she replied, "Honey, I thought Barrymore was a ham." So, I learned to do less.' In 2012, he released his memoir Henry Darrow: Lightning in the Bottle, and was presented at the ALMA Awards with the Ricardo Montalban Lifetime Achievement Award, after working with Montalban in 1970 to create the Nosotros Organization, aimed at boosting Latinos in Hollywood. The Screen Actors Guild called the late actor 'the pride of Puerto Rico.' 'We honor the career and achievements of Henry Darrow, the pride of Puerto Rico and a SAG Board member from 1970-73,' the organization wrote on Twitter. 'Our condolences go out to his family. #sagaftramember since 1958.' Well-remembered: The actor was lauded by fans and colleagues as news of his death spread Robert Beltran, who acted alongside Darrow, called him 'an artist of the highest rank' in a Twitter tribute Tuesday. 'The great Henry Darrow has died. How thrilled I was to act with him,' he wrote. 'He was a gentleman and an artist of the highest rank. His intellectual curiosity, his generous spirit, his joyfulness, were his great attributes. All young actors should study Henry (as I did) and learn. Rest H.' Darrow is survived by his second wife, Lauren, daughter Denise and brother Dennis, according to The Hollywood Reporter. SAN JOSE, Calf., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fungible Inc. , a pioneer in data-centric computing, today announced the company is collaborating with the Efficient Mission Centric Computing Consortium (EMC3) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to help solve some of the world's most complex physical simulation problems. The Fungible and LANL collaboration will initially be exploring the scalability of computational NVMe over fabrics and will be demonstrating offload of analytics functions on data produced by extreme scale physical simulation. "We've identified the bottlenecks within our existing distributed storage architectures. To achieve our desired storage system efficiency targets we are looking to new hardware approaches that better support our storage processing stacks," said Brad Settlemyer, Sr. Scientist in Los Alamos' HPC Design group. "The co-design of software and hardware to support data services and data analysis is integral to meeting our efficiency targets and advancing our national security mission." Offloading computational tasks to programmable network and storage devices has emerged as a promising path to improve the performance of applications and services running at scale - especially critical for both cloud and HPC data centers. Fungible's distributed approach to offloading and accelerating infrastructure functions, via the Fungible Data Processing Unit or Fungible DPU, represents a powerful change to existing storage and networking concepts. Settlemyer added that "Los Alamos is happy to see standards-based computational network and storage technology emerging and has high hopes it can be applied to our most pressing and complex simulations for national security needs. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with Fungible and welcome Fungible to the Efficient Mission Centric Computing Consortium (EMC3) at LANL." "LANL intends to reduce the processing time of the most complex physical simulation problems from 6 months to 6 days," said Pradeep Sindhu, CEO and Co-Founder of Fungible. "Fungible is confident that the Fungible DPU will be one of the key enablers in achieving this aggressive goal." The Fungible Storage Cluster is a high performance, secure, scale-out, disaggregated data storage platform, delivering an unprecedented 15M IOPS in a 2RU form factor, scaling linearly to 300M IOPS in a single 40RU rack, and extending further to many racks. The industry-leading performance enables workloads to be consolidated, increasing utilization of storage media, and improving footprint and $/IOPS by at least 3x compared to existing software-defined storage solutions. About Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory , a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Triad a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) and The Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and global security concerns. About Fungible Inc. Silicon Valley-based Fungible is revolutionizing the performance, economics, reliability and security of scale-out data centers. Visit Fungible to learn more. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn . Fungible, Fungible Data Processing Unit, Fungible DPU, Fungible Data Center and TrueFabric are registered trademarks of Fungible Inc. All registered or unregistered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners. Media Contact: Gary Bird Fungible Media 831.401.3175 [email protected] SOURCE Fungible Shelter WA calculates a shortfall of almost 40,000 social homes nearly as many as currently owned by the government and more than 19,000 affordable homes across the state. Chief executive Michelle McKenzie said the McGowan governments target to build 260 new social homes a year over the next decade was ridiculous and unambitious. We should bite the bullet and provide the homes that people need. They shouldnt just sell off homes and then go, Oops, weve run out, she said. We need a suite of solutions that are short-term and long-term to make sure that weve got social housing right now but also in that we plan into the future. Ms McKenzie said WA was losing out on millions of dollars in federal rent assistance for community housing clients every year due to the state governments reluctance to invest in the sector, which she believed was crucial in solving the states housing crisis. The first thing the government could do is transfer some assets to the community housing sector, so they can grow, have a bigger balance sheet, and leverage that to access investment through the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation and invest in supply, she said. Homeless camps in Perth and Fremantle highlighted the states housing crisis. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola Ms McKenzie said this aligned with similar strategies by the Tasmanian and NSW governments. Meanwhile, in WAs saturated private rental market, families are struggling to secure a home as landlords rush to sell their properties or raise their rents. A moratorium on evictions and rent rises is due to end on March 28, with no plans by the state government to extend it for a second time, and service providers are bracing for a tsunami of people in need that could create an even bigger bottleneck in the states social housing waitlist. Loading Greens housing spokesman Tim Clifford accused the government of failing to use political capital to help renters at a time when thousands were grappling with the prospect of becoming homeless. Tenants are paying more than half their income on rent, theyre being encouraged to rent bid or are being forced into homes that are far more expensive than they can afford, and when attempting to negotiate lower rent increases they are being handed eviction notices, Mr Clifford said. A recent survey by Mr Cliffords office found two-thirds of renters interviewed were at risk of housing stress, defined as a household spending more than a third of its income on rent. More than half of those looking for a new home had been encouraged to rent bid, while 67 per cent had been unable to find a property they could afford or met their requirements. Mr Clifford called on the government to introduce rent caps, ban no-grounds evictions, and boost support for the states social sector. Mark McGowan is the most popular premier the state has had, surely he can leverage some of this to commit to reforms that will protect renters and our most vulnerable, he said. A state government spokesman said it was responding to the situation by refurbishing 1500 public homes, many of which would have otherwise been demolished. Some have already been added to the social housing offering, but it is unclear when the remaining will be ready for habitation. We have also recently ceased the disposal of all public housing properties which will provide further relief for those who are needing secure accommodation, he said. The refurbishments are in addition to the hundreds of new builds that are under way. A walrus sighted on an Irish beach, on the 14th of March may have floated there from the Arctic Circle after dropping numbly on an iceberg. The young girl named Muireann is 5 years old, showed the walrus to her dad, Alan Houlihan, as they strolled on County Kerry's Valentia Island. Alan explained that he initially imagined it was a seal and then he noticed the tucks, the walrus hopped up on the rocks and it was enormous. The walrus was around the size of a cow or bull, quite likely in size. The Arctic Circle A lot of Odobenus rosmarus (walruses) live close to the Arctic Circle, where they prey on shellfish in deep water and clamber onto the beaches and icebergs to rest. The enormous creatures hardly crop up around the Irish shoreline. The earliest documented walrus spotting there happened in 1897, but no other walruses were discovered until the 1980s, the Irish public service broadcaster RTE announced. Ever since fewer than two dozen more walruses have been sighted in Ireland. RTE announced that the cleaned-up walrus discovered on Valentia Island is believed to be relatively young, because of the length of the animal's tusks. How vast is the walrus? Fully-evolved walruses can develop tusks as long as 1 meter (3.3 feet), while the newly spotted walrus's tusks were around 30 centimeters long (12 inches). The walrus's body was assessed from snout to tail to be over 2 meters (6 feet). ALSO READ: Going With the Floe: Sea Ice Movements Trace Dynamics Transforming The New Arctic Heart of the Atlantic A marine biologist with the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium Kevin Flannery said to The Independent: how does a juvenile walrus wind up in County Kerry? "I would suggest what occurred is, he dozed off on an iceberg and was carried off, and he was far too gone, out in the heart of the Atlantic or someplace like that, down off Greenland probably." Flannery explained that "he might also be an island-jumping and left to Iceland on to Shetland, but that's uncertain. He also suggest that the walrus came in out of the Atlantic and after journeying thousands of miles, the walrus might probably be hungry and exhausted." Wishfully, "he will obtain several scallops around Valentia," Flannery further disclosed, if he recovers his strength, luckily, he will find his way back up to the Arctic. The numb walrus still gave him and his daughter "a bit of an exhibition" when they sighted it, according to the irish examiner. He was straddling on the rock then, sort of posing; at one phase there, he spat up a fin, and it appeared as if he was giving us all the birdie, he explained. Threat from Shipping Routes and Climate Change There are around 20,000 walruses in the North Atlantic, but in the whole world they are confronting an increasing threat from shipping routes and climate change. These problems had taken the lives of thousands of mammals in the Pacific Ocean, nearby north-eastern Russia, and Alaska. Though in the Atlantic, walruses appear more able to adapt to a changing climate because feeding turfs are close to shore and they lay in smaller factions RELATED ARTICLE: Uh-Oh! There's a Gigantic Iceberg About to Break Off From the Antarctic For more news, updates about walruses 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. ADVERTISEMENT The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, has said the National Judicial Council (NJC), has completed a full-scale automation of its meetings and operations. The CJN, who doubles as the chairperson of the council, said the move was part of measures aimed at ensuring that the justice system was not crippled in the face of threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement by the NJCs Director, Information, Soji Oye, said on Tuesday, that Mr Muhammad was represented by a Justice of the Supreme Court, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who is also the deputy chair of the council, at the Automation Retreat for members of the Council on Monday. The CJN said with the new automation, the NJC chamber is now re-designed, retrofitted and equipped with a state of the art technology with inbuilt security/access control for the use of council members. The NJC is the body which controls the appointment and disciplining of Nigerian judges of both state and federal courts. But no mention was made of efforts to address the huge deficit in information communication technology infrastructure, being suffered by Nigerian courts, whose judges still largely record proceedings manually. Read statement in full here: NJC COMPLETES A FULL-SCALE AUTOMATION OF ITS MEETINGS AND OPERATIONS The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman National Judicial Council, Honourable Dr. Justice I. T. Muhammad, CFR has disclosed that as part of the continued measures aimed at ensuring that the Justice system is not crippled in the face of threats posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council has completed a full-scale automation of its Meetings and operations. This is intended to herald a regime of electronic system to the Councils document management, marking a significant departure and paradigm shift from the current paper-based operations. The Chief Justice of Nigeria represented by the Deputy Chairman of the Council, Hon Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, CFR, who stated this at the Automation Retreat for members of the Council said the NJC Chambers is now re-designed, retrofitted and equipped with a state of the art technology with inbuilt Security/Access control for the use of Council members. The re-designed Meeting Chamber has the following features: *Voice tracking/Audio conferencing *Full video/Audio recording of meeting with (playback) *Call button-for assistance *Wireless presentation/Video Call *Video Conferencing for Members who are not able to attend *Intelligent System *Retractable Tables *Enhanced Audio/Speakers Systems *Secured access to meeting rooms *Acoustic environment to eliminate echo and possible eavesdropping and avoidance of any listening devices *Improved lightening *Befitting restroom, canteen and lounge The features of the E-document management include but not limited to the following: *Instant Access to update version *Selective or complete printing *Remote access *Sharing documents during virtual meetings The e-document also has the following Security/access Control mechanism: *Only authorized members and Secretariat can download (if needed). It is possible to track who and what is done to a document *In case of Committee assignments, only Committee Members can have access to documents pertaining to their respective Committees. The Chief Justice of Nigeria commended the NJC Secretary Ahmed Gambo Saleh, Esq for galvanising his Staff as well as Consultants to achieve this Technological milestone. Soji Oye, Esq Director, Information Ministers today came under fire from the wedding industry for only allowing larger events to happen outdoors from April 12 - with claims 7,000 couples could have to cancel. The PM's roadmap said that up to 15 people - not including children aged under five - can attend weddings and receptions when the loosening takes place next month. But it has emerged there was confusion about whether that merely applied to gatherings outdoors, or also meant events could be staged inside. According to the UK Weddings industry body, the government has recently clarified that ceremonies and receptions will only be permitted at places of worship, public buildings and outdoor hospitality settings. The organisation said that does not include most of the UK's licensed venues where 71 per cent of weddings usually take place - although it swiped that technically people could get married at a zoo. Some 7,000 weddings might have to be postponed or cancelled unless ministers relent, according to UK Weddings. However, Downing Street insisted there has been no change to its roadmap. The government's roadmap said that up to 15 people - not including children aged under five - can attend weddings and receptions when the loosening takes place next month (Stock image) It has emerged there was confusion about whether the April 12 date merely applied to gatherings outdoors, or also meant events could be staged inside The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'I would point to the road map which is clear that, at step two, weddings, receptions and commemorative events including wakes can take place with up to 15 attendees in premises that are permitted to open. 'We have said throughout that outdoors is safer than indoors. That means, at step two which is no earlier than April 12 wedding receptions must take place outdoors.' The schedule published last month stated that from April 12: 'Weddings, receptions, and commemorative events including wakes will be able to take place with up to 15 attendees (in premises that are permitted to open).' Up to six people are allowed to attend weddings from March 29, and the figure is set to rise to 30 from May before all limits are removed the following month. UK Weddings spokeswoman Sarah Haywood said: 'The roadmap indicated weddings and receptions could resume on 12th April. We have now discovered, not by being offered the information but by analysing the small print and repeatedly seeking clarity, that this is not the case. 'The 14.7billion wedding sector can reasonably expect Government's own messaging to be clear and unambiguous. 'It is neither, and after a year of uncertainty for businesses, their employees and over half a million people whose weddings have been on hold, this is yet another major blow. 'It will cost the industry - already on its knees - millions of pounds, lead to the loss of more jobs and leave an estimated 7,000 couples without a wedding. 'The reality facing the sector is that a couple could technically get married in a zoo, but not in a Covid-safe, purpose-built wedding venue.' Boris Johnson himself is thought to be planning to marry fiancee Carrie Symonds when the restrictions are eased - although they have not revealed any date. Marriage is primarily a social union found in every society. Nevertheless, this social institution is also ruled by the laws of the country. For instance, in 1854, the Government of Nepal passed the Muluki Ain (the Civil Code) commissioned by Jung Bahadur Rana. This law had various provisions on marriage such as a marriage between someone of a lower caste and someone of a higher caste is a crime. Over the years, various amendments were made, and today, the countrys system no more criminalises inter-caste marriage. Instead, obstructing an inter-caste marriage is considered a crime today. Criminalisation of discrimination The Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offence and Punishment) Act, 2011, mentions that the state should make timely provisions to protect the right of every person equality on the ground of origin, caste and any other circumstance on it preamble. Further, Section 2 (f) of the Act has a provision that everyone has the right to marry and choose the bride or groom. Section 4 (11) of the same Act illustrates that no one shall, on the ground of origin, caste race, descent, community, occupation or business, prevent a person of marriageable age under the prevailing law from getting inter-caste marriage or deny to perform the naming ceremony for the person born from such marriage or compel, or cause to compel, one to dissolve the already concluded marriage. Section 7 states that if any person commits the offence mentioned in Section 4 shall be liable for imprisonment for a term from two months to two years and a fine from Rs 20,000 to Rs 100,000. Constitutional provision Additional to the above law, there are various provisions that restrict anyone from discriminating others in the name of caste under the constitution of the country. Article 18 of the Constitution of Nepal has mentioned that all citizens shall be equal before the law. Article 24 mentions no person shall be subjected to any form of untouchability or discrimination in any private and public places on grounds of his or her origin, caste, tribe, community, profession, occupation or physical condition. Provisions in Civil Code 2017 Section 18 of the Civil Code 2017provides that no discrimination shall be made in the application of general law on grounds of origin, religion, colour, caste, race, sex, physical condition, disability, condition of health, marital status, pregnancy, economic condition, language, region, ideological conviction or on similar other grounds. Section 67 states that if a man and a woman accept each other as the husband and wife through any occasion, ceremony, formal or other act, a marriage shall be deemed to have been concluded. Similarly, Section 70 has mentioned conditions upon which a man and a woman can conclude the marriage. If the man and the woman agree to accept each other as husband and wife. If the man and the woman are not relative, punishable by law on incest. If the matrimonial relationship of both the man and the woman does not exist. If both have attained twenty years of age. With an aim to encourage inter-caste marriage, the government of Nepal announced an incentive of 100,000 rupees if any marriage is conducted between people belonging to different castes. The gesture was meant to end discrimination against the countrys Dalits who still face caste-based discrimination. Despite all the progressive laws, the nation is not being able to eliminate caste-based discrimination from the country. The major reasons for not being able to eliminate is that people have normalised inequality and is considered a way of life. The misconception must be challenged and raged against. After all, in an equal society where every caste is treated the same, not only benefits the so-called lower castes but the society as a whole. An 18-year-old gypsy bride's dream wedding ended in a violent and bloody street fight between a bridesmaid and the groom's aunt that had to be broken up by the police. Romani Gypsy Alyssa and her groom Heath, from West Virginia, were forced to flee their own wedding in order to avoid a confrontation with the cops - who were called in to break up the angry brawl between Heath's aunt Mellie and Alyssa's cousin and bridesmaid Diamond. In footage from TLC reality series Gypsy Brides US, the two women are seen throwing punches in the street just minutes after the couple's ceremony ended, when Diamond overheard Mellie threatening to attack the bride over claims that she had been spreading rumors about her mother-in-law. 'If she comes out here or comes over here and looks at me, I swear to God I'm going to f***ing kill her,' Diamond tells the cameras while standing out in the street, seconds before confronting Mellie when she stepped outside to smoke. Here comes the fight! An 18-year-old gypsy bride's dream wedding descended in violence when her bridesmaid (right) got into a bloody street fight with the groom's aunt (left) Squaring off: The fight began when bridesmaid Diamond (right) overheard the groom's aunt Mellie (left) saying that she was going 'stretch out' the bride because of a previous argument Violence: The brawl, which was featured in TLC reality series Gypsy Brides US, began when Diamond confronted Mellie outside of the Virginia courthouse where the wedding took place War wounds: Diamond shoved Mellie to the ground, before being tackled to the floor herself, and the women began beating one another, leaving the bridesmaid with a bloody nose 'Mellie comes walking down the stairs behind me talking to herself saying, "I can't stand fake a** people." Well f**k, you got it,' Diamond explained. The bridesmaid then begins screaming at Mellie, demanding to know why she was saying she was going to 'stretch Alyssa out' and demanding that she 'get out' before shoving her to the ground in front of several horrified bystanders. Mellie then knocks Diamond to the floor and the women begin slapping, punching, and scratching one another - leaving the bridesmaid with a bloody nose and the groom's aunt with a bloody lip and cuts all over her legs - before family members step in to break them up and Heath screams at his aunt to 'leave' his wedding. Despite taking much of the focus of the big day away from the bride and groom, neither woman seems repentant after their fight - with Diamond defiantly insisting to the cameras that she 'won'. 'Everybody knows who won, I mean I got the best out of her,' she says. 'When I pushed Mellie against the bricks, I hope I broke every bone in her body. When I'm mad, I go for the kill. 'If she said she had a reputation, she don't got none now. If Mellie wants round two, she can have it. I'll be standing like a champ. Like Mike Tyson.' Meanwhile Mellie, who is seen trying to clean up the blood from her face and legs, brags that Diamond is 'busted up more than her', boasting: 'Her face is all messed up, it was pouring with blood.' Devastated: Bride Alyssa (left) and her groom Heath (right) were forced to make a quick escape from their own ceremony in order to avoid a confrontation with the cops Threats: Mellie had threatened to 'beat up' bride Alyssa, after the teenager was accused of spreading rumors about her mother-in-law's love life Retreat: Despite causing chaos at the ceremony, Diamond and Mellie were both unrepentant, and each woman claimed that she had 'won' the fight Injuries: Mellie was left with bruises and cuts all over her legs after Diamond shoved her into a brick wall and onto the floor Escape: Alyssa (right) was then forced to flee her wedding ceremony when the cops were called by a bystander who witnessed the fight Despite her injuries, Mellie continues to threaten newlywed Alyssa, warning: '[Diamond] thinks she needs to defend her cousin. But what Diamond got... it isn't even half of what Alyssa's going to get.' But her threats prove to be empty - at least for the time being - when the entire wedding party is thrown out of the local courthouse as a result of the brawl, and the bride and groom are then forced to make a quick escape when the police arrived to deal with the violent fight. Although dramatic, the brawl was just the latest in a long line of upsets for the bride and groom - whose families disapproved of their union from the start, with many of their relatives, including their parents, refusing to attend the ceremony. At the beginning of the episode of the TLC show, which originally aired in 2012, but has been re-broadcast in recent weeks, prompting the clip to go viral on YouTube, Alyssa is seen attending her wedding dress fitting without her mother, who she says is refusing to be involved in the nuptials. Surrounded by three of her and Heath's 'closest cousins', who are also serving as her bridesmaids, Alyssa admits that she is upset that her mother is not there to experience the milestone moment with her. 'I love my dress, I feel like a princess in it, but I really wish my mom could have came to see my dress for the first time,' she confesses. 'I would have really loved to have shared that moment with my mom but she don't want nothing to do with it.' Boast: Mellie insisted that she had 'won' the fight, bragging that Diamond's face was 'all messed up' and 'pouring with blood' Bitter: Both of the women refused to apologize, despite ruining the bride and groom's event Threat: Mellie insisted that she wasn't going to let her feud with Alyssa go, warning that Diamond 'only got half of what Alyssa is going to get' Anger: Groom Heath was seen screaming at his aunt to 'leave' his wedding, before being forced to make a quick escape himself in order to avoid a meeting with the cops Alyssa's dressmaker, who regularly works with gypsies, explains that it is very rare for a bride to attend a fitting without her mother, particularly because Romani women do not usually leave the house without their mom to escort them. The days before the couple's wedding was due to take place, they faced another blow when Heath's mom kicked them out of her house because she had been told that Alyssa had been spreading rumors about her love life. '[Apparently] she couldn't stand to be around me? And I thought I was being good to that little girl,' Heath's mother Nettie, fumes, while pulling Alyssa's clothes out of the closet and packing them up. 'I had found out that Alyssa had been going over to my daughter-in-law and talking about how many men I've had. I could count on one hand how many men I've had. 'That child is going to go run her mouth about me? She didn't have to cook, she didn't have to clean, she didn't even have to make her own bed. And that wasn't good enough for her? 'I thought Alyssa was a really good girl and nobody could have ever told me any different. But now I see that Alyssa is a hateful child, the devil in disguise.' She then insists that her anger towards Alyssa has nothing to do with the fact that she is a Romani Gypsy, suggesting that her future daughter-in-law is behaving in a way that she has never experienced from other women in their culture. 'I have been around Romanis everywhere, from here, from one side of this United States to another, and I have never ever seen so bad of a troublemaker than that little girl,' she tells her sister - Heath's aunt - Mellie. Bittersweet: Alyssa and Heath's families both expressed disapproval over their nuptials, and the bride's mother refused to be involved in the wedding or even attend the dress fitting Heartache: 'I love my dress, I feel like a princess in it, but I really wish my mom could have came to see my dress for the first time,' Alyssa confessed to the cameras Keep calm and carry on: Despite their parents furious disapproval of the event, Alyssa and Heath were determined to go ahead with their wedding, with only their cousins attending Stand-in: Alyssa's father did not attend the ceremony, so she asked a friend to give her away Outrage: Days before the wedding, Heath's mother - Mellie's sister - Nettie kicked the couple out of her house, claiming that Alyssa had been spreading cruel rumors about her love life 'She is a liar, manipulator, conniving, evil. She is not safe to be around, and I'm not going to the wedding.' Nettie's sister - Heath's aunt - is left furious by Alyssa's actions, and tells her sibling that she is going to exact revenge on the bride at the wedding, warning: 'Oh I'm going. As soon as the man says, "Do you object?" I'm going to say, "Yes I do," and then I'm running down there and beating the s**t out of her.' Despite the bitter feud between his mother and his future wife, determined Heath, who earns a living tarmacking roads, remains unfazed by his family's furious disapproval of his marriage - and says he is determined to support his bride and create a life for them having turned his own around after a stint in jail. 'I feel like a new man,' he tells the cameras. 'I feel like reformed criminal. Old Heath was a wild, reckless kind of guy, he loved to fight and he loved to party.' But as a result of his mother kicking the couple out of her home, they are forced to stay in a motel for the night before their wedding, something that neither of them had expected. 'Everybody's turning on us, and I don't know what to do about it,' Heath confesses. 'I don't know if it's because they don't want us together, or they just don't like my wife.' Alyssa admits she never thought she would be 'staying the night in a hotel alone with nobody to support us' days before her wedding. At first glance this captivating scene peering through wispy clouds and down onto a dune field is reminiscent of a satellite view of one of Earth's deserts, but this is in fact a beautiful landscape on Mars. This spectacular dune field sits in the centre of Lomonosov crater, deep in the northern hemisphere of Mars (65N, 351E). It was imaged by the CaSSIS camera on the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) on 2 December, 2020. The image was taken as part of a campaign to track the evolution of the dune field throughout the year. At this time, northern winter was coming to an end on Mars and the frost over these areas had begun to sublimate. The darker spots indicate areas where frost has sublimated and the darker basaltic sand is visible. The crests of the dunes indicate the average wind direction, in this case, the wind comes predominantly from the bottom left to the top right of the image. To the right, darker, more basaltic rich and frost-free sediments are visible. It is also in the right of the image that bright white clouds stand out against the darker sediments on the ground. The image was released on the occasion of the five year launch anniversary of the mission. The first five years TGO launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 14 March 2016, arriving at Mars seven months later. It spent several months aerobraking - using the top of the planet's atmosphere to create drag and slow down - to became the first ESA spacecraft used to enter its science orbit in this way. The mission began full science operations in April 2018 with its suite of four instruments. TGO's NOMAD and ACS spectrometers are designed to provide the best ever inventory of the planet's atmospheric gases yet, and have already detected a new gas - hydrogen chloride - for the first time, as well as studying processes linked to atmospheric water escape in greater detail than ever. TGO is also adding to the lively debate surrounding the presence of methane on the planet by revealing a surprising lack of the mysterious gas. The FREND instrument is mapping the distribution of hydrogen in the uppermost metre of the planet's surface, creating a detailed map of possible water-rich oases, relevant for future exploration of Mars. The CaSSIS camera has captured more than 20 000 images documenting the surface and complementing the data returned by the other instruments to help characterise features that may be related to trace gas sources. TGO also provides routine data relay for NASA's landers and rovers: Opportunity (until its end of operations in 2018), Curiosity, Insight and Perseverance. It will also be the communication link for the second ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars mission, comprising the Rosalind Franklin rover and Kazachok platform, when it arrives on Mars in 2023. Larger image Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Jennifer Neff, co-founder of Elemental Software, a social prescribing digital solution, says her team of 30 are "part of a movement, a revolution in getting social prescribing out there". Jennifer and co-founder Leeann Monk are the masterminds behind the software, which is used by health trusts, community organisations and more around the UK to link people with community services including leisure and arts as an alternative to medication in order to improve wellbeing. Elemental believes it can empower individuals to manage their own health and wellbeing using what's available in the community. That can ultimately reduce pressure on GP time and keep people out of hospital for longer. The business recently signed its biggest contract yet, a nine-year deal with NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The company was five years in the making and began operations in 2016. Jennifer says: "Leeann and I were both working in community development and we would chat to people in communities who didn't know there were free swimming classes or art classes and walking clubs and other things like that ready to access. Many of the people we worked with needed more support to actually join these groups. "So, we got chatting with GPs and social workers and knew there was a more holistic way to help people with wellbeing and that was a referral system that was safe, secure and easy to use." Jennifer says the community and voluntary sectors were receptive to the idea of introducing more people to community groups through their proposed system. "We were researching it back in 2011 when there was something of a digital revolution underway and then, when Derry became the first UK City of Culture in 2013, there was a real air about that everything was possible. Everyone in the area felt empowered and that was the year when we thought we could do something to respond to this frustrating system that was in place." And after entering a competition as part of that City of Culture event, the wheels were put in motion to make Elemental a reality. "We entered a competition as part of that event and while we didn't win it, the winner gave us his prize. "It was 500 and included three months' desk space and that was enough to get us started. "That 500 bought us time with a developer who built a prototype. At that time Elemental was very simple and basic so we took it out and tested it. Invest NI then supported us and to date they have been amazing," Jennifer continues. In 2016 the system was was launched at NHS Expo in Manchester. "People were wondering what two community development workers knew about software," she reflects. "But it was successful, and we signed up five clients at that event alone. "We showed the platform for the first time and did around 80 demos over two days." Among those clients was Mersey Care Foundation Trust. The system which is now the go-to for service providers seeking to link patients with community is "reducing health inequalities", says Jennifer. "And that's everyone's business," she adds. "People were dying 15 years before others because of where they lived and social prescribing is so important in all of that. Medication isn't going to solve all the problems. What we find now is that the technology we've introduced is simple to use and it's doing so much for people in that community and health ecosystem. "That's kind of everyone's system and Elemental is the tool that helps get people together to show the benefits of social prescribing." Data and feedback are also part of the software offering at Elemental, which has big plans to expand. "The UK and Ireland are leading the way in social prescribing," says Jennifer. "But we're seeing it pop up everywhere including Canada, Denmark and Australia and they are looking at us as a major part of successful social prescription." Such is the growth in social prescribing right now, Elemental has invested over 1.2m in the business creating eight new jobs. The investment, which was partly supported by Invest NI, will see it refine its service, drive export growth and appeal to new target sectors. It's the second major investment Elemental has made over the years. The company has also been awarded a place on the new GPIT NHS framework which is in effect a buyer's catalogue for NHS organisations within primary care. Jennifer says the company's new investment in R&D will help it to enhance the technical, security and governance standards to proactively win contracts available on the framework. "We also hope to increase our turnover from 1m to 5m over the next three years," she adds. "This is ambitious, but our research has shown us that social prescribing is an evolving market globally and many opportunities exist. "We have entered into two new sectors since Covid-19 started with the education and employment sectors using our technology to ensure that students and those looking for work get the support they need. Our customers in these sectors are seeing a positive impact on people's wellbeing already and we are looking forward to rolling this out across the UK, Ireland, and beyond." The company has experienced a 66% increase in overall revenue in the past year while its team continues to grow. Jennifer reflects on Elemental's rapid success and believes the pandemic and the pressure it has placed on the NHS will see a bigger drive towards growing social prescription. In Northern Ireland, the business works with the Spring Project, but it is currently in talks with local trusts with the hope of rolling the software out there and while she says the conversation has been a long time coming, it's welcome. She says no matter how big the company becomes, Derry will continue to be its home. "Derry people are very caring and creative. You start with a good set of values when you work here, and more and more people are coming out of university with digital skills. It has all the ingredients for a good and healthy economy. "People try to get us to move to Belfast or even London, but Derry is part of our story." Jennifer puts the company's success down to her and her co-founders' hard work - and their enthusiasm to make community referrals easier. "I wasn't the A student at school. In fact, I was lucky to get a B. I always worked hard and knew that I needed to work harder to get where I needed to be." The decision to leave contracted employment and pursue her own business was inspired by her father. "He had his own business as an architect, and I listened to him over the years over the phone and at work and how he conducted business and I learned from that. I got all my determination from my mum." Being business savvy was always part of her makeup however as she recalls selling pens in school aged 11. A degree in Edinburgh followed. "I didn't really have a career path in mind," she admits. "But when I look back it seems everything I did led me to where I am now." 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 Some cybersecurity experts agree with a report by Cybersecurity Ventures and expect financial damages from cybercrime to reach $6 trillion by the end of this year. Industry studies show that cyberattacks are among the fastest-growing crimes in the United States. Cyberattacks are absolutely on the rise. Based on everything we know and every single analyst we have spoken with, there is no doubt that attacks are increasing, according to Robert McKay, senior vice president, risk solutions at Neustar. "Cybersecurity experts predict that in 2021 there will be a cyberattack incident every 11 seconds. This is nearly twice what it was in 2019 (every 19 seconds), and four times the rate five years ago (every 40 seconds in 2016)," he told TechNewsWorld. The rapidly growing increase in cyberattacks worldwide comes at a hefty cost for businesses in order to better protect their computer networks from intrusions. Cyberattacks not only are increasing in frequency, but they are costing victims larger financial losses. The Growing Price of Cyber Risk Worldwide, cybercrime cost businesses, government agencies, and consumers in general more than $1 trillion in 2020, according to the data analyzed by researchers at Atlas VPN. That is around one percent of the global GDP. While $945 billion was lost to cyber incidents, $145 billion was spent on cybersecurity. Those costs increased by more than 50 percent compared to 2018, when over $600 billion was spent to handle cybercrime. But twenty percent of organizations worldwide have no plans on how to protect against cybercrime events, according to the Atlas VPN report. That leaves a gaping hole in networks for cybercriminals to extend their attack strategies to steal even millions of dollars more. The only sure defense, warn cybersecurity experts, is to step up efforts to pass legislation that bolsters technological defenses. That may be the only way to alter the course of ongoing cyberattacks. Despite all the efforts into protecting systems and data, cloud breaches are likely to increase in both velocity and scale, said John Kinsella, chief architect at Accurics about his company's 2020 summer research report on the State of DevSecOps. "This [analysis] comes as cloud breaches have been rampant over the last two years. More than 30 billion records have been exposed as a result of cloud infrastructure misconfigurations," he told TechNewsWorld. In order to keep pace with an evolving economy that requires more digital transformation, organizations must place cyber resilience and the practice of DevSecOps at the top of their priority list, he added. Not Just in the Clouds Much more results in the growing pace of cyberattacks than rampant migration to cloud storage and misconfigured cloud infrastructure. Still, misconfigurations in cloud infrastructure lead to data exposure and are among the biggest concerns for cyberthreats facing business and government agencies today, noted Kinsella. Nearly 98 percent of all cyberattacks rely on some form of social engineering to deliver a payload such as malware or ransomware. One of the most successful attack formats cybercriminals use regularly to initiate a social engineering attack is through phishing emails. Therefore, threat actors distribute malware via email approximately 92 percent of the time. Cloud use and the continued stampede to cloud services is not going away. That ongoing shift in computing practices must be managed with more vigilance. COVID has accelerated organizations' digital transformation. Therefore, the ability to set up workloads in the cloud and get them through compliance and security challenges is in demand, noted Mohit Tiwari, co-founder and CEO at Symmetry Systems. "Part of the reason is that the workloads that had resisted moving to the cloud were exactly the highly regulated ones, and the forced move out of on-site data centers managed by IT staff is driving up demand for cloud-based compliance and security skills," he told TechNewsWorld. Thus, cloud-based security techniques will be vital in the fight to curtail the worsening cybersecurity landscape. These include learning to work with cloud-native identity and access management (IAM), he noted. "Those looking after cloud-based security need to broadly learn to manage infrastructure through structured programs, instead of shell scripts pieced together. As networks and application tiers become ephemeral, the most important persistent asset for any enterprise will likely be their own and their customers' data. So data-security on the cloud will be a major theme going forward," he cautioned. Providing Cloud Cover The world pandemic has hastened the cyber intrusions. So has complacency and poor training among office workers and inadequate IT surveillance. Organizations need to consider a balanced approach to training their employees and investing in automation tools to minimize the risks of cyberattacks, offered Brendan O'Connor, CEO and co-founder at AppOmni. Extensive training and around-the-clock manual monitoring are not necessary when the right automation tools can complement the IT staff as they build up their skill set. "IT workers specializing in security need to shift their focus to supporting the new model of business many enterprises are adopting. Some enterprises are shifting their business model to focus on virtual workforce, de-emphasizing the need to secure office networks," O'Connor told TechNewsWorld. In other cases, offices are being eliminated altogether. IT workers need to change their focus from traditional network security of a campus/office to application security of the work-anywhere model, he continued. "With the employee location and devices under constant flux, organizations will rely on the consistency and security of cloud service applications. IT workers should look to the management and security of these SaaS (software as service) applications as the new skills and technology to embrace," O'Connor said. Looming Threats Over the next year, ransomware will continue to be the biggest threat and financial risk to enterprises, observed Joseph Carson, chief security scientist and advisory CISO at Thycotic. Most organizations should be very concerned about ransomware as the biggest cybersecurity challenge and threat, he advised. "Organizations should prioritize to invest in security solutions that help reduce the risks and also plan and test an incident response plan to help ensure the business is resilient to high-risk attacks," he told TechNewsWorld. Ransomware continues to evolve into more than just a security incident. Cybercriminals now seek data breaches with organized cybercrime groups to steal the data before they encrypt on corporate servers. Companies are not just worried about getting their data back but also who it gets shared with publicly. Cybercriminals use ransomware to target anyone, any company, and any government including hospitals and transportation industries at a time when they are under extreme pressure, Carson added. Another major cybersecurity attack trend focuses on the protective tools and security vendors within the industry, noted Brandon Hoffman, chief information security officer at Netenrich. The tools that the industry relies on and their providers are becoming more targets for attacks. "It is a big concern because practitioners need tools they can depend on for detection and defense. By crippling or repurposing the very tools meant to thwart these attempts, the adversaries stand to gain a complete upper hand in the ongoing battle to combat cyber threats," Hoffman told TechNewsWorld. "The attacks targeting security organizations and vendors were always high up on the adversary list, but success begets further success." Fighting the Battle The trust factor is an internal battle of sorts between security vendors and the corporations hiring them for cyber protection. That trust must be constantly reassessed, suggested Tim Wade, technical director of the CTO Team at Vectra AI. "Strategically, security practitioners must continue to pivot away from preventative-based security architecture into resilience-based security architecture," Wade told TechNewsWorld. That is where the focus shifts to accepting the reality that things will go wrong, but when they do, the impact is minimized through rapid detection, response, and recovery, he added. Vendors and suppliers have always been lucrative targets for adversaries. Many of the cyberattackers belong to organized criminal gangs that are sanctioned by foreign nations. The best defense such adversaries is acknowledging that you cannot stop them. But then focus on making their lives as difficult as possible, Wade said. Cybersecurity Higher Education One of the often unspoken ways of safeguarding against cybersecurity assaults is through education. This approach goes beyond teaching company workers to be better aware of safe computing ideals. Rather, recruiting the next crop of computer specialists to pursue a degree in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity prospers because so many professionals come from different backgrounds and skill sets, noted Heather Paunet, senior vice president at Untangle. "Groups who are traditionally marginalized in other industries, when pivoting or starting a career in cybersecurity, can benefit from multiple industry-leading organizations offering certification programs," she told TechNewsWorld. The emerging field of cybersecurity is a very viable career path, noted Michael Kaczmarek, vice president of product management at Neustar. Industry reports show that the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is expected to grow by 35 percent. "Given the increases in attacks and the changes in tactics used by bad actors and organizations, cybersecurity will most certainly be a career choice that will see net employment for the long term," he told TechNewsWorld. The demand for cybersecurity jobs has certainly increased in the past year, agreed Dov Lerner, security research lead at Cybersixgill. A career path in the field is a great choice for someone interested in IT and security. "An increase in the number of tools utilized increases security operations and analytics complexity and requires an increase in personnel. However, according to a recent ESG survey, nearly 70 percent of security teams say it is difficult to recruit and hire additional SOC (security operations center) staff," Lerner told TechNewsWorld. Security analysts have the opportunity to impact more than just their specific industry. Cybersecurity reaches into the world of politics, economics, and other sectors of the world. While breaking into the field can be challenging, it is incredibly rewarding, he concluded. Jack M. Germain has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His main areas of focus are enterprise IT, Linux and open-source technologies. He is an esteemed reviewer of Linux distros and other open-source software. In addition, Jack extensively covers business technology and privacy issues, as well as developments in e-commerce and consumer electronics. Email Jack. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions A few months ago, a woman who had been waiting in a long line at the Northshore Food Bank in Covington finally made her way to the front, pulling her vehicle up to the area where boxes of food were being passed out. With her shoulders stooped, she held a sheet of paper against her rolled-up drivers-side window. Terri Turner-Marse, the food banks chief executive officer who was pressed into car-line duty during the pandemic, squinted to read the scribbled message on the page. I have COVID. Husband has COVID. We have no food in the house. Turner-Marse was taken aback. It was one of many such times over the past year that she recognized the pandemics weight on the north shore community, despite the fact that the area ranks among the top in the state in household median income. People who had never been to a food bank were in line, Turner-Marse said in a telephone interview. The economic fallout from the pandemic has been hard on service industry employees, musicians and gig workers. But it has also upended the careers of a large swath of professionals whose financial independence rightly or wrongly often serves as a barometer of their self-worth. All told, the pandemic has turned many gainfully employed Americans into first-time assistance seekers who are finding joblessness and food lines hard to digest. A woman who was identified as Debra M. on the local Second Harvest Food Banks blog expressed the mixed feelings many recipients feel. We are basically living out of our car, the woman wrote. But weve never had to ask for help. This was so hard, but thank you so much for being here. Everyone (at the food bank) made me feel so welcome I just wanted to cry. Second Harvest President Natalie Jayroe said the charitable organization distributed more than 50 million meals in 2020, nearly double the number it gives out in a normal year. But while the food banks can help with nutritional needs, the pangs of unemployment often times arent quelled by a good meal. As far back as the Great Depression, psychologists and sociologists have argued that unemployment damages emotional health. When you consider that some 22 million American workers lost their jobs in the first few months of the pandemic, thats a lot of damage. Many are back to work, but others remain jobless in an economy struggling to right itself. Years ago, sociologist Erving Goffman classified unemployment as a spoiled identity that causes an individual to feel different and devalued by others. Social scientists say unemployment carries a stigma that can worsen the guilt of someone reaching out for assistance. But this is both wrongheaded and naive, especially in these unprecedented times, the experts say. Dr. Gus Sison, a New Orleans native licensed to practice psychology in Louisiana and Mississippi, said the concept of shaken identity upon losing a job is very real because many of us define ourselves by our work and the support it provides. In addition to feeling anxious, people can become confused about what unemployment means for who they are as a person. This disorientation not only makes it difficult to ask for financial assistance but can also impair ones ability to reach out for needed emotional support. I dont know how many times Ive heard from a suddenly unemployed patient, some version of: Look, I was the one who was the provider, the one that everyone else depended on, and now I'm supposed ask for help? Im not sure I know how to do that, Sison said in an online interview. The Northshore Food Bank, which serves both St. Tammany and Washington parishes, saw a record number of new applicants in 2020. Turner-Marse said the bigger jump in first-time food aid recipients came from St. Tammany. While the past year has been disheartening in so many ways, Turner-Marse said shes amazed by the communitys response to the enormous need for contributions. In the pandemics early stages, normal supply chains were disrupted, and lines at the food bank seemed endless. As the demand for food assistance more than doubled, philanthropists came to the rescue. When we put the plea out, contributions came pouring in, Turner-Marse said. It blew me away. Mental health advocates say everyone can play a role in erasing the unwarranted stigma around grasping a pandemic lifeline. From a psychological perspective, its critically important now more than ever that we reach out to each other with the message that we all need help at some point in our lives, Sison said. Making it OK for all of us to ask for help goes a long way toward eliminating the useless self-shame and stigma associated with getting help, and helping people to emotionally adjust, recover and positively move forward. Those in need of food assistance can contact Second Harvest Food Bank at (504) 734-1322 or the Northshore Food Bank at (985) 893-3003. Contributions to the food banks are always welcomed. [March 15, 2021] FICO Survey: 68% of Singaporeans Prefer to Use Digital Channels to Engage with their Bank During Financial Hardship SINGAPORE, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights: 68 percent of Singaporean consumers prefer to use digital channels to engage with their bank during financial hardship. 28 percent of Singaporeans prefer to communicate via internet banking; 23 percent preferred to use their mobile banking app. 35 percent of Singaporeans prefer to deal with just one primary bank with a further 39 percent saying that they 'somewhat agreed' this was their preference. A recent survey by global analytics software firm FICO has revealed that 68 percent of Singaporean consumers prefer to use digital channels to engage with their bank during financial hardship. The poll conducted in December 2020, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates the willingness of consumers to embrace digital banking and the opportunities that exist for banks to further develop their offering. More information: https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/market-research/advancing-new-experiences-digital-banking The high level of high-speed internet penetration in Singapore meant that 28 percent of Singaporeans preferred to communicate about hardship using online banking; 23 percent wanted to use their mobile banking app; 7 percent wanted to use phone banking; 7 percent communicated via email; and 3 percent wanted to use virtual conference technology. "The risk of infection and social distancing requirements made branch visits less appealing last year, accelerating a shift to digital banking channels globally," said Aashish Sharma, risk lifecycle and decision management lead for FICO in Asia Pacific. "Being able to deliver and manage numerous channels in line with customer preference and deliver a seamless and engaging experience is a challenge that is here to stay. Investment in customer management and communication tools that span these channels and product silos and can deliver personalization and improved decision making is key to making digital banking a success." Customer attitudes to new technology from banks such as debt collction automation can yield some interesting preferences and behaviors. "It is worth noting that during periods of hardship, some customers prefer to deal with the issue using intelligent, automated online services, such as our FICO Customer Communication Services (CCS) so as to avoid the embarrassment of talking to an agent about outstanding loans. If customers prefer digital channels during times of hardship, their most difficult time, it seems to me we can expect branch banking to continue its decline," explained Sharma. Importance of maintaining banking relationships Banks still have a data and relationship advantage when compared to fintech challengers. The survey revealed that across Asia Pacific, one in three consumers preferred to have all their banking needs serviced by one bank. In Singapore this was slightly lower at 26 percent, with a further 46 percent saying that they 'somewhat agreed' they would like to deal with just one primary bank. "Managing multiple bank accounts or finance products with different lenders can often be a complex, time-consuming and costly process for the average banking customer," said Sharma. "Digital banking users today are looking for greater control and visibility of their financial position." When asked about their willingness to try a fintech or challenger bank, 16 percent of Singaporeans said that they were inclined to consider a competitor with a further 47 percent relatively open to the idea. "To consolidate and strengthen main bank engagement, lenders need to offer digital banking features that compete with the challengers to ensure the stickiness and viability of long-term customer relationships," added Sharma. Most appealing reasons to switch banks When asked about the reasons they would make the switch to a competitor, 26 percent of Singaporean consumers said their number one reason would be to secure improved personalization and controls in their digital banking service. The poll defined this as the ability to view transaction history, update personal details, reset passwords and other such functions. Interestingly, personalization and control was also the top reason for switching across Asia Pacific (31%). Other top switching drivers across Asia Pacific were; the ability to control a payment card (set transaction limits, lock/unlock); the ability to set up recurring payments; and improved security features such as biometrics and two-factor authentication. FICO's Advancing New Experiences in Digital Banking survey was conducted in December 2020 using an online, quantitative poll of 5,000 consumers across ten countries and regions carried out on behalf of FICO by an independent research company. The countries surveyed were Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956 and based in Silicon Valley, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 195 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 120 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time. Learn more at www.fico.com. Join the conversation on Twitter at @FICOnews_APAC. FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the US and other countries Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1456089/APAC.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/450763/FICO_Logo.jpg SOURCE FICO [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Satyricon was easy to overlook. Its storefront, shoved next to a rundown grocery, faded into the grittiest part of Old Town. Its reputation, however, glowed like the White Stag sign. Portlanders of every age and outlook knew what went on behind its narrow front door -- or thought they did. The club opened late in 1983 and quickly became the unofficial headquarters of the citys punk scene. It had a reputation for being a dangerous place, but it wasnt as simple as that. Satyricon also offered whimsy. One night you might stumble upon a band that dressed like space-alien aborigines, as one habitue put it; on another youd find yourself participating in an earnest Poetry Night. Some of the biggest names of 1990s alternative rock slouched through its dank corridors in the months and years before they hit the big time. Which just might have heralded the clubs doom. *** Satyricon has been gone for 10 years now -- longer if you dont count its all-ages second incarnation. Yet it also lives on for music fans of a not-so-creaky vintage, the name conjuring potent memories of both the freedom of their youth and a Portland that is no longer. That was when downtown was still fun to go to, says Steve Carder, a regular during the clubs late-stage heyday and now the general manager at Slow Bar. That was when you could live there for $200 a month. The rent was cheap, of course, because much of the business district and adjacent Old Town neighborhood was a dump. Whats now known as the Pearl District was dotted with moldering warehouses and sketchy men in doorways. When I go through that part of town now, it doesnt look anything like it did, says longtime Portland musician Joe Wickstrom, who played bass in Anzio Bridgehead and various other popular local bands during this period. There were drug dealers lining the street back then. Satyricon, at 125 N.W. Sixth Avenue, stood at the center of this world. Satyricon owner George Touhouliotis in 1991. (The Oregonian) Its owner, George Touhouliotis, had run a tavern near Civic Stadium that occasionally offered live music. Noise complaints from neighbors led him to the dusty abandoned space on Sixth, and he named his new venture after the famous Fellini movie. It was just a redecorated old bar, but Touhouliotis managed to create something different there. Every month the Pander brothers and other local artists painted the wall behind the stage. The street poet Walt Curtis often could be found declaiming at the club. Satyricon had a vibe, an aura -- regulars from the 1980s and 90s struggle to put their finger on it, but they feel it even now, like a tingle in the extremities. It was a judgement-free place, Carder says. It was a cool family of weirdos. Within a month I was considered a regular. Once they recognized you, theyd pull you forward, have your drink waiting. Satyricon in 2010, shortly before its second incarnation closed down. In its heyday, the club was the foremost showcase for Portland's underground-music scene. (Ross William Hamilton/The Oregonian) Wickstrom uses almost exactly the same words when he describes the atmosphere. It was a safe place for weirdos, he says. Everyone was welcome. It wasnt uncommon to see drag queens, strippers, metal dudes, dudes in suits. Adds Ben Munat, a local musician who evolved into the clubs booker: Once you were one of us, you were one of us. Touhouliotis, then in his 30s, wasnt a big music fan, but he was drawn to creative people; and he liked being a part of the younger generations search for something new. God loves freshness, he says. Few of the bands that played Satyricon in the early days ever thought about hitting it big. Talent usually wasnt why they were getting up on stage. There were really good bands there and bands that could barely play, Wickstrom says. George was willing to give people a chance to express themselves, to blow off steam outside of whatever home life or [terrible] job or suburban hell they were dealing with. Touhouliotis sought diversity in the kinds of music on offer, but hard rock, punk, dominated, he says. Thats what they wanted. He realized this -- and decided to embrace it -- after the band The Mentors played and three people broke their legs or ankles, it was such a wild, crazy mosh thing. The physical dimensions of his club, its tight hallways and low ceilings, seemed perfectly attuned to the punk attitude in this post-disco, burgeoning New Wave era. Youd go through the bar, the performance room was in the back, it was kind of a funnel, Wickstrom says. That room sucked you in like a back draft; people heaved against the stage, banged it with their fists. Michelle Rose, left, arrived in Portland in 1989 and found her way to Satyricon. A few years earlier, model Lauren Christeson, right, participated in a punk fashion show at the club. (Rose photo courtesy Michelle M. Rose; Christeson photo by The Oregonian) One of them was Michelle M. Rose, who landed in Portland in 1989. She was 19 and had followed her musician boyfriend from California. The city felt alive like nowhere shed been before. A punk girl with dyed jet-black hair, she immediately heard about Satyricon and started figuring out ways to sneak in with friends. She found the club exciting but really intimidating. She recalls coming into Satyricon, her heart pounding in her ears, thinking, Oh, my God, were here now. Whats going to happen? That was a good question to ask as you made your way into the dark, graffitied venue. There was music, yes, but also there were still poetry readings, cabaret shows, visual-art exhibits. And, of course, drugs and sex. To be frank, there was a lot of drug use, Munat says. The bathrooms at Satyricon became private bacchanals, a shared snort or arm jab sometimes leading to a grunting, clothes-twisting grapple. Syringecon, they called Satyricon. And Slutyricon. Satyricon The club managed to intersect with strands of some of the citys darkest phenomena during this period, starting with heroin chic. Skinheads frequented Satyricon. This included the young racists who in 1988 would murder Ethiopian college student Mulugeta Seraw. Skinheads were a problem, Touhouliotis admits. They caused most of the fights. A few years later, a girl ended up getting in a car with serial killer Cesar Barone after seeing Wickstroms band at the club. She had asked the band for a ride, but they were going the other direction. We talked to the detectives after, Wickstrom says. It was horrible. George Touhouliotis, left, and Ben Munat, sit outside Satyricon in 1996. (Marv Bondarowicz/The Oregonian) The best-known incident of this down-and-dirty phase of the clubs history came in April 1990 when Touhouliotis stepped into the vacant lot next to the club to take a leak. A plainclothes police officer took issue with the fouling of an already foul spot of weedy urbanity. (My mistake, I guess, Touhouliotis said later.) The club owner, not realizing this was a cop pestering him rather than a drug dealer or love seeker, told the officer to get lost, zipped up and headed back toward the building. The officer followed, leading to Satyricons bouncer getting involved. Word spread quickly inside the club. A claque of uniformed officers arrived in riot gear, punches and various objects were thrown, arrests made. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission suspended the clubs liquor license. Rose, now a designer and musician in Oakland, remembers hearing about the Satyricon riot the next day and not being at all surprised. It felt like the end of something, she says. It was getting more violent, scarier. She was right. It was the end of something -- namely, Satyricons anarchic, mostly low-profile early days. The Big Time was coming on hard and fast. *** NIRVANA AT SATYRICON: Nirvana is the name of a rock band from Seattle. The state of being at this club probably will be closer to mania, as Hitting Birth, Caustic Soda, Thrill Hammer and Roger Nusic join Nirvana to bash the spirit of the New Year into submission. Suffice it to say, Guy Lombardo would hate this. -- The Oregonian Ben Munat saw the future at that 1990 New Years Eve show. The very near future. Kurt Cobain did his whole, rolling-around-on-the-floor thing, he says. They just blew everyone away. Nirvanas album Nevermind would be released nine months later, and it took off across the country. So did the story that the late Cobain and Hole frontwoman Courtney Love had met at a small, dimly lit nightclub in Portland called Satyricon. Theyd go on marry in 1992, becoming rocks grungy royal couple. She was wild, Touhouliotis says of Love, who had worked as a dancer at the nearby topless joint Marys Club in the 80s. But she was all right. I enjoy people who are lively. The mainstream success of what had come to be known as grunge was intoxicating, but also confusing. Suddenly alternative rock wasnt alternative anymore. When Nirvana broke out, remembers Rose, we all thought, Oh, everybody knows about this now. A&E execs, having already blitzed Seattle, where the sound originated, descended on Portland. There was intense competition to find the next Nirvana, Munat says. Adds Wickstrom: I remember being bummed out that that world was focused on our town. He wasnt the only one feeling conflicted. Satyricon was now busier than ever, but Touhouliotis was losing interest. The 80s, I think, was a lot more exciting, a lot more experimental, he says. The newness of it. Whether there during the punk-dominated but eclectic 1980s or the mainstream-ish 90s, everyone who spent time at Satyricon has a memory of seeing a band or bands that knocked them out: Dead Moon, Dharma Bums, Jesus Lizard, The Fluid, Napalm Beach, The Obituaries, Alcoholics Unanimous. The list goes on. I still get sad thinking about the last show I saw there, Carder says. He recently went looking for a photo of the club to put up in Slow Bars bathroom, a memory to hold onto every day as he goes about his life. Munat, now a software engineer, feels the same pull of the past. For me and a lot of my friends, it was a focal point of our lives, he says. I dont think there will ever be anything like it again. By the late-1990s, the area surrounding Satyricon was starting to spruce up. Rents were rising, corporate outposts and franchisees moving in. Longtime Satyricon fans werent too happy about it. The seediness was the point, or part of the point. We The Old Portland, our recording location for Ep. 65. The brainchild of Courtney Taylor-Taylor of @TheDandyWarhols, it's a place where you can sip #wine and admire the old Satyricon marquee. #punk #rock #podcastsonspotify https://t.co/Tx8L3nwPl3 pic.twitter.com/i310AFoIHX The Four Top (@The4Top) October 8, 2019 Business dropped off, and by then Touhouliotis couldnt raise the enthusiasm to find a new way forward. The place lost its passion, he says. He finally shuttered Satyricon in May 2003. (He wasnt involved in the revived all-ages version of the club that took the space from 2006 until the buildings demise four years later.) It was just a rock club that managed to last longer than most, no reason to shed tears for it, right? Right, but for those who grew up there, who staked their claim there, it was much more than a scuzzy music venue that caught lighting in a bottle. Satyricon held tight to a Portland that had a small national footprint but was alive and vital even though the New York Times didnt want to write about it. What people miss is the feeling of community, says Wickstrom, who helped make a 2013 documentary about the club. Everybody knew each other, or had one degree of separation. Thats gone, and I dont think its ever coming back. Touhouliotis doesnt feel the nostalgia for the long-gone club that his former patrons do, but hes not surprised by it. I understand, he says. When they were young and free, and they had choices. He ponders those days for a moment and adds: They felt what I felt. They felt it was their place. And it was. -- Douglas Perry dperry@oregonian.com @douglasmperry Sorry! This content is not available in your region By end of 2021, India will be in position to vaccinate its adult population: Harsh Vardhan B.1.617 COVID variant, first detected in India, found in 65% of samples sequenced: Harsh Vardhan TN BJP MLA requests Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to set up high level panel to help fight COVID-19 Not sending vaccines abroad at expense of Indians: Health Minister India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan today said that the Centre is not exporting vaccines to foreign nations at the expense of the people of India. The reply came a day after the Congress opposed the Centre's move to export vaccines. The Congress said that the vaccines should be exported after the entire population of the country is vaccinated. "Vaccines aren't being sent to other countries at the expense of the people of India. Experts at the highest level and a committee of the government are maintaining a sensible balance about it. 30,39,394 people were vaccinated yesterday. We have touched a total vaccination figure of Rs. 3 crore," Harsh Vardhan said according to news agency ANI. Is India witnessing second wave of Covid-19? States remain on upward trajectory The minister said in the Rajya Sabha that the experts at the highest level and aa committee of the government are keeping a check on the vaccine requirement in the country. In January, the Ministry of External Affairs had stated that "Immunisation programme is being implemented in India, as in other countries, in a phased manner to cover the healthcare providers, frontline workers and the most vulnerable. Keeping in view the domestic requirements of the phased rollout, India will continue to supply COVID-19 vaccines to partner countries over the coming weeks and months in a phased manner. It will be ensured that domestic manufacturers will have adequate stocks to meet domestic requirements while supplying abroad. India's envoy in has underlined the importance of close cooperation between the navies of the two countries as an essential part of the overall bilateral engagement, as he handed over training aids worth 22 million LKR (about Rs 81,00,000) to the island nation's Navy for capacity building. High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, during a visit to the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, formally handed over the training aids to the Commander Eastern Naval Area of the Navy at a ceremony held on Sunday at the prestigious Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) Trincomalee. Pursuing the commitment of the in assisting the regional navies in capacity building, during his visit in December 2019, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh had committed to providing a number of training items to the Sri Lankan Navy, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement. With a focus on supporting specialisation courses being conducted at NMA, Navy model of indigenously developed Varunastra heavy-weight torpedo, working model of Light Weight Torpedo, Underwater Telephone, Gas Turbine cut Model, a model of HMS Trincomalee and Bathythermograph were delivered in Sri Lanka in 2020 and were operationalised with joint efforts of Indian Navy, Sri Lankan Navy and the OEMs from India. While formally handing over the training aids, the High Commissioner reiterated the importance of close cooperation between the two navies as an essential part of the overall bilateral engagement. He also handed over Kindle e-book readers and books to the library of the Naval and Maritime Academy. The and the Sri Lankan Navy have always maintained a functional relationship and several training facilities of the are availed by the Sri Lankan Navy, the High Commission said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement Grim photographs show the inside of a new immigration facility in Texas that is already overrun amid soaring numbers of migrants crossing the southern border. The Donna center - located in the Rio Grande Valley - opened on February 24 and was initially permitted to hold 250 migrants as they were processed by authorities. Images of the giant tent facility were released last month, with Customs and Border Protection proclaiming that it would 'provide ample areas for eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene'. But just three weeks after opening, the facility is already at 729 percent capacity, and children being held there are reportedly going hungry, sleeping on the floor, and showering just once a week. The shocking claims expose the extent of President Biden's border crisis - with his administration's softer immigration policies fueling a surge of crossings into the country. Last month, more than 100,000 people were apprehended illegally entering the U.S., and authorities do not have the resources and infrastructure to cope with the rising numbers. The number of children crossing by themselves rose 60 percent from January to more than 9,400 in Februar On Tuesday, it was revealed that the government will covert a Dallas convention center into a holding facility for 3,000 unaccompanied minors. It came on the same day that homeland chief Alejandro Mayorkas admitted that the influx at the border will soon reach a 20-year high. Grim photographs show the inside of a new immigration facility in Texas that has already been overrun as soaring numbers of migrants cross the southern border. The facility, located in the city of Donna in the Rio Grande Valley, opened on February 24 Images of the giant tent facility were released last month, with Customs and Border Protection proclaiming that the center would 'provide ample areas for eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene' The facility is already at 729 percent capacity, and unaccompanied minors are reportedly going hungry, sleeping on the floor, and showering just once a week while being held there Photographs from inside the facility in the Rio Grande Valley show playpens for children and small areas for sleeping. The center is designed for both family units and unaccompanied minors, and authorities initially believed there was enough space for the migrants to safely spread out CBP employees are seen testing out surveillance equipment at the facility just days before it opened Photographs showing linen and clothing to be used by migrants upon arrival. However, resources are now in short supply as the center is crammed full amid the border crisis Showering facilities are seen inside the Rio Grande processing center. With the center now 729 percent full, migrants are struggling for access to the limited number of showers, posing serious hygiene problems Migrant children and teenagers from the southern border of the United State wait to be processed after entering the site of a temporary holding facility south of Midland, Texas Photographs from inside the Donna facility in the Rio Grande Valley show playpens for children and small areas for sleeping. Kids as young as four years old are reportedly being held there. The center is used to process family units and unaccompanied minors, and authorities initially believed there was enough space for all of the migrants to safely spread out. Under pandemic safety rules to allow for social distancing, the facility is permitted to hold a maximum of 250 migrants. But on March 2, there were more than 1,800 migrants inside the facility, CBS reported. Neha Desai, a lawyer representing migrant youth in government custody, told the outlet children are being forced to sleep on the floor due to a lack of beds while some are being held as long as seven days - more than double the legal 72-hour limit. 'Some of the boys said that conditions were so overcrowded that they had to take turns sleeping on the floor,' Desai told CBS after interviewing almost a dozen unaccompanied migrant children at the center. 'They all said they wanted to shower more and were told they couldn't.' Some children have reportedly been illegally held at the processing facility for more than three days. Under federal law, minors must legally be transferred from CBP detention centers to Health and Human Services shelters within 72 hours of their arrival. But this requirement has gone out of the window as the latest data from the Department of Homeland Security shows most children are spending on average 108 hours in the cramped processing facilities. More than 130 children have been held in the CBP facilities for 10 days. A small play area for children is pictured. Many have complained that they are unable to get fresh air and sunlight inside the crammed facility Pictured: desks used by CBP officials to process migrants at the facility. Under current rules, it is not legal for migrants to be held at the facility for more than 72 hours Supplies of food, clothing and bedding is said to be in short supply given that the processing center is at seven times its legal capacity Border Patrol agents found 96,974 migrants last month, up from 75,312 in January. Another 3,467 were taken into custody at ports of entry. Numbers are continuing to increase this month, with 125,000 migrants expected to arrive along the border in March, according to current data. That is the highest number in years - and officials fear the figure will soar even further throughout the spring. Amid the surge, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas will now be used to temporarily house and process unaccompanied teenage boys caught crossing the border. The Convention Center is located more than 500 miles north of the border, and highlights the extent to which the Biden administration is struggling to provide shelter for immigrants. The Center is usually used for sports events and music concerts, but the administration hopes to use the space to house boys ages 15 to 17, as a 'decompression center.' The numbers of those crossing the border has risen since Biden took office and there are plans to use Dallas Convention Center, pictured, to house 3,000 teenage boys Officials from the Biden administration have conceded that their more 'humane' approach to immigration policy has fueled the soaring number of border crossings. Since taking office, Biden lifted the Trump policy that forced migrants to remain in Mexico while going through the legal process to enter the US, narrowed the ICE's criteria for arrests and deportations and stopped the building of Trump's border wall. Republicans - and even some Texas state Democrats - have blasted Biden for not properly preparing the resources and infrastructure for the surge of migrants that he knew those changes would bring. Still not a crisis, Joe? Homeland Security chief admits U.S. is about to see largest number of migrants crossing border in 20 years The Biden Administration admitted Tuesday that they are preparing for even higher numbers of border crossings in the coming weeks as they struggle to accommodate those who have illegally entered the country. 'We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years. We are expelling most single adults and families,' Homeland Security Chief Alejandrao Mayorkas said in a statement . He rejected a Trump-era policy of sending unaccompanied children immediately back to Mexico or other countries. 'They are vulnerable children and we have ended the prior administrations practice of expelling them,' Mayorkas said in his most detailed statement yet on a situation at the border. 'We are not expelling unaccompanied children. We are securing our border, executing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health authority to safeguard the American public and the migrants themselves, and protecting the children. We have more work to do.' His statement comes a day after Republicans visited the southern border, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calling the situation 'more than a crisis' terming it 'human heartbreak.' Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is defending the Biden Administration's immigration policy, and warned in a new statement that immigration at the southern border would soon hit a 20-year high Central American children wait with their parents after being dropped off by Border Patrol at the bus station in Brownsville, Texas, U.S. March 15, 2021. Picture taken March 15, 2021. The administration seeks to reunite childhood arrivals with relatives. Single adult undocumented arrivals who don't meet asylum criteria are sent to Mexico or their home countries Advertisement Republican Congressman John Katko says the surge in crossings also poses security threats to the American people. 'People who they've got in the last few days... have been on the terror watchlist,' said Katko during a press conference held at the border on Monday. 'Individuals that they have on the watch list for terrorism are now starting to exploit the Southern border. We need to wake up, we need to understand. Listen Mr. President Biden, you're an OK guy. Why don't you just admit you made a mistake with this policy and go back to the way it was and keep America safe for all of us?' he asked. But the Biden administration is instead blaming President Donald Trump's for 'completely dismantling' the previous immigration process. 'The prior administration completely dismantled the asylum system. The system was gutted, facilities were closed, and they cruelly expelled young children into the hands of traffickers,' Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas statement Tuesday morning. Joe Biden's administration is deflecting blame for the border crisis to Donald Trump as the White House continued to refuse to call the situation a 'crisis' and GOP slams him for not yet directly addressing the growing problem Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets the press after the closing of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2021. Li took questions from Chinese and foreign reporters via video link. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- All key tasks laid out in the government work report must be effectively implemented to sustain steady economic and social development, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang urged on Monday. The report, adopted at the recently concluded fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), set out the key targets and priorities for the work of the government this year. The meeting called for solid efforts in pursuing high-quality development, consolidating the gains in COVID-19 containment and socio-economic development, and delivering on the government's commitments to the people in a bid to make fresh progress in promoting development and improving people's well-being. The meeting assigned the 44 key tasks in 38 areas as laid out in the report to relevant State Council bodies and subnational authorities, with their respective responsibilities and time-frames for fulfilling the tasks clearly defined. "The government work report has gone through the legal process of approval by the NPC. It embodies our commitments made to the NPC deputies. The government must take concrete action to fully discharge its responsibilities and ensure sound implementation of all policies," Li said. The meeting underlined the imperative to keep abreast of shifts in the world economic trends and their implications for China. It called for a sound grasp of the dynamics in domestic economic activity, year-on-year and month-on-month, and deep analysis of new developments and new problems. This will help make informed anticipatory adjustments to the policies introduced. It is key to bolster employment and keep prices stable, in a bid to anchor market expectations. Efforts shall be made to prevent and defuse various risks and potential dangers and consolidate the foundation for economic recovery. "The first two months saw continued economic recovery and a strengthening momentum of development. That said, the recovery remains uneven as the services sector, micro and small firms and some localities still face difficulties in achieving recovery. We must act promptly to fulfill the annual development targets and tasks set out in the government work report and keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range," Li said. It was emphasized at the meeting that the tax and fee cuts for micro and small enterprises, especially the new structural tax cuts, must be thoroughly implemented. The policy on raising the super tax deduction on the research and development expenses of manufacturing firms shall be enforced as soon as possible, and the settlement period shortened, so that businesses stand to benefit within this year. The meeting urged keeping the macro leverage ratio generally stable and lowering the government leverage ratio. Financial institutions will be encouraged to promptly introduce specific measures to make financing easier and steadily more affordable for micro and small enterprises. Fiscal, financial and other policies shall work in sync to support job creation. The employment and related services for such key groups as college graduates, ex-service members and rural migrant workers will be promoted. The labor, talent, and casual labor markets will be fully leveraged to widen avenues of employment. "An appropriate range is about job growth, income rise, environmental improvement and price stability, irrespective of the speeds of development on these fronts being a bit faster or slower," Li said. The meeting called for deepening reform of government functions to advance list-based management for all items requiring administrative approval. Specific measures will be rolled out to reduce the procedures, documents, time and fees required in conducting government review of applications made by enterprises. Funds of central government budgetary investments, transfer payments and local government special-purpose bonds will be delivered and utilized in a timely fashion, and support to areas of weakness such as compulsory education and basic medical care will be beefed up. Policies will be introduced to support training and in-job pursuit of higher education for teachers in counties and townships. Measures will be promptly instituted to promote inter-provincial on-the-spot settlement of outpatient bills through individual accounts for basic medical insurance, and expand the scope of reimbursement of outpatient bills and medical expenses for common disease drugs. Tax breaks and fee exemptions shall be improved to incentivize private actors in providing community-based elderly care, child care and other consumer services. "The world economy is faced with much great uncertainty, and there are divergent views about how things may go. A strong global economy is good for China. Yet massive quantitative easing will also bring spillover effects, which could affect China and even the entire world," Li said. The meeting urged tighter supervision and inspection of policy implementation. Local authorities and relevant departments must, as required by the government work report, formulate specific implementation plans as soon as possible and complete their tasks sooner rather than later. Inter-agency coordination and cooperation must be stepped up on cross-regional and cross-sectoral matters. "The macro fiscal, monetary and employment policies must be promptly implemented. The expanded, directly allocated fiscal funds must be delivered to prefecture- and county-level governments as soon as possible with focus on supporting employment, people's essential needs and market entities. Governments at all levels shall continue to live on a tight budget to ensure smooth functioning of primary-level governments," Li said. The United States joined world leaders in strongly condemning the recent drone and missile strikes by Houthi rebels in Yemen against Saudi Arabia. On February 27, the Houthis launched attacks toward Riyadh and other locations in the Kingdom. In a written statement, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price noted that the strikes threaten not only innocent civilians but also prospects for peace and stability in Yemen and called for an end to these egregious attacks. Arab states, as well as Britain, France and Germany also denounced the attack, the latest in a series of cross border missile strikes by the Iran-backed Houthis. Although the United States is ending all American support for the Saudi-led Coalitions offensive operations in the war in Yemen, the United States remains committed to helping Saudi Arabia defend its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and its people. At a press briefing, Spokesperson Price noted that with American support Saudi Arabia was successful in intercepting the attack, which threatened innocent civilians on February 27. Mr. Price also said that the United States was considering additional steps in order to promote accountability for the Houthi leaderships actions. On March 2, the Treasury Department announced sanctions on two Houthi military leaders. In a statement the Treasury Department said, Mansur al-Sadi 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. These actions, which were done to advance the Iranian regimes destabilizing agenda, have fueled the Yemeni conflict, displacing more than one million people and pushing Yemen to the brink of famine. State Department Spokesman Price called on the Houthis to cease not only their cross-border raids into Saudi Arabia, but also their military offensive in Marib; agree to a ceasefire; and to come to the negotiating table. President Joseph Biden is determined to help stop the war in Yemen that has caused the worlds worst humanitarian disaster and to achieve a negotiated settlement to the conflict. Spokesperson Price praised the cooperation the United States has received from Saudi Arabia in moving toward this goal. To make progress toward peace, he said, Houthi conduct will have to change, too. Promising that interests of workers and the staff would be protected while privatising public sector units (PSUs), including banks, finance minister on Tuesday said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) nationalised corruption and privatised taxpayers money for the betterment of one family. This statement was made by the finance minister to counter Rahul Gandhis recent tweet where he said that the current government privatised profit and nationalised losses. He had also said that he stands in solidarity with the striking bank employees, and that the government is selling public sector banks (PSBs) to cronies. Sitharaman said, Nationalising corruption and privatising taxpayers money for the betterment of one family is all that has to take as a reply for that tweet, which probably he outsourced to some fellow in his team. ALSO READ: Cong names candidates for Puducherry polls, former CM doesn't find place In her Cabinet briefing, she said PSBs are loss making due to telephone banking which happened during the government. His dadi (grandmother, Indira Gandhi) had nationalised banks but nationalising of loss in banks was during the UPAs time, the finance minister said. I would want the leader, representing a very big party, to engage in serious discussions rather than throw these two liners every now and then, she added. The finance minister said Gandhi had probably outsourced his comments to hardcore communists, who give two liners to say that exploitation is happening. Sitharaman said it is wrong to have a premise that all banks will be privatised. Even those which are likely to be privatised, we obviously need to keep in mind that these privatised institutions will continue to function, she said. If there is a coal unit, or a thermal unit or a hydro unit or a steel unit, the intention is that these units function with more money coming in and with more specialisation and more modernisation happening, she said. She added that it will be ensured that interests of the staff or personnel will be protected. We also want staff to be able to perform duties as they have acquired skills over decades and run the banks. Whether it is salaries, whether it is scale, whether it is pension, it will all be taken care of, the finance minister added. Some employees of PSBs were on a two-day strike from Monday to protest against the governments decision to privatise two public sector banks. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Thank you to our sponsor [INSERT_SPONSORS_LOGO] 51. Paul DerOhannesian II Member, DerOhannesian & DerOhannesian Born and raised in the Albany area, Paul DerOhannesian II has made his mark as an accomplished upstate attorney litigating cases in multiple practice areas. He previously served as assistant district attorney with the Albany County District Attorneys Office, during which he headed the Special Assault Unit. He represented Claudia Tenney in her successful legal battle following a closely contested congressional rematch against Anthony Brindisi, who conceded defeat in February. 52. Beth Goldman President & Attorney-in-Charge, New York Legal Assistance Group Beth Goldman - New York Legal Assistance Group.jpg Alt Text: Beth Goldman Title Text: Beth Goldman Caption: Beth Goldman Description: Beth Goldman Image Credit: New York Legal Assistance Group If any legal organization was well suited to respond to the crises that emerged in 2020, it was the civil legal services organization New York Legal Assistance Group. NYLAG, which Beth Goldman has led since 2015, is dedicated to seeking economic, social and racial justice. Goldman previously served in the Bloomberg administration as commissioner of the New York City Department of Finance and as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District. 53. Carrie Cohen Partner, Morrison & Foerster Carrie Cohen - Morrison & Foerster LLP.jpg Alt Text: Carrie Cohen Title Text: Carrie Cohen Caption: Carrie Cohen Description: Carrie Cohen Image Credit: Morrison & Foerster LLP Carrie Cohen is an expert in public corruption and state and local government who made a name for herself by prosecuting former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. At Morrison & Foerster or MoFo she has assisted the New York City Council in investigations into the behavior of several members, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in a review of overtime practices, and a Rochester City Council probe into the death of Daniel Prude. 54. David Patton Executive Director and Attorney-in-Chief, Federal Defenders of New York A federal defender for nearly 20 years, David Patton in 2011 became the executive director and attorney-in-chief of the Federal Defenders of New York, a group that provides representation to those in need. During the coronavirus pandemic, Patton has been representing prisoners who are at high risk of catching the disease, telling Slate that the response by prosecutors and prison officials to COVID-19 has been hard to fathom. 55. Karol Mason President, John Jay College of Criminal Justice Karol Mason - Arpi Pap Studio - John Jay College of Criminal Justice.jpg Alt Text: Karol Mason Title Text: Karol Mason Caption: Karol Mason Description: Karol Mason Image Credit: Arpi Pap Studio/John Jay College of Criminal Justice Karol Mason has served as the president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice since 2017, when she became the first woman and the first person of color in the leadership role. She previously worked at Alston & Bird, where she was the first Black woman to chair the management committee at a major national firm, and was U.S. deputy associate attorney general under Barack Obama and later headed the Justice Departments Office of Justice Programs. 56. Peter Zimroth Director of the Center on Civil Justice, NYU School of Law When the New York City Police Departments stop-and-frisk policy was ruled to be unconstitutional and racially discriminatory, the court appointed Peter Zimroth in 2013 to act as federal monitor. In that ongoing role, hes focused on rewriting policies and patrol guide sections and giving trainings on the new guidelines, as well as training officers on implicit bias. An accomplished lawyer, Zimroth is also the director of the Center on Civil Justice at New York University School of Law. 57. Victor Kovner Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine Victor Kovner has more than 50 years of distinguished legal experience, including stints as New York Citys corporation counsel and as chair of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Kovner is a sought-after expert on First Amendment law, and is a longtime Democratic donor whose beneficiaries have included the New York State Democratic Committee and the campaigns of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Jerrold Nadler. 58. Matthew Diller Dean, Fordham Law School Following the death of George Floyd last year, Fordham Law School Dean Matthew Diller recognized that more work needed to be done at Fordham regarding diversity and equity. To do so, he launched an initiative to increase diversity at the school and fight for racial justice while also creating and filling a new position of director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diller became dean at Fordham Law School in 2015, after holding the same position at Cardozo Law. 59. Dennis Vacco Partner, Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman Dennis Vacco has a wealth of expertise in government litigation. He served as U.S. attorney for New Yorks Western District, and as New Yorks last Republican attorney general he reinstated the offices criminal prosecution powers and formed the countrys first internet child pornography unit. In 2019, he helped overturn state limits on outside income for state lawmakers, and last year sought to overturn the Child Victims Act on behalf of a Catholic religious order. 60. Anthony Crowell Dean and President, New York Law School Under Anthony Crowells tenure as its dean and president, the New York Law School has expanded its clinical and experiential learning programs and created the Joe Plumeri Center for Social Justice and Economic Opportunity. A night student himself back when he was getting his law degree, Crowell has made sure to strengthen the schools Evening Division program. Before coming to the institution in 2012, Crowell spent 11 years as counsel to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 61. Alphonso David President, Human Rights Campaign Alphonso B. David - Human Rights Campaign.jpg Alt Text: Alphonso B. David Title Text: Alphonso B. David Caption: Alphonso B. David Description: Alphonso B. David Image Credit: Human Rights Campaign After four years as Gov. Andrew Cuomos top lawyer, Alphonso David became president of the Human Rights Campaign in 2019. In his current role, he is leading the fight to expand rights for New Yorks LGBTQ community. Among his previous achievements: He helped litigate New Yorks first same-sex marriage case; he had a major role in banning conversion therapy for minors; and he helped lead the push for Medicaid funding to cover the cost of gender transition. 62. Robert Tembeckjian Administrator and Counsel, New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct Robert Tembeckjian has served on various ethics and professional responsibility committees in New York City and state, and has written extensively on judicial ethics and discipline. His expertise in the field led to a role as administrator and counsel to the Commission on Judicial Conduct, which was established in 1978 to review complaints of ethical misconduct against New York jurists. The commissions findings frequently prompt disgraced judges to resign. 63. Davida Perry Co-Founding and Managing Partner, Schwartz Perry & Heller Davida Perry - Erin Silber Photography.jpg Alt Text: Davida Perry Title Text: Davida Perry Caption: Davida Perry Description: Davida Perry Image Credit: Erin Silber Photography When Davida Perry started litigating employment law cases, the field was relatively new. Thanks in no small part to Perrys work and dedication to her clients, she and her firm have had an impact on the field, including the New York City Human Rights Law, which prohibits discrimination in the city in employment, housing and public accommodations. One of her other landmark achievements is a ruling that states a victims testimony alone can prove sexual harassment. 64. Michael Zetlin Co-Founder and Senior Partner, Zetlin & De Chiara As a civil engineer and a co-founding member of the law firm Zetlin & De Chiara, Michael Zetlin is an influential voice in the overlap between law and construction. In addition to representing clients on projects across the country, Zetlin serves as the general counsel to both the New York Building Congress and the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University. 65. Melanie Leslie Dean, Cardozo Law Since Melanie Leslie became the first Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law graduate and the first woman to be named dean of the school in 2015, the institution has jumped 23 places in the U.S. News & World Report law school rankings, and the employment success rate for its graduates has risen as well. During her tenure, Leslie has led several initiatives, including working to increase the number of women and minority inventors receiving patents. 66. Tim Wu Professor of Law, Science and Technology, Columbia Law School Tim Wu - Miranda Sita.jpg Alt Text: Tim Wu Title Text: Tim Wu Caption: Tim Wu Description: Tim Wu Image Credit: Miranda Sita In 2002, Tim Wu coined the phrase net neutrality, which has caught on as a way to sum up a major policy issue. Since then, he has penned multiple books, served in the White House and the Federal Trade Commission working on competition policy and antitrust enforcement, and developed a tech breakup proposal that was debated during the 2020 presidential race. Wu, who also ran for lieutenant governor in 2014, is also a New York Times op-ed contributor. 67. Jonathan Abady Founding Partner, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel Before starting law school, Jonathan Abady worked in international human rights, even presenting testimony in front of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations in 1987. He kept that passion as he moved into law. Abady, now a top-rated civil rights attorney, was one of the lead lawyers in two class action lawsuits representing Rikers Island inmates that led to reforms. He also has experience litigating commercial and corporate disputes. 68. Barry Scheck & Peter Neufeld Co-Founders, Innocence Project Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld are the co-founders of the Innocence Project, an organization with a track record of freeing those who are wrongly convicted while advocating for changes to the criminal justice system. They are also co-founders and partners of Neufeld Scheck & Brustin, LLP, a nationally recognized civil rights firm that boasts a 90% success rate. Since launching the Innocence Project at Cardozo School of Law in 1992, they have helped exonerate more than 300 individuals. 69. Mike Koenig Partner, Hinckley Allen Michael Koenig - Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP.jpg Alt Text: Michael Koenig Title Text: Michael Koenig Caption: Michael Koenig Description: Michael Koenig Image Credit: Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP Having represented a diverse range of clients through white collar criminal matters, government investigations, and complex civil litigation, Mike Koenig brings a wealth of knowledge to Hinckley Allens practice. The Albany-based attorney previously worked in the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney in the corporate fraud division. Koenig has been representing Michael Mann, the former MyPayrollHR CEO who pleaded guilty in a high-profile bank fraud case. 70. Jeffrey Citron Co-Managing Partner, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron Jeffrey Citron represents clients across multiple areas of the law, including commercial banking and finance law, corporate law, government relations, and real estate. He has been practicing law for over 25 years, in which he has assisted both private and public companies during capital projects, and previously worked as general counsel to multiple privately-held businesses. His firm is also known for its government work, with a thriving lobbying business and such politically savvy executives as Sid Davidoff and Keith Wright on his team. 71. Mary Lu Bilek Dean, CUNY School of Law Mary Lu Bilek - Aaron Marcu.jpg Alt Text: Mary Lu Bilek Title Text: Mary Lu Bilek Caption: Mary Lu Bilek Description: Mary Lu Bilek Image Credit: Aaron Marcu With Mary Lu Bilek serving as its dean, CUNY School of Law has billed itself as one of the top public interest law schools and among the most diverse law schools as well. Bilek first joined the faculty back in 1985 and was appointed dean in 2016. That same year, Bilek was named as one of the most influential people in legal education by National Jurist. 72. Milton Tingling New York County Clerk Before he became known as one of the citys most revolutionary judges, Milton Tingling, who grew up in Harlem, worked as both a cab driver and an MTA token booth attendant. He first took the bench in 1996. His 35-year law career culminated with Tingling becoming the first Black county clerk in New York. Tingling says one of his passions is getting more people of color in the jury pool. 73. Martin Lipton Founding Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz You can use the word powerhouse to describe both the firm Martin Lipton co-founded and Lipton himself. Lipton is known for many things, including as the inventor of the poison pill defense, a technique for a company to use when faced with a hostile takeover. His specialties include advising major corporations on mergers and acquisitions and matters affecting corporate policy and strategy. 74. Douglas Wigdor Founding Partner, Wigdor Douglas Wigdor - Wigdor LLP.jpg Alt Text: Douglas Wigdor Title Text: Douglas Wigdor Caption: Douglas Wigdor Description: Douglas Wigdor Image Credit: Wigdor LLP Douglas Wigdor has levied cases against some of the most powerful players in the business and political worlds and won. Wigdor, whose firm had its second-best year on record in 2020, has advocated for a woman accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, represented Fox News employees in their claims of sexual harassment and race discrimination, and recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Black woman claiming Amazon treated her unfairly based on race. 75. Mark Ustin Partner, Farrell Fritz Mark Ustin.PNG Alt Text: Mark Ustin Title Text: Mark Ustin Caption: Mark Ustin Image Credit: Farrell Fritz A go-to regulatory lawyer and lobbyist who has extensive experience representing clients in the health care industry, Farrel Fritz partner Mark Ustin provides counsel for businesses and private citizens alike. He has regularly represented clients dealing with state governmental agencies, including the Department of Health and the Office of Mental Health. He told Long Island Business News that COVID-19 is a reminder clients need to plan separately for the short and long term. 76. Moira Kim Penza Partner, Wilkinson Stekloff Moira Kim Penza is a rising star in New Yorks legal world. She recently took a lead role in an antitrust case involving Allergan and is currently representing Summer Zervos in her defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump. Penza previously served as assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she notably prosecuted Keith Raniere, the founder of an Albany-area self-help group who was convicted of multiple crimes including sex trafficking. 77. Terri Adler Managing Partner, Duval & Stachenfeld Terri Adler - Stephen Churchill Downes.jpg Alt Text: Terri Adler Title Text: Terri Adler Caption: Terri Adler Description: Terri Adler Image Credit: Stephen Churchill Downes As leader of Duval & Stachenfelds real estate department, one of the largest practice groups of its kind in New York City, Terri Adler works with her clients to both build their businesses and achieve their overarching goals. Over her 20 years of experience, Adler, a natural innovator, played a role in spearheading the creation of new real estate platforms. She also founded the firms Womens Initiative and sits on the firms management committee. 78. Craig Boise Dean, Syracuse University College of Law During his time leading Syracuse University College of Law, Craig Boise has established both the nations first online joint J.D./MBA program and its first law school-based incubator for solo practitioners. Boise was a police officer before falling in love with tax law and he is a skilled classical pianist and a salsa dancer. He practiced law for nine years before starting his teaching career, and became Syracuse Universitys first Black law school dean in 2016. 79. Erica Buckley Partner, Nixon Peabody This past June, the New York State Bar Association tapped Erica Buckley to co-chair the organizations Condominiums and Cooperatives Committee. Buckley, the former chief of the Real Estate Finance Bureau of the New York attorney generals office, currently runs Nixon Peabodys Cooperatives & Condominiums practice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Buckley has had to rapidly adjust to the changing real estate securities market, saying that she stands ready to represent her clients no matter the landscape. 80. Sean Doolan President, Hinman Straub Sean Doolan has more than three decades of experience and has carved out a niche as a top Albany attorney on health care matters and for technology companies. A player in state politics, he also oversees government affairs work and has positioned Hinman Straub as one of the top lobbying firms in New York. During the coronavirus pandemic, the firm has advocated effectively for the interests of its clients, including nursing homes. 81. Michael T. Cahill President and Dean, Brooklyn Law School Michael Cahill - Todd France .jpg Alt Text: Michael Cahill Title Text: Michael Cahill Caption: Michael Cahill Description: Michael Cahill Image Credit: Todd France Last year, Brooklyn Law School launched the Pandemic Employment Relief Clinic, which is dedicated to addressing employment-related legal issues created by the pandemic. Dean Michael Cahill said that he was proud, and not at all surprised that so many of the schools students were eager to help the community. Prior to becoming president and dean in 2019, Cahill was vice dean, associate dean and a faculty member at Brooklyn Law. 82. Jason Lilien Partner, Loeb & Loeb Jason Lilien is one of New Yorks most accomplished lawyers who specializes in nonprofit organizations, capitalizing on his tenure leading the state attorney generals charities bureau. Now the co-chair of Loeb & Loebs tax-exempt organizations practice, Lilien drafted the 2013 Nonprofit Revitalization Act, which reformed the states statutes governing nonprofits. He also helped create the National September 11 Memorial and Museum and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. 83. Peter Lauricella Partner, Wilson Elser Peter Lauricella is the regional managing partner of Wilson Elsers Albany office, chairs the firms government investigations and contracts practice, and also serves as co-chair of its nationwide commercial litigation practice. Lauricella often represents clients with matters before the state attorney generals office. He has also been named to the Super Lawyers list of top-rated business litigation attorneys in upstate New York for the past decade. 84. Joy Thompson President, Women's Bar Association of the State of New York Joy Thompson - Joy Anastasia Thompson, Esq..jpg Alt Text: Joy Thompson Title Text: Joy Thompson Caption: Joy Thompson Description: Joy Thompson Image Credit: Joy Anastasia Thompson, Esq. More than 200 people watched over Zoom this May as Joy Thompsom became the newest leader of the New York Womens Bar Association. The associations mission is to improve the lives of women, including advocating for legislation on issues such as domestic violence, divorce and discrimination. Formerly a journalist, Thompson currently serves as assistant general counsel at the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. She previously worked as the deputy commissioner of the public administrator in Manhattan. 85. Claude Millman Partner, Kostelanetz & Fink Claude Millman-Roland Millman .jpg Alt Text: Claude Millman Title Text: Claude Millman Caption: Claude Millman Description: Claude Millman Image Credit: Roland Millman Claude Millman has represented government contractors doing business with city and state government agencies and officials for over 20 years. He has worked with government officials on ethics issues and has handled high-profile disputes and controversies. Previously, as an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan, he was awarded the John Marshall Award for litigation that exposed and addressed racial discrimination in tenant selection and assignment with the New York City Housing Authority. 86. Thomas Garry & Karl Sleight Members, Harris Beach Founded in 1856, the Harris Beach group now has over 200 attorneys that practice in 11 offices, all but two of them in New York. Thomas Garry, an expert in election law, was tapped to serve as New York state counsel to Joe Bidens presidential campaign last year. Karl Sleight has a long list of specialties, including horse racing, gambling and marijuana policy, and has served as special counsel to the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission. 87. Sanjay Mody Partner, Windels Marx Sanjay Mody - Dick Duane Studios.jpg Alt Text: Sanjay Mody Title Text: Sanjay Mody Caption: Sanjay Mody Description: Sanjay Mody Image Credit: Dick Duane Studios As the former senior adviser to the chair of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Sanjay Mody had a role in building parts of New York through infrastructure and economic development projects, including an airport terminal redevelopment, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, and a new cross-Hudson rail tunnel, to name a few. Currently, he represents clients in infrastructure, real estate, government and finance matters. 88. Sanford Rubenstein Senior Partner, Rubenstein & Rynecki Sanford Rubenstein - Rubenstein & Rynecki, Esqs.jpg Alt Text: Sanford Rubenstein Title Text: Sanford Rubenstein Caption: Sanford Rubenstein Description: Sanford Rubenstein Image Credit: Rubenstein & Rynecki, Esqs. When he was called The Outrageous Rubenstein by a critical newspaper editorial, Sanford Rubenstein leaned into the name, describing it as a compliment of the highest order. Throughout his long career, Rubenstein has made a name for himself by taking on high-profile police brutality and civil rights cases. Most recently he made headlines for representing a Bronx teenager who allegedly was beaten by NYPD officers during a protest after the death of George Floyd. 89. Anta Cisse-Green President, Metropolitan Black Bar Association Anta Cisse-Green is known for her pro-bono work representing underrepresented New Yorkers, and is active in her many roles, including as president of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association and associate general counsel and director at NYU Langone medical center. A graduate of Brooklyn Law School, Cisse-Green has been a member of the MBBA since 2005. The theme for her term is LEAP into Excellence lead, engage, advocate and partner. 90. Marc Landis Managing Partner, Phillips Nizer Marc Landis, who specializes in the acquisition, development and preservation of affordable housing, co-chairs Phillips Nizers real estate practice. He also devotes time to helping limited-income tenants and community-based health, education and social service organizations through pro bono work. Landis was elected as a delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, and was previously chief of staff and counsel to a member of the New York State Legislature. 91. Tracee Davis Partner, Seyfarth In June, Tracee Davis was appointed to chair the 150-year-old Judiciary Committee of the New York City Bar Association. The committee is tasked with interviewing and evaluating judicial nominees, district attorney candidates and nominees for U.S. attorney in the city. A partner at Seyfarth, a firm with 17 offices in the U.S. and overseas, Davis previously worked in the New York State Court system and now focuses on commercial litigation. 92. Glen McGorty New York Managing Partner, Crowell & Moring After nearly 15 years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Department of Justice, Glen McGorty joined Crowell & Moring as a member focusing on white collar and regulatory enforcement cases. He also serves as the court-appointed federal monitor of the New York City District Council of Carpenters, and recently gained new powers to try to root out organized crime in the unions ranks. 93. Horace Anderson Jr. Dean, Pace Law School Enrollment and applications have increased on Horace Anderson Jr.s watch since he became dean of Pace Law School in 2019 and in his first year, the school was recognized by U.S. News & World Report for the first time as having the countrys top environmental law program. Anderson told Westchester Magazine that in the wake of George Floyds death, his institution remains committed to using the law to make the world better, to make peoples lives better, and to pursue justice. 94. Robert Bookman Partner, Pesetsky & Bookman Robert Bookman - Pesetsky and Bookman.jpg Alt Text: Robert Bookman Title Text: Robert Bookman Caption: Robert Bookman Description: Robert Bookman Image Credit: Pesetsky and Bookman As the coronavirus pandemic shut down or imposed strict new limits on bars and restaurants, the legal advice of Robert Bookman has become invaluable. A veteran of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, Bookman now is a founding partner of Pesetsky & Bookman, a law firm whose specialty is representing businesses with liquor licenses. He also helped found and represents the New York City Hospitality Alliance, which has lobbied for a reopening. 95. Dwayne Andrews Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Before he started at the influential Albany lobbying firm Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates, Dwayne Andrews was a partner in the government relations practices of two leading firms: Cozen OConnor and Blank Rome. He previously served as an associate general counsel and then the vice president for government relations at Edison Schools, Inc. He is a member of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, where he serves as co-chair of the Legislative Committee. 96. Ed Zimmerman Partner, Lowenstein Sandler Ed Zimmerman - Sapient Studios.jpg Alt Text: Ed Zimmerman Title Text: Ed Zimmerman Caption: Ed Zimmerman Description: Ed Zimmerman Image Credit: Sapient Studios Ed Zimmerman has been at Lowenstein Sandler since 1991, where he co-founded and now chairs The Tech Group, which has helped create hundreds of businesses since its creation and currently works with more than 500 companies in early or growth stages. He represents clients in the tech and venture capital worlds which are thriving in New York and opines in Forbes and The Wall Street Journal about tech startups and growth. 97. Dawn Smalls Partner, Jenner & Block Dawn Smalls - Laura Jane Brett Photography.jpg Alt Text: Dawn Smalls Title Text: Dawn Smalls Caption: Dawn Smalls Description: Dawn Smalls Image Credit: Laura Jane Brett Photography Dawn Smalls has served on two presidential administrations, was co-lead counsel for one of the largest Fair Labor Standards Act class actions on record, and made a credible run for New York City public advocate as a first-time candidate in 2019. The attorney, who left Boies Schiller Flexner last year to join Jenner & Block, also has served on the state ethics board, and while she opted against running for Congress last year, she could seek another office in the future. 98. J. Stephen Reilly Senior Counsel, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna Municipal law expert J. Stephen Reilly of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna has represented everyone from borrowers and trustees on public financing transactions to developers seeking governmental approval for their large-scale projects. Reilly has also acted as bond counsel on a range of tax issues. Reilly has been listed in The Bond Buyers Municipal Marketplace, a comprehensive and exclusive resource of municipal bond professionals colloquially known as the Red Book, since 1983. 99. Camille Joseph Varlack Founding Partner, Bradford Edwards & Varlack Camille Joseph Varlack - JaDee Murphy.jpg Alt Text: Camille Joseph Varlack Title Text: Camille Joseph Varlack Caption: Camille Joseph Varlack Description: Camille Joseph Varlack Image Credit: JaDee Murphy In February, Camille Joseph Varlack was appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as chair of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, the state ethics body whose leadership and independence have been a point of contention for years. Varlack, who founded Bradford Edwards & Varlack last year, previously held several roles in the Cuomo administration, including deputy director of state operations and chief risk officer, and as a special counsel with the state Department of Financial Services. 100. Jon Henes Partner, Kirkland & Ellis Jonathan Henes - Kirkland & Ellis LLP.jpg Alt Text: Jonathan Henes Title Text: Jonathan Henes Caption: Jonathan Henes Description: Jonathan Henes Image Credit: Kirkland & Ellis LLP Described by Chambers USA as a great negotiator and extraordinarily good in front of judges, Jon Henes is a partner in the restructuring group of Kirkland & Ellis, where he has worked on complex restructurings for companies in media, energy and real estate. While the firm is known for its attorneys filling influential positions in Republican administrations in Washington, Henes is focused on the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City as a fundraiser and finance co-chair for Ray McGuires campaign. The integrated DFS, which will incorporate work underway on concentrate operations, with Metso Outotec joining its technical team, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021. Metso Outotec will join Piedmonts technical team which currently includes Primero Group and Marshall Miller and Associates ( ) (OTCMKTS:PDDTF) (FRA:PL4) has kicked off its definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its integrated North Carolina lithium hydroxide operations which will include Metso Outotecs innovative alkaline pressure leach technology aimed at lowering the carbon footprint and improve economics. The integrated DFS, which will incorporate the work currently underway at its concentrate operations, with Metso Outotec joining its technical team, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021. The DFS will include initiatives to further improve the ESG profile of its North Carolina operations. At nexus of three mega-trends Piedmont president and chief executive officer Keith D Phillips said: Demand for locally and ethically-sourced battery raw materials is accelerating and Piedmont is engaging in multiple initiatives to meet this opportunity in the most sustainable way possible. With the backdrop of new executive orders supporting domestic battery supply chains, we are very pleased to launch an integrated definitive feasibility study to advance our North Carolina operations. In adopting the innovative Metso Outotec process, we hope to deliver enhanced DFS economics while also positioning the Piedmont Lithium Project to have a lower environmental impact than any of the lithium hydroxide projects currently operating and under construction around the world. As the only spodumene-to-hydroxide lithium project in the United States, Piedmont is at the nexus of three important mega-trends the electrification of everything, the localisation of supply chains, and the decarbonisation of the economy. As our DFS progresses, we will continue to engage in discussions with prospective customers and strategic investors to optimally position our North Carolina operations for development later this year. Shares higher Shares have been as much as 10.4% higher this morning to A$1.07, approaching the new record high of A$1.085 set earlier this month while the company's market cap has grown to $1.097 billion. Growth in market cap and share price will see the company added to the S&P/ASX 300 Index on March 22, which is a double promotion as PLL has also been added to the All Ordinaries list. Metso Outotecs technology Metso Outotec will join Piedmonts technical team which currently includes Primero Group and Marshall Miller and Associates. Using Metso Outotecs technology, which omits the acid roasting step of conventional spodumene conversion, air emissions from the chemical operations are expected to be reduced compared with its prior studies, and importantly, consumption of sulphuric acid and sodium sulfate waste products will be eliminated. DFS The DFS will also evaluate enhancements to its Carolina operations, including the installation of solar generating capacity, in-pit crushing systems, and elimination of haul trucks from its operations plan, all of which are expected to improve both carbon emissions and project economics. Given the integrated nature of the business model, Piedmont will not publish a standalone DFS for the concentrate operations. The company will update investors with a preliminary economic assessment of the integrated business, including the Metso Outotec technology, as well as the updated mineral resource estimates within the second quarter of 2021. India is set to put in place legislation outlawing the use of digital currencies in the country or even the mere possession of such assets, a report claims. Reuters said it had been told by a senior government official that the proposed law would make it a criminal act to possess, issue, mine, trade or transfer any digital asset. The report comes at a time when bitcoin, the best known of the cryptocurrencies, has hit record highs, crossing US$50,000 for the first time recently. The rise in bitcoin's value came after electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla said it had bought bitcoin worth US$1.5 billion. Some other well-known Americans to endorse the digital currency have been Twitter chief Jack Dorsey and rapper Jay-Z. India had announced in January that it was looking at a ban of private digital currencies like bitcoin but creating the infrastructure for issuing an official cryptocurrency. The measure will give current holders of cryptocurrencies in India up to six months to convert their assets, or face penalties. If the law does come into effect, it would make India the first major country to impse such a ban. China does not allow mining or trading in cryptocurrencies, but allows its citizens to possess the assets. The way people consume the media has drastically changed. Photo: Le Toan A VIR source revealed that the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) is requiring press agencies to calculate the alleged damage caused by social media as an impetus for new regulations. The inquiry is part of what could be a butterfly effect that stemmed from the fierce copyright and sharing discussions between Facebook, Google, and the Australian administration a few weeks ago, which has been moving Vietnamese lawmakers to consider the issue as well, as reported by VIR last week. Truong Tri Vinh, former CEO of the Manager Magazine assessed the move is the ministrys big step in proactively protecting the rights and benefits of Vietnamese journalism. Relevant parties should contribute opinions to the progress and carry out essential legal movements to assure their interests, Vinh told VIR. However, the interests between Facebook, Google, and other social media on one side, and local traditional media on the other, are deemed not as important as improving the quality of local newspapers in general, according to Hoang Vinh Bao, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications. Speaking at the workshop about the medias digital transformation and new economic models for newspapers last July, Bao said that local press agencies have been submerged in diverse adversities such as shrinking revenues from advertisement, distribution, and the state budget. Additionally, peoples reading behaviours have changed significantly, as reflected by their preference for social networking sites that have threatened traditional newspapers by excellently spilling over contents and luring in huge advertising sales a development that caused the heated discussion about who profits from whom when it comes to shared news articles on social media. In 2020, many press agencies revealed that their earnings dropped heavily by 70 per cent on-year as a consequence of COVID-19 and the alleged domination of cross-border social media platforms. Thus, renovating the press in Vietnam is now more critical than ever, Bao emphasised. Assessing the current state of the local press, Vinh said that most online newspapers have been focusing on luring in traffic instead of improving the quality of their content. They have been constantly publishing a large number of articles, sometimes even up to 200 news pieces per day, exceeding the readers demand, Vinh explained. Furthermore, most of the content is similar, as a consequence of publishing tremendous numbers of news articles during a single day. There are different opinions about what good journalism is, both quantitative and qualitative, but Vinh believed that Facebook and Googles recent reactions are fundamental to move local news agencies to refocus on core values and create quality content instead of merely chasing traffic. Large global newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg stand their ground in the sector because of their quality content and because they know how to handle the social media giants, said Vinh. Thus, developing the right content and focusing on unique selling points are the most important mission of any press agency. As reading habits have changed significantly over the last few years, news agencies may need to follow these trends. Instead of written articles, many people also consume more journalism products in other forms, such as podcasts, videos, and condensed clips on social media, among others. However, these forms often require larger investments in terms of time and money to materialise. Baekdal Plus, a newswire specialised in future trends, business strategies, and monetisation models, revealed that the annual operation costs for its website fluctuates at around $40,000 an enormous sum that not many news agencies will be willing to pay. To date, Vietnam is home to a batch of online newspapers that primarily publish written news articles. Thus, it seems understandable many locals have a growing interest in consuming information and news in faster and more convenient ways, such as on social networking sites. According to Le Quoc Minh, deputy general director of Vietnam News Agency, the first thing to do is to steadily eliminate the habit of free-of-charge reading. Readers in Vietnam have gotten used to reading news for free for a long time, which could be another reason for their strong consumption of news on social networks. However, whether readers would pay for news articles could depend on the perceived quality. In the meantime, social media like Facebook with its diverse forms of displaying information have an easy game in attracting readers without any fees. [March 16, 2021] SAIC Appoints New Board Member and Board Fellow Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) announced today the appointment of Dr. Garth Graham, director and global head of Healthcare and Public Health Partnerships at YouTube (News - Alert) and a former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, to the company's board of directors, effective March 15. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005533/en/ SAIC (News - Alert) appointed Dr. Garth Graham, director and global head of Healthcare and Public Health Partnerships at YouTube and a former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, to the company's board of directors. (Photo: Business Wire) "We are excited to welcome Dr. Graham to SAIC's board of directors. He is a leading authority on social determinants of health and health equity. His broad experience in health care, technology, and groundbreaking programs in public and community health settings brings a unique perspective that will further guide SAIC as a leader in digital transformation and service to our citizens," said Donna Morea (News - Alert) , SAIC board chair. "His passion and energy will be critical toward helping SAIC transform government through innovation, technology, and diverse talent." Graham will serve on the Human Resources and Compensation Committee bringing the board's total membership to 10. With the appointment of Graham, SAIC's board is comprised of 60% women and people of color. "SAIC's board is committed to aligning with SAIC's inclusion, diversity, and equity values," said Morea. "A more inclusive and diverse board enables us to offer richer, relevant experiences and authentic perspectives to drive exceptional business results." SAIC's board of directors will also welcome new board fellow, Mike McGrew, executive vice president, chief communications and corporate social responsibility and diversity officer for Constellation Brands, a leading Fortune 500 company and international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits based in Victor, New York. McGrew joins SAIC's board through the Heidrick and Struggles' Director Institute, a comprehensive development program, founded with advisors EY, Skadden Arps, and The Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University, that prepares diverse executives for broader operating roles and corporate governance. These CEO-selected leaders are mentored and encouraged to provide insights and experiences, enhance boardroom discussions and create potential succession opportunities. In reciprocity, SAIC's Chief Human Resources Officer Michelle O'Hara will observe Constellation's board as a participant in the Directors Institute program. About Dr.Garth Graham Dr. Garth Graham is currently a director and global head of Healthcare for YouTube where he leads the effort of creating easily understandable and accessible health care content for the online video provider owned by Alphabet, Inc. Prior to joining YouTube in Jan. 2021, Graham was vice president of Community Health and Impact for CVS Health where he oversaw community health initiatives, drove the company's efforts to address social determinants of health through innovative partnerships and evidence-based grant programs with leading organizations. Most notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Graham led CVS's pandemic community testing strategy including national community sites. Graham joined CVS Health through the Aetna acquisition where he was the vice president of Community Health and president of the Aetna Foundation. A cardiologist by training and a professor of medicine at the University of Florida, Graham was also the former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where he also ran the Office of Minority Health. Graham holds a medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine, a master's degree of Public Health from Yale, and a bachelor's degree in Biology from Florida International University. He completed clinical training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Johns Hopkins where he trained in cardiology and interventional cardiology. He holds three board certifications, including internal medicine, cardiology, and interventional cardiology. About Mike McGrew Mike McGrew is Constellation Brand's executive vice president, chief communications and corporate social responsibility officer reporting to Bill Newlands, president & chief executive officer. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's communications efforts, including internal and external global communications, brand public relations, corporate branding and reputation, investor relations, and CSR (News - Alert) . Based in Chicago, McGrew joined Constellation Brands in 2014 as senior director, communications for the beer division. He has held a number of progressive leadership roles within the company, including serving as a member of the Operational Executive Management Committee, providing valuable stakeholder and business perspective, and leading the development and execution of impactful communication campaigns to support various strategic priorities and investments that have contributed to the company's overall success. Prior to joining Constellation Brands, McGrew held a number of roles in corporate communications at Grainger, Alliant Foodservice and Morton International. He is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, and serves on the Board of Directors for Urban Initiatives. McGrew earned his master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and his bachelor's degree in Organizational Studies from Northwestern University. About SAIC SAIC is a premier Fortune 500 technology integrator driving our nation's digital transformation. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian, and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in engineering, IT modernization, and mission solutions. Using our expertise and understanding of existing and emerging technologies, we integrate the best components from our own portfolio and our partner ecosystem to deliver innovative, effective, and efficient solutions that are critical to achieving our customers' missions. We are 25,500 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has pro forma annual revenues of approximately $7.1 billion.???? For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release contain or are based on "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "guidance," and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Legal Proceedings" sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC (News - Alert) , which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC's expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005533/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has accused Bord na Mona (BNM) of betraying ordinary people in what the TD has described as the semi-state companys latest move to prevent turf cutting going ahead this harvest season. The deputy levelled criticism at BNM following the companys move to outline the state-of-play for turf cutting on BNM bogs in light of a 2019 High Court ruling that peat operations on bogs over 30ha now requires planning permission; and due to the companys decision to cease its peat extraction activities earlier this year. While BNM says 80pc of people who cut turf on its bogs can continue to do so as they have turbary rights, the company also confirmed that it will not issue licences to commercial contractors, or other licensed turf cutters, that cut turf for people who have taken plots on their bogs for many years. In a statement deputy Fitzmaurice claimed that the semi-state company is being totally disingenuous. BNM says 80pc of people wont be affected as a result of having turbary rights but the reality of the situation is that has nothing to do with it. If you look at the bogs affected, up to 4,000 households in the midlands will be left high and dry by BNMs decision. These are loyal, ordinary people who take a plot of turf in order to heat their homes in the winter. That is being ripped from their grasp. The timing of this looming announcement is yet another indicator of BNMs disdain for these ordinary people many of whom are elderly with the turf cutting season set to start in the next two weeks. BNMs spin doctors are trying to make light of the number of people who will be impacted by this move. Many of these people who take plots of turf depend on it as their only source of fuel to heat their homes. They cannot be left to hang out to dry, just because they dont have a turbary right. Everyone is talking about a just transition since BNM started pushing their brown-to-green agenda. But since they were handed over 100m, it is clear that all BNM and Tom Donnellan are interested in is turning their backs on the cultures and traditions from which the company originally grew. Are the deputies from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael representing constituencies such as Longford-Westmeath, Laois-Offaly, Tipperary, Meath west, Kildare north and Kildare south going to allow their parties stand idly by while BNM treats their constituents like this? People across parts of Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Tipperary, Laois, Kildare and Meath will feel the brunt of this decision, the deputy said. Legal reasoning The Roscommon-Galway representative who is also the chairman of the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association called on Government to step in and prevent ordinary people from being left without fuel for their fire. BNM is deciding to hide behind legal reasoning for this decision. I have spoken today with BNM personnel and have challenged them to provide me with this legal reasoning as it is clearly stated that you do not require planning permission for bogs under 30ha which most of the bogs in question at the moment are. The area where turf will be spread will represent just half a percent of BNMs total land mass. I am calling for BNM officials to have a conversation with me publicly over the systems they have run in recent years, even though the same case law was in place then as now. But people need to be prepared to stand up for their rights to cut turf. These people do not need to look deep into the past either for inspiration. People were prepared to stand up for their rights then, and now should be no different. This Government must be willing to intervene and stand alongside these people, otherwise they will be abandoning them yet again, he concluded. According to figures, obtained from Bord na Mona, an estimated 1,600 people have turbary rights to cut turf on BNM bogs, an estimated 300 people have licences to cut turf on BNM bogs, while approximately 20 private contractors are issued with licences from BNM to cut turf on its bogs. Turf cutting is carried out on less than 1pc of BNMs total 200,000ac land bank. When asked for clarity on turf cutting where people do not have turbary rights, and where a private contractor is brought in to cut the turf, a BNM spokesperson said such individuals would be considered licensees and that such licensed turf cutting activity is prohibited by the High Court ruling. When asked whether turf cutting can continue on BNM bogs that are less than 30ha in scale, the spokesperson said that, based on legal advice, it is BNMs view that all operational bogs are taken as one unit, not individual pieces of bogs it is viewed as a single block. Public notice In a statement BNMs outlined its full position: Bord na Mona owns approximately 7pc of Irish peatlands. In the past, nearly all of the formerly operational bogs were involved with milling peat, mainly for combustion in power stations. In recent years, turf cut on Bord na Mona lands accounted for just 5pc of the turf supply in Ireland. "In 2019 the High Court ruled that peat extraction operations, on bogs over 30ha, requires planning permission. Following the companys decision to cease peat extraction, we are communicating to interested parties to confirm the current position and to specifically note that: "People with turbary rights on Bord na Mona lands account for over 80pc of the people who have cut turf on our lands. "The company wishes to reassure people that anyone with a turbary right continues to enjoy the same property rights as before the High Court ruling. As before, it remains the responsibility of turbary rights holders to ensure that their activities are not in contravention of any current planning and/or environmental regulations. "Since the 2019 High Court ruling, Bord na Mona has not issued licences to commercial contractors or other licensed turf cutters. This remains the situation. "Unauthorised turf cutting on Bord na Mona lands has always been and remains an illegal activity, the statement concluded. 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. Since Russia does not show any constructiveness in its behavior, there are no prerequisites for returning to "business as usual" with Russia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. "We know that at the end of March the EU should hold a discussion on the strategy of relations with the Russian Federation. At the moment, it is fundamentally important to preserve the five fundamental principles of the EU's attitude to Russia. Since Russia does not show any constructiveness in its behavior, there are no preconditions for a return to business as usual with Russia," he said at a press conference, following talks with Slovenian Foreign Minister Anze Logar in Kyiv on Tuesday. Kuleba said that Russia counts on the support of this policy from the Slovenian presidency of the EU Council. "It will be possible to reconsider relations with Russia for the better only after Russia itself starts to behave better," he said. ISTANBUL Handcuffed and naked, Melek Ipek endured a night of beatings, sexual assault and death threats from her husband that left her and their two daughters battered and traumatized. By morning, after he went out and came back to the house, she had picked up a gun and killed him in a struggle. Ms. Ipek, 31, was detained after calling the police to the scene in the southern Turkish city of Antalya in January. On Monday, she went on trial, charged with murder and facing a life sentence in what is shaping up to be a politically contentious case for womens rights in the country. Womens rights organizations have leapt to support her, saying that she acted in self-defense and had suffered years of abuse by her husband before a long night of torture. If she had been given health care and a psychiatric evaluation after the assault, she would not even be on trial, the Antalya Feminist Collective said in a statement. For President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leader of a conservative Islamist movement who has championed the traditional family as the Turkish ideal, episodes like Ms. Ipeks case have become an increasingly explosive issue. His opponents accuse him of allowing violence against women to soar during his tenure, and women in his own party, if more cautiously, are supporting better protection for women. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signs bill expanding health insurance coverage for abortion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has signed two bills into law that allow health insurance plans offered through the state-based exchange to include abortion coverage. House Bill 1896, which was sponsored by Delegate Sally Hudson, and Senate Bill 1276, sponsored by state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, were signed by Northam on Friday. The legislation removed a restriction in the Code of Virginia that prohibited health insurance sold or offered for sale through an exchange established or operating in the Commonwealth to cover abortions unless the abortion was performed because of a life-threatening medical emergency to the mother or when the pregnancy is the result of an alleged act of rape or incest. The two bills were among 80 different bills on various topics that Northam signed into law on March 12, including bills aimed at protecting homeowners from foreclosure, securing financial aid for students regardless of their immigration status, and banning the testing of cosmetics on animals. These new measures will support working Virginians, boost civic engagement, and help us continue building a stronger, more inclusive Commonwealth, stated Northam. I am grateful to the General Assembly for their hard work on these important issues, and I am proud to sign these bills into law. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia celebrated the signing of the law, posting a statement on Facebook Friday claiming that the new legislation was historic. Virginia is the first in the South to expand reproductive freedom by repealing the ban on abortion coverage on the state insurance exchange, stated NARAL. Ending this ban brings us a step closer to our goal of ensuring that ALL Virginians can access the healthcare they need, when they need it. The Virginia Society for Human Life denounced the new law, saying in a statement released Saturday that the measure will make life harder for those opposed to abortion. This bill was clearly a first step to expanding abortion coverage and will ultimately make it much harder for Virginians who want to find affordable healthcare that doesnt violate their ethical objections to abortion, the Society emphasized. If you need more proof that elections have consequences, look no more. The pro-abortion majority at the General Assembly is working in lockstep with the pro-abortion majority in Congress to advance the radical abortion agenda of NARAL and Planned Parenthood. The Society noted that Virginia will have elections in November, which could slow this tide of pro-choice legislation and implored supporters to organize and educate our families, friends, and neighbors. APPLE TREACLE BREAD Skip the corned beef, cabbage this St. Patrick's Day and try a more traditional Irish treacle bread NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This past year, the French Bulldog once again took Philadelphia's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia's top five had quite a few shifts in 2020. Golden Retrievers fell from 2nd place to 4th, while Bulldogs (6th in 2019 and 5th in 2020) pushed Rottweilers (5th in 2019 and 6th in 2020) out of the top five. "The City of Brotherly Love continues to show much love to the French Bulldog," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The adaptable, friendly breed is a favorite not only in Philadelphia, but the rest of the country as well." Philadelphia's top 5 breeds for 2020: French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever Bulldog * Registration data pulled from Philadelphia zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ UPDATE: Missing N.J. paraprofessionals family baffled, school tries to help Bring Brian Home A Linden school district employee remained missing on Monday, six days after he was seen walking from his residence in Rahway. Brian Gooney, 55, is a paraprofessional at the Soehl Middle School in Linden. The last known sighting of Gooney was at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9, when he left his Main Street residence on foot, Rahway Police Capt. Dawn M. Rodger told NJ Advance Media. It is not known where he might have been going, Rodger said. ***PLEASE SHARE MISSING PERSON*** Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rahway Police Department at 732/827-2200, or Detective Tilton at 732-827-2146.https://t.co/PgHQqriCq9 pic.twitter.com/ccHGTAx2OM Rahway Police (@RahwayPolice) March 15, 2021 The Linden school district posted a flier seeking information on Friday. We are working closely with the Gooney family to return Brian home safely, Linden Schools Superintendent Marnie Hazelton said. Gooney works with two teachers at Soehl Middle School, providing support for children with special needs, Hazelton said. Before becoming a paraprofessional Gooney was assigned to the middle school two years ago, following two years at the grades K-5 School No. 2 Gooney worked as a substitute teacher in Linden for 11 years. Gooney moved within the past few months to Rahway from Linden. He stands approximately 6 feet tall and weighs between 180 and 200 pounds, Rodger said. When last seen, he was reportedly wearing dark pants, and a dark, long-sleeve shirt. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rahway Police Department, 732-827-2200, or Rahway Police Detective Tilton, 732-827-2146. This story has been updated with comments from Linden Schools Superintendent Marnie Hazelton. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Chennai, March 16 : It is going to be a relay strike by unions in the public sector financial services sector domain. After the two day strike -- Monday and Tuesday -- by the bankers, unions in the public sector general insurance companies and Life Insurance Corporation of India will go on strike on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The unions in the non-life and life sectors will be going on strike protesting against the government's decision to privatise one of the general insurance companies, increasing foreign direct investment limit to 74 per cent and divest stakes in LIC by an initial public offer (IPO), union leaders told IANS. "All the unions in the general insurance sector have decided to strike work on Wednesday protesting against the government's decision to hike FDI limit to 74 per cent, privatise one of the companies and demanding merger of the four companies and early conclusion of wage revision," K.Govindan, General Secretary, General Insurance All India Employees' Association (GIEAIA) told IANS. Adding further Sanjay Jha, Secretary, Standing Committee (General Insurance), All India Employees'' Association (AIIEA) told IANS: "We also demand scrapping of the new pension system and reverting back to the old pension system. We are also demanding an early conclusion of wage revision." The four PSU non-life insurers are: National Insurance Company Ltd, The New India Assurance Company Ltd, The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and United India Insurance Company Ltd. The four companies have over 7,500 branches and a total employee strength of over 60,000, Govindan said. "Last week our union officials along with D.Raja, Rajya Sabha Member and General Secretary, Communist Party of India Amet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and impressed upon her to merge the four PSU general insurers into a single entity," Govindan said. "We also told her to introduce pension for the employees of the erstwhile Tariff Advisory Committee (TAC) and Loss Prevention Association and conclude wage revision for the employees at the earliest," Govindan said. "On the other hand, the unions in LIC will go on strike on Thursday protesting against the central government's decisions like (a) hiking FDI cap from 49 per cent to 74 per cent (b) Divesting of stakes in LIC by an IPO and demanding early conclusion of wage revision," All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA) General Secretary Shrikant Mishra told IANS. According to Mishra, the LIC management has now offered a 16 per cent wage hike after four rounds of talks. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed After raising a considerable amount in contributions to Cass City students, the Cass City Promise Program was able to kick off its funded student accounts this month for all students enrolled in K-12 this year. The Cass City Promise strives to stimulate the community by creating a culture and financial support for postsecondary education, at either college or trade school, for all Cass City High School graduates. The Promise is managed by the Cass City Promise organization with significant support from Cass City Public Schools, Sanilac Community Foundation, and Thumb Bank and Trust. Components of the Cass City Promise Program include a savings account for each student, also known as the Red Hawk Nest Egg, and an educational stipend, considered Red Hawk Flight. The Red Hawk Flight portion of the program will commence in the future, the Nest Egg was implemented on Friday, March 12 with the establishment of a $50 savings account for the 950-plus students enrolled at Cass City Public School. Although it doesnt seem like a lot, studies show that children with just $500 or less saved for their education are three times more likely to continue their post-secondary education and four times more likely to graduate than those without savings. The continuation of the Cass City Promise includes yearly opportunities for students to grow their accounts through community service projects. Cass City Promise Committee Member and CCPS Superintendent Jeff Hartel said it is the committees hope that by getting students started with a savings account, it will help them think about future career possibilities earlier. The Cass City Promise is not just about the savings accounts, it is also about changing the culture of both postsecondary participation and financial capability. While Cass City High School has already established a required seminar for seniors that prepares them for postsecondary education and life skills, the Promise aims to implement curriculum addressing postsecondary planning and financial skills at a young age. We want our students to learn to save and prepare themselves so that when it is time to make career choices, they are ready both financially and skill wise, Hartel said. The outpouring of support from our community has been amazing. We are lucky to live in such a supportive community, he added. Through generous support, Cass City Promise was able to secure $106,500 in donations for Cass City students. There has been a total of 218 cash donations made, with the average donation being approximately $500, although donations range from $25-$10,000. Donors include community members, current and retired school personnel, local service organizations and businesses, and Cass City High School alumni spanning eight decades, from the 1940s to the class of 2015. Ongoing support of the Cass City Promise Program is critical to its continuation. Consistent donations help to provide savings accounts for each years kindergarten class, any new students school-wide, and the service opportunities for students wishing to add to their accounts. Although the savings accounts will be opened through Thumb Bank and Trust in the students names, students will be unable to withdraw from those accounts until post-graduation. The student account will earn interest over time and each student or their family can make individual deposits into their account at any time. Students who have a remaining balance after completing college or trade school may request to withdraw their remaining funds and accommodations can be made for students who change school districts or choose to join the military after high school. After many fundraising events that had been planned for the summer and fall of 2020 had to be canceled due to the pandemic, Cass City Promise relied on awareness spread through presentations to local organizations and a letter writing campaign that gathered both interest and financial support in the Promises mission. The Cass City Promise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means all donations to the program are tax deductible. Anyone interested in learning more about or making a donation to the Cass City Promise can visit the programs website at www.casscitypromise.com. Cass City Promise can also be found on Facebook. 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. Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange traded 0.47 per cent higher at 15,020, indicating a firm start for benchmark indices on Tuesday. Here are the top stocks that are likely to be in focus today: Tata Communication: Offer for sale (OFS) to divest governments shareholding in will open Tuesday for institutional investors. The government will sell its 10 per cent stake held in erstwhile VSNL, with an option to sell an additional 6.12 per cent stake. The floor price has been set at Rs 1,161, a 9.8 per cent discount to Monday's closing price. AU Small Finance Bank: The lender has raised Rs 625.50 crore through sale of shares to institutional investors. Adani Ports: The company will partner with John Keells Holdings PLC and Sri Lankan Port Authority to develop the West Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo port in Sri Lanka. IndiGrid Investments: The board of IndiGrid Investment Managers will meet on Tuesday to decide on a proposal related to raising Rs 1,500 crore through a rights issue. Nippon Life India: Nippon Life India Asset Management said it has re-appointed Sundeep Sikka as executive director and CEO for another five years. The appointment, with effect from April 22, 2021, is subject to the approval of the shareholders of the company. GAIL: The government is not considering any proposal to bifurcate state-owned gas utility GAIL (India), and the company is focused on building pipelines to connect gas sources to consumers to accelerate gas usage, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said. Sintex Industries: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), on Monday, directed the Ahmedabad bench of NCLT to decide within a week whether to admit or reject an insolvency plea filed against Sintex Industries by Punjab National Bank. Network 18 Media: The company has settled a case with Sebi, pertaining to alleged failure to disclose Independent Media Trust (IMT) as a promoter in the draft papers for the rights issue, after paying Rs 1.56 crore towards settlement charges. Gateway Distriparks: The company along with its subsidiaries -- Rail Freight and Gateway East India Pvt Ltd -- have filed an application for amalgamation before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). NIIT: NIIT (USA) Inc, a US subsidiary of the company, has signed a managed services agreement with a US-based financial services organisation (an existing client) to provide a range of learning services. Mishra Dhatu Nigam: The board of directors have declared an interim dividend of Rs 1.20 per equity share of Rs 10 each for the financial year 2020-21. Usha Martin: Promoter Peterhouse Investments and other promoters reduced stake in the company to 3.90 per cent from 3.98 per cent via open market transaction. Godrej Properties: The company has approved closure of its QIP issue. The issue price has been set at Rs 1,450 per equity share which is at a 4.19 per cent discount to the floor price of the QIP. HFCL: The company will acquire up to 50 per cent stake in Nimpaa, keeping in line with thrust on addition of new telecom network products in the field of communications, specifically aramid reinforced plastic (ARP) rods. Astron Paper & Board Mill: The company said Parth Patel has tendered his resignation as the Chief Financial Officer of the company with effect from April 20, 2021. 1st National Reserve Our site's information on coin buying, coin fraud, coin grading, and other numismatic subjects is substantial. We pride ourselves with providing a large amount of informative content relative to the coin and bullion market to help prospective collectors learn more about the hobby of coin collecting. 1st National Reserve is proud to announce the completion and release of their new and improved website, http://www.1stnationalreserve.com. 1st National Reserve felt its digital transactions growing as the Covid-19 Pandemic propelled its online sales. As a result of this uptick in its website usage, the company enhanced its website to make it more user-friendly. The new website will provide up-to-date information about the Company's current numismatic offerings. The user-friendly website will also provide essential information about the world of coin collecting. 1st National Reserve's General Manager, Ryan Verde stated, "We're committed to increasing the ease of use of our website. We also will strive to provide transparency and clarity in our offerings while remaining at the forefront of the evolving collectible coin marketplace. We feel confident that our new website will be a powerful tool to showcase our distinctive rare coin offerings and help interested parties make informed decisions when choosing to buy numismatic products." The new website presents a fresh design with enhanced functions focusing on the Company's desire to make online shopping for coins and bullion as easy as possible. Included in the new launch is a library of numismatic educational videos touching on many facets of collecting and investing in precious metals. 1st National Reserve's design goal in the creation of the new site was to provide an inviting environment where coin and bullion buyers could easily find the coins they're seeking. "Our site's information on coin buying, coin fraud, coin grading, and other numismatic subjects is substantial. We pride ourselves with providing a large amount of informative content relative to the coin and bullion market to help prospective collectors learn more about the hobby of coin collecting. 1st National Reserve: For more than 25 years, 1st National Reserve has had the distinct pleasure of diligently providing superlative service, insightful analysis, and comprehensive consultation to our national client base of rare coin investors and collectors. Contact number: 800.321.8700 Murderer Charlotte Mulhall, one of the so-called Scissor Sisters, was not given an opportunity to respond to allegations of inappropriate relationships behind bars before she was transferred to another prison, the High Court has heard. The mother of one is challenging a decision to move her from Mountjoy Prison's Dochas Centre in Dublin to Limerick Prison after she was allegedly found in a very compromising position with a female prison officer in December 2018. As a result of the transfer, she alleges she has been unable to receive physical visits from her son, mother and sister, which has left her lonely and sad. In a letter to the governor of Limerick Prison, Mulhall (37) also said she missed her dog Heather, who was part of a canine programme at the Dochas Centre. Read More Her counsel, Conor Power SC, told Mr Justice Anthony Barr his client disputed allegations of inappropriate relationships or liaisons, had not been given an opportunity to challenge them before her transfer, and was not afforded fair procedures. The comments came as Mulhalls legal team sought leave to bring a judicial review of the decision to transfer her. In proceedings against the Irish Prison Service and the State, she is seeking damages and orders that the transfer be quashed and that she be returned to the Dochas Centre to facilitate visits from her son. Mulhall claimed in an affidavit the transfer had caused untold stress and upset to me, my son and my family. She is serving a life sentence for the gruesome murder of her mother Kathleen's boyfriend Farah Swaleh Noor in Ballybough, Dublin, in 2005. Expand Close Farah Noor was murdered by Linda and Charlotte Mulhall / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Farah Noor was murdered by Linda and Charlotte Mulhall Mr Noors body was dismembered and some of his remains were discovered in the Royal Canal. His head was never found. Mulhalls sister Linda (45) was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter and has since been released. Opening the application, Mr Power, appearing with Cian Kelly BL and instructed by Tracy Horan and Co Solicitors, accepted the Prison Service has discretion to move inmates and that the courts cannot micromanage prisons. But he said the bedrock of his case was that fair procedures must be observed if prisoners are being transferred. Mr Power said certain matters were not considered by the Prison Service, including his clients family connections, which are in Dublin. He said this was a breach of her rights under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly in respect of the lack of physical visits with her son, which she hasnt had since July 2019. Mr Power also said prison authorities failed to consider Mulhall was on enhanced prisoner status at the time. Expand Close Linda and Charlotte Mulhall became known as the Scissor Sisters after the killing of Farah Noor / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Linda and Charlotte Mulhall became known as the Scissor Sisters after the killing of Farah Noor He also said no reasons were given to her when she was transferred and reasons provided since then were to a degree contradictory. The court heard the application was being opposed on the basis that it was out of time and that the Prison Service has significant discretion as regards transfers. It is also claimed by the Prison Service that Mulhall told the Parole Board she was happy in Limerick Prison and therefore there was no need for the proceedings. An internal Prison Service email released to Mulhall under the Freedom of Information Act set out an allegation she had been found in a very compromising position with an officer in an office in the Laurel House section of the Dochas Centre on December 22, 2018. I think the relationship between these two women has been focus of media attention previously, the email read. It went on to say: This prisoner has been involved in a number of high-profile liaisons while in Dochas, all of which have received significant media coverage, including adverse comment. She should transfer to Limerick females by direction as soon as possible, preferably immediately, until further notice. Mulhall disputed what was alleged in the email, saying she had been performing a beauty treatment while sitting on the prison officer. She said that had she been given the opportunity to address the situation, she would have told the governor exactly what happened, and the transfer would have been avoided. In her affidavit, she said her solicitor was told in June 2020 the transfer was made in order to maintain good order and safe custody in the Dochas Centre. But she claimed the Prison Service had put forward differing grounds for the transfer to different parties. This included correspondence with another Government agency in October 2019 which said she had been transferred to Limerick for her own safety and wellbeing. Read More India has told the UN Security Council that the humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for relaxation of sanctions imposed on Syria, saying the international community must act with a sense of urgency to help the Syrian people. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said this on Monday while addressing the Security Council briefing on Syria. The 10-year long Syrian conflict has brought untold suffering to the Syrian people. The COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the situation, posing serious challenges to the fragile health infrastructure. There is an urgent need to increase humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicisation, and any preconditions, Tirumurti said. He emphasised that the humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, calls for relaxation of sanctions imposed on Syria. The international community must act with a sense of urgency to help the Syrian people. He voiced conviction that all efforts towards improving the humanitarian situation in Syria will positively impact the political track as well and called upon the wider UN system, in particular the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to prioritise the vaccination programme in Syria, including through the COVAX initiative. Tirumurti described as disheartening that the conflict in Syria marks 10 years, peace and stability unfortunately remain elusive to the country and its people. The political transition in Syria facilitated by the UN is not the only process presently underway and the five rounds of meetings of the drafting body of the Syrian constitutional committee have resulted in very little progress. External influence is also adversely impacting the process, he said. The situation on the ground does not present an optimistic picture either. It will be unrealistic to expect any dramatic outcomes in the near future, unless the international community takes decisive collective steps in the right direction, he said, adding that if there is seriousness about achieving progress, there is need to have greater convergence of views and act to strengthen the hands of the Special Envoy Geir Pedersen. Constructive international diplomacy is the need of the hour to bridge existing divides by focusing on mutual and reciprocal steps, he said. In late December last year, UN human rights expert Alena Douhan had called on the US to remove unilateral sanctions against Syria, saying the sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act may exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in Syria, especially in the course of COVID-19 pandemic, and put the Syrian people at even greater risk of human rights violations. The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, also known as the Caesar Act, contains the most wide-ranging US sanctions ever applied against Syria, a UN Human Rights statement had said. It added that the broad sweep of the US sanctions law that went into effect in June last year could target any foreigner helping in reconstruction of the conflict-ridden country, and even employees of foreign companies and humanitarian operators helping rebuild Syria. In remarks to the press following the briefing to the Council, Pedersen said the Syrian conflict has now lasted for the same period as the First World War and the Second World War and the Syrian people must feel that they are really trapped in an endless conflict. While there is a way forward, there is a need to find a way around the you first syndrome that has dominated much of the diplomacy around Syria for the last decade, he said. Right now, there are what I call demands on all sides' but little movement on any side. And this dynamic has to change, Pedersen said, adding that what is needed at the moment is to identify with realism and precision and implement in parallel mutual and reciprocal steps from Syrian and international players. All players including the Syrian government and opposition, and key international players would need to be ready to identify not only what they realistically hope to achieve, but what they can put on the table, he said. Tirumurti reiterated that delinking humanitarian and developmental work with progress on the political track will help in creating a conducive environment of trust and confidence. He further noted that the Syrian conflict and involvement of external actors has contributed to the growth of terrorism in Syria and in its neighbouring countries, an issue that has been reiterated in the latest report of the Secretary General on the threat posed by ISIL. We express our serious concern with the increased presence and terrorist activity of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' and other affiliated terrorist groups that pose a threat to civilians inside and outside the Idlib de-escalation area, he said. India firmly believes that long-term security and stability in this region can only be achieved by preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We also remain convinced that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN-facilitated political process in line with relevant UNSC resolution. India has extended developmental assistance and human resource development support to Syria regularly, including lines of credits for developmental projects and supply of medicine and food. (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 speak to you today out of necessity. We are all here today not because we want to be here, because we have to be here. We fundamentally recognise the system is broken, the glass ceiling is still in place, and there are significant failings in the power structures within our institutions. We are here because it is unfathomable that we are still having to fight this same stale, tired fight. As it has been said before, time can be used constructively or destructively. Human progress rarely rolls on inevitability. It is through dedication and effort that we move forward. When we fall asleep at the wheel, what tends to happen is that time becomes an ally of those who seek stagnation. We regress. Brittany Higgins speaks at the March 4 Justice protest in Canberra. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer It is the custodians of the status quo keeping the existing order alive. To see real progress, we must seek it out. I am cognisant of all the women who continue to live in silence. The women who are faceless. The women who dont have the mobility, the confidence, or the financial means to share their truth. Those who dont see their images and stories reflected in the media, those who are sadly no longer with us. Those who have lost their sense of self-worth and are unable to break the silence, all of which is rooted in the shame and stigma of sexual assault. State Transport Corporation (STC) Chief Executive Officer and a leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea has called on the party leadership to immediately issue a statement condemning the controversial history textbooks. The textbooks published by Badu Nkansah and Golden Publications have sparked public wrath as the books talk offensively about the Ewe ethnic group in Ghana. The books titled History of Ghana and Golden English portray Ewes as "voodoo" enthusiastic people and make further disparaging remarks about the ethnic group and Ghana's first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Nana Akomea, speaking on "Kokrokoo" on Peace FM, found the books very offensive. He urged all political parties, specifically the NPP to condemn the author, publisher and the authorities who failed to do due diligence, hence causing the books to go on the market. ". . in fact, if all political parties would issue a statement for all Ghanaians to know that we have a common goal against these things that would describe a group in Ghana in those terms. Because we know the NPP doesn't really get votes in the Volta Region but we, all the same, get some votes. We have a sitting MP. The Regional Minister is an NPP, for example. The District Chief Executives are NPP. So, it's not good. "The party I believe should come out with a statement condemning this thing and all the political parties should be united and condemned this. And then, a full inquiry should take place," 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 Huntington, WV (25701) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Michigan Attorney General Rejects GOP Calls for Probe Into Nursing Home Deaths Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says an investigation into Gov. Gretchen Whitmers handling of nursing homes during the CCP virus pandemic isnt currently warranted, after a number of Republican lawmakers called for a probe into virus-related deaths in the states long-term care facilities. Nessel, a Democrat, said in a March 15 statement that she will not hesitate to act when justified, but that she wouldnt abuse the investigatory powers of this Department to launch a political attack on any state official, regardless of party or beliefs. It comes after state Sen. Jim Runestad, a Republican, led a coalition of Michigan GOP lawmakers in calling for an investigation into whether Whitmers policies around the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus exacerbated the outbreak in nursing homes. They also called for more transparency around official reporting of data on deaths related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, in Michigans long-term care facilities, and questioned compliance with federal health guidelines. In the early days of the pandemic, Michiganalong with New York and four other statesimplemented a policy that sought to prevent hospital overcrowding by returning medically stable seniors who were recovering from COVID-19 to nursing homes. Whitmer issued an executive order (pdf) in April 2020 to designate 21 nursing homes as regional hubs, which were expected to provide care for both seniors recovering from the CCP virus and those who didnt have the virus. The governor also imposed conditions for the admission of COVID-19-recovering seniors, namely that the facilities had to set up dedicated isolation units and have adequate personal protective equipment. Critics have argued, however, that the policy of intermingling COVID-19 patients with others in nursing homes exposed those most vulnerable to the virus and may have led to more deaths. In separate letters (pdf) sent to Nessel and the U.S. Department of Justice on Feb. 24, the eight Republican lawmakers argued that the regional hub policy may have exacerbated the death toll in those facilities. The lawmakers also highlighted discrepancies in how CCP virus infections and deaths were reported by the nursing homes, questioned whether guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were followed, and challenged compliance with Michigans Freedom of Information Act. In August 2020, the Justice Department requested governors of states that had issued COVID-19 orders that may have resulted in deaths of elderly nursing home residentsnamely Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvaniato turn over data on deaths in those long-term care facilities. Whitmer, joined by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, pushed back against those inquiries, arguing that they were but a nakedly partisan deflection targeting states run by Democrats. The fact that this letter was sent during the middle of the Republican National Convention week to four Democratic governors should make it crystal clear that this is nothing more than election-year politics by an administration that is more concerned with the presidents reelection campaign than protecting Michigan seniors, Whitmer said at the time. More recently, Whitmer defended her policies in a March 11 virtual discussion hosted by Politico, in which she said it was a Republican talking point that patients were sent back to nursing homes. She said her orders followed federal guidance and there were no mandates to return COVID-19-positive patients to long-term care facilities, only conditions imposed to ensure their safety. We never suggested or mandated, much less, that they take patients back. But if they were going to, that they needed to follow these heightened protocols, Whitmer said. Nessel, in a letter to Runestad (pdf), addressed the areas of concern that the Republicans raised in their letter. She wrote that she saw no evidence in their letter or elsewhere to suggest that Gov. Whitmers efforts to contain COVID-19 in Michigans nursing homes resulted in increased deaths. The suggestion that these public health policy decisions, by themselves, should be investigated because different approaches could have resulted in fewer deaths is inappropriate and violates well-established ethical guidelines for investigations by law enforcement agencies, Nessel wrote. On compliance with CDC guidelines, Nessel wrote that no specifics had been provided by the Republican lawmakers as to alleged violations, and even if behavior contrary to CDC guidance is identified, there is no criminal penalty under Michigan law for such violation. She noted a similar lack of specificity with regard to alleged Freedom of Information Act violations, adding that even if present, the Office of the Attorney General isnt the appropriate mechanism for their investigation. In response, Runestad accused Nessel of abdicating her responsibility and said legislative committees had been unable to get data from the state. Families who lost loved ones to COVID-19 in nursing homes deserve to get answers. And just like the Whitmer administration, today the office of the Democratic attorney general let those families down, he said in a statement. Scrutiny over Whitmers policies is likely to continue. Last week, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido, a former Republican senator, called for the county medical examiners office to create a committee for reviewing COVID-19-related nursing home deaths. Earlier, journalist Charlie LeDuff and the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, seeking data related to COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes. Whitmers office didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. GQ Pan contributed to this report. A Limestone County couple has been sentenced to a combined period of nearly 40 years in prison for child porn charges. Bethany Leigh Siniard, 37, of Elkmont was sentenced on Monday to 235 months in prison followed by 60 months of supervised release. Gregory Wade Anderson, 49, of Athens was sentenced on Jan. 25 to 240 months in prison to be followed by 240 months of supervised release. Siniard pleaded guilty in August 2019 and Anderson pleaded guilty in November 2019 to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Limestone County Sheriffs Office. The investigation was initiated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The couple was arrested after authorities received complaints of sexual misconduct involving a child after the victim talked about it at the child advocacy center in Athens. Authorities said at the time of the arrest that Siniard would provide the child with alcohol and asked them about sexual acts. They also said Siniard would photograph and video the intoxicated victim in different outfits and while nude, later sending the photographs to her boyfriend, Anderson. Anderson was accused of giving the child alcohol when Siniard was not home and attempting to solicit sexual favors. Authorities found an assortment of sex toys and photographs of multiple children in his home. An Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr John Carroll, has issued a statement on behalf of Offaly County Council, in relation to Mother and Baby Homes. "As Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council and on behalf of the Council, I wish to apologise unreservedly to the women and their babies, the survivors and those now deceased, and their relatives for the pain and suffering caused while resident in Mother and Baby Homes or in St Vincents Hospital, Tullamore," he said. "I welcome the fact that An Taoiseach Micheal Martin, TD issued a formal apology on behalf of the State and people of Ireland, to all former residents of the Mother and Baby Homes and County Home institutions. "His apology follows the publication of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes on January 12." The Government now intends to give detailed consideration to the Report over the coming months with a view to developing a comprehensive Action Plan to address specific themes to include: A survivor-centred approach; Access to Personal Information; Care of the surviving records; Education and Research; Memorialisation; Restorative Recognition; Dignified Burial. "Offaly County Council will actively participate with Government in furthering the development of the Government Action Plan as it relates to local government," Cllr Carroll continued. "Offaly County Council, as a public health authority, had responsibility for the operation of the St Vincents County Home in Tullamore until the early 1970s. This Council sincerely apologises to the mothers, their children/adopted people, those boarded out or needlessly placed in institutions, their families and the relatives of those who resided in the Offaly County Home/ Mother and Baby Homes, who suffered and were mistreated while resident there. This Council also commits to assisting survivors and their families in whatever way it can into the future. "While the Councils apology cannot undo the pain and suffering, it is an acknowledgement of our deep regret that mothers and their children in a highly vulnerable situation, were often failed by the State, and a recognition that the Council was part of that failure," Cllr Carroll concluded. Representatives of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on resolving the situation in Donbss asked for a break in the meetings of the subgroup on political issues until the issue of removing "public experts", self-connecting to negotiations, from the occupied territories is resolved, representative of certain districts of Donetsk region in the TCG Serhiy Harmash said. "OSCE moderator Ambassador Morel announced a break at the request of the Ukrainian side. There was no demarche, just Ukraine, in full accordance with the Minsk Agreements, asked the OSCE to remove from the group the 'expert' Maia Pyrohova, invited from Donetsk by the Russian side. This citizen in Ukraine was sentenced for terrorism to ten years and put on the wanted list. Such participants delegitimize the negotiations, which, in fact, render them meaningless," Harmash said. He added that "Ukraine asked for a break until the issue of removing 'public experts' is settled by the TCG itself, which, according to OSCE representative Morel, is responsible for such problems." Harmash noted that "the Ukrainian side did not disrupt the meetings of the subgroup on political issues, as opponents are trying to present it." He hopes that tomorrow at the TCG meeting at the level of heads of delegations, head of the Ukrainian delegation Leonid Kravchuk, will raise this issue, since the participation of those invited from Luhansk by Russia, to which the Ukrainian side did not give its consent, has remained relevant since the beginning of the year. "Unfortunately, the very fact of participation in the negotiations of people who do not represent any of the TCG members is still out of scope, although Paragraph 13 of the Minsk set of measures clearly states that the working groups reflect the composition of the TCG. Moreover, Ambassador Morel justifies their participation by 'well-established practice', which has become established, because [according to Ambassador Morel] 'Kravchuk has been silent at the TCG for a month and a half'. He [Ambassador Morel] even expressed the hope that tomorrow at the TCG meeting 'there will finally be a reaction from Ukraine'. Morel does not understand what claims may be against him, if Ukraine itself is not actively raising these issues at the TCG," Harmash said. "In fact, Kravchuk is not silent, but it is true that he does not aggressively demand either apparently this is what the OSCE considers as a rather active formulation of the issue to respond to it," the representative to the TCG said. According to Harmash, a novelty in the negotiations was that if earlier the OSCE used former NSDC Secretary Horbulin as an excuse for the questions of the Ukrainian side, who allegedly introduced the practice of not being interested in the status of the negotiators, "now Kravchuk has also been announced as the 'father' of violations of a Trilateral Minsk format." Hannan Discovers First High Grade Copper-Silver Outcrops over 2.5 km Strike at Tabalosos, Peru Posted by Publisher Internet Hannan Metals Limited?(?Hannan? or the ?Company?) (TSXV: HAN) (OTCPK: HANNF)?provides assay results from the first outcrop copper-silver discoveries from the Tabalosos project held within the San Martin JOGMEC JV sediment-hosted copper-silver project in Peru (Figures 1 and 2). Highlights: First high grade copper-silver outcrop discoveries from the Tabalosos project held within the?San Martin JOGMEC JV?sediment-hosted copper-silver project in Peru. Outcrops have been delineated in two areas:?Zona Este?and?Zona Sur?that strike over a combined 2.5 kilometres. The discoveries were made by following up mineralized float samples in creeks found in?2019?by Hannan (Figure 2).; Zona Sur?consists of twelve channel-sampled outcrops over 500 metres of strike. Additional systematic sampling is required to determine the full width of mineralization. Best channel results include (Figure 3): 2.0 metres @ 4.9% copper and 62 g/t silver?(partially sampled); 6.2 metres @ 0.8% copper and 19 g/t silver?(full sample); including 1.3 metres @ 3.5% copper and 86 g/t silver; 0.4 metres @ 6.3% copper, 152 g/t silver?(partially sampled); 0.4 metres @ 7.2% copper, 163 g/t silver?(partially sampled); Zona Este?consists of four channel-sampled outcrops within an area of 80 metres by 120 metres. Additional systematic sampling is required to determine the full width of mineralization. Best channel results include (Figure 3): 1.0 metre @ 6.3% copper and 101 g/t silver?(partially sampled); 1.8 metres @ 3.7% copper and 42 g/t silver?(partially sampled); including 1.2 metres @ 5.4% copper and 62 g/t silver 2.2 metres @ 2.4% copper and 29 g/t silver?(full sample); including 0.7 metres @ 5.9% copper and 70 g/t silver Hannan continues to work with support and permission from all stakeholders at San Martin and interacts closely with local communities. Michael Hudson, CEO, states: ?San Martin continues to deliver high grade copper and silver at scale. These are the first high outcrop discoveries found by our team at Tabalosos, by undertaking good prospecting and geological work.? Given the challenges in making surface discoveries with the predominant soil and colluvial cover, teams are now in the field collecting detailed and systematic soil samples to map and infill the mineralized horizon between outcrops over multiple kilometres.? The San Martin Project is located in north-eastern Peru. Project access is excellent via a proximal paved highway, while the altitude ranges from 400 metres to 1,600 metres in a region of high rainfall and predominantly forest cover. Hannan has staked a total of 88 mineral concessions for a total of 65,600 ha (656 sq kms), covering multiple trends within a 120 km of combined strike for sedimentary-hosted copper-silver mineralization. A total of 43 granted mining concessions for 329 sq km have been granted, while the rest remain under application. The Tabalosos project is located 80 kilometres north of Sacanche where earlier work by Hannan at San Martin has identified a 20 kilometre strike trend which includes channel samples such as 2.0 metres @ 5.9% copper and 66 g/t silver, 0.6 metres @ 8.7% copper and 59 g/t silver and 3.0 metres @ 2.5% copper and 22 g/t silver. The new outcropping mineralized discoveries have been delineated in two areas: Zona Este and Zona Sur that strike over a combined 2.5 kilometres (Figure 2, 3).? Most of the outcropping areas are covered by colluvial cover that make it difficult to sample across the full width of mineralization and therefore additional systematic sampling is required, in many cases, to determine the full width of mineralization. Zona Sur?consists of twelve channel-sampled outcrops over 500 metres of strike, with earlier boulder discoveries extending the zone to a minimum of 700 metres strike (Figure 3).?Zona Este?consists of four channel-sampled outcrops within an area of 80 metres by 120 metres. Additional systematic sampling is required to determine the full width of mineralization in both areas. Better channel results include (Figure 3) are listed in Point 2 and 3 respectively of the highlights above and shown in Figures 2 and 3. The new outcrop discoveries were made at the top of the Sarayaquillo Formation by following up mineralized float samples in creeks found in?2019?by Hannan that defined a 30 kilometre trend hosting copper-silver mineralization with four key zones defined over a 5 kilometre cross strike width. At Tabalosos two mineralized target styles have been defined by Hannan geologists: 1. A stratabound position in the upper levels of the Sarayaquillo Formation, defined by the presence of debris organic material that hosts high-grade copper-silver mineralization. This zone is correlated over a 30- kilometre-long trend and over 5 kilometres in width across the Tabalosos project area and is the same mineralized stratigraphic level identified in outcrop at Sacanche, located 80 kilometres to the south. 2. A structurally controlled sandstone hosted copper-silver target has been identified in the southern part of the project. This area is 7 kilometres long and up to 5 kilometres wide in Tabalosos. Peru currently remains with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, and Hannan?s field work was suspended, as a result, through February 2021.? With COVID-safe work practices, including the establishment of a dedicated Hannan field base in Tarapoto, technical and social teams have been remobilized back into the field during the second week of March. ?Hannan?s number one priority is the health, safety and well-being of our employees, stakeholders and communities. We look forward to the opportunity to return to the field, and we will continue to support the San Martin communities while working to derisk and advance our knowledge of the vast mineral system emerging in the region. Hannan continue to work with support and permission from all stakeholders including local communities in San Martin. About the San Martin JOGMEC JV Project (Copper-Silver, Peru, 88 mining concessions for 660 sq km) On November 30, 2020 Hannan announced that it had signed a binding letter agreement for a significant Option and Joint Venture Agreement (the ?Agreement?) with JOGMEC.? Under the Agreement, JOGMEC has the option to earn up to a 75% beneficial interest in the San Martin Project by spending up to US $35,000,000 to deliver to the joint venture (?JV?) a feasibility study. The Agreement grants JOGMEC the option to earn an initial 51% ownership interest by funding US $8,000,000 in project expenditures at San Martin over a four-year period, subject to acceleration at JOGMEC?s discretion.? JOGMEC?s minimum commitment is to fund US $1,000,000 from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 and JOGMEC has agreed to reimburse the Company for all project related costs from April 1, 2020.? JOGMEC, at its election, can then earn: an additional 16% interest for a total 67% ownership interest by achieving either a prefeasibility study or funding a further US $12,000,000 in project expenditures in amounts of at least US $1,000,000 per annum (for a US $20,000,000 total expenditure); and, subject to owning a 67% interest, a further 8% interest for a total 75% ownership?interest by achieving either a feasibility study or funding a further US $15,000,000 in project expenditures in amounts of at least US?$1,000,000 per annum (for a US $35,000,000 total expenditure). Should JOGMEC not proceed to a prefeasibility study or spend US $20,000,000 in total, Hannan shall have the right to purchase from JOGMEC for the sum of US $1, a two percent (2%) Participating Interest, whereby Hannan?s Participating Interest will be increased to fifty-one percent (51%) and JOGMEC?s Participating Interest will be reduced to forty-nine percent (49%).? At the completion of a feasibility study, JOGMEC has the right to either: purchase up to an additional ten percent (10%) Participating Interest from Hannan Metals (for a total 85% maximum capped Participating Interest) at fair value as determined in accordance with internationally recognized professional standards by an agreed upon independent third-party valuator; or receive up to an additional ten percent (10%) Participating Interest from Hannan (for a total 85% maximum capped Participating Interest) in consideration of JOGMEC?s agreement to fund development of the project, by loan carrying Hannan until the San Martin Project generates positive cash flow. After US $35,000,000 has been spent by JOGMEC and before a feasibility study has been achieved, both parties will fund expenditures pro rata or dilute via a standard industry dilution formula.? If the Participating Interest in the Joint Venture of any party is diluted to less than 5% then that party?s Participating Interest will be automatically converted to a 2.0% net smelter royalty (?NSR?), and the other party may at any time purchase 1.0% of the 2.0% NSR for a cash payment of US $1,000,000. Hannan will manage exploration at least until JOGMEC earns a 51% interest, after which the majority participant interest holder will be entitled to act as the operator of the joint venture.? Initial exploration activities will focus on the collection of the geological, geophysical, and geochemical datasets in the JV project areas. The first phase of exploration is expected to conclude March 2021. Sediment-hosted stratiform copper-silver deposits are among the two most important copper sources in the world, the other being copper porphyries.? They are also a major producer of silver.? According to the?World Silver Survey 2020?KGHM Polska Miedz?s (?KGHM?) three copper-silver sediment-hosted mines in Poland are the leading silver producer in the world with 40.2Moz produced in 2019.?This is almost twice the production of the second largest producing mine. The Polish mines are also the sixth largest global copper miner and in?2018, KGHM produced 30.3 Mt of ore at a grade of 1.49% copper and 48.6 g/t silver?from a mineralized zone that averages 0.4 to 5.5 metres thickness. Technical Background All samples were collected by Hannan geologists. Rock and sediment samples were transported to ALS in Lima via third party services using traceable parcels. ? At the laboratory rock samples were prepared and analyzed by standard methods. The sample preparation involved crushing 70% to less than 2mm, riffle split off 250g, pulverize split to better than 85% passing 75 microns. The crushers and pulverizes were cleaned with barren material after every sample. Samples were analyzed by method ME-MS61, a four acid digest preformed on 0.25g of the sample to quantitatively dissolve most geological materials. Analysis is via ICP-MS. Gold was analyzed using method Au-ICP22 on a 50g sample charge. The method uses fire assay and ICP-AES. Channel samples are considered representative of the in-situ mineralization samples and sample widths quoted approximate the true width of mineralization, while grab samples are selective by nature and are unlikely to represent average grades on the property. About Hannan Metals Limited (TSXV:HAN) (OTCPK: HANNF) Hannan Metals Limited?is a natural resources and exploration company developing sustainable resources of metal needed to meet the transition to a low carbon economy. Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in Europe and Peru. Hannan holds 1,864 square kilometers (186,400 hectares) of granted mineral concessions and applications in Peru making it a top ten in-country explorer by area. Mr. Michael Hudson FAusIMM, Hannan?s Chairman and CEO, a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. On behalf of the Board, ? \Michael Hudson\ Michael Hudson, Chairman & CEOFurther Information www.hannanmetals.com 1305 ? 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7 Mariana Bermudez, Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316,?info@hannanmetals.com Forward Looking Statements Certain disclosure contained in this news release, including the Company?s expectations regarding the Agreement and the payments and earn-in upon the successful completion of certain milestones, may constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements may relate to this news release and other matters identified in the Company\-\-s public filings. In making the forward-looking statements the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company\-\-s current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements.? These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the current coronavirus pandemic known as COVID-19 on the Company?s business.? Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- California Credit Union is inviting all Los Angeles County teachers who have an innovative class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its bi-annual Teacher Grant program. The California Credit Union program is available to full-time teachers in Los Angeles and Orange County or credit union members teaching in California who are looking to fund special classroom and/or virtual learning opportunities for their students. The project should have clearly defined learning objectives tied to students' academic needs, display creativity, and benefit a significant number of students. Ten California Credit Union grants of $500 each will be awarded to area teachers in May in the spring program. "We were founded to serve the education community, and we can't think of a better way to continue that commitment than helping teachers provide an exciting learning opportunity for their students, particularly with the challenges of virtual and hybrid learning," said California Credit Union President/CEO Steve O'Connell. "We hope this program will make it a little easier for educators to make a difference in the lives of our students, and encourage any teacher who has an innovative project idea to apply for one of our grants." Interested teachers can find more information and apply online at ccu.com/teachergrant. The application deadline is April 23, 2021. Since the creation of the program in 2012, California Credit Union has awarded $125,000 in teacher grants to benefit students across Southern California. Schools benefiting from last year's program used the funds towards STEAM engineering and robotics programs, a survival book and supporting technologies and tools for virtual learning, at-home science kits, a school-wide mosaic initiative, and sensory bins for special needs students, among many others. About California Credit Union California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 165,000 members and assets of nearly $4 billion, California Credit Union has 25 branches throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. The credit union operates in San Diego County as North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union. California Credit Union offers a full suite of consumer, business and investment products and services, including comprehensive consumer checking and loan options, personalized financial planning, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile banking. Visit ccu.com for more information, or follow the credit union on Instagram or Facebook @CaliforniaCreditUnion. SOURCE California Credit Union Related Links http://www.ccu.com By Nadia Kim Nadia Kim, professor of sociology at Loyola Marymount University / Courtesy of Nadia Kim Although there are so many charming and poignant layers in "Minari," the critically acclaimed film by Lee Isaac Chung about a Korean immigrant farming family, most describe it as an American Dream story. While others have rightly argued that it's not at all about the dream (spoiler alert: think lost lifelines, lost marriages, lost identities), one tagline that seems to have garnered less attention is the gender conflicts that, in my view, are the real story. Minari revolves around the tensions between the traditional masculinity of Jacob Yi the farming husband and father played exquisitely by Steven Yeun and the resistant womanhood of Monica Yi the wife and mother brought brilliantly to life by Han Ye-ri. It's Jacob's status as patriarch that forces the family to a place in which none of them wants to be. His lofty dreams and gritty resolve to grow a successful farm on a "cursed" Arkansas plot forces the entire family out of California, where Monica was content and longed to stay. At least there were Korean immigrants, Korean churches and Korean food there. In the opening scene we witness in the station wagon's rearview mirror her eyes dart with dismay and anxiety as she drives towards her (and their) new life. While Jacob swaggers like a king, her finely acted facial expressions betray her internal dialogue: 'What is this?' She most certainly did not want the jaundiced mobile home sagging over concrete blocks that made up for its missing stairs with fake wood paneling, slumped furniture and enough cracks to lose badly to a tornado. Monica's disgust is most palpable when Jacob hadn't anticipated how Arkansas' unforgiving columns of air could destroy them in a matter of seconds. She glares at her husband and throws down the rags that she desperately used to mop up the water flooding in through rickety walls. Was this what she gave up her own dreams for? Did Jacob even care about what she wanted? She asks the questions that many Korean immigrant wives and mothers were forced to ask . This, I believe, is at the heart of "Minari." Despite all the cash and hours Jacob was pouring into the farm, Monica still had to do paid work with her husband, the same job they were doing in California but without the added burden of the farm. Now on a plot that caused the previous farmer to kill himself and far from the hospital that David's heart needed, they sorted chickens by sex while their kids looked on, separating out females for their egg-making and the males for killing (even the couple's job in "Minari" involves gender!). A still of Lee Isaac Chung's movie "Minari" / Courtesy of Pancinema During a brief work break, Jacob tells little David that the smokestack bellowing black smoke in the sky is the aftermath of the male chicks being thrown into kilns, being sure to impart that men like them had to be "useful," lest they too went down in flames. Although the view that men must be productive is the most defining feature of a standard masculine ideology, one that transcends race and nation, the difference now for Jacob is that he has become a man of color on the white man's land. "Making it," then, was even more dire. For instance, he declines to hire a white male water douser someone who uses a stick to feel the vibrations of the water underground because Jacob finds it ridiculous that Arkansians pay big money for something one could figure out for free. He teaches David that "Koreans use their minds," not the white man's gadgets that verge on mystical garbage, and hugs David for figuring out that water is always where the trees are (notice that he never teaches his daughter Anne any such lessons). Of course, it's also Jacob's male and ethnic pride that lands him in trouble, as the water he sought to find with his mind was, in fact, nowhere to be found in the ground. And later, when he might lose everything in his life, he still refuses to accept prayers for God's help from his eccentric hired hand, Paul. That was tantamount to admitting failure as a man and having to do so in front of a white man. Perhaps he even extricated himself from California's Korean immigrant community because he did not want to fail in front of them either. Failure was not an option. Actress Han Ye-ri played Monica in "Minari." Korea Times file PARISHES across the Diocese of Cork and Ross are making a special effort on St Patricks Day to remember and pray for people feeling the loss of family members. That is according to Fr Tom Hayes, who said that more people will be connected to their parishes for St Patricks Day this year than ever before because of technology. He said: The majority of parishes are now live streaming their Masses and other services and are connecting with former parishioners across the globe, many of whom like to join their native community for Sunday Mass. "While parades and social gatherings cannot happen this year, Irish people across the globe can still join in prayer and renew and strengthen the shared gift of faith which St Patrick brought to our shores. He continued: St Patricks Day looms and people have not been home, promised visits have not been made, family events such as weddings and baptisms have not been held. The Covid-19 pandemic has stretched our connections with people who are far away and even with family members who are close but cant be visited. He concluded: Still, on St Patricks Day, Irish people celebrate our Christian heritage and our sense of being one people even if we are spread across the globe. Links to parishes that live stream Mass are on www.corkandross.org After years of #OscarsSoWhite controversy, a pandemic that ripped through America, Black Lives Matter protests and the Me Too and Times Up movements, the Academy Awards seem to have caught up with the times. For the first time, two women have been nominated for best director: Chloe Zhao for Nomadland and Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman. They follow just five female directors who have been in contention, with just one winner in Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker, in more than 90 years. Two acting nominations: Steven Yeun with (from left) Alan S. Kim, Yuh-Jung Youn, Yeri Han and Noel Cho in Minari. Credit:A24 There is also the most diverse field of acting nominees in Oscars history this year, with nine actors of colour including the late Chadwick Boseman who plays an ambitious trumpeter in Ma Raineys Black Bottom. Riz Ahmed, who plays a rock drummer who goes deaf in Sound of Metal, is the first Muslim nominated as best lead actor. And while Parasite won best picture and director with no acting nominees last year, Korean-born actors Steven Yeun and Youn Yuh-jung are both in contention for the touching immigrant family drama Minari. Kaski, March 16 An army man died on Monday in Pokhara after he fell off during the paragliding training. Rajaram Magar, 23, of Nilkantha municipality in Dhading district died while receiving treatment after he sustained injuries as his paraglider fell off into the Phewa lake, according to the Kaski District Police Office Spokesperson Subas Hamal. Immediately after the incident, Magar was rescued by security personnel and was rushed to the Military Hospital at local Ranipauwa. Magar was working at Kalijung Battalion of the Nepal Army. Police say the body is kept in Military Hospital and would be handed over to his family members after their arrival. Joe Biden is less than two months into his presidency and has just scored his first major legislative achievement. But in many ways, hes been here before. Like in 2009, when he became vice president, Biden has inherited a national calamity. Like in 2009, his first job is to steady the country and guide it to safety. And like in 2009, the new administrations first big bill is a rescue package meant to provide a bridge to brighter days. But when Biden goes to Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Tuesday touting his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, hes hoping that what comes next is very different. The president will be launching a nationwide blitz to hammer home the sprawling bills promised benefits for everyday Americans, correcting what many Democrats see as a political misstep by former President Barack Obama, who they now say failed to promote his $787 billion rescue plan, leaving it vulnerable to attack. Its absolutely essential that the president spend some time walking through the provisions of this bill and what it means to communities across the country because I think that was a failure in the aftermath of the Recovery Act in 2009, and frankly that was a failure of people like me, Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) said. We all should have been talking about what was in that bill. Bidens long-term legacy, and the short-term fate of Democrats fragile control of Congress, will likely hinge first and foremost on whether Americans believe he has delivered relief, recovery, and normalcy after one of the darkest periods in the countrys history. We cant do anything until that happens, we cant grow the economy, we cant get people back to work, Casey said. I think thats going to be a main metric by how people judge him. Thats partly why Biden and fellow Democrats, in another shift from 2009, quickly cast aside negotiations with Republicans, who had almost universally opposed Obamas plans and favored a more modest approach this year. Instead, Democrats decided to go big this time, even if it meant going alone. Critiques about cost or a lack of bipartisanship in Congress, they believe, will fade if kids get back to school, parents return to work, diners go out to restaurants, and people feel more financially secure. The stakes are clear in Bidens schedule: Hell be promoting the bill in swing states that were critical to his election and will again be vital to which party controls the Senate after the 2022 midterm elections. Hes coming to Pennsylvania Tuesday before he and Vice President Kamala Harris travel to Georgia Friday. First Lady Jill Biden on Monday will be in Burlington County, in South Jersey, while Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff head for Nevada. Youve got to tell people in plain, simple, straightforward language what it is youre doing to help, Biden said Friday at a ceremony celebrating the bills passage at the White House. Youve got to be able to tell the story, tell the story of what youre about to do and why it matters, because its going to make a difference in the lives of millions of people in very concrete, specific ways. The relief package, hailed by some as the most ambitious social safety net expansion since the Great Depression, seems sure to be a pillar of Bidens place in history. More immediately, its his first big swing at delivering on promises to pull the country through the pandemic and lift up poor and working-class Americans. This legislation is one of the most transformative and historic bills any of us will ever have the opportunity to support, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said just before it won final passage last week. The measure includes $1,400 stimulus checks for nearly all Americans and their children; a massive expansion of tax credits for parents and low-income workers without children; an extension of $300 per week federal unemployment aid through September; $130 billion for schools; $350 billion for state and local governments; $25 billion for restaurants; money to help more people buy health insurance and food and pay rent, and an array of liberal priorities such as expanding internet access in urban and rural areas, rescuing pension plans, and paying debts of minority farmers. Projections by liberal-leaning groups say it could cut child poverty by half, and raise incomes by $3,000 on average and by $7,700 on average for low-income families though thats based on provisions for one year only. For the first time in a long time this bill puts working people in this nation first, Biden said Friday. Republicans have attacked the plan as a liberal giveaway that spends far more than is needed, and enacts long-held Democratic ambitions including infusing state governments with federal money under the guise of pandemic aid. They blasted Biden for passing his first major bill without a single Republican vote, or even sustained negotiations. President Biden wants Americans to believe help is on the way. But under this bill, it isnt. Waste is, said the Houses top Republican, Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.). U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R., Pa.) called it a progressive wish list that prioritizes political stunts over support for hardworking Americans. But there hasnt been a sustained line of attack as polls suggest the plan has gained traction, and the GOP has focused its energy more on culture war issues, closed schools, and a growing influx of migrants crowding facilities at the southern border. The rescue plan starts with broad public support. Some 70% of Americans favor the bill, the Pew Research Center found, including 41% of Republicans. Support climbed even higher among low-income Republicans, to 63%. Democrats have to hope those feelings remain, because they may not get many more chances at major legislation. Even this big early achievement showed the limits of their power. Democrats moved the measure through the Senate using special reconciliation rules that allow them to pass a bill with 51 votes, instead of the 60 required by the filibuster. That led to some defeats that frustrated the partys liberal wing, including the realization that they dont have even a bare majority to pass the $15 minimum wage. Senate rules say Democrats can only use reconciliation once more this year, and because the procedure is for fiscal policy, it likely wont apply to many of their other priorities, including voting rights, immigration, policing, gun laws, and climate change. Tackling those issues could depend on altering the filibuster or eliminating it a difficult task given the reluctance of some moderate Democrats or expanding their majority in 2022 to win more leverage. But midterm elections almost always go against the party in power. Obama (with his rescue plan and the Affordable Care Act) and former President Donald Trump (with his tax cuts ) each saw their early achievements meet sour public receptions. Their parties lost control of the House two years after they took office, dooming their remaining legislative agendas. Democrats hope this plan, and a return to normalcy, can help them defy history. Biden acknowledged that much will depend on whether it delivers. This is not over. Conditions can change. Were not finished yet, he said. Its one thing to pass the American Rescue Plan, its going to be another thing to implement it. A year ago last week, Biden was campaigning for the Democratic nomination in Detroit, packing supporters into high school gyms just days before the coronavirus upended American life. Many there fondly recalled the auto industry rescue he spearheaded in 2009, though that didnt help him or Obama in the 2010 election. Bidens new campaign, as president, is to ensure this rescue package produces better short-term political results. Vincent Hutchings, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, said Bidens fate may well hinge on voters remembering in November 2022 the good feelings that they have for this bill. ___ Jonathan Tamari of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote this stoy. 2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. BAY CITY, MI - Communities in Bay and Saginaw counties are slated to receive sizable chunks of funding as a part of the COVID-19 relief package that was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday, March 11. The funding is a part of H.R. 1319, or The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The plan provides additional relief to address the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals and businesses, according to a press release from the White House. In addition to funding for cities, small businesses, counties and states, the federal American Rescue Plan is providing up to $1,400 in direct payments to individuals while also extending $300 weekly emergency unemployment benefits into early September. A breakdown of expected awards to entities obtained by MLive shows Bay County will receive $20 million and Saginaw County will receive $36.95 million as a part of the $1.9-trillion package. At the city municipal level, Bay City is slated to receive $31.12 million while the city of Saginaw is set to get $53.9 million from the relief package. Local municipalities are in the early stages of deciding what to use the expected influx of money for. Dana Muscott, city manager of Bay City, discussed the over $31 million in funding with the city commission during a regular meeting on Monday, March 15. According to Muscott, the city has not received anything in writing yet about the potential boost in revenue. However, she said to the commission had a meeting with city fiscal services director George Martini and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee to discuss the amount and possible uses. I think we need to be very cautious and very strategic about the way that these funds are going to be spent. I dont think its something that we should jump into right away, said Muscott. Right now it is all just tentative, like I said we dont even have a letter in hand yet to say that that is the amount. While road repairs may be the first thing on everyones mind with a sudden influx of revenue, Muscott cautioned that roads might not be under the allowable uses for the money. We did discuss roads today and that is not, as of right now, a defined usage for this money thats coming, she said. Some of the things that they did hit on today with us is its American Rescue Plan, so its to cover revenues that we have lost, added Muscott. Muscott said that once Bay City receives something in writing and more information from the Treasury that she will be getting back to the commission for more discussions on what to do with the funding. You will absolutely be able to tell us where you want to put these funds, said Muscott to the commission. Saginaw city officials could not be reached for comment. The funding is not just limited to larger municipalities. The following townships and smaller municipalities in Bay and Saginaw counties are expected to receive the following amounts: Bay County Auburn, $210,000 Bangor Township, $1.38 million Beaver Township, $270,000 Essexville, $320,000 Frankenlust Township, $350,000 Fraser Township, $300,000 Garfield Township, $170,000 Gibson Township $120,000 Hampton Township, $930,000 Kawkawlin Township, $460,000 Merritt Township, $140,000 Monitor Township, $1.03 million Mount Forest Township, $140,000 City of Pinconning, $120,000 Pinconning Township, $230,000 Portsmouth Township, $310,000 Williams Township, $470,000 Saginaw County Albee Township, $200,000 Birch Run Township, $560,000 Blumfield Township, $180,000 Brady Township, $210,000 Brant Township, $190,000 Bridgeport Township, $970,000 Buena Vista Township, $800,000 Carrollton Township, $560,000 Chapin Township, $100,000 Chesaning Township, $430,000 Frankenmuth, $550,000 Frankenmuth Township, $190,000 Fremont Township, $200,0000 James Township, $190,000 Jonesfield Township, $150,000 Kochville Township, $460,000 Lakefield Township, $100,000 Maple Grove Township, $250,000 Marion Township, $90,000 Richland Township, $390,000 Saginaw Township, $3.87 million Spaulding Township, $200,000 St. Charles Township, $310,000 Swan Creek Township, $230,000 Taymouth Township, $0.42 million $420,000 Thomas Township, $1.13 million Tittabawassee Township, $990,000 City of Zilwaukee, $150,000 Zilwaukee Township, $10,000 More from MLive Bay County scores $420K in marijuana sales tax revenue Saginaw County announces new instructions for COVID-19 vaccination registration The 60-year history of Bay Citys St. Patricks Day includes virtual parade this year Whats in your P.U.R.S.E? Michigan woman shows women how to build financial independence Saginaw County rolls out COVID-19 vaccine to those 50 and older after eligibility expands Environmental awareness art exhibit coming to Studio 23 in Bay City The veteran Laredo Police Department investigator arrested on an illegal bail bond scheme allegation has been placed on administrative reassignment, authorities said. READ MORE: Whereabouts of women possibly kidnapped in Nuevo Laredo still unknown Roberto Richard Ramirez, 55, was arrested on Friday on the charges of abuse of official capacity, official oppression and prohibited recommendations or solicitations, all misdemeanors. If convicted, he could face up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $4,000. Ramirez is a 31-year-veteran investigator assigned to the crimes against persons unit and a SWAT team member. He will remain on administrative reassignment pending the outcome of the judicial process as per procedure, according to police. LPD assisting the Texas Rangers in the investigation and also conducting an internal investigation into this matter. The Laredo Police Department Office of Professional Standards is collaborating with the Texas Rangers in the investigation. The department will also conduct a thorough administrative investigation into this case. The findings of that investigation will determine the outcome of what disciplinary action will take place. The seriousness of the allegations into this case are concerning and these actions are against the core values of the Laredo Police Department, LPD Chief Claudio Trevino Jr. said in a statement. An investigation revealed that Ramirez coordinated and secured a bail bond. READ MORE: Arrest warrant issued after woman rejects mask at Texas bank As alleged in the arrest warrant, Ramirez was coercing an individual, for whom he had acquired an arrest warrant, to pay money to a particular bond company before the arrest occurred, the Webb County District Attorneys Office said. Ramirez threatened that if the individual did not use that bond company, the individual would be forced to pay a higher bond amount or even face federal charges. [March 15, 2021] Vpon Concluded National Park Official Agreement with Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Becomes Official Partner with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan TOKYO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vpon Big Data Group ("Vpon"), Asia's leading big data company, has concluded a national park agreement with the Ministry of the Environment (represented by the Minister of the Environment Shinjiro Koizumi). The two parties agreed to become official partners in support of promoting the Japan's national parks to domestic and inbound travelers, and to revitalize the areas where national parks are located. On 10 March, the Ministry held its seventh "National Park Official Partnership" ceremony online. Vpon's Chief Strategy Officer and Vpon JAPAN General Manager, Yoshitaka Shinohara, awarded the certificate of partnership on behalf of Vpon from the Minister of the Environment of Japan, Shinjiro Koizumi. Vpon Leverages Exclusive Data Technique to Elevate Japan's National Park Attractions Vpon is capable to collect and analyze Asian traveler data which are exceptionally strong in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China. Further, Vpon identifies and tracks travelers who visited national parks in various regions of Japan before COVID-19. By such, Vpon can spot and analyze traveler profile in terms of behaviours and interests, then to disseminate information with customized messages to potential travelers who may visit Japan and specially its national parks after the pandemic. About the Partnership with the Ministry of the Environment The Ministry of the Environment of Japan often collaborates with private companies and organizations aiming to promote to the world the beautiful landscape of its national parks which Japan is proud of. The collaboration also aims to promote the charm of attractions and to increase the number of travelers from Japan and abroad. In light of this vision, the partnership between Vpon and the Ministry aims to deepen the parties' understanding of travelers from both Japan and abroad, specifically acknowledging their engagement with natural environment and revitalizing regions where national parks are located. About Vpon Big Data Group Vpon Big Data Group ("Vpon") is a leading big data company in Asia focused on big data analytics capability built with cutting-edge technology with the broadest set of mobile data across Asia in delivering effective mobile data-driven marketing solutions. Supported by the accumulation of massive data from 900 million mobile devices, and strategic partnerships with premium media resources across APAC, Vpon provides clients with customized data-centric marketing solutions, including data analytics, branding and cross-border marketing solutions. Headquartered in Taiwan, Vpon was established in 2008 and is currently operating in seven locations in Asia Pacific, including Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo and Osaka. SOURCE Vpon Big Data Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] GODFREY While doubts and a lack of confidence hold most people back, Lewis and Clark Community College alumna Whitney Joy used those doubts to light her path. A Memphis, Tennessee native, Joy came to L&C after she had already earned her bachelors degree. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Austin Peay State University in 2005, Joy said. I worked in the television industry as a production assistant but did not find the satisfaction I was expecting in the job. Although she always wanted to work in the healthcare industry, low confidence prevented her from trying. After seeing a CNN story about people with bachelors degrees finding success after returning to community college, she decided to take a chance. I applied to L&C because my friends had positive things to say about it, Joy said. I also liked the small class sizes and felt that I would be treated like an individual, not a number. Joy chose a career in occupational therapy because its holistic in nature and shes able to combine her communication skills with science. Interacting with patients has become her favorite part of the job. I absolutely love working with people from all walks of life, she said. They think they are learning from me but, truthfully, it is the other way around. She graduated with honors from L&C with an Associate of Applied Science from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program in 2012, then went on to earn a Master of Occupational Therapy from Belmont University in 2018. While at L&C, Joy was awarded the L&C Foundation Post Baccalaureate Associate Degree Career Scholarship in 2010-2011 and the Linda L. Orr Occupational Therapy Assistant Scholarship in 2012. She also served as president of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Club from 2010 to 2012. Joy lives in Memphis and, after working as an in-home occupational therapist, she recently started her own practice, Aspire Therapies, a home-based pediatric practice, while serving as vice president of the Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association. She learned just how good L&Cs Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program is when she started her field work, which is the portion of the program where students begin working with patients under the supervision of a licensed therapist. Students in the graduate occupational therapy programs at the same clinical site were asking questions about diagnoses and different treatment approaches, Joy said. When I saw that my clinical reasoning skills were just as good as those of a graduate student, I knew the OTA program prepared me to be a success after graduation. She credits former OTA Professor Emeritus Linda Orr for instilling a passion for the field in her and for teaching her how to advocate for her profession. Linda Orr was the reason I pursued a leadership role at the state level, Joy said. Associate Professor Ashley Harris also had a positive impact on Joys life. Ashley Harris was the first black occupational therapist Id encountered, Joy said. People of color are in the minority in the rehabilitation field, so when I saw her in a leadership role in occupational therapy, I knew I could do it too. She is the reason I pursued a leadership role in the Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association. Joy believes her time at L&C helped build her confidence as a practitioner. If you told me Id be on the executive board of the state occupational therapy association or a business owner 20 years ago, I would have laughed, she said. Lewis and Clark helped me say, Why not? Among Joys goals is to grow her business while helping those in economically depressed areas. Systemic racism and economic disparities in many communities are real, she said. I feel it is my duty as an occupational therapist to fight this and help individuals overcome these issues. For more information on L&Cs Occupational Therapy Assistant program, contact Program Coordinator Debbie Witsken at (618) 468-4419 or dwitsken@lc.edu. (Newser) Nora Stiasny, an Austrian Jew, inherited Gustav Klimt's Rosiers sous les Arbres from her uncle, but was forced by the Nazis to sell it in 1938 for vastly less than what it was worth. She was ultimately deported to a concentration camp in Poland, where she died in 1942. But now, the Austrian artist's painting (Rosebushes under the Trees) will be returned to her family, the BBC reports. France bought the artwork in 1980 for the Musee d'Orsay without knowing its history, but has since learned it was looted. French culture minister Roselyne Bachelot says the only choice was to return it to its rightful owners. story continues below "The decision we've taken is of course a difficult one. It results in taking a masterpiece out of the national collections which is the only painting by Gustav Klimt which France owned," she says. "But this decision is necessary, essential. Eighty-three years after the forced sale of this painting by Nora Stiasny, this is the accomplishment of an act of justice." France24 reports the interim owner of the painting was a Nazi sympathizer and art dealer who died in the 1960s; the Canadian says artist Philipp Hausler, a member of the Nazi party, purchased the painting from Stiasny. (The Nazis looted this Klimt painting, it was also returned, and later sold for $40.4 million.) SUV Recently, Stellantis North America (formerly FCA US) has revealed the highly anticipated Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer , two upscale full-size SUVs set to bring back to life an iconic American nameplate last used in 1993 for the first-generation Grand Cherokees top-of-the-line trim.Before that, it was a standalone luxury 4x4 model produced by Jeep from 1962 until June 1991, making it the third longest-produced single generation vehicle in U.S. automotive history.In the spirit of that model, Jeep aims to redefine American premium SUVs , and by the looks of both versions, thats not an overly ambitious objective. They borrow many design cues from the 2021 Grand Cherokee L, yet a closer look reveals luxury is taken to another level, especially on the Grand Wagoneer.Once we delve even deeper into the details, we realize that the revived nameplate is present seemingly everywhere. Its even spelled out above the seven-slot grille of eachOn the back and lower sides of each front door, we find "Wagoneer" or "Grand Wagoneer" spelled in the same distinct font. The doors are also fitted with U.S. flags next to the lettering to emphasize that these vehicles are part of a new breed of American luxury.The same badges are found inside , on the steering wheel and the bottom of each front seat. Jeep designers seem to have moved the seats power controls specifically so that they could fit these badges.So, whats missing, you ask? Well, if you havent figured out by now, neither of these models feature any Jeep logos, even though they look like Jeeps and use one of the companys most famous nameplates.Thats because the higher-ups at Stellantis North America decided to make Wagoneer a premium sub-brand, much like Hyundai did with Genesis back in 2015.Sub-brands are nothing new; in recent times, Ram became a standalone brand, breaking from Dodge, and even more recently, Ford has branched out the Mustang brand with the arrival of the Mach-E and went on a similar route with the Bronco nameplate.Mind you, the Jeep badge is not the only one thats missing. Neither Wagoneer models feature Jeeps iconic "Trail Rated" badge, which is reserved for the most off-road capable of the manufacturers models.However, that doesnt mean that the Wagoneers cant hold their own on rough terrain. They are available with Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II, and Quadra-Drive II 4WD systems , Selec-Terrain traction management system, and other off-road oriented upgrades.Additionally, both models are equipped with powerful powertrains; the Wagoneer gets a 392-hp 5.7-liter Hemi fitted with an eTorque 48-volt hybrid system, while the Grand Wagoneer features a 471-hp 6.4-liter Hemi.That makes them Jeeps on steroids with designer clothing, and although they dont feature any Jeep badges, the Wagoneers are still Jeeps and will be called Jeeps, even if there will be some among us who will be quick to start an argument about it. Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. ("Newron") (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, today announced its financial results and operational highlights for the year ended December 31, 2020, and provided an outlook for 2021. Highlights 2020: Evenamide (Schizophrenia) All evenamide pre-clinical studies requested by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been completed with no toxicity concerns identified Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has successfully completed enrolment for explanatory study 008 with evenamide in patients with schizophrenia, with results expected by the end of March 2021 Newron remains on track to initiate its pivotal Phase III program in Q3 2021 and continues to evaluate potential options for partnering/co-developing evenamide Xadago/safinamide (Parkinson's disease) Newron noted that Supernus Pharmaceuticals acquired the CNS portfolio of US WorldMeds, including the US rights to Xadago /safinamide, effective June 2020 /safinamide, effective June 2020 Agreement signed with Zambon for potentially pivotal study with safinamide in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD LID) Corporate Newron continues to evaluate opportunities to broaden its pipeline of treatments for central and peripheral nervous system diseases The Company received third tranche of EUR 7.5 million out of a potential EUR 40 million total funding amount under its financing agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) Cash (incl. Other current financial assets) as of December 31, 2020 is EUR 31.3 million Stefan Weber, CEO of Newron, commented: "The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 presented enormous challenges for societies across the world. The healthcare industry, in particular, was challenged with identifying the resources to cope with the pandemic and with finding ways to fight it. We are proud of the way that Newron has adapted to this fast-evolving situation and of our ability to continue making operational progress, despite the pandemic and the difficulties it presents. 2020 has demonstrated that Newron's business remains resilient, and we move into 2021 and beyond confident in our strategy for the future. In addition, we enter into this year assessing a number of exciting strategic opportunities and additional compounds to expand our pipeline of novel therapies, and we will update the market accordingly." Evenamide Present treatments are unsatisfactory for most people suffering from schizophrenia and some 30% of patients with schizophrenia do not respond adequately to conventional therapy. Evenamide, as potentially the first add-on therapy to currently marketed antipsychotics, holds promise to change the treatment management paradigm: improving functioning and allowing patients to continue longer on their maintenance antipsychotic treatment. This would likely translate into lower rates of relapse, thus helping reduce the personal, societal, and economic burden to patients, their families, and society. In the reporting year, Newron made significant progress with evenamide for the treatment of patients with inadequately treated or clozapine treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The additional short-term pre-clinical explanatory studies with evenamide requested by the US FDA were successfully completed, and no toxicity concerns were identified. Additionally, Newron has initiated explanatory study 008, a clinical study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, electroencephalography (EEG) effects and preliminary efficacy of two fixed doses of evenamide in outpatients suffering from chronic schizophrenia receiving treatment with a second-generation atypical antipsychotic. Despite anticipated delays associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the study was ongoing during 2020 and in January 2021, Newron announced that enrolment has been completed with 138 patients randomized to treatment with placebo, 7.5 mg BID, or 15 mg BID of evenamide at study centers in the US and India. Results from this four-week, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study are expected by the end of March 2021. Newron remains on track to initiate the Phase III studies with evenamide in Q3 2021, contingent on no delays due to COVID-19 restrictions. The proposed Phase III clinical trial program with evenamide targets patients with schizophrenia experiencing worsening of psychosis while on atypical antipsychotics, and treatment-resistant patients not responding to clozapine. The latter represents an orphan-like indication with approximately 25,000 patients in the US (with similar numbers in the EU). Xadago/safinamide Newron's partner Zambon had previously held discussions with the US FDA on the design of a potentially pivotal study to evaluate the efficacy of the compound in Parkinson's disease patients with levodopa induced dyskinesia (PD LID). The intention is to perform the study in centers in the US, Europe, and Asia/Australia, aiming at a label extension for PD LID in key global markets. Given Newron's extensive experience in the development of Xadago/safinamide, Newron and Zambon have agreed on Newron taking responsibility for conducting the study. Zambon will remain associated with the study; Newron and Zambon will share the cost of the study equally, and Newron will qualify for a one-time milestone payment and a greater share of royalties, should the outcome of the trial lead to a label extension. Newron is currently working on finalizing the design of the study with international clinical experts and regulatory authorities. To date, safinamide has received marketing authorization for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in the European Union, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, countries in Latin America, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Japan and South Korea. It is commercialized by Newron's partner Zambon, their partners, and Meiji Seika and Eisai under the brand names Onstryv in Canada, Equfina in Japan and South Korea, and Xadago in the rest of the world. Financial Key takeaways 2020: In 2020, Newron reported a net loss of EUR 21.0 million, compared to EUR 20.2 million in 2019 Cash used in operating activities has been reduced to EUR 15.6 million from EUR 22.0 million in 2019 Xadago royalty income increased by 10% to EUR 5.2 million versus EUR 4.8 million in 2019, when a one-time milestone payment for approval in Japan of net EUR 2.0 million was incurred, on top royalty income increased by 10% to EUR 5.2 million versus EUR 4.8 million in 2019, when a one-time milestone payment for approval in Japan of net EUR 2.0 million was incurred, on top Newron's net R&D expenses have seen a reduction to EUR 14.9 million from EUR 17.4 million in 2019, largely due to the termination of the development program in Rett syndrome. Due to substantial changes of the regulations covering the Italian R&D tax credits, the Company could only accrue an additional EUR 1.4 million in 2020 versus EUR 5.0 million in 2019. The cumulated tax credits of EUR 15.9 million can be offset with future tax and social contribution payments by Newron In 2020, G&A expenses have been reduced to EUR 8.1 million compared to EUR 9.9 million in 2019 Cash and Other current financial assets at December 31, 2020, were at EUR 31.3 million, compared to EUR 39.2 million at the beginning of the year. Financial Summary (IFRS) 2020 and 2019: In thousand EUR (except per share information) 2020 2019 Licence income contracts with customers 23 2,284 Royalties from contracts with customers 5,235 4,754 Revenues 5,258 7,038 Research and development expenses, net 14,853 17,440 Operating loss 18,066 20,899 Financial result, net (1,552) 737 Net loss 20,998 20,207 Loss per share 1.18 1.13 Cash used in operating activities 15,588 21,976 Cash, cash equivalents and Other current financial assets 31,250 39,163 Total assets 51,198 60,288 Newron's Annual Report 2020 is available for download on the Company's website: https://www.newron.com/investors/reports-and-presentation/year/2020 Outlook 2021: "We move forward into 2021 confident in our vision for the future, and excited by our current pipeline of novel drugs. We continue to evaluate opportunities to broaden our pipeline of treatments for central and peripheral nervous system diseases, as well as exploring partnering opportunities. In particular, we look forward to initiating our Phase III clinical program evaluating evenamide in schizophrenia and progressing in our preparations towards the new label study with Xadago/safinamide. Newron's total available funding, including the EIB funds not yet drawn down, in addition to its royalty income and Italian R&D tax credits, will fund the planned development programs and operations of our Company to early 2023," outlined Stefan Weber, CEO of Newron. 2021 Shareholders' Meeting Agenda: Newron's Board of Directors has approved the below agenda for the April 13, 2021, Shareholders' meeting, which will take place at the Company's registered office (Via Antonio Meucci 3) in Bresso (Mi), Italy, starting at 10:30 am CET. The formal invitation to shareholders will be issued and disclosed in the statutory papers on or around March 16. The full invitation and supporting material will be made available on the Company's website (https://www.newron.com/investors/shareholders-meeting) on the same date. The agenda is as follows: Approval of the balance sheet as at 31 December 2020. Related and consequent resolutions Dial-in details to the media/analyst/investor conference on March 16, 2021, 03:00 pm CET The Newron management team will present the 2020 full-year results and provide an update and guidance for 2021. The conference call can be accessed via the following dial-in numbers: Switzerland/Europe: +41 (0)58 310 50 00 United Kingdom: +44 (0)207 107 06 13 United States: +1 (1)631 570 5613 The slide deck is available at https://www.newron.com/investors/reports-and-presentation/year/2021 Upcoming events AGM 2021: April 13, 2021 Half-year report 2021: September 16, 2021 About Newron Pharmaceuticals Newron (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. The Company is headquartered in Bresso near Milan, Italy. Xadago/safinamide has received marketing authorization for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in the European Union, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, Latin America, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Japan and South Korea, and is commercialized by Newron's Partner Zambon. Supernus Pharmaceuticals holds the commercialization rights in the USA. Meiji Seika has the rights to develop and commercialize the compound in Japan and other key Asian territories. Newron is also developing evenamide as the potential first add-on therapy for the treatment of patients with positive symptoms of schizophrenia. For more information, please visit: www.newron.com Important Notices This document contains forward-looking statements, including (without limitation) about (1) Newron' s ability to develop and expand its business, successfully complete development of its current product candidates, the timing of commencement of various clinical trials and receipt of data and current and future collaborations for the development and commercialization of its product candidates, (2) the market for drugs to treat CNS diseases and pain conditions, (3) Newron's financial resources, and (4) assumptions underlying any such statements. In some cases, these statements and assumptions can be identified by the fact that they use words such as "will", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "project", "intend", "plan", "believe", "target", and other words and terms of similar meaning. All statements, other than historical facts, contained herein regarding Newron's strategy, goals, plans, future financial position, projected revenues and costs and prospects are forward-looking statements. By their very nature, such statements and assumptions involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that predictions, forecasts, projections and other outcomes described, assumed or implied therein will not be achieved. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set out in, contemplated by or underlying the forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors. These factors include (without limitation) (1) uncertainties in the discovery, development or marketing of products, including without limitation difficulties in enrolling clinical trials, negative results of clinical trials or research projects or unexpected side effects, (2) delay or inability in obtaining regulatory approvals or bringing products to market, (3) future market acceptance of products, (4) loss of or inability to obtain adequate protection for intellectual property rights, (5) inability to raise additional funds, (6) success of existing and entry into future collaborations and licensing agreements, (7) litigation, (8) loss of key executive or other employees, (9) adverse publicity and news coverage, and (10) competition, regulatory, legislative and judicial developments or changes in market and/or overall economic conditions. Newron may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in forward-looking statements and assumptions underlying any such statements may prove wrong. Investors should therefore not place undue reliance on them. There can be no assurance that actual results of Newron's research programs, development activities, commercialization plans, collaborations and operations will not differ materially from the expectations set out in such forward-looking statements or underlying assumptions. Newron does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements except as may be required by applicable regulations of the SIX Swiss Exchange where the shares of Newron are listed. This document does not contain or constitute an offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities of Newron and no part of it shall form the basis of or be relied upon in connection with any contract or commitment whatsoever. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005520/en/ Contacts: For more information, please contact: Newron Stefan Weber CEO +39 02 6103 46 26 pr@newron.com UK/Europe Simon Conway Natalie Garland-Collins, FTI Consulting +44 20 3727 1000 SCnewron@fticonsulting.com Switzerland Valentin Handschin, IRF +41 43 244 81 54 handschin@irf-reputation.ch Germany/Europe Anne Hennecke, MC Services +49 211 52925222 anne.hennecke@mc-services.eu USA Paul Sagan, LaVoieHealthScience +1 617 374 8800, Ext. 112 psagan@lavoiehealthscience.com While on a 2010 passenger flight from Seattle to Los Angeles, Edge4Vets founder Tom Murphy was seated next to a U.S. Army soldier in uniform. Before the gate closed, the young man started drinking to mask his anxieties and anything else he might have been struggling with. His behavior alarmed the flight crew, who had him escorted off the flight. The soldiers behavior didnt bother Murphy, but the underlying cause did. While still on the flight, he penned an op-ed for the New York Post about what Americans could do for returning U.S. troops. Murphy never served, but he wanted to do something himself. So he created a training method to teach veterans to translate the skills they acquired in their military service to the language spoken by the civilian workforce. They sometimes have difficulty selling themselves, Murphy told an Edge4Vets conference in South Carolina. People serving in the military learn to work as a team, and they sometimes dont think in terms of their individual accomplishments and skill sets. Murphy is the founder of Fordham Universitys Human Resiliency Institute, which conducts research and offers training to help aviation workers cope with the pressures of one of the worlds most demanding career fields. In 2011, he founded Edge4Vets in conjunction with the HRI to offer similar help to military veterans. The program combines workshop training with online instruction to teach veterans how to turn their military experience into skills for the business workforce and then connects them with jobs. Often, the program offers mentorship in the fields veterans are trying to enter. Tom Murphy (seated, center) at a signing for his book, "RECLAIMING THE SKY 9/11 and the Untold Story of the Men and Women Who Kept America Flying." (Edge4Vets) Edge4Vets gives veterans and other military personnel the support business leaders say they need most; that is, we teach them how to translate their military strengths, including values and skills, into tools for success in the civilian workplace, then we connect them to jobs that can lead to careers, Murphy said in a statement. Murphy estimates that eight out of 10 veterans who attend the Edge4Vets workshops have secured sustainable employment after the training. In all, the group has helped more than 2,000 veterans in seven states find work. Rich Horan, a U.S. Army veteran who served as an infantry team leader in Afghanistan, is one of those veterans. The infantry is one of the most difficult career fields for veterans when trying to apply their military training to the civilian workforce. Edge4Vets helped me identify the value of that skill -- my ability to form teams -- and present it in a way that companies could see the value I could bring, Horan said in a news release. Like many other nonprofit organizations and programs, Edge4Vets has shifted some of its training opportunities to online formats. The next online training workshop is scheduled for April 15, 2021, at 1 p.m. Eastern time. A follow-up session is set for April 30. During the two-week interval between the sessions, participants can access the Edge4Vets online course through a series of videos and exercises. Interested veterans can register for the Zoom-based workshop on the Edge4Vets website. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs? Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. Indices traded sideways with decent gains in morning trade. The Nifty hovered above the crucial 15,000 mark. Metal and PSU bank stocks saw selling pressure while IT stocks advanced. Shares rose on bargain hunting after yesterday's steep correction. At 10:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 295 points or 0.59% at 50,690.92. The Nifty 50 index gained 75.35 points or 0.5% at 15,004. In broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.4% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index was gained 0.52%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1476 shares rose and 1008 shares fell. A total of 138 shares were unchanged. COVID-19 Update: Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 120,191,417 with 2,660,076 deaths. India reported 223,432 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 158,856 deaths while 110,27,543 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 3.17 crore. A total of 3 crore 17 lakh 71 thousand 6 hundred 61 vaccine doses have been given so far. On the 59th day of nationwide COVID-19 vaccination on 15 March 2021, a total of 18 lakh 63 thousand 6 hundred 23 vaccine doses were given. Economy: India's overall exports in February 2021 were $27.93 billion, as compared to $27.74 billion in February 2020, exhibiting a positive growth of 0.67%. In Rupee terms, exports were Rs 2,03,201.56 crore in February 2021, registering a positive growth of 2.46%. Imports in February 2021 were $40.54 billion (Rs 2,94,985.04 crore), which is an increase of 6.96% in dollar terms and 8.86% in rupee terms over imports in February 2020. The trade deficit for February 2021 was estimated at $12.62 billion as against the deficit of $10.16 billion in February 2020, which is an increase of 24.14%. Taking merchandise and services together, overall trade deficit for April-February 2020-21 is estimated at $7.80 billion as compared to the deficit of $75.90 billion in April-February 2019-20. Meanwhile, Ministry of Finance has released the final weekly installment of Rs 4,104 crore to the States to meet the GST compensation shortfall. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Metal index declined 1.26% to 3,831.10. The index rose 1.04% in the previous session. Jindal Steel & Power (down 1.66%), Hindalco Industries (down 1.63%), Vedanta (down 1.5%), Tata Steel (down 1.45%), National Aluminium Company (down 1.42%), JSW Steel (down 1.38%), NMDC (down 1.03%), Steel Authority of India (down 0.91%) and Coal India (down 0.85%) declined. Stocks in Spotlight: Aarti Drugs advanced 3.80% to Rs 693 after the company said its board will consider a share buyback on Friday, 19 March 2021. In a BSE filing made before trading hours today (16 March 2021), the company said that its board will meet on Friday, 19 March 2021, to consider the proposal for buyback of equity shares. Max Healthcare Institute rose 1.93% to Rs 205.85 after the company said it acquired 42.8% equity stake in Saket City Hospitals (SCHL) from Kayak Investments Holding. Max Healthcare Institute purchased 1.26 crore equity shares, representing 42.8% of the equity share capital of SCHL from Kayak. Following the transaction, SCHL has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company with effect from 15 March 2021. The consideration for the purchase of purchased shares is the INR equivalent to $64,246,702. Before the transaction, Max Healthcare Institute held 57.2% and Kayak Investments Holding held the remaining 42.8% stake in Saket City Hospitals. Kayak held 51.94% stake in Max Healthcare as on 31 December 2020. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 14-year-old Indiana boy has been arrested in connection with the death of a 6-year-old girl whose body was found in a wooded area. The name of the suspect is being withheld at this time since he is not being charged as an adult in the case according to the Associated Press. However, the St. Joseph County Probate Court ordered he be detained by police ahead of his next court appearance on March 22. Prosecutors says autopsy reports indicate Grace Ross died via asphyxiation and her death was ruled a homicide. Her body was found in New Carlisle, Ind. approximately two hours after she was first reported missing on March 12. New Carlisle is roughly five miles from the Michigan border. Further tests are being conducted on Ross and results are pending, according to the Associated Press. She was a shining star. No matter where she went she lit up a room. Shes so intelligent, so beautiful and spunky, Graces grandmother, Kelli Howard, said. READ MORE: Argument over stimulus check led to Indianapolis murders of 7-year-old child, 3 others, family says Man, 27, dies after girlfriend allegedly stabbed him during domestic dispute Mom accused of creating deepfake videos of teen cheerleaders to get them kicked off team (Natural News) Facebook and Google are no longer companies, theyre countries, Thomas reveals during a conversation with a Project Veritas journalist. (Article by Natalie Winters republished from TheNationalPulse.com) They must be stopped, he adds before insisting the government needs to step in and break up Google and Facebook. Its a better thing for world. Thomas, who also advocates for the removal of Mark Zuckerberg as CEO of Facebook, notes how no king in the history of the world has been the ruler of two billion people, but Marck Zuckerberg is. Thomas also discusses artificial intelligence and the Chan-Zuckerberg initiative, claiming that data is very powerful, and if you give me five things about you, and I can pretty much figure out everything else. WATCH: Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com and BigTech.news In an effort to help 50 million people get Covid-19 vaccines, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday announced new tools, along with expanding efforts to address Covid-19 vaccine misinformation by adding labels to Facebook and Instagram posts that discuss the vaccines. Facebook is adding a label on posts that discuss the safety of Covid-19 vaccines, that notes Covid-19 vaccines go through tests for safety and effectiveness before they're approved. In the coming weeks, Facebook will roll out labels on all posts generally about vaccines that point people to the Covid Information Centre globally, and plan to add additional targeted labels about Covid-19 vaccine subtopics. One of the new tools announced by the company will show you when and where you can get vaccinated, and gives you a link to make an appointment. The new tool will be available in the Covid Information Centre, that Facebook will show right in your News Feed. "We've already seen people use Facebook to find vaccination appointments, so this should enable millions more people to do the same," Zuckerberg said in a post. The social network said it has already connected over 2 billion people to authoritative Covid-19 information. Zuckerberg also announced to bring the Covid Information Centre to Instagram. The company said it will release new stickers on Instagram Stories, so people can inspire others to get vaccinated when it becomes available to them. He said the company is now working with health authorities and governments to expand their WhatsApp chatbots to help people register for vaccines. "More than 3 billion messages related to Covid have already been sent by governments, nonprofits and international organizations to citizens through official WhatsApp chatbots, so this update will help with the vaccination effort as well," Zuckerberg said. To date, 3 billion messages have been sent by governments, nonprofits and international organizations to citizens through official WhatsApp chatbots on Covid-19 The company said it is expanding its efforts to address Covid-19 vaccine misinformation. "We're adding a label on posts that discuss the safety of Covid-19 vaccines that notes Covid-19 vaccines go through tests for safety and effectiveness before they're approved," said Facebook. If the Army is Disbanded Will Myanmar Become Like Libya or Iraq? [March 16, 2021] General Catalyst Names Endurance Partners-In-Residence Margo Georgiadis, Dr. Jennifer Schneider and Robin Washington Former CEO of Ancestry.com, Former President of Livongo, and Former CFO of Gilead Sciences bolster GCs healthcare bench and expertise SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the venture capital firm General Catalyst (GC) announced Endurance Partners-In-Residence Margo Georgiadis, Dr. Jennifer Schneider, M.D., M.S., and Robin Washington will collaborate with the firm to identify, create and accelerate opportunities in the healthcare sector. The trio will leverage their collective healthcare and consumer digital health experience to help create meaningful, enduring outcomes for GCs healthcare portfolio companies and the communities they serve. Endurance Partners-In-Residence are proven operators with deep industry and company-building expertise, who work closely with portfolio companies throughout their lifecycle -- from inception to later-stage and the key inflection points along the way. These new appointees are an expansion of GCs long-standing Executive-in-Residence program. This is not about having executives waiting in the wings to be assigned an operational role, says Hemant Taneja, managing partner, General Catalyst. We are strategically aligning with high voltage company builders and providing them with a platform to identify, create and engage with impactful companies, collaborating with them in a sustained way to create enduring businesses. We couldnt be more thrilled to work with Margo, Jenny, and Robin to fulfill the promise of Health Assurance: removing barriers, increasing access, and improving outcomes for people everywhere. Each of the new Endurance Partners-in-Residence is a powerhouse operator in her own right, but togeher they represent a formidable team of some of the most respected executives in the industry. Margo Georgiadis is the former President and CEO of Ancestry where she transformed the company into the global leader in family history and consumer genomics with the worlds largest direct-to-consumer testing platform and a network of over 20M consumers. Georgiadis has a long history of building high performing global businesses, including as President of Americas at Google. My work at GC will focus on building next generation healthcare platforms that improve outcomes while making healthcare more customer centric, accessible, and affordable. Through the GC platform, Ill have the opportunity to leverage my experience to effect positive change in an industry that is essential to society and impacts so many. Dr. Schneider is the former president of Livongo Health and independent director of Cityblock, both GC-backed companies. She oversaw Livongos $18.5 billion merger with Teladoc Health, the largest in digital health history (GCs Taneja co-founded Livongo with Glen Tullman and team). As president of Livongo, I had the pleasure of seeing the power of the GC team as we looked to create new experiences for people managing chronic conditions, she says. They were a key accelerant to our success at Livongo. My partnership with GC is an opportunity to apply my data science, clinical operations and marketing experience to do the same for existing and future healthcare portfolio companies. Robin Washington previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gilead Sciences, which develops innovative medicines to improve the care of patients with life-threatening diseases. In addition to her work in healthcare, she has a strong track record operating enterprise companies, including Hyperion and PeopleSoft (both acquired by Oracle). Says Washington, Working with GC, I am eager to leverage my life science and technology background to help create the next generation of innovative healthcare companies, and meet the needs of people everywhere, especially those who have been chronically underserved. About General Catalyst General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive change that endures for our entrepreneurs, our investors, our people, and society. We support founders with a long-term view who challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth stage and beyond to build companies that withstand the test of time. With offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York City, and Boston, the firm has helped support the growth of businesses such as: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Guild, Gusto, Hubspot, Illumio, Lemonade, Livongo, Oscar, Samsara, Snap, Stripe, and Warby Parker. For more: www.generalcatalyst.com . Contact: generalcatalyst@launchsquad.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Brisbane's emergency coronavirus restrictions have been extended until at least Friday, despite no new cases emerging across all of Queensland. The state's premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said hospitals, aged care homes and disability services would remain locked down for several more days. No new cases of the virus were found in the state in the 24 hours leading up to midday Tuesday, after a new cluster emerged linked to the Hotel Grand Chancellor. Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured on Tuesday) has announced Brisbane's emergency coronavirus restrictions will be extended for at least 72 hours So far, it includes two returned travellers in hotel quarantine and a doctor from the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Of the 400 close contacts detected through contact tracing, 58 per cent of the tests have came back with a negative result so far. Ms Palaszczuk confirmed the cluster had not spread any further and said she was feeling 'a little bit relieved'. '(But) we will be extending for a further 72 hours the provisions we have put in place across Brisbane', she said. The Hotel Grand Chancellor (pictured) cluster includes two returned travellers and a doctor from the Princess Alexandra Hospital but has not spread any further Of the decision to lock down hospitals, aged care homes and disability services, the premier said there would be an update on Friday. 'Just while we finalise all of this data and get the test results in', she said. 'That would mean on the weekend people would be able to go and see their loved ones. We're just asking the community to be patient for another 72 hours.' Queensland recorded two new cases of coronavirus linked to hotel quarantine. Hospitals, aged care homes and disability services will remain locked down for several more days, with an update to come on Friday Over 1000 people have been contacted at the Princess Alexandra hospital to determine if they had contact with the doctor who tested positive to the virus. Deputy chief health officer Sonya Bennett said she felt 'very reassured'. 'With respect to the Hotel Grand Chancellor incident, we've still got some information to get through.' Dr Bennett said no 'significant breach' has been identified. Staff and guests who may have been impacted by the cluster have been tested and isolated after leaving hotel quarantine. Guests who were staying on the same floor as the infected guests from March 5 will be required to quarantine for a further two weeks. The extension of emergency restrictions comes as the state celebrates health care workers receiving their second dose of the vaccine. Nurse Zoe Park (pictured) was the first registered nurse in the Gold Coast to receive the vaccine two weeks ago and is now fully immunised Ms Palaszczuk and Queensland health minister Yvette D'Ath celebrated the nurses from Gold Coast hospitals who had received the jab. 'In fact, when it comes to phase 1A, Gold Coast University Hospital has completed their 1A group... for their first vaccination,' Ms D'Ath said. 'They're moving onto 1B group already here... That's really exciting news.' More than 60 per cent of the 10,00 staff at the Gold Coast University Hospital have received their first dose of the vaccine. In the next two weeks people in category 1A will be vaccinated, the premier confirmed, with the Queensland government to start on those in 1B. 'Of course, 1B is both commonwealth and state responsibility as well... and it does depend on the dosage we receive,' she said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Even without its liquor license and Health Department permit reinstated, Macs Public House in Grant City plans its reopening at some point in the next few weeks, says general manager Danny Presti. He first announced the defiance at a Monday morning press conference held inside the restaurant. Presti told the Advance, Im opening in complete defiance because this isnt a fight any longer about opening businesses. This is our freedoms being stripped away from us. Im still opening because theyre trampling on the Constitution in front of us. Mac's owner Keith McAlarney and manager Danny Presti addressed the media outside of the business Monday morning, January 25, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) In his fight to get back to business legitimately, he explained the timeline of events with court dates which have been continually pushed back. The most recent adjournment was set for April 9. The City is litigating to have Macs declared a public nuisance and have the establishment padlocked. While defending Macs in the public nuisance lawsuit , Macs lawyers filed a cross motion to have the Governors emergency orders declared unconstitutional. St. George-based attorney Mark Fonte issued a statement also on behalf of colleague Lou Gelormino, who represents the tavern. It read, Our legal advice to Dan Presti is to remain closed pending the outcome of the court proceedings. That being said, on a personal level I greatly admire his courage in putting it all on the line defending our Constitution and fighting against these unlawful mandates. If others had followed his lead, these mandates along with the governor that issued them would have been left in the ash heap of history months ago. What Mac's looked like on Dec. 1, 2020 as other business owners rallied for the small business as it defied public health mandates. (Courtesy of Rob DeLuca) Were looking at a long, drawn out process. I still respect the courts but I cant just sit back and watch whats happening to our rights, Presti said. He criticized the mayor and governor for their leadership and opined that both should not be in office. Mitch Schwartz, Director of Rapid Response and Deputy Press Secretary for the mayors office said, Thousands of bars in this city will pour you a pint and work hard to keep you safe from COVID-19. This isnt one of them. The City will hold bad actors accountable and do everything we can to end this pandemic once and for all. Presti said, Im fighting to get our rights back. Somebody needs to stand up to the city and state because theyre trampling on the Constitution. Theyre still getting to do whatever they want. This doesnt have to do with COVID. It has to do with whats going to happen in a year from now...when we dont stand up for our rights. So Im taking a stand and holding the line. Ive commandeered this Macs Public House pirate ship. Its becoming a symbol. The tavern, owned by Keith McAlarney, garnered national attention late last year as its management refused to follow government COVID-19 restrictions. Supporters of McAlarney and Presti rallied in front of the restaurant several times. The bar came under fire when Presti allegedly ran his car into a sheriffs deputy in the street. A grand jury declined to indict Presti on assault and reckless endangerment. And what happened to the GoFundMe started in the wake of the protests as monies poured into the account from across the country? The GoFundMe was used exactly what it was supposed to be for to take care of the staff and take care of people in the food industry who needed it. I bought a 2007 Chrysler Pacifica, which is barely running. I used it for legal fees, court fees, to hire constitutional attorneys, said Presti. He noted that the fund aimed to ease the burden of lawyers defenses as other New York City restaurants joined in on the defiance. Presti said no else took on the challenge. So he gave it to needy families upended in the food realm. Ill never tell who we gave the money to but we gave it to people who needed it. I told them not to post about it. I told them they dont owe me anything. I had it, I needed to help people with it, he said. Opening schedules and a menu for Macs will be announced in the next few weeks. The restaurant staff will not enforce masks or seating capacity restrictions. My kids will have no freedoms when theyre my age if we dont push back. If good people dont stand up and fight for their freedoms the government will take them away, Presti maintained. Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com. Pet owners attend a pet fair at SETEC in Gangnam District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap Law revision expected to enhance awareness of animal rights By Lee Hyo-jin For a country with around 1.5 million pet owners, Korea's legal framework for animal protection has been considered relatively weak, leading to low public awareness on animal welfare, and lenient punishment for animal cruelty. A major reason for this, pointed out by many animal rights activists, is because the civil code defines animals as "objects," not living beings. Under the current law, animals are regarded as the property of their human owners, something that can be owned, traded and controlled without any of the basic rights that are given to people. Therefore, animal abusers often face relatively weak punishment proportional to their level of cruelty, as their sentences are based on the Property Damage Law and Animal Protection Law. But this may change, as the Ministry of Justice announced plans recently to amend the civil code to legally recognize animals as living entities. In response to an increasing number of people who perceive companion animals as part of their family, the ministry said that it will remove animals from the category of property and designate a possible third category, in a bid to ensure their basic legal rights. Animal rights activists welcomed the ministry's decision, saying the amendment will improve animal welfare and lead to stricter laws for the protection of non-human life. What does the revision mean? "To put it shortly, it is about enhancing animals' legal status, as many animal rights activists have been demanding for a long time," said Sin Su-kyung, a lawyer at People for Non-human Rights (PNR), a group of lawyers engaged in animal protection activities. Sin expressed hopes that as the amendment will elevate animals' legal status beyond property, it will bring better treatment for them in their daily lives as well as in legal conflicts. Chae Il-taek, an official at the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA), said, "This will be the first step in establishing the rights of non-human life in our legal system. We expect positive changes in animal-related laws to follow." A citizen walks her dog in downtown Seoul, Jan. 24. Yonhap What changes will the amendment bring? Both Sin and Chae viewed that changing perceptions of animals as living beings, not objects, will lead to revisions to animal-related laws and criminal law provisions, as well as the Constitution. "Although changing a civil code may not bring drastic changes in the short term, it will provide grounds for legislation of special laws on animal protection or the stipulation of animal rights in the Constitution, which will resolve current difficulties in dealing with animal abuse offenses," Chae said. A major reason why it is difficult to revoke the ownership of people who abuse their pets is because the Constitution guarantees their right to property. Also, punishment of animal slaughter on dog farms and exploitation in other facilities is not easy, as it collides with freedom of occupation stipulated in the Constitution, according to Chae. Sin believes that a more detailed compensation system for pet-related offenses will be established following the revision. "Under the current system, people who commit violence toward pets compensate the pet owner based on how much the animals are worth on the market, which is not only unethical, but also a complicated procedure, for instance, when it is a mixed breed," she said. She added that improved legal status will also better protect pets in divorce proceedings. As companion animals are considered possessions during separation procedures in court, they are treated the same as furniture or real estate. Will animal abusers face tougher punishments? Although court rulings have been imposing increasingly harsher punishments for animal abusers than before, animal rights activists have been calling for additional legal grounds for charges other than "destroying property." In this CCTV footage captured on July 13, 2019, a man pours an unidentified liquid onto the body of a cat he killed in Mapo District, Seoul. Yonhap Burma Myanmars Military Regime Hands Down Prison Sentences to Striking Civil Servants Anti-regime protesters urge civil servants to join the civil disobedience movement. / The Irrawaddy Myanmars military regime has sentenced ten civil servants to prison terms for joining the civil disobedience movement (CDM). The ten include two police officers and eight staff from the Cooperative Department. They are the first civil servants to be sent to jail for their participation in the CDM. Deputy Police Sergeant Ko Tara Linn and Policeman Ko Thurein Linn, from Ayeyarwady Regions Kyangin town were given one year sentences under the Myanmar Police Force Maintenance of Discipline Law. The two brothers were arrested on Feb. 3 for posting on Facebook that they opposed the military regime, but their sentences were only made public on Monday. Ko THurein Linn livestreamed on Facebook before his arrest saying, Down with the dictatorship in a video. Local news outlet the Ayeyarwaddy Times quoted the father of the two men as saying, I am proud of my two sons as they were imprisoned for opposing the military dictatorship. Seven women and a man from Naypyitaws Lewe Township Cooperative Department who took part in the CDM were also sentenced last week to three months imprisonment each under the Penal Codes Article 188(b) for defying orders. A lawyer from Naypyitaw said the court sentenced the defendants in a rush without hearing from all of the defense teams witnesses. The legal action against the civil servants on strike comes at a time when the military government mechanism has been paralyzed by the CDM for over a month. Since the Feb. 1 coup, doctors have left hospitals, bank tellers stayed home and trains rarely left their stations as staff refuse to work under the men in uniform. Furious at the collective resistance, the junta has threatened strikers with arrests and evictions from government housing. As the CDM continues to spread nationwide, the junta started to arrest around 50 civil servants who have gone on strike in protest at the militarys Feb.1 coup. Doctors, engineers, teachers, railway staff, directors and managers of governmental departments and administrative staff are among those who have been detained. A person who gave shelter to CDM staff and another who cooked for CDM staff were also arrested. Several civil servants and doctors who face arrest have gone into hiding to evade detention. The junta has also dismissed or suspended many striking civil servants from their jobs across the country. Others have been forced to move from government housing. Among the recent suspensions are 73 senior officers, including deputy directors and assistant directors, who were suspended from their jobs on March 11. Around 1,000 workers and their families living at the staff quarters at Myanma Railways Mahlwagone locomotive shed in Yangons Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township fled their homes last week after security forces raided their neighborhood. The railway workers there have joined the CDM in protest at the military regime. On Sunday, staff at the Sao San Htun Hospital in Shan States capital Taunggyi who have joined the CDM were threatened with being evicted from the staff housing unless they return to work by March 15. Around 70 doctors and health workers from the hospital moved from the staff housing rather than return to work under the military regime. A number of doctors from the Sao San Htun Hospital went into hiding last month to avoid arrest. One doctor who went into hiding told the BBC in a recent interview that they will continue their strike until the junta falls. In Chin State, health workers from the Kanpetlet Township hospital were forced to move from the staff quarters after soldiers and police established a base at the hospital, according to local news outlet Chin World. You may also like these stories: Kachin Villagers Flee Fighting Between Myanmars Military and KIA Under Martial Law, Myanmar Military Commanders Empowered to Issue Death Penalty UN Chief Calls Intl Community to Help End Military Repression in Myanmar (Newser) Some moms long for their daughters to be crowned homecoming queen; other moms really long for their daughters be crowned homecoming queen. Laura Rose Carroll seems to have fallen in the latter category, and now she's been arrested for it. Per CNN, the 50-year-old from Pensacola, Fla., and the 17-year-old she'd apparently wanted to sit upon the school throne were arrested Monday and accused of accessing student accounts to rig votes for the Tate High School homecoming court. Per a release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the alleged scam started to unfold in October when officials with the Escambia County School District noticed that hundreds of fraudulent votes117 from the same IP addresshad been cast for the high school's homecoming court via FOCUS, the district's student information system. WKRG reports that Carroll's daughter, identified as Emily Rose Grover, was still crowned homecoming queen, per video and pictures from the event. story continues below Everything began to unravel, however, when other students reported Emily spoke of using the FOCUS account of her moman assistant principal in a district elementary school with high-level access to the systemto cast votes. The district contacted the FDLE, and investigators found nearly 250 fraudulent votes cast. They also found evidence of unauthorized FOCUS access tied to Carroll's cellphone and computers at the family's home. Mother and daughter were hit with felony charges of offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks, and electronic devices; unlawful use of a two-way communications device; and criminal use of personally identifiable information, as well as misdemeanor charges. The district says Carroll has been suspended, while the FDLE notes Emily has been expelled, per the Pensacola News Journal. Carroll is being held at the Escambia County Jail on an $8,500 bond; Emily is now at a juvenile detention center. (Read more homecoming stories.) Olandzo Smith of Amherst jailed after exposing himself to two women in Amherst NORTHAMPTON A 26-year-old Amherst man was ordered to serve two years in the Hampshire County House of Correction and register as a sex offender after he admitted in court Monday to exposing himself to two women in Amherst in September. Olandzo Smith, a Boston native who spent most of his life in the Amherst area, pleaded guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to two counts of open and gross lewdness, a felony, as part of a plea agreement. Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Christine Tetreault said in court Monday that because this is a subsequent conviction on an open and lewdness charge, Smith will have to register as a sex offender when he is released from jail. On Sept. 14 around 1:40 p.m., Smith walked by a young woman studying on her porch at Brandywine Apartments several times and eventually asked her what time it was while exposing himself for about 15 to 20 seconds, Tetreault said. The woman called police after he left. A second woman told police later that afternoon that she was walking on a path between Brandywine Apartments and Puffton Village when she saw Smith unzip his pants and expose himself while walking toward her. Both women were strangers to Smith. Based on the description the women gave, police arrested Smith at a nearby bus stop, Tetreault said. When Judge Mary-Lou Rup asked Smith why he was pleading guilty, he said, Because the facts are true. I am guilty. Smith was convicted in Eastern Hampshire District Court in 2012 of open and gross lewdness after a similar incident, Tetreault said in court. He did not comply with the terms of his probation, she said, and there was a warrant issued for his arrest when he was arrested for the latest incidents in September which also constituted a probation violation. He is currently serving a 180-day sentence in the House of Correction for then probation violation. Rup agreed to adopt the joint sentencing recommendation from Tetreault and Smiths attorney, Alfred P. Chamberland of Easthampton. Smith was sentenced to two years in the Hampshire County House of Correction, to be served concurrently with what remains of his 180-day sentence and followed by three years probation. While on probation Smith will be required to avoid the Brandywine Apartments and Puffton Village, wear a GPS tracking device, undergo sex offender treatment and an evaluation for mental health treatment, and register with the states Sex Offender Registry Board. Rebecca Everett can be reached at reverett@gazettenet.com. Centre vs State: Why the battle for Delhi could be far from over India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 16: The Centre has introduced the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, reviving the power tussle between the AAP dispensation and the Lieutenant Governor (L-G). Referring to the bill, CM Kejriwal said that the BJP was trying to introduce the Bill because it was rejected by the people in elections. "After being rejected by ppl of Del (8 seats in Assembly, 0 in MCD bypolls), BJP seeks to drastically curtail powers of elected govt thro a Bill in LS today. Bill is contrary to Constitution Bench judgement. We strongly condemn BJP's unconstitutional n anti-democracy move (sic)," Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet. What is National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 The bill propose to make amendments to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 (Act). The centre has brought the legislation in view of the Supreme Court's judgment in 2018 with regard to delegation of power between Delhi government and LG. The bill ensures that the Lieutenant Governor is necessarily granted an opportunity to exercise the power entrusted to him under proviso to clause (4) of Article 239AA of the Constitution, in a select category of cases. It also gives power to LG to make rules in matters which falls outside the preview of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. It also proposes that all executive action will be expressed to be taken in the name of the Lieutenant Governor. "Delhi Government" to mean "Lieutenant Governor"? Currently, the police, the law and order comes under the Union home ministry while administrative affairs fall under the Delhi government. The bill clarifies that the expression "Government", which in the context of legislations to be passed by the Delhi assembly, shall mean the LG of Delhi, consistent with the status of Delhi as a Union Territory to address the ambiguities in the interpretation of the legislative provisions. The NCT Bill 2021 aims to demarcate the powers of the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Delhi, that may translate into the curtailment of the powers of the chief minister in Delhi. According to proposed amendments, Section 21 of the Act -- dealing with restrictions on laws passed by legislative assembly with respect to certain matters -- is sought to be revised to clarify that the expression ''government'' referred to in any law to be made by the legislative assembly shall mean the ''Lieutenant Governor''. A sub-section shall be inserted to this effect in Section 21. In section 24 of the principal Act -- which requires a Bill passed by the Delhi legislative assembly to be presented to the LG who may assent, withhold or reserve it for consideration of the President -- an additional clause will be inserted to cover any of the matters that fall outside the purview of the powers conferred on the legislative assembly. In Section 33 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1) after the words "conduct of its business", the words "which shall not be inconsistent with the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in House of People" shall be inserted. Also, in the proviso, for the words "Provided that", the following shall be substituted, "Provided that the Legislative Assembly shall not make any rule to enable itself or its Committees to consider the matters of day-to-day administration of the Capital or conduct inquiries in relation to the administrative decisions, and any of the rule made in contravention of this proviso, before the commencement of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, shall be void". In section 44 of the principal Act dealing with powers to makes rules for conduct of business, in sub-section (2) -- which states that as otherwise provided in this Act, all executive action of the Lieutenant Governor whether taken on the advice of his Ministers or otherwise shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the Lieutenant Governor -- the following proviso shall be inserted, namely "Provided that before taking any executive action in pursuance of the decision of the Council of Ministers or a Minister, to exercise powers of Government, State Government, Appropriate Government, Lieutenant Governor, Administrator or Chief Commissioner, as the case may be, under any law in force in the Capital, the opinion of Lieutenant Governor in term of proviso to clause (4) of article 239AA of the Constitution shall be obtained on all such matters as may be specified, by a general or special order, by Lieutenant Governor". According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the original bill was enacted to supplement the provisions of the Constitution relating to the legislative assembly and a Council of Ministers for Delhi and for matters connected therewith. "The section 44 of the act deals with conduct of business and there is no structural mechanism provided in the act for effective time bound implementation of said section. Further, there is no clarity as to what proposal or matters are required to be submitted to the LG before issuing order thereon," it said. How did it all begin? The power tussle between Kejriwal and the L-G dates back to 2014. It began with a FIR filed by the ACB on the direction of Arvind Kejriwal-led administration against Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and UPA ministers on gas pricing. RIL moved Delhi High Court for quashing of FIR and challenging a 1993 notification of the Centre giving power to Delhi government's ACB to probe union government employees. The Narendra Modi gogernment which came to power in 2014 issued a notification to withdraw the powers of the ACB from probing the central government employees. In August 2016, The Delhi High Court declared the LG as administrative head of Delhi and said the Kejriwal government's argument that the LG was bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers was "without substance". Later, the matter reache the supreme court, where the top court concluded saying LG does not have independent decision-making powers and is bound to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. Now, more than ever, access to evidence-based care is critical, and BayMark looks to partner with providers who have an established commitment to patient care and clinical excellence; PIDARC has absolutely established that in Washington, D.C. BayMark Health Services recently completed the acquisition of PIDARC (Partners in Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Counseling), a prominent medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in Washington, D.C. The program provides treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) offering high-quality, effective medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services with methadone supported by substance use counseling and linkages to a variety of community resources. The staff of PIDARC will continue their excellent work under BayMarks experienced leadership team. BayMarks Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) across the country operate under a variety of brand names, and typically provide many of the same services as PIDARC, as well as some additional services. BayMark OTPs provide medically-supervised, medication-assisted treatment utilizing methadone and buprenorphine, supported by counseling and other psychosocial services. Those services include addiction education, relapse prevention, in-house lab testing, coordinated care for pregnant women and linkages to critical community resources. Our mission is to foster wellness, longevity and socially responsible behavior for the patients we serve. David K. White, Ph.D., Chief Executive Office of BayMark Health Services shared, With the challenges weve faced over the last year addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, it cant be forgotten that the opioid epidemic continues and has actually worsened. Early data shows 30%+ increases in positive tests for fentanyl, a deadly opioid, and spikes in drug overdoses of up to 18% after mandated lockdowns began. Now, more than ever, access to evidence-based care is critical, and BayMark looks to partner with providers who have an established commitment to patient care and clinical excellence; PIDARC has absolutely established that in Washington, D.C. While this is BayMarks first program in Washington, D.C., we currently operate 97 programs across the country, including 7 in the Greater Baltimore area. BayMarks continuum of substance use disorder care also includes outpatient, office-based opioid treatment (OBOT) programs, residential treatment programs and both hospital-based and outpatient detoxification services. All BayMark programs offer in-house or referral-based counseling services and other psychosocial interventions to support recovery. Dr. Howard Hoffman, PIDARC Founder, added, PIDARC was opened in 1971 to provide an alternative to Washington, D.C.s, then large network of publicly run methadone programs. Since that time, we have become the oldest and largest program in the District of Columbia. We are proud to advocate for the care of those struggling with opioid use, and as we began looking for someone to carry on our legacy, we became confident that BayMark is the only company whose experience, expertise and understanding will continue to help that legacy grow. BayMark shares the PIDARC commitment to excellence in providing individualized, patient-focused care. For more information about PIDARC or BayMark, visit: BayMark.com or PIDARCDC.org. About BayMark Health Services: BayMark Health Services provides medication-assisted treatment to 66,000+ patients in recovery from substance use disorder across the United States and Canada. Our outpatient programs deliver medically-supervised treatment, in a variety of modalities and settings, to meet the diverse needs of our patients who struggle with the use of opioids, alcohol and other prescription and illicit substances. The BayMark continuum of patient-focused services includes: highly structured opioid treatment programs utilizing methadone or buprenorphine and outpatient buprenorphine treatment programs, both of which incorporate counseling as part of an individualized treatment plan for opioid use disorder. Additionally, ambulatory withdrawal management services with naltrexone therapy, and inpatient detoxification services are offered for a variety of substance use disorders. PERMANENT TSB has committed to keeping all of its branches open. The bank has 76 branches throughout the State. It comes as Bank of Ireland is closing a third of its network, with fears AIB may also eventually shut some of its 200 branches and 70 EBS offices. Director for retail banking at Permanent TSB Patrick Farrell said the bank was investing 5m in its branch network in the coming years. This comes on the back of an investment of 20m in its branch network in the past two years, including upgrading some branches, increased customer training for branch staff and investments in new technology in branches. Speaking in the banks state-of-the-art branch in Omni Shopping Centre in Santry in Dublin, Mr Farrell said the bank has introduced what it calls Quick Banking Machines into 44 branches. These will automate cash transactions and free staff to support customers, he said. With the exception of coins, these machines can handle all the cash transactions that you associate with a cash desk but now the staff member can come out from behind the desk to work directly with customers. Mr Farrell said the bank was committed to the branch network and had no plans to reduce the number of branches it operates. Our brand revolves around community and we see branches as a community asset not just a bank asset so there is a natural desire to maintain a strong, dynamic branch network. We kept all 76 branches open since the Covid lockdowns began a year ago and we are committed to maintaining a nationwide network into the future. Mr Farrell said that the key to safeguarding branches was to allow them to evolve. Branches will change but they dont have to disappear. We believe they are still a vital part of our business model and the key to safeguarding their future is to make them efficient and give customers valid reasons for using them. Earlier this month Bank of Ireland said it was closing 103 branches in the Republic and Northern Ireland, as the acceleration in digital banking has now reached a tipping point. The branches are due to close from the end of September. It will bring the total level of branch closures across banks and building societies in in the State since the onset of the financial crisis to more than 500. The decision of Ulster Banks parent to shut down the bank here means a further 88 branches are under threat. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 disable your ad blocker, and refresh the page to view this content. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, bipartisan bill H.R. 1603, was reintroduced this week by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.). It could be taken up by the full House this week. Here are some additional details about the bill. Most of this information came from the four Republican leads Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.). Before reading further, I want to reiterate, however, that this is a bipartisan bill with support from both sides of the aisle. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA) expands the current H-2A seasonal worker program to include full-time, year-round workers for dairy and other agricultural businesses. The bill is not perfect, but it is a very good start in providing an extremely important piece of the legislative reform needed by dairy farmers. Right now, as you all know, we have no program. We have never had an immigration worker program in the past. When the bill goes before the House next week, you will hear various pros and cons about it in the press. Therefore, I thought it would be useful to include a Facts and Myths sheet about the legislation so you can fully understand its provisions and not be misled by information that is incorrect. This is what the Farm Workforce Modernization Act does: Simplifies H-2A by reducing duplicative paperwork only one filing needed instead of three. Bureaucracy is reduced even further for many farmers with staggered labor needs. Farmers can file one petition for the entire season, allowing for staggered entry of H-2A workers. Modernizes recruitment by allowing employers to post job openings on an online job registry. No classified ads are required. Reduces labor costs by freezing wages for one year and capping wage growth thereafter. The adverse effect wage rate is replaced in later years. Makes available 60,000 year-round H-2A visas over the first three years, growing annually by 12.5%. Dairy is guaranteed at least half of these visas, and any unused visas are available for other agriculture industries. Stabilizes the existing workforce by giving legitimate farmworkers a chance to get a five-year Certified Agriculture Worker (CAW) visa to work in U.S. agriculture. As long as the worker continues to meet minimum days in agriculture annually, the worker can continue to work in the U.S. with unlimited five-year renewals. CAWs can cross the border as they need without restriction. CAWs can earn the opportunity to apply for a green card by paying a penalty and continuing to work in agriculture for at least eight years. If a CAW can prove 10 years of prior work in agriculture, they can apply for a green card after four years. Myths and facts: MYTH: This bill will codify wage surveys into law and result in multiple wage classes. Under this bill, wages will be much higher than the current Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). FACT: This bill provides for greater certainty and granularity in wages. First, this bill applies a one-year freeze of wages across all categories at the current years rate. After the one-year freeze, all wage rates are then limited in any increases year over year to 3.25% with the ability to decrease 1.5%. (Exception: If the resulting wage is less than 110% of the federal or state minimum wage, then the wage could increase an additional percentage point to 4.25%.) After year 10, the AEWR requirement ends, and the Secretaries of Agriculture and Labor must develop a new wage standard with input from stakeholders. If Congress fails to act to control and reform AEWR, some estimates have shown AEWR rates could rise 7% to 8% annually in the coming years. MYTH: Adjusted workers are treated immediately as U.S. workers, thus requiring employers to hire them. This displaces previous H-2A workers. FACT: This bill includes a provision that allows employers to prioritize their longtime H-2A workers over new Certified Agriculture Workers (CAWs). CAWs have a requirement to work in agriculture that no domestic worker has. Because of that requirement and proven experience in agriculture work, CAWs do receive preference over new foreign agriculture workers. There is no expansion of the current workforce; CAW workers are already here and working in agriculture. The bill eliminates the legal chaos farmers and workers face today. MYTH: This bill does not allow agricultural associations to file as agents on behalf of their members. FACT: This bill does not affect the ability of associations to file as agents. The bill allows associations to file as agents, or as a joint or sole employer of workers. MYTH: This bill provides no relief for dairies or year-round agriculture. FACT: This bill creates year-round access to the H-2A program for dairy and other agricultural sectors that desperately need workers but have previously been unable to utilize the program. Without this bill, year-round agriculture has no access to a legal foreign workforce. MYTH: This bill would create new funding for the Legal Services Corporation. FACT: There is no new funding in this bill for the Legal Services Corporation. MYTH: This bill requires farmworker housing to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. FACT: Farmworker housing is already required to meet OSHA standards, and DOL requires annual approved inspections before approving a certification. The bill makes no changes to that requirement, and in fact, reduces the inspection to every two years. The bill provides $11 billion in additional funds to offset costs for grower-provided and other farmworker housing. MYTH: This bill establishes a new bureaucratic complaint/investigation process that allows anyone to file a complaint. FACT: There is no new process established in this bill. It simply codifies existing regulations. MYTH: The bill requires more reporting on employer recruitment efforts. FACT: There are no additional reporting requirements in this bill, and requirements for recruitment efforts have been simplified and modernized. MYTH: This bill creates a new private right of action for H-2A workers under the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA). FACT: Currently, H-2A employers must comply with the H-2A program requirements, which largely meet or exceed MSPA. The primary difference is that DOL stands in the place of the foreign farmworker in bringing forward cases of alleged violations of the H-2A program, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and a number of other federal and state laws. In addition, any H-2A employer that employs one or more domestic worker who performs seasonal or temporary agricultural work is also currently covered under MSPA. The bill would formally place all employers of H-2A workers under MSPA (impacting only those who currently hire no domestic employees for seasonal or temporary work) while creating a new mandatory mediation requirement for any claim not just filed under MSPA but extended it to claims under the H-2A program and FLSA. Mandatory mediation could help reduce litigation costs and attorney fees for growers, in part by resolving frivolous claims before reaching the court room. MYTH: This bill gives workers up to two years to file a legal claim against an employer, even after the worker has returned to their home country. FACT: Under current statue, H-2A workers already get this. There is nothing new in this bill. Many state-based claims have longer statute of limitations. MYTH: This bill gives the Department of Labor (DOL) a new ability to sue on behalf of employees. FACT: Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), DOL already has this ability. There is nothing new in this bill. MYTH: To overcome a denial of labor certification, this legislation places the burden of proof on employers to show that domestic workers were turned away for lawful reasons. FACT: Nothing new is in this bill. This provision already exists under current law. MYTH: This bill permits very limited appeals and does not grant de novo appeals of denials or Notice of Disagreement (NOD). FACT: This bill allows employers to quickly fix application deficiencies, as with current law. The bill, however, improves this process by creating a new emergency procedure for farmers so issues are fixed faster and workers are not delayed. It also allows for post-certification modifications. MYTH: This bill establishes a new requirement for employers to provide housing for domestic workers outside of a 50-mile distance. FACT: The bill does not change any current housing requirements. As with current law, the requirement to provide housing applies only to U.S. workers who live outside of the normal commuting distance for the area. MYTH: The bill makes no meaningful reform to the high housing costs in the H-2A program. FACT: The bill makes historic investments in farmworker housing while reducing employer costs in providing such housing, including to H-2A workers. The bill provides $1 billion to rehabilitate existing housing, triples federal funding for USDA Section 514/516 rural housing and grant programs, and doubles funding for the Section 521 rental assistance program. The bill also reduces the cost of providing housing to H-2A workers by making operating assistance subsidies available to 514/516 property owners who house H-2A workers. MYTH: Mandatory E-Verify just for agriculture means thousands of year-round employers will have no access to labor whatsoever. FACT: This bill provides a way for the current workforce to get right with the law, which means they would be compliant with E-Verify. As noted above, the bill provides employers with two avenues for hiring new year-round workers. The E-Verify requirement would only apply to new hires and is phased in, beginning three years after enactment. MYTH: Illegal farmworkers, their spouses, and all their dependents are provided a special, expedited path to legal, permanent residence and will move out of agriculture and into other jobs in the economy. FACT: This bill does not create an immediate path to permanent residence. First, it creates a temporary legal status that can only be renewed with significant agricultural work. Second, the bill provides the option of earning permanent residence through continued agricultural work, but it would take at a minimum five to 10 years to earn such status, depending on the amount of past agricultural work the worker could demonstrate. These significant past and future work commitments would ensure the stability of American agriculture for years to come. Spouses and dependents receive the same protections that currently exist in the H-2A program. MYTH: The bill puts AEWR into law after 2029 with no increase or decrease in caps. Keeping the AEWR for another 10 years and preserving it in statute means employers will see no relief. FACT: After year 10, the AEWR requirement ends, and the Secretaries of Agriculture and Labor must develop a new wage standard with input from stakeholders. MYTH: The bill provides new authority for the DOL to award back wages, penalties, and damages and/or to debar employers from the program for five years or permanently. FACT: The DOL already has authority to temporarily debar bad actors. This bill would give the DOL new authority to permanently debar individuals who have previously been debarred and are habitual violators of the programs requirements. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021 March 15, 2021 77 Shares Share I am in a select crowd. I have been fortunate enough to help some special people in their time of pain and heartache and bewilderment, facing operation or cancer or other ailments. I was fortunate to even get into medical school when I did; my grades werent too good, and no doubt in my mind were I to apply today, I wouldnt have a snowballs chance of getting into medical school. I was very fortunate to have a father in medicine. Though many med students have a relative with a career in health care, not many have someone in academic practice, and even fewer decide to pursue a career in the same field. So, there are just a few who follow their fathers into academic surgery and only a handful that gets to scrub in a case with the old man. Did I mention it was a liver transplant? Our household was inured to the vagaries of transplantation. It wasnt simply transplanted organs, the numerous kidneys, the heroic, middle-of-the-night livers, and even the occasional small bowel allografts. As family to that surgeon, we were transplanted from one town to the next, on a far too frequent interval, when egos clashed, or research budgets tantalized the bedouin physiology of that academic pioneer. He trained under the godfather of liver transplantation, Dr. Thomas Starzl, a physician, so motivated and so brilliant and so difficult, at a time when there were no fellowships, when hepatic transplantation was, as a therapeutic machination, squarely fixed in its screaming infancy. So, to pursue that course, you had to go to Denver and kiss the ring for a few months to see how it all came together, and then go home and work it out in the dog lab. Apparently, if you could get a dog through the operation, with the canine physiology malignantly averse to the portal hypertension of the anhepatic phase of the procedure, you could make it work in a human. I guess thats what they told each other. So, budgets being tight and the IRB non-existent, Dad hired my brother and me to play scrub nurse and pass instruments to the transplant surgeons in the dog lab. I was twelve years old. It was the craziest, most exciting job any preteen ever had, despite the sometimes harried yelling from the heads of the tables. It turned out to be good training for residency. Fast forward a dozen years or so later, and I ended up on the transplant service at the home hospital of the medical school I found myself at. An unfortunate patient who had overdosed on acetaminophen needed an emergent transplant, and I found myself in the operating room watching the team deliver the recipient when the donor liver was unceremoniously delivered in the red and white cooler, the requisite, modern-day canopic jar for organ transplantation. My father strolled in to kick the tires on the new organ and ready it for implantation. He saw me and invited me to scrub with him to prepare the literal gift of life, wrapped in layers of ice and cellophane, inside that cooler. It was a surreal game of catch on the back table in the corner of the operating room, with the cold slurry of salty, icy water bathing the organ, bereft of blood but hanging on to its ochrey tint from the retained, intracellular bile. He inspected the organ. Its accompanying vena cava, looking for leaks, small unidentified branches off the main vein from the hurried harvest of the donor organ, would be deadly if only identified when the clamps were removed after sewing the thing in place. I would hold the clamps while he tied the vessels off or kept the suture from entangling the metronomic weaving of his needle driver. He pimped me on the circulation of the celiac axis as I cut suture or pumped Wisconsin solution into the organ to test the security of the ties. He let me tie one of the bigger branches off and complimented my technique. Later we stood side by side at the main operating table, and I watched him sew the hepatic arteries together. He sewed the back row and kibitzed while with the fellow on how ham-fisted he seemed to be on the front row. When they released the clamps and returned the liver to its ruddy, red-brown coloration, with all its bile-making and detoxifying glory restored, I understood why he did what he did. I only wish my brothers could have seen it. It melted away the unknowing, perceived slights of ball games missed and vacations interrupted to implant organs that no one else could be trusted with. Twenty-five or so years later, I lament the fact that he cant remember the time we spent together that night in the wee hours of the morning when organs seem to be most ripe for implantation. The man who has written over three hundred papers, a textbook, and introduced innumerous contributions to the field of hepatic transplantation cant recall too much anymore, and I and my lifetime of medical training are powerless to do a damn thing about it. In case youre wondering, I didnt name my boy Sue. I went into surgery, but so that I wouldnt miss too many ball games or swim meets, I elected to pursue the nine-to-five world of dialysis access and general surgery for the federal government. I hope my kid gets to scrub with me to see that the old man handles a needle driver a lot like his grandfather did. Because my blessing is his curse, my son has a much tougher road getting into med school than I ever did. For all the ups and downs of this simple story, I am eternally grateful for the blessings of this lived life. Even if I inherit his bad rub, I dont think Ill ever forget scrubbing in, on a big case, tying off a blood vessel on the back of the vena cava, and being praised for it by my old man. Dad? You want to have a catch? Indeed. Only in an operative field of dreams. Now, what did I do with my keys? Arthur Williams is a surgeon and author of The Surgeons Obol. Image credit: Shutterstock.com (Newser) The man who blew himself up inside his recreational vehicle in a Christmas Day bombing in Nashville was grappling with paranoia and eccentric conspiracy theories, but there are no indications he was motivated by social or political ideology, the FBI said Monday in closing out the investigation into the blast. The FBI statement sets out to resolve some of the lingering mysteries of an explosion that initially perplexed investigators and the public because it appeared to lack an obvious motive or fit a clear profile, the AP reports. Though the blast damaged dozens of buildings, it took place early on a holiday morning well before downtown streets would be bustling with activity and was preceded by a recorded announcement warning anyone in the area that a bomb would soon detonate. story continues below Anthony Quinn Warner chose the location and timing so that the explosion would be impactful while still minimizing the likelihood of undue injury," according to the statement from the FBI, which also concluded that the man from Antioch, Tenn., acted alone and set off the bomb to end his own life. More: The report found that Warner was driven in part by his longtime beliefs in several eccentric conspiracy theories and paranoia, as well as the loss of stabilizing anchors and deteriorating interpersonal relationships. The AP has previously reported that investigators scrutinized Warner's interest in conspiracy theories after being told by some of the people they interviewed that he believed shape-shifting reptiles take on a human form to gain control over society and that he discussed taking trips to hunt aliens. Despite online speculation that Warner may have been motivated by conspiracy theories about 5G technology, given the proximity of the explosion to an AT&T building and the resulting havoc to cellphone service in the area, FBI spokesperson Joel Siskovic said the investigation found no indication that AT&T had anything to do with Warner's selection of the location. The FBI statement also said the investigation concluded that Warner's actions were not related to terrorism. The FBIs analysis did not reveal indications of a broader ideological motive to use violence to bring about social or political change, nor does it reveal indications of a specific personal grievance focused on individuals or entities in and around the location of the explosion, the FBI said. (Read more Nashville bombing stories.) What just happened? Nvidia has pulled the developer driver it released yesterday that removed the "unhackable" Ethereum mining limiter code from its RTX 3060 card. Sadly for the company, copies of the software will doubtlessly be in the hands of mining communities, which will use it to bypass the card's restrictions. Yesterday brought the surprising news that the GeForce 470.05 beta driver, which was available to developers under the Windows Insider Program, removed the hash rate limiter from most RTX 3060 cards. Given how much Nvidia lauded the limiter as "unhackable," one imagines that the employee responsible for releasing a workout will be feeling the heat right now. Nvidia has since confirmed the driver contained the limiter-removing code. "A developer driver inadvertently included code used for internal development which removes the hash rate limiter on RTX 3060 in some configurations," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "The driver has been removed." Nvidia had stressed that the limiter wasn't just "a driver thing." "There is a secure handshake between the driver, the RTX 3060 silicon, and the BIOS (firmware) that prevents removal of the hash rate limiter," Nvidia's head of communications, Bryan Del Rizzo, previously said. Hi Ryan. It's not just a driver thing. There is a secure handshake between the driver, the RTX 3060 silicon, and the BIOS (firmware) that prevents removal of the hash rate limiter. Bryan Del Rizzo (@bdelrizzo) February 19, 2021 PC Gamer notes that the driver workaround has some restrictions when using more than one card running the Ethereum mining algorithm. Riser cables can't be used, which are common in huge mining rigs, and you'll need a motherboard with plenty of PCIe slots if you want to run more than one RTX 3060 at the top 50MH/s mining rate. You also need to stick a dummy HDMI connector in each card. Nvidia has hinted that all its future GeForce cards will come with the same Ethereum hash rate limiter, including the RTX 3080 Ti that's rumored to drop next month. It'll be interesting to see if the current driver will also unlock the restrictions on these products, though the company will likely implement a way to block it. By Kate Holton and Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - Martin Sorrell, the world's most famous advertising executive, expects global economies to roar back to life as they recover from the pandemic over the next two years, but is worried about what comes after that. "The drum beat in our daily meetings is getting louder and louder and louder, things are flying," he told Reuters, adding that tech and healthcare were leading the charge. The 76-year-old, who has spent almost half a century making acquisitions - first at Saatchi & Saatchi and then as he built WPP, is eyeing more deals for his S4 Capital, including a possible transformational one further down the line. The almost three-year-old company counts Google, Facebook and another undisclosed global tech firm as clients and is purely focused on digital advertising, which has continued to grow through the pandemic and now accounts for more than half of ad spend. "I think we're a royalty on the growth of digital transformation," Sorrell said, on the potential for the firm to be at the heart of the shift. "We will be at the north end of the market's estimates of 15 to 20% like-for-like growth during COVID," he said, of S4's 2020 gross profit performance. He said he was "extremely bullish" about 2021 and 2022, but longer term is worried about soaring government debt. "The consumer has been saving like crazy, and I think companies have been saving like crazy and I think they're going to open the spigots in Q2," he said. "It'll be great for '21 and '22, but then how do we figure out who's going to pay for this?" GROWTH Sorrell, who built WPP into the world's largest ad company by acquiring the likes of Y&R, JWT and Ogilvy, launched S4 shortly after he left the British group in 2018 over a complaint about personal misconduct. He had always denied any wrongdoing. It is already worth $3.5 billion after its shares rose over 200% in the last year, when many ad groups faltered. Story continues Able to analyse data quickly to place targeted ads online, S4 succeeds because it is not held back by legacy agencies designed for an era of TV and traditional campaigns, Sorrell said. The company he wants to rival is Accenture, the consultancy using its expertise in data to muscle into marketing. Sorrell suggested the ideal destination for S4 would be to find a bigger company it could inject itself into and run. The most suitable, he says, would be New York-listed Globant, a digital transformation group that WPP held a stake in. "Globant comes at the digital transformation process from the IT and tech end and we come at it from the marketing end," he said. "If you put S4 together with Globant you have the perfect competitor, in my view, to Accenture." Globant did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment outside of normal U.S. business hours. In the meantime, Sorrell expects to announce another smaller acquisition on the content side soon. While his appetite for deals is undiminished, the pandemic had forced Sorrell to re-examine the value of constant globe-trotting. He said he won't be travelling as frequently in future, but the trips will be longer. "Businesses have been better run during COVID because we haven't been able to travel," he said. "Management has been given more room to manoeuvre. "The stranglehold of the centre has not been as great." (Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday urged the United States to treat China and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational manner and make efforts to place bilateral ties back on the track of healthy and stable development. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's recent remarks that the goal of the United States and its allies is to make sure it has the capabilities and the operational plans to offer a credible deterrence against China or anyone else that might want to take on the United States. Zhao said China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order. "China's development means a growing force for world peace, and an opportunity rather than a challenge to the world," Zhao said at a daily press briefing. The spokesperson said China is committed to safeguarding the international system, with the United Nations at its core, and the international order based on international law, instead of the order defined by individual countries to maintain their own hegemony. In the era of globalization, forming cliques against specific countries based on ideology undermines the international order, Zhao said. "Such a practice is unpopular and there is no way out." He urged the United States to view China and China-U.S. relations in a right mentality and in an objective and rational manner, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and work with China to focus on cooperation, manage differences, and bring bilateral ties back on the track of healthy and stable development. 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 high percentage of medical students feel like "imposters" during their first year of medical school, which indicates increasing levels of distress. PHILADELPHIA - Imposter syndrome is a considerable mental health challenge to many throughout higher education. It is often associated with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and self-sabotage and other traits. Researchers at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University wanted to learn to what extent incoming medical students displayed characteristics of imposter syndrome, and found that up to 87% of an incoming class reported a high or very high degree of imposter syndrome. "Distress and mental health needs are critical issues among medical students," says Susan Rosenthal, MD, lead author of the study published in the journal Family Medicine. "This paper identifies how common imposter syndrome is, and the personality traits most associated with it, which gives us an avenue to address it." Medical students nationwide report alarming rates of depression, anxiety and burnout. Identifying and intervening to support psychological well-being in these learners is a continuing challenge, especially among first year medical students. Dr. Rosenthal and her colleagues examined imposter syndrome, which is defined as inappropriate feelings of inadequacy among high achievers, using a validated survey tool called the Clance Imposter Phenomenon (IP) Scale. Of the 257 students who completed the survey, 87% of students who reported high levels of imposter syndrome, were more likely to show an even higher degree of imposter syndrome at the end of their first year. They also found that students' higher IP scores were associated with lower scores for self-compassion, sociability, self-esteem and higher scores on neuroticism/anxiety. Therefore, a high CIP score among entering students may be an indicator of future risk for experiencing psychological distress during medical school. "Imposter syndrome is a malleable personality construct, and is therefore responsive to intervention," says Dr. Rosenthal, who is also the medical college's associate dean for Student Affairs. "Supportive feedback and collaborative learning, mentoring by faculty, academic support, individual counseling and group discussions with peers are all helpful. For many students, the most powerful first step in addressing and ameliorating imposter syndrome is normalizing this distorted and maladaptive self-perception through individual sessions with faculty and mentored small-group discussions with peers." It is of interest to note that the students in this study the medical college's Class of 2020 were exposed to the traditional medical school curriculum. The following year, Jefferson introduced an innovative new curriculum, called JeffMD. Dr. Rosenthal and colleagues plan to compare the rates of imposter syndrome in students exposed to the novel curriculum. The new JeffMD curriculum emphasizes collaborative learning with a faculty mentor and a small group of students. The researchers hope, and will test whether this change in the learning environment can ameliorate feelings of imposterism. ### Article reference: Susan Rosenthal, Yvette Schlussel, Mary Bit Yaden, Jennifer DeSantis, Kathryn Trayes, Charles Pohl, Mohammadreza Hojat, "Persistent Impostor Phenomenon Is Associated With Distress in Medical Students," Family Medicine, DOI: 10.22454/FamMed.2021.799997, 2021. Media Contact: Edyta Zielinska, 267-234-3553, edyta.zielinska@jefferson.edu Teslas Elon Musk and his finance chief have added tongue-in-cheek titles while another one of the companys top executives changes roles. Musk, the carmakers chief executive officer, is now also the Technoking of Tesla, and Chief Financial Officer Zach Kirkhorn has added the title Master of Coin, according to a regulatory filing. They will retain the titles of CEO and CFO, respectively. In a separate filing Monday, the company said Jerome Guillen, whos been president of automotive since September 2018, transitioned last week to president of Tesla heavy trucking. Musk first showed a Semi prototype in December 2017 and said at that time Tesla would start production in 2019. Its now planning to start deliveries by the end of this year. As Tesla prepares to enter the critical heavy-trucks market for the first time, Mr. Guillen will now leverage his extensive background in this industry to focus on and lead all aspects of the Tesla Semi program, including the related charging and servicing networks, the company said. Investors reacted positively to the move. Shares of the company rose as much as 2.8% to $713.18 in New York. We view Guillen moving to the heavy truck frontier as a significant strategic move showing Tesla plans to double down on its semi and trucking vision over the next few years, Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush who has a neutral rating on the stock, wrote in a note to clients Monday. In the past year, Guillen has sold around 82,000 shares and pocketed roughly $50 million of proceeds. The vast majority of those sales have happened in the past six months, including 30,000 shares sold so far in 2021. The sales have been made according to pre-arranged trading plans, regulatory filings show. They didnt disclose his reason for selling. Tesla used to have a chief technology officer in co-founder J.B. Straubel, but he left the company in 2019. Kirkhorns Master of Coin title may be a reference to the companys purchase of Bitcoin disclosed last month. ATLANTA, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Valdosta State University, today, announced a partnership with Civitas Learning to continue its renowned student-centered and data-informed approach to student success. Valdosta State prioritizes student support, and with Civitas Learning can now focus even more on solving challenges and providing resources to students from enrollment to graduation. Valdosta State University joins seven institutions serving more than 100,000 students in the state of Georgia partnering with Civitas Learning, including the University of North Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, and Gordon State College. "During this global pandemic, we know our students are facing unprecedented challenges both in and out of the classroom. It is our job to encourage them and ensure a safe and supportive learning environment so they stay on their path to graduation," said Dr. Rodney Carr, Vice President for Student Success at Valdosta State University. "Civitas Learning's platform will help our teams do just that. We can use real-time data to meet the needs of our students and ensure they get the support they need, when they need it." In recent years, Valdosta State leadership has expanded and prioritized experiential learning opportunities for students and created a campus culture focused on individual student success. Under Dr. Carr's leadership, the Division of Student Success formed a model for full-time professional advising centers in all six of VSU's academic colleges and the Honors College. The initiative expanded support to assist faculty in their role as mentors to students. Valdosta State now serves a diverse student population, representing more than 12,000 students from across the world. In addition to generating institution-wide insights on student success trends and initiatives, Civitas Learning's platform will provide advisors with individualized student profiles embedded in a collaborative workflow solution. This approach will help ensure their student support is coordinated, efficient, and effective. About Valdosta State University: Established in 1906, Valdosta State University is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia, serving over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students in over 60 bachelor, associate, masters, and doctorate programs, from business to education and health sciences. Located in the heart of Valdosta and just 16 miles from the Florida state line, Valdosta State students are within walking distance of the city and just a short drive away from the beach, as well as nearby cities Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Orlando, and all the industry, culture, internships and service opportunities they offer. Known for its comprehensive academic advising program, Valdosta State prides itself on its individualized approach to education and its commitment to student success, consistently ranking as a top college for social mobility. Valdosta State students are driven, focused, and determined to use their success to impact and transform the South Georgia region and all the communities they touch. About Civitas Learning: We help colleges and universities harness the power of their student data to improve student success. We embed actionable insights and applied analytics into connected workflow applications to support the student journey. Equipped with our platform, leaders, advisors and faculty have the tools they need to measurably and sustainably improve enrollment, course success, persistence, graduation and equity. Today, we support more than 400 colleges and universities, reaching nearly 9 million students. Together with our growing community of customers, we are making the most of the world's learning data to help a million more students graduate. SOURCE Civitas Learning Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 01:33:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Monday 4,901 new COVID-19 cases, bringing Iraq's total nationwide infections to 763,085. The new cases included 2,150 in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, 626 in Basra, 479 in Najaf, 231 in Maysan, and 205 in Qadisiyah, while the other cases were detected in other provinces, the ministry said in a statement. It also reported 37 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,788, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed by 4,850 to 690,620. A total of 7,419,942 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020, with 33,485 done during the day. Iraqi Minister of Health Hassan al-Tamimi told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the current numbers of coronavirus infections have increased dramatically compared to the numbers a year ago, especially with the spread of the new strain of the virus. Nevertheless, al-Tamimi said "the current death rate due to the pandemic has decreased to 1.8 percent, after it was 17 percent of total infections (last year)," according to INA. Al-Tamimi attributed the low death rate to the "remarkable and important development in the infrastructure of the Ministry of Health and its health institutions, in addition to the higher training of the medical staff," INA said. Al-Tamimi also said that the citizens' failure to adhere to health instructions has contributed to the increase of infections, it added. Iraq has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in infections after the Health Ministry announced on Feb. 15 the detection of a new strain characterized by faster transmission and a higher level of severity. On March 2, Iraq received a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help combat the pandemic. The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm vaccines, in addition to AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Sputnik V vaccines. Enditem National Weather Service A cold front moving into the San Antonio area late Tuesday into Wednesday morning may produce strong thunderstorms, winds and hail, according to the National Weather Service. There also is a very slight possibility a tornado may develop, the NWS said. NWS meteorologists said the storms could potentially produce quarter-inch sized hail and damaging winds up to 60 mph. The risk for San Antonio, however, is marginal. Areas closer to Boerne are more likely to experience the severe weather. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The Obozrevatel Ukrainian Internet publication has released a new recording of a conversation between allegedly MP Viktor Medvedchuk (the Opposition Platform - For Life faction) and former assistant to the Russian President Vladislav Surkov, where the "defendants" discuss, in particular, the attempt of former head of the Sates Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) (deputy head of the SBU at the time of the conversation recording) Vasyl Hrytsak to contact "Defense Minister" of the so-called "DNR" Volodymyr Kononov. "Obozrevatel has obtained a new audio recording of conversations, the voices of which are similar to MP from Opposition Platform - For Life Viktor Medvedchuk and former assistant to the Russian president Vladislav Surkov. The Internet publication received audio recordings from reliable sources. There are three episodes in the file. In them, the sides discuss ties with 'Defense Minister' of the 'DPR' terrorists Kononov, corruption schemes in the occupied territories (delivery of cash to Debaltseve), as well as the creation of a certain council of cities. In addition, judging by the recording, Surkov allegedly voiced his vision of the Minsk agreements and the special status of Donbas to Medvedchuk. His interlocutor, proceeding from the dialogue, took an active part in writing a scenario beneficial to Russia, the aggressor country," the newspaper said on Monday. In the published recordings, the sides are discussing an alleged attempt by Hrytsak to contact the "Defense Minister" of the so-called "DPR" Kononov (referred to as "Tsar"), in order to discuss with a representative of Russian-occupation fighters in Donbas schemes for the delivery of "cash" to the temporarily occupied territories, in particular, in Debaltseve. "There, Serhiy Serhiyovych contacted Tsar [...] He is not Serhiy Serhiyovych [...] This is Hrytsak, the first deputy head of the SBU. And he said him, right? 'Do you know who you are talking to?' He says: 'Let us meet on neutral territory, discuss this very railway junction. What is it called? Debaltseve, right? Well, and the delivery of these [...] And he told him, like, 'Well, who are you talking to?' [...] Somehow to hint to him that he is not a small person either, he is a colonel-general, by the way [...] He is the first deputy head of the SBU. This is the one who works with me, including captured persons [...] Well, in short, tell me [...] He cannot explain to him by phone [...] Just tell me, a normal person too. We do not give lapdogs," the interlocutor said, whose voice is similar to that of Viktor Medvedchuk. In response to a question about "what topic" Hrytsak is allegedly trying to contact Kononov on, he says that "the topic is cash deliveries to Debaltseve." The interlocutors also discuss the creation of a certain council of cities, which was "thrown out" by the likely Medvedchuk from unnamed laws. "Listen, you understand why I removed the council of cities, right? Since it corresponded with this [...] And if we discard it, then we need to look for a form. And this form will be the council of cities," Medvedchuk allegedly tells his interlocutor. The SBU press service has not yet commented on the released records. As reported, in one of the online publications a recording was made public of an alleged conversation between Surkov and Medvedchuk, who in 2014 discussed the supply of electricity to the occupied Crimea and the exchange of captured in Donbas. Then the SBU press center said: "These records are carefully studied by the investigative and operational units of the SBU regarding the presence of signs of a criminal offense in the actions of the interlocutors." Later, Medvedchuk was summoned for interrogation at the SBU, which took place on March 9. China's economic growth gathered steam in the first two months of 2021 and the country is confident of sustaining the current momentum. Major economic indicators greatly improved in the period, with industrial output, retail sales and fixed-asset investment all surging more than 30 percent, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Monday. Retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator of consumption growth, went up 33.8 percent year on year to exceed 6.97 trillion yuan (about 1.07 trillion U.S. dollars). The figure represents growth of 6.4-percent compared with the level in the same period of 2019, as well as annual average growth of 3.2 percent over the past two years. The value-added industrial output went up 35.1 percent year on year, and increased 16.9 percent compared with the level in the same period of 2019. The annual average growth stood at 8.1 percent over the past two years. Fixed-asset investment surged 35 percent year on year to 4.52 trillion yuan. The figure represented a 3.5-percent increase from the same period in 2019. Investment by the private sector expanded 36.4 percent year on year to 2.62 trillion yuan. Meanwhile, the country's employment remained stable, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate standing at 5.5 percent in February, 0.7 percentage points lower than the same period last year. NBS spokesperson Liu Aihua attributed the sharp year-on-year increase in major economic indicators to the sustained economic recovery as well as a lower basis of comparison in the same period last year, when the economy was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Industrial production picked up, as many Chinese people opted to stay put during the Spring Festival holiday, which fell in February this year, in response to the government's call to avoid unnecessary gatherings as part of anti-epidemic measures, according to Liu. Many enterprises and projects have reported more working days than usual, as local governments rolled out policies to offer economic support for employees who worked during the holiday instead of returning to their hometown, she told a press conference. Looking ahead, Liu said the foundations and conditions exist for China's economy to maintain the recovery momentum through the year. The country's confidence in dealing with various risks and challenges and sustaining economic recovery lies in its solid material foundation, a complete industrial system, a vast market and abundant human resources, said Liu. China aims to expand its gross domestic product (GDP) by over 6 percent year on year in 2021, according to this year's government work report. Internet giant Amazon Australia has moved closer to even greater domination in the local retail sector with the largest fulfilment centre in the southern hemisphere the size of 24 rugby league fields at the $150 million Goodman industrial estate in Sydneys west. It will be the first robotics-automated centre, covering 200,000 square metres over four levels, and will employ 1500 warehouse staff. And from this week 300 additional contractors will begin to arrive on site to start the fit out, including the installation of the conveyer belt and robotics equipment. From left, general manager of Goodman Australia, Jason Little, Amazon director of operations, Craig Fuller, and Goodman director of operations, Stephanie Partridge. Credit:Louie Douvis Once completed, the mammoth centre at the Goodman/Brickworks Oakdale West industrial estate, close to the future location of the western Sydney international airport at Badgerys Creek, will house up to 11 million items and will be equipped with the most advanced Amazon robotics technology. Goodman is the largest landlord for Amazon globally and this new centre adds to its site at Moorebank in Sydney and the centre in Lytton, Brisbane. Amazon launched in Australia in December 2017. Peoplelogic Delivering a superior data-driven employee experience is built upon an organizations desire to improve core competencies in organizational design, the development of their management bench, and empowering leaders to use data for good" Peoplelogic.ai, the worlds first end-to-end People Intelligence platform, today celebrates one year in market. With over 100 companies using the platform, Peoplelogic has aggregated and analyzed over 7 million data points across Executive, Engineering, People Operations, Product, Sales, and Support teams. The platform allows the company to paint a vivid picture of how work gets doneempowering managers to build better, higher-performing teams through data. Peoplelogic publicly launched its platform on March 17th, 2020as the world of work drastically changed and permanently evolved, catering to remote and hybrid work. Delivering a superior data-driven employee experience is built upon an organizations desire to improve core competencies in organizational design, the development of their management bench, and empowering leaders to use data for good, said Matthew Schmidt, Founder and CEO at Peoplelogic.ai. Were uniquely positioned, delivering valuable insights and prescriptive recommendations that help companies seize this moment, without a heavy lift or cost. By leveraging artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning (ML), Peoplelogic automatically aggregates and analyzes the cloud-based data teams generate from tools like Git, Atlassian Trello, Asana, Salesforce, and dozens more to surface prescriptive guidance and actionable insights that are easy to understand and act upon. Peoplelogic helps companies scale faster. The platform protects the wellbeing of employees through automated recommendations, addresses management skill gaps with on-demand training, spots and offers corrective insights into performance management, and optimizes employee and customer experiences through automated organizational network analysis (ONA). With this announcement, Peoplelogic caps off their first year in market with dramatic product improvements and the opportunity to share their story at the Center for Entrepreneurial Developments (CED) Venture Connect 2021. Companies selected to be featured at CED Venture Connect represent the future and scope of Technology and Life Sciences industries and give a national audience a viewport into one of the fastest-growing ecosystems in the United States. The event will be held from March 23-25th. About Peoplelogic.ai Peoplelogic.ai, the first true People Intelligence platform, cultivates a data-driven culture by unlocking the insights hidden within your organizations people data. By automatically aggregating and analyzing vast amounts of data being generated across cloud-enabled tools, the platform surfaces insights and actionable recommendations that ensure growth and stability. Businesses must empower everyone to make better decisions, faster, and Peoplelogic makes that a scalable reality. Providing leaders and managers with an unprecedented vantage point into the inner workings of how work gets done, Peoplelogic makes sure no leader has to make a blind decision based on a gut feeling again. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) President Rodrigo Duterte does not need a revolutionary government, Malacanang said Tuesday commenting on a proposal recently submitted by an organization pushing for federalism. The President po is the de jure constitutional government at hindi niya kinakailangan ng revolutionary government, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. The Peoples National Coalition for Revolutionary Government Towards Federalism handed over to Malacanang its recommendation earlier this month. In its letter to the chief executive, the group said the peoples support for their call is overwhelming and very popular" specially among marginal groups, who are hoping that extraordinary powers granted to him by a revolutionary government would lead to "socio-economic well-being, and federalism for their political advancement. The PNC and The Lead Convenor (MRRD NECC)of Revolutionary Government Towards Federelism had Officially Submitted the... Posted by PNC-Revolutionary Government- Federalism on Thursday, 4 March 2021 Roque likewise assured the elections will be held as scheduled next year, and that the country will have a new president by end-June 2022. RELATED: PDP-Laban wants President Duterte to run for VP in 2022 The group also mentioned that declaring a revolutionary government will not extend the Presidents term nor suspend the upcoming polls but rather ensure continuity in the pursuit of his advocacies and the successful implementation of his platform of government. In September last year, Duterte said he wanted a public discussion on the proposal to establish a revolutionary government in the Philippines. SHANGHAI, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and HKEX: 2057), a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China ("ZTO" or the "Company"), today announced the appointment of a new director to its board of directors (the "Board"): Mr. Zheng Liu, effective immediately. Mr. Lin Wan has concurrently resigned from his position as a director of the Board. After the change, the Board will continue to consist of nine members, five of whom are independent directors. Mr. Zheng Liu has been the Chief Financial Officer of Cainiao Network since February 2016. From June 2010 to February 2016, Mr. Liu served as Senior Finance Director with Alibaba Group and was responsible for financial operations of TMall, Taobao and Alibaba.com. From January 2005 to May 2010, Mr. Liu held senior positions in corporate finance management in Vimicro, Sky Flying Media and Hurray Holding. From July 2001 to December 2004, Mr. Liu worked at PwC's audit division. Mr. Liu received his bachelor's degree in Business English from Beijing Foreign Studies University in July 2001. Mr. Liu is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). About ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. ZTO is a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China. ZTO provides express delivery service as well as other value-added logistics services through its extensive and reliable nationwide network coverage in China. ZTO operates a highly scalable network partner model, which the Company believes is best suited to support the significant growth of e-commerce in China. The Company leverages its network partners to provide pickup and last-mile delivery services, while controlling the mission-critical line-haul transportation and sorting network within the express delivery service value chain. For more information, please visit http://zto.investorroom.com. 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 "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "going forward", "ought to", "may", "seek", "intend", "plan", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "aim", "aspire", "objective", "target", "schedules", "outlook" and similar statements. ZTO Express may make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the 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 ZTO Express'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 and other risks is included in ZTO Express's filings with the SEC and HKEX. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and ZTO Express undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor inquiries, please contact: ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86 21 5980 4508 SOURCE ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. Saudi Aramco has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings (HHIH) for research and development on blue hydrogen and ammonia. Through the non-commercial agreement, the two parties are seeking an opportunity to find a cooperational model for eco-friendly hydrogen and ammonia, including joint research and development. Hyundai Oilbank, the oil refinery unit of HHIH, plans to cooperate with Saudi Aramco on the realisation of a carbon zero process, and Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE), the shipbuilding unit of HHIH, plans to develop the worlds first combined ship capable of carrying both liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cargoes and captured carbon dioxide (CO2). "Hyundai OilBank will import liquefied petroleum gas from Saudi Aramco which it will then convert into blue hydrogen," a statement from HHIH stated. "The hydrogen will be used at desulfurisation facilities at Hyundai Oilbank refineries and be on the market for fuels of vehicles and power plants. "In addition, Hyundai Oilbank plans to receive blue ammonia from Saudi Aramco and use it as fuel for liquefied natural gas (LNG) boilers scheduled to be established by 2024." The two parties will also strengthen cooperation in the shipbuilding business. This agreement is the first step in cooperation between the two parties toward the 'Hydrogen Dream', said Kisun Chung, vice president & head of management support office at HHIH. Together with Saudi Aramco, [we are] seeking a way to grow into a leading eco-friendly energy group by initiating projects for hydrogen and ammonia." Ahmad A Al Sa'adi, Senior Vice President of Technical Services at Saudi Aramco, added the strategic partnership in the field of blue hydrogen and blue ammonia is expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through carbon capturing process. Utilisation and application in targeted markets in South Korea are also part of the collaboration; and there is no intention for any CO2 transportation. A related aspect of the MoU is also to study other after treatment technologies for marine fuels, the energy major added in a short statement issued to clarify the 3 March news release from HHIH. Tradearabia News Service We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Florida Assistant Principal Arrested for Allegedly Rigging Daughters Homecoming Queen Election A Florida assistant principal and her daughter were accused of rigging a high schools homecoming queen election and were accused of accessing the school districts system to cast fraudulent votes for the girl, officials said. Laura Rose Carroll, 50, and her 17-year-old daughter were arrested by officials on Monday. They face charges of offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks, and electronic devices, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, criminal use of personally identifiable information, and conspiracy to commit these offenses, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. About a month after the October 2020 homecoming election at Tate High School in Pensacola, officials investigated reports of unauthorized access into hundreds of student accounts, the agency said. Carroll, who works as an assistant principal at Bellview Elementary School, and her daughter accessed student FOCUS accounts as Carroll had school district-level access to the school boards FOCUS program, officials said. Hundreds of votes for Tate High Schools Homecoming Court voting were flagged as fraudulent, with 117 votes originating from the same IP address within a short period of time, said the agency in a release. Agents uncovered evidence of unauthorized access to FOCUS linked to Carrolls cell phone as well as computers associated with their residence. A total of 246 votes cast for the Homecoming Court were in favor of Carrolls daughter, the news release added. Meanwhile, Multiple students reported that the daughter described using her mothers FOCUS account to cast votes, said the agency. The investigation also found that beginning August 2019, Carrolls FOCUS account accessed 372 high school records and 339 of those were of Tate High School students. I recall times that [the teen] logged onto her moms FOCUS account and openly shared information, grades, schedules, etc., with others, a student allegedly told investigators, according to the arrest document, reported The Washington Post. She did not seem like logging in was a big deal and was very comfortable with doing so. Another student allegedly told investigators: She looks up all of our group of friends grades and makes comments about how she can find our test scores all the time. Carroll was booked into the Escambia County Jail, where her bond was set at $8,500. Her daughter was taken to the Escambia Regional Juvenile Detention Center. District Superintendent Tim Smith told the Pensacola News Journal that Carroll was suspended from her job, and her daughter was expelled from Tate High School. Its not clear if either Carroll or her daughter have attorneys. Even the recent OPEC report, in which the global oil group cut its demand predictions for Q2 2021 by more than 690,000 bpd, seemed unable to alter price assessments. Bullishness stemming from the OPEC+ production cuts continues to rule the market, with analysts happy to assume that the cartel will remain optimistic in its assessment of H2 2021. Yahoo!Finance reports that with oil prices hovering around $70 per barrel and some analysts even suggesting that the fabled $100 per barrel is within sight, it seems all sense of realism has been lost. Brent is set for its eighth straight week of gains, and the market is happy to all but ignore the fundamentals. Analysts seem convinced that demand recovery in H2 2021 is a certainty. If you were to ask them what that assumption is based on, there is no specific answer but rather a reference to sentiment. Bidens recent announcement that Americans could be having barbecues with their families on the 4th of July, that sentiment is only growing stronger. Additional financial support schemes around the world are adding to this sentiment. In fact, oil prices seem to be more closely linked to the cash injections being given out around to world than to historic fundamentals. However, as we all know, theres no such thing as a free lunch. These financial injections are going to come at a cost. No normal economy can continue to spend as its income continues to fall. At the end of 2021, a major rebalance in payments can be expected, and there will be many losers. In the coming months, demand is expected to weaken slightly, as highlighted in OPECs recent report. The bullish sentiment in oil markets seems based on the period after summer though. Strong demand in the second half of the year will depend on successful COVID vaccination schemes and a decrease in global lockdowns. If the optimistic predictions of a successful summer fight against covid dont come true, oil bulls are set to be slaughtered. When looking at current price settings, hovering around $70 per barrel, and plenty of bullish sentiment amongst analysts, observers should be worried. In a normal situation (pre-COVID), price increases as we have seen in recent months always lead to two main reactions. First, parties will take their profits, then others will look to get into the market. The current stability on the supply side is purely cosmetic. OPEC+ unexpectedly decided to roll-over its existing agreements for another month. Saudi Arabia is still supporting its unilateral 1 million bpd cut, while others are keeping to their existing commitments. Non-OPEC producers Russia and Kazakhstan were allowed to increase their production slightly. Media reports have all been very positive about the decision in Vienna last week, painting it as proof of the internal stability of the cartel. But that analysis fails to address the growing internal pressure of major OPEC and non-OPEC producers to increase their own volumes in the coming weeks or months. $70 per barrel is a very enticing level to increase production, and cash is needed throughout OPEC+. OPEC+ producers have lost trillions of dollars in the past year, and now they have the ability to make up for that loss. At $70 per barrel, producers not controlled by OPEC+ are also looking to boost production. Profit margins of $10-15 per barrel are too high for most producers to ignore. JP Morgans recent assessment suggests that U.S. shale is going to be bringing more production online soon. There are also reports that the real OPEC+ compliance rate is different from the official quotas. Market analysts should be keeping an eye on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Russia. It is likely that all three markets are already producing more crude than is being reported. Internal demand for crude is also playing a key role in these countries maintaining compliance. In Saudi Arabia, for example, Aramcos latest refinery project will account for 300-400K barrels per day. Both US shale and Libyan production are certain to increase if price levels are kept at around $70 or higher. Greed is the blood of capitalism, and the oil and gas market has some of the most tempting profit margins out there at the moment. While optimism may be ruling the market right now, bearish sentiment could flood back into oil markets very soon. At current prices, supply is certain to increase, while demand is far from guaranteed. It is too early to call it a bear market, but observers should be wary of being overly optimistic when the fundamental balance of the oil market remains decidedly delicate. WATCH LIVE: Volkswagen AG Annual Media Conference at 4 AM ET +VIDEO WOLFSBURG - March 16, 2021: This morning, the entire Volkswagen Annual Media Conference will be broadcast LIVE right here on TheAutoChannel.com at 9AM Central Europe Time, 8AM London time, 4AM New York time, and 1AM West Coast time. Volkswagen AG includes twelve brands from seven European countries. About the Volkswagen Group The Volkswagen Group, with its headquarters in Wolfsburg, is one of the worlds leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. The Group comprises twelve brands from seven European coun- tries: Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, SKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN. The passenger car portfolio ranges from small cars all the way to luxury-class vehicles. Ducati offers motorcycles. In the light and heavy commercial vehicles sector, the products range from pick-ups to buses and heavy trucks. Every weekday, 671.205 employees around the globe produce on average 44,567 vehicles, are involved in vehicle-related services or work in other areas of business. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries. In 2020, the total number of vehicles delivered to customers by the Group globally was 9.31 million (2019:10.97 million). Group sales revenue in 2019 totaled EUR 252.6 billion (2018: EUR 235.8 billion). Earnings after tax in 2019 ended amounted to EUR 14.0 billion (2018: EUR 12.2 billion). A wealthy boyfriend is considering dumping his girlfriend because he doesn't feel comfortable dating someone of a 'lower class'. Jake, from Sydney's well-to-do Northern Beaches, said he comes from a wealthy family, owns his own property and has a high-flying job as boss of a tech company. But his girlfriend - who lives with her parents in the city's Inner West - works as a personal assistant who 'doesn't earn as much money' and 'doesn't have any ambition to better her career'. The couple started dating a few months ago after meeting through friends. And while the 28-year-old man rated his girlfriend's appearance a perfect 10 out of 10, he pointed out his only issue with her is she's on the 'lower end of the class'. Scroll down for video A privileged man has revealed he's considering dumping his girlfriend because he doesn't feel comfortable dating someone who's poorer than him (stock image) Poll Should Jake's girlfriend leave him? Yes No Should Jake's girlfriend leave him? Yes 996 votes No 62 votes Now share your opinion 'I guess where I'm standing at the moment, I'm higher class, I enjoy fine dining dinners at five star restaurants, going out and spending money here and there,' he told KIISFM radio duo Kyle and Jackie O. Jake said he often feels 'embarrassed' when in public with her because of her cheap clothing. 'I can even tell the way she dresses... I'm wearing designer clothes and she looks like she shops at Target. It's quite off putting to me... I am who I am, I feel the way I feel.' Jake said he enjoys going out but his girlfriend seems more reserved. 'She's more interested in hanging around the house, lounging around in trackies and [ordering] takeaway dinners but I'm not about that,' he explained. He said he feels like they are living in different worlds. 'It's a class thing,' Jake said. 'Just a series of little things I keep noticing and I'm not sure if I can even handle it.' Jake shared his story to radio duo Kyle and Jackie O - and asked whether he was an 'a**hole' During one of their recent dinner dates, Jake said he found out his girlfriend's father is 'just a kitchen-hand at a restaurant' while his dad is a CEO of a big company. 'He is a CEO but that just gave me the determination to get somewhere to where he is,' he explained. 'If I've got the money and if I've worked hard, I can flaunt it. All I want for her is to put the same effort into her life... I just feel there are too many differences.' Jake asked whether he was being an 'a**hole', to which the radio duo called on listeners to weigh in on his situation. First caller, Jana described Jake as an 'absolute w***er', saying 'you know you are a bad person, you know you're going to hell. 'You need to give that girl a chance to turn this around. I was from the Gold Coast, I had nearly nothing. I met a guy in Sydney, I moved to Sydney and I made my money, I started buying myself things,' the woman said. 'Why don't you buy her some nice clothes? Use your money for good for once instead of being a w***er and materialistic.' But only 35 percent of New York voters surveyed in a Siena College poll released on Monday agree with them. [Half of the voters surveyed said the governor shouldnt resign.] The governor has refused to resign, even as New Yorks attorney general investigates accusations from several women that he behaved inappropriately toward them, and the State Assembly takes steps toward possibly impeaching him. Heres what you need to know: The poll results Legislators have questioned whether the governor can effectively lead the state, but nearly half of the 805 registered voters in the Siena poll said they believed he could. Still, Mr. Cuomos favorability rating has plummeted to 43 percent from 56 percent last month, one of the lowest points of his decade in office, the poll showed, and only 34 percent of those surveyed supported a possible run for a fourth term next year. The companys drilling program aims to build upon its gold inventory within trucking distance of Thalangas Operations. Around 33 reverse circulation (RC) holes have been planned for drilling Red River Resources Ltd ( ) has ramped-up exploration activity with a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program targeting gold in areas proximal to its Thalanga Operations in northern Queensland. The drilling program which follows the north Queensland wet season aims to identify high-grade bulk tonnage shoots of gold-bearing quartz veins that can be trucked to and processed at Thalanga. RVR has designed 33 RC holes to be drilled at the New Homestead, the Don and Toomba prospects to quickly assess the most prospective portions of lodes. To date, 10 RC drill holes for 958 metres at the New Homestead prospect and 10 RC holes for 910 metres at the Don prospect have been completed. Initial assay results are expected in three to four weeks. Building gold exposure Red River produces zinc, copper and lead with gold and silver credits at its Thalanga Operations, where it is currently mining the Far West deposit. In addition, the company is seeking to build its exposure to gold, applying for the Toomba and Don projects near Thalanga last year. Next steps Red River expects to receive assay results from its initial drilling at New Homestead and Don in three to six weeks. The assay results will be reviewed and, if required, Red River will plan follow-up drilling and the company expects to complete the remaining part of the initial RC drill program (13 holes) at Toomba, around 30 kilometres northwest of Thalanga in May. London: Britain will seek more trade and direct investment from Beijing, despite a major review of its foreign and defence policy describing China as the biggest state-based threat to the UKs economic security. It will also seek a transformation of its relationship with India over the next decade, as part of a major tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region. People walk through a quiet Chinatown in London. A review of the British governments foreign policy advocates for more Chinese investment in the UK. Credit:AP Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to release the long-awaited Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy on Tuesday evening AEDT. The strategy is touted as the biggest overhaul of Britains outward policies since the Cold War. It was due for release late last year but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Glounthaune man accused of arming himself with a large rock to threaten staff at a convenience store in Cork city indicated that he will plead guilty to the crime. The accused man, Killian Kavanagh, appeared at Cork District Court by video link from prison. His solicitor, Eddie Burke, was present in court where he indicated that the accused wished to sign a plea of guilty to the charges. Judge Olann Kelleher directed that the accused be brought before the court on March 30 so that he could enter a signed plea of guilty to the charges. It is anticipated that the accused will then have his case sent forward to the April sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing. On the application of Sergeant Gearoid Davis, Judge Olann Kelleher remanded the accused man in continuing custody until March 30. Detective Garda Mark Durcan originally charged Killian Kavanagh, 25, of no fixed address and originally from Glounthaune, County Cork, with attempted robbery at the premises called Your Local Shop at Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, on Friday December 4 2020. Det. Garda Durcan said the alleged offence occurred at 6.10pm Friday December 4 2020 when a man arrived at the shop with a large rock. He demanded cash and their phones. They chased him out of the shop. He smashed glass in the front door as he left. He can be seen (on CCTV) fleeing towards the railway station. The whole interaction was captured on CCTV, he said. When the accused was arrested for questioning the questioning had to be stopped for six hours because he was so intoxicated as a result of the taking of tablets. Det. Garda Durcan said in the course of the initial bail hearing that the prosecution fear was that the accused would commit further serious offences if granted bail. Mr Burke, solicitor, said the defendant was off drugs and was presently on methadone. Mark Wolters, a lifelong resident of central Minnesota who enjoys running, playing guitar, and teaching, has completed his new book Meeting the Unusual: a gripping and potent story about the freedom of college and living away from home. Published by Page Publishing, Mark Wolters gripping tale follows Stephen Cryer, a carefree young man who just graduated from high school and begins to feel the freedom of living away from home. Like so many other young people, Stephen is drawn to the partying lifestyle he and his friends begin to enjoy too much. Stephen has a girlfriend and a strong relationship with his father, seemingly without any cares in the world. That is until he meets an unusual man, known to everybody as H. Stephen tries hard to be successful in his classes at college but is constantly allowing himself to be distracted by the nightlife he thoroughly enjoys. During a break from college, Stephen goes home for Thanksgiving and finds out he has to face the demons that remained behind with his father and his brothers. Upon his return from break, Stephen falls even deeper into the unhealthy lifestyle of going out night after night. His life begins to unravel in ways he could not possibly have anticipated. All the while, H remains his close companion during Stephens descent into a madness of his own making. Readers who wish to experience this potent work can purchase Meeting the Unusual 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. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. MBABANE A true story brought to life. Most films are based on a research one has compiled, but a group of upcoming film makers called Iphilakimi Films have decided to shoot a short true story film. In an interview with the Producer of the short film, Similo Sihlongonyane, he expressed his excitement about their project. This is big for us as we are also students of Film and Television. We are passionate about our craft. People around the world will get to see our story and our cinematography skills, he said. It is worth noting that this was not their first film, but they have showed cased some of their local short films on Eswatini TV. The whole production and mastering is done, when the dust settles our short film will be played and will be available on YouTube, he said. Inspired The title of the short film is South Villa, which Sihlongonyane said was inspired by how young boys behave in rural areas. The film was shot at my area, at Gege. It is a story about a village boy who was bullying his peers; his desire was to be the most feared boy amongst his generation. At the end there is peace, he explained. He went on to thank all his actors which included young boys, who gave it their all. We had actors as young as 11 years old. They gave it their all, we can only assure revellers the best from us, he said. Released today (March 16, 2021), Version 4.0 of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard is said to be the most ambitious and actionable standard yet for safe, circular, responsibly made products. The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is dedicated to powering a circular economy through products that have a positive impact on people and planet. Through the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program, the institute aims to set the global standard for products that are safe, circular and responsibly made. The institute announced the new version of the standard and supporting reference materials are now available at https://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/cradle-to-cradle-certified-version-4, and it will begin accepting applications to certify products in July 2021. Cradle to Cradle Certified has long been regarded as the most trusted and advanced science-based standard for designing and manufacturing products that maximize health and well-being for people and our planet, said Institute President and CEO Peter Templeton. The fourth version of Cradle to Cradle Certified builds on this legacy by equipping brands, retailers, designers and manufacturers with actionable guidance and best practices for choosing safer materials, driving meaningful innovation, and creating products, systems and business models that have a positive impact on humans and the environment today, and in the future. Exactly how does the certifier accomplish all this? Rachel Grabenhofer (RG), managing editor of Cosmetics & Toiletries, asked Christina Raab (CR), Ph.D., vice president of strategy and development for the institute. She explained by providing a closer look at the science behind the five key criteria by which products are evaluated. See related: Green Isn't Enough: Social Progress is the Next Chapter for Naturals Based in Science RG: How is the Cradle to Cradle certification based in science? What types of data and sources are used for the key parameters you assess? CR: First, Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 4.0 is the result of a multi-stakeholder process led by the Institutes Standards Steering Committee, an independent body composed of technical and scientific subject matter experts, leading manufacturers and other market representatives, as well as the Institutes Stakeholder Advisory Council and five Technical Advisory Groups. Certification requirements and key parameters in each of the Standards five performance categories (Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness) have been developed on the basis of the latest research publications, scientific methodologies, technical developments and leading industry practices. These are outlined in the standard requirements, a draft of which can be found here: https://www.c2ccertified.org/resources/collection-page/draft-cradle-to-cradle-certified-product-standard-version-4. Cradle to Cradle is a comprehensive, one-standard solution for choosing safer materials, driving meaningful innovation and creating products, systems and business models. 5 Key Sustainability Criteria: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air/Climate Protection, Water/Soil Stewardship and Social Fairness RG: How do you benchmark when a material falls within (or not) acceptable specifications? CR: Parameters are not only specific to each certification category, but also specific to key performance indicators within each category. These have been developed through years of research and engagement with leading green chemistry and materials science led by the institutes team of scientists in concert with external consultants, technical experts and stakeholders. In every category, the Cradle to Cradle Certified requirements are structured according to ascending levels of performance, which enables companies to start at any point on their sustainability journey and to then use the requirements as a framework for prioritizing action. This is a big part of the value Cradle to Cradle Certified delivers. For instance, the Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 4.0 Material Health category includes an assessment methodology for inventorying, evaluating and optimizing chemicals/ingredients in products and packaging to maximize their safety for humans and the environment. Because the requirements are structured by ascending achievement levels for easy benchmarking (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum), companies can begin with inventorying and assessing existing chemicals/ingredients, then identify and enact optimizations to formulations and packaging materials over time that enable even greater levels of certification verification and achievement. See related: Sustainable, Circular and Aquatic-friendly: L'Oreal Commits to 'Green Science" Creating a Roadmap RG: How might product developers use the information you provide to create a "roadmap" for their business? What changes might they make in their product development or sourcing, for example? CR: Because Cradle to Cradle Certified does encompass all five of the most mission-critical aspects of sustainability performanceagain, Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness, taken as a whole, the standard provides a uniquely comprehensive and ambitious single roadmap for developing, reformulating/redesigning or innovating products today with tomorrow in mind. Product developers often use the standard requirements as design guidance during the early stages of product/packaging development. Particularly at the early stages of the product development/redevelopment process, the Material Health and Product Circularity requirements offer a robust blueprint for informing product formulations and design optimizations that often drive innovation and continuous improvement plus ensure both new and re-developed products have positive impact on people and planet now and in the future. Requirements are structured by ascending achievement levels for easy benchmarking. Companies can begin with inventorying and assessing existing chemicals/ingredients, then identify and enact optimizations to formulations and packaging materials over time. The changes in product development and sourcing informed by the use of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard can include changes in sourcing to use ethically sourced ingredients and/or new or different ingredients/materials that are safer and better optimized for human health and the environment; or the implementation of packaging that is recyclable or compostable, plus designed with circularity and reusability in mind. Promoting Product Certification RG: How can marketers use your certification to promote products? Do they display a logo on their product packaging, for example? In relation, how aware are consumers of your program and what "cradle to cradle" means? CR: The Cradle to Cradle Certified logo is a distinct product mark that can be displayed on the product packaging itself to demonstrate achievement and drive credibility with consumers in an easily recognizable manner. Consumer interest in sustainable products and businesses is rapidly increasing, as are purchase decisions driven by credible product sustainability claims. As such, consumer awareness of Cradle to Cradle Certified is also gaining a great deal of momentum, particularly across North America and Europenotably in the context of the clean beauty movement and consumers desire to make responsible product choices that contribute positively to the environment. Companies and brands in the Cradle to Cradle Certified community include businesses of all sizes with different market reach, consumer focus and followings. This is helping to accelerate recognition of the product mark across diverse demographics. Differentiation in the Market RG: How is your program different from other standards that support a circular economy? CR: Its important to acknowledge that the way we design and make products today has a very real impact on the world we will inhabit tomorrow. Thats why Cradle to Cradle Certified exists: in order to get to a circular economy, we must do more than focus on circularity alone. This is what sets the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard apart. It is a comprehensive, one-standard solution for choosing safer materials, driving meaningful innovation and creating products, systems and business models that have a positive impact on humans and the environment today and tomorrow. Where other standards tend to focus on a single industry sector or on a single attribute such as ingredient materials or product circularity, Cradle to Cradle Certified helps companies meet a higher ambition for environmental, social and governance performance. As a result, the standard also offers more than a certification mark: it provides a roadmap for industry transformation and market leadership. Impact on Packaging RG: How might product packaging be shaped by your standards? CR: Product packaging across sectors can be certified separately or certified in conjunction with the product itself. Given the escalating attention focused on sustainable packaging solutions within and beyond the cosmetics sector, the standard is becoming a valuable tool for shaping packaging-specific material innovation and sourcing choices (including post-consumer and renewable content, recyclability and compostability), business models for packaging circularity (reusability, refillability), lightweighting and design for circularity. Looking ahead, we are starting to see the standard serve as a conduit for collaborative innovation across the value chain, particularly as companies and brands look to be first-to-market with novel solutions for responsible packaging in response to growing consumer pressure. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! The effects of this loss of contact and disruption to family relationships [between prisoners and their children] are likely to be long term and will affect family reunification and resettlement after imprisonment - according to the report from Oxford's Shona Minson. Credit: Shutterstock Much has been heard about the devastating impact of COVID-19 on families, torn apart by lockdown restrictions. But Oxford research today has found thousands of children in the UK, have not seen their parents for a year. It is estimated that each year 300,000 children in England and Wales have a parent in prison and, the research finds, many have not had any face-to-face contact with those parents since 13 March 2020, when visits were stopped across the prison estate. While some institutions allowed visiting in the summer, others did notleaving many thousands of children without seeing a parent for a full year. Based on research between April and June, the report from Law researcher, Shona Minson, reveals that prior to the pandemic, only 4% of children had no contact with imprisoned parents. More than half had at least one visit each week and daily calls. But, even telephone calls in prison have been restricted because of the pandemic. And the report concludes, "This loss of contact has negatively impacted children's relationships with their imprisoned parents and their mental health and well-being. Children may not understand why contact has stopped and may blame themselves." "This amounts to an interference with children's right to family life," says the report. "Many of these children enjoyed regular and positive contact with their parent prior to prison lockdown.... The effects of this loss of contact and disruption to family relationships are likely to be long term and will affect family reunification and resettlement after imprisonment." Other jurisdictions have managed to provide alternative options for children. But, while the world has become accustomed to online and virtual meetings, there has been little provision of video calls for children of prisoners to compensate for the lack of contact. "It wasn't until 28 January 2021 that the Ministry of Justice announced that all prisons in England and Wales have the ability to provide video calls," says the study, which also reveals, there was an average of just over one video phone call in 10 months for prisoners across much of the countryalthough Northern Ireland arranged fortnightly video calls. Younger children, in particular, have been seriously affected. The report states, "Phone calls are of limited use with young or non-verbal children due to their lack of speech." It continues, "Without the re-enforcement of face to face visits, young children did not seem to recognize or know their parent's voice when they heard them speaking on the telephone. There was concern amongst all caregivers of babies and toddlers that the children were forgetting their parents and had lost any attachment they had formed." But it was not just the youngest children who have suffered. According to the report, "Almost all participants [care-givers] reported that the children were experiencing sadness and grief related to the loss of contact with their parent." Children were found to be suffering from depression and anxiety and there were incidences of self-harm and the onset of eating disorders. Almost all participants were concerned about the difficulties families would face when the parent was released, as particularly for young children, the parent was a virtual stranger. The report calls for the Government to 'provide a clear and publicly communicated roadmap for the re-establishment of prison visits, and the lifting of restrictions." And it concludes that in the future: Children of prisoners should have the same status as looked-after children, so they attend school, if appropriate; Video calls should be made available once a week and there should be no restriction on the number of children on the call; Prisoners should be given access to secured mobile phones, to enable frequent contact with children; Prisons should communicate with families about the options for visiting; and Consideration should be given to early release on license for parents. Explore further German children suffer from psychological issues in pandemic More information: The impact of COVID-19 prison lockdowns on children with a parent in prison. The impact of COVID-19 prison lockdowns on children with a parent in prison. www.law.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/o parent_in_prison.pdf PLANO, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Martin UAV, a leading advanced aviation technology manufacturer in the United States, today announced the public release of the latest unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the V-BAT 128, for defense and commercial use, including search and rescue, firefighting, logistic resupply, and energy and oil and gas operations. V-BAT first image At the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE), Martin UAV demonstrated its upgraded version of the V-BAT featuring an increase in its power, payloads and endurance over the course of several weeks. The V-BAT flew numerous missions, ideal to showcase the VTOL and the small footprint of the vehicle as well as the aircraft's ability to transition from take-off to a vertical hover and persistent stare capability while maintaining a sensor line of sight in spite of difficult terrain. "Martin UAV continues to push the boundaries of what is possible for unmanned aircraft systems," said Heath Niemi, chief development officer. "We have listened to the customer and expanded the capabilities and agility of the V-BAT, delivering technology that serves a wider range of mission needs. We're proud to make the V-BAT available to the broader market and to provide more power and payload that can be transported in the bed of a pick-up truck, or, inside a Black Hawk." As the interest and adoption of UAV/UAS increases across commercial industries, the company stated a renewed commitment to support these verticals adapting to new technologies, making UAVs more accessible and easier to implement. The V-BAT is designed to make transportation and rapid tactical deployment easier for both defense and commercial application, assembled by two personnel in less than 30 minutes. The aircraft's duct fan propulsion design provides for top operational safety by eliminating exposed rotors, which are commonly found in propeller-driven VTOLs. V-BAT 128 is ideal for takeoff and landing on both stationary and moving platforms, in areas with a footprint of less than 12 feet-by-12 feet. Among the improvements made by Martin UAV are enhancements to the engine, a remote-start 288cc 2-stroke EFI, increased horsepower, 11-plus hours of endurance, and up to 25 pounds of interchangeable payloads for mission-specific requirements. With a wingspan of 9.7 feet, the V-BAT 128 can reach 90+ knots reaching altitudes of 20,000 feet. For more information on Martin UAV, its V-BAT and use across industries, visit martinuav.com. About Martin UAV: Martin UAV is a private, advanced technology company based in Plano, Texas. The company specializes in building wholly unique, unmanned aircraft systems and associated flight control software. The company's systems are commercially developed to fill critical operational needs in tactical and confined operational environments. Its V-BAT series aircraft is the only single-engine ducted fan VTOL that has the ability to launch & recover from a hover, fly over 11 hours in horizontal flight, and make mid-flight transitions to "hover & stare" at any time throughout a given mission set. For more information, visit martinuav.com. Media Contact Ester Peres Marketing Strategist +1 214 240 6659 [email protected] Related Images v-bat-first-image.jpg V-BAT First Image V-BAT first image image2.jpg image3.png SOURCE Martin UAV Dr. Recknor will continue to oversee the Company's COVID-19 long-haulers and Phase 2 NASH trials VANCOUVER, Washington, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTC.QB: CYDY), ("CytoDyn" or the "Company"), a late-stage biotechnology company developing Vyrologix (leronlimab-PRO 140), a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for multiple therapeutic indications, announced today the appointment of Christopher P. Recknor, M.D. to the executive position of Chief Operating Officer. In his role as COO, Dr. Recknor will assist the senior management team to define and implement the overall business strategy and clinical development priorities, along with the requisite timelines. Dr. Recknor joined CytoDyn in August 2020 as Vice President, Clinical Development. Before joining CytoDyn, Dr. Recknor served as a principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials for numerous global pharmaceutical companies including Amgen, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Glaxo SmithKline, Merck, Novartis and Pfizer. He has a deep background in clinical research with over 40 published research studies and co-authored several research abstracts. Dr. Recknor holds a B.A. from Furman University and received his M.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is a former Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of CytoDyn, commented, "We are very pleased Dr. Recknor is joining our executive team. Dr. Recknor has demonstrated exemplary clinical trial management skills coupled with strong business acumen. With his broad experience in clinical operations, Dr. Recknor will effectively accelerate the evaluation of several indications in our pipeline." About Leronlimab (PRO 140) The FDA has granted a Fast Track designation to CytoDyn for two potential indications of leronlimab for critical illnesses. The first indication is combination therapy with HAART for HIV-infected patients, and the second is for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Leronlimab is an investigational humanized IgG4 mAb that blocks CCR5, a cellular receptor important in HIV infection, tumor metastases, and other diseases, including NASH. Leronlimab has completed 11 clinical trials in over 1,200 people and met its primary endpoints in a pivotal Phase 3 trial (leronlimab combined with standard antiretroviral therapies in HIV-infected treatment-experienced patients). In the setting of HIV/AIDS, leronlimab is a viral-entry inhibitor; it masks CCR5, thus protecting healthy T cells from viral infection by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype from entering those cells. Leronlimab has been the subject of nine clinical trials, each of which demonstrated that leronlimab could significantly reduce or control HIV viral load in humans. The leronlimab antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements compared with daily drug therapies currently in use. Research has shown that CCR5 may play a role in tumor invasion, metastases, and tumor microenvironment control in the setting of cancer. Increased CCR5 expression is an indicator of disease status in several cancers. Published studies have shown that blocking CCR5 can reduce tumor metastases in laboratory and animal models of aggressive breast and prostate cancer. Leronlimab reduced human breast cancer metastasis by more than 98% in a murine xenograft model. CytoDyn is, therefore, conducting a Phase 1b/2 human clinical trial in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA in May 2019. The CCR5 receptor appears to play a central role in modulating immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation. It may be crucial in the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and other inflammatory conditions. Clinical studies by others further support the concept that blocking CCR5 using a chemical inhibitor can reduce the clinical impact of acute GvHD without significantly affecting transplanted bone marrow stem cells' engraftment. CytoDyn was conducting a Phase 2 clinical study with leronlimab to support further the concept that the CCR5 receptor on engrafted cells is critical for the development of acute GvHD, blocking the CCR5 receptor from recognizing specific immune signaling molecules is a viable approach to mitigating acute GvHD. The FDA granted orphan drug designation to leronlimab for the prevention of GvHD. Due to the lack of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company suspended its Phase 2 trial for acute GvHD. About CytoDyn CytoDyn is a late-stage biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for multiple therapeutic indications based on leronlimab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor. CCR5 appears to play a critical role in the ability of HIV to enter and infect healthy T-cells. The CCR5 receptor also appears to be implicated in tumor metastasis and immune-mediated illnesses, such as GvHD and NASH. CytoDyn has successfully completed a Phase 3 pivotal trial with leronlimab combined with standard antiretroviral therapies in HIV-infected treatment-experienced patients. CytoDyn has been working diligently to refile its Biologics License Application ("BLA") for this HIV combination therapy since receiving a Refusal to File in July 2020 and subsequently meeting with the FDA telephonically to address their written guidance concerning the filing. CytoDyn expects to refile its BLA in the first half of calendar year 2021. CytoDyn has completed a Phase 3 investigative trial with leronlimab as a once-weekly monotherapy for HIV-infected patients. CytoDyn plans to initiate a registration-directed study of leronlimab monotherapy indication. If successful, it could support a label extension. Clinical results to date from multiple trials have shown that leronlimab can significantly reduce the viral burden in people infected with HIV. No severe drug-related site injection reactions were reported in about 800 patients treated with leronlimab, and no drug-related SAEs were reported in patients treated with 700 mg of leronlimab. Moreover, a Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that leronlimab monotherapy could prevent viral escape in HIV-infected patients; some patients on leronlimab monotherapy have remained virally suppressed for more than six years. CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial with leronlimab in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. More information is at www.cytodyn.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as "believes," "hopes," "intends," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "plans," "anticipates" and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements specifically include statements about leronlimab, its ability to provide positive health outcomes, the possible results of clinical trials, studies or other programs or ability to continue those programs, the ability to obtain regulatory approval for commercial sales, and the market for actual commercial sales. The Company's forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and actual results could vary materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements due to risks and uncertainties including: (i) the sufficiency of the Company's cash position, (ii) the Company's ability to raise additional capital to fund its operations, (iii) the Company's ability to meet its debt obligations, if any, (iv) the Company's ability to enter into partnership or licensing arrangements with third parties, (v) the Company's ability to identify patients to enroll in its clinical trials in a timely fashion, (vi) the Company's ability to achieve approval of a marketable product, (vii) the design, implementation and conduct of the Company's clinical trials, (viii) the results of the Company's clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results, (ix) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved, (x) the existence or development of vaccines, drugs, or other treatments that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to the Company's products, (xi) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process, (xii) general economic and business conditions, (xiii) changes in foreign, political, and social conditions, and (xiv) various other matters, many of which are beyond the Company's control. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release. Mumbai: Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze, who is currently implicated in a case of a car bomb scare at industrialist Mukesh Ambanis residence Antila, had once arrested journalist Arnab Goswami in the Anvay Naik suicide case and is now being charged by the NIA, Maharashtras ruling party Shiv Sen has alleged. An editorial in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said that it is surprising that when the investigative capabilities and bravery of the Maharashtra Police are being acknowledged around the world, Waze is being charged by the NIA. Calling Wazes arrest an "insult" of the Maharashtra Police, the Shiv Sena alleged that it was being done deliberately. The Saamana editorial further stated that if Sachin Waze was guilty in the case, the Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) were capable of taking strict action against him. But, the central probe agency (NIA) did not want that to happen, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece said. It went on to add that since Waze had arrested journalist Arnab Goswami in the Anvay Naik suicide case, he was on the "hit-list of the BJP and the Centre". Goswami and two others were arrested on November 4 last year by Raigad police in connection with the suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother in 2018. They were granted bail by the Supreme Court a few days later. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Sachin Waze on Saturday in connection with its probe into the recovery of a Scorpio containing 20 gelatin sticks near Ambani's house in south Mumbai on February 25. Waze, credited with eliminating 63 alleged criminals in 'encounters', is also facing heat in the murder case of Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of the Scorpio. Hiran was found dead in a creek in Thane district on March 5. The Sena mouthpiece said it is surprising that when the investigative capabilities and bravery of the state police were being acknowledged across the globe, the NIA should investigate the case of the recovery of 20 gelatin sticks. "Waze's arrest by the NIA was an insult of the state police and was being done deliberately. Those expressing happiness over this are hurting the state's autonomy," the editorial alleged. It expressed hope that the truth will come out soon. The editorial also said the state government had handed over the probe into the recovery of the explosives-laden vehicle and the death of Mansukh Hiran to the ATS. But, the central government deputed the NIA in the explosives case. There was no hurry to do so, it opined. Taking a dig at the Centre, the editorial said, It is still a "mystery" how explosives reached Pulwama (in Jammu and Kashmir) and claimed the lives of 40 jawans (in 2019). "In the Kashmir Valley, explosives are found every day. Does the NIA go there to conduct a probe into it?" the Sena asked. Live TV When red light cameras are not about motorist safety, but cynical revenue grabs; when red light cameras are implicated in pay-to-play practices, and those with the power of oversight like IDOT cannot be counted on to keep the players honest; and when our residents insist over and over again that they want them gone, but local elected officials either wont listen or cant help; then the only solution is either red light camera reform, or to end them altogether. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. AMMAN, Jordan - Samer Qraih had a good job working at a bank in Amman, Jordan, and decided to start his own business importing hybrid vehicles in 2017. But a year later, the Jordanian government raised taxes, and a subsequent strike by car dealers forced the 45-year-old father of four to shut his business for a year. Samer Qraih, a Jordanian car dealer, sits in his apartment holding old business licences, bank statements and documents, in Amman, Jordan, Sunday, March 14, 2021. The 45-year-old, and father of four was sent to nine months in prison after he sank in into massive debts. Hundreds of thousands of Jordanians like Qraih are faced with incarceration because of draconian debt laws that violate international human rights law, according to the report published Tuesday by Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/Omar Akour) AMMAN, Jordan - Samer Qraih had a good job working at a bank in Amman, Jordan, and decided to start his own business importing hybrid vehicles in 2017. But a year later, the Jordanian government raised taxes, and a subsequent strike by car dealers forced the 45-year-old father of four to shut his business for a year. He sank into massive debt and couldn't pay rent on his business. In most countries, that would be difficult enough. But after his landlord filed suit, Qraih was sent to prison for nine months. How can I pay my debts inside prison? Qraih asked in an interview. I have the intention to pay my debts, but Im powerless inside prison. Hundreds of thousands of Jordanians like Qraih are faced with incarceration because of draconian debt laws that violate international human rights law, according to the report published Tuesday by Human Rights Watch. The New York-based rights group found that more than 250,000 Jordanians face possible imprisonment due to debt delinquency, and around 16% of the countrys prison population was locked up for failing to pay debts in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic has battered the Jordanian economy, which is projected to contract by 5.5% in 2020, while poverty is to grow by 11%, according to the World Bank. The road to recovery is expected to be slow. Jordan's economic hardship and woefully inadequate social safety net have forced thousands of families to borrow money to pay for food, rent, medical expenses, and other life necessities, Human Rights Watch said in its report. Jordan fails to guarantee its citizens and residents an adequate standard of living and does not have a functioning system of social security, the report states. People who fail to repay a debt can face to up to 90 days in prison, and up to a year in prison for a bounced check, the report said. The number of Jordanians wanted for debts grew tenfold between 2015 and 2019. The organization called for legal reforms that would provide protections for the poor and more effective legislation for bankruptcy. Most countries outside the Middle East have abolished imprisonment for debt, the group said. "Debt imprisonment targets those without the ability to pay and helps create cycles of endless debt, the report said. Since his release, Qraih has gone back to selling cars and rebuilding his life. I work from early morning until the end of the day, I pay installments for the landlord, he said. But I am still threatened, he can send me back to jail anytime. The Jordanian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 03/16/2021 Photo (c) jetcityimage - Getty Images Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has accused Walgreens of failing to halt suspicious prescription orders at Arkansas locations, thereby substantially contributing to the opioid crisis in the state. In a lawsuit filed Monday, Rutledge claimed the drugstore giants lack of action in reporting orders that didnt appear to be medically legitimate exacerbated "the oversupply of such drugs and fueling an illegal secondary market. The lawsuit noted that Walgreens distributed more than 142 million dosage units of oxycodone and hydrocodone in Arkansas from 2006 to 2014. A majority of counties in the state -- 66 out of the 75 -- have higher opioid prescribing rates than the national average. This high volume of opioids alone should have alerted Walgreens to the fact that suspicious orders were being placed, as the amount of opioids that were sent into Arkansas far exceeded what could be consumed for medically legitimate purposes," the lawsuit said. "Yet, Walgreens failed to report and halt those orders and instead increased the number of pills distributed." Walgreens intends to fight back Rutledge said the lawsuit seeks "to force Walgreens to act responsibly and follow federal and state laws and damages for fueling the epidemic, and to impose "civil penalties for each violation of Arkansass consumer protection laws. While the suit cant reverse the damage already done, the attorney general said the suit may be able to bring desperately needed assistance to devastated families and communities" in the state. In a statement to various media outlets, Walgreens said it plans to "vigorously defend itself against this litigation. A company spokesperson said that Walgreens key focus has always been the health and safety of patients. The spokesperson added that Walgreens pharmacists "always evaluate the patient, the prescriber, the drug, the applicable law, and the surrounding circumstances prior to making an appropriate professional decision whether to fill a prescription for a controlled substance." Ireland is in line to receive another 110,000 of the Pfizer vaccine over the next three months under an accelerated roll out through Europe which could help speed up the exit from lockdown. The Government has already indicated it will received over 2 million doses - around 693,000 a month - of this vaccine in April, May and June. Pfizer has been the most reliable in its deliveries so far. Read More It comes as health officials wait for the European Medicines Agency to give the all clear to the AstraZeneca vaccine on Thursday after its investigation into whether there is a link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots. The roll out of the AstraZeneca vaccine will remain on hold here until the findings of the review. We are due 818,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine over the three months. Hopes are being pinned on the three months of April, May and June for a ramping up of vaccine roll out and it is key to exiting lockdown for the summer. It is hoped to get around one million doses a month. In all it is hoped to get nearly four million doses over the three months of different vaccines. These include 602,082 of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine which can be given in one shot. The hope is that around 80pc of the population will have got a first dose by end of June which could pave the way for staycations . EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today the Commission and BioNTech-Pfizer have come to an agreement on the accelerated delivery of 10 million doses for quarter two. She said: I know how critical Quarter two is for the roll-out of our vaccination strategies in the Member States. These accelerated 10 million doses will bring the total doses of BioNTech-Pfizer in Quarter 2 up to over 200 million. "This is very good news. It gives Member States room to manoeuvre and possibly fill gaps in deliveries. These doses would be drawn forward from the option of 100 million doses in the second BioNTech-Pfizer contract, foreseen for quarter three and quarter 4 of 2021. "Today's proposal by the Commission needs to be approved by the Member States in the joint Steering Board." However, there are growing fears that the country could be facing another surge in infection. There are particular concerns around St Patrick's Day and the spread of infection if people from different households get together. There are serious worries about the impact of planned anti-lockdown street protests. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. The head of the countrys biggest residential landlord, IRES Reit, saw her overall pay cut by around 40pc last year. A 1.037m pay package for 2019 had pushed Margaret Sweeney into the upper ranks of Irish CEOs with basic pay of 400,000 and more than 550,000 in bonuses. However, for 2020 that total package dropped to 632,000. Ms Sweeneys basic pay was unchanged as were additional expenses (25,000) and pension contribution (60,000). The combined total of cash and deferred bonuses for 2020 fell to 147,000, according to an annual report just published. That was despite IRES coming through the pandemic without seeing a significant spike in rent arrears, a rise in property values and with occupancy levels at 98.4pc. Expand Close Property: IRES has apartments for rent in The Maples, Sandyford / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Property: IRES has apartments for rent in The Maples, Sandyford The dip in bonus was largely down to the listed property firms shares, which plunged in the early phase of the first lockdown in spring 2020. The shares fell from 1.83 each in December 2019 to 1 each by March last year. Although the stock did recover from that low in the second half of last year it was still below 1.60 a share by the end of 2020. According to the annual report, that was the key driver of the CEO bonus. For 2020, 80pc of annual bonus for the CEO was determined by financial performance measures and 20pc was based on strategic objectives, the report states. The shares closed at 1.586 yesterday in Dublin. IRES had 3,834 Irish homes in its rental portfolio at the start of 2021, overwhelmingly in Dublin with 50 in Cork. The mix of mainly two- and three-bed units had an average monthly rent of 1,624 as at December 31, 2020. The properties are mainly apartments with a handful of houses in the Dublin commuter belt. Three-dimensional culture of human breast cancer cells, with DNA stained blue and a protein in the cell surface membrane stained green. Image created in 2014 by Tom Misteli, Ph.D., and Karen Meaburn, Ph.D. at the NIH IRP. A study by Queen Mary University of London researchers, funded by Cancer Research UK, confirms the role of the oestrogen receptor biomarker in ductal carcinoma in situ and presents a new and more accurate method to predict long term outcomes for this pre-invasive stage of breast cancer. The study is published in Clinical Cancer Research. Oestrogen receptor (ER), a protein expressed in some breast cancer cells, is routinely tested in invasive breast cancer to predict long-term outcomes select treatment options. Its role in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has been previously unclear, and it is not generally evaluated in this pre-invasive stage of breast cancer. The new research confirms the role of ER in predicting long-term outcomes in DCIS, and the authors report a new and more accurate method to evaluate ER for predicting long-term outcomes in DCIS. This is the first study to use samples from a randomised trial (the UK/ANZ DCIS trial) to investigate ER as a prognostic marker in DCIS. The researchers observed multi-clonality in ER expression in 11% of ER-positive DCIS (ie: ER-positive DCIS with distinct ER-negative clones) and investigated the prognostic role of such multi-clonality in ER expression. They found that ER is a strong prognostic factor with greater than 3-fold risk of ipsilateral recurrence in ER-negative DCIS, and therefore conclude that ER should be routinely assessed in DCIS and that the clonal method they report should be considered. Lead author Mangesh Thorat from Queen Mary University of London said: "It is unlikely that such a study could currently be reproduced elsewhere in the world, and the robustness of these results means we can rely on them to make changes to clinical practice. Routine testing of ER in DCIS will help to avoid both overtreatment and undertreatment in this type of breast cancer. The insights from this study will also help improve future breast cancer research through use of new scientific models, particularly in areas of drug resistance and the use of targeted therapies." Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "It's currently very difficult to determine whether DCIS will develop into invasive breast cancer, meaning thousands of people undergo unnecessary and intense treatment. This research shows that in the future we might be able make sure patients are getting the right care, potentially saving many from undergoing cancer treatment that is both physically and mentally demanding." Explore further Ductal carcinoma in situ tied to threefold higher risk for death More information: Mangesh A Thorat, Pauline M Levey, Louise J Jones, Sarah E Pinder, Nigel J Bundred, Ian S Fentiman, Jack Cuzick. Prognostic value of ER and PgR expression and the impact of multi-clonal expression for recurrence in ductal carcinoma in situ: Results from the UK/ANZ DCIS trial. Clinical Cancer Research (2021). Journal information: Clinical Cancer Research Mangesh A Thorat, Pauline M Levey, Louise J Jones, Sarah E Pinder, Nigel J Bundred, Ian S Fentiman, Jack Cuzick. Prognostic value of ER and PgR expression and the impact of multi-clonal expression for recurrence in ductal carcinoma in situ: Results from the UK/ANZ DCIS trial.(2021). DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-4635 IRVING, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 30 million servings of advanced immune support have been donated to medically fragile children around the world through Alovea's HOPE Movement. This unique program provides a platform whereby every product sold generates an equal donation of nutritional servings to children in need. "We are focused on bringing nature's most powerful nutritional technologies into the global marketplace, especially those focused on building immune support," stated CEO and President Sam Caster. "But it is our HOPE Movement for social giving that is at the heart of our efforts. We are so blessed to help at-risk children around the world, and we're just getting started." Caster went on to say that Alovea supports organizations that are working with at-risk children including Operation Underground Railroad which rescues children in all parts of the world from the sex slave industry. Hundreds of these abused children are sent to care centers where they're provided daily nutritional servings to support the physical healing they so desperately need. Alovea, PBC represents the first of its kind Social Business 3.0. Social Business 3.0 allows all people to participate and profit from the social business by building teams, and teams of teams for the rapid circulation of world-changing technologies. With customers in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Denmark and Japan, Alovea is expanding its global footprint, opening a new manufacturing facility earlier this year in New Zealand with the support of its founding global non-profit partners, NCMN (Nations Changers Movement Network) based in Seoul, Korea and MannaRelief based in Irving, Texas. The U.S. company is headquartered in a Las Colinas complex dedicated to companies supporting social missions around the world. For additional information, please contact Linda Padilla, [email protected] https://alovea.com Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12861981 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Alovea Related Links https://alovea.com Two-thirds (66%) of threat intelligence (TI) analysts are involved in professional communities, but 52% of all those working in IT and cybersecurity roles are not allowed to share threat intelligence artifacts discovered through those communities, finds a new Kaspersky report, Managing your IT security team. Kaspersky is a long-time advocate for international collaboration in cyberspace and contributes to joint initiatives across the global IT security community. The company sees this approach as the best way to protect from ever-evolving cyberthreats. As such, Kaspersky surveyed more than 5,200 IT and cybersecurity practitioners globally for this report, to see if other businesses were ready to collaborate and share TI. The research found that respondents with TI analysis responsibilities, in particular, are likely to participate in specialized forums and blogs (45%), dark web forums (29%) or social media groups (22%). But when it comes to sharing their own findings, only 44% of respondents have actually made their discoveries public. Conversely, in companies where external sharing is allowed, 77% of security analysts did so. In 8% of cases, security analysts even shared TI findings despite it being prohibited by the organization they work at. Kaspersky experts noted that such restrictions are partly driven by concerns that if some objects are known publicly before a company can respond to an attack, then cybercriminals may realize that they have been detected and change their tactics. To help IT security teams analyze suspicious objects without the risk of exposing the investigation, Kaspersky provides a private submission mode option through free access to Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal. Thanks to this, a cybercriminal will not know that someone has shared samples, and an analyst can still receive the required data. Any piece of information be it new malware or insights on techniques used is valuable when protecting against advanced threats. Thats why we constantly make our threat research findings available via our information resources and through our TI services. We encourage security analysts to also give a helping hand to others in the same collaborative way, comments Anatoly Simonenko, Group Manager, Technology Solutions Product Management, at Kaspersky. To the Editor: It is hard to understand why Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to move forward with cuts to Medicaid and his threats to many programs that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently and avoid being institutionalized in nursing homes and assisted living facilities the epicenter of the coronavirus in our state. Cuts to Medicaid and tightening eligibility requirements for programs puts over 3 million people with disabilities and seniors in danger of accessing the care they need. People with disabilities and seniors are worried about catching the coronavirus because some have compromised immune systems and other underlying conditions that make them more vulnerable to the coronavirus. The last thing we need is additional pressure of having our Medicaid services cut. Sen. Chuck Schumer has already secured $6.7 billion to use only for supporting Medicaid services. The new Covid relief bill promises additional aid. Yet Cuomo is continuing to move forward in cutting programs such as the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, which helps provide home care aides. The governor is also cutting additional Medicaid services, as well as to hospitals in New York state. Now with the coronavirus, we need all the hospitals to be fully equipped and able to provide care for millions of New Yorkers. If the governor continues to move forward with Medicaid cuts, it will jeopardize any further Medicaid federal assistance. On Tuesday, March 24, Cuomo stated on television that you cant put a price on human life. Does that include people on Medicaid? We sure hope so! Our message to Gov. Cuomo and the state legislators to stop moving forward with cutting vital Medicaid services. This is definitely not the time to do it! Sally W. Johnston President Disabled in Action of Greater Syracuse Inc. Syracuse Posted Tuesday, March 16, 2021 4:34 am - Washington State Journal A ban on the use of chokeholds, military equipment, and most types of car chases by law enforcement passed the House of Representatives after lawmakers voted along party lines in a 54-43 vote Feb. 27. HB 1054 was the subject of much debate. Some Republican leaders said the bill went too far to strip police of self-defense options, and Democrats said the bill addressed a growing problem with violence and racism in law enforcement. While Washington State still has work to do to demand equity in our law enforcement, todays vote is a step forward toward justice, accountability and racial equity, said Rep. Jesse Johnson, D-Federal Way, the bills primary sponsor. Black and brown communities deserve to walk down the street or sleep in their bed without fear of violence from police. Unlike the original, the substituted bill does not ban the use of unleashed K-9 dogs during arrests, but requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission to create a work group and develop a policy around the use of canines. Among others, the work group must include family members affected by police violence, civil rights activists and people from underrepresented backgrounds. Police also would not have the ability to get or use military equipment, which is defined as armed vehicles, machine guns and grenades. All officers would also have to wear a clear law enforcement identifier while on-duty, meaning they would have to clearly show their name or badge number at all times. Many Republican lawmakers did not support the bill. They said the ban on less-lethal tactics would put officers in harms way and make it more difficult to recruit officers into law enforcement. By limiting the non-lethal tactics available to law enforcement, we are pressing more toward the use of lethal force, and that is a matter of great concern from both the law enforcement community and the citizens, said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. Rep. David Hackney, D-Tukwila, disagreed. He said the bill would be groundbreaking in its ability to serve community and law enforcement interests. This bill makes our community more safe, not less safe. It gives needed guidance to law enforcement about what is acceptable in Washington State, he said. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website operated by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org. New Delhi, March 16 : The President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Sharad Pawar, said on Tuesday that the country needs a third front. Addressing a press conference after the induction of Congress rebel P.C. Chacko into the NCP, the veteran politician said that talks are on with different parties regarding the formation of the third front. "The country needs a third front and talks are on with different political parties over its formation. Even CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury stated on Tuesday that there is a need for a third front, which is yet to take shape," Pawar said. The third front is likely to include regional parties and Pawar could lead the formation at the national level, said a source. The NCP is part of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in Maharashtra along with the Shiv Sena and the Congress. The NCP is part of the Left alliance in Kerala, while Pawar also shares a good equation with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, besides sharing good rapport with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. He can also persuade the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), JD-S and YRSCP to join the third front, provided their regional interests do not clash with the NCP. The Congress, which is expected to lead the opposition, is facing a leadership crisis with many leaders expressing dissatisfaction over the functioning of the team led by Rahul Gandhi. The party has failed to cross the three-figure mark in two successive Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. Joseph Simone of Simone Health Development Today there are 50 million people in the United States over the age of 65, said Joe Simone. In the next 10 years alone, the over 65 population is going to grow by 20 million people. We have to become more efficient and effective in treating this aging population, he added. Joseph Simone of Simone Health Development recently participated as a panelist in a virtual forum featuring healthcare leaders discussing the state of the healthcare sector. Simone, whose company is a leading developer of healthcare facilities, described how a consumer push to lower medical costs is causing a proliferation in out-patient services and medical procedures. An exploding aging population is also driving profound change. Today there are 50 million people in the United States over the age of 65, said Joe Simone. In the next 10 years alone, the over 65 population is going to grow by 20 million people. We have to become more efficient and effective in treating this aging population, he added. He also discussed the trend toward the bedless hospital, such as the one that Simone Health built for Montefiore in the Bronx where a patient comes in for a procedure in the morning and leaves the same day. The strides in technology and healthcare now require a lot less patient recovery time, he noted. Simone said that todays most important technology trend is how Artificial intelligence (AI) will transform how healthcare is delivered. He said AI will help increase productivity and the efficiency of care delivery and allow healthcare systems to provide more and better care to more people. Simone also said the huge growth under way in biotech and life sciences will have tremendous impact on healthcare. And he noted that outpatient and urgent care facilities will continue to grow and so will the use of telemedicine. Today healthcare is technically sick care. It is not really healthcare because we are treating people who are ill. In the future we are going to have true healthcare which is preventive care and creating a plan for each individual patients needs, he said. The forum, which was held March 10, is part of series of State of the Economy programs presented by the Business Council of Westchester. About Simone Health Development: Simone Health Development is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of office, retail, industrial and healthcare properties in the New York tristate area. Headquartered in the Bronx, the privately held company owns and manages more than 5 million square feet of property in the Bronx, Westchester County, Queens, Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. The companys portfolio includes more than 100 properties and ranges from multi-building office parks to retail and industrial space. The largest and most successful development from Simone Health is the 42-acre Hutchinson Metro Center office complex located directly off the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx. The first two phases of the complex, which comprise nearly 750,000 square feet of Class A office and medical space, are fully leased. Two additional phases totaling 650,000 square feet (370,000-square-foot Metro Center Atrium and 280,000-square-foot Tower Two), are completed and fully leased. Visit http://www.simonehealth.com NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Knights of Columbus is providing more than $146,000 for the construction of a plant to condense and concentrate oxygen to serve Peru's second most populous region, which is suffering from the effects of COVID-19. The Order is undertaking the project at the behest of Archbishop Jose Antonio Eguren of the Archdiocese of Piura, Peru. The goal is to fill nearly 50 10m3 oxygen tanks daily to help fill an urgent need in the community. The project follows nearly $250,000 worth of oxygen supplies sent by the Knights of Columbus to help the Indigenous people of the Amazon region. "Breathing is so fundamental that we often take it for granted, and now we see men, women and children literally desperate for this basic necessity," Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said. "The Knights' principle of charity impels us to act and provide resources necessary for our brothers and sisters in Christ to live through this global crisis." The Piura region is the second-largest population center in Peru, but it has an acute infrastructure deficiency when it comes to ICU beds as well as the provision of concentrated medicinal oxygen. Health care networks, already precarious from the impact of natural disasters, have been strained, and many individuals in critical condition are going without oxygen, both in the hospitals and in private homes. However, with the commitment from the Knights of Columbus, the archdiocese can immediately begin construction of a facility that will make oxygen available to patients within 6 to 8 weeks. In February, the Knights of Columbus provided concentrated oxygen and personal oxygen concentrator devices to the Amazon regions of Brazil and Peru, where Indigenous populations have been hit hard by the pandemic. This latest project fulfills the Knights' $400,000 commitment for COVID-19 relief in South America, and will make an impact long into the future. The recent efforts in Brazil and Peru fall within the Knights' "Leave No Neighbor Behind" initiative, which began nearly a year ago as a response to the pandemic. Knights of Columbus around the world were encouraged to continue serving their communities while adhering to social-distance guidelines. In addition to charitable support at the state and local level, the initiative included a multimillion-dollar campaign to support food banks in the United States and Canada; million-dollar lines of credit to dioceses in financial trouble; sponsorship of Vatican broadcasts during Holy Week and Christmas and support of Rome's Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital for the care of children infected by the coronavirus. "We have pledged to leave no neighbor behind, and this commitment to this work in South America speaks to that," Supreme Knight Kelly said. "In our response to the coronavirus as with so many other initiatives, we will hold true to the saying, 'where there is a need, there is a Knight'." To watch a video of the impact of the Knights' efforts in Brazil and Peru, click here. About the Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus is one of the world's leading fraternal and service organizations with 2 million members in more than 16,000 parish-based councils. During the past year, Knights around the world donated more than 77 million service hours and $187 million for worthy causes in their communities. The organization also offers extensive life insurance services to members and their families, resulting in more than $114 billion of life insurance in force. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors offers investment services to individuals and institutions in accord with Catholic social teaching and has over $26 billion in assets under management. From helping children in need, to providing wheelchairs for the disabled, to helping stock food banks, to offering top-rated and affordable insurance products to its members, to creating a legacy of giving, the Knights of Columbus has supported families and communities for more than 138 years. To learn more please visit us at kofc.org. SOURCE Knights of Columbus Related Links www.kofc.org Tahir On Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein Co-Star Shweta Tripathi: She Brings A Definite Authenticity To Every Role Acclaimed Bollywood actor Tahir Raj Bhasin has been shooting for his digital series Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein in Madhya Pradesh and he is loving shooting in real locations, of course with all necessary precautions undertaken by the production. Tahir says, Madhya Pradesh has been quite a revelation. Earlier this month, we were shooting in Omkareshwar which is an extremely picturesque temple town two hours from Indore. The centuries old alleys and temples that line the banks of the crisp clear waters of the Narmada have uplifted the visual aesthetic of the world that the series Yeh Kaali Kaali aankhein is set in. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tahir Raj Bhasin (@tahirrajbhasin) Tahir reveals that the crew is now in Bhopal and is shooting in real locations. He says, This week weve moved our cavalcade of 200 crew members to Bhopal and I look forward to experiencing the capital as we shoot here over the next week. The versatile actor adds, During the tail end of last year, most shoots were restricted to indoor studio set ups. Being outdoors in this beautiful city of lakes with its rich architectural heritage lining the streets has been a delight and has brought the best out of me and the crew. I look forward to exploring the city sights as we shoot and on my days off. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tahir Raj Bhasin (@tahirrajbhasin) Tahir has been paired opposite Shweta Tripathi in this series. Tahir plays the role of a die-hard romantic person and is excited to be in a fresh pairing with the Mirzapur famed actress. Shweta Tripathi is a fabulous actor and an amazingly genuine person. Ive really enjoyed creating scenes with her so far. She brings a definite authenticity to every role she plays and its been fascinating working with that energy and adding to it. The part I play in this series is of a die-hard romantic, passionately committed to the girl in his life. What audiences can expect to see is cracking chemistry and a suspensefull story that keeps them on the edge. reveals Tahir. He confirmed that his hit Netflix show, Down To Earth, would finally be returning for season two in 2021. And on Tuesday, Zac Efron appeared to be filming a segment for the new season in South Australia with his brother Dylan. The 33-year-old - who relocated to Australia last year - shared a video to Instagram while swimming with the dolphins. New show: Zac Efron and his brother Dylan swam with the dolphins in South Australia on Tuesday while filming his new Down To Earth series The actor showed off his muscular frame as he swam with the dolphins while being filmed. Dylan also shared a post to his Instagram story of the pair in the ocean and wrote: 'I don't know who was more excited, me or the dolphins.' Zac confirmed the second season of his show earlier this month, sharing a picture of himself and wellness expert Darin Olien during a Welcome To Country ceremony lead by an Aboriginal Elder. Experience: The 33-year-old, who relocated to Australia last year - shared a video to Instagram while swimming with the dolphins Rare: Dylan also shared a post to his Instagram story of the pair in the ocean and wrote: 'I don't know who was more excited, me or the dolphins' The pair both wore paint on their faces, while wearing a traditional red headband. 'Here we go - Down to Earth season 2!' Zac wrote alongside the photo. The High School Musical actor will mainly star alongside Darin, as the duo search for healthy, sustainable ways to live on earth as well as embrace the local food, culture and customs of the country. Return: Zac confirmed the second season of his show earlier this month, sharing a picture of himself and wellness expert Darin Olien during a Welcome To Country ceremony lead by an Aboriginal Elder Last month, Dylan told Bro Bible he had planned a trip Down Under to help produce the second season of Zac's Netflix series. 'I'm going to be in Australia for the next couple of months. As soon as I get back, I'm ready to start doing Flow State season two,' he said, as he referred to his YouTube show.' Last season, Zac and Darin visited Iceland, France and Costa Rica - but this series will be undoubtedly different due to COVID-19 restrictions. MANISTEE COUNTY The coronavirus vaccine is expected to be widely available to adults by May, but getting people to take their medicine could be a real challenge for health officials. A report released Monday by the Delphi Group at Carnegie Mellon University shows that overall willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine has increased by 5 percentage points between Jan. 10 and Feb. 27. Meanwhile, the proportion of adults who are hesitant to get a vaccine has remained constant, at around 23%. It is this group that concerns health care officials like Dr. Mark Cannon, an infectious disease expert at Munson Healthcare. He and others are looking to vaccinate enough of the population to reach the point of herd immunity, before the more infectious COVID-19 variants take hold. The quicker we can all get vaccinated and stop quick transmission from person to person and easy transmission from person to person, then, the whole worry about variance will also decrease proportionally because there will be less spread, Cannon said Tuesday during Munson Healthcares weekly news conference. According to the Mayo Clinic website, herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making its spread from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected not just those who are immune. The benefits of herd immunity are felt through various segments of society, which can include children too young to be vaccinated; immunocompromised patients who cannot be vaccinated; elderly people who cannot mount optimal immune response to a vaccine; people who have inadequate access to immunization; and others who remain unvaccinated by choice, according to a report by the American Academy of pediatrics. But getting to herd immunity will be made that much harder with vaccine holdouts, said Cannon. I think we just have to realize that we all want whats best for not just ourselves, but our community as a whole, Cannon said. These are not vaccines like a pneumonia vaccine or shingles vaccine, where you really only hurt yourself when you dont get it. No ones gonna get too bent out of shape if someone declines their shingles vaccine. You might say thats not a great idea, but you know that its not going to hurt anybody else. Related:19.8% of Manistee County vaccinated against COVID-19 Health officials at the virtual meeting expressed their confidence in both the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccinations. According to Cannon, there had been no convincing evidence of deaths caused by the vaccine, and an extremely low incidence of serious side effects, which he said are manageable by attendant healthcare providers. The overall adverse event rate was a little more than 0.002%, which is down around placebo levels, he said. That would be the minimum expected of any medication, any new vaccine or pill or anything. Keep in mind that this sort of adverse rate, the sort of risk is negligible compared to some of the risks we take every day. Everybody here just drove to work in three inches of slippery snow, and youre telling me 0.002% risk is something youre not willing to deal with? Dr. Chris Ledtke, another participant in the March 16 news conference, said that Michigan has seen the second highest number of COVID-19 variants in the nation behind Florida. While these new variants do not appear to have a higher rate of mortality according to Ledtke, their faster rate of community spread means more people will have to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity. Herd immunity is directly related to the transmissibility of an infection, Ledtke said. So if we're dealing with a higher transmissibility from a variance, then what we're going to need is a higher proportion of the population protected, which means vaccination. So another reason to get vaccinated and urge your family members to get vaccinated if they have the option. Ledtke said the vaccinations could mean a light at the end of the tunnel, for Americans feeling COVID fatigue. Related: Health department to host mass COVID-19 vaccine clinics Based on what we projected to be an increase in vaccine supply, it's likely that majority of Americans will be vaccinated in the next few months, he said. Ideally, we would see a majority of the population be protected with these, and then maybe we wouldnt need to quarantine. That still requires enough people to get the vaccine, Ledtke said. It does no good on the shelf. It needs to go in peoples arms, he said. In the meantime, Ledtke urged people to exercise caution and follow coronavirus guidelines while the vaccinations are being rolled out. Some of this has to do with the fact that still only a minority of the population is protected, he said. So most people that you would encounter out in the community are not protected against COVID, based on the proportion of those that weve vaccinated so far, so there is still a significant transmission risk. For questions, email covid@dhd10.org. For more COVID-19 vaccine information, visit www.dhd10.org/covid-19-vaccine. Married At First Sight star Tracey Jewel was hospitalised on Tuesday. The heavily pregnant former reality star, 37, was admitted into care with complications as she prepares to welcome her second child in a matter of weeks. Sharing a photo of her bump as she lay in a hospital bed to Instagram, Tracey, 37, wrote: 'Still pregnant and not so patiently waiting! Issues: Married At First Sight star Tracey Jewel [pictured] was hospitalised on Tuesday. The former reality star, 37, was admitted into care with pregnancy complications, weeks out from her due date 'This pregnancy has tested me in a lot of ways. Having an irritable uterus, the last week and has been painful and arduous, in and out of hospital overnight stays and being monitored. 'This is how we hang for now - I know he will come at the perfect time so I'm just going to try and enjoy the last days of pregnancy while navigating the pain and exhaustion'. Tracey concluded: 'The female human body is truly incredible - women you are warrior goddesses! Sharing a photo of her bump as she lay in a hospital bed to Instagram, Tracey wrote: 'This pregnancy has tested me in a lot of ways.Having an irritable uterus, the last week and has been painful and arduous, in and out of hospital overnight stays and being monitored' 'I'm so proud of mine! Bed rest and staying positive with an amazing supportive hubby'. An irritable uterus refers to regular contractions similar to like Braxton-Hicks, but stronger and more frequent. While not usually harmful, the contractions can be uncomfortable and lead to hospital stays like Tracey's. Discomfort: An irritable uterus refers to regular contractions similar to like Braxton-Hicks, but stronger and more frequent. While not usually harmful, the contractions can be uncomfortable and lead to hospital stays like Tracey's The star's baby boy with husband Nathan Constable is due in the coming month. The couple, who were high school sweethearts, were married in February in a surprise ceremony. The soon-to-be mother-of-two already has 10-year-old daughter Grace from a previous relationship. CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this Europe data center market report. The Europe data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% during the period 20192025. Key Highlights Offered in the Report: The COVID-19 impact was higher in Europe , especially among countries such as the UK, Italy , and Spain . This resulted in supply chain disruptions during Q1 and Q2 2020, with market recovery in Q3 and Q4 2020. Western Europe contributed to over 75% of the total investments in the Europe market in 2020. Netherlands contributed to over 20% investments received in the Western Europe data center market. The implementation of GDPR has led to higher demand for data center development among cloud and colocation service providers. Many countries within Europe are framing regulations for the storage and processing of consumer data. The PUE of most upcoming facilities in Europe will be lower than 1.4 through the adoption of efficient cooling infrastructure solutions. Almost all European countries will facilitate the use of free cooling for over 5,000 hours in a year, including the use of innovative techniques such as ice and snow in cooling. Iceland will be a sought-after location for bitcoin mining operations within Europe , with investments from cryptocurrency companies such as Moonlite and USI-Tech in the coming years. The Central & Eastern European market has become a center for gaming developers and software development houses. District heating has been widely adopted in the Europe data center market, especially in Western European countries such as Netherlands and Switzerland , as well as countries within Nordics, such as Sweden and Denmark . Key Offerings: Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20212026 Market Dynamics Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities Market Segmentation A detailed analysis by IT infrastructure, electrical infrastructure, mechanical infrastructure, cooling technique, general construction, tier standards, and geography Competitive Landscape 22 IT infrastructure providers, 24 support infrastructure providers, 20 construction contractors, and 26 data center investors Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/europe-data-center-market-report-2025 Europe Data Center Market Segmentation Enterprises are shifting to high-performance and capacity-intensive infrastructure. The high consumption of internet-based services is expected to drive the IT infrastructure market. The COVID-19 pandemic fueled infrastructure adoption among internet-related service providers in Q1 and Q2 2020. Hyperscale operators procured ODM infrastructure, which grew by over 10% across Europe in 2020. in 2020. The server infrastructure market has witnessed strong growth over the last two years. Server systems based on x86 architecture dominated the Europe data center market share with over 85% in 2020. Most modern operators adopt the server infrastructure that matches workload requirements. data center market share with over 85% in 2020. Most modern operators adopt the server infrastructure that matches workload requirements. Several facilities have adopted flexible designs to facilitate dual power feeds, 2N redundant UPS and PDU systems, and N+1 generators. The market share of metered and monitored rack PDU solutions has observed a remarkable increase in Western Europe . In the Nordic region, the deployment of hyperscale facilities is likely to fuel the procurement of 48V DC UPS systems. Most facilities in the region are powered by renewable energy with grid stability of over 95%. Europe Data Center Market by IT Infrastructure Servers Storage Network Europe Data Center Market by Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches and Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructures Europe Data Center Market by Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems CRAC & CRAH Units Chiller Units Cooling Towers, Dry Coolers, & Condensers Evaporative Coolers & Economizers Other Cooling Units Racks Others Mechanical Infrastructure Europe Data Center Market by Cooling Technique Air-based Cooling Technique Liquid-based Cooling Technique Europe Data Center Market by General Construction Core and Shell Development Installation and Commissioning Services Engineering and Building Designs Physical Security DCIM/BMS Europe Data Center Market by Tier Standards Tier I & II Tier III Tier IV Europe Data Center Market Dynamics About 25 European cloud and data center operators, which include AWS, Google, Equinix, Interxion, OVHCloud, Scaleway, Aruba, and others, and 17 industry associations have signed an agreement to make their data center carbon neutral by 2030, which include powering the facilities through 100% renewable energy. According to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, 75% of the power supplied to data centers in Europe will be supplied through renewable energy or carbon-free energy by December 31, 2025, and the objective is to reach 100% by December 31, 2030. Hyperscale data center providers such as Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are the major investors in renewable energy initiatives. There is a high interest in adopting renewable power sources among global and local data center colocation suppliers such as Equinix and Digital Realty (InterXion), Aruba, and QTS. Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth: Innovative UPS Battery Technology Increased Adoption of 200/400 GBE Switch Ports COVID-19 Enhances Data Center Demand Increasing Demand for Big Data & IoT Investments Europe Data Center Market Geography In 2020, the Western European data center market witnessed investments in 80 projects, among which 20 projects became operational as of Q3 2020. The remaining 60 projects are still under development and expected to be operational by Q2 2021. The data center market in Western Europe is witnessing investment contributions from both global and colocation service providers. The market will also witness the continuous adoption of cloud services among SMEs, with the heightened interest shown towards the digital transformation of businesses by adopting solutions such as IoT, big data, and artificial intelligence. The demand for smart devices, coupled with growing internet penetration, will also fuel the growth of data centers and corresponding infrastructure in the region. Data centers in Western Europe are being built to support OCP rack infrastructure solutions. This is aided by the growth of ODM solutions in the market. Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/europe-data-center-market-report-2025 Europe Data Center Market by Geography Europe Western Europe UK Germany Netherlands France Ireland Belgium Switzerland Luxembourg Other Countries Nordic Denmark Norway Sweden Finland & Iceland & Central and Eastern Europe Russia and the Czech Republic and the Poland & Austria & Other Countries Key Data Center Critical (IT) Infrastructure Providers Arista Networks Atos Broadcom Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Extreme Networks Huawei Technologies Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Hitachi Vantara IBM Inspur Inventec Juniper Networks Lenovo MiTAC Holdings NEC Corporation NetApp Oracle Pure Storage Quanta Computer (Quanta Cloud Technology) Super Micro Computer Wistron (Wiwynn) Key Data Center Support Infrastructure Providers ABB Airedale International Air Conditioning Asetek Alfa Laval Assa Abloy Bosch Security Systems ( Robert Bosch ) ) Caterpillar Cummins Delta Electronics Eaton HITEC Power Protection KOHLER-SDMO Legrand Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Nlyte Software Piller Power Systems Rolls-Royce Power Systems Rittal Riello Elettronica (Riello UPS) Schneider Electric STULZ Socomec Trane Technologies ( Ingersoll Rand ) ) Vertiv Group Key Data Center Contractors AECOM Arup Group Bouygues Construction CapIngelec DPR Construction Deerns Fluor Corporation Future-Tech HDR Architecture ISG Jones Engineering Group Kirby Group Engineering Linesight Mercury Engineering Mace Group M+W Group (Exyte) Metnor Construction RED-Engineering Structure Tone Winthrop Engineering and Contracting Key Data Center Investors 3data Aruba SpA AzInTelecom Bahnhof CyrusOne Colt Data Center Services (Colt DCS) Digital Realty DigiPlex DataPro DATA4 Smart Data Centers Equinix Echelon Data Centers EcoDataCenter Facebook Google Global Switch GlobalConnect Green Mountain Iron Mountain (IO) Microsoft NTT Global Data Centers QTS Realty Trust VIRTUS Data Centres Telecom Italia Sparkle T5 Data Centers Vantage Data Centers Explore our data center knowledge base profile to know more about the industry. 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Mail: [email protected] Call: +1-312-235-2040 +1 302 469 0707 SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence A London Metropolitan Police officer involved in the Sarah Everard search operation in Kent has been removed from their duties for allegedly sharing an inappropriate graphic with colleagues. The force said a graphic was shared on social media on Friday and was reported by a number of officers who were concerned by its content. The Metropolitan Police said that, given the context of the officers duties at the time, a referral had been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The officer, a probationary constable, had been deployed as a cordon officer supporting the search operation in Kent in relation to Ms Everards disappearance. (PA Graphics) They have been placed in a non-public facing role while inquiries continue. The force said the graphic did not contain photographic images, images of Ms Everard, or any other material obtained from or related to the investigation into her murder. Her family have been made aware of the incident. Assistant Police Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: The MPS expects its officers to behave professionally at all times and this includes how they use social media. I take allegations that any officer or officers have failed to observe these standards very seriously and have referred this matter to the IOPC. Demonstrators on Westminster Bridge (Ian West/PA) The IOPC confirmed it would also be commencing a second, separate investigation into how Wayne Couzens, the serving officer charged with Ms Everards murder, came to sustain serious injuries while in custody. Couzens, 48, has been charged with kidnapping and killing the marketing executive, who went missing while walking home from a friends flat in south London on March 3. He sustained head injuries on March 10 and March 12 and was treated in hospital on both occasions. It comes as large numbers of demonstrators gathered in central London on Monday evening to protest over the Mets handling of a vigil held for Ms Everard on Saturday night. Hundreds of people blocked traffic on Westminster Bridge before moving to New Scotland Yard, shouting shame on you. Meanwhile in Sandwich, Kent, officers continue to conduct inquiries into Ms Everards murder. Ek Villain Returns: Arjun Kapoor To Join John Abraham & Disha Patani In April; Reveals The Genres Speciality At the beginning of this month, filmmaker Mohit Suri began the filming of his much awaited project Ek Villain Returns, with John Abraham and Disha Patani in Mumbai. The Mahurat of the film was held at Bandra's G7 Multiplex and photos of the team sporting matching hoodies featuring a yellow smiley took over the internet. However, fans wondered why Arjun Kapoor and Tara Sutaria, who are also a part of the film, were not present at the launch. Well, Arjun has now revealed that he will join the team next month. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arjun Kapoor (@arjunkapoor) In a chat with Pinkvilla, the Ishaqzaade actor was quoted saying, Villain they are shooting with John and Disha right now, I start in early April. This genres speciality is that you will not know whos good, whos bad, whos right and whos wrong, everybody has something that makes them grey. For me that is very exciting. I was waiting for the right kind of film to do that, and to work with a director (Mohit) who I really enjoyed working with (in Half Girlfriend), who has a great cinematic taste. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arjun Kapoor (@arjunkapoor) Arjun went on to add that he feels Ek Villain Returns will be consumed in cinemas on the big screen soon after COVID-19 vaccines are taken by movie-lovers and they return to theatres. He shared, Villain is the kind of film I always wanted to do as an actor to entertain people pan India. Jointly produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar, Ek Villain Returns will hit theatres on 11th February next year. Prime Minister Florin Citu on Tuesday informed that he had decided to dismiss Octav Bjoza from the office of Undersecretary of State with the State Secretariat, for recognizing the merits of fighters against the communist regime established in Romania between 1945 and 1989, as such an approach of "questioning the dimensions of the Holocaust" in Romania and trying to blame the Jewish community for "bringing communism in Romania" is "incompatible" with the latter's status as a high official of the Government, according to AGERPRES. "A democratic and civilized society, such as Romania, remains firmly committed to condemning the Holocaust and any form of ethnic, social or religious stigmatization. It is the unequivocal commitment of the Romanian state, and, as Prime Minister, I will defend it with all my strength. Questioning the dimensions of the Holocaust and trying to bring communism to Romania on the shoulders of the Jewish community is not only an attempt to mystify history but also a dangerous gesture against the democratic values," the Prime Minister said in a statement, according to a press release of the Government. In the opinion of the Prime Minister, Bjoza attempting to, in his capacity as head of the Association of Former Political Prisoners and Victims of the Romanian Dictatorship, plead for the successors of the war criminals to receive benefits from the Romanian state is an insult to those who suffered because of the horrors of communism and the Holocaust. The head of Executive approved on Monday the release of Octav Bjoza from the office of Undersecretary of State, the decision being published on the same day in the Official Journal. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tallwave, a leading customer experience design company, today announced it has expanded to Dallas. The Arizona-based company provides full-scale customer experience (CX) services to companies who want to strengthen their brand and product design, customer acquisition and retention. "Our goal, first and foremost, has been to help companies embrace the human side of business by helping them connect to their customers," said Jeffrey Pruitt, co-founder and CEO of Tallwave. "Our expansion in Dallas will enable us to work side-by-side with our clients in the region so that together we can help build stellar customer experiences for their brand." Tallwave's new location is opening with a team of senior employees from the Dallas-metro area with additional hires expected. "We're thrilled to be expanding to Dallas because it's home to an exceptional pool of talent," said Robert Wallace, partner and vice president of corporate development. "The robust business environment, tech ecosystem and universities in the area make for an innovative community, and we are thrilled to now be a part of it." Tallwave has recently collaborated with notable companies such as Algolia, Banner Health, Pet Supplies Plus, and Cox Media. The company has seen more demand than ever from organizations wanting to deepen customer engagement, drive revenue, and build customer loyalty. The expansion to Dallas is the latest milestone in the company's ongoing streak of achievements. Tallwave's fifth appearance on the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies and their recent rebrand highlights the company's growth and dedication to its clients, innovation, and customer experience. To learn more about Tallwave please visit www.Tallwave.com. To reach someone to discuss the Dallas expansion, please reach out to [email protected]. About Tallwave Tallwave is a customer experience design company that partners with change agents at the most ambitious and innovative companies to help create exceptional brand experiences. Tallwave provides a full suite of solutions including strategy, product, and marketing solutions that are laser-focused on customer engagement. Tallwave is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. Learn more at tallwave.com. SOURCE Tallwave Related Links http://www.Tallwave.com The United States on Monday slammed Myanmars junta over a surge in violence against pro-democracy protesters, saying they have responded to calls for the restoration of democracy with bullets. US State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter criticised Myanmars military for brutally attacking their own people and killing dozens throughout the country last weekend. Porter said the crackdown of civilians in Myanmar proves that the military orchestrated the coup for their own benefits. The military juntas violence against the people of Burma is immoral and indefensible. The junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in Burma with bullets. These tactics are a reminder that Burmas military conducted this coup for their own selfish gains and not to represent the will of the people, Porter said at the press briefing. Myanmars security forces intensified the crackdown last weekend, killing at least seven protesters on Saturday and four on Sunday. The Army opened fire on protesters in several cities across the country, including in the commercial hub of Yangon. According to reports, the overall death toll since the start of the unrest earlier last month is said to be over 80. Myanmar coup Myanmars military conducted a coup on February 1, overthrowing the democratically-elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The military accused the government of engaging in illegal activities, including election fraud and corruption. The junta claimed to be representing the will of the people. However, experts suggest that the coup was orchestrated because the junta feared that Suu Kyis government would try to reduce the number of seats reserved for the military in the parliament after winning the 2020 election with a landslide. After the coup, thousands of protesters took to the streets to oppose the overthrow of the government and to demand the restoration of democracy in Myanmar. The military came crashing hard on pro-democracy protesters, using violent and coercive measures to stop and discourage demonstrators from expressing their independent views. So far, All Mississippi residents will be eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine starting Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced Monday. Why it matters: President Biden has called on states to designate all adults eligible by May 1. Mississippi is the second state after Alaska to open up the vaccine to people ages 16 and older. Details: Almost 10,000 appointments will be available in the next three weeks, according to Reeves. The state has already extended eligibility to cover everyone 50 or older. The governor urged those residents to "Lock [appointments] down TODAY!" on Twitter. "Get your shot friends - and lets get back to normal!" Reeves tweeted. No vaccine has been authorized yet for children in the U.S. so likely only those 16 and over are eligible. The big picture: About 20% of Mississippians have gotten at least one shot as of Sunday, per a New York Times tracker. 11% have been fully vaccinated. The government has brought in changes to the investment pattern for non-government provident funds, and superannuation and funds, enabling them to invest up to 5 per cent in the units of Category I and Category II (AIFs), subject to some caveats. The development is part of the central governments strategy to channelise domestic savings and improve their returns to attract more investment in the said sectors. At present, these funds typically invest a minimum 45 per cent in government securities, besides new instruments, such as exchange-traded funds and real estate investment funds, while a portion in equity-related instruments. According to the finance ministrys notification, these funds have to comply with certain conditions for investment, such as size and class of AIFs, and investment concentration. Some of the conditions provide that investments should be in those AIFs that invest in infrastructure, SME, venture capital, and social welfare. Giving an overview of the caveats, the ministry said these funds will invest only in those AIFs corpus of which is equal to or more than Rs 100 crore. Exposure to a single AIF shall not exceed 10 per cent of the AIF size. However, this limit wont apply to a government-sponsored AIF. Funds must ensure that investment is not be made directly or indirectly in securities of the companies or funds incorporated and/or operated outside India. The sponsor of an alternative investment fund should not be the promoter in the fund or the promoter group of the fund, the government said. Besides, AIFs should not be managed by an investment manager, who is directly or indirectly controlled or managed by the fund or the promoter group of the fund. AIF is typically defined as any fund established or incorporated in India which is a privately pooled investment vehicle collecting funds from sophisticated investors, whether Indian or foreign, for investment in accordance with a defined investment policy for the benefit of its investors. Of three categories of AIFs, Category 1 includes venture capital funds (including angel funds), SME funds, social venture funds, and infrastructure funds. Category 2 includes funds where at least 51 per cent of the corpus is invested in either infrastructure entities or SMEs or venture capital or social welfare entities. Category 3 AIFs employ diverse or complex trading strategies and may employ leverage, including through investment, in listed or unlisted derivatives. Apart from the Employees (EPF), several companies choose to run their own PF trusts for employees for various reasons, such as better returns and less hassle. However, they need to follow norms, including notified investment pattern for such schemes recognised under the Income Tax Act, and receive the same tax treatment as the EPF. The investment pattern was last revised in 2008, and was to be made effective from 2009. Under the 2008 pattern, there was no provision of investment in exchange-traded funds, index funds, asset-backed securities, real estate units, and infrastructure investment trusts. Later in 2014, the government expanded the list of eligible securities paving way for these funds to invest. Just like President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenyas Minister of Health Mutahi Kagwe is yet to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. CS Kagwe explained his decision to skip the jab saying he was not a priority and would not jump the queue. I will not take the vaccine until it gets to my turn on the priority list. If I take it before I will be accused of jumping the queue. If I do not take it, I will be accused of not leading by example. So, I am not sure which is which and that is why I have chosen to await my turn. The worst thing that could happen is if a nurse got Covid-19 because I have taken the vaccine meant for her, he said. Kagwes remarks come as more countries across Europe and Asia continue to suspend the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine over concerns about possible side effects. The Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Iceland and Thailand have already halted their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over an increased risk of developing a clot. Dr Willis Akhwale, Kenyas vaccine taskforce chairperson, defended Kenyas continued use of the vaccine saying the suspension by other countries is not the same as stopping the use of the jab. The AstraZeneca vaccine being used in Europe was not made by Serum Institute of India. If we were sharing batch numbers we would also stop it, he said. President Kenyatta also allayed fears over the safety of the vaccine and urged Kenyans to refrain from spreading rumours. Kenya is entering a critical phase in the management and control of the pandemic, with the arrival of WHO prequalified Covid-19 vaccines. This vaccine has been tested and our medical experts are persuaded that its safety is bankable, he said. Adding: If you have any questions outside policy, with regard to execution and how it will be done, ask the experts. Let us not depend on rumours. KBC Ireland CEO Peter Roebben is to take over the running of the banks Bulgarian arm as part of a sweeping management change announced by the Belgian parent. The Belgian executive will be replaced in Dublin by Ales Blazek, current head of data and strategy at CSOB in the banks Czech arm, subject to regulator approval. KBC Ireland was rocked last year by an 18.3m fine in relation to the tracker mortgage scandal, though the origins of that pre-dated Mr Roebbens time in the Irish role which he took up in 2019. The bank has been growing in the Irish market where it is positioned as a digital-first consumer bank with a growing share of the mortgage market. However, it remains weighed down by a large stock of boom-era bad loans. The latest changes at the top of KBC across Europe include the retirement of group chief financial officer (CFO) Rik Scheerlink. Hell be replaced by Luc Popelier who is returning to a role he held previously before becoming CEO of KBCs International Markets Business Unit in 2017 including overseeing the units in Ireland, Hungary, Bulgaria and the Czech and Slovak republics. The CEO of the banks operations in its home market in Belgium, Daniel Falque, is leaving KBC in May to 'pursue other interests', KBC said. He will be succeeded by David Moucheron, who has been heading KBC's Hungarian activities. In February, KBC Ireland reported a net loss of 48m for last year, largely down to the size of an impairment charge taken in anticipation of Covid-related losses. The Irish result was better than the bank had expected, including record lending to house buyers in the last three months of 2020 and a reduction in the overall volume of non-performing loans despite the hit from the pandemic. The fall in bad loans was despite the bank giving payment breaks to 6,843 borrowers in relation to mortgages and loans for personal and small and medium business customers during 2020. KBC Group ended 2020 with a net profit of 1.4bn. The French audio company Focal has a well-deserved reputation for producing some of the finestand most expensiveheadphones in the world. TechHive has verified the veracity of that reputation in its reviews of the Clear ($1,490), Elegia (discontinued), Radiance ($1,290), and Stellia ($2,990). Not one to rest on its laurels, Focal strives for ongoing improvement in its products. Today, the company announces that it is replacing the Clear model with the Clear Mg, which sells for the same price of $1,490. I didnt have the opportunity to hear the original Clear, but the new Clear Mg offers stunningly beautiful sound that truly lives up to its name. This review is part of TechHives coverage of the best headphones , where youll find reviews of the competitions offerings, plus a buyers guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product. Features Like its progenitor, the Clear Mg is an over-the-ear (circumaural), open-back headphone. In fact, other than the color and design of the outer grille, the only difference between the Clear and Clear Mg is the composition of the diaphragm. As the name indicates, the new diaphragm is pure magnesium; the previous model used an aluminum/magnesium alloy. According to Focal, magnesium makes the diaphragm even lighter and more rigid with more damping than the previous model. Focal Viewed in cross section, the driver diaphragm resembles an M, which Focal claims improves its rigidity. In both models, the diaphragm is a 40mm M-shaped dome, so named because the cross section resembles the letter M. This design is said to increase rigidity for more precision and less distortion. Also, the Focal-exclusive frameless pure-copper voice coil reduces the mass even further. The result is a frequency response from 5Hz to 28kHz (3 dB) with a THD of 0.25% @ 1kHz/100dB SPL and a sensitivity of 104dB SPL/1mW @ 1kHz. The impedance is 55 ohms, making the Clear Mg relatively easy to drive from a portable player. The headband and solid-aluminum yoke mechanisms are the same as found on the original Clear and other high-end headphones from Focal. The consistent curve between these elements is said to offer superior comfort regardless of the shape and size of the listeners head. In addition, the earpads consist of high-resilience memory foam covered with perforated microfiber, while the headband is covered with leather on the sides and top with microfiber on the bottom. Focal Focals new Clear Mg headphone features diaphragms fabrciated from magnesium. As I mentioned earlier, the earcups are open-back, so they do not offer as much isolation from ambient sound as closed-back designs. In a quiet environment, however, open-back earcups can offer a more expansive sound stage that some listeners prefer. The redesigned honeycomb outer grille also contributes to a more open soundthe original Clear had an outer grille that resembled a somewhat tightly woven screen. And Focal claims that the perforations in the microfiber covering the earpads also enhance this effect while offering greater tolerance of earcup position on the head. The inner grille is M-shaped, mirroring the shape of the diaphragm, which is said to result in better high-frequency reproduction. Like Focals other high-end headphones, the Clear Mg comes with two cables: a 3-meter (10-foot) cable with 4-pin XLR connector intended for home use with an amplifier such as the Focal Arche (discontinued, new model coming soon) and a 1.2-meter (3-foot) cable with a 3.5mm connector for mobile devices. Also included is a 1/4-inch adaptor that screws onto the 3.5mm plug, which is more secure than a snap-on design. In yet another similarity with Focals other high-end cans, the Clear Mgs packaging is a cut above. A large, sturdy box includes the headphone in its rigid, woven-cover, color-matching case along with a separate case for the cables. Even the documentation, sparse as it is, comes in its own folder. Focal The packaging befits such a high-end headphone. Performance As Ive come to expect from Focal headphones, the Clear Mg is supremely comfortable, with large earpads that fit easily over my relatively large ears. Also, the clamping pressure on my head is very low, making it easy to wear for hours without fatigue. It certainly didnt block ambient noise as well as the closed-back Stellia, but I was surprised at how much isolation it did provide. As usual, I listened to high-resolution tracks from Tidals Master library playing from my iPhone XS. I used the iFi hip-dac as the DAC and amplifier. I started with Home Is by Jacob Collier from his album Djesse Vol. 1. On this track, Collier is joined by British vocal ensemble Voces8 in what sounds like a massively overdubbed choral performance in a huge acoustic space such as a cathedral. There is some super-low bass drum in addition to the voices, which include some deep basses and high sopranos. The Clear Mg sounded gorgeous with a clean, spacious sound, no congestion, and neutral tonal balance. Focal The Clear Mgs driver is the result of years of research and development. Next, I turned to one of my all-time favorite vocal groups, Take 6. Evermore from the album So Cool is mostly a cappella with a few light percussion instruments. It makes creative use of the stereo sound stage, which the Clear Mg rendered beautifully with a clean, open sound. The voices sounded entirely natural, and Alvin Cheas deep bass voice was richly rendered. Guitarist Pat Methenys new album Road to the Sun includes an arrangement of Arvo Parts pensive Fur Alina for 42-string guitar. The sound of that unusual instrument is quite amazing, somewhat like a hammer dulcimer being plucked, with deep bass and delicate mids and highs. As before, the Clear Mg sounded clear and open with excellent tonal balance. For some straight-up rock, I listened to the classic Hard to Handle by The Black Crowes from Shake Your Money Maker (30th Anniversary Deluxe). It sounded solid and clean on the Clear Mg, with the vocal right up front. The sound stage wasnt quite as wide as Id heard on other tracks, which was probably due to the mix. Focal The inner grille is M-shaped, following the contours of the diaphragm. Moving on to jazz, I cued up Thats All from Diana Kralls This Dream of You. The instrumentation is simplepiano, guitar, acoustic bass, drums, and of course, Kralls incredible voice, which is mixed very forward. On the Clear Mg, I could hear each instrument clearly, including every breath and nuance in her voice, all within a well-integrated whole. Another of my all-time favorite groups is Steely Dan, so I played Gaslighting Abbie from Two Against Nature. Once again, the Clear Mg was a joy to listen to, with tight bass and wide sound stage that allowed me to hear deep into the mix. Hilary Hahn is one of the best classical violinists in the world, as amply demonstrated by her recording of Prokofievs Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major, Op. 19, with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France under the direction of Mikko Franck on the album Paris. I listened to the third movement, which sounded clear and open with great dynamic range and a wide sound stage on the Clear Mg. The violin was well balanced with the orchestra, and each section was well-delineated yet completely integrated. Focal The hard-shell carrying case protects the headphone and provides room for a cable. Finally, I brought out the big guns with Mussorgskys Night on Bald Mountain as recorded by the Weiner Philharmoniker under Gustavo Dudamel for the album Pictures at an Exhibition. The Clear Mg did this massive piece full justice with excellent dynamic range and a wide sound stage. As before, each section and solo instrument was clearly delineated within a cohesive whole. Comparison with Focal Stellia, Grado GW100 v2 I was very curious to compare the open-back Clear Mg with the closed-back Focal Stellia, which is almost twice as expensive at $2,990. Also, I decided to compare it with the only other open-back headphone I had on hand, the Grado GW100 v2. Admittedly, the Grado is far less expensive at $249, but its a great-sounding headphone, so what the heck? I listened to each track on all three headphones. In all cases, the Stellia sounded very similar to the Clear Mg, except that it was a bit louder at the same volume setting, the bass was slightly more pronounced, and the overall sound was just a little richer and thicker. Also, the sound stage was not quite as wide, bringing the instruments and voice a bit closer in. Mind you, these are not complaints, and the differences were minor. By contrast, the GW100 v2 sounded a bit lighter and brighter overall. Also, it was a just bit softer at the same volume setting with slightly less bass, though that was certainly not a problem. And the sound stage was just as wide as the Clear Mgs. As expected, the Stellia provided the most isolation from external sounds, while the GW100 v2 provided the leastafter all, its an on-ear design with foam earpads, so it offers virtually no isolation at all. The Clear Mg falls between them in this regard, providing more isolation than the GW100 v2 but less than the Stellia. Bottom line Im a big fan of Focals headphones, and the Clear Mg is certainly no exception. Its name perfectly represents its sound: clear, clean, and open with a wide sound stage and neutral, precise tonal balance. Its also supremely comfortable. No wonder recording engineers love it! In fact, the Clear Mg is also available in a Pro version, which differs from the consumer version only in color, included cables, and an extra set of earpads. At $1,490, the Clear Mg is quite expensive, though its half the cost of the Stellia. Aside from price, the choice between them comes down to personal preference. The Stellia has a slightly richer sound with a bit more bass, which will appeal to many listeners, and it provides better isolation from ambient sounds. But if you prefer a more neutral sound with a slightly wider sound stage, and you can tolerate less isolation, the Clear Mg is a clear winner. Said Kirksey: So things are going to start rocking and rolling, and theres just going to be no stopping my sister. Theres just not. Democrats and tribal groups hailed Haalands confirmation as historic, saying her selection means that Indigenous people who lived in North America before the United States was created will for the first time see a Native American lead the powerful department where decisions on relations with the nearly 600 federally recognised tribes are made. Naschio Johnson, centre, chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation, plays a drum as he leads a march to the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Washington, latt year, an effort to regain federal recognition. Credit:AP Representative Haalands confirmation represents a gigantic step forward in creating a government that represents the full richness and diversity of this country, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Native Americans for far too long have been neglected at the cabinet level and in so many other places, the Democrat said. Her confirmation shows that tribal members are visible and being taken seriously, Haaland said after the vote. And no, it should not have taken more than 200 years. Haaland said she was ready to roll up my sleeves so her department could play its part in Bidens plan to build back better and responsibly manage our natural resources to protect them for future generations. Her nomination was closely watched by tribal communities across the country, with some virtual parties drawing hundreds of people to watch her two-day confirmation hearing last month. Supporters projected a photo of Haaland, 60, a two-term congresswoman who represents greater Albuquerque, on the side of the Interior building in downtown Washington with text that read Our Ancestors Dreams Come True. Her selection break a two-century pattern of non-Native officials, mostly male, serving as the top federal official over American Indian affairs. The federal government often worked to dispossess tribes of their land and, until recently, to assimilate them into white culture. It is long past time that an American Indian serve as the secretary of the Interior, said Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, the nations oldest and largest tribal organisation. The nation needs her leadership and vision to help lead our response to climate change, to steward our lands and cultural resources and to ensure that across the federal government, the United States lives up to its trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations and our citizens, Sharp said. Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, called Haalands confirmation an unprecedented and monumental day for all first people of this country. Words cannot express how overjoyed and proud we are to see one of our own confirmed to serve in this high-level position. Haalands confirmation sets us on a better path to righting the wrongs of the past with the federal government and inspires hope in our people, especially our young people, Nez added. People protest the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017. Donald Trump approved both the Dakota and Keystone projects. Credit:Bismarck/Tribune/AP Not everyone was celebrating. Some Republican senators have criticised Haalands views on oil drilling and other energy development as radical and extreme, citing her opposition to the Keystone XL oil pipeline and her support for the Green New Deal, a sweeping, if mostly aspirational, policy to address climate change and income inequality. Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Haalands extreme views and support of catastrophic legislation such as the Green New Deal would make her confirmation disastrous, harming Americas energy supply and economy. American jobs are being sacrificed in the name of the Biden agenda, and Representative Haaland couldnt defend it, Barrasso said last week, referring to decisions by Biden to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and impose a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands. Barrasso also faulted Haalands support for continued protection for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region of the Rocky Mountains, despite a recommendation by the Fish and Wildlife Service that about 700 bears in parts of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho no longer need protection. Representative Haaland has chosen to ignore the science and the scientists of the very department that she is now nominated to lead, Barrasso said, calling on the department to remove protections for the grizzly under the Endangered Species Act. An adult female grizzly bear in the Cabinet Mountains, part of the Rocky Mountains in Montana. Credit:USFWS/AP Barrasso and several other senators missed the vote, citing a severe winter storm that dumped nearly a metre of snow on parts of Colorado and Wyoming, causing multiple flight cancellations. Fellow Wyoming Republican Cynthia Lummis and Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper of Colorado also missed the vote. Loading Adam Crepelle, lawyer and law professor at Southern University in Baton Rouge and a member of the Houma Tribe of Louisiana said: Hopefully when she gets into office, she can roll back some restraints on tribal economic development. Trust lands are super regulated, and its all federal land. If tribal economies can improve, hopefully that will lead to more funding for schools, tribal police, things like that. Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, said she appreciated Haalands leadership in the House on a range of issues, adding her status as a Native American will give us an extra advantage on [tribal] issues that are so important to Indian Country overall. Democrats think they have a test for whether they can work with Republicans on anything: it has to do with China. What we're hearing: The White House is quietly supporting Sen. Chuck Schumer's forthcoming legislation to curb China's global influence to prove Democrats can still work with Republicans despite the GOP voting unanimously against the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. An interlude of bipartisanship could be an important prelude to another ugly fight expected over President Biden's infrastructure package. The Senate majority leader's team also sees this bill as a marker for whether Republicans are willing to give Democrats any win. Between the lines: Outcompeting China is an area in which Republicans and Democrats largely agree: It's the one issue on which Schumer (D-N.Y.) and President Trump saw eye to eye. That makes it the perfect bipartisan appetizer for Democrats before they move on to infrastructure. Top lawmakers expect that massive package will have to be forced through with the budget reconciliation process. Biden labels the infrastructure plan his "Build Back Better" agenda. It would fundamentally reconfigure the economy and introduce massive climate change initiatives many Republicans consider too progressive. "President Biden welcomes work by Sen. Schumer and a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill to identify further steps we can take to increase resiliency in our economy," said a White House official. "The president and his team will remain in close contact with Sen. Schumer and other congressional leaders on the next steps." Schumer's anti-China legislation, which is still being assembled, would combine a series of proposals already put forth by lawmakers from both parties, sources familiar with the bill tell Axios. That would make bipartisan passage more feasible. The legislation is expected to on focus manufacturing, technology, 5G, supply chains and semiconductors, Schumer said last month. Top committee chairs and members are currently reviewing separate proposals so they can be marked up right away and stitched together on the floor, the sources said. This should make the process move fairly quickly, they added, with the goal of passing the bill as early as April. The Washington Post first reported on the accelerated timing of the bill. Details: Schumer and Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who introduced his Endless Frontier Act last year, will provide the main outline for the measure. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The humanitarian community launched a $1 billion Humanitarian Response Plan to address needs in northeast Nigeria in 2021, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement on Tuesday UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) The humanitarian community launched a $1 billion Humanitarian Response Plan to address needs in northeast Nigeria in 2021, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement on Tuesday. "The plan requests US$1 billion to enable partners to provide critical services to the 6.4 million most vulnerable people - amongst a total of 8.7 million people in need of some form of humanitarian assistance in 2021," the statement said. The UN agency explained that longstanding insecurity, violence, climate change and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened the humanitarian situation for almost nine million people, nearly two of whom are internally displaced and up to 5. 1 million are facing hunger in the lean season. With the funding requested, the humanitarian community aims to provide life-saving assistance and improve the living conditions in displacement camps. OCHA also said it expected the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria's north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe to persist unabated throughout 2021, with the armed conflict having no "clear end in sight." During the hearing, the police sought the death penalty for Khan, a suspected member of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, saying it was not just any killing but a murder of a law enforcement officer who was a defender of justice. (ANI) NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday awarded death sentence to Ariz Khan, convicted for the murder of police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma and other offences in connection with the 2008 Batla House encounter. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 11 lakh on Khan and directed Rs 10 lakh be immediately released to deceased inspector Sharmas family. During the hearing, the police sought the death penalty for Khan, a suspected member of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, saying it was not just any killing but a murder of a law enforcement officer who was a defender of justice. On March 8, the Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav had convicted Khan stating that the evidence produced by the prosecution duly proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge had said that it was duly proved that Ariz Khan and his associates caused murder of police official and fired gunshot on the police official. The evidence adduced on record, including ocular, documentary and scientific, prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Khan along with accomplices with common intention obstructed inspector Sharma in discharging public function, the court had said. Khan, along with his accomplices, also fired gunshots at head constables Balwant and Balvir Singh, the court had said. During the encounter in Batla House at Jamia Nagar in south Delhi on September 19, 2008, two suspected terrorists, identified as Atif Amin and Mohammed Sajid, were killed while Inspector Sharma of Special Cell received gun shot during the encounter and later died. Three other terrorists identified as Ariz Khan and Shahzad escaped while Mohammad Saif surrendered to the police. The encounter had taken place within a week of 2008 Delhi serial blasts that had killed 30 people. Blasts had taken place at Karol Bagh, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and India Gate. The Delhi police received intelligence about terrorists hiding at L-18 flat in Batla House locality. Later, Shahzad Ahmed was also arrested in 2010 and a trial court in July 2013 had sentenced him to life imprisonment in connection with the case. His appeal against the trial courts verdict has been pending in the high court. Khan, a native of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Delhi police's Special Cell in February 2018. The multiple bombings that rocked cities like Jaipur and Ahmedabad, apart from the national capital itself, in 2008, saw 165 people losing their lives and over 500 injured in all. A reward of Rs 15 lakh had been declared on Khan, besides an Interpol Red Corner Notice. 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 year after the pandemics arrival, U.S. passenger air travel remains at roughly half its pre-Covid levels and may not fully bounce back anytime soon. Is this really the time to launch a new domestic airline? How about two new airlines? A couple of industry veterans-turned-entrepreneurs think so. Look for flights from the low-fare carriers Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways soon. Andrew Levy, the former president of the budget carrier Allegiant Airlines, purchased the charter airline XTRA Airways in 2018. He renamed the company Avelo and planned to turn it into a low-fare, customer-focused airline with scheduled service from smaller airports that serve large metro areas. The official start of the Houston-based airline will happen in early April, and in the meantime, the company is keeping flight destinations under wraps as they get finalized. Mr. Levy had hoped for the companys first flights to take off in November 2020 but the pandemic forced the airline to slow things down. Now though, Mr. Levy feels there are a number of factors coming together to make this spring the right time to launch. The major airlines have reduced their numbers of flights, so there is airplane gate and office capacity at airports that had previously been constrained, he said. Its also a good time to hire flight crews and other experienced airline staff, he added, because many of the big airlines have laid off employees or offered early retirement packages. Chennai: With election-bound southern state Tamil Nadu also reporting a significant spike in Covid-19 cases over the last 10 days, the Chief Secretary has assessed the situation and asked authorities to intensify prevention efforts and also crackdown on violators of mask-wearing and related Covid-19 safety norms. Chief secretary Rajeev Ranjan held a meeting with top officials from the civic authorities, police, health, revenue departments and the district administration. It was stated that the reasons for the current spike are public and private events, schools, banks etc. where mask wearing and physical distancing norms are violated, in addition to flouting of home quarantine norms. To enforce COVID-19 norms and increase efforts towards controlling the pandemic, the chief secretary ordered the violators of COVID-19 protocols be find under the Public health act, it was also added that resumption of temperature screening and availability of sanitizer be ensured at all workplaces, factories and hotels. Government authorities have been instructed to ensure that the norms are strictly followed across banks, government and private venues, factories, wedding halls, schools, places of worship, tourist places etc. Health department has been asked to conduct fever camps and devise special strategies for areas reporting many cases or case clusters. Monitoring of home quarantined persons would also continue, in line with the previous year. Tamil Nadu reported 836 Covid-19 cases on Monday, which took the active cases to 5,149. A total of 8.60 lakh persons have tested positive and 8.42 lakh persons have been discharged following treatment till date. According to the government, the test positivity rate in the state had been brought below 1% in January and February, but now it has risen to 1.2%. However, in big cities such as Chennai and Coimbatore the test positivity rate has gone past 2%, this is at a time when the average daily testing is around 65,000. Live TV Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 21:00:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Graduating students search for job opportunities at a job matching fair at Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, on March 16, 2021. A job matching fair was held on Tuesday for students about to graduate in 2021 in Tsinghua University, where more than 300 employers from all over the country came to lure talents with over 8,000 job openings. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) After only six weeks of working in his company's newly purchased office space, Isaac Rudansky, founder and CEO of AdVenture Media Group, sent his employees home to avoid the spread of Covid-19. He lost 35 percent of his clients in the first three weeks of the pandemic. "I'm actually an optimistic person, but this was a really dark period," he says. "Oftentimes, when you're dealing with feelings of depression and stress, it's impossible to look at a longer horizon." So rather than look forward, Rudansky looked back at the past five years. Even through the peaks and valleys, he saw that his life and career had trended in a positive direction. That perspective gave him the confidence to move forward. As Eve Lewis Prieto, the director of meditation and a mindfulness teacher at Headspace, says, "one of the best things about mindfulness is that it can be applied to every area of your life. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully engaged and present with a soft and open mind, also known as paying attention on purpose." As we pass the one-year anniversary of the country entering lockdown, founders share with Inc. some of the practices that strengthen their mental health and help them stay mindful. 1. Identify what you're feeling When she looked at the options to confront her anxiety and burnout as a software engineer, Meha Agrawal, CEO and founder of Silk and Sonder, felt intimidated by therapy and was bored by meditation. Instead, she found that writing was the outlet she needed. "There are a ton of benefits of bringing pen to paper," she says. "It alleviates anxiety and stress, and it helps increase IQ and memory. It's proven to heal trauma." Agrawal created a journaling routine back in 2017, and soon after, she began developing her subscription-based journal company to help customers emulate her experience with journaling. Aaron Sternlicht, a therapist and co-founder of New York City-based Family Addiction Specialist, endorses writing as a way of tracking your emotional mood throughout the day. This practice can help you understand which activities and times of day spark more anxiety, he says. Once you can identify the trigger moments, you can better prepare yourself to respond. 2. Lean on other people Angela Ficken, a psychotherapist based in Boston, notes that maintaining personal relationships is a constant challenge in a founder's life. The pandemic has only worsened this, she says, spurring more mental health challenges for founders. In recognizing the importance of community, Agrawal created the Sonder club, an online community where Silk and Sonder users can connect on their wellness journey. Talking with people can be the best outlet for maintaining your mental well-being, Rudansky says: "It allows a person to express sympathy and empathy for what you're going through." A couple of months ago, he relates, one of his executives reached out to him to express that he felt overwhelmed at work. Rather than showing weakness, it showed strength and character, Rudansky says. The two ended up on an hourlong phone call together where they both opened up about their feelings and current struggles. 3. Make time for yourself--and start small Last month, Tori Farley, co-founder of Better Than Belts, a unisex suspender company, joined a book club and read The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown, which teaches readers how to reorient their mindsets and explores the psychology of authentic living. Farley was hesitant about reading a "quasi-self-help book," but "When I read it, it just clicked," she says. "If I want to spend two hours in the morning doing watercolor painting because that is going to make me feel happy for the rest of the day, then that's what I should do, and I don't have to start my day by checking my email." Even if it's just a short moment in time, doing something for yourself can help you get out of a workday slump, Farley says. And Ficken adds that the all-or-nothing mentality can be extremely harmful to mental health. If you can't get in your full workout that day, she says, don't give up on physical activity. Instead, walk around the perimeter of your house for a little while or even take a few minutes to walk to your kitchen to get some cold water. Humanitarian crisis, worsened by COVID-19, calls for relaxation of sanctions imposed on Syria: India at UNSC India oi-Madhuri Adnal United Nations, Mar 16: India has told the UN Security Council that the humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for relaxation of sanctions imposed on Syria, saying the international community must act with a "sense of urgency" to help the Syrian people. India''s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said this on Monday while addressing the Security Council briefing on Syria. "The 10-year long Syrian conflict has brought untold suffering to the Syrian people. The COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the situation, posing serious challenges to the fragile health infrastructure. There is an urgent need to increase humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicisation, and any preconditions," Tirumurti said. He emphasised that the humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, "calls for relaxation of sanctions imposed on Syria. The international community must act with a sense of urgency to help the Syrian people." China harps on 'package solution' for Indias bid to become UNSC permanent member He voiced conviction that all efforts towards improving the humanitarian situation in Syria will positively impact the political track as well and called upon the wider UN system, in particular the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to prioritise the vaccination programme in Syria, including through the COVAX initiative. Tirumurti described as "disheartening" that the conflict in Syria marks 10 years, peace and stability unfortunately remain elusive to the country and its people. The political transition in Syria facilitated by the UN is not the only process presently underway and the five rounds of meetings of the drafting body of the Syrian constitutional committee have resulted in very little progress. "External influence is also adversely impacting the process," he said. "The situation on the ground does not present an optimistic picture either. It will be unrealistic to expect any dramatic outcomes in the near future, unless the international community takes decisive collective steps in the right direction," he said, adding that if there is seriousness about achieving progress, there is need to have greater convergence of views and act to strengthen the hands of the Special Envoy Geir Pedersen. Constructive international diplomacy is the need of the hour to bridge existing divides by focusing on mutual and reciprocal steps, he said. In late December last year, UN human rights expert Alena Douhan had called on the US to remove unilateral sanctions against Syria, saying the sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act may "exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in Syria, especially in the course of COVID-19 pandemic, and put the Syrian people at even greater risk of human rights violations." The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, also known as the Caesar Act, contains the most wide-ranging US sanctions ever applied against Syria, a UN Human Rights statement had said. It added that the broad sweep of the US sanctions law that went into effect in June last year could target any foreigner helping in reconstruction of the conflict-ridden country, and even employees of foreign companies and humanitarian operators helping rebuild Syria. In remarks to the press following the briefing to the Council, Pedersen said the Syrian conflict has now lasted for the same period as the First World War and the Second World War and the Syrian people must feel that they are really trapped in an endless conflict. While there is a way forward, there is a need to find a way around the "you first" syndrome that has dominated much of the diplomacy around Syria for the last decade, he said. "Right now, there are what I call 'demands on all sides' - but little movement on any side. And this dynamic has to change," Pedersen said, adding that what is needed at the moment is to identify with realism and precision and implement in parallel mutual and reciprocal steps from Syrian and international players. "All players - including the Syrian government and opposition, and key international players - would need to be ready to identify not only what they realistically hope to achieve, but what they can put on the table," he said. Tirumurti reiterated that delinking humanitarian and developmental work with progress on the political track will help in creating a conducive environment of trust and confidence. He further noted that the Syrian conflict and involvement of external actors has contributed to the growth of terrorism in Syria and in its neighbouring countries, an issue that has been reiterated in the latest report of the Secretary General on the threat posed by ISIL. "We express our serious concern with the increased presence and terrorist activity of 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' and other affiliated terrorist groups that pose a threat to civilians inside and outside the Idlib de-escalation area," he said. "India firmly believes that long-term security and stability in this region can only be achieved by preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We also remain convinced that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN-facilitated political process" in line with relevant UNSC resolution. India has extended developmental assistance and human resource development support to Syria regularly, including lines of credits for developmental projects and supply of medicine and food. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 9:51 [IST] * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! SAN DIEGO, March 16, 2021" low emission zones (LEZ) to support the reduction of emissions in the most polluting areas of Denmark. Within the first seven months of operation, the solution has been able to demonstrate: Consistently high vehicle processing rates at near 100% levels across all vehicle types, exceeding contract expectations Journey compliance rates have improved and now exceed 99.5% Efficient enforcement and awareness activities have resulted in the reduction of penalty charge notifications by more than 85% compared to peak period The scheme has encouraged transition from higher polluting vehicles to retrofit effective particulate filters to minimize emissions in Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Aalborg, Odense and Aarhus. Of note, illegal driving in the Danish low emission zones will cost DKK 12,500 ($2000 US) for lorries and buses and DKK 1,500 ($150 US) for vans. Sund & Baelt (S&B), a state-owned transport infrastructure provider, engaged with ITS Teknik/Neology and Marston Holdings to solve one of the most pressing traffic related challenges in Denmark. The principal elements of the five-year agreement between S&B and the suppliers include: Neology Neology's CAZaaS (Clean Air Zone-as-a-Service) portfolio provides vehicle detection and processing services, fixed and mobile ANPR field equipment, image processing software, and operational back office (OBO) solutions with manual review capabilities. Using the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, these solutions detect and enforce vehicles entering the LEZ 24 hours a day, 365 days per year at industry-leading levels helping these communities achieve environmental sustainability. Marston Holdings ParkTrade Europe AB, a Marston Holdings company, delivered the LEZ office services for domestic and foreign vehicles including penalty charge noticing (PCN), vehicle database integrations and payment solutions. These solutions provide a seamless customer experience to register vehicles (individual and fleet), process PCNs and support the collection of fines. ITS Teknik ITS Teknik rapidly deployed Neology's latest IRIS ANPR solution in less than 100 days, maintaining its stellar reputation of deploying strategic traffic infrastructure in the Danish market. "Our partnership with Neology, ITS Teknik and Marston has given us an opportunity to effectively enforce the LEZ scheme with huge reduction of polluting vehicles in the low emission zones," said Lise Jonasen, S&B Programme Manager. "We are pleased to be delivering innovative and efficient solutions into Denmark and being able to see the early results that support Danish goals related to the environment," added Jorgen Odgaard, CEO of ParkTrade at Marston Holdings. "We appreciate the trust S&B put in us to execute their vision in tackling this important issue," said Luke Normington, Managing Director of EMEA and General Manager of ALPR at Neology. "Working closely with the S&B team, we have been able to deliver a world-first nationwide LEZ scheme utilizing the latest artificial Intelligence-based solutions to deliver incredible results, in a challenging period of time." ITS TEKNIK CONSORTIUM About Marston Holdings ParkTrade is part of Marston Holdings and the leading European provider of road tolling and charging solutions. Marston Holdings is the UK's largest provider of High Court debt and recovery services and comprises a number of market-leading companies including CCTV enforcement company Videalert, Project Centre, a streetscape design, engineering and landscape architecture consultancy and NSL, which provides parking enforcement services to the public and private sectors. This combined expertise enables Marston Holdings to provide a unique range of integrated transportation and enforcement solutions. About ITS TEKNIK One of Denmark's leading Intelligent Traffic Solution companies, who provides complete innovative and value added ITS solutions and services for the Danish road traffic, and has done since 1968. About Neology, Inc. Neology is re-imagining mobility to help our customers accelerate their vision for smart cities and safer communities. Our Mobility Platform is setting the industry standard through a unique combination of AI-powered adaptive solutions, a proven integration process, and unparalleled lifecycle support. Backed by a culture of innovation, our mobility experts work closely with global customers and a top-tier partner ecosystem to connect existing infrastructure assets with next-generation technology to modernize the way people move. To create safer, cleaner, more efficient mobility experiences, visit www.neology.net. Neology, Inc. Media Contact: Alyssa Eggum John Kelly Foster 858.688.2796 Alyssa@johnkellyfoster.com 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. A total of 5.94 crore doses of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine has been exported to 72 countries till March 15 but it is in no way being sent at the expense of the people of India, Health Minister Harvardhan informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said so far around 3 crore people have been administered the COVID vaccine and on Monday alone a total of 30.39 lakh people in the country took the jabs. "So far the government has provided 5.94 crore vaccine doses to 72 countries till yesterday. This has been done as the government considers that the whole world is our family," he told the house. "The vaccine provided to Indians is also being sent to foreign countries, but it is no way being sent at the expense of people of India," the minister also said. "We also consider that the benefits of science should reach globally. The technology could be local, but the entire humanity should benefit from it," he said. A government committee and experts are looking at this at the highest level and are maintaining a reasonably sensible balance in this regard, he said. The minister said the rates of the vaccine have also been kept at a minimum of Rs 250 in private hospitals, of which Rs 100 is given to the hospital, and it is free at government hospitals. "The pricing strategy of the vaccine has kept with a cap of Rs 150 on the vaccine and the government is working with complete seriousness on the issue," he said. Replying to another supplementary, the minister said that the health ministry, especially the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), keeps in touch with all the latest developments happening anywhere in the country and also outside the country. Whatever decisions are taken by the ministry and whatever guidelines are issued, these are made only after considering all the valid and relevant aspects of the particular subject, he said. Earlier, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, he said, "As on March 15, 2021, a total of 5.86 crore doses of 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines have been provided to 71 countries as grant by Govt. of India, as well as commercial sales by manufacturers and as part of international agreements of manufacturers with COVAX facility which has more than 190 member countries," providing details of the export of 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines. External supplies are being undertaken with due regard to domestic production, he said. "Priority is accorded to utilisation of doses within the country and ensuring adequate availability for the national vaccination programme," he said. On whether the government is considering to provide COVID-19 vaccines to all citizens free of cost, Vardhan said the vaccine is being given free of cost at government COVID-19 vaccination centres while at private facilities, it is available at a ceiling cost of Rs 250 per dose per person. In response to a question on whether the process of vaccination is going at a very slow pace, Vardhan said, "The current rate of COVID-19 vaccination is satisfactory and is being further increased through increase in number of COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) in both government and private health facilities." The NEGVAC has prioritised healthcare workers, frontline workers, persons aged 60 years and above, and those aged between 45 and 59 years with 20 identified comorbidities for COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccination is an ongoing and dynamic process, which is being expanded to include beneficiary groups as prioritised by NEGVAC. In view of dynamic nature of COVID-19 pandemic and inclusion of new priority groups, no time frame at present can be indicated for completion of vaccination, 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.) The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 02:20:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Yemen and a return to the political settlement of the crisis. Military clashes and all hostilities in Yemen must immediately stop. The protracted conflict in Yemen has caused huge losses for all parties and untold suffering for its people, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. Facts have repeatedly proved that military means cannot resolve the problem. Instead, war can only lead to disasters, he told the Security Council. Since last year, the United Nations has vigorously strived for the implementation of a global cease-fire. Launching military offensives and provoking hostilities now are the most unconscionable things to do, he said. "China expresses its concern of the escalation of the clashes in Marib, condemns attacks against Saudi civilians and civilian infrastructure, and calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities and violence so as to create necessary conditions for a political settlement of the Yemeni issue." Political commitments should be honored and political negotiations advanced. Despite difficulties and setbacks, there should be no deviation from the pursuit of a political settlement to the Yemeni issue, he said. Parties to the conflict should break free of the vicious cycle of going back and forth between the battlefield and the negotiating table. They should implement past agreements, which help to build mutual trust and make new gains, said Geng. UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has proposed a way forward to advance the political process. China hopes that parties will collaborate with his mediation efforts, participate in consultations with utmost political sincerity, so as to reach early consensus, he said. Regional security cooperation should be strengthened to help ease tension in Yemen, he said. Resolving the Yemeni issue requires a favorable regional security environment. China has proposed a multilateral dialogue platform in the Gulf region. Other countries have put forward similar ideas. China hopes that those ideas can be put into practice through joint efforts so as to promote the regional peace process, he said. "We hope that on the premise of respecting Yemen's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity, relevant countries can utilize their advantages to positively influence parties in Yemen so as to contribute toward politically settling the Yemeni issue." He also called for efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The mounting food security crisis is gut-wrenching. China hopes that the international community can build on the high-level pledging event for Yemen on March 1 and step up assistance to Yemen and fully fund the Yemen humanitarian response plan, he said. China welcomes the UN secretary-general's announcement of the creation of a high-level task force on preventing famine in Yemen, and looks forward to seeing it play an important role in mobilizing global resources and strengthening coordination among humanitarian agencies, he said. Yemen highly relies on imports for its food security. Parties should ensure the operations of commercial ports. Parties with actual control inside Yemen should comply with international humanitarian law and provide safe and unfettered humanitarian access so as to create conditions for the protection of civilians, in particular women, children, and other vulnerable groups, he said. On the derelict oil tanker Safer, China urges Houthis to expeditiously grant access to the UN technical team for inspection and repairs to prevent catastrophic accidents, he said. Enditem Integration of Thales Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) with Microsoft Double Key Encryption allows companies to protect customers data in Microsoft 365 applications while maintaining control of their encryption keys This collaboration with Microsoft protects sensitive data in the cloud and meets major data privacy regulations and requirements for companies and organizations using Microsoft 365 applications Thales announces a new data protection capability for Microsoft customers to benefit from the power of the full range of Microsoft 365 applications while protecting sensitive data in the cloud and meeting major data privacy regulations and requirements. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005009/en/ Copyright Thales Designed for companies that operate in highly-regulated sectors such as financial services and healthcare, they can now leverage Thales Luna Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) with Double Key Encryption for Microsoft 365 and comply with regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the recommendations from the European Data Protection Board (EDPR) following the Schrems II ruling. Securing Data in the Era of Remote Working and Increased Privacy Regulations Todays remote working environment relies heavily on the collaborative sharing of information, challenging organisations to maintain the security of confidential data and regulatory compliance while driving employee productivity. For organisations in highly regulated industries such as financial services, governments, and healthcare, their sensitive data requires the highest level of control and security. The integration of Luna HSMs with Double Key Encryption for Microsoft 365 delivers the protection required to protect highly sensitive data and meet unique regulatory requirements. The premise of remote working is no longer a perk reserved for a select few, but now the default operating model for many companies, said Imran Mohiuddin, DKE partner director atMicrosoft. Our collaboration and productivity tools for Microsoft 365 customers are designed to enable companies to thrive in any situation. A key part in enabling this to happen though is ensuring they have the best security and compliance solutions when it comes to protecting sensitive data. Our Double Key Encryption integration with Thales enables customers who have enhanced data protection requirements, compliance obligations and regulatory restrictions to protect their highly sensitive information. By having full control of their encryption keys, customers can be certain that no third-party has access to their unencrypted data -- including Microsoft. Security should never be something that holds companies back in this remote era and from moving their sensitive information to the cloud, and with Thales, were ensuring it wont for our customers. Thales has integrated its industry-leading Luna HSMs with Microsoft Double Key Encryption for Microsoft 365. This allows customers to protect their most confidential or sensitive data while maintaining control of their encryption keys in the cloud. The solution works by using two keys to protect data. One key is managed securely by the customer via the Luna HSM and a second key in Microsofts control. To view the data, one must have access to both keys, meaning it cant be used without the customers permission. Our collaboration with Microsoft is designed to give peace of mind to customers when it comes to security, no matter where or what Microsoft applications theyre accessing, said Todd Moore, vice president of encryption solutions at Thales. The way we work has changed forever and in order to thrive, businesses have had to increasingly adapt and adopt collaborative applications. The integration of Thales Luna HSMs with Microsoft Double Key Encryption provides businesses with control over their encrypted data, in line with regulatory requirements, regardless of their industry. About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and deep tech innovations connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers businesses, organisations and governments in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions. Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2020 the Group generated sales of 17 billion. PLEASE VISIT Thales Group Market page View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005009/en/ Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The Philippines' failure to contain the coronavirus despite a year-long lockdown, worsened by its slow vaccination rollout, will continue to weigh down the country's path to recovery and normalcy, Moody's Analytics said. Maintaining its position from its November 19 report, Moody's Analytics said the Philippines remains lagging behind among Asia Pacific countries in economic recovery. Most nations in the region have already recovered, with China, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Vietnam leading the pack. "Those that are laggingthe Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysiaare struggling either to contain COVID-19 or to get their economic drivers going, or both," it said in a report released Tuesday The research unit of credit rater Moody's Investors Service stressed the Philippines' containment of the coronavirus has been "elusive," despite having put quarantine controls to lessen its spread. On Tuesday, the Department of Health reported 4,437 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 631,320. Metro Manila mayors have also decided to impose targeted lockdowns, a curfew, and a liquor ban in their respective areas, as the region is considered the virus epicenter. RELATED: One year into lockdown, Duque says there's "room for improvement," more lessons to be learned in COVID-19 response RELATED: WHO: Metro Manila on 'another spike in ongoing wave,' localized response needed to stop COVID-19 surge Moody's Analytics also noted that Filipinos have been dealing with high prices of food, pork products in particular. RELATED: Inflation hits over 2-year high of 4.7% in February Acknowledging the role of immunizing people to boost the economy, Moody's Analytics said the Philippines was also slow to secure the critical vials. Given this, herd immunity may not be seen until 2023. The Philippines has started rolling out COVID-19 vaccines from Sinovac and AstraZeneca, with medical frontliners as priorities. The government earlier assured the public that more vaccines will arrive in the country by the second half of 2021. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Ter-Petrosian said Pashinian should step down voluntarily, be granted legal guarantees of immunity by parliament, and leave the country at least temporarily. In an article published at the ilur.am news website, the 76-year-old former president said that if these steps were taken, a nonpartisan deputy prime minister should become acting prime minister and remain neutral in organizing snap parliamentary elections. The opposition has been pushing for Pashinian to resign after the defeat suffered by Armenian forces last year against Azerbaijan in fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh. A coalition of opposition parties has been holding anti-government demonstrations in Yerevan and other parts of the country in a bid to force Pashinian to hand over power to an interim government. Pashinian, whose My Step faction dominates parliament, has refused to step down but has hinted at accepting early parliamentary elections under certain conditions. Ter-Petrosian, who was president from 1991-98, also said that he agreed with Vazgen Manukian, his 1996 election rival, that it is unacceptable that Pashinian stay as acting prime minister to oversee an electoral process. Manukian leads the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement and is the coalitions candidate to become transitional prime minister to oversee fresh elections. Manukian and the movement have voiced opposition to the prospect of Pashinian organizing the electoral process, claiming that he and his team will heavily rely on administrative resources and will sway the outcome of the election in their favor. The widespread use of administrative resources could turn all polling stations into hotbeds of tension, he said. I am convinced that in that case we will witness the most disgraceful elections in the history of Armenia, Ter-Petrosian said. And this may spell the end of the Armenian statehood or its prolonged nightmarish existence. Pashinian and members of his political team categorically reject opposition claims that they will seek to influence the outcome of the election, insisting that they have a track record as Armenias only political team to have organized free and fair elections in 2018. Ter-Petrosian, who was accused of rigging elections in 1996, believes that Pashinian and his team will try to keep their power at all costs. Seeking to avoid responsibility for their humiliating defeat, they are guided not by the interest of strengthening the state, but solely by an overt obsession to maintain their power at all costs, Ter-Petrosian wrote. OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea The civil engineer squadron at Osan has replaced its pit bull morale patch because it too closely resembled a symbol associated with a white supremacist group, according to a wing statement Tuesday. Col. John Gonzales, commander of the 51st Fighter Wing, ordered the change after an internal review on all Unit Emblems, Mottos, Nicknames and Other Symbols back in October and December, wing spokesman Master Sgt. Joshua Garcia said in an email Tuesday to Stars and Stripes. The morale patch of the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron Mongrels depicted a pit bull with a striking resemblance to what the Anti-Defamation League has labeled as a racist symbol. The pit bull graphic is often used by Keystone United, formerly known as the Keystone State Skinheads, according to the Anti-Defamation League. (Anti-Defamation League) While the wing did not name a particular hate group, its statement said the squadrons red, white and black patch was similar to a graphic used by a known and active extremist group in the United States. According to the Anti-Defamation League website, white supremacists use a specific pit bull graphic so often that it has become a white supremacist symbol itself. One racist group, Keystone United, formerly known as Keystone State Skinheads, adopted it as part of its logo. Gonzales, according to the wing, said he found that the similarity between the emblems could reasonably cause confusion between the unit and a known active extremist hate group. Gonzales acted in conjunction with Lt. Col. Ryan Walinski, commander of the civil engineer squadron, and Col. E. Jonelle Eychner, commander of the 51st Mission Support Group, according to the wing. To prevent any inappropriate association with that organization, we have decided to cease use of the current Morale Patch, and the unit will return to a previous version of the Morale Patch that bears no resemblance visually, and could not reasonably be considered to be associated with that extremist organization, Gonzales said. The 51st Civil Engineer Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, has reverted to an older version of its morale patch that shows a pit bull with one paw lunging forward. (51st Civil Engineer Squadron Facebook page) The version now in use is a full body depiction of a pit bull with one paw lunging forward. The unit will continue to identify as the Mongrels. The squadron has also removed a painting of a pit bull outside the installations fire department. The insignia review predates an order Feb. 3 by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that all commands hold stand-downs within 60 days to discuss extremism in the U.S. military. LONGHORN, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Parcrest Advisors ("Parcrest") served as the exclusive investment banking advisor to Anheuser-Busch ("A-B") on the sale of its Houston-based Longhorn Glass manufacturing facility ("Longhorn") to Ardagh Group ("Ardagh"). The transaction will help to ensure the long-term health and viability of the Longhorn facility, which supplies bottles to A-B's Houston brewery. The transaction is comprised of the outright sale of the glass packaging operations combined with a long-term supply agreement between Ardagh and Anheuser-Busch, allowing Longhorn to continue supplying A-B breweries with top-quality glass bottles. Ardagh will also be investing in the modernization and upgrade of the facility as the life of its existing production furnace comes to an end. Maintaining excellence throughout the supply chain remains a top priority for Anheuser-Busch and it was paramount to find a suitable partner with a clear vision for the Longhorn facility and its workforce. Ardagh's expertise in the glass manufacturing space, currently operating 33 glass manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe, makes them the perfect partner for the long-term future of Longhorn. "We are grateful to have been entrusted with the sale of AB's Longhorn glass operations and helping find a solution for A-B, its Houston brewery and Longhorn's workforce. The Packaging sector continues to be at the forefront of our investment banking efforts and active coverage, with sustainable glass being an important segment of this sector. This complex carveout transaction involving an outright sale, a long-term supply agreement and a transition services agreement is an example of where we excel the most and add value to our clients," said Francisco Lume, Managing Partner of Parcrest Advisors. "This transaction exemplifies our firm's ability to execute and deliver for a marquee client like Anheuser-Busch, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where many M&A transactions have faced difficulties getting across the finish line. I am proud of our team and look forward to putting our best foot forward for all of our clients," stated James C. Lee, Founder and Managing Partner of Parcrest Advisors. About Anheuser-Busch For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, Anheuser-Busch owns and operates more than 120 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and packaging plants, and have more than 19,000 employees across the United States. Anheuser-Busch is home to several of America's most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. About Parcrest Advisors Parcrest Advisors is a rapidly growing investment bank based in New York City with a strong focus in consumer and industrials sectors. In order to provide securities-related services discussed herein, principals of Parcrest are licensed with Independent Investment Bankers, Corp. member FINRA & SiPC. Independent Investment Bankers, Corp. and Parcrest are not affiliated entities. Further information about Parcrest is available at www.parcrest.com. Media Contacts: Francisco Lume Managing Partner +1 (212) 520-1718 [email protected] James C. Lee Founder & Managing Partner +1 (212) 520-1717 [email protected] SOURCE Parcrest Advisors Related Links http://www.parcrest.com Kelly McKin, 51, of North Palm Beach, Florida, was charged with battery on a security officer, court records said. McKin denied spitting on the guard last month at Disney's Contemporary Resort A Florida man was arrested after allegedly spitting on a security officer at Walt Disney World after she asked him to put on a mask, an arrest report released Monday said. Kelly McKin, 51, of North Palm Beach, Florida, faces a charge of battery on a uniformed security officer stemming from the encounter last month. The security officer was not directly hit, but some saliva got on her forehead, the arrest report said. During questioning by a sheriff's deputy, McKin denied spitting on the security guard at the Orland, Florida, theme park. McKin was told not to return to Disney World. The AP said there was no answer Monday at a phone number listed for him in the arrest report. McKin was outside Disney's Contemporary Resort hotel when Disney World security officer Kristen Goldstein asked him to put on a mask while at the property. McKin said he would wear the mask when he was inside the building, the report said. When Goldstein told him Disney's policy required masks to be worn at all times, McKin told her to leave him alone and spat on her before walking into the resort, the report said. McKin was outside Disney's Contemporary Resort (stock image) when Disney World security officer Kristen Goldstein asked him to put on a mask while at the property Security cameras captured an image of McKin and a bulletin was issued. He was stopped the next day after a Disney worker recognized him. McKin told police he spoke with the security officer about the mask policy and promised to put his mask on once he entered the building. He said that was the end of the interaction. 'I asked Kelly if he spat on Kristen or if he spat in the general direction of Kristen, and he replied he did not, and was adamant he did not spit on her,' Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Patrick Strawn wrote in the arrest report. The first reported crime directly involving masks at Disney World occurred August 14, when an Orlando man was arrested for allegedly striking an Epcot security guard who reminded the visitor to follow the theme park's mask rules, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Enrico Toro, 35, for allegedly hitting the guard in the head and threatening to kill him, an arrest affidavit said. He was charged with misdemeanor battery. 'We expect guests to treat our cast members with courtesy and respect, and while the vast majority of guests have adapted to our new measures, this unfortunate case required law enforcement,' Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said in an August statement. The Disney website says face coverings required for all park guests ages 2 and up (stock image) The Disney World website provides an explanation of the various aspects of its COVID-19 policy. 'Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming,' the website said. Earlier this month, Newsweek published a list of encounters involving people who ran afoul of security and emergency personnel at Disney World while refusing to wear masks. They included a maskless guest in February who was reported to have been confronted by a firefighter from Disney's Reedy Creek Fire Department who asked him to step back and put on a face cover. A sheriff's report said the man screamed, 'I do not have a mask, buddy!' Stephen Johnson, 32, pleaded not guilty to charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and disorderly intoxication after he began yelling at the firefighter. The firefighters were assisting Johnson's wife, who appeared to be drunk and had injured her ankle in the lobby of the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel. He was apparently upset his wife was being taken away and threatened to kill a sheriff's deputy and struggled with the officer before grabbing a gun from the belt of an Orange County Sheriff deputy, the arrest report said. A Disney spokesperson said most guests have 'overwhelmingly been supportive of our protocols.' 'Millions of guests visit our theme parks each year and in rare instances when things of this nature occur, we hold them accountable,' the spokesperson told Newsweek. Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek said last month he does not expect the parks to return to normal earlier than 2022. 'We have no doubt that when we reopen up in parks that were closed, or increase capacity, that that we will have some level of social distancing and mask wearing for the remainder of this year,' Chapek said. Starting Tuesday, flights to will be allowed from all destinations, following a decision by the cabinet to enable nationals to arrive ahead of the March 23 general elections. However, the cabinet decided to keep a quota of no more than 3,000 arrivals per day, reports Xinhua news agency. Passengers will be required to carry out tests at the airport. had imposed a ban on incoming and outgoing flights on January 24. It later eased the restrictions, allowing some flights from London, Frankfurt, Paris, Kiev, and New York. The allowing of flights come about a week before Israel's unprecedented fourth elections within two years, following three rounds of inconclusive elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a tight race with several rivals, seeking to be re-elected despite a criminal trial over corruption charges. --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.) To learn more about The Alabama Education Lab and to get alerts about future work and events, sign up for its newsletter, Ed Chat. This story was part of a national collaborative of Ed Labs, with funding from the Solutions Journalism Network, to explore impacts of the past year of remote learning. Teachers are exhausted. Last summer, Alabama schools were asked to provide in-person and remote options for learning, effectively doubling the responsibilities for many teachers. But at least two Alabama school districts gave educators the option to either teach remote students or in-person students. Not both. A year later, the districts, Baldwin and Talladega counties, say the decision to segment teachers was the right one. Teachers might well still be worn out from the stress and demands of the coronavirus pandemic but officials hope they wont be stretched to the breaking point in the same way educational staff across the country are reporting. Our way was definitely best, Baldwin Countys Robertsdale High School Principal Joe Sharp told AL.com. Anytime you can lessen a teachers workload, youre going to get better results from the teacher. And the overall morale is going to be better. Thats not the case in most districts in the state, according to Marianne Hayward, the Central Alabama president of the Alabama Federation of Teachers, who said most teachers she represents are juggling in-person and remote duties at the same time. Alabama, like many states, already had a teacher shortage in many disciplines before the pandemic. Its too early to know what the rate of resignations and retirements may be this summer, but mid-year retirements were up significantly. National reporting suggests that teacher burnout is high, with resignations up particularly in districts offering both remote and in-person instruction. Sign up for a virtual event about the past year of remote school, Lessons from Lockdown. National think tanks already are putting forth policy proposals to address the long-term strains on the teacher workforce. Experts fear the stress of a year of double duty of remote and in-person learning may make shortages worse. Doing both is killing teachers, Hayward said. Leaning on existing expertise I cant imagine having to do both, said Abby Bjornson, a fourth-grade teacher at Munford Elementary School in Talladega County. Bjornson didnt know what to expect when she volunteered to teach students remotely last August; she was motivated, she said, by an interest in learning new technology. The year has been difficult, she said, but an overall positive experience has led her to apply to a program for a masters degree in educational technology from the University of West Alabama. Talladega County Schools, a 7,000-student district in east Alabama, has a dozen years of digital learning under its belt. Longtime Superintendent Suzanne Lacey understood the potential challenges facing teachers when the district started considering its options last summer. Lacey took $700,000 of the districts $1.8 million in federal CARES Act money and dedicated it to infrastructure for Beacon Virtual Academy, a standalone virtual school. Some money went to stipends for teachers to learn new skills to teach online and some went to hire facilitators to help monitor students in middle and high school to make sure they stayed on track while learning virtually. At the start of the school year, 1,700 students among the districts 17 schools chose remote learning. Thirty-five of the districts 420 teachers chose to teach remote-only. Unlike some Alabama districts, Talladega County has not returned to five days of in-person instruction each week, but follows a blended model, in an effort to space out classrooms; two groups of students alternate in-person attendance. Abby Bjornson, an elementary school teacher in Talladega County in Alabama, volunteered to teach remotely last fall. She has appreciated the chance to focus on new technology and teaching skills, she said, and decided to pursue a masters degree. Credit Talladega County Schools for AL.com. While there have been bumps along the way, being able to focus on remote teaching and learning the technology and mechanisms to create and track assignments has been a blessing, she said. Bjornson stressed the importance of communicating with parents. Elementary kids need a little help sometimes, she said, adding that parents have been very supportive. Theyre always there to back me up, as I am them. I just think thats one of the biggest keys to virtual learning being successful. Winterboro High School teacher Vonda Ashley, also in Talladega County, teaches in-person. The districts blended model allows her to work with students directly, but still gives students a chance to learn independently at home. My greatest fear in the beginning was that I was going to be asked to do virtual, Ashley said. I was thinking Lord, how would I do that. I was so grateful when they said Im just doing blended. Ashley teaches math to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students. Her students have a weekly plan, including a list of assignments they can do at home. And even while students are working at home, Ashley is available to meet when students or parents need help. Vonda Ashley, a teacher in Talladega County, works with students at Winterboro High School. She did not want to teach remotely, she said, and has worked in-person throughout the school year. Talladega County schools chose to let teachers choose between leading in-person and remote classes, rather than asking them to do both. Credit Talladega County Schools for AL.com. Expanding virtual school to younger students In Baldwin County schools, segmenting the teaching force was a no-brainer. Other options wouldnt have been good for students, Baldwin Countys Renee Carter said. She has nearly 30 years of experience in teaching, but this year is her first as dean of academics for the 30,000-student district. I felt like our children would suffer on both sides because our teachers would have been very stressed, Carter added. Read more stories from The Alabama Education Lab about summer learning, mental health and more. Principal Joe Sharp said asking teachers to work both in-person and remotely would have pulled them in too many different directions. Monitoring remote learners requires a lot of energy, he said, as does teaching students in person. Students worried about returning to classrooms could choose to enroll in the districts existing virtual school. Baldwin County has had a virtual school for middle and high schoolers for seven years, but previously did not allow younger students to enroll. Enrollment at the virtual school ballooned from 300 students before the pandemic to 8,000 students in the current school year. Carter said the district didnt pull many teachers away from classrooms to teach remote students, but instead posted virtual teaching positions and hired as needed. The majority of remote students moved back to in-person learning after a short buffer in the start of the spring semester, Carter said. Enrollment in Baldwins virtual school is down to 3,200 for the start of the second semester. Real struggle to manage different types of teaching It comes as no surprise that the national transition to remote and hybrid learning models was not easy, according to a recent report. Many remote teachers simply replicated their classroom teaching style through video calls, a pattern researchers at the Christensen Institute, a nonprofit organization that researches technological innovation, called striking. Thomas Arnett, an analyst with the group, said remote instruction requires different skills and types of teaching. Teachers doing both types, understandably, struggled. Youve got a class in front of you and youve got a video camera and youre trying to teach to students remotely and in a classroom all in the same class session, he said. That seems to be a real struggle. Teachers are reluctant to publicly discuss the challenges of doing both in-person and remote live teaching, but one elementary teacher in a large county district who is managing both told AL.com her anxiety levels have skyrocketed since the start of the school year. She said she has broken down in tears after teaching in-person and remote students simultaneously. I went in the closet so they wouldnt hear me cry, she wrote in a message to AL.com. Why didnt every district segment teachers? Despite some apparent successes in districts that separated teachers into remote or in-person learning responsibilities, state leaders say such an approach may not have made sense everywhere. Last summer, the state Department of Education asked all districts to offer a virtual and an in-person option for students, but didnt mandate how to do it. Sign up for alerts about news and events from the Ed Labs forthcoming newsletter, Ed Chat. School Superintendents of Alabama Executive Director Ryan Hollingsworth said schools were essentially left on their own to figure out how to get schools reopened this fall. Under the best conditions, getting teachers and schools ready for remote learning would take a year of training, he estimated. We didnt have that, Hollingsworth said. We had what, maybe 90 days? Districts with some experience in digital learning, like Baldwin and Talladega counties, were ahead of the pack, he said, when it came to setting up classrooms and teachers in the most practical ways. Larger school districts also naturally had more teachers and other personnel to work with, giving them more flexibility when it came to assigning teachers to students. AFTs Hayward said letting local principals handle the decision rather than focusing on the district as a whole and not knowing how many students would choose remote learning undermined schools ability to make good decisions. There should have been more of a conscious effort to [assign teachers to] do one or the other, Hayward said. By requiring teachers to do double duty, she said, districts have pushed teachers to their limits. Talladega plans to return to in-person learning on March 15; all students will return to campus except those that have chosen to do all of their learning remotely. Superintendent Lacey said Talladegas decision to segment teachers into two workforces was the right one. Overall, teachers have been positive and appreciative of the blended learning model this year. Its too early to assess teacher retention rates or standardized testing rates statewide, but teachers who were able to focus on one method of instruction said they feel better, and they feel like their children learned better, than if they were juggling both. I have noticed a lot of growth in my students, Bjornson said. She said she hopes everyone will give students, teachers and parents an extra measure of understanding for the difficult year. I dont think its fair to compare this year to last year, Bjornson said. Not only is this a new learning experience for me, but it also is for the students and parents. We have to give them grace, too. Higher risk of default from solar power investment With high expectations for escalating profit margin rates and multiple tax incentives, scores of firms have rushed into solar power project investments in the past few years. These companies commonly use high financial leverage tools as up to 70-80 per cent of their capital sources come from loans and enterprise bonds. According to a recent report by SSI Research, the bond value mobilised for solar power projects climbed to VND29.9 trillion ($1.3 billion) in 2020, a 254 per cent jump on-year. In terms of credit sources, by the end of 2020, banks had poured VND84 trillion ($3.65 billion) into renewable energies, mostly lending to solar power projects. That is because solar power is deemed a renewable energy that is stimulated for investment and development. Credit channelling into solar projects just accounts for 1 per cent of banks total outstanding loan balance. Some experts, however, assumed that though the credit volume earmarked for solar power projects (including that into corporate bonds) is not too large, as it was mainly concentrated into several top players in this field. If these developers faced defaults, both banks and retail investors would be on tenterhooks. Of the total corporate bonds value for solar power projects in 2020, more than 42 per cent were to feed projects by privately-held Xuan Thien Group. Xuan Thien was reported using high financial leverage tools for its projects, so that the company could hardly pay back capital if the money flow got stuck. Trung Nam Group another major player in renewable energies lodged a petition to the National Assemblys Standing Committee, arguing that the group needed to borrow at several banks to carry out renewable energy projects. The company then had the plan to sell power, receive revenue, and pay back the loans. However, due to continual power cuts, the company finds it difficult to realise its obligations. Nguyen Quoc Hung, general secretary of the Vietnam Banks Association, told VIR that green credit including for solar power projects is a priority investment field, and before lending banks have carefully evaluated the projects feasibility and only lent to projects in the governments planning scheme. Hung noted that the quality of credit to lend to solar power projects has yet to be pegged at an alarming level, and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has yet to deliver any warnings about credit sources to feed solar power projects. Nguyen Tuan Anh, director general of the Department of Credit for Economic Sectors under the SBV, acknowledged that investments into renewable energy are somewhat challenging due to high costs, lengthy capital recouping, and market risks. The credit sources of banks, however, are often short-term and bear fairly high raising cost. Industry experts assumed that many solar power investors that were crying for help in the past few years indicate that this field is not quite lucrative to banks, businesses, and investors. Especially, as the state power authority Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has the right to refuse buying power in the power purchase agreement, it would be hard for banks, business, and investors to properly calculate their projects revenue streams during the evaluation processes. Notwithstanding, in 2021 EVN envisages slashing 1.3 billion KWh of renewable energy, thus augmenting the risk towards banks and retail investors who are possessing corporate bonds by real estate developers.. Thus, the default threat is more apparent to solar power projects that are not present in the government planning without contracts to be plugged into the national power grid and using high financial leverage tools. Corporate bonds, particularly those issued by real estate developers and solar power projects, are highly risky. Retail investors with little knowledge about corporate finance analysis capacity should not run after these high margin rates as it is very risky. Besides this, most corporate bonds generally and solar power bonds particularly are not guaranteed by banks when it comes to payment capacity, said senior economist Nguyen Tri Hieu. Hours after the windows of Noodle Tree were doused with red, spray-painted racism, San Antonio showed up with an extra hands and hearts to clean and support owner Mike Nguyen. Though shaken, Nguyen is healing by highlighting the heart that showed up the next morning not the cowardice committed in darkness Saturday night. Nguyen found the vandalism Sunday morning, after a days-long barrage of comments from people who disagreed with the comments he made during a CNN interview on Wednesday. During the CNN Newsroom spot with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto, Nguyen denounced Gov. Abbott's decision to end Texas' mask mandate, and said the safeguard would continue to be required at his restaurant. Nguyen is battling lymphoma and is considered at risk for contracting the virus. "I was prepared for something like this, but I didn't think it was actually going to happen," he said. "People from San Antonio don't do stuff like that. We're a tight-knit community." Shortly after MySA.com spoke to Nguyen on Wednesday, he said the backlash was coming from "all angles" on social media. All over a choice to wear a face mask. "When I actually saw it in person, that's when it hit me," he said. "I think my interview with CNN was a contributing factor, but the fact that I'm an Asian American makes it easier. They thought it was legitimate because I'm an Asian American. Somehow, this whole pandemic is Asian American's fault." RELATED: 'It needed to be said:' San Antonio restaurant owner rejects Texas reopening on CNN Nguyen, whose background is Vietnamese and French, said the slurs didn't faze him. He unfortunately is used to them by now, but the death wishes stuck with him. "You wished me death because I just want you to respect others and put a mask on," he reflected. "That's how ridiculous it got. That's not common sense." Still reeling, Nguyen gauged the reaction of his staff Sunday morning. He wanted to ensure they felt safe enough to open. His employees didn't hesitate to start serving as usual. "We all came to the agreement let's just stay open and show them it's not going to stop us or alter what we believe is right," he said. With staff on board, Nguyen didn't have time to unpack his own emotions from the hit, he just needed to lead his employees. Nguyen said his first source of compassion came from a customer named Leslie. The woman showed up in reaction to the CNN interview, she didn't know about the vandalism until she arrived. "She said 'Hey, do you have another sponge? I'd love to help you,'" Nguyen said. "She was the first person I was able to vent to some stranger who offered to help. That set the pace for the day." Once photos of the vandalism spread throughout San Antonio social media, waves of customers poured into Noodle Tree. By 5:30 p.m., the restaurant was sold out of food. The noodle shop is usually open until 8 p.m. on Sundays. Nguyen said that kind of reaction is usually brought on by special events. People who weren't able to get food still left donations. READ ALSO: Receipt left at Comfort Cafe 'hits hard' against volunteer-based restaurant staff He said fellow restaurant owners like Camille and Adrian De Los Reyes of Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant, Market & Bakery, Ceasar Zepeda of Sangria on The Burg and Nicola Blaque, chef and owner of The Jerk Shack, all reached out in support. San Antonio Chef Teddy Liang showed up to help Nguyen manage the restaurant throughout the busy day. The owner also fielded calls from Mayor Ron Nirenberg, mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse and District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez. "I was hurt, I was angry, I was beyond pissed," he said. "All that love and support kind of helped heal that anger and pain. It hurt my heart pretty bad." Nguyen said he's stayed off social media since the incident, so he's unaware of possible tips. San Antonio Police Department is investigating. The support is also reflecting online, where out-of-town onlookers are searching for ways to help and local foodies are mobilizing to flood the restaurant with business this weekend. Regulars are bolstering the conversation by sharing how much they enjoy the food, even when the national spotlight isn't on Noodle Tree. Nguyen said it's clear the work he's put in to the restaurant speaks volumes over the hateful messages that "came right off" with a sponge. "The hard work is showing through all the love and support," he said. "It shows that my initial goal and all of the hard work I've done, it worked." Noodle Tree reopens on Thursday, per normal hours. He shared a message to the city ahead of what's expected to be another busy weekend. "I love this city for so many reasons, this is one of the main reasons," Nguyen said. "Every time San Antonians are in need, we come to help. We don't ask questions and I think as a city, that's a powerful thing. We may not have the same views in San Antonio, but we do respect it enough. And, I'm so grateful to have all this love and support and have a business in San Antonio." Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye FutureOn, the global software company specialising in the energy sector and creator of the award-winning, SaaS field design applications, FieldAP, and its APIcentric collaboration platform, FieldTwin, has appointed Dynamic Cloud as its representative in Saudi Arabia and Andreas Gaarder as Vice-President of EMEA. The new partnership with Dynamic Cloud, which has three offices in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, will see customers across the Middle East benefit from localised, first class support from an on-the-ground team, regional market expertise, and short lead times on the delivery of FutureOns suite of next generation digital tools. This move is expected to support the regions drive to embrace digital transformation across its energy operations. A survey of local business leaders conducted in January 2021 found 86 per cent consider digital adaptation to be very important towards achieving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Previously responsible for overseeing FutureOns operations in the Eastern Hemisphere, Gaarder will now lead the companys growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and will be working closely with Dynamic Cloud to bring FutureOns digital solutions to operators across the Middle East, based out of Dubai. He brings a wealth of industry experience and understanding of the regional upstream software market to the role having held a number of senior positions with energy majors including Wood and Schlumberger, where over a seven-year period he held various roles within production engineering, business development and business management. Commenting on the partnership, Gaarder said: We are very pleased to announce our latest partnership with Dynamic Cloud, a company with a great reputation, who is familiar with the local Saudi market and experienced in working with regional national oil companies. This latest partnership plays an important role in the continued expansion of FutureOns international reach, and will allow us to acquire a deep understanding of the local energy landscape and customer needs. Demand for FutureOns digital solutions continues to grow in the Middle East as the regions energy industry focuses on making greater efficiencies. We are confident that through this collaborative partnership, and our transformational digital twin solutions, we are well placed to support Saudi Arabias commitment to digital transformation. Naif Al Shehri, Operations Manager at Dynamic Cloud, said: We are delighted to welcome FutureOn to our partner ecosystem. We believe our partnership with FutureOn will offer a unique, true value add as well as deep insight into the current digital transformation path the industry is following. We truly believe our clients will benefit from this partnership, through our joint effort to offer a platform for state-of-the-art visualization and collaboration with our regional support, extensive local market expertise and team of expert data scientists. FutureOn and Dynamic Cloud not only share a common purpose of supporting clients and their organizations achieve their digital goals, but also believe collaboration and effective team work is the key to enabling efficiencies in this new era for the energy industry. Tradearabia News Service WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, in a landmark undertaking, the largest known association of descendants of enslaved ancestors and descendants of the enslavers announced a partnership to create the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation, a billion-dollar vision to move America toward deep racial healing through a process of truth and reconciliation. The Foundationformed by the GU272 Descendants Association and the Jesuitsis a first-of-its-kind partnership between the descendants of enslaved persons and the descendants of their enslavers. The Foundation is rooted in the events of 1838, when 272 enslaved men, women and children were sold by the Jesuit owners of Georgetown University to plantation owners in Louisiana. "From our inception, the GU272 Descendants Association has chosen to identify and rebuild our ancestors' families that were separated and often destroyed by the brutal institution of slavery and to create a sustainable mechanism for investing forward in uplifting descendants for many generations to come," said Cheryllyn Branche, President of the GU272 Descendants Association. "Through the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation, we will restore honor and dignity to our ancestors by institutionalizing these goals for our children, our children's children, and descendants for centuries to come." "For more than 400 years, our country has denied the persistent human destruction caused by slavery and the conscious and unconscious racism that divides our communities and nation," said Joe Stewart, Acting President of the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation and one of more than 1,000 descendants of Isaac Hawkins, an enslaved man who, along with many other enslaved men, women and children, was sold to save Georgetown University from financial ruin. "After 182 years, descendants and Jesuits have come together in the spirit of truth, racial healing and reconciliation, uniquely positioning the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation to set an example and lead America through dismantling the remnants of slavery and mitigating the presence of racism. Our partnership will pursue and support the creation of a new and abiding reality of love and justice for all members of our one humanity." The Foundation will support the educational aspirations of descendants for future generations and play a prominent role in engaging, promoting and supporting programs and activities that highlight truth, accelerate racial healing and reconciliation, and advance racial justice and equality in America. The Foundation aims to develop a full understanding of, and reconciliation with, the numerous institutions of higher education and other entities that profited from slavery. When the members of the Foundation became aware of their history in 2016, they chose not to seek individual cash settlements but rather to seek a substantial and sustainable investment forward in uplifting the wellbeing of descendants for many generations to come. "Our shameful history of Jesuit slaveholding in the United States has been taken off the dusty shelf, and it can never be put back," said Father Tim Kesicki, S.J. President of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. "Racism will endure in America if we continue to turn our heads away from the truth of the past and how it affects us all today. The lasting effects of slavery call each of us to do the work of truth and reconciliation. Without this joining of hearts and hands in true unity, the cycle of hatred and inequality in America will never end." When 272 enslaved men, women and children were sold by the Jesuit owners of Georgetown University to plantation owners in Louisiana, Citizens Bank of New Orleans, later acquired by JPMorgan Chase, used some of those humans as collateral. In support of its goals, the Foundation has set up a trust for which JPMorgan Chase will serve as a co-trustee and provide planning and advice as well as other services. "The institution of slavery and systemic racism are tragic parts of America's history, and we have a responsibility to drive sustainable change for the people and communities who have been impacted by this bitter legacy," said Brian Lamb, the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase. "We are proud to support the Descendants and Jesuits as they pursue solutions through truth, racial healing and transformation to help dismantle the legacy of slavery and to build a more equitable society both now and for generations to come." To learn more about the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation, visit www.descendants.org. About the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation The Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation comprising the GU272 Descendants Associationrepresenting more than 10,000 living and deceased descendantsand the Society of Jesus. The Foundation's mission is to be and be perceived as a moral and intellectual leader in the pursuit of truth, racial healing and transformation toward a world in which the false ideology that human value can be rooted in pigmentation supremacy is jettisoned and replaced by a new and abiding reality of love and justice for all members of our one humanity. SOURCE Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation Related Links http://www.descendants.org SafeGraph announces a $45 million Series B fundraise led by Sapphire Ventures. Tweet this In response to the impact of the pandemic, SafeGraph created a community of more than 7,000 data scientists who have been collaborating on numerous geospatial projects, resulting in over 300 academic papers published featuring data from SafeGraph and coverage from data journalists at major news outlets such as USA Today , Fortune and the Washington Post . During this time, SafeGraph doubled its year-over-year revenue while improving efficiency metrics, such as revenue per employee. Over the past year, SafeGraph saw accelerated demand for places data among its traditional customer segments, including retail and GIS technology providers. As consumer demand and behavior shifted dramatically during the pandemic, the greatest increase in demand has come from the logistics industry. "From the beginning of our data sourcing process, SafeGraph provided the most comprehensive and actionable POI dataset," said Ben Anderson, Senior Manager of Market, Customer, and Competitive Intelligence at Sysco. "Their coverage of the top 1,000 restaurants is unmatched and invaluable." "We're incredibly excited to partner with Cathy Gao and the Sapphire Ventures team," said SafeGraph CEO Auren Hoffman. "Cathy brings a wealth of knowledge to the table that will be invaluable while navigating and discovering new markets of data buyers. And Sapphire has deep experience in investing in data businesses. Their team understands what it takes to build category-defining companies." With this investment, SafeGraph plans to capitalize on the expanding market of data buyers and offer new ways for customers to buy data. As the market for places data increases, customer needs become more diverse. SafeGraph plans to adapt its model to meet these new demands. Through a growing partner network, new data delivery mechanisms and international expansion, SafeGraph will enable all interested parties to access the exact data they need, wherever they need it. Multiple investors from previous funding rounds also participated in this Series B. Those include Alex Rosen of Ridge Ventures, DNX Ventures, and Peter Thiel. Investors are attracted to SafeGraph because they believe the company is well-positioned to lead a growing industry. "What stands out about SafeGraph is how they've been able to quickly position themselves into a major player in the geospatial data industry," said Cathy Gao , Partner at Sapphire Ventures. "By singularly focusing on providing the highest-quality places data to data science teams, they've earned the trust of some of the largest public and private institutions. The efficient growth to-date is a strong indicator of where we think the company is going and Auren's track record of building consequential data businesses speaks for itself." Today, SafeGraph offers business listing, foot traffic and building polygon data for the United States and Canada, with a United Kingdom launch planned for April of 2021. With this Series B funding, SafeGraph intends to become the source of truth for data on all physical places in the world. About SafeGraph SafeGraph builds truth sets for physical places, powering analytics at leading organizations like Ares Management, Sysco, Goldman Sachs, Verizon Media and the CDC. SafeGraph's high-precision places data covers business listings, building footprints, and aggregated foot traffic data for millions of points of interest (POI) and thousands of brands in the US and Canada. With detailed brand affiliation, spatial hierarchy, and other key business details, SafeGraph data informs market analytics, investment research, site selection, and more. To learn more or try it for yourself, visit: safegraph.com About Sapphire Ventures Sapphire Ventures is a leading venture capital firm that partners with visionary teams and venture funds to build companies of consequence. For nearly two decades, Sapphire has been investing capital, resources and expertise in innovative startups and technology-focused venture funds around the world. With more than $5.7B in AUM across Sapphire Ventures, Sapphire Partners and Sapphire Sport, and with team members in Austin, London, Palo Alto and San Francisco, Sapphire is well-positioned to help scale companies and venture funds, elevating them to become global category leaders. To learn more about Sapphire Ventures, visit: https://sapphireventures.com/ Contact: Evan Barry [email protected] SOURCE SafeGraph The Michigan National Guard returned home from their months-long mission supporting U.S. Capitol security in Washington, D.C. after the deadly riot on Jan. 6. Approximately 1,000 members of the National Guard returned to Michigan on March 15, according to a news release. A spokesperson with the Michigan National Guard confirmed this comprises all of the soldiers who were stationed in Washington, D.C. The men and women of the Michigan National Guard have always stepped up whenever called upon and their support for the Capitol region was no different, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. We are so happy to welcome them home and proud of their service and professionalism. Their dedication and conduct are a credit to the State of Michigan and our nation. The Michigan National Guard also 700 troops to support security efforts during President Joe Bidens inauguration on Jan. 20. Additional members of the National Guard were deployed on Jan. 29 to provide security after the inauguration. Troops from other states will remain in Washington through April, according to the Associated Press, after Capitol Police requested extended support. The Capitol Police announced Monday that temporary security fencing around government buildings is being modified. Soldiers from the 177th Military Police Brigade and the 107th Engineer Battalion were welcomed by senior leaders of the Michigan National Guard when they returned this week. Soldiers who supported the D.C. mission were screened for COVID-19 prior to departure, several times while there, and tested again upon their return. COVID-19 vaccinations were offered to soldiers before leaving Michigan, while in Washington, D.C. and when they returned, according to a release. Members of Congress raised concerns about the quality of food offered to Michigan National Guardsmen during their deployment. Guardsmen reported receiving undercooked food and even meals containing metal shavings. The entire Michigan congressional delegation sent a letter to the Pentagon seeking answers. Some members dropped off food and gift cards to troops stationed at the Capitol. Whitmer also dined with guardsmen earlier this month. We are thankful for the sacrifices our members make and the support they receive from their families and communities, said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Michigan National Guard is ready to serve our state and nation whenever the opportunity arises, but we are always glad to have the soldiers return home. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Official disputes claim that chicken with feathers still attached served to Michigan National Guardsmen Michigan National Guard redeployed to Washington, D.C. after terror threat warning 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 Monday, the Advance/SILive.com visited Trackside Bar & Grill at 61 New Dorp Plaza, which is open for indoor dining, outdoor dining, pickup and delivery from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 718-987-6100 to place an order. YES, THEYRE OPEN: Trackside Bar and Grill is open for indoor dining, outdoor dining, pickup and delivery at 61 New Dorp Plaza The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 718-987-6100 to place an order. Posted by Staten Island Advance on Monday, March 15, 2021 Staten Island restaurant owners: If you would like your establishment featured for free as part of Yes, Theyre Open, email reporter Victoria Priola at vpriola@siadvance.com. WANT MORE YES, THEYRE OPEN? Check out the listings below or check out all of our previous coverage here. Fig & Vine, 710 New Dorp Lane The Hop Shoppe, 372 Van Duzer St. Kills Boro Brewing Co./Craft House, 60 Van Duzer St. The RoadHouse, 1400 Clove Road Killmeyers Old Bavaria Inn, 4254 Arthur Kill Road Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Sorry! This content is not available in your region GRANTS PASS, Ore. UPDATE: On March 29, Matthew Fanelli was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is serving time for each count involving a victim. Two victims, Michael Hannan and Jennifer Murphy were present in the court room and shared their experience. Murphy was assaulted by Fanelli and Hannan was shot and severely injured. He thanked those who helped to save his life and asked the judge to convict Fanelli to the fullest possible extent, as he says he fears Fanelli could be a potential danger to others if he is ever released. Fanelli was also sentenced to an additional 36 months with 3 years of post prison supervision for possession of a weapon by an inmate, which he is meant to serve consecutively to the 30 years. The court is still in discussion over whether or not he will be transported to a prison in Colorado where he was apart of a deadly carjacking. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ On March 22 Matthew Fanelli plead guilty to 11 charges. Among them were counts of attempted murder. Michael Hannan, a victim of Fanelli, appeared in court and says Fanelli "left him for dead". He also took the opportunity to thank first responders. On Monday March 29, at 1:30 p.m Fanelli is scheduled to appear at Josephine County Court for his sentencing which will likely be at least 30 years. Whether or not he will serve time consecutively for his charge of possession of a weapon as an inmate is still to be determined. Court officials are saying Fanelli will be restrained as they fear he could be violent. Local police officers are also expected to be present on his sentencing date. INITIAL REPORT: Today, Judge Galli approved the District Attorneys request to allow victims to appear for a trial for the case of Oregon vs. Matthew Fanelli. Fanelli was in court today but was restrained because of a recent weapon discovery on Fanelli within the jail and previous threats he has made to jail staff, according to the court. Deputies say they believe Fanelli intended to use the weapon to harm Josephine County District Attorney Lisa Turner or other deputies. During the hearing, Turner says Fanelli made it clear who he perceives as a threat. I am requesting the court not wait until a situation arises and then a colloquy occurs, because then we might get to the point where the defendant refuses to come out of his jail cell, the safety of the jail is now an issue because he wont come out, they're in a situation where they have to do a cell extraction on something that we know now is a possibility," Turner said. Josephine County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Galli says if Fanelli acts up in court, he'll be given warnings. If any misbehavior continues, Galli says Fanelli will removed from the courtroom and the hearings and trials will proceed without him. Youre going to be at a disadvantage if that happens because youre not going to be able to then communicate with your attorney as the trial develops," Galli said. Fanelli is facing a total of 28 charges, including 14 counts of Attempted Aggravated Murder with a Firearm. Fanelli is accused of leading police on a long chase in Feb. 2019. According to police, Fanelli had attempted to steal a truck in Douglas County and shot at the driver as it started to drive away. According to court documents, Fanelli was interviewed and admitted to this. Fanelli also admitted in the interview that he drove southbound on I-5 where he shot at law enforcement and a semi-truck cab. He also admitted he attempted to steal a vehicle from a man who was checking his mail at his residence. Fanelli stated he pointed his gun at the man and told him to give him the keys to his vehicle. Fanelli stated the man grabbed the end of this gun and Fanelli shot the man 4-5 times in the torso. Fanelli said that he dragged the man into a ditch and proceeded to assault the mans wife when she got out of their vehicle and would not give him the keys to their car. Fanelli stated he pistol whipped the female and grabbed her by the hair and dragged her towards the ditch. Additionally, Fanelli sprayed her with her own pepper spray. Fanelli waived his right to a jury trial on March 1, 2021 and will instead have a bench trial before Judge Matthew Galli, scheduled to begin on April 12, 2021. Nature is beautiful, scary and raw. It doesn't filter out the gory stuff like the censor board and even in death, it is magnificent. A fisherman named Captain Chip Michalove stumbled upon great white sharks feeding on a whale carcass off the coast of South Carolina. He also managed to capture the 'bloody' moment for the world to see. Michalove runs Outcast Sport Fishing and had received information about the carcass of a North Atlantic right whale off the coast of South Carolina. Also read: Moment A Crocodile Snatches A Shark Off A Fishermen's Line Instantly After They Catch It The National Marine Fisheries Service also reported that an 11-year-old male North Atlantic right whale was found dead off Myrtle beach. Michalove and his crew set out at 3 AM to find some great white sharks feeding on the remains. He found exactly what he was looking for! When Captain Michalove and his crew arrived at the location, they saw a 'conveyor belt of large great white sharks' having a feeding frenzy on the dead whale. He said it was one of the craziest things his crew had done but also that it was 'one of the best days' of his life. Also read: World's Largest Glowing Shark Found, Which Lures Prey With Its Bioluminescence They witnessed one great shark after another approaching and devouring the carcass. Michalove captured a clip of the feeding frenzy and posted it on Instagram. 'So much work went into finding this whale, and the payoff was one I'll never forget.' He wrote: 'Turn it up, the air getting pushed out the gills on those huge bites. Love it! Finally getting to better footage of this whale getting eaten. Whether the sun was up or down, these giants were inhaling it.' "I've never seen anything like it, sharks were circling our boat for the entire eight hours. They were biting the boat, pushing the boat, and biting the motors so much we had to pull the motors out of the water," Captain Michalove told The Win. Also read: Indonesian Fisherman Left Puzzled After Catching Baby Shark With 'Human Face' Instagram What do you think about this video? Let us know in the comments. Famed Liberal Party haunt, the Cantonese restaurant Bamboo House on Little Bourke Street, looked devoid of party MPs on Tuesday in the aftermath of the failed Liberal spill motion against leader Michael OBrien. Everyone has put their head down in their bunker, said one MP, describing how bad blood infecting the party was taxing on MPs. Some sniffed at the bona fides of the challenger, Gembrook MP Brad Battin, describing him as not a long-term party member. Saucer of milk, if you please! But the mood for change remains even if there isnt a viable candidate. But back to OBrien. The Irish-born MP is intensely private and rarely talks about his wife and two children who rarely if ever appear in his social media feeds. This is in contrast to the opposition leaders two long-hair collies Bonny and Brandy. The Malvern MPs love of dogs is well known. When I see stories in the news about animal cruelty it makes me sick to my stomach, he once said in support of a charity fundraiser for the Save-A-Dog Scheme. Asylum seekers will be moved out of military barracks in Wales that were branded 'impoverished and run-down', the Welsh Secretary has said. Simon Hart confirmed in a letter to residents near Penally Camp, in Pembrokeshire, that the site would be returned to the Ministry of Defence by March 21. Mr Hart's letter said that although the decision to use the camp to house asylum seekers had caused 'much frustration and anger' in the community, the Home Office claimed it had 'little option at the time.' The first of around 250 male asylum seekers aged between 18 and 35 moved into the site in September of last year. The decision comes after an independent inspection of the Penally site, as well that of Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, found they were 'impoverished, run-down and unsuitable for long-term accommodation'. Mr Hart's letter on Tuesday said: 'I am very pleased to confirm that the Home Office has agreed to return Penally Camp to the Ministry of Defence by March 21. Asylum seekers will be moved out of the Penally military barracks in Wales after they were branded 'impoverished and run-down', the Welsh Secretary has said. The decision comes after an independent inspection of the Penally site, as well that of Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, found they were 'impoverished, run-down and unsuitable for long-term accommodation' 'The decision has been taken following many weeks of discussions between myself, the Wales Office and the Home Office ministerial team. 'During those meetings and discussions (which have been taking place almost daily over the last few months) we have tried to ensure that the concerns of everybody involved have been properly and legally accounted for. 'The impact of flight and accommodation regulations due to Covid-19 have made this much more complicated than would usually be the case. 'I am deeply conscious that the manner in which the use of Penally came about caused much frustration and anger. The Home Office has recognised this contributed to heightened tensions, but stress they had little option at the time.' Mr Hart's letter paid tribute to police, the health board and the local authority for their efforts in 'maintaining a measured approach to a situation thrust upon them at short notice'. The Home Office has faced repeated criticism over its use of Penally Camp and Napier Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers. At both locations, residents described feeling trapped in poor conditions and feared that if they moved out they would jeopardise their only source of support and possibly their asylum cases However, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Immigration Minister Chris Philp have both previously defended the use of such sites. Last week, an independent report found 'fundamental failures' over housing asylum seekers at the military barracks, parts of which were 'filthy'. The Home Office today said the site 'has been good value for money' and those living there would 'otherwise be destitute'. It followed inspections by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP). Inspectors said: 'The environment at both sites, especially Napier, was impoverished, run-down and unsuitable for long-term accommodation.' At both locations, residents described feeling trapped in poor conditions and feared that if they moved out they would jeopardise their only source of support and possibly their asylum cases. A petition calling to close Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, and Penally Barracks in Pembrokeshire, where asylum seekers are being housed has been signed by thousands of people within hours of its launch. Pictured: Peaceful protesting at the barracks The arrival of the men was initially met with protests from locals concerned over the impact on local services and house prices in the 800-resident village. Far right activists later joined in demonstrations and were reported to have shouted at and intimidated the asylum seekers. Anti-racism groups also gathered at the centre. Penally Camp is used by the Ministry of Defence for training courses, which have been rescheduled or moved to alternative military sites during their use as temporary accommodation. The asylum seekers living at Penally barracks attracted Both far right activists, and anti racism groups. Asylum seekers reported being shouted at and intimidated by protesters The Home Office are now arranging to move the asylum seekers into other accommodation in Wales. They declined to give the location. The report by the ICIBI said that those living in Napier Barracks would also be moved to new accommodation by April 2, but they were not told where this would be. However, the Home Office told MailOnline that the site 'will remain in operation in accordance with current needs'. A spokesperson added: 'Penally has provided safe and secure accommodation for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. The site has been good value for money and we are grateful to MoD for temporary use of this site. 'This provided emergency capacity in response to pressures put on the asylum estate during COVID. As those pressures have eased we have decided not to extend emergency planning permission beyond six months. Napier will remain in operation in accordance with current needs. 'The Home Secretary will soon bring forward her plan to fix our broken asylum system and that plan will address the Governments asylum estate.' Throw billions of dollars at school districts in California, and what do you expect? A group called Reopen California Schools got access to online memos from teachers' unions in California and discovered that in some districts, enriching their members weighs heavier on their priorities than, say, PPE equipment or programs to help children recover from their prolonged absence from the classrooms. Here is what the teachers' union in Dublin, Calif., a well-to-do suburb east of San Francisco, is discussing: CA school district (@DublinUSD) is paying its teachers $2,500 bonuses with state and federal aide money, even suggesting staff could use the money for a trip to Hawaii (see c. and d.) This comes despite the sad hybrid plan approved before any aid bills were passed. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/ilSOPj4wWQ Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) March 14, 2021 Here is a portion of the graphic revealing the priority given to childcare for the children of teachers, trips to Hawaii, and the concern that it looks bad for teachers to move to the front of the line for vaccination and still refuse to do their jobs. Source. A spokesman for the union attempted damage control, speaking to the UK Daily Mail: Robbie Kreitz, speaking on behalf of the teacher's union, told DailyMail.com that item listed in the internal memo was 'taken out of context.' 'We have been laser focused on bargaining for the safe return to campus for all Dublin students. In fact we return to the table tomorrow to continue that work,' Kreitz said. 'The comment you are referencing was on an internal DTA member communication and was taken out of context.' Kreitz added: 'It was quite clear that we are bargaining for the stipend to be used for the first three items on the list including the weekend time for preparation to return, safety equipment needed to return and support of childcare for those children who have not returned to campus.' 'Item D not only does not connect to those, it was simply a playful comment not connected to the first three on the list on an internal communication to DTA members.' How about the context that children have been denied education and socialization while teachers never missed a paycheck, and now they are enriching themselves and joking about luxury vacations? The Dublin teachers' union has company. The San Juan School District is outside Sacramento: This one gives 1% of base pay, including to the superintendent. Teachers get an extra $500 stipend. https://t.co/CLHum4hnRr Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) March 14, 2021 Clovis is a suburb of Fresno, where the school district is by far the largest employer: This is the craziest one Ive seen so far, $6K proposed bonus! https://t.co/XNsEm8G2Ms Reopen California Schools (@ReopenCASchools) March 14, 2021 My hope is that the unions have lost public confidence, and their greed and their refusal to go back to teaching at enormous cost to the mental and emotional health of children, not to mention them falling behind on learning will result on much more support for vouchers and homeschooling from taxpayers. Teaching by its nature should be an idealistic profession, and I am sure there are still many teachers worthy of that label. But the unions and the education bureaucrats operate out of self-interest, with no apparent concern for the welfare of the children they are entrusted with. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Glanbia Ireland confirmed that price deductions will be imposed on all milk supplied above the allocated peak volume. Photo Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland Glanbia Ireland has moved to limit the growth in milk supplies during the peak months of the year, with farmers facing a 30pc cut in price for volumes delivered beyond specified levels. The move follows concerns that Glanbia, which is Irelands largest milk processor, will struggle to handle the continued growth in milk supplies during the peak production months of April, May and June. A new mechanism, which the processor described as a temporary measure, was given the green light by the Glanbia Ireland council yesterday. The new policy will apply to milk supplied during April, May and June from 2022. The base used as an anchor for the policy will be calculated on each suppliers highest total volume over these peak supply months during 2018, 2019 or 2020. Glanbia stressed that no restrictions will apply to milk supply volumes outside of the peak period. Under the processors peak supply management policy: Farms with annual milk supply of less than 550,000 litres in the base period may grow their volumes over the peak supply months by 5pc per year over their base; Farms with annual milk supply of over 550,000 litres may grow their volumes over the peak supply months by 2.5pc per year over their base; Growth for recent entrants (those supplying milk for less than three years) will be facilitated up to the 550,000 litres threshold, after which they align to a compound growth rate of 2.5pc on peak months; For suppliers who have a peak supply profile higher than the Glanbia Ireland average, their peak supply volume will be adjusted down to reflect the average profile. No adjustment will be made to suppliers who have a profile at or under the Glanbia Ireland average. Milk price deductions Price deductions will be imposed on all milk supplied above the allocated peak volume, Glanbia Ireland confirmed. A milk price deduction of 30pc of the prevailing milk price will be imposed on excess supplies, or the cost associated with the disposal of the milk, whichever is higher. The Glanbia Ireland board confirmed that any net funds collected through the companys Peak Supply Management Policy will be redistributed and paid out in the milk price at the shoulders under existing or future seasonality schemes. In order to encourage increased milk supplies away from the peak Glanbia will introduce: Enhanced seasonality bonuses to incentivise production outside of the peak supply months; The launch of a once-off retirement scheme that will offer a five-year incentive for producers who opt to exit milk production. This is open until January 1, 2022; The creation of a reserve pool that will allocate additional peak volumes to exceptional cases, such as a disease outbreak in the base period. This reserve pool will also be open to applications from expanding suppliers that meet what Glanbia describes as a defined set of criteria. To incentivise off-peak milk production, Glanbia has confirmed that it will pay a seasonality bonus of 4c/l (incl. VAT) for January and December supplies and 3c/l for February. Cheese plant Glanbia Ireland chairman John Murphy insisted that the Peak Supply Management Policy was a temporary measure that was necessitated by delays in the commissioning of a new cheese plant at Belview, in south Kilkenny. This development is the subject of High Court proceedings. A timeframe for how long the restrictions on peak milk supplies will apply was not specified by Glanbia. The main farm organisations expressed concern at the Glanbia announcement. IFA claimed Glanbias move was the first step towards a new milk quota for the processors suppliers. The associations Stephen Arthur said farmers will have to be properly compensated for having to shift milk supplies away for the most efficient time of the year, adding that Glanbias decision asked fundamental questions about the milk supply agreement between farmers and the co-op. We are very concerned about what appears to be a two-tier milk pricing policy and the precedent this sets, Mr Arthur said. ICMSAs Gerald Quain said that the Glanbia announcement was very significant and could have enormous implications for suppliers to the co-op. 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 Aizawl/New Delhi, March 16 : The Rajya Sabha MP from Mizoram, K. Vanlalvena, on Tuesday urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to consider the plight of the people protesting against the military rule in Myanmar and relax its policy towards Myanmar refugees crossing over to India. An official release said that raising the issue at the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Vanlalvena informed the House that over 300 Myanmar nationals who have crossed the border are currently taking shelter in Mizoram, of which about 150 are police personnel. The release said that the state government and NGOs in Mizoram have been providing immediate help and shelter to these refugees. Meanwhile, the MHA had recently given directions to the chief secretaries of four northeastern states -- Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur -- sharing borders with Myanmar to not entertain Myanmar refugees. It also instructed Assam Rifles to seal the border and prevent entry from the neighbouring vountry, the release said. Vanlalvena told the House that it would not go down well with the people in Mizoram if the Central government insists on deporting these refugees, who belong to the Mizo ethnic tribe, and it is not possible to deport them until the situation in Myanmar improves. "Being the largest democracy in the world, it is the responsibility of India to encourage and support any struggle to protect and uphold democratic rights and principles. With the whole world watching, India should come forward to extend its helping hand to protect the Myanmar refugees," the official release said. Vanlalvena, who is also a senior leader of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), told IANS over phone from Delhi that he also met Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu and sought the Central government's intervention for restoration of peace in coup-hit Myanmar. Last week, the Union Home Ministry had asked four northeastern states which share borders with Myanmar to take appropriate action to check the influx of refugees from the trouble-torn nation. A Mizoram government official said that the Deputy Secretary (NE), MHA, Krishna Mohan Uppu, in his March 10 letter to the chief secretaries of these four states and the Director General of Assam Rifles had asked them to sensitise all the law enforcement and intelligence agencies for taking prompt steps in identifying illegal migrants and initiate their deportation process without delay. Uppu said that the Ministry's Foreigners' Division had also issued instructions to the chief secretaries on February 28 for asking law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take prompt steps for identifying illegal migrants, their restrictions to specific locations as per provisions of law, capturing their biographic and biometrics particulars, cancellation of fake Indian documents and legal proceedings, including initiation of deportation. The letter, available with IANS, reiterated that the state governments and UT administrations have no power to grant "refugee" status to any foreigner and India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol. The four northeastern states share a 1,643 km unfenced borders with Myanmar. Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana, in a statement in the Assembly last week week, had said that the state government has been providing relief and shelter to the people who have entered the Indian territory from Myanmar. He said that the state government has sent a detailed report about these people to the Union Home Ministry and is waiting for the Centre's advice on how to deal with them. Myanmar's Falam district authorities last week requested the Deputy Commissioner of Champai district in Mizoram to send back their eight police officers, who had crossed into Mizoram since March 3. Meanwhile, the National Campaign Against Torture has asked the National Human Rights Commission to process the asylum/refugee claims of the Myanmar refugees who have fled following the coup. NCAT coordinator Suhas Chakma urged the NHRC to direct the government not to forcibly repatriate any refugees until their claims have been assessed by the NHRC and further to extend humanitarian assistance to them. A one-year state of emergency has been declared in Myanmar where power has been transferred to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing after President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained by the military on February 1. A "dirty war" causing suffering for "defenceless" victims is unfolding in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, a general said in a private briefing with diplomats last week, according to an audio recording of his comments obtained by AFP. The statement from General Yohannes Gebremeskel Tesfamariam, head of a task force formed in response to the Tigray conflict, represents an unusually stark assessment of conditions in the region, where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government asserts normalcy is returning. "This is a dirty war because it's affecting everything. You don't see fronts. The cost is immediately to those who are defenceless," Yohannes said during the March 11 briefing in the regional capital Mekele attended by dozens of diplomats. "On the atrocities, rape, crime... I cannot give you concrete evidence, but I don't think we are going to be fortunate to see that such things have not happened." He did not indicate which forces might be responsible for "atrocities". The audio was authenticated by two people who attended the briefing. The army did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, sent troops into Tigray on November 4 after blaming the region's once-dominant ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), for attacks on army camps. A communications blackout made it difficult to verify conditions on the ground for weeks, though access has improved recently for humanitarian organisations and the media. The March 11 visit to Mekele was the first time most diplomats had any access to the region since fighting began. But while many expected they would be able to visit a hospital and sites housing displaced Tigrayans, they were told upon arrival that their stay would be limited to a briefing at a hotel. Abiy declared victory in Tigray in late November after federal forces took Mekele, though TPLF leaders remain on the run and fighting has continued. Story continues In his comments to diplomats, Yohannes suggested he did not see how a military approach alone would end the conflict. "I know very few and exceptional conflicts or violence -- or fightings, let me say -- that have ended only by gun. Very few," said Yohannes, who formerly commanded UN peacekeeping forces in South Sudan. He said other "mechanisms" would need to be considered, potentially including negotiations and calls for a ceasefire, though he did not put forward a specific proposal himself. "I believe this is the way out. I don't think we will escape this process," he said. Abiy's government has repeatedly said TPLF leaders need to be detained and disarmed. At one point in the briefing, South Sudanese ambassador James P. Morgan questioned why peace talks do not appear to have been pursued so far. "I don't know how do you want to bring this situation into an end, because I believe there's no... attempt of negotiations," Morgan said. "My brothers, the Ethiopians, do you want to end this war? Through what means?" - Orphans and widows - Residents of Tigray have told human rights groups and journalists of massacres, widespread sexual violence and indiscriminate killings of civilians by security forces. Aid workers, meanwhile, say the region's health system has largely collapsed and warn of possible large-scale starvation. Agezew Hidaru, a member of the interim government in Tigray, told diplomats that out of 226 health centres that existed in Tigray before the war, "not more than 20" were functioning. Out of 40 pre-war hospitals, only 10 were functioning, he said. Many of Tigray's 271 high schools "are totally damaged and looted," he said, adding that some schools have been used to accommodate around 700,000 displaced people in the region. The communications and access restrictions have made it difficult to estimate a death toll, and Agezew told diplomats that officials did not have a good figure. "There are sporadic conflicts here and there. We don't know how many people will die or have already died, so a large number of widowed, a large number of orphans are expected in the coming some months," he said. rcb/fb/pma Being worked to the point of having a heart attack is one issue being raised as thousands of retail workers across New Zealand head into bargaining periods with major employers. In 2021, more than 2000 retail workers who are members of FIRST Union will enter bargaining to negotiate better wages and conditions with employers as their existing Collective Agreements expire. Prior to the most recent Covid-19 lockdown, FIRST Union conducted national Stop Work meetings, where union members met during the working day to discuss common issues and opportunities across brands. FIRST Union gathered five anonymous quotes from retail workers at Stop Work meetings held across the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. "You dont break, you just go into work and have a heart attack on a Monday morning, says one Bunnings worker. Another states: "Theres an unwritten code we have to not follow the rules to get the job done. It isnt safe." One Bunnings worker complained about security and safety: "Its cheaper to leave people stealing rather than have adequate staffing levels, and it puts us in danger." Responding to the anonymous statements, Bunnings have made it clear the safety of their staff is of paramount importance. The safety and wellbeing of our team is our number one priority and we have a strong safety culture in our stores which includes ensuring team take regular breaks and we have the right number of team rostered, says Jacqui Coombes, director Bunnings New Zealand. Our team are encouraged to raise any concerns they might have through a variety of channels, including directly with their leader, confidentially through our HR team or via our Speak Up service which is managed by a third party and allows team members to make an anonymous report if they wish. All reports are looked into quickly and any safety concerns are investigated as a priority. FIRST Union aims to make three issues - healthy staffing, secure hours and living wages - a central part of all upcoming negotiations. Key employers involved in negotiations include Bunnings, Farmers, Briscoes, Kmart, Cotton On and H&M. "The first and most foundational issue facing retail workers is understaffing, which is a practice that has somehow been seen as good business until the pandemic came along," says Tali Williams, FIRST Union secretary for retail, finance and commerce. "The American model of cavernous megastores with towers of products but no one to help you buy them has slowly, but surely, been exported to New Zealand over the last two decades despite the fact that Kiwis havent ever enjoyed shopping in that way. "But the pandemic has highlighted how important safe staffing levels are when retail workers are unable to take sick leave and end up putting themselves and customers at risk because they cant afford to stay home." It is not just Bunnings who are mentioned in the First Union anonymous comments. One worker at Farmers says some customers get abusive when staff walk past empty counters in departments they do not specialise in, whilst an employee with Cotton On is critical of wages. "Even as a manager, you will struggle to get a living wage out of them. Australian owned Bunnings is the first major retail employer to begin bargaining with FIRST Union. Negotiations over a national Collective Agreement continued last week, but FIRST Union suggest Bunnings have not yet offered a living wage or been willing to address staffing levels or insecure hours during bargaining. Bunnings were widely congratulated as one of the first major employers to sign a living wage deal with FIRST Union, but Tali suggests that the chain is currently choosing not to continue with this decision. On the subject of the living wage Tali says this is such an obvious and easy way to hire and retain high-quality staff that most retail employers are already aware of the advantages of paying a base living wage and are already moving that way. It is understood the majority of Bunnings permanent team are on pay bands that already exceed the current Living Wage. The package Bunnings is proposing would provide an entry pay band from September 2021 thats equivalent with the current Living Wage. It is also understood that more than 80 per cent of Bunnings team are covered by IEAs. The balance are covered by the CEA with First Union. We recently met with First Union and team member delegates to continue our Collective Employment Agreement negotiations for the portion of our team who are covered by a CEA, says Jacqui. Throughout this process our primary objective has been to provide conditions that attract, reward and retain the best team. In our negotiations with First Union we have proposed a pay increase backdated to September 2020 as part of a new Collective Employment Agreement. On top of this, we also provide our team additional benefits including share options and bonuses outside of our IEA and CEA agreements. We believe the offer we have put forward is strong and balanced and we remain committed to reaching an agreement. Bunnings are already in negotiations with FIRST Union, as are Briscoes and H&M. Farmers and Cotton On begin negotiations this week. No information on leak of WhatsApp chat on Article 370 scrapping: Govt tells Lok Sabha India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 16: The central government has no information on the leak of WhatsApp chat related to confidential and sensitive information, including scrapping of Article 370, which surfaced during the investigation of TRP scam by the Mumbai Police, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. A 500-page transcript of a purported WhatsApp conversation, containing details of Balakot air strikes and abrogation of Article 370, went viral in January this year after it was submitted by the Mumbai Police before a court as part of its chargesheet in a case of misuse of TV rating point (TRP), which led to a political storm. ''No such information has come to the notice of the government,'' Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said in a written reply. Reddy's reply came when asked whether the government has taken cognisance of the leak of the Whatsapp chat on confidential and sensitive information which surfaced during the TRP scam investigation. Somerset County prisons toured in wake of COVID A media tour was held Wednesday at both Somerset County prisons to show how officials have adapted to COVID-19. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Heatherdale Resources Ltd. ("Heatherdale" or the "Company") (TSXV:HTR) is pleased to announce that drill and geological crews have mobilized to Heatherdale's 100%-owned Niblack copper-gold-silver-zinc VMS Project, located at tidewater in southeast Alaska. Two underground core rigs are committed to the Project that will step out along strike and down-dip from the Lookout Zone, the largest deposit that has been discovered to-date on the Property. Assays remain pending for the Q4 2020 drill program that targeted the historic Mine on the Property; results are expected from the lab in approximately one month. "We are excited to get drilling underway from the production sized underground ramp at Niblack targeting exceptional grades of copper, gold, zinc and silver mineralization along strike to the west as well as both up and down-dip stepouts from previous intercepts." said Rob McLeod, President and CEO of Heatherdale. "The Lookout Deposit is wide open for expansion, with the current Mineral Resource open for expansion from some of the highest-grade results encountered to-date on the Property." Initial planned underground holes at the Lookout Zone will step out up-dip and along strike from previous holes U131 which intersected 12.2 meters averaging 4.1% Cu, 10.4 g/t Au, 11.6% Zn and 239.9 g/t Ag and U132 which intersected 4.1% Cu, 8.2 g/t Au, 13.1% Zn and 194.1 g/t Ag with coarse-grained, massive sulphide mineralization, hosted in felsic volcanic rocks. Additional holes on the same section will step out down-dip from U032 which intersected 1.2 meters averaging 2.2% Cu 3.5 g/t Au, 1.3% Zn and 61 g/t Ag. Figure 1 - Planned Underground drill holes at Lookout Zone with Generalized Geology section 1525 Additionally, a pattern of holes is planned to test for the down-dip extension for the Lookout Zone, around previous hole U074 which intersected 1.5 meters averaging 2.0% Cu, 3.30 g/t Au, 23.3% Zn and 90.0 g/t Ag. These planned holes will be used to vector towards wider areas of mineralization which comprise the bulk of the resource at Niblack. The intercept in drill hole U074 is located approximately 80 meters down-dip of the current Mineral Resource. Figure 2 - Planned Underground drill holes downdip Lookout Zone with Generalized Geology section 2200 Up to fourteen drill holes are planned as part of this program, with additional drilling dependent on visual observation of mineralization, as well as other geological controls, identified in initial holes. QA/QC and Qualified Persons The Qualified Person under NI 43-101 for the 2020 and 2021 exploration programs at the Niblack Project is Marilyne Lacasse, P.Geo, VP Exploration for Heatherdale Resources Ltd. Drill core is cut-in-half with a diamond saw, with one-half placed in sealed bags and shipped with a chain of custody controls to ALS Labs in Vancouver, BC or other ALS Preparatory Labs as required, for sample preparation and analysis. A rigorous Quality Control/Quality Assurance program, including the insertion of Standards and Blanks, duplicate analysis and third-party labs checks has been implemented. Robert McLeod, P.Geo, President and CEO of Heatherdale Resources Ltd, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release, in addition to Ms. Lacasse. About Heatherdale Resources Heatherdale Resources Ltd.'s founding vision is to be an industry leader in transparency, inclusion and innovation. Guided by our Vision and through collaboration with local and Indigenous communities and stakeholders, Heatherdale builds shareholder value through our technical expertise in mineral exploration, engineering and permitting. The Company holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska. For more information on Heatherdale, please visit the Company's website at www.heatherdaleresources.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors Robert McLeod, P.Geo President, CEO and Director CONTACT: Rob McLeod 604-617-0616 (Mobile) 604-343-2997 (Office) rm@bwcg.ca Liam Morrison 604-897-9952 (Mobile) 604-343-2997 (Office) lm@bwcg.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; and changes in the Company's business plans. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such 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 and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company seeks safe harbor. The Company's "Mineral Resource Estimate" refers to a November 2011 NI 43-101 Report authored by SRK Consulting Independent of the Company and Deon Van Der Heever, Pr. Sci. Nat., Hunter Dickinson Inc., a Qualified Person who was not independent of the Company. Net Smelter Return (NSR) cutoff uses long-term metal forecasts: gold US$1,150/oz, silver US$20.00/oz, copper US$2.50/lb, and zinc US$1.00/lb; Recoveries (used for all NSR calculations) to Cu concentrate of 95% Cu, 56% Au and 53% Ag with payable metal factors of 96.5% for Cu, 90.7% for Au, and 89.5% for Ag; to Zn concentrate of 93% Zn, 16% Au, and 24% Ag with payable metal factors of 85% for Zn, 80% for Au and 20% for Ag. Detailed engineering studies will determine the best cutoff. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: Heatherdale Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635694/Heatherdale-Commences-Underground-Drilling-at-Niblack-Copper-Gold-Silver-Zinc-Project ROME, MAR 16 - A traffic platform linked to Alberto Sordi's classic 1960 film Il Vigile (The Traffic Policemen) is back working in Rome's central Piazza Venezia after a two-year closure due to nearby metro works. "I missed it," traffic cop Fabio Grillo, who has been up and down on the retractable platform since 2004, told ANSA. "Every time I climb back on top , so many people tell me the quips from the Sordi film and I have to say I like it, he's such an important part of Rome," said Grillo, a cinema buff, of the comic acting legend who died in 2003 aged 82. "And then, it's a symbolic role, you're in the middle of the piazza which is a crossroads for Romans, tourists, personalities. "The seats of the institutions are everywhere. You see everything. Asked to name his best experience on the stand, Grillo said: "A group of children who were passing by on their way to schools who said hello to me - and recently, now they've grown up, come by and still remember me. The 'vigile' is a friendly figure, representative of Rome." Grillo and his colleagues were welcome back into the iconic square where Mussolini used to address throngs by traffic police chief Ugo Angeloni. (ANSA). Several countries in Europe have suspended COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the Oxford University, following reports of possible side-effects comprising incidents of blood clots in people who have been administered the shot. At least 10 European nations have suspended or limited vaccinations. National governments nonetheless have taken pre-emptive steps. Several countries, including the UK, have also defended their use of the jab, saying that they will continue with their respective vaccination drives. Although no links are found to be proven between the vaccine and the events, experts have cautioned that the suspension of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine may impair already feeble public confidence in the vaccine. But the big question is how rife have the events of blood clots been and should people about to get vaccinated be concerned? Also Read: COVID-19 vaccine: Netherlands halts use of AstraZeneca jab amid blood clotting concerns Which countries have suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccine? Austria was first to halt the use of a single batch of ABV 5300 on March 7 after a person under the age of 50 was reported to have died from blood clots after getting inoculated. Iceland, Denmark and Norway followed suit by suspending AstraZeneca inoculations altogether last week following the so-called thromboembolic events. Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands halted the use of shot on March 15, and Portugal became the latest entrant on the list on March 16. In Asia, Thailand on March 12 became the first Asian nation to halt the use of the vaccine over safety concerns, right after Denmark announced a two-week recess for its countrywide rollout. Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) have stated that there was no proof so far that serious adverse events, particularly at least five deaths, were caused by the vaccine. What are thromboembolic events? Are they common? A thromboembolic event takes place when the blood clots, hindering normal circulation. It can be deadly, for instance, the blood vessel of a clot (thrombus) breaks loose and travels to the lungs (pulmonary embolism), brain (stroke), leg, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. Several western nations have a large proportion of people believed to be at risk of blood clots. This is due to ageing populations as well as a higher incidence of underlying conditions. Also Read: WHO says no reason to suspend AstraZeneca COVID vaccine amid blood clot reports What do the experts say? Staggering scientific opinion is that there is no definite link between blood clots and the AstraZeneca jab. Irrespective of vaccination, blood clots are quite common. Given the absolute number of people who are getting inoculated, these events could be random and coincidental. "The problem with spontaneous reports of suspected adverse reactions to a vaccine is the enormous difficulty of distinguishing a causal effect from a coincidence," Professor Stephen Evans of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told British news channel Sky News. "This is especially true when we know that COVID-19 disease is very strongly associated with blood clotting and there have been hundreds if not many thousands of deaths caused by blood clotting as a result of COVID-19 disease," he added. Prof. Evan further stated that the "first thing to do is to be absolutely certain that the clots did not have some other cause, including COVID-19." Prof. Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford vaccine group who developed the AstraZeneca inoculation, told the news channel that there was "very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most of the doses in Europe have been given so far". He noted that "safety is clearly absolutely paramount" but around 3,000 blood clot cases occur every month in the UK due to other causes. Also Read: COVID-19 update: India studies post-vaccination adverse events Clarifying on the thromboembolic event, an Oxford University spokesperson said that this disease, not related to vaccines, is "reasonably common in the UK general population, occurring in one in every 1,000 people." The spokesperson further cleared that the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is monitoring these events and has indicated that "they are not seeing an increase from this baseline level as part of the vaccine rollout." He added that this "reassures us that it is unlikely to be a problem, which is supported by further data from the Finnish health authorities." What is AstraZeneca saying? The British-Swedish pharma giant has articulated that it has concluded an assessment reviewing how safe its coronavirus vaccine is, basis data covering encompassing 17 million people who have been inoculated in the UK and the EU. "A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the UK with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country," the company said in a statement. "In fact, the observed number of these types of events are significantly lower in those vaccinated than what would be expected among the general population," it added. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca's numbers point towards 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis and 22 events of pulmonary embolism so far. Company executives have also stressed that this is similar to the rates witnessed among other licenced jabs. Also Read: AstraZeneca to miss Q2 EU vaccine supply target by 50% Will it influence public confidence in AstraZeneca's vaccine? Public confidence in AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine was already frangible, especially in Europe, following mixed messages from European leaders concerning the efficacy of the jab among people aged above 65. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, had cautioned last month that the vaccine had an "acceptance problem". Dr. Peter English, who earlier chaired the British Medical Association's Public Health Medicine Committee, said it was "regrettable" that some nations have halted vaccinations as a preventive action. "It risks doing real harm to the goal of vaccinating enough people to slow the spread of the virus and to end the pandemic," he noted. Proposed legislation to strengthen criminal penalties for rioting was passed Tuesday by the Alabama House Judiciary Committee after much conversation, a vote delay and changes to the bill. The committee passed HB 445 in a 9-3 vote along party lines. The bill will now go to the full House of Representatives for a vote. Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, who was Birminghams assistant police chief at the time of the summer riots in Birmingham following the police killing George Floyd in Minnesota, said he began drafting the legislation last year following the riots. Officers were in the middle of that, trying to take control of a very bad situation where bricks and bottles were thrown at them,' he said. It could have been very nasty. Among the provisions in Treadaways original legislation were: A person who is arrested for knowingly participating in a riot would be placed on a 24-hour hold before becoming eligible for bail, and, upon conviction, would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 days in jail and an order of restitution. [The 24-hour hold requirement in this and other sections will require passage of an accompanying constitutional amendment.] A person who knowingly participates in the new crime of Aggravated Riot, which requires bodily or property damage to result, would also be held for 24 hours before becoming eligible for bail, and, upon conviction of the Class C felony, would face a mandatory minimum sentence of six months and an order of restitution. Those convicted of Riot, Aggravated Riot, or Inciting a Riot would become ineligible to hold public office in Alabama. The crime of Assault Against a First Responder in the first and second degrees are created and those arrested for the offenses are initially held for 24 hours before becoming bail eligible. A first-degree conviction, which would be a Class B felony, results in at least one year in jail, a $15,000 fine, and an order of restitution, and a second-degree conviction, classified as a Class C felony, carries a minimum six-month jail sentence, a $5,000 fine, and a restitution requirement. Any government entity in Alabama that defunds a local law enforcement agency would lose eligibility for any state funding, grants, revenues, or other forms of aid. In addition, any entity that defunds a law enforcement agency would become civilly liable for any violent crime that result from the action. The crime of purposely blocking an Interstate would become a felony with accompanying fines Treadaway said his legislation is in no way aimed at peaceful protests. The committee held a spirited hearing last week, hearing the pros and cons on the bill. Opponents said they had concern that the new crimes would be used against peaceful protesters and some drew comparisons to the police crackdowns on peaceful civil rights protests of the 1960s. We definitely do not support people who are breaking the law, looting and rioting,' Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, said last week. But what Im afraid of is that this is going to be used as a tool to keep people from peacefully protesting. A vote was delayed until a subcommittee could meet to discuss revisions, which it did Tuesday morning. Those revisions included redefining riot which now reads, in the bill, to be the assemblage of five or more persons resulting in conduct which creates an immediate danger or damage to property or injury to persons. A major area of concern among opponents of the bill was the portion making it a felony to block traffic during a protest. Under the revisions, a first offense will now be a misdemeanor crime as long as there are no injuries and/or property damage in which case it would be a felony charge. Any subsequent violation would be a felony as well. On Tuesday, Coleman pointed to last weekends 56th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the day nonviolent protesters were brutally attacked by Alabama state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 as they marched for the right to vote. She said the strides made because those protesters got on that bridge changed the country. Alabama Democratic Party Chair Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, came out against the bill in February. He, too, expressed concern on Tuesday. The government cannot control the content of your speech as long as its peaceful. But at times when people are ignored or feel like their interests or concerns are not validated by the majority, they push their protests to other means in order to generate the attention necessary to create change,' England said. So, in that situation, when were talking about that situation and people who obstructed traffic in the past or have gotten in traffic, its simply to make the point that we need you to correct and address the injustices that we see on a regular basis. You cannot just cast a wide net and suggest that this bill is not about law enforcement, this bill is not about the communities that are being patrolled by law enforcement. It absolutely is. Thats the whole point. Thats why were here,' he said The fact of the matter is, the reason why we dont like rioting and looting is because it leads to conversations right here where youre telling me that protests are unacceptable to you. Thats not what the law is created for. " As a matter of fact,' England said, the standards we create should be as objective as possible, so no one makes the decision that I dont like your protest and start arresting you as a result of it. Were talking about whats acceptable forms of protest and quite honestly the people who are protesting arent concerned about your standards of acceptability. Following Tuesdays vote, the SPLC Action Fund sent out a statement saying HB 445 criminalizes First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly while preempting the authority of local governments. Under the bill, the group said, criminal penalties would be enhanced for people accused of committing a crime at a protest rally, but substantial discretion will be left to charging officers, leaving the door open to abuse. This is a threat to all who engage in peaceful protest, whether they march for a conservative cause, a liberal action or something in between. History has shown us that the First Amendment protects the right to make people uncomfortable,' interim deputy policy officer for the southeast with SPLC Action Fund Shay Farley said in a prepared statement. The vast majority of protests since the death of George Floyd have been peaceful, and this bill is clearly designed to instill fear in would-be protesters and silence dissent. Protesters ought to be protected, not arrested, and local governments should be trusted to make decisions that are best for their constituents. We urge the full House to reject this anti-democratic bill. When a group of California lawmakers flew to Hawaii for a four-day conference in November, they made headlines for traveling amid a global pandemic. "The annual gathering, which has seen up to 25 California lawmakers in attendance in past years, has faced criticism because it is partly financed and attended by special interests, including businesses and labor groups, that lobby legislators," the Los Angeles Times reported. "This year, lawmakers are drawing criticism for their decision to attend the event during the COVID-19 pandemic and as coronavirus cases surge nationwide." Politico has since done some detective work that has added to the list of legislators who made the trip to Maui and has uncovered other travels lawmakers made at a time when state and federal authorities discouraged travel to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Through financial disclosures, Politico found legislators traveled to the Pacific Northwest in the fall for a $3,000 trip funded by the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy. The November trip to Hawaii sparked a particularly big controversy as it occurred at the start of the holiday surge, SFGATE reported at the time of the conference. Fewer people attended the annual policy conference hosted by the Independent Voter Project, a San Diego-based nonprofit group, in November compared to previous years. The Fairmont Kea Lani, the luxury Wailea resort hosting the summit, told the Sacramento Bee that guests had to show proof of a negative test result before attending. Dan Howle, the chairman of the Independent Voter Project, told the Bee that attendees followed the rules and were wearing masks on the hotel grounds. "Nobody has been walking around without masks," he said. "They're not complaining about it. Of course, they're in Maui." Politico confirmed in November the names of 10 lawmakers who attended, including Sen. Bill Dodd, a Democrat from Napa. On Tuesday, the news site revealed state Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, who has since become Senate minority leader, was also there. The disclosures also showed five state lawmakers who did not confirm their attendance with Politico last fall did fly to Maui: Assemblymembers Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove; Tom Daly, D-Anaheim; Patrick O'Donnell, D-Long Beach; former Assemblymember Bill Brough, R-Dana Point; and Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park. Derek Chauvins Attorney Requests Trial Be Postponed Following News of Settlement The attorney for Derek Chauvin, the former police officer of Minneapolis charged for the death of George Floyd, has requested for a delay and relocation of the trial, pointing to concerns about the impact of the settlement the city had reached with Floyds family. I am gravely concerned with the news that broke on Friday related to the civil settlement, the defense lawyer Eric Nelson told the judge on Monday, according to The Hill. The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury selection is perplexing to me, your honor. In this image taken from video, defense attorney Eric Nelson speaks to Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill during pretrial motions, prior to continuing jury selection in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin,, at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on March 11, 2021. (Court TV/Pool via Pool) Nelson told Judge Peter Cahill of Hennepin County District Court before his motion this was the third highly prejudicial and incredibly prejudicial press leak or press release he has experienced during the case that has very suspicious timing, to say the least, and has an incredible propensity to taint a jury pool, Fox News reported. Read More Minneapolis to Pay $27 Million to Settle George Floyd Family Lawsuit Cahill responded that he didnt see any evil intent in the city council unanimously voting for the settlement Friday, although Nelsons point was legitimate, according to The Hill. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill speaks during pretrial motions, prior to continuing jury selection in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on March 11, 2021. (Court TV/ Pool via AP) Cahill said he would think about delaying the trial. He also granted one of Nelsons motions, to bring the selected jurors before back in to verify the influence of the news. Chauvin is charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count of third-degree murder, and one count of second-degree. Nelson also mentioned that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellisons son is a Minneapolis City Council member. Im not accusing Mr. Ellison of anything. I just want to make that very clear, Nelson said. It is profoundly disturbing to the defense because, ultimately, the goal of this system is to provide a fair trial and this is not fair. The prosecutor of the case, special attorney for the State Steven Schleicher, responded by saying that the defense attorney was trying to mislead, according to Fox. Even though the relation is there, theyre not coordinating anything in this regard. The mayor is a lawyer. The mayor has a job to dohe certainly doesnt take direction from me. The court selected two more jurors on Monday, taking the total number to ninetwo of the jurors are Black, one Hispanic, one multiracial, and five white. An eight juror is a black man in his 30s. He said he saw the bystander viral video of Floyds May 25 arrest. He pledged that he would remain objective. The ninth juror is a white woman in her 50s. She also said she had viewed the bystander video of Floyds arrest, adding that she is not in a position to change the law but to uphold the law. She said she considers Chauvin innocent until we can prove otherwise, according to the StarTribune. [March 16, 2021] NABP Reaffirms Support for COVID-19 Vaccines MOUNT PROSPECT, IL, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) proudly announces its continued confidence in the safety of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines approved for emergency use authorization by Food and Drug Administration. The authorized vaccines have followed a strict testing and approval process throughout all stages of vaccine development. We can have greater control over the spread of this virus by getting vaccinated and encouraging patients to get vaccinated, says NABP Executive Director Lemrey Al Carter, PharmD, MS, RPh. Wearing masks, social distancing, and washing hands can be effective, but the vaccines have shown to be an important next step to gaining control of the virus. In addition, vaccinated patients can return to some everyday activities at low risk to themselves, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research . Evidence shows that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and potentially less likely to transmit the virus to others. Nearly 38.5 million people , or 11.5% of the total population, have been fully vaccinated in the United States at the time of this release, but part of the US population has expressed concern about the safety of the vaccine and is hesitant to receive it. As we work toward higher vaccination numbers, the role pharmacists can play to educate patients about the COVID-19 vaccine is even greater. These accessible, frontline health care providers have an opportunity to advance patients knowledge and understanding of the vaccines safety and efficacy by demonstrating their own confidence in the vaccine. NABP supports its member boards of pharmacy in their quest for efficient and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. The boards determinedly work with local, state, and federal agencies to increase the publics access to the vaccine and facilitate pharmacists and pharmacy technicians ability to safely administer the COVID-19 vaccine. It is inspiring to see the increased collaboration between our profession and other agencies to support the publics health and safety during these difficult times, notes Carter. To further increase the education surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine, NABP has shared a number of resources that provide board of pharmacy members and staff, practicing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and consumers with vaccine facts and updates. Resources for health care providers can be found on the NABP website , and information geared toward patients education can be found on NABPs consumer website . NABP is the independent, international, and impartial Association that assists its state member boards and jurisdictions for the purpose of protecting the public health. - 30 - Larissa Doucette 847/391-4405 help@nabp.pharmacy [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) -IM Exploration Inc. (CSE: IM) (the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement financing for gross proceeds of up to $750,000 through the issuance of up to 5,000,000 units in the capital of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.15 per Unit (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share (each, a "Common Share") in the capital of the Company and one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one (1) Common Share at the exercise price of $0.25 for a period of thirty-six (36) months from the closing date of the Offering, provided however, that should the closing price at which the Common Shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (or any such other stock exchange in Canada as the Common Shares may trade at the applicable time) exceed CDN$0.50 for 10 consecutive trading days at any time following the date of issuance, the Company may accelerate the Warrant Term (the "Reduced Warrant Term") such that the Warrants shall expire on the date which is 30 business days following the date a press release is issued by the Company announcing the Reduced Warrant Term. Gross proceeds raised from the Offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes, covering future Toiyabe exploration and expenses, continued exploration of new asset, and to perform further exploration on the recently expanded Mulloy Project, located in Rowlandson Township, Ontario. Closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance and the resale rules of applicable securities legislation. It is expected that the closing of the Offering will occur on or before March 31, 2021. The securities offered 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 U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction. About IM Exploration Inc. The Company is a mineral exploration company, currently exploring for graphite, gold, and other minerals at its early-stage Mulloy Project in Northern Ontario. From time to time the Company may also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assets and opportunities. For further information contact: Raymond D. Harari President and Chief Executive Officer IM Exploration Inc. rdh@canaliscapital.com Tel: +507-6675-2221 Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and information are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "appear", "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "approximate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "would" and similar expressions. Investors are cautioned that, while management intends to use the funds as indicated above, there may be circumstances, including the failure to acquire the option to acquire the Toiyabe property, where a reallocation of funds may be necessary. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the expected timing and terms of the private placement, use of proceeds, anticipated work program, required approvals in connection with the work program and the ability to obtain such approvals. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, timelines and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws or the CSE. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION INTO THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77487 We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The city of Topeka, Kansas, has settled a lawsuit over a 2016 crash involving a police cruiser that left two people injured, according to a city official. The city has agreed to pay $335,000 to settle the case, Topeka City Manager Brent Trout told television station KSNT. The incident stemmed from an April 2016 crash in which an on-duty officer drove through a red light, reportedly at an excessive speed, and hit a car driven by Jesus Meza. The collision caused the car to roll several times and seriously injured Meza and a passenger, Mayra Meraz. In 2018, the pair sued the city for $5 million. The lawsuit said Meza had to undergo surgeries after being diagnosed with a scraped cornea and several fractures and that Meraz suffered from headaches as well as back and hip pain following the crash. Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement Kansas Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Massachusetts is set to receive more than 150,000 first doses of the coronavirus vaccine this week, several thousand of which will unexpectedly be from the multinational company Johnson & Johnson, according to state authorities. Of the 170,000 first doses the state is slated to receive from the federal government this week, 8,000 will be Johnson & Johnsons single-shot vaccine, the state COVID-19 Command Center said. Authorities in Massachusetts said they werent expecting the vaccines from the company, as state officials were told they wouldnt get an allocation of Johnson & Johnson doses until the end of March. The expected increase in the number of doses the state should receive is modest but not significant, officials noted. For weeks, Republican Gov. Charlie Bakers administration has said it will likely take a month for people who are permitted to receive a vaccine to book first-dose appointments. His office cited a severely constrained federal supply and a large population currently eligible to get vaccinated. The Baker administration pointed out the timeframe is only subject to change if the vaccine supply from the federal government increases dramatically, including the recently authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Trying to book first-dose appointments in Massachusetts has been a weekly frenzy for residents, who have criticized the state for its appointment-booking website crashing multiple times, for hours-long virtual waiting rooms on the site, for alleged geographic inequities in the vaccine rollout and for other mishaps. More than 40,000 first-dose appointments were made available last Thursday at the seven super immunization sites in the commonwealth. The appointments were fully booked within hours in the morning. To try to streamline access to the COVID-19 vaccine, the state last Friday launched its website allowing all residents to pre-register to receive their shots. As of Saturday, more than 200,000 individuals had signed up for the new system. As of Monday afternoon, 2,620,671 total doses of the vaccine had been administered in Massachusetts, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, 95,000 first and second doses of the vaccine were allocated to Massachusetts pharmacies through the federal retail pharmacy program, and 19,000 Johnson & Johnson doses were sent to federally qualified health centers. The 170,000 first doses the state is expecting to receive this week do not include those allocated through the federal pharmacy program or other federal doses, according to officials. MassLive reporter Steph Solis contributed to this story. 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. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. (Alliance News) - C&C Group PLC on Tuesday said it sold US subsidiary Vermont Hard Cider Company to Northeast Kingdom Drink Group LLC for USD20 million. The sale is expected to result in a net book profit, C&C said in a trading update ahead of its results for the 2021 financial year. The net proceeds from that and the earlier sale of Tipperary Coolers for EUR7 million will be used to cut debt. C&C said it will continue to position itself as the "preeminent brand-led drinks distribution business" in the core UK and Ireland markets. The Dublin-based drinks manufacturer and distributor said it returned to profitability in July, August and September 2020, when trading restrictions in the UK and Ireland were eased. At-home volume share for C&C's three core brands - Tennent's, Bulmers and Magners - grew over the past 12 months, the company said. "While our ability to trade has been severely restricted in hospitality, our brands have performed strongly in the off-trade. The group has been working hard to ensure that we are primed and ready to serve our on-trade customers as and when the hospitality sector is allowed to reopen, from a more streamlined base and with new brand partners, in the post pandemic market," Chief Executive David Forde said. C&C reported liquidity of EUR315 million as of February 28, when its financial year ended. That's down from EUR387 million on October 20, 2020. Pre-IFRS 16 net debt was EUR362 million on February 28. The FTSE 250 company will announce preliminary results for the 2021 financial year on May 26. Shares were up 1.9% to 300.00 pence in London on Tuesday. By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Ms Flints speech was in response to Mr Albaneses comments this week taking aim at the Liberal Party over its handling of sexual harassment allegations, and she took particular aim at foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong and shadow minister for women Tanya Plibersek. I will not be lectured by [Anthony Albaneses] side of politics about the treatment of women in this place, she said. I ask the Leader of the Opposition, where was he and where was his predecessor and where were the senior Labor women when GetUp, Labor and union supporters chased, harassed and screamed at me everywhere I went in the lead-up to the 2019 election? Ms Flint claimed she had been abused time after time on her Twitter and Facebook pages by Labor supporters and had her electorate office defaced with horrendous, sexist and misogynist abuse. In the wake of weeks of sexual harassment allegations and public discussion about the treatment of women in politics, Ms Flint said the need for cultural change in Canberra should be above politics. It is an issue for us all to address through the bipartisan independent review by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, she said. Mr Albanese said Ms Flints treatment shouldnt have happened, full stop, but claimed women in Labor had also been subjected to protests from activist groups including climate change group Extinction Rebellion and GetUp. Loading They were at the same time ... protesting against Labor MPs, he said. Some seats, including mine, was being occupied every week at the same time, and certainly the women staff who worked for me and my electorate officers [who are] all female staff felt intimidated by occupations of the office. So I stand with Nicolle Flint. Her ... story is one that is appalling, that that sort of behaviour was directed at her. It shouldnt happen. It shouldnt happen to anyone. Nicolle Flint deserved to be safe as a member of Parliament, and we must listen to this story and all the stories about womens involvement and indeed peoples involvement in politics, we must learn to have disagreements in a civil way. GetUp said on Tuesday its campaign in the seat of Boothby did not include harassment or misogyny and that its volunteers did not harass Ms Flint, and that such claims were a smear campaign. The harassment experienced by Nicolle Flint as the member for Boothby during the 2019 election campaign is abhorrent to GetUp as an organisation. We condemned the behaviour at the time and went to great lengths to confirm our members were not involved, a spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman said the lobby group stood by its statements after the incidents in May 2019 that condemned the behaviour. It is deplorable and not how election campaigns should be conducted. Sexist bullying like this needs to be condemned by everyone. It is never OK. It degrades women and gender non-conforming people, and makes it harder for them to stand in Parliament, she said. The Whittier Street Health Center (WSHC), a comprehensive and innovative health care and wellness center championing equitable access to high-quality, cost-effective health care for diverse populations, proudly announces its partnership with community-based organizations in Boston, including the Brazilian Worker Center, Hyde Square Task Force, Agencia ALPHA, Leon de Juda and Lawyers for Civil Rights, in launching a mobile COVID-19 vaccination unit. BOSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Through this partnership, WSHC's Mobile Health Vans will bring life-saving vaccines directly to Boston's hard-hit BIPOC communities, focusing on critical site-based interventions, including Leon de Juda's bilingual congregation, the Brazilian Worker Center's headquarters in Allston, and Hyde Square Task Force's headquarters in Boston's Latin Quarter. Hundreds of individuals will directly receive vaccines as a result of this innovative partnership. More BIPOC congregations and community groups, including those affiliated with the Greater Boston Latino Network, are fully expected to join the partnership as it deepens and expands to meet the urgent need for vaccination. The partnership is designed to leverage trusted community partners to help close the racialized vaccine gap experienced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Whittier Street Health Center WSHC's innovative and community-focused model of mobile vaccination alleviates the need for people who are elderly, high-risk or living with disabilities to travel to distant mass vaccination sites. Critically, WSHC also embraces the cultural and linguistic diversity of BIPOC populations and provides multilingual healthcare services through its Mobile Vaccination Clinics. The first clinic will be held at the Lion de Juda Church on 68 Northampton Street, South-End, Boston on March 18 from noon to 6 pm and at the Brazilian Workers Center at 14 Harvard Street, Allston, MA 02134 from 10 am to 4 pm. In response to alarming racial inequities in vaccine distribution, WSHC and Lawyers for Civil Rights joined forces to convene grassroots groups to explore community-based interventions such as setting up vaccination tents and hosting mobile vaccination units. Lawyers for Civil Rights applaud the leadership and community-focused priorities demonstrated by WSHC's incredible partnership with the Brazilian Worker Center, Hyde Square Task Force, Agencia ALPHA, Leon de Juda, and other organizations. Lawyers for Civil Rights stands ready to support and facilitate such collaborative efforts to bring vaccines to the hardest-hit neighborhoods. WSHC and Lawyers for Civil Rights are encouraging other hospitals and healthcare providers to establish similar partnerships with grassroots and non-profit community organizations in Greater Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and across the Commonwealth. For future weekly schedules, please visit: www.wshc.org To learn more contact: Frederica Williams [email protected] 617 989 3221 Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal [email protected] 617 989 0624 Samuel Acevedo [email protected] 617 733 2329 Related Images image1.jpg SOURCE Whittier Street Health Center Solar was the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. energy industry in 2020, and is poised for more growth as the Biden administration aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. A record 19.2 gigawatts of solar generation was installed nationally last year, the equivalent of 43 percent of the new power plants in 2020, according to a report published Tuesday by Wood Mackenzie and commissioned by trade group Solar Energy Industries Association. The U.K.-based energy research firm forecasts the U.S. solar industry will install 324 gigawatts of new solar farms over the next decade, more than quadrupling the current solar fleet. One gigawatt can power at least 3o0,000 homes, according to estimates. The recent two-year extension of the investment tax credit will drive greater solar adoption through 2025, said Michelle Davis, Wood Mackenzies senior energy analyst. The market's economic conditions and increasing efforts to reduce carbon emissions could boost the installation rate to over 50 gigawatts per year by the end of the decade, she added. The solar industry is booming as the price of cells that convert light to energy has fallen and government tax incentives have made the technology more cost-effective in recent years. Rystad expects the U.S. will need about 1,000 gigawatts of new solar and 600 gigawatts of new wind capacity to meet Bidens climate goals. This could put at risk more than 56 billion cubic feet per day of future natural gas demand, the Norwegian energy research firm said. Some large oil companies are investing heavily in solar to prepare for a lower-carbon future. French oil giant Total is developing 16 solar farms in the U.S., including three in West Texas, one in central Texas, one in south Texas and four in the Houston area. Totals solar projects, which will generate nearly 4 gigawatts of solar power, are expected to come online by 2024. ENERGY TRANSITION: Total to develop 4 solar projects near Houston, expanding renewable footprint The scene is set for gigawatt-scale solar photovoltaic projects to be launched, said Felix Tan, senior energy analyst at Rystad. We expect more gigawatt-scale solar PV projects to follow, including hybrid developments. Texas saw the second highest number of new solar installations last year, according to Wood Mackenzie. Installed solar capacity in Texas now produces about 6,750 megawatts of power, enough for 783,663 homes. The state added 3,425 megawatts of solar in 2020, the Solar Energy Industries Association said. Nationally, the installation of residential solar panels increased 11 percent to a record 3.1 gigawatts. Nearly 14 gigawatts of utility-scale solar farms went online nationally. The U.S. solar industry, however, faces several challenges as it tries to expand in the coming years, including meeting battery storage demands and installation of transmission lines, Rystad said. Solar farms also require vast amounts of land. Rystad estimates that the industry will need 13,412 square miles of land, about 20 times the size of Houston, to install enough solar panels to meet Bidens net-zero target. Although building all these solar farms is no easy task, with the right choice of unoccupied land and with sufficient investments in infrastructure, it can be done, Tan said. Not every state is a good fit for large-scale solar plants, but certain southern states could take on larger gigawatts-scale projects than others. Reporter Marcy De Luna contributed. By Liu Xiongma, Huang Liming and Lei Yang BEIRUT, Mar. 16 -- The medical detachment and the construction engineer detachment of the 19th Chinese peacekeeping forces to Lebanon passed the military capability assessment for the first quarter of 2021 conducted by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on March 11. The evaluation of the medical detachment involved 102 items in seven categories, including combat training, equipment management and logistics support. The evaluation of the construction engineer detachment mainly focused on the combat readiness and the capability to conduct peacekeeping tasks. The onsite results of the UNIFIL inspection team indicated that all the indicators of the Chinese peacekeeping force met the standards. The head of the Military Engineer Department of the UNIFIL expressed appreciation for the high-level work standards and the contributions made by the Chinese peacekeepers since their deployment. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Rich the Kid was arrested Monday at LAX airport in connection with possession of a concealed weapon. Authorities in Los Angeles told TMZ that the Plug Walk artist, 28, was taken into custody after 1 p.m. PT. at the travel hub. The rap artist, whose real name is Dimitri Leslie Roger, had problems at an airport less than two years ago following a Los Angeles-to-Sacramento flight. The latest: Rich the Kid, 28, was arrested Monday at LAX airport in connection with possession of a concealed weapon. Seen here in 2019 in NYC A closer look: Here the singer is seen at the The World is Yours Tour 2 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles in 2019 In the incident, officials told TMZ that the Queens, New York-born artist was irate because flight attendants ceased alcohol service ahead of the plane's landing descent. After an exchange of words between the rapper and flight crew, flight officials contacted police reporting an unruly passenger. Police officers talked to Rich the Kid when he landed, and mediated a chat between the artist and Delta officials, with no further actions taken by either party. The rapper is also facing a number of legal battles, as he was named in multiple lawsuits filed last year, including from a jeweler and the company Fashion Nova, the outlet reported. On the court: Rich the Kid was snapped at a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center in December 2019 in Los Angeles The musical performer stayed active working amid the pandemic, releasing the EP Lucky 7 earlier this year. The record includes collaborations with artists such as DaBaby, Rubi Rose and SipTee. Among his past hit singles include New Freezer with Kendrick Lamar, Daddy with Blueface and Talk to Me with Tory Lanez. 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. Liquid Intelligent Technologies (LIT) has said that delaying the release of high-demand spectrum in South Africa further is not great for the country. This comes after Telkom and Etv won an interdict against the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), causing it to halt its plans to auction off spectrum until the case can be heard by the High Court. The CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies operations in South Africa, Deon Geyser, said that the company firmly believes that the spectrum assets government holds should be used by the telecommunications industry. He also affirmed that LIT has applied for additional spectrum in response to the Invitation to Apply that ICASA issued last year. It is not easy to make sure everyone is happy with the [spectrum] application process, Geyser acknowledged. To delay the spectrum auction process further South Africa is already ten years behind the high-demand spectrum on 4G, you know. To delay that further is not great for the country. Legal challenges Telkom launched its legal challenge against ICASAs spectrum application process at the end of last year. The company said that if ICASA goes ahead with the auction as planned it will mess up South Africas telecommunications industry for 20 years. It also warned that mobile data prices in South Africa will remain high if ICASA does not make changes to the spectrum auction. Telkoms two major complaints about the auction were as follows: Firstly, several important spectrum bands in the 700MHz and 800MHz regions are not commercially viable as they are still in use by broadcasters. Telkom wants assurances from the High Court that the government will be forced to migrate broadcasters out of those bands, as it will have no incentive to do so once it has pocketed the money from the auction. Secondly, Telkom argued that ICASA went ahead with the process without first finishing its Mobile Broadband Service Market Inquiry. Telkom contends that this is unlawful and irrational. The root of this argument is that Telkom does not believe ICASA is doing enough to break the dominance of Vodacom and MTN in the market. In addition to the court case brought by Telkom, MTN has launched its own legal challenge against the structure of ICASAs auction. MTN objected to ICASAs plan to exclude Vodacom and MTN from the first round of the auction, where certain lots of spectrum will be made available to smaller network operators. ICASA termed this exclusive round the Opt-In Scheme. A particular sore spot for MTN is the inclusion of frequencies in the 3,500MHz band as part of the opt-in round. This is because MTN said it needs spectrum in this band to advance its 5G roll-out in South Africa. MTN warned that ICASA risked undermining its auction by allowing smaller operators to potentially pick up extremely valuable spectrum for much cheaper than the larger operators would have been willing to pay. It also warned that if smaller operators snatched up all the 3,500MHz spectrum, the larger networks might not be interested in bidding on the scraps that remain. Vodacom has filed a counter-application against MTNs, saying that there was a way to continue with the auction as-is while also allaying MTNs fears. Vodacoms application will be heard together with MTNs this month. Delays expected Telkom has asked for a court order which sets the digital migration deadline for 30 June 2021. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa subsequently stated during his State of the Nation address that the digital migration process will be completed by March 2022. Now read: This table shows what the 5G spectrum fight in South Africa is about U.S. News Announces the 2021 Best Cars for Families Toyota wins more awards than any other brand; Honda Odyssey wins Best Minivan for Families for 11th consecutive year. WASHINGTON March 16, 2021 Toyota won the most awards this year with four, and Honda won three. Kia and Chevrolet each won one award. The 2021 Kia Telluride- Telluride is the Best 3-Row SUV for Families for the second consecutive year. The Chevrolet Suburban won Best Large SUV for Families for the third time overall and for the first time since 2015. -- U.S. News & World Report, a nationally recognized publisher of consumer advice and information, today announced the 2021 Best Cars for Families . U.S. News evaluated 86 vehicles and named winners across nine categories. The 2021 Best Cars for Families winners have the best combination of safety and reliability ratings, excellent reviews from the automotive press, passenger and cargo space and the features that keep the entire family safe, connected and entertained. Tech features, such as in-car wireless internet, teen driver controls, automatic braking, surround-view parking camera systems and hands-free cargo doors, were considered alongside traditional criteria such as passenger and cargo space. "Families come in many forms, and with nine different categories to choose from, there's a Best Cars for Families award winner that will work for any family," said Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of U.S. News Best Cars. "The award winners have the space, safety and features to satisfy any family, from new parents to parents with new drivers to households that may be welcoming grandparents." HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2021 BEST CARS FOR FAMILIES For the full set of winners and finalists, visit the Best Cars for Families. The award methodology combines professional automotive reviews, safety and reliability ratings, seating and cargo volume and the availability of family-friendly features. Within each of the nine automotive categories, the vehicle with the highest composite score is named the Best Car for Families in that category. ABOUT U.S. NEWS BEST CARS Since 2007, U.S. News Best Cars, the automotive channel of U.S. News & World Report, has published rankings of the majority of new vehicles sold in America. Each year, U.S. News also publishes the Best Cars awards, including Best Vehicle Brands, Best Cars for the Money and Best Cars for Families. U.S. News Best Cars supports car shoppers throughout the entire car buying journey, offering advice for researching cars, finding cars for sale near you and getting the best rate on car insurance. U.S. News Best Cars had more than 73 million visitors over the past year, with the majority actively shopping for a car. More than 70% of active shoppers reported that U.S. News influenced their car-purchasing decision, saying that they trust our advice to be unbiased and that they would recommend our site to others. About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and News, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C. SOURCE U.S. News & World Report New York, like other parts of the country, has seen an increase in hate crimes and bias incidents targeting Asian Americans. Last month, a clip of a woman being violently shoved to the ground in Flushing went viral, but that was reportedly only one of four attacks against Asian American women in the city that day. It isnt known how many other attacks fly under the radar, because many victims dont feel comfortable coming forward to report. A number of factors are driving the spike in anti-Asian hate crimes: the pandemic, a slumped economy, Donald Trumps incendiary rhetoric surrounding the coronavirus and Asian Americans being labeled as perpetual foreigners, to name a few. There have also been a number of solutions put forward to better support victims and prevent these acts from happening, but lawmakers and community advocates acknowledge theres still more work to be done. City & State spoke to several downstate Democratic Asian American lawmakers about their experiences of this crisis, their past experiences of racism on the job and their upcoming policy proposals for protecting their communities. Below are condensed and edited responses from Assembly Members Yuh-Line Niou and Ron Kim, state Sens. John Liu and Kevin Thomas, and Rep. Grace Meng. How does it feel to be an Asian American elected official right now? Yuh-Line Niou: My community really suffered economically early on, people stopped coming to Chinatown way before the shutdowns, and it was just really hard to watch it all happen and to try to stop some of the racist views that were being spread. It wasnt like little things either, even in the media, we were seeing our big newspapers and big networks showing Flushing and Chinatown (for coronavirus coverage) before there was even a case there. Why was that the visual for what coronavirus looks like, what this pandemic looks like? It hurt me, it hurt my heart, it just made me feel very lonely, because I felt like I was screaming into a void a little bit. I told folks, I said it in my budget speech, I said it in my conference, I begged for resources, I told folks my small businesses are in trouble, and that we were going to see a huge wave in anti-Asian hate crimes, and nobody heard me. John Liu: Well, its more about how it feels to be Asian American. Were not new to hate crimes, but its been a long time since we saw such a humongous spike in bias incidents, ranging from snide comments and offensive gestures to outright discrimination and acts of violence. The NYPD reports a 1,900% increase from 2019 to 2020, and nationally there have been a few thousand documented cases, and undoubtedly many more that were not reported, and this comes at a time when the nation is facing the onslaught of coronavirus, but Asian Americans have faced a two-pronged attack, that of COVID-19 and that of the virus of hate. Ron Kim: I feel privileged that I have a soapbox, and I have the ability to forge solidarity with other communities and work towards solutions. Whereas the Asian American families who are living in fear, theyre just stuck in this space where they feel theyre just doing everything they can to survive, and the whole world seems to be targeting them for no reason, and they dont have any means to find justice, and to feel like they belong in our community. I know how that feels, and I feel that its my responsibility, along with other Asian electeds, to really give them the voice and a solution that they deserve. Kevin Thomas: Theres been a lot of hateful rhetoric in politics in the past couple of years its similar to after 9/11, when a lot of South Asians were targeted because they were brown and had a beard or wore a turban. Were living in similar times. Its important as one of the very few Asian Americans in the state legislature to have a voice, to uplift the community. Grace Meng: I have two words that Ive been using to process it, one is hurtful and the other is relief. Growing up as an Asian American, my experience I dont want to speak for everyone but my experience was always to be encouraged to blend in, to fit in, and to be invisible ... We were taught that if we fit in and stay quiet then we would be seen as American enough. Right now, when I say I feel a sense of relief, its because I feel like whether Im talking to people in my community, or whether Im responding to allies from other communities, we can finally say to ourselves: We dont have to be silent. That in order to prevent future incidents we have to speak out, and its so important that we speak up, and thats where my sense of relief comes from. I will say that it obviously feels hurtful to see people who look like my own parents and grandparents getting attacked for no reason at all, and I hurt for the people who might not be able to speak up for themselves when it happens. What kind of racism have you experienced in your political career? Yuh-Line Niou: People have called my office to tell me that I eat bats, like literally, just to tell me you eat bats and hang up. People have called my office to tell me that I eat cats and dogs and I need to go get my wok and fry them up. Its been very interesting to get those kinds of calls because they would literally look me up online to call my offices, and youre just like, Really? Youve got that much time on your hands? ... I feel tired every time I get something like that. You think after a certain amount of time, and after a certain number of comments, that it doesnt get to you anymore, but thats never true. Its always about whether or not I belong, whether or not I deserve to be a part of this place, and have the same rights as them. John Liu: When I first ran for New York City Council in 1997, I had the door slammed on me a lot. When I was going door to door, after the door slammed, I could hear the person yell, I would never vote for fucking ch-. Now, the door is not slammed quite as loudly, but its still shut pretty quickly, and the words are, You think I would ever vote for someone like you? Even when I was running for citywide office, in 2009 for comptroller and in 2013 for mayor, there were pundits who would say, Johns a good guy, but the citys not ready for someone like him. Ron Kim: Ive experienced a lot of microaggressions in Albany. In a crowded elevator, people would ask me if I knew Mr. Park who owns a dry cleaner in Buffalo, or how to dance like Psy when Gangnam Style was popular. Those are examples of how theyd try to softly humiliate me in front of other people. It happens less than it used to, but its a slow death with microaggressions. It can be even worse than someone just shouting a racial slur at you, where you think like, OK, youre just a racist, and then they go away. Its about changing the culture in Albany, but also this is something so many Asian Americans face at their jobs. Kevin Thomas: Im what, three years into this? But you dont picture an Asian American with my name, right? Kevin Thomas is super white. Its just educating people about where I come from and who I am. I wouldnt say Ive been discriminated against, but Im sure theres some bias here and there when they see me. During the campaign, there was a lot of rhetoric about me that was pushed by the other side. There were a lot of mailers that pasted my brown face on a white body, running away with money. Grace Meng: Luckily, theres not been anything physical. Its just a daily part of life that I expect, its not necessarily because Im a politician, but just because of the way I look, right? I live in a very diverse city in New York, but I can always depend on someone saying something every few weeks or months to make feel that Im not really American enough from people yelling out ching chong ching chong those types of slur, to people asking me where Im really from and complimenting me on my English skills. Related to my job, after I passed our resolution, which I really meant to be very unifying and symbolic, I got all these voicemails in my office, basically making fun of me, and people saying that theyre gonna say Chinese Virus no matter what. Is there something in particular youd like to see from your colleagues on this issue? Yuh-Line Niou: What I would really like to see is for folks to fight for us in the budget, to make sure Asian Americans are included in social services, in access to care, access to benefits. Even with the vaccine rollout, people saw how little access and accessibility our communities had. Language access is such a huge issue for services, and yet nobody has been proactively helping except for the folks who need it the most, and I would like to see my colleagues support that. Grace Meng: In Congress we have a Black caucus, a Hispanic caucus, Native American members, who have stood with the Asian community and condemned this bigotry from literally day one. I just think that is so important, because in the past Asian Americans haven't always felt like communities beyond ours recognize what were going through. I will say there is always room for leadership, to do more, whether its in politics or in other spaces, whether you are an elected leader, whether you are a religious leader, whether you run a corporation. What policies are you working on to combat this? Yuh-Line Niou: I think that there are a lot of different things that weve asked for that would help protect Asian Americans, and its not even just really large things, its also small things that happen day to day. For example the robocall bill that I introduced with Sen. Brad Hoylman is something that will protect our seniors, because my seniors in Chinatown have been fleeced almost $4 million dollars from the robocalls. Weve worked with our Attorney General Letitia James, who has actually been really great about putting together a hotline for folks to report. Thats a very new thing. The (Asian Pacific American) task force has also worked on multiple different measures to help bring our communities together, and to get funding for the groups that are actually doing the work on the ground. John Liu: The first and foremost thing is not to be silent, and Ive encouraged anybody and everybody who has experienced a bias incident, no matter how seemingly harmless, to report it to authorities as well as post their comments and their sentiments on social media. Also, we now have an Asian hate crimes task force in the NYPD, which the mayor announced with much fanfare, but there are no resources allocated towards this so-called task force. Its a press release, but there needs to be more than just a press release, there needs to be actual officers assigned to the task force, as opposed to the task force being made up of detectives who would be pulled off their normal duties whenever they might be available, and with no compensation thereof. Ron Kim: There are three ways we can deal with this.One, we can go back and blame Trump for lighting the fire with his language. Two, we can rely on more policing and punishment to make an example of people, like what happened after 9/11, when we funded a lot of money into policing and surveillance and all we ended with was a lot of discrimination against Muslims. Three, we can go back and do the work to improve the social conditions that brew violence and hatred, and that we know is deeply linked to our policymakers inability to meet basic needs like health care and food. This is the moment we can actually address the violence and the hatred some of our communities are facing. There are people that dont have a job to pay for food and basic needs, and those people can be triggered by a number of things, like (Trumps rhetoric), and this is how we do the job of addressing the violence, rather than trying to get more dollars for the police to punish people. Kevin Thomas: This isnt just an enforcement thing, it also deals with education. The executive budget, if you go into it, has a part in there for the division of criminal justice services where they were going to cut $25 million from a program called Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes and in our one-house (budget) were pushing to make sure thats restored. How that program works is that money is dispersed to community groups that fight against hate crimes and educate people, so thats one policy thats going into this from the (state) Senate side. Grace Meng: We worked on a resolution last year that passed the House, for Congress to condemn anti-Asian sentiment during COVID, and there were three bills embedded in this one resolution. President Biden recently signed an executive memorandum, which had all three of my bills in it, including the symbolic condemning of anti-Asian bigotry, but also for us to work within federal agencies to provide more resources to collect data and statistics on the levels these incidents are happening at, so we get a more complete picture, in order to hopefully provide more long term solutions. Another thing is a more long-term solution, but I believe is crucially important. Growing up as a kid in New York, I dont believe that I learned enough about what complete American history looks like. I think theres a tremendous opportunity for us here, and I am working on legislation to make sure that our school curriculum across the nation has a more diverse display of what American history truly looks like. ROME, MAR 16 - Health Minister Roberto Speranza said Tuesday that Italy and several other EU governments had been right to suspend use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) confirms it is safe, amid fears about it being linked to blood clots. "Yesterday's decision to suspend AstraZeneca was precautionary and it emerged after an assessment by the German institute for vaccines," Speranza said in an interview with Corriere della Sera Editor-in-chief Luciano Fontana during an online event on health issues. "The health ministers had talks and now the governments are waiting for the EMA's assessment on Thursday and we are confident that there will be all the elements to be able to give reassurances and resume vaccinations. "It is right to be cautious". The minister stressed that people who have had the AstraZeneca jab "have no reason to worry" as "this is just a precautionary pause. "When new events occur like yesterday it is right to stop to check," he said. "This should increase citizens' confidence". (ANSA). The Duke of Edinburgh has left hospital following a stay of a month. Philip underwent heart surgery on March 3 just three months before his 100th birthday. He left the private King Edward VIIs Hospital in central London in the back of a black BMW on Tuesday morning. The duke, the nations longest-serving consort, has spent 28 nights as an in-patient his longest ever stay after being first admitted on February 16. He was initially driven to King Edward VIIs Hospital by car after feeling unwell at Windsor, but two weeks later was moved to St Bartholomews Hospital in the City of London by ambulance. He had a successful procedure on a pre-existing heart condition at St Bartholomews on March 3, before being transferred back to King Edwards to recuperate and to continue his treatment. Expand Close The Duke of Edinburgh is driven away in a car after leaving the King Edward VIIs Hospital, London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke of Edinburgh is driven away in a car after leaving the King Edward VIIs Hospital, London (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Concern has been heightened for the duke because of his advanced age and amid troubled times for the royals. The monarchy was plunged into crisis while Philip was in hospital following the shocking allegations of racism made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their Oprah interview. Harry and Meghan, who faced calls to postpone the interview because Philip was unwell, accused an unnamed royal not the Queen nor the duke of raising concerns about what colour their son Archies skin tone would be before he was born. Meghan also told of how she begged for help when she was suicidal, but said the institution gave her no support. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their Oprah Winfrey interview (Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their Oprah Winfrey interview (Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions/PA) The Queen, 94, said the issues were concerning, but that some recollections may vary and the matter was a family one that would be dealt with privately. The Duke of Cambridge, meanwhile, defended the House of Windsor, saying on a visit to a school in east London: Were very much not a racist family. Philip has been treated for heart problems in the past and in 2011 was rushed to hospital by helicopter from Sandringham after suffering chest pains as the royal family was preparing for Christmas. In the serious health scare, he was treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and underwent a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting. St Bartholomews is home to Barts Heart Centre Europes largest specialised cardiovascular service. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh look at an anniversary card made by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, alongside other cards and letters sent by well-wishers to celebrate their 73rd wedding anniversary tomorrow. Chris Jackson/Getty images pic.twitter.com/RQzDWAwHSU The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 19, 2020 The duke was visited in King Edward VIIs Hospital on February 20 by his eldest son, the Prince of Wales, who made a 200-mile round trip and stayed for around 30 minutes. Philip has spent most of lockdown at Windsor with the Queen for their safety, alongside a reduced household of staff dubbed HMS Bubble. The couple, who have been married for 73 years, received their first Covid-19 jabs in January. 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 man, believed to be armed with a gun, remains on the run on Wednesday after he was at the centre of a Gold Coast primary school lockdown that caused chaos during the afternoon school pick-up. Police have named Mark Lutgenau, 37, as the alleged offender involved. He is wanted for questioning over a domestic violence incident on Monday night at a Gannon Way home in Upper Coomera. Nobody was physically harmed in the domestic violence incident, but Mr Lutgenau fled the scene before responding police officers could catch up with him. Mr Lutgenau is Caucasian, about 190 centimetres tall and with a proportionate build. He has short brown hair and hazel eyes. Police said there was no known threat to members of the broader community. The sister of North Korean leader, Kim Yo Jong, criticised ongoing military drills in South Korea and warned the new US administration against "causing a stink" if it wants peace, state news reported on Tuesday. The statement comes a day before America's top diplomat and defence chief is due to arrive in Seoul for their first talks with South Korean counterparts. "We take this opportunity to warn the new US administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land," Kim said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. "If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step." North Korea has so far rebuffed entreaties from the United States to engage in dialogue, the White House said on Monday, as a chill in relations that began under then-President Donald Trump has extended into Joe Biden's presidency. Read | White House outreach efforts to North Korea remain unanswered Leader Kim Jong Un had three high-profile summit meetings with Trump and exchanged a series of letters, but the nuclear-armed state ended talks and said it would not engage further unless the United States drops its hostile policies. South Korean and American troops began a joint springtime military drill, which was limited to computer simulations because of the coronavirus risk as well as the ongoing efforts to engage with the North. "War drills and hostility can never go with dialogue and cooperation," said Kim Yo Jong, who has become a vocal critic of Seoul in state media dispatches. She mocked South Korea for "resorting to shrunken war games, now that they find themselves in the quagmire of political, economic and epidemic crisis." The inter-Korean engagement that had improved in 2018 and is sought by South Korea "won't come easily again" and North Korea will be watching to see if there are further provocations, she said. North Korea would consider pulling out of an inter-Korean military agreement aimed at reducing tensions along their shared border, and would review whether to dissolve several organisations aimed at cooperation with the South, Kim said. The European Medicines Agency will issue a decision on Thursday Shares in PLC ( ) got a boost on Tuesday as the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine developed with Oxford University will be reviewed by experts worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will hold separate meetings after 11 EU countries halted the rollout of the jab, alongside Thailand, Venezuela and Indonesia. The decision was taken after cases of blood clots in people who had received the vaccine, although several authorities and have stressed no connection has been made yet. The UK and the EU medicines regulators invited residents to continue get the jab when asked to do so. The EMA will issue a decision on the inoculation on Thursday, the BBC reported. We need to have the facts first, we cannot come to a conclusion until weve done a thorough scientific analysis," said EMA director Emer Cooke in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. At present, there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions. They have not come up in the clinical trials and they are not listed as known or expected side events with this vaccine." The number of thromboembolic events overall in the vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population. On Sunday, the FTSE 100 pharma giant said that a review of all available safety data of the 17mln people who have received the jab in the EU and UK has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia. So far across the EU and UK, there have been 15 events of DVT and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among those given the vaccine. But the Anglo-Swedish firm said the number is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines. Coming on top of the negative press the vaccine received from the likes of French President Emmanuel Macron, who said it was only quasi effective in the over 65s, this is yet another blow to the credibility of the Oxford vaccine, and ultimately the last thing , and more importantly the populations of Europe needs given that, of all the vaccines, the Oxford jab is by far the easiest to transport, noted Michael Hewson at CMC Markets UK. The problems are also likely to delay the timeline of an economic re-opening across Europe, as the vaccination program sees vaccine shortages get more acute, with the result that more people are likely to become infected, and possibly die. If one was being cynical one might suggest that some countries in Europe are using as a scapegoat in order to disguise their own failures in respect of their own vaccine rollout programs. Shares in AstraZeneca added 3% to 7,190p on Tuesday morning. --Adds quotes by Emer Cooke-- The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. A Laois Kildare credit union is inviting primary and secondary school students to enter photographs they've snapped that reflect life in Covid-19 lockdown. The People First Credit Union says it wants to reach out to the younger members of our community by holding a photography competition for primary and secondary school students. Lockdown Through the Lens is the name of the competition "This competition is a chance for students to get creative with their cameras or phones. We are looking for photographs of what life has been like during your lockdown and can represent anything from family, local community, home, nature, pets, or hobbies etc, say the organisers. The primary school students category is for children aged 7 years to 12 years. The secondary school category is open to students aged 13 and up to the age of 17. Prizes in both categories feature vouchers: 1st worth 100, 2nd 50, 3rd 25. There will also be special merits prizes in both categories. Entries will be judged by an independent photography expert and the winning photographs will be included in the People First 2021 calendar. Photos can be emailed to belinda@peoplefirstcu.ie and must have a title, along with student name, age, school, telephone number. The closing date for receipt of entries is close of business March 25. Winners will be announced before Easter. For more details on any of the above please email belinda@peoplefirstcu.ie People First has offices in Portlaoise, Athy, Abbeyleix and Stradbally. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Fianna Fail Senator Erin McGreehan has welcomed the introduction of the Family Leave Bill into the Seanad on Friday 12 March 2021. The Bill will be brought into law by an early signature motion beginning in April. The passing of the bill means parents who have had children from 1st November 2019 will be able to take up to five weeks paid leave at 245 per week. There was already a payment for two weeks meaning if you have taken the two weeks you are entitled to take three extra weeks from April onwards. This Bill is a positive move towards creating a fairer more gender balanced society. "Those who wish to and are lucky enough to have a child by whatever way that child comes to a family, whether that be through childbirth or through adoption. One needs to know that the state recognises both parents deserve the opportunity to take time off to spend time with their new baby - supporting each other and getting to know the little person they are now responsible for. The goal for us all is to create a society where child rearing is seen as a gender-neutral activity. "It is really a huge part of increasing womens participation in the labour market and reduce gender pay gaps. "Bills like this and the non-transferability of the entitlement moves to create equity. During the debate on the Bill, Senator McGreehan also called for Article 41.2 to be amended. Article 41.2 must be amended to be gender-neutral and to acknowledge the role of care in Irish society and there is a reason we are catching up on providing that adequate care for our most vulnerable. Why would the State choose to provide childcare or elder care when women were banned from the workplace? "Their place was in the home, to look after their children and when that was done, to look after their aging parents. A women's place is where she chooses to be. "A man's place is where he chooses to be. "It is the job of the State to recognise this. "The Constitution is an important document and it should be respected and protected but it must protect all of us." The Louth Senator continued: Care work is also essential for advancing human capabilities, yet it tends to be unpaid. "It is undervalued and often taken for granted. "We must be radical, ambitious and willing to change. We must establish a working group to fully examine the value of care in our economy. "It must highlight the critical contribution care workers make and help to ensure policies which recognise it. The division of paid and unpaid work is strongly gendered. "We all know the supports for caring are at a low level and I can attest to the fact that combining paid work and caring is difficult. 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. Early Voting Poll Watchers (TNS) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott touted a slew of Republican-led legislative measures Monday that take aim at Harris County's attempts to expand early voting and mail-in ballot access in the 2020 election.The governor said the measures, carried by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R- Houston, would improve election security in Texas."There's really one thing all of us can and should agree upon, and that is we must have trust and confidence in our elections," Abbott said, speaking from Bettencourt's district office in Houston. "One way to do that is to make sure that we reduce the potential for voter fraud in our elections."Abbott designated "election integrity" as an emergency item for lawmakers to tackle this session. Until Monday, he has provided few details on what that would mean, but the focus on election security comes as statewide polls have shown a vast majority of Texas Republicans believe there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. In a February interview with the American-Statesman, the governor said his concerns were not "related, per se, to the election that took place this past year. This is part of an ongoing effort that we have been engaged in."Abbott also has said he does not believe there was widespread election fraud in the 2020 election, despite former President Donald Trump and his supporters' claims that the election was stolen.Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Deer Park Republican and the House Elections committee chair, also joined Abbott and Bettencourt in support of the bills. Cain also filed related election security measures.Abbott previously indicated his support for Bettencourt's seven "election integrity" bills, which have five Republican coauthors in the Senate.Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt filed 7 election integrity bills in the Texas Senate.This legislation will take steps to ensure that every eligible voter gets to vote & every ineligible voter is denied the ability to engage in voter fraud.TX will have secure elections. https://t.co/9PTHUW3YRh Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 9, 2021"This legislation will take steps to ensure that every eligible voter gets to vote and every ineligible voter is denied the ability to engage in voter fraud," Abbott tweeted earlier this month. " Texas will have secure elections."The measures would prohibit some of the actions taken by Harris County elections officials last fall to broaden access to the polls amid the pandemic, including an expansion of mail-in and early voting using drive-thru lanes and 24-hour polling locations."The integrity of elections in 2020 were questioned right here in Harris County with the mail-in ballot application process," Abbott said, referring to election officials' attempt to send out vote-by-mail applications to every registered voter in the county. The Texas Supreme Court in October ruled that local officials could not send the applications to every registered voter.Democrats argued that voters should not have to choose between their health during a pandemic and their right to vote.Under state law, voting by mail is reserved for those who expect to be out of the county, are 65 or older, have a disability or are incarcerated.The election measures include requiring the same early voting hours and days across all Texas counties and prohibiting local election officials from suspending Texas' matching signature requirements for a person's mail-in ballot application and mail-in ballot.Filed 7 election bills, 5 joint authors on most all @SenatorBirdwell @CreightonForTX @loiskolkhorst @SenatorBobHall @DrSchwertner to strengthen voter roll election integrity. #SB1111 stops reg at private P.O. Boxes #SB1113 SOS holds funds to clean roll & #SB1114 roll cross checks pic.twitter.com/ovntmnjsWz Team Bettencourt (@TeamBettencourt) March 8, 2021Bettencourt said creating uniform voting hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. would give rural voters the same access as urban voters.The bills also would stop voters from using private P.O. boxes as their voter registration address, withhold funds if a county's voter registrar or elections administrator does not quickly remove voters who should be canceled from their rolls and requires voting officials to cross-reference voter rolls and motor vehicle records to remove ineligible voters who are not U.S. citizens."We must pass laws to prevent election officials from jeopardizing the election process," Abbott said.Abbott also pointed to claims that poll watchers were being denied access to polling locations."This session, we must pass laws to make sure that poll watchers in Texas are not going to be obstructed from observing the ballot counting process," he said.Travis County Republican Party officials threatened to take legal action in November, alleging that "poll watchers were unable to hear the activities."Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir signed a settlement agreement that allowed poll watchers into ballot counting rooms at all times but called the claims "disruption." Election officials like DeBeauvoir had to balance social distancing precautions during the pandemic with complaints from poll watchers.The facility where poll watchers and the press watch the election results was built 60 years ago, and we have never had any complaints until now, DeBeauvoir told thein November. I could not allow poll watchers to come into a tiny room and stand on top of innocent election workers who have the right to a safe workplace.So far, bills filed in the Legislature have shown the stark partisan divide around elections.Democrats generally favor making it easier to vote, while Republican bills emphasize security issues. Democratic measures offered so far include same-day voter registration at polling places, giving all voters the opportunity to use mail-in ballots and lengthening the time for early voting.The House Democratic Caucus is set to hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. to respond to Abbott's Houston event. It was a sunny, beautiful day for the very youngest students of Louise Sandrini Elementary to return to campus on Thursday. A row of parents s Public service TV linked death with vaccination. Authorities claim there is no proof for that Slovakia not planning to suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout. Font size: A - | A + At a time when thousands of people around Slovakia are getting their AstraZeneca vaccine dose in an effort to counter the pandemic that is still hitting the country hard, the public service broadcaster RTVS aired a news report in its prime time news about the death of a 38-year-old teacher who died in February. The authors of the report stressed the death occurred two weeks after the teacher received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The information went viral on social networks and disinformation outlets. Some EU and non-EU countries halted the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout following reports of thromboses after the vaccination was administered. Slovak authorities, including the Health Ministry, criticised RTVS and other media that reported on the story. According to the latest information, Slovakia is not planning to suspend vaccination with AstraZeneca. Emotions, not facts In the report aired on Friday, March 12, RTVS linked the death of the teacher with the AstraZeneca vaccine, even though no authority could confirm the connection. Only the deceased teachers father said he is sure that vaccination was the cause of his daughters death. 16. Mar 2021 at 11:29 | Compiled by Spectator staff Armenia's Armed Forces will take part in the large-scale U.S.-Army led DEFENDER-Europe 21 military exercises, which will be held in spring-summer, according to the United States Army Europe and Africa official homepage. Georgia will also take part in the exercises. The DEFENDER-Europe 21 is designed to build strategic and operational readiness and interoperability between US, NATO allies and partners. The military exercises will be held with more than 30,000 troops from 27 nations taking part. Defender Europe 2021 will include "nearly simultaneous operations across more than 30 training areas" in 14 countries. This years wider-ranging exercise will include COVID restrictions and monitoring but will span the Balkans and the Black Sea region. "DEFENDER-Europe 21 provides us the best opportunity to hone our abilities alongside our allies and partners in the strategically important Balkans and Black Sea region so that collectively, we are ready to respond to any crisis that may arise," US Army Europe and Africa commanding general, Gen. Christopher Cavoli said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki answers questions as she speaks during a daily press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on March 15, 2021. (Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images) White House: Biden Wants to Make Child Tax Credit Expansion Permanent The White House on Tuesday confirmed President Joe Biden wants to see the child tax credit expansionwhich was added as part of the latest stimulus billbecome a permanent policy moving forward. The child allowance grants were increased as part of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, and drastically expands the nations welfare state. Some experts called it a move toward universal basic income. As part of the stimulus, the credit was increased to $3,000 per child from ages six to 17, and $3,600 for children under six. It was made fully refundable, and payable in monthly instillments of $300. Before this, the maximum annual credit was $2,000 for every child under 17. White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked on Tuesday for clarity on making the policy permanent, a move some experts had already predicted. The reporter said it looked unsure if the administration was going to pursue making the policy permanent or not. The president wants to make the Child Tax Credit permanent, Psaki told reporters aboard Air Force one. He believes theres a lot of proposals out there, including from Senator Romney, to work to ensure theres longer-term assistance through the Child Tax Credit. And he believes its also one of the ways that we can help address the number of womenworking womenwho have moved out of the workforce, she added. But we just have to find a vehicle, and were having those discussions with Congress. In the stimulus, the child tax credit program removed existing work requirements that would increase credit earned based on a persons income from work. Some experts describe the plan, if enacted permanently, as the second-largest expansion of means-tested welfare entitlements in U.S. history, one Feb. 10 Heritage report noted. The same report states that in constant dollars, its annual cost would dwarf the initial costs of the Medicaid, food stamps, and Aid to Families with Dependent Children programs. Robert Rector, senior research fellow of domestic policy studies at the Heritage Foundation and a leading authority on poverty and welfare programs, said the child credit program would cost the country about $80 billion a year in cash outlays and about another $40 billion in tax reduction. The problem is that its unnecessary, and its counterproductive, he told The Epoch Times last week. Its $80 billion on top of a half a trillion dollars that the United States currently spends on cash, food, housing, and medical care for low-income Americans, Rector added. And that half a trillion dollars is roughly six or seven times the amount needed to completely abolish child poverty in the United States. Most estimates say the cost of these expanded child tax credits will cost the country more than $100 billion, with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget identifying the cost at $143 billion annually. It was set to be only a temporary expansion for one year. By Lee Seong-hyon The purpose of the visit to South Korea by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to hold the so-called "2 + 2 meeting" is not about North Korea. The purpose of their visit is about China. Appreciating this difference matters, because South Koreans tend to have high hopes of a "breakthrough" in the North Korean nuclear crisis whenever high-level U.S. officials land here. We need to moderate our hopes. China is Washington's "ultimate concern," as existential theologian Paul Tillich would put it. North Korea may be the most important agenda for Seoul, but it is just a side show for Washington. The two allies are expected to narrow the order of their respective agendas, meeting each other's needs halfway. Specifically in Seoul, Blinken will 1) share Washington's progress on its on-going North Korea policy review and receive South Korea's feedback, 2) underscore the importance of Washington-Seoul-Tokyo trilateral cooperation, 3) introduce Washington's evolving plans regarding Quad. They will also celebrate their recent agreement on sharing the cost of maintaining U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. Seoul agreeing to shoulder an additional 13.9 percent of the cost was taken by some as too much. But it seems reasonable, in the end, because much of the increased amount will benefit Korean employees working at U.S. military facilities. Their job security counts, especially during the pandemic. Much attention has been drawn to Seoul's mojo with Quad. Given the publicized differences in their feelings on the matter, the U.S. is not likely to ask South Korea to join Quad during this week's meeting, even though that may be something Washington expects down the road. For South Korea, China is a geopolitical reality. Simply because you don't like your neighbor, you cannot pack up and leave. That means Seoul faces the difficult problem of finding a way to live with Beijing, while maintaining a robust alliance with Washington. Yet South Korea is not confused about the two. It has traditionally prioritized its relationship with the U.S. and that will be the mainstay. But it will also try to find a way to work with China. The South faces a gargantuan diplomatic challenge of demonstrating that it can juggle the two sides during this time of US-China rivalry. China should welcome South Korea's chance to have a high-level dialogue with the U.S., because whether it is about Quad or something else about China, the South is likely to make the meeting "less anti-China." The Moon Jae-in administration has issued its principle of pursuing "openness, transparency and inclusiveness" in its diplomacy. The keyword here is "inclusiveness." South Korea is unlikely to join a united front of allies that explicitly gang up on China. The Biden administration, unlike Trump's, will also make efforts to listen to concerns from its allies, instead of pressuring them. They are cognizant that pressure diplomacy often backfires, which was a lesson from Trump. Meanwhile, Seoul appears more willing than ever to support Washington's efforts to strengthen the trilateral cooperation structure with Tokyo. Seoul knows that Washington cares about it. Seoul also hopes Washington cares more about the North Korean issue Seoul's diplomatic priority. Broadening the picture, the key to the joint visit by the U.S. Secretary of State and Defense Secretary lies in their itinerary. After stopping by America's two allies, Tokyo and Seoul, Blinken will fly to Alaska. Flanked by Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security advisor, the duo will sit down with their Chinese counterparts, Wang Yi and Yang Jiechi. So, Alaska is the destination. Tokyo and Seoul are stopovers. The Alaska meeting will not be successful, but it is important. It will be an occasion for both sides to exchange their respective bottom lines, to define what will be perceived as "violations" that will provoke strong reactions, including kinetic ones. The U.S. is concerned that an overconfident China may become more adventurous with its military actions, miscalculating Washington's will to react. Beijing will also reiterate its so-called "core interests." The meeting, after all, is to manage conflict between the two competing powers so that things don't get out of control. Finally, there is one thing that both Blinken and Austin must demonstrate during this trip. They should emit calm confidence and mature leadership that can gain back the trust of their Asian allies that have been bullied by China and were belittled by Trump. Restoring their trust must come first. And there is the old maxim by John F. Kennedy: Ask not what your ally can do for you ask what you can do for your ally. It's a reminder for both Seoul and Washington. Lee Seong-hyon , Ph.D. (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com)., is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute. 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"What is happening with AstraZeneca does not put into doubt the distribution of the doses, but their use," Schinas told ANSA in an interview. "We put this number of doses at the disposal of the member states, but we don't manage their vaccination plans. "It is reasonable to say that we remain on target because Pfizer is producing a lot more and because Johnson & Johnson has a new agreement with a site in Germany for 'fill and finish'". He said the EC will let the European Medicines Agency (EMA) decide on AstraZeneca, amid fears of links to blood clots. "Science guides the authorization of vaccines in the European system, not politics," Schinas said. "This wave of doubt puts the EMA at the centre but there is only one road for the European Commission, the road of the EMA. "We base our policy on science. "This is the European model. "The agency was created so that states would follow its recommendations not vice-versa "The EMA is sticking by its original assessment for now. "The agency is also talking to the British experts. "Thursday will be the day of truth". He said that the EC was not playing any geopolitical games with respect to the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. "Our enemy is the virus and we work for the European citizens, we don't work against anyone," Schinas said. "If Sputnik V is approved by the EMA and there is an appetite among the member States for the Commission to take action, we'll see". (ANSA). YEREVAN, 16 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 16 March, USD exchange rate up by 0.64 drams to 527.69 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.02 drams to 629.53 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.03 drams to 7.24 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 4.70 drams to 729.64 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 354.88 drams to 29242.8 drams. Silver price up by 11.12 drams to 442.8 drams. Platinum price up by 482.47 drams to 20579.3 drams. All passenger flights from Papua New Guinea to Australia will be suspended for at least two weeks, as the country's northern neighbour struggles with a mounting coronavirus crisis. The government will also donate 8,000 vaccines to stem the spread, which could affect Australia due to the large amount of unchecked population movement between PNG and the northern Australian islands. Scott Morrison also demanded the European Union immediately release one million vaccines that Australia has bought so they can be donated to PNG, which is just 150 kilometres from the tip of northern Queensland. European Union nations including Italy have recently blocked vaccines from leaving as they struggle to secure enough doses for their own populations. Scott Morrison also demanded the European Union release one million vaccines that Australia has bought A hearse carrying the coffin of Papua New Guines's first prime minister Michael Somare during his funeral ceremony on March 11 'With the support of the PNG government we're making a formal request to AstraZeneca and the European authorities to access one million doses of our contracted supplies of AstraZeneca not for Australia, but for PNG, a developing country in desperate need of these vaccines,' Mr Morrison said in a press briefing. 'We've contracted them. We've paid for them and we want to see those vaccines come here so we can support our nearest neighbour, PNG, to deal with their urgent needs in our region.' Amid fears three quarters of Papua New Guineans could be infected, Mr Morrison will immediately hand over 8,000 vaccines to jab frontline health workers, as well as one million surgical masks, 100,000 gowns, 100,000 goggles, 100,000 pairs of gloves, 100,000 bottles of sanitiser, 20,000 face shields and 200 non-invasive ventilators. Mr Morrison said giving vaccines to the country was the right thing to do and believed Australians would agree. 'I think Australians understand that that is one of our responsibilities and as an advanced nation that has had such incredible success in managing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, I think they would be generous in spirit,' he said. 'They're our family. They're our friends. They're our neighbours. They're our partners. They have always stood with us and we will always stand with them.' Mr Morrison demanded co-operation from the EU in sending the vaccines Down Under, adding: 'I expect and would hope to get the cooperation out of Europe for this. 'We've all said that we need to get vaccines where they're needed. 'This is not Australia seeking to do this for our own direct benefit, although we've contracted them and you would expect them to be supplied.' Papua New Guinea is struggling with a Covid-19 outbkreak. Pictured: Port Moresby Harbour Papua New Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world and has struggled to stand up an effective testing and tracing system. About half of women going to hospital to give birth are testing positive for the disease. 'The capacity to manage Covid-19 in a developing country is starkly different to what it is in an advanced country like Australia,' Mr Morrison said. PNG Prime Minister James Marape fears said the country has suffered a huge explosion of cases in recent days. 'The number is quite staggering,' Mr Marape told reporters in Port Moresby. 'If we don't do a corrective response to this, our health system will be clogged and we won't be able to sustain it.' From Saturday all passenger flights from PNG into Cairns will be suspended for two weeks, with charter flights also halted except for medevac and other critical routes. Fly-in-fly-out workers will be banned from the country and exemptions for leaving Australia for PNG will be dramatically reduced. A Royal Navy engineer died after his souped-up car crashed off a motorway at 150mph while attempting to impress a colleague, an inquest has heard. Chief Petty Officer Keith 'Paddy' Ross, 40, had boasted to his workmate, Harry Malbon, that his car would 'take the record' before taking him for a drive from Portsmouth Naval Base on July 15 last year. The father-of-five, from Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, drove at speeds of up to 150mph on the M275 before he lost control and crashed on to a road below causing him to be flung from the vehicle because he was not wearing a seatbelt. An inquest at Winchester Coroners Court heard Mr Ross's red Vauxhall Astra had been illegally modified and was 'wholly unsuitable' to be driven on public roads. In his evidence read to the inquest, Mr Malbon described how he felt like he was on a roller coaster as Mr Ross accelerated on to the motorway. Mr Malbon, also a marine engineer, said: 'We started having some banter, I was trying to make Paddy fight by saying my car was faster than his, Paddy said 'I will take that record away from you' and Paddy suggested we go out in his car.' He continued: 'After clearing the speed camera, Paddy floored it, I would describe this moment like being on a roller coaster, I was speechless at the acceleration. 'I saw an ambulance with its blue lights on and I remember thinking that was for us.' Mr Malbon said he saw on the car's speedometer that it was travelling at 150mph before Mr Ross lost control. He said: 'Just one or two seconds later the car began fishtailing, Paddy said 'Oh f***' and was trying to straighten the car, he was unable to control it.' The 40-year-old marine engineer who loved 'tinkering with cars' had modified his Vauxhall Astra to enhance its power and performance He described how the car crossed two lanes of the motorway before crashing through the barrier and down on to a road below. He said that when the car came to a halt on the roundabout below the carriageway he looked across and saw Mr Ross, who had not been wearing a seatbelt, had been flung from the vehicle. The inquest heard that Mr Ross died from multiple injuries including a fractured skull. Coroner Jason Pegg said that Mr Ross had made modifications to the car including removing the catalytic converter which made it 'unfit for the public road' and harder to control under heavy acceleration. Mr Malbon said that when the car came to a halt on the roundabout below the carriageway he looked across and saw Mr Ross had been flung from the vehicle Other modifications included installing a de-cat downpipe, normally used for racing cars, as well as lowering the suspension and 'tweaking' the engine's management system. Recording a verdict of misadventure, Mr Pegg added: 'I find as fact the speed and manner was wholly unsuitable for the road conditions and beyond the capability of the car and also the driving capability of Keith Ross. 'It seems that it was Keith who modified his vehicle. He was the person who fitted the decat downpipe, altered the suspension, placed the wider tyres on it and introduced the short shifters for greater linkage. He added: 'At some point prior to the collision Mr Ross was travelling at speeds up to 150mph. 'In consequence of that speed Mr Ross lost control of his Vauxhall Astra and sadly he was unable to regain control...' Mr Ross' widow, Sarah, paid tribute to her husband saying: 'He was cheeky, funny hard-working, insanely intelligent, great fun to be around, the life and soul of everyone, committed, a great man.' Mr Ross, originally from Co Down, Northern Ireland, joined the Navy in 1998 as a marine engineer and first served aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. He was awarded the Operational Service Medal for serving in Sierra Leone and he also saw active service in the Arabian Gulf in 2003 and was part of a NATO-led operation in Libya in 2011. He had most recently served as the deputy marine engineering officer of Crew 7 of the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCM2 Crew 7) based at Portsmouth. Lieutenant Commander Neil Skinner, commanding officer of MCM2 Crew 7, said: 'He was a talented engineer operating at the top of his game.' Mr Ross is survived by his wife Sarah and their five young children Erin, Niamh, Conall, Cian and Orla, aged between 12 and two. The circumstances couldnt have been less ideal, but a San Francisco historian, an art conservator and a gallery owner still had a big reason to celebrate. The wind howled and rain drizzled over their heads on Sunday evening as they stood outside of the shuttered Cliff House, clinking together glasses of champagne in recognition of their recent victory. It was a toast to not only the 60 or so relics they had successfully salvaged from the restaurant at last weeks auction, but also the assurance that the artifacts were in good hands and would be preserved for future generations of San Franciscans to come. At one point, John Lindsey, owner of the Great Highway Gallery, looked over at the towering Squamish totem pole the same one that seemed to keep a watchful eye over Ocean Beach as he walked his dogs there each evening. Then, he turned to Nicole Meldahl, the executive director of the Western Neighborhoods Project, and raised his glass. Hey, you own this now, he said with an incredulous laugh. In December, the 157-year-old landmark that has been operated by Dan and Mary Hountalas since 1977 was forced to close when they failed to come to an agreement with the National Park Service, which owns the site where it is located. Alexandra Mitchell, the owner and principal fine art conservator at ACT Art Conservation, was in complete shock. Shed heard murmurings of what might happen to the artifacts inside the building, long before several of them were unexpectedly stolen and later recovered by park police in mid-February. "Nobody thought the Cliff House was going to go down. It's always been there," said Mitchell. Then, she learned those items would be auctioned off. As a fourth generation San Franciscan and a resident of the Sunset, she didnt want to see them separated and subsequently lost to history. Its like a book, in a way, she explained. If you take chapters, and pages, and words out of it, the story is lost, or it doesnt make sense. The more you can keep together, the more the story makes sense and it can be told correctly. She immediately reached out to Lindsey, who then connected her with Meldahl. They sent several messages back and forth, which all pointed to the same larger question: What could they do about this? Meldahl quickly got in touch with Mary Hountalas for answers, who has been a longtime member of the Western Neighborhoods Project. We reached out to her early on to say, Were so sorry to hear about this. Let us know what we can do. She was dealing with a mega loss in her personal and professional life, so we didnt hear back at first, said Meldahl. But time was running out. Together, the trio decided to launch a campaign in order to raise the funds they needed to purchase as much of the Cliff Houses treasured memorabilia as they could. Within two weeks, they accumulated nearly 450 donations, exceeding their goal of $150,000. Once [Mary] heard we had launched the campaign, she came to me and said she was so excited. That was when I thought, We have a shot at this, said Meldahl. When the day of the auction arrived, tensions ran high. Meldahl said she woke up at 5 a.m. to parse through the catalog and finalize the items on their priority list, which were determined based on historical provenance how deeply connected they were to the Cliff House. They also took into consideration the aesthetics of the objects up for bid could they be easily displayed? as well as the nostalgia attached to them. Wherever the artifacts went, the collective wanted to ensure they would help recreate the ambiance the Cliff House once had. Then, I went to battle, Meldahl said, laughing. Ill be honest, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. She sat in front of the computer for hours, trying to keep an eye on each piece while fervently checking in with her organizations board of directors to ensure she wasnt exceeding her budget. In the end, she was able to secure a substantial number of the one-of-a-kind pieces in the collection, with about $5,000 to spare. That includes Sheriff C.U. Soon, the iconic cowboy statue from Playland at the Beach, which dates back to the 1950s, as well as a pair of navy and orange Sutro Baths swimsuits, an oil painting of San Franciscos 24th mayor and self-made millionaire Adolph Sutro, and a carved wooden grizzly bear from the early 1900s. ACT Art Conservation LLC archives But Mitchell said the artifact she was most excited to secure was the Edwardian carousel horse that likely came from Chutes by the Beach, an earlier iteration of Playland dating back to 1910. My grandfather grew up swimming in the Sutro Baths and playing with his brothers at Chutes, she said. To hold an object that they played with when they were kids is something that means a lot to me. He passed away last April at the age of 103, so a big part of this project has been wrapped up in his memory. Meldahl added that another one of the Western Neighborhood Projects longtime members, Tom Bratton, used to be a locker attendant at Sutro Baths and also recently passed away. She was able to acquire those lockers in the auction, and said she plans to have a plaque bearing his name placed next to the lockers wherever they are installed. Yet, the group wasnt able to secure everything. For instance, a set of original Cliff House illustrations from the 1950s quickly skyrocketed to thousands of dollars each, surpassing their budget. But following the auction, a series of unexpected phone calls and emails began to pour in. Lindsey said he got a call from an individual whose mother worked for George K. Whitney, the owner of Playland, and had a baby grand piano that once played in the Baths and they hoped to donate it to the groups collection. Meldahl also said she received a message from one man whose brother had rescued a Sutro Baths swimsuit from the 1966 fire, and he wanted to give it to them as well. ACT Art Conservation LLC archives Ideally, we dont want to bid against people in the future, but we appreciate them jumping in and helping however they could, said Meldahl. We saved these things, and now we get to dream up with our community what we want their future to look like. We have no motive other than knowing this is what we want to do for the good of the pieces, and were excited to see people come out of the woodwork with the same energy and passion. Early on, the group partnered with the Dogpatch-based art center Minnesota Street Project, which offered to contribute its museum-quality storage to keep the artifacts safe as they cycle through their conservation treatment and await a permanent home. As donations continue to pour in, Mitchell said every penny will go toward that projected exhibition space one that will be created either by refurbishing an existing building or creating a new space entirely as well as maintaining and making the collection accessible to the public. And starting on April 15, the Western Neighborhoods Project will hold a series of community discussions to hear recommendations from the public regarding where the relics should go. In the end, they hope to keep all of them under the same roof somewhere close to their original home at Lands End. As for now, the group feels proud to have accomplished what they could, especially in a year darkened by tragedy and loss. You cant fix the past, but you can decide what youre going to do moving forward, said Meldahl. I dont want to get emotional, but this has been a hard year for all of us for San Francisco especially. Its a beautiful thing to work with these great people for an amazing cause and to come out with a win. Mitchell agrees. Ive been crying all week, she said. Nobody else was raising their hands to do this, which is why we did. Im hoping that we can bring attention to not only the Cliff House but also show that cultural history matters, these pieces matter this is what makes San Francisco. If those things were gone, who would we be as people?" For updates, visit the Save the Cliff House Collection website. Many Vietnamese sellers have been discovering the advantages of livestream-based e-commerce. Photo: Vien Thong Yen Thu, a 35-year-old clothes vendor in Cau Giay district of Hanoi, told VIR that her sales have increased significantly thanks to taking advantage of livestreaming to sell goods. I started working this way last year and during the initial months, sales remained the same, said Thu. However, as the pandemic worsened, revenues suddenly skyrocketed, even by 200 per cent on-month. Although the growth rate is no longer enormous, it is still much larger than before using livestreaming, about 40 per cent monthly. Thus case is one of many that are keen on utilising the function to boost their business. As of the end of last year, Vietnam on average saw about 2.5 million livestream sessions per month including 70,000-80,000 daily on Facebook and 2,000-3000 on e-commerce platforms with the involvement of more than 50,000 vendors across the country, according to Go-Stream, a local startup specialised in livestream solutions. Growing as industry Since late last year many forecasts show that livestreams will not stop as a trend of online selling, but will soon become a full-scale industry in Vietnam. Brands Vietnam estimated that the countrys livestream market reached $20 million in 2018 an impressive figure for a model initially appearing in the nation. As the number of livestreamers has continued growing, scale has also expanded greatly, and now a billion-dollar sector similar to China in the next few years is predicted. Speaking at a workshop about e-commerce in January, Nguyen Hoa Binh, chairman of Nextech Group, said that as livestream has become a successful industry in China, it is likely that Vietnam will follow suit. From previous trends, we can see those that take place in China commonly take place in Vietnam and the rest of Southeast Asia in the following two or three years, said Binh. That is also the reason behind the group having launched its livestreaming skill training institution named NextOn in January. Along with Nextech, dozens of companies such as Tiki and MOA Vietnam have enhanced promotion of similar courses from last year. In the 1.4-billion population market of China, livestreams have been a core part of online selling, and become an inevitable skill that most retailers in the country demand from their staff members. In particular, in May last year the countrys Ministry of Labour and Social Security listed livestream selling in the top 10 new sectors generated by Industry 4.0. As of the end of 2020, China saw about 600 million people purchasing goods after watching livestreams, and 250 million vendors or 16 per cent of the countrys population are running their business like that. As the pandemic grew more serious last year, livestreaming became a lifebuoy for all corners of Chinese society. leaders of local authorities, billionaire Jack Ma, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and even farmers have used livestreaming services. Livestreaming is also set to become the future of e-commerce in the United States, according to Bloomberg. It mentions that Americans currently lag behind the Chinese in using livestreams to perform e-commerce transactions, as reflected by Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram launching platforms supporting the feature at a later date. Angling for management codes Laws have never kept pace with the flourishing of new economic models, Toh See Kiat, chairman of Singapore-based Goodwins Law Corporation, explained to VIR. Making queries about issuing appropriate legal frameworks to supervise fresh sectors, Vietnamese policymakers are figuring out ways to supervise livestreaming activities more effectively. Local market regulators last year inspected dozens of cases of trading fake, counterfeit, and smuggled goods through livestreaming. Most notably, local authorities discovered a warehouse selling smuggled items in the northern province of Lao Cai over two years, five people working there gained VND649 billion ($28.2 million). After this, the Market Surveillance Agency recommended that people should be careful in buying goods from watching livestreams. In comparison with websites or vendors displayed on e-commerce platforms, the potential risk of getting low-quality items due to livestreaming is currently much higher. According to Truong Van Quy, CEO of digital skills training group EQVN, it would be complex for third parties to be able to supervise or censor streaming activities because of the live nature of them. Thereby, objects trading fake and low-quality are perfectly able to take advantage of this to seek profit themselves, Quy said. Along with the quality of goods, charging full taxes from selling activities has been tough for local authorities. Unlike websites with full domain names, local authorities face more troubles in supervising livestreamers because the services used do not require identification. Furthermore the profit margin from livestreaming can be huge, so it is hard to calculate the appropriate tax rate, Quy added. This is the moment a Labrador was saved from the freezing sea by the RNLI after the dog ran into the sea chasing after a ball. The pet, named Shaddah, can be seen floundering in choppy sea 200 yards from the beach in Northumberland after he was swept out and couldn't get back. Footage shows the lifeboat getting closer and closer to the dog, before the crew are able to reach out to the stricken animal. A volunteer lifeboat crew raced to rescue the Labrador, being guided from the shore by the Coastguard near Seaton Sluice in Northumberland The RNLI crew saw Shaddah the Labrador struggling some 200 metres from the beach on March 11 The soaking wet black Labrador is then pulled on board, stroked and calmed before being reunited with his owner. The volunteer crew had launched the RNLI lifeboat off the coast of Seaton Sluice at 3.26pm on March 11 after being alerted that Shaddah was missing. The crew were instructed by the local coastguard from Blyth, who located the dog in the water from their vantage point. After the rescue the crew made their short way back to Seaton Sluice harbour to reunite Shaddah with his grateful owner. The RNLI crew were able to deliver the wet dog back to its owner Blyth RNLI Lifeboat and Operations Manager Barry Pearson said: 'We are really pleased with the outcome of this shout and are glad to hear that Shaddah is making a full recovery from his ordeal.' The RNLI urged any owners whose dogs are swept out to sea to contact the coastguard on 999 instead of trying to rescue them themselves, saying Shaddahs owner had done exactly the right thing. The charity added: 'For further information when walking your dog near the coast please visit the RNLI website.' No one is talking about an early election now. A little over a month ago a large chunk of the political and media class confidently predicted Scott Morrison would bank the bounce in his personal approval ratings by scampering to the polls sometime after August. Labor was so convinced that an imminent, crushing, defeat loomed some in its ranks were cooking up a leadership coup. Then, as ever, predictions were scuppered by events. Now heading to the polls early looks like madness for the Coalition though, it must be noted, the Prime Minister always maintained his intention was to face an election next year. Scott Morrisons chances of coasting to an early election just evaporated. Credit:Edwina Pickles The Morrison governments travails began when former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she had been raped by a colleague in the office of then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds in 2019. Things got profoundly worse when the Attorney-General, Christian Porter, was hit by a 33-year-old rape allegation levelled by a woman who took her own life last year. Porter has strenuously denied the allegation. In the fallout the two most senior Western Australian cabinet ministers retired hurt and the hard truth of politics is that both look mortally wounded. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. John Keats famously ended "Ode to a Grecian Urn" with the lines "'Truth is beauty, and beauty truth' that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know." These lines from an early 19th-century Romantic poet may seem obscure and inconsequential, but they hint at our postmodern relationship with truth. The Romantics rejected the Enlightenment idea that the universe could be understood with rationalism and science and rejected Scholasticism, which relied on logic and reason. They believed that reality is best explained and understood through human experience, primarily through emotion. We would be foolish to believe that Romanticism is buried in the distant past. Over the past four years, we have been asked to believe many lies, some small, some big, and some of immense consequence. To recall just a few: the Russia hoax, Covington Catholic, Brett Kavanaugh, and BLM. For many of us, these lies have been exposed and discredited, but for many of our neighbors, co-workers, and friends, they are unchallenged buttresses of their worldview. Why, despite all the evidence to the contrary, do these lies persist among so many people? The answer is that the emotions associated with them persist. Many people feel that Russian collusion is real, Covington Catholic kids are racist, Brett Kavanaugh is a serial rapist, and BLM is standing up against a racist structure that murders unarmed black men. Their emotions define their reality. Perhaps the best explanation why so many people cling to the lies comes from a reformed 19th-century Romantic, John Henry Newman, who wrote, "A peculiar thing about humans is that they cannot accept something intellectually until they accept it emotionally." The lies' believers are unable to see the truth because they are emotionally invested in the lie. While each of the aforementioned lies has been exposed and discredited, we have not reconciled them as a society. All the lies, except for BLM, have disappeared from our collective consciousness and evaporated from public discussion. We have failed to address the underlying conflict, so how can we agree on truth? Before we move on to the next crisis, scandal, or other distraction, it would be useful to contemplate our relationship with truth. For some, truth exists outside themselves, independent of their thoughts and feelings, and remains a goal to which they aspire. It is something to be glimpsed but never possessed, by practicing the virtues. It is something universal and transcendent. For others, truth is malleable, plastic, and utilitarian. It is internal and individual to these people who feel and believe that their truth is unique and superior to any other truth. Their truth's universality extends only to the truths of other people at the intersection of their emotions and interests. They reject any conception of truth existing outside their consciousness. When observant Christians or Jews take an oath before God, they do so, presumably, at great peril. If they fail to fulfill the oath faithfully, they will endanger their relationship with the Creator and suffer grave, potentially infinite, consequences. For secular oath-takers, nothing similar hangs in the balance. This is not to say that dishonest Christians and Jews do not exist (they do), but even dissimulating religious people have more to lose than a secular atheist. When atheists affirm that they are presenting the truth, the collateral they offer is the value of their word. If it comes to light that they were dishonest, the value of their word is, presumably, diminished. For an ostensibly observant Christian or Jew, however, not only is the value of his word diminished, but he also suffers scorn in his religious community. Today, does experience tell us that dishonesty is punished and that the value of the words of liars is diminished? There is ample evidence that James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper, Peter Strzok, Andrew McCabe, and others violated their oaths of office and gave false testimony. Has the value of their words diminished? In some cases, they were fired from their jobs, but they landed lucrative book deals and cable TV "contributor" contracts. It would seem the market for what they have to say has improved. There are scores of reporters, journalists, editors, and media pundits who have lied to the public for years about the above-listed scandals. Has their value diminished? I can think of none who has suffered any justice for his lies. In a secular world, truth has no value if its absence has no cost. The Romantic movement opened Pandora's box in making individuals and their emotions the judge of what is true. We have yet to develop any effective response. Unless we re-establish a universal and transcendent truth as the goal or, alternatively, affix a cost to lies, we will never find common ground and move forward as a culture. Chris Boland can be contacted at cboland7@outlook.com. Image: George Washington swearing his oath on the Bible by Currier & Ives. Public Domain. Germany, France, Italy and Spain are suspending use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine amid concern over reports of blood clots linked to the jab, despite assurances from the drugmaker and regulators that there is no link with coagulation disorders. Scientists and experts have reacted with concern to the decision, insisting there is no current evidence to suggest the jab is responsible for the 37 thromboembolic events that have so far been recorded among more than 17 million recipients of the vaccine. AstraZeneca said the incidence of clots is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar to that of other licensed Covid-19 vaccines. The European Unions own regulator is continuing to advocate use of the vaccine, as is the World Health Organisation, while the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) urged people to still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so. Earlier on Monday, Boris Johnson defended the vaccine after being asked if he could tell the public that the jab was safe. Yes, I can, he said. In the MHRA we have one of the toughest and most experienced regulators in the world. They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programme ... for either of the vaccines that were currently using. A Downing Street spokesperson said that the PM intended to take either the AstraZenecea or Pfizer jab when offered a first dose. Read more: Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI), also sought to reassure the public and said people should attend their vaccine appointments. He told BBC Breakfast: We will keep monitoring this and if there is any safety signals that we are concerned about, we would let the public know straight away. At the moment, the message is absolutely clear go and get your vaccine when offered. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) meanwhile said that many thousands of people develop blood clots every year in the EU and that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects. The EMAs safety committee is reviewing the data on the blood clots and working closely with the AstraZeneca, experts in blood disorders, and authorities including the MHRA. The committee will further review the information on Tuesday ahead of an extraordinary meeting on Thursday to consider any further actions that may need to be taken. Germany said it was suspending its use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precaution and on the advice of its national vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation of the cases. A spokesman for Germanys Federal Ministry of Health said the EMA would decide whether and how the new information will affect the authorisation of the vaccine. French president Emmanuel Macron said France was also suspending use of the vaccine as a precaution. The decision which has been taken out of precaution is to suspend vaccinating with the AstraZeneca vaccine in the hope that we can resume quickly if the EMA gives the green light, Mr Macron told a press conference. We are therefore suspending its use until tomorrow afternoon. The Italian medicines authority AIFA also confirmed it was taking the decision as a precautionary and temporary measure. Italys decision to suspend use of the vaccine was made after a discussion between the countrys prime minister, Mario Draghi, and health minister Roberto Speranza. [Mr] Speranza held talks with the health ministers of Germany, France and Spain during the day, the health ministry statement said. The decision follows similar moves by the Netherlands and Ireland in the last 24 hours to allow time to investigate cases of blood clots that occurred after vaccination. But the overwhelming scientific opinion remains that there is no certain link between blood clots and the vaccine, and the reported cases could easily be coincidental. The head of Oxford Universitys vaccine group, Andrew Pollard, said there was very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most of the doses in Europe have been given so far. AstraZeneca said a review of safety data from more than 17 million people vaccinated in the EU and UK had shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country. Until earlier this month Germany had restricted the AstraZeneca jab to people aged under 65 because of what it said was limited evidence to prove its efficacy in older cohorts. On 4 March, Germanys vaccination committee reversed that guidance, opening the vaccine up to most of its adult population. Berlin initially opted not to follow Denmark in halting the AstraZeneca vaccine when its neighbour announced it was suspending the programme on Thursday. Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Ireland and the Netherlands have also opted to halt the rollout of all doses produced by the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company. Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg have suspended the use of a certain AstraZeneca batch, while Italy and Romania stopped the use of another batch. The new Formula One season is almost upon us and that means drivers and teams are busy preparing for this year's start. GPblog's F1 Social Stint finds out what drivers and teams are doing in preparation for the new season. Mercedes out for film day in Bahrain Mercedes did not have the best winter test in Bahrain, but it still has a second chance. The German team, unlike all others, had not planned a filming day before the winter test but after it. Mercedes was criticised for this when they had gearbox problems during the first day of testing, but the extra kilometres will come in handy after all. Read more Start of the Formula 1 season: Read all about the winter test in Bahrain here Bahrain. We just can't get enough of it. pic.twitter.com/18rut27ySA Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 16, 2021 Ricciardo practices karate with his McLaren Daniel Ricciardo seems to be enjoying his time at McLaren. When the tests are over and he jumps out of his MCL35M, he can't resist showing some karate moves for the camera. This trick by Tsunoda explains fast lap times Yuki Tsunoda impressed on Sunday afternoon with fast lap times during the winter test in Bahrain, but rumours that Tsunoda would make more use of DRS are proving true. This photo shows the Japanese driver already having his DRS open before the detection point. A nice touch for the Japanese, but during a race weekend it will not be allowed. New F1 line-up with the famous intro tune The 2021 Formula One grid has been shaken up after last year's Silly Season. Besides drivers changing teams, there are also many teams with new colours. Therefore, Formula 1 has made a nice intro video, with of course the inescapable Formula 1 intro tune. Verstappen readies helmet for first test day Max Verstappen can't wait to jump in the car tomorrow. His helmet is in place for the tests! Making sure everything's in its place Max takes Friday duties for @redbullracing's first day of Testing tomorrow #PoweredByHonda pic.twitter.com/mxMVkOc7Uw Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) March 11, 2021 Honda has arrived in Bahrain's padddock aswell This is communicated by the team through Twitter. Max Verstappen will be the one behind the wheel for Red Bull Racing on friday. Ferrari staff visit Vettel's new team right away Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari may not have parted on the best terms, but the fact that Vettel's staff still have a soft spot for him became clear in Bahrain on Thursday. vettel was briefly greeted at his new team by acquaintances from his time at Ferrari. Pessoal de comunicacao da Ferrari foi ate a Aston Martin falar com Vettel. E no fundo da pra ver a assistente pessoal dele desde os tempos de Red Bull, Brita Roeske, agora de verde#f1#F1naBand pic.twitter.com/d48f3X89UY Julianne Cerasoli (@jucerasoli) March 11, 2021 Haas out for the first time with Russian VF-21 After the unveiling of the new livery, Haas will now take to the track for the first time with the new VF-21. The new Haas car will make its debut during a filming day in Bahrain, where Ferrari is also making its first metres with the new car. The #VF21 breaks cover! Our shakedown in Bahrain is underway #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/oyoQ9DdW1k Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) March 11, 2021 Sainz confirms filming day for Ferrari in Bahrain Carlos Sainz has revealed on Instagram that Ferrari will already be in action on Thursday in Bahrain. While all other teams only make their first metres on Friday, Ferrari will already roll out the SF21 on Thursday for a film day. Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram Een bericht gedeeld door Carlos Sainz (@carlossainz55) We are living in, perhaps, one of the most morally deprived times of human history since the times of Noah, when God resorted to wipe out humanity with the flood because of the evil in the face of the earth. In our world today, sexual immorality and abuse are rampant. The alarming incest rape statistics reported daily, weekly and monthly are an indication of a world that has lost its moral compass. Eswatini is no different, sexual violation in the country is at an all-time high. The worst part of it all is that the problem is not far away from home the perpetrators are close relatives of the survivors. This makes it difficult for the survivors who must face their abusers daily and are more likely to be repeatedly raped until they sum up enough courage to report in the hope that they would be believed. Today, I wish to share a few thoughts on this tragic societal illness, particularly looking at supporting an incest rape survivor. Rape is such a terrible tragedy to befall anyone, male or female, but because of lack of proximity between perpetrator and survivor, it is unlikely to be a repeated occurrence. However, when it comes to incest rape, the family context tends to trap the survivor and expose them to repeated rape episodes. Even if there is consent, incest is an abomination before the eyes of our Creator the thought of having sexual relations with your blood relative should make you feel sick to your stomach. If you have such thoughts, do not act on them, they are from the evil one and nothing good can come out of that act. However, as mentioned, statistics show that a good number of fathers, uncles and siblings (brothers) are unable to edge-out these thoughts. Many violently act on such thoughts and force themselves on their daughters, nieces and sisters. We only know a tip of the damage caused to those innocent children, otherwise, the consequence is far reaching and alters bright futures forever. My message to those perpetrators and enablers, whether male or female, is that because you have shown hostility to those who are helpless and dependent on you for survival, God will judge you and the law of the land must show no mercy towards you. Survivors The main focus of my talk will be on the survivors of incest rape and how best they can be supported in the family. First and foremost is that families must have an open-door policy where every member of the family must freely express himself or herself freely express joys and pains, excitements and disappointments, laughter and tears, fears and aspirations. Having such a platform of honest conversations is only the beginning and will certainly encourage children to be more expressive. The second thing is that parents and guardians must have a propensity to believe their children. Children are blessed with an ability to sense if they are trusted or not and when they sense they are not likely to be believed, they rarely open-up and share some of these tragic episodes in their young lives. The worst part about incest rape is that they are violated by people who are supposed to protect them. Listen to your children, give them your undivided attention, even when they point-out that the perpetrator is a member of the family, do not express disbelief. Expressing disbelief can cause your child to shut down, exposing them to further psychological damage. Naturally, you will be disappointed, but that disappointment must not be expressed as disbelief. Identify Thirdly, sympathise and empathise with the survivor, s/he must feel that you identify with his/her pain. This is important in helping the survivor come to terms with what has happened to them and perhaps have the right perspective about the abnormality of the experience. Sexual violation is not normal, and our children need to know that truth. Perhaps the next natural step is to seek help for the survivor, this can be through professional counselling and support to deal with the mental effects of the rape. Effectively address the psychological impact of the rape as failure to do so potentially impede the ability of the child to retain normalcy. Part of the healing is pursuing justice for the survivor, which is where it becomes tricky for everyone, because both the perpetrator and survivor are members of the family, worse if the perpetrator is the breadwinner. The moment we think of the potential financial gain we will lose when pursuing justice, we become subjective in our rationale and are susceptible to sacrificing the well-being of the survivor. Keeping the matter under wraps will not only embolden the perpetrator, but subject the survivor to repeated rape, thus condemning him or her to a life of misery. The irony of this posture taken by most families is that incest rape is normalised in the family and is likely to recur with a different set of perpetrator and survivor. Moreover, breadwinner or not, death is imminent and is no respecter of any status, therefore, whether we try to control the situation now, God is ultimately in control. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. History: 19th Century Photo of Tryworks on the East End of Long Island Arts & Culture By Ls Cohen Published: March 16 2021 We dug into the archives to find this picture from Long Island history. The East Hampton Library collection of images has some rare and interesting photos from Long Island's history. According to a description with the photo, this image shows Captain John Edwards' Tryworks on Atlantic Avenue. There is a group of six men standing in front of the building. The photo was taken anytime between 1880 and 1899. A tryworks is a furnace that was used in the past, sometimes on whaling ships, that were used for rendering whale blubber into oil. Whaling was a dangerous but lucrative endeavor in the early history of Long Island. Photo: The Long Island Collection, East Hampton Library. A podcast episode on the The Long Island History Project website features Dr. John Strong, professor emeritus of Southampton College, who wrote a book on the subject called Americas Early Whalemen: Indian Shore Whalers on Long Island, 1650-1750. A description of the episode days that a whaling frenzy gripped the East End of Long Island in the mid-1600s. Prominent settlers in the area fought the elements and each other to pursue this often brutal, bloody, yet extremely profitable trade. And the most sought-after crews were drawn from the local Native American population: Shinnecock, Unkechaug, and Montauketts. Brian Gilroy loves everything about exotic animals. The CEO and co-founder of WildLife Partners, an exotics brokerage based in San Antonio, breeds around 3,000 nonnative animals across three ranches in Texas, marketing just about everything, including Arabian oryx and Grevys zebras, to fellow breeders, conservation-minded investors and wealthy landowners who just want their own personal safari. But if theres one creature hed consider the poster child for exotics in Texas, its the axis deer, an animal native to India. When people think about the exotic wildlife industry in Texas, the axis deer is what they think about, Gilroy said. It is the most prolific, the most sought-after and the most available animal that exists in Texas for breeding and for hunting. The axis deer certainly stands tall in both worlds. Prized by game hunters as well as animal buffs, the axis deer is what Gilroy calls the gateway drug to appreciating other exotic animals. And over the decades, that hardy and hard-to-hunt deer has only seen its population grow. The Exotic Wildlife Association in Kerrville estimates around 1 million axis call Texas home, most behind high fences to keep them within the confines of a ranch, but also including free-ranging. Its what we consider a common exotic, said EWA executive director Charly Seale. Theyre very nomadic. On ExpressNews.com: The Texas freeze's silent victims: wildebeest, gemsbok antelope and other 'exotic' animals And while last months winter storm hit Texas axis hard (Seale said the hard freeze took out more than half of the states free-ranging deer) the hardy and highly reproductive species is expected to carry on. Heres a closer look at the axis deer. An Indian import. The axis deer (Axis axis) is a deer species native to the grasslands of India and Sri Lanka. The species has been introduced to various countries, including the United States. U.S. locations include California, Hawaii and Texas. Also known as the spotted deer or chital, axis deer are orange and reddish-brown with white spots. Males, called bucks, weigh in at close to 200 pounds. Females, called does, weigh just over 100 pounds. Only axis bucks grow antlers, which usually are three-pronged and can grow to around 3 feet long. Whereas most Texas deer shed their antlers in mid- to late winter, axis bucks can lose theirs any time of year. A Texan for nearly 90 years. Axis deer originally were introduced to the Texas Hill Country in the early 1930s as exotic game. Then, like feral hogs, enough axis deer escaped captivity. Today, self-sustaining herds of wild axis deer cover more than two-dozen counties, mostly along the Edwards Plateau. A big part of a big business. In Texas, the exotic animal industry is a $2 billion a year business, according to the Exotic Wildlife Association. Seale estimates about a fourth of that annual revenue comes from axis. Of that axis business, about half is from breeding and half from hunting. Most fences to them are a joke. No wonder so many axis deer got loose in Texas. Axis deer can leap over fences up to 5 feet tall, though Seale said most squirm out from under them. On ExpressNews.com: Fort Sam Houston's famed Quadrangle peacocks a tradition still strutting after 120 years at the San Antonio Army post Brains as well as beauty. Axis deer are highly intelligent, Gilroy said, noting theyre challenging and elusive to hunt when they sense a threat, yet docile and puppy-dog friendly when they feel cared for. So intelligent is (how) I would classify them, Gilroy said. And theyre beautiful. They have kids whenever they please. Another difference between axis and most Texas deer: axis deer breed year-round. Mothers give birth usually to a single fawn roughly once a year, though they can conceive again in four months or less. And fawns are sexually mature after their first birthday. They make their share of noise. Male axis deer bellow during rutting, while females and older fawns bark when alarmed. Theyre very vocal animals, Seale said. Bucks get into real hissing matches. Male axis deer spar by hissing as they saunter away from each other before locking horns. They go bipedal to munch and to mark their territory. Axis deer will stand on their hind legs to eat from tall branches, Seale said, while males also do that to leave their scent by rubbing glands near their eyes on branches. Their appetite can make life tough for white-tailed deer. Axis deer primarily eat grass but also get into berries, shrubs and even weeds if theres not much to graze. Thats bad news for white-tailed deer in the area, since axis deer will take over their turf if theres not much to eat. Axis deer are getting a bad reputation. Apparently, feral hogs arent the only exotic animals in Texas that upend crops and wildlife habitats. The nonprofit Hill Country Alliance recently launched the Axis Deer Control Project to raise awareness about how free-ranging axis deer impact agriculture and native wildlife. On ExpressNews.com: Feral hogs cause more than $1.5 billion in damage each year, but the most hated animals in Texas have their charms Gilroy and Seale dont share that perspective. I personally do not know anybody who views axis deer as a nuisance, Gilroy said. Besides, theyre worth more alive than dead. Theres a reason Gilroy often refers to axis deer as the gateway drug to owning exotics animals. Buying and selling them pays off. Compared to high-dollar exotics like wildebeests and zebras, which can start at around $4,000 each, Gilroy said axis deer are a bargain at $800 for bucks and $500 for does. And landowners can cash in on trapping wild axis deer to sell to wildlife collectors or breeders such as Gilroy. I know multiple landowners who have paid for their homes catching axis deer that are free-ranging, Gilroy said. Then again, theyre also good eating. Gilroy stressed WildLife Partners is strictly a conservation business that doesnt do anything related to hunting. But he does hunt and has hunted axis. Axis deer is delicious, Gilroy said. Its a very, very healthy organic meat. rguzman@express-news.net | Twitter: @reneguz GRAND RAPIDS, MI Grand Rapids Community College announced Monday it will not be hiking tuition rates for the 2021-22 academic year. The tuition freeze, approved Monday, March 15 through a unanimous vote by the board of trustees, reflects the colleges focus to keep higher education within reach at a time when many in the community are experiencing financial challenges as a result of the pandemic, a news release from GRCC states. Related: Grand Rapids Community College preparing for new normal in fall with more in-person classes Our world has changed in ways we could not have imagined a year ago, President Bill Pink said in a statement. New skills are going to be needed as our employers respond and get up to speed. A GRCC degree or certificate helps our residents get the education they need to re-engage. We have always been the most affordable option for students. Our goal is to help as many people as possible. The in-district tuition rate at GRCC will stay at $117 per contact hour, while the total cost for a fulltime student will remain at $3,969 for the year, the school announced. The tuition freeze follows a 1.7 percent increase last year and 0.8 percent increases the two prior years. Our college has been fiscally responsible and an excellent steward of our resources, board Chairman David Koetje said in a statement. We are the communitys college. Our community invests in GRCC, and we are proud to provide a quality education that is affordable and accessible to students of all ages. Related: Thousands of essential workers to attend GRCC for free through Futures for Frontliners program The freeze comes at a time when students have several options to attend with tuition covered by state and local programs, communications director David Murray said. Among those, he said, are programs such as Michigan Reconnect, for students 25 and older who have not earned a degree; Futures for Frontliners, which supports students who worked in essential jobs during the spring pandemic shutdown; and the Grand Rapids Promise Zone, which offers scholarships to those graduating from Grand Rapids high schools , s are for students graduating from a Grand Rapids high school. Related: Everything you need to know about Grand Rapids free college tuition promise In other cost-saving measures for students, GRCC has partnerships throughout West Michigan with local school districts and intermediate school districts for Early/Middle College and dual and concurrent enrollment programs. The Grand Rapids Community College Foundation also works with partners to help with expenses. Last year, the foundation awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships, the school states. Also on MLive: How community colleges plan to grow Michigans healthcare workforce amid pandemic Michigan residents over 25 without degrees can now apply for tuition-free community college, skills training Whitmers free-college plan: Would it really improve college graduation rates? Michigan front-line workers eligible for tuition-free community college under state program After an intense international political battle running over many months and a government-backed campaign, possibly costing several million dollars, former Australian Liberal finance minister Mathias Cormann last week secured the position of secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Mathias Cormann with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (Wikipedia) Cormann won his selection when he defeated the last remaining candidate for the post, former Swedish European Union trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, in the final ballot. Besides the considerable effort devoted to his campaign by the Australian Liberal-National Coalition government, backed by the opposition Labor party, the main factor in Cormanns success was the support he received from both the Biden administration in the US and the Johnson government in the UK. Both governments supported Cormann amid strident criticisms of his record on climate change as a member of successive Liberal Coalition governments from 2013 to 2020 when he quit parliament. While the back-room negotiations, conflicts and deals are not in the public domain, it is likely that one of the key factors in the US decision not to endorse the EU candidate was its concern that the head of the OECD should be closely aligned with attempts to organise a multi-lateral push against China. There was considerable annoyance in the Biden team over the EU decision late last year to go ahead with an investment agreement with China before the new US administration took office. The Johnson government played a particularly underhanded role as it lived up to the reputation of Britain as perfidious Albion. Officially, the UK maintained that it had a strictly neutral position since the British ambassador to the OECD was the chair of the selection process. But according to a report in the Guardian last week, there had been strong suggestions from within the OECD secretariat that Boris Johnson told Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that Cormann had the UKs backing, in a call between the two on October 27. The significance of the China question is indicated in remarks by Cormann both before and after his appointment. In his campaign material he said that strategic competition in the [Asia-Pacific] region was having global consequences. While it was in everyones interests to have the best possible relationship with China we also have to be clear-eyed about some of the pressure points to be worked through. The Australian government has been at the centre of the US drive against China, calling for an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus (the clear implication being that China was somehow responsible), introducing sweeping new foreign interference laws and imposing a ban on the use of Chinese technology in the new 5G network in 2018. In his remarks on receiving the appointment, Cormann became more explicit. He said it was a privilege and honour to head the OECD because it provided a great platform for international co-operation from the foundation of a shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, market-based principles and a rules-based international order. In the language of diplomatese, these are all code words for support for the US agenda directed against China. The China question, however, was not the basis of his public campaign. It was directed to the claim that as OECD secretary-general, he would work to deploy every policy and analytical capability through the OECD to help economies around the world achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The organisation, Cormann stated, can and must provide important global leadership to drive ambitious and effective action on climate change. Opponents of Cormanns appointment had little difficulty in contrasting these statements with his actual track record in Australian politics. This spanned from the time he campaigned for the repeal of what he called the previous Labor governments job destroying carbon tax in 2014, to his role in the ousting of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over what has been described as a very modest reform to the electricity sector. In an act of political revenge, showing that while he may be out of parliament he is certainly not out of politics, the Australian Financial Review reported that Turnbull made efforts to discredit Cormann and torpedo his candidacy, which were widely known. That opposition may even have extended to the outgoing OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria. In one of his last public statements he urged countries to put a big fat price on carbon, in contrast to Cormann who has maintained that such a measure is a job-destroying tax and an act of economic self-destruction which does nothing to help reduce global emissions. In the lead up to the final decision, a letter, signed by 29 climate change experts and environmental groupsincluding Greenpeace International, Oxfam Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation and Professor Rachel Kyte, a former special envoy on climate for the World Bankwas sent to Christopher Sharrock, chair of the OECDs selection committee, saying that Cormann should be ruled out. As the world begins the monumental task of recovering from COVID-19 in the context of systemic action to avoid a climate catastrophe that will further entrench poverty and inequality, we firmly believe that the public record of Mathias Cormann should preclude him from being selected as the OECDs new secretary-general, it said. According to the signatories, the OECD needed to be a leader in tackling climate change, but Cormann had been part of a government that had abolished a carbon pricing scheme, had persistently failed to take effective action to cut emissions and had acted as a blocker within international forums. The OECD itself had criticised the Australian government, of which Cormann was a leading member, in 2018. It said Australia had made little progress in reducing its environmental footprint in large part because frequent changes in core climate-change instruments have created uncertainty for emitters, which has also discouraged energy sector investment. The condemnations came thick and fast following the announcement of Cormanns appointment. Saleem Huq, the director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh, said: The appointment of a climate change sceptic from Australia to head the OECD is very disappointing and will reduce the credibility of the OECD as an institution in the eyes of developing countries. Comments from other organisations were on the same lines. The executive director of Greenpeace International, Jennifer Morgan, said she had little confidence in Cormanns ability to tackle the climate crisis when he has such an atrocious record on the issue. Climate economist Nicholas Stern, who back in 2006 described global warming as the greatest market failure the world has seen, noted that Cormann came from a government that has often been at best ambiguous in its commitment to tackling climate change. Many of the condemnations had a hypocritical character. Those who led the charge against Cormann support governments that have themselves done nothing of substance to address the climate crisis. Far from leading to a major reduction in emissions, the various carbon trading schemes have created lucrative financial markets characterised by dubious and speculative practices. The concern of many of Cormanns opponents was that his prominent role in a government associated with outright climate-change denial would cut across these business interests. The push to have Cormann appointed was heavily backed by the Morrison government. He was provided with the use of a VIP jet, supplied by the air force at a cost of $4300 per flying hour, to take him back and forth across Europe and to Latin America as he sought to gain support from OECD member states. In addition, a campaign task force, numbering at least eight people, was provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In conditions of rising economic and political tensions, Morrison made clear the reasons for this extraordinary effort. Welcoming Cormanns appointment, he said it was recognition of Australias global agency and that as a successful trading nation what happens in the rest of the world matters to Australia. This nationalist agenda was fully supported by the Labor Party. Labor spokesman Tony Burke, manager of opposition business in the House of Representatives, put aside all the supposed differences with Cormannsuch as climate policy and the massive $80 billion worth of cuts he attempted to introduce in the 2014 Abbott government budgetto welcome the decision. Speaking to reporters last Thursday, he said: Labor has had a very simple view that its in Australias interests to have Australians in international roles. That is, support for the nationthe economic and geo-political interests of the ruling eliteis the real foundation of its policy on this and every other issue. LOS ANGELESThe state of California may be taking a step toward decriminalization of sex work. Last week, San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener introduced a bill that would repeal California laws against loitering for the purposes of prostitution laws which are often invoked to arrest sex workers and which have also, statistics show, been used to discriminate against trans and LGBTQ people, and other people of color. "This is one of those laws based exclusively on stereotypes and profiling," Wiener said in an interview with CNN. "You don't have to actually do anything to commit this crime. This is based on how you look and how you're acting." If Californias legislature passes the bill, the state would follow New York which passed its own bill in February, repealing the walking while trans law. "This outdated, discriminatory statute has led to hundreds of unnecessary arrests of transgender women of color and a broader culture of fear and intimidation for transgender and gender nonconforming New Yorkers," New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. Californias loitering ban has been in effect since 1995, while New Yorks anti-loitering law took effect in 1976. Both laws were designed to make it easier for police to clean up streets by arresting sex workers. But in practice, the laws have largely served as excuses for racial profiling and arbitrary arrests by law enforcemnet. According to a UCLA Law School study cited by Wiener, Black adults accounted for more than half of all loitering arrests in the city of Los Angeles, even though the population there is just 8.9 percent Black. Hoylman also said that the law led to arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement by targeting women from marginalized groups that are at high risk for sex trafficking and other exploitation and abuse. It's just a horrible law, and it's really un-American," Wiener added. "If you are a woman and you are dressed in tight or revealing clothing and you're in an area where sex work is known to happen, some police officer might decide you are loitering for the purposes of prostitution and arrest you." In his memo introducing the bill, Wiener said that loitering laws do nothing to stop sex crimes against sex workers and human trafficking. Repealing the loitering laws does not decriminalise sex work itself, but cold serve as a first step toward broader decriminalization, by prevebting sex workers from simly being rounded up in law enforcement sweeps, or taregted based solely on their appearance, race, or manner of dress. In New York, a 2016 lawsuit on behalf of several transgender women whi said they had been unfairly singled out by police forced the New York City Police Department to revise its guidelines for loitering arrests. As of 2019, the police rule now specifically prohibits officers from relying on 'gender, gender identity, clothing, and location' alone or in combination to establish probable cause, and requires more detailed factual narratives about officers' observations. Photo By David Monniaux / Wikimedia Commons Huntington, WV (25701) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Fancy rockets, gleaming frigates, state-of-the-art new gear usually when the Prime Minister discusses military matters, his speeches hum with the excitable rat-a-tat of gunfire and climax with a loud kaboom! Boris Johnsons Integrated Review of defence and foreign policy yesterday, though, was a disappointingly soggy biscuit. Damper than an otters pocket. Plenty about increasing our already bulging nuclear stockpile (why?) but little by way of explosion. In fact, the only mushroom cloud threatening to go off was the PMs combustible mood. He was in a right old grump! Repeatedly we were told this was the biggest defence shake-up since the Cold War. So where was the gung-ho Johnson esprit de corps to match? Boris Johnsons Integrated Review of defence and foreign policy yesterday, though, was a disappointingly soggy biscuit. Damper than an otters pocket All we got were moistened expectations and told we would have to relearn the art of competing against countries with opposing values. As for the looming threat from China, the PM insisted we would continue to work with the Chinese when it was consistent with our values and interests. Dear me, what a sorry surrender. Sir Keir Starmer waited his turn nervously. Understandable. Hes about as woolly on defence as a Polish carpenter on the laws of rugby league. He began by offering macho support for our nuclear deterrent but queried why we were reneging on a commitment to reduce our warheads. Boris quickly reminded everyone how Starmer once stood on the manifesto drawn up by Jeremy Corbyn and his sandal-wearing peaceniks. If hed had his way, our servicemen would have been armed with nothing more lethal than pea shooters and the odd slingshot. Sir Keir Starmer waited his turn nervously. Understandable. Hes about as woolly on defence as a Polish carpenter on the laws of rugby league. But next to Sir Keir perched his foreign affairs spokesman, Lisa Nandy, who enjoys a noisy session. There was a constant squawk from her facemask whenever the PM spoke. Would Miss Nandy have offered a more muscular response than her boss? Some think shed do a better job than him full-stop as does she, I suspect. The PMs mood certainly wasnt buoyed when his backbenchers started chipping in. They werent happy about his lily-livered language towards China. Tobias Ellwood (Con, Bournemouth E) thought the review missed an opportunity to call out China for the strategic threat that it is. The intelligence and security committees serpentine chairman Julian Lewis (Con, New Forest E) went further, decrying that the Governments softly-softly approach toward Beijing showed that the grasping naivety of the Cameron/Osborne years lingers on. Oof! Boris wont have enjoyed that. Foreign affairs committee chairman Tom Tugendhat (Con, Tonbridge) appeared to take credit for many of the spending proposals included in the review. There sounds a man who was never missing when the medals were being doled out. Other Tories fretted over the reduction in international aid. Father of the House Sir Peter Bottomley (Con, Worthing W), oozing the misplaced self-importance of a ceremonial High Sheriff, urged a rethink. But Boris huffed and puffed, occasionally whacking the despatch box as if to say, thanks a bunch, you lot. And when preening Peter Kyle (Lab, Hove) claimed aid cuts would lead to a swarm of illegal immigration, trails of hot steam appeared to shoot from the PMs lugholes. Hes talking nonsense, he spluttered. All this made me slightly worry when Chris Bryant (Lab, Rhondda) rose to complain the review didnt do enough to address the influx of dirty Russian money flowing through London. Mr Bryant is the wasp at the first summer picnic hovering over the bottle of rose. His buzzing presence can provoke even the most mild-mannered minister to lash out rashly. Boris angrily accused Bryant of sitting like a squatting Buddha whenever Agent Corbyn endorsed lines fed by the Kremlin in the chamber. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle sprang to his feet. Er, I do think we need to be careful about what allegations we are making, he stuttered nervously. Boris bashfully reeled in his neck. After a testing 90 minutes, a nightcap and an early night ahead of todays PMQs might have been in order. By Humeyra Pamuk, Kiyoshi Takenaka and Ju-min Park TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Tuesday against using "coercion and aggression" as he sought to use his first trip abroad to shore up Asian alliances in the face of growing assertiveness by Beijing. China's extensive territorial claims in the East and South China Seas have become a priority issue in an increasingly testy Sino-U.S. relationship and are an important security concern for Japan. "We will push back, if necessary, when China uses coercion and aggression to get its way," Blinken said. His visit to Tokyo with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is the first overseas visit by top members of President Joe Biden's cabinet. It follows last week's summit of the leaders of the Quad grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India. Blinken's comments come ahead of meetings in Alaska on Thursday that will bring together for the first time senior Biden administration officials and their Chinese counterparts to discuss frayed ties between the world's top two economies. Washington has criticised what it called Beijing's attempts to bully neighbors with competing interests. China has denounced what it called U.S. efforts to foment unrest in the region and interfere in what it calls its internal affairs. In the statement issued with their Japanese counterparts, Blinken and Austin said, "China's behavior, where inconsistent with the existing international order, presents political, economic, military and technological challenges to the alliance and to the international community." The two countries committed themselves to opposing coercion and destabilizing behavior towards others in the region that undermines the rules-based international system, they added. The meeting was held in the "2+2" format with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi as hosts. Story continues North Korea was in sharp focus after the White House said Pyongyang had rebuffed efforts at dialogue. The isolated nation, which has pursued nuclear and missile programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, warned the Biden administration against "causing a stink" if it wanted peace, state media said on Tuesday. Blinken underscored the importance of working closely with Japan and South Korea on the denuclearization of North Korea. "We have no greater strategic advantage when it comes to North Korea than this alliance," he said. "We approach that challenge as an alliance and weve got to do that if we are going to be effective." 'UNWAVERING COMMITMENT' The ministers also discussed Washington's "unwavering commitment" to defend Japan in its dispute with China over islets in the East China Sea and repeated their opposition to China's "unlawful" maritime claims in the South China Sea. They also shared concerns over developments such as the law China passed in January allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. China has sent coast guard vessels to chase away fishing vessels from countries with which it has disputes in regional waters, sometimes resulting in their sinking. Motegi said China-related issues took up the majority of his two-way talks with Blinken, and expressed strong opposition to the neighbour's "unilateral attempt" to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing that U.S.-Japan ties "shouldn't target or undermine the interests of any third party," and should boost "peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific". Blinken expressed concern over the Myanmar military's attempt to overturn the results of a democratic election, and its crackdown on peaceful protesters. He also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to human rights, adding, "China uses coercion and aggression to systematically erode autonomy in Hong Kong, undercut democracy in Taiwan, abusing human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet." Motegi said Blinken expressed support during the meeting for the staging of the Tokyo Olympics, set to run from July 23 to Aug. 8 after being postponed from last year because of the coronavirus crisis. But Blinken sounded non-committal in his remarks to Tokyo-based U.S. diplomats, saying the summer Games involved planning for several different scenarios. But he added, "Whenever and however Team USA ends up competing, it will be because of you." The U.S. officials ended the visit with a courtesy call on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is set to visit the White House in April as the first foreign leader to meet Biden. Both will leave Tokyo for Seoul on Wednesday for talks in the South Korean capital until Thursday. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Ju-min Park, Antoni Slodkowski, Elaine Lies, Chang-Ran Kim, Ritsuko Ando and David Dolan; Editing by Nick Macfie and Clarence Fernandez) Cases of COVID-19 are down slightly in some El Paso County school districts, mirroring the county's trend of a slight drop in cases this past by Fady Noun After weeks of tensions over the internationalisation of Lebanons crisis and the proposed UN conference, the parties open talks. For Hares Chehab, neutrality is a complex issue that needs to be explored. The Shia partys weapons remain a stumbling block. The two sides pledge to meet again. Beirut (AsiaNews) The resumption of talks between the Maronite patriarchate and Hezbollah last week was an event in itself, said lawyer Hares Chehab, co-chairman of the National Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue, speaking to AsiaNews. Along with Maronite patriarchal vicar Bishop Samir Mazloum, he led talks with two members of Hezbollah's political bureau, Mohammad Said Khansa and Mustapha Hajj Ali. The lack of personal contact is detrimental to dialogue, Chehab said. It unintentionally creates a feeling of estrangement and coldness. This had to be dispelled and we have done it. The meeting prepares the ground for more elaborate discussions. The same feeling, it seems, is found on Hezbollahs side. According to analyst Kassem Kassir, who is close to this party. The latter wished to express its satisfaction by publishing a press release and a photo of the meeting, which never happened in the past. For the past few weeks, Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has been calling for an international conference under the aegis of the United Nations to address the crisis in Lebanon, a proposal for internationalisation considered with suspicion by Hezbollah. The prelate has also defended the principle of neutrality to which he now wishes to confer a constitutional character. The meeting of the joint committee was meant to ease the tensions between the patriarchate and the popular base of Hezbollah, revived since a large-scale rally took place on 27 February, during which the head of the Maronite Church attacked, without naming it, the armed Shia party. We have talked broadly about neutrality, Chehab explained, and I can assure you that they are able to listen and are ready to discuss it. I did not get the impression that they are embarrassed by the patriarch's campaign (in favour of neutrality and an international conference on Lebanon, under the aegis of the UN), said the lawyer, but it is certain that neutrality is a complex issue that still needs to be explored, even by our side, in order to know its ins and outs at the constitutional level. Before we meet again, we will work on it. On the other hand, Mr. Chehab clarified that at no time were Hezbollah weapons discussed, except in the following terms: 'What is the best way to defend Lebanon?' A question to which Hezbollah has, of course, a ready-made answer. There was also talk about Pope Francis' visit to Iraq and his meeting with Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the country's highest Shia authority. Our interlocutors were sensitive to the testimony given to him by the Pope, when he said that he felt honoured to meet a wiseman () who did good to his soul, Chehab added. I also felt that they sincerely want to see a new government formed as a matter of urgency, given the prevailing economic conditions. They do not understand, however, why some members of the political class reject as a whole, even before considering it, everything that Iran proposes to help Lebanon. Hezbollah deemed the meeting excellent, said Kassem Kassir, and the party considers that it sets the stage for future meetings, especially since the subject of neutrality is complex and not summed up in a few words, he added. We fear international interference in Lebanon, said Ahmad Qabalan, the Jaafarite (Shia) mufti of Lebanon. The issue of positive neutrality proposed by Patriarch al-Rahi was raised and the leaders (of the joint committee) agreed to continue discussions at subsequent meetings, said the Hezbollah statement issued after the meeting. Pictured: The joint Patriarchate-Hezbollah Dialogue Committee: Hares Chehab, Samir Mazloum, Mohammad Said Khansa and Mustapha Hajj Ali (left to right). Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 14:43:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People wearing face masks walk on a street in Hong Kong, south China, March 16, 2021. Hong Kong reported 18 additional cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the tally to 11,329. Of the new cases, 13 were locally transmitted, including two untraceable infections, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection said in a statement. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai) HONG KONG, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong reported 18 additional cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the tally to 11,329. Of the new cases, 13 were locally transmitted, including two untraceable infections, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection said in a statement. Starting Tuesday, Hong Kong's mass vaccination program would be expanded from priority groups to its most population, or 5.5 million. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam on Tuesday called on the public to get the COVID-19 vaccine at an early date. About 206,000 people have been given the first jab of the vaccine under the government program since Feb. 26. Enditem Helmut Marko is very enthusiastic about the two newcomers to the Red Bull family. At AlphaTauri it's Yuki Tsunoda and at Red Bull of course Sergio Perez. Both gentlemen made a fine impression during the winter test. Perez doesn't need five races Perez himself was enthusiastic about the car but the people around him were particularly enthusiastic about the Mexican. He would have driven the fastest long run on the circuit in Bahrain. Marko opposite Auto, Motor und Sport:"His long run was the fastest as far as I could see. He lived up to his reputation as a tyre specialist". In an interview, the Mexican said he needs five races to fully master the car. However, Marko disagrees with the Mexican: "I don't think he needs that long, maybe for a qualifying lap. In the race I'm sure it will be right from the first Grand Prix". Tsunoda sensational The other newcomer can also count on positive comments from the influential advisor:"Our Tsunoda is 20 years old and has only been in this car for a day and a half. He has delivered a sensational performance," Marko told RTL. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Squarespace, the all-in-one website building and ecommerce platform, today announced it has raised an approximately $300 million investment at an enterprise valuation of $10 billion. The round includes new investors Dragoneer, Tiger Global, D1 Capital Partners, Fidelity Management & Research Company, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. and Spruce House with participation from existing investors Accel and General Atlantic. The proceeds from the financing will advance Squarespace's growth initiatives and mission to enable anyone to build a brand and transact with their customers in an impactful and beautiful online presence. "We're thrilled to welcome our new investors as we continue scaling our product suite in service of our customers around the world," said Squarespace Founder & CEO Anthony Casalena. About Squarespace Squarespace is the all-in-one website building and ecommerce platform that enables millions to build a brand and transact with their customers in an impactful and beautiful online presence. Our suite of products enables anyone at any stage of their journey to manage their projects and businesses through websites, domains, ecommerce, marketing tools, scheduling, and with Unfold, tools for managing a social media presence. Squarespace democratizes access to best-in-class design, helping our customers in 180+ countries maintain consistent branding across all digital touchpoints to stand out online. Our team of more than 1,200 is headquartered in downtown New York City, with offices in Dublin, Ireland, Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California. Contact: Amanda Cowie [email protected] SOURCE Squarespace, Inc. Related Links http://www.squarespace.com Many local governments do not have stellar records for leveling with the taxpaying public about their use of public money. The Scranton School District borrowed for years to pay the light bill before plummeting into the state financial recovery program. And it has yet to produce the party responsible for mysteriously adding a fuel surcharge to a doctored busing contract, costing the district $4 million. Scrantons government often has been a black hole, from failing to track receipts from its short-lived commuter tax in the 1990s to miraculously finding $900,000 in previously unrecorded tax receipts in a business office desk. Lackawanna Countys government, across multiple administrations, has contended that it cant afford to conduct the first property reassessment since 1968 while compiling a surplus now worth more than $20 million. Its worth keeping those episodes and others in mind as local governments in Northeast Pennsylvania prepare to receive about $300 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief through the American Rescue Plan. Scranton will receive $69.9 million; its school district will receive $36 million, and Lackawanna County will receive $40.66 million. Under the $1.9 trillion package that was passed by congressional Democrats and signed by President Joe Biden, $350 billion will go to state and local governments. The local funds are included in Pennsylvanias $13.7 billion allocation for state and local governments, plus $5.1 billion for schools. The federal law allows broad discretion for local use of the money, including aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits, and industries such as tourism and hospitality. Local governments nationwide, including Scranton, lobbied hard for the money. But most do not have plans in place for its use. All local governments receiving recovery money first should establish clear priorities for its use and, just as important, ensure in advance that the proper public disclosure mechanisms are in place and enforced. There should be no after-the-fact surprises about how any of the funds are spent. General priorities should be private-sector economic health, stabilizing badly affected companies and helping struggling workers so that the economy will be primed to grow when the pandemic finally recedes. Since about a year ago when their business constituents began complaining that their insurance companies were telling them their policies do not cover their losses from the pandemic, lawmakers in a number of states have responded by filing legislation to require business insurance to cover losses from a pandemic. No state has yet passed a pandemic business interruption mandate. But while lawmakers have not been able to deliver on their proposals to date, the proposals have not gone away. In 2020, 16 states considered bills but they were either defeated or not acted upon, according to figures from the industrys American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA). Some Insurers Strengthening Virus Exclusion Language in Policies After COVID Cases COVID-19 Business Interruption Rulings, Most Favoring Insurers, Moving to Appeals S&P Expects States to Lose Bids to Mandate Coronavirus Business Interruption Coverage Total Pandemic Losses for P/C Insurers Will Take Years to Determine: Fitch An Insurance Journal survey found that the states with proposals pending in 2021 include California, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. One state, Washington, recently defeated its 2021 measure. While they differ in approach and language, the state proposals seek to require any commercial property insurance policy to cover business interruption losses due to global virus or pandemic. The bills seek to apply coverage retroactively to 2020 coronavirus claims, which could cost the insurance industry billions, perhaps hundreds of billions by some industry estimates. They typically only apply to small businesses. A New York bill would not only require insurers to cover certain business interruption losses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also void any virus exclusions in policies. A California bill would create rebuttable presumptions that the virus was present on a property and caused physical loss or damage to that property, which was the direct cause of the business interruption. Several states have called for a fund to reimburse insurers for any coronavirus BI payments they may make to insureds. Under the Pennsylvania legislation, small businesses would receive 100% of their policy limits, and large businesses would receive 75% of their policy limits. The legislation would also preempt litigation between insurance companies and policyholders over COVID-19 related losses. You can see by the number of bills filed so far in 2021 that the interest is not fading, said Stef Zielezienski, APCIA executive vice president and chief legal officer, who says the industry remains concerned whenever any proposals to retroactively rewrite contracts are receiving attention. Insurers Position Insurers have argued that not only do most current commercial property policies not cover losses due to pandemics but also that pandemics are essentially uninsurable. The only entity large enough to sustain a nationwide loss that hits everywhere all at once is the federal government, said Erin Collins, vice president of state affairs for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), who noted that the industry has supported a federal solution for pandemic business interruption losses. The denial of pandemic business interruption claims by many insurers has continued, as have lawsuits by businesses challenging those denials, although the number has slowed to a trickle after peaking last May, according to a University of Pennsylvania litigation tracker. This tracker shows that as of February of this year, U.S. businesses had filed 1,494 federal and state lawsuits challenging denied business interruption claims. Thus far, in the 229 cases where courts have ruled, insurers have succeeded in having about 80% of the cases dismissed, with the majority of the dismissals coming on policies that had virus exclusions. There have also been a few victories for insureds where the policies lacked virus exclusions. The courts have largely recognized that insurance does not generally cover business continuity losses without physical damage, and most policies additionally include specific viral exclusions underscoring the uninsurability of such exposures, said Zielezienski. With many businesses losing their cases against their insurers in courts, the pressure on state lawmakers could remain to pursue the legislative proposals to mandate business interruption coverage. New York Assemblyman Robert Carroll originally filed a bill last year that has gone through several amendments. I hope it moves as quickly as possible, he said last year. Obviously, these are very unique times for all of us, so I dont have a specific timeline, but as soon as possible is what were trying to do. Carroll reintroduced his bill this year. The proposal requires insurers to cover business interruption losses and bans virus exclusions in policies going forward. Pennsylvania state Senators Vincent J. Hughes and Sen. Katie J. Muth explained why they reintroduced their legislation this year. Enabling businesses to make claims for their losses and damages will help businesses stay open, keep citizens employed, and provide stability to our struggling economy, they said in their appeal to co-sponsors. Last year, analysts at Standard & Poors said they did not expect state legislators to succeed in retroactively expanding business interruption insurance coverage because the insurance industry would fight it fiercely. We are taking the initial standpoint that these political efforts to retroactively change policy language will not materialize, S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Tracy Dolin said. Massachusetts state Senator James Eldridge saw his bill be rejected by fellow lawmakers last year. If we dont find a way to provide financial support for these restaurants and businesses, whether its the insurance industry or government, many of them will never reopen, Eldridge told Insurance Journal at the time. And that wont be good for anyone, including the insurance industry. If a state actually ever does pass one of these measures, the ramifications could be dire from an insurance market perspective. These proposals threaten industry stability to the detriment of all policyholders, said Zielezienski. Collins agrees that if a state were to enact a retroactive business interruption mandate, it would be destructive to its own insurance markets and to the businesses that rely on those markets. Pandemic is not an insurable event forcing that mechanism would prevent markets from working for perils that are covered. Our small businesses need insurance markets to be there for them for the perils that have been contemplated and covered in their policies, Collins said. Some insurers have taken a lesson from the past year and are clarifying language in policies to bar claims related to the coronavirus pandemic or other widespread communicable diseases or illnesses that disrupt operations. In addition, insurers are continuing to advocate for a federal solution to provide protection against widespread economic shutdowns due to a future viral outbreak. According to Zielezienski, what is needed is a multi-layer response that is simple to administer, widely available, affordable, and designed to keep business of all sizes open. Topics Business Interruption That was then: Edgar Snow, above right, with Liu Shaoqi and Mao Zedong in 1960. China has its Western apologists today too. By Richard Bernstein, RealClearInvestigations March 16, 2021 Early in February, the BBC broadcast interviews with several Uighur women who graphically described the horrific treatment they'd received while detained in one of the concentration camps where China has reportedly locked up a million or more ethnic Muslims for vocational training and deradicalization. China's response was swift and predictable. It accused the BBC of passing along fake news about Xinjiang, the COVID epidemic and other matters. The BBC, China's authorities said, had seriously violated regulations that news broadcasts be truthful and fair. Chinese newspapers also dutifully passed on an accusation against the network from a British journalist and academic named John Ross. Ross claims that the BBC is largely controlled by the British intelligence service MI5, which, according to Ross, directly vets all members of the broadcaster's staff. The Chinese press cited a tweet in which Ross said that coordination of the BBC with military intelligence, had come from a special office inside BBC headquarters. China often turns to foreign experts such as Ross to supply credibility for its persistent complaint that the Western media is anti-China and in cahoots with foreign governments, especially the United States. Ross is one of several foreigners, generally attached to Chinese universities or research institutes, who have emerged as apologists for Beijing, especially as it has come under intensifying criticism for its human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and its ever tighter control of opinion across the country. There are other commentators on China with views more moderate and nuanced than those of Ross, and who publish books as well as articles in Western and Chinese publications. These commentators would be unlikely to attack a reputable news organization like the BBC or to justify banning it from broadcasting to China. But both types of foreign experts often echo the arguments made by China's state-controlled media, especially their constant claim that China's one-party state is a brilliantly successful alternative to Western-style liberal democracy, which, according to the Chinese media and some foreign commentators alike, is abjectly failing. The outsiders mentioned in this article either declined comment or could not be reached. These Western sympathizers reflect an old phenomenon of outside elites finding much to like in authoritarian systems -- communist, fascist or even Nazi -- while downplaying or ignoring their faults. In the 1930s, perhaps the most famous Friend of China, left-leaning American journalist Edgar Snow, influenced generations of Americans through his book Red Star Over China to view the rising Mao Zedong as a benignly progressive figure rather than a ruthless dictator. None of today's friends of China has anything like the fame and prominence of Snow, or others such as the writers Agnes Smedley and Freda Utley who had access to the Chinese Communists when they were still seeking power in the 1930s and 1940s. But more recent outsiders perform some of the same role, lending a foreign imprimatur to the Chinese government, by providing quotes and sometimes essays to such state-controlled English-language publications as Global Times or the China Daily, which are then mentioned approvingly in the Chinese press. Mario Cavolo, an American identified as a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing -- which, according to its website, promotes Chinese wisdom for the world -- offers a broad defense of Chinas governing system. More and more foreigners living in China are openly stating that they have more true freedom in today's China than they do in today's U.S. or European countries, Cavolo told the Global Times in January. He has called reports on the Uighur concentration camps the political hoax of the decade and claims the BBC has degenerated into a factory of fake news on China. Who are the lying scum in power sowing hate with their lies toward China? he asks in one Twitter post. I'll never give an inch to the reprehensible anti-China crowd. A few weeks ago, Global Times broadcast an interview with a French writer, Maxime Vivas, who also described reports of genocide in Xinjiang as fake news. I want to demonstrate that the Uighur 'genocide' claim is a lie, Vivas said, asserting that he made two state-sponsored trips to Xinjiang in 2016 and 2018. I revealed the individuals who are the enthusiasts of the lies and their links with the C.I.A. It's hard to measure how much influence these modern Friends of China have had on international public opinion. Unlike earlier figures such as Snow, their views must compete with many independent sources of information on China -- including most of the mainstream media and human rights organizations -- that present a very different, far darker portrait of the country. But Chinas influence operations are far more robust than they were in the 1930s and 40s. Quoting and publishing such writers is just one of a host of devices China uses to shape foreign opinion, an effort that has been stepped up since Xi Jinping, the country's paramount leader, became secretary general of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012. These include its Confucius Institutes at foreign universities, its own state-run broadcasting companies aimed at foreign audiences, its efforts to deflect attention from its human rights violations at the United Nations, the China Global Television Network, a state-run television news network available on cable in many countries, and even its use of Twitter, Facebook, and other social media that are, ironically, banned in China itself. Research institutes, often affiliated with Chinese universities, represent a relatively new instrument of Chinas public opinion-influencing arsenal. On their face, such organizations seem similar to genuinely independent non-governmental think tanks in the West. But as a report last year by the National Endowment for Democracy put it, they actually lend authoritarians an artificial legitimacy and are essential tools for propaganda. Among these institutes are the Center for China and Globalization, where Cavolo is a senior fellow. Ross is listed as a senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University, which describes itself as new style think tank with Chinese characteristics and maintains a global network of fellows, issues reports, and holds conferences on China's economy, its Belt and Road infrastructure projects, and other topics. The place provided to a small group of foreigners is especially striking now, given that Beijing has not only shut down the BBC but expelled all but a handful of the reporters covering China for independent publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, even as it has long blocked most of the Chinese-language websites of these publications. The only non-Chinese commentators that residents of China hear about are those like Ross, Vivas, and Cavolo, not well-known in their own countries despite their profiles in China. It's easy to dismiss some of these friends of China as propagandists, but the more nuanced pro-China commentators make some arguments that are taken seriously by other experts on that nation. Still, they too tend to support the main line in the Chinese press namely that while China's situation is extremely bright, the West is in a state of deepening political decay. Perhaps the most prominent is the Canadian-born, Oxford-trained scholar Daniel A. Bell, dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University and chair of a fellowship program at Beijing's elite Tsinghua University, financed by the American billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman. Bell argues in The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy (2016, Princeton University Press) that China's governing system is superior to that of the West in several important ways. Downplaying the nations rampant corruption and nepotism, he asserts that leaders and administrators selected by their demonstrated record of achievement, rather than by elections, have helped lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty more effectively than Western-style liberal democracy would have done. Bell has tempered his enthusiasm for the Chinese model at times with mildly expressed suggestions for change. In an op-ed in the New York Times a few years ago, he was critical of China for its suppression of free speech, though he also expressed a sort of guarded optimism that things will loosen up eventually. So far, things haven't loosened up at all, even as Bell has continued to portray China in a far more favorable light than most Western experts. In my view, the deepest problem is that Western societies prioritize freedom and privacy over social harmony, Bell said in an interview published by Global Times. One of the weaknesses of electoral democracies is that it's often easier to get more voter support by demonizing opponents and inventing enemies rather than reflecting on one's own responsibility for problems and trying to solve problems in an efficient way. Bell's ideas gain credibility because China is an economic success story. Its ability to realize huge infrastructure projects, for example, stands in sharp contrast to the political paralysis and partisan discord afflicting the United States. But whether China's success is due to its dictatorial one-party state or in spite of it is debatable, as is his description of China as a harmonious society governed by people of Confucian virtuousness. New Cold War Will Not Stop US Decline was the headline of an article last August by Martin Jacques, a British leftist, former editor at Marxism Today, the journal of the British Communist Party, whose main argument was that the United States is fomenting conflict with China in a desperate attempt to maintain is fading global hegemony. But, Jacques, a senior fellow at another Chinese think tank, the China Institute at Fudan University, predicts that this will fail because China already holds the upper hand in key respects and, more importantly, is very much on the rise, in contrast to a U.S. in decline. Many things can be said about views like Jacques', Bell's, and a few others, most conspicuously that they tread very lightly on China's gross human rights abuses, if they mention them at all. Bell, for example, contends that China is more harmonious than large democratic countries such as India and the United States. But is that true? Columbia University China specialist Andrew Nathan has written a critique of Bell, saying, China is one of the most conflict-ridden societies on the planet. According to Nathan, Bell is good at describing the mechanics of China's meritocratic system of government, but he simultaneously exaggerates its benefits and success and the faults of democracies. The China Model is a mix of the empirical and the imaginary, Nathan has written. Bell compares the meritocratic system's potential rather than the actual performance, with the actual performance of liberal democracies. When actual performance is taken into account, Nathan argues, China's leaders seem no more virtuous or capable than democratically elected ones, or else China would not be suffering from a range of problems. These include devastating environmental degradation, deep unhappiness and unrest among its ethnic minorities, not to mention among residents of Hong Kong, as well as widespread corruption, nepotism, and the failure to create any system of accountability that could guard against the abuse of power by its self-selecting, non-elected leaders. A truly harmonious society would not be one that forces re-education on its ethnic minorities, or locks up the losers of struggles for power, or devotes enormous resources to technology aimed at keeping tabs of its own people. Nor would a truly harmonious society accord senior fellow status to foreigners who praise it while rigorously barring the views of commentators with critical views. The Chinese government is surely not a two-party democracy, and yet we can see that China is now the largest, safe, stable and successful society and country on the planet, Cavolo wrote in an op-ed published in Global Times recently. Is it? Earlier this year, Teng Biao, a former lawyer from China, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post calling on Western countries to boycott the Winter Olympics scheduled for China in 2022. Teng was arrested on the streets by plainclothes Beijing police, imprisoned and tortured for two months after he called attention to Chinese human rights abuses in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics, the last time China hosted the Summer Games. He now lives in exile in the United States. In his op-ed, Teng listed China's more recent human rights violations, from its crackdown in Hong Kong, the mass incarceration of Uighurs, its pervasive surveillance and censorship of its own citizens, its shutting down of non-governmental organizations, closing of churches, mosques, and Tibetan temples all part of the tightening of control under Xi Jinping. It's a safe bet that, while the friends of China are given free rein to praise the Chinese government, Teng Biao's contrary views will receive no attention at all. GOOSE CREEK Cooper Schneider knew something was wrong with his grandfather almost immediately. The seventh grader from Cane Bay Middle School was in his grandfather's kitchen Feb. 22 getting something to drink when he looked over at 65-year-old Gregg Schneider to see if he wanted something, as well. When his grandfather didnt respond, the 12-year-old went into action. Cooper, who is enrolled in Berkeley Countys EMS Explorer Program, initiated the recovery skills he'd learned after seeing his grandfather unresponsive and with a drooping face inside his Cane Bay home. When he didnt say anything to me I knew something wasnt right, Cooper said. I went over to him, shook him, tried to get him to focus on me. But when I saw his face was drooping, I knew I had to do something fast. Cooper remained calm, checked his grandfathers vitals and implemented a sternum rub, prompting a flailing response. I held the iPhone up so it could get his facial recognition and unlock the phone, but that didnt work, Cooper said. Unable to unlock his grandfathers phone, Cooper eventually accessed the phones emergency contacts and called his grandmother and father, a Charleston County EMS employee, who contacted 911. Berkeley County EMS and Whitesville Fire Department arrived on the scene a few minutes later. After a quick examination, paramedic JanPeter Brase and EMT Jacob Phipps transported Gregg Schneider to Trident Medical Center within 15 minutes after their arrival. I am very impressed by Coopers actions while facing his grandfathers medical emergency, said Michael Shirey, Berkeley County EMS Compliance Chief. Cooper stayed calm, assessed the situation and acted. I believe that Coopers response shows the real-life value of the EMS Explorer Program. Doctors suspected that Gregg Schneider had suffered a stroke, but a CT scan and bloodwork later ruled that out. Schneider said doctors told him in March that he suffered a transient ischemic attack, or a mini-stroke, after a reaction to pain medication after recent back surgery. Its amazing what Cooper did, Gregg Schneider said. I dont want to think what would have happened had I been home all alone. Berkeley County EMS started the Explorer Program in 2017. Since its inception, the program has trained approximately 30 students. The program provides students with critical classroom instruction and hands-on training related to careers in EMS, nursing and other health care-related jobs. The students learn CPR and first aid to incident management and how to apply a tourniquet, and other lifesaving skills. I only took the course because I was a bored during the pandemic, Cooper said. I ended up liking the classes and after this, I'm definitely more interested in taking more classes. Halla, the Taste Intelligence company powering personalized, real-time recommendations, substitutions, and search for In-Store and Online grocery stores, announced today the next generation launch of Halla Substitute. Halla Substitute is the only substitution engine with deep grocery-specific product knowledge. Hallas understanding of shopper food preferences and grocery shopping behaviors empowers online grocery stores to accurately determine the most appropriate alternatives to out-of-stock items, in real-time. This eliminates the need for constant texting between shopper and picker, facilitates faster and smoother delivery, and increases shopper satisfaction. Poor substitutions hurt loyalty Incomplete orders and poor substitution items are a major source of online grocery shopper dissatisfaction. Brick-Meets-Click revealed that a mere plurality of online grocery shoppers are satisfied with the shopping experience provided by their online grocer. And according to a recent McKinsey survey, fulfillment issues are a major reason; over 20% of grocery shoppers switched to a competitor last year in frustration over item unavailability. Why substitution fails happen In many grocery stores today, online items are picked alongside brick-and-mortar shoppers, in-store. As a result, items that were in-stock at the time an online order was made may be unavailable when a picker goes to fulfill the order. When this happens, a picker must decide what would make a good substitute and may even spend time trying to text the shopper. The problem is that it is impossible for the picker to determine the shoppers true intent and time-consuming to reach the shopper in time. As a result, shoppers receive replacement items that fail to meet their needs, or no replacement at all. This hurts loyalty and top line revenue. Out of stock incidents create headaches for shoppers, but in the current ecommerce environment, offering a substitute requires making long shot presumptions, said Henry Michaelson, CTO and co-founder of Halla. Artificial intelligence can help, but most software today uses simple models like purchase correlations and product name recognition that dont work very well. Thats how you receive ketchup when you ordered spaghetti sauce, or cherries when you wanted cherry tomatoes. By comparison, Halla Substitute has been trained to recognize what individual grocery products really are, and how shoppers intend to use them. How Halla Substitute works: 1. Like the other API-based products in Hallas Taste Intelligence suite, Halla Substitute easily plugs into a grocerys ecommerce product and cart pages, picking applications, or other existing digital interfaces. 2. As a shopper fills up their cart, Halla Substitute relates items in their basket to the shoppers previous purchase history, real-time inventory if available and an orchestra of product attributes learned from millions of food ingredients, tens of thousands of recipes, and tens of millions of individual grocery shopping decisions. 3. When a selected item can not be fulfilled, Halla Substitute uses that information to offer the most personally relevant replacement based on that shoppers true intent, in real-time. Halla Substitute takes the burden of choosing the perfect replacement off the retailer, which significantly reduces friction between the customer and the picker and increases customer satisfaction. Michaelson continued, When grocers use Halla in their e-commerce experiences, shoppers feel like their grocer really understands what they want, and why they selected a particular item. And because Halla Substitute eliminates the hassle for the shopper, customers are delighted, not disappointed, by substitutions. To learn more about Halla Substitute, request a demo at Halla.io. About Halla Halla is the Taste Intelligence company. Taste Intelligence is the only grocery AI that understands and responds to human preference and behavior, all in real-time. Hallas Taste Intelligence suite of products helps grocers power 1-to-1 experiences via hyper-personalized product recommendations, substitutions and searches. From cart pages online to printed coupons in-store, Halla can plug in anywhere the grocer wants to increase sales and boost engagement. Shoppers see the most enticing products at the perfect moment, resulting in bigger baskets, better rewards, and the best grocery experience possible. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has pushed back against calls in the US for a referendum on Irish unity (Julien Behal Photography/PA) Taoiseach Micheal Martin has pushed back against calls in the US for a referendum on Irish unity, instead stressing the importance of reconciliation. Speaking ahead of his meeting with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, Mr Martin highlighted the work of the Governments Shared Island initiative and the need to achieve reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The Fianna Fail leader said that discussions which took place around Irish unity immediately after Brexit were a mistake, The Irish Times reports. Mr Martin said: I think it is divisive and puts people back into trenches too early. My view is that I want to develop a shared dialogue, irrespective of ones constitutional preferences. His comments come just days after a publicity and political campaign by Friends of Ireland Sinn Fein calling for a border poll was ramped up in the US ahead of St Patrick's Day. Advertisements in newspapers - including the Washington Post, New York Times, Irish Voice and Irish Echo - said that not calling a referendum on Irish unity would leave "a divided Ireland at the mercy of the British Government". Mr Martin said that the objective of the Shared Ireland initiative was to build consensus and unity of purpose, adding that the Irish government wanted to work with the Stormont assembly and the British government to face the problems we face together on the island. He said he was very taken by the late Seamus Mallons approach, noting how the SDLP leader talked about living alongside neighbours from theUnionist tradition whose family had been there for 400 years, leading him to remark: its about time we learned to share this patch of ground. I think we have a bit of distance to go before we achieve that, added Mr Martin. He said recent moves by the UK government to postpone action on the Northern Ireland protocol, prompting legal action from the EU, has exacerbated uncertainty and instability; two things Northern Ireland can well do without. He added: Unilateral action to disapply or not to implement aspects of the Protocol does nothing but corrode trust, the only basis on which sustainable long-term solutions can be found. The EU is taking legal action against the UK over its unilateral move to change the terms of the Protocol. The UK Government has unilaterally extended until October some grace periods of light-touch regulation on goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Great Britain, which had been due to end this month. It comes as the Ulster Unionist Party also brings a Judicial Review against the protocol. Joao Vale de Almeida, EU ambassador to the UK, has said the UK Government had left the EU with no choice but to take legal action over the Northern Ireland Protocol. When asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning if taking the Government to court was the way to solve the problem, he said: "I don't think the Government left us with any alternative to this to be frank and we regret the situation. "Looking at the facts, we believe the Government is in breach of substantive provision of the protocol that applies to Northern Ireland, but also to the good faith obligation." Read More Meanwhile Mr Martin called for the UK, Ireland, and the EU to work constructively with the US administration, saying that all have shared values and perspectives. While noting that Britain is entitled to sign a trade deal with the US, obviously we want the UK to work with the European Union to safeguard and to underpin the Withdrawal Agreement and Brexit trade agreement that has been arrived at with the European Union particularly in terms of its application to the island of Ireland and to Northern Ireland as well, he said. The White House has reiterated President Bidens support for the Good Friday Agreement in light of the recent tensions between London and Brussels over the protocol. Asked about the news that the EU had launched legal action against the UK over Brexit, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday: We continue to encourage both the European Union and the UK government to prioritize pragmatic solutions to safeguard and advance the hard won peace in Northern Ireland. President Biden has been unequivocal in his support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. This agreement has been the bedrock of peace, stability and prosperity for all the people of Northern Ireland, she added. We also welcome cooperation between our British and Irish counterparts on the Northern Irish protocol. The Taoiseach will hold a virtual meeting with his counterpart in Washington DC on Wednesday. The meeting will allow Mr Martin to thank President Biden for the USs ongoing support for the Good Friday Agreement. Discussions are also expected to cover combating Covid-19 and driving recovery; and shared global challenges, including climate change. The Taoiseach will also meet Vice-President Kamala Harris as well as House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Why we need lessons in seeking independence of mind, honesty and integrity by David Omand Westminster, March 1982. This is very serious, isnt it? said Margaret Thatcher. She frowned and looked up from the intelligence reports I had handed her. Yes, Prime Minister, I replied, this intelligence can only be read one way: the Argentine Junta are in the final stages of preparing to invade the Falkland Islands, very likely this coming Saturday. It was the afternoon of Wednesday, 31 March 1982. I was the Principal Private Secretary to the Defence Secretary, John Nott. We were in his room in the House of Commons drafting a speech when an officer from the Defence Intelligence Staff rushed down Whitehall with a locked pouch containing several distinctive folders. I knew immediately from the red diagonal crosses on their dark covers that they contained top secret material with its own special codeword (UMBRA), denoting that they came from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). The folders contained decrypted intercepts of Argentine naval communications. The messages showed that an Argentine submarine had been deployed on covert reconnaissance around the Falklands capital, Port Stanley, and that the Argentine Fleet, which had been on exercises, was reassembling. A further intercept referred to a task force said to be due to arrive at an unstated destination in the early hours of Friday, 2 April. From their analysis of the coordinates of the naval vessels, GCHQ had concluded that its destination could only be Port Stanley. John Nott and I looked at each other with but one thought, loss of the Falkland Islands would bring a major existential crisis for the government of Margaret Thatcher: the Prime Minister must be told at once. We hurried down the Commons corridor to her room and burst in on her. The last assessment she had received from the UK Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) had told her that Argentina did not want to use force to secure its claim to the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. However, the JIC had warned that if there was highly provocative action by the British towards Argentine nationals, who had landed illegally on the British South Atlantic island of South Georgia, then the Junta might use this as a pretext for action. Since the UK had no intention of provoking the Junta, the assessment was wrongly interpreted in Whitehall as reassuring. That made the fresh intelligence reports all the more dramatic. It was the first indication that the Argentine Junta was ready to use force to impose its claim. The importance for us of being able to reason The shock of seeing the nation suddenly pitched into the Falklands crisis is still deeply etched in my memory. It demonstrated to me the impact that errors in thinking can have. This is as true for all life as it is for national statecraft. My objective in writing this book therefore is an ambitious one: I want to empower people to make better decisions by learning how intelligence analysts think. I will provide lessons from our past to show how we can know more, explain more and anticipate more about what we face in the extraordinary age we now live in. There are important life lessons in seeing how intelligence analysts reason. By learning what intelligence analysts do when they tackle problems, by observing them in real cases from recent history, we will learn how they order their thoughts and how they distinguish the likely from the unlikely and thus make better judgements. We will learn how to test alternative explanations methodically and judge how far we need to change our minds as new information arrives. Sound thinkers try to understand how their unconscious feelings as individuals, as members of a group and within an institution might affect their judgement. We will also see how we can fall victim to conspiracy thinking and how we can be taken in by deliberate deception. We all face decisions and choices, at home, at work, at play. Today we have less and less time to make up our minds than ever before. We are in the digital age, bombarded with contradictory, false and confusing information from more sources than ever. Information is all around us and we feel compelled to respond at its speed. There are influential forces at play ranged against us pushing specific messages and opinions through social media. Overwhelmed by all this information, are we less, or more, ignorant than in previous times? Today more than ever, we need those lessons from the past. Looking over the shoulder of an intelligence analyst Over the centuries, generals naturally learned the advantage that intelligence can bring. Governments today deliberately equip themselves with specialist agencies to access and analyse information that can help them make better decisions. Britains Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) runs human agents overseas. The Security Service (MI5) and its law enforcement partners investigate domestic threats and conduct surveillance on suspects. The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) intercepts communications and gathers digital intelligence. The armed forces conduct their share of intelligence gathering in their operations overseas (including photographic intelligence from satellites and drones). It is the job of the intelligence analyst to fit all the resulting pieces together. They then produce assessments that aim to reduce the ignorance of the decisionmakers. They find out what is happening, they explain why it is happening and they outline how things might develop. The more we understand about the decisions we have to take, the less likely it is that we will duck them, make bad choices or be seriously surprised. Much of what we need can come from sources that are open to anyone, provided sufficient care is taken to apply critical reasoning to them. Reducing the ignorance of the decisionmaker does not necessarily mean simplifying. Often the intelligence assessment has to warn that the situation is more complicated than they had previously thought, that the motives of an adversary are to be feared and that a situation may develop in a bad way. But it is better to know than not. Harbouring illusions on such matters leads to poor, or even disastrous, decisions. The task of the intelligence officer is to tell it as it is to government. When you make decisions, it is up to you to do the same to yourself. The work of intelligence officers involves stealing the secrets of the dictators, terrorists and criminals who mean us harm. This is done using human sources or technical means to intrude into the privacy of personal correspondence or conversations. We therefore give our intelligence officers a licence to operate by ethical standards different from those we would hope to see applied in everyday life, justified by the reduction in harm to the public they can achieve. Authoritarian states may well feel that they can dispense with such considerations and encourage their officers to do whatever they consider necessary, regardless of law or ethics, to achieve the objectives they have been set. For the democracies such behaviours would quickly undermine confidence in both government and intelligence services. Consequently, intelligence work is carefully regulated under domestic law to ensure it remains necessary and proportionate. I should therefore be clear. This book does not teach you how to spy on others, nor should it encourage you to do so. I want, however, to show that there are lessons from the thinking behind secret intelligence from which we can all benefit. This book is a guide to thinking straight, not a manual for bad behaviour. Nor does thinking straight mean emotionless, bloodless calculation. Negative capability was how the poet John Keats described the writers ability to pursue a vision of artistic beauty even when it led to uncertainty, confusion and intellectual doubt. For analytic thinkers the equivalent ability is tolerating the pain and confusion of not knowing, rather than imposing ready-made or omnipotent certainties on ambiguous situations or emotional challenges. To think clearly we must have a scientific, evidence-based approach which nevertheless holds a space for the negative capability needed to retain an open mind. Intelligence analysts like to look ahead, but they do not pretend to be soothsayers. There are always going to be surprise outcomes, however hard we try to forecast events. The winner of the Grand National or the Indy 500 cannot be known in advance. Nor does the favourite with the crowds always come out in front. Events sometimes combine in ways that seem destined to confound us. Importantly, risks can also provide opportunities if we can use intelligence to position ourselves to take advantage of them. Who am I to say this? ( Click here to buy this book) Ten Lessons in IntelligenceDavid Omand was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the Prime Minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and homeland security. He served for seven years on the Joint Intelligence Committee. He was Permanent Secretary of the Home Office from 1997 to 2000, and before that Director of GCHQ. Haven Hot Chicken, which opened in October in New Haven, will expand to Orange later this year, taking over part of the former Bertuccis location at 550 Boston Post Road. The Nashville hot chicken restaurant will take about 1,400 square feet of the former Bertuccis space, said co-owner Jason Sobocinski, with Mission BBQ, set to open this spring, taking the other half. Like the New Haven location, Haven in Orange will focus on quick-service takeout and delivery. This location became available during our search, and we just did a ton of research about its proximity to [the New Haven restaurant]; its proximity to more population, Sobocinski said. And it just seemed like the right fit, so we jumped on it. Etkin Tekin, who co-owns Haven with partners Sobocinski, Rob LaTronica and Craig Sklar, said the Post Road address was attractive because of its large parking lot, and its proximity to nearby Trader Joes and TJ Maxx. Haven, the first restaurant in the Elm City dedicated to Nashville hot chicken, opened in October at 21 Whitney Ave., with chicken and not-chicken (fried cauliflower) in five different spice levels. Menu items include combo meals with tenders and sandwiches, and sides like fries, creamy vinegar slaw, garlic-dill pickles, collard greens, and banana pudding. A snack list features sliders and fried cauliflower nuggets. Splash PR / Contributed photo Feeling adventurous? A tendie roulette gets you five tenders, one of each spice level, served on white bread with pickles and choice of sauce. Our menu [in Orange] will look similar, but we are constantly doing new things, so stay tuned, Sobocinski said. Haven has added chicken and waffles to the menu since its opening, and in November, the restaurant partnered with social media personality Daym Drops for a limited-time sandwich featuring gochujang and bacon. Dedicated Nashville hot chicken restaurants have made inroads in Connecticut over the past year. Howling Hot Chicken debuted in Bridgeport on Feb. 15, following the fall openings of the original Haven location, Birdcode in West Hartford (which will open a second restaurant in Darien later this year), and Fowl Play at the Parkville Market food hall in Hartford. Tekin said he and his team are blown away by the response to Havens original restaurant, and also by guests excitement about the new Orange location, which the partners announced on social media Monday. We've worked really hard to bring a great product and a great experience to the food scene in New Haven. We've been blown away every day, the level of support that we've received, he said. It's really humbling for us. Learn more about Connecticuts hot chicken restaurants here. Information: havenhotchicken.com Guest Column Myanmar Crisis Could Reset Toxic US-China Ties People protest against the military regime in Mandalay on Feb. 26. / The Irrawaddy The announcement that the Biden administrations top diplomatic and security team would meet their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage, Alaska later this week has led to unusually high levels of optimism despite the existing vitriolic nature of their relationship. The worlds two most powerful nations will now have the opportunity to exchange views and perhaps reset that relationship, which was moored to the ground under former President Donald Trump. For the world, the Anchorage meeting will have significant ramifications if the US and China are able to forge additional common positions on transnational issues. At this critical moment, however, for the sake of the region, the two could collaborate to bring much-needed peace and stability to Myanmar, one of the worlds most diverse countries, in a move that would be considered extreme cooperation. President Joe Biden used the term extreme competition to characterize US ties with China when he took the presidency in January. The pendulum could now swing the other way. Indeed, a coalition of willingness between the two has become a possibility due to Bidens new attitude and desire to see firm and well-defined parameters in the US relationship with China. This approach allows both powers to sit down and work out their core interests. In Anchorage, US Secretary of State Antony Blinkin and National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan will meet with Chinas two most powerful figures in foreign policy, Yang Jiachi, a member of the Chinese Communist Partys Politburo, and Wang Yi, state councillor and foreign minister. What they agree or disagree on could see a recalibration of their relations in a way that theworld has never seen before. Before Trumps reign, the US and China were already working together on the Paris Accord on Climate Change, the Iran nuclear deal, North Koreas denuclearization and the multilateral trade arrangement, to name but a few. Under Biden, new areas of cooperation would be possible if both sides can foster mutual trust and respect. As far as the situation in Myanmar is concerned, support from the US and China is crucial to designing a durable solution to the current quagmire. Statements from the UN Security Council and the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) over the last week strongly support ASEAN unity and centrality. It remains to be seen how ASEAN will be able to work with the conflicting parties inside Myanmar. Since the February 1 coup, bloody clashes between protesters and the security forces in major cities in Myanmar have continued unabated, causing major concern about further loss of life and property. Worse, more killings could be ignited, as some armed ethnic groups have sided with the civil disobedience movement. They said they are ready to defend democracy under the National League for Democracys leadership. From the juntas point of view, the whole country must be placed under its control ahead of the scheduled Army Day on March 27, before any meaningful negotiation can take place. The junta therefore continues to use force to quell all possible shows of defiance. After their informal meeting early in March, ASEAN leaders called on all sides to exercise the utmost restraint as well as flexibility, to de-escalate the situation and to release detainees, while also urging all parties concerned to seek a peaceful solution through dialogue via any constructive channels. As such, all international and regional players have catalytic roles to play. The current COVID-19 pandemic requires all sides to work together to ensure that the virus does not spread further. The countries which share a common border with Myanmar are concerned that any major influx of Myanmar refugees due to the internal turmoil would further complicate the mitigation measures they have installed to prevent transmission of the coronavirus. In particular, Thailand is now caught in a dilemma, as with more than 5 million workers from Myanmar, any disruption within the migrant community would have far-reaching repercussions on the hosts domestic political and economic situation. That helps explain why Thailand has adopted an extremely cautious diplomatic approach to the junta. Bangkok is also mindful of its own past political development, which required doable roadmaps and international support to end the current impasse. So far, the West has exercised restraint in imposing sanctions against Myanmar, knowing all too well that broad sanctions against the junta would end up punishing the common folk. For the time being, the US and EU have targeted senior military officials who were involved in the power seizure. South Korea has stopped arms sales to the junta, while Australia has suspended defense cooperation. New Zealand was the first Western nation to end all high-level contact with the junta and banned their leaders from visiting the country. The Anchorage meeting provides an excellent opportunity for the US and China to recalibrate their new relations. Both can compete and cooperate in the areas they see fit and which serve their mutual interests. The situation in Myanmar could be a game-changer in Alaska. Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Plants Run by Partner of Japans Fast Retailing Set Ablaze Another 15 Protesters Slain as Myanmar Military Junta Continues Nationwide Crackdown China Faces Backlash for Demanding Tougher Action on Myanmars Protesters Photo: The Canadian Press Britains Prince Philip returned to Windsor Castle on Tuesday, following a month in the hospital during which he was treated for an infection and underwent a heart procedure. Philip, 99, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, was admitted to the private King Edward VIIs Hospital in London on Feb. 16, where he was treated for an infection. He was later transferred to a specialized cardiac care unit at St. Bartholomews Hospital, before returning to King Edward VIIs. Photographers standing outside the door of the private hospital captured his departure in the back of a black car. Buckingham Palace later issued a statement confirming Philip's release. "His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VIIs Hospital and St Bartholomews Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes,'' the palace said in a statement. Philips illness is not believed to be related to COVID-19. Both Philip and Elizabeth received coronavirus vaccines in January and chose to publicize the matter to encourage others to also take the vaccine. Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, retired in 2017 and rarely appears in public. Before his hospitalization, he had been isolating at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the queen. His illness comes as the royal family has been rocked by an interview with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry. In the explosive broadcast, Meghan, who is biracial, said the palace had failed to help her when she had suicidal thoughts and that an unidentified member of the royal family had raised concerns about the colour of her babys skin when she was pregnant with her son, Archie. The interview, conducted by Oprah Winfrey, divided people around the world. While many say the allegations demonstrate the need for change inside a palace that hasnt kept pace with the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, others have criticized Harry and Meghan for dropping their bombshell while Philip was hospitalized. The longest-serving royal consort in British history, Philip married the then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The Congregation For The Doctrine Of Faith, the Vatican office founded to safeguard the Catholic church from heresy and to promulgate her doctrines, issued a document on Monday in response to a question on the blessing of same sex unions. "Does the Church have the power to give the blessing to unions of persons of the same sex?" was the question proposed. To which, the Catholic Church responded, "Negative." According to a report by Christian Headlines, the Vatican has barred the blessing of same-sex unions because God "does not and cannot bless sin," citing the document released by the Congregation For The Doctrine Of Faith as basis for such statements. The Christian Headlines said the Vatican referred to what is written in the Bible and the Church's centuries of teaching that states it does not have the power to bless same-sex unions. The official document, entitled "Responsum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to a dubium regarding the blessing of the unions of persons of the same sex," is posted in the Vatican's website and signed by the Congregation For The Doctrine Of Faith Prefect His Emminence Luis F. Cardinal Ladaria, S.I. and notated by the Congregation's Secretary Archbishop Giacomo Morandi. According to the National Catholic Register, Pope Francis was informed by Morandi on the document and has approved the document's publication. In its Explanatory Note, the Responsum clarified the Catholic Church's "sincere desire to welcome and accompany homosexual persons" so that they can "'understand and fully carry out God's will in their lives'," because "'God loves every person and the Church does the same', rejecting all unjust discrimination." The document went on to elaborate that denying homosexual persons the blessing of their same sex union is not discriminatory but rather "a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite and of the very nature of the sacramentals" and that it is "not licit" to do so since blessings "belong to the category of the sacramentals." The document added that sacramentals are actually means that call a person to live a life of holiness and to "praise God" while asking His protection so that one can live that call to holiness. More importantly, sacramentals "'have been established as a kind of imitation of the sacraments, blessings are signs above all of spiritual effects that are achieved through the Church's intercession." "For this reason, it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex[6]," the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith pointed out. The Responsum stressed that same sex unions are relationships that can not be rendered "legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing" because the context of such a union is "not ordered to the Creator's plan", which is a man and a woman joined in union for procreation that God established since the beginning of time. The Catholic Church therefore has no power to supersede what God has established as what marriage should be and as His plan for mankind. "Furthermore, since blessings on persons are in relationship with the sacraments, the blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit," the Vatican's office added. "This is because they would constitute a certain imitation or analogue of the nuptial blessing invoked on the man and woman united in the sacrament of Matrimony, while in fact "there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family." The Responsum comes with a supporting document for better understanding of the general public, entitled, "Article of Commentary on the Responsum ad dubium, 15.03.2021," that's also posted in the Vatican website together with relevant resources on the matter such as the catechetical information from the Papal Audiences, notice of press conference in live streaming on the matter set on March 18, 2021, and Holy See Press Office Communique during an Audience with the Captains Regent of the Most Serene Republic of San Marino. A concise and layman's version of the Responsum, the Commentary identified three reasons why the Catholic Church does not possess the power to bless same-sex unions. These are: "the truth and value of blessings," "the order that makes one fit to receive the gift given by the 'designs of God inscribed in creation, and fully revealed by Christ the Lord'," and "to avert an error into which one would be easily lead: that of assimilating the blessing of unions of persons of the same sex to that of matrimonial unions." Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 20:44:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel's President Reuven Rivlin departed on Tuesday for Europe to lobby leaders against the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to open an investigation into alleged crimes in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. Rivlin and Israel's military chief Aviv Kochavi will hold a series of meetings in Berlin, Vienna and Paris, according to a statement issued by the president's office. Before departing, Rivlin said the visit will focus on Israel's call to cancel the ICC's recent decision to launch an investigation into alleged violations of international law in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The president will talk with the European leaders about "the misuse of the International Criminal Court against our soldiers and citizens," said the statement. The president said the visit will also focus on Iran, which Israel considers its arch-foe, and Israel's objection to the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and the world powers. Enditem Tenn. pastor dies from COVID-19 day after wife of over 66 years passes Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The family of a Tennessee pastor who died of COVID-19 complications within 24 hours of his wife dying says their love story will live on through the lives the couple touched through their ministry. [After mom], my dad passed away the next day. We just knew that only God could orchestrate something like that, where we didn't have to tell him about her and didn't have to tell her about him, Lotneice S. Hinton recalled while speaking to Fox 17 last week. She referred to her late father, 87-year-old James Scott, who pastored New Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ in Chattanooga for 61 years, and her mother, 83-year-old Virginia Scott. They were married for over 66 years. Virginia Scott passed away on Jan. 17 after recovering from the coronavirus, while James died from COVID-19 complications on Jan. 18. Granddaughter Jada Smith recalled that they took care of each other even when they were sick. Last month, Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake called the couple great pioneers in ministry for our great church. Serving as the president of the Tennessee Eastern Second Jurisdiction was an assignment that brought Bishop Scott great joy, faithfully serving with integrity over 25 years, Blake stated. As a passionate soul winner, Bishop Scott led young and old to Christ with great joy. When they got married in 1954, Virginia Scott was 17 and her husband was 21. The family says their love story has not ended since it will live on through family members and the people they both touched. Smith added that her grandparents mission was to help families indiscriminately all over Chattanooga. James was born in Pickens County, Mississippi, in 1933. He was the sixth of 10 children and was saved at a very early age, reads his obituary published in The Chattanoogan. He lost his father when he was 14. Shortly after, he was called into the ministry. A born leader, his life was exemplary for others even in his youth, it was stated. As a young adult, he remained at home with his mother and younger siblings in an effort to assist her with the family farm, the obituary explained. This decision did not allow him to go to college, but he was able to train the younger siblings to safely operate the necessary farm equipment. He would work his mothers land and then work his land. According to the obituary, Scott was a gifted leader who knew how to reach and serve everyone no matter how old they were. He was a great teacher for young men, often telling them how to be effective husbands and fathers, the article states. He used his gifts to shepherd Gods people and his talent and vision to edify the church. He has been credited with the construction and renovation of countless churches throughout the eastern part of Tennessee where he has left his footprints. As for Virginia Scott, she was born as the second of 10 children. She was also saved early in her life. Even from her youth, she was a witness for her family, friends and classmates, The Chattanoogan reports. She often told of being teased for being saved, but later those that teased her would watch her and later accept Christ. Being the eldest daughter, she was often needed to help take care of her younger siblings. She often talked about helping her mom and the nurse midwife with the delivery of her younger siblings." In 1956, the couple moved to Chattanooga and joined the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ. James Scott was named to the position of pastor in 1957. Hinton said that her parents loved the church and their church family. With them being there so long, it was part of their family," Hinton explained. The Scotts have four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Police in Miami have arrested a hit-and-run suspect who they say was captured on surveillance video mowing down a lounge security guard with his silver Lamborghini over the weekend. Luis Iraheta, 26, is charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in connection with the crash that took place outside the Arena Grill and Lounge in North Miami on Saturday. Victim Abraham Valdez is hospitalized in critical condition with internal bleeding. According to investigators, the hit-and-run incident was preceded by a fight that had broken out inside the restaurant before spilling into the parking lot, reported WPLG. Scroll down for video Surveillance video in North Miami, Florida, on Saturday caught the moment a silver Lamborghini hit and drove over a security guard near a lounge Luis Iraheta, 26 (left), has been charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in connection with a hit-and-run crash that critically injured Abraham Valdez (right) Iraheta then jumped behind the wheel of the silver Lamborghini and sped off, striking and driving over security guard Valdez, police said, according to the WPLG report. Surveillance video captured the sickening moment of impact, showing the exotic car rolling over the victim and leaving him lying in the middle of the road. Iraheta and a person who was traveling with him were later pulled out of the car at gunpoint by police officers after the Lamborghini slammed into another vehicle along Northwest 27th Avenue. Police said Iraheta got into his silver Lamborghini (center) and sped off after a fight at the Arena Grill and Lounge Police arrested the driver at gunpoint after the Lamborghini crashed into another car Iraheta's pricey vehicle is seen badly damaged following the hit-and-run and the subsequent crash in North Miami Valdez, 33, who was described by loved ones as a 'gentle giant,' suffered internal bleeding, a crushed pelvis and broken ribs. Video from the scene showed him screaming in agony while being treated by paramedics, as WSVN reported. He was hospitalized in critical condition. According to the description of a GoFundMe page, Valdez has undergone multiple surgeries at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The latest update on Tuesday revealed that the victim will be back in surgery on Wednesday to get the internal bleeding in his abdomen under control. Video shows EMTs working on the critically injured victim of the hit-and-run crash, who can be heard screaming in agony Valdez, the security guard, suffered a crushed pelvis, internal bleeding and broken bones. He has underdone multiple surgeries to repair the damage, with another one set for Wednesday 'Abraham is truly a selfless person who would give you the shirt off his back' wrote the organizer of the fundraiser. 'He is a proud Brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. A gentle giant who commands a room, but is a softie at heart. He is his grandmothers primary caregiver and is loved and needed by so many.' Meanwhile, Iraheta made his initial appearance on Tuesday and had his bond set at $10,000. He is due back in court for his arraignment on April 14. Alberta's energy minister says people in the province will be able to say "no" to coal during upcoming consultations on coal mining in the Rocky Mountains. Critics have wondered if the consultations will give Albertans the option of telling the government they don't want to see any mines on those lands, which include the headwaters for much of the province's drinking water. But Sonya Savage says the process will go further than just asking people where they would accept such development. Savage told a legislature committee this morning that the consultations will ask people if they want surface coal mining at all in the Rockies and says the government hasn't prejudged the outcome. She also says the province will open government-to-government talks with Indigenous communities in southwest Alberta. The consultations are to start on March 29. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. The Canadian Press Protesters rally outside Sydney Town Hall in response to the treatment of women in politics following several sexual assault allegations, as part of the Women's March 4 Justice rally. Photo: Reuters/Jaimi Joy Its been more than a decade since Australias first and only female leader came to power. In the corridors of power in the capital Canberra, however, it feels theres been little progress in the march for equality. Thousands of women rallied yesterday in cities across Australia, angered by the governments handling of rape allegations in Parliament House, and its refusal to hold an inquiry into separate claims the attorney general sexually assaulted a woman he met at a school debating event over 30 years ago. Gender equality advocates hope that the high-profile cases will force Australia to a turning point where it takes serious steps to tackle sexual harassment a stain that bleeds well beyond political life and hampers participation of women across different spheres of society, including the corporate world. Workplace sexual harassment costs the Australian economy some Aus$3.5bn (2.3bn) each year, based on figures from Deloitte Access Economics for 2018. It brings that conversation that has been building to a real national focus, and I do think it creates the environment for real change, said Kate Jenkins, Australias sex discrimination commissioner who just last year handed the government a watershed report into sexual harassment in the workplace. Its 55 recommendations, however, have largely been ignored. Read More Nowhere is the regressive trend of gender equality in Australia starker than in politics. At 31pc, Australia sits above the world average in terms of female parliamentary participation according to Inter-Parliamentary Union data, and above peers such as Canada and the US. But Australia has steadily deteriorated on that front, with its ranking nosediving from 15th to 50th since 1999. Meanwhile, the US now has a record number of women serving in Congress. Female politicians have long been forced to put up with the kind of sexist behavior that former foreign minister Julie Bishop said in 2018 wouldnt be tolerated in any other workplace across Australia. Julia Gillard, the first female prime minister, famously stood up to then opposition leader Tony Abbott and called out his misogyny and said shed been offended by catcalling to her inside parliament. Pressure is now mounting on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to hold an inquiry into the recent claims brought against Attorney General Christian Porter. Police arent pursuing the case due to a lack of admissible evidence and Mr Porter, who strongly protests his innocence, has commenced a defamation action. Meanwhile, the government has called an inquiry into workplace culture at parliament after Brittany Higgins, a former parliamentary staffer, alleged she was raped by a fellow staffer in 2019. Leonora Risse, who specialises in gender differentials in the economy at RMIT University in Melbourne, said she doesnt see any convincing signs among the current Australian government that its leaders truly understand the nature of the problem, and the ingrained factors that contribute toward gender inequality. I sense that many people believe this should be a tipping point, said Ms Risse. If not this, then what will it take? A police officer charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard finished work in London at least nine hours before she went missing, a court has heard. Details on Diplomatic Protection Officer Wayne Couzens, 48, and his shift pattern were disclosed at his first Old Bailey appearance this morning. Couzens, who had a large injury on his head and black left eye, appeared to rock to and fro during the hearing. It was told he faced a trial of up to four weeks, which has been pencilled in for the start of October. He is accused of snatching the 33-year-old marketing executive as she walked home from a friend's flat in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3. Prosecutor Tom Little, QC, told the court: 'There's been a very significant and wide-ranging investigation. 'The position is that Sarah Everard was walking home a distance of some two and a half miles - if she had made it home - at 9 o'clock on the evening of March 3. 'The defendant had finished his last shift earlier that day, in fact that morning.' The prosecutor said the case has received 'almost unprecedented media and public attention.' Couzens appeared via video link for the hearing today, wearing a red sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms. He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth at the hearing, before the Recorder of London Judge Mark Lucraft QC. Couzens appeared to have a left black eye as he appeared by videolink to the Old Bailey Ms Everard's murder and Couzens' arrest has sparked vigils across the country in her memory Judge Luckraft said a plea hearing would be held on July 9 at the Old Bailey and a provisional date for a trial - which could last up to four weeks - was set for October 25. Couzens kept his head bowed for the proceedings. Ms Everard's boyfriend reported Sarah missing on March 4 and her body was found hidden in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent, on March 10. She was discovered in a large builder's bag and was formally identified through her dental records. A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has yet been given. It comes as police investigating the murder have begun a second day searching in Sandwich, Kent, for her missing mobile phone - this time in the network of drains below the town. Forensic officers and police divers first arrived in the tourist spot yesterday and took away a gold necklace for evaluation as they scoured the nearby Delf Stream. A diving officer looks through something found on the bottom of the Delf Stream in Kent The police crew were in discussion at the side of the bank as searches continued today Today they switched their attention to rubbish bins and drains, where they lifted grates to use sticks to try and clear debris for examination. They were also seen carefully checking below a step near public toilets in the car park where they have been based for the past 48 hours. Above them was a sign for CCTV cameras around the site, the footage on which may yield more clues as the town's Ropewalk area remained taped off. There is currently rain pouring down there, which may slow down some of the searches. Couzens, who worked on the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command unit, was not on duty at the time of Ms Everard's disappearance. The defendant, from Deal in Kent, was charged on Friday and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court the following day. Sarah's death has united millions in grief and led to many women sharing their stories of abuse Ms Everard's death has sparked vigils across the country in her memory and demands for action to tackle violence against women. Images of women being manhandled by police officers at a vigil on Clapham Common on Saturday night have prompted shock and widespread condemnation. There have been further protests in Westminster on Sunday and Monday sparking more arrests by the Met who say people attending are breaking Covid laws. Miss Everard's last known movements have been aired previously in court. She had visited a friend in the Clapham Junction area on March 3 and left at around 9pm to make the two-and-a-half-mile journey home. She called her boyfriend for around 14 minutes and there was no activity on her mobile phone after that. Ms Everard was captured alone on CCTV at 9.15pm and again 9.28pm, and was later caught on the camera of a marked police car at 9.32pm. At around 9.35pm, a bus camera captured two figures on Poynders Road and a white Vauxhall Astra with its hazard lights flashing. Another bus camera captured the same car with both front doors open. The registration of the vehicle, later confirmed to be a car hired in Dover, Kent, was caught and tracked by police as it left London towards Kent. New nightmare for Cressida Dick after it emerges Met police officer guarding Sarah Everard murder scene 'sent inappropriate WhatsApp messages to colleagues about her killing' A police officer guarding the Sarah Everard murder scene allegedly sent colleagues inappropriate WhatsApp messages about her killing. The probationary Met constable, who had been deployed as a cordon officer supporting the search operation in Kent, is said to have shared a meme showing images of a uniformed officer abducting a woman. Horrified fellow officers reported the rookie officer's actions because they were concerned by its content. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards was made aware on Friday. The latest incident adds to the pressure faced by Met Commissioner Cressida Dick as she battles calls to resign over her force's 'heavy handed' crackdown on a vigil for Ms Everard on Clapham Common on Saturday and the investigation into murder suspect Wayne Couzens. The incident has now been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the officer has been removed from frontline duties. He is believed to have been placed in a non-public facing role while enquiries continue. In a statement, the Met Police confirmed the graphic did not contain photographic images, images of Sarah, or any other material obtained from or related to the investigation into Sarahs murder. Wayne Couzens (left) is presented with an award for his achievements during his time in the territorial army between 2002-2004. Couzens was charged with the murder and kidnap of Sarah Everard (right), who disappeared on March 3 Metropolitan Police officers have been in Sandwich, Kent, in recent days as the Sarah Everard investigation continues Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick (seen walking to New Scotland Yard) has faced mounting pressure over the force's handling of Ms Everard's disappearance and a crackdown on a vigil held in memory of her on Saturday A probationary Met police officer, who was deployed as a cordon officer supporting the search operation in Kent, allegedly sent an 'inappropriate graphic' on social media with some colleagues who later reported the PC. Pictured: Police presence in Great Chart, Kent, last week The probationary PC has been removed from duties and placed in a non-public facing role while enquiries continue. Pictured: A Metropolitan Police van and a private ambulance at the scene of the woods near Ashford in Kent Sarahs family have been made aware of the incident. Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave, said: 'The Metropolitan Police Service expects its officers to behave professionally at all times and this includes how they use social media. 'I take allegations that any officer or officers have failed to observe these standards very seriously and have referred this matter to the IOPC.' Ex-Met detective chief inspector Mick Neville told The Sun: 'Being a frontline officer, dealing with crime and misery, often requires a gallows sense of humour to let off steam. 'But any decent officer knows the limits. Joking about a horrific murder and kidnap, whilst the family is grieving, is completely unacceptable. 'The last thing the Met needs is anything else to undermine the publics trust in the force. This will do just that.' It is the sixth referral of the Met to the IOPC regarding events surrounding the disappearance and murder of Ms Everard. SEATTLE, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Javad Sajan, of Allure Esthetic Plastic Surgery, is a Seattle plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of top surgery procedures every year. Top surgery refers to a procedure where the breasts are removed to create a masculine or flat chest as part of a female-to-male transgender transition. Recently, federal government health insurance plans have begun to deny coverage of nipple creation for transgender patients. This has led many patients who want nipples to forego them due to the inability to afford the additional cost. The insurance plans only pay for breast tissue removal; forcing some patients to live permanently without nipples. This is discrimination because the same insurance plans pay for nipple creation for cisgender patients. In response, Dr. Javad Sajan created a campaign on change.org to petition the federal government, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris to amend the current federal insurance plans to cover nipple creation. While not every FTM top surgery patient, wants nipples, the current coverage restricts a patient's right to choose. This can lead to continued dysphoria after surgery that is completely avoidable. Concerning the way insurance covers top surgery, Dr. Javad Sajan says, "Top surgery uses the same codes as mastectomy, 19303, and nipple reconstruction, 19350. Mastectomy patients receive complete coverage for nipple reconstruction while transgender patients are denied despite using the same codes and coverage guidelines." Dr. Sajan recognized this gross injustice and wanting to better serve his patients, created a petition on change.org to bring awareness to this issue and hopefully influence change on the federal level that will positively impact the lives of transgender people. You are invited to sign and share the petition to be part of this change. About Dr. Javad Sajan: Dr. Javad Sajan of Allure Esthetic Plastic Surgery is a Seattle plastic surgeon and one of the top surgeons performing gender affirming surgery in the United States. Wanting to provide the best top surgery possible, Dr. Sajan works with insurance companies daily to achieve affordable solutions for FTM patients. As a constant advocate for transgender rights, Dr. Sajan continues to fight for his patients to receive the highest standard of medical care. Contact: realdrseattle Medical Marketing Phone: 206-787-0784 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Allure Esthetic Covid: Jordan, police disperse protest demonstrations Wave of indignation for deaths of nine patients in hospital (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, 16 MAR - Jordanian police in Amman on Monday used tear gas and arrests to disperse protest demonstrations against the severe measures put in place by the government to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The media said this was the second night of unrest in Amman and elsewhere in Jordan. The demonstrations are part of a wave of indignation following the deaths on Saturday of nine people (most of whom were infected with coronavirus) in a hospital in Salt due to the interruption of oxygen supply. In a message to the nation on Monday, King Abdallah assured that there will be no tolerance for anyone who committed negligence, but he also advised citizens to be cautious of those who now want to spread social unrest. On Monday, Jordanian Prime Minister Bishar al-Khasawneh took stock of the epidemiological situation with the government. Monday saw a further worsening of the situation, with 82 deaths and 9,400 new infections. The prime minister gave the instruction to guarantee as much as possible the life of citizens and to maintain at the same time public order, which includes among other things a nightly curfew. (ANSAmed). A visitor experiences an industrial internet system at the 2019 International Conference on Industrial Internet in Qingdao, Shandong province, on July 25. [Photo/Xinhua] Manufacturing transformation hinges on strong supply chains, say experts China's goal of strengthening industrial and supply chains during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) will help drive high-quality development of the manufacturing sector and nurture strategic, emerging industries, experts said on Monday. The comments came after China said it will make efforts to boost its industrial foundation, modernize the industrial chain, and stabilize the proportion of the manufacturing industry (in GDP), according to the outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for national economic and social development and the long-range objectives through the year 2035. Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said: "China's manufacturing industry is facing challenges as global industrial and supply chains are being reconstructed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and trade uncertainties." The nation, for instance, has shortcomings in many crucial areas such as core components and key raw materials, which has in turn increased the emphasis on the real economy, especially the problems faced by the manufacturing industry, Huang said. The outline said China will attach more importance to strengthening the foundation of the real economy and building the nation into a strong manufacturing power during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The plan came after the proportion of the manufacturing industry in China's GDP has gradually declined since 2015. Currently, manufacturing output accounts for about 27 percent of China's GDP, according to Huang from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Miao Wei, deputy director of the Economic Affairs Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, recently said that a notable decline of manufacturing business in China's GDP will not only drag down the current economic growth and affect urban employment, but will also generate potential industrial safety hazards and weaken the country's anti-risk capabilities and international competitiveness. In the four-tier structure of global manufacturing business, China is in the third echelon, and it will take at least three decades to achieve the goal of becoming a manufacturing powerhouse, said Miao, who is also a former minister of industry and information technology. The outline highlighted China's goal to grow the contribution of strategic and emerging industries to GDP to more than 17 percent during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Qiao Biao, deputy head of the China Center for Information Industry Development, a Beijing-based think tank, said efforts are needed to foster new growth momentum for industrial development, such as the new generation of information technology, biotechnology, new materials, high-end equipment, new energy vehicles and marine equipment. Such technologies are of high importance for China's future industrial upgrade, and there is a pressing need for the nation to establish a beachhead in these frontiers, Qiao said. Yang Yuanqing, CEO and chairman of Lenovo Group Ltd, said more efforts are needed to accelerate the transformation of "Made in China "into "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" and enhance the quality and efficiency of industry. ADVERTISEMENT The High Court of Kano State has sentenced Jamilu Yunusa to 15 years imprisonment for defrauding his victims of N1,520,000. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stated this in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday. The statement said the judge, Hadiza Suleiman, found Mr Yunusa guilty as charged and convicted him on all the seven counts preferred against him in 2016. The judge sentenced the convict to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, starting from the date of his arraignment in court, the statement stated. The convict was also ordered to restitute the victims of all the sums in the charge or serve additional two years in imprisonment, it added. The punishment appears disproportionate when compared to the 10 years imprisonment approved by the Supreme Court for a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, convicted of looting N2 billion in public funds. The apex court similarly approved 12 years jail term for former Governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba State for misappropriating N1.6billion belonging to the state. Case against Yunusa The statement said Mr Yinusa was arraigned by the EFCC in December 2016 on charges of conniving with two others to defraud the complainants of the sum of money. The commission said the convict perpetrated the fraud in connivance with Inuwa Abdu and Habibu Inuwa who are said to still at large, by claiming that he had a contract to supply pipes to Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company. Mr Yunusa, who was charged with and convicted of advance fee fraud, was said to have convinced his victims to help finance the contract with a promise to share the profit with them. The prosecution said investigation revealed that the convict never had a contract with Dantata and Sawoe. Mr Uwujaren said in the commissions statement on Tuesday that Mr Yunusa had pleaded not guilty to the charges. He added that the prosecution subsequently presented presented six witnesses and tendered 10 exhibits to prove the case against the convict. One of the charges reads, that Jamilu Yunusa, Inuwa Abdu (at large) and Habibu Inuwa (at large) sometime in 2015 in Kano within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit: obtaining by false pretense the sum of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) from Nuhu Abubakar through Skye Bank account belonging to Inuwa Abdu with account number 3042263847 which was done pursuance to the said agreement and thereby committed an offense contrary to section (8) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Coronavirus: First patient with South Africa variant of COVID-19 confirmed in Delhi India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Mar 16: A 33-year-old man, currently admitted at LNJP Hospital here, has become the first confirmed case of COVID-19 caused by the South Africa variant of the novel coronavirus in Delhi, sources said on Tuesday. He was brought to the hospital about a week ago, and has been kept isolated in a separate unit, a source said. The LNJP Hospital had earlier also admitted people who had been found positive for UK strain of COVID-19, and after their treatment about two such patients had remained till February end, a senior doctor had earlier said. Sources on Tuesday said the 33-year-old man has become the first confirmed case of COVID-19 caused by the South Africa variant of the novel coronavirus in Delhi. "He is kept in a very different isolation area and was brought here about a week ago and then tested. He came positive for the South Africa variant," the source said. The man was initially asymptomatic but his present condition is not yet known. Telangana: High number of COVID-19 cases reported from two schools A month ago, the Centre had said that for the first time in India, four people were detected with the South Africa variant of SARS-CoV-2 and one had tested positive for the Brazil variant in the country. In India, the South Africa strain had been detected in four returnees - one from Angola, one from Tanzania and two from South Africa in January, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava had said - adding all travellers and contacts had been tested and quarantined. Three new variants of COVID-19, from the UK, South Africa and Brazil, have been reported so far in India, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Odisha to strictly adhere to COVID-19 norms during President Kovind's visit On whether the people who have been infected once could get re-infected by the new virus strain, Choubey said as per the World Health Organization, in the three countries where the pandemic is being driven by the variant mutants of SARS-CoV-2 virus, namely the UK South Africa and Brazil, the South African and Brazilian variants have the potential to re-infect persons who have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Recognising that the mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 are driving the pandemic in countries of their origin, namely the UK, South Africa and Brazil, the government of India has revised its guidelines for international travel to minimise the risk of importation and further spread of these mutant variants in India, he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 23:58 [IST] A tidal surge near the harbour walk in Leigh. Photo, Guy Parkes. Pakiri Beach looked extra choppy to residents taking refuge in the hills. Parking bays on Matakana Valley Road were filled with cars. Residents can check if they live in a tsunami risk zone any time using the Hazard Viewer tool at www.aucklandemergencymanagement.org.nz. Residents of low-lying coastal areas, including Omaha, Whangateau and Point Wells, headed for the hills, following news that an 8.1 magnitude earthquake had struck offshore from the Kermadec Islands on Friday, March 5. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) issued an alert to east coast residents of the Auckland region warning of unpredictable tidal surges and asked them to stay off the water. An evacuation alert was issued for communities in the Far North and Whangarei. Tsunami sirens and mobile phone alerts also prompted residents of Mangawhai to head for higher ground, including the evacuation of Mangawhai Beach School. Coastal residents in Pakiri were encouraged to take refuge inland by police conducting checks at beaches. Although NEMA issued no evacuation alert in Rodney, Matakana Valley Road was lined with parked cars on the Matakana/Whangaripo hill where there was a good view of the coast. Although a tsunami never arrived, residents witnessed a number of tidal surges and unusual currents in Leigh and Pakiri. The alert was stood down after five hours. Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) is the Civil Defence entity for the Auckland region. AEM spokesperson Charlotte Rosier says in the event of an evacuation alert in Mahurangi, tsunami sirens would sound in Omaha, Point Wells and Whangateau. This would be followed by an emergency mobile alert, similar to Covid-19 alerts. Residents can check the Hazard Viewer tool at www.aucklandemergencymanagment.org.nz to see if they live in a tsunami risk zone. Ms Rosier says households in Whangateau or Point Wells may wish to evacuate to elevated areas in Ti Point or Leigh in the event of a tsunami warning. She says Omaha has signs at the boat ramp and surf club indicating where to evacuate to in an emergency, including a walkway into the hills at the southern end of Mangatawhiri Road. We ask that people walk, bike or scooter to safety if they can, and leave the roads clear for emergency services and those who need assistance evacuating. If you have to use your car, consider carpooling. Ms Rosier suggests that those living in an at-risk tsunami zone keep a grab bag handy with essential items including food, water, medication, shoes and a jacket. Its a great idea to do a practice evacuation with family so everyone knows where to go, how long it will take and where to meet if people get separated. Ms Rosier say it is important to follow official advice in case of an incident, but some common sense is also required. If you feel an earthquake that makes it hard to stand up, or a weak rolling earthquake that lasts a minute, or even see a sudden rise or fall in sea level, dont wait for official advice. Instead go immediately to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can, taking the route that is quickest for you. AEM is doing its biannual test of the tsunami sirens in Rodney on Easter Sunday April 4. Lawton, OK (73501) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Researchers in Brazil have identified the emergence of a new lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Brazil that has spread across multiple states in the country. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the agent responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that continues to pose a threat to global public health and the worldwide economy. Marilda Siqueira from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Fiocruz) in Rio de Janeiro and colleagues say this new variant of interest (VOI) probably emerged in August 2020 and is already widely distributed in Brazil. Designated as N.9, the variant emerged in the B.1.1.33 lineage and comprised 35% of all B.1.1.33 sequences detected between November 2020 and February 2021. The VOI N.9 harbors the E484K mutation in a surface structure called the spike protein, which the virus uses to bind to and infect host cells. The E484K mutation in spike (S: E484K) is considered one of the most critical mutations since it may contribute to immune evasion. Studies have shown that it confers resistance to some monoclonal antibodies and reduces the neutralization potency of sera from convalescent and vaccinated individuals. The researchers predict that the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil during 2021 will be dominated by a complex array of 484K variants that will completely replace the parental 484E lineages that drove the epidemic during 2020. The team advises that efficient mitigation measures will be crucial to reducing community transmission across Brazil and preventing the recurrence of more transmissible variants that could further exacerbate the epidemic. A pre-print version of the research paper is available on the bioRxiv* server while the article undergoes peer review. More about the epidemic in Brazil The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Brazil was mainly driven by the B.1.1.28 and B.1.1.33 lineages that likely emerged in February 2020 before becoming the dominant variants in most regions by October 2020. Since then, genomic studies revealed the emergence of two rapidly spreading variants (P.1 and P.2) within the B.1.1.28 lineage that harbor mutations in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein. Lineage P.1, which was first described in January 2020, is considered a variant of concern (VOC), as it harbors an unusually high number of spike mutations (including K417T, E484K, N501Y) and was associated with a second epidemic wave in the state of Amazonas. The P.2 lineage, which was first described in October 2020, only harbors E484K in the spike and four mutations that lie outside of the spike. This lineage, which is considered a variant of interest (VOI) was the most prevalent variant detected in several states during late 2020 and early 2021. Several variants also emerged in the B.1.1.33 lineage, including the N.1 lineage detected in the U.S., N.2 detected in Suriname and France, N.3 circulating in Argentina, and lineages N.4 and B.1.1.314 circulating in Chile. However, none of the mutations identified in these new lineages harbored mutations of concern in the spike protein. a) Maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree of the B.1.1.33 whole-genome sequences from Brazil. The B.1.1.33 sequences with mutation S:E484K are represented by pink (VOI N.9) and green [B.1.1.33(E484K)] circles. VOI N.9 clade is highlighted in pink. The aLRT support values are indicated in key nodes and branch lengths are drawn to scale with the left bar indicating nucleotide substitutions per site. b) Geographic distribution of the VOI N.9 identified in Brazil. Brazilian states names follow the ISO 3166-2 standard. c) Correlation between the sampling date of B.1.1.33 sequences and their genetic distance from the root of the ML phylogenetic tree. Colors indicate the B.1.1.33 clade as indicated in a). d) Bayesian phylogeographic analysis of N.9 lineage. Tips and branches colors indicate the sampling state and the most probable inferred location of their descendent nodes, respectively, as indicated in the legend. Branch posterior probabilities are indicated in key nodes. Boxes highlight two N.9 subclades carrying additional mutations (indicated in each box). The tree was automatically rooted under the assumption of a strict molecular clock, and all horizontal branch lengths are time-scaled. What did the current study involve? Siqueira and colleagues conducted a genomic survey of SARS-CoV-2-positive samples sequenced by the Fiocruz COVID-19 Genomic Surveillance Network between 12th March 2020 and 27th January 2021. They identified 422 sequences within the B.1.1.33 lineage that were then combined with B.1.1.33 Brazilian genomes that were available in the GISAID database EpiCoV by 1st March 2021. Mutational profiling revealed that the S:E484K mutation was present in 34 of the B.1.1.33-derived sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences identified a potential new VOI designated as lineage N.9 that contained the S:E484K mutation and was detected in different states across Brazil between November 2020 and February 2021. The VOI N.9 was detected in ten Brazilian states, suggesting that this lineage is already widely distributed across the country. The variant was first detected in Sao Paulo on the 11th November, 2020, and then identified later in the South (Santa Catarina), North (Amazonas and Para) and Northeast (Bahia, Maranhao, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui, and Sergipe) regions. A major global shift in the SARS-CoV-2 fitness landscape Further analysis suggested that the N.9 lineage probably emerged in Sao Paulo, Bahia or Maranhao around the 15th of August 2020. The onset date of the VOI N.9 here estimated around mid-August roughly coincides with the estimated timing of emergence of the VOI P.2 in late-July and shortly precedes the detection of a major global shift in the SARS-CoV-2 fitness landscape after October 2020, write the researchers. The team says the VOI N.9 is already widely distributed in the country and made up 35% of the B.1.1.33 sequences detected between November 2020 and February 2021. Siqueira and colleagues say the S:E484K mutation has emerged independently in various different VOCs and VOIs that are spreading rapidly around the world. It is probably an example of convergent evolution and ongoing adaptation of the virus to the human host, they write. Efficient mitigation measures will be crucial The researchers say they expect that the epidemic in Brazil during 2021 will be dominated by a complex array of B.1.1.28(484K) and B.1.1.33(484K) variants that will completely replace the parental 484E lineages that drove the epidemic in 2020. Implementation of efficient mitigation measures in Brazil is crucial to reduce community transmission and prevent the recurrent emergence of more transmissible variants that could further exacerbate the epidemic in the country, concludes the team. *Important Notice bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. When scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria looked at developing zebrafish embryos, they observed an abrupt and dramatic change: within just a few minutes, the solid-like embryonic tissue becomes fluid-like. What could cause this change and, what is its role in the further development of the embryo? In a multidisciplinary study published in the journal Cell, they found answers that could change how we look at key processes in development and disease, such as tumor metastasis. To learn more about how a tiny bunch of cells develops into complex systems like fish, humans or animals as big as elephants, many scientists turn to the zebrafish (Danio rerio). It has a few advantages that made it one of the favorite model organisms of developmental biologists like Nicoletta Petridou, until recently postdoc at the research group of Carl-Philipp Heisenberg at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria. First, the small striped fish develop within just a few days, the embryos do so outside their mothers and are transparent - one can see every organ as it develops. While looking at zebrafish embryos a few hours after fertilization, in a previous study Nicoletta Petridou and her colleagues discovered a sudden change in the viscosity of the embryonic tissue - a measure of a tissue's resistance to deformation: "At this early stage, the tissues forming the embryo are very rigid, but suddenly, viscosity drops by ten times and the tissue flows very quickly - it fluidizes," the biologist explains. Small change - big effect Simultaneously, the embryo starts changing its shape for the first time, thereby entering a phase called morphogenesis. In a new study, the researchers looked deeper into what is happening at the cellular level during tissue fluidization. "What we found was that before this fluidization, an individual cell is connected to four to five of its neighboring cells. At the onset of fluidization, however, it has only three to four neighbor connections left," says Petridou. Could this small change in the cells' connectivity really be responsible for a ten-fold difference in the tissue viscosity? "This was when we turned to physics to provide us with a framework that could explain this effect," says the molecular and developmental biologist. "So, Nicoletta found this massive drop in tissue viscosity at the macroscopic level that is apparently not matching what is going on at the microscopic cell connectivity level. This is a key point of physics: to link what is going on at the microscopic level with the macroscopic level," says Bernat Corominas-Murtra, until recently part of Edouard Hannezo's research group. Using an analogy with material science, the team realized that each cell having four connected neighbors was actually a very special threshold: physicist James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century had already realized that structures such as bridges or networks below this connectivity level cannot be rigid anymore. This precisely matched the experimental observations of tissue fluidization occurring when cells are connected to less than four neighbors. Using this analogy, the team was able to show that the fluidization of the tissue displays features of a phase transition, which is the transition from one state of matter like solid, liquid or gas to another. A critical point After finding this resemblance to phase transitions, the scientists challenged their theory by manipulating the cells' connectivity. No matter the manipulation, the critical point of connectivity was enough to explain the abrupt changes in tissue viscosity experimentally observed. Furthermore, they traced all expected features of phase transitions from the physics of non-living systems. "It is unique to be able to trace all the expected properties of a phase transition in a real, living system. Especially because the phase transition theory is made for systems with a billion components, whereas, here we are talking about a system with a few hundred components," Corominas-Murtra explains enthusiastically. But, if the loss of only one connection per cell is enough to trigger such a significant change of the embryo's tissue, how can an accidental change be avoided? "What was very puzzling for me was that it seems to be a very risky process for the embryo. Now that we know there is a critical point, we can ask what regulates its balance. One of the regulations we found is the timing of cell divisions that defines how tissue connectivity, and thus its viscosity, changes in space and time," says Petridou, who has just started her own research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany. From fish embryos to tumor research The transition is essential for the further development of the tiny fish embryo. However, it also seems to play a role in cancer growth. When a tumor metastasizes, recent studies have shown the tissue also abruptly changes from solid to liquid, which could allow cancer cells to move around more easily. "If one can trace this critical point, it opens ways to manipulate it," says Petridou. "We don't have the tools yet to do so, but instead of conceptually focusing on the large number of genes that could play a role in cancer growth, one could focus on this critical point that eventually causes this transition." Working together with researchers from two different research groups at IST Austria proved essential for the scientists' success. "I remember spending hours in the lab with Nicoletta trying to figure out what she was doing and the other way around. We needed to reach a common language, which takes a lot of time but is very rewarding. Multidisciplinarity is an attitude," says Bernat Corominas-Murtra, who has recently started working as an assistant professor at the Austrian Karl-Franzens University Graz. ### Publication: Funding information: Press Release March 16, 2021 Senate adopts defense committee report on 'red-tagging or red-baiting' The Senate adopted on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, a report by the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation on Senate Resolution No. 559 inquiring into the alleged "red-tagging or red-baiting" of certain celebrities, personalities, institutions and organizations by military officials. Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of the defense committee and sponsor of Committee Report No. 186, noted the inquiry had been "one of the most complex" he presided but still managed to objectively hear both sides and extracted the best available information for the Senate and the public to digest and come up with well-informed decisions. The chamber upheld the recommendations of the Senate panel's 77-page committee report including relieving Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. as spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), strengthening the intelligence-gathering and analysis by the security sector, and directing the members of the Makabayan bloc from the House of Representatives to denounce the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA), among others. But while the report stated that legal remedies are sufficient and available for personalities or groups that have been the subject of so-called "red-tagging," with some of them having availed of such options as evidenced by cases filed with the Ombudsman, it does not preclude any appropriate Senate committee from studying and considering proposed measures to criminalize "red-tagging." The committee, in recommending Parlade's removal as NTF-ELCAC spokesperson, cited Article XVI, Sec. 5 (4) of the Constitution, which provides: "No member of the Armed Forces in the active service shall, at any time, be appointed or designated in any capacity to a civilian position in the government including government-owned or controlled corporation or any of their subsidiaries." "In compliance with the Constitution and as a matter of policy, we should prevent the potential conflict between the policies of the NTF-ELCAC and the mandate of the security sector by engaging a spokesperson who does not hold concurrent mandates in the security force. This should be a prerequisite for a spokesperson in the faithful performance of his official duty," the panel report reads. The committee also enjoins the members of the Makabayan bloc to "openly and strongly" denounce the atrocities perpetrated by the CPP-NPA, adding that they should show the same level of public reproach against the group as what they have been doing in calling out the administration on almost every aspect of governance. Meanwhile, the committee also emphasized the need for the security sector to strengthen its intelligence gathering and analysis capability to ensure that every piece of information is indeed verified and actionable. "Legal course of action shall take precedence before any propaganda that may be defamatory to one's person. In the same manner, they should exercise caution in making public pronouncements as these carry with it a semblance of authority from the State which, if wrongly carried out, may result in polarization between the government and the people," Lacson said. The committee also underscored the importance of promoting updates and accomplishments of the localized peace talks, adding that the program, pursuant to its intent, should focus on its development-centered efforts against armed conflicts in order to earn the support of the public towards lasting peace. "Despite some isolated blunders, the committee believes that the 'whole-of-nation' approach spearheaded by the NTF-ELCAC, thus far, can be our most effective anti-insurgency program as evidenced by the continuous and consistent reduction of the influence and strength of the CPP-NPA," the committee report said. The panel also recommended that the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other relevant agencies, in coordination with the private, academic and socio-civic organizations, to conduct an in-depth and comprehensive study to identify the root causes why minors, students, and the underprivileged were easily lured and indoctrinated into groups promoting the overthrow of government or conduct terroristic attacks. A driver in England had a nightmare when he accidentally reversed into an unmarked police car. To make matters worse, the driver was uninsured and didn't have any MOT or tax. And to boot the whole thing was caught on camera by a police drone! West Midlands Police released pictures of the incident on their Twitter account describing the driver as having a "very bad day." As @dronesWMP were patrolling the sky earlier today, their vehicle got reversed in to while parked up. It was a very bad day for the other driver who happened to have no insurance, no MOT and no tax! The vehicle has been seized and the driver reported for the offences. pic.twitter.com/gVtwi3Tgzm West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) March 15, 2021 Read More At the time, the police had been flying the drone from the vehicle which the unlucky driver drove into. A spokesperson for the force said: 'As @dronesWMP were patrolling the sky earlier today, their vehicle got reversed into while parked up. 'It was a very bad day for the other driver who happened to have no insurance, no MOT and no tax! The vehicle has been seized and the driver reported for the offences.' AMSTERDAM, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amsterdam-born fashion brand Scotch & Soda reveals today the launch of its new identity whilst announcing the expansion of its store network by opening 15 new stores over the next 6 months. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8869051-scotch-soda-reveals-new-brand-identity/ The new brand logo embraces the symbol of unity at the heart of Scotch & Soda's name which embodies the free spirit of Amsterdam, blending the iconic ampersand with the brand's initials, whilst also nodding to the craftmanship that goes into the collections by following the delicate movement of a thread attached to the eye of a needle. The identity reflects Scotch & Soda's design ethos of connecting the expected with the unexpected, celebrating the power of self-expression and liberal thinking of Amsterdam. It is translated into collections which combine essentials with eclectic statements, grounding them with surprising details and unique functionality to deliver a modern everyday wardrobe across menswear, womenswear, kidswear and a premium denim line named after the iconic "Amsterdams Blauw." The new identity will first be revealed on the brand's social media channels, website and dedicated app, as well as in several new stores, before launching on collections in November. 15 new brick-and-mortar stores and 12 shop-in-shops will be opening worldwide over the next 6 months starting today, adding to the brand's existing retail network of 225 stores and 161 shop-in-shops. The acceleration of its global retail network in key markets across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, with the introduction of a new "Free Spirit" store concept that highlights its new brand identity, will be combined with the brand's unified commerce integration and omnichannel capabilities to be completed by early 2022. In addition to the new stores, the brand will also add new showrooms and offices in Shanghai (China) and Milan (Italy) this spring. Frederick Lukoff, CEO, commented: "With our new identity, we want to define our evolution, mark a new era of brand expression and storytelling with a renewed ambition for growth whilst still managing the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our current performance. We are relentlessly optimistic about the future and the next chapter of the brand and its story based on the profound values of unity that drive the unique spirit of Amsterdam." Key upcoming openings include 3 larger locations in the Netherlands in Utrecht, the Westfield's Mall of the Netherlands in Leidschendam, and the brand's largest flagship worldwide in 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch). In Germany, two stores will open, starting with a new location in Hamburg. In France, a new store will open in the Corso wing in the CAP3000 beachfront mall in Nice. A location will open in Ukraine, whilst in Poland two stores will launch in Warsaw. Additionally, three shop-in-shops will open with Globus in Switzerland, followed by 7 shop-in-shops in Ahlens department stores across Sweden. Scotch & Soda will open a store in the Seaport district of Boston in the United States in September, following the recent openings of two stores in California in January, adding to the existing 43 store portfolio in North America, all while currently looking into securing additional locations in key cities in California, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Continuing its expansion in the Middle East, the brand enters the new market of Israel in April, followed by Qatar, UAE and Kuwait. In Asia-Pacific, a franchise will open in April in Mumbai, India, as well as in October in Perth, Australia. Each store is unique, blending the original architecture and characteristics of each building with the brand's own signature design to embody the new store concept. All facades and interiors will carry the new brand identity and play on muted tones, combined with pop accents of sunshine yellow, rose pink, and burgundy. Bespoke fixtures in aged brass, textured tiles, marble, powder-coated steel and a custom bar, as well as selected vintage furniture and wallpapers designed in-house complete the new design concept. All new stores are fitted with LED lights, FSC wood herringbone flooring, new hangers made of recycled materials and selected soft furnishings such as sustainable rugs woven in ECONYL. The Westfield Mall of the Netherlands store is also BREEAM-certified for sustainability performance. Addressing sustainability is also at the core of Scotch & Soda's approach to creating responsible collections. For the current Summer 2021 season, 41% of all styles across all lines meet our standard of 20% use of responsible material by item, aiming to increase this so that 70% of styles to be made by early 2024 meet such standards. From the Summer 2022 collection onwards, Scotch & Soda will be increasing the responsible standard of materials use to a minimum of 50% of these materials. These are certified fibres that are organic, recycled, regenerative or renewable from a biological or technical source, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester or ECONYL, except in the use of recycled cotton, in which our threshold is 20% to ensure that we maintain the durability and quality of the fabric as the fibres of recycled cotton are shorter. About Scotch & Soda Born in Amsterdam in 1985, Scotch & Soda celebrates the free spirit of its birth city. Endlessly optimistic, the brand champions individuality, authenticity and the power of self-expression to create the unique - an attitude reflected in its collections, which include men, women, kids, denim, eyewear, fragrances and accessories, occupying a unique space in today's global fashion landscape. Collections can be found globally in 225 freestanding stores across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia, as well as in 7,000 doors in some of the world's biggest cities, including New York, London and Paris. The brand's online operations also ship to over 70 countries. www.scotch-soda.com Media enquiries: Daniel Urrutia | Communications Director | urrutia.daniel@scotch-soda.com Full versions of the press release: English Dutch German French Visual assets: New Scotch & Soda Logo and Icon Utrecht store photography store photography Westfield Mall of the Netherlands store photography 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) store renderings Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1457127/ScotchSoda_Animated_Logo.mp4 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1457128/Scotch_Soda_Store.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1457129/Scotch_Soda_Logo.jpg Taoiseach Micheal Martin has no intention of responding to a request from Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald for a meeting to discuss sacking Tanaiste Leo Varadkar. Ms McDonald wrote to Mr Martin on Monday seeking to discuss her request for Mr Varadkar to be removed from office over the leaking of a confidential Government document to a friend in 2019. A spokesperson for Mr Martin strongly criticised Ms McDonald's actions in a statement on Tuesday morning. The Taoiseach received a letter last night and gets letters on a very regular basis from Mary Lou McDonald, they said. In many instances, these letters are purely political. Its a tactic used on a far too frequent basis by the Sinn Fein leader and it lacks sincerity. The Taoiseach has no intention of responding on this occasion. Read More This morning Mr Varadkar said gardai have not been in touch with him regarding the leaking of a GP document to tell me what crime or law I might have broken. Mr Varadkar was speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk after it emerged officers had upgraded the investigation to a criminal one. And it came after Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald reiterated her call for the Tanaiste to resign or be sacked over the matter. "First of all, I can only tell you what I now, as of today, no public authority has been in touch with me, to tell me what I am accused of what crime or law I might have broken, Mr Varadkar said. He added that everything he was hearing was coming from media reports and he didn't know what was "true." "I know the gardai are investigating a report four or five moths ago," he added. "I have offered to be interviewed and make a statement under caution...I want to have this matter concluded." Mr Vardakar said that the information contained in the document detailing an agreement between Government and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) had been in the public domain prior to his sending it to Dr Maitiu O Tuathail of the NAGP. But he admitted his sharing the document was "inappropriate," and he added "I apologised for it." "I didn't do anything illegal or corrupt, there was no personal gain, I didn't cause harm to anyone, or gain (from it.)" he added. He added that the information shared was "not a cabinet document," nor "a budget secret". "It wasn't even a contract, it was about changes and negotiations were concluded and I have a cabinet memo to say that," he said. He added that the "information was already in the public domain" and was released "by the HSE, IMO and widely reported in the media." "Those confidential details in the document were in the public domain long before I shared it with Dr O Tuathail." He said his legal representatives had contacted gardai and he had not had to take any time out from work. And he was highly critical of Sinn Fein and Mary Lou McDonald, stating instead of making her priority the vaccine programme, the Northern Ireland protocol or the difficulty thousands of people on Pandemic Unemployment Payment, are "facing" she prioritised political point scoring. "She wanted to meet [the Taoiseach] about me - it doesn't matter the outcome of the investigation ... it is just a political tactic." He added that this highlighted Sinn Fein's "double standard" when taking into account that in "2014, the then leader of Sinn Fein [Gerry Adams] was arrested, questioned about the murder of Jean McConville. "No one asked that they step aside." Ms McDonald said yesterday that while the matter was being investigated by Gardai she felt the issue was a gross breach and an abuse of position by the then Taoiseach. She said the incident is the worst form of insider crony politics. Ms McDonald also told Newstalk that if this type of action had been carried out and admitted by anyone in any organisation, they would be sacked. And she told the stations breakfast show she found it astonishing that there would be any attempts to link such actions to controversies within her party in recent years. There is no equivalence, Ms McDonald said. We have seen a gross abuse of power when Leo Varadkar was Taoiseach. I am of the belief the Taoiseach should have removed him from his position in November. The criminal aspect of this is not for us to call - that's a matter for the [gardai].... Im sticking with what we know, what the taoiseach conceded happened on the floor of the Dail. It was reckless This was the taoiseach, the head of government. She added that it was a draft GP document, a document the health minister could not get his hands on. Any other individual would have been sacked, Ms McDonald said. Two Fianna Fail TDs, Marc MacSharry and Jackie Cahill, broke ranks with their party yesterday and said he should step aside while the investigation was under way. This morning Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe also backed the Fine Gael leader, telling Newstalk Breakfast he had worked with Mr Varadkar for many years and that a resignation was not warranted. Sinn Fein were just looking for a polictical head, he said. March 16 : It seems that Rhea Chakrabortys ordeal is still on. After the Bombay High Court had granted bail to her in cases registered against her under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) challenged the order and moved the Supreme Court. A three-member Supreme Court will hear the case on March 18. The bench comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian will be headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde. In October 2020, the Bombay High Court had granted bail to Rhea after asking for a bond of Rs 1 lakh. The actress was arrested by the NCB along with 19 others in connection with the drugs angle linked to the death of the actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020. Rhea was granted bail after she spent nearly two months in judicial custody. The court granted bail to Rhea arguing that the actress was not part of a chain of drug dealers and had not allegedly sold the drugs procured by her to somebody else to earn monetary and other benefits. Earlier this month, in NCBs 12,000 page chargesheet filed before a special court in Mumbai, the probing agent accused Rhea of harbouring drugs and permitting Sushant Singh Rajput to consume drugs at her place. She was charged under Section 27A of the NDPS Act that leads to a minimum of 10 years of imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years. The NCB accused Rhea of possessing drugs like bud, marijuana and ganja. Rheas brother Showik Chakraborty, Sushants house manager Samuel Miranda and cook Dipesh Sawant were also accused of supplying drugs to Sushant Singh Rajput. On the other hand, Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde called the chargesheet a damp squib as he pointed out that the NCB lacked jurisdiction to probe the case referring to the Supreme Court order of August 19, wherein the apex court had directed to hand over all investigations in the late actors death case to the CBI. Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery There were 1,997 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 19 additional fatalities, officials said. The total number of known infections in Illinois since the start of the pandemic is 1,212,110, and the statewide death toll is 20,973. The health and well-being of temporary foreign workers in the seafood industry in Atlantic Canada are disregarded in favour of business and economic concerns. Credit: Paul Einerhand/Unsplash Canada's federal government recently imposed new air travel restrictions in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. The government and four major airlines agreed to temporarily stop all incoming flights from Mexico and the Caribbean, and closed the Halifax and Moncton airports to international arrivals. Maritime farming and seafood-processing industries, typically reliant on foreign labor, will be hit hard by the ban, with Mexico and Jamaica among the top source countries of temporary foreign workers. In media reports, spokespeople for those industries worried that the regulations would disrupt their labor supply or potentially lead to increased costs. Temporary foreign workers have historically provided significant labor to Maritime food industries. In 2019, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia employed 1,178; 1,963 and 2,824 such workers respectively. However, in 2020 these numbers declined by 18 percent, leaving the Canadian farm and seafood-processing industries fearful of the impacts of further cuts to the program for the 2021 season. Travel ban poses big problems With the travel ban restricting access to temporary foreign workers, employers considered lobbying the federal government to allow airlines to fly in foreign labor to Maritime airports. Other employers suggested they themselves would need to absorb the costs of chartered flights. Charter flights have been used since the onset of the pandemic. In the spring of 2020, Germany and the United Kingdom used chartered flights to fly in eastern European workers to meet national farming demands. Scholars and activists have been critical of this practice, asserting that these flights provide inadequate COVID-19 protections for the workers. The risks were vividly illustrated by images of thousands of workers crowded together, without abiding by social distancing rules, at an airport in northern Romania waiting for their charter flights to Germany. Academic research on the topic has documented the precarity and marginalization of temporary foreign workers, highlighting the fact that they frequently lack adequate access to health care and other government-related benefits. They are also vulnerable to abusive occupational practices, including ineligibility for overtime pay and even dismissal and repatriation. Media accounts have also long documented unsafe occupational and substandard living conditions for migrant workers. Such issues have been compounded during the pandemic, when the potential of contracting COVID-19, especially at work, has increased. Overcrowding, inadequate housing Our team is collecting interview data with temporary foreign workers in the Maritimes through our research partnership, Migrant Workers in the Canadian Maritimesco-ordinated by Dalhousie University, St. Thomas University, Cooper Institute, the Filipino-Canadian CommUNITY of New Brunswick, as well as the national offices of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Our preliminary findings, drawn from interviews with participants in Prince Edward Island, indicate that COVID-19 protective measures have been inconsistently implemented for temporary foreign workers. Migrant workers still frequently experience overcrowding and inadequate housing conditions. Many workers contend with precarious health and occupational conditions. And some experience illegal recruitment and employment practices, where much of the costs of employment are downloaded to the workers. This is not the first time temporary foreign workers have been restricted from entering Canada during the pandemic. In April 2020, the New Brunswick government banned the entry of migrant workers into the province. Provincial officials framed the measure as protective, fearing for safety of the province's residents. Like the 2020 New Brunswick ban, the issue with January's travel restrictions is twofold. First, temporary foreign workers are uncritically positioned as a threat to national populations. Second, arguments against the travel ban are framed solely from a business perspective, prioritizing the concerns of farmers and seafood-manufacturing companies over the health and well-being of the workers. Steep price has been paid Debates about public safety and temporary foreign workers continue largely without input from those whose health is likely to be most impacted. Migrant workers themselves are largely invisible amid abstract discussions about public risk. The narrative about the largely Black and brown people who work to put food on our tables paints them as risky, and ignores the steep price they've paid to work in Canada during the pandemic. A glaring example is the outbreak at the Cargill meat-packing plant in Alberta and the experiences of personal support workers. Government travel restrictions are used to protect the health and safety of some while potentially ignoring the health and safety of others. More specifically, while some argue for closing the borders to protect Canadians, others assert that migrant workers should be able to freely cross these boundaries, protecting Canadian food supplies while simultaneously putting their health at risk. These notions about who can and should move demonstrates that some people are more valuable than others. Citizens are protected at home. Others are laboring at farms, putting themselves at greater risk of being infected. Profits trump concerns about worker health It would be a different story if the opposition to the travel restrictions was based on the fact that migrant workers are unable to make a living back home. That would place the workers' concerns at the heart of these debates. But that's not the case. The industry is asking for travel exemptions so that the agricultural and fishing season can unfold as usual and profits can be made. The interests of workers are obscured while public attention centers on the industry's interests. Workers are caught between a rock and a hard place. Either they're allowed to work and expose themselves to the risk of COVID-19 infection, or they're prohibited, through travel restrictions, from entering the country and deprived from making a living. Temporary foreign workers continue to be the pandemic's collateral victims, put in harm's way so Canadians don't get infected while relishing the fruits of migrant workers' labor at their dinner tables. Explore further Migrant workers face further social isolation and mental health challenges during coronavirus pandemic This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. South Africa: Sisulu commits to restore residents' dignity Human Settlement, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has commended residents of Duncan Village informal settlement in East London for agreeing to be relocated to a nearby temporary residential area to make way for the development of their informal settlement. The temporary relocation of the households to Temporary Residential Units (TRUs), forms an integral part of the development strategy for the Duncan Village Redevelopment Initiative (DVRI) which is a multi-year project expected to yield thousands of housing units. Sisulu visited Duncan Village recently, to assess progress of the housing project whose first phase will accommodate 2 500 residents. She said that the main focus of the DVRI is to establish formal and permanent housing opportunities in phases. The area which is currently being developed is densely populated, and as such, there is a need for decongestion through the building of decent temporary homes. We are committed to upgrade all of our informal settlements around the country. We are no longer just building, we are building human settlements, a place people feel that this [is] where I want to live. It is important to underline, this is a temporary unit not your final home, your final home will be a brick and mortar home. This is what we promised you and we are building a better life for all, Sisulu told residents. The project, implemented in line with the National Upgrading Support Programme (NUSP), seeks to alleviate the plight of approximately 30 000 households in about 18 400 informal structures in severely overcrowded pieces of land earmarked for development. The Minister reiterated that the department is committed to ensuring that, where there is any kind of work or industrial development, there must be space for human settlements. Our determination is to the extent that it is possible where there is work, there should [be] houses for people to live in, there should be nursery schools for children to go, there should be schools for pupils to go to, and recreational facilities to entertain themselves, Sisulu said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. New Delhi: In a shocking incident recently reported from Bhopal, a woman delivered a baby girl in the toilet of a hospital after being refused to be attended by the doctors. Latest media report suggests that the doctors refused to attend 24-year-old Muskan, an allegation which is refuted by the Sultania Women Government Hospital authorities. Seven-month pregnant Muskan got admitted to the hospital after facing some major issues on Wednesday. "In an acute pain, Muskan went to the toilet where she delivered the baby. The baby got stuck in the commode. When Muskan didnt come out for 45 minutes, I knocked the door and found the baby was stuck in the toilet and I called the hospital staff," Muskan's mother-in-law Heera Bai was quoted while interacting with a leading daily. "I scolded them for their negligence but instead of accepting their mistake, they pushed me out," Heera added further. Also Read: Indian-origin man dies mid-air in Frankfurt-Mumbai flight LH-756 The baby was later admitted to the Hamidia hospital and said to be in a critical condition on ventilator. Refusing the entire allegation hospital superintendent Karan Peepre has said, "the baby is stated to be critical because the woman delivered a premature baby weighing less than 1 kg. The allegations of negligence on the part of doctors and staff members are baseless." For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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. ABC managing director David Anderson has launched a strong defence of the independence of the public broadcaster from government intervention, amid a deepening rift with the federal government over its political coverage. Addressing the role of the ABC in a speech in Melbourne on Monday, Mr Anderson said it was in no-ones interest to see any erosion of the ABCs independence. ABC managing director David Anderson at a Senate estimates hearing in November, where he defended the broadcasters reporting. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Essential to the perception of the ABCs independence and impartiality is the reality that we are independent and detached from government direction, Mr Anderson said in the speech. The arrangements for his address at La Trobe University on Monday were made in late January. But coincidentally, the speech was delivered hours after the public broadcaster was hit with a defamation lawsuit from federal Attorney-General Christian Porter over its reporting of a historical rape allegation against him. Notable enables community health centers like Lowell CHC to improve patient access to health services and remove barriers to care by automating and digitizing identification, outreach, scheduling and pre-visit intake workflows. "At Lowell CHC, one of our top commitments is to improve patient access," said Brenda Rodriguez, the health center's chief strategy and finance officer. "By leveraging technology like Notable, we can improve the patient experience to be more proactive and culturally proficient, and set up simple processes that allow our providers and staff to better serve our community." Lack of language access can adversely impact the health of those with limited English proficiency by creating gaps in access and quality of care received. Lowell CHC's mission is to eliminate health disparities by providing access to high quality, culturally competent healthcare services for patients of all ages, cultures and backgrounds regardless of their ability to pay. 40% of the people and patients that receive care from Lowell CHC are best served in a language other than English, including Spanish, Portuguese, Khmer, Swahili, Arabic, Vietnamese and more. Consistent with its commitment to health equity, Lowell CHC has made significant investments in language access to close health disparities, and will harness Notable's intelligent automation platform to advance these efforts to communicate with patients in their preferred language. Using Notable, Lowell CHC can automate patient intake and customize communications based on social determinants of health (SDoH), such as language and literacy. "With Notable, we can reach patients in their own language, in the safety of their home, allowing them to feel heard, comforted and secure in their interactions," said Susan West Levine, CEO at Lowell CHC. After rolling out automation for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Lowell CHC plans to extend their use of Notable to automate workflows for a variety of other health services. This includes automated patient outreach, appointment scheduling and reminders, and check in and registration. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands of automated COVID-19 pre-visit screenings have been performed using Notable's COVID Triage solution at care facilities across the country. More than 5,100 high-risk ambulatory patients were identified through Notable's platform and rerouted to the appropriate care option, such as telehealth or urgent care. "As healthcare providers, we have an incredible opportunity to leverage technology to combat healthcare inequities. Configurable solutions such as Notable will help Lowell CHC design equitable patient access strategies with an eye toward addressing social determinants of health," said Muthu Alagappan, MD, medical director at Notable Health. "Notable's bots perform tasks in accordance with predetermined guidelines of care, agnostic to a patient's appearance, native language, or socioeconomic status." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control defines SDoH as 'conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health and quality-of life risks and outcomes.' Using a technology called Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Notable trains bots or "digital assistants" to scan the EHR for unvaccinated patients that meet federal/CDC and state eligibility recommendations based on configurable criteria such as a patient's age or health conditions. For eligible patients, Notable initiates a digital pre-visit screening, collects informed consent, and schedules appointments in the patient's preferred language. "We've designed our platform to be highly-configurable, which means we can enable capabilities and tailor them as the needs of a health system or its patient population evolve," said Adam Ting, chief product officer at Notable. "Our ultimate goal is to use automation to simplify healthcare; eliminate manual burdens for staff and providers, like having to call a translator for non-English speaking patients. By expanding our localization support to a wider variety of languages like Portuguese and Khmer, we are bridging the language barrier gap that stands in the way of delivering high-quality care in every patient interaction." Patients do not need to download an app or create a log-in to complete registration through Notable, and information shared from previous visits is automatically populated for patients to review and confirm. As a result, Notable averages a 96% patient satisfaction rating across demographic groups. Patients age 65+ and patients who are visually impaired or have other disabilities report similar levels of satisfaction and ease of use. "We recognize that at their core, patients are consumers -- they expect ease and efficiency in our practices," added Rodriguez. "Notable enables us to both meet this expectation as well as redirect our most precious resources to provide supportive, high-touch care." To learn more about Lowell CHC and its wide range of outpatient services and programs, visit www.lchealth.org . To learn more about how Notable is helping health systems improve health outcomes, go to www.notablehealth.com . About Notable Health Notable Health is the leading intelligent automation company for healthcare. Three of the top 15 US health systems, including Intermountain Healthcare and CommonSpirit Health, use Notable to identify and engage more patients in need of care by automating hundreds of repetitive workflows like patient intake, care outreach, registration, documentation, and billing. With Notable, staff and clinicians report saving 700+ hours of administrative work per provider per year; increased patient visit volume; a provider NPS score of 74; and an industry-leading patient satisfaction rating. Based in San Mateo, Calif., Notable is backed by leading investors, including Greylock Partners, F-Prime, Oak HC/FT, Maverick Ventures, and 8VC. Learn more at notablehealth.com and follow @notablehealth . About Lowell Community Health Center Founded in 1970, Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) serves 50,000 people from Greater Lowell, Massachusetts. With a focus on culturally appropriate care, Lowell CHC is committed to meeting the evolving health care needs of the local community, always looking to provide services which empower patients to maximize their overall well-being. The Health Center offers many specialty services and unique programs, in addition to comprehensive primary health care, dental services, and eye care. Lowell CHC is committed to delivering exceptional care that improves the health of the patients it serves through prevention, treatment and education. Learn more at lchealth.org or on social @lowell_chc . Media Contact Gianna Fornesi Notable Health [email protected] Clare Gunther Lowell Community Health Center [email protected] SOURCE Notable Health Related Links notablehealth.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. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Because of favorable poll numbers and pomposity, dont expect New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign before New York Attorney General Letita James concludes her investigation or the state legislature impeaches him over multiple allegations of sexual harassment, unwanted advances and touching, which hes denied. As the number of accusers has increased to 7 women, so has the number of Democratic Congressional and New York statehouse office holders calling for his resignation, now reaching a majority, including Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Because of the multiple credible, sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, its clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners, as well as the people of New York. Thats why I believe that the governor has to resign, said Gillibrand. Schumer echoed Gillibrands comment, but the majority of New Yorks Democratic voters did not, according to a Siena College Poll. The poll found that 61% of Democratic voters dont think Cuomo should resign. 50% of New York voters overall, dont believe he should resign. Although 57% are satisfied with Cuomos response to the allegations and investigation, his approval rating has fallen to 48% from a high of 77% last year. So while the voters may not think Cuomo should resign, they also may think he should not run for a fourth term either. In addition to the Democrat voters polled, two prominent party leaders are not calling for Cuomo to resign - President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Both are calling for the process of the investigation to play out first. I think the investigation is underway and we should see what it brings, President Biden said Sunday. Also Sunday on ABCs This Week, Speaker Pelosi said the governor should look inside his heart, he loves New York, to see if he can govern effectively. What I said at the time that these revelations came forward, I said what these women have said must be treated with respect. They are credible and serious charges, and then I called for an investigation. I have confidence in the Attorney General of New York. Again, with all respect in the world for what these women have come forward and said. This cartoon was first posted and published on March 3 on Cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer, after two women accused New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. The poll numbers and President Biden and Speaker Pelosis refrain from calling for his resignation give Cuomo room to worm squirm in the Big Apple at least until the investigation report is filed or hes impeached by the state legislature. Unlike federal impeachment, if a governor in New York is impeached, they are immediately withdrawn from office until and while the impeachment trial takes place. Its a fitting irony that if Cuomo is removed from office either by impeachment or the AG investigation of sexual harassment allegations, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul would become New Yorks first female Governor. This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. On Thursday, March 5, 2020, Tennessee's Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey confirmed the state's first case of the new coronavirus. (NIAID-RML via AP) India and are expected to sign an economic partnership agreement over the next five years which will preserve trade rights for According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, "Over the next five years, we expect the two countries to sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA), which will preserve trade privileges for once it graduates from the UN's least developed country status in 2026." The Economist Intelligence Unit has detailed the focal points of India-Bangladesh relations over the next five years. This comes ahead of the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to Bangladesh on March 26th- his first foreign visit in the last 15 months. "Although no major agreements are expected to be signed, we view Mr Modi's visit as a significant show of the continuation of warm ties between the two neighbours, despite some tense undercurrents recently," EIU said. The CEPA will be wider than a traditional bilateral free trade agreement, addressing non-trade barriers, e-commerce, services investment and facilitation of trade at the border, EIU said. The resolution of the Teesta River water-sharing issue, which faces opposition from the state administration in the Indian state of West Bengal, will depend on the upcoming legislative elections (March 27th-April 29th) in that state, the report said. "We expect the outcome of the state elections to be close between the incumbent All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the former retaining a much-weakened mandate on balance," EIU said. --IANS san/in (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 2021 Oscar nominations were announced Monday morning, and while there were some welcome signs that Academy Award voters are paying attention to a more diverse group of films and artists, the nominations also underscored how the pandemic has changed traditional moviegoing. With COVID-19 safety protocols mandating most theaters be closed for much of 2020 and early 2021, very few films played on the big screen. That shift has made movies more accessible to viewers who watch from home. Its certainly been a boost for Netflix, the streaming giant that earned the most nominations in the 2021 Oscars, with 35, including 10 for Mank, the David Fincher-directed drama that premiered on Netflix. With many shutdown measures lifting or being modified, more movie fans may soon be returning to cinemas. But for now, heres a guide for how to watch the 93rd Academy Awards Best Picture nominees from the comfort of your couch. THE FATHER What it is: Anthony Hopkins stars as an 80-year-old man who is suffering from dementia, and whose altered perspective serves as the viewers point of view for much of the film. Olivia Colman (The Crown) plays his daughter, who is among the caregivers trying to cope, even as the fathers doubts and uncertain grip on reality complicate everyones lives. How to watch: The Father received a theatrical release, and is not yet on a streaming services. It will be available for On Demand viewing beginning March 26, through such providers as Amazon Prime Video, iTunes and Vudu. JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH What it is: A fact-based drama about Black Panther party leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), and a supposed supporter, William ONeal (Lakeith Stanfield), who is actually an informant for the FBI. How to watch: The film was available to stream on HBO Max through March 14. Its playing at some theaters, and, as Thrillist reports, the film may be available to rent/buy within a short time, as was the case with Wonder Woman 1984, which also streamed for a limited time on HBO Max. MANK What it is: David Fincher (The Social Network) directed this drama inspired by Hollywood history, and the struggle of alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) to finish his work on Citizen Kane, Orson Welles cinematic breakthrough. (Note: Oregonians can take a bit of local pride in Finchers latest best director nomination; as a teenager, Fincher lived in Ashland, and graduated from Ashland High School in 1980.) How to watch: Mank is streaming exclusively on Netflix. MINARI What it is: Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead) stars in writer-director Lee Isaac Chungs drama about a Korean-American family who move to an Arkansas farm in the 1980s, and the challenges they face settling into their new home. How to watch: The film is playing in some theaters, and can be rented and streamed on Amazon Prime Video, ITunes, YouTube, Vudo and other platforms. NOMADLAND What it is: A drama adapted from a nonfiction book, Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, by Jessica Bruder (who in earlier days, was a reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive)cabout a woman (Frances McDorman) who loses her job during an economic downturn, and takes to the road, living in her van. How to watch: Nomadland is playing some theaters, and is also streaming exclusively on Hulu. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN What it is: Carey Mulligan stars in writer-director Emerald Fennells dark comedy about a woman who goes to extreme lengths to teach men a lesson about sexual assault. How to watch: The film is available to purchase via Video On Demand services, including Amazon Prime Video. SOUND OF METAL What it is: Riz Ahmed (The Night Of) stars in a drama about a drummer who is forced to re-evaluate his life when he suffers a hearing loss. How to watch: Streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 What it is: Writer-director Aaron Sorkins (The West Wing) drama inspired by the case of activists who were put on trial for conspiracy to incite riots at anti-Vietnam War protests held during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. How to watch: Streaming exclusively on Netflix. The 2021 Oscars ceremony will take place at locations including the Dolby Theatre and the Union Station in Los Angeles, on April 25, and be telecast on ABC beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. More of our coverage: Golden Globes nominations 2021: Wacky as ever, but reflecting how TV and movies have merged Subscribe to our free weekly What to Watch newsletter. Email: -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Remember when we used to go to airports? If you can dredge up such memories, you very probably also recall waiting in vain for your luggage at the baggage carousel. While your own bag remained as elusive as the Scarlet Pimpernel, a large battered suitcase just kept going round and round, ownerless and unwanted. Right now this writer feels the recurring story about Leo Varadkar and that doctors contract, which he rather foolishly and wrongly leaked, resembles that annoying battered suitcase. It may be time to take it off the news carousel. We are repeatedly told An Garda Siochana is investigating the issues surrounding the actions of the former Taoiseach, now Tanaiste, and soon to be Taoiseach again. We know they are expected to prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions. We accept these processes must be allowed take their course independent of the Government. At this point a quick recap of the facts would also help. Back in April 2019 the main doctors union, the IMO, reached a big agreement with Government. Leo Varadkar gave a copy of the agreement to Dr Maitiu O Tuathail who was head of a rival doctors union, which has since become defunct. Mr Varadkar was Taoiseach at the time and he has acknowledged Dr O Tuathail was a friend, though he later said the level of friendship was exaggerated. When the news emerged last October, the opposition parties rightly demanded answers. Sinn Fein went a step further and tabled a motion of no-confidence in Mr Varadkar, who by then was Tanaiste to Micheal Martins Taoiseach. As an exercise in parliamentary democracy, it allowed for the fullest possible disclosure of this strange episode. It also stress-tested the cohesion of the three-party coalition, especially the support of partners in Fianna Fail and the Green Party, some of whom had been suspected of being lukewarm. The Green Partys 12 TDs held firm and so did Fianna Fail, though there were rumblings offset here, which were closely connected to Fine Gael being seriously ahead of them in opinion poll rankings. Since then, as this episode has recurred there have been calls by some Fianna Fail backbenchers to not be so clearly supportive of Mr Varadkar whom they have grounds to mistrust. But the various party positions remain the same. Mr Varadkar admits he misjudged the situation and did wrong but insists he broke no law. The Taoiseach and Green Party leadership take the same stance. Sinn Fein avail of their right to point up the Tanaistes embarrassed position and that of the Government generally. With news of the gardai stepping up investigations into the leak, Mary Lou McDonald has renewed her call on Mr Varadkar to quit. Labour are clearly showing no interest unless something new emerges. Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shortall, while still very critical of the Tanaiste who for her remains under a cloud, also says it is time to stand back. Now that the gardai have opened a criminal investigation, we believe it is not appropriate for there to be any further comment, she said. It is time for politics to give way to law in this matter, and simply wait and see. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. IRVING, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) (the "Company") today announced that management will participate in the upcoming conference. Randall C. Stuewe, Darling's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to participate in a virtual fireside chat during the Virtual Roth Conference being held on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. ET. Randy will be joined by Brad Phillips, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The investor fireside chat will be webcast and accessible via the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://www.darlingii.com. About Darling Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) is one of the world's leading producers of organic ingredients, producing a wide array of sustainable protein and fat products while being one of the largest producers of renewable clean energy. With operations on five continents, Darling collects waste streams from the agri-food industry, repurposing into specialty ingredients, such as hydrolyzed collagen, edible and feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, fuel feedstocks, and green bioenergy. The Company sells its products around the globe and works to strengthen our promise for a better tomorrow, creating product applications for health, nutrients and bioenergy while optimizing our services to the food chain. Darling is a 50% joint partner in Diamond Green Diesel (DGD), North America's largest renewable diesel manufacturer, currently producing approximately 290 million gallons of renewable diesel annually which products reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by up to 85% compared to fossil fuels. For additional information, visit the Company's website at http://www.darlingii.com. For more information on Darling's ESG efforts, visit http://www.darlingii.com/csr. For More Information, contact: James Stark, V.P. Investor Relations Email: [email protected] Phone : 972-281-4823 SOURCE Darling Ingredients Inc. Government has indicated that for its post-COVID-19 economy recovery plan to succeed, it needs adequate support from Ghanaians. Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah made the appeal on Joynewss PM express program on Monday 15th March 2021 while contributing to a discussion on the 2021 Budget Statement. According to him, the introduction of fresh tax measures by government is creative and necessary to revamp and salvage the economy from the claws of the coronavirus pandemic. It is fair for people to focus on tax measures and ask questions about it. But this budget does not only introduce these revenue measures. The revenue measures are necessary because we are at a fiscal deficit of 11 to almost 12%. Debt to GDP is around 70%, in nominal terms 291 billion cedis. The option any government will have under these circumstances is to find creative ways of raising revenue and gradually bring back the debt and deficit to a more responsible position. There are a multiplicity of reasons for which we are here. Key among them is the COVID challenges that we are in now. If you look at what COVID has done, it has moved us from 5% to 11% and extra 6% of GDP, he said. Government through the 2021 budget statement and economic policy proposed new taxes on petroleum products, 1% COVID-19 Health Levy on VAT Flat Rate Scheme and 1% on the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) as part of revenue measures to help the economy recover from the effects of the global pandemic. However, responding to the proposed new taxes, the Minister explained that it is to help the country recover from the setback and get the economy back to its previous state. He said for government to be able to succeed in its plan to recover the economy, it needs adequate buy-in from Ghanaians. So we cannot escape the fact that we have to share the burden at this point in time. The real focus for me is that we gather around holding government accountable for using the money for that which it claims it is going to use it for. If you are going to increase road tolls, if all of us are going to see an improvement in the road conditions, the road contractors are been paid, they are finishing the road projects on which they are, I am not sure we will worry as much as we worry today, he added. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The U.S. has seen some progress in its battle against COVID-19, but experts are worried some Americans are easing up on restrictions too early. A report by CNN Health reveals that experts fear this is a critical time. There are looming dangers and rising cases of a dangerous variant, which are threatening to wipe out the progress the country has made thus far. Despite the fact that cases of a dangerous variant are on the rise, this month at least a dozen state leaders have eased COVID-19 restrictions, citing the increase in vaccination numbers as well as improving COVID-19 trends. Added to that is the increase in air travel, which is reaching pandemic-era records. CNN noted that the Transportation Security Administration reported screening more than 1.3 million people at airports Sunday -- meaning about 5.2 million travelers flew since Thursday, marking the highest number to have flown during any four-day period since the pandemic began. The report said Florida and other sunny regions are seeing the first spring break crowds, with some Miami Beach officials reporting packed shores, swelling crowds and precautions going out the window. Its a combination of all these factors. Officials fear that the combination of all these factors could set the stage for another spike. CNN cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who said Monday: We have seen footage of people enjoying spring break festivities, maskless. She added, This is all in the context of still 50,000 cases per day. Is another surge inevitable? CNN cited emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen, who told them on Monday: We could go in either direction. She added, What happens now is really up to us and whether we keep up masking and avoiding indoor gatherings as we should be until the point that were vaccinated. A dangerous variant is expected to be dominant soon. Practicing safety measures is especially crucial in light of the fact that multiple virus variants are currently circulating. This includes the highly contagious variant first detected in the U.K. Walensky said Monday about the new variant, it is projected to become the dominant variant in the U.S. by the end of this month or early April, CNN cited. The report noted that CDC data indicates it has been found, so far, in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. CNN cited Dr. Richard Besser, the former acting CDC Director, who told them on Monday: The way the variants spread is by letting our guard down, he added, By not wearing masks, by not social distancing. Besser continued, If we can hang in there for a few more months, there will be enough vaccine for every adult in America to be vaccinated. Then we can truly let go of some of the restrictions that are in place. But if we do this too quickly, we could see an increase in cases, we could see a backslide that is occurring in many European countries and that does not have to be the outcome here in America, he added. The variant is associated with a higher risk of death, research suggests. Research published last week suggested that the variant was associated with an estimated 64% higher risk of dying from COVID-19, CNN said. Coming in at a bit lower estimate was another peer-reviewed study, a paper accepted by the journal Nature, linking the variant to a higher risk of death, but this time, the risk of death from the variant was estimated around 55% higher than earlier strains after adjusting for a number of factors like age, sex, and where and when tests were conducted. However, CNN noted that a subsequent analysis in the study that accounted for missing and potentially miscategorized test results found the overall increased risk of death may be somewhat higher -- around 61% more than earlier strains. Vaccination was not able to be factored in the study, CNN said, nor could it show why the variant might be more deadly than earlier strains. READ MORE: Deb Haaland has been confirmed as the first ever Native American cabinet secretary - a historic victory for those campaigning for a more diverse and representative government. The 60-year-old Democratic congresswoman, who represents New Mexicos 1st congressional district, was confirmed as Joe Bidens interior secretary, in a 51-40 vote in the Senate. Rep Haalands confirmation represents a gigantic step forward in creating a government that represents the full richness and diversity of this country, said Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer. Native Americans for far too long have been neglected at the cabinet level and in so many other places. FOLLOW OUR US POLITICS LIVE BLOG Ms Haaland, whose district includes much of Albuquerque, New Mexicos largest city, previously added her name to the political record book in 2018, when she and Sharice Davids, were elected as the first ever Native American women elected to Congress. In 2020, a third Native American, Yvette Herrell, who is Republican, was elected. She represents New Mexicos 2nd congressional district. Mr Biden vowed to nominate and confirm a cabinet more diverse than any that had gone before it. So far, he has received high marks for his picks, even if the Senate has been slow to move on some them. Republican calls Deb Haaland 'divisive' at Senate confirmation hearing for Department of Interior Among the high profile positions already filled by people of colour were Gen Lloyd Austin as secretary of defence, Linda Thomas-Greenfield as US Ambassador to the United Nations, and Alejandro Mayorkas, who is the first Latino secretary of the department of homeland security. There are also many more women than in many previous cabinets. Native Americans account for less that 2 per of the population. Activists have pointed out they are among some of the very poorest citizens, and have long suffered abuse and racism. Many historians consider Native Americans suffered nothing less than genocide in the centuries that followed the European arrival in the Americas. During the coronavirus pandemic, Native Americans have been among those most affected. It is long past time that an American Indian serve as the secretary of the interior, Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, the nations oldest and largest tribal organisation, told the Associated Press, after Mondays vote. The nation needs her leadership and vision to help lead our response to climate change, to steward our lands and cultural resources and to ensure that across the federal government, the United States lives up to its trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations and our citizens. Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, called Ms Haalands confirmation an unprecedented and monumental day for all first people of this country. Words cannot express how overjoyed and proud we are to see one of our own confirmed to serve in this high-level position. He added: This sets us on a better path to righting the wrongs of the past with the federal government and inspires hope in our people, especially our young people. Four Republican senators - Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, and Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska - joined with all Democrats in the upper chamber in voting for her. Other Republicans have been alarmed by what they consider Ms Haalands extreme views when it comes to energy and the environment. She is a supporter of proposals such as the Green New Deal, and opposed the Keystone XL oil pipeline. CNN said that during her confirmation hearings, Ms Haaland highlighted her history-making nomination. The historic nature of my confirmation is not lost on me, but I will say, it is not about me, she said. Rather, I hope this nomination would be an inspiration for Americans - moving forward together as one nation and creating opportunities for all of us. Additional reporting by agencies Kerala elections 2021: Mother of slain Walayar girls to contest against CM Pinarayi Vijayan India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 16: In a recent development, the mother of two daughters, who were allegedly sexually abused and found dead at Walayar in Palakkad. Kerala in 2017, has come up with a decision to contest against State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from the Dharmadom constituency in Kannur. According to reports, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has taken the decision to back the mother in her fight for justice, announced Kerala Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran. Backing the lady's decision to contest elections against the Kerala CM, Ramachandran said, "We will have no qualms to offer her all our support and for that, we will take up this to be discussed with our allies." West Bengal elections 2021: Rajnath Singh slams Mamata Banerjee over law and order in State Speaking to reporters, the mother vowed to continue her fight as an Independent candidate. She said that it is a symbolic fight for justice as she is still seeking justice for her two daughters. "Many people have been asking me to do so and I decided to take up the challenge and will contest as an Independent candidate against the Chief Minister. I want two errant police officials to be removed from service. But in the election, I will not seek the support of the Sangh Parivar forces," said the mother. On January 13, 2017, an 11-year-old girl's body was found by her nine-year-old sister at her house near Walayar. On March 4, 2017, the younger girl child was found dead in her home in similar circumstances. Albeit the Kerala Police held five people on the charges of abetment of suicide and rape, a court in Palakkad district let off the accused in October 2019, citing lack of evidence. In January this year, the Kerala High Court had quashed the Palakkad Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) special court order acquitting three people in the unnatural deaths cases of two Dalit minor sisters in Walayar. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 17:13 [IST] TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - COVID-19 vaccine eligibility has expanded yet again in the State of Indiana. The Indiana State Department of Health announced on Tuesday that Hoosiers age 45 and older are now eligible to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine. This expansion of eligibility makes the vaccine available to over 415,000 additional Hoosiers. State health officials have said the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine along with additional shipments of specifically the Pfizer vaccine has contributed to more frequent expansion of vaccine eligibility. To schedule a vaccine appointment, you can visit ourshot.in.gov or you can call 2-1-1. There are over 400 clinics around the state you can visit. Thrive West Central here locally also encourages you to contact the local Area Agency on Aging. They can give you more personalized assistance here in the Wabash Valley. That number is 812-917-3145. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb will host his weekly COVID-19 press conference on Wednesday. Be sure to tune in to WTHI at 2:30 EST to find out more on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and hear an update on how the state is doing as we progress with vaccine efforts. ALBANY, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo refuses to quit after a seventh person comes forward accusing him of inappropriate behavior. The Assembly moving forward with impeachment hearings as dozens of lawmakers call for the Governor to resign. Democrat Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-119, is one of those lawmakers. She said the impeachment hearings could bring a number of things to the table. "These hearings could bring interviews, these hearings could be possibly not all public some could be public In terms of what information has come forward to deem if it's necessary to move to the step of impeachment," said Buttenschon. Utica Colleg Professor Daniel Tagliarina said if there is an impeachment trial, a lot of it would be similar to what we saw with former President Donald Trump. Cuomo will be represented by legal council and those presenting the charges would lay out the evidence against him. What Tagliarina said would be different about the state process and the national process, Cuomo would no longer be Governor throughout the proceedings. "So if Cuomo is impeached regardless of whether he is removed or not, the lieutenant governor (Kathy Hochul) acts as governor in the meantime, then if Cuomo is removed, she then becomes governor," said Tagliarina. The Assembly Judiciary Committee has not set a date of when the Impeachment hearings will take place. As there are 69 people on the impeachment court, 46 votes would be needed to convict the governor. Dr Nadia Swart recently made her milestone 100th mercy mission as a flight doctor with Netcare 911. We go behind the mask to find out more about how she landed (pun intended) her dream job that combines her three loves - medicine, aviation and exploring this beautiful continent. Dr Nadia Swart You've just completed your 100th flight as a flight doctor. How did you get to this point in your career? What does a typical work day entail? Whats really behind your mask - literally and figuratively speaking? What excites you about your job? What are the challenges and the joys of your job? How has Covid-19 impacted your work? What do you do in your down time? What does the future hold for you? I started working as a flight doctor for Netcare 911 in September 2018. After my first flight, which was a medical evacuation from Accra in Ghana, I fell in love with the job. Since then, Ive dedicated my time to being available for as many missions as possible.A typical work day starts with a phone call to alert me to an emergency flight. The paramedic and I will then rush to get to Lanseria Airport within 45 minutes. We quickly pack all our medical equipment onto the aircraft, while the pilots from Guardian Air do the flight planning. We aim to be airborne within two hours after activation. At our destination, a ground ambulance will transport the crew with all our equipment to the hospital, where we stabilise and prepare the patient for flight. After arriving back at Lanseria, we will again escort the patient to the receiving hospital and hand the patient over to the accepting specialist. The duration of these missions can be anything from 12 hours to two days.Behind the mask is a happy 30-year-old female with a passion for medicine and aviation.I get the opportunity to see Africa and the surrounding islands, one medical evacuation at a time. I love being in the air, which alongside my passion for medicine is the perfect combination.I am blessed to be surrounded by amazing colleagues and friends. My team consists of myself, a Netcare 911 paramedic and pilots from Guardian Air - our fixed wing service provider. The ground crew at Netcare flight desk and Guardian Air operations also contribute immensely to successfully completing our missions.The size of the above-mentioned team is also one of the greatest challenges. When a patient deteriorates in the air, we do not have additional hands available so we have to be very resourceful. We also work in a small environment with the stressors of flight contributing to the difficulty of the job, therefore keeping a cool head is essential.During the initial implementation of Covid-19 restrictions, all flight crew had to quarantine for 14 days in a hotel room after each flight. We were able to do subsequent medical evacuations to other counties but when we returned we went straight back into quarantine. I spent almost two months isolated in a hotel room during 2020. The restrictions have now eased and only symptom monitoring is required after flights. Additional approvals from South African national government departments as well as from the referring country need to be obtained, which makes the process of planning such a flight considerably more complex.I enjoy being outdoors and swimming. I also like to relax with friends over a glass of wine or bubbly and spend time with my family.Hopefully, completing my 200th mission within the next two years. I have many more countries to visit for work and would like to spend more time improving my skills to become the best possible flight doctor I can be. I am also looking forwarding to being able to just travel and explore. Thousands of struggling tenants in Fresno will now get a much-needed financial break in rent. Video Transcript - Well, thousands of tenants in Fresno will now get a much-needed financial break in rent. Today, city of Fresno officials announced that they've received nearly $35 million for emergency rental assistance grants. The financial assistance is available for Fresno residents who have been impacted by COVID-19 and are unable to pay their full amount of rent and utilities from April 1 of last year to March 31 of this year. This assistance will help more than 8,000 families in the city of Fresno. Action News anchor Brittany Jacob is live in the newsroom to explain the eligibility requirements. Brittany? BRITTANY JACOB: Graciela, the city of Fresno will pay 80% of an eligible tenant's past due rent owed. But there are qualification requirements from the tenant and even the landlord. There's new help for Fresno tenants struggling to pay their rent during the pandemic. Monday, the city of Fresno launched its online applications for renters with $35 million in emergency assistance available. JERRY DYER: The purpose of this program, quite frankly, is to make sure that our most vulnerable residents can keep roofs over their head. BRITTANY JACOB: More than 85,000 units are rented in Fresno, with more than 8,000 families at risk of losing their homes. The city is reassigning 10 employees to work on the program and will partner with six community benefit organizations to process the applications. LUIS CHAVEZ: There are still families that are struggling. There are still families that are not working full time. There's still folks that have gotten furloughed. So we know that these dollars are going to go a long way. BRITTANY JACOB: In order to be eligible, a renter must meet certain income requirements. The city is prioritizing renters with an area median income of 50% or less first. This means a single person with an income of $24,500 or a family of four making $34,950. Then the city will transition to assist those who make less than 80% of the median income. In this phase, income for a single person caps at $39,150 and for a family of four at $55,900. Story continues Once the city has helped renters with their past due rent, then it will assist with back utility payments and future rent until money runs out. The city of Fresno will pay 80% of an eligible tenant's past due rent owed only if the landlord accepts that as full payment and agrees to forgive the remaining 20% balance. Landlords must also complete his or her portion of the online application. If they do not opt in the program, tenants will get only a fraction of the help. JERRY DYER: If landlords choose not to accept the 80%, then we will be offering to the tenants 25% of what they owe their landlord. They must then pay their landlord that 25%. And then they are exempt from any type of eviction under Senate Bill 91. BRITTANY JACOB: And assistance is not reliant on proving your immigration status. According to city officials, funding will be dispersed soon. Some of these federal dollars need to be spent before June 1. And the rest by September. Visit ABC30.com to find out how to apply. Live in the newsroom, Brittany Jacob, ABC 30 Action News. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Phone-tapping row: Ruckus in Rajasthan Assembly as BJP seeks debate India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Jaipur, Mar 16: The BJP created a ruckus in the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday, demanding an immediate debate on the phone-tapping row and prompting the suspension of a party MLA from the House for seven days. Accusing the government of tapping phones of public representatives, the BJP moved two adjournment motions to discuss the issue. The BJP MLAs held a dharna in the well of the House after Speaker CP Joshi rejected the adjournment motions. Party MLA Madan Dilawar was suspended from the House for seven days for unruly behaviour after he interrupted an Independent legislator and had an argument with him. Reacting to the ruckus, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the evening accused the Opposition party of creating "unnecessary disturbance" and said he had already made a statement over the issue in the Assembly last year. Rajasthan: 30-year-old woman raped in front of husband; 3 detained The BJP had on Monday demanded the resignation of Gehlot on moral grounds after his government said in a reply to a question in the state Assembly that it taps phones in the interest of public safety and order. Though the reply of the government did not specify whose phones were tapped, the BJP linked it to the phone tapping controversy that erupted during the political crisis created by the rebellion of former deputy CM Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs against the leadership of Gehlot last year. Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf had moved the adjournment motions during the Zero Hour. The motion moved by Saraf was about the situation created due to the breach of privacy of people because of phone tapping. Rathore's motion was about the breach of privacy due to phone tapping of elected public representatives, MLAs, MPs and union ministers. The Speaker rejected the motions on the ground that there was no mention whose privacy was breached. Joshi said in the adjournment motions, there was no name and specific details. COVID-19 vaccine not exported at expense of Indians: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan "There is no clarity about whose privacy has been breached. I have rejected the motions and there cannot be a debate on the ruling of the speaker," he said. The Speaker asked the BJP MLAs to give facts in support of their claim and said he will forward the facts to the government, who will give a reply today itself. When the Speaker did not allow the BJP MLAs to speak, they created an uproar and stormed to the well of the House. The House was adjourned four times today due to the uproar. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Madan Dilawar was suspended from the Assembly after he approached and interrupted Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, who was speaking on demands for grants for education, art and culture. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 21:01 [IST] GOOSE CREEK Karla and Robert Moore watched in awe as the Army ship bearing the name of their distant relative Robert Smalls made port. Smalls, an enslaved man from Beaufort who became a Civil War hero and congressman, is one of South Carolina's most prominent Black figures. At age 23, he made his daring escape from bondage by commandeering a Confederate military transport in Charleston Harbor and sailing the vessel to freedom. And on the morning of March 16, an Army transport named the Maj. Gen. Robert Smalls (LSV-8, or logistics support vessel) crossed through the same harbor. The moment was a step into the past for the Moores. Karla Moore is the wife of Michael Moore, a great-great grandson of Smalls. She brought their 14-year-old son Robert Moore to the Charleston Naval Weapons Station to watch the ship dock. They later got to go on board for a tour. "It's profound for the ship to be in Charleston," Karla Moore said. "This is the region where Robert Smalls was born and it was where he had a major impact on our state's history." While enslaved, Smalls served as a deckhand and eventually pilot of The Planter, a lightly armed Confederate military transport. On May 13, 1862, he and a half-dozen other enslaved locals along with their families used the boat to escape Charleston. Smalls steered past Fort Sumter and headed for the nearest Union ship in the U.S. Navys offshore blockade. As he approached, the crew lowered the ships Confederate flag and raised a white banner of surrender. The Union sailors cheered. In 1868, Smalls was elected to the S.C. House of Representatives. In 1874, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was a member of the 44th, 45th, 47th, 48th and 49th Congresses. He died on Feb. 23, 1915, after buying and living in the home previously owned by the family who had enslaved him. The LSV-8 Robert Smalls was christened in 2007 in Baltimore and it was the first Army watercraft to be named after an African American. Sign up for our SC Military Digest newsletter Get exclusive military reporting, updates from Palmetto State bases, headlines from around the globe and more delivered to your inbox each Tuesday. Email Sign up! The ship had a long life with the Army Reserve. Notably, the 314-foot long, 5,412-ton vessel made a deployment with the reserves from Maryland to Kuwait in 2011. But the Robert Smalls was ultimately transferred to active-duty in 2020 when the Army Reserve began to offload its assets. With a new mission as an active-duty vessel, Army leadership thought it was important for the ship to stop in Charleston on its way to duty in Hawaii. Army officers took Karla and Robert Moore on a tour. The family, from the Charleston area, even made a phone call to Helen Moore, the great-great granddaughter of Smalls, to describe to her what the inside of the transport bearing her ancestor's name is like. Helen Moore said it was "wonderful" to hear their experience and said it felt like their family legacy was coming full circle. The Robert Smalls' active-duty voyage from Baltimore to Hawaii is being overseen and commanded by Maj. Gen. David Wilson, a Citadel graduate and Charleston native. As a Black Army officer, Wilson told The Post and Courier in an emailed statement he takes great pride in Smalls' story and legacy. "Growing up, I attended Charleston County public schools and social events with Maj. Gen. Robert Smalls descendants," Wilson said. "I have told his story to my children and numerous cadets at The Citadel." He added, "Robert Smalls' story of bravery inspires me to have a strong purpose in life and helps me to channel my passion to drive me to where I want to be." Sauna at your fingertips - heat up your sauna anywhere at any time, easily and safely Harvia launches a new WiFi solution for remote controlling your sauna Harvia launches a new WiFi solution together with the MyHarvia mobile app for safe and handy remote controlling of your sauna. The solution offers suitable remote-control options for both new and old saunas. Enjoy the freedom with the easy-to-use MyHarvia mobile app Controlling the sauna remotely saves time and energy. The mobile app shows you in real time when your sauna has reached the desired temperature and is ready for you - enjoy the healing effects of heat whenever you want. - Digitalization is also moving into the sauna. Remote control with a mobile app will have sauna functionalities at the ready, easily, and quickly available whether you are fishing or out exercising. The user experience is also better than before because the app can easily be used to give tips to the user on different functionalities and in future also give tips on how to make your sauna experience even more enjoyable, explains Arto Harvia, Harvia's Product group manager. https://harviagroup.com You remote control your sauna with the easy-to-use and multi-function MyHarvia mobile app, with which, depending on the Harvia equipment connected to it, you can control the temperature and humidity of the sauna, lighting, air conditioning and timer functions. The MyHarvia mobile app can be downloaded for free from Google Play and Apple App Store.For Harvia, safety has always played a key role in product development and the usage of the products.- The starting point of Harvia's product development has always been that the products must be safe and easy to use. In recent years, Harvia has focused especially on the safety of controlling and using the sauna. Various safety devices, such as door sensors, are used to remotely control your sauna. With the easy-to-use MyHarvia mobile app, you can safely switch your sauna on at any time and from anywhere.The safest solution for remotely controlling the heater and the entire sauna room in home use is a door sensor, which requires that the sauna door is shut in order to enable activation.- For example, in families with children, the children may play in the sauna room, leave unsuitable things there that can cause a fire hazard and the door to the sauna may be left open. The door sensor helps avoid these types of situations as the user must check the sauna room when activating the remote control and door sensor. If the door is open, the sauna room cannot be controlled remotely and the MyHarvia mobile app notifies the user of the failure. Thus, it is always safe to control the sauna remotely. Harvia's solution fully meets the safety requirements of the European electric heater standardand download MyHarvia material from: https://mediabank.harvia.com/pincollection.jspx?collectionName=%7Bd290e588-b755-4281-a80b-64a5498cba96%7DProduct Group Manager Arto Harvia, arto.harvia@harvia.fi, tel. +358 50 355 5376Harvia is one of the leading companies operating in the sauna and spa market globally, as measured by revenue. Harvia's brands and product portfolio are well known in the market, and the company's comprehensive product portfolio strives to meet the needs of the international sauna and spa market of both private and professional customers.Harvia's revenue totaled EUR 109.1 million in 2020. Harvia Group employs more than 600 professionals in Finland, China and Hong Kong, Romania, Austria, United States, Germany, Estonia and Russia. The company is headquartered in Muurame, Finland, adjacent to its largest sauna and sauna component manufacturing facility.Read more: Attachments Chennai, March 16 : Setting up of financial institutions to fund infrastructure projects is one of the common threads between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. It was in 1996 that the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram from Tamil Nadu during his budget speech announced the setting up of the Infrastructure Development Finance Company Ltd (IDFC) to fund the infrastructure projects. "Infrastructure needs long-term finance, typically 15-20 year financial instruments. However, it has not been possible to float such instruments in the Indian market so far. Hence, I am proposing the establishment of an Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC)," Chidambaram had then said. "This company will be incorporated with an authorised share capital of Rs 5,000 crore," he had said. Among other things, the IDFC will act as a direct lender, as a refinancing institution and as a provider of financial guarantees, Chidambaram said. The IDFC was incorporated as a non-banking finance company (NBFC) with its registered office in Chennai. That was the first infrastructure lender to be based in Chennai. Twenty five years later, in 2021 Sitharaman, another Tamilian Finance Minister by birth, in her budget speech announced the setting up of a development finance institution (DFI) to finance infrastructure projects. "Infrastructure needs long term debt financing. A professionally managed Development Financial Institution (DFI) is necessary to act as a provider, enabler and catalyst for infrastructure financing. Accordingly, I shall introduce a Bill to set up a DFI. I have provided a sum of Rs 20,000 crores to capitalise this institution. The ambition is to have a lending portfolio of at least Rs 5 lakh crores for this DFI in three years time," Sitharaman said. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the budgetary proposal to set up a dedicated infrastructure lender. The DFI will be formed with a seed capital of Rs 20,000 crore. It will be managed by a professional board and is expected to attract capital from the market, Sitharaman told the media after the cabinet meeting. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) To honour particular areas of expertise, 18 Special Awards will be presented at the inaugural WARC Awards for Effectiveness, in association with LIONS, the new global competition awarding the best marketing campaigns that deliver business results. Alongside the Grands Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze accolades, three special awards for each of the six categories will be selected at the judges discretion, from the entries submitted for the main Awards. Whilst the judging process for the main awards will be led by the jury chairs - Dhiren Amin of The Kraft Heinz Company, Nadja Bellan-White of VICE Media Group, Tati Lindenberg of Unilever, Corinne Sklar of IBM iX, Brent Smart of IAG, and Dara Treseder of Peloton - the jury discussions for the Special Awards will be led by different members of the juries, appointed as the Special Awards Convenors. Paul Coxhill, Managing Director, WARC, said, We have appointed Special Awards Convenors to not only guide these particular jury discussions, but to also help us uncover trends and themes that these specific awards may indicate. We will also be working closely with the juries and the jury chairs, in particular, to bring to light insights and lessons from these new awards that we can share with the industry to ensure that effective marketing prevails. The Special Awards and the Special Awards Convenors are: Customer Experience category: led by Bessie Lee, Founder, Withinlink, China Best Use of Tech - for an experience that deployed tech in an original way to connect with a target audience. Best Home Experience - for a purely digital experience at home that successfully resonated with audiences and drove effectiveness. Personalisation & Insight Award - how a new approach to insight informed an effective customer experience Collaboration & Culture category: led by Meghan Wolf, Manager, Global Social Business & Transformation, IBM The Culture-Creator Award - for an effective strategy based on a brand creating its own content. Best Community-Builder Award - for an effective strategy that resonated with a particular community. Social Data Award - for how data and insights gleaned from social platforms informed an effective collaboration/culture strategy. Sustained Growth category: led by Andrew Geoghegan, Global Customer Planning Director, Diageo Reinvention Award - for the best example of a brand successfully modernising an existing communications platform or positioning. Data Application Award - for a campaign that applied data and insight in an effective way, or took a new approach to measurement. Global Growth Award - for the best multimarket brand-building campaign. Instant Impact category: led by Nicole Kane, Head of Precision & Digital Marketing, North America, MolsonCoors Creative Catalyst Award - rewarding a tactical idea that complemented more long-term brand activity and showed a demonstrable sales spike. Original Promotional Idea - for a campaign that deployed an original promotional mechanic. Data-Driven Impact - for how data-led insight helped achieve short-term results. Brand Purpose category: led by Harjot Singh, Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Sustainability Award - for a brand that has replaced a strategy or business practice with a more sustainable alternative and can prove that it has contributed to long-term brand health. Data & Evaluation Award - for a brand purpose strategy that has gone the extra mile in measuring both commercial and societal impact. Employee Engagement Award - rewarding a purpose-led strategy for consistency both inside and outside an organisation. Business-to-Business category: led by Antonia Wade, CMO, Capita Virtual Experience Award - for business-to-business brands that have created engaging virtual experiences for their audiences that have delivered impact and commercial results. Audience Award - for effective marketing built on fresh audience insight. Partnership Award - for a collaborative approach that unlocked effectiveness. All entries submitted across the six categories of the WARC Awards for Effectiveness will be judged by international high-calibre panels made up of 128 leading marketers from some of the world's biggest brands as well as top agency professionals and specialists from around the globe. Taking on the role of Judging Consultant, James Hurman, Founding Partner of Previously Unavailable, who co-developed the WARC/LIONS Creative Effectiveness Ladder, will be on hand to help with the use of the Ladder as a guiding framework during the judging process to provide a global standard. Shortlisted and winning entrants will receive feedback about their work, using the WARC/LIONS Creative Effectiveness Ladder as the benchmark. Entries to the WARC Awards for Effectiveness can be submitted until April 1. To help entrants, three Tips and Tricks videos providing guidance on writing a good effectiveness awards submission are available to view featuring award-winning strategists and jury members Agathe Guerrier of TBWAWorldwide, Andreas Krasser of DDB Hong Kong, and Andy Nairn of Lucky Generals. The winners will be announced on Monday, June 21, at the Cannes Lions festival. 2019: Australian intelligence services conclude that China was responsible for a cyber-attack on Australia's parliament and three largest political parties in the run-up to a May election. April 2020: Australian PM Scott Morrison begins canvassing his fellow world leaders for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. Britain and France are initially reluctant but more than 100 countries eventually back an investigation. April 15: Morrison is one of the few leaders to voice sympathy with Donald Trump's criticisms of the World Health Organization, which the US president accuses of bias towards China. April 21: China's embassy accuses Australian foreign minister Peter Dutton of 'ignorance and bigotry' and 'parroting what those Americans have asserted' after he called for China to be more transparent about the outbreak. April 23: Australia's agriculture minister David Littleproud calls for G20 nations to campaign against the 'wet markets' which are common in China and linked to the earliest coronavirus cases. April 26: Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye hints at a boycott of Australian wine and beef and says tourists and students might avoid Australia 'while it's not so friendly to China'. Canberra dismisses the threat and warns Beijing against 'economic coercion'. May 11: China suspends beef imports from four of Australia's largest meat processors. These account for more than a third of Australia's $1.1billion beef exports to China. May 18: The World Health Organization backs a partial investigation into the pandemic, but China says it is a 'joke' for Australia to claim credit. The same day, China imposes an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley. Australia says it may challenge this at the WTO. May 21: China announces new rules for iron ore imports which could allow Australian imports - usually worth $41billion per year - to be singled out for extra bureaucratic checks. June 5: Beijing warns tourists against travelling to Australia, alleging racism and violence against the Chinese in connection with Covid-19. June 9: China's Ministry of Education warns students to think carefully about studying in Australia, similarly citing alleged racist incidents. June 19: Australia says it is under cyber-attack from a foreign state which government sources say is believed to be China. The attack has been targeting industry, schools, hospitals and government officials, Morrison says. July 9: Australia suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong and offers to extend the visas of 10,000 Hong Kongers who are already in Australia over China's national security law which effectively bans protest. August 18: China launches 12-month anti-dumping investigation into wines imported from Australia in a major threat to the $6billion industry. August 26: Prime Minster Scott Morrison announces he will legislate to stop states and territories signing deals with foreign powers that go against Australia's foreign policy. Analysts said it is aimed at China. October 13: Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says he's investigating reports that Chinese customs officials have informally told state-owned steelmakers and power plants to stop Aussie coal, leaving it in ships off-shore. November 2: Agriculture Minister David Littleproud reveals China is holding up Aussie lobster imports by checking them for minerals. November 3: Barley, sugar, red wine, logs, coal, lobster and copper imports from Australia unofficially banned under a directive from the government, according to reports. November 18: China releases bizarre dossier of 14 grievances with Australia. November 27: Australian coal exports to China have dropped 96 per cent in the first three weeks of November as 82 ships laden with 8.8million tonnes of coal are left floating off Chinese ports where they have been denied entry. November 28: Beijing imposed a 212 per cent tariff on Australia's $1.2 billion wine exports, claiming they were being 'dumped' or sold at below-cost. The claim is denied by both Australia and Chinese importers. November 30: Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao posted a doctored image showing a grinning Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child. The move outraged Australians. December 12: Australian coal is added to a Chinese blacklist. December 24: China suspends imports of Australian timber from NSW and WA after local customs officers say they found pests in the cargo. January 11, 2021: Australia blocks $300million construction deal that would have seen state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation takeover Probuild. The bid was blacked over national security concerns. February 5, 2021: China confirms Melbourne journalist and single mother Cheng Lei has been formally arrested after being detained in August, 2020. February 23, 2021: China accuses Australia of being in an 'axis of white supremacy' with the UK, USA, Canada and NZ in an editorial. March 11, 2021: Australia is accused of genocide by a Communist Party newspaper editor. March 15, 2021: Trade Minister Dan Tehan announced he wants the World Trade Organisation to help mediate discussions between the two countries over the trade dispute. April 21, 2021: Foreign Minister Marise Payne announces Australia has scrapped Victoria's controversial Belt and Road deal with China using new veto powers. May 6, 2021: China indefinitely suspends all strategic economic talks with Australia, blaming the Morrison Government's attitude towards the relationship. The move cuts off all diplomatic contact with Beijing under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, freezing discussions between key officials below a ministerial level. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Amid tears and tense debate, the state Senate adopted legislation Monday that would allow terminally ill New Mexicans to seek a doctors help to end their lives, moving the proposal to the brink of final passage. The measure, House Bill 47, passed the House last month, but the Senate made amendments to the legislation before Mondays vote changes that will have to go back to the House for agreement. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The bill has triggered some of the most emotional debate of the session. Legislators shared tears Monday as they spoke about the anguish of losing a loved one. The bill also attracted testimony in committee hearings from patients with terminal illnesses and family members who described listening as a relative begged for help ending their life. For those who are suffering unbearably at the end of life, Democratic Sen. Liz Stefanics of Cerrillos said of the proposal Monday, it provides a measure of control. She is one of five Democratic legislators sponsoring the bill. But opponents questioned whether patients might be pressured or coerced into suicide, perhaps by family members. They also said the state shouldnt make it easier to end a life. This really bothers me, Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington, said as he urged rejection of the bill. Human life has value, even up to the end. Under the proposal, a doctor could issue a prescription for life-ending medication only after determining the person had the mental capacity to make such a decision. The patient would have to be able to self-administer the medicine, and only patients with an illness likely to kill them within six months would be eligible. A 48-hour waiting period to get the prescription filled would be required, with narrow exceptions. The bill passed 24-17 after about 2 hours of debate. Three Democrats crossed party lines and joined Republicans to vote no Pete Campos of Las Vegas, George Munoz of Gallup and Benny Shendo of Jemez Pueblo. Senators amended the proposal before passage. One change strips from the bill a provision calling for death certificates to list the underlying terminal illness as the cause of death, not suicide. Sen. Joseph Cervantes, a Las Cruces Democrat who sponsored the amendment, said New Mexico lawmakers shouldnt dictate to physicians what to put on a death certificate. The changes also cut a section of the bill prohibiting insurance companies from trying to influence the patients decision. Cervantes said the section wasnt necessary. Sponsors of the bill said they were willing to accept the changes. The law would be known as the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act, named after a retired judge who testified in favor of the legislation four years ago, just 18 months before her death. The proposal faced intense opposition from Republican legislators Monday. Sen. Gregg Schmedes, a Tijeras Republican and physician, said the bill would open the door to euthanasia for people who want to die as a way to save money or avoid being a burden on their family. The bill would require patients to have a terminal illness, he said, but not that they actually be suffering. Altruistic suicide is perfectly legal under this act, Schmedes said. Rep. Deborah Armstrong, an Albuquerque Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, played a key role in passage of the measure. She and her daughter, Erin, testified repeatedly in committee hearings this session about Erins cancer treatment and the pain she has faced while fighting to live. Erin and others, Armstrong said, deserve to have the option of seeking medical help to end their lives when the time comes. We all deserve to live life the way we choose, and when facing a fatal prognosis, to also pass away in a peaceful manner, Armstrong said in a written statement after the vote. The revised bill will now go back to the House for consideration of the Senate changes. House agreement would send the bill to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Refusal to agree would likely trigger a bicameral conference committee to work on a compromise. The bills sponsors are Democratic Sens. Stefanics of Cerrillos and Bill ONeill of Albuquerque and Reps. Armstrong, Dayan Hochman-Vigil and Patricia Roybal Caballero, all of Albuquerque. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Andy Smith has taken twists and turns to become a fast-growing leader in marketing and publications today with his unique story. As CEO and team leader of I-Worship Network, a full-service publication and marketing brand, he is on a mission to show the excellent way to do business. His journey started in Burg Jones Lane on the south side of Monroe, Louisiana, where he was raised in a single-parent home. Even with his reality, he never lacked encouragement from the people around him and still believes the quality of people around you matters. With a deep love for God and family, his mother and mentors always told him that he would become a man of significant impact on the world. He would get in trouble in school but still pass all his tests and get away with it until the twist that would have set his whole life back. While growing up in church, he started playing the piano at age nine and mixing with the wrong crowds. In ninth grade, Andy ended up in Juvenile Detention for riding in a car his friend had stolen. "The sad part about this situation was when I saw my mentor of thirty years to date, walking up to the window of that car. The look of disappointment on his face felt like a life sentence." This was a wake-up call because he knew he had to make something of his life and live up to what he believed about his future impact. From this experience, he grew and began to understand his purpose in life. He embraced his talkative nature and love for music. "I am so grateful I did because music has taken me across the country for twenty-five plus years! I love music! It always has and will forever be my passion. It has allowed me to meet some amazing people who have been very instrumental in the growth of my brand." It became an opportunity for him to correct his course while preparing for the service he provides for people in his life and brand today. On a journey to create his legacy, Andy has authored and self-published seven titles, all without a degree, no education! He only received his GED in 2020, even though he began his writing career at age 20 and has not stopped since. His most recent work is "Love Her Until Understanding Love From A Male's Perspective." Others include "The Lost Worshipper: The Pressures, Passions & Powers of A Worship Leader," "The I AM Factor: 5 Powerful Tools To Self-Discovery, "The I AM Factor- Prayer Journal" "The I AM Factor- Power & Success Journal, "Let Your Glory Be Revealed: 7 Keys To Unlocking The Presence Of God", "Life In The Now" How To Activate Your Purpose & Discover Your Potential. To read Andy's work, visit his bookstore here. After going through the journey and achieving such success in publication, he was in an excellent place to help others. Motivated by the brands with great potential but the low quality of representation, he realized the need to create a better way, a new level of excellence. He had seen a magazine where a pastor friend was featured and commented on the quality to do much better. Andy was disappointed in the publication because of his love for marketing and branding. His friend's wife looked at him and said, "You do it. Show them what excellence looks like". And I-Worship Network began. IWN started with I-Worship magazine and is now a global name with other brands under the same roof. After watching people around him succeed and grow, he launched full steam into marketing. "I had no idea that God would take our publication global. I-Worship Magazine is now in 46 states and six countries". The brand has recently released a publication solely for today's woman: "Woman Arise" and is eager to reach the home full-circle through a children's magazine coming soon. "I want to highlight the stories of children who are making amazing strides in Education and Entrepreneurship, but also those who are less fortunate yet trying to stay encouraged and optimistic about their future." Building a business from scratch, Andy has learned a lot. Like most entrepreneurs, he worried about support and if he had the resources to grow. "I didn't have the money, and I didn't know who would support my dream. The beginning steps of launching a business are the hardest. You have to plan, strategize, consult, research. When I started, I didn't do anything of that sort. I took off running with no structure. It became hard because all of the steps I should have applied at the beginning, I had to go back and fix." He advises business owners today to avoid the trap of taking on too much too soon and starting without getting their details in order. "Support will come based on people's needs and your consistency," Andy advised. Andy knows that people trust this brand because he puts his heart into it project, and each client feels like he works for only them. While in a seemingly saturated market, he says, "To be honest, in my mind, I'm not in a competition. I believe everyone has a distinct audience, and it is up to them to locate their tribe. I think it's more about the work ethic that allows you to progress efficiently and accurately. I have even sent my other colleagues clients because I believe it's enough to support out here for all of us. Lastly, I believe, as the scripture says, it is unwise to compare yourselves among yourselves." Andy and his team offer services from vision concepts to self-publication. It is a fully structured brand that covers graphics, branding, magazine features, public relations, and more. Their clients range from young adults to pastors, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs. Leading in the church arena and abroad, IWN is excited to know that this is only the beginning and the best is yet to come. CEO Andy Smith states, "I am a strong believer that if you're going to be in the public eye, there is only one way to do it...THE RIGHT WAY." As a business owner, sometimes he has to sacrifice today for tomorrow; he does this to achieve the financial freedom to afford his vision. His advice to those starting their business is to surround themselves with other business owners, meet a need for people, and be consistent. "I believe when it comes to success and purpose, which surrounds you is vitally important. So many people are searching for their purpose and the course that would lead them to ultimate success. If I could leave anything with the readers, it would always be to keep God first. God never sets us up for failure. There will be times where things don't work out the way you planned. Just know that it's still going to work out for your good." To find out more about Andy, you can follow him on Instagram 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: Andy Smith View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635820/Self-Published-Multi-Author-And-Serial-Entrepreneur-Andy-Smith-Is-The-Man-Behind-The-I-Worship-Network-The-Fastest-Growing-Full-Service-Publishing-And-Branding-Company Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 21:25:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The world in the past 24hrs. A selection of the best daily press photos from Xinhua. People work at a production line in a commercial vehicle company in Liuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Feb. 22, 2021. China's economic growth gathered steam in the first two months of 2021 and the country is confident of sustaining the current momentum. The value-added industrial output went up 35.1 percent year on year, and the retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator of consumption growth, went up 33.8 percent year on year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Monday. Meanwhile, the country's employment remained stable, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate standing at 5.5 percent in February, 0.7 percentage points lower than the same period last year. A total of 1.48 million new urban jobs were created in the first two months, said the NBS. (Photo by Li Hanchi/Xinhua) Farmers transplant chili pepper seedlings in Chejiang Dam District of Rongjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, on March 15, 2021. Farmers were busy with spring ploughing in the district. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) People moving to their new residence are seen on a road in Lizhuang Town in Fengqiu County, central China's Henan Province, March 12, 2021. Local authorities have launched the third round of relocation work in Lizhuang Town. With over 200 different kinds of vehicles, volunteers are organized to help people move their belongings. (Xinhua/Li An) Photo taken on March 10, 2021 shows liquid metal material being tested in a lab. Some patients in the Joint Surgery Department of the First People's Hospital of Qujing, southwest China's Yunnan Province, have tried orthopedic external fixation braces (also known as "exoskeletons") made of liquid metal recently. Compared with traditional gypsum, the product is easy to disassemble or assemble and has many advantages such as better adhesion, elasticity, air permeability and X-ray transmittance. Trial production of the liquid metal "exoskeleton" will start soon. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) A diver conducts cleaning work inside the pressure-free elliptical transparent shield of Baiheliang Museum, China's first underwater museum built about 40 meters below surface in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River off the coast of Fuling City, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 15, 2021. The museum ushered in the first underwater clean-up work by divers after its third closure for repairs with a focus on the underwater lamps and lampshades, the observation window glass of the visiting corridor and the inscriptions. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao) A child model presents a creation during a fashion show featuring Hongbang tailors, who are believed to have made China's first Western-style clothes, and their tailoring techniques in Fenghua District of Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi) Aerial photo taken on March 15, 2021 shows the scenery of cherry blossoms in Gui'an New District, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu) Pakistani President Arif Alvi receives COVID-19 vaccine in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, March 15, 2021. Pakistani President Arif Alvi and his wife Samina Alvi on Monday received their COVID-19 jabs with the Sinopharm vaccine in Islamabad, according to a statement from the president's office. (Press Information Department of Pakistan/Handout via Xinhua) Few people walk on Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome, Italy, March 15, 2021. Italy entered into a new period of semi-lockdown on Monday, with over half of its 20 regions falling into the "red zone" and subject to the maximum level of restrictions. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting) People cuddle with each other next to floral tributes at the bandstand on Clapham Common to mourn for Sarah Everard in London, Britain, on March 15, 2021. A serving Metropolitan police officer on March 13 appeared in court in London after being charged with the kidnap and murder of a 33-year-old woman. Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested after Sarah Everard, a marketing executive, went missing while walking home from a friend's apartment in south London on March 3. Everard's death has caused widespread concern in Britain about women's safety, with many women and girls sharing stories online of their own traumatic experiences. (Xinhua/Han Yan) London, March 16 : A team of researchers has found that skin rashes were more common in adults who tested positive for Covid-19 than in those who tested negative. The findings showed that among respondents of an online survey, 17 per cent of SARS-CoV-2-positive cases reported skin rashes as the first presentation, and 21 per cent as the only Covid-19 clinical sign. "Cutaneous manifestations of Covid-19 are sometimes the first or even the only sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection," said researcher Mario Falchi from King's College London in the UK. "Recognition of such early signs and symptoms of Covid-19 may enable identification of cases missed when relying only on the core symptoms, allowing preventive measures to be put in place to minimise further spreading of the infection," Falchi added. According to the researchers, previous studies conducted in hospitals also reported that Covid-19 patients presented with unusual skin rashes. For the study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, the team analyzed information provided by 336,847 individuals in the community who used the Covid Symptom Study app. Together with the British Association of Dermatologists, the study's investigators compiled a catalogue of images of the most common skin manifestations of Covid-19 from 400 individuals. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) HOUSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GoExpedi, an innovative e-commerce, supply chain and analytics company that is reinventing procurement for industrial and energy MRO (maintenance, repair and operations), recently announced that global engineering executive Yang Tang will assume the role of Chief Technical Officer. GoExpedi Tang is a highly accomplished and results-driven professional with more than 20 years of experience leading technology and product teams at startups and multinational corporations. In his most recent role as Global Director of Engineering at Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), he founded the company's engineering practice, scaling it from the ground up to a team of 250, for the company's B2B sales systems across the world and oversaw the technical management of staff across two global business hubs. His former engineering team is now the model used against all other product development teams at AB InBev. Tang was also deeply involved with the design and development of Walmart eCommerce's omnichannel strategy, overseeing several notable enhancements including two-day shipping - rivaling Amazon Prime service - economy shipping and pickup discount, where he helped shift in-store pickup adoption by over 200%. "After an extensive search to find one of the most accomplished product leaders of our time, we are excited to introduce Tang as the new head of our technical operations and state-of-the-art supply chain model," said Tim Neal, GoExpedi's Chief Executive Officer. "His history of excellence in the e-commerce space is beyond reproach. He brings unparalleled expertise having managed global projects with an emphasis on e-commerce development and digital engineering for some of the world's most reputable brands. With his leadership, vision, and technical expertise, we are primed to launch into the next stage of our company's development as we expand our offering of new digital and consumer-friendly solutions." Tang will oversee the design and execution of GoExpedi's technology, product, and data roadmaps. This will drive the company's broader e-commerce and innovation platform strategy, propel rapid innovation for customers and suppliers and contribute to the company's dominant position in the industrial and energy MRO ecosystem. "I am pleased to help the manufacturing and energy industries reimagine industrial supply chain with the brightest minds in technology, MRO procurement and oil and gas," said Tang. "I was fortunate to contribute to the e-commerce renaissance that exploded in the consumer space over the last few years and am eager to apply what I have learned to the industrial sector. I look forward to collaborating with the team at GoExpedi to drive continuous improvements in all aspects of the industrial supply chain." Tang graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a B.S. in Computer Science and is expected to receive his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the MIT Executive MBA program in June 2021. ABOUT GOEXPEDI Launched in 2017 and based in Houston, Texas, GoExpedi provides over 200,000 critical parts and supplies with complete transparency on price, supplier choice and availability through its online e-commerce platform. The company's innovative supply chain model has created a business that delivers the right part, at the right time, overcoming a fundamental challenge for the industry. Staffed by experts with oilfield management experience and backed by innovative technology, GoExpedi is able to deliver an incredible service at a lower cost than traditional suppliers. For more information, visit www.goexpedi.com. MEDIA CONTACT Sylvester Palacios Pierpont Communications +1-210-912-2706 [email protected] Related Images yang-tang-goexpedi-cto.jpg Yang Tang - GoExpedi CTO SOURCE GoExpedi The proposed rule on treating the maturity period of perpetual bonds as 100 years has put investors in a bind. Fearing losses, some investors are said to be considering redeeming their mutual fund units before Sebis circular on perpetual bonds takes effect on April 1. Fund managers, on the other hand, are advising investors especially high net-worth individuals (HNIs) to wait for more clarity from the regulator and not redeem their investments in haste. We recommend investors not to just pull out their money from debt schemes only because of the valuation norms. After the letter by the Ministry of Finance to the regulator, we hope some solution would be found soon, said the head of fixed income from a leading fund house. A large part MF exposure to perpetual bonds is through debt scheme categories, such as short-term, medium-term, banking and PSU funds, and credit-risk funds. MFs hold nearly a fifth of AT-1 and tier-II bonds issued by banks, worth about Rs 3.5 trillion, according to an estimate by Nomura. Following the March 10 circular, MF industry players had anticipated sharp redemptions from HNI investors. But, the letter from the finance ministry has raised hopes for some relaxation from before the implementation deadline. The yields of AT1 bonds issued by banks have already risen by as much as 100 basis points since the Sebi's circular on March 10. However, an analysis of the data provided by industry body Association of in India (Amfi) doesnt indicate any heavy redemption as yet. Daily assets under management (AUM) of medium-duration funds as of March 15 stood at Rs 30,020 crore, down marginally from Rs 30,076 crore (March 12). Similarly, AUM of credit risk funds have fallen from Rs 28,006 crore to Rs 27,988 for the period under consideration. Short-duration funds have seen daily AUM fall by Rs 677 crore between March 12 and March 15. I dont think investors should react hastily; we have been asking clients to stay invested because we are certain that regulators may come out with more practical solutions. I dont think the valuation norm will remain in the same form after the letter from the finance ministry, said a Mumbai-based distributor on condition of anonymity. Typically, debt MFs report huge outflows during March as corporates redeem some of their investments to pay advance taxes, or for other balance sheet requirements. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 18:10:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A laboratory incident is "extremely unlikely" to be the cause of COVID-19, say members of the WHO-China joint study team. Peter Ben Embarek, a member of the WHO-China joint team, said laboratory incident is "extremely unlikely" the cause of COVID-19. Liang Wannian, a member of the team, said that "In all the laboratories in Wuhan, there is no existing virus of SARS-CoV-2. If this virus does not exist, there would be no way that this virus could be leaked." Produced by Xinhua Global Service New North Wales fire chief officer named as current Greater Manchester deputy chief Dawn Docx This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 16th, 2021 The new chief fire officer for North Wales has been named as the current deputy chief for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Dawn Docx will be appointed to the role following the previous announcement that the current North Wales chief fire officer, Simon Smith, will be retiring this summer. Mrs Docx has more than 20 years experience in the fire service, around half of which have been spent in senior positions. She previously worked for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service for around eleven years from 2006 as an assistant and deputy chief fire officer. She left to join the Greater Manchester service as deputy in December 2017 and shortly after stepped up to the role of interim chief officer. It followed former chief officer Peter OReillys decision to retire after being criticised over the services response to the Manchester Arena attack. During her time in the interim post, Mrs Docx led the services response to the Kerslake Report into the bombing and the Saddleworth Moor fire, which has been described as the largest English wildfire in living memory. She went back to her main role in September 2018 and will now return to North Wales to take up the leading post, which comes with a salary of more than 130,000 a year. As chief fire officer, she will be responsible for the overall leadership and co-ordination of the service. Mrs Docx will also be required to build relationships with senior Welsh Government figures. Cllr Peter Lewis, Chair of North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority said: I am delighted to welcome Dawn back to North Wales. There will be many challenges post COVID and we are confident Dawn will address those challenges and maintain the high standards that the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are renowned for and we look forward to working with her in the near future. Mrs Docx said: I am immensely proud to be returning to North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and look forward to continuing the excellent work in making North Wales a safer place to live, work and visit. Our role is to prevent, protect and respond and within my new role I will strive to make sure we do this as effectively as possible. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The Board of Canvassers of the Palawan plebiscite has declared the "no" vote of the people won, rejecting the move to split the province into three. On Tuesday, the board granted a motion by the opposing side to terminate the canvassing of votes after counting results from 22 out of 23 municipalities, with the "No" vote already holding an apparently insurmountable lead. The motion was also supported by the proponents from the "Yes" side. As of 5 p.m., March 16, there were 172,304 "No" votes or votes against dividing the province, while 122,223 voted "Yes" in favor of the move. The board ruled that the remaining votes in the municipality of Kalayaan would not be enough to overturn the results since there were only 280 registered voters there. Out of 490,254 registered voters, only 297,728 voted during the plebiscite on March 13, equivalent to a 60% voter turnout, the board said. In April 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law that sought to divide Palawan into three provinces: Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan del Sur. Advocates said it would allow local government units to deliver services faster, but dissenters argued the move would only serve political interests as government officials may take advantage of the new local positions to reinforce their dynasties. READ: Palawan plebiscite: What you need to know Whether youre Irish or not, theres a temptation to take part in celebrating St Patricks Day a beloved tradition worldwide that sees thousands of people coming together to drink, dress in green, eat traditional food from Ireland and generally celebrate Irish heritage. What is St Patricks Day, and where does it come from? St Patricks Day, or the Feast of St Patrick, is a celebration in honour of the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick. The day of celebration, which marks the day of St Patricks death, was originally a religious holiday meant to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and made official by the Catholic Church in the early 17th century. Observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church, the day was typically observed with services, feasts and alcohol. St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Show all 20 1 /20 St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures An actor playing the part of Saint Patrick leads the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary. Getty St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Festival participants take part in the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade on March in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary Getty St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Festival participants take part in the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade on March in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary Getty St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Participants walk miniature ponies during the St. Patrick's Day parade in Galway, Ireland Reuters St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures People perform in the St Patrick's Day parade in central London Reuters St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures People perform in the St Patrick's Day parade in central London Reuters St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures A reveller poses in Dublin Getty St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures The Duchess of Cambridge attends the St Patrick's Day parade at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, to present shamrock to officers and guardsmen of 1st Battalion the Irish Guards. PA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures People perform in the St Patrick's Day parade in central London REUTERS St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures A cadet from the Benedictine Military school gets caught by two "kissing bandits" as he marches in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah, Ga. AP St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Grand Marshal Jerry Counihan walks with his family in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah, Ga. AP St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures People watch the St Patrick's Day parade in central London Reuters St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Crowds watching the Dublin's St Patrick's Day Parade PA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures A person attends the dyeing of the Chicago River green for St. Patrick's Day celebration in Chicago, Illinois USA. St. Patrick's Day is marked annually on 17 March to commemorate Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. EPA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures The Chicago River is dyed green for St. Patrick's Day celebration in Chicago, Illinois USA, St. Patrick's Day is marked annually on 17 March to commemorate Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. EPA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Participants during the Dublin's St Patrick's Day Parade PA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Participants during the Dublin's St Patrick's Day Parade PA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Participants during the Dublin's St Patrick's Day Parade PA St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures People watch the St Patrick's Day parade in central London Reuters St Patrick's Day 2019 In pictures Members of the Artane Band take part in the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary. Getty Consumption has always been an integral part of St Patricks Day, as historically the day was celebrated with a day-long lift of the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol which has contributed to the present-day drinking. Interestingly, St Patrick wasnt actually Irish. He is believed to have been born in either Scotland or Wales and sold into slavery in Ireland as a child. In 1903, St Patricks Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. This year, and every year, it is celebrated on 17 March. St Patricks Day 2021 falls on a Wednesday. What are shamrocks and leprechauns and why are they depicted in the celebrations? Although St Patricks Day has mostly evolved into a cultural celebration of Irish heritage, certain traditions such as wearing green and shamrocks have prevailed. We wear green to celebrate because green is the colour associated with Catholics in Ireland. However, green wasnt associated with the holiday until the 19th century. Prior to that, blue was often worn to celebrate. Shamrocks clover-like plants with three leaves were, according to legend, used by St Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. Leprechauns, a mythical type of fairy in Irish folklore, also make an appearance during St Patricks Day celebrations. Often depicted as little men, leprechauns are usually pictured with a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. They are mischievous fairies known for playing jokes on people. But legend has it, if you catch one he will give you three wishes. Is it a bank holiday in the UK, or a federal holiday in the US? Sorry, youll have to let your hair down in your own time. Its not a bank holiday in the UK, and its not a federal holiday in the US. It is, however, a national holiday in Ireland. What do people do on St Patricks Day and how do they celebrate? The holiday has evolved into a mostly cultural celebration of Irish heritage marked with a day of drinking, green clothing and Irish-themed parades though many of those won't be able to go ahead as planned due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In addition to green clothing, beer, occasionally dyed green, and Irish whiskey are typically consumed to celebrate St Paddys Day. Green around the gill: people celebrate St Patricks Day with dyed beer (iStock) In the United States, Irish American people usually indulge in corned beef and cabbage. But in Ireland and elsewhere in celebration of the holiday, typical Irish foods such as steak and Guinness pie or Irish soda bread are eaten. How is St Patricks Day celebrated around the globe? Recommended 10 best proper pubs in Dublin Ireland obviously hosts the longest St Patricks Day celebrations, with a week of festivities and the annual parade in Dublin drawing more than one million people. In Great Britain, the day is celebrated with the third-largest parade in the world, after Dublin and New York. The parade takes place in Birmingham but celebrations occur all over the country. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In New York City, the official St Patricks Day Parade, founded in 1762, typically attracts two million people. While not a legal holiday, the day is widely recognised and celebrated all over the country. Green top: the Empire State Building lit up for St Patricks Day (G Other large St Patricks Day parades are held annually in Asia, the Caribbean and Canada. To mark the day, notable landmarks are lit up in green or dyed green. Water sport: the Chicago river is dyed green in honour of the day Last year, the Sydney Opera House, the Space Needle in Seattle, the London Eye, the Empire State Building, the Chicago river and hundreds of other landmarks were lit green in honour of the patron saint. Happy St Patricks Day! John Cullen, a leading luxury lighting design company headquartered in London, UK, has announced the launch of its second studio in the GCC region at Kuwait City. This comes following its global launch of British Design House, a first-of-its-kind curated collection of the finest and most celebrated UK luxury brands during Dubai Design Week last November. The Kuwait studio will be headed by Mohamad Sukar, who brings with him over 10 years of experience in the country's luxury lighting industry. Sukar will work closely with architects, interior designers and property owners to create bespoke lighting solutions in collaboration with the design and product team based in Dubai. The launch of the studio is line with the company's expectations for strong growth in the regional luxury design and lighting market in the GCC, said a top official. "Following reopening of the economy after the pandemic-induced slowdown in 2020, we are seeing a resurgence in the luxury market in the GCC," remarked Peter Rowledge, Regional Director for John Cullen Lighting. "Despite Covid-19 related restrictions on business operations, we managed to have a profitable year and have embarked on some exciting projects in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar including luxury homes and hotels," he noted. "We are expecting 2021 to see continued momentum in the luxury design sector, particularly in underserved markets such as Kuwait and Qatar. Globally, John Cullen represents refined design engineering, creativity, art and function for connoisseurs of luxury," stated Rowledge. "We have extended the same commitment to our clients in the region while adapting to local sensibilities and design aesthetics of our partner architects, interior designers and property owners," he added. Jamie Rosso, the Sales Director (Middle East), said: "The launch of our Kuwait operations represents a new chapter in our success story here in the Middle East." "John Cullen is well positioned to become the regional leader in end-to-end lighting solutions for the luxury segment and we hope to lead with innovation and great customer service in Kuwait as we have done in the UAE and other markets," he added.-TradeArabia News Service An illegal immigrant wears two wristbands that Mexican cartels have been using to control human smuggling into the United States, near Penitas, Texas, on March 15. 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Cartels Use Wristbands to Track Human Smuggling Over Border McALLEN, TexasIllegal border-crossers are coming into the United States wearing wristbands that relate to the smuggling organization or cartel that they paid to cross the river, according to new reports and confirmation by Border Patrol agents. The wristbands have been spotted on illegal immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, as well as discarded on the ground beyond the river. Some illegal aliens were found wearing two different colored wristbands. The system basically outlines a process that the smugglers are using to know who paid, who didnt, so that they can start moving them throughbecause theyve got so many people backing up, according to Jaeson Jones, a former captain in the Texas Department of Public Safety. The wristbands have numbers, words, and logos on them. Weve seen turtles, weve seen devil heads and little snakes, Jones told The Epoch Times. The Gulf Cartel (CDG) is using the word metal to signify a certain leader on the Mexico side, he said. A cinder block wall directly across the Rio Grande from Roma, Texas, has CDG and Metal tagged on it. Its in the Mexican city called Miguel Aleman, which is the frontline in a territorial battle between the CDG and the Cartel Del Noreste, a faction of the Los Zetas cartel. The Epoch Times found five different colored wristbands abandoned near Penitas, a popular area for Border Patrol pickup about two miles beyond the river. One had Entrega written on it, which means Delivery; another had Llegadas, which means Arrivals; and another Dorado, which means Golden. The numbers on the wristbands relate to the peso or tax that the individual paid to the cartel to cross. Each also has a personalized identification number imprinted on it, Jones said. Its the process that the cartels and the smugglers are using to treat people as a commodity. Its really a sad situation, Jones said. Its just the gift that keeps giving, and thats why they fight so much over these people. In February, Border Patrol agents apprehended more than 100,000 illegal border-crossers, the highest February number for 14 years. On March 15, when asked if the president believes his administration has a handle on the southern border, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, We certainly do. Price Increase The price to cross the Rio Grande has recently increased, according to Jones, who is in regular contact with border agents. Mexican citizens are paying up to $2,500; Venezuelans, Peruvians, Ecuadorians, and Hondurans are paying $3,000; Chinese, $5,000; and Arabians and Russians, $9,000, according to Jones. If an individual doesnt have enough money to pay, the cartel will collect once the individual is inside the United States. They [cartels] set themselves up perfectly to put people into debt bondage, Jones said. The cartels collect an individuals personal data, including name, phone, address, and any identification papers, as well as details and verification of their contacts in the United States. They have their family and country of origin to hold them accountable if they dont pay. And that is debt bondage at its finest. Thats a form of human trafficking, he said. Jones said that although the United States focuses on stopping human trafficking and drug smuggling, the core of the issue is the cartels, which he recommends be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Were not focused on the people who are the core problem, which is the cartels. They own all the geographic space in Mexico, he said. And if we would change focus as a country and really go after the cartels who operate today as a parallel government in Mexico thats where were going to find success. DJ Fat Tony has revealed he plied some of his teeth out with a screwdriver at the height of his years-long drug addiction. The musician, 54, struggled with a cocaine and crack dependency for years while working as a top DJ in London where he would sometimes earn 100,000 per night. The drugs affected Tony's perception of reality and at one point he said he became 'so psychotic' that he believed there were creatures inside his gums he wanted to remove. Addiction: DJ Fat Tony has revealed he plied some of his teeth out with a screwdriver at the height of his years long drug addiction Speaking to new! magazine, he said: 'It got to the stage where I'd pull my teeth out of my mouth with my bare fingers or pry them out with a screwdriver. My whole face was numb from the drugs so it didn't hurt.' Tony discovered drugs when he was 18 and would convince himself that he couldn't DJ unless he was high, sometimes going four or five nights straight without sleeping. His addiction hurt his relationship with ex-boyfriend James, who eventually helped him to quit when he found him passed out on the floor of a nightclub and said: 'What's happened to you?' Tony had an epiphany and he soon quit drugs cold turkey, spending six months in rehab to beat the addiction. Struggles: The musician struggled with a cocaine and crack dependency for years while working as a top DJ in London where he would sometimes earn 100,000 per night While he is clean now, the DJ admitted it wasn't an easy road to recovery as he replaced his drug addiction with a sex addiction. He said: 'It wasn't a smooth path, I replaced drugs with a sex addition and was sleeping with up to eight blokes a day. But I treated that addiction too, although things didn't work out with James.' Tony is now in a seven-year long relationship with his partner David and told how he also helped his close friend Boy George get clean. The DJ also helps at Resort 12, an LGBT specialist rehab clinic in Thailand, saying he thinks people in the community need special care. He said: 'It got to the stage where I'd pull my teeth out of my mouth with my bare fingers or pry them out with a screwdriver' (pictured with his close friend Kate Moss) While he has had moments of temptation since getting clean, Tony said his life is 'too good' to risk what he has, saying drink and drugs are no longer 'an option'. Tony said he knows if he had one night of drinking or taking drugs now, he would 'go straight back to being that guy with no teeth'. The musician, who now hosts The Recovery Podcast, said he now relishes life and knows that drugs are a doorway to death. 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 Authorities are on the scene of a drive-by shooting that left a juvenile injured in the Center Point area. The shooting happened shortly before 2:30 p.m. in the 500 block of 18th Avenue N.W. in the Bridlewood community. A male believed to be 13-years-old was wounded and transported by Center Point Fire to Childrens of Alabama. Jefferson County sheriffs Deputy Chief David Agee said the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Residents in the area said the gunfire sounded like firecrackers. Someone holding a gun out of a vehicles window was spotted leaving the scene. Investigators have marked spots where at least a half dozen shell casings were found in the street. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. David Nobs Our education clients all share several goals, namely, to increase awareness and boost enrollment. Marketing efforts on behalf of higher learning institutions should be proactive and dynamic in achieving these goals. Communications must cater to prospective students, parents, out-of-state prospects and working professionals looking to further their education, as well as current and prospective staff and faculty. Building awareness and preference, increasing volume of qualified student enrollment, enhancing the image of the institution are the pillars of marketing success. Given the new realities caused by COVID-19 and increased pressures on colleges and universities to provide value to students given the rising costs, make these now more important than ever. One method to walk the talk and stay ahead of the curve is using research to guide strategy. As an example, our research uncovered motivations for education seekers when deciding to enroll in school, how students perceive online education compared to onsite learning, which marketing phrases motivate adults and the most important considerations for students when choosing a school. When you consider that college tuition has increased more than 150 percent in the past decade, its not surprising that the word affordable is almost twice as motivational for education-seekers than any other option. Getting a PR boost Given the increased competition and focus on providing value, public relations and reputation management is vital for educational institutions. An ongoing communications effort and overarching strategy that includes media relations, thought leadership, content marketing and special events can spotlight students and faculty, showcase alumni, reinforce core competencies and announce new programs. One of the proven methods of generating institutional awareness is using prominent speakers to address students, faculty and the general community. Hosting corporate leaders, best-selling authors and celebrated journalists, political dignitaries, famous athletes and entertainers, or even leading educators from other schools, are ideal opportunities for school promotion. As an example, a leading figure in journalism is presented with the prestigious Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism each year. As ASU noted on its website, the recipient list reads like a Whos Who of the media world: Tom Brokaw, Ted Turner, Bob Woodward, Bill Moyers, Katharine Graham, Helen Thomas, George Will, Ben Bradlee and Roone Arledge, to name a few. Lester Holt, the award-winning anchor of NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC, accepted the award in 2019, saying that these times demand clarity and fearlessness. Rather than lick our wounds, this is journalisms time to shine, to shine a light in dark places as we never have before, and to hold individuals and institutions of power accountable, Holt told a pre-pandemic crowd of more than 1,000 media, business and community leaders, supporters and students. Thats what we do. That is our calling. That is what we will do. At ASU Cronkite Schools Public Relations Lab, students get real-world experience creating strategies and campaigns for clients from across the country and around the world. According to ASU, the lab functions like an integrated marketing PR agency, with students working in teams on client projects under the direction of a seasoned PR professional. Each semester, students gain real-world experiences and provided an opportunity to showcase their work in a number of areas: corporate communications strategies; crisis communications; event planning and promotion; media relations; leadership and collaboration; multimedia storytelling; social media content planning and execution; strategic internal and external communications; and website design. A great example of promoting student accomplishments is Syracuse Universitys Newhouse School of Communications. In the last three years, Newhouse creative advertising students have achieved success at award shows worldwide, winning 127 awards in 2017-18, followed by 142 awards in 2018-19. In 2019-20, students won an unprecedented 151 awards, according to a recent school press release. Its amazing that our students continued to carry the glory in the past year, said James Tsao, chair of the advertising department. [This is] thanks to our tireless professors, who keep raising the bar [and] made us be a creative powerhouse. A social shift Were seeing an increased focus on social media in education so that institutions can have a digital conversation with these multiple audiences. By leveraging a mix of content, schools can generate online awareness and showcase student accomplishments, campus lifestyle, campus events, faculty and their achievements, and share student success stories. Content needs to be customized for each social platform. Creating a single piece of content and pushing it out through all channels just doesnt work anymore. For instance, what works on LinkedIn isnt necessarily going to perform on Instagram. As a result, education marketers are now creating social campaigns that engage its target audiences with customized content that considers the channel and depth of conversation using a variety of methods such as videos, infographics, podcasts, webinars, contributed and earned media content and white papers. Social media in higher education has become an essential chapter in almost every institutions playbook. According to our research 98 percent of schools use social media across campus. Why? Theres a lot of value for schools to unlock on social media. Universities now take to social to recruit budding scholars, promote school spirit, and raise fundraiser dollars, according to Katie Sehl, a freelance writer and blogger for Hootsuite. With so much at stake, its a lot for higher education social media teams to manage. Not to mention the colossal task of supporting a vast international community across numerous channels. Thats why its imperative to have the right strategy, tools, and support in place so teams can use social media to its full potential. In order to generate awareness, promote institutional advancement, and increase student enrollment, the use of research and mix of public relations, special events and social media is a powerful combination in reaching the multiple audiences necessary for success in todays competitive environment. *** Dave Nobs is managing director at LAVIDGE, a full-service advertising, digital and PR agency in Phoenix, and adjunct professor at Arizona State Universitys Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Communication. External Article 16 March 2021 As we approach the one-year anniversary of travel shutting down after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, travelers are looking forward to getting back to doing what they love. But, where to first? As it stands, some international travel destinations still have their borders closed, but there is strong optimism that things will soon return to some level of normalcy. Advertisements Travel advisors predicted that Mexico is going to be the big winner of post-pandemic travel. "They're doing such a great job with the COVID-19 protocols and providing safe options for our clients," Kim Goldstein, president of Journeys Inc., told Travel Market Report. "They reopened quickly and showed the world that they had the right measures in place to keep our clients safe. When the CDC announced that testing would be required to re-enter the US in January, the resorts in Mexico very quickly arranged on-site complimentary testing, so that we had an immediate solution for our clients which ultimately prevented a lot of cancellations." Terri Jobe, the owner of Blue Water Travel, agreed. "For me, Mexico is definitely the winner for post-pandemic travel. I know the trend says that most will want to do domestic trips, but I have not seen that in my bookings. Mexico, and mainly Cancun, is about 90% of my 2021 bookings," she said. In the more immediate future, Mexico allows Lori Wilson's, a travel advisor with JCo Travel, clients to avoid jumping over lots of COVID-protocol hurdles. Other Caribbean locales like Jamaica "will see a massive influx of tourists once the pandemic restrictions are reduced," said Kerri Brewster, owner of Escapes Unlimited & Bride Tribe Travel. "There is a pent-up demand for travel, especially beach vacations for couples or families. I think we will see a lot more Caribbean travel once restrictions are lifted." Press Release March 16, 2021 Dispatch from Crame No. 1,045: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Duterte's Latest Address to the Nation 3/16/2021 I understand he is only trying to assuage the public when he said "Maliit na bagay ito sa buhay natin". It's an assurance bereft of a legitimate plan and diligent leadership. This COVID-19 "fatigue" being experienced by our country is borne of a year of corruption and failure by this administration to stay on top of the situation. The disorganized efforts of the different government departments and LGUs smack of weak and ineffective leadership by the President. We do not even have to look that hard to see the results of Duterte's gross mismanagement. Our economy is in shambles and our countrymen are grasping at the straws in trying to figure out how to make ends meet. We are seeing a dangerous surge in COVID-19 cases and our health sector is again pushed to its limits. Our vaccination program has yet to commence beyond what was donated for the frontliners. Our education system is failing our students at a rate that is close to irreversible at this point. And while all these are happening, our police and armed forces, instead of helping manage this pandemic, are hell bent on murdering activists and each other. The various administration spokespersons are misusing their platform for politicking, red-tagging and even early-campaigning. The administration party is ever brown-nosing, spending copious amount of money trying to curry favor through mass-distributed tarpaulins that nobody asked for. We have seen failure after failure, violations after violations, and abuse after abuse by administration officials, yet none of these officials are seriously held accountable. Our countrymen are suffering but those responsible are not being held to account. We need a leadership that is up to the evolving challenge of this pandemic, not a sleepy old man who can only report for work a few hours a week. We need officials who have credibility and who can deliver on the promises, not one who is infamous for making ridiculous guarantees and failing in each one of them. Last night Duterte said, "Huwag kayo matakot at hindi ko kayo iiwanan." But like his campaign promises, he needs to break this one. It is time for him to help our country. He should resign and leave for good. ### (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1045) Were honored to be included on this prestigious list. Our product is our people, and Black Bears success is attributed to the professionalism, expertise, and dedication of our team, and the superb support they provide to our clients and their mission critical requirements.- Kevin M. Andres, CEO Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals: D.C. Metro list employed more than 120,000 people. Inc. magazine today revealed that Black Bear Technology Solutions, LLC is No. 7 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: D.C. Metro list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Washington, D.C., area-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the D.C. area economys most dynamic segment - its independent small businesses. Were honored to be included on this prestigious list. Our product is our people, and Black Bears success is directly attributed to the professionalism, expertise, and dedication of our team, and the superb support they provide to our clients and their mission critical requirements. Kevin M. Andres, President and CEO, Black Bear Technology Solutions The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in the Washington, D.C., region. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 211 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 120,000 people and added nearly $15 billion to the D.C. area economy. Companies based in major metro areasBaltimore, Maryland, the Washington, D.C. area, and Richmond, Virginiabrought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: D.C. Metro, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/washington-dc starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in the Washington, D.C. area no matter the industry, says Inc. editor in chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. Black Bear Technology Solutions, LLC (B2TS) is a small business with the fundamental mission of making our clients successful. We are a privately held company located within the National Capital Region. B2TS has deployed staff around the globe to support the missions of our clients. Our attention to high performance, and our ISO registered and CMMI appraised processes make us an ideal partner for our clients. Our deep experience in federal operations and client support enables us to form highly successful partnerships that give our clients large enterprise capability with efficient small business responsiveness and granular requirements understanding. We then use that understanding to design implementable solutions that enable mission success. From solution conception to implementation, we specialize in assisting our clients in identifying and defining requirements, then implementing best of breed solutions we can support cradle to grave. B2TS knows mission support always includes program support, data management, and fundamental attention given to business operations. These features make our teams easy to use, operationally effective, and complimentary to client principals. Our attention to data and program management enables us to adapt mission support as complex mission operations environments morph into new operational environments continually. CONTACT: John Jaggers, 703.584.8885, john.jaggers@blackbear.tech More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent - not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies - as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com A man standing on the ledge of an overpass Tuesday has forced the closure of a part of Interstate 35 near South Park Mall. San Antonio police responded to calls of a man on the interstate near the area of I-35 and Zarzamora Street at around 11:30 a.m. Since then, police have attempted to convince the man to come down from the overpass. Police have not divulged many details. Just beneath the bustling Nimitz Freeway, theres hundreds of them. Maybe even thousands. Theyre gutted and stripped, covered in graffiti, burned to pieces and exploding with trash. Oaklands swaths of abandoned vehicles are an unsightly urban phenomenon, and just parallel to Wood Street, which is home to sprawling tent encampments, theres an astonishing amount of them. Just ahead, two people can be seen stripping a rusty truck thats been reduced to a frame on wheels. The area, which feels like something out of a post-apocalyptic John Carpenter film, is cluttered with AC Transit buses, bombed-out BMWs and overturned Audis. But how did they get here? And more importantly, why is the city allowing them to accumulate? According to the community, these cars arent just concentrated near encampments. Oftentimes, they pile up in West Oakland and the "flatlands" of East Oakland, clogging up streets and sitting for months at a time. While city officials agree that they tarnish Oaklands image and create a hostile environment, residents in these areas, many of whom are spearheading local beautification campaigns, complain that the city is allowing these cars to build up in Black and brown communities subsequently lowering property values and fueling the cycle of poverty. Oaklands ongoing battle with abandoned vehicles In the city of Oakland, abandoned cars are legally considered public nuisances that reduce the value of private property, promote blight and deterioration, invite plundering and compromise health, safety and general welfare. In the past year alone, there have been nearly 1,000 reports of abandoned cars on OAK 311, the citys maintenance request service. In response, the city council allotted $150,000 to Oaklands Abandoned Auto Detail to tow inoperable vehicles. While the city has been cracking down on them since 2020, the cars continue to pile up. Lt. Sean Fleming and Sgt. Gregory Bellusa of the city's Traffic Operations Section say that in the past year and a half, eight major vehicle enforcement operations have taken place to clear the Wood Street train yard alone. The Oakland Police Department, the California Department of Transportation and California Highway Patrol have collaborated and removed hundreds of stolen, stripped and abandoned autos. However, vehicles continue to be dumped at the location, they say. Ariana Bindman Ultimately, these mangled cars cant be attributed to just one problem. Theyre often abandoned, in a state of disrepair, or left on the streets after a hit-and-run collision. Oaklands unsheltered citizens also use them as homes. Despite Oaklands response efforts, locals are still frustrated, and say that by the time abandoned vehicles get towed, theyre already stripped down to their frame. It can take at least three months for them to tag and tow abandoned cars, says Grant Chen, a Hoover-Foster resident. Two different Oaklands According to Keisha Henderson, a public safety advocate and generational District 6 resident, the abandoned autos in her neighborhood are a byproduct of systemic racism. She says wealthier districts like 1 and 2 are treated differently than districts 5, 6 and 7, and that resources from the city are unevenly allocated. We have been talking about this and get no type of traction over this issue, Henderson says of the cars. The city picks and chooses how they want to enforce the law in certain areas. ... Our voices have not been valued. Traffic Operations representatives assert that they evenly distribute services across the city, and say that districts 6 and 7 have more police service technicians handling 311 requests compared to other districts. However, abandoned cars are a serious issue precisely because they arent always abandoned. One time, Henderson says a vehicle was left in her own driveway and when she confronted the driver, the situation became hostile. Members of the Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council and OPD have also confirmed that some of these vehicles are trap cars that harbor drugs and firearms. If Im a homeowner trying to build a generation of wealth for my kids on my property, I can never fully do that. My kids have never walked down my block. Were in jail in our own communities, Henderson says. Despite occasional vehicle sweeps in her Seminary neighborhood, she believes that Oakland is failing to create a safe, equitable environment for Black and brown families. Ariana Bindman Sean, a Bay Area native who asked to only use his first name, agrees that the city doesnt respond quick enough: Were paying for the cleanup of the city and were seeing the neglect. He also says that low-income neighborhoods like East Oaklands flatlands have the largest buildup of abandoned autos and that the city is ignoring it. These cars, he says, are damaging to the community because they create waste and attract people stripping them for parts. There's no way that would occur in Rockridge or Montclair, he says. No one focuses on the pain here. When asked why there are so many cars in East and West Oakland versus Piedmont and Montclair, Fleming and Bellusa state that there are a high number of abandoned autos, stolen autos and unsheltered citizens living in vehicles in Oakland. And when pressed about slow response time which residents say can take between 3 and 6 months representatives state that the average time to tow a vehicle in 2020 was under 25 days. Additionally, despite recent budget cuts, the city recognizes that abandoned autos are a pervasive issue. We seek to avoid reductions that would be felt disproportionately on low-income communities of color, Oaklands website states. ... The speciality unit for Abandoned Autos is not proposed for suspension because it would impact low-income neighborhoods where abandoned autos are disproportionately causing blight. While the city has offered extra resources and cosmetic solutions to this issue in District 6 and District 7, they ultimately fail to address the root cause: poverty. A complex environmental and economic issue According to Henderson, aside from systemic racism, lack of code enforcement at local auto body shops also contributes to the abandoned car epidemic. When you pass by them, there's 50, 60 cars inside the lot. You see people come in and get cars for cheap, not even for five grand. She says that struggling families will sometimes buy cars at auction without registering them or getting insurance, and when they break down, they leave them on the street. Sean confirms that when he was a homeless youth, he was forced to abandon a total of three cars for this very reason. He couldnt afford to pay off accrued tickets or take in his cars to get fixed when they broke down, and was forced to leave them behind. People don't have the money to do all the other steps, Henderson says. Ariana Bindman While Fleming and Bellusa say that Oakland conducts vehicle sweeps at least twice a month and aims to complete two sweeps per district by June of 2021, Henderson says the city is providing Band-Aid solutions to systemic problems. As a result, she and other Flatland families have taken it upon themselves to create a safer, more equitable environment for their children. As part of the Reimagining Public Safety Taskforce, Henderson and other community members are making small, grassroots-led changes to address the waste in their neighborhood. We invited OPD to help clean up the block with us. That to me was powerful, you don't often see that, says Henderson. Before the cleanup, she barely saw any wildlife in the area. Afterwards, she saw birds, squirrels and insects slowly return. She says that mechanical waste poses a threat to everyone, and while no community should have to endure it, its clear that many still do. In the Flatlands, were being robbed of our tax dollars, says Henderson. Its our money that we have invested in just to live like everyone else. Ariana Bindman is a freelance writer in the Bay Area, find her on Instagram at @ariana.bindman. New Delhi, March 16 : Former Congress leader P.C. Chacko on Tuesday joined the Nationalist Congress Party after meeting its supremo Sharad Pawar. Ahead of joining the NCP, he had met Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury. The NCP is part of the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala where Assembly elections are approaching. Chacko said: "The need today is for unity in the opposition parties. A united opposition should emerge as an alternative to the BJP. I don't see that initiative in the party which I was a member of earlier." A former MP and Delhi in-charge, Chacko quit the Congress on March 10. He said he sent his resignation letter to party interim chief Sonia Gandhi, saying that "it had become difficult to continue in Congress". Chacko was miffed over ticket distribution in his home state Kerala. "There is no democracy left in Congress. Candidate list has not been discussed with the state Congress committee. I have sent my resignation to Sonia Gandhi," Chacko had said. He blamed the leadership for continuing to be a mute spectator. "Being a Congress leader is Kerala is very difficult. If you belong to some group in Congress, then only you can survive in the party as leadership in the Congress is not much active." He said in Kerala the party is divided between former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, whom he blamed for the step he had to take. 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. It seems bizarre, but the most powerful political leader in the center-left camp, Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid, has still not announced that he is running against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the position of prime minister. As head of the opposition, Lapid has been growing stronger over the last few weeks. Polls show him winning as many as 20 seats, and his standing is improving in rankings of which politician is best suited to serve as prime minister. Nevertheless, he will not admit that he is running for prime minister. Two other party leaders are often mentioned as candidates to replace Netanyahu: New Hope chair Gideon Saar and Naftali Bennett, the head of pro-settler Yamina. Lapid is far ahead of them both. Saar has already collapsed in the polls, with his party expected to win seats in the high single digits. Bennett is doing slightly better with an expected 11-13 seats. As they both insist that they are running for prime minister, Lapid's name appears nowhere near that lofty title. In an interview yesterday with the English-language Jerusalem Post newspaper, Lapid coyly said that Yesh Atid is ready to take over the prime ministers office. It seems a strange approach, but according to insiders this strategy is the result of lengthy research. Lapid is likely convinced that it is the only way he will be able to push Netanyahu out of power. Lapid is surely aware that he is a somewhat weak candidate, especially against Netanyahu. He lacks the diplomatic and security experience needed to run head-to-head against Netanyahu. There is thought to be strategic coordination between Lapid and the other players working to replace Netanyahu, including Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman as well as Bennett and Saar. The last two are working to draw right-wing voters away from Netanyahu by assuring them that they are firmly aligned with the right. If this group concluded that centrist Lapid is the alternative to Netanyahu, many of them will return to the Likud. If so, the strategy seems to be working. Speaking on Channel 12s Council of Influential Figures March 7, Lapid announced that he is much more interested in Netanyahu being removed than in becoming prime minister himself. It is more important to me to remove Netanyahu from office than to become prime minister. Until I know the final results, I am not ruling out rotation. He said, Extortion has turned the political system upside down. Five minutes after the election, we will need to restore the publics trust, calling upon the political players to act responsibly and not be drawn into political extortion. It is a clever message of reassurance to right-wing voters that contests Netanyahus claim that the choice is between himself and the left and only he stands between Israeli settlers in Judea and Samaria and evacuation. People seem confused as to who is running against Netanyahu, but they should not underestimate Lapid. He is a an ambitious, hardworking and focused individual. According to those close to him, he has never abandoned his dream of one day becoming prime minister and believes that he is ready. At the same time, Lapid must consider new ways and unconventional approaches to reach this objective, as he is competing with the best campaigner in Israel. A former strategic consultant for Lapid described this strategy to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity as individuals sneaking in to the premiers Balfour Street residence. He contended that Lapid is managing a campaign to become prime minister without saying so explicitly because he is aware that people are uncertain about him. Therefore, it is easier for him to put to put Saar or Bennett up front and keep the focus away from himself. Just two months ago, Netanyahu was strategizing on the assumption that Lapid would put himself up against him. In that case, it would have been easy for him to do what he does best: sow fear that the left will take down a right-wing government. To his surprise, however, Lapid is staying in the shadows and gives very few interviews. Netanyahu is doing everything he can to drag Lapid into the ring and has spent the last two weeks piling on the pressure. His campaign spots mock Lapid for hiding and warn that if you look behind Bennett, you will find Lapid. And yet, much to Netanyahus frustration, he has not been able to convince the right to abandon Saar and Bennett and come back to him. It is now estimated that Saar has support worth three or four seats, Likud supporters who are fed up with Netanyahu. If Netanyahu manages to convince them that they would actually get Lapid instead, he could win back two or three seats. As usual, Netanyahu remains focused. He repeats his message everywhere he can: in interviews, at a growing number of appearances at campaign events and with campaign slogans like The choice is clear: Vote Bennett and get rotation with Lapid. At election gatherings, he asks: Who do you want bringing back the economy, me or Yair Lapid, the worst finance minister in all of Israels history? Who will bring more peace agreements, me or Lapid? Netanyahu has just one week to convince the electorate. To Lapids credit, he has been able to maintain campaign discipline and has not gotten dragged into a fight. Netanyahu could be right. If he fails to put together a government, the next option is a rotation coalition headed by Bennett, who would serve first and be followed by Lapid. If that comes to pass, it is in Netanyahus interest to for Lapid to serve first. If Bennett went first, he would be crowned leader of the right and cost Netanyahu his electoral base. Then again, there is a third option: a fifth round of elections. TORONTO, ON and NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / GlobeX Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF) (CSE:SWIS) (FRA:GDT) ("GlobeX" or the "Company"), the leader in Swiss hosted secure communications and secure data management, is pleased announce that it has received an order for its Sekur encrypted messaging and secure email platform, from Hemostemix Inc., a publicly traded autologous stem cell therapy company. Hemostemix, which is in advanced stages of its research in stem cell therapy, has been looking for an alternative to Microsoft Office365 for a secure and private communications solution in order to communicate with regulatory authorities, such as the United States Food and Drug Administration, in light of several news that surfaced about catastrophic breaches on Microsoft Exchange Servers and Microsoft Business Email. Several articles such as the ones on Bloomberg and ThreatPost have surfaced lately and have created a global crisis among businesses worldwide. According to the articles, the attack, which Microsoft has said started with a Chinese government-backed hacking group, has so far claimed at least 60,000 known victims globally, according to a former senior U.S. official with knowledge of the investigation. The rapidly escalating attack came months after the SolarWinds breaches and drew the concern of U.S. national security officials. On February 19 2021, ThreatPost this article announcing the theft of the Microsoft Exchange and Azure Cloud Source code as part of the larger SolarWinds breach. On March 15 2021, an article on GeekWire.com stated that Microsoft 365 authentication issue caused Microsoft Teams and other services to go down. Hemostemix, and other biotechnology and medical research companies, need a secure and private communications platform to communicate within their organizations and outside of their organizations, such as federal agencies and other research and governmental organizations. Sekur, which includes SekurMessenger as part of a bundle of email, messaging and file transfer into one app solutions, includes the Company's latest SekurMail technology, which includes proprietary anti-phishing and privacy feature called SekurSend. SekurSend lets a user send an email to any other recipient, whether they have Sekur or not, in full privacy and security as the email never leaves Sekur's encrypted email servers based in Switzerland. The recipient can then click on the notification and reply in the same manner using SekurReply, without the recipient having to register for a Sekur account. The sender can also decide to protect any email sent by adding a password to open it, a read-limit and a self-destruct timer as well. Sending an email with the SekurSend feature allows the senders and recipients to add limitless size attachments to the emails without crowding the recipients' email box. This also eliminates BEC attacks for businesses and email phishing attacks. Additionally, SekurMail includes full control of email delivery, automatic data export for large Enterprises and an automatic Data Loss Prevention technology ("DLP") with real time continuous archiving. SekurMessenger eliminates many of the privacy and security risks by not only not requiring a phone number, which would divulge a user's phone device ID, but also by not social engineering a user's phone or computer contact list and infecting the contacts by default as well, eliminating a huge loophole in security and privacy. SekurMessenger issues each user a username and a SM number. The SM number is the contact ID a user would disclose in order for other SM users to be added. The service comes with a self-destruct timer and other features as well, including GlobeX's proprietary VirtualVaults and HeliX technologies with all data stored in Swiss hosted encrypted servers. Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data said: "With Microsoft now being breached on its Exchange on-premise business email servers, the cyber hackers have devised a way through their theft of the Microsoft source code, to reach all business emails globally. As we are not connected, and never have been connected, to AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud platforms, commonly referred to as "Big Tech", we can offer a truly independent, private and secure means of communications through our proprietary technology and our secure servers based in Switzerland. Biotech and medical research businesses, who hold vast amounts of intellectual property stored in the cloud and in email communications, are a prime target of cyber criminals. GlobeX, with its Sekur platform for email and messaging, protects both the sender and recipient with its SekurSend technology and this is what Hemostemix needed as they communicate with the United States FDA and other federal organizations. Hemostemix can now focus on its research to improve and save himan lives, instead of worrying about having their research stolen by cyber hackers. GlobeX is planning to approach more biotech and medical research companies, in order to offer them the protection and privacy they deserve for their valuable data. We are honored to have been chosen by Hemostemix and proud to know that we are now protecting their valuable data, which will lead to the betterment of human life." Thomas Smeenk, President and CEO of Hemostemix Inc. stated:" As we near completion and reporting of the results of the HS 12 - 01 clinical trial, Sekur provides Hemostemix with the ultimate encrypted email security that enables us to send no size limit attachments to contractors and comply with regulator's secure communication standards." GlobeX's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection ("FADP") of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked "secret official discussions." In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved. About GlobeX Data Ltd. GlobeX Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure communications and secure data management. The Company distributes a suite of secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery, document management, encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools. GlobeX Data Ltd. sells its products through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. GlobeX Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide. About Hemostemix Hemostemix is a publicly traded autologous stem cell therapy company, founded in 2003. A winner of the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award, the Company developed and is commercializing its lead product ACP-01 for the treatment of CLI, PAD, Angina, Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Dilated Cardiomyopathy and other conditions of ischemia. ACP-01 has been used to treat over 300 patients, and it is the subject of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trial of its safety and efficacy in patients with advanced critical limb ischemia who have exhausted all other options to save their limb from amputation. On October 21, 2019, the Company announced the results from its Phase II CLI trial abstract presentation entitled "Autologous Stem Cell Treatment for CLI Patients with No Revascularization Options: An Update of the Hemostemix ACP-01 Trial With 4.5 Year Follow-up" which noted healing of ulcers and resolution of ischemic rest pain occurred in 83% of patients, with outcomes maintained for up to 4.5 years. The Company owns 91 patents across five patent families titled: Regulating Stem Cells, In Vitro Techniques for use with Stem Cells, Production from Blood of Cells of Neural Lineage, and Automated Cell Therapy. For more information, please visit www.hemostemix.com. On behalf of Management GLOBEX DATA LTD. Alain Ghiai President and Chief Executive Officer +1.416.644.8690 corporate@globexdatagroup.com For more information please contact GlobeX Data at corporate@globexdatagroup.com or visit us at https://globexdatagroup.com. For more information on Sekur visit us at: https://www.sekur.com . For more information on SekurSafe visit us at: https://www.sekursafe.com . Forward Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guaranteeing future performance. GlobeX 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 GlobeX's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in GlobeX's prospectus dated May 8, 2019 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com. 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, GlobeX undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. SOURCE: GlobeX Data Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635710/As-Cyberattacks-Create-Damage-to-the-Biotechnology-Sector-Stem-Cell-Therapy-Company-Hemostemix-Selects-GlobeX-Data-for-its-Sekur-Encrypted-Email-and-Messaging-Solution Donald Trumps White House coronavirus response coordinator who was criticised over her failure to correct the former presidents wild claims about the virus has found herself a new gig in the private sector. Deborah Birx joined a Texas manufacturer that advertises an ability to reduce Covid-19 from the air with its purifying products, after President Joe Biden declined to provide her with a role in his new administration. The internationally acclaimed public health expert recently opened up to Reuters about her time spent working for Mr Trump, during which she was met with backlash for sitting silently in the press briefing room as the former president spoke from the podium about his false theory that ingesting disinfectants may reduce symptoms associated with Covid-19. She said she was still processing regrets from that time and added: When you have the 100,000 people we lost over the summer, and the 300,000 people we lost over the fall-winter surge, you have to ask yourself and have to know that it didnt go as well as it should have. The Biden administration wanted a clean slate, she told Reuters. I understand that completely. Read more: Trump fans mocked for praising his dreadful appearance at Mar-a-Lago event Tape of Trump and Georgia officials was found in trash of investigators laptop Bernie Sanders calls out Jeff Bezos for blocking Amazon workers union drive After Ms Birx officially stepped down from her government positions earlier this month, it was reported she would join Innovia, a biopharmaceutical company, as a board member, as well as the George W Bush Institute as a global health fellow. ActivePure, the company Ms Birx has joined after stepping down from her government duties, has not had its claims cleared by the FDA. It filed an application seeking approval to use its air purifiers against Covid-19 last year. In a statement on its website, the company says its purifiers have been scientifically proven to reduce airborne SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus in the air. While Ms Birx was not offered a job under Mr Biden, her former mentor, Dr Anthony Fauci, has remained in his position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. He will also serve as a medical adviser to Mr Biden as the administration rolls out its vaccination plans and further efforts to end the pandemic. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the infectious disease expert said misinformation has played a significant role in how the US has handled the virus after it swept through the country in 2020, and would continue to influence how he advises the new president on the pandemic. There are a substantial proportion of people who do think this is not real, that its fake news, or its a hoax. This is extraordinary. Ive never seen this before, he said during a summit the newspaper held in December. We have all got to be on the same page telling the American public we have to pull together. That, to me, is the most important thing. Ms Birx also spoke at the summit, saying at one point: We have to go head-to-head with the misunderstandings people have with this virus. At least 534,000 people in the US have died as a result of Covid-19, according to daily tracking data published on Monday. Some estimates have said the actual number of coronavirus infections nationwide could be approaching 100 million. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A mental-health call line that has helped thousands of Manitobans get through the pandemic is in danger of closing unless new funding can be found. A mental-health call line that has helped thousands of Manitobans get through the pandemic is in danger of closing unless new funding can be found. Since March 17, 2020, more than 11,000 people have called the Seneca Warm Line operated 24 hours a day by Sara Riel Inc., an organization supported by the Catholic Health Association of Manitoba. Funding provided by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the federal government and the United Way runs out March 31. "It has been really important during the pandemic," said Sara Riel executive director Tara Brousseau Snider. "There was nowhere else for many people to turn to, especially at night. It was a lifesaver for a lot of people who were feeling anxious, lonely and isolated." Prior to the pandemic, the Warm Line operated four hours a day, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. About 125 calls were received a month. "As the pandemic took hold, we saw a large increase in the number of calls," said Brousseau Snider, explaining why the hours were expanded. Now 16 part-time staff work at Warm Line answer more than 900 calls a month. All are trained in suicide and crisis prevention, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and in dealing with trauma and addiction. Additionally, they have "lived experience with mental-health issues or substance abuse, and can relate to the callers," Brousseau Snider said. "They offer support, a listening ear, understanding and reassurance. They provide a human connection." Concerns raised by callers include worries about loss of employment, finances, family struggles and more. "There is a wide range of concerns," she said. Sara Riel also created a special call line for employers who were feeling the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. "They felt the stress of having to lay off employees, the loss of finances, worrying about their staff," she said. "The pandemic has been hard for them. For many, their staff are like family to them." Staff at Warm Line also are tired, she added, noting they are checked on regularly to make sure everyone is OK. In addition, Sara Riel conducted a survey of personal care home staff last year, and found they were experiencing a lot of mental stress. In response, a program was created to help with coping skills something applicable to anyone on the front lines of responding to the pandemic, Brousseau Snider said. "In addition to dealing with trauma, grief, and all the dreadful things they had to deal with on a regular basis, they also had worries about their own families." As for the future, even though the end of the pandemic seems in sight, many people are still burned out and facing serious mental-health challenges. "It will take a long time for the impacts of the pandemic to pass," she said. The Warm Line needs about $113,000 a year to operate. "We will have to figure out something. This is too important to close down. We cant let it go. Too many people need it right now," Brousseau Snider said. Founded in 1977 by the Grey Nuns, Sara Riel Inc. is rooted in the Roman Catholic Church, Brousseau Snider said, adding its service "grows out of our Catholic compassion for the vulnerable." People needing help can call the Warm Line at 204-942-9276. Those who want to donate can do so by visiting sararielinc.com or calling 204-237-9263. faith@freepress.mb.ca Nate Fuller braced for seeing dead tricolored bats as he hunched over and stepped into the concrete highway culvert. Steady traffic on Interstate 45 thrummed overhead. His headlamp and a flashlight in hand illuminated the way. Im just going to go through and see whats there, he said. Fuller is a Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist focused on white-nose syndrome, a disease thats killed so many bats that at least one species is threatened. The fungus that causes it makes hibernating bats wake too often, starving and dehydrating them. Researchers first found white-nose syndrome in New York around 2006. Last year, a case was confirmed in Texas. Across the country, scientists such as Fuller are working furiously to figure out how the fungus affects bats and how to stop it. Bats are an important part of ecosystems, eating bugs and pollinating plants. Hits to their population can be devastating since theyre slow to reproduce. But Texas has a chance that other states didnt have to fight it. In the culvert that Fuller entered, located between Houston and Dallas, researchers were piloting a new tool with federal support. Theyd tested then sprayed the culvert with two compounds they thought would keep the fungus from taking hold. Fuller wouldnt have been here again so soon except that last months bitter cold had complicated the researchers efforts. He worried that if too many bats died as temperatures plummeted, there would be greater need to stop white-nose syndrome. The many deaths of bats from the storm also made it more difficult to tell if the disease had spread. So here he was, in a face covering decorated with bats, checking on his friends. On HoustonChronicle.com: Freeze kills off many of Houstons Waugh Bridge bats He had been hired for such work by Texas Parks and Wildlife mammalogist Jonah Evans. Though the fungus prefers cold climates, Evans feared its effects in Texas, which has more bat species than any other state. Its not known which could be harmed. Evans expected it to strike the Texas Panhandle first. Houstons beloved Mexican free-tailed bats under Waugh bridge should be OK. White-nose syndrome demanded so much time that Evans convinced the agency to hire Fuller. Maybe a month later, at Enchanted Rock, Evans came across a dead bat. It was the states first confirmed case, followed by more across Central Texas. A scattering of others were reported elsewhere. Fuller believes the hard-to-detect fungus is all over the state. In the culvert, Fullers waterproof boots splashed as he stepped, his tall frame bent at the waist. The tricolored bats here, a species heavily affected by white-nose syndrome, were among Fullers favorites. Seeing a dead one that looked moldy, he dropped it into a plastic bag for testing. Thats what we dont want to see, he said in a whisper aimed at not disturbing the bats. White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats nationwide. Fuller described a biological horror: He visited a Vermont cave early on where thousands died. It could feel like marching forward with no clear solution. Even treatments were complicated. How long could they do them? Fuller continued down the culvert and saw almost every bat alive. Near the end of hibernation, they hung from the ceiling and walls. Their digestion, breathing and heartbeats were slowed. The scientists excitement grew as he saw readings showing it hadnt been as cold in the culvert as he feared. The biologist brushed their ears with a gloved finger, watching for them to wriggle in response. On his way out, he took care not to bump those left with his helmet. Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday tapped attorney Suzanne V. Estrella to serve as Pennsylvania Victim Advocate. Estrella most recently served as legal director for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. She has more than 20 years of legal experience primarily serving survivors of sexual and domestic violence. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the commonwealth as the Victim Advocate, Estrella said. I look forward to collaborating with local community victim service providers to enhance services available to victims and to implement impactful, sustainable solutions to address the complexity of victimization prevalent in our communities. Wolf called Estrella a dedicated public servant. She has spent most of her career advocating on behalf of victims and survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse. Suzannes background and passion provide a solid foundation to lead the Office of Victim Advocate on behalf of all of Pennsylvanias crime victims, Wolf said. I look forward to the important work OVA will accomplish under Suzannes leadership. If confirmed by the Senate, Estrella would fill the vacancy left by Jennifer Storm, who in January resigned after months of fending off partisan political rancor with some factions of the General Assembly. Storm was the target of partisan debate over her qualifications, after a cadre of Senate Republicans pushed for the appointee to the post to hold a law degree. Estrella has held positions with PCAR over the past five years. As legal director, she established and oversaw the Sexual Violence Legal Assistance Project which provides comprehensive, short-term civil legal services to victims of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. She also provided training and education to rape crisis centers and other professionals who serve survivors of sexual assault throughout the commonwealth In 2020, Estrella was awarded the Luminary Award by Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the development and implementation of the Legal Assistance Project. Estrella received her law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law and is admitted to both Pennsylvania and Florida Bar Associations. Canada will update its guidelines on AstraZeneca Plc's COVID-19 vaccine to recommend that it be administered to people aged 65 years and older, CBC News reported on Monday, citing documents and sources with direct knowledge of the guidelines. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) had earlier in the month advised against giving the vaccine to people in that age group. The report said the NACI plans to update its guidelines on the vaccine on Tuesday, with the decision based on emerging real-world data from other countries on the vaccine's efficacy in people over 65 years of age. The committee's recommendations also state that vaccines developed by Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc will still be prioritized for older age groups, according to the report. AstraZeneca and the Public Health Agency of Canada, to whom the NACI makes recommendations, did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Health Canada in February authorized the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 18 and older. Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would suspend AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots after several countries reported possible serious side-effects, but the World Health Organization said there was no proven link and people should not panic. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions The ongoing dispute that led a Moore Township man to shoot and kill his neighbor on Monday morning was over a water pipe, Pennsylvania State police said Tuesday morning. The pipe caused flooding and previous arguments about it over several months between Christopher Robbin Debellis, 42, and his 74-year-old neighbor, who Trooper Nathan Branosky said is a suspect in the killing but has yet to be charged so isnt being named, led to visits from township police. When troopers responded at 10:38 a.m. Monday to 1112 Moser Road in the township for a report of a shooting, they found the 74-year-old who said he shot his neighbor across the street and himself, Branosky said. The 74-year-old was treated at the scene and taken to St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill for further care, Branosky said. The man remained hospitalized on Tuesday, the trooper said. Debellis was found dead to the rear of his home at 1115 Moser, Branosky said. Debellis had more than one wound and had been shot with a handgun and a rifle both inside and outside his home, Branosky said. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek pronounced Debellis dead at 12:15 p.m. and ruled the death a homicide, Branosky said. The investigation is continuing, Branosky said. The probe is being headed by the state police Troop M Major Case Team. Assisting are the Northampton County District Attorneys Office, the Northampton County coroner, the Troop M Forensic Services Unit, the Moore Township Police Department, the Lehigh Township Police Department, the Bushkill Township Police Department, Moore Township EMS, Nazareth EMS and East Allen Township EMS, the news release said. 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. Eirinn go Brach (Ireland forever)! My husband Brian set up the St. Patricks Day village, with castles, lighthouses, churches and glow-in-the-dark shillelaghs. But its for a party that wont happen. For two decades weve bought slabs of corned beef from Roberts Corned Meats and invited whoever felt like being Irish to visit the Bedlam Blue Bungalow in the outer, outer, outer, outer Excelsior. But not this year. We wont even get to pinch an inch because were staying 6 feet apart. Brian gave up red meat for Lent, so therell be no corned beef for Queenie and Bandit. Ill still bake soda bread, as a surprise for Aunt Dorla, so I hope shes not reading this column. But this is our last chance to get it wrong. Were coming out of the other side of this disaster. Fingers crossed and masks still on. And even though we dont get to sing Danny Boy with the usual crowd, we do get time together with my Celtic sons, Zane and Aidan. Indeed, thanks to 23andMe, we know that 18% of Zanes blood is Gaelic, and 32% of Aidans, which brings me to our early St. Patricks Day miracle. On the feast of St. Casimir (March 4), Zane announced hed learned to fry chicken at school and offered to make dinner. After a quick trip to Safeway for panko crumbs, eggs and chicken thighs, Zane told me nicely to get out of the kitchen. An hour later, the family sat down to eat, and by the light of our little Irish village, we held hands, said grace and toasted the best boys in the world, one of whom has learned how to cook ... We dug in. Turns out the toast was only partially right. The school had indeed taught Zane how to cook the outside of fried chicken, but not the inside. Two cuts in I found raw meat. My son cooked dinner though, so I ate the entire thigh, on the theory that someone had to eat raw fish before they could call it sushi. Not so much Brian. He didnt think raw meat was in the parenting contract. Zane looked upset, so I told him the story of when I met Brians mother, and Brian told me to eat whatever was served because this was Maine, damn it, only to find that his mother had defrosted all but one of the Cornish game hens and I had lost that round of poultry roulette. You might just say that uncooked chicken is a family tradition, I offered. Heres what to cherish: Zane cooked dinner. And it was two thirds edible. Zane got it, that in these long lonely days of isolation, family is whats left when youre socially distant from everything else. What matters is our little village within a village. He turns 18 this August, just in time to be an adult in the brave new world. Hes made the best of the pandemic. While most families were navigating virtual education, Zane was making up for lost semesters and will graduate on time this June. He called Terry Asten-Bennett, his default mother (the Wendy on our Island of Lost Boys), to tell her about the fried chicken and the diploma. She asked him what comes next. Zane told her a gap year, and Terry said that a gap year was a good way of getting lost. No, she insisted, lets do community college. Zane hung up the phone and sat down at my computer. Within two hours, hed enrolled for the fall semester at City College of San Francisco. They dont know what theyve gotten themselves into. Hes the only son I know who went away to high school, then came back home to go to college. Ireland might be forever, but not our shamrock village. We take it down Thursday to make room for Easter town. And we do it together. Kevin Fisher-Paulsons column appears Wednesdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. A FOUR-year-old boy has died in hospital after sustaining injuries to his head in a house in Limerick last weekend. The boy had been initially rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick after the incident on Saturday. He was then transferred to Cork University Hospital, and he was later taken to Temple Street Childrens Hospital after his condition worsened. A garda statement released on Monday said that the boy sustained serious life threatening injuries at a house in Rathbane an area on the south of Limerick city. An informed source said the boy had suffered a significant head injury. Gardai are conducting enquiries and confirmed the boy was pronounced dead in hospital in Dublin earlier today. Gardai at Roxboro Road, Limerick, are investigating all the circumstances surrounding an incident where a male child (4 years) suffered fatal injuries at a house in Rathbane, Limerick on Saturday, March 13, 2021, a garda spokeswoman said this afternoon. The boy passed away at Children's Hospital Ireland at Temple Street earlier today, Tuesday March 16, 2021. Gardai added that a postmortem will be carried out at a later date which will determine the course of the investigation. The spokeswoman said investigating gardai maintain an open mind in this investigation. An Garda Siochana is not providing any further information at this time, she added. A storm system advancing across the South is expected to bring severe weather, including an elevated tornado risk, to South Carolina, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. Forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center said severe weather was expected to extend into the Palmetto State as soon as Thursday, bringing the potential for hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. The storm system originated over the eastern Ozarks and was expected to move east, gradually weakening as it crossed the Appalachian Mountains and reached Virginia and the Carolinas, forecasters said. 2:36am CDT #SPC Day3 Outlook Enhanced Risk: extending from georgia northward across the carolinas https://t.co/6oEffQUiK1 pic.twitter.com/a3oXHkmRDK NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) March 16, 2021 Showers and thunderstorms, along with severe weather risk, was expected to be "ongoing Thursday morning," for parts of the Mid-Atlantic and southern Atlantic states, forecasters said. "Storms are expected to spread across Georgia and into the Carolinas ahead of the advancing cold front," forecasters said. "Relatively widespread and locally substantial severe weather potential is indicated including risk for a few strong tornadoes." Forecasters with the weather service's Charleston area office said it's important for all residents to have a plan, particularly if one or more tornadoes impacts the region. "Thursday looks like one of the more significant events for this year so far," said Doug Berry, a forecaster with that office. "It's still looking like damaging winds being the primary concern but we can't rule out a few isolated tornadoes as that (system) pushes through." Do you know the @NWSSPC severe thunderstorm risk categories? Showers and thunderstorms will be possible over the next few days so make sure to stay weather aware by visiting https://t.co/LKpnoMlLBB & https://t.co/Umi8IzXkI4 #savwx #chswx #scwx #gawx pic.twitter.com/CMbWWemHmH NWS Charleston, SC (@NWSCharlestonSC) March 15, 2021 Berry said residents should remain alert and that even if the area doesn't see any tornadoes, high winds could still cause damage. In the meantime, he and others plan to keep a close eye on conditions as the system pushes closer to the Lowcountry, particularly on a warm front that, depending on how far north it moves by Thursday, could play a significant role in determining how severe the weather gets in the Charleston area. Severe thunderstorms and rip currents are possible, forecasters said, though Charleston isn't at particularly high risk. But 17 states and over 100 million Americans live in areas that could see flash floods, tornadoes and hail over the next week, so forecasters want to ensure that Lowcountry residents have prepared for the storm. (@ChaudhryMAli88) SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Mar, 2021) With over 500 events and activities for people of all age groups at the 18th annual edition of Sharjah Heritage Days (SHD 2021), the cultural capital of the region will once again bring together the UAE community and visitors to learn more about and closely experience the unique customs and traditions of 29 nations around the world. Perhaps the largest and longest celebration of local and global cultures in the UAE and the region, the three-week festival from March 20 April 10, is organised by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) and embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to enrich our future by opening a window to our past. Themed 'Cultural heritage gathers us', this edition of SHD is turning the spotlight on Republic of Montenegro as Guest of Honour. Steeped in history, the Heart of Sharjah district and the Khorfakkan Heritage Area, will be the two hubs of the celebration, where artists, chefs, intellectuals, artisans, and leading cultural entities from the UAE and 29 other countries will be engaging audiences with dances, traditional foods, arts and crafts, clothing, unique to their cultures. The full details of the festivals programme were unveiled at a press conference yesterday (Monday) evening, at the Cultural Heritage Activities Center in Al Mureija, Sharjah, in the presence of Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Chairman of the Higher Committee of Sharjah Heritage Days; Major General Saif Al-Zari Al-Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police; Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA); Mohamed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA); Saeed Ali Al Mannai, Director of Activities at the Emirates Heritage Club, and other officials and representatives of local and international media. Addressing participating media, Dr. Al Musallam said: "Since 2003, Sharjah Heritage Days has furthered the emirates cultural vision and the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, which emphasises on the need to foster community awareness and appreciation of local heritage as a means to enhance their capacities to protect it and carry it into our future." "This year, SHD is being held under special circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the festival we aim to reinforce Sharjah's message that preserving our heritage and sharing our identity with others safeguards humankind as a whole and brings people together, revealing our similarities to each other. This is something we need more than ever," he added. For his part, Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, noted: "The vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah has continually fostered the cultural environment of the emirate we so proudly uphold. Over the years, Sharjah Police spared no effort to ensure the success of every cultural event staged by the emirate. This time, the role of the public in stepping up to take precautionary measures for their own and others safety, as they enjoy the events and activities, will be paramount to the successful running of Sharjah Heritage Days." Speaking on behalf of SCTDA, longstanding partners of SIH and sponsors of SHD, Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, remarked: "The event plays a vital role in boosting Sharjahs tourism appeal and supporting the national economy. The complementarity of our roles at SCTDA and SIH in ensuring that we offer the very best experiences for families and tourists in Sharjah is reinforced with festivals like these. This collaboration is among the first significant steps being taken to revive the culture and tourism landscape, not just in Sharjah but for the UAE." Mohamed Hassan Khalaf opined: "We have been committed to offering strong media coverage to events in Sharjah that celebrate culture and local heritage. Furthering these efforts, we will take this unique cultural festival to every Emirati and Arab household, as we believe in the role of heritage in binding community and promoting understanding. SBA has a comprehensive plan to cover the Sharjah Heritage Days on all our tv channels and radio stations." On behalf of Activities at the Emirates Heritage Club, Saeed Ali Al Mannai, noted: "Heritage is that special link, which connects our past to our present and future. Inspired by the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE is making great strides in conserving our national heritage. This unique festival is the product of close collaboration among 22 local government entities dedicated to the preservation of our Emirati identity and passing it on to future generations so they can feel a strong sense of belongingness to their nation. " In his presentation, Al Musallam said that 29 countries including Montenegro, the guest of honour, would participate in the 18th edition of Sharjah Heritage Days. Other participating nations include Belarus, Macedonia, Bashkortostan, Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Maldives, Yemen, Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, Sudan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Algeria, Syria, Kenya, Tunisia, Netherlands, Mauritania, Iraq, and India. Vibrant folk performances from Belarus, Macedonia, Bashkortostan, Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, and Montenegro, will introduce visitors to new cultures while eight Emirati folkloric arts and dances - Ayyala, Nuban, Andima, Razif and Rawahh, Harbiya, Liwa, Habban, and Daan - will highlight the heritage and rich culture of the country. Traditional Arab heritage will be showcased through 22 activities, including seminars and workshops. The exciting cultural agenda will also feature 67 crafts inspired by the UAEs four diverse natural environments: the mountains, desert, coastal and agriculture. Of the 80 stores on site, traditional products such as fragrances and incenses, and Emirati costumes will be showcased. Cuisines represented here include flavourful Emirati dishes, and regional and international dishes. For a period of three weeks, SHD will undertake a project to scientifically document UAEs audio-visual heritage and provide a historical overview of the specialty and musical instrument artisanship of the diverse art forms, including its pioneers and early adopters. The three types of arts covered under the project include Festive, Performance, and Religious. Nine countries, including Yemen, Palestine, Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, India and Pakistan, will demonstrate the artistry of their diverse cultures and heritage through colourful performances. In the Child Village, visitors can partake in 214 activities comprising workshops, storytelling sessions, and Family and Child programmes throughout the three-week event. Children can also look forward to participating in a host of traditional games. The Cultural Cafe will host 20 lectures, and book signings with the launch of 15 new book titles by SIH. A special Heritage Bulletin will be distributed daily, as well as the special issue of Marawed magazine. The Heart of Sharjah will be the setting for a series of academic programmes that include 17 cultural lectures and seminars and 17 workshops and storytelling sessions. A new addition to the Sharjah Heritage Days this year is the Oasis of Reading that will be home to works from the Al Mawrooth library and several local publishers. The event will also bring 8 exhibitions which will be showcasing various heritage collections, including O'koos Salmeen, a photography exhibition by Salmeen Al Suwaidi; crafts from Sharjah Gallery organised in cooperation with the Archives Department of the Arabian Heritage Centre; pottery items; folk art instruments organised in partnership with the art committee of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage; a set of artefacts belonging to Judge Ali bin Ibrahim Al Juwaied; furniture inspired by Emirati heritage created by students of the College of Fine Arts & Design, Sharjah; and Arabic manuscripts from Macedonia. Residents and visitors in the eastern city of Khorfakkan can participate in a series of cultural programmes, lectures, art performances, workshops, handcraft displays, and competitions throughout the three-week event. The Higher Committee has announced that 20 precautionary measures are in place to safeguard the health and safety of visitors and participants. Amongst these are two entry and exit gates equipped with thermal detectors, social distancing signs and posters, availability of masks and sanitisers, and daily sterilisation of the various venues. The World Heritage village will undergo 30-minute sterilisation after each activity. Visitor entry is limited to 3,000 on weekdays and 6,000 during the weekend. The 18th edition of Sharjah Heritage Days is organised in strategic partnership with the Districts and Villages Affairs Department and Emirates Heritage Club. Twenty-two participating government entities and institutions will organize more than 150 activities during the event. Sponsored by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority and Etisalat, the main sponsors are Next Media, Giftco International, Sharjah Cooperative Society, and Sharjah Airport travel Agency (SATA). Participating and supporting bodies include The University City, Al Montazah Parks, Bee'ah, Sharjah Municipality, and Sharjah Islamic Bank. Sharjah Broadcasting Authority is the media partner while Sharjah Government Media Bureau and the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre are media sponsors. Cellmid Ltd ( ) has maintained leadership in developing and enhancing novel products to tackle conditions commonly associated with ageing through ongoing research and continues to grow its portfolio, launching skincare products and supplements. Although COVID-19 halted retail momentum and supply chains during the second half of FY2020 and in FY2021 the company secured Chinese distribution for all branded products in December 2020 while increasing investment into ecommerce through online businesses in Australia and the USA. Growth strategy Cellmids growth strategy for FY2021 to FY2023 includes three stages grow revenue, achieve profitability and focus on brand. Cellmid plans to target each stage with the following steps: Grow recurring revenue through Chinese distribution agreements, ecommerce, new products and partnerships; Optimise deployment of capital by focusing on strong cashflow generating opportunities, reducing costs and enhancing economies of scale; and Focusing on product innovation leveraging expertise in hair and systems biology while perpetuating thought leadership in hair science and generating new intellectual property. Agreements contribute to overall revenue In December 2020 Cellmid signed an exclusive master distribution agreement with Ourui health Management Ltd for the distribution of its Japanese Ju-Ju and Lexilis branded, anti-ageing hair and skincare products. In January, Cellmid received the first order for 66,000 bottles of Jo-Ju shampoo the first part of the 500,000-unit order requirement for the first 12 months of the 10-year contract. This agreement, along with the re-negotiated agreement in the first half of 2021 for distribution of evolis will both contribute to around 40% of the companys revenue by FY 2023. Investing in opportunities with potential To achieve profitability, Cellmid aims to optimise capital deployment through investing in opportunities with strong cash-generating potential and implementing operational efficiencies through automated inventory, accounting, and customer management systems. Additional strategic ingredients will be sourced to improve the cost of goods and transition to sustainable packaging such as biodegradable or recyclable materials. The company will remain focused on taking advantage of economies through exploring opportunities for large scale sourcing of ingredients and packaging as well as utilising multiple supply channels for continuity. Upcoming milestones Cellmid will continues its market penetration and sales in China through cross border ecommerce, social commerce and import permits as well as through sales growth in the USA and Australia which will be made through existing channels (Amazon, Priceline, Dermstore and Tru Beauty). The company is targeting Japanese sales growth from increased export of heritage brands from Japan to other major markets and is set to launch Koreas sales pipeline by distributing evolis through third-party distributors in FY2022. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas state legislature to author election integrity bills. Last election laws made were made that enabled Democrat electoral fraud. Greg Abbott Supports Election Integrity Bill Fears of another 2020 election scenario have prompted Republican states to prevent it. One way is to sponsor bills that make it hard to change election rules. The governor drew the line of cheating last Monday. He asked lawmakers for election integrity measures to prevent irregularities. He wants to stop attempts by officials to violate election rules, reported the Epoch Times. Governor Abbott laid down the foundations to prevent electoral fraud against election integrity. This move will keep Texas from possible voter fraud. During the last elections, many voting processes were compromised in Democrat states like Michigan and Georgia where electronic voting and absentee voting was very irregular. Abbott said that fraud was done several ways by those connected to Democrats. These are mail-in ballots, drive-thru voting done without authorization. He wants to put an end to these electoral shenanigans. In February, he said that an election integrity bill by lawmakers is needed. Abbott made this clear in his State of the State address. He stresses that no voter fraud is allowed in Texas. Only legal voters can cast a ballot and be counted, said the governor. The fraud was rampant in the 2020 elections in the Lone Star State, creating chaos. This is why the need for laws that prevent election fraud is crucial. Election integrity damaged by the 2020 election results November 2020 alleged that irregularities by the Democrat party ran rampant in many states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the voter fraud was caught and noticed by GOP poll watchers and volunteers. They were bullied and canceled by election officials connected to the DEMs. Ex-President Trump tried to question it in court but lost badly. GOP House Members Sponsor Bill to Lessen Biden's Reach Trump was defeated in swing states with last-minute altered election rules. Many of the rules never went through GOP state lawmakers. Democrat prepared earlier to enable these irregularities; H.R. 1 will allow this if passed by the Democrats in the Senate via a partisan vote. In Harris County, officials close to the DEMs made illegal changes. Using the pandemic, officials set up drive-thru voting stations that allowed anyone to vote. This opened up a chance for non-qualified voters to cast votes. Republicans questioned the drive-thru polling sites in the state and federal courts on November 3. It was denied in state and federal court; even the Circuit Court also denied an appeal. Harris County officials sent unsolicited mail-in ballot applications to two million unidentified voters. The Texas Scotus ruled in the governor's favor and blocked more votes for Biden. He accused the guilty officials of trying to commit voter fraud, not stopping it. Abbott, with Sen. Paul Bettencourt and Rep. Briscoe Cain, made a bill to combat fraud. Their goal is election integrity which DEMS call voter restrictions. Cain said illegal voters are voter suppressors and should not vote; only legitimate voters can. Democrats call it the opposite, saying any voter can vote, even non-authorized ones. But Harris County officials say the 2020 elections had no cheating. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is adamant about election integrity bills that prevent fraud. Also From HNGN South Dakota Republicans Sponsor Bill to Null the Executive Orders of Biden Governor Abbot Deploys 500 Texas Guard to US Border Top ICE Officials Say Flooding Migrants Might be Exploited by Criminals @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. KALAMAZOO, MI -- A new program at Western Michigan University will pair criminal justice students with state police to help solve cold case murders. The students at WMU will have unprecedented access to case files from unsolved murders in Southwest Michigan, according to a news release from WMU. Related: Kalamazoo County unsolved homicides of the past decade: 2010-2019 Michigan State Police Detective First Lt. Chuck Christensen estimates there are more than 20 unsolved homicide cases in the region that are more than a decade old. The students at Western will help organize and catalog cases for detectives, looking for potential new leads or evidence that could be revisited with modern technology, the release said. Its one thing to sit in the classroom and hear about (a case), said Carl Huber, a doctoral student working on the program. Its another thing to get your hands dirty and review it from inception all the way to what detectives were doing 20 years later that the primary detectives didnt do, identifying some of the holes they didnt catch. The first cohort of students will join the new program in fall 2021. Select individuals assigned to the program will undergo background checks and sign non-disclosure agreements to protect information, the release said. Students will spend time in the classroom and lab, learning new forensic techniques and technology, the release said. They will then be assigned a case to investigate and will work alongside MSP detectives, state crime labs, genetic testing facilities and other entities. Related: Kalamazoos homicide victims of 2020 remembered Its going to be a phenomenal opportunity for students to utilize their education while in college, gain some extremely valuable skills and experience for the job market, help them to investigate and discover a career that best suits their talents and give back to their community by assisting police in their investigation efforts, said Ashlyn Kuersten, professor of sociology and the director of the Cold Case Program at WMU. Also on MLive: Argument over stimulus check led to Indianapolis murders of 7-year-old child, 3 others, family says Woman accused of stealing $54K from Saginaw County oil company Michigan National Guard returns from U.S. Capitol after months-long deployment [March 16, 2021] Kinaxis Expands Partner Roster to Accelerate Customer Supply Chain Transformation Welcomes 10 System Integrators and Referral Partners worldwide to Kinaxis PartnerLink, the company's global partner program Program designed to enable ecosystem to deliver customer benefit through expanded services, experienced consultants and faster value realization OTTAWA, ON, March 15, 2021 /CNW/ - Kinaxis Inc. (TSX: KXS), the authority in driving agility for fast, confident decision-making in an unpredictable world, today announced it has added 10 System Integrators and Referral Partners to Kinaxis PartnerLink. Together, Kinaxis and its partners help customers realize time-to-value sooner in highly competitive markets. Officially launched in Q1 2021, PartnerLink is a scalable, dynamic and agile program that combines the resources, training and business alignment needed to support and empower a global partner ecosystem. PartnerLink enables global partners to extend and augment services, sales, marketing and product capabilities, giving customers and prospects new ways to engage with Kinaxis and its partner ecosystem, leverage a broader range of strategic, transformative and implementation services and gain more value from Kinaxis RapidResponse. "Our partners play a significant role in helping Kinaxis achieve our primary objective: to create unparalleled supply chain agility and resiliency for our customers," said Conrad Mandala, Vice President Global Partner Organization, Kinaxis. "We introduced PartnerLink to accelerate our customers' time-to-value, and we couldn't be happier with the response that we've received so far. Together, we bring the full strength of our technology, expertise and global reach to bear as we help the world's top brands navigate volatility and uncertainty." Recently, Kinaxis has welcomed five new System Integrators ranging from large, global firms to regionally focused consultancies. Each leverage deep supply chain expertise to help customers mature and digitally transform their supply chains and provide the reach to serve global organizations, as well as better support customers' and prospects' distributed teams at a local level. Those partners include: Aeonvis, an Italian organizational and technological consulting company with proven supply chain planing experience, specializing in design, planning, implementation and management of global programs that integrate processes, human capital and technologies. De Philmain, a European-based consulting company combined with a global network of professional and experienced supply chain management consultants, helping organizations achieve supply chain transformation. HCL Technologies, a global technology company that helps enterprises reimagine their businesses for the digital age through its worldwide network of R&D facilities and co-innovation labs, global delivery capabilities, and 'Ideapreneurs' across 50 countries. Nomura Research Institute, a global provider of system solutions and consulting services, including management consulting, system integration and IT management and solutions for the financial, manufacturing, retail and service industries. REPL Group, part of Accenture, a technology consultancy specializing in solutions for supply chain, workforce management, store operations and retail customer experiences to deliver visionary professional services and unique solutions that transform business operations and customer-centric supply chains. Learn more about Kinaxis System Integrators. Kinaxis Expands Referral Partner Roster As supply chain consultancies and solution providers, Kinaxis Referral Partners are equipped to recognize the fit between customers' business needs and RapidResponse capabilities. Five new partners join PartnerLink in this category, including: Grange Partnership, a supply chain learning and development consultancy, providing bespoke solutions to help clients grow their people and deliver great performance. Iter Consulting, a supply chain consultancy working with manufacturing organizations to maximize the value and competitive advantage derived from their supply and value chains. Kaptura, a supply chain company based in Auckland, New Zealand , focused on powering intelligent supply chains through digital platforms and Industry 4.0 technologies. , focused on powering intelligent supply chains through digital platforms and Industry 4.0 technologies. Plantensive, a Vaco Company, a supply chain planning solutions provider offering advisory and implementation services to many of the world's leading companies across the CPG, distribution, manufacturing and retail industries. Waku Consulting, a Japan -based consulting group with experts holding an average of over 40 years industry experience. By leveraging its experts' strengths in business processes and IT systems, they help clients achieve success in business transformation. Learn more about Kinaxis Referral Partners. For more details about Kinaxis PartnerLink, please visit Kinaxis.com/partners. About Kinaxis Inc. Everyday volatility and uncertainty demand quick action. Kinaxis delivers the agility to make fast, confident decisions across integrated business planning and the digital supply chain. People can plan better, live better and change the world. Trusted by innovative brands, we combine human intelligence with AI and concurrent planning to help companies plan for any future, monitor risks and opportunities and respond at the pace of change. Powered by an extensible, cloud-based platform, Kinaxis delivers industry-proven applications so everyone can know sooner, act faster and remove waste. For more Kinaxis news, visit Kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements as to Kinaxis' growth opportunities and the potential benefits of, and demand for, Kinaxis' products and services. These statements are subject to certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including our view of the relative position of Kinaxis' products and services compared to competitive offerings in the industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Kinaxis' actual results, performance, achievements and developments may differ materially from the results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such statements. Risk factors that may cause the actual results, performance, achievements or developments of Kinaxis to differ materially from the results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such statements can be found in the public documents filed by Kinaxis with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Kinaxis assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. SOURCE Kinaxis Inc. [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. The biblical definition of a miracle is an extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known understanding that is considered Gods work. When Christians think about miracles, they talk about a supernatural occurrence that defies natures laws. The Bible mentions 35 miracles that Jess performed. These include stories about Jesus healing the sick, casting out demons, bring people from the dead back to life, among other events. Then, there are miraculous occurrences where we see Jesus power over things, like when He turned water into wine, he fed thousands with a small amount of food and walked on water. Miracles didnt just occur in biblical times. They are still occurring now. If youre a believer wondering how to pray for a miracle, here are five good places to start. Begin by asking for healing. When we want the miraculous to occur in our lives, we must pray for healing to happen. There are tons of examples of Jesus healing in Scripture, so we know that that same power can transfer in our own lives. We just must call on Jesus to place healing in our lives. If you want to start asking God for healing, here is a great place to start: Dear Lord, I call on You for healing today. Heal me in whatever way You see that I need healing. I call on You to heal me from whatever is separating me from You. I ask that You heal my memory, my emotions, and my heart. I also desire that You heal my body and my soul. Wrap Your mighty arms around me and heal me through Your mighty love, Lord. Amen. Ask for miracle power. Miracle power is real. It testifies that Gods touch is close to us and that He is always working to transform our lives. We must be conscious that God is doing the miraculous in the world each day. Miracle power occurs when you have faith and trust in Gods incredible power. You just have to call on God and receive it. This prayer can guide you.: Dear God, I call on Your miracle power today. Please allow this miracle power to penetrate and transform my life from the inside out. I know that Your miracles have the power to transform not only my life but the lives of those around me. For that, I am forever thankful, Father. Amen. Have faith. To understand the miraculous, we have to also understand that we are miraculous beings. There is no way we would e on this earth if we werent miraculous beings who were part of Gods greater plan. We have to believe in the power, that all things are possible. Have faith that miracles do exist, and Jesus is a living example of this. Pray daily for the faith to always believe: Dear Lord, please grant me the ability to see Your power working in my life daily. Help me to see all the supernatural miracles. Youre working in my life, even when I cant see them taking place. I know that miracles are an example of Your excellence being glorified. Thank You for blessing me with this miracle of life. Amen. Know that there are things only God can do. As believers, we should make it a habit to pray for the big things that only God can do in our lives. One of the ways we can do this is by seeing the bigger vision for our lives. For example, you can pray for more than just getting through your workday. You can pray to see the bigger vision of your vocation and the ability to fulfill the call. God may answer this prayer by shifting you to a new career. Sometimes, were not ready to receive this change, but this can be transformative. Call on God to make the powerful happen in the bright situations He sets before You. Here is a good prayer to begin with: Dear Lord, I am calling on You to do what only You can do. I am asking You for a miracle in my life. I know You are the true source of it. When I am confused, guide me through my situation. When I am lost, please send me a sign. Touch me in a way I havent been before. If You are willing, please help me receive my miracle today! Amen. Know that God is greater than any spiritual battle you face. God is bigger than any spiritual battle we face. We can never lose a battle when we have Gods strength running through us. Too often, we rely on our own strength, which is limited. We have to have God working with us to unleash our miracle. If you want God to conquer the enemy, here is a great prayer to begin with: Dear Lord, I come to You today asking You to conquer any spiritual attacks and demonic influences that are taking place in my life and the lives of those around me. I believe You have the miraculous strength and power to overcome satan and his temporary forces. Today, I claim victory over the enemy in Your holy name. Amen. If you are ready for miracles to begin taking place in your life, call on God, and stay persistent about whatever situation you face. You can see and do the miraculous when you believe God is working in your life. The more you trust in Gods power, the more you will see the miracles working through your life. ADVERTISEMENT The Rivers State Government has begun the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination in the state to curb the spread of the viral infection. Inaugurating the exercise on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Governor Nyesom Wike described it as historic in the fight against COVID-19. Mr Wike said the outbreak of the pandemic has greatly affected the livelihood and health of citizens. We are, therefore, thankful to God to have another layer of medical intervention in the form of a vaccine to help reduce infection, promote immunity and restore social confidence, he said. The governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, said the state governments effort in containing the disease was strategic after the state recorded its first case on March 25, 2020. Mr Wike said, in both waves of the pandemic, the state government synergised with the private sector and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to achieve an acceptable level of public health. The vaccine used in this campaign has received authorisation by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and are, therefore, effective and safe for administration. They will help reduce disease transmission, disease severity, and death from COVID-19. I, therefore, encourage you to follow the guidelines for the vaccine roll-out and avail yourselves of the opportunity to be protected from this deadly virus and to protect others, he said. The governor explained that the first phase of the vaccination was mainly for frontline healthcare workers and strategic leaders, saying more citizens would get vaccinated in the following weeks. The states Commissioner for Health, Princewill Chike, commended Mr Wike for his dogged response and strategic leadership in fighting COVID-19 in the state. With a particular test of COVID-19 costing N50,000 for now, Rivers State has collected over 135,000 samples, and the cost was borne by the state government, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that government functionaries, including the deputy governor, the attorney-general, State chairperson of Peoples Democratic Party were vaccinated. Also vaccinated were the states Commissioner for Health, Chief of Staff to the governor and the Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, among others. (NAN) An external pallet packed with old nickel-hydrogen batteries is pictured shortly after mission controllers in Houston commanded the Canadarm2 robotic arm to release it into space. The International Space Station was orbiting 265 miles above the north coast of Chile in South America at the time this photograph was taken. The external pallet will orbit Earth between two to four years before burning up harmlessly in the atmosphere. The batteries were removed during previous spacewalks and replaced with newer lithium-ion batteries to continue powering the station's systems. iss064e041189 (March 11, 2021) - larger image Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Foundation We Want Bonaire Back has no other alternative to advise the Bonaire peoples don't go vote not to fall into the trap of Dutch parliament elections. Don't vote, because they don't respect our referendum and our democracy, neither our rights, or either international law that themselves has signed in United Nations. They will use your vote to say yourself has voluntarily participated and legalized this illegal constitutional status, and yourself will be against your own NO vote in the referendum 2015 that is one of the principal reasons for the United Nations to put us back on their protective list of Non-Self-Governing-Territories. The same Knops and other Dutch politicians and government, assisted and helped by their local collaborators that don't respect our way of life, our culture, our norms and values, our traditions, want to destroy our identity, are violating our rights, now have the courage to ask us to vote for them. New Delhi has remained the world's most polluted capital for a third straight year in 2020, according to a study done by IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on the concentration of lung-damaging airborne particles known as PM2.5. Reuters India was home to 35 of the worlds 50 most polluted cities, according to IQAirs 2020 World Air Quality Report, which gathered data for 106 countries. The findings were based on the countrys annual average of particulate matter PM2.5, airborne particles with less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 can lead to deadly diseases, including cancer and cardiac problems. Also Read: Common Plant Traps Car Pollution 20% More Effectively Than Others, Claims Study Reuters Data available in 2020 World Air Quality Report said, Every city in India observed air quality improvements compared to 2018 and earlier, while 63 percent saw direct improvements against 2019. However, India continues to feature prominently at the top of the most polluted cities ranking with 22 of the top 30 most polluted cities globally. Also Read: PM 2.5 Air Pollution Killed 54,000 People In Delhi Last Year, Says Study The report is based on PM2.5 data collected by both government non-governmental air quality monitors from 106 countries. Twitter According to the report while South Asia is one of the most polluted regions in the world, 32 percent of Indian cities average US AQI measurements of unhealthy or worse through the year. The report said that in Bangladesh 80 percent of cities and Pakistan 67 percent of cities saw average air quality that was unhealthy or worse during the same time period. The report said that in comparison with 2019, Covid-19 lockdowns and change in peoples lifestyles improved air quality in 84 percent of countries (weighted by city population) and 65 percent of global cities. Last year, Delhis 20 million residents, who breathed some of the cleanest air on record in summer months due to the lockdown curbs, battled toxic air in winter, following a sharp increase in farm fire incidents in the neighbouring state of Punjab. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A revised plan to expand early childhood education by tapping more heavily into New Mexicos largest permanent fund is headed to the Senate floor the potential tipping point after a 10-year push by supporters. One senator called it a historic day after a decade of intense debate over similar legislation. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The proposal, however, was overhauled Tuesday in the Senate Finance Committee. The new version would ask voters to boost distributions out of the Land Grant Permanent Fund by an extra 1.25 percentage points rather than 1 point and some of the money would be dedicated to K-12 education, not just early childhood programs, as originally envisioned. The heftier proposal passed the committee on a 7-4 party-line vote with Democrats in favor and now heads to the full Senate. Sen. Jacob Candelaria, an Albuquerque Democrat who sponsored Tuesdays revisions, said the proposal would generate an extra $127 million a year for early childhood education and $84 million to expand services for at-risk students, compensate teachers and extend the school year. The broader spending, he said, is necessary to ensure that the academic gains children make in prekindergarten among other early childhood programs are sustained into elementary, middle and high school. We cannot leave any child at any point of their development out of this conversation, Candelaria said. Republican senators opposed the proposal, describing the extra distribution as an inappropriate way to pay for expanded services. The annual withdrawal from the permanent fund would climb from 5% to 6.25% under the measure. We do care about children, said Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington. This is just the wrong path to go down. Tuesdays vote marked a milestone in the debate over boosting withdrawals from the permanent fund and could provide a path to approval in the Senate. If the Senate approves the revised bill, it will have to return to the House for a final vote. But Democratic Reps. Antonio Moe Maestas and Javier Martinez both of Albuquerque and co-sponsors of the legislation said they support Tuesdays version of the proposal. It not only helps early education, Maestas said, but its a sea change in New Mexico politics. For five straight years, the state House has passed a proposal for an extra 1 percentage point distribution that would be dedicated to expanding prekindergarten, home visiting programs for new parents and other early childhood services. But it has never reached the Senate floor after House passage. The proposal, House Joint Resolution 1, faced possible defeat again this year after two Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee Candelaria and Chairman George Munoz of Gallup said last week that they wouldnt support the House version. They supported the revised version taken up Tuesday. Candelaria said the broader K-12 education system needs extra revenue, in part, to extend the school year to help offset the learning loss students experienced after about a year of remote classes during the pandemic. The state also faces a court ruling that found New Mexico is violating the rights of at-risk students by failing to provide a sufficient education. Candelarias amendments would dedicate 60% of the extra distribution to early childhood education and 40% to enhanced instruction for at-risk students, lengthening the school year and compensating teachers. Munoz said his committee would watch to ensure the money is spent effectively if the amendment is passed by lawmakers and voters. We will be watching how you spend these dollars, he said. Turnabout is fair play. He also made reference to the proposal having died repeatedly in previous years. This is a historic day, Munoz said. He is the new chairman of the Senate Finance Committee after voters shook up the composition of the Senate in last years elections. Eleven of the 42 senators are new to the chamber this year. Republicans and Democrats alike have supported substantial increases in early childhood education funding over the past 10 years. Research shows that participation in prekindergarten produces long-lasting academic gains for New Mexico children who participate, according to legislative analysts. The effect can be compounded with extra services during elementary school, they say. But theres been intense debate at the Roundhouse over whether to withdraw more money from the permanent fund as part of a strategy to pay for expanded early childhood services. Any increase in the distribution percentage would slow the growth of the $22 billion fund, similar to an endowment, according to legislative analysts. Under one projection, for example, the annual distributions from the fund would actually be lower 21 years from now under, say, 6% withdrawals than 5%. The analysis hasnt yet been updated to reflect the proposal for 6.25% distributions. Opponents say it isnt worth it that the fund is already a critical source of education funding and should be allowed to grow at its own pace and produce new revenue that way. Supporters say the permanent fund has grown so fast in recent years that its reasonable to put more of the money to work now. A proposal to increase withdrawals to 5.8% but without specifying how to spend the revenue passed the Senate in 2016 but died in the House, when Republicans held a majority in that chamber. Democrats have sharply expanded their majorities in both chambers since the 2016 election. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. Four men have been executed in Iran for gang-raping a woman in front of her husband who was tied up and made to watch. The horrific attack took place while the couple were climbing a mountain in the Khorasan Razavi province and the men were hanged on Monday after an extensive police investigation. Ruhollah Javidi Rad, Mohammad Sayadi Baghansgani, Mohammad Hosseini and Mohammad Watandoost were identified by Fariman police and were charged with the kidnapping and rape of a woman and with threats of violence towards a man. Four men have been executed in Iran for gang-raping a woman in front of her husband after he was tied up and made to watch. Pictured: people protest against Iran's capital punishment in Belgium The defendants had tied the man's hands and feet together before attacking his wife in front of him. The Criminal Court of Khorasan Razavi sent the case to the Supreme Court where the four men were sentenced to death by hanging in Mashhad Central Prison. Iranian laws are normally structured to work against rape victims who often face counter charges of adultery, indecency or immoral behavior after reporting a sexual assault. Accused rapists are usually only convicted with the testimony of four male witnesses, or a greater number of a combination of male and female witnesses. If there are insufficient witnesses, convictions can only be achieved through confession or 'judge's knowledge'. The threat of being charged for reporting sexual assault often deters many women from reporting crimes against them. The threat of being charged for reporting sexual assault often deters many women from reporting crimes against them (file image) Some women in Iran have come forward to reveal their experiences of sexual assault and violence on social media despite Twitter and Facebook being banned. Legal analyst at Iran International TV, Nargess Tavassolian said: 'It is hard to say whether these types of crimes have increased in Iran but because of the widespread use of social media, these crimes are being more exposed.' Iran is one of six countries in the world to execute people found guilty of rape, and the Iranian regime executes more people per capita than any other country. More than 250 executions were carried out in the country in 2019. Nargess Tavassolian added: 'The Judiciary pays no attention to the rule of law and not only does it not observe international law, but also sometimes ignores Iranian laws.' Modern web browsers are embedded with a private browsing mode, such as Incognito mode in Chrome, that allows users to surf the internet without recording the browsing activity on their local device. And it promises that when those private windows are closed, no trace will be left on your smartphone or computer. However, Google allegedly snooped on its Chrome users browsing the web in incognito mode. And there's a massive lawsuit aimed at making Google pay! Reuters Now, in June last year, Google was slapped with a class action lawsuit alleging that the company collects users' data on internet activity even when they are browsing the web using its private incognito mode. The $5 billion lawsuit claims that the search giant violates privacy and wiretapping laws by continuing to "intercept, track, and collect communications... no matter what safeguards consumers may use. The Alphabet-owned company had then said that it will defend itself vigorously against the claims--but it failed to kill the lawsuit. Anti-Google lawsuit moves ahead On Friday, US District Judge Lucy Koh wrote in her ruling that the company did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode. Meanwhile, Google argues it explicitly mentions that websites may still be able to collect information even when users are surfing via private browsing mode. Incognito mode in Chrome gives you the choice to browse the internet without your activity being saved to your browser or device. As we clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session, the company said. Indiatimes However, the plaintiffs have charged Google with giving users a false sense of belief that they can fend off the search giant from tracking their web browsing history and collecting their data online. The lawsuit claims that Google intercepts users data via Google Analytics, Google Ad Manager and other applications and website plug-ins on mobile devices and websites. Google knows who your friends are, what your hobbies are, what you like to eat, what movies you watch, where and when you like to shop, what your favorite vacation destinations are, what your favorite color is, and even the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things you browse on the internet--regardless of whether you follow Googles advice to keep your activities private, according to the complaint. Earlier in May 2020, Google was sued by the Arizona Attorney General for allegedly tracking Android users location without their consent and even when the location tracking features had been manually disabled, according to a Washington Post report. MONTREAL - Two Quebec nurses accused of mocking an Indigenous patient at a public clinic northeast of Montreal have been fired, the regional health authority said Tuesday. People take part in a protest called 'Justice for Joyce' in Montreal, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, where they demanded Justice for Joyce Echaquan and an end to systemic racism. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Two Quebec nurses accused of mocking an Indigenous patient at a public clinic northeast of Montreal have been fired, the regional health authority said Tuesday. The nurses allegedly referred to an Indigenous patient as "Joyce" in reference to Joyce Echaquan an Atikamekw woman who filmed herself being mocked by health-care workers as she lay dying in a Joliette, Que., hospital in September. That video was shared around the world. The nurses allegedly made the comments last week in the same city, located about 60 kilometres northeast of Montreal. The health authority had initially suspended the two employees, and late Tuesday it said they had been fired. "The comments made by the two dismissed employees represented a breach of the code of ethics of the nursing profession and the code of ethics and the values of the (health authority)," said Caroline Barbir, the interim head of the health authority in Quebec's Lanaudiere region. Barbir added in the news release that "discriminatory, racist and intimidating behaviour is unacceptable" and needs to be denounced. Earlier Tuesday, a national Indigenous women's organization called for a full investigation into the conduct of the two nurses. The Native Womens Association of Canada said it was outraged by the incident. "We know this sort of thing goes on," NWAC president Lorraine Whitman said in a release. "Still, it is shocking that health-care professionals would behave in such a blatantly and openly racist manner so soon after the condemnations that followed the release of Joyce Echaquans video." "We need a full-scale investigation." Paul-Emile Ottawa, chief of the Manawan Atikamekw Council, described the incident as "unacceptable" and called on the province to adopt a document called "Joyce's Principle," which is a series of policies aimed at ensuring equitable access to health services for Indigenous people. The document was developed by the council and by the Council of the Atikamekw Nation. Those recommendations were rejected by the provincial government in November because Joyce's Principle makes reference to "systemic racism." Benoit Charette, appointed as Quebec's minister responsible for the fight against racism in February, has denied the existence of systemic racism in Quebec. Ottawa said without that recognition, Indigenous people will continue to face discrimination in the province's health-care system. "We can see again that piecemeal solutions will not change the situation, a systemic problem requires a systemic approach," he said Monday in a news release. The Native Womens Association said Indigenous people frequently have negative experiences in health-care settings. Indigenous patients regularly experience abusive treatment, negative stereotyping, substandard care, and an overall sense of feeling unwelcome within health-care settings," Whitman said. "As a result, we are reluctant to seek treatment, even when we know it is necessary. "In practice, this means Indigenous people have significantly worse health outcomes than non-Indigenous people." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Activist, academics divided on whether the social justice movement is biblical Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment How biblical is today's social justice movement? Amid a group of professors, the head of an emerging coalition of progressive, urban Christians spoke plainly. Social justice is biblical justice as applied to the social context, said Justin Giboney, AND Campaign co-founder and president, during a forum last Friday discussing whether today's social justice movement squares with biblical justice. "The Christian social justice mission is not a complete embrace of a secular progressive agenda." The forum, titled Social Justice: Biblical and Secular, was hosted by Baylor Universitys Washington, D.C. program and the Christian nonprofit Faith & Law. The latter hosts reading groups, film screenings and congressional breakfasts on Capitol Hill, bringing a wide variety of distinguished speakers before members of Congress and congressional staffers to address contemporary political and cultural issues. Fridays webinar is the virtual, COVID-inspired version of the organizations weekly discussion for U.S. House and Senate staffers. R.J. Snell, director of academic programs at the Witherspoon Institute in Princeton, New Jersey, expressed concern that social justice activists think only on the social group and societal levels, which are frequently following what God thinks is neither just nor reasonable. The emerging language of the movement seems decomposed from Marxism though advocates seem really to want the bourgeoisie vision for themselves, said Snell. How do you argue for social justice without natural law or biblical morality? Snell, who has a doctorate in philosophy from Marquette University and a research agenda focusing on Roman Catholic intellectual and ethical traditions, asked. He asserted that Marxism and some of its contemporary cousins pursue the negation of normativity itself" as expressed in Scripture. Matthew Anderson, associate director of Baylor in Washington and holder of a doctorate in Christian ethics from the Oxford University in the United Kingdom, harkened back to Micah 6:8. He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? the verse reads. Anderson reminded the 300 viewers of the webinar that just before that passage, God talks of how Israel queries Him whether it should sacrifice its firstborn to atone for its offenses. Within both the Old Testament and New Testament, the Lord is one to set free, he explained. You are not able to make restitution for your own sins; restitution has to come from outside. This means society and Christians can only hope for a limited form of justice on Earth, not the comprehensive sort for which today's social justice activists lobby. Giboney agreed that fully eliminating racism and injustice in this life is not possible and efforts to make everyone use politically correct terms undermine what truly counts. Sometimes whats happening today is were being too idealistic, he said. More important is not to have correct language, but to actually correct injustice. Anderson indicated a difference between justice and charity (used in some Bible versions to mean love). For example, the principle of objectivity in courtrooms certainly aligns with justice but not necessarily love, though instructions in the Law of Moses do give a basis for Christians to advocate for fair treatment of all. The Christian Post asked the panel whether the social justice movement not only is biblical but realistic in trying to tear down American systems failing to produce absolute equality of results. Moderator David Corey, professor of political science at Baylor, said flatly, No. He elaborated that complaints about systemic racism often are really contending that institutions are saturated with discrimination. Our system isnt saturated with racism, Corey said. He added that hes disheartened that many people he asks cannot imagine a future in which America is not as beset by racial problems as it is now. RIVERSIDE, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Martindale-Hubbell recognizes Douglas Borthwick and Law Offices of Douglas Borthwick as AV rated attorneys , the highest such rating available to any individual lawyer. This rating service is the pre-eminent rating system for attorneys, providing an objective indicator of a lawyer's ethical standards and professional ability. Law firms are given the rating of the highest rated individual attorney. Award Photo Douglas Borthwick's AV PREEMINENT RATING by Martindale-Hubbell is the highest possible attorney peer review rating in both legal ability and ethical standards . Attorney Douglas Borthwick has further achieved a "SUPERB" Rating from Avvo, the highest evaluation given by the nationally acclaimed attorney rating agency. Douglas Borthwick has earned the trust and respect of his clients and colleagues for his integrity, preparation, determination, and attention to detail. Douglas Borthwick's experience includes, but is not exclusive of, the following areas: personal injury law, family law, criminal law, and general civil litigation practice. Mr. Borthwick's profile was featured in the California Business Journal in 2018: https://calbizjournal.com/attorney-douglas-borthwick/ Also visit: https://www.acq-intl.com/issues/2018-Leading-Adviser-Supplement/32/ Law Offices of Douglas Borthwick can be found at: www.borthwicklawyer.com "Life is the most precious thing we have and it's probably the thing most people take for granted. We're busy. We don't even take time to consciously think of our lives because we are too busy living them. Appreciate your life. We all only get one. Invest in what makes you happy. There is so much to be thankful for. We all have rotten things happen to us and we all have unfortunate things. But there is good in everything that happens if you look for it. Give thanks every day. Live consciously with awareness and gratitude, appreciate the moments as they occur before they forever pass so quickly."- Attorney Douglas Borthwick, Esq. Media Contact: John Walter 714-564-9400 SOURCE Law Offices of Douglas Borthwick The company has spent the last two decades establishing itself as a leading network provider in the region with an infrastructure spanning over 73,000 KM and the rebrand to Liquid Intelligent Technologies aims to highlight the organisation's expansion of its cloud business, cyber security services and other technologies added to its existing telecoms and connectivity capability.Our ongoing investment in our networks and data centres across Africa have uniquely positioned us to utilise our infrastructure to accelerate the availability of new intelligent technologies including the high computing power of the cloud , artificial intelligence and cyber security to our customers, explained Liquid Intelligent Technologies group chief executive officer Nic Rudnick. We are now excited to be executing our vision of bringing new technological opportunities to the market with a highly differentiated product set supported by our existing infrastructure and digital innovation.The move will see the company expand into new territories including Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and as Liquid Intelligent Technologies the company says that it will be bringing its high-performance network connectivity closer to more people and accelerating the development of the digital workplace. It will expand its managed services offerings to drive and says that it will ensure successful adoption of tools to re-imagine customers' businesses and how they work and connect. MT. JULIET AS A MODEL PRIVACY CONCERNS (TNS) The Lebanon City Council is currently weighing the pros and cons of installing a new license plate recognition system around entrances to the city. During a work session Thursday, Police Chief Mike Justice addressed the Council regarding the software and what it might mean for the city."I feel like it's another tool we can utilize to keep our community safer," Justice said. "We see a lot of vehicles being stolen out of Nashville. When they enter our city they try to hit apartment complexes."Lebanon Finance Director Stuart Lawson said during the meeting that the price tag for this project would be roughly $200,000 for the first five years. The first year would be marginally more expensive than the following four due to installation costs.Lebanon Ward 1 Councilor Joey Carmack said of the price, "The possibility of preventing someone from being victimized is well worth the cost of the program. The citizens pay taxes to be protected, this is an extra layer of protection for the citizens of Lebanon."Carmack's ward was recently the victim of one type of crime this system is intended to prevent out of towners committing theft and burglaries. The chief confirmed the recent instance in which a stolen vehicle entered Lebanon and proceeded to an apartment complex on Fairview Avenue. Police reports state that while there, the suspects stole another vehicle and went to the Venue Apartments.Justice said a vigilant officer noticed suspicious activity, pursued and apprehended two of the suspects. Justice said that if the monitors had been in place, when the initial stolen vehicle entered Lebanon, the police department would have been notified and could have intercepted them before the crime spree.The chief estimates the city would need approximately seven detection devices located at Lebanon's major entrances. He said this number could change, but based on their research, those seven entrance sites would offer a definitive picture of out-of-town traffic coming into the city.Justice pointed out that this technology is not new to Lebanon. The same monitoring devices are installed on some of the department's cruisers, and serve the same function as a stationary device would at the entrance to the city. He said they also use similar technology at the Wilson County Fair to monitor attendees.Lebanon Ward 5 City Councilor Tick Bryan said, "I support it fully. Anything we can do to reduce crime, I support. "Mt. Juliet has been wildly successful with it," he added.The council is looking to Mt. Juliet as it considers implementing the system. Mt. Juliet installed the devices in April 2020. Mt. Juliet Police Department's Captain Tyler Chandler said that the program has been a huge deterrent to crime in his city.While impossible to track what crime has been prevented, the main priority was to tackle the growing number of vehicle theft and burglary incidents in the community," he said. "If you look at a before and after picture from installing the devices,the data shows vehicle burglary and thefts are down tremendously."According to Chandler, incidents of vehicle theft and burglary were on the rise. Additionally, the captain said that many of the suspects apprehended as a result of these incidents were not Mt. Juliet residents."We'd seen an increase in out-of-towners coming to Mt. Juliet in stolen vehicles," he said. "They would then scour neighborhoods looking for unlocked cars." Chandler said that since the detection systems were installed in April 2020, the Mt. Juliet Police Department had made over 100 interceptions of stolen cars and wanted suspects. Mt. Juliet features 39 license plate recognition devices scattered around the city. It costs Mt. Juliet about $100,000 per year. Some high profile interceptions include a TBI Most Wanted murder suspect and a murder suspect from Louisiana.In total, 57 stolen cars, 30 stolen license plates, and two stolen trailers have been recovered.Questions about privacy were brought up during the work session. Most notably, the potential that this system be used to monitor traffic violations. Justice said that while the devices are equipped with cameras, they do not have speed monitoring equipment nor do they detect drivers who run red lights. According to the chief, it just tracks license plates and car information, cross referencing it with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations hot list.The chief also said that the information collected would only be stored for a limited time, 30 days, unless the report became evidence in an investigation. Mt. Juliet Mayor James Maness said that when his city first installed the equipment the question of privacy was raised. However, according to both Justice and Chandler, the only way that a car is flagged is if it is already on that hot list. The cameras don't cross reference data from the DMV.Due to the larger number of cameras in Mt. Juliet, their annual costs are higher than Lebanon's would be. Maness said that compared to the cost of man hours it would take police officers to monitor the locations with the same degree of accuracy would dwarf the annual costs of the machines which is about $100,000.Maness said that the program almost didn't come to fruition. It was only after rules of engagements and privacy ordinances were enacted that they moved forward with the program. "We tried to make it as transparent as possible," said the mayor. A couple who bought their perfect home at just 20 years old have shared the secret to how they made dreams of being young homeowners a reality. Daniel Periam, 20, and Maddie Cannan, 21, turned their backs on the city last year, opting for a sea change in the small town of Putaruru, South Waikato. The couple bought their dream home last year for the low price of $295,000 after struggling to find a home in the city within their budget - deciding instead to move rurally. Daniel Periam, 20 (left) and Maddie Cannan, 21 (right) bought their dream home in August of last year The price of a property in the couple's previous home of Hamilton topped $700,000 for the first time this year, Stuff reported. The average price of a property in the North Island's most populous city will cost potential home owners $712,717 according to estimations from CoreLogic. This heightened figure is up 8.1 per cent from the previous quarter and 14.5 per cent from a year earlier, leaving the couple disillusioned in their hunt for the perfect home. The young couple had been attracted to the low median price of homes in the southern end of Waikato, an area they were both already familiar with. The young couple bought the 1950s era two bedroom home (pictured) for $295,000 in the small town of Putaruru, South Waikato At the beginning of April last year properties in the South Waikato District were selling for an average of $306,858, with the couple taking the plunge in August. The decision to buy was consolidated by a job offer for Mr Periam in Putaruru, who works as an apprentice electrician. While the 85 square metre home isn't expansive, it's stand alone, has a private driveway and was newly renovated and insulated before the sale. The couple said they enjoy the easy-going nature of the area and the inclusivity of the local community, and love their 1950's era two-bedroom home. 'Buying our first home in a town like Putaruru has allowed us to get onto the property ladder much quicker than our peers who live in cities but the move hasn't been a compromise', Ms Cannan said. 'We've been blown away by the lack of traffic, proximity to beaches, lakes and cities, community feel, established businesses and natural beauty of the South Waikato.' The young couple (pictured) encourage eager homeowners to widen their search to include smaller towns out of the city The pair are only an hour's drive from the nearest city or beach, and can take day trips to enjoy the scenic lakes situated along the mighty Waikato River. Blue Springs, a freshwater spring known for it's crystal blue waters is only a short drive from their home in Putaruru. The young homeowners once believed they would never find a house within their price range but now encourage eager homeowners to think creatively and persevere, urging city slickers to give small towns a chance. 'Widening your search to include smaller towns opens up a whole new world of possibilities', the couple said. 'Putaruru has opened up a door that we thought might be closed for many more years.' ELIZABETH AND MARGARET The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters By Andrew Morton The cover of Andrew Mortons Elizabeth and Margaret resembles that of another royal biography: Craig Browns Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, which came out in 2018. Both feature glamorous black-and-white photos of bejeweled princesses; both titles are printed in ladylike pastels. But, inside, the two books are very different. Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret is canon an innovative gem that tells Princess Margarets life story in snippets, including via limerick, haiku and an imagined announcement of her wedding to Pablo Picasso (who was rumored to have sexual fantasies about her). In Elizabeth and Margaret, Morton, a veteran royal biographer, offers an earnest examination of the yin-and-yang, Jackie-and-Marilyn dynamic between Queen Elizabeth and her late younger sister, Princess Margaret. The result is less deliciously inspired. Every generation of the House of Windsor is stalked by a shadow, Morton writes. The good versus the naughty royal. The rebellious extrovert versus the sensible introvert the sun and the moon. Theres another persistent royal binary, of course: the heir and the spare. Before Wills and Harry, there were Lilibet and Margaret Rose. Duty-bound even as a tyke, Princess Elizabeth learned to control her bladder to endure lengthy state ceremonies without squirming. At 13, she fell for Prince Philip of Greece, a dashing sailor who impressed her with his appetite for shrimp aboard the royal yacht Victoria and Albert; shes been married to him for 73 years. KYODO NEWS - Mar 16, 2021 - 13:38 | All, World Two factories in the Myanmar city of Yangon run by Fast Retailing Co.'s local partner were set ablaze on the weekend, the operator of the fast-fashion Uniqlo and GU brands said Tuesday. The extent of the damage caused at the plants Sunday amid protests against a Feb. 1 military coup remains unknown, the company said, adding it is confirming the situation in regard the fires. On Sunday, Chinese-linked factories in Yangon were attacked, leaving many people injured, according to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar. The Yangon factories of Fast Retailing's partner are located in townships where martial law has been declared, the company said, adding no injuries related to the fires have been reported as the plants were closed on Sunday. There were five clothes production plants operated by Fast Retailing's partner company in Yangon and one in Bago, northeast of Yangon, as of March last year, according to the company. Many apparel companies and related corporations from Japan operate in the townships in Yangon currently under a declaration of martial law, according to sources familiar with the businesses. Japanese engineers employed by apparel companies from China and South Korea are also working in the townships. Martial law was declared in Hlaingthaya and the neighboring township of Shwepyithar on Sunday, the first such declarations in Yangon since the Feb. 1 military coup, followed by orders in four more townships in the city on Monday. The declaration gives the military administrative and judicial authority in the areas. On Sunday, at least 38 people were killed by security forces during protests, a Southeast Asia-based human rights organization said. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said the death toll equaled the number killed on March 3, the bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 military coup. Related coverage: Myanmar security forces kill 38, martial law called in Yangon areas 8 killed in Myanmar, protesters continue to defy night curfew: media 70 killed in Myanmar crackdown on anti-coup protesters: U.N. expert By Juliet Nalwooga The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) has warned learners against early pregnancy noting that this is the last time a provision of 45 extra minutes over the same will be accepted. Addressing journalists in Kampala, the boards spokesperson Jennifer Kalule said that they have so far recorded 6 live births by candidate mothers during the examination period. Five of these mothers have been able to continue with the examinations, including one who had a still birth. She says even though the board is grateful to the Ministry of Education and Sports for allowing registration of pregnant learners, this may not be allowed post Covid-19 pandemic era. The UCE exams are in their 3rdweek . [March 15, 2021] Solace Powers Mobile Payments on Standard Chartered Bank Korea's Digital Banking Platform SEOUL, South Korea, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solace has partnered with Standard Chartered Bank Korea (SCB Korea) to maximize the agility and efficiency of Standard Chartered's Straight2Bank (S2B), an online banking platform that allows businesses to make payments and track their transactions on the go. Adopting a Solace-enabled event mesh 1 and event-driven architecture2 provides SCB Korea with a stable and scalable foundation to deploy and scale new banking services for its customers while meeting demands for real-time responsiveness. The bank can now provide an elevated customer experience on S2B and help businesses manage large volumes of domestic and international online transactions. Solace has been working with Standard Chartered Bank since 2010 to provide low-latency data distribution for its foreign exchange trading platform across key financial hubs in Singapore, London, Tokyo, and New York. Through its event mesh, Solace helps to route pricing, trades, and orders between each colocation, enabling SCB to offer the best market price to its customers. As a result of these successes, the same high-performance messaging infrastructure used to support one of the world's largest FX traders is now also used to future-proof SCB Korea's technology infrastructure. This is particularly important for a market like South Korea, which has the region's highest Internet penetration rate and connection speed. As the adoption of digital banking continues to accelerate in the country, SCB Korea needed a robust framework that would support the development of new digital channels and services to cater to their customers. Using a Solace-enabled event mesh will facilitate real-time data flow between SCB Korea's new digital channels and core services via secure Application Programming Interfaces APIs), enabling SCB Korea to integrate legacy applications and microservices3 dynamically and in real-time. Jason Ki , Senior Vice President, Technology & Innovations, SCB Korea, said, "It is a key priority for us to be able to provide our customers with the best experience regardless of which channels they choose. Emerging technologies like 5G will further disrupt the evolving financial services landscape in the coming years. It is critical that we leverage best-of-breed technology to secure the necessary foundations in place to stay relevant. We're excited to be working with Solace to design a modern and agile corporate banking platform that can bring the next level of banking services to our customers amidst a digital banking revolution here in South Korea." He added, "Solace's advanced technology provides the ideal platform for the bank to build scalable and future-proof services. We are working with Solace to ensure IT provides modern and agile support to the business while ensuring positive ROI and maximum reliability." "We are always seeking new ways to bring added value to our customers, even for long term partners like Standard Chartered Bank," said Kent Nash , general manager, Middle East, Asia Pacific & Japan, Solace. "We are humbled by their unwavering trust in us for the past decade. At Solace, we will continue to support them in their endeavors to provide the highest level of service to their customers with real-time responsiveness." About Standard Chartered Bank Korea Standard Chartered Bank Korea aims to become the "best international bank in Korea." To this end, we are providing differentiated services and innovative financial products based on leading digital platforms. Our parent 'Standard Chartered' is actively utilizing its international network and long experience accumulated in various parts of the world to faithfully play a role as a bridge to support domestic companies' overseas expansion. In addition, we are carrying out various social contribution activities with a sense of social responsibility to grow together with the local community. For more information about Standard Chartered Bank Korea, please refer to sc.co.kr. About Solace Solace helps large enterprises become modern and real-time by giving them everything they need to make their business operations and customer interactions event-driven. With PubSub+, the market's first and only event management platform, the company provides a comprehensive way to create, document, discover and stream events from where they are produced to where they need to be consumed securely, reliably, quickly, and guaranteed. Behind Solace technology is the world's leading group of data movement experts, with nearly 20 years of experience helping global enterprises solve some of the most demanding challenges in a variety of industries from capital markets, retail, and gaming to space, aviation, and automotive. Established enterprises such as SAP, Barclays and the Royal Bank of Canada, multinational automobile manufacturers such as Renault and Groupe PSA, and industry disruptors such as Jio use Solace's event broker technologies to modernize legacy applications, deploy modern microservices, and build an event mesh to support their hybrid cloud, multi-cloud and IoT architectures. Learn more at solace.com . Media Contact RICE for Solace solace@ricecomms.com +65 3157 5685 1 An event mesh is an architecture layer composed of a network of event brokers that allows events from one application to be dynamically routed and received by any other application no matter where these applications are deployed. 2 Event-driven architecture is a way of building enterprise IT systems that lets loosely coupled applications and microservices produce and consume events. 3 Microservices provide a blueprint that makes it easier for developers to repeatedly create robust and scalable applications compared to traditional monolithic architectures by modularizing complex applications. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1142738/Solace_Logo.jpg SOURCE Solace Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Federal officers guard the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse as a fire lit by rioters burns on the other side of a perimeter fence, in Portland, Ore., on July 25, 2020. (Noah Berger/AP Photo) Crews Re-Erect Fence Around US Courthouse in Portland as Leaders Condemn Violence From Anarchists A strong fence was put back up around the U.S. courthouse in Portland after rioters attacked the building, while local leaders condemned the ongoing violence they pinned on anarchists. Video footage and photographs showed the fencing being re-erected on Sunday outside the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in Oregons largest city just three days after it had been removed. Rioters attacked the building on Thursday, taking advantage of the fence-free area, smashing windows, and setting plywood on fire. Among the slogans scrawled on the side of the building was NAZIS WORK HERE. As a first generation American whose parents lived through the horrors of World War II, in England and in Norway, you cant say anything more offensive than alleging that the people who work inside that building, who I know and love, are Nazis, acting U.S. Attorney Scott Asphaug told The Oregonian. The official said he supports peoples right to protest but not the destruction that was seen, adding: The people who work in that building are a lot stronger than graffiti and broken windows, and theyll continue to do the important work they do. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said the decision to remove the fence was made in collaboration with local leaders from Portland as part of a broader effort to help the city return to normalcy. The fence was originally put up in the summer of 2020 after rioters repeatedly targeted the courthouse. Federal officials have said the building would have been burned down if the fence wasnt erected and if federal officers werent surged to the city to protect it. Rioters, many affiliated with the far-left Antifa network or Black Lives Matter, have staged ongoing protests and riots in Portland over the past 10 months. On the left, some of the weapons seized from rioters in Portland, Ore., on March 12, 2021. On right, windows smashed by rioters in Portland, Ore., on March 12, 2021. (PPB) Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat who claimed the riots would die down when federal officers withdrew, joined with other local leaders on Monday to condemn the ongoing violence. Were here together today to tell you that we are unified in our fight against the ongoing harm being done to neighborhoods and people all across the city of Portland. We want you to know that we collectively condemn hateful, intimidating, and destructive acts. And we want you to know that were aligning our resources. Were revising our tactics, and were fighting back with everything that weve got, Wheeler, who was re-elected last year, told a press conference. Wheeler said that destruction caused Friday night before police officers surrounded rioters came from the self-described, anarchist left. He expressed support for the police tactic, which is known as kettling. Deputy police chief Chris Davis said the same basic group has been responsible for all of the violent events. They tend to resist having any one person identified as the leader. And as an authority, theyre almost crowd sourced. And so theyll come together and collaborate on their activities. And thats like what I mean when we say that they act as a cohesive group. Its different than what people traditionally think of in terms of group behavior with one authority who dictates all of the moves, but they are still coordinating with one another, he said. Wheeler also told an event last week that the spike in gun violence and the sporadic, anarchist-inspired criminal destruction and vandalism has raised the stakes around community safety and public safety. Portland has seen a dramatic increase in gun crimes. The city slashed funding to its police department last year, but Wheeler recently called for a $2 million infusion to support anti-crime efforts. By Heather L. Hart Good News: What is the church after Covid? I havent been in a church building in over a year. The jarring isolation of the pandemic is slightly offset by my familys Sunday morning online services, a shadow of what we once knew. I yearn for the joy of an in-person service, yet I know that even when we are all back together, it wont be the same. Things wont be as they have been before, too much has happened. At some point we will reconvene as a church, the people of God gathered together proclaiming the Good News of Jesus, but the experience of the past year has altered our perspective. Proclaiming the Good News of the Messiah sent by a loving God to save the world looks different for each local community of believers. The Good News itself doesnt change, but what it means to a specific group of people depends on their perspective of the world. The churches of the New Testament met in person and each had a unique perspective. These followers believed in Jesus and were empowered by the Holy Spirit. Their belief was both personal and corporate. Paul regularly argued for individual believers to take responsibility for their gifts from the Holy Spirit and actively participate in the body of Christ. No one sits on the sidelines. Johns letters emphasized the deep communal interaction of believers. As a fellowship, they were responsible to know each other and be known by each other. The Pastoral letters acknowledged the need for functional order in the household of the church. Members should be respectable and live as examples of virtue in society. Any of these may seem unhealthy if we lose track of the full dimension of church community. A church that only cares about function and productivity becomes a business venture. A church that is only a relational gathering becomes a social club. A church that only focuses on structure becomes a ranking system where the goal is more status. Yet, taking all three of these attributes together we see the people of God expressing unique gifts, contributing to the good of others, knowing and caring for one another, and living in an orderly and virtuous way. As the Christian church today, we now need to filter our proclamation through the lens of the pandemic, protests, and insurrection. The gathering of the church to hear the Scripture must include a willingness to lament for our losses and repent for tragedies that have unfolded. Each of us is gifted by the Holy Spirit to contribute to our communitys journey forward. Together we must adopt a posture of learning and allow those who may not have led in the past to guide us into new territory. We must also make space for those whove experienced tragedy. They will never have a return to normal because the loss and trauma of the past year has shaped them into different people. It will require patient personal connection for the church to learn how to bear these burdens with them. We must also acknowledge that there has been an unveiling of systems of power in our society and the church must respond to these systems in Christ-like ways. This means not merely adopting socially acceptable behaviors but examining these behaviors and systems to discern if they are truly aligned with Christ, or if they are simply methods for maintaining status and control. The church will always need to meet together to proclaim the good news. We are meant to be a corporate, physical manifestation of Gods presence on earth, for both the benefit of the world and for our own flourishing. Good news requires that we examine Jesus in light of the past year and allow the Holy Spirit to bring discernment to our communities. We will be changed through this process; we should not expect to be the same people we were a year ago. By meeting together, hearing Scripture, and proclaiming Jesus we can begin to see a path forward. We will have church after the pandemic, but it will never be the same. slide 2 of 6 Rookie girl group PURPLE KISS is performing at the showcase of their debut album 'INTO VIOLET' held at Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul on March15th. Cases of COVID-19 are down slightly in some El Paso County school districts, mirroring the county's trend of a slight drop in cases this past Metalla Royalty and Streaming (CVE: MTA- NYSEAMERICAN: MTA) CEO Brett Heath joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share details the company has acquired an existing 1-2% net smelter return royalty on OZ Minerals CentroGold Project from Jaguar Mining. Heath shares with Proactive another royalty the company has signed with Sailfish Royalty Corp to acquire an existing 0.75% gross value royalty interest on gold produced and sold from Eldorado Golds Tocantinzinho Project After 12 long months, NSW residents can finally stand at the bar and enjoy a cold one - just in time for St Patrick's Day festivities. From Wednesday, people in NSW will be permitted to stand and drink at a bar, as promised during the state's last round of restriction-easing in late February. It comes after the NSW premier on Tuesday reiterated her determination to get as many people vaccinated against COVID-19 as possible, saying the AstraZeneca jab is safe and 'absolutely critical'. Numerous countries have suspended their AstraZeneca rollout after some recipients developed blood clots, but Gladys Berejiklian is not deterred. Since the pandemic began, drinkers have been forced to sit down inside - but the rule is being scrapped as of Wednesday 'I have full confidence in the vaccine and I have full confidence in our health experts. I certainly wouldn't have taken it if I hadn't done my homework - which I have - and I feel completely safe,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters. Within three weeks, NSW will have completed an extra 80,000 jabs and 45,000 new people would have started their vaccine process. NSW recorded one new quarantine case on Wednesday - a returned traveller from overseas who was staying at the same quarantine hotel where a security guard worked before testing positive on the weekend. Health authorities were put on high alert after the 47-year-old guard was on Sunday diagnosed with COVID-19, breaking the state's 55-day virus-free run. NSW had been enjoying a 55-day-long Covid-free streak until the hotel quarantine guard became infected (pictured, Sydneysiders shopping) It isn't clear how the guard at Sydney's Sofitel hotel contracted the virus as there were no obvious breaches of health protocols. However the guard has the same highly contagious UK virus strain as an infected traveller residing on the floor on which he worked. It was hoped the guard was less contagious after receiving the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine, NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty said on Tuesday. Health alerts remain in place for venues around Hurstville in Sydney's south. The guard's infection sparked concern other states were poised to shut their borders again, which Ms Berejiklian advised against. This was particularly important three weeks out from Easter holidays. 'While the vaccine is being rolled out and the level of transmission is low-to-negligible, there shouldn't be any internal borders in our nation. We should be moving freely as Australians,' Ms Berejiklian said. Developers looking for new ways to market apartments during the pandemic have decided that more is better, so they have begun to offer buyers furnished apartments, solving two design problems: many people are wary about shopping in stores and are also leery of the current backlogs in the home furnishings market. The furnished apartments provide a move-in-ready experience with packages available that can include items from window coverings to bedroom linens and everything in between. Many of these buildings are dealing with the manufacturers directly, avoiding supply-chain issues. In New York, buyers can walk into fully outfitted luxury condominiums at places like 40 Bleecker, in NoHo, which has established a symbiotic relationship with the designer co-op Colony. Unfurnished two-bedroom, two-bath apartments at 40 Bleecker begin at $3.365 million, with the most expensive three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath apartment asking $5.96 million. Three furnished units currently on the market are priced at $3.6 million, $5.275 million, and $5.7 million, and include items like lighting, textiles, and bedding, though the price of the furnishings and other extras is in addition to the listing price (items are priced individually, but buyers can also purchase these apartments as they are staged). UTICA, N.Y. A man is expected to survive after being shot multiple times on the corner of Mohawk and Eagle streets in Utica Monday night. Officers were called to the scene for a report of shots fired just after 9 p.m. While searching the area, they found shell casings on the ground. Just minutes later, they were called to the 700 block of South Street, where they found the man suffering from gunshot wounds to the arms and abdomen. Police have not yet released the victims name. The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information or surveillance video from the scene to call 315-223-3556. 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 DULUTH A St. Louis County district judge denied a motion Monday asking the court to dismiss felony charges against a police officer who shot an unarmed man through an apartment door last fall. Paul Engh, an attorney representing Duluth police officer Tyler Leibfried, had argued that the shooting was justified because Leibfried heard what sounded like gunfire coming from the unit. The bullets struck and injured 23-year-old Jared Fyle, who told investigators the loud noise captured by officers' body cameras was caused by him kicking shut and locking the door. Police had been dispatched to the apartment to respond to a call about a possible domestic violence incident in the apartment. Judge Sally Tarnowski wrote in an order that there is "probable cause to sustain the charges" against Leibfried. "In effect, Defendant argues that because he heard gunshots any subsequent action was justified," Tarnowski wrote. "That is not what the law says." The charges intentional discharge of a firearm that endangers safety and reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality are each punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine. St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin believes it is the first time his office is pursuing criminal charges against an officer for a shooting. In a brief arguing why the charges should not be dropped, Rubin wrote that Leibfried acted with "a conscious disregard of the risk involved" when firing his weapon. According to the criminal complaint, Leibfried fired four quick shots then two more six seconds later, after Fyle had shouted for him to stop. In a statement Monday, Engh said: "We respectfully disagree with the court's order, and believe the shots fired were well-justified. Officer Leibfried is looking forward to his jury trial." The case will hinge on "whether the officer's conduct was reasonable or not under the circumstances confronting him," Tarnowski wrote. A settlement conference is scheduled for April 15. The Duluth Police Department placed Leibfried "off duty indefinitely" in December, though Duluth officials have previously declined to say whether he is still being paid by the city. Katie Galioto 612-673-4478 Industry Update Appointment 16 March 2021 Harry Thaliwal Promoted Chief Executive Officer At Cross Hotels & Resorts in Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand Cross Hotels & Resorts, Southeast Asia's most forward-thinking hospitality management company, is pleased to announce that Harry Thaliwal has been elevated to the lead role of Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. An internal promotion for a highly-regarded industry maestro, Harry is renowned for his disruptive thinking that has continually generated creativity and innovation across business lines. A career built upon visionary concepts, he is best encapsulated by his tenacity to change corporations through purpose and employee empowerment. Hotelschools.com eCornell | Online Learning by Cornell University Harry Thaliwal (Class of 2008) is a graduate of eCornell | Online Learning by Cornell University in Ithaca, New York - United States (Class of 2008) is a graduate of eCornell | Online Learning by Cornell University in Ithaca, New York - United States more information Cross Hotels & Resorts Cross Hotels and Resorts is an international hotel management company wholly owned by the ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG). FCTG is one of the worlds largest and progressive travel companies, incorporating diverse worldwide distribution, in destination travel experiences such as transport and touring as well as hotel management solutions. more information Recent Appointments at Cross Hotels & Resorts Rob Haynes - Director of Sales and Marketing 22 October 2019 After a successful roadshow to China recently, Cross Hotels & Resorts, a leading Asia-based hotel management company, is maintaining its pursuit of new markets with the appointment of Red Tree Representation UK, a dynamic travel firm that focuses on matching clients in the Far East and Southeast Asia with customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. read more Jens Reichert - Chief Development Officer 11 March 2019 BHMA Hotels and Resorts, an international hotel management company wholly owned by the ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is pleased to announce the arrival of Jens Reichert as the company's first Chief Development Officer. read more 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 2021 Albuquerque Journal The city council unanimously approved Harold Medina to be chief of the Albuquerque Police Department. Mayor Tim Keller announced he was tapping Medina, who had been serving as the interim chief since September, for the position last week. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Medina will oversee crime fighting and recruiting efforts, while Sylvester Stanley, as Superintendent of Police Reform, will handle the reforms with the Department of Justice and the training academy. In a statement after councilors approved the appointment, Keller said he was looking forward to working with both men to make sure the public feels safe. Chief Medina is passionate and hard-working when it comes to fighting crime, and he knows the history, and the ins and outs of every corner of Albuquerque, Keller said. Superintendent Stanley brings valuable outside perspective and a proven track record of reform and accountability. We know theres no easy answer in the face of a huge national increase in violent crime, but were getting innovative to bust through old obstacles and see continued progress for our city. At Mondays council meeting, the administration faced questions about rumors on social media that Medina is under investigation for allegedly interfering with the arrest of a family member who had two outstanding warrants. In response, Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair said she was aware of the false rumors being spread by disgruntled former employees. She said she thought the rumors crossed a line and re-victimized Medinas son. This is exactly the kind of drama that required a change in leadership over there , Nair said. I think they show that there are lots of folks who want to prevent chief Medina from being the chief of police through insinuation and false allegations. For his part, Medina said he was not present or involved in any way, and that his son took care of the misdemeanor warrants and other allegations through the court system. [March 16, 2021] Innovative Cellular Therapeutics Appoints Eugene Kennedy as Chief Medical Officer ROCKVILLE, Md., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovative Cellular Therapeutics (ICT), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing a comprehensive platform of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies with a focus on solid tumors, today announced the appointment of Eugene (Gene) Kennedy, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Kennedy is an experienced biopharma executive with a track record of leadership in both industry and academia, and expertise in oncology, immuno-oncology, and clinical development. We are thrilled to announce the addition of Gene to the ICT team during this critical time for the company, said Larry (Lei) Xiao, Ph.D., ICTs Founder and Chief Executive Officer. His extensive experience in overseeing clinical strategy and execution will be extremely beneficial as we advance our programs into the clinic in the United States. ICT has achieved compelling clinical response data in China, with an aggregate 60% Overall Response Rate (ORR) and 20% Complete Remission (CR) rate in 10 third-line patients. The seven colorectal cancer patients (57% ORR / 14% CR), and the three thyroid cancer patients (67% ORR / 33% CR), were treated with the Companys in-house developed proprietary CoupledCAR solid tumor CAR-T platform technology. ICT remains on track to submit U.S. Investigational New Drug (IND) applications in these two indications in 2021. We are confident that our colorectal and thyroid cancer programs have been significantly de-risked. This confidence is based on the outcomes of our recent clinical proof-of-concept trials, which were conducted in patients who had exhausted all available treatment options, across four hospital sites through our Shanghai-based R&D center, said Dr. Xiao. Dr. Kennedy is a surgical oncologist who most recently served as Chief Medical Officer of Lumos Pharma (Lumos) and, prior to its merger with Lumos, of NewLink Genetics (NewLink). Before that, he served as NewLinks Vice President for Clinical and Medical Affairs. In these roles, Dr. Kennedy was responsible for design, implementation, and execution of all Phase 1-3 clinical trials and for overseeing medical affairs and regulatory strategy. Dr. Kennedy has filed multiple INDs for both small molecule and biologic drug candidates. Prior to joining NewLink, Dr. Kennedy had an academic career as Associate Professor of Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Phildelphia, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, and Instructor of Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. Dr. Kennedy received a B.A. from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and his M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He obtained his General Surgical residency and Surgical Oncology fellowship training, along with a post-doctoral fellowship in immuno-oncology, at Johns Hopkins. He also completed additional surgical training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland School of Medicine Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. "I am extremely excited about the progress of Innovative Cellular Therapeutics colorectal and thyroid cancer programs towards U.S. clinical trials, and about the potential of the companys CoupledCAR solid tumor CAR-T platform technology in additional future indications, said Dr. Kennedy. The responses achieved in the companys proof-of-concept trials in third-line colorectal and third-line thyroid cancer patients in China, and the extent to which these responses have already been confirmed in evaluations by top U.S. and Chinese independent third-party reviewing institutions, are remarkable and unprecedented. I am focused on bringing these revolutionary new therapies to cancer patients around the globe." About Innovative Cellular Therapeutics Innovative Cellular Therapeutics (ICT) is a Rockville, Maryland-based clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of solid tumors. ICT is in pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its first solid tumor CAR-T programs, based on the Companys proprietary CoupledCAR solid tumor CAR-T platform technology. ICT has already achieved promising responses with CoupledCAR in third-line colorectal and third-line thyroid cancer patients in ongoing clinical proof-of-concept trials being conducted across multiple hospital sites in China, coordinated through the Companys Shanghai-based R&D center. ICT received its first U.S. Investigational New Drug (IND) application clearance for its ICTCAR014 program in late 2019. ICTCAR014 is based on ICTs in-house developed proprietary ArmoredCAR liquid tumor CAR-T platform technology and is a next generation CD19-targeting CAR-T therapy that expresses a dominant negative PD-1 (dnPD-1) protein to block immunosuppression by cancer cells. ICTCAR014 is being developed for patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including PD-L1 positive patients. For more information, please visit www.ictbio.com. Investor Relations Contacts: Media Relations Contact: Morten Marott, CFO Kate L. Barrette Innovative Cellular Therapeutics RooneyPartners LLC ir@ictbioinc.com 212-223-0561 kbarrette@rooneyco.com Irina Koffler LifeSci Advisors 646-970-4681 ikoffler@lifesciadvisors.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Who is Q? The leader of the right-wing conspiracy theory group known as QAnon has remained a mystery for several years, but a new HBO documentary says its identified Q. Q: Into the Storm, a new six-part HBO docuseries by filmmaker Cullen Hoback, explores the bizarre, widely discredited internet cult who believes Q is an anonymous government insider posting cryptic clues about a sex-trafficking ring made up of pedophiles and cannibals that plotted against President Trump. QAnon supporters were among those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and spread baseless claims Trump would remain a shadow president after President Joe Biden won the election and that Trump would return to the White House on March 4. But Into the Storm names Q as Ron Watkins, the son of 8chan founder Jim Watkins. 8chan is an online message board where Q was believed to post QDrops with coded warnings and premonitions about the coming storm that would unmask the deep state, and lead to the arrest, trial, and execution of alleged liberal criminals. Ron Watkins was an administrator for 8chan, now known as 8kun. Youre going through a possible list of who Q might be? Watkins asks in the trailer. Thats right. Youre on the list, Hoback responds. Well, lets continue then, Watkins says with a smile. Ron Watkins, who said he stepped down from 8kun on Election Day, and his father were both interviewed for the series. He told Vice News in December that he was living in Japan and wanted to focus on woodworking and a book hes writing about constitutional law, but he continued to spread conspiracy theories online, including accusing Dominion Voting Systems of manipulating election results. Twitter and other social media platforms have cracked down on QAnon accounts that may lead to offline harm, but pro-Trump and Q-centric online forums remain on other sites, including the recently relaunched Parler. But several members of Congress, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, have raised concerns for sharing QAnon content in the past. ABC News reports Jim and Ron Watkins have both been suspected of being Q, posting Q drops since October 2017. If hes not Q himself, he can find out who Q is at any time, Fredrick Brennan, the creator of 8chan and Jim Watkins former business partner, told ABC in September. And hes pretty much the only person in the world that can have private contact with Q. Hes the only person that -- through the board that Q started on 8chan can send Q a direct message and get into private contact with basically the leader of this political cult that everybody wants to hear from right now. According to Yahoo! News, much of the documentary focuses on the conflict between Brennan and Watkins. Brennan quit 8chan after growing concerns over posts, including the manifestos of the 2019 Christchurch shooter, that led to threats and violence, like the Pizzagate shooting. Q: Into the Storm premieres Sunday, March 21, at 9 p.m. on HBO. [March 16, 2021] Hodes Weill & Associates Launches Real Assets Advisory Business Hodes Weill & Associates (Hodes Weill), a global advisory firm focused on the real estate investment and funds management industry, today announced the strategic expansion of its capital raising and advisory capabilities with the launch of a new real assets practice. The addition of this business line marks Hodes Weill's entry into a new area of capital advisory and reflects a natural evolution of the firm's capabilities. Hodes Weill has hired Mark Rudovic as Principal to lead the group's day-to-day activities. Rudovic will report to Susan Swanezy, Partner, who is overseeing the firm's expansion into real assets. Rudovic joins Hodes Weill from Albourne Partners, a global institutional advisory and consulting firm, where he expanded the firm's research coverage for real asset managers globally. In this role, he helped build Albourne's Real Asset's coverage through infrastructure, mining, energy and intellectual property strategies advising institutional investors on portfolio investments and developing a strong network of relationships with leading real asset managers. At Hodes Weill, Rudovic will leverage his deep sector knowledge to advise best in class real asset managers on institutional capital raising and strategic transactions. "We have long viewed real assets as a natural adjacency to our capabilities in real estate," said Swanezy. "We believe this is the right time to launch this business as more institutional investors are seeking exposure to real assets through specialized strategies that complement the diversified offerings of the large global infrastructure managers. The space has ecome increasingly institutionalized with more specialist managers emerging. We're taking a page from our real estate playbook of working with the highest-quality managers and applying it to real assets. With Mark's expertise and relationships, we are well positioned to provide global real asset managers with unmatched advice and counsel, to assist them in achieving their objectives." The real assets practice will leverage Hodes Weill's global platform, track record and network of institutional investor relationships. Similar to real estate, real assets is a growing asset allocation in institutional portfolios. Hodes Weill will look to identify compelling investment strategies sponsored by the highest quality fund managers that line up with the investment objectives of institutions including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, endowments, and foundations. The new business will build upon the firm's growing presence in real assets, including recent assignments in data centers, life sciences, student housing and cell towers. In addition to advising on capital raisings, Hodes Weill will provide advice to real asset managers on M&A, restructuring and strategic initiatives. "Real assets is a rapidly evolving sector that continues to grow and attract increasing capital flows, reflecting the strong desire of global institutions to include this asset class in their portfolios," said Rudovic. "We see a tremendous opportunity to work with managers that possess complementary investment and technical expertise across a variety of strategies focusing on sectors that include digital infrastructure, water and energy transition. Further, we intend to focus on working with managers that have a strong underpinning in ESG in their operations and investments." About Hodes Weill & Associates: Hodes Weill & Associates ("Hodes Weill") is a leading, global advisory firm focused on the real estate and real assets investment and funds management industry.* The firm has offices in New York, Denver, Hong Kong and London. Founded in 2009, Hodes Weill provides institutional capital raising for funds, transactions, co-investments and separate accounts; M&A, strategic and restructuring advisory services; and fairness and valuation analyses. Clients include investment and fund managers, institutional investors, lenders, property owners and other participants in the institutional real estate market. For more information, please contact us at info@hodesweill.com or visit us at www.hodesweill.com ?*All U.S. regulated capital market and securities advisory services are provided by Hodes Weill Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer with the SEC, and a member of FINRA and SIPC, and internationally, by non-U.S. Hodes Weill affiliates. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005781/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A Bill aimed at outlawing abortions being carried out in cases of non-fatal disabilities has passed its second stage in the Northern Ireland Assembly (Paul Faith/PA) Abortion activists have roundly criticised Sinn Fein MLAs for abstaining on a vote to amend Northern Irelands abortion laws on Monday evening. Twenty-seven Sinn Fein MLAs abstained on the Severe Foetal Impairment Abortion Bill presented by the DUP MLA Paul Givan. The Private Members Bill seeks to prevent abortions being carried out in cases of non-fatal disabilities, including Downs syndrome. The bill passed through to its second stage, after the Assembly Members voted 48 votes to 12 in favour of passing it. Read More The campaigning group Alliance for Choice said they were disappointed that Sinn Fein abstained on the vote and they joined with a number of other pro-choice campaigners in criticising the Assembly for passing the bill to the next stage. Expand Close Emma Campbell, co-convener of Alliance for Choice Belfast / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emma Campbell, co-convener of Alliance for Choice Belfast Emma Campbell from Alliance for Choice urged the party to review their party policy. Sinn Fein should be pushing for significant increases in funding to help disabled people, as well as ensuring free safe legal and local abortion care on the whole island of Ireland, she said. We urge Sinn Fein to review their party policy in line with the minimum human rights standards and stop criminalising people who have devastating decisions to make about a wanted pregnancy. Amy Merron from the Ulster University Pro Choice group slammed those MLAs who voted in favour of a lack of trust in women, following the vote, and again criticised Sinn Fein for abstaining. This will retraumatise women and pregnant people who have needed an abortion on the basis of severe fetal impairment, they added. This amendment is anti-disability, anti-choice and anti-human rights, abstention is not an option. Helen Stonehouse, of the group Abortion Rights Campaign, accused the party of being disingenuous over their stance on the issue. Abortion access and disability rights are real issues which cannot be reduced to political point scoring, she said. For Sinn Fein to claim a position of supporting womens healthcare while refusing to oppose abortion restrictions is disingenuous. Abortion care must be free, safe, legal and local across the island of Ireland - pregnant people deserve to be cared for in their own communities. Jill McManus from the Queens University Belfast Student Union group - Project Choice - said the bill would push women into making "heartbreaking journeys" in order to access abortion services. "Restricting access to free, safe, legal and local abortions only expands the healthcare inequalities facing the disabled community, as well as increasing the psychological harm and financial toll to women and pregnant people who are in the most vulnerable circumstances," they said. "This motion serves as a stark reminder that our fight for abortion care and reproductive justice is only beginning." During Mondays debate, the deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Health Minister Robin Swann were "failing" women by refusing to commission services legislated for long ago. Read More Following the vote, a Sinn Fein party spokesperson said: The British Government in response to the DUP's proposed bill have also said publicly that they will ensure that abortion legislation remains in line with CEDAW and therefore the DUP are aware that it will have no material effect. Instead, the DUP aims to pit one vulnerable group of people against another. For that reason Sinn Fein abstained on the vote on the DUP Bill. Northern Irelands previously restrictive laws were changed by MPs at Westminster in 2019 at a time when the Stormont administration was collapsed. The laws allow abortion in all circumstances up to 12 weeks. Terminations are permitted up to 24 weeks when there is a risk to the womans physical or mental health. There is no time limit in cases of fatal foetal abnormality or when there has been a diagnosis of a serious physical or mental impairment that would cause a serious disability. Collaboration enables the next generation of accurate perimeter surveillance, safety and security applications Cepton, a leading provider of intelligent, lidar-based solutions, today announced a partnership with top perimeter security solutions provider, Barrier1 Systems. Using Cepton's Helius Smart Lidar System, Barrier1 Systems is adding new layers of intelligence to its physical barrier systems to enable the next-generation of early-warning intrusion detection and onsite safety applications. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005303/en/ Barrier1 Systems has combined its barrier control systems with Cepton's Helius Smart Lidar System to provide state-of-the-art security and safety solutions. Courtesy of Barrier1 Systems. North Carolina-based Barrier1 Systems is working with global customers in the public and private sectors to install innovative new solutions that leverage the unique capabilities of Cepton's Helius system, which combines a network of Vista-P lidar sensors with edge computing and advanced perception software, to deliver real-time, anonymized, 3D object detection, classification, tracking and velocity. The partnership demonstrates the versatility of Cepton's lidar technology, and how smart lidar solutions are increasing security and safety in various types of public and private commercial spaces and facilities. In one customer application, Barrier1 Systems has combined its barrier control systems with Helius to monitor the speed and direction of vehicles approaching entrance or exit points. If a vehicle exceeds a certain speed limit within a specified range, the system will flag it as a potential intrusion attempt and trigger an alert to the central system for further actions. By classifying vehicle travel direction, it can also guard against incoming threats through outbound roadways. Deployments like the one above utilize the Cepton Vista lidar's long range, high resolution imaging capabilities, and the Helius solution's real-time, 3D information on object dimensions, locations and velocities. For example, Barrier 1 Systems uses Helius to detect and classify vehicles at 150 meters and keep track of their velocities to help diagnose whether there is a potential breach. The object information from Helius is much more accurate than from radars, thereby minimizing false positives and false negatives. Barrier1 Systems has also deployed Cepton's Helius system to help ensure facility security and onsite safety. For instance, a network of Vista-P90 lidar sensors has been installed at customer inventory sites to monitor access points. Helius generates useful information such as whether a detected object is a vehicle or a person, how fast it is moving and whether it is in a pre-defined exclusion zone. As lidars perform 24/7 under many weather and lighting conditions challenging for cameras, this helps facility managers continuously ensure property security and worker safety. Facilities can utilize the smart lidar data to flag potential accidents and breaches of access control. Speaking of the partnership, Baxter Matthews, Vice President of Security Projects at Barrier1 Systems, said: "Cepton's lidar technology and perception solution have allowed us to unleash a new set of innovations and capabilities when it comes to security and safety, which is critical given the range of threats and challenges faced today in both public and private spaces. The simplicity of installation of Cepton's solution makes it easy for us to deploy and scale up quickly. Further, the anonymous nature of the lidar images, combined with their high accuracy, enables significant advancements in the state of the art for security and safety. A major customer liked the advantages of our solution so much that they want to do a nationwide implementation at all of their sites, which is incredible. What's exciting is that we are just scratching the surface of what is possible because there are many untapped applications in the perimeter security industry and beyond where customers see tremendous potential for solutions arising from our partnership with Cepton." Dr. Jun Pei, Cepton's co-founder and CEO, added: "Beyond its well-known role in the automotive industry, lidar is a versatile technology that enables a whole new level of safety and autonomy in many other applications. Our partnership with Barrier1 is a testament to this. We have designed our MMT-based lidar solutions with customers' perception needs in mind, and for security and safety solutions like the ones developed by Barrier1, we have focused on delivering a superior combination of accuracy, reliability and scalability. We look forward to continuing our work with Barrier1 to expand the use cases for lidar globally, by enabling enhanced safety and security solutions using lidar intelligence." About Cepton Technologies, Inc. Cepton provides state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions for a range of markets such as automotive (ADAS/AV), smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial applications. Cepton's patented MMT-based lidar technology enables reliable, scalable and cost-effective solutions that deliver long range, high resolution 3D perception for smart applications. Founded in 2016 and led by industry veterans with over two decades of collective experience across a wide range of advanced lidar and imaging technologies, Cepton is focused on the mass market commercialization of high performance, high quality lidar solutions. Cepton is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, with a presence in Germany, Canada, Japan and India, to serve a fast-growing global customer base. For more information, visit www.cepton.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Barrier1 Barrier1 Systems, LLC (Barrier1 Systems) provides state-of-the-art robust physical barriers and security solutions using innovative products with unique capabilities that meet the customer's site-specific needs and requirements. In the past 17 years, more than 4500 of our crash rated barrier systems have been fielded in 13 countries. Barrier1 Systems employs expertise in engineering, welding and metal works, controls alarms, electronics, power systems, programming, manufacturing, and installation. The company was founded in 2002. Barrier1 Systems does engineering and direct manufacturing for its products and provides post-installation support. For more information about Barrier1 visit www.barrier1.us. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005303/en/ Contacts: Faithy Li, Cepton Technologies: media@cepton.com .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... PHOENIX The Arizona Republican Party and its lawyers must pay $18,000 in attorneys fees that taxpayers were forced to pick up late last year to defend government officials against one of the partys failed lawsuits challenging President Joe Bidens victory in the state, a judge has ruled. In a decision Friday, Judge John Hannah concluded the state GOP brought a groundless legal claim to court, filed its case for political reasons while claiming it was trying to protect election integrity, and failed to acknowledge it sued the wrong government officials. The financial award was made under a law that requires judges to assess attorney fees against lawyers or legal parties who bring claims to court without substantial justification or to delay or harass. The judge wrote the GOP had in effect acknowledged it brought the lawsuit for an improper purpose when it said the suit was motivated by public mistrust after the election. Public mistrust is a political issue, not a legal or factual basis for litigation, the judge wrote. Hannah said the party didnt make a serious effort before filing the lawsuit to determine whether its claims were valid and never named Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs as the official responsible for carrying out the law at issue in the case and instead sued Maricopa County officials. Jack Wilenchik, one of the attorneys representing the Arizona GOP, issued a statement saying the decision would be appealed and that the judges conclusion that public mistrust in an election is an improper reason for a political party to bring to court is sorely disrespectful to the views of the many Americans whom I am proud to represent. Wilenchik said the order encourages public distrust in the government for being openly hostile to them. Greg Safsten, executive director of the Arizona Republican Party, didnt immediately return a call Monday afternoon seeking comment on the decision. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Of the eight unsuccessful lawsuits challenging Bidens win in Arizona, two were filed by the Arizona Republican Party and another case was filed by state GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward. No evidence of fraud or hacking of voting machines emerged from the election in Arizona. The award of attorneys fees came in a lawsuit in which the state party sought a new audit of a sampling of ballots. While the Republican Party said the purpose of its challenge was to determine whether voting machines were hacked, Hobbs office argued the suit was a delay tactic aimed at undermining the certification of election results. The county completed a hand-count of some ballots on Nov. 9 that showed its machine counts were 100% accurate. The same was found later during routine post-election accuracy tests on the counting machines. Still, the GOP suit sought a new limited electronic audit of ballots that would be measured on a precinct level, rather than the audit that was conducted of the countys new vote centers, which let people vote at any location across the county. The GOP argued state law requires the hand-count audit to be done on the basis of precincts and said county officials would still have adequate time to certify results. Bengaluru, March 16 : By-elections to a Lok Sabha seat and 2 Assembly seats in Karnataka would be held on April 17 and votes will be counted on May 2, an official said on Tuesday. "The Election Commission has announced the by-elections on April 17 to fill vacancies caused by the death of sitting members in Belgaum Lok Sabha constituency and Basavakalyan Assembly constituency and resignation in Maski (ST) Assembly constituency," a poll official told IANS here. As per the schedule, the notification will be issued on March 23, the last date of nominations will be March 30, scrutiny will take place on March 31, and last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 3. The Belgaum seat was held by Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi, 65, who died of Covid on September 23, 2020 in New Delhi. Congress legislator B. Narayan Rao, who won from Basavakalyan in Bidar district in May 2018 Assembly elections, died of Covid on September 24, 2020 at a private hospital in Bengaluru. Congress rebel MLA Pratap Gowda Patil resigned from Maski (ST) in Raichur district in July 2019 and defected to the ruling BJP along with 13 other party legislators, which led to the fall of the 14-month-old JD-S-Congress coalition government on July 23, 2019. Her Katy Keene series was canceled after just one season last year. But Pretty Little Liars alum Lucy Hale recently celebrated the news she's been cast in a leading role in the upcoming limited series Ragdoll for AMC. And on Monday, the actress, 31, was spotted running some solo errands in Downtown Los Angeles. Out and about: Lucy Hale was spotted running some errands in Los Angeles on Monday dressed in an off-white hoodie and baggy brown pants with white sneakers Hale was dressed in an off-white hoodie and baggy brown pants for her outing. She stepped out in white sneakers, wore her hair tied back from her face and donned a black face mask. She wore a purse on a long gold chain slung across her body and carried her car keys in one hand and her phone in the other as she walked. Casual: The pretty Little Liars alum, 31, wore her hair tied back from her face and donned a black face mask. She carried her car keys in one hand and her phone in the other as she walked New role: Hale recently celebrated news she's been cast in the limited series Ragdoll for AMC, after reacting tearfully when her show Katy Keene was canceled last year after one season Last week, it was reported that Hale will play a young detective constable investigating a series of murders in which the victims have been dismembered and sewn together into one grotesque 'ragdoll'. The mystery thriller, set to unfold over six episodes, is based on the novel Ragdoll by Daniel Cole. The TV series is scheduled to start filming in the UK in the not too distant future and is expected to premiere later this year. Thriller: The actress will play a young detective constable investigating a series of murders in which the victims have been dismembered and sewn together into one grotesque 'ragdoll' Hale has been making headlines with her romantic life, too, lately thanks to her rumored romance with actor Skeet Ulrich, who, at 51, is 20 years her senior. She is said to have 'fallen hard' for the former Scream star. An insider confided recently to UsWeekly: 'Lucy and Skeet have been dating for a little over a month now. While it's very new, they spend a lot of time together and try to see each other as much as possible.' The source added: 'They are both kind and have a funny, but dark sense of humor,' Beau: Hale has been making headlines with her romantic life, too, lately thanks to her rumored romance with actor Skeet Ulrich, who, at 51, is 20 years her senior (pictured in 2019) Hale and Ulrich were first linked romantically after the actor left a flirty comment in one of the actress' Instagram posts. She had shared a leggy throwback snap of herself in New York, prompting Ulrich to write 'My goodness!!' in the comments section. The pair have also been seen kissing during an al fresco lunch date in Los Angeles. Ulrich shares 19-year-old twins Jakob and Naiia with ex-wife Georgina Cates, 46, to whom he was married from 1997 to 2005. GUEST RESEARCH: The Aragon Research Globe has named Nintex as a market leading software provider of advanced Digital Transaction Management (DTM) solutions, also referred to as Workflow & Content Automation (WCA) in its latest report. Nintex, The company bills its technology as "the global standard for process management and automation", and it has announced its naming as "a leader In The Aragon Research Globe for Digital Transaction Management, 2021 based on a review by the independent research and advisory firm of 21 major providers in the market", with the report available for free download, after free registration, here. Within this years analysis, Nintex says "Aragon recognises that COVID-19 has been and continues to be a key driver accelerating digital transformation initiatives across every industry". According to the firm, the pandemic has created a situation in which paper can no longer be relied upon as a safe medium while employees work remotely. Aragon also believes that organisations that have deployed DTM continue to outperform their competitors by providing streamlined and modern digital experiences. Nintex CEO, Eric Johnson said: "At Nintex, we recognise that every business and government leader is facing increasing pressure to meet (and ideally exceed) the ever-increasing digital demands of their customers, employees and constituents. We appreciate being named a Leader with our easy-to-use and affordable platform for powerful automation solutions that turn manual, paper-based and repetitive processes into fully digital experiences for more than 50 per cent of the Fortune 500 and in over 10,000 organisations worldwide today. Within the report, Aragon Research examines the complete capabilities of the Nintex Process Platform to eliminate paper. With Nintex, we're told that "customers can automate the assembly and digital distribution of documents by leveraging the platforms integrated eSignature and document automation capabilities, including Nintex Drawloop DocGen which is an app available within Salesforce AppExchange. "The firm also notes the Nintex Process Platform offers advanced process management capabilities including easy-to-use visual process mapping with Nintex Promapp and its built-in Nintex Workflow Generator capability, to create workflow scenarios including document generation with nearly touchless automation design work". Nintex reports that its Australian-based customers, such as iNova Pharmaceuticals, Agilyx, and Shine lawyers, as well as government agencies such as the State Library NSW and Liverpool City Council, "all report significant results and customer/stakeholder satisfaction leveraging Nintex to easily manage, automate and optimise simple to complex business processes and workflows." As you might expect, Nintex invites businesses to re-imagine their own business processes and put automation to work - from workflow to document or robotic process automation (RPA) - within your own organisation, and to do so by requesting a Nintex demo here. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno on Tuesday announced that Manuel Mejia Dalmau, who served as the Ambassador to Germany, will become the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister. "My respect and thanks to @LuisGallegosEc [Luis Gallegos], for his successful conduct of @CancilleriaEc [Ecuador Foreign Ministry]. I welcome @MANUELMEJIAD [Manuel Mejia Dalmau], new Minister of Foreign Affairs, with whom we will continue in the line of positive and fruitful international relations," Moreno tweeted, attaching a relevant decree to his tweet. Before the appointment to the top diplomat's office, Dalmau served as the Ecuadorian Ambassador to Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic. Luis Gallegos who served as the country's foreign minister resigned on March 11 for personal reasons, which he promised to reveal later. For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - The Vigo County Council approved an ordinance establishing fees for sex offenders. The ordinance will set a $50 annual fee for sex or violent offender registration and a $5 for each time a sex or violent offender registers an address change. Vigo County Commissioner Chris Switzer says that Sheriff Plasse approached the County Commissioners with this idea last year. COVID-19 pushed it back a bit, but he says hes happy the County was able to get this passed. Sheriff Plasse says nearly every county in Indiana has a fee associated with sex offender registration. He says because Vigo County didnt previously have a fee, many offenders were registering here from other counties. This was driving numbers up to about 200 registered sex offenders in the county. That was one of the reasons to do thisnot to get money from sex offenders but basically to assist in compliance for the ones that were doing it for free when in surrounding counties they were paying fifty dollars, Sheriff Plasse explained, The goal is to be in compliance and to have them pay that fee to hopefully reduce our numbers of ones that arent truly in Vigo County to get a more accurate depiction of how many we do have here. Switzer says 90% of the money collected will stay in Vigo County while the other 10% will go to the state. He says that money will be used for drive compensation and recording information that goes along with the registration. Especially when they move or change addresses or relocatefor them to pay this fee helps us better keep track of what theyre doing and it requires it so they have to show up and be in constant contact, Switzer said, For us to have this ability to capture this money and reuse it and put it back into the program is pretty cool. Both Sheriff Plasse and Switzer say the ordinance is in effect right now and are happy that the county was able to get this done. The news has been relentlessly grim since last Easter. Any glimmers of light were quickly vanquished amid rising pandemic deaths, the social depression of distancing, racial violence, political discord, and even polar vortexes. With all weve suffered, who dares risk delight? In a New York Times interview, noted sociologist and columnist Zeynep Tufekci attributed our current collective pessimism in part to the medias and public health officials failure to sound the pandemic alarm early on. Ambiguous news from Wuhan, reiterated by the World Health Organization, intimated no human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus, despite evidence to the contrary. The inclination was to avoid overreacting so as not to incite panic. The lingering sting of that failure has fueled continued gloom and a more recent downplay of positive findings, whether in the decline of infection rates or the marvel of vaccine development. Early predictions had any vaccine taking at least 12 to 18 months to emerge, with a modest goal of 50 percent efficacy against infection. Here at Lents end, weve achieved not one but as many as four vaccines, pushing 95 percent efficacy, an undertaking unprecedented in the history of medicine. This Easter dawns bearing much brighter light. Most churches wont yet fully gather to worship, but the assuredness of vaccinations and eventual herd immunity mean coming back together is now an imaginable reality. Rather than celebrating humanitys remarkable accomplishment, however, Tufekci noted that the media and public health officials were wary of misinforming again. So they focused their reporting on the threat of variants, the need for continued mask wearing, and concerns about ... 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. Share Ford has confirmed that the next-generation Ford Transit Custom range will include an all-electric model in addition to plug-in hybrid, mild hybrid and conventional engine variants. The new Custom range which includes the Transit Custom van and Tourneo Custom people mover goes into production in the first half of 2023, with all-electric versions of both models part of the most extensive Transit Custom range ever offered to European customers. All versions of the next-generation Transit Custom will be built by Ford Otosan Fords joint venture in Turkey in Kocaeli, the home of the Ford Transit range (see pic above). In addition, the next-generation Volkswagen 1-tonne commercial vehicle will also be built in Kocaeli, adding valuable scale to vehicle platforms and enhancing the customer experience by bringing more technologies to market, faster. The next generation Transit Custom range including the all-electric versions will strengthen Fords position as Europes No.1 commercial vehicle brand, said Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe. Transit Custom is the jewel in our commercial vehicle crown and key in our drive to grow our commercial vehicle business as we continue to create a sustainable, profitable Ford business in Europe rooted in an electrified future. Ford said in February that its entire commercial vehicle range will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid, by 2024, with two-thirds of Fords commercial vehicle sales expected to be all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv Share this: Email Facebook Pinterest LinkedIn Print Reddit Twitter Tumblr Pocket Like this: Like Loading... Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Pulaski, NY H. Douglas Barclay, 88, of Pulaski, former lawyer, top Central New York politician and a leader in state GOP politics, died Sunday at his home. Related article: Douglas Barclay, powerful CNY politician and NY GOP patriarch, dies at 88 Born in New York City, he attended school in Pulaski, for a time in a one-room schoolhouse, according to his obituary. He attended St. Pauls School and Yale University. He served in the US Army from 1955 to 1957. He then attended the Syracuse University College of Law and joined the Syracuse law firm Hiscock, Cowie, Bruce, Lee & Mawhinney, predecessor of Barclay Damon LLP, where he practiced law as a partner for more than 40 years. In 1964, he was elected to the New York State Senate where he served for 20 years, retiring in 1984. In 2003, President George W. Bush named him the United States Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador where he served until to 2006. He recognized the importance of tourism in his hometown of Pulaski and could often be heard saying that the Salmon River and Lake Ontario were the premier fisheries in the country, according to his obituary. Calling hours are 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Foster Hax Funeral Home, 52 Park St., Pulaski. Services and burial will be private. If you have a suggestion for a feature obituary, please email the link and any other information youd like to share to bduncan@syracuse.com More recent feature obituaries: Contact Brenda Duncan anytime: 315-470-2265 | Email | Twitter Boston, MA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2021 -- Alias Insurance is pleased to assist customer find cheap car insurance with suspended license. Finding cheap auto insurance when the driver license has been suspended for dwi/dui offense could be quite difficult. Apart from filing an SR-22 certification, customers might also have to hire an expert attorney who can help with the paperwork needed for getting the driver license reinstated. Here at Alias Insurance, insurance seekers can explore the possibilities of buying an auto insurance for suspended license. 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In case, the insurer is convinced that the license suspension is just for a short period and if the driving privileges are restored or reinstated, the process might not be so difficult after all. To know more about Auto insurance suspended license, visit https://www.aliasinsurance.com/ About Alias Insurance Alias Insurance based at Boston, Massachusetts is an online insurance marketplace. Insurance buyers can buy customized insurance plans as per their needs, budgets and requirement. The site helps insurance buyers save money on premiums without compromising on the policy features. Media Contact Website: https://www.aliasinsurance.com/ A WA coastal shire plans to spend $500,000 redeveloping a foreshore park despite engineers predicting that by 2030, the whole area could be underwater during big storms. Commissioned to inform coastal planning at the key coastal townsites of Lancelin, Ledge Point, Seabird and Guilderton, Baird engineers modelled major storm events, taking into account predicted sea level rise. They reported while homes would be safe, foreshore areas were susceptible to the impacts of wave run-up ... which may result in overtopping of dunes and foreshore structures. Lancelin focal point Grace Darling Park was once protected by 50 metres of grass, and a four-wheel-drive track leading south to Edward Island Point was once protected by a vegetation buffer. Tribes use of CARES Act funds benefitting citizens now and beyond 03/16/2021 Photo (c) VioletaStoimenova - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 30,145,075 (29,446,321) Total U.S. deaths: 548,178 (534,946) Total global cases: 120,937,133 (120,002,856) Total global deaths: 2,675,102 (2,655,755) Moderna begins testing its vaccine on children As states make progress in vaccinating adults, drug companies are beginning to think about children. But until now, none of the approved COVID-19 vaccines have been tested on children. Now, thats changing. Moderna has announced that it is testing its vaccine on children from infants to 11-year-olds in the U.S. and Canada. The first children in the study have already received doses. We are pleased to begin this Phase 2/3 study of mRNA-1273 in healthy children in the U.S. and Canada and we thank NIAID and BARDA for their collaboration, said Stephane Bancel, Modernas CEO. Experts worry AstraZeneca vaccine issues could slow U.S. vaccinations The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is mostly used outside the United States, but some health experts worry that recent problems with the vaccine could have repercussions in the U.S. Several European countries have suspended the use of the vaccine after a very small number of recipients developed blood clots after receiving it. Dr. William Schaffner of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine says he is concerned that news reports about the issue could cause people in the U.S. who are hesitant about taking any vaccine to be even more hesitant. Sweden and Latvia are the latest countries in Europe to pause the use of the vaccine over blood clot concerns, which most health experts in Europe contend are unfounded. They point out that the general population in Europe is at a higher risk for developing blood clots. U.S. gets poor marks for pandemic response The vaccine rollout may be going well now, but researchers writing in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons gives the U.S. low marks for how it handled most of the last 12 months, saying it failed at every level. In fact, the assessment found both the U.S. and the global response have been "plagued by lack of preparedness, conflicts of interest, highly politicized 'science,' suppression of open discussion, disregard of the bedrock principle of informed consent, and willful neglect of what is likely the most important pillar of response: early treatment." Dr. Jane M. Orient, executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), says the first failure was to not replace protective gear for medical workers that was depleted in 2009, and by outsourcing supply lines to China. Survey shows Americans are ready for a spring break People who are fully vaccinated apparently cant wait to hit the road again. A new Tripadvisor survey found that half of U.S. respondents are planning a trip between now and May 31. Even though few have been vaccinated, millennials appear to have the worst case of cabin fever, with 58 percent of that group planning a spring trip. Seventy-one percent of millennials say they are comfortable dining out, and 54 percent say they expect to return to normal life within three months. It may come as no surprise that the fastest-growing destinations this spring, according to TripAdvisor searches, are in Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The least-searched destinations are New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Study: Just a few people spread most COVID-19 germs Researchers at Colorado University (CU) Boulder say their findings suggest that just a few people are responsible for spreading most of the coronavirus germs. They say these super carriers represent about 2 percent of the population but carry up to 90 percent of the virus load. The scientists further claim that about half the people who are infected with the virus dont spread it to others at the time of their diagnosis. They reached that conclusion after studying 72,000 test samples. The takeaway from these studies is that most people with COVID dont get other people sick, but a few people get a lot of people sick, Sara Sawyer, senior author of the first study, told CUs student newspaper. If you dont have a viral super-carrier sitting near you at dinner, you might be okay. But if you do, youre out of luck. Its a game of roulette, so you have to continue to be careful. Around the nation In this Thursday, March 4, 2021, file photo, Latisha Bledsoe cleans chairs in the music room at Manchester Academic Charter School during the coronavirus pandemic in Pittsburgh. The school is planning to return students to the classroom in a hybrid schedule at the end of March. (Andrew Rush/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP, File) U.S. guidelines that say students should be kept 6 feet apart in schools are receiving new scrutiny from federal health experts, state governments and education officials working to return as many children as possible to the classroom. Even as more teachers receive vaccinations, the distancing guidelines have remained a major hurdle for schools as they aim to open with limited space. But amid new evidence that it may be safe to seat students closer together, states including Illinois and Massachusetts are allowing 3 feet of distance, and others including Oregon are considering it. Debate around the issue flared last week when a new study suggested that, if masks are worn, students can be seated as close as 3 feet apart with no increased risk to them or teachers. Published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, it looked at schools in Massachusetts, which has backed the 3-feet guideline for months. Asked about it Monday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the agency is now exploring whether children can be seated closer together than was previously recommended. The 6-feet spacing guideline is "among the biggest challenges" schools have faced in reopening, she said. The CDC included the larger spacing limit in its latest school guidelines, which were issued in February and concluded that schools can safely operate during the pandemic with masks, distancing and other precautions. It suggested 6 feet and said physical distancing "should be maximized to the greatest extent possible." Other organizations have issued more relaxed guidelines, including the World Health Organization, which urges 1 meter in schools. The American Academy of Pediatrics says to space desks "3 feet apart and ideally 6 feet apart." Dan Domenech, executive director of AASA, a national superintendents group, said he expects to see more states and schools move to the 3-feet rule in coming weeks. With the larger guideline, he said, most schools only have the space to bring half of their students in at a time. Moving to 3 feet could allow about 75% at a time, he said. "There are districts that have been doing 3 feet for quite some time without experiencing any greater amount of infection," he said. In Illinois, health officials said last week that students can be seated 3 feet apart as long as their teachers are vaccinated. Before, state officials required the CDC's larger requirement. With the state's blessing, the Barrington district near Chicago plans to reopen its middle schools Tuesday using the smaller spacing rule. Any student will be allowed to attend in-person at the two middle schools, although the district expects roughly 30% to continue with remote learning. "I'm glad that our public health officials allowed us to move forward by looking at the data and research," said superintendent Brian Harris. In this Monday, March 1, 2021, file photo, children walk to George B. Armstrong International Studies Elementary School as students return to in-person learning at the Rogers Park neighborhood school on the North Side, in Chicago. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File) Questions around spacing have led to a battle in Massachusetts, where teachers and some schools are opposing a state plan to bring younger students back five days a week starting next month. The plan calls on schools to space students 3 feet apart, although many schools have been using the CDC's guideline. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, a statewide union, argues that seating students closer will increase the risk for everyone in the classroom. It also poses a problem for districts that have agreed to contracts with teachers adopting the 6-feet rule as a requirement. "They can't just throw 6 feet out the window. They can't throw away what has been agreed upon," said Merrie Najimy, president of the union. "If they can't make it work, then they're going to have to come to a new agreement." In Boston's public schools, desks will be spaced at least 3 feet apart but teachers and staff will be asked to keep 6 feet from students and other staff when feasible, said Xavier Andrews, the district's spokesperson. Schools will also use larger rooms and outdoor spaces to keep students at a safe distance, he said. "BPS remains committed to working with our union partners and is excited to continue our safe return this month for thousands of additional students," Andrews said in a statement. In Ohio, Cincinnati's school board got an earful from parents and others last month when it proposed resuming in-person learning at the crowded Walnut Hills High School under a model that called for distancing of only 3 feet there while its other schools would use 6 feet. The critics included Walnut Hills teacher Brandon Keller, who said the plan was foolish and dangerous. He warned the board: "Your decision will have a body count." Board members backed off on reopening that school, then weeks later narrowly voted for a plan that included a phased reopening, but also warned the physical distancing might not be as much as 6 feet. Students also have options to continue learning virtually. Seven superintendents in central Oregon sent a letter to Gov. Kate Brown last week asking the state to relax some of its social distancing rulesincluding the state's 6-foot barrierso that more students can return to class full time. Oregon's Crook County School District, which has had students in classrooms most of the school year, has found that what's most effective in combating the virus are masks, contact tracing and sending home students when they're showing symptoms, said district spokesperson Jason Carr. "It goes back to what we know works," he said. "The 6-feet rule doesn't make as much sense as the other safety measures." "What may have made sense two months ago or at the beginning of the year might not now," he 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. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia A Texas restaurant owner publicly opposed Governor Greg Abbott's decision to lift the state mask mandate and his place of business suffered for it. Mike Nguyen, owner of The Noodle Tree ramen restaurant in San Antonio, called the governor's decision "selfish" during a CNN interview. "I will say that the governor doesn't have us Texans' [best] interest at play at this point," said Nguyen. "I think it's more of a personal interest, I think the decision to drop the mask mandate is selfish and cowardly and there's no reason to do it. Dropping the mask mandate will not help the economy, it will not help us open and a lot of us feel that he's putting a lot of us in danger." YOU ARE NOT ALONE: 'I hate it here' trends on social media as Texans react to lifted mask mandate A few days later Nguyen's business was vandalized with racist graffiti, according to Newsweek's Christina Zhao. Photos shared to Facebook by Elder Eats KSAT 12 showed graffiti covering the windows of the restaurant that included the words, "No Mask," "Kung Flu," "Commie," "Hope U Die" and "Ramen Noodle Flu." Following his CNN interview, Nguyen shared in a Facebook post that he had some hesitation because of the potential backlash he could face, but his words needed to be said. "We are Texans and what we do especially in San Antonio is have each others back during times of need. We do the right thing," Nguyen wrote in a post. "Our governor has betrayed us but that doesn't mean we have to follow him blindly. ...We can stand United and do what's right because we are Texan, we are Texas y'all." Nguyen's words proved true, and the racist incident prompted people to patronize The Noodle Tree. In a post shared via Facebook stories, the restaurant thanked San Antonians for their support and said they were slammed with orders. They eventually sold out of everything and had to close for the night. Courtesy of The Noodle Tree via Facebook stories Gov. Abbott announced on March 2 that he would be lifting the mandate and opening Texas at "100 percent capacity." At the time, he said in a statement that, "With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus." He later clarified that while he would not be enforcing the mandate, the state is still urging people to wear masks and follow the safe practices that have been put in place over the past year. Any decision pertaining to the approaching exams and offline classes will be taken by the government, which is closely monitoring the situation from the time schools and colleges reopened. (PTI file photo) HYDERABAD: With concerns being raised over growing Covid-19 cases across the country, the school education department says it is monitoring the situation closely with regard to opening of schools and following the safety protocol. This comes days after students and teachers in schools and colleges tested positive for coronavirus in districts like Adilabad and even Hyderabad. Owing to the spike in cases in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, among others, a senior education department official told Deccan Chronicle that they have directed district officials for strong imposition of SOPs and safety protocols, especially those close to the state borders. They also added that any decision pertaining to the approaching exams and offline classes will be taken by the government, which is closely monitoring the situation from the time schools and colleges reopened. "The virus is still very much among us, and we are still collectively battling a pandemic. Realising this, we have opened the education sector with every possible safety protocol in place. We understand that Telangana is much better placed. But we took our time to reopen, compared to other states that hastened the reopening", the official said. Earlier six students of a government school in Talamadugu tested positive on March 8. In old Adilabad district's Boath mandal five out of 35 students of 9th and 10th classes contracted the virus in a tribal welfare residential school. On Monday, 15 persons, including 11 staff members, a student and 2 mess workers at the Macherial government girls high school also tested positive for the virus. Durham Regional Police enter a home in Oshawa, Ont., on July 10, 2018. A verdict is expected today in the trial of a man accused of killing two Ontario women. Adam Strong has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths of Rori Hache and Kandis Fitzpatrick. Hache's torso was found in Lake Ontario in September 2017, and police charged Strong in her death later that year. In July 2018, police alleged they had found Fitzpatrick's DNA in Strong's basement. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov TORONTO - CAUTION: This story contains graphic content that may disturb some readers. Two young women who vanished nearly a decade apart were killed and dismembered by a Toronto-area man who then disposed of their remains by tossing them in a lake and flushing them down the toilet, an Ontario judge found Tuesday. Adam Strong, 47, was convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Rori Hache and of manslaughter in that of Kandis Fitzpatrick, after a judge rejected the suggestion he had cut up their bodies but not caused their deaths. The two women died in Strong's apartment in Oshawa, Ont., and their remains were stored in a large freezer in his bedroom as he sought to get rid of them over a period of time, Ontario Superior Court Justice Joseph Di Luca said. "To be blunt, the chances that Mr. Strong would have twice found himself in need of a chest freezer to store the dismembered body parts of young women who met their deaths innocently is so infinitesimally small that it suggests the opposite conclusion," he said. Both Hache and Fitzpatrick struggled with drug addiction and their disappearances sparked significant search efforts by their distraught relatives, Di Luca said, noting both women were deeply loved by their families. Though there are similarities between them and the circumstances surrounding their deaths, the evidence regarding Fitzpatrick's death is insufficient to support a murder conviction, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused intended to kill or to cause harm that was likely to kill, the judge said. "While Miss Hache and Miss Fitzpatrick were similarly situated in terms of their life circumstances, and may well have fallen in with Mr. Strong for the same reasons, the almost 10-year gap in time and the absence of forensic or other evidence relating to what happened to Miss Fitzpatrick at the time of her death renders a singular inference on this issue impossible," he said. Hache, who was 18 and pregnant, disappeared in August 2017. Her torso was found in Lake Ontario the following month, and Strong was charged in her death in late December of that year. Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, was 19 when she was last seen in 2008. Her body was never found, but in July 2018, police alleged they had found her DNA in Strong's basement, including on a specialty hunting knife used for skinning and gutting animals. The trial, in front of a judge alone, heard police were called to Strong's home in December 2017 after plumbers found a "flesh-like" substance in the pipes. Strong admitted to officers at the scene that the substance was "a body," court heard. Investigators later found Hache's blood and DNA in multiple areas, including the wall and ceiling of his bedroom, and on items such as a bondage device and a pet leash, court heard. In a ruling delivered in court and by teleconference, Di Luca found Strong killed Hache sometime between Sept. 1 and Sept. 3 by repeatedly hitting her in the head with a hammer or a similar object as she lay bound in his bedroom. The killing constitutes first-degree murder because it occurred in the course of a sexual assault, he said. It's possible the encounter was initially consensual, potentially involving paid sex work, but that consent would have been negated once Strong hit Hache, he said. Strong then "meticulously" dismembered Hache's body and dumped her torso in the lake on Sept. 4, the judge found. The rest of her body was stored in Strong's freezer until Christmas Eve, when he cut it up further and disposed of the pieces by flushing them down the toilet, the judge found. Some body parts were placed back in the freezer afterwards, though Strong planned to get rid of them at a later date, Di Luca said. "I am satisfied that if Mr. Strong had not been arrested, he would have followed through with his plan, and would eventually have disposed of all of Miss Hache's body parts," he said. Court heard Strong later told investigators who questioned him that he was surprised when Hache's torso was discovered in the lake because he had taken precautions to keep it from surfacing. He also blamed his arrest on "faulty plumbing," and told police flushing remains down the drain was an efficient disposal method, court heard. Di Luca ruled that Strong's surprise stemmed from the fact that he had successfully used those techniques in getting rid of Fitzpatrick's remains. Court also heard Strong told investigators he regretted getting caught but otherwise had no remorse, and that he tried to negotiate a deal that would secure him a more comfortable imprisonment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 16, 2021. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) ("Aton" or the "Corporation") announces that it has entered into a bridge loan facility (the "Facility") with Ou Moonrider ("Moonrider"), a significant shareholder of the Corporation. The Facility Pursuant to the Facility, the Corporation may borrow up to C$1,000,000 from Moonrider, which Facility is repayable on the earlier of six months from closing, on the occurrence of various standard events of default, or on the closing of any debt or equity financing by the Corporation in an amount in excess of C$1.5 million. The Facility will bear interest at a rate of 12% per annum, payable when the Facility is due. In connection with the Facility, Moonrider will be issued bonus warrants upon each drawdown on the Facility entitling it to acquire common shares of the Corporation. The number of bonus warrants issuable upon each drawdown shall be determined by dividing the drawdown amount by the market price of the Corporations common shares on the date of drawdown. The exercise price of the bonus warrants shall be the market price on the date of issuance. The bonus warrants will be exercisable for a period of 12 months from each drawdown. Full drawdown of the Facility of C$1,000,000 has been completed entitling Moonrider to 4,255,319 bonus warrants with an exercise price of $0.23 per share and an expiration date of March 16, 2022. The bonus warrants are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Operations Update The proceeds from the Facility will allow the Corporation to advance the critical work required to prepare for its next drilling program, while it works on completing a private placement financing, as described in the financing update below. The proceeds of the Facility will be used by the Corporation for ongoing working capital expenses and to complete civil works in preparation to commence drilling, such as constructing roads, drill pads and constructing a new exploration camp at the Corporations Rodruin project. Financing Update The Corporation received a signed irrevocable subscription agreement from MEDAF Mining & Manufacturing Company (MEDAF) on October 22, 2020. Despite frequent requests from the Corporation, MEDAF failed to deliver the subscription funds for the securities it agreed to purchase. The Corporation has concluded that MEDAF does not intend to complete the financing to which it committed, and the Corporation will not be proceeding with this private placement. The Corporation has decided to pursue other financing alternatives. Discussions are ongoing with potential strategic investors and the Corporation will make a public announcement upon any financing terms being agreed. I would like to thank OU Moonrider for their continued support of Aton, said Bill Koutsouras, Atons Chairman of the Board. This bridge loan will put Aton in a position to immediately commence work in preparation for its next drilling program, while we evaluate other financing alternatives available to the Corporation. About Aton Resources Inc. Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) is focused on its 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (Abu Marawat), located in Egypts Arabian-Nubian Shield, approximately 200 km north of Centamins world-class Sukari gold mine. Aton has identified numerous gold and base metal exploration targets at Abu Marawat, including the Hamama deposit in the west, the Abu Marawat deposit in the northeast, and the advanced Rodruin exploration prospect in the south of the Concession. Two historic British gold mines are also located on the Concession at Sir Bakis and Semna. Aton has identified several distinct geological trends within Abu Marawat, which display potential for the development of a variety of styles of precious and base metal mineralisation. Abu Marawat is 447.7 km2 in size and is located in an area of excellent infrastructure; a four-lane highway, a 220kV power line, and a water pipeline are in close proximity, as are the international airports at Hurghada and Luxor. For further information regarding Aton Resources Inc., please visit us at www.atonresources.com or contact: BILL KOUTSOURAS Chairman of the Board Tel: +1 345 525 2512 Email: info@atonresources.com Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions; by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. HONG KONG, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To support the recovery of the hospitality sector, Asia's 50 Best Restaurants - in association with S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna - announces 'Essence of Asia', an unranked collection of restaurants that represents the spirit of Asian gastronomy. William Drew, Director of Content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, says: "On behalf of the 50 Best team, we are honoured to unveil the Essence of Asia collection. At a time when restaurants need our support, this collection presents travelers and gourmets with an invaluable guide to some of Asia's most authentic and diverse dining experiences. Reflecting the breadth of the region's gastronomic scene, the range of establishments spans street vendors, time-honoured institutions, philanthropic businesses and pioneering newcomers." The collection comprises establishments in 49 cities across 20 countries and territories, stretching from Pakistan across to Japan. Integral to Asia's culinary ecosystem, these restaurants honour culinary traditions, reinvent indigenous cuisines and revive centuries-old recipes, all while playing a key role within their communities. This unranked selection will complement the ninth edition of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, which will be revealed on Thursday, 25th March. The Essence of Asia collection was created based on recommendations from the chefs of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2020 and 2021, 50 Best's Academy Chairs, as well as trusted gourmets in the region. Embodying Asia's rich diversity, the collection includes: Street food vendors, such as Pho Gia Truyen in Hanoi , Wattana Panich in Bangkok and Siam Road Char Koay Teow in Penang in , in and Siam Road Char Koay Teow in Much-loved local institutions like Australia Dairy Company in Hong Kong , Li Qun Roast Duck in Beijing , Shree Thaker Bhojanalay in Mumbai , The Sugar Palm in Siem Reap and Keng Eng Kee in Singapore , Li Qun Roast Duck in , Shree Thaker Bhojanalay in , The Sugar Palm in and in Community-focused establishments, including Earth Kitchen in Manila , a restaurant dedicated to supporting local farmers and indigenous communities in the Philippines , and Sincere Blue in Tokyo , a collaboration between chef Shinsuke Ishii and Chefs for the Blue, a group committed to promoting sustainable seafood , a restaurant dedicated to supporting local farmers and indigenous communities in , and Sincere Blue in , a collaboration between chef and Chefs for the Blue, a group committed to promoting sustainable seafood Progressive restaurants reinventing or elevating indigenous cuisines, from Restaurant Kin in Singapore and Akame in Taiwan to 102 House in Foshan, China Stefano Bolognese, Sanpellegrino International Business Unit Director, says: "The unranked Essence of Asia collection will offer us even more opportunities to recognise the spirit of Asian gastronomy and those that have had a positive impact on their local food communities during these unprecedented times, giving voices to their opinions about the industry of tomorrow. The Asian gastronomic sector today is still facing unprecedented challenges but there are hopeful signs of revival across the continent, and Sanpellegrino is here to support in its restart." Arranged by country, the Essence of Asia collection is unranked to celebrate the uniqueness of each restaurant. Presented in association with S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, the full list of restaurants that make up the Essence of Asia collection is below: Bangladesh Haji Biryani, Dhaka Kasturi, Dhaka Cambodia Nesat Seafood House, Phnom Penh Lum Orng Farm To Table, Siem Reap The Sugar Palm, Siem Reap Mainland China Li Qun Roast Duck, Beijing Chen Mapo Tofu, Chengdu 102 House, Foshan Longjing Manor, Hangzhou Fuchun (Yuyuan Road), Shanghai Lihuayuan, Wuhan Hong Kong Australia Dairy Company Dignity Kitchen Kau Kee Pei Ho Counterparts Roots Yin Yang Coastal India Bengaluru Oota Company, Bangalore Mum's Kitchen, Goa Ahdoo's, Kashmir Shree Thaker Bhojanalay, Mumbai Swati Snacks, Mumbai Rustom's, New Delhi Indonesia Babi Guling Pande Egi, Bali KooD, Bali Pagi Sore, Jakarta Lupis Mbah Satinem, Yogyakarta Japan Natsukashiya, Amami Oshima Honke Owariya, Kyoto Pasania, Osaka Eatrip, Tokyo Sincere Blue, Tokyo Sushi Dai, Tokyo Laos Tamarind, Luang Prabang Doi Ka Noi, Vientiane Macau Henri's Galley IFT Educational Restaurant La Famiglia Malaysia Artisan Handmade Bread, Ipoh Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, Kota Kinabalu Bijan, Kuala Lumpur Siam Road Char Koay Teow, Penang Myanmar Rangoon Tea House, Yangon Shan Kitchen, Yangon Shwe Sa Bwe, Yangon Nepal Newa Momo Nepal, Kathmandu Tukche Thakali Kitchen, Kathmandu Pakistan N'ecos, Karachi Waris Nihari, Lahore Philippines Farmer's Daughter, Baguio Earth Kitchen, Manila Hapag, Manila Bale Dutung, Pampanga Singapore Botanico at The Garage Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap Keng Eng Kee Mr. and Mrs. Mohgan's Super Crispy Roti Prata Naked Finn Restaurant Kin South Korea Nangpoonbopsang, Jeju Base Is Nice, Seoul Guemdwaeji Sikdang, Seoul Miro Sikdang, Seoul Sri Lanka Cafe Kumbuk, Colombo Paradise Road: The Gallery Cafe, Colombo Mettha's Traditional Home Cooked Meals, Unawatuna Taiwan Akame, Pingtung Yu Li Cultural Bookstore and Community Kitchen, Taichung Huang's Lu Rou Fan, Taipei Plants, Taipei Thailand 100 Mahaseth, Bangkok Barefoot Bangkok, Bangkok Na cafe at Bangkok 1899, Bangkok Wattana Panich, Bangkok Locus Native Food Lab, Chiang Rai Samuay & Sons, Udon Thani Vietnam Pho Gia Truyen, Hanoi Ngoc Suong Seafood & Bar, Ho Chi Minh City Pizza 4P's, Ho Chi Minh City Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen, Hoi An The conversation around Essence of Asia continues with #50BestTalks, an online series of exclusive interviews featuring some of the region's leading chefs and thought leaders. With two appointments on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Facebook page, #50BestTalks will see celebrated chefs Gaggan Anand and Margarita Fores go on culinary explorations of their respective cities - Bangkok and Manila - to visit Essence of Asia restaurants and give viewers a unique insight into their work and the fascinating stories behind their signature dishes. Tune in at 16:00 Singapore/HK time on Thursday 18th March and Saturday 20th March to follow the action live. The ninth annual Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony will be broadcast on Thursday, 25th March, from 4.30pm (HK/SG; 5.30pm JPN), to a global audience via Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Facebook, the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel and Zoom. How the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled The annual list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants is created from the votes of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 300 leaders made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and regional culinary experts, with a 50/50 gender balance. The year's vote was adjusted to account for restricted travel opportunities, placing a greater focus on local dining experiences. 50 Best works with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner to help protect the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. For more details on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants voting process, visit: https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/voting/the-voting-system. 50 Best for Recovery 2021: Opportunity for Change The 50 Best organisation will reinforce its commitment to supporting and promoting restaurants and bars across the world through its 50 Best for Recovery 2021 programme. This year also brings opportunities for positive change as the sector rebuilds and remodels itself with a greater focus on inclusivity and long-term sustainability. 50 Best will use its global platform to highlight even more great restaurants and bars worldwide - through its 50 Best lists, special awards, unranked collections and content series - as well as showcase individuals shaping the future of gastronomy through its new 50 Next list, which will debut later this year. 50 Best will take the opportunity in 2021 and beyond to amplify diverse voices and positive messages, foster progressive discussion and cross-border collaboration, and encourage greater gastronomic discovery and exploration. Notes to Editors: William Reed Business Media The Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list is published by William Reed Business Media, which also publishes The World's 50 Best Restaurants, launched in 2002, and Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants, launched in September 2013, as well as The World's 50 Best Bars and Asia's 50 Best Bars. William Reed Business Media is entirely responsible for the organisation of the awards, the voting system and the list. Main sponsor: S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the main sponsors and official water partners of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the leading natural mineral waters in the fine dining world. Together they interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of excellence, pleasure and well-being. Other partners: Inedit Damm - Official Beer Partner and sponsor of Inedit Damm Chefs' Choice Award American Express - Official Credit Card & Booking Platform Partner (Resy) and sponsor of the American Express One To Watch Award Gin Mare - Official Gin Partner and sponsor of Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award Beronia - Official Wine Partner and sponsor of the Beronia Highest Climber Award Cinco Jotas - Official Iberico Ham Partner and sponsor of Asia's Best Female Chef Award Flor de Cana - Official Rum Partner and sponsor of the Flor de Cana Sustainable Restaurant Award Aspire Lifestyles - Official Concierge Partner and sponsor of Highest New Entry Award Asia's 50 Best Restaurants - social media Follow on Twitter: @The Worlds50Best Asias50Best Follow on Instagram: @TheWorlds50Best Become a Facebook fan: https://www.facebook.com/Asias50BestRestaurants Subscribe to 50 Best Restaurants TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/worlds50best The awards ceremony will be streamed live on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Facebook page, the 50 Best Restaurants TV YouTube channel and Zoom on March 25 from 4.30pm (HK/SG; 5.30pm JPN). This release is also available in the following languages: English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. The official language of the press office is English. Note to media: To register for and access the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants online media centre, please visit https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/media-centre-registration.html Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1455248/Essence_of_Asia.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1455247/Essence_of_Asia_Logo.jpg For press enquiries, please contact CatchOn, A Finn Partners Company Email: asias50best@finnpartners.com Telephone: +852 2566 8988 Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Texas consumer attorney David A. Fernandez and the Houston law firm The Law Office of David A. Fernandez, P.C. helps defendants navigate "small claims courts." With so many struggling financially over the last year due to Covid-19, and are unable to pay bills or rent/mortgages after losing jobs, The Law Office of David A. Fernandez, P.C.offers help to those facing debt. Texas has several different kinds of trial courts: District courts, county courts, and justice courts (sometimes called "small claims courts"). "We understand the nature of the justice courts and how individual defendants often have difficulty there. We know how to help our clients navigate these courts expeditiously," said Fernandez. The Law Office of David A. Fernandez, P.C. has had considerable success in representing debtors in appeals to the Harris County county courts. Between 2019 and 2020, the firm represented clients in twenty-three appeals de novo in all four of the county courts at law in Harris County. The firm won twenty-one of those appeals, a success rate of 95.20 percent. In addition, The Law Office of David A. Fernandez, P.C. has a well established record of consistent success in helping defendants being sued by creditors. While every case is unique and there is never a guarantee as to its outcome, the firm has built a reputation for professional assistance to debtors and an ability to defend their claims as successfully as possible in all the levels of courts in Harris County Texas. Statistically, defendants tend to lose collection cases filed in justice courts. As an example, in December, 2020 alone, in Harris County Justice Court Precinct 1, Place 1, creditors won judgments against defendants in all twenty-nine cases the court heard. Overall, creditors win the great majority of their cases in all sixteen justice courts. If a defendant loses in justice court, he can appeal the decision to the county court at law. Before a defendant can do this, however, he or she must file a bond in the amount of two times the amount of the judgment, or file a statement of inability to afford the bond payment. This appeal is called a "de novo" appeal, meaning that it is an entirely new lawsuit. County court judges are attorneys and the rules of civil procedure and rules of evidence apply; this gives a defendant much more of a chance at receiving a fair outcome on the lawsuit. What happened in the justice court has no bearing on the case in county court. If you have been sued by a creditor or you believe you will be, please contact The Law Office of David A. Fernandez, P.C. at 713-893-3244 for a free consultation to see if the firm can help you. About David A. Fernandez, The Law Office of David A. Fernandez, P.C. David A. Fernandez focuses his practice on debt defense, bankruptcy, fraud, personal injury, business litigation and wrongful death. He is a member of the Texas Bar Association, Consumer Law Section of the Texas State Bar Association, and State Bar of Texas. For more information, please call 713-893-3244, or visit www.yourhoustonconsumerattorney.com. The law office is located at 2190 N. Loop West, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77018. For media inquiries, please call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361. SOURCE: David A. Fernandez View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635529/The-Law-Office-of-David-A-Fernandez-PC-Success-Rate-for-Appeals-from-Justice-Court-is-over-95 New Orleans ended furloughs for public safety workers on Monday, tapping into a line of credit to exempt cops, firefighters and others from a citywide policy aimed at stemming the fiscal crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her administration made clear that they are betting on more federal funding and a rebounding economy to cover the costs of the move and warned that if neither materializes, layoffs could be used to fill the budget gap. Police and fire unions have been clamoring to be exempt from the furloughs which require every rank-and-file employee to take one unpaid day off every two weeks since they were first announced in the fall, calls that have only grown louder as killings have surged across the city. In her first press conference of the new year, Cantrell said that bringing thousands of first responders, including employees with the New Orleans Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services and Health Department, back to full-time work was the first step on the citys road to recovery. +2 LaToya Cantrell announces end of coronavirus furloughs for New Orleans first responders New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell announced on Monday the city would be doing away with furloughs for public safety workers that were put in p Roughly 2,200 city employees in those departments will now be back to their full hours at a cost of about $16 million, Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano said. That would leave about 1,900 employees still receiving a 10% pay cut worth about $9 million a year. The furloughs were put in place as the city faced historic cutbacks due to the pandemic, which forced the city to slash more than $100 million from its $726 million budget. Montano stressed that the decision was not because the city had come into an influx of cash. Instead, officials plan to borrow from a $50 million line of credit the city took out last year to pay for the extra 26 days of pay for the public safety workers. Such a proposal would have to be approved by the City Council, though that does not appear to be a major hurdle. If were going to say we want to fund public safety and do things to help fund public safety weve got to put our money where our mouth is, said Councilman Joe Giarrusso, who noted widespread concern among residents after homicides spiked by 60% and carjackings more than doubled last year. Officials said they feel comfortable the city will be able to repay that loan because they are optimistic about the prospects for another round of federal aid and the possibility that the coronavirus vaccine could revitalize the tourism sector. +11 The coronavirus has devastated the New Orleans economy, but what about neighboring parishes? The coronavirus pandemic has strangled the economy, thrown thousands out of work and blown a hole in the New Orleans city budget. 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 If neither of those come to pass, Chief Financial Officer Norman White warned the city could be forced to lay off employees to make ends meet. Officials will be re-evaluating the budget on a monthly basis to determine whether that is necessary, White said. White did not provide details on how many employees would be laid off under that scenario. The Cantrell administration has warned of, or threatened, potential layoffs multiple times since the mayor took office in 2018, though none of those scenarios has come to pass. The Cantrell administration has repeatedly expressed hope that federal aid packages would rescue it from the dire financial straits it found itself in when the coronavirus pandemic caused a severe drop-off in tourism and sales taxes. But those hopes have repeatedly been dashed, covering only a portion of the money the city says it spent battling the virus and doing nothing to dent the $100 million revenue shortfall it found itself in this year. The second round of rescue payments approved by Congress last month explicitly excluded aid to local governments in order get Republicans to sign onto the deal. It remains unclear whether another attempt to provide money to cities and parishes could come after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated later this month. +2 NOPD furloughs could make city's rise in violent crime worse, watchdog warns City statistics suggest that New Orleans is experiencing a sharp rise in violent crime this year, and the head of the watchdog Metropolitan Cr In terms of the stimulus, we will continue to advocate and lobby at the highest level, at the federal level, to make sure weve been pushing for the city getting our fair share relative to the stimulus package to assist the city with revenue losses, Cantrell said. Similarly, the prospects of rejuvenated tourism appear relatively dim at the moment. New Orleans is seeing a surge in cases that Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno said put the city in a worse spot than it was in last April, during the first wave of the pandemic to hit Louisiana. The rising number of cases and dwindling number of hospital beds across the state spurred New Orleans Public Schools to announce Monday they will be moving to online-only classes. New Orleans has not announced any new restrictions in months but Cantrell said more could come on Wednesday. Cantrell also said that Mondays press conference was just the first of several announcements about how New Orleans will move forward into a post-pandemic world. Future proposals will touch on emergency response, business response and organizational changes, though she did not provide details on those plans. Were going to move forward making sure our city is better than before, she said. George Gascon, then San Francisco District Attorney who took office as Los Angeles County District Attorney on Dec. 7, 2020, speaks during a new conference in San Francisco, Calif., on Dec. 9, 2014. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) LA District Attorneys Office Drops Death Penalty Bid Against Man Charged in Shooting Spree LOS ANGELESThe Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office March 16 dropped its bid for the death penalty for an ex-con from Sylmar whos charged with killing five peoplemost of them within less than a weekduring a shooting spree in the San Fernando Valley six and-a-half years ago. Alexander Hernandez, now 40, is charged with the 2014 murders of Sergio Sanchez on March 14; Gilardo Morales on Aug. 21; and Gloria Tovar, Michael Planells and Mariana Franco on Aug. 24, along with the 11 attempted murders, the bulk of which occurred between Aug. 20 to Aug. 24. Hernandez is also facing 11 counts of attempted murder, eight counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle, three counts of cruelty to an animal, two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count each of discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and possession of ammunition by a felon. The prosecution had announced in 2017 that it was seeking the death penalty against Hernandez, who has remained jailed without bail since he was arrested after barricading himself for about an hour inside a Sylmar residence on Aug. 24, 2014. Shortly after being sworn into office last December, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon issued a series of directives, including one that a sentence of death is never an appropriate resolution in any case. Since then, prosecutors have opted not to seek the death penalty in at least three other high-profile cases, involving Kenneth Earl Gay, whos charged in the 1983 killing of a Los Angeles police officer in Lake View Terrace; Michael Christopher Mejia, an admitted gang member accused of killing a family member in East Los Angeles and then opening fire on two Whittier police officers, killing one and wounding the other; and Geovanni Borjas, a Torrance man charged with raping and murdering a teenage girl and a young woman who were found dead less than a year apart. Hernandez could now face a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. Most of the victims were drivingincluding home from prom or work, to church and en route to a fishing trip with their kids on Fathers Day when they noticed a vehicle following them or pulling up alongside. In most of the cases, the vehicle was Hernandezs tan Chevrolet Suburban, Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee alleged at a hearing in 2016 in which the defendant was ordered to stand trial. The SUV was identifiable by a hood that didnt close properly, stickers of a white skull and 666 on the back of the vehicle, its custom six-spoked rims and other unique details, according to the prosecution, which also alleged that housing for a side-view mirror found at the Morales crime scene was matched to the Suburban. Tovar, 59, was shot to death while in her car in Pacoima, waiting to pick up a friend to go to church. Franco, 22, was driving with her parents when a gunman pulled up alongside in an SUV and said in Spanish, I am going to kill you, before shooting Franco in the head. Her mother and father were also struck by bullets, but survived. Planells, 29, was shot that same day while standing in a parking lot in Sylmar. Video surveillance footage showed someone in a tan SUV shoot Mr. Planells and casually drive out of the parking lot, Hanisee said. The animal cruelty charges involve three dogstwo of which were killedat the Pacoima home of a good Samaritan who testified that he had helped Hernandez jump-start his SUV about 10 days earlier. Other unsolved shootings were later tied to the defendant, including a May 14, 2014, drive-by attack that left a Chatsworth teenager paralyzed, according to Hanisee. The teen had just dropped his girlfriend at home following their high school prom and was waiting for a traffic light to change when a vehicle pulled alongside and a man shot him. One of the bullets struck his spine, causing paralysis, according to the prosecutor. Hernandez is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom April 15 for a pretrial hearing. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Top AMCs join hands with NSE & CIEL to create 50,000 New Mutual Fund Distributors in next 3 year Asset Management Companies along with NSE and CIEL have joined hands to build 50,000 new to industry Mutual Fund Distributors (Financial entrepreneurs) over the next three years. This is being done under the aegis of ExpertMFD,a first pan-India collaborative initiative comprising of top AMCs who manage over 2/3rd of total AUM in Mutual Fund Industry. The MFs include marquee names like Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, Axis MF, ICICI Prudential MF, L&T MF, Nippon India MF, SBI Mutual Fund and Sundaram MF who have joined hands with NSE (National Stock Exchange) and CIEL (Centre for Investment Education and Learning). As New India earns and invests, mutual funds have emerged as an attractive avenue to promote financialisation of assets and earn market-linked returns over the long-term with disciplined financial planning. However,hand-holding is required for both new-to-MF investors as well as experienced investors, ExpertMFD said in a statement. The Indian MF industry could be worth Rs 100 lakh crore in the next decade. However, currently there is just 1 distributor for every 17,000 people, indicating a massive growth opportunity for insurance agents, retired BFSI professionals, homemakers, BFSI employees, students etc. Top individual MF distributors earn more than Rs 1 crore in annual gross commissions, showing the potential for earnings. ExpertMFD has built the infrastructure to create financial entrepreneurs / mutual fund distributors through its first in India collaborative platform which will offer end-to-end support for anyone who wants to make a career as an expert financial distributor. Regulatory training and also practically-oriented induction & mentoring by experts is necessary for becoming successful in the MF industry. NSE will be the transaction partner for a seamless digital experience to start business. Speaking on the occasion, Himanshu Vyapak,MD, CIEL, said, "We have about 2.3 crore unique MF investors in India. The growth in MF distributors has not kept in pace with the growth of assets in MF Industry. Our endeavour is to build a strong foundation and a cohesive growth environment for future financial experts by providing a full stack end-to-end platform for anyone who wants to become an expert financial distributor. This is done through the aegis of technology intervention and strong partnerships. The platform will also train these distributors on other financial products in the second phase." AMCs CEOs in a joint statement from the consortium of Top AMCs comprising of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, Axis MF, ICICI Prudential MF, L&T MF, Nippon India MF, SBI MF, Sundaram MF said: "We are very pleased to partner with NSE and CIEL to launch ExpertMFD a platform to create Financial Entrepreneurs for the mutual fund industry. The industry is ready for next-level growthand is expected to be Rs 100 lakh crore over the next 10 years. It is indeed heartening to note that Indians are increasingly moving away from physical savings to financial savings. With lesser distributors serving more and more customers, it is a huge opportunity for new financial distributors to join the industry and make an impact." "The success of the industry will lot depend on how we work towards expanding the distributor network and move to rural India. We would want to use the learning and the experience that we have gathered over the years to make the project successful" Mukesh Agarwal CEO, NSE Indices Ltd- NSE said, "We see a great potential in having a first in industry one stop platform for anyone like an insurance agent, homemaker, student and retired professional to start their mutual fund distribution journey. Our joint knowledge, business acumen, skilling capability and transaction engine will help any new distributor in its entire journey from onboarding to business generation on one platform." Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. Everyone in NSW will have access to a confidential career adviser, regardless of their experience or education, to help find a job or change profession and drive the COVID-19 recovery. A pilot of the government-run service, to be known as Careers NSW, will begin online through Service NSW later this year with a full rollout expected in mid-2022. Professor Peter Shergold says career advice is needed throughout peoples working lives Credit: Wolter Peeters Highly-credentialed volunteers from major and emerging industries will be asked to lend their time to provide advice in areas including advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity and construction. The initiative is a key recommendation in the review of the NSW vocational education and training sector led by businessman David Gonski and Western Sydney University chancellor Peter Shergold. Lithuanian fintech is launching intelligent financial management tools with instant multi-currency payments powered by next-generation Temenos Payments in the cloud Temenos Payments and core banking platform enables FINCI to accelerate time to market, create hyper-efficient business models and leverage open banking to deliver financial value-added services for individual and business clients Temenos is the de facto technology platform of choice for digital challenger banks and financial companies around the world that want to launch fast and innovate continually Temenos (SIX: TEMN), the banking software company, today announced that FINCI, a Lithuanian fintech company, has gone live with Temenos. FINCI is running next generation Temenos Payments on cloud-native technology along with Temenos Transact core banking on the same environment. This allows FINCI users to send, manage and receive instant multi-currency payments alongside with possibility for further extension of intelligent financial management tools all within a single app. FINCI aims to simplify daily financial management for private individuals, entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-ups and already successfully working businesses of different industries by automating stressful and time-consuming financial and accounting tasks in a single, powerful App. Temenos' rich banking functionality and API-first, microservices-based technology enabled FINCI to design, build and launch the service from scratch in just 4 months. With new open banking regulations, Temenos' APIs also allow FINCI to integrate quickly with a wide range of external systems to help create its multiple intelligent financial management applications and drive its product and service innovation. FINCI will initially be available in the Baltic States and Poland with plans to extend the offering to the customers in other European countries and the UK. Temenos' cloud-native technology provides a flexible and agile platform that enabled FINCI to quickly build and launch new payment products that are PSD2 compatible with a high level of automation and where all appropriate fraud checks are applied seamlessly. This gives customers peace of mind and allows FINCI to focus on the customer experience and ease of use, knowing that Temenos Payments is efficiently accommodating all processing, monitoring and compliance needs. Maksim Paukov, acting Chief Information Officer, Finci Technology, commented: "Temenos has enabled FINCI to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the emergence of an open banking market. We think of FINCI as an innovative and advanced platform for your business and personal financial life. At start, FINCI will offer daily financial products such as accounts, payments, currency exchange and payment cards. We develop our products fast and many great services and features, especially for business clients will be added shortly. With Temenos' cloud-native technology we have a robust payments capability that is fast, secure and compatible with all the various payment regulations in the markets in which we will operate. The flexibility and agility of the Temenos platform will enable us to quickly create and launch financial products while continuing to innovate the customer experience that differentiates our service." David Macdonald, President of Europe, Temenos, said: "We are proud to celebrate the launch of FINCI. Temenos has become the de facto tech technology platform of choice for digital challenger banks and fintechs that want to launch fast and innovate rapidly. As FINCI has shown, our technology enables challengers to create hyper-efficient business models that deliver more value to their customers. Temenos has a strong presence in the CEE region and we look forward to supporting FINCI as it expands into new markets and leverages the agile product building capabilities of our platform to enhance its offering and bring innovative new ways to improve its customers' financial lives." Award-winning Temenos Payments provides coverage for an extensive range of payment types, payment schemes, payment formats, and transaction types. When acting as a centralized hub, the solution standardizes, automates, and integrates payment flows, efficiently linking multiple payment sources and channels with multiple clearing and distribution networks and services. FINCI also benefits from Temenos' integrated Financial Crime Mitigation (FCM), covering watch list screening, anti-money laundering, fraud prevention and KYC with a flexible range of intelligent and versatile solutions to enhance detection and reduce cost. Temenos FCM is componentized and can be deployed in its entirety or partially to cover only specific business needs. This allows FINCI to add capability as its needs change and evolve. FINCI joins more than 60 challenger banks and financial companies across the globe such as Alba, Banco del Sol, FlowBank, Flowe, Lunar, Next Commercial Bank, Varo Bank and WeLab Bank, making Temenos the de facto technology provider of choice for companies seeking to launch quickly and innovate at speed at the financial services market. Ends About Temenos Temenos AG (SIX: TEMN) is the world's 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 500 million 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005073/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts Jessica Wolfe Scott Rowe Temenos Global Public Relations Tel: +1 610 232 2793 +44 20 7423 3857 Email: press@temenos.com Alistair Kellie Andrew Adie Newgate Communications on behalf of Temenos Tel: +44 20 7680 6550 Email: allnewgatetemenos@newgatecomms.com BETHESDA, Md., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Conlan Scientific, a fast-growing nationally recognized authority in delivering AI/ML-based Financial Data Science solutions, proudly announced today that Clutch Research had recognized it as a top leader in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Development firms for its expertise in supporting the financial sector in the Washington D.C. region in 2021. Conlan Scientific has earned this national recognition based on its proven innovative, high-performing solutions, as voted and validated through its excellent client reviews. Founded by Chris Conlan, a nationally acclaimed data science expert, Conlan Scientific is an industry innovator in delivering Financial Data Science Development services that leverage AI/ML to help large financial institutions, including banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, traders, hedge funds, and advisors. These financial institutions collect valuable customer data that can be used to reshape business strategies and make more informed decisions. One of the most disruptive areas is Quantitative Trading solutions, which use algorithms and programs that leverage mathematical models to identify and capitalize on available trading opportunities. Conlan's leading-edge techniques empower financial organizations to reduce operational costs, enhance security and fraud detection, and increase returns. As more big data is collected, it enables financial institutions to form predictable and scalable decisions for their critical projects, where significant investments carry significant risks. Conlan Scientific works with demanding financial clients to extract the best value from their real-time data through intelligent solutions such as: Financial Machine Learning. Machine-learned investing and lending models outperform competitors under a variety of market conditions. Data-Driven Investment Valuation. Investment firms can move away from scoring models towards data-driven investment valuation models. Portfolio Visualization. Cutting-edge trusts and funds can use elegantly designed portfolio visualization tools to communicate the value of their expertise to existing and potential clients. Actuarial Science. Probabilistic models of financial behavior are growing necessarily more complex given newly available data. Fraud Detection. Businesses are more capable than ever of staying ahead of criminal elements by analyzing complex networks of data. Risk Management. As investor demand for exotic assets increases, managers need increasingly complex monitoring and analysis tools to measure financial risk. Chris Conlan, the CEO, commented, "We are honored to be recognized as a trusted industry leader in delivering advanced AI/ML solutions to our discerning clients. We are especially proud to receive this third-party validation based on client reviews which demonstrate the level of satisfaction with our exceptional performance and results." Conlan added, "Conlan Scientific is rapidly growing and expanding its offerings to support Financial clients with innovative Quantitative Trading solutions. Quantitative Trading involves using computer algorithms and programs that leverage mathematical models to identify and capitalize on available trading opportunities. We are excited to offer our expertise to investors to help them continue to outperform." Clutch Research is the leading ratings and reviews platform for IT and business service providers. Each month, over half a million buyers and sellers of services use the Clutch platform, and the user base is growing over 50% a year. Clutch has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. and has been listed as a top 50 startup by LinkedIn. About Conlan Scientific Conlan Scientific is a fast-growing AI/ML development firm for the financial sector, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. As a Financial Data Science Development services firm, Conlan Scientific delivers leading-edge techniques that empower financial industries to reduce operational costs, enhance security and fraud detection, and increase returns. Its representative clients' roster feature leaders such as Sames Auto Group, 721 Investment Systems, Klover Financial, David S Brown Real Estate Developers, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Signal Consulting Group, Insignia Federal Group, and the Center for Responsive Politics. To learn more about Conlan Scientific, visit our website at https://conlanscientific.com/. Press Contact: Mr. Gal Borenstein Borenstein Group, Inc. 703-385-8178x70 [email protected] Related Images conlan-scientific-logo.png Conlan Scientific Logo Conlan Scientific Logo SOURCE Conlan Scientific Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. By Ritah Kemigisa Police have arrested the NUP party president Robert Kyagulanyi as he made his way to petition the Chief of Defense Forces Gen David Muhoozi and defense minister over the continued abduction and illegal detention of his supporters. Earlier today, Kyagulanyi announced that he would deliver a letter to the CDF and the defense minister demanding for the release of his supporters. He warned that failure by the security chiefs to heed to his demands would lead to continued peaceful protests. He also urged all Ugandans irrespective of their political affiliations to condemn the unlawful arrests and detentions in the country. On Monday ,Kyagulanyi was arrested near city square as together with his members protested over the same. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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: For years, advocates for a four-day workweek have argued that a compressed schedule could lead to more productivity and a better work-life balance. That perspective is now gaining credence in some countries during the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought drastic changes to the way people work. Spain is about to find out firsthand whether it works. The country is poised to become one of the first to experiment with a 32-hour workweek, which would allow workers to spend less time at the office without any change in pay. Is four days enough? A man minds his fresh food market stall in Pamplona, northern Spain. Credit:AP Exactly what the pilot program will look like is unclear. An Industry Ministry source told the Guardian that virtually every detail was still up for negotiation, including how many companies would be involved and how long the experiment would last. | By Mary Therese Phelan Two researchers from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) have been awarded a three-year, $950,000 grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to create the Global Learning for Health Equity Network. Yolanda Ogbolu, left, and Virginia Rowthorn The network will examine ways to learn from other countries to address health care inequities a process called global learning. The United States continues to lag behind high-resource countries on significant health indicators, including infant mortality, chronic disease, and overall mortality, largely due to health and health care inequities. Interventions designed to eliminate health equity in other countries may also work in local communities in the United States. The grant award comes at a time when the COVID-19 epidemic has illuminated grave racial and social inequities in the U.S., especially in under-resourced communities. UMB was selected to serve as the organizational home to the Global Learning for Health Equity Network based on the Universitys long-standing commitment to health equity, community-engaged research, global health, and global learning. Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD 11, MS 05, BSN 04, CRNP-Neonatal, FNAP, FAAN, associate professor and chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and Virginia Rowthorn, JD, LLM, associate professor, University of Maryland Graduate School, and assistant vice president for global engagement, UMB, are co-principal investigators on the grant. The Global Learning for Health Equity Network will build connections among researchers and global health practitioners who are seeking opportunities to advance global learning and strengthen community capacity to bring global ideas to U.S. communities. Ogbolu and Rowthorn will conduct the project in several phases. In the first phase, they will conduct a scoping review to categorize and synthesize existing literature on global learning for health equity and the many heterogeneous threads that comprise this new field of inquiry. They will then work with five learning communities (including Baltimore) where global learning projects for health equity are underway to capture characteristics about where the project was originated and about the U.S. project site, focusing especially on community engagement elements of the implementation process. Moving beyond these five learning sites which have representatives on the grant team (see below) Ogbolu and Rowthorn will gather data about other global learning projects underway in the U.S. and use the compiled data to create a framework to facilitate global learning for health equity in the future. Ogbolu, who was a previous RWJF global learning grantee for her research studying disadvantaged communities in West Baltimore to understand the impact of social isolation on health, served as a member of a RWJF expert panel on global learning, along with other team members, to design an approach to expand the state of the science for the emerging field of global learning. Her current project, the Belong to Baltimore study, is a global learning project that leverages Brazilian expertise in a Baltimore program designed to build social inclusion and expand access to social resources for caregivers of young children. Rowthorn has conducted national workshops and written a number of scholarly articles on global learning and reverse innovation. These efforts have put UMB at the forefront of how to bring the best ideas for health equity, public health, and community engagement to the United States. This paradigm reverses centuries-old academic, cultural, and governmental norms that supported a one-way flow of knowledge out of the country, limiting the countrys arsenal of evidence-based strategies to overcome health challenges. Jay A. Perman, MD, chancellor of the University System of Maryland and former president of UMB, has long been an advocate of global learning and global health. In his letter of support for the grant, he stated, For more than 40 years, as UMB developed a prominent global health program, the Universitys researchers worked under the premise that addressing the worlds most pressing health challenges requires the effort of researchers, practitioners, and community members all over the world and the translation of good ideas from one setting to another across professions and across national borders. Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, president of UMB, is delighted that UMB will be home to the new network. The proposed network firmly aligns with UMBs strategic plan, which encourages initiatives that deepen and expand local and global engagement by providing health, legal, and social work programs, and engaging in research to promote social justice and improve health, Jarrell said. A network to understand, facilitate, and evaluate global learning is a critical next step to ensure that evidence-based interventions to promote health equity from around the world are accessible to communities in the U.S. Ogbolu and Rowthorn will collaborate on the grant with national leaders from four diverse global learning communities: Sonya Shin, MD, Navajo Nation, Four Corners region of Southwest United States Ruth Dudding, BS, CHES, Athens (Ohio) City-County Health Department Alex Plum, MPH, CHES, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit Kevin Fiori, MD, MPH, MSc, FAAP, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Health System, Bronx, N.Y. Three consultants with deep expertise in global learning, health equity, and community engagement also will support the grant work: HARRISBURG, Ore. Work is beginning Monday night on the Willamette River bridge in Harrisburg. Workers are going to raise the bridge to have a clearance of 16 feet, two feet higher than its current clearance. If youre traveling near the area, expect delays. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers Monday through Friday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Workers are going to be very cautious of local wildlife as well. The work on the bridge wont disturb osprey nests that are already there, as most of the work will be away from them. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) Foreign nationals and non-Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) returnees are temporarily barred from entering the country. The memorandum circular released by the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF COVID-19) on Tuesday night stated the ban will last from March 20 to April 19. Exempted from the temporary entry ban to the country are: - seaman's visa holders - those involved in medical repatriation and their escort/s that are both endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers and Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration - distressed ROFs endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA - those with emergency, humanitarian, and other analogous cases approved by the NTF COVID-19 Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier announced that incoming international flights would be allowed to carry only up to 1,500 passengers per day in a bid to control the new surge in infections in the country. "Nakikita rin po natin iyong variant, ito po ang isang factor. So, ngayon ang ginawa po natin dahil nakita po natin na iyong ating mga OFW at saka mga ROF at saka mayroon tayong tinatawag na mga foreigner na pumupunta po sa atin dito, so ngayon ang ginawa po natin ay hinigpitan po natin ngayon ang ating inbound passengers. So, ngayon, ini-limit po natin sa 1,500," said Galvez at Malacanang's regular public briefing. [Translation: We see that the variant is a factor. Now, what we did because we saw that our overseas Filipino workers and ROFs (returning overseas Filipinos) as well as foreigners arriving in the country, what we did is become stricter with inbound passengers. We are setting the limit to 1,500.] Galvez clarified that the recommendation covered OFWs. On Tuesday, national carrier Philippine Airlines announced it would be cancelling several flights to and from Manila following a directive from the Civil Aeronautics Board that required international inbound arrivals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport could carry only up to 1,500 passengers starting March 18. "To comply with the restriction, airlines will need to cancel a number of international flights to and from Manila during the stated March 18 to April 19 period. Philippine Airlines will operate our full international schedule for March 18 but we will be announcing in due course any flight cancellations on other days for the rest of the period," PAL said on their Facebook page. PAL said the directive would be in place starting 8 a.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on April 19. "Airlines will likewise comply with any directives from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) and concerned authorities on the type of travelers that will be allowed entry into the Philippines within the same March 18 (8 AM) to April 19 (8 AM) period. Please note that certain passenger types will thus need to postpone their Manila-bound travels until after the stated period," PAL added. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan on Tuesday, during his farewell visit, called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa here at the General Headquarters (GHQ) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2021 ) :Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan on Tuesday, during his farewell visit, called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa here at the General Headquarters (GHQ). The COAS thanked the CAS for his services to the nation during a long and illustrious career, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release. The COAS also appreciated CAS' dynamic leadership and professionalism displayed during operation "Swift Retort" and critical support rendered in fight against terrorism. He further said, "Because of his immense efforts and quality leadership, Pakistan Air Force today is a force second to none."Earlier on arrival at GHQ, the CAS was presented guard of honour at Yadgar-e-Shuhada also called Martyrs Monument. TransRe President and CEO Mike Sapnar is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity. Hell stay on the job through April 30 to help with the transition. Ken Brandt, currently TransRes co-president of Global Underwriting, will succeed him. A member of TransRes senior leadership team since 2006, Brandt will also continue to serve on the companys board of directors. Weston Hicks, president and CEO of TransRe parent Alleghany Corp., said Sapnars leadership has been transformational. In early 2012, Alleghany had the good fortune to acquire TransRe and over the following nine years, TransRe produced $849 million of underwriting profits and a 97.5 combined ratio despite a multitude of significant catastrophes during this period. This strong record is due in no small part to the enormous contributions from [Sapnar], who is a terrific leader, an industry statesman, and an outstanding manager, Hicks said in prepared remarks. Hicks said Sapnars leadership over the past 10 years (and 26 years with the company overall) has left TransRe in a strong position for the years to come. Brandt, at the same time, will help lead TransRe into the future, noted TransRe Chairman Joe Brandon in prepared remarks. Brandt is an exceptional leader and a proven reinsurance executive with global experience who understands TransRes one-of-a-kind culture and the needs of our customers and brokers, Brandon said. Brandt noted hes been part of TransRes leadership team for 15 years. He said he looks forward to leading the company as we build on our success. Brandt has served as co-president of Global Underwriting and as president of the Americas, overseeing all of TransRes U.S, Canada, Bermuda, Latin America and Caribbean teams. Before joining TransRe in 2006, Brandt was with Employers Reinsurance Corp. (subsequently GE Insurance Solutions) where he started as a facultative casualty underwriter in 1993. He went on to hold a number of significant management positions in the U.S. and Germany before becoming president of the Americas & Asia Pacific Division. In another executive move, Paul Bonny, who is also co-president of Global Underwriting, has been named executive vice chairman of TransRe. Bonny joined TransRe in 1982 and has been an integral part of the company for many years, TransRe said. TransRe is New York-based property/casualty reinsurer. Source: TransRe This article first was published in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. The state Department of Environmental Conservation has announced it will resume offering free, in-person, instructor-led, hunter safety courses beginning April 1. They include the regular hunter education course, bowhunter education, trapping and the waterfowl hunger education.. Meanwhile, the DEC will continue to offer totally online versions of both the hunter and bowhunter safety courses at a cost. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, last year DEC successfully transitioned all of our hunter education courses online, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. Im proud of the way our staff quickly pivoted, working with our contractor to offer online courses for new hunters and bowhunters, and I applaud their efforts to safely allow for resuming in-person instruction again in time for new hunters to pursue turkey this spring. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed in every in-person course, including health screening upon arrival, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing, smaller class sizes, and sanitizing hands and equipment, DEC said.. In-person courses are free and taught by certified, volunteer instructors. Registration is required and all in-person courses require mandatory homework that must be completed prior to participating in the class. For more information, or to register for a course, visit the Hunter Education Program page on DECs website. Although the number of courses offered may be limited this spring, interested participants are encouraged to check back often as new courses may be added, DEC said. The cost of the on-line hunter education course is $19.95. The course can be found on DECs hunter-ed website. DEC also continues to offer an on-line bowhunter education course, which costs $30. The states hunter safety course is required to purchase a hunting license in New York. The course covers the necessary safety techniques and responsibilities that a hunter must know when using a gun, muzzleloader, crossbow or bow to pursue wild game. In addition to the regular hunter safety course, a state bowhunter education course is required for hunters who use a bow and arrow to hunt deer or bear. While this course is not required for hunting deer with a crossbow, or for using a bow and arrow to hunt small game or turkey, DEC encourages individuals to take this course to learn bow and tree stand safety techniques. The trapping education course is required for first-time trappers pursuing furbearers. Trapper education in-person courses will resume April 1, but there may be few trapper education courses offered until late summer, DEC said. The waterfowl hunting education course is required of hunters who want to gain access to select state and federal lands (wildlife refuges) open to waterfowl hunting. For more on DECs hunting/trapping courses, see the DEC website. Since March 2020, DEC has seen more than a 12-percent increase in hunting and fishing license sales compared to sales from the previous 12-month period. During this time, which roughly coincides with New York State on PAUSE, resident turkey permits have increased more than 13 percent and junior hunting licenses increased by more than 25 percent. Certain types of lifetime licenses also increased by as much as 50 percent. A combination of factors, including the availability of online hunter education for new hunters and more time available to participate in the hunting and other activities as New Yorkers looked for recreational options during the pandemic, likely contributed to the increase, DEC said. MORE UPSTATE NY OUTDOORS Violators of annual statewide residential brush burning ban face $500 fine Along flood-prone Lake Ontario shore residents have one wish: A normal year A magical experience: Rochester angler honored for catching releasing 81 muskies last year Otisco Lake tiger muskies: CNY group advocates catch and release of big ones UPGRADE YOUR OUTDOOR GEAR Fishing Gear | Camo Face Masks | Hunting Gear | Camping Supplies DENVER, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After 40 years in business in Colorado, Footers Catering will open a much-anticipated event facility in Arvada. The venue, named "Social Capitol," will include 20,000 square feet of versatile event-space, a mezzanine, and smaller breakout rooms. The reimagined building at 6543 Wadsworth Blvd. in Arvada will also now be home to the caterer's entire operation, including kitchen, office, and production facility. "Arvada is thrilled to welcome Footers Catering/Social Capitol to our community," says Arvada Mayor Marc Williams. "Footers has long been a go-to catering company for many wonderful events, and to now have them headquartered in Arvada is very special. Their new event space is incredible and will help fill the pent-up demand for quality event space for weddings, galas, company meetings and other functions." After a brief pause in March of 2020, the project was full speed ahead with much of their existing team's help. "We are so proud that we were able to keep most of our team employed over the last year," Says owner April Lambatos. "They've been amazing helping us with new building projects while our event catering business was impacted due to restrictions on gatherings. We are thrilled to have this growth opportunity for our team!" Social Capitol Events plans to open officially this spring. "Amidst all the challenges businesses have faced in this last year, it is awesome to see a company like Footers Catering growing and investing into Arvada," notes Daniel Ryley, Executive Director of the Arvada Economic Development Association. "On behalf of the AEDA Board of Directors, we are thrilled to be able to support the Social Capitol project and the resulting revitalization of the site, new employment opportunities, and a wonderful new event space for our community." Footers Catering was founded in 1981 by famed Denver restauranteur Jimmy Lambatos. In 2010, Lambatos's son Anthony and his wife April took over the business. As second-generation owners, Anthony and April have led the Footers Catering team to many "Best of" awards, including Best Caterer, Best Place to Work, Best Small Business, and many more. Anthony and April were also both named Denver Business Journal's "40 Under 40." SOURCE Footers Catering KABUL Mohammad Hanif Atmar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, met the new president of American University of Afghanistan, Mr. Ian Bickford along with Mr. David Sedney, the previous AUAF president. In this meeting, Minister Atmar shared the preferences of the Ministry, directing towards the academic programs, including the business pivot and creating a regional expert. Minister Atmar did express the need of creating and expanding the cooperation of arranging educational and theoretical programs, utilizing the experiences and knowledge of both, American University of Afghanistan and the Diplomacy Institute of Foreign Affairs. An MoU should be signed as well. Afterwards, Mr. Bickford welcomed the cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for providing opportunities in academic and scientific/theoretical fields and the preparation of working together on organizing joint educational programs with the collaboration of the Diplomacy Institute." In the meeting, it is understood that both teams will start preparing for organizing educational programs including Masters degree and signing an MoU in the near future. As the Covid-19 pandemic has been controlled well in Hanoi, the Huong (Perfume) Pagoda opened to the public on March 13. VietNamNet captured the scene at one of the most famous pagodas in Vietnam by flycam on its first day of opening. According to the management board of Huong Son relic site, Huong pagoda welcomed nearly 20,000 people on the day. As Covid-19 is still complicated, the local authorities used loudspeakers to remind visitors to obey regulations on epidemic prevention measures, such as wearing a mask, washing hands with antiseptic, and making medical declarations. On the Yen stream, thousands of boats carried tourists to the Huong pagoda. The fee for a boat trip is VND50,000/person and the price for a cable car ticket is VND180,000/person. Three Covid-19 monitoring and control stations have been established at entrances of the historical site to ensure that all people strictly implement prevention measures, such as wearing masks, measuring body temperature, and washing hands. The local volunteer force consisting of 35 members is always at the pagoda to remind people to strictly implement measures and provide face masks to visitors. The number of travelers is expected to increase on upcoming days. The organizing committee of Huong Pagoda Festival will further strengthen prevention and control of Covid-19 to reduce the spread of the disease. Perfume Pagoda is at the center of a very revered and sacred site featuring a maze of mainly Buddhist temples built into the limestone cliffs of Huong Tich near Hanoi. At the heart of this complex lies the Perfume Temple or Perfume Pagoda in the Huong Tich Cave. It is believed that the first temple was built here in the 15th century, although legend says that the site was actually discovered over 2,000 years ago by a Buddhist monk who was meditating nearby. The mountain foothills are an area of great natural and spiritual beauty filled with streams, tropical plants and temples. There are many pagodas to visit, each offering a different shrine, most of which are Buddhist, although one or two are animist. The Perfume Pagoda attracts pilgrims and tourists seeking good luck from the stalagmites and stalactites inside the cave which have been named according to the individual blessing they can bestow. COVID-19 prevention measures tightened at Buddhist places of worship The Standing Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)s Executive Council has ordered intensifying COVID-19 prevention and control measures at places of worship. The Ministry of Healths 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering) and khai bao y te (health declaration) must be seriously observed, the board said. Heads of pagodas and other worship places should closely coordinate with local authorities to ensure physical distance between pilgrims, it added. According to Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and General Secretary of the VBSs Executive Council, most of the localities have allowed the reopening of Buddhist places of worship, with tens of thousands of people flocking to major pagodas during the first days of the second lunar month. VNA Huu Thang - Doan Bong PM, ministers get COVID-19 shots THAILAND: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and other cabinet ministers were inoculated against COVID-19 at Government House in Bangkok this morning (Mar 16). ChineseCoronavirusCOVID-19healthSafety By Bangkok Post Tuesday 16 March 2021, 01:28PM Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, left, is given the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by Prof Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology, at Government House in Bangkok this morning (Mar 16). Photo: COVID-19 Information Centre. Their vaccinations had been postponed last Friday after several European countries had suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on reports of adverse reactions in a small number of patients. It has been verified that there is no bad reaction from the AstraZeneca vaccine, the prime minister said. Inoculations start today with the cabinet and government officials who come in close contact to a large number of people, he added. This is to ensure safety and imbue confidence in the general public. What concerns me the most now is ensuring the vaccine reaches all people in at-risk groups as soon as possible, Gen Prayut said. He said the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency had confirmed the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Today people can have confidence. The prime minister is not only important person. Everyone is important to their own family. Everyone is equally important. So we will speed up vaccinations as soon as possible, Gen Prayut said. During his 30-minute observation period after inoculation, the prime minister gave a brief talk that was broadcast live on the Government House Facebook page. He said 116,520 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been distributed through 13 provinces and 50,388 people were being inoculated. He also said the government would allow the private sector to procure COVID-19 vaccines that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. COVID-19 is under control and the country has enough vaccines for the early stage of inoculation. So we will ease measures to let people live normal lives in the new-normal way." "This Friday the CCSA (Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration) will consider easing measures and allowing activities during the Songkran festival. The government must also take care of the economy, Gen Prayut said. A government official hosting the talk said people over 60 are getting the AstraZeneca vaccine and those under 60 years Sinovax, from China. The prime minister is due to received his second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on May 25. After inoculating the prime minister, Prof Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University, said more than 350 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, from at least 10 producers, were being used worldwide. The vaccines that are being used worldwide are safe because they have passed studies, from animal trials stages to human trials, which proved them to be safe, to stimulate immunity and have disease prevention efficacy, he said. We can pass this crisis with vaccines. The virus has spread worldwide. We cannot eradicate it. We must adapt to co-exist with it. Vaccines are a way out, Prof Yong said. Advertisement Prince Charles today said he was 'thrilled' that his father the Duke of Edinburgh had left hospital following a month under the care of medical staff after being admitted with an infection and later undergoing heart surgery. Prince Philip, 99, the nation's longest-serving consort, spent 28 nights as a patient in London at King Edward VII's Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital - his longest ever stay. Philip was initially admitted on a precautionary basis for an infection, before having a heart operation midway through his four-week period in hospital. The 'Iron Duke' was photographed leaving King Edward VII's Hospital in Marylebone at about 10.30am today, with screens obscuring him in a wheelchair for the most part, before getting into a car and being driven away. Philip, who is set to celebrate his 100th birthday in June, headed to Windsor Castle to be reunited with the Queen after a month without seeing her, arriving within less than an hour. Sources said the Duke was in 'good spirits'. Charles, who was visiting a pop-up coronavirus vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London this afternoon, said he was delighted that his father was out of hospital, revealing: 'I am thrilled about it.' When asked if he had spoken to Philip yet, Charles replied: 'Oh yes, I have spoken to him several times.' A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement issued at about 11.45am today: 'The Duke of Edinburgh has today been discharged from King Edward VII's Hospital and has returned to Windsor Castle, following treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition. 'His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII's Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes.' The Duke was initially taken by car to King Edward VII's Hospital on February 16, after telling his doctor he felt unwell. But two weeks later he was moved to St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City of London by ambulance. Philip will have much to catch up on with the Queen following a dramatic week that saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunge the monarchy into a crisis by accusing a member of the Royal Family of racism - not the Queen or Philip - and claiming that Meghan Markle received no support with her mental health problems. The Duke of Edinburgh underwent a successful procedure on a pre-existing heart condition at Barts on March 3, before returning to King Edward VII's Hospital a few days later to recuperate and continue his treatment. The Duke of Edinburgh leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London today following a month of treatment by medical staff Prince Phillip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London today after a month of being treated by doctors Prince Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning having spent a month being treated The Duke of Edinburgh is driven into Windsor Castle in Berkshire this morning as he returns from King Edward VII's Hospital Philip, who is set to celebrate his 100th birthday in June, pictured waving while heading to Windsor Castle to be reunited with the Queen The Duke of Edinburgh leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning following a month in hospital Prince Charles smiles during a visit to the vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London today Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London today after being treated in hospital for a pre-existing heart condition The Duke of Edinburgh is seen leaving King Edward VII Hospital in London (let) after getting into a car (right) this morning The Duke of Edinburgh (centre) is driven away in a car after leaving King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning Prince Philip arrives at Windsor Castle this morning after being discharged from King Edward VII's Hospital in London A convoy carrying the Duke of Edinburgh arrives at Windsor Castle in Berkshire this morning Prince Philip gets into a car as he is seen leaving King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning The Duke of Edinburgh is pictured being driven away from King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning The Duke of Edinburgh leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning after a month-long stay in hospital Prince Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning after about a month being treated Philip was visited in King Edward VII's Hospital on February 20 by the Prince of Wales, who made a 200-mile round trip from his Gloucestershire home and stayed for about 30 minutes. The news Philip had left hospital was welcomed by royal experts, including Phil Dampier, author of Prince Philip: A Lifetime of Wit and Wisdom, who tweeted: 'Fantastic news. Prince Philip has left hospital after nearly a month. On to the ton!' Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams added: 'Fantastic news that the Duke of Edinburgh has been discharged from hospital and has returned to Windsor Castle. 'The soubriquet, the Iron Duke, surely applies and everyone will send him good wishes. We look forward to commemorating his centenary on June 10.' Royal expert Ingrid Seward added: 'Thrilled to see that HRH The Duke of Edinburgh has left hospital and returned to Windsor. His return will be a huge relief and support to the Queen.' Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at a vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London today Prince William is pictured driving outside Kensington Palace in London today after speaking to Harry over the weekend Prince Philip waves as he arrives back at Windsor Castle after leaving King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning A screen is placed outside King Edward VII's Hospital in London today where medical staff have been treating the Duke The Duke of Edinburgh leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London today following his treatment by medical staff Prince Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning where he has been receiving treatment Police officers outside King Edward VII's Hospital in London where the Duke of Edinburgh has been receiving treatment The Duke of Edinburgh (centre) is driven away in a car after leaving King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning A screen is put up as a car waits at the side entrance of King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning Phillip leaves King Edward VII hospital in London today following a month apart from the Queen Police officers stand outside King Edward VII's Hospital this morning where Philip was first admitted on February 16 The 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II spent a month in hospital in London before leaving in a car this morning Police officers walk outside King Edward VII's Hospital today where Prince Philip has been treated in recent weeks And royal biographer Angela Levin, who wrote Harry: Conversations With The Prince, said: 'Marvellous news Prince Philip is back at Windsor. Let's hope he makes a full recovery.' Timeline of the Duke of Edinburgh's hospital stay and Harry & Meghan's Oprah interview Tuesday, February 16, 2021: The duke is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital on a precautionary basis after feeling unwell. He travels from Windsor Castle by car. Philip is said to be in 'good spirits' and walks into the private hospital unaided. He is expected to stay for a few days. The duke is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital on a precautionary basis after feeling unwell. He travels from Windsor Castle by car. Philip is said to be in 'good spirits' and walks into the private hospital unaided. He is expected to stay for a few days. Friday, February 19 : Sources say Philip is now expected to remain in hospital for 'observation and rest' over the weekend and into the next week. : Sources say Philip is now expected to remain in hospital for 'observation and rest' over the weekend and into the next week. Harry and Meghan are stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit has become permanent. Saturday, February 20 : The Prince of Wales makes a 200-mile round trip to see his father, spending around half an hour at the hospital. : The Prince of Wales makes a 200-mile round trip to see his father, spending around half an hour at the hospital. Tuesday, February 23 : Seven days after the duke was admitted, the Palace says he is being treated for an infection and is 'comfortable and responding to treatment', but is not expected to leave hospital for several more days. The Earl of Wessex says the duke is a 'lot better' and looking forward to getting out. : Seven days after the duke was admitted, the Palace says he is being treated for an infection and is 'comfortable and responding to treatment', but is not expected to leave hospital for several more days. The Earl of Wessex says the duke is a 'lot better' and looking forward to getting out. Friday, February 26 : Harry says a 'toxic' atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK, in an interview with James Corden : Harry says a 'toxic' atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK, in an interview with James Corden Monday, March 1: Philip is transferred in an ambulance to St Bartholomew's Hospital for treatment for an infection and testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition, Buckingham Palace says. The duke is shielded from public view by large umbrellas as he leaves King Edward VII's Hospital. Philip is transferred in an ambulance to St Bartholomew's Hospital for treatment for an infection and testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition, Buckingham Palace says. The duke is shielded from public view by large umbrellas as he leaves King Edward VII's Hospital. A preview clip of the Oprah Winfrey interview shows Harry saying his biggest fear is that 'history would repeat itself' in a reference to his mother's death, while the host is also seen asking Meghan if she was 'silent or silenced', but her answer is not revealed. Tuesday, March 2 : The Queen continues with her official duties by holding calls with the Chancellor and the head of the British Army. : The Queen continues with her official duties by holding calls with the Chancellor and the head of the British Army. Wednesday March 3 : Philip undergoes surgery on his heart. The Duchess of Cornwall says of her father-in-law: 'We heard today that he's slightly improving. So, that's very good news. We'll keep our fingers crossed.' : Philip undergoes surgery on his heart. The Duchess of Cornwall says of her father-in-law: 'We heard today that he's slightly improving. So, that's very good news. We'll keep our fingers crossed.' A spokesman for Meghan says she is 'saddened' by a report in the Times that she faced a bullying complaint during her time at Kensington Palace. Thursday, March 4 : Buckingham Palace announces Philip has had a 'successful procedure' for a pre-existing heart condition at St Bartholomew's Hospital. The palace adds: 'His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days.' : Buckingham Palace announces Philip has had a 'successful procedure' for a pre-existing heart condition at St Bartholomew's Hospital. The palace adds: 'His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days.' Friday, March 5 : Philip returns to King Edward VII's Hospital to continue his recovery. : Philip returns to King Edward VII's Hospital to continue his recovery. Sunday, March 7 Meghan and Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey airs in the US. They make allegations including accusing a member of the royal family of making a racist comment about their son Archie. Meghan and Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey airs in the US. They make allegations including accusing a member of the royal family of making a racist comment about their son Archie. Tuesday, March 9 Buckingham Palace issues a statement on behalf of the Queen. It says the Queen is 'saddened' to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes and the issues raised around race are 'concerning'. Buckingham Palace issues a statement on behalf of the Queen. It says the Queen is 'saddened' to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes and the issues raised around race are 'concerning'. Tuesday, March 16 : Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital after a total of 28 days in hospital Advertisement Earlier, police blocked access for vehicles to King Edward VII's Hospital, as four officers arrived on motorcycles to join a dozen at the entrance. Concern about the Duke of Edinburgh has been heightened because of his advanced age and his hospital stay comes amid troubled times for the royal family. While Philip was in hospital, Prince Harry and Meghan faced calls to postpone their interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey because Philip was unwell, but it went ahead and the couple made a string of claims about their struggles as working royals. The Queen, 94, said in a statement afterwards that the issues are concerning, but that 'some recollections may vary' and the matter is a family one that will be dealt with privately. Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge defended the House of Windsor, saying during a visit to a school in East London last week: 'We're very much not a racist family.' Philip has been treated for heart problems in the past and in 2011 was taken to hospital by helicopter from Sandringham after suffering chest pains as the royal family was preparing for Christmas. He was treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and underwent a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting. The duke had been spending the latest lockdown at Windsor with the Queen for their safety, alongside a reduced household of staff dubbed HMS Bubble. The couple, who have been married for 73 years, received their first Covid-19 jabs in January. Meanwhile Buckingham Palace has instructed an external law firm to assist with its investigation into bullying allegations made against the Duchess of Sussex. Royal aides announced earlier this month that past and present employees of Meghan and Harry would be invited to speak in confidence about their experiences, after it was alleged she drove out two personal assistants and staff were 'humiliated' on several occasions. Now it is understood an outside legal company will help Buckingham Palace's human resources team as it examines the circumstance of the allegations, first reported by the Times newspaper. According to other reports, the Sussexes are not expected to be asked to contribute to the review, but the duchess has written to the palace asking for any documents, emails or texts relating to the allegations against her. Lawyers for the duchess have denied the bullying allegations. Harry was also accused of bullying, with the Times reporting earlier this month that a member of staff told a colleague the couple were 'outrageous bullies'. When the bullying allegations were first made, Buckingham Palace said in a statement it was 'very concerned' about them, and stressed the Royal Household 'does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace'. It added: '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 investigation was launched after the Times reported that Jason Knauf, the Sussexes' then communications secretary, made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. A source told the newspaper that Harry begged his senior aide not to take the matter further, but it also reported that lawyers for the duke and duchess deny the meeting took place and that Harry would not have interfered with staff matters. Cars wait at the side entrance of King Edward VII's Hospital in London today where Philip has been treated in recent weeks Police officers and officials are seen outside King Edward VII's Hospital in London today where Philip has been treated A police officer stands outside the private King Edward VII's Hospital where Prince Philip has been treated in recent weeks Police motorbikes lined up outside King Edward VII's Hospital today where the Duke has been treated in recent weeks Police stand at the doors to King Edward VII's Hospital where Philip has been treated after being admitted with an infection Prince Philip is pictured during the transfer of the Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles at Windsor Castle on July 22, 2020 The Queen and Prince Philip look at a wedding anniversary card in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle last November The Prince of Wales is pictured arriving at King Edward VII's Hospital to visit his father Prince Philip on February 20 Prince Charles is pictured following his visit to the Duke of Edinburgh at King Edward VII's Hospital in London on February 20 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. From a blocked coronary artery to a urinary infection, Philip's health issues over past decade Prince Philip had been enjoying excellent health for a 99-year-old and still had an active lifestyle until his recent hospital admission. In recent years he has struggled a little more with illness, suffering from a number of ailments over the past decade, including: December 2011, four days in hospital : Prince Philip is airlifted to Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire from Sandringham two days before Christmas after suffering chest pains, and undergoes surgery for a blocked coronary artery : Prince Philip is airlifted to Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire from Sandringham two days before Christmas after suffering chest pains, and undergoes surgery for a blocked coronary artery June 2012, six days : Philip is taken to hospital after developing a urinary infection during the river pageant to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee : Philip is taken to hospital after developing a urinary infection during the river pageant to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee June 2013, 11 days : He has abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition and spends his 92nd birthday in hospital : He has abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition and spends his 92nd birthday in hospital December 2016 : Both the Queen and Philip suddenly cancel plans to leave London for their festive break in Norfolk after they both come down with heavy colds : Both the Queen and Philip suddenly cancel plans to leave London for their festive break in Norfolk after they both come down with heavy colds June 2016 : The Duke pulls out of a Battle of Jutland anniversary event citing a minor ailment : The Duke pulls out of a Battle of Jutland anniversary event citing a minor ailment June 2017, three days : Philip is admitted to hospital as 'a precautionary measure' for an infection arising from a pre-existing condition : Philip is admitted to hospital as 'a precautionary measure' for an infection arising from a pre-existing condition April 2018, 11 days : The Duke spends nearly a fortnight in hospital following his successful hip replacement : The Duke spends nearly a fortnight in hospital following his successful hip replacement December 2019, five days : He is treated at King Edward Hospital in London for a 'pre-existing condition' Advertisement A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Our commitment to look into the circumstances around allegations from former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is being taken forward but we will not be providing a public commentary on it.' A spokesman for the Sussexes declined to comment. Soon after the bullying allegations were made, the monarchy was left reeling after Harry and Meghan's interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey, in which they made a string of allegations, including accusing a member of the royal family of making a racist comment about their son Archie. Meanwhile, over the weekend, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis paid tribute to their 'Granny Diana' on Mother's Day, and said: 'Papa is missing you.' Pictures of cards made by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's three children were posted on social media by Kensington Palace. The palace said Mother's Day will be 'different once again' this year, adding that many people will be looking forward to a time in the not-too-distant future when they can give their mother a hug again. Other royal households also celebrated Mother's Day through posts on social media. Buckingham Palace posted a black-and-white photo of the Queen as a young girl with the Queen Mother. 'To all mums everywhere, we wish you a very special Mother's Day,' the post said. Clarence House posted two photos on Sunday of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall with their mothers. In the photo of Charles, he can be seen laughing with the Queen during a visit to the Braemar Highland Games in 2010. The second photo shows Camilla in 1990 at home with her own mother Rosalind Shand. Princess Eugenie has also joined in the celebrations on her first Mother's Day following the birth of her son. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, the newest addition to the royal family, was born on February 9. Eugenie posted a photo of August lying on a blanket outdoors, wearing a white jumper and hat with fluffy rabbit shoes and surrounded by daffodils. She also posted a photo of her as a baby being held by her mother Sarah, Duchess of York. The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia March 16, 2021 Cllr. Tiawan S. Gongloe President of the LNBA Mr. President Your honors, the Chief Justice & Associate Justices of the Honorable, the Supreme Court of Liberia Mr. Speaker and members of the House of Representatives Mr. President Pro Tempore and Members of the Senate Former Chief Justices and Associate Justices Hon. Minister of Justice and dean of the Supreme Court Bar The Doyen and Members of the Diplomatic Corps Madam President and Members of the National Association of the Trial Judges Mr. Vice President and Members of the Liberian National Bar Association Mr. President and Members of the Association of Female Lawyers Mr. President and Members of the Prosecution Association of Liberia Mr. President and members of the National Association of Public Defenders. Madam Court Administrator and Staff of the Judiciary Members of the Fourth Estate Other distinguished Ladies and gentlemen Mr. PresidentYour honors, the Chief Justice & Associate Justices of the Honorable, the Supreme Court of LiberiaMr. Speaker and members of the House of RepresentativesMr. President Pro Tempore and Members of the SenateFormer Chief Justices and Associate JusticesHon. Minister of Justice and dean of the Supreme Court BarThe Doyen and Members of the Diplomatic CorpsMadam President and Members of the National Association of the Trial JudgesMr. Vice President and Members of the Liberian National Bar AssociationMr. President and Members of the Association of Female LawyersMr. President and Members of the Prosecution Association of LiberiaMr. President and members of the National Association of Public Defenders.Madam Court Administrator and Staff of the JudiciaryMembers of the Fourth EstateOther distinguished Ladies and gentlemen On behalf of the Liberian National Bar Association, we congratulate your honors for opening the Court for the March Term of Court. Today, we are unable to say to your Honors, welcome from a well-deserved vacation as we usually do, because we know, and it is public knowledge, that you did not rest during the last term of this Court, as a result of the several election cases that were brought before you. We hope that during this term of court you will find some time to rest, after hearing all cases growing out of the past Special Senatorial Election that may be brought before you. With the reported arrival of vaccines for preventing the spread of Covid-19, we hope that eventually, social-distancing will soon come to an end and that life will soon return from the new normal to the old normal. Until that time comes, we will continue to cooperate with this Court in abiding by the measures contained in Judicial Order number 8. We mourn the deaths of Counsellors A. Wallace Octavius Obey, former County Attorney of Nimba and Montserrado Counties, former Solicitor General and former Resident Circuit Judge, First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes A and Counsellor Farmere G. Stubblefield, who served the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the Supreme Court with great dedication. We also mourn the deaths of the other judicial officers named by your honor. We express our deep condolences to their families and pray that their souls and the souls of all faithful departed rest in peace. We applaud this Court for punishing lawyers and judges who fail to uphold the dignity of the legal profession as lawyers and judges. This is the only way to promote public confidence in the legal profession. The Liberian National Bar Association calls on all lawyers both in the bar and on the bench to conduct themselves in ways that will maintain the dignity of the profession and stimulate the highest degree of respect for the legal profession in Liberia and abroad. We should be aware that because the lack of respect for the rule of law in Liberia was one of the contributing factors of the Liberian civil conflict, all lawyers and judges are being very closely watched by Liberians and members of the international community who may take actions against any of us based on information gathered by them. Our best choice as Liberian lawyers and judges is to maintain the highest degree of integrity, consistent with our oath of office as lawyers. While there may be different reactions to the action taken by the American Government against one of our members and the statement on judicial corruption made by that government, we should not forget that on June 18, 1987, the entire members of this bench under the gavel of Chief Justice James N. Nagbe were asked by President Samuel Kanyon Doe to resign because he had information that all members of the bench were corrupt. While members of the Liberian National Bar Association and the general public were waiting to see members of the bench or at least some of them, prove the President wrong, they instead resigned, thereby proving the President right that they were corrupt. We join your honor in thanking the American Bar Association (ABA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the United States Department of Justice, and the Government of the Peoples Republic of China for their various contributions to strengthening the judiciary. On behalf of the LNBA, we congratulate the new judges appointed during the last term of the Court and wish them success in their various courts. We urge them to maintain neutrality, impartiality, fairness, independence, and excellent judicial temperament at all times and in all cases, without distinction. Your honor the LNBA applauds the effort that is being made by your administration for a faster hearing and disposition of cases at the magisterial and circuit court levels. However, the LNBA appeals to your administration to include the Supreme Court of Liberia in the process. Some members of the LNBA have complained to the bar that the hearing of cases is also delayed at the Supreme Court and that there have been many cases heard but not disposed of by this Court. This Court must, as a matter of necessity, lead the lower courts by example. Perhaps, except for election cases, it may be better for your honors to make decisions on all the cases that you have heard, thus far, before proceeding to hear new cases. This Court has a past record that shows that it is capable of disposing of many cases in one year when it decides to do so. In 1988, for example, this Court disposed of 82 cases, the highest, thus far, since 1970 when the court decided 67 cases in one year. Your honor, all public figures, including government officials, celebrities, and all other persons, who by their positions or actions become well-known to the public, are potential targets of suspicions, gossips, and even untrue public statements and publications. You are not unique in this regard. On behalf of the LNBA, we urge you to remain focused on the performance of your duty as Chief Justice, consistent with the Constitution of Liberia. While we do not evidence that you engaged in torture while you worked at the Ministry of Justice. Your honor, we are, however, constrained to differ with your honor on your statement that Baccus Mathews, Oscar Quiah, and others who were arrested after the April 14, 1979 street protest against the increment in the price of rice were not political prisoners. Your honor, the protest was against a government policy to increase the price of rice and those opposed to that policy exercised their constitutional right to peaceably assemble and petition the Government of Liberia not to implement that policy. Almost all dissenting voices in Liberia at that time, including leaders of pressure groups such as the Progressive Alliance of Liberia, the Movement for Justice in Africa, and student organizations including the University of Liberia Students Union and LINSU, were silenced by arrests and threats of arrests. Those arrested were neither taken to a police station for the investigation to determine probable cause nor were they taken to any magisterial court. They were incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison without a writ. It was only after a few days that they were issued a writ of arrest and charged with treason. When citizens are arrested for exercising their civil and political rights and arbitrarily detained, there can be no other expression that fits them other than political prisoners. A political prisoner, according to https://www.britannica.com/ is a person who is imprisoned because that persons actions or beliefs are contrary to those of his or her government. We could not resist making this clarification because some of us were participants in that street protest which became violent when the police on the order of President Tolbert shot dead more than one hundred armless citizens of Liberia and buried them in a mass grave. The history of Liberia must be told correctly to avoid mass misinformation and a repeat of the mistakes of past governments by succeeding governments of Liberia. With these brief remarks in response to your honors opening address, we wish you a successful March Term of Court. I thank you. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks advanced on Tuesday as investors cheered upbeat earnings updates from Volkswagen and Zalando. Market participants also looked ahead to a Federal Reserve policy meeting to see what the updated language and economic forecasts look like. The benchmark DAX rose 75 points, or half a percent, to 14,536 after declining 0.3 percent in the previous session. Zalando shares surged 4.6 percent. The online fashion retailer has upgraded its growth objectives after solid 2020 results. Automaker Volkswagen AG jumped 4 percent. The company expressed confidence that cost cuts will help it improve profit margins in the coming years. Utility RWE declined half a percent. The company reported that its fiscal 2021 adjusted net income was 1.2 billion euros, above the outlook of 0.85 billion euros to 1.15 billion euros. Wacker Chemie slumped 6 percent. The chemicals company forecast mid-single-digit percentage sales growth in 2021. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NATO's open door policy remains unchanged, as does allied support for future membership in the alliance for Ukraine and Georgia. This is discussed in the annual report of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, which he presented at a virtual press conference at the headquarters of the alliance in Brussels on Tuesday. According to his statement, NATO's door remains open for all European democracies that share the values of the alliance, are willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership, capable of promoting the principles of the North Atlantic Treaty and whose participation can contribute to the security of the North Atlantic region. Each country should have the right to choose its own security measures, including whether or not to join any treaty or alliance such as NATO. Stoltenberg said in the report that the allies also remained committed to supporting the eventual NATO membership of Georgia and Ukraine in accordance with the decision of the 2008 Bucharest summit and subsequent summits. In his report, the Secretary General recalled that in March 2020 North Macedonia became the 30th member of the North Atlantic Alliance, which demonstrates NATO's commitment to the open door policy, which is a fundamental principle of the North Atlantic Treaty and one of the greatest and most tangible successes of the North Atlantic Alliance over the years. Kurt Campbell (pictured) Beijing must stop its economic coercion of Australia before the US grants China any improvement in relations, President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell says. He's told the Chinese government, 'we are not going to leave Australia alone on the field'. Mr Campbell has told Nine newspapers that Biden gave that commitment to Prime Minister Scott Morrison during Saturday's video-link summit of the Quad nations - the US, Australia, India and Japan. 'We have made clear that the US is not prepared to improve relations in a bilateral and separate context at the same time that a close and dear ally is being subjected to a form of economic coercion,' Mr Campbell said. His appointment as Biden's 'Asia tsar' was seen as boosting the US effort to gather allies to confront an increasingly aggressive China. 'President Biden was very direct with Prime Minister Morrison that we stood together on this,' said Mr Campbell, who was at the Quad meeting. 'So we've indicated both to Australia and China at the highest levels that we are fully aware of what's going on and we are not prepared to take substantial steps to improve relations until those policies are addressed and a more normal interplay between Canberra and Beijing is established.' 'President Biden was very direct with Prime Minister Morrison that we stood together on this,' said Mr Campbell, who was at the Quad meeting Beijing has imposed trade bans and tariffs on at least $A20billion worth of Australian exports to China. Mr Campbell told Nine newspapers such coercive action by China has also been seen in the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan and elsewhere. Biden has kept in place punitive tariffs and other sanctions his predecessor Donald Trump applied to China. He said he would consult with US allies before making any decisions on the China sanctions. She replaced Keira Knightley in the upcoming drama The Essex Serpent back in February. And Claire Danes looked the vision of Victorian beauty when first look images from the period piece were released on Tuesday. The stunning actress, 41, wore a high-necked velvet dress and her hair in an elegant up-do as she portrayed the newly widowed protagonist Cora Seaborne. Upcoming drama: Claire Danes looked the vision of Victorian beauty when first look images from The Essex Serpent were released on Tuesday The series follows Claire's character as she relocates from Victorian London to a small village in Essex after leaving an abusive marriage. She chooses to move to the town of Aldwinter after becoming intrigued by a local superstition that a creature known as The Essex Serpent lives in the area. Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Perry, Claire will be joined on screen by Tom Hiddleston, 40. And The Night Manager actor looked well and truly in character in the newly released images as he donned his reverend costume. Co-stars: Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Perry, Claire will be joined on screen by Tom Hiddleston, 40 Tom plays Will Ransome, the trusted leader of the local community and can be seen in an image from the series sporting a brown coat and black jumper. Variety reported in February that Claire Danes would take on the lead role in the show after Keira Knightley dropped out of the project last October due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Clio Bernard is set to direct the series while writer Anna Symon is adapting the novel for the screen. Co-star: The actor will star opposite Claire Danes in the Apple series which is based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Perry (pictured in 2020) Tom will next be seen as his Marvel character Loki in an upcoming spin-off series which sees him travel through time and alter human history after stealing the Tesseract during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Tom's Loki has been one of the longest-running recurring characters in Marvels connected film universe, starting with Thor in 2011. The new Loki series, and its six episodes, is expected to be released on Disney+ in May 2021. In July it was also reported that Tom and his co-star Zawe Ashton have 'moved in together' after months of romance rumours. The pair were previously said to be living together in Atlanta, Georgia after they grew close while starring together in the West End production of Betrayal in London last year. Plot: The series follows newly widowed Cora (Claire) who relocates from Victorian London to a small village in Essex after leaving an abusive marriage Sources close to the duo claim The Night Manager star, 39, and the actress, 35, are 'very well suited and enjoy the quieter side of life' - and may even spend the rest of the year in the US. An insider told The Sun: 'Tom and Zawe have stayed quiet about their relationship but she has spent the last few weeks with him in the US. 'They are very well suited and enjoy the quieter side of life away from the glitz and glamour of the showbiz world. 'Their lives are typically very busy, so spending time together while not working has been something they have both embraced. Tom has made a home in Atlanta during lockdown and he is expecting to spend the rest of the year there. MailOnline contacted representatives for Tom and Zawe for comment at the time. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Bluesky Digital Assets Corp., (CSE: BTC), (CSE: BTC.PR.A), (OTC Pink: BTCWF), ("Bluesky" or the "Corporation") announced today that the Corporation had received an additional $89,980.00 CDN in proceeds from the exercise of an additional 99,978 Purchase Warrants ("Warrants"). In total, the Corporation has now received a combined total of $714,860.00 CDN in proceeds via the exercising of 794,289 Warrants. Please refer to the Corporation's press release dated March 11, 2021 for the prior exercised Warrant totals. The Corporation has approximately a combined total of 350,000 Warrants that will come due by April 24th, 2021 and of which the Corporation anticipates that the 350,000 Warrants will be fully exercised over the course of the next several days. Because of the strong demand from the Corporation's existing shareholders in exercising their warrants, the Corporation has elected to cancel its current Private Placement of Units which was announced via press release on February 22nd, 2021. The Corporation has elected to keep open its Private Placement in Kind offering which is open only to the Corporation's Class - A shareholders until March 31st, 2021 which was also announced via press release on February 22nd, 2021. About Bluesky Digital Assets Corp. Bluesky Digital Assets Corp, is building a high value digital currency enterprise. Bluesky mines digital currencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether, and is developing value-added technology services for the digital currency market, such as digital mining proprietary software. Offering a complete ecosystem of value-creation, Bluesky is targeting reinvesting appropriate portions of its digital currency mining profits back into its operations. A percentage of the profit will be invested in the development of a proprietary Artificial Intelligence ("AI") based technology. Overall, Bluesky takes an approach that enables the Corporation to scale, and respond to changing conditions, within the still-emerging digital currency industry. The Corporation is poised to capture value in successive phases as this industry continues to scale. For more information please visit Bluesky at: https://www.blueskydigitalassets.com. For further information please contact: Mr. Ben Gelfand CEO & Director Bluesky Digital Assets Corp. T: (416) 363-3833 E: ben.gelfand@blueskydigitalassets.com Mr. Frank Kordy Secretary & DirectorBluesky Digital Assets Corp. T: (647) 466-4037 E: frank.kordy@blueskydigitalassets.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward- looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbor. - 30 - To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77504 Leaders for AdventHealth West Florida Division have announced plans to build a 209,000 square foot, four-story hospital in Riverview, Florida. The health care system will break ground on the $216 million project beginning Fall 2021 and plans to open the hospital Spring 2023. We are excited to continue our growth strategy to meet the fast-growing needs of southern Hillsborough County, said Mike Schultz, President and CEO of AdventHealth West Florida Division. This hospital is another addition to our robust network of connected care that were providing in this area including primary care, specialty care, emergency services, outpatient imaging and more. We want to make it easy for people to have convenient access to the expert care they need, when they need it, and help close the gap in health care services in our community. The first phase of the new Riverview hospital will include 80 beds at opening and additional space for future expansion to accommodate over 200 beds as the communitys demand for health care grows. The full-service hospital will provide emergency, cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology (including labor & delivery), gastroenterology, orthopedic and urology services. The hospital development follows AdventHealths recent growth and expansion plans including the Taneja Center for Surgery opening later this year, the opening of two new offsite emergency departments in Westchase and Brandon, the opening of an AdventHealth Imaging Center in Brandon, and the recent acquisition of an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) formerly known as Tampa Bay Surgery Center and Exodus Womens Centers located throughout greater Tampa Bay. About AdventHealth West Florida Division The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nations brightest medical minds making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists and researchers using leading edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as five freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Brandon ER, AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, and AdventHealth Westchase ER. We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, over 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy, home care, mobile mammography and more. AdventHealth is a faith-based not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and nearly 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com, or Facebook.com/AdventHealth. One of the video clips shows a suspect in a dark sweatshirt with a black-white reproduction of a woodcut from a German Bible, after a drawing by Gustave Dore, The angel of the Lord destroys the army of the Assyrians, on the back. On the front is a biblical verse from the Book of Isaiah, in a translation from the New International Version of the Bible: But now, this is what the Lord says he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. That suspect also is shown wearing orange, yellow and black Balenciaga Track.2 gym shoes. COPENHAGEN, N.Y. - A Lewis County man was arrested after he allegedly struck a three year old with a cell phone charging cord. David Sutton, 29, of Copenhagen is charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child. According to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office, an investigation began on March 2, 2021 after a mandated reporter of child abuse contacted Child Protective Services. The person reported seeing a number of lacerations to the child's arms consistent with that of a phone charging cable. Sutton will appear in the town of Denmark court at a later date. In a declaration brimming with unwitting irony, California's embattled Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised voters he'll appoint a black woman senator, if Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 87, suddenly retires from her job. In an interview with MSNBC's Joy Reid, the governor said that he had several candidates in mind for a potential replacement for Feinstein, 87, who has faced pressure from some progressive Democrats to step down and is no longer the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her current term is up in January 2025. We have multiple names in mind, the answer is yes," Newsom said, responding to Reid's question as to whether his appointee would be a Black woman. Which sounds like a bit more than a hint to the Feinstein camp, which won't be appreciated much. It's little more than pandering, choosing representatives on the basis of skin color, and in a non-majority black state, no less. It's about virtue-signaling. It's about identity politics. And it's about far-left radicalism, with an attempt to make it palatable so long as the person spouting it is black. We all know that Newsom doesn't mean replacing Feinstein with Candace Owen. And it's profoundly insulting to black people, given that the message sent is that they can't get elected to high office without an assist from Newsom the pandering self-proclaimed hero. Actually, they can but Newsom has other ideas. Feinstein does suffer from apparent senility, but has refused to retire from office. She's been elected to five terms, and her latest doesn't expire until January 2025. Senile or not, she has no intention of going, and no one can make her. That Newsom is auctioning off her office, with her still in it, to save his own political career, isn't going to entice her to leave. It might have the opposite effect. Newsom is doing his pandering because obviously, some narrative has gone out among Democrats. The pressure on Feinstein is high, with the Los Angeles Times writing her requiem as "The Tragedy of Dianne Feinstein." Yet still, she doesn't have to go. That hasn't stopped Newsom, who seems to think voters will say 'all's forgiven' if he just hands them a black senator they can otherwise elect themselves. But that doesn't faze Newsom in the least. Pandering, see, is easy to do, when it's someone else's job. Image: Senate Democrats, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0 on Tuesday passed The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which increases the upper limit for abortions from 20 to 24 weeks for certain categories of women, and removes limits in the case of substantial foetal abnormalities, with the approving the measure. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill in March last year. During the debate on the bill, most opposition members, including those from the Samajwadi Party, the Shiv Sena, and the Communist Party of India-Marxist were of view that the bill should be sent to select committee as it lacks privacy clause. However, in his reply, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that nobody opposed the bill and once enacted, it will reduce the trauma and suffering of women. The amended act will regulate conditions under which a pregnancy may be aborted and increases the time period within which the process may be be carried out. Presently, requires mandatory opinion of one doctor if it is done within 12 weeks of conception and two doctors if it is done between 12 and 20 weeks. The new act will allow the to be done on the advice of one doctor up to 20 weeks, and in case of upto 24 weeks, two doctors' opinion will be sought. The Bill also provide to set up state-level Medical Boards to decide if a pregnancy to be terminated beyond 24 weeks in cases of foetal abnormalities. --IANS miz/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A body representing financial planners will launch a campaign next week to unseat federal Liberal MP Tony Smith as part of a co-ordinated effort to oust Coalition politicians from marginal electorates to protest against regulation of the industry. The Association of Independently Owned Financial Professionals will send an email to 186 advisers in Victorias Casey electorate calling for them to vote against Mr Smith if he fails to publicly rail against a suite of reforms introduced following the banking royal commission. Melanie Earl, Mark Fowler, Peter Johnston and Justin Harding are part of a campaign to oust Liberal MP Tony Smith in protest over regulation. Credit:Simon Schluter The royal commission exposed systemic misconduct at the banks and big wealth companies in which financial advisers were paid kick-backs for peddling useless financial products and charging fees while providing no service. The Coalition government has been criticised for not implementing the commissions recommendations fast enough, but advisers argue the regulation that has been introduced has disproportionately affected small businesses. In a major outreach to the Hindu backward communities of the state, BJP President Tuesday promised to include all the 'left out' Hindu castes in the OBC list if voted to power in West Bengal. Mocking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Nadda said that after practising politics of appeasement for years, the TMC supremo has started reciting Sanskrit slokas to assert her Hindu identity. She had left several Hindu OBC castes like Mahishya and Teli out of the reserved category because of her "politics of appeasement", he told a poll rally at Kotulpur in backward Bankura district. "Mamata Ji is indulging in the politics of appeasement to retain her chair in Bengal. It is unfortunate that because of it, people of many left out Hindu castes like 'Mahisya' and 'Teli' have been deprived of OBC status in Bengal. This is an injustice towards them. "We will form a committee and as per the Mandal Commission's recommendations on who are eligible, we will take steps for their inclusion and bring them to the mainstream," he said while reaching out to the politically crucial Hindu backward communities in Bankura district. The "Teli" and "Mahisya" are among Hindu backward castes and have a strong presence in the state's Bankura and Purulia districts. The state BJP leadership have repeatedly alleged that 99 per cent of the Muslim population have benefited from OBC reservation in the state as they were categorised under backward caste during the TMC regime. This had deprived several backward Hindu castes of benefits of OBC reservation. Banerjee had won elections in the name of 'Ma, Mati, Manush' (Mother, Land and People) but her party has engaged itself in "dictatorship, extortion, politics of appeasement, torturing women and killing BJP workers during the last decade", Nadda said. "I am told that Mamata Banerjee is now doing Chandi Path. But in the last 10 years, you (Banerjee) have been engaged in minority appeasement. You have stopped Saraswati Puja in the state and immersion of idols of goddess Durga," he said. Banerjee did Chandi Path (recitation of hymns for Goddess Chandi) at Nandigram, from where she is contesting, at a public meeting on March 9. "During the stone laying ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, you (Banerjee) had stopped people from offering puja in the state," the BJP president said. Referring to the court verdict in the Batla House encounter case, Nadda said that the TMC supremo had claimed in 2008 that it was fake and that she will quit politics if proved wrong. "The court yesterday gave a verdict in the case. What will she say now?" he asked. A Delhi court Monday awarded death penalty to convict Ariz Khan for the murder of decorated Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma in connection with the sensational Batla House encounter of 2008. Calling for defeating TMC in the coming state election for its "misrule and misgovernance", Nadda said the TMC government's days are numbered. "TMC's politics of polarisation, autocracy, corruption and cut-money has bred corruption. Mamata Ji, the people of Bengal will not forgive you and will defeat you in the polls." he said. Promising to restore the "lost pride of Bengal" if voted to power in the state, Nadda said Trinamool Congress has to be sent for "aaram" (relaxation) and the saffron party should be given the "kaam (work)" of running the government. Bankura district in the western part of the state has a significant tribal population, which is crucial for the success of any party in the poll battle. (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.) Nursing home care is vital to older Americans and affects us all. Throughout my career in nursing home administration, I have seen too many times that the lack of staffing is a problem that harms people and prevents quality care. Recently Attorney General Josh Shapiro and U.S. Attorney Scott Brady indicted a former nursing home administrator on federal fraud charges. My heart breaks for the individuals living in that home and in all homes that value profit over care. The top priority in my Walk with Janelle campaign is quality of nursing home care and staffing. I have witnessed far too many problems in these areas and vowed to bring them to light as a 2020 candidate for Pennsylvania House District 199. I will continue to do so as a candidate for the district in 2022 and beyond. Despicable acts of negligence and fraud in nursing homes committed in the name of profit or personal gain must end. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic to make these problems more obvious to the general population. Adequate, quality staffing is one of the most important factors in a nursing home residents quality of care and the ability to live with dignity. I pledge to continue my advocacy for Pennsylvanias seniors and encourage others to step up and contribute their own efforts to assist seniors and people of any age with disabilities who live in institutional settings, in rehabilitation facilities or at home with community services. Walk with Janelle: help others live quality lives. Janelle Crossley, Newville, Pa. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Agricultural scientists who study climate change often focus on how increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will affect crop yields. But rising temperatures are likely to complicate the picture, researchers report in a new review of the topic. Published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, the review explores how higher temperatures influence plant growth and viability despite the greater availability of atmospheric CO2, a key component of photosynthesis. Excessive heat can reduce the efficiency of enzymes that drive photosynthesis and can hinder plants' ability to regulate CO2 uptake and water loss, the researchers write. Structural features can make plants more - or less - susceptible to heat stress. Ecosystem attributes - such as the size and density of plants, the arrangement of leaves on plants or local atmospheric conditions - also influence how heat will affect crop yields. The review describes the latest scientific efforts to address these challenges. "It's important to have an understanding of these issues across scales - from the biochemistry of individual leaves to ecosystem-level influences - in order to really tackle these problems in an informed way," said lead author Caitlin Moore, a research fellow at the University of Western Australia and an affiliate research fellow at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Moore led the review with Amanda Cavanagh, another U. of I. alumna now at the University of Essex in the U.K. "Historically, there's been a lot of focus on rising CO2 and the impact that it has on plants," said co-author Carl Bernacchi, a professor of plant biology and of crop sciences and an affiliate of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the U. of I. "And it is an important factor, because we are changing that carbon dioxide concentration enormously. But it's a small part of the bigger story. Once you throw changing temperatures into the mix, it completely messes up our understanding of how plants are going to respond." "Take Rubisco, the key enzyme that fixes carbon dioxide into sugars, making life on Earth possible," Cavanagh said. "Rubisco speeds up as the temperature increases, but it's also prone to making mistakes." Instead of fixing carbon dioxide by binding it to sugars, a key step in photosynthesis, Rubisco sometimes fixes oxygen, initiating a different pathway that wastes a plant's resources. Higher temperatures make this more likely, Cavanagh said. At even higher temperatures, the enzyme will begin to lose its structural integrity, making it ineffective. Excessive heat can also undermine a plant's reproductive output. Other heat-sensitive enzymes are essential to the light-harvesting machinery of plants or play a role in moving sugars to different plant tissues, allowing the plant to grow and produce grains or fruits. "If these little molecular machines are pushed out of the temperature range that's optimal, then they can't do their job," Cavanagh said. When temperatures rise too high, plant leaves open the pores on their surfaces, called stomata, to cool themselves. Stomata also allow plants to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but when they're fully open, the leaf can lose too much moisture. "Temperature affects the atmosphere above the plant," Moore said. "As the atmosphere heats up, it can hold additional water, so it's pulling more water from the plants." Scientists at Illinois and elsewhere are looking for ways to enhance crop plants' resilience in the face of these changes. Moore, whose work focuses on ecosystem-scale factors, said new tools that can help screen plants on a large scale are essential to that effort. For example, satellites that can detect changes in chlorophyll fluorescence in plants can indicate whether a crop is under heat stress. These changes in fluorescence are detectable before the plant shows any outward sign of heat stress - such as their leaves turning brown. Developing these tools may enable farmers to respond more quickly to crop stress before too much damage is done. Cavanagh, who studies the molecular biology and physiology of plants, said some plants are more heat tolerant than others, and scientists are searching their genomes for clues to their success. "For example, you can look at wild Australian relatives of rice that are growing in much harsher climates than most paddy rices," she said. "And you see that their enzymes are primed to work more efficiently at hotter temperatures." One goal is to transfer heat-tolerant genes to cultivated rice varieties that are more susceptible to heat stress. Other strategies include engineering structures that pump more CO2 to the site of carbon fixation to improve Rubisco efficiency; altering the light-gathering properties of leaves at the tops and bottoms of plants to even out distribution of sunlight and maintain moisture levels; and changing the density of stomata to improve their control of CO2 influx and moisture loss. Collaboration between scientists focused on different scales of ecosystem and plant function - from the atmospheric to the molecular - is essential to the success of efforts to build resilience in crop plants, the researchers said. "The world is getting hotter at a shocking rate," Cavanagh said. "And we know from global models that each increase in gross temperature degree Celsius can cause 3% to 7% losses in yield of our four main crops. So, it's not something we can ignore. "What makes me optimistic is the realization that so much work is going into globally solving this problem," she said. ### Cavanagh and Bernacchi are affiliates of the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency project at the U. of I. Moore also is an affiliate of the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation at Illinois. Bernacchi is a research plant physiologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. To reach Carl Bernacchi, email bernacch@illinois.edubernacch@illinois.edu. To reach Amanda Cavanagh, email a.cavanagh@essex.ac.uk. To reach Caitlin Moore, email caitlin.moore@uwa.edu.au. The paper "The effect of increasing temperature on crop photosynthesis: From enzymes to ecosystems" is available online and from the U. of I. News Bureau. MONTREAL - After being laid off from her job as a flight attendant for Air Transat in April, Jennifer Yurchuk, who has 29 years of experience on the job, found work as a courier for FedEx while living off of her savings until her airline calls her back to work, if it ever does. The flight deck of a Boeing 737 Max aircraft is seen after arriving at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck MONTREAL - After being laid off from her job as a flight attendant for Air Transat in April, Jennifer Yurchuk, who has 29 years of experience on the job, found work as a courier for FedEx while living off of her savings until her airline calls her back to work, if it ever does. "I used to go to Paris and have dinner," Yurchuk said. "Now Im frizzy-haired, delivering these Aritzia packages." One year after the federal government instituted its first COVID-19 related travel restrictions which kicked off a precipitous drop in airline revenues flight attendants like Yurchuk have borne the brunt of the economic pain, along with thousands of pilots, groundcrew and technicians in Canada. Many of those workers have spent years perfecting a highly specialized skill or climbing to the top of their unions seniority hierarchy, and now are wondering whether the best option for them is to jump ship altogether. "I have to come up with something," said Diane Edwards, who was laid off from her flight attendant job at Sky Regional Airlines Inc. this year. "Theres not a lot of jobs available right now, either. I might end up just taking whatever I can." Air Canada, the countrys largest carrier, lost nearly $4 billion in 2020, while the International Air Transport Association estimates the global losses for airlines at $118.5 billion in 2020. According to Statistics Canada, the operating revenue of the country's major carriers plummeted 68.4 per cent in 2020 to $8.0 billion from $25.3 billion in 2019. The government has promised an aid package for the sector, but airlines have been locked in negotiations with Ottawa for months without reaching a resolution. The result has been mass layoffs for the industry's workforce as airlines cut routes and reduce service. Even with government aid, experts have warned that a full recovery for aviation could take years. Edwards is one of the administrators of a Facebook page called "Aviation workers made redundant in Canada by the COVID-19 crisis." The group, which now has more than 13,000 members, is part support group, part organizing tool, and part jobs board, with people posting links from potential employers in case others are looking for work outside the industry. Still, aviation workers who spoke to The Canadian Press were unsure if the specific skills they had learned throughout their careers would be valuable in a different industry, leaving them anxious about whether they could make as much money in another job. "This has been my career," Edwards said. "I don't even know where I would start, because this is in my blood." To help its members during the pandemic, Air Canada's pilots union has hired a third-party firmto provide "professional development and temporary job transition assistance," said Blake Murphy, acting chair of the Air Canada Pilots Association. As a result of an agreement, the number of furloughed pilots was limited to 600, while the remaining 3,000 are on reduced pay, Murphy said. "Our association is very concerned about those 600 highly-skilled furloughed pilots whose livelihoods and careers suffer with each passing month they are not able to fly," Murphy said. Canada already has one of the highest rates of skill underutilization among OECD nations, said Carlo Fanelli, a professor at York University who studies work and labour market restructuring. That problem that could grow if large numbers of highly skilled aviation workers are forced to find work elsewhere, Fanelli said. An exodus of highly specialized workers to other sectors can create problems for overall demand in the economy, since those workers will not fully realize their earnings potential, Fanelli said. "What keeps an economy going is the ability of lots of individuals to go out to dinner or buy an extra pair of jeans," Fanelli said. "If people dont have those funds available because their skills are being underutilized, this is going to create problems that will reverberate beyond the aviation industry." Wesley Lesosky, the president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, which represents flight attendants, said the union is working to support its members during the pandemic, including finding new job placements and facilitating employment insurance sessions with Service Canada. Even before the pandemic hit, stable jobs in the aviation industry had been increasingly hard to find, with airlines employing more part-time workers as market pressures force companies to cut costs, Fanelli said. But the pandemic has exacerbated these pressures, prompting workers like Yurchuk to wonder whether the career and lifestyle that she enjoyed as a flight attendant could still be a viable way to make a living in a post-pandemic world. "Im losing a job that I loved," Yurchuk said. "Its a bit more than a job. Its more of a way of life." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC) A resident is inoculated at a vaccination site at Yongdinglu Sub-district of Haidian District in Beijing, China, March 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Ren Chao) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 65 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered across China by Sunday, Li Bin, deputy head of the National Health Commission, told a press conference in Beijing on Monday. "China has endeavored to steadily increase its vaccinated population," said Li, noting that a total of 15 supervisory groups had been dispatched to provide guidance across the country. The best way to prevent COVID-19 cases is vaccination, and it is China's current top COVID-19 prevention and control strategy, said Li. Noting an overall stable COVID-19 situation in China, Li pointed out the potential risks of imported cases and cluster cases in some localities, and called on more people to get vaccinated. Related systems have been established to coordinate the vaccine supply across the country, as well as a nationwide tracking platform to strictly implement the control measures for the whole vaccine process, according to Li. Right now, China's vaccine manufacturers are constantly expanding, their production capacity is being continuously released and their output will gradually increase, said Tian Yulong, chief engineer at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. "We have established a flexible mechanism to ensure a balance between the supply and demand of the vaccines," said Tian. Staff members supervise the operation of an automated packing line for inactivated COVID-19 vaccine at Sinovac Life Sciences Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 6, 2021.(Xinhua/Lu Ye) The current supply of materials for vaccine production is also orderly, stable and sufficient, and can meet the needs of large-scale vaccine production at present and for some time to come, he said. While ensuring domestic needs are met, China will continue to export COVID-19 vaccines and provide vaccine aid to other countries, Tian noted. China has provided vaccine aid to more than 50 countries and exported vaccines to 27 nations, data from the Foreign Ministry showed at the end of February. "I believe that China's high-quality and safe vaccines will be welcomed by more countries, and we are willing to make more efforts in this regard," Tian added. Senior Congolese officials pose for a photo with Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Congo Ma Fulin at the airport in Brazzaville on March 10, 2021. (Xinhua) China has taken a series of effective measures to ensure the quality and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, said Yuan Lin, an official with the National Medical Products Administration. A relatively comprehensive supervision system, a complete legal system, and a system of quality standards for vaccines have been established, said Yuan. Each vaccine batch on the market is examined and approved by a state-accredited agency, he said. "We are also stepping up efforts to continuously improve the quality and efficiency of vaccine examination to match our vaccine production capacity," he added. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on Monday urged the rejection of shareholder proposals that annual reports be produced about its efforts to address climate change and promote diversity and inclusion. The proposals were disclosed in Berkshires annual proxy filing, ahead of the Omaha, Nebraska-based companys scheduled May 1 annual meeting. Berkshire also said Buffetts compensation in 2020 totaled $380,328, comprising his usual $100,000 salary plus $280,328 for personal and home security. Though Buffetts salary is low for a chief executive of a major company, his 16.2% stake in Berkshire was worth about $98.2 billion as of Friday. Vice Chairmen Greg Abel and Ajit Jain, who respectively oversee Berkshires non-insurance and insurance operations and whose pay Buffett sets, were each awarded $19 million, unchanged from 2019. Berkshires dozens of operating businesses include the BNSF railroad, Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Geico car insurer, and the smaller Brooks running shoes and Fruit of the Loom clothing. Citing its decentralized model, Berkshire said the climate proposal from the California Public Employees Retirement System, Federated Hermes and Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec was unnecessary, and that many businesses climate decisions already made great sense for the environment. The company also cited its business model and Buffetts record of opposing efforts, seen or unseen, to suppress diversity or religious inclusion in opposing the proposal on diversity from As You Sow, a nonprofit shareholder advocate. Berkshire said its businesses represent dissimilar industries operating around the world, and it was unreasonable to ask for uniform, quantitative reporting to compare them. Buffett controls 32.1% of Berkshires voting power, and shareholder proposals he opposes normally fail by big margins. Berkshires annual meeting will be in Los Angeles, allowing Vice Chairman Charlie Munger, 97, a Californian, to join Buffett in person to answer 3-1/2 hours of shareholder questions. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York) Top Photo: Warren Buffett, AP Photo. Topics Climate Change Berkshire Hathaway Diversity VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calibre Mining Corp. ("Calibre" or the "Company") (TSX: CXB; OTCQX: CXBMF) is pleased to announce the results of its Pavon Open Pit Gold Mine Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS"), utilizing a portion of the installed 2.2 million tonne per annum capacity at the Libertad mill. As announced on January 21, 2021, Calibre has commenced open pit mining and transporting Pavon Norte ore to its Libertad mill and expects to ramp up production throughout the year. The PFS was undertaken by WSP in Canada in 2020 and 2021 on behalf of Calibre. All figures are expressed in United States Dollars. PAVON OPEN PIT GOLD MINE: PFS HIGHLIGHTS Reserve Gold Price $1,400 per ounce Initial Mine Life 4 years Average Life-of-Mine ("LOM") Throughput 877 tonnes per day Average LOM Grade 4.86 g/t gold, 7.0 g/t silver Average LOM Recovery 94% gold, 35% silver Average Annual Gold Production 47,000 ounces Average LOM Total Cash Costs1 $650 per ounce Average LOM All-In Sustaining Costs1 ("AISC") $711 per ounce (net of Ag credits) Total Gold Production 188,213 ounces After-tax NPV 5% ($1,700/oz gold) $106.4 million Darren Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Calibre, stated: "In 14 months, since announcing the Pavon open pit resource, Calibre has permitted Pavon Norte, and commenced ore deliveries to the Libertad mill. Over the past two months, the team has safely and steadily increased ore haulage rates in-line with our expectations contributing to the Company's 2021 consolidated gold production guidance of between 170,000 and 180,000 ounces. Pavon has been a great example of our 'Hub-and-Spoke' operating model, by demonstrating how satellite deposits can be efficiently permitted and provide ore to our Libertad mill, extending mine life and generating robust cash flows. Pavon mineralization is open at depth, and along strike, beyond the pit constrained mineral resource limits included in the PFS indicating good potential to expand the resource as exploration drilling advances during 2021." Mr. Hall continued, "Given our recent success at Pavon, drilling and technical studies have commenced at the Eastern Borosi Project, which we are progressing to be our next high-grade satellite mine." OPPORTUNITIES Reserves consider no new drill data after December 2015; Step out drilling underway to expand gold resources along strike and down dip; Additional resources outside of the reserve mine plan offer potential to extend mine life; Significant surplus capacity at the Libertad mill; Underpins potential for low-cost organic production growth. TABLE 1 - PAVON RESERVE ESTIMATE (DECEMBER 31, 2020)2 Classification Deposit Tonnes ('000 t) Grade (Au g/t) Grade (Ag g/t) Au Ounces ('000 oz) Ag Ounces ('000 oz) Probable Pavon Norte 759 3.42 4.33 83 106 Probable Pavon Central 522 6.96 10.95 117 184 Probable Total Pavon 1,281 4.86 7.02 200 290 TABLE 2 - PAVON RESOURCE ESTIMATE* (DECEMBER 31, 2020)3 Classification Deposit Tonnes (000 t) Grade (Au g/t) Grade (Ag g/t) Au Ounces ('000 oz) Ag Ounces ('000 oz) Indicated Pavon Norte 863 3.58 4.77 99 132 Indicated Pavon Central 529 7.73 12.55 131 213 Indicated Total 1,392 5.16 7.72 231 346 *Indicated Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Classification Deposit Tonnes (000 t) Grade (Au g/t) Grade (Ag g/t) Au Ounces ('000 oz) Ag Ounces ('000 oz) Inferred Pavon Norte 98 3.53 6.16 11 19 Inferred Pavon Central 153 4.46 7.68 22 38 Inferred Pavon South 326 2.85 3.22 30 34 Inferred Total 577 3.39 4.90 63 91 TABLE 3 - PAVON: PFS FINANCIAL SENSITIVITY MODEL ($ MILLION, AFTER-TAX) Gold Price Assumption ($/oz) 1,400 1,500 Base Case 1,700 1,900 Cumulative after-tax free cash flow ($'000) 80,220 92,824 118,032 143,240 After-tax NPV 5% ($'000) 71,760 83,294 106,364 129,433 After-tax NPV 10% ($,000) 64,585 75,211 96,463 117,715 The financial models in the PFS were prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (formerly Roscoe Postle Associates Inc.). The PFS includes metal price sensitivities detailed in the technical report, which is expected to be published on www.sedar.com in March 2021. TABLE 4 - PAVON: PFS PRODUCTION AND COST OUTLOOK 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total Tonnes Mined (000t) 281 299 424 276 1,281 Waste Mined (000t) 2,235 3,266 4,898 3,556 13,954 Strip ratio (W:O) 7.95 10.91 11.54 12.87 10.89 Tonnes Milled (000t) 281 279 410 311 1,281 Grade Milled (g/t Au) 3.54 3.48 5.85 5.99 4.86 Gold Production (oz) 30,075 29,339 72,615 56,183 188,213 Total Cash Costs1 ($/oz) 849 939 540 536 650 AISC1 ($/oz) 943 939 622 536 711 Non-Sustaining Capital ($m)* 9.45 2.54 - - 11.99 *Includes 14% contingency. CAPITAL COSTS Total capital costs of $20.74 million are split between $11.99 million of non-sustaining and $8.75 million of sustaining capital costs. The $11.99 million in non-sustaining capital costs include a 14% overall contingency. 2021 non-sustaining capital costs of $9.45 million are included in the Company's growth capital guidance of $35-40 million for the year. OPERATING COSTS The PFS is based on reserves from the Pavon Norte and Central open pit deposits being trucked to the Libertad processing mill. The reported AISC1 includes average LOM mining costs of $2.36/ tonne mined, processing costs of $22.00/tonne milled plus $2.50/tonne tailings costs, $5.00/tonne milled G&A and $32.00/tonne milled ore transportation costs as well as sustaining capital and closure costs mentioned previously. OPPORTUNITIES By implementing our 'Hub-and-Spoke' operating model and by developing the Pavon gold project, the Libertad Complex processing life has been significantly extended and is now expected to generate robust cash flows over several years. The Pavon satellite deposit ("Spoke") feeding into the Libertad Complex represents a portion of the mill feed from 2021 through 2024. The Pavon PFS demonstrates the value of the Company's operating approach by utilizing the surplus capacity at the Libertad mill, investing in exploration to expand the current mineral resource base at Pavon as well as the opportunity for additional low-cost growth. Over 50% excess mill capacity exists at the Libertad mill underpinning Calibre's focus on exploration to expand resources and discover new satellite deposits which could provide future mill feed. Pavon represents an average of 0.32 million tonnes per annum of mill feed over the next four years, additional mill feed sources include those at Limon and Libertad as per the 2020 Preliminary Economics Assessment ("PEA") (see August 11, 2020 news release for further details (https://calibremining.com/news/calibre-releases-multi-year-production-and-cost-ou-1750/)) leaving an average of 1.5 million tonnes of surplus annual mill capacity over the next four years as a significant opportunity for organic growth via further conversion of Mineral Resources, exploration success, artisanal ore purchases or toll milling. The Pavon project represents a newly emerging gold district in Nicaragua in a region that has remained largely underexplored by modern methods. Historical exploration focused on delineating resources within the near surface portions of the Pavon Norte, Central and South deposits where indicated resources totaling 231,000 ounces of gold averaging 5.16 g/t have been delineated within the upper 100 meters. Pavon Norte and Central in combination with the Pavon South vein system also host additional inferred resources totaling 63,000 ounces of gold averaging 3.39 g/t. Exploration drilling initiated by Calibre in Q4 2020 has returned positive results from several step-out holes drilled along and beyond the margins of the currently defined open pit reserves, demonstrating that significant potential exists to expand mineral resources along strike and down dip at both deposits (see February 23, 2021 news release and figures) (https://calibremining.com/news/calibre-provides-2020-resource-expansion-and-infil-2148/). Two diamond drill rigs are currently testing the potential for lateral and vertical extensions and to the Pavon Norte and Central vein systems. The Company's exploration team is also actively conducting field surveys to identify areas with potential for new gold discoveries within the project area. Calibre looks forward to providing further updates as exploration at Pavon continues to advance. Link - Pavon Exploration (https://calibremining.com/site/assets/files/4500/2021-03-16_pvn_pfs_nr-pavon_figures.pdf) Technical Report and Qualified Person The PFS was undertaken by WSP in Canada in 2020 and 2021 on behalf of Calibre. This news release has been reviewed and approved by Todd McCracken, P.Geo. of BBA E&C Inc (formally of WSP QP for Pavon Geology/Mineral Resources), Shane Ghouralal, MBA, P.Eng. (WSP QP for Pavon Mining/Mineral Reserves and Infrastructure), and Isabelle Larouche,- P.Eng. (WSP QP for Pavon Metallurgical Testing/Mineral Processing) as well as Grant A. Malensek, P.Eng. of SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (SLR QP for Pavon Economic Analysis). A La Libertad Technical Report prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., (formerly Roscoe Postle Associates Inc.) in accordance with NI 43-101 which will include the Pavon pre-feasibility study results will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com (http://www.sedar.com)) within 45 days of this news release. Readers are encouraged to read the Technical Report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the Mineral Resource. The Technical Report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context. Darren Hall, MAusIMM, President & Chief Executive Officer, Calibre Mining Corp. is a "Qualified Person" as set out under NI 43-101 has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Darren Hall" Darren Hall, Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Ryan King Vice President, Corporate Development & IR T: 604.628.1010 E: calibre@calibremining.com (mailto:calibre@calibremining.com) W: www.calibremining.com About Calibre Mining Corp. Calibre Mining is a Canadian-listed gold mining and exploration company with two 100%-owned operating gold mines in Nicaragua. The Company is focused on sustainable operating performance and a disciplined approach to growth. Since the acquisition of the Limon, Libertad gold mines and Pavon Gold Project, Calibre has proceeded to integrate its operations into a 'Hub-and-Spoke' operating model, whereby the Company can take advantage of reliable infrastructure, favorable transportation costs, and multiple high-grade mill feed sources that can be processed at either Limon or Libertad, which have a combined 2.7 million tonnes of annual mill throughput capacity. NOTE 1: Non-IFRS Measures Calibre has included certain non-IFRS measures in this news release, as discussed below. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, provides investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. These non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to other issuers. Total Cash Costs per Ounce of Gold Sold ("Total Cash Costs") Total Cash Costs include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing, and local administrative costs (including stock-based compensation related to mine operations), royalties, production taxes, mine standby costs and current inventory write-downs, if any. Production costs are exclusive of depreciation and depletion, reclamation, capital, and exploration costs. Total Cash Costs are net of by-product silver sales and are divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. All-In Sustaining Costs per Ounce of Gold Sold ("AISC") AISC is a performance measure that reflects the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from current operations. While there is no standardized meaning of the measure across the industry, the Company's definition is derived from the definition, as set out by the World Gold Council in its guidance dated June 27, 2013 and November 16, 2018, respectively. The World Gold Council is a non-regulatory, non-profit organization established in 1987 whose members include global senior mining companies. The Company believes that this measure is useful to external users in assessing operating performance and the ability to generate free cash flow from operations. Calibre defines AISC as the sum of Total Cash Costs (per above), sustaining capital (capital required to maintain current operations at existing production levels), capital lease repayments, corporate general and administrative expenses, exploration expenditures designed to increase resource confidence at producing mines, amortization of asset retirement costs and rehabilitation accretion related to current operations. AISC excludes capital expenditures for significant improvements at existing operations deemed to be expansionary in nature, exploration and evaluation related to resource growth, rehabilitation accretion not related to current operations, financing costs, debt repayments, and taxes. Total AISC is divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. NOTE 2: Pavon Reserves The mineral reserve estimates were prepared by Shane Ghouralal, P.Eng. MBA (Qualified Person for these mineral reserve estimates), reported using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, and have an effective date of December 31, 2020. Mineral reserves are mined tonnes and diluted grade; the reference point is the mill feed at the primary crusher. Mineral reserves are reported at a cut-off grade of 1.26 g/t Au. Cut-off grade assumes Au of US$1,400/oz; 100% payable gold with a royalty of US$28/oz; selling cost are US$4.38/oz including offsite costs (refining and transport); and uses an 94% metallurgical recovery for Au and 35% for Ag. The cut off-grade covers processing costs of US$22.62/t, hauling costs of US$31.91/t, administrative (G&A) costs of US$4.91/t, tailings facility costs of US$2.56/t. NOTE 3: Pavon Resources Mineral Resources were prepared in accordance CIM (2014) definitions. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. This estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. Open Pit Mineral Resources are reported at cut-off grades of 1.17 g/t Au. Mineral Resources are estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1,500 per ounce. Appropriate mining costs, processing costs, metal recoveries, and inter-ramp pit slope angles were used to generate the pit shell. Rounding may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content. Tonnage and grade measurements are in metric units. Contained gold ounces are in troy ounces. Composites completed at 2 m down the hole. Contributing assay composites were capped at 29.03 g/t Au at Pavon Norte, 75 g/t Au at Pavon Central, and 17.18 g/t Au at Pavon South. A specific gravity value of 2.49 was applied to all blocks in rock and 2.30 was applied to all blocks in saprolite. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Calibre's control. For a listing of risk factors applicable to the Company, please refer to Calibre's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019, available on www.sedar.com. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Calibre's forward-looking statements. Calibre's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. Calibre does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Zincs three-month price was down by 0.9% to $2,832 per tonne on Tuesday morning after rising by 1.9% to $2,858 per tonne on Monday at the close. The US Dollar Index was up to 91.90 on Tuesday, following a rise to 91.85 on Monday. Economic data out on Tuesday in Europe includes French consumer prices and EU and German ZEW economic sentiment readings. In the United States, there will be data out on retail sales, import prices, industrial production, capacity utilization, business inventories and the housing market index from the National Association of Home Builders. A slew of macro releases out of China also buoyed sentiment [on Monday]. In this regard, China's industrial output rose 35% in the first two months vs a year earlier and was also up 7.3% month-over-month during the Jan-Dec period, ED&F Mans head of commodity research Edward Meir said.The latter increase was actually more impressive, as the year-over-year advance was heavily skewed by depressed activity left over from year-ago levels, he added.On Tuesday morning, however, prices were lower. The three-month tin price fell by 2.7% this morning, following a decline of 1% on Monday the only metal to fall that day to $25,310 per tonne.Copper was down by 1.7% to $8,984.50 per tonne shortly after 9am, following an increase of 0.6% on Monday to $9,144 per tonne.There was a 12,125-tonne inflow of the red metal into LME warehouses in Rotterdam where 70% of the exchanges total copper stocks are held on Tuesday, the largest intake of copper this month.Elsewhere, an 85,000-tonne fresh cancellation of aluminium on Tuesday (with 83,850 tonnes being cancelled in Port Klang, and the remainder in Singapore and Johor) followed a cancellation of 44,725 tonnes on Monday.This was a scenario which most market participants envisioned following the over 600,000 tonnes intake of material into LME warehouses largely into Port Klang, Malaysia on Thursday and Friday of last week.I wouldnt be surprised to see whoever delivered it in, sift through it, take what they want and cancel the rest, one trader said following the inflow Aluminiums three-month price was $7 per tonne lower on Tuesday morning after the cancellations to $2,211 per tonne.The light metals high price on both the LME and Shanghai Futures Exchange has been supported by production cuts ordered by local authorities in Baotou city , the capital of Inner Mongolia autonomous region.The underlying themes with economic recovery, stimulus spending and constrained supply chains should all be bullish for commodity prices, but there are potential tripwires. First, how much of the bullishness has already been baked into the prices, Fastmarkets head of base metals and battery research William Adams said in a morning note.Second if broader markets get jittery, a correction in bonds and equities would likely flow into the metals, at least initially. As such, we would be wary around key events like Wednesdays US Federal Open Market Committee meeting and what the markets take away from that is, he added. Australia will send urgent support to Papua New Guinea as both nations face a 'clear and present' danger from a spiralling coronavirus outbreak. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to confirm on Wednesday that vaccines will be sent to the close northern neighbour from next week. With PNG just kilometres by sea from the Torres Strait Islands, there are grave concerns as case numbers balloon even with low testing rates. Scott Morrison is expected to confirm on Wednesday if Australia will send vaccines to Papua New Guinea PNG Prime Minister James Marape is in close contact with Mr Morrison about vaccines and other medical support. He fears the country's infection rate could be as high as one in every three or four people. 'The number is quite staggering,' Mr Marape told reporters in Port Moresby. 'If we don't do a corrective response to this, our health system will be clogged and we won't be able to sustain it.' PNG Prime Minister James Marape fears his country's infection rate could be as high as one in every three or four people PNG has recorded 2269 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began, with almost 100 new cases in the last 24-hour reporting period. There have been 26 confirmed deaths. Australia will dispatch a three-person emergency medical team to PNG and help to reopen health facilities including testing centres. Vaccines are expected to be drawn from the Melbourne-produced AstraZeneca jabs, which are due to start being supplied from next week. Health Minister Greg Hunt labelled the situation a 'clear and present danger' in a meeting of colleagues, while the Queensland government has suspended flights from the Ok Tedi Mine in PNG. Vaccines are expected to be drawn from the Melbourne-produced AstraZeneca jabs, which are due to start being supplied from next week Labor leader Anthony Albanese echoed Mr Hunt's concerns as he threw his support behind the federal government response. 'There is a clear and present danger,' he told ABC radio. He said Australia had a responsibility as good neighbours to help PNG and other Pacific nations. 'This is a moment where we need to stand up,' Mr Albanese said. More than half of the active coronavirus cases in Queensland have been linked to PNG. Last week the state government began rolling out vaccinations in the Torres Strait where local leaders are warning an outbreak would be devastating. 'We're very remote, very vulnerable,' Torres Strait Island Mayor Phillemon Mosby said. Six refugees formerly detained on PNG's Manus Island have tested positive for coronavirus in recent days, intensifying calls by advocates for them to be brought to Australia. PNG has recorded 2269 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began, with almost 100 new cases in the last 24-hour reporting period Some 130 refugees and asylum seekers sent by Australia to Manus Island in 2013 and 2014 remain in PNG, with all but two now in Port Moresby. The six people are isolating in a hotel and other accommodation. One of the refugees, who did not want to be named, told AAP he tested positive on Tuesday last week after attending hospital with stomach pains. The refugee said former detainees feared being further shunned by locals if they were identified as coronavirus patients. The man, who arrived in PNG in August 2013, was interviewed for resettlement in the US more than two years ago but is still awaiting an outcome. Chip and Joanna Gaines tell Oprah how God communicates with them Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment "Fixer Upper" stars Chip and Joanna Gaines were featured on Oprah Winfreys "Super Soul Sunday show last weekend and detailed how God interacts with them individually. The home renovation experts are gearing up to launch their Magnolia Network in July on Discovery+ and sat down with the media mogul to candidly share about their success and family life. During the long chat, Oprah, impressed by Joannas ability to hear from God, asked the designer to explain how she hears Gods voice. She inquired whether it was a voice in your head, is it a feeling, is it prayer? Joanna responded: all three of those things, for sure, along with an overwhelming presence of peace. "I will say there probably been five pivotal moments in my life where I can say that was God's voice, that was Him, and I felt the sense of peace, almost like that moment where you get chills and you know there's something else, Joanna Gaines explained of the difference between her mind and Gods voice. That's something that since I was a little girl, I've experienced God in that real way, very relational, she emphasized. The professing Christian and mom of five told Oprah she stays away from religion because she believes Gods connection with His creation is very relational. "With the idea of religion, I shy away from that, my relationship with God, it's like no one else's, the 42-year-old explained. God is so creative that I cant impose what my belief. ... He shows up in beautiful unique ways for all of us. "I'm very realistic. I need to hear it. I'm literal. And so that's how He shows up for me, Gaines noted, pointing out that its very different for her husband. Chip Gaines, 46, opened up to Oprah about the unique way God speaks to him. "God shows up for me in very practical real ways. Like I work, that's how I meet with God, he stated. When I sweat, and when I'm lonely, I'm sad, I'm mad about something. I mean, when you chop firewood, or [on] demo day. You don't have to have any talent to be good at demolition. You just want to break stuff. Chip maintained that those very childlike, very natural, very simple ways are how God speaks to him. The Waco, TX resident went on to say that despite his faith-filled upbringing, he never considered himself to be well versed in scriptures. "I'm not a theologian. I don't understand. We both grew up in pretty conservative Christian families, and we were brought up in Church in the very traditional sense. But I didn't love to open the Bible and read the Bible for hours a day, he admitted. "Then I would go out at my granddad's ranch and I'd get on a horse, or I'd get thrown off of a horse, or I'd go try to wrestle a cow, or I'd go see a cow being born. And I would really feel like I experienced God in those moments. During the interview, the couple also talked about how they dealt with their success. "I want to speak on Jo's behalf because she would never say things like this, but she is so incredibly wise, so incredibly grounded all the things that you just described is who Joanna is," Chip shared on behalf of his wife. However, he confessed that he had struggled with fame and the limelight after several years of success. They explained why they decided to end the first installment of Fixer Upper, which aired on HGTV from 2013 to 2018. "That year off, I really think Jo and I were able to hunker down and really kind of try to unpack what it was about fame that seemed so incompatible with my personality," he recalled. Now in July of 2021, the new series titled Fixer Upper: Welcome Home" will be returning on their very own new cable network, Magnolia. The network will also air other shows featuring several other hosts, including chef-restaurateur Erin French, Floret Flowers owners Erin and Chris Benzakein and others. The Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, an immediate reaction force of the alliance, is in Georgia's territorial waters for drills with the Georgian Coast Guard service. Hosted by their Georgian colleagues, four vessels of the SNMG2 fleet entered the Black Sea coastline of the country in what has been called a "clear message of support" for Georgia from NATO by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to which the coast guard department belongs. The interior ministry also said regular visits of NATO vessels to Georgia' Black Sea port cities were "one of the tangible results" of cooperation between the North Atlantic alliance and the country for "reinforcing Black Sea security". The SNMG2 group on visit to Georgia's territorial waters involves its flagship Spanish frigate Cristobal Colon alongside counterparts Regina Maria of the Romanian navy, Turkish fleet's Kemalreis and Bulgaria's Smeli, Agenda.ge reported. SNMG2 vessels were on visit to Georgia last year as well, when the port of Poti hosted ships from Bulgaria, Canada, Italy, Romania and Turkey in its docks. UPDATE: Judge will take time off after caught on hot mic disparaging Kevin Peterson Jr. Clark Countys top prosecutor said Monday his office will move immediately to disqualify Judge Darvin Zimmerman from all criminal cases going forward after the judge made offensive remarks about the fatal shooting of a young Black man last year. Prosecuting Attorney Tony Golik declined to comment on the substance of Zimmermans statements, saying: I think the action that we are taking speaks for our opinion. This is the first time his office has filed a blanket motion to block a judge from presiding over cases, Golik said. He expects the Washington Commission on Judicial Conduct to receive complaints about Zimmerman, though he didnt say who he thought would file them. He said he is not yet sure if his office will file one on its own. Reiko Callner, executive director of the commission, said all complaints against judges are secret under state law. Zimmermans colleagues on the District Court bench condemned his comments disparaging Kevin Peterson, 21, of Camas, who was shot Oct. 29 by three Clark County deputies after he ran from a drug bust with a gun. Among other things, Zimmerman called Peterson the Black guy they are trying to make an angel out of, said he was dumb and characterized Peterson as having a death wish. The judge was speaking after a court hearing last week and apparently unaware a microphone was still on and recording him live on YouTube. Five judges signed a statement saying Zimmermans views do not reflect the values of our court nor us as individual judges. Racial bias displayed by a judge is unacceptable, unethical, unjust and cannot be tolerated. They did not call for Zimmerman to step down. Presiding District Court Judge Kelli Osler said in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive late Monday that Zimmermans caseload has been reassigned to another judge for the near foreseeable future. Christie Emrich, managing partner with Vancouver Defenders, a public defense firm, called for Zimmermans resignation. She said the bias and the racism Zimmerman displayed have no place in our community and no place in our courtrooms. We must hold our judicial officers to a high standard so that everyone in our community has equal access to justice, she said in a written statement. Judge Zimmerman has shown that he cannot meet that standard and should resign. Zimmerman on Saturday said he was truly sorry if I offended anyone. He did not respond to questions Monday about the effort to remove him from criminal cases or the call for his resignation. Zimmerman, 70, was first elected in 1986 and makes $190,116 a year. He made the remarks last Tuesday as he talked with Clark County District Court Commissioner Abigail Bartlett. In the Washington court system, a commissioner helps the court with some criminal matters. Commissioners have the same authority as a judge when it comes to arraignments, preliminary appearances, extradition matters and other duties. In an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Bartlett said she reported Zimmermans remarks to Osler that day. She declined to say whether she filed a complaint about the judge with the Commission on Judicial Conduct, saying such filings are confidential. The judge told Bartlett that he thought Peterson was dumb for supposedly thinking he would go to prison for a relatively small drug bust. He disparaged Petersons father, saying Kevin Peterson Sr. knew his son had a gun but then saw dollar signs in his eyes and hired George Floyds attorneys. Floyd died last year when a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. The judge also defended his own son, a deputy who was on the drug task force trying to arrest Peterson, and criticized the local NAACP for making what he thought were public misrepresentations about the case. It is unclear if the judge has connections to any legal proceedings involving the Peterson case. There have been no criminal cases stemming from the shooting and a probate matter related to Petersons estate was handled in King County. Peterson was shot in the unincorporated community of Hazel Dell north of Vancouver as members of a regional drug task force planned to arrest him on an accusation of dealing Xanax, the prescription anxiety medication, according to police accounts. Three deputies fired a total of 34 rounds, striking Peterson four times, as he fled from his car in the parking lot of a Quality Inn and ran to a nearby parking lot of a closed U.S. Bank in the business district, investigators said. Peterson had a .40-caliber Glock 23 semiautomatic handgun and ignored commands to drop it, investigators said. Peterson died at the scene. An outside prosecutor currently is reviewing the shooting. Petersons death touched off several tense demonstrations in Vancouver decrying the killing of a Black man by police in the wake of demands for social justice reforms nationwide after Floyds killing. Since Petersons shooting, a Clark County deputy shot another Black man, Jenoah Donald, 30, on Feb. 12 in a struggle during a traffic stop. -- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie Their work is vital to the 37 million adults in the U.S. who are affected by kidney disease and the 1 in 3 people who are at risk. NKF will honor these men and women at the 2021 Spring Clinical Meetings , which will be held virtually April 6-10. Among those honored this year will be Krista L. Lentine, MD, PhD, who will receive the 2021 Excellence in Kidney Transplantation Award . Dr. Lentine is professor of medicine with tenure, Medical Director of Living Donation, and MidAmerica Transplant/Jane A. Beckman Endowed Chair in Transplantation at SSM Saint Louis University Hospital. "Dr. Lentine's research, policy and advocacy work shaped the development of a new framework for the evaluation, selection and informed consent of living donor candidates," said Paul M. Palevsky, MD, NKF President. "Her studies of living donor health outcomes including three publications in The New England Journal of Medicine informed novel tools for tailored risk assessment and shared decision-making, based on simultaneous consideration of a profile of demographic and health characteristics. Krista's excellent work impacted the first international guideline on living donor evaluation as well as U.S. policies for living donor care." The Excellence in Transplantation Award was established to recognize a scientist or clinician scientist whose exceptional research has contributed novel insights in or resulted in improved access to kidney transplantation. "It is difficult to fully express my gratitude for this award embodying the NKF's commitment to helping people navigate the challenges of kidney disease, organ donation and transplantation," Dr. Lentine said. "I'm deeply honored to join esteemed past awarded colleagues and future recipients as we work together with the NKF and other organizations to make the gift of life possible for more patients in need. This shared mission honors the altruism of organ donors, and the courage, hope and appreciation of those who seek and receive transplants." Works to improve deceased donation, reduce discards Along with efforts to expand opportunities for safe living donation, Dr. Lentine's research agenda seeks to improve utilization of organs from deceased donors, reduce organ discards, and improve transplant patient outcomes. She currently leads investigations of the role precision medicine techniques, such as APOL1 genotyping, in the evaluation of deceased and living organ donors. She is Co-PI of one of 13 NIH "APOL1 Longterm Kidney Transplantation Outcomes" (APOLLO) Network" U01 clinical consortia, and Co-PI of the NIH-funded "Living Donor Extended Time (LETO)" R01 study. To help reduce organ discards, she also studies appropriate use of organs from Hepatitis C-positive donors, the impact of deceased donor procurement biopsies on organ use, and artificial intelligence tools to support organ acceptance decisions. Testified in state legislature Illustrating her dedication to translating research to patient-centered policy, Dr. Lentine testified along with her local NKF Executive Director at the Missouri State House and Senate in support of the Missouri Living Donor Protection Act testimony that helped the bill become law in summer 2020. She previously chaired the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Living Donor Committee, and now serves as co-chair of the American Society of Transplantation (AST) Living Donor Community of Practice, Senior Staff of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), member of the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) Advisory Group, and member of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Policy and Advocacy Committee. NKF Spring Clinical Meetings For the past 29 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to NKF's Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings are designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary healthcare teams' skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team. This year's Spring Clinical Meetings will be held virtually April 6-10. NKF Professional Membership Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. Kidney Disease Facts In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease (CKD)and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. is at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People who are Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are almost 4 times more likely than Whites to have kidney failure. Hispanic or Latino people are 1.3 times more likely than non-Hispanic or non-Latino people to have kidney failure. About the National Kidney Foundation The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org. Facebook.com twitter.com/nkf www.kidney.org SOURCE National Kidney Foundation Related Links http://www.kidney.org NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Spruce , the proptech company powering online real estate transactions through technology, today announced its integration with FlexClose, a warehouse financing service from FirstFunding . FlexClose Funding is a new process that enables certainty of funds, extended funding times and cost savings for both lenders and borrowers. The partnership with FlexClose Funding follows Spruce's other industry innovations and offerings, including shortening transaction times by 25% and saving homeowners up to 20% on closing costs. Traditionally, lenders use a warehouse facility with no relationship to the escrow company. As a result, loan funds must be sent through the Federal Reserve wire system and are subject to bottlenecks and delays. With FlexClose, Spruce is able to closely integrate the escrow process with the warehouse lenderallowing loan funds to move outside of the Federal Reserve. The outcome is longer business hours, lower risk, and reduced cost to lenders. In turn, settlement agents close transactions faster, while borrowers can avoid delays. "FirstFunding is dedicated to being a valuable and forward-thinking funding partner," said Nate Clear, National Sales Manager at FirstFunding. "We're excited to work with Spruce and their tech-forward platform to reduce risk, save time, and lower costs and risks for lenders and borrowers alike. The integration alleviates much of the pressure that comes along with the closing of a purchase or refinance, adding more flexibility to an otherwise rigid process." Spruce is the first title agent to offer this service, with active partners including Loan Monkey . "At Loan Monkey, we are committed to providing a simple, and transparent process and believe in always putting our clients first," said Sean Marsh, CEO and founder at Loan Monkey. "By offering this new process through Spruce, we're able to further exceed that promise by offering flexibility and lower costs to our clients." Spruce has powered tens of thousands of transactions to date for proptech companies, lenders, and real estate investors nationwide, and is growing 450% annually. ABOUT SPRUCE Spruce is digitizing real estate transactions for forward-thinking real estate companies and mortgage lenders. By leveraging proprietary technology and best-in-class operations, Spruce provides a seamless, affordable solution. Spruce was founded by Andrew Weisgall and Patrick Burns in 2016, and is headquartered in New York with hubs across the U.S. Learn more about how Spruce can bring your business digital: www.spruce.co . ABOUT FIRSTFUNDING FirstFunding is a wholly owned subsidiary of First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), offering warehouse funding facilities to non-delegated lenders, correspondent lenders, community banks and credit unions. FirstFunding is committed to being a valuable funding partner to the mortgage investors and warehouse lenders serving the non-delegated and delegated correspondent channel. For more information, visit www.firstfundingusa.com. CONTACT Hadley Stecker Director of Communications [email protected] 978.473.1754 SOURCE Spruce Related Links https://www.spruce.co 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 Malicious online actors used email as their prime vehicle for delivering malware to their victims in the last quarter of 2020, HP and Bromium reported Tuesday. The HP-Bromium Threat Insights Report found that 88 percent of malware was delivered by email into its targets' inboxes, many times evading measures at email gateways to filter out the infected correspondence. "Ultimately, attackers are taking advantage of the fact that it's normal to share and open documents by email," observed Alex Holland, a senior malware analyst at HP. "Finance and IT departments tend to be heavy users of macros to automate business processes, so banning them across the board often isn't a realistic option," he told TechNewsWorld. Email will continue to be a prime delivery vehicle due to the weakness of the humans involved, maintained Joseph Neumann, director of offensive security at Coalfire, a Westminster, Colo.-based provider of cybersecurity advisory services. "Unlike firewalls or servers, every person's security awareness is different and changes hourly due to how much coffee they might have or not have had," he told TechNewsWorld. Dvir Sayag, head of cyber threat research at Hunters, an open XDR threat hunting company with offices in Tel Aviv and Lexington, Mass. added that hackers understand that email phishing attacks, especially using social engineering, are among the most cost-effective ways of compromise. "Word macros are easy to buy or code from scratch, and making victims click on one via a simple social engineering email attack is, in most cases, effortless," he told TechNewsWorld. Dodging Detection The HP-Bromium report noted a 12 percent increase over the previous quarter in the use of malware that exploited a flaw used to run malicious scripts when a Microsoft Word document is opened. HP researchers also found a 12 percent rise in the use of malicious executable files, with nearly three quarters of them exploiting a memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Office's Equation Editor. "The main advantage of an executable is that you remove the need for intermediate stages of malware and hosting the payload, which are susceptible to being taken down by domain registrars and Web hosts," Holland explained. The HP report also revealed that the average time for threats to become known by hash to antivirus engines was more than a week (8.8 days). "Threats take such a long time due to the ability of malware to change signatures," Neumann explained. "AV hashes have to be generated by someone identifying the malware and then submitting it as bad," he continued. "AV detections based on hash values alone are a dying animal and are being replaced more frequently with systems that detect and respond to heuristic based behavioral detections." Holland added that attackers have repeatedly found new ways to bypass traditional detection-based tools. "For every new malware variant hackers create, they have a few days' head start to capitalize on their campaigns, infecting machines before detection tools catch up," he said. "With automation, this process is now easier than ever." Obfuscation Techniques HP researchers also reported that 29 percent of the malware captured for analysis was previously unknown, primarily due to due to the widespread use of packers and obfuscation techniques used to evade detection. "Malicious actors use a range of techniques to obscure their attacks. The specifics depend on what defenses they encounter in their victim's environment," explained Saryu Nayyar, CEO of Gurucul, a threat intelligence company in El Segundo, Calif. "The challenge with 'previously unknown' threats is that there are initially no known indicators of compromise, which means initial detection has to come from attacker behavior or some other activity that reveals their presence," she told TechNewsWorld. One way attackers hide their activities is through using covert channels, observed Brian Kime, a senior analyst with Forrester Research. "They can use the DNS service to encode malicious commands inside a seemingly benign DNS request," he told TechNewsWorld. "Every enterprise has to use DNS. It's how the internet functions." DNS, the Domain Naming Service, turns web names into IP addresses so a browser can get to a desired destination. An obfuscation technique cited in the HP report is DOSfuscation. It's a collection of obfuscation techniques described by security researcher Daniel Bohannon in 2018. "They are designed to evade rigid detection rules by hiding suspicious strings in command-line interpreters and logs," Holland explained. "Telltale indicators of DOSfuscation include using environmental variable substrings, character insertions, reversals and for-loop encoding," he continued. "The technique is effective because SIEM [Security Information and Event Management] rules often rely on matching suspicious keywords to distinguish malicious and legitimate activity from processes such as PowerShell," he said. Traditional Deficiencies Neumann maintained that most hackers don't need to obscure their threat activity. "Most exploits and techniques exploit common vulnerabilities or use social engineering to gain access and pillage networks," he said. "With cyberspace being the vast size that it is," he continued, "there are things left open, unmonitored or unpatched that just allow the actors in." "Most networks lack full visibility into network traffic or threats and don't know when they are actively being or have been exploited," Neumann added. HP's Global Head of Security for Personal Systems Ian Pratt noted that the quarterly report highlights the deficiencies in traditional defenses that rely on detection to block malware from reaching endpoints. "Trying to detect every threat is futile, something will always slip through the net," he said in a statement. "Organizations are beginning to recognize this and are increasingly looking to implement zero-trust design principles into their security architecture," he continued. "Application isolation through virtualization applies least-privilege access to risky activities on the endpoint, rendering malware harmless by isolating it in micro-virtual machines," he explained. "Hardware-enforced isolation removes the opportunity for malware to cause harm to the host PC -- even from novel malware -- because it does not rely on a detect-to-protect security model." Overinvesting in Prevention As long as there are zero-day vulnerabilities, prevention strategies will have a high failure rate, maintained Tim Wade, technical director for the CTO team at Vectra AI, a San Jose, Calif.-based provider of automated threat management solutions. "The current state of organizational overinvestment in prevention is almost always an exercise in expensive, marginal increases in capability with a stifling cost of paralyzed business objectives and increasingly constrained productivity," he asserted. "What's more important than prevention," he continued, "is resilience, which involves identifying security investments that minimize the impact of an attack." 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. Vatican slams 'gender fluidity' as 'confused concept' not based on truth amid LGBT pride month Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Vatican has released a groundbreaking document condemning gender fluidity as nothing more than a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants as opposed to anything based on the truths of existence. Released amid LGBT pride month by the Vatican department overseeing Catholic education, the 31-page document, called Male and Female He Created Them, warned that the acceptance of flexible ideas of gender threaten to destabilize the family as an institution and ignores the natural, God-given differences between men and women. It is becoming increasingly clear that we are now facing with what might accurately be called an educational crisis, especially in the field of affectivity and sexuality, the document began, adding that the process of identifying sexual identity was being made difficult by the fictitious (construct) known as gender neuter or third gender.' It lamented calls for public recognition of the right to choose ones gender, and of a plurality of new types of unions, in direct contradiction of the model of marriage as being between one man and one woman, which is portrayed as a vestige of patriarchal societies. The idea that gender is fluid is founded on nothing more than a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants, or momentary desires provoked by emotional impulses and the will of the individual, as opposed to anything based on the truths of existence, it stated. The guidance also said that ideas of intersex or transgender lead to a masculinity or femininity that is ambiguous. This oscillation between male and female becomes, at the end of the day, only a provocative display against so-called traditional frameworks, and one which, in fact, ignores the suffering of those who have to live situations of sexual indeterminacy, it added. The document urges Catholic teachers and educators to be sufficiently prepared regarding the intricacies of the various questions that gender theory brings up and be fully informed about both current and proposed legislation. Still, it emphasized that issue should not be looked at in isolation from the broader question of education in the call to love, noting that the church should be open to listening to and talking with proponents of gender theory, and should not discriminate against those who defined their gender differently. The document was signed by Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, the head of the Vaticans Congregation for Catholic Education, and written as a guide for Catholic schools, teachers and educators. The new guidance represents the first attempt to put the Vatican's position into an official text, notes The New York Times. However, Pope Francis has previously warned that gender theory is one of the greatest threats to the modern family and repeatedly argued that people cannot choose their genders. Children are learning that they can choose their own sex. Why is sex, being a woman or a man, a choice and not a fact of nature? he said in a 2017 interview. While the move has been heavily criticized by the LGBT community, the conservative group Catholic Women's Forum praised the Vatican for "throwing a roadblock" in front of the transgender agenda. "The document offers much-needed clarity for parents and educators, reaffirming that our human nature is a 'given' it cannot be wished away or replaced," Mary Rice Hasson, director of the Catholic Women's Forum, told The Christian Post. "Children need the certainty of knowing that they are created male or female forever, and schools must respect parents' authority to teach the truth," she continued. "The Church rejects the idea that identity is an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of genders and sexualities. Who we are must be grounded in the truth that we are created male or female, forever, equal in dignity, and made for one another. " The Vatican's guidance on gender and sexuality comes amid a nationwide push to include gender identity in classroom curriculums. In February, the U.K. Department of Education announced English schools will significantly broaden sex and relationship education to cover topics including same-sex relationships, transgender people, and other issues. In 2017, the Church of England issued a guidance telling its almost 5,000 schools to allow students "to be able to play with the many cloaks of identity." "Children should be at liberty to explore the possibilities of who they might be without judgement or derision, notes the report, which was applauded by the LGBT community. For example, a child may choose the tutu, princess's tiara and heels and/or the firefighter's helmet, tool belt and superhero cloak without expectation or comment. Childhood has a sacred space for creative self-imagining. IMA Financial Group has acquired Oregon-based k.p.d. Insurance Inc. to expand its brokerage services to the Pacific Northwest. Terms of the deal, which is effective April 1, were not disclosed. k.p.d. will become an IMA Financial Group company but retain its name. Its CEO, Kyle Hudson, will lead IMAs Pacific Northwest region, with his team of nearly 100 employees in the companys Portland and Springfield offices. k.p.d. offers commercail insurance, employee benefits, workers compensation, surety bonds and personal insurance. IMA is a North American insurance brokerage firm specializing in risk management, insurance, employee benefits and wealth management. Topics Mergers Oregon A LIMERICK city school, which only reopened fully today, has been forced to close again tomorrow due to Irish Water carrying out mains repair works. A furious chairperson of St Brigid's NS board of management, Br James L Dormer told the Leader, "Irish Water didn't have the manners to give us any type of notice that there would be no water tomorrow". "We got no official notice from Irish Water that the school was going to be without water," he said. The Christian Brother described it as "a complete lack of courtesy to the school, staff, parents and children". Irish Water tweeted earlier this Tuesday that, "Mains repair works may cause supply disruptions to Parkway, Norwood Park, Granville Park, Lynwood Park and surrounds from 11.30am until 3.30pm on March 16". Br Dormer said this is how St Brigid's NS in Singland learned they would have no water. "The school only found out thanks to the vigilance of an SNA who spotted it on Twitter and then notified the school principal. The school contacted Irish Water and asked them to postpone the maintenance work until 2.30pm when the children would be going home or put it off until Monday, March 29 when the school would be closed for two weeks for the Easter holidays and they said no. "They said this has been planned for some time. If it has been planned for some time then surely to goodness they have the time to notify the school of the works. Today was the first day back of all children since Christmas and on the second day we have to close again," said Br Dormer. St Brigid's NS sent out a message to the parents this Monday evening informing them of the closure. "Having to notify parents at the 11th hour that school is going to be closed the next day is anything but acceptable. A number of parents would be working and will have to make other arrangements regarding child minding as they would have assumed their children would be in school. There are over 500 children. "These parents have been home schooling their children for months and they are back home again tomorrow. It is most inconsiderate of Irish water. The board of management is not happy with this arrangement," said Br Dormer. He also asked what would have happened if the SNA hadn't spotted the Tweet, children came to school as normal and had no water to flush toilets or wash their hands in a global pandemic. Irish Water has also been criticised on social media for the short notice of the mains repair work. The Leader has sent a query to Irish Water and is awaiting a reply. Micheal Richardson is opening up about the devastation he experienced after the death of his mom, Tony award-winning actor Natasha Richardson. The 25-year-old actor, whose dad is Hollywood star Liam Neeson, told The Times that he went into a "head spin" after his mother died in 2009 at age 45 after a tragic skiing accident during a family vacation in Quebec. Micheal Richardson, right, with his dad, Hollywood star Liam Neeson, in 2015. (David M. Benett / Getty Images) "It was so sudden," said Micheal Richardson, who was 13 when his mom died. "When its unexpected and its just a complete freak accident, it really sort of messes with your mind, whether you believe in fate or not. It can send you for a bit of a head spin, and so you just latch on to the tiny little memories, whether its her laugh or her energy in the room or her cooking. ... "I do have her films to go back and watch her in, which Im incredibly grateful for," he added. Richardson's parents met in 1993 when they starred together in a Broadway revival of Eugene ONeills "Anna Christie." They tied the knot the following year, welcoming Micheal in 1995 and younger son Daniel in 1996. Natasha Richardson with her son Micheal at the The self-described "mama's boy" said he and his mom, who starred in "The Parent Trap," shared a special bond. She was a terrific, terrific mother," he said. "I was a mamas boy growing up and she was really my best friend. I mean we were all a close family, but Danny was my dads boy and I was my moms boy, for sure." The young actor appeared alongside his father in the 2020 comedy "Made in Italy," which tells the story of an artist (Neeson) who travels from London to Italy with his estranged son (Richardson) to restore his late wife's house after she dies in a car crash. Though Neeson worried at first that his son might be re-traumatized while shooting the movie, the project actually helped Richardson to cope with his loss. "You know, people lose loved ones. Thats a part of life and there were a lot of people involved who had. So there was this really kind of warm, vulnerable energy on set," he said. "At the times when it had to be emotional, it made it sort of meaningful, in a way, if that makes sense. Also I feel it was sort of like a shedding. We shed a layer of loss in a way by creating this." Story continues Watch TODAY All Day! Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long. Related: Micheal Richardson lost his mother, Natasha Richardson, in 2009. Though Richardson is from a famous acting family in addition to his parents, his grandmother is Tony, Emmy and Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave; his great-aunt Lynn Redgrave also has an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy; his grandfather was Oscar-winning director Tony Richardson acting wasn't always in his plans. Richardson spent his teenage years partying at boarding school in an effort to distract himself from his grief. He said acting was the furthest thing from his mind. If youve lost a loved one at a young age, years will go by and then youre out walking and it just kind of hits you. I definitely went through years of distracting myself from it," he said. "Our brains are amazing, they protect us to a degree, but they can overprotect us too, when we dont face this thing." The former wild child entered an internship at a Savile Row tailor and considered a career in fashion before eventually returning to New York, where he enrolled in acting classes at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. After making the decision to follow his family's footsteps to Hollywood, the devoted son decided to honor his late mom by changing his surname from Neeson to Richardson. It was mainly like (an) homage to my mother, a way to carry her with me," he explained. "Going into this industry, carrying her last name, it definitely inspires me and it is also comforting. Related video: DUBLIN, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Peptide Cancer Therapeutics Market, Drug Dosage, Price & Clinical Trials Insight 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides insights into the potential application of peptide therapeutics and their mode of action in the management of different cancers. In addition to this, the report also provide data on the pricing, sales and dosage of the currently available peptide based therapeutics and the robust clinical pipeline which are expected to enter the market in next coming years. Moreover, the various key players which are indulging in research activities for the development of novel peptides is also added in the report. Global Peptide Cancer Therapeutics Market, Drug Dosage, Price and Clinical Trials Insight 2026 Report highlights: Global cancer Peptide Market Opportunity: > US$ 20 Billion By 2026 By 2026 Price, Dosage, Sales Insight On 22 Marketed Cancer Peptides Global Peptide Cancer Therapeutics Clinical Trials Overview by Company, Country, Indication, Phase & Formulation Comprehensive Clinical Insight On More Than 150 Cancer Peptides In Clinical Trials Comprehensive Clinical Insight On More Than 20 Cancer Peptides Available In Market Application of Peptides Therapeutics & Detection Methodology by Cancer Over the past few years, there have been tremendous efforts for the development of novel cancer therapies which can enhance the target ability and specificity towards the cancer cells. The extensive research and development in this sector has enabled the researchers to utilize the therapeutic potential of small peptides in the management of cancer. The introduction of therapeutic peptides in the cancer therapeutic market has greatly transformed the paradigm of cancer treatment. The peptide therapeutics market is currently thriving due to their various advantages over other available cancer therapies. The lower toxicity of peptides can be credited to both their low instance of interaction with other molecules not of interest and also their ease of metabolism into their component amino acid residues. Furthermore their ease of manufacturing has attracted several pharmaceutical companies. In addition to this, their remarkable property to cross the blood brain barrier has attracted the researchers for the development of potential peptides targeting the receptors of various cancers. Currently, there are several peptide based drug which are available in the market and have shown positive results in the management of wide range of cancers. The increased interest of the scientists can also be justified by the rapid approval of first peptide based cancer vaccine for treatment of prostate cancer. Moreover, slews of new peptides with positive preclinical studies have entered the clinical trials and are expected to enter the market in next few years. It is expected that the drugs will show great clinical response in comparison to other available cancer therapies. The global peptide cancer therapeutic market is going to flourish in next few years due to several favorable parameters including their high specificity, rising investments in drug discover and the increase prevalence of cancer incidences. Furthermore, the increase in collaborations and partnerships among the pharmaceutical companies for the development of novel drugs in the management of cancer is going to boost the market. Despite this, there are several challenges such as their high manufacturing cost, limited oral bioavailability and low resistance to cleavage by serum proteases which restrain their growth in market. In terms of revenues, North America is currently holding the top position and is expected to dominate the global peptide cancer market. This is mainly attributed to the region's potency in healthcare and a strong presence of various peptide based cancer therapeutic drug manufacturers is supporting the growth of the market in North America. Moreover, the presence of top key players such as Novartis, AstraZeneca, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer also favors the growth of this region. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is expected to register considerable growth over the forecast period owing to high untapped opportunities, low cost of raw material, growing base of companies providing outsourcing services, flourishing biotech industry, and increasing investments in the R&D sector. Cheaper cost of raw materials and patent expiration of blockbuster drugs boosting generic market is expected to provide significant growth opportunities shortly. In coming years, the cancer therapeutics market will witness increasing adoption of novel peptide therapeutics and will contribute to a major share in the overall market. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction to Peptide Therapeutics 1.1 Overview of Peptide Therapeutics 1.2 Historical Perspective of Peptide Therapeutics 1.3 Classification Of Anti Cancer Peptides 2. Designing & Functioning of Peptide Drugs 2.1 Rational Design Of Peptide Therapeutics 2.2 Approaches for Plasma Half Life Extension 2.3 Emerging Peptide Areas & Technologies 2.4 Peptide & Protein Interaction 3. Significance of Peptides as Cancer Therapeutics 4. Targets for Therapeutic Peptides 4.1 Signal Transduction Pathways 4.2 Cell Cycle Regulation 4.3 Cell Death Pathways 4.4 Tumor Suppressor Protein 4.5 Transcription Factors 5. Peptide Drugs v/s Conventional Cancer Therapeutics 5.1 Peptide v/s Chemotherapy 5.2 Peptide v/s Monoclonal Antibody 5.3 Peptide v/s Gene Therapy 5.4 Peptide v/s Immunotherapy 6. Different Approaches of Peptides in Cancer Therapeutics 6.1 Hormonal Peptides 6.2 Peptide as Radionuclide Drug Carrier 6.3 Peptide Vaccines 6.4 Peptides as Cytotoxic Drug Carrier 6.5 Anticancer Peptides 6.6 Other Anticancer Drugs Closely Related to Peptides 7. Application of Peptides Therapeutics & Detection Methodology by Cancer 7.1 Colorectal Cancer 7.2 Lung Cancer 7.3 Pancreatic Cancer 7.4 Gastric Cancer 7.5 Breast Cancer 7.6 Prostate Cancer 8. Global Cancer Peptide Therapeutics Market Overview: Current Scenario 9. Global Peptide Cancer Therapeutics Clinical Trials Overview 9.1 By Company 9.2 By Country 9.3 By Indication 9.4 By Patient Segment 9.5 By Phase 9.6 By Drug Formulation 10. Global Peptide Cancer Therapeutics Clinical Trials Insight 10.1 Unknown 10.2 Research 10.3 Preclinical 10.4 Phase I 10.5 Phase I/II 10.6 Phase II 10.7 Phase II/III 10.8 Phase III 10.9 Preregistration 10.10 Registered 11. Marketed Cancer Peptides Clinical Insight by Company, Country & Indication 12. Marketed Cancer Peptides Drugs Insight - Availability, Cost, Dosage, Indication & Patent Insight 12.1 Firmagon (Degarelix) 12.2 Eligard (Leuprolide) 12.3 Lupron (Leuprolide Acetate) 12.4 Histrelin Acetate (Supprelin LA/Vantas) 12.5 Gonax (Degarelix Acetate) 12.6 Trelstar (Treptorelin) 12.7 Decapeptyl SR (Treptorelin Acetate or Pamoate) 12.8 Plenaxis (Abarelix) 12.9 Velcade (bortizomib) 12.10 Ninlaro (Ixazomib) 12.11 Kyprolis (Carfilzomib) 12.12 Romidepsin (Istodax) 12.13 PegIntron (PegInterferon alpha-2b) 12.14 Sylatron (Peginterferon Alpha-2b) 12.15 Zoladex (Goserelin) 12.16 Cosmegen (Dactinomycin) 12.17 Somatuline Depot (lanreotide) 12.18 Suprefact (Buserelin) 12.19 Octreotide (Generic) 12.20 Sandostatin (Octeriotide Acetate) 12.21 Bynfezia Pen (Octeriotide) 12.22 Mepact (Mifamurtide) 13. Role of Peptides in Cancer Immunotherapy 13.1 Overview 13.2 Peptide Vaccines for Immunotherapy 14. Neoantigen Vaccine: An Emerging Tumor Immunotherapy 14.1 Personalized Neoantigen Based Vaccine in Cancer 14.2 Clinical Progress & Future Prospects 15. Venom Peptides: New Era for Cancer Peptide Therapy 15.1 Relevance of Venom Based Peptide Therapeutics 15.2 Recent Clinical Trials & Future Growth Avenues of Venom Peptides 16. Advancements in Peptide Oncology Drugs 17. Global Peptide Cancer Therapy Market Dynamics 17.1 Favorable Market Parameters 17.2 Commercialization Challenges 18. Global Cancer Peptide Therapeutics Market Future Outlook 19. Competitive Landscape 19.1 Novartis 19.2 Amgen 19.3 Eli - Lilly 19.4 Merck 19.5 Pfizer 19.6 GlaxoSmithKline plc 19.7 Ipsen 19.8 Lonza Inc. 19.9 Roche 19.10 Takeda Pharmaceuticals 19.11 Teva Pharmaceuticals 19.12 Novo Nordisk A/S 19.13 PolyPeptide Group 19.14 AstraZeneca plc 19.15 Bachem Holding AG 19.16 Ferring Pharmaceuticals For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ufkhrf 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: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Britain is to announce an increase to its nuclear weapons stockpile as part of a wide-ranging review of security, defence and foreign policy, two newspapers said on Monday. The Guardian and The Sun said in their online editions that the country would look to raise the number of warheads from 180 to 260 by the middle of the decade. Both dailies said details were contained in a leak they had seen of the government's long-awaited Integrated Review, due to be published on Tuesday. The review is also said to state clearly that Russia under President Vladimir Putin poses an "active threat" but describes China as providing a more "systemic challenge". London has increasingly locked horns with both Moscow and Beijing in recent years, on issues ranging from espionage and cyber-attacks to human rights. Britain's Trident nuclear programme is a thorny political issue domestically, with repeated calls for it to be scrapped, given global moves towards disarmament after the end of the Cold War. Opponents for its abolition include the main opposition Labour party and the Scottish National Party (SNP). Britain's nuclear submarine fleet is based in the west of Scotland. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) called the reports "shocking" given the pressures of the global coronavirus pandemic and climate change. "We don't want any more nuclear weapons. In fact, we don't want any," it added. The executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Beatrice Fihn, accused Britain of "pushing for a dangerous new nuclear arms race". She said it was "irresponsible, dangerous and violates international law", adding: "This is toxic masculinity on display." - Strategic 'tilt' - Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to set out the conclusions of the year-long review -- entitled "Global Britain in a Competitive Age -- to parliament on Tuesday. Story continues His Downing Street office billed the 100-page report as the government's "most comprehensive articulation of a foreign policy and national security approach" in decades. It comes as London looks to reposition itself post-Brexit, rebranding itself "Global Britain" and eyeing new opportunities beyond the European Union. Johnson's office said the recommendations included a strategic "tilt" towards the Indo-Pacific region, given its increasing importance in global geopolitics. Britain has already applied for partner status at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while Johnson is due to make his first post-EU visit to India in April. Other key areas the review will address include plans for the military to adopt cutting-edge technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence. There will also be a new focus on space and cyber, as well as a revamp of Britain's ability to respond to security threats with the creation of a White House-style situation room. A new Counter-Terrorism Operations Centre is also proposed. The review is said to be a response to a changing world in which Britain "cannot rely solely on an increasingly outdated international system". It will stress the continuing importance of alliances, including with NATO, but set out a new foreign policy of "increased international activism... to shape a more open international order in which democracies flourish". phz/rbu The United States could be seeing an insurgence of migrant immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border not seen in 20 years. The Biden administrations head of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, insisted Tuesday that the situation at the southwest border is under control, despite severe criticism, as he defended a policy that allows teenagers and children to cross the United States border alone to stay in the country. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Homeland Security acknowledged that an increase in the number of children, mainly from Central America, is a problem for the Border Patrol and other agencies. He, however, opposed a Trump-era policy of returning them to Mexico or other countries right away. They are innocent children, and we have ended the previous administrations practice of removing them, Mayorkas said in his most comprehensive speech yet on the border situation, which he described as difficult but not really the disaster that critics have depicted. Migrants attempting to cross the border have decisively risen, which is at its highest level since 2019 but on track to reach a 20-year high, which has become an early challenge for President Joe Biden. Biden is attempting to distinguish himself from his immediate predecessor, President Donald Trump, who waged an extensive campaign to dramatically reduce legal and illegal immigration. Republicans in Congress say that Bidens support for immigration reform and decision to encourage people to file legitimate asylum claims has attracted migrants. Still, Mayorkas points out that there have been spikes in the past, including under Trump. Some progressive Democrats and others have chastised the Biden administration for detaining migrant children for longer than the permitted 72 hours in U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention centers as it struggles to fill shelters operated by the Department of Health and Human Services. The number of children crossing by themselves was more than 9,400 in February alone. The rise is attributed to a variety of factors: The economic disruption caused by the pandemic in Central America Two recent hurricanes in the areas Smugglers possibly motivating people to cross the border under the new administration. On Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy led a group of a dozen Republican lawmakers to the Texas border, blaming the Biden administration for pushing up the number of migrants by endorsing bills in Congress that would include a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants already in the country and halting border wall construction. According to McCarthy The unfortunate thing of it all is that it didnt have to be this way. This crisis was caused by the new administrations presidential policies. On the other hand, Trump faced a similar surge in 2019 when he hurried to extend the border wall scheme, forcing asylum seekers to seek asylum in Central America or stay in Mexico. He had forcefully separated migrant children from their families a year before as part of a zero-tolerance program that became one of his administrations most important political challenges. The number of migrants apprehended while crossing the border started to increase in April after declining during the early stages of the pandemic. People who are repeatedly caught after being expelled under the public health order account for some rise. Between January and February, U.S. Customs and Border Protection met about 28 percent more people, totaling just over 100,000 people, most of whom were single adults. In June of this year, the number was at an all-time high. Migrants under the age of 18 are permitted to stay in the country until the government determines whether they have a legitimate citizenship claim. This is either under asylum law or for another purpose. The United States continues to deport most single adults and families to Mexico or their home countries. Exceptions are made for people with such acute vulnerabilities, which Mayorkas did not define, and for families where Mexican authorities do not have shelter ability to accept them. Mayorkas reported that 80 percent of the children, the majority of whom are from Central Americas Northern Triangle, have a relative in the United States, and 40 percent have parents. Last week, the Biden administration reversed a Trump administration policy that made relatives afraid of being deported if they contacted HHS to retrieve their children. It has enlisted the Federal Emergency Management Agencys help to set up new temporary facilities in Texas and Arizona to house migrant children. Its also collaborating with HHS to increase shelter capacity and support assistance to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to stop migrants at the border. Mayorkas slammed the previous administration for repealing an asylum scheme that would have allowed for a more orderly immigration system, as well as slashing assistance to Central America and failing to vaccinate Border Patrol agents. The situation we have at the southwest border right now is difficult, Mayorkas said. Were taking care of it. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote a letter to the Maharashtra government and said that the state is in the beginning of a second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The Centre has asked the Uddhav Thackeray-led government to focus on containment strategies and scale up its vaccination campaign. The central government team assessed the situation in the state and wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, urging the state government to undertake steps to bring down the number of cases and increase contact-tracing. "Maharashtra is in the beginning of a second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. There is very limited active effort to track, test, isolate cases and quarantine contacts. There is no adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour among people both in rural and urban areas," said Rajesh Bhushan in the letter. He said that eight of the top 10 districts of India in terms of active COVID-19 cases are in Maharashtra. Bhushan said that the only way to curb the spread is to increase the pace of vaccination. In the letter to Kunte, Bhushan said that the pandemic in the recent past showed a rising trend in Maharashtra,where active cases increased by 171.5 per cent in the last one month from 36,917 cases on February 11 to 1,00,240 cases on March 11. He also flagged the high mortality rates. In hospitals like Government Medical College in Aurangabad and in Vasant Rao Pawar Medical College, Nashik the fatality rate in current cases were found to be high, said Bhushan. He said that this needed a detailed investigation and sending samples for Whole Genome Sequencing. The letter stated that due to limited contact tracing, a large pool of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic people are not being tracked and tested. Bhushan advised for testing to be considerably enhanced according to protocols laid down by Indian Council of Medical Research. The number of people testing positive was high and ranged from 5.1 per cent in Mumbai to 30 per cent in Aurangabad, stated the letter. "The Central team inferred that the administrative mechanism should be re-instated to the level witnessed in August-September 2020 to contain/suppress the Covid transmission," said Bhushan in the letter. "The central team found that the District Administration is not much worried about the evolving situation. We could sense a feeling that enough has been done already. This complacency may take its toll," Bhushan said. The Health Secretary said that Maharashtra will get another 12.74 lakh of vaccine doses by March 18. Also read: COVID-19 vaccination: At current rate, India will take 12.6 years to vaccinate 70% population Also read: How COVID-19 made micro women entrepreneurs digital savvy A past commander of the American Legion Minneapolis Post blames a couple of rogue members for making off with a ship's bell and wheel that ended up in Minnetonka High School, while the schools superintendent say they'll only take orders from the U.S. Navy to give them back. Meanwhile, the Navy wants nothing do with the custody dispute between Minneapolis and Minnetonka over the military artifacts. Last week, the Star Tribune reported about the wheel and bell that had gone missing from Navy Rock a sailor memorial at Bde Maka Ska. A now defunct American Legion post obtained the items from the Navy nearly 100 years ago and conferred them upon the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board for a public memorial. At some point, the wheel and bell disappeared and resurfaced at Minnetonka High School. The Park Board says the artifacts were stolen. Minnetonka Public Schools says the American Legion Minneapolis Post 1 entrusted them with the items. Joyce Rose, past commander and historian of Minneapolis Post 1, said a couple Legionnaires took it upon themselves to give the wheel and bell to Minnetonka Public Schools. "We were given the bell and the wheel for our use, and we were not to give it to anybody unless we went to the Navy first," Rose said. "And that did not happen because of the fact these gentlemen decided they wanted to get rid of it and that's what they did." Rose said she wants to create a Minneapolis Post 1 committee to retrieve the bell and wheel from Minnetonka High School. She said she would like to see the items returned to the Park Board, but a compromise would be to return them to the Navy. "I am furious because this is something that I should have done a long time ago, but I was bucking people that didn't want it done," she said. In an e-mail to parents, Minnetonka Schools Superintendent Dennis Peterson doubled down on the district's grip on the wheel and bell. "Minnetonka Schools was asked to be the custodian for a naval ship's bell and a naval ship's steering wheel by American Legion Post 1 in Minneapolis," Peterson said. "The school district happily and gratefully accepted that responsibility. At no time was the district aware upon receiving the items that there was any controversy involved in the whereabouts or custodianship of the items." Peterson previously told the Star Tribune that the American Legion had permission from the Park Board to dismantle its war memorial and give parts of it away to Minnetonka Public Schools. He declined to produce documentation. He said the district asked the Navy to determine rightful custody. "If the district is informed by the Navy that the Minneapolis Park Board should be the custodian of the items, the district will give the items to the Park Board," Peterson wrote. "Until then, the items will remain in places of honor at the High School." In a statement, Naval History and Heritage Command spokesman Lieutenant Commander Paul Newell said the Navy had divested any ownership claim over the items, and declined to choose a custodian. Newell explained that the bell from the USS Minneapolis is not Navy property because the ship was decommissioned prior to current regulations that specify ship bells should go to his agency. The situation surrounding the wheel from the USS Minnesota is more complicated. Newell said that the staff of the Curator Branch once believed the Navy owned the wheel, registered it in the Navy's collection, and allowed American Legion Minneapolis Post 1 to keep it on loan. When some Legionnaires informed the Navy that they were giving the wheel to Minnetonka High School, the Navy logged the wheel as being on loan to the school for the purpose of tracking its location. "Upon further review it has been decided that we do not have clear legal title to this wheel, therefore the Curator Branch will de-accession this wheel from the collection as it was accessioned in error, and remove it from the loan with the school," Newell said. "According to our records and other related information we could find, the U.S. Navy does not have an ownership or interest in these two artifacts," he said. "That's exactly the stuff that we don't want to get in the middle of." Park Board lawyer Brian Rice, whose many uncles were Marines in World War I and whose grandmother was a Gold Star Mother, used to visit Navy Rock with his family. The wheel of the USS Minnesota and bell of the USS Minneapolis weren't meant to be stored in a high school, hidden from the public, he said. "Superintendent Peterson is in receipt of stolen goods," Rice said. This article is written by Susan Du from Star Tribune and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com. In a country the size of China, stepping foot into a hospital at the county level and in the city can be very different. Medical experts say reducing geographical inequality when it comes to medical standards should be one of the government's priorities in the near future. According to Gu Jin, dean of Peking University Shougang Hospital, when it comes to cancer treatment, big Chinese cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai don't differ too much from international standards. "However, when you look at the 5-year benchmark for the cancer survival rate, we are over 20-percent lower than the United States," he said. The disparity, according to Gu, lies in county-level hospitals. "We have over 6,000 county hospitals covering more than 3,000 counties. These hospitals serve 900 million people, essentially over 70 percent of the country's population," he said. "So, improving diagnosis and treatment standards at the grassroots level is key." To understand this issue, CGTN visited a public hospital in southwest Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, one of the least developed regions in the country. "Our hospital has developed quite well in recent years. The number of rural people being insured has increased, so has the number of medical staff and critically ill patients," said Ma Siyan, deputy director of the Internal Medicine Department of Zhaojue County People's Hospital. However, her department still lacks proper diagnosis and treatment capabilities, she noted. "We transfer any suspected cases to provincial-level hospitals. And when it comes to screening, we can only do primary screening such as imaging and CT scans, but not a biopsy. We don't do universal cancer screening here." To be sure though, another medical personnel said the hospital is seeing improvements in certain departments. "We are now able to perform surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer, as well as postoperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and thyroid cancer. Since last year, we have performed seven breast cancer surgeries." Gu, who was previously the chairman of the Colorectal Society of China Anti-Cancer Association, said doctors at the grassroots level generally lack a basic understanding of treatment concepts. "We realize rectal cancer in China is usually that of low rectal cancer. Based on guidelines, a pre-operative chemo-radiotherapy should be applied," he said. "But some hospitals don't even have this radiology or radio-therapy department, so doctors will send you for surgery instead. Hence, there's a contradiction in standards." To try to deal with this, Gu who has been a surgical oncologist for 40 years, is championing the standardization of cancer diagnosis and treatment via information management system. This sharing platform made specifically for colorectal cancer has already been implemented at Peking University Shougang Hospital. "By inputting information into the system, it will help you analyze what drugs can be used at different stages of tumor cancer. This way, there won't be instances of under or over-treatment. Or, if chemo therapy is needed for the patient and how you should go about it," he said. "The Chinese Society of Oncology has set up an experts committee, and we are preparing to head to county-level hospitals next to train the doctors to use the system." Ultimately, Gu said early screening is key to narrowing the gap of cancer incidence rates across regions. "Our country's medical insurance only covers the middle stage where the patient has already been diagnosed and needs treatment. But we lack early screening," he said. "Another huge problem is that of late-stage cancer patients. General and or cancer hospitals don't take these patients because they've no more treatment value. I suggest commercial insurance to focus on both early screening and hospice care." Gu also believes China can learn from the West in the area of continuing education, where city or village doctors continue accumulating credits and update their knowledge on the industry's latest developments. According to the 2020 special issue of The Lancet Public Health, in the future, important areas for public health in China include an aging population, unaddressed mental health burden, protection of young people, and reduction of inequalities. Research Park at Florida Atlantic University Elects Officers (Photo by Alex Dolce) The Research Park at Florida Atlantic University recently elected its 2021 officers, naming Michael Allison, J.D., as elected chairman and Daniel Flynn, Ph.D., as re-elected vice chairman. The Research Park at FAU is governed by the seven-member Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority, which supports and promotes research and development in affiliation with and related to, FAU and fosters technology-led economic development in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Allison was previously executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Office Depot and was responsible for all aspects of human resources in 52 countries. In June 2019, Allison was appointed to serve on the Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority. The Research Park at FAU has an impressive track record of attracting talented companies to our region, said Allison. The partnership with the University, neighboring cities, counties and state of Florida truly sets us apart as a community in which innovative companies can thrive. Flynn is vice president for research at FAU. He has published 72 research articles and serves on the Board of Directors for BioArkive, a biotech company based in San Diego, California. Flynn has previously served on editorial boards and advisory committees for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Association of American Medical. I look forward to continuing my work with the Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority, said Flynn. The companies that call the Research Park at FAU home continue to make a large impact and contribute to our local and regional economy. Membership of the Research Parks governing authority consists of three members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners of Palm Beach County, three members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County and one member appointed by the president of Florida Atlantic University. For more information about the Research Park at FAU, visit research-park.org. -FAU- FILE PHOTO: A company logo is seen on a product displayed before French food group Danone's 2019 annual results presentation in Paris By Gwenaelle Barzic and Sarah White PARIS (Reuters) - Abruptly ousted as head of Paris-based Danone, the yoghurt group he turned into a standard bearer for green-friendly businesses, Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Faber's dismissal is a rare win for activist funds in France campaigning for his removal. Faber's struggle to address simmering unease among boardmembers, after some of the former CEO's strategy shifts led to internal disputes in recent months, laid the groundwork for a coup before the investors' intervention, said two people familiar with the group, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. In an interview, Bluebell Capital, one of the funds which broke cover in January to criticise stock market returns at Danone and called on Faber to leave, also said that recurring rumours of discord in local French media had partly triggered its investment. "We were very interested last summer to see that there seemed to be a strong level of discomfort within the board," Giuseppe Bivona, Bluebell's co-founder and chief investment officer, told Reuters. The fund has not disclosed the size of its stake, though it is far smaller than the 3% held by another vocal critic and shareholder, Artisan Capital. Activist investors have begun taking aim at European consumer goods companies, including French firms previously perceived as complicated to grapple with due to strong family holdings and a cosy corporate culture. Few campaigns have resulted in changes this rapid or dramatic. Danone's board voted to oust Faber on Sunday barely two weeks after backing a plan on March 1 which was meant to appease critics, according to which Faber would relinquish the CEO role. Once a protegee of his predecessor Franck Riboud, whose family founded Danone and who remains on the group's board, Faber had a broad buy-in for his vision of a business in which environmental and social goals counted as much as returns. Story continues The charismatic executive, who became CEO in 2014 and took on the chairmanship three years later, also led the $10.4 billion acquisition of WhiteWave, a U.S. dairy alternative brand, in 2016, part of a drive to position the group in a growing trend for organic food. But a sometimes rigid leadership style cost him allies and contributed to turnover in top management levels in recent years, the people familiar with Danone said, while the firm's performance has underwhelmed on some fronts. Danone's share price has risen some 11% since Faber took over, but that lags the more than 50% rise at Unilever, which also sells baby food and drinks like tea. In the past year, its sales growth has fallen more sharply in some units hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as its bottled water brands like Evian, compared to Perrier-maker Nestle. The activist funds, meanwhile, have underscored market share gains by rivals selling milk alternatives in the United States and Europe at Danone's expense, saying the firm had not invested enough in marketing and innovations. STRATEGY DISPUTES Faber's introduction in November of a strategy dubbed "Local First" - a reorganisation of the group and its brands under regional hubs, alongside a broader drive to cut costs - in particular sparked disagreement at board level, the people familiar with the group said. His insistence on championing "Local First" in public statements even after the March 1 board meeting, during which there was no vote on the matter, further irked some directors, one of the people said. Faber did not respond to requests for comment. A Danone spokesman declined to comment on board discussions but said the "Local First" plan, which will involve up to 2,000 job cuts, was still on the cards. The company postponed its March 25 capital markets day after Faber's departure. Former financial chief Cecile Cabanis, who remains on the board, quit her role in October before the "Local First" announcements. She had also clashed with Faber over strategy, one of the people close to the group said. Cabanis could not be reached for comment. Her departure sparked further tensions within the group, several people familiar with Danone have said, while her enduring role on the board sparked questions and criticism from the activists. Danone said on Monday that it had now hired headhunters to find a new CEO, and it is expected to lean towards an outside candidate. Danone on Monday named an interim management team, led by Gilles Schnepp, the former boss of electrical group Legrand. "We want an external candidate for CEO, someone with a strong international background with experience and a proven track record in the industry," Bluebell's Bivona said. (Reporting by Gwenaelle Barzic and Sarah White; Editing by Vanessa O'Connell and Aurora Ellis) The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Temporary Corporate Housing market will register an incremental spend of about USD 1.36 Billion, growing at a CAGR of 4.44% during the five-year forecast period. A targeted strategic approach to Temporary Corporate Housing sourcing can unlock several opportunities for buyers. This report also offers market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Download free sample report Temporary Corporate Housing Market Procurement Research Report Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation on pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Get a free sample report for more information Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers: Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for the Temporary Corporate Housing market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Temporary Corporate Housing pricing levels, pros, and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfill their category objectives. For more insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers, Click here. Key Drivers and Trends Fueling Market Growth: The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers. Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by the constant monitoring of price influencing factors. During the forecast period, the market expects a change of 5.00%-8.00%. Identify favorable opportunities in Temporary Corporate Housing TCO (total cost of ownership). Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes. Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities. Some of the top Temporary Corporate Housing suppliers listed in this report: Story continues This Temporary Corporate Housing procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Marriott International Inc. Hilton Worldwide Holdings INC. Accor SA Hyatt Corp. Extended Stay America Inc. Choice Hotels International Inc. Mantra Group Frasers Hospitality Pte Ltd. Oakwood Co. AHI Corporate Housing To get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment, Subscribe Now for Free. Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix Get access to regular sourcing and procurement insights to our digital procurement platform-Contact Us. About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more: https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo Contacts SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SpendEdge Logo (PRNewsfoto/SpendEdge) Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-temporary-corporate-housing-market-procurement-intelligence-report-with-covid-19-impact-analysis--global-market-forecasts-analysis-2021-2025--spendedge-301247263.html SOURCE SpendEdge Reliance Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 2106.25, down 0.13% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The stock jumped 110.94% in last one year as compared to a 66.58% rally in NIFTY and a 76.03% spurt in the Nifty Energy index. Reliance Industries Ltd is down for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 2106.25, down 0.13% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.05% on the day, quoting at 14937. The Sensex is at 50477.79, up 0.16%.Reliance Industries Ltd has added around 1.1% in last one month.Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Reliance Industries Ltd is a constituent, has increased around 5.4% in last one month and is currently quoting at 19322.9, down 0.15% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 39.21 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 100.46 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark March futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 2112, down 0.31% on the day. Reliance Industries Ltd jumped 110.94% in last one year as compared to a 66.58% rally in NIFTY and a 76.03% spurt in the Nifty Energy index. The PE of the stock is 52.04 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.) 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. SYDNEY, March 16 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has told China that normalising relations with Australia is a precondition to Washington taking any substantial step towards improving relations with Beijing, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday. In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, the U.S. president's Indo-Pacific coordinator, Kurt Campbell, said China's "economic coercion" of Australia had been raised in every meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials and "will be underscored in interactions in Anchorage later this week". U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councillor Wang Yi on March 18 in Alaska, the first high-level in-person contact between the two countries under the Biden administration. "We have made clear that the U.S. is not prepared to improve relations in a bilateral and separate context at the same time that a close and dear ally is being subjected to a form of economic coercion," Campbell told The Sydney Morning Herald in an interview published on Tuesday. Campbell said Biden had told Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison "that we stood together on this" during the meeting of the Quad group of leaders, which also included Japan and India, on Friday. "We are fully aware of what's going on and we are not prepared to take substantial steps to improve relations until those policies are addressed and a more normal interplay between Canberra and Beijing is established," said Campbell. Tensions between Australia and China have been high for the past year after Canberra called for an international investigation into the source of the COVID-19 pandemic and Beijing responded with trade reprisals on Australian coal, wine, barley, live seafood, beef and timber. Campbell told the newspaper it was not only Australia that had been a target of "these undeclared kind of steps", but also the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Michael Perry) EDWARDSVILLE A discussion played out Tuesday during the finance committee about a local landlord who objects to acting as a collection service after his tenants move out without paying their water bills. Jack [Burns] and I have both received calls from a landlord whos upset because hes getting stiffed by students who have moved out and hes stuck with their unpaid water bills, said Alderwoman Janet Stack. He yells at me on the phone about why does he have to be the collection agency for the city? I know at one time, we used to have a deposit with water. Stack said she suggested to him that he increase his rents and include the water in the higher amounts. She added that the landlord owns about 40 properties in town. Then he complained that he wouldnt know if the tenants had a running toilet or they didnt call him. I told him we would discuss it and I asked Alderman Burns to discuss it at public services down the road. What resolution is he looking for from us? asked Alderman Craig Louer. Hes wanting no responsibility for unpaid water bills for his properties; hes wanting us to eat the cost of his tenants, Stack said. His expectation is that other taxpayers would pay for the water bills that are owed him? Louer confirmed. Stack asked if they wanted to re-institute a deposit or how it should be handled. City Administrator Kevin Head asked Finance Director Jeanne Wojcieszak to walk the committee through the billing process from the renters perspective. The tenant has the right to have the water bill placed in their name, per the state statutes, Wojcieszak said. The tenant will call in to us and say, Im moving into this property on this date and we establish their account and start billing them. When they call to disconnect their service, we get a forwarding address for the final bill. A copy gets sent to the landlord and the account goes back into the landlords name. She added that any usage that occurs after the tenant moves out is the responsibility of the landlord. What happens if we dont receive payment from the tenant is then a notice is sent to the landlord stating, Your previous tenant has not paid this outstanding final bill. You need to provide payment; were not coming to you to collect the payment. Wojcieszak said there are about 3,500 rental properties city-wide, so they work with landlords on a regular basis. We have several who will call us before they re-issue tenants their deposits to make sure the city does not have any outstanding bills, she said. By city ordinance, it is the property owners ultimate responsibility to pay for services provided, she explained, noting that this verbiage is included in the rental registration process annually and its on rental registration form that must be signed. Wojcieszak said this landlord complains annually about this issue. Head asked how long the landlord has from the time of tenant move-out to return the security deposit but Wojcieszak did not know. I understand this landlords frustration, Wojcieszak said. He has the opportunity to call our office at any point and ask if the account is in arrears [or] if the tenant has paid the final bill. Most often, these tenants have left a balance with us and with him. Again, we have how many landlords and one person has an issue with this. Stack said she told the landlord about the previous deposit the city used to require 15 or 16 years ago. It makes more sense for the landlords to be responsible for it because its their property, Stack said. The new water meters that public works plans to install later this year or next year will help with some issues, as they will be designed to report any irregular usage or leaks immediately to public works and the homeowner/renter/landlord/business owner versus the current two month-wait. Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. Austins mayor has celebrated a court ruling that will allow his city to continue its mask mandate for at least two more weeks, as something that will help keep more people alive and safe. Earlier this month, the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott sparked widespread controversy when he lifted a rule imposed last summer that demanded people wear masks. Its time to reopen Texas 100 per cent, said Mr Abbott, a Republican, who is seeking a third term as governor. Everybody who wants to work should have that opportunity. Every business that wants to be open, should be open. The decision was highly contentious; scientists across the nation said Mr Abbott was opening up too soon, President Joe Biden described it as neanderthal thinking, and Mr Adler said the governor had broken a promise to electors to be guided by science, not party politics. Last Friday, a court refused to give the state of Texas an emergency injunction, after the city of Austin and Travis county refused to comply with the dropping of the mandate. While the court could rule in favour of Mr Abbott and his attorney general, Ken Paxton, when it next sits, the result is that for now Austin can continue its demand people continue to wear masks for the next two weeks at least. [This ruling] is really important, Mr Adler told The Independent in an interview. Every day we're able to keep the messaging consistent in our community and unambiguous, that masking is important, that it is effective, that we're not out of the woods with the virus.Every day we can keep that messaging front and centre, the better we are. Read more: Asked if he considered it a matter of life and death, he said: We have a better chance of keeping more people safe and alive, and opening up more businesses and schools, the lower we can keep positivity in the community. Austin is often described as blue bubble in a sea of red. In truth, because of shifting demographics, several parts of Texas, particularly in the suburbs of cities such as Houston, are becoming more purple, and more competitive for Democrats. Yet, Austin, the states capital, which has a population of a little under one million, is probably more progressive than most parts of the vast state. It is famous for its arts and live music, festivals such as South by Southwest, and more recently as a new hub for technology. With the spring break holiday underway, and with the potential for thousands of young people to descend on the city, there was a determination among the mayors administration to keep the masks in place, and stop the holiday becoming a super-spreader event for the disease. Mr Adler, 64, a human rights lawyer was elected mayor in 2014, and reelected in 2018. He has been outspoken in his criticism of Mr Abbott, claiming the governors decision to drop the mask mandate was a political calculation, not one based on science. The rule was imposed in July 2020, as Texas and others states reeled from the virus, but even then there were many Republican critics of the move. Austin Mayor rebukes Texas Gov. Abbot's decision to end the mask mandate I don't think there's a scientific reason. The doctors and the data, seem to be pretty unanimous that if we're being guided by the science, that we would keep the mask mandate in place, said Mr Adler. I think he is being driven by his partys politics. He added: In this country, unfortunately, beginning with the president last spring, masking became a partisan issue. I think the governor has had some issues with the Republican base associated with some of the actions he's taken to follow the science and the data. At this point you'll see many of the Republican governors around the country walking away from science. Texas is the nations second largest state in terms of its population, after California, and carries the second highest number of electoral college votes. In November 2020, Donald Trump won the state 52-47, but in 2016 he had defeated Hillary Clinton there by a whopping 52-43. Mr Abbott, 63, has said he is seeking a third term as governor, and there is talk he may also be considering a White House run in 2024. Mr Adler is not the only commentator to have suggested this may at the driving his thinking. And critics have said the potential backlash could be enormous. Read more: According to a report based on data provided by the Center for Disease Control, of the 50 US states, and the District of Columbia, Texas ranks 47 for the the percentage of its population that has been fully vaccinated just 9.7 per cent. It just presents undue risk, which is unfortunate, Mr Adler said of Mr Abbotts decision. You know, things are getting so much better. We're trying to avoid another surge. Were coming up to the spring break holiday, which beginsIt just increases the risk that we we face. If people in other cities in Texas were not wearing masks when they entered bars and restaurants, was there not a danger of a second surge soon making its way to Austin, regardless of its own mandate? While it would certainly be preferred if everyone in the entire state of Texas was masking, or for that matter, everyone in the United States was masking, it is still better for us to be mastering here in Austin than not, he said. But certainly, yes, it would be better the broader the universe of people that was following the science and the data and the recommendations of the CDC. Mr Adler said Austin was vaccinating people as quickly as it could obtain the shots. While there was some vaccine hesitancy in the city, he believed it was a lot less than in other parts of the state, and the nation. In Austin, we're getting into people's arms all the vaccine that's being made available to us. We could get a lot more into people's arms if we could get an increased supply in the state of Texas, he said. I understand we're lagging the other states in terms of percentage of the population that's received both vaccines. So as a state, I wish we were doing better. You know, we wish we had more supply here. Spirit Airlines has come under fire for kicking an autistic boy and his dad off a flight from Las Vegas to Dallas because the four-year-old wasn't wearing a mask. Carter Kimball, who is non-verbal with autism, was left in tears crying on the ground of Las Vegas Airport Monday morning after being removed from the plane despite his mom saying they had a doctor's note exempting him from wearing a mask. The four-year-old was traveling home to Little Rock, with a stopover in Dallas, with his father Cameron and babysitter after they flew out to Las Vegas Friday to visit family. Carter's mom Callie Kimball said the trio had also taken the outbound trip with Spirit and there had been no issues with her son not wearing a mask on that flight. Spirit Airlines has come under fire for kicking an autistic boy and his dad off a flight from Las Vegas to Dallas because the four-year-old wasn't wearing a mask. Carter Kimball pictured after the incident Carter, who is non-verbal with autism, was left in tears crying on the ground of Las Vegas Airport Monday morning (pictured) after being removed from the plane despite his mom saying they had a doctor's note exempting him from wearing a mask Kimball told THV11 her husband and son boarded the plane Monday and showed the airline staff the medical note exempting Carter from its face covering mandate. She said her son is 'obsessed' with planes but, due to his autism, he holds his breath or hurts himself if a mask is put on his face. 'He had a medical note from his physician stating that he's exempt from wearing masks because whenever he wears a mask he holds his breath or he starts freaking out and he will harm himself,' Kimball said from their home in Little Rock where she was awaiting her family's return. Kimball said Spirit staff dismissed her son's condition telling her husband it was 'not a disability' and that they would have to leave the plane if he didn't put on a mask. 'He has a disability. It's protected under the American Disability Act and they go "No no no no. Autism's not a disability. He has to wear a mask or he has to get off the plane,"' she said. The mom said her son was 'sitting in his seat being quiet and looking out the window, and this lady was like "Get off!"' Carter's babysitter was reportedly not allowed to leave the flight with them and was left stranded in Dallas. Kimball said the incident was all the more upsetting for the four-year-old because of his love for airplanes. 'Kids on the spectrum, they're usually very obsessed with something. He is obsessed with airplanes,' she said. 'We have a son who's just so distraught now that he like threw all of his airplanes down.' The four-year-old was traveling home to Little Rock, with a stopover in Dallas, with his father and babysitter after they flew out to Las Vegas Friday to visit family. Carter with mom Callie and dad Cameron Kimball added that she understands the airline is taking precautions due to COVID-19 but said Spirit's actions were discriminatory against a person with a disability. 'I've never in my life, like being the parent of an autistic kid is really hard and I've never in my life experienced that kind of discrimination from someone,' she said. Carter and his dad managed to book onto another flight with American Airlines Monday afternoon with airline staff allowing the boy to travel without a mask after seeing the doctor's note. But the family said they are now out of pocket after having to fork out an extra $1,000 for the new flights while they said they are yet to receive a refund from Spirit. Kimball said the family have always traveled with Spirit and have never before faced such issues. Spirit Airlines told DailyMail.com in a statement the airline does 'sympathize' with those traveling with medical conditions but its existing policy does not exempt anyone irrespective of diagnosis. He and his dad were removed from the plane despite his mom saying they had a doctor's note exempting him from wearing a mask due to his condition. Pictured Carter with his dad 'We sympathize with families facing additional burdens while traveling, including those dealing with medical conditions. Like most airlines, Spirit Airlines started requiring face coverings in May 2020 with the only exemption being one for children under age 2,' the airline said in a statement. 'We remind Guests of our face covering policy throughout the booking process, in a pre-trip email sent prior to departure, and in a required acknowledgement that is part of the check-in procedure. 'Our existing policy does not provide for medical exemptions, regardless of diagnosis.' The airline did, however, announce it would introduce a way for travelers to apply for an exemption going forward. 'Starting March 19, 2021, Guests with a medical disability who are traveling on or after March 22, 2021 can apply for an exemption as provided for in the federal mandate requiring masks in airports and on planes,' the statement continued. 'We plan to add information to our website about the exemption later this week. 'Please visit our Information Center for more information on what we are doing to keep our Guests and Team Members safe.' Spirit Airlines told DailyMail.com in a statement the airline does 'sympathize' but its current policy does not exempt anyone irrespective of diagnosis The airline did, however, announce it would introduce a way for travelers to apply for an exemption going forward The airline told THV11 its team members had explained the existing policy to the family at the time but insisted they 'never questioned anyone's medical status in the process.' Spirit also said it had already refunded the family's tickets but that there could be a delay with the credit card issuer processing the payment their end. Airlines implemented mask mandates last year and more than 2,000 passengers have since been kicked off flights or banned for not wearing them. The CDC then issued a rule effective February 1 making refusal to wear a mask on planes or other public transport a violation of federal law, building on an order announced one day after Joe Biden took office. Children aged under two years of age and people with a disability that makes it unsafe to wear a mask are exempt from the rule. New details about the plot of Line of Duty's sixth season have been teased by the cast and creator of the show, ahead of the series debut this weekend. The BBC - who will broadcast the premiere season six episode on Sunday night at 9PM - have released quotes from writer Jed Mercurio, as well as returning stars Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston. Mercurio - who has masterminded the show since its inception in 2012 - teased a major link to the first-ever series, which saw the AC-12 unit investigate the corrupt actions of DCI Tony Gates [played by Lennie James]. New details: The plot of Line Of Duty's sixth season has been teased by the cast and creator of the show, ahead of the series debut this weekend [pictured Vicky McClure as DI Kate Fleming and Kelly Macdonald as DCI Joanne Davidson] 'One of our main locations for this series is Hillside Lane Police Station,' the scribe said. 'Its actually a police station that is mentioned way back in series one Matthew Cottan served here before he joined Kingsgate station where he was on the same team as DCI Tony Gates.' Season six sees new cast member Kelly Macdonald join the show, in the role of DCI Joanne Davidson. '[Hillside Lane] is the home station for our guest lead DCI Joanne Davidson and Kelly is giving a terrific performance in this character,' Mercurio added. 'I would describe her as the most enigmatic adversary that AC-12 have faced to date 'AC-12 will investigate whats going on at Hillside Lane Police Station... and we look at the investigation of a cold case. Its a high profile murder case of Gail Vella that has remained unsolved for over a year and which the police force is struggling to solve. Theres been no closure.' 'Lost': Martin Compston also mentioned DCI Tony Gates in his pre-show chat, shedding light on the physical and mental state viewers will find his character, DS Steve Arnott, in Newcomer: Macdonald admits that the interview scenes 'were the thing that filled me with the most dread but actually I really enjoyed them' Compston also mentioned DCI Tony Gates in his pre-show chat, shedding light on the physical and mental state viewers will find his character, DS Steve Arnott, in. He said: 'At the beginning of the series, Steve is still a DS. So, still no promotion but he is chasing! He has got bored as AC-12 is now tainted and the investigations have been severely curtailed. 'At the start, he is chasing up mundane cases; similar to chasing Lennie James over the expense of a bacon roll in the first series! 'Steve thrives on the thrill of the chase and the adventure of it so hes a bit lost and having issues both physically and mentally. He definitely sees himself as a bit of a Sherlock Holmes with a waistcoat. 'Every year with Line Of Duty, these scripts are a gift and we get more into the back stories of each character through Jeds writing. If we deliver whats on the page we are onto a winner!' High drama: The BBC will broadcast the premiere season six episode on Sunday night at 9PM Superintendent Ted Hastings actor Adrian Dunbar said: 'Quite a lot has happened and theres been quite a time jump. In Ted's working life, a lot of things have destabilised which have affected the unit' Also shedding light on the state of the Anit-Corruption Unit, Superintendent Ted Hastings actor Dunbar added: 'Quite a lot has happened and theres been quite a time jump. In his working life, a lot of things have destabilised which have affected the unit. 'I think [Ted] is another year older but not another year wiser. We are still on the search for the network of corrupt coppers. Are we any closer to them? Hopefully! 'Lets face it time is running out a bit for Ted; the age he is, whether he can stay in the force, is he useful enough, is he a bit of a dinosaur? Hes up against quite a bit. His personal life is not in great shape.' Of his co-stars, Dunbar said: 'I thought Vicky in particular has done some memorable work this series and Martin has some emotional scenes. Ted is put through the ringer; particularly towards the end. Throwback! Mercurio - who has masterminded the show since its inception in 2012 - teased a major link to the first-ever series, which saw the AC-12 unit investigate the corrupt actions of DCI Tony Gates [played by Lennie James, pictured] 'But there have been funny moments too. In one of the interviews, I had to say a bunch of racist thugs but I got it wrong and said a bunch of racist slugs which got a big laugh from the crew. I hope that survives on a bloopers reel somewhere so we can all see it!' Of newcomer Macdonald, Compston said: 'A huge part of this show and its success is down to its incredible guest stars. Kicking off with Lennie James, then Keeley Hawes, Danny Mays popping in, Thandie Newton and Stephen Graham, all these legends! 'As a fellow Scot, Kelly Macdonald was one of the ones I was most excited about. Shes had the perfect career. She was in Trainspotting, Boardwalk Empire and shes got her own Scottish Pixar film, Brave. Shes got it all! Shes a wonderfully talented actor and is such a joy.' Referencing the famously long and intense interview interrogation scenes in the show, he went on: 'Some of the interview scenes have been mammoth and its the luck of the draw but Adrian and I definitely got the short straw this year and are in every single one. Dead and buried? 'One of our main locations for this series is Hillside Lane Police Station,' the scribe said. 'Its actually a police station that is mentioned way back in series one Matthew Cottan served here before he joined Kingsgate station where he was on the same team as DCI Tony Gates' [Craig Parkinson is pictured as DI Cottan] Joint scenes: McClure also spoke of the new cast member. 'Kelly is a great laugh and an incredible actor,' she said 'Kelly has a couple of tasty ones. When I met her at the Scottish BAFTAs, I knew they were in discussions about the role, so I asked her if there was anything I could do to help as I was so excited to have her on the show. She said how terrified she was of the interview scenes! 'Its a common theme of anyone coming onto the show but we are all terrified too! Its a hard days graft and I think some of the scenes this year were 36 minute takes, which is full on. But shes a trooper, she got through it and hopefully weve got another good one in the bag!' Macdonald also referenced this, saying: '[The interview scenes] were the thing that filled me with the most dread but actually I really enjoyed them. 'One of the interview scenes is bigger than anything Ive ever done before I think over half an hour. We filmed it over two days and on the first day, the cameras were only on my character. I was told there were 50 cameras set up on me just in that one day which is mind blowing. McClure added: 'We had some brilliant scenes to do together and enjoyed many jigsaws together! I think everyone will be blown away with Jos story line. It couldnt of been in better hands' Of his co-stars, Dunbar said: 'I thought Vicky in particular has done some memorable work this series and Martin has some emotional scenes. Ted is put through the ringer; particularly towards the end' 'It was like doing a play and it was a real treat to have that kind of material in one scene!' Of her character, Macdonald went on: 'At the start of the series, shes quite a lonely figure. Shes struggling and we dont quite know why that is. 'Shes doing very well in her career. Shes the head of an important case and its very high profile. Shes got a very stressful position and deals with it well but is quite a closed off person. 'Theres a lot going on under the surface with her. She gets to the point where she has to make tricky decisions.' New recruit: Also joining the cast is Shalom Brune-Franklin playing DC Chloe Bishop Action! DS Chris Lomax is played by Perry, Fitzpatrick, pictured with McClure as DI Fleming She has also admitted recently that she had never watched Line Of Duty before and binged most of it in anticipation. 'I hadnt watched it until this part came up! But Ive not watched lots of things Game of Thrones, The Sopranos! However, I was very aware of Line Of Duty as everyone in the UK is,' she said. 'I was sent the first couple of scripts and the part was phenomenal. Its so daunting going into a show with such a huge profile. 'I started watching it and got completely hooked. Then when we were near the beginning of filming, I was half way through Thandie Newtons series [series four] and the nerves started to creep in so thats when I stopped! I still have some to catch up!' McClure also spoke of the new cast member. 'Kelly is a great laugh and an incredible actor,' she said. 'Again, we were really grateful to have a new guest lead that fits straight into the Line Of Duty family. Delicious: Macdonald has 'some tasty' scenes in season six 'We had some brilliant scenes to do together and enjoyed many jigsaws together! I think everyone will be blown away with Jos story line. It couldnt of been in better hands.' Also joining the cast is Shalom Brune-Franklin playing DC Chloe Bishop. 'Chloe is the newest member of AC-12. Like anyone starting a new job, shes so eager to prove to her bosses that she was the right choice. Shes incredibly hardworking and we can see shes really trying to impress. Shes on a journey to capture bent coppers!' the actress said. Compston said: 'Steve thrives on the thrill of the chase and the adventure of it so hes a bit lost and having issues both physically and mentally. He definitely sees himself as a bit of a Sherlock Holmes with a waistcoat' Also weighing in on the interrogation scenes, she added: 'It was so nice to have everyone be so reassuring. Martin Compston especially was so good and reassured me that although it looked like a mountain, it will get done!' Also weighing in on the interrogation scenes, she added: 'It was so nice to have everyone be so reassuring. Martin Compston especially was so good and reassured me that although it looked like a mountain, it will get done! 'I have never experienced having to retain that much information ever. Its incredible that people do this for a job, its fascinating. 'The scenes are half an hour long which is pretty rare! I surprised myself in staying so focused and my eyes didnt go too fuzzy. I really enjoyed it!' Line of Duty returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 21st March at 9PM. Mr. Chernoff To Focus on Maximizing Results for Code's Bitcoin Mining Operations and Ongoing Blockchain Investments VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Codebase Ventures Inc. ("Codebase" or the "Company") (CSE:CODE)(FSE:C5B)(OTCQB:BKLLF) is pleased to announce the Company has engaged Jacob Chernoff to assist with their ongoing investments and operations within the Bitcoin Mining and Blockchain ecosystem. In addition, Mr. Chernoff will serve as a Strategic Advisor to the Company, joining Mr. Jeff Koyen and Mr. Laurent Zhang. Jacob is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur, integrating aspects of traditional venture capital within the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency markets. With over six years of experience working with Blockchain developers and company management alike, Jacob will be essential in Codebase's plans to explore and capitalize on emerging market trends within the Blockchain ecosystem. In addition, Jacob has worked with a number of public companies - evaluating and revising Blockchain-based business proposals, raising seed capital, and deconstructing complex technical aspects of Blockchain and cryptography into an easily digestible format. Jacob Chernoff Blockchain Ecosystem Expertise Highlights: Bitcoin Mining - Identified opportunities and oversaw the acquisition, purchase, set-up and operation of Bitmain ASIC miners. Resulting in significant and sustainable monthly revenue generation. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) - Co-wrote and assessed the viability of leveraging aspects of Decentralized Finance to offer investors and companies returns not found within the traditional finance system. Jacob worked directly with Blockchain developers to flush out the technical requirements as well as total development and operational costs from initial launch to project completion. Blockchain for Rare Gems - Assessed viability of creating a blockchain focused on bringing transparency to the sale of rare gems, allowing for tracking of the gem's history from mine to point of sale. Within that project, Jacob deployed an ERC20 token 'E-Diamond' with the potential to offer fractional ownership of bulk gems by large mining companies and investors. Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) - Extensive experience investing in the ICO boom during 2016-2017, with Jacob participating in the very first ICO on the Ethereum platform. Leveraging traditional aspects of Venture Capital and using them within the cryptocurrency market to deliver significant return on investment. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) - Currently very active in the emerging (NFT) ecosystem, buying and selling rare digital artwork on the Ethereum Blockchain. With this engagement, Codebase has positioned themselves to utilize Jacob's knowledge and connections to explore high growth opportunities throughout the Blockchain Ecosystem including Code's existing interests, and future strategy development and acquisitions. The Company also announced that it has engaged INN (Investing News Network) to provide investor awareness services. About Codebase Ventures Inc. Codebase Ventures Inc. seeks early-stage investments in sectors that have significant upside. We seek innovators who are establishing tomorrow's standards. We support those innovators and help take their ideas to market. For further information, please contact: George Tsafalas - Ivy Lu Investor Relations Telephone: Toll-Free (877) 806-CODE (2633) or 1 (778) 806-5150 E-mail: IR@codebase.ventures Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. SOURCE: Codebase Ventures Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635657/Codebase-Engages-Bitcoin-Mining-Blockchain-Ecosystem-Consultant-Strategic-Advisor-Mr-Jacob-Chernoff 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! This content is not available in your region New Delhi, March 16 : Asset Management Companies along with NSE and CIEL have joined hands to build 50,000 new to industry Mutual Fund Distributors (Financial entrepreneurs) over the next three years. This is being done under the aegis of ExpertMFD,a first pan-India collaborative initiative comprising of top AMCs who manage over 2/3rd of total AUM in Mutual Fund Industry. The MFs include marquee names like Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, Axis MF, ICICI Prudential MF, L&T MF, Nippon India MF, SBI Mutual Fund and Sundaram MF who have joined hands with NSE (National Stock Exchange) and CIEL (Centre for Investment Education and Learning). As New India earns and invests, mutual funds have emerged as an attractive avenue to promote financialisation of assets and earn market-linked returns over the long-term with disciplined financial planning. However,hand-holding is required for both new-to-MF investors as well as experienced investors, ExpertMFD said in a statement. The Indian MF industry could be worth Rs 100 lakh crore in the next decade. However, currently there is just 1 distributor for every 17,000 people, indicating a massive growth opportunity for insurance agents, retired BFSI professionals, homemakers, BFSI employees, students etc. Top individual MF distributors earn more than Rs 1 crore in annual gross commissions, showing the potential for earnings. ExpertMFD has built the infrastructure to create financial entrepreneurs / mutual fund distributors through its first in India collaborative platform which will offer end-to-end support for anyone who wants to make a career as an expert financial distributor. Regulatory training and also practically-oriented induction & mentoring by experts is necessary for becoming successful in the MF industry. NSE will be the transaction partner for a seamless digital experience to start business. Speaking on the occasion, Himanshu Vyapak,MD, CIEL, said, "We have about 2.3 crore unique MF investors in India. The growth in MF distributors has not kept in pace with the growth of assets in MF Industry. Our endeavour is to build a strong foundation and a cohesive growth environment for future financial experts by providing a full stack end-to-end platform for anyone who wants to become an expert financial distributor. This is done through the aegis of technology intervention and strong partnerships. The platform will also train these distributors on other financial products in the second phase." AMCs CEOs in a joint statement from the consortium of Top AMCs comprising of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, Axis MF, ICICI Prudential MF, L&T MF, Nippon India MF, SBI MF, Sundaram MF said: "We are very pleased to partner with NSE and CIEL to launch ExpertMFD a platform to create Financial Entrepreneurs for the mutual fund industry. The industry is ready for next-level growthand is expected to be Rs 100 lakh crore over the next 10 years. It is indeed heartening to note that Indians are increasingly moving away from physical savings to financial savings. With lesser distributors serving more and more customers, it is a huge opportunity for new financial distributors to join the industry and make an impact." "The success of the industry will lot depend on how we work towards expanding the distributor network and move to rural India. We would want to use the learning and the experience that we have gathered over the years to make the project successful" Mukesh Agarwal CEO, NSE Indices Ltd- NSE said, "We see a great potential in having a first in industry one stop platform for anyone like an insurance agent, homemaker, student and retired professional to start their mutual fund distribution journey. Our joint knowledge, business acumen, skilling capability and transaction engine will help any new distributor in its entire journey from onboarding to business generation on one platform." OWINGS MILLS, Md., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IZI Medical Products, LLC ("IZI"), a leading manufacturer of medical devices used in interventional radiology and interventional oncology procedures, announces the launch of its Quick-Core Auto Biopsy System ("Quick-Core Auto") for soft tissue biopsy. The Quick-Core Auto is a lightweight, fully automatic biopsy device that builds upon the legacy of IZI's Quick-Core semi-automatic biopsy system, and offers the same reliability, precision, and quality. "IZI has made significant strategic investments to enhance its Quick-Core tissue biopsy portfolio, including expanding the length and gauge size of its semi-automatic range, as well as introducing a fully automatic device. The Quick-Core Auto is a great solution for all soft tissue biopsy needs and complements IZI's Women's Health offering, which includes Indicator Markers used during mammograms, Quick-Core, Quick-Core Auto and ColdCare Packs for biopsy sampling, and Kopans and X-Reidy Localization Wires used for breast localization," said Greg Groenke, CEO, IZI Medical. The Quick-Core Auto has three programmable firing modes for tissue sampling automatic, delay and zero-throw mode. It will be available in a combination of different gauges (12G through 20G) and lengths (6cm through 25cm), with and without coaxial needles. IZI Medical's portfolio is supported by a dedicated sales team of direct representatives and independent distributors to drive market penetration in the United States, followed by expansion into Europe. About IZI Medical Products As a leading innovator, manufacturer, and distributor of quality medical devices, IZI Medical provides the continuity that our healthcare partners need to succeed. Based in Owings Mills, Maryland, just outside Baltimore, IZI is a leading developer, manufacturer, and provider of high-quality medical consumable devices used in interventional radiology and oncology, radiation therapy, neuro-spine, and image guided surgery procedures. IZI has built a diverse portfolio of products backed by strong intellectual property and currently sells to more than 1,000 domestic customers as well as internationally across 25 countries. Contact: Jovie Soriano IZI Medical Products, LLC 410-753-9121 [email protected] SOURCE IZI Medical Products Related Links izimed.com NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial services industry veteran Steve Leathers has launched Leathers Group, a private real estate investment manager focused on medical office and specialty healthcare real estate. The firm also announced today that Sean Leahy and Randy Beckman have joined as managing directors to form the base of its senior management team. Leathers, formerly a managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle's Healthcare Capital Markets Group, established the company to provide an increased range of quality investment options for institutions and high net worth, exchange driven investors. With more than $2 billion of healthcare real estate acquisition experience and 60 years combined commercial real estate experience, the firm's principals are established experts in the sourcing and strategic management of tax-advantaged real estate investment solutions. "Using our significant network of developers, owners and brokers, we are able to secure institutional properties with steady, predictable cash flow resulting from high tenant-retention afforded by healthcare assets," said President and Founder Steve Leathers. "Our aim is to provide white glove service to investment advisors, broker-dealers and their clients. Through working to meet the investment objectives and needs of investors, we can deliver on a range of risk/reward profiles." Leathers Group has tapped Sean Leahy and Randy Beckman as managing directors to support robust platform growth. "Sean and Randy each bring more than 25 years of individual experience that provides Leathers Group a seasoned leadership team with expertise in all aspects of real estate investment management and distribution of leading medical office and specialty healthcare investments," said Leathers. "Their relevant backgrounds and industry relationships will be invaluable as we expand the distribution of our offerings to investors seeking to diversify their real estate portfolios with demographically strong healthcare investment strategies." Sean Leahy will focus on real estate program asset management and operations and will draw upon his extensive experience with medical office buildings and net leased properties. He previously served as a senior vice president of the asset management team for three healthcare REITs sponsored by AR Global LLC (formerly known as American Realty Capital), where he oversaw the creation and execution of business plans for all medical office assets, negotiated hundreds of leases, oversaw all major capital improvements and played a key role in the portfolio sale of the company's first healthcare REIT, American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust, Inc., to Ventas, Inc. for $2.6 billion. Prior to joining AR Global, Leahy served as regional vice president of asset management for Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. During his tenure at HTA, the company was one of the most active buyers of medical office properties in the United States and Leahy oversaw the leasing and management of more than 1.4 million square feet of medical office properties. Prior to HTA, Leahy held senior roles with Cole Companies and was actively involved in the launch of the company's first two net lease REITs, numerous DST offerings and property dispositions. Randy Beckman will lead sales and marketing and will assist broker-dealers and registered investment advisors to source the best real estate solutions for their investors. Beckman started his career 35 years ago as a financial consultant focused on comprehensive wealth management and transitioned to the capital markets side of the business more than 15 years ago. He has provided direct sales and marketing leadership for more than $2 billion of capital raised for public REITs and private investment programs. Beckman has expertise in securitized commercial real estate transactions, due diligence and market analysis. In 2010, he founded LD Fin, an industry consultant focused on serving the needs of investment sponsors, broker-dealers, RIAs, advisors and investors. While at the helm of LD Fin, he was engaged to consult on more than $3 billion of securitized commercial real estate and initiated Sentio Healthcare Properties successful repositioning prior to being acquired by Kayne Anderson for $825 million. Beckman also served as executive vice president of sales for Grubb & Ellis Realty Investors, where he was a voting member of the acquisition and disposition committees. A recognized industry leader, Beckman was elected and served two consecutive terms on the Alternative and Direct Investment Securities Association (ADISA) board of directors from 2008 to 2010. About Leathers Group Based in Westchester County, New York, Leathers Group is a private real estate investment manager that works on behalf of high net worth, exchange-driven and institutional investors to find suitable medical office and other specialty healthcare properties to achieve specific return profiles while minimizing risks. With more than $2 billion of healthcare real estate acquisition experience and 60 years combined commercial real estate experience, Leathers Group principals employ a transparent and disciplined approach to property selection and asset management to enhance value for investors. To learn more visit leathersgroup.com. Contact: Jennifer Franklin Spotlight Marketing Communications (949) 427-1385 [email protected] SOURCE Leathers Group Related Links https://leathersgroup.com The team behind Carlsbads popular restaurant Campfire has announced plans to open an 80-seat French bistro just down the street this fall. Jeune et Jolie will open sometime around October at 2659 State St. in Carlsbad Village. It will be the second project conceived by Campfires owner John Resnick and executive chef Andrew Bachelier. Jeune et Jolie which translates from French as young and beautiful is named after the longtime friends young daughters, Elsie June Resnick and Margot Jolie Bachelier. Were a couple of guys who live in Southern California opening a French restaurant, Resnick said. We wanted it to feel inspired by French restaurants but also draw a lens to who we really are. Advertisement Jeune et Jolie restaurant owner John Resnick, left, with his daughter Elsie June, and chef Andrew Bachelier, right, with his daughter, Margot Jolie in the new restaurant space. The girls names inspired the nouvelle French restaurant, which will open this fall in Carlsbad. (Brian Eastman ) Resnick said diners can expect the new location to have the same inspired design ethos and hyper-focus on culinary technique as Campfire, which has become one of the countys most successful new restaurants since it opened in late 2016. Its been incredible, Resnick said of Campfires success. I think I had very high hopes for the restaurant and how the community would respond and those hopes were far surpassed. Campfire celebrates the communal aspects of camping and campfires. Virtually everything on the menu is prepared over an open flame or in a wood-fired oven and the restaurants whimsical interior and its teepee-dominated patio resemble a 1950s-era campground. Like Campfire, Jeune et Jolie will be designed by L.A.s Bells & Whistles interior design firm. Resnick said the petite, white-walled restaurant will have the casual elegance of a classic Parisian bistro. Jeune et Jolie is being built inside a revamped 2,000-square-foot commercial building just a one-minute walk north of Campfire on the same street. Because of their proximity, Resnick said creating a unique niche for the new restaurant is important. A six-year resident of Leucadia, Resnick said his restaurant research process involves constantly being on the lookout for concepts that are new to North County. With Campfire we were trying to make a restaurant with really good food, cocktails and hospitality in an engaging environment and vibe. For Jeune, we are trying to create a French restaurant that would be dynamic and new but still authentic and true to who we are and the location. Advertisement For Jeune, Resnick and Bachelier have been inspired by the many trips they have taken, separately, to France, and Bachelier is eager to dust off his culinary skills in classic French technique. Carlsbad Village already has an upscale French restaurant, Paon, which is a favorite of Resnick and his wife. To distinguish itself, Jeune will have a menu inspired by the cuisine of France as well as its former colonies in the Caribbean, Vietnam and Africa. In keeping with Southern California tastes, Bacheliers dishes at Jeune will be lighter in style with more vegetable and seafood-driven entrees. The restaurant will also have a raw bar. Campfires bar manager Leigh Lacap is overseeing Jeunes wine and cocktail program. The restaurant will serve only natural wines, which are organically farmed and unfiltered. Cocktails will feature French spirits like Cognac and Armangnac and absinthe drinks will be served from a 1920s-style tower fountain. Advertisement Rather than the toddler-friendly Campfire, Jeune will be more for grown-up get-togethers, date nights and celebrations. It will be open for dinner and brunch only. This will still have that incredible energy and vibrancy of Campfire, but it will be a bit more geared to the big nights of your life, Resnick said. Advertisement pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com 03/16/2021 Photo (c) Darwin Brandis - Getty Images Purdue Pharma, maker of the opioid painkiller OxyContin, has proposed paying a larger financial settlement to resolve numerous lawsuits against it that accuse the company of contributing to the opioid crisis in the U.S. In a filing in bankruptcy court, the company, largely controlled by the Sackler family, proposed a payment of $4.28 billion, an increase from the $3 billion in the original settlement proposal. A number of states have filed lawsuits against the drugmaker and had dismissed the $3 billion settlement from the family offer as insufficient. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, representing one of the plaintiff states, was initially unimpressed with the new offer. Were going to keep fighting for the accountability that families all across this country deserve, Healey told The Wall Street Journal. Several other attorneys general who have signed onto the lawsuit concurred, saying they want the Sacklers to pay more of their personal funds in any settlement. "This plan does not go as far as it needs to," North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, told NPR. Hopes to emerge from bankruptcy For its part, Purdue Pharma hopes a resolution of lawsuits will help it emerge from bankruptcy. It sought Chapter 11 protection in September 2019, proposing a plan that it said would produce $10 billion to $12 billion to reimburse municipalities for the money theyve spent to deal with the opioid crisis. The unusual bankruptcy plan would allow Purdue Pharma to transform into a public benefit trust. It would continue to sell opioid drugs, but the profits would go to the plaintiffs who have sued the company. Under the plan, the Sackler family, the major stockholders in the company, would forfeit ownership of Purdue and contribute at least $3 billion toward the settlement out of their private funds -- a sum now increased to $4.28 billion under the new proposal. New terms Under the new bankruptcy plan, the Sackler family would relinquish ownership of Purdue Pharma's operations in the U.S. but would continue to control the companys overseas subsidiaries for the foreseeable future. They would also admit to no wrongdoing. Last year, the company entered a guilty plea to three criminal counts connected to the marketing and distribution of OxyContin. Over a number of years, prosecutors accused the company of making illegal kickbacks and hiding the addictive nature of OxyContin in their marketing presentations to health care providers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. totaled 67,367 in 2018. The states with the highest rates of death due to drug overdose were West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Hampshire. MEDFORD, Ore. A coalition of local advocates is taking aim at a new camping ordinance under consideration by the City of Medford, one that could have long-term consequences for the local homeless population. Medford City Council began looking for a revised camping ordinance in February attempting to carve out a path to enforce prohibitions against camping along the Bear Creek Greenway and other public sites without running afoul of several relevant court decisions and two bills making their way through the Oregon legislature. According to the City's initial proposal, sleeping would be prohibited in these areas during fire season and violations would be classified as a misdemeanor "as opposed to simply delivering monetary citations." Tent camping beyond just temporarily sleeping would be prohibited on public property year-round, with a similar misdemeanor penalty. Despite assurances from Medford's legal counsel that the "City is not taking an enforcement-only approach to homelessness," a newly-formed organization of local advocates is sounding the alarm about the proposal. The Housing Justice Alliance has launched an online petition urging the City Council to reject the ordinance and work with community groups to address the root causes of homelessness. People lost their jobs during the pandemic, and wildfires destroyed over 2,000 homes last fall, said Reverend Murray Richmond of the First Presbyterian Church in Medford. Throwing people in jail because they cant find a place to rent when there are very few places available is going to hurt more people. Fining people who don't have any money is just a waste of time. RELATED: Medford motel will be made into emergency housing with 'Project Turnkey' support The group pointed out that Medford's proposed ordinance would make sleeping in a tent illegal even during the winter months, with penalties of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine for the misdemeanor violation. We know unhoused people ready to take legal action, said Nick Murphy, another member of the Housing Justice Alliance. But I hope it doesnt come to that. While were fighting in the courts, people will be dying in the streets. In 2018, a homeless woman filed a class action suit against the City of Grants Pass for its prohibitions against sleeping. A judge ruled in her favor, though the City has appealed. This case, Blake v. Grants Pass, is one that Medford has tried to work around in part, by considering the year-round ban on tent camping, but carving out a space for sleeping during all but the summer months. The Housing Justice Alliance referenced a letter that they say Christine-Marie Caligiuri recently wrote to the City. Caligiuri, the group said, lost her housing last year and has been living in a tent along the Greenway in Medford. We are everyday people, just like you but sadly, not in a home, Caligiuri wrote. Please dont make it more difficult to survive out here." The Medford City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance in early April. In the meantime, the Housing Justice Alliance says that it is working with homeless people who would be impacted by the change to gather testimonies. Fords British factory in Dagenham is to supply diesel engines for compact Ford Transit and Volkswagen vans being built in Turkey, securing a vital lifeline for thousands of UK jobs. The car giant, which is embarking on a massive drive to go electric, announced today that the Dagenham Engine Plant in east London will manufacture the latest advanced technology diesel engines for the next generation Ford Transit Custom vans from early 2023. The vans are to be built by Ford Otosan Fords joint venture in Turkey in Kocaeli, a city in the northwestern part of Turkey. Jobs safeguard: Ford employs 2,000 people at Dagenham out of 7,500 workers across the UK The factory will also build the next generation Volkswagen 1-tonne commercial vehicle as part of the new Ford-Volkswagen alliance. It is understood to be the first time that Ford has build engines for Volkswagen. Ministers hailed it as great news for Ford, its workforce and the post-Brexit UK, which recently concluded a trade deal with Turkey. Ford currently employs around 2,000 people at Dagenham out of 7,500 workers across the United Kingdom. Ford said: Todays announcement with its anticipated incremental engine volumes helps to safeguard jobs at Dagenham Engine Plant. By 2025, it is expected that up to 60 percent of the plants entire diesel engine volume will be destined just for the 1-tonne commercial vehicles being built by Ford Otosan. Fords Dagenham engine plant exports much of its diesel engine production to Ford Otosan where the engines are fitted into Ford Transit vehicles - around 30 per cent of which are then exported from Turkey to the UK. Fords Dagenham engine plant exports much of its diesel engine production to Ford Otosan (pictured), where the engines are fitted into Ford Transit vehicles Ford noted: In total, Ford and Ford Otosan business constitutes more than 10 per cent of the total trade volume between the UK and Turkey, and so the trade agreement reached between Turkey and the UK at the end of 2020 was extremely significant for Ford and Ford Otosan and helped to secure jobs in both countries. Martin Everitt, plant manager at Ford Dagenham, said: This is great news for the entire Ford Dagenham Engine Plant team. Minister for International Trade, Ranil Jayawardena, said: Todays announcement is great news for Ford and its 7,500 workers across the United Kingdom. Minister for International Trade, Ranil Jayawardena, said the trade deal with Turkey 'has helped to secure jobs by protecting supply chains for our great automotive manufacturers like Ford' Our trade deal with Turkey has helped to secure jobs by protecting supply chains for our great automotive manufacturers like Ford and has provided businesses with the confidence to keep investing in Britain. He added: Trade has the power to create jobs, boost wages and bring economic growth to every corner of our country as we build back better from Covid-19. Ford said it expects around two-thirds of its commercial vehicle sales in Europe to be all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. But it stressed: Diesel will continue play an important role in commercial vehicle applications in the years ahead especially as total volumes of Ford Transit and Transit Custom range sales continue to grow. Around 85 per cent of Ford engines and all transmissions are exported from the UK to more than 15 countries on six continents, with a value of around 2.5billion annually. Ford, which is embarking on a massive drive to go electric, stressed that the diesel engine plant in Dagenham, and its transmission plant at Halewood are important and safe for now Ford also announced that the next generation Ford Transit Custom range built in Turkey will include an all-electric model in addition to plug-in hybrid, mild hybrid and conventional engine. Ford bosses last month announced that all its new cars sold in Britain and Europe will be wholly electric from 2030 and is investing 719million to convert its assembly plant in Cologne to build electric cars. But they stressed that the diesel engine plant in Dagenham, Essex, and its transmission plant at Halewood on Merseyside are important and safe for now as they supply the global commercial vehicle market. Congress, BJP MLAs clash in Haryana Assembly over farmers' issue India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Chandigarh, Mar 16: The BJP and Congress had sharp exchanges in the Haryana Assembly on Tuesday during a discussion on the state budget when the main opposition party targeted the government on the farmers' issue. During Zero Hour in the House, BJP MLA Aseem Goel got up and showed a photo claiming that some Congress workers were among the farmers who protested outside his Ambala residence last week. As soon as he made the claim, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda asked him not to make wild allegations. Later, when the House took up discussion on budget estimates for 2021-22 presented in the Assembly by Chief Minister ML Khattar on Friday, Congress' newly elected MLA from Baroda segment, Indu Raj Narwal said the government keeps saying they have done so much for farmers' welfare, but it has not said a word as nearly 300 peasants have died during the ongoing agitation. He demanded martyrs' status be given to farmers who died and Rs 50 lakh compensation along with a job to the next of kin. Intervening while Narwal was speaking, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kanwar Pal sought Hooda's comment on whether the call for boycott of political leaders of the ruling dispensation was justified. Farmers' Protest: Government should open doors for dialogue, says Unions protesting against farm laws Notably, the Haryana Assembly had on Monday passed a resolution condemning any attempt to boycott political leaders, a move which follows protests against the ruling coalition leaders in several villages over the Centre's farm laws. "I want to ask Hooda why is he silent on this," asked Pal. Hooda replied by saying that he has been saying that maintaining law and order is the duty of the administration. "But they are trying to thrust their own failures on others," said Hooda attacking the government, but Pal replied, "You (the opposition) cannot escape from your responsibility". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 21:51 [IST] Italy right to temporarily suspend AstraZeneca vaccine, until EMA confirms it is safe, says Italian health minister. "Those who have already had the AstraZeneca vaccine have no reason to be worried, this is only a precautionary suspension," said Italy's health minister Roberto Speranza said today during an online healthcare event. "Vaccines are and remain the fundamental weapon with which to emerge from these difficult months," Speranza told the editor of Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Luciano Fontana. Italy, along with several other European countries, ordered the temporary suspension of the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine on 15 March, amid concerns about possible serious side-effects including blood clots. "Yesterday's decision to suspend AstraZeneca is of a precautionary nature," ahead of a judgement from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), said Speranza, adding that it was "right to be cautious." The decision by Germany, France, Italy to suspend AstraZeneca was described as political choice" by Nicola Magrini, the head of Italys medicines authority AIFA. Magrini told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that AstraZeneca was safe and that the benefit to risk ratio of the jab is largely positive, adding that in Italy there have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects following vaccinations, "in some cases many days later." Magrini also reassured those who had the first AstraZeneca dose, stating: "Adverse reactions, when they happen, occur in the hours immediately after the injection. We must have faith in research and in the vaccination plan." Yesterday Italy's coronavirus emergency commissioner General Francesco Figliuolo signed an order stating that if any vaccine doses are left over at the end of the day and cannot be stored they should be administered to whoever is "available in that moment" to avoid waste. In recent days Italy gave the green light to Johnson & Johnsons single-dose coronavirus vaccine, the fourth to be licensed by AIFA after Pfizer-BionTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca. Last week Figliuolo announced a plan to accelerate Italy's vaccination campaign which has been dogged by delays and shortfalls in vaccines. The goal is to reach half a million doses per day nationwide and vaccinate at least 80 per cent of the population by September. The Quadrilateral Summit which was held on 12th March, 2021 did not directly name China but Beijing seemed rattled. Its mouthpiece, Global Times speculated that India, Japan, Australia and the US have been hyping the China threat even before the event. China commented that that the four member Quad" will end up nowhere" if it does not abandon its ideological bias and the cold war mentality it harnesses. The Quadrilateral Summit which was held on 12th March, 2021 did not directly name China but Beijing seemed rattled. Its mouthpiece, Global Times speculated that India, Japan, Australia and the US have been hyping the China threat even before the event. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijan said, For some time, some countries have been exaggerating the so-called China threat or China challenges, to drive a wedge among regional countries to sow a discord between their relations with China, Zhao said at the regular ministry briefing on Monday. He commented that state-to-state exchanges and cooperation should be conducive for improving mutual understanding and trust among countries and should not be targeted against and undermine the interests of the third parties. US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Justin stated that the US and its allies have in them the capabilities to deter China. Not only that, Wang Yi, the State Councilor and Foreign Minister acknowledged how the Quad emerged as a security threat and the Indo-Pacific was labelled as the New NATO. Chinas dream for a China Centric Asia Pacific was challenged when the Quad countries called for an inclusive Indo-Pacific that is anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion. The Quad leaders even gave a joint statement and committed to holding an in-persons leaders summit by the end of 2021. China commented that that the four member Quad will end up nowhere if it does not abandon its ideological bias and the cold war mentality it harnesses. The agenda of the Summit called out for free, open rules-based order, rooted in international law to advance security and prosperity and counter threats to both in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the key agenda which attracted global attention was collective response to COVID-19 pandemic in terms of synergizing the vaccination efforts for humanity, with India as manufacturing hub, assisted by others to roll out one billion vaccines by 2020. Also Read: If Taliban takes over, US wants mess to be handled by countries like India: Ram Madhav Also Read: PM is incompetent, cannot run the country: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee The list of other shared challenges that was addressed during the Summit also includes cyberspace, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief (HADR), some of which echo Chinese alleged involvement like cyber attacks and transparency of the World Health Organization. The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan stated that the four leaders discussed the challenged posed by China and the Quad countries believed that it could outcompete autocracy. Major General S.B. Asthana said, None of the Quad leaders during the Summit called out China directly, but China knows that it challenged rule-based order by junking PCAs decision in the South China Sea (SCS) and continues to coerce countries in Indo-Pacific region. Chinese response of calling the Quad meeting as selective multilateralism and covid politics shows its frustration due to emergence of an alternate global vaccination collaboration, something which China had unilaterally reserved for itself for profiteering. India is the only country amongst Quad members which has an unsettled land border with China. China has done its best to create some apprehension in mind of the other Quad members, by keeping China -India relations fluctuating between tension and harmony with incidents like Doklam, Wuhan, Malappuram and Ladakh. After the Doklam and Ladakh standoffs, its quite clear to Indians that China cant be trusted, which has brought relatively better clarity in Indian position. The Incremental Encroachment Strategy of China exhibited in SCS, East China Sea (ECS) and Ladakh is a serious concern not only to the countries directly affected by overlapping EEZ or unsettled borders, but also to rest of the world, as China continues to convert features/atolls into military bases, expect others to accept them as islands and apply Baseline principle under UNCLOS-III to claim its 200 nautical miles of EEZ thus converting SCS into Chinese lake over a period of time. It poses threat to freedom of navigation (FON) and flight along global Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and may lead to some restrictions like Air Defense Identification Zone in SCS , states Major General S.B. Asthana. Also Read: We can never ever turn our eyes away from racism: Jaishankar in Parl on Rashmi Samant racism row The value of the platform behind the program is to allow a one-to-many integration instead of the traditional one-to-one will reduce cost and improve time to market which will have a positive impact on financial inclusion. FinConecta launched Open Finance, a new platform that is powered by FinConectas technology and provides a set of cloud services, accelerators and technology infrastructure to help financial services institutions address regulatory requirements, monetize APIs, launch new offerings faster, and improve integration of third party products through modern and standardized APIs. The platform runs on AWS and offers a catalog of curated fintech companies that provide digital services to financial institutions on a SaaS model and the ability to integrate to multiple solutions through a single integration, 10 times faster. Using the technology behind Open Finance, we were able to launch the first fully digital banking account in the Dominican Republic. It allows customers to open an account in six steps without setting foot in a branch. This digital solution is disrupting the payment industry in the country (safe, free and fully digital), and definitely making waves towards the adoption of Open Banking in the Caribbean, remarks Alan Munoz, Fihogar General Manager. For fintechs, Open Finance offers a global exposure to potential clients, a comprehensive Sandbox to test products and a single integration through normalized APIs giving them access to core banking systems without having to integrate with them individually. To help financial services companies in the transition to open banking and towards a true API economy, FinConecta and AWS launched the Open Finance Innovation Program. Through the program, financial institutions will work with FinConecta and AWS to find solutions to solve client pain points, simplifying the contracting process, accelerating time to market, and advancing the digital agenda in the financial industry. Registration opens March 16. Financial institutions in Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Fintechs around the world are invited to register. We believe the Open Finance Innovation Program will accelerate the digitization of financial services. The value of the platform behind the program is to allow a one-to-many integration instead of the traditional one-to-one will reduce cost and improve time to market which will have a positive impact on financial inclusion. We are honored to work with AWS in this fascinating endeavor says FinConecta Founder & CEO Jorge Ruiz. To register for the Open Finance Innovation Program, and schedule a demo, click https://openfinance.finconecta.com/ About FinConecta FinConecta is a global technology company dedicated to accelerate digitization of finance and open banking. Founded in 2016, headquartered in Miami with operations in multiple countries around the world. Learn more at https://finconecta.com/ or contact Betty DeVita at betty@finconecta.com. Amid the ongoing nationwide bank strike, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tried to assuage fears at a press conference on Tuesday. The minister was addressing a Cabinet briefing, when she said that the public sector enterprise policy 'very clearly' states that the Centre will continue to operate public sector banks. "So, just to quickly say that all public banks will be sold off, is not right," she said. She said the decision to privatise banks is a well-thought-out one. Sitharaman said that the government wants the bank to get more equity and to meet the aspirations of the country. The minister added that the interest of the employees of the banks getting privatised will be protected. "In those banks which are likely to get privatised, the interest of every staff member will be protected. Interest of existing employees will be protected at all cost," she said. "Whether it's their salaries, whether its their pension, it will all be taken care of," said the Finance Minister. Sitharaman's assurances came on the second day of the two-day bank strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions that is protesting against the proposed privatisation of two state-owned banks. Around 10 lakh bank employees reportedly participated in the strike, affecting banking services for four days straight (including Saturday and Sunday offs). The minister said that the banks are being privatised because the government wants to make financial institutions better equipped and more sustainable. She gave the example of State Bank of India and added that the focus is on amalgamating banks that are big enough to meet the aspirations of the country. "Today we have quite a few number of banks and they have a very big role to play. But we need banks which are going to be able to scale up," she said. Finance Minister Sitharaman also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for criticising the government. He had tweeted: "GOI (the Government of India) is privatising profit & nationalising loss. Selling PSBs to Modicronies gravely compromises India's financial security. I stand in solidarity with the striking bank employees." She said that the Congress leader is probably outsourcing his comments to outsiders. "These two liners do not help. I would want him to engage in serious discussion... Rahul Gandhi should think, do his homework first and then level allegations against us," said the minister. Also read: India Today Conclave: Not all windows to be shut for cryptocurrency, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman Also read: Modi govt has clear vision to achieve $5 trillion goal, says Sitharaman Conservative Irish filmmakers and married couple Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney will start filming this summer for 'My Son Hunter,' DailyMail.com can now reveal a movie chronicling Hunter Biden's 'elitist party lifestyle, dodgy business dealings, family drama, and corruption.' The biopic will detail the controversy and corruption surrounding the president's son especially when it came to distracting from Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign. 'It's about Hunter Biden and his corrupt business dealings,' McAleer said in a short video previewing the film, and McElhinney cut in to say, 'Bad laptop!' 'This movie is going to tell the whole story China, Russia, Ukraine,' McAleer continued before prompting supporters to donate to help fund the film. English actor Laurence Fox, 42, who started the Reclaim Party last year and announced earlier this month he is running for Mayor in London, was approached and is currently considering playing Hunter in the film. A spokesperson for the actor and political activist did not respond to a request for comment. Fox did, however, tell the Telegraph last month that he was approached by independent filmmakers to play Hunter Biden and he is considering it but feels he might be too busy to take it on this year. 'I'm debating whether I want to do it,' Fox said. 'At the moment I'm literally on 7:00 in the morning until 9:00 at night. I just don't have any time.' Much of the movie will be set in Ukraine and will begin filming in summer 2021 in Serbia. The Biopic 'My Son Hunter' will start filming in Serbia this summer and aims to 'chronicle his elitist party lifestyle, dodgy business dealings, family drama, and corruption' Conservative filmmakers and married couple Phelim McAleer (left) and Ann McElhinney (right) claim: 'The truth deserves to be told and it needs to be seen by as many people as possible. An entertaining and enjoyable movie is the best way to [do that]... If the media won't do their jobs, we'll do it for them' Filmmakers set up a website to encourage donations to their crowdsourcing to fund the movie The couple hopes to raise $2.5 million in 60 days before filming commences McAleer explained in a statement provided to DailyMail.com: 'The media and big tech covered up the bombshell report by The New York Post that showed the depth of corruption in the Biden family.' The film's producer is referring to a Post report published shortly before the 2020 presidential election detailing the extent of some of the corruption by Hunter Biden. This included revelations of what was found on his laptop's harddrive when it was left at a computer repair shop and correspondence he had with foreign business leaders. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook stifled and, in some cases, banned and blocked users for sharing the Post's report. 'The truth deserves to be told and it needs to be seen by as many people as possible,' McAleer continued in his statement. 'An entertaining and enjoyable movie is the best way to tell the story of the Biden family's corruption and to ensure as many people are educated about this as possible.' 'If the media won't do their jobs, we'll do it for them,' he said. In the YouTube clip previewing the movie, McAleer detailed that a Media Research Center study found that 16 per cent of Biden voters wouldn't have cast their ballot for him if they knew the truth about Hunter before the election. 'This is a story that has to come out, this is a story that needs to be known by everyone,' McElhinney, the film's co-creator, said in the two-minute video. McElhinney also provided a statement to DailyMail.com where she assured the film is a must see. 'This is an incredibly fascinating story,' she said. English actor Laurence Fox, 42, who is running un the 2021 London mayoral elections under his new Reclaim Party has been approached to play Hunter 'It's 'Austin Powers' meets 'King Lear' with a dash of 'House of Cards.' The story is so compelling that viewers on both sides of the aisle will find it incredibly entertaining,'McElhinney continued. The filmmakers are encouraging by way of a 25-second promotional video previewing the upcoming film for donors to help 'expose the Biden family corruption!' by contributing to their crowd-funding campaign. 'Donors can join the campaign to fund the movie by donating online at MySonHunter.com,' they prompted in a press release announcing the project. 'In exchange for their donations, some donors will receive exclusive merchandise from the film.' The statement insisted the husband-and-wife team will raise $2.5 million in the next 60days before filming commences. The duo has previously been successful in their fundraising efforts and in the past funded their other controversial movies through crowdsourcing. They raised $2.3 million for their film 'Gosnell', which focused on prolific abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, who was sentenced to life in prison for murder and manslaughter tied to his unethical abortion clinic and practices. The movie was screened at the Trump White House and, while far from mainstream, did get screen time in 700 theaters. Filmmakers detailed a poll showing 16 per cent of Biden voters said they wouldn't have cast their ballot for him if they knew the truth about Hunter before the election They also held a dramatic reading in June 2019 of the texts exchanged between FBI 'lovebirds' Peter Strzok and Lisa Page correspondence touted by the Trump administration as proof the Russia investigation was a partisan 'hoax.' Page was played by Kristy Swanson, know for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dean Cain, know for Superman TV series 'Lois & Clark' played Strzok. The filmmaking couple hopes to make another splash with 'My Son Hunter,' which they make clear is not a documentary but a dramatic and entertaining telling of the story of Hunter Biden. In 2019, Trump began attacking Hunter for his overseas business dealings facilitated during the time his father was vice president. This lined up the now-president's son for a slew of criticism, including over his questionable business dealings in Ukraine and China and other aspects of personal life including drug use. Laurence Fox, known for his roles in 'Victoria' and 'Becoming Jane', could play the president's embattled son. Fox launched the Reclaim Party last year and in March 2021 announced he would run under that party to take on current London Mayor Sadiq Khan, part of the Labour Party and considered a social Democrat on the soft left. On May 6, 2021, London will hold its mayoral elections. McAleer and McElhinney have created some of the most controversial films and performances as of late. Some of their productions have experienced actors walking out and venues cancelling performances and showings. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces the reopening of more Texas businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on May 18, 2020. (Lynda M. Gonzalez/Pool/Getty Images) Texas Governor Backs GOP Bills Seeking to Safeguard Election Integrity Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called on the state legislature to pass bills aimed at preventing election officials from relaxing election rules and processes without authorization. The Lone Star State governor stressed that without measures to tighten election integrity laws across the state, election officials could jeopardize the election process by presenting opportunities for people to commit voter fraud. Whether its the unauthorized expansion of mail-in ballots or the unauthorized expansion of drive-thru voting, we must pass laws to prevent election officials from jeopardizing the election process, Abbott told reporters at a press conference. The governor in February named election integrity as an emergency legislative item during his State of the State address. Our objective in Texas is to ensure that every eligible voter gets to vote and that only eligible ballots are counted, he said. In the 2020 election, we witnessed actions throughout our state that could risk the integrity of our elections and enable voter fraud, which is why I made election integrity an emergency item this session. Election integrity came to the forefront of the nations attention when the November 2020 election was followed by a series of allegations of irregularities and election fraud. Former President Donald Trump and his allies challenged the Nov. 3 election results in courts, alleging that illegal votes were cast and counted in several swing states due to alleged voter fraud and relaxed election regulations that were changed by state executives without going through state legislatures. The election integrity of results in Harris County, the most populous county in Texas, was questioned after county officials attempted to modify election rules in response to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. The county implemented drive-thru voting stations and expanded the option to all voterseven those not qualified for curbside voting. Republicans immediately challenged the ballots cast at drive-thru polling sites in state and federal courts before Nov. 3 but the cases were dismissed in both jurisdictions. The state court dismissed the case without comment, while the federal court dismissed the case saying there was a lack of standing. The 5th Circuit Court also denied to hear an appeal. Abbott also took issue with how Harris County election officials also attempted to send unsolicited mail-in ballot applications to over two million of voters, including individuals who would not be eligible to vote-by-mail. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the county officials were not authorized to send out unsolicited mail-in ballot applications and blocked them from doing so. Election officials should be working to stop potential mail ballot fraudnot facilitate it, he said. Abbott was joined by Sen. Paul Bettencourt and Rep. Briscoe Cain during the press conference. Both state legislators are vocal on this issue and have proposed several pieces of legislation to enhance election integrity in the state. I think uniformity is what we need in Texas. So, rural voters coming home from work at the same access as urban voters, Bettencourt said, adding that he does not think it would infringe on other aspects voting rights. The only form of voter suppression is when an illegitimate voter, an illegible voter, casts a ballot, Cain added during the press conference. When an ineligible voter casts their ballot, theyre actually silencing the voice of an American citizen. Harris County officials responded to the criticism and bill proposal, calling their own press conference. These kinds of attempts to confuse, to intimidate, to suppress are a continuation of policies weve seen in this state since Reconstruction, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said, reported the Texas Tribune. It is a continuation as well of the big lie thats being peddled by some far-right elements that the election in 2020 was somehow not true and should be overturned. The two bills that are currently being discussed include House Bill 6 and Senate Bill 7. Both laws seek to ensure uniformity in election rules and processes throughout the state. The press conferences comes days after the states attorney general Ken Paxton made similar comments, urging Republican lawmakers to treat election integrity as a priority issue. I would encourage them to work with the legislature in those states and make sure that their laws are tightened up because the credibility of these elections is so important, Paxton told Breitbart News during the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida. We dont want to be Venezuela, he said. We dont want to be another country where people dont trust the elections, where theres really no reason to go vote if you dont know if the integrity of the elections is good. Paxton played a prominent role following voter fraud allegations in November. He led Texass legal efforts to challenge election results in four battleground states before the U.S. Supreme Court, which was later dismissed due to lack of standing. Other states are also working toward passing election reform bills, including Georgia. The Peach States bill seeks to repeal no-excuse absentee voting and limit mail-in ballots to certain criteria. It is currently making its way through the state legislature. Tom Ozimek contributed to this report. The fresh suspensions were a blow to a global immunisation campaign that experts hope will help end the pandemic WHO safety experts prepared to meet Tuesday over the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine whose rollout has been halted in several European countries over blood clot fears, imperilling the pandemic fight as infection rates surge. The three largest EU nationsGermany, Italy and Francejoined others in suspending the shot Monday, dealing a blow to the global immunisation campaign against a disease that has killed more than 2.6 million people. The World Health Organization, AstraZeneca, and the European Medicines Agency have insisted the shot is safe, and that there is no link between the vaccine and reported blood clots. "We do not want people to panic and we would, for the time being, recommend that countries continue vaccinating with AstraZeneca," WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said Monday. "So far, we do not find an association between these events and the vaccine." WHO and EMA experts on Tuesday will separately discuss data from AstraZeneca vaccinations, and the European regulator will hold an extraordinary meeting two days later to decide on any further action. AstraZeneca's shot, among the cheapest available, was billed as the vaccine of choice for poorer nations and the clot reports have had an impact beyond Europe. Indonesia delayed its AstraZeneca rollout on Monday, and Venezuela announced it would not authorise the jab over fears of "complications". Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga received his vaccine on Tuesday The vaccine was developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford in Britain, where more than 11 million doses have been administered apparently without any major problems. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday also urged Canadians to get the AstraZeneca shot after reports of hesitancy based on the suspensions in Europe. 'Critical situation' The AstraZeneca crisis comes as a number of countries battle worrying surges in coronavirus infections, a grim reminder that the battle against Covid-19 is far from over. Norway's capital Oslo announced tougher measures to stop the spread of the virus, including closing secondary schools, as it reported a record number of cases last week. "These will be the most intrusive measures taken by Oslo during the pandemic," said mayor Raymond Johansen. "It's tough, it's difficult but it's necessary". Indoor dining has reopened in parts of hard-hit California, as the US ramps up its vaccine programme And a fresh spike pushed the main Covid-19 hospital in Bosnia to the edge, forcing it to declare a state of emergency. "The staff is exhausted," hospital director Sebija Izetbegovic wrote on Facebook. "We will continue to do what is possible to save lives, but the situation is really critical. More and more of our employees are sick." Most of Italy re-entered lockdown on Monday, with schools, restaurants, shops and museums closed, while intensive care doctors in Germany issued an urgent appeal for new restrictions to avoid a third wave in the country. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonarowidely panned for his coronavirus scepticismappointed a new health minister Monday as the South American nation reeled from another deadly surge in infections and deaths. Vaccine options The pandemic spurred unprecedented efforts to develop vaccines, with a number of successful options now available. Brazil is suffering badly from a surge in virus infections Rollouts have been hampered, however, by export controls, bitter diplomatic spats and production issuesin addition to the AstraZeneca suspension. But a new agreement for Germany's IDT Biologika to help produce the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine would offer Europe greater certainty, Germany's economy minister said Monday. And the developers of Russia's successful Sputnik V vaccine said Monday they had reached production agreements in key European countries. China, where the virus first emerged in late 2019, has also developed Covid-19 vaccines and begun exporting them across the worldincluding to Europe, the Middle East and South America. Brazil is suffering badly from a surge in virus infections On Monday, it pledged 300,000 doses to protect United Nations peacekeepers, adding to the 200,000 doses already pledged by India. Neither country specified which type of vaccines would be donated. China has largely brought its outbreak under control, but maintains strict travel restrictions to avoid importing cases. But on Monday it said restrictions have been relaxed for some visitors from the Philippines who have been inoculatedbut only if they received a Chinese-made shot. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Posted Monday, March 15, 2021 5:15 am The staff and residents at Woodland Care Center have experienced a year like no other. With health protocols surrounding the pandemic, in-person visits to the facility were put on hold. In the early early months of summer 2020, the facility piloted an iPad visitation program. Thanks to a large donation of iPads, seniors were able to connect with their loved ones in a digital fashion as they weathered the pandemic. According to Administrator Justin Settlemier, the program was a huge hit as some residents used the iPads nearly every day to communicate with their families. In the fall, residents began to see their loved ones in person again with limited outdoor visitation for two visitors at a time in a tent outside the facility. Now, over a year after the pandemic began, Settlemier and the rest of the residents and team at the facility are looking toward the future. Our staff is feeling like we've really done something challenging, Settlemier said about dealing with the pandemic. (For) our next step, we want to celebrate the victory. As a facility, all residents and staff have some sort of celebration or victory. Once we can do that, we can heal and reflect on what weve accomplished. According to Settlemier, the metrics surrounding the safe start reopening plan for long-term care facilities such as Woodland Care Center are different than those for the public. As more public places open up at 25 percent capacity, Woodland Care Center is still limiting visits to outdoors, and in-home activities such as dining are still extremely limited to five person pods. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) released some guidance for opening things back up for full visitation. However, for phase 1 and 2 we are still doing outdoor visits, Settlemier said. While most of the indoor visitation is on pause, Settlemier said that residents are allowed to designate an essential visitor who is allowed to come in and visit as long as the resident isn't quarantined. Thats as far as we can go for indoor visitation, he said. Settlemier said the next phase for long-term care facilities occurs when the local case rate drops below 50 cases per 100,000 people. Moving to Phase 3 will open up many more options for the facility, including indoor visitation and the return of group dining and events. Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday the entire state will soon be moving into Phase 3, lifting and reducing many pandemic restrictions. While the center may not be 100 percent open for visitations, and bingo may be put on hold for a little longer, Settlemier and the rest of the crew at the facility accomplished a feat that brought them one step closer to normal: vaccination of the entire facility. Every single one of our residents and staff (at the time) were vaccinated, he said. That was huge. Settlemier explained how Woodland Care Center was the first facility in Southwest Washington to receive the vaccine, which was the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. The process of vaccinating everyone working and living at both the nursing home and assisted living facilities took about two months, with about 95 percent of people consenting to the vaccine. According to Settlemier, residents and staff working in the nursing home were vaccinated first, followed by residents and staff of the assisted living facility. All in all, the process took most of January and February to complete. Settlemier said the vaccination process was relatively uncomplicated after everyone had worked out the kinks in the process. After CVS called the facility to let them know about their approval for vaccinations, people showed up two days later to go room to room and administer vaccinations to as many people as possible. It was a relief, he said about vaccinations at the facility. It gave us hope. While the vaccination process went pretty smoothly, Settlemier did say an employee had tested positive for COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. However, it was a solo incident and no spread was detected. Settlemier emphasised how isolated incidents such as this show the importance of continuing many of the health protocols at the facility, such as an employee dedicated to monitoring the door and screening for COVID symptoms as well as the typical mask wearing and physical distancing recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since the mass vaccination was a one time thing, any new residents and staff are put on a list to receive the vaccine locally in Woodland as it becomes available, according to Settlemier. Following the reopening of the facility, Settlemier said he was looking forward to continuing to build partnerships in the community and take the facility into the future. We are excited to see the local economy booming again, he said. Wed love to be able to have our residents go out into the community and be a living, breathing organization again. Have you lost your phone and thinking what will happen to your data? Dont panic as there are ways and means with which you can get back your lost phone and remove all the data. Tech giant Google has come to the rescue of users as it helps them to find, lock, and erase all data on the phone. Also, the Find My Device feature gives Android users an opportunity to track the phone, lock it remotely by changing the pin, passcode, or pattern. Besides that, users will be able to display a message on their lock screen to ask the finder to call once they have their phone. Steps to find your lost smartphone The first and foremost thing that a user should do is to sign in with a Google account and get visible on Google Play, then turn on the location setting, and additionally have their Find My Device setting turned on as well. Visit android.com/find and sign in to your Google account and then the user will find their phone in the top left corner. Google will eventually pop up an approximate location of the handset on the map which means its last known location will be shown. If a user gets to know that the phone is somewhere in close proximity, he/she can go to the location and then select the Play Sound option to make your phone ring for five minutes. But if the location is unknown, then the user is advised and instead contacts law enforcement agencies - who may find out the phone with the help of the serial number or IMEI code. Further, if a user plans to lock the screen, select the Secure Device option which will eventually lock the phone and sign out of your Google account. . Also, a user can opt for Erase Device which permanently deletes all data on the phone. With an aim to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has set a target of inoculating one lakh people in the city every day, BMC officials said on Tuesday. Currently, 40,000 to 45,000 people are being given vaccine shots here in a day at around 85 immunisation centres, including 54 private hospitals, they said. On Monday, 44,683 people received vaccine shots in Mumbai, according to the civic body. During a review meeting last week, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal set the target of immunising one lakh people per day, specially after the government permitted round-the-clock vaccination in private hospitals, civic officials said. With the addition of new vaccination centres and increasing the number of hours of the immunisation drive every day, the target can be achieved, they said. Highlighting the reasons for speeding up the inoculation process, the civic body in a release last week said there are around 30 lakh senior citizens in Mumbai. Hence, if the target one lakh vaccinations per day is achieved, the entire population of senior citizens could be covered in a month, it said. BMC's Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said to achieve the target, they have planned to increase the civic-run vaccination facilities, apart from adding 29 centres in private hospitals. "With the existing centres, we have vaccinated up to 48,000 people in a day. By adding more centres, we can easily cross 75,000 vaccinations per day. Hence, the target of one lakh vaccinations per day can be achieved with some more efforts," Kakani said. According to BMC officials, the civic body had proposed round-the-clock vaccination in private hospitals and the government permitted it, but they are doubtful about the turnout, specially between 9 pm and 7am. When asked about this, Kakani said though they have received the permission for conducting vaccination round-the- clock, their plan is to initially start with two shifts between 7 am and 9 pm. Since the vaccination drive began on January 16 this year, so far 6,47,684 people have been inoculated in Mumbai. These include 2,75,618 people above the age of 60 years, 1,98,711 health care workers, 1,36,288 front-line workers and 37,067 people between the age group of 45 and 59 with co- morbidities, as per the BMC data. (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 leading GAA star is being investigated for alleged perjury in a penalty points case. The All-Ireland winning player was questioned by gardai last week, it's understood. The man in his 20s appeared in court in relation to a road traffic offence. In the witness box under oath, he said he had not received a fixed penalty notice. However, gardai are investigating if he had received the notice and took a photograph of it on his mobile phone before sending it to a garda, asking how to avoid getting points on his licence. It is believed the garda advised him to say in court that he had not received the notice. Read More As a result, the player allegedly committed perjury in the district court. It is common for people facing motoring offences to claim they did not receive a fixed penalty notice in the post. When this happens, the judge will ask the motorist to swear under oath in the court that they did not get the notice. Investigating gardai interviewed the GAA player last week but the player has not been charged with any offence to date. A file is expected to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Asked about the investigation, a garda spokesperson said: This is an ongoing criminal investigation and An Garda Siochana are making no further comment. The investigation is part of a wider probe into the failure to prosecute road-traffic offences in the Munster region. Eight gardai based in different counties have been suspended and are under criminal investigation on suspicion of not prosecuting road-traffic offences. The officers have been removed from duty while the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) carries out its inquiries into allegations of corruption in public office. Their suspension is part of a major internal and criminal inquiry into squaring of penalty points in the Munster area, where fixed-charge penalty notices were not followed through on. The officers suspended are all of garda rank and are based between two different Garda divisions in the region. The GNBCI investigation is both a criminal inquiry and an internal probe, with the criminal aspect understood to be focusing on whether there was interference with the administration of justice or attempts to pervert the course of justice. Two years ago, 14 gardai were questioned and phones seized, while civilians, including GAA players, were also interviewed. The alleged non-prosecution of traffic offences emerged after a superintendents phone was seized and analysed as part of a separate inquiry into alleged misconduct. Support in Washington for New Yorks governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, is collapsing as allegations against him pile up, with one conspicuous holdout: President Biden, who says he is deferring judgment pending the outcome of a state investigation into the governors behavior toward women. Mr. Cuomo, a polarizing figure who has made his share of enemies in the nations capital, has long enjoyed an amicable relationship with two of Washingtons top Democrats, Mr. Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But now he is confronting a spiraling set of allegations and investigations involving sexual harassment, a toxic workplace, the manipulation of the number of deaths at New York nursing homes and perceived loyalty tests from the governors vaccine czar. The president has made only a passing comment on the crises, hoping to avoid getting pulled in any further. Rebecca Judd recently made headlines for 're-gifting' a set of pyjamas she'd been sent by another WAG to promote on Instagram. But the mother of four, 38, brushed off the controversy on Tuesday as she updated fans on her latest luxury look: a designer outfit worth about $1,300. The wife of AFL great Chris Judd shared a video on Instagram showing off her casual-chic look, consisting of a skintight midi dress with a $290 price tag. Scroll down for video New look: Rebecca Judd brushed off her 're-gifting' controversy on Tuesday as she updated fans on her latest luxury look: a designer outfit worth about $1,300 She teamed the St. Cloud dress with a $300 jacket from Ena Pelly and Golden Goose sneakers that cost upwards of $715. 'Pink and green today,' Bec captioned her post, before tagging her designer items. In the accompanying clip, she styled her short blonde hair loosely over her shoulders and displayed a perfectly golden tan. All in the details! She shared a video on Instagram showing off her casual-chic look, consisting of a skintight midi dress with a $290 price tag. She teamed the St. Cloud dress with a $300 jacket from Ena Pelly and Golden Goose sneakers that cost upwards of $715 It comes after Lorinska Merrington revealed she was 'disappointed' to discover Rebecca had allegedly donated clothing from her range to The Salvation Army. Popular Instagram account Celeb Spellcheck claimed on Friday that part of a loungewear set from Royale By Lorinska was on sale at a Melbourne charity shop just two days after Bec had posed in identical items on social media. The footy WAG had donned a blue Royale By Lorinska outfit on Instagram Stories last week alongside her daughter Billie, seven, who wore a matching set. Awkward! It comes after Lorinska Merrington (pictured) revealed she was 'disappointed' to discover Rebecca had allegedly donated clothing from her range to The Salvation Army Caught out: Popular Instagram account Celeb Spellcheck claimed on Friday that part of a loungewear set from Royale By Lorinska was on sale at a Melbourne charity shop just two days after Bec had posed in identical items on social media (above) A fan spotted a pair of pants from the ensemble in a Salvation Army store in Hampton, a suburb near Brighton where the Judds live. Yummy Mummies star Lorinska, 35, explained to The Daily Telegraph that she'd sent the items out to influencers ahead of the official launch. 'As part of the launch campaign, Royale products were gifted to a group of influential women as we have always been about supporting each other and our business ventures,' she said. Sighting: A fan spotted a pair of pants from the ensemble in a Salvation Army store in Hampton, a suburb near Brighton where the Judds live 'It's disappointing to see this overshadow such a successful launch week'. Lorinska, who is the wife of footy player Andrew Merrington, added that the first 48 hours of the launch had seen 'an overwhelming customer response online, both locally and internationally'. The 'blue frills' adult loungewear set from Royale By Lorinska sells for $89.95, while the matching 'mini' child sized version retails for $55.95. The blurb on the Royale By Lorinska website explains the outfit is 'everyday comfort for the everyday Yummy Mummy.' It is intended for mothers who 'want to add something elevated, something aspirational, and something classic to their everyday lives'. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - ScreenPro Security Ltd. (CSE: SCRN) ("ScreenPro" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a corporate update to its shareholders. ScreenPro Security, Ltd, (ScreenPro) Canada's leading COVID 19 Testing company has achieved significant milestones since the company began screening for the COVID-19 Virus within the private sector. In September 2020, ScreenPro started with its first lab in Vancouver, BC. As of October 2020, the lab began to test for the coronavirus at a run rate of 2,500 tests per month. In December 2020, the lab rapidly began scaling up with a run-rate of over 7,000 tests per month. Today, the lab has the capacity to process 70,000 tests per month in Vancouver. In January 2021, ScreenPro partnered with its second lab in Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to perform what the company successfully accomplished in Vancouver. Today, ScreenPro is capable of performing over 40,000 tests per month in the GTA. Further improvements at ScreenPro's GTA Lab are underway to increase daily testing capacity. ScreenPro is looking to expand its footprint with labs in Alberta and Montreal to satisfy the demand of its clients ScreenPro is proud to say that 10,500 successful tests have been performed from October to December, 2020. Due to demand the company has performed approximately 60,000 tests in the month of January and February 2021. ScreenPro currently generates revenues of $100 per test with an approximate gross margin of 20-30% (based on the size and duration of the production and location). ScreenPro is poised to deliver 40,000 tests in March as productions finish filming and newer productions come online. The Company anticipates further growth with the increased lab capacity and more demand from various film and production companies. This significant growth is attributed to ScreenPro's ability to execute and source certified labs allowing ScreenPro to increase its daily testing numbers. ScreenPro has become one of Canada's most trusted and reliable COVID-19 testing companies to the film and production industry in Canada. We are proud to share that ScreenPro's PCR testing is also successful in testing the mutations and variants associated with the COVID-19 Virus. As Canada deals with the increase in variants, our clients can rest assured that our testing will keep their employees, contractors and actors safe and allow for filming to proceed without interruption. ScreenPro announced acquisition of GoStop Inc., a medical passport technology. The Company anticipates to close the proposed transaction promptly. About ScreenPro ScreenPro provides turnkey coronavirus screening solutions to the private sector. ScreenPro's unique access to multiple manufacturers of high quality South Korean test kits and its strategic partnership with Canvas Labs in Vancouver and Integrated Explorations in Ontario. This platform allows ScreenPro to be a nationwide provider of a full-service testing solutions across Canada. rsr In addition to providing test kits, ScreenPro has its own pool of certified nursing professionals, and access to high quality PPE to ensure that its clients are protected in all aspects of their testing needs. For additional information on ScreenPro and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.screenprosecurity.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor it's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "John A. D. McMullen" President and CEO For further information please contact: John McMullen Email: john@screenprosecurity.com Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information, including statements relating to expectations regarding the future development of ScreenPro's business. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. The actual results of ScreenPro could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which ScreenPro operates, prevailing economic conditions, changes to ScreenPro's strategic growth plans, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of ScreenPro. Management of ScreenPro believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents ScreenPro's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. ScreenPro 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 applicable securities legislation. ### To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77429 Tel Aviv, March 16 : Starting Tuesday, flights to Israel will be allowed from all destinations, following a decision by the cabinet to enable nationals to arrive ahead of the March 23 general elections. However, the cabinet decided to keep a quota of no more than 3,000 arrivals per day, reports Xinhua news agency. Passengers will be required to carry out coronavirus tests at the airport. Israel had imposed a ban on incoming and outgoing flights on January 24. It later eased the restrictions, allowing some flights from London, Frankfurt, Paris, Kiev, and New York. The allowing of flights come about a week before Israel's unprecedented fourth elections within two years, following three rounds of inconclusive elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a tight race with several rivals, seeking to be re-elected despite a criminal trial over corruption charges. Actress Alia Bhatt celebrated her 28th birthday with her near and dear ones on Monday (March 15, 2021). While her beau Ranbir Kapoor was missing from the celebration as he is self-quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19, the actress had a blast with her special ones. Ranbir's mother and veteran actress Neetu Kapoor shared a picture from the get-together and wrote, "Some happy moments shared with some very happy special people." In the picture, the Jug Jugg Jeeyo actress is seen giving a hug to Alia while they are surrounded by family and friends. Alia's mother Soni Razdan is also a part of the picture. See Neetu Kapoor's post. Meanwhile, Alia also took to her Instagram page to thank her fans and followers for their birthday wishes. Post a picture from her birthday party at Karan Johar's place in Mumbai, the actress wrote, "thank you.. for it all.. the love & the light ." The picture features Alia, dressed in a black shimmery dress, posing in front of a neon light that has her name written in a stylish font. Her open tresses and kohled eyes add more intensity to the frame. Here's another video of the Raazi actress all geared up to cut her birthday cake. With regards to work, Alia unveiled her first look as Sita from SS Rajamouli's much anticipated period drama, RRR on her birthday. A few days ago, the actress had taken to her Instagram page to inform fans that she has returned back to work after testing negative for COVID-19 as they are concerned about her health post Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's COVID-19 diagnosis. ALSO READ: Shaheen Bhatt Pens A Sweet Note For Sister Alia Bhatt On Her Birthday; Says 2020 Brought Them Closer ALSO READ: Happy Birthday Alia Bhatt: Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor & Others Shower Her With Love The State Ports Authority's governing board agreed Tuesday to give up its role in a joint venture with Georgia to build a seaport on South Carolina's side of the Savannah River. The unanimous vote puts Jasper County a step closer to assuming South Carolina's part in the project, which has been on the drawing board for more than a decade. Jasper County Council has initially approved the plan, which would let the county and the Georgia Ports Authority build a 1,500-acre port in one of the Palmetto State's poorest areas. Georgia's maritime agency has until September to approve the agreement. Otherwise, the deal is off the table. The proposal also is dependent on the South Carolina lawmakers approving a $550 million debt plan for improvements to the Port of Charleston, including a new rail yard in North Charleston and a barge operation to move cargo by water from the Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant. The Senate has already approved the plan. The House is expected to take it up in three weeks. Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, brokered the deal to give Jasper a direct role in the port's development following years of what he has termed foot-dragging by the SPA. Davis said he would throw his support behind the debt plan only if the ports authority gave up its oversight of the proposed terminal. Complicating the deal is Georgia's previously announced plan to build a new terminal on Hutchinson Island near Savannah and to raise the Talmadge Bridge so that tall containerships can access the site. If that deal goes forward, the Jasper project wouldn't be needed for decades. 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! Such a long timeline has been a sticking point with Davis and other Lowcountry politicians, who say the SPA's work on the nearly finished Leatherman Terminal in North Charleston has delayed the project near the mouth of the Savannah River. However, state Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley County, said during a legislative hearing that Georgia never intended to follow through on building its share of the Jasper Ocean Terminal. He said the Peach State saw the joint venture as a way to dredge more of the Savannah River for its own competing ports. The Georgia Ports Authority has refused to comment on the matter. The Jasper Ocean Terminal was first announced in 2007 as a solution to future overcrowding at the Charleston and Savannah terminals. Ports authorities from both states share equally in the costs, although South Carolina and Georgia have to date spent just a combined $19 million toward the Jasper terminals estimated $5 billion cost. The $550 million borrowing plan for Charleston's port represents about 5 percent of the state budget that lawmakers have control over spending. State taxpayers would repay the bonds at $43 million a year over a 15-year period. The last time South Carolina issued bonds to that scale was in 1999, it borrowed $750 million for school buildings. Advertisement An Italian music teacher who passed away a day after getting AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine likely died from a sudden heart problem that was not linked to the shot, according to the initial findings of an autopsy. Sandro Tognatti, 57, who died in the town of Biella on Sunday, had no evidence of blood clots in his body and his heart and organs were in a good state of health, doctors who carried out the exam told Italian media today. Medics said their conclusion is that he died of a 'sudden cardiac event' but more detailed tests have been ordered, La Reppublica reported. There is no evidence to suggest his death was linked to the vaccine, they added. It comes a day after prosecutors opened a manslaughter investigation into Mr Tognatti's death to establish whether there was a case to answer. The findings were also announced a day after Italy suspended all use of AstraZeneca's jabs citing safety concerns, despite Europe's own medical regulator, the World Health Organization, and AstraZeneca itself insisting there is no link between clots and the vaccine. Most EU countries have now halted use of the jabs - the latest in a long-running spat between the drug-maker and Brussels - even as British MPs branded the move a 'Brexit sulk' and said it risks lives by undermining public confidence in vaccines. The autopsy's findings feed into a host of other data suggesting the vaccine is safe, including figures showing that more people have developed blood clots after taking the German-made Pfizer vaccine - which Europe has not banned - than AstraZeneca's shot. Sandro Tognatti, 57, an Italian music teacher who died Sunday a day after having AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine, likely passed away from a sudden heart problem and there is no evidence it was linked to the vaccine and autopsy has suggested The autopsy report came a day after Italy joined a growing list of EU countries in halting the use of AstraZeneca's vaccines over fears they cause blood clots - even though the continent's own medical regulator says the shots are safe Meanwhile Italy has imposed new lockdown measures with a majority of the country placed in new 'red zones' where all shops except essential ones shuttered and travel outside the home restricted (pictured, Rome is deserted due to lockdown) Venice was near-empty on Monday with its famous gondolas idle as new lockdown measures came into force, with only one region of the whole country - Sardinia - remaining lockdown-free People pass Milan's famous Duomo as the region is plunged into the strictest Covid lockdown measures People walk past closed bars and restaurants as Rome becomes a 'red zone', going into lockdown Carabinieri police officers stop a car at a road block near St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, as Rome goes into lockdown Infection rates in the UK, in pink, compare favourably with many of the countries which have suspended their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and are also lower than in France or Germany Europe is presiding over one of the world's slowest jabs roll-outs which has left people vulnerable to infection, while the UK has masterminded one of the world's fastest, with Covid cases and deaths now falling sharply Indonesia delays roll-out of AstraZeneca jabs Indonesia has become the second Asian nation to delay its roll-out of AstraZeneca jabs amid fears over blood clots. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced the move on Monday, after Thailand announced similar measures last week. 'To be conservative, (Indonesian health regulators) are delaying the implementation of AstraZeneca while waiting for confirmation from WHO,' he said. AstraZeneca is one of just a handful of coronavirus vaccines being rolled out globally - and as one of the cheapest on the market is crucial to ensuring poorer countries have access to the jab. Indonesia, the world's fourth most-populous nation, received 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab this month with another 10 million more expected by late April. So far, the sprawling archipelago has been relying on a jab developed by China's Sinovac as it rolls out an ambitious plan to inoculate more than 181 million of its nearly 270 million people within a year. Indonesia is one of the hardest-hit countries in Asia with more than 1.4 million infections and nearly 39,000 deaths, although the true toll is thought to be higher. Advertisement Up to February 28 there were 38 reports from approximately 11.5million doses of Pfizer's jab, compared to 30 from 9.7m AstraZeneca doses. Neither figure is out of line with the number of clots expected in the general population. Meanwhile the chief of Italy's medicines regulator, Nicola Magrini, admitted the ban was a 'political' move made under pressure from other EU governments. Italy and France had initially hidden behind a probe being carried out by European regulators which instating their bans, insisting the safety of the vaccine must be assessed before they could continue. But today the European Medicines Agency held an emergency meeting to restate its opinion - first given last week - that there is 'no indication' the vaccine causes clots, and that the benefits outweigh the risks. Mr Tognatti's family also spoke out to say they have all been vaccinated without any side effects. Wife Simona Riussi, also a music teacher, said she had been vaccinated at the same time as him without an issue, parents Sergio and Lina, 85 and 81, have been jabbed, and so has daughter Ginevra, 23. Simona paid tribute to her husband while speaking with the Il Messaggero newspaper, saying that he was a passionate teacher who was enthusiastic to get a vaccine so he could return to face-to-face classes. 'We must continue to believe in the vaccine because it is the only way out of this situation. My husband believed it too,' she said. Europe's move to ban the jabs also comes despite a third wave of Covid infections building on the continent, with leaders forced to reimpose lockdowns because large portions of their populations remain unprotected. Italy entered a fresh lockdown on Monday, with more than half of the country now in 'red zones' where all non-essential businesses are shuttered and people banned from leaving their homes except for essential business. The rest of the country is in an 'orange zone' where people's movements are restricted to their local areas and most leisure businesses shut. Meanwhile German virus experts warned today that the country's outbreak is now growing at an 'exponential' rate and that lockdowns will need to return within the coming days to stem the spread. Paris was also teetering on the brink of tougher measures after intensive care units there overflowed, forcing hospital to evacuate Covid patients by helicopter to neighbouring regions where beds are available. Covid cases are also rising sharply across other European countries including the likes of Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands and Sweden. The UK has brushed off concerns on the continent, with ministers saying that 'all is well' after the tally of people with a first dose passed 24million. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has insisted the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, today said he would be 'very happy' if he is given it when he goes to his first Covid vaccination appointment this week. Britain has used more doses of the Oxford jab than anywhere else in the world more than 11million doses and detected nothing abnormal, its watchdog says. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received 30 reports of blood clots from approximately 9.7m doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 38 from 11.4m doses of the Pfizer jab. This shows that there were 3.34 reports per million people for Pfizer and 3.09 per million for AstraZeneca. Despite this regulators have not announced any concerns about blood clots linked to the Pfizer vaccine. Dr Phil Bryan, a safety expert at the UK's medicines regulator (MHRA), said that 'people should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so'. 'We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause,' he said. Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said there was 'no demonstrable difference' in the number of blood clots between the general population and AstraZeneca recipients. He told BBC Breakfast: 'We have to remember that there are 3,000 blood clots a month on average in the general population and because we're immunising so many people, we are bound to see blood clots at the same time as the vaccination, and that's not because they are due to the vaccination. 'One ought to also remember that Covid causes blood clots. So, the risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.' Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group, said there were 'huge risks' from Covid and 'if we have no vaccination and we come out of lockdown in this country, we will expect tens of thousands of more deaths to occur' in 2021. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there was 'very reassuring evidence that there is no increase in a blood clot phenomenon here in the UK, where most of the doses in Europe been given so far'. The WHO similarly rejected concerns on Friday, saying there was no reason not to keep using the AstraZeneca shot. A patient is loaded into a helicopter at a hospital in Paris after it ran out of beds amid rising coronavirus infections in the city Medical staff use a gurney to transport a patient to a waiting ambulance at a hospital in Angers, France, after they arrived from Paris where hospitals have run out of intensive care beds FRANCE: Infections have climbed to their highest levels since a November lockdown despite a weeks-long curfew intended to ward off a third complete shutdown GERMANY: Cases are rising again in a trend blamed on the British variant, complicating efforts to lift a weeks-long lockdown which has drained public faith in the government's response Norway said on Saturday that it had received reports of people 'bleeding under the skin' after receiving the shot, warning it could be a sign of low blood platelet counts. The Nordic country suspended the AstraZeneca jab on Thursday and has since revealed that three more people have been treated in hospital for blood clots or brain haemorrhages soon after their vaccination. But it said there was no proof of a link between the vaccine and the reported blood clots, which are now being probed by the country's medicines agency. Dutch authorities blamed Norway's findings in part for their own decision to pause AstraZeneca vaccines, saying they were taking a 'precautionary measure pending further investigation'. 'The crucial question is whether these are complaints after or because of the vaccination,' Dutch health minister Hugo de Jonge said in a statement. 'We still need to be careful, so it is wise to press the pause button now as a precaution.' No similar cases are currently known in the Netherlands, the ministry said, but it advised people who had received the vaccine to contact their doctor if they develop 'unexpected and/or unknown' symptoms after three days. Austria has separately suspended the use of one batch of AstraZeneca vaccines after a 49-year-old nurse died of 'severe blood coagulation problems'. Several others including Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg have also suspended the use of vaccines from the so-called ABV5300 batch, a shipment of one million doses which was sent to 17 European countries. Italy's Piedmont region meanwhile banned a separate batch, ABV5811, on Sunday after a teacher died following his vaccination the previous day. The region had initially suspended all AstraZeneca vaccines until it tracked down the batch in question, which is now being probed by safety experts. 'It is an act of extreme prudence, while we verify whether there is a connection. There have been no critical issues with the administration of vaccines to date,' Luigi Genesio Icardi, head of regional health services, said in a statement. But EU safety experts found last week that there was 'no indication' of a faulty batch, saying a problem with the Austrian shipment was 'considered unlikely'. For its part, AstraZeneca says it has found no increased risk of blood clot conditions in its analysis of 17million administered doses. The company says that the numbers of blood clots 'are lower than the number that would have occurred naturally in the unvaccinated population'. Covid cases are also rising in the Czech Republic where the government tightened lockdown rules last week (pictured, a man goes for a jog in central Prague) A man wearing protective face mask sits on a tram in Prague, Czech Republic, amid the country's Covid crisis A woman wearing protective face mask walks on the abandoned Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, which has been left deserted after Covid rules were imposed last month Ireland's death rate has also fallen but the government says hospital cases need to fall to 'low levels' before lockdown measures can be significantly eased What deaths have been linked to the Oxford- AstraZeneca jab - and have they been proven? So far, more than 11 million doses of the Oxford jab have been administered in the UK alone, with countless more distributed worldwide. Out of the millions of vaccines already given, fewer than 50 reported blood-related issues post-vaccine, with no confirmed causal link to the jab. AstraZeneca, the World Health Organization and EU regulators have all rejected the blood clot fears. But even so, Ireland joined Denmark, Norway and Iceland in temporarily halting all AstraZeneca vaccinations following reports of 'serious blood clotting events' in Norway. Norwegian health authorities of Saturday confirmed that three healthcare workers who had the AstraZeneca jab were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of blood platelets. All three individuals in hospital in Norway for conditions including blood clots were under the age of 50. The Government were notified on Saturday. Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency reported one person in Austria was diagnosed with blood clots and died 10 days after vaccination - but it stressed there is 'currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions'. A further patient was admitted to hospital in Austria with pulmonary embolism - a blockage in the arteries in the lungs - after being vaccinated, while one death involving a blood clot was reported in Denmark. A 50-year-old man is also thought to have died in Italy from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), while there has been an unconfirmed report of another death in the country. Italy also followed Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and Lithuania in banning jabs from one particular batch of one million AstraZeneca vaccines, which was sent to 17 countries, after reports that a 49-year-old nurse died soon after getting one of the jabs. On Saturday, US boxer Marvin Hagler, died aged 66, after he reportedly suffered side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. What vaccine he received has not been confirmed and the link between his death and a jab has not been proven. Advertisement AstraZeneca has been embroiled in a row with EU leaders since the start of the year when it announced it would not be able to supply the number of doses promised. Since then, European leaders have bitterly criticised the company and cast doubt on the vaccine's efficacy while at the same time blocking some exports of doses. Combined with bureaucratic delays and vaccine hesitancy in some countries, the supply chaos has left the EU lagging way behind the UK and US in handing out jabs to its 447million people. That has left countries such as France and Italy exposed to a third wave with only a fairly small proportion of the population protected against Covid-19 and herd immunity nowhere in sight. Italy is set to begin a new lockdown on Monday as hospitals struggle with a spike in Covid-19 patients. It comes almost exactly a year after Italy became the world's first country to bring in a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the virus. Schools, restaurants, shops and museums will close across most of Italy on Monday, a year after it became the first European country to face a major outbreak. Most regions - including those containing Rome and Milan - become high-risk red zones, with all residents told to stay home except for work, health or other essential reasons. The feared new variants of Covid-19 are thought to be fuelling the rise in infections, which are now at their highest level since early December. The new Italian government, led by former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, says it aims to have 80 per cent of the population vaccinated by the end of September. But until then, Italy's health minister says 'more stringent measures' are needed - in contrast to Britain where restrictions will start easing for the general public in two weeks' time. On Sunday night the front doors of the Italian National Institute of Health in Viale Regina Elena, were damaged in an arson attack. The unknown attackers doused the doors at the front of the building in a flammable liquid before setting it on fire. Before the flames could cause too much damage, the Carabinieri intervened and extinguished them. Across the border in France, patients were being evacuated from overwhelmed intensive care units in Paris over the weekend and airlifted to less saturated regions of France. Officials say the Paris region may join much of Italy in imposing a new lockdown as new variants fill up hospitals. 'If we have to lock down, we will do it,' the head of the national health agency, Jerome Salomon, said on BFM television Sunday. 'The situation is complex, tense and is worsening in the Paris region.' On Sunday night the front doors of the Italian National Institute of Health (pictured) in Viale Regina Elena were set alight by unidentified attackers A flammable liquid was doused all over the entrance doors at the front of the building before begin set on fire. The Carabinieri managed to intervene and put out the flames, limiting the damage caused by the arson attack Pictured: A Carabinieri guard stands outside the Italian National Institute of Health earlier today following an arson attack on the front doors of the building The French government has been relying on curfews for months - along with the long-term closures of restaurants and some other businesses - to try to avoid a costly new lockdown. But localized outbreaks are raising questions about the government's virus-fighting strategy. Daily infections have risen to an average of nearly 24,000, the highest level since a November lockdown, and more than 90,000 people have died. Meanwhile in Germany, Angela Merkel's party took a kicking in regional elections on Sunday as the public loses faith in her government's handling of the crisis. Merkel's Christian Democrats slumped to historic defeats in two states amid frustration at the long lockdown and a scandal involving lawmakers who allegedly profited from mask procurement. The party had enjoyed a bounce in the polls during Germany's early success against the pandemic, but it looks to have largely evaporated in recent months. Merkel is not running for a fifth term in office at September's election but the party's poor performance will re-ignite questions over who should succeed her. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 21, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Dangerous Precedent: House GOP Leader Calls for Halt to Politicization of Military The top Republican in the House of Representatives on Monday called for a halt to what he described as politicization of the military. Uniformed service members recently criticized a private citizen for his First Amendment rights, & today a Dem lawmaker used soldiers in a political stunt against a GOP member, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) wrote in a social media statement. McCarthy tagged Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before adding: This sets a dangerous precedent. It must stop now. The military is forbidden from getting involved in politics while in uniform but multiple members recently criticized Tucker Carlson of Fox News after Carlson critiqued the militarys focus on including women, arguing that it would be best for it to spend more time combating rivals like China. Additionally, on Monday Rep. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas (D-Guam) took uniformed National Guard members with him to confront Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) at her office, after Greene reportedly suggested last month that Guam was not a part of the United States. Greene wasnt in her office but San Nicolas asked a staffer to speak to Guard personnel. The staffer did so. Maj. Gen. Esther Aguigui, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that we appreciate Congressman San Nicolas efforts to represent our culture of Inafa Maolek, or bringing harmony, practiced here in Guam. We also thank Congresswoman Greene for ultimately helping raise awareness of Guamanians as citizens of the United States, and our rich tradition of service and sacrifice to our nation. As a non-partisan entity, the Guam National Guard is here to continue this legacy of supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States and the freedoms it provides. We will continue to be always ready and always there, to serve our great nation and contribute to a fair, prosperous, compassionate, and safe Guam, she added. The Pentagon declined to respond directly to McCarthy. The Department of Defenses inspector general declined to say whether it was probing either situation. Greene said via email that Its time for our great men and women of the National Guard to go home from Washington DC and be with their families. The Democrats need to stop using them as political theatre and drama on Capitol Hill. Shame on Democrats for disrespecting our military, she added. The office of San Nicolas didnt return an inquiry. Other members of Congress have also questioned the militarys recent actions, which included issuing a press release that critics said distorted Carlsons comments. The Pentagon alleged that Carlson used his show to denigrate the contributions of women in the military and to say the Chinese military is catching up to the U.S. military because it does not allow women to serve in the percentage the United States does. Carlson during a recent show pointed to President Joe Biden talking about designing military flight suits and easing hairstyle restrictions in a bid to have women feel safe and respected in the military. Its a mockery of the U.S. military. While Chinas military becomes more masculine as its assembled the worlds largest navy, our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine, whatever feminine means anymore since men and women no longer exist. The bottom line is, its out of control, and the Pentagon is going along with this, Carlson said. Attacks were lobbed by the Pentagons press secretary, a top Space Force official, and a number of other military members in return. Through the spokesman, Austin also expressed disdain for Carlsons comments. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has said he requested a meeting with the head of the Marine Corps after the Marines joined in the attacks, telling one social media user to come back when youve served and been pregnant and using a pejorative against Carlson. The Marine Corps later deleted the tweets. Cruz told Austin in a letter that hes deeply troubled by the situation, accusing the Pentagon of mobilizing systematic, public attacks against Carlson. A Pentagon spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email, As with all congressional correspondence, the secretary will respond directly to the author of the letter as appropriate. The Senate had to approve a waiver for Austin, a retired general, to serve as the defense secretary. During confirmation hearings, he told senators that he understood concerns they had and that the safety and security of our democracy demands competent civilian control of our armed forces. If you confirm me, I can assure you the Pentagon under my leadership will respect your oversight responsibilities. We will be forthcoming and transparent, he added. Prince Harry has lost a key member of staff from his sustainable tourism initiative Travalyst after the travel industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Heather Wong, who worked as the Duke of Sussex's assistant private secretary at Kensington Palace for three years before he and Meghan Markle, 39, quit the Royal Family, has left her role as executive director of the venture. Ms Wong joined the royal household after working with Prince Charles' former spin doctor Paddy Harverson at his PR firm Milltown Partners, which is so exclusive it doesn't reveal the names of clients. Heather, who also previously worked in the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, was one of the few aides the Sussexes kept on when they stepped down as senior royals. Prince Harry has lost a key member of staff from his sustainable tourism initiative Travalyst after the travel industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic Heather Wong, who worked as the Duke of Sussex's assistant private secretary at Kensington Palace for three years before he and Meghan Markle quit the Royal Family, has left her role as executive director of the venture Heather took up her full time role at Travalyst in September 2019, according to her LinkedIn profile, where she states that she worked as a senior advisor to the Duke of Sussex, 36. However a filing at the UK registry Companies House stated that the 'termination of a company appointment' of Heather Wong took place on February 28, reports Newsweek. Her LinkedIn states she is now chief of staff at London-based private equity firm Atomico. The publication understands Ms Wong will continue to work as an external advisor to Travalyst. Heather attended Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding and was by the Duchess' side during her first official engagement in Nottingham in December 2017. She showed her the ropes and even carried her bag while managing the crowds eager for a glimpse. To keep Meghan's hands free for shaking, Heather also took hold of the bouquets, presents and cards passed to her by well-wishers. Heather attended Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding and was by the Duchess' side during her first official engagement in Nottingham in December 2017 Her departure will no doubt come as a blow to the ecotourism venture, which aims to encourage the tourism industry to become more sustainable and make eco-choices simpler for travellers. It brought together some of the biggest operators in the travel industry - including Visa, Booking.com and Skyscanner - to help tourists pick low carbon options more easily and chose destinations that will have more benefit to local communities. The name is a mixture of the words 'travel' and 'catalyst', with Harry explaining when he launched it in September 2019 that it came from 'viewing our role in sustainable travel as catalysts to accelerate positive changes in travel'. Last year it emerged Travalyst altered the wording of it's website to reflect the step back that Prince Harry took from royal life, replacing that Travalyst is 'led by HRH The Duke of Sussex' on its homepage with simply 'led by The Duke of Sussex'. Its work has taken a hit after the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic halted the majority of international leisure travel, causing what Harry dubbed a crisis of 'no tourists and therefore no income'. At a global summit in July, the Duke said: 'None of us here could have predicted the global shock and impact that Covid-19 is having on the world, especially on travel and the local communities who depend on tourism. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at a memorial service at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence on April 23, 2018 in London. Ms Wong is pictured in the background 'Many of you joining us today rely on visitors for your livelihoods. Businesses are hurting significantly, and I've heard from some of you who are currently struggling to put food on your family's tables and make ends meet because there are no tourists and therefore no income. We need to build back, but we need to build back better.' Ms Wong's former role within the royal household means she is among those eligible to participate in Buckingham Palace's investigation into claims Meghan Markle bullied staff - though there is nothing to suggest she is behind or involved in any of the allegations. Last month two senior members of the royal staff claimed they were bullied by the former actress, with a third saying they had been personally 'humiliated' and claimed two members of staff had been bullied. Meghan has denied the accusations. In an escalation of the standoff between the two parties, the Duchess has written to the Palace demanding to see documents, emails or text messages relating to the bullying complaint against her, The Mail on Sunday revealed at the weekend. But in an unprecedented move that will no doubt increase tensions further, royal staff have decided a third party should take the reins of the investigation, rather than the in-house inquiry first announced, according to The Sunday Times. Last year it emerged Travalyst altered the wording of it's website to reflect the step back that Prince Harry took from royal life Ms Wong's former role within the royal household means she is among those eligible to participate in Buckingham Palace's investigation into claims Meghan Markle (pictured with Harry in March 2020) bullied staff - though there is nothing to suggest she is behind or involved in any of the allegations A senior Palace aide had accused Meghan of 'unacceptable behaviour' towards two personal assistants and undermining the confidence of a third, leading to the investigation which will be given to a legal firm. Former and current royal aides who were blocked from giving evidence in court during Meghan's recent legal privacy battle are expected to speak to the inquiry. But in a clear indication that the Duchess is preparing to fight back against what she has termed 'a smear campaign', a senior Palace source confirmed that her office had 'written to request the evidence'. In response, the Queen has passed the request to the Prince of Wales, whose closest aides are now conducting a search of files. Meanwhile, it emerged on Saturday night that William and Harry had 'been in contact' for the first time since last Sunday's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Sunday Times reported. The interview saw the Sussexes make shockwaves with accusations of racism against 'The Firm'. The Sussexes are not expected to be invited to take part in the investigation despite having written to Buckingham Palace about it, a decision that could widen the rift between the Royal Family and couple further. MIAMI BEACH, Fla. Police in Miami Beach kicked off what was expected to be a busy spring break weekend by shooting pepper balls in order to disperse a crowd that had gathered around officers who were making an arrest. The Miami Beach Police Department tweeted Friday night that two officers were injured and had to be taken to a hospital. They were released early Saturday but remained off-duty because of their injuries, the police department said in an emailed statement. James Harrison, 19, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested on charges of battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence, inciting a riot and disorderly conduct. Harrison shouted obscenities at police officers when they tried to break up a crowd of more than 200 people that was blocking traffic, smoking cannabis and carrying around open containers, according to a police report released Saturday. Harrison then pushed an officer and the crowd surrounded officers who were outnumbered at the intersection in the heart of Miami Beach's famous nightclub and restaurant district, the police report said. An officer fired pepper balls due to the large, aggressive, unruly crowd and the immediate posing threats to officer safety," the police report said. Another officer deployed pepper spray, the report said. Miami Beach mayor: Florida spring breakers 'have forgotten that there's a pandemic' An officer body-slammed Harrison after the 19-year-old grabbed the front collar of the officer's police vest collar as the officer was trying to place the suspect in handcuffs, authorities said. The move was an attempt to release Harrison's grip, the report said. Once on the ground, Harrison started kicking and bracing his body to avoid being put in handcuffs, and an officer hit Harrison in the chest while another officer kneed him in the shoulder, the report said. 'Its only going to get more crazy': Spring break crowds a concern during critical moment in COVID-19 fight Story continues It should be noted that defendant Harrison's actions made the crowd extremely aggressive towards officers, posing a clear threat to their safety, due to the large number of unruly subjects present," the police report said. Harrison was taken to jail. It couldn't be determined through online court records Saturday if Harrison had an attorney. South Beach resident Kevin Green told the Miami Herald that the confrontation began after a crowd of at least 200 people gathered at an intersection to party. People were just having fun in that general area, Green said. It looked like people were doing Snapchat videos. Green said he then heard the pops of pepper balls being fired. He took cover behind a police vehicle as the crowd scattered. I heard a pop, Green said. A bunch of people started running. Spring break or bust: Millions board flights as pandemic enters second year Pandemic or not, it's spring break in Florida Floridas beaches and bars are already seeing the first throngs of college students on break, crowding beaches and bars and worrying public health experts around the country who see the weeks of partying as a potential cause of another spike in coronavirus cases. The primary concern, experts say, is that partying is occurring at a crucial moment in the fight against the coronavirus: More vaccines are being administered each day, yet more cases of variants which are highly transmissible are being reported. Making matters worse, they say, is that students will be taking their break as more states relax restrictions they had in place, such as mask mandates. Overall, daily COVID-19 case numbers in Florida have declined significantly from a peak in early January, but highly contagious coronavirus mutations are mushrooming across the state, especially in south Florida, as spring break bears down on the state. Health officials have discovered more infectious COVID-19 variants in 753 people statewide as of Friday, Palm Beach County health director Dr. Alina Alonso said Saturday, nearly double the 379 logged as of Feb. 14. The variant count includes 738 of the mutation found in the United Kingdom, 13 of the Brazilian strain and two of the South African variant. Despite the risk of the virus and contagious variants, travel numbers have had a spring break bump around the U.S. Passengers packed planes during the Thanksgiving and year-end holiday rushes despite advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid travel and are now doing so in greater numbers for spring break. The Transportation Security Administration said it screened 1,357,111 passengers on Friday, on top of 1,284,271 on Thursday as travelers headed out. Friday's numbers were the highest since the Sunday after New Year's when 1,327,289 passengers were screened. The totals fell below 90,000 in April 2020 in the early days of the pandemic and didn't top 1 million again until October. This story was updated to reflect that a Miami Beach Police Department report states one police officer deployed pepper balls and one officer used pepper spray. Contributing: Associated Press; Dawn Gilbertson and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY; Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post Coronavirus Watch newsletter: Sign up for daily updates right in your inbox Weather: Storm that dumped 4 feet of snow in Rockies heads to the Midwest, thunderstorms forecast in South This article originally appeared on USATNetwork: Police shoot pepper balls at Miami Beach crowd as spring break starts Nearly 100 Armenian truck drivers have been stuck at the Lars border checkpoint for 24 days and are currently in a situation that they cant get out of. This is what deputy of the Prosperous Armenia faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Arman Abovyan, whom the truck drivers had contacted, told Armenian News-NEWS.am. The drivers contacted me and asked me for help since they are in a very bad situation. Nearly 100 truck drivers are stuck. I have already addressed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the issue and hope it takes actions, he said, adding that the Armenian government must not overlook citizens in difficult situations, regardless of domestic affairs. The drivers also informed that they dont have money and dont know whats going to happen to them, if they remain stuck there for a few more days. Advertisement Boris Johnson is facing a Tory revolt today as he unveils a major review calling for 'deeper trade links' with China - despite admitting it is a 'systemic' threat to the West. Announcing a strategy that could define Britain's future as a world power, the PM said he wanted the country to 'relearn the art of competing against states with opposing values'. The limit on the number of nuclear warheads is set to be increased from 180 to 260 - although the Integrated Review of security, defence, and foreign policy also heralds a huge shift in emphasis from conventional forces to cutting edge warfare, with investment in cyber, space and laser weapons. In a stance that risks provoking outrage from Conservative MPs, the report takes a much softer tone on China than to Russia, saying that although it is an 'authoritarian state' it will be 'an increasingly important partner'. 'China is an increasingly important partner in tackling global challenges like pandemic preparedness, biodiversity and climate change. We will continue to pursue a positive economic relationship, including deeper trade links and more Chinese investment in the UK,' the document says. Mr Johnson told MPs that the government had been at the forefront of criticising Beijing over human rights abuses. 'There is no question that China will pose a great challenge for an open society such as ours,' he said. 'But we will also work with China where that is consistent with our values and interests.' However, Tory defence select committee chief Tobias Ellwood said he had hoped Mr Johnson would take the opportunity to 'call out' China for the 'geo-strategic threat it is'. Intelligence committee chair Julian Lewis warned that the 'grasping naivety of the Cameron Osborne years' towards China 'still lingers' in some departments. Foreign Affairs committee head Tom Tugendhat said the review was only a 'start' in rebalancing the UK's approach. The position comes despite former MI6 chief Alex Younger warning this morning that China poses a 'generational threat' and the idea it will adopt Western values on freedom and democracy is 'for the birds'. Elsewhere, the wide-ranging review says a successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack is 'likely' by 2030. And worryingly the document says another pandemic is a 'realistic possibility' this decade. 'Infectious disease outbreaks are likely to be more frequent to 2030,' it says. In his statement this afternoon, Mr Johnson warned that Western values are not guaranteed to come out on top. He also restated his commitment to spending 0.7 per cent of Britain's income on aid once the coronavirus crisis is past. 'The truth is that even if we wished it and of course we do not the UK could never turn inwards or be content with the cramped horizons of a regional foreign policy,' the premier said. 'For us, there are no faraway countries of which we know little. Global Britain is not a reflection of old obligations, still less a vainglorious gesture, but a necessity for the safety and prosperity of the British people in the decades ahead.' Boris Johnson (left) will set out a 'more robust position on security and deterrence' that could see troops sent overseas more regularly, and for longer periods of time. Pictured right, the review The IR document highlights the strengths the UK has in adjusting to the challenges of the coming decade The review is set to highlight the 'active threat' of Russia under Vladimir Putin (left). Right, China's president Xi Jinping The SitCen is at the heart of the huge defence, security and foreign policy review due to be unveiled by Boris Johnson on March 16 The flash points in the war of words between Britain and Beijing Britain and Beijing have clashed repeatedly in recent years with tensions between the two sides steadily rising. The main issues of contention have been the treatment of the Uighur people, the coronavirus pandemic, Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G network and Hong Kong. Human rights abuses against the Uighur China has faced repeated accusations of human rights abuses against the Uighur people in Xinjiang province. Boris Johnson today said Britain has led the world in 'expressing our deep concern' at China's treatment of the Uighur people as he insisted the UK will continue to defend its values on the world stage. The UK Government is under growing pressure from Tory MPs to take a tougher stance on the issue amid calls for sanctions to be imposed on any Chinese government officials involved in human rights abuses. There have also been calls for the UK to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, something Mr Johnson has signalled he is not in favour of. The Government has been highly critical of Beijing, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stating last July that it is clear that 'gross, egregious human rights abuses' are being perpetrated against the Uighur people in northern China. Beijing has rejected the accusations of human rights abuses. Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the UK, last year hit back at the 'false accusations' after he was confronted with video footage of Uighur people being detained and forced onto a train in Xinjiang. Free speech and Hong Kong Beijing's decision to impose a controversial national security law on Hong Kong last year prompted the UK to announce a path to citizenship for three million Hong Kongers with British National (Overseas) status. Critics argued the national security law would be used as a tool to crackdown on dissent after a wave of pro-democracy protests in the city. China accused the UK of treating it like a 'hostile country' in the wake of the citizenship decision and warned Britain will 'pay the price'. Tensions further increased this month after China approved a controversial 'patriotic' plan to control elections in Hong Kong, prompting Mr Raab to accuse Beijing of further 'hollowing out' democracy. Coronavirus cover-up Downing Street prompted fury in Beijing in May last year after it said there are 'questions that need to be answered' about the origin of Covid-19. Number 10's comments came after then-US president Donald Trump claimed to have seen evidence the disease came from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Mr Trump made the explosive claim but refused to reveal what the evidence was. Number 10 would not be drawn on the specifics of Mr Trump's comments but again reiterated its desire for an international probe into the start of the outbreak. Huawei The UK Government announced in January last year that Chinese communications giant Huawei would be granted a role in building Britain's new 5G network. But ministers then performed a U-turn in July, with the firm banned from the network while all of its existing 5G technology will be stripped out by 2027 over national security concerns. Links to UK universities Ex-minister Jo Johnson recently highlighted the issues of collaboration between UK universities and China, saying the risks were 'poorly understood'. A study led by the PM's brother suggested there had been a significant increase in funding from the communist state, including in sensitive areas such as automation and telecommunications. It also raised questions over whether collaboration could threaten freedom of speech. 'The UK urgently needs to put in place a framework for this key relationship so that it will be able to withstand rising geopolitical tensions. Failure to do so risks real damage to our knowledge economy,' said Mr Johnson. Advertisement The 100-page review sets out the Government's view of Britain's place in the world after Brexit. It declares: 'We will move from defending the status quo within the post-Cold War international system to dynamically shaping the post-Covid order.' There will be a 24billion rise in spending on defence as the UK moves into the 'new frontiers' of space and cyber-warfare. Key points in the review are: Britain is to lift the maximum number of Trident nuclear warheads it can stockpile by more than 40 per cent, from 180 to 260; The terrorist threat to the UK, including Islamist and Northern Ireland-linked extremists, remains 'all too real'; There is a 'realistic possibility' that terror groups could launch a successful attack involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons by 2030; The UK should pursue a 'positive trade and investment relationship' with China while protecting national security; Britain's bases in Kenya, Oman, Singapore, Cyprus, Gibraltar and Germany will be revamped so troops can respond more quickly to threats. The review also paves the way for cuts to conventional forces, with the RAF set to lose 24 Typhoon jets and its 14 Super Hercules transport planes. The Navy is thought to be facing the loss of two submarine-hunting frigates, HMS Montrose and HMS Monmouth, as well as its 13 minehunters, which are due to be replaced by drones. And Army commanders are expected to have to say goodbye to 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 77 tanks and 760 Warrior fighting vehicles. The review billed as the most radical reassessment of Britain's place in the world since the end of the Cold War has taken a year to draw up. It backs the creation of a new state-of-the-art counter-terrorism operations centre to streamline the response of police and the intelligence agencies in the event of an attack. The will also be a new 'situation centre' in the Cabinet Office similar to the White House situation room where Barack Obama was able to watch the US special forces operation to kill Osama bin Laden in real time. The 100-page document entitled Global Britain in a Competitive Age argues the increase in nuclear warheads cap is 'in recognition of the evolving security environment' and the 'developing range of technological and doctrinal threats'. 'A minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent, assigned to the defence of Nato, remains essential in order to guarantee our security and that of our allies,' it says. 'Some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals. They are investing in novel nuclear technologies and developing new 'warfighting' nuclear systems which they are integrating into their military strategies and doctrines and into their political rhetoric to seek to coerce others.' The review reveals that as part of 'deliberate ambiguity' to keep enemies guessing, Britain will no longer disclose the extent of its 'operational stockpile' of nuclear weapons, or says how many warheads or missiles are deployed. 'This ambiguity complicates the calculations of potential aggressors, reduces the risk of deliberate nuclear use by those seeking a first-strike advantage, and contributes to strategic stability.' The review says Britain will not target nuclear weapons at any non-nuclear state unless they are in breach of non-proliferation obligations. 'However, we reserve the right to review this assurance if the future threat of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical and biological capabilities, or emerging technologies that could have a comparable impact, makes it necessary,' it says. In the Euro-Atlantic, the UK will be one of only two NATO Allies to bring to bear nuclear, offensive cyber, precision strike weapons and fifth-generation strike aircraft,' the report says. The review insists the UK will 'not hesitate' to defend its values and will increase the protection of critical infrastructure, such as the national grid, transport and water supplies. However in a section that alarmed Tory hawks on China it also argues that the UK will need to pursue a positive economic relationship including 'deeper trade links and more Chinese investment'. The shift will be underlined by the deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group to the region on its maiden operational mission later this year. 'China's growing international stature is by far the most significant geopolitical factor in the world today, with major implications for British values and interests and for the structure and shape of the international order,' the review said. 'The fact that China is an authoritarian state, with different values to ours, presents challenges for the UK and our allies. 'China will contribute more to global growth than any other country in the next decade with benefits to the global economy. China and the UK both benefit from bilateral trade and investment, but China also presents the biggest state-based threat to the UK's economic security. The wide-ranging document sets out an ambition to be at the forefront of a green industrial revolution The HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific region as sources say ministers believe it is becoming the 'geopolitical centre of the world' Julian Lewis, Tom Tugendhat and Tobias Ellwood were among the senior Tories urging a tough approach to China Review hints at nuclear retaliation to 'emerging' weapons as warhead limit raised Nuclear weapons could be targeted at states that threaten the UK with weapons based on 'emerging technologies', the government review said today. The UK's limit on warheads is being lifted from 180 to 260, with Labour complaining that it ends three decades of gradual disarmament. But the 100-page document argues the increase in warheads is 'in recognition of the evolving security environment' and the 'developing range of technological and doctrinal threats'. 'Some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals. They are investing in novel nuclear technologies and developing new 'warfighting' nuclear systems which they are integrating into their military strategies and doctrines and into their political rhetoric to seek to coerce others.' The review reveals that as part of 'deliberate ambiguity' to keep enemies guessing, Britain will no longer disclose the extent of its 'operational stockpile' of nuclear weapons, or says how many warheads or missiles are deployed. 'This ambiguity complicates the calculations of potential aggressors, reduces the risk of deliberate nuclear use by those seeking a first-strike advantage, and contributes to strategic stability.' The review says Britain will not target nuclear weapons at any non-nuclear state unless they are in breach of non-proliferation obligations. 'However, we reserve the right to review this assurance if the future threat of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical and biological capabilities, or emerging technologies that could have a comparable impact, makes it necessary,' it says. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was important to maintain a 'minimum credible level of deterrent'. Asked why the Government would want to increase the amount, the Foreign Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Because over time as the circumstances change and the threats change, we need to maintain a minimum credible level of deterrent. 'Why? Because it is the ultimate guarantee, the ultimate insurance policy against the worst threat from hostile states.' Advertisement 'We will require a robust diplomatic framework for this relationship that allows us to manage disagreements, defend our values and preserve space for cooperation where our interests align. 'China is an increasingly important partner in tackling global challenges like pandemic preparedness, biodiversity and climate change. We will continue to pursue a positive economic relationship, including deeper trade links and more Chinese investment in the UK. 'At the same time, we will increase protection of our CNI, institutions and sensitive technology, and strengthen the resilience of our critical supply chains, so that we can engage with confidence. We will not hesitate to stand up for our values and our interests where they are threatened, or when China acts in breach of existing agreements. 'The UK has responded to China's actions in Hong Kong by creating a new immigration route for British Nationals (Overseas) and their eligible family members and dependents, and to China's human rights violations in Xinjiang through measures to ensure that British organisations are neither complicit in nor profiting from them.' Senior Tories lined up to urge the PM to take a tough line on China in the Commons this afternoon. Dr Lewis said pointed to the emphasis on cooperating with Beijing, saying: 'Doesn't that unfortunately demonstrate that the grasping naivety of the Cameron Osborne years still lingers on in some departments of state?' Mr Ellwood said there was a 1930s feel to the global situation, and suggested Mr Johnson should have emulated Winston Churchill's famous 'Iron Curtain' speech after the Second World War when he laid bare the challenge from Soviet Russia. 'I was hoping for a Fulton Missouri moment when we finally call out China for the geo-strategic threat that it is,' Mr Ellwood said. Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was 'worried' about adopting such a mild designation given the 'terrible events' in Hong Kong and Xinjiang province, where the government is accused of genocide against the Uighur minority. But Mr Johnson said the UK's trading relationship with Beijing was worth 81billion a year, and as the world's second-largest economy China was a 'fact of our lives'. 'Those who call for a new cold war on China or for us to sequester our economy entirely from China are, I think, mistaken,' he said. 'We have a balance to strike, we needed to have a clear-eyed relationship with China. We will take tough measures as I have said to call out China for what they're doing in Xinjiang.' Sir Alex Younger said this morning that there will continue to be an 'ideological divergence' between the UK and China. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There's no doubt that China represents the generational threat, and the reason for that is that the idea that China will become more like us as it gets richer, or as its economy matured, is clearly for the birds. 'That's not going to happen. On the contrary I expect China's Communist Party to double down on its ideology in the future. 'There's going to be an ideological divergence between us in the future, that's going to generate rivalry and reduce trust.' Asked if China will become the world's biggest power, he added: 'There's no doubt that China feels advantage at the moment and the pandemic has closed the gap between us in some important ways. 'The language China understands is strength and we need to generate that strength through technological innovations and stewarding our alliances.' On Russia, the document says: 'Russia will remain the most acute direct threat to the UK, and the US will continue to ask more from its allies in Europe in sharing the burden of collective security.' Mr Johnson made a personal commitment to to restore foreign aid spending to 0.7 per cent of national income 'when the fiscal situation allows' following furious criticism of cuts to support for Yemen and other countries. PM faces fresh backlash over aid cut Boris Johnson faced a Tory backlash over aid cuts today as he insisted spending will be restored when the public finances have stabilised after Covid. Tory former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell suggested Mr Johnson's position as chairman of the G7 group of nations has been 'undermined' because the UK was the only country cutting its development budget 'in breach of our clear party manifesto commitment' to meet the 0.7 per cent legal target. The Prime Minister insisted the UK was making 'absolutely colossal' aid investments. He suggested the UK was entitled to miss the 0.7% target due to the 'exceptional circumstances' of the coronavirus pandemic, which could mean that there will not have to be a vote to change the law sparing the government from a potential Commons revolt. Tory MP Pauline Latham said the Government was 'balancing the books on the backs of the poor'. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'If global Britain is to mean anything, it cannot mean selling arms to Saudi Arabia and cutting aid to Yemen.' The Integrated Review said: 'The UK will remain a world leader in international development and we will return to our commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on development when the fiscal situation allows.' Advertisement But he faced more Tory ire, with former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell warning that refusing to hold a Commons vote on the cut will leave the government open to a judicial review. The controversial foreign aid target was reduced to 0.5 per cent in Rishi Sunak's spending review last year. But ministers appear to be backtracking on the commitment to change the law, which currently requires 0.7 per cent to be spent. Instead, they are considering relying on a loophole which allows for a lower level of spending when finances are tight. The reduction in the target will save about 4billion, making the budget 10billion. The premier argued that while Nato remains the bedrock of UK security in the Euro-Atlantic region, the country can no longer rely on an 'increasingly outdated international' to protect its interests. At a time when some countries are seeking to undermine the open and liberal international order which emerged following the Cold War, he is expected to say the UK needs to use 'all the tools at our disposal' to ensure a world where democracies can still flourish. In his foreword to the IR, Mr Johnson said Brexit marked a 'new chapter in our history' and the UK was now 'open to the world, free to tread our own path'. Mr Johnson said: 'Few nations are better placed to navigate the challenges ahead, but we must be willing to change our approach and adapt to the new world emerging around us. 'Open and democratic societies like the UK must demonstrate they are match-fit for a more competitive world.' He told MPs: 'I am profoundly optimistic about the UK's place in the world and our ability to seize the opportunities ahead. 'The ingenuity of our citizens and the strength of our Union will combine with our international partnerships, modernised armed forces and a new green agenda, enabling us to look forward with confidence as we shape the world of the future.' The publication comes after the Prime Minister announced in November a 16.5billion increase in defence spending over the next four years focusing on the future battlefields of space and cyber. Defence debt 'could wipe out 16billion boost for budget' Billions of pounds promised for military equipment could be lost in a 'funding black hole'. The warning by MPs comes as Boris Johnson launches a long-awaited review of security, defence and foreign policy. The Prime Minister has pledged 16.5billion for cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft and 'directed-energy' weapons. But the Commons Public Accounts Committee said much of this money will be needed to pay for kit already ordered by the Ministry of Defence. It estimates top brass have run up debts of up to 17.4billion on aircraft, ships and weapons. Meg Hillier, the Labour chairman of the committee, said this could mean the 16.5billion is 'swallowed whole'. The MoD said it had 'secured a substantial settlement over four years in order to restore financial sustainability'. Advertisement However, military chiefs have made clear the investment in new technologies will mean cuts to some 'industrial age' capabilities to be set out in further paper by the Ministry of Defence next week . The Army is expected to be the biggest loser with troop numbers expected to be slashed by more than 10,000, while its fleet of Challenger 2 main battle tanks is expected to be reduced by a third and the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle retired altogether. The papers lay out a pledge to protect Gibraltar and the Falklands. Armed Forces will 'deter and challenge incursions in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters' and 'maintain a permanent presence in the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and the British Indian Ocean Territory', the documents say. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'This review is built on foundations that have been weakened over the last decade. 'The Prime Minister has spoken about an era of retreat he's right. In the last decade of Conservative government, defence spending and pay for the armed forces both fell in real terms. Our armed forces numbers have been cut by 45,000.' Sir Keir welcomed the 'long overdue' increase in capital funding, the creation of a counter-terrorism operations centre and new investment in cyber, but added: 'The Prime Minister can't avoid the question that everyone in our armed forces and their families will be asking today: will there be further cuts to the strength of our Army and our armed forces? 'The British Army is already 6,000 below the minimal level set out in the last review, it's been cut every year for the last decade, and it's been reported that the Army will see a further reduction of 10,000 alongside fewer tanks, fewer jets for the RAF and fewer frigates for the Royal Navy.' Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna Central Senator, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari over his stern warning to bandits. Sani said B... Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna Central Senator, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari over his stern warning to bandits. Sani said Buhari should stop issuing warning to bandits in English language. The former lawmaker said such warnings should be issued to bandits in local languages. All warnings issued to the bandits should be made in the local language they can understand. Warning them in English is so far futile, Sani tweeted. Bandits have attacked states like Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and the latest is Kaduna State. They attacked the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna, abducting 39 students. Following the attack, Buhari had warned that his administration would not allow the destruction of school systems. He spoke while commending the military for the rescue of 180 students, including eight staff members in Kaduna State. Shortly after the warning, gunmen suspected to be bandits struck again. This time, they abducted pupils and teachers of Rema Primary School, Magajin Gari Ward 2, of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area in Kaduna State. Citizens sign their names during a campaign in support of the decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by the National People's Congress (NPC) in Hong Kong, south China, March 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday expressed its strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to several countries' recent malicious slander of the decision from the National People's Congress (NPC) to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) and the European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. NPC's decision to improve the HKSAR's electoral system is a major measure to uphold and improve the system and institutions of "one country, two systems" and maintain long-term stability in Hong Kong, said Zhao. "It is entirely constitutional, lawful and justified, and will provide a more solid institutional guarantee for the full implementation of the 'patriots administering Hong Kong' principle, better safeguard the overall and fundamental interests of Hong Kong's society, and promote the steady development of Hong Kong's democratic system and the steady practice of 'one country, two systems'," he said, adding that this is a shared aspiration of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots. The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, that the electoral system of the HKSAR is China's local electoral system, and that its design, development and improvement fall entirely under China's internal affairs. "China urges relevant parties to face up to the reality that Hong Kong was returned to China 24 years ago, abide by international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and immediately cease interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs," said Zhao. "China is determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and uphold long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong," he added. For three months, a group of ground workers at Frankfurt Airport has been fighting against their dismissal by service provider WISAG. With eight demonstrations and rallies so far and an eight-day hunger strike, these workers turned to their colleagues under the slogan, Today its ustomorrow you! and made their struggle known to the public. The response of the WISAG group, which handles planes at Frankfurts Rhein-Main Airport, is even more brutal sackings. At the beginning of March, over 30 more long-serving employees, including some who are severely disabled, were given notice to quit at the end of June 2021. This became known on March 11, when workers gathered for another demonstration in front of the WISAG group headquarters in Frankfurt. Demonstration in front of the WISAG headquarters, 11 March 2021, Frankfurt-Niederrad (Photo: WSWS) It was also clear at this rally that the industrial action is spreading further afield and gaining the support of more workers facing the same problems. The guys at the airport are pissed off that we have been dismissed, Serkan told the gathered workers. Despite the supposedly coronavirus-related dismissals, he said it was very busy on the apron and in the cargo halls, and the remaining WISAG colleagues are having to work under great stress. Colleagues were being forced to cope with the extremely hard work with far too small teams, half of which were made up of inexperienced temporary workers. Meanwhile, the management that signed off on our redundancies is sitting safe from coronavirus working from home. At the important Rhine-Main Airport hub, few passenger planes are currently landing and taking off due to the virus, but the cargo area is working at full capacity as the transport of food, aid, medicine, etc. continues. According to the Frankfurt customs authorities, 6 billion masks were handled here last year. The supply chains for industry also continue here, which never completely shut down during the entire pandemic. WISAG had to unload five to six large planes there a day, one worker reported. Why were we dismissed? Serkan asks the group. For a few months now, more and more temporary workers have been employed there. He adds that it is also hard for them, as the job requires experienced workers. Serkan Loads were now often transported as a cabin-load, Riza K., another dismissed WISAG worker, told the WSWS. Cabin-load means that the cabin of a passenger plane is filled to the brim with cardboard boxes instead of passengers. The workers must lift the boxes in one by one, stow them on the seats and lash them down. Normal conveyor belts do not reach the height of the passenger cabin. If none of the rare special belts is available, workers carry the cargo up the stairs. Cabin-load is absolute madness, Riza said. At least three people are needed per conveyor belt, and in some cases, they drag the boxes up or down on foot. Riza also confirmed that there were clear signs of growing solidarity. Their struggle against dismissals was increasingly popular among airport staff, he said. More dismissals are coming out every day and colleagues are feeling the same as us. Other ground workers had heard about the protest and sympathised with it. WISAG sometimes has no pushback drivers, and then other teams refused to step in. WISAG was clearly short of staff, he said. For example, an Etihad aircraft did not get off the ground for 80 minutes, and WISAG asked airport operator Fraport for help. Although Fraport management had already agreed, the on-site operations manager refused, with the argument, No, Im sorry, first WISAG had to reinstate its own drivers. Riza Kodak WISAG is not the only company to use the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext for arbitrarily dismissing long-serving workers, outsourcing entire departments and lowering wage levels. Lufthansa, Fraport, Airbus and many other corporations have also already announced the elimination of hundreds of thousands of jobs, and the main trade unions are actively involved in drawing up the layoff plans. At the airport, the service trade union Verdi has not lifted a finger for those dismissed. This was shown again by WISAGs latest dismissals. Among those sacked are several workers who should be specially protected because of their severe disability. They were thrown out for operational reasons and in the course of so-called mass dismissals. Mehmet has toiled at the airport for 40 years, ruining his health. He has a 50 percent severe disability. But with one stroke of the pen, all the seeming safeguardsrepresentation for the severely disabled, works council, integration office, etc.no longer apply. In his letter of dismissal, it says, The works council was duly consulted and objected to the dismissal. ... Also, we consulted the representative body for severely disabled persons, which did not make any statement. Finally, we have obtained the necessary consent of the Integration Office to your dismissal. And cynically it continues, For the sake of good order, we would like to point out to you that you are obliged to register personally with the employment agency as a jobseeker at least three months before termination of the employment relationship. Also, we point out that you must develop your own activities in the search for other employment. Mehmet said, I have worked at the airport all my life, ruined my health here. In the beginning, it was a dream job here, you thought you had found the job for life. Today, I have grandchildren of my own, and my wife is also disabled. And from one day to the next, WISAG kicks me out. He had experienced how people had also come to work sick. WISAG was known for its constant skimping and manipulation with timesheets to squeeze the maximum out of workers. For him, industrial action was now vital. I think we all have to stick together as human beings! Speaking at the rally, Marianne Arens, a candidate for the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) in this years federal election, stressed the importance of industrial action. Your collective action is a turning point, she said. Your slogan, Today its ustomorrow you, also means that tomorrow, hundreds of thousands more workers will follow your example. A message of greeting was also read out in Turkish. In it, the British and Turkish Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees pledged to make the WISAG workers struggle known internationally. Their message ends with the words, The events at WISAG confirm the need for workers to build rank-and-file committees independent of the unions to defend their interests. (Natural News) The New York Times recently conducted an internal survey which found that nearly half of all employees feel muzzled in terms of speaking their minds due to an oppressive corporate culture of extreme political bias. In response to the statement, There is a free exchange of views in this company; people are not afraid to say what they really think, a mere 51 percent of Times employees responded with a yes. According to company comments obtained by the New York Post, this 51 percent figure is 10 percent lower than the desired benchmark. In other words, the Times only expects 61 percent of its employees to feel comfortable expressing their views and beliefs. Although the majority of us feel [sic] well-informed, many indicated that differing viewpoints arent sought or valued in our work, reads a Times internal assessment of the data. Relatedly, we saw some negative responses on whether theres a free exchange of views in the company, and scored below the benchmark on this question. The New York Times is more racist now than in 2019 Compared to 2019 when 84 percent of Times employees indicated that their leaders and colleagues are generally accepting of different races and ethnicities, the late 2020 figure dropped to just 74 percent. This suggests that the Times is becoming increasingly more racist, presumably against people with light skin. We fully expected this after the Times hired on the openly racist Sarah Jeong to head up its editorial board. We saw steep declines in answers about leaders and colleagues accepting and embracing differences in race, gender, identity and religion, a paper about the survey results reads. Younger woke employees are destroying The New York Times As you may have seen, the Times is currently embroiled in numerous scandals that would seem to accurately reflect these survey results. The far-left papers continued decline has perhaps never been as evident as it is now. Veteran science reporter Donald McNeil, as one example, was fired by the Times for his use of a non-derogatory racial slur during a Times-sponsored trip with students. When in-house conservative columnist Bret Stephens published a piece criticizing McNeils dismissal, it was quickly spiked by publisher A.G. Sulzberger. Back in June, Times op-ed editor James Bennet was coerced into resignation after the paper published a piece by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican, urging federal soldiers to be sent in to U.S. cities to quell Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM) violence. After the piece was published, dozens of Times employees apparently threw a fit, claiming that black staff members were in danger. Bari Weiss, another leading opinion staffer at the Times, left not long after Bennet did. Former Times business reporter Alex Berenson told the Post that things have changed for the worse at his former employer ever since younger reporters were brought in to replace the older ones. There is a group of younger reporters and a fair number of tech people and people on the audio side who do not come out of the tradition of journalism at the Times, Berenson is quoted as saying about the ruination of the Times. They see their role as to be more active, he added. Theres a lot of anguish among older people about this younger, woke staff that is accelerating the Times rapid decline into total irrelevance. When the Post tried to reach out to the Times directly for comment, there was no response as of publishing time. More related news about The New York Times and other dying legacy media outlets that have been destroyed by progressive cancel culture can be found at Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: NYPost.com NaturalNews.com A general view at the launch event for Virgin Voyages' new cruise ship Scarlet Lady in Liverpool, England, on Feb. 25, 2020. (Anthony Devlin/Getty Images for Virgin Voyages) Virgin Voyages Mandates CCP Virus Vaccines for All Crew and Passengers Virgin Voyages, the cruise line founded by billionaire business magnate Richard Branson, will require all crew and passengers to get a CCP virus vaccine, the company said. Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages, said in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times that the companys goal is to provide the safest travel experience, which means vaccinations for both our crew and passengers. The move makes Virgin Voyages one of the first cruise lines to mandate the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccine. We know that the future is vaccinations and testing, McAlpin said, and thats why Virgin Voyages is committed to fully vaccinated cruises, he added. The Virgin Voyages chief also said the company is really encouraged by the Biden administrations latest vaccine rollout plans in the May time frame. The White House recently announced that it expects prioritized vaccinations to be far enough along by end of April that all eligibility restrictions can be lifted by May 1st, at which point the vaccine would be made available to every adult in the United States. President Joe Biden said in remarks on March 15 that the first 100 million shots in peoples arms will have been completed within the next 10 days. The administrations earlier goal was for 100 million vaccinations to be administered within Bidens first 100 days in office. McAlpin said the adult-only aspect of the cruise line allows for us to offer a highly controlled, safe environment for everyone on board and that the company is uniquely set up to do this with testing and vaccine travel requirements. Theres a huge pent up demand for travel, he said, adding that Virgin Voyages would soon be ready to welcome passengers aboard. Branson announced the creation of the Virgin Voyages, a joint venture with Bain Capital, to fanfare and promise of being a disruptive force in the cruise industry. I never want to go into a business unless we are going to radically alter it and radically create something that everybody who works for Virgin and everybody who come into contact with Virgin is going to feel really proud of, Branson told Business Insider in an interview in 2019, during which he announced Virgin Voyages was officially open for business and tickets were on sale for a maiden voyage in April 2020. But the pandemic dashed his plans to launch at that time, and now the companys first ship, the Scarlet Lady, is scheduled to debut in July 2021. Sitting on-board the Scarlet Lady towards the end of February 2020, Branson spoke with Good Morning Britain reporters about the much-anticipated launch. He was asked whether he was confident in its timing, given the global spread of the virus and the fact that not long before, an outbreak onboard a Princess Cruises ship, the Diamond Princess, led to over 700 infections and its passengers put under quarantine on the ship, which docked off the coast of Japan for several weeks. Well be operating out of America where [COVID-19] is not an issue, he replied. Were not worried at the moment and the authorities seem to be doing everything they can to get it under control. Its not an issue at the moment and, hopefully, itll never become an issue, he added. See Full Image Gallery >> Speed has played a significant role in defining Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963, but the type of velocity it aims to achieve is changing direction. One of its top executives opined that handling, not 0-60-mph times or maximum speed, is the new benchmark in the supercar segment the company calls home. Francesco Scardaoni, the head of the Italian company's Asia-Pacific operations, explained achieving the quickest possible sprint from 0-60 mph and the highest possible top speed used to be what defined a Lamborghini. Rivals aimed to rule the chart, too, so exotic brands spend decades taking turns trying to outgun each other by shaving a tenth of a second from or adding a few miles per hour to their respective times. EVs moved the goalpost in the 2010s, according to Scardaoni, because their powertrain develops maximum torque right away. "If you go back to 10 years ago, probably when we were asked the parameters to measure a car with we would say top speed, acceleration, and then handling. Top speed then became a secondary measure, and acceleration the first one. Now, basically [with electrification] is no more that important. because it's quite easy for those kind of power units to have amazing results in acceleration," he explained in an interview with Car Advice. Exemplified by the Huracan STO introduced in 2020, the shift represents a dramatic about-face for the engineering team led by Maurizio Reggiani. Speed is easy to quantify; if we tell you that a Bugatti Chiron takes 2.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from a full stop, or that it maxes out at 304 mph, you know exactly what it can do. Handling, on the other hand, is difficult to put a number on. Gs on a skidpad is one measure, but that's only a small part of the handling equation. There's no unit of measurement that describes how a Divo feels on a winding Sicilian road. Scardaoni hinted that focusing on handling is a way to keep exotic supercars relevant in the coming years. Electric hypercars are ostensibly on their way, including the Rimac C_Two and the Pininfarina Battista. Closely related, both allegedly take under two seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph thanks in part to a 1,900-horsepower drivetrain, yet they weigh approximately 4,300 pounds; they're heavier than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Neither are in the same league as, say, the Huracan, but they're good examples of the pros and cons of electrified performance. Story continues "What is really now making the difference is the drivability of the car, the handling. Because, when you have good acceleration but the car is heavy to steer, heavy to handle, you cannot have that pleasure of driving in a really fast way," he told the Australian publication. It will be interesting to see how this focus shapes Lamborghini's next cars; the Aventador's replacement is around the corner, and we already know that it will pack a hybrid powertrain. Related Video: You Might Also Like We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form NORWALK Construction began Tuesday on the final stretch of the Norwalk River Valley Trial, completing the eight-mile project which has been underway since 2012. The trail connects Norwalk, Wilton, Ridgefield, Redding and Danbury. The groundbreaking, which took place Tuesday morning at an incomplete portion of the trail overlooking the Norwalk River, was attended by Mayor Harry Rilling, NRVT Executive Director Beth J. Merrill and NRVT Board of Directors President Charlie Taney, among others. , Inc ( ) CEO, Edward Cabanas presents at Proactive's One2One virtual investor forum. Bright Mountain Media is an end-to-end digital media and advertising services platform, connecting brands with targeted consumer demographics. Through the removal of middlemen in the advertising services process, the Florida-based company not only links brands and consumers but maximizes revenue for publishers as well. Bright Mountain Medias assets include Bright Mountain LLC, MediaHouse (f/k/a NDN), Oceanside (f/k/a S&W Media), and Wild Sky Media, including 24 owned and/or managed websites as well as 15 CTV apps. The company generates advertising services revenue from advertisements (ad impressions) placed on its owned and managed sites, as well as from advertisements placed on partner websites, for which the company earns a share of the revenue. 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. Peter Hardin, a former U.S. Marine who served in Afghanistan, announced Tuesday he will challenge incumbent Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in next year's election. Hardin, 42, says he would seek to clean up what he sees as a scandal-ridden office, which has been hit with accusations of running a secret DNA database. He also describes himself as a progressive prosecutor. I spoke with Hardin recently about his candidacy. "I'm not a politician," he said, contrasting himself with Spitzer, who was a state assemblyman and member of the OC Board of Supervisors before being elected DA three years ago. Hardin is a Democrat and Spitzer a Republican, although the office is non-partisan. In describing himself as a progressive, Hardin echoes L.A. District Attorney George Gascon, who is among a cadre of new progressive prosecutors around the country with an agenda of rolling back lengthy prison sentences and erasing racial disparities. But Hardin stopped well short of promising sweeping changes like Gascon. Instead, he said he would seek to find "a correct and proper model that fits Orange County." For example, while Gascon has tried to end the use of almost all sentencing enhancements that can add years to a person's prison term, Hardin said he would end certain enhancements but would not say which ones. (Spitzer has built a reputation as a traditional tough-on-crime type of politician, although he's now positioning himself as a progressive. Last month he issued a statement in which he said American society has "engaged in systemic mass incarceration" and has "prosecuted people of color differently." Spitzer promised to work to end mass incarceration and to set up a unit to review allegations of wrongful convictions.) Peter Hardin in the Sangin Valley in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Peter Hardin) Hardin said he had two dreams while growing up in New York City: to follow his father into the law and to become a Marine. He achieved both at the same time when, after graduating from George Washington Law School, he joined the Marines as a judge advocate. He eventually rose to the rank of Captain and served a year advising the First Reconnaissance Battalion commander on the laws of war and international law issues in Afghanistan. Hardin landed in Orange County in 2012 after he was stationed at Camp Pendleton. He spent a year as a deputy DA and two years as a Special U.S. Attorney before moving into private practice. As we got started, Hardin warned he's a first-time candidate and just getting used to dealing with the media. But he said because he was a Marine, "don't hold back." Hardin also stopped to adjust his hearing aids, needed because explosions in Afghanistan damaged his eardrums. This conversation was edited for clarity. Q: Why are you running for DA? A: I'm running because there's a vacuum of leadership in the Orange County district attorney's office that has led to a sea of outrageous scandals. This is a rudderless office with a leader that seeks the headline but doesn't want to do the work. Todd Spitzer has forfeited whatever little credibility he ever had. Q: Elaborate on what you see as the most significant issues inside the DA's office? A: First, Todd Spitzer has become the subject of no less than four sexual harassment lawsuits here in Orange County. [Editor's note: Spitzer has been accused of witnessing his former senior assistant and friend engaging in harassment.] He promoted his best friend, for example, the best man at his wedding, even after becoming aware that this man had sexually harassed his subordinates. And when these allegations began to come to light, Todd Spitzer allowed his best friend to quietly retire from the office with top-flight benefits. Then there's the evidence booking scandal. Deputy sheriffs have not been looking at evidence properly or in a timely manner. And what Todd Spitzer has done is cherry pick a few selected officers to punish so that he can grab the headline and claim that he's a reformer. But he hasn't lifted a finger to address the underlying issues. And again, he hasn't led with the transparency to explain to Orange County residents what exactly the problem is. Q: How will you deal with victims of crime as DA? A: I want to launch an innovative family justice center to connect survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, elder abuse and child abuse to services they need to heal and pursue justice. I am extremely concerned about the low rates of sexual assault reporting. We must support survivors of sexual assault so that they feel like they can come forward. And that's not just important for today's survivor. It's to prevent future victims because sex offenders tend to be repeat offenders. Q: In LA, DA Gascon has eliminated the use of almost all sentencing enhancements, arguing they contribute to mass incarceration and racial disparities. What's your view? A: Well, sentencing enhancements can result in excessive prison sentences and those sometimes do not enhance public safety but do cost taxpayers billions. Studies demonstrate that excessive prison sentences may actually increase recidivism rates by undermining a person's ability to reintegrate back into society in a positive and productive manner. I'm not going to do away with all sentencing enhancements, but I want to take a real close look at finding a correct and proper model that fits Orange County and our values in our communities in a smart and strategic way. Q: Would you commit to eliminating gun and gang enhancements (as Gascon is doing)? A: I'm not prepared to answer that right now. But I will keep enhancements around hate crimes, sexual crimes regarding children and others, elder abuse crimes, and white collar crimes like fraud, where there is a particularly large loss. But I want to change the culture within the Orange County DA's office to ensure that prosecutors aren't sort of instinctively and reflexively charging everything they possibly can in order to start negotiations from a position of strength. Q: What is your position on the death penalty and a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole? A: I'll punish the most heinous capital murders with life in prison, imprisonment without the possibility of parole. But I will not pursue the death penalty. Mainly, I want to train and empower my deputy district attorneys to treat each case on its own merits and without blanket policies. Q: What's your position on cash bail? A: I'm in favor of ending cash bail. I think it's an outrageous system that we have where wealthy, dangerous offenders can get out while folks from less affluent communities who may not be dangerous are forced to be stuck in prison. Q: On police shootings, are there any shootings in Orange County where you think the officer should have been prosecuted? Also, would you have handled these shootings differently than the incumbent DA? A: I am not aware of any. By and large, our law enforcement officers do the right thing and they're heroes. But I won't be afraid to prosecute officers when they break the law. Q: There's been a lot of criticism of the DA's DNA database. The UC Irvine civil rights clinic has filed a lawsuit that says he has created a "secretive system of genetic surveillance that was never authorized by state law." Would you keep that database? A: It's one of the greatest examples of Todd Spitzer's hypocrisy and the lengths to which he will go to get elected. He ran as a reformer who was going to get rid of his DNA database. [Editors note: As a county supervisor, Spitzer had questioned the ethics of the database. After winning election, he told the Orange County Register that he was "incredibly concerned that they are misusing the DNA lab to get convictions," and that he wanted to consult with experts about whether to keep it. ] Todd Spitzer has been in office and he has completely embraced and defended the program. I agree with these lawsuits. I don't see [having a DNA database] as appropriate. Q: Some activists say gang databases should be eliminated because people who are not gang members get tossed into them. Thoughts? A: I've heard enough from folks who have gotten swept up into that system to know that many, many of the entries into it are arbitrary and capricious. And I want to take a hard look at that and figure out how we can either reform it or get rid of that. Q: Why do you think Black people are overrepresented in prosecutions and in state prison? We talked earlier about the underlying issues that lead to aberrant behavior like mental health illness or drug and alcohol addiction. Well, to put it simply, affluent kids go to rehab and other folks, who happen to be people of color, go to juvenile hall or jail. So one thing I really want to work towards is ending punishment for low-level nonviolent offenses. Those have swept up a disproportionate number of folks from our minority communities into the system as well. It's the product of a system of racial injustice in this country, the roots of which go so deep. And I'm glad that this country finds itself after the events of last summer at a reckoning point. And I certainly want to spend time working with police officers in Orange County to help everyone in our community understand the effects of systemic racism. We also need more diversity in the DA's office. That will be something I will work with local law schools, law schools around the state and the region to ensure that we are recruiting talent across a broad spectrum of communities. Revised plans submitted to build 90 houses on Glyndwr University campus in Wrexham This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 16th, 2021 Revised plans have been entered which could see 90 houses built in place of empty halls of residence on a university campus in Wrexham. Glyndwr University was previously granted permission to demolish student accommodation at the Plas Coch site in July 2019. The scheme outlined at the time would have resulted in the construction of 410 apartments aimed at professionals from key employers, such as Wrexham Maelor Hospital and HMP Berwyn. However, developers Edwards Homes have now unveiled proposals to create a number of two to four-bedroom houses instead. In a reserved matters application submitted to Wrexham Council, consultants said the new homes would be suitable for families and children. They said: The site occupies the northern quarter of the existing Glyndwr University Plas Coch campus and currently contains redundant former student halls of residence, library building and car parking. The proposal is to develop the site with the erection of 90 detached and semi-detached, two, three and four-bedroomed two-storey residential dwellings together with a central area of public open space and childrens play area. The proposals include the retention and protection of the majority of trees within the site and good pedestrian connectivity to all points of the compass. They added: In terms of the principle of development, in his response to the applicants pre-application enquiry, a planning officer confirmed that the principle of residential development is acceptable on this site, albeit that a higher density of development was initially envisaged during consideration of the application for outline planning permission. The proposals have been designed to represent a conventional form of low rise development in a sustainable location with the needs and wants of families and young children foremost in the designers mind. The proceeds of selling the site with planning permission are set to be used by the university to part-fund improvements worth 60m outlined as part of its Campus 2025 project. Approval for the original scheme was given despite a highways officer raising concerns about the impact on nearby roads, including Plas Coch Road, which connects to a neighbouring retail park. Addressing comments about a lack of emergency access to the site, the consultants said: The submitted proposals now indicate a permanent pedestrian access via the existing gated access on to Plas Coch Road which previously served as vehicular and pedestrian access to the Goldstein Library. This existing access which is four metres wide will also be used as a vehicular access and egress in an emergency only. The local authority will make a decision on the proposals at a later date. By Liam Randall BBC Local Democracy Reporter [March 16, 2021] Grubtech secures $3.4 Million to expand its cutting-edge technology for cloud kitchens DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Grubtech, an all in one SaaS platform for cloud kitchens and delivery-centric restaurants has secured $3.4 million preSeries A funding. Investors included large regional family offices, a US-based venture capital firm as well as reputable angel investors. Having already deployed its solution across hundreds of brands and processed hundreds of thousands of orders, grubtech will use the funds to further accelerate product development and capitalize on increased demand from MENA, Europe and the Americas. The F&B sector is rapidly transforming, driven by strong demand for online food delivery that has been catalyzed by the pandemic. This has forced restauranteurs to adapt their business models to focus on delivery, mainly through food aggregators such as Talabat, Deliveroo and Hunger Station. In addition, it has accelerated the growth of cloud kitchens around the world. Grubtech has been purpose built to cater to the digital transformation of the F&B sector by building an end-to-end operating system that tackles the friction points arising from operating a high volume food delivery business, and unlocks the ability to serve multiple delivery-only brands from a single location. Grubtech's fast growing client base include large cloud kitchens and restaurant groups in the MENA region and abroad. The start-up is releasing a self-serve version for smaller chains shortly as it looks to power the next generation of champions in the food delivery space. "Grubtech has built a pioneering tech stack which is trailblazing advancements in the growing online food delivery and cloud kitchen space. We are incredibly excited about grubtech's growth potential globally," said a syndicate of private investors in the MENA region, led by Ghassan Oueida and Gry Loseth. Grubtech solves for the fragmented rest-tech landscape by integrating with third parties like food aggregators, logistics providers, points-of-sale solutions and ERPs. Its prduct streamlines operations with the ultimate goal of maximizing kitchen utilization, reducing the order to doorbell journey whilst reducing costs. "Unlike other players in the market that focus on solving one of many pain points, grubtech has built an all-in-one platform, reducing friction points across the order lifecycle. Given our extensive experience investing in the F&B sector, we are big believers in the need for grubtech's solution and understand the magnitude of the problems it is solving," said AbdulMohsen Ibrahim AlTouq, CEO of AlTouq Group. Grubtech's solution serves different business models including cloud kitchens, multi-brand single location models and delivery-centric restaurants. The solution is also being used by owners of underutilized real estate such as hotels and gas stations that are creating their own cloud kitchens. "Grubtech has been a key partner of ours in the launch and operation of our first cloud kitchen in the region," said Joe Frem, Vice President of Cloud Kitchens and Concepts at Talabat (Delivery Hero). "Deployed within days, it provides our tenants with the tools necessary to efficiently operate multiple brands out of one location, thereby maximizing kitchen capacity and order throughput." The platform provides restaurant owners the ability to quickly and efficiently serve multiple brands from one location, creating what is known as micro cloud kitchens, and maximizing revenue from existing supply chains and resources. "Grubtech has automated otherwise manual and time-consuming processes for us, from order receipt to delivery. This has enabled us to create micro cloud kitchens within our existing real estate footprint to serve multiple virtual brands we've created from one location," said Rodolph Njeim, CCO of Eathos. By centralizing capabilities, providing visibility into all critical events across the order lifecycle, and supplementing it with advanced analytics, grubtech has helped its customers reduce click-to-doorbell time by 20% and save approximately 25% of manpower costs. "Grubtech's user-friendly and intuitive interface meant that our staff required minimal training," said Hilmar Venter, the Regional F&B Delivery Manager of the Azadea Group. "The ability to centrally manage our menus and disable unavailable menu items and modifiers directly from the kitchen display system has helped reduce human errors, order cancellations, and eliminate time wasted making updates across various tablets. We've also significantly reduced order acceptance time by receiving all orders on one screen. By operating more efficiently, with cost savings, we are able to better serve our customers and increase repeat orders." "Grubtech has built a unique business focused on solving a global problem for the rapidly transforming F&B sector," said Asif Keshodia, former CFO of Amazon MENA and an angel investor. "The clients they have signed on thus far and the interest garnered from cloud kitchens and restaurants around the world is a testament to the strength of grubtech's technology." According to CEO Mohamed Al Fayed, "We are still in the early stages of the digitization of the F&B sector, akin to e-commerce 10 years ago. The operations of high volume, multi-brand and omnichannel sales are complex, and so grubtech has been built with a deep focus on our customers' pain points today, and anticipated issues and opportunities of the future." "We are fortunate to be working with some of the largest and more innovative players in the sector who have provided us with a great customer feedback loop," continued Al Fayed, "we are proud to be local and privileged to be global." About grubtech grubtech is a Dubai-based company dedicated toward empowering delivery-centric restaurants, virtual brands, and cloud kitchens through its purpose-built SaaS platform. Since 2019, grubtech has helped hundreds of brands and kitchens in MENA adapt their business to the new, delivery-first market environment, such as Delivery Hero's cloud kitchen in Abu Dhabi, iKcon, Eathos, Azadea, and more. For restaurateurs looking to explore multi-tenanting, entrepreneurs interested in starting a cloud kitchen, and businesses investigating how to secure more revenue from their delivery-based service lines, visit www.grubtech.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1452637/grubtech_Group.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday he and allies from eastern Europe were pushing for the European Union to adjust the way it distributes COVID-19 vaccines after complaining it was uneven Kurz and the leaders of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Latvia and Croatia last week wrote to the heads of the European Commission and Council, saying the distribution was not happening in line with national populations as had been agreed. Kurz's opponents have accused him of trying to deflect blame away from his government for the relatively slow pace of vaccinations. The EU has a mechanism for redistributing doses left when others do not take up their full pro rata allocation, and the Commission has said it is up to member states to decide whether they want to go back to a strictly population-based method. "It has to be possible here to develop a correction mechanism," Kurz told a news conference with his Bulgarian, Czech and Slovenian counterparts after a meeting that the leaders of Croatia and Latvia joined by video link. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel are working "to find a solution", Kurz added. Bulgaria and Latvia have administered a first vaccine dose to the smallest share of their adult populations in the EU, according to the latest weekly report https://covid19-vaccine-report.ecdc.europa.eu by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, at 4.1% each. In Malta that figure is 14.9%. Austria is on 7.8%. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Catherine Evans and Andrew Heavens) Ambassador of Belarus A.Rzheussky meets the Secretary (West) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh On March 16th, 2021, in Dhaka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of India and the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh concurrently Andrei Rzheussky met with Secretary (West) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shabbir Ahmad Choudhury. During the meeting, the parties discussed a wide range of issues of Belarusian-Bangladeshi cooperation in the political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, educational, cultural spheres and analyzed the bilateral legal framework. The interlocutors also exchanged views on the prospects for holding the next round of consultations between the foreign ministries of Belarus and Bangladesh at the end of this year or at the beginning of next year. A special attention was paid to the interaction between the two countries in international organizations. print version When curator Karen M. Gutfreund began working on the exhibition Deadlocked and Loaded: Disarming America, she spent time reflecting on gun violence in the United States. The topic, which is as relevant today as it was 20 years ago, remains highly polarized. Ultimately, Gutfreund developed a large group show currently on display at three Syracuse galleries: ArtRage, Community Folk Art Center, and Point of Contact. The exhibit, featuring works by 36 artists, explores the role of guns in our society and emphasizes the impact of gun-related violence on children, women, and people who are marginalized. Deadlocked and Loaded operates with a roster of artists from across the United States. Its portfolio encompasses woodcuts and video, mixed-media pieces and installations, cartoons and text by an eight-year-old student from San Francisco. It moves from Priscilla Otanis mixed-media work showing four babies, each of whom holds a toy gun, to Ann Lewiss shattered porcelain shoes which hang in the air. Each pair of shoes represents a child who will be killed by gunfire. The exhibits largest segment is at the ArtRage Gallery, the shows originator, 505 Hawley Ave. There viewers get a taste of multiple approaches to the topic of gun violence. For example, Lisa Freemans miniature assemblage, fashioned from found objects, consists of a little red schoolhouse thats empty inside; the specter of shootings at schools has destroyed quaint notions of a school. Marlow Jones, the eight-year-old student, drew an ink-and-paper cartoon and commented that I go to school to learn, not hide under my desk. Elsewhere, the gallery displays Cat del Buonos video designed to give voice to survivors of domestic violence, as well as works from Kadie Salfis Every 16 Hours series. Using materials such as lipstick, eye shadow and nail polish, shes painted images of guns on plywood as she reflects on shootings of women and children. Patricia Turners installation references the 2016 massacre of 49 people at Pulse, a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. On the floor, theres a quilt with the outline of a gun surrounded by rainbow colors. A bunch of 49 cranes, created by the process of origami, swing from the ceiling. They come in vivid colors such as red, gold, and deep blue. Theres also work from Social Memorials, Justyne Fischers series commemorating events in which unarmed Black men, women and children died. Black Icons, done with woodcuts and resin in a shadow box, depicts Tamar Rice, Walter Scott and other figures. The Community Folk Art Center, 805 E. Genesee St., displays a second segment of the exhibition with artworks ranging from At A Young Tender Age in which Priscilla Otani portrays four babies holding toy guns to Mona Cliffs Shooters Eyes. In her collage, images of eyes fill a space outlined by a gun. Thats eerie enough in itself; the fact that the eyes belong to people who carried out mass shootings is even more disturbing. In addition, Sally Edelsteins paper collage features an ad that ran in the New York Times during 1969. The page has images of Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, all of whom were assassinated, and calls for an end to gun violence. On the collages borders, theres text referring mass shootings such as the 2013 Sandy Hook school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut and the 2009 event in Fort Hood, Texas where an U.S. Army doctor killed many of his fellow soldiers. Clearly, the artist is posing a question: what has changed in roughly 50 years? Nine Lives, No Reason, another work by Justyne Fischer, revisits the murder of nine congregants at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. And Sunshine State, a hand-carved woodcut, deals with the killings of Jordan Davis and Trayvon Martin in Florida. Both are powerful works. These and other pieces from Deadlocked and Loaded, hang in CFACs front hallway. At the third venue, Point of Contact, at 350 W. Fayette St., there are portraits circulated by the Faces Not Forgotten project which began its work in 2013. In each instance, the projects staff commissions the painting of a portrait of a child or young adult lost to gun violence and gives it to their family. That portrait is also converted into a digital image and incorporated into a quilt. Its possible to stand on the sidewalk and look at the portraits displayed inside Point of Contact windows. Deadlocked and Loaded: Disarming America is ambitious, visceral, designed to both document artists response to gun violence and spark conversation about an alarming, controversial subject. In her curators statement, Gutfreund argued that gun violence shouldnt be discussed in isolation, saying that it must be connected to systematic racism, a culture of violence, and apathy concerning mass shootings. And she asserts that we live in a stressful time, pointing to the rise of white-supremacy groups and increased rhetoric advocating violent solutions to societal problems. Yet, she also rejects the notion that change is impossible, stating that this exhibition seeks to engage viewers to listen to each other and collectively seek solutions. She refers to the show as a visual testimony combining lived experiences, memory, identity and beliefs. Deadlocked and Loaded runs through April 18, 2021. Visitors to ArtRage must wear a mask, practice social distancing and make a reservation by calling 315-218-5711 or visiting the website at http://www.artragegallery.org. Its also necessary to make an appointment to view works at the Community Folk Art Center; call 315-442-2230 or contact the gallery through www.communityfolkartcenter.org. Lastly, the web address for Point of Contact is www.puntopoint.org. Carl Mellor wrote about visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 to 2019. He continues to write about exhibitions and artists in the Syracuse area. Low doses of propylparaben - a chemical preservative found in food, drugs and cosmetics - can alter pregnancy-related changes in the breast in ways that may lessen the protection against breast cancer that pregnancy hormones normally convey, according to University of Massachusetts Amherst research. The findings, published March 16 in the journal Endocrinology, suggest that propylparaben is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that interferes with the actions of hormones, says environmental health scientist Laura Vandenberg, the study's senior author. Endocrine disruptors can affect organs sensitive to hormones, including the mammary gland in the breast that produces milk. "We found that propylparaben disrupts the mammary gland of mice at exposure levels that have previously been considered safe based on results from industry-sponsored studies. We also saw effects of propylparaben after doses many times lower, which are more reflective of human intake," Vandenberg says. "Although our study did not evaluate breast cancer risk, these changes in the mammary tissue are involved in mitigating cancer risk in women." Hormones produced during pregnancy not only allow breast tissue to produce milk for the infant, but also are partly responsible for a reduced risk of breast cancer in women who give birth at a younger age. The researchers, including co-lead author Joshua Mogus, a Ph.D. student in Vandenberg's lab, tested whether propylparaben exposure during the vulnerable period of pregnancy and breastfeeding adversely alters the reorganization of the mammary gland. They examined the mothers' mammary glands five weeks after they exposed the female mice to environmentally doses of propylparaben during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Compared with pregnant mice that had not received propylparaben, the exposed mice had mammary gland changes not typical of pregnancy, the researchers report. These mice had increased rates of cell proliferation, which Vandenberg says is a possible risk factor for breast cancer. They also had less-dense epithelial structures, fewer immune cell types and thinner periductal collagen, the connective tissue in the mammary gland. "Some of these changes may be consistent with a loss of the protective effects that are typically associated with pregnancy," says Mogus, who was chosen to present the research, deemed "particularly newsworthy" by the Endocrine Society, at the international group's virtual annual meeting, ENDO 2021, beginning March 20. Mogus says future studies should address whether pregnant females exposed to propylparaben are actually more susceptible to breast cancer. "Because pregnant women are exposed to propylparaben in many personal care products and foods, it is possible that they are at risk," Mogus says, adding that pregnant and breastfeeding women should try to avoid using products containing propylparaben and other parabens. "This chemical is so widely used, it may be impossible to avoid entirely," Mogus adds. "It is critical that relevant public health agencies address endocrine-disrupting chemicals as a matter of policy." ### This research received funding from the University of Massachusetts Commonwealth Honors College Grant, the Endocrine Society's Summer Research Fellowship and the National Institutes of Health. Other study co-authors are Charlotte LaPlante, Ruby Bansal, Klara Matouskova, Shannon Silva, Elizabeth Daniele, Mary Hagen and Karen Dunphy, all of UMass Amherst; Benjamin Schneider and Sallie Schneider of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass.; and D. Joseph Jerry of UMass Amherst's Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute in Springfield. Several years ago, I visited a preschool where a friend worked. I walked into her classroom just as she was asking her students to sit criss-cross-applesauce on the floor. The children found their way to a comically vibrant rug across the room and sat on their bottoms with their legs crossed in front of them. Later on during my visit while the kids were napping, I mentioned to my friend that I thought calling that style of sitting criss-cross-applesauce was adorable and when I was in school we called it by a different name. Ya, we dont call it that anymore the old term was offensive, my friend said. ADVERTISEMENT And she was right. I learned that millions of schools and childrens organizations nationwide had swapped out the offensive term and upgraded to this delightful new one. It was a win-win. I thought about this interaction when Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced on March 2, Dr. Seuss birthday, that they would no longer publish six of Dr. Seuss books because of racist and insensitive imagery found in them. But unlike criss-cross-applesauce, the company wasnt trading in the six recalled titles for six new ones with a social justice minded perspective. These six books were simply just done. Dr. Seuss Enterprises did issue a short statement acknowledging that illustrations found in the six nixed books were racist. The company felt halting publication of these books also halted the spread of these harmful depictions and the stereotypes that they perpetuated. And Dr. Suess Enterprises was right, too. Or, at least I think they are right, but as Ive learned, not everyone would agree. Throughout the day, posts were popping up on my friends social media pages. While many agreed with me that pulling these titles was the right thing to do, a number of posts regarded the act as a product of an overly sensitive society and a casualty of cancel culture. Since the six nixed books were canceled voluntarily by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, it doesnt quite fit the description of cancel culture, which typically starts by being called out by the public. But canceled or not, there is something to consider in all of this. Dr. Seuss Enterprises took an introspective look into their books, their messaging, and their role in childrens literature and made a change. Im sure this was not an overnight decision and that other alternative solutions were proposed, but Dr. Seuss Enterprises taught us all a lesson in accountability on March 2. Whether we call it cancel culture, social action or tikkun olam, may we all be able to look inside and make the necessary changes for a better tomorrow for every Who Down in Whoville. 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. Workers interests will be protected: Nirmala Sitharaman on bank privatisation India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman said that merging of banks of privatisation of financial institutions will not hurt the interest of the employees. These decisions are not being taken in a hurried manner and the Centre is committed to taking care of the workers. "There are many banks which are performing very well. Some banks are performing just alright. But now we need banks that are able to scale up. We need banks of the size of the State Bank of India to meet the aspirational needs of the sector," Nirmala Sitharaman said. Even for those banks which are likely to be privatised, the privatised institutions too will continue to function after privatisation. The interests of the staff will be protected, the Finance Minister also said. The Finance Minister at the briefing after the Cabinet meeting said that not all banks are going to be privatised. The interests of workers of banks which are likely to be privatised will absolutely be protected - whether their salaries or scale or pension, all will be taken care of, Sitharaman also said. She also said that there is a need for many more banks the size of SBI to meet the aspirational needs of the country. The comments come in the backdrop of the protest by the Union Forum of Bank Unions. The unions have been on a two day strike starting Monday. The vivo Y70 was the last of the Android phones on my list for review last year, but unfortunately the test device reached me just before the holidays, due to logistical issues. Hence, this review has been delayed a fair bit. The Y70 is another one of the 4G devices that manufacturers resorted to launching in the Australian market last year once it became apparent that 5G availability for mobiles was just so much hype. Of course, by then many smartphone makers had reaped the benefits of the higher prices that those models command. Like any other 4G Android phone in this range the Y70 costs $449 there is much that is good, and some aspects which are better on other models. Taken on a normal sunny day about 11am. The user has to compare and see what he/she needs, what kind of use they intend to put the device to, and then part with their hard-earned. For me, there are a few aspects of the Y70 that are are plus points. The 6.44-inch 1080P AMOLED Halo Display is very clear and even at the bog standard 60Hz it stands out. vivo, one of the three main brands from the Chinese electronics giant B.B.K. Electronics the others are OPPO and OnePlus has given the Y70 a thin body and it weighs 171 grammes. The skin over Android 10 is called Funtouch OS 11 and it is clean. There aren't too many excessive apps and the sharpness is noticeable. But these days, every single Android device looks much like the previous one, The sameness of the operating system also tends to jar a bit. Which is why I often regret that Microsoft chose to give up on Windows for mobiles; at least, there would nominally have been three choices. Portrait mode also yields good results. Another good point about the Y70 is the charging technology. You can get to about 65% in half an hour and the 4100mAh battery is sufficient to go for a full day without any strain. In terms of storage and memory 128Gb and 8GB respectively the Y70 again is more than adequately equipped. You won't need to expend any of your cash on a SD-card for additional storage. But the SoC is an older one from Qualcomm, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, which is an 11nm octa-core processor. You can get better in this price range, that's all one has to say. The sound isn't the best when you listen without earphones. But given that vivo has provided a good set of headphones, using those is recommended; the sound is very good through those phones. Night shots come out clear. The camera set-up again is so-so and nothing out of this world. Pictures taken at night come out well, while those taken in daylight are as good or as bad as the next Android model in this range. vivo has fared well in India and Europe and hence its models may be geared towards those markets more than Australia. One could pick up the OPPO A91 for an additional $50, which is the best model I have used in this range that offers features commensurate with price. But then the cash goes to the same manufacturer anyway, so the Y70 would have done its job if it drives you in that direction! The Y70 is available instore and online at JB Hi-Fi, Big W, Officeworks, Mobileciti and Amazon. BASIC CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 RAM & ROM 8GB+128GB Battery 4100mAh (TYP) Fast Charging 33W (11V/3A) Colour Gravity Black and Oxygen Blue Operating System Funtouch OS 11 (Based on Android 10) BODY Dimensions 161.0074.087.83mm Weight 171g Material Plastic DISPLAY Screen 6.44-inch Resolution 24001080 (FHD+) Type AMOLED Touch Screen Capacitive multi-touch NETWORK Network UK/FR/DE/IT/ES/PL/AU/TR 2G GSM B2/3/5/8 3G WCDMA B1/2/5/8 4G FDD_LTE B1/2/3/5/7/8/20/28 4G TDD_LTE B38/40/41120M CA 1A+3A Card Slot 2 Nano SIM + 1 Micro SD Standby Mode Dual SIM and Dual Standby CAMERA Front 16 MP FF / Rear 48MP AF + 2MP AF (macro) + 2MP FF (bokeh) Aperture "Front: f/2.0 (main) Rear: f/1.8 + f/2.4 (macro) + f/2.4 (bokeh" Flash Rear flash Scene Modes "Front: Portrait, Photo, Video, Night, AR Stickers, Pano, Live Photo Rear: Portrait, Photo, Video, Night, AR Stickers, Pano, Live Photo, Pro, Slo-mo, AI 48 MP, DOC" MEDIA Hi-Fi Chipset N/A Audio Playback WAV, AAC, MP3, MP2, MIDI, Vorbis, APE, FLAC Video Playback MP4, 3GPP, AVI, WMV, RMVB, MKV, FLV Video Recording MP4 Voice Recording Supported CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, 5GHz Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0 USB Type-C GPS Supported OTG Supported NFC Supported FM Supported LOCATION Location GPS, Beidou, Galileo, GLONASS Sensors Accelerometer Supported Ambient Light Sensor Supported Proximity Sensor Supported E-compass Supported Fingerprint In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Gyroscope Gyroscope (Entity) IN THE BOX Model name Y70 Earpieces Supported Documentation Supported USB Supported USB Power Adapter Supported SIM Ejector Supported Protective Case Supported Protective Film (applied) Supported Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday to discuss contemporary issues amid the political crisis that has gripped the country, with the ruling CPN-UML factions, including the one led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, making last-ditch efforts to strike a deal to sustain the government, according to media reports on Tuesday. Tika Dhakal, a senior communication expert at the Office of the President, said that President Bhandari has called a meeting of leaders of all political parties represented in Parliament as well as former prime ministers to discuss contemporary politics, the Kathmandu Post reported. The parties represented in the Nepal Parliament that will attend the meeting are Prime Minister Oli's CPN-UML, Nepali Congress led by Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal, CPN-Maoist Centre led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda", Janata Samajbadi Party, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, Rashtriya Janamorcha and Nepal Majdoor Lisa Party. The meeting comes amid a political crisis triggered by Prime Minister Oli's dissolution of the House of Representatives in December. However, in a landmark ruling, the apex court last month reinstated the lower house of Parliament. Oli's move led to the Prachanda-led CPN-MC to split from the ruling NCP. Also read: CPN-Maoist Centre chief Prachanda proposes to drop 'Maoist Centre' from party name Prominent leaders of the CPN-UML's Nepal faction -- Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal had also sided with Prachanda in seeking Oli's resignation as Prime Minister. To make the situation worse, the Supreme Court recently nullified CPN-MC's merger with CPN-UML. The two parties had merged in May 2018 to form a unified Nepal Communist Party following the victory of their alliance in the 2017 general elections. According to the report, Oli will face a crisis if the CPN-MC withdraws its support it had lent to the UML in 2018. Talks have also been going on among the Nepali Congress, Maoist and Samajbadi leaders to form a coalition government. The all-party meeting by the President also comes at a time when the CPN-UML too appears to be headed for a split even though Madhav Kumar Nepal and Khanal returned to the UML fold after the Supreme Court's decision, it said. According to a report in The Himalayan Times, a meeting between the leader of the two CPN-UML factions on Monday ended in a stalemate with Nepal and Khanal demanding Oli to take back his decision on Friday that divested leaders close to the duo of key responsibilities in the party. Nepal, after the meeting, said that his faction told Oli to rescind his decision and restore the party structure that existed before the UML's merger with the CPN-Maoist Centre. On Friday, the Central Committee meeting of the CPN (UML) led by Prime Minister Oli had nominated 23 leaders of Maoist Centre, including the ministers to the party's central committee which the faction opposing him has said is against the norms of the party. He also changed the responsibilities of party leaders, stripping leaders close to Nepal of their responsibilities. Also read: Nepal's CPN (Maoist Centre) asks its ministers in Oli-led govt to resign en-masse Oli was not ready to withdraw the unilateral decisions made on March 12, said Bhim Rawal, a Standing Committee member. We are ready to reconcile if Oli withdraws the March 12 decisions. Or else, we will go ahead with our decisions, he was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post. Deputy parliamentary party leader Subas Chandra Nembang said that differences between the two factions could not be resolved. The establishment faction told the rival faction that the Supreme Court's decision to nullify the unification between the UML and the CPN-MC was an opportunity to take the party forward unitedly. A leader from the establishment faction was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times that the Nepal-Khanal faction kept questioning the legality of the party's March 12 decision, but the establishment faction kept arguing that the meeting held to take that decision was valid. Meanwhile, the Nepal-Khanal faction wrote a letter to the Election Commission on Sunday, urging it not to implement the decisions taken by the establishment faction led by Oli. They have argued that the amendment made to the party's statute by the Oli-faction was illegal, stating that as per the party's statute, its provisions could be amended only by the party's General Convention or Statute Amendment Council. Fifty-eight people have been killed in "barbarous" attacks on a bus and nearby villages in Niger close to the country's border with Mali, the government said on Tuesday. On Monday afternoon, "groups of armed, still unidentified individuals intercepted four vehicles carrying passengers back from the weekly market of Banibangou to the villages of Chinedogar and Darey-Daye," the government said in a statement read out on public television. "The toll from these barbarous acts (is) 58 dead, one injured, a number of grain silos and two vehicles burned and two more vehicles seized," it added. No group claimed responsibility, but Niger is struggling with two jihadist campaigns -- in the west near Mali and Burkina Faso, and a decade-old insurgency in the southeast on the border with Nigeria. The raids took place in the Tillaberi region located in the "tri-border area" -- a flashpoint zone where the frontiers of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali converge. Earlier, a local resident had told AFP that the raids began with an attack on a bus travelling to Chinedogar, in which "around 20 people were killed." Another resident said those killed had been shopping at Banibangou, a major market town just a few kilometres (miles) from the Malian border. "Armed bandits" then attacked villages at around 6 pm, killing about 30 people, a security source said. The government announced three days of national mourning from Wednesday. It called for "greater vigilance" from the population and reaffirmed its "determination to relentlessly pursue the fight against criminality in all its forms". - Sahel violence - Niger is part of a France-backed alliance of countries in the Sahel region battling militants, including some in a group aligned with the Islamic State known as ISWAP -- an offshoot of Boko Haram. Hundreds of lives have been lost, nearly half a million people have fled their homes, and devastating damage has been inflicted. Story continues On January 2, 100 people were killed in attacks on two villages in the Mangaize district of Tillaberi. The massacre, one of the worst in Niger's history, occurred between two rounds of the country's presidential election. In December 2019, 71 Nigerien troops died in an attack at Inates, and the following month 89 were killed in an assault on their base at Chinedogar. Along with central Mali, the lawless tri-border area sees the most frequent and deadliest jihadist attacks anywhere in the Sahel region. French forces working with local troops have stepped up operations in the region since early 2020, following the string of attacks on military camps that killed hundreds of soldiers. bh/stb/de/spm/dl The Caymus Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will hold their March meeting with Zoom participation at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 31. The featured speaker will be Antoinette Dooley McElroy speaking about the American flag, Old Glory, its history and the connection to her third great grandfather Navy Captain William Driver. In 1831 Driver, a master mariner, sailed the ship Charles Doggett out of Salem, Massachusetts. For his first voyage at the age of 21, William was gifted a handmade American flag which he proudly flew on the mainmast of his ship and nicknamed Old Glory. The flag is now displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. DAR member Liz Couse will present flag information and show her 13-star colony flag and her 1907 flag commemorating the year Oklahoma became a state. The DAR membership is open to any woman who can prove a direct lineage to any Revolutionary War patriot, either a soldier or civilian, who aided the cause. Membership gives verification to their ancestors part in the Revolutionary War. Prospective members are invited to attend a meeting to get to know the chapter. For instructions on participating in the March Zoom meeting, call Regent Dianne Fraser at 963-7329. Company News: Momentum for cannabis stocks continues to intensify, as international acceptance instils confidence in companies to develop and distribute legal products. The confidence in the market was highlighted on Wednesday this week, when GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd. GWPH, announced it was being acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC JAZZ in a $7 billion deal. GW develops Epidiolex, a drug that won US Food and Drug Administration approval as a treatment for severe forms of childhood epilepsy in 2018, while JAZZ is a specialist in sleep medications. We dont think this is the last deal we will see in the sector, said Nawan Butt, portfolio manager of the Medical Cannabis and Wellness UCITS ETF UK:CBDX. It is also another example that the cannabis industry is continuing to normalise and evolve beyond the traditional cultivation of flower, with potential well outside of our borders, said Wilson. For investors, the acquisition of GW Pharma is another reminder that investing in cannabis touches many verticals globally, requiring a diverse approach beyond traditional cannabis cultivation companies, ETF Manager Groups Jason Wilson said. An improving regulatory environment is also speeding along the acceptance of pharmaceutical cannabis products. The industry was boosted by the election of Joe Biden to the US Presidency. The Biden Administration is expected to pursue an agenda of reforming the U.S.s strict cannabis laws. This would see cannabis declassifies as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin. Meanwhile, New York is expected to legalise cannabis in 2021, Mexico has published federal medical cannabis regulations and the United Nations is also removing medical cannabis from its list of dangerous narcotics. Amidst this changing landscape, it is not just the major companies such as GW Pharmaceuticals that have been able to capitalise. ASX listed Creso Pharma Limited (ASX:CPH; FRA: 1X8) has been consolidating its position as one of the few ASX-listed companies in the cannabis sector that is generating material revenues. Investors who took a stake in Creso Pharma approximately three months ago are now looking at a near ten-bagger. However, the company says we are just getting started. This week, the company announced it had received four new purchase orders (PO), received repeat orders from existing clients, entered yet another new market and forged a relationship with a new client that has a government-owned retail cannabis monopoly, while also notching up its first sale of a new strain of the flagship Ritual Green brand. Creso Pharma informed the market that wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary Mernova Medicinal Inc had secured the four new purchase orders with a combined value of nearly $250,000. The orders related to its high-quality, indoor-grown, hand-trimmed, hang dried, cured, artisanal, craft cannabis, in dried flower form, sold under the Ritual Green brand. The new orders include a maiden purchase order from Cannabis NB, the government-owned retail cannabis monopoly in the Atlantic Canadian Province of New Brunswick an important new market for CPH. During the quarter ended 31 September 2020, Cannabis NB sold C$20.1 million worth of cannabis, which represented a 23% quarter-on-quarter increase. Mernova has also received two additional POs from the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) totalling C$104,200 (A$105,923). Importantly, one of these POs marks Mernovas first-ever order for Black Mamba, the latest premium quality offering to be sold under the Ritual Green brand. A second PO has been received from the Yukon, valued at C$43,842 (A$44,903). Commenting on the strong order flow, entry into new market and first sales of a new strain, Mernova managing director Jack Yu said, To receive our first PO from the Province of New Brunswick, as well as additional POs from the NSLC and the Yukon, is a great way for Mernova to start the year, and shows that 2021 should be promising for us. "New Brunswick is proving itself to be a rapidly growing market, with strong demand for cannabis, and we are excited to have Ritual Green products for sale online, and in stores province-wide. Sales in the Yukon are proving to be stronger than anticipated, with Triple Js Canna Space selling out of all Mernova products purchased in their initial order. We expect this trend to continue, given the high demand for our products, and look forward to filling a number of new POs expected shortly. In a major development, we are also excited to have launched our Black Mamba strain. We are very excited for our customer base to try our latest premium quality Ritual Green offering. There has been great interest in this strain, and we expect Black Mamba to be as well-received as the rest of the Ritual Green family of products. As well as assessing potential new markets, Mernova is also progressing new product development initiatives and anticipates multiple launches in the coming months. New offerings include hash products which will be sold under the Ritual Black brand and pre-roll joints to be sold under the Ritual Sticks brand with Creso anticipating that these offerings will add another revenue stream for the company. Pointing to the future, Yu said, "These latest POs show that our Ritual Green brand products continue to gain traction and that we are developing a reputation for quality. Product sales on a province-by-province basis are progressing well, and we look forward to the imminent launch of our Ritual Sticks, and Ritual Black brands. We are just getting started. December quarter highlights CPHs rise In the December quarter, Creso received cash of more than $709,000 from its customers, representing a 740% increase compared with the prior quarter, and management expects further increases in the March quarter of 2021. Commenting on Creso Pharmas strong December quarter, non-executive chairman Adam Blumenthal said, The quarter was a period of rapid growth for the company. Creso achieved a number of major milestones in international markets, which were underpinned by favourable regulatory shifts. Pleasingly, Creso continued to expand its global footprint. Through the companys animal health business, we entered the Latin American market and Mernova continued to gain traction in Canada, progressing agreements and purchase orders to unlock a number of new provinces. ''The company also furthered its presence in the Australian and New Zealand market, securing an agreement with Martin & Pleasance to drive growth. Strong sales were achieved over the period, stemming from a scale-up of Mernovas operations and the receipt of a number of new orders. ''While the uptick in customer receipts is very pleasing, we are now focused on continuing this rapid growth. Medical staff take samples from residents for Covid-19 tests in Seoul, 2021. Photo by Reuters. All foreign workers in South Korea, including illegal Vietnamese immigrants, can get Covid-19 testing done for free until March 22, the Vietnamese labor ministry says. The identities of illegal immigrants will not be disclosed, the South Korean government has promised, according to the Center of Overseas Labor under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. It said that South Korea's Ministry of Justice will temporarily suspend a crackdown on overstayers so they will not become a loophole in the country's fight against the pandemic. The number of overstayers reached a high of 398,518 last year, up 8.7 percent year-on-year. Most of the overstayers are from countries such as China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Nepal, The Strait Times reported. To encourage the overstayers to come forward for testing, the South Korean government has promised they would not screen visas at test centers and require testers to submit only a phone number for registration and notification of test results. All foreigners, including Vietnamese working in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, are required to be tested for Covid-19 before March 22 as part of South Korea's efforts to curb the spread of the virus among migrant workers in the region. Those refusing to do so can face fines of up to three million won ($3,550). Many workers are stranded in South Korea due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected nearly 65,000 people in the nation and caused 1,007 deaths. South Korea last month allowed Vietnamese and other foreign workers with expired Employment Permit System (EPS) contracts to become seasonal employees until March 2022. Unable to return because of the Covid-19 pandemic, they will be granted an extended residence permit by South Korea's Ministry of Justice. There are nearly 50,000 Vietnamese workers in South Korea which has been struggling with a new Covid-19 outbreak. South Korea has recorded over 96,000 novel coronavirus infections so far. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Michigan is expanding vaccine eligibility once again this month, and by April 5, anyone age 16 or older will be eligible to make an appointment. Gov. Gretchen Whitmers announcement on March 12 came hours after President Biden called on states to open eligibility to all adults by May 1. Michigan has almost 8.1 million residents age 16 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 24% already have gotten at least one dose of vaccine and 14% are fully vaccinated. Michiganders 50 and older will soon be eligible for coronavirus vaccine Here is what you need to know about the expansion of vaccine eligibility. 1. Through March 21, eligibility includes ages 50 to 64 with preexisting conditions, disabilities and other medical vulnerabilities and caregivers of children with disabilities. In defining disability, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services points to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which covers persons with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, reading, bending, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. Preexisting conditions include that qualify include: Asthma; Cancer; Cerebrovascular disease; Chronic kidney disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Cystic fibrosis; Pulmonary fibrosis; Down Syndrome; Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies; High blood pressure; Weakened immune system from transplant, HIV or use of corticosteroids or other medications that weaken the immune system; Liver disease; Neurologic conditions such as dementia; Obesity or overweight, defined as body mass index over 25; Sickle cell disease; Smoker; Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Thalassemia. Caregiver family members and guardians age 16 years and older of children with special health-care needs also may be vaccinated. Special health care needs include any physical, developmental, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, or emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical management, health care intervention, and/or use of specialized services or programs, according to MDHHS. The condition may be congenital, developmental, or acquired through disease, trauma, or environmental cause and may impose limitations in performing daily self-maintenance activities or substantial limitations in a major life activity. 2. Proof of eligibility may vary depending on the vaccine provider. MDHHS is not specifying what documentation is needed for those age 50 to 64 with preexisting conditions and those who are caregivers of special-needs children. That will be up to the vaccine provider. We will require proof. We hear most places will require some kind of proof, said John Foren, a spokesman for Sparrow Health System in Lansing. Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids said they will rely on information provided on peoples registration forms. We ask everyone to provide complete and accurate information on any underlying medical conditions that may or may not make them eligible for vaccination at this time, said a statement from Spectrum Health. 3. Those previously eligible also can continue to schedule an appointment if they havent been vaccinated yet. Those eligible before this month remain eligible, and many providers are prioritizing those groups. That includes people age 65 and older, 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. 4. On March 22, all residents 50 years and older will be eligible for a vaccine as well as younger adults with pre-existing conditions. Starting Monday, March 22, anyone age 50 or older is eligible for a vaccine, as well as any resident 16 years or older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at higher risk of a serious cases of COVID-19 will be eligible for a vaccine. See the list above for qualifying conditions. Vaccinations also will continue to be available for all those previously eligible. 5. Every Michigan resident age 16 and older will be eligible starting April 5. All Michiganders 16 years and older will be eligible for a shot beginning Monday, April 5. Thats much sooner than the previous projection, which had all remaining adults eligible beginning mid-to-late summer. 6. Eligibility does not guarantee immediate access. At this point, demand for vaccines continue to outstrip supply. However, President Biden has stated that the United States will have produced enough vaccine for all adults by the end of May. Michigan opens vaccines to more people, but frustration grows for those still struggling to book appointments Some providers say they will continue to prioritize older adults, essential workers and people with pre-existing conditions, so it may take longer for young, healthy adults to get an appointment. 7. Signing up for an appointment. Meijer, Rite-Aid, Walgreen and Kroger pharmacies and Cardinal Health in the Upper Peninsula are offering vaccines, and may be your best bet. Most of those places require people to book appointments online. Here are links to the vaccine websites for Meijer, Rite-Aid, Walgreens and Krogers. Individuals also can sign up for waiting lists with their local health department as well as their local hospitals. Heres a link to contact information for local health departments. The federal government also is operating a mass vaccination site at Ford Field in Detroit. The site will begin serving southeast Michigan residents from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 24. The clinic will be open seven days a week through mid-May. Click here for a link to get an appointment. Detroits Ford Field picked as new mass COVID-19 vaccination site 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 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 8. COVID-19 vaccinations are provided at no cost to patients. You will not be charged any fees for the vaccine, regardless of whether you have health insurance coverage or not, MDHHS says on its website. If you do have insurance coverage, the vaccine provider may charge your insurance an administrative fee, but YOU will not have to pay anything. (If you are uninsured, this fee will come from the Health Resources and Services Administrations Providers Relief Fund, NOT you.) 9. People do not get to choose which of the three vaccines they will receive. While supplies are scarce, it is unlikely that you will be able to choose which vaccine you receive from your medical provider, the MDHHS website says. You should not wait; you should take whichever vaccine is available to you. CDC does not make a preference for one vaccine over another. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two doses. If you receive the Pfizer vaccine, the second dose needs to be 21 days after the first dose, and the second dose of the Moderna vaccine needs to be 28 days after the first. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose. No, the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine is not inferior, Michigan doctors say Read more on MLive: Michigans coronavirus numbers are going up, but will vaccinations blunt the impact? COVID brides and industry professionals consider how the pandemic could change future weddings COVID-19 pandemic still teaching Michigan schools lessons a year later 9 things we got totally wrong about COVID-19 a year ago STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. More than 40 people gathered in the parking lot of the International Christian Center in Graniteville Monday afternoon to voice concerns amid the ongoing conversation about the role of school safety agents. Most people dont really know what school safety does, said Harold Wise, a school safety agent for the past 18 years and an organizer of Mondays event who conducts community outreach on Staten Island. There are school safety agents like myself that run programs after school and we dont get paid for it. And when the kids need someone to speak to, they speak to us. Wise, along with other school safety agents who attended the event, voiced anger towards calls to give the city Department of Education control of the sect of civilian employees, who are currently under the jurisdiction of the NYPD. A City Council hearing in February, which reportedly became heated, helped spark the conversation regarding the future of school safety agents, and Mondays gathering was the latest dialogue in the continuing conversation about the issue. Im also talking as a parent, not even as a school safety agent, said Norman Sweeney, a school safety agent at I.S. 61 and an 11-year veteran of the job. We are trained by the Police Department to de-escalate every situation ... Without us in the schools, I just think it will be chaos. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams takes questions at the gathering Monday. (Staten Island Advance/Joseph Ostapiuk) Public Advocate Jumaane Williams took questions, which often became pointed, from those in attendance regarding his comments at the aforementioned City Council meeting and his stance on the issue. Its important to me that we reimagine what public safety is, said Williams, who made clear that he was aware of the positive work done by school safety agents for children in schools. I have had some great experiences, believe it or not, with NYPD police officers, he added. But that doesnt mean the structure of the way we deal with policing doesnt need some change. Williams demonstrated his support for changing the model of school safety into a restorative justice model, explaining, what that means is eventually getting us to a point where the existing infrastructure of police and law enforcement are no longer what keeps or makes us feel safe as a school. I think thats a process that we have to take, and its not going to happen overnight, said Williams. Councilwoman Debi Rose speaks at Monday's gathering (Staten Island Advance/Joseph Ostapiuk) Councilwoman Debi Rose, who said she attended the event to listen, said school safety officers could become a part of that restorative justice model and provide safety without being attached to some of the militarism of the NYPD. Wise contended that children do not perceive school safety agents as members of the NYPD. They dont look at us like were cops, he said. Kyle, a former Port Richmond High School student who did not provide his last name, said: All the school safety Ive ever encountered have made me feel like family. I think a lot of people have just an ill-will toward school safety because of all of the things that are happening now with the police,' Kyle said. They put them in the same category. I disagree with that. Theyre not only people with a uniform to protect us, theyre like family. [Race/Related is available as a newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.] In 1717, a prominent Jesuit priest handed over a sprawling Maryland plantation controlled by his Catholic order to a new owner. Amid the hogs and milk cows, candlesticks and chalices were 15 enslaved men, women and children. The Jesuits soon regained control of the estate and their human property. But the handwritten deed, the oldest known record of Jesuit slaveholding in Maryland, made plain what some settlers already knew: The Jesuits had turned to the enslavement of human beings to help fuel the growth of the early Catholic Church. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The U.S. will reach herd immunity threshold when more than 71% of the U.S. population has been exposed to COVID or effectively vaccinated against it, most likely by mid-summer, says a management consultant firm that has been tracking COVID cases. However, the country will see significant variations by states and must watch out for the potential impact of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, according to Oliver Wymans COVID-19 Pandemic Navigator. States such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island will reach herd immunity first as early as the end of May or early June because these states had the highest levels of infection to date (including detected cases and estimated undetected cases), according to Oliver Wymans analysis. Maine and Hawaii, which had low levels of infection, are predicted to be among the last states to reach herd immunity sometime after August. Vaccinations will be critical for each state to reach herd immunity, especially for states with lower levels of COVID-19 infections to date, said Ugur Koyluoglu, Oliver Wyman partner. Koyluoglu said the pace of vaccination has been fast and accelerating across all states, which is good news and essential for herd immunity. He said moving forward the key will be to ensure enough of the population is willing to be vaccinated. Oliver Wyman, a Marsh McLennan company, has produced an animated video showing when each state might reach herd immunity. Oliver Wymans Pandemic Navigator not only forecasts detected COVID-19 cases, but also estimates undetected COVID-19 cases historically and into the future. The model tracks and projects the number of effectively vaccinated individuals to date as well as the number of people expected to get a vaccine in the future. Topics COVID-19 USA Marsh McLennan STAFF in the Limerick vaccination centre in the Radisson Blu Hotel have not been giving any jabs since Sunday morning as AstraZeneca is the only vaccine they have, the Leader has Learned. After a media query to UL Hospitals Group, a spokesperson said following information received from the Norwegian Medicines Agency on Saturday, March 13, and following discussions with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended that the administration of Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in Ireland be temporarily deferred from Sunday, March 14. "The recommendation was made following a report from the Norwegian Medicines Agency of four new reports of serious blood clotting events in adults after vaccination with Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. "It has not been concluded that there is any link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and these cases. However, acting on the precautionary principle, and pending receipt of further information, NIAC has recommended the temporary deferral of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca vaccination programme in Ireland," said the spokesperson. They said all clinics and appointments using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, including those at the Mid-West Vaccination Centre in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road, have been deferred in line with the national guidance. "We appreciate the concern this temporary deferral causes, especially for those directly affected by the decision, and we await further advice from the Chief Medical Officer and NIAC," concluded the UL Hospitals Group. Coal Miner Persecuted to Death in China for His Spiritual Belief A Chinese man was persecuted to death by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in February. While alive, he was tortured by prison guards in a bid to force him to abandon his belief in the spiritual practice Falun Gong. Yue Caiyun, a 54-year-old coal miner, was seized by authorities at work on Aug. 21, 2020, in Hangzhou city in eastern Chinas Zhejiang Province. The police arrested him on the charge of mailing Falun Gong materials, according to Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website dedicated to reporting the persecution of Falun Gong in China. While detained, Yue went on a hunger strike for several months to protest against being persecuted. After being sentenced to 1 year and 4 months in prison last December, Yue was prevented from seeing his family due to the pandemic. In late February, Yue was rushed to a hospital for emergency care and he died soon afterward, Minghui.org reported. He is survived by his wife and son. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice that originated in China. It is composed of meditative exercises and a set of teachings based around the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Its surge in popularity in the 1990s saw some 70 million people practicing by 1999, according to official estimates at the time. Threatened by this popularity, the CCP launched a persecution against the practice in 1999. Since then, millions of Falun Gong practitioners have been thrown into prisons, psychiatric wards, and other facilities, while hundreds of thousands have suffered torture, according to estimates from the Falun Dafa Information Center. Yue was previously persecuted after he went to Beijing in 2003 to petition the CCP to abandon its suppression of Falun Gong. As a result, he was sentenced to re-education through labor for three years, reported Minghui.org. During that time, he was severely tortured at the Xuchang labor camp in central Chinas Henan Province. The prison guards used a variety of torture methods on Yue. In one method known as the roasted lamb, the victims legs and hands are tied to a stick while being beaten by a group of people. In another torture method called the binding chair, the victim is tied to a chair for several days to prevent rest. Yue was also subjected to rope punishment, where the victims hands are tied back with a thin nylon rope and lifted up, causing unbearable pain. This form of torture can cause the rope to cut deep into the flesh, causing injury and disability. Yue was made to endure this torture method 20 times, while at the same time being denied rest for an entire week, Minghui.org reported. Iteris Awarded $1.2 Million Texas DOT IDIQ Contract for Smart Mobility and Traffic Engineering Services SANTA ANA, Calif.---Iteris, Inc. , the global leader in smart mobility infrastructure management, today announced that it has been awarded a three-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), with a potential value of up to $1.2 million, representing continued demand for Iteris specialized consulting services in a key geographic market. The three-year program includes traffic signal timing improvements at key intersections throughout the Houston district, one of the countrys largest metropolitan areas, which houses over 1,000 signalized intersections. We are proud to be selected again by TxDOT to support important infrastructure projects in the state of Texas, one of the largest and most progressive transportation markets in the U.S., said Scott Carlson, regional vice president, Transportation Systems at Iteris. Texas is a key strategic market for Iteris and, with this being the fourth TxDOT IDIQ awarded to Iteris in the past three years, we expect to further expand our share of specialized consulting, managed services and software-as-a-service revenue in the state. With this contract, which was awarded in December 2020, Iteris expands its current traffic engineering and smart mobility work to another TxDOT district, for a total potential TxDOT backlog of over $9.3 million from six IDIQ contracts awarded over the past five years. In May 2019, Iteris was awarded an IDIQ contract from TxDOT for traffic signal timing, traffic signal operations and signal communication analysis in the Austin district. That contract was a three-year commitment with a potential value of up to $2 million. In June 2020, Iteris was awarded a $1 million contract by the City of Round Rock to provide mobility intelligence solutions and video detection technology updates throughout the Texas city. About Iteris, Inc. Iteris is the global leader in smart mobility infrastructure management the foundation for a new era of mobility. We apply cloud computing, artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, advisory services and managed services to achieve safe, efficient and sustainable mobility. Our end-to-end solutions monitor, visualize and optimize mobility infrastructure around the world to help ensure that roads are safe, travel is efficient, and communities thrive. Visit www.iteris.com for more information and join the conversation on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. MT. PLEASANT, S.C., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Motley Rice LLC, one of the nation's largest plaintiffs' law firms, is proud to announce the addition of veteran securities lawyer Serena Hallowell (NY) to its New York City office. Joining as a member of the firm and a leader of its securities fraud litigation team, Hallowell will oversee Motley Rice's direct-action litigation and litigate securities fraud class actions on behalf of institutional investors seeking to recover investment-related losses and hold corporations accountable for financial malfeasance and misconduct. With nearly 20 years of legal experience, Hallowell has led or been a key member of several litigation teams that have achieved notable recoveries in direct action and class action settlements, totaling in the aggregate close to $500 million*, including: In re Barrick Gold Securities Litigation ( $140 million settlement) ( settlement) In re Computer Sciences Corp. Securities Litigation ( $97.5 million settlement)( at the time the third largest all-cash settlement in the Fourth Circuit) ( settlement)( at the time the third largest all-cash settlement in the Fourth Circuit) Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi v. Endo ( $50 million settlement) (state court Section 11 action believed to be the largest class settlement obtained pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with a secondary public offering) ( settlement) (state court Section 11 action believed to be the largest class settlement obtained pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with a secondary public offering) In re NII Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation ( $41.5 million settlement) (settlement was obtained even after company filed bankruptcy) ( settlement) (settlement was obtained even after company filed bankruptcy) Medoff v. CVS Caremark Corporation ( $48 million settlement) ( settlement) In re Intuitive Surgical Securities Litigation ( $42.5 million settlement)* Serena has also led opt-out cases against companies, including Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Perrigo Company, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, for a variety of institutional investors seeking to recoup losses stemming from allegedly fraudulent conduct. In these matters and others, she has worked for some of the world's largest institutional investors, including pension funds, hedge funds, mutual funds, asset managers and other large institutional investors. "Serena is recognized among her peers as one of the leaders within the securities fraud litigation bar and a role model for not only other women, but all lawyers in the field. She is a strong advocate for her clients in complex securities fraud class actions and direct-action matters," said Motley Rice securities and consumer fraud practice group leader William Narwold. "Her experience and perspective complements and adds to Motley Rice's growing securities and consumer fraud practice group, offering our clients even more experience when contemplating and entering these complicated matters." Hallowell has earned many recognitions including being recognized by 2020 Chambers USA for Litigation: Securities: Plaintiffs New York; being named a "Securities MVP" in 2019 by Law360; and being recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the 2019 "Trailblazers" Plaintiffs' Lawyers and one of the 2020 "Elite Women in Plaintiffs Bar." Her past pro bono work included representing immigrant detainees in removal proceedings and devoting time to the Securities Arbitration Clinic at Brooklyn Law School. She actively champions women's rights and diversity initiatives, and she has co-chaired events focused on institutional investing in women and minority-led investment firms. Hallowell is a graduate of Boston University School of Law and Occidental College. *Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; results depend on each client's particular facts and legal circumstances. About Motley Rice LLC As one of the nation's largest plaintiffs' litigation firms, Motley Rice works to improve the lives of domestic and international workers, consumers, families and investors harmed by corporate wrongdoing. We fight to protect our clients through all phases of litigation, including litigating class actions and opt outs against Fortune 500 companies and other formidable adversaries to recover investor dollars and achieve needed reforms. Motley Rice has a strong track record in securities litigation, including holding significant leadership roles in large, complex and impactful settlements, decisions and cases. The firm also handles complex litigation in numerous areas, including antitrust; consumer protection; mesothelioma; environmental contamination; prescription and over-the-counter drugs; other medical devices; human rights; aviation disasters; and wrongful death. With a tradition of representing those whose rights have been violated, Motley Rice attorneys gained recognition for their pioneering asbestos lawsuits, their work with the State Attorneys General in the landmark litigation against Big Tobacco, and their representation of 9/11 families in the ongoing lawsuit against terrorist financiers. Motley Rice is headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and has additional offices in Connecticut; Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; New York; Missouri; Rhode Island; and West Virginia. For more information, contact Motley Rice attorney Joe Rice (SC, DC) or William Narwold (CT, DC, NY, SC) at 1.800.768.4026 or visit www.motleyrice.com. Motley Rice LLC, a South Carolina Limited Liability Company, is engaged in the New Jersey practice of law through Motley Rice New Jersey LLC. Esther Berezofsky is the attorney responsible for New Jersey practice. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. SOURCE Motley Rice LLC Related Links http://www.motleyrice.com NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again, the French Bulldog took NYC's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in San Diego and Fort Worth. The Labrador Retriever jumped up to the #2 spot, pushing the Golden Retriever down to #3. German Shepherd Dogs rose up the ranks as well and the Bulldog pawed its way up the charts, landing at number five. "New York City's love for the Frenchie is only growing stronger," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The adaptable, versatile pup makes a great pet for suburban families and city dwellers, alike." NYC's top 5 breeds for 2020: 1. French Bulldog 2. Golden Retriever 3. Labrador Retriever 4. German Shepherd Dog 5. Bulldog * Registration data pulled from NYC zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service True to the diversity of NYC, there were notable favorites among the city's distinct neighborhoods: Astoria : French Bulldog French Bulldog Chelsea: French Bulldog French Bulldog East Village: French Bulldog French Bulldog Financial District: French Bulldog French Bulldog Murray Hill : Golden Retriever Golden Retriever New Dorp: German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd Dog Park Slope: Labrador Retriever Labrador Retriever Riverdale : German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd Dog Tribeca: Bulldog Bulldog Upper East Side: Labrador Retriever Labrador Retriever Upper West Side: French Bulldog French Bulldog Washington Heights : Poodle Poodle Williamsburg: French Bulldog The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 1. Labrador Retriever 2. French Bulldog 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. Golden Retriever 5. Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy who sustained serious injuries at a house in Rathbane on Saturday has sadly passed away this Tuesday afternoon. A garda spokesperson said gardai at Roxboro Road are investigating all the circumstances surrounding an incident where a male child, aged four, suffered fatal injuries at a house in Rathbane on Saturday, March 13. "The boy passed earlier today (Tuesday) at Children's Hospital Ireland at Temple Street. A postmortem will be carried out at a later date which will determine the course of the investigation. "Investigating gardai maintain an open mind in this investigation and An Garda Siochana is not providing any further information at this time," said the garda spokesperson. Cllr Catherine Slattery described it as "a very tragic incident". "Neighbours of the family in the Rathbane area are all upset and shocked at this tragic news. I would like to pass on my condolences to the family, his siblings and friends. May he rest in peace, said Cllr Slattery. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money "to give him the send off he deserves". Times are so tough for people but nothing compares to what his family are going through. Let's all come together and make things that little bit easier for them. Every little helps, said the organiser. To donate please click here Prayers had been said for his recovery by so many since Saturday including by Fr Daniel Tomasik, co parish priest of Our Lady Queen of Peace, who said Mass for him. A woman gets a dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at a drive-through centre, in Milan, Italy. Italy is among those countries still administering the AstraZeneca jab. Picture: AP The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is scheduled to meet today but is not expected to make a decision on the AstraZeneca vaccine until Thursday. A pause was placed on the vaccine on Sunday in Ireland after four cases of blood clots in Norway. The pause has led to delays of 30,000 inoculations. However, a variety of health experts believe the benefits of the vaccine outweigh any side effects. The EMA is carrying out a safety review after the temporary suspension of the injection by a number of European nations. The groups safety committee will hold what is being described as an extraordinary meeting on Thursday to conclude the issue. The body said while its investigation continues, it feels the benefits of the vaccine do outweigh the risks of side-effects. It added that thousands of people develop blood clots each year for different reasons. The agency said that the number of events in vaccinated people seems to not be higher than that seen in the general population. Yesterday Germany, France, Italy and Spain were added to the list of countries which have paused the vaccine while waiting for an assessment. Britain and Northern Ireland are among those continuing to use AstraZeneca. Ireland temporarily suspended the inoculation as a precautionary measure. 30,000 health staff and those at high risk of illness, were awaiting the vaccine before it was put on hold. The head of the International Health and Tropical Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) Professor Sam McConkey told RTE the EMA will be looking for a dossier on the Norwegian cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) said its advisory committee is assessing the issue and there was no evidence any health incidents were caused by the vaccine. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency's vaccine safety experts would meet tomorrow to discuss the AstraZeneca vaccine. When Great Lakes Peterbilt sent recommendations for purchasing a 2012 garbage truck that sat in the lot for about two years, prosecutors have showed emails between Reeder, Snyder and the city attorney about how to purchase that truck without going to bid. The city attorney said a purchase over $150,000 has to go to bid, according to emails. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is being held in a prison camp in Russia's Vladimir region northeast of Moscow known for its strict control of inmates, a message posted on the opposition politician's Instagram account confirmed on Monday (March 15). Navalny's precise location had been unknown after his legal team said last week that he had been moved from the nearby Kolchugino jail and that they had not been told where he was being taken. On Monday, Navalny confirmed he was fine and being held at the IK-2 corrective penal colony in the town of Pokrov, about 100 km (60 miles) east of Moscow. "Hi everyone from 'Heightened control sector A'," Navalny said in a message posted online shortly after his lawyers visited him at the facility. "I have to admit that the Russian prison system has managed to surprise me. I never imagined that it was possible to build a real concentration camp 100 kilometres from Moscow". The post was accompanied by a picture of Navalny sat on a sofa with his hair cropped close to his head. Navalny, 44, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was jailed earlier this year for parole violations in a decision that the West has condemned as politically motivated. He is due to serve out a two-and-a-half year sentence and is only able to communicate with the outside world via his lawyers. The Instagram post said that swearing was banned at the facility and that the ban was widely observed by fellow inmates who seemed scared to turn their heads twice. He said he had not seen any prison violence or suggestion of it himself but could believe stories he had heard about past cases of violence. "There are video cameras everywhere, they keep watch on everyone and make reports for the slightest infractions. I think someone high up has read 1984 by Orwell," he said. He said he was woken up every hour during the night because he had been deemed a flight risk. "But if you regard everything with humour, you can live here. So on the whole everything is fine with me," he said. Navalny returned to Russia in January from Germany where he had been recuperating from being poisoned with what many Western nations said was a nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied involvement in his illness and questioned if he was poisoned. Western countries have called for Navalny's release, and the United States and European Union have imposed sanctions against Russian officials over the case. Calling any of the Armenian servicemen and civilians captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces "terrorists" is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in general. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, has noted this in statement, which reads as follows: At a press conference pertaining to the March 15, 2021 meeting with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan stated: "Azerbaijan has returned all the captives to Armenia in accordance with its obligations." The statement said that "on November 26, armed men from the Shirak province of Armenia () are not prisoners of war." These statements of the Azerbaijani authorities are made regularly. Considering that the issue concerns the protection of the rights of Armenian servicemen and civilians held captive in Azerbaijan and the fact that distorted presentation of facts to international organizations should not be allowed, Armenias Human Rights Defender considers it necessary to address the referenced statements in detail. 1. Both before and after the November 9 announcement, there is an ongoing armed conflict on the ground. This conclusion follows directly from international humanitarian law, in as much as all servicemen and civilians of the Armenian side detained in Azerbaijan are prisoners of war are subject to be protected by international law, and they must be immediately released and returned safely. 2. The release and return of prisoners of war is a mandatory international requirement, not an act of goodwill" or "kindness" of the Azerbaijani authorities. This requirement applies in international law, regardless of whether it is enshrined in specific conflict resolution documents, and must be met without preconditions. 3. The behavior and statements of the Azerbaijani authorities, at a minimum, attest to the following: 1) they artificially delay the release and return of the Armenian captives; 2) abuse legal procedures, falsify the requirements of international law, prosecute prisoners, and use deprivation of liberty as punishment; The special report of the RA Human Rights Defender proves with concrete examples that this practice grossly violates international human rights requirements (https://ombuds.am//fi/1138b156720bec6ae0fd88dc709eb62c.pdf); 3) they use the issue for political purposes. This refers, for example, to reports in the independent media that the Azerbaijani authorities are using the issue of the return of prisoners for the exchange of territories in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], bargaining and other political purposes. 4) they abuse Clause 8 of the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020 as it relates to the return of captives, and they link it to other points in the declaration, clearly taking advantage of the fact that it does not specify the date of fulfillment of that obligation. 5) they deliberately cause continuous mental suffering to the families of captives and missing persons, and hey blatantly toy with the feelings of the Armenia and Artsakh societies; 6) they create public tension in Armenia and Artsakh with their behavior; 7) they do not publish the true number of captives of the Armenian side held in Azerbaijan, and do so without any legal grounds and in gross violation of human rights requirements. 4. Consequently, calling any of the Armenian servicemen and civilians captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces "terrorists" is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in general. This assertion is particularly relevant given the requirements of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949. 5. The statements of the President of Azerbaijan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs about the captives directly contradict the intentions of the signatory parties to the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020 and the practical application of that announcement. In particular, based on the requirement of clause 8 of that statement, the Republic of Armenia has already transferred to Azerbaijan perpetrators of crimes in Artsakh, including two convicted Azerbaijani murderers of Armenian civilians. Azerbaijan handed over Armenians formally convicted in that country on the same principle. Moreover, there took place a return of captives after the November 9 trilateral announcement. 6. Therefore, the said statement should be applied to all situations arising from before as well as after November 9, and so long as there is an objective need for the protection of human rights and the humanitarian process due to the aftermath of hostilities. In principle, it is improper to condition the issue of prisoners based only on the date of the trilateral declaration. We emphasize once again that, regardless of the date of captivity, all servicemen of the Armenian side held in Azerbaijan, including civilians, are prisoners of war by their current status. Such a mechanical approach is unacceptable. 7. In addition to the foregoing, the credible evidence collected by the Human Rights Defender's Office of the Republic of Armenia confirms that the number of detainees is higher than confirmed by the Azerbaijani authorities. This assertion takes into account the return of 44 prisoners of war in a single group, including those captured during the hostilities prior to the November 9 tripartite declaration. The Human Rights Defender has registered numerous cases when, despite the evidence confirmed by videos and other evidence, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the fact that those people are within their custody and control, or delay the approval and processing of their release. 8. The absolute urgency of the issue of the release of prisoners should be considered in the context of the Azerbaijani state supported policy of hatred towards Armenians which has been repeatedly confirmed and based on objective evidence contained in the reports of Armenias Human Rights Defender. This fact is confirmed by a number of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. 9. Therefore, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia once again draws the attention of the international community and especially the international organizations with a mandate to protect human rights to the statement of the Azerbaijani authorities, and in this instance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. It is necessary to ensure the absolute implementation of international humanitarian and human rights requirements and, immediate release and return of the captives of Armenian side without preconditions. 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 formation of a government is followed by the payback time for its financiers. The SLPP cronies are having a field day. So far, only the sugar scam has come to light. by Prabath Sahabandu The government is in the same predicament as an ant struggling to stay afloat in a jar of sugar syrup. The Opposition is in overdrive, inveighing against the SLPP for a sugar import racket, which has come to be dubbed the sugar scam. A controversial government decision to reduce import duty on sugar for the benefit of one of its cronies is believed to have caused a loss of about Rs. 15 billion to the state coffers. Ruling party politicians and some public officials loyal to them have denied any wrongdoing, but the public does not believe anything until it is officially denied. Politicians who form a government after being starved of power for a long time, behave just like a bunch of famished persons given free food at a buffet. Their greed gets the better of them, and they make up for lost time. One may recall that no sooner had the UNP captured power in January 2015 than the first Treasury bond scam was committed at the Central Bank. The UNP had been struggling to pay for water and electricity at its headquarters, Sirikotha, but a few weeks after forming a government, it was rolling in money and even outspent the UPFA at the general election that followed. The SJB is labouring under the delusion that the sugar scam will cancel out the bond scams, and it will be able to improve its electoral performance. The formation of a government is followed by the payback time for its financiers. The SLPP cronies are having a field day. So far, only the sugar scam has come to light. The government would have the public believe that it reduced the import duty on sugar in good faith; it insists that it expected the sugar price to come down significantly, but some unscrupulous traders did not pass the benefit of the duty reduction on to the public. It says, it reduced import duties on several commodities and sugar was only one of them. True, it did so purportedly to bring down the cost of living, but the question is why only the duty reduction in respect of sugar has become an issue. The reason is the political connections of the main beneficiary of the duty reduction. The Opposition insists that the businessman who stood to gain is an SLPP financier, who sponsored the Viyathmaga events. The government owes an explanation. Among those who are calling for a probe into the sugar scam are some prominent government ministers, of all people. These crafty SLPP politicians have adopted the same ruse as the confederates of pickpockets. When pickpockets happen to come under attack by members of the public, their friends join the attackers and hit them harder than others do, take them away, vowing to hand them over to the police and thus help them make good their escape. One may recall what some SJB notables did while they were in the yahapalana government; they demanded action against the bond scammers, became members of the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) which probed the racket, and defended the racketeers while pretending to be attacking them. Finally, they unashamedly diluted the COPE report by having a slew of footnotes incorporated thereinto and safeguarded the interests of their government. They are now condemning corruption! The SLPP politicians are also emulating the accomplices of pickpockets and the public should not fall for their wiles. Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando, one of the few hardworking ministers, has said that about Rs. 10 bn has been allocated for constructing 1,000 bridges in rural areas. It may be argued that the amount of funds (Rs. 15 bn) the state has reportedly lost due to the sugar scam is equal to the cost of 1,500 rural bridges. If the government thinks it can get away with the sugar racket by vilifying the Opposition and pulling the wool over the eyes of the public, it is mistaken. The sugar scam is now before the peoples court, which will give its verdict come the next election. Prabath Sahabandu is the editor in chief of The Island, a daily newspaper in Sri Lanka where this piece first appeared. Flash At least 15 passengers have been confirmed injured as a blast ripped through a mini-bus in Kabul on Monday, police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz said. The blast took place at 03:50 p.m. local time in Dehan-e-Bagh area of Police District (PD) 2, the official said, adding an investigation had been initiated into the incident. In the meantime, local media reported that the mini-bus was carrying the employees of the Ministry for Information Technology to their homes when the blast happened. Two more such blasts targeted two mini-buses in the western edge of Kabul city on Sunday evening, leaving three persons dead and injuring a dozen others. 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. BOULDER, Colo., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Salty, crunchy snacks have long been relegated to the sidelines something to consume while watching television from the couch, movies in theatres, or games from the stands. But what if someone did it differently? What if someone was able to reinvent the salty snack space and make it about living life, not watching it? Welcome to the world of Wilde Brands. Wilde Brands Introduces New Pork Chips Wilde is the story of an impossible snack made possible through relentless innovation and never taking no for an answer. The company continues its rule-breaking trajectory with the launch of their new line of Pork Chips - a first-of-its-kind protein chip made from 100% premium pork meat. Far from a pork rind, this exciting new offering to the protein-based snack category has a thin, crispy texture, 10g of protein per serving and will make your mouth go hog wild with four uniquely delectable flavors: Golden Mustard BBQ Classic Carolina tang in ever crunchy bite! With a delicious BBQ pork flavor and a mustard zing, take the southern cookout on your next incredible adventure. Sweet Chipotle Smoky chipotle heat with just the right amount of sweetness. Bold enough to satisfy your Wilde side and balanced enough for any occasion. Black Pepper Bacon Crispy, Peppery bacon in a thin & crispy chip. Sorry potato chips, you're now officially the most boaring snack on the shelf. Chili Lime Verde Spicy Chili Verde with just a hint of zesty lime. "Whole Foods pioneered the protein-based snack set, allowing consumers to find high-end pork rinds, egg white puffs and Wilde Chips in one area," said Wright. "This strategy has proven very effective and large chains like Kroger and Sprouts are now developing their own protein-based sets. This presents an opportunity to grow the entire protein-based snack category for all players, and we believe our new Pork Chips will be a solid addition to the aisle." Wilde Brands first broke the chip barrier when they ditched the potato and transformed 100% all-natural chicken breast into a delicious, crave-able chip. Both the chicken and pork chips are the first-ever thin and crispy chips made from real protein and deliver all 9 essential amino acids. Made with a few simple ingredients, Wilde Chips are keto friendly, gluten free, grain free and paleo certified. The new Pork Chips ($4.99 SRP) will be available nationwide at Whole Foods and wildebrands.com in March 2021 and at Sprouts in April 2021. Future store announcements will be communicated through the brand's social channels. About Wilde Based in Boulder, Colorado, Wilde Chips were launched in 2019 by passionate entrepreneur veteran Jason Wright, whose mission was to create "junk food for healthy people." In development since 2016, Wilde's flagship product, Wilde Chips, are first-to-market complete protein chips. With two product lines - Chicken Chips and Pork Chips (launching March 2021), Wilde continues to disrupt the declining salty snack category. Media Contact: Amanda Brokaw, Brokaw PR, 917-238-0204, [email protected] SOURCE Wilde Brands Related Links https://www.wildebrands.com (Natural News) The death of an Italian man just hours after he was injected with AstraZenecas Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine prompted prosecutors in the northern Italian region of Piedmont to seize a batch of 393,600 doses of the shot for suspension and removal. Sandro Tognatti, a 57-year-old music teacher, reportedly fell ill and died not long after being stabbed with the experimental gene therapy syringe from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. The mainstream media is pretending as though Tognattis death is a mystery, but the government of northern Italy immediately recognized that the vaccine is to blame. Thus, all doses from the ABV5811 batch where Tognattis jab came from have been taken out of the administration pool, though the main government of Italy is insistent that there is no evidence of a connection between the jabs and Tognattis death. Last week, two other men died after being injected with the same AstraZeneca jab, prompting officials in Sicily to pull the batch from which those injections came. We also reported that dozens of middle school teachers in Italy fell ill last week after getting injected, requiring that they be sent home and their schools closed until enough replacement teachers could be found. It would appear as though all batches of this deadly AstraZeneca vaccine are problematic, which is why Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and several other European countries have suspended all administration of the shots until further notice. The most common adverse effect associated with the AstraZeneca jab besides death is serious blood clotting, officials say. In some cases, these clots are so severe that sudden death follows their formation. Pro-vaccine scientist says no more coronavirus injections According to Tognattis wife, her now-deceased husband received his AstraZeneca injection on Saturday afternoon. Later that evening, he quickly developed a high temperature and upon waking the next day was very ill. Tognattis wife called an ambulance, but not long after being picked up, he passed. It is therefore important to ensure that continued administration of the drug throughout the country does not lead to further consequences (harmful or fatal) until we are completely sure that (Tognattis) death cannot be attributed to the above-mentioned inoculation, stated prosecutor Teresa Angela Camelio. Meanwhile, a vaccinologist who strongly supports vaccines is urging the world not to take any of the ones being offered for the Chinese virus. Dr. Geert Vanden Bossche is hoping the World Health Organization (WHO) will heed his plea to halt the vaccine program, expressing extreme concern about how it will impact the world. I am EXTREMELY concerned about the impact current COVID-19 vaccines will have when increasingly deployed in mass vaccination campaigns conducted in the heat of a pandemic, Bossche tweeted along with a link to his warning and scientific evidence. Bossche is the opposite of an anti-vaxxer, by the way. He used to work with Bill and Melinda Gates and their Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance program. Bossche also worked for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and other pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturers. And yet, despite his lengthy pro-vaccine resume, Bossche is urging people to stop getting injected for the Wuhan flu because doing so will soon have catastrophic consequences for humanity. Bossche states that the multiple emerging, much more infectious viral variants, are already examples of immune escape from our innate immunity, and were most-likely created by the government interventions themselves; the so-called Non-Pharmacological Interventions (NPIs) i.e. lockdowns and cloth facial coverings, one site warns. Bossche also says that mass vaccination campaigns will almost certainly further enhance adaptive immune escape as none of the current vaccines will prevent replication / transmission of viral variants. More of the latest news about the many people who are dying from Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) injections can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: Reuters.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Bit.ly DALLAS, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MARQUE Luxury, the wholesale industry's leading provider and authority of certified pre-owned goods, announced today the opening of its Dallas area showroom "Re-Commerce Hub," previously labeled as showrooms, at the Dallas Market Center. "We couldn't be more thrilled to bring MARQUE Luxury to our network in Dallas. The Dallas Market Center is an incredible hub of activity and we look forward to connecting with our client base in this location," said Quentin Caruana, Founder and President. "MARQUE has seen what resonates with our customers. Despite any hurdles the country has collectively faced in the last year, the fact remains that wholesale, high-end product demand continues on." Through Re-Commerce Hubs, their website, and other advanced digital solutions, MARQUE showrooms offer expansive inventory offerings from top luxury brands, including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and more. Additionally, MARQUE Luxury's innovative MARQUE Mentor membership program aids prospective new entrants into the resale space. Subscribers can access MARQUE's toolkit and software, connect with industry experts, and use the existing showroom as a resource to create social media and marketing content under the guidance of verified advisors. MARQUE showrooms are accessible to only MARQUE Luxury-approved wholesale dealers and Mentor members by appointment only. MARQUE Luxury clients, MARQUE Mentor participants, and wholesale industry members interested in getting started or making an appointment can learn more by visiting https://www.marqueluxury.com/ or calling (877) 262-7783. MARQUE Dallas 2050 N Stemmons Fwy, Ste 13654 Dallas, TX, 75207 (877) 262-7783 [email protected] About MARQUE Luxury Industry veterans established MARQUE, named for the French word meaning "Brand," in 2017 to support the high demand for authentic pre-owned designer goods worldwide. MARQUE procures items through direct purchase from the public and industry-specific dealer auctions, making them available to the MARQUE network through their unique Re-Commerce Hubs and online. The company has multiple locations in the United States, including California, New York City, Nevada, Texas, and Georgia, with international locations in Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. https://www.marqueluxury.com/ Media Contact: Michelle Yampolsky-Gomez 201-618-7741 [email protected] SOURCE MARQUE Luxury Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 05:59:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAMASCUS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel launched a fresh missile strike on positions near the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday, state news agency SANA reported. The attack was launched from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, said the report, adding that the Syrian air defenses responded to the attack, intercepting most of the missiles. Residents in the Syrian capital heard sounds of explosions, which later turned out the be the air defense missiles hitting the Israeli missiles in the sky. It's the latest Israeli attack on the military positions near Damascus, where Israel suspects that the pro-Iran fighters are located. Enditem (Newser) One restriction that complicates reopening schools could be eased soon. New research has found that schools might be able to safely welcome students back in person as long as they wear masks and follow other pandemic guidelineseven if they maintain only 3 feet of social distancing instead of the current 6. The study, published last week in Clinical Infectious Diseases, compared coronavirus cases among employees and students in 242 Massachusetts school districts. It found no statistically significant differences in infection rates between districts that kept people 6 feet apart and those than mandate 3 feet of space, the New York Times reports. Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, tweeted that he'd welcome a policy change, "because 6 ft doesnt protect teachers. But it does keep kids out of school." story continues below Dr. Anthony Fauci said over the weekend on CNN that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking at the study and conducting its own social distancing research. The official CDC guideline for schools is 6 feet in counties where coronavirus transmission rates are high, while the WHO suggests 1 meter, which is about 3.3 feet. Although many teachers unions support it, the 6-foot rule makes reopening difficult for some schools unless they add portable classrooms or move to a shorter school day, per Yahoo News. Other mitigation measures are at least as important, health officials say; the study found that infection rates were lower in schools that required masks than they were in the schools' cities at large. "Want to open schools safely?" Jha wrote. "Masks. Ventilation. Testing. Vaccinating teachers/staff. Thats the list." (Read more social distancing stories.) A French tourist in Iran has been charged with espionage. He is one of several foreigners incarcerated in Iran on contested grounds. Benjamin Briere was charged with espionage and propaganda against the system, one of his lawyers told Reuters on Monday. The French national was first arrested last year after flying a remote control helicopter with camera capabilities in the desert near the Iran-Turkmenistan border. He is in good health and in contact with French consular officials. Briere is currently in the Vakilabad prison in Mashhad and faces several years in prison, according to the outlet. Briere is the latest in a series of legal cases involving foreigners in Iran who have been arrested for spying and other crimes. Some of the charges in these cases have been disputed by foreign governments and rights groups. This month, Iranian-British aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was freed from house arrest after five years. She was accused of plotting to topple the government. However, she now faces new charges in court. The British government has called for her immediate and full release. Iran does not recognize dual nationality. In November, Australian-British professor Kylie Moore-Gilbert was freed from prison. She was arrested in 2018 for espionage, which she continues to deny. Brieres family said he was only taking pictures of his trip and denied the charges against him, according to Reuters. The French government has protested Irans treatment of its citizens in the country before. In September, France summoned the Iranian ambassador over the issue. Briere is not the only French citizen who has faced charges in Iran recently. Iranian-French anthropologist Fariba Adelkhah was released to her family with an electronic bracelet in October. She was convicted on national security charges last year. The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that small non-farm businesses in all 15 counties in Arizona may apply for low-interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses from drought. Eligibility includes businesses directly affected by the disaster as well as businesses dependent on farmers and ranches that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster that began Jan. 1, the agencys regional disaster field operations center said Friday. According to the agency, small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small business engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any kind may qualify for economic injury disaster loans of up to $2 million. The loans are to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred, the agency said. It said businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance, but they can contact the Farm Services Agency regarding assistance. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Profit Loss Arizona BANGALORE, India, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wireless EV Charging Market is Segmented by Power Source (3<11 kW, 1150 kW, and >50 kW), Charging Method (CWPT, MGWPT, RIPT, and IPT), Installation (Home, and Commercial), Distribution Channel (OEMs, and Aftermarket), and Vehicle Type (BEV, PHEV, and Commercial EV). The report covers global opportunity analysis and industry forecast from 2021 to 2026. It is published on Valuates Reports in the Hybrid & Alternative Vehicles Category. The global wireless EV charging market size was valued at USD 7.6 Million in 2019 and projected to reach USD 210.1 Million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 36.4% from 2020 to 2030. Major factors driving the growth of wireless EV charging market size are, implementation of stringent emission norms, increasing focus on R&D activities, rapid technological advancements and smart marketing strategies. Request a Sample Copy of the Report For COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Wireless EV Charging Market : https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/ALLI-Auto-1I348/Wireless_Electric_Vehicle_Charging TRENDS INFLUENCING THE WIRELESS EV CHARGING MARKET SIZE An increase in electric vehicles (EVs) sales is expected to drive the growth of the wireless EV charging market size. EVs deliver many benefits, such as reduced consumption of fuel (petrol, diesel, and gas) and reduced tailpipe emissions, which are dramatically increasing demand worldwide. This, in turn, is expected to increase the need for wireless charging for electric vehicles during the forecast period. Furthermore, the wireless EV charger market size is expected to witness significant growth due to the rising technology adoption in the developed countries. The current plug-in charging stations take longer charging hours. Thus the wireless electric vehicle chargers on-the-go will appeal to the need. In European countries, home installation is the most lucrative segment. Wireless charging has broad implications for both automobiles and commercial fleets, thus fostering the growth of wireless electric vehicle charging market size. Compared to conventional plug-in chargers, slower charging rates and costlier technology integration serve as the wireless electric vehicle charging market's primary constraints. The technology is more costly, as drive electronics and coils are required for inductive charging in both devices and chargers, thereby raising the complexity and cost of production. However, developments in technology are expected to minimize transfer losses and increase charging speed. View Report Details Before Purchasing: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/ALLI-Auto-1I348/wireless-electric-vehicle-charging WIRELESS ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS The BEV segment is expected to hold the largest wireless electric vehicle charging market share during the forecast period. Wireless charging is now available in BEV models such as Tesla Model S, BMW i3, and Nissan Leaf. OEMs are concentrating on BEVs due to strict government regulations to curb increasing pollution. It is expected that rising BEV revenues and government funding would drive the overall demand. Based on installation type the home segment is expected to be the most lucrative segment. As the adoption of EV increase in the country, the installation of wireless EV charging stations is also expected to increase in each household. Based on the distribution channel the OEM segment is projected as the most lucrative segment. OEMs are concentrating on BEVs to curb increasing pollution due to strict government regulations. It is expected that rising BEV revenues and government funding would drive the overall demand. Europe is expected to account for the largest wireless electric vehicle charging market share based on region during the forecast period. The availability of well-developed infrastructure allows for the introduction of wireless charging in this region. Increased electric vehicles' sales and the developed EV infrastructure will drive the European region's wireless electric vehicle charging market size. On the other hand, Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the most lucrative region. Inquire for Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/ALLI-Auto-1I348/Wireless_Electric_Vehicle_Charging_Market KEY MARKET SEGMENTS By Power Source 3<11 kW 1150 kW >50 kW By Charging Method CWPT MGWPT RIPT IPT By Installation Home Commercial By Distribution Channel OEMs Aftermarket By Vehicle Type BEV PHEV Commercial EV Key Market Players Bombardier Continental AG Evatran Group Inc. (plug less power) Fulton Innovation Integrated Device Technology, Inc. Powermat Technologies Ltd Qualcomm Inc. Robert Bosch GmbH Texas Instruments Inc. Toyota Motor Corporation Witricity Corporation. Buy Now for Single User + Covid-19 Impact : https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=ALLI-Auto-1I348&lic=single-user Buy Now for Enterprise License + Covid-19 Impact : https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=ALLI-Auto-1I348&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 : - Electric vehicle market was valued at USD 162.34 Billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 802.81 Billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 22.6%. Asia-Pacific was the highest revenue contributor, accounting for USD 84.84 billion in 2019, and is estimated to reach USD 357.81 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 20.1%. - EV Charging Cables Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth, Industry Analysis, Forecast 2020 to 2026. The Report contains segmentation by Type ( 2 Meters To 5 Meters, 6 Meters To 10 Meters, Above 10 Meters), By Application (Private Charging, Public Charging) and Regional Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast. - Electric Commercial Vehicle market size is projected to reach USD 178560 Million by 2026, from USD 110540 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 8.3% during 2021-2026. This report focuses on Electric Commercial Vehicle volume and value at the global, regional, and company levels. This report represents the overall Electric Commercial Vehicle market size by analyzing historical data and future prospects from a global perspective. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, India, etc. - Wireless charging market size was valued at USD 6.51 Billion in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 40.24 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 22.2% from 2020 to 2027. An increase in sales of electric vehicles (EVs), the constantly evolving portable electronics and wearables market, and the frequent need to harvest ambient RF energy are expected to drive the wireless charging market's growth during the forecast period. - In 2019, the global Electric Motorcycles & Scooters market size was USD 5297.7 Million and it is expected to reach USD 7283.5 Million by the end of 2026, with a CAGR of 4.6% during 2021-2026. - The global Wireless Car Charging Market size is projected to reach USD 10350 Million by 2027, from USD 3034.2 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 22.7% during 2022-2027. - The global Wireless Power Transmission market size is projected to reach USD 9868.1 million by 2026, from USD 4038 million in 2019, at a CAGR of 13.1% during 2021-2026. The Report contains segmentation by Type ( Near-Field Technology, Far-Field Technology), By Application (Smartphones, Electric Vehicles, Wearable Electronics, Industrial, Others) and Regional Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast. - Solid State Battery Market size is projected to reach USD 13680 Million by 2026, from USD 1172.4 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 50.6% during the forecast period 2021-2026. - The lithium-ion battery market was valued at USD 36.7 Billion in 2019, and is projected to hit USD 129.3 Billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 18.0% from 2020 to 2027. - Electric vehicle charging system market size was valued at USD 3.18 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 66.27 Billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 45.6% from 2019 to 2026. - Electric vehicle (EV) transmission market size was valued at USD 2.52 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 15.38 Billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 25.8% from 2019 to 2026. To see the full list of related reports on the Wireless EV Charging 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 [email protected] 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 SOURCE Valuates Reports Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly (NA) is expected to elect the state president, prime minister, and NA chairperson of a new tenure during the upcoming sitting, which will commence in late March. The 54th session of the NA Standing Committee opened and was chaired by NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Hanoi on Monday morning and concluded later the same day. This was the final meeting of the standing committee before the 11th sitting of the NA takes place. According to NA Secretary General and Chief of the NA Office Nguyen Hanh Phuc, the 11th sitting is scheduled to run from March 24 to April 8. The first half of the meeting will focus on assessing the performance of the legislature, state president, government, Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuracy, and the State Audit of the current tenure. The next focus of the sitting will be on personnel work, particularly the election of new top leaders, Phuc continued. The NA will first dismiss Chairwoman of the National Assembly and Chairwoman of the National Election Council Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on March 30. The election of a new NA and National Election Council chair will be carried out later the same day, and the result will be announced on March 31. On April 1, the legislature will dismiss State President Nguyen Phu Trong and vote for a new state president. The result of this election will be announced on April 2. The dismissal of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will take place on the same day, and the election of a new premier will be conducted on April 5. On April 6, NA deputies will elect the new Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, head of the Supreme People's Procuracy, some members of the NA Standing Committee, chairs of some NA committees, General State Auditor, and NA Secretary General. On April 7 and 8, the NA will dismiss incumbent deputy prime ministers and other members of the government, before approving the appointment of government personnel of the new tenure, which will be submitted by the newly-elected prime minister. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! President Moon Jae-in presides over a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap By Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in offered his first public apology, Tuesday, for allegations of speculative land purchases by some employees at the state-owned Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH), amid a mounting public outcry over mismanagement by the government. Now dubbed, the "LH scandal," the story has engulfed the nation after allegations were first raised two weeks ago that at least 20 LH employees used classified development information to purchase land in parts of Gyeonggi Province before the government's announcement of their designation as a major new town development projects last month. The scandal has fueled doubts over the Moon Jae-in administration's housing policy and the sincerity of its goal to promote justice in all corners of society, which has been the President's trademark policy goal. "Our government has done our utmost to fight corruption and unfairness, and to create a transparent society," Moon said. "However, there are many age-old tasks to be resolved. In particular, I think that we still have a long way to go when considering the real estate speculation scandal at LH. I am sorry for causing this great concern to people. In particular, my heart goes out to people who live diligently every day. We are determined to be more responsible about tackling corruption in our society." The apology came after mounting calls from the public and opposition parties for Moon to apologize. One survey showed six out of 10 people believe a presidential apology was necessary. But the presidential office had been reluctant to issue an apology until now. Moon and his supporters have blamed the conservative Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations for political and social ills, including "deep-rooted evils" related to land speculation, that continue to plague Korean society. But that attitude only heaped more criticism on Moon for attempting to shift the blame on his predecessors. The mounting public outcry raised concerns at Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which are afraid of losing in the by-elections for the mayors of Seoul and Busan, slated for April 7. The approval ratings for both the President and the DPK have been declining since the LH scandal erupted at the end of last month, raising fears that they might not only lose the by-elections but that this situation could potentially lead to a lame-duck presidency, with only about one year left in Moon's single, five-year term. Some experts said the apology seems to have come too late. "As with previous political controversies, Moon's apology came too late," Choi Jin, director of the Institute of Presidential Leadership, said. "It has already been two weeks since the allegations were first raised and the public's anger grew beyond imagination. So it is doubtful whether the apology will have a real impact on improving public sentiments ahead of the elections." In the meantime, the ruling party and the main conservative opposition People Power Party have agreed to launch a probe into the land purchases of all of their lawmakers, in addition to a special counsel investigation. Police seal off the ground floor of the Manchester Unity building after three men were killed. Credit:The Age Archives Three Melbourne diamond merchants were shot dead in a $50,000 jewel robbery in the heart of the city yesterday. First published in The Age on March 18, 1978 The three men were shot in the back of the head in execution-style killings in the Manchester Unity building, opposite the Town Hall. They were Mr Paul Rice, about 30, jewellry manufacturer of North Croyden, Mr Robert Wartman, about 33, and Mr Keith Hyman, about 32, both jewel dealers. They were forced to lie face down on the floor with their arms outstretched before being shot. The chief of the homicide squad, Detective Chief Inspector Noel Jubb, described it as one of the worst killings weve ever experienced an execution. It appears they have gone there determined to do what they did, he said. Australias stock market closed at a three-week high on Tuesday with broad-based gains boosting every sector except materials and energy, which was dragged down by three days of declining oil prices. Tuesdays gains followed upgrades to domestic economic growth and strong performances in the US, where generous stimulus payments were starting to reach consumers. The ASX added 0.8 per cent on Tuesday. Credit:Louie Douvis The S&P/ASX 200 added 54 points to close at 6827, a gain of 0.8 per cent. It was the highest close since 25 February. The Dow Jones industrial index reached a new all-time high on Monday night, taking it 64 per cent above the bottom of the market in March 2020. Next week marks the anniversary of the turning point in the pandemic market crash, which was stopped by a whatever it takes support package from the US Federal Reserve. The S&P/ASX 200 has gained 52 per cent since hitting a bottom on 23 March 2020, but has not yet closed above the 7000-points level reached just before the pandemic. Tuesday saw healthcare giant CSL rising 2.3 per cent to $261.81, Goodman Group adding 3.4 per cent to $17.51, and Afterpay adding 3.1 per cent to $111.71. BHP, Rio Tinto, South 32, and Woodside Petroleum all declined. The gains come as economists at Citi Bank increased their 2021 Australian economic growth forecast up to 4.4 per cent, compared to a 2.4 per cent decline seen in 2020. This bullish outlook was due to stronger dwelling and business investment and public sector demand. Consumers were expected to contribute 55 per cent of the GDP growth by spending the money they saved in 2020. Among the top 200 stocks, 155 closed higher. Supermarket supplier Metcash dropped 4 per cent to $3.39 despite upgrading its dividend policy to a 70 per cent payout ratio. The biggest gain was 6.6 per cent in biotech PolyNovo to $2.75 followed by a 5.5 per cent rise in real estate company Charter Hall to $12.26. It is a clear day for growth businesses that lagged in the past couple of weeks, portfolio manager at Tribeca Investment Partners, Jun Bei Liu, said. While commentators were saying US equities markets had already priced in the Biden administrations $US1.9 trillion ($2.5 trillion) stimulus plan, Ms Liu said there has been another wave of market enthusiasm since the package was signed into effect last Friday. None of those things are really 100 per cent priced in. Soon you will be getting the news flow of people getting cheques and then investors will start to extrapolate (on the impact). She added she was expecting to see only neutral commentary from the Federal Reserve after it meets this week given how hyper-sensitive both bond and equity markets were to inflation and rate potentially rising at the moment. Local tech stocks bounced back strongly on Tuesday - mirroring an overnight surge for the Nasdaq - with sector heavyweights Afterpay, Xero, Appen, NEXTDC, and Wisetech Global all rallying. ASX200 info tech names gained 3 per cent, even as inflation concerns continue to roil investors. These high growth stocks have been particularly susceptible to improving economic outlooks, as their future earnings growth declines in a high inflation environment. Meanwhile, director of fixed income and investment strategy at FIIG Securities, Jonathan Sheridan, said 10-year government bond yields were still jumping around as the constant trickle of economic data re-calibrated inflation expectations. However, Mr Sheridan said time would tell if there was genuine economic growth or a lack of supply inflation showing up in the data. Borrowing rates on corporate debt had increased in the past three months and good returns were becoming available from the flurry of corporate debt issuance from utilities, real estate, and property trusts. For example, US telco Verizon recently issued $US25 billion worth of bonds to help fund a huge spectrum purchase. This included $1.25 billion worth of Australian dollar 10-year bonds that were sold with a yield of about 3 per cent. There is quite a lot of corporate issuance taking advantage of low rates, Mr Sheridan said. It has been a bit of a smorgasboard to be honest. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors will decide on Tuesday whether to allow a Ferris wheel at Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse to stay for another year, instead of the four-year extension proposed by the city's Historic Preservation Commission. The Board of Supervisors will consider the resolution after the supervisors' Rules Committee voted unanimously on Monday to bring it to the full board for a vote. Earlier this month, the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission approved extending the stay of the 150-foot-tall SkyStar Observation Wheel through 2025, in order to reinvigorate the city's post-pandemic economy and help offset SkyStar's financial loss. But supervisors Connie Chan and Aaron Peskin blocked the move, citing city law that requires the approval of supervisors for building or structure expansions at Golden Gate Park or Union Square. To that end, Chan and Peskin called for a resolution to extend the wheel's contract through February 2022. San Francisco police announced the arrest Monday of two people in connection with an October 2020 shooting in the city's Bayview that killed a 41-year-old man. The Oct. 24 shooting that killed Antioch resident Mourice Green near the corner of Thomas Avenue and Keith Street initially went unsolved, but as investigators pursued the case, earlier this month officers arrested two people in connection with the homicide, as well as a third person suspected of weapons charges. On March 4, officers arrested 50-year-old Willie Woodson after serving a search warrant at a home near Third Street and Oakdale Avenue. At the scene, officers located evidence linking Woodson to the homicide, according to police. Officers arrested Woodson on suspicion of murder, carrying a loaded firearm and being a felon with a loaded firearm. A day later, on March 5, officers served a search warrant at home in the 2500 block of Arelious Walker Drive, where they arrested 29-year-old Denise Lasha Johnson, also on suspicion of murder, carrying a loaded firearm and being a felon with a loaded firearm, as well as conspiracy, police said. A fire at a San Leandro shopping mall was extinguished Monday night after about 70 minutes, according to the Alameda County Fire Department. The fire was reported at 6:57 p.m. at the West Gate San Leandro shopping mall at 1933 Davis St., fire department spokeswoman Jo Leal said. Thirty minutes later a second alarm was called, Leal said. The fire was on the second floor of the building, making it more difficult to put out the blaze, she said. Firefighters used water and foam to knock it down. Leal could not confirm what burned or in what business the fire was. Investigators Monday night were looking into the cause. No one was injured, Leal said. Police are searching for 10-year-old Destiny Zeno, who went missing around 8 a.m. Monday near Comet Circle in Union City. Destiny is described as having autism and possibly schizophrenia. She is about 4 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs between 80 and 90 pounds. She was last seen wearing a grey, zip-up jacket, a black bonnet on her head, T-Shirt and acid-wash blue jeans. She may also be in possession a black backpack and her school laptop. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Union City Police Department at (510) 471-1365. The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal hit-and-run collision believed to have occurred about 6 p.m. Friday near 4488 Abernathy Road, north of Andrews Lane in an unincorporated area of Fairfield. A collision report states that the Solano Area CHP office received call at 9:45 a.m. Saturday of a possible hit and run collision with injuries on Abernathy Road. When officers arrived, they found a man who subsequently was declared dead. The report indicated that two vehicles were involved but no further details. The CHP urges anyone with any information about this collision -- or who may been in the area of Abernathy Road about 6 p.m. Friday -- to please call the CHP Solano Area at (707) 428-2100 or the CHP's non-emergency public access number at 1-800-TELL-CHP (1-800-835-5247). Bay Area community colleges are expected to receive tens of millions of dollars in relief money from the recently passed American Rescue Plan, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said Monday. The $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which President Joe Biden signed last week, provides some $40 billion to higher education institutions, about $2.2 billion of which will benefit California's community colleges and their students. In the Bay Area, that will translate to eight-figure investments in post-secondary education, Eshoo said Monday during a briefing with community college officials. "Community colleges are very special to me because I'm a product of a community college and I've always been proud of that," Eshoo said. The Foothill-De Anza Community College District, based in Los Altos Hills, is expected to receive roughly $10.7 million, according to Eshoo, while Canada College will receive about $5.5 million, San Jose City College will receive $10.5 million and West Valley College will receive $8.3 million. Police found a body Monday night in an RV in the 800 block of N. Bayshore Road. San Jose police released a brief statement early Tuesday morning that officers responded to an 8:15 p.m. call about a deceased person in an RV. No further details were provided. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Police arrested a 32-year-old Petaluma man following a hit-and-run collision Sunday night. Oscar Leandro Ventura Cortes was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence causing an injury, leaving the scene of a traffic collision and violating his probation for a previous DUI. Petaluma police responded to an 8:06 p.m. call from a driver who said his car had just been rear-ended while on Lakeville Highway at Casa Grande Road and that the driver of the other vehicle then drove away. The person reporting the collision followed the other vehicle for about a half a mile until it pulled over, and the driver stumbled as he exited the vehicle. Officers arrived on scene and observed Cortes to be under the influence of alcohol. They performed a field sobriety test on him and subsequently took him into custody. The National Weather Service forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area calls for sunny skies Tuesday, with highs expected in the 50s to low 60s, with lows in the 40s in most areas and dipping into the 30s inland. Cold temperatures are forecast early Tuesday, with areas of frost likely in the interior valleys. Dry weather is expected for Tuesday and Wednesday with a chance of rain developing Wednesday night into Thursday, with showers possible into Friday. Dry weather is likely to return over the upcoming weekend. Copyright 2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Jailed Canadian pastor moved to general population after spending nearly 2 weeks alone, wife says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Canadian Pastor James Coates was recently moved to a general population cell after spending most of two weeks alone following his mid-February incarceration for refusing to comply with COVID-19 church restrictions. Coates was quarantined for two weeks upon being arrested with only two 15-minute blocks per day outside of his jail cell, his wife told Christian news outlet FaithWire in a recent statement. He initially shared a cell with another inmate but was removed due to the high-profile nature of his case, Erin Coates stated in an email. Erin Coates said she is unable to visit him due to COVID-19 restrictions but has been able to speak with him during video calls. Coates, the pastor of GraceLife Church in Edmonton, Alberta, was arrested for holding church services for three consecutive weeks after his church was ordered to close at the end of January for violating gathering and physical distancing restrictions. Coates turned himself into the police on Feb. 16 and faces two counts of violating the Public Health Act. He was also charged for failing to comply with his bail conditions requiring him to not conduct or participate in services that are not compliant with government guidelines after being released from custody the first time. He was detained at the Edmonton Remand Centre. In a court document, Erin Coates said her husband could not agree to the provisions of the Public Health Act in good conscience. According to a statement by Parkland County Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the escalated levels of law enforcement with Coates were consistent and in response to the effects his actions could have on the health and safety of citizens. Coates and GraceLife Churchs attorneys argued that the bail conditions and health orders violate his Charter freedoms of conscience, religion, expression, association and peaceful assembly. The Edmonton Court of Queens Bench Justice Peter Michalyshyn ruled on March 5 that Coates must remain behind bars until his trial scheduled for May 3 to May 5. GraceLife Church, which has been holding services in Coates absence, was faced with more charges on March 4 for violating restrictions and exceeding 15% of the churchs operational capacity, or about 90 people, for the last two Sundays of February. The churchs legal counsel was summoned to attend Stony Plain Provincial Court on May 5, according to a police report. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which represents Coates, filed an appeal to release Coates before his trial. His wife also issued a sworn affidavit detailing the implications of her husbands imprisonment on herself, their two sons, the church and the community. A trial set eight weeks down the road is too long for an innocent Pastor to be in jail, John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre, said in a statement. Pastor Coates is a peaceful Christian minister. The Justice of the Peace should not have required him to violate his conscience and effectively stop pastoring his church as a condition to be released. This is a miscarriage of justice. Coates attorney James Kitchen, who works with the Justice Centre, said that his clients first obedience is to his Lord, is to his God. And normally, obeying Jesus and obeying the government go right in hand, Kitchen stated. The governments forcing him into a position where he has to choose between disobeying God and obeying government, or obeying God and disobeying government. The church released a statement in February addressing the ramifications of COVID-19 and the destructiveness of shutting down churches indefinitely. The church said it originally shifted to online services when COVID-19 first appeared and returned to in-person gatherings on June 21, 2020. We believe [people] should responsibly return to their lives, the churchs statement reads. Churches should open, businesses should open, families and friends should come together around meals, and people should begin to exercise their civil liberties again. Otherwise we may not get them back. In fact, some say we are on the cusp of reaching the point of no return. Protect the vulnerable, exercise reasonable precautions, but begin to live your lives again. BETHESDA, Md., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it has partnered with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Business to launch its forthcoming real estate MBA program. NCCU, a top historically black university, prioritizes the development and growth of talented minority students a mission that aligns with Walker & Dunlop's commitment to forming meaningful relationships with organizations providing innovative opportunities to diverse communities. Walker & Dunlop will be fully engaged with NCCU Business faculty and students in helping to develop a best-in-class real estate program. Walker & Dunlop subject matter experts will offer to teach or co-teach classes, provide professional resources and mentorship for students interested in real estate, and provide summer internship opportunities. Additionally, Walker & Dunlop will sit on NCCU's Board of Visitors within the business school. In support of the program, Walker & Dunlop will provide two, year-long academic fellowships for the next five years. The fellowships will cover tuition and full room and board for two MBA students focusing on real estate who might not otherwise have access to the program. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with North Carolina Central University. The university's commitment and excellence in training the next generation of black leaders and developing innovative programs that provide young leaders with new career opportunities, aligns with Walker & Dunlop's DE&I mission. We strive to make a significant impact on the professional growth of the NCCU students and provide them new and exciting professional opportunities in commercial real estate," commented Jason Golub, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Walker & Dunlop. "Partnering with Walker & Dunlop to advance our real estate MBA program and offer fellowships to students is going to have a lasting impact. The program will provide our students with educational and real-world experience that has the potential to shape the trajectory of their careers. We are excited to see how our relationship with W&D continues to progress," added Anthony Nelson, Dean of NCCU School of Business. Walker & Dunlop is committed to being a diversity and inclusion leader within the commercial real estate industry. Our goal is to create a company and industry that reflects the diverse composition of the neighborhoods in which we work and live, and to make community partnership an integral part of how we do business and how we innovate. To this end, we continue to build upon our comprehensive diversity & inclusion blueprint, which includes building a pipeline of diverse talent within the industry as well as working to increase Walker & Dunlop's minority and female representation in leadership positions by 2025. For more information on Walker & Dunlop's diversity and inclusion blueprint, please read the following press releases: About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. The company provides a comprehensive range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop is included on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and was ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Walker & Dunlop's 1000+ professionals in 41 offices across the nation have an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction. SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Related Links http://www.walkerdunlop.com The UK parliament will debate a new law, which would give police more power to crack down on protests. Video Transcript JONAH HULL: The right to peaceful protest, to demonstrate one's views, to be heard potentially under threat in proposed legislation containing a range of new powers for the police. BECKA HUDSON: Overall, the bill has many elements of it, which are quite authoritarian. They defer to senior police officers on judgment as to whether something can be considered criminal. And that particularly sits in the part of the bill, which deals with protests. So if protests are considered to be causing serious annoyance or disruptive or causing a disturbance, it can be up to senior police officers to decide that that protest is then not allowed to continue to go ahead. JONAH HULL: Here's why it matters. Scenes on the weekend of women being manhandled by police officers while attending a vigil in memory of a young woman murdered allegedly by a police officer. The police say the vigil was unlawful under pandemic restrictions. And the head of the Metropolitan force Cressida Dick has resisted calls for her to resign. Civil liberties groups are calling for a rethink of the planned policing bill. ESTELLE DU BOULAY: This bill might be held up as containing measures to address violence against women and girls. In reality, it lays out measures which undermine our right to hold power to account. And I think we can see how important it is to be able to hold power to account and to be able to scrutinize and contain the use of state power in the context of the weekend. JONAH HULL: In sorrow and in anger, women gathered first at Clapham Common in London where 33-year-old Sarah Everard disappeared on March the 3rd. And then outside police headquarters and parliament with cries of kill the bill, they formed an emotive backdrop to parliament's debate. Opposition parties have echoed campaigners concerns that the policing bill is deeply imbalanced. Apart from unwarranted curbs on protests for instance, it does too little to protect women while it does increase criminal sanctions for defacing statues and memorials. There'll be longer jail terms they say for vandalism than for rape. PRITI PATEL: Mr. Speaker, let me turn to this weekend's events. This government backs our police in fighting crime and keeping the public safe. But in the interest of providing greater assurance and ensuring public confidence, I have asked her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary to conduct a full independent lessons learned review. JONAH HULL: The government says it's taking a wide range of steps necessary to keep people safe. Despite some libertarian concerns among its own MPs, a large parliamentary majority will likely ensure the bill is passed. Jonah Hull, Al Jazeera, London. London Prince Philip left a London hospital on Tuesday after a four-week stay for treatment for an infection and to have a heart procedure. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and husband of Queen Elizabeth, was admitted to the King Edward VIIs Hospital on February 16 to receive treatment for an unspecified, but not COVID-19-related, infection. Prince Philip left Londons King Edward VII hospital on Tuesday. Credit:AP The 99-year-old was transferred briefly to another London hospital at the start of this month where he underwent a procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. A Reuters witness said the duke left the King Edward hospital on Tuesday morning. He was taken to a waiting car in a wheelchair and returned to Windsor Castle, the royal residence west of London, waving to those outside as he arrived. In a sprawling state like Tennessee, there is a desperate need for dedicated reporting on what the state government is up to on a daily basis. The Tennessee Lookout and editor Holly McCall have been working to fill that void in the states news coverage for almost a year now. Ms. McCall told the JFK Club that she and the online publication want to give Tennesseans an unbiased look at what is occurring politically in the state, without skewing to the right or left in their news coverage. If youre a right-leaning person, youre going to look at some of the stories that are actually reporting what is going on in the state of Tennessee, and call it fake news, Ms. McCall said. We want to educate everybody about whats going on. Theres just not enough news in daily newspapers. (Right-leaning publications) will tell you that Democrats are ruining Tennessee and the country, never mind that Republicans have been in power for over a decade now. Tennessee has had the governor, the Senate, the House, two senators, and seven out of nine Congressmen. But people read that and believe it. Ms. McCall said stories like the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue relocation story and the voucher program story are important, but they have also been covered thoroughly by multiple news outlets. She told the JFK club the Tennessee Lookouts focus is shedding light on stories other outlets dont have. What everybody is not going to cover is all of the voter suppression bills, Ms. McCall said. We were the first to cover the fact that a senator from Tullahoma introduced a bill to eliminate early voting because she said it leads to mischief. You know theres no evidence that early voting leads to voting fraud. So we try to cover the legislative issues that arent being covered around the state. The Tennessee Lookout has made it a habit to share their stories with other newspapers and outlets. Ms. McCall said the Tennessee Lookout wants to make sure every Tennessean is aware of what is happening, regardless of whether they live in a large metropolitan area or not. We have reached out to small outlets across the state, Ms. McCall said. I have compiled a database of small and local newspapers and outlets, and are always looking for coverage. One thing that has harmed progressive politics is the fact that so many media outlets dont have the bandwidth to cover state legislative issues. Its a long game, but weve got to try to change peoples minds and educate them on the reality of the legislature. Many of these state legislators are not there to benefit the people of Tennessee. Theyre there to benefit corporations and their donors. While the Tennessee Lookouts news is straight down the middle in Ms. McCalls words, the publication will also run progressive editorials. She answered questions from JFK members about how the Democratic Party can reclaim the state after over a decade of Republican control. Democrats just do not have much of a pipeline, Ms. McCall said. I do think things have gotten better over the last couple of years, as there are some organizations who are trying to train candidates, but its really important to get people elected in County Commission and judicial positions. She said the next step for the Tennessee Lookout is to get involved in the world of video production. She believes this move should help expand their audience. Were working with a person who produces short documentaries, so those will be three or four minute documentaries about these issues, Ms. McCall said. Right now were written word, and these days most folks like to consume some video. She again reiterated that the Tennessee Lookout is a non-partisan outlet, and urged people to let her or one of their reporters know if a Democratic figure is doing unsavory things. By the way, if Democratic officials are doing terrible stuff, we need to talk about that too, Ms. McCall added before the Zoom call ended. An Italian teacher held up at gunpoint at a popular Dublin tourist attraction has vowed to return to Ireland after one of the muggers was jailed this week. Silvia Piantoni and her student were terrified when two men, one armed with a highly-realistic imitation firearm, targeted them outside the Guinness Storehouse in October 2019 - but this week she vowed that they will return to Ireland as soon as possible. She said the same thing could have happened anywhere but the support she received afterwards in Ireland stood out. Paul Heaney (37) was jailed for three years and nine months this week after he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery and attempted robbery at Long's Place on October 21, 2019. Read More The court hear Heaney, with an address at Michael Mallon House, Dublin 8, had 51 previous convictions. His accomplice, Gareth Mallon (39), who was armed with the imitation firearm, is currently serving a four-year sentence for his involvement in the robbery. Silvia, who lives in Bergamo in Italy, could not travel to Ireland for the sentence hearing due to lockdown restrictions but told the Sunday World she was pleased with how it went. "Unfortunately the situation in Italy is very worrying because of coronavirus. Our area has been particularly hit. We have been constantly informed about the evolution of the trial and we are very satisfied about the sentencing." She added that she had been inundated with messages of support since the incident occurred. "Irish people have shown support and affection towards us. I have received lots of messages of esteem and encouragement in this year. We will come back as soon as possible for a tour of Ireland and we will take our students when the pandemic situation stops." She said while the incident was terrifying, the way it was dealt with gave her confidence in the Irish justice system. "It was, but we have really appreciated the reactions of Irish people and the efficiency of the police system. We will come back because we know that Ireland is a safe place. A similar event could happen everywhere but not everywhere we would have received the same support." On the day of the incident Silvia and her students had visited the Guinness Storehouse. A student at the back of the group was approached by Mallon who pointed a gun at his legs and said softly "money, money, money". Heaney was unarmed and had a tissue over his face. The student handed over 60 and the man then pointed the gun at Silvia who screamed. Another teacher came to her aid and the two robbers ran off. A woman nearby videoed the robbery on her mobile phone. Heaney presented himself to gardai few days later. At his sentencing hearing this week Judge Elma Sheahan said she did not see a difference between Heaney and his co-accused. She said this was a "joint enterprise" with both playing similar roles. Judge Sheahan noted the "troubling and challenging upbringing" Heaney experienced in his youth. She accepted he has made efforts to rehabilitate, remain free of illicit substances and reduce his methadone intake. She sentenced Heaney to four-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended the final nine months on strict conditions. Heaney told gardai he had not been involved in planning the robbery. Fiona Murphy BL, defending Heaney, said he had expressed remorse and regretted his involvement in the offence. She said he had been on his way to get tablets when he bumped into the other individual involved. She said he had a difficult early life and had fallen into a cycle of going into custody, doing well, being released and falling 'off the wagon', then reoffending in a life marred by drug use. She said he is clean of drugs at present and anxious to engage with rehabilitation. New Delhi: Maharashtra, the worst coronavirus-hit state in India, is at the beginning of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report of the central team that visited the state to check the rising cases. The team visited Maharashtra between March 7 and March 11 to see the COVID-I9 management activities being undertaken by the State. The team also had a briefing meeting with the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Subsequently, the report of the Central team said that Maharashtra is at the beginning of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and that there is very limited active effort to track, test, isolate cases and quarantine contacts. "There is no adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour among people both in rural and urban areas," the report said. The central team inferred that the administrative mechanism should be re-instated to the level witnessed in August-September 2020 to contain, supress the COVID-19 transmission. The team conducted field visits in the districts of Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon and Aurangabad and held desk review with the District officers. The team visited active containment zones, COVID-19 Hospitals and Dedicated COVID Health Centres. According to official data, Maharashtra reported 17,864 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours that took the state's active count to 1,31,812. It has so far witnessed a total of 23,47,328 infections, of which, 52,909 are coronavirus-related fatalities. In India, eight states namely Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases. Earlier on Monday, the Maharashtra government issued stricter COVID-19 guidelines, which will be in effect till March 31 to curb the spread of coronavirus. Maharashtra, notably, has also imposed the COVID-19 lockdown and night curfew in several districts. Live TV (The Center Square) Washington state lawmakers say they want voters to know their ballots are safe, but there is such a thing as too much information when it comes to disclosing election security. Under the state's 1972 Public Records Act, state and local government agencies must make all records available for public inspection upon request save for those jeopardizing state security. To date, there are more than 500 specific exemptions included in the act, which state law requires that government agencies interpret as narrowly as possible to favor transparency. Sponsored by state Rep. Laurie Doland, D-Spokane, House Bill 1068, would seal away state election security information into even tighter lockbox, including, but not limited to election infrastructure, or looming threats to election security. Reported election security breaches and ensuing state audits would still be fair game under the bill. HB 1068 has seen support from election officials, county prosecutors, journalists, and lawmakers from across the political aisle. "Even redacted, these documents could show bad actors exactly how to attack our elections," said Thurston County auditor Mary Hall. "Even if one county's elections are hacked, the public confidence in our elections across the state is damaged." Roland Thompson, a lobbyist with the Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington, echoed many journalists' agreement that the bill's exemptions were fairly written. However, he told the Senate State Government Committee on Wednesday that the bill should expand its public disclosures beyond incidents classified as formal data breaches. The prospect of data breaches is more pressing than ever for state officials this session. Cybersecurity failures at the Washington Employment Security Department this year have 1.6 million Washingtonians' information exposed. Washington's vote-by-mail system has seen fewer than 100 substantiated cases of voter fraud in the 2016 election cycle, representing .002% of all ballots cast that year. The bill comes at a time when American election systems have never been under more scrutiny by the general public. Months after the 2020 presidential election, Washington's vote-by-mail system is still an ever-popular subject of conspiracy theories as well as a lawsuit filed last year by former gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp alleging voter fraud. Culp withdrew the lawsuit in January. Others argue that audits are not enough to guarantee transparency in the place of independent citizen inspection. State reports, some said, leave voters at the mercy of state experts to communicate the finer details of security breaches. "'Trust and verify,' President Reagan said," concerned citizen Kory Slaatthaug said. "If I cannot verify, I cannot trust. It just really bothers me that it seems like the door is being closed from actually exploring what's going on." Election reform is at the top of many state lawmakers' to-do lists this year, which includes restoring voting rights to released prisoners and exploring ranked choice voting. The bill, which passed the House with flying colors in a vote of 61-37 last month, has picked up one amendment by state Rep. Robert Sutherland, R-Granite Falls, further stressing that state election systems would be subject to regular audits. Following a 3-2 vote by the Senate State Government Committee on Friday, House Bill 1068 awaits referral to the Senate Rules Committee before it can see a floor vote. Biden admin. asks Supreme Court to drop cases challenging ban on Title X funding of abortion clinics Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Biden administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss litigation over a rule that prohibits federal Title X family planning funds from going to clinics and organizations that provide or promote abortion as a method of family planning. Acting Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar submitted a short brief to the high court last Friday requesting that the cases filed against the rule be dismissed since both sides have agreed to end the litigation and bear their own costs. In 2019, the Trump administration issued a final rule barring Title X funds from going to entities that provide or promote abortion for family planning, prompting multiple lawsuits in response. The rule essential barred Title X funding from going to clinics where abortion is provided. Representatives of the American Medical Association and multiple states, who had filed suits against the 2019 rule, also filed a short brief requesting dismissal. The decision to end the litigation came in response to a memorandum issued by President Joe Biden in January stating the intention of rolling back the 2019 rule. The January memo asked the Department of Health and Human Services to review restrictions on funding for abortion providers and other entities that promote abortion. Biden concluded that the Title X rule put "undue restrictions" on the use of federal funds and put "womens health at risk by making it harder for women to receive complete medical information." "The [law] specifies that Title X funds may not be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning, but places no further abortion-related restrictions on recipients of Title X funds," reads the Biden memo. Earlier this month, 19 states filed a joint motion to ask the Supreme Court to stop the Biden administration from scrapping the Title X rule, also known as the Protect Life Rule. To be sure, some States provide such funding. And many advocates would like to see more public funding. But the broader national consensus against funding elective abortion remains, stated the joint motion. Title X reflects this consensus. Since its 1970 enactment, the law has funded non-abortion family planning. All the while, it has banned the use of Title X funds in programs where abortion is a method of family planning. The short briefs filed by Prelogar and the plaintiffs argued that the 19 states were not parties to these cases, and so their joint motion does not prevent the parties from stipulating to dismissal. The Trump-era Title X rule drew strong opposition from Planned Parenthood, which led to the nations largest abortion provider exiting the Title X family planning program. The Title X program was enacted during the Nixon administration and grants hundreds of millions of dollars each year to health clinics across the nation to provide contraceptives, cancer screenings, STD testing and other health care services to low-income patients. Before its exit from the program, Planned Parenthood was the largest provider of Title X care in the country. Last September, an appeals court upheld a ruling that blocked the Trump administration from enforcing the Title X rule. In February 2020, the Ninth Circuit upheld the Title X rule in a 7-4 decision. Last month, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear litigation on the matter and consolidated three cases. Leading pro-life advocate Marjorie Dannenfelser was confident that the nation's high court, with a conservative majority, would rule that future administrations have the right to "disentangle Title X taxpayer funding from the abortion industry." Michelle Leung B. G., Opalesque Geneva: Investing in the high growth generational theme in China can be rewarding especially if the investor seeks non-consensus stocks with attractive values, according to a manager whose fund returned 40% net last year, compared to the MSCI China index's 26%. Michelle Leung is the founder and CEO of Xingtai Capital Management, which is based in Hong Kong and Shanghai. She describes the firm as a value-driven investor in Chinese growth. She founded Xingtai Capital because she believed with strong conviction that the way to make maximum returns in public equities in China is to invest using more of a private equity approach. "You have to be on the ground in China, close to company management, and do your own proprietary research and your own channel checks to be a successful investor," she tells Matthias Knab during Opalesque's latest Clubhouse podcast. The portfolio is made up of high conviction growth and consumer-related equities and the managers talk to the companies in the portfolio every month."Our primary objective is to capture high growth, agnostic of the sector, so the average EPS of our portfolio is above 30%." Not following the herd "Because of where China is in the growth cycle, most of our stocks in our portfolio are high growth, consumer driven-type equities," she explains. "But while we try to capture growth, our core philosophy is to capture growth with a margin of safety. This is particularly relevant in China: it is a market where a lot of the investors are following market consensus and there is a lot of capital chasing big cap consensus ideas. Most investors will associate investing in China with stocks like Alibaba and the like. But we tend to not follow the herd. We don't hold any of these consensus stocks in meaningful weight. Rather, we tend to invest in stocks that offer equally high growth, or even higher growth, but that trade at very attractive values. "So it is possible to do something different in China. This differentiated approach has yielded a very strong alpha generation," she adds. Xingtai is not a value investor, she says. It is a growth investor. "It is just that the way we capture growth is with more of a value approach. So most of the stocks in our portfolio are domestic demand-driven consumer companies where the growth is driven by the ability of the consumer to pay for more and more products and services. This is a generational theme in China that will be very strong and drive GDP growth for the next 20 to 30 years. "But while you capture growth, you cannot be blind to the values you want to pay our approach is more value-focused and therefore the performance is less volatile, and times when there is downmarket pressure, we tend to defend that downside by more than 50%." Mrs. Leung will present in the Corona Fighters REVISITED Webinar on March 30th. The fund The Xingtai China Cayman fund, a long-only fund regulated in Hong Kong, invests in Chinese growth with a disciplined value overlay. It returned 5% in December 2020, when sporting goods, property management services and apparel were the biggest positive contributors, according to the monthly report. The portfolio benefited most from a mid-sized property management services company, China's largest down jacket manufacturer, and China's largest electric bike manufacturer which delivered +4% in aggregate. The main underperforming stock was a leading auto dealer. The fund was up 40% net last year, and 219% net since inception in April 2014, annualising almost 19% since, compared to 9.3% for the MSCI China index. This year, it returned +4.2% in January and -2.5% net in February. Pandemic style The investment style did not change much during the pandemic. The managers used the same investment approach, the same philosophy, and the same framework. When Covid-19 appeared in China in January, they had very little visibility as to what was going to happen next. The China team was in full lock-down through Q1. The only thing they did at the time was to run a slightly more diversified book with more than 40 positions and reduce exposure in some of the top positions. The recovery in China was fast, so in H2, the managers went back to a more concentrated portfolio. Economic growth in China is expected to accelerate sharply in 2021, according to FocusEconomics. Private consumption should be the main growth driver as it recovers from the coronavirus-induced slump and the impact of social distancing measures. Despite the new Democrat-led administration in the U.S., uncertainty over the China-U.S. relationship will likely persist and affect investment decisions. GDP is expected to expand by 7.9% in 2021. *** You can listen and subscribe to the Clubhouse podcasts here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/alternative-investments-clubhouse-sessions/id1558267132 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JFfFxaZOVAbl3H6vr1xZj TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Alternative-Investments-Clubhouse-Sessions-p1416074/ Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/2412242 Player FM: https://player.fm/series/alternative-investments-clubhouse-sessions RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1731954.rss Register here if you are interested in speaking at a future Clubhouse session of the Clubhouse Alternative Investment Club: https://www.opalesque.com/clubhouse/ *** Upcoming webinar: Corona Fighters REVISITED The "winners of the winners": Strategies that not only performed in Q1 2020 but also during the rebound later that year. With: Stephane Prigent, Katch Investment Group Michelle Leung, Xingtai Capital Tony Bremness, Laureola Advisors Jagdeesh Prakasam, Rotella Qdeck When: Tuesday, March 30th at 10 am EST Free registration: www.opalesque.com/webinar/ CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) A New Jersey man who has twice served prison terms for using dating services to defraud women is facing more time after a recent escape from custody. Patrick Giblin made an initial court appearance by videoconference on Monday in federal court in Camden. The 56-year-old had been a fugitive since last July until his capture last week in Atlantic City. A message was left with an attorney representing Giblin. According to a criminal complaint, Giblin had been approved to travel from federal prison in Lewisburg, Pa, to a halfway house in Newark where he would finish serving his latest prison term, a five-year sentence for defrauding multiple women. Giblin was approved to fly from Harrisburg, Pa., to Newark with a stopover in North Carolina. According to the complaint, prison personnel accompanied Giblin to the Harrisburg airport and watched him get on the plane. He never showed up in Newark, however, and was declared a fugitive. It wasnt the first time Giblin had slipped away from authorities, according to court records. He was arrested in upstate New York in 2014 for violating terms of his supervised release after serving several years in prison for wire fraud in connection with a dating service scam. According to court records from his 2017 sentencing, Giblin posted ads on telephone dating services throughout the country from January 2013 to December 2014. He sought to lure women into relationships and would then ask them for loans that he did not intend to repay, prosecutors said. He victimized more than 10 women in various states. Giblin would tell the women he wanted a relationship and needed a loan to relocate to their area, prosecutors said. He would then have his victims wire him money or have them transfer money onto a payroll/debit card that he used. Prosecutors said he used some of that money to buy cellphone minutes so he could defraud more women. More: A mother. A police officer. A daughter. People in need. Can you help solve their killings? (Video) Girl injured by shotgun blast from residence below her: report Alabama authorities have ordered an out-of-state company to stop spreading poultry waste at one of its operations amid complaints about the odor. Environmental groups have also expressed concerns about the waste which is spread as fertilizer reaching a fork of the Black Warrior River. Regulators say they found no evidence that the waste had reached nearby streams. The waste was being spread at an old coal mine north of Birmingham, Al.com reported. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management last week ordered Arkansas-based Denali Water Solutions to stop spreading the waste. The company failed to file required paperwork before beginning its operations, the agency said. Regulators also say that Denali didnt employ best practices in spreading the material. A company spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press on Thursday. These are very serious violations, and we certainly empathize with residents in the nearby communities, Lance LeFleur, director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, said in a statement. This could have been avoided had the company submitted its plans to ADEM for review as required and took the necessary steps to control odors and lessen the chance of other potential environmental harms, LeFleur added. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alabama [March 16, 2021] City Brewing Company Announces Equity Investment, Senior Leadership Promotions, Launch of West Coast Facility, and New Investment Program City Brewing Company, LLC ("City" or the "Company"), the leading co-manufacturer of high-growth beverages in the U.S., today announced a series of business updates designed to accelerate the Company's growth, usher in a new generation of City management, and provide its customer partners with even more comprehensive long-term supply solutions. City is also announcing an equity investment after which a consortium of investors including Charlesbank Capital Partners ("Charlesbank"), Oaktree Capital Management, LLC ("Oaktree"), Blue Ribbon Partners, LLC ("Blue Ribbon"), and City management will own 100% of City Brewing. The transaction is expected to close in April 2021. Leadership Changes Upon closing of the transaction, Chairman and CEO George Parke III will be retiring. Ross Sannes, City's COO, who has been with the Company since 2012, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer. Ryan (Spike) Nelson, a City employee since 2001, will be promoted to Executive Vice President, and Dave Poremba, who joined the Company in 2020, will continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer. The Company has also named Hans Savonije, a beer and beverage industry veteran, Chairman of the City Brewing Board. Hans brings over 30 years of international experience and most recently served as CEO of Royal Unibrew, a publicly traded brewer based in Denmark. Investment Plan and Launch of Irwindale Brewery City also announced a $630 million investment program to accelerate the Company's growth. The investment plan will fund the Company's capacity expansion program as City seeks to enhance its innovation capabilities and meet growing demand from key customers. The Company is committed to offering best-in-class supply chain services, and to continually upgrading its state-of-the-art processing and packaging technology. As part of this investment program, City has agreed to acquire the Irwindale brewery operations from Pabst Brewing Company. City plans to re-open the iconic Irwindale brewery formerly owned and operated by Miller Coors in Southern California. Once operational, the newly named "Irwindale Brew Yard" will be the largest full-service, low-alcohol beverage contract production facility in the western United States. The plant will have initial capacity of approximately 55 million 24 x 12-oz cases per year and is expected to grow to 110 million cases per year by 2024. The facility is expected to begin production in the third quarter of this year and to hire over 150 employees within the next 12 months. City will add a wide range of processing and packaging capabilities, enabling the Irwindale Brewery to produce hard seltzers, traditional FMBs (flavored malt beverages), mainstrea and craft beer, premium non-alcoholic drinks and spirit-based ready-to-drink beverages in a broad variety of primary and secondary packages. The plant will also feature automated variety pack capability. Executive Quotes Ross Sannes, CEO of City, said, "I am excited to assume the role of CEO and continue working alongside the exceptional team at City. Strategically located on the West Coast, Irwindale Brew Yard perfectly rounds out our national footprint. This investment will allow us to enhance our brewing, processing and production capabilities, positioning us for future growth while enabling us to better serve our valued customers. We are an essential component of our customers' supply chains and we do not take that for granted. Thanks to George's leadership and unrelenting commitment to the City business over the last 20 years, as well as the hard work from the talented City team, I am confident that City is poised to grow along with our customer partners and capitalize on the current trends in the alcoholic beverage marketplace." Josh Beer, Managing Director at Charlesbank commented, "Over our history, we have significant experience investing in contract manufacturing and food & beverage businesses. We are excited to leverage that experience to help Ross and the entire City team continue to build on City's track record of success. We fully support the team's growth program, which represents a strong long-term commitment to City's customers and the markets they serve." Hans Savonije, Chairman of City, stated, "I am honored to be joining City at such an exciting time in the Company's history and to support Ross and the leadership team through the next phase of City's growth. George and the City team have done a remarkable job navigating the powerful secular trends in the U.S. beverage landscape." Frank Doseger, General Manager at Irwindale Brew Yard, said, "City is an ideal partner for the relaunch of Irwindale Brew Yard. City brings long-standing customer relationships and partnership agreements that ensure we will have significant customer demand right from the start. This brewery has been an important part of the Irwindale community for decades. We are proud that the innovations we're investing in will continue Irwindale's brewing legacy and ensure the brewery's partnership with the City of Irwindale for years to come." About City Brewing City Brewing is the largest full-service alcoholic beverage contract manufacturer in the United States providing co-packing and supply chain services to blue chip customers across their Hard Seltzer, Traditional FMB, Beer, Spirit-based RTD, and premium non-alcoholic beverage brands. City currently operates out of three facilities located in La Crosse, WI, Memphis, TN and Latrobe, PA with over 1800 employees. About Charlesbank Capital Partners Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank Capital Partners is a middle-market private investment firm managing more than $8 billion of capital. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings, and also engages in opportunistic credit and technology investments. The firm seeks to build companies with sustainable competitive advantage and excellent prospects for growth. The firm has significant experience partnering with leading contract manufacturing businesses across a variety of industries. Examples of Charlesbank co-manufacturing investments include Hearthside Food Solutions, Peacock Foods, Tecomet, and OnCore Manufacturing Services. For more information, please visit www.charlesbank.com. About Blue Ribbon Partners Blue Ribbon Partners, led by American beverage entrepreneur Eugene Kashper, is a new investment platform focused on the beer and beverage industry in the US. Blue Ribbon owns Pabst Brewing Company and holds a significant ownership interest in City Brewing. About Oaktree Oaktree is a leader among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments, with $148 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2020. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in credit, private equity, real assets and listed equities. The firm has over 1,000 employees and offices in 19 cities worldwide. For additional information, please visit Oaktree's website at http://www.oaktreecapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005616/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission UTICA Brandon Clark was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for the shocking internet murder of Bianca Devins, 17, in July 2019. Composed but fighting tears in Oneida County Court, Kim Devins, the victims mother, spoke about the incredible sense of loss she has felt. Clark, 22, and Bianca Devins had attended a concert in New York City, and after returning to Utica Clark slashed Biancas throat and posted grisly photos of her bloody body on social media sites. He then cut his own throat and took a selfie. Clark was charged with second-degree murder in the case, which attracted international attention. Under law, the maximum punishment will allow Clark, 22, of Cicero, to see a parole board in 25 years; however, he can remain imprisoned for life. About 40 people attended the sentencing today. Judge Michael Dwyer asked Clark, who apologized to the family and court at the sentencing, why he tried to withdraw his guilty plea after first pleading guilty. Clark told him he had mental health issues. Judge Dwyer said Clark needs to take full responsibility for the murder. Kim Devins talked about the enormous pain and loss her family has felt. With the death of your child comes the most unimaginable, indescribable pain,' Kim Devins told the court. A pain that time cannot heal and only seems to worsen. Life without Bianca will never be the same, our family will never again be complete. Kim Devins told the court how Bianca was born just days before Kims 18th birthday. Bianca Devins, left, with her mom, Kim Devin. Bianca Devins was murdered in Utica on July 13. Courtesy of Kim DevinsProvided photo My entire adult life, I have been Biancas mom; without her, I dont know who I am,' she said. On July 14, 2019, life as I knew it ended when my daughters life was violently cut short. Bianca was not only my daughter but my best friend. I used to say that no matter what life throws at me, as long as I have my children and they are happy and healthy, I will be OK. I no longer have that sense of security,' she said. Kim Devins spoke of Biancas struggle with mental illness, including depression, anxiety and borderline personality disorder. Bianca sought help, and by spring 2019 had greatly improved. Bianca had graduated from high school two weeks before her murder, and was planning to go to college to become a psychologist, her mom said. Brandon Clark has shown that he has no regard for human life, and took Biancas life for his own selfish reasons that I will never understand,' Kim said in court. Clark sat at the defense table, showing no emotion. Kim said she and her family are haunted by the grisly, horrible photos Clark posted on the Internet after stabbing Bianca. He then exploited her death and flaunted his crime by recording it and posting graphic pictures of Biancas lifeless body on the internet which set off a firestorm of posts and shares of the pictures,' she said. Family and friends continue to be haunted by seeing photos of Bianca with her neck cut open,' her mom said. So many people have been affected by the pictures, scarred for life and suffering from PTSD, unable to erase the image from their mind. No one should have to see their loved one in such a state,' she said. Brandon Clark is sentenced for the murder of 17 yr old Bianca Devins in Oneida County Court in Utica, March 16, 2021. Biancas sister, Olivia, makes a statement before sentencing is handed down. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com Clark meticulously planned Biancas murder for weeks, prosecutors have said. He posted on social media and made phone calls to family and friends instead of getting Bianca lifesaving help,' Kim Devins said. While in jail awaiting trial, Brandon wrote a letter to a friend and stated that he murdered Bianca because he couldnt handle the thought of her walking out of his life. He bragged about murdering my child by writing a transcript of the murder video with personal notes about what it was like to take a life. Kim Devins urged the court and parole board down the road to make sure Brandon Clark remains imprisoned for the rest of his life so that he cannot harm anyone else and inflict this horrific pain on any other family. Clark was originally to be sentenced last November, but the coronavirus pandemic postponed that until today. Clark pleaded guilty to the murder in February 2020, but then attempted to withdraw his guilty plea. Oneida Court Judge Michael Dwyer ruled that he couldnt do that. Also giving statements were Frank Williams, Biancas grandfather; and Olivia, Biancas younger sister. The prosecution also asked the parole board to never grant him parole. Brandon Clark is sentenced for the murder of 17 yr old Bianca Devins in Oneida County Court in Utica, March 16, 2021. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com Clark also spoke, saying he wished he could take his actions back. He said he give his life for her now. He said he has to live with the guilt and the shame of killing her. He said he cant fathom the pain he caused her family and friends. He then apologized to the court and the family. I hate myself for what I did to her,' he said. I dont understand how I could do something like that. It disgusts me. Clark said he looks in the mirror and sees the scar on his neck and says that cant be me. Olivia spoke about how much she missed her sister. At age 14, Oliviia said Bianca, 16, sought help for her mental illness, and improved greatly. Bianca saw a great future for herself, Olivia said. Olivia said she shell never forget the horror of learning her sister had been found dead, and of seeing the gruesome photos of her death. Olivia said she has since deleted all her social media accounts. Frank Williams, Biancas maternal grandfather, pleaded with the court to make sure Clark serves the full sentence and never be granted parole due to the cruelty and callousness of Clarks actions. Williams, his voice cracking with emotion, spoke directly to Clark, saying that Bianca asked to be taken home to her family the day of the murder. Clark never called for help, but did take the time to photograph her dead body and post those photos on social media, he said. Bianca didnt deserve to be taken from her family, and in such a cruel manner, Williams said. The three asked the court to ensure Clark stays in prison for the rest of his life. Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mahmoud Isa-Dutse as Executive Director on the Board of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in Jedda, Saudi Arabia. Mr Dutse is the immediate past Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. He has enormously interacted with development partners and international financial institutions during his tenure as Permanent Secretary. He is quite familiar with the modus operandi of multilateral institutions such as IsDB and he is well respected in those institutions. During his tenure as Permanent Secretary, he represented Nigeria on Boards of Governors/Directors of African Export-Import Bank, Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development, World Bank, African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, ECOWAS Bank for Investment, Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), among others. The position of Executive Director on the Board of IsDB is non-residential (part time). Executive Directors travel to attend Board meetings quarterly or as determined by management to consider critical policy issues. Before his appointment as Permanent Secretary, Mr Dutse was the Acting Chairman and subsequently a Non-Executive Director of the Emerging African Infrastructure Fund (EAIF). He is a renowned banker with 23 years vast experience in the financial sector, having graduated in Economics with MBA and Ph.D in Business Administration. Mr Dutse is taking over from Shuaibu Gambo who was appointed on 1st July, 2011 and has held the position for about 10 years. The new Executive Director is expected to bring to the board new ideas, innovations and contribution and provide Nigeria with opportunity for a voice to demand and access additional resources from the Bank. Nigeria purchased 7.65 per cent of the capital stock of the IsDB in 2010. The acquisition entitled the country to a single-country constituency as against the previous 11 country-constituency to which Nigeria previously belonged. It also entitles the country to a Permanent Seat on the Banks Executive Board of Directors. In her reaction to the appointment, Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, thanked the President and Commander-in-Chief for the appointment. She noted the expertise of Isa-Dutse whom she said has deep intellect and knowledge of development institutions. In her words: Dr. Isa-Dutse has the needed experience and knowledge that is required to inject new ideas, innovation and contribution on behalf of Nigeria on the Board of the bank. He has very impressive credentials for the position. In a related development, President Buhari also approved the appointment of Oyebode Oyetunde as Executive Director for Nigeria at the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, Cote DIvoire. Before the appointment, Mr Oyetunde was Senior Special Assistant to the President on Finance and Fiscal Policy as well as Legal Matters in the Office of the Chief of Staff to President. He was also Special Adviser (Fiscal Policy) to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning. He is a Chartered Accountant and a fiscal policy tax expert with 24 years of experience in investment banking. Mr Oyetunde, a Fiscal/Development expert, is a Ph.D graduate of Queen Mary and Westfield college, University of London and has a Law and Accounting Masters degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is equally a legal practitioner qualified in Nigeria, England and Wales. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). The Fiscal/Development expert worked in the Federal Ministry of Finance from 2008 to 2011, providing technical support in macroeconomic/fiscal policy, taxation and other aspects of public financial management. He has got high level experience with development finance institutions. Mr Oyetunde is taking over from Bright Okogu whose tenure will come to an end at the bank on May 15, 2021 having served as a two-time Executive Director. The position of the Executive Director in AfDB is strategic as it affords Nigeria the opportunity to be in the forefront when key policy decisions are taken regarding the African region. Reacting to the appointment, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, thanked the President for considering Mr Oyetunde for the exalted position. Dr. Oyetunde is one of the functionaries who worked assiduously for the finalization of the Federal Budgets and the Finance Bills among others. He has the competence, experience and pedigree to fit into the office, she said. Garba Shehu ADVERTISEMENT Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) March 16, 2021 Boris Johnson suggested the UK should 'ignore' coronavirus when it was spreading in China at the start of last year, a bombshell account of the Government's handling of the pandemic has claimed. The Prime Minister was said to have been wary of an overreaction to the disease, according to a behind-the-scenes report by the BBC. The report, based on conversations with a raft of senior figures, also claimed that Mr Johnson ignored advice on not shaking hands in the early stages of the pandemic. It claimed Mr Johnson had been prepared by aides to tell the nation to stop shaking hands at a briefing on March 3 last year. The PM was said to have been prepared to answer the question, should it have been asked by a journalist, but when the moment came he said the opposite. He said at the time: 'I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were actually a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody and I continue to shake hands.' Boris Johnson, pictured during a visit to the National Express depot in Coventry yesterday, reportedly ignored advice on not shaking hands at the start of the pandemic The bombshell claims made in the BBC's behind-the-scenes account of the Government's Covid response Shaking hands advice: The PM was reportedly prepared by aides to tell the nation to stop shaking hands at a briefing on March 3 but he said the opposite. He said that on a visit to a hospital he 'shook hands with everybody'. The initial response: The PM allegedly said the 'the best thing would be to ignore it' when coronavirus was spreading in China at the start of last year amid fears of an overreaction. Herd immunity: Sources claimed 'there was a genuine argument in government, which everyone has subsequently denied' over whether to choose a strategy of a hard lockdown or to protect the most vulnerable and target some degree of herd immunity. Dominic Cummings' lockdown trip to Durham: Ministers said the 'fiasco' over the journey was a turning point in the pandemic because it shattered the national sense of unity over lockdown. Summer unlocking: One senior figure described the lifting of rules as 'the biggest mistake' while a Cabinet minister said it was 'totally ridiculous' to have had an argument over workers returning to offices when 'we knew there was going to be a second wave'. Vaccine secrecy: Vaccine project candidates were given submarine-inspired codenames in a bid to preserve commercial confidentiality, with Pfizer's called 'Ambush' and Astra-Zeneca's called 'Triumph'. Advertisement A Downing Street spokesman said in response to the handshaking claim: 'The Prime Minister was very clear at the time he was taking a number of precautionary steps, including frequently washing his hands. 'Once the social distancing advice changed, the Prime Minister's approach changed.' The BBC report paints a picture of a complacent Government in the early stages of the pandemic. One source said that at the end of January when the crisis was in its nascent stages there was a 'lack of concern and energy' and 'the general view was it is just hysteria'. Meanwhile, Mr Johnson is said to have been heard saying 'the best thing would be to ignore it' amid fears of an overreaction. The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman did not deny the claim during a briefing with journalists. Asked about the alleged 'ignore it' comment, the spokesman said: 'I would point back to what the Prime Minister said and set out at the time. 'It has always been our focus to reduce the cases of transmission, to protect the NHS and to ultimately protect lives. 'That's what we did when we first locked down the country last year and that's what we have sought to do throughout the pandemic.' When it was pointed out he was not denying the claim, the spokesman said: 'I'm pointing out that throughout the pandemic what we have done is do what we think was the best course of action in terms of protecting lives and in terms of protecting the NHS. 'That has been our focus throughout the pandemic.' The early stages of the pandemic saw a row break out over whether the Government had considered adopting a strategy of herd immunity. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Adviser, said on March 13 that the 'aim' was to 'try and reduce the peak - not suppress it completely, also because most people get a mild illness, to build up some degree of herd immunity whilst protecting the most vulnerable'. His comments sparked a furious backlash as the Government repeatedly denied herd immunity was ever official policy. But a senior figure told the BBC that 'there was a genuine argument in government, which everyone has subsequently denied' over whether to go for a hard lockdown or to protect the most vulnerable and target some degree of herd immunity. The broadcaster reported there was even talk in Whitehall of so-called 'chicken pox parties' so healthy people could meet to spread the disease. The Government has faced criticism for failing to impose the first lockdown sooner than March 23 last year. But the report suggested there was a sense of disbelief in some quarters of the Government at the time as ministers and officials scrambled to understand the disease. One minister said they 'couldn't believe' some of the measures they had to announce while one official recounted googling: 'Did they shut the schools during the War?' Ministers quoted in the BBC's report said they believed Dominic Cummings' lockdown trip to Durham was a turning point in the pandemic. One senior minister said the handling of the row which saw the PM's now-ex chief adviser hold a press conference in the Number 10 rose garden was a 'fiasco'. One minister said the pandemic had 'washed away all the bitterness of Brexit' but when the story broke about Mr Cummings in May 'that all came flooding back' as the Government faced a furious backlash. The account also includes criticism of the Government's reopening of the economy in the summer months last year and of its failure to act sooner to reimpose restrictions. Sources claimed there was a 'genuine argument' in Whitehall over whether to pursue a herd immunity strategy or to go for a hard lockdown. Mr Johnson is pictured alongside Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty on March 16, 2020 One Cabinet minister told the BBC that 'we knew there was going to be a second wave' and yet there was a 'totally ridiculous' row over whether people should continue to work from home. One senior figure described the lifting of rules in the summer as 'the biggest mistake'. Meanwhile, the delayed reimposition of restrictions in the autumn was the result of 'swampiness' resulting from 'ideological pressure', according to one person quoted. The account also provides an insight into the Government's rapid approach to doing deals with vaccine manufacturers. One official said ministers had decided to 'pay high, pay early, and ensure it works'. But others were concerned about how taxpayers would react if none of the jabs came to fruition given that the Treasury was spending billions of pounds on unproven projects. The account also revealed that the various vaccines were given submarine-inspired codenames in a bid to preserve commercial confidentiality, with Pfizer's called 'Ambush' and Astra-Zeneca's called 'Triumph'. After almost 17 months of release, Dhanush's Asuran has yet again made it to the headlines, but for a stupendous reason. The highly acclaimed film directed by Vetrimaaran has been nominated for Best Film of the Year 2019 category at Osaka Tamil International Film Festival. Notably, the film will be screened at the festival, which will be held on March 27 and 28 in Japan's Osaka. Though the other nominees in the category are not known as of now, looks like fans and followers of Dhanush are highly thrilled and are expecting positive news in the days to come. For those unversed, the revenge drama was recently screened at the International Film Festival of India and at the 78th Golden Globe awards. With the nomination at Osaka Tamil International Film Festival, it is going to be another feather in the team's cap as it had earlier bagged many awards at Behindwoods Gold Medal, Zee Cine Awards Tamil, Ananda Viketan Cinema Awards and Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards. Backed by Kalaipuli S Thanu, the period action film was highly appreciated by critics and audiences alike on its release in October 2019. The film based on Poomani's Tamil novel Vekkai inspired by the Kilvenmani massacre of 1968, dealt with subjects including caste discrimination and fighting against powerful. Also featuring Ken Karunas, Pasupathy, Prakash Raj, Ammu Abirami, Balaji Sakthivel and Subramaniam Siva, the film has music composed by GV Prakash Kumar. Notably, Asuran marked the Kollywood debut of Malayalam actress Manju Warrier, who essayed the role of Sivasaami's (Dhanush) wife Pachaiyamal. Also Read: Valimai First Look To Be Out On Thala Ajith's Birthday, Confirms Producer Boney Kapoor Also Read: Khushbu Sundar In BJP's First List Of Candidates For Tamil Nadu Polls New Delhi, March 16 : The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the Kisan Congress on Tuesday condemned the remarks of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj labelling farmers as "terrorists" and demanded that he be sacked immediately. Maharaj sparked a controversy on Monday when he called the agitating farmers "terrorists or Khalistanis". While speaking to mediapersons, the BJP MP said, "These agitators are terrorists or Khalistanis, but not farmers." IYC national media in-charge Rahul Rao led the protest from the party office even burned the effigy of Maharaj. IYC national president Srinivas B. V. said, "The attitude of the MPs of the Narendra Modi government towards protesting farmers is very shameful. The BJP and the RSS should understand that if there is no farmer in the country then there will be no country, it would be meaningless to imagine the country." The IYC leader said that the youth of the country are with the farmers, and IYC will fight for the farmers firmly. He also alleged that the BJP government is working for the capitalists and is insulting the mandate by not accepting the demands of the farmers. Calling farmers terrorists is not only the insult of farmers, but of every citizen in the country. The IYC leader said that the PM calls protesters 'Aandolan Jeevi' in the Parliament and BJP MPs call the farmers terrorists and Khalistani. These statements have made their intentions clear. "The IYC will continue to fight for the farmers. We won't allow the government to be arbitrary," Srinivas added. "This humiliation of farmers will not be tolerated by the IYC. We demand that Sakshi Maharaj must apologise to farmers across the country and the BJP should sack him with immediate effect," Rao added. Kisan Congress vice chairman Surendra Solanki said that the mindset of Sakshi Maharaj has been exposed. "He should immediately apologise to farmers and the BJP should sack him as MP," Solanki added. Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been protesting since November 26 on Delhi's borders, demanding the repealing of the three farm laws. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Sorry! This content is not available in your region Migrant children and teenagers are processed after entering the site of a temporary holding facility south of Midland, Texas on March 14, 2021. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP) US Border Official: Smugglers Message Spreading Wider Than Biden Administrations Messaging from human smugglers that the U.S.-Mexico border is open is spreading wider than claims from President Joe Bidens administration that the border is not open, a top administration official said Tuesday. The smugglers are agile and quick and word of mouth gets through, and they are exploiting peoples hope and desperation, Roberta Jacobson said during an appearance on CNNs New Day. Our own message is getting out less than [that of] smugglers. We always know that, but we are doing everything we can, and that includes Spanish language radio, social media, making sure that we convey the message that the border is not open, that the majority of people will be returned, and that it is not ever a good idea to come in this irregular fashion. But the smugglers message is very pervasive. They prey on people, and they prey on their hope, and they tell them things that simply arent true. Jacobson, a former U.S. ambassador to Mexico during the Obama and Trump administrations, is currently the White Houses coordinator for the southern border. The United States saw a surge in illegal immigrants in February, Bidens first month in office. The number of border crossings rose from 78,442 in January to 100,441. Administration officials say the crossings are on pace to hit the highest numbers seen in 20 years. Officials are struggling to house so many people, reopening shuttered facilities, adding capacity to others, and reaching a deal with Dallas officials to house teenagers in a convention center. Biden rolled back a number of key initiatives set by the Trump administration, halting border wall construction and axing a program that kept asylum seekers waiting outside the country for their claims to be adjudicated. Most claims are ruled against, but claimants often vanish inside America when allowed to wait in the country. Some experts, most Republicans, and even some Democrats believe the surge is due to Bidens actions and rhetoric. The border between the United States and Mexico is seen near El Paso, Texas on March 15, 2021. (Justin Hamel/AFP via Getty Images) Administration officials have claimed the border isnt open while letting in more illegal immigrants than the Trump administration did. Illegal immigrants, meanwhile, have told news outlets and officials visiting the border that they came to the United States because they thought it was time to come. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) during a recent CNN appearance said he spoke to a group of about 20 who had crossed the border. They said they didnt hear from the president, but from friends and neighbors who were getting across from Mexico, seeing similar messaging on television, and getting recruited by people to cross the border. It has to be a strong message because without due respect, the administrations message is not coming through, Cuellar said. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has also indicated that the border is more open than during the Trump era, saying people see Biden as the migrant president. I think what President Lopez Obrador is reflecting is the fact that President Biden came into office with a much more humane message, with the message that we were going to enforce our laws, but also have a humane migration system, Jacobson said. And I think what he means is that we are going to treat people fairly, we are going to reform our immigration system. And so while I understand what he was saying, I think that its not the way we would put it. It is a more humane system, but it is not open borders, and it is not the factwere going to enforce our law. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) Senator Risa Hontiveros bared on Tuesday another scheme allegedly involving personnel from the Bureau of Immigration, this time by helping human traffickers smuggle Filipino women into Syria for a price. Under the alleged human trafficking scheme, recruiters pay 50,000 to BI workers to illegally send a Filipina worker to Damascus. Hontiveros said the modus has victimized at least three Filipino women, who were initially told they were hired to work in Dubai. Over time, we have actually collected three personal accounts of how Filipina women became victims of human trafficking, abuse, and exploitation aided by corrupt immigration counters within our borders, Hontiveros said in a briefing. All three are Filipino women trafficked to Syria they never consented to being brought to that war-torn country, she added. In the same briefing, Hontiveros shared a recorded interview of one of her staff with one of the alleged victims about her plight in Damascus, where she has been staying for about two years now. "Alice," not her real name, said that upon arriving in Damascus, she was brought to an agency where she was locked up for 12 days before she was sold to her employer. Tumagal ako doon ng 12 days bago ako nabili ng amo ko, she told Hontiveros' staff. [Translation: I stayed there for 12 days before I was bought by my employer.] Bruised and beaten Alice also said the bodyguard of her employer has physically abused her twice. She was told her boss was a relative of the Syrian president. Five months ko dito, nakaranas ako ng pananakit dahil nagpaalam ako na uuwi ako kaya nagalit sila, sinaktan ako. Saka 'yung pangalawa, 2020, sinaktan ulit ako dahil nabasa nila mga email ko. Kinuha nila kasi tumatawag ang embassy sa kanila na humihingi ako ng tulong, she recounted. [Translation: During my fifth month here, I was beaten because I asked them if I could return home. They hurt me again in 2020 after reading my emails to the embassy. They confiscated my emails because the embassy called them and told them I was asking for help.] Hinahawakan ako ng bodyguard, tinatadyakan 'yung tagiliran ko, sampal, sabunot, kaladkad naranasan ko iyan. May bodyguard amo ko kasi kamag-anak ng presidente ng Syria kaya may mga bodyguard, she added. [Translation: My employers bodyguard has kicked my sides, slapped me, pulled my hair, dragged me across the floor. My employer has a bodyguard because he/she is a relative of the Syrian president.] Aside from physically harming her, she said she was made to work long hours and paid only 10,000 a month, which was half of what was promised to her. Hontiveros said all three alleged victims told them they are working 17 hours daily, or from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Modern-day slavery' Hontiveros called the plight of Alice and the two others allegedly trafficked to Syria a case of modern-day slavery. She vowed to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs to rescue the women. She also said they will conduct a legislative inquiry into the issue of trafficking of Filipino women to Damascus before the current Senate session adjourns on March 26, adding they will invite DFA officials to join the hearing. DFA Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin, Jr. welcomed the Senate probe and assured Hontiveros that officials from the DFA, including Philippine Embassy in Damascus Charge d Affaires Vida Soraya Verzosa, will attend the inquiry. We cannot afford to relax or let any abuse pass because it is too much trouble to fix, Locsin added. For his part, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Tuesday the agency fully supports the investigation. We will be fully cooperating with the investigation of Senator Hontiveros as we share a common goal of eliminating corruption in the Bureau, Morente said in a statement. He also claimed they "will not hesitate" to punish any BI worker involved in anomalous activities, as proven in the past. He was referring to the sanctions imposed on 86 BI personnel, who are facing a six-month preventive suspension without pay since December last year over the so-called "pastillas" bribery scam. The scheme purportedly allowed Chinese nationals to enter the country seamlessly in exchange for payment of grease money ranging from P10,000 to millions of pesos per transaction. More efforts are needed to regulate after-school training institutions and their use of teaching materials that are too advanced and complicated in core subjects such as Mandarin, math and English to reduce the academic burden on students, a national legislator said. Yang Shanhong, head of the Anhui Provincial Educational Supervision and Guidance Office and a deputy to the National People's Congress, said one of the top priorities for work on educational supervision and guidelines this year is to reduce students' workload and regulate cram schools. After-school training has become a large industry and too much afterschool training is causing unnecessary competition among students and placing great financial burdens on families, she said. New Delhi: Akshay Kumar starrer Laxmii is all set for its World Television premiere on March 21, 2021, at 8 pm on Star Gold. The horror comedy film stars Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani and Sharad Kelkar in Laxmii. Laxmii is a story of a man possessed by the spirit of a transgender, who is out to seek revenge from her wrongdoers. The intriguing horror-comedy received all the love of fans for entertain the audience and sending out a noble message too. Recalling the shooting experience, actor Sharad Kelkar added, It is a special film for all of us, the experience and memories are to be cherished forever. I always look for characters and films which challenge me as an actor and leave an impact on the audience. Elated about the world television premiere, the actor added, I love spending time with my family and watching movies at home. Now with Laxmii world television premiere, I look forward to enjoying it again with my family. Laxmii is a well-packaged horror comedy and I am sure the audience will enjoy it with their family. Geert Wilders' anti-migration party has closed the gap on the ruling conservatives in the Dutch election, an early poll revealed today. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy retains a lead of 10 percentage points over Wilders' populist, anti-EU party. Rutte is projected to win between 34 and 38 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament, while Wilders is forecast to win between 17 and 21 seats, according to the respected Peilingwijzer survey. The 54-year-old PM's popularity soared over the last year as he took centre stage to outline the government's response to the pandemic, but it was hammered two months ago by a child benefits scandal which forced his entire cabinet to resign. Wilders and Rutte clashed in a TV debate last week. 'A vote for the VVD these days means that even more Dutch people, Mr. Rutte, will feel like a stranger on their own street,' Wilders said, claiming the PM was soft on migration. But Rutte (pictured during the debate) said Wilders was misleading his supporters with nonsensical ideas. 'You are structurally letting them down because you propose sham solutions,' Rutte told him Wilders' Freedom Party has been appealing to voters who have grown impatient at tough coronavirus restrictions. 'We are losing our freedom en masse,' the 57-year-old firebrand said recently in response to a new nightly curfew. 'We are being imprisoned at home on the orders of Mark Rutte,' Wilders said. The Netherlands, a country of 17 million people, has recorded more than 16,000 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic started. Although deaths declined to a seven-day average of 32 on Tuesday, infection rates remain stubbornly high - at around 45 per cent of its peak in December. Like the rest of the EU, the country has had a woeful vaccine rollout, with just 1.6 million doses administered - enough for 4.7 per cent of the population to have two doses. Despite public support for Wilders, he is unlikely to be invited to form a government with Rutte due to his hardline views on immigration. 'A vote for the VVD these days means that even more Dutch people, Mr. Rutte, will feel like a stranger on their own street,' Wilders said in a recent TV debate, claiming the PM was soft on migration. But Rutte said Wilders was misleading his supporters with nonsensical ideas. 'You are structurally letting them down because you propose sham solutions,' Rutte told him. A record of 37 parties are on the ballot and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and Christian Union are vying for third place behind Wilders' party. Either the CDA or the Christian Union could help Rutte to form a government. Rutte has led the last three Dutch ruling coalitions and has been in power for more than a decade. Wilders has previously conceded that he is unlikely to take power as voters seek stability during the pandemic. 'The current government is rather popular now, at least the prime minister is, but then again in time of crisis, people tend to rally around the flag,' Wilders said. 'Other issues such as immigration are still important. For my voters, it's still number one, but if you look at the average Dutchman, corona is the number one issue.' Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren said Tuesday in a letter to Parliament that she will tell municipalities that are responsible for counting votes to amend the way they deal with postal votes after reports emerged Monday of what her ministry called 'procedural mistakes with postal votes.' National broadcaster NOS reported that a number of municipalities said some postal votes could be invalid because the voters had not followed instructions correctly when mailing their ballot paper. The broadcaster reported from the small municipality of Bernheze that 1,688 people voted by mail and 143 of the votes could be invalid. A woman cast her vote at a church during the Dutch general election, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Tuesday The increased use of postal voting for people aged 70 and over is among measures intended to make the election safe amid high infection rates. Voting has been spread out over three days, starting Monday, with the first two days intended to allow people who are considered more vulnerable to the virus to vote in polling stations that are not as busy as on normal election days. The final day of voting is Wednesday and results are expected to begin rolling in after polling stations close at 9pm and into Thursday. The party that wins the most seats is first in line to lead talks to form the next ruling coalition. If that is Rutte, and he succeeds in cobbling together a new government, he could become the country's longest-serving prime minister. (Newser) For the first time, a high-level regime official in North Korea has addressed remarks directly to President Biden. The warning message took issue with the US and South Korea's joint military drills, which began March 8, the Japan Times reports. "We take this opportunity to warn the new US administration trying hard to give off (a gunpowder) smell in our land," Kim Jong Un's powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, said. "If it wants to sleep in peace for (the) coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step." Pyongyang says the drills are "rehearsal for invasion," but the US and South Korea say the drills, which were scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are "defensive" in nature and don't include field training. story continues below Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made their first trip abroad, discussing North Korea's nuclear and missile programs during talks in Tokyo and planning for similar discussions Wednesday in South Korea. The US continues to await a response from North Korea after weeks of attempts at making diplomatic contact, the BBC reports. The Biden administration continues to review former President Trump's North Korea policy, and plans to unveil its policy in the coming weeks, a senior State Department official tells CNN. (Read more North Korea stories.) [March 16, 2021] Paytronix-Powered Dutch Bros Coffee Digital Rewards Program Reaches 1.4 million Users in its First Month NEWTON, Mass., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paytronix Systems, Inc., the most advanced digital guest experience platform, today announced Dutch Bros Coffee reached 1.4 million users in the month since it launched its first digital rewards program, Dutch Rewards. Dutch Rewards was built on the Paytronix platform and is available in the new Dutch Bros app, which customers can use to browse the menu and earn points, rewards and more. The app itself was built by leading digital growth company Hathway, a Paytronix partner. Rewarding and thanking our customers for being part of the Dutch Bros family isnt new for us, said Kristin Flemington, Dutch Bros Coffees senior director of digital marketing. The app is a new way for us to do that. Were able to connect with the customers, offer up free drinks and really get them stoked on the Dutch Bros experience. The new Dutch Bros app allows customers to experience the same enthusiastic customer service online as they do at the window. Rewards members earn 5 points for each dollar spent at a Dutch Bros shopearning free drinks, app stickers matching the unique Dutch Bros vibe, and special deals to celebrate birthdays and half-birthdays. Customers can loadfunds and pay directly from their account, and members earn a free Welcome Drink and bonus points just for enrolling. This is a very cool implementation that takes advantage of both the flexibility of the Paytronix platform and the design skills of our partner Hathway, said Andrew Robbins, CEO of Paytronix. The Dutch Bros app not only uses wallets and app stickers, but also has a level of gamification that shows the type of creativity that we love to see from our customers and partners. As the project's engagement lead, Hathway was responsible for ensuring that the much-loved physical aspects of the Dutch Bros brand were translated to the new digital experience. From the Dutch Pass contactless payment scanner to collectable app stickers, Hathway wove the brand's unique and authentic style throughout the app. For a brand like Dutch Bros with an amazing stamp card loyalty program, the move to digital loyalty and contactless mobile payments had incredibly high stakes, said Hathway CEO Jesse Dundon. Creating the loyalty strategy and developing the app couldnt have been done without the great folks at Dutch Bros and their loyalty, payment, and POS partners. In particular, the Paytronix platform had unbelievable capabilities that we were able to tap into to power custom features like app stickers and hookups, making the digital experience truly 'Dutch.' Not only did we accomplish some amazing work, we also had a great time doing it! Dutch Bros Coffee is the countrys largest privately held drive-thru coffee company, with more than 400 locations and 14,000 employees in 10 states. The Dutch Bros app is available for download at the App Store and the Google Play Store. For more on Dutch Rewards, including a video overview and a full FAQ, visit https://dutchbros.com/rewards. About Paytronix Systems, Inc. Based in Newton, Massachusetts, Paytronix is a provider of SaaS customer experience management (CXM) solutions for restaurants and convenience stores. Through its innovative software design and integrations with more than 30 widely used point-of-sale systems, Paytronix empowers more than 400 brands across 30,000 locations, giving them the flexibility to deliver unique, revenue-enhancing guest experiences. Through one-to-one engagement with more than 285 million guests via Order & Delivery, Loyalty, CRM, and Stored Value, Paytronix generates Big Data consumer insights that motivate increased visits and spend. For more information, visit www.paytronix.com. Media Contact: Chuck Tanowitz Paytronix Systems, Inc. ctanowitz@paytronix.com 617-871-2319 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] On June 28, 2018, a gunman stormed the newsroom of the Capital Gazette, in Annapolis, Maryland, and murdered five staffers: Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, Rebecca Smith, Gerald Fischman, and John McNamara. Later the same day, Selene San Felice, a twenty-two-year-old reporter who survived the attack, was interviewed on CNN, and shared a grim observation about the nature of the news cycles that typically follow mass shootings in America. I honestly didnt even expect to be talking with Anderson Cooper today. I thought people would get, like, an Apple News notification, and they would just blow it off, San Felice said. This is going to be a story for how many days? Less than a week. People will forget about us after a week. The Capital Gazette shooting, and San Felices interview, stayed with Chris Benderev, a reporter and producer at NPR, much longer than that. He and his colleagues at Embeddeda documentary-style show, hosted by Kelly McEvers, that produces deep dives off the newshad already been looking to focus on the aftermath of a shooting; there was, sickeningly, no shortage of possible subjects, but Benderev ended up staying with the story of the Capital Gazette. (It helped that Annapolis is close to his base, in DC.) Over the course of the next two and a half years, he reported a four-part series; the first installment dropped a month ago, and the fourth came out last week. The series starts with the CNN interview and expands from there, focusing first on the day of the shootingwhen surviving staffers worked from the back of a pickup truck to, in the now-famous words of reporter Chase Cook, put out a damn paper tomorrowthen tracking how the survivors processed their longer-term trauma while continuing to report, including on the gunmans trial. Benderev captured some gutting individual stories. San Felice struggled to match Winterss prolific output covering community events. People have stopped saying, like, Hey, Im sorry, Wendi used to do this, she said, now its just: Wendi used to do it, whos going to do it? Another reporter, Danielle Ohl, recalled covering a city-council meeting where a local businessman upbraided her for her coverage, with words to the effect of, I understand freedom of the press, but you see what happened to you guys. New from CJR: Tom Wheeler: Regulator, history buff, good dingo After the shooting, Benderev was one of a number of reporters to seek access to the Capital Gazette. Initially, Rick Hutzell, the top editor, declined the requestsfor reasons of security and inadequate physical space in a tiny temporary newsroom, and also because his staff still needed privacy. But Benderev kept talking to staffers who were keen for his reporting to proceed, and encouraged them to record their thoughts in voice memos that he could use later, or that staffers could one day incorporate into a project of their own. (Some of them, Benderev says, at one point considered making a podcast.) Eventually, Hutzell gave Benderev his blessing to interview staff offsite; then, in the spring of 2019, the Capital Gazette moved into a bigger space and Benderev was allowed inside. He visited at least once a week until the pandemic hit, after which he joined meetings via Zoom; he interviewed most of the staff, and tried to structure his questions, he says, to respect their traumatic memories. As an old-school editor, Hutzell, Benderev says, was resistant to becoming part of the story, but he opened up more as time passed. As much as, as a radio journalist, I always want people to be emotional, Benderev told me, he just felt like he cant be a puddle of tears and then be the manager, because he has to be this stable presence. As the series nears its conclusion, it shifts some of its focus to incorporate a second, very different type of crisistelling the very specific story of journalists surviving a mass shooting at work against the much more common backdrop of crushing cuts to the news business. We always knew that it would be two things, Benderev says of the series. I guess the part we did not know was the stuff with Alden Global Capital and the newsroom. In the fall of 2019, Alden, a New York hedge fund notorious for whittling down its media properties, became the largest shareholder of Tribune, the Capital Gazettes ultimate owner; Tribune implemented cuts across its titles, before moving, last summer, to permanently shutter physical newsrooms, including the Capital Gazettes. I know this is probably disappointing news for a lot of you; when I first heard it, I got to admit, my stomach was on the floor as well, Hutzell told his staff on a Zoom call that Benderev recorded. I dont have all the answers. I cant even make my damn camera work. But I do believe that there is a workable solution that addresses a lot of these problems. Ohl, speaking to Benderev before the newsroom closed, had been more pessimistic: The thing that makes me just so angry is that we could bounce back from a mass shooting, but I do not know if we can bounce back and survive corporate ownership. Then, last monthon the same day that NPR released a trailer for the seriescame a major development. Alden announced a deal to take over the entirety of Tribune, pending the approval of other shareholders, but there was an unexpected silver lining for the Capital Gazette, which, along with other Maryland papers including the Baltimore Sun, would be spun off into nonprofit ownershipanchored by Stewart Bainum, Jr., a local hotel magnateshould the deal go through. Hutzell told staff that the news was hopeful, but cautioned that there were still several steps before this comes to fruition. Since Sunday, we have learned more about those steps, and a possible snag. Marc Tracy, of the New York Times, reported that Bainum and Alden are at loggerheads over the terms of the nonprofit spinoff; according to the Sun, Bainum balked, specifically, at Aldens offer of a five-year shared services contract. Bainum is reportedly now considering rivaling Aldens bid for the whole of Tribune; there is much work to be done, but if Bainum were to succeed, Tracy writes, he would seek to sell other titles to local owners, too. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Whatever happens next, NPRs series is a useful and timely testament to the local-news crisis in America, as well as a moving, deftly-handled exploration of its original impetus: the inadequacy of the typical mass-shooting news cycle. In seizing on San Felices words on CNN, Benderev was worried of sounding a little self-righteous: like, we dont forget about these people, he says, referring to mass-shooting victims generally. But of course, I do, too, and so do the people at the Capital Gazette like, its impossible to remember. Journalists sticking with survivors stories is a way to counter that grim truthnot just around mass shootings, Benderev says, but the much broader problem of gun violence in America. The more that news organizations are willing to put resources behind stories where you follow people, and you get to see other stuff that happens to them, I think thats good, he says. As the second part of his series shows, fewer and fewer outlets have such resources. At least there, for now, Bainum offers some hope. Below, more on the Capital Gazette and mass shootings: Other notable stories: Listen: Why is it so hard to say theres hope? 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. Guy Fieri might be known as the animated, fun-loving host of Food Networks Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, but hes actually quite the cook himself. In addition to hosting Triple D and Guys Grocery Games, Fieri also hosts his own cooking show, Guys Big Bite and his baby back ribs recipe is one fans should want to get their hands on. Guy Fieri visits the Z100 studio in New York City in 2013 | D Dipasupil/Getty Images Guy Fieri started cooking when he was a child Fieri has always had a passion for cooking. From a young age, he wanted to help his parents in the kitchen and cook whenever he could. Fieri even had dreams of studying in France as a teenager; he and his father built a pretzel cart, and Fieri started selling pretzels to raise the money for the trip abroad. Eventually, he met his goal, and he spent his 16th year overseas, according to Biography. It only solidified his passion for food. Fieri earned a degree in hospitality management and spent most of college working in various restaurants. Once he graduated, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in food. By 1996, Fieri set out on his own well, with a business partner to open his first restaurant. Fieri launched Johnny Garlics that year, and eventually opened Tex Wasabis seven years later. Guy Fieri kneels alongside his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019 | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images RELATED: Guy Fieris Chicken Alfredo Dish Has 1 Surprising Secret Ingredient Fieris baby back ribs recipe features a vinegar brine Fieri has built a reputation on creating and eating heavy, indulgent foods; its what hes best known for on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Fieri loves creating dishes with big flavor, such as his baby back ribs. The Food Network chefs biggest trick for creating the perfect baby back ribs is soaking them in a vinegar-based brine prior to cooking. He pairs 1 cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of water, plus fresh garlic, and salt and pepper. Fieri balances the saltiness from the vinegar brine with a sweet sauce consisting of raspberry jam, frozen raspberries, and molasses. The sauce builds a sweet and smoky flavor once Fieri adds smoked chipotles in adobo. For Fieris full baby back ribs recipe, check out the video below. RELATED: Guys Grocery Games Host Guy Fieri Reveals 1 Common Mistake Most Contestants Make Fieri has tips and tricks for some of his other biggest recipes, too Fieri is known as the mayor of Flavortown for one big reason: His recipes are full of savory flavor. The Food Network chef has developed a few tricks for creating the best recipes, including a big secret to the perfect nachos: Anything but chips. Fieri typically avoids using tortilla chips in his nachos recipes. He prefers a sturdier base, such as fried pita or fried wonton wrappers; they can hold heavier toppings. Fieri also has an irresistible macaroni and cheese recipe, which features shredded cheddar, pepper Jack cheese, and panko breadcrumbs. Fieris dishes might not exactly be healthy, but theyre definitely worth the cheat meal. Fears of a rapidly escalating coronavirus outbreak in Papua New Guinea potentially threatening Australia have led to crisis talks between the two prime ministers over what can be done to protect both countries. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also held a second round of talks on Tuesday afternoon as PNGs health system struggles to contain a staggering number of cases. Mr Morrison left a joint Coalition party room meeting early on Tuesday to deal with the issue, after fears a COVID-19 outbreak in PNG could spread to the Australian mainland. The AstraZeneca vaccine was fast-tracked to islands in the Torres Strait last week as fears of an outbreak from Papua New Guinea grow. Credit:Facebook Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said he was very concerned about the situation in Papua New Guinea were watching that very closely and actively. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes John "Fozzie" Miller The Fozzie Miller Group is working for Qatars ministry of defense as it deals with the Pentagon to advance its military goals and security of the Arab state. John Fozzie Miller is a retired US navy vice admiral and current adjunct professor at the Naval War College, who served with the Fifth Fleet, which is based in Manama, Bahrain. President Biden has ordered a routine review of military sales made by the Trump administration, with a special focus on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Team Trump ironed out a $12B deal with Qatar in 2017 for $12 billion for 36 F-15QA fighter jets. The US has $25B in government-to-government sales with Qatar for F-15QA fighter aircraft and weapons packages; AH-64E Apache attack helicopters; Mk-V fast patrol boats, C-17 aircraft support and Patriot and Javelin missiles. Qatar hosts al-Udeid Air Base, which is home to US Central Command Forward, US Air Force and US Special Operations Central Command Forward. FMGs contract kicked off March 10 and is worth $25K per month. A winner will be announced Wednesday night in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search, a prestigious nationwide contest and two Greenwich High School seniors are among the 40 finalists. Hannah Goldenberg and Edgar Sosa were selected as finalists from a pool of 1,760 applicants based on the scientific rigor and real-world impact of an intensive, multiyear science research project. Each finalist is awarded at least $25,000. The grand prize is $250,000. What Hannah and Edgar both share, and what is most commendable, is their true love for scientific discovery for the most profound reason ... to use their inherent gifts of creativity and imagination to help others, said Andrew Bramante, who leads the research-based science class at Greenwich High in which Goldenberg and Sosa each worked on their projects. Sosa, 20, moved with his family from Guatemala to Greenwich in 2016 after coffee rust, or la roya, a deadly fungus, killed the crops on his familys coffee farm. In conducting his research, Sosa focused on the fungus that forever changed his familys fate. He used metal oxide nano-particles to suppress coffee rusts fatal effect on coffee plants. His goal is to one day bring the crop-defending mechanism he has developed back to his hometown to aid farmers. Goldenberg, 17, investigated the hazardous effects of e-cigarettes, or vaping, which many of her peers were using in high school. To conduct her experiments, Goldenberg created a plastic model of a human lung and an apparatus made of cereal boxes that mimicked the human respiratory system. She also was able to determine that e-cigarette smoke, like traditional cigarette smoke, produced genes linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to Bramante, Greenwich High has had seven different finalists in the national competition. In the last 14 years, 37 Greenwich High students have been named Regeneron Scholars, a group of just 300 students annually. In addition to Goldenberg and Sosa, seniors Alexander Patti, 18, and Sofia Pronina, 17, were also named 2021 Regeneron Scholars. Jazz Ensemble from GHS creates virtual performance of But Not For Me The award-winning Greenwich High School Jazz Ensemble recently released its third virtual performance, But Not For Me, a Gershwin tune that showcases the breadth and depth of this ensembles musical talent. The Jazz Ensemble has not skipped a beat despite ongoing challenges presented by this years hybrid school model, said Michael Breaux, GHS band director. Creating virtual videos has given our band a chance to be creative this past year, said Breaux. Weve definitely had to think outside the box. The students seem proud that we didnt let COVID stop us from making great jazz music. To create their own individual parts from home, students had to act as the performer as well as their own videographer and audio engineer. We grew as a band in new and exciting ways through this process. Our students learned a lot about the recording as well, said Jason Polise, associate band director. Creating virtual videos has allowed the students to experience what its like to create a musical product, something that can be viewed by anyone at any time. Last spring, Polise spearheaded the virtual recording of two Jazz pieces, This Cant Be Love by Nat King Cole and Groove Merchant by Jerome Richardson, arr. Thad Jones, garnering over 5,000 views on YouTube. Our latest video, But Not For Me, was especially fun because we were able to feature a few seniors, including Rebecca Scala on vocals, and with a winter theme effect. We are extremely proud of these students and excited that theyve grown so much this year as a band, said Breaux. To enjoy the performance, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haEjObHgyVw. The GHS Jazz Ensemble performs unique jazz renditions and timeless classics and has hosted the Essentially Ellington Regional High School Jazz Festival for 34 years. Although the festival was canceled last year due to the pandemic, the band directors are planning this years event, which will take place on Saturday, March 20. It will be an all-virtual day of performances and masterclasses for students. Local students earn honors at colleges and universities The following local residents were named to the Deans List at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., for the 2020 fall semester: James Griffin of Riverside, a first-year student; Madeleine Howe of Greenwich, a junior majoring in psychology; Kevin Iobbi of Riverside, a junior majoring in economics, and Caitlin Stern of Greenwich, a senior majoring in sociology. To be named to the Deans List, a student must have an average of 3.5 or above. The College of Charleston in South Carolina is honoring the following local students for academic achievements for Fall 2020: Alexandria Caporale of Greenwich, who is majoring in elementary education, was named to the Presidents List; Nicole Zamzok of Greenwich, who is majoring in special education, was named to the Presidents List; Jody Bell of Greenwich, who is majoring in finance, was named to the Presidents List; and Pierce Ornstein of Greenwich, who is majoring in political science, was named to the Deans List. Janice Hillman of Greenwich was named to the President's List at LIM College in New York City for the Fall 2020 semester. To earn the honor, a student must earn a grade point average between 3.8 and 4.0. Emily Bass of Old Greenwich was named to the Dean's List at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, for the fall semester. Bass is majoring in politics and minoring in education and philosophy. This is a distinction earned by students whose grade point average is 3.88 or higher. A garda, whose forearm was injured by a colleagues tiepin as she assisted him break up a fight, has been awarded 12,000 damages in a garda compensation hearing in the High Court. Barrister Maria Lane, counsel for Garda Nadine Keane, said as she helped another garda restrain two men involved in a fight outside Ennis Courthouse her colleagues tiepin caught her right forearm and caused her a serious injury. Ms Lane, who appeared with OGorman Solicitors, told Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty that Garda Keane had been taken to Ennis General Hospital after the incident and had her arm wound closed with 13 seri-strips. Judge Gearty heard Garda Keane had been left with a 6.5cm keloid scar on her forearm which had caused her embarrassment for up to four years. She had been seen by Mr Eoin OBroin, consultant plastic reconstructive surgeon and anaesthetist in 2016, two years after the incident, and he had noted that the scar running down her forearm was thickened and red. The specialist was of the view that the only treatment that might help reduce the colour of the scar was laser therapy. Garda Keane had used bio oil to try to improve the appearance of the scar which was described as relatively obvious and unsightly. The oil had very limited effect and Garda Keane was self-conscious of the appearance of the scar. She had told Judge Gearty that on October 1, 2014, she had attended at the local courthouse in Ennis, Co Clare, where she was stationed. An altercation broke out between two men and she had been detailed to assist a colleague in restraining them. In the course of a struggle her right forearm had become caught in her colleagues tiepin which had cut into her arm. Following treatment in hospital she had taken three days leave. Judge Gearty said Garda Keanes arm had been bleeding and she had felt faint before being taken to hospital where the wound had been closed and no further treatment had been recommended. The scar was more ugly than one might anticipate and was red in colour and relatively obvious and unsightly, Judge Gearty said. Judge Gearty, in awarding her 12,000 damages, said Garda Keane had been injured in an ugly incident and the court was taking into consideration her embarrassment for up to four years. A forearm scar is obviously not equivalent to a facial scar and her injury is much less obvious now than it was for the first four years after the incident, Judge Gearty said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 05:53:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ALGIERS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum on Tuesday met with UN Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis over the developments of the war-torn country after the swearing-in of a new government. Boukadoum said on his official Twitter account that he had "constructive" talks with the UN envoy and they "hailed the recent positive steps" by Libya to "reunite its ranks." They reaffirmed their determination to support the peace and reconciliation process in Libya, the Algerian top diplomat noted. The UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) recently selected a new executive authority for the North African country, which was welcomed by all the Libyan parties. Moahmmed Menfi was appointed as President of the Presidency Council while Abdul Hamid Dbeibah was elected by the LPDF as new Prime Minister. The new government's main task is to hold general elections on Dec. 24 as agreed by the LPDF. Enditem .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A New Mexico paid sick leave bill was retooled Tuesday in a Senate committee to include state and local government employees, a change that could raise cost concerns but that backers said was needed to address fairness issues. After a lengthy and occasionally testy debate, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-4 to send the paid leave bill back to the full Senate, where it had been before the panels chairman requested his committee be able to further vet the measure. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The chairman, Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, cast the tiebreaking vote to advance the bill, House Bill 20, but only after asking the measures sponsors to promise they would not undo the committees changes. The Democratic bill sponsors responded by saying they that would not pursue such action themselves but that they could not control the actions of other lawmakers during the final days of the 60-day legislative session. I can commit that we will not try to amend the bill. I cant speak to what could happen elsewhere, said Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos. If the bill passes the Senate, it will have to return to the House due to the added amendments. The paid sick leave bill has generated fierce debate at the Roundhouse after a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on workers and businesses alike. Critics of the bill have argued it would impose another financial burden on businesses whose sales have plummeted during the pandemic, but backers described their concerns as overblown at a time when many businesses are getting state and federal financial aid. Specifically, the bill would allow workers to take up to 64 hours of accrued leave per year. Employees could start accruing leave once the bill takes effect or when they start a new job, whichever is later. About 15 other states already have paid sick leave laws on their books, including neighboring Colorado and Arizona, although many of them exempt small businesses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The proposal under consideration at the Capitol would not exempt small employers. It would, in its current form, allow employers that already offer paid leave programs to qualify under the law as long as they meet its minimum terms. Critics have said the amount of leave in the bill exceeds amounts required in other states sick leave ordinances. Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, argued during Tuesdays committee hearing that the bill should be rewritten to be similar to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and, at one point, asked bill sponsors whether they would allow him to do so. After they declined the offer, Ivey-Soto joined the committees three Republican members in voting against the bill, describing it as amazingly problematic, referring to what he considered an added burden on businesses. Wanting a headline and implementing details are two separate things, Ivey-Soto said after the vote to advance the bill was taken. Governors approval The paid sick leave bill has now been amended in several Senate committees since narrowly passing the House last month. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham suggested before the House vote that this was the wrong time for lawmakers to pass bills imposing new requirements on businesses, but she said she would sign the legislation after backers agreed to postpone its effective date from this summer to July 2022. But it was unclear whether the governor would still support the bill after Tuesdays changes, as it was initially drafted to apply only to private sector employers, not those who work in the public sector. Supporters said the change was unnecessary because most, if not all, New Mexico state, county and municipal employees already have access to paid sick leave. But critics said, in that case, the change would not impose any costs on state and local governments and would ensure equal treatment of employees. If were going to force small businesses to do this, it only sends the right message to have state agencies do it, too, said Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque. In addition, the bill had previously proposed allowing employees to take an additional 80 hours of paid sick leave during declared public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic but that provision was also stripped out during Tuesdays committee hearing. This years debate has featured testimony from grocery store workers who have said they have to choose between going to work while sick or losing part of their paycheck. Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said some businesses do not provide their workers with any sick leave, even in the middle of a pandemic. Its for our front-line workers that have gotten sick, that have gotten other people sick and that have helped spread COVID-19 because they were not able take sick leave, Stewart said during Tuesdays debate. Business opposition Business groups described the proposal as one of the most far-reaching paid leave bills in the country, while also saying their offers to help craft a statewide paid leave policy that would be less harmful to employers have largely been rebuffed. Bernalillo County has adopted a paid sick leave ordinance, although it applies only to unincorporated parts of the county and is not as generous to employees as the proposed statewide law. Albuquerque city councilors have put off a local debate over paid sick leave to see what action lawmakers take during this years session. The 60-day session ends at noon Saturday. Washington: Virgin Atlantic Airways aborted a flight to Israel after a laser beam was shone at the planes cockpit from the ground as it departed London Heathrow airport. The Boeing 787 widebody jet bound for Tel Aviv turned around over Paris following the incident on Monday night, the British carrier said in a statement. Flight VS453 landed back at Heathrow at about 10.45pm, and passengers were offered overnight accommodation before continuing their journeys on Tuesday. A Virgin Atlantic flight. Credit:AP This was a precautionary step taken by the operating crew, a Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman said. We swiftly notified the police and remain in close contact with them and the Civil Aviation Authority. Laser pointers emerged as a safety hazard more than a decade ago, with the devices being flashed at planes near airports around the world. Unlike a flashlight, beams from the pen-sized gadgets are highly concentrated and can travel for long distances without losing intensity. The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) will from Wednesday hold talks with trade unions, industry associations and government ministries to discuss Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in e-commerce. officials will meet Confederation of All India (CAIT), Retailers Association of India, Laghu Udyog Bharti, the Confederation Indian Industries (CII), Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). They will separately hold talks with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI), and the ministries of finance, corporate affairs, consumer affairs, Competition Commission of India (CCI). The meetings will be on March 17, 19 and 23. Officials are likely to meet over a dozen e-commerce companies, including Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm Mall, Swiggy, among others on March 25, a person aware of the development said. secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra will chair the meeting. Officials will discuss various aspects of the Press Note 2 issued by the department two years ago. In December 2018, had issued the note on guidelines aimed at tightening norms for online retailers, after the government received complaints against these platforms on how they were flouting the policy by not only influencing product prices but also indirectly moving towards an inventory model. DPIIT had then said that Press Note 2 was issued for better enforcement of an earlier note that banned in the inventory model of e-commerce. Domestic trader groups have complained against e-commerce behemoths such as Amazon and Flipkart, alleging that they have been flouting the FDI policy norms by offering deep discounting and promoting preferential sellers, among others. It is learnt that the government could come up with fresh clarifications on Press Note 2 but only after considering the viewpoint of all relevant stakeholders. We need to understand the view of all relevant parties before coming with clarifications, if any, a senior government official said. We also want the e-commerce policy to see the light of the day as urgent modalities and parameters are required in the e-commerce business. As far as Press Note is concerned, the intent of the government has to be implemented in letter and spirit, Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal. It was the third Saturday in November, and New Orleans City Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen was sipping coffee in a nondescript meeting room near the entrance of the East New Orleans Regional Library. Facing her were a dozen residents, who had come to nurse styrofoam coffee cups of their own and grill her about everything from blighted buildings and trash to a lack of jobs and businesses in their neighborhoods. Although a Walmart opened in New Orleans East in 2014, one woman said she laments the area's lack of a Rouses grocery. Another decried "a clear disparity of services within Uptown versus within this community," particularly when it comes to litter-filled neutral grounds. Nguyen nodded and calmly tried to explain that grocers don't open stores just because a council member wants them to, and that trash is not unique to New Orleans East. I was in Slidell just this morning, off of the I-10, and I was literally shocked because somebody threw something out of the car, Nguyen said. And Im like, In Slidell? Get out of here! Nguyen is quieter and less in the public eye than some of her more seasoned colleagues on the council. But in the seven months since her inauguration as District E's representative, the former community organizer and nonprofit director, the city's first Vietnamese-American elected official, has found her own ways to connect with residents of her district. She shines during her coffee sessions, relaxed and sometimes witty as she discusses city problems and pet issues. She easily connects with residents at barbershops, nail salons and other small gatherings regardless of their economic or ethnic backgrounds one likely reason for her landslide victory last year over longtime Councilman James Gray, who is black, in a district that is 87 percent African-American. She's learned the primary thing residents of her district have been demanding in the 13 years since Hurricane Katrina heavily ravaged the district: the jobs and opportunity that come with economic development. "I've been part of that 13 years of frustration as well," she said. "So I know the eagerness is there. But you've gotta do it right." In response, Nguyen has been quietly working with Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration on a strategy to bring investment into the district. Nguyen chairs the councils Economic Development and Special Projects Committee, which deals with several projects in her district. She supports plans by Cantrell to tap a consultant for advice on how best to revitalize the abandoned Six Flags amusement park, as well as the site where the old Lake Forest Plaza shopping center once stood and the former site of Lincoln Beach, an amusement park for black New Orleanians on Lake Pontchartrain in the years before desegregation. Nguyen also wants to see plans drawn up for the redevelopment of stretches of major roads in her district, in the same way that Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in Central City has attracted restaurants, shops and small offices. Shes also dropping little hints that District E, which comprises New Orleans East and the Lower 9th Ward, needs a new attitude. She calls her district The E, while the Lower 9th Ward has become The L9, nicknames she hopes will subtly shift public perceptions. Still, her own ideas for some of the district's most notorious boondoggles and persistent areas of blight can seem a touch outlandish. Nguyen wants to turn the old Six Flags site, which has been abandoned since just before Katrina, into an indoor water park. The closest outdoor water parks are in Baton Rouge and Gulfport, Mississippi. An indoor park, she said, could be a moneymaker year-round. That, plus a rehabilitated Lincoln Beach, could help change New Orleans' reputation from "just a place where you can get drunk" to a city suitable for the whole family, she said. Nguyen acknowledged that the biggest roadblock to change in her district has been trouble finding firms willing to invest capital. Investors have been less willing to pour money into the East and the Lower 9th Ward, as both are far from the city's major tourist attractions and have struggled with either blight or population loss since Katrina. To address that, Nguyen is trying to change the way people talk and think about their neighborhoods. "I think many times we say how we feel, but we don't think of how that can really harm the entire district," she said. Though she pointed to programs run by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and other agencies as ways to bring more homeowners and renters to the Lower 9th Ward, she also plans to introduce two new ordinances to help spark development. One would clear the way for development along North Claiborne Avenue by easing zoning requirements there. The other would designate the Lower 9th Ward as a "historic urban development area," which she hopes will link the area to specific tax credits and grants. Nguyen's office is working with developers to understand exactly what would inspire them to invest, she said. She outlined those strategies after leaving her "coffee and conversation" event, one of a half-dozen meet-and-greets on her calendar that day and one of dozens she's hosted since January in a bid to meet as many residents as possible. Though it's that type of energy that helped land her an upset election victory, she admitted she has had a lot to learn about other parts of governance, such as the annual city budget or how to represent numerous residents with different views. But if her constituents take nothing else away from her tenure, she wants them to know she's trying to bring about the development they want. "Im going to continue to work hard," Nguyen said. "Im going to continue to be accessible, and Im going to be honest with them." Advertisement Boris Johnson will today declare that the UK is boosting its nuclear arsenal as a major review warns that Russia and China are the 'biggest threats' and a biological 'dirty bombs'. Unveiling a strategy that could define Britain's future as a world power, the PM will signal a shift to a 'more robust position on security and deterrence' including troops being deployed overseas 'more often and for longer periods'. The limit on the number of nuclear warheads is set to be increased from 180 to 260. But the Integrated Review of security, defence, and foreign policy will also herald a huge shift in emphasis from conventional forces to cutting edge warfare, with investment in space and laser weapons. It is set to highlight the 'active threat' of Russia under Vladimir Putin, while stressing that Beijing poses a 'systemic challenge' to prosperity. A successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack is considered 'likely' by 2030. And worryingly the document says another pandemic is a 'realistic possibility' this decade. 'Infectious disease outbreaks are likely to be more frequent to 2030,' it says. The blueprint will be laid out by Mr Johnson in a statement to the Commons, where he will warn that Western values are not guaranteed to come out on top - and restate his commitment to spending 0.7 per cent of Britain's income on aid once the coronavirus crisis is past. Boris Johnson will set out a 'more robust position on security and deterrence' that could see troops sent overseas more regularly, and for longer periods of time The review is set to highlight the 'active threat' of Russia under Vladimir Putin (left). There will also be an expansion of the nuclear arsenal. Pictured right, test firing of a Trident missile The SitCen is at the heart of the huge defence, security and foreign policy review due to be unveiled by Boris Johnson on March 16 The 100-page review, which was leaked last night, will set out the Government's view of Britain's place in the world after Brexit. It declares: 'We will move from defending the status quo within the post-Cold War international system to dynamically shaping the post-Covid order.' There will be a 24billion rise in spending on defence as the UK moves into the 'new frontiers' of space and cyber-warfare. Key points in the review are: Britain is to lift the maximum number of Trident nuclear warheads it can stockpile by more than 40 per cent, from 180 to 260; The terrorist threat to the UK, including Islamist and Northern Ireland-linked extremists, remains 'all too real'; There is a 'realistic possibility' that terror groups could launch a successful attack involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons by 2030; The UK should pursue a 'positive trade and investment relationship' with China while protecting national security; Britain's bases in Kenya, Oman, Singapore, Cyprus, Gibraltar and Germany will be revamped so troops can respond more quickly to threats. The review also paves the way for cuts to conventional forces, with the RAF set to lose 24 Typhoon jets and its 14 Super Hercules transport planes. The Navy is said to be facing the loss of two submarine-hunting frigates, HMS Montrose and HMS Monmouth, as well as its 13 minehunters, which are due to be replaced by drones. And Army commanders are expected to have to say goodbye to 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 77 tanks and 760 Warrior fighting vehicles. The HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific region as sources say ministers believe it is becoming the 'geopolitical centre of the world' The review billed as the most radical reassessment of Britain's place in the world since the end of the Cold War has taken a year to draw up. It is set to back the creation of a new state-of-the-art counter-terrorism operations centre to streamline the response of police and the intelligence agencies in the event of an attack. The will also be a new 'situation centre' in the Cabinet Office similar to the White House situation room where Barack Obama was able to watch the US special forces operation to kill Osama bin Laden in real time. The 100-page document entitled Global Britain in a Competitive Age argues the increase in nuclear warheads cap is 'in recognition of the evolving security environment' and the 'developing range of technological and doctrinal threats'. 'A minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent, assigned to the defence of Nato, remains essential in order to guarantee our security and that of our allies,' it says. The report insists the UK will 'not hesitate' to defend its values and will increase the protection of critical infrastructure, such as the national grid, transport and water supplies. Defence debt 'could wipe out 16billion boost for budget' Billions of pounds promised for military equipment could be lost in a 'funding black hole'. The warning by MPs comes as Boris Johnson launches a long-awaited review of security, defence and foreign policy. The Prime Minister has pledged 16.5billion for cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft and 'directed-energy' weapons. But the Commons Public Accounts Committee said much of this money will be needed to pay for kit already ordered by the Ministry of Defence. It estimates top brass have run up debts of up to 17.4billion on aircraft, ships and weapons. Meg Hillier, the Labour chairman of the committee, said this could mean the 16.5billion is 'swallowed whole'. The MoD said it had 'secured a substantial settlement over four years in order to restore financial sustainability'. Advertisement However in a section likely to alarm Tory hawks on China is also argues that the UK will need to pursue a positive economic relationship including 'deeper trade links and more Chinese investment'. The shift will be underlined by the deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group to the region on its maiden operational mission later this year. Mr Johnson will make a personal commitment to to restore foreign aid spending to 0.7 per cent of national income 'when the fiscal situation allows' following furious criticism of cuts to support for Yemen and other countries. The premier is expected to argue that while Nato remains the bedrock of UK security in the Euro-Atlantic region, the country can no longer rely on an 'increasingly outdated international' to protect its interests. At a time when some countries are seeking to undermine the open and liberal international order which emerged following the Cold War, he is expected to say the UK needs to use 'all the tools at our disposal' to ensure a world where democracies can still flourish. He is set to tell MPs: 'I am profoundly optimistic about the UK's place in the world and our ability to seize the opportunities ahead. 'The ingenuity of our citizens and the strength of our Union will combine with our international partnerships, modernised armed forces and a new green agenda, enabling us to look forward with confidence as we shape the world of the future.' The publication comes after the Prime Minister announced in November a 16.5billion increase in defence spending over the next four years focusing on the future battlefields of space and cyber. However, military chiefs have made clear the investment in new technologies will mean cuts to some 'industrial age' capabilities to be set out in further paper by the Ministry of Defence next week . The Army is expected to be the biggest loser with troop numbers expected to be slashed by more than 10,000, while its fleet of Challenger 2 main battle tanks is expected to be reduced by a third and the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle retired altogether. The papers lay out a pledge to protect Gibraltar and the Falklands. Armed Forces will 'deter and challenge incursions in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters' and 'maintain a permanent presence in the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and the British Indian Ocean Territory', the documents say. The decision to commit to reinstating Britain's controversial foreign aid target comes just months after it was cut. Criticised for waste, it was reduced to 0.5 per cent in Rishi Sunak's spending review last year. The Daily Mail revealed at the weekend that ministers were backtracking on a commitment to change the law, which currently requires 0.7 per cent to be spent. Instead, they are considering relying on a loophole which allows for a lower level of spending when finances are tight. The reduction in the target will save about 4billion, making the budget 10billion. Mr Johnson's decision to publicly recommit to the target today suggests the cut is likely to be very short term. The Integrated Review, entitled Global Britain in a Competitive Age, will also include the construction of a White House-style situation room based in the Cabinet Office and a new Counter-Terrorism Operations Centre to improve the authorities' ability to respond to incidents. The Navy is said to be facing the loss of two submarine-hunting frigates, HMS Montrose and HMS Monmouth, as well as its 13 minehunters, which are due to be replaced by drones In the Commons later, Mr Johnson is expected to say the UK needs to use 'all the tools at our disposal' to ensure a world where democracies can still flourish at a time when some countries are seeking to undermine the open and liberal international order. He will tell MPs: 'I am profoundly optimistic about the UK's place in the world.' However, military chiefs have made clear the investment in new technologies will mean cuts to 'industrial age' capabilities. This has alarmed some MPs, including Tobias Ellwood, Conservative chairman of the defence committee. He told the Commons yesterday that the country was about to witness a 'shocking reduction' in its conventional hard power in favour of new 'niche capabilities'. Enugu House of Assembly has stepped down the controversial life pension bill for former governors, their deputies and spouses. The stepping down of the bill followed public outcry about the jumbo packages contained in it for the beneficiaries. The bill sought to appropriate at least 900 per cent of a governors annual salary as his monetary entitlements every year, after leaving office. The wife of the governor would also have N12 million as annual medical allowances provided she was married to the governor while in office. Apart from the N12 million provided for a former governors wife as annual medical allowance, both ex-governor and ex-first lady would also receive free medical services until death. The bill guarantees to cover almost any possible major expenses an ex-governor could incur in his or her life, including financial responsibility for burial. Outrageous Its Section 6 states: Where a former governor or former deputy dies, the state government shall make adequate arrangements and bear the financial responsibility for his burial. It shall also pay a condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent to the next of kin. Section 4 provides for such other gratuity or allowances as may be provided by any other law as may be entitled to a former governor other than what was stated in the bill. In addition to the lifetime annual basic salary (ABS) for an ex-governor, there would also be a house maintenance allowance, an annual salary for five domestic staff and a vehicle allowance, each valued at 300 per cent of the ABS. It provides for three vehicles for the past governors, to be replaced every four years as well as a personal assistant on salary Grade level 14. There are also similar provisions for former deputy governors who would get 200 per cent of their ABS each for house allowance, vehicle allowance and annual salary for three domestic staff. A former deputy governor would also get two vehicles, to be replaced every four years, free medical services for himself and his wife as well as N6 million medical allowance for the latter. Protest As soon as the bill passed through the first reading at the House of Assembly last Thursday, the Save Enugu Group, a socio-political group issued a 21-day ultimatum to the House of Assembly to kill it. The group coordinator, Willy Ezugwu, said in a statement that the lawmakers must kill the bill immediately for peace to be in the state. Mr Ezugwu said the group was mobilising citizens, civil society groups and labour unions in the state to protest against the bill. It is shocking that while a state like Lagos, with high internally generated revenue that runs into billions of naira monthly, has abolished pensions for former governors, the Enugu State House of Assembly allowed such a bill to pass first reading, Mr Ezugwu said. Caving in The Speaker of the House, Edward Ubosi, during plenary on Tuesday, announced the stepping down of the Bill. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Ubosi said the stepping down of the Bill would help his colleagues to thoroughly go through it to enable them delete as well as add necessary sections to it. The speaker said the public should have allowed the lawmakers to study the bill, which just passed through the first reading. He said former governors serving as senators would not benefit from the pension scheme, while the spouse of the former governors would also not benefit from the scheme since the Constitution did not recognise the spouses. Earlier, the Leader of the Assembly, Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, expressed shock at the level of protest that followed the presentation of the Bill. Mr Ezeugwu said the protest was not necessary. The leader said the public could not dictate nor teach the lawmakers how to do their job of enacting laws for the growth and development of the state and warned members of the public to mind their utterances. Mr Ezeugwu, however, said the Assembly would be guided by the opinions of their constituents in the consideration of the bill and added that it would hold a public hearing to allow members of the public to make their inputs. (NAN) MIRAMAR, Florida:--- Ryvex, LLC (www.ryvex.net) in partnership with SD Biosensor (www.sdbiosensor.com) have donated over 20,000 rapid Antigen tests to the OECS member states and Barbados. The kits donated have been approved by the WHO. The kits are scheduled to arrive this week to the different beneficiary island nations. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the donation will strengthen testing response at the country level, improve services delivery capacity, support initiatives to break the chain of transmission of the illness, and improve case detection and management. Testing is the key to getting back to normal. One of Ryvex's goals is to contribute to finding solutions to help stop the spread of COVID-19, particularly among vulnerable populations that have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic. Barbados seemed to have avoided a destructive COVID-19 pandemic. The Caribbean nation, home to around 287 000 people, registered fewer than 400 cases of the disease for the whole of 2020. But January 2021, saw a surge. By the end of the month, Barbados had registered well over 1000 new cases of COVID-19. On Feb 3, 2021, it went into lockdown. On the same day, Saint Lucia, an OECS member state, declared a state of emergency. It has confirmed more than three times as many cases of COVID-19 this year as it did last year. Like Barbados, Saint Lucia has imposed a nightly curfew on its 180 000 or so residents. Community transmission of COVID-19 has also been established in other parts of the Caribbean, including Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Ryvex remains committed to aiding with the efforts to contain the COVID19 pandemic in The Caribbean region through partnerships with public and private health institutions in the region. Ryvex is the official distributor for SD Biosensor in The Caribbean region. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1456359/Ryvex_antigen_kits.jpg The 2021 Oscar Best Pictures nominations list is finally out. The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Apr. 25, more than two months late than last year's ceremony. This year's nomination is a strange one because the award show recognized films released during a year where movie theaters were mostly closed. Most of this year's nominees could only be watched with a subscription or can be purchased online. It's not as simple as driving to a theater or stopping at a video store. However, with movie theaters are reopening, particularly in some parts of Los Angeles and New York, the cinema may be able to get great deals to showcase streaming movies on the big screen. To help you make sense of it, here's a list of the 2021 Oscar Best Picture nominees and where to watch each film. The Father Streaming Service: 'The Father' isn't available for streaming yet, but it was released in selected theaters via Sony Pictures Classics in New York and Los Angeles last month. They later expanded it to more theaters nationwide on Mar. 12. Rent: It's not available for rent, but it will be released on OnDemand starting Mar. 26 for a small price. It will soon be available to stream on Amazon, YouTube, and iTunes. About: "The Father" is about a man who doesn't want to have assistance from his daughter despite his old age. But his reality soon starts to unravel as he starts to doubt his relatives while suffering from dementia. Judas and the Black Messiah Streaming Service: "Judas and the Black Messiah" is available in select theaters. Rent: It's not available for rent. About: After being offered a plea deal, a man creeps into the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to obtain intelligence on a very important person. Mank Streaming Service: "Mank" is on Netflix and was released on the platform on Dec. 4 Rent: "Mank" is not available for renting on any other digital platform as it's only available on Netflix. About: "Mank" follows the life of Herman J. Mankiewics, a screenwriter, as he tries to finish his screenplay titled "Citizen Kane" for Orson Welles. Minari Streaming Service: "Minari" is not available for streaming. Rent: But "Minari" can be rented on Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu and other VOD platforms. About: It follows a Korean-American family as they move to a farm in Arkansas hoping to obtain the American Dream. Nomadland Streaming Service: "Nomadland" was released on Feb. 19 on Hulu. Rent: "Nomadland" is not available to rent on any other streaming platforms. About: It tells a story of a woman in her 60s who lost everything during the Great Recession. She later starts living in a van and traveling through the West. Promising Young Woman Streaming Service: "Promising Young Woman" is not available for streaming Rent: "Promising Young Woman" can be rented on platforms such as Amazon, iTunes, YouTube. About: It follows a woman who is traumatized by a tragic event that happened in her past. She is set to avenge her best friend who was raped. Sound of Metal Streaming Service: "Sound of Metal" is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Rent: "Sound of Metal" is not available for renting, but it's on Amazon Prime, which means you need to be a subscriber to watch it. About: It is about the story of a heavy metal drummer who's life started to be thrown away as he starts to lose his hearing. The Trial of Chicago 7 Streaming Service: "The Trial of Chicago 7" is available on Netflix since Oct. 16. Rent: It's not available for rent. About: The movie centers on the seven people who are on trial for charges that stemmed from a 1968 Democratic National Convention uprising in Chicago. See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Burma UN Chief Calls Intl Community to Help End Military Repression in Myanmar An anti-regime protester lies wounded in hospital after a violent crackdown by security forces in Mandalay on Feb.28./ The Irrawaddy The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, has urged the international community to work collectively and bilaterally to help bring an end to the repression of Myanmars anti-regime supporters by the junta, two days after the country witnessed its bloodiest day since the Feb.1 coup. With at least 191 civilians killed by the security forces as of Monday night, Antonio Guterres also urged the military to allow a visit by the UN Special Envoy to Myanmar to help calm down the situation and set the stage for dialogue and a return to democracy. The Secretary-General said that the killing of demonstrators, arbitrary arrests and the reported torture of prisoners violates fundamental human rights and stand in clear defiance of calls by the UN Security Council for restraint, dialogue and a return to Myanmars democratic path. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that Antonio Guterres is appalled at the increasing use of violence by the security forces in Myanmar. On Monday, the military regime declared martial law in six Yangon townships where the security forces have launched deadly crackdowns on anti-coup protesters. Anyone who is arrested in the townships under martial law faces trial by military tribunal, with maximum sentences ranging from three years to the death penalty, according to an announcement by the regime. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter said on Monday that the Myanmar militarys use of violence against protesters was immoral and indefensible. The junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in Burma with bullets, Porter said. Japans government has also condemned the unlawful killings of peaceful protesters by the military regime and called on it to restrain from violence. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Anti-Regime Protest Death Toll Reaches 191 A Spanish rapper has been cleared of slicing off his British flatmate's penis after the Oxford graduate told judges he had mutilated himself because of gender issues. Andrew B, a 35-year-old English teacher, has also been told he will not face a perjury probe after the three sentencing judges turned down a request by prosecutors to charge him with false testimony. Andrew B claimed at Aaron Beltran's two-day trial on March 1 and 2 he chopped off his own penis with a kitchen knife because of gender issues despite telling police his flatmate was to blame in one of his earlier statements. Mr Beltran, 31, was facing a four and a half year prison sentence if found guilty of wounding his flatmate. Spaniard Aaron Beltran, 31, was cleared by judges in Zaragoza on Tuesday Police recovered the amputated sex organ from the apartment they shared with another four people including a teenage girl and it was successfully reattached in a hospital op. Andrew B, who has admitted to suffering mental health problems, was found covered in blood in the street below his Zaragoza home on March 8, 2019. He told one of the two officers who went to his aid: 'I have done it, I have done it' before changing his story and pointing the finger at Mr Beltran in a later statement. Prosecutors said in an indictment released ahead of trial Andrew B offered his flatmate money to cut off his penis, saying payment would depend on the number of times a gory video of the amputation was viewed on social media. The minimum payment would be 173 and the maximum 2,164. But Andrew B said in court at the start of the trial: 'I cut my own penis off. 'It's what I said in my first two statements and I know I changed it in my third statement but that was because I was under a lot of pressure from the police and I was scared. 'I was ill and I was worried that I would face charges. 'I don't owe Aaron anything but at the same time I'm a man of conscience and I don't want to send someone who is innocent to jail.' The sentencing judges, in a ten-page written ruling released on Tuesday, said it had been proven Andrew B placed an ad on social media saying he was looking for a man to film him while he cut off his own sex organ. But they said it had not been demonstrated Andrew had offered to pay his former flatmate as he claimed in one of his police statements he later retracted in court saying he suffered mental health problems and felt pressured. Lead judge Alfonso Ballestin Miguel said in the written ruling: 'There is reasonable doubt about who carried out the amputation.' Identifying the Briton only by his first names and surname, he added: 'Prosecutors have requested that Andrew S.B be investigated for the crime of perjury. 'This court finds that is not appropriate because it doesn't feel there is evidence of the commission of this crime.' Barcelona-born Mr Beltran has performed under the artistic name of Sanatorio del Atico or Attic Sanatorium in English. It was not immediately clear today if prosecutors would appeal the acquittal. Army of 'citizen scientists' collect more than 18,000 tick samples for analysis in study funded by Bay Area Lyme Foundation FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- March 16, 2021 -- The findings of a recent analysis conducted by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, suggest that ecosystems suitable for harboring ticks that carry debilitating Lyme disease could be more widespread than previously thought in California, Oregon and Washington. Bolstering the research were the efforts of an army of "citizen scientists" who collected and submitted 18,881 ticks over nearly three years through the Free Tick Testing Program created by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, which funded the research, producing a wealth of data for scientists to analyze. This new study builds on initial research led by the late Nate Nieto, Ph.D., at Northern Arizona University, and Daniel Salkeld, Ph.D., of Colorado State University. This immense sample collection represented a multi-fold increase in the number of ticks that could be gathered by professional biologists conducting field surveys in far less time and at a fraction of the cost. This kind of citizen participation -- which in the future could include smart-phone apps and photography -- could become "a powerful tool" for tracking other animal- and insect-borne infectious diseases important for monitoring human and environmental health, according to study results published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. This study expands on previous work in California and is the first study to produce high resolution distributions of both actual and potential tick habitat in Oregon and Washington. "This study is a great example of how citizen scientists can help -- whether tracking climate change, fires, habitat changes or species distribution shifts -- at a much finer scale than ever before," said Tanner Porter, Ph.D., a TGen Research Associate and lead author of the study. Specifically, Dr. Porter said the findings of this study could help raise awareness among physicians across the West, and throughout the nation, that tick-borne diseases are possible throughout a wider expanse than ever thought before. Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), which is carried by ticks, and in this study specifically, the western black-legged tick known as Ixodes pacificus. These ticks also carry pathogens associated with relapsing fever and anaplasmosis, which like Lyme disease can cause fever, headache, chills and muscle aches. Some patients with Lyme disease may experience a rash that may look like a red oval or bull's-eye. If not treated promptly, Lyme disease can progress to a debilitating stage, becoming difficult and sometimes impossible to cure. This may include inflammation of the heart and brain. Lyme disease is the most common tickborne illness in the U.S., annually causing an estimated 500,000 infections, according to the CDC. However, even the most commonly-used diagnostic test for Lyme disease misses up to 70% of early stage cases. There is no treatment that works for all patients. "We hope this study data encourages residents of California, Oregon and Washington to take precautions against ticks in the outdoors, and helps to ensure that local healthcare professionals will consider diagnoses of Lyme when patients present with symptoms," said Linda Giampa, Executive Director of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. Citizen scientists were encouraged to mail in ticks collected off individuals' bodies, pets and clothing. They noted the time and place where the ticks were discovered, and described activities involved, the surrounding environment, and in many cases specific GPS coordinates. Field studies could take decades to produce the same amount of data, said Dr. Porter, adding, "this citizen science technique could allow for real-time distribution monitoring of ticks and other relevant species, an important consideration with emerging pathogens, changing land-use patterns, and climate change." ### This study builds on TGen's "One Health Collaborative," an initiative that uses a holistic approach to monitor the health of humans, animals and the environment, according to David Engelthaler, Ph.D., head of TGen's infectious disease studies. The study -- Predicting the current and future distribution of the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus, across the Western US using citizen science collections -- was published Jan. 5 In PLOS ONE. About TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases: CityofHope.org. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen. Media Contact: Steve Yozwiak TGen Senior Science Writer 602-343-8704 syozwiak@tgen.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. A Houston-area doctor accused of stealing a vial of COVID-19 vaccine has been officially cleared by the Texas Medical Board. After reviewing the case, the Texas Medical Board stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Dr. Hasan Gokal had violated the Medical Practice Act. CONTAGIOUS U.K. VARIANT: U.K. variant found widespread in Houston's wastewater, city says "The investigation determined that Dr. Gokal appeared to have administered doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to patients that were properly consented, in the eligible category, and they were given doses that would have otherwise been wasted, " the Board stated in a letter shared with the Houston Chronicle's Zach Despart. At the onset of 2021, Dr. Hasan Gokal initially made national headlines when he was fired from his position with Harris County on January 7. Gokal faced allegations that he had stolen a vial of Moderna vaccine in order to give injections to his wife and other family members, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. After the accusations were leveled against Gokal, D.A. Kim Ogg announced he would be charged with theft. In January, Ogg accused Gokal of abusing his position in order for his family and friends to get the vaccine. "He abused his position to place his friends and family in line in front of people who had gone through the lawful process to be there, Ogg said in a press release after the January incident. What he did was illegal and hell be held accountable under the law. Shortly after the Texas Medical Board cleared Gokal's name, the doctor's attorney, Paul Doyle, weighed in on the case. "He had a leftover vial that had six hours of shelf life left and he had to make a decision: Does he waste it and throw it away, or does he find others that qualify and do that?" Doyle told KPRC's Michael Lopardi. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Doyle added that the decision from the Texas Medical Board was a significant victory. "It's a huge relief, " Doyle said. "It's a big win and it was the right thing to do." Despite the win with the Texas Medical Board, the case is not completely over. Harris County prosecutors stated that they may still take the case to a grand jury. Harris County District Attorney's spokesman Dane Schiller issued this statement about the incident: "We anticipate presenting all of the evidence in this matter to a grand jury, so representatives of the community can determine whether a criminal charge is appropriate. There has been a difference of opinion on the evidence, with a magistrate judge finding that there was probable cause to charge a crime and a misdemeanor judge finding that there was not. Our work continues." The exoneration by the Texas Medical Board has been an uplifting relief, Gokal told the Houston Chronicle. When peers judge you, and tell you that theyve looked at the same data as everyone else and find that they dont believe you did anything wrong, its an uplifting feeling," Gokal said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bangladesh on March 26 and 27 at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina. Crucial bilateral talks are on the agenda for this visit. Modi will attend three events during the visit as well as meet Hasina and Bangladesh's President, Abdul Hamid, to discuss matters between India and Bangladesh. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh A K Abdul Momen will call on the Prime Minister. During his two-day visit, Modi will attend three events - Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh; and 50 years of Bangladesh's war of liberation. He will also attend the National Day programme of Bangladesh on March 26, as the guest of honour. This Modi's first visit abroad since the outbreak of coronavirus. He last visited Bangladesh in 2015. Said Kirksey: So things are going to start rocking and rolling, and theres just going to be no stopping my sister. Theres just not. Democrats and tribal groups hailed Haalands confirmation as historic, saying her selection means that Indigenous people who lived in North America before the United States was created will for the first time see a Native American lead the powerful department where decisions on relations with the nearly 600 federally recognised tribes are made. Naschio Johnson, centre, chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation, plays a drum as he leads a march to the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Washington, latt year, an effort to regain federal recognition. Credit:AP Representative Haalands confirmation represents a gigantic step forward in creating a government that represents the full richness and diversity of this country, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Native Americans for far too long have been neglected at the cabinet level and in so many other places, the Democrat said. Her confirmation shows that tribal members are visible and being taken seriously, Haaland said after the vote. And no, it should not have taken more than 200 years. Haaland said she was ready to roll up my sleeves so her department could play its part in Bidens plan to build back better and responsibly manage our natural resources to protect them for future generations. Her nomination was closely watched by tribal communities across the country, with some virtual parties drawing hundreds of people to watch her two-day confirmation hearing last month. Supporters projected a photo of Haaland, 60, a two-term congresswoman who represents greater Albuquerque, on the side of the Interior building in downtown Washington with text that read Our Ancestors Dreams Come True. Her selection break a two-century pattern of non-Native officials, mostly male, serving as the top federal official over American Indian affairs. The federal government often worked to dispossess tribes of their land and, until recently, to assimilate them into white culture. It is long past time that an American Indian serve as the secretary of the Interior, said Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, the nations oldest and largest tribal organisation. The nation needs her leadership and vision to help lead our response to climate change, to steward our lands and cultural resources and to ensure that across the federal government, the United States lives up to its trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations and our citizens, Sharp said. Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, called Haalands confirmation an unprecedented and monumental day for all first people of this country. Words cannot express how overjoyed and proud we are to see one of our own confirmed to serve in this high-level position. Haalands confirmation sets us on a better path to righting the wrongs of the past with the federal government and inspires hope in our people, especially our young people, Nez added. People protest the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017. Donald Trump approved both the Dakota and Keystone projects. Credit:Bismarck/Tribune/AP Not everyone was celebrating. Some Republican senators have criticised Haalands views on oil drilling and other energy development as radical and extreme, citing her opposition to the Keystone XL oil pipeline and her support for the Green New Deal, a sweeping, if mostly aspirational, policy to address climate change and income inequality. Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Haalands extreme views and support of catastrophic legislation such as the Green New Deal would make her confirmation disastrous, harming Americas energy supply and economy. American jobs are being sacrificed in the name of the Biden agenda, and Representative Haaland couldnt defend it, Barrasso said last week, referring to decisions by Biden to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and impose a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands. Barrasso also faulted Haalands support for continued protection for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region of the Rocky Mountains, despite a recommendation by the Fish and Wildlife Service that about 700 bears in parts of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho no longer need protection. Representative Haaland has chosen to ignore the science and the scientists of the very department that she is now nominated to lead, Barrasso said, calling on the department to remove protections for the grizzly under the Endangered Species Act. An adult female grizzly bear in the Cabinet Mountains, part of the Rocky Mountains in Montana. Credit:USFWS/AP Barrasso and several other senators missed the vote, citing a severe winter storm that dumped nearly a metre of snow on parts of Colorado and Wyoming, causing multiple flight cancellations. Fellow Wyoming Republican Cynthia Lummis and Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper of Colorado also missed the vote. Loading Adam Crepelle, lawyer and law professor at Southern University in Baton Rouge and a member of the Houma Tribe of Louisiana said: Hopefully when she gets into office, she can roll back some restraints on tribal economic development. Trust lands are super regulated, and its all federal land. If tribal economies can improve, hopefully that will lead to more funding for schools, tribal police, things like that. Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, said she appreciated Haalands leadership in the House on a range of issues, adding her status as a Native American will give us an extra advantage on [tribal] issues that are so important to Indian Country overall. Joe Biden has yet to directly address the growing crisis at the southern border, instead, deflecting blame to former President Donald Trump's for 'completely dismantling' the previous immigration process. 'The prior administration completely dismantled the asylum system. The system was gutted, facilities were closed, and they cruelly expelled young children into the hands of traffickers,' Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas statement Tuesday morning. The administration is moving thousands of male teen undocumented immigrants to the convention center in Dallas as detention centers have reached over 700 per cent capacity. 'We have had to rebuild the entire system,' Mayorkas continued in his Tuesday statement, 'including the policies and procedures required to administer the asylum laws that Congress passed long ago.' Joe Biden's administration is deflecting blame for the border crisis to Donald Trump as the White House continued to refuse to call the situation a 'crisis' and GOP slams him for not yet directly addressing the growing problem Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (pictured on GMA Tuesday morning) said in a statement: 'The prior administration completely dismantled the asylum system... We have had to rebuild the entire system' Biden promised during his campaign that all those seeking asylum would be granted it in the U.S. after Trump received a slew of criticism from progressives for his hard-line immigration policies. Republicans, however, are demanding that Biden directly respond to the crisis and visit the southern border for himself. On Tuesday, the president is jetting off on a tour promoting his $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus plan to the ire of Republicans who claim Biden should be visiting the overflowing detention centers. 'I know the president is going to travel this week,' House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said during a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border Monday with a dozen GOP lawmakers. 'This is where you should bring Air Force One. This is where he should look the people in the eye. This is where he should talk to the border agents and let them know that this is beyond the crisis.' 'He can continue to deny it, but the only way to solve it is to first admit what he has done, and if he will not reverse action, it's going to take correct congressional action to do it,' the California Republican congressman continued. On Monday, 12 House Republicans led by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy visited the border in El Paso, Texas. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy slammed Biden for kicking off a tour promoting his COVID relief bill instead of visiting the border: 'I know the president is going to travel this week. This is where you should bring Air Force One. This is where he should look the people in the eye. This is where he should talk to the border agents and let them know that this is beyond the crisis' McCarthy brought a group of a dozen lawmakers Monday to tour the border in El Paso, Texas They blame the influx in illegal border crossings and those seeking asylum on Biden's executive order on Day One stopping construction of Trump's border wall and his more lax view on immigration in general. The White House has yet to refer to the situation at the border as a 'crisis,' despite overflowing centers and immigration agencies becoming so overwhelmed they had to call in FEMA and Red Cross volunteers to help. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki conceded to the crisis as much as the administration has so far on Monday when calling the situation a 'big problem'. 'We recognize this is a big problem,' Psaki told reporters during Monday's briefing. 'The last administration left us a dismantled and unworkable system and, like any other problem, we are going to do all we can to solve it.' Democrtic Senator Joe Manchin, however, has called it a 'crisis.' 'It's a crisis oh it's a crisis,' the centrist West Virginia senator told Capitol Hill reporters Monday night. Now, 3,000 immigrant teens are being moved to the Dallas Convention Center, an Associated Press report revealed Monday, as the administration searches for space to house the surge of immigrants showing up at the border since Biden took office. Beginning as early as this week, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will be used as a 'decompression center' for up to 90 days, according to a memo sent Monday to members of the Dallas City Council. The thousands of immigrants who will be held there only include boys ages 15-17. In February alone, authorities encountered people without legal status crossing the U.S.-Mexico border 100,000 times. The move to the convention center is just another sign that the Biden administration is struggling to find space for a surge of migrant children and teens numbers that are almost three times the levels seen around the same time in 2020. The handling of the border crisis during Biden's first few months in office is troubling to lawmakers as Congress prepares to take up immigration legislation. 'I think we're going to just watch to see what happens,' a top House GOP aide said of letting Democrats deal with the situation. It's unlikely Biden will see much help from Capitol Hill on the matter as House Democrats were already unable to pass the president's major immigration proposal providing a pathway to citizenship for millions undocument immigrants. 'I think Speaker Pelosi has discovered that she doesn't have support for the comprehensive bill in the House,' Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said. 'And I think that indicates where it is in the Senate as well.' Rather than continuing to pursue that path, Democrats are looking to pass two smaller bills this week one aimed at getting DREAMers temporary protected status and one granting legal status to migrant farm workers. Detention facilities for undocumented immigrants crossing the border are overflowing by at least 700 per cent as immigration agencies had to call in FEMA and volunteers with the Red Cross to help At least 3,000 teen boy migrants between the ages of 15-17 are being transferred to the Dallas Convention Center Asylum seekers are seen in a makeshift processing center set up under a highway overpass Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has proposed adding other provision into a sweeping immigration bill that would get more Republican support like border security language. 'There is understandably a great deal of attention currently focused on the southwest border,' Mayorkas said in his Tuesday statement. He continued: 'The situation at the southwest border is difficult. We are working around the clock to manage it and we will continue to do so. That is our job. We are making progress and we are executing on our plan. It will take time and we will not waver in our commitment to succeed.' 'We will also not waver in our values and our principles as a Nation,' Biden's DHS secretary said. 'Our goal is a safe, legal, and orderly immigration system that is based on our bedrock priorities: to keep our borders secure, address the plight of children as the law requires, and enable families to be together. As noted by the President in his Executive Order, 'securing our borders does not require us to ignore the humanity of those who seek to cross them.' We are both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That is one of our proudest traditions.' 'NetOps 2.0 Transformation: The DIRE Methodology' by Ray Belleville For the NetOps professional, reading the book is like grabbing a cup of coffee with the smartest network admin you know, and letting him mentor you with his hard fought wisdom and experience. Most working professionals and other users of internet-based websites, apps, and services do not give much thought to the network administration professionals who keep the IT infrastructure humminguntil it goes down. Most users regard the network like a fish regards waterthey largely ignore it, until it goes away. When it vanishes, getting back in the water is all that matters. And with good reason. The average cost of a network outage is an astonishing $9,000 per minute, or over half a million dollars per hour. After a nearly three decade career of success in Network Operations (NetOps), Ray Belleville has written a practical guide for NetOps leaders in organizations of all sizes looking for career advancement and strategies for meeting their automation objectives. Its called 'NetOps 2.0 Transformation: The DIRE Methodology, and it promises to double NetOps productivity without wasting time and money just buying tools. For the NetOps professional, reading the book is like grabbing a cup of coffee with the smartest network admin you know, and letting him mentor you with his hard fought wisdom and experience. Much more than war stories from the field, Belleville provides practical and tactical insights, tips, and strategies. The creator of the DIRE methodology (an acronym for Documentation, Isolation, Repair, Escalation), the author outlines the challenges of NetOps 1.0. He makes the caseand reveals a proven step-by-step action planfor a NetOps 2.0 transformation. Weve reached the limits of NetOps 1.0, and companies that don't act fast will be left behind, and at risk, said Belleville. In my experience, selling an Enterprise platform for NetOps 2.0 Transformation is a long and painful process, unless you are armed with the information and experience provided by this book, said the author. While applicable to troubleshooting, the DIRE methodology goes beyond it and plays a critical role in transformation. Document, Isolate, Repair, and Escalate are the key NetOps actions, and by looking at NetOps through these lenses, leaders can get the most value in the least time, said Belleville. At ninety-seven pages, 'NetOps 2.0 Transformation only takes about an hour to read. Belleville conveys the enormous technological and managerial challenges of maintaining a large network, the critical KPIs, and, perhaps most important, the mindset, strategies, and solutions to optimize network operations and make the leap to the next level of NetOps 2.0. Bellevilles book will of course appeal to anyone who working at any level in Network Administration, or considering it as a careeror more broadly, to anyone working or interested in an IT career. Human Resources managers and other professionals who want a taste of the current NetOps landscape will also find it enlightening. NetOps 2.0 Transformation: The DIRE Methodology is published by eBookIt.com and available exclusively in eBook format. It is additionally available from Amazon.com, and other popular online retailers. Visit the authors website at https://NetOpstransformation.com. About Ray Belleville Ray Belleville is an Internet Pioneer, born and raised in Sudbury, Canada, moving to Ottawa in his 20s, and currently living in Boston, USA, since 2012. The author grew up an observer, always trying to understand what was going on around him and finding a better way. After College graduation, Ray moved to Ottawa, Ontario, and helped create the first National Internet Provider in Canada. One of his roles was to build an operations center. It was at this time that he was introduced to NetOps and automation. Over the next 20 years, he worked at varying levels and roles, learning as much as possible about networking. Below is a list of some of his accomplishments: Every day throughout lockdown, Jon Attenborough has been visited by a small, ghostly girl in Victorian costume, who appears at his breakfast table. Shes aged about seven and dressed in a white-frilled school pinafore, says Jon, 31, a freelance finance officer and disability campaigner who lives in Perth, Scotland. She has a blank expression but stares straight into my face. Until the first lockdown she only came around three times a week, but since the pandemic shes come every day. Every day throughout lockdown, Jon Attenborough has been visited by a small, ghostly girl in Victorian costume She looks so real that I have to keep reminding myself that I am not going mad but have a medical condition, and that she will eventually disappear. Jon has Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS), a condition estimated to affect between 600,000 and one million people in the UK who suffer from sight loss and blindness. It triggers vivid hallucinations, and is caused by the visual cortex of the brain (the area that processes visual data) misfiring as it tries to fill in the gaps in information that occur due to this loss of sight. Although its more common in older people, CBS can occur in anyone with poor vision. And it appears to be causing those affected more distress during lockdown. The Royal National Institute of Blind People reported calls to its helpline about CBS rose by 67 per cent in January 2021, compared to January 2020. Dominic Ffytche, a professor of visual psychiatry at Kings College London, says CBS hallucinations are in fact simply an exaggeration of what the brain does normally. All normal vision is constructed by the brain; hallucinations are just an extension of this process caused by the visual cortex being hyperexcitable, he says. Up to 20 per cent of people with moderate vision loss, and 60 per cent of those with severe sight loss, are thought to have CBS at some point. But since lockdown, half of patients with CBS have reported more episodes, including distressing images such as zombies with blood dripping from their eyes, according to a study published in January in the journal BMJ Open Ophthalmology. Up to 20 per cent of people with moderate vision loss, and 60 per cent of those with severe sight loss, are thought to have CBS at some point One patient said symptoms were ten times worse than normal and another felt as though he was living in a different house, with people everywhere. Lockdown has been the perfect storm for people with pre-existing CBS getting worse symptoms, as they are believed to be exacerbated by isolation, explains Professor Mariya Moosajee, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, who led the research. One theory is that a lack of social interaction during lockdown may cause people who suffer from CBS to become more introspective and dwell on their hallucinations. One in three of those surveyed said they experienced worse visions after hearing or reading upsetting news stories. Visual hallucinations are silent and can be upsetting axe men, menacing devils, gargoyles with twisted faces and skulls are sometimes described. But images can also be benign, says Professor Moosajee, whos heard reports of figures dressed in period or military costumes, Disney characters or colourful flowers growing out of walls. Not everyone with sight loss experiences CBS, and scientists are still working to discover why. Its also not known why people see particular images, but this may reflect the misfiring of signals in a particular area of the brain, such as the one which is responsible for facial feature recognition, says Professor Ffytche. And the images are also highly realistic. One patient I know saw brick wall patterns, and then walked into a real one as his hallucinations had been so similar, he adds. Around two-thirds of those with CBS find their symptoms are eased by reassurance or distraction techniques, such as eye exercises, shifting position and turning on the light. But a third of patients will need treatment; options include talking therapies or medication such as epilepsy drugs. Recent research suggests that wearing an electrical stimulation device, similar to a TENS machine (used to treat pain in childbirth, for instance), could help. As there is no specific test for CBS, we rule out other illnesses where people experience hallucinations, says Professor Ffytche. For instance, with psychiatric problems such as schizophrenia, they will have symptoms such as hearing voices, or if they have dementia, they will have memory problems. A lack of data has made it harder for doctors to advise patients. But a survey in 2012 by the Macular Society found that 75 per cent of patients had experienced symptoms for five years or more. Like many of those affected, Jon had never heard of the condition before he was diagnosed in 2015. He began losing the sight in his left eye due to glaucoma, where pressure in the eye builds up, damaging the optic nerve. Then he started seeing flowers growing out of the wall in his kitchen. He has been blind in his right eye from birth due to a rare condition called microphthalmia. Yet no one had ever mentioned CBS to me before, so I was totally confused, says Jon, who uses a guide dog. On another occasion, he saw a white rabbit sitting on his kitchen table. Too afraid to tell even close family in case they thought there was something wrong with me mentally, it took him six months to pluck up the courage to talk to his GP, who reassured him the visions were symptoms of CBS. After an operation a few months later on his left eye, he woke up only seeing dark shadows and shapes. It was a few months later that the little Victorian girl began to appear. The first time was scary I froze. I was shocked. At first, shed only pop up at home, but then shed appear on a train opposite me or during meetings. Talking to other people who have experience of CBS through charities such as Esmes Umbrella and the Royal National Institute of Blind People has helped me. Jon says since the pandemic began, he has gone out less and has become more isolated. Add to that the constant bad news in the media and its easy to see why I have been having more hallucinations, he says. Another patient who has been experiencing more symptoms is 50-year-old Sam Fox, a former bank clerk, who lost her sight due to glaucoma in 2015. Sam, who lives with her husband Dave, 56, an electrical engineer, and their two children in Southend-on-Sea, counts herself lucky because she finds her hallucinations of brightly coloured Disney characters quite pleasant. But during lockdown shes been having more frequent and more disturbing hallucinations, such as a roaring lions head and floating skulls right in front of my face, for up to an hour a day a few times a day, she says. Professor Ffytche says: The scary thing about CBS is that people can feel like they are losing their mind. Professor Moosajee stresses that its important to seek help for hallucinations as they can become worse if people are anxious. There are two million people with sight loss in the UK, and they need to know this could happen to them, adds Professor Ffytche. They need to be reassured that they dont have a mental illness, but that their brain is playing tricks on them. charlesbonnetsyndrome.uk Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 14:41:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SYDNEY, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) will introduce a nationwide isolation strategy to combat rising cases of COVID-19, Prime Minister James Marape has announced. The country recorded 97 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as well as five deaths linked to the disease, taking the total positive cases to 2,269 and deaths to 26. Marape on Monday revealed it would not be a "stiff lockdown" in order to allow businesses to continue operating, with further details about the isolation measures to be released on Wednesday. "The nationwide isolation strategy will ensure people are not moving from place to place unnecessarily," Marape said. "Remain in your province, remain in your district, remain in your village and where you are." A recent surge in PNG's case numbers reignited concerns that the country's medical services were insufficient to cope with a widespread virus outbreak. Since the pandemic began, PNG has conducted just 54,410 tests, with official sources stating there were likely more positive cases within the country that were yet to be reported. Marape urged citizens to take the pandemic seriously and to trust in the efficacy of vaccines when they become available in PNG. "For those who think COVID-19 is a joke, or are playing around; this is a global established pandemic," Marape said. Enditem By Ahn Ho-young I am a firm believer in institution-building. If there's an important mission, build appropriate institutions. It is one surefire, sometimes essential, way of achieving an objective. When I was appointed as ambassador to the United States in 2013, I had a mission: How to further strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance. I checked available institutions, and one highly useful one was the "2+2 ministerial dialogue." However, it was not yet a fully satisfactory tool, because it was being held on an ad hoc basis. It had to be arranged each time either party saw the need. Thus, I gave myself a corollary mission: Regularize "2+2" during my assignment in the U.S. The 2+2 track record as far as 2013 was that it used to be held in even-numbered years. It was first held in Seoul in July 2010 in the aftermath of the frigate Cheonan incident and on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. The second meeting took place in Washington in June 2012. Thus, I waited until 2014 before approaching my counterparts at the State Department and the Pentagon. I reminded them of the security and foreign policy challenges on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia and around the world. I reminded them of the importance and untapped potentials of the alliance. I reminded them of the usefulness of holding 2+2 in 2014. They agreed with me on all of the points, but reminded me of the practical difficulties of getting hold of two "peripatetic" secretaries at the same place and at the same time. This practical difficulty was resolved and 2+2 was held in Washington in October, back to back with the Security Council Meeting (SCM). I was genuinely impressed with the quality of consultations. More importantly, I later learned that the principals, the 2+2 ministers themselves, saw the usefulness of the meeting. This certainly made my job easier when I worked to arrange the meeting again in 2016. There was much reason to be encouraged about the progress thus being made with 2+2 as an institution. However, my self-imposed corollary mission was not complete yet, with my State Department and Pentagon colleagues still reluctant to regularize it. I continued to persevere, and it finally happened on the occasion of President Moon Jae-in's visit to Washington in June 2017. The joint statement read; "To increase coordination on alliance issues, the leaders committed the foreign affairs and defense agencies of the two countries to regularize a 2+2 ministerial meeting " The irony is that 2+2, which used to be held every two years before the regularization, has not been held for the past five years. Finally, another is being held in Seoul on March 17. There will be no shortage of issues for the upcoming round of 2+2. Based upon my own observation of the previous meetings at close range, let me make a wish list of issues to be taken up this time. As for the bilateral alliance issues, ministers must focus on restoring the trust which has been damaged badly in the past several years. Trust in each other's commitment is the very basis of an alliance. Trust cannot be built without a common perception of threats, a shared sense of priority in the efforts to be made to address the threats and an appreciation of the common values underlying the alliance. Moving on to regional issues, ministers are expected to discuss U.S.-China and Korea-Japan relations. I often hear views suggesting the advantage of Korea holding onto "strategic ambiguity" between the U.S. and China. It may look useful for the short term, but will lead to Korea's losing credibility with both the U.S. and China. The U.S. suspicions of Korea's "slant to China" will deepen; while China will feel assured that Korea is the "weakest link" in the network of U.S. alliances in the Asia-Pacific. That is why I have long suggested that we must maintain "strategic clarity." As for Korea-Japan relations, it had long been based on the dual track of separating the issues of history from common strategic and economic interests between the two countries. On the issue of history, during the Obama presidency, the U.S. government would often and openly express its views. Several weeks ago, when requested a comment on the wartime sex slavery issue, the Department of State reiterated Obama-era terminology of "egregious violation of human rights." Each time ministers met in the past, they devoted much of their time to discussing global issues, agreeing that our alliance is increasingly a global one. I often hear concerns expressed both in Korea and abroad that Korea seems to be increasingly inward- and rearward-looking. Such a perception about Korea, if left unaddressed, can have self-fulfilling impact upon our growth as a nation and the psyche of our citizens, especially of the young. I hope that the upcoming session will be able to remove such concerns at least among the four most important actors for our foreign and security policies. Ahn Ho-young ( ) is president of the University of North Korean Studies. He served as Korean ambassador to the United States and first vice foreign minister. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. (TNS) Now that President Joe Biden has signed into law the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that Congress passed last week, Democratic lawmakers are beginning to focus on the next big-ticket item on their legislative agenda, a massive infrastructure package, and the broadband money they plan to include in it.Several coronavirus-related aid packages that Congress passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic included money for broadband, but not on the scale that Democrats are eyeing for the upcoming package. Last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said broadband would be among the priorities for the upcoming infrastructure package, which she called big, bold and transformational.Right on cue, all 32 Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee proposed a far-reaching infrastructure measure that would authorize more than $109 billion to expand broadband access throughout the country in an effort to close whats become known as the digital divide, the gap between those who can access the Internet at home and those who cannot.Of that total, $80 billion would be set aside for deploying new broadband networks or expanding existing ones to reach those who currently cant get a signal. The committee said the investment would be enough to drive 100 percent connectivity throughout the country.The Federal Communications Commission would be responsible for awarding three-fourths of the $80 billion through a national bidding process, according to the bill summary, to ensure the efficient distribution of the funds to areas that dont have high-speed broadband Internet service today. The remainder of the funds would be given to the states to fill in connectivity gaps.An additional $15 billion would go toward implementing Next Generation 911 services, including systems that accept text messages, images or videos in emergencies when a phone call is not possible. Another $5 billion would be used to subsidize low-interest financing for broadband deployment projects and $8 billion in subsidies to help low-income families and students afford their monthly Internet bill.The proposed legislation, backed by Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., is one of the leading contenders to make up the broadband aspect of the coming infrastructure package. But its not the only one. (It wasnt even the only one last week.)House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., last Thursday reintroduced legislation to authorize $94 billion in broadband spending. The legislation, also backed by Pallone, overlaps to an extent with the bill introduced by Energy and Commerce Democrats but has provisions specifically aimed at deploying service in unserved and underserved communities.Access to broadband today will have the same dramatic impact on rural communities as the rural electrification efforts in the last century, Clyburn said in a statement. When I formed the Rural Broadband Task Force, our mission was to address the digital divide. The disparate effects of that divide have been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic and exposed the urgency of ensuring universal access to high-speed Internet.Clyburns proposal won immediate support from Democratic commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission, including acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, as well as a wide variety of industry groups and advocacy organizations.For the last year the conversation around closing the digital divide has centered on short-term, urgent solutions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, John Windhausen Jr., executive director of the nonprofit Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, said in a statement. While these efforts are critical, we also need long-term solutions to address the enormous inequities in our broadband landscape so we are better prepared for the next crisis.So far it isnt clear exactly how Democrats plan to move their infrastructure bill through Congress. Party leaders have left open the possibility of bypassing the Senate filibuster by passing the infrastructure package through the budget reconciliation process, similar to last weeks relief package, but they say they first want to appeal for Republican support.Broadband, especially in rural areas, is a longtime priority for Republican lawmakers, but they have their own ideas for how it should be deployed. Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, earlier this month announced legislation that would use proceeds from an FCC spectrum auction to establish a rural broadband fund worth up to $65 billion.This legislation would preserve valuable resources to expand broadband access in unserved areas, secure the nations communications supply chain, and promote the development of next-generation technologies, Wicker said in a statement. (Newser) Up to 3,000 minors detained after crossing the border could soon find themselves in a downtown Dallas convention center. According to a government memo to Dallas City Council members seen by the AP, authorities plan to use the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for up to 90 days to house thousands of boys, ages 15 to 17. The memo describes the site as a "decompression center." The federal government, which is facing a surge of unaccompanied minors crossing the border from Mexico, says it is deploying FEMA to the border for what Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calls an effort to "quickly expand physical capacity for appropriate lodging." story continues below White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not confirm the convention center report Monday, but she said the government is looking at options for minors, some of whom have been detained Customs and Border Protection beyond the 3-day legal limit, the Hill reports. "Weve been looking at additional facilities to open, to move ... unaccompanied children into facilities where they can access health care, educational resources, mental health resources, legal resources, and wed ensure that were meeting the standard weve set out," Psaki said. Around 1,000 children and teenagers are currently being held in a overcrowded Border Patrol tent facility in Donna, 165 miles south of Dallas, the Dallas Morning News reports. Minors are also being sent to a converted camp for oil workers in Midland. (Read more immigration stories.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 22:34:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NICOSIA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus has decided to buy 50,000 doses of Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine once it is cleared by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said on Tuesday. He noted that the decision was made 15 days ago under a bilateral agreement with Russia, adding there is a possibility to buy more Sputnik V vaccine depending on the availability of other vaccines. Two other European Union (EU) countries, Hungary and Slovakia, have already acquired the Russian vaccine. Cyprus has placed orders for coronavirus vaccines collectively with all other EU countries with pharmaceutical companies with which the European Commission has struck commercial agreements on behalf of the member states. So far, four vaccines -- Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson -- have been approved by the EMA. Cyprus, along with a cluster of European countries including Germany, France, Spain and Italy, has suspended the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns. They described the move as a precautionary measure pending a decision by the EMA, which had greenlighted the use of the vaccine in the bloc on Jan. 29. A total of 263 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 81 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain, and the United States, according to latest information released by the World Health Organization. The EMA said on March 4 that it had started a rolling review of the Sputnik V vaccine so as to be in a position to speed up any approval once the Russian side submits the marketing authorization application for the vaccine. Russian scientists have said that Sputnik V was almost 92 percent effective against the coronavirus, based on peer-reviewed late-stage trial results published in the Lancet medical journal last month. Enditem The U.S. remains at the top of the list as the location with the most COVID-19 cases, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, a research body constantly updating with COVID-19 data and expert input. The U.S. has 29.4 million of the world's almost 120 million COVID infections, followed by Brazil with 11.4 million and India with 11.3 million. He said Italy "plateaued, and they pulled back on public health measures," which contributed to Italy's current surge of infections, forcing officials to place portions of the European country in lockdowns Monday. "He urged people to continue to observe "public health measures," especially wearing masks. Speaking on the NBC-TV program "Meet the Press," Anthony Fauci warned that "When you get a plateau at a level around 60,000 new infections per day, there's always the risk of another surge." Fauci used Italy as an example of a location that experienced "a diminution of cases." The top U.S. infectious disease expert said Sunday the country is going in the "right direction" with millions of Americans receiving coronavirus vaccinations, but he was cautious about the high plateau of U.S. cases. AstraZeneca said Sunday a review of its data found no evidence that its vaccine against COVID-19 causes blood clots. "A careful review of all available safety data," the company said in a statement. The vaccine "has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country." Pulmonary embolism occurs when lung arteries are blocked as a result of blood clotting whereas thromboembolic events occur when a blood clot breaks loose and travels through the body, causing harm. The AstraZenica review, which covered more than 17 million people who had received the vaccine in Britain and the European Union, was conducted as Ireland and the Netherlands joined Denmark, Norway, and Iceland in suspending the use of the vaccine because of clotting issues. Austria stopped using a batch of the shot last week while investigating a death from coagulation disorders. However, the company asserts that there is no connection with the vaccine. Dr. Ronan Glynn, Ireland's deputy chief medical officer, said Sunday that though there was no conclusive link between the vaccine and incidents of blood clots, he would recommend suspending use of the shot as a precaution. His recommendation followed Norway reporting four cases of blood clots in adults inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine shot. In addition to the company itself, the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization have said there is no indication the clotting events were caused by the AstraZeneca. In South America, Chile said it has reached one of the highest rates of vaccination in the world, having vaccinated roughly a quarter of its population as of Sunday. While Chile struggled in the first months of the pandemic to contain the virus and stop its spread, health officials say they began early negotiations to buy vaccines, enabling them to launch a robust vaccination campaign this month. In Massachusetts on Saturday, Yo-Yo Ma, the internationally acclaimed cellist, celebrated receiving his second vaccine. While he waited seated with others for the 15 minutes of observation post vaccination, Ma, 65 and wearing a mask, started playing his cello at a clinic in Berkshire Community College, Massachusetts, on Saturday. His impromptu performance included Ave Maria and Bach's Prelude in G Major. As Ma got up to leave, he was applauded by others seated and socially distant waiting for their own observation periods to end. ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari met behind closed doors with the outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou of the Republic of Niger at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerien leader, who arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 11.45 a.m., was welcomed by the president at the forecourt of the villa. Mr Issoufou would be stepping down on April 7 after serving two five-year terms while Mohamed Bazoum, who recently won the presidential election, is expected to be sworn in that day. It was gathered that the two leaders would deliberate on sub-regional issues including security challenges occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents. Mr Issoufou, it was further gathered, would use the opportunity of the meeting to thank Mr Buhari for the support and assistance rendered to his country during his first and second terms in office. NAN reports that a road, behind State Security Services (SSS) quarters, Asokoro, was named after the visiting Nigerien leader, who was accompanied by Governors of Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano, Yobe and Sokoto States. Nigeria had facilitated the transportation and other logistic needs of the recently concluded national elections in the Niger Republic. (NAN) Suddenly it seems like Byron Bay has gone to Canberra as celebrities from the world of stage, screen and sport converge on Parliament House in rival lobbying efforts. Bryan Brown and Ian Thorpe went head to head in Canberra. Credit:John Shakespeare In a city where popularity is everything, cinematic icon Bryan Brown once again returned continuing to spruik the need to protect our local film and television industries. While Brown had a clear run last month, this time he found himself up against a rival celebrity lobbyist five time Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe. In a building where popularity equals power, Brown and his thespian funky squad of Marta Dusseldorp, Simon Baker and Justine Clarke appeared the victors. The Parliamentary Friends of Screen lobbying event received about 90 RSVPs, while Thorpeys Parliamentary Friends of LGBTIQ event had about 60 RSVPs. Kerrville, TX (78028) Today Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Cyberattacks on government entities are increasing at a rapid rate, but hackers are targeting the smaller entities - state and local governments - specifically. Because of this, government agencies are complying with the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy to help keep their confidential data secure. However, this policy is hefty - 253 pages - and can often lead to confusion or more complexities when adhering to the rules. In this article, well walk you through the basic principles of the CJIS security policy (such as the 13 policy areas), how to best comply with these policies, and solutions for how to best address the various security requirements outlined in the policy. Marks & Spencer's woodfired ultra-thin pizza has become a social media sensation with hundreds of Instagram and TikTok users sharing snaps of the 420 calorie dish and praising it's 'delicious taste' and 'gooey cheese'. The upmarket British retailer is known for it's photo friendly products, from it's seasonal Colin Caterpillar cakes to Hot Cross Bun Yumnuts and giant Percy Pigs. But the latest edition to the food range, a simple oblong pizza on a hand-stretched sourdough base is flooding social media feeds, with hundreds praising the 'low calories fakeaway'. Scroll down for video Marks & Spencer's woodfired ultra-thin pizza has become a social media sensation with hundreds of Instagram and TikTok users sharing snaps of the 420 calorie dish and praising it's 'delicious taste' and 'gooey cheese' The upmarket British retailer is known for it's photo friendly products, from it's seasonal Colin Caterpillar cakes to Hot Cross Bun Yumnuts and giant Percy Pigs . But the latest edition to the food range, a simple oblong pizza on a hand-stretched sourdough base is flooding social media feeds, with hundreds praising the 'low calories fakeaway' One TikTok user, who goes by @readymealqueen posted about the pizza and described it as 'Banging! Would definitely buy this again'. The one minute video has had almost 300,000 views with over 500 comments. Fans have also taken to Instagram to post pictures and comment on the now famous slimline pizza. And the social media success of the pizza has translating to sales, with M&S revealing sales of their Ultra-Thin Wood Fired Pizza with Salami Firenze up 68 per cent, while their Ultra-Thin Pizza with Italian Mozzarella & Pesto is also up 40 per cent. Fans have also taken to Instagram to post pictures and comment on the now famous slimline pizza The social media success of the pizza has translating to sales, with M&S revealing sales of their Ultra-Thin Wood Fired Pizza with Salami Firenze up 68 per cent, while their Ultra-Thin Pizza with Italian Mozzarella & Pesto is also up 40 per cent The vegetarian version is hand stretched and baked in a woodfired oven to create an ultra-thin, bubbly crust with a delicate sourdough flavour and charred notes The vegetarian version is hand stretched and baked in a woodfired oven to create an ultra-thin, bubbly crust with a delicate sourdough flavour and charred notes. While the mozzarella and tomato pizza is finished with a drizzle of fragrant basil pesto, the Salami Firenze has sprinkle of parsley on the top. They're both topped with Italian tomato sauce, mozzarella and either Italian fennel salami, slow roasted Santarella and cost 3 each. While the mozzarella and tomato pizza is finished with a drizzle of fragrant basil pesto, the Salami Firenze has sprinkle of parsley on the top Many weight loss accounts have also shared snaps of the dish, as it's a low-calorie way to indulge in a pizza 'It's a YES from me, the taste of the dough mozzarella and pesto was on point!' one Instagram user wrote. Many weight loss accounts have also shared snaps of the dish, as it's a low-calorie way to indulge in a pizza. 'It's a YES from me, the taste of the dough mozzarella and pesto was on point!' one Instagram user wrote. 'Finally got my hands on this beauty, ohh my all I can say (dribble emoji), thank you M&S for this beauty and it's only 21 syns or 438 cals for the whole pizza!' another wrote, referring to Slimming World syns. '438 calories for the entire thing! 10/10 would recommend for a low calorie alternative to a normal pizza, only 3 too,' added another. '438 calories for the entire thing! 10/10 would recommend for a low calorie alternative to a normal pizza, only 3 too,' added another. 'Finally got my hands on this beauty, ohh my all I can say (dribble emoji), thank you M&S for this beauty and it's only 21 syns or 438 cals for the whole pizza!' another wrote, referring to Slimming World syns. 'Today I've got the M&S wood fired pesto and mozzarella pizza, which was 420 calories for the whole thing. They do a salami version too which I'm defo going to get! This was DELISH and I would defo recommend. Will pop the packaging on my stories,' one social media user wrote. 'Quick lunch as I'm on lates this week.. 438cals for this! Taste so good defo be getting more soon,' said a fourth. 'O to the M to the G. This was bloody amazing! If you told me I'd be eating a M&S Pizza for lunch two months ago I would of laughed. I cannot stress how nice these were. 412 calories for the whole thing!!! They also have a mixed meats one,' said another. 'Today I've got the M&S wood fired pesto and mozzarella pizza, which was 420 calories for the whole thing. They do a salami version too which I'm defo going to get! This was DELISH and I would defo recommend. Will pop the packaging on my stories,' one social media user wrote. Not a hot shot. Photo: Bob Edme/AP/Shutterstock AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine is facing a crisis of confidence. Within the space of a few days, one European country after another has suspended administering the shot over a handful of reports of people experiencing blood clots following the inoculation. The actions of European governments have taken experts by surprise and prompted anxiety among people who have had or are in line to get the shot. The European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization say that the data available dont suggest the vaccine caused the clots and that people should continue to be immunized. In a press conference on Tuesday, Europes top medical regulator said it would give definitive guidance on Thursday after examining all available evidence. Intelligencer spoke with Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious-disease specialist and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, about the crisis. What does the AstraZeneca vaccine bring to the table? When I look at the real-world data, I turn to the U.K. where AstraZeneca has been rolled out most briskly. Reports from Scotland showed that AstraZeneca has equal rates of efficacy against severe disease as the Pfizer vaccine. This is being shown again and again, that it is doing great in the U.K. in terms of decreasing hospitalizations. What about the blood-clot concerns being raised in some countries? Is there any proof the vaccine is responsible? Out of 17 million doses given, there are 37 people with clots in an older population that is way below the risk of just clotting in general from a general population. When you are giving an intervention to large swaths of the population, associations will come up. We get concerned about a vaccine side effect when the rate among those who are vaccinated is much higher than in the general population. And that has not been observed with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Is this a concern with other COVID-19 vaccines? Actually, no. Interestingly, youll see reports of thrombocytopenia low platelets with mRNA vaccines. And those have been disproven. A cascading number of European countries have suspended the vaccines use. Are these precautionary measures exhaustive? To suspend the use of this really effective vaccine, especially now that theyre having increasing cases and hospitalizations I really have to say, Im completely flummoxed. The WHO is urging them not to do this for a reason, because the WHOs job is to look at world health. A not-perfect vaccine that is available right now, in stock for a large number of the population, is going to help you get the scariest thing to go away, which is hospitalizations from COVID-19. I am tremendously disturbed, especially when I heard about increasing hospitalizations in France yesterday at the same time they made this decision. The suspension of AstraZenecas vaccine has further hampered the slow vaccine rollout in Europe. The U.S. has so far administered three times as many doses as the E.U. when adjusted for population. How much easier will vaccination rollout be with the AstraZeneca vaccine available? The AstraZeneca vaccine is a logistically easy vaccine to give because it just requires refrigeration at regular temperatures, where it lasts for a long time. They already have the supply available. They already got through that hurdle. They already authorized it before, so it would be very easy to resume distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine in all these countries. Why isnt the AstraZeneca vaccine approved in the U.S.? I dont know. There are many people, including me, who think that any vaccine that is safe and effective should be approved very quickly because were in the middle of a global health emergency, and the only way to get out of it is vaccines. On the other hand, the FDA has its own process, and they decided that they are going to wait for the clinical-trial data from the U.S., which is apparently imminent. This interview was edited and condensed for clarity. Priyanka Chopra recently announced the Oscar nominations along with her husband Nick Jonas. The actress was also over the moon as her film The White Tiger has been nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay Category in Oscars 2021. She took to social media to express her happiness on her films nomination. Priyanka Chopra posted a picture showcasing the nominees in the Best Adapted Screenplay category, highlighting The White Tiger. The film is an adaptation of the Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name by Aravind Adiga. She acted in the film and also produced the film. Check out the post here- She wrote, "We just got nominated for an Oscar! Congratulations Ramin and team #TheWhiteTiger. Somehow announcing the nomination myself made it so much more special. So so proud. Later, Priyanka Chopra also posted fun BTS photos from the event. She wrote, "One way or the other... Congratulations to all the nominees. And thank you @TheAcademy for the opportunity. #GregWilliams you fit right into our manic Monday. Thank you for the pictures @nickjonas." One way or the other... Congratulations to all the nominees. And thank you @TheAcademy for the opportunity. #GregWilliams you fit right into our manic Monday. Thank you for the pictures @nickjonas pic.twitter.com/Z2IOxI01Iw PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) March 15, 2021 Heres what people have to say about The White Tiger getting nominated for the Oscars- Proud moment... big congratulations Suniel Shetty (@SunielVShetty) March 16, 2021 Huge congratulations to the whole team... So proud D. (@Confusedsoul22) March 15, 2021 Congrats PC We r so proud of u Vrushyy (@RcDiu_SAK) March 15, 2021 Congratulations #TheWhiteTiger this is amazing You can be so proud, a great achievement Desiree (@Desiree_R2) March 15, 2021 omg!!! u deserve it, baby!!!! congrats nivia (@jonatobegins) March 15, 2021 Congratulations, it was just fascinating.... Deserves the honour.#TheWhiteTiger (@BhayankerBanker) March 15, 2021 The film starred Adarsh Gourav, Priyanka Chopra and Rajkummar Rao in integral roles and the movie was directed by Ramin Bahrani. The story revolves around the character of Balram Halwai, who lives in Laxmangarh village, who becomes a successful entrepreneur from nothing. He becomes the driver of a rich man from Delhi and later ends up murdering his boss. What do you think of this achievement? Let us know in the comments section below! A bone-chilling incident has left the entire country extremely disturbed as a vegetable vendor in Maharashtra was arrested for bestiality after it came to light that he had tortured nearly 30 stray dogs. Several reports state that the vendor, Ahmed Shahi, had been abusing several local dogs in Andheri, Mumbai. The case was under investigation of the DN Nagar Police Station where officers discovered that nearly 30 dogs were victims of sexual abuse by Shahi. Also read: Dog Gets Stuck In Car Engine For 30 Minutes Before Being Rescued By Firefighters Twitter (Ahmad Shahi) A volunteer for an animal rights NGO called Bombay Animal Rights (BAR) secretly filmed the man luring a dog in Andheri West before raping it. The video was submitted to the cops who launched an investigation into the incident and that is when the 60-something-year-old man was arrested. He has been booked under Sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 429 (harming animals) and section (11)(1)(a) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 1960 after being produced in a local court and sentenced to two days of police custody. The incident has been condemned on social media by everyone and the hashtag #SorrySheru has been trending on Twitter. Animal lovers are urging authorities to ensure the safety of strays. Also read: A Week After Uttarkhand Disaster, Dog Searches For Her Lost Puppies Be the voice of voiceless. Tweet with #SorrySheru pic.twitter.com/lV2JnWM8R8 Maithun Chakraborty (@Being_Humor) March 15, 2021 If only those dogs in Mumbai did this to Ahmed Shah! #SorrySheru https://t.co/TQ37jBfEhW Shefali Vaidya. (@ShefVaidya) March 15, 2021 Not women, not children, not cows, not goats, not even dogs! Nobody is safe in "their" ideal world! #SorrySheru Nehal Tyagi ( ) (@nehaltyagi08) March 15, 2021 Thanks for speaking up for all the sherus of India. #SorrySheru (@indiantweeter) March 15, 2021 I wish I was there to protect your innocence but I wasnt & hence #SorrySheru. I will protect Sherus around me from anyone & everyone. pic.twitter.com/0AD0DdXVfD V P S Jadaun (@JadaunRajputra) March 14, 2021 One of the 50 dogs which Ahmed Shah raped was just 6 months old Sheru. Lets trend #SorrySheru so that poor boy can get justice. Smoking Skills (@SmokingSkills_) March 14, 2021 Didn't know these people exist. . What happened is beyond imagination . No punishment is enough for this pathetic act . Dogs are one of the best creation of god . I have one myself . Remember for you they might be part of life but for them u r thr life #SorrySheru pic.twitter.com/oGkOohCsER Siddhi Vinayak Vaidya (@SiddhiVinayakV4) March 15, 2021 This is inhumane. May justice prevail. Also read: Remember The Kerala Dog Who Was Dragged Behind A Car? She Is Now A Happy Mother Of Three UN peacekeepers vaccinated in Vietnam ahead South Sudan mission Sixty-four Vietnamese officers, soldiers and doctors who are set to join the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan were given the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine shot on March 16. Doctor Nguyen Thanh Nam is the first to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine shot on March 16. (Photo by Vietnamnet) The vaccination was carried out at Ho Chi Minh City-based Military Hospital 175 managed by the Ministry of National Defence. The first shot was given to those who are scheduled to take on duty at level-2 field hospital No3 in South Sudan. Doctor Nguyen Thanh Nam, said he was a bit nervous before getting the jab. I see this as a safe and lucky start before I leave for an international mission. The COVID-19 outbreak in South Sudan remains quite complicated, said the doctor. According to Major General Nguyen Hong Son, director of Military Hospital 175, safety was given top priority during the vaccination campaign. Those who receive the shot are required to stay in hospital for half an hour for medical surveillance, said Son. Their health will be then closely monitored within 24 hours. The Major General added that the vaccine will be transported to South Sudan where the Vietnamese officers, soldiers and doctors are due to get the second shot. On March 11, members of the Kenyon Student Worker Organizing Committee (K-SWOC) authorized a strike in opposition to the college administration and board of trustees refusal to recognize the newly formed union. Students at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio formed K-SWOC in April 2020 in response to employment uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 campus closure in March 2020. According to a press release on the K-SWOC website, most student workers were left in the dark after campus closures, payments stopped and students were told to simply wait for remote employment opportunities. A few workplaces were made remote quickly, but this was not the norm. Ransom Hall, Kenyon College (Photo: Wikipedia) A statement on the K-SWOC Twitter announcing the authorization vote noted that they are striking to protest the colleges unfair practices and policies. They added, Over the last year student workers, through KSWOC-UE, have repeatedly attempted to raise our issues with Kenyons administration through conversations with managers and senior leadership, petitions that laid out our concerns. K-SWOC has not released a date or list of demands for the planned strike which will be made up of student workers from several campus workplaces. Kenyon College is a small undergraduate liberal arts college attended by 1,730 students and the K-SWOC is not affiliated at this point with any larger union but has cited being assisted by the campus maintenance workers union, the United Electrical Workers (UE) Local 712. For the 2020-21 academic year, Kenyon is back in session with a mixture of remote and in-person instruction with certain grade levels allowed back on campus for specific semesters. Since the start of the global pandemic, several student worker issues have come to the attention of the Kenyon student body and K-SWOC has led several struggles of student workers. After the campus closure in March, several student groups, including over 250 student workers, organized a petition to push the administration to pay all student workers through the would-be end of the semester in mid-May. The administration agreed to make these payments. In August 2020, Community Advisors (CAs)students employed by the college to help manage dormitory lifeorganized to earn better pay and a better housing subsidy on the verge of a fall semester in which responsibilities and safety were not made clear. In addition, the shortened semester meant CAswho are paid weekly and given reduced price dormswould be paying approximately $3,500 to perform their job responsibilities (not including tuition or food) and be placed in a high-risk environment for contracting COVID-19. After negotiating with their employers in the Residential Housing department, CAs received a $1.25 wage increase with an additional $1,000 housing subsidy, neither of which fully covers housing costs or fairly compensates the students who are being asked to manage dormitories where the spread of COVID-19 is inevitable. Students with K-SWOC have also noted that COVID-19 has not only caused issues with student employment but magnified existing problems facing student workers such as low wages, lack of job accessibility and job security. In an effort to become officially recognized by the administration in the fall of 2020, K-SWOC sent a letter to the Kenyon College administration asking the college to work swiftly to bargain to a first contract and listed several demands related to better payment and healthier and safer work environments. In response, the Kenyon Board of Trustees published a letter on December 11, 2020 denying formal recognition of K-SWOC. The struggle of Kenyon student workers cannot be separated from the broader struggle of educators, including graduate students, who have organized protests and sickouts across the country in response to the inadequate response of their workplaces and the drive to reopen schools against trusted medical and public health advice. In September 2020, University of Michigan graduate student instructors went on strike for nine days to demand the universal right to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, improved testing and contact tracing, care subsidies for parents and caregivers, a $2,500 unconditional emergency grant, rent freezes, and the demilitarization of the university campus. The work stoppage immediately garnered massive support from undergraduates, lecturers, faculty, staff, university workers and countless supporters around the country. Immense pressure was exerted on the graduate students from the UM board of trustees dominated by top corporate and financial executives, primarily connected to the Democratic Party, as well as from the American Federation of Teachers, with which Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) is affiliated. The Democrats and the AFT feared that the strike could become a catalyst for a far broader movement of educators against the reopening of schools and colleges. Both the Democratic Party and the AFT fully support the reopening of schools with the goal to return workers to producing profits as quickly as possible. At Columbia University in New York City, over 3,000 graduate student workers went on strike Monday for better working and living conditions. Last April, they walked out to demand that the administration support students throughout the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The Columbia students, however, face both the opposition of school administration, and the United Auto Workers union, which has spent decades colluding with management to lower the living standards of its members. The UE is no different. It has a long history of betraying the struggles of the working class, including the sellout of the 2019 strike by 1,700 Wabtec locomotive workers in Erie, Pennsylvania against deep wage cuts. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) has consistently intervened in the struggles of educators and graduate students, acknowledging their courageous stand while also explaining that they must break the isolation imposed by the corporatist unions and free themselves from the capitalist Democratic Party and its promotion of identity politics. Only in this way can grad student workers expand their struggles beyond the campuses, connecting with teachers, autoworkers and other sections of the working class, and develop the fight for socialism. We encourage Kenyon student workers to learn from the struggles of students at University of Michigan and Columbia University and appeal not to the trade unions and the Democratic Party, but to the growing struggles of the working class around the world who oppose the bipartisan policy of sacrificing lives to boost the private fortunes of billionaires who have seen their net worth skyrocket amidst the spread of death and contagion across the world. The IYSSE insists that the struggle facing student workers is not a campus issue, but a much broader political struggle. As such, the fight of student workers cannot be severed from the fight against the pandemic, against the subordination of human life to corporate profit and against the dangers of state repression, fascism and militarism. The demands of student workers can only be advanced on the basis of building a powerful political movement of the working class against capitalism and for socialism. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa praised the exceptional efforts made by Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in serving pilgrims and visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. he Minister said that the precautionary and preventive plans taken by the Saudi government at an early stage in the emergence of the pandemic contributed to achieving great success in organising the reception of pilgrims and enabling them to perform Umrah. Islamic Affairs Assistant Undersecretary Dr Muhammad Taher Al Qattan said that the Hajj and Umrah Affairs Department authorised 264 buses for Umrah trips on the King Fahad Causeway last year. Why do we celebrate Sunshine Week from March 14 to 20 this year? Imagine this: What would the reaction be today, if state senators and representatives voted in secret to approve Gov. Tom Wolfs multibillion dollar income tax and spending increases? Or if mayors and school directors, county commissioners, township supervisors and city and borough council members debated and voted again, in secret session to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on new buildings, all across Pennsylvania, with absolutely zero public notice? The public would be justifiably outraged. While this may seem like the dark ages, it was not that long ago that these debates and votes took place in the dark every day, with no one from the public or the media in the room and the public had no other option other than to simply complain. In those days, many state and local government meetings across Pennsylvania were closed to the public and important decisions were made with no public input. One of the most important Pennsylvania laws that improved transparency is the Sunshine Act, which was first passed in 1986. The Sunshine Act ensures the publics right to witness decisions being made on their behalf that use public taxpayer funds. Before this law was passed, meetings could be and often were held far from the view of the public. After its passage, all officials actions and meetings held for the purpose of making a decision needed to take place in a public meeting. Today, every meeting of any Senate and House standing committee is required to be publicized in advance. Voting sessions on the floor of the House and Senate are televised live across the state, from Erie to Philadelphia, on each and every session day. The senators and representatives of the 1950s and 1960s could not have imagined such scrutiny. Over the years, our Sunshine Act was strengthened to allow for even greater transparency. In 1993, local governments were required to allow the public to make comments. In 1998, local governments were required to allow public comment before taking official action at a public meeting. In 2011, penalties were increased for officials who participate in a meeting that violates the Sunshine Act. Another important law that increased transparency is the Right to Know Law, which requires state and local government agencies to make public records accessible by establishing a base line expectation that all state records should be made public and individual agencies should have to prove why any requested records should not be made public. This law provides a fair, simple and no-cost method to appeal when a request has been denied. If this last year of living under COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has taught us anything, remember this: A free society can only exist as long as its institutions remain free and transparent to the public. We have made considerable progress in the past 40 years to let the sun shine in but, as we have seen throughout the last 12 months, there is still more work to be done! (Argall represents the 29th District in Berks and Schuylkill counties and chairs the Senates State Government Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Pennsylvania Sunshine and Right to Know laws.) From a high fever to a dry cough, coronavirus is known to be associated with a range of unpleasant symptoms. Now, new data shows that for one in five people who catch Covid-19, their only symptom is a skin rash. In a further 17 per cent of cases a rash is the first symptom before others develop later. The rashes manifest in various ways, including as hives or raised lumps. They have been recorded across the entire body. The data comes from the ZOE symptom tracker app run by King's College London (KCL) researchers which has been operational Covid throughout the pandemic. Scroll down for video For one in five people who catch Covid-19 they're only symptom is a skin rash, new data shows. Pictured, a case of 'Covid digits' More than 400 people submitted images, which have now been published in an online database called Covid skin signs. The range of the rashes is astonishing, manifesting in hives (pictured) or raised lumps and seen across the entire body ZOE data found people who tested positive for Covid were 67 per cent more likely to develop a rash than someone who was uninfected. A further independent study was done on 11,544 people who were asked to also provide pictures of their rashes. 'Strikingly, among the respondents of the independent online survey, we found that one per cent of SARSCoV2positive cases reported skin rashes as the first presentation, and 21 per cent as the only clinical sign of COVID19,' the researchers write. The study was published in the British Journal of Dermatology and more than 400 people submitted images, which have now been published in an online database called Covid skin signs. The images are categorised based on the sort of rash they are, and include 'Covid digits', 'purpuric', 'oral' and 'uticarial'. The rashes manifest in various ways, including as hives or raised lumps. They have been recorded across the entire body . 'Skin rashes cluster with other COVID19 symptoms, are predictive of a positive swab test, and occur in a significant number of cases, either alone or before other classical symptoms,' the researchers write. 'Recognizing rashes is important in identifying new and earlier cases of Covid19.' Dr Emma Wedgeworth, Consultant Dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, told MailOnline: 'We have become increasingly aware that skin rashes can be a sign of Covid-19 and indeed in some patients, the only sign. Rashes associated with covid can vary significantly. 'Hives, small blisters and red spots & bumps have all been described on the body. 'Chilblain-like lesions and changes in the blood supply to the hands and feet can also be a sign. 'Doctors and the general public should be alert to the fact that unusual changes in the skin may be a manifestation of Covid-19.' The different types of Covid-related rashes COVID Digits - A rash that affects the extremities, namely fingers and toes. The skin changes are known as chilblains. This rash seems to be more common in younger people. The rash appears as reddish and purplish bumps on the fingers or toes and can affect many digits. - A rash that affects the extremities, namely fingers and toes. The skin changes are known as chilblains. This rash seems to be more common in younger people. The rash appears as reddish and purplish bumps on the fingers or toes and can affect many digits. Neck & Exposed Chest Eczema - A rash which appears on the neck or chest at sites exposed to sunlight. It is usually quite pink and is very itchy. It can appear at any time during or after the infection and usually lasts a long time. - A rash which appears on the neck or chest at sites exposed to sunlight. It is usually quite pink and is very itchy. It can appear at any time during or after the infection and usually lasts a long time. Oral - A rash which affects the lips can make them feel sore and can become dry and scaly as they recover. Soreness inside the mouth can also occur. - A rash which affects the lips can make them feel sore and can become dry and scaly as they recover. Soreness inside the mouth can also occur. Papular & Vesicular - It appears as red and bumpy areas which may occur anywhere on the body. It can resemble bad prickly heat. In some cases, it is only tiny bumps all over the skin and is usually very itchy. The rash can also last well after the person has recovered from the infection - It appears as red and bumpy areas which may occur anywhere on the body. It can resemble bad prickly heat. In some cases, it is only tiny bumps all over the skin and is usually very itchy. The rash can also last well after the person has recovered from the infection Pityriasis Rosea - An acute eruption recognised by Dermatologists. It is thought to be viral in origin, although never proven. It usually affects young individuals. More reports of this pattern during the pandemic have been reported which first present with an initial large herald patch, followed a few days later by multiple smaller patches on the torso or proximal limbs. It can last several months before clearing. - An acute eruption recognised by Dermatologists. It is thought to be viral in origin, although never proven. It usually affects young individuals. More reports of this pattern during the pandemic have been reported which first present with an initial large herald patch, followed a few days later by multiple smaller patches on the torso or proximal limbs. It can last several months before clearing. Purpuric - Easily recognisable as it presents with multiple deep red or purplish spots. It can cause bruise-like patches. The spots or patches are caused by damage in the superficial tiny blood vessels with bleeding into the skin. - Easily recognisable as it presents with multiple deep red or purplish spots. It can cause bruise-like patches. The spots or patches are caused by damage in the superficial tiny blood vessels with bleeding into the skin. Urticarial - Present quite early in the infection but can also last a long time later when the affected person is no longer contagious. The rash appears as sudden raised hives or wheals on the skin which come and go quite quickly over hours and are usually intensely itchy. It can involve any part of the body. If it affects the face, it can cause swelling of the lips and eyelids. It is usually treated with antihistamines. - Present quite early in the infection but can also last a long time later when the affected person is no longer contagious. The rash appears as sudden raised hives or wheals on the skin which come and go quite quickly over hours and are usually intensely itchy. It can involve any part of the body. If it affects the face, it can cause swelling of the lips and eyelids. It is usually treated with antihistamines. Viral Exanthem - A common pattern in viral infections with a symmetrical rash comprising numerous reddish blotches or bumps over the body. It is usually accompanied by symptoms of a viral illness, such as fever, cough and malaise. Patients with suspected COVID could present with this pattern, but may have no other symptoms. Advertisement Pictured, a pupuric rash which was seen on a Covid patient's lower leg. A pupuric rash looks like lots of small spots of blood on the skin and is caused by blood vessels leaking This individual's rash was categorised as pityrias rosea, a type of rash that starts as a single red and scaly area which spreads across the torso and upper limbs Oral rashes were also reported by some of the more than 400 people who submitted images of their Covid-related rashes to Covidskinsigns.com Almost HALF of Covid patients experience swollen salivary glands From a high fever to a loss of sense of smell, Covid-19 is associated with a range of unpleasant symptoms. Now, a new study has warned that infection with the coronavirus can also lead to swollen salivary glands in the mouth. Researchers studied 122 Covid-19 patients in Italy who caught the virus and were admitted hospital between July 23 and September 7, 2020. Follow-up appointments over three months found more than eight out of ten patients had some form of facial or mouth issue as a result of the infection. The most common was swollen salivary glands, known as ectasia, which affected 43 per cent of patients. Salivary glands make spit to help with chewing and swallowing. Advertisement The coronavirus attacks several bodily systems and therefore there are a host of symptoms of Covid-19. But only the 'classical triad' symptoms of a dry cough, a fever and loss of smell or taste are currently recognised by the NHS. Loss of smell and taste was officially recognised as a symptom of Covid on May 18, 2020. In June, KCL academics called for skin rashes to be considered the fourth official symptom of Covid. Researchers from KCL recently again called for policymakers to extend the set of recognised symptoms. They said extending the list of symptoms to include fatigue, sore throat, headache and diarrhoea would allow 'millions' of unconfirmed cases to be detected. Current Test and Trace rules mean swabs are only reserved for people with a fever, continuous cough or loss of smell or taste. Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist on the Zoe app, an epidemiologist at King's College London and a co-author on the latest rash-related study, said in February: 'We've known since the beginning that just focusing testing on the classic triad of cough, fever and anosmia misses a significant proportion of positive cases. 'We identified anosmia as a symptom back in May and our work led to the Government adding it to the list; it is now clear that we need to add more. 'By inviting any users who log any new symptoms to get a test, we confirmed that there are many more symptoms of Covid.' Police have released footage of a man they want to speak to in relation to the vicious assault of an elderly woman in South Yarra on Saturday morning. The 78-year-old woman was left with serious injuries after she was attacked while walking to open a church in Barry Street about 6.15. Investigators have released images and CCTV of a male they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries. Credit:Victoria Police Her daughter-in-law, Erin Katsavos, told 3AW radio that the woman had a fractured pelvis, a broken wrist and bleeding on her brain in two places. Ms Katsavos said the woman was left on the church steps for half an hour before a worker found her. Suspected UVF memorabilia found at the home of an alleged leader of a show of strength in east Belfast is from the First World War, the High Court heard today. Counsel for Stephen Matthews argued that the seized flag and plaque were historical items he is legally entitled to own. But the 58-year-old was refused bail amid prosecution claims that he headed a gathering of masked men linked to the paramilitary organisation who forced residents to flee their homes. Citing the risk of further offences, Mr Justice McFarland said: I base that on the memorabilia which I do not accept date back to 1914 or thereabouts. Matthews, of Pansy Street in Belfast, is accused of unlawful assembly and affray over the incident at Pitt Park on February 2. His 34-year-old son, David Matthews, of Millreagh in Dundonald, and Derek Lammey (56), from Spring Place in Belfast, are in custody on the same charges. With the case against them based on disputed identification evidence from police officers, the defendants deny involvement. Up to 60 men were said to have arrived in the area, using scarves and hoods to cover their faces. According to the prosecution the gathering then split up, with Stephen Matthews and Lammey playing leadership roles as they headed the first sub-group into Pitt Park. Crown lawyer Natalie Pinkerton said 11 members of the public fled to the nearby Ballymac Community Centre, remaining for up to eight days under a constant police presence. This included a pregnant woman, children and they also brought their dogs from their homes due to concerns for their safety, she said. They told police that they feared for their safety and their lives. Residents claimed the group of men were part of the East Belfast UVF, but would not name any individuals due to a fear of reprisals. None of the defendants are charged with membership of a proscribed organisation. However, Ms Pinkerton submitted: Based on the evidence it is the police belief that all of these men are members of the UVF. She disclosed that a UVF flag and placard with the inscription East Belfast UVF were seized during searches of Stephen Matthews home. During police interviews he stated that they can be lawfully bought in local shops. Defence barrister Richard McConkey argued: The items referred to as being seized from his house are historical items that are not illegal to own or to hold. It is indicative of the prosecution throwing anything they can at this case to thwart this man from being admitted to bail. Asked to clarify what he meant by historical, counsel replied: First World War, on my instructions. The judge commented: Im surprised the flag goes back to 1914. Ruling that Matthews must remain in custody, he also identified a potential risk of interference with witnesses. Based on the case opened in court, Mr Justice McFarland added: He does have an interest and a support for an illegal organisation, although that in itself is not a crime. LONDON Having cast off from the European Union, Britain wants to bind itself closer to the United States in a perilous world, according to a long-awaited blueprint for its post-Brexit foreign policy, released on Tuesday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson presented the document which grew out of a lengthy review of security, defense, development and foreign policies as an argument for how Britain will stay relevant globally. One way, he said, is to help the Biden administration face down challenges from Russia and China. In all our endeavors, the United States will be our greatest ally and a uniquely close partner in defense, intelligence and security, Mr. Johnson said in Parliament. We will stand up for our values as well as for our interests. The prime minister and his allies have long argued that Brexit would liberate Britain to act as an agile maritime power on the world stage a concept they called Global Britain, in language more suited to marketing than diplomacy. This 100-page report was an effort to put some meat on the concept. SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GrubMarket today announced it has completed the acquisition of RJ Produce, a highly reputable and well-established produce wholesaler in Texas. RJ Produce have established deep relationships with growers directly from Mexico and domestically, and is a key sourcing channel for premium fruits and vegetables nationwide. Its branded products are sold at nationwide retailers including many household names like Costco and Restaurant Depot. RJ Produce was founded in 2004 by Rick Gorena, and is based in McAllen, Texas. Rick launched RJ Produce to provide high-quality fruits and vegetables to a wide variety of businesses throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Its facilities are certified by Primus Labs and adhere to the most stringent certification programs to provide safety and traceability. RJ Produce will continue to be managed by its current leadership team. "We are excited to join the GrubMarket family and embrace the new growth opportunities that GrubMarket's technology and network will bring. We are committed to developing and maintaining long-term partnerships and upholding our reputation of quality, integrity, and sound business practices with customers, growers and logistics partners. We are thrilled to learn that GrubMarket shares this same mission of supporting growers and serving customers with the highest standard. We sincerely look forward to joining the GrubMarket Team. Together, we look to grow RJ Produce to the next level of success," said Rick Gorena, Founder of RJ Produce. According to Mike Xu, CEO of GrubMarket: "Growers in the RJ Produce network take pride in what they produce and hold their products to the highest standards. Their commitment to quality and exceptional service is a guarantee to each and every customer that they can always expect the best food safety and quality. RJ Produce works with an incredible variety of valued growers year-round and offers efficient solutions to support them. I am excited to welcome the RJ Produce team to the GrubMarket family as we further strengthen our position in Texas. Together, we will build a greater customer base and a stronger supplier network in the food ecosystem nationwide." Lastly, RJ Produce will now be able to utilize GrubMarket's innovative proprietary WholesaleWare software suite, the company's Software-as-a-Service platform providing food industry suppliers and vendors with seamless financial management, easy-to-use online ordering and sales, precise inventory management, and engaging CRM tools. About GrubMarket Founded in 2014, GrubMarket is a San Francisco-based food technology startup operating in the space of food ecommerce (B2B & B2C) as well as providing related software-as-a-service solutions to solve inefficiencies in the American food supply chain. Currently, GrubMarket operates in California, Washington, Texas, Michigan, New York and Massachusetts, with plans to expand to other parts of the country. For Media Inquiries: GrubMarket Media Team [email protected] (510) 556-4786 GrubMarket 1925 Jerrold Ave. San Francisco, CA. 94124 SOURCE GrubMarket Related Links http://www.grubmarket.com The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday disagreed with some local government chairpersons over the latters claims of paucity of funds as a hindrance to the development of infrastructure in their Local Government Areas (LGAs). The Chair, House Committee on Local Government and Community Affairs, Olayiwola Olawale, made his feelings known in Ikorodu during an oversight tour of the LGA and the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the zone. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other members of the house committee were Joseph Kehinde, Alimosho II, Rasheed Makinde, Ifako Ijaiye II, Nureni Akinsanya Mushin I, and Rauf Age-Sulaimon Amuwo Odofin II. Mr Olawale disputed the claims of the council chairmen, arguing that there were enough funds flowing from the federal and state governments into local council coffers. The lawmaker, representing Mushin Constituency II, noted that the issue was the lack of creative ways of generating funds to help the councils to develop their infrastructure. Mr Olawale said the Ikorodu council and the LCDAs were surrounded by commercial ventures even though they were agrarian communities, adding that there was a need for them to be re-oriented and enlightened on how to generate funds. I dont know what they mean by paucity of funds. You and I know that there is enough funds coming from the federal, as well as the state, into the local government administrations. What I discovered is that they are not putting genuine effort into the local administration of funds. They are not using their creative ways to generate funds. Agreed, it is an agrarian area but still surrounded by many commercial ventures that they can tap on. The leadership of the councils still needs to be re-orientated and enlightened on how to generate funds, he said. Corroborating, a member of the committee, Mr Kehinde said the claims of a paucity of funds was not tenable as the councils had not been able to measure up with the given allocation. Mr Kehinde, representing Alimosho Constituency II, said he did not believe that Ikorodu Local Government Council did not have enough and questioned what they had been using their allocations for. The lawmaker said most of them have yet to make severance payments to political office holders, as directed. He said: Before our visitation, I was one of those people that usually believed that Ikorodu did not have money. If they are saying they dont have enough funds, are they judiciously spending the money they have collected, he asked. Earlier, some council chairpersons had lamented the paucity of funds as the reason undermining infrastructural development in their areas. The Council Chair, Ikorodu West LCDA, Olajumoke Ademeyin-Jimbo, said efforts were being made to jerk up the revenue of the council in order to meet their infrastructural needs. Mrs Ademeyin-Jimbo said the council needed money to rehabilitate the roads in its rural communities. ADVERTISEMENT The Chair, Ikorodu Local Government, Wasiu Ayodeji, also acknowledged the challenge posed by the paucity of funds. The challenge is finance, especially with the splitting of Ikorodu Local Government into six. However, we are appealing to the state government and the assembly to come to our aid in terms of the development of infrastructure in the council areas, he said. Sesan Daini, chair, Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, said that all the grey areas discovered by the house committee would be looked into, pointing out the councils would embark on more projects. The Chair, Imota LCDA, Wasiu Agoro, said the council had improved on the provision of welfare for its staff and their internal revenue generation has also been enhanced. Also, Adeola Banjo, the chair, Ikorodu North LCDA commended the committee for giving it a pass mark after inspecting some of the projects it carried out. Mr Banjo promised to continue to do his best, adding that the commendation has encouraged him to do more. (NAN) Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck spoke glowingly Monday morning about the investigation by Easton police into the March 5 break-in and attempted indecent assault in a College Hill residence that led to the arrest Saturday of a Bethlehem man. Not only is Clement Swaby, 34, of the 600 block of Hayes Street, charged in the burglary and ensuing theft and assault try, but hes a strong person of interest for us in the Feb. 22 break-in and theft across the street, Houck said. A lot of it has to do with that Easton police investigated the second incident, Houck said of the crime in a privately owned home in the 400 block of McCartney Street that is divided into apartments. He pointed, as an example, to the day and night process of determining an SUV that was seen early in the day on March 5 on security cameras on McCartney Street and surrounding blocks, city police patrol vehicle cameras and a Phillipsburg police license plate reader was rented by the suspect. From there, the rest of history, Houck said. It was extraordinary work by them. Swaby was arrested at his home and eventually confessed to the March 5 break-in, court papers say. Eastons involved in the first one now because of their arrest in the second one, Houck said. We got our man for the second one. Numerous investigators working on this very long hours, multiple days in row, continuing to follow up on new leads and reevaluating old information, Easton police Lt. Matthew Gerould explained about the effort. The investigation has been worked keeping both crimes in mind. Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck. But Easton only had a small and short role at the beginning. Officers from Eastons Patrol Division did respond early in the morning of Feb. 22, but after assisting at the scene of the 3:52 a.m. crime, it was determined that Lafayette College Public Safety would head the investigation because, as Houck said, the college owns the off-campus property so that made it like an on-campus crime. Easton police go to the scene, its Lafayettes jurisdiction, Houck said. Lafayette Public Safety is a police department in and of itself. By 5:55 a.m. on Feb. 22, pretty much all Easton police personnel had cleared the scene on College Hill, a sergeant said at the time, much different from the three-hour presence less than two weeks later as that crime scene was processed and detectives got involved. A Lafayette spokesman was asked Monday why the college didnt use the expertise and equipment of city police after the first couple of hours on Feb. 22. Regarding the Feb. 22 incident, EPD has taken the lead in this investigation, Lafayette Vice President for Communications Mark Eyerly said in an email. They have been assisting us, and we will continue to work with them on the investigation. Lafayette Police initially took the lead because it involved a College-owned property. We cannot comment on why EPD has become the lead agency, as this is an ongoing investigation. Houck said Easton police were in touch with his office constantly during the investigation of the March 5 incident, but Lafayette has never called us about the Feb. 22 crime. Houck said the district attorneys office is very willing to work with Lafayette, as are city police. But the request never came. As to the DAs office, we normally involve the DAs office when a suspect has been identified and charges would be filed, Eyerly said. Eastons Criminal Investigation Division wasnt brought in until the second crime, Gerould said. The delay between the first and the second one, that put us behind, Houck said. At this point there is a chance to work with Lafayette. Now that (Easton has) solved their issue. This guy is a person of interest. Gerould said his division is now heading the initial investigation and working with Lafayette Public Safety. We thought this perpetrator had dangerous all over it, Houck said of the man armed with a knife. Easton police acted on it very quickly. It was just a lot of old-fashioned police work. They just kept forwarding the ball day after day. But Easton wasnt alone. Easton police go door to door early on March 5, 2021, searching for witnesses or surveillance video after a man with a knife entered a home in the 400 block of McCartney Street on College Hill.Tony Rhodin | For lehighvalleylive.com A lot of departments worked tirelessly in many. many different ways, Gerould said as city police reached out to numerous previous partners. By the time of the arrest, Bethlehem police, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, New Jersey State Police Fugitive Task Force, the Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Phillipsburg Police Department, the Northampton County District Attorneys Office, the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office and Lafayette Public Safety had been involved in the investigation of the March 5 incident, he said. As to the scope of the effort, Gerould pointed to the names of several city detectives that come up as court papers lay out the probe. The district attorney was just pleased Easton police were involved this time. Im glad they were able to work the second case, Houck said. Im not sure the results would have been the same had they not been involved. 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. 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. by Francis Khoo Thwe According to local media, 63 were killed three days ago, in Yangon alone. UN secretary Antonio Guterres appeals to "regional actors". 32 Chinese factories damaged. Huawei mobile phones boycott: they allowed the military to use facial recognition technology. Yangon (AsiaNews) - At least 20 people were killed yesterday after another day of protests against the military coup. This was confirmed today by the Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners (AAPP, a local supervisory group, which is concerned that "the number of victims is dramatically increasing ". The AAPP estimates that more than 180 people have been killed since February 1, the starting date of the coup. Many are demonstrators who took part in marches, but others are civilians who were killed just because they were nearby or in the line of fire of the security forces. In Yangon, two women were killed at home, with bullets fired by soldiers in the streets; a street sweeper who was collecting garbage was knocked to the ground by a soldier and was killed instantly. According to Myanmar Now, a local newspaper, last Sunday March 14 was the most violent day so far, with at least 63 killed in Yangon alone. Yesterday many seriously injured in the events of two days ago died. Western countries - first of all the USA and Great Britain - condemn the junta violence. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, yesterday asked the international community and "regional actors to unite in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations". These "regional actors include China, which the population suspects of sympathy towards the junta. Such suspicions are fueled by a deep anti-Chinese sentiment, which has been brewing for some time, provoked by the invasion of the national market with Chinese goods and factories and for the situation of near-slavery in which the Burmese who work for Chinese factories live. Three days ago, several Chinese-owned factories were set on fire in the Hlaing Tharyar neighborhood. The Global Times, a Beijing newspaper close to the leadership, says that 32 Chinese factories have been hit, with damage that is around 37 million US dollars. Two Chinese employees were injured. Beijing has repeatedly blocked a condemnation of the coup by the UN Security Council, together with Russia, Vietnam and India. However, China has also expressed its disapproval of the current situation. After the incidents three days ago, the Chinese embassy in Myanmar demanded that "all acts of violence" be terminated, that the perpetrators be punished according to the law and that the safety of the lives and property of Chinese companies and of personnel in Myanmar be ensured ". In response, there are appeals on social media to boycott Chinese products. Among the first products affected are Huawei mobile phones: according to demonstrators, this has helped the army apply the facial recognition technology that the junta uses to go and arrest the leaders of demonstrations and members of the League for Democracy at night. In what has been a long time coming, victims and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence will now be able to access care services in all the 24 new health facilities built by Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) The agency has also set up 21 facilities dubbed Tumaini clinics that will offer incorporated sexual and gender-based violence(SGBV) services in a bid to restore hope and dignity to victims. Victims visiting the centres will get counselling and help in gathering forensic evidence to be used against perpetrators. We call these clinics, Tumaini as they restore hope and dignity to traumatised survivors, Nairobi Metropolitan Services director-general Mohammed Badi said last week. He spoke on Friday as NMS opened a Tumaini clinic at Mama Lucy Hospital as part of the Internal Womens Day celebration. SGBV is not only a health concern but also a human right issue and survivors should access medical care, legal aid, and psychosocial support including shelter and community reintegration, said Badi. Mama Lucy Hospital medical superintendent Emma Mutio said the clinic operates 24 hours a day with five nurses in shifts. As Mama Lucy Hospital, we take pride in the centre being a one-stop clinic where holistic care is given to survivors of rape, she said. Justice Agnes Murgor and Badi officiated the launch that was graced by among others, Nairobi Education executive Janet Ouko, Gender CASs Beatrice Elachi and Jebii Kilimo. The Tumaini clinic is just but an example of more of what we need to have in Nairobi for the SGBV victims. Our biggest problem has been where to send the victims of SGBV survivors. But we are now heading in the right direction, Lady justice Agnes Murgor 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. 30-year-old rag-picker arrested for raping 8-year-old girl after luring her with chocolates Delhi violence: 13-year-old girl who went to write exam missing since Monday Man arrested for raping 17-year-old girl, putting pressure on her to change religion in UP India oi-Madhuri Adnal Fatehpur (UP), Mar 16: A young man has been arrested for allegedly raping a teenaged Dalit girl and putting pressure on her to change her religion in Fatehpur district in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Tuesday. According to the police, 23-year-old Raju Ansari took the 17-year-old girl to his house in the Lalauli police station area on Friday night and allegedly raped her. The girl was rescued from his house on Saturday morning, Lalauli police station SHO Sandeep Kumar Tiwari said. Rajasthan: 30-year-old woman raped in front of husband; 3 detained According to a complaint filed with the police, Ansari also put pressure on the girl to change her religion. A case was registered against Ansari on Sunday under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, the police officer said, adding that he was arrested on Monday evening from his house. The girl has been sent to a government hospital for medical examination, the police officer added. Eric Zibrosky, Business Development Director, FirstService Residential Were thrilled to welcome Eric to the FirstService Residential family, said Michael Mendillo, president, FirstService Residential. He is the perfect candidate, bringing not only a wealth of sales experience and expertise but also a knowledge of local real estate. FirstService Residential, North Americas property management leader, named Eric Zibrosky as business development director in its New Jersey/New York state Condo/HOA division. An accomplished sales professional, Zibrosky brings his experience in developing new business, effective negotiating skills and understanding the real estate market to his new role. Were thrilled to welcome Eric to the FirstService Residential family, said Michael Mendillo, president, FirstService Residential. He is the perfect candidate, bringing not only a wealth of sales experience and expertise but also a knowledge of local real estate. Im excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the FirstService Residential team, said Zibrosky, business development director. I look forward to contributing to our exceptional service offerings with a focus on cultivating strategic and meaningful partnerships. In his role, Zibrosky will work closely with community association board members to present FirstService Residentials depth of resources, technology platforms and commitment to service excellence. Zibrosky will report directly to Raymond Tate, vice president, sales. We are excited to have Eric on the business development team. His years of sales experience and passion for the industry will serve him well in his new role, said Tate. Zibrosky has 15 plus years of direct sales and business development experience, and seven plus years in sales management and team leadership, with organizations in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He is also a licensed New Jersey real estate agent. ~ https://www.fsresidential.com/ ~ About FirstService Residential FirstService Residential is North Americas property management leader, partnering with more than 8,500 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 and condos 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. Visit http://www.fsresidential.com. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Senator Leila De Lima, one of the staunchest critics of President Rodrigo Duterte, has been in jail since 2017 on allegations she used drug money for her senatorial campaign in 2016, when she was Justice secretary. But De Lima and human rights groups believe the drug charges against her were fabricated to silence her for investigating the administration's bloody war on drugs. Malacanang has repeatedly denied De Lima's allegations, saying the charges against her are being tried by the country's independent courts. Last February 17, the detained senator was acquitted in one of her three drug cases. The other two are still pending at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court. Here's a timeline on the series of events that led to De Lima's arrest: December 15, 2014 Then Justice Secretary De Lima led a raid at the New Bilibid Prison, where luxurious quarters of 19 drug lords were discovered. Illegal drugs, weapons, and several other smuggled items were confiscated by the police. July 13, 2016 De Lima filed a senate resolution initiating a probe into alleged extrajudicial killings that began since Duterte took office and believed to be related to his administration's war on drugs. August 17, 2016 Duterte confirmed De Lima was the person he was referring to in a previous briefingwhen he said a lady senator had a driver/lover who had collected drug money to fund her campaign. August 20, 2016 De Lima said she is willing to resign and to be shot in front of Duterte if the drug allegations against here are proven true. She added that she received reports from "credible sources" that during the elections that year, some convicts in the national penitentiary were asked to testify against her and implicate her in the illegal drug trade. August 25, 2016 The government released a matrix showing personalities allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade inside the NBP. Among the personalities tagged were De Lima and then Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan. September 15, 2016 De Lima presented Edgar Matobato, who claims to be a former member of the 'Davao Death Squad'. Matobato linked Duterte to the killings perpetrated by the vigilante groupan allegation Malacanang vehemently denied. September 19, 2016 De Lima was ousted as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights. She was replaced by Senator Richard Gordon. It was Senator Manny Pacquiao who made a motion to declare the committee chairmanship and its membership vacant. September 21, 2016 High-profile inmates and drug lords paid De Lima millions of pesos to allow them to bring in illegal drugs and other contraband items inside the NBP, witnesses told a House hearing. September 27, 2016 In an interview with CNN Philippines, De Lima claimed it was Duterte who was behind the "massive demolition job" against her. October 6, 2016 During a House hearing, witnesses claimed that Ronnie DayanDe Lima's former driver and bodyguardused to collect drug money from inside the NBP. November 22, 2016 Dayan admitted having an affair with De Lima for seven years and their relationship ended in 2014. November 24, 2016 Dayan said it was De Lima who stopped him from testifying in a House probe in October. He testified that he told his daughter to text De Lima of his plan to attend the probe, but the senator allegedly replied that he should skip it. February 23, 2017 The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court issued an arrest warrant against De Lima for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. February 24, 2017 De Lima was arrested and detained at the Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. March 16, 2017 De Limas case caught international attention as the European Parliament called for her immediate release. July 19, 2017 A 12-member delegation from EU visited De Lima at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame. October 10, 2017 The Supreme Court en banc voted 9-6 to dismiss the detained senator's bid to dismiss the arrest warrant issued against her. The high court junked De Lima's plea for lack of merit. January 2018 Some judges from the various branches of Muntinlupa RTC inhibited themselves from hearing the case of De Lima for several reasons. Judge Antoinetta Pablo-Medina of Branch 276 inhibited herself from the case, saying she was a classmate of De Lima. Judge Myra Bayot-Quiambao of Branch 203 also inhibited, citing her close personal relationship with a member of the prosecution panel. March 13, 2018 The Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 granted De Lima a one-day medical furlough as she underwent a CT scan at the Philippine Heart Center. June 6, 2018 The Supreme Court denied with finality the petition of De Lima on her drug-related arrest. The high court dismissed the senator's petition on October 10, 2017, but De Limas camp filed another motion for reconsideration in November of the same year. Jully 11, 2018 The PNP denied the request of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to allow De Lima to hold Senate hearings in jail. The PNP said it is not within its jurisdiction to grant such request. February 8, 2019 The Senate Minority bloc filed a resolution calling on the Philippine government to follow the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which called for De Lima's release. A similar resolution was also issued at the House of Representatives. March 14, 2019 Six American lawmakers filed a House Resolution calling on the Philippine government to release De Lima. The resolution was introduced by California Representative Jackie Speier. It was co-sponsored by Representatives James McGovern of Massachusetts, Henry Johnson of Georgia, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Brad Sherman of California, and Lloyd Doggett of Texas. April 4, 2019 Five American senators also filed a resolution calling for the release of De Lima. The bipartisan resolution was filed by US Senators Marco Rubio and Edward Markey. April 11, 2019 The Philippine Senate filed a resolution slamming the move of their US counterparts who urged the national government to free De Lima. Philippine Senate Resolution 1037 called out the US Congress for "being an affront to the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines and an undue interference on its judicial process." July 18, 2019 The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed a complaint against key opposition figures, including De Lima, for inciting sedition over their supposed involvement in viral videos linking the Duterte family to drugs. December 23, 2019 The 2020 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill signed by then US President Donald Trump included a provision which bars Filipino public officials, who were involved in the arrest and detention of De Lima, from entering the US. December 27, 2019 President Duterte ordered the Bureau of Immigration to bar US Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy, who introduced the provision in the 2020 American budget to prohibit the entry of "foreign government officials involved in the wrongful imprisonment...of Senator Leila de Lima, who was arrested in the Philippines in 2017." January 2, 2020 US lawmakers filed Senate Resolution 142 calling on the US government to impose sanctions on Philippine officials involved in the detention of De Limaincluding the freezing of their assets. January 9, 2020 The US Senate passed Senate Resolution 142. January 18, 2020 De Lima said she filed a complaint against Duterte over the extrajudicial killings before the International Criminal Court. January 22, 2020 The Supreme Court dismissed De Lima's request for a writ of habeas data, a legal remedy that was supposed to protect her from Duterte's threats and verbal attacks. February 5, 2020 De Lima appealed to the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to junk her case against Duterte in relation to his verbal attacks against her. February 25, 2020 De Lima submitted to the US government a list of people who were behind her detention and must be banned from entering the country. June 16, 2020 De Lima filed a motion for bail before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 166, saying the evidence presented against her was not strong. June 19, 2020 The Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 rejected De Lima's request to attend Senate sessions via video call from her cell in Camp Crame. The court said allowing her to virtually attend the sessions is "no different" from allowing her to attend physically. July 20, 2020 - Following the death of high-profile drug convict and state witness Jaybee Sebastian, De Lima maintained Sebastian was pressured by Duterte to fabricate testimonies against her. August 14, 2020 De Lima filed another motion for bail in her second drug case, insisting that the evidence against her is weak. December 4. 2020 Government prosecutors filed a petition for contempt against De Lima and her lawyers for making public statements on the testimonies of witnesses in one of her drug cases. February 9, 2021 De Lima was granted a one day medical furlough. February 10, 2021 The Supreme Court junked with finality its decision to deny the petition of De Lima for protection against Duterte's verbal threats and attacks. February 17, 2021 The Muntinlupa RTC Branch 2015 junked De Lima's drug case with co-accused Jose Adrian Dera. Dera's demurrer was denied but he was allowed to post bail. However, the same court did not dismiss a separate drug case with co-accused Ronnie Dayan. De Lima's demurrer to evidence and petition for bail were both denied by the court. February 24, 2021 De Limas camp maintained she did not receive 1.4 million in drug money from the late drug lord Jaybee Sebastian when she was Justice Secretary. March 4, 2021 De Lima and her lawyer Boni Tacardon asked the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 2015 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. March 5, 2021 The Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 junked the appeal of De Lima and co-accused Dayan to dismiss their drug cases. The court reaffirmed its earlier decision, adding that De Lima and Dayan "must present their evidence to prove their innocence of the crime charged." The University of Dayton ranks No. 1 in 10 categories among national, state and Catholic colleges and universities, and it increased its standing in five others according to the National Science Foundations most recent annual rankings report on higher education research. The University remains No. 1 among all U.S. colleges and universities for all sponsored research and development in materials engineering, as well as for federally sponsored research and development in materials engineering. Among Ohio colleges and universities, UD remains No. 1 for federally sponsored engineering research and development, Department of Defense-sponsored research and development, and all sponsored research and development in industrial and manufacturing engineering. UD also remains No. 1 among the nation's Catholic colleges and universities for all sponsored engineering research and development. Nationally, UD broke into the top 20 for engineering research funded by all sources, moving from 21st to 18th place, and federally sponsored aerospace engineering research, moving from 21st to 17th place. It also broke into the top 25 for aerospace engineering research, moving from 28th to 24th place. UD also moved from sixth to fifth place in manufacturing engineering research and from ninth to eighth in total research revenue among private, four-year universities without medical schools. These achievements are a testament to the exemplary efforts of our faculty and Research Institute staff who have shown a passion for conducting research that is relevant to national needs as well as to our local economy, said John Leland, University of Dayton vice president for research. Research numbers are for fiscal year 2019 and were released in February 2021 by the NSF. Sponsored research revenue at the University of Dayton was more than $170 million that same fiscal year. The majority of the funding 92.6% was performed for federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency. The UD Research Institute, which employs 715 researchers, technicians and administrative staff on campus, as well as at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and facilities in Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida and Utah; performs most of the University's research, with academic units contributing 6%. In addition, 67 faculty members and 238 graduate and undergraduate students engaged in sponsored research in fiscal year 2019. For media interviews, contact Pamela Gregg at 937-229-3268 (office), 937-269-8963 (mobile) and pamela.gregg@udri.udayton.edu; or Shawn Robinson at srobinson1@udayton.edu. Post the shocking eviction of director Nirmala Chennappa, the mini-screen audiences witnessed the third week nomination process of Bigg Boss Kannada 8. In the nomination task named Jodi Task, each contestant was paired with another contestant of the opposite gender. Each team was required to nominate any two contestants and state the reason for the same. Notably, the current captain of the house Rajeev with his special immunity saved actor Shankar Ashwath from the nominations. Also, Prashanth Sambargi was directly nominated by evicted contestant Nirmala in the weekend episode. Interestingly, Shamanth Gowda and Nidhi Subbiah received the most votes in the nomination process. A total of 9 contestants have been nominated this time including Shamanth, Prashanth, Divya Suresh, Geetha, Nidhi, Aravind, Raghu, Divya Uruduga and Vishwanath. Though there is no confirmation, rumours are rife that a double eviction might take place on the third weekend of the show. Also, if reports are to be believed, Nirmala Chennappa might re-enter the house as a wild card contestant owing to public demand. Well, with the speculations and high voltage drama going on in and around the show, we will have to wait and watch to see what unfolds in the weekend episode when Kichcha Sudeep joins the housemates. Nominations This Week Shamanth Gowda Prashanth Divya Suresh Geetha Nidhi Aravind Raghu Divya Uruduga Vishwanath Voting Procedure For Bigg Boss Kannada 8 Install the Voot App (Available in both Android and iOS phones). Create an account using your email id or phone number. Type 'Bigg Boss Kannada 8' in the search bar. Click on the 'Vote Now' icon and cast your vote to save your favourite contestant. Notably, the vote bank closes on Friday at midnight. Also Read: Bigg Boss Kannada 8 March 15 Highlights: Housemates Upset With Shamanth; Rajeev Saves Shankar From Nomination Also Read: Bigg Boss Kannada 8: Prashanth Sambargi To Get Eliminated This Week? 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. Children have fared better than adults in the coronavirus pandemic, a fact that makes the development of vaccines for them a unique effort in the annals of medical science. Historically, pediatric vaccines have focused on killer childhood diseases, but the pandemic has thrown a curve into that thinking. While the virus has been a deadly force among older adults, its been shown to be mild in the young with deaths relatively minimal. Thats sparked an emerging debate among scientists about how critical it is that children be immunized. Some say the case for inoculating kids is less pressing, given that their outcomes tend to be so much better. Worldwide, the rollout of vaccines has prioritized older people and others at risk because of their health or occupation. Vaccines for polio, diphtheria and meningitis were all geared to eliminate the most dangerous diseases in children, said Michael Hefferon, an assistant professor in the pediatrics department at Queens University in Ontario. We now have almost the opposite. Its a disease of adults, and the older you get the more sinister it is. Therefore children are less relevant. Almost 3.2 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 in 49 states that report cases by age, according to a March 4 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. But at a time when more than a half-million COVID-related deaths have been reported in the U.S., only about 250 children have died in the 43 states that track mortality by age. The debate comes as President Joe Biden is pressing for the return of all kindergarten through eighth-grade classes, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said even teachers dont need to be vaccinated if certain rules are followed. Meanwhile, a study in the journal Pediatrics this month found that just 0.4% of 234,132 people tested in New York City schools from October to December were positive. The question shouldnt just be can you inoculate children safely and effectively, but also why youre doing it, said Hefferon, who says some regulators may question the need for emergency use. If you take it that grandma and grandpa are going to be vaccinated on a mass scale under present plans, why vaccinate children? Thats kind of a moral dilemma to be considered. Are you doing it for the kids, he asks, or for everyone else? Proponents of COVID vaccines for children offer another view. With a third to half of adult Americans in recent polls saying they probably wont get the shots, they say vaccinating 25 million Americans ages 12 to 17 could help curb transmission to those at highest risk and speed up the race to herd immunity. Youve got to be able to limit transmission by children, said Sanjay Jain, a pediatrics professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. And some children do get serious illness from the virus. Is it needed? The answer is absolutely yes. The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees. In a Feb. 25 letter to the White House and top U.S. health officials, the groups president, Lee Savio Beers, wrote that having a COVID-19 vaccine for children is essential for our nation to end the pandemic. Children have suffered throughout the pandemic in ways both seen and unseen, she wrote. We cannot allow children to be an afterthought when they have shared so much burden throughout this pandemic. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna Inc. and the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE partnership are all making fast progress in trials in children ages 12 to 15 at a time when mitigation measures are slipping and a new school year is just six months away. For children 12 years of age and up, there will be a vaccine available before the next school year, said Robert Frenck, director of the Vaccine Research Center at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital and a principal investigator for the Pfizer trial. Just looking at the timelines, its probably more likely the end of 2021 to early 2022 for younger kids, but maybe itll go a little faster than that. While some parents are understandably shy about putting their children in such a trial, Frenck said he has had few problems getting volunteers. A lot of parents were calling because their kids said, This sounds like something I want to be involved in, he said, adding that hes still getting emails regularly from parents wanting to sign up their teens, even with enrollment ended. When 14-year-old Audrey first heard her mother say there was a vaccine trial starting for kids at a nearby Cincinnati hospital, she immediately raised her hand. Her 12-year-old brother, Sam, wasnt quite so quick to volunteer. But after talking it through together with their mother, Rachel, a nurse, they both decided to get their first shots of the Pfizer Inc.-BioNtech SE vaccine at the same time in December. About two weeks later, the siblings got their second dose. Now, theyre among about 2,300 teens administered shots in the trial who are anxiously waiting to see if they received the vaccine or a placebo. Sam is certain he got the vaccine because he had a headache and chills after the second shot, known side effects for adults. Audrey, meanwhile, says shes jealous of her brother and curious about her own vaccination. The siblings wont know for sure which they got until the shot is approved for use in their age group, according to Frenck. At that point, the result will be unblinded and those who received the placebo will have the opportunity to get the vaccine. In the meantime, the siblings whose mother has asked their last name be withheld have both discussed being in the trial with friends, some of whom said theyd like to be in a test as well. There have been some complications in dealing with parents and teens, according to Frenck. In some cases, parents backed out after he explained that their children may be getting a placebo. One of the first steps in the enrollment process is for the parents to sign a consent form, and the child to sign what Frenck described as an assent form. In a few cases, teens have come in and decided it wasnt for them. Parents look at them and say really? But if the parents say yes and the adolescent says no, the adolescent wins, he said. While Pfizer had around 40,000 in its adult studies, it is testing a far smaller number in its trial in children: just 2,300. Frenck says theres a good reason for that. In children, researchers are undertaking what Frenck describes as an immunological bridging study that compares the immune response found in children with that already proven to work in the larger study in adults. If they match up, and the shot is found to be safe in children and Frenck says theres no indication yet that it isnt the study will be a success. ___ Reg Gale of Bloomberg News wrote this story. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Wendy Williams was a little gassy during her live talk show on Tuesday. The TV host, while discussing Kim Kardashian's divorce during her Hot Topics segment, appeared to let out a burp and a simultaneous fart as she sat on set, in front of her small studio audience. Wendy, 56, was suggesting that Kim probably already has 'five new boyfriends' when the TV host suddenly let out a belch, quickly followed by what appeared to be a fart picked up by her mic. Oops! Wendy Williams was left embarrassed when she burped and farted simultaneously during her live broadcast of the Wendy Williams Show on Tuesday There was no mistaking the mighty burp which the audience found very amusing. The Wendy Williams Show host rushed to cover her mouth and then looked down, seemingly annoyed with herself, before saying 'I apologize, I apologize'. In 2020 Wendy had another windy incident caught on camera, but denied it, insisting that viewers' ears were deceiving them. 'I barely fart,' she said at the time. 'You know why? Because gas gets released several different ways and mine is belching, because all I do is talk. 'Let me tell you something right now, okay,' she continued. 'I don't lean over like this to release a fart, I'm lean over like this because its comfortable. If I sit [straight up] all the time, it's heavy on my spine. Hot topics: The TV host was talking about Kim Kardashian's divorce from Kanye West when it happened Gassy: The TV host suddenly let out a belch, quickly followed by what appeared to be a fart picked up by her mic 'I don't have the back. I'm not trying to get the back. I like to release my hips and lean, you know what I'm saying? I've been doing this for 11 years on this show!' Wendy insisted that she would have just laughed it off if she had actually farted on camera. 'You know a girl like me would have been laughing at that,' she said. 'By the sound of that fart, I would have had to go change my costume! I would have left a mark in the seat. I wouldnt even save the costume, I would have throw it away. Itd probably be soiled beyond soiled-tivity.' Out there: The audience giggled when it happened so there was no avoiding the matter Ugh: The Wendy Williams Show host rushed to cover her mouth and then looked down, seemingly annoyed with herself, before saying 'I apologize, I apologize' History repeats: In 2020 Wendy had another windy incident caught on camera, but denied it, insisting that viewers' ears were deceiving them Meanwhile, Wendy met contractor Mike Westerman, who won the virtual 'Date Wendy' segment on the February 26th episode of her show. The What a Mess star gushed that same night on Instagram: 'Mike & I are having fun! I'm glad he's a REAL gentleman.' Williams went on to kiss the 55-year-old Maryland native, who's friends with Mario Lopez, during their March 4 date at Midtown Manhattan member's only club, CORE. Wendy previously ended her 22-year marriage to philandering ex-husband #2 Kevin Hunter in January 2020. Williams and her 48-year-old ex-manager are parents of 20-year-old son Kevin Jr. Date: Meanwhile, Wendy met contractor Mike Westerman, who won the virtual 'Date Wendy' segment on the February 26th episode of her show President Joe Biden told struggling Americans 'more help is on the way for real' as he touted his COVID relief plan during a stop in Pennsylvania on Tuesday but he said not yet to a visit to the border. The president visited a black-owned flooring company in Chester, Pennsylvania, in the suburbs of Philadelphia, to promote the help for small businesses in his $1.9 trillion America Rescue Plan. His visit was part of a road show the White House has dubbed the 'Help is Here' tour, where administration officials are selling the plan's benefits. 'We're in a position where it's going to bring immediate relief,' Biden said. President Joe Biden visits Smith Flooring, a black-owned business in Chester, Pa. President Joe Biden told struggling Americans 'more help is on the way for real' as he touted his COVID relief plan during a stop in Pennsylvania President Joe Biden waves as he arrives on Air Force One at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia He repeated his pledge from Monday that within ten days his administration would get out 100 million checks and reach 100 million shots since he took office. Republicans, meanwhile, slammed the president for doing a sales pitch instead of visiting the border, where thousands of migrant children are being held after trying to enter the United States without their parents. Biden said there were no plans in the works for him to visit the border. 'Not at the moment,' he told reporters as he left the White House. Biden and his administration are focusing on the essential battleground states during their tour this week. Vice President Kamala Harris was in Denver to talk with small business owners on Tuesday. Both Pennsylvania and Colorado were essential wins for Biden when he defeated Donald Trump in last year's election. The president also will tape an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in Pennsylvania that will air on 'Good Morning America' Wednesday morning. Then Biden and Harris will appear together in Atlanta on Friday. The Democrats' win in two Georgia special Senate elections gave the party control of the Senate. And the votes of Democratic Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock from that state helped make the legislation law. Biden could also travel to Ohio next week, The Washington Post reported. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said there are more stops in the works. 'Well be certainly going to some redder states, states he didnt win, or very blue states and states he didnt campaign in,' she told reporters traveling with the president on Air Force One. Harris was in the politically important state of Nevada on Monday. And second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be in New Mexico on Wednesday while first lady Jill Biden will be in New Hampshire. The administration is touting the benefits coming with its $1.9 trillion America Recue Package but Republicans have slammed the president for going on a roadshow during an immigration crisis at the border. The criticism comes as Department of Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas warned more migrants are on their way. 'We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years,' he said in a long statement that detailed the administration's efforts to handle the migrant surge. The Biden administration is dealing with a surge of migrants on the border House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy challenged President Joe Biden to come to border and see situation for himself In February, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested about 100,000 people at the southern border - including nearly 9,500 unaccompanied children - a 28 per cent jump over January. And more than 4,200 kids are being held in jail-like stations unfit to house them with the government building more shelters to handle the surge. 'It's more than a crisis. This is a human heartbreak,' House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters after he and a group of GOP lawmakers who visited a detention center in El Paso, Texas, on Monday. 'The sad part about that is this didn't have to happen. This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration.' 'I know the president's going to travel this week. This is where he should bring Air Force,' McCarthy said. 'This is where he should look the people in the eye. This is where he should talk to the border agents, and let them know that this is beyond a crisis.' The American public gives the Biden administration high marks for its COVID relief plan - which did not garner a single GOP vote in Congress - leaving Republicans searching for an issue headed into the midterm elections. Even some Democrats are questioning the administration's handling of the thousands of unaccompanied minors. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat whose district is on the border with Mexico, expressed his unhappiness with the president. 'His people need to do a better job of listening to those of us who have done this before,' he told The Washington Post. 'The Republicans will turn around and use this for a political weapon against Democrats that we're weak on the border, we're not doing enough, we're letting everybody in,' he noted. 'I've been warning the party and the administration: Don't let this get out of hand, because all you're going to do is you're going to give Republicans an issue.' Biden lifted the Trump policy that required migrants to remain in Mexico while going through the legal process to enter the U.S., narrowed the ICE's criteria for arrests and deportations and stopped the building of Trump's border wall. The White House still refuses to call the thousands of migrant children being held - some without beds or enough food - a 'crisis,' but Psaki did say it is a 'big problem.' She also blamed Donald Trump's administration for leaving the border a mess. 'We recognize this is a big problem. The last administration left us a dismantled and unworkable system, and like any other problem, we're going to do everything we can to solve it,' she said at her briefing on Monday. Psaki was asked multiple times if the president would consider a trip to the border. 'I don't have any trips to preview at this point in time,' she said. She said Biden's focus 'is on developing solutions, pushing his team, encouraging his team to develop solutions that will expedite processing at the border, that will open more facilities that will ensure kids are treated with humanity and also treated safely. And that's his focus, and so that's where he's putting his efforts on immigration.' Migrant children and teenagers from the southern border of the United States being held a temporary facility in Midland, Texas Intensive care tents sit in a row at a Influx Care Facility (ICF) for unaccompanied children in Carrizo Springs, Texas, where another temporary shelter has been built The administration is struggling to house a surge of migrant children as they work to process the minors so the children can be transferred to Department of Health and Human Services shelters where they would stay until they could be united with family members already in the U.S. or with a sponsor. The children are supposed to be transferred to DHS within three days of being caught by border agents. In his statement on Tuesday, Mayorkas acknowledged that wasn't being met. 'The Border Patrol facilities have become crowded with children and the 72-hour timeframe for the transfer of children from the Border Patrol to HHS is not always met. HHS has not had the capacity to intake the number of unaccompanied children we have been encountering,' he said. Border agents are apprehending more than 400 children a day, which is many more than the number of children that HHS is processing and releasing to sponsors. Media is not being allowed inside the shelters but lawyers are. Some of the attorneys told CBS News that the children told them they are hungry; only showering once in as many as seven days; and are not able to call family members. Psaki said the situation was 'heartbreaking' for the kids but there were not a lot of options. 'This is heartbreaking. It's a very emotional issue for a lot of people, and it's very difficult and challenging. And obviously, these CBP facilities are not made for kids,' she said. 'It's not acceptable, but I think the challenge here is that there are only there are not that many options,' she said. 'The options here are send the kids back on the journey, send them to unvetted homes or work to expedite moving them into shelters where they can get health treatment by medical doctors, by educational resources, legal counseling, mental health counseling. That's exactly what we're focused on doing.' Meanwhile, a new center was opened in Midland, Texas, on Sunday to help alleviate the overcrowding caused by the record number of migrants. A shelter also was recently opened in Carrizo Springs, Texas. The Biden administration also directed the shelters to return to normal capacity, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Previously, social distancing and other health protocols were in place to combat the disease. Additionally the administration is looking at using The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas to house migrants as they run out of space, the Associated Press reported. The center is estimated to be able to hold 3,000 children. For its second-gen Nest Hub smart display, Google shied away from a radical redesign; so no, dont expect a motorized screen or anything. Instead, Google opted to refine rather than revamp some of the Nest Hubs existing features, including its audio quality, while adding a new one: the ability to track your sleep. Available now for preorder, and slated to ship on March 30 for $99, the new Nest Hub looks almost identical to the original. And just like the first Nest Hub, this new version lacks a camera. That said, there are a couple of minor cosmetic changes. Edgeless glass display, and a new color For starters, the Nest Hub now has an edgeless glass display, which should make the 7-inch screen easier to clean. Also, the Nest Hub will be available in a new colormistalong with three existing ones, including chalk, charcoal, and sand. Machine-learning chip and a Thread radio Inside, the second-gen Nest Hub adds a new machine-learning chip similar to the one in the 10-inch Nest Hub Max and last years Nest Audio speaker. The on-device chip should help Google Assistant learn your favorite commands and respond more quickly to your queries, Google says. The new Nest Hub also boasts 50-percent better bass response, according to Google, while its new Thread radio willeventuallyallow the Nest Hub to operate as a Thread border router, connecting Thread-enabled smart devices to the internet. Both the Nest Hub Max and Googles Nest Wifi mesh router also come with embedded but dormant Thread radios, while the Apple HomePod minis Thread radio already works with a few Thread products, including Nanoleaf Essential lights and Eve Systems smart plugs and security cameras. Sleep Sensing, courtesy of the Soli chip But the Nest Hubs hardware highlight is its new Soli chip, which Google describes as a miniature, low-power radar. The Soli chip isnt entirely new to Google smart displays. Already installed on the Google Nest Hub Max, the Soli chip enables such features as presence detection, which (for example) alters elements of the interface when youre in proximity. The chip also allows the display to detect simple gestures; for example, you can pause or resume music playback simply by raising your palm. Now that it has a Soli chip, the smaller Nest Hub will have the same presence-sensing and Quick Gesture abilities as its larger sibling. But Soli also enables an intriguing new feature on the latest Nest Hub: Sleep Sensing, which (as you probably guessed) can sense how well you sleep. Google Equipped with a Soli chip, which is essentially a small, low-power radar, the new Nest Hub can monitor your sleep without the need of a wristband. Sensitive enough to detect your chest moving while youre lying in bed, the Soli chip-enabled Nest Hub can monitor your sleep without the need of a fitness tracker on your wrist. The Nest Hub will also detect other factors that could disturb your sleep, including coughing and snoring. The displays ambient light sensor will report whether theres too much light in the room while youre sleeping, while a new temperature sensor will sense whether your bedroom is too warm or cold. Each morning. the Nest Hub will generate a report telling you how long you slept, whether you went to bed and got up on schedule, and how restfully you slept. Google said it has even tested its sleep-monitoring tech with people who wear a CPAP mask as a sleep apnea therapy. Meanwhile, Google Assistant will offer tips based on your sleeping history and even suggest new automations, such as lighting and relax routines. You can also export your sleep data to the Google Fit health app. An initial, 90-second calibration process will help you orient the Nest Hub properly (it should be placed near your bed, ideally on a bedside table) while allowing the display to create a tracking bubble around your usual sleeping position, thus filtering out any partners or co-sleepers. Its worth noting that the Nest Hub only tracks one sleeper at a time, which means that if your partner wants their sleep tracked as well, theyll need their own Nest Hub. Sleep Sensing privacy As far as privacy goes, Google says that the Nest Hub only detects motion, not specific bodies or faces, and that raw sleeping data is stored and processed directly on the device, not in the cloud. Youll be able to delete some or all of your sleep data; likewise, you can partially or completely disable Sleep Sensing. The Nest Hubs Sleep Sensing feature will be available on the Nest Hub as a free preview until next year, according to Google. So, what happens after the free preview? Good question. Google declined to go into specifics during an online briefing last week, but a rep said that Google is actively exploring opportunities to integrate with Fitbit, the fitness-tracking company that it acquired in 2019. Presumably, those opportunities could include a subscription fee for Sleep Sensing functionality. Well update users and give them plenty of updates ahead of time if the current offering is going to change, the rep added. Speaking of price, the second-gens $99 price tag is $50 lower than the initial price tag for its predecessor, which was dubbed the Home Hub back in 2018. A year later, Google cut the displays price to $129 and renamed it the Nest Hub (in line with Googles Nest branding for its smart devices), while a further, more recent discount brought the displays price tag down to $89. Well have a full review of the Nest Hub once we spend quality time with a review unit. 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. Washington, March 16 : The lawyer defending Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed African-American man George Floyd last year while under custody, requested that his client's trial be postponed, citing potential judicial bias in the wake of a settlement between Minneapolis city and the victim's family. "I am gravely concerned with the news that broke on Friday (March 12) related to the civil settlement," Xinhua news agency quoted Eric Nelson, Chauvin's lawyer, as saying to Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill during a hearing on Monday. "The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury selection is perplexing to me." Nelson claimed that the $27 million settlement between the Minneapolis City Council and the Floyd family could negatively affect the impartiality of the jurors in the Chauvin trial, which has been scheduled for March 29. The jury selection, which has already delayed the trial, began last week and would continue as planned, according to Cahill. As regards to Nelson's point, Cahill said the concern was "legitimate", but that he didn't see "any evil intent" in the city council's decision to unanimously vote for the settlement, which was hailed by the Floyds' lawyer as "the largest pre-trial settlement in a wrongful death case ever would be for the life of a Black man". ChauvinC, who was filmed pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes leading to the latter's death on May 25, 2020, faces second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder charges. The three other former officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, who were on the scene also face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. Their trial is expected to begin in August. Floyd's death was ruled a homicide, with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's autopsy report revealing he died from "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression". Floyd's death triggered last year's massive protests against racial inequality and police brutality, across many US cities and also internationally. The incident followed the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Eric Garner in New York; and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement in recent years. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Sunday passed up an opportunity to join other Democrats calling for the resignation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is under investigation after multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Asked by a reporter if Cuomo should resign, Biden responded, I think the investigation is underway and we should see what it brings us. Biden, who made the comments upon returning to the White House from a weekend at his home in Delaware, had not previously spoken publicly about the allegations against Cuomo. However, his comments reflect the wait-and-see position the White House has taken regarding Cuomos future. On Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki would not say whether Biden believes Cuomo should resign. She said every woman who has come forward deserves to have her voice heard, should be treated with respect and should be able to tell her story. She has said in past weeks that the president supports the investigation. Several prominent New York Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, have called on Cuomo to step down. The three-term governor has refused to resign and has denied he did what has been alleged. Six women, several of them former members of his staff, have alleged that he sexually harassed or behaved inappropriately toward them. Cuomo has denied touching any women inappropriately. New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading the investigation into the allegations. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 14:17:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - BOGOTA -- Colombia registered 2,740 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, taking its nationwide tally to 2,305,884, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection said on Monday. The country also reported 100 more related deaths, raising the national death toll to 61,243, said the ministry. - - - - NEW DELHI -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 11,409,831 on Tuesday, as 24,492 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry. According to the official data, the death toll mounted to 158,856 as 131 COVID-19 patients died since Monday morning. - - - - WELLINGTON -- New Zealand reported two cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation on Tuesday, with no new cases in the community. The new imported cases have remained in Auckland's managed isolation facilities. The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is three, according to the Ministry of Health. - - - - ADDIS ABABA -- Ethiopia registered 1,151 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the national tally to 176,618 as of Monday evening, the country's Ministry of Health said. The ministry said five new deaths from the disease were reported across the country during the same period, bringing the national death toll to 2,555. - - - - RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazil's COVID-19 death toll approached 280,000 on Monday after 1,057 more people died from the disease in the past 24 hours, taking the national count to 279,286, the Ministry of Health said. The ministry also reported 36,239 new cases, bringing the national count to 11,519,609. - - - - PARIS -- The number of daily deaths caused by the novel coronavirus in France more than doubled to 333 in the past 24 hours, taking the total toll to 90,762 as the country is close to running out of beds in intensive care units, data from the health authorities showed on Monday. There were 25,469 people in hospitals for COVID-19, up by 480, the biggest daily jump since Jan. 25. That included 4,219 who require life support, the highest since late November when France was under lockdown. - - - - NEW YORK -- COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state rose to 4,517 on Sunday, compared with 4,486 one day earlier, tweeted Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday. Meanwhile, the single-day COVID-19 test positivity rate went up to 4.57 percent on Sunday from 2.88 percent on Saturday, he said, adding that there were 58 COVID-19 deaths in the state on Sunday, compared with 62 one day earlier. - - - - UNITED NATIONS -- China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority to be given to peacekeepers working in Africa, said the Chinese mission. This is a further step to make Chinese vaccines a global public good, and a demonstration of China's firm and continuous support to the United Nations and multilateralism, said the Chinese mission in a press release. Enditem Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Andrew Cuomo was physically 'aroused' when he allegedly hugged a press aide more than two decades ago, she claimed on Monday, as another of the seven women to accuse him of sexual harassment spoke to prosecutors investigating misconduct. Karen Hinton, 62, was working as a consultant at the time of the 2000 incident. Cuomo, 63, was serving in Bill Clinton's Cabinet as the housing secretary. Hinton first made her allegations against the three-term governor on March 6, and told her story in more detail on Monday on WNYC radio. She said the pair were inside a Los Angeles hotel room in December 2000. 'He approached me, embraced too tightly, too long and was aroused,' Hinton said. 'I felt extremely uncomfortable and actually shocked. Nothing had ever happened that way between the two of us.' Karen Hinton, pictured left in the early 2000s and right more recently, accused Cuomo of inappropriate behavior in 2000 Cuomo is seen speaking at the DNC in Los Angeles in August 2000 Cuomo, seen on March 9, has strongly denied Hinton's accusations Hinton, who's married to lobbyist and former Cuomo administration official Howard Glaser, said Cuomo twice hugged her. He was married to Kerry Kennedy at the time, with the couple divorcing in 2005. Cuomo strongly denied her allegation earlier this month, saying: 'What she said is not true.' He noted that she was formerly the press secretary for Mayor Bill de Blasio, a political rival. 'As everybody who has been involved on any level in New York politics knows, she has been a longtime political adversary of mine, highly critical for many, many years and has made many, many accusations,' Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters on March 7. Hinton then replied: 'Truth is the "longtime adversary" that Cuomo fears the most.' Cuomo is pictured with Bill Clinton in 1996, when he was nominated for Housing Secretary Cuomo with Kerry Kennedy, his wife from 1990-2005. The couple had three children Billy Baldwin, Kerry Kennedy, Andrew Cuomo, Christie Brinkley, and her husband Peter Cook A second of his seven accusers, Charlotte Bennett, 25, told investigators on Monday that Cuomo has a 'preoccupation with his hand size'. Bennett spoke for four hours on Monday to lawyers investigating claims of sexual harassment after the state attorney general, Letitia James, opened an inquiry. Bennett has hired high-profile civil rights and employment lawyer Debra Katz, and Katz on Monday announced that Bennett had spoken to the investigators. Katz said that Bennett shared with investigators 'detailed information' about the 'sexually hostile' work environment Cuomo allegedly fostered in the Manhattan and Albany offices. Charlotte Bennett, 25, spoke to CBS's Norah O'Donnell on March 4 to detail her allegations Andrew Cuomo, like Donald Trump, reportedly had an obsession with the size of his hands She said he created 'rivalries and tensions among female staffers on whom he bestowed attention.' Katz continued: 'One piece of new information that came to light today was the Governor's preoccupation with his hand size and what the large size of his hands indicated to Charlotte and other members of his staff.' His apparent preoccupation echoes that of Donald Trump, who was famously obsessed with the size of his hands. Charlotte Bennett told investigators of her encounters with Cuomo in May and June Cuomo's office has not commented on the allegation, but has insisted that he never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Bennett, a former policy adviser to Cuomo, shared more than 120 pages of contemporaneous records and documents with the investigators. 'The investigators have been moving quickly, and with sensitivity, to get to the heart of these allegations,' Katz said in a statement. 'We remain confident that their investigation will substantiate Charlotte's claims of sexual harassment against Gov. Cuomo, as well as the failure of his senior staff to meet their mandatory reporting requirements under the very laws he signed.' The investigation into the sexual harassment allegations is being led by attorneys Joon Kim, a former prosecutor with the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Clark, an employment discrimination attorney. Cuomo made a public appearance on Long Island on Monday where he took no questions from the media and made no mention of the mounting troubles against him, but instead said he'd soon be getting the vaccine. On Monday, Cuomo refused to take questions from the media and didn't invite them He was at a mass vaccine site on Long Island and was surrounded by aides. Cuomo gave a pantomime-style welcome the crowd. Cuomo is due to take part on a call with President Biden and other governors this week. He was appointed as head of the National Governors Association in August 2020. After first calling the allegations against him 'troubling', White Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday hinted that he may soon be stripped of his title within the Governors' Association, but she also shied away from taking a firm position on the subject, saying instead they would wait the outcome of the attorney general's investigation. She however said that the president would not take a side or any form of action until the investigation is complete. 'Our focus from here, from the federal government is of course supporting that independent investigation, which we adamantly do.' Cuomo is pictured outside the Governor's Mansion in Albany with his daughter on Friday The governor draped a blanket around his shoulders and appeared to be in a downcast mood Biden called Cuomo the 'gold standard' of leadership and thanked him for 'the example he set for all Americans' Biden is under intense pressure to distance himself from the embattled governor amid mounting allegations of sexual harassment, bullying, racism and in some cases, sexual assault. Cuomo denies all wrongdoing and is refusing to resign. New York Attorney General Letitia James is investing the claims against him. But the sexual misconduct claims combined with allegations of a cover-up over how many COVID-19 deaths there were in nursing homes is leading many on both sides of the aisle to demand Cuomo's resignation. In August last year, Biden tweeted that Cuomo had set an example for 'all Americans' The White House is hedging its bets. On Monday, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that while the allegations against him were 'troubling', she wanted to see the outcome of the AG's investigation. She previously said the fact the pair have been friends for a long time 'doesn't matter'. In August last year, at the Democratic National Convention, Cuomo gave a ringing endorsement for Biden. Biden, in return, tweeted: 'Andrew Cuomo, thank you for your leadership and the example you've set for all Americans during this pandemic.' During an appearance on The Jimmy Fallon Show in April, months earlier, he gushed: 'Your governor in New York's done one hell of a job. Fox News's Janice Dean was among those calling for Biden to speak out on Cuomo 'I think he's the gold standard.' Cuomo repeatedly batted away calls for him to run for president during the pandemic, when he was hailed as a hero. He said that his support was firmly behind Joe Biden. The pair have been friends for years and have formed a close political alliance. Cuomo traveled to Delaware for Biden's son Beau's funeral in 2015, and Biden attended Cuomo's father Mario's in the same year. Now, with mounting criticism of him and allegations against him, the President has come under intense pressure to distance himself from him. Cuomo and Biden, shown together in 2015, have been friends and political allies for years. They are shown together at a 9/11 Memorial in 2020 Advertisement Bennett told The New York Times in February that she had several uncomfortable encounters with Cuomo, including one incident in which he asked her questions about her sex life during a conversation in his state Capitol office and said he was open to relationships with women in their 20s. MEMBERS OF THE NY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CALLING FOR CUOMO'S RESIGNATION Issuing statements Friday: Rep. Jerry Nadler Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Rep. Jamaal Bowman Rep. Mondaire Jones Rep. Yvette Clarke Rep. Adriano Espaillat Rep. Carolyn Maloney Rep. Grace Meng Rep. Nydia M. Velazques Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney Rep. Antonio Delgado Rep. Brian Higgins Rep. Paul Tonko Issued statement last week: 14. Rep. Kathleen Rice Advertisement Cuomo denied Bennett's allegations, saying he 'never made advances toward Ms Bennett, nor did I ever intend to act in any way that was inappropriate.' He added: 'Women have a right to come forward and be heard. I did not do what has been alleged, period.' Calls have been mounting for Cuomo to resign. On Friday both senators for New York, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, called for him to resign, adding their voices to a chorus that includes the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, and high-profile Democrats such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Joe Biden on Sunday stopped short of calling for his resignation, however, and said the inquiry should be allowed to reach its own conclusions. Nancy Pelosi, the most senior Democrat in the House, struck a similar tone. The New York State Democratic Party expressed confidence in the investigation on Monday, with its chairman, Jay S. Jacobs, saying in a statement: 'These allegations are serious and disturbing and deserve a full and thorough investigation. I have full confidence in the investigation already begun by' James' office. Jacobs also urged Democratic officeholders in the state to continue legislating after a slew of them publicly urged Cuomo to resign in recent days. 'It is incumbent upon everyone to focus on getting the work of government done,' he said. 'Over the next two weeks, the state must complete a budget, ramp up its already extensive vaccination program and tend to the many other responsibilities that require the full attention of state government.' Bennett, 25, accused Cuomo of propositioning her in his office in June Anna Ruch (left) and Ana Liss both accused Cuomo of inappropriate behavior Jessica Bakeman, a journalist, accused Cuomo of harassment and inappropriate actions Lindsey Boylan, a former Cuomo aide, came out in December with allegations against him she further detailed her experience in a February post to Medium A protestor sits outside the New York State Capitol on Friday, demanding Cuomo resign A group also gathered to protest over the nursing home COVID scandal (pictured) Bennett has said the powerful three-term governor, who was giving daily televised briefings in the midst of the pandemic and was receiving a rapturous reception, 'felt like he was untouchable in a lot of ways' when he 'propositioned' her. He asked probing questions such as whether, as a survivor of rape, she was 'able to enjoy being intimate' with men. Bennett worked as a health policy adviser in the New York governor's administration, hired in the spring of 2019 and swiftly promoted to senior briefer and executive assistant only a few months later. Bennett had a friendly relationship with Cuomo due to their mutual ties to Westchester County, and saw him as a mentor. She claimed that, in the spring of 2020, when she moved to Albany, he began quizzing her on her sex life and whether she dated older men. She told Norah O'Donnell that the first awkward conversation was on May 15. She revealed that she had been raped, and Cuomo seemed fascinated by her story. On June 5, she was asked to take a dictation and at the end he asked her to turn off the tape. 'He asked if I had trouble enjoying being with someone, because of my drama,' she said. 'The governor asked if I was sensitive to intimacy.' Bennett claimed Cuomo, 63, told her he would consider dating 'anyone above the age of 22'. She felt it was clear the he was propositioning her. 'I thought he's trying to sleep with me. 'The governor's trying to sleep with me. And I'm deeply uncomfortable and I have to get out of this room as soon as possible.' In this age when Porsche itself makes sure customers can have more options from the very launch of a special such as the 992 GT3, it's only natural for the rendering realm to offer crazy combos like this one. How else would you describe a 911 that's been taken down the customization route and then given a NASCAR twist The starting point for this work was the current 992 Porsche 911 Carrera (S), with the rear-engined coupe receiving a Rauh-Welt Begriff conversion. Come to think of it, now that Akira Nakai, the Japanese aficionado behind the RWB widebody specialist, is also working on water-cooler Neunelfers , such a virtual build seems a bit more plausible than in the past.Heck, there might even be a method behind the madness of giving the RWB 992 a NASCAR makeoverthe Porsche now features the kind of steelies you'd expect to see in the racing series, and we can say the same about those meaty slicks wrapped around them.As for that connection, it has to do with the Blue livery of the machine. Sure, Karan Adivi, the digital artist who brought us the visual adventure, does label this as a coincidence in the description of the Instagram post below, and yet we can't help but think of the famous livery that saw Richard Petty grabbing tons of NASCAR laurels in over three decades of motorsport activity. Nicknamed The King, which explains the moniker we used in the title above, the American stock car racing driver climbed to the top of the podium on no less than 200 occasions.And Petty did race a Porsche 911 back in the day, albeit without his usual top rankings. We're referring to the 1973-1974 International Race of Champions series. The first season of the American series saw 15 identical Porsche Carrera RSRs being manhandled by the best drivers fom Formula One, NASCAR, IndyCar, and Can-Am racing.Oh, and since the Carrera models now come with a pair of turbos from the factory , one might argue that the rear bumper delete better allows the vehicle to showcase its forced induction, though the proposal appears to sport a single turbo conversion. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Thousands of weddings will have to be cancelled, the industry is warning, accusing the government of crushing hopes of restrictions being lifted next month. A weddings taskforce had expected all venues to reopen from 12 April but says it has been told that ceremonies will only be allowed in places of worship and a small number of public buildings. No fewer than 71 per cent of weddings take place in hotels and other venues, it is warning, suggesting 7,000 planned celebrations will have to be postponed or scrapped in a single month. The roadmap indicated weddings and receptions could resume on 12 April, said spokesperson Sarah Haywood. We have now discovered, not by being offered the information but by analysing the small print and repeatedly seeking clarity, that this is not the case. Read more: Downing Street has been asked if the taskforce is correct to believe that most typical wedding venues will remain barred after 12 April, the next roadmap review date. The taskforce set up by the government said 60,000 businesses employing 400,000 people, in a 14.7bn industry, was grappling with further uncertainty and growing unrest. Many couples who had already been forced to postpone their weddings multiple times now faced further disappointment. After a year of uncertainty for businesses, their employees and over half a million people whose weddings have been on hold, this is yet another major blow, Ms Haywood added. It will cost the industry already on its knees millions of pounds, lead to the loss of more jobs and leave an estimated 7,000 couples without a wedding. The dispute appears to have blown up because documents published alongside last months roadmap are ambiguous and contradictory. It was announced that, not before 12 April, the number of people able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15. It was also stated that weddings, receptions, and commemorative events including wakes will be able to take place with up to 15 attendees (in premises that are permitted to open). The taskforce says this was widely interpreted as a reopening of all venues and that the government has only now indicated, after weeks of being asked, that this will not be the case. Instead, weddings will be restricted to places of worship and some public buildings putting 7,000 planned ceremonies in jeopardy before the next review date, of 17 May. Ms Haywood also attacked the absurdity of the rules, saying: A couple could technically get married in a zoo, but not in a Covid-safe, purpose-built wedding venue. After that date, it is anticipated that up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes and indoor hospitality will reopen. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Lucknow, March 16 : The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to deploy Rapid Action Force (RAF) in at least 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh that have been identified as 'hypersensitive' for the upcoming Holi festival. Districts in the hyper-sensitive category include Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Bahraich, Balrampur, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Ayodhya, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Kanpur Nagar, Lucknow, Mau, Meerut, Moradabad, Shravasti, Varanasi and Sambhal. ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said: "The move is to ensure that Holi is celebrated in a peaceful manner. There are 1.4 lakh spots across the state for the 'Holika dahan' on the eve of the festival. Last year, 19 minor incidents were reported during this period." The officer added that since 2016, there has been considerable decrease in such incidents. He said that measures have been taken to avert incidents pertaining to the festival. "These include monitoring by drones, deployment of RAF, and dividing districts into categories of hypersensitive and sensitive," the ADG said. In these districts, companies of PAC have been deployed along with local forces and fire department. "Police chiefs of all these districts have been asked to maintain vigil and those who are accused in previous such incidents will be kept under watch," the ADG said. He also said that pending investigation in such cases must be prioritised by the police chief and probe must be completed. District police chiefs had been asked to be cautious about various processions that are a part of the Holi festivities. For instance, in Shahjahanpur in Masitganj locality, on the day of Holi, a procession is taken out where a man is made to sit on a bullock cart wearing a garland of shoes and is sprinkled with colours. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A court in Cordoba has declared a fine for a speeding charge that was captured by a fixed radar point was invalid and accused Spain's roads authority, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), of not sticking to the rules. Thousands of fines could be appealed based on the precedent created by this courts ruling after the Dvuelta drivers association brought the case. The court ruled that a fine was invalid as the evidence of presented "did not have two photographs taken at different times of the offending vehicle." Regulations state that radars that do not have the endorsement of an operator (a Guardia Civil) who supervises their functions, will be required to capture at least two frames of the offending vehicle taken at different times: one of them will show a panoramic view vehicle; the other, the numberplate." In the Cordoba court ruling the judgement said that only one photograph of the vehicle was taken, although two were presented with different zooms and framing. WEAVERVILLE, Calif. Trinity County Public Health will host two COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20 at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Weaverville. Registration for the clinics open Tuesday afternoon, March 16. Click here to register or call the California COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-422-4255 between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday through 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday for assistance. Fridays clinic will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The second dose of the Moderna vaccine will be provided. There are also 155 appointment slots that will be open for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to those who qualify. SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE Saturdays clinic will run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Only the first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine will be available. Those seeking first doses must qualify on the criteria list. Anyone who has had their first dose of COVID-19 Moderna vaccine given at a TCPHB vaccine clinic and are unable to make an appointment through the MyTurn system, call the COVID-19 Vaccine line at 623-8235 and you will be provided with an appointment time for your second dose, according to TCPHB. Those arriving for second doses will need to bring their first dose immunization card with them. TCPHB said persons that do not have their card will not be turned away; however, there may be an increased wait time as they retrieve the first dose information from the electronic system. Click here for more information on the COVID-19 vaccines in Trinity County. In a filing that signifies the beginning of the end of the countrys most notorious manufacturer of prescription opioids, Purdue Pharma submitted its bankruptcy restructuring plan just before midnight on Monday. The blueprint requires members of the billionaire Sackler family to relinquish control of the company and transforms it into a new corporation with revenue directed exclusively toward abating the addiction epidemic that its signature painkiller, OxyContin, helped create. The plan, more than 300 pages long, is the companys formal bid to end thousands of lawsuits and includes a pledge from the Sacklers to pay $4.275 billion from their personal fortune $1.3 billion more than their original offer to reimburse states, municipalities, tribes and other plaintiffs for costs associated with the epidemic. If the plan is approved by a majority of the companys creditors and Judge Robert D. Drain of federal bankruptcy court in White Plains, N.Y., payments will start pouring into three buckets: one to compensate individual plaintiffs, like families whose relatives overdosed or guardians of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, as well as hospitals and insurers; another for tribes; and the third and largest for state and local governments, which have been devastated by the costs of a drug epidemic that has only worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic. With drug overdoses still at record levels, it is past time to put Purdues assets to work addressing the crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of Purdues board of directors, in a statement. We are confident this plan achieves that critical goal. It should be clear by now that the COVID relief package is little more than a gigantic giveaway to special interests that are loyal to the Democrats and bailouts for mismanaged blue states. The House approved their version of the bill in the early hours of Saturday morning, cynically choosing to keep it out of sight of the American people and to hide Republican opposition to what will be a budget-busting boondoggle of epic proportions. With the bill now headed for the Senate, much of the contents will be ignored by the media or cloaked in the guise of racial justice. One of these is the use of $1 billion in taxpayer money for the advancement of racial justice in farming, a scam that is championed by failed presidential candidate Cory Spartacus Booker. While it is only a small part of the staggering $1.9 trillion that will be doled out much to Democrat allies GOP researchers are seeking to draw attention to the provision which was included in a three-page memo detailing the liberal goodies stuffed into the bill, a copy of which was obtained by Fox News. Via Fox News: Among the provisions raising eyebrows among the conservatives are $1,400 stimulus checks going to mixed-status families with undocumented immigrants; allowing Planned Parenthood to receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds designed to keep small businesses afloat; and nearly $600 million for additional emergency paid family leave for federal employees and U.S. Postal Service workers, according to the RSC memo, the outlet reports. The bill is slated to go to the House budget committee on Monday, and both House Democrats and President Biden hope the relief legislation passes through quickly, given that Democrats have a sizeable majority in the House. The Senate will be trickier; in order to pass the bill with the Democrats slim majority just one vote, belonging to tie-breaker Vice President Kamala Harris Democrats are likely to use reconciliation, a procedural shortcut that allows Congress to approve a budget-related bill with 51 votes. Among the more controversial items, though, is the $1 billion handout to socially disadvantaged farmers, defined, Fox News reports, as those farmers who are part of a group that has been discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity. The memo points out that Democrats are prioritizing funding based on identity politics while ignoring rural businesses and communities. The ability of the Democrats to wrap their entire radical agenda in the inflammatory context of race is downright diabolical and in saner times, would have been denounced as dishonest and divisive but they have struck political gold with this strategy and they arent about to stop now. With just five paintings and a slew of support photographs and documents, A Fresh Look at Eighteenth-Century Portraits manages to talk not only about the Albany Institutes latest painting conservation efforts, but also about a lively melding of history and art. That seems perfect for the unique mission of the institution, which preserves and displays both so well. For the uninitiated, the idea of conserving a painting might be a matter of giving it a dusting now and then and keeping it from roof leaks. But paintings offer a host of problems as they age, from disintegrating backing to fading paint. And for conservators today, the biggest enemies are often their own predecessorsconservators from fifty years ago who made things worse by painting and patching and reimagining the works. Take a painting like Magdalena Helena Veeder, a half-length oval portrait of a girl of perhaps 7 or 8, though she looks older here. The painting, attributed to Pieter Vanderlyn, honors for posterity a young member of the reasonably well-to-do Veeders of Schenectady, one of many Dutch families in the area by 1730. We can see symbols of comfortpearls, lace, and even the girls fabulous striped burgundy dress. Never mind the slightly disgruntled look on her faceI wouldnt want to pose that long, either. Before and after photographs of the work show how many aspects of the painting needed attention, from the irregular background to the smallest painted finery. After restoration, we can see improvements to the face, and to the inscription in one corner, which is more readable. A lot of this restoration is subtle, at least to the casual visitor, but the cumulative errors and effects of aging have to be addressed if these kinds of objects are to survive with honesty. Undoing drastic overpainting that covered what were once considered flaws, or removing clumsy inpainting that was intended to clarify certain details, are acts of bravery. Done well, the paintings are closer to what the painters intended. Its worth remembering just how old these are. All were made roughly 300 years agobefore Mozart was born. A whopping 31 paintings from the early 1700s have been slated for cleaning by the Williamstown Art Conservation Center, thanks to a generous grant from the Stockman Family Foundation. You might be left to wonder if the paintings are actually any good. Do they offer something to someone who isnt a Veeder or a Van Schaick? Yes! Foremost, they do not strive for any kind of quasi-photographic presence. There is something stark and direct herenot in a naive folk art manner, but in a lack of idealizationthat gives them penetration. I say this with utter ignorance of the original intentions, from simply looking. These folks stare back, unfiltered. You want proof? Walk to the next gallery and see slightly later portraits of early Americans for the show, Fellow Citizens! The 1795 Gilbert Stuart, for example, has far more accomplished detail, as well as a softness of surfacea chimeric clichethat makes the man glow, lucky him. Its an artifice that weve gotten used to, and its thankfully missing in the earlier works. One focus of A Fresh Look, and a star of the museum's early painting collection, is the 1722-24 Ariantje Coeymans Verplanck, which the wall label says is the earliest life-sized, full-length portrait of a woman painted in the American colonies. Its attributed to Nehemiah Partridge, thought of as Albanys first full-fledged painter, or limner, as the calling was known. The slightly awkward standing pose is compensated by Partridges direct, simple effects. This is the strength of all these works. Which makes it worth keeping them tip-top for another 300 years. If you go A Fresh Look at Eighteenth-Century Portraits Where: Albany Institute of History & Art, 125 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY When: Through May 16 Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m., Admission: Timed tickets encouraged. Visit this site: Members: Free Adults: $10 Seniors and students with ID: $8 Children 612: $6 New Delhi, March 16 : Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy hit out at the Congress on Tuesday after it had accused the central government of misusing Sedition Law, saying the party has no right to speak on democracy. Reddy's remarks came in the Lok Sabha while replying to a question raised by senior Congress leader and MP from Punjab's Anandpur Sahib constituency Manish Tewari. "The less Congress speaks of misuse, the better it is. You (Congress) jailed J.P. Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani and others by misusing MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act). Congress has no right to speak on democracy," Reddy said. "You have jailed so many people in 1980 under TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act). You jailed journalists, students, politicians under MISA." Speaking during the Question Hour, Reddy was replying to question on details of the number of cases registered under the offence of sedition across the country during the last ten years including the current year. Reddy said that Centre has no direct involvement in applying cases. "From investigation to filing of charge sheets and conviction is handled by state governments. Centre has no direct involvement in it. It is responsibility of the state governments only. The Centre government is only informed about the details so as it is put before the Parliament based on NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau)." The Minister said that there is only one case of sedition registered in Delhi in 2019, one in 2018 and two cases in 2016. Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) states "whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which a fine may be added; or, with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which a fine may be added; or, with fine." Section 124A has been challenged in various courts in specific cases. The validity of the provision itself was upheld by a Constitution Bench in 1962, in Kedarnath Singh vs State of Bihar. That judgment went into the issue of whether the law on sedition is consistent with the fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (a) which guarantees each citizen's freedom of speech and expression. The Supreme Court laid down that every citizen has a right to say or write about the government, by way of criticism or comment, as long as it does not "incite people to violence" against the government established by law or with the intention of creating public disorder. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text County health departments and other North Alabama sites are choosing to either close or alter schedules Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. Well update this list as we learn more. If youre not sure about the plan at your vaccine site, call before you go. * Huntsville Hospitals Community Vaccination Clinic in John Hunt Park will close at Noon Wednesday. All persons scheduled for vaccination on Wednesday afternoon may come ANY TIME on Thursday, March 18, or Friday, March 19. No appointment or phone call will be needed. * The Athens-Limestone Hospital Vaccine Clinic will be closed Wednesday. All people with appointments on Wednesday should come at the same time on Thursday. All Thursday appointments will be honored, too. For questions, call 256-262-6188. * The vaccine clinic at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Athens will be closed Wednesday. All people with appointments on Wednesday should come at the same time on Thursday. All Thursday appointments will be honored, too. * The Colbert County Health Department is closed Wednesday. * The Franklin County Health Department is closed Wednesday. * The Jackson County Health Department is closed Wednesday. Patients with Wednesday appointments to receive the coronavirus vaccine will be contacted to reschedule their appointments. * The Lauderdale County Health Department is closed Wednesday. Patients that have an appointment for the COVID Vaccine for Wednesday, March 17, will need to reschedule by calling 256-764-7453. * The Lawrence County Health Department will be closed Wednesday. * The Limestone County Health Department will be closed Wednesday. * Lincoln County Health Department will not be giving vaccines Wednesday at the fairgrounds. People who had appointments then will be rescheduled for Friday, March 26. * The Marshall County Health Department will be closed Wednesday. Anyone scheduled for a COVID vaccine Wednesday is being called to reschedule for Tuesday or Thursday. The times that you can come those two days will be 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. * The Morgan County Health Department is closed Wednesday. Patients with appointments for coronavirus vaccine are asked to come Thursday afternoon. Download the WAAY 31 Weather App HERE Access the WAAY 31 StormTracker Early Warning Radar Network 24/7. Download the WAAY 31 Weather App and stay ahead of the severe weather. The only live radar system that scans every community in North Alabama. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 19:13:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Senior Japanese and U.S. officials on Tuesday held security talks in Tokyo, discussing bilateral relations and the Korean Peninsula denuclearization, among other issues. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin attended the so-called "2+2" meeting with their counterparts Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, with both sides vowing to strengthen bilateral alliance. The two sides also discussed the Korean Peninsula issues as well as other regional matters, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting. Meanwhile, they vowed to enhance cooperation in new domains, including space and cyberspace, the statement said. The U.S. officials arrived Monday in the Japanese capital on the first cabinet-level overseas trip by U.S. President Joe Biden's administration members. They are set to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is scheduled to visit the U.S. in the first half of April for talks with Biden. After visiting Japan, Blinken and Austin will travel to Seoul on Wednesday for talks with their South Korean counterparts. Enditem In the ITeS world, a backdoor implies that users both authorized and unauthorized can get access to computer systems, software applications, or networks. It can bypass general security measures and give high-level security access, or root access, to users. If cybercriminals have this access, they can steal personal information or financial data, deploy malware, or hijack devices. However, backdoors are not used singularly by bad agents. They can as well be a part of software or hardware to deliberately regain access to their system after they get compromised. Such non-criminal variants turn out to be useful to help customers whose systems get hijacked by cyberattacks or to troubleshoot and resolve software issues. In the world of CCTV cameras, unfortunately, there cant be good backdoor guys. Its because CCTV is a security device. The access to it implies access to end-to-end activities of a business, wherein sensitive information could get revealed. In other words, it means data theft to a certain extent. Just imagine that cameras in and around New Delhi get accessed by the OEM of some hostile nation. Security cameras are deployed across all regions and especially high-security areas including Parliament, Defence Facilities, and so forth. It can be a direct threat to national security and by extension, the security of the countrys residents. As we talk about it, there are specific standards of every country that allow its security agencies to access all cameras remotely irrespective of the manufacturer. Every OEM has to comply with those standards. In India per se, certain tenders specifically mention that no camera must have GB28181 compatibility, a Chinese standard. U.S.-based agencies in their forensic audit found cameras from leading manufacturers failing the test in the U.S. It prompted the United States to ban all cameras that were non-NDAA compliant. Interestingly, the majority of manufacturers in Europe and the U.S. were caught on the wrong side of the fence, thereby compromising data security in their product series and hence stand banned. It is critical to note here that most of the leading brands are not OEMs themselves. They simply rebrand the products by Chinese OEMs which left a lot of room for backdoor entry and data security compromise. So, it shouldnt come as a surprise that NDAA has banned several models of companies based in the U.S, Europe or Japan. However, not all manufacturers have failed the litmus test of NDAA. Amongst the few European companies that came out with flying colors with all of their models complying with the National Defence Authorization Act comes Oncam. Abhishek Kumar, Regional Director, Oncam (South Asia), states, It gives us pride in stating that none of our product lines have ever been under grey or blacklist of the National Defense Authorization Act. This speaks about the quality of our product components as well as the high level of product design ensuring data and cybersecurity. With all Oncam products passing all wiretapping forensic tests in 2020, in 2021 our focus is to further strengthen cybersecurity in our CCTV cameras. The focus shall also be on educating our customers on cybersecurity and data privacy issues related to CCTV cameras. We shall strive to communicate to our end-customers that they shall benefit in data security by partnering and using products of a technology firm like Oncam. The new administration is grappling with a decades-old problem: how to deal with the surge of migrants at the southern border. With President Biden's new policy of not turning away unaccompanied minors, the number of children arriving at the border has rapidly increased, up nearly 30% in the last week alone. Over 4,200 children are currently being held in overcrowded Customs and Border Protection facilities, and nearly 3,000 have been in CBP custody for longer than the 72 hours required by law. Some children in these jail-like facilities meant for adults have described being hungry, taking turns sleeping on the floor, showering once in 7 days, and not seeing the sun. Coronavirus precautions in Health & Human Services shelters, which provide medical services, educational resources, and counseling, mean fewer available beds leaving officials scrambling to find space for unaccompanied minors. This week, Major explores the influx of migrant children arriving at the border what is driving them here, the conditions they face along the perilous journey, what awaits them once they arrive, and the Biden administration's response to this humanitarian crisis. The guests on The Debrief this week are: Chad Wolf, former acting secretary of the Department of Homeland SecurityFrank Sharry, founder and executive director of America's VoiceAndrea Leiner, director of strategic planning for Global Response ManagementArturo Garino, mayor of Nogales, ArizonaCamilo Montoya-Galvez. CBS News immigration reporterMireya Villarreal, CBS News correspondent Notable quotes from our guests: On the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border potentially continuing: "You have to remember, January and February are historically low traffic months because of the weather and how cold it gets in the desert," former acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf told Major. "You get into March, April, May these are the high traffic months into June historically that we have seen. So we're not even there yet. So you're going to see higher and higher numbers."On apprehensions of children at the border: "What we've seen is that in February U.S. border officials along the US Mexico border apprehended nearly 9,500 unaccompanied children, a figure we have not seen since the spring of 2019 when we saw this unprecedented wave of Central American families and unaccompanied minors come to the US Mexico border," said CBS News immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez.On the motives behind the children arriving at U.S. ports of entry: Andrea Leiner, a nurse practitioner in emergency medicine who works at the border for an NGO told Major, "Most of the people I met were not people that in any way were trying to game the system. They were people who were trying to survive." Story continues Jury for Derek Chauvin trial is almost set ahead of opening statements next week "It's tragic": Boulder police chief pays tribute to officer Eric Talley, killed in supermarket shooting Colorado authorities investigating mass shooting at supermarket The Uniform Crime Report was begun in 1929 to serve as the nations repository of crime data. On Jan. 1, it made arguably its biggest change in its century of existence. The eventual result should be more detailed information about crime, but it will probably come at the price of less confidence in reported crime figures over the next few years. The F.B.I. has two basic national crime data collection systems that it relies on to create estimates of local and national trends. One is the Summary Reporting System (S.R.S.), which has two main problems. First, agencies use a hierarchy rule, meaning they count only the most serious offense in an incident. If a burglar assaults a homeowner, the assault is counted, while the burglary is not. Or if a murder takes place during a robbery, only the murder is recorded. Second, there are only seven main categories of national crime data (arson is so underreported that the F.B.I. does not estimate national figures), so data on crimes like vandalism, fraud and kidnapping is not collected. To address these deficiencies, on Jan. 1 the F.B.I. stopped collecting data via the S.R.S. and switched to the National Incident Based Response System (NIBRS). This newer system, started in 1988, collects data on a much wider array of offenses, though this data was not used until now for the Uniform Crime Report. NIBRS does away with the hierarchy rule; agencies can report on up to 10 different offenses in a single episode. Agencies also report substantially more details on things like where crimes occur; the relationship between offender and victim; and how much of what drug was seized in a drug raid. As the F.B.I. points out, for example, a concerned citizen can use the system to see how many kidnappings occur at day care centers each year. The move to NIBRS will be a huge leap forward for understanding crime and victimization, said Jerry Ratcliffe, a professor of criminal justice at Temple University and host of the Reducing Crime podcast. It may help police departments that have a strong analytical capacity advance their crime prevention strategies. Queen Elizabeth II has shown off her cupla focail in a message to the Irish people ahead of St Patricks Day. In a letter to President Michael D Higgins, the queen has expressed her best wishes ahead of tomorrows celebrations, and acknowledged her visit to Ireland 10 years ago. The message read: On the occasion of your National Day, I would like to convey to Your Excellency my congratulations, together with my best wishes to the people of Ireland. This year marks 10 years since my visit to Ireland, which I remember fondly, and it marks a significant centenary across these islands. We share ties of family, friendship and affection the foundation of our partnership that remains as important today as 10 years ago. She signed off: La Fheile Padraig sona daoibh go leir. The queen spoke briefly in Irish during her historic 2011 visit when she attended a state dinner in Dublin Castle. She began her address that evening by saying: A Uachtarain agus a chairde. Throughout the speech, she spoke of the ties between Ireland and Britain, acknowledging the relationship as firm friends and equal partners. Her latest message comes amid strained Anglo-Irish relations in recent years, following Brexit and its impact on Northern Ireland. Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip visited Ireland for four days in May 2011 following an invitation from President Mary McAleese. The visit marked 100 years since the last royal visit to Ireland, which took place when Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom. In response to the queens message, President Higgins wrote, both in Irish and English, about the family ties between Ireland and the UK. We know St Patricks Day will be celebrated in the hearts of generations of Irish people who have made their home in Britain, and their British friends and family as well as by the many British people who have happily made their home here. I know that the movement and circulation of our peoples is a source of continuing joy for us both. Amid reports of the UK mounting pressure on the Indian government for massive tariff concessions on imports of Scotch whiskey in the free trade agreement negotiations, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has strongly objected to any plans to slash the Basic (BCD). The CIABC has said that since the imports are already dominating the Indian market, any reduction in the BCD will make matters worse and squeeze Indian products totally out. "The balance of trade in alcoholic beverages is highly skewed in favour of the UK and any reduction in BCD will further worsen it," said CIABC Director General Vinod Giri. The CIABC has been part of various recent meetings that the Ministry of Commerce has been organising with various stakeholders before the trade talks with the UK. "India exports just Rs 5 crore worth of alcoholic beverages annually to UK against an import of Rs 1,300 crore. Exports to the UK constitute only 0.2 per cent of India's total exports of alcoholic beverages whereas imports from UK are 24 per cent of India's total import of alcoholic beverages," Giri said. To support its argument, the CIABC has said that in premium segment of liquor (products costing above Rs 1,000 per 750 ml in Delhi) fully imported products and products imported in bulk and just bottled in India account for a whopping 98 per cent of the sales while a miniscule 2 per cent sale comprises genuine Indian products. The CIABC has pointed out that preferential treatment to imported liquor by some state governments has created undue hurdles in growth of high quality Indian products. "Earlier imported products did not have direct competition in India, but today there are several super premium Indian products; including Indian premium malt whisky brands such as Amrut, Paul John, Rampur etc, which are being exported to over 60 countries. They are in a nascent phase and need support from the Indian government in order to build scale and be globally competitive," said Giri. "Already Indian products are at a disadvantage even at current BCD level. In many major Indian cities, imported products have a price advantage vis-a-vis comparable Indian products. Reducing BCD will make Indian products less competitive." Giving reference of pricing and sales in Delhi, the largest market for such premium products in India, Giri said imported premium scotch/whiskey like Johnny Walker Black Label which costs Rs 2,920 sold 26,736 cases of 9 litres each in 2019-20, while the sale of Indian scotch Amrut Amalgam which costs Rs 3,640 stood at 922 cases. The CIABC has suggested that if the government needs to tweak the BCD to facilitate the trade treaty between India and the UK, it should reduce BCD gradually to a sustainable level over a time window which allows existing disparities to dimmish. The BCD should be reduced from today's level of 150 per cent to 50% in the next 10 years, it added. The Indian liquor manufacturers have also asked the government to prevent predatory pricing and dumping through a threshold import price (MEP) so that products priced below which are taxed at the same rate. "For the first year the government should fix the threshold import price at $60 per case (of 9 litres at cif), which can be reduced to $50 in next three years, then $40 in five years and $35 in 10 years. This is needed because the cost of production in India is at least 50-75% more. The cost of capital in India is 12-14 per cent compared to 2-3 per cent in the UK, evaporation losses are 3 to 4 times higher in India due to warmer climate which increases cost of production and cost of maturing," said Giri. "Similarly, fixed fees and charges on manufacturing like distillery license fee, brand registration fee, label registration fee, bottling fees, local cess etc in India are among the highest in the world. Excise duties and taxes on production of alcohol are also very high in India (300-400 per cent of company billing price) and in many states, the governments fix company's selling prices thus denying them opportunity to pass on high taxes." The CIABC DG also pointed out that the Indian products face other intangible cost disadvantages. For instance, Indian laws allow local products only in fixed few pack sizes, and in alcoholic strength of 75 Proof only. Products imported from the UK enjoy tremendous flexibility helping them target consumers tastes, wallets and occasions more effectively. Similarly, Indian-made products are subject to multiple regulatory agencies such as FSSAI, States' Excise and Legal Metrology which increases the cost of compliance, while imports are exempt from most such controls. Giri further noted that restrictive trade policies are also hampering growth of Indian exports to the EU and UK. "While export of alcoholic beverages from India stood at 7.3 million cases (9 litre each) in year 2019-20, the exports to the entire EU (including UK) were less than 30,000 cases which consisted of Indian super premium malt whiskies. Definition of products by the UK is such that it does not permit Indian Whisky and Indian Rum which are predominant exports to the rest of the world. This has made the Indo-UK Exim heavily skewed against Indian products." The CIABC has asked the Indian government to ask the UK government for removal of non-tariff barriers to allow easy export of Indian made alcoholic beverages to the UK. It has also demanded that the Indian whiskies should be allowed to be sold in the UK as whiskies irrespective of whether they are made from malt, grain spirits or molasses-based spirits. "They should accept Indian recipes as India accepts British recipes for whiskey," said Giri. Similarly, the UK should remove the EU restriction of minimum three years maturation period for whiskey as well as for rum as it has been scientifically established that in warm Indian conditions spirit ages 3-3.5 times faster than in the UK. Also, the evaporation losses in India are much higher and forcing 3 years maturity adds significantly to cost of production, the CIABC said. --IANS sn/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.) Joan Phillips, a certified nursing assistant in a Florida nursing home, loved her job but dreaded the danger of going to work in the pandemic. When vaccines became available in December, she jumped at the chance to get one. Months later, it appears that danger has faded. After the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, the number of new COVID-19 cases among nursing home staff members fell 83% from 28,802 for the week ending Dec. 20 to 4,764 for the week ending Feb. 14, data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows. New COVID-19 infections among nursing home residents fell even more steeply, by 89%, in that period, compared with 58% in the general public, CMS and Johns Hopkins University data shows. These numbers suggest that the vaccine appears to be having a dramatic effect on reducing cases, which is extremely encouraging, said Beth Martino, spokesperson for the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, an industry group. Its a big relief for me, said Phillips, who works at the North Beach Rehabilitation Center outside Miami. Now, she said, shes urging hesitant co-workers and anyone else who can to go out and take the vaccination. After a brutal year in which the pandemic killed half a million Americans, despite unprecedented measures to curb its spread including mask-wearing, physical distancing, school closures and economic shutdowns the vaccines are giving hope that an end is in sight. Noting that more than 3 million doses of vaccine have been doled out in nursing homes, CMS issued new guidelines March 10 allowing indoor visits in the facilities, even among unvaccinated residents and visitors, under most circumstances. National figures on health care worker infections in other settings are hard to come by, but some statewide trends look promising. In California and Arkansas, health care worker COVID-19 cases have dropped faster than for the general public since December, and in Virginia the number of hospital staffers out of work for COVID-19-related reasons has fallen dramatically. Research in other countries suggests that vaccines have led to big drops in infection. A study of publicly funded hospitals in England indicated that a first dose was 72% effective at preventing COVID-19 among workers after 21 days and 86% effective seven days after the second shot. At Sheba Medical Center Israels largest hospital, with over 9,600 workers 170 staff members tested positive from Dec. 19, the first day the vaccine was offered, through Jan. 24. Of those who tested positive, only three had already received both doses of the vaccine, according to The Lancet. Lost on the Frontline, a yearlong data and reporting project by KHN and The Guardian, is investigating over 3,500 COVID-19 deaths of U.S. health care workers. The monthly number has been declining since December, but deaths often lag weeks or months behind infections. Along with other health care workers, nursing home staffers and residents were first in line to get vaccines in December because elderly people in congregate settings are among the most vulnerable to infection: More than 125,000 residents have died of COVID-19, CMS data shows, while over 550,000 nursing home staff members have tested positive and more than 1,600 have died. Yet the vaccination rate among staffers is far lower than that of residents. When the first clinics ran from mid-December to mid-January, a median of 78% of nursing home residents took a dose, while the median for staff was only 38%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now several nursing home associations say the rate of staff vaccination has been climbing, based on informal surveys. While vaccines are contributing to the observed declines in COVID-19 cases in nursing homes, other factors, like effective infection prevention and control programs/practices, are also at play, CDC spokesperson Jade Fulce said. Vaccine uptake by nursing home residents has been very promising, said Dr. Morgan Katz, a specialist in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University who is advising COVID-19 responses in nursing homes. I do think this is a huge contributing factor to the drop in staff cases. When the immune system is activated more quickly due to vaccination, the virus is not able to multiply in your body and your respiratory tract, Katz said. So, having even one or two vaccinated people in a building can slow transmission. Another factor, Katz said, is that many nursing homes have already experienced large outbreaks so there are probably a significant proportion of residents and staff who are already immune. Also, COVID-19 rates have fallen nationally after a spike from holiday travel and gatherings in November and December, so staff members have less exposure in their communities. But even though were seeing a really wonderful turn in the number of cases, she said, we need to remember that as long as the staff is 50 or 30% vaccinated, they remain vulnerable, and theyre also putting incredibly vulnerable long-term care residents at risk. Vaccination efforts are racing against time as new COVID-19 variants circulate and some states dramatically relax COVID-19 restrictions, making it easier for the virus to spread. During the second week in February, 2,850 nursing homes still reported at least one new COVID-19-positive test result for a staff member, CMS data shows. When this happens, residents suffer, said Lori Smetanka, executive director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. She said shes hearing of cases in which one positive COVID-19 test result sends a facility into lockdown, preventing families from visiting their loved ones. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park endured a major outbreak last year in which over 100 workers contracted COVID-19 and over 60 residents and a certified nurse assistant, Monemise Romelus, died. Shirley Lewis, a union president representing CNAs and other workers, said it was traumatizing. Still, only about half of workers there have taken the vaccine, Lewis said, and one is out sick with COVID-19. A lot of my members are not too excited about taking this vaccine because theyre afraid, Lewis said. Some workers want to wait a little longer to see how safe the vaccine is, she said. Others tell her they dont trust the vaccines because they were developed so quickly, she said. Other staffers feel like its an experimental drug, Lewis said, because as you know, Blacks, Latinos, other groups have been used for experiments like the Tuskegee syphilis study, she said. She said her members are mostly Black or Hispanic. Certified nursing assistants, who make up the bulk of long-term care workers, have historically been less likely to get flu vaccines than other health care workers, noted Jasmine Travers, an assistant professor of nursing at New York University who studies vaccine hesitancy. Nursing homes typically dont have nurse educators, who address worker concerns about vaccines in hospitals, she said, and CNAs also face structural barriers such as limited internet access. Nursing homes tend to be hierarchies commonly led by white staffers, while about 50% of CNAs, at the bottom of the power structure, are Black or Hispanic, and carry mistrust and different attitudes toward vaccination, she added. With the COVID-19 vaccine, some are afraid theyll have to take sick time to miss work and dont want to burden their co-workers, who are already short-staffed, Travers said. Vaccine hesitancy is higher among 30- to 49-year-olds, rural residents, and Black and Hispanic adults, according to KFF. Hispanic adults are less likely than white adults to say they will definitely get the vaccine, as are Black adults who work in a health care setting. Black adults have been disproportionately burdened by the pandemic and left behind in the vaccination rollout because of barriers stemming from structural racism. Low vaccine uptake among long-term care workers has been a concern nationally so much so that LeadingAge, a national group representing not-for-profit long-term care facilities, held a virtual town hall about vaccine safety this month with the Black Coalition Against COVID-19. The event, which drew over 45,000 viewers, was geared toward Black long-term care workers. A COVID-19 vaccine is prepped for a senior citizen at Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care nursing home in North Riverside, Ill., on Jan. 12, 2021. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS)TNS Dr. Reed Tuckson, co-founder of the Black Coalition Against COVID-19, said viewers raised concerns about fertility, pregnancy and contraindications. He said the event also had a lot of provocateurs who insisted, Its all a myth. Its all a lie. His group plans to hold more public informational sessions aimed at Black audiences. There is no question that the three vaccines that we now have available to us are extraordinarily safe and tremendously effective, said Tuckson, a former public health commissioner in Washington, D.C. The nursing home industry has set a goal of having 75% of staff members vaccinated nationwide by the end of June. Most nursing homes have not mandated vaccinations, industry officials say, for fear of losing staff members. Because the vaccines were authorized on an emergency basis, liability is also a concern. Juniper Communities, which runs 22 long-term care facilities in four states and employs almost 1,300 people, had 30 workers leave the job after it mandated vaccines, according to Dr. Lynne Katzmann, president and CEO. At the end of the day, if you can make a choice to promote well-being and prevent illness, thats the choice we want to make, she said. Greenbrier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Arkansas made the vaccine mandatory, but because of medical exemptions it hasnt led to 100% vaccination. However, Greenbrier has seen a significant drop in COVID-19 infections since vaccinations began. In late November and early December, over 60% of staff members tested positive, according to Regina Jones, Greenbriers director of nursing. After the staff started receiving the vaccine in late December, four workers who had already received a dose tested positive but were asymptomatic. Tuckson said hes seeing a dramatic decrease in vaccine hesitancy based on surveys of Black audiences. He has heard a hunger for scientifically valid information delivered to them by trusted sources, he said. Its not as if their opinions are locked in stone. Staff participation rates are rising with each round of vaccines, said Martino, the nursing home industry spokesperson. At the Los Angeles Jewish Home, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Noah Marco said his staff has done everything we could to counterbalance the nonsense out there on social media that has contributed to vaccine hesitancy, including producing videos and a weekly newsletter. The vaccine may have some unknown side effects, he recalled telling workers, but we know the virus kills. About 80% of his staff of 1,600 which includes workers in nursing homes and other settings are vaccinated, he said, along with 99% of residents. No nursing home residents have contracted COVID-19 since Jan. 13, he said. In southwestern Ohio, Kenn Daily runs two Ayden Healthcare nursing homes. About half his staff and 85% of residents got vaccinated by mid-February, he said, and they havent had a case of COVID-19 since. Still, he said, vaccine resistance persists among younger staffers who read misinformation online. Facebook is the bane of my existence, Daily said. Workers tell him they worry that theyre going to microchip me, or that the vaccine will change their DNA. Now that time has passed since the initial rollout, Daily said, Im hoping to put a little pressure on my staff to step up and get vaccinated. His message: Its working, guys. Its working very well. Melissa Bailey and Shoshana Dubnow of Kaiser Health News wrote this story. (Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. ) ___ (c)2021 Kaiser Health News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Japan is one of around 50 countries in the world that allows only one nationality. Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images Asia is becoming less tolerant of dual citizenship, with outright bans on holding two passports. The Chinese, for instance, are encouraged to report people who secretly hold dual citizenship. Dual citizens in Hong Kong were also told in February that they would not receive consular protection. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Asia is becoming less tolerant of dual citizenship, as nations have adopted stricter stances on holding two passports. China, for instance, is coming down hard on its dual citizens. For one, the Chinese have now been encouraged to report people who secretly hold two passports due to Beijing's zero tolerance for dual nationality. Most recently, dual citizens in Hong Kong were told in February that they would not receive consular protection. Video: What would happen if you tried to dig to China? Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam took a hardline stance against dual citizenship last month when she said that residents of Chinese descent born in the city or the mainland would be "regarded as Chinese nationals." Lam added that this policy would be "strictly enforced," and Hong Kong residents would, by extension, not be entitled to British consular protection. This decision came after Beijing announced that it would no longer recognize the British National Overseas passport as a valid travel document or form of identification. According to a CTV News report, a dual citizen of Canada and China jailed in Hong Kong was forced to choose between their two nationalities. This decision, according to CTV News, meant that they would lose their right to maintain residency in Hong Kong if they declared themselves to be Canadian - but declaring themselves Chinese would rule out any future help from the Canadian government. "This dual citizenship issue has always been weaponized by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress dissent and use it to criminalize individuals who they deem as a danger to the regime," said activist Cherie Wong, executive director of the advocacy group Alliance Canada Hong Kong to CTV. Story continues Meanwhile, Japan also reinforced its anti-dual citizenship policy in January, when a Tokyo court upheld its ban against holding multiple citizenships. Japanese citizens who hold dual citizenship are required to pick one passport by their 22nd birthday. Reuters reported that the case, brought by Japanese plaintiffs living in Europe who sought to retain their nationality even after taking foreign citizenship, had been thrown out in January. The case was brought before the court in the hope that Japan would grant plaintiffs dual citizenship, despite the country's concerns on taxation and diplomatic protection. "I had to lose my Japanese citizenship just before I went to study at a university in Japan," one of the plaintiffs, Yuki Shiraishi, told Reuters. "I felt a big sense of loss when I saw holes on my Japanese passport." According to Reuters, around 900,000 people are estimated to hold dual citizenship in Japan today - and are required by law to renounce one of the two nationalities - yet are remaining silent, as Japan rarely enforces the rule. A CNN report wrote that this trend in Asia seems to run counter to a global trend, as more countries worldwide have in the last 50 years become more accepting of dual citizenship. CNN cited a 2019 paper by Maartin Vink, a professor of political sociology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, which noted that in 1960, less than a third of countries worldwide allowed people to hold two nationalities, as opposed to three-quarters today. The opposite is true in Asia now, as only a third of countries and territories in the region permit dual citizenship. Read the original article on Insider RESIDENTS are being told not to park illegally after Henleys bus service was unable to reach Townlands Memorial Hospital. The Henley Hopper, which is run by TK Travel on behalf of the town council, has been regularly prevented from travelling up York Road due to parked cars at the bottom by the junction with Kings Road. This has meant passengers and patients, many of whom are elderly or have limited mobility, have been forced to get off and walk the rest of the way up the hill. Refuse lorries have also been prevented from collecting rubbish in the street and neighbouring Clarence Road. Town councillor Stefan Gawrysiak said the bus service had been disrupted on three days in recent weeks. He said that polite notices had been left on the windscreens of the offending cars and police officers patrolled the area. Cllr Gawrysiak said: The problem area is the bottom of York Road, the turn from Kings Road and the run-up towards the hospital. People are parking there on yellow lines, which prevents the bus being able to go up the road and patients wanting to go to the hospital have to get out and walk. It has also prevented bins being collected, which has been an inconvenience to residents. Cllr Gawrysiak said the problem had become worse due to the coronavirus lockdown because cars were often parked for long periods. Katie Gripton, of TK Travel, said: My worry is that if we cant get the bus up there can, for example, a fire engine get there in an emergency? We really do need to stick to our published route wherever possible but at the moment it is a real challenge. These were the latest in a series of incidents in which buses travelling through the town have been delayed by vehicles parking at the roadside, including some on double yellow lines or in loading bays. The worst affected areas are around the town hall in Market Place, Friday Street, Clarence Road and Mount View. If parked cars dont leave enough room, the bus drivers can have trouble manoeuvring around corners and along narrow streets and sometimes have to wait for vehicles to be moved. Cllr Gawrysiak said that civil parking enforcement would be introduced in the town in October or November, when parking wardens would issue tickets to thoughtless drivers. The Henley Hopper runs from Tuesday to Thursday between 9am and 2pm. For more information, including the route and timetable, visit www.henleytowncouncil.gov.uk/ Bus-Map-and-Times.aspx Obul Tevekkul, 47, realtor in the Sefakoy district, participates in a demonstration to ask for news of their relatives and to voice opposition to the ratification of an extradition treaty between China and Turkey, near China's consulate in Istanbul, Feb. 22, 2021. Lawmakers in Australia rejected a motion on Monday to recognize human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as genocide, disappointing hopes by Uyghurs and other XUAR natives that the country would follow similar designations by the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands. Earlier in Canberra, the governing Liberal Party-led Coalition and main opposition Labor Party united to block a formal vote in the Senate on a motion by independent Senator Rex Patrick that the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang constitutes the crime of genocide. The decision followed a similar move by Turkish lawmakers last week in Ankara, where an opposition-sponsored motion calling for an investigation of Chinese treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority in XUAR was rejected by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), while the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) abstained from voting in parliament. 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. It is most regrettable that Coalition and Labor Senators combined to block a vote on a motion that recognises the incontrovertible fact that the Chinese Government is engaged in a campaign against the Uyghur people that constitutes an international crime within the scope of the 1948 Genocide Convention," Patrick was quoted by Australian media as saying after the vote. This grim reality has been publicly recognised by the United States Administration of President Joe Biden, by the Canadian Parliament and the Parliament of the Netherlands, said the senator, according to SBS News. The current situation of the Uyghurs is dire The report quoted Liberal Senator Jonathan Duniam as saying the government did not believe the motion was the right way to address human rights concerns. "Australia remains deeply concerned by reports of enforced disappearances, mass detentions, forced labour, pervasive surveillance of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang," he told the Senate. Australia and China have seen relations plummet from disputes over the Covid-19 pandemic, allegations of Chinese political interference in Australian politics and deteriorating rights conditions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. China recently detained an Australian journalist in what is widely seen as a way to gain leverage. We call on those who call themselves nationalists to support the Uyghurs," said Lutfu Turkkan of the Iyi Party, which sponsored the motion, formally calling for Investigations of the Horrific Current Situation of Uyghur People by the Turkish Parliament and Make the Results Known to the International Community. Another backer of the motion, Peoples' Democratic Party (CHP) member Ali Kenanoglu, said the bill should be supported because human rights abuses are so severe that Uyghurs are arbitrarily detained, tortured and systematically attacked. All this is leading to a decline in the Uyghur population. Today, anyone who claims to be a Muslim or a Turkish, and most importantly a human being, cannot turn a blind eye at the plight of Uyghurs, added CHP member Burcu Koksal, who called for setting up a committee in parliament to investigate human rights abuses in the XUR. The current situation of the Uyghurs is dire." Ruling AK Party member Atay Uslu, defending the inaction, said the government is meeting with the Chinese government to guarantee the rights, religious beliefs and cultural rights of Uyghurs, with whom we have historically and culturally close ties. We are trying to resolve this issue through talks with the Chinese government. We are considering sending a delegation to the Uyghur region soon, he added. The exact wrong message The decision in Turkey caused particular dismay among Uyghurs, who are both fellow Muslims and also make up the fifth largest group of Turkic peoples in the world, sharing linguistic, artistic and cultural links to Turkey across Central Asia to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and several other former Soviet republics. Turkey should have been the first country to recognize Chinas genocide of the Uyghur people due to our Turkic identity, historical connections, common linguistic, cultural and religious affinity, said Dolkun Isa, president of the Germany-based World Uyghur Congress, an advocacy group. This move sends China the exact wrong message, he said. At a time when China is precisely extinguishing Uyghur peoples Turkic identity, language, culture and religious beliefs, Turkey bears inescapable historical responsibility to protect Uyghurs from Chinese genocide, added Isa, who called for a rethink of the motion and the scrapping of a Turkish-China extradition treaty that would put Uyghurs in jeopardy. The United States on Friday reiterated the genocide designation first made by the Trump administration in January in an address to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Canada and the Netherlands both passed parliamentary votes in favor of the genocide designation following the Washington move. We condemn Chinas abuse of members of ethnic and religious minority groups including crimes against humanity and genocide in Xinjiang and severe restrictions in Tibet, U.S. charge daffaires Mark Cassayre told the U.N. rights body. Reported and translated by Alim Seytoff and Mamatjan Juma for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Paul Eckert. Shares of Tata Communications, earlier state-owned VSNL, were down 7 per cent at Rs 1,206 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Tuesday as offer for sale (OFS) to divest the government holding in the company opened today for institutional investors. The government will sell its 10 per cent stake, with an option to sell an additional 6.12 per cent stake in As of December 31, 2020, the government held a 26.12 per cent stake in alternative carriers company through the President of India, the shareholding pattern data shows. The floor price has been set at Rs 1,161, and the sale of 16.12 per cent stake could fetch the government around Rs 5,334 crore. The offer would open for retail investors on Wednesday. On Friday, had said that: "As an initial step, the government will sell up to 4,59,46,885 equity shares forming 16.12 per cent equity shareholding of the company through an OFS through the stock exchange mechanism. Immediately after the OFS, the government shall sell the remaining equity shares held by it in the company to Panatone. Panatone Finvest is an investment arm of Tata Sons. The price at which the stake would be sold to Panatone would be decided based on the price and number of shares sold in the OFS. The government, Panatone, Tata Sons and the company have entered into an Amendment Agreement with regard to amending the Shareholders Agreement dated February 13, 2002 which was entered into at the time of disinvestment by the government in 2002 between inter alia, the government and Panatone and to record the terms and conditions for the transfer of the agreed percentage of shares of the company held by the government to Panatone, the company said. In the past one year, the stock of has outperformed the market by zooming 387 per cent as compared to a 62 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The stock hit an all-time high of Rs 1,365 on March 8, 2021. At 11:28 am, Tata Communications was trading 5 per cent lower at Rs 1,237 as against a 0.56 per cent gain in the benchmark index. A combined 3.02 million equity shares had changed hands on the counter on the NSE and BSE so far. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts for the full episode. The past year has been a lot of things, for all of us. But when I think about what we all have in common, its loss. We all lost something during this pandemic. We lost money. We lost time. And a lot of us lost people, too. Counting up everything weve lost can feel enormous. More than half a million Americans are just gone. On Tuesdays episode of What Next, we tell the story of just one person who was losta mother, an aunt, a friend. Alicia Montgomery, Slates executive producer of podcasts, spoke to her cousin Yvonne. Alicias mom is one of 13 kids, and she and Yvonne spent the year looking out for all those older relatives. We have a lot of older Black people in our family with preexisting health conditions. I also have cousins and other family members who are in jobs that are considered essential, Alicia said. So it was very clear to me early on that we would be lucky to get through the COVID crisis without anybody getting seriously ill and without us losing any. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alicias family wasnt as lucky as they would have liked. Alicias cousin Yvonne lost her mother to COVID earlier this year. In their family, when someone dies, Alicias used to just going over to their house eating, telling stories. But one of the things this pandemic took from all of us was rituals like this one. So instead, Alicia called her cousin Yvonne up. Their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Alicia: My mom used to babysit you when you were very little and she was a teenager, right? Yvonne: That is correct. My sister Jeanine and I would go to our grandparents house because your mom and my dad are siblings [Laughs.] Good old Aunt Joan. Advertisement Good old Uncle Charles. How about that? So were going to be talking about your mom, Aunt Vernice. Aka Ma. Ma to you, Aunt Vernice to me. So I wanted to ask you when was the first time you started to hear about COVID and how your mom first started to hear about COVID? I just remember the week of March 13, Ma had gone to the store. And she used to love broccoli coleslaw, and she told me she couldnt find any broccoli coleslaw anywhere. I was like, OK, Mom, dont worry about that. I had gone to the store that Sunday, which would have been the 15th of March, and we had gone to Whole Foods and they had some broccoli coleslaw. And we got on the Beltway, and Ill never forget the Beltway was so deserted on a Sunday morning, about 11 oclock. It reminded me of Advertisement Sept. 11, after the terrorists had hit. Thats what the Beltway reminded me of. And so when I think of COVID, those are some of my first very vivid memories of COVID as to how our life had changed, but I didnt know how much it would change later. Subscribe to What Next Get more news from Mary Harris and her team every day. Subscribe I remember you started worrying about COVID on your moms behalf before she did. Can you talk a little bit about what it was like to talk to her about COVID at first? Well, talking to Ma about COVID, it was like, for Ma, it wasnt here. So, we would just touch on it and again, because it wasnt here, I dont think that Ma focused on it, but I was just so concerned about COVID, and I needed to ensure that I was being careful and I needed to be safe because I wanted to make sure that my parents would be OK. That was my whole thing: I just wanted my parents to be OK. And I justI dont know how it happened. I just know that it happened, that Ma contracted COVID. Advertisement I think my heart dropped that day. But God was merciful, my spirit wasnt troubled, I was very encouraged. Mas symptoms were displayed, and we responded within 48 hours. I was encouraged by that. There was nothing to indicate that my mom wouldnt get through this. My spirit was calm. I was blessed in that regard. Advertisement I talked to my mom on the phone those first couple of days and everything. Her first question always was How are you doing? But Ill never forget that first day on the 19th. Oh, Ma was so bossy. She was so Ma. She was just bossy Ma, and I was good with that. I get angry when I think about the people who have died from COVID . Yvonne And then life just changed. I called Ma on the phone; she was gasping for air, trying to talk, and I told her, Just dont talk. I was like, Just listen. Im just calling to tell you that I love you. She said, OK. The conversation was short. She hung up. Advertisement That Thursday, I didnt get my mom at all. And then that Friday, May 29, I was at work, and Jeanine called on my phone, and Jeanine was talking and fighting back tears, and I was like, What is it? Whats going on? And then Jeanine just broke down and told me that the doctor said that Ma had taken a turn. And there was nothing more that they could do. They could put her on a ventilator, but it would just prolong the inevitable. Mas lungs has failed. Jeanine explained to me that Mas lungs had turned into, like, jelly and that if she went on a ventilator, the doctor had said, you know, you know what this is like, youve seen it. You know what happens. Ma would continue to be poked and prodded, and she wouldnt have any peace as she transitioned out of this life. And so the decision was made. Advertisement Advertisement So the doctors gave Yvonne a choice: She could come in and say goodbye to Aunt Vernice in person or she could do a video call. This is part of where life gets complicated because Yvonne is a caretaker for my Uncle Charles. And so she did not want to take the chance that she would end up losing both of her parents. So, she decided to spend the last few moments with my Aunt Vernice on this video call on a screen. We got to see Ma. She had oxygen, somewhat of a hood on to give her additional support for oxygen, so her voice was muffled somewhat. As we shared and talked with Ma, we were blessed to tell her that she had been the best mom for me and Jeanine. I thanked her for the time that we had. We told mom we loved her, and even though her voice was muffled, it wasnt muffled when she said she loved us. She said, I love you. I love you. Advertisement The call was short. Ma said she was tired. She wanted to rest. Ma died about 1:01 p.m. It was quick. That was my concern. I was like, well, how long will it be. The doctor said, We dont know, it could be quick, it could be long, it could take a couple hours, it could be a day or so, we dont know. But it was quick. Advertisement Advertisement Ma transitioned out of this life so quick. Her body was exhausted. She was tired. Her assignment, it was done on this earth. So fast forward to today. I get angry when I think about the people who have died from COVID, because I believe that some of it was unnecessary. Had the Trump administrationand that would be one of the only times that I would mention his name because I refer to him as the impeached knuckleheadhad he done his job instead of being selfish, self-centered, lacking compassion. Had he done his job and was honest? Im not saying that my mother would be here, but she might. And all the other people who have gone on. Over 450,000 people died in the United States on his watch. It makes me want to cuss. [Laughs.] Advertisement The good news is that they know more than they did when Ma contracted COVID, and thats the blessing. And Im grateful for that, even though my moms not physically here, I have more joyful days than I have sad days. Im just grateful. Uh, Yvonne, I really wish that it were entirely safe for us just to be in a roomjust so I could give you a hug. That days coming and Im looking forward to it. I will never, ever again in my life take touch for granted. Yes. Oh, gosh, you OK, cousin? Im OK. Im supposed to tell you to do something with the buttons [laughs] and stuff for this recording, and Im trying to remember what that was. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. [March 16, 2021] Workers May Look Elsewhere If They Can't Work Flexibly The best staff could be prepared to jump ship if their employer won't allow them to work remotely after the pandemic ends. However, when staff understand why decisions on working patterns and policies have been made, they are more likely to cooperate, even if they don't agree. Questionmark, the online assessment provider, has released a new report exploring how employers can make the best decisions on the right post-pandemic working arrangements. The report, "Managing a Post-Pandemic Workforce: creating productive and informed working arrangements", highlights the risk that workers could leave their jobs for a better working arrangement if they cannot continue to work flexibly from home. When things look brighter, the staff with the most sought-after skills will be the most likely to move on. The report cites research that found: Over 60% of US workers will prioritize job opportunities that allow more flexibility, according to a survey from job platform LiveCareer. 1 Almost a third (29%) said they would quit if they could not continue to work remotely. 2 One in four British office workers have claimed they would resign if flexible working policies are revoked, according to research by HR software company Personio.3 Even at the height of the uncertainty in the pandemic, 24% claimed to be searching for new opportunities.4 The report argues that een when workers do not agree with a decision, they are likely to respond better when they understand why it was made. Employers should provide as much evidence as possible to explain their decision. Measuring the skills of the workforce gives employers the evidence they need to explain their conclusions. They can assess which skills can demonstrably be carried out better in an office or physical workspace or conversely, which can be executed just as well from home. Lars Pedersen, CEO of Questionmark, said: "No employer will announce a post-pandemic working policy that is greeted with universal approval. The available research suggests there's a huge disparity among workers around what they want. But when a decision is explained and evidenced, people are far more likely to cooperate. "Measuring workforce skills with assessments helps employers make an informed decision and explain it to workers." For more information, download the full report: "Managing a post-pandemic workforce: creating productive and informed working arrangements". The report forms part of the "Questionmark Viewpoint" series which explores the challenges that Questionmark customers face, and how Questionmark helps address them. www.questionmark.com Ends Notes to editors About Questionmark Questionmark unlocks performance through reliable and secure online assessments. Questionmark provides a secure enterprise-grade assessment platform and professional services to leading organizations around the world, delivered with care and unequalled expertise. Its full-service online assessment tool and professional services help customers to improve their performance and meet their compliance requirements. Questionmark enables organizations to unlock their potential by delivering assessments which are valid, reliable, fair and defensible. Questionmark offers secure powerful integration with other LMS, LRS and proctoring services making it easy to bring everything together in one place. Questionmark's cloud-based assessment management platform offers rapid deployment, scalability for high-volume test delivery, 24/7 support, and the peace-of-mind of secure, audited U.S., Australian and European-based data centers. 1 https://www.techrepublic.com/article/go-back-to-the-office-some-employees-would-rather-quit/ 2 https://www.techrepublic.com/article/go-back-to-the-office-some-employees-would-rather-quit/ 3 https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2021/mar-2021/uk-employees-most-reluctant-to-return-to-the-office 4 https://www.thehrdirector.com/preparing-for-the-next-new-normal-how-to-retain-and-attract-the-best-talent-post-lockdown/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005218/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Well it's not often you hear about these occurrences, but for the first time in the history of the CAPE Exam.. one teacher's class was able to secure the top 10 spots in one particular subject. As the first nation to approve Chinas COVID-19 vaccine, the UAE has strong confidence in Chinese technology and pandemic control measures, and the two nations will conduct further cooperation on vaccine development and distribution, Ali Al Dhaheri, the UAE ambassador to China, told Peoples Daily Online in a recent interview. The UAE became the first nation to launch clinical trials on Chinas Sinopharm vaccine during the summer of 2020, which saw the participation of around 37,000 volunteers from 125 countries. In September 2020, the UAE became the first country to roll out the Chinese vaccines for emergency use, and in December 2020, Chinese vaccines were approved for public use. By depending on our cooperation, the UAE has sent a message of trust and confidence in the Chinese vaccine, said Dhaheri. Ali Al Dhaheri, the UAE ambassador to China. Photo/ People's Daily Online Thanks to the effective vaccination cooperation, over 6 million doses of vaccines have been given in the UAE, which means more than 63 percent people in the UAE have been vaccinated. The UAE is also recognized as one of the top nations in the world in terms of testing per capita. During the whole process, we have been in exchanges with our Chinese friends, who had first-hand experience. The pandemic has shown how close and deep the relationship between our two nations is, said Dhaheri. The ambassador believes that the successful cooperation between China and the UAE can become an example for global cooperation against the pandemic, while all nations should cooperate under the umbrella of the UN and its affiliates to tackle the lethal virus. We are fighting a global pandemic which has paralyzed countries economically and socially. Every member of the international community should act responsibly to support and help countries which are in need, said the ambassador. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a negative impact on the whole world, it has also brought new possibilities for cooperation between China and the UAE. The ambassador noted that in the post-pandemic era, the two nations will further strengthen cooperation in scientific research, vaccine development and distribution. Flash A Chinese envoy on Monday called for more efforts to end the Syrian conflict by adhering to political settlement and upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The Syrian crisis has lasted for a full decade. Over the past 10 years, Syria has suffered from illegal invasion, external occupation, terrorism, and unilateral sanctions. The national development process has almost stalled and people's lives are in dire straits. The Security Council should vigorously promote an early end to the Syrian crisis and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. He asked for adherence to the general direction of political settlement. China supports UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen's continued efforts to promote the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254 and advance the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, Geng told the Security Council. "We call on all parties in Syria to maintain communication with the special envoy, carry out in-depth political dialogue on the basis of existing consensus, and make progress at an early date." The Constitutional Committee must remain independent in discharging its functions and be free from outside interference, he said. All parties concerned in the Syrian crisis should actively respond to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' appeal for a global cease-fire, stabilize the security situation, and create conditions for a political settlement, he said. Humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Syria should not be linked to the political process. Doing so violates the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, and will undermine the mutual trust of the parties, he said. China welcomes the establishment of a tripartite coordination mechanism for Syria by Russia, Qatar and Turkey, and welcomes the positive considerations by relevant Arab countries for Syria's return to the Arab League, said Geng. "We hope that this positive momentum will produce pragmatic results and form synergy with the mediation efforts of the United Nations. The international community should encourage countries in a region to strengthen dialogue and cooperation instead of threatening or obstructing them." Geng said the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be adhered to in resolving the Syrian crisis. Over the years, illegal aggression, occupation and attacks on Syrian territory have caused turmoil in Syria and the entire region. China calls on all parties concerned to respect Syria's sovereignty, independence and territory integrity and avoid adding new complications to the situation in Syria, he said. The international community should be committed to promoting the unity and tolerance of Syrian society, and reject all intentions and actions to separate the country, he added. In northwestern Syria, terrorists are entrenched and frequently launch attacks, resulting in civilian casualties. There have been worrying new trends in the activities of the terrorist group Islamic State. Many members of the Security Council are concerned about terrorist activities in Syria and their spillover risks. The international community should support the Syrian government's efforts in defending national security and combatting terrorist forces in Syria, said Geng. Advancing the Syrian political process and restoring peace and tranquility in Syria require all parties in Syria and the international community to strengthen dialogue, build consensus, and work together. Sanctions and pressure will only cause strong pushback, create more confrontation, intensify and prolong the conflict, bring more suffering to the people, and will not help solve the problems in a fundamental way, he said. The future of Syria is in the hands of the Syrian people. The Security Council and the international community should adhere to the principle of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned process and play a constructive role in achieving an early political settlement of the Syrian issue, Geng said. Five people who live in their RVs have joined the ACLU of Northern California in a lawsuit against the city of Pacifica and its ban against parking an RV within the city. The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in San Francisco, alleges that the citys ban is a cruel, unconstitutional and discriminatory attempt to make Pacifica RV dwellers move. The suit seeks to end the parking ban by asking a judge for an injunction that would block its enforcement. The five residents say they have received a combined 39 citations from Pacifica police since the city ban took effect in 2019. Under the law, an RV can be towed and impounded after five unpaid citations. Its owner can be imprisoned for six months. The citys disdain for its vehicularly-housed residents has recently worsened, the RV dwellers claimed in their lawsuit. Homelessness in Pacifica rose by 4% between 2017 and 2019, according to the point-in-time surveys of unhoused people, tracking with a broader rise in homelessness reported in Bay Area suburbs. Pacifica officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. One plaintiff, 44-year-old Jared Carr, said he had been ticketed 27 times. I do not have money for a security deposit for an apartment, he said. If my RV got towed, I would likely be forced into a tent or sleeping bag on the street. Thomas Zito, an attorney with Disability Rights Advocates of Berkeley, which joined the ACLU in the suit, said Pacifica police were ticketing pretty aggressively, although no RVs have been impounded. This is an unacceptable way to deal with the homeless crisis, he said. Its the responsibility of government to make housing more affordable. Criminalizing people for being down on their luck is not the solution. Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF Middletown Acting Health Director Kevin Elak expects a rush of people in the new age eligibility to register for the shots come Friday, which will likely delay appointments. Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday that people 45 and older will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday and that everyone 16 and older will be eligible on April 5. Since vaccine distribution began, Elak said, his office has been getting a minimum of 200 Moderna doses a week, although he routinely asks for more from the state. Each municipality received a baseline allocation. The concern is I dont think the doses are as plentiful as we want them to be, Elak said. A week ago, the city had 300 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to distribute, he said. Elak is reserving the nearly 30 that remain for homebound residents. But state officials have told municipalities not to expect any more of the brand for a week or so, he said. However, he expects by the beginning of May there will be a big spike in the number of vaccines the city will get from the state. Elak also called the more aggressive timeline great news, and attributes it to a drop in demand for vaccines for those 55 and older, something he learned on a Monday afternoon call with the state Department of Public Health. Nearly 80 percent of the citys 65 and older population has been immunized, he said. Were way ahead of where we thought we would be, he said. In Middletown, there are roughly 7,000 people in the 40-49 age group, according to 2010 Census data, Elak said. Mayor Ben Florsheim said he has never experienced anything like the amount of positive feedback hes getting about how the city clinics are going. He attributes that to partnerships between the city of Middletown, Community Health Center, school and health department nurses, volunteers from the medical reserve corps, and others. Part of Middletowns success lies in that health personnel are reaching out to older people and populations that traditionally may feel distrust toward the medical system, for example. The ability to meet people where they are in that way has gone a long way, the mayor said. In those locations, such as Cross Street AME Zion Church and the senior center, people can get their questions answered, and see their peers and colleagues are getting the shot, Florsheim said. He is pleased with the presidents goal for states to make every American eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1. Biden laid out an ambitious timeframe for Connecticut, which has consistently been a leader, if not the leader, in doing it, Florsheim said. In New Haven, city Health Director Maritza Bond said Monday she is excited by news of the broadening of eligibility. She also said she had heard the news on a conference call at 1 p.m. What we do need to do, however, is revisit our vaccination plan so we can be able to vaccinate effectively, really making sure we scale up the staff, engage our vaccination partners just really going through the logistics of planning. She said state officials said during the conference call that more vaccines would be allocated to providers, above the 500 to 600 doses the city receives weekly. She said while older people account for more deaths from COVID, the largest group that is negatively impacted is young adults. When we look at the positivity rate, its consistently been 25- to 49-year-olds, she said. Dr. Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical officer for Yale New Haven Health, greeted the news positively. I think whats exciting, the reason were moving to 45 sooner than the 2nd [of April], is really getting traction on 55 and up sooner than expected, he said, with about 57 percent of that population having received their shots. Were getting there but we are by no means actually there yet, he said. But he added, We should be as a state justifiably proud of those numbers. Balcezak said the pool of eligible residents can be increased more quickly than planned largely because the Janssen Johnson & Johnson vaccine is really going to start coming at the end of March. I think Johnson & Johnson is going to be a big part of our growth and the neat thing there is only one dose, so two weeks after one dose youre fully immunized. There might be more hesitancy in younger ages, so it might be good that were getting the word out and were continuing to expand the group that is waiting to get vaccinated, Balcezak said. The more people that get vaccinated, the more people that are willing to be vaccinated. He said there is enough capacity at the Yale New Haven vaccination sites. If we get many more doses, well have to change the staffing, which is marginally increased, he said. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 LONGMEADOW The Select Board has adopted a resolution of no confidence in the Hampden County Regional Board of Retirement that calls for immediate resignations and theyre asking other member communities to do the same. The March 9 resolution calls for the resignations of Executive Director Julianne Bartley, the four board members and Chairman and Treasurer Richard M. Theroux, and asks for a state oversight commission to take over management of the system until they can be replaced. The Select Boards resolution also asks representatives of other communities and organizations with retirement funds invested and managed through the Hampden County Regional Retirement System to rally around their cause. The members asked their colleagues to join us in this call for the resignation of the Board, Chair, and Executive Director of that agency and ask that our state legislators take the actions needed to remove these individuals from these positions should they not resign before April 15, 2021. Bartley and members of the retirement board staff did not respond to a request for comment after the Select Board issued a statement on the resolution Friday. The resolution follows a March 3 conference call the retirement board hosted to answer questions about a recently released audit of the system. Auditors with the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission raised questions about the boards travel expenses, spending on services for the systems website, high bank fees and unusual contracts that paid high health care premiums for two part-time attorneys. The behavior that was described in the audit and appears to have occurred is not something we would tolerate in any board, anywhere in town or in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Mark Gold, a member of the Longmeadow Select Board, said at their March 9 meeting. We shouldnt tolerate it by the members of the Hampden County Regional Board of Retirement, or the executive director for a large extent. Select Board Chairman Thomas Lachiusa said that while it would be nice if Bartley, Theroux and the other members of the retirement board resigned on their own, comments the board members made during the March 3 call indicated they are comfortable carrying on in their current positions. They (the retirement board) spoke of term limits, so it sounds like they will have to be forced out, he said. This is unacceptable behavior. Therouxs term as chairman and treasurer, which is a position appointed by the board, ends Dec. 31. Board member Laurel A. Placzeks position, which is elected by member unit treasurers, also ends Dec. 31. Board member Patricia C. Donovans position is elected by members of the system and expires Dec. 31, 2022. Member Karl J. Schmaelzles position, also elected, expires Dec. 31, 2023. Patrick ONeil was appointed by the board, and his term ends Dec. 1, 2024. Lachiusa said he felt the Longmeadow Select Board should show leadership, and advocated for Gov. Charlie Baker or Hampden Countys local legislators to take action to disband the board. The Select Boards resolution argues that auditors uncovered what appear to be violations of State Ethics regulations, and faults the boards responses to the audit, which examined the systems operations from 2014-2017. Those responses showed that individually and as a group, Bartley and the board are unqualified to continue to lead an organization that manages over $450 million in assets for the retirees from our regional governmental organizations. Board members have said the system is sound, and have pointed to a nearly 9% return on investment over the past decade. Nonetheless, the Longmeadow resolution, says, They have lost the confidence of this supporting organization. It continues: Further, their repeated claims that they were unaware of the law or that the actions were the result of practices in place before their tenure began would not be acceptable in any other public organization in the Commonwealth and cannot be excused in the HCRRB Board and leadership team. John Parsons, executive director of the state retirement commission, said the commission does have the ability to issue temporary orders regarding increased oversight. But the commission does not have the power to remove board members of any pension system. At this point, the commission has not issued any formal orders, nor have they made any decision one way or another as to the need for orders, he said, adding that the commission, has taken additional steps, not in place at other retirement boards, to increase our oversight of the agency, and future action will be dictated by the results of these additional measures, resolution of prior audit findings, and future audit work. Parsons referred to what he described as a sensational audit of the retirement system in Essex County about a decade ago. Timothy Bassett, former state representative and executive director of the Essex County pension system, was fined $10,000 in 2011 by the State Ethics Commission and resigned. The Legislature later changed the composition and structure of the retirement board in Essex County through a new statute. According to previous reports, Bassett was collecting a $140,000 annual salary from the board, plus a pension from the state while racking up large fees as a lobbyist. In that case and in others the commission increased its monitoring of retirement systems. While the pandemic complicates our ability to have visits/staff at the board office in Hampden, other oversight steps including meetings and document production are and will be in place, as well as additional audit work, Parsons said. Related content: Jaipur, March 16 : Believe it or not, the 120-year-old Act in which prisoners from backward castes were not allowed to work as cooks in Rajasthan jails's till January 2021 has finally been amended, said prison officials. This Act, framed 120 years ago during the British regime, discriminated between prisoners on the basis of caste in delegating tasks such as cooking and cleaning in jail. Director-General (DG) Prisons, Rajasthan Rajeev Dasot strongly pitched for this change in January this year and made sure he got the Act amended in February this year. Speaking to IANS, Dasot said, "Despite India attaining Independence and new laws being framed, the practice of discriminating between prisoners on the basis of caste continued under The Rajasthan Prisons Rules, 1951 which were made under The Prisons Act, 1894 (central Act no. 9 of 1894)." This Act clearly mentioned that cooks in the prison shall be Brahmins or high-caste Hindu prisoners. Cleaning work was entrusted to the so-called 'lower caste' inmates. Surprisingly, this discrimination continued even after the country's independence when newer laws were formed, Dasot said, adding that the High court and some NGOs pointed out this discrimination to him and he immediately decided to propose for its amendment. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also took it very seriously and directed the concerned authorities who helped amend the act within 20 days which is a record in itself, added Dasot. On February 12, this year, the state government amended The Rajasthan Prison Rules, 1951 and titled it the Rajasthan Prisons (Amendment) Rules, 2021. The order further notified for its immediate enforcement, he added. The new law clearly specified that no inmate shall be selected for cooking on the basis of caste or religion. Also the convicts termed as menial servants under rule 13 of section 1 were replaced as 'tradesmen' in the amended law. These include those employed as cooks, barbers, water carriers, sweepers etc. Also, the amended law deleted the earlier clause which mentioned that any member of a criminal tribes subject to the discretion of the government shall be termed as habitual criminals. CM Ashok Gehlot is all praise for this initiative. Also the initiative drew appreciation from deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore in the Assembly, Dasot said. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Sri Lankan government will not rush through the process to ban burqas in the country and a decision regarding the same would be taken after reaching consensus, a senior lawmaker was quoted as saying by the PTI. The statement comes just a day after Pakistans High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Saad Khattak slammed the decision to ban Islamic face coverings on the island asserting that such "divisive steps" would hurt the sentiments of its Muslims residents. Additionally, he also said that it could fuel apprehensions about the fundamental human rights of minorities in the island nation. Last week, the Gotabaya Rajapaksa led administration had announced a future ban on wearing of the burqas in addition to shooting more than 1,000 Islamic schools citing 'national security'. Reasoning further, Sarath Weerasekera, the country's minister for public security told a press conference, In our early days Muslim women and girls never wore the burqa. It is a sign of religious extremism that came about recently. We are definitely going to ban it". However, the countrys cabinet which held its weekly meeting on March 15 refrained from taking up this matter. Later, Cabinet spokesman and senior minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that discussion on the burqa ban would be taken "in consultation and after reaching a consensus". Furthermore, he said that "the country's government will not rush through the process to ban face coverings" and that any decision on the same would be made after intelligence assessment in terms on national security considerations. Sri Lanka allows burials Earlier this month, the Sri Lankan government also lifted the ban on burials of people who died due to COVID-19, giving a sigh of relief to the Muslim community in the country. Nearly a year ago, the island nation, foisted stringent rules which said that the bodies of those who die by the coronavirus should only be buried, not cremated. The mandatory order had sparked both domestic and international outrage especially from the Muslim community, a minority community in Sri Lanka. The government had briefly allowed burials in December last year, but the move was retracted quickly. In the summer of 2019, Gordon Plaza residents who live atop the toxic waste of the former Agriculture Street landfill met with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell in search of a resolution to their calls for relocation. Cantrell's office stated it was seeking an answer to the thorny problem, but more than a year and a half later, residents say no further conversations have occurred. The residents renewed pressure on the administration Monday, handing a letter to the mayor and two other top city officials before demonstrating outside of City Hall. The rally was a continuation of a decades-long fight, with residents calling on the city to "fully fund" the relocation of the property owners who remain, buying out the 54 remaining homeowners at a cost that would allow them to purchase homes elsewhere. They also want the city to cover any moving expenses, calling the cost "crumbs." "We are rightfully due the full compensation for our house, not a devalued amount as a result of the city of New Orleans building our homes on toxic soil," said Leona Floyd, who lives on Gordon Plaza. "We know that fair market value will not be fair to us, and we should not go into debt moving out of a situation that was presented to us as part of the American Dream." They demanded buyouts occur prior to any development of an adjacent 48-acre tract of contaminated land. Any construction projects could "stir up" the carcinogenic agents remaining in the ground, they said. 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 "There is much talk about different possible future uses of the area, and this is concerning, knowing that we still live in Gordon Plaza," said Floyd. The Cantrell administration did not respond to a request for comment Monday. The Agriculture Street landfill beneath Gordon Plaza was used for waste disposal across five decades before its ultimate closure. In the 1970s and 1980s, the city's housing authority constructed the neighborhood, along with a now-closed 221-unit townhouse development marketed as affordable housing for the rising Black middle class. By 1994, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had deemed it one of the most contaminated Superfund sites in the country, finding that it contained arsenic, lead and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, among other hazards. A 2019 report from the Louisiana Tumor Registry found that the Desire neighborhood, which includes Gordon Plaza, had the second-highest rate of cancer in the state. The residents have filed several lawsuits since 1994, including one in 2018 that remains unresolved, but have yet to force any monetary relief from city officials. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Orleans is set to receive a whopping $375 million from the federal coronavirus relief legislation passed last week, an infusion equal to more than half of the city's pre-pandemic annual budget that officials say will be critical to stabilizing city finances. But while the direct funding for cities from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan offers breathing room and the likely end to furloughs for city employees officials said that they hope to stretch the funds to cover what could be years of budget shortfalls from the drop-off in tourism and sales taxes. When we talked about our deficit, we always talked about these issues being three to five years in nature, New Orleans Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano said. We have to be able to look over the long term for these dollars. New Orleans share of the federal funding, included in the relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, is among the largest in the country for a city its size and much larger than any other city or parish in Louisiana. Estimates from congressional researchers, posted by the National League of Cities, provide a detailed breakdown of how much individual municipalities and counties stand to gain from the legislation. In New Orleans, that amounts to $302 million from a pot of money set aside for large cities and another $75 million from money distributed to counties across the country. Last year's city budget, passed months before the coronavirus pandemic slashed city revenues, called for spending a total of $726 million. Its extraordinary and significant I would say historic for local governments, said City Council Budget Committee Chair Jared Brossett. The relief package, passed by the Democratic majorities in Congress on a party-line vote, has been criticized by Republican lawmakers for its size and for including funds that aren't directly tied to pandemic spending. Both of Louisiana's Republican U.S. senators voted against it, as did its delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The state's 2nd and 5th Congressional district seats are open. In addition to $1,400 stimulus checks, expanded unemployment benefits, funding for vaccinations and other measures aimed at providing relief through the pandemic, the package includes a total of $350 billion for states, cities, counties and tribal governments across the country. Louisiana's state government will receive about $3.4 billion directly and another $1.8 billion will flow to local governments in the state, according to the congressional analysis. The money promises a turnaround for a city that had been facing severe financial strain since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, which virtually halted the travel and tourism that powers New Orleans' economy and tax base. Early projections that those losses could amount to up to $170 million a year prompted budget slashing largely focused on cutting contracts and other non-essential purchases. Later in the year, the city resorted to furloughing employees after the city received only about $50 million from the first coronavirus stimulus, known as the CARES Act. That's $40 million shy of what the pandemic has cost the city. City Hall unveils 2021 budget plans; cuts for police and fire depts, employee furloughs extended Mayor LaToya Cantrell unveiled on Monday a 2021 spending plan that would cut city workers pay by 10% through next year and slash as much as 4 Continuing fears about the economic fallout from the pandemic prompted the city to cut its budget by $100 million this year, leaving its general fund at $633.5 million. That included continuing furloughs for workers making more than $35,000 a year which saved the city $23 million and cutting departments across the city by 8% to 40%. Montano said he and other city officials are still crunching the numbers and awaiting guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department to confirm the amount the city can expect to receive and what guidelines are in place on how the money can be used. 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 This is money we will need for the next several years, so we dont find ourselves in the same fiscal position we were in, Montano said. Our goal right now is to go back to the delivery of full services. Among Montanos top priorities for the money are ending the furloughs that required city employees to take an unpaid day off every two weeks or, for salaried employees, forgo 10% of their pay. Those furloughs were ended for public safety employees at the start of the year, but roughly 1,900 workers are still seeing reduced paychecks to save the city about $9 million a year. Montano said the city also plans to pay off a $50 million loan it took out in case it faced a cash crunch from the pandemic. Council members said they appreciate the need for caution but also didnt want to hold back on necessary spending. We want to make sure that by planning for the future were not causing undue delay for things that need attention now, and were not letting the perfect interfere with the very good, Councilmember Joe Giarrusso said. LaToya Cantrell ends furloughs for police and fire but warns of possible layoffs in the future New Orleans ended furloughs for public safety workers on Monday, tapping into a line of credit to exempt cops, firefighters and others from a Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer argued for waiving or delaying fees on small businesses particularly bars and small clubs that might otherwise not qualify for federal assistance. Noting that liquor license renewals come up at the beginning of next month, she said theres a need to give those businesses a boost, particularly since many were unable to use their licenses for most of last year and have been hit with a triple-whammy of property taxes, the cancellation of Mardi Gras festivities and now the license renewal. We have all these really good neighborhood institutions that were playing by the rules and had to close their doors because of the restrictions or because they couldnt make the guidelines work, Palmer said. They couldnt afford to use it, they paid for it in the past and they couldnt use it. Lets give them license through the end of the year to allow them to come back online and make some money. Mayor LaToya Cantrell was a vocal critic of the first coronavirus stimulus last spring since it denied all but the largest cities a direct funding stream. That meant New Orleans and other local governments had to compete for dollars distributed by the state. Louisianas Legislature peeled off $300 million from that $1.8 billion pot for small businesses and state government used some of the funds itself. The remaining portion was not enough to cover all the claims of local governments, and state Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne said there are more than $600 million in valid claims from local governments across the state that could not be paid out. The citys large share this time is due to a few factors. The new round of recovery dollars includes money being sent directly to local governments, based on a formula that takes a variety of considerations related to the local economy and poverty into account. Additionally, because New Orleans and some other cities such as Baton Rouge and Lafayette serve as both municipal and parish governments, they will be able to tap funds set aside for both. And, unlike the prior stimulus measure, the current measure includes broad rules that allow local governments to spend the money on a wide variety of needs, including replacing lost revenue. In the final tally, the citys take might even be higher than just the direct funding. The relief package also includes $50 billion for pandemic-related efforts, $30 billion for transit programs and $8 billion for airports, as well as a variety of other programs the city could potentially tap into, according to an analysis by the Government Finance Officers Association. What I hope that we do collectively is before we start going into the corpus of the city and parish funds, we make sure its not already covered in the rescue plan, Montano said. By Brooke Baitinger, Eileen Kelley and Victoria Ballard, South Florida Sun Sentinel (TNS) PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. A few hundred yards. Thats all the struggling six-seater airplane needed to get safely back to the airport. Instead, like a bolt from the sky, it crashed down onto a city street and into an SUV that had been carrying a woman and her young son past the North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines on Monday. Update: The boys mother was able to get out of the vehicle and tried to free her son. Firefighters eventually freed the trapped child and they were taken to the hospital, where the boy died. The woman was treated and released. The two people in the plane died when the wreckage burst into flames, spreading a ribbon of fire across the pavement. It was like a bomb going off, said Anabel Fernandez, whose Ring doorbell video captured the horrific crash that shook her nearby home on Southwest 13th Street. First responders investigate an accident scene after a small plane crashed near the 1300 block of Southwest 72nd Avenue in Pembroke Pines, Florida on Monday, March 15, 2021. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/TNS)TNS The video shows the SUV heading north on Southwest 72nd Avenue. The plane drops into the frame and collides with the SUV. A huge cloud of dust and smoke blocks the road. A split second later, a fireball explodes near the fence surrounding the airport. The Beechcraft Bonanza plane had just taken off from the airport and was returning about 3 p.m., said Pembroke Pines Fire Chief Marcel Rodriguez. The small plane may have had a mechanical problem before clipping a power line, Rodriguez said. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The names and ages of those in the crash were not released Monday night. Fernandez said she has lived with fear that something like this would happen. Im always afraid being here, my family and I see the planes flying very low while were walking the neighborhood or sometimes when were out back in the pool, Fernandez said. Salah Elshaer had just left his house and was driving west on Southwest 13th Street when he heard the crash. The noise was jarring, the 17-year-old said. It was just flames, he said. He called 911. While he was on the phone with dispatchers and recording video on his phone, he heard another explosion from the airplane. I just felt bad thinking about the pilots family, and the people over in the car who were hurt, he said. Its sad because this is not the first time this has happened here in this residential area. This is at least the fifth major incident at the airport since May. In December, a plane erupted in flames when it crashed at the airport; all four on board survived. Earlier that month a plane landed upside down during a crash. A month before that, a pilot was killed when he crashed at the airport. Another pilot, this one a student, was killed in May. There are several flight schools at the North Perry Airport. It was not clear Monday whether the pilot was a student. A federal government backbencher has called for use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to be suspended while safety concerns are investigated. Nationals senator Matt Canavan wants Australia to follow major European nations and stop using the vaccine. 'It's time we do follow Europe and suspend our vaccine rollout,' he told Sky News on Tuesday. 'I don't see how we could continue when basically the whole of Europe is worried about this vaccine.' Nationals senator Matt Canavan wants Australia to follow major European nations and stop using the vaccine The WHO is urging countries not to panic as Europe's biggest nations suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine Senator Canavan acknowledged the United Kingdom and Sweden were pressing ahead with their rollouts, but questioned whether it was the best approach in Australia. 'I don't think all the capitals of Europe have been overtaken by anti-vaccine zealots,' he said. He said suspending the use of AstraZeneca was a better option with Australia not facing an imminent threat from coronavirus. 'There's obviously legitimate concerns here,' Senator Canavan said. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said there were no plans to suspend Australia's rollout, insisting it was safe to continue. 'Both the European equivalent of our TGA as well as the World Health Organisation have said that the AstraZenca is effective,' he told ABC radio. 'They have not found any causal link between the vaccine itself and blood clots.' The WHO is urging countries not to panic as Europe's biggest nations suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Germany, France and Italy have also stopped using the vaccine. The jab has been widely used in the UK with no major issues and Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the British medicines regulator sees no reason to discontinue. But after some patients developed blood clots in Europe, countries like the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway suspended the vaccine's rollout. After some patients developed blood clots in Europe, countries like the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway suspended the vaccine's rollout Australia is rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine and local production is ramping up, with more than 50 million doses to be produced The WHO is encouraging countries to continue using the jab. Australia is rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine and local production is ramping up, with more than 50 million doses to be produced. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly insists the vaccine chosen as Australia's mainstay is safe and effective. He said more than 11 million people had been vaccinated in the UK without evidence of an increase in blood clots. While it was important to carefully monitor any unusual events, these incidents could not necessarily be blamed on vaccines. Professor Kelly spoke to British and European medicine regulators on Sunday night. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly insists the vaccine chosen as Australia's mainstay is safe and effective 'As noted by the European Medicines Agency, the action taken by several European countries is a precautionary measure so that a full investigation can be rapidly conducted,' he said. He said Australia had strong and clear protocols around reporting adverse reactions. WHO spokeswoman Dr Margaret Harris said AstraZeneca findings would be released soon, but a causal relationship to blood clots had not been shown. 'The panel had taken the position that the jab should continue to be administered, while an investigation of cases of these thrombo-embolic events is ongoing,' she said. More than 164,000 people have now been vaccinated in Australia, including about 40,000 aged care residents across 437 facilities. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) Several lawmakers on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking an investigation on the Philippine National Police over concerns it could be profiling lawyers of red-tagged individuals. The move comes after an intelligence unit chief from Calbayog, Samar requested from the regional court a list of names who were representing "communist terrorist groups." "Such a list or table presents a clear and present danger to the legal profession and such an apparent hitlist for targeting lawyers seems to be being prepared by the national PNP down to its lower levels," stated the resolution filed by the Makabayan bloc, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Quezon City 6th District Rep. Kit Belmonte The resolution stressed the urgency of the probe amid a spate of killings targeting legal practitioners. It cited data from the National Union of People's Lawyers that showed 54 lawyers have been since June 2016. Among these were human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos who had given aid to victims of extrajudicial killings, but was gunned down in November 2018. NUPL Panay Secretary-General Angelo Karlo Guillen was also killed on March 3 this year after giving counsel for the case of indigenous leaders who died in police operations in December 2020. The two were also red-tagged prior to their deaths, the resolution noted. The letter from the Calbayog police circulated online and drew public alarm. The PNP earlier denied issuing an order for the request and had since sacked the officer over the controversy. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines earlier urged the government to look into the issue, calling the letter "improper, deplorable, and alarming." The Washington Post in a recent correction revealed it printed falsified quotes attributed to former President Donald Trump. In a March 11 update to a story originally published in January, the paper acknowledged its story featured quotes that werent actually said by Trump during a December 2020 conversation with an investigator working from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office. A recording of the phone call was recently released. (See embedded file below.) The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trumps comments on the call, based on information provided by a source. Trump did not tell the investigator to find the fraud or say she would be a national hero if she did so, the Jeff Bezos-owned paper, known for its anti-Trump slant, stated in a correction. The headline and text of this story have been corrected to remove quotes misattributed to Trump, it added. No apology was included. The same reporter who wrote the original story, Amy Gardner, wrote a new story about the recording being released. The Washington Post reported on the substance of Trumps Dec. 23 call in January, describing him saying that Watson should find the fraud and that she would be a national hero, based on an account from Jordan Fuchs, the deputy secretary of state, whom Watson briefed on his comments, Gardner wrote, referring to Frances Watson, the chief investigator for Raffensperger. In fact, he did not use those precise words. Rather, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize Fulton County, where she would find dishonesty, he said. He also said, whatever you can do, Frances, it would beits a great thing. Its an important thing for the country. So important. Youve no idea. So important. And I very much appreciate it. Fulton County was rife with issues during the 2020 election and its aftermath, according to Raffensperger and officials from his office. Raffenspergers office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment regarding whether Fuchs leaked false details of the call. The Washington Post didnt respond to a request for more information, such as whether its reviewing its policies on citing sources and whether it will refrain from using the source that fed it falsified information. Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2021. (John Raoux/AP Photo) CNN, The Associated Press, Reuters, ABC News, and NBC News were among the others that reported the falsified quotes. They all cited a single anonymous source. None responded to requests for comment. Only CNN had updated its article as of March 15, adding an editors note that said an earlier version of the story presented paraphrasing of the Presidents comments to the Georgia elections investigator as direct quotes. The story has been updated following the discovery of an audio recording of the call, CNN stated. Other outlets, including Business Insider and Vox, published stories that relied on other reports about the call, such as the Washington Post piece. And Democratic members of Congress used the falsified quotes during their effort to convict Trump of a charge of incitement of insurrection in February. Critics said the situation illustrated severe problems with the media. This kind of mistake is beyond serious. Theres zero accountability in major corporate media anymore, yet they continually insist theyre the ones holding the line on the truth. And always remember what should scare you about the media is what doesnt get exposed,' Mark Hemingway, senior writer at RealClearInvestigations, wrote in a tweet. Others downplayed what happened. Corrections are good! what would be corrupt and unaccontable [sic] is to not put out corrections when we get things wrong, argued Hayes Brown, a writer with MSNBC. Watson, an investigator with Raffenspergers office, took the call from Trump on Dec. 23, 2020. Watson said she was surprised by the call but didnt feel Trump put any pressure on her. Her team and Georgia Bureau of Investigation workers didnt find any wrongdoing during an audit. She told WSB-TV that she recorded the call for posterity. That probably will never happen again in my lifetime, she said. Trump later called Raffensperger himself in December 2020, asking for the Republican official to investigate voter fraud claims. Raffensperger suggested his office released audio of that call, as he panned the allegations and said it was clear Democrat Joe Biden won Georgia. From The Epoch Times 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. 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. Senator Doug Mastriano represents the 33rd Senate District, which includes all of Adams County, and portions of Franklin, Cumberland and York counties. In March 2020, Governor Wolf faced a crucial decision in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC issued guidance for long term care facilities to all 50 States. Guidance is the important word here as this was not a directive to each Governor. The March 13th CDC guidance stated that nursing homes should admit any individuals that they would normally admit (with or without COVID). But it did not say that they must admit these individuals. The governors of forty-five out of the all fifty states followed the science and rejected the absurd, science denying idea of sending sick COVID patients into the most vulnerable population. However, the governors of five states (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Michigan and California), foolishly and recklessly rejected science-based germ theory and had their respective health secretaries issue guidance to send the sick back into long term care facilities. For Pennsylvania, this catastrophic decision was made before many of the other states. On March 18th, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Levine issued the now infamous directive to long term care facilities to accept COVID positive residents after release from hospitals. It is tragically ironic that the same folks who espouse the mantra of believe in science completely ignored their own platitude. The data was clear before the March 18th directive that individuals over the age of 65 and those with underlying health condition were at the greatest risk of severe illness and death. The Wolf Administration was aware of this and still made the disastrous decision. The ensuing fallout from the March 18th directive was predictable. The admission of COVID-positive residents into nursing homes accelerated the transmission of the virus and exposed our states most vulnerable residents to severe illness and death. By May, cases of the virus in nursing homes spread like wildfire. Roughly two-thirds of COVID deaths at the time were residents of long-term care facilities. In several counties, 100% of all COVID deaths were in these very facilities. Privately, Secretary Levine realized the failure of the policy six weeks after the fateful decision. At that time, 70% of all deaths in Pennsylvania were as a result of Levines science-denying directive. Fearing for the safety of her own mom (then 95 years old and in an elder home), Levine whisked her out of the facility and into the safety of a hotel suite. Instead of having the moral fortitude to alert Pennsylvania of the danger that resulted from this failed policy, Levine never gave the citizens of our state the same chance or warning to protect their own loved ones. Incidentally, the world learned of Levines sinister behavior the day after I demanded her resignation for incompetence and gross negligence in May 2020. The people of our state found themselves cut off from their loved ones due to Levines fateful decision to send the sick into the nursing homes. Families were denied access to their parents. Reports of neglect, hopelessness and despair were reported as thousands upon thousands were left to die abandoned and alone. Tragic stories of beautiful people, who were good citizens, lived good lives in the commonwealth, and served their county with valor, were condemned to a lonely and isolated death cut off from their families and loved ones. Instead of being met with condemnation and investigation for her decision making, Secretary Levine was rewarded with a promotion and a Presidential appointment to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Governor Wolf was quick to congratulate, stating ridiculously the steady hand and calm approach were critical to managing Pennsylvanias response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mainstream media was nowhere to be found. Instead of exposing the incompetence of our secretary of health, they doubled down on protecting Levine, and lauding praise upon the secretarys handling of the crisis. Sadly that steady hand was the same which signed off on a policy leading to the suffering and death of our elderly. There is no steady hand with the death of 12,600 of our dear loved ones. Instead of being held accountable or resigning in shame for the deaths that were caused by these science denying policies, Levine has since been promoted to an even a more powerful position in the Biden Administration. Where is the justice and outrage? Since when is failure promoted and praised? What about those who died as a result of Levines incompetence? Today, more than half of Pennsylvanias COVID deaths are traced to long term care facilities. The official number is just over 12,600 deaths. While that figure is staggering alone, the question must be asked. Is the 12,600-figure accurate or is it as undercounted as the figures were in New York? In January, a report by the New York Attorney General revealed that Governor Andrew Cuomos Administration deliberately undercounted nursing home deaths in the state by over 50%. Since Governor Wolf has sought to emulate his partner up north on almost every COVID policy and strategy, is it farfetched to wonder if Pennsylvanias long-term care deaths are deliberately undercounted as well? Spotlight PA reported in September that weekly reports released by the PA Department of Health were consistently missing death and case data for more than 100 of the states 693 nursing homes. This past summer, dozens of county coroners questioned and refuted the numbers of COVID deaths reported by the Wolf Administration. There is something nefarious here and it looks like the long-term health care death rates may have the same irregularities here in Pennsylvania as we see in New York. For instance, the most recent Department of Health weekly report from March 10th shows that 138 facilities are still showing no data for number of COVID deaths. It took courage for the Attorney General in New York to investigate the policies of her own Administration and reveal the undercounting of reported deaths. Sadly, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has turned his attention to investigating the facilities who were forced into a bad position to begin with. In May, the AG stated that we will hold nursing facilities and caretakers criminally accountable if they fail to properly provide care to our loved ones. Yet, Mr. Shapiro refuses to investigate the decision making of the Wolf Administration and the accuracy of the reported deaths. It is time for a full investigation into the handling of COVID-19 in long term care facilities. It is the least we can do to ensure that our most vulnerable population is never treated like this again. The question that must be answered is how did such science denying decisions occur in our state and who will be held accountable for the 12,600 deaths of our dear loved ones? We demand to know the truth and these families must see that those who destroyed so many lives are held accountable. We owe it to their families to get to the bottom of why this directive was issued and the true extent of its tragic effects. " " CBG (cannabigerol) is being touted as the cure-it-all cannabis product, but can it live up to that hype? content_creator/Shutterstock The problem with the most exciting, most awesomest cure-it-all cannabis product to come along in maybe forever is that it's not exactly ... How can we put this? ... all that. CBG, as it's widely known, has some possibilities, sure. Like other cannabis-derived wonders (CBD and THC being the biggies), CBG may yet prove the perfect balm to soothe our ailments and ease our troubles. But right now, in early 2021: Are there any actual therapeutic uses for CBG? At all? "There are none that have been proven. Zero," says Kent Vrana, a professor and chair of the department of pharmacology at the Penn State College of Medicine. He also co-wrote the 2020 paper, "The Pharmacological Case for Cannabigerol (CBG)", that was published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. "However, based on its pharmacological profile ... there is a potential for managing high blood pressure, and managing substance abuse in general, and potentially and I'm stretching a little bit here as an anti-anxiety or anti-depression medication. Those are its potentials based on what we know it does. But there's so much that we don't know because it's never been in the marketplace, it's never been in the scientific landscape until now. "I think it's just incredibly dangerous to use until we get this figured out." Advertisement What the Heck Is CBG? The letters CBG stand for cannabigerol, which is one of the 100-plus cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant. It's the decarboxylated form of cannabigerolic acid, the parent molecule from which all other cannabinoids are created. Before we get too much further, though, some definitions are in order: Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa). Cannabis sativa is the name of a well-known and widely cultivated flowering plant, originally from Central Asia, which has been used in folk medicine and as a source of textile fiber since the dawn of times. Marijuana and hemp are both Cannabis sativa plants. The difference between the two is in the content of THC in the plants. Hemp, by definition, does not contain any more than 0.3 percent of THC. Marijuana can have more than that. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is one of the cannabinoids in cannabis, maybe the most famous. It's a psychoactive compound; that is, it's responsible for the "high" that you get from smoking marijuana, or the buzz that you get from ingesting THC-laced edibles that are now legally available in many U.S. states, Canada and several countries in the EU and South America. CBD (cannabidiol) is another of those cannabinoids, the current extract that is so "hot" on the cannabis block. It's used for a number of purposes and is now marketed widely. It's also in a medicine (Epidiolex) approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to treat seizures in certain rare forms of epilepsy. It's the first use of a cannabis plant in an FDA-approved drug and it doesn't get you high. The cannabinoids in Cannabis sativa THC, CBD, CBG and many others interact with the endocannabinoid system, a network involved in, among other bodily functions, the central nervous system. CBG (known in many places as the "mother of all cannabinoids" because it's a building block to other cannabinoids like CBD and THC) may have a kind of "regulating" effect on the endocannabinoid system. " " CBG (cannabigerol) is one of the 100-plus cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant. Alex Mosiichuk/Shutterstock Advertisement CBG's Potential CBG undoubtedly has promise. From Vrana's paper: Studies indicate that CBG may have therapeutic potential in treating neurological disorders (e.g., Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis), inflammatory bowel disease, as well as having antibacterial activity. In a few studies done on animals, CBG showed success, including reducing eye pressure in cats with glaucoma, and another easing neuroinflammation in mice. That sounds great, of course. It covers a lot of ground, and perhaps explains the wild amount of early marketing going on all over the internet. Any quick Google search will unearth all sorts of claims about CBG. "CBG has been demonstrated to be an antioxidant, protecting against oxidative stress ... It has been shown in lab trials to have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-nausea and pro-appetite effects," a cannabis-seller tells CannabisNow. The same article mentions possible treatments for diabetes and fibromyalgia, and even cancer pain. From another pro-cannabis site: "CBG ... acts as a buffer to the psychoactivity of THC by working to alleviate the paranoia sometimes caused by higher levels of THC. CBG works to fight inflammation, pain, nausea and works to slow the proliferation of cancer cells. Research has shown it also significantly reduces intraocular eye pressure caused by glaucoma. Strains high in CBG will be beneficial treating conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and cancer." Advertisement Caution: Curves Ahead But again, as Vrana is quick to warn: CBG has not been studied nearly enough. What some state as fact, or softly as almost-fact, others clearly dispute. On CBG's effects on glaucoma, for example, from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (which, it should be pointed out, is not trying to sell anyone cannabis): Studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s showed that cannabis or substances derived from it could lower pressure in the eye, but not as effectively as treatments already in use. One limitation of cannabis-based products is that they only affect pressure in the eye for a short period of time. ... A recent animal study showed that CBD, applied directly to the eye, may cause an undesirable increase in pressure in the eye. And not to throw a wet blanket on the cannabis craze, but the NCCIH also points out several concerns about the use of cannabis and cannabinoids, including: A link to an increase in car wrecks Lower birth weight for kids born to moms who smoke cannabis An increased risk of injury among older adults A higher risk of developing severe mental illness in people who frequently use cannabis and are predisposed to those illnesses Cannabinoids like CBD generally are not regulated by the FDA, which presents different problems. A 2017 analysis of CBD products sold online found that 26 percent contained substantially less CBD than the label indicated; 43 percent contained substantially more. " " CBD (cannabidiol) has been more thoroughly studied than CBG, though Vrana says both can interfere with medicines you're taking. Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images Advertisement Separating Promise From Proof So, CBG as the next big thing? It's a long path between promise, potential and all-out proof. "From a marketing standpoint, it is the next big thing," Vrana says. "Is it the next big therapeutic? Again, the jury's still out on that." Vrana has put in more than 30 years of research in molecular neuropharmacology. He's seen the hype surrounding things like CBG before. He knows the damage it can do. "We all succumb to this. We can't help ourselves. We've got this unmet medical need. We want to have a cure," he says. "And CBG is not gonna be the cure." Much of the allure of cannabis and cannabis products comes from the fact that they're considered organic. They're natural. What could go wrong? "Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's safe," Vrana warns. "Strychnine comes from a natural plant. And it's poison." Cannabis and cannabis products sometimes carry other baggage, some of it left over from the 1930s-era "reefer madness" kind of thinking. Many people, perhaps because of the "stoner" stigma associated with the use of cannabis or simply because many cannabis products don't need a prescription or a physician's OK don't tell their doctors that they're smoking marijuana or using CBD oil. That can be a problem. "The active ingredients in marijuana and hemp, THC and CBD, will interfere with other drugs that you might be taking," Vrana says. "A classic example is warfarin or Coumadin [the generic name and a brand name for a popular anticoagulant]. Marijuana and CBD oils will interfere with that. Just tell your doctor what you're doing. Disclose if you're using recreational marijuana, or if you got some CBD oil at the gas station. It may interfere with what your doctor is trying to do." The unknowns of CBG, much-less-studied than THC or CBD, make it all that much more potentially dangerous. "We have no experience with people taking high concentrations of CBG," Vrana says. "What we know is that CBG is going to have its own activities. That's what we're studying. We know it drops blood pressure. But imagine if you have a blood pressure regulation problem and somebody tells you, 'Oh, you gotta try this CBG.' "So don't believe everything you read on the interwebs." Someday Vrana suggests perhaps within the next five years we'll know a lot more about CBG; what it can and can't do, what is safe and what's not. It may yet prove its worth as a therapeutic. But that day is not here yet. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING CBG often sold as an oil to be placed under the tongue or mixed with water, or in hemp flowers to be smoked in a joint, in a pipe or other smoking device can be both costly and hard to come by. Because it's used to build other cannabinoids, it's found by itself only in low concentrates in cannabis plants. Researchers are busy selectively cross-breeding plants, though, to try to increase CBG yield in anticipation of its greater demand in the years ahead. A handyman jailed for murdering four people at the end of a dinner party has applied to the Parole Board for release after 33 years behind bars. George Stephenson was jailed for life in 1987 for massacring the Cleaver family - who had sacked him three weeks earlier. The horrific murders at Burgate House, a secluded mansion in Fordingbridge, Hants, on the edge of the New Forest, took place on the evening of September 1, 1986. The killings, which shocked the nation at the time, would later become known as 'the Fordingbridge mansion massacre'. Stephenson killed retired publisher Joseph Cleaver and his wife Hilda, both 82, and their son Tom, 47, and his wife Wendy, 46, after the family had held a dinner party. George Stephenson (pictured), was jailed for life in 1987 for massacring the Cleaver family - who had sacked him three weeks earlier Stephenson killed retired publisher Joseph Cleaver and his wife Hilda (pictured together), both 82, and their son Tom, 47, and his wife Wendy, 46 Life sentences in the UK: What are they? A life sentences in the UK means a person will be subject to that sentence for the rest of their life. But it does not necessarily mean that a person will spend their life in prison. Under rules set by Parliament, judges must give a life sentence to all offenders found guilty of murder. But most of the time these are set with a minimum sentence - which varies depending on the seriousness of the offence. This is the minimum length of time an offender must spend in prison before they can apply for parole. However the parole process can often take years and in some cases prisoners may never be given it. Parole officers must be sure that an offender is no longer a risk to the public. Even if those on a life sentence are granted parole, the offender is still subject to conditions and can be recalled to prison at any time. Life sentences are sometimes confused with whole life orders - where an offender spends the rest of their life in prison. These are used in exceptional cases. In 2017, there were thought to be around 75 prisoners in the UK serving whole life orders - including serial killer Rosemary West. Advertisement The following morning, two maintenance workers arrived to find the property engulfed in smoke. Five people, including 70 year old live-in nurse Margaret Murphy, had been murdered. All five were bound and gagged by Stephenson and his two accomplices, brothers John and George Daly. Joseph, Hilda, Tom and Margaret were found in an upstairs room. Petrol had been poured over them, and they were set alight while still alive. Wendy was taken to another bedroom and repeatedly raped before she was strangled to death. Stephenson, originally from Coventry, has spent more than 33 years in prison since 1987 when he was found guilty of murdering Mr and Mrs Cleaver, their son and Mrs Murphy. He was also convicted of rape and robbery. John Daly, who admitted rape and robbery, was found guilty of murdering all five. George Daly, who had admitted rape and robbery matters from the outset, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Joseph, Hilda and Thomas. In sentencing, Stephenson was handed six life sentences and John Daly seven. George Daly was given 22 years. At the time, the judge recommended that Stephenson - who was 36 - should spend at least 25 years in prison before he could bid for release. But when that term expired in 2001 the then Home Secretary Jack Straw said the crimes were so bad that he upped the minimum time behind bars to 35 years. In 2008 Stephenson was refused a request to put it back to the original 25 years. This month is now the earliest point Stephenson can apply for parole, ahead of his 2023 release date. The horrific murder at Burgate House, a secluded mansion in Fordingbridge, Hants, on the edge of the New Forest, took place on the evening of September 1, 1986 A Parole Board spokesperson said: '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. 'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' Only 34 children were adopted in Queensland over the past year an 80 per cent plunge from the total two decades ago. Adoptions have fallen across the state from the 170 children adopted in 1995-96. Just 34 children were adopted in Queensland in 2019-20. Credit:Tribune Of the 34 children adopted in Queensland in 2019-20, 11 were adopted from overseas, according to data due to be released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on Wednesday. There were 12 local adoptions in Queensland, where children born or permanently living in Australia had no prior contact or relationship with the adoptive parents, while 11 were known adoptions. Australian Energy and Minerals Investor Conference Adelaide, Mar 16, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resolution Minerals Ltd ( ASX:RML ) is pleased to provide investors with the opportunity to attend virtually or in person, the upcoming Australian Energy & Minerals Investor Conference Presentation by Managing Director Duncan Chessell on Thursday 18 March 2021 at 10am in Brisbane.Conference online registration and program details:The presentation will cover plans for drilling at the 64North Project in Alaska due to commence in late March at the Sunrise Prospect and exploration plans for the Wollogorang Copper-Cobalt Project in the Northern Territory.About Resolution Minerals Ltd Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML) is a mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious and battery metals - such as gold, copper, cobalt, and vanadium. The company is led by Managing Director Duncan Chessell and an experienced team with proven success in corporate finance, marketing, metallurgy and geoscience. This equips Resolution Minerals with the tools to meet the changing demands of the mining markets. Resolution Minerals Ltd Listed on the ASX in 2017 with a focus on the exploration of the Wollogorang Copper Cobalt Project. It has since aquired the Snettisham Vanadium Project and more entered into a binding agreement witth Millrock Resources to earn up to 80% of the highly prospective 64North Gold Project. Max Ernst: 10 things to know Max Ernst is often described as the complete Surrealist. While his haunting paintings explore the mysteries of the human subconscious, he was also a fabulous colourist and a brilliant technician who reinvented his work throughout his life 1 Ernst was born into a strict German family in the forested Rhineland Max Ernst (1891-1976) grew up in the heavily forested region near Cologne in Germany in what he described as a banal and almost happy childhood. There were a few jolts. The lasting traces which they left can be seen in my work. Ernsts father Philipp taught deaf children and appears to have been an imposing, even fearsome figure of authority. In his autobiographical essay Beyond Painting, Ernst recalled seeing visions in the mahogany panel at the end of his bed of a threatening man with an upturned moustache (the moustaches of my father) whipping a spinning top featuring vicious-looking animals. Philipp was also an accomplished amateur artist, and passed on his love of painting to his son. 2 After serving as an artillery engineer during the First World War, Ernst declared himself dead Looking back on the war, Ernst wrote: On the first of August 1914 Max Ernst died. He was reborn on the first of November 1918 as a young man who aspired to find the myths of his time. That resurrection came in Cologne amidst the artistic chaos of Dada, an ideology loosely shared by artists and writers all over the continent who sought to express their disillusionment with European culture in as provocative and destructive a manner as possible. This disorder took many forms. In one Dada exhibition, visitors were invited to enter through a public lavatory and given little axes with which to destroy any artwork they didnt like. A Dada exhibition in Paris featured the poet Andre Breton (1896-1966) barking like a dog and Tristan Tzara (1896-1963) playing hide-and-seek. 3 After participating in the Dada group, Ernst became a founding member of the Surrealist movement The Surrealists were searching for ways to express the unconscious mind. One method involved relinquishing control of the creative process by going into a trance-like state and writing or doodling whatever came to them. Automatism, as it was called, was a source of intense frustration to Ernst, whose mind was too analytical for such impulsiveness. In a fit of vexation, he once picked up the artist Joan Miro (1893-1983) and shook him, demanding, How do you do it? However, Ernst was fortunate to have studied psychology at Bonn University, where he read the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Psychoanalysis became central to Ernsts artistic practice: Freuds descriptions of dreams enabled the artist to make pictures of the unconscious without having to go into a hypnotic trance. Owing to his great knowledge of Freud, his paintings are sometimes interpreted as dark caverns of repressed sexual urges. Yet there are other themes at play, too: as a lapsed Catholic, Ernst was interested in the idea that religion was the result of deep-rooted neuroses. He was also fascinated by black magic at a time when the boundaries between dynamic psychology and the occult were blurred, most notably in the writings of Carl Jung (1875-1961) on parapsychology. 4 Ernst had an obsession with birds and painted them often Ernst rationalised his fixation with birds by recounting a strange experience he had had as a teenager: in 1906 the artists pet parrot died the same night his sister was born. The incident developed, he said, a dangerous confusion between birds and humans that became encrusted in my mind. This obsession materialised into an alter-ego called Loplop, which took the form of a demonic man-bird in his paintings. As he wrote in 1930, I was visited nearly every day by the Bird Superior named Loplop, an extraordinary phantom of model fidelity who attached himself to my person. He presented me with a heart in a cage, two petals, three leaves, a flower and a girl. 5 The artist used the forest as a symbol of discovery as well as the mysterious recesses of the human mind Ernst once recalled how childhood excursions with his father into the great Rhineland forests near his home in Bruhl had filled him with terror and ecstasy. In 1927 he began a series of richly painted works that explored these sensations. Cage, foret et soleil noir (1927), pictured earlier in this feature, depicts a caged bird in a forest, its hollow eye the same colour as the sky. It is a strange, disorientating picture that raises many questions. Are we lost in the dense undergrowth of the forest, or inside the artists mind? Dreamlike images of birds and trees connect Ernsts paintings to the earlier German Romantic tradition. The dramatist Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) once wrote that looking at the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840) was like seeing the world with cut eyelids. Ernsts paintings are similarly unnerving. 6 Ernst is often described as the complete Surrealist because of his terrific ingenuity Ernst experimented with many different techniques, including collage, frottage, grattage, oscillation, dripping and decalcomania. He reinvented his artistic techniques constantly from the mid-1910s until his death in 1976. He also turned out to be the most exquisite colourist. His 1925 painting of a flock of birds converging in a cloud of paint, above, is an early example of grattage (scraping), in which paint is scraped off the canvas to allow the texture and colour of the surface underneath to show through. He also made rubbings (frottage) after observing a wooden floor in a hotel room, the grain of which had been deepened and exposed by countless scrubbings. I decided to investigate the symbolism of this obsession. Even as an enemy alien in France during the Second World War, Ernst found ways to make art by using decalcomania, a technique in which paint is squashed between two pieces of paper and peeled back to reveal a textural surface. Les peupliers (1939), below, was created while Ernst was imprisoned in an internment camp together with his friend and fellow Surrealist Hans Bellmer (1902-1975). Max Ernst (1891-1976), Les peupliers, 1939. Oil with decalcomania on paper laid down on panel. 15 x 11 in (38.8 x 28 cm). Estimate: 450,000-650,000. Offered in The Art of the Surreal on 23 March 2021 at Christies in London 7 Ernsts paintings were confiscated from museums and labelled degenerate by the Nazis In an interview with the British artist Roland Penrose (1900-1984), Ernst declared that art history was made by mad men. It was the Surrealists way of dealing with the irrationality and collective insanity of Fascism. Ernst had never engaged explicitly with politics, but towards the end of the 1930s he began to lash out in his paintings. The threat of impending war impelled him to create works that were a scream of rage against brutality and stupidity. 8 Ernst had a succession of relationships with beautiful and powerful women His first wife was the German academic Luise Straus, who left him after he became embroiled in a torturous love triangle with Paul Eluard (1895-1952) and his wife Gala (1894-1982), who later married Salvador Dali. In 1927 he eloped with the troubled painter Marie Berthe Aurenche (1905-1960), and then abandoned her for the Surrealist artist Leonora Carrington (1917-2011). Max Ernst and Dorothea Tanning in 1947 with his sculpture, Capricorn. Photograph by John Kasnetsis. John Kasnetsis. Artwork: Max Ernst, DACS 2021 In 1941 Ernst escaped to America with the help of the art collector Peggy Guggenheim (1898-1979), who became his third wife until he met the artist Dorothea Tanning (1910-2012) the following year at an art gallery in New York. He was to remain with Tanning until his death in 1976. 9 Ernst inspired Jackson Pollocks drip paintings While living on Long Island in the 1940s, Ernst started playing around with a technique called oscillation, which involved splashing paint through a hole in the bottom of a can suspended by a piece of string. The sweeping curves and drips of paint looked like planets in orbit, and encouraged the Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) to carry out similar experiments, which later became known as Action painting. Sign up today Christies Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe Linus Kim, center, prepares a big plate of food. / Courtesy of Robert Michael Evans By Kyung Lee When Linus Kim shuttered the second branch of his barbecue restaurant Linus' Bama Style Barbecue in the Seoul neighborhood of Haebangchon (HBC) late last year, it brought more sorrow than closure, even to this day. "Having closed in HBC was heartbreaking because I put so much of myself in there," Kim told The Korea Times. Kim's business started off in 2014 with pop-up events, before opening his first location in Itaewon. Having extended his business to HBC from his first branch located between Itaewon and Noksapyeong stations, Kim has always used his establishments to support small businesses operating nearby, providing a space for musicians to give live performances, while also connecting with patrons that he serves. "That is the closest thing I've ever experienced to living in a village where everybody knows each other," he said. "It's hard to just operate there and not wave out the window because someone you know just passed by." Although closing the restaurant came as a "big blow" to Kim, he told The Korea Times he intends to stay connected and help revitalize the neighborhood's existing community which is still being hit hard by uncertainties brought on by COVID-19 and the resultant social distancing measures in any way he can to keep the existing cultural landscape from eroding further. Though he said he couldn't reveal specific details, Kim added that he looks forward to supporting "smart and creative" people who want to invest in and put his old space to good use. "I'm trying to support really good ideas with very motivated people behind them," he said. "And so, although I'm handing over the torch so to speak, I'm interested in advising new guys so they have the best chance for success." Another way of helping each other to survive, according to Kim, is by providing spare essential supplies to restaurants that ran out of stock because of an unexpected sudden increase in customers recently. "We're only purchasing cases of Coca-Cola for the week, not for the month, and people are running out because sales are picking up now that the weather's getting better," he said. In addition to reducing the menu, the barbecue restaurant has also been struggling with maintaining an ample workforce in response to more customers coming to dine in. Chipping in cases of Coca-Cola, kegs of beer and other tangible resources, Kim added that he, along with other small local businesses, stay connected in group chats to pat each other on the back for "moral support" and stay informed of news updates concerning Itaewon. For instance, when the government announces new curfew and social distancing policies for businesses in the area, Kim said he uses the platform to be on the same page as others on following its regulations properly. But bonding to keep the community of small businesses, regular patrons and residents intact has not always come to fruition, especially in attempts to organize large-scale events during the pandemic. "Last year I proposed something to promote more of a street presence for bringing stores and tables outside," he said. "But again, everyone is on edge about the optics. We're trying to get more customers, but if you're promoting a party atmosphere, you can get slapped down pretty hard." A view of the now closed Linus BBQ and Chicken in Haebangchon, before the pandemic / Courtesy of Linus Kim The Samsung Galaxy A32 is one of the few 5G smartphones that uses a flicker-free LC display. This might have some drawbacks, but it's also a concession made to customers who have problems with OLEDs. 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 The LC display is one of the points of criticism in the review of the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G. Especially compared to the 4G variant, which uses a Super AMOLED display at Full HD resolution and even runs at 90 Hz (as we report), the device looks like a major downgrade. However, it's not that simple. 5G requires quite a bit of power compared to LTE and also requires additional RAM. Samsung compensates for both with the lower display resolution, especially since a TFT LCD has a higher power consumption than a comparable OLED panel. However, we fond the quality of the built-in LCD to be poor. It results in less brightness, a weak contrast ratio, and worse color calibration. This shouldn't have been the case. It shouldn't have been necessary to reduce the panel resolution either in order to achieve likely similar runtimes as in the Galaxy A32 4G. However, only a detailed review would provide certainty here. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether this will happen since the 4G version hasn't been confirmed for the German market yet. On the other hand, it's incomprehensible that only the 4G version gets the newer 64 MP camera. Ultimately, the Galaxy A32 5G demands its buyers to be willing to compromise a lot compared to other devices on the market. But with the LC display, it's one of the few 5G smartphones that don't rely on an OLED panel; therefore, it's a possibility for PWM-sensitive users to access the latest mobile standard free of potential discomfort. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. Food 4 Hunger will hold a bottle and can drive at Sangertown Square on Saturday, March 27, to raise money to feed people in need in the Mohawk Valley. The group will be collecting cans and bottles from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot near PiNZ. The money collected through the drive will be used to provide meals to homebound people in the area. People must wear masks and practice social distancing at the event. The investigative committee is taking samples of the food and water at the college mess to analyse the cause of the problem. Representational image/DC Hyderabad: An entire hostel of the Osmania Medical College, including 19 students who were admitted to the Gandhi Hospital on Monday, have been affected by food poisoning. Other than the 19 students who were rushed to the hospital with severe symptoms, at least 50 others were being treated for mild symptoms. The incident came to light when Osmania Medical College Student Council head Sai Surender, a final year MBBS student, reported to the principal that several inmates of the boys hostel were showing food poisoning symptoms on Sunday evening. Early on Monday morning, principal Dr Shashikala Reddy instructed an investigative committee to be formed and students were segregated on the basis of their symptoms. At first, it began with my roommate who started vomiting and feeling nauseous. By Sunday evening, I got to know that the entire hostel had been affected. The investigation is underway, but we think it could have been the Saturday afternoon lunch at the college mess that started it, said Surender. He added that every second Saturday, the mess at the college is closed for dinner, and students either arrange for food from outside or eat at the college canteen. It is exam time and so most of us are avoiding eating outside food these days. I ate the same food at the mess on Saturday, but did get affected, maybe because I did not eat some particular items. Students started to experience the first episode at around 11 pm. Because the incubation period is eight hours for food poisoning symptoms to show, it seems like it was the lunch that started it, Surender added. Principal Dr Reddy said that the investigative committee is taking samples of the food and water at the college mess to analyse the cause of the problem. Blood and stool samples of affected students have also been taken, and results should be out in a few days. Responding to concerns over the delay in admitting the 19 students to hospital, Dr Reddy said that they had, upon identification of severely affected students, rushed them to the Osmania General Hospital. Due to the lack of space and beds, they were directed to the Fever Hospital. Due to lack of readiness to take these patients on a short notice, the medical officer at the college sent them to Gandhi Hospital, where they are now said to be stable and recovering. HOLYOKE Mayoral candidate and City Councilor Rebecca Lisi filed an order calling for an independent assessment of the Police Department after Officer Rafael Roca alleged widespread corruption in a viral YouTube video. Lisis order, which drew the support of Ward 1 Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 4 Councilor Libby Hernandez, and Ward 6 Councilor Juan Anderson-Burgos, will likely go to committee for review. The City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. In light of recent conflicting statements made by Officer Rafael Roca in a video posted to YouTube and Chief (Manuel) Febos media response, the order seeks to cut through the biased and impartial accounts of personal positions and takes a broader look at the overall management and practices of the Police Department, according to a Lisi campaign statement. Lisi said her order highly resonates with pleas for policing reforms at the local, state and national levels and is a way to explore issues such as equity in hiring and promotion practices, allocations of budgeted resources, and the use of coercive or forceful tactics. The impartial assessment would also measure the departments efficiency and effectiveness in serving the community with honesty, integrity and accountability. Lisi noted that, in December 2020, Gov. Charlie Baker signed the An Act Relative to Justice, Equity and Accountability in Law Enforcement in the Commonwealth, related to a comprehensive police reform initiative that drew bipartisan support. I want to be able to say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Holyoke Police Department is servicing the community with the best public safety policies and practices, Lisi stated. This assessment would give us the information we need to be able to say that or at least identify ways we can make the Department stronger and more efficient moving forward. Anderson-Burgos wants a systemwide evaluation of the Holyoke Police Departments culture and practices by a third party based on collected data and fact finding. He stated an assessment was about fairness to everyone, including the city of Holyoke, residents and the police department. The way I look at it, its about fairness for everyone, including the City, the people who live and work here, and the Police Department, Anderson-Burgos stated. An assessment is the best way to get to the facts. Otherwise, we have incomplete information to work with from a series of back and forth statements from individuals who may be biased in one way or another. Hernandez said city departments could not function without transparency and accountability. In a previous statement, Febo welcomed any outside scrutiny of the departments practices and allegations made by Roca, who was placed on leave following the YouTube posting. Roca refused to remove the critical video, a department violation. Before the New Year, Febo announced he would retire June 30. Outgoing Mayor Alex B. Morse immediately appointed Capt. David Pratt as the departments next chief. We owe it to the taxpayers of this community to ensure that the $13 million we spend on policing, nearly 10% of the Citys overall budget, is yielding a positive return on investment, Lisis campaign stated. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Research Future has published a Cooked Research Report on the Diphenylamine Industry Trends Research Report - Global Forecast till 2025 Market Definition and Growth Factors: Also, the increasing application of DPA in nitrocellulose-based explosives pertaining to its antioxidizing property is also expected to fuel the growth of the global market. Lubricants are produced with the help of advanced additives that enhance the efficiency of the engine and exhibit properties such as high durability, cleanliness, and strength. The moving components are always in contact with air (oxygen), which results in degradation of the lubricants. Oxidation is a common process and arises when the lubricating oil chemically reacts with oxygen to form oxidized products, which result in sludge and deposit formation, corrosion of engine parts, and wear and tear of moving parts. To ensure easy functioning of vehicles and inhibit oxidation of lubrication oils, a class of chemicals known as antioxidants are used. Antioxidants control oxidation by preventing oil breakdown and thickening, which helps the engine to run smoothly for a long period. The most commonly used antioxidant is diphenylamine (DPA), which reacts with the free radicals generated by oxidation and prevents oxidative decomposition of the lubricating oil. Diphenylamine falls under a class of radical scavengers that stop chain propagation by blocking or reacting with free radicals created in the initiation step of oxidation. Diphenylamine is a viscous, lightweight hydrocarbon that is soluble in oil. Diphenylamine antioxidants are produced by reacting DPA with an olefin of the desired functional group. These antioxidants have low vapor pressure and water solubility, which are essential in protecting engines. Due to the superior antioxidant synergism of the antioxidants in the oil system, DPA and alkylated DPAs are considered as ideal solutions to enhance the durability and performance of engines. Also, they enhance the antioxidant efficiency and offer the required alkalinity. Diphenylamine Industry Trends is estimated to be valued at USD 527.7 Million by 2025 and record a CAGR of over 4.06% during the forecast period. The growing demand for DPA as an antioxidant in lubricants is expected to be the primary factor driving the growth of the global Diphenylamine Industry Trends. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties help to increase the shelf life of engine oils and provide maximum oil compatibility. Thus, the increasing demand for DPA in the lubricants used in automobiles owing its excellent antioxidant property is expected to boost the growth of the global market during the forecast period. Furthermore, single-base nitrocellulose propellants are hygroscopic in nature and are most susceptible to degradation. To avoid the accumulation of degradation products, stabilizers such as DPA are most commonly used in nitrocellulose-containing propellant powders and explosives. Due to the excellent antioxidizing property of DPA, it is used as a stabilizing compound in mono-, di-, and tri-base propellants of missiles and explosives. It has the potential to bind with the degradation products, which develop during long-term storage such as NO, NO2, and HNO3 to extend the storage time. Thus, due to the antioxidizing property of DPA and highly unstable nature of nitrocellulose-based materials, the demand for DPA to inhibit the degradation of explosives is increasing, which is projected to boost the growth of the market during the forecast period. Watch Video @https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos Get a Free Sample of This Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4550 However, diphenylamine is a chemical compound from the third European Union (EU) list of priority pollutants. In studies carried out on laboratory animals, DPA has proved to be slightly toxic by the dermal, oral, and inhalation routes and has been registered under the Toxicity Category III (second lowest of four categories). It can cause severe irritation to the eyes and affect the liver and kidneys on long exposure. It targets the red blood cells and can result in abnormal erythropoiesis in the spleen, and thus congestion of the spleen and hemosiderosis. It is not likely carcinogenic based on the evidence. However, an impurity of technical grade DPA, diphenyl nitrosamine is regarded as a probable human carcinogen. Diphenyl nitrosamine is produced when DPA comes in contact with high temperature. Moreover, there is a tolerance level set by the US EPA10 ppm for apples and 0 ppm for milk and meat. The DPA residue levels obtained were far below 10 ppm, and thus in 1997, the EPA approved the reregistration of DPA and determined that the assessed tolerances met the safety standards under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). However, in 2012, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the study has not provided authentic information to ensure safe consumption of DPA in apples and pears. Thus, the European Commission restricted the usage of DPA in the European Union. In March 2014, the European Commission reduced the allowable tolerance level of DPA on imports to 0.1 ppm. Thus, the health risks and stringent EPA regulations pertaining to DPA are likely to hamper the global market growth during the assessment period. Kay Players: Market Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in the global Diphenylamine Industry Trends: BASF SE (Germany), Huntsman International LLC (US), LANXESS (Germany), The Lubrizol Corporation (US), Merck KGaA (Germany), Seiko Chemical Co. Ltd (Tokyo), Eastman Chemical Company (US), Duslo a.s. (Slovakia), SONGWON (South Korea), Nantong Xinbang Chemical Technology Chemical Co, Ltd (China), Jiangsu Feiya Chemical Industry Co. Ltd (Austria). Key Findings of the Study: The Global Diphenylamine Industry Trends was valued at USD 397.6 million in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of 4.06% to reach around USD 527.7 Million by the end of 2025 . was valued at and is expected to register a to reach around . Based on application, the antioxidant segment held the largest share of 2% by value in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of over 4.5% during the forecast period. and is expected to register a during the forecast period. By end use, the automotive segment is estimated to be the largest segment of the global aluminum oxide market, which accounted for 7% value share in 2018. value share in 2018. The Asia Pacific market accounted for the largest share of 2% by value in 2018. Segmental Analysis: According to MRFR analysis, the global Diphenylamine Industry Trends has been segmented based on application, end use, and region. Study Infographics @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/infographics By application, the global Diphenylamine Industry Trends has been categorized into antioxidants, fungicide, and chemical intermediates, and others. Among these, the antioxidant segment accounted for the largest share of over 59.2% by value in 2018, predominantly due to the large-scale adoption in nitrocellulose-based propellants, explosives, and gun powders, which are essentially unstable materials that decompose on aging with the evolution of oxides of nitrogen. The decomposition is autocatalytic and can lead to failure of the ammunition or untimed explosions. Antioxidants control the oxidation of lubricants and ensure smooth functioning of engines for a long period. The antioxidant property of DPA increases the operational life of engine oil by reducing breakdown that can result from the formation of sludge. The chemical intermediate segment is expected to register a CAGR of over 3.5% during the forecast period. On the basis of end use, the global Diphenylamine Industry Trends has been classified into automotive, agriculture, cosmetics & personal care, general industry, plastics and rubber, and others. The automotive segment accounted for the largest share by value in 2018 due to the use of DPA as an antioxidant in lubricants, and other functional fluids such as engine oil, hydraulic fluids, metalworking fluids, compressor oil, gear oil, refrigeration oil, transmission fluids, and turbine oil, among others. The growing production of automobiles is propelling the demand for lubricants for the efficient functioning of engines, which consequently is expected to drive the demand for DPA as an antioxidant. Regional Analysis: Geographically, the global Diphenylamine Industry Trends has been segmented into Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. As per MRFR analysis, Asia-Pacific was the dominant regional market, accounting for the largest share of over 55% in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of over 4.5% during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is followed by North America, which accounted for the second-largest share of the global foundry coke market in 2018. The North American market is expected to exhibit a share of around 20% in 2018. The Latin America and the Middle East & Africa markets are also likely to witness moderate growth during the forecast period, 20192025. Browse key industry insights spread across 449 pages with 177 market data tables & 24 figures & charts from the report, Diphenylamine Industry Trends: Information by Application (Antioxidants, Chemical Intermediate, Fungicide and Others), End-Use (Automotive, General Industry, Agriculture, Plastics & Rubber, Cosmetics & Personal Care and others) and Region - Forecast till 2025 in detail along with the table of contents @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/diphenylamine-market-4550 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 royal fans are still talking about Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussexs bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey and the treatment the couple claimed they received from the royal family. One of the things that raised eyebrows is when Harry said his father, Prince Charles, wouldnt take his calls and cut him off. Now, its being reported the reason for that is because Harry was always reaching out to the Prince of Wales for more and more money to pay for his and Meghans lifestyle. Heres more on that. Prince Charles and Prince Harry at the World Premiere of Netflixs Our Planet | Keith Mayhew/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Prince Harry told Oprah that Prince Charles stopped taking his calls During the pairs sitdown with Oprah, Prince Harry claimed that Prince Charles stopped taking his calls and cut him off financially. Following the Sussexs initial announcement that they were stepping away from their royal roles, it was reported that Prince Charles would support them financially for the first year while they worked to become financially independent. All I wanted was enough money to get security and keep my family safe I had to afford security for us, Harry said. [I was cut off] in the first quarter of 2020. Oprah Winfrey interviewing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for primetime special | Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese via Getty Images RELATED: How the Royal Family Responded to Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Interview With Oprah Source says Charles got tired of Harrys constant calls for money There has been chatter that the Prince of Wales was upset about what Harry claimed in the interview. Royal expert Katie Nicholl wrote in Vanity Fair that Harry was emailing his father to justify why he and Meghan had done the interview. A royal source told The Telegraph that what Harry said about his dad no longer taking his calls at one point is true because Charles became tired of his son constantly contacting him for more money to fund his and Meghans lifestyle. Like any parent, Charles did get fed up with the constant calls from Harry for more money, the source told the publication. He did his utmost to make them feel financially supported but when they said they were upping sticks, they asked for even more. The source opined (per news.com.au): If [Charles] was less inclined to take calls, it might be because he didnt want to be treated like a cash dispenser. After his son and daughter-in-laws interview with Oprah aired, Prince Charles was seen out in public and asked to give his thoughts on what they alleged. However, he did not comment before walking away. How much Princess Diana left Prince Harry when she died Princess Diana holding Prince Harry when he was a child| John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty Images The Duke of Sussex also told Oprah that when he was cut off he had to pay for his, Meghan, and Archies security with the money his mother, Princess Diana, left him. So how much was Harrys inheritance? He and his brother, Prince William, received about $14 million each. Prior to stepping down as senior royals, Prince Harry had a net worth in the neighborhood of $40 million and Meghans was around $5 million. After inking deals with Netflix and Spotify in September, Celebrity Net Worth estimated that they are each worth $50 million. Amid continued political rift in the Himalayan nation, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the prevailing situation. An official from the office of the President confirmed that the meeting has been summoned for 4 PM (Local Time) on Tuesday where the situation of the contemporary political stalemate would be discussed. "In order to discuss the prevailing political situation, the all-party meet has been summoned for 4 PM (Local Time) today. President has invited leaders of parties representing in parliament as well as some former Prime Ministers," Dr Bheshraj Adhikari, Secretary of President told ANI over the phone. plunged into a state of political stalemate after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on December 20 last year recommended the dissolution of Parliament to the President. Terming the move as a breach of the Constitution by the Prime Minister, the decision was challenged in Supreme Court and on February 23, the apex court reinstated the Parliament. Weeks after announcing the verdict over the dissolution of Parliament, the Supreme Court later revoked the unification of the erstwhile ruling Communist Party and declared the merger between the erstwhile CPN-UML and CPN Maoist Centre void. After Supreme Court's latest decision, Oli who earlier was leading a majority government has lost his seats in the Parliament and pressure has been mounting on him to prove his majority. Now, Oli's CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) has 120 seats in Parliament followed by Nepal Congress with 63 sets (2 suspended), Maoist Centre (53), and Janata Samajbadi Party with 34 seats (2 suspended). There is an addition of 3 seats in Parliament out of which one is independent while the other two are from two different parties. (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.) Elon Musk sent out a tweet "selling a song about NFTs as an NFT" for 420M Dogecoins, and someone might have just taken the bait (or not). Dogecoin the Money of the Internet Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency initially released in 2013. Created by the software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, this fun payment system made its way to the internet and was immediately accepted by the online community. Currently, the Dogecoin has a value of $0.06. The Dogecoin namesake came from the "Doge" meme in 2013, a picture of a Shiba Inu dog often accompanied by thoughtful or funny texts. The Dogecoin commemorates this meme by putting the face of this Shiba Inu dog as their coin logo. Read Also: How Cryptocurrency Can Make You Rich Non-Fungible Token (NFT) for Sale NFTs stand for a non-fungible token, a digital file whose ownership is verified on the blockchain. NFTs are created files uploaded as digital artworks or multimedia to be sold on the auction market. Often, NFTs are bought through cryptocurrency. Selling and buying NFTs give the owner or buyer digital certificates of authenticity. The song Musk is selling is a techno beat with an electrical remix. The song also repeats "NFT" for the most part. Near coda, a female-voice sings, "NFT for your vanity, computers never sleep, it's verified, it's guaranteed." Cnet analyzed the clip released with the song, saying that the animation of a spinning "vanity trophy" has multiple references from different technology elements. The spinning base is associated with coins and dogs, which is presumed to be the Dogecoin, the platform Musk decided to sell his song in. Over the last few years and especially these last few weeks, NFTs are becoming popular with artists, entertainers and people in the media. They sell digital rights to all sorts of things. This is gaining a lot of weight in online communities. For example, posted on January 25 in TopShot, an NFT clip of Lebron James sells for $100,000. Early March, a new album by Kings of Leon is sold as NFT with three types of tokens, including special artworks and perks. Rolling Stone also reported that a line of digital goods of pop star Shawn Mendes was sold as an NFT. This happened after his manager, Andrew Gertler, got involved with an NFT marketplace called sturdy exchange. Even an NFT electoral map to commemorate the 2020 US presidential contest is auctioned off by the Associated Press. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey also joined the market by selling his first tweet on the platform as an NFT. Elon Musk Sells NFT Elon Musk is now joining the market by selling his first NFT, a song of NFTs. The Twitter community easily accepted the hype, with Elon's tweet having 19,100 Retweets, 4,830 Quote Tweets, and 130,700 Likes in less than a day it is released. The online community is literate with cryptocurrency, and another user actually offered buying at $69 Million. Elon, however, counter proposes accepting only Dogecoins for this NFT. Even as a casual joke, this NFT marketing could be the next step we are heading for technological advancements. Related Article: NFT Digital Art Trend: How Cryptocurrency Is Making Millionaires Out of Digital Artists The Telegraph Israels opposition leader on Wednesday night announced he had formed a coalition to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, in what could be the death knell for the embattled prime ministers career. With just half an hour to spare before his mandate to form a government expired at midnight, Yair Lapid announced he had struck a coalition deal that drew support from across the political spectrum. "The government will do everything it can to unite every part of Israeli society," Mr Lapid, the head of the centri The Chinese government wants Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to sell some of its media assets, including the South China Morning Post, because of growing concerns about the technology giants influence over public opinion in the country, according to a person familiar with the matter. Beijing expressed misgivings about Alibabas media holdings during several meetings dating to last year, said the person, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. Government officials are particularly upset about the companys influence over social media in China and its role in an online scandal, involving one of its executives. Jack Ma, Alibabas co-founder, has been at the center of a government crackdown that began last year, targeting the e-commerce giant and its finance affiliate Ant Group Co. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Chinas government is asking Alibaba to shed media properties. Ma and Alibaba quietly built up a sprawling portfolio of media assets over the years, spanning BuzzFeed-style online outlets, newspapers, television-production companies, social-media and advertising assets. Alibaba has a major stake in the Twitter-like Weibo, as well as other online and print news outlets, including the SCMP, the leading English-language newspaper in Hong Kong. The discussion about selling the newspaper began last year, the person said. While no specific buyer has been identified, it is expected to be a Chinese entity. Bloomberg News reported in February that Beijing had grown alarmed about Alibabas media holdings after a scandal involving Jiang Fan, then the youngest partner at the e-commerce company. Posts about the scandal began disappearing from social media, including Weibo, drawing the ire of government officials. Chinas internet watchdog penalized the microblogging site for interfering with the spread of opinions. The scale and speed with which the website removed posts rankled government officials, who saw it as crossing a line, a person familiar with the matter said at the time. The country must pay attention to and crack down on this, because the power of capital can be used by us but also the enemy," wrote Chinese commentator Song Qinghui, who contributes editorials to publications including state-backed media. Regulators were shocked at the extent of the companys media interests after reviewing its holdings and asked it to come up with a plan to substantially curtail the interests, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. Beijing is concerned that Alibaba could use its media assets as a tool to control public opinion, creating a vicious circle," the person said. Already, the companys media has played a role in influencing the general publics view about the emerging fintech sector, the person said. Weibo shares fell 2.4% in U.S. trading, while Alibabas U.S. shares were little changed. The expansive influence is seen as posing serious challenges to the Chinese Communist Party and its powerful propaganda apparatus, the Journal said. Representatives for Alibaba in China and the U.S. didnt respond to requests for comment. Ma is revered in China as one of the countrys most-successful entrepreneurs. But his fortunes have waned since he spoke out against Chinas regulatory approach to the finance sector. Those comments set in motion an unprecedented regulatory offensive, including scuttling plans for Ants $35 billion initial public offering and opening an antitrust probe into Alibaba. His media holdings could prove even more problematic. Chinas campaign to curb the influence of its technology moguls expanded last week with fines against Pony Mas conglomerate Tencent Holdings Ltd. Top financial regulators see Tencent as the next target for increased supervision after the clamp down on Ant, Bloomberg reported. It isnt clear whether Alibaba will need to sell all of its media assets, the Journal reported. Any plan that Alibaba comes up with will need approval from Chinas senior leadership, according to the newspaper. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Federal authorities took under their custody two men, who were reportedly involved in the attack of the Capitol officer during the capitol riot. The riot that happened on January 6 led to the death of Brian Sicknick, who suffered injuries during the attack. Associated Press noted that Sicknick lost his life defending the capitol against the people who stormed the building in the middle of the Congress' voting to certify President Joe Biden's electoral winning against former President Donald Trump. ALSO READ: 7 More People Federally Charged in Connection to Capitol Riot Brian Sicknick and assailants FOX 2 Detroit identified the assailants as Julian Elie Khater, 32 from Pennsylvania, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, from Morgantown. The FBI obtained a video wherein Khater was seen spraying Sicknick and other capitol officers with bear spray. The video also showed the officers putting their hands in their faces and rushing to flush out the substance from their eyes. The protesters' attack on the Capitol temporarily stopped the Electoral College Vote Count that will secure Biden's victory over Trump. The exact cause of Brian Sicknick's death has not been officially determined. Based on the statements collected by people familiar with the case, investigators initially theorized Sicknick was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher. However, the Independent mentioned Sicknick's mother, saying she does not believe the initial reports of her son dying from a blow to head. "We'd love to know what happened," said the mother. Investigators also looked at a possible chemical attack. "We are waiting for toxicology results and continue to work with other government agencies regarding death investigation," said United States Capitol Police in their statement. However, Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman considers Sicknick's death as "in line of duty" as he was injured while "physically engaging with the protesters." Aside from Brian Sicknick, five more people have lost their lives in the riot, including a woman who was said to be shot by a police officer inside the Capitol. Many rioters still face charges of injuring police officers. The Capitol officers were hit with bats, sprayed with chemicals, punched, kicked, and rammed with metal gates, which were installed to keep rioters from the Capitol. Authorities on the Incident The Capitol Police is still mourning the loss of Brian Sicknick, noting that the bravery he showed in the capitol riot will be remembered by their police family. Moreover, they are angered about the injustice brought upon their beloved officer. "Those who perpetrated these heinous crimes must be held accountable," said Pittman. Pittman also reiterated that the "unlawful actions" will never be tolerated by their department. The FBI has already released photos of 250 people guilty of assaulting Capitol Officers during the riot. On the other hand, the family of Brian Sicknick is asking for privacy, and the misinformation regarding his death be put to a stop. RELATED ARTICLE: Fact Check: Was AOC in the Capitol Building During the Riot? WATCH: 2 charged in assault of Capitol officer who died after riot - from WGN News OTTAWA, ON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brane Inc., a leading cryptocurrency custodian, announced today that Martin Lantaigne, an experienced technology executive and current Partner and Canadian Federal Cluster Leader at IBM, has joined the company's Advisory Board. As a member of Brane's team of advisors, Lantaigne will support Brane's development into Canada's leading blockchain innovation company, bringing deep tech sector experience and public sector expertise to the table. "I'm delighted to join the outstanding team at Brane in their exciting journey to becoming the leading cryptocurrency custodian," said Lantaigne. "I'm looking forward to working with the Brane team to realize their vision of becoming a bank for the world's new asset class." "Martin brings unparalleled experienced deploying technology at an enterprise scale to help resolve business challenges and shape disruptive business models across a range of industries, including Canada's public sector," said Adam Miron, Brane's Chairman and Interim CEO. "The exceptional bench strength of our board and advisors, ranging from seasoned private sector executives to public sector leaders, is one of Brane's greatest assets as we embark on a phase of rapid growth. Martin is the perfect addition to this team." Lantaigne's experience in the technology sector spans nearly three decades. Prior to joining IBM Canada, he held a series of senior executive roles at SAP Canada. Brane's Advisory Board also includes: Former Ambassador Bruno Saccomani Officer-in-Charge, RCMP, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Protection Detail (2009-2012) Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and to the Republic of Iraq Sylvain Viau 37 years of service with the Canadian Armed Forces, retired at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Communication branch in 2015 Gianluca Cairo Chief of Staff, Federal Minister Innovation, Science and Economic Development (2017-2019) Chief of Staff, Federal Minister Public Services and Procurement (2015-2017) Nick Koolsbergen Chief of Staff Alberta's Premier Jason Kenney (2017-2018) Director of Issues Management Office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper (2014-2015) Nathalie Bourque More than 30 years in public relations, government affairs and financial communications Devan Pennell, CPA CFO Flow Alkaline Spring Water For a list of the Board of Directors of Brane and more information, please visit https://brane.capital/about/ For more information: Adam Miron Interim-CEO & Chairman Brane Capital [email protected] 613-986-2422 https://brane.capital/ Founded in 2017, Brane is a blockchain innovation company. Brane helps organizations understand and unlock the power of the blockchain and digital assets. Brane Vault, its digital asset custody service, is ISO 27001 certified - first in the world with cryptocurrency in scope, ISO 27017 certified, and NIST Tier 4 -- the first company in Canada, in any industry, to receive such certification. Brane Vault offers advanced proprietary technology and processes with over 20 provisional patents and is fully insured against theft and crime. SOURCE Brane Capital The current state of knowledge emerging from a variety of public institutions is assessed through the application of a proxy indicator: the Infosys Prize. The prize, which seeks to reward world-class research by Indian scientists and scholars, is assessed by reviewing the different laureates through markers such as institutions of education, current research as well as social profile. The article, while recognising the limits of the data presented, raises some crucial questions at epistemic and structural biases that limit the scope of laureates to a set of elite institutions and knowledge systems. When viewed in terms of knowledge and creativity, both classical and folk, India has an impressive record. Indias status as a knowledge powerhouse in the ancient world is perhaps unrivalled. A comprehensive account of these knowledge contributions requires a multivolume, multi-author effort, such as the Project of the History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture whose general editor D P Chattopadhyaya, in consultation with other scholars, imagined an expansive encyclopedia of Indias knowledge universe.1 Although the project is still a work in progress, the volumes already published give us a sense of a civilisation and a society that was vibrant, plural, rigorous in its thinking, encouraging of different viewpoints, and astonishingly creative. The Murty Classical Library of India, published by Harvard University Press, reveals this amazing intellectual vitality. Amartya Sen applauding the value of these volumes advised us that the shaping of Indias future depends on understanding its past. You are the owner of this article. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Shared concerns about China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region will take centre stage when President Joe Biden's secretary of state and defence chief visit Japan for their first in-person talks with their Japanese counterparts. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will be holding meetings meant to reaffirm Americas commitment to the region and to the two nations alliance following former President Donald Trumps more confrontational approach. On Tuesday, the two secretaries will hold so-called two plus two diplomatic and security talks with their Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Building a foundation for improved growth and profitability Adjusted EBIT at 3.7 million; Net result at 1.4 million Gross margin rate increased to 74.5% vs 73.4% in 2019 Clear roadmap aligning all Group efforts to accelerate revenue growth Committed to continuing to manage costs in 2021 Q1 revenue currently expected to be in the range of 52m to 55m Regulatory News: ESI Group (Paris:ESI), Paris, France, (ISIN Code: FR0004110310, Symbol: ESI), releases its results for the financial year starting on January 1st and ending on December 31st, 2020, approved by the Board of Directors on March 15th, 2021. Cristel de Rouvray, Chief Executive Officer of ESI Group, comments: "2020 was a cornerstone year for Industry and ESI Group. During this unprecedented year, ESI had the opportunity to accelerate its multi-year transformation and demonstrate both the resiliency of its business model and the adaptability of its costs. We contained the impact from revenue decrease with a pro-active management of costs, and the benefit of these decisions will be further seen in 2021 and beyond. We stand on a solid foundation, aiming for sustainable gains in both topline growth and profit, as the unique value we bring to industry becomes further recognized. ESI is the essential partner for digital transformation for our key customers. Through focus and best-practice execution, we aim to expand the impact and number of these mission critical engagements, via our unique combination of predictive simulation software and industry specific application knowledge built over the past 48 years. (m) FY 20201 FY 2019 (Jan Dec) Change Change Constant exchange rate (cer) Revenue 132.6 146.2 -9.3% -8.7% Gross margin 98.7 107.4 -8.1% -7.5% %revenue 74.5% 73.4% EBIT (adjusted2 3.7 8.3 -55.6% -55.0% %revenue 2.8% 5.7% EBIT 4.0 8.4 -52.0% -55.0% %revenue 3.1% 5.8% Net result 1.4 n/a n/a %revenue 1.1% n/a n/a Cash 22.5 20.2 11.0% Control of costs and good resilience of results Full-year sales were 132.6 million thanks to the very significant proportion of recurring revenue and an increase in the share of licenses in sales. Given the revenue challenge created by the COVID crisis, ESI Group took action to reduce costs to EBIT by 6.6% to 128.9m vs 137.9m in FY19. The full benefit of many of these cost management steps will be realized in 2021. Gross margin rate increased to 74.5% vs 73.4% in 2019 due to licensing gross margin rate at 86.9% and relative weight of licenses in total revenue (82,4% in FY 20 vs 79.3% in FY 19). Operating costs (R&D, S&M G&A) decreased by 4.2% at 95.1 m. Despite decrease in EBIT, net result remains positive (favorable forex result and lower income tax) at 1.4 million. ESI has a strong cash position ESI Group has demonstrated its capacity in a tough FY20 global environment to maintain a strong balance sheet. The net financial debt decreased to 24.9 m vs 29.4 m in 2019, with a gearing to 28.4% (Net debt/Equity) vs 34.2% end of December 2019. The Group has a strong cash position end of year at 22.5m including a new government guaranteed loan of 13.75m (PGE State guaranteed loan) versus 20.2m end of December FY19. It did not used its short term RCF (Revolving Credit Facility) end of this year versus a usage of 10m last year. A roadmap to align all Group efforts to accelerate revenue growth ESI was built on its ability to tackle the complex challenges of engineers across domains and across industries. During the past 18 months, the Group made a strong transformation effort to align its teams across the globe, to adopt best practices in systems, processes and tools, and to focus its strategy on its core business. The Group organization and roadmap are now set to tackle long-term objectives: deliver strong top-line growth while significantly improving the bottom-line. Communicated a year ago, ESI has organized its value-proposition around 4 main industries and 4 main customer outcomes. Development roadmaps are now defined for each industry. These roadmaps are used to align the multi-year investments priorities and guide the teams. ESI delivers compelling solutions in mission critical applications that enable its customers to make the right decisions at the right time. Some success stories that the Group shared in 2020 illustrate this: - With ESI's help, Nissan Motors succeeded to create the right methodology and took the right engineering decisions in order to industrialize a new material the CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer); a key strategic milestone to reach their CO2 reduction targets. More. - Thanks to ESI's human centric solution, Latecoere reduced its industrialization lead times while involving all stakeholders early in the development process to obtain their feedback and train operators in other regions of the world. More. - A world leading heavy machinery OEM remained productive during the COVID-19 crisis while using from home ESI's virtual reality solutions. On the sales side, capitalizing on its strong installed base, the Group has defined a go-to-market strategy based on customer segmentation to, on one hand, strengthen the relationship and increase the business with existing top accounts and, on the other hand, drive new business opportunities globally. This alignment has also allowed the Group to rationalize some elements of the Group's cost structure (align software development to return-on-investment, fewer facilities, global and streamlined events and marketing) the benefits of which were partly visible in 2020, and will continue to materialize in 2021 and future years. The Group currently expects Q1 2021 revenue, to be in the range of 52 million to 55 million, compared to 54.9 million in Q1 2020. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements". 2021 starts with a strengthened foundation allowing a stronger focus on execution toward sustainable growth and profitability. The continued support of the installed base is enabling the Group to focus on expanding business with top global accounts and increasing the new business pipeline. The Group expects Q1 2021 revenue to be in the range of 52 million to 55 million compared to 54.9m in Q1 2020. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those related to the COVID-19 virus and associated further economic and market disruptions; further adverse changes or fluctuations in the global economy; further adverse fluctuations in our industry, foreign exchange fluctuations, changes in the current global trade regulatory environment; fluctuations in customer demands and markets; fluctuations in demand for our products including orders from our large customers; cyber-attacks; expense overruns; and adverse effects of price changes or effective tax rates. The company directs readers to its Universal Registration Document Chapter 3 presenting the risks associated with the company's future performance. Upcoming event First quarter 2021 April 29, 2021 (6pm CET) About ESI Group Founded in 1973, ESI Group is a leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping solutions and a global enabler of industrial transformation. Thanks to the company's unique know-how in the physics of materials, it has developed and refined, over the last 45 years, advanced simulation capabilities. Having identified gaps in the traditional approach to Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), ESI has introduced a holistic methodology centered on industrial productivity and product performance throughout its entire lifecycle, i.e. Product Performance Lifecycle, from engineering to manufacturing and in operation. Present in more than 20 countries, and in major industrial sectors, ESI employs 1200 high level specialists around the world and reported 2020 sales of 132.6 million. ESI is headquartered in France and is listed on compartment B of Euronext Paris. For further information, go to www.esi-group.com. 1 Ongoing audit on 2020 financial statements 2 Adjusted EBIT before integration of IFRS 16 effect. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005864/en/ Contacts: ESI Shareholder Relations Florence Barre investors@esi-group.com +33 1 49 78 28 28 Verbatee Press Shareholder Relations Jerome Goaer, j.goaer@verbatee.com, +33 6 61 61 79 34 Aline Besselievre, a.besselievre@verbatee.com, +33 6 61 85 10 05 All but certain to face a recall election sometime later this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom went on ABC's "The View" Tuesday morning and stated he's worried about his current situation. The governor, who has declined to discuss the recall with California-based reporters, sought the refuge of "The View's" Democrat-friendly hosts. "I want to know, as a former Californian person, what this is really about?" co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked. "Because I think you've done a pretty damn good job in this gigantic state of keeping it together in circumstances where you didn't get a lot of help. So what is this really about and are you concerned?" "I appreciate that," Newsom replied to Goldberg before panning the recall efforts as antithetical to "California values." Later in his appearance, the governor noted that the signature math does not look good for him. "Am I worried about it? Of course I'm worried about it," he said. "... We're taking it seriously, I have to do my job every single day but I'm going to fight this thing because I'm going to fight for California values and the things I hold dear." The only line of difficult questioning came from co-host Meghan McCain, who noted the fact that California has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country and asked about Californians fleeing the state. After touting the number of "scientists, engineers and researchers" in California, Newsom tied the higher-than-normal unemployment rate to California's battered tourism industry. "As it relates to the unemployment rate, you're absolutely right, it's stubborn and it's consistent with other high-tourism states like Hawaii and others," he said. "... But I don't think we're going to come back we're going to come roaring back, and I assure you if we talk again in six months we'll be in a completely different place." The governor also took questions about fellow embattled Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo as well as plans to nominate a Black woman should Sen. Dianne Feinstein retire. You can watch Newsom's responses in the videos above. The confirmed that the administration of President Joe Biden had recently reached out to but has not yet received a response from Pyongyang. "I can confirm that we have reached out," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at Monday's news briefing when asked by reporters about the matter. She added that the US maintains a series of channels through which it is able to communicate with North Korea, Xinhua news agency reported. Psaki said the US has "not received any response" to date, stressing repeatedly that Washington's priority has been, and remains, "to reduce the risk of escalation" through diplomacy. She did not elaborate on what kind of escalation the US is concerned about. "Diplomacy continues to remain our first priority. I think you can all anticipate that there will be a continued expansion of engagement with partners and allies in the region, and this will of course be a topic of discussion," the Press Secretary added. Later in the day, a State Department's principal deputy spokesperson, Jalina Porter said the policy review will evaluate all available options. "The administration is conducting a thorough inter-agency review of US policy toward North Korea, and that includes evaluating all options to address the increased threats that are posed by to its neighbours, as well as the broader community," Porter said in a telephonic press briefing. The Department had earlier said the review will likely be completed within "weeks". Also on Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Tokyo, kicking off a two-leg tour to Northeast Asia that will later bring them to Seoul. Sung Kim, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told reporters last week that Blinken would discuss the North Korean nuclear issue with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts during the trip. Kim said that the US' commitment to seeking a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has not changed. The North has stayed away from denuclearization talks since leader Kim Jong-un's second bilateral summit with former US President Donald Trump in Hanoi ended without a deal in February 2019. The last dialogue was held in late 2019. --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.) Westerly, RI (02891) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 53F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 53F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 15, 2021) - iCo Therapeutics Inc. (TSXV: ICO) (OTCQB: ICOTF) ("iCo" or "the Company") announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Amphotericin B Technologies, Inc., has entered into an agreement with IIT Research Institute to test the in vivo efficacy of iCo's novel oral amphotericin B asset ("iCo-019") against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 in the hACE2 mouse model (the "iCo-019 Study"). iCo anticipates that the iCo-019 Study will be completed by the end of Q2 2021. "We are excited for this next phase in our development of iCo-019 to begin," said William Jarosz, the Chief Executive Officer of iCo. In addition, iCo announced that Dr. Kishor Wasan, the Director of Research at iCo, Co-Director of the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative at the University of British Columbia and Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of Skymount Medical will be submitting abstracts concerning research on iCo-019 and related COVID-19 cell work to the 2021 CSPS/PSJ/CC-CRS Joint Symposium - Pharmaceutical Sciences in a Pandemic World - being held virtually from May 31 to June 3, 2021 sponsored by the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences. (https://www.cspscanada.org/symposium-events/2021-csps-symposium/) Dr. Wasan commented, "We have some exciting preliminary data suggesting the anti-viral activity of our compound against SARS-CoV-2 at concentrations that are not toxic to the cells themselves." About iCo Therapeutics iCo Therapeutics identifies existing development stage assets for use in underserved ocular and infectious diseases. Such assets may exhibit utility in non-ophthalmic conditions outside the Company's core focus areas and if so, the Company will seek to capture further value via partnerships. iCo shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ICO" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "ICOTF". For more information, visit the Company website at: www.icotherapeutics.com. No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the content of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulatory Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release may be considered "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information can be identified by words such as: "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements pertaining to the clinical progress of certain iCo assets, the anticipated completion date of the iCo 019 Study, the anti-viral activity of the iCo 019 compound against SARS-CoV-2 and the submission of abstracts concerning research on iCo-019 and related COVID-19 cell work at the 2021 CSPS/PSJ/CC-CRS Joint Symposium - Pharmaceutical Sciences in a Pandemic World. All forward-looking statements are based on iCo's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to iCo and relate to, among other things, anticipated financial performance, business prospects, strategies, regulatory developments, market acceptance and future commitments. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to iCo and speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including risks related to the iCo-019 Study and the results and timing thereof, the anti-viral activity of the iCo-019 compound against SARS-CoV-2 and the toxicity to the cells themselves, the pharmaceutical industry generally, market conditions, economic factors, management's ability to manage and to operate the business of iCo and the equity markets generally, as well as the risks and uncertainties identified by iCo in its public securities filings and on its website, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. iCo disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contact: iCo Therapeutics Inc. jarosz@icotherapeutics.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77390 (ALEXANDRIA, MN) Back in 1929 Henry Eidsvold was driving around Morris, Alexandria and other parts of greater Minnesota selling candy out of a truck. Now the family business is in it's fourth generation and celebrating the opening of an enormous 32,000 square foot addition. The addition is a freezer that will increase Henry's Foods' overall freezer space to 48,000 square feet. The total square footage of the Alexandria plant is now an impressive 203,000 square feet. Rivalling the north pole this new freezer addition is also a state-of-the-art marvel of innovation and change. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday about 100 people gathered inside the new freezer loading area and watched as Henry's management and staff, along with persons connected with its construction and design, cut the ribbon to the new facility. It will take seven days to cool the entire space. Once that is done, the doorway into the current cooler will be made. President Kellie Janssen addressed the group and talked about the people who played a part in the addition. Jim Eidsvold later talked about all of history that led up to this point and Henry's Foods' insistence on working with local companies to complete the project. CEO Brian Eidsvold talked about the need and the size and scope of the freezer space. Innovative Builders managed the project. Owner Randy Roers says that the building, because of its use, required additional ingenuity to meet the need. Some of the interesting facts surrounding the construction: The parking lot is 7 thick and consists of just over 3,000 cubic yards of concrete. (Thats 300 truck loads) The building structure consists of 312,000 lbs. of steel Underneath the floor there are 3 layers of 2 rigid insulation. Just over 2,500 4x8 sheets! When the new freezer is at full capacity it will serve just over 2,500 product items for Henrys Foods customers. Henry's Foods employs more than 175 employees and serves five states. Roughly 30% of the Massachusetts State Police force have not received their coronavirus vaccinations at clinics run by the agency, despite first responders becoming eligible to get immunized more than two months ago, The Boston Globe reported. Citing data released in response to a request from the Globe, the newspaper reported 845 of the 2,847 eligible employees in the state law enforcement department had not received either doses of the two-shot Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines at one of the agencys clinics in Chicopee, Framingham or Plymouth as of Friday. Officials told the news outlet some of the 845 employees who didnt receive at least one dose of either vaccine could have gotten vaccinated at other immunizations sites not run by state police. A spokesperson for the agency said the department didnt have an exact number of employees who sought to get vaccinated elsewhere, according to the Globe. Others could have opted not to get their shots due to medical conditions, the spokesperson told the newspaper. Republican Gov. Charlie Bakers administration allowed the states roughly 45,000 first responders to start getting vaccinated Jan. 11. However, not all police officers and firefighters have been on board with getting their shots. Skepticism surrounding the vaccine has existed since the start of the states immunization rollout, despite the fact that both Pfizer and Modernas vaccines have proved to be 95% effective and have had minimal harmful side effects. In early January, Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis Jr. told MassLive he and around half the members of his department didnt plan to get vaccinated. The chief pointed out that potential longterm side effects of the vaccine remain unknown and the immunization was developed in historic speed. Given my age and the fact that I dont have any underlying health conditions, if I caught COVID, I would have an over 99% chance of surviving, Sluckis said in an interview. Ill take my 99-to-1 odds of not getting the vaccine. You couldnt pay me to take it, he bluntly stated. Mark Leahy, the executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, believe police officers trust of the vaccine has improved, though, as more and more people have gotten immunized. A month ago, there was a lot of hesitancy, and there seemed to be a lot of concern about the unknown, Leahy, the former police chief in Northborough, told MassLive in an interview in late December. Now the tide has really shifted to: How soon can we get this done? " Looking at other blocs of first responders and essential workers, around 60 to 70% of firefighters in the state said in January they planned on getting vaccinated, according to Rich MacKinnon Jr., the president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, which represents more than 12,000 firefighters and emergency medical technicians. At the time, he pointed out firefighters have been putting themselves at risk since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, highlighting the need for them to be prioritized in the states vaccine rollout. Weve had firefighters in ICU units, hospitals, MacKinnon said in December. The more responses we go on, the more exposures we encounter. Our COVID responses have obviously gone up as the numbers have gone up. This is a risk we willingly take on, but that is why we need to be among the first to get vaccinated. Statewide, more than half of prison guards in Massachusetts have declined receiving coronavirus vaccines, a trend mirrored across the United States, The Associated Press reported. There appears to be some hesitancy among the general population as well. A UMass Amherst poll of 800 residents across Massachusetts from March 5 to 9 found 71% of those surveyed said they either definitely or probably will get vaccinated, while 21% said they either definitely or probably will not get immunized. For those who answered they will likely not get immunized, among their reasons was a lack of trust in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, worries over its possible side effects and a distrust in vaccines generally. Nationally, the number of people who plan to get vaccinated looks similar. As part of a survey conducted by the journal Nature Medicine, residents in 19 countries were polled to determine acceptance rates of the vaccine and factors influencing peoples acceptance. Differences in acceptance rates ranged from almost 90% in China to less than 55% in Russia. The rate in the U.S. was 75%. In Massachusetts and elsewhere in the country, demand for the vaccine has far outpaced the supply available. For the past several weeks in the commonwealth, tens of thousands of immunization appointments were fully booked within hours of going live online. As of Saturday, more than 200,000 people had signed up for the states new preregistration system that aims to streamline access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 2,620,671 doses of the vaccine in total had been administered in Massachusetts as of Monday afternoon. The commonwealth ranks No. 1 in first doses of the vaccine administered per capita among larger states with at least 5 million residents. According to the Globe, union officials who represent state police employees in Massachusetts do not track vaccination rates among members. Nancy Sterling, a spokeswoman for the State Police Association of Massachusetts, told the newspaper the only guidance the union has given its members is to consult with their doctors. Related Content: Sorry! This content is not available in your region Chinas annual session of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) last week set an annual economic growth target that at above 6 per cent - looks conservative to many and, as such, it is likely that the countrys demand for oil will be significantly higher than is implied in the growth figure. The soft economic growth target is a really low bar considering that annual growth prints will be boosted by favourable base effects, Eugenia Victorino, head of Asia strategy for SEB in Singapore told OilPrice.com last week. Chinas GDP growth is likely to come in around 15-17 per cent year-on-year [y-o-y] in Q1and we expect output to rise by 8.0 per cent year-on-year this year, she added. Having recovered from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 much quicker than any other major global economy, China is now in a position to scale back its wide-ranging policy support connected to ensuring a sound baseline of economic growth but is unlikely to completely withdraw it. Beijing has already narrowed the deficit for the central government budget to 3.2 per cent of GDP from the 3.6 cap imposed in 2020, although this new target for the budget deficit remains slightly higher than the average historical ceiling of 3 per cent. In addition, underlined Victorino, the quota set for special local government bonds, which supplement the central government deficit, was cut to RMB3.65 trillion from the pandemic-boosted allocation of RMB 3.75 trillion last year. We estimate the broad deficit in 2021 to narrow to 6.4 per cent of GDP from 8.4 per cent last year but even as the governments monetary stance gradually dials back support it will still avoid a sharp reversal in policy, she concluded. Related Video: Why The Oil & Gas Rig Count Matters Politically, this above 6 per cent economic growth target if maintained for the first two years of the 14th Five Year Plan that runs from 2021 to 2025 is in line with the leaderships long-term economic goal set in November 2020 to double the size of the economy by 2035, implying annual growth of 4.7 per cent, TS Lombards chief China economist, Bo Zhuang, told OilPrice.com last week. By the World Bank definition, per capita income of US$10,410 in 2019 was roughly 84 per cent of the high-income country threshold and this implies that average annual growth of around 6 per cent would enable China to pass the threshold as early as 2022, he said. The symbolism of this would be significant politically for [Chinas President, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman of the Central Military Commission] Xi Jinping at the start of another leadership term at the next Communist Party Congress in 2022, he added. We think these economic growth goals are achievable, with China likely to achieve high-income status by 2022 as well, he underlined. This will further feed into Chinas core policy of being geopolitically and economically independent of all other countries as soon as is practicably possible, as repeatedly stressed during October 2020s Plenum of the Communist Party Central Committee and in line with President Xis comments on tour in the same month that: We need to take the road of self-reliance on a higher level. However, it does not mean that China will be either unwilling or unable to fulfil the pledges it made regarding oil and other energy imports in the Phase 1 Trade Deal, as it still needs time to catch-up to the U.S. in key technological areas in which it is still heavily dependent on imports so needs to be seen to keeping its side of the deal. Making good on its promises to increase imports from the U.S. in the key areas agreed last year may also increase the likelihood of President Joe Biden to take a more conciliatory approach to the next round of trade negotiations with China rather than that which was apparent in a U.S. presidential debate when he repeated his description of the leadership in Beijing as thugs and vowed to make sure China plays by the rules. The consensus of opinion was that Chinas commitment to buy the additional US$52.4 billion in U.S. energy products in 2020/21 as part of the Phase 1 Trade Deal between the two countries was impossible to achieve but before this became complicated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic the consensus was wrong. China was, and is, fully able to purchase such a huge increase in oil and other energy products from the U.S. should it wish to do so and, depending on how the Biden administration resumes its dialogue with Beijing, such increases may be a feature of the oil market for some time. Specifically, China agreed to buy an extra US$18.5 billion of energy products in 2020 over and above the US$9.1 billion baseline of U.S. imports in 2017, and an extra US$33.9 billion in 2021. These quotas represented a doubling in 2020 of Chinas previous record monthly imports from the U.S. of crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and coal, and a tripling of it this year. Related: Permian Production Set To Rise Despite Shale Decline The crude oil element of the Phase 1 deal was regarded as the most difficult of the three new energy products quotas to fulfil for two key reasons. The first was that to reach the volumes of crude oil required in Phase 1 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) would have to be utilised almost daily, which would dramatically increase the freight cost element of the final delivered crude oil price for the Chinese buyers. This final per barrel price of the delivered crude oil would be increased further because the size of VLCCs required would be too large to use the usual route via the Panama Canal for such deliveries from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia and would have to travel via the Horn of Africa instead. Replacing the extra 15 to 20 VLCCs needed per month needed to meet the new crude oil quotas with a greater number of smaller vessels that could travel through the Panama Canal would not meaningfully reduce the freight cost element, as each of the smaller vessels would have to pay the extremely expensive transit fee to use the Canal. The second key reason why the new crude oil quotas were regarded as the most difficult to fulfil was that logistical upheaval (and further associated cost) would result from the reconfiguration required in a sizable proportion of the refineries across China that are geared towards processing the heavier, sourer crudes of the Middle East rather than the lighter, sweeter U.S. WTI blend. None of these considerations, however, were or are - sufficient to pose a significant problem to the new Chinese power structure that began to emerge when Xi Jinping took over as General Secretary of the Communist Party in China in November 2012, and later as President of the Peoples Republic of China in March 2013. Since then, the leadership of China has stressed the virtues of self-reliance and has sought to develop relationships with global partners to make up for the ending of the constructive engagement with the U.S. and its allies of the past four decades, Jonathan Fenby, chairman of the China research team at TS Lombard, in London, told OilPrice.com. In immediate practical terms, this shift in consciousness has been manifested in a broadening and deepening of the Communist Partys role across all key areas of economic management in the country, including the introduction of a directive designed to enhance the political supervision of Chinas state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Already accounting for 26 per cent of Chinas total imports, the SOEs have seen their economic role expanded in line with the centralisation ethos of the Chinese Communist Party, as encapsulated in Xi Jinpings statement that: Government, military, civilian, and academic, east, west, south, north, and centre, the [Communist] Party leads everything. Within this context, Chinas approach to securing energy flows is twofold: firstly, to cultivate multi-layered relationships with countries that hold massive quantities of relatively cheap but high quality oil and gas reserves that can absolutely be relied upon for decades to provide China with such energy flows; and, secondly, to develop Chinas own oil and gas field reservoirs. The latter of these two strategies remains an elusive goal and in the formers case it will take time to fully integrate the oil and gas sectors of Iran and Iraq in line with the broader remit of the 25-year deal with Iran, and to build out their combined capacity to the 10 million barrels per day+ of oil alone that China has been consuming in recent years. Right now for China, then, securing its energy needs in a reliable manner the prime consideration over and above cost broadly requires doing just enough to placate the U.S. on the issue of Phase 1 energy imports. This includes simply ensuring that the relevant Chinese state-run and state-directed - just absorb them as they will be ordered to do by the government, regardless of the costs involved. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. ADVERTISEMENT The Imo House of Assembly on Tuesday received a list of four nominees for ratification of their appointment as commissioners in the state Executive Council. The nomimees are Doris Uzoka, Bartholomew Okorochukwu, Boniface Nwogu and Uche Ohia. The Speaker, Paul Emeziem (APC-Onuimo), during plenary, read the names from a letter sent to the House by Governor Hope Uzodimma. The speaker referred the list of the nominees to a five-man ad-hoc committee, chaired by Obinna Okwara (APC-Nkwerre), for screening. He charged the committee to conclude the screening by Wednesday and report to the House. The House resolved to pass a vote of confidence on the governor for his monumental achievements in his one year in office. The motion was moved by Eddy Obinna (APC-Aboh Mbaise) who said the governor has performed well, despite the setbacks caused by COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Obinna said Governor Uzodinma, in his first year in office, has lived up to his campaign promises. The governor, he said, should be commended for adopting the recommendations of the panel of inquiry set up by his predecessor, Emeka Ihedioha, for the recovery of government property. Supporting the motion, the Deputy Speaker, Amarachi Iwuanyanwu (APC-Nwangele), said the governor has demonstrated his capabilities, especially in road construction. Mr Iwuanyanwu also noted that the bills the governor had assented to, were all geared towards improving the lives of the people. Kennedy Ibeh (APC-Obowo), while commending the governor, urged him to tackle unemployment in the state by promoting industrialisation. Similarly, Philip Ejiogu (PDP-Owerri North) appealed to the governor to pay more attention to payment of salaries and pensions. Following the overwhelming votes in support, the speaker ruled in favour of the prayers of the motion. He congratulated Mr Uzodimma for ensuring transparent governance and for his efforts towards minimising the effects of COVID-19 in Imo State. (NAN) Louisiana ranked No. 50 among the best states in a U.S. News and World Report survey that explored eight categories ranging from the economy to education. The state has consistently ranked near the bottom for years. Washington state ranked No. 1 on the list, followed by Minnesota and Utah. Mississippi was No. 49, while Alabama sat at No. 46 and Arkansas was No. 44. For health care, Louisiana ranked No. 46, with the slice of the population without health insurance and obese topping the national average. In education, the high school graduation rate was lower as well, with 81.4% of seniors getting a diploma. Job growth in Louisiana was flat compared to the national average of 1.4%, while the state lost 0.5% of workers to net migration compared to 0.2% as the U.S. average. 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 Infrastructure also pulled down the state's ranking, with 25.4% of roadways in poor condition compared to a 19.9% U.S. average. The poverty rate was at 19%, compared to 12.3% nationwide. The incarceration rate was higher at 680 out of 100,000 residents, compared to 419 out of 100,000 residents on average nationally. Louisiana ranks near rock bottom of U.S. prosperity study, business environment Louisiana's business environment and overall quality of life ranks next to last on a global private investment firm's rankings of the 50 state The Chinese embassy in India has said that it will smoothen the visa process for Indians who will take the 'Made in China' coronavirus vaccine. However, it must be mentioned here that there's a catch to this -- the Centre has not granted permission to any China-made COVID-19 vaccine in the country so far. In an official notification, the Chinese embassy in India notified, "Persons and their family members going to China to carry on their employment contracts, work resumption and other relevant activities are allowed to submit their visa applications through Chinese Visa Application Service Center (VFC) to Chinese Embassy or Consulates in India following the same way as before the epidemic occurred". The embassy also said that foreigners who are the family members of Chinese citizens or holders of Chinese Permanent Resident's Permit will also be allowed to submit their visa applications through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (VFS) to the Chinese Embassy or Consulates in India following the same way as before the epidemic occurred. It added that "Foreigners who are flying from India to China will be required to present the Electronic Health Declaration for boarding. Foreign Passengers can apply for the Electronic Health Declaration Form". Foreign passengers can fill in the information, declare the health status and upload the negative certificate of nucleic acid test and IgM antibody test, passport page, as well as valid Chinese visa in order to fly to China from India, the Chinese embassy said in a statement. It must be noted that last year in November, China barred the entry of foreign nationals living in India into the country in the wake of rising coronavirus cases. So far, China has approved four vaccines against COVID-19 for general use. This includes Sinovac, Sinopharm, CanSino Biologics and a newly approved vaccine developed jointly by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Ltd and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Several countries have signed a deal with Sinovac, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Turkey. Whereas, the UAE and Bahrain have approved Sinopharm vaccine. According to the Chinese government, the country has "provided vaccine assistance to 69 countries and two international organisations, and exported vaccines to 28 countries". China has been slow in vaccinating its population of 1.4 billion people, despite having four vaccines approved for general use. The latest numbers, according to government officials at a press briefing Monday in Beijing, is that it has administered 64.98 million doses of vaccines. Now, China is shifting gears, aiming to inoculate 40 per cent of its 1.4 billion people by the end of June. Also read: SC denies defaulting promoters back-door entry in insolvency process Also read: This stock rallied 1,300% in 12 months; should you subscribe? LOS ANGELES, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Silvus Technologies, Inc. ("Silvus") today announced the company has been awarded a contract worth up to $13.1 million as part of DARPA's Resilient Networked Distributed Mosaic Communications (RN DMC) program. Under RN DMC, Silvus will develop a distributed beamforming/beamnulling solution to enable resilient, long-range terrestrial communications of up to 100km using multiple collaborative radios distributed over hundreds of meters. RN DMC stems from DARPA's investment in mosaic warfare, a concept in which large numbers of lower-cost systems, referred to as "tiles," are deployed to perform complex mission functions in a coordinated fashion. By building a mosaic of inter-connected tiles, functions such as command and control, communications, and sensing can be performed with more resilience and higher performance. Building on a proven track record of developing real-time solutions enabling distributed frequency and time synchronization, Silvus' solution for RN DMC is dubbed Mosaic Scattered Wide-Area Resilient Network (MScWRN or M2N). M2N will enable spatially distributed beamforming and beamnulling with minimal communications required between tiles, resulting in mosaic clusters that are able to bridge large range gaps while seamlessly interoperating with the rest of a traditional Silvus mesh network. "The reliability of long-range communications utilizing multiple radios distributed over large distances is a critical component in DARPA's vision of mosaic warfare," said Dr. Babak Daneshrad, Chief Executive Officer of Silvus. "The RN DMC program will enable the continued development of our M2N solution, and we look forward to demonstrating its matured operation." About Silvus Technologies, Inc. Privately held and headquartered in Los Angeles, Silvus Technologies develops advanced MIMO technologies that are reshaping broadband wireless connectivity for mission critical applications. Backed by an unmatched team of PhD scientists and design engineers, its technologies provide enhanced wireless data throughput, interference mitigation, improved range, mobility, and robustness to address the growing needs of its government and commercial customers. Media Contact: Patrick Renegar W: 703-519-1600 Ext. 104 [email protected] Sales Contact: Jimi Henderson Phone: 310.479.3333 [email protected] SOURCE Silvus Technologies, Inc. Related Links www.silvustechnologies.com Tesla Challenger Xpeng Drives off with $77 Million from Government-Backed Investment Firm By Ding Yi / Mar 16, 2021 01:11 PM / Business & Tech Since its $1.5 billion U.S. initial public offering last August, Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng has found favor with outside investors amid its efforts to build smart cars on par with stronger rivals such as Tesla. On Monday, Xpeng announced it had received new investment of 500 million yuan ($77 million) from Guangdong Yuecai Investment, an investment arm of the government of the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where the young automaker is headquartered. The fresh capital will go to one of Xpengs subsidiaries to accelerate the companys business expansion, Xpeng said in a statement. Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng said that the new funds will also reinforce Xpengs commitment to building a comprehensive EV infrastructure in the fast-growing areas of China. Xpeng has a strong presence in Guangdong, where it operates a wholly owned manufacturing plant and the majority of its more than 5,000 employees are based. The company is also building a new production base in the province, which will also serve as a research center, and is set to go into operation by December 2022 The new investment comes just two months after Xpeng obtained a credit line of 12.8 billion yuan from five major Chinese financial institutions to strengthen its capabilities in manufacturing, sales, services and operations. In January and February, Xpeng delivered a total of 8,238 electric vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 577%. The sales figure, however, is still eclipsed by that of Tesla, whose Shanghai-assembled Model 3 claimed the title of Chinas second most popular new energy car model with sales of 27,531 units during the first two months of the year, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Tesla in January started delivering the Model Y in China, its second China-built car model. Contact reporter Ding Yi (yiding@caixin.com) Related: Tesla Takes Two of the Three Top Spots for Chinas Best-Selling NEV Models She welcomed her first child, Maven, 14 months ago. And Rachel Riley has spoken about her hopes of having another baby with her husband Pasha Kovalev, 41. In an interview with Hello Magazine, Rachel, 35, talked about her desires to add to the family, parenting in lockdown and how their daughter Maven 'loves dancing'. Parenting: Rachel Riley has spoken about her hopes of having another baby with her husband Pasha Kovalev, 41 (pictured in January) Rachel said: 'I think we'd like another one... Some of my friends had twins by accident and a few of them have got three little ones and everyone seemed to have them straight after. No one regrets it though, do they?' The Countdown host also spoke about raising their daughter Maven throughout lockdown and expressed her sadness that she hasn't been able to go to any baby clubs. Rachel explained: 'She's very happy, she loves dancing. She's done her first couple of tantrums last week, which at 14 months I'm like ok...it's kind of funny.' Happy family: The couple welcomed her first child, Maven, 14 months ago (pictured in December) The television presenter added Maven is sleeping well through the nights, but has missed out on interacting with other children. She said: 'Maven was three months old when we went into lockdown, so she's not socialised with other children, she's not used to going out to a cafe and sitting and behaving herself or anything so it's going to be a bit of a challenge, but parenting is a challenge isn't it and kids are adaptable, hopefully!' The mother-of-one recently shared her hopes of Maven being bilingual as husband Pasha talks to her 'solely in Russian'. Motherhood: Rachel, 35, talked about her desires to add to the family, parenting in lockdown and how their daughter Maven 'loves dancing'. Rachel said on Good Morning Britain: 'She's got teeth, she's biting us, she's all about chat chat chat! 'Pasha is speaking to her solely in Russian and I'm speaking to her in English so we're hoping she'll be bilingual.' The media personality sweetly added: 'She's so mobile, she's crawling and can walk with one hand now.' Rachel also shared that she will be teaching her daughter mathematics but joked: 'At the moment, she can bash cups together!' The adorable family have spent lockdown with the maths whizz's Russian mother-in-law Galina, whose month-long visit to the UK was extended amid the pandemic. Blonde beauty Rachel was previously married to Jamie Gilbert, whom she met while studying at Oxford university. The leaders of Italy and France today committed to 'quickly' resume inoculations of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine once the European regulator gives the all-clear. Italian PM Mario Draghi and French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to roll the pitch for an imminent climbdown. On a call the two leaders agreed they were ready to resume using the jab 'quickly' if the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gives the green light on Thursday. 'The preliminary statement today from EMA was positive,' a statement from Draghi's office said. They are among a host of EU nations to have suspended use of the jab after some people it was administered to suffered blood clotting problems. Boris Johnson, the UK's medical regulator the MHRA and the World Health Organisation have insisted the vaccine is safe and continues to roll it out at pace. It comes as a top European Commission official urged EU governments to stop sitting on their vaccine stockpiles as several countries suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine amid blood-clotting fears. Stella Kyriakides, the health commissioner, said the bloc was in a 'race against time' to rollout out of the vaccine or face several more spikes in infections. The EU has already seen a disastrous rollout of the vaccine across the continent, with just 8 per cent of adult receiving a jab compared to a third in the UK. Italian PM Mario Draghi (right) spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron (left) on Tuesday over an expected climbdown on the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine On a call Mr Macron and Mr Draghi agreed they were ready to resume using the jab 'quickly' if the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gives the green light Stella Kyriakides, the health commissioner, said the bloc was in a 'race against time' to rollout out of the vaccine or face several more spikes in infections There have been supply problems with both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs, but it was revealed earlier that several countries including Germany are sitting on stockpiles. 'Even with the immense and regrettable challenges around production capacity and deliveries, there are reports of unused reservoirs of vaccines across the EU, said Kyriakides following talks with European health ministers. 'We are racing against time and the rollout of vaccination is more than ever key to decrease the number of infected people as much as possible.' While Italy has used all of its Pfizer jabs, the country still has 250,000 AstraZeneca vaccines that it banned from going to Australia in storage. According to The Times, there are some 14.2 million jabs (60 per cent) delivered to EU governments that are yet to be used. Her comments came shortly after the European Unions medicines regulator said it was still 'firmly convinced' of the benefits of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Fourteen European countries including 12 EU members have now suspended their use of the shots altogether - with Sweden joining the list today - while another five have black-listed specific batches and a handful of governments outside Europe have also pulled the emergency brake. EMA safety experts say a 'very small number of people' have come down with blood disorders but there is 'no indication' that these were caused by the jab, which has already been given to 11 million people in the UK. Regulatory reports show that blood clot diagnoses are about equally likely after either the two jabs being used in the UK slightly higher for Pfizer and scientists insist the risk is no higher than a random person in the population could expect, meaning the vaccine remains safe Figures from AstraZeneca and the European Medicines Agency show the number of blood clot-related conditions from 17million doses dished out in the UK and Europe up to March 13 'We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,' said EMA chief Emer Cooke. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, UK regulator the MHRA and the WHO have all insisted that the vaccine is safe and that there is no evidence of a link to the sporadic blood clots. This evening, Health Secretary Matt Hancock reiterated the AstraZeneca was safe and urged people to get it when offered. 'The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, we know that over 10million people have had it in this country. Thats what the British regulator says but also the World Health Organisation and even the European regulator,' he said. 'We keep the effects of these vaccines under review at all times and we know the AstraZeneca vaccine is saving lives right now. So if you get the call, get the jab.' Italy earlier admitted that its suspension of AstraZeneca jabs was a 'political' move while French doctors accused Emmanuel Macron of 'giving in to panic' and a German lawmaker said the ban could cause a 'catastrophe'. Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have suspended their use of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine over blood clot fears despite health bodies saying there is no link and cases trending upwards - threatening more lockdowns Germany sought to justify its move by saying that one particular kind of blood clot, a 'sinus vein thrombosis', had occurred seven times among the 1.6million people vaccinated when only around one case would be expected. By contrast, only four such cases have been identified in the UK out of 11million doses administered. Nicola Magrini, the head of Italian medicines regulator AIFA, said politicians had come under pressure to call off the jabs after Germany and France made similar moves in what one Tory MP described as a 'Brexit sulk'. In Italy's case, the suspension means around 200,000 fewer vaccinations this week, government sources said, expressing confidence that they could make up for the setback. 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations... to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one,' Magrini said in an interview with La Repubblica. President Macron has previously undermined the efficacy of the jab, declaring it 'quasi-ineffective' for the over-65s - a position he also later rowed back from. Hyderabad, March 16 : India's youngest state Telangana has achieved the turnaround in agriculture by almost doubling the agriculture production and the area under cultivation during last seven years. Officials say this could be possible due to completion of several irrigation projects, revival of tanks, 24X7 free power to farmers and Rs.10,000 financial assistance to farmers towards input costs per acre annually. In 2014, when Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh, the area under cultivation in Telangana was 1.41 crore. The same has now gone up to 2.10 crore acres during the combined period of Vaanakalam (Kharif) and Yasangi (Rabi) seasons. The agriculture yield has doubled from 2.05 crore tonne to 4.11 crore tonne during the same period. According to official figures, Paddy was cultivated in 34.97 lakh acres in 2013-14, and this has gone to 1.04 crore acres in 2020-21. The procurement of paddy by the government has gone up from 24.30 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 1.11 crore tonnes last year. The government claims that state has become rice bowl of the country. The fact was highlighted during Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan's customary address to the joint session of both the houses of state legislature on Monday, the first day of the budget session. She said Telangana has become Annapurna or food provider to the country. Last summer, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) procured 1.15 crore tonnes of paddy all over the country. Of this, 64 lakh tonnes, that is about 56 per cent was procured from Telangana alone, Paddy production during Vaanakalam was around 1.3 crore tonnes and during Yasangi it is expected to be 1.25 crore tonne, the highest for any state in the country during Rabi season. Thus the paddy production for the year is estimated to be 2.55 crore tonnes. The area under cotton cultivation has also gone up from 41.83 lakh acres to 60.54 lakh acres. The cotton crop then accounted for only 18.45 lakhs of tonnes annually, whereas now, it accounts for 37.62 lakh of tonne annually. The figures of last seven years show that the state has made tremendous strides in both area under cultivation and production. From a bottom rank once, it now ranks among the top states in the country. To cater to the growing requirements of the state, the state also expanded marketing and godowns facilities. The number of markets has gone up from 150 to 192. The capacity of godowns today stands at 24.73 lakh against 4.17 lakh tonne in 2014. The state is also on course to cross another milestone with the gross production value of agriculture and horticulture crops for 2020-21 crop year expected to touch the Rs 1 lakh crore. The figure for 2019-20 figure was Rs 89,058 crore. Agriculture department attributes the increase in cultivation area and production to improved irrigation facilities with completion of new irrigation projects, revival of tanks under Mission Kaktiya and other measures like round-the-clock free electricity and Rythu Bandhu scheme under which every farmer is being paid Rs.10,000 per acre every year towards input costs. The total crop sown area has increased by 21 lakh acre compared to 2019-20. An official said the increase in sown area and production over last one year could also be because of Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown as people who own agriculture lands shifted back to their primary occupation after losing other sources of income To prevent farmers from losses due to glut in the market, the authorities are encouraging them to go for alternative crops rather than relying totally on paddy, cotton or other traditional crops. The department has set a target to increase the cultivation of horticulture crops from existing 12.5 lakh acres to 66 lakh acres over the next five years. Officials say Mission Kaktiya played a key role in augmenting irrigation facilities. Under this programme, the government took up revival of 45,000 tanks constructed during Kakatiya dynasty. This has resulted in the raise in the ground water levels. According to data released by the Centre recently, out of 549 well analysed in the state, ground water increased by 91 per cent in 498 Wells. The government embarked upon construction of major and medium irrigation projects. Kaluwakurty, Nettempadu, Bhima, Koil Sagar, Devadula, Mid Manair, Yellampally, Singur, Kinnerasani, Palem Vagu, Kumaram Bhim, Mattadi Vagu, Neelvayi, Jagganathpur and other projects works were completed on a fast track. Kaleshwaram, Palamuru-Rangareddy, Dindi, Sitarama Lift Irrigation project are nearing completion. The government claims that Telangana region which was once a permanent address for famine and drought is now transformed and shaped as an excellent agriculture-based state. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 04:58:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ALGIERS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian government on Tuesday announced to extend for two weeks the partial lockdown in 16 provinces, as part of its continued efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The extension of the partial lockdown starts on Wednesday and will last until the end of March, as the 16 provinces that still register relatively large number of new infections are required to observe a curfew from 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) to 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) and a ban on crowded gatherings, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. The statement specified that the decision was made by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune after consultation with the Scientific Committee for Monitoring the Spread of COVID-19, and the health authorities. The government further urged the citizens "to show a sense of responsibility, for the sake of maintaining the highest degree of determination, mobilization and discipline that has allowed, so far, to cub considerably the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country." The North African nation reported on Monday a total of 115,410 COVID-19 cases, 79,994 recoveries and 3,040 deaths from the disease. Enditem (Newser) When Colleen Raftis bought a building in the tiny Washington town of Nahcotta last year, it came with a historic post office staffed by two elderly women who took turns working three hours a day for $8.33 an hour. She says that when she asked the US Postal Service for more money for wages and upkeep of the post office, somebody told her they would get back to herand within days, she was informed that the post office was being shut down, the Seattle Times reports. Raftis says that when she bought the building, the USPS had a contract to pay $4,000 for six months, which worked out to around $662 a monthbarely enough to cover the low wages of Gretchen Goodson, 82, and Kathy Olson, 73. Raftis says the notice the contract was being terminated came as a complete surprise late last month and the two women only received one day's notice from the USPS. story continues below Raftis says she told the USPS that around $1,200 a month would cover upkeep and better wages. The 132-year-old Nahcotta office had long been a community hub in the town of around 200 people. It was a "contract office" located inside another businessa now-closed bakeryand the USPS says such offices are meant to be a way for business owners "to bring additional customers into their place of business." But a "post office in a small rural community is not a business, its a service, its a lifeline, its a catalyst for community cohesion," Cate Gable wrote in her Chinook Observer column earlier this month. Her push to save the office may have succeeded: In her latest column, she writes that after US Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler and local officials supported the campaign, the USPS said Sunday that it will open a "bidding process" to reinstate the office. (Read more post office stories.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 10:10:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GENEVA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese diplomat on Monday urged some Western countries to immediately stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights, and work truly for the protection of human rights. "The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and some EU countries, abusing the platform of the Human Rights Council, spread misinformation and made groundless accusations against China," said Ambassador Chen Xu, head of the Chinese Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva. China firmly opposes and categorically rejects their accusations, Chen said at the ongoing 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council while exercising the right of reply. "Putting people at the center, China has made remarkable achievements in the field of human rights." As for the issues related to China's Xinjiang, Chen said that today, Xinjiang enjoys prosperity and stability, and people there are leading a safe and happy life. In the past 60-plus years, Chen said, Xinjiang's economy has grown by more than 200 times, and the average life expectancy and Uygur population both doubled. "It can't be more absurd to pin the 'genocide' label on China, and this attempt will not go anywhere," the ambassador said. Chen also rejected the accusations on the Hong Kong-related issues, saying that the Hong Kong affairs are entirely China's internal affairs which brook no external interference. Since the national security law came into force, Hong Kong has embarked on a transition from chaos to order and peace, and the legitimate rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents are better exercised in a safer environment, he said. The diplomat added that the decision of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, on improving the electoral system of Hong Kong ensures the implementation of the principles of "patriots governing Hong Kong" and "one country, two systems," and guarantees the long-term stability of Hong Kong. "China welcomes the visit of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to China, including Xinjiang. The two sides are in communication on this matter," Chen told the council, adding this will be a friendly visit rather than a so-called "investigation." "We firmly oppose anyone using this matter for political manipulation and exerting pressure on China," he said. Chen also said that China has extended invitation to EU diplomats to visit Xinjiang on a number of occasions, but they have so far shied away on various excuses, which makes one suspect that they only attempt to manipulate Xinjiang-related issues for political purposes. "While indulging in making groundless accusations against China and other developing countries, these countries choose to turn a blind eye to the serious human rights problems of their own and their allies," Chen pointed out. Some Western countries have many worry-worthy human rights problems, according to the ambassador. He pointed out that facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States failed to take effective measures to control the pandemic, resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, while U.S. politicians are passing the buck and shifting the blame. Meanwhile, the diplomat mentioned that credible reports have shown that Australian soldiers have committed serious war crimes, citing reports that innocent civilians, including children, were killed by Australian overseas military personnel. "China urges these countries to immediately halt infringing upon the human rights of its own people and people of other countries, stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights, and work truly for the protection of human rights worldwide," he said. Enditem HOUSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Judge Tanya Garrison of the 157th Judicial District Court found William Ramey presented clear and specific evidence establishing a prima facie case. This means Ramey's defamation claims against Elizabeth Williams for alleged false accusations of sexual assault and battery against him can be presented to a jury at trial and Williams' motion to dismiss is denied. William Ramey has consistently denied all claims made against him by Elizabeth Williams. He believes her sole purpose for the sexual assault accusation and her subsequent civil lawsuit is to ruin his reputation and achieve monetary gain. "I am very pleased that a District Court Judge has ruled I provided clear and specific evidence supporting my allegations that Williams' accusations are false and I was defamed," says William Ramey. "My side of this never changed and I have fought to ensure the truth comes out no matter how many times Ms. Williams' attorneys offered me to pay them money to make this all go away." A civil claim by Elizabeth Williams against Ramey was made August 26, 2020 after an incident in 2018 when both were intoxicated at the law firm office. Ramey claims Williams fell causing injuries to her face and Williams filed a police report alleging a sexual attack 11 days after the disputed incident and six days after her lawyer sent a letter demanding $3.5 million dollars. Ramey filed counter claims on October 6, 2020 saying the allegations made by Williams are false and have damaged him. Williams then filed a motion to dismiss Ramey's counter claim under the TCPA or SLAPP statute on October 22, claiming Ramey's counterclaims are a restriction on her exercise of the rights to free speech. On December 30, 2020, Ramey filed a response and a declaration providing evidence that Williams first told everyone she fell, causing her own injuries. It was only after Williams retained a plaintiff's attorney, Kell Simon, that she demanded money in exchange for not making the accusations that she had been sexually assaulted to the police. When Williams' demands for money were denied, she made a police report alleging sexual assault, but her report provided that she didn't know how she got injured. https://www.rameyfirm.com SOURCE Ramey & Schwaller Law Firm Related Links https://www.rameyfirm.com Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Just one year after the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic, three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the United States, and more than 2 million Americans are receiving shots each day. Americans are eager to get back to business as usual, but experts caution that opening the economy prematurely could allow a potential resurgence of the virus. How foot traffic patterns in restaurants and bars, schools and universities, nail salons and barbershops affect the risk of transmission has been largely unknown. In an article published in npj Digital Medicine, researcher-physicians from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) used anonymized cell-phone data to build a Business Risk Index, which quantifies the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in these establishments. The team's index accounts for both the density of visits and the length of time individuals linger inside, providing a more precise description of the human interactionsand thus risk of viral transmissiongoing on inside. "While business traffic pre-pandemic and during statewide shut downs has been studied, business foot traffic and its relationship to COVID-19 transmission in the so-called 'new normal' of re-opening has not been well understood." said corresponding author Ashley O'Donoghue, Ph.D., Economist, in the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science at BIDMC. "Many forecasting models use anonymized cell-phone mobility data as a broad measure of the movement of residents. But two regions with same levels of mobility will likely see very different levels of COVID-19 transmission if people in one region are diligently practicing social distancing and people in the other are not." O'Donoghue and colleagues built their risk index by analyzing trends in foot traffic patterns in more than 1.25 million businesses across eight states from January to June 2020. In the six New England states, New York and California, the team saw a 30 percent drop in high-density foot traffic and long visit lengths to businessestwo factors that can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmissionfrom the pre-pandemic baseline to April 2020. They saw similar declines when they looked at similar risky foot traffic patterns in restaurants, bars, universities and personal care establishments (which includes hair and nail salons and barbershops). In both analyses, the risk index rose steadily starting in mid-June as states eased restrictions. Next, using county-level COVID-19 data for the same time period, the team demonstrated that their index could accurately forecast future COVID-19 cases with a one-week lag. The team found that an increase in a county's average Business Risk Index was associated with an increase in COVID-19 cases per 10,000 people in one week. "Not all types of mobility contribute equally to increased risk of transmission, so it is important to directly measure human interaction when weighing the costs and benefits of reopening and lifting restrictions on businesses," said senior author Jennifer P. Stevens, MD, MS, Director of the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science at BIDMC. "Tracking how individuals use different businesses may provide the kind of information policymakers need to re-open different businesses in the safest way possible." O'Donoghue, Stevens and team are now building an online decision-support tool that will help policymakers and hospital decision-makers monitor weekly risk in their areas. They have also deployed a prototype of their tool for Massachusetts that is being used by a large tertiary academic medical center in Boston to monitor potential surges in their service area, and their index has been integrated as a feature in a forecasting model for a large health system in Massachusetts. "Our index can better quantify close human interactions, which are important predictors of transmission and help identify potential disease surges," said Stevens. More information: npj Digital Medicine, DOI: 10.1038/s41746-021-00420-9 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. 2021-03-15 Maeci A humanitarian flight of the Italian Cooperation landed this afternoon at the airport of Juba, in South Sudan, from the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Brindisi, with a cargo of 12 tonnes of humanitarian goods, relief materials and food aid, provided by the Italian Cooperation and civil society organisations respectively. The shipment, made in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is intended to strengthen humanitarian assistance in support of the population displaced by last year's floods and the local population afflicted by the country's health and food crisis. Safer sidewalks Regarding City considers changing rules to curb scooters, (A3, March 13): As a scooter owner and former resident of downtown, I applaud the proposed changes to city ordinances which will make our sidewalks safer and parking spaces open and available to all. Currently at Discovery Green, for the safety and comfort of our visitors and guests, we have posted No Scooters signs at all of our entrances. These signs are randomly ignored and our security personnel then must chase down the riders, ask them to dismount their scooter and walk them out of the park. Personally, I have had friends who have been hit and knocked down by young riders, who because of their size, were unable to control their scooters. One friend had her dog run over by an out of control scooter. As recently as this week, I myself was a near miss when a young girl of 7 lost control and jumped off her scooter as a way to save herself from falling. All of these incidents occurred on city sidewalks. As equally important, none of the scooter rental vendors require or provide helmets to the young people renting their scooters. I am thankful the citys administration and regulatory affairs department are addressing this before a serious accident takes place. Barry Mandel, president and park director, Discovery Green Internet for all Regarding Texas big plan for closing the digital divide: at-home broadband internet for every student, (March 10): Cable operators, the leading broadband providers in Texas, have invested millions of dollars of private capital in recent years into programs and infrastructure to help narrow the digital divide. Cables priorities have been to connect low-income families and to get students online, both at school and at home. As the past year of the pandemic has shown us, broadband access is essential to keep kids learning. Texas cable providers are working with Gov. Greg Abbott, the Texas Legislature and the Texas Education Agency to expand broadband initiatives and lower barriers to expediting broadband deployment. Together, we can bring vital broadband service to more unserved Texans, more efficiently. Walt Baum, president, Texas Cable Association Land of the free? Regarding How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed us, (A17, March 14): As I read the many readers commentaries on how COVID has impacted their lives I couldnt help but feel sad that so many freedom-loving Americans have decided to be content to be locked down. Yes, COVID has been a killer, but not just a killer of peoples lives, but of their freedoms, their sensibilities and seemingly their reason. There seems to be a willingness to live in fear, content to let the government dictate what freedoms they are allowed. When I watched President Bidens address to the nation, it seemed more like a call to national mourning, or a warning that if were not good, more freedoms will be taken away. Do we not live in the land of the free, and home of the brave? Barbara Goodson, Kingwood Sorry! This content is not available in your region A bill seeking to amend the law on pension for former governors and their deputies in Enugu State has generated controversy. The amendment, if passed into law, would guarantee life pension for former governor and their deputies, including their spouses, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported. Interestingly, Enugu is following a path which other Nigerian states have pulled back from. Kwara, Zamfara, and Imo are among the states that have canceled pensions for their former governors. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in November, last year, submitted a bill to the Lagos House of Assembly for the repeal of a 2007 law which provides for pension for former governors and their deputies. Mr Sanwo-Olu said he took the initiative in order to keep the costs of governance low and to signal selflessness in public service. The Enugu bill, which has passed first reading in the House of Assembly, has been described as obnoxious, repugnant and repressive by a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-east state. Should the bill be passed and assented to, there would come a time that after the payment of this category of pensioners, there would be little or nothing for other government services, Hycienth Ngwu, a former spokesperson for the APC in the South-east zone, told NAN on Sunday in Enugu. This idea is very obnoxious, repugnant and repressive. We all must stand up and say no to its passage. Is Enugu state no longer in the hands of God? Mr Ngwu noted that such laws were currently being abrogated and jettisoned in other states where they existed across the federation. The governor should please suggest to the leadership of the house of assembly to stop forthwith the debate on this bill, he added. A group, Save Enugu Group, has given the House a 21-days ultimatum to kill the controversial bill or be ready for a mass protest by the Enugu residents. The group, in a statement by its coordinator, Willy Ezugwu, said it was mobilising citizens, civil society groups, and labour unions for a protest against the assembly, if the lawmakers continue to debate the controversial bill. It will be a betrayal of the trust the people bestowed in their representatives serving as lawmakers, for the state Assembly to think of passing such an outdated bill. It is shocking that while a state, with high internally generated revenue that runs into billions (of naira) monthly, like Lagos, has abolished pensions for former governors, the Enugu State House of Assembly is planning to deplete the meager IGR generated in Enugu State on account of pensions for political office holders, the group said. Reaction by the Assembly The Leader of the Enugu House of Assembly, Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, in his reaction to the controversy over the bill, said in a statement on Monday that the assembly was only carrying out its constitutional mandate. Mr Ezeugwu, however, said the House would not do anything that would work against the desire and wish of the people. Enugu State House of Assembly remains committed to the discharge of its duties. The House is also sensitive to the feelings of our people and therefore appreciates the feedback and reactions from our Constituents and the public. This is the beauty of democracy and as representatives, we will not disappoint our people. Enugu State of Assembly therefore assures our people that the House will follow due process and do the needful during the next plenary, Mr Ezeugwu said in the statement. ADVERTISEMENT The lawmaker said the Enugu State Gubernatorial Pensions Law was first enacted in 2007 and subsequently amended in 2017. Court ordered FG to recover pensions paid to ex-governors Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Lagos, in 2019, had ordered the federal government to recover pensions paid to ex-governors who serve as ministers, senators, thereby dealing a significant blow to the controversial pension law enacted by several states, including Akwa Ibom, Edo, Delta, Kano, Ebonyi, Rivers, Kogi, and Katsina. The judgment, delivered by Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, followed a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Retired civil servants in several states across Nigeria are known to have been owed their pensions for several months. The situation is compounded by the shortfall in revenue to the states because of the fallen oil price. (NAN) Many people observe Saint Patricks Day and see it as a fun way to celebrate Irish culture. However there is actually much more to the holiday than people realize. Before the parades, green beer and leprechauns, there was a man named Saint Patrick who was lighting a fire in pagan 5th century Ireland. A man who was willing to stand the gap for Jesus Christ and usher in Christianity into the country. Misconceptions About St. Patrick First, there are some misconceptions about Patrick that many are unaware of. Patrick is not really a Saint with a capital S, as he never was officially canonized by Rome. Patrick was also not the first evangelist to arrive in Ireland. Saint Palladius actually takes that role, arriving in Ireland in 431 about five years before Patrick did. Patrick is also not Irish, but actually from what is now known as Dumbarton, Scotland which is just northwest of Glasgow. History of St. Patrick Patrick was only 16 when he was captured in a raid and became a slave in Ireland. Ireland in the year 405 was radically pagan and hadnt been very accepting of Christian beliefs. Patrick clung to the Christian faith during this time, despite having largely ignored it in his earlier teen years. His grandfather was a priest and his father was a town councilor, however Patrick admitted that he had yet to really know God. In fact, he even considered himself an atheist at one point. But while being forced into slavery and having to tend to his masters sheep, he spent the majority of his free time in prayer. Patrick felt that he was being punished by God for not being a believer. Patrick recounts his time as a slave in his memoir titled The Confession. In the memoir Patrick writes: I prayed a hundred times in the day and almost as many at night. After a dream suggested he escape, he left Ireland and returned home. He had written in his memoir, "I heard in my sleep a voice saying to me: 'It is well that you fast. Soon you will go to your own country.' And again, after a short while, I heard a voice saying to me: 'See, your ship is ready.' " Once home, Patrick became much more involved in ministry. He struggled deeply trying to understand if he should go back to Ireland and minister to those who had enslaved him. He turned to God in prayer and received an answer in a dream. Patrick knew he had to return, and convinced the church to send him on s small ship back to the island. Patrick didnt return to Ireland until his mid-40s. At the time, Ireland had been plagued with war, violence, and death. The place had become much worse than the last time Patrick was there. Saint Palladius had not been very successful in his mission to bring Christianity over, and the returning of Patrick replaced his efforts. Patrick, having spent more time intimately with the people of Ireland, was able to build a more effective strategy. Patrick was familiar with the Irish clan system because his former master, Milchu, had been a chieftain. Patrick began to convert the chiefs first, who would then convert their clans through their influence. Milchu was reportedly one of the earliest converts. Patrick would preach the gospel, baptize converts, confirm them and help appoint clergy. His ministry lasted 29 years, and he baptized over 120,000 Irishmen and planted 300 churches. Patrick helped Ireland became known as one of Europes Christian centers. Though Patrick didnt convert the island all by himself, his missionary journeys improved the rate of converts. History of St. Patricks Day as a Holiday St. Patricks Day started as a religious celebration in the 17th century to commemorate the life of Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. Also known as Feast Day, it always took place on the anniversary of Patricks death. In the early 18th century, Irish immigrants brought the tradition over to the American colonies, and it was there that Saint Patrick started to become the symbol of Irish heritage and culture that he is today. By the mid-19th century, the United States saw a massive influx of Irish immigrants that were hoping to escape the Great Famine. This transformed the relatively small-scale Feast Day observance into a full-blown celebration that people wanted to be a part of whether they were Irish or not. In 1903, Feast Day became a national holiday in Ireland, and over time it transformed into what is now called St. Patricks Day. The holiday has since been celebrated all over the world in countries like the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Argentina, and Australia. Its so popular, its thought to be celebrated in more countries than any other holiday. It began as a fairly relaxing holiday of going to mass, watching a parade and eating a hearty meal with family but quickly transformed into one of the biggest parties in the world. If it wasnt for St. Patricks dedication to bringing his faith to the new country, we wouldnt have such a great reason to celebrate. The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the inequalities in society and highlighted the need for climate change action, the Lord Mayor of Dublin has said. Hazel Chu said the inequalities need to be addressed and that if any positive can come from the pandemic, hopefully it is that these inequities have been exposed. The Green Party politician said it was now time for leaders, including Irelands coalition Government, to step up to the challenges posed. Ms Chu said: Covid has highlighted the inequalities in society. Its something were trying to fix. (What it) has highlighted is that there are huge issues that we need to build forward for climate action being embedded in those, she added. What we've seen during Covid is a lot of other generations come on board as well to try and drive that change Hazel Chu, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ms Chu said there had been a mindset shift among generations in the pandemic with more people recognising the need for action on climate change. What we saw in February 2020, a younger generation, a younger cohort were championing what we need to do in terms of climate action and climate change, she said. What weve seen during Covid is a lot of other generations come on board as well to try and drive that change because they can automatically spot the inequalities of what Covid has produced in terms of societal issues and what climate issues have been highlighted for years and years and weve done nothing about. We're off this lunchtime for our discussion on 'Cities and #ClimateAction'.@LordMayorDublin @hazechu and @MicheleRubirola, Deputy Mayor of Marseille, are introduced by David Donoghue, former Irish Ambassador @irishmissionun. Opening remarks are delivered by @vincentguerend. pic.twitter.com/RF13Pd1WZ3 IIEA (@iiea) March 16, 2021 Ms Chu made the comments during an online discussion on cities and climate action hosted by the Institute of International European Affairs (IIEA) and the Embassy of France in Ireland. Deputy Mayor of Marseille Michele Rubirola said she wanted to build a fairer city. She said Marseille had been suffering inequalities for years between the northern part of the city, which is dedicated to the port, and the coastal area of the southern part of the city. We have to face climate change and reduce our dependency on fossil energies Deputy Mayor of Marseille Michele Rubirola We have to face climate change and reduce our dependency on fossil energies and reduce, as much as possible, the impact on biodiversity as well as improving quality of marine life, she said. We have to find balance between technological solutions and incentives to changes in behaviours. She added: The best energy is the energy you do not use so we need to push inhabitants to reduce their use of pollution transport modes. Ms Rubirola stressed that putting people at the centre of climate action is key to gaining citizen involvement. She said all stakeholders needed to participate in addressing climate change, from members of the public to local authorities to companies, experts, officials and politicians. If you impose things on people, you have to make sure that they are involved in this change, she said. Thats what I wanted to do in Marseille, put humans at the heart of the process to avoid losing people. By Anthony Deutsch and Caroline Copley AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Global health experts came under increasing pressure on Tuesday to clear up questions over the safety of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot, as Sweden and Latvia joined countries suspending their use in a further blow to Europe's vaccination rollout. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was investigating reports of 30 cases of unusual blood disorders out of 5 million recipients of the vaccine. In total, 45 million COVID shots have been delivered across the region. The EU regulator will release its findings on Thursday but its head, Emer Cooke, said she saw no reason to change its recommendation of - one of four vaccines that it has approved for use. "The benefits continue to outweigh the risks, but this is a serious concern and it does need serious and detailed scientific evaluation," Cooke told a news conference. A World Health Organization (WHO) committee of experts was reviewing the cases and was expected to issue a statement by the end of the day, a spokesman said. The EU's largest members - Germany, France and Italy - suspended use of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Monday pending the outcome of investigations into unusual cases of a rare cerebral thrombosis in people who had received it. The addition of Sweden and Latvia on Tuesday brought to 13 the number of EU countries to act since reports first emerged of thromboembolisms affecting people after they got the shot. The WHO and EMA had earlier joined AstraZeneca in saying there is no proven link, but some experts said the episodes of blood clots, bleeding and low platelet counts in younger people seemed to indicate a causal connection to the AstraZeneca shot. "The benefits of vaccination significantly outweigh the risks, especially for the elderly," said Karl Lauterbach, health spokesman for Germany's Social Democratic Party. "But it could be the case that the risks of the vaccine are higher for certain patient groups such as young women," Lauterbach, an epidemiologist whose party is part of the Berlin coalition, told Deutschlandfunk radio in an interview. Other epidemiologists note that similar cases have not been found in unusual numbers in Britain, which began using AstraZeneca earlier and has given more than 10 million doses. "A very likely explanation of at least some of the clotting disorders seen are a result of COVID-19 rather than the vaccine," said Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "There are published papers that make clear that these problems definitely occur in COVID-19 and there is no doubt that all the vaccines in use prevent that disease. Hence the risk and benefit balance for the AstraZeneca vaccine remains clearly in favour of its benefits." ECONOMIC FALLOUT In the EU's largest states, including Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, AstraZeneca has accounted for about 13-15% of shots given since the rollout began almost three months ago, with Pfizer-BioNTech making up the majority, according to official data. As one as the cheapest to be developed, the AstraZeneca shot is set to be the mainstay of vaccination programmes in much of the developing world. Governments say they acted on the AstraZeneca shot out of an abundance of caution - of 1.6 million people in Germany given the vaccine, seven fell ill with a very rare cerebral vein thrombosis of whom three died. In a detailed analysis of its findings Germany's vaccine oversight body, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, said six of the cases were in women of young or middle age - a number statistically significantly higher than normally expected. Nicola Magrini, the director general of Italy's medicines authority AIFA, told daily la Repubblica the AstraZeneca shot was safe and its benefit to risk ratio was "widely positive". There have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects in Italy following vaccinations, he added. In France, Health Minister Olivier Veran told reporters the risk-reward ratio for the AstraZeneca vaccine remained positive. A third wave of infection in Europe, driven by more infectious viral variants, threatens to worsen a pandemic that has claimed 575,000 lives in the European Union and further delay recovery from a pandemic economic slump. Deutsche Bank on Tuesday slashed 2021 economic growth forecasts for the euro area by a whole percentage point, citing spillover of the ongoing pandemic-linked activity restrictions. Coronavirus infections are rising exponentially in Germany, an expert at the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said, putting at risk plans to lift its lockdown. France is considering a possible third national lockdown. Vaccination campaigns had got off to a slow start due to scarce supply, but the European Commission said on Tuesday it expects to receive more than 200 million doses of vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech in the second quarter, putting the EU on course to meet its targets. The EU aims to vaccinate at least 255 million people, or 70% of its adult population, by the end of the summer. The bloc has administered 11 shots so far for every 100 residents, while Israel - a world leader in vaccination - has given 108 doses, according to Our World in Data. (Anthony Deutsch reported from AMSTERDAM and Caroline Copley from BERLIN; Additional reporting by Kate Kelland, Elizabeth Piper, Giulia Segreti, Emilio Parodi, Matthias Blamont, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Matthieu Protard, Andreas Rinke, Francesco Guarascio, Anna Ringstrom, Johan Ahlander and Andrius Sytas; Writing by Douglas Busvine; editing by Josephine Mason and Philippa Fletcher) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. New Delhi, March 16 : The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has written a letter to Chief Justice S.A. Bobde criticising the denial of permission to it to use the SC auditorium for the farewell to Justice Indu Malhotra, who retired on March 13. The letter, by SCBA President and senior advocate Vikas Singh, said: "As far as the auditorium is concerned, it was clearly discussed in my earlier tenure as President of the SCBA that the facilities being created would be for the joint utilisation of the SCBA as well as the judges of the Supreme Court with the only rider that if the facilities were being required by both simultaneously, then the judges will have precedence." The bar body demanded it should be allowed to use the auditorium too and termed the denial of the venue to hold the farewell for Justice Malhotra as "most unfortunate". Contending that the auditorium, constructed at the earlier site of Appu Ghar in the capital, was meant for joint usage by judges and registry of the top court as well as the SCBA, it protested the decision that the facilities would only be used by and for the official functions of the judges or of the Supreme Court, and the SCBA was not permitted to use the auditorium for any purpose. "Clearly, the said decision is most arbitrary and liable to be recalled forthwith as the property of the government handed over to the Supreme Court for its use clearly implies that the property would be jointly used by the judges and registry of the Supreme Court along with the SCBA on equal rights basis and the SCBA cannot be construed as a stranger in asserting its rights on the property handed over to the Supreme Court," the letter stated. The letter said if the registry requires more space to cater to the additional work being handled by it, "similarly, the SCBA also requires additional space to cater to accretion in the number of members in the association as also providing for additional library, additional waiting areas.." LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Publishers who reshare their existing content on Facebook achieve 67% additional clicks on average, reveals new research published today by Echobox , the AI-powered social publishing platform. The groundbreaking research found that the large majority of publishers currently only reshare small amounts of content on Facebook and stand to obtain substantial boosts in traffic by simply resharing more of their existing content. Echobox research reveals that 13% of publishers even see their Facebook reshares outperform their original shares Believed to be the first of its kind of this scale and specific to publishers, the study examined data from more than 600 leading publishers from around the world. Over 1.85 million Facebook shares and 2.8 billion Facebook clicks were measured to understand how publishers are resharing their posts and determine the impact on Facebook clicks. Antoine Amann, CEO of Echobox, said: "Resharing on Facebook remains massively under-utilized, yet it presents a unique opportunity for publishers to dramatically boost their social traffic - without cost." Key findings include: Publishers reshare just 8% of their total Facebook posts on average Yet a reshare generates on average 67% of the clicks it received as an original share For 13% of publishers, Facebook reshares even outperform their original shares 41% of publishers reshare their posts within 24 hours of the original share Nearly one in 10 publishers reshare Facebook posts more than 50 days after the original share Detailed results can be found in a free downloadable guide entitled The publisher's ultimate guide to resharing on Facebook , which also includes an actionable blueprint for publishers to implement an effective Facebook resharing strategy. Publishers can also use the free Facebook Grader to instantly analyze their Facebook Page health and detect new opportunities for resharing more Facebook content. For all media inquiries, please contact [email protected] About Echobox Echobox is the new standard in social media publishing, chosen by more than 1,000 of the world's leading publishers, including Newsweek, The Times, The Telegraph, Handelsblatt, Le Monde and Conde Nast. Publishers share more than 20 million posts and reach billions of people with Echobox each year. Echobox's research and insights have been written about by many of the world's leading publications including the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, Techcrunch and Forbes. Read more at www.echobox.com/resources. Related Images echobox-research-publishers.jpg Echobox Research - Publishers Missing Out on +67% Facebook Traffic From Reshares Echobox research reveals that 13% of publishers even see their Facebook reshares outperform their original shares Related Links Echobox's latest social media research Echobox's free Facebook Grader for publishers SOURCE Echobox Ottawa, March 17 : Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) announced on Tuesday that the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is both safe and effective for people over age 65. The committee said real-world evidence has demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and effective in older people, particularly against severe illness from Covid-19 and hospitalisation. The announcement is different from a recommendation made by the NACI itself on March 1, when its panel of vaccine experts said AstraZeneca hadn't included enough people over the age of 65 in its clinical trials, the Xinhua news agency reported. The committee said that three "real-world effectiveness studies" helped inform its decision to change the recommendations, including evidence from Britain, which has been administering the vaccine to people over 65 years and older since January. The NACI initially recommended that people over the age 65 should be prioritised for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines instead of the AstraZeneca, because of "limited information on the efficacy of this vaccine in this age group." On Monday, Germany, France, Italy and Spain joined a list of European countries to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of blood clots in some recipients. AstraZeneca has said that a review of 17 million people who have received their vaccine in Europe and Britain found no evidence of an elevated blood clotting risk. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured Canadians that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe for use. "Health Canada and our experts and scientists have spent an awful lot of time making sure every vaccine approved in Canada is both safe and effective," Trudeau said. Health Canada approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in anyone 18 years or older in late February. It became the third Covid-19 shot green-lighted in Canada, joining vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Canada's initial 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine have been manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. Health Canada said that the AstraZeneca vaccine has an efficacy of 62.1 per cent among people 18 to 64 years old. In total, Canada is reportedly scheduled to receive 23.9 million doses of the vaccine. As of Monday evening, more than 3.1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered across the country, meaning approximately 4.2 per cent of the Canadian population has been immunised against the virus. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text We spend a lot of time listening to our members which has led to delivering helpful new features like social-sign-on, and a fully integrated dark mode. We could all use a getaway and now its easier than ever with the new, updated ID90 Travel mobile app. Aviation, travel industry employees, and their friends and family can get to that next great destination with a few clicks on a mobile device with the app. Were updating our app to take advantage of the latest technologies which will enable faster load speeds and enhance an already great customer experience, said Garth Overmyer, Head of Marketing at ID90 Travel. We spend a lot of time listening to our members which has led to delivering helpful new features like social-sign-on, and a fully integrated dark mode. The updated app includes FLEX Flight Load Exchange that provides real-time availability updates from airline industry peers on flight loads*. Planning layovers and scheduling trips in one easy-to-use place is now worry-free. And, with the new Things to Do feature, that extra time can be spent at new restaurants, sights, and experiences. Search from more than 2.4M points of interest in 190+ countries and 50 territories including nearby places to eat, see and do in the new mobile app, and add them as preferred favorites. Signing in is a breeze, too with the ability to securely sign in using Google or Facebook. Since speed is of the essence, the new app is streamlined to be 1.5 times faster and it has improved form fields with requested features like address auto-complete to speed up check-out. Heres what app reviewers are saying about the ID90 Travel mobile app. Im all about simplicity, so Im really excited for the new features on the ID90 Travel app. We have everything we need as airline employees to plan a dream trip, all in one place! With all of the extra complications regarding traveling right now, this upgrade is definitely welcome. - Naisin U, Airline Employee Remember when ID90 Travel was called Interline Fare Calculator? It was simple but it was always so exciting because my travel adventures and experiences were directly tied to the capacity to list and nonrev on flights. Now, the new ID90 Travel app has so many features and I love that I can look at hotels, flights and flight loads, cruises, car rentals, and Things To Do all in one place. I cant wait to pack my bags and plan more adventures with the new ID90 Travel app. - Joyie, Airline Employee ID90 Travels global technology roadmap is moving full steam ahead with the release of the new mobile app. Recently, ID90 Travel went live with four new airline and travel supplier partners. They also launched a new loyalty program and Travel Gift Cards that are redeemable across the globe on more than 1.8 million hotels, all-inclusive resorts, and cruise lines. And, recognizing the need to support the travel industry during these challenging times, ID90 Travel has made significant contributions to COVID-19 relief efforts. ID90 Travel delivers a full suite of products and services to the airline industry. Once a member, always a member. Flight tools that automate airline employees traveling on their own airline along with Interline, Company Business, Positive Space, and Vendor travel Highly rated mobile app Multi-Supplier Hotel Shopping: Get the lowest available rate shopped from 10 suppliers with a global inventory of 1.8 million properties with exclusive discounts of up to 70% off prices youd find on popular consumer travel sites. Loyalty program: Giving airline employees even better deals on their non-air purchases. Discounted Cruises: Get some of the best interline cruise deals exclusive to airline employees on cruise lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Azamara, and many more. Travel Gift Cards: Give the gift of travel. Gift cards are redeemable across the globe for hotels and cruises. No blackout or expiration dates and gift cards are delivered in seconds. FLEX Flight Load Exchange: Easily connect with airline employees from any company to share interline seat availability. FLEX makes it easy to get the answers you need when flying on other carriers. Destination Activities: Choose from ready-made itineraries of 30,000 things to do and see across the globe. Exclusive Rate Travel Insurance: Purchase low-cost trip-interruption insurance and be covered for out-of-pocket expenses that come with being stuck in a destination. Gold Standard Customer Care: ID90 Travel users get quick answers to questions with 24/7 multi-lingual customer service support. All-in-One Mobile App: Everything comes together in a fast, easy-to-use mobile app. *not all carriers will be eligible to use FLEX at this time. Learn more about ID90 Travel here: https://www.id90travel.com/ About ID90 Travel ID90 Travel provides airlines around the globe a SaaS platform that automates and reduces costs associated with airline employee travel programs. It is a one-stop, comprehensive solution for airlines' employee travel needs. ID90 Travel provides Online and Interline ticketing for employees to fly for leisure or company business on their own carrier or partner airlines. In addition, with more than 1,800,000 hotels in inventory across the world, and the largest selection of rental cars and cruise lines available to non-revenue travelers, ID90 Travel is the first company in the airline industry to provide employee pass-travel programs with the ability to seamlessly book discounted hotels, rental cars, and cruises. ID90 Travel also offers a trip insurance policy tailored to the needs of these travelers. ID90 Travel clients include some of the largest carriers in the world, including United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit, Czech Airlines and Aeroflot, to name a few. For more information, visit http://www.ID90travel.com. Contact Taylor L. Cole, APR at 972.333.4343 or taylorlcole@gmail.com @TravelwithTLC 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. 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. Chandigarh, March 16 : Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday informed the Assembly that the Accountant General would look into complaints of irregularities in the Municipal Corporations of Faridabad and Gurugram. Replying to a question, Vij said the Accountant General of Haryana has been requested to audit the five-year records of both the corporations. He said irregularities in the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad relating to LED streetlights and other issues would be investigated by a high-level committee, which would submit a report soon. Additionally, a committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Engineer is investigating irregularities in the LED streetlights. In response to another question, Vij, who also holds the Health portfolio, said the proposal to upgrade the Civil Hospital of Gurugram to a 500-bed one is under consideration. He said the condition of the hospital building is dilapidated and the construction work will start on completion of all formalities. PDAC 2021 Virtual Conference a Success Toronto, Mar 16, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - PDAC has wrapped up its first ever virtual convention, receiving positive feedback and industry accolades.The annual PDAC Convention is the premier event of the world's mineral exploration and mining industry that brings together mining executives, geologists, government officials, investors, analysts, and students from around the globe."I was thrilled to showcase our industry in a new, virtual environment for the first time in PDAC's 89-year-history," says PDAC President Felix Lee. "From beginning to end the breadth and quality of the programming was top notch, and that was made clear from the amount of participant engagement from around the globe."At the PDAC 2021 Virtual Convention, all attendees had access to a customized platform where they could navigate through various exhibit halls, network with colleagues, and join sessions that were available on-demand shortly after airing. This new virtual format allows attendees to continue networking by sending direct messages to other participants, engaging through text lounges, and watching educational sessions and newly added content for three months post-convention, until June 1.Highlights from PDAC 2021 included:- PDAC President Felix Lee participated in the announcement of Canada's Critical Minerals List, by Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, Seamus O'Regan;- The International Stage featured presentations from various global mining jurisdictions including Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Greenland, Ireland, Kazakhstan and Peru;- An in-depth look at the future of space mining and the mutually beneficial advantages of both space companies and mining sector co-operation; and- Six PDAC Awards honouring excellence in the industry were handed out at the Awards Gala."The 2021 PDAC Virtual Convention continued to foster and build industry connectivity, albeit in a new format," says Lee. "Our virtual setting provided access to the broader international mining and exploration community, engaging attendees in the latest industry news, trends, and developments through our extensive programming." This convention is the culmination of advocacy efforts undertaken by PDAC throughout the year on behalf of its 7,200 members and the mineral exploration and development industry. We look forward to seeing you at the PDAC 2022 Convention.To view the full release, please visit:About PDAC The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community. With over 7,500 members around the world in all sectors of the mining industry PDAC's mission is to promote a globally-responsible, vibrant and sustainable minerals industry. As the trusted representative of the sector, PDAC encourages best practices in technical, operational, environmental, safety and social performance. 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. One in 10 coronavirus patients suffer lingering symptoms months after the initial infection, a Government-funded report has found. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) analysed more than 300 scientific papers from around the world as part of its second review into 'Long Covid'. It found around 10 per cent of survivors continue to suffer from symptoms at least three months after clearing the disease. The most common issue was fatigue, followed by breathlessness and 'brain fog', but more serious symptoms included organ damage, anxiety and depression. The review found the more severe the initial illness was, the more likely patients were to suffer from Long Covid. For example, 60 to 90 per cent of people who were hospitalised with Covid experienced lingering symptoms two months later. But the NIHR said a 'lack of consistency around the definition and measurement of Long Covid' makes it difficult to pin down exactly what the condition is. It added: 'The review finds that there is a considerable variation in the range of symptoms that have been considered Long Covid by researchers. 'Used as an umbrella term, Long Covid may cover conditions which may have different causes.' The NIHR said it believes Long Covid may include up to four different syndromes, with different underlying causes and treatment needs. One in 10 coronavirus patients suffer lingering symptoms months after the initial infection, a Government-funded report has found (stock image) A separate paper submitted to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) last month found more than 90 per cent of people continue to suffer symptoms at least three months after being hospitalised with Covid They include post-ICU syndrome, health problems that remain after critical illness, long-term organ damage and post-viral syndrome, a sense of tiredness and weakness that lingers after the body fights a nasty infection. The NIHR said there was some evidence to that Long Covid might be an active disease, with continued inflammatory responses, lingering viral activity or blood clotting disorders. Dr Elaine Maxwell, review author and content lead at the NIHR Centre for Engagement and Dissemination said: 'While this review goes some way to improving our understanding of different patterns of the disease, we need to know more about the prevalence of each and their causes. We also need more data on how long symptoms last. 'It appears that at least 10 per cent of people are experiencing at least one Long Covid symptom three months after diagnosis, but limitations in the way data is collected means this may not be a comprehensive reflection and we may see estimates increase'. Candace Imison, Associate Director of Evidence and Dissemination at the NIHR Centre for Engagement and Dissemination (CED) added: 'Like so much else relating to Covid-19, 'Long Covid' has quickly become part of our everyday language, yet so much about it is unknown - though research commissioned by NIHR and others is urgently being done to find out more. 'This second review takes us on from our first by focusing on a wide range of emerging evidence that simply didn't exist even six months ago. Together with findings from our short survey for people living with Long Covid, it provides a unique insight into the current state of play. 'Through our themed reviews, we aim to act as knowledge brokers, working collaboratively with the public and experts to improve health and social care and inform policy and future research priorities. We hope this review will also be helpful for professionals, who are increasingly coming into contact with people with Long Covid, and for people experiencing enduring symptoms from Covid-19 as well as their families or employers.' United Nations officials are condemning the arbitrary killing of nine activists in four provinces in the Philippines earlier this week in what they say appear to have been coordinated, simultaneous police-military operations. This is not the first time such killings have taken place. On December 30, nine Tumandok indigenous peoples rights activists were killed in Panay during similar joint operations. The U.N. human rights office reports eight men and one woman were killed in this latest joint police and military operation. Agency spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the police obtained search warrants. They were presented as part of the governments counterinsurgency campaign against the New Peoples Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Shamdasani said security personnel then entered the activists homes in the dead of night and shot them. So, these search warrants were obtained in this context to conduct searches for weapons held as part of the communist insurgency. However these operations were carried out in the middle of the night and those who were killed were working on issues such as the rights of fishing communities, indigenous peoples rights, housing rights of people rendered homeless or people who have been evicted from urban slums, she said. Shamdasani called the near total impunity for the use of lethal force by the police and the military shocking, saying it must end. We are deeply worried that these latest killings indicate an escalation in violence, intimidation, and harassment and red-tagging of human rights defenders. There is a history of human rights advocates being red-taggedor being accused of being fronts for the armed wing of the Communist Party in the Philippines, Shamdasani said. U.N. rights chief Michele Bachelet warned in June of the dangers of such public labeling. She called for the protection of human rights defenders, journalists and others at risk. However, Shamdasani said Bachelets plea has not been heeded. She said dozens of activists and several journalists have been arrested, intimidated and harassed since then. Centrists Democrats are pressing President Biden to slash certain taxes while raising others in the infrastructure bill. Democrats urged Biden to cut wealthy Americans' taxes According to the cold math, Biden would either have to compromise the scale of his infrastructure plans or support yet more deficit spending and persuade Congress to go along with it. Democrats, headed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are asking the White House to remove the $10,000 limit on state and local tax deductions, known as the "SALT cap," from the federal tax bill. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, lifting the cap set by President Trump's 2017 tax overhaul would cost $88.7 billion a year. According to AXIOS via Yahoo, Progressives oppose repealing the ceiling, arguing that doing so would help the rich people. Many residents in high-tax (and Democratic) states such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and California, on the other hand, oppose the limit. The rule will be phased out by the end of 2026. Some Democrats, such as Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, suggest that the president find new money to cover at least a portion of the infrastructure bill. Biden had never been explicit about whether increased revenue needs to be covered by new taxes, and during the 2020 race, he gave himself an out by claiming that "one-time" spending didn't necessitate tax hikes. He never described what it meant, and after winning the nomination, he effectively stopped talking about it. He didn't mention it in any of his "Build Back Better" tax or development plans, either. According to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, Biden suggested measures to generate around $3 trillion in new revenue during the campaign. Biden Fears for the Lives of Asian-Americans in the US Wealthy Americans to learn Biden's 'fair share' of taxes Following President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, the White House proposes increased taxes to fund the next round of major infrastructure and climate change spending. Higher taxes are certainly on the agenda, and Biden is focused on making the rich and businesses pay more, as per the White House. Democrats in Congress who are mulling tax hikes could use party-line voting to pass a package through the House and Senate, just as they did in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Biden promised that his plans would not raise taxes for those making less than $400,000 a year on the campaign trail. Although the White House is not openly supporting concrete Democratic measures in Congress, as per the Washington Times, that is still his stance. President Biden's talk of national "unity" is unlikely to extend to his major legislation, as a Senate Democrat unintentionally announced plans to pass an infrastructure bill without Republican votes on Monday. Trump Aids Biden's Stimulus Bill, Leaves a Massive Cash Pile In a case, Sen. Ben Cardin old Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that Democrats plan to use the same budget reconciliation mechanism enabled Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill to pass on a party-line vote, a comment he felt was private but was captured on a hot-mic. Cardin was overheard saying Buttigieg into a heated mic at a UPS facility in Maryland, unknowingly leaking the beans to a much wider crowd. Republicans "meet with you to a point," the Senate Small Business Committee chairman said, noting that Democrats will "most certainly have to use reconciliation." Major bills are rarely enacted using reconciliation laws. However, the procedure requires Democrats to pass laws with a simple majority in the Senate's equally split chamber, rather than the normal 60-vote supermajority. Vice President Kamala Harris helps Democrats crack Senate bonds, NY Post reported. Biden' Stance on Cuomo's Sexual Harassment Case @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Iceland is to allow entry to all visitors bearing proof of vaccination against COVID starting Thursday, the health ministry said. The policy, already in place since January 20 for visitors from anywhere in the passport-free Schengen area, will be extended to all arrivals regardless of their country of origin, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Customs authorities will accept vaccination certificates from Schengen countries or the World Health Organization's "yellow card". "All those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed to travel to Iceland without being subject to border measures, such as testing and quarantine," the statement said. Alternatively, as has been possible since December, all travellers, not just those from the Schengen area, can produce antibody tests showing prior infection. The move makes Iceland one of the first European nations to open its borders beyond the Schengen area, which covers 26 countriesmost of the 27 EU members, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. Cyprus announced early this month that it would allow Britons who have been vaccinated into the country from May 1, scrapping an earlier requirement for self-isolating. With the new policy, Iceland hopes to boost the flow of visitors from the United States and Britain, its two largest tourism markets which are both leaders in the world vaccination drive. Since February 19, around 20 percent of visitors to the North Atlantic island of some 365,000 people have produced either proof of prior infection or a vaccination certificate, according to the country's chief epidemiologist. Iceland's incidence of coronavirus is currently nine per 100,000 people, and nearly 10 percent of the population has received at least one dose of a vaccine. COVID-19 has officially claimed 29 lives from 6,087 cases in Iceland. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Alabama lawmakers are considering several ways to increase pay for teachers next school year, partly to address a shortage of math and science teachers and to keep experienced educators on the job. The Senate education budget committee today approved the budget for the 2021-2022 school year and related bills. The legislation includes a 2% pay across-the-board cost-of-living raise for education employees, including teachers and support workers in K-12 schools and community colleges. It also includes a plan to increase step raises, which are the raises that teachers receive based on how many years they have been teaching. Another bill would create incentive pay to attract more teachers for math and science to address a shortage of teachers in those subjects. Its also intended to help fill the states need for more people in the workforce who are strong in those subjects to fill the kind of jobs the state is trying to recruit. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, the budget committee chair, said there are about 7,500 positions for math and science teachers in Alabama schools, but only about 4,600 of those are filled by educators with credentials in those subjects. We have thousands of positions that arent filled with certified math or science teachers across the state today, Orr said. So children are being taught by people who arent credentialed. Quite frankly our superintendents cant find qualified educators to fill those roles. And money talks. And thats the reason weve got to raise the compensation for these math and science teachers across the state. Under the bill, math and science teachers with certain credentials and certificates could get $5,000 more for teaching those subjects in grades 6 through 12. The legislation would set up other incentives, including a supplement for teaching in hard-to-staff schools. Overall, math and science teachers could eventually earn as much as about $20,000 more a year under the Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) program the bill would create, Orr said. The state Department of Education developed the differentiated pay plan for math and science teachers. Hopefully it will attract and retain quality teachers in the classroom when it comes to these STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) type professions, Orr said. Overall, the budget would increase spending from the Education Trust Fund next year to about $7.7 billion, about $455 million more than this year. Spending on K-12 schools would increase by about 6%, to $5.3 billion. Spending on higher education would also increase about 6%, to about $2 billion. Early childhood education, which includes the states voluntary pre-kindergarten program, would receive a 22% increase, to $162 million. Related: Teacher shortage hits hardest in rural Alabama This story will be updated. Several groups held a virtual rally this morning calling for the release of an immigrant detainee from the Etowah County Detention Center who advocates say is suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19. Karim Golding, 36, is a Jamaican Muslim Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainee at the center who spoke to listeners by telephone on the event, which was livestreamed on Facebook. The basic message we want to get out is that we are humans, and were being treated like, I wouldnt even say animals, Golding said. They wouldnt offer us protection. Im being singled out because Im saying we need to be treated like a human being. Were supposed to have rights. Thats all Im asking for. The event was hosted by several groups, including Shut Down Etowah and Adelante Alabama Worker Center, which have held several protests in recent years calling for the ICE detentions at Etowah County to end. Jeremy Jong, Goldings attorney, said ICE has COVID-19 standards for detainees with pre-existing conditions that it is not following. Golding has high blood pressure and asthma, Jong said, and has not been judged a national security threat. Therefore, he should already have been released, he said. Originally incarcerated on drug and weapons charges, Golding was transferred to ICE custody in 2016. Jong said a federal judge told Golding during a 2016 sentencing hearing the he had invested considerable effort in turning his life around. Advocates say Golding has tested positive for COVID-19 twice while being housed in Etowah County, and was sent to solitary confinement for two months because he called on the center to supply detainees with adequate COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment. According to friends and family members, he is suffering from liver disease and post-COVID symptoms, and has been tested for cancer. During the hourlong event, other ICE detainees who have since been released said Golding worked hard to get them out of detention, and now they feel indebted to him. Goldings mother, Mervine Duhaney-Metzgar, thanked advocates for their work in trying to get information about Goldings condition and to win his release. Today, it pains my heart, because Karim would not tell me all that is happening, but I sense it, he said. The rule of law in this country, when a family member who is incarcerated is ill, theyre supposed to call us. They did not even have the audacity to say something, to call the family. I reach out to them on numerous occasions to find out whats happening in this prison. They hang up on us. Tammy Bean, a spokesperson for the Etowah County Sheriffs Office, referred all questions to ICE. Efforts to gain a comment from ICE were not immediately successful. Irish Film Festa Silver Stream edition launches on St Patrick's Day. The Irish Film Festa, the only Italian film festival dedicated entirely to Irish cinema and culture, will be hosted on the all-new IFI International streaming service from 17-21 March. The 12th edition of the festival, which is normally held at Romes Casa del Cinema, goes digital due to the covid-19 crisis and is presented in partnership with Dublins Irish Film Institute. Under the helm of artistic director Susanna Pellis, the festival offers Italy three feature films in streaming, each one in the original language with Italian subtitles. Wildfire by Cathy Brady The historical drama Arracht (Monster) by Tom Sullivan and the documentary The Hunger: The Story of the Irish Famine by Ruan Magan provide different points of view the Great Irish Famine which between 1845 and 1855 caused the deaths of one million Irish people and the forced emigration of another two million. Arracht by Tom Sullivan The third film, Wildfire by Cathy Brady, is set in contemporary northern Ireland in a border town and features the reunion between two sisters, exposing old secrets and forcing the family and the entire community to address the trauma of the past. The festival programme will be available in streaming from Wednesday 17 to Sunday 21 March on the global IFI International streaming service. Viewing is possible only from Italy, full viewing details see IFI International website. Margaret L. Butler, a retired Baltimore County public schools educator and an active church member, died Friday at the Broadmead Retirement Community of complications from dementia. The resident of Phoenix in Baltimore County was 90. The former Margaret Matilda Luebbe, daughter of Frank Luebbe and his wife, Louise Luebbe, who owned and operated a confectionery store, was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After graduating in 1949 from Johnstown High School, she earned a bachelors degree in sociology in 1953 from Gettysburg College. She returned to Johnstown, where she worked at the Red Cross for several years before moving to East Orange, New Jersey, where she taught second grade. Mrs. Butler moved to Baltimore and obtained a masters degree in education in 1958 from Goucher College. She began teaching second grade that year in Baltimore County public schools and joined the faculty of Rodgers Forge Elementary School, where she spent the majority of her 33-year career as a guidance counselor until retiring in 1991. She was a member of Alpha Zeta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional society for female educators. She had been a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Towson and an active volunteer with the Helping Up Mission, Meals on Wheels, Sarahs Hope and several educational organizations. In recent years, she became a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Cockeysville, where she was vice president of its social ministry and a member of the Spiritual Committee and the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee. She sang in its choir and was a member of its handbell choir. Mrs. Butler moved to the Hunt Valley retirement community 13 months ago after suffering a fall. A lover of classical music who played the piano, Mrs. Butler attended Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concerts. She also enjoyed reading and traveling. A favorite travel destination was South Africa, which she visited four times. She was a true gentle woman who had a great sense of humor, said Sarah Rath, a stepdaughter who lives in Cockeysville. Due to the pandemic, a celebration-of-life gathering wont be held until a later date. In addition to her stepdaughter, she is survived by her husband of 27 years, Robert B. Butler, who was director of product development for Noxell Corp.; a stepson, David Butler of Annapolis; two other stepdaughters, Katherine DeWit of Asheville, North Carolina, and Betsey Klinger of New Britain, Pennsylvania; 24 stepgrandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and nine nieces and nephews. Her husband of six years, Forney Gordon, a Food Fair manager, died in 1973. Another stepdaughter, Susan Smith, died in 2014. Houlihan has been an actor/producer/director/playwright (most well known perhaps for the six-year run he had with Goin East on Ashland); a columnist for the Sun-Times and Irish American News; on-air essayist for WBEZ-FM 91.5; filmmaker (his Her Majesty, da Queen is a behind-the-scenes film about what it takes to become Chicagos St. Patricks Day Queen); former co-host of the Skinny & Houli Show on WCEV-AM 1450 with James Skinny Sheehan, former executive director of the Mayors Office of Special Events; and author of books, one of the latest being Nothins on the Square about the nearly three months that he worked on the 2015 mayoral campaign of Jesus Chuy Garcia, running against Rahm Emanuel, who Houlihan held in rather low regard, writing that his campaign was marked by chicanery, perfidy, and a preening over confidence. Because this blog is mostly powered by paranoia, classical references and the tragic knowledge that human history is mostly just one big justification of murder in order to garner power. Beware the Ides of March. But Why? And tall of THAT inspires this late night peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines . . . Normally We Tune Out Hipsters But This Sound Of Kansas City Success Deserves A Listen Kansas City can boast three Grammy winners and four nominees Kansas Citians took home some hardware at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards last night. These winners and nominees had a variety of roles in the awards roster including producing, singing, playing saxophone, and more. Winners: David Frost (Producer of the Year, Classical) Frost won the music industry's highest honor for his role in seven recordings including the Kansas City Symphony's "Holst: The Planets; The Perfect Fool." Tornado Season Starts Overland Park neighborhood sustains damage during tornado warning KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As tornado warnings swept across the Kansas City metro, at least one Overland Park neighborhood sustained damage to homes and property. Tornado sirens began blaring shortly before 5 p.m. in the area of 107th Street and Antioch Road. Beltway Demands Crackdown Down On Political Chatter Impeachment witness Vindman says he "should have sued Trump proxies" and right-wing media Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified in the first impeachment trial of former President Trump, said Monday he "should have sued those who amplified his campaign of defamation." Driving the news: In an op-ed for Lawfare, titled "Can Litigation Help Deradicalize Right-Wing Media?," Vindman wrote, "After I testified about then-President Trump's misconduct on Ukraine before the House impeachment inquiry, Trump and his allies targeted me and my family for retribution." Confronting Red Line U.S. warns of China's growing threat to Taiwan "War over Taiwan would be unthinkable," said Eric Sayers, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. "A major challenge Washington faces is that Taiwan has been viewed by many as a 2035 planning problem. ... The [Chinese army's] capabilities have now matured to such a degree that this is no longer a dilemma we can afford to push off." COVID Immunity Considered Covid-19 antibodies present in about 1 in 5 blood donations from unvaccinated people, according to data from the American Red Cross In the first week of March, more than 20% of blood donations from unvaccinated people had Covid-19 antibodies, according to data shared with CNN by the American Red Cross. COVID ROUND WORLD!!! Much of Europe tightens anti-pandemic rules as virus surges ROME (AP) - Tighter restrictions aimed at reining in surging coronavirus infections took hold in much of Italy and parts of Poland on Monday, while in France, Paris risks being slapped with a weekend lockdown as ICUs near saturation with COVID-19 patients. Inspired JoCo Sign Of Solidarity Show of support: Johnson County Sheriff's employees shave heads to celebrate coworker OLATHE, Kan. - Once you work at The Johnson Co. sheriff's office, you're part of a family. A group of two sergeants and three deputies proved that Monday. The five employees shaved their heads in support of Erika Colacicco. The 49 year-old Administrative Assistant at the office was diagnosed with breast cancer in July. Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow Sun returns on Tuesday NO MORE TORNADO WARNINGS, THE LIGHTNING IS COMING DOWN TO. I THINK THIS TOUGHBOOK CONTINUE TO DWINDLE BY 9:00 TONIGHT, SHOULD BE CLOUDY MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF FOG. RAIN THREAT SHOULD BE OVER FOR A WHILE. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. EAST MEADOW, N.Y., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprout Mortgage, the leading nationwide force in non-QM residential lending, today announced a further effort to make its Premier Jumbo Full Doc program the simplest prime jumbo program in the mortgage industry. Starting March 18 and available for jumbo residential applications loans begun anytime in March, Sprout's new Automated Underwriting System Express (AUS Express) feature will provide a streamlined employment and income documentation approach for its Premier Jumbo Full Doc Program. AUS Express eliminates tedious and unnecessary Appendix "Q" documentation. This means that for Desktop Underwriter (DU) recommendations marked "Approved/Ineligible" because of a loan amount exceeding agency limits, the new Sprout AUS Express can approve the financing with employment and income documentation that follows established guidelines from the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), along with Sprout's LTV, reserve and appraisal requirements. "This is a big step forward for mortgage professionals to provide home buyers with fast, streamlined access to increasingly popular jumbo loans," said Shea Pallante, Sprout Mortgage President and Chief Production Officer. "With no DTI overlay, the AUS Express feature allows for the full DU recommended DTI up to 50%." Sprout's loan programs are accessible through many widely used mortgage product and pricing engines including Optimal Blue, Loan Sifter, EPPS LoanNEX and Mortech. Full details are available to mortgage professionals through the Sprout Client Portal, while Sprout's easy-to-use iQualifi app provides scenario eligibility and pricing. About Sprout Mortgage Sprout Mortgage is a leading nationwide non-QM lender whose innovative products, powerful technology, and precision underwriting provide tailored lending solutions for residential real estate investors, self-employed borrowers, and those with recent credit events. Sprout provides modern lending solutions to help a broad range of consumers and the brokers and lenders who serve them. For more information, visit www.sproutmortgage.com or call 844-664-6100. CONTACT: Thomas Walek Peaks Strategies [email protected] 917-353-7575 SOURCE Sprout Mortgage Emilie Munson, Times Union, Albany, N.Y. (TNS) After the American Rescue Plan waived taxes on cancelled student loan debt, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D- N.Y., said Monday theres no reason President Joe Biden shouldnt immediately erase $50,000 in student loans for each borrower. The American Rescue Plan, signed into law last week, makes all student loan forgiveness tax-free until 2025, including private and institutional loans. The move helps current borrowers who receive loan forgiveness during this period and sets the stage for Biden to wipe away thousands of dollars in student debt. Schumer and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D- Mass., and Bob Menendez, D- N.J., held a press conference Monday to again push Biden to wipe away student debt. The provision would apply to nearly 100,000 students who are already in repayment programs that offer some student loan forgiveness, but even more importantly and crucially, it would apply to future efforts to forgive student loans, Schumer said. Making student debt cancellation tax free clears the way for the Biden administration to cancel $50,000 in student loan through executive action. Biden has not edged away from the senators pressure, opting for a narrower proposal. He has supported canceling $10,000 of student loan debt for all borrowers and the rest of the debt for people who went to public or historically Black colleges and universities and earn less than $125,000 a year. The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a legal review on how to use executive authority to do so, the senators said. Biden has already used executive action to extend a pause for federal student loan borrowers until at least October, giving borrowers a break from payments and accruing interest. When the federal government or a lender forgives a student loan under certain plans, that cancelled debt may be treated as taxable income under federal tax laws, leaving some students with an unexpected bill. In many states, the money is also subject to state income taxes. The average student borrower who earns $50,000 in income would save approximately $2,200 in taxes for every $10,000 of forgiven student loans, said Warren. Its unclear how much annual revenue the federal government would lose due to this temporary change in the American Rescue Plan. Waiving thousands of dollars of student debt per person would come at a much greater cost to federal coffers. Already, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, Bidens signature COVID-19 relief package, is expected to decrease federal revenues by $53 billion over the next 10 years and increase direct spending by $1.8 trillion, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. New Yorkers have the fifth highest collective student loan balance for borrowers of any state, according to the state comptrollers office. New Yorkers average student loan balance rose by 3.9 percent from the previous year to $37,600 as of last June, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That figure has increased 20.1 percent since 2016. From 2006 to 2016, student loan debt more than doubled in New York. Canceling student loan debt is part of a larger conversation about the affordability of college, as tuition climbs. Many conservatives have blasted the idea of spending billions to wipe out student loan debt, saying if people choose to go to college, they need to shoulder to the burden of higher education. The Republicans ranking members of the Senate and House education committees did not respond to requests for comment Monday. Rachel Gentry, assistant director of federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, previously said that her organization has recommended that Congress explore debt forgiveness options that are targeted to borrowers with the greatest need. But she also emphasized the need to double the maximum Pell grant, which now is $6,345, because the money does not need to be repaid. EDWARDSVILLE On Wednesday, at Sunset Hills Country Club, city police convened a forum for residents and others to discuss community safety measures. I wasnt able to attend but Major [Michael] Fillback attended for me, Police Chief Jay Keeven told the public safety committee Thursday during its regularly scheduled meeting. There were about 30 attendees, many of whom are concerned about the vehicle burglaries and thefts that occurred over the past two or three weeks. The meeting lasted three hours. Alderman Art Risavy was there as was [Yolanda Crochrell, who is running for the Ward 2 aldermanic seat], Troy Police Chief Brad Parsons, and a representative from Utilitra, which is J.F. Electrics technology arm. Keeven said Utilitra has been doing some license plate camera installations and they discussed ways subdivision homeowners associations (HOAs) can purchase camera and license plate reader systems. Utilitra has been making sales pitches to local HOAs to say if they will buy the cameras, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) will allow those cameras to be tied into the law enforcement network if the camera belongs to the Edwardsville Police Department, Keeven explained. A HOA that wanted this, would buy it, have it installed and then give it, via a legal document, to the department or to the city. According to Fillback, many people in the group who attended are interested in participating in this offer. Its not a magic bullet, Keeven said, But as Fillback told them, Just locking your car and keeping your keys doesnt mean someone wont break a window and steal your laptop if its in your car. By the same token, just having a camera system doesnt mean the EPD will catch every thief. City Administrator Kevin Head interjected, suggesting that the HOAs could use the citys ENERGI grants to pay for as much as 50 percent of the cameras price. Keeven used the meeting as a springboard into his next topic, license plate reader cameras for the city. He revealed that he and some of his staff met with Utilitra earlier in the week because he knew the company would be at the forum. Right now, the Drug Enforcement Administration has worked with local law enforcement throughout Illinois, particularly in the Metro East region with license plate readers on the interstates, Keeven said as part of drug interdiction. What we have seen is a pattern of a vehicles coming from North St. Louis, coming on 270 eastbound and then stealing a vehicle over here, heading westbound with the stolen vehicle and then we will, after the fact, plug that license number in, Keeven explained. We saw those stolen vehicles left our venue going westbound and we checked the license plates of the vehicles that passed around that same time and sure enough, were finding that a vehicle, which is later reported stolen, was stolen out of St. Louis, came eastbound. He said what happens is there are three or four people in one car, who come over here, spread out and steal valuable items from cars or if the keys or key fobs are left in the cars, they take the entire vehicle in most cases. Keeven added that if its a freshly stolen vehicle, it will not show up in the system until its been entered into the law enforcement data system. We have a lot of local police agencies that have purchased license plate reader (LPR) systems, he said. The DEA has made an agreement with local law enforcement that it will pay to store the data and give us access to all of the data so we can share it. The only costs to the city would be the initial cost of each camera and $50 to $60 per month for a cellular modem to back up the data. If there are two cameras at the same location, they can share a modem, otherwise its one modem per camera in different locations. Keeven wants two LPR cameras on Route 157 where it splits at the SIUE entrance and ascends Sunset Hill. The university already has its own LPR system that the city could link to, Glen Carbon is putting a system in on 157 south of Interstate 270 and plans a second camera location on Route 159 northbound from I-270, he said. Ballparking this, if we were to put up a license plate reader camera is about $10,000, Keeven said. That covers the camera, installation and software upgrades. I would like to catch those coming up that hill, then wed probably want to catch both directions, so wed probably need two cameras to the tune of $20,000, Keeven said, plus the monthly cellular service fee. Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735 [March 16, 2021] Bernhard Capital Partners Makes Significant Investment in The Gray Casualty & Surety Company Bernhard Capital Partners Management, LP ("Bernhard Capital," or the "Firm"), a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm, and The Gray Insurance Company ("Gray Insurance") today announced that a group of investors led by Bernhard Capital has entered into an agreement to make a significant investment in The Gray Casualty & Surety Company ("Gray Surety"), Gray Insurance's surety market affiliate. Gray Surety, established 2003, is a well-respected surety carrier headquartered in Metairie, LA that provides surety bonds to emerging and mid-market contractors. Gray Surety partners with professional bond agents to provide responsible surety bond options across the country. The Gray Surety team also underwrites commercial bonds related to licenses, permits, and other regulatory requirements. Jim Bernhard, partner at Bernhard Capital, said, "We are excited to partner with the Gray Surety team. This insurance platform will serve as a natural extension of our construction and infrastructure expertise. Together, we will leverage Gray Surety's reputation in the surety industry and Bernhard Capital Partners' resources to grow capacity. The Gray Surety team's proven reputation and strong track record in the surety industry reflects their dedication to their key values - values that align closely with ours at Bernhard Capital Partners. We are proud to support their growth and welcome them to our portfolio." Michael T. Gray, Chief Executive Officer and President of Gray Insurance, said, "We are proud of this partnership an excited about the growth potential it holds. This venture is well positioned as a pure-play surety company and will enable Gray Surety to write and support a much larger share of the market. Bernhard Capital's interest in Gray Surety is a testament to the successful business the Gray team has built and we thank each individual for their efforts." Cullen S. Piske, President of Gray Surety, said, "This partnership brings together Bernhard Capital's construction and infrastructure expertise with our construction focused credit business. Bernhard Capital's substantial capital infusion represents an incredible opportunity to expand our capacity and we look forward to growing our business as we support our customers in a rapidly changing industry. At Gray Surety, our motto is 'Let's Get To Yes' which reflects our creative approach to surety credit, but also impacts all levels of our operations. We will continue to provide the same exceptional level of care, professionalism and unique service-first approach to the surety bond experience." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Current management will continue to operate Gray Surety. About Bernhard Capital Partners Bernhard Capital Partners is a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm established in 2013 by Jim Bernhard, Jeff Jenkins, and a team of experienced private-equity professionals. Bernhard Capital seeks to create sustainable value by leveraging its experience in acquiring, operating, and growing services and infrastructure businesses. About The Gray Casualty & Surety Company The Gray Casualty & Surety Company is a trusted surety market headquartered in Metairie, LA. Since 2003, the company has provided contract and commercial surety bonds to emerging and mid-sized contractors across the U.S. Gray Surety goes beyond the bond with a service-first approach to support contractors and independent bond agents as they grow. Gray Surety has offices in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arizona. About The Gray Insurance Company Founded in 1977, The Gray Insurance Company is a family-owned, relationship-based, and service- focused insurance company admitted in 50 states. Offering workers' compensation, commercial auto, general liability, and excess liability coverage, Gray Insurance's program is designed to respond to overlapping state and federal jurisdictions and complex contractual arrangements. They are headquartered in southeast Louisiana and focus on the energy, industrial, and construction industries with an emphasis on the Gulf Coast and the southeastern United States. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316006007/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Global health experts were under increasing pressure to clear up questions over the safety of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot on Tuesday, as Sweden and Latvia joined countries suspending their use in a further blow to Europe's vaccination rollout. A World Health Organization (WHO) committee of experts was reviewing isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and low platelet counts in people vaccinated in close dialogue with the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which was also meeting. The EMA would hold a news conference at 1300 GMT and the WHO committee may also issue a statement on Tuesday, spokespeople for the EU executive and the U.N. health agency said. The European Union's largest members - Germany, France and Italy - suspended the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Monday pending the outcome of an investigation into the reports. The addition of Sweden and Latvia on Tuesday brought to more than a dozen the number of EU countries to act since reports first emerged of thromboembolisms affecting people after they got the AstraZeneca shot. The WHO and EMA had earlier joined AstraZeneca in saying there is no proven link, but some experts said rare cases of highly unusual cerebral thrombosis in younger people did appear to indicate a causal link to the AstraZenica shot. "Unfortunately, the ... brain thrombosis is likely due to the AstraZeneca vaccine. And it affects younger people without risk factors," said Karl Lauterbach, health spokesman for Germany's Social Democratic Party. "But because the risk is only about 1 in 250,000, the benefits predominate," he added in a tweet. European epidemiologists remained baffled that similar cases had not occurred in unusual numbers in Britain, which began using AstraZeneca earlier and has administered more than 10 million doses. "These symptoms have not yet been observed there," said Stephan Becker, head of the Institute for Virology at Philipps University Marburg. "This is a very unfortunate situation, but if there is such a suspicion, then it must be investigated and the vaccination must be stopped for that time." POLITICAL DECISION? Nicola Magrini, the director general of Italy's medicines authority AIFA, told daily la Repubblica in an interview that the choice to suspend the vaccines was "political". He called the AstraZeneca vaccine safe and said its benefit to risk ratio was "widely positive". There have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects following vaccinations in Italy, he added. Governments say they acted out of an abundance of caution but the move deprives them of vitally-needed doses to step up vaccination campaigns that have got off to a slow start due to scarce supply. The EU has administered just 11 shots so far for every 100 of its residents, while Israel - a world leader in vaccination - has given 108 doses per 100 residents, according to Our World in Data. At the same time a third wave of infection, driven by more infectious viral variants, threatens to worsen Europe's year-old coronavirus pandemic that has claimed 575,000 lives and further delay recovery from a pandemic economic slump. Deutsche Bank on Tuesday slashed 2021 economic growth forecasts for the euro area by a whole percentage point, citing spillover of the ongoing pandemic-linked activity restrictions. NO CHOICE In Germany, Health Minister Jens Spahn stated on Monday that the decision to suspend AstraZeneca was not political but based on expert advice. Sources said he had no choice but to act after Germany's vaccine watchdog identified an unusual number of cases of rare cerebral vein thrombosis. Of 1.6 million people in Germany who had got AstraZeneca, seven fell ill and three died. Yet the risk of dying of COVID is still orders of magnitude greater, especially among those most vulnerable such as the elderly, said Dirk Brockmann, an epidemiologist at the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases. "In the risk groups the chance of dying of COVID is much, much higher. That means one is probably 100,000 times more likely to die of COVID than because of an AstraZeneca vaccine," Brockmann told ARD public television. The political fallout was immediate, with Chancellor Angela Merkel cancelling vaccine strategy talks on Wednesday that had been due to discuss distributing the AstraZeneca shot to family doctors to speed up its rollout. Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder, a contender to succeed Merkel at a general election this September, called for the AstraZeneca shot to be made available to anyone who wanted it. A senior aide warned that, without AstraZeneca, Germany's vaccine drive was at risk of failing. IN THE HOT SEATIn France, Health Minister Olivier Veran told reporters the risk-reward ratio for the AstraZeneca vaccine remained positive. Yet the latest setback has dealt a further blow to the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals group, which has clashed with the EU's executive Commission over its supply contract and fallen short of its delivery commitments. AstraZeneca's chief executive Pascal Soriot is in the "hot seat" over delays to deliveries and must provide more details of his production plans, France's Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said. "In any business, there is a fiduciary responsibility, you have to be accountable," Pannier-Runacher told France Info radio. "When you do not honour a contract, this can cause problems, individual problems." AstraZeneca said last week it would try to deliver 30 million doses to the European Union by the end of March, down from a contractual obligation of 90 million and a previous pledge made last month to deliver 40 million doses. Also Read: AstraZeneca to miss Q2 EU vaccine supply target by 50% CAIRO Political relations are rapidly changing in the Middle East and Africa including Egyptian-Somali relations, which seem to have chilled with the neutral Somali position on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) crisis. On March 8, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received the new Somali ambassador to Egypt, Ilyas Sheikh Omar. On the same day, Omar issued a statement expressing Somalias willingness to initiate a rapprochement with Egypt. It is a great honor on this historic day to present my credentials to President Sisi, Omar said at the beginning of his statement. He subsequently conveyed his countrys keenness to strengthen relations with Egypt and work in various fields through the activation of the memorandums of understanding signed between the two countries in 2015 and 2019 in the fields of health, education, agriculture, livestock and fisheries, and trade. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued March 5 a statement in which it expressed Egypts condemnation of the suicide bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, that targeted a popular restaurant on March 4 and killed and wounded more than 50 people. The statement stressed Egypts solidarity with Somalias efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in order to restore security. Since 2020, Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization in Kenya and Somalia, has been intensifying its operations in Somalia against civilians and the Somali army. Many observers believe that Egypts solidarity with Somalia in the efforts to combat terrorism at a time when many Arab and African countries paid no heed is evidence of Egypts intentions to provide support to Somalia in the face of extremist and terrorist groups. Zakaria Othman, a former researcher at the Arab and African Research Center, told Al-Monitor that the transfer of Egyptian expertise to African countries in the field of combating terrorism has become a basic pillar of Egyptian foreign policy. He said the Egyptian support to African countries in their fight against terrorism is becoming more important by the day in light of Egypts progress in that field, as terrorist operations have almost completely disappeared after they had been significantly spreading since 2013." Othman said what proves Egypts keenness to transfer its experience in combating terrorist and extremist groups is its signing of military cooperation agreements with Sudan and strategic and security cooperation agreements with South Africa. However, strengthening cooperation and consolidating relations with Somalia specifically through the transfer of security expertise in the field of combating terrorism or increasing economic cooperation may acquire special importance for Egypt compared to other African countries, given that Somalia overlooks the Ethiopian border. Since 2012, Ethiopia has been engaged in the longest and most complex conflict with Egypt over the conditions for filling and operating the GERD and its impact on Egypts share of the Nile water. Egypt has boosted in recent years its ties with Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya and Eritrea, all of which border Ethiopia. Media outlets published in 2020 unconfirmed reports that there were Egyptian efforts to establish military bases in South Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia. These reports came despite the fact that Sisi has repeatedly stressed that Egypt excluded the military option in dealing with the GERD crisis and emphasized that the crisis with Addis Ababa is a long-term negotiating crisis. For his part, an Egyptian researcher specializing in African affairs at the Democratic German Center (a nongovernmental organization) told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Egypts endeavor to expand its influence among Ethiopias neighbors, including Somalia, is not aimed at using the neighbors lands as military bases or for any military purpose as some might be inclined to think. He pointed out that Ethiopia's neighbors, including Somalia, are members of the Arab League and/or the African Union, and they can support any sanctions against Ethiopia through their membership in the two unions if Ethiopia keeps insisting on filling and operating the dam without an agreement with Egypt and Sudan. He added, Even if Egypt will not succeed in pushing any regional body or countries to impose sanctions on Ethiopia, gaining actionable support from its neighbors for both Egypt and Sudan can impact Addis Ababa's economic and trade ambitions, as Ethiopia is a landlocked country that relies heavily on Somali or Eritrean ports for trade. Also if [Ethiopias] neighbors stop importing electricity from Ethiopia, the dam will lose much of its expected profits, putting another pressure on Addis Ababa, especially since Egypt had announced its intentions to build power stations in Somalia, Eritrea and South Sudan. In March 2020, Somalias Foreign Ministry said in an official statement that Somalia and Djibouti have taken neutral stances regarding the conflict between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the operation and filling of the GERD. The ministry said Somalia is ready to participate in resolving the conflict only as a mediator to calm the tensions between the three countries. In 2020, Egypt managed to have several regional and global official decisions and statements issued against Addis Ababas intention to unilaterally fill the dam. Chief among these was a March 2020 statement by the Arab League. The statement was signed by all members, except for three that included Somalia amid alleged tension between Egypt and Somalia due to rumors whereby Egyptian authorities are establishing contacts with the authorities of Somaliland, which is a separate region from the legitimate government of Somalia. In this regard, Abdul Aziz al-Karsi, a Somali security expert who specializes in Horn of Africa affairs, said in press statements back in April 2020 that both Turkish media outlets and Somali journalists loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood, an ally of Turkey, have played a pernicious role in promoting rumors of Egypts intention to recognize Somaliland with the aim of establishing a military base there. Although he partially agrees on the importance of Somalia for Egypt in the GERD crisis, Karsi believes that by boosting its ties with Somalia, Egypt is mainly seeking to curtail the expansion of Turkish influence in Somalia. Turkey opened one of its largest military bases in Mogadishu amid mounting fears over the secret use of that base to support the Houthis in Yemen to please Iran, which is an ally of Turkey, or the Muslim Brotherhood, which began to approach the Houthi militia, he added. Egypt is seeking to maintain or expand its cooperation with Somalia in the face of Turkish influence in several fields other than the military and economic fields. On Jan. 24, the Egyptian Ministry of Education celebrated the return of its missions to Somalia and the reopening of its schools at a time when Turkey opened many schools in Somalia as well. Russian authorities say they will block Twitter across the country in one month unless the social media company complies with demands to remove certain content, according to Reuters. The threat follows a week of rising tensions between Russia and Twitter: On March 9th, Russian authorities sued Twitter and other mainstream social sites, alleging they failed to delete posts urging children to participate in illegal, nationwide protests over the jailing of Alexei Navalny, a high-profile critic of President Vladimir Putin. On March 10th, regulators in the country throttled Twitter for failing to remove banned content, though this time they didn't mention the protests. Instead, they cited instances of child pornography, drug use, and tweets encouraging children to attempt suicide. At the time, Russian regulators vaguely threatened to ban Twitter, though they didn't provide a deadline for such a move. Today's warning was more direct. Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday that the threat to block Twitter within the month came from Vadim Subbotin, the deputy head of the country's communications oversight board, Roskomnadzor. "Twitter is not reacting to our requests as they should," Subbotin said, as reported by Reuters. "If the situation carries on then it will be blocked in a month without a court order." In response to Russia's nationwide Twitter slowdown last week, the company said, "We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding child sexual exploitation, it is against the Twitter Rules to promote, glorify or encourage suicide and self harm, and we do not allow the use of Twitter for any unlawful behavior or to further illegal activities, including the buying and selling of drugs. We remain committed to advocating for the Open Internet around the world and deeply concerned by increased attempts to block and throttle online public conversation." FORT WORTH, TX, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- ADM Endeavors, Inc. (OTCQB: ADMQ) announced today that its subsidiary, FW Promo, Inc., has signed a new contract agreement with UG Merchandising/Unspeakable, for specialty branded products. YouTubers merchandise already accounts for more than 35% of our gross sales, so the addition of the Unspeakable brand should have a material impact going forward, said Marc Johnson, ADM Endeavors CEO. Nathan (UnspeakableGaming) is a well-known Minecraft YouTuber renowned particularly for his YouTube channel UnspeakableGaming. The channel mainly is comprised of Minecraft videos apart from other contents built on gaming, custom maps, role plays, challenges, and many more, said Mr. Johnson. FW Promo have signed an agreement with UG Merchandising to produce and/or sell Unspeakable brand merchandise for the Company. We are excited about this new partnership, said Mr. Johnson. https://www.unspeakable.com/ https://twitter.com/unspeakablegame?lang=en https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwIWAbIeu0xI0ReKWOcw3eg About ADMQ: Since 2010, our wholly owned subsidiary, Just Right Products, Inc., has been consistently profitable, with sales topping $5.1 million in 2020. The Company sells Anything With A Logo on its website, JustRightProducts.com, developing products ranging from unique business cards to coffee cups, T-shirts to boots, with tens of thousands of other unique products from which to select. The Company operates a diverse vertical integrated business in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, consisting of a retail sales division, screen print production, embroidery production, digital production, import wholesale sourcing, and uniforms. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements," as defined in the United States PSLRA of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management's current expectations. The economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors identified in the Company's previous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements in this press release. 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. Contact: ADM Endeavors, Inc. | www.admendeavors.com Paul Knopick pknopick@eandecommunications.com 940.262.3584 Attachment A Texas-based medical practice that federal officials say subjected employees to religious discrimination and retaliation will pay $375,000 to settle the case following a judgement by a federal court. Tim Shepherd M.D., P.A. and Bridges Healthcare, P.A., doing business as Shepherd Healthcare, a medical practice in Flower Mound, Texas, will furnish other relief as well, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity. According to the EEOCs suit (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Tim Shepherd M.D., P.A. and Bridges Healthcare, P.A., Civil Action No.4:20-cv-60-SDJ), Shepherd Healthcare conducted mandatory meetings each morning that involved prayer and a reading of Biblical verses, including discussion of how those principles applied to the employees personal lives. An employee in the call center, who followed the principles of Buddhism, asked several times to be excused from attending the religious portion of the mandatory daily staff meeting as a religious accommodation. Her requests for accommodation were denied, and she was fired just one day after she had renewed her request to be excused from the Bible meetings. The EEOCs suit also charged that Shepherd Healthcare subjected employees to a religiously based hostile work environment by imposing religious practices and beliefs on them. The EEOC further alleged that some employees were fired because they expressed their objections or opposition to the required religious practices. Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The final judgment, entered by U.S. District Court Judge Sean D. Jordan on Mar. 11, 2021, orders the defendants to provide monetary relief to 10 former employees, as well as to conduct training on Title VII for all employees and managers. The judgment also prohibits the defendants from requiring or pressuring any employee to engage in religious-based activities, including meetings, social events, conversations, and prayers. The defendant Tim Shepherd M.D., P. A. filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy soon after the EEOC filed its first amended complaint in this case. The EEOC learned that Bridges Healthcare P.A. had been created by Dr. Shepherd as a new practice shortly before the bankruptcy filing. The EEOC continued its prosecution of the action because the agencys statutory authority to enforce Title VII is not subject to the automatic stay provision of the bankruptcy code, and named Bridges Healthcare, P.A. as a second defendant under a theory of successor liability. The EEOC stands by those former employees of Shepherd Healthcare who spoke up when they were forced to attend a Bible class and were then harassed and fired after they refused to comply, Suzanne Michel Anderson, acting regional attorney of the EEOCs Dallas District Office said in a statement. Source: EEOC Topics Texas Medical Professional Liability The article noted that Vietnams GDP growth rate of 2.9% was low by historical standards it typically manages 6-7% but still put it ahead of every other major economy in Asia and looks remarkable given the damage that the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on the world. Even at the peak of the crisis in the second quarter of the year, Vietnam just about managed to eke out positive growth and recovered quickly, it said. It held that three things went especially well for Vietnam in 2020. The first of which will hopefully be irrelevant once the coronavirus pandemic passes, but is encouraging for the countrys governance. The second is extremely promising for the evolution of the economy its the main reason to believe that Vietnam still has superior prospects to any other comparable emerging economy. And the third bodes well for the stock markets long-term progress although this remains a high-risk market and investors need to expect some ups and downs along the way. Vietnams immediate strength is that the impact of coronavirus has been fairly small and controlled compared to most of the world. So far, there has been around 2,500 reported cases and 35 deaths. As in every country, there will be some unreported cases, but Vietnams statistics look pretty reliable if there were large numbers of deaths that had not been recorded, it would be obvious. This is not down to luck. All the specialist investors in Vietnam that I spoke to for this article Dominic Scriven of Dragon Capital, Andy Ho and Khanh Vu of VinaCapital and Craig Martin of Dynam Capital give a great deal of credit to how quickly the government acted once the first signs emerged that Sars-CoV-2 was going to be a threat, wrote Cris Sholto Heaton, the author of the article. He held that the ability to keep the pandemic in check and keep most of the economy open most of the time is a crucial part of why Vietnam did well in 2020 but its not the whole story. In the longer term, the more important factor is the way that the Vietnamese export sector is benefiting from companies moving some of their manufacturing and sourcing away from China to other destinations. Relatively good education and skill levels in the workforce and government policies to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) are a key part of this but that has been true for a long time, added the article. The two day nationwide banker's strike in protest against privatisation of government banks was a total success, said the top leader of a major union. The two day strike began on Monday. As per reports received by us from our unions in various states, the strike has been successful. Overwhelming majority of the bank branches remain closed and shutters are down, said C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Employees' Association (AIBEA). He said some branches headed by senior officers were open but no banking transaction could be carried out as other staff were on strike. The central government has decided to privatise two public sector banks in addition to the IDBI Bank, and the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) had given the strike call in protest. The UFBU, an umbrella body of nine unions in the banking sector, had given the strike call. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - NEO Battery Materials Ltd. (TSXV: NBM) ("NEO" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Investment Agreement") for a drawdown equity financing facility (the "Facility") of up to CDN$8 million with Alumina Partners (Ontario) Ltd. ("Alumina"), an affiliate of New York-based private equity firm Alumina Partners LLC. "The Investment Agreement with Alumina Partners provides a strong financial backing that will enable NEO Battery Materials to move to the next stage of executing our business plan and strategies," said Spencer Huh, CEO of the Company. "The flexibility of the Facility will allow NEO to expedite the process of commercializing our proprietary silicon-based hybrid anode material and exploring the two crucial commodities necessary for our battery materials production - silicon and lithium." The Company intends to use the proceeds of financings under the Investment Agreement for further exploration and development on its silica mining groundwork in B.C., the acquisition of a lithium project in Nevada, securing more patents related to advanced silicon enhanced technology, and general corporate purposes. "We are delighted to support NEO Battery Metals as they move to expand their exploration footprint and continue to develop their battery materials technology," said Adi Nahmani, Managing Member of Alumina Partners. "With the rapid acceleration of growth in the electric vehicles market, the demand for improvements in energy density and materials science is at an all-time high. We are confident in management's strategy to rapidly build an innovative integrated production business leveraging key materials science IP, and look forward very much to seeing those plans unfold." The Investment Agreement provides the Company with a financing facility over a period of 24 months during which the Company can draw down equity private placement tranches of up to CDN$250,000. Each tranche will be composed of units with each unit consisting of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant, at discounts between 15% and 25% of the closing price of the common shares on the day prior to the Company's drawdown notice to Alumina. The exercise price of the warrants will be at a 25% premium over market at the time of the issuance. Each drawdown from the investment may be subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued pursuant to a financing under the Investment Agreement will be subject to a statutory hold period that expires four months and one day from issuance. No finder's fees will be paid in connection with a financing under the Investment Agreement. About NEO Battery Materials Ltd. NEO Battery Materials Ltd. is a Vancouver-based junior resource company focused on battery metals exploration in North America. The Company has staked new mining claims in Golden, BC, along a strike with a quartzite bed, targeting silica in the quartzites for a total of 467 hectares. The Company focuses on exploring and producing silicon, which, when added to anode materials in the production of lithium-ion batteries, provides improvements in capacity and efficiency over lithium-ion batteries using graphite in their anode materials. The Company intends to become an integrated silicon producer and anode materials supplier to the electric vehicle industry. For more information, please visit the Company's website at: https://www.neobatterymaterials.com/. On behalf of the Board of Directors Spencer Huh President and CEO 604-697-2408 sbhuh1450@gmail.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77508 A returned traveller staying at the same Sydney hotel where a security guard contracted Covid has tested positive to the virus. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the latest infection could be the 'missing link' for health authorities investigating the state's first local case of transmission in more than 50 days. The premier said the returned traveller was quarantining on the 11th floor of Sydney's Sofitel hotel where a security guard is believed to have caught the highly contagious UK virus strain last week from a hotel guest. 'It's not surprising the case is on the same floor as the security guard and the traveller that had the original case,' she said. 'Health believes they acquired it after they went into the hotel so we are being upfront about that. They didn't have the virus when they came to the hotel. A general view of the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth in Sydney on Sunday after a security guard contracted coronavirus 'It is only fair for us to classify this as community transmission although obviously, they're in quarantine and not in the community.' Mr Berejiklian said there is 'no cause for us to be alarmed in the community' as the positive case is in hotel quarantine. Health authorities were on high alert after the 47-year-old security guard was on Sunday diagnosed with Covid-19, breaking the state's 55-day virus-free run. It isn't clear how the guard contracted the virus as there were no obvious breaches of health protocols. However the guard has the same highly contagious UK virus strain as an infected traveller residing on the floor on which he worked. It was hoped the guard was less contagious after receiving the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine, NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty said on Tuesday. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the latest infection could be the 'missing link' for health authorities investigating the state's first local case of transmission in more than 50 days The latest infection in hotel quarantine comes as NSW residents can finally stand at the bar and enjoy a cold one after 12 long months. From Wednesday, revellers in NSW will be permitted to stand and drink at a bar, as promised during the state's last round of restriction-easing in late February. The premier on Tuesday reiterated her determination to get as many people vaccinated against Covid-19 as possible, saying the AstraZeneca jab is safe and 'absolutely critical'. Numerous countries have suspended their AstraZeneca rollout after some recipients developed blood clots, but Ms Berejiklian is not deterred. 'I have full confidence in the vaccine and I have full confidence in our health experts. I certainly wouldn't have taken it if I hadn't done my homework - which I have - and I feel completely safe,' she said. Within three weeks, NSW will have completed an extra 80,000 jabs and 45,000 new people would have started their vaccine process. The company is progressing towards a final investment decision for its Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash Project and has secured a NAIF $140 million loan facility. The company is in the process of finalising its front-end-engineering-design work with results expected in the coming weeks. ( ) has secured a SPECULATIVE BUY rating and a price target of A$0.30 from analysts James Bullen and James Farr - the companys share price is currently A$0.165 per share. The analysts based their valuation modelling off the back of a definitive feasibility study (released in August 2019) for the companys 100% owned, 150,000 tonnes per annum, Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash (SOP) Project in Western Australia, which is closing in on a final investment decision. They said: With sector tailwinds, compelling thematic, NAIF support confirmed and front-end-engineering-deign (FEED) expected to be completed in the coming weeks, the project has momentum leading into a targeted final investment decision late in the March quarter 2021. We initiate coverage with a SPECULATIVE BUY and a A$0.30 DCF-based price target. DFS highlights low-cost long-life project The Lake Wells SOP Project is in one of the worlds superior locations for solar evaporation operations, offers a low-cost, long-life development opportunity as the demand for premium grade fertiliser products like SOP continues to rise in Asia and the rest of the world. Definitive feasibility study (DFS) results released in August 2019 indicate life of mine (LOM) operating costs of US $262/t, placing LWSOP in the first quartile of the SOP cost curve. Canaccord said: With ideal evaporation rates and low annual rainfall, we believe the Lake Wells SOP Project is located in one of the worlds premium locations for solar evaporation operations. With a JORC-compliant mineral resource of 18.1 million tonnes drainable SOP, evaporated through sun and wind, APC will look to supply both overseas and domestic markets with up to 150,000 tonnes per annum of SOP for at least the next 30 years. The company is currently in the process of finalising its front-end-engineering- design work with results expected in the coming weeks. Capex and opex forecasts The analysts said: While we expect capex to increase as a result of this work (renewable power, growth capex) we expect this to be offset by higher capacity and lower opex forecasts. We have taken a more conservative view on capex (CG 13% higher than DFS), WACC, forex, SOP pricing and start-up timing. We expect to update this valuation work when the results of the FEED study are available. We have used a discount rate of 8.5% and a risk weighting of 75% to derive our DCF valuation of $0.30. The 75% risk weighting was used to reflect additional uncertainties around timing, funding and capital requirements. Canaccord noted upcoming potential catalysts include: Delivery of FEED outcomes for Lake Wells (with capacity expected to increase and cash costs to decrease, partially offset by higher capex); Debt funding approval from EFA and commercial banks; and Final investment decision at Lake Wells. NAIF funding and FID The analysts said: While the March quarter 2021 target for FID is aggressive in our view, and we would be unsurprised by a small delay, the company has clearly achieved a number of milestones in a relatively short space of time. Critical path items to FID include EPC award and credit approval from all senior lenders. Notably, in a major milestone for APC, on March 2, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) made a positive investment decision for a $140 million loan facility with a 17-year tenor following a comprehensive due diligence process. This sets a positive precedent for APC's negotiations for additional senior debt facilities with Export Finance Australia and commercial banks. Importantly, NAIF is taking on the tail risk of the project, with the facility being interest-only until other senior debt providers are paid back. Canaccord said: This is a large vote of confidence in the project and bodes well, in our view, for a positive decision lending decision by Export Finance Australia (due diligence commenced in October 2020) and commercial banks. In addition, the company has locked in offtake for 150,000 tonnes per annum via five binding term sheets which include take-or-pay provisions and a level of price protection. Global outlook for SOP The Canaccord report discussed the growing rate of food consumption ahead of population growth due to a rising middle class (particularly in Asia) as a driving factor behind the positive outlook for SOP. Canaccord stated: The UN estimates that food production needs will increase by 70% by 2050 to fulfill the needs of the world population. With this food growth likely to be weighted toward chloride-sensitive crops like fruit and vegetables, and with arable land per capita falling, the case for premium fertiliser products like SOP (a 7 million tonnes per annum market which is growing at 3-5%) has never been stronger, in our view. Additionally, we note that agriculture fundamentals have continued to strengthen over the last six months, with the likes of corn +40% and soybeans +33%. This has created upwards pressure on fertiliser prices. While SOP demand is relatively inelastic, and consequently the NW Europe benchmark was flat, we do note that standard SOP pricing is currently US$526/tonne which is modestly above our forecasts. MARSHALL, Ill. (WTHI) - Marshall, Illinois Mayor John Trefz has decided not to buy the Velsicol property. The property in question is 270-acres off of Illinois Route 1. The mayor decided not to buy the property due to a lack of support from the city council. The site underwent remediation to cover chemicals that may endanger groundwater and soil. Velsicol offered to accept liability to the EPA for past actions. Councilman Warren LeFever says the city is in no position to spend more than $1 million the land would cost. Mayor Trefz says Velsicol will now sell the land with Bryan Poynter of Cushman Wakefield. Burma Under Martial Law, Myanmar Military Commanders Empowered to Issue Death Penalty Myanmars security forces. / The Irrawaddy Yangon Myanmars military governing body, the State Administrative Council (SAC), has threatened anti-regime protesters with the death penalty in townships under martial law. The SAC initially declared martial law in Hlaing Tharyar and Shwepyithar townships in Yangon on Sunday following its violent crackdown, the deadliest day since the Feb. 1 coup. Martial law was imposed on South Dagon, North Dagon, Dagon Seikkan and North Okkalapa townships in Yangon and parts of Mandalay on Monday. The announcement on state broadcaster MRTV late on Sunday said Yangons regional commander has been entrusted with administrative, judicial and military powers in the city. Those who commit one of 23 offenses in those townships will be tried in military courts and face penalties ranging from death, indefinite jail terms with labor and the maximum possible punishments under existing legislation, according to the orders signed by the SAC secretary, Lieutenant-General Aung Lin Dwe. The offenses include high treason, sedition, obstructing military personnel and civil servants performing their duties, instigation, incitement, spreading false news, possession of weapons, ties to unlawful associations, homicide, rape, robbery, corruption, drug abuse and vandalism. Other offenses concern violations of the Immigration Act, Media Law, Printing and Publishing Act, Ward or Village-Tract Administration Law, Electronic Transactions Law and Counterterrorism Law. Those sentenced to death and harsh penalties can only appeal to the SAC chairman and Yangon regional commander, the announcement said. You may also like these stories: UN Chief Calls Intl Community to Help End Military Repression in Myanmar India Must Break its Silence on Myanmar Coup to Avoid Global Embarrassment Myanmar Anti-Regime Protest Death Toll Reaches 191 A whole lot of Microsoft's applications are affected by a service outage, happened on Monday, March 15, that took down essential apps and software that are important for home, office, and schoolwork, which the company aims to restore now. Microsoft's maintenance team is already trying to fix the issue for Azure, Office 365, Teams, and Xbox Live, which they provide updates by the hour. Instead of a continuous work or use of a variety of Microsoft's suites, people who are using it online are experiencing a loss of service and a massive hindrance due to a service outage on the company's end. Currently, Microsoft has confirmed that it was not a hack or breach among its systems, rather a simple outage that overloaded its servers. People who are working, studying, and even gaming are affected by this outage, with Microsoft having one of its nastiest services downtimes for this year, as it dominoed most of its online services among its products. Azure and Teams face the most critical ones, particularly as both are online-based needs for work, with the cloud computing and collaboration tool unable to provide service. Read Also: Elon Musk Sells 'NFT Song' for 420 Million Dogecoin to Beeple: Multiple DJs Claim It's Their Song! Microsoft Outage Affects Most of Its Online Services Users can check the different service outages and statuses of the fix by Microsoft found in the links below. It is important to note that Microsoft updates these statuses by the hour, but in the case of some applications like Microsoft Azure, it has parameters that can be adjusted based on preferences. According to the issue, Microsoft's Azure Active Directory (AD) is the source of all the outages that occurred within Microsoft's suite of applications, thus resulting in a domino effect that affected others. Most importantly, the Active Directory knocked out most online services, but its offline mode can still be used, particularly with Microsoft Office's tools. Currently, the Microsoft Azure status page says that other services of the Azure can be used and are active across the region, and only its Active Directory is still affected by the service outage from the company. Furthermore, users have been reporting that some are locked out of their accounts or have trouble authenticating them to continue using its service. Office 365, Teams On the other hand, both Office 365 and the Teams experience an issue of the same kind, and that is both the services' online features that are affected by the outage. Moreover, users have reported that they are not able to log in its their Microsoft accounts, which is a significant hassle in accessing online documents and Teams' collaboration features. Xbox Live On Xbox's end, the company said that users are not able to enter game codes, promo codes, and purchase via its online games store, particularly with the Xbox Live feature and its subscribers. However, several users report that redeeming codes, game streaming, and other purchase issues are also reported by users of the service. Our teams are aware that some users may experience difficulties with Game Streaming and Purchases at the moment. Know that our teams are working to get things resolved as we Tweet. We'll be sure to post updates here as they become available. Xbox Support (@XboxSupport) March 15, 2021 Related Article: Microsoft Explores Inside Job Possibility: Security Partners Could Have Made Private Disclosures Leading to the Attack This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Two people were killed and two others seriously injured after a single-engine aircraft crashed into a car on a roadway in Florida on Monday, officials said. The two victims were on board the Beechcraft Bonanza plane, which crashed near the North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, Fire Chief Marcellino Rodriguez said. An adult and child who were in the car were transported to a hospital in serious condition, according to Rodriguez. Witnesses reported that the wing touched the ground first before crashing into the vehicle, he said. The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement, CNN reported. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday announced that it will protest against the Centre's move to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill-2021, at the Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. "AAP will hold a massive protest against (the) BJP's anti-Constitution move of trying to curtail the powers of Delhi's elected govt by amending the GNCTD Act," the party said in a tweet. Senior AAP MLA and chief spokesperson Saurav Bharadwaj told IANS that the party will oppose the Centre's unconditional and undemocratic move to derail the elected government of the national capital. "We will protest in and outside Parliament against this Bill. AAP will expose the BJP's hidden agenda to rule in Delhi by giving more power to the Lieutenant-Governor. If the Centre succeeds in its plan, the Delhi government will have to wait for the L-G's approval on every development issue and the elected Government will run on mercy his office for public service," he added. On Monday, the Centre tabled the new Bill in the Lok Sabha, which is an amendment to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and also seeks to better define the role of the Council of Ministers and the L-G in Delhi. The Bill gives discretionary powers to the L-G even in matters where the Legislative Assembly of Delhi is empowered to make laws. Sooner after the Centre's move, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Siosida accused the BJP-led Centrre of an attempt to run the Delhi government from the back door, giving more power the L-G. Independent Senator Rex Patrick speaks during a rally for the Uyghur community outside Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, March 15, 2021. (Lukas Coch/AAP) Australian Senate Blocks Motion to Officially Recognise Uyghur Genocide by CCP Federal Liberals and Labor lawmakers blocked a Senate motion on March 15 that called on the Australian government to recognise Beijings actions against Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region as genocide. Brought up by Independent Senator Rex Patrick from South Australia, the motion was centred on the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) human rights issues. Besides urging the Senate to recognise the CCPs actions as genocide, it also asked Canberra politicians to push the CCP regime to abolish mass internment camps, cease coercive population control, and end its persecution of religious and ethnic minorities in China. Despite blocking the motion, both Liberal and Labor senators expressed concern over the current situation in Xinjiang and condemned the human rights violations against Uyghurs. As is often the case with matters as complex as this relating to foreign policy, we dont deal with them as formal motions, Liberal Senator Jonathan Duniam said. We will continue to work closely with our key partners to advocate on this issue in a meaningful way. Independents senators Jacqui Lambie and Stirling Griff, as well as the Greens, supported Patricks motion. In a press release, Patrick expressed his disappointment, saying, While a number of Coalition and Labor members have self-styled themselves as wolverines on the issue of China, today they had proved to be all huff and puff and nothing more when it came to calling out what is an immense crime against humanity. Independent Senator Rex Patrick speaks during a rally for the Uyghur community outside Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, March 15, 2021. (Lukas Coch/AAP) The authorities in Beijing will no doubt take this craven performance as evidence that their trade coercion tactics will eventually deliver what they want, a browbeaten Australia that will pull its punches and wont say a bad word about the Communist Partys gross abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms. But sooner or later Australia will have to stand up, not only for the defence of human rights in China and Hong Kong, but also for our own democratic freedoms and sovereignty, he said. Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, a staunch champion of human rights in China, told The Epoch Times prior to Patrick moving the motion, The Senate usually does not entertain motions on foreign affairs as a matter of principle. That said, I support the content of the motion. Similarly, a spokesperson for Queensland One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts told The Epoch Times, Senator Roberts is deeply concerned by the atrocities occurring in China to the Uyghur people at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese government must be called out in relation to these human rights abuses which equate to genocide in its true sense, the spokesperson said. Australian Uyghurs, chanting China stop lying and China stop genocide, rallied in front of the federal Parliament to call for the motion to be passed. If they dont listen now, a whole community, the whole Uyghur nation, is going to disappear, Ramila Chanisheff, president of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Womens Association, told AAP on March 15. This is the 21st century. How does genocide occur in the 21st century? she said. So far, the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands have all condemned the CCP for its genocide against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China. More than 50 people protested Monday afternoon at Moffett Field in Mountain View, where federal officials are considering temporarily housing unaccompanied migrant children who recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. Standing along Moffett Boulevard waving posters soaked by the rain and chanting Free our kids and Shut it down, demonstrators called on the Biden administration to reverse course. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is assessing vacant property at Moffett Field to see if the former Navy base can be used for temporary overflow shelters amid a significant influx of children and families crossing the border, according to NASA, which manages the federal property. The news has frustrated community organizers across the Bay Area, who criticized the Biden administrations use of detention camps for migrant children, despite the presidents promises to create humane immigration policies. I think its really important to stand up for my people and be the voice for those who dont have one, said Julissa Farias, 19, of Sunnyvale, the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Farias stood in the crowd Monday holding a poster that said, Immigrants are welcome here. The news that the government is eyeing Moffett Field as a potential shelter felt like a betrayal, she said. This is my way of fighting back. A child entering the U.S. illegally without a parent or legal guardian is considered an unaccompanied minor and must be transferred, by law, to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to Health and Human Services. HHS is legally required to care for these children until they are released to a qualified sponsor typically a parent or close relative while they await immigration proceedings. Unaccompanied minors can also leave HHS custody if they return to their home countries, turn 18 or gain legal status in the U.S. The Biden administration has said emergency camps like the one being considered at Moffett are necessary because many existing facilities have had to cut capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic. An unprecedented influx of unaccompanied minors at the border is also driving a need for more shelter space, the government says. SIREN, an immigration advocacy organization in San Jose, led the demonstration at Moffett Field. I think wherever it happens, its wrong, said demonstrator Rohin Ghosh, 17, of Palo Alto. I think because its going to happen here, its our responsibility as the people of this community to say, No, its not. We dont do this here. Entries at the border dipped significantly under the previous administration after former President Donald Trump enacted a series of stringent policies that essentially blocked migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S. Biden has already reversed many of those policies, including one that forced asylum seekers to remain in camps in Mexico as their cases were being processed. Those changes have encouraged many to migrate north in recent weeks, where they anticipate a warmer welcome, experts say. The number of children and families seeking to cross the border increased by more than 100% between January and February, the Associated Press reported. The number of children crossing on their own jumped 60% to more than 9,400, forcing the government to look for places to shelter them temporarily. The Department of Homeland Security last week called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help care for teens and children at the border as part of a 90-day, government-wide effort to address the rapidly growing number of migrants fleeing an uptick in violence, poverty and natural disasters in Central America. FEMA is actively engaged with HHS to quickly expand capacity for safe and appropriate shelter, and to provide food, water and basic medical care, a spokesperson said in a statement Monday. HHS did not respond to requests for comment. Moffett Field includes the 1,111-acre Moffett Federal Airfield, NASAs 573-acre Ames Research Center and the 256-acre NASA Research Park. The research park is largely made up of former military facilities, where external commercial and academic tenants are housed, as well as other federal organizations, said Darryl Waller, a spokesperson for the Ames Research Center. Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez Then-President Donald Trump arrives on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24, 2017. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Trump Responds to The Washington Posts Correction on His Call With Georgia Election Investigator Former President Donald Trump issued a lengthy statement following The Washington Posts correction of a false quote it published in January that claimed he had told Georgias top elections investigator in a phone call to find the fraud. Trump in a statement to news outlets said he appreciates the correction but would further appreciate a strong investigation into allegations of election fraud in Georgias Fulton County, as well as an investigation into what he called the Stacey Abrams political machine. Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller also weighed in on the retraction, saying in a Twitter post, Time for some other media outlets to correct their fake news coverage of this story as well. You know who you are! The Washington Post, known for its prominent anti-Trump slant, issued a correction on March 11 to a story it published in January after an audio recording emerged of a phone call Trump had in December 2020 with an investigator working from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office. The correction said the papers January story about the call included quotes that didnt exist in the audio recording. The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trumps comments on the call, based on information provided by a source. Trump did not tell the investigator to find the fraud or say she would be a national hero if she did so, The Washington Post said. Trump said in the statement Monday via his Save America political action committee (PAC): The Washington Post just issued a correction as to the contents of the incorrectly reported phone call I had with respect to voter fraud in the Great State of Georgia. While I appreciate The Washington Posts correction, which immediately makes the Georgia Witch Hunt a non-story, the original story was a Hoax, right from the very beginning. I would further appreciate a strong investigation into Fulton County, Georgia, and the Stacey Abrams political machine, which, I believe, would totally change the course of the presidential election in Georgia, he added. The president went on to criticize the establishment media. You will notice that establishment media errors, omissions, mistakes, and outright lies always slant one wayagainst me and against Republicans. Meanwhile, stories that hurt Democrats or undermine their narratives are buried, ignored, or delayed until they can do the least harmfor example, after an election is over. Look no further than the negative coverage of the vaccine that preceded the election and the overdue celebration of the vaccine once the election had concluded, he added. A strong democracy requires a fair and honest press. This latest media travesty underscores that legacy media outlets should be regarded as political entitiesnot journalistic enterprises. In any event, I thank The Washington Post for the correction. Fulton County Georgia made news headlines around the country for multiple allegations of voting irregularities and election fraud. Trump in his Monday statement said there was a lack of proper audits in Fulton County. Fulton County has not been properly audited for vote or signature verification, Trump continued. They only looked at areas of the State where there most likely would be few problems, and even there they found large numbers of mistakes. We are seeking to find and reveal the large-scale election fraud which took place in Georgia. Many residents agree, and their anger caused them not to turn out and vote for two Republican Senators in the January election. Fulton County was where the majority of complaints about potential voting fraud were lodged. In one notable case, video footage emerged of the State Farm Center, a site in the county where vote counting was being done for the 2020 presidential election. The footage showed that in late hours of Nov. 3 and early Nov. 4, election workers continued to wheel out boxes of ballots from under a table and count the ballots after observers and other workers had left the room. Trump previously announced on Twitter that he had asked Raffensperger about election-related irregularities in Georgia, including in Fulton County, but Raffensperger dismissed the claims. Trump said, He was unwilling, or unable, to answer questions such as the ballots under table scam, ballot destruction, out of state voters, dead voters, and more. He has no clue! Consent Decree The former president on Monday separately criticized a consent decree, a legal settlement that was signed by Raffensperger on March 6, 2020, following a lawsuit by the Democratic Party. Trump and his lawyers said they think the consent decree weakened signature matching and the ability to verify legal votes for the 2020 election. Raffensperger disputed Trumps assertions and told The Associated Press that there is nothing in the consent decree that prevents Georgia election clerks from scrutinizing signatures, adding that not only is it possible to verify signatures, this is required by state law. When a voter requests an absentee ballot on a paper application, he or she must sign it. Election officials compare that signature to the signature in voter registration files before a ballot is sent to the voter, Raffensperger said. When those ballots are returned, the required signature on the outer envelope is compared to signatures in the voter registration system. But Doug Collins (R-Ga.) said on Nov. 24, 2020, that once the ballot is taken out of the envelope and separated, there is no way to track the signature to verify whose ballot it is. Georgia attorney L. Lin Wood, in a lawsuit against Raffensperger, argued that the consent decree is unconstitutional because it didnt get approval from the state legislature. The U.S. Constitution stipulates that only state legislatures and Congress can prescribe the times, places, and manner of holding elections. The Supreme Court has since denied Woods petition to hear the case after it was dismissed in federal court. A district court judge in Georgia said Wood had failed to demonstrate a substantial likelihood of success to his claims. The Consent Decree signed between Raffensperger and Stacey Abrams was not approved by the Georgia State Legislature, and therefore should be deemed invalid, and the election result changed, Trump said in his statement on Monday. Why the Governor [Brian Kemp] and Raffensperger ever approved this Consent Decree is one of the great questions? We look forward to an answer. Trump had previously criticized the decree on Twitter on Nov. 14, 2020. He wrote, The Consent Decree signed by the Georgia Secretary of State, with the approval of Governor @BrianKempGA, at the urging of @staceyabrams, makes it impossible to check & match signatures on ballots and envelopes, etc. They knew they were going to cheat. Must expose real signatures! Stacey Abrams, who lost the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, had made claims of voter suppression. Her organization and the Democratic Party moved to sue the state of Georgia, arguing that minorities were disproportionately affected when they had their ballots rejected in the 2018 gubernatorial election. Abrams has founded multiple organizations, including Fair Fight 2020, an initiative to fund and train voter protection teams in 20 battleground states. Much of that effort has been to expand mail-in voting. Raffenspergers office and Abrams did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. Tom Ozimek and Masooma Haq contributed to this report. CRN MSP 500 Winner You guys are the best. Period. ManhattanTechSupport.com, a multiple award-winning technology partner for SMBs and enterprises in New York and Florida, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named ManhattanTechSupport.com to its 2021 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category. The list, released annually, recognizes the leading North American solution providers that have demonstrated innovative and forward-thinking approaches to managed services. These services help end users improve operational efficiencies and navigate the ongoing complexities of IT solutions while maximizing their return on IT investments. With cutting-edge approaches to delivering managed services, MSPs have become an integral part of the success of businesses worldwide. They help empower organizations to leverage complex technologies, keeping a strict focus on their core business without straining their budgets. CRNs 2021 MSP 500 list identifies the markets key managed services players who are setting themselves apart with best-of-breed solutions that provide the business outcomes customers need. The MSP 500 list is divided into three sections: the MSP Pioneer 250, recognizing companies with business models weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market; the MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, data center-focused MSPs with a strong mix of on-premises and off-premises services; and the Managed Security 100, recognizing MSPs focused primarily on off-premises and cloud-based security services. Effective MSPs enable companies to focus on their core objectives while improving the quality and reliability of their cloud computing capabilities, said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. The solution providers on CRNs 2021 MSP 500 list deserve recognition for their innovative and forward-thinking approaches to managed services, and the ability to optimize operational efficiencies and systems to maximize return on investments. Were absolutely thrilled to once again be recognized by CRN as a member of the prestigious MSP Pioneer 250 category, said Christian Ugolini, Partner, and Cofounder. Years before the pandemic hit, ManhattanTechSupport.com had shifted focus to leveraging cloud technologies to minimize our clients local infrastructure footprints. Following our recommendations for mobility and accessibility, they began replacing antiquated desktop workstations with more versatile laptops. This meant when COVID hit, and NYC was completely shut down, our clients were already well-positioned for the new work-from-home routine and in most cases did not skip a beat. Its this type of forward-thinking that ensures our clienteles success, solidifies their trust in our being their full-service technology partner, and keeps us at the forefront as a best-in-class Managed Service Provider. The MSP 500 list will be featured in the February 2021 issue of CRN and online at http://www.CRN.com/msp500. About ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC is a multiple award-winning full-service technology partner for SMBs and enterprises in New York City and Southern Florida. The firm specializes in managed IT services, including cutting-edge cybersecurity and digital transformation solutions to help businesses increase productivity, stay safe from cyberattacks and foster growth through the efficient use of technology. Distinguished in the industry for world-class customer service and 24/7 availability, ManhattanTechSupport.com offers companies the full breadth and depth of a sophisticated IT department for one flat monthly fee with no contracts ever. The firms innovative technology solutions and IT experts continue to create sustained value for its clients through various strategies and initiatives tailored to propel SMBs and enterprises into the future. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 2021. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company jhogan@thechannelcompany.com Advertisement Marilyn Hartman, 69, earned the nickname 'Serial Stowaway' after she spent nearly two decades sneaking onto dozens of flights without a ticket (previous mugshot) A woman who earned the nickname 'Serial Stowaway' after she spent nearly two decades sneaking onto dozens of flights without a ticket has been arrested again after allegedly trying to escape custody. Marilyn Hartman had previously been released to home confinement from Cook County Jail in March 2020, but was recently in the news after giving her first interview to a news station just days ago. WGN9 reports Hartman was seen at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on Tuesday, on the non-secure side of the airport, not yet having breached any TSA checkpoints. The arrest happened at 2:13pm on Tuesday. According to ABC7, Hartman was held at a lockup in the airport before the Cook County Sheriff's Office arrived to pick her up. CBS2 reports she allegedly snuck away from her home confinement after realizing that the ankle bracelet she was wearing was not pinging. It's not clear if she was planning on trying to sneak on to another flight on Tuesday. Days before the arrest, Hartman revealed how her confident demeanor helped her bypass security with ease. In her first media interview ever - which came prior to the latest brush with the law - the 69-year-old Hartman opened up to CBS2 about her stunning history of illegal joyrides around the country and across the world. Hartman estimated that she managed to get onto at least 30 flights illegally since 2002. Asked how she managed to get by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, Hartman's explanation was startling simple. Hartman was held at the O'Hare Airport following her latest arrest (picture from today) 'I got by them - this is the thing that is so crazy - by following someone they would be carrying like a blue bag,' she said. 'And the next thing I know, I get into the TSA line and TSA lets me through, and they think I'm with the guy with the blue bag.' The explanation raised more questions than it answered as she didn't clarify what she meant by 'someone with a blue bag.' A CBS2 review of court records and police reports showed that Hartman was repeatedly caught carrying a boarding pass from another passenger or arriving in another country without documentation to get through Customs. But those accounts only tell part of Hartman's story, as she claims to have flown under the radar - quite literally - for 12 years before authorities first caught on to her scheme. This map shows the trips serial stowaway Marilyn Hartman took in the US and Europe Hartman estimated that she managed to get onto at least 30 flights illegally since 2002. She is pictured in airport surveillance footage from one of her many arrests in 2018 Records show Hartman was arrested in at least 20 airport incidents between 2014 and 2019. Over that period TSA agents became well acquainted with her face and ultimately started calling for back-up as soon as they spotted her. Her notoriety was exemplified in an audio recording obtained by CBS2, in which a TSA agent was heard saying: 'There's been a Marilyn sighting over here.' Hartman said she had been taking flights illegally well before 2014, but no one noticed. 'The first time I was able to to get through I flew to Copenhagen,' she said. 'The second time I flew into Paris.' The first few times she was caught in airports without a ticket, she was interviewed by police and released. Her first arrest came on August 14, 2014, when she flew from San Jose, California, to Los Angeles without a ticket. Hartman's name was subsequently added to the TSA's 'trespass list' and a judge let her off with a warning to never do that again - but she didn't listen. She was arrested again seven months later in Jacksonville, Florida, after flying in from Minnesota without a ticket. The court overseeing that case determined that she was not mentally competent to face prosecution. But Hartman insisted that concerns about her mental state were overblown. 'I know they keep emphasizing the mental illness. Law enforcement would like to have that in place. But umm no, I'm pretty good,' she told CBS2 with a laugh. 'I don't mind if people say: "She's a nut." Because when I look at it objectively, that's how I see it, is craziness. I purposely remained a mystery, because of the crazy factor. It was like something out of a movie.' Records show Hartman was arrested in at least 20 airport incidents between 2014 and 2019. Over that period TSA agents became well acquainted with her face and ultimately started calling for back-up as soon as they spotted her. Hartman is pictured in various mugshots In the four years after the Jacksonville arrest, Hartman had at least seven more brushes with law enforcement at Chicago's main airports - O'Hare and Midway. The last time she successfully boarded a plane without a ticket was in January 2018, when she slipped past security at O'Hare and took a seat on a British Airways flight to London Heathrow. But her plan was foiled upon arrival in the United Kingdom, where border officials discovered that she didn't have proper documentation. Airports where the 'Serial Stowaway' has been caught trying to board passenger flights San Francisco International Airport Los Angeles International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport St. Paul International Airport (Minneapolis) Jacksonville International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport Heathrow Airport (London) Advertisement Hartman was then shuttled back to Chicago, where she was charged with felony theft and misdemeanor trespass. She was released from custody and ordered to wear an ankle monitor and undergo psychiatric evaluation. She later pleaded guilty to the trespassing charge and was sentenced to 18 months probation. Hartman's last trip to O'Hare came in October 2019, when officers spotted her trying to get through a security checkpoint without a boarding pass. She was charged with burglary, criminal trespassing, and probation violation. She is expected to enter a plea sometime this spring. In the year and a half since her final arrest, Hartman became pen pals with CBS2 investigator Brad Edwards, who conducted the series of phone interviews in the outlet's latest report. Hartman said she wanted to apologize to law enforcement and the TSA, saying: 'It was not my intention to make their jobs more difficult.' She said that her bipolar disorder was behind the relentless urge to travel, explaining that she took the flights whenever she fell into a depressive episode. 'When I took the plane ride, I wasn't happy,' she said. 'It wasn't, "Oh, I'm going here or there" - I was actually in a depressed state of mind.' 'I'm bipolar. And this is something I've rejected for years,' she added. Hartman explained that she had a troubled childhood, saying: 'There was so much violence and mental illness in the household.' As for why she decided to speak out now, Hartman said she had waited to give an interview 'until I was confident that I wouldn't take an illegal flight again.' Hartman appeared at a court hearing in early March to discuss details of a plea agreement in her latest case. Prosecutors had proposed dropping the burglary charge and sentencing Hartman to 18 months probation with mental health counseling. Serial Stowaway Marilyn Hartman has been caught more than once at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (file) But Judge Peggy Chiampas declined that proposal, saying: 'I will not be giving her a third probation.' 'I have real tough judge on this case,' she said. 'Judge Chiampas is pi**ed at me for the situation in which I found myself.' The CBS2 report also questioned whether others should be held responsible for the fact that Hartman was able to sneak through airports so many times. 'For her to be able to repeat that over and over, that is just mind boggling,' aviation security expert Jeff Price told the outlet. 'The genius of her mode of operation is in its simplicity. It's the unsophisticated types of plans are often the most successful.' Price, who once led security at the Denver International Airport, called for the TSA to use Hartman's example in its training of new agents. 'They literally should have a curriculum designed around how she's able to get through security and that should be taught to every Transportation Security Officer out there,' he said. Danone sacked its boss yesterday after a power struggle with activist investors. The corporate giant behind Activia yoghurt said its board had ousted Emmanuel Faber. The 57-year-old was stepping down immediately as chairman and chief executive, the company said. Out: Danone said its board had ousted Emmanuel Faber (pictured) and that the 57-year-old was stepping down immediately as chairman and chief executive Faber's departure comes after calls for his removal and a major governance shake-up by leading shareholders, who argue Danone has under-performed in recent years. Leading the charge were, Artisan Partners, Danone's third-biggest shareholder, and activist investor Bluebell Capital. The row has rocked corporate France where big firms rarely come under attack from investors. Faber, a strong advocate for environmental issues, had originally proposed changes that would have seen him stay on as chairman with a chief executive underneath him. But in a statement, Danone said: 'The board has decided that Emmanuel Faber will step down as chairman and chief executive.' The company said Gilles Schnepp had been appointed as chairman in his place, while Veronique Penchienati-Bosetta, the international chief executive, and North America boss Shane Grant will jointly lead the business until a new chief executive is recruited. Danone gave no reason for Faber's departure and no statement from him was included. But a statement from Schnepp praised the former boss for his 'leadership and significant contributions to Danone since 1997'. Schnepp added: 'He leaves Danone with a strong platform from which to accelerate and grow.' Danone said it still believed in the 'necessity' of combining sustainable business practices with good business performance. Shares in the French food group jumped in early trading following the news of Faber's departure. Faber, who became chief executive in 2014 and later took on the chairmanship, had led a push into healthy foods, including through the 2016 acquisition of Colorado-based food company, WhiteWave. But problems at the world's largest yoghurt-maker, which also makes Evian bottled water, were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit sales to the restaurant sector for example. That prompted Artisan Partners and Bluebell Capital to call for Faber to leave and to publicly champion Schnepp the former chief of electrical firm Legrand named to Danone's board in December who they said would be a truly independent chairman. The row has shaken corporate France where it is rare for top institutional shareholders like Artisan to argue with companies so publicly. Francesco Trapani, chairman of Bluebell, said: 'Gilles Schnepp has shown great leadership in getting the board to take the right decisions. 'We are fully supportive of him in his next key task to recruit a high-calibre chief executive able to combine shareholder value creation and Danone's commitments to environmental, social and governance.' A LIMERICK TD is "greatly taken aback" that Ireland hasn't broached the subject of the Sputnik vaccine with Russia. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue contacted the Russian Embassy in Dublin to see if Ireland had made approaches like he says other EU countries - Poland, Slovakia and Hungary - have. "We can not sit idly by on this one. It's too important an issue. It's yesterday we should have been having discussions with Russia on the Sputnik-V vaccine, not tomorrow. This Government should wake up, get our people vaccinated by whatever means," said Deputy O'Donoghue. In written correspondence, the Russian Embassy informed the Banogue man that, "As of now, we have not been approached by the Irish authorities on the issue of the 'Sputnik V' vaccine". It continues: "The European Medical Agency is currently reviewing the request for registration from the Russian producer of the vaccine. As soon as the vaccine is approved by EMA and in case of interest of the Irish authorities in getting supply of the vaccine, it is quite certain that such request will be dealt seriously and positively." The response to Deputy O'Donoghue concludes with, "Russia believes it is important that as many countries have as many vaccines could be produced that is the only practical way to suppress coronavirus. We are not in a 'race of the vaccines', we are working for the benefit of all". The Independent TD also believes that Taoiseach Micheal Martin should directly ask US President Joe Biden for any of its surplus Covid-19 vaccines. The pair are due to hold a virtual meeting on St Patricks Day. Deputy ODonoghue raised the issue in the Dail. "Word from America, and that is from reading USA Today, is that it will be soon swimming in Covid-19 vaccines. And if they are, we should be speaking with them on the matter as a matter of urgency. Our leader has an opportunity to engage face-to-face with President Biden and should use it to ask directly is he prepared to help Ireland in our greatest hour of need. He added: "President Biden is after all a son of our land, and Im certain, most certain that if he was asked directly he would answer in a positive fashion. Its not everyone, or every day that someone can have such a conversation with the US President. He appears a sound person, and he never lets it be forgotten that his roots are Irish. Deputy O'Donoghue said the EU common pool for Covid-19 vaccines is "grand but we must look elsewhere too". "President Biden is a friend of Ireland, and friends help one another out. Im sure President Biden, if he is in a position, will help out his ancestral homeland. His people, the Finnegans and Blewitts, are what made the 46th President of the United States." The Charger Blog As a candidate in the University of New Havens graduate program in forensic science, I have found meaningful ways to get involved with the University community and connect with my fellow Chargers, despite the challenges of a long commute and the impact of the coronavirus global pandemic. By Kathleen Gonzalez '22 M.S. Kathleen Gonzalez 22 M.S., a candidate in the Universitys graduate program in forensic science. In December 2019, I received the news of my life when I was accepted into the University of New Havens renowned Master of Science in Forensic Science program. It was a no-brainer for me, and I confirmed my acceptance shortly thereafter. Then came the more challenging decision: Should I apply for graduate housing at the University or find an apartment not too far from the University? After a long and thoughtful process, I decided to stay home with my parents and commute the long distance. I recognized that the travel would not be easy and that it would require exceptional time management skills. I currently live in the town of Johnston in Rhode Island, one hour and 35 minutes away from the University of New Haven. More than three hours of my day are spent driving. To any residents or short-distance commuters, this number may look frightening, and although the drive can get repetitive, I have found that listening to music and YouTube videos in the background helps me pass the time. This is not my first time as a commuter student. Throughout my four years of college as an undergraduate, I commuted back and forth daily. Nonetheless, the circumstances were a bit different then. We were not living in a pandemic, and I lived less than 15 minutes away from my undergraduate institution. As such, I had the opportunity to be involved in multiple organizations, take on various leadership roles, and spend ample time with my commuter friends. Fast forward to now, socializing is on hold and groups have had to come up with creative ways to host gatherings. Today, my extracurricular activities are limited to the Graduate Forensic Science Club, which hosts bi-weekly meetings via Zoom, and my work-study position as a graduate student assistant in the Office of Alumni Relations, which is also remote. Additionally, as part of the thesis component of my research-based program, I work with laboratory rats in Dr. Chris OBriens Center for Wildlife Forensics, and I am there multiple times during the week. There is a misconception that commuter students are missing out on the college experience. As someone who has commuted for multiple years, I guarantee you that is not the case. I always say that I had the most fulfilling time during my career as an undergraduate student, and I participated in everything I ever wanted to. Now, as a first-year full-time graduate student with on-ground classes, I have learned to adapt to a new environment. I am doing my best to be involved with the University of New Haven community. To any incoming (or current) undergraduate or graduate student who is considering commuting, I suggest they meet and talk to other commuters at the University so that they may hear their experiences and ultimately decide if its their best option. Whatever you decide, I always encourage individuals to explore their options and try out new things. Kathleen Gonzalez 22 M.S. is a candidate in the Universitys graduate program in forensic science. She serves as a graduate student assistant in the Universitys Office of Alumni Relations. KYODO NEWS - Mar 16, 2021 - 13:21 | All, Japan Japan will establish an advisory panel next week to solicit views from experts on ways to secure a stable imperial succession, the top government spokesman said Tuesday, amid concerns over the dwindling number of royal family members. The six-member panel is set to discuss issues including the country's male-only imperial succession rule, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference. The move comes two years after Emperor Naruhito's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne following his father former Emperor Akihito's abdication in 2019. "Securing a stable imperial succession is an important issue concerning the nation's basis," Kato said. Panel members "are expected to hold discussions without making prejudgments." The six panel members include Tetsuro Tomita, chairman of East Japan Railway Co., and Atsushi Seike, former president of Keio University. They are expected to reach a conclusion following up to one year of discussions. Japan's imperial house has been shrinking under the 1947 Imperial House Law, which states that only men in the paternal line can ascend the throne. It also requires women marrying commoners to abandon their royal status. When a one-off law was enacted in 2017 to allow the former emperor's abdication, parliament adopted a nonbinding resolution calling on the government to promptly hold discussions on how to achieve a stable imperial succession and report its conclusion, without setting a deadline. At present, there are only three heirs to the 61-year-old Emperor Naruhito -- his younger brother Crown Prince Fumihito, 55, his nephew Prince Hisahito, 14, and his uncle Prince Hitachi, 85. The emperor and Empress Masako have one daughter aged 19, Princess Aiko. A Kyodo News poll conducted in March and April last year showed 85 percent of respondents were in favor of allowing women to ascend the throne. However, conservatives in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are reluctant to make significant changes to the imperial succession, with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga saying in January, "Under current circumstances, male-only succession should be given priority." The panel will likely discuss ways to alleviate the burden of official duties on a shrinking pool of imperial family members, such as delegating duties to women who have lost their royal status after marrying a commoner or allowing them to head their own branches of the imperial family. Related coverage: Emperor's great-aunt Princess Yuriko released from hospital Japan imperial spring garden party canceled again over coronavirus concern Emperor feels grateful for strength of Japan people over pandemic OSLO, Norway, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meltwater B.V., a leading global provider of media intelligence and social analytics, has entered into an agreement under which it is committed to acquire Linkfluence, a French SaaS company using artificial intelligence to algorithmically mine social media for consumer insights. The Linkfluence acquisition would be Meltwaters ninth since 2016, and the first since the company was listed on Euronext Growth Oslo in December 2020. The acquisition is part of Meltwaters growth strategy, which involves investments and acquisitions in the social media segment. For the full year 2020, Linkfluence reached a revenue of 17 million euro. Excluding earn-out, Meltwater has agreed to purchase Linkfluence for a price of 2 times 2020 revenue, to be settled 50% in cash and 50% in new shares to be issued by Meltwater at a volume weighted average price to be determined prior to closing. The acquisition has been board approved by both companies and remains subject to completion of the information consultation process of the Linkfluence employees committee, as well as other customary conditions to closing. The transaction is expected to close by May 2021. Market research is a 73 billion-dollar industry which historically has relied heavily on manual labor. We have been impressed with Linkfluences deep client relationships with some of the worlds most demanding brands and its pioneering work in using smart algorithms and social media to automate market research. By combining Linkfluences award-winning SaaS solutions and expertise within market research and Meltwaters global reach with 50 sales offices on 6 continents, we will be well positioned to be the driving force of automating the multi-billion dollar market research industry, says John Box, CEO of Meltwater. Since Linkfluence was founded in 2006 the company has grown into an international organization with 150 employees across seven offices, headquartered in Paris. Clients include industry-leading brands such as LVMH, Nike, Danone, Pernod Ricard, Toyota and Epic Games. We share the same vision of the future as Meltwater of bringing AI-enabled consumer insights to global brands through social listening. There has never been more data available to more companies, and the winners of tomorrow will be the brands that understand their customers at the speed of the web by using the internet as an important source for leading indicators. Joining forces with Meltwater will bring tremendous value to our clients by enabling us to leverage their fantastic assets and strengthen our innovation capabilities, says Guillaume Decugis, CEO of Linkfluence. Linkfluences SaaS solutions are used by brands to identify buyer communities online and understand how to activate them, see how a brand is associated with certain topics or values to measure brand perception as well as detect and monitor trends or analyze customer experience. For each of these use cases, Linkfluences technology analyzes billions of public content pieces on the social web using natural language processing or computer vision and structures this data into actionable insights, available to its clients in real-time and on demand. By providing an enterprise-grade platform scalable to global organizations, Linkfluence helps brands make better, more customer-centric decisions at every step of their lifecycles. Given Meltwaters sophisticated technology platform Fairhair.ai and our global reach, we are uniquely positioned to integrate best-of-class companies in key social use cases into a comprehensive social enterprise suite. Market research is one of the largest and most interesting opportunities within the social space. With Linkfluences industry leading SaaS solution in AI-enabled consumer insights, Meltwater will add a complementary and strategic solution to its current social suite which will benefit our 28,000 customers globally, says John Box. The information contained in this statement has not been audited and may be subject to change. Please see Meltwater Company Disclosures on https://www.meltwater.com/en/about/investor-relations to stay up to date on company news and updates. For further information, please contact: Geir Arne Drangeid Investor Relations and Media Contact gad@meltwater.com About Meltwater Meltwater provides social and media intelligence. By examining millions of posts each day from social media platforms, blogs and news sites, Meltwater helps companies make better, more informed decisions based on insight from the outside. The company was founded in Oslo, Norway, in 2001 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with 50 offices across six continents. The company has 1,700 employees and 28,000 corporate customers, including industry leaders in several sectors. Learn more at meltwater.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to the business, financial performance and results of the Company and/or the industry in which it operates. Forward-looking statements concern future circumstances and results and other statements that are not historical facts, sometimes identified by the words "believes", "expects", "predicts", "intends", "projects", "plans", "estimates", "aims", "foresees", "anticipates", "targets", and similar expressions. Any such forward-looking statements are solely opinions and forecasts reflecting views as of the date set out on the cover of these materials, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from any anticipated development, including the risk factors set forth in the Information Document prepared by the Company in connection with the Listing, available at https://newsweb.oslobors.no/message/519564 under the heading Vedlegg. No liability for such statements, or any obligation to update any such statements or to conform such statements to actual results, is assumed. Furthermore, information about past performance given in this communication is given for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as, and is not, an indication of future performance. Australian Goldfields has acquired ownership of a property package consisting of seven tenements in the Beatons River project area contiguous to Novo Resources' Beatons Creek gold deposit. The acquisition comprises five projects which deliver a large prospective footprint in Western Australias Pilbara Gold District. Graphite Energy Corp (CSE:AUGF) (OTCMKTS:GRXXF) has been reactivated on the Canadian Securities Exchange with a name change to Australian Goldfields Limited, better reflecting the direction of the business. The move follows completion of the Pilbara Gold District Land Package in Western Australia initially announced in June 2020, which comprises seven tenements in five districts in the Beatons River area in the Pilbara region. Australian Goldfields projects are in proximity to other major players in the region and, in particular, C$767 million market cap 's (TSE:NVO) ( ) Beatons Creek Gold Deposit. Five underexplored projects This acquisition comprises five underexplored projects including Beatons River, Cuprite West and East, Tyche, Fortuna and Nortia. Within the Cuprite West and East Project are extensive high-grade rock chips up to 57.5 g/t gold and shallow drill intersections of up to 4 metres at 2.9 g/t from 8 metres. The Tyche, Fortuna and Nortia projects are under-explored yet have geological structures that are highly prospective for gold mineralisation. Australian Goldfields geology team will begin evaluating the projects in more depth after an inaugural site visit and then formulate a comprehensive exploration and priority development program. High-profile gold discoveries The Pilbara has a history of significant iron ore production; however, more recent high-profile gold discoveries have focused new attention on the region. Notably, recent geological analysis of key gold discoveries is drawing a comparison to the Witwatersrand gold reef in South Africa, a major gold-producing area. The Pilbara region has highly developed supportive mining infrastructure, with excellent transport networks to key ports. Beatons River Project Beatons River totals 335 square kilometres and is contiguous to Novos Beatons Creek deposit, which hosts 903,000 ounces of gold grading 2.53 g/t. Novos deposit is hosted within gold-bearing conglomerates of the Hardey Formation that outcrop on the eastern edge of a Fortescue Group Plateau which accumulated in the Nullagine sub-basin. The Western Australia Geological Survey has mapped the area and interpreted that the Hardey Formation extends onto the Australian Goldfields tenements 2 kilometres north of the Beatons Creek deposit. The projects target is gold-bearing conglomerates within the Hardey Sandstone Formation, part of the Fortescue Group, a sequence of sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Australian Goldfields first stage of exploration will comprise mapping and outcrop sampling. Cuprite West and East Cuprite West and East Project comprises two tenements (around 109 square kilometres) around 50 kilometres northwest of Marble Bar that are deemed highly prospective for gold and base metal mineralisation. The company believes this project has the potential to host epigenetic gold and syngenetic massive sulphide mineralisation. Tyche and Fortuna The Tyche Project sits over the two stratigraphic units of the Fortescue Group which comprise the Hardey and Kylena formations. The Hardey Formation, which has been mapped across 90% of the tenure area, is typically linked with gold mineralisation. Meanwhile, within the Fortuna Project, the Hardey Formation is present across 22% of the tenure, which is the first priority target. Nortia Project For the Nortia Project shear-hosted gold mineralisation is the target as the tenure contains ancient greenstone and granite assemblages, intersected by multiple faults and shears. And the winners are . . . Brennan Columbia-Walsh, a 16-year-old junior from Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, and Alejandro Espinal, a 17-year-old senior at the Academy for Performing Arts in Scotch Plains, have been selected to share first prize in The Theater Projects 19th annual Young Playwrights Competition. Ryan Rosenthal, a 16-year-old junior at Cranford High School, and Julian Martin, a 17-year-old senior at Scotch Plains-Fanwood, captured second and third, respectively. Ava Chickering (Montclair Kimberley Academy), Christiana Gabor (Holmdel High School), Lucille ODonnell (Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy), Emily Hammond (The Lawrenceville School), Maddie Pritchet (OCVTS Performing Arts Academy), Tierney Maurer (Holmdel High School), and Veronica Vogelman (Princeton Day School) won honorable mention. The Union-based nonprofit theater groups competition drew high school students from throughout New Jersey. We invited 800 public and private high schools in New Jersey to participate and despite the challenges COVID presented, we still got terrific, qualified entries, said board of directors president Kevin Carver, who coordinates the statewide competition. It just shows that these talented, young playwrights want to create and are willing to overcome the hurdles the pandemic presented. Since its inception, students from 74 New Jersey high schools have been honored in the Young Playwrights Competition. In addition to cash awards, certificates and recognition, the top four finishers will get the opportunity to see their one-act plays recorded and performed virtually by professional actors on Monday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. The two-hour performance will include a live award presentation and interaction with the winners. Registration for the free Zoom performance/ceremony is open to the public. All who entered the contest will have the opportunity to have one-on-one sessions with a professional, adult playwright. Columbia-Walsh, author of the winning play The Opossum, a story of three gunslingers set in the old West, has written several plays while taking part in introductory and advanced independent studies in playwriting at the Montclair Kimberley Academy. His radio play Schadenfreude was produced in New York City by professional actors under the direction of playwright Rob Gelberg. I am thrilled to even be considered for this opportunity, let alone to have my play considered worthy of first place, said Columbia-Walsh, who plans to continue to pursue playwriting in college. The opportunities that accompany this award are extremely compelling. I am very excited to have my work performed at the awards ceremony. Espinal, an aspiring actor and writer whose winning entry, Proscenium Delirium a comedy centered on a cast of characters attending a community theater performance was equally enthusiastic. Thank you very much for this tremendous opportunity, Espinal said. Im excited for whats ahead. The event is part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance 2021 Stages Festival. For more information on The Theater Project, visit thetheaterproject.org. Send event information to events@starledger.com A team of CID officials went to Chandrababu's Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad, where he was now staying, and served the notice. (DC file photo) Vijayawada: The AP state Crime Investigation Department (CID) issued notice to former chief minister and Telugu Desam national president N. Chandrababu Naidu to attend inquiry in the Amaravati lands scam case. A team of the investigation agency on Tuesday reached Chandrababu Naidu's Hyderabad residence and served him notice to join the probe. An FIR was registered by the CID under 120b, 166,167, and 217 in the Amaravati land scam case over the irregularities alleged in the acquisition of lands in Amaravati and illegal land transfers. The CID asked Chandrababu Naidu has been asked to attend the investigation on March 23. Mangalagiri YSR Congress MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy lodged a complaint with CID about the purchase of assigned lands illegally and later offering the same lands for Amaravati under Land Pooling Scheme cheating the assigned land farmers. MLA Ramakrishna Reddy in his complaint said that some of the farmers of his constituency lodged a complaint with him that some of the influenced persons of the then Telugu Desam government had cheated them by taking away their lands illegally and fraudulently by keeping the innocent peasants under fear of insecurity about their lands. CID, cyber cell DSP and investigating officer, A. Lakshmi Narayana Rao in the notice asked Mr. Naidu to cooperate for investigation by appearing before CID by producing the evidences if any in your custody or knowledge for effective and proper investigation. The notice stated that failure to attend would be liable for arrest under section 41 A (3) and (4) of Cr. PC. The issue pertains to pooling of land for the development of the state's new capital city Amaravati back in the year 2015. The timing of the complaint and FIR raised eyebrows as it came after a lapse of six years and a related matter was struck down by the High Court. Referring to the MLAs complaint, the FIR said, "some of the formers (farmers) of his constituency represented him that some influenced persons of the then government have cheated them by taking away their lands illegally, fraudulently by keeping innocent peasants under confusion and fear of insecurity about their lands. This set of middle man who were the part of the conspiracy by making false representation that the government was going to take away their assigned lands without giving any compensation (sic)." On that, the complainant verified the GOs issued by the government and found that several irregularities were committed by the respondents and caused irreparable loss to the SC and ST community and weaker sections and got wrongful gains and requested to take necessary legal actions, the FIR said. As per Section 41 CrPC, any police officer "may without an order from a magistrate and without a warrant, arrest any person who has been concerned in any cognizable offence, or against whom a reasonable complaint has been made, or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists, of his having been so concerned." Reacting to the CID notice, TDP state president K Atchannaidu said it was nothing but 'vendetta.' In a statement, Atchannaidu alleged that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddys family had occupied over 700 acres of assigned land in his family estate in Kadapa district for 30 years and claimed to have returned 300 acres after it was exposed. "Did not your father, late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, amend the Assigned Land (Prohibition of Transfer) Act in 2007. Has he not enabled taking away the poor peoples lands and handing them over to persons of choice?" Atchannaidu questioned. The former minister pointed out that lands in the Amaravati region were not taken for any personal gains but the farmers had voluntarily given them up for building the state capital. Millions of people in dozens of countries have received the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine with few reports of ill effects, and its prior testing in tens of thousands of people found it to be safe. But recently, blood clots and abnormal bleeding in a small number of vaccine recipients in European countries have cast doubt on its safety, although no causative link has been found between the patients conditions and the vaccine. The reports have prompted more than a dozen countries to either partly or fully suspend the vaccines use while the cases are investigated. Most of the nations said they were doing so as a precaution until leading health agencies could review the cases. Also read: Major EU nations halt AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine even as WHO says it is safe The AstraZeneca vaccine has not been authorised for use yet in the United States, although a review of its US trial is expected soon. What types of problems caused the countries to take precautionary steps? The cascade of decisions to pause the use of AstraZenecas vaccine, mainly by European countries, followed reports of four serious cases in Norway, which were described among health workers under age 50 who received the vaccine. Most developed clots or bleeding abnormalities and had low platelet counts, health authorities there said. Two of them have died from brain haemorrhages, and the other two are hospitalized. The death of a 60-year-old woman in Denmark and of a 57-year-old man in Italy also fueled quick decisions, although none of the deaths have been fully investigated to determine whether there is any link to the shots they received. What is a blood clot and what causes them generally? A blood clot is a thickened, gelatinous blob of blood that can block circulation. Clots form in response to injuries and can also be caused by many illnesses, including cancer and genetic disorders, certain drugs and prolonged sitting or bed rest. Clots that form in the legs sometimes break off and travel to the lungs or brain, where they can be deadly. Can the vaccine cause blood clots? Vaccines have not been shown to cause blood clots, said Daniel Salmon, director of the Institute for Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins University. Blood clots are common in the general population, and health authorities suspect that the cases reported in vaccine recipients are most likely coincidental and not related to the vaccination. Also read: OPINION | Vaccine hesitancy a continuing problem There are a lot of causes of blood clotting, a lot of predisposing factors, and a lot of people who are at increased risk and these are often also the people who are being vaccinated right now, said Mark Slifka, a vaccine researcher at Oregon Health and Science University. From 300,000 to 600,000 people a year in the United States develop blood clots in their lungs or in veins in the legs or other parts of the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Based on that data, about 1,000 to 2,000 blood clots occur in the US population every day, according to Dr Stephan Moll, a haematologist and professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina. The United States has 253 million adults, Moll said. So, if every day 2.3 million people in the United States get Covid-vaccinated, that means about 1% of the adult population gets vaccinated every day. Calculating further, he said, roughly 1% of the 1,000 to 2,000 daily blood clots 10 to 20 a day would occur in the vaccinated patients just as part of the normal background rates, not related to the vaccine. Only if epidemiological data show that that rate is higher, would one start to wonder about a causative relationship, Moll said. What can existing data on AstraZenecas vaccine tell us? Dr David Wohl, director of the vaccine clinic at the University of North Carolina, said he had seen no evidence that any of the Covid vaccines had caused blood clots, also called thrombosis, in the large clinical trials that led to their authorisation. But Wohl also noted, There are differences between trials and real life. Also read: 'Don't panic': WHO says safety systems working as AstraZeneca shots paused The most extensive safety results from the real-world rollout of AstraZenecas vaccine come from Britain, where 9.7 million doses of the vaccine had been given out through last month. Britains data found that at least some clotting conditions, while extremely rare, were equally prevalent for people vaccinated with AstraZenecas vaccine compared to those who got Pfizers product. But abnormally low platelet levels were more common among people who got AstraZenecas vaccine. Outside trials, the vaccines are given to a broader array of people. So if safety questions arise once a vaccine comes into more general use, the questions should be investigated, Wohl said. We dont want to ignore a signal that could indicate a larger problem, he said. But at this point its premature to think AstraZeneca causes thrombosis. Do vaccines cause other bleeding disorders? Other vaccines, particularly the one given to children for measles, mumps and rubella, have been linked to temporarily lowered levels of platelets, a blood component essential for clotting. Lowered platelet levels have been reported in small numbers of patients receiving the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines. One recipient, a physician in Florida, died from a brain haemorrhage when his platelet levels could not be restored, and others have been hospitalized. US health officials have said that the cases are being investigated, but they have not reported the findings of those reviews and have yet to indicate that there is any link to the vaccines. How will investigators determine whether there is a link? The European Medicines Agency said on Monday that it was working with AstraZeneca and health authorities to scrutinize all the available data and clinical circumstances surrounding specific cases. The authorities have not detailed what that assessment will look like. But when assessing a possible connection between a vaccine and a serious side effect, investigators generally focus on estimating how often such medical problems would be expected to turn up by chance in the group of people in question. Also read: AstraZeneca vaccine's promise now drawn into question That might mean looking at people in the same group from before they got vaccinated. It could also mean looking at a similar group of people. If the rate of these problems is higher in the vaccinated group than would be expected in a comparable population, thats a sign that the safety issue may be real, or at least worth more scrutiny. Such investigations typically do not hinge on definitively figuring out whether the vaccine was the cause of a death or a serious medical problem, because in most cases that cannot be conclusively determined. But investigators do take clinical history into account, such as whether a person had been treated for similar medical problems before being vaccinated. Investigators also keep in mind factors that might make a group of people more likely to fall ill. Older people, who have been prioritized in vaccination campaigns around the world, are at higher risk of developing blood clots than younger people. Individual health ministries also are conducting investigations, and the health authorities in those countries are awaiting results of autopsies. In Italy, in addition, the authorities have seized doses of the vaccine in the Piedmont region as part of an inquiry into the teachers death there over the weekend. Can we expect updates on the investigation? A World Health Organization advisory committee plans to meet on Tuesday to discuss the vaccine. The European Medicines Agencys safety committee will meet on Thursday. Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, said she hoped that the authorities would provide regular updates on the status of the investigation into the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine something that often does not happen when safety issues are probed. I really wish there could be more continued communication about what kinds of analyses theyre doing, what are they looking at, even if theyre interim just to give transparency into the process to improve trust in the process, Nuzzo said. What has the company said about the safety scare? AstraZeneca first publicly addressed the safety concerns a week ago, after Austria halted vaccinations from one batch of AstraZenecas vaccine. A company spokesman said at the time that no serious vaccine side effects had been confirmed. On Thursday, after Denmark moved to halt all vaccinations with AstraZenecas product, the company put out a statement more pointedly defending its vaccines safety. AstraZenecas safety data, a trove of more than 10 million records, had shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clot-related problems in any demographic group or country, the company said. On Sunday, after several more countries had announced plans to suspend their vaccination campaigns, AstraZeneca issued a news release with more specifics on the numbers of side effects reported and people vaccinated in clinical trials and in immunization campaigns in Europe. On Monday, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said the company was working with national health authorities and European officials and look forward to their assessment later this week. (The company refused to name the spokesperson.) Is there precedent for a vaccine safety scare? Past vaccine safety concerns have not usually been borne out by the evidence, though there are exceptions. In 1999, the first vaccine against the rotavirus infection that causes diarrhoea in infants was pulled off the market because it was found to increase risk of obstruction of the intestine. But even unsubstantiated safety concerns have deflated public confidence. CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH After the Food and Drug Administration approved a highly effective vaccine for Lyme disease in 1998, media reports and a class-action lawsuit gave fuel to complaints from people who said they had developed arthritis after being vaccinated. In 2001, the FDA reconvened a panel of experts to review the vaccines safety data clinical trials had turned up no difference in the frequency of long-term joint symptoms between the vaccine and placebo groups and concluded that the vaccine should stay on the market. But by then, public perception of the vaccine was too far gone: A steep drop-off in sales spurred the vaccines maker, GlaxoSmithKline, to pull the vaccine from the market in 2002. What is the vaccines status in the United States? While more than 70 countries have authorised the vaccine, the United States has not. AstraZeneca has not yet applied to the Food and Drug Administration for authorisation and is waiting for results from its US trial that enrolled more than 32,000 participants. An announcement from AstraZeneca about those results could come soon: The data from that trial are under review by an independent panel of experts, Dr Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, told Reuters on Monday. Strong safety and efficacy results from that trial could go a long way in reassuring people about AstraZenecas vaccine, said Geoffrey Porges, an analyst for the investment bank SVB Leerink. But the longer this hangs out there, without a comprehensive review and without the US Phase 3 results, the more people are going to be concerned, Porges said. SUGAR LAND, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Team, Inc. ("TEAM") (NYSE: TISI), a global leading provider of integrated, digitally-enabled asset performance assurance and optimization solutions, announced today that Amerino Gatti, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, and Susan Ball, EVP & Chief Financial Officer, will participate in Scotia Howard Weil 49th Annual Energy Conference to be held virtually on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Amerino Gatti, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, and Susan Ball, EVP & Chief Financial Officer, will host virtual one-on-one meetings throughout the day. About Team, Inc. Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, Team Inc. (NYSE: TISI) is a global leading provider of integrated, digitally-enabled asset performance assurance and optimization solutions. We deploy conventional to highly specialized inspection, condition assessment, maintenance and repair services that result in greater safety, reliability and operational efficiency for our client's most critical assets. Through locations in more than 20 countries, we unite the delivery of technological innovation with over a century of progressive, yet proven integrity and reliability management expertise to fuel a better tomorrow. For more information, please visit www.teaminc.com. Contact: Kevin Smith Senior Director, Investor Relations (281) 388-5551 SOURCE Team, Inc. Related Links http://www.teaminc.com The director of the Volksbuhne theater in Berlin quit on Monday after accusations of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and humiliating older actresses were published in a German newspaper. Klaus Dorr had led the Volksbuhne, one of Europes most influential theaters, since April 2018. His resignation, which the theater confirmed in an email, came just days after Die Tageszeitung, a daily newspaper, said that complaints against Dorr by 10 women were being investigated by Berlins culture ministry, which oversees the playhouse. The women said Dorr had stared inappropriately at women who worked at the theater, made sexist comments and sent inappropriate text messages, the newspaper reported. City officials received the complaints in January and were investigating them, the ministry confirmed in a statement released on Saturday. Dorr was interviewed as part of this process at the start of March, the statement added. I take full responsibility, as the artistic director of the Volksbuhne, for the allegations made against me, Dorr said in a statement released by the theater. The next 10 days will be crucial days for the current administration as the United States President left the 'Biden Promise' during a speech, sharing that the U.S. was on track in reaching two big goals in less than two weeks, the administering of over 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, and the sending of 100 million stimulus checks to Americans. In his speech at the White House, the U.S. President guaranteed that within the next 10 days, they would reach two giant goals; the first is the completion of the 100 million shots to Americans' arms. The second is putting 100 million checks in the pockets of struggling Americans during this pandemic. According to Business Insider, in his 'Biden Promise,' the President emphasized that the shots to the arms and money in the pockets are more important right now. He also added that on Friday, they were able to achieve their first goal. Based on the information gathered, they surpassed the benchmark of 100 million shots administered. The said figures were covered by doses from Pfizer-BioBTech and Moderna's two regimens, then the one-shot vaccine of Johnson & Johnson's. Moreover, as of Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that at least one dose of vaccine had been administered to 71 million Americans, with 38.3 million among them being fully vaccinated. Based on the numbers, it means that one among five U.S. adults has gotten at least one vaccine dose. In addition, Biden's administration has recently made significant investments in the vaccine supply of the U.S. The Biden administration plans to procure enough vaccines for all American adults by the end of May. Biden's Economic Plan Includes First Major Tax Hike Since 1993 Meanwhile, in his first prime-time address to the American people on Thursday, the president announced that his administration would order states and different localities to make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1. Biden also confirmed that he would appoint Gene Sperling, the former national economic advisor, to oversee the American Rescue Plan's implementation, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that Biden signed into law on Thursday, The New York Times reported. Also, the bill includes $1,400 stimulus checks for individuals below certain income thresholds and other direct aid for families. It followed the bill signed into law by former President Donald Trump in December that delivered $600 additional checks to eligible individuals. On the other hand, on Monday, the U.S. President mentioned that the 'Biden Promise' has just started. He added that by the time all the money is distributed, 85 percent of households in America would have gotten $1,400 rescue checks. Some individuals have already received their payments, and millions of Americans are set to get their checks in their bank accounts on Wednesday. But some individuals are upset as they have the wrong details on their bank account in the IRS system or their accounts showed that it is inactive, The Strait Times reported. The agency advised that any problem with their accounts related to the stimulus checks, individuals can check on the status of their checks via the 'Get My Payment' tool of the IRS. Stimulus Checks Sent To Wrong Bank Accounts @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has notified the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe about the Armenian prisoners issue. On March 9, 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ordered to notify the Committee of Ministers, in accordance with Rule 39 2 of the Rules of Court, of the following provisional measures referred to in Rule 39 in relation to the recent armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan: - the decision adopted on September 29, 2020, updated on November 4, 2020, containing an indication of general measures aimed at both states; and - 78 decisions taken by the president of the relevant section between 13 October 2020 and 5 March 2021 regarding requests for interim measures against 249 Armenians allegedly withheld by Azerbaijan. These requests were submitted by the Armenian government in the framework of the interstate statement Armenia against Azerbaijan (No. 42521/20) and by the relatives of the alleged prisoners in 62 individual statements. The court informed the Committee of Ministers that 58 of the Armenians mentioned were repatriated between December 2020 and February 2021 and that seven of them were presumed dead, according to the Armenian government - however, individual applicants in six cases claim that they did not receive any evidence death of their relatives. Of the 249 Armenians, 72 are still in Azerbaijan, and their capture and detention were recognized by the government of Azerbaijan. With regard to the remaining 112 people, the Azerbaijani government claims that they were unable to identify them among the captives. Rule 39 was applied to 229 out of 249 Armenians. For the other 20 individuals, the Rule 39 examination was suspended or no decision was taken as the individuals concerned were repatriated. The Government of Azerbaijan was asked to provide specific information about the persons concerned, including the conditions of their detention, any medical examinations they have undergone, and details of the measures that have been taken or are planned to be taken to repatriate them. On February 19, 2020, the chairman canceled interim measures against 41 Armenians, including 40 repatriated persons, as well as one person whose remains were found during a search. Thus, the Rule 39 measures remain in effect against the 188 Armenians allegedly captured by Azerbaijan. The Court decided to notify the Committee of Ministers of the measures it had taken, taking into account the failure of the Government of Azerbaijan to comply with the deadline set by the Court for the submission of information about the persons concerned, and the rather general and limited information provided. The Court also received Rule 39 requests from the Government of Azerbaijan concerning 16 Azerbaijanis allegedly held by Armenia. Twelve people from this group were recognized as prisoners by the Armenian government and repatriated in December 2020. The other four people were not recognized as prisoners by Armenia. Given the nature of the information received from the Government of Armenia, the Court decided not to apply Rule 39 in any of these cases and instead suspended the examination under Rule 39. The Court retains jurisdiction over future requests under Rule 39. These measures will remain in effect until otherwise decided. Chinese embassies in several countries have issued notices saying the country will open visa application to select people who have taken a China-made jab China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreignersincluding from the US, India and Australiaback in, provided they have taken a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine. The country has been closed to most foreigners since last March to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which it has largely brought under control at home, leaving many with jobs and family inside China stranded overseas. But Chinese embassies in several countries have issued notices saying the country will open visa applications to select people who have taken a China-made jab. The Chinese Embassy in the United States said in a statement dated Monday that it would begin to process "visa applicants inoculated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines". This would apply from this week to those visiting the Chinese mainland for work resumption, business travel, or for "humanitarian needs", such as reuniting with family members. Beijing is driving forward its inoculation plan for its vast domestic population with four domestically produced vaccines approved so far. But it has yet to approve any foreign-made jabs. The embassy statement said the new rule applied to those who had either had two doses of the vaccine or a single-dose at least 14 days before applying for the visa. Chinese embassies in other countries including Australia, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Italy and Sri Lanka have published similar statements. Those arriving in China will still have to face a gruelling quarantine of up to three weeks. China's vaccines have been rolled out in several countries around the world, including Turkey, Indonesia and Cambodia. The Philippines received 600,000 vaccine doses from China two weeks ago, kickstarting its inoculation drive. But they are not readily available everywhere, including in India or Sri Lanka. Beijing has struggled to gain international trust for its vaccine candidates, hindered by a lack of transparency on test results. But Chinese companies are still set to export nearly 400 million doses of home-grown vaccines overseas, state media has reported. Beijing did not comment when asked at a press briefing Tuesday whether it would be better to use WHO-recognised vaccines, since many countries are not administering the Chinese shot. "China is making its own facilitation arrangements for those who have taken Chinese vaccines," said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. The move is based on "full consideration of safety and effectiveness of the vaccines", and it is a "meaningful attempt to facilitate cross-border travels," he told reporters. "It has nothing to do with the issue of China approving vaccines." 2021 AFP Anyone who followed this even remotely and saw the amount of evidence they have against her and what she actually said on a wiretap would agree this is an open-and-shut case, Thad Reuter, who lives in Florida, said in a phone interview. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: During the talks, Deputy PM Minh affirmed Vietnams consistent policy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with and supporting Cuba. Minister Bruno, in turn, said that Cuba attaches importance to and hopes to deepen its special friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam. He appreciated Vietnams efforts to both respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and maintain economic growth. Both sides spoke highly of the outcomes of sixth Political Consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level held via video conference on March 2. They asserted the determination to carry out high-level commitments to tightening bilateral solidarity, special friendship and all-round collaboration, and effectively implement the bilateral agenda in 2021, including sharing experience and consultations on issues of mutual concern, coordinating closely and supporting each other at international organisations and multilateral forums. [March 16, 2021] DSM announces repurchase of shares to cover stock dividend HEERLEN, Netherlands, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, today announces the repurchase of 800,000 ordinary shares starting 3 May 2021 to cover commitments for the final stock dividend 2020, equivalent to approximately 113 million based on the closing price of the DSM ordinary share on Euronext Amsterdam on 15 March 2021. The share buyback will be executed within the limitations of the authority granted to the Managing Board by the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The total number of ordinary shares to be repurchased under this program represents approximately 0.4% of ordinary shares issued. DSM has signed a Discretionary Management Agreement with a bank to commence the execution of the share repurchase program on its behalf and to make trading decisions under the Agreement independently of DSM. In accordance with regulations DSM will inform the market about the progress made in the execution of this program through weekly press releases. The share repurchase program is anticipated to be completed in Q2 2021. DSM Bright Science. Brighter Living. Royal DSM is a global, purpose-led, science-based company active in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living. DSM's purpose is to create brighter lives for all. DSM addresses with its products and solutions some of the world's biggest challenges while simultaneously creating economic, environmental and societal value for all its stakeholders customers, employees, shareholders, and society at large. DSM delivers innovative solutions for human nutrition, animal nutrition, personal care and aroma, medical devices, green products and applications, and new mobility and connectivity. DSM and its associated companies delivers annual net sales of about 10 billion with approximately 23,000 employees. The company was founded in 1902 and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information can be found at www.dsm.com. Or find us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DSMcompany Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DSM LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/3108 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/dsmcompany For more information: DSM Corporate Communications Gareth Mead tel. +31 (0) 45 5782420 e-mail media.contacts@dsm.com DSM Investor Relations Dave Huizing tel. +31 (0) 45 5782864 e-mail investor.relations@dsm.com Forward-looking statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to DSM's future (financial) performance and position. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of DSM and information currently available to the company. DSM cautions readers that such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore it should be understood that many factors can cause actual performance and position to differ materially from these statements. DSM has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release, unless required by law. The English language version of the press release is leading. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/329419/dsm_logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions President Joe Biden on Monday again touted the $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus law as he and his administration kicked off a week in which they will fan out across the country to discuss the landmark legislation. It was the third time he had used the White House as a backdrop to discuss the bill since Congress sent it to him on Wednesday, and he ticked off all the benefits he said would accrue under the legislation, which was passed with no Republican support. The American Rescue Plan is already doing what it was designed to do: make a difference in peoples everyday lives, Biden said. And were just getting started. While Biden was at the White House, his wife, Jill, a New Jersey native, traveled to Burlington to talk about the stimulus laws $130 billion to help elementary and secondary schools reopen. The centerpiece of the legislation is the $1,400 stimulus checks that are going out now. Biden said 85% of American households will get aid. And a married couple with two kids making $110,000 a year will get $5,600. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who opposed the checks and voted against the bill, insisted that the stimulus legislation passed last year will be responsible for economic growth and the taming of the pandemic, not Biden and his policies. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage Here are five highlights from Bidens speech on Monday: 1. Two milestones are coming. Biden said his administration will reach two milestones in the next 10 days: 100 million vaccinations and 100 million stimulus checks of up to $1,400. When I signed the American Rescue Plan last week, I said, Help is on the way, Biden said. Its here, sooner than many ever thought possible. 2. Heres everything else the bill does. Extending unemployment insurance, helping hundreds of thousands of small businesses keep their doors open, providing aid to schools and child care, increasing food and nutrition assistance, expanding health care coverage and lowering costs, reducing child poverty, generating economic growth. And it does one more thing, Biden said. : It focuses on rebuilding the backbone of this country -- working families, the middle class, the people who built this country. 3. A veteran of the last two Democratic administrations will play a key role in this one. Gene Sperling, who ran the National Economic Council for both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, will direct the $1.9 trillion in spending. Biden called him a source of constant communication, a source of guidance and support, and, above all, a source of accountability for all of us. Together were going to make sure that the benefits the American Rescue Plan go out quickly and directly to the American people, where they belong, Biden said. Dont miss the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic. Add your email here: 4. A competency test after four years of Donald Trump. Biden summed up his administrations mission this way: We have to prove to the American people that their government can deliver for them, and do it without waste or fraud; that we can vaccinate the nation; that we can get our kids safely back in school; and we can get our economy back on track by helping hundreds of thousands of small businesses open and stay open; and that we can give people of this nation a fighting chance again with relief checks, lower child care costs, lower healthcare costs, and so much more. Thats our job. Thats our responsibility. And in the process, well be growing the economy as well. 5. Biden has done this before. Biden was responsible for overseeing the 2009 stimulus program designed to help the U.S. recover from the Great Recession. He said he talked to almost every governor, more than 150 mayors and used the money to put us on a path from crisis to recovery to resurgence. He said he also assembled an accountability board with agency inspectors general. And after the money had been spent, the accountability board said waste and fraud accounted for less than two tenths of 1%. 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. Sign up here to get the latest stories on COVID in New Jersey, straight to your inbox. Children as young as 11 have suffered violence including beheadings in northeast Mozambique during a jihadist insurgency in the region, Save the Children said on Tuesday. The UK-based aid organisation said it was "outraged and deeply saddened" by reports that children had been targeted in the conflict in the gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado. The violence has claimed the lives of 2,600 people in the southeastern African nation -- half of them civilians -- and displaced 670,000, according to outside monitors. One mother, whose name was withheld to protect her identity, told Save the Children her 12-year-old son was beheaded as she hid with her three other children. "That night our village was attacked and houses were burned," she said. "We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him. We couldn't do anything because we would be killed too." A second mother said she had been unable to bury her son, who was killed by armed men after she had to leave her home for her own safety. "After my 11-year-old son was killed, we understood that it was no longer safe to stay in my village. We fled to my father's house in another village, but a few days later the attacks started there too," she said. The charity said security had seriously deteriorated in the past 12 months, with an escalation of attacks. - 'Sicken us to our core' - "Reports of attacks on children sicken us to our core," Chance Briggs, Save the Children's country director in Mozambique, said. "A major concern for us is that the needs of displaced children and their families in Cabo Delgado far outweigh the resources available to support them. "Nearly a million people are facing severe hunger as a direct result of this conflict, including displaced people and host communities." The region's humanitarian crisis was exacerbated by floods in 2020 and Cyclone Kenneth which struck northern Mozambique in 2019. Story continues The jihadists, known locally as Al-Shabaab but not linked to the group of the same name in Somalia, launched the insurgency in 2017. They pledged allegiance to the Islamic State organisation in 2019. In November Al-Shabaab launched a string of attacks on villages, with witnesses saying homes and public buildings were burned and dozens of people killed. Suspected militants beheaded over a dozen men and boys participating in a male initiation ceremony, according to local sources at the time. Amnesty International said in a report on March 2 that Al-Shabaab, as well as government forces backed by a "private militia," had indiscriminately killed hundreds of civilians in Cabo Delgado. The Mozambican military has denied any involvement, saying the report contained "untruths." The United Nations has warned that in 2021 nearly 235 million people will need humanitarian assistance globally. Half the disaster-affected population will be children. The record numbers include those affected by conflict, climate change shocks and famine. csp/jit/ri Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook will get their coronavirus vaccinations on March 23. Cheong Wa Dae said they will be the first citizens over 65 who are not hospitalized to receive AstraZeneca's vaccine. Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok on Monday said Moon decided to get the shot publicly to allay concerns over the vaccine's safety in time for his trip to the U.K. for the G7 summit in June. People who leave Korea on official business, overseas deployment, diplomatic assignments or other duties are eligible for vaccination. Since the AstraZeneca vaccine must be administered twice with a 10-week interval, Moon has to be inoculated in late March or early April to be ready. The vaccine was cleared for patients over 65 last week as additional data confirming its efficacy came in. Moon is 68 this year and Kim 66. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Hamas announced March 14 the appointment of a woman as a member in its political bureau for the first time since its creation in 1987, as part of its current internal elections. Jamila al-Shanti, 64, is the first woman to become a member of Hamas political bureau that is made up of 15 members. Shanti, who is a resident of Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, has a bachelor's degree in English from Ain Shams University in Egypt. She worked as a lecturer at the Faculty of Education at the Islamic University in Gaza and became Hamas member in the Legislative Council in 2006. She is also the former minister of womens affairs. Shanti gained wide popularity in Hamas circles, after she led a feminist march Nov. 3, 2006, to lift the siege of the Israeli army on 70 Hamas militants who were hiding in An-Nasr mosque in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. Two participants in the march were killed by Israeli bullets and dozens were injured. Hamas holds internal elections once every four years, and it launched the current round Feb. 19 in three regions the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and outside the Palestinian territories far from media coverage. Only the names of the head of the political bureau, the members and the leaders of the three regions are revealed. For years, there had been demands for female representation in Hamas political bureau, and Shanti was granted a seat this round, despite women not being allowed to vote for the political bureau members or run for its presidency. Hamas leader and Legislative Council deputy Yahya Moussa posted on Facebook March 10 his call for the elected head of the political bureau to nominate one or several women for membership in the bureau. In a Facebook post March 8, Moussa had criticized the lack of transparency, integrity, equality and equal opportunities in factional elections. He wrote, Factional elections lack transparency and integrity due to the absence of the principle of equality and equal opportunities among the members. Head of Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh announced March 10 the reelection of Sinwar, 59, as leader for the movement in the Gaza Strip. The media bureau of the Womens Movement in Hamas released a statement March 14, saying that the election of Shanti as member of Hamas political bureau crowns the civilized thought of the movement. The bureau clarified that the internal electoral system of Hamas allows women to be elected and to hold senior and wide decision-making positions, in addition to guaranteeing her right to joint or independent work. Shanti told Al-Monitor, Appointing a woman in Hamas political bureau is a remarkable development that reflects the movements belief in the importance of the role of women and their ability to occupy decision-making positions. She said that the leadership of the movement has not distributed the tasks to the new members yet, noting, But I am capable of assuming any task or cause, be it political or national. Shanti added, I will prove to the movement, Palestinians and the world that women are now competing with men in Muslim society, and they are capable of bearing the burden. Whether she will run in the scheduled legislative elections May 22, she said, I will consecrate my time to my new responsibilities within Hamas, and I will not participate in the upcoming Palestinian elections. We must give other female leaders the chance to live this experience. Women make up 49% of the constituencies in the legislative elections scheduled for May, according to the Central Elections Commission. Since Hamas was founded, the role of women has been restricted to raising children, as per Article 18 of the movements 1988 Covenant. However, the role of women in the Hamas movement began shifting from raising children to military participation during the second intifada between 2000 and 2005, notably when Reem Riyashi blew herself up among Israeli soldiers at the Erez crossing in the north of Gaza in January 2004, in the first bombing executed by a Hamas-affiliated woman. In 2006, Hamas women occupied Palestinian political positions with six women elected in the Palestinian parliament, namely Hoda Naim, Jamila al-Shanti, Mariam Farahat, Samira al-Halayka, Mona Mansour and Mariam Saleh. In 2007, Hamas formed the first female military battalion and trained dozens of women in the use of weapons and fighting. Hamas' Womens Movement is an independent organization and has its own elections that coincide with Hamas internal elections, though gender separation is strictly enfored. Hamas leader and former official in the Womens Movement Rajaa al-Halabi told Al-Monitor, Hamas women participate in the elections of the Womens Movement to choose female leaders who represent the major areas [cities]. Then these women elect female leaders as members of Hamas General Shura Council [parliament]. She noted that females only make up 17% of the 320 members of Hamas parliament. The Womens Movement was formed at the end of the 1980s. Its mission is to attract and gather Hamas women, most of whom are employees, students and housewives, under one body and teach them concepts and principles of Hamas, organize social events and home visits, and mobilize women to participate in field activities organized by Hamas to express its different political positions. Talal Okal, who writes for Al-Ayyam newspaper, told Al-Monitor, The election of a woman to the political bureau of Hamas late as it was constitutes a significant leap in the movement's openness to women. He said that Hamas is making an effort to improve its image in front of the world, and to deny the patriarchal aspect of the structure of its political bureau. But Okal believes that Hamas internal elections are still far from transparent and from the principle of gender equality in assuming important positions in the movement, given the occurrence of these elections amid a media blackout. The appointment of only one woman as opposed to 14 male members seems to be only symbolic. Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is calling the FBI's background investigation into Brett Kavanaugh 'fake' as he demands the bureau be held to account for its activity during the Supreme Court Justice's bitter confirmation process. Whitehouse made the claim in a blistering letter to new Attorney General Merrick Garland Monday, where he revisited the charged 2018 confirmation, when Kavanaugh's fate hung in the balance amid accusations of sexual assault. The Rhode Island Democrat accused the FBI of failing to follow its own guidelines for how to conduct probes and sort through tips of information provided by accusers and witnesses to the alleged events. And he said the bureau never properly probed the fact of the matter of whether Kavanaugh assaulted accuser Christine Blasey Ford at a party decades ago as she claims he did. With accusations flying against Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings, senators delayed a vote for a week to allow for a supplemental FBI investigation. But according to Whitehouse, the agency quite possibly conducted its probe 'with drawbridges up and a fake 'tip line' then proceeded to 'stonewall' the matter. Or, he argued, the agency may have been operating under rules that are themselves out of whack. 'It cannot and should not be the policy of the FBI to not follow up on serious allegations of misconduct during background check investigations,' he said. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse called the FBI's 2018 background probe into now-Supreme Justice Brett Kavanaugh 'fake' as he demanded information about it What happened next did not please Whitehouse. It 'appears to have been a politically-constrained and perhaps fake FBI investigation into alleged misconduct by now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh,' he wrote. He noted that Kavanaugh disputed her testimony he angrily denied it in his confirmation hearing so there were 'questions of fact' to resolve. The FBI never interviewed Blasey Ford, nor did it interview Kavanaugh. 'Max Stier, the widely respected president of the Partnership for Public Service, and a college classmate of Mr. Kavanaugh, offered specific corroborating evidence, but the FBI refused to interview Mr. Stier,' he wrote. As people brought forward information, 'the FBI had assigned no person to accept or gather evidence,' Whitehouse wrote. 'In addition to showing some cursory efforts to corroborate Dr. Ford's hearing testimony, our brief review showed that a stack of information had indeed flowed in through the 'tip line,' he added. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse blasted the FBI's handling of the Kavanaugh probe in a letter to the new attorney general Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her at a Maryland party decades ago Whitehouse grilled FBI Director Christopher Wray over the bureau's failure to respond to questions Whitehouse wrote new attorney Merrick Garland about the FBI probe and other oversight matters Kavanaugh's confirmation was rocked by Christine Blasey Ford's allegations of sexual assault Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor, brought forth stunning accusations during Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings. She claimed he sexually assaulted her decades ago during a party while both were high school students in Maryland's D.C. suburbs. She had written California Rep. Anna Eshoo and Sen. Dianne Feinstein outlining the allegations after Kavanaugh was nominated. She would later testify before the Senate Judiciary once her allegations became known. 'I don't have all the answers, and I don't remember as much as I would like to. But the details about that night that bring me here today are ones I will never forget,' she told the Senate Judiciary Committee. 'They have been seared into my memory and have haunted me episodically as an adult.' Blasey Ford, who attended an all girls private school, said she and friends sometimes socialized with friends from other nearby private boy's schools, and that she was friendly with a classmate of Kavanaugh's. She said she attended a small gathering at a house she does not remember, that she drank one beer that night, and that Kavanaugh and his friend mark were 'visibly drunk.' She testified that she went upstairs to use a bathroom, and that she was 'pushed from behind' into a bedroom. She said Kavnaaugh and his friend Mark [Judge] came in and locked the door behind them. 'I was pushed onto the bed and Brett got on top of me,' she told the Senate. 'He began running his hands over my body and grinding his hips into me. I yelled, hoping someone downstairs might hear me, and tried to get away from him, but his weight was heavy.' She said Kavanaugh groped her and tried to take her clothes off. 'I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming.' Ultimately, she said she was able to get away and lock herself in a bathroom, at which point the two young men left the room. She says she was later able to walk downstairs and leave the house. Kavanaugh furiously denied the allegations. He then faced a series of questions about past drinking, and acknowledged to senators that he drank beer. 'I drank beer with my friends' he said in a statement. 'Almost everyone did. Sometimes I had too many beers. Sometimes others did. I liked beer. I still like beer.' He said he never assaulted anyone. Blasey Ford's accusations threatened to derail Kavanaugh's nomination by President Donald Trump to fill Justice Anthony Kennedy's seat on the high court. Republicans agreed to a week-long delay for the FBI to investigate the allegations, which President Trump ordered it to carry out. They did so after GOP Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) aligned with Democrats on the subject. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the panel chair, said it would be to probe 'current credible allegations' against Kavanaugh. It was not a full-on probe with subpoena power. Instead, the FBI conducted what was known as one of its 'special presidential inquiries, which usually involve voluntary in-person interviews with a subject and witnesses. The probe into the allegations was not a criminal investigation. The FBI reached out to a second accuser, Deborah Ramirez, who claims Kavanaugh exposed his penis to her during a drunken party at a Yale University dormitory when they were undergraduates. But she said the FBI did not follow up on names she provided. Mark Judge, who Blasey Ford says was in the room with Kavanaugh during the alleged assault, said he had no memory of the events she described and denied the allegations. Kavanaugh furnished high school calendars to establish he never sexually assaulted Blasey Ford when he was a student at Georgetown Prep school. It showed a packed schedule with summer camp and beach trips. One entry said: 'Go to Timmy's for skis w/ Judge, Tom, PJ, Bernie, Squi,' with a reference to beers and some of the people Blasey Ford identified knowing. Advertisement 'It did not appear, however, that any review had been undertaken of any of the information that flowed through this tip line. We could get no explanation of the tip line procedures,' he continued. The background investigation faced not only time constraints, but those relating to its scope, the Washington Post reported in 2018. The probe appears to have focused on Blasey Ford's allegations, but not claims about Kavanaugh's alleged drinking and whether he was truthful about it. The bureau interviewed another accuser, Deborah Ramirez, who claims Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when they both attended Yale. But she said there were not indications the FBI interviewed the 20 names she provided who might have information about the alleged incident. Whitehouse concluded: 'If standard procedures were violated, and the Bureau conducted a fake investigation rather than a sincere, thorough and professional one, that in my view merits congressional oversight to understand how, why, and at whose behest and with whose knowledge or connivance, this was done.' Whitehouse tore into FBI Director Chris Wray during his recent testimony in the Senate, demanding the bureau be responsive to questions and requests for information. 'You going to do any better with the questions that we're getting right now?' he pressed Wray at the Judiciary Committee. 'You've 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?' He told CBS the bureau's conduct was 'not tolerable.' Whitehouse wrote that some witnesses who wanted to share information weren't able to do so. 'This was unique behavior in my experience, as the Bureau is usually amenable to information and evidence; but in this matter the shutters were closed, the drawbridge drawn up, and there was no point of entry by which members of the public or Congress could provide information to the FBI,' he wrote. He also pressed Garland on other regulatory matters, from anti-trust issues to fossil fuels and IRS enforcement of the 'explosion' of political activity by nonprofits after the Citizens United ruling. Garland vowed during his own confirmation, which went through on a bipartisan vote, not to let politics interfere with decision-making at the agency. He has his own experience with the Senate's confirmation process. He never got a hearing from the Republican-controlled Senate after President Barack Obama nominated him to the Supreme Court. 'The department has received and is reviewing the letter,' a Justice Department spokeswoman told DailyMail.com. The FBI had no comment. [March 16, 2021] Amolyt Pharma to Present Preliminary Phase 1 Data on AZP-3601 for Hypoparathyroidism and Additional Preclinical Data on AZP-3404 at ENDO 2021 LYON, France and NEWTON, Mass., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amolyt Pharma, a global company specializing in developing therapeutic peptides for rare endocrine and metabolic diseases, today announced that it will be presenting four abstracts at the Endocrine Societys Annual Meeting, ENDO 2021, being held virtually from March 20-23, 2021. Amolyt will present preliminary data from its Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating AZP-3601, a parathyroid hormone analog specifically designed for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism, in addition to two abstracts detailing a retrospective natural history study of chronic hypoparathyroidism. Amolyt will also present preclinical data for AZP-3404, a peptide with a new and unique mechanism of action on fat and glucose metabolism. Details of the abstracts are as follows: AZP-3601 Program Title: A Single Administration of AZP-3601, a Novel, Long-Acting PTH Analog, Induces a Significant and Sustained Calcemic Response: Preliminary Data From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 1 Study Session: P08 - Parathyroid and Rare Bone Disorders Session Date/Time: March 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM 11:59 PM EDT (On Demand) Title: Clinical Burden And Practice Patterns In Patients With Chronic Hypoparathyroidism In The United States (US): A Claims Data Analysis Using Diagnosis-Based Criteria Session: P08 - Parathyroid and Rare Bone Disorders Session Date/Time: March 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM 11:59 PM EDT (On Demand) Title: Clinical Burden And Practice Patterns In Patients With Chronic Hypoparathyroidism In The United States (US): A Claims Data Analysis Using Surgery-Based Criteria Session: P08 - Parathyroid and Rare Bone Disorders Session Date/Time: March 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM 11:59 PM EDT (On Demand) AZP-3404 Program Title: AZP-3404, a Peptide Analog of IGFBP-2, Induces Weight Loss and Improves Glucose Metabolism in Leptin-Resistant db/db Mice Session: SESSION P15 - Bench to Bedside: Novel Mechanisms in Diabetes and Metabolism Session Date/Time: March 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM 11:59 PM EDT (On Deman) Additional details can be found on the ENDO website and copies of the posters will be available on the Amolyt website once the presentations conclude. About Hypoparathyroidism Hypoparathyroidism is defined by a deficiency of parathyroid hormone (PTH) that results in decreased calcium and elevated phosphorus levels in the blood. Clinical manifestations of hypoparathyroidism vary and impact a large number of tissues and organ systems, including the muscles, brain, heart, and kidneys. Despite available treatments, patients frequently experience persistent, life-altering symptoms and reduced quality of life. In addition, they often develop kidney disease and have abnormal bone architecture. There are approximately 80,000 and 110,000 people with hypoparathyroidism in the U.S. and E.U., respectively, of which about 80% are women. More than two-thirds of women with hypoparathyroidism are peri- and menopausal women who are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. It is estimated that about 25% of people with hypoparathyroidism have chronic kidney disease or kidney failure, highlighting the importance of reducing urinary calcium excretion as a key treatment goal. About AZP-3601 AZP-3601 is a therapeutic peptide designed to target a specific conformation of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor in order to safely produce sustained levels of calcium in the blood and thereby manage the symptoms of hypoparathyroidism. The selective action of AZP-3601 through this distinct conformation of the PTH receptor is also intended to limit urine calcium excretion by stimulating calcium reabsorption by the kidney, consequently preventing chronic kidney disease. In addition, the unique receptor profile and short half-life of AZP-3601 are expected to preserve bone integrity, an important benefit since the majority of patients with hypoparathyroidism are middle-aged women often at increased risk of osteoporosis. About AZP-3404 AZP-3404 is the first therapeutic peptide to leverage the biology of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2), a key mediator of the beneficial effects of leptin on fat and glucose metabolism. The metabolic-regulating activity of IGFBP2 resides in a small peptide sequence located within its structure. AZP-3404 is a stabilized peptide analog of this sequence and is the first drug candidate to utilize and to reproduce the unique biology of IGFBP2. We are currently conducting pre-investigational new drug activities and exploring target indications for AZP-3404, especially rare metabolic diseases characterized by insulin resistance and/or obesity. About Amolyt Pharma Amolyt Pharma is building on its teams established expertise in therapeutic peptides to deliver life-changing treatments to patients suffering from rare endocrine and metabolic diseases. Its portfolio includes AZP-3601 as a potential treatment of hypoparathyroidism, AZP-3404, which is undergoing indication prioritization work, and AZP-38XX, a small peptide series under evaluation to select a development candidate for the treatment of acromegaly. Amolyt Pharma aims to further expand and develop its portfolio by leveraging its global network in the field of endocrinology and with support from a strong syndicate of international investors. To learn more, visit www.amolytpharma.com or follow us on Twitter at @AmolytPharma. Media: Cherilyn Cecchini, M.D. LifeSci Communications ccecchini@lifescicomms.com +1.646.876.5196 Investors: Ashley Robinson LifeSci Advisors, LLC arr@lifesciadvisors.com +1.617.430.7577 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] While cannabis users across the country gather on April 20, a Boston federal judge will start jury selection for the trial against ex-Mayor Jasiel Correia, who is accused of taking bribes from marijuana vendors while in office. The former mayors corruption and fraud trial was pushed back to May 4 after being postponed multiple times during the coronavirus pandemic. Then it was moved up to 9 a.m. on April 20, according to court records. That date is widely known as a holiday in cannabis culture. The trial will begin before U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock after the jury is selected. Correia faces two dozen counts of fraud, political corruption, bribery and extortion, between the accusations that he defrauded investors of his company SnoOwl and that he extorted marijuana vendors who wanted to set up shop in Fall River when he was mayor. Correia was first arrested in October 2018 on federal charges that he stole money from SnoOwl investors, using the funds to pay for casino trips and a Mercedes. He later asked a federal judge to let him access lenders so he could pay back more than $300,000, according to court documents. Despite the federal charges, Correia survived a recall effort and campaigned for re-election in 2019. But he was again arrested in September on charges that he extorted $600,000 in bribes from marijuana companies that sought agreements that would allow them to open stores in the Bristol County city. He took a leave of absence in mid-October, suspending his re-election. He lost his re-election bid to Paul Coogan, who was a Fall River Public Schools representative. Genoveva Andrade, who was Correias chief of staff and campaign manager, was indicted alongside him. She pleaded guilty in December to charges of extortion, bribery, aiding and abetting and making false statements. Andrade is scheduled to be sentenced at 2 p.m. on June 10, court records say. Related Content: Two-and-a-half years after the revolution, we are in a situation where we still dont know who killed the 10 citizens during the events of March 1, 2008, who ordered to execute the demonstrators on the street and how they died. This is what independent deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia Taguhi Tovmasyan told reporters today. During this period, the Prosecutor Generals Office and the Special Investigation Service would constantly assure that several wanted people are hindering revelation of the case of the events of March 1, 2008 and that they will summon those people, but we saw that the Special Investigation Service isnt accepting the people who say they are ready to testify. It turns out that there are many people who left Armenia and declared that they were politically persecuted and tried to prove it with their statements, and former Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan was one of those people, Tovmasyan said. According to Member of Parliament Taguhi Tovmasyan, Interpol rejected the Armenian authorities request to issue a red notice for ex-official Gevorg Kostanyan. Citing documents which she said were the paperwork sent by the Interpol General Secretariat to the Interpol National Bureau in Armenia, Tovmasyan claimed that the motion of the Armenian authorities was turned down because it contradicted Article 3 of the Interpol Constitution, which states: It is strictly forbidden for the Organization to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character. This means that Kostanyans case was considered to be political and the information about this person was withdrawn from the Interpol database. However, the Prosecutor Generals Office and the Special Investigation Service would constantly declare that they have declared a search for Kostanyan, Tovmasyan told reporters, adding that the two institutions have lied to the public all this time. I believe there has to be a direct legal consequence, and yes, those responsible need to be held criminally liable because Armenia cant have such an embarrassing document, while those people are in liberty, she said and noted that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declares that the case of the events of March 1, 2008 isnt being revealed because people have left the country. TAT's Clippership Wharf waterfront project, with Boston's first living shoreline, underscore's the firm's forward-looking design approach. "Our pledge for the next 50 years is to accelerate our efforts in creating positive change through the pursuit of forward-looking design solutions that will make our cities more livable, more exciting, and more resilient and sustainable." - TAT founding principal Robert J. Verrier, FAIA, NCARB. Reflecting its dedication to social impact, the architecture, planning, and interiors leader The Architectural Team (TAT) has announced its renewed commitment to creating vibrant, equitable communities through innovative design solutions that address key issues impacting urban livability nationwide. The statement of purpose comes as TAT celebrates its 50th anniversary, and underscores its role as a trusted advisor for its clients and an advocate of design excellence in a range of buildings and project types. The firm is known for a wide array of work including urban infill complexes, creative master planned communities, engaging mixed-use destinations, resilient waterfronts, historic preservation and adaptive reuse, and uplifting affordable housing, and senior developments. As the world emerges from a year of pandemic and economic challenges, these opportunities have become even more vital. The past five decades have brought a remarkable urban resurgence for cities large and small, and as TAT reaches this important milestone, were taking the opportunity to express our gratitude to our clients and colleagues, and to reflect on our foundational promise of strengthening the communities in which we work, as well as our role as an advisor and advocate in that process, says Robert J. Verrier, FAIA, NCARB, founding principal of TAT. We continue to believe in the transformative power of architecture, and we thank our team members for their commitment to this vision. Our pledge for the next 50 years is to accelerate our efforts in creating positive change through the pursuit of forward-looking design solutions that will make our cities more livable, more exciting, and more resilient and sustainable. The Best of History and Innovation. Since launching TAT in 1971, Verrier has inspired generations of architects with a steadfast belief in the potential of architecture to engender civic pride, revive local economies, and improve quality of life. Best known as a pioneer in preserving and adapting scores of historic mills, wharfs, schools, and hospitals nationwide, Verrier has demonstrated the social, cultural, and economic value of smart building practices for decades, an outlook that continues to influence the firms work. As TATs practice and portfolio has expanded to also encompass a wide array of innovative new construction projects from housing to hotels and large-scale mixed-use complexes Verriers deep knowledge and expertise in real estate development has shown emerging designers how they can advocate for better designs and building projects. TATs culture of excellence has enabled us to expand our portfolio nationally, including with market-leading new construction projects, says senior partner and managing principal Michael D. Binette, AIA, NCARB, regarded as an expert on multifamily planning and design and a trusted advisor for major national developers. I joined TAT as an intern in 1982, and having grown with the firm, I can attest to how this nurturing yet rigorous atmosphere is fundamental to our success. Binette adds that in 2021 TATs leaders will continue to foster emerging designers. As we grow our leadership opportunities and look to the future, supporting the talent and energy of tomorrows designers will ensure that we continue to push the envelope in addressing the most critical issues of our moment, he says. Within the firm, a heightened focus on elevating new voices and perspectives brings added creativity to TATs widely respected master planning, multifamily and mixed-use design practice. Emerging leaders, including recently named Associate Tom Schultz, AIA, NCARB, will take on important new roles and expand their involvement in project design, client management and business development strengthening the firms ability to serve as an effective and responsive strategic partner. Focus on Creative Housing Solutions. One of the countrys leading planners and designers of multifamily buildings and communities, TAT enters its sixth decade with a goal of designing housing that is more livable, more exciting, and more sustainable. Over the course of its 50 years, TAT has served as a powerful advocate for better housing, and as a thought leader in the national media on critical development tools such as historic and low-income housing tax credits and waterfront resilience considerations for rising sea levels and other climate challenges. Known for longstanding partnerships with public agencies, nonprofits, housing authorities, and top national developers, TAT has designed tens of thousands of housing units nationwide, broadening residential options across all income levels in cities as diverse as Worcester, Massachusetts; Bloomington, Indiana; and Jacksonville, Florida. Working with leading development groups including AvalonBay Communities, Greystar, Wood Partners, Toll Brothers, Mill Creek, Trammell Crow, The Green Cities Company, Lendlease, Trinity Financial, and Winn Development, many of the firms latest projects serve as case studies in housing innovation. Highlights include: Clippership Wharf, a waterfront community that addresses rising sea levels with Bostons first-ever living shoreline. Courthouse Lofts, one of the nations first adaptive reuse projects to convert a historic courthouse complex into mixed-income housing. Evergreen Village, the nations first assisted-living facility funded by a combination of state subsidies, tax-exempt bonds, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Residences at Brighton Marine, a veterans supportive housing campus lauded for combining a suite of onsite services with thoughtfully designed homes for both individuals and families. The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony, an affordable housing community that recently unveiled a groundbreaking Passive House complex for seniors. The ongoing redevelopment of Sibley Square, a 1 million-square-foot adaptive reuse complex anticipated to catalyze the revival of Rochester, N.Y. Yarn Works, the transformation of a landmarked riverfront mill building into mixed-income housing with a trendsetting approach to flood mitigation and storm resiliency. Building on this legacy and looking to the future, TATs architects and designers are pursuing a new wave of ideas and projects that advance the field of multifamily design. From Massachusetts to Florida, says principal Jay Szymanski, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, were working with developers, nonprofits, and public officials to support cities nationwide with sustainable and accessible infill and transit-oriented developments, well-planned workforce and affordable housing, and inventive design solutions that overcome unique and complex technical challenges. New Ideas in Design Innovation, Technical Virtuosity and Respect for Context. According to Michael Liu, AIA, NCARB, senior partner and design principal, TATs respect for context has its roots in Verriers early work, which instilled an institutional respect for older buildings and neighborhoods. He feels that has given the firm a unique sensitivity to context when designing the ground-up buildings that form the majority of the firms work today. That sensitivity often finds a forward-looking contemporary expression. We dont strive to design buildings that necessarily look like theyve always been there, says Liu. We want to design buildings that look like theyve always belonged there. Sometimes that means incorporating an existing familiar iconic structure into a contemporary new building so that the contrast enhances both and preserves a local landmark. Liu points to design juxtapositions such as 100 Shawmut in Bostons South End in which a six-story historic warehouse is incorporated into 14 stories of sleek and geometrically dramatic new construction. Another example was the firms now-iconic design for Lovejoy Wharf, which combined a similarly visible, but previously anonymous historic warehouse with a striking contemporary addition to form an exciting waterfront headquarters for clothing brand Converse and a gateway landmark to the city. Liu credits the mutual support and mentoring cited by Binette as allowing TAT to develop a firm of colleagues with the design and technical sophistication to develop solutions requiring a unique level of design innovation and technical virtuosity. The knowledge depth and dedication of our staff has given us the expertise to develop solutions to otherwise daunting design problems. Its expanded the range of solutions available to us, continues Liu. He cites examples such as the 30-foot cantilever which allows the 35-story Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences to rise over an adjacent occupied building, or the construction of the fourteen-story Bower building over an operating train station. Key to this atmosphere of innovation is the input of an increasingly diverse group of TAT professionals. By welcoming the expertise of all team members, were advancing our implementation of green strategies such as Passive House and emphasizing the pursuit of WELL, Fitwel, and other new certifications and design standards that promote physical and emotional health and wellbeing, says TAT principal Edward Bradford, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP. Energized by fresh leadership, our growing interiors team is also developing innovative new concepts that raise the bar in terms of healthy materials, residential layouts, and amenities programming. As part of the firms celebration of its 50th anniversary, TAT has also bolstered its dedication to emerging leadership as part of its core mission, committing to advancing the next generation of architects, planners, and interior designers. In fact, dozens of emerging designers have built entire careers at TAT -- including three of the firms seven principals. Sharing knowledge and offering access to our collective experience and expertise is one of the best ways we can help young architects as they enter professional practice, notes architect and TAT principal Gary Kane, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, who has led many of the firms educational initiatives. These efforts are a critical investment in a better and more just future for our cities and all of society as these young professionals go on to shape communities around the world. Echoing these sentiments, TATs founder Verrier concludes, Architecture can play an important role in the generation of thriving, prosperous communities. Our firm was founded with this sense of purpose, and it fills me with pride to see the creativity and dedication our team members bring to work with them every day in pursuit of designing a better world. As we chart a course for the future together with clients, collaborators, and partners, encouraging fresh perspectives and creative solutions will continue to be central to our approach -- and I am excited to see what emerges. For interviews and images, please contact Alex Abarbanel-Grossman, (973) 897-3940. About The Architectural Team, Inc. (TAT) Celebrating its 50th year, The Architectural Team, Inc. (TAT), has been recognized for its thought leadership and diverse portfolio in architecture, interior design and master planning. Creating lasting transformation in the communities it serves, the 90-person firm has earned more than 200 awards for design excellence across a broad range of building types and programs. These include new construction of large-scale urban mixed-use developments, multifamily, commercial, waterfront and hospitality developments, assisted and senior living facilities, and community centers. TAT is also proud of its national reputation in the areas of historic preservation, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse and the hundreds of projects that have transformed neighborhoods across the United States, artfully restoring and reimagining neglected buildings for new uses while simultaneously preserving history. Building on its established reputation as a trusted partner in design, The Architectural Team looks forward to another 50 years of design innovation, client service and creative collaboration. For more information, please visit http://www.architecturalteam.com. Young carers ID card launched on day of action This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 16th, 2021 ID cards for young carers to help easily identify themselves as having a caring role are launching across 11 local authorities today to coincide with Young Carers Action Day. The ID card will give young carers a quick way to inform teachers, pharmacists and GPs, staff in supermarkets, and community services such as leisure centres and local transport, that they look after someone. It will also help them access their rights under the Social Services and Well-being Wales Act 2014, including their right to a carers needs assessment. As well as a physical card other formats of ID are being tested, for example an app in Anglesey and Gwynedd or a wristband. With engagement with young carers, a national logo has also been created. This years Young Carers Action Day is focussing on the theme of protecting young carers futures and in north Wales, Wrexham AFC is sponsoring the day and joint launch for six local authorities. Disability Liaison Officer at Wrexham AFC, Kerry Evans, said: We at Wrexham AFC are very proud to be celebrating and highlighting Young Carers Action Day 2021 by dedicating our match day today. Our club is very dedicated to raising awareness of the outstanding work young carers do within our local community. The more awareness raised of these unsung heroes the better. As part of the north Wales activity, local young carers have been involved with designing the ID card, including Joshua Hughes, 15, from Colwyn Bay. He said: I help look after my brother. I have enjoyed being part of the group designing the young carers ID card. Hannah Mushrow, 11, from Flintshire, cares for her older brother. She said: I help care for my 17 year old brother, he has Smith-Magenis Syndrome. Although he is 17 years old he is really like a 3 year old in lots of things he does, but looks 17. I call him my big, little brother. In November, Ceredigion was the first local authority to launch a card under the Welsh Governments national ID card project, with Torfaen local authority and young carers service launching their card yesterday. Welsh Government will make 150,000 of funding available for local authorities in 2021 to 2022 to further support the roll-out of the national ID card scheme, with the aim of ensuring every local authority area of Wales has a scheme in place by 2022. Carers Trust Wales have been awarded 36,000 to produce information resources and provide training to health and education professionals to help them better understand the issues which affect young carers. Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services Julie Morgan said: Too often the ability of a young carer to achieve and progress in their studies or have a life alongside caring is hindered because schools, health professionals and others dont know who or what a young carer is, or how to help them. I want young carers to be able to identify themselves to others in a quick and easy way, so they can get the right help and support they need. It has been a particularly difficult past year, however it is so important to recognise that being a young carers is not a negative through their role a young person can acquire a wide range of life skills; from resilience in the face of everyday pressures, to time management and the ability to focus on whats most important. Today, on Young Carers Action Day, I also want to take the opportunity to thank all our young carers and young adult carers who are helping and supporting their family members, friends and neighbours, in these extremely challenging times. You have and continue to do so much diolch. How to apply for a card Are you a young carer and need an ID card, or some support and the chance to meet other young carers? If you live in Wrexham, call WCD Young Carers / Credu on 01597 823800. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - INCA ONE GOLD CORP. (TSXV: IO) (OTC: INCAF) (FSE: SU92) ("Inca One" or the "Company") a gold producer operating two, fully permitted, mineral processing facilities in Peru, is pleased to announce it has arranged a US$2.5 million gold pre-payment facility (the "Facility") from OCIM Precious Metals SA ("OCIM"). OCIM is a Geneva-based global precious metals trader and financier. Net proceeds of the Facility are expected to be approximately US$2.45 million and will be distributed by OCIM to Inca One and its Peruvian subsidiary, immediately following TSX Venture Exchange approval. The Facility will be payable in gold bullion and will be paid in full within 135 days after receipt of the funds. The Facility is secured by a Canadian general security agreement and in the event of default, OCIM has the right to convert any amounts outstanding into shares of Inca One at $0.43 per share. During the term of the Facility, the Company and OCIM intend to advance discussions for a potential second facility for a minimum of US$6.0 million repayable over a longer period. "I am extremely pleased to work with OCIM on this non-dilutive Facility," stated Edward Kelly, President and CEO of Inca One Gold Corp. "After completing the prerequisite vetting and independent evaluations by a 3rd party engineering firm, including full legal and technical due diligence, our facilities passed with high marks. The proceeds of the Facility could help us increase ore buying capacity by up to 40% above our calendar Q4 numbers and further drive production growth." About OCIM The OCIM group of privately held companies has a long and successful history as a trader and financier of strategic assets. Established in Paris in 1961, OCIM is headed by a third-generation member of the founding family. Besides its core historical business in real estate, OCIM has diversified into other strategic tangible assets such as coinage Precious Metals via its Geneva-based subsidiary. As a Merchant, OCIM trades physical metals across the full value chain, from producers to end users. As a Financier, OCIM invests in a wide variety of instruments and provides financing to the value chain with equity, debt, and alternative investments. About Inca One Inca One Gold Corp is a TSXV listed, gold producer operating two, fully permitted, gold mineral processing facilities in Peru. The Company has produced in excess of 92,000 ounces of gold, generating over US$125 million in revenue from its first 6 years of operations. Inca One, is led by an experienced and capable management team that has established the Company as a trusted leader in servicing government permitted, small-scale miners in Peru. Peru is the world's seventh-largest producer of gold and its small-scale mining sector is estimated by government officials to be valued in the billions of dollars annually. Inca One possesses a combined 450 tonnes per day permitted operating capacity at its two fully integrated plants, Chala One and Kori One. To learn more visit www.incaone.com. Figure 1. Inca One's gold processing facilities in Peru (left: Chala One facility; right: Kori One facility) To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2645/77403_a7d78f4444a7d890_001full.jpg On behalf of the Board, Edward Kelly President and CEO Inca One Gold Corp. For More Information Contact: Konstantine Tsakumis Inca One Gold Corp. ktsakumis@incaone.com 604-568-4877 NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Statements regarding the Company which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements due to factors such as: (i) fluctuation of mineral prices; (ii) a change in market conditions; and (iii) the fact that future operational results may not be accurately predicted based on this limited information to date. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update any changes to such statements. Inca One believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. 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 these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77403 NYSE American Symbol UEC Highlights and Balance Sheet Update as of March 15, 2021: $65.8 million in cash and equity holdings; in cash and equity holdings; Establishing a physical uranium inventory to take advantage of spot purchases below most industry production costs, adding additional asset value to the balance sheet; Uranium inventory will provide greater marketing flexibility for utilities, while freeing up UEC's domestic mine production for the U.S. Uranium Reserve, and other U.S. origin specific opportunities; Entered into agreements totaling $10.9 million to purchase 400,000 pounds of uranium concentrates at ConverDyn in Metropolis, Illinois at a volume weighted average price of $27.29 per lb. U3O8; to purchase 400,000 pounds of uranium concentrates at ConverDyn in at a volume weighted average price of per lb. U3O8; Market value of a 19.5% equity stake in Uranium Royalty Corp. (URC: TSX-V) increased to $34.3 million following URC's announced acquisition of royalties on the world-class MacArthur River and Cigar Lake uranium mines; following URC's announced acquisition of royalties on the world-class MacArthur River and Cigar Lake uranium mines; Realized gross proceeds of $30 million from the recent completion of the Company's at-the-market equity program, improving financial flexibility and strengthening the balance sheet; from the recent completion of the Company's at-the-market equity program, improving financial flexibility and strengthening the balance sheet; Reduced debt from $18 million to $10 million under the Company's current credit facility; and to under the Company's current credit facility; and Shares outstanding: 214,442,838. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE American: UEC) (the "Company" or "UEC") is pleased to report, in accordance with NYSE American requirements, the filing of the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the six months ended January 31, 2021 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). This Form 10-Q filing, which includes the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements, related notes thereto and management's discussion and analysis, is available for viewing on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml or on the Company's website at www.uraniumenergy.com. Amir Adnani, CEO and President, stated: "With $65.8 million in cash and equity holdings, UEC has the balance sheet strength to lead U.S. uranium production higher at the most critical time for the domestic industry since the inception of the civilian nuclear power program began in the 1950s. Nuclear power is the second largest source of electricity generation in the U.S. and its largest source of carbon-emission free electricity. America is also the largest consumer of uranium in the world, yet there is no uranium currently mined domestically. As a leading pure-play American uranium company, UEC is investing to build the next generation of low-cost and environmentally friendly uranium projects that will be competitive on a global basis. Despite our focus on low cost In-Situ Recovery mining with its low capital requirements, we see a unique opportunity to purchase drummed uranium at prevailing spot prices which are below most global industry mining costs. Hence, we are establishing a physical uranium inventory initiative and have entered into initial agreements totaling $10.9 million to purchase 400,000 pounds of U.S. warehoused uranium at our account with the ConverDyn facility in Metropolis, Illinois. This initiative will support three objectives: 1) bolsters our balance sheet as uranium prices appreciate; 2) provides strategic inventory to support future marketing efforts with utilities that could compliment production and accelerate cashflows; and 3) increases the availability of our Texas and Wyoming production capacity for emerging U.S. origin specific opportunities which may command premium pricing due to scarcity of domestic uranium. One such U.S. origin specific opportunity is UEC's plan to participate in supplying the U.S. Uranium Reserve ("UR"), as outlined in the Nuclear Fuel Working Group report published by the U.S. Department of Energy. The UR is designed as a 10-year, $1.5 billion program to purchase newly mined U.S. origin uranium that fits well with UEC's production ready, fully licensed domestic mining capabilities. About Uranium Energy Corp Uranium Energy Corp is a U.S.-based uranium mining and exploration company. As a leading pure-play American uranium company, UEC is advancing the next generation of low-cost and environmentally friendly In-Situ Recovery (ISR) mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the Company's hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by our fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to our Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline 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's diversified holdings provide exposure to a unique portfolio of uranium related assets, including: 1) major equity stake in the only royalty company in the sector, Uranium Royalty Corp; 2) physical uranium warehoused in the U.S.; and 3) a pipeline of resource-stage uranium projects in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Paraguay. In Paraguay, the Company owns one of the largest and highest-grade ferro-titanium deposits in the world. 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. Stock Exchange Information: NYSE American: UEC WKN: AJDRR ISN: US916896103 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. SOURCE Uranium Energy Corp Related Links http://www.uraniumenergy.com/ Massachusetts Teachers Unions Push to Delay Return to Classroom: This Whole Process Is Being Rushed The leaders of three teachers unions in Massachusetts are supporting an emergency legislation that would delay the school reopening for the states youngest students for another three weeks. State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley, who heads the Bay States K-12 systems, has ordered school districts to bring students from pre-K to 5th grade back to classrooms for full-time instruction by April 5. Middle schools are scheduled to reopen on April 28. The emergency legislation, proposed by Democrat state Reps. Lindsay Sabadosa and James Hawkins, would block Riley from requiring school districts reopen for in-person learning before April 26. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, and the Boston Teachers Union welcomed the proposed legislation, saying it would allow more teachers and other school workers to receive COVID-19 vaccines before returning to in-person work. COVID-19 is the disease the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus causes. This whole process is being rushed, being pushed by unelected bureaucrats who are out of touch with reality, Merrie Najimy, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, told the Boston Globe. They dont understand the amount of change that has to happen in the next couple of weeks to be ready. Over the past week, the teachers unions have been pushing back against Gov. Charlie Bakers vaccine distribution plan. Under the plan, the states seven mass vaccination sites will offer the first shot of the two-dose vaccine exclusively for K-12 teachers and school workers on four designated weekend days between March 27 and April 11. In a joint statement, leaders of the unions criticized Baker, a Republican, for not allocating more vaccine doses toward teachers, accusing the Baker administration of pitting one vulnerable group against another and undermining their efforts for a timely and safe return to in-person learning. According to the statement, the unions didnt want to skip the line or be prioritized ahead of the sick and elderly, but were asking the state to classify teachers as essential workers so that they have the same vaccination priority as firefighters and nurses. In response, Bakers office said that teachers dont need to be vaccinated to return to in-person work. More than 80 percent of school districts are already teaching students in-person or hybrid, Baker spokesperson Sarah Finlaw said in a statement to The Associated Press on Sunday. Months of data from right here in Massachusetts and countless studies from world-class medical organizations have made clear that schools are safe for in-person learning. No legitimate public health or medical organization, nor the CDC, recommends vaccinating all teachers before reopening schools, Finlaw said. The environmental test chamber where researchers conducted air purifier experiments. (a) is the exterior with instruments set up outside, and (b) is inside the chamber with mock-up furnishings and materials. Credit: Illinois Tech The market for air purifiers is booming, but a new study has found that some air cleaning technologies marketed for COVID-19 may be ineffective and have unintended health consequences. The study, authored by researchers at Illinois Tech, Portland State University, and Colorado State University, found that cleaning up one harmful air pollutant can create a suite of others. Both chamber and field tests found that an ionizing device led to a decrease in some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including xylenes, but an increase in others, most prominently oxygenated VOCs (e.g., acetone, ethanol) and toluene, substances commonly found in paints, paint strippers, aerosol sprays and pesticides. According to the EPA, exposure to VOCs has been linked to a range of health effects from eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination and nausea, to damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system, and some organics can cause cancer in animals, some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. The study, published this week in Building and Environment, mimicked real-world operating conditions for these ionization devices to test the effectiveness and potential to form chemical byproducts in environments similar to where we all live, work, and learn. One of the most popular types of air purifiers on the market right now are ion-generating systems, including 'bipolar ionization' devices that electrically charge particles so they settle out of the air faster, and are generally marketed to kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Understandably, the "virus-killing" capability has drawn attention and been heavily featured in advertising over the past year and led to a flood of new and revamped products on the market. However, the study finds that the air purifier marketplace is fraught with inadequate test standards, confusing terminology, and a lack of peer-reviewed studies of their effectiveness and safety. Unlike air filtration (where air is pushed through a filter to remove airborne pollutants), there has been very little research on the effectiveness and side effects of "additive" air cleaning methods like ionizing devices. "Manufacturers and third-party test labs commonly demonstrate their product's effectiveness using chamber tests, but these test reports often don't use experimental conditions that could show how the device actually performs in real-world conditions," said Brent Stephens, Chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at Illinois Tech. "To the extent that there are testing standards for ionization and other devices, those are largely industry-led standards that remain underdeveloped at this point, focused mostly on ensuring just one pollutant, ozone, is not generated during operation." In everyday operating conditions, ions added to occupied environments such as a school or office building can react with other compounds present in indoor air, which can potentially lead to the formation of harmful byproducts such as formaldehyde and ozone. Ions can also rapidly bind to other gases and spur the formation of new 'ultrafine' particles, which are known air pollutants. But little independent data exists on these mechanisms. The research team conducted a series of experiments on the operation of a commercially available in-duct bipolar ionization device. Lab tests were conducted with air sampling of particulate matter and gases in a large semi-furnished chamber and in a field test with an ionizer device installed in an air handling unit serving an occupied office building. The research also found that despite small changes in particle concentrations, there was very little net effect on the overall concentration of PM2.5 in the air. According to the EPA, particulate matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, also known as fine particles or PM2.5, pose the greatest risk to health as they can get deep into your lungs and some may even get into your bloodstream. Numerous scientific studies have linked fine particle pollution exposure to a range of health impacts, including premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing. Health impacts of air ionizers are largely unknown, although a small number of recent studies give cause for concern. In August 2020, a study concluded that exposure to negative ions was associated with increased systemic oxidative stress levels (a marker of cardiovascular health), and despite reduced indoor particulate matter concentrations, there were no beneficial changes to respiratory health. Another recent study of air ionizers in school classrooms reduced particulate matter concentrations led to some improvements in respiratory health among 11-14 year old children, the ionizers had an adverse effect on heart rate variability (a measure of cardiovascular health), meaning that any benefit to the lungs came at a cost to the heart. "We should have a much better understanding of these effects before widespread use of these types of devices," said Delphine Farmer, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Colorado State University and a co-lead author of the paper. "Without peer-reviewed research into the health impacts of these devices, we risk substituting one harmful agent for another," said Stephens. "We urge others to follow guidance from organizations like the U.S. EPA and ASHRAE, which generally recommend the use of established, evidence-based measures to clean indoor air, including high efficiency particle filtration and enhanced ventilation, in addition to face coverings and physical distancing, to help reduce airborne transmission of COVID-19." Explore further Long-term exposure to low levels of air pollution increases risk of heart and lung disease More information: Yicheng Zeng et al, Evaluating a commercially available in-duct bipolar ionization device for pollutant removal and potential byproduct formation, Building and Environment (2021). Yicheng Zeng et al, Evaluating a commercially available in-duct bipolar ionization device for pollutant removal and potential byproduct formation,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107750 The United Arab Emirates, a magnet for the globe's ultra-rich, has also emerged as one of the fastest-growing corporate tax havens, according to a study released on Tuesday that highlighted $200 billion-plus flowing into the country. The index by the Tax Justice Network, which documents countries that attract companies to shrink their tax bills, added the United Arab Emirates to its top-10 ranking, which includes Switzerland and Bermuda. Britain's offshore territories the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Cayman Islands and Bermuda were named as the most significant jurisdictions used by companies to minimise their tax, followed by the Netherlands. The United Arab Emirates joined the top ranking at number 10 after multi-nationals rerouted over $218 billion of foreign direct investment via the Netherlands to the UAE to save taxes, the study said, bolstering financial activity by almost 180%. A Dutch finance ministry spokeswoman said it had introduced a withholding tax to target flows of money to low-tax countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bermuda, and to prevent the Netherlands being used as a conduit. It estimates, however, that the money flows are lower. The UAE did not respond to a request for comment. The Tax Justice Network, a group funded by donations and campaigning for transparency, said its study measured multinational activity, as well as tax rates and loopholes. While companies are not forbidden from using loopholes, the practice is viewed critically. "You don't need to be a tax expert to see why a global tax system programmed by a club of rich tax havens is haemorrhaging over $245 billion in lost corporate tax a year," said Alex Cobham, Tax Justice Network's chief executive. Dubai, a party capital in the United Arab Emirates and a magnet for social media influencers, was hit hard by the pandemic as lockdowns hurt tourism and shopping while lower oil prices weighed on the Gulf state's revenues. To counter the decline in local population and revive a struggling property market, after job cuts prompted many expatriates, who make up the majority of the population, to leave, it redoubled efforts to boost the economy. The government loosened rules to encourage international companies to establish a local foothold and bolstered schemes offering visas to rich foreigners. The country has been criticised by the Financial Action Task Force, the global dirty-money watchdog. UAE recently approved the creation of a new government office to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing. The Cayman Islands government said it "supports a fair tax system" and was committed to 'international tax standards'. Britain's finance ministry said overseas territories set their own policy. Other countries either did not respond or declined to comment. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 25 Colleges In Utah for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 77 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each institution 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 77 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. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-colleges-in-utah/ 2021 Top Colleges In Utah featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Ameritech College of Healthcare Brigham Young University Broadview University, West Jordan Dixie State University Eagle Gate College Fortis College Independence University Latter Day Saints Business College Midwives College of Utah Neumont College of Computer Science Ogden-Weber Technical College Provo College Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Salt Lake Community College Snow College Southern Utah University Stevens-Henager College Uintah Basin Technical College University of Phoenix University of Utah Utah State University Utah Valley University Weber State University Western Governors University Westminster College 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/. Walter Berukoff On behalf of our Company and the Board of Directors, we welcome Walter with open arms. His experience in global banking will be invaluable to us and our efforts moving forward. We are excited to have him share his expertise with our team. Medipure Holdings Inc. announces Walter Berukoff, President of Red Lion Management and Chairman and CEO of Lion One Metals Ltd., will serve as Special Advisor to the Companys Board of Directors. For over fifty years, Mr. Berukoff has built a solid reputation as a successful mining entrepreneur, fund and money manager, real estate developer, organic agriculture enthusiast and financier. His half century of business success has earned him lasting respect for his varied accomplishments. He will draw on his expertise and support the Board as it pertains to global banking, institutional, sovereign and family offices. On behalf of our Company and the Board of Directors, we welcome Walter with open arms, stated Boris Weiss, Director and CEO of Medipure Holdings Inc. His experience in global banking will be invaluable to us and our efforts moving forward. We are excited to have him share his expertise with our team. Walter is a tremendous addition as we continue to build out our Board and Advisors. Mr. Berukoff founded Red Lion Management Ltd., in 1971, a global family office, which has since amassed considerable holdings in real estate and manufacturing facilities. He has taken an active role in developing and turning-around business enterprises throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. Mr. Berukoff has been an international advisor in Cuba, Argentina and Peru providing strategic input to national infrastructures. Having raised in excess of five billion dollars in shareholder value for global mining and real-estate projects throughout his career, he has solidified his reputation as a leading Canadian operator and financier. I am honored to be joining Boris Weiss and Medipure as an advisor and I look forward to what the future holds as this leading-edge company further advances their efforts towards targeted diseases, stated Berukoff. Mr. Berukoff is also known for his philanthropic contributions locally and abroad. He was on the Board of Ballet BC from 2006-2009 and was instrumental in saving the company from bankruptcy. Berukoff helped establish the Supported Child Development Program (SCDP) in his home community that assists families of children with extra support needs to access inclusive child care that meets family needs. He established Foundry North Shore which offers young people between the age of 12-24 access to mental health and substance use support, primary care, peer support and social services. Mr. Berukoffs work abroad also helped establish the Wharton Entrepreneurship and Family Business Research Centre for women in Abu Dhabi, through the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a preeminent private education provider in the Middle East. About Medipure Medipure is a biopharmaceutical incubator committed to discovering and developing proprietary endocannabinoid system-based prescription drugs for targeted diseases by regulating specific molecular mechanisms. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, failure to be granted a full patent, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Companys management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. [March 16, 2021] BNP Paribas to partner with Baringa in the development of its climate scenario analysis capability, leveraging Baringa's Climate Change Scenario ModelTM LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BNP Paribas is already committed to being a leader in climate strategy, as the Financial Services industry responds to and recognises its role in climate change and climate risk BNP Paribas has reached its carbon neutrality objective in terms of the CO2 emissions arising from its own operations, increased total funding for renewable energies and invested in innovative start-ups to accelerate efforts in energy transition BNP Paribas is now turning to developing its climate scenario analysis capability as part of a strengthening of its ESG risk management framework through this 2021 project with Baringa BNP Paribas has chosen Baringa as its partner for this work, recognising their expertise in climate strategy and risk in financial services BNP Paribas will also be leveraging Baringa's award winning Climate Change Scenario ModelTM, which has been adopted by Financial Services institutions globally with over $12 trillion of assets. This partnership between BNP Paribas and Baringa will help to develop the standards for embedding climate scenario analysis within one of the world's largest banking institutions. The establishment of an integrated climate scenario analysis capability will bring an additional objective and data driven approach to climate strategy and commitments, to climate risk management, client engagement and to both internal and external reporting. Marc Irubetagoyena, Head of Group Stress Testing and Performance, Planning & Synthesis at BNPP said: "This is an important step for BNPP in the development and the effective implementation of our climate risk management framework across our organisation. Baringa is playing a leading role in helping the Financial Services sector globally to develop their climate strategies and to ensure they are credible and evidence based. This partnership will contribute to deliver the foundations of BNPP climate scenario analysis set-up." Antoine Bezat, Head of Stress Testing Methodologies and Models at BNPP, said: "Climate scenario analysis is a critical strategic capability for BNPP. We are delighted to be working with Baringa who are deep experts in this topic. They bring 20 years of experience of energy system and climate transition modelling, as well as their experience as leaders in deploying climate strategies into many of the largest banks in the world. "Baringa's Climate Scenario Modelstands out for its breadth of sector and asset coverage, the integration of transition and physical risk, and the ability to provide risk metrics down to the individual asset level. The modular and customisable nature of the solution will enable us to develop our own climate scenario and risk framework over time, to the specific needs of BNPP" Colin Preston, Head of Financial Services Sector & Climate Change at Baringa, says "We are thrilled to be working with BNPP as one of the largest global banks, and an organisation that is recognised for its commitment to sustainability and climate. We will help BNPP to accelerate and embed practical and usable climate analytics across its organisation, feeding into its climate strategy, and into all key decision making and reporting. This will pave the way for others to follow across the industry." For further enquiries, please contact: Liam McGrory Baringa Partners Email: Liam.McGrory@baringa.com About Baringa's award winning Climate Change Scenario ModelTM The only climate scenario model that is fully integrated, bringing together transition and physical risk as well as climate risk and temperature alignment measured at individual asset level Configurable from scenario construction through to incorporating assessments of individual company level transition and adaptation strategies 'Zoomable', from global portfolio views to granular analysis of individual companies and single physical assets Comprehensive global coverage of all sectors and asset classes For more information, visit www.baringa.com/climaterisk About BNP Paribas BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 72 countries, with more than 202,000 employees, of which more than 154,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the European leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. About Baringa Partners Baringa Partners is an independent business and technology consultancy. We help businesses run more effectively, navigate industry shifts and reach new markets. We use our industry insights, ideas and pragmatism to help each client improve their business. Collaboration is central to our strategy and culture ensuring we attract the brightest and the best. And it's why clients love working with us. Baringa launched in 2000 and now has over 700 members of staff and more than 65 partners across our practice areas Energy and Resources, Financial Services, Products and Services, and Government and Public Sector. These practices are supported by cross-sector teams focused on Customer & Digital; Finance, Risk & Compliance; People Excellence; Supply Chain & Procurement; Data, Analytics & AI; Intelligent Automation & Operations Excellence; and Technology Transformation. We operate globally and have offices in the UK, Europe, Australia, US, Middle East and Asia. Baringa Partners have been voted as the leading management consulting firm in the Financial Times' UK Leading Management Consultants 2021 in the categories Energy, Utilities & the Environment, and Oil & Gas. We have been in the Top 10 for the last 13 years in the small, medium, as well as large category in the UK Best Workplaces list by Great Place to Work. We are a Top 50 for Women employer, and are recognised by Best Employers for Race. Baringa. Brighter Together. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bnp-paribas-to-partner-with-baringa-in-the-development-of-its-climate-scenario-analysis-capability-leveraging-baringas-climate-change-scenario-modeltm-301248860.html SOURCE Baringa Partners LLP [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Sen. Kamala Harris told a UN body on Tuesday that 'the status of women is the status of democracy,' as the nation's first female vice president kicked off a busy day that took her to a Colorado empanada shop. She told the UN Commission on the Status of Women that it is a marker of a 'flawed democracy' when women are kept out of decision-making. Harris, a leading presidential contender for 2024 or 228, told the group in a virtual appearance at its annual meeting that providing women a voice 'strengthens democracy.' 'The status of democracy also depends fundamentally on the empowerment of women,' said Sen. Kamala Harris Tuesday, on a day that took her to Maria Empanada to tout small businesses in Denver 'The status of democracy also depends fundamentally on the empowerment of women,' she said. 'Not only because the exclusion of women in decision-making is a marker of a flawed democracy, but because the participation of women strengthens democracy. And that's true everywhere,' she added. Her comments kicked off a day where she joined her husband the nation's first gentleman Doug Emhoff for West Coast events that promote vaccination and the coronavirus relief package. Her schedule was meant to reinforce President Joe Biden's efforts as he flew to Pennsylvania to tout the new $1.9 trillion coronavirus law. She and her husband toured Maria Empanada in Denver, touting small business who have struggled during the pandemic. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff arrive at Maria Empanada, Tuesday March 16, 2021, in Denver Vice President Kamala Harris takes part in a small business listening session at Maria Empanada in Denver, Colorado on March 16, 2021 Harris greets Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, whose election made him the first openly gay governor in the nation, upon arrival in Denver Harris flew to Denver after visiting Las Vegas Monday Our small businesses are really part of the heartbeat of every community, our small business leaders are not only business leaders, you are civic leaders, community leaders, role models,' she said. 'It is our small businesses that hire from the community, that uplift the community, that have regular customers who come in and you can recognize if they're having a bad day and you already know what they want to they don't even have to put in an order.' Earlier, at the Denver airport, she greeted another boundary breakder: Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who became the first openly gay person elected governor in 2018. Harris and Emhoff flew to Las Vegas on Monday as part of a tour meant to tout the coronavirus relief package. Around 700,000 pupils in England have still not returned to their classrooms since schools were reopened on March 8, according to Government figures. Statistics from the Department for Education show that around 89 per cent of secondary school pupils were in class on March 15 - a week after secondary schools began to stagger the return of pupils for mass testing. This number was much higher in primary schools, with 96 per cent of pupils attending class at the start of last week, falling to 94 per cent by March 15. The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has warned that attendance levels will 'be bumpy' as pupils testing positive for Covid-19, and their close contacts, are still being sent home to self-isolate. Around 700,000 pupils in England have still not returned to their classrooms since schools were reopened on March 8, according to Government figures (file image of pupils returning to school in Scotland on February 22) The data suggests more than 60,000 pupils were out of class last week as they were self-isolating due to a possible contact with a Covid case. Millions of pupils in England began returning to class last week after months of remote education. Secondary schools were given flexibility to stagger the return of their pupils last week, as these students are being asked to take voluntary Covid-19 tests on site as part of their return to class. Overall, attendance in state schools steadily increased from 68% on March 8 to 89% on Thursday March 11. Statistics from the Department for Education show that around 89 per cent of secondary school pupils were in class on March 15 - a week after secondary schools began to stagger the return of pupils for mass testing (file image from March 8) The Department for Education (DfE) estimates that approximately 1% of all state school pupils did not attend school for Covid-related reasons on Thursday last week. This includes 33,000 pupils who have been self-isolating due to a potential contact with a Covid-19 case from inside the educational setting, and a further 31,000 pupils self-isolating due to a possible contact outside of school. Meanwhile, 7,000 pupils were absent because they suspected they had Covid, 5,000 were off after testing positive for Covid, and 2,000 were absent as their school was closed due to Covid reasons. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, warned that 'we are not out of the woods yet'. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, (pictured) warned that 'we are not out of the woods yet' He said: 'Secondary schools have put in a Herculean effort to provide on-site Covid tests to returning pupils and deserve huge credit for setting up what are essentially medical facilities. They did this with very little help or support from the Government. 'However, we must sound a note of caution over what attendance levels will look like for what remains of this term, because we are picking up reports of positive Covid cases and close contacts having to be sent home to self-isolate. 'It will continue to be bumpy, and we are not out of the woods yet.' The latest figures show that DfE has dispatched 1,267,451 laptops and tablets to support disadvantaged pupils across England to access remote education since the start of the pandemic. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured) said: 'It is fantastic to see the overwhelming majority of children have now returned to the classroom, with all the benefits that face-to-face contact with their teachers and friends is proven to bring' Figures show that 705,030 devices have been sent to councils, academy trusts, schools and colleges since the lockdown began on January 4 - which is an extra 16,713 devices compared with last week. It comes after the Government pledged to provide 1.3 million devices to disadvantaged children. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'It is fantastic to see the overwhelming majority of children have now returned to the classroom, with all the benefits that face-to-face contact with their teachers and friends is proven to bring. 'I do not underestimate the preparation that has taken place to ensure our children could return safely and continue with their education and I am so grateful to the teachers and school staff who have made the transition so seamless - as well as managing testing and maintaining all the wider protective measures still in place to help keep everyone safe.' moderna has begun dosing patients in a mid-to-late stage study of its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged six months to less than 12 years, the company said on Tuesday. The study will assess the safety and effectiveness of two doses of its mRNA-1273 shot given 28 days apart and intends to enroll about 6,750 children in the United States and Canada. A similar trial of the shot in children ages 12 to 17 is already underway and fully enrolled, as is one being conducted by Pfizer for children ages 12 and older. If Moderna's and Pfizer's trials go well, middle- and high school-aged children could get vaccinated by fall. With tests for younger children just beginning, they likely won't get vaccinated until early next year. But the question remains: is it worth the risks of side effects to vaccinate kids? Fewer than three million children under 18 have been infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and just 0.01 percent of those have been killed by the virus. And they have have not so far proven to spread the virus extensively in schools. Some experts say children should not be the focus of vaccine trials, considering the low risks that the virus poses to them. Moderna has dosed the first children in trials of its COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged six months to under 12. Pictured: Brittany Siguenza, five, watches as her mother gets a coronavirus shot at a clinic for teachers and school staff in Massachusetts (file) So far, children don't appear to be significant 'vectors' of the disease, but the more kids are in contact with their peers and teachers, the more potential there will be for viral spread among them. Some debate has arisen among pediatricians and medical ethicists about how important it is to vaccinate kids against COVID-19 and whether it is being done for the right reasons. 'Vaccines for polio, diphtheria and meningitis were all geared to eliminate the most dangerous diseases in children,' Dr Michael Hefferon, an assistant professor in the pediatrics department at Queen's University in Ontario, told the Chicago Tribune. 'We now have almost the opposite,' he said of COVID-19. 'It's a disease of adults, and the older you get the more sinister it is. Therefore children are less relevant.' So far, 2.57 million children 17 or younger have had COVID-19 in the US, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Kids aged four and younger account for just two percent of overall case in America, while children aged five to 17 account for fewer than 10 percent of infections. According to the CDC, 294 children have died of COVID-19, accounting for less than 0.2 percent of fatalities. Other experts argue that because children do get sick, transmit and die from coronavirus, it remains important to vaccinate them. Moderna's vaccine has already been authorized for emergency use in Americans 18 and older. Children have not been a high priority for vaccinations because they tend to get infected at lower rates, and COVID-19 rarely proves fatal for them. More than 21 percent of US adults have now had one or more doses of coronavirus vaccine, and 11.5 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. In the early days of rollout, officials were focused on the challenges of ramping up the vaccine supply and ensuring that the most at-risk people - elderly Americans, health care workers, and those with high-risk chronic conditions - got vaccinated first. Now, as vaccine becomes more broadly available, experts have expressed concern that vaccine hesitancy could become a barrier to progress toward reaching herd immunity. Dr Fauci and other public health officials estimate that at least 70 to 80 percent of the US population needs to have immunity through vaccination or prior infection in order to keep the virus from taking off again. If a significant proportion of Americans remain hesitant to get vaccinated, getting shots into kids' arms could become an important tool for keeping coronavirus at bay. What's more, a growing share of schools across the country are reopening as the deadline for President Biden's goal of getting kids back to class within the first 100 days of his term approaches. 'You've got to be able to limit transmission by children,' Dr Sanjay Jain, a pediatrics professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore told the Tribune. 'And some children do get serious illness from the virus. Is it needed? The answer is absolutely yes.' The first arm of Moderna's trial, the firm will test several different doses of the vaccine in children in order to see which one is safest while revving up the right immune response. Once the scientists home in on the best dosage, they'll begin testing that regimen for overall efficacy in children. Moderna has not said when it anticipates the trial will of its shot for children under 12 will conclude. However Dr Robert Frenck, director of Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the lead investigator for Pfizer's pediatric trials, which are on similar timelines to Moderna's, told the Chicago Tribune: 'Just looking at the timelines, it's probably more likely the end of 2021 to early 2022 for younger kids.' In a separate study which began in December, Moderna is also testing mRNA-1273 in adolescents between 12 and 18 years old. The latest study is being conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A good-government group wants Ohio to require lobbyists to disclose fundraising they coordinate on behalf of politicians, saying the change would give voters a better idea which groups are trying to influence state policy through their campaign cash. Ohio currently requires lobbyists to disclose the money they spend wining and dining elected officials. And state campaign finance laws require political donors to disclose their name, address and employer. But those requirements dont reflect the lobbyists who may coordinate the donations. Common Cause Ohio, a nonpartisan left-leaning group, says the state should make lobbyists disclose their fundraising activities with the Joint Legislative Ethics Commission, the states ethics watchdog agency. Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohios executive director, said raising money is a major way lobbyists try to curry favor with elected officials. And special interest groups also look to close confidants of powerful officials to try to influence state policy. Lobbyists are lobbying state government because they want something, Turcer said. Gov. DeWine knows who helps him raise money for his re-election campaign, and so should we. As part of the organizations push for greater disclosure requirements, Common Cause Ohio shared an October 2019 email it said it obtained that was sent to members of Gov. Mike DeWines fundraising team, of whom eight are registered with the state to lobby the governors office. The message from former DeWine fundraiser Mary Sabin references seven upcoming fundraisers in Ohio, and was sent to Josh Rubin, JB Hadden, Jim Simon, Chip Gerhardt, David Myhal and other state lobbyists who are among DeWines core circle of supporters. Together, the lobbyists on the email represent 124 clients, many of whom have interests in gambling or utility issues. Cross-referencing the event dates with state campaign-finance records, the events raised more than $500,000 for DeWine, according to Common Cause Ohio. DeWine has no comment on the proposal, said spokesman Dan Tierney. He would note all the activity described is legal under current law, and the DeWine/Husted campaign follows all campaign finance laws, Tierney said. NC lawmaker seeks to make Daylight Saving Time permanent RALEIGH N.C. Rep. Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, has introduced a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent in North Carolina. Related Stories NC House passes bill to end twice a year time change House Bill 307 asks Congress to allow North Carolina to use daylight time year-round. The state now switches its standard time twice each year. People set clocks forward by one hour to Eastern Daylight Time each spring, then turn clocks back by one hour to Eastern Standard Time in the fall. Reps. John Szoka, R-Cumberland; Jon Hardister, R-Guilford; and David Willis, R-Union, are co-sponsors. H.B. 307 arrived one day after the latest switch to DST. People throughout North Carolina lost an hour on Sunday morning as they set their clocks ahead. The change shifts daylight hours. Daylight lasts longer into the evening now, but its darker later into the morning. The reverse happens in the fall, when North Carolina reverts to EST. Biannual clock shifts are an antiquated practice that was introduced during the World Wars to help manage energy consumption, Saine said. Today, in our modern economy, rather than saving energy, time shifts have been linked to numerous negative emotional and health effects including seasonal depression, cardiac issues and stroke. A bipartisan move in the U.S. Senate, introduced March 9, would eliminate the time shifts, too. The Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 would make year-round DST the law, Bloomberg reports. The arguments for abolishing the practice, which emerged in the early 20th century as a means of saving energy by shifting working hours to follow the sun, are many and varied: The disruptive effects of the twice-a-year time change have been linked to higher rates of car crashes, workplace injuries, street crime, heart attacks, and general crankiness, Bloomberg says. The European Union is trying something similar. The time has come for our state to spring forward so that North Carolina no longer falls back, said Szoka of H.B. 307. Fifteen states Arkansas, Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming have passed laws, resolutions or voter initiatives for permanent DST, a news release says. Individual states arent permitted to change their DST schedules without federal approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which is why congressional approval is needed. The United States first introduced daylight saving time in 1918, two years after Germany and other European countries started advancing the clocks to conserve fuel and energy during World War I, the Washington Post writes. Congress abolished the practice after the war, and it was not used again nationwide until President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced year-round DST during World War II from 1942 to 1945. Hawaii and Arizona dont observe DST. In Indiana, its a bit more complicated. While all of Indiana officially observes Daylight Saving Time, writes WRTV, 12 of the 92 counties are on Central Time, with the rest still on Eastern Time. Head-On Crash Leaves 8 Illegal Immigrants Dead in Texas Near Border: Officials Authorities in Texas said that at least eight illegal immigrants have died in a head-on collision in Val Verde County, Texaslocated near the U.S.-Mexico borderfollowing a high-speed chase. Officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) arrested the driver of the vehicle after he allegedly tried to run away following the crash, a spokesman for the department confirmed to The Epoch Times. The fatal crash took place on March 15 at approximately 1:26 p.m. on U.S. Highway 77, approximately 30 miles north of Del Rio. A preliminary investigation found a driver piloting a red Dodge pickup was evading DPS troopers when it caused a head-on collision with a white Ford F-150. Due to injuries sustained, 8 undocumented passengers from the Dodge pickup were pronounced deceased on scene. The driver and a child passenger from the Ford pickup and one undocumented passenger from the Dodge pickup were transported to a hospital in San Antonio and are in stable condition. The driver from the Dodge pickup, after the collision, fled on foot, but was apprehended shortly after, the spokesman said via email. The investigation is ongoing. The scene of a crash in Val Verde County, Texas, on March 15, 2021. (DPS) Several weeks ago, in Southern California, officials said that more than a dozen illegal immigrants were killed following a collision with another vehicle. Immigration authorities confirmed that the SUV, which was carrying about 25 people, entered the United States from Mexico in early March via a hole in the border fence. 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. In recent weeks, the number of migrants attempting to enter the United States via Mexico has surged to levels not seen in 20 years, said Department of Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday. U.S. border agents conducted about 100,000 apprehensions or rapid expulsions of migrants at the border in February, officials have said. The Epoch Times has reached out to the U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement agency for comment. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday said that the farmers protesting against the Centre's three new farm laws will block the border between national capital and neighbouring Noida. Farmers, mainly from Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at the borders of Delhi for over 3 months, under the aegis of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SYM), against the new farm laws. SYM is an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions. News agency ANI quoted Tikait as saying that the farmers will block the Delhi-Noida border. However, he said the date for the same has not been decided yet. Yes we will block the border (Delhi-Noida border).The committee is yet to decide the date: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait pic.twitter.com/zePJMQzx7f - ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2021 Also read: Expecting protests to continue for long, farmers construct brick houses at Tikri border While farmers claim that the new farm laws will benefit corporates, the government has maintained that the reforms will liberalise farming and help increase the income of farmers. The government and farm unions have failed to reach any solution on the issue despite 10 rounds of talks between them. In January, the government had proposed to suspend the farm laws for 18 months and form a joint committee to discuss the legislations and address the concerns of farmers, but the proposal was rejected by farmer leaders. The protesting farmers have now called for another 'Bharat Bandh' on March 26. The all-India strike has been called to mark the completion of four months of their agitation against the new laws. Also read: Lilly Singh takes farmers' protest to Grammy Awards 2021 red carpet with 'I Stand With Farmers' mask The cooperation between Russia and Turkey is deeply informed and is hinged on friendly-neighborliness and mutual respect. This is stated in the statement by Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova in regard to the centennial of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood between the Government of the Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of Russia and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The cooperation is focused on effective joint efforts for the welfare and prosperity of the peoples of Russia and Turkey and for peace, security and stability in the region and in Europe in general, Zakharova stated. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also affirmed its willingness to build ties with Turkey in all sectors, expand trade and economic relations and cooperation in terms of investments, implement prospective projects in the energy, industry and infrastructure sectors and improve cultural and humanitarian exchanges and human relations. The Treaty of Moscow was signed in March 1921. In accordance with the agreement, all previous Russian-Turkish agreements were annulled. The Treaty laid down a new northeastern border for Turkey. According to the Treaty, the Kars province and the southern part of the former Batumi province (they had been a part of the Russian Empire since 1878), as well as the Surmalu colony of Erivan state (it was part of the Russian Empire since 1828) were transferred to Turkey along with Mount Ararat. In October 1921, with the help of Soviet Russia, Turkey and the Soviet republics of Transcaucasia (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia) signed the Treaty of Kars. On July 23, 1923, the USSR and Turkey established diplomatic relations. LITTLETON, Colo., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For travelers who are ready for a new way to tour, a "you" way to tour, meet Choice Touring by Globus. This exciting new touring style unveiled this week promises wayfarers and wanderers all the wonder of discovering the world with a touch of whim and all the fun of exploring new destinations with the infusion of flexibility. Choice Touring by Globus is offering travelers 13 NEW itineraries in Europe and North America. "With the introduction of Choice Touring by Globus, we're giving travelers a whole new way to cure their curiosities," said Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands. "On these new, special itineraries, they can choose from a menu of memories while still enjoying everything they love about a perfectly planned tour." In addition to providing guided sightseeing at the must-see sights, Choice Touring by Globus presents YourChoice Excursions: A selection of curated experiences in key and off-the-beaten-path destinations included in the package price so travelers can tailor their tour to their own interests and passions. NEW Choice Touring by Globus itineraries launching later this year and into 2022 include: EUROPE: 1. HOT TAM!: SCOTLAND BY DESIGN More haggis or history? More insider stories or Outlander scenery? You choose how to rock your tartans on this 9-day vacation from Edinburgh to Glasgow with a menu of complimentary YourChoice Excursions. 2. GREEN WITH ENVY: IRELAND BY DESIGN More rounds of stout or made-from-scratch soda bread? More Wilde or the Wild Atlantic Way? Indulge in endless shenanigans on this 8-day discovery from Dublin to Limerick with a menu of complimentary YourChoice Excursions. 3. OH MY GODDESS!: GREECE BY DESIGN Embark on an odyssey of epic proportions on this 8-day vacation in Greece. How will you unleash your inner god or goddess? With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, you choose when, where, and how to say, "Opa!" 4. THE ALPS OUT LOUD: SWITZERLAND & LAKE COMO BY DESIGN Swiss chocolate or cheese? More Milan fashion or Como's fashionable homes? Wine a little or a lot?! Mountains of possibilities await you thanks to complimentary YourChoice Excursions on this 8-day vacation from Zurich to Como. 5. VENI, VIDI, VICI: UMBRIA & TUSCANY BY DESIGN Hunt for truffles or catch culture? Soak-in the beauty of waterfalls or stir watercolors? With our complimentary selection of YourChoice Excursions this 8-day journey through the kitchens and countryside of Umbria & Tuscany will inspire Dolce Vita! 6. ROCKS & RHYTHM: PORTUGAL BY DESIGN Sparkling wine or soulful Fado? Portuguese pastries or pastel plazas? Spend a day retracing the Knights Templar or your nights reveling in foodie traditions. With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, this 8-day trip through Portugal is poetry in motion. 7. TOASTING & COASTING: PORTUGAL & SPAIN BY DESIGN Catamaran off the Portuguese coast or carafe some Spanish sherry? Marvel at high-stepping horses or step-into history in marvelous piazzas? With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, this 9-day celebration of Portugal and Spain will dance its way into your heart! NORTH AMERICA: 1. FROM THE TOP: WESTERN CANADA BY DESIGN Eagles soar and wineries pour on this 8-day journey from vibrant Vancouver to the parks and peaks of Western Canada. How will you fill your cup? However you please thanks to our complimentary selection of YourChoice Excursions. 2. MAD ABOUT MOUNTIES: EASTERN CANADA BY DESIGN Discover Eastern Canada on a 7-day vacation from Toronto to Montreal. How you explore is up to you. Sailing a serene lake, sipping sparkling wines or soaking in a Scandinavian spa? Standing in a field of lavender or upon a famous vineyard? With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, you choose when, where, and how to say "C'est si bon!" 3. BOOGIE & BLUES: THE SOUTHERN U.S. BY DESIGN More turn-of-the-century architecture or another sweet tea? March in the footsteps of Civil Rights heroes or boogie through rhythm and blues? Harper Lee mysteries or Hellen Keller histories? On this 8-day tour, YourChoice Excursions promise a soulful, toe-tapping, lip-smacking journey from New Orleans to Nashville. 4. CALIFORNIA DREAMIN': NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BY DESIGN Head west for a 9-day adventure with the pioneer spirit of Northern California. How will you strike gold? Riding the rails or gliding by kayak? Soaring to mammoth views or singing the Folsom blues? With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, you choose how to fulfill your California dream. What a rush! 5. SUNNY DAYS, STARRY NIGHTS: AMERICA'S ROCKY MOUNTAINS BY DESIGN Get outward-bound on an 8-day adventure in the Rocky Mountains. How will you indulge your inner mountaineer? Rafting rivers or riding chairlifts? Glamping on a starry night or shopping under sunny skies? With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, you decide how to set your spirit free. 6. THE BOLD & THE BREWTIFUL: MID-ATLANTIC AMERICA BY DESIGN Follow in the footsteps of the country's first patriots on this 9-day journey. How will you make history? Visiting monuments or revisiting military moments? Sipping masterful craft beer or surveying the canvases of American masters? With complimentary YourChoice Excursions, you choose when, where, and how you'll rediscover America! The depth and breadth of YourChoice Excursions that these new itineraries provide is unparalleled in touring. Here are just some of the choice examples available to travelers: INVERNESS : Castles and clan seals or coasting on two wheels? Castles and clan seals or coasting on two wheels? SIENA: Feast on fresh homemade pasta or pedal through fresh, Florence air? Feast on fresh homemade pasta or pedal through fresh, Florence air? SACRAMENTO : Sing Folsom blues or feed hometown roots? Sing blues or feed hometown roots? EASTERN TOWNSHIPS: Sail scenic waters or sip sparkling wines? Sail scenic waters or sip sparkling wines? YELLOWSTONE: Hike below falls or rise above a mountain village? "We understand that one size does not always fit all," added Born. "With this new touring style, and YourChoice Excursions, travelers can now spend their days, their way in dozens of destinations across Europe and North America. The average Choice Touring itinerary features three (3) YourChoice destinations with approximately nine (9) excursion options." BOOK EARLY & SAVE: Travelers who book a Choice Touring vacation can SAVE UP TO 10%. To learn more about this NEW touring style visit www.globusjourneys.com. Travel advisors should visit www.agents.globusfamily.com. 2021 PEACE OF MIND TRAVEL PLAN. When the world is ready, we will be ready to deliver the world to travelers risk-free, hassle-free, worry-free and strings-free with our new, 2021 Peace of Mind Travel Plan. This complimentary plan will be attached to all 2021 vacation bookings, giving travelers the flexibility to move vacations to any other 2021 or 2022 date, destination, itinerary or even, another brand in our vast travel portfolio. No penalties, no problem as long as the booking is moved before the final payment date. With our 2021 Peace of Mind Travel Plan, we are helping you ensure the money you've invested with us is yours and your travels take you exactly where you want to go, when you're ready. SOURCE Globus family of brands Related Links http://www.globusandcosmos.com By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan used tear gas on Monday to suppress protests against a curfew imposed to stem a severe outbreak of COVID-19, witnesses and residents said. Police took action after hundreds of protesters in several cities including Amman demonstrated for a second day and defied a night curfew which was extended last week, they said. Many of the protesters called on the government to resign and demanded an end to emergency laws in place since the outset of the pandemic, which civic groups say violate civil and political rights. Others were angry after nine people, mostly COVID-19 patients, died on Saturday when medics in a government hospital allegedly ignored depleted oxygen supplies on respirators for at least two hours. Authorities deployed several thousand anti-riot police to disperse protesters as dozens of activists were rounded up in several cities and towns, witnesses said. Tear gas was used to disperse crowds in several cities including the teeming Jabal Nazal neighbourhood of the capital, a resident said. The authorities blocked certain Facebook applications that allow live broadcasting from demonstrations, users and sources within the telecommunications sector told Reuters. The outage lasted several hours. There was no immediate comment from the government. The curfew has been extended several times since it was imposed a year ago, most recently on Saturday amid a surge in COVID-19 infections. Jordan reported 9,417 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, officials said on Monday, its highest one-day tally since the pandemic began. The country of 10 million people has recorded 5,428 deaths from the virus. Jordan's King Abdullah said in comments broadcast on state media he understood that people were frustrated over worsening living conditions. Jordan last year suffered its worst recession in decades as a result of the pandemic. But he warned his countrymen not to be swayed by dissidents, saying they sought "to sow internal strife". Story continues Anger with the authorities over worsening living standards and corruption has in the past triggered major civil unrest in Jordan. Many of the protesters were a mix of the country's traditional Herak opposition who demand radical political change and self-employed wage-earners hurt by the shutdowns. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Stephen Coates) Mamata Banerjee slams Centre, says vaccinating all citizens before December 2021 is just a hoax Faulty ventilators will have to be replaced; won't allow experiments on patients: Bombay high court Odisha to strictly adhere to COVID-19 norms during President Kovind's visit India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Bhubaneswar, Mar 16: Ahead of President Ram Nath Kovinds two-day visit to Odisha scheduled from March 21, the state government has made RT-PCR test mandatory for officers, employees and students connected with the visit. This was decided at a preparatory meeting held under the chairmanship of chief secretary SC Mohapatra here on Monday. The chief secretary asked the district dministrations of Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Puri and Khurda to ensure strict compliance of COVID-19 safety norms during the President's visit. COVID-19 vaccine not exported at expense of Indians: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan On March 21, the President will attend the convocation of National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Rourkela. Students who will be receiving degrees and certificates from the President and drivers who will be on duty will have to undergo COVID-19 test. The President will also inaugurate a super speciality hospital on the campus of Ispat General Hospital (IGH) on the same day. He will visit the Sun Temple at Konark the following day. The President will also visit Shree Jagannath Temple at Puri, official sources said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 21:38 [IST] Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 nasal spray, Taffix, coats the inside of the nose to stop the infection in its tracks and creates a more acidic environment for viruses like Covid-19 to survive Spanish drug regulators have banned the sale of a readily-available nasal spray touted as a potential coronavirus treatment. The Taffix spray, sold in a pack of four for 51, was credited with preventing dozens of Jews from catching Covid at a religious festival in Israel last year. But despite its promise, Spain's medical regulator, the Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), has banned its sale on the basis there was 'not enough clinical evidence' it was effective. The UK's medicines regulator said it was also reviewing the nasal spray. Experts say unproven Covid remedies may give people false confidence to be riskier in their behaviour, such as visiting a vulnerable relative. Taffix's main chemical ingredient hypromellose is often used as an antiseptic before surgery to stop patients from getting infections. The spray which claims to block 97 per cent of all airborne viruses has a vital 'CE mark', meaning it has been deemed safe to use in Europe. But data on its effectiveness on Covid is still uncertain. Jewish worshippers pray in an outdoor synagogue amid the pandemic ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, on September 17, 2020 in Bney Brak, Israel A spokesman for the UK regulator - the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - said: 'We have taken appropriate steps in response to enquiries raised regarding Taffix, and will continue with our review of the situation. 'Patient safety remains front and centre in all our actions. The MHRA publicly communicates patient safety messages when necessary.' A study by Nasus, the Israeli biomedical firm which makes the spray, and scientists from the University of Haifa and the University of Virginia, followed 243 people who attended a Jewish new year festival last September in the city of Bney Brak, four miles (6.3km) east of Tel Aviv. None of the 81 Jews who used the spray properly got infected, compared to 16 in the other group who did. The spray which provides enough for 200 pumps in each bottle is said to coat the inside of the nose in an acidic powder that makes it difficult for viral particles to penetrate. Despite not being subject to the same rigour as a controlled scientific study, it provides one of the largest real-world tests of the sprays which some scientists believe could play an important role in fighting the pandemic. However, Nasus Pharma warned the nasal spray is not a substitution for face masks or social isolation and should be used as an 'addition'. Other lab-based studies have shown it can stop the virus from replicating in petri dishes, but there has been little real-world research on its efficacy. It is not known if the firm is planning on conducting rigorous scientific trials to prove whether their nasal spray works. Taffixs spray has no known side effects, according to an FAQ on its website but may cause a tingling or burning sensation in the nose. The spray prevents infection by capturing the virus in the nose and coating it. This means the virus cannot escape and renders the it inactive and harmless. The researchers believe using the spray four times a day will be enough for general protection. However, it is safe enough to be applied every 20 minutes if required, for example, if a user is in a high-risk environment. Other scientists are also developing nasal sprays to fight off Covid, including a team at the University of Birmingham. Their spray - which has not been named - has been in development since April last year and could hit the shelves as early as this summer. It is made from ingredients that are already approved for medical use in the UK, meaning it is safe for humans and does not require further clearance. When the uprising against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad started in 2011, Eyad Aljarod picked up his camera and took to the streets. Aljarod, now 34, quickly became an active figure documenting the anti-government protest movement in his hometown of Saraqib in Syrias northwestern province of Idlib. Because something like that had not happened in Syria before, I felt that documenting such moments was very significant, he told VOA. Filming the protests wasnt only to let the world see what was taking place in Syria, but it was also a personal desire for me to contribute to the revolution. A math teacher by training, Aljarod was one of hundreds of young activists who became part of what is commonly known as citizen journalism: a new phenomenon in the country. Before 2011, media were heavily centralized by the Syrian government, so the emerging local and regional news networks relied largely on citizen journalists to cover the uprising. Such coverage became more difficult as opposition to Assad splintered into extremist groups vying for control and a violent decade that has left the country divided into three distinct regions. Journalists were left navigating red lines in each of these regions or in some cases, having to flee because of threats. Overall, Syria has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, data from local and international rights groups shows. The Syrian Center for Journalistic Freedoms (SCJF) has recorded 1,363 violations against journalists including killings, arrests, harassment from various groups since 2011. It has documented 10 cases of abuse just this year. Data from the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) shows at least 139 journalists killed for their work in Syria, and the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says hundreds have been arrested or kidnapped in Syria since 2011. Syria is one of several Middle Eastern countries that experienced a popular uprising in the early months of 2011. Protests that started in Tunisia spread into large-scale rallies that helped topple authoritarian leaders in that country, along with Egypt and Libya. But hopes for a path to democracy have been dashed as militants, rival governments and conflicts continue to threaten the countries prospects of becoming relatively peaceful. In nearly all, governments moved to crush dissent and critical voices, often using anti-terrorism and national security laws as a cover to imprison journalists and others. Multiple persecutors In the early days, Syrian forces went after those who covered anti-government demonstrations. But as the conflict developed and rebels and other anti-government forces took control of more territory, journalists had more adversaries. These generally fell into three areas: the northeast, controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces; the northwest, mostly controlled by Turkey-backed militia groups and other Islamist elements; and the rest of the country, controlled by Syrian government forces and its allied militias, many of whom are backed by Iran. Local groups enforce their local censorship regimes in Syria and in many ways, Syria is divided not only by local groups but also by regional influence, said Sherif Mansour, Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, at CPJ. So there is Russian support, Iranian support and even support from Gulf countries, and these types of support come with condition, meaning we see internet and radio censorship, not only in regime areas but also in opposition and Kurdish areas, he said. Journalist and filmmaker Aljarod told VOA he left Syria in 2013 because of the many threats that were made against me by Islamists, including Ahrar al-Sham. Ahrar al-Sham, a coalition of several extremist groups in the Idlib area, was one of the first rebel groups that fought Syrian government forces. Local activists accused the group of targeting individuals who were critical of its extremist ideology. I left Syria because Daesh was gaining control while Ahrar al-Sham and al-Nusra Front [a militant group with links to al-Qaida] were already at their peak, Aljarod said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State terror group. The situation quickly became terrifying for active people like me. Syria is one of the countries with the largest number of journalists going into exile since 2011, according to CPJ, which has helped more than 100, including 70 from opposition areas in the north and east. Off limits Over a decade of war, foreign news organizations became reluctant to send in reporters. There has been a steep decline in that aspect after many have seen the gruesome killing of foreign reporters, and even local reporters, by the Islamic State and its affiliates, Mansour said. The U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and Japanese freelancer Kenji Goto, were taken hostage and later murdered in Syria by the Islamic State group, which broadcast the killings on social media. This has resulted in a lot of media outlets reconsidering the price of sending people into the conflict, Mansour said. But there is also a growing apathy or coverage fatigue in a civil war that has dragged on for several years. A reporter who requested anonymity told VOA that he started his journalism career in 2012 as a fixer and translator for foreign journalists. But that has changed in the past few years since less and less reporters travel to Syria, he said. I now work as a freelancer for several Western media outlets that I used to worked with as a fixer. It is less risky and even cheaper for foreign outlets to hire a local reporter, the journalist said. In areas recaptured by government forces, many journalists who decided to stay witnessed retaliation from government forces and their affiliates. Ali, a journalist who gave only his first name, remained in his hometown in Homs province after it was retaken by Syrian troops from rebels in 2015. Although I have stopped my journalistic work for years, I still face intimidation and harassment from the regime and its militias, he told VOA via a messaging app. When the regime returned to my hometown, I was arrested for several weeks for working with terrorists, even though I only covered the protests and uploaded videos on YouTube, he said. After they released me, I thought things will be fine, but they kept taking me for questioning and insulting me. It is their way of making sure that I wont go back to journalism. Limited freedoms Syrias northeast, which has been under the control of U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces since the beginning of the conflict, is viewed as marginally more open for media. The semiautonomous region is largely seen as friendly to international journalists, but local reporters risk arrest or harassment for coverage deemed critical of the local administration, according to media watchdogs. In a statement last week, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it was alarmed by an increase in arrests of journalists by the SDF. The SDF has denied involvement with those arrests. As a military force, the Syrian Democratic Forces is not responsible for public law enforcement and is not authorized to take legal action against individuals, the SDF said in a March 11 statement. The group added that legal actions concerning individuals in northeast Syria fall under the responsibility of local forces, which are part of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Local journalists in that region have voiced concerns about the limits placed on their reporting. There are many issues that we as journalists simply cannot cover, said Siwar Majid, using a pseudonym that he employs when reporting to avoid retribution from local authorities. Majid, who reports in the city of Qamishli, told VOA that topics such as security and oil deals between the SDF and other forces are considered sensitive, so if we covered them, we would face retaliation from security forces. When we get information on such tabooed issues, we use a pseudonym to publish them with websites that are based abroad, he said. Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Dutch journalist who reported from northeast Syria for the first time in 2013, says reporting on the ground gives journalists unique insights into the conflict. Although Wilgenburg reported on other parts of Syria, he couldnt travel there while in northeast Syria. I did not consider traveling to other parts of Syria because it wasnt safe, and in general areas under YPG [the main group within SDF] control were much safer for foreign journalists, he said. Since 2013, Wilgenburg has traveled to northeast Syria many times and seen changes in how local authorities affiliated with the SDF treat local journalists. Comparing the current situation in northeast Syria to several years ago, I would say it is a bit better, he said. In the past, critical reporters would be expelled, but recently it has been mostly like short-term arrest sentences. But while conditions in the northeast are marginally better, for journalists in other parts of Syria, the safest option has often been to leave. Amid a bleak environment for journalists and activists, leaving the country wasnt just the safest option, said Aljarod, who used to report in Idlib. It was really the only option. Cambodia recorded its highest single-day COVID-19 case count with the Health Ministry reporting 105 cases on Tuesday, as the current cluster shows no signs of abating. A Health Ministry statement reported 105 cases, 64 of which were from Kandal provinces Koh Thom district on the border with Vietnam. The other cases were in Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, and Prey Veng provinces. The new cases take the February 20 event, which is Cambodias second community transmission, count to 915 and 1,430 cases in total since last year. Kruy Malen, a spokesperson at the Kandal Provincial Hall, said there were more than 100 people who tested positive in Koh Thom district with over 1,000 people under quarantine and awaiting the COVID-19 test results. The number of infections might increase since some people are still waiting for the results, he said, adding that the provincial authorities have asked the government to set up a treatment center in the district. There are a lot of foreigners working in the casinos and staying at the hotels there, he said. Or Vandine, a spokesperson for the Health Ministry, could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. She did request citizens on Monday to stay at home and follow health guidelines to curb the spread of the community transmission cluster. She is hopeful it will end in two weeks. People are still careless. They are not scared, said Or Vandine at a press conference on Monday. Yong Kim Eng, a director of the People's Center for Development and Peace, said he is concerned about the fast-spreading cluster and whether authorities were able to track more people through contact tracing. There should be more measures to curb the risks spreading, he said. Kim Eng expressed concern that Cambodia could reach a situation where there would be a lack of equipment, such as ventilators, to help patients. Last week, Cambodia reported its first COVID-19 death since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, as a recent community transmission cluster continues to spread throughout the provinces. The World Health Organization in Phnom Penh said last week Cambodia was at a tipping point in its struggle against COVID-19. Li Ailan, the WHOs representative to Cambodia, said everyone needed to follow health and safety guidelines and failure to work as a community could be devastating. The Health Ministry also reported 88 recoveries on Tuesday. Significant improvement in profitability in the second half of 2020 Growth in EBITDA margin year-on-year at 14%: +1 pt compared to the second half of 2019 +1 pt compared to the second half of 2019 Despite a decrease in revenue : -8% on an organic basis compared to the second half of 2019 : -8% on an organic basis compared to the second half of 2019 Increase in operating result : +5.5% on an organic basis compared to the second half of 2019 : +5.5% on an organic basis compared to the second half of 2019 Growing order book reaching 623 million reaching 623 million Increase in available cash to 81 million (+22 million in one year) (+22 million in one year) Proposed dividend: 0.32 per share, stable compared to last year Strategic refocusing and operational transformation Strengthening of the Drones & Systems activity : merger with ECA Group finalized at end-2020 : merger with ECA Group finalized at end-2020 Refocusing of the Engineering & Protection Systems activity : exit from the oil gas, launch of StedY : exit from the oil gas, launch of StedY Operational transformation in 3D printing: reorganization and new innovative offerings Positive momentum despite a challenging environment New orders in naval robotics worth over 90 million Commercial successes and partnerships signed in 3D Printing Important orders in fire protection and nuclear Ramping up in engineering advisory services Strengthening of the shareholder structure and governance Increase in free float and improved liquidity of the share Governance strengthened with the appointment of Herve Guillou as board member 1 Acceleration of the ESG strategy: +13 pts in the Gaia rating Guidance for 2021: c.+15% revenue growth on an organic basis and strong improvement in profitability Solid medium-term outlook: major growth prospects for the three activities Deep, structurally sound and growing markets structurally sound and An attractive strategic positioning among the leaders in its specialized activities among the leaders in its specialized activities Commercial dynamic well engaged and set to accelerate Gorge Group: a high-tech specialist with presence in three activities Groupe Gorge implements since several years a strategy based on three main pillars: Reinforcement on high-tech activities with high added value, in which the Group has control over the entire value creation chain. Focus on sectors with strong growth prospects, with deep and structurally sound markets. A leading player in its activities with a strong ambition for international development. This strategy is deployed across three activities, which generated consolidated revenue of 231 million in 2020: 42% of revenues are generated by the Drones & Systems activity, under the ECA Group brand. Developed over 28 years, this division offers integrated systems for naval, ground and air Defense and Security, notably with robotics technologies. In 3D printing (25% of revenues, under the Prodways brand, which is 57% owned), Groupe Gorge has built since 2013 one of the few players able to offer turnkey solutions for industrial production thanks to its control over the whole value chain: software, printers, materials and manufacturing. The Engineering & Protection System activity represents 34% of revenues and includes the Engineering and Technology Consulting division as well as solutions for the protection of high-risk sites, with fire safety and nuclear doors. Successful strategic refocusing and operational transformation in 2020 Strengthening in the Drones & Systems activity Groupe Gorge has significantly strengthened its Drones & Systems activity through the merger by absorption of its subsidiary ECA, which was previously 65% owned. The transaction, announced at the end of September 2020, was finalized at the end of December. By strengthening its position in this high-tech activity, Groupe Gorge is furthering its strategy and will be able to take full advantage of significant growth prospects of this activity in coming years. This transaction also made it possible to unify and simplify the Group's structure by eliminating the double listing of Groupe Gorge and ECA, to strengthen the free float of Groupe Gorge, up +180% in one year1, thereby increasing the liquidity of the share. Completion of the strategic refocusing of the Engineering & Protection Systems activity In 2020, Groupe Gorge continued the strategic refocusing of the Engineering and Protection Systems activity by discontinuing its operations in the oil sector. The equity combination of its subsidiary Van Dam with its competitor InterDam led to the creation of a world leader in this specialized oil services sector. Groupe Gorge still holds 15% of the newly created entity, which will be sold in the medium-term. With this transaction, the Group is withdrawing from the oil services market and is continuing to refocus on its strategic activities, initiated in 2018 with the sale of AI Group and pursued in 2019 with the disposal of Cimlec group and a 30% stake in the Fire Protection France activity to its management. At the same time, the Company stepped up in the field of technology consulting services with the launch of a new offering in September 2020: StedY, a digital service offering that reinvents the engineering and technology consulting business, thereby enhancing the Group's positioning in this activity where it has been operating since 2012 (link to the announcement press release). Operational transformation of the 3D Printing division Groupe Gorge, through the Prodways brand in 3D printing, implemented a major operational transformation in several areas: new solutions and functionalities were unveiled for industrial production while conducting a reorganization of machine and material production to improve profitability and production capacity. The Group launched a new activity for the integration of the Dassault Systemes 3DEXPERIENCE platform's Cloud solutions, both in Europe and in the United States, to master the creation, modification and simulation of 3D files, which are major assets for customers. In addition, new features have been implemented in the MOVINGLight ProMaker LD Series compact 3D printer range, including Super-Resolution 3D. This technology, based on new algorithms, makes it possible to achieve a precision beyond the native performance of 42 micrometers while increasing production speed by 30%. These functionalities have already resulted in two commercial successes with a Polish company (Brightalign) and an Italian company (GEO). To consolidate the ramp-up of the business for several years, with revenues that have more than doubled over the past three years, and to meet future demand in a very buoyant market, Prodways has been gradually setting up a new organization for the production of its machines since the end of 2020. The production of the historic workshops in Paris region is being transferred to existing sites in the United States and Annecy. This transformation will make it possible to achieve synergies between its activities, improve profitability by reducing the fixed cost structure and thus focus on the development of new technologies for high-potential markets. In addition, in view of the good commercial prospects for medical applications, the Group once again increased its material production capacity in order to meet the growing demand in this industry. The capacity has increased by 50% in eight months and can now reach 100 tons per year. This high-margin business is one of the major growth drivers for the 3D Printing division. The effects of this transformation will be seen in 2021 with an uptrend in sales and revenue growth. Good commercial dynamic despite a challenging environment Drones & Systems activity: new orders totaling around 90 million in 2020, confirming the ability to win international tenders Groupe Gorge now benefits from the notoriety acquired in 2019 when it won the contract with the Belgian and Dutch navies, for an amount of 450 million over 8 years, and confirms its ability to win international tenders. Three major contracts of over 20 million were signed for robotics solutions in 2020. The first two relate to the modernization of existing fleets, in order to bring their performance into line with that of the most recent systems, including three conventional vessels for the Latvian navy acquired from the Dutch Navy in 2006. The third contract covers an additional drone system for the Dutch Navy, which wanted to acquire a Toolbox to carry out tests and assess new operational concepts. With these commercial successes, the Group demonstrates the relevance of its offering in Stand-Off mine hunting2 , both for latest-generation integrated systems but also to equip older vessels whose lifespan can be extended, thus addressing a wider market in this activity. Large orders in fire protection and nuclear At the end of 2020, Groupe Gorge won the largest order in its history in the fire protection activity. The Group was awarded a contract worth nearly 7 million to design and build a fire protection system on the largest site equipped with sprinklers in Europe. This service, which will be carried out over two years, consists of the installation of 20,000 sprinklers across four buildings, with maintenance services, illustrating the significant recurring business in this activity, whose maintenance services accounts for nearly 50% of revenue. This order makes up for the sales lag in the first half and ultimately exceeds the level of order intake in 2019. In addition, a major contract was signed for more than 6 million over a four-year period for the supply of 500 special doors as part of a project to build a nuclear power plant in West Asia. This order rewards several years of efforts to obtain a first reference in Russian VVER nuclear technology. To the best of the Group's knowledge, Baumert, the subsidiary specializing in this activity, is the only company to have references in all the main nuclear power plant technologies (French, Chinese, American and Russian). 3D Printing activity: commercial successes and partnerships signed Thanks to its expertise across the entire 3D printing value chain (machines, materials, software and manufacturing), the Group achieved commercial successes in several areas. In 2020, Groupe Gorge signed a contract for the sale of liquid resins with several European and global dental specialists, relying on materials specifically developed for this industry, such as PLASTCure Model liquid resin, which allow a very high level of precision for mass production. This positive trend continued in early 2021 with the signature of a four-year agreement with a leading global player in the dental industry, which has a network of distributors and partners in over 100 countries. These industrial customers should consume several dozen tons of materials once their production has stabilized, reflecting the growing use of 3D printing in this industry. This good commercial dynamic is also tangible in the jewelry industry, with two contracts to equip two customers with a dozen machines each, as well as in 3D modeling software distribution, which won an unprecedented record contract in 2020. Results for 2020: significant improvement in profitability in the second half of 2020 (in millions of euros) H2 2019 H2 2020 Change (organic change as a %) FY 2019 FY 2020 Change (organic change as a %) Backlog at end of period - - - 606.2 623.2 +3% Revenue 139.3 123.1 -12% (-8%) 274.6 231.13 -16% (-14%) EBITDA4 17.4 17.0 -2% (-1%) 31.7 24.1 -24% (-22%) EBITDA margin (%) 12.5% 13.8% +1.3 pts 11.5% 10.4% -1.1 pts Income from ordinary activities5 6.3 6.8 +0.5 m 9.5 2.5 -6.9 m Operating income 4.9 5.2 +0.3 m 4.9 -9.0 -14.0 m Financial income -0.9 -1.2 -0.3 m -1.1 -1.7 -0.5 m Tax 0.0 -0.8 -0.8 m -2.2 0.2 +2.4 m Net income from discontinued activities 21.2 0.0 -21.2 m 21.6 -1.0 -22.6 m Net income 25.3 3.1 -22.1 m 23.1 -11.5 -34.6 m Profit (loss) for the period attributable to the owners of the parent 23.0 4.2 -18.7 m 20.9 -5.8 -26.7 m Cash flow from operating activities 30.4 37.5 +7.1 m The consolidated financial statements for 2020 were approved by the Board of Directors, which met on March 16, 2021. The audit procedures of the Statutory Auditors have been completed and the audit report relating to the certification is in the process of being issued. After a first half which was strongly affected by the health crisis, the recovery trend is visible in the second half of the year. Despite an 8% decrease in revenue on an organic basis, the EBITDA margin was up by +1.3 pts, at nearly 14%, thanks to the operational transformation efforts that began in 2020 and will continue in 2021. These actions made it possible to optimize the cost structure and limit the decline in EBITDA to -0.4 million (down -1% on an organic basis). This good performance led to an increase in the income from ordinary activities of +5.5% on an organic basis. After taking into account other non-recurring items (-1.6 million including costs related to the reorganization of the 3D Printing activity and the capital gain on the disposal of Van Dam), the operating income stands at 5.2 million, up +0.3 million in the second half. Net result in group share amounts to +4.2 million for the second half and -5.8 million for full-year 2020. Performance by activity (in millions of euros) H2 2019 H2 2020 Change (organic) FY 2019 FY 2020 Change (organic) Drones & Systems Revenue 55.4 53.1 -4% 112.5 96.2 -14% EBITDA 10.9 10.8 -0.2% 20.8 16.1 -22% EBITDA margin (%) 19.6% 20.4% +0.8 pt 18.5% 16.7% -1.7 pts Income from ordinary activities 5.7 6.2 +0.5 m 9.9 7.0 -2.9 m Engineering & Protection Systems6 Revenue 48.3 39.6 -18% (-7%) 91.8 78.1 -15% (-8%) EBITDA 3.2 4.1 +27% (+35%) 5,2 5.0 -5% (+8%) EBITDA margin (%) 6.7% 10.4% +3.6 pts 5.7% 6.4% +0.7 pt Income from ordinary activities 0.8 1.9 +1.2 m 0.9 0.4 -0.5 m 3D Printing Revenue 36.0 30.4 -16% 71.3 57.2 -20% EBITDA 2.7 1.9 -30% 5.3 3.3 -37% EBITDA margin (%) 7.6% 6.3% -1.3 pts 7.5% 5.8% -1.6 pts Income from ordinary activities -0.5 -0.9 -0.4 m -1.5 -3.8 -2.3 m Drones & Systems: improved profitability thanks to better cost control This division experienced mixed trends with a sharp decline in the aeronautics sector and a strong increase in the drones activity. EBITDA performance was stable in the second half, thanks to the strong performance of robotics which offsets the decreasing revenues in aeronautics. Engineering & Protection Systems: profile transformation thanks to strategic refocusing The impact of the crisis has been limited, with a significant recovery in the second semester (-7% revenues on an organic basis). The profitability was maintained, with the contribution of disposal gain on one asset, offsetting the impact of the sanitary crisis in the 1st semester and the loss linked to the launch of StedY. 3D Printing: recovery in the second half of 2020 despite the second lockdown Recovery began in the second half for both the Systems and Products divisions, with a decrease of -5.6 million in revenue versus the second semester 2019 compared with -8.6 million in the first half. EBITDA remained positive at 1.9 million and amounted to 3.3 million for full-year 2020, just 2 million below the performance in 2019 despite the decrease in revenue of 14 million. Sound financial position at end-2020 Cash flow generated by the activity stood at 38 million in 2020, up 7 million compared to 2019. The working capital requirement improved by 26 million, benefiting from the decline in activity. At end-2020, cash and cash equivalents amounted to 81 million (+22 million since end-2019) and net financial debt 7 totalled 31 million (+22 million after +32 million of share buyback). As a consequence, the group's gearing stands at a sound level of 24%. Dividend Group Gorge will propose to the General Meeting of 18 June 2021 the distribution of a dividend of 0.32 per share in cash, stable compared to last year. The detachment of the coupon will take place on 23 June 2021 and the payment will occur on 25 June 2021. Acceleration of the ESG strategy Groupe Gorge materially improved its grade in the Gaia rating by +13 points in 2020, to reach a score 66/100, thanks to a strong progression on 9 out of the 18 criteria considered. This grade had already increased by +10 pts between 2018 and 2019. This improvement rewards the efforts carried by the group in terms of transparency and process of governance, the operations on virtuous activities and the strengthening of best practices with stakeholders. End-2020, Groupe Gorge strengthen its governance on ESG topics with the increasing commitment of the board of directors. A reference person was appointed to lead the efforts on the whole group. In addition, the introduction of ESG criteria in the calculation of the compensation of executive managers will be proposed at the General Assembly, which would represent up to 20% of the variable part. Strengthening of governance with the appointment of Herve Guillou The Board of Directors will propose the appointment of Herve Guillou as a director of Groupe Gorge at the next Shareholders' Meeting. This proposal follows his appointment as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of ECA Group in early 2021. Herve Guillou is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique, an engineer from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Techniques Navales and the Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucleaires. He is also Chairperson of GICAN (Groupement des Industries de Construction et Activities Navales) and of the Strategic Business Line Committee (CSF) of Marine Industry Professionals. Until March 24, 2020, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group, an industrial company specializing in naval defense and energy, a major partner of ECA Group as part of the Belgian-Dutch mine warfare contract for almost two billion euros. Herve Guillou will bring to the Group his wealth of experience in the defense and naval industry and his knowledge of aerospace. His arrival confirms the change of dimension of the Group and reinforces its ambitions for the future. Solid medium-term outlook: major growth prospects for the three activities The Group's strategy implemented for several years is focused on sectors with high growth prospects and allows it to be confident about the future and have major growth ambitions. For each of its three activities, Groupe Gorge can rely on: Deep, fast-growing and structurally sound markets An attractive strategic positioning , among the leaders in its activities , among the leaders in its activities Commercial dynamic well engaged and set to accelerate Drone & Systems activity: ability to benefit from investments in robotics thanks to now recognized expertise The ramping-up of mine-hunting programs on a global scale against the backdrop of rising military spending, is a major growth driver in robotics. Several major international tenders are expected in the coming years, offering significant development prospects for the sector (programs for France, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, etc.). The commercial momentum is already underway, as evidenced by the order book of 540 million to be executed. The contract with the Belgian and Dutch navies, which represents a significant portion of the backlog, should accelerate in the coming years. The contribution in 2021 is estimated at around 40 million, then will increase by between 50 to 100 million from 2022 to 2024. In addition, Groupe Gorge's expertise in robotics opens up prospects in other markets by drawing on existing solutions, such as hydrography, port protection or AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles). On the latter, a contract was signed in 2020 with IDEA, a logistics company, following the first one with Rio Tinto. 3D Printing: strong strategic positioning to capture strong market growth The economic crisis that affected the 3D printing market in 2020 does not call into question the structural fundamentals of the sector, which remain very positive. The growing adoption of 3D solutions for the production of functional components, whether final products or components, tools or spare parts, will result in strong market growth in the coming years. The application possibilities are numerous and make it possible to address all sectors on a global scale. Latest projections8 anticipate a strong market growth, to reach an estimated size of around 100 billion by 2029 (compared to around 10 billion in 2020). These growth forecasts led to strong growth in the securities of US companies in the industry (close to +300% average growth in one year9) which has not yet materialized in Europe. Against this background, Groupe Gorge is positioned as a key player of its sector, specialist in professional and industrial 3D printing. The company is able to offer turnkey solutions, backed by the strategy implemented since its creation in 2013 around 3 main axes: 1- Control over the entire 3D printing value chain: machines, materials, software and manufacturing, enhanced in 2020 with new features on its printers and a new software offering. 2- Technology excellence provided for industrial production, offering unique performance in terms of precision and speed. 3- Development of new partnerships with the ambition to address new large-scale applications in the upcoming years, such as optics or precision casting. The three-year partnership with Essilor, aimed at developing the MOVINGLight 3D printing technology for spectacle lenses, is an example. A new milestone was reached in early 2021 with the installation of a second Prodways printer. Engineering & Protection Systems: sales momentum across all solutions In the Engineering and technology consulting activity, revenue increased by 30% in two years and now exceeds 10 million. With the launch of StedY, which strengthens this division, the Group expects a good commercial dynamic in the coming years. The fire protection activity benefits from the strengthening of safety standards on sensitive sites. Groupe Gorge, through its Vigians brand, is one of the few players able to offer comprehensive offerings, from design to construction, with active protection solutions (sprinklers, water mist, fire-fighting networks, etc.) and passive solutions (fire doors, firebreak partitions and windows). The activity of conception and fabrication of technical doors for nuclear sites benefits from long cycles and thus a good visibility on future revenues. The perspectives are good thanks to the important backlog, to which are added the recurring revenues of service and maintenance. Guidance for 2021: organic revenue growth of close to +15% and sharp improvement in profitability All of Groupe Gorge's markets are doing well and the execution of the order book expected in 2021 provides good visibility for the current financial year. Consequently, excluding any further deterioration in the health situation, the Group has set itself a target of revenue growth in 2021 close to 15% on an organic basis, i.e. around 265 million. At the same time, the profitability of the Company is expected to post a strong improvement starting from the first half of 2021. About Groupe Gorge Groupe Gorge is a high-tech industrial group driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture. The Group is present in 3D printing, drones, engineering and protection systems and employs nearly 2,000 people in seven countries. The Group generated revenue of 233 million in 2020. More information on www.groupe-gorge.com Groupe Gorge is listed on Euronext Paris Compartment B (GOE). Upcoming events 28/04/2021: Q1 2021 revenue 18/06/2021: Shareholders' Meeting 28/07/2021: Q2 2021 revenue Contacts Investor relations Hugo Soussan Tel: +33 (0)1 44 77 69 47 86 h.soussan@groupe-gorge.com Anne-Pauline Petureaux Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 72 apetureaux@actus.fr Media relations Manon Clairet Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 73 mclairet@actus.fr Disclaimer Groupe Gorge press releases may contain forward-looking statements regarding Groupe Gorge's targets. These forward-looking statements reflect Groupe Gorge's current expectations. Such forward-looking statements and targets depend on known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated herein. Some of these risk factors are set forth and detailed in our Universal registration document, available on our website www.groupe-gorge.com. This list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not limitative. This press release and the information it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or to subscribe, or a solicitation to purchase or subscribe shares or securities in Groupe Gorge or in its listed subsidiaries in any country whatsoever. 1 Free float at 16/03/2021 vs 16/03/2020. 2 Underwater robotic mine disposal operations without entering the minefield. 3 Adjustment of 2 million compared to the unaudited revenue reported on 25/02/2021 due to cut-off adjustments. 4 Operating income before "depreciation, amortization and provisions", "non-recurring items in operating income" and "Group share of the earnings of affiliated companies". 5 Operating income before "non-recurring items in operating income" and "Group share of the earnings of affiliated companies". 6 The organic change excludes the contribution of Van Dam, which was sold in July 2020. 7 Net debt excluding lease liabilities resulting from the application of IFRS 16 and including the value of treasury stock. 8 Source: Wohlers report 2020. 9 Average share price growth of major US 3D Printing players since 16/03/2020 ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: xmtulZWclmvFlZ6dZ5dmm5VkZmmTlmOamZSYnGZuZ8mVnJ6VmGeXmJzGZm9pl2to - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-68262-cp_groupe-gorge-fy2020_en.pdf Italfarmaco Group adds innovative Alzheimer's disease therapy to its neurology-based product portfolio Italfarmaco Group (Italfarmaco) and Luye Pharma Switzerland AG ("Luye Switzerland"), a fully owned subsidiary of Luye Pharma Group (Luye Pharma)announced today that they have entered into an agreement under which Italfarmaco receives exclusive rights to commercialize Rivastigmine Multi-Day Transdermal Patch (Rivastigmine MD) in four European countries. Rivastigmine MD, developed by Luye Pharma, is used to treat mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease and is currently in the final registration phase of marketing approval in Europe. This product represents an important strategic addition to Italfarmaco's central nervous system (CNS) portfolio, building on its depth of knowledge in this therapeutic area. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005460/en/ Under the terms of the agreement, Italfarmaco gains the exclusive rights to commercialize Rivastigmine MD in Germany, Italy, Portugal and Greece. Italfarmaco will also have a preferred right to market Rivastigmine MD in Chile and Vietnam. Italfarmaco will make an upfront payment to Luye Pharma upon the signing of the agreement as well as additional payments when certain sales milestones are achieved. Luye Pharma is also eligible to receive royalties from Italfarmaco. No further financial details are being disclosed. Antonio Nardi, Vice President of Business and Portfolio Development at Italfarmaco commented: "Alzheimer's is a debilitating disease with a growing patient population and very few treatment options, so we welcome our partnership with Luye Pharma and the addition of an easy-to-administer, innovative product for patients. In addition to our own research expertise, we are looking forward to building our neurology-focused commercial pipeline in this therapeutic area to provide more options for clinicians who are at the frontline of treating individuals with neurodegenerative diseases." "The collaboration with Italfarmaco represents an important milestone in our commitment to addressing unmet needs for senior patients in Europe. By leveraging Italfarmaco's extensive CNS experience and strong business operation system, we believe we will soon be able to bring this new therapy to patients in Europe," said Bruno Delie, General Manager of Luye Switzerland. "We aim to improve the quality of life for people suffering from dementia, as well as their families, friends and caregivers." Alzheimer's disease remains a major global health issue, and the number of patients is constantly growing. According to the World Alzheimer Report 2018, there is a new case of dementia every three seconds around the world. 50 million people worldwide were living with dementia in 2018, and this number is expected to reach 82 million by 2030i. While the development of new drugs in this therapeutic area is still a challenge, Rivastigmine is a first-line drug in the treatment of dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease and is currently marketed worldwide. About Rivastigmine Multi-Day Transdermal Patch Rivastigmine Multi-Day Transdermal Patch (Rivastigmine MD) is a twice-weekly innovative patch formulation of Rivastigmine for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease. The product was developed by Luye Pharma on its proprietary transdermal patch platform and is one of the company's core products in the central nervous system therapeutic field. Rivastigmine is in a class of medicines called cholinesterase inhibitors. These medicines can improve cognitive functions such as memory and thinking by increasing the amount of a certain natural substance in the brain and amplifying the communication channels between nerve cells, which are less active in individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. The drug is currently available in the form of tablets and patches. Rivastigmine MD employs an innovative drug delivery system for Rivastigmine via twice-weekly transdermal administration. Rivastigmine MD has a lower application frequency than the once-daily Rivastigmine patches generally available in the market, enabling it to improve patients' medication adherence. Due to its transdermal route of administration, Rivastigmine MD is convenient for patients who have difficulty swallowing, and it might have the potential to lower the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting compared with the oral form. Luye Pharma has filed, and been issued a portfolio of international patents protecting Rivastigmine MD. Rivastigmine MD will be registered in major global markets, including Europe, Japan and China. In May 2020, the Marketing Authorization Application of this product (Rivastigmine MD) in countries within the European Union was accepted for review by competent authorities of the European Union. In September 2020, the product was approved by the Centre for Drug Evaluation of China's National Medical Products Administration to initiate clinical trials in the country. In February 2021, the exclusive development and commercialization rights of Rivastigmine MD in Japan were granted to Towa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (''Towa''). Rivastigmine MD is soon to start phase III clinical trials in Japan. Luye Pharma also plans to register this product in the U.S. and other countries. About Italfarmaco Group Italfarmaco is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of branded prescription and nonprescription products in more than 60 countries on 5 continents. Italfarmaco's research and development expertise is best demonstrated through its HDAC inhibitor development programs, addressing new therapeutic treatments of specialty and rare diseases. Through both marketed drugs and compounds in development, Italfarmaco is dedicated to serving patients whose needs remain largely unmet. Italfarmaco employs over 3000 people and expects 2021 annual sales turnover to be close to 800 million euros. Italfarmaco's products mainly address women's health, the central nervous system, cardiovascular, immuno-oncology and musculoskeletal conditions. Italfarmaco is currently active in neurology-focused indications, especially with the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients, which originates from Italfarmaco's own research pipeline. About Luye Pharma Group Luye Pharma Group (Luye Pharma), a member of Luye Life Sciences Group, is an international pharmaceutical company dedicated to the R&D, manufacturing, and sale of innovative medications. The company has established R&D centers in China, the U.S. and Europe, with a robust pipeline of over 30 drug candidates in China and more than 10 drug candidates in other international markets. Along with a number of new drugs and new formulations in the central nervous system and oncology therapeutic areas under study in the U.S., Europe and Japan, Luye Pharma has reached high-level international standards in novel drug delivery technologies including microspheres, liposomes, and transdermal drug delivery systems, as well as actively making strategic developments in the fields of biological antibodies, cell therapies and gene therapies, among others. Luye Pharma is developing a global supply chain of 8 manufacturing sites with over 30 production lines in total, establishing GMP quality management and international standard control systems. With more than 30 products covering the central nervous system, oncology, cardiovascular, metabolism and other therapeutic areas, business is conducted in over 80 countries and regions around the world, including the largest pharmaceutical markets China, the U.S., Europe and Japan, as well as in fast growing emerging markets. iWorld Alzheimer Report 2018, Alzheimer's Disease International, September 2018, https://www.alzint.org/u/WorldAlzheimerReport2018.pdf View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005460/en/ Contacts: For Luye Pharma Group: Bruno Delie General Manager Luye Pharma Switzerland AG Email: Bruno.Delie@luyepharma.eu Office: +41 61 206 83 01 Media enquiries for Luye: Vivian Weng Corporate Communication vivianweng@luye.com For Italfarmaco: Antonio Nardi VP Business Portfolio Development Italfarmaco Group Email: a.nardi@italfarmaco.com Mobile: +39 348 648 1799 Office: +39 02 6443 2520 Media enquiries for Italfarmaco: Trophic Communications Jacob Verghese or Gretchen Schweitzer +49 (0) 89 2388 7731 italfarmaco@trophic.eu From a concierge plumping your pillows to a chauffer whisking you away from the airport, Etihads luxury three-room apartment in the sky had a lot going for it. The Residence is now looking like being retired from service, however, with Etihad CEO Tony Douglas recently telling The National that the 10 Etihad A380 double deckers The Residence is exclusively built into will probably never return to service. We have now taken the strategic decision to park the A380s, Im sure its very likely that we wont see them operating with Etihad again, Douglas told The National, of the aircraft, all of which have been grounded since March 2020. Arguably the pinnacle of luxury travel (on a non-private aircraft), The Residence fares regularly exceeded $US 20,000 (AU $25,871) for a one-way journey, and scoring this better than first class experience used to be a holy grail goal for many points hackers and frequent flyers. Now, with Etihad now prioritising smaller jets in the wake of 2020s devastating impact on the travel industry, and with the 787 Dreamliner reportedly set to take over as the backbone of its fleet, those who are yet to fly it may never get the chance. As Douglas told Bloomberg, The double-decker jets would have a role only on the very busiest routes to cities such as London and New York in the event of a strong rebound. Many frequent pointy end passengers have taken to Instagram in recent days to mourn the likely loss of this jet, and The Residence experience it used to facilitate. One among them is Jarvis Marcos, a luxury travel blogger who offers high end travel reviews and advice, and who can often be seen swanning around locations like the Maldives. Marcos took to Instagram yesterday with the following post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by | (@theluxurytraveller) Is the golden era of aviation well and truly behind us?, Marcos captioned the image. After this weeks announcement that Etihad is almost certainly scrapping the A380s forever, it feels like the passenger experience is in a state of irreversible decline. @Euriental and I were lucky enough to fly Etihad Apartments together eight times and the experience never got old. The hard product overwhelmed us with its audacity every time we stepped on board. Emirates will probably fly the A380 for at least another decade and hopefully SQ will too but nether airline offers a closed room in which two people can comfortably dine face to face like this. When I look back over my old photos I cant help but feel that experiences like this, or sitting in the nose of a Cathay 747 were the apex. Blogger @flylikelinz chimed in too, writing: Im so glad I got to fly apartments just before lockdown. It will be an experience Ill remember for the rest of my life. Instagram user @livefromtuscany expressed similar disappointment, writing, Im afraid youre right, it will never be as it was before Covid. Sadly, I missed out on EY A380. Well still have EK/SQ/LX/AF First and I cant wait to fly on those again. Thankfully, biz is getting better and better, QR QSuites is a great product (and more affordable when you need 3 seats. Another user pointed out that there are a couple of airlines left in the sky that let you dine face to face in an enclosed space: AF La Premiere and Swiss First. Marcos then took to Instagram again this morning, with a post outlining how breakfast in bed crafted by onboard chefs is another thing he will miss about The Residence (which inspired comments like, STOP THIS! Youre making me feel sad to roll in beneath). View this post on Instagram A post shared by | (@theluxurytraveller) The only question now is: are we going back to normal, or back to the dark ages? Depends on your perspective, we guess. Read Next 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. France finally found a European country willing to buy their latest jet fighter; Rafale. In late 2020 Greece agreed to buy 18 Rafale fighters for $3 billion. Deliveries will begin in mid-2021 and be completed by 2023. The purchase price included training, tech support, spare parts and logistical support for 54 months. France will also buy back 18 of the Greek Mirages. Greece obtained the Mirages in the late 1980s even as it was expanding it growing fleet of F-16s. Currently 80 percent of Greek fighters are American, most of them F-16s. Greece was persuaded to buy Rafale because it wanted to replace its 42 Mirage 2000 jets with an affordable and similar modern jet. Buying French had a lot of political and air force support, but only if France could offer economic incentives. France did and Greece bought Rafale. To keep the cost of all this down, twelve of the Rafales will be used aircraft currently serving in the French air force. The other six will come off the production line. Currently only 230 Rafales have been built or are on order. Rafale thus remains an expensive aircraft to build because there are no economies of scale for fighters that are not built by the thousands. To keep Rafale cost competitive for export customers the manufacturer has to be creative and the French taxpayers have to contribute as well. Since the 1970s, there have been only three jet fighter manufacturers in Western Europe. One was a multi-national consortium that delivered Tornado in 1979 and Typhoon in 2003. The others were France and Sweden. After World War II European nations, except for Britain, Sweden and France, found it cheaper and more convenient to buy American jets. The remaining European manufacturers found themselves less and less competitive compared to several American firms supplying the U.S. military, which was the largest user of high-tech warplanes. By the 1970s only Sweden (because it was neutral) and France (which was independent) paid the cost of developing and manufacturing their own fighters. Sweden and France put a lot of effort into obtaining export sales from non-European countries and were successful enough to keep both in business. But it was always a struggle to keep French and Swedish fighters up-to-date and competitive in terms of capabilities. For example. in early 2017 France decided that they had obtained sufficient export orders from India, Qatar and Egypt to justify the cost of another major upgrade of electronics and weapons systems in their new Rafale jet fighters. This latest upgrade is called F4. The first Rafales were the F1 and these was equipped only for air combat. It was not until F2 appeared in 2005 that Rafale could handle smart bombs and ground attack in general. The F3 standard followed in 2008 and added more weapons capabilities, including nuclear bombs. F4 adds more communications capabilities, especially with foreign aircraft and those equipped to exchange digital data quickly and automatically. There will be many changes to the electronic systems in general that will make it easier to develop and install future upgrades. F4 is not expected to enter service until 2025 and it will take longer because F4 involves improving engine performance as well as extensive electronics modifications. Although it entered service in 2001, Rafale didnt get any combat experience until 2007 when six were sent to Afghanistan. Three French Air Force Rafale F2s operated from Tajikistan. From there, the Rafales could fly down to Afghanistan and make themselves useful. Three navy Rafale F2s arrived on the carrier Charles de Gaulle, which was operating off the Pakistani coast. These F2s were the first Rafales with the hardware and software required for precision bombing (laser or GPS guided smart bombs). In 2011 Rafale carried out combat missions over Libya followed by service over Mali since 2012. Since 2014 Rafale has been active in Syria and Iraq. Rafale has performed well during all of these combat operations. The export sales were difficult to obtain initially, the first two orders (both for 24 aircraft) came in 2015 with the third (for 36) in late 2016 when India finally signed a contract for 36 Rafale fighter jets with an option to buy 18 more in three years. At the time of the first export sale France was the only user with 180 Rafales ordered and about 130 delivered. As of early 2017 180 had been delivered and 45 more are on order because France could now afford to build 225 for itself. The Rafale design is a further evolution of the Mirage 2000 (from the same manufacturer) and has the Delta Wing configuration common with the Mirage designs but with canards, a small forewing positioned ahead of the main wing, added. Rafale has a maximum speed of 2,450 kilometers an hour and a range of over 3,700 kilometers. It is equipped with a 30mm cannon and can carry nearly ten tons of weapons. It is now a battle tested aircraft and none have been lost in combat but four were destroyed in accidents. There is a naval version of Rafale that has operated off French and American carriers. By 2017, after 20 years of trying, the Rafale went from an export zero to export hero in 45 days. France has had nothing but hard times trying to find export customers and had to cut the production rate to 11 aircraft a year, but now they will have to do the opposite. There is also a growing interest in French made fighter and among potential buyers in the Middle East and Asia. Success breeds success. A Bedouin shepherd came across the first of the ancient scrolls in 1947. He found them stored in jars in a cave in Qumran near the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Some were sold to a monastery and others to an antiquities dealer in Bethlehem. Once their authenticity had been established, archaeological expeditions and antiquity robbers followed and emptied the caves of whatever they could find. But decades later, the Judean Desert still had more secrets to give up. Amid signs that robbers were still seeking and hawking artifacts from the area, parts of which are difficult to reach and govern, the Israeli authorities decided to carry out a methodical, comprehensive survey of the cliffs, gorges and caves beginning in 2017. The archaeologists always used to chase after the robbers, said Amir Ganor, who leads the Antiquities Authoritys theft-prevention unit. We decided it was perhaps time to get ahead of the robbers. Aided by modern tools such as drones that could search every nook and cranny, three teams made up of four people each mapped and scoured about 50 miles of cliff face running the length of the Dead Sea. Access to some of the caves would have been easier in ancient times. People knew how to navigate the animal paths, Mr. Ganor said, and instead of rappelling, they would have used rope ladders for remote caverns. But over 2,000 years, parts of the terrain have collapsed, creating deep chasms. The West Bank was under Jordanian control from 1948 until Israel captured the area in the 1967 Middle East war. It is now divided between Israeli and partial Palestinian control. But the 1967 boundary did not exist in antiquity, Mr. Ganor said, and the archaeologists treated the Judean Desert as one unit for the purposes of the survey. In the MurabBaat caves, in what is now the West Bank, the archaeologists turned up a trove of artifacts. That included the basket and a cache of rare coins from the days of the Bar Kokhba revolt, minted with Jewish symbols such as a harp and date palms. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Emancipator, one of the nation's first antislavery newspapers of the 19th century, is being revived as part of a new project to discuss and debate racial justice in the U.S. today. Why it matters: The partnership between the Boston Globe Opinion and Boston University's Center for Antiracism Research comes amid pressure for new media outlets to cover issues around race and ethnicity. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Driving the news: The Boston Globe's editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman and Boston University professor and author Ibram X. Kendi unveiled plans for The Emancipator in a social media video while speaking at the historic African Meeting House in Boston on Tuesday. "The Emancipator aims to resurrect and reimagine anti-slavery publications in the 19th century for the 21st century and the movement to achieve racial justice," Venkataraman said. "That call for freedom has continued to echo since the American Revolution, and I think that call for freedom will continue to echo in The Emancipator," said Kendi, author of "How to Be an Antiracist." The intrigue: The Emancipator will feature a new newsletter on race and justice edited by Boston Globe columnist Kimberly Atkins. Its advisory board will consist of Los Angeles Times editorial page editor Sewell Chan, URL Media co-founder S. Mitra Kalita and University of California, Berkeley law professor Ian F. Haney Lopez. The Emancipator says it currently is searching for two editors to help run the project. The big picture: The revival of The Emancipator comes as a number of Black and Latino newspapers and magazines have closed in recent years because of increased costs of production and competition from mobile apps. Activist Shaun King came under scrutiny over his financial dealings to recreate abolitionist Frederick Douglass newspaper, The North Star, as an online venture. Flashback: The Boston Globe, then led by editor Martin Baron, won the 2003 Pulitzer prize for its investigation into the Catholic Church sexual abuse legacy. But Baron also faced criticism from the paper's journalists of color after a hiring spree of 19 all-white staffers that the Black and Latino reporters called "the 19-o shutout." A few years later after a series of buyouts, Baron again faced scrutiny when 11 more all-white staffers were hired and few editors of color were left. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. Dr. Lisa Ravindra said her patients at Rush River North Primary Care were much more likely to ask for the flu vaccine this year. In the past, she said, shes sometimes had to talk patients into getting it. Bulgarian police have busted a counterfeiting operation at a university in the capital, Sofia. In a joint operation with the U.S. Secret Service, Bulgarian police seized $4 million and 3.6 million euros ($4.3 million) worth of fake banknotes, authorities said on March 16. A 48-year-old man employed at the university printworks and a 54-year-old woman were detained. The value of the seized currency is impressive. The material evidence speaks of serious criminal activity, Sofia police chief Georgi Hadzhiev said. Lubomir Yanev, the head of the Interior Ministry's unit for combating organized crime, said the two had expertise in printing and the quality of the notes was "relatively good. Police believe that the printing operation was part of a wider criminal enterprise trafficking counterfeit dollars to Ukraine and euros to Western Europe. Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev commented that the "impressive" sum might be one of the largest seizures of counterfeit money ever made in the country. There is no indication the unnamed university was aware of the counterfeiting, which occurred after hours and on the weekends. The U.S. Secret Service, whose responsibilities include investigating counterfeiting operations and other financial crimes, participated in the joint operation with Bulgarian law enforcement. The Secret Service did not respond to an e-mail from RFE/RL requesting comment. With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters (Natural News) Former President Donald Trump has been rightly credited with rebuilding the U.S. military after years of abuse and underfunding during the preceding regime of Barack Obama. Trump is also credited with pushing back on the encroaching politically correct wokeness such as banning transgenders from entering the military. He didnt do that because hes a homophobe or a bigot; he did it because his judgment told him that transgendered troops would not only be a major distraction to the vast majority of other serving members, but they would present medical, logistical and leadership challenges as well. They would be disruptive to military service, in other words, not conducive to it or serve in a way that would improve the militarys readiness. But even before he left office, woke PC forces deep within the Pentagons deep state were nevertheless working to undermine him anyway, and now that hes gone, their agenda is being revealed under a Biden regime that is only too happy to re-PC the military for a few more votes. According to a recently released report from the U.S. Navy titled, Our Navy Team Navigating a Course to True North, seeks to address the societal challenges of today to include ditching the Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR) Test Requirement while also doing more to deal with making sure sailors feel respected or something like that. Our [Culture of Excellence] drives the understanding that when Sailors feel included, respected and empowered, they are mission ready, able to deter aggression and maintain freedom of the seas. Mission readiness is stronger when diverse strengths are used and differing perspectives are applied, the reports executive summary notes, using language that clearly reflects the PC thinking and rationale for everything the left cherishes. (Related: Under Biden, military being purged of all conservatives.) By embracing Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) in our day-to-day work and decisions at a fundamental level, we harness the creative power of our differences, putting forward actions and strategies that accelerate and enable our Navys warfighting advantage, the summary continues. Funny there hasnt been a problem with naval war fighting up to now, and certainly not during the Trump Administration. The executive summary goes on to lay bare where this initiative is coming from and why. After the nation-wide protests in the spring and early summer of 2020, CNO encouraged dialogue about race relations and inclusion in America and how to actively strive for strong measures of I&D in the Navy. Our existing efforts, while admirable in many respects, clearly fell short of adequately addressing the societal challenges of today, it says, without explaining what falling short looked like. We needed to seize this moment to engage in conversations about race, diversity and inclusion within our force more than ever before. We had to have open, honest and necessary conversations across our Navy and take action, the summary continued. We needed to rise to the occasion and identify the issues in our Fleet, understand where current barriers to I&D exist and learn how to effectively listen to all perspectives in pursuit of I&D reform. These conversations are vital for our Navy team, as understanding and connection builds teamwork and teamwork builds trust. There hasnt been a problem with race or respect in the Navy or anywhere in the U.S. military because if there had been, you can bet Americans would have read and heard all about it, especially during Trumps term. Being able to portray his military as racist, bigoted, and homophobic would have perfectly dovetailed with their (false) portrayal of him. But we didnt hear those reports or see those news stories. And thats because the military already had in place mechanisms to combat racism (though there hasnt been an issue with that anyway) as well as other purposeful discrimination. So this new naval initiative isnt about fixing a problem, its about pushing the lefts continuing agenda to destroy our founding traditions and our culture and replace it with totalitarian Marxism and absolute adherence. Meanwhile, our biggest nemesis, China, is building a navy that is only focused on war fighting not wokeness. See more reporting like this at NationalSecurity.news. Sources include: Media.Defense.gov NaturalNews.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) President Rodrigo Duterte was not belittling the struggles of Filipinos amid the COVID-19 pandemic with a recent remark about the prolonged difficulties, his spokesman said Tuesday. Ang sinasabi po ng Presidente ay patuloy naman pong ang Pilipinas ay nabubuhay sa kabila ng COVID-19, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during a virtual briefing. Roque's explanation came after Duterte's comment drew flak from critics. Duterte, during his public address Monday night, told the public not to despair amid the pandemic. Kaya natin ito COVID na ito. Maliit na bagay ito sa buhay natin. Marami tayong dinaanan...mas grabe, mas mahirap, mas magluluha kayo, said the chief executive. [Translation: We can handle this COVID. This is but a small thing in our lives. We have gone through more intense, more difficult, more tear-jerking experiences.] The spokesman took the opportunity to emphasize anew how the country has fewer deaths from the coronavirus infection compared to richer, more developed nations. Hindi po minamaliit ng Presidente ang ating paghihirap pero ang sinasabi po niya eh babangon naman po tayo diyan, we will heal as one, said Roque, adding this time is near especially with governments efforts to procure vaccines as soon as possible. [Translation: The President is not belittling our struggles but what he is saying is that we will get back up again, we will heal as one.] The Presidents remark has been met with criticism, with some lawmakers emphasizing how so many Filipinos have gone out of work and even lost lives because of the pandemic. "Hindi ito maliit na bagay para sa mamamayang Pilipino at nakakabahalang maliit na bagay ang pagtingin ng ating pangulo sa napakalaking problema na idinulot ng kaniyang palpak na mga polisiya sa araw-araw na buhay ng mamamayan, said ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro. [Translation: This is not a small deal for Filipino and it is disturbing that our President looks at the huge problem his failed policies have caused the everyday lives of citizens as something minor.] Meanwhile, Sen. Leila de Lima noted that his effort to provide the public assurance is bereft of a legitimate plan and legitimate leadership. The Philippines has recorded over 631,000 cases of COVID-19 and although 560,000 have recovered, the virus has claimed at least 12,800 lives. With the pandemic crippling the economy, some 4 million Filipinos were out of work as of January this year, up from the 2.4 million in the same month in 2020. The economy remains in recession, with its full-year 2020 contraction hitting -9.5%, the worst performance since the government began collecting economic data in 1946. Police, army personnel, health workers and anyone over the age of 70 are among the six million Australians who can now book to receive their coronavirus vaccine. Phase 1B of Australia's biggest ever vaccination program is to be unveiled on Wednesday in the first large-scale roll out to the general public. Australians now eligible include everyone over 70, other healthcare workers, plus Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over-55. Adults of any age with underlying medical conditions which make them vulnerable to the virus are also on the list, and some high-risk workers including army, police and those working in meat processing plants. The phase covers around 6.14 million Australians and use up to 14.8m doses of mostly the AstraZeneca vaccine (pictured, ambulance and police officers after getting their jab on March 7 in Perth) The phase covers around 6.14 million Australians and use up to 14.8m doses of mostly the AstraZeneca vaccine. The use of that vaccine had been suspended in many European countries over fears it can heighten the risk of recipients developing blood clots, but peak medical bodies have said the risk is negligible and the rollout should continue. More than 1,100 GP clinics around Australia have received their first doses in preparation for the next the phase of the rollout. They include 338 clinics in NSW, 285 in Victoria, 247 in Queensland, 87 in Western Australia, 84 in South Australia, 36 in Tasmania, 18 in the ACT and 10 in the Northern Territory. Around 200,000 aged care residents, quarantine workers and frontline health workers have been vaccinated so far, well behind the federal government's timeline. Around six million Australians, including healthcare workers not on the frontline can now get the jab. Pictured is nurse Maddison Williams getting the jab The government initially estimated four million vaccinations would be achieved by the end of March. Prime Minister Scott Morrison admits the flow of COVID-19 vaccines may not be what the government had anticipated but supply is increasing. He told parliament that only 700,000 of the 3.8 million vaccine doses contracted from overseas were able to be provided 'because of the desperately serious situation that we find in Europe'. 'We already advised back in February that the four million target would not be hit because of the disruption in supply that occurred, and that target would be pushed back,' he said. HOW TO BOOK YOUR COVID JAB Go to the government's Covid-19 vaccine eligibility calculator to work out when you are in line to get the jab Make sure your details are up to date with Medicare You will then be contacted when the jab is available to you, and if you think you've been missed off, you should contact your doctor Once youve had your vaccine, youll be able to get an immunisation history statement to prove your vaccination status You can get proof of vaccinations from your Medicare immunisation history through myGov, or by calling Medicare on 1800 653 809 If you need information about COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines or help with the COVIDSafe app, call the telephone number listed below This number operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 1800 020 080 COVID-19 vaccine inquiries Advertisement 'But the vaccination program will continue to roll out. 'It will reach all Australians with the first dose by the end of October, and every single day we'll work hard to deliver that vaccination program.' The prime minister earlier told coalition colleagues at a meeting the situation was like a pipeline. 'The flow at the start might not have been what we had hoped but now we're filling the pipe, the supply is increasing,' he said. CSL's Melbourne-made AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to start coming off the production line for distribution on Wednesday. The aim is for one million doses to come off the production line each week. Labor and GPs are concerned the national system to be used for booking shots is not operational, despite vaccines going to more than 1000 practices next week to be used immediately. 'This is utterly remarkable and irresponsible,' Labor's health spokesman Mark Butler said. 'They are being inundated by phone calls to their receptionist asking whether their patients can book with them and they're not able to provide any information whatsoever.' Medical experts and the medicines regulator are standing by the AstraZeneca jab as safe and effective despite concerns raised in Europe about blood clotting. Europe's health regulator insists the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighs the risk of side effects. [March 16, 2021] Moody's Analytics Wins Analytics Innovation Award for CRE Solution Moody's Analytics has won the Analytics Innovation category in the 2021 FinTech Breakthrough Awards. We earned this award for innovation in our commercial real estate (CRE) offering. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005589/en/ Specifically recognized was our Custom Markets model, which gives customers the ability to create unique, customized submarkets of commercial and multifamily properties. "Winning a FinTech Breakthrough award for our innovation in the CRE space is really exciting," said Keith Berry, General Manager at Moody's Analytics. "Our customers need different and more advanced options for their CRE analysis-especially as the economy continues recovering-and the Custom Markets model is a great example. The custom analysis it produces builds on customers' own expertise and helps them make better CRE investment decisions." The Custom Markets model lets users of the Moody's Analytics REIS platform apply their local market expertise on top of a rich historical dataset. Multiple submodels leverage our vast economic and CRE performance data in property-level forecasts based on the stage of each property (stabilized or under construction) as well its evolution over time. Included as well are 2-yer future rent and vacancy rate projections based on each property and/or development project within the specified area. In addition, custom market performance indicators are benchmarked to Moody's Analytics REIS-defined markets and submarkets, helping users identify pockets of over- and under-performance. The Custom Markets tool is one of many recent enhancements to the Moody's Analytics REIS platform, the cornerstone of Moody's Analytics CRE Solutions and a valuable decision-making tool for commercial real estate investors, lenders, analysts, and regulators. Learn more about this award, which adds to the recognition for Moody's Analytics. About Moody's Analytics Moody's Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moody's Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moody's Corporation reported revenue of $5.4 billion in 2020, employs approximately 11,400 people worldwide and maintains a presence in more than 40 countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005589/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] For the first time since the pandemic began, a true crowd came in person into Greenville County Council chambers to make their presence felt before the council. For 10 minutes, they spoke and applauded each other. Then they left simultaneously when their public hearing was through. It marked a return to some sort of normalcy for county business. And normal county business usually means a vibrant debate between a developer and existing residents over the future of the countys growth and how it impacts locals in its path. Kayce Sams led the protest and was first to speak March 15. She also organized a petition on change.org that has garnered more than 1,700 signatures opposed to a developers plan to turn an 11-acre corner lot on Pelham and Hudson roads into a market rate rental development with 190 townhomes directly across from the Patewood medical complex. Traffic at an already-congested intersection and density of the development at 17 units per acre, a drastic change from the 3 to 6 units per acre allowed under its current zoning, would forever change the character of a community that is now filled entirely with single-family houses, she said. More than 400 people had also signed a written petition submitted to county staff voicing their opposition, she said. These people live in this neighborhood today and they want single-family homes, Sams said to applause from dozens of residents seated inside the chamber, which now allows limited in-person attendance by residents. The developer, Adam Purser of the Charlotte-based Lat Purser and Associates, a family-owned company with projects in Georgia and the Carolinas, said they plan to build and own the community, which would be geared toward the medical community within walking distance of both the Prisma Health and Bon Secours St. Francis medical campuses. The plan, Purser said, is to build 3-story townhomes along the perimeter of Pelham and Hudson roads with 2-story townhomes on the interior. The project would include 275 parking spaces and would leave half of the acreage as open space, including a 25-foot fenced and tree-lined buffer from neighbors. Four prior attempts to rezone the same corner lot for commercial use as a CVS Pharmacy failed between 2006 and 2011. Now Purser is trying a different approach, a flexible review district, which would allow for the townhome development while keeping the site residential in nature. Purser told council members March 15 that his company would build a top-notch project with high quality materials surrounded by evergreens and a fenced buffer. Lat Purser would continue as owners of the rental complex, he said. Were long-term owners, he said. We invest in the property. Purser said he has proposed a number of traffic improvements, including off-site road and intersection improvements that must be approved by the state Department of Transportation, while adding sidewalks and crosswalks across Pelham Road. Entrances to the project are planned along both Hudson and Pelham roads, which neighbors said would create an even more dangerous traffic issue. Purser said he would consider adding an entrance on Country Squire Court, a dead-end cul-de-sac with about 15 houses that already has a traffic signal at its intersection with Pelham and Roper Mountain Road Extension. Residents were split on the idea with those who live on Country Squire opposed and those who live in other neighborhoods in favor. To have our road, a limited cul-de-sac being an entry point for 275 vehicles in this development just would destroy accessibility for our subdivision, said Wally Zinck, who lives on Country Squire. Lat Purser has already bought one of the three properties in the plan where a single house stands now. One other home, which would be torn down, sits on a second property. A vacant third corner property is owned by a family partnership. Murray Judy, one of those family members, told the council his family lived along Pelham Road since the 1940s, back when it was two-lanes and filled with farms and peach orchards. He said he was in favor of growth. I was here in the 1940s and they werent, he said via livestream. But, Sams said afterward, Judy now lives in San Diego, and the residents who live there now dont want the traffic headaches or density the proposal would bring. Kenneth Cosgrove, vice president of the Foxcroft neighborhood HOA, said the project would result in drivers making daring attempts to cross traffic along Pelham or Hudson roads without the aid of a traffic signal. Residents pointed to the countys own comprehensive plan, which calls for single-family residential in the area and the council-approved Pelham Road corridor plan also calls for low-density residential development. This, Cosgrove said, referencing the townhome proposal, is the antithesis of what makes Pelham Road special. Rep. Richard Heath's Legislative Update By Rep. Richard Heath MAYFIELD - This week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would eliminate barriers to educational opportunities for Kentucky children, no matter their economic status or where they live. The bill, HB 563, contains two major provisions as well as funding for full-day kindergarten across the state.First, it provides parents and guardians a historic opportunity to choose which public school system best meets the needs of their child. This legislation signals a historic shift in our states approach to education and provides parents an opportunity to meet their childs educational needs.Under the provisions of HB 563, public school districts would be required to develop a plan for accepting non-district students and allow SEEK funds to follow a student to other public school districts. State-funded per pupil monies through the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) program would follow a student to any eligible public school district. As it stands today, the per pupil funding for a student who resides in one district but attends school in a different district is allocated to the district where they reside. This is an obstacle to many families who want to go out of district to access programs or services that are not available in their own.The second major shift incorporated in HB 563 seeks to provide eligible families with financial assistance to access tools and resources to improve their childs education. To do so, the bill calls for the creation of Education Opportunity Accounts (EOA). These accounts would enable eligible families to receive financial assistance. Accounts would be operated by a non-profit account granting organization which would receive and distribute financial donations based on needs-based eligibility criteria. Those who make an EOA donation would be eligible to receive a tax credit of up to 95 percent of their total donation up to $1 million. The credit itself is capped at $25 million per fiscal year.EOAs will apply to rural, urban and suburban students and will benefit students from all backgrounds. EOA funds could be used to pay for tuition at public school districts across the state and private schools in counties with a population of more than 150,000 people. While tuition is a valuable tool, I am equally excited that the funds can be used for other education-related services, including online learning programs, tutoring services, textbooks, dual-credit options, transportation to and from school.While we recognize that school choice already exists in Kentucky, it is only an option for the families that can afford to move to another school district or enroll their child in another district. HB 563 will provide this opportunity and choice for all families who qualify.As with many things, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified calls for changing how Kentucky approaches the education of our children, specifically for providing more parental choice. Despite CDC guidance, schools have remained closed to in-person learning and failing grades soar across the Commonwealth. Many of the states 647,000 students have limited access to the educational opportunities they need to achieve their potential. However, prior to the pandemic the one-size-fits-all approach of our system of normal schools had proven difficult for some families to navigate and produced lackluster results despite billions in state budget investments.While this is new to our state, similar legislation is in place across our nation, including our neighboring states. Real results in states like Florida provide evidence that school choice results in better performance of both students and public schools. In Florida, opportunities for school choice led to major statistical improvements in both math and reading scores, despite spending more than $1,700 per pupil less.By passing this legislation, we reassert one of our main priorities, putting Kentucky children and their families first. We owe children and their families every opportunity to engage in deciding where they go to school and how that education will be enhanced with tutoring, therapy, advanced placement testing, and other resources.According to a recent poll by Washington-based polling firm CYGNAL shows that 77 percent of likely rural voters support educational choice and 57 percent of likely rural voters support both public schools and educational choice. Support is similarly strong when you combine all areas of the state, where 65 percent of likely voters support choice and across party lines with 69 percent of Independents, 56 percent of Democrats, and 67 percent of Republicans favorable to school choice.As we close in on the final days of the 2021 legislative session, I continue to remain committed to our goal of making Kentucky the best state to live, work and raise a family in. If you are needing assistance or have any questions, I can be reached during the week from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (EST) through the toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via e-mail at Richard.Heath@lrc.ky.gov. You can keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at legislature.ky.gov and you can also follow me on Twitter @Richard_HeathKY. Defense and foreign ministers from the US and are to discuss their concern over China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region as the Biden administration tries to reaffirm engagement with its key regional allies. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State are to hold so-called two plus two security talks on Tuesday with their Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi. The US ministers arrived in Tokyo late Monday. President Joe Biden's decision to send his key ministers to as their first overseas visit rather than hosting Japanese officials in Washington means a lot for Japan, which considers its alliance with the US the cornerstone of its diplomatic and security policies. That shows the U.S emphasis on the Japan-U.S. alliance, Motegi said in a parliamentary session Monday. He said China will be the topic he and Blinken discuss most, including how they can bolster their deterrence and response capability in answer to China. is in a delicate diplomatic situation because its economy, like those of other countries in the region, heavily depends on China. But it considers China's escalating maritime activity in the region a security threat. Beijing has built militarised manmade islands in the South China Sea and is pressing its claim to virtually all of the sea's key fisheries and waterways. Japan is concerned about China's claim to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea and its increased activity in the disputed area. China has denied it is expansionist and said it is only defending its territorial rights. On the Biden administration's first Cabinet-level trip abroad, Blinken and Austin are expected to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and the situation in Myanmar after its military coup. Japan and the U.S. are expected to reaffirm the importance of their three-way alliance with South Korea and may touch on the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues, but the issue is expected to be brought up in a subtle manner, Japanese officials said. Later Tuesday, they will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is expected to visit Washington sometime in the first half of April to meet with Biden in person becoming the first foreign leader to do so since he became president in January. In a move meant to signal his intention for the US to return to more engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, Biden on Friday held a first summit of the leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the U.S. known as the Quad virtually and emphasised Washington's commitment to the region. Blinken and Austin on Wednesday will head to South Korea, another key reginal ally. Blinken will meet senior Chinese officials in Anchorage, Alaska, on their way back to Washington. Austin will go from Seoul to New Delhi for meetings with Indian leaders. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Second vaccine against COVID-19 to be launched by Serum Institute in September Beijing says it will issue visas in India, but adds a vaccine clause India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: China will begin issuing visas to foreigners, but only after they have taken a Chinese made COVID-19, a statement by the Chinese foreign embassy in New Delhi said. The statement suggests that the Chinese vaccine rule was applicable for people intending to travel to China for business, work or meet relatives. The Chinese embassy statement did not specify whether the easing of the process applies to students. Quad summit: Cooperation between countries should not target third party, says China The new rule would make it difficult for Indians to get visas as New Delhi has not approved the use of the China made vaccine in the country. There are no direct flights between the two countries at present. The rule comes at a time when China has been promoting its vaccine shots. It has administered 65 million vaccine doses at home. However due to the lack of transparency about the clinical trial data, Beijing has not elicited an enthusiastic response from many countries. On Monday China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters that the foreign vaccine producers could file a request with the authorities concerned in China for a decision. As of now China has not allowed vaccines made in other countries. In the spring and summer of 2020, young people massively showed their support to the movement at the Black Lives Matter marches, which drew millions of demonstrators worldwide. On the streets, groundswells of youth - mostly teens and twenty-somethings - came together to protest against racial injustice. On social media, they mobilized participation, calling on their peers to speak out, and stand up for the equal rights of all. Their activism was all the more remarkable in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw restrictions on public gatherings in many countries. As the virus began to spread in early 2020, a parallel pandemic was unleashed - of hatred, violence and fear against certain ethnic groups and nationalities. It quickly became clear that stark inequities, sometimes rooted in racism, had subjected people of African descent, indigenous peoples and people of colour to a significantly higher risk of infection and death. Many of the young people heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those from minority backgrounds, are now grappling with an increase in racial discrimination, in addition to severe disruptions to their education; diminished employment prospects; and limited ability to participate in public life, which stymies their individual and social empowerment. This year, like every year as we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, we invite everyone, to join the youth around the globe who bring us closer to a culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination by standing up against racial prejudice and intolerance. Young people should be empowered to realise their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and access to information for they too have the right to participate in the life of the community. Young people, including those from minority backgrounds who may face discrimination, deserve stronger support in securing decent work and strengthening their job prospects. Young people have the right to learn about human rights and about human rights tools that can be used to fight against oppression, racism and discrimination. We call on all decision-makers to empower these young people by giving them a seat at the table at the decision-making table. Each year, the world commemorates the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960. The theme for this year's commemoration is "Youth standing up against racism." 16 March 2021 Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Research Future has published a Half-Cooked Research Report on the Global Aerospace Foams Market. Market Synopsis According to MRFR analysis, Aerospace Foams Market was valued at USD 5.42 Billion in 2018 and is projected to register a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period, 20192025. The growth in the number of passenger traffic due to the rising per-capita income and emergence of low-cost airlines are fueling the growth of the commercial aircraft segment, which in turn, is expected to contribute to the growth of the global Aerospace Foams Market Share in the coming years. Pricing and Regulatory Analysis In 2018, the aerospace foams were priced between USD 2.5 and USD 5 per square meter across the globe. Several aviation-based international governing authorities such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), National Qualifications Authority (NQA), and Aircraft Information Management Systems (AIMS) have framed safety requirements for airlines and aircraft structures. By Application Aircraft Seats: The segment accounted for the largest share of the global market in 2018 and is expected to continue the similar trend during the forecast period. The growth in the number of passenger traffic across the world is boosting the manufacturing of new commercial aircraft. Also, the growing safety regulations and standards for aircraft seating are propelling the growth of the segment. Interior Panel Structures: The segment held the second-largest share of the global market in 2018. Aerospace foams help in dampening the sound & vibration and also in thermal & electrical insulation of the interior panel structures. Floor Coverings: Foams help to meet mechanical performance requirements and the stringent aviation regulatory standards in floor coverings Flight Deck Pads: Flight deck pads are largely used for general aviation and military aircraft applications. Electrical Components: Foams play the role of preventing the electrical components from entangling and keeping in place, while at the same time protecting the electrical components from thunderstorms, and lightning shocks. By End-Use Commercial Aircraft: The segment held the largest share of the global aerospace foam market in 2018 and is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. An increasing number of air passengers in the developing countries of Asia-Pacific due to rising per-capita income and the surge in low-cost carriers in the regions are propelling the growth of the segment and thus boosting the growth of the global commercial aircraft market. General Aviation: The segment held the second-largest share of the global aerospace foams market in 2018. It includes two-seat training aircraft, utility helicopters, intercontinental business jets. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), there were more than 446,000 general aviation aircraft across the globe as of 2018, of which over 211,000 aircraft were in the US and over 136,000 aircraft in Europe. The fuselage, bulkheads, and wings of the general aircraft are made with light-weight composites, manufactured using polymer foams. Military Aircraft: The rise in military expenditure is likely to drive the demand for aerospace foams for military aircraft manufacturing in the coming years. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the military expenditure across the globe rose to USD 1.822 trillion in 2018, representing an increase of 2.6% from 2017. The five major countries in 2018 were the US, China, Saudi Arabia, India, and France, which together accounted for around 60% of global military spending. As per the report published by SIPRI, the military expenditure in the US was USD 649 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 799 billion by 2022. Chinas military expenditure in 2018 was USD 250 billion, and Indias military spending was USD 66.5 billion in2018. SEGMENTATION By Type Polyurethane Foam: The segment held the largest share of the global aerospace foams market in 2018 owing to its low cost and superior performance characteristics over other types of foams such as closed-cell structure, high rigidity, resistance to water and fire, and excellent durability. Polyurethane foam is finding increasing demand in the manufacturing of aircraft seating, floor covering, flight deck pads; passenger cabin walls; aircraft ceilings; overhead stowage; interior aircraft class dividers; aircraft galleys; and lavatories. It is also preferred in the manufacturing of Boeing BMS 8-133. Polyethylene Foam: Polyethylene foams also finds applications in aircraft manufacturing due to its excellent thermal and chemical resistance properties. Melamine Foam: Melamine foam is generally used for its excellent thermal and acoustic insulation property in the interior sidewall panels of aircraft. Metal Foam: Metal foams are largely preferred for military aircraft due to its excellent mechanical strength on account of its configuration that includes hollow metal spheres. Polyimide Foam: Polyimide foams are extreme temperature resistant and non-flammable, along with being light-weight and durable. This led to its widespread use in F110 engines, F135 engines, B-2 engine, F-117 engine, F-22 engine, missile structures, and fifth- & sixth-generation engines. Others: The others segment includes PET Foam, PVC Foam, Specialty High-Performance Foam, Polymethacrylimide (PMI) Foam, Polyetherimide (PEI) Foam, Polyethersulfone Foam (PES) Foam, Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) Foam, and Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Foam Browse Full Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/aerospace-foams-market-8492 By Region North America: The expanding aerospace industry in the US due to increasing passenger traffic and the presence of major aircraft manufacturers are driving the demand for aerospace foam in the region. Europe: The presence of leading airline manufacturers such as Airbus, AltiGator, ArianeGroup, and United Aircraft Corporation, among others in the region are contributing to the demand for aerospace foams. Asia-Pacific: The most opportunistic market, owing to rising per-capita income and emergence of low-cost aircraft. Middle East & Africa: The favorable geographic location is boosting the growth of the aerospace industry, which in turn is expected to drive the demand for aerospace foams. Latin America: The region is expected to register positive growth in the coming years owing to the growing aerospace industry. TWO kind-hearted young boys have kicked off a fundraising drive to help her get their little sister life-changing surgery in the United States. Alex (11) and Jamie OBrien (10) did a 5KM run around their neighbourhood in the Littlepace and Ongar area in west Dublin to raise money for their sister Sienna (3), who has Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. Gardai were on hand to ensure they crossed the road safely and escorted them home where they were met by family and neighbours. Siennas parents, Lesley Anne and Ciaran, are fundraising in order to pay for the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery, which is only performed in the US. Read More Lesley Anne said her son Jamie also has cerebral palsy and has been training with his brother Alex for weeks to run the 5KM. They got out and they ran 5KM and they fundraised 2,000 just in the little estate we live in. Their teachers were there at the house cheering them on and all the neighbours, she said. Lesley said the gardai in the community played a huge role in the fundraiser. I rang Blanchardstown Garda Station and I said this is what were doing and the guards said we would only be delighted to help, we love doing stuff like this. The guards came down and they were so lovely to the kids and they escorted them step-by-step to the 5KM and even came with us to the finishing line, she said. The family has also set up a GoFundMe page for Sienna with a goal of 120,000 which they hope to reach by September. Writing on the GoFundMe page, Siennas parents said: We have decided to take Sienna to St Louis in America for life-changing SDR surgery. Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) is an operation used to reduce spasticity (muscle stiffness) in some children with cerebral palsy. SDR is a surgical procedure performed on these spinal nerve fibres to reduce levels of spasticity in the legs. The family said that the procedure is currently not available in Ireland and America is the best place to go in order to give Sienna the best opportunity to walk in the future. The amount of Irish families who have done this is unbelievable. So many Irish families have gone and done exactly what Im doing and the success rate is amazing, she said. Lesley said its been an extremely challenging year for her family. Im a mother-of-five, Im a hairdresser. I dont work anymore because Im a carer. My husband is in the fire brigade, its been an absolute disaster of a year for our family, she added. For more information or to donate, please visit here A MAN who drank 16 pints of beer and assaulted two gardai by kicking them in the back of their heads has been left without a conviction after he paid 2,000 in compensation and apologised for his actions. One of the members of the force was forced to take six days off work as a result of the injuries he received while the other member was left sore. Shane Floyd (29) was attending a friends babys christening on the night and claimed consuming the 16 pints of beer had clouded his judgement. At the end of the night, while he was in the alleyway at The Grey Goose pub in Drogheda smoking a cigarette, security staff asked him to leave. He then attempted to punch the staff member and gardai, who were passing by at the time, attempted to arrest him. Read More Floyd then kicked Garda James Durkan and Garda Shane OMalley in their heads. The offences of assaulting the two gardai under Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Act happened on October 27, 2019. The defendant, of Elmwood Close in Termon Abbey, Drogheda pleaded guilty to assaulting both members of An Garda Siochana. He has three previous road traffic convictions. At a previous sitting of Drogheda District Court, Gda Durkan gave evidence that in the aftermath of the assault he was sore for a few days but didnt go off sick from work. Gda OMalley told the court he was off work for six days, following the assault. My head was sore for a few days and my neck was sore, said Gda OMalley. Defence solicitor Dermot Monahan said the defendant gave two letters of apology to the gardai and staff member of the pub last October. He was at his girlfriends friends babys christening party and drank 16 pints of beer. It was a long day and drinking clouded his judgement, said Mr Monahan. It all happened quickly and he didnt think, Mr Monahan said, adding the defendant regrets it and has a good work history. It all happened in seconds, Mr Monahan said. At a previous court sitting Judge Eirinn McKiernan ordered the defendant come up with 2,000 in compensation. Once the money was handed over, the judge ordered the money be given to the two injured gardai and applied Section 1.1 of the Probation Act, leaving the defendant without a conviction. [March 16, 2021] Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security from 2018 to 2020, Joins Visible Assets, Inc. Board of Directors. STRATHAM, N.H., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Visible Assets, Inc. (Visible), a global provider of RuBee (IEEE 1902.1), magnetic wireless asset visibility, sensor security networks, and artificial intelligence (AI) condition-based maintenance (CBM) systems, today announced the appointment of Lisa Gordon-Hagerty to its board of directors. Ms. Gordon-Hagerty served as the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from February 2018 through November 2020. Appointed by Donald Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was the first woman to hold this national leadership position. With more than 30 years of national security experience, Ms. Gordon-Hagerty was responsible for the management and operations of NNSA in support of President Trump's nuclear security agenda. NNSA, a semiautonomous agency within DOE, enhances national security through the military application of nuclear science. It maintains and enhances the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; works to reduce the global threat of weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe, effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. Gordon-Hagerty was also a member of the joint Department of Defense (DoD), DOE Nuclear Weapons Council. "As the Administrator of NNSA and numerous other agencies, she has championed and managed many national nuclear security programs both in the U.S. and globally. Her proven leadership, experience in government and business sectors, and broad knowledge of the new security and challenges faced by all governments today will enhance the high-quality board we already have in place," said John K. Stevens, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Visible. "She will also serve as chair of the Defense Advisory Board (DAB). This addition ensures we will continue to be driven by a diverse team with a wide range of experiences and opinions. We are truly honored that someone of Ms. Gordon-Hagerty's stature and experience has agreed to join the Visible board," said Stevens. Ms. Gordon-Hagerty holds both a bachelor of science and a master of public health degree in health physics from the University of Michigan. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Health Physics Society. She also served on the board of experts for the Federation of American Scientists. "Visible's RuBee wireless technology opens many new AI, automation, and modernization doors, with opportunities for enhanced security of mission-critical assets throughout the world," said Gordon-Hagerty. "Current and pending RuBee installations around the globe have the potential to automate and enhance nuclear security and mitigate the loss or damage of high-value weapons and other critical military assets. I am excited to be part of the Visible Assets board of directors and the chair of the Visible Defense Advisory Board, and I look forward to working with the company to help support and optimize RuBee-based security and visibility deployments globally." Ms. Gordon-Hagerty previously served in several U.S. government leadership positions, including as the director of the National Security Council staff for more than five years focused on combating terrorism. She was a professional staff member on the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce and served at the DOE both as director of the Office of Emergency Response and as acting director of the Office of Nuclear Weapons Surety. Ms. Gordon-Hagerty began her professional career as a health physicist at the DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and she was named to Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Prior to joining the Trump administration, she was president of Tier Tech International, Inc., a service-disabled veteranowned small business providing professional expertise to combat WMD terrorism worldwide. She also served as president and CEO of LEG, Inc., a consulting firm focusing on national security issues, and as executive vice president and chief operating officer of USEC, Inc. RuBee is an IEEE standard (IEEE 1902.1) based on magnetics. It works on and inside steel and underwater and provides asset security and visibility in harsh environments where RFID, Wi-Fi, NFC, and Zigbee cannot operate. Visible offers several integrated network security products, including Allegro Shot Counters, Asset 20/20, Server 20/20, and Armory 20/20, which provides real-timesecure fully automated weapons inventory, check-in/out, and ultrasensitive exit/entry management. All RuBee networks are based on embedded Oracle or SAP software systems and provide high-security visibility with no significant eavesdropping, tempest, or target risk. RuBee is the only wireless asset visibility technology approved for use in secure areas in the U.S. It has no known intrinsic safety risks and is approved by the U.S. government for safe use on high explosives. The current Visible board members include Jim Boyle, Partner Inflexion Fund; Richard A. Clarke, chairman, and CEO of Good Harbor Consulting, LLC; Philippe Duleyrie, Partner Firesteed Capital; Michael Kim, CEO of MedTrack; Tom Massenill, private investor; Admiral Ronald J. Zlatoper, retired four-star admiral; and John Stevens, CEO and chairman of Visible Assets, Inc. About Visible Visible is a privately held U.S. company based in Stratham, New Hampshire. Visible designs, manufactures and supports RuBee wireless real-time asset visibility AI solutions based on the IEEE 1902.1 standard. It provides integrated visibility solutions for a variety of markets via its RuBee application partners, including Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, U.S. DoD, U.S. DOE, SDT, LMT Defense, Raytheon, General Dynamics, ECLIPS, Estonian Defense Forces, Australian Defense Forces, and many others. RuBee visibility networks are installed and operating at over 2,000 commercial and government sites around the world. Visit us at http://www.rubee.com. Contacts: Tim Pierce, V.P. John Stevens, CEO 920-207-9555 617-395-7601 305205@email4pr.com 305205@email4pr.com www.rubee.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lisa-gordon-hagerty-administrator-of-the-national-nuclear-security-administration-nnsa-and-under-secretary-of-energy-for-nuclear-security-from-2018-to-2020-joins-visible-assets-inc-board-of-directors-301248176.html SOURCE Visible Assets, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 16, 2021] Unbabel Bolsters U.S. Market Presence, Ranks No. 70 on Inc. Magazine's List of California's Fastest-Growing Private Companies Unbabel, an AI-powered language operations platform that helps businesses deliver multilingual support at scale, today revealed it ranked No. 70 in the second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the California economy's most dynamic segment-its independent small businesses. "California is a special place culturally and for successful businesses to disrupt markets," said Vasco Pedro, co-founder and CEO at Unbabel. "As the economy looks to rebound, Unbabel is committed to being a champion for the local community and for ongoing job opportunities across multiple segments of our growing company." The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in California. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 535 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. Companies based in major metro areas-Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diego-brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: California, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found here. "This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry," says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. "The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay." About Unbabel Unbabel eliminates language barriers so that businesses can thrive across cultures and geographies. The company's language operations solution blends advanced artificial intelligence with human editors, for fast, efficient, high-quality translations that get smarter over time. Unbabel integrates seamlessly in any channel, so agents can deliver consistent multilingual support from within their existing workflows. Making it easy for enterprises to grow into new markets and build customer trust in every corner of the world. Based in San Francisco, Calif., Unbabel works with leading customer support teams at brands such as Facebook (News - Alert) , Microsoft, Booking.com, and Uber, to communicate effortlessly with customers around the world, no matter what language they speak. For more information, visit www.unbabel.com. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regional are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to beU.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent-not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies-as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc.reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005826/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Associated Press Lebanons president and prime minister-designate traded barbs Wednesday, accusing one another of obstruction, negligence and insolence in a war or words that has for months obstructed the formation of a new government as the country sinks deeper into economic and financial crisis. The power struggle between the premier-designate, Saad Hariri, on one side and President Michel Aoun and his son-in-law Gebran Bassil on the other, has worsened despite warnings from world leaders and economic experts of the dire economic conditions tiny Lebanon is facing. The World Bank on Tuesday said Lebanon's crisis is one of the worst the world has seen in the past 150 years. New Delhi: Eid al-Adha is observed during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. This year it will be observed on September 1 and September 2. On this day, Muslims begin their celebrations with morning prayers and exchange of gifts and slaughter a sheep or goat as part of the rituals. While in Trivandrum it is being celebrated today. This festival commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael). The festival falls on different days around the world and is only confirmed by the sighting of the new crescent moon. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Russias Cabinet to allocate $37 mln more to finance free medicines for COVID-19 patients flickr.com/ michael_swan 14:47 16/03/2021 MOSCOW, March 16 (RAPSI) Another 2.7 billion rubles ($37 million at the current exchange rate) are to be allocated to Russias regions for provision of free medicines to patients with coronavirus infection. This directive has been signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers explained that the measure concerns patients who receive medical care on an outpatient basis, that is, are treated at home under the supervision of doctors. To prevent an unfavorable course of the disease and development of complications, they are prescribed combined treatment regimens. All necessary medications are provided free of charge if prescribed by doctors. Earlier, more than 10.7 billion rubles ($147 million) were allocated for these purposes. The issue was considered and approved at a government meeting held on March 11. The generational divide is also often an explicit premise of many a #MeToo-era apology. When President Biden in 2019 addressed allegations of inappropriate touching, for example, he said: The boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. I get it. In Mr. Cuomos apology this month, he said: I understand that sensitivities have changed and behavior has changed, and I get it. And Im going to learn from it. But now, as at the beginning of the #MeToo movement, skeptics of the generation gap abound: A 2018 poll from Vox found that the difference in opinion about the #MeToo movement between older and younger women was much smaller than widely perceived. The starkest gap, rather, is the one between Democrats and Republicans. Generational conflict is often a euphemism for political conflict between people who happen not to be the same age, Dayna Tortorici, the editor of N+1, told The New Republic in 2018. In reality, every decade has feminists of diverging opinions and beliefs. And in the case of Mr. Cuomo, the writer Moira Donegan argues that the image he has projected of an older, oblivious man who bumbled his away into harassing his staff doesnt wash in light of the national reputation he meticulously constructed over the past year during his televised pandemic briefings as a hyper-competent executive. When #MeToo is a labor issue Unlike in some of the most high-profile #MeToo cases, the allegations against Cuomo largely concern not potential crimes but potential civil violations of labor law. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, workplace harassment sexual or otherwise is unlawful when it is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. Under New York State law, the standard is lower. Dozens of current and former employees told The Times that Mr. Cuomos office is indeed chaotic, unprofessional and toxic. This is especially true for young women, they said, but not exclusively: Two former male aides told The Washington Post that Mr. Cuomo routinely berated them with crude, anatomical language. If the New York attorney general, who is investigating the matter, verifies these allegations, the findings could lead to a civil suit. But the confinement of such stories to the workplace may also be what makes them easier for constituents to tolerate. Many older Democrats have what one calls virtue exhaustion, the Times columnist Maureen Dowd writes. Cuomo might be a jerk, many Democrats said, but at least hes not a fascist. As one New Yorker wrote to The Times in a letter to the editor: Whatever else Gov. Andrew Cuomo may or may not have ever done, no one can take away the sorely needed leadership role he took on at the start of the pandemic. At a terrifying time, when we New Yorkers were starved for guidance and no rational information was coming from the Trump administration, his was a soothing voice of reason. Matt James chose Rachael Kirkconnell to be his partner (but opted not to propose) during the finale of The Bachelor on Monday night and fans were not too pleased after her racially insensitive photos were released on social media. Fans of the show - who are referred to as Bachelor Nation - expressed their furor over 29-year-old James' decision to pursue a relationship with 24-year-old Krikconnell before revealing that they had ultimately split. Last month Kirkconnell apologized as she responded to the controversy, which includes photos of her attending the antebellum-themed college party, plus allegedly liking and sharing social media posts with the Confederate flag and Qanon conspiracies. Scroll down for video No happy ending: Matt James chose Rachael Kirkconnell to be his partner (but opted not to propose) during the finale of The Bachelor on Monday night and fans were not too pleased after her racially insensitive photos were released on social media Uh oh: Photos surfaced of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell at a plantation-themed party in 2018 as well as a history of liking photos with the Confederate flag among other controversies Taking a stand: Fans of the show - who are referred to as Bachelor Nation - expressed their furor over 29-year-old James' decision to pursue a relationship with 24-year-old Krikconnell before revealing that they had ultimately split She also had apologized on the After The Final Rose special which aired on Monday night following The Bachelor finale, however, viewers had already took to Twitter to express their distaste for James' decision. One fan was not pleased with James choosing Kirkconnell over semi-finalist Bri Springs who was eliminated in last week's episode and even brought up the big controversy writing: 'me screaming because matt chose a RACIST over BRI #Bachelor' Another fan reacted during the After The Rose Special as they posted a photo of Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons saying 'I'm in danger.' Torn apart: James said relationship was well and truly over after racially insensitive photos of Kirkconnell were released on social media Tense: Several fans expressed displeasure with the After The Rose special Hard times: At one point during the interview show, Matt began crying and Kirkconnell put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him 'Me watching Rachael put her hand on Matts shoulder to comfort him #Bachelor #AfterTheFinalRose #TheBachelor': A Twitter user posted a photo of Oprah putting out her hands and turning away from the Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview last week They captioned it: 'Rachael walking out knowing damn well were gonna question those racist a** photos: #TheBachelor #Bachelor' At one point during the interview show, Matt began crying and Kirkconnell put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. A Twitter user posted a photo of Oprah putting out her hands and turning away from the Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview last week with the caption: 'Me watching Rachael put her hand on Matts shoulder to comfort him #Bachelor #AfterTheFinalRose #TheBachelor' Earlier in the night James had eliminated Michelle Young in order to be with Kirkconnell and many fans were not happy about that decision. Heartbroken: Some fans were not pleased with James choosing Kirkconnell over semi-finalist Bri Springs who was eliminated in last week's episode One fan wrote: 'me screaming because matt chose a RACIST over BRI #Bachelor' One fan wrote: 'you know who would understand that going to an Antebellum party is wrong? Michelle. #TheBachelor' Michelle was interviewed on the aftershow and during James and Kirkconnell's interview a fan tweeted a .GIF of Oprah shrugging with the caption: 'Michelle back stage like: #Bachelor #AfterTheFinalRose #nhbpodcast' During the After The Rose special, James revealed that he had split with in light of the racism controversy. 'We're not together,' James said. 'It's heartbreaking. If you don't understand that something like that is problematic in 2018, there's a lot of me that you won't understand. It's as simple as that You know what was a long time ago? Plantations.' Sad: Earlier in the night James had eliminated Michelle Young in order to be with Kirkconnell and many fans were not happy about that decision Former flames: Michelle joined Matt during the After The Rose special One fan wrote: 'you know who would understand that going to an Antebellum party is wrong? Michelle. #TheBachelor' 'You wanna believe that you know your person better than anybody else knows your person. This controversy swirling around who Rachael is and events she might've attended, pictures that she liked and people that she's associated with. 'I'm trying to be there for her, and I dismissed them as rumors, because that's what they were to me. You hear things that are heartbreaking and you just pray they're not true. And then, when you find out that they are it just makes you question everything,' he added. James explained that Kirkconnell acknowledged she had more to learn about racial equality. 'I wasn't okay because it was in that moment and the conversation that I had thatRachael might not understand what it means to be black in America.' James explained that Rachael acknowledged she had more to learn about racial equality Franklin hand: Many fans were frustrated with the way Matt had handled the situation He told her that he 'couldn't move forward with their relationship', and said that it was 'heartbreaking' to say goodbye to her. James said that the controversy - 'including the incredibly disappointing photos of Rachael Kirkconnell and the interview between Rachel Lindsay and Chris Harrison' - has been 'devastating and heartbreaking, to put it bluntly. She had previously posted a written statement in addition to an Instagram video where she responded to the controversy. Viewers to the show referred to at being in Bachelor Nation, were not happy at James' choice with many feeling he should have proposed to Michelle. At the start of the seven-and-a-half minute video, Kirkconnell said: 'The first big step in all of this is white people stepping up and taking accountability. Things will never change if we don't all work together in working towards this racial progress and this unity that we want.' Kirkconnell went on to emphasize the importance of having uncomfortable conversations and putting in the work to 'unlearn' racism. 'I didn't recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn't excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist. The Bachelor host Chris Harrison stepped aside last month following his defense of current Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell and her racially insensitive past that included resurfaced photos from a plantation themed fraternity party Emmanuel Acho hosted After The Final Rose on Monday night after the usual host, Chris Harrison temporarily exited production of the how after he defended Kirkconnell's social media behavior 'The learning never stops. We all need to continue to educate ourselves,' she said, pointing viewers to antiracism resources in her Instagram Story and bio. She included articles titled, 'How I confronted the truth about my fraternity's racist history' and 'Why your native-inspired Halloween costume devalues our Indigenous cultures.' Earlier on Monday night's show, viewers saw James make a break from tradition in deciding not to propose to the graphic designer, despite saying he was 'in love' with her. When it came time for him to pop the question, James explained that he was more concerned with their life together than a rushed engagement. 'Everything that I came here looking for, I found with you,' he told the Cumming, Georgia, native. 'But I've seen what rushing into a proposal and marriage can do in my family, and it's ugly. It's not something that I want for you. Or for us. That's why I can't propose to you today. With one day left before the proposal, James met with jeweler Neil Lane and picked out a pear-shaped diamond Six among 120 volunteers in the first phase of the human trial of Vietnams homegrown COVID-19 vaccine Covivac received their jabs on Monday. Covivac is developed and produced by the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), while the trial is being carried out by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology at Hanoi Medical University. After receiving the first injections, all six Covivac volunteers exhibited positive results with no abnormalities reported. According to Dang Duc Anh, director of the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, each of the remaining 114 volunteers will receive their shots in sessions that are spaced eight days apart from each other until the phase ends on April 20. It is calculated that each session will accommodate 12-18 volunteers. Phase two of the Covivac human trial will commence right after the end of the first phase, with 300 volunteers to receive the doses in northern Thai Binh Province. All volunteers are enrolled for insurance contracts of US$1.7 million in total value, which will cover vaccine-related complications. According to Anh, volunteers will also be put under constant health monitoring during the trial period, as well as receiving seven medical screenings within a year from the injection to appraise the jabs safety and effectiveness. Covivac, if the trial is successful, will sell for US$2.8 per dose, the national radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported. Earlier on December 17, 2020, the Ministry of Health commenced human testing of Nanocovax, the countrys first COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC. So far, all 620 Nanocovax testers remain in good health conditions. The coronvirus vaccination campaign in Vietnam began on March 8. About 16,000 people in 12 provinces and cities have received their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine since. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! District Commences 5,000 m Drill Program at Tomtebo Property Posted by Publisher Internet District Metals Corp. TSX-V: DMX) (FRA: DFPP); (\District\ or the ?Company?) is pleased to announce that it has commenced drilling at its high grade polymetallic Tomtebo Property located in the Bergslagen Mining District in south-central Sweden. This drill program is focused on the historic Tomtebo Mine where detailed geophysical, geochemical, and geological work conducted by the Company has identified significant coincident anomalies, that in combination with historic drill results, have developed high priority targets.? Garrett Ainsworth, CEO of District, commented: ?This is an exciting time for the Company and our shareholders as we embark on the first substantial drill program at the Tomtebo Mine in almost half a century.? The potential of the Garpenberg Mine did not get unlocked until the 1990?s, and now we are applying that knowledge and technology at Tomtebo.?? Our geological interpretations from work carried out in late-2020 greatly contributed to firming up our drill targets, and the subsequent implications from these interpretations are very encouraging.? A key to this successful outcome has been the involvement of Rodney Allen and Hein Raat, who are both well-known experts in the Bergslagen Mining District. With a better understanding on the controls of polymetallic mineralization and the structural framework at the Tomtebo Mine, we have started our maiden drill program fully armed with knowledge to optimize every meter drilled.?? Drilling will follow up, infill, and step out from significant high grade polymetallic mineralization encountered in historical drill holes, and to obtain missing assay data. Borehole electromagnetic surveys (BHEM) will be conducted on all of the holes completed, which is an important modern technology used to detect ?off-hole? conductive sulphide mineralization that has never been previously carried out on the Tomtebo Property. The overall objective of this drill program will be to further establish the potential presence of a large polymetallic mineralized system that is presently daylighting at the historic Tomtebo Mine. A total of 5,000 m of core drilling in 21 holes is planned at the historic Tomtebo Mine with a focus on the Oscarsgruvan, Steffenburgs, Gardsgruvans, and Gamla Gruvans zones (Figure 1). Geological work carried out at the Tomtebo Mine in late-2020 identified the rock types and the hydrothermal alteration patterns that hosts the copper-gold and silver-zinc-lead mineralization.? The interpretation of this work has formed the basis upon which priority drill targets were selected.??? The generalized drill target strategy for each zone at the Tomtebo Mine comprises: Oscarsgruvan and Steffenbergs Zones: targeting silver-zinc-lead sulphide mineralization in skarn-altered limestone beds, and veins of remobilized massive sulphide within felsic volcanic rocks. Numerous sections of this stratigraphic horizon have not been drilled. In addition, targeting will focus on the extensions of massive sulphides intersected in the historical drill holes that coincide with conductive and magnetic high anomalies. Gardsgruvans and Gamla Gruvan Zones: targeting copper-gold vein networks and strong disseminations within and adjacent to zones of strong alteration. This includes the extension of this alteration zone at depth and to the southwest of Gardsgruvans. In addition, Rodbergsgruvan (located south of Gamla Gruvan) is a priority area to drill test with historical mineralized drill intercepts and coincident conductive and magnetic anomalies. Bjorngruvan Zone: targeting historical silver-zinc-lead and copper-gold drill intercepts coincident with conductive and magnetic anomalies that are located adjacent east of Oscarsgruvan. This will also provide important information on the stratigraphy, structure and alteration pattern at the inferred eastern ?limb? of the polymetallic system at the Tomtebo Mine. A comprehensive technical presentation is now available on the Company?s website that details the key geological interpretations at the Tomtebo Mine. Technical Information All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, President and CEO of the Company.? Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Ainsworth has not verified any of the information regarding any of the properties or projects referred to herein other than the Tomtebo Property. Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Tomtebo Property. The data disclosed in this news release related to drilling results is historical in nature. District has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. District considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company will use this data as a guide to plan future exploration programs. The Company\-\-s future exploration work will include verification of the data through drilling. About District Metals Corp. District Metals Corp. is led by industry professionals with a track record of success in the mining industry. The Company?s mandate is to seek out, explore, and develop prospective mineral properties through a disciplined science-based approach to create shareholder value and benefit other stakeholders. The advanced exploration stage Tomtebo Property is located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden is the Company?s main focus. Tomtebo comprises 5,144 ha, and is situated between the historic Falun Mine and Boliden?s Garpenberg Mine that are located 25 km to the northwest and southeast, respectively. Two historic polymetallic mines and numerous polymetallic showings are located on the Tomtebo Property along an approximate 17 km trend that exhibits similar geology, structure, alteration and VMS/SedEx style mineralization as other significant mines within the district. Mineralization that is open at depth and along strike at the historic mines on the Tomtebo Property has not been followed up on, and modern systematic exploration has never been conducted on the Property. On Behalf of the Board of Directors ?Garrett Ainsworth? President and Chief Executive Officer (604) 288-4430 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding ?Forward-Looking? Information. This news release contains certain statements that may be considered ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ?plans?, ?targets?, ?expects? or ?does not expect?, ?is expected?, ?an opportunity exists?, ?is positioned?, ?estimates?, ?intends?, ?assumes?, ?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?, ?will? or ?will be taken?, ?occur? or ?be achieved? and other similar expressions. In addition, statements in this news release that not historical facts are forward looking statements including anticipated results of future exploration and the results of additional compilation work.? These statements and other forward-looking information are based on assumptions and estimates that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, including, without limitation, assumptions about the reliability of historical data and the accuracy of publicly reported information regarding past and historic mines in the Bergslagen District the Company?s ability to raise sufficient capital to fund planned exploration activities, maintain corporate capacity and satisfy the? exploration expenditure requirements required by the definitive purchase agreement between the Company and the vendor of the Tomtebo property (the \Definitive Purchase Agreement\) by the times specified therein (failing which the Tomtebo Property will be forfeited without any repayment to the Company); and stability in financial and capital markets.? 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company\-\-s expectations include; the risk that historic data regarding the Tomtebo property is unreliable; the risk that information concerning production and mineralization at current and historic mines within the Bergslagen District proves to be inaccurate; the risk that the Company will be unable to raise sufficient capital to finance planned exploration (including incurring prescribed exploration expenditures required by the Definitive Purchase Agreement, failing which the Tomtebo Property will be forfeited without any repayment of the purchase price); future metal prices, general economic, market or business conditions, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading ?Risks and Uncertainties? in the Company?s MD&A for the financial year ended June 30, 2020.? The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Roman Catholic Church has finally caught up with the clear thinking of North Carolinians who believe that marriage is a union between one man and one woman. We know that because nearly two-thirds voted to approve a Constitutional Amendment that said just that. Tyler ONeal, writing at PJMedia.com reports: On Monday, the Vatican reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Churchs 2,000-year-old doctrine that marriage is between one man and one woman and that homosexual acts are illicit. Therefore, the Vatican stated that the church cannot bless same-sex weddings because that would lead to confusion about the doctrine of marriage. This should not surprise anyone with a basic familiarity with historic Christianity or with the Roman Catholic Church. The New Testament clearly condemns homosexual activity and Jesus explicitly affirmed the teaching of Genesis that marriage is between one man and one woman. The Catholic Church has a 2,000-year tradition of upholding this basic definition of marriage that, in historical terms, only came under fire yesterday. Yet legacy media outlets reported the Vaticans decision as if it were new and shocking. BREAKING: The Vatican decrees that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions since God cannot bless sin,' the Associated Press tweeted. Pope Francis says priests cannot bless same sex unions, dashing hopes of gay Catholics, ran The Washington Posts headline. CNNs report described the Vaticans statement as combative, warning that the move threatens to widen the chasm between the church and much of the LGBTQ community. The legacy media and many American and global institutions have rushed to embrace the hyper-charged sexual revolution of recent years, a revolution that weaponizes the language of tolerance, equates same-sex relationships with marriage, hints at polygamy, pushes nebulous gender identity over biological sex, and demonizes dissent from this agenda as bigotry. Activists have targeted churches, seeking to infiltrate Christian institutions and alter their doctrines. As Reuters reported, some parishes and ministers in Germany and the United States have begun blessing same-sex unions in lieu of marriage, sparking calls for bishops to institutionalize these blessings. Media outlets have breathlessly reported Pope Francis every garbled statement on the issue, suggesting that the Catholic Church was on the brink of overhauling its 2,000-year doctrine, even though many popes have spoken ex cathedra on the issue and popes speaking ex cathedra are considered infallible, according to Catholic doctrine. Both before and during his papacy, Pope Francis has endorsed the idea of state protections for civil unions. He has also emphasized the dignity of all people, including those who identify as homosexual. Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God, he said. Yet Francis occasional hints should not give reporters and Catholics false hope that the church will flip its marriage doctrine on its head. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican body that enforces orthodoxy, issued the ruling against church blessings of same-sex unions on Monday, citing many of the churchs previous statements on the issue. The statement acknowledged that priests who seek to bless same-sex unions are not infrequently motivated by a sincere desire to welcome and accompany homosexual persons. Yet the Catholic Church considers blessings to be sacramentals, sacred signs that resemble the sacraments. The seven sacraments are Gods way of providing grace to His people, according to Catholic doctrine. Marriage is one of the sacraments. When a blessing is invoked on particular human relationships, in addition to the right intention of those who participate, it is necessary that what is blessed be objectively and positively ordered to receive and express grace, according to the designs of God inscribed in creation, and fully revealed by Christ the Lord, the statement explained. For this reason, it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex, the statement explained. While the Vatican acknowledged the presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, it nonetheless firmly declared that such relationships cannot be blessed with a sacramental blessing. The blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit, but not as a form of unjust discrimination against homosexuals as activists claim but because of the churchs doctrine. The Christian community and its Pastors are called to welcome with respect and sensitivity persons with homosexual inclinations, and will know how to find the most appropriate ways, consistent with Church teaching, to proclaim to them the Gospel in its fullness, the Vatican added. The Vatican report explained that the ban on same-sex union blessings does not preclude the blessings given to individual persons with homosexual inclinations so long as they show the will to live in accordance with Gods plan expressed in the churchs teaching. Why did CNN describe this report full of caveats expressing hope and encouraging support for people who identify as homosexual as combative? The Vatican described the homosexual lifestyle as a choice. The Vaticans report argued that any sacramental blessing on same-sex unions would manifest not the intention to approve and encourage a choice and a way of life that cannot be recognized as objectively ordered to the revealed plans of God. CNN twisted these words, claiming the Vatican had called homosexuality a sin and a choice.' The report did not describe homosexual orientation as a sin or a choice, but rather the homosexual way of life in those terms. Perhaps these news outlets should acquaint themselves with Catholic doctrine and the actual words of the document on which they reported. The Vaticans decision is not new or shocking, but the legacy medias reaction to it has proved tragically revealing. Rather than seeking to understand why the Catholic Church continues to uphold its teaching, journalists appear to have enlisted as LGBT activists, reporting this humdrum development as if it were a shocking reactionary move. This bias helps explain why so much of the legacy media brushes aside serious religious freedom concerns that follow in the wake of LGBT policy, and why outlets continue to cite the scandal-plagued smear factory the Southern Poverty Law Center, which brands mainstream conservative Christians as hate groups alongside the KKK. Original source: Roman Catholic Church Surprises the Media Once Again PJ Media Click here to read the statement: Responsum della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede ad un dubium circa la benedizione delle unioni di persone dello stesso sesso (vatican.va) In the past few weeks, Parliament has addressed issues which seriously undermine good governance and the rights of those devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The continued lockdown is affecting churches yet there is a decline in cases and deaths. This can be regarded as one of the motives that led to parliamentarians raising peoples concerns adamantly and with clarity. Following the decrease of COVID-19 cases in South Africa, its government gradually began opening its borders, allowing worship albeit with limited numbers, and allowing schools to open. EmaSwati expected government to do the same as new cases and deaths have remarkably declined. When the acting prime minister announced a further two-week lockdown, it evoked frustration and anger among the populace. It is recollected that a few weeks ago a group of concerned pastors delivered a petition to NDMA expressing their frustration on the continued closure of churches. They felt the church official representatives were no longer serving the interests of the Christian community. Instead, they were giving in to governments pressure. The pastors viewed the restrictions on churches as no longer justified. The church community is frustrated because there were no reported incidents of infections in places of worship. The continued closure of churches is seen as exacerbating mental health issues as the church provides hope, social protection and counselling services among many. Schools were not seen as superspreaders when they were partially opened, hence there is a feeling that the future of children, especially those in public schools, is in jeopardy and this will further widen the gap between the rich and poor pupils, as children from affluent families have the means to learn remotely. Consequences Some people, on social media, expressed concern that the issues raised by parliamentarians may have adverse consequences, especially those who were seen to be vocal. I beg to differ. According to Section 84 (1) of the countrys Constitution, The people of Swaziland have a right to be heard through and be represented by their own freely chosen in the government of the country. Section 130 states that; The president, Speaker, MPs and any other person participating or assisting in or acting in connection with or reporting the proceedings of Parliament or any of its committees shall be entitled to such immunities as Parliament by-laws prescribe. Section 84 (2) further states that the freedom of speech, immunities and privilege referred to in subsection (1) shall not be impeached or questioned in any court of law or place outside Parliament. These provisions protect MPs from any persecution on all issues raised in Parliament. Hence, they are empowered to raise issues without fear or prejudice. Let us remember that MPs are representatives of the electorate; their responsibilities include providing assistance and advice to those in difficulties as we have seen them recently complaining that they now offer ambulance services in their constituencies. They are also communicators who relay constituency concerns to government and also play a role in the overall community development process. Parliament has a legislative function. Bradley and Ewing (2011) observed that it is the fundamental principle of democratic governments that there should be an elected assembly representing people and this assembly should have authority to make laws that apply to the entire population. To this end, it is the role of Parliament to pass laws of the country, including the national budget. The 2021/2022 budget resulted in a powerful debate in regard to the governments inability to focus on pressing matters of the people. The controlling of CTA spending was not seen as a success as it triggered petrol shortages that affected delivery of healthcare and other critical services. Declaration Also, the budget allocation for the Ministry of Health was not meeting the Abuja Declaration where governments committed themselves to allocate 15 per cent to healthcare and 10 per cent to agriculture according to the AU Maputo Declaration. The promise to increase enrolment of persons with disabilities in the disability grants was also viewed as tokenism as only a small number was allocated to each inkhundla leaving thousands without access. I would therefore like to express appreciation to MPs for listening to the plight of their constituencies and boldly raising their concerns. All 77 BJP MLAs in Bengal to have central security cover Swapan Dasgupta resigns from Rajya Sabha amid row over nomination for Bengal polls India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 16: Swapan Dasgupta, a BJP candidate for the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, resigned from Rajya Sabha on Tuesday amid a row over his nomination. The Trinamool Congress has called for his disqualification from the upper house in accordance with the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which says nominated RS member to be disqualified if he joins any political party AFTER expiry of 6 months from oath. Swapan Dasgupta has reportedly sent his resignation with the request that it be accepted by tomorrow. His term was till April 2022. On March 14, Dasgupta was fielded as the BJP candidate in the Tarakeshwar seat in the ensuing Bengal state elections. The former journalist is yet to file his nomination. Tarakeshwar is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site in Hooghly district and his candidature is significant in the backdrop of the BJP's Hindutva rhetoric. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 13:04 [IST] The Sri Lankan government will consider banning the burqa two years after ISIS fanatics killed 260 people in bombings of churches and hotels. The minister for law and order, Sarath Weerasekara, said the full face covering worn by Muslim women was a national security risk. 'In our early days Muslim women and girls never wore the burqa,' he said. 'It is a sign of religious extremism that came about recently. We are definitely going to ban it.' The burqa was temporarily outlawed in the days after the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings of three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo, which left eight Britons dead. The minister for law and order, Sarath Weerasekara, said the full face covering worn by Muslim women was a 'national security' risk (pictured: a woman wearing a hijab walks through a street near St Anthony's Shrine in the days after the attack) Military arrive after explosions went off near the Roman Catholic church, the Shrine of St. Anthony, in Colombo on Easter Sunday 2019 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in Colombo Bombs were detonated in rapid succession at three churches in Colombo on Easter Sunday, one of the holiest days in Christianity. Explosions also rocked three luxury hotels, targeting foreigners who were sitting down to breakfast. The most deadly blasts were at the two Roman Catholic churches, the Shrine of St Anthony and St Sebastian's, where 171 worshippers were killed. Three five-star hotels on the beachfront were attacked around the same time: the Shangri-La Hotel, the Cinnamon Grand Hotel and The Kingsbury. The attacks killed more that 260 people, including eight British tourists and the three children of the Danish billionaire owner of ASOS, Anders Holch Povlsen. At least 45 children, including nine foreigners, were killed in the atrocity. The attacks were blamed on two local Islamic extremist groups that had pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Advertisement The jihadist perpetrators of the attack had pledged allegiance to ISIS and Islamic State claimed responsibility in the aftermath. Later that year, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, best known for crushing a decades-long insurgency in the north of the country as defence secretary, was elected president after promising a crackdown on extremism. Rajapaksa is accused of widespread rights abuses during the war, charges he denies. Weerasekera announced on Friday government plans to ban more than a thousand madrassa Islamic schools that he said were flouting national education policy. 'Nobody can open a school and teach whatever you want to the children,' he said. A Pakistani and a UN expert have both expressed concerns over the burqa ban, with Islamabad's ambassador Saad Ambassador Saad Khattak tweeting a ban would only injure the feelings of Muslims. The United Nations' special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, tweeted that a ban was incompatible with international law and the rights of free religious expression. A government spokesman today said that the cabinet's decision on burqas had not yet been finalised. 'It will be done in consultation. So, it requires time,' Keheliya Rambukwella said without elaborating, at the weekly media briefing. Muslims make up about 9 per cent of the 22 million people in Sri Lanka, where Buddhists account for more than 70 per cent of the population. Sri Lankan police inspect a blast at the Shangri-la hotel in Colombo in April 2019 Ethnic minority Tamils, who are mainly Hindus, comprise about 15 per cent of the population. The government's moves on burqas and schools follow an order last year mandating the cremation of COVID-19 victims - against the wishes of Muslims, who bury their dead. This ban was lifted earlier this year after criticism from the United States and international rights groups. New York political power players are not immune to controversy and a rapid downfall, as weve seen from this months downpouring of serious allegations against Gov. Cuomo, and It forces citizens to look to their state representatives for leadership in restoring law and order and a moral high ground in our government. On almost every major scandal that engulfed Albany, Mid-Island Assemblyman (and dean of our representative delegation) Mike Cusick has put politics and political partisanship over the well-being and values of Staten Island and New York state. When it came to Inmate Number 71915-054, aka former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, using his immensely powerful position to receive kickbacks from developers doing business with the state, Mike Cusick voted to re-elect him Speaker, even though he was under federal investigation that culminated in his arrest only two weeks later. When former Assemblyman Vito Lopez was accused of sexual harassment, Mike Cusick refused to denounce the disgraced lawmaker and the $103,000 secret taxpayer-funded payoff, arranged by, you guessed it, Sheldon Silver. Cusick claimed denouncing the actions of his Democratic colleague would minimize the severity of the issue, whatever that means. Finally, now that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is being accused of covering up nursing home deaths in what seems to be a ploy to sell books on leadership, even though it was Cuomos disastrous order that led to many deaths in these facilities, Cusick is silent. What makes this even more troubling is that the majority of nursing homes on Staten Island are in the 63rd Assembly District. These are his constituents, and he says nothing. In light of the recent accusations of sexual harassment and assault also against the governor, Cusick hid behind a joint statement from fellow do-nothing legislators Charles Fall and Diane Savino, both North Shore Democrats that called for waiting until investigations are complete to pass judgment. It appears seven women sharing their credible accounts, and the calls for resignation from Mayor DeBlasio, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and over 60 of his Assembly Democratic colleagues wont convince Cusick to be on the right side of anything. Mike Cusick needs to be held accountable for his silence, which translates directly to being complicit. Partisanship must always take a back seat to doing whats right for the state he swore an oath to protect. We deserve answers. (Nicholas Robbins is a Castleton Corners resident.) [March 16, 2021] VRTCAL Ranks No. 179 on Inc. Magazine's List of California's Fastest Growing Private Companies SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VRTCAL , a leading mobile SSP focused on demand-path optimization (DPO) for mobile app developers, today announced it ranked No. 179 on Inc. Magazines second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list , the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies. As new privacy regulations impact the digital marketplace, VRTCALs platform provides a more efficient ecosystem for mobile app advertising. Since VRTCAL's founding, the company has continually offered technology and services that together empower mobile publishers, enabling them to monetize their efforts and maximize their outcomes. We're thrilled to be recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in California, said VRTCALs Founder and President, Todd Wooten. We wholeheartedly value the publisher experience and have worked hard over the last few years to build a technology that provides a direct path between publishers and advertisers while remaining flexible and agile enough to adjust to industry changes that impact publisher integration, rules and regulations. This noteworthy recognition is a true testament to our business approach. In 2020 alone, VRTCAL launched its first SDKs, self-serve and display mediation services , announced its SaaS oferings , released its 2.0 SDKs with support for VAST and rewarded video and was honored as the 290th company on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list . The company regularly adds services and features to its platform to keep its clients ahead of industry change and will continue to innovate in 2021 and beyond. This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. The companies on the Inc. 5000 Regionals list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in California. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 535% and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. Companies based in major metro areas Los Angeles, the Bay Area and San Diego brought in the highest revenue overall. To view the complete list of winners, please visit: https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/california . About VRTCAL Markets, Inc. (VRTCAL) VRTCAL is a mobile Supply Side Platform (SSP), focused on reducing the vertical distance between mobile publishers and advertisers and developing technologies that make a difference. The company provides mobile app developers and publishers with innovative technology for the delivery of advertising. The VRTCAL platform is a proprietary architecture that offers SaaS services focused on demand-path optimization, SDKs, oRTB, multiple mediation types and a MarketPlace with premium brands and advertisers. About the Inc. 5000 Regionals The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regional are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. Media Contact Kristen Frizzelle Blast PR for VRTCAL kristen@blastpr.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17) A Mandaluyong judge was red-tagged in a tarpaulin along Shaw Boulevard near EDSA after she ordered the release of a journalist and a union organizer. Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court Branch 209 Judge Monique Quisumbing Ignacio earlier cleared journalist Lady Ann Salem and trade unionist Rodrigo Esparago of charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite criticized the attack against Quisumbing-Ignacio. "The Courts are under attack! After PNP's attempt to profile HR lawyers, now we're seeing harassment vs. judges who expose their flawed searches!" Gaite posted on Twitter along with a photo of the tarpaulin. I condemn this act of intimidation against Judge Quisumbing-Ignacio. Hands off the Judiciary! Hands off Human Rights Lawyers!" he added. Prisoners' group Kapatid also called out the red-tagging of the judge. "The tarps speak for themselves. Independent, fair minded judges are under attack. Who has the motive to produce such inanity other than those extremely fond of red-tagging. Their handiwork will boomerang on them," the group said in a statement. Battery Park Marina serves as a premier property for Oasis Marinas being situated in downtown Sandusky and adjacent from Cedar Point. Oasis Marinas will oversee the day-to-day slip and marina management activities, boat services, facilities and grounds maintenance, and marketing activities. Oasis Marinas, a marina management company, announced today that they have been awarded the management contract for Battery Park Marina in Sandusky, Ohio. In August of 2020, the city commissioners agreed upon Marous Development Group taking acquisition of the business and lease hold rights to Battery Park Marina. Marous has selected Oasis Marinas, an Annapolis, Maryland based company with operations in the Great Lakes, to operate the marina. Oasis Marinas was founded by a group of boaters with executive expertise in hospitality and technology who are dedicated to creating a high-quality experience. The Oasis Marinas portfolio is closing on nearly 40 amazing properties, 6,500 wet & dry slips under management, and hundreds of RV pads, spanning from the Northeast, the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac, down to the coast of Florida. Battery Park serves as a premier property for Oasis Marinas being situated in Downtown Sandusky and adjacent from Cedar Point Amusement Park, one of the citys landmarks. Adding to their growing portfolio, this will be the companys 4th marina under management in the Great Lakes. Oasis Marinas will oversee the day-to-day slip and marina management activities, boat services, facilities and grounds maintenance, marketing activities, new development, and more at Battery Park as part of their agreement. Sandusky is a lively city and we couldnt be happier to have Battery Park as Oasis Marinas fourth property on Lake Erie, says Dan Cowens, CEO and Founder, Oasis Marinas. We cant wait to offer our services to the people of Battery Park and continue on the legacy of this amazing property. Marous has plans to upgrade and improve the facilities of Battery Park. Sandusky City commissioner, Eric Wobser, showed his appreciation and approval of Marouss dedication to improving the community. Were enthusiastic about the future of the site and Marous involvement based on our already great relationship and existing public-private partnership on other projects. Were also excited to welcome Oasis Marinas to our city. Our community will benefit from its high-caliber management and operation of Sanduskys Battery Park Marina. For more information regarding Battery Park Marina, please contact info@oasismarinas.com or visit https://www.batteryparkmarina.com/. About Oasis Marinas Oasis Marinas was founded in 2014 and is a privately held marina management company based out of Annapolis, MD. The company provides marina management services to marina owners that support all aspects of the marina, including boat slips, provisions, fuel docks and the associated contracts with the vendors running the maintenance services, restaurants, and other business services such as marina redevelopment and construction. Oasis mission is to incorporate a consistent, fun, welcoming, and well-maintained environment in every Oasis-managed marina. Learn more about us at http://www.oasismarinas.com. 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. Adds mobile booking, duty-of-care, sustainability and travel data solution to its spend management platform Emburse, a global leader in expense management and accounts payable automation solutions, announces the acquisition of mobile travel technology leader Roadmap. The acquisition strengthens Emburse's capabilities in delivering a superior end-to-end traveler experience. "Business travel will return but it will look completely different to pre-pandemic travel," said Eric Friedrichsen, CEO of Emburse. "Businesses requiring their employees to travel will place greater emphasis on the quality of that experience. They will also pay closer attention to business travel policies to ensure trips are not only cost-effective, but also safe and environmentally responsible. Bringing Roadmap into our suite of solutions allows our customers to offer their employees a modern, consumer-like travel experience that empowers employees and is reflective of their policies and values." A poor user experience can lead travelers to bypass corporate travel tools in favor of their preferred consumer platforms, which can lead to duty-of-care concerns, and make it difficult for organizations to support corporate employee travel. With Roadmap's straightforward user interface, Emburse customers can deliver a powerful, intuitive experience for their employees, while also ensuring that travel spend stays within corporate policy. Throughout the trip, employees receive employer-branded flight updates, destination tips and safety reminders via the app, creating a custom, curated experience. Roadmap's highly-configurable mobile business traveler solution is used by some of the world's largest organizations. It enables corporate travel teams to deliver a custom-branded mobile application that integrates all corporate travel suppliers into a single experience, tailored for the requirements of their travelers. Roadmap enables organizations to choose a variety of data options, such as travel bookings, duty-of-care insight, destination visitor information and trip carbon footprint data. Roadmap's strong data analytics allow employers to identify behavioral trends and adjust their travel policies accordingly. "Roadmap has a strong track record of providing a comprehensive, attractive, mobile platform for travel booking and trip management. This is reflected in its impressive list of multinational customers. Combining Roadmap's capabilities with our suite of solutions' deep experience in managing travel spend will provide a compelling proposition for organizations of all sizes. We're very excited to welcome Roadmap's incredibly talented team to Emburse," continued Friedrichsen. "Roadmap and Emburse share the same philosophy of humanizing work by providing a great user experience and eliminating the need for employees to spend time using unintuitive tools," said Jeroen van Velzen, CEO and co-founder of Roadmap. "By keeping users within the app for all travel-related activity, Roadmap helps organizations minimize booking leakage, which in turn improves spend visibility and controls cost. Together, we will be able to increase the pace of innovation for our customers, and enhance Emburse's existing mobile solutions. We look forward to being part of Emburse's continued global growth." Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. About Emburse Emburse humanizes work by empowering business travelers, finance professionals, and CFOs to eliminate manual, time-consuming tasks so they can focus on what matters most. Emburse offers a growing portfolio of award-winning expense and AP automation solutions, including Emburse Abacus, Emburse Captio, Emburse Certify, Emburse Chrome River, Emburse Cards, Emburse Nexonia, Emburse SpringAhead and Emburse Tallie. Its innovative offerings are tailored to meet the unique needs of specific industries, company sizes, and geographies, and are trusted by more than 9 million users in more than 120 countries. Over 16,000 customers, from start-ups to global enterprises, including Boot Barn, Grant Thornton, Telefonica, Lufthansa Systems, and Toyota rely on Emburse to eliminate manual processes, make faster, smarter decisions, and help make users' lives and their businesses better. Emburse is recognized as a leader in expense management and accounts payable automation by analyst firm IDC, and has received multiple awards for its high levels of customer satisfaction. For more information on Emburse, visit emburse.com, call 877-EMBURSE, or follow the organization's social channels at @emburse. About Roadmap Roadmap is a well-designed, more compliant, truly traveler-centric support system that leads to higher value for travelers and travel managers, powered by a digital travel assistant. The solution is fully customizable and branded to the corporate. Roadmap simplifies complex business travel processes by integrating all information about policies, supplier benefits, health and safety as well as tips and tricks from colleagues into one single overview. The platform works with major corporate travel suppliers and is being used by Fortune 500 customers like Nike, Microsoft, Pfizer, KPMG LLC, Merck MSD, McDonald's, Estee Lauder and many more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005297/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Maura Yepez Firebrand Marketing for Emburse 415 848 9175 emburse@firebrand.marketing Audio Attachment: Listen to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa North Tongu Lawmaker, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on irate youth not to turn violent on the publisher of the controversial textbooks which have denigrated Ewes in the country. Books titled ''History of Ghana'' and ''Golden English'' intended to be used by primary school children have ignited passions and anger in some youth who are said to have given every indication of their willingness to burn the books and/or office of the publisher as well as take the laws of the nation into their hands against the authors of the two textbooks. Particularly, the ''History of Ghana Textbook 3'' raised concerns in the public domain after the author described Ewes as ''juju loving'' people and also some songs in the textbooks which tend to undermine Ewes. A Ghanaian local publishing house, Badu Nkansah Limited is said to be behind the publishing of the books. The public took umbrage against the book in circulation which the Publisher admits "have not yet met the final approvement threshold. The author's tone has been described as offensive to Ewes and a section of the youth is reportedly bracing up to take violent actions against the publisher and the authors. Speaking in an interview on Peace FM's morning programme "Kokrokoo", Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa pleaded with the youth to cease fire. "There is no need to incite people and to feed on the pain. People are genuinely hurt and we must be soothing. We must be calming and we must assure them that we will get to the bottom of this thing. And you'll never know that maybe the people who are behind these things, just a few . . . provocateurs who don't even wish Ghana well [you know], they don't wish Ghana well and they will want there to be an explosion; so we must put them to shape and work together and just resolve this matter once and for all." He further pledged to be part of the solution to the issue, not an instigator; hence calling on his fellow lawmakers and leaders of the nation to have a calming voice on the matter. " . . I can make that pledge and that commitment to you that we will be part of the solution because we shouldn't escalate matters further. It won't help any person!," he emphasized. The publisher of the textbooks says it has recalled all copies of the controversial textbooks from the market.Spokesperson for the publisher, Mark Osei has also apologized for their ''offensive description'' of Ewes in the publication and maintained that we sincerely regret this which wont happen again, in an interview onmorning show "Ghana Montie".According to him, although the book had satisfied most of the technical content requirements, the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) had informed them to work on certain aspects of the book for it to meet the expectations of the new curriculum.The said publication also features a song that shows the Ewes identity by making inappropriate references which are deemed unfortunate and in contradiction with NaCCA's Book Submission Guidelines and Approval Methodology which guide the work of publishers and authors.Mark Osei stated that copies of the book were leaked but assured the general public all will be retrieved.He stated the copies will be set ablaze saying its unfortunate, all we will say is sorry but I can assure you that we will retrieve all and burn them in the public. 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 Mr. Biden, according to White House aides, is open to appointing Mr. Blum to an ambassadorship, which is among the most coveted positions in any administration. After prioritizing the appointments of their West Wing staff and the cabinet, the president and his top advisers have only recently started considering whom to dispatch overseas. One potential ambassador, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic, said Mr. Biden himself wants to pore over the list of potential appointees and does not feel rushed. There is, however, rising impatience among the would-be envoys. Former senators, including some who served in the Senate with Mr. Biden, are particularly eager to gain some clarity and have taken note of how few in their ranks have joined the administration to date, according to one prominent Democrat who has spoken to them. The president, himself a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is attempting a delicate balancing act: rewarding loyal donors and former colleagues without flooding the diplomatic corps with political appointees, as some of his associates thought former President Donald J. Trump had done. Former senators who could be named as ambassadors include Jeff Flake, the Arizona Republican who backed Mr. Biden; Joe Donnelly of Indiana; Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota; Ken Salazar of Colorado; and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut. Its not just former members of Congress looking for positions. A handful of current lawmakers are still hoping to join the administration but are waiting because of Mr. Bidens own deliberations and the Democrats narrow majorities. For example, Representative Dina Titus of Nevada, an early Biden supporter, is hoping for an ambassadorship, but there are currently three Democratic vacancies in the House, where the party holds a slim majority. Mr. Blums desire for an ambassadorship could prove consequential, though. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, facing an increasingly likely recall threat and eager to energize his partys base, pledged in an interview with MSNBCs Joy Reid on Monday night that he would appoint a Black woman to replace Ms. Feinstein. He acknowledged he had multiple names in mind for a vacancy that does not exist. Improving access to innovative and cutting-edge treatments for brain tumor patients. Representing the "patient voice" in disease education materials and clinical trial design. Increased participation in Industry Advisory Boards. Authorship of peer reviewed articles for scientific publication. Exploration of expansion of EBCI's advocacy, education, awareness & outreach communications through podcasts and television to further strengthen EBCI's leadership position in the brain tumor space globally. It will also allow for the President & Board Chair, Dellann Elliott Mydland, to continue her guidance of EBCI's transition to a self-sustaining, social enterprise with greatly expanded patient services while continuing to drive EBCI's vision and mission. As Executive Director, Susan Kellner will assume responsibility for much of EBCI's day-to-day operations in conjunction with Ms. Mydland's continued daily involvement. She was selected for this position because of personal experience with EBCI and her blazing track record as an entrepreneur in both the corporate and nonprofit arenas. Ms. Kellner started her career serving affluent clientele as a Private Risk Management Advisor in the Seattle Metro Area, and more recently harnessed her entrepreneurial spirit to launch several successful companies in areas as diverse as professional services, marketing, branding, and physical wellness. Throughout her evolving career, Susan has served on numerous Non-Profit boards including Youth Eastside Services and the Fred Hutchinson Executive Committee where she developed new donor contacts and successfully nurtured existing donor relationships. Affiliated with EBCI for almost a decade, Ms. Kellner credits EBCI with connecting her to the expert care she needed when diagnosed with her own benign brain tumor. She has since built out EBCI's digital and social media presence to one of the more premiere organizations within the brain tumor space. Said Ms. Kellner of her appointment: "My mission to see an end to brain cancer has driven a deep desire in me to make a difference in the lives of those patients and families who have already been affected by this disease along with those who have yet to walk that treacherous path. My ability to walk alongside Dellann as she continues to do what she does best is both an honor and a privilege. "Disease education, awareness, outreach, and services are paramount to the extension of life and eventual survival of this debilitating disease. I am honored to be a part of such a forward-thinking organization with whom I share an intense passion for finding a cure." Dellann Elliott Mydland echoes these sentiments: "The Board and I are thrilled to have Susan as part of EBCI's Senior Leadership Team as we enter this exciting new chapter in EBCI's growth and development. There is much to be done to more fully meet the needs of the brain tumor community and I personally know how important Susan's drive, energy, and unique perspective will be as we build out our programs, services, industry presence and thought leadership with the shared goal of finding a cure for this dreadful disease." About the EndBrainCancer Initiative The EndBrainCancer Initiative (EBCI, formerly the Chris Elliott Fund) is a national brain tumor patient advocacy and services organization and 501(c) 3 social enterprise with offices and its "Direct Connect" Center & Referral Clinic located in Redmond, Washington. Now celebrating 19 years of service, EBCI remains committed to extending survival and bringing HOPE to the lives of patients and their families. Since its inception, EBCI has assisted thousands of patients, caregivers, and their families in their brain tumor journey and is acknowledged as a premier resource for the brain cancer community globally. 2021 marks an exciting new chapter for EBCI as it builds on past successes to pivot to a sustainable business model that supports greatly expanded programs and services and continued global leadership. Contact: Dellann Elliott Mydland, 435-785-8489, [email protected] SOURCE The EndBrainCancer Initiative (EBCI) Related Links https://endbraincancer.org Maslenitsa, or Shrovetide, is an ancient Orthodox Christian holiday celebrated in the last week before the Orthodox Lent. The festivities -- also known as Pancake Week -- are traditionally celebrated in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine and mark the end of winter. Celebrations feature the baking of traditional pancakes, sleigh rides, sparring between groups of men and, finally, the burning of an effigy of Lady Maslenitsa. Shrovetide precedes the beginning of Lent, with each day of the week holding its own meaning. Shrove Sunday, also known as the Sunday of Forgiveness, is a day for asking forgiveness for the harm caused to other people intentionally or unintentionally. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 16 : Former Cabinet Secretary and Principal Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), P.K. Sinha, has resigned from his post on personal grounds. Sources said the retired 1978-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre put in his papers on Monday evening. Sinha was appointed in the PMO in September 2019 following the general elections, after he retired as the Cabinet Secretary. After Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra, Sinha became the second high-profile official to the exit the PMO. Misra had resigned in August 2019 after the Lok Sabha elections, prompting a rejig in the PMO. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Press Release March 16, 2021 Lacson Pushes Senate Probe of 'Tong-Pats' Racket in Hog Importation More at: https://pinglacson.net/2021/03/16/lacson-pushes-senate-probe-of-tong-pats-racket-in-hog-importation/ Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson pushed Tuesday for a Senate investigation into the activities of a syndicate within the Department of Agriculture that stands to gain billions of pesos in "tong-pats" from the DA's recommendation to lower tariff rates on - and to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of - imported pork products due to the severe impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on the swine industry. Lacson said the anomalies amount to a triple whammy that threatens to kill our local hog industry while raising health concerns and costing the government forgone revenues. "We should unmask who is/are behind this scheme no matter how powerful and influential he may be with this administration. I want to see even a whiff of enthusiasm from the President to order the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and other concerned agencies to investigate, not to mention heed the call of the Senate to disapprove the DA's recommendation to reduce the tariff and increase the volume of pork importation. Let's see," Lacson said. "I have talked to Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III to have the Senate look into this, so we can get the documents we need. So far, we have received documents from the Bureau of Customs and DA. Still, we need more data to get to the bottom of the anomaly," he added in an interview on TeleRadyo. Lacson said DA Secretary William Dar should know or at least have heard of the shenanigans within his department, particularly in the MAV Management Committee, headed by Acting Undersecretary William Medrano and composed of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) - along with the "SOPs" in the allocation of quota to favored importers and the issuance of the Phyto-Sanitary Import Clearance (PSIC). "This practice has been going on for several years now. For example, between June and October 2018, imported pork from banned countries due to the ASF like Belgium, Hungary, Germany and China flooded the local market which prompted the issuance of a memorandum order by then DA Secretary Emmanuel Pinol," he said. On the other hand, Lacson cited a letter from the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) party list to Senate President Sotto on behalf of 80,000 backyard hog raisers, expressing concern that the DA's proposed increase in pork meat importation by expanding the MAV while imposing a reduced tariff may kill the local industry. In the letter signed by its president Nicanor Briones, AGAP said that while it is not against importation, 400,000 MT is too much and may cause an oversupply nationwide, while cutting tariff rates may cost the government some P13.95 billion in revenues, and thus "unnecessary and unacceptable." Similarly, concerned poultry integrators composed of major producers and suppliers of poultry appealed to Sec. Dar to calibrate the importation of finished chicken products and stay within the MAV limit of 23.4 million kilos per year. They requested that the DA disallow the continued importation of chicken finished products especially "with diseases that have mostly come from abroad," adding historical data show increased importation may destroy the local poultry industry. On Monday, Lacson bared the "tong-pats" anomaly at the DA and urged the PACC to conduct a motu proprio investigation into the setup, as he noted that "we are dealing with public money and possibly foregone revenues." "I received this disturbing information from a highly placed source who has knowledge of the modus operandi within the agency that at present rates of 30-percent tariff on in-quota hog importation and 40 percent for off-quota importation, mayroong umiiral na kalakaran na tong-pats or 'SOP' of P5 to P7 per kilo," he said in his interpellation of a Senate Resolution expressing the sense of the Senate to persuade President Rodrigo Duterte to disapprove the DA recommendation. "Nasaan na ang konsensya ng mga taong iyan, who, in the middle of a deadly pandemic, nagsasamantala pa para pagsamantalahan ang African Swine Fever?" he added. Such a racket could be considered "COVID corruption" where unscrupulous people take advantage of others even during a pandemic - and thus deserve the worst, Lacson said. "Covid capitalism vs Covid humanitarianism. In theory, the choice is clear. Unscrupulous people have another choice: Covid corruption. On their day of reckoning, they will burn in hell," he had said on his Twitter account last Sunday. Lacson is among the co-authors of the resolution, which is also introduced by Senate President Sotto, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, minority leader Franklin Drilon, Cynthia Villar, Francis Pangilinan, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Richard Gordon, Leila de Lima, Ronald dela Rosa, Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Imee Marcos, Ramon Revilla Jr., Emmanuel Pacquiao, Grace Poe, Francis Tolentino, and Joel Villanueva. The resolution noted imported pork products within the current MAV ceiling of 54,000 metric tons are charged with 30-percent tariff while identical products beyond the MAV quota pay a 40-percent tariff. It added the DA, seeking to address increasing prices of pork and an estimated supply deficit of 388,491 MT, proposed to increase the MAV from 54,000 MT to 404,000 MT. It also sought to lower the quota tariff rate by as much as 83 percent, from 30 percent to 5 percent if within quota; and from 40 percent to 15 percent if beyond the quota. Lacson pointed out that if the tariff for importations is brought down and the MAV is increased, the syndicate can jack up its tong-pats from the current P5-7 to P10-15 per kilo - easily earning P4 to 6 billion from the 400,000 metric tons or 400 million kilograms. "Gusto kong manawagan sa PACC to conduct a motu proprio investigation to find out kung totoo ba na at current tariff rates ang sa volume 54,000 metric tons, kung may P5-7 tong-pats per kilo, dapat alamin natin ito. Kaya siguro nagpipilit na ibaba ang tariff at itaas ang volume. Kasi katakot-takot ang balak kitain ng mga sangkot," he added. Former General Amadou Haya Sanogo, the man who overthrew Malis president in 2012, will no longer stand trial on charges he had 21 soldiers killed after a failed counter-coup that same year. According to AP, while one woman, who had pushed for criminal charges in connection with the 2012 violence, called the courts decision disgrace, the Malian government, on the other hand, has said that it will compensate the victims families with housing and financial reparations based on the victims rank. The officials added that the victims minor children will also be considered wards of the state under the deal. However, Marima Soumare, who filed a complaint against the junta for kidnapping and rape during the 2012 events, said, This decision is a disgrace for Malian justice. We cannot let someone go who killed his brothers in arms and raped women with impunity. 2012 Mali coup As per the report, the Human Rights groups have also decried the long quest for the victims, whose bodies were found in a mass grave. Sanogo and his co-defendants did not go on trial until late 2016 and then the case was swiftly adjourned. The trial was supposed to start up again in 2020, but no date was then set for it to resume and Sanogo was released from custody. It is worth noting that the political upheaval of Malis 2012 coup and the ensuing power vacuum had paved the way for Islamic extremists to further their grip in the countrys north. Back in 2012, Sanogo was backed by the rank-and-file soldiers who marched on the presidential palace and toppled President Amadou, Toumani Toure. The former general, though, was opposed by the elite paratroopers known as the Red Berets who made up the ousted presidents guard. When they had attempted to lead a counter-coup the following month, human rights groups said that Sanogo responded with force. The counter-coup had failed, however, Sanogo later handed over power to a transitional civilian government and left after negotiating for a salary to be given to him as a former head of state. (Image: AP) Jessica McClintock, a fashion designer who outfitted generations of young women for their homecoming dances and proms, supplied their bridesmaid dresses and bridal gowns and thus evoked for many a lace-draped aura of nostalgia, died Feb. 16 at her home in San Francisco. She was 90. She had congestive heart failure, said a half sister, Mary Santoro. For more than half a century, ever since she struck out in California as a divorced mother with an untrained but keen eye for fashion, McClintock was one of the most popular designers of affordable formal wear for young women. If a red carpet blazed the way to an average high school dance, and celebrity reporters craned over the velvet rope to pepper arrivals with that time-honored query - "Who are you wearing?" - the name "Jessica McClintock" would surely become a familiar reply. For brides who did not wish to bankrupt themselves or burden their bridesmaids with the purchase of dresses in the four-digit price range, McClintock became a go-to label for attractive options. Perhaps the most famous bride to don a Jessica McClintock frock was Hillary Rodham when she married a Yale Law School classmate, Bill Clinton, in 1975. The dress was long-sleeved and lacy, with a ribbon in front - purchased, according to Brides magazine, for $53 at the Fayetteville, Ark., mall. "Poufy-sleeved, pastel, and pretty dresses were purchased for sweet sixteens, quinceaneras and other [once-in-a-lifetime] occasions," read an obituary for McClintock published in Women's Wear Daily, which in 1997 ranked her seventh on its list of most recognized labels. "That emotional connection helped to make the brand a favorite throughout the country, especially among middle America." McClintock's aesthetic changed over the years, from the flowing calico prairie dresses of the 1970s to the taffeta minis favored by later generations. She was perhaps best known for a lacy look that evoked all manner of historical associations. A reporter for the Wall Street Journal described her party dresses as "steeped in the imagery of Victorian romance and virginal sex." People magazine in 1984 described one of her lines as "Gatsbyesque." A paid death notice published in the San Francisco Chronicle depicted an early collection as aspiring to an "Edwardian and Renaissance look." "I have a romantic feeling about life," McClintock, who boasted that she used more lace than any other designer in America, once told an interviewer. "I like Merchant-Ivory movies and candlelight and beautiful rooms. I like the patina of age." Her San Francisco-based company expanded over the years to include boutiques across the country and products including handbags, jewelry, eyeglasses, fragrances, bedding and furniture. By the 1990s, her annual sales reportedly surpassed $140 million. She was not selling merchandise, she told People magazine, but rather "romance and fantasy." "I imagine myself lying here reading Emily Bronte," she told the reporter, reclining on a chaise. "I live in a dream world." Jesse Earl Gagnon - she never used her given name - was born on June 19, 1930, near the Canadian border in Frenchville, Maine, and grew up in nearby Presque Isle. Her father, a shoe salesman, and her mother, a beautician, divorced when she was 2. She cited her mother, who supported her children by playing the piano in silent movie theaters, working in a hotel and running a beauty salon, as a chief role model as an independent woman. McClintock learned to sew from her maternal grandmother but had no formal training in fashion design. She dropped out of Boston University to marry her first husband, Alston Frank "Al" Staples, with whom she had a son, Scott. They settled in California, where McClintock became an elementary school teacher after receiving a bachelor's degree in education from San Jose State University in 1963. Around that time, her husband was killed in a car accident. McClintock entered the fashion industry in 1969 or 1970, when, referred by a friend, she made a $5,000 investment in a San Francisco dress store called Gunne Sax. She soon bought out her co-investors to become sole owner of the company, which became popular among the hippie set. "Hippies didn't talk about the clothes they wore; they were beyond that," she told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2011. "That's why Gunne Sax was so important in those days. It was a stamp for them. They used to wear them in the parks, getting married, the long calico dresses, barefoot and all." According to an obituary published in the Chronicle, McClintock opened her first eponymous store in San Francisco in 1981. In the 1990s, she found herself at the center of a controversy centering on the unpaid wages owed to 12 Chinese garment workers employees by a Jessica McClintock contractor that went bankrupt. Although McClintock's company was not legally liable for the wages, activists organized demonstrations outside her boutiques as well as a boycott of her brand, charging that she was morally obligated to pay the dressmakers for their work. Her critics took out an advertisement in the New York Times, enumerating their charges under the heading "Let Them Eat Lace." In 1993, McClintock agreed to make a charitable donation to the Northern California Chinese Garment Contractors Association, to be distributed to the unpaid workers. In 1996, she reached an agreement with the Asian Immigrant Women Advocates, promising to work with the group to promote fair labor practices, that ended the boycott. McClintock lived in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood in a Queen Anne Victorian home that she had purchased from film director Francis Ford Coppola. Her second marriage, to Fred McClintock, ended in divorce. Besides her half sister and her son, Scott McClintock of Las Vegas, survivors include two half-brothers. "Every woman wants to be romantic at some point," McClintock told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1990, reflecting on the appeal of her fashion line. "The hard edges will always be there because, let's face it, women are living in a world where they have to keep up with men. So I design for memories, for dreams, the softness of life." 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. Kangana Ranaut has been giving out regular updates to her fans and followers during her shoot for her upcoming films. Be it some BTS pictures and videos or her wrapping up a shooting schedule, the actor makes sure to inform her fans of every detail of the same. Kangana recently took to her social media handle to tell her fans about her wrapping up the Delhi schedule of her Tejas shoot. Not only that, but the actor also said that she will be shooting at her 'favourite' place next. Talking about the same, Kangana Ranaut took to her Twitter handle to share a beautiful picture, wherein she can be seen posing with her Tejas director, Sarvesh Mewara. The Tanu Weds Manu Returns actor is looking pretty as a daisy in the picture in a white loose sweater top which she has paired with blue jeans. The actor penned a lovely message for her director along with the same. Also Read: Manikarnika Returns: Case Filed Against Kangana Ranaut For Cheating & Copyright Breach Kangana Ranaut stated how she has successfully completed her Delhi schedule for Tejas. She further wrote how her 'commander-in-chief' Sarvesh Mewara is a first-time director but she felt that he has been making movies all his life and that too, good ones. The Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi actor went on to say that she will be heading off to her 'favourite' place which is none other than Rajasthan, to kick-start the next schedule of the movie. Her caption for the same read as, "Today team Tejas successfully completed Delhi schedule, our commander in Chief @sarveshmewara1 is a first-time director but it seems he has been making movies all his life and good ones. Tomorrow off to my most favourite place Rajasthan for the next schedule." Take a look at the tweet shared by the actor. Today team Tejas successfully completed Delhi schedule, our commander in Chief @sarveshmewara1 is a first time director but it seems he has been making movies all his life and good ones. Tomorrow off to my most favourite place Rajasthan for next schedule.@nonabains @RSVPMovies pic.twitter.com/IIVblCgg3C Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 15, 2021 Apart from this, Kangana Ranaut went on to share another tweet wherein she shared a glimpse of her binging on some delicious desserts. She captioned the same stating, "Delhi wrap ... uummmmmm. Is there something called vulgarly delicious." Take a look at the same. Delhi wrap ... uummmmmm Is there something called vulgarly delicious? pic.twitter.com/77w89COCoA Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 15, 2021 Meanwhile, talking about the film Tejas, Kangana Ranaut will be essaying the role of a Sikh soldier, Tejas Gill in the same. She will also be seen in the film Dhaakad. Apart from that, the actor will be seen in the much-awaited film, Thalaivi. Also Read: Kangana Ranaut Posts Controversial Tweet About Mahatma Gandhi: He Was A Great Leader May Not A Great Husband Photo: (Photo : Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva from Pexels) The American Rescue Plan Act signed into law on March 4 included a new child tax credit that will offer a significant financial boost to millions of Americans. The new law provides updates to the new child tax credit, $1,400 stimulus checks, and expanded unemployment insurance. Families will receive a $3,000 annual gain per child aged 6 to 17 and $3,600 for each child under the age of 6 in the tax year 2021 under the new rules. Approximately 4.1 million children under 18 are expected to directly benefit and be brought above the poverty line. Another 5.75 million children will move closer to the poverty line, including children of divorced parents and unmarried couples. The law also instructs the IRS to give advance payments to parents of up to half the credit sum every month beginning in July 2021. Yet, none of the other rules for claiming dependents are altered by the bill. And divorced parents or unmarried couples may face difficulties there. According to experts on tax policies, the IRS is likely to begin sending the benefits of the new advanced payments made available under the American Rescue Plan to the individual who claims the child on their tax return in 2020. Since the department usually uses the most up-to-date information on paper, this is the case. They say, "This could create difficulties for children who are moving between parents or households or who have shared custody." This is particularly true for parents who seek the child tax credit in alternating years since one parent will effectively receive the tax credit two years in a row. READ: Child Tax Rebate for Divorced and Unmarried Parents in COVID-19 Relief Bill Experts also added that one of the issues they have in determining that child tax credit on an annual basis and doesn't reflect how all children of divorced parents live. Tax Foundation senior policy analyst Garrett Watson also shares that the Treasury Department and the IRS have not yet released any information on administering advanced payments to parents in split custody arrangements. Although parents will not be allowed to divide their children for tax purposes - one parent will receive the entire yearly sum - the $1.9 trillion relief bill guides the IRS to create an online platform to help manage the advanced payments. According to Maag, this platform should allow parents to update their tax details and decide who should receive advance payments so that one parent does not receive the tax credit twice in a row if they alternate years. ALSO READ: How to Claim Missing Stimulus Checks for 2020 Babies New Child Tax Credit Still Unclear There are other issues left untouched by the new law. Thus, a safe harbor clause has been included by lawmakers to assist with child tax credit introduction and distribution. Individuals receiving less than $40,000 ($60,000 for married couples filing jointly) would not be expected to repay the credit, nor will it be garnished from their salaries. Of course, Maag cautions, the safe harbor does not extend to everyone. She claims that an upper-income family, where splitting tax years is more common, may not be protected if they make a mistake. She suggests that both parents must update that information since if the wrong parent gets the payment, they will owe it back on their tax return. Watson says, "Hopefully, the IRS will have more information on this through guidance when they get the infrastructure for advancing these payments up and running." READ MORE: Democrats Plan to Give Every Child $3000 in Biden Stimulus Check Swiss Re announces ambitious carbon reduction target for its investment portfolio of 35% by 2025 The Group moves ahead with full phase-out of thermal coal; new exit strategy in treaty re/insurance by 2030 (OECD) and 2040 (rest of the world) As first multinational company, Swiss Re introduces a triple-digit real internal carbon levy for own operations Zurich, 16 March 2021 - Swiss Re today announced new measures to support the transition to a net-zero economy, encompassing both asset management and underwriting as well as its own operations. Swiss Re's Group Chief Executive Officer, Christian Mumenthaler said: 'Climate change remains the biggest challenge we face as a society. The stakes are high and require immediate attention. Signing up to net-zero emissions by 2050 and setting concrete climate targets are important first steps. What needs to follow now is action. We are moving ahead in all areas of our business to accelerate the transition towards net zero.' Ambitious carbon reduction targets for investment portfolio As a founding member of the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, Swiss Re has committed to transition its investment portfolio to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Today, Swiss Re announced concrete targets for how to achieve this: 2025 carbon intensity reduction target of 35% 1 for corporate bond and listed equity portfolio; direct real estate portfolio already ahead of 1.5C pathway by 2025. for corporate bond and listed equity portfolio; direct real estate portfolio already ahead of 1.5C pathway by 2025. Long-term objective to exit coal-based assets for the portfolio by 2030. Swiss Re will systematically engage with portfolio companies on developing climate strategies as part of a broader engagement framework. Target to increase investments in renewable and social infrastructure by USD 750 million. In addition, target to expand green, social and sustainability bond exposure to USD 4 billion by the end of 2024 (from USD 2.6 billion at end of 2020). Swiss Re will report on progress towards targets on an annual basis. The ambitious targets build on the already substantial decrease of the carbon intensities in Swiss Re's corporate bond and listed equity portfolio of around 30% between 2015 and 2018. Guided by a systematic climate approach The new targets have been defined in accordance with science and the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance Target Setting Protocol, which Swiss Re played an instrumental role in developing, and which serves as a guide for the Alliance members. To further increase transparency of its actions, Swiss Re has advanced its climate approach in Asset Management focusing on the following four steps to mitigate climate related risks, while supporting the net-zero transition of the economy: Set targets: Define targets to reach net-zero emissions in alignment with 1.5C by 2050 at the latest. Take Actions: Actively manage transition and physical risks, and support real economy transition to net zero. Measure: Measure and monitor trajectory of needed development towards net zero. Report: Inform shareholders and other stakeholders transparently on developments. Taking action includes expanding Swiss Re's green, social and sustainability bond exposure to USD 4 billion - an ambitious target within the industry relative to total assets under management and increasing social and renewable infrastructure investments by USD 750 million. Another measure that Swiss Re has implemented is the aspirational and new framework to engage with companies in the equity portfolio. This includes taking an active dialogue with them to limit global warming to 1.5C. Guido Furer, Swiss Re's Group Chief Investment Officer said: 'We believe that by engaging with the real economy and supporting the companies we invest in to develop a climate strategy and to manage related risks, we will improve our risk-adjusted returns, while also propelling the transition to a net-zero emissions economy. 'While we have already made considerable progress by substantially cutting CO 2 emissions of our portfolio, today's announcement is another important step in the race to net-zero. As asset owners we can play a meaningful role, and I'm pleased to see momentum building amongst the investor community.' Complete phase out of thermal coal in re/insurance With an update of its thermal coal policy, Swiss Re is accelerating its move to net-zero in insurance underwriting. In 2023 Swiss Re will tighten its coal policy by introducing new thermal coal exposure thresholds for treaty re/insurance across its property, engineering, casualty, credit & surety and marine cargo lines of business. The thresholds will be lowered gradually and will lead to a complete phase out of thermal coal exposure in OECD countries by 2030 and in the rest of the world by 2040. The thermal coal policy was established in 2018. It marked a first step towards a comprehensive carbon steering mechanism with the goal to transition Swiss Re's re/insurance business to net-zero emissions by 2050. The coal policy is part of the Group's Sustainable Business Risk Framework which was established already in 2009. In 2020, Swiss Re revised the oil and gas policy in the same framework and in the beginning of 2021 gradually started withdrawing insurance support from the most carbon-intensive oil and gas production. Strategy of 'do our best - remove the rest' to achieve net-zero emissions from own operations by 2030 For its own operations Swiss Re is committed to achieving net-zero emissions already by 2030, focusing primarily on emission reduction measures as part of its strategy to 'do our best'. Since 2020, Swiss Re is sourcing 100% of its power from renewable sources. To prevent going back to the pre-pandemic travel intensity, Swiss Re has set itself a 30% reduction target for flight emissions for 2021, relative to the 2018 level. On top of that, Swiss Re is the first multinational company to introduce a triple-digit real internal carbon levy on both direct and indirect operational emissions (such as from business travel). The new Carbon Steering Levy has been set at USD 100 per tonne CO 2 as of 2021 and will gradually increase to USD 200 per tonne CO 2 by 2030. The levy gives Swiss Re a strong incentive to further reduce its operational emissions. It also provides a 10-year funding scheme to move from carbon offsetting to supporting carbon removal projects enabling the compensation of any unavoidable emissions in line with its 'remove the rest' strategy. Swiss Re has already started to engage in the emerging carbon removal market. In 2019 the Group participated in the world's first auction for negative emission certificates, and last year signed a collaboration agreement with Climeworks, one of the world's leading direct carbon air capture companies. Selected climate commitments and initiatives of Swiss Re Paris Pledge for Action www.parispledgeforaction.org UN Global Compact Business Ambition for 1.5C www.unglobalcompact.org UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance www.unepfi.org/net-zero-alliance FSB Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures www.fsb-tcfd.org WEF Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders www.weforum.org/projects/alliance-of-ceo-climate-leaders Powering Past Coal Alliance Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) RE100 initiative www.theRE100.org 1Relative to 2018 Swiss Re The Swiss Re Group is one of the world's leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk - from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cyber crime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 80 offices globally. For further information please contact Swiss Re Media Relations: + 41 (0)43 285 7171 or Media_Relations@Swissre.com. Please use this link to access the Swiss Re website. Cautionary note on forward-looking statements Certain statements and illustrations contained herein are forward-looking. These statements (including as to plans, objectives, targets, and trends) and illustrations provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical fact or current fact. Further information on forward looking statements can be found in the Legal Notice section of Swiss Re's website. LIMASSOL, Cyprus -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As Ukraine successfully starts legalization of the countrys gambling business regulated in line with European gambling market standards Parimatch has received the first official bookmaker license. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210315005602/en/ After having an 11-year blind spot, the state finally got round to gambling market regulation, following the example of European countries. The state will redirect funds generated from the sale of licenses to the budget in support of social needs: healthcare, education, sports, culture, and other areas. As the gambling industry leader in the CIS countries, Parimatch holding continues to expand its presence in the region and is preparing for a full-fledged launch on the territory of Ukraine. "We are the first on the market not only in quality of services and level of technological development but also in compliance with the rules of a transparent business environment. Parimatch was born in Ukraine, and we are happy to finally officially return and help develop the industry in our home country. Legalization of the gambling business will help Ukraine generate funds for the budget and distribute them where they are always needed for social needs." Sergey Portnov, CEO of Parimatch, commenting on the commission's decision. Legalization of the gambling market in Ukraine opens up prospects for foreign investment, subject to tax legislation reform. At this stage, the cost of licenses along with taxation is the highest in Europe and doesnt promise the most attractive investment conditions in the newly emerging legal-betting market. If the government meets the market halfway and completes tax legislation, Ukraine will unleash its potential as an Eastern European gambling hub, like Malta or Manila. "The Parimatch company was originally founded in Ukraine, and weve finally come back! This is a particular challenge and significant responsibility for us, so we will provide the Ukrainian audience with the best the gambling industry can give the player. Ukraine has great potential to become the leading platform in the Eastern European market, and we are ready to make this concept a reality," said Natalia Gilevich, CEO of Parimatch UA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210315005602/en/ CONTACT: Anna Bondar, Head of Content at Parimatch anna.bondar@pm.bet info@parimatch.tech parimatch.tech Parimatch is the first officially licensed bookmaker in Ukraine (Graphic: Business Wire) A key milestone in digitization of the modern army KWESST extending its ATAK integration capability to other customers and OEMs Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - KWESST Micro Systems Inc. (TSXV: KWE) (OTCQB: KWEMF) ("KWESST" or "the Company") today announced that it has successfully achieved an important milestone under the contract announced in December 2020 for a key military customer. This milestone entailed the integration of the Company's TASCS (Tactical Awareness Situational Control System) IFM (Integrated Fires Module) for the 81mm Mortar Fire Control System into the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), the preeminent battlefield management system for NATO countries . As a result, the Company will now proceed to the next phase of the contract, involving live-fire trials at various U.S. military bases. "TASCS is designed to integrate into any battlefield management application," said Jeff MacLeod, KWESST Found, President and CEO. "However, ATAK is the foremost and ubiquitous NATO battlefield management application, therefore we view the successful integration of TASCS applications into ATAK as key to widespread adoption of our TASCS system, and are pleased to have achieved this milestone event." The TASCS IFM Fire Control System for the 81mm mortar is a world-first in digitizing the function of a mortar team, from the identification of the target to the aiming of the mortar. It reduces the time it takes to engage adversaries and greatly increases the precision of mortar fire. TASCS has similar application across many other firing platforms beyond just the 81mm mortar, with a world market estimated by the Company at several hundred million dollars. The Company added that its ability to use its TASCS system as a toolset to integrate tactical applications into ATAK has attracted attention from other military customers and OEMs. "We're discovering that many potential customers require ATAK integration help," added Jeff MacLeod. "We have already begun assisting some, and we are currently processing about a dozen other inbound enquiries for assistance, both domestic and international. It appears that this has the potential to become a separate business line unto itself, with recurring revenue." About KWESST KWESST develops and commercializes high-value ultra-miniaturized technology applications that make a critical difference to the safety and operational effectiveness of personnel in the defence and security industries. The company's current portfolio of unique proprietary offerings include: its signature TASCSTM (Tactical Awareness and Situational Control System) for real-time awareness and targeting information from any source (including drones) streamed directly to users' smart devices and weapons; the autonomous GreyGhostTM soldier-portable micro drone missile system that defends against small hostile drones including swarms using high-speed kinetic impact; a Ground Laser Defence system to counter the emerging threat of weaponized lasers against personnel; and, the PhantomTMelectronic battlefield decoy system to mask the electromagnetic signature of friendly forces with decoy signatures at false locations to deceive and confuse adversaries. All systems can operate stand-alone or integrate seamlessly with OEM products and battlefield management systems including Frontline, Edge, Killswitch and ATAK (Android Tactical Assault Kit) among others. KWESST also has developmental "smart ordnance" projects including its "Shot Counter" system, which records the number and type of rounds fired, for optimized firearms maintenance and performance. The Company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with representative offices in Washington, DC, London, UK and Abu Dhabi, UAE. KWESST trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol KWE and on the U.S. OTCQB under the symbol KWEMF. Contact: Jason Frame, Investor Relations: frame@kwesst.com For more information, please visit https://kwesst.com/ Cautionary Note Regarding 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 to the timing for the commencement of trading and the plans and operations of KWESST after giving effect to the Qualifying Transaction. Forward-looking statements are 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 statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. 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. KWESST disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77335 Heather Creed grew up in suburban Indiana and attended Taylor University, expecting her life trajectory to be similar to that of many of her friends. I always thought I would marry and have seven kids and be a stay-at-home, homeschool mom, Creed said. Thats clearly not what happened. Creed, 45, is now an attorney who settled in Columbus, Ohio, after stints in Waco, Texas, and New York City. Her family isnt the traditional midwestern one of her childhood. She never married. But that didnt stop her from adopting two boys and recently becoming licensed, for the second time, to foster children in her home. Andy Jackson, 33, was single when he started fostering a decade ago while working as a special education teacher in Pell City, Alabama. He adopted his first child when he was 23 and went on to adopt two more children, one with special needs. Now married, he and his wife have eight childrenincluding a toddler they are in the process of adopting together, three biological children from his wifes previous marriage, and one she adopted with her deceased husband. Collectively, they estimate, they have fostered more than 50 children through foster and respite care. Angelle Jones, 64, was one of the first in her community to foster or adopt when she took in a five-year-old girl in Cincinnati in 1978. She was 21 then and hadnt met another single African American adoptive parent like heror even a black couple who had adopted from an agency. (Kinship adoption was more common, she said.) More recently, shes had multiple conversations with single women around her who are considering adoption. While adoption and orphan care have long been core causes for evangelicals, ... 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. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) A total of 3,584 violators were caught on the first night of implementation of the uniform curfew in Metro Manila. Of that number, 1,449 were arrested, Task Force COVID Shield said on Tuesday. The curfew, set at 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., began Monday night and will be in place for two weeks in an attempt to slow the fast-rising spread of the coronavirus in the National Capital Region. Meanwhile, authorities said 1,588 individuals were fined and another 547 were given a first warning but were eventually released. Around 9,000 police officers were deployed to enforce the curfew. The independent research group OCTA earlier approved of the measure, saying it can lower the reproduction rate in Metro Manila, which has climbed to 2.03 as of Monday night. This means two people are getting infected by a single COVID-19 patient. READ: Curfew can help reduce COVID-19 reproduction rate, OCTA Research says Among those exempted from the movement restriction are essential workers on duty, employees who are on their way to and from work, people dealing with medical emergencies, and those coming to and arriving from the airport. Apart from the curfew, minors in NCR, particularly those aged 15-17, will also be barred from leaving their homes for non-essential travel for two weeks starting Wednesday as an added move against viral transmission. THE ZOOLOGISTS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY What Animals on Earth Reveal About Aliens and Ourselves By Arik Kershenbaum Is anybody else out there? For as long as humans have recognized Earth as but one planet in a vast, orb-speckled universe, we have pondered the mystery of extraterrestrial life. After Nicolaus Copernicus introduced heliocentric theory to 16th century Europe, astronomers began to dream about other worlds and populate them with imaginary creatures. Pioneering astronomers such as Johannes Kepler (father of planetary motion) and William Herschel (discoverer of Uranus) believed in the existence of alien life. Peering through his telescope, Herschel thought he spied towns and forests on the lunar surface. Were still looking. In 2017, a mysterious object named Oumuamua was observed passing through our solar system and some astronomers have made the controversial suggestion that it may be a scout probe sent by an alien civilization. In February, the NASA Mars Perseverance Rover landed on the red planet to search for traces of ancient microbial life. China-donated medical equipment is seen during a handover ceremony in Yaounde, Cameroon, on March 15, 2021. The Yaounde Central Hospital, one of the largest designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment in Cameroon, received a batch of medical equipment donated by China to fight against the novel coronavirus. (Xinhua/Qiao Benxiao) YAOUNDE, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Yaounde Central Hospital, one of the largest designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment in Cameroon, received a batch of medical equipment donated by China to fight against the novel coronavirus. The equipment includes ventilators, oxygenerators, electrocardiographs, among others. "This donation comes at the right time. We are all together in the fight against COVID-19, a difficult fight for the health personnel. (...) We can only thank the Chinese government," said Hassan Ben Bachir, head of the cooperation division of the Ministry of Public Health, who represented the Cameroonian authority to receive the Chinese donation. This donation is offered as part of the cooperation mechanism between Chinese and African hospitals, an initiative proposed by China to help Africa in the field of health. A partnership has been forged between the Yaounde Central Hospital and the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University in China. "This is the start of a collaboration which will be growing", said Pierre Joseph Fouda, director of the Yaounde Central Hospital, "it is a great emotion and a feeling of joy to receive this donation.We will use it wisely." Advertisement Michelle Obama reacted to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview on Tuesday morning by saying that she personally chose to focus on the people she 'serves' rather than herself while in public service in what appeared to be a thinly veiled swipe at the couple. Michelle was asked by Jenna Bush Hager what she thought of Meghan's comments in a segment that aired on NBC on Tuesday morning. 'When you watched Meghan Markle speak out, what went through your mind?' Bush Hager asked. Michelle replied: 'Public service it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight and most people don't understand it nor should they. The thing that I always keep in mind is that none of this is about us, in public service, it's about the people that we serve. 'I always try to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve.' Bush Hager then said: 'But what about when she talked about the fact that she experienced racism? I mean I feel like that was heartbreaking to hear that she felt like she was in her own family, her own family, thought differently of her.' Michelle, who met most of the Royal Family when serving as First Lady, replied: 'Race isn't a new construct in this world, for people of color. So it wasn't a complete surprise to, sort of, hear her feelings and have them articulated. She went on: 'The thing that I hope for and the thing that I think about is that this first and foremost is a family and I pray for forgiveness and healing for them so they can use his as a teachable moment for them all.' Michelle's choice of words hearkens back to the war of words between Harry and Meghan and Buckingham Palace in February when, after the Oprah interview was announced, the Palace said the pair were permanently stepping back from a life of 'public service' and not returning to work. The couple responded with an astonishing clap-back to The Queen, releasing heir own statement which said: 'We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.' Michelle Obama said in an interview, airing Tuesday, that racism allegations did not shock her Tell-all: Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, made several extraordinary and damaging allegations about the royal family during their primetime interview with Oprah Winfrey The Obamas with the Queen, Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in London in 2011 In February, Harry and Meghan released this astonishing statement after The Queen said they would not be returning to public service Prince William last week hit back against claims his family are racist. His firm rebuttal comes after Buckingham Palace issued a statement on Tuesday on behalf of the Queen expressing how the issues they raised, particularly that of race, were very concerning. But the statement also made clear the Queen and senior royals were also keen to stand their ground, adding: While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. The owner of MailOnline and the Daily Mail has complained to CBS for doctoring headlines and taking them out of context during the Oprah interview, watched by tens of millions of people around the globe. Obama said that she hoped the family rift could be healed. Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, made several extraordinary and damaging allegations about the royal family during their primetime interview, including claims that an unnamed member of the monarchy had been worried about how dark their son Archie's skin tone might be before he was born. And while Obama did not openly offer her support to one side or the other, in an interview with Access Hollywood - to promote her new Netflix show - she seemed to side with Meghan and Harry when she urged the couple to 'forgive' the royal family in the wake of the bombshell interview. The Obamas first met the Queen in 2009 during the former president's first year in office. They were introduced to Prince William and Kate Middleton when they returned to Buckingham Palace in 2011, and they had one last visit to the U.K. in 2016. Prince Harry has been friends with the Obamas for years, bonding over humanitarian and military issues, as well as his inspirational Invictus Games for injured military personnel and veterans. They even took part in a video skit with the Queen to publicize it. Meghan is believed to be friends with Michelle Obama and had secretly attended a talk the author gave in London in 2018. Friends: Mrs. Obama struck up a friendship with Harry during her husband's presidency and later forged a bond with Meghan, whom she's praised for her charity work A year later, the Duchess of Sussex interviewed her for her collaboration with British Vogue, writing about how the former First Lady had become such a globally respected public figure.' In September 2019, the same month the issue was published, she praised Meghan for her charity work, calling her an inspiration. In an Instagram post, the former First Lady penned a touching tribute to the Duchess of Sussex and commended her work during the 10-day royal tour of Africa. Alongside a photograph of the royal attending a reception for Young People at the Residence of the British High Commissioner in Cape Town, Obama wrote: 'Thank you to my friend, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex, a thoughtful leader who is breaking the mold and making our world better for it. 'Whether meeting with our leaders or helping girls around the world seek the education they deserve, she is an inspiration to so many.' Obama's comments on the extraordinary fallout from Meghan and Harry's interview come days after Hillary Clinton criticized the royals for failing to support a 'young woman who was just trying to live her life.' The former Secretary of State made the comments during a live event with the Washington Post last Monday, one day after the Sussexes' tell-all was first broadcast. 'I found it so heart-rending to watch,' Clinton said, adding that she had met the pair before, as well as Harry's mother, the late Princess Diana. Clinton then said it was 'heartbreaking' to watch the 'incredibly accomplished' Meghan 'not be fully embraced' by both the 'permanent bureaucracy that surrounds the royal family' and the UK press. The former presidential hopeful said she too is no stranger to facing off with the British press, adding: 'Ive had my time in the box with the British tabloids, as anybody who is in the public eye has had, and their cruelty in going after Meghan was just outrageous. 'The fact she did not get more support, that the reaction was, you know, "Lets just paper it over and pretend it didnt happen or it will go away, just keep your head down" well, this young woman was not going to keep her head down. Not holding back: Hillary Clinton slammed the royals for failing to support a 'young woman who was just trying to live her life' last week during an event with the Washington Post Memories: Then-President Bill Clinton and his wife were joined by their daughter Chelsea when they met with Queen Elizabeth in 2000 'You know, this is 2021 and she wanted to live her life, she wanted to be fully engaged and she had every right to hope for that,' Clinton added. In addition to allegations of racism, Meghan said she felt 'silenced' during her time as a senior royal and received little support when she was struggling with her mental health. She also claimed that Kate Middleton had made her cry ahead of her 2018 royal wedding, contrary to media reports that it was the other way around. The day after the interview, Winfrey revealed on CBS This Morning that Harry refused to say who made the comment about Archie's skin color, but he had insisted it wasn't the Queen or Prince Philip, who is in hospital following heart surgery. 'The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,' Buckingham Palace said in a statement that was released on behalf of the Queen. 'The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. 'Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be loved family members.' 'She's no good. I said that and now everybody's seeing it': What Trump said privately about Meghan after her Oprah interview - but refused to go public for fear of 'being canceled like Piers Morgan' Donald Trump hasn't spoken publicly about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah because he doesn't want to be 'canceled' like Piers Morgan, his former aide claims. Trump's former senior adviser Jason Miller lifted the lid on his feelings about the Sussexes' interview during an appearance on Steve Bannon's podcast on Wednesday. Miller said Trump told him he could 'make a little news' by sharing his reaction to the interview - but he ultimately decided it wasn't a good idea. 'When I was talking to the president this morning ... he's like: "Yeah, [Meghan's] no good. I said that and now everybody's seeing it. '"But you realize if you say anything negative about Meghan Markle you get canceled. Look at Piers [Morgan],"' Miller recalled. Donald Trump (left on Sunday) hasn't spoken publicly about Harry and Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah because he doesn't want to be 'canceled', his former aide claims Trump reportedly said he didn't want to be 'canceled' like Piers Morgan (pictured), who left his anchor post at Good Morning Britain last week amid criticism over his forceful comments about the interview with Meghan and Harry Morgan left his anchor post at Good Morning Britain last week amid criticism over his controversial comments about the interview. The polarizing host said he 'didn't believe a word' of what Meghan said about experiencing racism within the Royal Family and feeling suicidal when she was pregnant with son Archie. Trump has spoken out against Meghan in the past, including when he famously called her 'nasty' in 2019. Miller, who worked as Trump's chief spokesman during his 2016 campaign and as his senior adviser in the 2020 campaign, said Trump told him: 'I'm on Team Piers. Piers is the best, he's the greatest, and they went and tried to cancel him simply because he criticized Meghan Markle. This is just the latest chapter of woke culture.' Morgan resigned from GMB a day after he stormed off set during an on-air row with colleague Alex Beresford, who criticized him for 'continuing to trash' the Duchess of Sussex. There were more than 41,000 complaints received by Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, including one from Meghan herself following the clash. The duchess is said to have raised concerns with ITV about the effect Morgan's comments may have on the issue of mental health generally and those attempting to deal with their own problems. But Morgan later repeated his condemnation of her interview the following day when he told reporters outside his West London home: 'If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.' Morgan (left) resigned from Good Morning Britain a day after he stormed off set during an on-air row with colleague Alex Beresford (right), who criticized him for 'continuing to trash' the Duchess of Sussex Morgan had said he 'didn't believe a word' of what Meghan said about experiencing racism within the Royal Family and feeling suicidal when she was pregnant with son Archie Soon after he announced his resignation and tweeted his thanks to the GMB team, praising them for their 'hard work and dedication' that led to them beating their main breakfast TV rival. In the wake of his departure at least three petitions calling for Morgan to be reinstated on GMB garnered more than 240,000 signatures. Morgan ruled out a return to the show but called the petitions a 'pleasant surprise' in an Instagram statement on Saturday. 'I won't be going back, but thanks to everyone who has signed these petitions. Normally, people start petitions to have me fired or deported, so this is a pleasant surprise,' he wrote. 'Those of you that know me well enough know that, despite my many faults, I'm always willing to stand my ground for the things that I think matter most. 'My fervent opposition to the Iraq War led to my demise from the Daily Mirror. My outspoken views on the insanity of American gun laws led to the end of my time at CNN. 'And now I've lost my job at Good Morning Britain because I chose not to apologise for disbelieving Meghan Markle's claims in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.' He added: 'I thus became the latest ''victim'' of the cancel culture that is permeating our country, every minute, of every hour, of everyday. Though of course, I consider myself to be neither a victim, nor actually cancelled. 'However, I do believe the defence of free speech and the right to express honestly held opinions, is the most important issue of my career, and the most important issue in British society.' Sources at ITV have said that Morgan 'will continue to make programmes for the channel', according to iNews. This is likely to include his popular celebrity interview program, Life Stories, which has been on air since 2009. Trump and the Sussexes have a history of trading barbs. The then-president weighed in on Harry and Meghan's decision to leave the Royal Family in January 2020 and expressed condolences for Queen Elizabeth II. 'I think it's sad. I do. I think it's sad. [The Queen's] a great woman,' Trump told Fox News. 'She's never made a mistake if you look. I mean, she's had like a flawless time.' In a statement, Morgan thanked supporters and declared he was 'willing to stand my ground' Asked by host Laura Ingraham if Harry should 'come back to the family', Trump said: 'Well, I think, you know, I don't want to get into the whole thing. But I find it, I just have such respect for the Queen. I don't think this should be happening to her.' Trump hit out at Meghan again last fall after she and Harry made the unprecedented decision to comment on the upcoming US election, interpreted by many as an endorsement of now President Joe Biden. 'I'm not a fan of hers,' Trump said of Meghan. 'I would say this - and she has probably has heard that - I wish a lot of luck to Harry because he's going to need it.' Meghan and Harry broke with Royal convention when they released a video message making thinly-veiled digs at Trump. In the video, which came in a Time 100 video to go with the publication of the 2020 list of the most influential people, Harry urged Americans to 'reject hate speech' while Meghan called it the 'most important election of our lifetime'. 'As we approach this November, it's vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity,' said Harry in a line many observers regarded as a swipe at Trump. 'When the bad outweighs the good, for many, whether we realize it or not, it erodes our ability to have compassion and our ability to put ourself in someone else's shoes. Because when one person buys into negativity online, the effects are felt exponentially. It's time to not only reflect, but act,' he said. Meghan, who was born in California, encouraged viewers to vote telling them it was the 'most important' election. 'We're six weeks out from the election, and today is Voter Registration Day,' she said. 'Every four years, we're told the same thing, 'This is the most important election of our lifetime. 'But this one is. When we vote, our values are put into action, and our voices are heard.' Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Researchers believe they may have discovered a possible cause of a mystery condition that can leave sufferers suddenly unable to walk, talk or see. It's hoped the studyled by the University of York and Hull York Medical School and supported by Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trustwill pave the way for new treatments for Conversion disorder which affects around 800,000 people in the UK alone. The condition, also known as functional neurological disorder (FND), causes physical symptoms that would appear neurological but doctors can't find an injury or physical condition to explain them. Professor Christina van der Feltz-Cornelis from the Department of Health Sciences is leading the Conversion And Neuro-inflammation Disorder Observational (CANDO) study. This pilot study is the first in a program of research to explore how conversion disorder/FND can be caused, and to develop and evaluate new treatments. The first findings suggest that conversion disorder could be caused by a low grade inflammation process that influences gene expression, which is the process by which the instructions in our DNA are converted into a functional product, such as a protein. Protein does most of the work in cells and is required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs. Professor van der Feltz-Cornelis said: "This is a very difficult condition for people to live with and one which is often overlooked because the medical profession doesn't have the answers." "People living with the condition can become very distressed and isolated, often losing jobs and social networks through being unable to communicate or being unwell. Patients can also suffer from memory and concentration problems." "We made the discovery by examining levels of inflammation in blood samples from patients with FND that mimicked stroke-like symptoms. They were found to be higher than normal. Also, microRNA levels in the blood seemed to play a role and this influences the expression of genes in the cell." "These preliminary results deserve further exploration and replication in larger samples before we can draw firm conclusions." The CANDO researchers hope the new study will help in the development of new treatments, as treatments previously given to people with conversion disorder have often not helped ease the symptoms. Annie, a patient involved in the CANDO study, says: "It is a relief to suddenly find that there may be a reason for this condition. I can't wait for treatments that may be developed as a result of this work." The paper, "Assessment of Cytokines, microRNA and patient related outcome measures in Conversion Disorder/Functional Neurological Disorder (CD/FND): the CANDO clinical feasibility study" is published in the journal, Brain, Behavior, & ImmunityHealth. Explore further Wrong advice risk for some memory clinic patients Four variants of the novel coronavirus have been detected in Laredo for the first time during this pandemic, Health Director Richard Chamberlain announced Tuesday. These four variants were discovered in 13 of 19 samples the city sent for testing at the Department of State Health Services. None of the variants are of significant concern to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, unlike the more severe United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil variants. None of these more well-known variants have not been discovered in Laredo. The vaccines currently available in Laredo are effective against the four variants, according to the city. 17.5% of Webb Countys population age 16 and older have now been fully vaccinated, and another 16% have received their first dose, according to the Department of State Health Services. The city has exhausted its waitlist of people who want to be vaccinated, so its contractor, Curative, will open up its appointment system Tuesday afternoon to fill up more slots, Chamberlain noted. In an effort to reach more equity in vaccinations, the city is partnering with community organizations such as the Holding Institute that have a connection with the harder-to-reach populations. During a food drive at the Holding Institute on Tuesday the city signed up some of the residents who attended so that they can receive the vaccine, said Laredo Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Guillermo Heard. Following weeks of a near-constant downward trend in COVID-19 hospitalizations, five new patients were admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, said Health Authority Dr. Victor Trevino. There has also been a small uptick in COVID ICU patients, from 10 on Monday to 15 on Tuesday. The state has been requesting to demobilize the medical workers they have deployed to Laredo hospitals, Heard said. But the city is doing this slowly and methodically in case of another surge, he said. Additionally, the city reported seven new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, although four are backlogged from January and February. More recently, a man in his mid-40s died on Sunday, a woman in her early 80s died March 6 and a man in his late 40s died Tuesday. This makes 811 COVID-19 deaths in the Webb County community over the span of the pandemic. With 24 new COVID-19 cases confirmed Tuesday, the number of active cases remains below 100 for the third day in a row, at 85. And the countys seven-day positivity rate is 2%. Laredo leaders on Tuesday reflected on the full year they have lived at the helm of the fight against this virus, and their many sleepless nights. Tuesday marked 365 days since the CDC issued the test results of Laredos first presumptive cases of COVID-19. It would be dismissive not to remember that there were other people that showed symptoms but were unable to test. And it was in our community that we payed the enormous price of 811 people tragically losing their lives, Dr. Trevino said. Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz said he was proud of how quickly the city responded to the needs of the most vulnerable in the community. And without sufficient data or information, City Council acted quickly last spring for the betterment of the city, he said. Weve been at it day in and day out. At least for me, personally speaking, it has tested every fiber of my being, Saenz said. This pandemic has brought loss and immense pain, suffering and sacrifice to the Laredo community. But it also showed resilient we are, the mayor said. I always say, somos Laredenses, and that takes a specific character that has been forged through other challenges that weve faced. Although this one was the top of all challenges that Ive experienced personally and as a mayor, he said. Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com Washington: For years, advocates for a four-day workweek have argued that a compressed schedule could lead to more productivity and a better work-life balance. That perspective is now gaining credence in some countries during the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought drastic changes to the way people work. Spain is about to find out firsthand whether it works. The country is poised to become one of the first to experiment with a 32-hour workweek, which would allow workers to spend less time at the office without any change in pay. Is four days enough? A man minds his fresh food market stall in Pamplona, northern Spain. Credit:AP Exactly what the pilot program will look like is unclear. An Industry Ministry source told the Guardian that virtually every detail was still up for negotiation, including how many companies would be involved and how long the experiment would last. Inc. magazine today revealed that THINKNOW is No.150 on its second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the California economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. We are deeply honored to be acknowledged among such vibrant companies. Our growth is a testament to our commitment to demystifying multicultural audiences through research technologies that inform culturally sensitive marketing for some of the worlds largest brands. We are passionate about the work we do and steadfast in our resolve to ensure multicultural Americans are included in the conversation, says Mario Carrasco, Co-Founder and Principal of ThinkNow. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in California. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 535 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. Companies based in major metro areasLos Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diegobrought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: California, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/california starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. About ThinkNow ThinkNow is a research technology company enabling businesses and government agencies to discover the cultural drivers that influence consumer decisions. The firm also owns and operates one of the largest and most representative Hispanic online panels in the industry, DigaYGane.com, which provides sample to leading market research companies around the world. Learn more at thinknow.com. CONTACT: Sridhar Shenoy 818-843-0220 sridhar@thinknow.com More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regional are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. Over the last few months, bulbous and brightly colored plush toys have sparked a Beanie Babies-style craze among children, teenagers and adults alike. Squishmallows, a line of soft, huggable toys created in 2017, have exploded in popularity during the pandemic, thanks to social media and in particular TikTok (or SquishTok, as fans call it). Collectors say the stuffed animals have given them comfort in a painful year, and that hunting for them has fostered a much-needed sense of community during an extended period of isolation. Even though the craze was coming before the pandemic, it certainly hit a fever pitch in the past year, and this craving for comfort is a big part of it, said Kelly Deen, senior vice president of marketing at Jazwares, the parent company of Kellytoy, which created Squishmallows. Jazwares said in early March that it has sold more than 73 million toys. (In February 2020, The Toy Book, a trade publication, reported that the company had sold 50 million Squishmallows.) According to the company, sales of Squishmallows have tripled in the past six months. Financial results for the full year 2020 - Highlights Surge in orders; order entry increased to CHF 855.2 million (2019: CHF 638.6 million) Full-year growth of 38.5% in local currencies or 33.9% in Swiss francs Growth trend further accelerated in the second half of the year Sales of CHF 730.9 million (2019: CHF 636.8 million) Full-year growth of 18.7% in local currencies and 14.8% in Swiss francs Double-digit sales growth in both business segments for full year 2020 H2 sales growth of 27.8% in local currencies or 23.5% in Swiss francs Reported operating profit before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of CHF 159.1 million (2019: CHF 122.8 million) Increase in reported EBITDA margin to 21.8% (2019: 19.3%) Reported full-year net profit of CHF 103.7 million (2019: CHF 73.2 million) Net profit margin 14.2% (2019: 11.5%) Reported earnings per share increased by 40.6% to CHF 8.69 (2019: CHF 6.18) Operating highlights 2020 and other important information Health and safety of Tecan employees prioritized during the coronavirus pandemic Global manufacturing and business operations secured for undisrupted support of customers Responded to unprecedented shifts and surge in demand for specific product lines by securing supplies of materials and expanding production capacities Tecan's automation technology to enable scaled-up COVID-19 testing globally with existing and new partnerships Launch of DreamPrep NAP to simplify nucleic acid extraction Good progress made with development projects in both business segments to prepare for important product launches in 2021 and 2022 Increase in the dividend proposed from CHF 2.20 to CHF 2.30 per share Outlook 2021 Full-year sales forecast to increase in the mid single-digit to mid-teens percentage range in local currencies Based on high order backlog and continued elevated demand, strong performance expected in first half year; developments in the second half of 2021 subject to greater uncertainty Full-year reported EBITDA margin expected to be at least at 2020 level; already reflecting the current more negative currency environment and absence of extraordinary effects Mannedorf, Switzerland, 16 March 2021 - Based on strong demand for COVID-19-related products, Tecan Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) reported significant growth in sales and profits in an exceptional and demanding year 2020. Tecan CEO Dr. Achim von Leoprechting commented: "I'm extremely proud of the fact that Tecan played such a key part in the global response to COVID-19. This was only possible because our employees stepped up to the challenges presented by the pandemic, supporting our customers with expertise, responsiveness and exceptional dedication. It is Tecan's core business to automate complex lab processes. When the pandemic started to spread around the world, we were well prepared to quickly re-focus our capabilities on the fight against COVID-19 and support our customers in research, therapy and vaccine development, and to an even larger degree with the scale-up of diagnostic testing. Going forward there is a huge opportunity to build on what we have learned from the global response to COVID-19 and apply it to cancer, metabolic diseases and other infectious diseases. With our broad portfolio of existing products and new important launches we expect in 2021 and 2022, we are confident and excited to continue to scale innovation to the benefit of healthcare and the lives of people." Financial results full year and second half of 2020 In the year under review, Tecan recorded a surge in orders for product lines supporting the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Full-year order entry increased by 33.9% to CHF 855.2 million (2019: CHF 638.6 million), or by 38.5% in local currencies. After orders already grew by 24.3% in local currencies in the first half of the year, with an increase of 51.8% in local currencies order entry accelerated further in the second half. Order backlog even grew at a significantly higher rate than full-year order entry to reach a record high as of December 31, 2020. Sales for fiscal year 2020 climbed by 14.8% to CHF 730.9 million (2019: CHF 636.8 million), corresponding to growth of 18.7% in local currencies. The growth trend accelerated in the second half of the year, with sales increasing by 23.5% in Swiss francs and 27.8% in local currencies. Demand for pipette tips increased drastically due to the testing needs associated with COVID-19. As a result, overall recurring sales of services, consumables and reagents also increased in the full year 2020 by 26.2% in local currencies and 21.3% in Swiss francs, thus amounting to 43.6% of total sales (2019: 41.3%). Reported operating profit before depreciation and amortization (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; EBITDA) rose by 29.6% to CHF 159.1 million in the fiscal year 2020 (2019: CHF 122.8 million). The increase in reported EBITDA was mainly driven by benefits of scale due to the significantly higher volumes. In addition to common economies of scale, reported EBITDA benefited from an even more positive impact as the overall cost base was not yet fully adjusted to support the business on a sustainable basis. The results development was also helped by a one-time positive effect from an adjustment of the Swiss pension plan as well as increased capitalization of development costs as projects neared market launch. On the other hand, exchange rate movements in major currencies versus the Swiss franc had a negative impact on the reported EBITDA, comparable to the one-time positive effects. The reported EBITDA margin grew correspondingly by 250 basis points to 21.8% of sales (2019: 19.3%). Assuming exchange rates in line with 2019, the reported EBITDA margin would have stood at 22.5% of sales. Reported net profit for the year 2020 rose by 41.7% to CHF 103.7 million (2019: CHF 73.2 million). Thanks to an improved financial result, net profit increased by more than operating profit (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT). The net profit margin amounted to 14.2% of sales (2019: 11.5%), while earnings per share rose strongly to CHF 8.69 (2019: CHF 6.18). Cash flow from operating activities more than doubled to CHF 208.3 million (2019: CHF 98.8 million), due to a focus on cash collection and management. Thus, cash flow from operating activities corresponded to 28.5% of sales (2019: 15.5%). Information by business segment Life Sciences Business (end-customer business) Sales in the Life Sciences Business segment grew strongly by 13.2% to CHF 408.8 million in fiscal year 2020 (2019: CHF 361.2 million). This equates to a rise of 18.7% in local currencies. The Life Sciences Business experienced strong demand for products supporting the COVID-19 response, mainly liquid handling and automation workstations as well as the associated disposable pipette tips. Despite the strong increase in sales, parts of the Life Sciences Business also experienced significant disruption as customer facilities were closed or access was restricted to slow the spread of COVID-19. Product groups adversely impacted included detection instruments, research reagents for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and consumables for mass spectrometry sample preparation. Sales growth accelerated further in the second half of the year, with sales increasing by 26.2% in local currencies Order entry in the Life Sciences Business outpaced recognized revenues significantly in the fiscal year 2020, with order backlog increasing at a high double-digit rate. Reported operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) rose to CHF 78.2 million (2019: CHF 56.7 million). The operating profit margin increased to 17.4% of sales (2019: 15.1%). This positive performance is primarily a result of sales growth as well as a strong margin contribution from the consumables business. Partnering Business (OEM business) The Partnering Business generated sales of CHF 322.1 million during the year under review (2019: CHF 275.7 million), which corresponds to a strong increase of 18.8% in local currencies and 16.8% in Swiss francs. Similar patterns to those in the Life Sciences Business were observed in the Partnering Business, with automation platforms, OEM components and disposable pipette tips to support COVID-19 testing being in high demand. By contrast, sales to customers exposed to other areas of in-vitro diagnostics were adversely impacted. Segment sales in the second half year increased by 30.0% in local currencies and 27.9% in Swiss francs. Also in the Partnering Business, order entry increased at a substantially higher rate than sales. Operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) increased to CHF 59.1 million (2019: CHF 46.2 million), while the operating profit margin grew to 18.3% of sales (2019: 16.7%). Additional information Regional development In Europe, Tecan's full-year sales increased by 9.6% in local currencies and by 7.6% in Swiss francs. The increase in sales was driven by the Life Sciences Business, with instrument installations supporting PCR-based testing as part of the European COVID-19 response. Sales of the Partnering Business declined in Europe as several customers saw lower demand based on the decrease in doctor visits and related lower volumes in routine diagnostic testing as well as restricted access to labs. Sales growth in local currencies accelerated in the second half of the year to 12.9%. In North America, sales grew by 24.9% in local currencies and 19.5% in Swiss francs in 2020, with both business segments delivering double-digit growth rates in local currencies. Sales in local currencies increased even by 43.3% in the second half of the year, reflecting a surge in demand for COVID-19 related products. In Asia, Tecan recorded a significant increase in sales of 22.7% in local currencies and 17.5% in Swiss francs. This increase was driven by double-digit growth rates in both business segments. Growth in China outpaced that of the Asia region as a whole, bringing the total business in China to over CHF 80 million in the year. In the second half, sales in Asia increased by 20.8% in local currencies and 16.8% in Swiss francs. Operating performance 2020 During the year 2020, the priorities were focused on ensuring the health and safety of Tecan employees, limiting any supply chain and freight interruptions and maintaining business continuity to support customers in these challenging times. Through the implementation of these measures, Tecan continued to be fully operational at all production sites and provided undisrupted support to customers. With substantially increased COVID-19 clinical testing and high customer demand associated with the global pandemic, Tecan took a number of steps to secure supplies of materials and expand capacity and supply for specific product lines, including certain instrument platforms and disposable pipette tips. In October 2020, Tecan announced that the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded a USD 32.9 million (CHF 29.8 million) contract to support equipping a U.S. pipette tip manufacturing facility for COVID-19 testing. These payments had no impact on the statement of profit or loss. The new U.S. manufacturing lines are expected to start producing pipette tips in fall 2021, augmenting the steps Tecan has already taken to increase global manufacturing capacity at other locations. Throughout the year 2020, Tecan was supporting its customers in research, therapeutic and vaccine development and with the scale-up of COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Individual labs, major lab chains, newly built high-capacity testing facilities as well as diagnostics companies around the world were utilizing Tecan equipment and consumables to automate and scale up testing. In August 2020, Tecan announced a new collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific to enable PCR-based COVID-19 testing with even higher throughputs to meet increasing global demand. The Thermo Fisher Scientific Amplitude Solution is a molecular diagnostic testing system designed to analyze up to 8,000 samples in a single day. The system includes instruments of Tecan's Fluent Laboratory Workstation family and the Introspect software, an instrument and consumables usage analysis and reporting software. To further drive its comprehensive genomics strategy, Tecan launched the DreamPrep NAP at the beginning of 2020, an integrated, fully automated solution simplifying nucleic acid extraction workflows for many genomic applications. It combines the high productivity and precision of the Fluent automation platform with a Tecan reader for integrated quantitation and normalization. The DreamPrep NAP also helped labs quickly and effectively scale up COVID-19 testing to accommodate larger test volumes. At the same time, Tecan continued to invest in research and development to position the business for sustained accelerated growth. Tecan also used new digital tools such as advanced 3D simulation to keep development projects on track despite restricted access to its own and customers' sites. With several projects nearing market launch, Tecan anticipates important product launches in both business segments in 2021 and 2022. In the Life Sciences Business, new products are focused on the application-specific needs of research and clinical labs. In the Partnering Business, projects cover Tecan's focus application areas including molecular diagnostics and protein analysis, with sales potential of individual projects ranging from single-digit to clear double-digit million amounts in Swiss francs per year. Strong balance sheet - high equity ratio Tecan's equity ratio reached 66.2% as of December 31, 2020 (December 31, 2019: 70.1%). Net liquidity (cash and cash equivalents plus short-term time deposits minus bank liabilities and loans) reached CHF 467.7 million (June 30, 2020: CHF 354.0 million; December 31, 2019: CHF 312.4 million). On the basis of the further increase of net profit in 2020 and an ongoing positive business perspective, the Board of Directors will propose at the Company's Annual General Meeting an increase in the dividend from CHF 2.20 to CHF 2.30 per share. Half of the dividend, i.e. CHF 1.15, will be paid out from the available capital contribution reserve and is therefore not subject to withholding tax. Change on the Board of Directors At the Annual General Meeting on April 17, 2021, Lars Holmqvist, a member of the Board of Directors since 2015, will not stand for re-election. The Board of Directors thanks Lars Holmqvist for his service over many years and his valuable contribution to the development of the company. Until the Annual General Meeting in 2022, the Board of Directors will consist of only six members. Outlook 2021 Based on the high order backlog and continued elevated demand for instruments and consumables, Tecan expects a very strong business performance in the first half year 2021. Demand trends for COVID-19-related products are subject to greater uncertainty in the second half of 2021. Therefore, a decline in sales in the second half of 2021 compared with the very high base of the prior-year period cannot be ruled out. On the other hand, particularly for the second half year, Tecan expects some recovery and a more positive market environment in areas that have been negatively affected by the pandemic, such as life science research, pharma and non-COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Tecan therefore forecasts sales growth for the full year 2021 to be in the mid single-digit to mid-teens percentage range in local currencies. These projections are based on the assumptions that supply chains remain undisrupted and all production sites stay fully operational. Despite a more negative currency environment and the absence of extraordinary effects from 2020, the company expects a reported EBITDA margin for the full year 2021 at least at the 2020 level of 21.8% of sales. The expectations regarding profitability are based on an average exchange rate forecast for full year 2021 of one euro equaling CHF 1.08 (actual average exchange rate 2020: 1.07) and one US dollar equaling CHF 0.90 (actual average exchange rate 2020: 0.94). The outlook 2021 does not take account of potential acquisitions during the course of the year. Financial Report and Webcast The full 2020 Annual Report can be accessed on the company's website www.tecan.com under Investor Relations. Tecan will hold an analyst and media conference to discuss the 2020 annual results today at 09:00. A link to the webcast will be provided immediately prior to the event. The dial-in numbers for the conference call are as follows: For participants from Europe: +41 (0)58 310 50 00 or +44 (0)207 059 107 0613 (UK) For participants from the US: +1 (1) 631 570 5613 Participants should if possible dial in 15 minutes before the start of the event. Key upcoming dates The Annual General Meeting of Tecan's shareholders will take place on April 13, 2021. The 2021 Interim Report will be published on August 18, 2021. About Tecan Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics and clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automation solutions for laboratories in the life sciences sector. Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments and components that are then distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in both Europe and North America and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TECN; ISIN CH0012100191). For further information: Tecan Group Martin Braendle Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & IR Tel. +41 (0) 44 922 84 30 Fax +41 (0) 44 922 88 89 investor@tecan.com www.tecan.com Attachment PHILADELPHIA (March 16, 20201) - After a traumatic injury, returning to work (RTW) can be a strong indication of healing and rehabilitation and may play a pivotal role in promoting physical and functional recovery. But how does RTW after a traumatic injury affect mental health recovery, particularly in individuals who experience social and economic marginalization? In a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing), researchers investigated the ways that RTW after an injury predict mental health outcomes in Black men living and recovering in Philadelphia. The study found that men who did not RTW after a serious traumatic injury had almost three times the odds of poor mental health when compared to men who did RTW. The study also found that younger age, lack of insurance or public insurance, and experiences of racism within and beyond the workplace were concurrently strong predictors of poor mental health outcomes. This is the first study to identify the unique contributions of RTW after injury on mental health outcomes in Black men who recover in the context of urban environments where there are stark and persistent racial disparities in labor force opportunity and unemployment. Results of the research appear in the journal Injury. The article "The Relationship Between Work and Mental Health Outcomes in Black Men After Serious Injury," is available online. "This study identifies the importance of considering RTW, not just as a marker of trauma recovery, but also as an important influence on mental health and recovery after hospitalization," says Sara F. Jacoby, MPH, MSN, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nursing and senior author of the article. "Interventions that support RTW for those who seek job opportunities in ways that attend to post-injury realities, can be situated within or in addition to strategies that enhance engagement with mental health services, especially for patients who meet screening criteria for depression and PTSD." ### First author of the article is Aimee J. Palumbo of Temple University and past Penn Injury Science Center post-doctoral fellow; co-authors include Therese S. Richmond, PhD, RN, FAAN; Jessica Webster, MS, LPC of Penn Nursing and Christopher Koilor a past Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics SUMR scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. This study was funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (grant R01NR013503, Richmond) and the Penn Injury Science Center (Palumbo and Jacoby) with support from the Centers for Disease Control (R49CE002474). 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. Volkswagen (VW) plans to build half a dozen battery cell plants in Europe and expand infrastructure for charging electric vehicles globally, accelerating efforts to overtake Tesla and speed up mass adoption of battery-powered cars. The world's number-two carmaker, which is in the midst of a major shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), said yesterday it wants to have six battery cell factories operating in Europe by 2030, which it will build alone or with partners. "Our transformation will be fast, it will be unprecedented," chief executive Herbert Diess told VW's Power Day event, which also featured the CEOs of BP, Enel and Iberdrola in an effort to replicate Tesla's Battery Day last September. "E-mobility has become core business for us," he added. Volkswagen did not specifically say how much the plan will cost. The group had been a laggard on electrification until it admitted in 2015 to cheating on US diesel emissions tests and had to deal with new Chinese quotas for electric vehicles. It now has one of the most ambitious programmes in the industry. Volkswagen said the European factories will have a joint production capacity of up to 240 gigawatt hours a year, adding the first factory would start operation in 2023 and be set up jointly with Sweden's Northvolt. This will be followed by a factory in the German city of Salzgitter in 2025, a factory in Spain, France or Portugal in 2026 and a site in Poland, Slovakia or the Czech Republic by 2027. Two more plants will be set up by 2030. While the first two factories are already reflected in Volkswagen's financial planning, the group is currently in "deep discussions" about how the subsequent plants fitted with financial targets, board member Thomas Schmall said. He added if Volkswagen needed to increase its role in battery cell production then the group would be able to bear that cost. Read More The firm is also working on a major expansion of charging infrastructure, a lack of which is still seen as a major hurdle to the mass adoption of battery-powered cars. Via existing efforts and partnerships with oil major BP as well as top European utilities Enel and Iberdrola, Volkswagen aims to operate about 18,000 public fast-charging points in Europe by 2025. This represents a five-fold expansion of the existing fast-charging network, it said, adding it would invest 400m in the initiative. In North America, Volkswagen targets 3,500 fast-charging points by the end of 2021 via its Electrify America unit, while in China, the world's largest car market, the group aims for 17,000 by 2025. Shifting to design, Volkswagen unveiled plans to have a new unified prismatic battery cell from 2023, which will support cost cuts generated by the raised level of in-house cell production and could impact its current suppliers. EV makers, including Tesla, are using cylindrical battery cells, which resemble flashlight batteries and are relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture. Prismatic cells, which resemble a thin hardcover book, are housed in a rectangular metal case and are more expensive. Pouch cells, another alternative, are thinner and lighter. "On average, we will drive down the cost of battery systems to significantly below 100 per kilowatt hour," Mr Schmall said. "This will finally make e-mobility affordable and the dominant drive technology." The cost of battery cells used for electric vehicles has fallen to an average of $110 per kilowatt hour (kWh), according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Indiana parental consent abortion law defeated at 7th Circuit after being remanded by Supreme Court Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has once again ruled against an Indiana law limiting a minor's ability to get an abortion without parental consent. In a 2-1 decision last Friday in Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky v. Kristina Box, the appeals court panel ruled against an Indiana law passed in 2017. Known as Senate Enrolled Act 404, the law allows for a minor to get an abortion without parental consent, provided they can obtain a court order allowing them to pursue the procedure. Although the Seventh Circuit had affirmed a lower court decision against the new law in 2019, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment last July and sent the case back to the appeals court. Seventh Circuit Judge David Hamilton, an Obama appointee, authored the majority opinion, concluding that the judges again affirm the district courts preliminary injunction barring enforcement of the challenged law pending full review in the district court. At specific issue was an amendment requiring a minor seeking permission to get an abortion through the courts to notify her parents of the process, unless the judge finds that such parental notice, as distinct from requiring parental consent, is not in the minors best interests. Hamilton argued in the majority opinion that the State chose not to offer evidence of benefits that might justify the burdens here. The lopsided evidence of substantial burdens and little or no benefits convinced the district judge to issue the preliminary injunction and convinced us to affirm that decision, wrote Hamilton. Seventh Circuit Judge Michael Kanne, a Reagan appointee, authored the dissent. He stated that the Supreme Court has confirmed that parental-notification requirements are constitutional time and again. Planned Parenthood has failed to show that requiring mature minors to notify their parents that they intend to have an abortion (where a judge has found that avoiding notification is not in their best interests) constitutes an undue burden, continued Kanne. This court should reverse the district courts injunction and let Indiana exercise its legislative judgment that a parental notification law best serves the interests of its citizens. In June of last year, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in June Medical Services v. Russo that a Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to be held to similar standards as ambulatory surgical centers is unconstitutional. Although generally considered a victory for the pro-choice movement, Chief Justice John Roberts' concurring opinion has been used by other courts to uphold pro-life legislation. British beef suckler farmers will be able to share real-time cattle data with their vet while in the field thanks to a new mobile app. The Herd Health Planning app enables farmers to collect and record data as events occur and immediately share this with their vet. Vets can then analyse the information and help farmers set priorities, and improve efficiency and animal health, through the health planning process. The app, created by Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), includes an e-medicine book which complies with farm assurances and other statutory requirements. It is also connected to the British Cattle Movement Services tracing system (BCMS), meaning cattle records such as births, deaths and movements, can be updated instantly. No internet is required to record events, with all data stored locally on the app and sent to both BCMS and Animal Health Planning System (SAHPS) as soon as Wi-Fi and/or mobile data become available. SRUC's health planning development manager, Dr Foteini Manolaraki said: We recognise that time is a precious commodity for todays farmers. "Rather than taking notes while out in the field or in the shed and then copying them into the computer, this new app allows them to share their cattle data with their vet while on the move. "This information is then shared multiple times via BCMS and SAHPS software, which could allow earlier vet intervention if necessary. What does the app allow farmers to do? The app, which is now downloadable for Android and Apple devices, allows farmers to: Provide early communication of herd health to their vet Download all cattle currently on the holding through BCMS Record bulls in/out dates Record movements, births, deaths and upload to BCMS Record disease incidents and production data Record animal treatments, creating the e-medicine book Record and save data off-line Enter information once and use it multiple times Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Madrid regional premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso of the conservative Popular Party. Emilio Naranjo / EFE Spain is quickly advancing toward the turbulent waters of populism and increasingly radical polarization. Extreme positions are gaining traction, with Madrid as a hyperbolic ideological battlefield for the right-left axis, and Catalonia mired in its own damaging, disruptive dynamics. As if this were not enough, in recent days Spaniards have witnessed a series of tactical moves that could be defined as short-sighted or even downright shady, and which in all likelihood are disappointing for a large segment of society. Many citizens rightly wish they had a political class that could address Spains enormous challenges through earnest, serene dialogue. Instead, there is a widespread feeling that partisan calculations play a disproportionate role in politics. Last weeks ill-fated no-confidence motion in Murcia and the call for an early election in Madrid have now set dangerous dynamics in motion. In the conservative ranks, there is a reconfiguration process underway that contains several elements of polarization. The collapse of the center-right Ciudadanos (Citizens) party ends the hopes of having a center party to defend regeneration, pragmatic views and a liberal vision. Its inability to create a solid structure throughout the national territory, and its multiple strategic mistakes, have left Ciudadanos badly, if not fatally, wounded. Pablo Iglesias nomination reinforces the debate in the Madrid region around the absurd ideological face-off between the champions of freedom against communism and the anti-fascist fighters Meanwhile, the conservative Popular Party (PP) is feeling the magnetic pull of the radical project defended with growing force by Madrid regional premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso, who is pushing the party further to the right. Winning the Madrid election is an existential issue for the PP, but to do so on the strength of Ayusos rhetoric would probably kill the attempt at moderation that party president Pablo Casado illustrated with his speech in Congress in October, when he symbolically severed ties with the far-right Vox during a no-confidence motion debate. All of this will likely make Vox the only viable interlocutor for the PP, and the far-right party is closer than ever to its dream of playing a decisive role and getting a spot in government in the Madrid region, which is the gateway to other institutions. These dynamics are exacerbated by the moves on the progressive side. The decision by Pablo Iglesias, leader of Unidas Podemos, to quit his position as second deputy prime minister of Spain to run for the Madrid premiership only heightens the battle, which will significantly influence national politics. His nomination reinforces the debate in the Madrid region around the absurd ideological face-off between the champions of freedom against communism and the anti-fascist fighters. This radical effect is not welcome: Madrid and Spain need something different. Time will tell what effect this decision has on the central government of Pedro Sanchez, of the Socialist Party (PSOE). That will largely depend on how reinforced Iglesias emerges from the Madrid race. But two observations can be made from the outset. Yolanda Diaz, the current labor minister and the person set to replace Iglesias in the central government, is a politician who is far removed from the radical rhetoric of her predecessor, and she has proven herself to be highly efficient at dialogue with employers and unions alike. It is to be expected that the central executive will no longer have to deal with the kind of internal destabilization caused by a deputy PM who felt that former Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain to avoid arrest after leading a failed unilateral breakaway bid, is an exile not unlike those who fled the Franco regime following the Spanish Civil War; Iglesias also aligned with Russia during a recent diplomatic spat involving the jailed dissident Alexei Navalny, when he stated that Spain is not a full democracy. However, there is nothing to prevent Iglesias from becoming a destabilizing factor in other ways once he has left government. The Socialists could try to project an image of moderation and pragmatism, but the party is hostage to forces pulling in a different direction Meanwhile, Catalonia is set to remain another major cause of polarization. The choice of the separatist Laura Borras as the new speaker of the regional parliament, and the perpetuation of pro-independence figures in government circles, do not bode well for moderation. All of this creates an extremely complicated situation for the PSOE, which heads a minority coalition government in Spain and is forced to seek support from other parties to pass legislation. The Socialists could try to project an image of moderation and pragmatism, but the party is hostage to forces pulling in a different direction. A fatally wounded Ciudadanos reduces the possibilities of dialogue with the political center; Podemos is radical by nature, and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), despite its alleged pragmatism, has disruptive goals. There is not a lot of leeway for the optimism of intelligence; the voices of moderation from either end of the political spectrum must speak out bravely to provide a counterpoint to the worst siren calls. English version by Susana Urra. - Leverages EdgeVerve's Finacle solutions to increase customer engagement, efficiency and performance - Supports digital innovation for banks and financial institutions LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EY today announces an alliance between EY India and EdgeVerve to help global banks and financial institutions drive digital transformation. The alliance also covers EY member firms in the UK, US and Belgium, with further global expansion planned. EdgeVerve, a wholly owned subsidiary of Infosys, will leverage its offering, the Infosys Finacle Digital Banking solution suite, which provides banks with a comprehensive cloud-native and modular platform across the digital core, engagement, and experience layers of banking. The alliance will further strengthen the collaboration in this space. Together, EdgeVerve and EY teams will assist banks of all sizes and stages of digital maturity to accelerate their transformation journeys. Financial institutions can leverage the joint proposition to provide customers with intuitive user experiences, data-driven engagement, and improved automation. In doing so, banks and financial institutions can benefit from increased growth and revenue, improved performance, and operational excellence. Jan Bellens, EY Global Banking & Capital Markets Sector Leader, says: "Financial institutions are looking to adapt and modernize in an increasingly challenging banking environment comprised of non-traditional players, slow economic growth and overwhelmed IT departments. Integrating the sector capabilities of EY with the Finacle technology platform is critical to providing clients with quality customer experiences and insights-driven interactions." Sanat Rao, Chief Business Officer and Global Head, Infosys Finacle says: "Digitization is fundamentally reshaping the banking industry. Today, banks need to engage with customers in new ways, innovate continuously to stay relevant, operate efficiently to stay competitive and drive constant transformation. Our digital banking solution suite provides a broad range of industry-leading capabilities to help financial institutions drive success across these objectives. The combination of our solution suite and EY teams' consulting capabilities and industry experience will assist banks to scale their digital transformation journeys with confidence and predictability." Joanna Hardy EY Global Media Relations +1 212 773-4473 joanna.c.hardy@ey.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/708904/EY_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.ey.com SOURCE EY (Natural News) One of the most frightening things to do is to become successful and then choose to leave it all behind while youre in the peak of your career, but one Arizona TV journalist has done just that, and its for the most honorable of reasons. Quite simply, shes tired of being a purveyor of fake news or, at a minimum, misrepresented and incomplete news. In a video posted online, FOX10 KSAZ news co-anchor Kari Lake told viewers she is hanging up her broadcasting job and calling it a career after watching the news business over the years devolve into little more than a vehicle for official propaganda. As she began her video, she acknowledged that viewers had not seen her on the air for some time and that she appreciated the fan mail and messages of support she has received. This time away from work has given me a chance to reflect on my work, Lake said, noting that she has been on a number one-ranked news team in Phoenix for most of her three-decade journalism career. (Related: Corporate media responsible for intentionally spreading hatred, fear and division.) Sadly, journalism has changed a lot since I first stepped into a newsroom, and Ill be honest, I dont like the direction its going, she continued. The media needs more balance in coverage and a wider range of viewpoints represented in every newsroom at every level and at each position. As such, over the past few years, Lake said she no longer felt proud to be a member of the media. Im sure there are other journalists out there who feel the same way, she added. I found myself reading news copy that I didnt believe was fully truthful, or only told part of the story. And I began to feel that I was contributing to the fear and division in this country by continuing on in this profession. Then she dropped her bomb: Its been a serious struggle for me and I no longer want to do this job anymore. So I decided the time was right to do something else and Im leaving Fox 10. In a nod to the woke cancel culture and fake news industry, Lake said there will probably be some hit pieces written about me, after thanking the affiliate for her career and adding that not everyone is dedicated to telling the truth. Ive had so many great moments, covered big stories, interviewed the most important people in the news, she continued. I am forever grateful to Fox for that opportunity. Im just ready to move on. No bitterness, no regretsjust lots of excitement about what my future holds. It is scary to walk away from a good job and a successful career, especially in difficult times, she noted further. I know God has my back and will guide me to work that aligns with my values. Leftists had already attacked her because they cant handle the fact that she was successful in her honorable pursuit of the truth and giving voice to people like President Donald Trump, whom she once interviewed and took heat for doing it. But she addressed rumors of a pending departure in a statement posted to Twitter in January. Regarding my absence on tv: pic.twitter.com/zD3xpDEnmn Kari Lake (@KariLake) January 21, 2021 Due to my job Ive lived much of my life in a public way, so Im sure it seems strange that I have gone silent, she wrote. But the truth is Ive needed a bit of privacy at this time. And while I have absolutely no desire to address my absence publicly, the steady stream of inquiries and now some reporters reaching out with a list of questions having very little to do with my absence and only intended to try to damage my reputation or personally hurt me, leads me to address my absence right now. Obviously, Lake is an old-school journalist dedicated to the truth who simply cannot function with a conscience any longer as a minister of left-wing disinformation. See more reporting like this at NewsFakes.com. Sources include: ArizonaDailyIndependent.com Journalism.news ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Findit, Inc. (OTC PINK:FDIT) owner of Findit.com, a full-service social networking platform that provides online marketing campaigns and tools for members to increase brand awareness through content creation and sharing, resulting in indexing in search engines is highlighting: Titan Roofing, Carolina Pool Consultants, and American Craftsman Renovations. In today's release, Findit will be highlighting three featured members that utilize Findit marketing campaigns. Each of these members on Findit has a recurring monthly marketing campaign with Findit that helps improve their overall web presence through search and social media. Findit offers a full suite of marketing services to each of these clients, from content creation to social sharing to video production and more to heighten their overall online presence, aiding them in reaching the audience that is looking for them throughout the web. Our first featured member is Titan Roofing. Titan Roofing has had an on-going monthly marketing campaign with Findit for several years now. They have claimed a total of 17 names on Findit to target the services that they offer in the areas that they provide those services in. Titan Roofing is a locally owned and operated roofing company in Charleston, SC, that serves the Greater Charleston Area, including Mount Pleasant, Goose Creek, Summerville, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, and more. Recently, Titan Roofing acquired a sheet metal fabrication machine, the Cidan K25-30 Combi, and they now offer professional sheet metal fabrication services for metal roofing for other roofing companies, businesses, and individuals. Findit's campaign shifted focus to this new service across Charleston, SC, to help improve exposure for keywords surrounding metal roofing fabrication services and sheet metal fabrication. Titan Roofing has expanded their marketing campaign to cover three new areas: Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, and Beaufort. Findit is in the process of setting up Findit Sites for these new locations, targeting metal roofing installation services and metal roofing repair services for both residential and commercial property owners. Get in touch with Titan Roofing today by calling 843-647-3183. Follow Titan Roofing on Findit findit.com/metal-roofing-fabrication-services-charleston Our second featured Findit member is Carolina Pool Consultants. Carolina Pool Consultants is a year-round pool builder in Denver, NC, that specializes in concrete pool design and installation services. With years of experience in the industry, homeowners in the Greater Denver, NC, rely on CPC Pools for custom concrete pool installation. CPC Pools offers personal, one on one consultations with homeowners to come up with the best design for their space. During your consultation, CPC Pools will help go over with you the benefits of concrete pools and what makes them the preferred choice over vinyl liner or fiberglass pools. Visit Carolina Pool Consultants online at mycpcpools.com and call them at 704-799-5236 to schedule your free pool estimate. Throughout their campaign, Findit has focused its marketing efforts on towns across Greater Denver, NC, including Lake Norman, Charlotte, Cornelius, Terrell, and more. Currently, Findit is focusing its efforts on improving indexing for CPC Pools in Denver, NC, under the various keywords that describe the services they offer. Findit has produced several videos for Carolina Pool Consultants targeting concrete pool building services in Denver, NC. Follow Carolina Pool Consultants on Findit findit.com/inground-concrete-pools-installed-denver-nc Our third featured member is American Craftsman Renovations. American Craftsman Renovations is a locally owned and operated, full-service general contractor in Savannah, GA, that offers custom residential remodeling, renovation, restoration, and repair services to homeowners. From minor handyman repairs to major home improvements, American Craftsman Renovations helps homeowners transform the spaces in their homes. To improve their overall online presence in search and social, they have claimed a total of 33 names on Findit that surround the services that they offer in the areas that they provide those services. Recently, they began offering handyman repairs, home improvements, and custom woodworking services in Savannah, GA. Findit adjusted its focus to go after these new targeted keywords. Content is created on a regular basis as part of their campaign to help elevate their online presence throughout the web, driving traffic to their website and to reach the target audiences looking for the services American Craftsman provides but who have not yet heard of American Craftsman Renovations. Findit also produced a new video for American Craftsman Renovations highlighting home improvements and handyman repairs, two new phrases they are wanting to index under in search engines. Follow American Craftsman Renovations on Findit and Instagram findit.com/home-improvements-savannah-georgia Clark St. Amant "We are featuring three of our Findit members today that are all service-oriented contractors in their local areas. American Craftsman Renovations is located in Savannah, GA, Titan Roofing is in Charleston, SC, and Carolina Pool Consultants is located in Denver, North Carolina. Findit provides each of these contractors with a monthly online marketing content campaign that focuses on the services they provide and the towns and cities they provide them in. All three of these contractors have been utilizing our online marketing services for over two years. We offer these services to other contractors, provided we are not working with an existing contractor in your location providing the same services. Call us to see how we can help you the way we are helping these three long-term clients with their SEO and online marketing." Claim your Name on Findit today with a Findit URL. Findit URLs are $9.95 per month, and each name only exists once on Findit. There is no limit to the number of URLs that you can have, and URLs that are not renewed on a monthly basis do have the ability to be claimed by other people or businesses. The videos embedded in this release were produced by Findit as part of the marketing campaigns provided to these companies. Want to be a featured member on Findit? Get in touch with us at 404-443-3224 or email clark@findit.com. Download the Findit App today and let the world see what you have to say and share with them. Google Apple About Findit, Inc. Findit.com which is a Social Media Content Management Platform that provides an interactive search engine for all content posted in Findit to appear in Findit search. The site is an open platform that provides access to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines access to its content posted to Findit so it can be indexed in these search engines as well. Findit provides Members the ability to post, share and manage their content. Once they have posted in Findit, we ensure the content gets indexed in Findit Search results. Findit provides an option for anyone to submit URLs that they want indexed in Findit search result, along with posting status updates through Findit Right Now. Status Updates posted in Findit can be crawled by outside search engines, which can result in additional organic indexing. All posts on Findit can be shared to other social and bookmarking sites by members and non-members. Findit provides Real Estate Agents the ability to create their own Findit Site where they can pull in their listing and others through their IDX account. Findit, Inc. is focused on the development of monetized Internet-based web products that can provide an increase in brand awareness of our members. Findit, Inc. trades under the stock symbol FDIT on the OTC Pinksheets. Safe Harbor: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including statements regarding potential sales, the success of the company's business, as well as statements that include the word believe or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Findit, Inc. to differ materially from those implied or expressed. CONTACT: Clark St. Amant 404-443-3224 SOURCE: Findit, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635801/Findit-Highlights-Featured-General-Contractors-Titan-Roofing-Carolina-Pool-Consultants-and-American-Craftsman-Renovations Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 He is a legendary figure of ancient Britain whose life story is known to young and old alike. The tale of King Arthur, featuring his faithful companion Sir Lancelot and other Knights of the Round Table has been told for centuries. But now the story, popularised in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th Century work the History of the Kings of Britain, has been retold on a new collection of stamps released by the Royal Mail. The exquisitely detailed set of illustrated stamps show famous scenes including when a young Arthur draws the sword from the stone to prove he is the true King; when he marries his wife Guinevere; and when he fights his son Mordred. Also seen is Sir Lancelot during his battle against a dragon, Sir Galahad at the end of his quest for the Holy Grail, and legendary wizard Merlin holding a baby Arthur. The stamps, both individually and as a set, are available to purchase from today. The illustrations were produced by the artist Jaime Jones. A presentation pack containing all of the illustrations, plus an explanation of the legend, is being sold by Royal Mail for 13.65. Philip Parker, of the Royal Mail, said: 'These atmospheric illustrations bring to life the timeless stories of the King and the Knights of the Round Table. 'With its themes of magic, chivalry and quests, the enduring legend of King Arthur has entranced for centuries and will continue to do so.' He is a legendary figure of ancient Britain whose life story is known to young and old alike. The tale of King Arthur, featuring his faithful companion Sir Lancelot and other Knights of the Round Table has been told for centuries. But now the story, popularised in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th Century work the History of the Kings of Britain, has been retold on a new collection of stamps released by the Royal Mail. Pictured: The first in the set, baby Arthur being held by the wizard Merlin The exquisitely detailed set of illustrated stamps show other famous scenes including when a young Arthur draws the sword Excalibur from the stone. The legend says that only Arthur, as the true heir of Uther Pendragon could pull the sword from the stone Another version of the story sees the Lady of the Lake hand Arthur Excalibur, as shown on the above new stamp. One story says he was given the sword by the Lady of the Lake after his own weapon was damaged in a fight against rival King Pellinore The stamps, both individually and as a set, are available to purchase from today. A presentation pack containing all of the illustrations, plus an explanation of the legend, is being sold by Royal Mail for 13.65. Pictured: A depiction of Arthur's marriage to Guinevere. Successive stories recount that Sir Lancelot had an affair with Guinevere Philip Parker, of the Royal Mail, said: 'These atmospheric illustrations bring to life the timeless stories of the King and the Knights of the Round Table. With its themes of magic, chivalry and quests, the enduring legend of King Arthur has entranced for centuries and will continue to do so.' Pictured: One of the best known Arthurian stories is that of knight Sir Gawain's beheading of the Green Knight. The Green Knight dared any fighter to strike him if he would accept a return blow in a year and a day The Knights of the Round Table were the knights who followed King Arthur, the legend claims. The men were said to be dedicated to keeping the peace in Arthur's kingdom. The table at which the soldiers is meet is said to be a symbol of their equality. The knights include Sir Lancelot, Galahad and Gawain In many Arthurian stories, Sir Lancelot is said to have carried out many great deeds, including the slaying of dragons Sir Galahad, the pure knight, is depicted as the epitome of perfection among Round Table knights, and is seen as the opposite of his father, Lancelot. His unique success in the quest for the Holy Grail reveals the moral failures of Arthurian chivalry. Pictured: Sir Galahad is seen at the end of his quest for the grail Some versions of the Arthurian legend say that Arthur was killed in a fight against his son Mordred at the Battle of Camlann. Mordred is also said to have died in the fight. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's work, Mordred is depicted as Arthur's treacherous nephew. However, later versions of the story depict him as Arthur's illegitimate son After being mortally wounded in battle, Arthur is depicted by artist Jaime Jones during his journey to the Isle of Avalon, where some versions of the legend say he was taken to be healed, but was never seen again. Travelling with him are three queens, who Jones says represent hope for the king's return Two people have been arrested in connection with a Terrebonne Parish human-trafficking investigation, authorities said. Katrice Yolanda Brown, of Orlando, Fla., is charged with enticing a person into prostitution, human trafficking and racketeering, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriffs Office said. Orlando resident Michael Ashford turned himself in this afternoon at the Terrebonne Parish jail, according to the Sheriffs Office. Authorities said they were called Monday to a hotel in Houma to investigate a disturbance. They encountered a 19-year-old woman from Alabama along with Brown. Following further investigation, detectives learned the 19-year-old met Ashford on social media and entered into an agreement to have sex in exchange for money to better her living situation. Once she began traveling with Ashford, she was not given any of the money and was only supplied food and hotel rooms, the Sheriffs Office said. Investigators learned Brown had travelled with them to book hotels and find customers. Ashford fled the area when deputies were arriving and a warrant was issued for his arrest, authorities said. Detectives took Brown into custody and transported her to the Terrebonne Parish jail. Both were released this afternoon after posting bail of $76,000 apiece. People like this entice young girls from bad living situations into the sex for money trade, Soignet said in a news release. Some of these girls feel they have no way out of their current situations and end up in much worse conditions at the hands of these predators. Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp. ___ (c)2021 The Houma Courier, La. Visit The Houma Courier, La. at www.houmatoday.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Ted Hastings' time as a top cop and head of AC-12 could be running out this series, Line of Duty's Adrian Dunbar has revealed. Ahead of this Sunday night's eagerly awaited return of the BBC1 crime drama, the Fermanagh man said that questions will be asked about Superintendent Hastings' continued suitability for the role. Speaking about Hastings' future within the fictional police unit, Dunbar said: "Quite a lot has happened and there's been quite a time jump. "In his (Hastings) working life, a lot of things have destabilised which have affected the unit. I think he's another year older but not another year wiser. "We are still on the search for the network of corrupt coppers. Are we any closer to them? Hopefully! Let's face it - time is running out a bit for Ted; the age he is, whether he can stay in the force, is he useful enough, is he a bit of a dinosaur? "He's up against quite a bit. His personal life is not in great shape." He said that while there are some 'memorable' moments in series six involving his co-stars Martin Compston (DS Steve Arnott) and Vicky McClure (DI Kate Fleming), Hastings is 'put through the ringer', particularly towards the end. And he said the former RUC man would not have fared well during lockdown. "I know a lot of people who had a decent lockdown and that's because they got to spend more time with their families, but of course Ted is on his own," said Dunbar. "I think he would have really suffered as his work is everything to him and going into work in the morning, reminds him of who he is. It gives him a sense of self-worth, gives him dignity and all those things that work gives us back, more so for Ted as he isn't going home to his wife and he doesn't have kids. "He probably would have drank a bit too much, slept in, not shaved. It would have been a big ask for Ted." The new series of Line of Duty sees Shalom Brune-Franklin join the AC-12 team as its latest recruit, while Kelly Macdonald makes her debut as guest lead Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson, whose suspicious conduct attracts the attention of Anti-Corruption. Expand Close Dramatic: DI Kate Fleming (played by Vicky McClure) and DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) in a scene from the new series of Line of Duty BBC/World Productions/Steffan Hi / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dramatic: DI Kate Fleming (played by Vicky McClure) and DCI Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) in a scene from the new series of Line of Duty Filming in Belfast was paused for six months due to the pandemic, with Compston describing the shoot as 'like no other'. "We shot in the middle of a pandemic and it was interesting when we stopped for the first lockdown," he said. "Nobody had any idea what was going on and it was such a surreal feeling. Before we stopped, there was the looming threat of being shut down hanging over us. "It's quite hard to get into work in the morning and get yourself motivated when everyone is worried about getting home." Vicky McClure also told how filming this series was challenging due to Covid-19 and how masks, testing and hygiene became the norm. "It was hard not being able to go home at weekends but it helped that we were with really good friends," she said. "I feel really proud of what we achieved in such a difficult time." But she said there were plenty of light moments on set when actors forgot their lines or played pranks on each other. "I am the class clown on this job," she said. "We have a laugh everyday as we either forget our lines, fluff them or say something stupid. "I can't think of anything overly specific as it's such a regular occurrence. To be honest, it usually involves Adrian Dunbar." "In one of the interviews, I had to say 'a bunch of racist thugs' but I got it wrong," added Dunbar. "I said 'a bunch of racist slugs' which got a big laugh from the crew. I hope that survives on a bloopers reel somewhere so we can all see it." Rico Loverde thought he had a grasp on the smash burger competition when he opened his new food cart, Monster Smash, at 4500 S.E. Stark St. last month. He knew of just one other place taking a trained chefs approach to the classic burger style: Nob Hills year-old Farmer & The Beast, miles away in Northwest Portland. And then literally two weeks before we opened, Mid City opened just down the street, Loverde said, referring to another new smash burger cart, also on Stark. My timing is never right. Well, yes and no. Lets start with the bad news for Loverde: The competition is actually stiffer than he first realized. Over the past five years, at least 25 food carts, pop-ups and restaurants have started serving smash burgers -- literally, burgers made from meat smashed directly on a flat-top grill. At least five of those spots opened in the past two months. But theres good news, too: Portlands love for these thin, crispy, throwback burgers doesnt seem to be going anywhere. And in Loverdes case, the timing could end up being just right: Belmont Station, the craft beer bar next door, started pouring beers again March 1, just a few weeks after Monster Smash debuted. Here well take a look at two new smash burger food carts, Monster Smash and Mid City Smash Burger. The three other newbies are chef Carlo Lamagnas thick and juicy Filipino-influenced double smash burger at Bit House Collective; former Holdfast Dining chef Will Preischs new monthly pop-up at Abbey Road Farm in Carlton; and Yes, Please, a pop-up known for its house-made American cheese most recently spotted at Haleakala, a community kitchen at 2816 N.E. Halsey St. But first, a programming note: Later this month, we plan to publish a comprehensive guide to the best smash burgers found throughout the Portland area. Stay tuned. Monster Smash After cooking for more than 15 years at San Francisco tourist-destination restaurants, Loverde moved to Portland to take a job making synthesizers and guitar pedals at Malekko Heavy Industry, eventually buying a home next door to Belmont Station. That gig lasted eight years. Then the pandemic hit last March. Meanwhile, Monks Deli, the beloved cheesesteak cart at Belmont Station, chose to close. Loverde, who says he never lost his love for food, decided to take over the cart, first toying with a tapas concept, then returning to his original idea: cheeseburgers (the Spanish inspiration lives on through the garlic aioli served with Monster Smashs salty shoestring fries). They were never smash burgers when I was a kid, said Loverde, who was born in Lake Tahoe. This was just a cheeseburger, the kind you might find at an old-style drive-up, very thin, with the crispy lacy edges on the meat, and that has kind of disappeared. The OG Smash burger ($10) has two small patties of local grass-fed beef, smashed and seared and topped with melted American cheese, burger sauce (too sweet to my taste, the ketchup could be dialed back a bit) and great house-made turmeric pickles on a fluffy brioche bun from Dos Hermanos bakery. A vegan option with Beyond beef ($14) is available, and Loverde makes a restaurant-quality salad with candied pecans, pomegranate seeds, shaved fennel, goat cheese and roasted beets ($12). The fries ($5) are a generous portion, though a small option would be nice both to keep the price of a burger and fries down (it runs $18 once you add a 20% tip), and because that good garlic aioli usually gets scooped up before the bag is half done. But the best thing at the cart, which Loverde runs solo on Thursday and Friday and with his wife, Alaina, on weekends, might not be a burger at all. The Soup & Sando combo ($10) pairs a smoked tomato bisque with a pesto, genoa salami and melted provolone sandwich. Its a contender for the best grilled cheese in the city right now. In the future, Loverde hopes to expand to seven days a week, revive his tapas concept with an occasional Spanish pop-up and, after the pandemic, project old monster movies on a wall near the cart. Until then, Loverde has decided to embrace the smash burger competition. Luckily, Portland is big enough and the neighborhoods are separated enough and were different enough that theres room for everyone, Loverde said. Monster Smash is open from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday to Sunday at 4500 S.E. Stark St., behind Belmont Station. Visit instagram.com/monstersmashpdx for more information. A cheeseburger from Mid City Smash Burger, a food truck located at the corner of 11th and Stark in Southeast Portland.Samantha Swindler/The Oregonian Mid City Smash Burgers Mid City Smash Burgers was created 2,500 miles away in New Orleans, late one night during the early pandemic, when former Portland chef Mike Aldridge started raving about his vision for the perfect cheeseburger. It didnt take long for his friends to put him to the challenge: Why dont you just make one for us? they asked. Aldridge, recently unemployed, looked around his Mid-City neighborhood, thought about the folks nearby selling crawfish boils and other treats off their porches, and decided to give it a try. The resulting New Orleans porch pop-up was, well, a smash, drawing socially distanced lines and a brass band to keep them moving. But Aldridge, an avid snowboarder, was already planning to head back west to take over a friends underutilized Portland food cart. Today, you can find Mid City Smash Burger parked next to a giant mural of a grinning mouth set against a lush green forest some 35 blocks west of Monster Smash. Time it right, and you might find Aldridge himself, standing on the corner of Southeast 11th Avenue and Stark, waving a cardboard sign advertising Mid Citys $5 cheeseburgers. Those wallet-friendly cheeseburgers count as a marvel of restraint for a chef who could just as easily have whipped up a fancy $22 bistro burger. Before moving to New Orleans, Aldridge cut his teeth at The Resort on the Mountain and Timberline Lodge restaurants, spent time at Vitaly Paleys former downtown Portland restaurants Imperial and Headwaters, helped put Wheelers Salmonberry Saloon on the foodie map, then hosted his own high-end seafood pop-up, aiming to open his own restaurant in Rhododendron (it didnt pan out). Mid City Smash Burger, a new food truck located at the corner of 11th and Stark in Southeast Portland.Samantha Swindler/The Oregonian At Mid City, all that experience is put in service of burgers made with simple hamburger buns from nearby Franz Bakery and humble American cheese, though even here Aldridge notes he tested five different varieties of American cheese to find the perfect slice. The skill shows in the details: The way the bun is griddled, the full melt on that cheese, the intense smash Aldridge gives each 2-ounce ball of St. Helens beef with a heavy cast iron weight, then peels off with a paint scraper. It also shows in the burger sauce, a mustard-mayo blend with a dozen secret ingredients, including flecks of what I took for cayenne spice and bits of onion and pickle that Aldridge fine dices by hand, a task that can take up to an hour per batch. That tasty sauce is dolloped generously above and below each double-patty burger (again, $5!), and thats it in terms of toppings. It can also be poured alongside nacho cheese in a deluxe version ($5) of the carts crinkle cut fries ($3). Pepsi (no Coke) and thick, Wendys-style chocolate or strawberry Tillamook ice cream milkshakes ($4) round out the menu. Our sauce is the highlight of the show, Aldridge said. Its the only thing that a knife is used for. I cut all the onions by hand. Im usually crying pretty heavily on Wednesday when I make the sauce. Its a lot of work for fast food, but to me, its worth it. A few New Orleans touches have made their way back to Portland, including a multi-spice seasonin dusted directly on the sizzling meat, as well as a few pieces of lagniappe an MCSB sticker and Dum Dum lollipop, perhaps, or a paper burger hat for the kids added to your order, gratis. On a visit in early February, my burger bag included a strand of Mardi Gras beads. Like Loverde, Aldridge hopes to set up a projector next to the cart and host cruise-in or bike-in movie nights. The carts current lot might be turned into a small pod with room for another food cart or two. And Aldridge hopes to expand his cart beyond Portland to Beaverton, Eugene, Sandy and Bend -- all the better to be closer to the mountain. Mid City Smash Burger is open from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday to Sunday at 1015 S.E. Stark St., in front of the Art Design Xchange. Visit instagram.com/midcitysmashburger for more information. -- Michael Russell, mrussell@oregonian.com, @tdmrussell Daily diaries, paintings, and a photo of a birthday cake shaped like a roll of toilet paperall among the artifacts people have chosen to memorialize the year since COVID-19s arrival. When the pandemic began, we thought immediately of the dilemma of how we archive such an important and dramatic unfolding event, says Sarah Knott, professor of history at Indiana University Bloomington. At Indiana University, Knott and archivist Carrie Schwier launched an archive and invited volunteers from Monroe County residents and those affiliated with the university to submit diaries, but such projects have been popping up all over the country. Local historical societies, universities and libraries have spent the past year archiving the highs and the lows of the pandemic, racial justice marches, impeachment, and other defining events. These archives take the form of objects, photographs, and diaries selected by the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This type of community archive became popular in the 1960s and 70s, says Suzanne Im, a metadata librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library who maintains the LA COVID-19 Community Archive. More in the distant past, you had curators who decided what was preserved and archived, she says, But more and more like with these community archives, were involving people who actually create these historical materials in collecting. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, historians and writers have looked to the past, particularly to previous public health crises like the 1918 influenza pandemic, to glean information about how society reacts to mass death and illness. Diaries and letters written by those who fell ill in 1918 help us connect to those in a similar position to us over 100 years later. But cataloging history as its happening isnt a straightforward task. Schwier says with so much happening over the past year, giving the project a permanent name is its kind of impossible right now, she says, I think well just have to name it later. The fallout of COVID-19, racial justice marches, and elections are not a monolith says Knott. They get experienced not as a single event, but actually multiple events with divergent timelines. Advertisement Advertisement It is easy to see how an archive can be seen as a window to the past for future researchers and students, but it can also be useful to those who construct it in the present. Theres a real yearning, I think, to make sense of whats going on and to know that its meaningful, says Knott. We really were thinking about the clarity and comfort that comes from giving people in the here and now an opportunity to have a reason to document. People who want to share more painful or controversial thoughts can put a restriction on their submission that means it will not be released for five years. Schwier says one person went as far to make that number 50 years on their submission. But Im says people self-curate and are perhaps less likely to share submissions that represent the more traumatic moments of the pandemic: [M]most people are not rushing to share those types of stories. Advertisement Many of the archives are focusing on digital submissionsphotographs, digital diaries, art workbut some have also worked to create robust oral histories as events happen. The A/P/A Voices: A COVID-19 Public Memory Project is an effort by the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University to record how the current pandemic has affected Asian/Pacific American communities around the country. Vivian Truong, a postdoctoral fellow in Asian American studies at Vassar College, is one of the collaborators leading the project. She says currently they have 20 volunteers conducting oral histories over Zoom and so far have interviewed more than 40 people. The guiding question, Truong says, is, What are the experiences that people are having, but arent really encapsulated by all of these charts and graphs that were all seeing all the time? Its not just a health story, she adds, because the pandemic has coincided with anti-Asian violence and serious economic downturn in Chinatowns around the country. While there is no shortage of news sources to draw from, its not a given that these stories are going to be remembered, in a way that people want them to be remembered, she says. Advertisement Advertisement All of these projects have received hundreds or even thousands of submissions as people are eager to share stories and artifacts from their day-to-day lives. Schwier says at Indiana University, 40 or 50 people are regularly submitting content to the archive in the forms of lengthy diaries, social media posts, and websites. As time as progressed, she says, people started to include more about the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and subsequent racial justice demonstrations in their submissions. In a sense it feels like many have learned to live with the virus, whatever that means for them, she says, allowing other issues to rise to the surface. In Los Angeles, Im says most of the 2,500 submissions are digital photographs. Some show messages such as Be right back after these messages on the marquee of a local movie theater. Others show health care professionals dressed up in full PPE. In Indiana, a retired registered nurse drew a portrait of a masked USPS employee, and a university employee submitted a diary of his typical workday in May 2020. One international student detailed the earliest days of the pandemic and his hurried trip back to Hungary in a diary titled Escape from the USA. Advertisement Advertisement Some people take their contributions to history very seriously. Schwier says one woman left a note in her will to ensure that if she dies before her journal gets submitted to the archives, her loved ones will know where to take it. The A/P/A Voices project, Los Angeles Public Library, and Indiana University are all still accepting entries to their archives, and many more of these archives have open-ended dates for submission for anyone searching out a repository for their memories and thoughts. To find a project near you, the local library, historical society or university is a good place to start. Your experience is worthy of preservation, says Schwier, no matter how kind of boring all of our own lives may seem to us at the moment. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Shane Idleman, Pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship, said on Monday that "Cancel Culture" is becoming prevalent in churches, but it still cannot silence God Writing for Christian Headlines, Idleman said that he finds the actions of "the so-called church" more "disturbing" than the "actions of the world." He said that the world is "simply being true to its fallen nature," so there should be no surprise there. Idleman, however, is saddened that many pastors are joining the cancel culture whenever they complain or make drastic actions against fellow believers over differing political views. To illustrate this point, he recounted his experiences of being canceled from a speaking engagement last year and the opposition from pastors when they decided to re-open their church on May 31. Idleman also noted that on top of Facebook shadow banning the visibility of his sermon videos, and YouTube banning talks on "on vaccines and immunity," his local newspaper also canceled his articles. He suspects that this was due to the persuasion of liberal Christians who do not agree with his views. "By this time, the shenanigans and the agendas of many political leaders were becoming apparent. We not only had a legitimate virus to deal with but we had agendas and ulterior motives working against us as well. Would churches capitulate and use Romans 13 out of context, or would they meet to fast, pray, and contend for the truth? Would they be cowards or watchmen?" said Idleman. "My heart breaks for the church, but the truth is that many Christians are being influenced by social media rather than by God's Spirit and spend more time criticizing others rather than looking in the mirror and more time reading left-leaning liberals instead of reading and applying God's Word," he wrote on another part of his article. In July 2020, Idleman said that his church held services at JetHawk Stadium in Lancaster, California. To his surprise, it wasn't the unbelievers who attacked him. "Other Christians and pastors were gossiping and backbiting. It is telling that none of them seemed to be excited that over 10,000 people attended the 4-month event and we had over 150 baptisms, the majority of which were spontaneous," he said. According to Idleman's diagnosis, "cancel culture" within the church is often "fueled by jealousy and arrogance." He noted that groups with the "They don't think like I think, so God cannot be using them" mentality have always been present throughout the ages. The Pharisees and denominational leaders who scorned revivals in the past were among his examples. On pastors who still chose to keep their church doors locked, Idleman wrote that due to the immense pressure on their shoulders, they need "more grace, not less." He added though that just as "iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17)," "cowardliness" should not also go "unchecked." "Sadly, many pastors are joining the cancel culture, keeping their church doors locked and aligning with ungodly organizations because they have either lost the compass of truth or the boldness of the Spirit-or possibly both. They are distant from Christ, and therefore seek to be pleasers of men rather than lovers of God," cautioned Idleman. "They may cancel people, ideas, concepts, videos, articles, and sermons, but they can never cancel God!" A man has sued the Mater Hospital in Nairobi for detaining the remains of his late wife over a Sh3. 5 million bill. William Nyambuti Maina claims the hospital has declined to release the body of Priskillah Kemunto Oendo despite paying half of the bill. The late Kemunto died on January 8 after a long illness with her family unable to lay her to rest due to an accumulated bill that had soared to Sh 7.04 million at the time of her death. The hospital wrote us a letter asking to clear all the pending bills before it could release the body. The family managed to raise Sh 1.5 million in the first instance and later Sh2 million through fundraisers. We had asked for a waiver after raising the amount but our request was declined, Nyambuti said. Since her demise, Mater hospital has also been charging a daily morgue fee of Sh1,600. The respondent continues to unlawfully, illegally and improperly detain the remains of Priskillah Kemunto Oendo in order to emotionally depress, oppress and blackmail me or my family members for their commercial gain yet they cannot auction the cadaver or the remains of the deceased and recover their dues, Nyambuti said in his affidavit. The widower wants the court to compel Mater hospital to release his late wifes body for burial. 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. Utilizing the resources of the Levan Center and NSU, the initial focus of LEVL5: SPACE DOCK will be to promote space entrepreneurship in the South Florida region. It will do so by creating a collaborative environment in the space sector for industry, government, academia, and investors to pursue entrepreneurial and research activities for the advancement of the South Florida economy. "The goal of LEVL5: SPACE DOCK is to help put South Florida and NSU on the map in the space sector and to incubate and accelerate space entrepreneurship opportunities in the region," said John Wensveen, Ph.D., NSU's Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of Levan Center. "We are honored to have Dr. Andrew Aldrin, a renowned and seasoned veteran in the space sector, join us to launch and help catapult LEVL5: SPACE DOCK into becoming a leader in the sector." As Director of LEVL5: SPACE DOCK, Dr. Aldrin will oversee the development and strategic planning of all initiatives and programs and will focus on securing strategic industry, government, academic, and investor partnerships to drive the advancement of the space sector in South Florida. He will be instrumental in developing programming, events, and wraparound services associated with the Levan Center's four anchor programs Ideate, Incubate, Accelerate, and Post-Accelerate. Dr. Aldrin brings a plethora of experience to LEVL5: SPACE DOCK and the Levan Center. In addition to his role with LEVL5: SPACE DOCK, he currently serves as the President of the Aldrin Family Foundation. He most recently served as the Director of the Aldrin Space Institute at Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Aldrin has had a distinguished career in industry and government research which has included executive positions at Boeing, United Launch Alliance, and Moon Express. He was also a member of the research staff at the RAND Corporation and the Institute for Defense Analyses and is a consultant to NASA. He has served on the board of several charitable organizations, including The Secure World Foundation, Space For Humanity, Sea Space Symposium, and the Tau Zero Foundation. He holds a Ph.D. from UCLA in Political Science, an MBA from TRIUM (NYU, LSE, HEC), and an MA from George Washington University in Science, Technology and Public Policy. "LEVL5: SPACE DOCK will bring the entrepreneurial and financial strength of South Florida together with the strong commercial space sector in Central Florida to strengthen the position of Florida as a global leader in commercial space," said Dr. Aldrin. "This will be a crucial contribution to the ability of Florida to become a leader in the trillion-dollar space economy of the future." LEVL5: SPACE DOCK will support emerging opportunities in space entrepreneurship by providing "spacepreneurs" with infrastructure and networks to help fill the funding gap by increasing access to angel investors, venture capital, equity capital, and institutional financing. Additionally, it will support the Levan Center's initiatives of discovering and supporting breakthrough ideation, new technologies, a talent skills pipeline, new jobs, company formation, and scaling of early-stage and young startup companies. LEVL5: SPACE DOCK will also help fill the talent skills gap offering certifications that are in demand and will be the portal to NSU's academic disciplines creating new opportunities to support grant and industry funded research that can be commercialized through an enhanced external network with impact locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Located in Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County, the Levan Center, a purpose-built 54,000 square foot facility, is slated to open in July 2021 in the area that occupies the top floor of the Alvin Sherman Library on the NSU campus. LEVL5: SPACE DOCK is one of the many initiatives that the Levan Center has established to provide a collaborative environment for industry, government, and academia to pursue entrepreneurial and research activities for the advancement of the South Florida economy. The Levan Center's goal is to develop, nurture and attract the talent and innovation that will propel the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County and the South Florida Region into the foremost hub in the country's global tech and innovation ecosystem. It will concentrate on being the gateway and connector between entrepreneurs, leading companies, students, and potential investors in the region. It will offer incubator and accelerator programs for early-stage and young-startup companies; mentoring opportunities; a technology-focused makerspace; a showcase and pitch area; technology and innovation skills classes, and more. Additional programming will include access to a purpose-built cybersecurity training range, industry certifications, specialized workshops, seminars and short courses, industry leading speakers, boot camps, pitch sessions and hackathons complemented by a thoughtfully designed co-working space for people to collaboratively develop their skills. For more information about Levan Center, please visit nova.edu/innovation. To join our community, visit https://www.nova.edu/innovation/join-us. About the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation: The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation (Levan Center) is a public-private partnership between Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and Broward County that serves as an economic and education development engine for Greater Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, and South Florida focused on innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. Customized programs, events, and wraparound services support the founder's journey from the birth of an idea through successful exit, or global expansion, of a company incorporating four pillars (Ideate, Incubate, Accelerate, Post-Accelerate). The Levan Center is designed to serve the community resulting in breakthrough ideation, new technologies, talent skills pipeline, job creation, new company formation, and scaling of early-stage and young startup companies. Visit nova.edu/innovation . About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don't just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 15 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, the private JK-12 grade University School, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida's largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. With nearly 200,000 alumni across the nation and globe, the reach of the NSU community is worldwide. Classified as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education's criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information. MEDIA CONTACT Kip Hunter Marketing Aimee Adler Cooke | 561-302-6902 | [email protected] Nicole Lewis |305-803-9177 | [email protected] Nova Southeastern University Tasha Yohan | 954-494-5848| [email protected] SOURCE Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation Related Links http://nova.edu/innovation Malik Halfacre, 25, (above) was arrested on Sunday over the quadruple murder in Indianapolis An Indiana man has been accused of injuring his baby girl's mother, shooting dead four of her family members and then abducting his daughter after getting into a fight because he wanted half of a $1,400 stimulus check. Police said Malik Halfacre, 25, opened fire inside the Indianapolis home of Jeanettrius Moore, who is the mother of his six-month-old daughter, on Saturday night. Moore's seven-year-old daughter Eve; her mother Tomeeka Brown, 44; brother Dequan Moore, 23; and cousin Anthony Johnson, 35, were all shot dead. Moore was injured in the shooting but managed to escape and alert her neighbors. Halfacre allegedly fled the scene with his daughter. He was arrested on Sunday evening inside the attic of a different home about 4.5 miles from the shooting scene. His six-month-old daughter was found unharmed. Moore's family said the shooting was sparked by an argument over her $1,400 stimulus check. They say Halfacre had come to the home a night earlier demanding half of Moore's check. Police said Halfacre opened fire inside the Indianapolis home of Jeanettrius Moore, who is the mother of his six-month-old daughter, on Saturday night. Moore's seven-year-old daughter Eve (above) was among the four people shot dead Moore's seven-year-old daughter Eve was among the four people gunned down on Saturday night 'She said, 'No, you don't deserve any of this. I work. I take care of our child. You don't do anything',' Moore's cousin Wendy Johnson told WXIN. Moore eventually said Halfacre could have $450 but he allegedly told her 'I'm gonna get that money' before leaving. Police said he returned to her home the following night and opened fire. Authorities found Moore outside the home after being shot in the back. She directed police to the home and told them other victims were inside. Moore was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Halfacre was being held on Monday on preliminary murder, attempted murder and other charges. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Craig McCartt did not mention Halfacre by name during a Monday morning news conference but he said the suspect had gotten into an argument at the home before the shootings. 'There was an argument there that escalated to the point where he pulled out his weapon and started shooting everyone there in the home,' McCartt said. He said the shooting suspect faces four preliminary counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder and robbery. He noted, however, that the Marion County Prosecutor's office had not yet filed formal charges. 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 Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea has called for an independent inquiry into the publishing and sale of the controversial history textbooks in the country. The history books published by Badu Nkansah and Golden Publications have courted public anger as the contents undermine the Ewe ethnic group. The books titled History of Ghana for Basic 6 by Golden Publications, History of Ghana Textbook 3 and Golden English Basic 4 have a distasteful tone against Ewes and Ghana's first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The books carry sheer contempt for the first President of Ghana, feature a song that inappropriately communicates about the identity of Ewes and also portray Ewes as "juju loving" people. Nana Akomea registered his displeasure with the contents of the books and sought to find out how they were released into the Ghanaian market. He also wondered how the books could pass approval by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) which is supposed to be the gatekeeper. He called on the Ghana Education Service to launch a full-scale inquiry and investigation into the issue. "Ths is serious, very, very serious", he fumed, stressing ''we must do a full inquiry. It's in the interest of the Ghana Education Service to undertake a full inquiry. This inquiry should go to Badu Nkansah, how and what approval process do they have that they could pass this book to go the printing process. An independent inquiry must be set up to probe them," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo''. Watch video 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 Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 15:37:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LHASA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists are working to set up the world's largest refracting telescope in Tibet Autonomous Region for observing stars and planets. Construction for the optical telescope, with a 1-meter aperture, has already started in the regional capital of Lhasa, said Wang Junjie, deputy director of the regional department of science and technology. With its high altitude and clear sky, Tibet is said to be one of the world's best spots to observe celestial bodies. A refracting telescope is an instrument that uses a combination of lenses to produce images of distant objects in space that would not be visible with the human eye. Scientists will use the refractor to carry out sky surveys, including monitoring near-Earth asteroids, Wang added. Led by the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the telescope project also involves astronomical science popularization. Scientists can use the internet to display images, videos and interactive features from the unique perspective of the large telescope. The 1-meter refractor will be mounted on a planned regional planetarium, which is likely to start construction this year and emerge as the world's highest astronomical observatory upon completion, according to Wang. Enditem Create your account: sign up and get ahead on news and events NO INVESTMENT ADVICE The above has been published by Proactive Investors Limited (the "Company") on its website and is made available subject to the terms and conditions of use of its website (see T&C ). ... Two men arrested, charged with assaulting Capitol police officer who later died Federal officials on Monday charged two men who participated in the January 6 attack on the Capitol building and charged them with assaulting Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Sicknick was injured in the attack and later died of his injuries. Julian Khater, 32, and George Tanios, 39, were arrested Sunday. Both are seen on video footage from the Capitol assault spraying bear spray into Sicknicks eyes and the eyes of two other officers who were attempting to prevent the rioters from advancing into the building. Both were charged with crimes including conspiracy to injure an officer and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Federal prosecutors have not formally linked the bear spray assault to Sicknick's death. COVID-19 numbers Here's the latest data on COVID-19 coronavirus infections, deaths and vaccinations. Latest reported COVID-19 numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University Global diagnosed cases: 120,302,055 Global deaths: 2,662,597. The United States has the most deaths of any single country, with 535,661. Number of countries/regions: at least 192 Total patients recovered globally: 68,244,773 Latest reported COVID-19 numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University There are at least 29,495,907 reported cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country. U.S. deaths: at least 535,661. California has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 56,674. U.S. total people tested: 374,442,857 The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in California, with 3,626,027 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 39.51 million. This ranks second in the world after England, which has 3,931,849 cases. Texas is third, with 2,731,814 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 29 million. Latest reported COVID-19 vaccination numbers in the United States The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a total of 135,847,835 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. Of those, 109,081,860 doses have been administered, with 71,054,445 people receiving at least one dose and 38,335,432 people fully vaccinated, representing 27.5% and 14.8% of the total U.S. population, respectively. The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines each require two doses to be effective. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires a single dose to be effective. CDC finds majority of Americans receiving second COVID-19 vaccine dose A just-published analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the majority of Americans are making certain to receive their second of two required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with only 3.4% missing the recommended window to receive the second dose. The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines both require two doses to be effective, both within a recommended three-to-four-week window. The analysis evaluated 12,496,258 people who got the first dose of the vaccine from December 14, 2020 to February 14, 2021 and tracked information regarding second dose follow-up. Historically there's often a drop-off for vaccines that require two or more doses, with many people not showing up for the second dose, making the high compliance for the COVID-19 vaccine more notable. The CDC does note that the study only measures the first few months of the vaccine rollout, during which time people generally might have been highly motivated to get both shots. Additionally, people in the study were first-phase recipients, such as healthcare workers, meaning they were receiving the vaccine at work, where it was more convenient, compared to the at-large population who have to make appointments and travel to receive the vaccine. Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Nearly 7,000 children are taking part in a vaccine trial, conducted by Moderna, to determine what dose and efficacy of its coronavirus (COVID-19) shot is needed to protect them. Moderna announced Tuesday that the first participants of the phase 2/3 study, called the KidCOVE study, were dosed with the vaccine. Participants are from the United States and Canada and are between the ages of six months and 11 years old. It is humbling to know that 53 million doses have been administered to people in the U.S. We are encouraged by the primary analysis of the Phase 3 COVE study of mRNA-1273 in adults ages 18 and above and this pediatric study will help us assess the potential safety and immunogenicity of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate in this important younger age population, said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. In the first part of the study, each participant aged two to less than 12 may receive one of three different dose levels, either 50 or 100 micrograms, of the vaccine. The second part of the study is the placebo-controlled expansion of the study. Participants will receive the second dose 28 days after the first. All participants will be followed for one year after the completion of the study. The study is being conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. PFIZER CHILD TRIALS ALREADY UNDERWAY Pfizers age de-escalation trials were already underway in February and the company said it should have enough of the necessary data to make a decision if children should get vaccinated by the time school begins in the fall. Its clinical trial, which used between 2,000 and 3,000 children, worked in age groups 16 to 12, then 12 to nine, and then nine to six. Once the vaccine is approved for children, the next hurdle will be the medical community convincing parents that it is safe for their children. Recent data shows that many adults are still skeptical of the vaccines safety and efficacy. JOHNSON & JOHNSON ALSO WORKING ON VACCINE FOR CHILDREN Johnson & Johnson, which was recently granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and is being used in New York City to vaccinate homebound residents, is also working on a vaccine for children under the age of 18 by September. I think its likely to occur right in that timeline. The good news is, is that the FDA is already working with companies to establish the clear regulatory guidelines, so that the appropriate data can be collected, Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky told the Washington Post. According to CNN, Johnson & Johnson will begin the trials in people ages 12 to 18 and then move to younger participants. We will conduct several immunogenicity and safety studies in children from 17 years of age down to neonates, Dr. Macaya Douoguih, head of clinical development and medical affairs with Johnson & Johnsons vaccine arm Janssen, told a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee. Douoguih also said Johnson & Johnson anticipates studying the vaccine in pregnant women in their second and third trimesters by the end of March and beginning of April. FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER. Chinese hackers are suspected of breaking their way into Western Australia's parliamentary email network as part of a global cyber-attack. The online attack, which involved Microsoft software, was detected in the middle of the state election campaign on March 4. Premier Mark McGowan claimed a landslide victory in the Western Australian election over the weekend, with Opposition Leader Zak Kirkup formally conceding defeat about two hours after polls closed. A warning text from the Department of Parliamentary Services was sent to WA politicians in the wake of the email hacking, ABC reported. 'Please be advised that the Parliament mail server has been hit with a cyber-attack,' the text read. 'Consequently, the mail server will be down until further notice.' Chinese hackers are suspected of breaking their way into Western Australia's parliamentary email network as part of a global cyber-attack. A warning text from the Department of Parliamentary Services was sent to WA politicians in the wake of the hacking (pictured) West Australian Premier Mark McGowan and his wife Sarah walk to a press conference in Rockingham, 50km south of Perth, on Sunday. The WA Labor party won the state election by a landslide on Saturday Western Australia's Parliamentary Services Department conducted an investigation and found that no sensitive data was taken. WA's Executive Manager of Parliamentary Services Rob Hunter said the email server was immediately disconnected once they were made aware of the attack. 'The situation was resolved by the following morning and a forensic audit found there was no data breach,' he said. The following week, a number of large Australian organisations using the popular Microsoft Exchange were warned they are exposed to cyber attacks because they have not patched their systems. The Australian Cyber Security Centre has issued updated advice following vulnerable Microsoft Exchange systems being compromised by malicious cyber actors. Assistant Minister for Defence Andrew Hastie said immediate steps were needed. The ACSC has identified a large number of Australian organisations yet to patch affected versions of Microsoft Exchange, leaving them exposed to cyber compromise,' Mr Hastie said. 'This can be done by implementing the necessary network security patches as soon as possible and then following the detection steps outlined by Microsoft.' The online attack, which involved Microsoft software, was detected in the middle of the state election campaign on March 4. Pictured: A general view of the Parliament of Western Australia in Perth He said if organisations were unable to quickly deploy the patches, they should consider preventing internet access to the exchange web server. It comes after China was in June last year blamed for a huge cyber-attack on Australia amid an escalating feud between the two nations. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country was under attack from a 'sophisticated state-based actor' targeting companies, hospitals, schools and government officials. Mr Morrison did not name the country, but government sources say there is a 'high degree of confidence that China is behind the attacks'. Beijing and Canberra were at loggerheads after Australia led global calls for an inquiry into the origins of Covid, which first surfaced in China at the end of 2019. It comes after China was in June last year blamed for a huge cyber-attack on Australia amid an escalating feud between the two nations. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 11 Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has warned the Australian government to lay off 'tit-for-tat' with Beijing, saying the country could remain 'in the Chinese freezer' for years. Ms Bishop said the government needed to ensure they don't offend our 'largest customer' while hosting an online panel for the Australian National University on Monday night. She said she understood Beijing officials were refusing to meet with Canberra ministers to discuss levy's imposed by China on Australia, suggesting it would take years for the relationship to mend. The remarks were made hours after trade minister Dan Tehan announced he had escalated a complaint to the World Trade Organisation about tariffs on Australian barley, which has increased the cost by 80 per cent. Former foreign minister Julie Bishop (top left hand corner) has warned the Australian government to lay off China, saying the country could remain 'in the Chinese freezer' for years on a webinar (pictured) 'The infamous Chinese freezer can last for years,' said Ms Bishop, who is now the Chancellor of the ANU. 'China is an important trading partner, China is a significant world power and they are our largest mercantile trading partner. 'You don't unnecessarily offend your largest customer, so we need to re-engage with China.' The nation has imposed levies on various Australian industries, including wine, beef, lamb, cotton, lobsters, timber and coal. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The government's contact tracing workforce is getting "overwhelmed" as COVID-19 cases in the Philippines are on the rise again, Contact Tracing czar Benjamin Magalong said. Magalong, who is also Baguio City mayor, admitted in a virtual briefing that the country's contact tracing efficiency ratio was "really low." The ideal, he noted, was to trace 30 to 37 individuals for every COVID-19 case for urban settings, and 30 contacts for rural areas. "But we never reach that," Magalong said. "We really need more contact tracers. Nao-overwhelm na sila (They are getting overwhelmed). They're tired, exhausted, mentally and physically pressured," he added. According to Magalong, instead of the target of rehiring 50,000 contact tracers last year, they cut the number to 30,000 this quarter due to "budget limitations." He was hopeful the Department of the Interior and Local Government could raise money to boost the contact tracing workforce, especially now that the Philippines is dealing with a spike in infections. READ: New OCTA forecast: COVID-19 cases in PH may hit 8,000 a day by end-March, 18,000 by mid-April Speaking to CNN Philippines, Magalong said they asked local government units to seek help from the Philippine National Police in contact tracing. He noted that the PNP has committed last year to provide assistance to LGUs. "Instead of hiring, because of the budgetary constraint on the part of the local government, we asked them to get in touch with the PNP," he told CNN Philippines' News Night. Magalong said many police officers are investigators. Last week, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the country has over 255,000 contact tracers nationwide. However, 15,000 people may lose their jobs by June if the agency fails to secure more funds for their salaries. RELATED: DILG to seek budget of over 1B to keep contact tracers until year-end Magalong also reiterated the need to tap the Philippine National Police as contact tracers. "PNP will add value because many in the them are investigators," he said. SEOUL -- South Korea unveiled on Monday plans to expand its immunisation campaign in the second quarter to include more senior citizens, health workers and other frontline professionals, with an aim to inoculate nearly a quarter of its 52 million people by June. Starting in April, more priority groups will receive a vaccine, including more people aged 65 or above, other healthcare workers, police, fire officials, soldiers and flight attendants, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. South Korea began inoculating high-risk medical workers and the critically ill at the end of February as it battles a third wave of COVID-19 and seeks to achieve herd immunity by November. Our primary goal is to vaccinate up to 12 million people within the first half of this year, KDCA director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing. Were seeking to focus on protecting high-risk groups, while preventing schools and care places from infection and inoculating more health and medical workers and those who play an essential role in society. Nearly 18 million doses of vaccines will arrive in South Korea by June, including the nearly 1.7 million doses that already came into the country last month, Jeong said. But health authorities have cut their first quarter inoculation target by more than 40% to around 750,000 after delaying the use of AstraZenecas vaccine on people aged 65 and older last month, citing a lack of clinical trial data on them. South Korea authorised the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for that age group last week. More than 95% of the nearly 590,000 who were inoculated as of midnight on Sunday have received the AstraZeneca vaccine and the remainder the Pfizer vaccine, KDCA data showed. President Moon Jae-in, aged 68, is scheduled to get an AstraZeneca shot on March 23 as part of preparations to visit the UK for a G7 summit in June, his spokesman told a separate briefing. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited South Korea, India and Australia to attend the meeting as guests. The KDCA has said it would allow those who are on a key public mission to be vaccinated in advance starting later this month. The government has secured enough supplies to cover 79 million people. It has procured COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Novavax, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and the COVAX global distribution scheme. The KDCA reported 382 new cases as of Sunday, raising the total caseload to 96,017, with 1,675 deaths. HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is spending $700,000 to equip all the province's public schools with automated external defibrillators. A defibrillator is shown at a YMCA in Ottawa on Friday, November 12, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Pawel Dwulit HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is spending $700,000 to equip all the province's public schools with automated external defibrillators. Education Minister Derek Mombourquette said today in a news release schools are often used by people of all ages during evenings and weekends and having the devices available could save someone's life. The province is purchasing 350 of the portable electronic devices, which analyze the heart's rhythm and deliver an electric shock to help it return to a more effective rhythm. The Education Department says about 70 schools already have defibrillators. Once installed, the defibrillators will be added to a database run by Emergency Health Services, which allows the department to direct people who call 911 to the closest machine. The department says automated external defibrillators cost about $2,000, and that there are more than 1,300 of the devices registered in the province. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. By Rachel Silberstein | Times Union, Albany Albany, N.Y. The state Board of Regents on Monday voted unanimously to cancel all Regents exams this year except for four federally mandated tests in English, algebra, earth science and the living environment. The Regents tests will also not be a requirement to earn diplomas this year; students must simply pass their courses to graduate. The move comes after the Biden administration last month declined to grant a blanket waiver for state assessments this year as the federal government did in the spring of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic forced school buildings closed. New York is among several states that sought permission from the U.S. Department of Education to exempt students from this years testing requirements for grades 3-8. State officials are still hoping the federal government will grant the state a waiver for all exams. As we continue to see a global pandemic impact our schools and students in every corner of the state, the board and I are determined to complete this school year in a manner that protects the health and safety of all of New Yorks children, Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said. While we were disappointed by the USDE decision not to grant blanket waivers for state assessments, we are confident that the regulatory amendments acted on today and other assessment-related actions by the department provide for the flexibility necessary to meet federal requirements while ensuring the well-being of those in our school buildings. U.S. Acting Assistant Education Secretary Ian Rosenblum wrote in a letter last month to state leaders that exams must take place, but he said the test scores would not be tied to school performance and accommodations should be made for remote learners. To be successful once schools have reopened, we need to understand the impact Covid-19 has had on learning and identify what resources and supports students need, Rosenblum wrote. States may seek permission to shorten the tests, offer the exams virtually, or even delay the deadline for students to sit for the exam into next year, the guidance states. The tests are also optional; parents may opt-out of the exams and state educational leaders said they are supportive of parents making the decision. Teachers unions and parent groups had lobbied for the state to request a federal waiver for the state exams for grades 3-8 and high school, arguing that students worst impacted by the pandemic are less likely to have access to the exams. They argue that any data that comes from standardized test scores could be misleading since students are being educated on a range of different educational models, from fully in-person, to various hybrid schedules, to fully remote. Union leaders say teachers are well-equipped to assess learning loss as well as mental health needs of children. New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta commended state education officials for making the most of a bad situation. In a year that has been anything but standard, forcing states to administer standardized exams is just plain poor federal policy, Pallotta said. Commissioner Rosa, Chancellor Young, and the Board of Regents are doing whats necessary to put students needs first in a frustratingly backward situation. Gladys Cruz, superintendent of Questar III BOCES that directs programming for 23 school districts in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties, said in speaking with college admissions officers, they are primarily interested in a students grade-point average and the course of study that student pursued in high school. They look to see if a student took foreign language, or honors and advance math and science, Cruz said. They do not talk about Regents exams ... why? Because when admissions officers get applications they come from all across the nation. Regents exams are coming from all across New York state so its not easy to compare. Even New York-based schools put less weight on Regents exams than they have in the past. Ned Jones, vice president of enrollment and marketing at Siena College, told the Times Union said the Loudonville institution has been less focused on Regents scores in recent years because school districts now offer students more opportunities for challenging coursework. I think (the Regents) are making a smart decision (in canceling the exams), he said. Weve got to keep our eye on the ball which is right there in front of us. What we are very focused on is the work students are doing day-to-day... anything we can do to rid ourselves of the bureaucracy of education and just focus on the learning so we can prepare them for life. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 17:01:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOGADISHU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Somali security forces killed five al-Shabab militants on Monday in an intense clash with the fighters in the southern town of Mahaday, an official said on Monday evening. Al-Shabab fighters attacked bases run by government forces in the town, but the army repelled and pushed them back, said Ahmed Hussein Afrah, governor of Mahaday town. "Our forces killed five al-Shabab militants during an intense clash between the army and the attackers," Afrah said. The forces are now controlling the town, said the official, denying militant claims of occupying the town. Locals said the militants who attacked the town are still running some villages in the area, including Ka'anka village where they are addressing the residents. The southern regions of Somalia have seen clashes between government forces and al-Shabab since the militants were chased out of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 by African Union forces and the Somali army. Enditem Clinical trials using magic mushrooms, ecstasy and other psychedelic drugs in potential breakthrough therapies for debilitating mental illnesses will be funded by the federal government as part of global efforts to advance innovative treatments. There is growing international evidence showing substances such as ketamine, psilocybin and MDMA can successfully treat resistant mental illnesses, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, when used in a controlled environment and supported by psychiatric care. Fungi containing psilocybin - otherwise known as magic mushrooms - will be part of government-funded trials into mental health treatments. Many standard treatments for illnesses, including addiction and eating disorders, can have varied efficacy and recovery rates and there have been few advances in novel pharmaceutical discoveries in recent years. The Morrison government will on Wednesday launch a $15 million competitive grant round to kick-start Australian clinical trials of potential breakthrough combination therapies. Angola, IN (46703) Today Rain ending this evening then becoming foggy. Low 57F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain ending this evening then becoming foggy. Low 57F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Pauline Hanson has accused feminist protesters of 'demonising men' before lashing out at alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins. The One Nation leader's strong words came a day after March For Justice rallies took place across Australia which called for more action to stamp out sexual abuse and punish offenders. 'Stop demonising men,' Hanson told Sky News on Tuesday. 'There are false allegations, there are men who have been accused of these things that didn't, it didn't happen.' Pauline Hanson has accused feminist protesters of 'demonising men' before lashing out at alleged rape survivor Brittany Higgins Ms Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer, had a hand in kick-starting the movement after she went public with claims she had been raped by a colleague at Parliament House in 2019 Thousands joined 40 rallies across Australia including in major cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart on Monday (pictured, the protest in Brisbane) Thousands joined the March For Justice rallies across Australia, with the issue of sexual abuse stirred up by a historical rape allegation against Attorney General Christian Porter, which he denied. Ms Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer, kick-started the movement by going public with claims she was raped by a colleague at Parliament House in 2019. 'For so long it felt like the people around me only cared because of where it happened and what it might mean for them,' Ms Higgins told the crowd at Canberra's rally. 'It was so confusing because these people were my idols. I had dedicated my life to them. They were my social network, my colleagues and my family. 'And suddenly they treated me differently. I wasn't a person who had just gone through a life-changing traumatic event, I was a political problem.' Hanson criticised Ms Higgins for waiting two years to speak out about the alleged rape, despite the now 26-year-old telling police immediately afterward. 'Brittany Higgins, she had the right to go and lay those charges,' she said. Hanson criticised Ms Higgins for waiting two years to speak out about the alleged rape, despite the now 26-year-old telling police immediately after the alleged incident Labor leader Anthony Albanese attended Monday's rally with a contingent of colleagues, along with the Greens and independents 'Take it to the courts. If you've got a case for assault then you take it to the courts.' Hanson went on to point out that false rape allegations can 'destroy lives'. In 2019, the senator accused her son's ex-wife of making false claims that he sexually abused his own child. 'I know this feeling because for years my own son faced these destructive allegations in an attempt to stop him having access to his young son,' she told the Senate at the time. 'My ex-daughter-in-law claimed to police that my son was outside her home in Townsville. Signs including 'we are marching for everyone's daughters', 'stop violence against women' and 'it's time for men to change' were visible in the crowd in Canberra Brittany Higgins speaks at the Canberra Womens March 4 Justice on March 15 in Canberra 'That was despite him being sick and on the Gold Coast, some 1,000 kilometres away. He was forced to defend himself, at enormous expense, and was dragged through the courts. 'She also falsely alleged a soul-crushing claim that my son had sexually abused his boy. Again, the false claim was designed to stop him having any connection with his son. No charges were brought against my son.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who was a focus of criticism at the rallies for resisting an independent inquiry into the allegations against Mr Porter, had offered to meet protest leaders behind closed doors but they refused and demanded he attend. Labor leader Anthony Albanese did go to Monday's rally with a contingent of colleagues, along with the Greens and independents. Signs including 'we are marching for everyone's daughters', 'stop violence against women' and 'it's time for men to change' were visible in the crowd. Protesters handed a petition backed by 94,000 people to Labor MP Tanya Plibersek and Greens senator Larissa Waters, to present to parliament. London mayor hopeful Shaun Bailey has brushed off claims Tory chiefs have cut funding from his campaign. Mr Bailey vowed to keep fighting Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan ahead of the key elections in May despite questions over whether the party is still giving him full support. There are reports that Conservative Central Office has decided to withdraw funding from Mr Bailey's campaign because of the London Assembly member's struggles to raise money on his own. Sniping has emerged including an extraordinary jibe that the party sees Mr Bailey as the 'worst candidate in history', but only has the option of withdrawing funding because it is 'too late to get rid of him'. Party sources have now claimed that the Conservative Central Office has decided to withdraw funding from Mr Bailey's campaign The Tory candidate is set to battle against Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan in May's mayoral election after it was delayed for a year amid the coronavirus pandemic Electoral Commission figures show the campaign has raised 575,000 since it was launched in September 2018 - far off the 2.5million brought in by Boris Johnson in 2012. It was also revealed that 100,000 came from just one source, former party treasurer Lord Ashcroft. A spokesman from Mr Bailey's campaign dismissed the reports as 'hearsay'. However, according to the Mirror, a source said: 'Shaun is very poor but he has a very poor team round him and no money.' Another insider reported: 'There's a row because he's raised no money. They've said that's it, we've had enough, we're pulling the plug'.' It comes despite Mr Bailey's campaign receiving donations from hedge fund boss Ric Lewis and property mogul Nick Candy, as well as Lord Ashcroft. Mr Candy, known for developing One Hyde Park, is thought to have donated 20,000 while Mr Lewis donated 50,000, according to reports. But despite the backing of the billionaires, fundraising has reportedly presented a major problem to the campaign. It was also claimed that Mr Bailey has a problem with timekeeping, frequently turning up late to events and annoying MPs. One source even claimed they had 'never met anybody who was less interested in his own campaign'. Responding to the claims a campaign spokesman said: 'While fictional accounts often make it to the press during campaigns, the fact is that Shaun Bailey is working day and night to secure the fresh start London needs. 'Londoners clearly don't care about hearsay. But they do care about the issues safe streets, affordable homes, and a better transport network. 'On all of these issues, Sadiq Khan has failed. That's why the Bailey campaign is working in lockstep with the London Conservative Party and our growing team of volunteers to deliver the fresh start that London needs.' Electoral Commission figures show the campaign has raised 575,000 since it was launched in September 2018 - far off the 2.5 million raised by Boris Johnson in 2012 A Conservative Party spokeswoman said: 'Operational and fundraising decisions are a matter for the Shaun Bailey campaign, which continues to have our full support. 'Shaun Bailey will make a fantastic Mayor of London, and will start fixing Sadiq Khan's abysmal failures on tackling crime, building affordable homes and managing TfL's finances on day one.' It comes after Mr Bailey came under fire for 'politicising' the death of Sarah Everard. After Sarah's disappearance, he tweeted: 'As a father and husband it breaks me to think that my wife and daughter have to live in fear in their own city. It doesn't have to be this way. 'As Mayor, I'll ensure that we are working to deliver for the safety of women and girls in London.' He later refused to withdraw the remarks despite widespread condemnation. A bill to address a growing trend of cybercrime unanimously passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on March 10 with a vote of 92 to 0. House Bill 1759, authored by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, updates language in the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act to better address computer security threats that continue to evolve. According to a legislative summary, HB 1759 provides that it is unlawful to use malicious computer programs on a computer or computer network. The measure also provides that is it unlawful to willfully solicit another, regardless of any financial consideration or exchange of property, of any acts prohibited by the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act. The measure provides that the act does not prohibit the testing of a computer system or network by an authorized entity against real or imagined threats or harms. Oklahomas economy is becoming more digital and more reliant on technology by the minute, Ranson said in a statement. It just makes sense that our laws would continue to adapt so that we can continue to protect small businesses. Cybercrime, such as ransomware where criminals deny access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid, threatens the livelihood of nonprofits, businesses, individuals, and governments. This legislation came from conversations with computer security experts, Ranson said. There are people who choose to use computers to harm people. With this bill, we can fight back and ensure fewer Oklahomans become victim to cybercrime. HB1759 had its first reading in the Senate on March 11. Source: Oklahoma House of Representatives Topics Fraud Oklahoma Religious leaders of Ukraine have been publicly vaccinated against coronavirus (COVID-19) disease with the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine. Mobile brigade No. 7 of Kyiv region vaccinated Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Archimandrite of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery Lavrentiy Zhyvchyk (the Orthodox Church of Ukraine), representative of the Federation of Jewish Communities in the capital of Ukraine Leonid Barats, representative of the Jewish religious community of Chabad-Lubavitch movement in Ukraine Borys Strugatsky, and Head of the Department of Religious Affairs of the Cabinet of Ministers Secretariat Andriy Yurash. Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk, during a press briefing after vaccination, noted the absence of any religious reasons for refusing to be vaccinated. "Today we were vaccinated with the remainder of the vaccine. When you decide to be vaccinated or not, listen to the doctors, your family doctors. There is no religious reason to refuse vaccination. At the level of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, we have confirmed in a separate document that there is no religious reason to refuse vaccination. But vaccination must be voluntary, affordable and safe," he said. In turn, Lavrentiy Zhyvchyk said that the church does not prohibit and accepts vaccination as one of the ways to defeat or limit the spread of this disease. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is the latest target of yet another fraudulent sex scandal, which has become the weapon of choice used by the Democratic Party in the execution of its increasingly frequent political hit jobs. One is best advised to ignore the moral posturing of the sundry New York Democrats. This is a knife fight between competing factions of the corrupt New York Democratic Party machine. In this fight, the opponents of Cuomo are, to a great extent, motivated by calculations of career and political expediency. At this stage, the deeper issues that are driving the conflict are not yet fully known. But there can be little doubt that issues of concern to powerful political interests are involved. Andrew Cuomo (Image credit: Andrew Cuomo Flickr) At the center of the manufactured sex scandal is, once again, the filthy New York Times. Its editor, Dean Baquet, endlessly sniffing for sin and soliciting stories of unwanted advances, inappropriate leers, and, with a bout of luck, an allegation of a career-destroying grope, has unleashed his newsroom bloodhounds against Cuomo. The father of yellow journalism, William Randolph Hearst, famously told his photographers as he campaigned for a military confrontation with Spain, You provide the pictures, Ill furnish the war. The motto of Baquet is: Ill dredge up the allegations and then manufacture the scandal. Its latest installment in the unrelenting campaign against Cuomo is an article by Shane Goldmacher, published Sunday, titled The Imperious Rise and Accelerating Fall of Andrew Cuomo. Focused on proving that Cuomo is widely hated, the Times unintentionally exposes the fact that the sex scandal is a pretext for settling scores and advancing other as yet unstated agendas. The article includes no actual facts proving Cuomos alleged behavior. It is, instead, comprised entirely of vindictive personal denunciations of Cuomo. One has the impression that the Times has made use of robocalls to contact whoever may have worked for or had some sort of contact with Cuomo during the past decade. All those who had, in one way or another, been offended, insulted, neglected, and, as is known to happen in the nasty world of bourgeois politics, double-crossed were given the opportunity to pour out their hearts into Goldmachers cell phone recorder. All the pent-up anger that Goldmacher managed to extract forms the basis of his take-down of Cuomo. He denounces Cuomo as an ambitious, image-obsessed politician, whose governorship is a reign of ruthlessness and governance by brute force. He is Icarus-like, bullying, unwilling to share the spotlight, makes unrelenting and mercurial demands, intimidating, toxic, abusive, requires an intoxicating amount of attention, is convinced of his own hype and indestructability, has disdain for fellow Democrats, an imperious demeanor, a domineering approach and strong-arms legislators and anyone else who dared cross him. Former lieutenant governor and austerity proponent Richard Ravitch is quoted as saying, Hes not a nice person and he doesnt have any real friends. Ravitch, who is something of a Democratic Party intellectual, added sagely: If you dont have a base of support and you get into trouble, youre dead meat. However, the claim that this accounts for Cuomos undoing is contradicted by the fate of Senator Al Franken. He was, by all accounts, both sweet and funny, but that did not save him from becoming, as Ravitch might have said, road kill. In any case, none of what the Times describes is legally impeachable behavior, leading the reader inescapably to the conclusion that much deeper issues must be involved. While the actual motivations behind the sudden calls for Cuomo to resign are not entirely clear, there is good reason to believe that a real political scandal, with genuinely criminal implications, looms in the background. New York State and City Democratic Party officials may be seeking to pin the entire blame for the deepening nursing home scandal on Cuomo alone and distract attention from the political and legal liability of the state government as a whole. This is a massive social crime that threatens to engulf the entire state in investigations of both a civil and criminal character. In 2020, the state ordered COVID-19-positive elderly and mentally disabled people into nursing homes and state homes, and then falsified the total number of people who died. Some 9,000 elderly people and 552 mentally disabled people died as a result of the policy. There is no comparison between the impact of this scandal, which encapsulates the criminal policy of the ruling elite toward the pandemic, and the allegations upon which the Times is focused. And yet, the nursing home deaths and coverup are mentioned by the media only as an afterthought to the sex scandal, which serves to distract from the real crimes against the vulnerable and oppressed. While the state was carrying out the nursing home policy, the Times and the New York media were praising Cuomo, coining the bizarre term Cuomosexual and admiring his physical appearance during his press conferences. A potential motivation for pressing Cuomo to resign instead of facing a formal impeachment process is that additional information might surface during impeachment implicating broader sections of the state and media in the nursing home scandal coverup. Whatever the case may be, on Saturday the Times editorial board published a statement explaining that Cuomo has lost his political allies and the publics confidence and that as a result it is hard to see how Mr. Cuomo can continue to do the publics important business. What a remarkable about face for a newspaper that endorsed Cuomo three times for governor! Whether Cuomo has the confidence of the public is not to be proclaimed by the New York Times editors or Democratic Party courtiers. It is to be decided by the voters in the next election, scheduled for 2022. Forcing his resignation will effectively overturn the results of the 2018 gubernatorial election, in which Cuomo won 3.6 million votes. If Cuomo is forced out of office, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, a former staffer to Democratic Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and bank lobbyist, would become governor. She was a vigorous opponent of providing drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants and was described by former congressman Steve Israel as a right-of-center Democrat. On Thursday, the New York Times explained she was fairly conservative, but touted the historic character of the first female governor: A female chief executive of one of the largest states in the country would most likely feel significant to many New Yorkers. There are signs that the Times promotion of sex scandals is wearing thin, even among its own readership. The published comments on the Times coverage are overwhelmingly hostile to efforts to force Cuomos resignation. The development of a leftwing opposition to the Cuomo administration does not need nor make use of sex scandals. His administration presides over massive levels of social inequality, and he has made a career as a loyal pawn of Wall Street. There is a working class, socialist basis for opposing his administration. Socialists must not be swept up by the sex scandal hysterias that only distract from the real motives. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. (Natural News) On March 2, communist China hacked Microsofts servers and compromised data of more than 60,000 Microsoft customers. Two days later, Microsoft responded not by renouncing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its egregious actions, but by expanding its cloud computing service Azure into China in order to empower Chinese citizens. State-sponsored hackers, Microsoft admitted, took advantage of vulnerabilities in the companys Exchange software, allowing foreign actors to install malware into the servers. This Chinese virus effectively opened up peoples private emails to the CCP. Even so, Microsoft is charging forward with its expansion into communist China, which the company says has some of the most aggressively censored and monitored internet access in the world. Our intelligent, trustworthy, and neutral cloud platform has been empowering hundreds of thousands of developers, partners, and customers from both China and the world to achieve more with technical innovation and business transformation, proudly announced Alain Crozier, Microsofts head for the Greater China Region. Microsoft has maintained a decades-long relationship with China, having outsourced much of its research and development (R&D) to the authoritarian regime. Microsoft is also partnered with a Chinese military university, which conducts research into artificial intelligence (AI). Those affected by the hack include the European Banking Authority and other high-profile victims. Thousands of others businesses also had their Microsoft accounts hacked by the communist Chinese regime. The Biden regime is urging companies like Microsoft to patch up their vulnerable software as quickly as possible because hackers remain an active threat to Big Tech. Communist China has yet to take credit for the Microsoft hack, however. Azure will play a key role in expanding the global surveillance state Azures expansion into China will include the construction of several new data centers in the north part of the country. This will increase speeds for Chinese cloud service users throughout the region. 21Vianet, a local Chinese data service provider, will work together with Azure to make the project work as planned. 21Vianet already conducts business with other Chinese tech companies such as Alibaba and Huawei, the latter of which the Trump administration said functions as a conduit for Chinese state espionage. The Azure cloud computing service includes facial recognition software, a feature that might be attractive for authoritarian regimes, writes Yuichiro Kakutani for Free Beacon. The company touts that no machine learning experience is required to operate the program, which can search through a repository of up to one million people. Chinese authorities are increasingly using facial recognition to police their citizens, including the Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang. Almost unbelievably, Microsoft currently maintains partnerships with some 17,000 communist Chinese firms. Despite the plandemic, Microsoft has continued to recruit and amass progressively more local business partners throughout China, including a Huawei spinoff company that constructs laptop computers. Microsofts largest R&D base is also located in communist China, employing more than 3,000 engineers and researchers scattered throughout four separate regions of the country. This facility, the Washington-based company says, will help communist China to become more prosperous. Microsoft Asia-Pacific R&D Groups teams are spread across the region Located in tech parks and recognized hubs for innovation, these campuses are strategically positioned to take advantage of and contribute to Chinas rapid transformation to an innovation economy, the Microsoft website explains. Communist China is also producing most of the face masks that people are wearing for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), as well as much of the 5G technology components that are being installed all around the world. Boycott all products from China, one of our own commenters wrote. More related news about Microsoft, the CCP, and Big Tech collusion can be found at Treason.news. Sources for this article include: FreeBeacon.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 20:47:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and realizing carbon neutrality by 2060 are tough battles that China is determined to win. Reducing carbon emissions was one of the important topics covered by the ninth meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs on Monday. At the meeting, leadership raised a wide range of practical measures to cope with the challenges brought by carbon emissions, including building a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, deepening the reform of power system, building a power network based on new energy, and pushing forward major breakthroughs in green and low-carbon technologies. Policies on fiscal taxation, prices, finance, land and government procurement will also be improved to promote green development. Carbon neutrality is a promise China has made with determination. Green development is a path that China must travel to realize socialist modernization. A complete economic and societal shift to cleaner energy and lower polluting emissions conforms to the Chinese people's expectations for high-quality development. China is resolutely committed to tackling climate change, while it is still experiencing industrialization and urbanization and holds high expectations for economic growth. It faces far greater pressures and challenges than developed countries. The low-carbon commitment requires China to make the transition from reaching its carbon peak to realizing carbon neutrality within 30 years, compared with the 60 years taken by most developed countries. The contrast highlights the strength of the actions taken by China to ensure its commitment is achieved. Ecosystem management is an urgent task for China. The country has no way to retreat. It must take the strictest measures to handle pollution-related problems. Any enterprise or authority failing to control carbon emissions will be punished. Four iron and steel enterprises in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, were ordered to make corrections as they had not implemented emission reduction requirements during the emergency response period for heavy pollution, according to local authorities last week. China's commitment to decarbonization requires the country to formulate step-by-step measures. According to the 14th Five-Year Plan, energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be respectively reduced by 13.5 percent and 18 percent over the period. The measures set a solid foundation for peaking carbon emissions and realizing carbon neutrality. The carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets will not be easily achieved. China will spare no effort to realize its decarbonization promise. 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. TALLINN, ESTONIA / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / OBORTECH is launching the Smart Hub, a digitalized ecosystem for all supply chain members from the second half of 2021. It has established partnerships with governmental institutions and logistic companies in Mongolia, Australia, and Europe. Here, members can remotely collaborate in a decentralized and democratic blockchain network, as the system favors everyone despite their size or IT capability. Here is the importance of decentralizing and democratizing the supply chain through the use of Blockchain: In a centralized system, there's a single highest authority in charge. If anything goes wrong at the top hierarchy, whether deliberate or not, it negatively affects the entire system. Decentralization instead focuses on distributing and dispersing power away from a central authority. Blockchain, the underlying technology for bitcoin, allows for decentralization, offering every user an opportunity to become one of the many payment processors. Blockchains are attracting stakeholder's attention in several industry domains, including supply chain and logistic industries. Blockchain technology effectively contributes to recording every single asset through its supply chain. It also contributes to tracking orders, payments, and receipts and tracking digital assets like licenses and warranties in a transparent and unified way. Specific elements of blockchain that affect the supply chain include scalability, performance, proof and cost, consensus mechanism, location, privacy, and considerations. More About the Smart Hub The Smart Hub is set to revolutionize the current logistic system into a secure and straightforward system mechanism. It's going to introduce unified communication, better tracking method, and more transparency among the actors. The Smart Hub offers include: Blockchain and cloud-powered communication hub accessible through an open API and easy to use mobile user interface. Tamper, proof unified and online document exchange, enable secure sharing and exchange of documents with supply chain partners using blockchain-powered version. IoT-based real-time visibility and tracking. IoT is installed on containers and transmits data to the Smart Hub dashboard to track valuable shipments, monitor their vital physical measurements, and protect high valuable against theft. How the Smart Hub Is Disrupting the Industry Through Decentralization and Democratization Because the Smart Hub isn't a centralized system, no administrator verifies and approves new members. The members themselves are the governing bodies of the network. Before joining the Smart Hub, every new member in any supply chain network needs to be invited and approved by all the existing members of that particular supply chain network. The Smart Hub's marketplace ecosystem allows the rating and verification of stakeholders in a supply chain without the need for third-party credentials. For instance, if any member misbehaves, their score or rating in the network is downgraded by the other members. The process is automated based on their supply chain provenance data and their shipment histories as registered on the network. The Smart Hub has revenue sharing model to anchor members who created their supply chain and brought their partners into the network. Buyers and sellers are forced to make informed decisions and filter out risky participants by checking on the automatic scoring/rating system and analyzing their past performances and transaction histories. The Smart Hub marketplace also welcomes third-party developers and service providers to deliver fit-for-purpose products and excellent services to the Smart Hub users. OBORTECH hopes the marketplace would be the birthplace of further innovations. Features of The Smart Hub Easy onboarding: new members are enrolled through a membership service provider with few simple steps. New organizations can also sign up by submitting their company information. Integrated IoT: shipment data is stored in an undisputed and immutable blockchain ledger, making the system transparent, efficient, and reliable. Optimal Character Recognition (OCR) and document sharing: The Smart Hub leverages OCR to convert immutable hard scanned copies of documents to editable and searchable text documents. Privacy: The Smart Hub uses the channel features of Hyperledger fabric to keep data private to a specific group of participants. Fabric permits a scalable and secure platform that supports private transactions and confidential contracts. Upcoming IEO OBOT token is a main instrument for digital economy of the Smart Hub network. Members of the network can use OBOT token on performing transactions on the platform, escrowing contract bonuses, launching crowdfunding activities to the network community, exchanging services in the Smart Hub Marketplace, voting on governance policies and activities of the network, and getting rewards based on their performance ratings in the network. OBOT token IEO starts on March 17, 2021 on Probit. CONTACT: OBORTECHglobal OU Tamir Baasanjav https://twitter.com/OBORTECHhub info@obortech.io https://www.obortech.io/ Harju maakond, Tallinn, Kesklinna linnaosa, Maakri tn 21, 10145, Estonia SOURCE: OBORTECHglobal OU View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635690/Decentralized-and-Democratic-Blockchain-Ecosystem-for-the-Supply-Chain-Is-Heading-for-IEO The captured USS Pueblo is seen in Pyongyang in August 2010. / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar By Jon Dunbar It's hard for younger people to relate to, but the 1968 USS Pueblo incident is still an open wound to many who can remember the tense incident over 50 years ago. North Korea captured the U.S. ship either in its own waters or international waters, depending on which side you believe and held 83 crewmen hostage for almost a year, until the U.S. signed a document that was criticized as a humiliating apology and admission of guilt, in order to secure their return. It was a tense period , coming right after the Blue House Raid as well as a week before the Tet Offensive turned the tide in the Vietnam War. "The U.S. compromised what many saw as a basic requirement of national honor in order to obtain the release of the crew of the USS Pueblo. To wit: Signed a false admission of infringing on North Korean territorial waters. I agree with the decision since it was the only way to obtain the release of the surviving crew members but understand the anguish with which it was undertaken," author Martin Limon told The Korea Times in a 2018 interview about his newly released novel, "The Line," in which the motivations of the characters were driven by the outcome of the incident. He witnessed that anguish himself, having served in Korea at the time when the crew was released. A life buoy on board the USS Pueblo / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar But the situation has not been brought to a full conclusion. The Pueblo remains the only commissioned U.S. Navy ship currently held in captivity, now in Pyongyang, where it is treated as a tourist attraction. It is now on display at the bombastically named, Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum. Originally, the ship had been held at Wonsan on the east coast, but in 1999, it was moved all the way around the Korean Peninsula through international waters to Nampo, where it could be brought up the river to Pyongyang. The move must have been quite an undertaking, and it goes to show how much the North must be restricted by having two coastal areas separated by South Korea's hostile political geography. As a Canadian, I'm a little surprised they didn't find a way to portage it across land instead. When I visited Pyongyang in August 2010, it had been moored on the shores of the Taedong River, at the site that was claimed to be where the General Sherman incident in which a U.S. Merchant Marine ship was destroyed took place in 1866, which the North views as another symbolic victory. Jon Dunbar stands on the deck of the USS Pueblo. / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar The ship was docked along an otherwise innocuous stretch of the riverside park, a pleasant, grassy area with many passersby not a discernible military installation at all. A small number of uniformed sailors were present, but seemed to be there more for helping visitors than for providing any security. They seemed welcoming to tourists, or at least tolerant of being photographed. North Koreans at the USS Pueblo in Pyongyang / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar We were brought aboard and taken into the claustrophobic hold where a video was played, presenting the North's side of the story. It is hard to agree or disagree on their take, since there are disagreements about the facts, and it wasn't like we could just hop on the Internet from the middle of Pyongyang back in 2010. A propaganda video is played in the hold of the USS Pueblo. / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar While the video showed footage of the captured Americans, I remember hearing about how they sent all sorts of signals to express their displeasure subtly, in ways only Westerners would pick up on, such as using their middle fingers, which hadn't really been perceived as an offensive gesture in North Korea (in either Korea, really, until the last decade). I also noticed we were being filmed. There had been a cameraman following us around as part of our tour, collecting footage for a DVD that was sold at the end of our trip. Somehow, none of the footage of me in the Pueblo's hold made it into the final film. A room full of equipment on board the USS Pueblo / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar After the video, we were allowed to roam through the ship. On the bridge, I was surprised to find a rather old-fashioned wooden ship's wheel, which everyone was welcome to touch, aping the motions of the American sailors once serving on it. We could do the same with a machine gun located at the stern maybe so that we could put ourselves in their shoes, or just to mock their futile aggression against heroic North Korea. Machinery was still on board, but without being an expert, I couldn't guess its purpose, or if it served as evidence of North Korea's claims in any way. All throughout the hull and areas above deck were bullet holes of a few sizes that had been circled in red. Bullet holes are circled in red on a door inside the USS Pueblo. / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar It seemed like a strange choice for the North Koreans to make, since their side came off as more aggressive than they would have liked. The ship is preserved and on display to present evidence of the U.S. crime of intrusion into North Korean territorial waters while committing espionage acts, similar to how the Axe Murder Incident equipment is viewable in Panmunjom . It is meant to convince us of the North Korean side of the story as an aggrieved victim of imperialism, and maybe also send a message to foreigners not to cross them. Some of the others in my group climbed down to the bottom deck, before they were told it was off-limits and they were turned back. I joked with my friend who had gone down there that he had officially gone "urban exploring" in North Korea. A North Korean speaks about the Pueblo incident on shore near the captive U.S. ship. / Courtesy of Jon Dunbar 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. Khanh, 36, encountered photography at the end of 2017 as a way to bring beautiful moments to life through her lenses. She might never have thought that she would bag up to 30 prizes and her name would become popular at famous photography forums just after three years of practicing photography. Khanh was admitted to the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists in December 2019. Inspired by topics such as natural landscapes and daily life, Khanh has travelled across the country to capture beautiful scenes and distinct cultures of ethnic groups. During her trips, she often heads to traditional craft villages to seek out interesting people and cultural histories, which are valuable material for her photos. I feel lucky to be born in Vietnam, a charming country with time-honoured history, rich culture, and friendly people, Khanh said. Khanhs artworks have won much praise from juries at prestigious international photography contests and festivals. Most recently, in February 2021, she clinched gold in the People/Culture category with her photo Children Dancing with Gongs. at the 2020 Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA). Taken in December 2018, the photo features children dancing with gongs at a festival of the Jrai ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. Khanh also bagged silver in the Advertising/Travel/Tourism category with a photo entitled Drying Fish, taken in July 2020 at Long Hai fish market in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Domestically, Khanh was awarded a gold medal and consolation prize for her two photo collections entitled Landmark 81-Aspiration to Rise and Preserving the Craft of Silver Carving in Dong Xam village in Thai Binh province, respectively, at the Youth Photography Festival 2019. She was also first prize winner at the Vietnamnow photo contest, hosted by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in 2020 to promote the countrys tourism, for her photo Discovering En Cave. In addition, her photos have been exhibited at many cultural, arts and diplomatic events as well in art galleries in the US, UK, France and Belgium. Often published and shared on social networks and online photography forums, Khanhs photos have received great praise and numerous comments and shares from viewers both at home and abroad, with many foreign users even committing to visiting Vietnam to admire the landscapes featured in Khanhs pictures with their own eyes. According to Khanh, international contests provide her with the opportunity to test her skills, and reach foreign viewers while promoting the image of Vietnam to the world. These events have also helped her update her skills with new photography techniques and trends while gaining experience from foreign colleagues. She hopes that her photos will contribute to advertising a beautiful Vietnam to international friends as well as art lovers and travellers around the world. Selected photos by Khanh Phan: (Photo courtesy of photographer Khanh Phan) Children Dancing with Gongs Drying Fish Landmark 81-Aspiration to Rise Flowers Float on Water Drying incense sticks in Quang Phu Cau village Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Authorities in New Mexico continue investigating the deaths of four people whose bodies were found in the back of a pickup truck at an Albuquerque airport parking garage, but say charges are pending against suspect Sean M. Lannon, who was charged with murder in the beating death of a New Jersey man last week. Lannon, 47, of Grants, New Mexico, and originally from New Jersey, is accused of killing Michael Dabkowski, 66, of East Greenwich Township, last week and stealing the victims vehicle. Lannon was labeled a person of interest in the New Mexico cases after the bodies were found in a truck left on the top level of a parking garage at the Albuquerque International Sunport airport on March 5. A foul odor drew police to the grisly discovery. One of those victims was his ex-wife, 39-year-old Jennifer Lannon. A witness told Gloucester County investigators that Sean Lannon admitted in a phone call that he murdered his wife and her boyfriends in New Mexico and then killed Dabkowski in New Jersey, according to court documents, which also indicated that he expressed remorse for his actions. The Lannons, who had three kids together, moved from New Jersey to New Mexico and divorced in 2019. Authorities previously confirmed the children were safe. A GoFundMe campaign created to aid Jennifer Lannons children and help cover funeral expenses describes the woman as a mother of five. Two of the children are described as having extensive heart-related issues. This is an extremely emotional time for our family, the fundraiser organizer noted. Jennifers children are currently being cared for by their grandparents and her siblings My aunt, uncle and cousins are doing everything they can to help the kids. The effort had raised more than $8,500 as of Tuesday morning. Jennifer Lannon, 39, was one of four victims whose bodies were found in a vehicle in New Mexico on March 5. Her ex-husband is a person of interest in that case. Dabkowski and Lannon knew each other through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in South Jersey. The victim was a Big Brother to Lannon and his twin brother in the 1980s. Police responding for a well-being check on March 8 found Dabkowski dead in his laundry room. He had been beaten over the head repeatedly with a blunt object and his Honda CR-V was missing. After New Jersey investigators issued an alert that Lannon was sought in that killing and the four deaths in New Mexico, he was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, and extradited to New Jersey. Investigators from the Albuquerque and Grants police departments traveled to Missouri last week to speak with Lannon before he was extradited. Charges in the New Mexico cases are pending against Lannon, according to Grants Police Lt. David Chavez. Now that hes in custody, we have a little more time to go through everything a little more thoroughly, Chavez explained. Investigators are still waiting for reports from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator to determine how and when the victims died, he said. The other three victims are Matthew Miller, 21, Jesten Mata, 40, and Randal Apostalon, 60. Jennifer Lannon, Miller and Mata were reported missing from Grants in January. A man sought for questioning in those disappearances, Daniel Lemos, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, is still being sought as a person of interest in the case, Chavez said. Chavez described Sean Lannon, Lemos and those three victims as known associates of each other. They hung out together in the same crowd stayed in the same house, couch-surfed together. Their connection to Apostalon, who lived in Albuquerque, remains unclear. Were still trying to find that connection, Chavez said. Apostalon was known to give rides for money and the victims were found in his vehicle, police confirmed. Public records indicate the Lannons had financial problems while still living in New Jersey. They filed for bankruptcy in 2015, listing liabilities of more than $552,000, including nearly $84,000 in student loans, and assets of $14,197. Jennifer was listed as a registered nurse with a home care business and Sean as a supervisor with an environmental company. Those records note increasing expenses associated with their childrens heart issues. Jennifer Lannons New Jersey nursing license was suspended in 2018 after she was accused of diverting medications in several instances. Her nursing license in New Mexico was revoked in 2020. Police investigate a pickup truck in which four bodies were found Friday, March 5, on the upper level of the parking garage at the Albuquerque International Sunport. (Matthew Reisen/The Albuquerque Journal via AP) Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Social media giant Facebook has struck content deals with Australias two largest media companies Rupert Murdochs News Corp and Nine Entertainment Co in a major breakthrough after weeks of tense negotiations following the introduction of media bargaining laws. News Corp Australia announced on Tuesday it had signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Facebook for use of news articles from publications such as The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun and videos from Sky News Australia. Robert Thomson said the money from Facebook was meaningful. Credit:Bloomberg Nine, the owner of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, has also signed a letter of intent with the tech giant for use of its news articles, according to industry sources who could not speak publicly because the negotiations are confidential. The agreements follow months of difficult negotiations between media companies and the $US780 billion (AU$1 trillion) social media giant and were struck after it changed previously non-negotiable poison pill clauses in contracts that would allow the tech giant to walk away if it was required to comply with the media bargaining laws. Angola, IN (46703) Today Rain ending this evening then becoming foggy. Low 57F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain ending this evening then becoming foggy. Low 57F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. The Senate voted 81-17 on Tuesday to confirm Isabel Guzman, currently the director of Californias Office of the Small Business Advocate, to lead the Small Business Administration. Why it matters: The SBA will play a central role in helping small businesses recover from the economic crisis inflicted by the coronavirus, which has caused thousands of them to permanently close their doors. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. The SBA has approved hundreds of thousands of Paycheck Protection Program loans worth billions within the last year to businesses suffering during the pandemic. The agency has also lent more disaster loans during the crisis than at any other point in its history, per the New York Times. Guzman's appointment is widely seen as a win for Latino lawmakers and activists lobbying for more representation in Biden's administration. The big picture: Bipartisan groups of lawmakers in the House and Senate are pushing to extend the PPP beyond March 31, the current deadline for businesses to get loans until the program ends. Guzman served as deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to the SBA under former President Obama and has since overseen Californias Office of the Small Business Advocate. What they're saying: At Guzman's confirmation hearing, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) cited bipartisan concern at the SBA for failing to make data available to Congress and the watchdog General Accountability Office as they drafted Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. "We need that demographic information on how the program is working so we can adjust it to reach the targeted communities that have been traditionally underserved," Cardin said. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Chandigarh, March 16 : Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday said he has tested positive for coronavirus. "I would like to inform everyone that I have tested Covid positive. My health is fine and as per protocol I have isolated myself," he said in a tweet. In view of increasing coronavirus cases in Punjab, the state government has imposed night curfew daily from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. in 10 of 22 districts. The Punjab School Education Board has also postponed Class 10 and 12 examinations by about a month. The Class 12 exams will now start on April 20, instead of March 22, while those for Class 10 will commence on May 4, instead of April 9. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Read the full article on Motorious Do you think this is right? YouTuber HelloooimJensen has accumulated over 44,000 subscribers with his crazy car videos. One of the main stars is his Dodge Charger Hellcat, which the guy likes to drift both on private property and on public roads. If you look at his channel, hes had run-ins with the law in the past, but this time instead of just getting a warning or citation, the mans Hellcat was impounded. See a Hellcat outrun patrol cars and helicopters, until he ran out of gas! image credit: YouTube We dont endorse what this guy does at all. In fact, we think he gives car enthusiasts a bad name. His videos show him drifting the Hellcat around other cars on public roads, and from the looks of things these arent people who are in on the stunt, so hes putting innocent people in danger. The guy also likes to do smokey donuts in public intersections, similar to those street takeovers weve covered in the past. Something bad is going to happen one day and it could seriously injure or kill this kid or even worse someone who has nothing to do with his stupid decisions. Some people have pointed out that this guy lives in California, where supposedly its really easy to apply to block off a section of a public road so you can race, drift, and do all kinds of other things that normally are illegal. Were not sure if its really all that easy to do or if its economical since we dont live there and have never investigated doing anything like that in the Golden State. image credit: YouTube This kid got pulled over the day before for reckless driving while doing donuts on a public road. The cop was nice and didnt take the car then, because he said that would mean the guy wouldve been arrested. With that evidence, the police got a search warrant and showed up and the Hellcat owners house early the next morning, then took the car away on a flatbed tow truck. What really gets us is this guy doesnt seem to have learned a lesson. He shows off a bunch of traffic citations in the video, so hes obviously been in a lot of trouble. Everyone makes stupid decisions and you should learn from them. Instead of realizing he should find a legal way to have fun with his car, hes whining and acting like a victim. Then he asks people to contribute to a fund to pay for his impound fees and many tickets. Story continues If you want to skip to the police serving their warrant and impounding the car, go to 3:25 in the video and start watching from there. Otherwise, you can hear him whining about his problems he caused himself and justifying his actions, then see the cops take his Hellcat. Sign up for the Motorious Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned Democrats on Tuesday that doing away with the chamber's filibuster rule would lead to a "completely scorched earth" Senate, in which Democratic President Joe Biden would have a much harder time moving his agenda. Democrats who narrowly control the Senate in recent weeks have voiced more support for the idea of eliminating the custom that requires 60 votes to pass most legislation in the 100-seat chamber. They have said the move may be necessary to pass measures, including a House of Representatives-approved bill intended to make it easier to vote and other priorities of President Biden. "This chaos would not open up an express lane to liberal change. It would not open up an express lane for the Biden presidency to speed into the history books. The Senate would be more like a 100-car pileup. Nothing moving," McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor. "Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin ... to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like," he added. The Senate is currently split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday said Democrats hoped to work with Republicans to move forward legislation intended to improve voter participation, renew U.S. infrastructure and make sections of Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill permanent. But he warned Democrats were determined to overcome Republican opposition, saying all options were on the table. Stacey Abrams, an influential voting-rights advocate and former Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, also called on Sunday for the Senate to exempt election reform legislation passed by the House over Republican opposition from the filibuster procedural hurdle. (Reporting by David Morgan, Editing by Scott Malone and Bernadette Baum) Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health has this evening urged the public to "not lose sight of the danger that Covid-19 continues to pose". Speaking this evening, Dr Ronan Glynn said that while there has been a "very understandable focus on the vaccine programme over recent days", people must stay the course of the pandemic. "While, in time, vaccines will have a very significant positive impact on Covid, they will not stop a further wave of disease over the coming weeks. "We are seeing this play out across Europe with many countries now experiencing pressure on their hospital and critical care capacities. We must not let this happen here," he said. "Together, we have done an extraordinary job of driving down incidence of disease. "These efforts are cause for real hope and, if we can return to decreasing indicators of disease, we can continue to protect our loved ones and look forward to much brighter days ahead." The Department of Health has this evening confirmed that 575 new cases of Covid-19 have been diagnosed in Ireland as of midnight last night. No additional Covid-19 deaths have been reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) today. Of the confirmed new cases there are 232 in Dublin, 48 in Meath, 41 in Tipperary, 38 in Kildare, 30 in Galway and the remaining 186 cases are spread across 20 other counties. In Cork, as of midnight last night, there were 22 new cases diagnosed. Nationally, as of 8am today, 360 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 85 are in ICU. There were 25 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. As of March 12, 606,904 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland. "All vaccines authorised for use in Ireland are proven to be very effective against severe Covid-19 disease. "The safety of vaccines is underpinned by the ongoing monitoring that the NIAC, the HPRA and the EMA undertake on a rolling basis," commented Professor Karina Butler, Chair of National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). "We will continue to monitor the situation relating to Covid-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and if we can be satisfied that these events are coincidental and not caused by this vaccine, we will reassess the situation and our recommendations. "The HPRA will keep NIAC fully informed as the EMA investigation progresses and we, in turn, will ensure to keep you updated," she continued. Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group this evening said: "I noted last week that we are also seeing an increase in mobility, and, while some increase is to be expected due to many returning to school, we must continue to be very cautious. "Now is not the time to be socialising, its just too risky. "We must do all we can to continue to suppress this virus and to ensure that as many people as possible get to benefit from vaccination over the coming months. "Each of us knows the range of tried and trusted tools at our disposal. "If we continue to keep our distance, wash our hands, wear face masks and stay home we will continue to drive down transmission of this disease." So far, there has been a total of 227,316 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland and a total of 4,534 Covid-19 related deaths in the country. Posted Monday, March 15, 2021 5:30 am After Battle Ground Public Schools recently returned to a hybrid learning format, the local Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) chapters were there to present a program for fifth grade students at Tukes Valley Elementary School. Each and every member of SAR are historically certified descendants of families who fought in or supported the American Revolution. The Fort Vancouver and George Rogers Clark (Olympia) SAR Chapters teamed up to give fifth graders a glimpse of what it was like to live in rural American during the late 1700s. Around 140 students attended the presentation through video chat platforms from their homes or by viewing the presentation on a projected screen or laptop in class. The SAR presentations were given in two back-to-back sessions. Five members from the two chapters split the duties of telling the story of what was required for a family to survive and thrive on their rural farm. The members also appeared in continental and militia military uniforms, talking about the aspects of their colonial attire and sharing some details about their own ancestors who participated in the American Revolution. Participants in the presentation included the President of the Fort Vancouver Chapter Jeff Lightburn, President of the George Rogers Clark Chapter Arthur Dolan and local Fort Vancouver Chapter members Carl Gray, Larry Heckenthorne and George Vernon. We were able to contrast what life was like in 1776 versus the amenities we all enjoy today, Lightburn said in a news release. We essentially took the program that we would have normally presented in person and delivered it over Zoom. It also allowed us to combine resources of two chapters, leveraging the personal knowledge and experiences of our members. In turn, the students were able to ask questions directed to each of us. Living on a farm in the 1700s meant a family had to be self-sufficient from tilling the land for crops to raising livestock and harvesting food to eat. It also meant families had to safeguard themselves against ever-present dangers on the frontier. In many instances, young men and women reaching the age of 10 left the farms to apprentice in various trades that would provide them a lifetime of work. If you didnt grow it, raise it, make it or collect it, your family didnt have it! Art Dolan said. In times of drought and food was scarce, family members often went hungry. Older children were sent to apprenticeships in the city so the rest of the family had food. Reality check . . . THE PLAGUE ISN'T YET COMPLETE AND MORE LOCK DOWNS ARE ALREADY HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD!!! Europe is going back into lockdown and it's foolhardy to believe that it couldn't happen here all over again. And so, here's a peck at saccharine non-profit hype disguised as news. . . Read more: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the head of UN Women has termed the COVID-19 pandemic "the most discriminatory crisis" that women and girls have ever experienced. She further highlighted that women lost jobs far more often than men as 47 million women were pushed into living on less than $1.90 a day this year. She further revealed that the world faces an increase in child marriage. There has been a 59 per cent increase in women having to spend more time on domestic work since the pandemic began. The pandemic has also contributed to a digital gender gap. "Big bold steps" The latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the past 12 months was mostly against young women aged 15 to 24. "Violence against women in public life is a major deterrent to their political participation, and affects women of all ages and ranks, in every part of the world", said Mlambo-Ngcuka. She was speaking at the opening of the annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women. The theme this year is on womens participation and in public life and combatting violence against women and girls. Mlambo-Ngcuka urged to take "big, bold steps". Also, she asked the global leaders to make space for young women to enter public life. "We see them on the streets across the world, leading movements even in the face of lethal threat", she said. UN Womens Mlambo-Ngcuka highlighted that there are certain gains to celebrate and inspire us, pointing towards the increase in the share of women in the Lithuanian government from 8 per cent to 43 per cent. She also highlighted Rwanda leading the world with the largest share of women ministers at 54.8 per cent. Also, the percentage of women ministers in the United States rising from 17 per cent in 2020 to 46 per cent in President Joe Bidens Cabinet, "a historic high". However, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that despite these developments, men are dominating decision-making during the pandemic. He said, A study of 87 countries found that 85 percent of COVID-19 task forces contained mostly men. He added, What we need is not more training for women, but to train those in power on how to build inclusive institutions. We need to move beyond fixing women and instead fix our systems. (Image Credits: PTI) Londoners gather in huge crowd to 'kill the bill' giving cops more powers against protests Newsflare 39,517 views 3 months ago These are the scenes outside Parliament Square in London on Monday (March 15) as demonstrators gather to rally against a new proposed bill that would give police more powers against protesters. The fallout comes as a proposed police bill that would grant more powers to control protests in Britain is set to be debated in Parliament this week and faces renewed scrutiny from opposition lawmakers and rights groups. An investigation has been ordered into the policing of a vigil in South London on Saturday night for Sarah Everard, 33, whose killing touched off a national outcry over the dangers facing women. The vigil had been declared unlawful because of coronavirus restrictions, a move denounced by rights groups, and officers from the Metropolitan Police, the main London force, clashed with some attendees. Mart managers have noticed 'a significant improvement' in the quality of dairy calves presenting ringside Prices for Friesian bull calves have hardened in the marts on the back of continuing demand from farmers, Northern buyers and some shippers. However, the overall dairy calf export trade is said to be back again this spring due to freight transport competition, inclement weather and the ongoing consequences of foodservice closures in key EU veal markets. Nonetheless, on a positive note, mart managers have reported a significant improvement in the quality of dairy calf stock presenting at ringside for online sales. With just over 1,000 calves going through New Ross Mart on Saturday, auctioneer Jim Bushe said it was a huge trade. The trade was very, very good, our top price was 580 for a Belgian Blue bull calf. We had exporters and farmers, there was a huge amount of people buying calves. The shipping Friesian bull calves made a great sale. The worst of them went for 25-30, but most of them were selling from 60 to 80/hd. The stronger Friesians made 100 to 170/hd; the real good Friesian bull calf went for 220-230. The young farmers that got into milk have invested in facilities to handle calves to look after their stock. Its clear that theyre doing a better job it just takes time. At Fermoy Mart, where 950 calves sold last Wednesday, mart manager Sean Leahy said: Friesians were dearer last week. Straight shipping bulls sold from 50 to 90, with strong farmer Friesians making up to 200/hd at six weeks of age with a lot of milk in them. There was more Northern activity too. Now weighing calves before sale, Mr Leahy also noted that calf quality has gone way up this year. They are presenting the calves very well 99pc are very, very strong now and farmers should be commended for that. Meanwhile, a shipping agent said the calf trade on the continent is only okay. The boats are a problem, there is too much freight on the boats and they are not too worried about the calves. If the weather is anyway rough, bookings are being cancelled too. We had a lot of cancellations over the last fortnight. Demand is back from every other year, there is a mountain of veal in Holland that didnt get sold last year. The closure of restaurants is having a big impact. A file image of a humpback whale breaching in waters off the south coast. Photo: Padraig Whooley/Irish Whale and Dolphin Group/PA Wire The skeleton of a nine-metre humpback whale should be salvaged and put on display, a local representative has said. Last month the young humpback whale's body washed up on the west Cork coast after it had been stranded. The mammal came ashore at Coney Island, in Roaringwater Bay. Fianna Fails Christopher OSullivan, TD for Cork South West, said a skeleton of a humpback whale would be a great way of telling a story. Humpback strandings are rare and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) said only eight have been recorded since 1893. Mr OSullivan, who describes himself as a keen whale watcher, said he was urging Cork County Council not to waste this opportunity. Mr OSullivan said: The community here have an opportunity to do something very unique. Read More I think its fantastic that they have shown a willingness to salvage the remains of this humpback whale and put it on display on one of our most stunning West Cork Islands. Now I am urging Cork County Council to get behind this project. Humpback whales are seen on a regular basis off the coast of West Cork, Mr OSullivan said. In fact, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group catalogue of humpback whales now stands at well over 100. However, many people are still unaware of the incredible ocean giants that can be seen off our coast. A display like the skeleton of a humpback whale would be a great way of telling this story. We have seen the success of the Kilbrittain fin whale, whose skeletal display has attracted thousands of visitors to the village. The humpback display would be even more unique, as the only other display of this type in Ireland is in the National History Museum in Dublin. Mr OSullivan added that in order to salvage the remains and display them property, the whale skeleton would have to remain buried with animal manure for an 18-month period, after which they would be ready to re-assemble and put on display. The IWDG felt, due to the thin body of the whale, that it was probable the mammal had gone without feeding for some time before its death - though it was unclear what had happened to it. This week an Arctic walrus was spotted on Valentia Island in Kerry and is thought to have drifted to Ireland by accident after falling asleep on an iceberg. BEAVERTON, Ore., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bigleaf Networks is opening its newest point of presence (POP) today in Denver, Colorado. The new POP is the company's eleventh worldwide and positions the intelligent SD-WAN provider to meet expected demand for its services as companies seek better performance to support their cloud-based applications. As it's done with its other locations, Bigleaf Networks is building its Cloud Access Network to meet current customer demand, as well as get ahead of anticipated near and long-term demand. Denver is an area where the company has seen continued interest from companies looking for direct connections to applications in the cloud that provide higher throughput and less latency. "Denver is one of the major peering locations in the country. As we've continued to expand, and we see our customer base expand, there's more need to have a more diverse set of points of presence," said Jonathan Petkevich, Vice President of Product and Development at Bigleaf. "This is an opportunity for us to expand our footprint within the US and gives us another major peering location to ensure we have the kind of low latency, highly performant experience our customers are looking for." Located inside CoreSite's Any2 Denver exchange at 910 15th Street, the new gateway cluster will allow Bigleaf Networks to directly peer with networks such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, and Verizon Digital Media Services. Unlike others in the industry which are solely reliant on an ISP for peering, Bigleaf Networks operates its own network, which is optimized for quality and performance, providing an additional layer of control to ensure an optimal Internet experience. When a customer installs Bigleaf, all of its traffic is sent directly to Bigleaf and its peering locations, never passing back through the open Internet. This unique architecture allows Bigleaf to control traffic flow and ensures that quality of service is maintained from the customer's location, through their ISP, and through the backbone of the Internet before going to the application provider. In addition to its buildout in Denver, Bigleaf Networks is also seeing increasing customer interest for local connections in northern Virginia, which has a strong Federal government presence and is a significant AWS peering location, as well as in Australia and Miami. About Bigleaf Networks Bigleaf Networks is the intelligent networking service that optimizes Internet and Cloud performance by dynamically choosing the best connection based on real-time usage and diagnostics. Inspired by the natural architecture of leaves, the Bigleaf Cloud-first SD-WAN platform leverages redundant connections for optimal traffic re-routing, failover and load-balancing. The company is dedicated to providing a better Internet experience and ensuring peace of mind with simple implementation, friendly support and powerful technology. Founded in 2012, Bigleaf Networks is investor-backed, with service across North America. SOURCE Bigleaf Networks Related Links http://bigleaf.net Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 18:18:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean manufacturers have urged the government to simplify export procedures to allow industry to refocus following the recent launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which opens a 1.3 billion people market. United Refineries chief executive Busisa Moyo, who is also the Zimbabwe Investment Development Authority (ZIDA) chairperson and Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) past president, there were several areas that needed to be looked at for local industries to penetrate the market. Entrenching macroeconomic stability, political will, efficient infrastructure, retooling finance, competitiveness and retraining would be among key requirements to tap into AfCFTA, he said. According to the Herald newspaper on Tuesday, Moyo told a recent virtual seminar on AfCFTA that the new market would create more demand for economies across Africa but said Zimbabwe needed to rethink its export strategy. AfCFTA -- which came into force in January -- is the African continent's most ambitious integration initiative, embedded in the Agenda 2063 of the African Union, whose main objective is to create a single continental market for goods and services with free movement of people and investments. It is expected to increase intra-Africa trade from an existing level of about 13 percent to 25 percent or more through better harmonization and coordination of trade liberalization. The signing of the deal at continental level creates a market of about 1.3 billion people with estimated combined Gross Domestic Product of over 3.4 trillion U.S. dollars. Moyo said the AfCFTA market would drive demand for goods, which would help increase the currently diminished capacity utilization of Zimbabwean companies. He pointed out that the significant growth in plant utilization in 2020 was largely in part a result of strong demand, locally though, when imports were restricted. This saw industrial plant usage grow from 36 percent to an average of 47 percent. Industry is targeting 61 percent capacity, but has requested a number of impediments to be addressed for this to happen. Moyo said AfCFTA would have similar effect of growing industrial output if authorities addressed the myriad of constraints tripping firms, among them the litany of complex export procedures. Manufactured exports currently constitute about 16 percent of total exports and industry believes there is significant room to expand the export basket, which is hugely dominated by raw exports, especially minerals and tobacco. Moyo said Zimbabwe was already doing export business and had basic infrastructure in place, but needed certain structural and policy flaws straightened to optimize returns. CZI's trade committee chairperson Henry Nemaire said the government needed to work on impediments to exporting, stressing that most exporters were currently taxed at more than 100 percent. He said the many constraints to export business had removed the incentive to export and urged authorities to restore and introduce incentives to encourage and promote exports. Enditem Drill results from the northwest portion of the LP Fault included intersections of 25.1 g/t gold over 4.3m, including a high-grade core of 197 g/t over 0.5m Ltd ( ) (OTCQX:GTBAF) (FRA:0G6A) continues to deliver a string of high-grade gold results from the LP fault zone on the companys Dixie project in Red Lake. Drill results from the northwest portion of the LP Fault included intersections of 25.1 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 4.3 metres (m), including a high-grade core of 197 g/t over 0.5m. The seven new assay results revealed Tuesday were completed along 250m of strike length located just over two kilometres (km) northwest of previous results, within the same continuously mineralized gold zone, according to Great Bear. Other highlights from the results include 1.1 g/t gold over 23.7m and 1.1 g/t gold over 53.6m in one drill hole, and 19 g/t gold over 1.3m and 1 g/t gold over 42.5m in another hole. High-grade gold mineralization from 407.70 metres downhole in BR-271 "We returned to the northwestern kilometre of the LP Fault zone after more than a year drilling elsewhere along strike, and completed seven new drill holes, four of which are located within a 200 metre long previously undrilled segment of the zone, Great Bear CEO Chris Taylor said in a statement. We encountered new high-grade gold mineralization in addition to the expected bulk tonnage intervals, and will undertake additional drilling in this area over the coming months." Vancouver-based Great Bear has now released 267 LP Fault drill holes of an expected total of 400 holes as part of its ongoing fully funded $45 million 2021 exploration program at the wider Dixie project. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas World War One, and to some extent, the Second World War, was a strange blend of archaic and modern technology. The First World War, in particular, saw many technological innovations such as machine guns, grenades, submarines, warplanes and tanks, and despite the advances in radio and communications technology, many field commanders preferred to use carrier pigeons to convey important messages. Radio sets were too heavy to carry into battle, and field telephone lines snapped easily. With a homing pigeon, one could write a message on a piece of paper, place it inside a small canister and attach it to the pigeons leg. Once the pigeon was released, it would invariably try to fly back home and deliver the message. Two Swiss Army soldiers prepare a homing pigeon for dispatching. Photo: Swiss Federal Archives/Wikimedia Commons Being a carrier pigeon was risky. Many pigeons fell to enemy gunfirenot by stray bullets, but deliberately shot down by trained German gunners to prevent messages from the front lines to the commanders. Some of these pigeons became quite famous for their service. Here are their stories: President Wilson President Wilson was one of the many pigeons serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I. On the morning of 5 October, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in the vicinity of Grandpre, France, Wilsons unit was pinned down by enemy fire and was unable to move. President Wilson was released with a message requesting artillery support. While flying back to his loft at Rampont some forty kilometers away, President Wilson attracted the attention of the German soldiers who tired their best to bring down the bird. President Wilson managed to deliver the lifesaving message within a record twenty-five minutes. When he landed, his left leg was found shot away and there was a gaping wound in his breast. President Wilson survived his wounds, and lived another eleven years until his death in 1929. His taxidermied body is now in an exhibit in the Pentagon, just outside the office of the Chief of Staff of the Army. President Wilsons mortal remains in the Pentagon. Cher Ami Cher Ami, meaning Dear Friend in French, was a female homing pigeon in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I. She spent several months on the front lines delivering 12 messages in total. Her last delivery was the most important mission she ever flew. In October, 1918, approximately 550 soldiers of the 77th Division led by Major Charles White Whittlesey found themselves trapped in a small depression behind enemy lines in the Argonne Forest. Without food or ammunition, the battalion suffered immense hardship for the next six days, incurring heavy losses, until their numbers were reduced to just under two hundred. Aside from being surrounded by Germans, the men were also receiving friendly fire from allied troops who did not know their location. Cher Amis taxidermied body. Major Whittlesey tried dispatching runners, but they kept getting killed or captured. In the end, Whittlesey began dispatching messages by pigeon. The first pigeon, carrying the first message, Many wounded. We cannot evacuate was shot down. A second bird with the message, Men are suffering. Can support be sent? also got killed before it could deliver its message. On 4 October, 1918, Whittlesey wrote on a piece of onion paper: We are along the road paralell to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens sake stop it. He put the note inside a canister, and tied the canister on the left leg of Cher Ami, and set her free. As soon as Cher Ami rose out of the brush, the Germans opened fire on her. Bullets zipped through the air all around her. Inevitably, Cher Ami was struck, but the brave bird spread her wings again and continued to fly. When she arrived at her loft at division headquarters 40 km away in less than half an hour, she was found shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, and a leg hanging only by a tendon. Although army medics managed to save her life, the wounds she received was too deep to heal completely. She died a year later. Close up of Cher Amis taxidermied body showing the missing leg. Cher Ami became the hero of the 77th Infantry Division. She was awarded the Croix de Guerre Medal with a palm Oak Leaf Cluster for her heroic service in delivering 12 important messages in Verdun. She was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931. She also received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Racing Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of her service during World War I. A century later, she became one of the first winners of the Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery, bestowed on her posthumously at ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Cher Amis taxidermied body is on display in the National Museum of American History. Cher Amis message from Captain Whittlesey to the commanding officer of the 308th Infantry. Photo: National Archives. G.I. Joe During the Second World War, the village of Calvi Vecchia, Italy, was occupied by the Germans, and Allied air forces were requested to help dislodge the occupying Germans. At the same time, British forces were advancing on land but they werent supposed to reach the village until after it was bombed. Yet, the British infantrys advance was so rapid that they reached the village and liberated it ahead of schedule. The British infantry tried to radio the allies airfield to call off their attack, but the message did not went through. Now they were in danger of getting caught up in friendly fire if the attack went ahead. A homing pigeon named G. I. Joe was released with the message. He flew to the airfield twenty miles away in just twenty minutes, arriving as the planes were preparing to take off to bomb Calvi Vecchia. G. I. Joe saved the lives of at least 100 men. He was presented the Dickin Medal for gallantry, an award equivalent to the Victoria Cross or the Medal of Honor for animals. G. I. Joe receiving the Dickin Medal. A pigeon Loft at Rampont, France. 2nd Lt. Milne pictured in 1918 with carrier pigeons he is raising for the Army during World War I. The sign on the pigeon's cage reads, "These are the birds that work to save the lives of our boys in France." Photo: Department of Defense The German Army also used carrier pigeons. Here two German soldiers on the Western Front are seen with their pigeons. Photo: German War Department Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 49 Colleges In Iowa for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 167 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 167 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 49 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. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-colleges-in-iowa/ 2021 Colleges In Iowa featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Allen College Briar Cliff University Buena Vista University Central College Clarke University Coe College Cornell College Des Moines Area Community College Des Moines University Divine Word College Dordt College Drake University Eastern Iowa Community Colleges Emmaus Bible College Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Graceland University Grand View University Grinnell College Hawkeye Community College Indian Hills Community College Iowa Central Community College Iowa Lakes Community College Iowa State University Iowa Valley Community College District Iowa Wesleyan University Iowa Western Community College Kirkwood Community College Loras College Luther College Maharishi University of Management Mercy College of Health Sciences Morningside College Mount Mercy University North Iowa Area Community College Northeast Iowa Community College Northwest Iowa Community College Northwestern College Palmer College of Chiropractic Saint Ambrose University Simpson College Southeastern Community College St Luke's College University of Dubuque University of Iowa University of Northern Iowa Upper Iowa University Waldorf University Wartburg College William Penn 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/. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. El Paso County is expected to receive an increase in COVID-19 vaccines by the tens of thousands this week, a month and a half after El Paso County officials and Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers first raised concerns the county was not receiving its fair share of vaccines. Public Health Director Susan Wheelan told county commissioners Tuesday the state health department will send nearly 42,000 vaccine doses to El Paso County this week. That includes 2,000 vaccine doses to be used at a new drive-up vaccine clinic at the Broadmoor World Arena that Centura Health will launch Wednesday morning and operate Fridays through Mondays. The county could see between 7,000 to 8,000 additional vaccine doses a week, she said. The increase in supply is key because eligibility is set to expand again on Friday to include those age 50 and older and other groups, and open to the general public by mid-April. RELATED: Get the latest Gazette headlines by signing up for our newsletters VP Kamala Harris showcases aid to small businesses in Denver El Paso County received just 15,000 vaccine doses last week a smaller amount than weeks prior, Wheelan said, because of the blizzard that ripped through the Front Range over the weekend, shutting down major roadways and forcing the cancelation of several planned vaccine clinics. Two weeks ago, the county received just over 27,000 vaccine doses, data from El Paso County Public Health show. The increase will allow health providers to administer around 5,300 doses a day, compared to the current daily average of 3,300, Wheelan said. As the vaccine supply continues to increase, Wheelan said she expects the number of vaccines administered in the county will be proportional to its population in a few weeks. How quickly the county can vaccinate more people depends on staffing levels at each clinic, she said. El Paso County Public Health has requested the state health department provide additional health care workers at its new building in Fountain during the months of April and May, and the state is sending eight more vaccinators to help at equity clinics across the county this weekend. We know that we have one of the largest populations in the state of Colorado and we need to be ready and poised to offer vaccine as quickly as possible to those that want it, Wheelan said. El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez said Tuesday he was happy to see the countys calls for increased vaccine starting to bear fruit. Gonzalez has been a vocal critic of the vaccine disparity and last week submitted a complaint to the Colorado Attorney Generals Office asking they investigate the matter. Lawrence Pacheco, a spokesman in the state Attorney Generals Office, said by email Monday it does not comment on complaints or confirm or deny the existence of investigations. Commissioner Stan VanderWerf thanked the state health department for their efforts to ramp up vaccine supply to El Paso County. Its not like we always agree on everything, but it is really important to thank anybody thats really helping us out, he said. I think that increase in vaccine is a great indicator of that willingness to support. County data show nearly 10% of all residents are fully vaccinated, and 67% of residents aged 70 and older have been vaccinated. Wheelan said Tuesday its likely the county has reached its goal to vaccinate 70% of its 70-plus population because county vaccination data does not include doses distributed directly to veterans and members of the military through the federal government or those in nursing homes. When you pair the state supplies with the federal supplies, thats going to bump us up a few percentage (points), she said. Public Health is working to add the number of federal vaccine supplies to its vaccine data dashboard, she said. Though the county will still likely face challenges in its fight against the sometimes deadly disease in the coming months, increased vaccine supplies and expanded local vaccination plans provide hope, she said. I think this is very encouraging and a lot of progress, given where we were last year, she said. The Gazette's Mary Shinn contributed to this story. PITTSFIELD After more than 45 years, the law caught up with alleged serial predator and former Olympian Conrad Mainwaring on Tuesday in a Berkshire County courthouse. Mainwaring, 69, was arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court on nine counts of indecent assault and battery for alleged crimes against boys 14 or older, and three counts for alleged abuse of boys younger than 14. Not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf on all the charges. A Berkshire County grand jury returned the indictments Jan. 27, and authorities last week brought Mainwaring to Pittsfield from California. Conrad Mainwaring Arraignment Authorities in Berkshire County accuse Mainwaring, a Los Angeles resident and United Kingdom national, of molesting seven campers from 1975 to Mainwaring was arrested on a fugitive-from-justice warrant as he left a Los Angeles County courthouse after a plea in a separate case from 2019 that police there said stemmed from abuse of one of his male athletes at a track in West Los Angeles under the guise of physical therapy and mental focus training. Mainwaring is on probation. The 2019 California case involved the same exact type of criminal behavior that prosecutors say Mainwaring committed on the grounds of Camp Greylock for Boys, said Assistant District Attorney Megan Tesoniero. Authorities in Berkshire County accuse Mainwaring, a Los Angeles resident and United Kingdom national, of molesting seven campers from 1975 to 1979 while working as a counselor at the summer camp off Route 20 in Becket. Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Berkshire Detective Unit launched their investigation after ESPN released a bombshell investigative report in 2019 about Mainwaring. More than 52 men told the outlet that Mainwaring abused them when they were young, in incidents from the 1970s to 2016. The investigation involved interviews across several states and college campuses, state police said. Andrew Zenoff, of California, came forward to freelance ESPN reporter Mike Kessler and disclosed that his brother, Victor, had been molested three summers in a row at Camp Greylock. Victor was 17 when he died in a fall at Yosemite National Park, not long after he confided in his mother about the alleged abuse. ESPN reported that seven of the men said they met Mainwaring in the 1970s while campers at Camp Greylock. They said Mainwaring sexually abused them under the guise of training. Berkshire County prosecutors obtained 12 indictments relating to alleged assaults of seven boys. Tesoniero alleged that Mainwaring leveraged his Olympic credentials as part of a grooming technique deployed to perpetrate sexual violence on these young boys. Conrad Mainwaring Conrad Mainwaring worked with hundreds of boys at Camp Greylock for Boys in Becket, as shown in this photo from a camp yearbook. Mainwaring pl He would make them believe that through the sexual assault, he was making them into better athletes, stronger as far as mental capabilities, or simply their athletic abilities, the prosecutor said. She said Mainwaring allegedly sexually assaulted boys in a victims bunk, at the camps football field and on a bus returning to Camp Greylock after an excursion. She said Mainwaring told the boys they had to resist sexual urges in order to be mentally stronger athletes. Tesoniero said the state police investigation revealed that Mainwaring is a serial predator of boys since the 1970s whose alleged victims hailed from Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, New York and England. Mainwaring has lived in Los Angeles for over three decades, and earned a masters degree from Syracuse University, said defense lawyer Dean R. Manuel, who said his client had a long and successful career as an athlete. Mainwaring ran for Antigua in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and went on to coach runners, including an Olympian. He and Manuel did not comment after the hearing, at which Mainwaring used a wheelchair, having had hip surgery, Manuel told the court. These are old allegations from the 1970s, Manuel said. Hes entitled to a full and fair trial. Judge John Agostini accepted the prosecutors request to hold Mainwaring on $200,000 bail, an amount Manuel said was excessive and beyond Mainwarings ability to pay. Tesoniero pressed for the bail amount, given what she described as the scope and length of the allegations, his potential to flee and the criminal potential penalties she said could be imposed consecutively. If Mainwaring posts bail, Agostini ordered him to surrender his passport, waive rendition and have no contact with children younger than 16. District Attorney Andrea Harrington thanked State Police for their continued work on the case and said authorities believe there are many other victims. The Massachusetts State Police has asked potential victims and witnesses to contact investigators using a dedicated phone line: 413-449-5863. We take allegations of adults who abuse their position of trust by preying on youth very seriously and will continue to focus our prosecutorial resources on holding perpetrators of these crimes accountable, Harrington said in a statement. Mainwarings next hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 27. WORCESTER, Mass., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson (author of resolution) to hold press availability with the nurses and other staff on the strike line outside the hospital at 5 p.m. City Council meeting held remotely on Tuesday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. As the 800 striking nurses of St. Vincent Hospital move into their second week of an open-ended strike, the Worcester City Council this week is taking up a resolution in support of the nurses and other dedicated staff, which calls on Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare to get back to the negotiating table to "ensure the safety of registered nurses, healthcare staff, and patients" at the Worcester-based facility. The resolution also addresses the need to support the members of UFCW 1445, which includes the patient care assistants, technicians, cleaning and other essential staff at the hospital, who are also conducting daily informational picketing outside the hospital to protest unsafe staffing and patient care conditions. City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, who drafted the resolution, stated, "The nurses and other essential staff of St. Vincent Hospital have always cared for this community with the utmost skill and compassion prior to and throughout the worst public health crisis in our history, sacrificing their own health and the health of their own families to keep us safe. As they have taken the ultimate step to convince their employer to provide them with the staffing and resources they need to protect us, we owe them our support and this resolution is designed to voice that support from the city they have served so well for so long." Text of the Resolution: WHEREAS: Access to safe healthcare is essential to Worcester residents, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, WHEREAS: The nurses of the Massachusetts Nurses Association and the nurses of Saint Vincent Hospital have served our community selflessly over the past year; WHEREAS: More than 600 reports have been filed for "unsafe staffing" by nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital outlining how staffing levels may be dangerous to patients; WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Nurses Association have been working to negotiate with Tenet Healthcare and Saint Vincent Hospital to ensure patient safety and fair compensation since late 2019; WHEREAS: The safety of patients, nursing staff, members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association and all hospital staff, including members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, is paramount to public health; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the City Council of the City of Worcester express their support and gratitude to all healthcare staff and registered nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital and throughout the City of Worcester, and furthermore; That City Council of the City of Worcester does hereby encourage Tenet Healthcare, Saint Vincent Hospital to reengage in negotiations with the Massachusetts Nurses Association to reach an agreement that ensures the safety of registered nurses, healthcare staff, and patients along with fair compensation for their work. "We truly appreciate the support of the Candy Carlson and the Worcester City Council," said Marlena Pellegrino, RN, a frontline nurse at the hospital and co-chair of the nurses local bargaining unit with the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA). "We only hope that Tenet Healthcare finally gets the message that it is time to work with us to make the changes that are needed to keep our patients safe." The nurses' strike and their stand for safer patient care has galvanized similar support from a variety of public officials. labor and community advocates, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Edward Markey and Congressman Jim McGovern who have all visited the nurses strike line and sent their own letter to Tenet's CEO in Dallas urging Tenet to negotiate with the nurses to address the nurses concerns over needed staffing improvements to ensure safe care. As the strike began, they issued a statement in support of the nurses. "We urge Tenet to listen to and act on the concerns of St. Vincent nurses," the lawmakers said in a joint statement on March 7. "This is a patient safety issue, but it's also about our values. We respect our nurses, we deeply appreciate everything they have done for our community during this challenging year, and we stand unequivocally with them in their fight for patient safety and fairness. We remain ready and willing to help in any way we can to resolve this situation in a fair and equitable way." 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. The decision to strike followed a concerted effort over the last two years by the nurses to convince Tenet to improve the patient care conditions at the facility, poor conditions that have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Adding insult to injury, the same day nurses voted to authorize the strike, Tenet announced annual profits of more than $400 million. In the last year alone, nurses have filed more than 600 official "unsafe staffing" reports (more than 110 such reports have been filed since Jan. 1, 2021) in which nurses 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 [March 16, 2021] Godrej Locks eyes INR 100 crore revenue from its kitchen systems business, launches smart kitchen storage solutions brand 'SKIDO' MUMBAI, India, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej group today announced that its business unit Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems, is eyeing a revenue of INR 100 crore from its Godrej Kitchen Fittings and Systems business, in the next five years. The company has launched SKIDO- Smart Kitchen Drawers and Organisers, an innovative range of smart kitchen storage solutions. To meet the unique requirements of the Indian kitchen, the company curated SKIDO which is 'designed in India and made for India'. The range has eight products including kitchen drawers and dedicated organisers for cutlery, cup & saucer, wok, fry pan, thalis, containers, and jars & bottles. SKIDO is an outcome of extensive research conducted by the company to study Indian kitchens and the different style of cooking. The insights led Godrej Locks to create the SKIDO range of innovative storage solutions that make the lives of kitchen users easier and better. The company aims to reduce dependence on western solutions which were the only options consumers had, and offer customized solutions for Indian kitchen spaces. SKIDO storage solutions are convenient to install, easy-to-carry and are multi-functional. Commenting on the launch of SKIDO, Shyam Motwani, EVP and Business Head, Godej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems said, "The Indian modular kitchen business is valued at INR 2,500 crore and is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 27% during 2019-2024. We see tremendous growth potential in this segment considering that 4% of our total sales were generated from this segment last year. In the next few years, our strategic focus would be to achieve INR 100 crore revenue from this segment. We have witnessed a renewed demand in kitchen accessories given that modern Indian families are now using their kitchen more than ever and looking for effective solutions. This demand will be a definitive growth driver." Godrej Locks has been present in the Kitchen Systems category since 2015. Under this, the company offers various products like Ergo Drawers, Wire Baskets, Corner Solutions, Tall Units, Soft Pro Systems, Drawer Channels, and Hinges. SKIDO is the latest offering under this segment. SKIDO starts at INR 15000-20000 per set and will be available across general trade and hardware About Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems is a 123-year-old leading manufacturer of innovative locking devices. Since its inception in 1897 by Ardeshir Godrej, the name 'Godrej' has become synonymous with trust, protection and integrity. From the first Anchor branded lock in 1897 to the first ever spring less lock in 1907, to the iconic 'Navtal' in 1954, and to the postmodern biometric locks, Godrej has set every benchmark in the locks industry. Over the years, Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems have changed in form, function and scope of application. But one thing still remains the same - the solid stamp of trust and reliability. Godrej Locks adhere to global quality norms and hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. With their locks reaching several countries around the world over a period of time, the brand has come a long way in delivering world-class smart locking solutions, therefore revolutionizing the very perception of a locking device from a mere functionality at an entry and exit point, to a proud pause at the doorstep, a moment to take in the significance of how far they have come. For more information, please log on to www.godrejlocks.com Godrej Locks is a business unit of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd Supreeth Sudhakaran supreeth.sudhakaran@godrejinds.com +91- 9920584295 Godrej Group Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1328290/Godrej_Locks_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The French tourist arrested in Iran last year for flying a remote-controlled mini helicopter has been charged with espionage and propaganda against the Islamic republic, his lawyer has told the media. Benjamin Briere, 35, was arrested in Iran 10 months ago for flying a helicam in the desert near the Turkmenistan-Iran border. Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports that Saeid Dehghan, member of the defense team told Reuters on Monday that his client was charged with two counts of espionage and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. His last defense statement was taken yesterday. His spying charges are because of taking pictures in forbidden areas, Dehghan added. He is in the Vakilabad prison in the city of Mashhad. His health is good and he has access to his lawyers, and also he benefits from consular protection and the French embassy officials have been in regular contact with him. The propaganda charge, Dehghan also noted, is pressed against the French national for a post on social media, in which he said the hijab is mandatory in the Islamic Republic of Iran, but not in other Islamic countries. Paris is following the trial and has been in touch with Briere, reports say citing the French foreign ministry. 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 Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Only months after completing a complicated transaction to rebrand and restructure the wealth management firm thats now called Richardson Wealth, the company is now the target of an unwanted takeover bid. Only months after completing a complicated transaction to rebrand and restructure the wealth management firm thats now called Richardson Wealth, the company is now the target of an unwanted takeover bid. Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. has made a takeover offer for RF Capital Group the publicly traded parent company of Richardson Wealth thats worth about $367 million. Canaccord has its own wealth management business and acquiring Richardson Wealth would combine two of the largest independent wealth management businesses in Canada. But the board of RF Capital Group is not impressed and does not appreciate the advances Canaccord is making. Neither does Richardson Financial Group, the Winnipeg Richardson familys financial services arm, which owns 44 per cent of RF Capital. Canaccord said RF Capitals board dismissed the proposal earlier this month without reason and that representatives of Richardson Financial Group Ltd., rejected an invitation to discuss the offer. Canaccord Genuity CEO Dan Daviau says he believes the plan would provide superior value for RF Capital shareholders, and that Richardson Wealth investment advisers would benefit from the scale, stability and growth potential of his firm. Under the proposal, Canaccord Genuity is offering $2.30 per share in cash or Canaccord Genuity shares for each RF Capital share. In trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, RF Capital shares were up 20 cents at $1.96. Both RF Capital and Richardson Financial publicly acknowledged and rejected the offer. A statement from RF Capital said, "RF Capital advises shareholders that its board declined to engage with Canaccord, having unanimously concluded that the proposal was not in the best interest of the companys shareholders, advisors, clients and other stakeholders in light of the considerable opportunities for Richardson Wealth in the fast-growing wealth management industry." Sandy Riley, president and CEO of Richardson Financial Group, effectively said the same thing. "We believe that RF Capital is embarked on a strategy that will generate far more shareholder value than a transaction with Canaccord would. RFGs shares are not for sale because we believe in the long-term vision for RF Capital and Richardson Wealth," he said in a public statement. In an memo to Richardson Wealth employees that the Free Press obtained, Riley said that he believes Richardson Wealth is already the premier independent wealth management business in the country and it will grow stronger over the long term. "Thats why we agreed to put the Richardson name on the door," Riley said in the memo. "We at RFG are excited for what the future holds, and confident that the team at RF Capital and Richardson Wealth is the right team to deliver. Were behind you all the way." In October the former Richardson GMP concluded a lengthy and complicated restructuring which included selling off its capital markets business to form Richardson Wealth, which has $31.4 billion in assets under administration (as at Feb. 28, 2021) and 19 offices across the country. Canaccord Genuity has about $88 billion of assets under administration. In addition to Richardson Wealth RF Capital is also the parent company of RF Securities Clearing, which provides broker services to Richardson Wealth and others. with files from The Canadian Press martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca 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. Processing a record number of loans in 2020 In 2020, small businesses relied on their financial institution more than ever to get the funding needed to keep their doors open and recover from the pandemic. Mountain America reassigned employees and improved efficiencies to process additional loans and get members funding as quickly as possible, resulting in a record number of loans in one year, including nearly $350 million in PPP loans. "Small businesses are the backbone of our local communities, and Mountain America remains committed to helping them succeed," says Sterling Nielsen, president and chief executive officer at Mountain America Credit Union. "This past year brought an even greater need to support small businesses, and thanks to the incredible work of our entire team, we were able to help a record number of companies keep their employees on the payroll and recover from the pandemic." Helping businesses keep their doors open Recently, Sean Forsgren, chief executive officer at Strange Reptile, turned to Mountain America for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Mountain America was able to quickly process his loan and help keep his 20 employees on the payroll. In response to working with Mountain America, Sean noted: "You are a hero to the 20 families that depend on our company for their jobs. Like most small businesses, this loan will make the difference between surviving the past year or not." Leader in business lending and services As a leader in business lending and services, Mountain America has been ranked the #1 SBA lender for credit unions by Callahan and Associates for the past 16 years. Currently, Mountain America ranks second nationally for business deposits for credit unions. SOURCE Mountain America Credit Union The World Health Organisation (WHO) is urging countries to continue using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine as global medical leaders meet to discuss reports of blood clots. WHOs global advisory committee on vaccine safety will hold a meeting on Tuesday, while the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will also meet, with a view to publishing further guidance on Thursday. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHOs chief scientist, told a media briefing we do not want people to panic, as she said no association has been found so far between blood clots and Covid-19 vaccines. She said the rates at which blood clots have occurred in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine are in fact less than what you would expect in the general population. We are closely reviewing reports but the evidence available does not suggest that the blood clots were caused by COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so. Read our full statement here: https://t.co/7BxCeCLgDR pic.twitter.com/4SYrtOuOOC MHRAgovuk (@MHRAgovuk) March 15, 2021 A small number of cases of blood clots in people having the jab have been reported in Europe, prompting several European countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Norway to halt rollout of the vaccine. Sweden added itself to the list on Tuesday, saying the move was precautionary. The director general of Italys medicines authority, Nicola Magrini, told Italian daily newspaper la Repubblica that the decision by some European countries to suspend the rollout was a political one. We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one, he said, adding that the vaccine was safe. The WHO, the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the EMA have all said there is no evidence the jab causes the problems. An EMA spokesman said many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for different reasons, adding that the incidence in vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population. According to AstraZeneca, about 17 million people in the EU and the UK have received a dose of the vaccine, with fewer than 40 cases of blood clots reported to date. Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the decision to pause rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could be a disaster for Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Europe. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Asked what he would say to those in the UK who are booked to receive the vaccine, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I really wouldnt be worried at the present time. I think it is very clear that the benefits of being vaccinated at the moment so far outweigh the possible concern over this rather rare type of blood clot. It really is a completely one-sided argument statistically that we need to be vaccinating. I think it is a disaster for the vaccination uptake in Europe, which is already on slightly unsteady ground in some countries. Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain that Covid was far more risky in terms of developing blood clots than any vaccine side-effect. He said: Its really important to remember that Covid is a vascular illness and causes clots all over the body. So, the risk of developing blood clots from Covid far, far exceeds any potential risk from the vaccination. Prof Harnden said he had no doubt that this vaccine is safe and effective, adding: What I dont understand is the nuances behind the Europeans decisions and their data, and that will become apparent in the next few days I hope and will be filtered through our regulator. On Monday, Germanys health minister said the decision to suspend AstraZeneca jabs was purely precautionary and was taken on the advice of the countrys vaccine regulator, which called for further investigation into seven cases of clots in the brains people who had been vaccinated. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will halt the vaccine until at least Tuesday afternoon. The Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Bulgaria, Iceland and Thailand have already temporarily suspended use of the jab. In the UK, medical experts have defended the use of the vaccine while Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was no reason at all to stop its rollout. Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would accept the jab without hesitation. Northern Irelands chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride also urged people to retain confidence in the jab, as he received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday. Mr Johnson said the MRHA was one of toughest and most experienced regulators in the world. They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programme for either of the vaccines that were currently using, he said. Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon is due to announce further aims for the easing of lockdown measures on hospitality and retail in Scotland on Tuesday. Stormont ministers will also meet on Tuesday to discuss easing lockdown restrictions. Decisions are expected to focus on schooling and allowing more outdoor activities for young people. Mamata Banerjee slams Centre, says vaccinating all citizens before December 2021 is just a hoax Faulty ventilators will have to be replaced; won't allow experiments on patients: Bombay high court Is India witnessing second wave of Covid-19? States remain on upward trajectory India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Mar 16: Amid the ongoing vaccination drive, several states in India are witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases since late February and early March. According to exerts, it appears that the second wave of the pandemic is here. Also, the speed of the spread is comparable to the first wave. In Maharashtra, the state reported a record 16,620 new cases, accounting for 63.21 per cent of the daily new cases reported in the country. The centre has said in a letter to the Uddhav Thackeray-led government that authorities have urged the state to focus on containment strategies, social distancing and hygiene. The letter, based on the assessment of a central team, notes the lack of Covid-appropriate behavior and tracking and testing of cases. With Karnataka seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases over the last fortnight, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said experts had said it was an indication of a second wave and advised strict enforcement of measures to contain the spread. The Chief Minister chaired a meeting with senior officials and members of the COVID-19 technical advisory committee, comprising health experts to assess the situation. He said the positivity rate has increased in districts like Bidar, Kalaburagi, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Udupi Tumakuru and Dakshina Kannada. Maharashtra in beginning of 2nd Covid wave, warns central govt team Yediyurappa requested citizens to wear masks and maintain social distancing at public places to balance economic activities and to avoid any further lockdown. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would chair a meeting on March 17 with Chief Ministers of various states on the COVID situation, where Karnataka would seek advice and take necessary strict measures, if required. The CM said officials have been directed to ensure that not more than 500 people attend social, religious and other events, including weddings. To be prepared for any eventuality, it was decided to make arrangements at COVID hospitals for oxygenated beds, availability at Intensive Care Units and setting up of COVID care centres. The meeting also decided to hold discussions with private hospitals for providing treatment to COVID patients like in the past, Yediyurappa said. Among other issues deliberated at the meeting for implementation was to enhance vaccination of senior citizens and those at slums and rural areas and not ferrying a large number of people in public transport vehicles. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers on the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive on Wednesday as the Centre looks to ramp up the inoculation exercise amid a rise in infection in some states. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 12:08 [IST] 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. 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 16, 2021] Worldclass innovation: Introducing the world's first smart sailing apparel by 878 BUDAPEST, Hungary, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hungarian brand, 878 enters the international market for premium sailing apparel with its products that are designed, developed and manufactured in Hungary. These original clothing items address the unresolved issues of professional sailing and combine technological and material innovation to help increase the performance of both leisure sailors and professional athletes. The development of sailboat racing has accelerated tremendously in recent years yet, the changes of clothing and protective equipment of sailors did not follow this pace, which brought many problems to the surface. Solution is provided by 878's clothes made of unique components and materials, which are rarely utilized on the market at the moment. In these sailing apparel, sustainability, digital solutions, many years of product development and manufacturing technology is combined with material innovation. The products are made of graphene, a material that is ultra-lightweight yet flexible, stretchy, perfectly waterproof, stronger than steel, which, as a main feature, provides about the same feeling of heat at both 5 and 20 Celsius. The creators of the "super material" received a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. Moreover, the apparel can be perfectly made-to-measure thanks to the 3D body scan. The Budapest-based company used a unique approach already during its planning phase, as it involved the sailing community, with which the most important needs of the athletes were mapped out. Aiming to become a large-scale, world-class sportswear, in addition to material innovation and functionality, the design has also been given a significant role. "The 878 was created with the mission to securely adhere to an innovative approach and to the application of intelligent solutions in order to develop products that can reach 2% share of global sailing apparel market," said Istvan Papp, CEO of 878. Wearable innovation is reflected in this unique product: a digital, foldable display built in the jacket, to which an on-board unit transmits data from the boat instrument via bluetooth, and different data can be set up by the captain for the team. The company also strives for sustainability: only chemical-free and environmentally friendly materials are used for manufacturing, water use is minimized, and part of the profits will be spent on water and ocean clean-up initiatives. 878 operates as a waste-free company thanks to their fully digitized production. The ambassador of the 878 brand is Zsombor Berecz, World and European champion Hungarian sailor. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1454047/878_Sailing_Apparel.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Thiruvananthapuram, March 16 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday suffered a jolt after a mother seeking justice for her two daughters whose bodies were discovered after being sexually abused announced she would contest against him from the Dharmadom constituency in Kannur. The Congress-led UDF has in principle decided to support the mother in her fight for justice, said State Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran. Speaking to the media at her hometown, the mother said she will fight as as an independent candidate. It is a symbolic fight for justice as she is still searching for justice for her two daughters, she said. "Many people have been asking me to do so and I decided to take up the challenge and will contest as an independent candidate against the Chief Minister. I want two errant police officials to be removed from service. But in the election, I will not seek the support of the Sangh Parivar forces," said the mother. For the past few months, the mother, along with her supporters has been on a protest demanding justice for her two daughters in front of their house and protesting on social media with the hash tag, "from the day of court verdict to the day of betrayal". It was on October 31st last year that the mother was promised justice by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but nothing happened and the police office who probed the case was instead promoted. The case surfaced in January 2017, when a 11 year old girl's body was found by her nine-year-old sister in her house near Walayar. Two months later, in similar circumstances, the younger girl child was found dead in her home. Though the police arrested five people under the charge of abetment of suicide and rape, the accused was let off by a court in Palakkad district for want of evidence. State Congress president Ramachandran supported the mother's decision to contest elections against the CM. "We will have no qualms to offer her all our support and for that , we will take up this to be discussed with our allies," said Ramachandran. CM Vijayan on Monday filed his nomination papers from his home constituency, which he won in the 2016 assembly polls with a margin of over 30,000 votes. With the distraught mother seeking justice, deciding to take the fight into the enemy camp, it could be an emotional battle more than a political one. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Two more Covid-19 infection cases confirmed in Hai Duong Two more people have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the Covid-19 hotspot of Hai Duong Province, raising the total number of patients in the country to 2,559, the Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday morning. Illustrative photo According to the ministry's report, the new patients had contacted with Covid-19 patients in Kim Dinh District. They are now being treated at Hai Duong Provincial General Hospital With these new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 2,559, including 903 locally-transmitted cases reported since the new outbreak started in Hai Duong on January 28. Hai Duong Province alone has recorded 719 cases. As of 6 pm on March 15, a total of 2,115 Covid-19 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital. There have been 35 deaths, most of them being the elderly with serious underlying diseases. At present, nearly 40,000 people who had close contact with Covid-19 patients or returned from virus-hit areas are being monitored at hospitals, quarantine facilities, and at home. ( ) said it has signed a production contract with the UKs Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) to use the companys MagnifEye artificial intelligence (AI) technology to read Coronavirus (COVID-19) lateral flow diagnostics tests as part of the countrys asymptomatic testing programme. The clinical AI technology firm said the contract with DHSC is for a phased nationwide rollout over a three-month period in care homes, GP practices and selected private sector organisations with large workforces. Sensyne added that revenues from the deal will be shared with Excalibur Health Systems under the terms of an exclusive agreement between the two companies. "This is a significant commercial milestone in Sensyne's development and underlines the potential of our world-class expertise in clinical AI applied to diagnostic testing. We are delighted to be working with the Department of Health & Social Care to support the UK's national COVID testing programme, which is making a huge impact in helping the nation to recover from the pandemic," Sensyne chief executive Paul Drayson said in a statement. Only nine days ago, Meghan and Harry launched several bazookas in the direction of the Royal Family with the assiduous assistance of Oprah Winfrey, firstly on CBS in America and then on ITV. Tens of millions of people watched as Meghan alleged that an unidentified member of the Royal Family was racist, while Harry accused his father both of financial meanness and refusing to take his calls. Poor Prince William was said by Harry to be trapped. As family spats go, this was a humdinger. Many people on the receiving end of such public insults from close relatives might prefer not to talk to them for a fair while. But, to their credit, Prince Charles and Prince William did not sit roasting. They appear to have picked up the telephone over the weekend to speak with hot-headed Harry. It seems they both love and care for him. And what was their reward? CBS presenter Gayle King a close friend of Meghan, as well as of Oprah Winfrey informed the world yesterday that Harry had spoken on the phone with the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, jeopardising the peace process as she spilled the beans. Prince Harry has spoken with his brother and father since he joined wife Meghan Markle on a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which Meghan alleged that an unidentified member of the Royal Family was racist, while Harry accused his father both of financial meanness and refusing to take his calls Ms King boasted she had talked to the Sussexes, and got from them the word that these conversations were not productive. According to her, it was frustrating for Meghan and Harry that everyone was talking about the charge of royal racism. All they had ever wanted was for the royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant. It appears that neither Charles nor William was keen to take up the cudgels on their behalf. I suppose we should consider the possibility that Gayle King is an out-and-out fantasist who imagines the thoughts whirling through Meghans mind. But it seems most unlikely. Apart from anything else, the Sussexes have not contradicted her account. No, she was speaking as Meghans spokeswoman and Harrys too, I fear in what almost amounts to an infringement of privacy by a couple who are forever complaining about media intrusion. Speaking on CBS This Morning, Gayle King said: 'Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview. Everything' Yet once again they have spoon-fed an American broadcaster. Appearances can be deceptive, but if Prince Williams glum face yesterday was any guide, he was seriously cheesed off by the Sussexes breach of confidentiality. One can understand his feelings. Why has Meghan, with Harry presumably at her side, chosen to lob another grenade at the Royal Family just as Charles and William were recovering from the last assault? For her calculated intervention will surely make the resumption of peace talks between the two sides more difficult. It could widen the gulf, and increase a justifiable sense of betrayal in royal circles. Meghan is evidently an intelligent woman, who is well aware of the likely consequences of Ms King acting as her mouthpiece. If she is prepared to risk the further souring of relations with the Royal Family, one can only assume it is because she has another motive. Basking in the approval of millions of Americans after her Oprah Winfrey interview, and now an international celebrity in her own right, she is evidently prepared to go on undermining the Royal Family until or unless it comes to heel. Her request for its help in her self-serving war against the Press is manifestly absurd. She I should say Gayle King accuses the Press of still running unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant without (as usual) citing a single instance. Conversations between Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles were 'not productive,' Gayle King, a friend of Meghan Markle's, told CBS viewers earlier The truth is that in Meghans view any criticism of her must be racist. This is a wild and ridiculous assertion which does not prevent it from being shared by her uncritical admirers. How will this end? It seems increasingly unlikely that the wounds Meghan has caused, and continues to cause, will easily be healed. She gives no indication that she wants to heal them. From her spokeswoman Gayle King she received this implausible encomium. You know, shes really a very sweet, caring person. And, as I say, Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprahs interview. Everything. That is certainly good to know. We await proof of her contention that she was married in secret three days before their wedding in Windsor. Documents confirming several conversations when she was pregnant about how dark [her babys] skin will be when hes born will also be fascinating. There is, of course, one person who can help restore Meghans sense of proportion, tighten her grip on reality, and rebuild bridges with the Royal Family. And that is her husband. Harry cant want this increasingly messy and unpleasant estrangement from those he still loves. I dont believe he can look forward to living as a celebrity, albeit one junior to his wife, in a foreign country, forsaken by his family. 'If Prince Williams glum face yesterday was any guide, he was seriously cheesed off by the Sussexes breach of confidentiality. One can understand his feelings,' writes STEPHEN GLOVER There were wise words yesterday from former First Lady, Michelle Obama. She spoke of the importance of public service, and insisted that theres nothing more important than family. Yes, wise words. But will Meghan and Harry in particular listen? I fear this story may have the unstoppable momentum of tragedy. Prince Charles and Prince William were right to pick up the phone. If they get the same treatment again, next time could be the last time. As information broke that China is pressuring Jack Mas Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to promote the South China Morning Post, shocked staff contemplated the way forward for Hong Kongs important English-language each day. When Hangzhou-based Alibaba purchased the SCMP in 2015 for $266 million, it injected much-needed money into the operations and pledged that the century-old newspaper would retain editorial independence. While the newspaper has come beneath regular criticism for a tilt towards Beijing beneath Alibaba, its journalists intently coated the 2019 pro-democracy protests in whereas additionally publishing various opinions and protection essential of China. Now fears are rising amongst some workers members {that a} Chinese state-owned firm may finally take over from Alibaba and put the newspaper beneath Beijings thumb, in accordance with an worker who requested to not be recognized. Such a transfer would mark probably the most vital blows but to the towns as soon as free-wheeling media business, the place unbiased retailers have confronted growing stress since Beijing imposed a sweeping nationwide safety legislation final 12 months. There is suspicion that if a Chinese entity takes it over, or a Chinese billionaire takes it over, that theyre going to change the editorial line, stated Keith Richburg, director of the Journalism and Media Studies Center on the University of and president of the Foreign Correspondents Club in This idea that the SCMP might be sold at a time when people in Beijing are talking about the need to for patriots to be running media entities is, I would say, very, very concerning. Beijing has moved to stifle Hong Kongs democracy motion over the previous 12 months, rounding up dissidents and revamping the election system to provide the Communist Party a veto on anybody who stands for workplace. The transfer has been criticized by nations together with the US and the UK, which this week stated China was in a state of ongoing non-compliance with the treaty that paved the way in which for the 1997 handover of the previous British colony drawing an offended response from Beijing. China in current months has heaped stress on Hong Kong journalists, most notably with the November arrest of media tycoon Jimmy Lai, founding father of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, who stays in custody on a nationwide safety cost after being denied bail. Police additionally carried out a high-profile raid of Apple Dailys newsroom, and have arrested different executives from its writer Next Digital Ltd. Ma, Alibabas co-founder, has been on the heart of a authorities crackdown that started final 12 months, concentrating on the e-commerce big and its finance affiliate Ant Group Co. The Wall Street Journal first reported Chinas authorities was asking Alibaba to shed media properties. Representatives for Alibaba in China and the US didnt reply to requests for remark. Chinas stress on Alibaba stems from a priority in regards to the know-how bigs affect over public opinion within the nation, in accordance with an individual accustomed to the matter. While no particular purchaser has been recognized, its anticipated to be a Chinese entity, the individual added. A Bloomberg investigation final 12 months confirmed the Communist Party has been amassing affect in Hong Kong by means of its possession of newspapers and publishing homes by way of its Liaison Office within the metropolis. No Plans for an Ownership Change In an inner SCMP memo to workers on Tuesday seen by Bloomberg News, Chief Executive Officer Gary Liu dismissed reviews of Alibaba coming beneath stress to promote its media belongings. Be assured that Alibabas commitment to SCMP remains unchanged and continues to support our mission and business goals, he wrote within the memo. A later message despatched on the identical day by Liu reiterated that there are no plans for an ownership change.SCMP remains committed to serving our global readers with independent journalism and in-depth analysis, as we have for over 117 years, a spokesperson for the newspaper stated by electronic mail. Since the nationwide safety legislation got here into drive final 12 months, media retailers have began to tread rigorously out of worry of breaching vaguely outlined provisions on subversion and secessions. The authorities this month appointed a profession bureaucrat with no media expertise as director of public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong, which has seen applications that have been essential of the federal government censored or pulled. On Jan. 6, the identical day the 55 democracy activists and former lawmakers have been arrested, the nationwide safety division requested paperwork from Apple Daily, Stand News, and In-Media. According to Reporters Without Borders, Hong Kong fell to 80th final 12 months in its annual World Press Freedom Index, down from 18th in 2002. Mainland China sat at 177th out of 180 nations and territories. The Hong Kong authorities didnt reply to a request for remark, however has repeatedly stated that press freedom stays intact regardless of the safety legislation. Ill Be Arrested Im prepared that Ill be arrested, stated Ronson Chan, deputy task editor of Stand News. Im not ready to go away Hong Kong, nor Stand News. Hong Kong wants us. Hong Kongers that also consider within the values of press freedom, particularly within the wake of a rising mainland Chinese takeover. The Hong Kong Free Press, a nonprofit digital information outlet that describes itself as neutral, has additionally come beneath assault. This month {a magazine} owned by Sing Tao News Corp., which final month got here beneath the management of the daughter of a Chinese tycoon, devoted a four-page unfold to insinuating that HKFP could have violated the nationwide safety legislation. The worsening setting has prompted the information group to solely use encrypted gadgets, test in with workers repeatedly and actually chain computer systems to the desks, in accordance with Tom Grundy, founder and editor-in-chief of HKFP. We expect to be forced to navigate increased bureaucratic and legal scrutiny, he stated. Though our current policy is to hope for the best, prepare for the worst and keep calm and carry on. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 21:32:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government has reviewed the amount of money given to vulnerable people from 300 Zimbabwe dollars (3.6 U.S. dollars) to 1,500 ZWL per household per month, a Cabinet Minister has said. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima said the government would also assume responsibility in assisting vulnerable persons should a development partner pull out in respect of those that it would have been assisting. The Herald newspaper reported Tuesday that Mavima, who was giving evidence by virtual means before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Service on Monday, said the new amount to be disbursed would cover basic supplies for each household. The new disbursement is equivalent to around 18 U.S. dollars per month. Mavima said his ministry would continue to engage the finance ministry to review the amount once resources improved. Enditem Launched in April 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO), European Commission, France and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the ACT Accelerator is a partnership of leading public health agencies with equity at its heart. In under a year, the ACT Accelerator has driven real progress to accelerate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has accelerated the development of COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines and health systems and transformed the ability to tackle COVID-19 on a global scale, but only if the world can ensure the equitable distribution of these vital tools. However, the world continues to face an unprecedented and rapidly evolving threat from COVID-19. Three major shifts in the pandemic and the operating environment for the ACT Accelerator have necessitated a refresh of ACT Accelerator priorities, financing requirements, and investment case. First, COVID-19 vaccines are now available but face acute supply constraints. Second, virus variants are emerging with increasingly concerning characteristics. Third, despite valuable support from governments, regulators, manufacturers, and other stakeholders, there has been insufficient investment in global solutions to scale COVID-19 tools. The ACT-Accelerator is well positioned to respond to these challenges. In 2020, a substantial focus was on developing and evaluating a sound product portfolio by investing in R&D, product assessment, and market shaping, while laying the groundwork for large-scale procurement and in-country delivery. Now that an initial set of effective and affordable COVID-19 tools is available, resources are increasingly focused on optimizing their public health impact. In 2021, ACT Accelerator aims to fully leverage these existing tools and available volumes, then expand manufacturing, while continuing to invest in further R&D and product optimization. The original ACT-Accelerator investment case published in September 2020 outlined a total requirement of US$ 38.1 billion to fully fund its work. Based on the refreshed strategic priorities outlined above, the Pillars have adjusted their resource needs. Despite generous donor contributions amounting to US$ 11.0 billion to date, ACT Accelerator continues to require an additional US$ 22.1 billion in 2021 to deliver on its full promise, and fund its vital work to deliver over 2 billion doses of vaccines, 900 million tests and up to 100 million of new treatment courses. The publication of a more detailed Strategy and Budget outlines the detail behind these numbers. Tackling COVID-19 requires substantial financial investments, but the financial and economic ramifications of inaction are far greater. In January 2021, a study commissioned by the International Chamber of Commerce demonstrated that even with strong COVID-19 vaccine coverage in high-income countries, inequitable access to COVID-19 tools elsewhere would cost high-income economies an additional US$ 2.4 trillion in 2021 alone. Investing in ACT Accelerator dwarfs the potential multiplier benefits of domestic fiscal support investments. If COVID-19 transmission is uncontrolled anywhere in the world, it remains a threat to everyone everywhere in the world. Commenting on today's release of the Strategy and Budget, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said: The ACT Accelerator has made strong progress. But new viral variants, limited vaccine supply, and underinvestment have resulted in the need to refresh the strategy and budget that chart the roadmap out of the pandemic. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the ACT Accelerator, we call on all nations to come together in global solidarity. It isn't just the right thing to do, it is also the fastest and most effective way to save lives, protect health systems and restore economies." Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said: "In recent weeks COVAX has begun to turn the tide on the early inequity of the global vaccine rollout. However, with the increased spread of COVID-19 variants, we have entered a new and less predictable phase of the pandemic. It is crucial that the vaccines we have developed are shared globally, as a matter of the greatest urgency, to reduce the prevalence of disease, slow down viral mutation, and bring the pandemic to an end. And in parallel, we must redouble our R&D efforts so we have the tools we need to tackle emerging variants of the virus." Emma Hannay, Chief Access Officer & ACT-Accelerator Lead for FIND, said: In less than a year, the ACT-Accelerator partnership has spurred the development and delivery of affordable, reliable rapid tests, scaled up manufacturing, and reserved important volumes for LMICs. But while we are moving quickly, so is the virus: the emergence of new variants across the globe underscores the ongoing need for equitable access to testing and strong surveillance systems so that we are not flying blind as the pandemic evolves. Detection of flare-ups and hotspot is key to stop case numbers from rebounding during vaccine roll out." Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, said: "Thanks to the US$6 billion committed by its donors to date, the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment has been able to begin protecting at-risk groups in lower-income countries with life-saving COVID-19 vaccines. While our work is only just beginning, we can now see the benefits of a multilateral solution to this pandemic. I encourage countries and others to continue to support the ACT Accelerator's critical mission across all pillars," said Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance." Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund, said: "The ACT-Accelerator partnership has achieved major progress in less than a year, including the procurement of over 50 million COVID-19 tests for low- and middle-income countries. However, we now face a tough battle as new variants emerge, taking us into unknown terrain. Reducing inequities in testing is a critical, if we are to succeed in containing the spread of the virus and monitoring the emergence of new variants. We must continue to scale up the availability and deployment of rapid and affordable tests to support countries in their response to a fast-evolving pandemic." Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, said: "As the production and availability of the COVID-19 vaccines ramp up, the revised strategy will ensure that countries have the resources and support they need to administer them equitably. As UNICEF supports this historic initiative, we will also continue focusing on other essential maternal and child health services, including immunization, which are critical to saving lives while we work to turn the tide on the pandemic." Dr Philippe Duneton, Unitaid Executive Director, said: "This new strategy reflects the epidemiological reality we are all now facing - a mutating virus that doesn't respect national borders, which threatens the effectiveness of the tools we have to fight this pandemic. Now is the moment to push ahead with a firm commitment to equitable access for all to the treatments and tests we need to defeat COVID-19, alongside the roll-out of vaccines. Research and development, country-preparedness and the procurement of proven treatments, including medical oxygen, will all be vital in the months to come." We must ACT now, and ACT together, to end the acute phase of the pandemic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. NCIS is a fan-favorite procedural drama, that has been a mainstay with fans for two decades. Viewers have become accustomed to watching their favorite characters take on tough cases, work through serious personal issues, and unwind with each other. These days, fans of NCIS have even more options, and they can not only enjoy the familiar fun of NCIS, but they can relax with several of the shows spinoffs as well. With the recent news that an all-new spinoff is coming, fans are diving deep to learn whatever they can about the new shows structure and which NCIS stars could be joining the cast. When did NCIS debut on television? NCIS stars Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly | Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images) RELATED: NCIS Fans Are Getting Ziva-Tony De Ja Vu This Season NCIS itself is a spinoff of the popular television show JAG. It debuted on television in 2003 and has been running consistently after since. The series focuses on a group of special agents who work in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Major Case Response Team in Washington, D.C. The agents, led by Leroy Jethro Gibbs, investigate major criminal offenses within the Department of the Navy. Over the years, the cast of NCIS has gone through many shakeups and many new additions. However, a few things have remained consistent the contributions of Mark Harmon as Gibbs, and the shows popularity with viewers of all ages. NCIS has spawned a media empire, including two wildly successful spinoffs, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans. How many spinoffs of NCIS are there? She's off to change the world for the better. But first, a candid BTS moment. Stream the latest #NCIS now: https://t.co/xbbbQcStAU pic.twitter.com/m7p2SJAb86 NCIS (@NCIS_CBS) March 3, 2021 RELATED: NCIS Is Bringing Back Another Fan Favorite in 2021 The first spinoff based on NCIS, titled NCIS: Los Angeles, debuted on television in 2009. The show stars Chris ODonnell and LL Cool J, as well as a slew of supporting stars and guest actors. The show became popular with fans in short order, and it remains a viable part of television history, not just for its association with NCIS. There have been many crossover events over the years, with some characters appearing on both shows simultaneously. Thanks in part to the success of NCIS: Los Angeles, a second spinoff show was eventually greenlit. NCIS: New Orleans premiered in early 2014. A slightly more eclectic take on a procedural drama, NCIS: New Orleans has also proven to be very popular still, the series was canceled after seven seasons, leaving fans looking to the next great NCIS spinoff. Fortunately, they might not have to wait long. NCIS showrunners finally decided to take the plunge and in early 2021, rumors of a third spinoff series started swirling, much to fans delight. What is the new NCIS spinoff about? Us for the next couple of days when people ask us how we're feeling. In this together. #NCIS pic.twitter.com/mIt3zFECSF NCIS (@NCIS_CBS) March 3, 2021 RELATED: Is There Really an NCIS Agency? In February 2021, rumors started circulating about a possible new NCIS spinoff series, tentatively titled NCIS: Hawaii. While details are scarce, and the network itself hasnt officially announced anything, fans have already begun speculating about what could be featured in the all-new series. So far, all that fans know is that the series will likely be set within the same universe as NCIS. As far as the cast goes, some reports state that some of the actors who were featured in NCIS: New Orleans could be moving to star in NCIS: Hawaii. Another intriguing rumor is that NCIS veterans Michael Weatherly, who played DiNozzo in NCIS, and Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva David, will potentially be starring in the brand-new spinoff. Both characters have storylines that would lend themselves well to continuation within the NCIS universe, and both actors have expressed interest in returning to their roles. Plus, the casting of two fan-favorite actors would be a surefire way to ensure a big audience for this latest spinoff. De Palbos return to NCIS brought in ratings for CBS and having her and Weatherly appear together will definitely recruit existing NCIS fans to the new series. With no official word from showrunners, fans will have to wait to see what the future holds for NCIS: Hawaii. He's enjoyed a plethora of relationships through the years. But Pete Davidson did not get married despite a press release announcing surprise nuptials with childhood friend Michelle Mootreddy making the rounds on the Internet on Tuesday morning. The 27-year-old comedian's attorney issued a statement to Page Six claiming the release was 'completely false' and Pete would be pursuing legal action. Not so fast: Pete Davidson did not get married despite a press release announcing surprise nuptials with childhood friend Michelle Mootreddy making the rounds on the Internet on Tuesday morning; seen in March 2020 A production company called Bodega Cats Presents issued the statement: 'Pete and Michelle were childhood friends prior to starting Bodega Cats Presents and are married.' Pete was also quoted: 'I am really excited to be part of this company and help people get a start in this industry. 'I never thought I would do something like this, but I met some of my closest friends doing stand-up, so I felt this was the right thing to do to give back to my community.' Pete and Michelle are listed as co-CEO's and co-founders on the Bodega Cats website which also boats social handles.' Woah: A production company called Bodega Cats Presents issued the statement: 'Pete and Michelle were childhood friends prior to starting Bodega Cats Presents and are married' Not true: His lawyers came back to Page Six with: 'Not a word of it is true. Mr. Davidson has no idea who this person is. We are investigating and considering all legal and equitable remedies' His lawyers came back to Page Six with: 'Not a word of it is true. Mr. Davidson has no idea who this person is. We are investigating and considering all legal and equitable remedies.' While Davidson has no affiliation with the company, it does appear to be a real production business aimed at 'amplifying entertainers of color through digital & experiential experiences.' Pete was famously engaged to Ariana Grande in the summer of 2018 before calling it quits on their relationship in September. He went on to casually date Kate Beckinsale, Margaret Qualley and was linked to Kaia Gerber for a while. In the past: Pete was famously engaged to Ariana Grande in the summer of 2018 before calling it quits on their relationship in September Marc Kielburger (L) and Craig Kielburger (R), seen on the screen, appear as witnesses via videoconference during a House of Commons finance committee hearing in Ottawa on July 28, 2020. The committee is undertaking a study of WE Charity, the Canada Student Service Grant, and government spending. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press) Kielburgers Blame Feds for Student Grant Controversy, Questioned Over Contact With Trudeaus Top Aide WE Charity founders accuse committee investigation of being partisan In a testy appearance at the parliamentary ethics committee on March 15, WE Charitys founders accused MPs of holding a political trial and blamed the federal government for the scandal that erupted over the deal to run the student volunteer grant program awarded to the charity last spring. Meanwhile, new questions emerged about the involvement of one of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus senior advisers in the since-cancelled multimillion-dollar Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program. Craig and Marc Kielburger appeared at the committee alongside their lawyer on March 15after initially declining to testify in what they called a partisan investigation. At the hearing they were questioned about WE Charitys operations and the contract with the Liberal government to manage the CSSG. The now-abandoned arrangement would have paid WE Charity up to $43.5 million to run the program, which was designed to cover up to $5,000 in education costs for students who volunteered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government had budgeted $912 million for the program, but the sole-sourced contract with WE pegged the cost at $543 million and stipulated that the organization would not make money on the deal. WE Charity pulled out of the deal, and the program was eventually cancelled amid questions about the close ties between WE, Trudeau, and former finance minister Bill Morneau and members of both of their families. We Never Prorogued Parliament Ethics commissioner Mario Dion is currently investigating Trudeau and Morneau for a potential conflict of interest, and both have apologized for not having recused themselves from discussions about the grant. Meanwhile, the Kielburger brothers insisted at the hearing that WE is not responsible for the CSSG controversy and resulting political fallout. We didnt advise the prime minister and Mr. Morneau not to recuse themselves, Marc Kielburger said. We never prorogued Parliament. We were not involved in the decision to filibuster this committee last fall. This is a political scandal for the government, not for WE Charity. In response, Liberal MP Francesco Sorbara accused the Kielburgers of not taking responsibility for their own actions, saying: You want to throw blame on everyone else and not take responsibility for things that have happened within your control. NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus grilled the brothers over why they never registered with the lobbying commissioner given their discussions with the government in the lead-up to the launch of the CSSG in June 2020. WE Charity registered as a lobbyist in August 2020 and did not list the Kielburgers among its 18 in-house lobbyists. I asked because you are not registered to lobby, and you, out of an abundance of caution, your group registered after it became a big issue. Dont you think you would have saved yourself a lot of grief if youd just followed the rules like other charities? Angus said. The brothers, who said they havent been contacted by the RCMP or the Canada Revenue Agency about the program but have spoken to Dion, indicated that they are technically volunteers with WE Charity and that volunteers cannot register with the commissioner. Craig, were no dummies here, Angus responded. You guys run this organization. Youre a volunteer that has a chief of staff whos paid for by the charity. Thats ridiculous. Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre demanded a tally of how much WE had paid members of the Trudeau family for appearing at different events, as well as a total of expenses covered for those members. Craig Kielburger said it was around $425,000. PMs Top Aide Contacted Previously undisclosed contact between the Prime Ministers Office and WE Charity was revealed when Poilievre questioned Craig Kielburger about a LinkedIn message he sent to one of Trudeaus senior advisers, Ben Chin, who was appointed to the role in 2019. Chin had previously served as Morneaus chief of staff. After Craig Kielburger asserted that Chin had no role in setting up the CSSG program, Poilievre read out a June 27 message he obtained that appeared to thank Chin for helping to shape the program. Hello, Ben. Thank you for your kindness in helping shape our latest program with the government. Warmly, Craig, Poilievre read. In response, Chin wrote Great to hear from you, Craig. Lets get our young working, which Poilievre attested was obviously in direct reference to the program. Kielburger didnt dispute the message was sent to Chin, but asserted Chin had no direct involvement and the message was one of dozens sent by his assistant as part of expanding Kileburgers LinkedIn network. He said the reference to the program was a misguided attempt to personalize the message. My executive assistant wanted to personalize very kindly. Shes a great EA, wrote a few lines to 100 different LinkedIn requests that went that same day to different people to join my LinkedIn page, he said. Poilievre responded: Youre in a lot of trouble here, my friend. Youre under oath. Perjury is a crime. He said the committee would be investigating the exchange further and would require WE Charity to provide the name of the assistant who contacted Chin. Bloc Quebecois MP Rheal Fortin later asked in French: How often do you thank people for doing nothing? The revelation has raised questions about whether the PMO had a role in setting up the CSSG program, which could contradict the Kielburger brothers previous claims that it was civil servants, not politicians or political staff, who arranged for the program. Craig Kielburger said it was Rachel Wernick, a senior official at Employment and Social Development Canada whom hed had a working relationship with since 2017, who first approached WE about the program. Thousands of government documents released last summer supported the Liberals contention that public servants recommended WE for running the program, but they also suggested bureaucrats may have been nudged in that direction by their political masters. Craig Kielburger told the committee that he wished the contract to run the program had been put out to tender by the government, while his brother described the past year as devastating to both WE and students across Canada. The brothers were also asked about allegations that the charity had raised money by asking multiple donors to contribute to the same projects. A former donor, U.S. television journalist Reed Cowan, alleged that the plaque on a school he had funded in Kenya in honour of his four-year-old son Wesley, who died in 2006, had been replaced with a plaque in the name of another donor. The Kielburgers agreed the plaque should never have been removed and said they were looking into the matter. With files from The Canadian Press By Kang Seung-woo Pyongyang watchers gave mixed responses to North Korea's denunciation of an ongoing combined military exercise between South Korea and the United States, Tuesday, with some saying it had toned down its usual rhetoric against the annual drill to keep possible dialogue with the U.S. alive, while others claimed it indicated a return to confrontational inter-Korean relations. Kim Yo-jong / Korea Times file Microsoft has rolled out a fix for the latest Windows 10 update that had printer issues. Windows 10 users on this update who tried to use certain printers caused the blue screen to appear crashing the system altogether. Microsoft has now rolled out a new Windows 10 update KB5001566 with a fix for this printer issue. Addresses an issue that might cause a blue screen when attempting to print to certain printers using some apps and might generate the error, APC_INDEX_MISMATCH, Microsoft explained in its release notes. You can download the new update by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and then click Check for Updates. Your system will notify you anyway about the new update, and prompt you to install it. It isnt clear which printers were affected but according to user reports, brands like Kyocera, Ricoh and Zebra were impacted by it. Microsoft acknowledged the issue when it was discovered, and said it is working on a fix. The update is now available, and its best to get it installed on your Windows 10 PC. Shapsly Silencieux, 37, (mug above) was arrested and charged with sexual battery after he allegedly posed as an Uber driver to pick up and rape a spring breaker, 18 A Florida man has been arrested and charged with sexual battery after he allegedly posed as an Uber driver to pick up and rape an 18-year-old spring breaker. Shapsly Silencieux, 37, is accused of luring the unidentified victim into his car in Fort Lauderdale Saturday night before driving her to his apartment where he sexually assaulted her. The victim, who had traveled from Alabama to visit friends in Florida, had become lost from the group as they enjoyed a night at America's Backyard in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The 18-year-old then got into Silencieux's car along the 100 block of Southwest 3rd Avenue when he allegedly tricked her into thinking he was the ride she ordered. Fort Lauderdale Police said the victim booked an Uber and then saw Silencieux pull up in his white Infiniti - which matched the description of the car she was waiting for. The victim approached the vehicle to check if it was her ride and was told by the driver it was, Police Sgt. DeAnna Greenlaw said Monday, according to 7 News Miami. 'She walks up to the vehicle, says to the driver, 'Are you my Uber?' He says yes; she gets into the vehicle,' she said. The victim started to realize something was wrong when she then got a notification from Uber saying the real ride she had booked had been canceled. At this point, she asked the suspect again if he was her Uber driver to which he allegedly responded: 'I'm driving you home.' Greenlaw said the victim asked him again and Silencieux reassured her he was her driver but said he needed to make a detour to his home to get his wallet to buy gas. 'At that point, she asks him again, 'Are you my driver?' He says, 'Yes, but I forgot my wallet. I need to go home to get my wallet, and then I will take you home,'' she said. When they arrived at Silencieux's apartment, they both entered the home, where the suspect said he lived with 'my family,' according to the arrest report. The victim told investigators she noticed toys lying on the floor. She said she asked if they would be leaving soon and asked to use the restroom. Silencieux, 37, is accused of luring the unidentified victim into his car in Fort Lauderdale Saturday night after she had spent the night at America's Backyard in downtown Fort Lauderdale (pictured) As she emerged from the bathroom, Silencieux allegedly forced her into a bedroom and raped her. Greenlaw said the woman did 'everything in her power' to fight off her attacker including biting him but the attack only came to an end when the victim started crying. Following the attack, Silencieux allegedly told his victim he was 'sorry,' the arrest report states. Police said the victim tried to then request another Uber to take her back to Bal Harbour where she was staying with friends, but Silencieux snatched her phone away and said he would drive her there. During the journey, the victim managed to grab her phone back and told her friends what had happened, police said. Silencieux finally let her out of the car in Bal Harbour and she managed to take note of his license plate number, they said. The woman dialed 911 and investigators were able to track down the suspect to his apartment and take him into custody. The victim then picked Silencieux out of a line-up. Silencieux was charged with one count of sexual battery on a victim over 18. He was booked into jail on a $50,000 bond which he later posted, reported WSVN. Uber confirmed to the outlet that Silencieux is a registered driver for the ride-share app. However, he was not assigned to the woman's ride when the attack took place, they said. 'Everyone has the right to travel safely and our thoughts are with the victim after this horrific experience,' a spokesperson said. Uber confirmed Silencieux is a registered driver for the ride-share app but was not assigned to the woman's ride when the attack took place 'While this trip did not take place on the Uber app, we immediately removed the driver's access to the app as soon as this was reported to us.' The incident comes just one week after Uber announced it was partnering with Lyft to create an industry safety program where the platforms will now share data on drivers who have been banned for the most serious safety incidents including sexual assaults and physical assaults. The program, which will be managed by third-party agency HireRight, comes over a year after Uber released its first safety transparency report which found thousands of sexual assaults and rapes had been reported on the platform. In 2017 and 2018, Uber had received 5,981 reports of sexual assault including 464 reports of rape. Manchester United announce that they have tied midfield starlet Hannibal Mejbri down to a long-term deal at Old Trafford. Manchester United have announced that they have agreed a long-term deal with midfield starlet Hannibal Mejbri. The 18-year-old arrived in England from Monaco in the summer of 2019, and he has quickly risen through the ranks to join the Under-23s squad for the 2020-21 season. Mejbri has taken no time at all to settle into Neil Wood's team, bagging three goals and five assists in 14 Premier League 2 appearances, as well as one goal and two assists from four EFL Trophy matches. Now, the Red Devils have confirmed that the former France Under-17s international has penned a long-term contract at the club, just one month after fellow protege Shola Shoretire signed his first professional deal. Shoretire and Amad Diallo have both been called for first-team action by Solskjaer this season, but a shoulder injury prevented Mejbri from turning out in the second leg of United's Europa League last-32 tie against Real Sociedad. Mejbri started his career with Paris FC at the age of six in 2009, and he also rose through the academies of A.C.B.B and Monaco before securing a move to Old Trafford in a deal believed to be worth up to 8.5m. Watermark kicks-off second year of the Watermark Scholars scholarship program, focused on female students in STEM. Tweet this Who is Eligible? U.S. residents enrolled at U.S.-based colleges or universities (2- or 4-year institutions) Identifies as a woman With a sophomore/second year-or-higher standing currently enrolled in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics degree-granting program for Fall 2021 OR demonstrating plans to pursue a career in the field of science or technology after graduation How to Apply Students are asked to share stories of who inspired them to pursue a career in science or technology and what they are inspired to do with that knowledge in 500-word written essays or 2-minute video submissions. Watermark's Scholarship Committee will review all of the submissions after July 15, 2021, and assess each against a common set of criteria including: quality of response, clarity and proficiency in communication, and polish of presentation. Winners will be notified and asked to verify enrollment in an eligible institution. Previous applicants are eligible to reapply for the 2021 scholarship. Watermark Scholars is an annual program intended to provide financial opportunities to female college students pursuing STEM-related studies and careers. "As a technology company, we clearly understand the importance of a STEM education," said Erin Shy, CEO at Watermark. "This scholarship takes it a step further in supporting women, who are often underrepresented in science and tech fields." Last year's recipients, Kristen Palmer, an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science major at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Elise Ogden, a Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and Chemistry major at Bethel University, were selected from an applicant pool of 300+ submissions. About Watermark Watermark's mission is to put better data into the hands of administrators, faculty, and students everywhere in order to empower them to connect information and gain insights which will drive meaningful improvements. Through its innovative educational intelligence system, Watermark supports institutions in developing an intentional approach to learning and development based on data they can trust. Watermark currently supports over 1,700 higher education institutions with its innovative solutions for planning, outcomes assessment, ePortfolios, faculty activity reporting, course evaluations and institutional surveys, as well as curriculum, catalog, and syllabus management. To learn more, visit www.watermarkinsights.com . PR Contact: Mary Anne Connolly [email protected] SOURCE Watermark Vice President of the Dominican Republic and head of Health Cabinet, Raquel Pena, on Tuesday, thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing 50,000 'Made In India COVID-19 vaccines. Dominican Vice President also lauded Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, in a video message, after the latter dispatched coronavirus vaccine shipment to the Caribbean nation. Raquel Pena expresses gratitude after India sent 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine Furthermore, in her video, after the consignment of covid vials from India arrived, Pena affirmed that the vaccine donated by India will help the country to immunize the health workers and elderly. She noted, "A month ago, Dominican Republic received the first shipment of COVID-19 doses from India. We received 50,000 doses from the Serum Institue of India, of which 30,000 were donated from the Government of India. I would like to recognize the virtues of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi for showing solidarity for a donation of vaccines." In the video message, Pena also thanked Foreign Minister Jaishankar for making the shipment possible. She wrote, "I would also like to thank Foreign Minister S Jaishankar for making this (vaccine donation) possible and help us immunise our health workers and beginning with our elderly people." Raquel Pena thanked India for providing COVID-19 vaccine doses Last month, India dispatched 35,000 'Made In India coronavirus vaccine shipments, sufficient to inoculate half of the countrys 72,000 total population. For which, Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit thanked PM Modi and EAM Jaishankar. He had said, "One would have thought and understood that in a global pandemic such as this, a nation's size and might would have been the primary consideration." India, under its generous initiative, has dispatched shipment to neighbouring countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, being in the forefront to help smaller nations to have access to the vaccine and inoculate its population with Made in India jabs. After that, 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 29 countries and will be providing vaccine doses to 49 more countries in the coming days. In this brief period, the country has delivered around 57 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the SII and Bharat Biotech. (With ANI inputs) Children who are exposed to abuse before they are eleven years old, and those exposed to abuse both in childhood and adolescence may be more likely to develop conduct problems (such as bullying or stealing) than those exposed to abuse in adolescence only and those who are not exposed to abuse, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry. A team of researchers at the Universities of Bath and Bristol examined data on 13,793 children and adolescents (51.6% boys), who were followed from ages four to 17 years, included in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a cohort of children born in South-West England in the early 1990s. Andreas Bauer, the lead author said: "Conduct problems refer to antisocial behaviors in childhood and/or adolescence, such as fighting, bullying, lying or stealing. They are associated with various negative outcomes, including mental and physical health problems, and it is important to understand their possible causes and to develop effective prevention and intervention programs. Although we know that child abuse is an important factor linked to conduct problems in children, much less is known about when child abuse is most harmful and how it relates to the development of serious behaviour problems over time." From the children included in this study, the authors identified three groups who developed elevated levels of conduct problems. There was an early-onset persistent group who developed conduct problems in childhood which continued into adolescence (4.8% of the sample), an adolescence-onset group who developed conduct problems in adolescence (4.5%) and a childhood-limited group who developed conduct problems in childhood only (15.4%). The majority of children (75.3%) did not develop serious conduct problems. Andreas Bauer said: "We assessed whether abuse was more common in the backgrounds of these three groups than in those who did not develop conduct problems. Our findings showed that abuse was more common in the early-onset persistent group who showed conduct problems in childhood and adolescence, and also in the adolescence-onset group who developed conduct problems in adolescence." The authors also looked at the timing of child abuse, comparing those who were exposed to abuse only in childhood or only in adolescence with those exposed to abuse in childhood and adolescence. They found that children exposed to abuse in both childhood and adolescence were 10 times more likely to be in the early-onset persistent conduct problems group and 8 times more likely to be in the adolescence-onset conduct problems group. Abuse in childhood was associated with a 4- to 6-fold increase in risk for showing early-onset persistent or adolescence-onset conduct problems. In contrast, abuse in adolescence only was not linked to an increased risk of showing severe conduct problems. Conduct problems were measured at ages 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, and 17, by asking parents to rate their child's behavior over the last six months. At age 22, individuals were asked to report physical, psychological, or sexual abuse experienced in childhood (before age 11 years) and adolescence (between ages 11-17 years). Complete data for conduct problems as reported by parents and children, and physical, psychological, and sexual abuse as reported by children was available for 3,127 participants. Out of those, one in five (19.6%) participants reported experiencing some form of abuse, with 11.3%, 8.9%, and 8.1% of participants reporting physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, respectively. A limitation of the study is that experiences of abuse in childhood and adolescence were measured when the participants were aged 22 years, so there may be issues with recall biases and issues surrounding disclosure of earlier abuse. Relying on parent-reported conduct problems in adolescence may have underestimated the level of behavioral problems, as parents may not be aware of their child's behavior outside the home. Andreas Bauer said: "Our results suggest that abuse is more common in the backgrounds of young people with conduct problems and that conduct problems starting in adolescence may be linked to adverse experiences in childhood, rather than being an exaggerated form of teenage rebellion or due to peer pressure. Preventing child abuse may also help protect children from developing serious behaviour problems. However, it is important to note that many young people who experience abuse do not develop conduct problems, and conduct problems can also occur in the absence of child abuse." ### Media Contact Anne Korn Senior Communications Manager BMC T: +44 (0)20 3192 2744 E: anne.korn@biomedcentral.com Notes to editor: 1. Research article: Associations between developmental timing of child abuse and conduct problem trajectories in a UK birth cohort Bauer et al. BMC Psychiatry 2021 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03083-8 For an embargoed copy of the research article please contact Anne Korn at BMC. After the embargo lifts, the article will be available here: https:/ / bmcpsychiatry. biomedcentral. com/ articles/ 10. 1186/ s12888-021-03083-8 Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BMC's open access policy. 2. BMC Psychiatry is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers articles on all aspects of the prevention, diagnosis and management of psychiatric disorders, as well as related molecular genetics, pathophysiology, and epidemiology. 3. A pioneer of open access publishing, BMC has an evolving portfolio of high quality peer-reviewed journals including broad interest titles such as BMC Biology and BMC Medicine, specialist journals such as Malaria Journal and Microbiome, and the BMC series. At BMC, research is always in progress. We are committed to continual innovation to better support the needs of our communities, ensuring the integrity of the research we publish, and championing the benefits of open research. BMC is part of Springer Nature, giving us greater opportunities to help authors connect and advance discoveries across the world. An ambitious young woman who used the $10,000 she had saved for a trip across Europe to launch a swimwear line is now at the helm of a multimillion-dollar brand. Tara Jane was just 21 years old when she launched TJ Swim from the laundry of her parents' Sydney home in 2015. Six years later, her brand - which specialises in premium quality Brazilian cut bikinis that last for more than one summer - has a global following that includes A-list celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Scroll down for video Tara Jane (pictured) used the $10,000 she had saved for a trip across Europe to create a swimwear line from the laundry of her parents' home in 2015 Six years after launching, TJ Swim has been worn by some of the world's biggest stars including billionaire business mogul Kylie Jenner (pictured) And while many businesses have floundered during the pandemic, TJ Swim has seen an incredible 50 percent increase in sales despite initial concerns about how overseas travel bans and domestic border closures would impact demand. 'We did find that people are still travelling domestically and going to local beaches so there was an increasing demand,' Tara, now 26, told Yahoo Lifestyle. 'Customers have been really supportive and loyal and understanding during the uncertain times, and that was good.' Like many the brand pivoted when the Covid outbreak reached Australia in early 2020, making face masks from leftover fabric that would have otherwise gone straight in the bin. The brand has also expanded into clothing, with comfort-focused collections of tracksuits and loungewear ideal for anyone still working from home. While many businesses have floundered during the pandemic, TJ Swim has seen an incredible 50 percent increase in sales of its bikinis (left and right) despite initial concerns about how international travel bans would impact demand TJ Swim specialises in premium quality Brazilian cut bikinis and one-pieces (pictured) that last for more than one summer In the early days, Tara said she used her natural affinity with social media to promote the business to as wide an audience as possible. Demand began to surge when some of the world's biggest names including Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus started wearing the brand on Instagram. Tara said the promotions have been unpaid and organic, as stars like Kardashian are reported to charge six-figure fees for social media endorsements. She said she still pinches herself every time she sees a star wearing the label in an Instagram photo, which almost always prompts a sell-out of her reasonably priced designs. Tops start from $89.99 with matching bottoms in a range of coverages from $79.99, while one-pieces cost $129.99. Tara said her designs (one pictured) stand out in a saturated market because of their quality Tops start from $89.99 with matching bottoms in a range of coverages from $79.99, while one-pieces cost $129.99 Tara said her brand stands out in an increasingly saturated market because of its commitment to quality, sustainability and promoting body confidence for women of all shapes and sizes. In August, her passion for giving led TJ Swim to partner with I=Change, meaning $1 from every purchase is donated to one of three charitable projects close to Tara's heart. Her chosen organisations include Keep Girls in School, aimed at providing sanitary products to young girls so they can continue their education, and Restore the Reef, an environmental protection group that works to stop sediment from destroying the Great Barrier Reef, Yahoo Lifestyle reported. New Delhi: GATE 2018: The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) application process to begin on Friday (September 1) by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati at gate.iitg.ac.in. Interested candidates can apply for admission in post graduate courses in engineering at all IITs, NITs and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) can apply online when GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) website opens in the morning. GATE is a mandatory requirement for seeking admission or financial assistance to master's programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering or Technology or Architecture and Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Science, in the institutions supported by the MHRD and other Government agencies. The GATE exam will be conducted by IIT Guwahati for 23 subjects or papers and would be distributed over February 3 and 4, and February 10 and 11, 2018. "Some other Government of India Organizations have also expressed their interest to utilize GATE 2018 score for their recruitment purpose", says the official notification of GATE 2018 Steps to apply for GATE Exam: -Candidates need to visit the official website i.e gate.iitg.ac.in -Get registered as a new user using valid email ID and mobile number -After registeration, candidates will get their enrolment ID and password. -Fill the GATE 2018 application form -Upload photograph, signature and other required documents and details -Pay the fees online through net banking or debit card -Download and take a print out of the registration GATE Exam 2018: IIT Guwahati to begin application process today at gate.iitg.ac.in The failure of nursing homes to keep our seniors safe during the COVID outbreak will always be New Jerseys greatest pandemic disgrace, a perfect storm of inadequate staffing, poor infection control, equipment shortages, inept management, and oversight lapses that contributed to the loss of 8,000 lives. But it also clarified our obligation to transform how long-term care facilities are governed and operated, treating them not like human warehouses but as an integral part of a compassionate health care system. To get there, we checked in with Richard Mollot, the executive director for the Long Term Care Community Coalition, a non-profit group that advocates for nursing home residents. Mollot, a Montclair resident, spoke with Dave DAlessandro of the Star-Ledger Editorial Board, in a conversation abridged for clarity: Q. Neither the nursing home industry nor our state health department were represented at the hearing on March 5, where you testified. If you had the power to get them in a room, what core truths about our COVID response do these two groups need to disclose? A. We need to know to what extent, if any, they are looking at the longstanding patterns of poor care in our nursing homes. Its well-documented now that residents were most harmed when a facility already had a history of low staffing, and we know many of our facilities had a history of poor infection control. So, what are they doing to see what got us here? Second, what happened during the pandemic, and as they review their own practices, what could have been done better? And third, what are they doing to rectify these issues, many of which harm residents every day with less fanfare? Q. Much of the attention is on the directive sent by Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli to nursing homes on their protocols for re-admitting elderly clients hospitalized for COVID after the virus struck. Should that remain our emphasis in pursuit of the whole truth? A. The central issue in New Jersey and this is true in New York as well is that those directives were all within the parameters of the federal rules, which require that nursing homes only accept and retain residents for whom they have enough staff, the appropriate competencies, and enough PPE. This is not new; these rules have been around since 1991. The problem with these directives and this is what we study is that New Jersey and New York are among the weakest in the country in compliance and in holding nursing homes fundamentally accountable for that 30-year old requirement. Q. So its largely about the lack of enforcement? A. Its never been treated as important by the state. Even after Andover, where 17 residents were found dead, they said the facility had been inspected and was correcting its problems, but we had said over and over that it was a disaster. Q. Lets back up: Was the directive in this case a fatal mistake just for deducing that long-term care centers (LTCs) could re-admit COVID patients safely? A. Anyone in public health who deals with these issues knows that nursing homes should never be used to let off steam from hospitals, because theyre not equipped to handle it. We track this nationwide: There is rarely a doctor in the house, there is barely a nurse available, and staffing levels are rarely sufficient. They are just not an appropriate place to discharge people just because you need to make room for hospital beds. They do not provide that kind of care COVID is likely to need. This Star Ledger Editorial is on target. Hearings in the Legislature are a must. Need brightest light shined on the extremely dark situation that decimated NJ Veterans Home. https://t.co/CRS7hYLjpO pic.twitter.com/T0nYxc6UNm Paul M. da Costa, Esq. (@PauldaCostaEsq) December 14, 2020 Q. So why do it? A. It is demonstrative of the utter disregard too many policymakers have for nursing home residents. The industry is very powerful, and they donate money and have influence thats why these facilities have citations year after year and still are allowed to provide poor care. Not a lot of thought goes into the real purpose of the nursing home system, which is to provide good care and safety for seniors and others with chronic conditions. And again, weve been around for 31 years, and the problem isnt that the rules are insufficient, they just arent enforced. Q. How does lack of enforcement affect residents? A. The problem is that DOH does a poor job of identifying substandard care, abuse and neglect and, even when it does cite a facility, it does not do so in a way that results in a penalty. So the message that the Department is sending the industry is that their levels of substandard care are fine. For example, the rules about infection control: We still hear about a staff that doesnt know how to use PPE appropriately, and thats ridiculous. Its been a rule since 1991 to have preventive infection control protocols, and they dont do it. How is that possible? Because they are able to get away with it. And getting away with infractions is to be expected in for-profit industry, where you would emphasize a bottom line over quality care. Another is insufficient staffing: Even the provider associations recognize we need more, and if a facility doesnt have enough staff, it shouldnt take in additional residents but they do. Its just a blatant lack of integrity by oversight agencies, who accept and therefore perpetuate poor care. Q. So are you saying that the impact on residents and families would have been less with better state enforcement? A. If these homes did their jobs correctly the whole time and had good infection control treat COVID-19 like they might treat any virus that spreads easily and if they ran a trustworthy organization, I believe a lot of the deaths and suffering could have been avoided. Because then we could trust them to establish separate wings and pay staff reasonably and keep them confined to their separate units. But think about this: The GAO said that 82 percent of nursing homes had infection control violations prior to the pandemic. We treat it like its a paperwork violation, and dont recognize it as a life-or-death issue. The CDC says there are between one and three million serious infections in LTC facilities per year, and that 380,000 die from those infections. And that is only whats identified. This is not Theres some dust in the corner that no one got to. These are serious issues which call for meaningful enforcement action. Q. What will it take to get the government to recognize the urgency? A. Again, the rules are good, the standards are adequate. But the residents are still exposed to pain and harm, and we treat their lives as if they dont matter. It would help to emphasize the financial integrity of this arrangement: Most of the care is paid for by taxpayers. We even passed a direct care ratio requirement last year unlike other states, New Jersey stepped up and said that for every dollar the nursing homes get, 90 cents have to go to direct patient care, and cant be siphoned off to administrative costs or profits. So we put in a framework, but with those rules implemented, we need oversight and accountability. It would give the residents and families peace of mind if they knew that someone was watching. Once again, it comes down to the willingness of the Department of Health to hold these facilities accountable. Q. What other organizations arent fulfilling their oversight obligations? A. The DOHs failure goes hand in hand with the failure of the federal CMS, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. They have a Region 2 office in Manhattan that does a particularly poor job, and we have longstanding issues of CMS not holding New Jersey and New York accountable for just ensuring that basic safety standards are followed. Q. Your website shows federal grades for every provider in our state, and generally, it appears that non-profits score better than for-profits. Is that a coincidence? A. We have known for many years that the not-for-profits tend to put more money into care, and they tend to have higher staffing. Its not a panacea, because most nursing homes have multiple violations every year and 75 percent have low staffing. But with for-profits becoming more corporatized, and more being bought out by private equity firms, that is extremely concerning. "Republicans were justified in their thirst for facts...It's been a year since cascade of death washed over vulnerable seniors & majority party isnt showing necessary vigor to investigate anything that might embarrass governor during reelection campaign." https://t.co/wOBgf8zuh2 NJ Senate GOP (@senatenj) March 14, 2021 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. 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. For people like me who believed they had COVID-19 early last year, we were simply told to go home and isolate. Our chief medical officer, Dr. Henry, said that we do not waste money on needless testing at the time. Her words said that my mental health was not worth the cost of a test. I had to go back to my home in isolation far out in the country up in the mountains and worry if I might suddenly not be able to breathe and die; whereas a test may have cleared that virus as a cause and then look for other causes. Without going into all the details Ill simply say that I was devastated and could hardly function for a long time. I was given a prescription for an inhaler to help my breathing last year. Now I want to be tested to learn if I have antibodies in my system. I received the response that I dont qualify. I dont know why I dont qualify, except maybe its because Im a retired older woman who has already made her contribution to society and is of no use now. If people like me were tested and were found to have the antibodies then we would have no rush to need a vaccine, or perhaps not at all. But then, the so-called medical experts who have continuously flip-flopped, but always certain in their determinations at the time, say that antibodies developed from having the virus may not protect. The simplest bureaucratic decision is to simply vaccinate everyone, whether they need it or not. The medical experts declared that the pandemic was like fighting a war. The first casualty in any war is the truth. It is replaced by propaganda to support the effort. Consider what a vaccine does in a body. It simulates the disease to cause the body to produce antibodies to defeat the disease. How can the antibodies that were produced to defeat the actual disease be any less effective than those synthetically induced? Why wont the authorities in this Province of BC provide testing for existing antibodies and speed up the process while we are still trying to get vaccine? My belief is that I should have antibodies now and so I should not really need to be vaccinated, but I dont really know for sure because Dr. Henry does not want to spend money needlessly testing people like me (who dont qualify). Jerrilynn DeCock, Penticton RALEIGH, N.C., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Solid Dose Formulation CMO market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8 percent for the next three years, as per Beroe. Inc. The contract manufacturing organization market size is currently $28.6 billion. It is forecasted to reach the $35.8 billion mark by 2023. The growth of the CMO market is being led by several factors. The distribution of the CMO market is led by tablets with a 31 percent market share, and capsules with a 26 percent market share. Powder and granules follow with 20 percent and 10 percent respectively. The CMO market is dominated by North America, primarily due to its companies implementing a one-stop-shop model, and an influx of funds aiding them in doing so. The demand for tablets has been increasing, as have the variants of tablets, with forms like film-coated, sugar-coated, and effervescent tablets flooding the market, as they are easy to use as well as manufacture. Additionally, sugar-free gummies with fruit-based and plant-based raw material are also gaining popularity in developed regions. Europe continues to be a hub for the soft gelatin capsule sector. Beroe, which is based in North Carolina, further stated that procurement experts can access this report on its recently launched market intelligence platform Beroe LiVE: https://www.beroeinc.com/beroe-live-ai/ With low-cost alternatives emerging in Asia, CMOs in North America and Europe have been using their one-stop-shop model as a key differentiating factor. They have also been investing in additional capacity to counter additional demand, and to obtain geographic scale and become an integrated supplier of drug manufacturing, packaging, and R&D. CMOs have increasingly opted for new technologies that offer speed as well as efficiency. The US dominates the oral solid dosage CMO market size with a share of 37 percent, primarily due to a developed healthcare sector, greater availability of funds, and a government focus on generics. By quantity, 65 percent of all CMOs are based in Europe. In the APAC region, India and China are powerhouses of the OSD contract manufacturing organization market, and offer significantly lower prices. Due to increasing patent expiry, generic drug manufacturing is generating the second-largest revenue in the APAC region. Of all annual cargo theft, 15 percent is accounted for by counterfeit drugs. To tackle this, China and Turkey have maintained smooth supply chains to track drug supply minutely. In the US, every member of the value chain is allowed a lot of traceability. This will expand to verification at the dispensation point by 2023. By this point, 65 percent of the market is supposed to adopt serialization. For improved drug approvals, outsourcing solid dose NMEs accounted for 54 percent in 2020. To remain competitive in a saturated market, CMOs are also applying for ISO certification in the field of environment, quality management, and energy consumption. While the quantity of warning letters has decreased in developed markets, it has been increasing in APAC, and most recalls have been due to violations of cGMP standards in manufacturing. Similarly, the lab chemicals market and medical injection molding market are expected to see consistent growth as well. The lab chemicals industry will see a growth rate of 5-6 percent CAGR until 2023. Owing to the increased demand, the price may increase as well in 2021. The global medical injection molding market will see a growth rate of 5-6 percent until 2023, with North America dominating the demand-side of the market. The report by Beroe, Inc. provides much deeper insights into the R&D category, covering CMO, lab chemicals, and medical injection molding markets. It contains not just forecasts and predictions, but detailed statistical analysis and interpretation. The information included in the report will aid business owners in making better decisions for their company through enhanced knowledge of the mentioned markets. Key Findings The solid dose formulation contract manufacturing organization market is dominated by North America , with tablets and capsules leading the distribution of OSD by dosage form. is dominated by , with tablets and capsules leading the distribution of OSD by dosage form. Among tablets, easy-to-consume variants with well-established technologies have been on the rise, and fruit-based and plant-based materials have been gaining share in developed countries. Asia has been offering low-cost alternatives to North American and European CDMOs, who rely on a one-stop-shop model as a counter to that threat. has been offering low-cost alternatives to North American and European CDMOs, who rely on a one-stop-shop model as a counter to that threat. Key players in the contract manufacturing organization industry have been investing aggressively in new capacity, not just to meet an increase in demand, but to improve geographic scalability and become an integrated supplier of drug manufacturing, packaging, and R&D. have been investing aggressively in new capacity, not just to meet an increase in demand, but to improve geographic scalability and become an integrated supplier of drug manufacturing, packaging, and R&D. In developed markets, warning letters have decreased, while an increase is being witnessed in APAC. Most recalls are the result of violations of cGMP standards in manufacturing. CMOs have also been receiving ISO standards for energy consumption environment, and quality management. The report from Beroe includes Market forecast Solid Dose Formulation CMO Market Growth & Share Growth & Share Contract manufacturing organization services market trends in 2021 trends in 2021 Solid Dose CMO Regulatory Trends Lab chemicals market growth and share Medical injection molding market growth and share Technology trends in different markets More statistics, analysis, and insights About Beroe Inc. Beroe is the world's leading provider of procurement intelligence and supplier compliance solutions. We provide critical market information and analysis that enables companies to make smart sourcing decisionsleading to lower costs, greater profits and reduced risk. Beroe has been providing these services for more than 15 years and currently works with more than 10,000 companies worldwide, including 400 of the Fortune 500 companies. To learn more about Beroe Inc., please visit: https://www.beroeinc.com Media Contact: Debobrata Hembram debobrata.hembram@beroe-inc.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/777512/Beroe_Logo.jpg SOURCE Beroe Inc. As South Africans are, once again, able to travel domestically under lockdown Level 1, the upcoming Easter Weekend offers the perfect opportunity to explore all there is to love and enjoy about South Africa. Base Camp - Cazzie Rae Mosamane Trail The Amatola Trail Amatola - Matt Shaw Mphongolo Trail Mphongolo - Maris D Bruyn Chokka Trail Chokka Base Camp Trail Evan Sparks, co-founder and managing director at Afritrails, says travellers should maximise on the last warm days before winter. During alert Level 3, which was re-implemented in December 2020, travellers were not allowed to enjoy the countrys beautiful beaches, rivers, dams and public parks. The Easter Weekend will allow such travellers to enjoy what they could not enjoy under alert Level 3, adds Sparks.Here are the five South African hiking trails to explore over the Easter Weekend.The Mosamane Hiking Trail is not too difficult and is suitable for both adults and children over the age of 12, making for a great family activity.Located in the Free State, this eight-kilometre-long trail starts on Beatrix farm near Rosendal, a converted barn where hikers wanting to spend the night or weekend are accommodated.As you travel through the grasslands and dongas, you will see streams and waterfalls that run off the rocks and wildflowers that bloom in spring. This shady trail will be thoroughly enjoyed by all who take part.Found near a small town in the Eastern Cape, Hogsback, the Amatola Trail is an amazing hike that is commonly viewed as the toughest and best hiking trail in South Africa. With a length of 100km, the trail starts at Maden Dam and finishes in Hogsback. The hikes are six days and five nights long, with you sleeping in a hut every night, walking an average time of seven hours per day and covering distances between 14-20km.If you are a fan of hiking, exploring and observing nature, you will enjoy the Amatola Trail experience as you walk through the rain forest, mountains and pass many waterfalls, fields, pools and lookouts.Situated in the Kruger National Park, the Mphongolo Trail is the perfect fit for backpackers. It starts from Shingwedzi Camp and takes place in the large wilderness area between the Shingwedzi and Mphongolo rivers.The trail stretches over four days and three nights, allowing its participants to spend their nights in this wilderness area without having the constraints of having to get to the next point or of following a set route.Guests are expected to provide their camping equipment and food for the duration of the trail as there are no overnight huts on this trail.The Chokka Trail is a diverse coastal hike in the greater St Francis area (Oyster Bay, St Francis and Cape St Francis) of the Eastern Cape.On this trail, hikers will encounter fishermens footpaths, jeep tracks, a dune field, coastal forest and thicket as well as the rugged coastline around the southeasternmost point of Africa. In addition, hikers will pay a visit to Port St Francis, a working harbour and home to the Chokka fleet, where they do calamari tasting, as well as a sunset cruise on the famous St Francis canals.The hike is four days and three nights and is ideal for novice and older hikers. It is guided by the owner on day two, three and four, fully catered for and includes luggage transfers.Located in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, in KwaZulu-Natal, the Base Camp Trail is four days and three nights hike.Hikers will be given a true South African experience of sleeping in the African bush, walking in the untouched wilderness area and have the opportunity of close up sightings and encounters with the Big Five and other wild animals.Throughout this trail, hikers are accompanied by an armed trails officer and a field ranger, who will guide and protect them on their ventures but will also ensure that their experience is all-encompassing as they part their knowledge about the land and history of the region. By Benjamin Mallet and John Geddie PARIS, March 16 (Reuters) - Myanmar's parallel civilian government and rights groups on Tuesday called on Total and other oil firms operating in the country to suspend payments to the military-controlled state following last month's coup. The calls come a day after Total said it was worried about the situation in Myanmar, where scores have been killed in demonstrations against the Feb. 1 coup, while also stressing the importance of its gas projects in the energy-starved country. "The coup has left international oil companies with operations in Myanmar with no option other than to suspend their relationships with the military junta," the parallel civilian government said in a letter addressed to Total and posted on its official Facebook page. The group of ousted lawmakers, formally known as the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, requested Total suspend revenue payments to Myanmar and place them in a protected account until a legitimate government is reinstated. Total did not immediately have comment on the letter or upcoming payments due in Myanmar. The letter, which was dated March 5 but published online on Tuesday, echoed earlier comments from the U.N.'s special rapporteur on Myanmar that the state energy firm Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) was now controlled by the military and its largest source of revenue. Similar letters published online were also addressed to Malaysia's Petronas, South Korea's POSCO and Thailand's PTTEP. Total has been in Myanmar since 1992 developing gas fields which supply Myanmar's domestic market in partnership with MOGE. In 2019, Total paid $229.6 million to Myanmar, including $178.6 million to MOGE for produced and sold gas and $51 million in taxes to the finance ministry. "Total condemns violations of fundamental rights wherever they take place and will be aligned with any decisions on sanctions," Total said in a statement on Monday, responding to an article about its Myanmar operations. Story continues "As a reminder, Yadana supplies half of the electricity in Yangon," it added. Total, which operated under a previous period of military rule in Myanmar that ended in 2011, has repeatedly said the gas fields was exempt from previous sanctions and it was acting as a positively engaged actor in the country. Total's statement initially drew a response from activist group Justice for Myanmar which said the firm "should match words with action by suspending all payments to the illegal military junta". Other social media users also responded, including some in Myanmar who said they would prefer electricity to be cut off. (Reporting by Benjamin Mallet and John Geddie, Writing by Sarah White, Editing by Robert Birsel and Angus MacSwan) Two men have been charged with murder after a botched robbery near the Boise State University campus, local authorities shared. . Devoune Mosley, a 23-year-old from Eagle, and Matthew Crawford, a 22-year-old from Boise, were both arrested after the late night shooting on Monday on the 1400 block of Chrisway Drive. The pair allegedly met with the victim on the street with the intention of robbing him, with Crawford firing several shots at the unidentified person when the attempted robbery failed, Boise Police said in a Tuesday release. Devoune Mosley, a 23-year-old from Eagle, and Matthew Crawford, a 22-year-old from Boise, were both arrested soon after the late night shooting on Monday on the 1400 block of Chrisway Drive Following their arrest, Mosley told investigators that he was in possession of a shotgun, which he was prohibited from having because of a prior felony conviction. They have both been booked into the Ada County Jail. Both were charged with first-degree murder while Mosley also was charged with unlawful possession by a convicted felon. Both Mosley and Crawford (left) are booked into the Ada County Jail Following their arrest, Mosley (right) told investigators that he was in possession of a shotgun, which he was prohibited from having because of a prior felony conviction 'Neither the victim nor the suspects identified by police are current students or employees,' the school said in a statement. 'The university community is saddened by this loss of life and extends heartfelt condolences to the victims family and loved ones.' Boise Police tweeted that officers responded to a call about shots fired at around 11:30 Monday night on the 1400 block of Chrisway Drive. There, authorities found the victim who had suffered gunshot injuries. The unidentified victim was taken to a local hospital but died from the injuries, police shared. Boise Police tweeted that officers responded to a call about shots fired at around 11:30 Monday night on the 1400 block of Chrisway Drive. Police conducted a search of the area and found two suspects who were taken into custody. Authorities closed traffic at Chrisway between University and Boise while they conducted their investigation. A BroncoAlert was sent to students, and several shared the message to their social media pages. A BroncoAlert sent to students incorrectly suggested that the shooting occurred near Jade Hall, a residential area for first year students, according to the school's website The message incorrectly suggested that the shooting occurred near Jade Hall, a residential area for first-year students, according to the school's website. Jade Hall sits in University Square with three other dorms which are just a 'short walk away from classes and the Interactive Learning Center.' A second alert urged people to shelter in place. An all-clear message was sent early Tuesday before an hour had passed. BEIJING (Reuters) - China aims to vaccinate at least half a billion of its people against COVID-19 in four months, a challenge that will test the country's formidable industrial might just as it accelerates efforts to help inoculate the rest of the world. Reuters calculations indicate China could ramp up capacity enough to vaccinate the world's biggest population and hundreds of millions beyond, in dozens of countries from Africa to Latin America. But little is known about how fully the three approved domestic manufacturers are using their capacity - a lack of information that leaves a huge question mark over global efforts to end the pandemic that began in central China. "It is important for the public to have an understanding of what the government is doing, what the private industry is doing, how fast or slowly they are doing," said U.S. researcher Jennifer Pancorbo. More precise production data that help people get some sense of whether shots will be available in May or July will affect how people plan their return to normal life, said Pancorbo, director of industry programmes and research at North Carolina State University's Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center. China got an early start, invoking emergency-use authorisation for vaccines in July. But it has inoculated less than 4% of its population, far behind such countries as Israel, Britain and the United States, as it largely focussed on preventing transmission. Now Beijing is shifting gears, aiming to inoculate 40% of its 1.4 billion people by the end of June. With 65 million doses administered as of Sunday, China needs to average around 4 million shots a day to meet that target. Vaccine developers' statements suggest manufacturers could reach an annual capacity of 3.6 billion doses by the end of the year, according to Reuters calculations: 3.1 billion doses of the three approved vaccines that require double injections and 500 million single-dose shots. Story continues That would be enough to vaccinate China's entire population eventually and honour its commitment to supply at least 463 million doses overseas through donations and exports. But none of the makers of the approved vaccines - China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), CanSino Biologics Inc (CanSinoBIO) or Sinovac Biotech Ltd - has detailed how many doses they are producing after their latest scale-up. "Chinese vaccine manufacturers are still expanding, and with the continuous release of production capacity, the output will gradually increase," Tian Yulong, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, told a news conference on Monday. He declined to disclose China's vaccine production rate or supply levels, when asked by Reuters. Even if they have enough capacity ready, if disruptions in the supply of raw materials and key components occurred, they probably could not run their factories at full speed, experts caution. 'HARD TO PREDICT' "All the vials, boxes, syringes, needles, all that stuff, where does it come from?" said Harris Makatsoris, professor of sustainable manufacturing systems at King's College London, "The question is these companies - do they have sufficient capacity, because they serve the internal market as well as the global market?" Sinovac said in early February that its capacity to make finished products lagged behind its bulk production capacity, but overseas partners could help fill bulk vaccine into vials and syringes. A Sinovac spokesman told Reuters it does not expect a shortage of vials and would be able to quickly expand production if China or other countries accept a larger vial that can hold multiple doses of its vaccine. Unlike AstraZeneca PLC, which puts 10 doses in a vial and Pfizer Inc, which uses five, Sinovac uses a single-dose vial or syringe. Sinopharm and CanSinoBIO did not reply to Reuters requests for comment. Drugmakers worldwide are struggling, as they run flat out to meet the unprecedented demands from competing countries at record speed. Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, thinks China has sufficient production capacity to meet its goals, but cautions that translating capacity into products that meet standards is complicated. Before starting mass production, a newly built line needs to go through test runs and fine-tuning that could affect the production schedule, making it difficult to disclose precise production rates. "You may produce a batch and it doesn't meet the requirements, and then you have to do it again, make a change to something," said Zoltan Kis, an Imperial College London researcher specialising in vaccine manufacturing. "This is the same everywhere in the world, not only in China." Established Western vaccine makers have hit production snags - AstraZeneca faces growing anger as it falls far behind commitments to supply the European Union. "Companies have consistently overestimated their ability to produce and deliver vaccines," partly because a scarcity of information makes it hard to estimate supply, said Jerome Kim, director general of the nonprofit International Vaccine Institute. While China has other challenges to address in its vaccination campaign, Kim said he would "worry first about supply, then about delivery and finally acceptance." (Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Ryan Woo in Beijing and Miyoung Kim in Singapore, Editing by William Mallard) The Ugandan opposition politician and former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi - known as Bobi Wine - has been released without charge following his arrest hours earlier during a protest. He was leading a team of his party's MPs in the capital, Kampala, to complain about the arrest and disappearance of supporters, before and since January's election. Thankful to these fellow leaders who joined me in a peaceful protest in Kampala. As always, the cowardly regime arrested us all and released us without charge. The police continues to surround my home. We shall stop at nothing until Gen. Museveni stops humiliating our people! pic.twitter.com/V2MXPcmkfI BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) March 15, 2021 Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowd marching with the politicians.After being arrested he was driven to his home which he says is surrounded by police and soldiers.On Sunday, Bobi Wine called on his supporters to protest peacefully against what he calls a rigged election.He's also demanding that security forces explain where their missing colleagues are. In a televised address, President Yoweri Museveni accused Bobi Wine's party of trying to fix the election. 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 Veyo, the first company to bring healthcare-credentialed rideshare to Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT), today announced that it placed No. 245 on the second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the California economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Previously recognized as one of Inc. Magazines Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies for two consecutive years, Veyo is now among the top companies that have set themselves apart as one of Inc.s second annual Regional honorees. We are thrilled to be recognized by this industry standard benchmark, said Josh Komenda, President and CEO of Veyo. Our accelerated growth is a testament to our employees and partners as we focus on expediting access to healthcare across the United States. We have an unwavering commitment to continue to evolve our platform to meet the future needs in medical transportation for the communities and patients we serve. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in California. Between 2017 and 2019, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 535 percent and, in 2019 alone, they employed more than 40,000 people and added nearly $7 billion to the California economy. Companies based in major metro areasLos Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diegobrought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: California, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/california starting March 16, 2021. This list proves the power of companies in California no matter the industry, said Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay. About Veyo Veyo, headquartered in San Diego, CA, is the fastest growing transportation brokerage in the country, having brought a new NEMT Model to the healthcare industry in 2016. Built on over 20 years of transportation experience, Veyo has reinvented the patient transportation model by integrating consumer technology with healthcare-credentialed rideshare fleets to decrease costs and increase efficiency. Veyos VirtualFleet, the most powerful transportation network in the industry, is delivering dramatically higher levels of reliability, quality, and transparency to customers, partners, and members. Operating in six states with over 32 million completed trips and a 97.1% on-time rate, Veyo is changing NEMT one trip at a time. For more information, please visit https://veyo.com. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regional are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With a revenue growth of 176 percent, Talman Consultants, LLC, today announced it ranks No. 81 on Inc. Magazine's 2021 5000 Regionals: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest growing companies in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. This regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Midwest economy's independent small businesses. "It is an honor to be ranked among the top 100 on the 2021 Inc. 5000 Midwest list of the fastest-growing private companies in the region," said Katherine Latham, Managing Partner. "We could not have achieved this without the Talman Team's extraordinary dedication and commitment to our clients and the company." Companies that made the list for the Midwest grew, on average, 199 percent between 2017 and 2019, even while the broader United States economy grew just 10 percent. Notable alumni of the 5000 Regionals include Intuit, Zappos, Patagonia, Oracle amongst others. For the full list of 2021 winners: https://www.inc.com/inc5000/regionals/midwest About Talman Consultants, LLC Talman Consultants, LLC is a WBENC and W/MBE certified utility engineering design consulting firm. Talman serves as a strategic partner for utility leaders, helping them make smarter investment decisions to secure competitive advantage. The firm's comprehensive Concept to Construction model ensures that clients Design to Build. For more information visit: www.talmanconsultants.com. About the Inc. 5000 Regionals Methodology The 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2017 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent as of December 31, 2019. The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $1 million. About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. SOURCE Talman Consultants, LLC Related Links https://www.talmanconsultants.com OAKLAND, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zesty.ai, the leader in climate risk analytics powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), today announced that The Cincinnati Insurance Company has successfully integrated its predictive wildfire risk analytics solution, Z-FIRE across the carrier's personal lines property portfolio. With Z-FIRE, Cincinnati is able to assess wildfire risk using an AI model that's been trained on more than 1,200 wildfire events across several decades and accounts for the property-level factors that contribute to wildfire risk, compared to the ZIP code-wide perspective that legacy models rely on. "We were immediately impressed with Zesty.ai's ability to provide precise risk scores for individual properties at scale," said Scott Schuler, assistant vice president, Personal Lines Product for The Cincinnati Insurance Company. "Z-FIRE enhances our current wildfire risk assessment tools, increasing our teams' confidence in writing more business for the independent agents who represent us while simultaneously giving homeowners more coverage options." When assessing risk, Z-FIRE considers building materials, topography, historical weather data, and critically, factors extracted from high-resolution imagery like vegetation clearance and mitigation efforts, which legacy models fail to evaluate. It then combines these details with actual loss data to derive a predictive risk score, giving insurance carriers a much more accurate risk metric to inform underwriting, while taking into account many of the home hardening efforts taken on by property owners. "Five of the six largest wildfires in California history occurred last year. As the costs of climate change continue to increase, it's critical that the insurance industry and its customers look beyond the status quo and embrace emerging technologies like AI to better understand the risks associated with natural disasters," said Attila Toth, CEO of Zesty.ai. "The Cincinnati Insurance Company has always been known for its progressive approach, and we're proud of our partnership with them as they further cement their pioneering position, providing homeowners with policies that accurately reflect a property's wildfire risk." For more information on Zesty.ai please visit www.zesty.ai. For more information on The Cincinnati Insurance Company please visit www.cinfin.com. About Zesty.ai (www.zesty.ai) Increasingly frequent natural disasters, such as wildfires, floods and hurricanes devastated communities and drove $2.2 Trillion in economic losses over the past decade. Zesty.ai uses 200Bn data points, including aerial imagery, and artificial intelligence to assess the impact of climate change one building at a time. Zesty.ai has partnered with leading insurance companies and property owners helping them protect homes, businesses and support thriving communities. Zesty.ai was named Top 100 Most Innovative AI Company in the world by CB Insights in 2020, and Gartner Cool Vendor in Insurance by Gartner Research in 2019. For more information visit: https://www.zesty.ai/ About Cincinnati Financial Cincinnati Financial Corporation offers primarily business, home and auto insurance through The Cincinnati Insurance Company and its two standard market property casualty companies. The same local independent insurance agencies that market those policies may offer products of our other subsidiaries, including life insurance, fixed annuities and surplus lines property and casualty insurance. For additional information about the company, please visit cinfin.com. Media Contact: Abby Schiller 216-870-1835 [email protected] SOURCE Zesty.ai Related Links http://www.zesty.ai Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks to media at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 7, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Border Situation Makes Immigration Bill Much Harder: Lindsey Graham The surge in illegal immigrants crossing Americas southern border makes reaching an agreement on immigration much harder, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Monday. Its going to be really hard to get a bipartisan bill put together on anything that has a legalization component until you stop the flow, he told reporters on Capitol Hill. Illegal border crossings breached 100,000 in President Joe Bidens first full month in office. Another 26,000 people evaded capture, according to Jaeson Jones, a former Texas Department of Public Safety captain who received the provisional CBP data from internal sources. The Epoch Times reviewed the data. The situation has sparked the reopening of shuttered border facilities to house unaccompanied children and the designation of a convention center in Houston to hold up to 3,000 immigrant teenagers. Bidens rollback of former President Donald Trumps immigration policies, including allowing asylum seekers into the country to wait for their claims to be heard, is contributing to the surge, experts told The Epoch Times. The administration has signaled to individuals who are considering coming to this country that its policies are much different from the Trump administration, Andrew Arthur, resident fellow in law and policy for the Center for Immigration Studies, said in a recent interview. A member of the Mexican Guard stands guard at the border between the United States and Mexico in Sunland Park, N.M., on March 15, 2021. (Justin Hamel/AFP via Getty Images) President Joe Biden departs after speaking in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington on March 15, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Biden in a legislative proposal sent to Congress on his first day in office advanced creating a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally. He also wants to cut down on waiting time for some visas, enhance border technology, and help Central American nations in hopes of reducing the need for people to leave those countries. Congressional Democrats largely align with Biden on immigration and the White House has said it is working with Republicans on the issue. But Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senate majority whip, joined Graham in expressing pessimism in reaching an agreement on legislation. I dont see a means of reaching that, Durbin, a veteran of past efforts to strike an immigration deal, said Monday of a comprehensive bill in this two-year Congress. I want it. I think we are much more likely to deal with discrete elements of such a plan. Even addressing individual immigration proposals, such as enabling children who were born in other countries but brought to the United States to become citizens, will be difficult with Republicans hammering Biden on the surge, Durbin added. I wish we could move one piece at a time, but I dont think thats in the cards, he said. We need Republican votes. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) joined a slew of other Republicans in Texas on Monday, touring a Customs and Border Protection facility and speaking with border agents. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) speaks to the media on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo) Border Patrol agents apprehend a busload of illegal immigrants in Penitas, Texas, on March 10. 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration, he said. Theres no other way to claim it than a Biden border crisis. Graham and Durbin introduced an updated version of the Dream Act last month. The legislation would let immigrant students who arrived without lawful status to earn legal permanent residence and, eventually, American citizenship. Versions of the bill have been introduced in the last two sessions of Congress but havent been approved. With a 50-50 Senate, its unlikely the new version would get the required 60-vote support. Democrats in the lower chamber have an easier time, enjoying an eight seat majority. The House is scheduled later this week to vote on two immigration measures. One, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, would let farmworkers earn legal status and make the H-2A guestworker program more flexible for employers. The other, the American Dream and Promise Act, would give U.S.-raised immigrant youth a pathway to citizenship. Charlotte Cuthbertson and the Associated Press contributed to this report. The government of southwestern Yunnan province is tracking 15 wild Asian elephants round-the-clock as the herd moves northward. The elephants, which started their journey from the southernmost prefecture in the province on April 16, were 10 kilometers away from the provincial capital Kunming on Tuesday. The local government has been tracking and escorting the animals to keep them away from residents. The elephants have damaged 561 square meters of cropland, according to media reports Jun 02, 2021 05:22 PM Thiruvananthapuram, March 16 : A battle royale is shaping up at Vatakara in Kozhikode district, after the news came that K.K.Rema of the Revolutionary Marxist Party ( RMP)will contest the April 6th assembly polls, with the full support of the Congress-led UDF. Thiruvananthapuram, March 16 (IANS) A battle royale is shaping up at Vatakara in Kozhikode district, after the news came that K.K.Rema of the Revolutionary Marxist Party ( RMP)will contest the April 6th assembly polls, with the full support of the Congress-led UDF. Rema is the widow of murdered former CPI- M leader T.P.Chandrasekheran. RMP general secretary N.Venu on Tuesday said the decision has been made and it has also been decided to take the support of the UDF, which has been offered. "Since this is a political fight and in the present circumstances, we have decided to field Rema and will take the support of the UDF, that has been offered," said Venu. RMP also clarified that they are not an ally of the UDF, but will only take the support of the UDF. For the past few weeks, there was some confusion as the Congress party was asking Rema to contest the polls and after initially agreeing, she turned Covid positive and she decided she will not contest. But after the Congress made it clear that their support is only for Rema, it was after long deliberations that the RMP decided to field Rema. Incidentally, Rema had contested as an RMP candidate from the same constituency and had finished third. In the 2016 polls, it was won by C.K.Nanu of the Janata Dal ( S) and M.Chandran of the party led by media baron M.P.Veerendra Kumar under Janata Dal (U) came second. At that time, Kumar's party was an ally of the Congress led UDF. This time after the erstwhile JD (U) was wound up and in its place came the Loktantrik Janata Dal ( LJD) - they have left UDF and have become the new ally of the ruling Left. The CPI-M last week sprang a surprise by giving the seat to LJD and M.Chandran is trying his luck this time, much to the anger of the JD (U) , who lost a sitting seat to their arch rival. Chandrasekheran, 51, who launched the RMP, was hacked 51 times by assailants May 4, 2012 when he was returning home on his motorcycle in his hometown near Kozhikode. In the case, 11 people was given life imprisonment, of which three were middle level CPI-M leaders and the demand for probing the conspiracy behind the murder is still in the court. Rema has time and again taken on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for calling her husband as a renegade and the campaign is likely to see sparks fly as Rema has the full backing of the Congress-led UDF. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text OTTAWA COUNTY, MI A Holland man is accused of making death threats against President Joe Biden, U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Joshua Docter, 21, is accused of threatening to shoot and kill the officials and be the catalyst for a new American revolution, authorities said. He is charged with threat of terrorism and using a computer to commit a crime, both 20-year felony charges. He allegedly made the threats on iFunny, a social media platform. The FBI began investigating after authorities received tips about threats to the Democratic officials. Charges were filed Monday, March 15, in Holland District Court. Docter turned himself in for arraignment Tuesday before Judge Bradley Knoll. State Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the charges. Threatening elected officials is against the law and my office will prosecute those who attempt to intimidate or terrorize our state and federal leaders, she said in a statement. The FBI and state police investigated, with state police referring the case to the state attorney general for prosecution. The alleged threats were made in late January, court records said. In those posts, Docter stated he would use a gun to shoot and kill the elected officials and would be the catalyst for a new American revolution, the statement said. On his cellphone, Docter allegedly had information on how to make a bomb and where to find materials for a bomb. Docters parents, Bret and Erin Docter, issued a statement Tuesday regarding the charges. As a family, we were shocked to learn of the charges against our son. We are in process of evaluating them and working with legal counsel to consider our next steps. We respectfully ask for privacy at this most difficult time, according to the statement. Docter has a probable-cause conference set for April 8 and a preliminary examination on April 15. He was released on a $5,000 personal-recognizance bond. Read more: Western Michigan students partner with Michigan State Police to crack unsolved murders Growing widespread drought area has now moved into part of Michigan 7 types of birds now returning to Michigan, signaling spring 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. Michelle Obama on the "Today" show TODAY Show Michelle Obama commented on Meghan Markle's allegations of racist comments in the Royal family. Meghan and Prince Harry said a family member had "concerns" that their son may have dark skin. Obama said 'it wasn't a complete surprise" to hear that as "race isn't a new construct in this world for people of color." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Former First Lady Michelle Obama said that it "wasn't a complete surprise" to hear Meghan Markle share her experiences of being part of the royal family as a biracial woman. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey, in which they said that a member of the family had "concerns and conversations" about their son Archie's skin color. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speaking to Oprah Winfrey. CBS Obama was asked about the interview on NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday. Host Jenna Bush Hager asked "What about when she talked about the fact that she experienced racism?" She added that it was "heartbreaking to hear that she felt like she was in her own family - her own family - thought differently of her." Obama replied: "As I said before, race isn't a new construct in this world for people of color, and so it wasn't a complete surprise to hear her feelings and to have them articulated." You can watch the interview here: This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Bush Hager also asked Obama about Markle's comments that she had felt lonely as a royal. Meghan said she had flet suicidal and that a member of the palace told her nothing could be done to help her. Obama said: "Public service it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight and most people don't understand it nor should they." "The thing that I always keep in mind is that none of this is about us, in public service, it's about the people that we serve." "I always try to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve." Story continues Meghan interviewed Obama for British Vogue in 2019, and Obama later shared an Instagram post calling Meghan "my friend." Harry and Meghan's interview sparked a new discussion about racism within the royal family. As Insider's Jacob Sarkisian reported, a host of celebrities of color including Serena Williams and Beyonce praised Markle for the interview. Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, which said the royal family was "saddened" to hear how "challenging" the past several years had been for Harry and Meghan. It said: "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning." "While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately." It continued: "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members." Prince William later said in response to a reporter that "We are very much not a racist family." Winfrey later said that Prince Harry had asked her to say that the person who had commented on Archie's skin was not the Queen or Prince Philip - Harry's grandparents. Obama met the Queen and other royals during her time as first lady, and described their relationship very favorably. Michelle Obama In a separate interview with "Access Hollywood," Obama said that she hoped the couple and the Royal Family could find forgiveness. "My hope is that, when I think about what they're going through, I think about the importance of family, and I just pray that there is forgiveness and there is clarity and love and resolve at some point in time," Obama said. Read the original article on Insider * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! The company believes the Gidji JV Project contains numerous opportunities for discovery of an economic gold deposit within close proximity to existing mining and processing infrastructure. Miramar is a WA-focused company with highly prospective exploration projects in the Eastern Goldfields, Murchison and Gascoyne regions. ( ) has restarted drilling at its 80%-owned Gidji Joint Venture Project, around 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australian Eastern Goldfields. Last month, Miramars maiden aircore drilling campaign at Gidji identified several new targets including the Marylebone target, within the Boorara Shear Zone, returning 2 metres at 7.7g/t gold in an oxidised quartz vein. The Marylebone target exhibits several apparent similarities to the Paddington gold deposit, located approximately 10 kilometres along strike to the north and within the Boorara Shear Zone. Working through historical geophysical data Miramar executive chairman Allan Kelly said the drilling program was expected to take around four weeks to complete. He said: Our first drilling program confirmed our hypothesis regarding the prospectivity of the Gidji Project and identified several new targets, including the potential for a new discovery at Marylebone. While waiting for this follow-up drilling program to begin, we have been busy working up historical geophysical data which has added to our excitement about the project. This data highlighted several important geological features which will assist in refining drill targets within both the granted and pending areas of the project. High-priority targets to be tested Firstly, the Boorara Shear Zone demonstrates an obvious linear gravity high as a result of the relatively dense mafic and ultramafic rocks present within this important regional structure. A discrete, higher amplitude gravity anomaly is observed within the interpreted dilational jog at the southeast end of the Boorara Shear Zone. This is a high priority target and will be drill tested once the relevant tenements are granted. Railway, 8-Mile and the new target all appear to be associated with lower magnitude gravity anomalies within sediments of the Black Flag Group which may represent previously unrecognised mafic intermediate porphyry units, similar to that which hosts the bulk of the gold mineralisation at Runway. The Lake and Claypan targets, within an application pending grant, are both on major regional structures observed in the newly obtained gravity and corresponding magnetic data. Targeting northern extensions This next phase of drilling will include: A former manager of a Washington-based company that produced and sold grass seed and turfgrass to independent growers in Oregon admitted to a series of mislabeling, pyramid and real estate investment schemes that defrauded customers and netted him more than $12 million. Christopher Claypool, 52 , of Spokane, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering during his first appearance in federal court in Portland before U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut. When Claypool is sentenced on June 21, prosecutors will seek a four-year prison term if he follows the conditions of his pre-sentencing release, including paying $8.3 million in restitution plus unpaid taxes for undeclared income. The various schemes ran from about January 2015 through August 2019, according to a federal prosecutor. Claypool had worked for Jacklin Seed Co. at its headquarters in Liberty Lake, Washington. Prosecutors said Claypool and a colleague directed employees at Jacklin and a distribution facility in Albany, Oregon, to fill customer orders with different, lower-yield varieties of grass seed and conceal the substitutions with mislabeled bags while charging customers for the higher-yield seeds they had ordered, according to prosecutors. Claypool, the companys general manager at the time, called the misbranding scheme getting creative and used it to defraud customers of $1 million, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bounds. In a separate pyramid fraud, Claypool directed an accomplice to create a limited liability corporation called Green Pyramid LLC to pose as an independent grass seed broker, according to Bounds. That was necessary because Claypool was responsible for negotiating much of Jacklins grass seed sales overseas, generating millions of dollars in orders for the company, but he was a salaried employee and didnt receive commissions for the orders. Claypool and a colleague conspired to route a portion of Jacklins overseas sales through a competing grass-seed seller, ProSeeds Marketing Inc., based in Jefferson, Oregon, the prosecutor said. Claypool would negotiate for Jacklin through ProSeeds, which would add its own mark-up to the sales and kick back outsized commissions to Claypool through the Green Pyramid corporation, according to Bounds. Claypool also generated commissions from ProSeeds by having Green Pyramid purport to broker bogus sales of Jacklins own seeds back to Jacklin at a mark-up, according to court papers. From December 2018 through August 2019, Claypool generated more than $369,000 in fraudulent commissions, according to Bounds. The prosecutor described Claypools most lucrative fraud as the Hawaiian properties scheme. Claypool was responsible for international sales and had authority to approve payment of commissions to foreign industry partners that facilitated the sales. Claypool, along with a Jacklin employee based in China and the employees wife, conspired to embezzle more than $12 million in commissions transmitted to bank accounts in Hong Kong and elsewhere of bogus entities posing as foreign sales partners, according to Bounds. They laundered the money through multiple wire transfers from foreign banks to U.S. banks for investments in Hawaiian real estate for Claypools benefit, the prosecutor said. Claypool used the money to make investments in four real estate properties in Hawaii under his control. Claypool sold one house for $4.8 million, another for $6.4 million, according to Bounds. Claypool netted $9.5 million through the fraudulent real estate investments, Bounds said. In the final scheme, Claypool pleaded guilty to conspiring with the owner of an independent travel agency in Spokane to inflate the purported costs of his international business travel. Claypool traveled overseas extensively for business and had authority to approve his own travel expenses. But instead of using the companys contracted travel agency, he booked his flights through the independent travel agent, creating fake first-class bookings on the most expensive itineraries and then overbilled his company for more than $500,000 for the international airfare, according to court records. His company approved the payments to the independent travel agency, which kicked back most of the money to Claypool, the court records said. Claypool briefly apologized for his crimes in court but was directed to withhold further comment until his sentencing. Hell remain out of custody pending sentencing but was ordered to surrender his passport. -- Maxine Bernstein Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian San Francisco is expected to return to the states orange reopening tier on March 24, but Mayor London Breed said Tuesday that the city will probably adopt some restrictions that are stricter than what state guidelines allow. It wasnt immediately clear how the city planned to be stricter than the states orange tier guidelines, which allow breweries to open indoors at 25% capacity, music and sports venues to open outdoors at 20% capacity and bars that dont serve food to operate outdoors. The city is holding a webinar on Thursday on the guidelines. We want to be careful because as we start to give people the vaccine, we also know that were still in this pandemic. We dont want to go backwards, Breed said. I know that this Department of Public Health in San Francisco despite some objections from people who I know are struggling with their businesses has been very conservative. Breed said non-essential offices will be allowed to reopen under the orange tier, which indicates moderate spread of the coronavirus, and the city will likely expand capacity in indoor restaurants and gyms. The state allows restaurants to operate at 50% capacity and gyms at 25% in the orange tier. It still encourages office workers to stay remote. So we will probably provide some additional expansion of things that were already doing and add office space. But ultimately, we are going to continue to probably be more conservative than the state will allow in order to make sure that I never have to get up here and close down our city again, said Breed, who appeared at a Western Addition health center to get a shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Tuesday. San Mateo County became the first Bay Area county since the fall to return to orange tier on Tuesday, a day before the one-year anniversary of the regions first shelter in place orders. Cases have declined as more people have received vaccines. San Francisco reported around 75 new cases in the past seven days, down 26% from the prior week. It wasnt clear if many workers will return to major office buildings after San Francisco reaches orange tier. Many tech companies such as Salesforce and Facebook have said employees can work remotely until at least the summer. Others such as Twitter have said workers can stay remote forever. Google, which has delayed a return to offices until September, said Tuesday that no plans had changed. Wells Fargo has opened some retail branches, which are an essential business, but said its office plans wont change for at least six weeks. Most of the banks 266,000 global employees, which include around 7,000 in San Francisco, are working from home. Through at least May 1, we will continue with our current operating model, which includes about 200,000 employees working from home and maintaining safety measures in locations that remain open. We will give all employees sufficient notice before making any significant changes, and we continue to create a thoughtful, phased plan for returning to the workplace, said Ruben Pulido, a Wells Fargo spokesperson. Other companies didnt immediately have information on reopening plans or didnt respond to requests for comment. Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com @rolandlisf Should all candidates be rejected if NOTA tops asks Supreme Court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the Election Commission whether it would be really permissible to reject all candidates in the fray if NOTA exceeded that of the candidates securing the highest number of votes. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde agreed to examine a petition, but also added that such a note could cause disruptions in formation of Parliament and assemblies after the elections. "Imagine a political party having influence over voters succeeding in convincing them to cast negative votes in many constituencies. This would result in many seats in Parliament and assemblies going vacant and make it difficult for constitution of Houses. Moreover, a constituency would go unrepresented for a long time," the CJI said while adding that in out electoral system, this could be counter-productive. "If Nota gets a majority of votes, then election to that constituency should be cancelled and a fresh election should be held within a particular time. The candidates rejected in nullified elections should not be allowed to participate in the fresh election. The right to reject contesting candidates and elect a new candidate, if Nota gets maximum votes, is not only necessary to ensure free and fair election but is also essential for de-criminalisation and de-communalisation of polity," the petitioner said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 9:34 [IST] The logo of U.S. social network Twitter displayed on the screen of a smartphone and a tablet in Toulouse, southern France, on Oct. 26, 2020. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images) Russia Gives Twitter a Month to Delete Banned Content or Get Blocked The Russian government is threatening to block Twitter in the country unless the social media platform removes banned content within a month. The ultimatum comes after Roskomnadzor, Russias federal executive authority overseeing online and media content, began slowing down the speed of Twitter last week in retaliation for an alleged failure to remove content related to drugs, child pornography, and suicide incitement aimed at minors. If Twitter does not comply with the requirements of Roskomnadzor, the requirements of Russian legislation, respectively, we will consider an option to completely block the service on the territory of Russia, Roskomnadzor deputy chief Vadim Subbotin told the state-run TASS news agency. Subbotin added that his agency is capable of completely blocking Russian users access to Twitters services. We have such technical capabilities, Subbotin claimed, reported TASS. The banned content in question, according to TASS, involves 3,168 posts containing information on ways of committing suicide, calls for committing suicide, child pornography, and methods of making and using drugs. Russian authorities have been tightening policies on social media since the beginning of this year. A new law took effect in January introducing fines of up to 10 percent of any companys annual revenue for failure to block content that is deemed illegal under Russian law. Another law came into effect in February, specifically requiring major social media platforms such as Twitter to independently identify and remove illegal content. The illegal content, according to a press release by Roskomnadzor in January, includes calls for youth to participate in unauthorized protests, spreading false information about police violence during protests, and exaggerating the number of protesters. On Jan. 20, Roskomnadzor warned VKontakte, the most popular social media platform in the Russian-speaking world, and Chinese video-sharing social media service TikTok that they were obliged by law to take down content encouraging users under age of 18 to participate in illegal assemblies in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. On Jan. 27, it announced fines for VKontakte, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for failing to remove posts with those calls to action. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pushed back against criticism of Moscows effort to censor content on Twitter, highlighting the social media giants recent record of censoring an incumbent U.S. president. Is it the same Twitter that blocked US president [Donald Trump] a couple of months ago? Zakharova wrote on Facebook. They should keep a record of their own digital achievements. Otherwise, it appears that as a result of a system failure, the company starts expressing concern about activities it is engaged in. The possible easing of pandemic restrictions globally...provides a more favourable market environment Jeremy Asher, chairman and chief executive What it does ( ) is aiming to build an African-based exploration and production group. The company currently holds assets in Cameroon, Namibia and South Africa. How it's doing In March, the company said it has extended its US$750,000 loan facility, provided by shareholder Pegasus Petroleum (beneficially owned by chairman Jeremy Asher). The loan facility, originally envisaged as a bridging facility in April 2019, has now been extended through to the end of November 2021. The company also noted that its independent directors believe it is in the company's best interest not to repay nor to convert the facility now given the potential additional dilution it may create, although it added that it aims to repay the facility by mid-July. The extension of the facility followed news in February that Tower's partner in the Algoa-Gamtoos license, offshore South Africa, had provided a new prospective resource estimate which details the potential for some 5.27bn barrels of oil to be present. The company highlighted that the new estimates are triggered by the reprocessing of 4,500 kilometres of 2D seismic data which improved the image quality, improved confidence, and identified new targets. Altogether, the new estimates have increased prospective resources by 54% at the site. The results followed an announcement in December 2020 that the company had agreed with its joint venture partner at Algoa-Gamtoos, New Age Energy, to advance the project to a second exploration period under the licence which will run for a two-year period and includes the obligation to shoot 300 square kilometres of 3D seismic data. Meanwhile, the firm raised 1.25mln via a share placing in Janaury that was used to terminate and repay a US$500,000 loan facility with Shard Capital. At the same time, the group said it will support maintenance spending in Cameroon to maintain long lead item inventories ready for the start of drilling on the NJOM-3 well in the Thali license. What the boss says, chairman and chief executive Jeremy Asher The independent directors and I are all committed to getting the NJOM-3 well in Cameroon drilled as soon as circumstances permit. The possible easing of pandemic restrictions globally both provides a more favourable market environment, and also means that it is now important we complete current financing discussions for the well. We are therefore optimistic that we can get this financing in place by the summer, which would reduce the time required for the extension of the facility, and this is why the independent directors have adopted this extension structure. If the NJOM-3 well succeeds as we hope, then we believe that the royalty share agreed provides an appropriate reward to both shareholders and Pegasus. We also hope that shareholders will see clearly, in the terms of this extension, the confidence that I have in our ability to deliver the NJOM-3 well and production from Thali in due course." Inflexion points "It is a delight to work with such a longstanding and respected publisher as Turner Publishing," said Cat Zappa, Publisher and EVP of Film & Television at Dreamscape Media. "Their dedication to sharing innovative content from authors all over the world is inspiring and that spirit extends to their endeavor with KEYLIGHT BOOKS. Dreamscape Media shares in Turner Publishing's commitment to bringing quality stories to readers and creating new ways for readers to experience their unique titles. Looking forward to the work we will do together." The deal includes exclusive audio rights to 'book to screen' titles from Turner Publishing's new imprint, KEYLIGHT BOOKS. Among KEYLIGHT BOOKS' highly anticipated titles set to debut this June, highlights include No Hiding in Boise by Kim Hooper and The Hive by Melissa Scholes Young, which is currently under option by Sony Television with Josh Berman, of Osprey Productions, producing. Other highlights from KEYLIGHT BOOKS include Paradise, WV by Rob Rufus, coming July 2021. Under the direction of Stephanie Beard, executive editor at Turner Publishing Company, KEYLIGHT BOOKS will publish 12 new fiction titles annually with character-driven stories and compelling perspectives. "We couldn't be more excited to bring to our captivating stories to an even wider audience with the award-winning Dreamscape Media team," said Beard. "Working with Dreamscape is a natural fit as they share our dedication to bringing compelling voices and stories to the masses and are leaders in the audio marketplace." Additionally, Dreamscape Media will distribute and co-publish a substantial portion of Turner Publishing's recent front list publications, such as titles from New York Times Bestselling Author Eugenia Price and the 2020 Kirkus Book of the Year Everything's Not Fine by Sarah Carlson. Within the collection is Original Sin by Jeremy Scott and Foul Ball by Jim Bouton. These new titles will soon be available on Amazon, Audible and iTunes and everywhere audiobooks are sold. The complete audio catalog will also be available to library patrons through hoopla digital, Midwest Tape's category-creating mobile and online service for public libraries. About Dreamscape Media Dreamscape Media (dreamscapepublishing.com) is a privately held media development firm focusing on production, distribution and licensing in publishing and video channels, with an emphasis on the library/educational market. The company produces fiction and non-fiction audiobooks, book-based children's read-along video programs, and offers video distribution services. Titles are available to both library and retail channels in physical and digital formats. In 2020, Dreamscape Media celebrated its 10th anniversary with full distribution through both library and retail channels. Dreamscape is the publishing arm of Midwest Tape a trusted partner to public libraries for over 30 years. About Turner Publishing Founded in 1985, Turner Publishing Company is an award-winning independent publisher based in Nashville, Tennessee, that currently publishes more than 5,000 titles. It has been named five times to Publishers Weekly's Fastest Growing Publishers List. http://turnerpublishing.com SOURCE Dreamscape Media Related Links http://dreamscapepublishing.com A medical specialist holds a vial of the Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus in a department store in Moscow, Russia, January 18, 2021. Photo by Reuters. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has handed over a batch of Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine gifted by his government to Vietnam. The donation was handed over Tuesday during his two-day visit to Hanoi for Russia-Vietnam security consultations. Dang Viet Hung, head of the International Cooperation Department under the Health Ministry, said the batch has been transferred to a cold storage facility at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for preservation. An official from the ministry, who requested anonymity, said the batch contains 1,000 doses of the vaccine produced by Generium JSC. The vaccine is administered in two shots three weeks apart, has to be stored at minus 18 degrees Celsius or below and has a six-month shelf life. According to The Lancet medical journal, the vaccine is 91.6 percent effective. Vietnam last month approved Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccines for use in emergencies. Last year, Deputy Health Minister Tran Van Thuan said Vietnam ordered to buy Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine from Russia but he didn't reveal the specific figure. The mass vaccination in Vietnam began on March 8, and so far nearly 16,000 medical staff and other frontline workers in 12 localities have received their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed by the British-Swedish company in collaboration with Oxford University. Some of them suffered from anaphylaxis, but returned to stable health soon after. Season 18 of Top Chef premieres on FOX Arena at Easter. Filmed in Portland, Oregon it screens express from the US, kicking off with 2 supersized episodes. A new batch of 15 talented Executive Chefs and restaurant owners, representing a cross section of kitchens and food around the country, vie for the coveted title bringing their unique skillsets, diversity of cuisines and gamut of flavours. With Portland as a picturesque backdrop and culinary inspiration, the chefs compete in a variety of challenges including celebrating PDXs Pan-African cuisine to feeding hundreds of frontline workers and crabbing on the Oregon Coast in a tribute to culinary icon and Oregonian James Beard. For the first time ever, a collection of Top Chef all-star winners, finalists and favorites are joining an elite rotating judging and dining panel including Richard Blais, Carrie Baird, Nina Compton, Tiffany Derry, Gregory Gourdet, Melissa King, Kristen Kish, Edward Lee, Kwame Onwuachi, Amar Santana, Dale Talde and Brooke Williamson. Saturday April 3 at 2.00pm on FOX Arena (repeat 8:30pm). Related Johann Chuckaree is the epitome of the modern Indo-Trinidadian. The 31-year-old is a proud descendant of East Indian indentured labourers. Prays to Jesus Christ. And plays the pan. The Woodbrook-born musician exuded equal passion for all three during a virtual sitting with the Kitcharee on Thursday night. Advertisement Parts of California have finally reopened their doors after Covid-19 restrictions were eased on Monday with people flocking to its theaters, gyms, restaurants and tourist attractions. Los Angeles County, which is home to more than 10million people, ended some measures of its harsh lockdown after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the area sufficiently vaccinated. Cooped-up residents made the most of their new freedoms Monday as they headed to food courts while still wearing masks and observing social distancing. People enjoy lunch at Grand Central Market as indoor dining reopened in Los Angeles on Monday, bringing an end to harsh lockdown rules Cooped-up residents made the most of their new freedoms Monday as they headed to food courts while still wearing masks and observing social distancing Among those venturing out were director Christopher Nolan who headed straight to a Burbank theater to watch a screening of Judas and the Black Messiah Max Barll, 86, headed straight to the gym for a workout with his personal trainer Jon Aranita on Monday as LA County started to reopen Alcatraz Island also opened up to visitors after being forced to shut down due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic Among those venturing out were director Christopher Nolan who headed straight to a Burbank theater to watch a screening of Judas and the Black Messiah. Alcatraz Island also opened up to visitors after being forced to shut down due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Tourists were seen enjoying the grounds of the historic prison in San Francisco Bay as life slowly returns to normal thanks to the vaccination rollout. Newsom said the state could reopen once California had administered two million vaccine doses to residents in disadvantaged areas. He said at a press conference last Wednesday: 'L.A. will be a big beneficiary of this new metric. Moving through the weekend and into next week, you will see more activity, more loosening of the tiers.' A Planet Fitness staff cleans gym equipment to prepare the reopening after being closed due to Covid-19 pandemic in Inglewood, California While outdoor dining was given the go-ahead several weeks ago in Los Angeles County, patrons are now able to eat indoors for the first time in eight months Phillip Guttman gets a gift of freshly baked cookies from third generation owner Jacqueline Canter as he eats breakfast inside Canter's Delicatessen in Fairfax Village An AMC employee sanitizes the counter after each customer at the theater concession stand on reopening day in Burbank Viewers sit in a virtually empty AMC theatre while they wait for the first screening on reopening day as theaters opened with 25 per cent capacity The historic island prison of Alcatraz was reopened to visitors Monday after being closed since December because of the coronavirus threat Passengers stand aboard the Alcatraz ferry before docking at the island after the tourist attraction was forced to shut down twice this past year Lori Joaquin with her two-year-old son Zac Joaquin and sister Robyn Vasquez eat lunch indoors at Philippe The Original near downtown Los Angeles on Monday for the first time in a year While outdoor dining was given the go-ahead several weeks ago in Los Angeles County, patrons are now able to eat indoors for the first time in eight months. Capacity is capped at 25 percent, and tables must be spaced eight feet apart. Meanwhile, movie theaters would also be able to reopen at 25 percent capacity, while museums, zoos and aquariums will also be able to welcome back the general public. Gyms, fitness centers and dance studios are also able to recommence indoor operations - but capacity will be capped at just 10 percent. Perhaps, most crucially, schools from grades 7-12 will also be able to open for in person instruction. A waiter serves patrons inside Blue Jam Cafe in Los Angeles as indoor dining returned with strict rules to ensure safety Newsom said the state could reopen once California had administered 2million vaccine doses to residents in disadvantaged areas Christopher Nolan bought popcorn and a drink as he sat in a face mask to watch a movie at the theater for the first time in months Moviegoers wait in line to buy food and drinks at the AMC Theater on the first day of reopened theaters in Burbank Regular customers Kelly Cox, left, and Rick Ingold enjoy an indoor breakfast at Canter's Delicatessen in Fairfax Village on Monday morning Visitors listen to self-guided audio tours in the main cell house as Alcatraz Island and the famous former prison reopened Tourists are seen arriving on the first ferry of the day at 10am, becoming the first visitors back to Alcatraz since the forced closure Los Angeles County has had some of the strictest lockdown laws in the country. On July 1 last year, Gov Newsom closed indoor dining, cinemas, zoos and museums in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. But the closures did little to stop the spread of the virus, and the country was slammed by Covid over the course of the winter. An estimated one in every three residents has contracted the disease. In late December, L.A. hospitals reached capacity and, by early January, one resident was dying from the coronavirus every 6 minutes. On January 16, Los Angeles became the first county in the country to surpass one million Covid cases. The surge prompted even stricter stay-at-home orders, which have caused the number of infections to drop dramatically in recent weeks. L.A. County has clocked more than 1.2 million COVID cases. Across the country, 29.2 million people have contracted the disease. Light catches the security fence around the U.S. Capitol, erected in the wake of the January 6th attack but now scheduled to start being removed, in Washington on March 15, 2021. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Capitol Police Suspend Officer After Anti-Semitic Reading Material Found The U.S. Capitol Police suspended an officer on Monday after anti-Semitic reading material was discovered near his work area the day prior, the agency confirmed to The Epoch Times. The officer, who was not named by the force in charge of protecting the Capitol building in Washington, will remain suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the Departments Office of Professional Responsibility, a spokesperson said via email. We take all allegations of inappropriate behavior seriously. Once this matter was brought to my attention, I immediately ordered the officer to be suspended until the Office of Professional Responsibility can thoroughly investigate, acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said in a statement. Zach Fisch, chief of staff to Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), said he was the one who found the reading material. As I left my office in Longworth yesterday, I discovered something that, as a Jew, horrified me. At the United States Capitol Police security checkpoint, someone had left vile anti-Semitic propaganda in plain sight, he wrote in a tweet. Fisch said the material in question was the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. According to a summary from Encyclopaedia Britannica, the book, whose author is not known, purportedly details meetings held in Switzerland in 1897 at the time the first Zionist congress was convening. The book alleges Jews and Freemasons made plans to disrupt Christian civilization and establish a global state. Both liberalism and socialism were said to be the method of subverting the social order. The Protocols is entirely a work of fiction, intentionally written to blame Jews for a variety of ills, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Those who distribute it claim that it documents a Jewish conspiracy to dominate the world. The conspiracy and its alleged leaders, the so-called Elders of Zion, never existed. Fisch wondered why a Capitol Police officer felt comfortable with leaving the printout, which he described as tattered, out in the open and speculated it could have been passed around. This is both a national security problem and a workplace safety problem. Our office is full of peopleBlack, brown, Jewish, queerwho have good reason to fear white supremacists. If the USCP is all that stands between us and the mob we saw on Jan. 6, how can we feel safe? he added. The Capitol Police force was both praised and criticized for how it responded to the Capitol breach on Jan. 6, with some lawmakers saying the force could have done a better job protecting the building. The list of states that block or do not authorize the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus is growing. After Italy, France, Germany , Venezuela and Latvia also made their decisions. The government of Caracas expressed itself through the words of the executive vice president Delcy Rodriguez, who also chairs the special committee set up for the control and prevention of Covid-19, which confirmed that the decision was taken by President Nicolas Maduro on the basis of a report drawn up by the experts who guide the government in the choices for the immunization program of Venezuelans. Vaccinations for healthcare workers and for people most at risk began in February with the drugs Sputnik V (Russian) and Sinopharm (Chinese). Not having large amounts of currency due to the economic crisis it is going through and the stringent unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States, Venezuela has staked everything on the possibility of receiving a mix of vaccines (including 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca), under the Covax mechanism of the World Health Organization (WHO). To pay for the supply, Maduro sought an agreement with the opposition to unlock $ 300 million through the sale of part of Venezuela's 31 tons of gold blocked in the Bank of England. But for now the UK government has not responded positively to this request. LATVIA - The health authorities of Latvia have decided to temporarily suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine and ask doctors not to use the ampoules that have already been opened and not to open new ones. At the moment, it is explained in a note, however, no problems have been recorded in those who have already been vaccinated. (Unioneonline / ss) As highlighted in OilPrice.com just after the last major attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities on 14 September 2019, there are many positive aspects from Irans perspective in pursuing such a strategy. If it had not been for Irans uncertainty about how former U.S. President Donald Trump might have reacted in the run-up to presidential elections in 2020 then there might well have been more such attacks before those most recently launched on 4 and 7 March. Although major direct action against Iran by the U.S. [for the 14 September attacks on Saudi Arabia was not taken at the time with planned strikes against Iranian targets vetoed in the Oval Office due to Trumps concern about the possible number of civilian casualties Iran did pay the price later with the [3 January 2020] assassination of [Major General] Qasem Soleimani who was the mastermind behind Irans foreign military and clandestine operations, a source who has worked closely with Irans government told OilPrice.com last week. With Trump gone, this strategy of directly attacking Saudi Arabia was always going to be used again and after [President Joe] Biden authorised U.S. attacks on Iranian assets in Syria a few days before, Tehran thought the timing was right for these new attacks, he added. The U.S. attacks on 26 February involved air strikes along the border between the Syrian city of Boukamal and the Iraqi town of Qaim against a number of Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria that operate within the mostly Iraqi Shia Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) paramilitary organisation. According to on-the-ground reports from the attack scene, the U.S. air strikes resulted in at least 22 deaths, principally among the PMF-aligned Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada groups that are allied with Syrias Iranian-backed government in Damascus. In short, the U.S. hit Iranian military proxy units operating abroad rather than Iran directly itself. The U.S.s air strikes against Iranian proxies in Syria, though, was itself retaliation for three rockets being fired just days before at the Green Zone in Baghdad with the apparent intention to destroy the U.S. Embassy there. Only a few days prior to this, another pro-Iran militia - Saraya Awliya al-Dam fired a barrage of 107mm rockets at a range of targets near a U.S. military base in Erbil, the capital of Iraqs semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, killing one civilian contractor and injuring nine others. In short, Iran hit U.S. military and related proxy targets operating abroad. Given the U.S. response to these attacks, Iran evidently decided to up the ante and hit the only one of the U.S.s two key allies in the Middle East that does not have its own nuclear weapons that is, Saudi Arabia (and not Israel) and the only one for which an effective attack against its oil fields and infrastructure would directly benefit Tehran. Related Video: Can Saudis Defend Aramco from Houthis? The most obvious and immediate benefit for major oil producer Iran of a successful attack against Saudi oil facilities is that oil prices rise, with the size of the increase and its duration dependent on how much damage is done to Saudi oil infrastructure in any such attack. The added advantage for Iran after the attacks on 14 September 2019 is that given the nonsensical comments from senior Saudis about how much damage had been done to the Kingdoms oil infrastructure during those attacks and how long it would take to repair, seasoned oil traders now know that they should not believe a word that the Saudis say regarding such matters. Therefore, whether Iranian attacks succeed or not, the price benefit is greater than perhaps the damage done may warrant. Specifically, the 14 September 2019 aerial attacks on Saudi Arabias massive Abqaiq oil processing facility and Khurais oil field launched by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi forces caused the temporary suspension of 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd) of Saudi oil output. This equates to well over half of the countrys actual crude oil production capacity, not the capacity figure that Saudi has plucked out of nowhere for geopolitical power purposes in recent years, and resulted in the biggest rise in oil prices in a single day ever. However, Saudi Arabias then-new Oil Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, stated just after the attacks that the Kingdom planned to restore its production capacity to 11 million bpd within two weeks. It was extremely telling that he spoke of capacity and later of supply to the market, as these are terms that Saudi tends to use in order to avoid talking about actual production, as capacity and supply are not the same thing at all as actual production at the wellheads, Richard Bronze, cross-energy analyst for Energy Aspects, in London, exclusively told OilPrice.com at the time. What Saudi was trying to do by not revealing the true picture was to protect its reputation as a reliable oil supplier, especially to its target clientele in Asia, so we have to take all of these comments with a hefty pinch of salt, he added. The Saudi statements [after the 14 September 2019 Iran-Houthi attacks] may not contain any direct falsehoods as such but nor are they entirely being fulsome with the truth, he concluded. Related: Oil Bulls Beware: This Optimism Is Unjustified The other major benefit to Iran of attacking Saudi Arabia via drones or missiles in particular is that it adds further strains to the already increasingly-strained relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The foundation stones of this relationship were laid in 1945 with an agreement made between the then-U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Saudi King at the time, Abdulaziz, on the Bitter Lake segment of the Suez Canal. The agreement was that the U.S. would receive all of the oil supplies it needed for as long as Saudi Arabia had oil in place, in return for which the U.S. would guarantee the security of the ruling House of Saud. For a long time, the Saudis believed that given continued oil supplies to the U.S. and the huge amount of defence procurement deals that it made with the U.S - and the regional political counterpoint to Iran that if offered the U.S. - nothing that Saudi did otherwise would affect this cornerstone relationship, including waging a full-scale oil price war against the U.S. shale oil sector between 2014 and 2016. Saudi had misjudged the huge economic and geopolitical importance of the shale oil sector to the U.S., but it had still not fatally damaged the cornerstone 1945 relationship. Instead, after the 2014-2016 oil price war, this relationship deal changed to incorporate the U.S. expectation that Saudi Arabia would do nothing further to jeopardise the ability of the U.S. shale industry to grow. A key part of this was not to engage in another oil price war that would cause the U.S. shale oil operators financial distress by overproducing to crash oil prices down through their breakeven points. On the other hand, the Saudis were also expected to ensure that production was not decreased to such levels that rising oil prices in turn pushed up gasoline prices in the U.S. up to levels that would damage the economy and also damage the chances of a sitting president being re-elected. If this meant that Saudi lost market share to U.S. shale producers by ensuring that oil traded between the US$40-75 Brent level then that was just the price that the House of Saud had to pay for the continued protection of the U.S. - politically, economically, and militarily. When the Saudis launched yet another oil price war in 2020 aimed again at crippling the U.S. shale oil sector, the U.S. lost all faith in this cornerstone relationship with Saudi and determined to gradually reduce all dependence on it for anything except as a counterpoint to Iranian influence in the region. This underlying message should have been understood by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when then-President Trump personally telephoned him on 2 April 2020 to tell him that unless OPEC started cutting oil production effectively ending the oil price war - then he would be powerless to stop lawmakers from passing legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from the Kingdom. The U.S.s desire certainly under Trump to eradicate even the residual dependence on Saudi as the prime regional power counterpoint to Iranian influence upon which Washington can rely is evidenced in the push to replace Saudi with a broad coalition of Arab states that can instead act collectively as the counterpoint to Iran, which is seen in the recent spate of relationship normalisation deals between the U.S.-Israel axis and the UAE and Bahrain, with more likely to follow. Iran knows all of this, and although it has taken it some time to re-organise the leadership of its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and Al-Quds forces that focus on foreign and clandestine operations, it launched these aerial attacks on Saudi and why the oil market can expect more of the same periodically going forward. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: GRAND RAPIDS, MI A small audience could hear a pin drop as World War II veteran Bob Shields slowly walked up to the podium. Adorned in his old Army uniform, the Grand Rapids man gripped his cane with two hands as he looked around the room and recounted the events of Dec. 16-17, 1944. American troops were caught off guard by a Nazi attack west of Germany. Nearly 19,000 American soldiers were killed, while 47,500 others were wounded and over 23,000 soldiers missing. Shields voice cracked as he recalled the tragic losses of the battle. I honor all of the men of the division as great soldiers, great guys, and I pray for them all of the time, Shields said at a ceremony last week. I think about it at nighttime and then I always say a prayer when I cant fall asleep. After nearly 80 years of waiting, Shields was finally awarded a Bronze Star for his military service during a March 12 ceremony at St. Stephen Catholic Church. Shields, a 95-year-old Grand Rapids resident, served valiantly during the historic Battle of the Bulge in Europe, but never received his Bronze Star after returning home from war. Army Capt. Jeffrey Markle presented Shields with the Bronze Star and a shadowbox of his other medals and ribbons. The Bronze Star is the fourth-highest ranking award a military service member can receive for a heroic and meritorious deed. Shields grew up near Detroit and attended high school as war broke out in Europe. He recalled this sense of pride to serve that pushed him to enlist in the military as soon as he was able. I decided to enlist because... our next-door neighbor was a Jewish family, and when it all came out what the Nazis were doing to the Jews, I was so steamed that I couldnt wait to get out of school and enlist in the Army, Shields said. And I did. Shields would go on to take part in the Battle of the Bulge on Dec. 16-17, 1944, which was one of the largest battles in Western Europe during World War II. During the battle, 200,000 German troops launched a surprise counterattack against a crucial line of Allied soldiers. The battle would prove an historic moment as German losses would lead to a series of later defeats as the Allies marched toward Berlin. But after surviving his tour in Europe and aiding in its liberation from Germany occupancy, Shields returned home without the full recognition he deserved. The ceremony in Grand Rapids was organized by close family friend and retired Army colonel Mary Prophit in tandem with Shields godson, Tim McGee. As Shields had no children, Prophit and McGee are part of what he calls his adopted family. Bob Shields compliments the shadowbox held by retired Col. Mary Prophit, a close family friend who helped organize the ceremony. (Nick Moran | MLive) Markle presented Shields with the Bronze Star, something he wanted to do the second Prophit told him about Shields story. Despite Shields unusual wait, Markle said moments like this embody the gratitude that military service members and veterans truly deserve. To be a part of his moment, to help him be recognized, its a story to tell the children and its a story to tell family, Markle said. We have hundreds, thousands of soldiers out there who may not have been recognized appropriately. Just always say thank you for your service and continue to recognize every person who does serve with thank yous or welcome home. Steven Kenyon, Michigan ambassador for the Army Reserve, also was in attendance. Kenyon gave Shields a commemorative coin for the occasion. The ceremony was far more than Prophit could have imagined, she said, and its exactly what Shields deserved. I initially envisioned his front porch and a few people in the front yard, and so to be able to do it here (at his church)... was just wonderful, Prophit said. Brandishing his new Bronze Star, Shields shifted the attention away from his service and said he hoped the ceremony would encourage more Americans to honor their veterans. While looking at a divided country today, he said that moments like this give him hope for unity moving forward. Respecting the veterans and honoring them is what everyone should be doing with that attitude and feeling, Shields said. In spite of all of the troubles, if they keep that belief and honor more veterans because theres more veterans coming out then this country might be able to get unified again like it was years ago. Read more: Newaygo school board president details response to school explosion Sections of Muskegon thoroughfare will close for construction through summer Pro soccer team, new stadium could be part of Grand Rapids future (Natural News) The mainstream media does not want anyone to know that sailors in the Australian Navy have been dropping like flies ever since Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines became available to them. Numerous stories detailing the horrific adverse events incurred by members of the Australian military have been completely scrubbed from the web. Some of them have been replaced with highly sanitized propaganda pieces claiming that only mild side effects are being observed. Gregg Hunt, Australias Health Minister, who pushed the experimental gene therapy injections on his nations military, fell critically ill himself just one day after getting jabbed for the Chinese virus. All of this has created major setbacks for the pro-vaccine lobby, which is having an increasingly harder time convincing people to get stabbed. Fake news outlets like the Daily Mail Online (U.K.) have been pulling stories about deadly vaccine reactions in an attempt to convince people that the jabs are safe and effective. The cat is already out of the bag, though. Our health minister is still in the hospital from the day after he had his injection! wrote one trusted contact in Australia to Principia Scientific International. Not a word about the navy hospitalisations. What a way to take out a countrys military In just one jab! As for Health Minister Hunt, early reports that have since been scrubbed indicated that he developed a suspected infection following his injection, requiring that he be kept overnight for observation. Hunt is also being administered antibiotics and fluid for his adverse reaction. More of the latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine injuries and deaths can be found at Pandemic.news. Australian government quietly walking away from mass vaccination campaign The original story from the Daily Mail Online that can no longer be found on the site was entitled: Navy sailors hospitalised after being given Covid vaccinations. This report indicated that: A number of navy sailors have been hospitalised after being given Covid-19 vaccinations on the HMAS Sydney. Defence sources confirmed some HMAS Sydney crew members were admitted to St. Vincents Even in the Way Back Machine archive, this story cannot be found. Principia Scientific International notes that when trying to access the story in the Way Back Machine, the hyperlink took us to an unrelated article. Now, the corporate media is attempting to whitewash the situation aboard the HMAS Sydney. Very few facts remain about the vaccine campaign aboard the ship, and some fake news outlets are even claiming that servicemen were rushed to the hospital as a precaution rather than to treat critical reactions. #breaking Defence has confirmed some members of HMAS Sydney experienced mild side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, but illness has now been resolved and the ship has departed for the U.S. this morning for planned exercises, tweeted Andrew Greene from ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Meanwhile, the Australian government is quietly walking away from plans to mass vaccinate the nations residents. Apparently, they know something that they are not telling people, mainly that jabbing people en masse would almost certainly lead to mass injury and death. So, when does coincidence no longer remain as mere coincidence? Health Minister Hunt in critical condition after his COVID jab; the Aussie government backing away from mass vaccination and now the crew of HMAS Sydney hospitalized over mild reactions from their coronavirus jabs, asks John OSullivan from Principia Scientific International. So, the old saying no smoke without fire comes to mind when reading the legacy medias sanitized version of the warships predicament Our friends in the mainstream media have been too quick to tell us deaths are assumed to be only coincidentally associated with vaccination before all the evidence is in. Sources for this article include: Principia-Scientific.com NaturalNews.com Farmers have been demanding APMC reforms for 30 years, but the Modi governments farm laws central laws on a state subject, rammed through without consultations with either the states or even Parliament -- are not reforms to help farmers but at enabling a corporate takeover of the agrarian economy, veteran journalist and Magsaysay awardee P Sainath tells DHs Anitha Pailoor. Farmers have been in the news for a few months now. They were so for a while even in 2016, when the government said it would help double farmers income by 2022 The first thing I recall is that they declared that they would double farmers incomes by 2022 without once clarifying whether they meant a doubling of nominal income or real income. If its nominal income, everybodys incomes would double by 2022. If its real income, that is a very huge task. And its very clear that as of now if there is any difference, the difference in real income actually suggests to me a marginal fall, not even stagnation. Read more: After massage centers and gyms, farmers construct brick houses at Singhu Border amid protests I think that the claim of doubling farmers income was particularly cruel, considering what the incomes of farmers are and what the farmers are actually going through. For instance, one of the criticisms of the protesters is that all these people protesting at the borders of Delhi are rich farmers from Haryana and Punjab. The average total monthly income of a farm household in Punjab, including income from all sources, is Rs 18,059 for a household of 5.24 persons. The average per capita monthly income of the Punjab farmer is Rs 3,450. That is lower than the lowest pay in the organised sector. You call this a civilisational crisis. What do you mean? What started as an agricultural crisis became an agrarian crisis. When we talk about agriculture, were talking about cultivators, farmers and farm labourers. When youre talking about the agrarian crisis, there are millions of livelihoods -- of people who are not cultivators but whose occupations are dependent on agriculture. When agriculture entered a crisis, weavers started committing suicide. The first market of the traditional weaver is the farmer and the farm labourer. That is the interdependency of the agrarian sector. Read | Farmers stir may continue till December: Rakesh Tikait Once this begins to happen, the distress is widespread. What we used to call the agrarian crisis has gone far beyond the agrarian. It became a societal crisis, as section after section of society was affected. I would then say that in the last few years, you could call it a civilisational crisis because the largest body of small farmers in the world is struggling for survival. Its more than an economic or political crisis. What we call the agrarian crisis is also a profoundly moral crisis, demanding that we take positions on where we stand. The UPA government had to deal with a similar situation in 2009 when Bt Brinjal was cleared for commercial cultivation by a committee. Then it was handled differently... The crisis in the agrarian sectors has been on since we embraced a particular path of development, which begins with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Hundreds of thousands of farmers who committed suicide did so when the UPA was in power. However, the difference that the last six years has made is that in economics, the NDA is the UPA-on-steroids. But lets take the case of Bt Brinjal. The states were consulted. Jairam Ramesh (then Union environment minister) sought the opinion of the states and all the states and union territories gave an opinion. Overwhelmingly, they said, dont touch Bt Brinjal. When that kind of response came in, the UPA said, No, we are not going ahead with this. They withdrew from that. Read | Farmers in Kodagu vent ire over delay in capturing tiger There is continuity between the two governments (in economic policies) but the political response of the State [is different]. The [farm] laws are unconstitutional because agriculture is listed as a state subject. No state was consulted before these laws were declared. Let alone the state governments being consulted, Parliament was not consulted. The only people who knew what was coming in those laws were the corporate world. There is a general perception that the concerns are mostly about minimum support price (MSP) and the APMC system. Farmers have been demanding APMC reforms for 30 years. Its not that someone is coming with up reform and the farmers are resisting it. The question is, reforms for whom -- for the farming community or for the corporations? What you have done is rammed through reforms for the corporations. Now, let me look at it one more way. Government schools are very flawed, very terrible. Why dont we shut them down? [We dont] because for tens of millions of children, it is the only chance of having anything approaching education. For millions of Indian children, the government school is the only place in the world they get one decent meal a day for five days. The APMC is the government school of the agrarian sector. Thats why you dont call for its shutting down. Read | Wages of saving tigers, shrinking forests We have seen many rural sector boards like the Handicrafts Board and the Handloom Board being dissolved during the pandemic. Is there still hope for rural livelihoods? There is no hope with these policies. There are many things that can happen. We should know how serious the move of shutting down these Boards is. The point was to improve the Boards. The point was to improve in a direction that serves the purpose of the handlooms and handicrafts sectors. And one of the things very few know is that handicrafts and handlooms are the second biggest employers in India, after agriculture. Handicrafts and handlooms employ millions of more people than the IT sector employs. Despite that, were just destroying it. We are creating a way for a corporate takeover of everything. There is no hope with these policies. And you will be foolish to rest your hopes on a government that pursues this. Is there hope outside of that? Oh yes, there is. Ships of the Ukrainian Navy and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) have conducted a joint PASSEX-type training in the Black Sea area, according to ArmyInform. "The purpose of the exercise is to practice cooperation within multinational tactical formations of the crews of Ukrainian Navy ships with the Navy of Turkey, Romania and the Spanish Royal Navy," reads the report. During the exercise, mine countermeasure training was carried out as a part of a group of ships, as well as trainings on transferring of cargo on the move, repelling o an air attack. In addition, elements of tactical maneuvering, training in signal production using the international signaling system, coverage of the maritime situation in areas of intensive civilian navigation have been worked out. Athens, GA (30605) Today Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. The Dublin woman who was arrested after leading gardai on a high-speed car chase on the M50 is considering setting up an OnlyFans page. Gemma Greene (24), from Coolock, who yesterday returned home from a holiday in Spain, has asked her Instagram followers to vote on whether she should join the subscription-based platform. In a story, she has shared a poll asking: "Will I make an only fans (sic)." Expand Close Gemma polled her followers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gemma polled her followers Read More OnlyFans allows viewers to pay a monthly fee to access creators main feeds and has been used to host adult-only content. Greene, who faces a court date later this month after her motorway antics, is now back home from Spain after sharing a series of clips and videos on social media of herself and a friend on the holiday. Multiple pictures and videos appear to show her in Dublin Airport, and later cruising down a motorway in the direction of Barcelona. She also posted footage of herself driving through the streets of Barcelona while playing music. Under one picture of herself and her friend, Greene wrote: Ballymuns [sic] very own Bonnie & Clyde. In a clip she posted showing off a rooftop pool area, she can be heard saying: Not a bad life, darling. This is me for the day. In a recent interview, Ms Greene said the high-speed M50 chase started after she was driving out of her estate and spotted a garda and thought he was going to pull her over so she sped off. I said Im not f**king listening to this today. He didnt even put the blue lights on. He didnt even pull me to stop. I put the foot down and went for it," she told the Irish Star. Dozens of garda vehicles joined in the chase along with the Garda helicopter and Greene drove to the Kilmacanogue exit of the N11 before turning around and heading back north towards Ballymun. In a livestreame of the chase shared on Instagram, she can be heard singing along to music and boasting about how shes outrunning gardai in her car. The chase eventually stopped when Greenes car stopped at Hampton Wood in Ballymun. A video of the incident shows Greene exiting the vehicle before numerous gardai tackled her to the ground. She later said the only reason she stopped was because she was running out of fuel. After her release from custody, she posted laughing emojis at the amount of hits her Instagram page was getting. That is mad. Two million impressions, she said. Meanwhile, we recently revealed how the Mercedes C220 car that she was driving during the dramatic car chase is being held by gardai as part of a major money laundering investigation. The car was originally seized from her due to the alleged road traffic offences that she committed but gardai are now holding onto it because it could be important evidence in an ongoing money laundering investigation, a senior source said. Some of Ms Greenes close associates are suspected of being heavily involved in criminality in Ballymun, the source added. The young woman has been officially warned by gardai of an active threat against her life and because of this it is unclear whether she will be fined for breaching coronavirus regulations by going on holiday to Spain. Level 5 restrictions currently ban international travel for non-essential reasons. MBABANE Government has insisted that there was nothing sinister about the deployment of soldiers to a private farm owned by businessman Mandla Mkhaliphi. In a press statement issued yesterday, government, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, said the army was requested to provide security at the Sicunusa quarry site on Portion 3, Farm 982 to protect the natural resource from being mined illegally. In fact, government has claimed that such an undertaking and cooperation from the security forces was normal, exercised at all abandoned mine sites around the country to safeguard the nations mineral resources. This publication wanted to ascertain if there was a justified reason for the deployment of soldiers to someones property. The ministry said it requested the deployment of the soldiers after ascertaining that NDI Investments and or one of its directors (Mkhaliphi) engaged in an illegal operation from around December, 2020 for the production of stone aggregates (inkwali) without authorisation. Offence Mkhaliphi committed an offence in terms of the Mines and Minerals Act of 2011 Section 141 by this conduct, The Act provides that such an offender on conviction, is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to a El00 000 fine or to both, reads part of the statement. Worth noting from the statement is that the ministry has blamed Mkhaliphi for not following the right procedure when applying for the renewal of his quarry mine licence. In the statement, the ministry confirmed that NDI applied and was granted a five-year quarry mining licence from November 2013 to November 2018. In the lease agreement, according to the ministry, NDI was entitled to apply to the Minerals Management Board (MMB) for renewal or extension of the lease for a further period of five years provided that it did so three months before the expiry of the initial five-year period. Further, the Mines and Minerals Act No. 4 of 2011 (MMA) under Section 67 provides that a holder of a mining licence may apply for the renewal of the licence not later than one year before the expiry of the term of a mining licence. In this instance, NDI did not exercise its right within the stipulated timelines (which is discretional in terms of the agreement), but opted to lodge an application for renewal in February 2021 more than 25 months after the expiry date, it was stated in the statement. Furthermore, the ministry said the date on the application for renewal of the quarry licence was the same day that the alleged illegal operation was stopped. However, the application was submitted or lodged a week later to the ministry. Secondly, the quarry site sits on two adjacent private properties (farms); one owned by Mkhaliphi and another owned by a private company. The allegation that a farm owner is being prejudiced is false and misguided, the ministry stated. Confusion The ministry said the whole issue had caused confusion in the minds of the general public and assured that all mineral resources shall be protected to benefit all emaSwati as opposed to individuals who may want to benefit without having followed the laid down legal procedures. Also, the ministry decried that the recent articles on the issue created a false impression that NDI Investments was being frustrated to get a quarry mining licence renewed. An effort was made to get Mkhaliphi to react to the ministrys statement. In particular, this publication wanted to ascertain if he applied for the renewal later than the stipulated time as per the ministrys statement. Applied He responded by saying; I applied in September 2018 and re-submitted this year in February. The acting commissioner advised us hence the operations. I will issue a comprehensive statement in due course, he said. In our publication yesterday, Mkhaliphi was quoted saying he feared that the recent developments were part of a hostile takeover of his farm. He also said he was concerned that the attempt involved a member of the royal family, who also happened to be a senior member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF). He also emphasised that hostility would never be a solution in business. Haiti - Security : The PNH will work with the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) Yesterday Monday took place at the National Palace, an extraordinary Council of Ministers around the phenomenon of insecurity. Among the measures adopted : A Decree to revise the Law on the State of Emergency in order to give the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) the means to combat banditry and crime. A Decree empowering the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) to work in synergy to combat insecurity. This Decree allows the competent authorities to mobilize any external support necessary for the achievement of their mission. Mathias Pierre, Minister Delegate in charge of Electoral Matters, for his part specified that "The departure of MINUSTAH from the country weakens the security of the elections. A synergy between the PNH (Electoral Security Unit) and the FADH, each in their own spheres of action, can help defeat banditry to facilitate the organization of elections in Haiti." HL/ HaitiLibre The Contest Asked Global Innovators to Develop Effective, Radically Affordable COVID-19 Testing Amid the Pandemic XPRIZE, the world's leader in designing and operating incentive competitions to solve humanity's grand challenges, is pleased to announce today the five winning teams in the $6M XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing competition, with each winner creating high-quality, affordable COVID-19 testing to help society safely reopen and return to everyday activities. Chosen by an independent panel of judges, the grand prize winning solutions are radically affordable compared to what is currently available on the market; and are comparable to commercial offerings at measuring sensitivity, specificity and limit of detection, with a maximum turnaround time of 12 hours from sample to result. The winning teams are: Reliable LFC, LLC, Antigen Testing, Carlsbad, Calif., United States ChromaCode, RNA Testing, Carlsbad, Calif., United States Mirimus, RNA Testing, Brooklyn, N.Y., United States La Jolla Institute for Immunology, RNA Testing, La Jolla, Calif., United States Alveo Technologies, RNA Testing, Alameda, Calif., United States "We are thrilled to announce the winners of the XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing, which awarded multiple winners with unique testing solutions to help make testing accessible to everyone and every institution," said Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE. "We started this journey to help communities across the globe to find a path to resume operations by making fast, affordable, and easy-to-use COVID-19 tests available. We are grateful to have the best entrepreneurial and scientific teams on board to help bring their solutions to scale so we can properly reopen schools, businesses, and other vital institutions around the world." Following the December finalist announcements, the 20 teams sent their testing kits and protocols to two separate laboratories, for clinical validation. The independent judges, composed of diverse experts in the healthcare and COVID-19 space, reviewed each team's lab results, testing concepts, and proposals before deciding on the winners. "While vaccines are important, we cannot rely on them alone to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and future outbreaks, especially not until they are provided around the world, en masse and at-scale," said Jeff Huber, President Co-Founder of OpenCovidScreen. "These technological breakthroughs in XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing are providing a safety net to ensure the spread of the disease is contained and to enable a safe return to work and school, and to protect hotspots like nursing homes. These advancements are key to helping underserved, under-resourced communities get access to affordable, accurate tests and to ultimately save more lives now and in the future." Additionally, four other teams were selected as winners in the Open Innovation Track, whose approaches demonstrated high potential for impactful screening solutions, but could not be categorized as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Isothermal Amplification, Next Generation Sequencing, or Antigen Detection and could not be tested through the competition rounds. The four winning teams in the Open Innovation Track are: Steradian Technologies, Inc., Houston, Texas, United States U-smell-it, Guilford, Conn., United States Ram Global, Zweibrucken, Germany TeraGroup, Herzliya, Israel The XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing judges included: Dr. Rick Bright, Ph.D., Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis Shawna Butler, R.N. M.D.A., Nurse Economist Dr. Charity Dean, CEO and Co-Founder, The Public Health Company Dr. Paul Drain, Associate Professor, Departments of Global Health, Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Washington Dr. Anita Goel, Physicist and Physician, Chairman and CEO, Nanobiosym Dr. Michael Mina, Physician-Scientist and Assistant Professor, Epidemiology and Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health Dr. Anne Wyllie, Associate Research Scientist, Yale School of Public Health "The competition was open to all modalities of molecular testing, and the teams submitted an impressive range of ideas. The winners created innovative technologies in rapid PCR, novel antigens, and point-of-care LAMP as well as pioneering some of the first-ever olfaction and breathalyzer tests," said Chris Mason, Leader of the Science Team and a Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. Launched this past July amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this prize comes out of the XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance to bring researchers, innovators, institutions, corporations, and governments together to share ideas and resources in the fight against the current and future pandemics. Since launch, 85 organizations have joined the Alliance, where they have been able to share ideas and research through its digital collaboration platform Exchange, as well as through the XPRIZE Data Collaborative, a unique platform for innovators to collaborate, share and learn from data in a broad spectrum of fields in their search for solutions. To amplify impact, a $50 million COVID Apollo Project led by experienced life sciences investors and company builders including RA Capital, Bain Capital, Perceptive Advisors, Redmile Group, and Samsara Biocapital will work with OpenCovidScreen, the XPRIZE community, and beyond to accelerate the best ideas, technologies, and innovations to market and scale them. The Anthem Foundation and Anthem, Inc., serve as the Founding Anchor Partners of XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing. Seven major national and regional health plans are collaborating as founding partners: Blue Shield of California, Cambia Health Solutions, Inc, Health Care Service Corporation, GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation, Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc. (NJ), BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Supporting partners include leading healthcare, laboratory and technology companies: Google, Amazon, Ilumina, Ancestry, Testing for America, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Exact Sciences, Centerview Partners, Twist Bioscience, Opentrons, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Biotia, Inc and Medical College of Wisconsin. Teams will work the remainder of the year to accelerate the adoption of their solutions on a massive scale. XPRIZE will oversee the development of a multimedia playbook documenting the testing protocols, plans implemented and lessons learned at deployment sites where this incredible testing technology will be rolled out. XPRIZE is currently inviting communities like schools, offices, factories, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and other communities to apply to be part of this innovative rollout. For more information and to apply to be a deployment site, visit https://www.xprize.org/prizes/covidtesting/community-deployment. XPRIZE XPRIZE is a global future-positive movement of over 1M people and rising, delivering truly radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. XPRIZE inspires and empowers a global community of problem-solvers to positively impact our world by crowdsourcing solutions through large-scale competitions, tackling the world's grandest challenges in exploration, environment and human equity. Active competitions include the $20 Million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, $10 Million XPRIZE Rainforest, $15 Million XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion, $10 Million ANA Avatar XPRIZE, $6 Million XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing, $5 Million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, $5 Million XPRIZE Rapid Reskilling, $1 Million Next-Gen Mask Challenge and $500,000 Pandemic Response Challenge. Donate, sign up or join a team at xprize.org. ABOUT OPENCOVIDSCREEN OpenCovidScreen is a non-profit founded by scientists and business leaders committed to an "Open Science" model to drive needed innovation and help solve the critical unmet need for Covid-19 testing that is Frequent, Fast-turnaround, Cheap, and Easy, to enable safe Return-to-Work School. For more information, visit OpenCovidScreen.org or @OpenCovidScreen on Twitter. Donations welcomed at OpenCollective.com/OpenCovidScreen. ABOUT ANTHEM, INC Anthem is a leading health benefits company dedicated to improving lives and communities, and making healthcare simpler. Through its affiliated companies, Anthem serves more than 110 million people, including approximately 43 million within its family of health plans. We aim to be the most innovative, valuable and inclusive partner. For more information, please visit www.antheminc.com or follow @AnthemInc on Twitter. ABOUT ANTHEM FOUNDATION The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the organization's commitment to improving lives and communities. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the Foundation addresses the social drivers that will help create a healthier generation of Americans in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on critical initiatives that make up its Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets: maternal health, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, heart health and healthy, active lifestyles, behavioral health efforts and programs that benefit people with disabilities. The Foundation also coordinates the company's year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates' donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation and its blog at https://medium.com/anthemfoundation. ABOUT COVID APOLLO PROJECT Covid Apollo Project aims to enable a safe and sustainable return to work and school by identifying, assembling, developing, and scaling the most promising Covid-19 diagnostic opportunities. Covid Apollo was organized and funded under the leadership of RA Capital, a prominent biotechnology-focused investment firm, in collaboration with Redmile, Samsara, Perceptive Advisors, and Bain Capital. All of these firms will contribute to evaluating and scaling up technologies that Covid Apollo will accelerate. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005410/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts Sunshine Sachs xprize@sunshinesachs.com Caden Kinard, XPRIZE caden.kinard@xprize.org OTTAWA The Trudeau government is sending mixed messages on whether it wants to shore up COVID-19 vaccine production in Winnipeg. OTTAWA The Trudeau government is sending mixed messages on whether it wants to shore up COVID-19 vaccine production in Winnipeg. The U.S. firm Emergent BioSolutions runs a facility near the University of Manitoba campus, and signed a contract late last year to produce a vaccine developed by Calgary-based Providence Therapeutics, which has financial support form the Pallister government but is still pending approval. In an article published Monday, federal Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told the Globe and Mail his government wanted to support the plants expansion so Canada can shore up its ability to make vaccines within Canada. "Were expanding their facility with them," Champagne said of the Emergent plant in Winnipeg. Yet his spokesman walked back those remarks hours later. Champagnes office said Monday that he wasnt available for an interview, and that nothing is final. "Our government is exploring all options to increase domestic capacity for biomanufacturing vaccines and therapies in Canada," John Power wrote in an email. "Discussions are underway with several companies in this regard, including Emergent (as the minister noted) which has an existing facility in Winnipeg." Emergent and Providence did not respond to interview requests. Champagnes office said federal support for any vaccine production, including at the Winnipeg facility, could only involve shots approved by Health Canada. "The minister was referring to the domestic biomanufacturing of Health Canada-approved vaccines," Power wrote. The regulator has so far approved four COVID-19 vaccines, and the Providence shot might not come online until 2022, after Ottawas summer target to have all willing adults vaccinated. The Manitoba government announced a month ago its plans to make a non-refundable $7.2-million down payment to Providence for vaccines, arguing it will shore up domestic capacity, particularly if booster shots are needed. Champagne and Emergent did not tell the Globe which vaccines the facility might produce. The Winnipeg plant can do the final steps for various vaccines, but does not produce raw material used at the start of the manufacturing process. Emergent employs about 350 people in Manitoba. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca WearOptimo Strikes $30 Million Deal For Life-Saving Technology The Queensland government and the Australian National University have struck a $30 million deal with the WearOptimo to start mass-production a new, potentially life-saving technology in Australia. A partnership between the Queensland Government, The Australian National University (ANU), WearOptimo, and the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) are looking at manufacturing and distributing WearOptimos inexpensive MicrowearableTM devices that allow patients and their doctors early warnings of life-threatening events, including heart attacks, heatstroke, and other conditions. Set to be built manufactured in an advanced technology facility in Brisbane. WearOptimo founder and CEO Mark Kendall said the new sticker-like devices are designed to improve the lives of seriously ill patients by allowing their medical carers to provide timely medical attention due to real-time monitoring fast and accurate reports on the patients health. Our Microwearable sensors are at the cutting-edge of personalised treatment and healthcare, he said Another type of our Microwearable sensor is being developed to help with the early detection of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for 20 million deaths per year. The wearable technology could potentially replace frequent blood tests on patients with serious diseases. ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt used WearOptimo as an example of university-backed research success and the significant impacts on Australians. WearOptimo is taking the latest breakthroughs in health and transforming them from bold ideas into everyday innovations that will make a major difference, he said, As ANUs first innovation company, WearOptimos funding comes after a signed deal with Aspen Medical to export their wearable health sensors to global markets. This funding is a welcome boost to that mission and will ensure Australia is a global leader in healthcare for decades to come, Kendall said. During the 2021 annual state of the university address, Kendall also said that he hoped the university would establish a billion-dollar unicorn company by 2025. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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. Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK) questions Rep. Debra Haaland, (D-NM) President Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of the Interior, during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, at the US Capitol on 24 February, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel-Pool/Getty Images) The Alaska Republican Party will seek a primary challenger to Senator Lisa Murkowski after she voted to convict Donald Trump of inciting the Capitol riot. The states Republican Party voted to censure Ms Murkowski for voting against the ex-president at his impeachment trial, and for a string of other votes they opposed. Theres a number of issues that the party has had with Senator Murkowski for the last several years which really culminated in the conviction vote of former President Trump, said Kris Warren, who proposed the resolution and who heads the GOP in Anchorage. Shes repeatedly spoken out against President Trump over the years in spite of all the great accomplishments he had that helped the country and certainly helped Alaska, added Mr Warren. Other issues that have angered state Republicans include Ms Murkowskis support for Joe Bidens nomination of Deb Haaland for Interior Secretary. Read more: She has not yet said if she will stand for a fourth term in office in 2022, but won reelection with 44 per cent of the vote in 2016, beating Libertarian Joe Miller, who had 29 per cent of the vote. In 2010 she became only the second ever write-in candidate to win a US Senate seat, after she lost the Republican primary to Mr Miller. Observers have pointed out that if the Republican Party turned to former GOP mayor of Anchorage, Dan A Sullivan, to primary Ms Murkowski, the state could bizarrely have two US Senators of the same name. Republican Dan S Sullivan has been the junior Senator for Alaska since 2015. It would be the first time in US history that the high chamber had two members with the same name, let alone coming from the same state. [March 16, 2021] Primary.Health's Platform Offers Insights on School Testing in California Primary.Health, a software company that organizes, streamlines, and automates COVID-19 testing and vaccination programs, has facilitated more than 3,000 tests as part of its participation in the Safely Opening Schools ( SOS (News - Alert) ) pilot implemented to date in 8 high-need California school districts. Today, early results from the pilot were released by the Public Health Institute, finding a very low positivity rate of 0.21 percent, indicating that onsite testing is an important tool for schools to be able to reopen. "Our equity-based approach to school testing is a critical tool to help urban and rural, large and small school districts to safely reopen," said Andrew Kobylinski, CEO and co-founder of Primary.Health. "It is inspiring to see community organizations come together and take action to support the safe return of California students and teachers to school." The 8-week SOS pilot, developed to support the safer reopening of elementary schools serving historically marginalized communities, consists of twice a week testing of all on-site students and staff members using the Abbot BinaxNOW's rapid antigen test. SOS is a program of the Public Health Institute, working in close coordination with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), with major funding coming from The California Endowment. "Our experience is showing that use of rapid testing at schools is feasible and can help build the confidence of parents and school staff in the safety of reopening," said Lynn Silver, MD, director, SOS program, Public Health Institute. "This measured approach, along with other recommended safety precautions, allows schools to quickly identify and isolate people who are infectious and would not have otherwise realized it, preventing the spread as kids head back to in-person learning." Learnings from the pilot program will be used to finetune the schools testing process, develop and share best practices with California educators and school health professionals, and set an example for returning kids back to school safely. Primary.Health launched in March 2020 and has powered more than 600 COVID-19 testing sites in 13 states, with onsite testing times averaging less than two minutes per person and 60+ vaccine sites averaging 48 doses per hour, with less than four minutes from check-in to vaccine administration. The Primary.Health platform allows governments, school districts, homeless shelters, and employers to safely reopen through affordable, convenient, and efficient testing and vaccination. Primary's health equity tools, "no dose wasted" features, and real-time data analytics on take-up rates, demographic breakdowns, and capacity planning will facilitate mass vaccination at a scale that has never been done before in a cost-effective and smooth manner. About Primary.Health Primary.Health is the engine behind your COVID-19 testing and vaccination programs. Our web-based platform provides government agencies, schools, healthcare facilities, and community-based organizations the ability to quickly register participants, schedule appointments, arrange for easy on-site check-in and check-out, and exchange data between labs and state databases, easing the reporting process. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316006093/en/ [ 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. New investor Invesco Developing Markets Fund invests USD 150 mn Godrej Properties announced that the company raised Rs 3750 crore through the QIP route. The company saw a strong mix of investors with nearly 90% of the book being allocated to long only investors. GPL's largest existing external shareholder, GIC, strongly backed the QIP with an investment of USD 110 million while the largest investor in the QIP was a new investor, Invesco Developing Markets Fund and certain other funds managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc., that is investing USD 150 million. GPL has identified several growth opportunities and intends to use the net proceeds received from this issue for augmenting long term capability building and scaling the business rapidly in the years to come. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN), a commercialstage biopharmaceutical company with a marketed drug for the acute treatment of migraine and a portfolio of innovative, latestage product candidates targeting neurological diseases, including rare disorders, today announced the pricing of its underwritten public offering of 2,686,409 of its common shares at a price to the public of $76.00 per share. In addition, Biohaven has granted the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 402,961 common shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be approximately $200 million before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by Biohaven. The offering is expected to close on March 17, 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as the book-running manager of the offering. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, copies of which, when available, may be obtained from the offices of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 1866-471-2526, facsimile: 212-902-9316 or by emailing [email protected]. The shares will be issued pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3. Copies of the registration statement can be accessed through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the applicable securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. Contact Dr. Vlad Coric Chief Executive Officer Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. Phone: (203) 404-0410 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. Related Links http://biohavenpharma.com ALBERT LEA, Minn. A man accused of cutting a woman and threatening her with an ax is pleading guilty. Ben Vidal Moreno, 30 of Albert Lea, was arrested in December 2020 and charged with 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon and threats of violence. Court documents state that while Moreno and his then-girlfriend were at an Albert Lea motel, Moreno held a miniature ax to the back of her head and threatened to kill her. Investigators say Moreno also slid a knife across the womans wrists, leaving a wound that required stitches. On Tuesday, Moreno pleaded guilty to threats of violence. His sentencing is scheduled for May 20 in Freeborn County District Court. In the Black Sea, a boat tactical group of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along with the NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) conducted joint training at sea of the PASSEX type, the ArmyINFORM news agency of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine said. "The purpose of the training is to work out interaction as part of the multinational tactical formations of the crews of the Ukrainian Navy ships with the Turkish, Romanian and Royal Spanish Navies. All elements of the training are planned and worked out in accordance with the standards and procedures of the Alliance," the agency said in the statement released on Tuesday. It said that mine countermeasure training was practiced as part of a group of ships, the transfer of cargo on the move, repelling enemy air attack weapons and conducting ship-based combat training in wiring behind the trawls. "In addition, elements of tactical maneuvering, training in signal production using the international signaling system, and coverage of the maritime situation in areas of intensive civilian navigation have been worked out," the Defense Ministry said. It also said this is the second PASSEX-type training in 2021 with the participation of the Ukrainian Navy with the Alliance ships, which are taking place to maintain security in the Black Sea region and improve trainability and compatibility when performing joint maritime operations (tasks) as part of multinational tactical groups. In addition, the Defense Ministry says the main task of the NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (as one of NATO's naval rapid reaction groups) is the search, detection and destruction of sea mines, as well as escorting ships and vessels through minefields. 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 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. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, March 12th, 2021, the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in the Hague hosted an Election debate with Candidates of six political parties. The parties which were represented in this debate were BIJ1, represented by Ms. Lysanne Charles, UBUNTU (UCF), represented by Mr. Carlos Lopes, DENK, represented by Ms. Isaura Carillho, D66, represented by Drs. Jorien Wuite, Christen Unie, represented by Mr. Don Ceder and CDA, represented by Mr. Koos Sneek. The purpose of this debate was not only to offer a platform for the candidates to inform the voters of the party programs and visions but more so to encourage voters hailing from the Caribbean and South American diaspora in the Netherlands to go out and vote. Statistics over the past years have shown a relatively low voter turnout amongst this specific group of voters. Minister Violenus, the host of the debate, in his welcome remarks to the candidates and the viewing public, emphasized the importance of voter participation in the elections of March 17th and the urgency of having persons from the diaspora elected to the Second Chamber. This, the Minister stated would be an added value to the legislative decision-making affecting the diaspora and the islands. The themes debated centered around, the effects of climate change on the Caribbean islands, education and equal opportunities for students from the islands participating in educational programs, and of course Kingdom Relations and the current challenges we face as a result of democratic deficit. The Parliamentary elections will be held on the 17th of March, however, on Monday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 16 polling stations will be open to afford the elderly and persons belonging to the at-risk categories the opportunity to cast their votes. The government of the Netherlands has also introduced the option to vote by mail for persons above the age of 70. The voting process will end on Wednesday, March 17th, 2021 at 21.00 hrs. March 30th will be the last parliamentary date for the sitting Second Chamber. The new Parliamentarians are expected to take office on April 2nd, 2021. The debate hosted by the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary can be rewatched on the Facebook page of the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The House Ways and Means Committee has approved a measure imposing excise tax on plastic bags. The unnumbered substitute bill proposes a 20 excise tax for every kilogram of plastic bags removed from the place of production, or released from the Bureau of Customs' custody. The measure defines plastic bags as "secondary level plastics made of synthetic or semisynthetic organic polymer," commonly known as "labo" or "sando" bags used in packaging products. Committee chairman and Albay Representative Joey Salceda said the government can collect an estimated P4.867 billion yearly if the bill becomes a law. Under the bill, taxes collected from plastic bags will be used for the implementation of solid waste management plans of local government units. Sultan Kudarat Representative Horacio Suansing and his wife, Nueva Ecija Representative Estrellita Suansing, said taxing single use plastic bags would encourage the use of environment-friendly alternatives. Citing data from the non-profit group Ocean Conservancy, the Suansings said the Philippines is among the top countries that generate the biggest amount of plastic waste that goes into the ocean. Ocean Conservancy said the country generates 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste, and half a million tons of plastic waste leakage yearly. The Suansings filed House Bill 178, which was consolidated into the unnumbered substitute measure passed by the committee. Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's office was warned that ordering nursing homes to readmit residents recovering from COVID-19 would lead to unnecessary deaths, a new report reveals. But Murphy went ahead with implementing the order anyway. New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli informed hundreds long term care providers on a March 31 conference call that they would soon be expected to readmit COVID-positive nursing home residents, according to the report by New Jersey Advance Media. Persichilli told the staff that the returning patients would need to be separated into a separate wing and be assisted by separate staff that were not allowed to mingle, and instructed facilities unable to do that to contact the state for assistance. After the announcement, Perichilli was warned by an unnamed administrator that people would "die" should the infected residents be readmitted, according to the report. "Patients will die," the administrator said. "You understand that by asking us to take COVID patients, by demanding we take COVID patients, that patients will die in nursing homes that wouldn't have otherwise died had we screened them out." Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 20:57:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on March 7, 2021 shows the scenery at the Puzhehei national wetland park in Qiubei County of southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) The low-carbon commitment requires China to make the transition from reaching its carbon peak to realizing carbon neutrality within 30 years, compared with the 60 years taken by most developed countries. The contrast highlights the strength of the actions taken by China to ensure its commitment is achieved. BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and realizing carbon neutrality by 2060 are tough battles that China is determined to win. Reducing carbon emissions was one of the important topics covered by the ninth meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs on Monday. At the meeting, leadership raised a wide range of practical measures to cope with the challenges brought by carbon emissions, including building a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, deepening the reform of power system, building a power network based on new energy, and pushing forward major breakthroughs in green and low-carbon technologies. Policies on fiscal taxation, prices, finance, land and government procurement will also be improved to promote green development. Carbon neutrality is a promise China has made with determination. Green development is a path that China must travel to realize socialist modernization. A complete economic and societal shift to cleaner energy and lower polluting emissions conforms to the Chinese people's expectations for high-quality development. China is resolutely committed to tackling climate change, while it is still experiencing industrialization and urbanization and holds high expectations for economic growth. It faces far greater pressures and challenges than developed countries. The low-carbon commitment requires China to make the transition from reaching its carbon peak to realizing carbon neutrality within 30 years, compared with the 60 years taken by most developed countries. The contrast highlights the strength of the actions taken by China to ensure its commitment is achieved. Ecosystem management is an urgent task for China. The country has no way to retreat. It must take the strictest measures to handle pollution-related problems. Any enterprise or authority failing to control carbon emissions will be punished. Four iron and steel enterprises in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, were ordered to make corrections as they had not implemented emission reduction requirements during the emergency response period for heavy pollution, according to local authorities last week. China's commitment to decarbonization requires the country to formulate step-by-step measures. According to the 14th Five-Year Plan, energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be respectively reduced by 13.5 percent and 18 percent over the period. The measures set a solid foundation for peaking carbon emissions and realizing carbon neutrality. The carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets will not be easily achieved. China will spare no effort to realize its decarbonization promise. 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 Delhi, March 16 : The Delhi government on Tuesday directed the Food Safety Department to reduce the time taken to issue licences to food business operators from 60 days to 30 days, sources said. Government sources told IANS that the state government has also directed the department to issue registration certificates within four days as against the present seven days. Food business operators are required to register or obtain a licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act. During the review of the process, it was felt that the permissible time limit needs to be rationalised in view of public interest, the sources said. "The officials in the Food Safety Department are directed to issue registration and licence within a period of four days and 30 days, respectively, after observing all prescribed formalities," a source said. The officials concerned have also been directed to maintain records of inspections, samples and their analysis report in online mode. The drug company Moderna has begun a study that will test its COVID vaccine in children younger than 12, including babies as young as 6 months, the company said Tuesday. The study is expected to enroll 6,750 healthy children in the United States and Canada. Theres a huge demand to find out about vaccinating kids and what it does, said Dr. David Wohl, medical director of the vaccine clinic at the University of North Carolina, who is not involved the study. In a separate study, Moderna is testing its vaccine in 3,000 children ages 12-17. Many parents want protection for their children, and vaccinating children should help to produce the herd immunity considered crucial to stopping the pandemic. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for expansion of vaccine trials to include children. Each child in Modernas study will receive two shots, 28 days apart. The study will have two parts. In the first, children ages 2 years to younger than 12 may receive two doses of 50 or 100 micrograms each. Those younger than 2 may receive two shots of 25, 50 or 100 micrograms. In each group, the first children inoculated will receive the lowest doses and will be monitored for reactions before later participants are given higher doses. Then, researchers will perform an interim analysis to determine which dose is safest and most effective for each age group. Children in part two of the study will receive the doses selected by the analysis or placebo shots consisting of salt water. The children will be followed for a year, to look for side effects and measure antibody levels that will help researchers determine whether the vaccine is effective. The antibody levels will be the main indicator, but the researchers will also look for coronavirus infections, with or without symptoms. Wohl said the study appeared well designed and likely to be efficient, but he questioned why the children were to be followed for only one year, when adults in Modernas study are followed for two years. He also said he was somewhat surprised to see the vaccine being tested in children so young this soon. Should we learn first what happens in the older kids before we go to the really young kids? Wohl asked. Most young children do not become very ill from COVID, he said, although some develop a severe inflammatory syndrome that can be life threatening. Johnson & Johnson has also said it would test its coronavirus vaccine in babies and young children after testing it first in older children. Pfizer-BioNTech is testing its vaccine in children ages 12-15 and has said it plans to move to younger groups; the product is already authorized for use in those 16 and older in the United States. Last month, AstraZeneca began testing its vaccine in Britain in children 6 years and older. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. As lockdown restrictions rule out a traditional St Patricks Day celebration for the second year in a row, communities across Northern Ireland are still finding ways to mark the holiday at home. One of the many events will be taking place on the slopes of Slemish Mountain in Co Antrim, where legend has it that a young St Patrick once tended to sheep, with a series of specially commissioned performances to be broadcast online. Normally one of the years best attended events, the alternative arrangements still promise a feast of music, dancing and history from the comfort of your own home. The festivities can be viewed on Mid and East Antrim Borough Councils website and on their social channels. The Rector of St Patricks Church in Broughshane will also give a short talk on St Patricks link to the village while Broughshane Community Association will present a video guide to the local attractions to be enjoyed once lockdown ends. Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston, said: While we are unable to host our usual annual St Patricks Day at Slemish and Broughshane, I am delighted to see the exciting online programme of history and culture that has been put together for people to enjoy from home. In Downpatrick, a new show celebrating Irelands patron saint will debut at the Saint Patricks Centre. Commissioned to mark the 20th anniversary of the visitor attraction, it will feature Grian Chatten, the Grammy-nominated frontman of Fontaines DC. I am absolutely delighted to have been asked to read the The Lake Isle of Innisfree by Yeats for The Saint Patrick Show, he said. St Patricks Island in Skerries where Im from and Downpatrick will be finally connected. Dr Tim Campbell, director of the Saint Patricks Centre said he was delighted with the new show. This show was put together in lockdown in a Covid-secure environment and we look forward to audiences seeing it here in Downpatrick as part of a Dinner Show for tourists when the restrictions are lifted. The 35 minute show will also feature two Downpatrick artists, Matthew Campbell of the Shamrock Tensors and soprano Mary McCabe who has just been announced as winner of the New York International Opera competition. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also welcomed that the show was taking place at the Downpatrick venue, one of the cross-community projects resulting from the Good Friday Agreement. I know there is enormous talent and so much vibrancy put into this show. I hope it is a real success, he said. Directed by Belinda Murphy of Riverdance, the show will be viewable on St Patricks Day on the centre website and on Facebook. Although pubs remain closed across the island of Ireland, a virtual Irish pub night organised by Tourism Ireland is to be broadcast around the world. Its hoped the 90 minute broadcast will bring a taste of Ireland into the homes of people around the world. The evening will open at Johnnie Foxs pub in the Dublin Mountains, the highest pub in Ireland, with a performance by a drumming ensemble before moving over to the Duke of York pub in Belfast. Here the Shamrock Tenors, a new Northern-Ireland based five-piece harmony and multi-instrumental group, will combine their traditional Celtic melodies and modern day vocals. In the Cathedral city of Armagh, a packed six-day schedule of celebrations has been announced. Beginning on Friday, March 12, the At Home with St Patrick Festival will treat viewers to a thrilling online showcase packed with snakes, shamrocks, history and culture, traditional music and dance. From the iconic Navan Fort one of Irelands most iconic archaeological sites to Armaghs famous orchards, cathedrals, theatres and libraries, the organisers promise few will be untouched by the spirit of a city that St Patrick made his home. A total of 19 free to events are on offer, including an Irish dance masterclass from Riverdances Jason ONeill, and an exciting dramatisation at Navan Fort of St Patricks early life. Advertisement Natasha Lyonne is back filming season two of the hit Netflix show Russian Doll, and by the looks of it her character Nadia Vulvokov will be as accident-prone as ever. Natasha, 41, was pictured in New York City on Tuesday filming an action-packed scene that showed her narrowly avoiding being hit by a taxi in the street as she waved her arms to bring the vehicle to a halt. The comedy-drama sees her character getting caught in a mysterious time loop as she repeatedly attends the same event and dies at the end of the night each time, only to awaken the next day unharmed as if nothing happened. Here she goes again! Natasha Lyonne is back filming Russian Doll season two... as her death-defying character narrowly avoids getting hit by a taxi in New York City on Tuesday Dressed in her usual black attire, it appears that Nadia will be getting up to her usual hijinks in season two, in which she will be joined by a few new characters. Netflix revealed recently that Schitt's Creek star Annie Murphy will be joining the show. 'What a concept: Schitt's Creek alum, the all-around flawless Emmy-winning Annie Murphy has joined the cast of Russian Doll for Season 2!' the post read. Close call: It appeals season two of the hit Netflix show will see Nadia get up to her usual hijinks Woah there: Natasha was in her character's famously all-black attire for the action-packed scene on Tuesday Boom! The start took a hit from a New York cab while filming a scene from the show Russian Doll follows Natasha's character as she struggles with life in a Groundhog Day-style time warp where she constantly relives a single night. The night in question includes her 36th birthday party and culminates in her death, meaning every time she dies she has to start over. Natasha co-created the series with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland whose work includes the Rebel Wilson movie Bachelorette and the play on which it was based. Keeping warm: The former Orange Is The New Black star was scene with a hot beverage throughout takes on the show Cast and crew: Natasha waited with crew members wearing safety masks while filming the show Labor of love: Natasha co-created the series with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland whose work includes the Rebel Wilson movie Bachelorette and the play on which it was based Danger: Russian Doll follows Natasha's character as she struggles with life in a Groundhog Day-style time warp where she constantly relives a single night High spirits: The Emmy-nominated star looked thrilled to be back on set Although filming on season two was reportedly meant to start last year it had to be delayed on account of the coronavirus pandemic. Back in 2019 after the first season dropped on Netflix Natasha told The Hollywood Reporter: 'What I want is for one person to feel a little less alone, and a little bit like theyre OK and its OK and you can keep showing up to fight another day.' Natasha also held forth about the show's emphasis on self-destruction and gave a bit of historical context saying: 'In the '60s, you would see people dropping like flies at 27 and you felt: "Oh that must be a drug thing."' She added: 'But as you move into modern times, were realizing that its very adult and very accomplished people who find that life is simply too much to bear. Thats a very real thing that we need to remove a cloak of shame around.' Natasha argued: 'I think we need to be discussing freely and openly the underlying brokenness of the human experience.' Walking into trouble: Natasha heads into a scene where she is almost hit by a taxi Season two: Filming for the next installment is underway Voters want California to expand and encourage rooftop solar, not allow utilities to undermine consumer choice. Tweet this A super-majority of 80 percent of voters across parties support net metering when provided a neutral statement on the program. 71 percent of voters want to see California do more to encourage and expand rooftop solar across the state, and another 14 percent want the state to at least maintain its current commitment. "California is a solar state thanks to overwhelming support from voters," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director, CALSSA. "Voters want California to actively expand and encourage rooftop solar, not allow utilities to undermine consumer choice." Not surprisingly, 64 percent of voters oppose utility proposals to reduce the credit that people who have rooftop solar receive from their local utility for any extra electricity that their rooftop solar generates and feeds back to the grid, with just 25 percent supporting the effort. Voters are not buying an ongoing campaign by utility special interests to blame solar users for energy rate hikes. That reason is supported by just 13 percent of voters and the lowest of all options provided including the costs of building new electric transmission lines (21 percent), grid maintenance (25 percent), managing wildfire danger (38 percent), and utility companies seeking to maintain or boost their profits (56 percent). "Half of California's rooftop solar is found in working and middle-class neighborhoods," said Dave Rosenfeld, Executive Director, Solar Rights Alliance. "Net metering is helping bring costs down and making it possible for more families to access the savings, resilience and other benefits of solar power while also moving California closer to our clean energy goals. Voters of all backgrounds want to continue that progress. They know the utilities do not have their best interests in mind." When provided the perspectives of rooftop solar advocates and utility interests, nearly three in four voters sided with solar: 72 percent agree that: Half of California's rooftop solar is found in working and middle-class neighborhoods. Net metering has brought costs down and is essential to make it possible for more people to get solar power. We can't go back to a time when only the rich could afford it. 27 percent agree that: The current credits for net metering give a massive subsidy to wealthy homeowners who can afford to install huge, pricey solar power systems. But it's working and middle-class Californians who foot the bill in the form of higher energy costs. The poll was conducted by Benenson Strategy Group and included 811 interviews with likely 2022 voters in California from February 22 26, 2021. Interviews were conducted using SMS text to web services, on landline phones, and from online web panels. The sample was weighted to ensure it was proportionally representative of registered voters in the district. The margin of error is 3.46% at the 95% confidence level and is higher among subgroups and questions that were split or not asked of all. A summary memo of the poll is available here. The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) has advanced the common interest of the solar and storage industry for over 40 years, making California the most robust market in the U.S. The association is the state's largest clean energy business group with over 600 member companies, primarily small businesses based in communities throughout the state, representing an array of businesses that manufacture, design, install, finance and provide other resources to the growing local solar and storage market in California. Learn more at www.calssa.org Solar Rights Alliance is the nonprofit association of California solar users. We believe everyone has the right to make energy from the sun without unreasonable interference by the utilities. We keep track of what politicians, regulators and utilities are up to, and alert the public when there is a threat to rooftop solar, or an opportunity to help more Californians access rooftop solar. Learn more at www.solarrights.org Benenson Strategy Group (BSG) is a premier consulting and strategic research firm that advises political leaders, global corporations and institutions in the most dynamic, competitive scenarios. We use innovative techniques that probe deeply on core beliefs, attitudes, and emotions and provide actionable recommendations for our clients to deliver a message that breaks through the clutter and reaches its intended audience. For more information, please visit www.bsgco.com SOURCE California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA); Solar Rights Alliance Related Links https://calssa.org Seven rare sua (dalbergia tonkinensis) trees were reportedly unrooted and killed recently to provide land for traffic construction works in Hanoi. Many sua trees died after being replanted on Nguyen Van Huyen Road in Hanoi's Cau Giay District. VNA/VNS Photo Le Phu The report has raised public concern about the decline in the number of sua trees in recent years. Sua trees are commonly found along Hanois streets. The tree is ranked as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Natures Red List of Endangered Species. In Vietnam, sua wood is highly valued for its quality. Recently, to build an intersection on Hoang Quoc Viet and Nguyen Van Huyen streets in Cau Giay District, the Hanoi Traffic Construction Investment Management Board sent a written request to the Construction Department to displace some trees in the construction area. After consideration, the Construction Department issued a license to allow the unrooting and moving of 125 trees in the area. A total of 110 trees were moved, of which there were 34 sua trees. According to the Construction Department, the Hanoi Traffic Construction Investment Management Board was responsible for felling, moving and replanting trees. Along with that, the board had to select qualified units to carry out the work to ensure the trees stayed alive. Notably, the 34 sua trees, listed as rare and precious timber, had to have their branches pruned when being moved. The trees had to be protected, re-planted and taken care of. After a year of replanting, the new trees were to be handed over to a State agency for management. However, the Hanoi Traffic Construction Investment Management Board has not yet handed over the trees to the Hanoi Green Trees Park Co Ltd to take care of as per the request of the Construction Department. On Nguyen Van Huyen Streets pavement, the rows of sua trees were re-planted neatly with protective iron fences. However, some trees have had dry branches without leaves. Some trees had lost bark on their trunks and branches. The outward appearance shows that many of the trees are no longer able to grow. The board hired Thanh Cong Xanh Consulting and Trading Co., Ltd., to unroot, move and replant the above trees to Nguyen Van Huyen Street. After many checks and assessments, the board found that seven out of the 34 sua trees died. The board reported to the Construction Department on the status of the dead trees and proposed they be replaced by other trees and be sold as per State regulations. Moving trees for building transport works in urban areas is important and the trees could have died during moving and replanting, according to Dr Dang Van Hai from the Vietnam Forestry University. But there should be a special process for moving and replanting valuable trees such as sua, Hai said. At present, modern science allows for the application of many measures so that trees could take root and have green branches a few days after moving and replanting, Hai said. However, it is necessary to check if the moving unit carried out the right process for cutting branches, stimulating roots, wrapping the body and replanting, he said. According to Hai, it is important to check whether there was a malicious human influence that caused the trees to die. "Because the price of sua trees is very high. On the black market, a kilogram of timber costs tens of millions of dong. We should think about people with bad motives who wanted the trees to die to sell, he said. The expert asked if Thanh Cong Xanh Consulting was professional and qualified enough for the job considering many sua trees were dead after replanting. From a legal perspective, lawyer Nguyen Van Ha from Ha An and Associates Law Firm said street trees were the property of the State and must be protected. A proper investigation into the deaths of the sua trees is needed, Ha said, adding that criminal charges could be in order. In addition, the individuals or units that made the trees die might also have to compensate the Government financially. The sanctions aimed to avoid the same incident with the trees in the future, the lawyer said. VNS Green trees, a part of Hanois soul In the eyes of some Hanoians, the citys green trees partly contribute to the identity of the capital. A judge refused to grant the city of San Antonio a temporary restraining order to shut down the North Side exotic dance club XTC Cabaret for operating without a certificate of occupancy. State District Judge Laura Salinas gave no reason for her ruling this week. Eric S. Langan, chairman, CEO and president of Houstons RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc., XTCs parent company, said a TRO would have caused irreparable harm to the club and its employees. We try to be a good corporate citizen, Langan said Tuesday. We dont want to cause this issue. But at the same time, we have to stand up for our rights and our rights to operate our business. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio exotic dancers allege theyve been stripped of wages The city is not giving up on its efforts to stop the club from keeping its doors open without a certificate of occupancy. The city may still pursue a temporary injunction against XTC, which had its certificate of occupancy revoked Nov. 24 by the citys Development Services Department over alleged health violations during the pandemic and criminal activity. XTC reopened its doors Feb. 25 without the certificate of occupancy. The city then cut off power and water to the business, but Langan said XTC got around that by bringing in a generator and an external water supply source. The city has been issuing citations against the club each day its been operating without the certificate and for failing to comply with orders to vacate the property at 2023 Sable Lane. The former carries a fine of up to $500 a day, while the fine for the latter is up to $2,000 a day. All were asking from the court is that XTC be ordered to follow the law, Assistant City Attorney Savita Rai said Tuesday after the judges ruling. The law is you have to have a certificate of occupancy to operate. They do not have one. Thus, they should not be operating. Were looking at our options moving forward, she added. Salinas ruling shows the city has no grounds for shutting down XTC, Langan said. Since they have no legal remedy to physically close our business, they have decided they are just going to do it by taking away our electricity, by taking away our water, he said. Im surprised they havent come and jacked up the street in front of the business. Im not putting it past them. I better not give them any ideas. Langan said XTC most certainly will be pursuing financial damages against the city for the time the business was shut down, but added hes not looking to punish the citizens of San Antonio. At a hearing Monday, XTC lawyer Benjamin Allen told Salinas the revocation of the certificate of occupancy was invalid from the get-go. To shut this business down would put everyone who is employed there out of work, Allen said. If their arguments are true, theyll be able to prevail on their arguments eventually. Two weeks from now theres going to be a temporary injunction hearing that could shut the business down based on evidence. The club has about 35 employees and about 50 dancers, who are independent contractors, Langan said. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox Assistant City Attorney Samuel Adams described XTC Cabaret as scofflaws. It is a direct assault on our powers, our police laws, to enforce law and order in the city of San Antonio, Adams told the judge. XTC and the city have swapped five lawsuits since December. The city has cited rulings in its favor from judges in state District Court, the 4th Court of Appeals and U.S. District Court. XTC said only one judge state District Judge Mary Lou Alvarez decided the merits of whether the city had the legal authority to revoke the certificate of occupancy. Notes from a Dec. 18 hearing in which Alvarez heard testimony from both sides reflect that she ruled the city should reinstate XTCs certificate of occupancy. The judges ruling, however, doesnt appear to have been memorialized in a written order. Its not clear why there was no order. Based on those notes, XTC reopened Feb. 25 even though the city never restored the certificate of occupancy. The citys attorneys have argued the judges notes were not an order, so XTC cant use them as the basis for reopening. Alvarez also did not have jurisdiction to hear the case, Rai said, because XTC had not first taken up the issue of the revocation with the citys Board of Adjustment before seeking relief in court. The board eventually took up the matter in January but refused to grant XTCs appeal of the revocation by an 8 to 3 vote. XTC called that an abuse of discretion in a subsequent lawsuit against the board. XTC asked for its own temporary restraining order directing the board to restore the certificate of occupancy. State District Judge Norma Gonzales denied the request March 9. pdanner@express-news.net A young woman has opened up on how an online predator groomed and blackmailed her into performing explicit acts before he sexually assaulted her in her own home at the age of 13. The harrowing ordeal had a devastating toll on Rhiannon* (not her real name), who plunged into a hole of depression and self harm where she tried taking her own life twice. The amount of child sexual abuse material online has soared worldwide in the 10 years since Rhiannon's traumatic experience. Australia's Office of the eSafety Commissioner has detected a 70 per cent rise in child sexual abuse material material in the last 12 months alone with more people online at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Rhiannon said the harrowing ordeal of being sexually assaulted in her own home at had a life changing effect. Rhiannon (pictured) now 23, says she was groomed online before she was sexually assaulted in her own home by an online predator 10 years ago 'It's changed who I am,' the British-born woman, now 23, told SBS program Dateline. 'I had depression and I used to self-harm. I took an overdose and I tried to kill myself twice. I had real anger issues.' 'I was just angry that this happened to me. It never should have happened.' Rhiannon was barely a teenager when she began chatting online with a man posing as a young female model, wanting to exchange photos. 'She said I was really pretty, and I could be a model like her,' she recalled. Rhiannon became hesitant when the 'model' began requesting topless photos of her. 'I didn't want to do it at first but she spent ages telling me that it was fine, it was okay, it was no big deal, everyone does it,' she said. 'She made me feel like it was okay to do it so eventually I did send her a topless photo. And then everything changed.' She claims she was then asked to send videos of herself performing sexually explicit acts, which were then used to blackmail Rhiannon. Rhiannon (pictured) says the harrowing ordeal changed her as a person 'She said if I didn't do that, she was going to make sure all my friends and family saw the topless photo of me,' she said. 'That was really terrifying for me so I didn't feel like I had much of a choice but to do what she was telling me to do.' She claims the blackmail and threats worsened as the 'model' pressured Rhiannon into meeting up at the teen's home. 'I initially said no to her and wasn't going to give out my address. And then she threatened me, saying she was going to release all the material that she had,' Rhiannon said. 'So eventually I did give in because I didn't know what else to do.' It's only when the pair met up that Rhiannon realised the young female model she thought she was talking to online was a man. 'I was too terrified to do or to say anything at that point,' she said. 'He sexually assaulted me at home and he took pictures of everything.' A decade on, Rhiannon still has no idea how widely the photos of her were circulated. Australia's Office of the eSafety Commissioner has detected a 70 per cent rise in child sexual abuse material material in the last 12 months alone (stock image) The Australian eSafety Commissioner's Cyber Report team continues to respond to the rise in reports from the public and law enforcement authorities about prohibited online content and works with international partners to get online child sexual abuse material taken down. 'Here, too, there was a significant increase in workload during the COVID-19 pandemic, as those who produce and circulate this horrendous material online sought to take advantage of unique opportunities,' Commissioner Julie Inman Grant wrote in October. The Commissioner's office is also behind a world-first government-led reporting service for victims who have had their intimate images shared, or threatened to be shared, without their consent. 'There was a significant increase in these reports, and sextortion scams continued to be a prominent concern for our team, with a large spike recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown period,' Ms Inman Grant added. The UK's National Police Chiefs' Council for Child Protection boss says the rise of online child sex abuse material is 'one of the greatest threats to society and one of the greatest policing challenges, certainly that we are facing.' Experts say the amount of child sexual abuse material online has soared worldwide in the wake on the pandemic 12 months ago (stock image) 'The latest statistics show that UK police are arresting over 700 men every month, safeguarding 900 children but the number of jobs continue to grow and grow and grow,' Chief Constable Simon Bailey told Dateline. Rhiannon bravely shared her story in the hope other teens aren't lured into a similar traumatic ordeal she went went. 'If I'd had that message when I was younger, maybe I would have felt more able to speak out about it,' she said. Watch Rhiannon's harrowing story on Dateline 9.30pm Tuesday on SBS. If you or anyone you know needs confidential support, call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline (for ages 5-25) on 1800 55 1800. Authorities seized a tiger and a bobcat Tuesday from a two-story brick home in a southeast Bexar County neighborhood. Investigators with the Bexar County Sheriffs Office and San Antonio Animal Care Services found the wild cats inside the residence in the 3100 block of Shane Road. The 5-year-old bobcat and 13-week-old tiger were taken to the San Antonio Zoo, where they will be housed temporarily before moving to a wildlife sanctuary. The Animal Care Services vans that held the caged animals were marked with signs saying Responsible owners make safer neighborhoods. The wild cats' owners were anything but responsible, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar. He noted the tiger could grow to weigh hundreds of pounds. People need to use their brain and realize not only is it dangerous, not only is it extremely irresponsible, its illegal, Salazar said. Jeremy Martinez, 25, was arrested at the home. Martinez was charged with violating a county ordinance on keeping exotic animals and possession of marijuana. He also had an outstanding warrant for failure to identify. The tigers owners are believed to be connected to the owners of the tiger found on Feb. 13 outside a Southwest Bexar County home. The Netflix series "Tiger King" may have contributed to the popularity of tigers in the San Antonio area, Salazar suggested. But Manuel Flores, an officer with ACS, warned that the cute tiger cubs grow up quickly. That can be a real big problem, especially if they get loose into the community, Flores said. On Tuesday, authorities working on a tip showed up to the Shane Road residence and found the bobcat, which had free run of the house. An officer then spotted two more paws under a door. The discoveries and the thought of what would have happened if the exotic animals had gotten loose were rather alarming for Nichols Wesley, 80, who lives across the street with his family. Our cats and dogs come in and out, Wesley said. So itd probably cost them their lives. Tim Morrow, CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, said the zoo will provide safe housing and veterinary care for the animals until a permanent home is found. One neighbor, Mario Delagarza, was in his backyard on a recent evening and heard a noise that sounded like a dog in distress. Hes now wondering if that was a wild cat. Hector Garcia, another nearby resident, joked that the man arrested for owning the bobcat and tiger could follow his pets. Maybe he can get a job at the zoo after this, Garcia said with a smile. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 16:02:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - COLOMBO -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka surpassed the 88,000 mark on Tuesday after over 300 new case were registered, statistics from the Health Ministry showed here. According to official figures, Sri Lanka has recorded 88,238 positive COVID-19 cases since last March out of which 84,969 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospitals, bringing the active patient count down to 2,737. - - - - PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia on Tuesday confirmed 105 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day number of COVID-19 infections since the disease hit the kingdom, said a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement. The figure surpassed the previous highest daily record of 65 cases on Feb. 25. - - - - HONG KONG -- Hong Kong reported 18 additional cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the tally to 11,329. Of the new cases, 13 were locally transmitted, including two untraceable infections, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection said in a statement. - - - - SYDNEY -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) will introduce a nationwide isolation strategy to combat rising cases of COVID-19, Prime Minister James Marape has announced. The country recorded 97 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday as well as five deaths linked to the disease, taking the total positive cases to 2,269 and deaths to 26. Enditem House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took a break from reading Dr. Seuss to visit the U.S.-Mexico border Monday, but he was still speaking in the simplistic terms of childrens literature. During an appearance with other lawmakers in El Paso, McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, attempted to brand the latest surge of migrants the Biden border crisis. McCarthy was right in one respect: The border is President Bidens problem now. His administration is struggling to handle the influx of migrants arriving there, particularly the children among them, as competently and humanely as it should. But the idea that Biden created or even exacerbated the problem is as fictitious as Green Eggs and Ham. Last month, the Biden administration reversed former President Donald Trumps policy of turning away unaccompanied children seeking asylum at the border, as migrants have a right to do under U.S. and international law. The reversal was legally and morally correct, and it should extend to adult asylum seekers. The administration is still following its predecessors policy of expelling adult migrants ostensibly as a means of controlling the spread of the pandemic, a dubious pretext given that the United States has consistently been one of the worlds coronavirus hot spots. Did Bidens policy shift bring about the latest wave of migrants, as McCarthy and company contend? Its certainly possible that it played a role. But the border has seen cyclical surges of unaccompanied minors since 2014, back when Biden was vice president. More than 40,000 have arrived every year since, and the number peaked at over 70,000 under the punitive and supposedly deterrent policies of the Trump administration. The fact is that upheaval, violence, poverty and other hardships in Central America and Mexico drive northward migration regardless of U.S. policy changes, which are communicated to prospective immigrants in unpredictable ways by smugglers and other unreliable sources. Biden has rightly sought to target what drives migration through increased investment in the countries that are home to the migrants. That is a long-term strategy that wont address the present influx, however. And finding a way to do that more effectively is urgent. With thousands of children being held in inadequate, overwhelmed Border Patrol detention facilities longer than legally allowed, and thousands more in Department of Health and Human Services shelters awaiting placement with sponsors, the administration deployed Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel last week to help manage the surge. Meanwhile, immigrant advocates held a rally Monday at Mountain Views Moffett Field, the former military base where federal officials are considering keeping children who cant be accommodated elsewhere. Holding unaccompanied minors has to be distinguished from the notorious Trump administration policy that separated families, but it still results in the inherently harmful detention of children. The Biden administration must strive to keep such detentions as rare and as brief as possible. Officials say they are doing so by easing the placement of young migrants with relatives and allowing them to apply for asylum in their home countries. Both steps required reversing some of the many Trump administration policies that blocked asylum seekers across the board instead of addressing systemic problems. Lawmakers refusal to undertake comprehensive reform also perpetuates long-standing failures. Unfortunately, McCarthy and company would rather be hamming it up. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Reasons behind Maharashtra's poor Covid showing Maharashtra's poor show in curbing the spread of the is because it is not testing enough and properly, a report in ThePrint said. The state has 56 per cent of the active caseload in India, but it accounts for just seven per cent of fully vaccinated people in the country. Also, despite the fact that the state is now close to testing 100,000 samples a day, the tests-per-million metric is at 1,42,513.9 against a national average of 1,63,160, the report said. Read more here Cases of seasonal flu dip amid Covid Cases of seasonal flua common occurrence in January and February have seen a dip amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a report in ThePrint said. Sales of medication for cold and flu declined by 14 per cent from Rs 3,154 crore to Rs 2,712 crore between February 2020 and February 2021, according to data gathered by the All India Organisation of Chemist and Druggist (AIOCD-AWACS). Experts say compliance with recommended precautions to avoid contracting Covid-19 such as wearing a mask and frequent hand-washing is behind the dip in cases of seasonal flu as communicable diseases spread through droplets. Read more here AstraZeneca says no higher risk of blood clots British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca has said that a review of individuals inoculated with its Covid-19 vaccine has shown no evidence of increased risk of blood clots, a report in the Scroll said. The vaccine was developed in collaboration with the UK's University of Oxford. Pune-based Serum Institute of India is the manufacturing partner for the vaccine. AstraZeneca said it has reviewed data from 17 million people vaccinated in the United Kingdom and European Union after reports emerged of blood clotting among people who received the shots in Norway. Read more here Heres why the 28-day gap between doses is necessary A report in The Indian Express explains the reasoning behind the 28-day interval between jabs in a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine regimen. Dr Farah Ingale, director, internal medicine at Hiranandani Hospital, told the newspaper, With the first dose, people develop antibodies slowly, but with the second dose, this process gets faster. A minimum 28-day gap, therefore, is appropriate. Many countries are maintaining a gap of around three months to ensure the maximum number of people in their country get inoculated." Ingale added, "In India, our approach has been different. Through our phased approach which keeps in mind our population size we are hoping people receive their vaccination in a timely manner." Read more here Maharashtra: Lockdown is not the right strategy at this stage, expert explains In a report in The Indian Express, a medical expert explains why lockdowns are not the right strategy at this stage. Dr Pradip Awate told the newspaper a lockdown is like a pause button which made sense in the early days of the pandemic as it bought the authorities time to prepare for the crisis. The lockdown provided time to upgrade health infrastructure, ramp up hospital bed numbers, laboratory network, equipment like oxygen beds and ventilators. But now that those systems are already in place. Lockdowns should have little role to play in the strategy to contain the virus. Read more here The Iraqi government implemented March 15 visa on arrival status to citizens of several countries. The move constitutes a profound change to Iraqs visa policy. Citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, European Union states, Russia, China and other countries can now get a visa upon entering Iraq via an airport or a land or sea border. Those entering will need to pay a fee and their entry is subject to coronavirus-related regulations, the Iraqi government said in a press release. The measure aims to boost the Iraqi economy. To this end, Iraq included all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council on the list. Citizens of the economic powerhouses Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland can also receive a visa on arrival. Iraq wants to encourage investment & support job creation, the government said in a tweet. Almost all foreigners needed to apply for an Iraqi visa before entering previously and this rule still applies for the states not on the exemption list, including Middle Eastern countries. The new policy will also make it easier for many international journalists to cover Iraqi news. The Iraqi federal government does not control visa requirements in the entire country. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq implements its own visa regimen. Citizens of the United States, the EU, Turkey, Iran and several other countries can enter the Kurdistan Region without obtaining a visa beforehand, according to the KRG. This policy has been in place for several years. The Iraqi governments visa announcement followed weeks of rumors in Iraqi online and social media. New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO closed 71.01 lakh employees' provident fund (EPF) accounts during April-December in 2020 when the coronavirus-induced lockdown was at its peak and massive job cuts were reported. This is higher than 66.66 lakh EPF accounts closed in the same period a year ago, Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar informed Parliament on Monday. "The number of Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) accounts closed during the period from April to December 2020 is 71,01,929," the Labour Minister said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. It may be noted that the Centre had imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic on March 25, 2020. According to the minister's written reply, the number of EPF accounts closed in April-December 2019 was 66,66,563. The EPF account is closed for many reasons including superannuation, job loss or changing jobs. The Union Minister also stated that the number of EPF accounts with partial withdrawal also rose to 1,27,72,120 in April-December 2020 from 54,42,884 in the same period in 2019. Total withdrawals from EPF account in April-December 2020 rose to Rs 73,498 crore from Rs 55,125 crore in the corresponding period year ago, Gangwar added. In a separate reply to the House, the Union Labour Minister said that under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojna (ABRY), 1.83 lakh establishment or firms have been registered covering 15.30 Lakh employees till February 28, 2021. As much as Rs 186.34 crore has been released under the ABRY till February 28, 2021, the minister said in his reply. The ABRY scheme has been launched to incentivize employers for creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scheme being implemented through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) reduces the financial burden of the employers of various sectors/ industries and encourages them to hire more workers. Under ABRY, the Government of India is bearing for a period of two years, both the employees' share (12% of wages) and employers' share (12% of wages) of contribution payable. In another reply to the House, Gangwar said the EPFO has invested Rs 27,532.39 crore in exchange traded funds (ETF) till February 28, 2021. The EPFO had invested Rs 32,377.26 crore in 2019-20 and Rs 27,743.19 crore in 2018-19 in the ETF. In a separate reply to the House, the Minister stated, "The number of claims settled by Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) during the lockdown period (i.E March 25, 2020 to May 31, 2020) were 31,01,818." Live TV San Antonio police found and arrested a mother who had been missing with her 18-month-old child since January. Authorities on Tuesday charged 20-year-old D'Lanny Reaneille Chairez with abandoning or endangering a child. Police said they have not found her son, James Avi Chairez, but believe he may still be in the San Antonio area. Until Monday when she was brought in by police for questioning, Chairez and her child had been missing since Jan. 4, when they were seen on security footage at a Walgreens in the 7100 block of Marbach Road. According to an arrest affidavit, Chairez refused to answer police questions about the child's whereabouts but instead discussed wanting to give him up for adoption because she was not ready to be a mother. She also told police she was dealing with mental health issues and wanted the child "to be in a better place," the affidavit said. THE DOCKET: True crime, legal buzz, courtroom news and more. Delivered to your inbox. In the affidavit, police described Chairez as providing inconsistent statements. She also said she gave the child away to multiple people, according to the affidavit. Police said they found a crib sheet with blood on it along with the child's car seat, stroller, diapers and toys during a search of the woman's residence. Family members said they haven't seen the child since Thanksgiving but he was seen on security camera footage with Chairez at the Walgreens on Jan. 4. Security cameras caught the mother alone twice in February, once on Feb. 21 at another Walgreens and a second time at a VIA bus station near U.S. 90 and S.W. Military Drive. On Saturday, more than 60 San Antonio Police Academy cadets and police officers, aided by helicopters and four K-9 teams, scoured the 500-acre Pearsall Park for signs of the two after authorities received a credible tip that they were in the area. READ ALSO: SAPD releases photo of missing San Antonio mother on the day of last sighting Police did not say how they found Chairez but said the investigation remains active. Chairez's bail was set at $250,000. Anyone with information on the child's whereabouts should call the police department's Missing Persons Unit at 210-207-7660. Editor's Note: The story was updated to reflect that Chairez was alone when she was seen on Walgreens security footage Feb. 21 Taoiseach Micheal Martin said gardai should be given the space to investigate the leaking of a confidential document by Leo Varadkar. The Fianna Fail leader also said people should not play politics with the investigation. The Tanaiste has faced calls to resign or be sacked after a garda inquiry into his leaking of a confidential document was upgraded to a criminal probe. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald called the leak of a doctors pay agreement by the then taoiseach to his friend an abuse of power. There is also the presumption of innocence, which is a very basic principle Micheal Martin Mr Martin said there was a comprehensive debate about the incident in the Dail. The Government won a vote of confidence in Mr Varadkar in November last year. It came after Sinn Fein tabled a motion of no confidence over Mr Varadkars disclosure of the confidential document. Speaking on Tuesday at Government Buildings, Mr Martin said: In my view, if the gardai have enquiries they need to be allowed the space to continue with those enquiries. Im not officially aware of the nature of those enquiries in any shape or form. Ive read newspaper reports but thats as much from my perceptive. The gardai should be allowed to do their work and that is the important principle. I dont think people should play politics with it. There is also the presumption of innocence, which is a very basic principle. The basic point here is we have debated this in the Dail. The Tanaiste apologised at the time for his actions and said clearly it was an error of judgment. Earlier, Ms McDonald criticised Mr Martins response to her request for a meeting about the Tanaistes position in Government. She described his response as arrogant and high-handed. Mr Martin said he had no intention of meeting the Sinn Fein leader about the Tanaiste, and described the letter as purely political. "It's not good enough for the bar for Leo Varadkar to be 'I didn't break the law' there should be a much higher bar. However it is quite clear that what SF have tried to do yesterday and today is to divert attention away from what their assembly members did in Northern Ireland" pic.twitter.com/iRMl4y6n9n The Labour Party (@labour) March 16, 2021 The Tanaiste has admitted that in April 2019, while taoiseach, he sent a copy of a doctors pay deal between the State and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to his friend, Dr Maitiu O Tuathail. Dr O Tuathail was head of the rival organisation, the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), at the time In a statement Mr Martin said the letter was a tactic used on a far too frequent basis by the SF leader and it lacks sincerity. The Taoiseach has no intention of responding on this occasion, the statement added. Mr Martin also said he receives letters from Ms McDonald on a regular basis. Mr Varadkar defended his position on Tuesday and denied doing any act that was illegal or corrupt. He told Newstalk that he shared a document in a way that was inappropriate. I accounted for that in the Dail. I apologised for it, Mr Varadkar said. I wouldn't have anticipated a dismissive and extremely arrogant approach so as we have heard today Mary Lou McDonald There was no personal gain, no personal benefit. I did no harm to anyone and conferred no advantage on anyone. Ms McDonald hit out at the Taoiseachs response to her letter, adding that it was Mr Martins job to deal with the leader of the opposition. I think his response is arrogant and high-handed, Ms McDonald said. To give the background to this, I have written to the Taoiseach on 12 occasions this year. Ive written to him about vaccine rollout, about carers, people with disabilities, special education, speech and language therapy, Brexit and the Irish protocol. So the Taoiseach would need to clarify which of these issues is a waste of his time, as he sees it. I think it is extraordinary to think that this Government seems to believe it is OK to leak confidential, sensitive documents to your friends, but there is a problem answering correspondence from the leader of the opposition. Expand Close Tanaiste Leo Varadkar (Julien Behal Photography) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tanaiste Leo Varadkar (Julien Behal Photography) All the more extraordinary given the fact that the Dail isnt fully operating. We are operating on a limited schedule, so I thought the head of the Government would have appreciated correspondence from all parties. I wouldnt have anticipated a dismissive and extremely arrogant approach so as we have heard today. Labours Aodhan O Riordain said his party did not believe the Tanaistes story. We voted no confidence in them at that point (November) and we still have no confidence in him, he said. We felt he should have resigned last November and we feel that he should not be in the position that he is in. But in a pandemic and in this particular political situation we find ourselves in, the rules have changed slightly, and I imagine if it wasnt for the pandemic he would no longer be Tanaiste, and no longer be a minister and no longer leader of Fine Gael. Its not good enough for the bar for Leo Varadkar to be that I didnt break the law. There should be a much higher bar for the office holder of Taoiseach or Tanaiste. Illegal Border Crossings Will Be Highest in 20 Years: Homeland Security Secretary The number of migrants who are illegally entering into the United States via the southern border has spiked during President Joe Bidens first two months in office, said the head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday. We are on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. Mayorkas, whose agency oversees Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, defended the Biden administrations response to what some have described as a growing crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border. Previously, White House officials and top Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have said it was the previous administrations policies that triggered the crisis, although Republicans said Bidens moves to rescind Trump-era executive immigration orders essentially served as a welcome mat for illegal immigrants. There is understandably a great deal of attention currently focused on the southwest border, Mayorkas added. The situation at the southwest border is difficult. We are working around the clock to manage it and we will continue to do so. That is our job. We are making progress and we are executing on our plan. Illegal aliens cross the Rio Bravo to get to El Paso, Texas, from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico, on Feb. 5, 2021. (Herika Martinez/AFP via Getty Images) This file photo shows a hole cut into Southern Californias border fence with Mexico on March 3, 2021. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection via AP) Mayorkas avoided using the term crisis despite calls for the administration to use stronger descriptive terms. We will also not waver in our values and our principles as a nation, Mayorkas added. Our goal is a safe, legal, and orderly immigration system that is based on our bedrock priorities: to keep our borders secure, address the plight of children as the law requires, and enable families to be together. As noted by the president in his Executive Order, securing our borders does not require us to ignore the humanity of those who seek to cross them. We are both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That is one of our proudest traditions. A tent facility operated by the Border Patrol in Donna, some 500 miles south of Dallas, is holding more than 1,000 children and teenagers, some as young as four years of age. Lawyers who inspect immigrant detention facilities under a court settlement told The Associated Press they interviewed children who reported being held in packed conditions in the tent, with some sleeping on the floor and others not able to shower for five days. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement Monday asserting the Biden administrations reckless open door policies have created a humanitarian crisis for unaccompanied minors coming across the border and that his policies are risking the health and safety of Texans and putting children at risk from cartels and human traffickers. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Company News: The focus on digital health has become a global trend. The long-term benefits of technological adaptation in this space will most likely be a reduction in unnecessary use of health services, alleviating the burden on undermanned or under-resourced health providers, reduced costs and better, more efficient patient care. Global Market Insights estimates the global digital health market to be worth US$639B in 2026 and outlines several growth drivers, including the rising adoption of smart devices, improving healthcare IT infrastructure, favourable government regulations and initiatives, and rising demand for remote patient monitoring services. The factors have been at the forefront of OneView Healthcare plcs (ASX: ONE) thinking. ONE is a health tech company that provides hospital patients with a virtual care and digital control centre at their bedside to deliver the best possible patient experience during their stay. Its software (SaaS) platform is sold as a yearly license fee per hospital bed, with the pandemic accelerating the uptake of this platform. In fact, its control centre is currently used in 9,259 hospital beds around the world, including three of the top 20 hospitals in the USA. ONEs tech provides patients with a single touch screen at their hospital bed where patients can: Have virtual consultations with relevant medical specialists - local and from around the world Control all aspects of their room (bed, lighting, temperature), Order food, watch movies, get a nurses attention (think airline business class screens) Interact with tailored rehab, education and training videos for YOUR health situation, and; Monitor your health outcomes - Doctors and nurses have better info on you. A single point of care ONE was founded as a software and solutions business operations in 2008, with the objective of enabling healthcare organisations to make use of technology to drive cost efficiencies, improvements in clinical outcomes and enhanced patient satisfaction. The idea was to create an experience leading to overall excellence in healthcare economics and quality of care. For patients, ONE offers digital tools to help control their experience with virtual care at the bedside. ONE delivers a SaaS experience that transcends current in-room technology. OneView at the patient's bedside For the care team, optimisation of patient flow and the patient experience becomes more personalised and engaging. Effectively, OneView offers a secure, flexible and scalable platform where the digital infrastructure for content, apps and services is at one point of care. Uptake proves uplifting for ONE Given the uptake and interest in the ONE solution, the company has delivered on many key metrics. Highlights include: Expanded global footprint live beds up 9% YOY to 9,259 Recurring revenue up 13% to 5.1M, reflecting expanded user base despite the short-term impact to recurring revenue growth as COVID-19 delayed scheduled deployments Improvement across key operational performance metrics, delivering reduced cash burn and cost Significant progress on product developmentcentral to growth strategy including investment in next-generation platform Process improvements and engineering offshoring Material improvements in productivity Enabling rapid delivery of the first cloud solution, Cloud for COVID-19. Further to this recurring revenue is up by 13% to 5.1m (A$8.0m) due to the expansion of live beds. Covid-19 did have one negative impact for ONE: it prevented access to hospital sites, delaying installation and the go-live increase rate. This is expected to normalise in 2021. Overall, the company has delivered higher gross margins. Gross profit margins improved 67% (up from 60% in FY19) due to changing revenue mix towards higher-margin software recurring revenue. The company had also enjoyed improved operational performance due to a focus on cost control. It has reduced operating expenses by 44% and improved operating EBITDA by 60% to a loss of 6.2m (A$9.7m). There is also reduced cash burn and the cash balance of 6.8m (A$10.6m) reflects the 4.8m (A$8.7m before costs) capital raise conducted in Nov/Dec 2020 and the significant reduction in operating cash burn. Interestingly, ONE currently has $7.85M in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and is projecting 45% growth this year. However, this does not factor in any future revenue from Samsung. Samsung sees the value of ONEs technology ONE signed a Distribution Agreement with Samsung SDS America, Inc., the enterprise IT solutions provider of Samsung, to offer a bundled solution for bedside digital services for patients in the United States. The agreement went live in February this year. Samsung SDSA will bundle Samsung tablets with OneView Cloud Start the first tier in OneViews new product suite. The bundle will be distributed to healthcare-enterprise focused enterprise resellers. Our move to the cloud accelerates speed to market and opens new possibilities for distribution, making it faster, easier and lower-cost for end-customers to benefit from the digital platform at the bedside, ONE CEO James Fitter said. Never has this need been so apparent. Our partnership with Samsung provides a unique opportunity to address new virtual models of care and provide the solution for Samsung SDSA to enhance the value proposition for their reseller network. The agreement is designed to continue the improvement in US healthcare, in particular patient care. Mingu Lee, Chief Business Officer and Senior Vice President, Samsung SDS America, said Our distribution partnership with OneView Healthcare enables us to deliver a more cost-effective and impactful solution, allowing caregivers to work efficiently while providing a connected experience for patients. The agreement not only opens up further revenue streams for ONE, but also provides customers with an upgrade path to ONEs Cloud Enterprise tier with additional features. Strategic partnerships including its Samsung agreement and an agreement with Microsoft, Cloudbreak and Caregility, with whom it entered a partnership to enable customers to scale inpatient telehealth across the enterprise as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to ravage Dublin, Ireland, continue to define ONEs go to market strategy especially in the US where there are 6000 hospitals. ONEs full SaaS platform is anticipated by the end of Q1 2021. ONE is trading at 21.5 cents. The is releasing funds amounting to Rs 28.24 crore for salaries of the staff of colleges funded by it, Chief Minister said on Tuesday. He asserted that in the future they will only be issued based on the directions of the court on whether the funds, currently available under different heads, can be used for salaries or not. The chief minister on Tuesday convened a meeting with principals and chairpersons of the 12 fully funded DU colleges by the "The will release the funds which amount to Rs 28.24 crore. In future, funds will only be issued based on the directions of the court on whether the funds currently available under different heads can be used for salaries or not. The Delhi government will release the amount so that the teaching staff and the colleges do not suffer till the matter is in court," the CM said at the meeting. "The government will issue an invite to the vice-chancellor on behalf of Manish Sisodia's office to have a dialogue with him on the pending issues and concerns. Sisodia also said that the 12 fully funded colleges should have confidence in the Delhi government, and they should be 100 per cent Delhi government-funded colleges in letter and spirit. It is an unfair and impractical approach to demand funds from one agency, but follow Pattern Of Assistance (POA) of some other agency, he said, adding that there should be 100 per cent transparency in their accounts and budgets which is required to bridge the gap between the Delhi government and Along with the officials of the Delhi government, including secretary and principal secretary for Department of Higher Education, college principals, and AO's (account officers) of the 12 colleges were present in the meeting. "Since the last few days, I have been reading news reports that the teaching staff of the DU colleges is not getting salaries. Our government is known and recognised for working to improve the education and health sectors in Delhi. But, there has been an unwarranted misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the intentions of the Delhi government. "I want to clarify to all of the esteemed members present in this meeting, we are on the same side of the table. We do not oppose the pleas and concerns of the staff. Since the last few years, we have tried to initiate talks with the DU authorities and the VC, but there may have been differences, political and otherwise," he said. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia pointed out some administrative issues affecting the release of funds by the Delhi government. "Since the last five years, I have sanctioned funds to various colleges for various project proposals. We are ready to fully fund the colleges that come under our ambit, irrespective of the heads those funds come under. There needs to be 100 per cent transparency on behalf of our constituent colleges. "The colleges should have confidence in the Delhi government, and they should be 100 per cent Delhi government-funded colleges in letter and spirit. If you behave transparently, the Delhi government is ready to give funds transparently. Everything should be reflected in their accounts and budgets," he said. Sisodia said that because these institutes are 100 per cent funded by the Delhi government, the Pattern Of Assistance of the Delhi government must be followed. "The colleges must not bill the government. For example, the Delhi government does not have any record of the appointment of staff before 2010, but we are expected to pay the salaries of the teaching staff irrespective of that. "The colleges must take prior permission from the Delhi government before appointing the staff because the Delhi government is funding their salaries and expenses. If that does not happen, it will reflect as an impractical and unfair approach on the part of the Delhi University," he added. Sisodia also said that the Governing Bodies serve as a bridge between the and the Delhi government and "we cannot demolish them". "Their timeline should be extended as soon as possible. Fourthly, there have been delays in issuing the Utilisation Certificate (UC), which should be eliminated for the officials to function efficiently and release funds as soon as possible," 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.) NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global seamless steel pipes market is set to reach US$ 168 Bn in 2021, with a new study by Fact.MR projecting 7% CAGR through 2031. The latest report by Fact.MR on seamless steel pipes market finds that growing demand from the oil refineries, power plants and automotive industries will spur sales of seamless steel pipes. Europe and US collectively account for leading market share backed by the high presence of oil & gas industries. Ongoing and upcoming oil & gas projects will also bolster demand of seamless steel pipes industry. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by 5.5% in 2021 and by 4.2% by 2022 backed by the high production of crude oil of approximately 25.3 million barrels per day in the region. "Heightened investments by manufacturers in oil & gas industries is stimulating growth of seamless steel pipes. Among the end-users, oil & gas sector is anticipated to emerge as the fastest growing segment, bolstering the demand for seamless steel pipes," says a Fact.MR analyst. For more Insights into the Market, Request a Sample of this Report https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=5626 Key Takeaways Coated seamless steel pipes preferred over plain pipes owing to their performance efficiency US is spearheading growth in North America Europe expected to emerge as a lucrative market backed by high presence of oil & gas producers expected to emerge as a lucrative market backed by high presence of oil & gas producers Japan seamless steel pipes market reliant on current pricing and innovation from manufacturers seamless steel pipes market reliant on current pricing and innovation from manufacturers Southeast Asia and Oceania to witness high growth, attributed to increasing opportunities in oil & gas industries and Oceania to witness high growth, attributed to increasing opportunities in oil & gas industries Owing to the high consumption from oil & gas industry, Russia to vanguard the sales of seamless steel pipe in Europe to vanguard the sales of seamless steel pipe in China is set to exhibit sales at nearly CAGR of 7% until 2031 Competitive Landscape ArcelorMittal, American piping's Inc., Benteler, Hunan Valin Co. Ltd., JFE Steel Corp., Jindal SAW Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Tenaris SA, TATA Steel, United States Steel, and Vallourec SA are some of the prominent manufacturers, profiled by Fact.MR. Collaborations and strategic partnerships are the key focus to generate new proceeding for the aforementioned manufacturers. In December 2020, ArcelorMittal announced to sign a definitive agreement with Nippon Steel Corporation to build an electric arc furnace at AM/NS Calvert in Alabama, U.S. The construction of that 1.5 million tonne capacity EAF was estimated around $775 million and the project was funded by AM/NS Calvert. Also, in November 2019, Benteler announced the Distribution division was sold to the Van Leeuwen Pipe and Tube Group after the complete approval of authorities. That enabled the firm to develop and produce tailored solutions for the customers. Get Customization on this Report for Specific Research Solutions https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=5626 More Valuable Insights on Seamless steel pipes Market Fact.MR, in its latest report, presents a detailed analysis of the global seamless steel pipes market. The study divulges essential insights on the seamless steel pipes market on the basis of process (hot rolled and cold rolled), material (stainless steel, alloy steel, carbon steel, and others), coating (3PP coating, FBE coating, 3PE coating), dimension (<10 inches, 10-15 inches, =15 inches), end-use industry (automotive, power and energy, construction, chemical & petroleum, oil &gas connections, and others), and region (North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South East Asia & Oceania, and MEA) Key Questions Covered in the Report How will demand for seamless steel pipes grow in the future? Which type of seamless steel pipes account for the highest demand? What are the strategies adopted by key seamless steep pipe manufacturers? Which are the factors that will drive the demand for seamless steel pipes sales? Which region is the most lucrative for seamless steel pipes market? What is the impact of Covid-19 on seamless steel pipes market? Request more information about Report Methodology https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RM&rep_id=5626 Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Chemicals & Material Domain Steel Bar Magnet Market: The global steel bar magnet market report published by Fact.MR sheds an insight on the prominent growth dynamics, including possible drivers, opportunities and new entrants, expected to prevail across the landscape for the upcoming decade. A detailed insight regarding key geographies and prominent manufacturers has been embedded in this report. Duplex Stainless Steel Market: Explore Fact.MR's duplex stainless steel market research report, offering a detailed study on multiple market trends for the present and upcoming decade. The study offers analyses about the prominent growth trends present across key geographies and major segments, along with information about key manufacturers operating within the landscape. Electrical Steel Market: The global electrical steel market report by Fact.MR delivers an unbiased analysis on the strategies and competitive landscape for the upcoming period. The key players' market share data provided by the report given you a detailed insights on the shortcomings and forthcomings of the market for the forecast period. 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 Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 26 Colleges In Nebraska for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 72 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each institution 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 72 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 26 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. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-colleges-in-nebraska/ 2021 Top Colleges In Nebraska featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Bellevue University Bryan College of Health Sciences Central Community College Chadron State College Clarkson College College of Saint Mary Creighton University Doane University Hastings College Metropolitan Community College Mid-Plains Community College Midland University Nebraska Christian College Nebraska Indian Community College Nebraska Wesleyan University Northeast Community College Peru State College Southeast Community College Summit Christian College Union College University of Nebraska Medical Center University of Nebraska, Kearney University of Nebraska, Lincoln University Of Nebraska, Omaha Western Nebraska Community College York College 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 16, 2021] Ether Capital Corporation Announces Ether Purchase Ether Capital Corporation ("Ether Capital" or the "Company") (NEO: ETHC) announced today that it has completed its Ether purchase program following the closing of its overnight marketed offering (the "Offering") on March 15, 2021. The Company purchased 11,264 Ether ("ETH") for a purchase price of US$19,616,110, or approximately C$24,500,000. This reflected a cost per ETH of US$1,741. The Company's Ether balance is now 43,512 Ether. "We are thrilled to announce this new purchase of Ether with the net proceeds of our recent Offering," said Brian Mosoff, Ether Capital's CEO. "Ethereum has had an unprecedented year, currently on track to settle trillions of dollars in value in the first quarter of 2021 alone and being driven by a number of fascinating use cases, like decentralized finance and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). We are proud to bring access to this vibrant ecosystem to our shareholders. Ether Capital intends to make a more substantial commitment of its Ether balance to staking which we expect to make an announcement on in due course." About Ether Capital Corporation Ether Capital is a Toronto-based technology company whose long-term objective is to become the central business and investment hub for the Ethereum and Web 3 ecosystem. Ether Capital has invested in Ethereum's native utility token "Ether" as a strategic asset, and selectively invests in projects, protocols and businesses that leverage the Ethereum ecosystem and Web 3 technologies. Founded by a highly experienced Board of Directors and management team, Ether Capital has the experience and relationships to support businesses and invest in industry-shifting disruptive technologies. For more information, visit http://ethcap.co/. The content of this document is for informational purposes only, and is not being provided in the context of an offering of any securities described herein, nor is it a recommendation or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security. The informtion is not investment advice, nor is it tailored to the needs or circumstances of any investor. Information contained on this document is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offering memorandum, prospectus, advertisement or public offering of securities. No securities commission or similar regulatory authority has reviewed this document and any representation to the contrary is an offence. Information contained in this document is believed to be accurate and reliable, however, we cannot guarantee that it is complete or current at all times. The information provided is subject to change without notice and neither Ether Capital Corporation, nor any of its affiliates, will be held liable for inaccuracies in the information presented. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements in regard to the expected date by which the Warrants are expected to commence trading on the NEO and the intended use of proceeds of the Offering and the Private Placement. The Company cautions the reader not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Generally, but not always, 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", "on pace", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", "believes", and similar expressions or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available to management at the time they are made, management's current plans, estimates, assumptions, judgments and expectations. 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 uncertainties include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical, technological and social uncertainties; uncertainties in regard to the development and acceptance of blockchain technology (including proof of stake and Ethereum 2.0), and the Ethereum platform and anticipated timing and impact of the Ethereum network upgrade, the impact of the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus on the Company, and the other risk factors discussed in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 25, 2020, the Risk Factors section in its most recently filed management's discussion and analysis, the Risk Factors section in its Supplement and Base Shelf Prospectus and its other filings available on-line at www.sedar.com. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. In addition, the Company cautions the reader that information provided in this press release is provided in order to give context to the nature of some of the Company's future plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005528/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Joseph Tsomik, a Rosebank father of two young children, was visiting a family member in Fair Lawn, N.J., on March 10 when the unthinkable happened an antique gun a relative was showing him shockingly went off, said a family friend. A bullet pierced his neck and has left him paralyzed. Now, his family is drenched in uncertainty as they await a transfer to a hospital in New York that is capable of handling a highly-sensitive surgery. He needs a surgery immediately, said his wife, Monalisa Tsomik, during an emotional phone interview with the Advance/SILive.com. I want my husband to have a quiet life. I want him to play with my kids, run with my kids. Joseph Tsomik is conscious and on a ventilator at St. Josephs University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., his wife said, but he requires spinal surgery in the hopes he can walk again. A myriad of issues is preventing an immediate transfer to one of a few hospitals that have agreed to perform the surgery, said his wife, and his family is worrying that he cannot wait much longer. Weve been trying for several days now, she said, and time is running out. Joseph Tsomik with his daughter. (Family photo) A prominent real estate broker on Staten Island, he is highly acclaimed on the borough. Joseph Tsomik represents a rare breed, said Sandy Krueger, CEO of the Staten Island Board of Realtors. Along with his business partner, Gary Papirov, he is consistently the top producing real estate agent on Staten Island, as well as being among the most respected and well liked. Often a very successful practitioner engenders a great deal of dislike among his/her peers due to jealousy or the hard-charging nature of getting to the top of your profession, Krueger added. None of that seems to apply to Joe. Hes respected and loved in the industry as indicated by the outpouring of support on the GoFundMe page set up for him last week and the sense of pain felt by everyone you speak to about this tragedy. He is one of the very good ones and we can only hope and pray for him and his family, said Krueger. His family said his profession was a part of his life he took seriously, most of all because of his ability to help Staten Islanders start lives in new homes. Hes known by the community, said Lana Orlov, a family friend. For him, its never about just making a sale. He always cared about the customers. His focus was not on making money, Orlov said, but to help families. Hes a great friend who always pushes you to your limits but also acknowledges that youve already accomplished a lot, said Orlov. Hes always positive. He believes in the power of positive thinking. Joseph Tsomik with his son. (Family photo) The Fair Lawn Police Department did not immediately provide information regarding the incident. A report by the Fair Lawn-Glen Rock Daily Voice, which cited information from police, indicated a 72-year-old man was showing his 40-year-old nephew a 9 mm Beretta handgun when it went off shortly before 5:30 p.m. on March 10. No charges are expected to be filed, the report said. While his family said he has private insurance, and that they will fight to ensure it covers as much of his medical treatments as possible, his uncertain future has left them asking for help. A GoFundMe has been made in his name to support the expenses his family will face as a result of his injuries. We hope everything will go back to normal, but we dont know the chance [for recovery], said Orlov. Some people are saying theres no chance and some people are saying theres hope, and were just so sure that he will pull through. ROME, MAR 16 - Green hydrogen and nuclear fusion will be key points of the change his ministry aims to achieve, Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani said in presenting the guidelines of the new ministry to the parliamentary committee for the environment and productive activities on Tuesday. "I hop that if we have worked well, in 10 years' time our successors will be talking about how to lower the price of green hydrogen and how to invest in nuclear fusion," he told the joint House and Senate panel. "That is the transition I have in mind. "The universe works with nuclear fusion, that is the renewable of renewables". Cingolani also said he planned to create a ministry that would be "digitised and internationalised". He said he was already drawing up a plan for the digitisation of the new ministry. The minister also said there should be public debate about all new public works so as to avert conflict. "The ministry will promote public consultation", he said. Cingolani also said red tape needed to be cut to employ over 200 billion euros of EU COVID recovery cash properly. "The Recovery and Resilience Plan requires shorter processes, with the Genoa bridge project being a model". The national energy plan must also be rejigged to suit the COVID recovery plan, he said. The ministry for the ecological transition was set up after a cal from the environmentally-conscious and populist 5-Star Movement (M5S), the biggest party in ex-European central banker Mario Draghi's national unity government. Cingolani, former innovation chief at aerospace giant Leonardo, is one of the eight non-political technocrats in Draghi's 23-strong cabinet. The ministry is tasked with engineering the transition towards making the Italian economy environmentally sustainable. Cingolani told United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry last week that Italy is set to invest 80 billion euros in decarbonization over the next five years. Cingolani said the investments would stem from the government's PNRR COVID-19 Recovery Plan financed with the help of close to 200 billion euros in EU grants and low-interest loans. Cingolani told Kerry, who has visited London, Brussels and Paris as part of a tour of Europe, that the investments would delivery cuts in emission levels of 55-60% by 2030. (ANSA). NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of MultiPlan Corporation ("MultiPlan") f/k/a Churchill Capital Corp. III. ("Churchill III" or the "Company") (NYSE: MPLN) between July 12, 2020 and November 10, 2020 (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you purchased MultiPlan securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit MultiPlan Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected] Churchill III was formed in 2019 as a blank check company, or SPAC, in October 2019 and completed its IPO on or about February 14, 2020. In July, 2020, Churchill III announced that it had entered into a preliminary agreement to merge with MultiPlan, a New York-based data analytics end-to-end cost management solutions provider to the U.S. healthcare industry. The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (a) MultiPlan was losing tens of millions of dollars in sales and revenues to Naviguard, a competitor created by one of MultiPlan's largest customers, UnitedHealthcare, which threatened up to 35% of the Company's sales and 80% of its levered cash flows by 2022; (b) sales and revenue declines in the quarters leading up to the Merger were due to a fundamental deterioration in demand for MultiPlan's services and increased competition; (c) MultiPlan was facing significant pricing pressures for its services and had been forced to materially reduce its take rate in the lead up to the Merger by insurers, causing the Company to cut its take rate by up to half in some cases; (d) as a result, MultiPlan was set to continue to suffer from revenues and earnings declines, increased competition and deteriorating pricing dynamics following the Merger; (e) as a result, MultiPlan was forced to seek continued revenue growth and to improve its competitive positioning through price acquisitions; (f) as a result, Churchill III investors had grossly overpaid for the acquisition of MultiPlan in the Merger. On November 11, 2020, one month after the close of the Merger, Muddy Waters published a research report titled "MultiPlan: Private Equity Necrophilia Meets The Great 2020 Money Grab." According to the report, MultiPlan was in significant financial decline because of its fundamentally flawed business model, which profited from excessively high healthcare costs. On this news, the price of Churchill III securities plummeted. By November 12, 2020, the price of Churchill III Class A common stock fell to a low of just $6.12 per share, nearly 40% below the price at which shareholders could have redeemed their shares at the time of the shareholder vote on the Merger. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 26, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member. If you purchased MultiPlan securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/multiplancorporation-mpln-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-fraud-stock-366/apply/ or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected]. Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2021 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. Contact Information Matthew E. Guarnero Bernstein Liebhard LLP https://www.bernlieb.com (877) 779-1414 [email protected] SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP Related Links http://www.bernlieb.com New Delhi, March 16 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to appear before it in a case where an Indian migrant was incorrectly buried as per Muslim rites in Saudi Arabia. Calling it an "unfortunate event", Justice Prathiba Singh directed the MEA's Deputy Secretary, to appear before it virtually. The migrant, Sanjeev Kumar, an Indian passport holder, passed away in January in Saudi Arabia due to a cardiac arrest. His wife moved the court seeking directions to the Ministry to exhume and transport the man's mortal remains to India for conducting rites in accordance with his religion. A dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is given to a recipient at a vaccination site in Vancouver Thursday, March 11, 2021. The British Columbia government says age-based bookings for COVID-19 vaccinations are one week ahead of schedule and seniors aged 84 and older, plus Indigenous elders aged 65 and up, can make an appointment for a shot. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward 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. Lending to highly-geared home buyers rose in the December quarter as the property market also rebounded, sparking debate over whether riskier lending is starting to re-emerge. As regulators keep a close eye on the surge in house prices, figures from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) on Tuesday showed a rise in the proportion of new loans with high loan-to-valuation ratios (LVRs), and loans with high debt-to-income multiples. Loans with high loan-to-value ratios increased in the December quarter, potentially due to first home buyers entering the market. Credit:Elesa Kurtz Analysis by UBS economist George Tharenou found the share of new loans that were more than four times the borrowers income rose from 57.7 per cent to 59.3 per cent, the highest level since the figures started in 2018. Mr Tharenou said loans with an LVR above 80 per cent also rose from 39.9 per cent to 42 per cent, the highest since 2008. We assess todays data on home loans as showing a significant quarter-on-quarter increase in higher risk home loans, Mr Tharenou said. Over 38,000 beneficiaries, including 19,007 senior citizens, received COVID-19 vaccine shots in the national capital on Tuesday, according to official data. The number of beneficiaries to get the jabs includes 3,223 people in the age group of 45-59 years, a senior official said. On Friday, 30,575 people were vaccinated in the city, on Saturday, the count was 39,853, and on Monday, it was 39,742, data released by the health department showed. On Tuesday, 38,437 people received COVID-19 vaccine shots, the official said. Two cases of minor AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were recorded, officials said. Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched mid-January, 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers, against a target of 8,117, were administered the shots at 81 centres across the city on day one. In the first phase, which started on January 16, over 3.6 lakh healthcare workers and frontline workers were vaccinated in Delhi. More than 5,100 senior citizens in Delhi received their first shots of the vaccine on March 1, when the second phase of the vaccination drive began in the national capital. As per official estimates, there are around 43 lakh people in the specified priority category of 60 years or above and those within 45-59 years with comorbidities in Delhi. People within the age group of 45-59 years with comorbidities are required to produce a comorbidity certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner. A total of 20 comorbidities have been specified for vaccination, the officials said. People eligible for vaccination have to produce their photo identity cards to get the shots. On Tuesday, second doses of the vaccine were given to 11,314 people, the officials said, adding that 2,978 frontline workers and 1,915 healthcare workers got their first shots. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An organizations most important assets are their people, yet two-thirds of employees feel undervalued at work. As a result, recognition tools are becoming an important component of the HR toolkit. Benefit Advisors Network (BAN), a national network of independent employee benefit firms, is pleased to announce that it has created a strategic partnership with Nectar, a 360-employee recognition and rewards platform that enables organizations to celebrate and spotlight great work, anytime, anywhere. Under the terms of the new partnership, BAN's 120+ member firms nationwide can provide Nectars platform at an exclusive rate to their employer groups. An organizations most important assets are their people, yet two-thirds of employees feel underappreciated and undervalued at work. These feelings can have serious, negative consequences on a business, including reduced productivity and increased turnover, says Trevor Larson, Co-Founder and CEO of Nectar. As a result, recognition tools are becoming an important component of the HR toolkit. Continues Larson, Our partnership with BAN will accelerate our mission to close this recognition gap by equipping more employers with the tools to offer timely, meaningful, and frequent recognition. We look forward to being a part of the Benefit Advisors Network organization as a long-term partner." The ability to attract and retain quality employees is vital for a productive culture. Recognition by management and peers creates a culture of engagement supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of the employee and therefore the employer. For HR, Nectars analytics provide metrics to support the person-to-person as well as the team-to-team collaboration. Nectar strives to provide simple, cost-effective means for workforces to maintain culture and boost morale through a variety of mechanisms, including social recognition, rewards, and employee perks. Our industry understands the extreme challenges employers are under, particularly in light of the past year as a result of COVID-19. BAN is continuously looking for the right partners and tools that will remove or ease burdens our members employer clients throughout the country are facing, says Perry Braun, Executive Director of the Benefit Advisors Network. Continues Braun, We have done our due diligence and are thrilled to have found a highly reputable partner who will bring so much value to our members, and their clients. The addition of Nectar's partnership further supports BAN's network, where member agencies work as peers to pool their experience, industry knowledge, and data in order to streamline and maximize the growth of their businesses. About BAN Founded in 2002, BAN is an exclusive, premier, national network of independent, employee benefit brokerage and consulting companies. BAN delivers industry leading tools, technology, and expertise to member firms so that they can deliver optimum results to their employee benefit customers. BAN intentionally limits membership because of the highly collaborative interactions. For more information, visit the Companys website at http://www.benefitadvisorsnetwork.com About Nectar Founded in 2016, Nectar is an employee recognition and engagement platform built for SMB and Mid-market organizations. Nectar is an award-winning solution that enables companies to build a culture of connection and appreciation through a centralized approach to social recognition and rewards. For more information, visit the Companys website at http://www.nectarhr.com. Alchemab using unique approach to explore adaptive immunity identifying naturally protective antibodies in 'resilient patients' to specific diseases Innovate UK Grant to support the finding of a disease-modifying therapy for Huntington's disease (HD), a degenerative disease with no cure and no therapies to prevent progression Alchemab is working in collaboration with Medicines Discovery Catapult, a not-for-profit, government-funded organisation supporting UK life science innovators HD samples being supplied by CHDI Foundation Alchemab, a biotech company developing novel therapeutics for patients with hard-to-treat diseases by harnessing the power of naturally protective antibodies, has been awarded a UK Biomedical Catalyst early award grant from Innovate UK to support the development of a novel disease-modifying antibody therapy for Huntington's disease (HD). The grant will support Alchemab in its pioneering collaboration with Medicines Discovery Catapult. Alchemab has a unique target-agnostic drug discovery approach focusing on naturally protective antibodies. Using this completely novel approach, Alchemab has identified a panel of antibodies with disease-modifying potential from HD patients. These patients demonstrated slower progression than expected based on their genetic predisposition. The antibodies that were common across these 'resilient' individuals were notably absent in patients with normal disease progression or healthy controls. Using the Innovate UK grant, Alchemab will functionally characterise the panel of antibodies to identify lead candidates for first-in-human studies over the next 18 months. By determining the molecular target of these antibodies, and whether they can protect against pathological mechanisms of HD, it may be possible to develop a new disease-modifying therapy for patients who do not have a naturally protective antibody response. If successful, a therapy of this nature could be transformative in slowing or halting disease progression. Alex Leech, CEO at Alchemab, said: "Receiving the Innovate UK Grant for our work in Huntington's disease is fantastic validation of Alchemab's unique approach to drug discovery and our extraordinary team of Cambridge-based scientists who are driving this project forward. We are proud to receive such important national recognition." He added: "The Huntington disease program combines our strength in antibody discovery and development and cutting-edge science and analytical techniques with the capabilities of the Medicines Discovery Catapult. We also have the benefit of having access to HD patient samples from CHDI Foundation. We are well positioned to discover and develop a potentially transformative therapy, whilst continuing the development of other programs across neurodegenerative disorders, oncology and infectious disease." The project will be conducted in collaboration with Medicines Discovery Catapult, drawing on its experience in the expression of iPSC-derived CNS cells integral for studying brain diseases. The work will combine innovative phenotypic drug discovery using cutting-edge data-rich methods with the latest translational human cell models for neurodegenerative disease to accelerate clinical development. The patient samples used have been provided by CHDI Foundation, a non-profit biomedical research organisation dedicated to collaboratively developing therapeutics that substantially improve the lives of those affected by HD. Dr Jane Osbourn, Chief Scientific Officer at Alchemab, added: "Huntington's disease is a devastating condition, leading to movement, cognitive and psychiatric disorders and ultimately progressive loss of function and death. There is currently no cure and no therapies able to slow the disease, only treatments to help manage the symptoms. Gaining a deeper understanding of the disease and how naturally occurring antibodies provide susceptible but resilient individuals with protection offers an exciting new development and potential future treatment option." Alchemab's approach aims to understand how resilient individuals maintain health and show resistance to a disease, even if they are genetically predisposed or susceptible. The Company looks at the vast antibody repertoire that humans produce as part of their normal immune response to understand such adaptive immunity. Using the insights, Alchemab can identify naturally protective antibodies with therapeutic potential. Professor Peter Simpson, Chief Scientific Officer at Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) said: "This project demonstrates world-leading innovation, involving unique interrogation into the differences in disease presentation. Research this partnership undertakes will be the bedrock of future treatment development, with the ultimate aim of extending and improving the lives of those living with this rare, degenerative condition. "Alchemab's approach turns the normal biotech drug discovery model on its head, looking at natural resilience to disease rather than the disease itself. MDC's role is to continue to develop our iPSC-derived cell models to further understand the binding of different antibodies indicated by Alchemab to be of interest. We are excited to begin this invaluable collaboration, one which may completely transform our wider understanding of the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease." Ends About Alchemab Alchemab has developed a highly differentiated engine with the ability to identify novel drug targets and therapeutics on the basis of patient B-cell antibody repertoires. The engine uses high-quality patient samples and a range of functional and advanced analytical techniques to evaluate convergent protective antibody responses in individuals that are susceptible but resilient to specific diseases. Alchemab is building on the outputs of its engine to produce a broad pipeline of protective therapeutics for hard-to-treat diseases, with an initial focus on oncology, neurodegenerative conditions and infectious diseases. Alchemab was founded in 2019 and brings together expertise from Oxford, Cambridge, London in the UK and the United States, with seed funding from SV Health Investors, the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) and Data Collective VC (DCVC). The highly specialised patient samples that power Alchemab's engine are made available through valued partnerships and collaborations with patient representative groups, biobanks and academic institutes. Alchemab is led by highly experienced management and has an extended team of scientific founders and collaborators contributing cutting-edge technology and a deep understanding of antibody repertoires, bringing together a wide range of expertise from the fields of oncology, neuroscience, infectious diseases and computational biology. Alchemab is headquartered in London, UK. For more information, visit www.alchemab.co.uk. About Medicines Discovery Catapult Medicines Discovery Catapult is a national facility connecting the UK community to accelerate innovative drug discovery. We're a government funded, not-for-profit organisation, and this financial independence makes us unique. We're able to take risks and pursue objectives that are understandably challenging for commercial for-profit companies. It's the reason we're able to focus so much of our effort on pioneering the next generation of medicine discovery techniques and technologies. By validating new ways of discovering medicines and driving key talent and expertise across the sector, we will support the UK life sciences industry, SMEs and innovators to deliver growth for the UK economy and maintain the UK's heritage position as a global leader in medicines R&D. Ultimately, new industrialised technologies are vital for delivering new medicines to patients, faster. https://md.catapult.org.uk/ @MedDiscCat About CHDI Foundation, Inc CHDI Foundation, Inc. is a privately-funded non-profit biomedical research organization that is exclusively dedicated to collaboratively developing therapeutics that substantially improve the lives of those affected by Huntington's disease. As a collaborative enabler CHDI seeks to bring the right partners together to identify and address critical scientific issues and move drug candidates to clinical evaluation as quickly as possible. Our scientists work closely with a network of more than 700 researchers in academic and industrial laboratories around the world in the pursuit of these novel therapies, providing strategic scientific direction to ensure that our common goals remain in focus. More information about CHDI can be found at www.chdifoundation.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005110/en/ Contacts: Alchemab Alex Leech, CEO Jane Osbourn, CSO Olivia Cavlan, Head of Business info@alchemab.com Instinctif Partners (International media relations) Melanie Toyne-Sewell Agnes Stephens Siobhan Sanford Tel: +44 (0) 20 7457 2020 Email: alchemab@instinctif.com Governor Bill Lee has introduced legislation to require greater transparency for foreign investments on college and university campuses and prohibit the establishment of Confucius Institutes. Colleges and universities are a place for the robust debate of ideas - not a place for foreign governments to operate in the shadows, said Governor Lee. After the federal government rolled back critical reporting requirements around Confucius Institutes, my administration is taking action to provide Tennessee taxpayers greater transparency in all foreign investment on our campuses. I thank university leadership for working with us to preserve the integrity of our state and national security. He said the Transparency in Foreign Investment Act is a key priority in his 2021 legislative package. In order to provide taxpayers greater transparency in foreign influences and preserve the integrity of Tennessees higher education institutions, this legislation: They became inseparable when the Beckhams moved to Los Angeles in 2007. And Victoria Beckham, 46, couldn't wait to wish her bestie Eva Longoria a happy 46th birthday with a series of stunning throwback snaps on Monday. The fashion designer gushed on Instagram: 'Happy Birthday to the wonderful Eva Longoria! So lucky to have you in my life. We love and miss you so much and can't wait to see you soon.' Happy Birthday!: Victoria Beckham couldn't wait to wish her bestie Eva Longoria a happy 46th birthday with a series of stunning throwback snaps on Monday In the series of throwback birthday snaps, the pair looked stunning as they posed with their legs in the air before a black tie event. Eva previously told the Daily Mail Australia: 'We're best friends and have shared lots of life lessons together, 'What we talk about is between us but we've been through stuff together. When we hang out, we just stay home and talk, eat and laugh.' And the duo's bond is so close that the former Desperate Housewives actress is godmother to Victoria's nine-year-old daughter Harper. Feeling fierce: In the series of throwback birthday snaps, the pair looked stunning as they posed with their legs in the air before a black tie event As part of the touching birthday tribute, Victoria included a snap of her lacing up Eva's dress at her wedding to Jose Baston in 2016. Utilising her bestie's fashion skills, Eva had commissioned the Spice Girl to design the stunning custom gown. Revealing the reason behind the decision to Hello! magazine, the actress touchingly said: 'I asked Victoria to do my dress because I wanted it to be special and made with love and I knew Victoria would make it with love. 'She was the best, sweetest person to have there on this day... she's one of my best friends so for her to be there was so special.' Friends forever: Victoria included a snap of her lacing up Eva's dress at her wedding to Antonio Baston in 2016 as part of the touching birthday tribute Despite being oceans apart during lockdown, Eva and Victoria have kept up their girl time with regular video calls. Eva told OK! Magazine: 'We speak all the time, we've had wine o'clock Zooms, even though it's hard because of the time difference.' The actress added that she's actually spent more time getting in contact with good friends than she did before lockdown because she misses them more. Connected: Despite being separated during lockdown, Eva and Victoria have kept up their girl time with 'wine o'clock Zoom' calls 'I've actually done more connecting with my good friends than I did before. I guess this has been a great thing in terms of the way it has affected my friendships, 'Now we actually make time for each other because we miss each other so much,' she explained. Eva has been isolating with her husband Jose and their son, Santiago, two, in Los Angeles while Victoria, her husband David and their four children are in the Cotswolds, UK. SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Women Business Owners California is pleased to announce that it has signed on as a Partner Organization of The Inclusivity Project, an initiative of the Norcal SBDC network, in affiliation with the Norcal Financial Development Corporation (Norcal FDC) and has the support of dozens of partner organizations that care about increasing the success of Black business owners. The Inclusivity Project launched last month with the goal of securing $100 million for 1,000 Black-owned businesses. The SBDC is committed to economic diversity as it breeds economic vitality, and this opportunity will bring needed attention to Black and minority-owned businesses and demonstrate that the SBDC ecosystem serves all people and bridges pathways for minority-owned businesses to financial platforms to stand on. "There is much work to be done to improve equity across the nation's businesses. Through The Inclusivity Project, NAWBO-CA is particularly excited that 50% of the equity efforts will be aimed at black, women-owned businesses," commented National Association of Women Business Owners California (NAWBO-CA) president Vikita Poindexter, CEO of the human resources firm Poindexter Consulting Group. She added, "Our NAWBO-CA members, partners, affiliates and colleagues can lift up the voices of black entrepreneurs and black business owners. In addition to recognizing gender inequity that has hindered women business owners, now is the time to acknowledge and recognize the same hindrances that have occurred with black business owners. Our community will direct aspiring black entrepreneurs and black business owners to the SBDC's The Inclusivity Project for access to capital, mentorship, and other resources." For more information or to apply for services, go to TheInclusivityProject.com and sign up. For more information on the Norcal Small Business Development Center Program, go to norcalsbdc.org. For more information about NAWBO-CA, visit www.nawbo.org/california. NAWBO-CA Formed in 1999, NAWBO California represents the interests of more than 1.5 million women business owners in the state. California ranks #1 nationally in the number of woman-owned firms, the number of employees (1.9 million) and revenues generated ($318.2 billion annually). The organization is a federation of eleven chapters located in Bakersfield, Central Coast, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento Valley, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, and Ventura County. (www.nawbo.org/california) SOURCE NAWBO-CA Former Bachelor star Keira Maguire recently thrilled fans when she debuted her stunning new darker locks. And on Tuesday, the 34-year-old looked gorgeous as she stepped out at a beauty event in Melbourne, which was held by Etoile Collective in partnership with The Blow and Benefit Cosmetics. Keira showed off her chic new look on the night, wearing her new locks out and over her shoulders in loose, tousled curls. Stepping out: On Tuesday, former Bachelor star Keira Maguire stunned as she showed off her dramatic new look at a beauty event in Melbourne alongside the likes of Love Island star Tayla Damir The reality star and former TV villain looked stylish in an all-black outfit, which featured a long sleeve black top and high-waisted jeans. But it was all in the accessories for Keira, who wore a chic tiny Chanel bag over her shoulders. She finished her look with eye-catching black combat boots. Dolled up: The reality star and former TV villain looked stylish in an all-black outfit, which featured a long sleeve black top and high-waisted jeans. But it was all in the accessories for Keira, who wore a chic tiny Chanel bag over her shoulders New hair, don't care: In February, Keira debuted her chic new look, swapping her signature blonde locks for a chocolate brown hairstyle On the evening, Keira joined the likes of Love Island Australia star Tayla Damir, 23. Tayla cut more of a casual figure in a pair of blue faded jeans and a beige knit. The brunette beauty, who is dating AFL star Nathan Broad, wore her long locks out and neatly styled, and appeared to be wearing minimal makeup. Star arrivals: On the evening, Keira joined the likes of Love Island Australia star Tayla Damir, 23 Fresh-faced: The brunette beauty, who is dating AFL star Nathan Broad, wore her long locks out and neatly styled, and appeared to be wearing minimal makeup The girls appeared in high spirits at the glam event. In February, Keira debuted her chic new look, swapping her signature blonde locks for a chocolate brown hairstyle. It came shortly before the launch of her own beauty brand, Skyn Collective. 'It's called Skyn Collective. It's pretty much going to be a site where you can purchase all of my favourite skin products and tools,' Keira said. It seems like the last year has been all COVID, all the time. Weve been preoccupied with the virus, the vaccine, and now the anniversary. But amid the diseases devastation, life goes on. The wheels of government churn. And up in Hartford, legislation is taking shape that could impact Westport in ways as significantly as the coronavirus. Bills making their way through the General Assembly address one of Connecticuts longest-running, thorniest issues: housing. The bills are tied in with our states long tradition of local control and our centuries-old philosophy that each town knows whats best for itself. But they collide against the realities of life in 21st century America and changing visions of who or what makes up a community. Consider State Senate Bill 1024. It would allow at least four duplexes (two-family homes) per lot in any single-family zone, regardless of existing local rules, if it was within half a mile of any towns primary train station or one-quarter mile from a commercial zone. Thats the bare bones version. There is much more and much more to come. Yet concerns for Connecticuts housing policy is not confined to the state legislature. The courts are considering local control too. Our towns lawyers were whacked harshly in a couple of recent rulings. Judges strongly worded opinions blasted denials of permits for new housing proposals. In cases involving Hiawatha Lane (the neighborhood wedged between Saugatuck Avenue and I-95 Exit 17) and Cross Street (between Riverside Avenue and Post Road West), concerns about safety, access, density and traffic were brushed aside. Those decisions touch on affordable housing too. Thats a malleable concept, based on incomes, sales prices, rents and market values, all connected to a formula with an arbitrary starting date (1990) for measuring the number of affordable units. Westport is not exactly a state leader in affordable housing. But a number of units built prior to 1990 are not counted in our total. Our figures are better than some neighboring suburbs. Were in a moratorium phase now, thanks to recently built units. Rumors are strong though that courts may end that moratorium soon. Westporters have a long obsession with real estate. Our ancestors saw fertile land, and snatched it from the Native Americans. Their descendants developed farms, neighborhoods, then an entire town. We had more than enough land to satisfy the post-war rush; roads and lanes sprang out of nowhere, nearly all with at least one-acre zoning. Now in the midst of another rush there is no longer enough land. Bidding wars erupt because newcomers need room for dual home offices, nannies bedrooms, pools, decks and places to play. Space is at a premium. Buyers are willing to pay premium prices for it. But should privilege always buy privacy? As Connecticut like the country becomes more and more economically stratified, do we have an obligation to help solve the housing crisis? Shouldnt every town, regardless of its history, be asked to add units? There is no way of knowing who will move into newer, denser housing, of course. Will it be young singles? Older residents downsizing? Municipal employees like educators, firefighters and police officers, many of whom now commute from ever-farther distances? Besides, how many of these units will really be affordable? How many will sell for whatever the market will bear? Those questions loom large too. Meanwhile, construction continues throughout Westport. New apartment buildings have risen on the Post Road. Theyve had little impact on traffic, but produced a nice uptick in tax revenues. The controversial nine-unit development off Main Street and Weston Road site of the former Daybreak Nursery is complete. Its hidden and quiet. Both developments include a small number of affordable units. Also meanwhile, town officials forge ahead with plans to address our affordable housing gap. For example, talks are ongoing about the state-owned maintenance site near Walgreens. We are not burying our heads in the sand. We know there is a need. We know that legislators and judges are watching what we do. We know there are NIMBY neighbors in Westport. Sure, we need more diverse housing, they say. Just not here, thank you. We know too there are Westporters who advocate for full, complete, local control. Dont tell me what to do, they say. I sacrificed a lot to move here, and autonomy over our borders is part of the price I willingly pay. Housing is a thorny issue. Westport has not shied from it. In fact, we created one of the first suburban homeless shelters in the country, and more than three decades later Homes with Hope thrives with plenty of support. But we still dont know quite what to say or do about housing. As Westporters, were all entitled to our opinions. But state legislators and courts will have their say too. We should all listen closely. Dan Woog is a Westport writer, and his Woog's World appears each Friday. He can be reached at dwoog@optonline.net. His personal blog is danwoog06880.com. Rolls-Royce, Tecnam and airline Widere are to partner on the development of a fully electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market in Norway to be called P-Volt. Rolls-Royce and airframer Tecnam are joining forces with Widere, which is the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, to deliver an all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market, ready for revenue service in 2026. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> The project expands on the successful research programme between Rolls-Royce and Widere on sustainable aviation and the existing partnership between Rolls-Royce and Tecnam on powering the all-electric P-Volt aircraft. Rolls-Royce said it will bring expertise in propulsion and power systems to the development program, while Tecnam will provide aircraft design, manufacturing and certification capabilities. Scandinavian airline Widere will ensure that all competence and requirements of an airline operator are in place for entry into service in 2026. Norway makes extensive use of aviation for regional connectivity and is described by Widere chief executive Stein Nilsen as ideal for zero emissions technologies. In 2019, Rolls-Royce announced a joint research program with Widere which aimed to run the first electrified aircraft in domestic scheduled flights by 2030, alongside a target to reduce emissions from domestic flights by 80% by 2040. Other companies, including startup Heart Aerospace, are also developing electric regional aircraft for use in the region. Fabio Russo, chief project R&D and product development at Tecnam said, It is incredible to see the interest around the P-Volt, not only coming from regional airlines, but also from smart mobility-based companies. This last year has demonstrated the importance of promoting capillary connections between small communities while reducing the congestion of the main hubs. The P-Volt, like the [11 seat] P2012 Traveller today, will perfectly fit the scope of this programme. Before the pandemic, Widere offered around 400 flights per day using a network of 44 airports, where 74% of flights have distances less than 170 miles (275km). The shortest flight durations are between seven and fifteen minutes. The P-Volt aircraft is described as suitable for the short take-off and landing as well as for routes in the North and West Coast of Norway. Listen to our podcast with Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace discuss the opportunities for electric regional airliners in Scandanavia here. This illustration depicts ultraviolet polar aurorae on Jupiter and Earth. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/UVS/STScI/MODIS/WIC/IMAGE/ULiege New results from the Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument on NASA's Juno mission reveal for the first time the birth of auroral dawn stormsthe early morning brightening unique to Jupiter's spectacular aurorae. These immense, transient displays of light occur at both Jovian poles and had previously been observed only by ground-based and Earth-orbiting observatories, notably NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Results of this study were published March 16 in the journal AGU Advances. First discovered by Hubble's Faint Object Camera in 1994, dawn storms consist of short-lived but intense brightening and broadening of Jupiter's main auroral ovalan oblong curtain of light that surrounds both polesnear where the atmosphere emerges from darkness in the early morning region. Before Juno, observations of Jovian ultraviolet aurora had offered only side views, hiding everything happening on the nightside of the planet. "Observing Jupiter's aurora from Earth does not allow you to see beyond the limb, into the nightside of Jupiter's poles. Explorations by other spacecraftVoyager, Galileo, Cassinihappened from relatively large distances and did not fly over the poles, so they could not see the complete picture," said Bertrand Bonfond, a researcher from the University of Liege in Belgium and lead author of the study. "That's why the Juno data is a real game changer, allowing us a better understanding what is happening on the nightside, where the dawn storms are born." This video clip depicts the evolution of a dawn storm in Jupiters polar aurorae. The imagery for the video was collected using data from the from the Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument aboard NASAs Juno spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/UVS/ULiege Researchers found dawn storms are born on the nightside of the gas giant. As the planet rotates, the soon-to-be dawn storm rotates with it into the dayside, where these complex and intensely bright auroral features grow even more luminous, emitting anywhere from hundreds to thousands of gigawatts of ultraviolet light into space. The jump in brightness implies that dawn storms are dumping at least 10 times more energy into Jupiter's upper atmosphere than typical aurora. "When we looked at the whole dawn storm sequence, we couldn't help but notice that they are very similar to a type of terrestrial auroras called substorms," said Zhonghua Yao, co-author of the study at the University of Liege." Substorms result from brief disturbances in the Earth's magnetospherethe region of space controlled by the planet's magnetic fieldthat release energy high into the planet's ionosphere. The similarity between terrestrial and Jovian substorms is surprising because the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Earth are radically different. On Earth, the magnetosphere is essentially controlled by the interaction of the solar windthe stream of charged particles flowing from the Sunwith Earth's magnetic field. Jupiter's magnetosphere is mostly populated by particles escaping from the volcanic moon Io, which then get ionized and trapped around the gas giant via its magnetic field. These new findings will allow scientists to further study the differences and similarities driving the formation of aurora, providing a better understanding how these most beautiful of planetary phenomena occur on worlds both within our solar system and beyond. "The power that Jupiter possesses is amazing. The energy in these dawn aurorae is yet another example of how powerful this giant planet really is," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. "The dawn storm revelations are another surprise from the Juno mission, which is constantly rewriting the book on how giant planet's work. With NASA's recent mission extension, we're looking forward to many more new insights and discoveries." Explore further NASA Juno takes first images of jovian moon Ganymede's north pole More information: B. Bonfond et al, Are Dawn Storms Jupiter's Auroral Substorms? AGU Advances, First published: 16 March 2021 Journal information: AGU Advances B. Bonfond et al, Are Dawn Storms Jupiter's Auroral Substorms?, First published: 16 March 2021 doi.org/10.1029/2020AV000275 Postmasters today warned that the Government needs to act quickly and decisively to keep Post Offices open and other counties or put access to local banking at further risk. Bank of Ireland earlier this month announced the closure of 103 branches on the island of Ireland including three in Laois. The bank has agreed a partnership with An Post that will allow customers to make over the counter cash and cheque lodgements and cash withdrawals to ensure continuity of service. Irish Postmasters Union (IPU) Midlands Spokesman Tommy Hickson (Tullow Post Office, Co. Carlow) said that a Government financial intervention must be in place by this June to keep Post Offices open. The question is who will provide financial services to communities, such as those where Bank of Ireland branches are to close, if Post Offices do not get Government support in time? Mr. Hickson said COVID-19 has made the viability of the hundreds of Post Offices even more challenging and this would be further compounded by a significant reduction in Postmasters payments rate to take effect from July 1. The challenge faced is related to the delay in providing new Government services which have been promised since 2018, but are only now being seriously examined. Mr Hicksons comments follow an announcement by the Minister of State for Postal Services Hildegarde Naughton last week to establish a new Inter-Departmental Group to examine directing more Government business to the Post Office Network and to report back at the end of July. This is too late. There is a cliff-face in front of the Post Office Network that is coming this July. Decisions need to have been made and actions taken before then. While the IPU welcomes additional banking services which Post Offices will provide, such as following the Bank of Ireland branch closures announcement, this can only happen if there is a Network there to provide it. A report commissioned from business advisors Grant Thornton, and published last September, warned of unrestrained Post Office closures after June 2021. Their analysis recommended an annual Public Service Obligation (PSO) of 17million, which it said would represent value for money for the State. Mr Hickson added that the IPU had been invited to attend the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications Networks tomorrow morning (Tuesday, March 16). The IPU will recommend that an annual Government retainer payment be put in place from this summer with a commitment among all parties (Government, An Post and Postmasters) to expand the range of services provided as much as possible and urgently. In 2018 a national plan for the Post Office Network was launched giving a commitment to services within 3km in urban areas and 15km or community of 500 people in all rural areas. To deliver on this policy, an underpinning Government retainer is needed. IPU President Sean Martin said there is little point in developing a further plan if by the time it can be implemented hundreds of communities have already lost their service. Postmasters are ready, willing and able to provide many additional services with immediate effect. These are already identified in previous reports developed by Bobby Kerr (2016) and by An Post, Government and Postmasters in 2018. We already know that these include motor tax, licences, renewals, registrations, identity verification, community information, IT / Office hub or advising and helping people to navigate their needs, Mr Martin said. Post Offices are run by Postmasters who are independent providers of the network under contract to An Post. There are currently 888 Postmaster and 45 An Post operated Post Offices in the country. Independent research carried out by RED C last year found that 86% supported the Government providing financial support to keep their Post Office open and 86% wanted more State services available at their Post Office. No restoration of full train services: Madras High Court India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Chennai, Mar 16: Due to the spurt in the number of Covid cases, no direction can be issued to the Southern Railway to restore its services in full strength, the Madras High Court said on Tuesday. The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said this while disposing of a public interest writ petition from advocate Ramkumar Adityan. Due to the sudden increase in the number of cases, the High Court itself has deferred its decision to bring back the physical hearing of cases, the bench pointed out. On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu recorded 867 new cases while the active cases surged to 5,450. The bench said that if the situation improves and the number of affected cases come down, the petitioner can approach the court again with the plea to restore full services by the Southern Railway. TN elections 2021: Palaniswami slams DMK, says 'make assurances you can fulfill' The petitioner sought commencement of short service trains and suburban trains in Chennai in full swing. In support of his prayer, he pointed out that the governments in the State and at the Centre had restored full air service, allowed full accommodation in cinema theatres and in buses, including air-conditioned ones. The bench said that the protocol of maintaining minimum distance may not be possible as the trains will be over crowded. It is for the railway authorities to seek the advice of experts on how far railways can be reopened, the bench said, adding that courts don't have the requisite expertise in such matters. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 20:01 [IST] KYODO NEWS - Mar 16, 2021 - 23:24 | All, Japan The eldest son of the president of Toyota Motor Corp. will soon marry a former star of Japan's Takarazuka all-female musical troupe, the automaker said Tuesday. Toyota President Akio Toyoda's son Daisuke, 32, will be tying the knot with 26-year-old Mayu Yoshihara, who was active in Takarazuka as Hitomi Seira, whom he met in February last year when they watched the same musical. Daisuke Toyoda, the great grandson of Toyota's founder Kiichiro Toyoda, is a founding member and senior vice president of a Toyota subsidiary, now known as Woven Planet Holdings Inc., that develops advanced technology for self-driving cars. In January, he became representative director of Woven Alpha that is in charge of Woven City, a smart city being built in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan by the Toyota group. After graduating from Keio University in Tokyo, he studied abroad and worked at an investment company before joining Toyota in April 2016. Yoshihara, in April 2015 joined the Takarazuka Revue, launched in 1913, and became part of the revue company's Star Troupe, one of the five main troupes. She left Takarazuka in November 2020 and appeared in TV dramas such as the NHK morning series "Ochoyan." "I will never forget to express my gratitude to those who have helped me and I will cherish my family and all the more devote myself to work," Daisuke Toyoda said in a statement. Tehran, March 16 : The naval force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new missile city equipped with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and electronic warfare systems. "Today we are witnessing a very vast growth of (Iran's) missile power in the field of naval warfare," Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the IRGC, said on Monday while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the missile city at an undisclosed location. As seen in footage broadcast by state TV, a number of ballistic and cruise missile systems with various ranges were displayed in the event. The projectiles can be fired from underground tunnels at the site, from mobile launchers, or from the Iranian civil defence system's facilities, according to the local media reports. Moreover, the missile city's equipment is capable of laying naval mines within different ranges, firing in motion, covering a 360-degree field of view, and countering electronic warfare systems. The equipment has been locally developed by Defence Ministry, Iranian knowledge-based companies, and the IRGC's research departments. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the so-called "referendum" in Crimea said that Ukraine is uniting the world on the basis of the Crimean platform to return the peninsula. "Seven years ago, Russia held a fake referendum in Crimea. For the first time since the beginning of occupation, Ukraine has prepared a Strategy for de-occupation and reintegration of the peninsula. We unite the world within the Crimean platform to return Ukrainian to Ukraine," Zelensky said on Twitter. There are some policies so clearly in the national interest that they have survived the hyperpartisanship of the presidential transition from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. An example was provided at the March 10 meeting of the World Trade Organizations Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. This may seem like a backwater venue, but the issue in question strikes at the core of present and future technological development. Some 100 poor countries led by South Africa are pushing for a waiver of intellectual property (IP) protection for vaccines that combat the COVID-19 pandemic. These countries lack the capability to develop their own vaccines. They want the formulas made available for free so anyone can produce them. Supplies will thus be more readily available and perhaps cheaper, though quality and effectiveness may suffer as less capable firms jump in to copy the cutting-edge technology used to create the new vaccines. The U.S., along with the European Union, Canada, and Japan, argued IP protections were crucial to how quickly COVID-19 vaccines were developed by the top pharmaceutical companies. Research and development are extremely expensive. Though the industry received some government help, it is still dependent on sales to recover research and production costs. The Trump administration did not want to sink funds into failed programs, it only wanted to reward success. The capitalist in the White House understood the power of incentives, and so far, at least on this issue, so does President Biden who continued to block the WTO waiver. That foreign countries want to get the golden eggs laid by our enterprising geese early and for free is understandable, but for activists within the U.S. to take up their cause seems inexplicable, apart from their hatred of enterprising geese. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is still vying for control of the Democratic party, lashed out at the U.S. position calling for a Peoples Vaccine, Not a Profits Vaccine with a focus on the Global South. Sanders said "the United States should play a major role in promoting global cooperation and innovation with a socialists usual inability to see that the two are in conflict. Innovation is the result of incentives and applies to medicine as is does to other human needs such as food, clothing, and shelter, not to mention all the other advances since the Industrial Revolution spawned in capitalist economies. Trying to get something for nothing usually ends up with nothing. On March 2, Biden announced that the United States will have enough vaccine supply for all American adults by May. He made the announcement while outlining a partnership between Merck and Johnson & Johnson to produce the third vaccine authorized for emergency use. All three vaccines now available (the others being Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna) are the result of Operation Warp Speed launched by President Trump in May 2020. The Presidents optimism that vaccines could be made available by January 2021 was based on his faith in the innovative capacity of the American pharmaceutical industry which is the worlds leader in biomedical science. And he knew this was the only path back to normalcy. Drastic lockdowns to slow but not cure the virus had done more harm than the virus itself. Yet, there are those who do not want all Americans vaccinated to win independence from the virus as Biden proclaimed. The WTO protest is only part of the larger campaign against vaccine nationalism. An early shot appeared in the liberal establishment journal Foreign Affairs last July by Thomas Bollyky, Director of the Global Health Program at the Council on Foreign Relations and Chad Bown, of the globalist Peterson Institute for International Economics. Their complaint, Absent an international, enforceable commitment to distribute vaccines globally in an equitable and rational way, leaders will instead prioritize taking care of their own populations over slowing the spread of Covid-19 elsewhere or helping protect essential health-care workers and highly vulnerable populations in other countries. They want only high priority Americans to get shots, the rest being sent to high priority people overseas in a global central planning scheme. This became woke gospel. The World Health Organization launched a petition rejecting vaccine nationalism at every turn. Bollyky and Bown believe it is morally and ethically reprehensible that countries should use their scientific advantages or greater wealth to take care of their own people first. They cannot accept that Supplies of proven vaccines will be limited initially even in some rich countries, but the greatest suffering will be in low- and middle-income countries. Such places will be forced to watch as their wealthier counterparts deplete supplies and will have to wait months (or longer) for their replenishment. This is, however, the real-world consequence of inequality; now as always. As everyone who lives in the real world knows, some people, organizations and societies are better at getting things done than are others. Inequality in national capabilities is the result of generations, even centuries, of successful effort. The importance of this process, with its emphasis on investment, constructive parameters, proper values, and a desire for greatness, comes to the fore in times of crisis. This kind of earned inequality through achievement should be praised, not denigrated. History shows how hard it is to attain (and sustain). The U.S. pharmaceutical industry is denounced because it is a source of global inequality based on intellectual property which rewards success. It is better, they claim, that we all die as equals than for some to be exalted for saving the rest. But the rest will be saved only because production will be ramped up through practical business measures that preserve the ability to meet the next crisis. Negotiations for the licensing of vaccines to foreign producers are in full swing. UK-based AstraZeneca has partnered with Indias Serum Institute, the worlds largest medicine producer, to supply its massive market as well as send doses back to the UK. Johnson & Johnson is also negotiating with the Serum Institute. Pfizer is negotiating with several Latin American countries. Profits come from expanding markets, not restricting them. Biden signed an executive order to ensure that production shortages, trade disruptions, natural disasters and potential actions by foreign competitors and adversaries never leave the United States vulnerable again. This was another continuation of a President Trump policy of bringing strategic supply-chains back home. The pharmaceutical sector should be a top priority because the production of far too many biochemical components have been allowed to go offshore, especially to China which certainly fits into the competitors and adversaries category. The U.S. needs to strengthen, not weaken, its pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing sectors as COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic. The past year reminds us of how fortunate we are to be standing on the shoulders of giants as our country remains in the lead with the means for taking care of its own people. We expect our leaders to ensure that we stay in the lead and protect us from future dangers as the first principle of responsible government. William R. Hawkins is an economist and widely published author in the field of national security with a long career in academe, think tanks and on Capitol Hill. Image: Pixabay UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir (at podium), addresses the opening of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN headquarters in New York on March 15, 2021. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, on Monday called for bold and strong moves toward gender equality at this year's session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). "Let this be a defining CSW session of our time and in a time of crisis. It is my heartfelt hope that in this year, also my last year at UN Women, we can witness bold and strong moves that will propel us in a much stronger way to gender equity and will end the discrimination against women and girls and empower all of us," she told the opening of the 65th session of the CSW. Under-representation of women is a factor in the slow progress in all aspects of gender equality, she said. "It is inconceivable that we can address this situation that is faced in the main by women and solve problems that women and girls face without the women themselves taking part in decision-making." "We currently confront the two biggest challenges of our generation: the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, and the unfolding climate change crisis. In both, women are disproportionately affected. In neither are women appropriately represented as negotiators and policy-makers," she noted. In a recent survey of COVID-19 task forces from 87 countries, it was found that less than 5 percent of those task forces had gender parity in the composition of their membership. This gives men the self-imposed, impossible task of making the right decisions about women without the benefit of women's insights, she said. "Neither the pandemic nor the financial crisis deters us from making progress in the representation of women. In fact, quite the opposite, the pandemic shows us how much we need to change so that we can truly build back better. Representation of women in decision-making is the only way to build back better -- in a gender-responsive manner, in an equitable manner, and in a greener manner." Change is possible and political will is critical in that respect, said Mlambo-Ngcuka. In Estonia, both the head of state and head of government are women. In Lithuania, the share of women in government has risen from 8 percent to 43 percent. In Rwanda, more than half of ministers are women. In the United States, women in charge of ministerial portfolios rose from 17 percent in 2020 to 46 percent in 2021, she noted. She called for special measures to boost gender parity in leadership positions. "Most important is to institute special measures, like well-designed and effectively implemented gender quotas and targets." Only 13 countries currently have gender-equal cabinets, a number way too low, she said. The premise of this year's priority theme -- women's full and effective participation and decision-making in public life -- is that it is not acceptable that institutions that are male-dominated should decide on matters that affect women's lives and concern the lives of all humanity, she said. [March 16, 2021] Tricor and Quinlan Jointly Announce Research Findings on Global Digital AGM Trends HONG KONG, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tricor Hong Kong ("Tricor"), the leading business expansion specialist in Asia, and Quinlan & Associates ("Quinlan"), a leading independent strategy consulting firm specialising in the financial services industry, jointly announced today the research findings on the global digital transformation of annual general meetings ("AGMs") amid the pandemic. AGMs represents a key pillar in corporate governance. They provide a platform for shareholders to interact with a company's leadership team, evaluate its performance, and voice their opinions about its development and strategies. It is estimated that 11.9 million AGMs were held worldwide in 2020 by corporations and non-profit organisations at a total cost of USD 9.3 billion. Despite its long history, AGMs have largely remained unchanged, with physical in-person conventions the dominant format until 2020. The arrival of Covid-19 highlighted a number of pain points such as organisation logistics, shareholder participation, voting efficiency, among other factors associated with physical AGMs. These shortfalls, like many business meetings in today's socially distanced world, can be addressed via digitisation. Many jurisdictions have relaxed restrictions on AGMs and allowed virtual or hybrid AGMs to encourage shareholder participation. The AGM digitisation trend accelerated as a result of social distancing measures implemented across the globe due to Covid-19, prompting companies to explore digital AGM solutions, with many jurisdictions witnessing double-digit multiples in digital AGM adoption rates. Tricor and Quinlan estimated that the global AGM solution market has the potential to grow by a CAGR of approximately 10% over the next five years, reaching approximately USD 219 million by 2025. Joe Wan, Chief Executive Officer of Tricor Hong Kong, said, "2020 was a year of monumental growth for digital transformation on all fronts. In spite of that, digital AGMs have been less well-received than expected during the year. To assist our clients in strengthening corporate governance and sharholder engagement via digital transformation, Tricor has rolled out our proprietary digital AGM solution SPOT last year, which bridges advantages of both physical and virtual meetings for conducting shareholder meetings and facilitates an easy voting process. We will continue to work towards the wider adoption of digital AGM solutions to broaden shareholder engagement. We also urge the relevant regulatory bodies to give clear guidance to listed companies to improve their understanding of regulatory requirements regarding digital AGMs and encourage them to go digital for their AGMs even after the pandemic has subsided." According to the survey conducted by Tricor and Quinlan, out of 43 respondents from public companies in Hong Kong, over 70% have not considered holding digital AGMs before the pandemic. For the respondents that did not adopt digital AGMs in 2020, the attendance of non-tech savvy shareholders ranked the highest among their list of concerns that determined their decisions to keep a physical AGM format. Meanwhile, the companies that had held digital AGMs found technological difficulties during the AGMs to be the biggest challenge. Catharine Wong, Managing Director and Head of Share Registry and Issuer Services (Hong Kong) of Tricor Hong Kong, said, "It is worth noting that low levels of shareholder participation have always been a consideration for AGMs, particularly notable among retail investors. For example, in Hong Kong, only 3% of retail investors voted in 2019, with only 16% of all retail investors in Hong Kong having ever voted. One-third of retail investors in Hong Kong were not aware of the right to vote, and over half of them found the process too time-consuming[1]. The rise of digital AGMs, in the form of virtual AGMs and hybrid AGMs, is expected to drive shareholder participation by eliminating the need to travel and enhancing convenience to attend. Digital AGM solutions aiming to maximise touchpoints and the communication experience would greatly facilitate this process and alleviate companies' concern about technological difficulties." Benjamin Quinlan, Founder of Quinlan & Associates, said, "In the process of conducting this survey, it was clear that awareness about the functionality and accessibility of digital AGMs was lacking among our respondents. However, as part of a global trend, the digital transformation of AGMs is as inevitable as it is conducive to raising shareholder engagement. However, we believe regulators have an important role to play in supporting companies to future-proof their digital AGM practices, especially in a Covid-19, socially distanced climate." SPOT, a tailor-made solution for Hong Kong listed companies, is at present the only eMeeting system that: complies with and observes all the requirements of HKEX Listing Rules and statutory regulations; seamlessly integrates the Register of Members; facilitates proxy actions under CCASS to attend and vote on-line; provides voting forms and proxy forms in the same format and details as published by the issuer on HKEX website for investors' ease of use; includes a full range of functions for an end-to-end eAGM solution; and offers robust data privacy, encrypted data storage and transmission and multi-layered security. About Tricor Founded in 2000, Tricor Services Limited has been the leading business expansion specialist in Asia. Our team of 700+ professionals serves over 10,000 clients across multiple industries, including more than 50% of listed companies and family offices, from Hong Kong and China in full strength. Tricor Services Limited's business expansion solutions include integrated business management advisory, corporate administration and secretarial services, trust and fiduciary services, and human resource consultation. Tricor Inside, our unique approach to business expansion, empowers companies to seamlessly maneuver from start-up to IPO and beyond. Take your first step towards business success with Tricor. Join the industry leaders, and get to know more at www.tricorglobal.com. About Quinlan & Associates Quinlan & Associates is a leading independent strategy consulting firm specialising in the financial services industry. We are the first firm to offer end-to-end strategy consulting services. From strategy formulation to execution, to ongoing reporting, communications, and employee training, we translate cutting-edge advice into commercially executable solutions. With our team of top-tier financial services and strategy consulting professionals and our global network of alliance partners, we give you the most up-to-date industry insights from around the world, putting you an essential step ahead of your competitors. [1] Investor Education Centre (Hong Kong), 'Retail Investor Study Research Report', December 2017 SOURCE Tricor Services Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] With a full year now in the books after the first coronavirus case emerged locally, Laredo has seen many twists and turns throughout the pandemic. COVID-19 has featured two major waves during the pandemic, including one last summer and an even worse one in the winter. And as the Gateway City is now seeing some of its best results during the entire ordeal, LMT takes a look back at some of the major highs and lows seen in the year since that first case was announced on March 16, 2020. LMT Positive cases As COVID-19 emerged, it came at a slow drip early on. The city didnt see double-digit positive cases until April and didnt surpass 20 in a day until June 9. In fact, officials even stopped providing weekend COVID-19 updates on June 6-7 feeling that they were no longer necessary. As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott further expanded reopening in June which saw many businesses open to 75% capacity, Laredo cases finally started to jump. From June 15-19, the area tied or broke the daily record in all five days averaging nearly 40 cases before about a week later things really expanded. The area set records in three straight days jumping from 56 cases to 111 and finally to 227 from June 25-27. June finished with 990 positives well above the former record of 318 from April but was about to be blown out of the water. Cases routinely were then found each day above triple-digits as July featured 4,593 cases before August had 4,714. September fell down to 3,057 positives before October had 1,553. And with the lull, Laredo was again allowed to reopen further due to reaching below a 15% COVID-19 hospitalization rate for seven consecutive days. Laredo was able to reopen bars and expand capacity to 75% on Nov. 2. And that month started a chain reaction of the worst months the city has seen. November ballooned to a new record of 4,589 positives before December surpassed it by nearly 30% at 6,923. Yet January nearly doubled that, racking up 13,140 positives and featuring a record 2,066 positives reported in a single day on Jan. 13. The Laredo area closed Year 1 of the pandemic locally with 42,956 cases of the coronavirus. It conducted a total of 311,075 tests with a total positivity rate of 13.8%. The vast majority of positives were contracted by individuals 40 and younger. While the city does not have specific figures for each age group it rounds each to the nearest thousand persons in their 20s make up the largest amount of positives at around 21%. Individuals in their 30s are next at 16% followed by those in their 40s and kids between 10-19 at 15%, those in their 50s at 12% and children under 9 at 10%. The elderly are the most susceptible to grave consequences and had the fewest cases as those in their 60s (7%), 70s (3%), 80s (1%) and 90s (0.4%) were all below double digits in percentage of total positives. LMT Deaths Two weeks after Laredos first positive case was announced, the area featured its first death. In fact, beginning March 30, it had a single fatality reported in five consecutive days. Laredos first day of multiple reported deaths was when it had two on April 12, and that stood as the record until three were recorded July 7. The ensuring day, however, the area saw six fatalities before shattering it with a whopping 15 reported later in the month on July 23. The latter was one of just 10 days through these 12 months with double-digit deaths, with only two of those happening during 2020. Those increased heights led to July eclipsing 100 deaths for the first time in a month at 102, shattering the former figures produced in March (2), April (14), May (3) and June (6). Julys mark was eclipsed in August at 117 before September and October saw a decline into the 50s. But as cases picked up, the deaths followed. After Novembers major jump in cases, deaths skyrocketed again in the winter with 102 in December, 127 in January and 148 in the short month of February. The latter included a new record of 26 fatalities reported in one day on Feb. 17. With positives now lower once again, March has featured only 24 fatalities so far half way through. But as these waves of deaths have previously followed reopening attempts, officials have shown concern at the latest announcement by Abbott to open Texas 100% and repeal the mask mandate which started on March 10, especially with Texas (9.2%) and Webb County (9.1%) still both below 10% of fully vaccinated individuals. Overall, 804 Laredoans lost their lives to COVID-19 during its first year. Males had the biggest impact with 438 deaths while 366 females died. Individuals in their 70s had the most fatalities with 208 followed by those in their 60s (178), 80s (167), 50s (100) and 90s (69). And these individuals had the worst odds to survive with an estimated 38.1% in their 90s dying as well as 27.6% in their 80s, 14.9% in their 70s, 5.9% in their 60s and 1.9% in their 50s. Those younger were less susceptible to graver consequences of the virus with 46 people dying in their 40s, 24 in their 30s, eight in their 20s and one between 10-19. Their survival rates were much better than the elderly, with an estimated 0.7% dying in their 40s, 0.1% in their 30s, 0.09% in their 20s and 0.02% from 10-19 years old. Hospitalizations and COVID-19 hospitalization rate Laredo didnt start routinely reporting hospitalizations until late May, and the area hit 100 for the first time on July 2. Just a little over a week later, it eclipsed 150 with 154 on July 11, and it broke the next century mark at the end of the month with 203 on July 30. Fortunately, that number topped out at 207 the next day then started falling off the ensuing month. However, hospitalizations were still above 50 in November when the next wave hit, and the area quickly found itself back above 100. And in early January, new heights were seen with the city hitting its current record of 249 on Jan. 17 and 19. Recently, cases have trended down greatly reaching 21 on March 15. Its the lowest single-day total since June 23 reported 16. The COVID-19 hospitalization rate Abbotts main measure to further reopen an area as long as its below 15% seven straight days has been a problem locally since it was introduced in late 2020. In fact, at the time Abbott discussed it on Oct. 7, Laredo was one of only three regions in the state that wasnt below 15%, and it hadnt been under that benchmark in the previous 101 days. But the Department of State Health Services changed the way it calculated the rate, stating it would then be a percentage of total hospital capacity instead of a percentage of total hospitalizations. Laredo fell to 14.1% on the first day of this new formula and remained under 15% for seven consecutive. As bars reopened and holidays hit, however, this figure skyrocketed. Laredo was soon above 15% seven days in a row in November closing bars and reducing business occupancy from 75% to 50% before taking over the No. 1 rate in Texas on Dec. 10 at 28.5%. And Laredo remained with the top rate in the state all the way through Feb. 22, even recording the states highest rate ever at 48.8% on Jan. 16. During this recent period as figures have dropped dramatically, Laredo now finds itself below 5% and nowhere near the top of the state leaderboard. Overall impact As many areas around the country deal with COVID-19, each has its own unique experience. Thus comparing them to each other can be difficult, especially from an internal standpoint. The New York Times, however, has been tracking throughout the year what it calls The Places Hit Hardest by the pandemic. And in its data, Laredo is ranked as the fourth hardest-hit area in the United States. The data is derived by cumulative confirmed cases of a micro or metro area. Per 1,000 population, Laredo has had 155.2 cases. This ranks only behind Eagle Pass (174.7), Yuma, Arizona (171.2) and Gallup, New Mexico (169.4). It is ahead of Bismarck, North Dakota (153.9) in the top five, as well as Lubbock (153.6), El Paso (150.8), El Centro, California (149.5), Hanford-Corcoran, California (146.3) and Pine Bluff, Arkansas (145.7) in the top 10. There are likely many factors contributing to these results including Laredos status as the No. 1 land port in the United States bringing people traveling around the country to the area as well as the city traditionally ranking among the largest in the state in household family size while many enjoy celebrating with entire family groups during holidays. zdavis@lmtonline.com Police have released CCTV footage of a man they believe can assist with their inquiries after a grandmother was brutally bashed outside a Greek church in Melbourne. Penelope Katsavos was opening Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox church in South Yarra at 6am on Saturday, as she had done every week for the past 30 years. As the 78-year-old approached the entrance, a man punched her in the face, pushed her to the ground and started kicking her, before he took her belongings and fled the scene. Victoria Police have now shared CCTV vision of a man they wish to speak to as part of their investigation. Police have released CCTV footage of a man they believe can assist with their inquiries after a grandmother was bashed outside a Greek church in Melbourne Penelope Katsavos' face was covered in massive purple bruises, trailing from her right eye down to her chin (pictured left after the attack and right in hospital) The image shows a man dressed in a maroon shirt, black pants and shoes wheeling a trolley as he walks past a female pedestrian. The man is white, has dark hair, a moustache and is of a thin build. Police allege the woman's attacker stole her shopping trolley, which contained personal items, before dumping it in a nearby street. 'Investigators have released images and CCTV of a male they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries,' a police statement read. Police released images of this man as part of their investigation. He is dressed in a maroon shirt and black pants Penelope Katsavos, 78, was left lying on the steps of the church (pictured) where she was found 30 minutes later by a street cleaner who then called police On Tuesday morning, Ms Katsavos' heartbroken son Evri and daughter-in-law Erin said the elderly woman's 'body is hurting' but her 'heart and soul are stronger than ever'. 'She is a very religious person and she is strong, and that is what's getting her through this,' the young mum told Sunrise. 'She is praying and she has complete faith that God has a plan for her.' Ms Katsavos was left lying on the steps of the church where she was found 30 minutes later by a street cleaner who then called police. Her face was covered in massive purple bruises, trailing from her right eye down to her chin. She suffered a broken wrist, a fractured pelvis and bleeding on the brain in two places. Despite her extensive injuries, her son said her condition improved over the weekend and she can now move around. Pictured: Erin and Evri Katsavos. Evri's mother Penelope was bashed by ruthless thugs outside a church on Saturday 'She's got full use of her left and right hands, although one of them is in a plaster, but the doctors and nurses are very happy with her progress,' he said. 'As long as she continues to improve then we'll be happy.' A photo taken in hospital shows the brave elderly woman flashing a smile as she reads from a bible, her reading glasses shielding a swollen black eye. Her family said they were more shocked than angry about the vicious attack, which Ms Katsavos believes was carried out by someone who was 'drug-affected', and pleaded with the attacker to come forward. 'Turn yourself in,' Mr Katsavos said. 'In time, you will be caught so, you know, do the right thing.' Ms Katsavos is the full-time carer for her husband Thomas, who has dementia - prompting fears she may not be able to care for him following the attack. Evri Katsavos, her son, told 7 News on Monday that he is saddened to 'think about the pain that she actually went through'. '[It's] just real gutless to hit anyone, let alone an elderly person... defenceless.' Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. The grandmother-of-six flashed a brave smile as she read from a bible in hospital, where she is receiving treatment for her injuries 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. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 Monday night, Sinn Fein MLAs in the north spoke passionately against a DUP bill that seeks to amend the law in Northern Ireland to prevent abortions in cases of non-fatal disabilities, including Down Syndrome, and then not-so-passionately abstained on the vote. The bill passed its second stage by 48 votes to 12. Michelle O'Neill, speaking as a Sinn Fein MLA, said she wanted to "give a voice to those women who find themselves in incredibly difficult and very vulnerable circumstances". "This is the thin end of the wedge and attempting to reopen a debate that has already been had...Women are entitled to have compassionate healthcare"...before announcing her party would abstain. Both sides of their mouth The abstention by Sinn Fein has enraged and disappointed pro-choice campaigners, however, many say they're not surprised by the party's politicking around the issue, because abortion has been consistently a topic where the party is often seen as talking out of both sides of its mouth. Like many parties, north and south, Sinn Fein has been on a journey when it comes to abortion. Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald during the final TV leaders' debate at the RTE studios in Donnybrook, Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire Firstly, set against it and then shifting to a more liberal stance, before expelling two of their own TDs for their own anti-choice beliefs and ultimately backing the Repeal campaign in the south, with a well-timed photo-op for the newly installed female leaders holding a sign stating: "The north is next". One assumes, "the north is next, sort of, and depending on X, Y and Z" wouldn't have fit on the piece of cardboard. A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: "The British Government in response to the DUP's proposed bill have also said publicly that they will ensure that abortion legislation remains in line with CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women) and therefore the DUP are aware that it will have no material effect. For that reason, Sinn Fein abstained on the vote on the DUP Bill." All of which begs the question - if it's already a non-starter, why not vote against it? "Playing that game" Mary Lou McDonald said that Sinn Fein was "not playing that game" with the DUP, but Sinn Feins party policy has not been updated since 2018, despite the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee, which recommends: "Parties are obligated to ensure that womens decisions to terminate pregnancies on this ground do not perpetuate stereotypes towards persons with disabilities." Likewise, the Abortion Rights Campaign has pointed out there is clear evidence in the Republic of Ireland that restricting abortion access to fatal diagnosis means families are still forced to travel to England to access abortion: "Restrictive definitions create high legal thresholds for abortion access which act as a barrier to healthcare, meaning travel to England remains the most common route to access abortion for SFA in the whole island." Many have pointed out that in June last year, the party tabled an amendment almost exactly like the one they abstained on. The 2020 Sinn Fein amendment read that it: "Rejects the specific legislative provision in the abortion legislation which goes beyond fatal foetal abnormalities to include non-fatal disabilities, including Down Syndrome." DUP MLA Paul Givan said Sinn Fein's amendment is a recognition of the flawed legislation that Westminster is imposing on the people of Northern Ireland. Stormont unity at last! Shock in Dublin The amendment in Belfast came as a shock to Sinn Fein TDs in Dublin, who confirmed this to the Irish Examiner at the time. "Maybe they thought this would give pro-lifers in the north some comfort and now they've reopened this argument with a motion that won't actually change anything," one senior party source said last year. The main charge against Sinn Fein in the north is exactly that "to give pro-lifers in the north some comfort". Sinn Fein has struggled with its image for some time, due to its quickly increased popularity in the Republic. The party of Eoin O Broin, Louise O'Reilly and Pearse Doherty, housing rights, workers' rights and "ordinary" people's rights in the Republic are also the party of Catholic republicanism in the north, and the marriage of the two has been messy at times, downright confused at others. Voters split by a border Much was made, rightly, of the presence of the potential next Taoiseach at a Republican funeral in west Belfast which flouted Covid rules last year. Many southerners were left scratching their heads at why such a reputational risk was taken when the party is flying high in opposition and likewise now, with the party increasingly popular with young, left-leaning women and men, north and south, would they abstain on what is considered the highest priority women's rights issue in the north? The answer is that Sinn Fein believes their voters are different on either side of the border. Northerners are not seen as being as socially liberal as their Republican siblings and there is a myriad of factors why. The main one being that if your cultural identity is tied to your religion, you'll hang on to that religion a lot tighter than others would. Northern nationalism is based on Catholicism and though many have moved away from the church, not enough it seems for Sinn Fein or the SDLP, the traditional nationalist parties, to alter their voting patterns. The SDLP had nine MLAs vote in favour of the DUP bill. Running the risk For Sinn Fein, the Bobby Storey funeral and the vote on abortion ran the same gauntlet, they knew the risk and did it anyway, because it's the votes that count. Going forward the party will not be able to walk this tightrope so clumsily. If Mary Lou McDonald is to get her feet under the desk in Merrion Street, the pressure the party feels now from a critical media will feel like an all-expenses-paid holiday in Sri Lanka. With these kinds of conflicting messages in Dublin and Belfast, voters won't buy the message that "the all-island party" is anything of the sort. Penny Lancaster has celebrated her 50th birthday in lockdown and lit 50 personalised candles for the occasion. The model and TV personality, 50, took to her Instagram to share a snap of her mantelpiece with fans on Tuesday. Penny who shares sons Alistair, 15, and Aiden, 10, with rocker husband Rod Stewart, 76, dotted the candles amongst photo frames and a vase of lillies to celebrate. Make a wish! Penny Lancaster has celebrated her 50th birthday in lockdown and lit 50 personalised candles for the occasion in an Instagram post on Tuesday She spaced the white and green candles, which had things like 'Lady P' and '50' written on them, across every inch of the surface dotted between a white bust. The mother-of-two said that the 'outpouring of love' she received on her special day had 'warmed' her soul. She penned: 'My lockdown 50th was magical. The out pouring of love and birthday wishes warmed me to my soul. 'You made my birthday complete, just as you make my life complete. My zoom party was full of unforgettable memories, tears and laughter. Happiness: Former model Penny who shares sons Alistair, 15, and Aiden, 10, with rocker Rod Stewart, 76, dotted the candles amongst family photo frames (pictured together in 2020) Magical: The mother-of-two said the 'outpouring of love' she received on her special day had 'warmed' her soul 'I made lots of wishes when I blow out all 50 of my hand made personalised candles, giving thanks to all my cherished loved ones'. Penny also took to her Instagram Stories to give fans a closer look at her personalised candles, which had 'soul' and 'ritz' adorned on them. As she panned across the table, with Annie Lennox's hit Shining Light playing over the clip, there was also a candle with 'goats' on it, a nod to her pet pygmies Rupert, Biscuit and Hazel. Her birthday cake also featured her beloved goats, with three chocolate sculptures perched on top. Penny's green cake was made to look like a field with a fence round the bottom and little icing flowers on top, and included the names of her pets around the base. Beloved pets: Penny's birthday cake also featured her goats, with three chocolate sculptures perched on top of the cake which was made to look like a field Charlene White recently left her Loose Women co-stars in stitches as she accidentally mixed Penny up with Rod's daughter Kimberly, 41. The new panellist, 40, joined Nadia Sawalha and Jane Moore to discuss their breastfeeding experiences when she asked the former model, 49: 'What about yours, Kimberly?' The amused host - who has been married to the rock icon since 2007 - quickly quipped: 'Um, I'm Penny!' as she was mistaken for the American socialite, who is only eight years her junior. The group of presenters couldn't control their laughter, before ITV News star Charlene apologised: 'Sorry it's all the breastfeeding talk, it's got me mixed up!' Glam: Penny's white and green candles had 'Lady P' and '50' written on them and she'd spread them across every inch of the table Musician Rod shares his daughter, as well as son Sean, 40, with his first wife Alana Stewart, who he was married to married for five years. The music sensation has fathered eight children in total, including two during his second marriage with Rachel Hunter, daughter Renee, 28, and son Liam, 26. Rod was married to the New Zealand-born model from 1990 until 1999 and eventually divorced in 2006. The star also shares daughter Ruby, 33, with his model ex Kelly Emberg. His first child - Sarah Streeter, 57, from his romance with then-art student Susannah Boffey - was given up for adoption after he fathered her at age 18. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The Senate rejected today by a vote of 55 to 72 and one abstention the simple motion against Economy Minister Claudiu Nasui, titled "Romania in agony, with Nasui at Economy". The 41 Social Democratic Party (PSD) senators who signed the motion demanded the "immediate" dismissal of Economy Minister Claudiu Nasui. The vote was secret, with balls. AGERPRES All Creatures Great and Small resumed filming for its second series on Tuesday as the city of Bradford was transformed into 1930s Glasgow. Star Nicholas Ralph was suited and booted to play the charismatic James Herriot as his character returns to his hometown in Scotland after jumping off a bus plucked straight from the pre-War era. Channel 5 renewed the All Creatures Great and Small reboot for a second series after its debut drew in a record five million viewers, with fans praising the series for its re-imagining of the Yorkshire vet Harriot. Sharp: All Creatures Great and Small resumed filming for series two on Tuesday as star Nicholas Ralph suited up to play James Herriot after Bradford was turned into 1930s Glasgow Nicholas was dapper in a classic grey suit and trench coat as the scenes saw him stroll down a street after heading back to his hometown. The Bradford was transported over 80 years into the past with the arrival of a vintage car and a blue Routemaster bus, plastered with an advert for McVities and Price biscuits. Meanwhile extras were dressed in their own period attire as they strolled down the smoky street past a vegetable salesman. Transformed: For the scenes the city of Bradford was transformed into 1930s Glasgow as vet Herriot returned to his hometown in Scotland Pensive: The scenes saw Nicholas don a suit with a briefcase in hand as he strolled past vintage cars on the street Throwback: While a vintage car chugged over a cobbles, a classic Routemaster bus also took to the road, plastered with an advert for McVities and Price biscuits Filming for All Creatures Great and Small's second series was hit by delays due to the Covid pandemic, but production finally began earlier this year. The first series focused on young vet James who moves to Yorkshire to land a job as a veterinary assistant to Siegfried Farnon, played by Samuel West. Callum Woodhouse plays Siegfried's errant brother Tristan, while Anna Madeley takes on the role of housekeeper Anna Madeley. It also stars Rachel Shenton has Helen Anderson, who viewers have seen form a blossoming romance with vet James, even leading her to flee her wedding during a Christmas special. Eery: Meanwhile extras were dressed into their own period attire as they strolled down the street, which had been filled with smok by crew members December's festive episode concluded with Helen and James still unable to reveal their true feelings for each other, even after she ended her romance with handsome landowner Hugh (Matthew Lewis). Elsewhere widower Siegfried plucked up the courage to finally kiss Dorothy (Maimie McCoy) at the Christmas Eve party, while Anna was devastated when her estranged son Edward failed to turn up for the occasion as he'd promised. Tristan remains in the dark about the fact that he failed one of his veterinary exams and isn't fully qualified, and whether Siegfried will come clean about hiding the truth from his brother. Coming soon: Filming for All Creatures Great and Small's second series was hit by delays due to the Covid pandemic, but production finally began earlier this year What will happen? December's festive episode concluded with Helen Anderson (pictured played by Rachel Shenton) and James still unable to reveal their true feelings for each other Exciting: Channel 5 renewed the All Creatures Great and Small reboot for a second series after its debut drew in a record five million viewers The original BBC series, based on a series of books by former vet Alf Wight, who wrote under the pen name of Herriot, aired from 1978 to 1990, with Christopher Timothy as the Dales vet and Robert Hardy as his boss. Sadly one cast member who won't return is Dame Diana Rigg, who passed away in September 2020 aged 82, almost a year after filming for series one had wrapped. Executive producer Colin Callender told the Radio Times that there are 'no final decisions' on whether her character Mrs. Pumphrey will be recast. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) A hospital official on Tuesday urged the public to double efforts and take extra precaution to curb the spread of COVID-19 as more medical facilities in Metro Manila feel the effects of the recent surge in infections. We are appealing to the public also to please take care and exert extra effort, maybe double the efforts, Dr. Norberto Francisco, spokesperson of the Lung Center of the Philippines, told CNN Philippines The Source. I dont want to call it a minimum health standard a little more precaution, he added. Lung Center currently has 105 beds dedicated for COVID-19 patients 85 of which are already occupied, Francisco said. Of this 105-bed allocation, 56 are assigned to COVID-19 patients under intensive or critical care. Forty-seven of these are also occupied, he noted. With the rising number of admissions, Francisco said the center, over the weekend, decided to open a new wing for COVID-19 patients. Were trying our best, Francisco stressed. We have seen worse cases last year, but of course we dont want to make it reach that point again. Ang hirap eh (its hard). EAMC at red level Aside from the Lung Center, admissions at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City are also increasing with the hospital reporting 77% utilization rate for COVID-related cases. And its still climbing as far as we are concerned, EAMC chief Dr. Alfonso Nunez said in the same program. While Nunez said that the hospital will continue to accept patients, he noted there may be some waiting time due to congestion in the wards. We are really at a level that is, shall we say, a red level, he said, adding that critical care beds are already 95% occupied. Nunez stressed the hospital will be developing strategies to increase the bed allocation for COVID-19 patients, especially for the severe and critical cases. The Philippines has been logging over 3,000 and 4,000 new daily COVID-19 cases for the past week, a surge government officials and experts flagged as alarming. On Monday, the country recorded 5,404 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day rise in infections since August 14 of last year. A newborn baby has tragically died at a hospital in Sydney's west where five other newborns have died in the last two years sparking a fresh investigation. Just a few months ago medical staff at Blacktown Hospital staged a walkout furious over conditions and under-resourcing at the hospital. The latest death happened over the weekend and the parents have received bereavement support, Western Sydney Local Health District said. The obstetrics department at Blacktown Hospital walked off the job (pictured) in November furious at conditions and demanding an increase in staffing levels Six newborn babies have died at Blacktown Hospital (pictured) in the last two years prompting fresh investigations The maternity ward had been fully staffed with doctors, nurses and midwives on the weekend, the hospital said. Authorities have now launched a 'root cause investigation' to determine exactly what led to the newborn's death. The health district said the general manager of the hospital and the nurse manager for women's and children's health had visited the parents to inform them of the investigation. A separate internal investigation is also underway by the hospital. A spokesperson said the maternity ward had been staffed with 'full medical and midwifery coverage'. Between 2015 and 2020 births at Blacktown hospital rose by 52 per cent while staff increased by 11 per cent, according to the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. The unions general secretary said the series of tragic deaths had left nurses and midwives 'traumatised' while understaffing led to them experiencing 'burnout'. The Western Sydney Local Health District has said three senior medicos, four junior doctors, and 15 midwives had been appointed at the hospital in the last six months. The fifth newborn to pass away at the hospital was in November when a woman, who was 39-weeks pregnant, went into labour feeling unwell. Her unborn child's heartbeat was normal when she was admitted into the hospital but by mid-afternoon doctors couldn't find its heartbeat. The doctors said was too late to perform a caesarean and the baby in utero was pronounced dead shortly after. A doctor familiar with the case said they believe the death 'was avoidable'. Nurses and midwives at the November protest over understaffing at Blacktown Hospital 'The infant missed out on the opportunity for an emergency caesarean section. There are clear system factors involved,' the anonymous doctor told The Australian. 'The predominant theme is junior staff who are busy, expected to be in more than one place at one time, resulting in a delayed recognition of the severity of the situation.' The doctor said midwives and junior medical staff were doing the best they could but under-staffing issues prevented the mother from being monitored properly. The hospital's entire obstetrics staff threatened to resign that same month after requesting increased staffing and operating theatres for months. A hospital executive reportedly told concerned staff they would be replaced with locum doctors if they walked out this week, angering the obstetrics department. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard (pictured) ordered a review of Blacktown Hospital NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard previoulsy ordered a review of Blacktown Hospital given a total of five newborns have died at the healthcare facility since mid-2019. Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals general manager Ned Katritb said the baby's death was 'deeply distressing' and sent his condolences to the affected family. 'While a healthy and safe birth for a mother and infant is the goal for all labour and delivery units, sadly in some instances, this does not occur,' Mr Katrib said in a statement issued to Daily Mail Australia. 'All families impacted by stillbirth or a neonatal death are provided bereavement support and if a clinical incident where serious harm or death occurs it is reported to NSW Health. 'All adverse clinical incidents are investigated in line with NSW Health incident management policy. 'The care and safety of patients remains the top priority for all health care staff at Blacktown Hospital.' Another baby named Nigella died at Blacktown Hospital in June. A 'Root Cause Analysis' into Nigella's death found there has been no increase in staffing in the obstetrics unit despite increasing numbers of patients The fifth baby's death follows another baby named Nigella who died at Blacktown Hospital in June. A 'Root Cause Analysis' into Nigella's death found there has been no increase in staffing in the obstetrics unit despite increasing numbers of patients. 'There is no dedicated obstetric theatre, and delayed elective caesarean sections and acute obstetric and gynaecology surgical work is often deferred until after hours,' the investigation found, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. There have been five newborn deaths at the hospital since mid-2019, which is also when the hospital's new maternity unit opened in August 2019. Roughly 4,200 babies a year are delivered at Blacktown Hospital each year and another 4,900 at the nearby Westmead Hospital, which are both part of Western Sydney Local Health District. The current infant mortality rate for Australia in 2020 is 2.957 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is a 2.47 per cent decline from 2019, according to Macrotrends. ALBANY At the urging of his Republican colleagues, state Sen. James Skoufis who chairs the chamber's investigations committee said he is interested in examining Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's COVID-19 policies at group home facilities for people with developmental disabilities, which have mirrored those of nursing homes. Skoufis said he had discussed the issue on a call Sunday night with Sen. Mike Martucci, the top Republican on the disabilities committee. Senate Republicans followed up with a letter Monday, signed by four members, asking Skoufis to initiate an investigation of the matter. The letter points to policies that didn't prioritize giving personal protective equipment to facilities overseen by the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. Staff at those facilities also were not required to work overtime to help deal with the challenges of coronavirus fections. But a focus of the push for the probe is an April 10 directive from OPWDD, an executive branch agency, that facilities should accept COVID-positive patients. Critics have compared that directive to the controversial March 25 order instructing nursing homes to accept COVID-positive residents. The April 10 policy is still in effect, and says if patients are "medically stable" and "asymptomatic" then, "no individual shall be denied re-admission or admission." Some of the information and perspective that (Martucci) shared and brought to my attention last night is alarming and is worth looking into," Skoufis said. Given the similarity of the directive to the very controversial nursing home executive order, and the very simple fact that these group homes are congregate settings, this is something I want to do some information gathering on." Jennifer O'Sullivan, a spokeswoman for OPWDD, said in an emailed statement that "certain legislators" are spreading untruths about the policy. "If they actually took the time to closely read OPWDDs guidance which was issued nearly a year ago, they would understand that residents of OPWDD group homes who were sent to the hospital for COVID-19 treatment were only returned to their homes after being deemed safe to return by the hospital physician, in consultation with the residential provider," she said. "Group home providers were only to accept individuals if they could safely accommodate them within the group home." That is a similar defense to what Cuomo's administration has offered of the nursing home policy. Some have said the directives unnecessarily exposed the most vulnerable New Yorkers to COVID-19, causing additional deaths. Cuomo has said the directives were issued to protect the hospitals from being overwhelmed. The letter cites a report from Disability Rights New York, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and the New York Civil Liberties Union that people in OPWDD were three times more likely to contract or die of COVID-19 than the broader population. O'Sullivan said that there have been 6,969 COVID-19 cases in OPWDD facilities in New York and 553 deaths, "regardless of location of death." The total population of OPWDD residents was 34,551, as of Sunday. Skoufis added that there are important differences between OPWDD facilities and nursing homes families can more easily take people out of OPWDD facilities, for instance and that he wouldn't commit outright to holding hearings. But he said he wanted to explore the issue and potentially partner with Sen. John Mannion, who chairs the Committee on Disabilities, because, "this is something that deserves examination." Cuomo is under two federal investigations for his administration's handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes and the decision made to withhold information about the total number of deaths from people who contracted the virus in those facilities. The signatories of the Monday letter connect the nursing home scandal and Cuomo's handling of OPWDD facilities, saying the lack of transparency is the same. "To date, OPWDD has resisted calls for greater transparency regarding the release of data related to group homes. I respectfully request that you launch a transparent and comprehensive investigation into OPWDD as the chair of the Investigations and Government Operations Committee," says the letter, which is signed by senators Anthony Palumbo, James Tedisco, Fred Akshar and Martucci. "We must come together as New Yorkers and demand that OPWDD be transparent about their conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic." Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive and father of a child with a disability, has also been vocal on this issue. He sent a letter last month to legislative leaders, including Mannion, calling for a review of the OPWDD coronavirus policies. This has been a stubborn fight by the state every step of the way and its because those with disabilities have never been front and center in their spectrum of care," Molinaro said Monday, noting the directive for the facilities to accept COVID patients and that the state wouldn't allow counties to distribute personal protective equipment to the facilities last spring. "Its almost as if Albany has washed their hands of responsibility and its really, really disturbing," he said. The United States is unlikely to require a new mass lockdown or see a fourth wave of infections, as is currently happening in parts of Europe, because the U.S. vaccination program is further advanced, the former FDA chief has said. Dr Scott Gottlieb served as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2017 until 2019. On Monday he told CNBC that he was optimistic that the U.S. would not need to follow Italy's lead and reimpose lockdown. 'Earlier I said we were sort of four to maybe six weeks behind Europe, and we pretty much were,' Gottlieb said, referring to previous phases of the global health crisis. 'Everything that happened in Europe eventually happened here. Now I think the tables have turned. We're ahead of Europe.' Scott Gottlieb said on Monday that he hoped the U.S. would not need another lockdown Gottlieb, who is on the board of pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, one of the main producers of the COVID-19 vaccine, said that Europe no longer served as a predictive model for the United States. 'I don't think the conditions in Europe and the situation in Europe is necessarily predictive any more of what's going to happen here because we have much more immunity in our population both from prior infection which they have as well but also now from vaccination,' he said. About 9.5 per cent of the vaccine-eligible population across EU member states have had at least one of their injections, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. That figure falls to 7.5 per cent of Italians aged 18 and up, and 8.5 per cent of Germans. In the United States, the figure is 27 per cent. The U.S. has registered 29,494,312 cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, and 535,609 deaths. There were 56,305 new cases reported on Monday, and 729 new deaths. The number of new COVID-19 cases being reported each week has dropped for nine straight weeks, falling 10 per cent to just under 378,000 in the seven days ended March 14, Reuters reported on Sunday. Deaths linked to COVID-19 dropped below 10,000 last week, the lowest since mid-November. Gottlieb said that, despite the positive signs, now was not the time to abandon social distancing and face masks. Air travel on Friday hit its highest level since the pandemic started as warmer weather prompted many people to go on spring break. 'I think we should be concerned that things can turn in a direction that we're not predicting,' he said, warning that mutant strains such as B.1.1.7, known as the U.K. strain, were becoming widespread. Substitute teacher Oscar Gardner, 76, receives his first dose of the vaccine in Seattle on Monday People are seen receiving the vaccine in Pittsburgh on Monday at a clinic The British strain is more infectious, but not believed to be more dangerous, and the vaccine is thought to be effective against it. 'Right now you're seeing B.1.1.7 become pretty prevalent across the United States,' said Gottlieb. 'It's more than 50 per cent of cases in Texas and Florida and Southern California, and you're not seeing the big upswing in cases that we might have expected once that variant claimed hold in the United States.' Last week, he estimated on CNBC that about 50 per cent of Americans have 'some form of immunity' to the coronavirus. New York, where researchers discovered a new strain called B.1.526, is one worrisome area for Gottlieb. 'We really don't understand that mutation well, but that is a cause for concern, so we need to watch that pretty closely,' he said, adding the next couple of weeks should give officials more answers. NatWest is being investigated by the City watchdog over alleged money laundering failures after 365million was paid into the bank by a Bradford-based gold dealer. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) claims that 'increasingly large cash deposits' were made into a NatWest company account - of which some 264million was in cash. It says NatWest's systems and controls failed to properly monitor and scrutinise this activity, which took place between November 11, 2011 and October 19, 2016. The account belonged to Bradford-based gold dealer and jeweller Fowler Oldfield Ltd, a court summary revealed. The 122-year-old firm was liquidated after a police raid in 2016, a source familiar with the matter said. Up to 2million in cash was delivered to Fowler Oldfield every day as part of an 'extremely sophisticated' money laundering scheme, a 2019 court case - reported in The Financial Times - revealed. NatWest (file image) is being investigated by the City watchdog over alleged money laundering failures after 365million was paid into the bank by a Bradford-based gold dealer In the last statement by liquidators for Fowler Oldfield - dated December 2020 and filed at Companies House - they said NatWest was the secured creditor and that the police held the company's seized assets. Telephone numbers listed for Fowler Oldfield did not work. Representatives for the bank's taxpayer-backed parent firm the NatWest Group are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 14. It marks the first time the FCA has launched criminal prosecution under the money laundering regulations - and the first time the rules have been used to prosecute a bank. NatWest faces an unlimited fine if convicted. The FCA said the money laundering rules require firms to 'determine, conduct and demonstrate risk-sensitive due diligence and ongoing monitoring of its relationships with its customers for the purposes of preventing money laundering'. NatWest Group (file image), which is 62 per cent owned by the Government after a mammoth bailout at the height of the financial crisis, said it had been co-operating with the FCA's investigation to date No individuals are being charged as part of the proceedings. Money laundering specialist Jonathan Fisher QC said: 'This is potentially very serious, and not just because there is an unlimited fine. 'It will send shivers of concern down the spines of those operating in the regulated sector whose anti-money laundering procedures are not 100 per cent.' The regulator first alerted NatWest Group - formerly Royal Bank of Scotland - of the investigation in July 2017. NatWest Group, which is 62 per cent owned by the Government after a mammoth bailout at the height of the financial crisis, said it had been co-operating with the FCA's investigation to date. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (file image) claims that 'increasingly large cash deposits' were made into a NatWest company account - of which some 264million was in cash The bank said: 'NatWest Group takes extremely seriously its responsibility to seek to prevent money laundering by third parties and accordingly has made significant, multi-year investments in its financial crime systems and controls.' The group said the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) action relates to the handling of the accounts of a UK incorporated customer between November 11, 2011, and October 19, 2016. NatWest Group said it had been co-operating with the FCA's investigation to date. Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. New York, March 16 : Biotechnology company Moderna has announced that first participants have been vaccinated in the Phase 1 study of mRNA-1283 -- a potential refrigerator-stable Covid-19 vaccine that could facilitate easier distribution and administration, especially in developing countries. Moderna said the new Covid-19 vaccine candidate could be stored and shipped in refrigerators instead of freezers. "Our investments in our mRNA platform have enabled us to develop this next generation vaccine candidate, which is a potential refrigerator-stable vaccine that could facilitate easier distribution and administration in a wider range of settings, including potential for developing countries," said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. mRNA-1283 encodes for the portions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein critical for neutralisation, specifically the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) and N-terminal Domain (NTD). This Phase 1 study will evaluate three dose levels, 10 microgrammes, 30 microgrammes, and 100 microgrammes, of the mRNA-1283 vaccine candidate given to healthy adults as a 2-dose series, 28 days apart, and one dose level, 100 microgrammes, of mRNA-1283 given to healthy adults in a single dose, the company said. These will be compared with a 2-dose series of 100 microgrammes of mRNA-1273, the currently authorised dose level. mRNA-1283 is intended to be evaluated in future studies for use as a booster dose for previously vaccinated or seropositive as well as in a primary series for seronegative individuals. The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine is an mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 encoding for a prefusion stabilised form of the Spike (S) protein, which was co-developed by Moderna and investigators from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease's (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center. On December 18, 2020, the US FDA authorised the emergency use of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine in individuals 18 years of age or older. The company has also received authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine from health agencies in Canada, Israel, the European Union, the UK, Switzerland, Singapore and Qatar. Additional authorisations are currently under review in other countries and by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the company said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) An interesting new study deals with the effects of the natural mutations in the spike antigen of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen that is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic. The inability to control the spread of this virus has been linked to the rapid emergence of new mutations that materially affect its transmissibility, infectivity, and virulence. This phenomenon also threatens the goal of achieving population immunity via vaccination-induced antibodies. The current study, available in preprint form on the bioRxiv* server, deals with four SARS-CoV-2 variants with unique sets of mutations, exploring their impact on biological activity. Virus-host interactions The virus engages the host cell receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), via its spike glycoprotein, a protein that protrudes from its membrane. This is composed of an S1 and S2 subunit, with a novel furin cleavage site at the interface. The S1 is responsible for spike-ACE2 binding. It contains the N-terminal domain (NTD), the ACE2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), and two subdomains (SD1 and SD2). The NTD and the RBD are dominant antigens for neutralizing antibodies. The RBD is metastable, with an up and a down conformation. Only the latter is accessible to ACE2 binding. The S2 has a second cleavage site, the S2 site, which is attacked by the serine protease TMPRSS2. It also contains a fusion peptide (FP), heptad repeat 1 (HR1), the central helix (CH), the connector domain (CD), heptad repeat 2 (HR2), the transmembrane domain (TM) and a cytoplasmic tail (CT). Spike-ACE2 engagement is followed by protease-mediated cleavage at the S1/S2 interface and the S2 site. This leads to large conformational changes in the spike, causing membrane-cell fusion and viral entry into the host cell. Late in 2020, several new variants of concern (VOCs) appeared, which were resistant to neutralizing antibodies and more infectious than earlier variants. These carried the dominant D614G mutation in the spike but also other sets of novel mutations. The four variants studied here are the mink variant, the UK variant, the B.1.1.28 variant and the South African variant. Mink-associated SARS-CoV-2 variant The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection among mink farmworkers in early 2020 was followed by the occurrence of similar strains in many other countries, leading eventually to the culling of all 17 million minks farmed in Denmark. The variant has five spike mutations, H69 (H69) and V70 (V70) deletion in the NTD, and Y453F in the RBD, I692V downstream of the furin cleavage site in SD2, and M1229I in the transmembrane domain. The last was not included, however, in the virus construct. This variant showed a 3.5-fold higher binding affinity to ACE2 compared to the original D614G ectodomain. This was due mainly to a lower rate of dissociation of the bound spike-ACE2 complex, caused by the Y453F mutation. The variant bound strongly to RBD-specific neutralizing antibodies, DH1041, DH1043 and DH1047, and increased binding affinity with the neutralizing NTD-targeting antibodies DH1050.1 and DH1050.2 by 3.5 and 2.6-fold, respectively. This was mainly due to an increased on-rate, and was contributed chiefly by the H69/V70 mutation. Despite the increase in receptor binding affinity, immune evasion was not observed. The researchers also found that the 3 RBD-down states were unexpectedly variable, and the S2 subunit that was known to remain invariant in previously reported prefusion spike structures showed conformational changes. Their examination also showed a new state that lacked the S1 subunit of one of the three protomers. These findings, put together, indicate that the prefusion spike structure might be destabilized by the mutations in this variant. The B.1.1.7 variant This variant, termed the UK variant, is thought to be more transmissible, more virulent and more dangerous in terms of mortality than the D614G variant. It contains eight spike mutations, including N501Y in the receptor-binding motif in the RBD, H69/V70 and Y144 deletions in the NTD, A570D in SD1, P681H proximal to the furin cleavage site on SD2, and three others. This variant showed a five-fold increase in ACE2 binding, due mainly to the N501Y mutation. This is consistent with reports identifying residue 501 as a hotspot for mutagenic modulation of ACE2 binding affinity. This variant is susceptible to vaccine-elicited antibodies and to the RBD-targeting natural antibodies above. Conversely, it is resistant to NTD-directed antibodies such as 4A8, 5-24, 4-8 and DH1050.1, an effect linked to the NTD mutation Y144. Structural studies showed the allosteric effect of the paired mutations, the S982A [in the HR1 region] and A570D in the spike regions distal to the RBD and NTD. The various changes in the spike structure result in disengagement of the NTD from the adjacent RBD, which accounts for the increased RBD mobility and exposure. This indicates pairing acts as an allosteric switch through coupling of domain movements. The B.1.351 and B.1.1.28 variants The B.1.351 variant has eight mutations in the spike protein, seven of which affect the NTD and RBD. K417N, E484K and N501Y are in the RBD. In addition to these three, the B.1.1.28 variant has other mutations. In particular, the P.1 variant arose from this lineage and has caused a fresh wave of cases in an area of Brazil called Manaus, where 75% of the people had already been infected. When mutations accumulate in these regions, encoding the dominant antigens eliciting the immune response, they are likely to affect positive selection pressure. Both these variants show improved ACE2 binding affinity because of the N501Y mutation. The E484K and the triple RBD mutation in the B.1.1.28 variant both failed to affect binding to the neutralizing NTD-directed antibody DH1050.1. However, it did affect binding in a construct with multiple NTD mutations. Binding to RBD-targeting antibodies DH1041 and DH1043 was robust but moderately decreased with B.1.1.28, even though the E484K mutation is at the epitope or binding interface of these antibodies. Conversely, it was markedly reduced for B.1.351, indicating that the NTD mutations produce allosteric inhibition of antibody binding. The B.1.351 variant was observed to be resistant to some antibodies targeting the RBD and NTD, and to convalescent sera as well. This is due to the three RBD mutations, especially the E484K mutation. This reduces or abolishes binding to a number of class I antibodies targeting the RBD, such as DH1041. E484K alters RBD conformation to produce immune evasion Cryo-EM (cryo-electron microscopy) showed that the three mutations in the RBD cause disorder in the RBDs in the 3-RBD-down state, thus favoring the up state. The E484K mutation leads to increased disorder in the RBD hook, which may also cause the increased RBD up propensity by weakening the coupling between adjacent RBDs. Both the RBD-RBD interactions in the up state, as well as the bound antibody-adjacent RBD contacts, are likely to be implicated in stabilizing the antibody binding to mutants with E484K. The B.1.351 and B.1.1.28 variants may utilize modification of the previously identified N343-glycan gate that contacts the adjacent RBD tip at a location near the E484K mutation to achieve [enhanced RBD exposure]. The main outcome of changes in the 3-RBD-down state, from this series of structural studies, appears to be the increased exposure of the RBD, primarily by destabilizing one or more of the RBDs. Different mechanisms converge to enhance the exposure of the RBD. With the B.1.351 and B.1.1.28 variants, the destabilization is due to inter-protomer contacts. With the other two, it is mediated by modifications in the interactions between S1/S2 with the S2 of an adjacent RBD. Comparison of inter-protomer network and RBD to RBD vector measures. A. (left) RBD and NTD vectors, angles, and dihedrals. (right) Simplified schematic of the SD2, SD1, NTD' inter-protomer contact network. B. Principal components analysis of the inter-protomer network and RBD to RBD vector measures colored according to k-centers (K=3). Clusters correspond to a GSAS-D614G (D614G) like cluster (red), a u1S2q like cluster (blue), and outlier S-GSAS-D614G-FV (D614G-FV) 3D-4 (green). C. Top three contributors to PCA component one. D. RBD to NTD distance for the variants including D614G-FV and the previously determined D614G. E. Significant Correlations between the inter-protomer angle measures (N=12, p<0.05). Pink outlines identify relationships plotted in panel (F). Square outline identifies non-significant correlation in the full structure set that was significant in the D614G cluster only correlations. F. Selected vector relationship plots. Colors are according to clusters in the PCA analysis in panel (B). What are the implications? All the new variants showed increased binding affinity to the ACE2 receptor. However, the changes that occurred in the SARS-CoV-2 spike within humans are different from those that emerged during mink-human transmission. In humans, the increased ACE2 binding caused increased transmissibility. In the mink-associated variant, the increased binding affinity may overcome the natural decrease in affinity for the homologous receptor in minks, thus helping the virus to adapt to the mink host. This variant may have lost fitness in this process, as it retained the original susceptibility to antibody neutralization. The postulated loss of fitness is supported by the instability of the spike in this variant, including a population of partly unfolded spikes. These findings may also explain how the mink variant failed to spread widely among humans. The variants that emerged during spread among humans only showed different mechanisms of spike adjustment in the NTD and RBD, producing a convergent destabilization of the 3-RBD-down state. Since the functional conformation of the RBD in coronaviruses depends on a network of S1 subunit domain interactions, and since the spike protein is metastable, small changes in the domain pairing strength produce large changes in the configuration of the whole molecule. This mechanism is seen to be at work in the emerging VOCs, disrupting the spike structural state. Mutations in the spike protein may affect RBD conformation via allosteric effects, which in turn is influenced by the subdomains. This structural study thus provides insights into how these natural mutations affected the spike conformation and viral biology. We demonstrate that convergent S protein evolution to increase SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility and escape neutralization at immunodominant NTD and RBD epitopes can occur via different allosteric communication networks in the spike. *Important Notice bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Growth Fund II is built on the proven track record of our first growth fund, a US$400M fund announced in February of 2019, and will continue investing in innovative, globally-minded companies primarily in Canada, but also in our growing US and EU networks. In addition to providing venture and growth capital across all stages of a company's development, Inovia truly differentiates itself by supporting its founders with a hands-on, operator-led approach. "Canada and Europe's track record of building global tech champions continues to accelerate," said Patrick Pichette, Partner, Inovia Capital. "Inovia provides our entrepreneurs with unique networks, operational know-how and support, helping them reach their global ambitions." Since launching Growth Fund I, Inovia has invested in category-leading companies such as Lightspeed (NYSE:LSPD), AppDirect, Sonder, Hopper, AlayaCare, WorkJam, Forward, Snapcommerce, and Symend. "Attracting and retaining skilled talent is a critical success factor for all our scaling companies, so we are doubling down on our Canadian focused Remote Talent Program to meet the needs of our founders," commented Dennis Kavelman, Partner at Inovia Capital. "We also emphasize the importance of building a diverse workforce and great boards to make the best decisions to scale faster." The new growth fund is spearheaded by the same Partners: Chris Arsenault, Dennis Kavelman, and Patrick Pichette. "Closing Growth Fund II is an exciting milestone for us. The success that our founders are achieving on the global stage is impressive. We are grateful to be able to count on long-standing relationships with our key limited partners, but are also pleased to welcome a new set of investors who share our vision - supporting the building of global tech companies," mentioned Chris Arsenault, Partner at Inovia Capital. Inovia is one of the few full-stack venture capital firms headquartered in Canada, and has invested over US$750M across 100 companies that have collectively raised over US$5.3B and currently employ over 10,000 people worldwide. About Inovia Capital Inovia Capital is a venture firm that partners up with audacious founders ready to build enduring global technology companies. We are known to roll up our sleeves and serve founders with dedicated, long-term mentorship, a global talent network and strategic support for global scale. Inovia Capital manages over US$1.5B across early and growth-stage funds and holds offices in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, San Francisco and London. For more information, visit inovia.vc. SOURCE iNovia Capital Related Links https://www.inovia.vc/ SEATTLE, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Allen Institute today announced the appointment of Alta Charo, J.D., renowned bioethicist, to its Board of Directors. The board, which is comprised of members from science, law, finance and other business and philanthropic backgrounds, is charged with providing oversight and stewardship to the Allen Institute, helping to ensure it fulfills its scientific mission. Charo is the Warren P. Knowles Professor Emerita of Law and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin. Prior to her 1989 arrival at the University of Wisconsin, she served as Associate Director of the Legislative Drafting Research Fund of Columbia University; Fulbright Lecturer in American Law at the Sorbonne in Paris; legal analyst at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment; and AAAS Diplomacy Fellow at USAID. Charo has also served as a senior policy advisor on emerging technology issues in the FDA Office of the Commissioner, as well as a member of President Clinton's National Bioethics Advisory Commission. Charo is currently the inaugural David A. Hamburg Distinguished Fellow at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, where she is focused primarily on the Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction Initiative. She is also the lead co-chair of the 4S (safety, security, sustainability and social responsibility) team for BioMADE, a Department of Defense-led Manufacturing USA Institute with a vision to build a sustainable, domestic end-to-end bioindustrial manufacturing ecosystem. "We are thrilled to have Alta join our Board of Directors," said Allan Jones, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Allen Institute. "Her experience and perspective will be tremendously valuable as we continue to explore new areas of research to advance human health." Charo, whose board term begins on June 1, joins 10 existing Board members, including Board of Directors Chair Jody Allen, who is also Chair of Vulcan Inc. and Trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust. About the Allen Institute The Allen Institute is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization founded by philanthropist and visionary, the late Paul G. Allen. The Allen Institute is dedicated to answering some of the biggest questions in bioscience and accelerating research worldwide. The Institute is a recognized leader in large-scale research with a commitment to an open science model. Its research institutes and programs include the Allen Institute for Brain Science, launched in 2003, the Allen Institute for Cell Science, launched in 2014, the Allen Institute for Immunology, launched in 2018, and the MindScope Program, launched in 2020. In 2016, the Allen Institute expanded its reach with the launch of The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, which identifies pioneers with new ideas to expand the boundaries of knowledge and make the world better. For more information, visit alleninstitute.org. Media Contact: Rob Piercy, Director, Media Relations, 206.548.8486 | [email protected] SOURCE Allen Institute Related Links http://www.alleninstitute.org Regulatory News: Groupe SEB (Paris:SK) and its Chinese law firm WanHuida received the 2021 UNIFAB Award in the "Best court decision" category at the 25th European Intellectual Property Forum. This award is the culmination of several years of legal proceedings in China to protect one of Groupe SEB's most disruptive innovations, the Actifry fryer, which cooks fresh fries with just one spoonful of oil! "Best court decision" in China The Actifry is one of Seb's flagship products, made in France at Is-sur-Tille and protected by a number of patents in several countries. By monitoring the market closely with local initiatives to prevent mass production of counterfeit goods, Groupe SEB detected copies of the Actifry on display at the famous Canton Fair in China and took the decision to prosecute the offender for design and patent infringement. In December 2019, after several years of proceedings, the Group won a remarkable and unprecedented decision from the Beijing Supreme Court China's highest court ordering the offender to stop the counterfeiting, destroy the molds and inventories of the counterfeit goods, and to pay RMB 1,000,000 in damages. This landmark decision is the fruit of a successful collaboration between our Chinese law firm WanHuida and Groupe SEB's patent and legal departments. Innovating and protecting its innovations With some 250 million products made each year, protecting innovation is a priority for Groupe SEB. The vocation of the patent and intellectual property/legal department is to support the research, development and marketing teams throughout the product development process by detecting inventions that need to be protected. Products are covered by patents for technical inventions; and by designs and models to protect the products' aesthetic form. In 2020 Groupe SEB filed 443 patents, 312 models and 166 trademarks worldwide. Innovations are supported by a globally recognized trademark portfolio (including names such as Tefal, Moulinex, WMF, Rowenta) or regionally (Seb or Calor). The Group has a portfolio of 31 major trademarks to protect, as well as product names such as Actifry, Companion, IXEO, etc. that have become references in their product categories. In total, Groupe SEB has registered around 7,500 patents and over 20,000 trademarks and designs worldwide. Philippe Sumeire, Executive Vice-President, Legal for Groupe SEB, commented: "We are both pleased and proud to receive this award, which acknowledges Groupe SEB's passion for innovation. I commend the work of our patent and legal teams, who support all our new product development projects with tenacity and determination every day." Next key dates 2021 April 22 after market closes Q1 2021 sales and financial data May 20 3:00 p.m. Annual General Meeting July 23 before market opens H1 2021 sales and results October 26 after market closes 9-month 2021 sales and financial data Find us on www.groupeseb.com World reference in small domestic equipment, Groupe SEB operates with a unique portfolio of 31 top brands including Tefal, Seb, Rowenta, Moulinex, Krups, Lagostina, All-Clad, WMF, Emsa, Supor, marketed through multi-format retailing. Selling more than 360 million products a year, it deploys a long-term strategy focused on innovation, international development, competitiveness, and service to clients. Present in over 150 countries, Groupe SEB generated sales of 6.9 billion in 2020 and has more than 33,000 employees. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005434/en/ Contacts: Investor/Analyst Relations Groupe SEB Financial Communication and IR Dept Isabelle Posth Raphael Hoffstetter comfin@groupeseb.com Tel. +33 (0) 4 72 18 16 04 Media Relations Groupe SEB Corporate Communication Dept Cathy Pianon Anissa Djaadi com@groupeseb.com Tel.: 33 (0) 6 33 13 02 00 Tel:. 33 (0) 6 88 20 90 88 Image Sept Caroline Simon Claire Doligez Isabelle Dunoyer de Segonzac caroline.simon@image7.fr cdoligez@image7.fr isegonzac@image7.fr Tel. +33 (0)1 53 70 74 70 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Half of New Yorkers think Gov. Andrew Cuomo shouldnt step down despite growing scandals, according to a new poll released Monday. The Siena College poll of 805 registered voters in the Empire State found 50% think the governor shouldnt immediately resign, that 35% think he should, and that 15% either didnt know or had no opinion. Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said that while most polled voters dont think he should resign, he has clearly lost support particularly among Democrats. Cuomos standing with voters has clearly fallen in the last month. His favorability rating and his re-elect number are both down net 19 points, while his job performance rating is down net 10 points, Greenberg said. Cuomos drop in all three ratings is largely the result of Democrats. On whether allegations against Cuomo amounted to sexual harassment, 35% of those polled said he had committed sexual harassment, 24% said he had not, and 41% said they didnt know or had no opinion. However, 57% of those polled believe he has adequately addressed the allegations against him, while 32% said they werent satisfied. Siena College offered a preface ahead of that question informing those polled that the governor had offered an apology for his actions and said he and his office will fully cooperate with an independent investigation. A series of women, including current and former staffers, have come forward in recent weeks with allegations that the governor had exhibited a range of inappropriate behavior that went as far as sexual harassment and groping. Siena College conducted the poll from March 8 to 12 before a series of lawmakers, including Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), called for the governor to step aside. Cuomo has expressed embarrassment over the allegations and remorse if he made people uncomfortable, but he has denied that he acted inappropriately. His office has said it will cooperate with an investigation into the allegations being overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and has asked that the facts of that investigation be presented before a decision about his future is made. The other scandal thats haunted the governor in recent weeks, the way his administration handled data on nursing home deaths throughout the pandemic, was also addressed in the Siena College poll. Respondents were asked to rate the governors work on a series of issues related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as excellent, good, fair, or poor. As to whether the governor had made all data about COVID-related deaths of nursing home patients available to the public, 46% rated his job as poor, 20% as fair, 16% as good, and 11% as excellent. Greenberg noted that Cuomos overall job approval related to the pandemic remains high despite the poor rating related to nursing home data. Voters appear to be able to compartmentalize how they feel about Cuomo, he said. While their views on him generally favorability, job performance, re-elect took a significant hit this month, voters views on Cuomos handling of the pandemic remain largely positive, except for his handling of nursing home death data. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) also announced Thursday that he would authorize the Assembly Judiciary Committee to begin an impeachment investigation into allegations of misconduct against the governor. On Monday, the governor appeared in Long Island for the opening of a coronavirus mass vaccination site, but did not take questions from the media. He didnt take the opportunity to re-address the allegations against him, but spoke to New Yorkers resiliency in the wake of Superstorm Sandy along with how they would again show that resolve coming out of the pandemic. Sometimes God comes and he knocks you on your rear-end for one reason or another, he said. The question is what you do when you get knocked on your rear-end, and New Yorkers get up, and they get up stronger, and they learn the lesson. The state Department of Health reported Monday there were 1,388 additional positive cases of COVID-19 in addition to the 1,914 new cases reported Sunday. The two-day total of 3,302 brings the state total to 967,598. After 13 new deaths as of 11:59 p.m. Saturday, there was just one new death identified by the Pennsylvania death registry Sunday, for a new total of 24,587. Schuylkill County added 13 cases Sunday and 10 Monday, and has now recorded 12,331 cases. There was one new death during the two-day reporting period, taking the county total to 376. There have been 39,944 negative PCR tests for COVID-19 in the county since testing began last March. There are 1,433 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide. Of that number, 295 are in intensive care. In the county, 13 people were hospitalized, four of them in ICU, as reported Monday. County workers Heidi L. Zula, county human resources director, on Monday reported in a news release that one employee has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation. Contact tracing was completed and no other employees were required to quarantine, according to Zula. However, she said that two employees were in quarantine after having been exposed to other people who had tested positive. Vaccine highlights More than 1.2 million people in the state have been fully vaccinated, with a seven-day moving average of 76,000 people per day. In Schuylkill, 17,362 people have been fully vaccinated, presenting about 12% of the population of 141,359. Another 12,018 have been partially vaccinated, the Health Department said. Buck, a sailor and certified scuba diver who graduated from De Lena Day School and Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago; Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, BSJ; and University of Michigan Law School, JD, has completed his new book Yuhudi Brown: a well-conceived narrative about self-contemplation that brings blessing and fulfillment in life. Buck writes, In life, we sometimes stumble upon a fork in the road and are helpless and indecisive. Yuhudi Brown is a fictional story to my sonsboth certified scuba diversof self-reflection that causes us to consider why we think, say, and do thingsto better the world and ourselves. God has graced us with the gift of imagination that imbues us with a spirit of love that can pierce darkness with light, shine brighter than all our worries, and bring mystical justice into an otherwise chaotic and violent world. Au contraire, it can also sow seeds of destruction and hate. Published by Page Publishing, Bucks awe-inspiring tale delves into the captivating magnificence of the human psyche and how meditation and tactfulness grant people control over their thoughts and emotions. This book also shares the importance of faith in God that assures grace and enlightenment in life. Readers who wish to experience this thought-provoking work can purchase Yuhudi Brown 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. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia 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. A month after her 16th birthday, Jessica Fuller took a long walk as she wrestled with whether to tell her father she was transgender. She wrote a note, rewrote it over and over, and left it in his desk at home. She thought about throwing it away. I was hoping he didnt see it, but he did, Fuller said. And he hugged me and told me he loved me. But of course that was the initial reaction because he loves me. Im his child. He was shocked and confused, yes. UPDATE: Alabama ban on transgender treatments for minors closer to becoming law Last week, Fuller, now 21, came with her father to the Alabama State House because lawmakers are on the verge of taking away treatments for transgender youth and their families. They are considering a bill that would make it a felony to prescribe or provide medications to block or delay puberty and sex hormones to anyone under 19. The bill also bans gender confirmation surgeries. The pediatrician who leads the program for transgender youth at UAB said surgeries are never done on minors in Alabama. The Alabama House Health Committee held a public hearing last Wednesday and is scheduled to vote today. The bill, by Sen. Shay Shelnutt of Trussville and Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, has strong support in the Republican-controlled Legislature. The Senate passed it 23-4. Jessicas father, Gadsden Police Sgt. David Fuller, has been one of the most outspoken opponents of the legislation, speaking at public hearings. A single father whose wife passed away, he said Jessicas transition was a shock to him but he turned to professionals at UAB for help on a subject he knew nothing about. He learned transgender teens are more likely to consider and attempt suicide than other teens. The health care that she got there was vital to her staying alive, he told lawmakers. As far as what she got, they didnt just let us walk in and say, Hey, now were going to go ahead and make you a girl. No, just the opposite. They put us on a journey that has been slow and meticulous. And I made sure when we first started that it was reversible. There was no talk of any kind of operations. It was just, were going to take this one step at a time and see where we are. Were five years later, were still baby-stepping. So, to say that these people or the parents are creating these transgender kids or putting them in harms way is ridiculous. The same debates are playing out across the country. Lawmakers in 19 other states have considered bills banning transgender treatments for minors, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics -- Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. The Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposes the bill and said in a position statement that it misrepresents the care that transgender youth receive in Alabama and at more than 50 medical centers across the nation. This multi-disciplinary evaluation occurs, not in primary care offices, but in a specialty clinic with experts in psychology, pediatrics, and endocrinology to determine what, if any, treatment and medication are recommended. ... Rather than protecting children, this bill would prevent community pediatricians, families, and youth from being able to access medical experts to help guide them through their journey, the statement says. The Alabama bill, called the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, also has support in the medical community. I dont think theyre born that way Dr. Den Trumbull, a Montgomery pediatrician for more than 30 years, calls the puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone treatments child abuse. Trumbull has also spoken at the public hearings. Children fare better in their development if their innate biological sex is confirmed and affirmed by parents and authority figures in their life, Trumbull told the Health Committee. Until recently, this was an obvious fact. Its not uncommon for pre-adolescents to experience temporary periods of confusion where they feel insecure with themselves and their sexuality, Trumbull said. If emotionally supported and reassured of their biological sexuality, 80 to 95% will embrace their natural bodies by young adulthood. Eric Johnston, a Birmingham lawyer who has led legislative efforts in Alabama to restrict abortion, helped write the bill. Johnston said doctors opposed to the treatments for minors brought the issue to his attention. He said he met with a pediatrician, a counselor and others before the bill was introduced last year. Were not saying adults cant do what they want to do, Johnston said. Were saying children. And theres a big difference between an adult making a choice. And I think Ill say this about transgenderism -- its a choice that a person makes. And I dont think theyre born that way necessarily. Johnston said states have the constitutional authority to pass laws to protect general health and welfare. Were well within the states right, the legislative right, to look at the facts, take the evidence, and make a decision on whether they need to intervene in this, Johnston said. And I think here, until the science is clear that children can have this done and its OK to be done, that we dont need to permit it. We give the youth space to talk to us Dr. Morissa Ladinsky is one of the two physicians leading the team that treats transgender youth at UAB. Ladinsky, a pediatrician, said the group has treated about 300 patients from across Alabama, as well as Mississippi and the Florida panhandle, over the last five and a half years. Patients and families receive psychological, psychiatric, and pastoral support, Ladinsky said. The problem for many pre-teens and teenagers who feel their body is at odds with their inner sense of gender is getting up the nerve to come out to their parents or grandparents or somebody who cares, and who isnt going to punish me, beat me up, demean me or kick me out of the house, Ladinsky said. So theyve often been kind of keeping it within for a long time. Some come into the care of the UAB team after suicide or self-harm attempts. More than anything we give the youth space to talk to us about what they think or feel, Ladinsky said. How long has this been going on? When did you first realize that your sense of gender was in conflict with what your body is telling you and what people around you have told you? The medical team usually takes three to six months to determine if medications that delay puberty are appropriate for pre-teens or early teens and that the families support that decision, Ladinsky said. Hormones are an option for ages 16-18, or 15-year-olds who are exceptionally mature, she said. The approval process is extensive. The patient and family have a say but dont make the final call, she said. Kids dont drive this bus. Parents dont drive this bus. This is a team, Ladinsky said. Before receiving hormones, teens must be in behavioral therapy for an extended period and must have written endorsement from mental health caregivers, she said. So, its a pretty strict longitudinal process, Ladinsky said. I hate to shatter the myth. But nobody is just giving scripts for hormones. This is a big deal. I wouldve killed myself It was November 2015 when Jessica Fuller took the long walk and left the note for her father. After counseling, Jessica said she had her first appointment with an endocrinologist in May 2016. She began receiving testosterone blocker in September 2016. In March 2017, about 16 months after coming out, she said she began receiving a small dose of estrogen, one-eighth of the full adult dose. Jessica said the doctors and counselors at UAB repeatedly probed her for doubts and second thoughts. Theres plenty of times where they would ask me over and over again if I really wanted this, she said. Over and over. I kept annoyed at them because they kept asking me. I knew what I wanted. I knew exactly what I wanted. I put some really long, good thought into it. Jessica did not speak during the public hearing last Wednesday but talked to reporters outside the State House. She said legislators should understand the issue by now. I dont know how theres a misunderstanding, she said. People have been talking to them and telling them whats up. If theyd just research, use the little Google and type all the words and eventually they will learn all kinds of things about trans people. If they want to look at both sides, they absolutely can. Theres websites who are for that bill but against trans people. But unfortunately, I hate to say this, but I feel like a lot of them just dont care, Jessica said. And their lives dont get affected by me. I say they need to go and actually talk to one of these kids, or somebody who went through it. Jessica, whose first name was Jonathan before her transition, said she struggled with coming out because she was afraid of regrets. Even after that long walk when she decided to tell her dad, she second-guessed herself a little, wondering if she should wait until the following year. But then I realized I cant wait, she said. I cant wait any longer. This is going to kill me if I wait any longer. Im not a good liar. Five years later, Jessica says shes a calmer person and is comfortable with her decision. She likes video games, Dungeons & Dragons, and, most of all, writing. I write a lot of stuff but what gets me motivated is normally urban fantasy, she said. I write whatever strikes my fancy at the time. Normally something Im reading, watching, or doing. Sometimes songs inspire me to write. I dont have a single regret, Jessica wrote in an email responding to questions from AL.com. If anything, I wish I could have done it sooner so my mom could have been in on it but I cant blame myself for that. The things I do regret were the dumb things I said during those dark times. I had an attitude problem then. But doesnt every teenager? Had the ban on transgender therapies proposed by the legislation been in place five years ago, Fuller said she would have been devastated. She said she would probably have left the state to receive hormones. Yes, I was pretty suicidal, but I wasnt dumb, she wrote. I was a woman with a plan and extreme motivation. Nothing would have stopped me from achieving my goals. Of course, I dont know what would win first: The Motivation or the Suicidal Ideation. Either way, had I been someone less driven, I wouldve killed myself seeing not much of a point in continuing my existence if it was just gonna be continual suffering and pain. I live for the happy moments, not the ones that cause me pain. A little morbid, but I was a teenager going through emotions a teenager should never have. Parents cant ignore tough conversations and the reality of when their children start engaging in sexual activity, says Liberal MP Fiona Martin as she calls for universal, compulsory education about consent, respectful relationships and protective behaviours starting from preschool. The member for Reid, who was a psychologist before entering federal Parliament, says this would set up children for a life of healthy relationships and the ability to recognise coercive control and sexual abuse. Liberal MP Fiona Martin, a former psychologist, wants education on consent and relationship skills to be compulsory for all children. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The reality is a lot of children have been presented with situations and are engaging in sexual activity at quite a young age, Dr Martin told this masthead. So we can ignore it and not have our kids well prepared, or we can educate them and skill them up so that they can make good decisions for themselves when theyre presented with different scenarios and situations. In this March 8, 2021 file photo, German police officer Dirk Moeller gets an AstraZeneca vaccination against Covid-19 at a new vaccination centre at the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany. The German government says it is suspending use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine over fresh reports of dangerous blood clots in connection with the shot. (Tobias Schwarz / Pool via AP, File) The European Union's drug regulator insisted Tuesday that there is "no indication" the AstraZeneca vaccine causes blood clots as governments around the world faced the grimmest of dilemmas: push on with a vaccine known to save lives or suspend its use over reports of clotting in some recipients. The European Medicines Agency urged governments not to halt use of the vaccine at a time when the pandemic is still taking thousands of lives each day. And already there are concerns that even brief suspensions could have disastrous effects on confidence in inoculation campaigns the world over, many of which are already struggling to overcome logistical hurdles and widespread hesitancy about experimental vaccines. "We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19 with its associated risk of hospitalization and death outweigh the risk of the side effects," said Emer Cooke, the head of the agency. Many scientists have argued that even the loss of a few days in vaccinating vulnerable people could be far costlier than the impact of any rare phenomenon. But a cascading number of countries have taken a different view and locked away shots from the Anglo-Swedish company, awaiting the results of an EMA review, promised Thursday. Sweden was the latest to do so Tuesday, choosing caution over speed, even as Cooke insisted "that at present there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions." Highlighting the difficulty of making such decisions at a time when people are voraciously following the ups and downs of every vaccine candidate, Sweden's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said that the risk, if it existed, was rare but the country's authorities "have felt compelled to pause AstraZeneca's vaccine" after receiving ever more reports of blood clots. Europe has the luxury to be able to pick from several vaccine candidatesbut the decision of whether to suspend use of the vaccine is still not an easy one on the continent where the virus has already killed over half a million people, is surging again and where the vaccination campaign has repeatedly stumbled. In this March 3, 2021 file photo ,a package of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is shown in the state of Brandenburg where the first coronavirus vaccinations are given in doctors' surgeries, in Senftenberg, Germany. The German government says it is suspending use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine over fresh reports of dangerous blood clots in connection with the shot. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool via AP, File) The choice may be even more fraught elsewhere because many countries are relying heavily on AstraZeneca, which is cheaper and easier to handle than some other shots. The vaccine has so far played a huge role in the global initiative to ensure vaccines get to poorer countries known as COVAX. For instance, when Congo decided to hold off on the vaccine, it put its entire campaign on hold before it even began since it has not yet received doses of any other shot. Somalia, by contrast, went ahead with its first shots of AstraZeneca on Tuesdayincluding one for the health minister, who received the jab publicly to reassure the nation about its safety. The AstraZeneca shot has already struggled to gain public trust after troubles with reporting of its data and concerns about its effectiveness in older people. The current debate could further erode confidence in the vaccineand that skepticism could even spread to others. "We are worried that there may be an effect on the trust of the vaccines. But our job is to make sure that the products that we authorize are safe," Cooke said. The EMA chief noted that thousands of people across the EU develop blood clots every year for a variety of reasons and that there were no reports of increased clotting incidents in the clinical studies of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Still, experts would undertake a "very rigorous analysis" and make a recommendation Thursday. The difficulty of the decision was clear in Thailand, the first country outside Europe to temporarily suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, only to recant on Tuesdaywhen its prime minister received a dose. "There are people who have concerns," Prayuth Chan-ocha said after getting the shot. "But we must believe doctors, believe in our medical professionals." Many other countries in Asia have likewise shrugged off concerns, but Indonesia, a nation of over a quarter-billion people, halted use of the shot this week, saying it would wait for a World Health Organization report on the issue. In this photo released by Government Spokesman Office, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, front left, receives a shot of the AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (Government Spokesman Office via AP) In addition to the EMA, AstraZeneca and the WHO have said there is no evidence the vaccine carries an increased risk of blood clots. There have been 37 reports of blood clots among the more than 17 million people who have received the vaccine across the EU and Britain, the company said. "This is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines," the drugmaker said. But the number of countries in the bloc that are sticking with the shot is falling after heavyweights like Germany, Italy, France and Spain all said they were suspending it. That left Belgiumand a handful of others such as Poland, Romania and Greeceincreasingly isolated in their insistence that halting the shots now would cause more harm than the side effects so hotly debated. "When you know how the virus is making the rounds, it would be very imprudent to stop," Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told VRT network early Tuesday. Experts have noted that such concerns are inevitable in mass vaccination campaignswith so many people getting shots, some are bound to get sick even if the vaccine is not to blame. That would mean "we'd have to incessantly interrupt campaigns during the coming months," Vandenbroucke said. Still, the torrent of decisions casting doubt on the AstraZeneca vaccine despite assurances of experts is testing public opinion. But Bogdan Grecu, 26, who works in Romania's petroleum sector, was unfazed when he got his shot Tuesday. "I'm pretty sure it's worth the risk," he said. "I don't think it's possible for the vaccine to create a worse reaction than the virus." 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. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, releasing his Annual Report for 2020, named the biggest threats facing the Alliance. "Existing trends and tensions have accelerated; Russias destabilising behaviour, brutal forms of terrorism, sophisticated cyber-attacks, disruptive technologies, the rise of China and the security impacts of climate change," Stoltenberg said. According to him, NATO fears are linked to the rise of authoritarian China and Russia's assertive and aggressive behavior. The NATO Secretary General added that last year Russia did not respond positively to their invitations to convene new meetings in the NATO-Russia Council. Kent's Covid variant was quietly tearing through England's care homes in December, a study has found. Researchers from University College London found the strain accounted for 60 per cent of positive cases in care home staff and residents analysed between November 5 and December 17. It proved especially virulent in the South East where it was already spreading rapidly, accounting for four out of five positive test results. Experts said the timings suggested care home staff may have passed on the variant to residents and seeded outbreaks, with the majority of older people struck down with the mutant strain testing positive for it later in the year. The B117 strain was first found in Kent back in September 2020, after which it quickly become the dominant type of the virus circulating in the UK. It had evolved to become more transmissible and Exeter University-led research last week suggested the 'variant of concern' is up to twice as deadly. But all current vaccines are thought to work against it and overall case numbers have now dropped to levels not seen since September, before the second wave spiralled out of control. Dr Laura Shallcross, from the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, said: 'Our findings suggest the UK variant spread just as quickly in care homes as it did in the general population. 'This shows the importance of public health measures to reduce transmission in the country as a whole.' Researchers from University College London found the strain accounted for 60 per cent of positive cases in care home staff and residents analysed between November 5 and December 17. It proved especially virulent in the South East where it was already spreading rapidly, accounting for four out of five positive test results Graphs from the study show that the proportion of positive coronavirus tests in care home staff and residents accounted for by the Kent variant (green) surged massively during late November and December as it pushed older strains of the virus out of competition UCL researchers analysed 4,442 positive test swabs taken from care home residents and staff and processed during two weeks at the end of last year. The majority of the samples were taken from care homes in the South East, West Midlands, London, or the East Midlands. Scientists said this meant the results did not apply to the entire UK but just those regions. The Kent variant can be easily detected because, of the three parts of the virus that the test usually targets, only two show up in a standard swab test. This means any test where only two out of three parts of the virus are detected can be classed as the variant. The variant accounted for around 12 per cent of positive care home tests in the week starting November 23, which shot up to 60 per cent in the week of December 7. Over the same period in the South East, positive tests due to the variant rose from 55 to 80 per cent and in London increased from 20 to 66 per cent. But the trend was not seen in the East Midlands or the North. There were not enough cases in the West Midlands to prove a trend in the area. The study also showed that residents had a higher proportion of Kent Covid cases (85.7 per cent) than staff (63.1 per cent) by the third week of December. But earlier in the second wave, the cases started rising in staff from mid-November before then creeping up in the residents, suggesting carers may have passed on the strain to the older, more vulnerable group. What do we know about the Kent variant? Name: B.1.1.7, formerly VUI-202012/01 Where did it come from? The variant was first found in Kent and can be traced back to September 2020. Scientists noticed that it was spreading in November and it was revealed to the public in December. What makes it new? The variant, which is a version of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes Covid-19, has a series of mutations that change the shape of the spike protein on its outside. The main one is known as N501Y. This appears to make it better able to stick to the cells inside the body and makes it more likely to cause infection and faster to spread. How did that happen? Viruses, particularly ones spreading so fast and in such huge numbers, mutate all the time. To reproduce they basically force living cells to copy and paste the viral genetic code, and this can contain errors that lead to slightly different versions of the virus. Often these mutations make no difference but, if they make the virus stronger, they can stick around for further generations and become the norm. What can we do about it? Nothing much. People who catch the virus won't know which type they have, and it will still cause the same symptoms and illness. Officials can try to contain it by locking down the areas where it is most prevalent, but if it is stronger than other versions of the virus it will eventually spread everywhere and become dominant as long as people continue to travel. Will our vaccines still work? Yes, it's very likely they will. Scientists on SAGE are fairly sure the mutations the Kent variant carries do not significantly affect how well the immune system can handle it. People who have a vaccine modelled on an older version of the virus, or who have been infected with Covid-19 before, are likely to be immune to it. This is because the main mutations are only on one part of the spike protein, whereas the immune system is able to target various other parts of the virus. Advertisement And colleague Dr Maria Krutikov added: 'Our results are consistent with national trends, suggesting that the UK variant was present in care homes from early on, although our sample did not fully represent all care homes in England. 'As we carried out this work in December, we were able to inform public health decisions at the time. 'To see how viruses like Covid-19 are changing and to respond quickly and appropriately, it is really important we have an advanced surveillance system, with gene sequencing that can identify new variants as early as possible.' The research was conducted as part of the Vivaldi study looking at Covid-19 infections in care homes, and received funding from the Department of Health and Social Care. It is published as a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine. Professor David Leon, professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'The steep increase in the percentage of positive Covid cases occurring in care homes that are made up of the B117 variant in this study shows that despite awareness of the risks and efforts of the care sector, it is extremely difficult to uncouple and isolate care homes and their residents from high levels of infection in the surrounding community. 'However, data published weekly by the Office for National Statistics shows that since mid-January the number of Covid deaths in care homes has been falling steeply, as has been the case for Covid deaths in hospitals and private homes. 'This positive trend will have reflected both social distancing measures in the community and more recently the impact of the vaccination roll out particularly among those aged 80-plus years. 'Fortunately, for now at least, these two factors have been more than sufficient to counter-act the greater case-fatality that appears to be associated with the new variant.' It comes as a Covid variant which may be able to fully evade current tests was spotted in France last night Eight cases of the 'Breton variant' were detected in a hospital in Lannion, a town in the northwest region of Brittany. The French health ministry revealed that despite being infected with the virus, the PCR test results were negative. They were only spotted through genomic sequencing of the samples. It is thought to be the first time any variant has slipped past the gold-standard PCR tests, which are critical for keeping track of the pandemic. While PCR cannot diagnose other variants, including the Brazil and South African versions, it still gives a Covid positive result. Scientists at the Institut Pasteur who discovered the Breton variant said it does not appear to be more transmissible or deadly than the original virus. They revealed the new strain carries nine mutations on its spike protein, but also in 'other viral regions'. They did not provide any further 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. 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. By Chen Bei, Zhang Jun andYan Liang BEIJING, Mar. 11 -- Strengthening national defense education and building a strong national defense power has become a hot topic for military deputies attending the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC). National defense education needs to improve its quality and efficiency in the face of profound changes in the national security environment, military deputies said. Deputy Qiu Yuechao, commander of the PLA Shandong Provincial Military Command, found that being in a relatively stable and peaceful environment for a long time leads to a weakened awareness of being prepared for danger in peacetime. There are malicious distortions of the truth on the Internet, and some people still slander and belittle heroes, violating the bottom line of respecting heroes and promoting righteousness. These phenomena are worrying and we need to stay vigilant. To this end, Deputy Qiu suggested that national defense education should be integrated into the national security system. And the Partys centralized and unified leadership over national defense education should be strengthened, and carried out by the publicity departments at all levels. Strengthening national defense education in minority and border areas is not only necessary to ensure the security of border areas, but also meets the needs of national unity and national defense. Lama Xinggao , deputy minister of the United Front Work Department under the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has been paying attention to the national defense education in minority and border areas for many years. Deputy Lama suggested fully tapping the advantages of military and cultural resources in the border areas of Yunnan, for example, taking the battlefield ruins as the the educational sites in a bid to strengthen the patriotism and awareness of national defense among ethnic minorities. Deputy Yang Xiangguo, commander of a border defense battalion with the Shannan Military Sub-Command under the PLA Tibet Military Command , set his eyes on the national defense education for local youths. The local youths in border areas are the new generation of border defense. Only by making more youths understand the cause of border defense and approach the service members in person, could their enthusiasm for national defense and support for the military be further enhanced, said Yang. Service members from ethnic minorities in the plateau area are strong, hardworking and excellent at military skills. They have good performance in anti-hypoxia and overload training, Yang introduced. In addition, they can make good use of language and cultural advantages and play an important role in strengthening military-civilian relations, promoting national unity and supporting local construction. Deputy Yang suggested that masses in border areas, especially the young people, should be encouraged to visit the outposts and military training fields. The militias participation in patrols and military training should also be intensified. Through interactive, experiential and participatory education methods combined with real experiences at combat posts, would the national defence awareness be deeply rooted in the peoples hearts, said Yang. Have an opinion on a recent story or event around the University of Cincinnati? Let us know what you think! If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click the button below to email Anne Simendinger, editor-in-chief. For news tips or story ideas, contact one of our editors. Email the editor MILWAUKEE, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), are advancing plans for a new 325-megawatt (MW) solar and battery storage project. The Darien Solar Energy Center is the company's second proposed large-scale solar and battery project announced this year. If approved, the $446 million Darien Solar Energy Center would feature 250 MW of solar generation, which is equal to powering 75,000 homes, and 75 MW of battery storage, which can store solar-generated power and provide customers with "sunshine after sunset." The project is planned to be built in Rock and Walworth counties, Wisconsin. Last month, the companies announced plans for the 310-MW Paris Solar-Battery Park. If approved, the $426 million Paris project will be built in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. "For the second time this year, we are demonstrating our commitment to a clean energy future with a major investment in renewable energy," said Tom Metcalfe, president We Energies and WPS. "Not only will these projects maintain reliability and deliver significant savings, building these facilities in Wisconsin will create green jobs and help drive the state's economy." The Darien and Paris projects are part of WEC Energy Group's plan to invest $2 billion in new solar, wind and battery storage projects for its utilities by 2025. These clean energy investments are an important part of the company's goal to reduce carbon emissions 55 percent by 2025 and 70 percent by 2030. The companies filed the Darien solar and battery storage proposal this week with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. If approved, WEC Energy Group utilities We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service would own 90 percent of the project. Madison Gas and Electric would own the other 10 percent. The project is being developed by Invenergy. If approved, construction is expected to begin in late 2021, and the project is scheduled to go into service by the end of 2023. WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), based in Milwaukee, is one of the nation's premier energy companies, serving 4.6 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. The company's principal utilities are We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, Michigan Gas Utilities, Minnesota Energy Resources and Upper Michigan Energy Resources. Another major subsidiary, We Power, designs, builds and owns electric generating plants. In addition, WEC Infrastructure LLC owns a growing fleet of renewable generation facilities in the Midwest. WEC Energy Group (wecenergygroup.com) is a Fortune 500 company and a component of the S&P 500. The company has approximately 42,000 stockholders of record, 7,300 employees and $37 billion of assets. SOURCE WEC Energy Group Related Links http://www.wecenergygroup.com Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tinder will soon offer a way for users to run background checks on people theyve swiped right on. The dating app announced Monday in a press release that it has made a significant contribution to Garbo, a nonprofit organization that runs these checks. Due to this contribution, Tinder users will soon be able to access the information provided by Garbo for themselves. Todays justice system is too focused on crimes against society and property that violent perpetrators are often not convicted, says Garbos website. This enables them to continue their abuse with little to no repercussions or accountability for their actions. Founded in 2018, Garbo provides people with low-cost background checks via a collection of public records and reports of arrests, convictions, restraining orders, and other crimes that may indicate violence or abuse. For far too long, women and marginalized groups in all corners of the world have faced many barriers to resources and safety, said Head of Safety and Social Advocacy of Tinders parent company, Match Group, Tracey Breeden. We recognize corporations can play a key role in helping remove those barriers with technology and true collaboration rooted in action. Match Group intends to test and build out Garbos capabilities on Tinder in the upcoming months. Once Garbos technology is fully integrated with Tinder later in the year, Match Group confirmed it intends to incorporate the background checks within its other brands. Garbo is a tool to address the inequities and barriers to access that people have traditionally had with background checks, said Natalie Ludaway, a member of MCAC. Match Groups partnership with Garbo is a real, meaningful step towards giving people access to information that can help make a real difference in their safety decisions. Fouza and her 7 children were one of the families to receive ShelterBox aid in Syria. There is nothing celebratory in the 10-year anniversary of the civil unrest in Syria, said ShelterBox USA President Kerri Murray. The war has robbed millions of their livelihoods and homes with half of the population displaced." This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the conflict in Syria. International disaster relief organization ShelterBox first responded to the crisis in December 2012 and has worked with its partners and supporters to provide more than 400,000 people with emergency shelter and other essential aid items. ShelterBoxs work in Syria is the largest and most sustained response in the organizations history. What started out as a peaceful protest calling for democratic reforms in March of 2011 eventually turned into a brutal war when peaceful demonstrations were met by swift government opposition. Over the course of a decade, this conflict has evolved into an internationally backed power struggle between government forces and a mix of opposition groups. Reports of war crimes have been widespread. There is nothing celebratory in the 10-year anniversary of the civil unrest in Syria, said ShelterBox USA President Kerri Murray. The war has robbed millions of their livelihoods and homes with half of the population displaced. The fact that the conflict in Syria represents the largest and longest piece of our relief work at ShelterBox, echoes the complexity and severity of the humanitarian needs in Syria. We remain steadfast in our commitment not to turn our backs on these displaced families, who are everyday in a fight for survival, and will continue to do everything possible to bring emergency shelter and essential supplies to families caught in the worst humanitarian crisis of our generation. Throughout the organizations Syria response, ShelterBox and its partners ReliefAid, Bahar Organization, and Hand in Hand have delivered aid to people in refugee camps surrounding Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, in addition to families still trapped within Syria and asylum seekers in Greece. Syria experiences extreme heat during the summer, as well as freezing temperatures and snow in the winter, so much of ShelterBoxs aid is intended to help people battle environmental extremes. The organizations aid items include ShelterBox tents, thermal blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, and warm clothing. In total, more than 50,000 families fleeing the violence in Syria have received ShelterBox aid. One of the families to receive aid from ShelterBox and Bahar Organization is Fouza and her seven children, who have been displaced in North East Syria for ten years, since the beginning of the conflict. She described the challenges her family faced when they were forced to flee their home saying, we left when the fighting started and moved from village to village. Some places we stayed without tents or a house, or anything to protect us from the harsh, cold winter. And so on for ten years until we ended up in this camp. Temperatures in Syrian displacement camps can drop to sub-zero during the winter. There is very little fuel for heating, especially for those with no money. Most families are forced to stay warm with whatever materials they are able to salvage. There is no fuel, so we burn paper and plastic for heating, said Fouza. We rely on the collection of firewood and plastic waste, and we store the raw materials for winter. Fouza and her children were one of the families in North East Syria to receive a ShelterBox tent and a ShelterBox filled with essential aid items. Fouza explained how the aid items have helped her family during the winter saying, the most important thing is that the tent is isolated from the dirt and there are also pillows and blankets that help us resist the cold. Everything inside the box was useful and we needed itfrom the water carriers, blankets, light and kitchen utensils. Millions of people like Fouza and her family remain displaced in the region. More than half of all Syrians have been forced to flee their homes. One in four schools have been damaged, destroyed or used for shelter and over half of Syrias hospitals are no longer functioning. Currently, coronavirus represents another danger that threatens displaced families in Syria. Families face the double threat of having nowhere to live except potentially overcrowded refugee camps, while trying to protect themselves from the deadly virus. The emergency shelter provided by ShelterBox enables social distancing and helps to reduce the risk of transmission of the infection by providing families with personal aid items like water filters, cooking sets, soap, and hand washing basins. For photos of ShelterBoxs response in Syria throughout the years, please visit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B8c92vXgLZ0SZVAxTzZBWFR6cWs?usp=sharing. About ShelterBox Since 2000, ShelterBox has provided shelter, warmth, and dignity following more than 300 disasters in over 100 countries. ShelterBox responds urgently to earthquake, volcano, flood, hurricane, cyclone, tsunami, or conflict by delivering boxes of essential shelter, aid and other lifesaving supplies. Each iconic green ShelterBox contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, a water filtration system, emergency lighting, and other tools for survival. ShelterBox USA is based in Santa Barbara, California. ShelterBox was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 and 2019. ShelterBox is an official Project Partner of Rotary International. Tax deductible donations to the organization can be made at http://www.ShelterBoxUSA.org or by calling (907) 854-0901. The first leaders summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, which took place online last Friday, has dramatically raised the stakes in the accelerating US-led war drive against China. While the Quad is not yet a formal military alliance, the Biden administration clearly views the consolidation of the partnership as a central element in its efforts to undermine, encircle and prepare for military conflict against China. Scott Morrison (left) participates in the inaugural Quad leaders meeting with the Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in a virtual meeting in Sydney, March 13, 2021 (Credit: Dean Lewins/Pool via AP) The summit not only issued a formal statement. Unusually also, Biden and the prime ministers of India, Australia and JapanNarendra Modi, Scott Morrison and Yoshihide Suga respectivelyput their names to an opinion piece published prominently in the Washington Post on Sunday. The comment is replete with cynical motherhood statements about their advocacy of democracy, action on climate change and COVID-19 vaccines, and commitment to an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, secure and prosperous. However, while China is not mentioned, it dominated the discussion at the summit. The pledges by the four leaders to pursue regional co-operation, partnership and engagement do not, of course, extend to Beijing. Buried in the various public statements were thinly-veiled references to Chinese coercionfrom the US that has routinely waged war and ousted governments to advance its imperialist interestsand the need to uphold freedom of navigationthat is, for the US Navy to provocatively intrude into waters around Chinese-controlled islets in the South China Sea. The Washington Post comment includes a fanciful history of the Quadsupposedly borne out of the cooperation of the four countries in response to the catastrophic 2004 tsunami in Asia. Our cooperation, known as the Quad, was born in crisis. It became a diplomatic dialogue in 2007 and was reborn in 2017, the leaders write. How and why it mysteriously disappeared, and reappeared a decade later, is left unexplained. Yet the genesis of the Quad is very revealing. It did not begin with the tsunami but with the election of the right-wing Japanese politician Shinzo Abe as prime minister in 2006. He called for enhancing the US-Japan military alliance by forging close partnerships with India and Australia. The plan was driven by growing concerns in the Japanese ruling class about China, which was about to overtake Japan as the worlds second largest economy. The Bush administration, under fire from the Democrats for inaction over China, seized on the proposal and the first official meeting took place in May 2007. Its military purpose was underscored in September 2007 by the expansion of the annual US-India Malabar naval war games to include the navies of Australia and Japan. Beijing protested against the formation of what was emerging as a military alliance in the Indo-Pacific targeting China. The Quad ignominiously collapsed months later in February 2008 when the newly-elected Labor government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, concerned about relations with Australias largest trading partner and the danger of war, abruptly withdrew from the dialogue. Foreign Minister Steven Smith underscored the Canberras determination not to join a grouping that could be construed as anti-Chinese by making the announcement while standing alongside Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard with then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2012 (Wikipedia) Rudds withdrawal from the Quad was just one of the crimes for which he was ousted in a US-orchestrated regime-change operation in June 2010. While he was fully committed to the US-Australian alliance, Rudds advocacy of the US making compromises with China to avert war came into conflict with the thrust of the Obama administrations policy to confront China. Rudd was summarily removed as prime minister by four key Labor powerbrokers, later revealed by WikiLeaks to be protected sources of the US embassy in Canberra, in an operation that kept, not only the public, but Labor ministers and party members in the dark. The following year, in November 2011, Obama, who had twice called off visits to Australia when Rudd was in office, announced his pivot to Asia strategy directed against China. Unveiled by Obama in the Australian parliament, the pivot involved comprehensive diplomatic, economic and strategic plans to undermine and encircle China throughout the region. Militarily, the Pentagon foreshadowed the restructuring of US bases in the region, the strengthening of alliances and strategic partnerships and the transfer of 60 percent of its naval and air assets to Asia. While in Australia, Obama and a fawning Prime Minister Julia Gillard signed an agreement to station US Marines in the countrys north. Biden, as vice president under Obama and former chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was closely involved in all these machinations. By convening last Fridays summit, he elevated the Quad to a new level, demonstrating that his administration will intensify the aggressive anti-China stance of the Obama and Trump administrations. The Quad, which was revived under Trump, is about to play a far more prominent role, with regular ministerial-level meetings, a face-to-face summit later this year, and a further expansion of joint military exercises. None of the strategic commentators on the Quad is under any misapprehension that it is targeting China. It is already a quasi-military alliance engaged in a range of annual war games. Australia and Japan are longstanding military allies of the US, while India has forged intimate ties through a strategic partnership that includes comprehensive basing arrangements and technological assistance. In the lead-up to the Quad summit, Trumps former Defence Secretary James mad-dog Mattis and two other military analysts wrote a comment for Foreign Policy entitled Getting the Quad right is Bidens most important job. It said the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is the best hope for standing up to China. It declared that Biden faced a resurgent China, more confident than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic and praised him for continuing Trumps initiative in reviving the Quad. The comment identified four areas where the Quad had to take action: to counter China in the South China and East China Seas; to ensure supply-chain securitythat is, to guarantee access to vital imports necessary to fight a war; to maintain the technological edge over China particularly in crucial hi-tech areas; and to enhance diplomatic ties throughout Asia, in ways not possible for Washington alone. All four areas were referred to, if only obliquely, in the joint statement issued by the Quad leaders. Each item has been a preoccupation of the US military as it prepares to fight what would be a war between nuclear-armed powers with incalculable consequences. Over the past decade, the US plans for war against China have been more and more evident: from the steady military build-up throughout the Indo-Pacific, including anti-ballistic systems designed for fighting a nuclear war, to the increasingly strident and bellicose anti-Chinese propaganda, featuring fraudulent human rights campaigns over Xinjiang, Tibet, Mongolia, Hong Kong and Taiwan aimed, above all, at weakening and fracturing China. In the lead-up to the Quad summit, the head of the US Indo-Pacific command, Admiral Philip Davidson testified to the US Congress. He called for a doubling of the Pentagons budget for the region and predicted that the US could face war with China within five years. The headlong plunge toward war by US imperialism is driven by the fear in Washington that China is overtaking it economically and technologically, as well as by the need to direct the tensions fuelled by the profound political and social crisis at home outward against an external enemy. The World Socialist Web Site and the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) have been alone in warning the working class of growing danger of a disastrous world war and calling for a unified international anti-war movement of workers. In its powerful statement entitled Socialism and the Fight Against War issued in February 2016, the ICFI outlined the principles that have to animate such a movement: The struggle against war must be based on the working class, the great revolutionary force in society, uniting behind it all progressive elements in the population. The new anti-war movement must be anti-capitalist and socialist, since there can be no serious struggle against war except in the fight to end the dictatorship of finance capital and put an end to the economic system that is the fundamental cause of militarism and war. The new anti-war movement must therefore, of necessity, be completely and unequivocally independent of, and hostile to, all political parties and organisations of the capitalist class. The new anti-war movement must, above all, be international, mobilising the vast power of the working class in a unified global struggle against imperialism. We urge workers and young people who want to discuss these issues and join in the struggle to build such an international anti-war movement to contact us. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A vaccine clinic Tuesday targeting African refugee and immigrant populations is a recent example of how Kent County health officials, and their community partners, are reaching out to vaccinate underserved and sometimes overlooked communities. When we started receiving vaccine, we realized that the larger clinics were not for everybody, said Brian Hartl, an epidemiologist with the Kent County Health Department. We really developed this collaborative with our healthcare partners and community partners to work toward that equitable distribution of vaccine and working together to fill the gaps where they were identified and to get the vaccine out to populations in settings where theyre most comfortable. Part of that work includes establishing smaller vaccination clinics throughout the county, such as ones recently created at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School and Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Early Childhood Center, for those unable to get to or uncomfortable with the larger clinics. But it also includes work with community groups to conduct vaccine registration outreach and navigation efforts among some communities who face additional barriers, be it language, transportation or registration difficulties and access. Hartl said registration has been, in his opinion, the biggest barrier to vaccination. Some people dont have access to a computer or they dont feel comfortable talking over the phone through a language line or interpretation service over the phone, he said. What weve really done is put registration into the hands of our community partners. We provide them with a list of appointment slots. Theyre the ones who are making the phone calls to people that theyre connected with, people who speak the language and can more easily remove that barrier of signing them up through an online link or have someone call them through an interpreter. The vaccine clinic Tuesday targeting African refugee and immigrant communities in the county is a result of a collaboration with A Glimpse of Africa. The clinic specifically for those communities is scheduled from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. at 4700 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. Like other targeted clinics, pre-registration was required for vaccination and there was no broad advertising outside beyond the designated communities. When walk-ins are allowed and the clinic is widely broadcasted, Hartl said sometimes those from outside of the targeted communities come in. Weve seen in the past that when (walk-ins and advertisements) happens, a lot of time people that are in communities outside of those targeted neighborhoods are the ones who are coming to the clinics, he said. A Glimpse of Africa is a nonprofit that holds events celebrating and sharing African cuisine, arts and culture, as well as events and outreach that supports the African community, such as a mental health panel conducted over the winter. It feels great that somebody is making the time and effort, Fridah Kanini, founder of A Glimpse of Africa, said of the Tuesday clinic. Were here to be the go-between. Kanini said language, as well as limited access to resources and information about the vaccine, has been a barrier some have had to overcome, and that her organization has tried to act as a bridge. The community outreach approach to clinics also provides additional opportunities to bring in a wider variety of translators, like those who speak Nepali and Vietnamese that helped with one of the first clinics. Hartl said there is ongoing work to improve interpretation services at DeVos Place, the countys largest vaccine clinic. Some but not all groups that have helped so far include the West Michigan Asian American Association, Asian Community Outreach, the Bhutanese Community of Michigan, the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, A Glimpse of Africa, Treetops Collective, Bethany Christian Services and Senior Neighbors, Hartl said. Last week, the county health department also received an additional 2,500 doses of vaccine to target vulnerable populations, including Black and Latino communities, people who are experiencing homelessness or those who have mobility issues or cognitive impairments. Read more: Pro soccer team, new stadium could be part of Grand Rapids future 268 infected in new coronavirus outbreaks at 56 schools, says Michigans March 15 school outbreak report Michigan reports 3,143 new coronavirus cases, 9 new deaths for Sunday and Monday, March 14-15 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Ryanair said Tuesday it will offer 200 additional flights between Germany and Spain during Easter, a period when travel between Spanish regions will be banned to battle the coranavirus. The Irish no-frills carrier will boost its capacity by nearly 40,000 seats on flights from 14 German airports to two Spanish seaside destinationsAlicante and Palma de Mallorca from March 28 until mid-April, it said in a statement. The announcement comes after German flag carrier Lufthansa said Friday it would double the number of its flights between Germany and Spain during Easter to meet a surge in demand, with three times more flights for example between Frankfurt and Palma, the capital of the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. The island has long been a popular vacation destination for German tourists, with many of them owning a second home there. The rise in flights comes as Germany is bracing for a third COVID-19 wave, with authorities saying infections could reach an all-time high by mid-April due to the British variant of the virus. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Germans to refrain from "non-essential" travel but bookings to sunshine destinations have soared. Easter is traditionally a peak travel period in Spain but the government has imposed a ban on travel between regions to prevent people from heading to their holiday homes on the coast or visit family. Spain saw a huge spike in coronavirus infections in January after travel restrictions were eased over Christmas to allow families to get together but this third wave of infections has since receded. Foreign tourists can continue to arrive at Spanish airports however, as long as they provide proof of a negative PCR test for coronavirus carried out within 72 hours of their arrival. Explore further Ryanair cuts Sept, Oct flights as virus hits demand 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 Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. "14 Steps Bidens DOJ Can Take Now to Reform Americas Criminal Legal System" | Main | "Defend the Public Defenders: Their ability to hold on to their job should not depend on the same people they challenge in court." March 16, 2021 Amusing (but still quite serious) reminder of what not to do while awaiting federal sentencing A Sixth Circuit panel yesterday issued a notable (unpublished) opinion in US v. Cadieux, No. 20-1689 (6th Cir. Mar. 15, 2021) (available here). It is hard not to be somewhat amused by the facts of the case, but it is still important not to downplay the serious sentencing realities involved. Here are the factual basics: Cadieux was involved in a Michigan conspiracy to distribute marijuana in which he grew and then sold at least 100 pounds of processed marijuana over the course of two years to Andrew Bravo who then sold the drugs to others. Cadieux was arrested and charged in December 2019 for his role in this drug-trafficking conspiracy. He was very cooperative in the case against him. Shortly after his arrest, he gave the government information and testified before a grand jury. And after the court released him on bond, Cadieux entered into a plea agreement and pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana. While out on bond, however, Cadieux also made some poor choices. First, he violated his conditions of release when he ate a marijuana brownie, tested positive for marijuana three times, and took two Adderall pills prescribed to someone else. Second, he discussed details of his pending criminal investigation on a local radio show, Free Beer and Hot Wings, after the hosts asked listeners about the easiest money they had ever made. Cadieux told the hosts that he had made about three million dollars in past three years growing and selling marijuana. He acknowledged that he was going to prison for it. But he said it was worth it because he was only going to prison for 15 to 24 months, and he could keep the money he made because he was good at hiding it. (R. 173, Presentencing Report, PageID 331.) He told them his plan was to get out and do it again, but he said that the next time he was gonna do it legally . . . but in [his] wifes name because he couldnt do it in [his] name no more. (First Call.) One of the hosts responded, yeah, youll be a felon . . . . (Id.) Third, after realizing the call had been a mistake, Cadieux called again and asked the show to dump a cup of coffee on the sound board and get rid of the call because the call had upset his attorney. (R. 185, Sentencing Hearing, PageID 597.) He offered to pay for a replacement. After Cadieuxs call to Free Beer and Hot Wings, the government investigated Cadieuxs concealment of drug money. It identified significant sums of unexplained cash hid[den] in his bank accounts. (Id. at 602.) And Cadieux agreed to voluntarily forfeit $75,000, which the government believed more accurately represented his drug profits than Cadieuxs statements on the air. Critically, Cadieux's calls into the "Free Beer and Hot Wings" radio show ended up costing him a lot more than the forfeited $75,000. Specifically, as a direct result of this call and his other pre-sentencing behavior, "probations presentence report (PSR) recommended an enhancement for obstruction of justice and refused to recommend a reduction for acceptance of responsibility." The sentencing court adopted these recommendations: It found that Cadieux was not entitled to the acceptance-of-responsibility reduction for two reasons: 1) Cadieuxs statements on the radio show indicating his intent to go right back to it coupled with his attempts to destroy the recording and 2) Cadieuxs continued drug use in violation of bond conditions. (Id. at 609-11.) It found the obstruction enhancement appropriate because the phone calls were relevant for sentencing; it was particularly troubled by the request of the radio station to ditch the tape. (Id. at 610.) The court sentenced him to 37 months. The Sixth Circuit panel affirms these determinations and upholds the 37 month sentence. Given that the defendant here might have only been looking originally at a little more than year in prison, it seems that his foolish braggadocio and related pre-sentencing behavior cost him more time in prison than his offense behavior of conspiring to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana. March 16, 2021 at 12:21 PM | Permalink Comments Sounds like the sequel to Half Baked? Call it Half Baked 2: Quarter (or Eighth!) Baked. Posted by: hardreaders | Mar 16, 2021 5:43:19 PM One of my all-time favorite cases like this one involves a defendant who advised a Federal Judge during his plea colloquy that he was then presently under the influence of cocaine in the Court room! One of the standard questions from the Judge during the plea colloquy is whether the defendant is then under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This defendant answered, "Yes, cocaine." The Judge asked him how recently he had used cocaine. The Defendant responded, "About 20 minutes ago in the Court's parking lot." The Judge asked him why he would have done that. Defendant responded that he had been out partying all night long, because he believed that the Court would revoke his bond and have him taken into custody immediately after he pleaded guilty, and hold him in custody until sentencing. Defendant didn't believe that he would get to party again and get high for several years, so he was partying as much as possible right up until his plea hearing. The Judge advised defendant that he was correct, the Court was going to revoke his bond and have him taken into custody. Because he was under the influence of cocaine, the Court could not take a plea from him. The Judge scheduled a new change of plea hearing in two more weeks. Talk about losing your acceptance of responsibility! In another Federal case, Defendant physically attacked his defense lawyer in the Courtroom before the Judge came on the bench. He punched the attorney in the face several times, knocked him to the floor, and was straddling his attorney, trying to choke him with his tie, when the U.S. Marshals intervened, pulled the Defendant off the attorney and handcuffed him. The Court granted counsel's request to withdraw and refused to postpone the sentencing hearing, or to appoint replacement counsel. The District Judge held that by physically attacking defense counsel in the Courtroom before sentencing, he had forfeited his 6th Amendment right to counsel. On appeal, the Circuit Court affirmed the District Judge's refusal to postpone sentencing or to appoint replacement counsel. Again, Defendant lost his acceptance of responsibility. Posted by: Jim Gormley | Mar 16, 2021 8:04:07 PM Those are some crazy stories. I feel bad mostly for the attorneys, including this case; it must be really frustrating and/or painful. Someone did make out well in this case thoughthe radio show got a citation to its website from CA6, i.e., free advertising! Posted by: hardreaders | Mar 17, 2021 12:03:11 AM Post a comment A Met Police forensics scientist appeared in court today accused of mishandling laboratory evidence for nearly a decade. Ursula Collins is charged with eight offences of misconduct in public office between 2008 and 2019. The 41-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court via videolink and did not enter any plea. Ursula Collins (pictured outside Westminster Magistrates' Court in London last month), is charged with eight offences of misconduct in public office Scotland Yard had referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2018, which ordered a local investigation be carried out by the Directorate of Professional Standards. The charges allege Collins 'wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder'. It is claimed she 'failed to create and store exhibits in accordance with required procedure, failing to request DNA analysis of a sample, misleading the officer in charge of the investigation in relation to the sample being submitted and causing an undue delay'. Judge Deborah Taylor told her: 'I have adjourned this case until the 30th of April, you are granted unconditional bail in the meantime.' Collins, who is currently suspended from duty, is charged with eight counts of misconduct in public office Collins, who is currently suspended from duty, is charged with eight counts of misconduct in public office. She was granted unconditional bail ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Southwark Crown Court on April 30. LITTLE ROCK, Ark., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhys Branman, MD, of Little Rock is honored to announce the first year of the annual Arkansas Rural Health Scholarship . Designed to support first-year medical and nursing students in Arkansas who are interested in practicing medicine in rural areas of the state, this scholarship will assist students with the cost of tuition and supplies necessary for continuing their education in the medical field. "Rural parts of Arkansas face an immense shortage of primary healthcare professionals, and the demand for these positions is only expected to grow. This rural healthcare shortage is compounded by the fact that education costs are increasingly unaffordable for many students who would otherwise serve in these areas," states Dr. Branman. "This scholarship will assist first-year healthcare students with tuition and other education costs while encouraging them to reside in and serve rural areas of our state post-graduation." All Arkansas residents pursuing a degree in a medical specialty* who are committed to practicing medicine in underserved parts of the state are encouraged to apply for the $2,500 scholarship via a downloadable application beginning today, March 15, 2021. The awarded scholarship funds can be used at any college or university to offset the cost of tuition and educational expenses, including but not limited to supplies and textbooks, required technology, transportation costs, housing, and on-campus expenses. * Eligible degrees include: Doctorate (MD, DO, DPM, DDS, DMD, DPM, DMD, OD, PsyD, PharmD, DCM, DS, DPT, DSN, PhD, DNP), Nursing (RN, NP, CNM, CRNA, LPN), Master's (MPH, MM, MMS, MN, MNA, MPharm, MPAS, MSN, MSM), and Physician's Assistant (PA, PAC). Applications will be accepted through May 28, 2021. Submitted applications will be reviewed and vetted by the Branman Scholarship Committee, who will choose an award recipient based on the quality of the application and adherence to the scholarship requirements. The chosen recipient will be notified upon selection, and the award will be disbursed via a cash prize. "The future of healthcare in rural Arkansas is dependent upon this current generation of medical and nursing students and I'm proud to do my part to help. I wish all of our applicants the best of luck and look forward to reviewing some undoubtedly impressive applications!" says Dr. Branman. About Dr. Rhys Branman: Dr. Branman is a board-certified cosmetic surgeon in Little Rock, Arkansas, and a member of the Arkansas State Medical Board. Dr. Branman is certified by both the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Board of Maxillofacial Surgery and serves as a Board Examiner for the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Branman is beloved by his patients for his caring bedside manner, surgical skill, and commitment to safety. His practice is located at 10809 Executive Center Drive, Searcy Building Suite 100, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211; (501) 227-0707. For more information, visit www.littlerockcosmeticsurgery.com/ Media Contact: Dr. Rhys L. Branman, Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery, (501) 227-0707 SOURCE Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center A 7-year-old boy died in a freak sledding accident in the mountains near Palm Springs Sunday. Michael Rigg was sledding in the mountain town of Idyllwild-Pine Cove Sunday afternoon when he accidentally collided with a 2020 Ford Transit cargo van. According to the Desert Sun in Palm Springs, the boy sledded down a driveway and slid under the van, sustaining severe injuries in the crash. He and his family was visiting friends in Pine Cove from Beaumont, a town about 25 miles east of Riverside. The driver involved in the accident, a 35-year-old man, transported Michael to a fire station about seven miles away where he was pronounced dead just an hour after the accident, according to the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroners Office. It is unclear what caused the crash, but officials ruled out intoxication and speeding as factors, per the Desert Sun. The street has a 25 mph speed limit and is narrow and circuitous, with trees covering the roadside. "This is an absolute tragedy and one that could have been prevented," said California Highway Patrol spokesman Michael Napier in a statement to the Desert Sun. The California Highway Patrol would like to remind anyone visiting our mountain communities to never sled on active roadways and to always be aware of your surroundings. The town was on a winter storm warning until last Friday, and reported 11 inches of snow after last weeks storm. A representative from the California Highway Patrol did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Long-suffering residents of Mississippi's capital city have been told by officials that a monthlong water crisis is almost over. Tens of thousands of Jackson residents remain under a precautionary boil water notice, but city officials said that could soon end depending on the test results of surface water samples being sent to the state Health Department as early as Sunday or Monday. "We feel confident that water service has been largely restored throughout Jackson. Any remaining incidents of low/no water pressure are likely localized meter issues or broken pipes," city officials said in a statement issued late Saturday. The city needs to submit 120 good surface-water samples from various locations in Jackson for two consecutive days "to determine when we can begin lifting the precautionary boil water notice" still affecting 43,000 surface water connections to homes, schools, businesses, churches and other structures. The big problem has been getting the water pressure back up to a proper working level of 80 to 90 pounds per square inch, officials said. During the height of the crisis in February, water pressure across the city of more than 160,000 people plummeted to 37 pounds per square inch, resulting in water outages throughout the city and in neighboring Byram. PHOTO: Lavern Avant washes her hands with a bottle of drinking water at her apartment in Jackson, Miss., March 11, 2021. (Rory Doyle/The New York Times via Redux Pictures) "Today was another good day with pressure getting up to 90psi. Tanks are continuing to fill," reads the city's statement. In another sign that things are looking up, officials announced last week that they had received clearance to lift the precautionary boil water notice on its 16,000 well water connections primarily serving South Jackson and Byram. MORE: Tanker trucks, National Guard dispatched to Jackson, Mississippi, water crisis The city's water treatment plants were knocked offline when back-to-back winter storms swept through the South in mid-February bringing snow and below-freezing temperatures that caused widespread power outages across the region. Story continues PHOTO: Residents in line for drinking water and food boxes at a distribution point in Jackson, Miss., March 11, 2021. (Rory Doyle/The New York Times via Redux Pictures) As the crisis unfolded, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba called the emergency an "act of God" that exposed the city's crumbling infrastructure. Lumumba and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves agreed that the city's water system had been neglected for decades. MORE: No 'definitive timeline' when water will return to Jackson, Mississippi: Mayor In the latest update on the crisis, Jackson officials identified a list of "key needs" for residents, including one-gallon jugs of distilled drinking water, hand sanitizing wipes, utility assistance and debris removal. PHOTO: Volunteers distribute drinking water and food boxes to residents at a distribution point in Jackson, Miss., March 11, 2021. (Rory Doyle/The New York Times via Redux Pictures) "This is not the way were supposed to live," Sheila Davis, who resides in an assisted living facility in Jackson, told ABC affiliate station WAPT in Jackson. MORE: Water slowly returns to Jackson, Mississippi residents but boil order remains Davis said she uses more than 50 bottles of water a day to cook, clean and bathe. She and other Jackson residents say they won't use their tap water until the Department of Health is certain it's no longer contaminated. "I can't wash my dishes in it," Davis said. "I use bottled for everything because its not safe." Mississippi capital residents told monthlong crisis almost over, but don't stop boiling water yet originally appeared on abcnews.go.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. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Nanjing is a county located in the mountains in southern Fujian Province of China. It is home to a good number of Tulou, a property of 46 buildings constructed between the 15th and 20th centuries listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. In Nankeng township, just 8 kilometers from the county town, sits a coffee-themed ecological and sightseeing park, which has been making huge contribution to expanding income for local communities. "Nankeng is an ideal place for coffee plantation with its sound environment and humid climate," said Huang Wenguag, founder of the park. According to Huang, the park, which occupies an area of nearly 11.67 hectares of land, was constructed in 2007 and houses over 10,000 coffee plants. It has grown into a complex that not only grows and processes coffee, but also offers tour services, Huang said. It has tens of sections, including indoor and outdoor cafes, a coffee exhibition hall, coffee workshops, and sightseeing lanes. It is the first coffee-themed sightseeing park and museum in Fujian Province. The coffee exhibition hall introduces the distribution, production, making and markets of coffee, where visitors can not only learn the history, culture and techniques of coffee, but also take a sip of the drink brewed by themselves. Tulou were built during the Song (960-1127) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties. Most of them are located in Yongding District of Longyan, as well as Nanjing and Hua'an Counties of Zhangzhou, and were built by the Hakka people who migrated to Fujian. This unique type of civil building adopted the traditional "feng shui" philosophy of China, also known as Chinese geomancy, and served as both residence and defense. In 2008, Tulou were officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage, and have been visited by huge numbers of domestic and foreign tourists ever since. The rising tourist volume brought unprecedented opportunities for Nankeng Township, a place unavoidable on the paths leading to Tulou, and the best "stage station" for tourists. In order to attract more visitors, local authorities launched a series of development activities, including the introduction of coffee from Taiwan. Nowadays, the coffee-themed park is embracing huge inflows of tourists every weekend who go there to have a taste of the coffee and also enjoy the experience of coffee-making, such as the selecting, baking, grinding and brewing of coffee. Wu Dongzhao, Party chief of Nankeng Township introduced that a series of peripheral products, such as coffee biscuits, canned coffee and coffee soaps, would be developed, so as to build Nankeng into a featured town of coffee products and make coffee a strong local industry that both drives tourism development and expands income for local residents. At present, nearly 100 mu (6.67 hectares) of coffee plants have been grown by farmers in Nankeng and Nangao villages of the township, and each mu is expected to increase income by around 10,000 yuan ($1,538). In a strong counter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the government's privatisation policy, Union Minister said on Tuesday that the previous UPA regime was the epitome of corruption, which privatised taxpayers' money besides nationalising corruption. Rahul Gandhi had alleged in a tweet on Tuesday that selling public sector to cronies will compromise the country's financial security. "Government of India (GOI) is privatising profit and nationalising loss. Selling PSBs to Modi cronies gravely compromises India's financial security," Gandhi tweeted. Sitharaman said that privatising taxpayers' money is what the UPA did for the betterment of one family. Referring to the bank nationalisation carried out during the tenure of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Minister alleged that the UPA had nationalised loss making. "We have quite a few banks, but we need which will be able to scale up. We need many more of the size of SBI, to meet the aspirational needs of the country. We have announced a Public Enterprise Policy, where we have identified 4 areas where public sector presence will be there. In this, financial sector too is there. So, not all banks are going to be privatised. "Even for those banks which are likely to be privatised, the privatised institutions too will continue to function after privatisation, the interests of the staff will be protected. Interests of workers of banks which are likely to be privatised will absolutely be protected - whether their salaries or scale or pension, all will be taken care of. Even when we talk about privatisation or disinvestment we recognise that each one of the units perfoms for the economy, these units need investment. It is our duty to ensure the workers' interests are protected and that the institution functions further. I want to assure it is not that the institutions are going to be closed or workers are going to be removed. It is not a quick decision, we are very conscious of the interest of workers in these institutions," Sitharaman said. "In fact, they (UPA) nationalised corruption," she said. Sitharaman said that as the leader of the main opposition party, Rahul Gandhi should engage in serious discussions rather than throwing two-liners. Earlier, the Minister had defended the government's privatisation policy, which also involves privatising two public sector banks. She said that even after privatisation, each entity would perform for the betterment of the economy. She said the country needs banks that can scale up operations by bringing private capital into the segment. "It has not been a quick decision (to privatise)... the interests of the workers would be protected," she said. The Finance Minister's statement came even as about 10 lakh employees of public sector banks are observing a two-day strike stating March 15, opposing the government's bank privatisation plan. (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 bill to amend Northern Irelands abortion laws to prevent procedures being carried out in the cases of non-fatal disabilities has been passed by the Assembly on Monday night. The DUPs Paul Givan presented the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion bill before the Assembly on Monday afternoon, urging MLAs to back the move to tackle disability discrimination. The private members bill seeks to prevent abortions being carried out in Northern Ireland in cases of non-fatal disabilities, including Downs syndrome. Assembly members voted 48 votes to 12 to pass the bill on to the second stage. Sinn Fein MLAs abstained. Reacting to the vote, the Green Party's Northern Ireland leader Clare Bailey said the decision by the Assembly represented a "clawing back of hard won rights for women". "Individual MLAs stood in the chamber last week and waxed lyrical on International Womens Day. Some of the same MLAs have today supported a Bill that violates women and subjects them to torture and degrading treatment. "The Bill is supported by MLAs who have been frenzied in their opposition to an Irish Sea border as it threatens their sense of Britishness. The same MLAs are happy for Northern Ireland to once again exist as a place apart without the abortion services that women across the United Kingdom access each and every day. "If only political Unionism showed the same concern about exporting tragedy to other parts of the UK as it did for importing soil and plant pots from those same regions." Taking place on Tuesday evening, the debate across the floor of the Assembly saw representations from all parties, including unusually the First and deputy First Ministers, who spoke in their respective roles as party members rather than ministers. Earlier in the debate, Michelle O'Neill said the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Health Minister Robin Swann were "failing" women by refusing to commission services legislated for long ago. Ms O'Neill added: "Women are entitled to have compassionate healthcare. "It is a human right to have compassionate healthcare and should be the focus of what this assembly is concerned about." Expand Close The DUP is attempting to roll back legislation liberalising Northern Irelands abortion laws, Sinn Feins vice-president Michelle ONeill said (Liam McBurney/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The DUP is attempting to roll back legislation liberalising Northern Irelands abortion laws, Sinn Feins vice-president Michelle ONeill said (Liam McBurney/PA) Mrs O'Neill said her party's Assembly members would abstain from the vote. She expressed "deep unease" at the "narrow focus" of the Bill. "Women are entitled to modern and compassionate health care," she said. She added: "The sponsor of the Bill is focused on rolling back the legislation." She said it ignored the failure to introduce abortion services in Northern Ireland. Later, the Assembly heard from Arlene Foster. The DUP leader said: "No one's life is less valuable and this standard should apply to lives inside and outside the womb. Read More "We are entering into the realms of eugenics and you can deny that all you like but we are on a very slippery slope. "Everyone should be very careful about that because it is Down's Syndrome and non-fatal disability today, what is it in 10 years' time that we are deciding is appropriate for abortion?" Northern Irelands previously restrictive laws were changed by MPs at Westminster in 2019 at a time when the Stormont administration was collapsed. The laws allow abortion in all circumstances up to 12 weeks. Terminations are permitted up to 24 weeks when there is a risk to the womans physical or mental health. There is no time limit in cases of fatal foetal abnormality or when there has been a diagnosis of a serious physical or mental impairment that would cause a serious disability. Abortions after 24 weeks in those circumstances are extremely rare. The provincial government is taking one last warm-up lap and slowly doling out the COVID-19 shots it has on hand before gearing up to do as many as 7,000 doses daily by March 29. The provincial government is taking one last warm-up lap and slowly doling out the COVID-19 shots it has on hand before gearing up to do as many as 7,000 doses daily by March 29. As of Monday, the province of Manitoba had received 179,720 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government and had administered just 118,438 jabs. Based on the provinces own figures, only 66 per cent of the province's total vaccine inventory has been injected into the arms of eligible Manitobans. "A dose doesn't arrive in our warehouse and then sit around for longer than a week. It has to move through a very complex system," said Johanu Botha, co-lead for the provincial COVID-19 vaccination task force. The delay in getting the doses out of freezers and to Manitobans has caused confusion for observers, especially as the task force says it plans to provide 20,000 doses each day (most of which will be given at mass-vaccination clinics, pop-up clinics and through mobile immunization teams) by April 1, if it has the supply to do so. "We have multiple pipes through which we pump vaccine, some pipes like supersites are larger than others, and when we get a shipment of vaccine we almost always use more than one pipe," Botha said. "We don't get enough vaccines to simply dump what we get into the supersites. "We have to use these smaller pipes to better serve more at-risk, or more remote populations." Botha said doses destined for pop-up clinics or immunization teams may take a week to reach the recipient. In an interview with the Free Press Monday, Botha said all of the vaccines that are in Manitoba today have already been allocated to pop-up clinics, doctors and pharmacies, congregate-living facilities, First Nations and to mass-immunization clinics throughout the province. The province will get to full capacity of 20,000 doses a day if the province receives weekly shipments of vaccine in excess of 100,000 doses, he said. "That daily maximum capacity is if we were flush with vaccine," he said. "If we just get that one 20,000 (dose shipment) that's a tiny amount for one day that we have to distribute." On Friday, Manitoba received 20,500 more doses of the Moderna vaccine; 13,500 of those doses will be diverted to First Nations partners as a concurrent immunization campaign targeting all adults living on 63 reserves ramps up. "That daily maximum capacity is if we were flush with vaccine. If we just get that one 20,000 (dose shipment) that's a tiny amount for one day that we have to distribute." Johanu Botha, co-lead for the provincial COVID-19 vaccination task force Another 3,600 doses have been set aside to offer to seniors and other people living in congregate settings, such as assisted-living facilities and group homes, over the next five days. And about 18,000 doses have already gone out to pharmacists and physicians to administer to their clients throughout the week. Vaccines are also en route to rural and northern communities for pop-up clinics, which are expected to provide 1,500 immunizations this week, and roughly 16,667 Pfizer-BioNTech doses are scheduled to be completed at the provinces mass-vaccination clinics by the end of day Sunday (about 2,400 per day). As of Monday, 26,745 such doses were in stock. An official with the provinces vaccine task force, speaking on background, said the balance of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines currently in the province about 7,500 will all be given to people by March 23. A portion of those Pfizer vaccines will be used by immunization teams going into congregate-living facilities. Instead of booking additional appointments at mass-vaccination clinics this week to move the product out of the system sooner, the province has opted to take a cautious approach in case the next shipment of vaccines does not arrive as scheduled, the official said. Previously, the province has operated clinics with high daily volume for fewer days a week, though that is not the preferred approach. "Technically we could do that, and we could go super-fast, but that's not good customer service, either. Not everyone is able to come within a specific time. We have to keep the appointments rolling," the official said. Its anticipated the next shipment of 14,000 Pfizer doses will be used up by March 27, two days after the province expects to receive 82,700 more doses from Ottawa. Between March 22 and 28, 29,000 appointments are scheduled at supersite clinics. By March 29, the province said the large-volume clinics alone will be providing between 6,000 and 7,000 doses a day. Between March 29 and April 12, based on the latest delivery schedule from the province, Manitoba expects to receive 115,800 doses. In the next 28 days, the province has already planned 183,347 immunizations. "The only way we're going to get 20,000 doses a day to stress-test the system that daily maximum capacity would be if we're getting enough supply... and even early April, we're not there," Botha said. "We're doing that minimum of 6,000-7,000 and chugging along at that (daily) rate not including the other pipes that's probably firing on pretty high cylinders until we get into the hundreds of thousands in mid-, (or) end of April," danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca Ukraine counts on support of its European aspirations during Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2021. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this at a joint press conference with his Slovenian counterpart Anze Logar in Kyiv on March 16, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Kuleba said that he had discussed with Logar the development of political dialogue and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Slovenia. He also noted the importance of holding a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission and a business forum this year. Slovenia will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of this year; therefore, of course, a significant part of the conversation was devoted to European affairs. Slovenia is a consistent friend of Ukraine; it supports Ukraine on its way to European integration. Therefore, we expect that in the discussions that will take place in the EU regarding the future of Europe, the voice of Ukraine will be heard, Kuleba said. He also thanked Slovenia for its important contribution to the decentralization reform in Ukraine and for supporting Ukrainian children whose parents were killed or injured in the conflict zone in Donbas. In this context, the minister informed that 467 Ukrainian children had already undergone rehabilitation in Slovenia. In addition, the schedule of contacts between the two states at all levels, including the highest one, for this year was discussed at the meeting. Kuleba noted that Ukraine and Slovenia are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their independence this year, and stressed that "we will be waiting for the distinguished guest from Slovenia at the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence and at the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform." ish Police are investigating whether a preschool-aged boy found naked in the change room of a Sydney swimming pool with a male stranger had been assaulted. New South Wales Police said in a statement supplied to Daily Mail Australia that the the Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre in the southern suburb of Bexley North was closed last weekend after 'a report that a four-year-old boy may have been assaulted within the facility'. Police officers were called to the Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre at Bexley, in Sydney, on Saturday afternoon Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre at Bexley addressed the shut down over the weekend on Facebook 'The matter has now been referred to the State Crime Command's Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad who have commenced an investigation. 'A crime scene was established, and examined by specialist police. 'Samples, including items of clothing, were seized and taken for forensic examination.' The police also appealed to the public for anyone with further information to contact Crime Stoppers. A woman said she was phoned by pool staff to pick up her younger sisters who were swimming at the facility at the time According to a 7News report, the boy was found wearing no clothes in the bathroom with a man after going missing for 30 minutes. On Sunday, a woman told Daily Mail Australia she was phoned by pool staff to pick up her younger sisters who were swimming at the facility at the time. 'The bathrooms were all closed off with police tape, then all of a sudden a mother was crying and screaming, hugging her son,' she said. The woman, who asked not to be named, said staff had been looking for the child. 'Before that the whole pool was searching for the infant, including all the lifeguards,' she said. 'When they did find the boy all you see was police rocked up and everything was closed off and other members in the pool heard from lifeguard the exact same thing that he was found in the bathroom with someone he does not know,' she said. The Bexley pool was also subject to a Covid scare on Sunday NSW Health has also issued guidelines relating to a major Covid scare at the same pool the next day, on Sunday. An infected hotel quarantine security guard visited on March 13 from 9 to 9.30am before testing positive late on Saturday night. NSW Health said anyone who visited the pool during those times needs to 'monitor for symptoms and if they occur, get tested immediately and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.' Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre declined to comment further than its statement. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. As the nation continues to grapple with COVID-19 amidst its campaigns to get as much people vaccinated, Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned citizens that climate change can bring forth more COVID-like viruses around the world. Summit News reported that the chief medical advisor to the president virtually sat down with NBC News Sunday host Chuck Todd to discuss the possibilities of these COVID-like viruses spreading across the world due to climate change. Dr. Fauci and Todd argued that there must be a "global health security network" among nations to move forward with better preparation against COVID-like viruses that threaten the safety of humans across the world, viruses that may come about due to climate change. Todd commented, "I know there's a lot of folks who think that due to climate change and due to the globalization in general, it's inevitable, we're going to deal with more and more viruses like this." Dr. Fauci agreed, saying that there has to be "a better global health security network of interconnectivity, of communication, of transparency." The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director argued that there must be a "continued investment in the science" and a "global" way of interacting with others. He said, "A global pandemic requires a global response." It's worth noting that their statements come after China expressed its plans to push the World Health Organization to let it create and manage a global COVID "vaccine passport" system, one that will allow the Chinese Communist Party to monitor vaccinated people's whereabouts and travels - like it does with Chinese citizens in country. It's also worth noting that their statements come after Bill Gates' announcement that there has to be a "global alert system" that will help people respond to "the next pandemic." In February, Discovery Magazine reported on new research from the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology that links the effects of climate change such as "more sunlight, and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide" with the expansion of "bat-friendly forest habitats in Myanmar, Laos, and southern China," where COVID-19 originated. They also reported on how the U.S. Agency for International Development found that 75% of all "new, emerging, or re-emerging diseases affecting humans at the beginning of the 21st century are zoonotic," which means they originated in animals. It begs the question as to when the next round of COVID-like viruses will emerge, something scientists can occupy themselves with after this current pandemic ends. The statements of Dr. Fauci have come at a critical time when the country is just getting back on its feet with the COVID response. In fact, his statements on more COVID-like viruses appearing because of climate change is a stark contrast to Joe Biden's more optimistic approach. A new statement released by the White House COVID-19 Response Team revealed that up to 30% of adults and nearly two thirds of seniors have been inoculated with the first of two COVID-19 vaccines. On average, the U.S. is now successfully administering an average of 2.4 million vaccines per day. In addition, up to 37.45 million people in the United States have received two doses, meaning they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. President Biden is optimistic that vaccines will be available to all adults by May 1. It was Dr. Fauci himself who said in the White House statement that there is a decline in deaths from COVID-19, with the average now down to about 1,200 per day. So for him to reignite fears of more COVID-like viruses emerging from climate change is quite pre-emptive and may add unnecessary fear and stress on citizens who have not yet been inoculated. She returned from a sun-soaked getaway to the Maldives in mid-December before the UK was plunged into its third national lockdown. And it appeared that Samira Mighty was craving sunnier climes once more on Tuesday as she shared a sizzling throwback bikini snap from her recent holiday. The Love Island star, 25, looked incredible as she flaunted her physique in a black halterneck two-piece in the Instagram post. Missing the sun? Love Island's Samira Mighty appeared to be craving sunnier climes on Tuesday as she shared a sizzling throwback bikini snap from her recent holiday Samira flashed a sultry look at the camera as she ran her hands through her hair while sitting on the edge of a jacuzzi. The theatre performer was full of confidence as she displayed plenty of skin in the Oh Polly swimwear with featured a tiny silver heart detail on the top and bottoms. Captioning the image, she penned: 'Oh hi tan I miss uuuu #tb.' Wish she was there: Captioning the image, she penned: 'Oh hi tan I miss uuuu #tb' Samira clearly had the post-holiday blues as just days before she shared a trio of sizzling snaps of her strutting around a resort in a skimpy white outfit. The reality star wowed in a white knotted bandeau top and thigh-skimming white ruffled skirt, which she paired with towering cork wedges. Alongside the pictures, she wrote: 'craving nights like these.' Throwback: Samira clearly had the post-holiday blues as just days before she shared a trio of sizzling snaps of her strutting around a resort in a skimpy white outfit Work it: The reality star wowed in a wowed in a white knotted bandeau top and thigh-skimming white ruffled skirt, which she paired with towering cork wedges At the end of last year, Samira posted a fun bikini-clad throwback video from her trip as she reflected on the past year via her Instagram page. The reality star penned a message as she admitted she doesn't 'even recognise' herself while looking back at photos and videos across 2020. Alongside the post, Samira shared a short video where she could be seen smiling and posing for the camera while on the back of a boat. She wrote: 'Let's keep these short n sweet. No one wants 7 page essays. Ahah. Rah 2020 can be done. As I reflect on this year, and look back on pictures and videos, I don't even recognise myself. Fun in the sun: Samira posted a fun bikini-clad throwback video from her recent trip as she reflected on the past year via her Instagram page at the end of last year 'I have had moments of great happiness but a lot of this year, I've had a cloud over me that I have struggled to shift. I've learnt a lot about myself I will say. This year has been a struggle for so many, and it hurts so much.' Samira opted to remain hopeful for 2021, although she is sure it will still 'be difficult and different' for many. She continued: 'However, 2021 I'm sure is still going to be difficult and different but we need to look forward. Smile more. Love more. Keep the negative energy in that s****y year. 'In any case, thank you from the bottom of my heart to my friends, family and agents, I'm aware I close into myself when things are rough for me but I'm always thankful. 'Of course everyone who supports me on here and my therapist Mandi (not sure if she will see) but for saving me as a person and pulling me out of the deepest mud. She is the light of my life. Forever grateful.' The Washington Post has been slammed after it admitted it misquoted Donald Trump in his call to a Georgia elections investigator and issued a correction to its January story. The Post issued a lengthy correction on Monday after audio of the December call between the then president and Frances Watson was released. At the time, the outlet published a bombshell report claiming Trump urged Watson to 'find the fraud' and told her she would be 'a national hero' if she did. The Post has now said they misquoted him after the Georgia Secretary of State's Office released the December 23 recording. It was located it in a trash folder on the investigator's device as the office responded to a public records request, a source told CNN. The original Post story now has a prominent correction, reading: 'The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trump's comments on the call, based on information provided by a source. 'Trump did not tell the investigator to "find the fraud" or say she would be "a national hero" if she did so. Instead, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, Ga., asserting she would find "dishonesty" there. He also told her that she had "the most important job in the country right now."' The Washington Post has been slammed after it admitted it misquoted Donald Trump in his call to a Georgia elections investigator and issued a correction to its January story The Post issued a lengthy correction on Monday after audio of the December call between the then president and Frances Watson (pictured) was released The original Post story now has a prominent correction, reading, in part: 'The recording revealed that The Post misquoted Trump's comments on the call, based on information provided by a source' It linked to a new story about the recording, adding: 'The headline and text of this story have been corrected to remove quotes misattributed to Trump.' The Post was slammed for the mistake, with journalist Mary Katharine Ham writing on Twitter: 'So, they made up quotes. What in the actual F.' Twitter user Glen Hilts added: 'Great. And, 90% of folks will never see the correction.' Another added: 'This is disgraceful. People on the left believed this garbage, and wont even read this correction.' Independent journalist Kyle Becker added: 'The ironic thing is that intelligent people knew this was made-up BS from the get-go.' Investigative reporter at the Washington Examiner, Joe Gabriel Simonson tweeted: 'Actually "wow'd" at this correction. incredible.' But not everyone criticized the outlet, with one user writing: 'Misquotations are bad, but I am confused as to what the substantial difference is supposed to be. The meaning of both versions seems to be the same.' Another, Bubba Karras added: 'How dare they correct an error that doesn't substantially change the story!' And MSNBC's Hayes Brown said: 'Corrections are good! what would be corrupt and unaccontable (sic) is to not put out corrections when we get things wrong.' He also said the quotes were from 'a person who heard the call and described it to a reporter,' adding 'nobody in the media made that up'. He was responding to Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway who said: 'Our media are so, so, so breathtakingly corrupt. They *always* mischaracterized this call -- in a corrupt and fraudulent way. But to actually make up quotes in service of that? We are so screwed. By our disgustingly corrupt and unaccountable media.' Before the discovery of the audio, state officials originally said they they did not think an audio file of the call between Trump and election investigator Frances Watson existed. The call to Watson came as she was leading an audit of mail ballot signatures in Atlanta suburb Cobb County. The call was reported in January by the Washington Post and audio released last week by The Wall Street Journal. In the call, Trump asked Watson to look into 'dropped ballots' and said he was the rightful winner of the November 3 vote in her state - telling her she would be 'praised' when the 'right answer comes out.' It came just days before his infamous call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, whom he asked to 'find' 11,780 votes that would make him the winner. The former president lost the state by over 11,000 votes, an outcome that was confirmed by audits and Georgia's Republican election officials. In February, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis wrote to Georgia state officials, including the Georgia Secretary of State's Office, asking them to preserve any documents relevant to election interference. The Post was slammed for the mistake, with journalist Mary Katharine Ham writing on Twitter: 'So, they made up quotes. What in the actual F' But not everyone criticized the outlet, with one user writing: 'Misquotations are bad, but I am confused as to what the substantial difference is supposed to be. The meaning of both versions seems to be the same' Willis is currently conducting an investigation into Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, something the secretary of state's office is also separately investigating. The call came the day after White House chief of staff Mark Meadows visited Cobb County, Georgia to ask questions about the state's on-going audit of signatures. While in the county, Meadows met with Watson and got her phone number. Trump called her the following day. The elections investigator told an investigative reporter from WSB-TV that she had recorded the call from the then-president for posterity, saying: 'It's not every day, that probably will never happen again in my lifetime.' It is currently unclear why Watson moved the audio file into her trash folder, but Watson told the station that she was surprised Trump called her, saying that she did not believe he was pressuring her during the phone call. 'It is something that is not expected, as I mentioned in the call you know I was shocked that he would take the time to do that,' Watson said. In the newly revealed audio tape, obtained by the Wall Street Journal, Trump appears to be trying to court the state's top elections investigator, Watson - both flattering her and alluding to claims of fraud. It was a move Raffensperger would later call inappropriate. 'That was an ongoing investigation,' he told the Washington Post on January 9. 'I don't believe that an elected official should be involved in that process.' On the call, Trump made repeated claims that he 'won' the state and mentioned other southern states that he did, in fact, carry. He called vote-rich Fulton County - in which Atlanta sits - the 'mother lode.' 'I won everything but Georgia. And I won Georgia, I know that,' he told Watson. He complements Watson at the start of the call, and she reveals that Meadows had met her the day before. 'Something happened. Something bad happened,' he said of the election echoing claims by his election lawyers, as well as lawsuits claiming massive fraud in the state, which ultimately came to nothing. Multiple recounts determined that Joe Biden won the state. Two Democrats were subsequently elected to the Senate from Georgia in runoff elections on January 5. Trump told Watson that Meadows 'thinks you've been great.' He continued: 'And you know, this country is counting on it because it's very interesting. 'So I won Florida in a record number, Ohio in a record, Texas in a record, Alabama by 40 40 points. And I won everything but Georgia. 'I won Georgia, I know that, by a lot, and the people know it.' 'Something happened. Something bad happened,' he said. He did not offer an explanation, but alluded to his own repeated public comments of widespread voter fraud. 'I hope you're going back two years,' he told the investigator, urging more than a 'signature check' that verifies a signed ballot matches the signature on files with state election officials. 'You're going to find things that are going to be unbelievable. The dishonesty, That we've heard from just good sources. Really good sources,' Trump said, without naming them. 'Fulton is the mother lode, you know as the expression goes, Fulton County.' The appeal appeared to catch Watson off guard, and she told him she was 'shocked' that he called. 'I appreciate your comment,' she told him, but made no promises. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger called Trump's call to the investigator inappropriate 'I can assure you that our team and the [Georgia Bureau of Investigation], that we are only interested in the truth and finding the information that is based on the facts.' Watson told the president: 'I know that you're a very, very busy, very important man. And I'm very honored that you called. Quite, quite frankly, I'm shocked that you, that you would take time to do that. But I am very appreciative.' Trump told the investigator she had 'the most important job in the country right now,' adding Georgia residents were 'so angry' and claimed he won by 'hundreds of thousands of votes.' 'They dropped ballots. They dropped all these ballots,' he said. 'When the right answer comes out, you'll be praised.' He also told her at the end of the call: 'Whatever you can do, Frances, it's a great thing,' before referencing January 6 the date Congress met to count the certified votes and thousands of Trump's MAGA rioters stormed the steps of the Capitol. The riot in the Capitol resulted in five deaths. 'We have that date of the 6th, which is a very important date,' Trump told her. A blower that sends hot air into the nose could treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The technique which has also recently been used to treat patients with Covid-19 was found to improve breathlessness and other symptoms of COPD by 50 per cent in some patients, according to a new study. COPD is an umbrella term for a group of chronic, progressive lung conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which affect more than three million Britons. Symptoms include a persistent chesty cough with phlegm, wheezing and frequent chest infections. High-flow nasal therapy is a non-invasive treatment that supplies oxygen-rich humidified air, heated to up to 37c, through a nasal tube The new device works by delivering a fast flow of air up to 60 litres a minute to unblock airways, reduce mucus and expel carbon dioxide from the lungs and airways. Emphysema damages the normally elastic air sacs in the lungs, where oxygen is taken up into the bloodstream. This causes them to break down so that the lungs become baggy and full of bigger holes, which trap air. In chronic bronchitis, the lining of the airways becomes inflamed, causing it to swell and produce phlegm. Standard treatments include bronchodilators or inhalers (which relax the muscles around the airways), oxygen therapy, and surgery to remove damaged lung tissue to make breathing easier. Lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema, for example, aims to reduce the amount of air trapped in the lungs. But researchers involved in the study on the hot air device, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, say that despite the wide range of treatments currently available, many patients dont get proper control of their symptoms. High-flow nasal therapy is a non-invasive treatment that supplies oxygen-rich humidified air, heated to up to 37c, through a nasal tube. Standard treatments include bronchodilators or inhalers (which relax the muscles around the airways), oxygen therapy, and surgery to remove damaged lung tissue to make breathing easier. An oxygen tank is seen above This has been used to treat respiratory failure, which occurs when the blood does not contain enough oxygen or has too much carbon dioxide. It has also recently helped to prevent patients hospitalised with Covid-19 from needing intubation where a tube is inserted into the main airway. It differs from standard oxygen therapy, where the air is cold and dry (not humidified), which can lead to inflammation in the airways. In the study, doctors from Temple University in Philadelphia, U.S., analysed data from a small number of clinical trials. They reported that shortness of breath, quality of life and ability to exercise all significantly improved in patients who had high-flow nasal therapy, compared to those who had conventional oxygen treatment. Patients used the device for eight hours a day. In one trial, some symptoms improved by nearly 50 per cent. Patients who had the therapy reported fewer days with episodes of worsening symptoms 18.2 days compared to 33.5 in the control group. The treatment also increased the amount of mucus and carbon dioxide expelled; the faster the air flow, the greater the amount of carbon dioxide discharged. Its role during pulmonary rehabilitation and exercise programmes should be investigated, which would support expanded uses based on the promising results, said the researchers. Dr Richard Russell, a consultant chest physician and the respiratory lead for NHS England South East, said: This review of the role of high-flow nasal therapy in COPD demonstrates how this treatment works to reduce symptoms and improves the quality of life for COPD patients. We have used this therapy in our fight against Covid-19 and now there may be a new and exciting way of using it to improve the life of patients with this disease. A key ingredient of curry may help treat chronic lung disease. In a lab study, published in Human & Experimental Toxicology, a combination of curcumin (an active component of turmeric) and eucalyptol (the main ingredient in eucalyptus oil) was found to significantly reduce the damage caused by cigarette smoke to the cells that line the airways. The researchers, from Yeditepe University in Turkey, suggested that this was due to the combined antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Try this Sauce Shops Tomato Ketchup Unsweetened Sauce Shops Tomato Ketchup Unsweetened is 87 per cent tomato and has no added sugar, thickeners or stabilisers, using the natural sweetness from tomatoes instead. It is also vegan and gluten-free. 2.99 for 255g, sauceshop.co Hi-tech bandage spots wound infections early A hi-tech bandage that can tell whether wounds are healing or have become infected has been created by scientists from the U.S. and Russia. The bandage is made from a flexible plastic-based material embedded with tiny electrodes designed to detect changes in levels of compounds such as nitric oxide, which rise in response to infections. In a laboratory-based study, the bandage was able to correctly identify the presence of key compounds nitric oxide and uric acid (produced during healing) and a common bacterium involved in wound infections. The researchers say the technology should now be tried in further studies. How a dip in cold water can ease anxiety Swimming in the sea helps treat depression and anxiety or thats the rationale behind a new trial run by Devon Partnership NHS Trust. Ten patients will have eight sessions of swimming-based activities led by instructors, alongside their current care. Previous studies have shown that exercise is as effective as medication and talking therapies in the treatment of depression. Immersion in cold water triggers adrenaline, but the body is thought to adapt to the shock and react less each time. While this is happening, there is also a reduction in other stress triggers, including depression. The researchers suggest this is because of the impact cold water has on inflammation, which is linked to the condition. Celebrating the support of loyal fans and gamers, the developers of "American Truck Simulator" in SCS Software announced a brand-new expansion pack that will be set in the second-largest U.S. state, Texas! This update has been hinted since the Christmas Special Stream Event, and it was finally confirmed recently. With the updates about Iberia and the Heart of Russia's upcoming release, SCS made an official announcement for American drivers in their blog on March 12. This is to reveal the incoming Texas DLC for "American Truck Simulator." American Truck Simulator Texas in the Works, Wyoming Coming First Detailed pictures from different locations were featured along with the announcement. It shows the truck driving on six-lane roads, in the desert, through the city, and even passing by some farms. Texas is the second-largest by both area and population in the United States. The Lone Star State has a wealth of landmarks and attractions, making it geographically and culturally diverse. Players have much to look forward to with the Texas map. Immense details are placed on landscapes, cities, coastlines, mountains and deserts. Players might take jobs from handling livestock to delivering packages for aeronautics. Texas has a lot to offer as one of the busiest states in the country. For what it's worth, the TExas DLC marks the second state of the U.S. that under full production for SCS Software. The official announcement clarified that the next expansion to be released for "American Truck Simulator" will still be the Wyoming DLC. Wyoming is one of the least populated states in the U.S. It is, however, home to some of the most breathtaking national parks and natural scenery. A post in Steam hinted at possible attractions of red-walled gorges, historic prairie towns, hot springs, pioneer history and historical attractions. The team emphasized that Wyoming DLC is further along with the production because it was started earlier than the Texas DLC, which is still in its early developments. Unfortunately, the team also cannot commit to a release date for Texas DLC within this year. Read Also: Nissan Titan: Pick-Up Truck 2021 Version Goes Head-toHead With 2019 Counterpart in Crash Score Tests Updates on 'Euro Truck Simulator' This announcement comes just a week after a new DLC for "Euro Truck Simulator" has been promised, exploring the Russian continent. In all of their posts, the team expressed that it would be difficult for them to fully integrate such big continents into a one-time project. Instead, they might try to explore some of the key locations before expanding to a bigger content. For Russia, the team plans to explore the Oka river first. Unfortunately, this is another expansion still in the queuing line. After all, fans of the "Euro Truck Simulator" is still waiting for the release of Iberia DLC. The SCS and "American Truck Simulator" have many updates and contents in store for gamers to look forward to. Unfortunately, with all these workloads, no dates have been given for the completion of these expansions. The SCS Software said that they will only release the new map when they feel like it is done. Related Article: Car Trader Simulator: Everything We Know So Far Eight days after welcoming her first child, Emily Ratajkowski took some time out to pay tribute to her 'first born son,' German Shepherd Colombo. And while the 29-year-old Inamorata CEO claimed Tuesday was her fur baby's 'birthday' she didn't even adopt the pooch until May 11, 2019. 'Forever my baby!' Emily - who boasts 36.8M social media followers - gushed via Instastory. Naked on the rug: Eight days after welcoming her first child, Emily Ratajkowski took some time out to pay tribute to her 'first born son,' German Shepherd Colombo 'Realizing this might actually be a Colombo fan account? Okay it definitely is. Sneak beautiful portraits of this boy in a lot. Teenager here. We thought he was a giant? I mean...' Ratajkowski also posted a snap of her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard cradling their baby Sylvester Apollo Bear alongside Colombo captioned: 'Already the best big brother!' 'Sly arrived 3/8/21 on the most surreal, beautiful, and love-filled morning of my life,' the London-born SoCal native announced last Thursday. After the birth, Emily and the 39-year-old Uncut Gems co-producer quietly celebrated their third wedding anniversary on February 23. 'Two!' And while the 29-year-old Inamorata CEO claimed Tuesday was her fur baby's 'birthday' she didn't even adopt the pooch until May 11, 2019 Emily - who boasts 36.8M social media followers - gushed via Instastory: 'Forever my baby!' Ratajkowski shared a substantial slideshow, writing: 'Realizing this might actually be a Colombo fan account? Okay it definitely is' On October 19, Metropolitan Books will publish Ratajkowski's literary debut - a 256-page nonfiction book of essays - titled My Body. 'Now available for pre-order. I don't think I've ever been this excited to share something before,' the UCLA drop-out wrote on February 25. 'Thank you to all who have shared, ordered and made me feel so supported today. Can't wait for you all to read these essays.' The London-born SoCal native also posted a snap of her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard cradling their baby Sylvester Apollo Bear alongside Colombo captioned: 'Already the best big brother!' Emily announced last Thursday: 'Sly arrived 3/8/21 on the most surreal, beautiful, and love-filled morning of my life' Still going strong! After the birth, Ratajkowski and the 39-year-old Uncut Gems co-producer quietly celebrated their third wedding anniversary on February 23 Last Thursday, Deadline reported that Sebastian, the Safdie Brothers, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff will co-produce Matt Wolf's two-part documentary on Paul Reubens for HBO. It will cover the life and career of the 68-year-old Daytime Emmy winner, who's most famous for creating the iconic children's show character Pee-wee Herman. Bear-McClard will also produce former child star Owen Kline's long-delayed feature directorial debut - a 2021 comedy called Two Against Nature - with the Safdie Brothers and Scott Rudin. 'Now available for pre-order!' On October 19, Metropolitan Books will publish the UCLA drop-out's literary debut - a 256-page nonfiction book of essays - titled My Body Student Spotlight: Sara Atta's Persistence Pays Off After a Call from Goldman Sachs By Brenda Santos TAMPA (March 8, 2021) -- It has been five years in the making, five years of applying and being unsuccessful. But on Feb. 2, Sara Atta got word that she was in. The call from Goldman Sachs that she had been hired as an operations summer analyst finally showed up in her mail. Attas journey was not unlike many international students here at USF. In August 2015, Atta made the move from Egypt to the United States to pursue the opportunities for higher education. Only boys traveled for school and I wanted to change that, Atta said. She also saw that most of her peers applied to universities near home. An unexpected obstacle Atta ran up against before coming to USF was getting her fathers approval. He was against it at first, she said, but he was just watching out for me. It wasnt until Atta proved through her interest, enthusiasm and applying early for colleges that she was able to convince her father that she was serious about studying abroad. I was that student who would rather stay home on the weekends to study and prepare for school than go out, she said. I would make sure my schoolwork came first. Why pursue a degree in finance? I have a passion for sales and marketing, she said, and I see finance as a way to interact with people. Atta also would love to help people that struggle with money, as financial health is very important to her. Atta served as the CFO for the Professional Sales Club in 2018 and was involved in the Management Information Systems Society during her undergrad. She was also a member of Women in Business. In 2018, she won first place in the marketing presentation for the USF Sales Competition, where she teamed with the marketing executives of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Looking ahead to her position with Goldman Sachs, Atta is eager to work for a company that invests in their employees and has such a diverse workforce. I reached out to nearly everyone in the company, from the interns to the top executives, she said. Atta focused on the importance of networking. I wanted to show them that I was very interested. I think it shows that I am passionate about being a part of the company. Her advice for students looking to follow her on this path: Apply early for any position. Timing, she said, is very important. As an international student, Atta said there is the additional challenge of needing a sponsor to land an internship and that can be disheartening at times. I wanted to give up because I knew they would see that I needed a sponsor, she said, and assumed they would deny me based on that alone. But she kept on. She wants to be a symbol of hope for international students that may be in her position. If you are an international student, thats an advantage, she said. You will stand out as you offer a different perspective. Atta is grateful to her professors who encouraged her and to USF for giving her the resources to succeed. Dont give up, she said. Although you may be majoring in a specific field, dont limit yourself. Pursue your passions. Chinese smartphone firm Huawei is leading the worldwide active 5G-ready devices market with a share of 26.9% globally during the fourth quarter of 2020, but with Samsung and other device manufacturers nipping at its heels, according to a new report. Analysis of the global 5G devices market by Finbold shows that South Korean giant Samsung ranks a close second with a share of 25.1%, while Apple accounts for 19.5%. And Vivo, another Chinese firm, controls a share of 11.8%, with Honor accounting for 6.9% of the active 5G-ready devices. We also compared the market share of 5G-ready devices between Samsung and Huawei from August 2020 to December 2020. The findings show that Samsung dominated the share for the four months before December. However, Huawei dramatically shot up in December, overtaking Samsung, Finbold notes. According to Finbold, market leader Huawei has an advantage by serving an extensive domestic market, keeping at bay rivals like Samsung and Apple, whose aim also entails penetrating the Chinese market. Furthermore, Huawei receives massive funding from state banking facilities. Financing has helped the company undercut competitors with attractive and readily available resources for its products, says Finbold. Compared to competitors, Huawei has risen to the top despite earlier concerns of using counterfeit products in 5G devices. Since the 5G take-off began, Huawei has also invested heavily in its research and development team responsible for exploring market needs and new opportunities. Finbold comments that like other industries, most of the manufacturers were impacted by Covid-19 disruption that affected global supply - however, Huawei appears to have sustained the downturn after China controlled the pandemic early, unlike competitors in the west, which entered the pandemics second wave towards Q4. Elsewhere, the company had to fight off concerns from the United States government over spying allegations. Then-President Donald Trump encouraged U.S. allies in Europe to abandon Huawei equipment in manufacturing 5G-ready devices, spelling doom for the firm. Huaweis progress in the U.S. was also clipped due to the US-China trade wars. On Apple, Finbold says the company lags behind the two Asian manufacturers in what is termed as a late entry into the 5G revolution - however, it was expected that once the firm unveils compatible devices, it will immediately compete with the Asian rivals. Interestingly, with just a single 5G-ready device release, Apple ranks third, offering a glimpse of what to expect in the future. After President Trump rallied American companies to step up and compete with Huawei on offering 5G services, Apple rose to the occasion. The absence of a significant U.S. alternative to foreign suppliers of 5G networking equipment offered Huawei an easy playing field to advance its dominance. The situation contributed to the evolution of Huawei as one of the worlds biggest 5G equipment suppliers, sparking fears in the U.S. However, it is not certain how long Huawei will hold the top spot considering other competitors like Apple are catching up. Although Samsung trails Huawei, its share among 5G-ready devices is significant, and the Chinese manufacturer is not guaranteed the top spot. Furthermore, how Huawei will handle security concerns plays a vital role in adopting its 5G-ready devices, Finbold concludes. China on Monday said that it would start processing visa applications of those who have either taken one dose or both doses of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines. The Chinese Embassy in the United States, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines issued a statement yesterday, saying it would allow only those foreigners to visit the country who have taken Chinese-made vaccines. To resume people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries in an orderly way, starting from March 15, 2021, the Chinese Embassy in the United States will provide the following facilitation for visa applicants inoculated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines (having taken either two doses of inactivated vaccines with the stipulated gap in between, or a single-dose vaccine at least 14 days prior to the application) and obtained the vaccination certificate, Chinese Embassy in the US said in a statement. The Chinese Embassy said foreign nationals and their family members can visit mainland China for work or humanitarian needs, such as taking care of the elderly, visiting relatives, attending funerals or visiting critically ill relatives. The statement added that holders of valid APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) business cards are also allowed to apply for visas. Those arriving in China will still have to go through all the tests and quarantine measures imposed by the Chinese government. China's COVID-19 vaccine China has started vaccinations throughout the country and is also exporting vaccine doses to other nations, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Turkey, the Philippines, etc. Chinese vaccines have been approved in several countries, mainly in low-and middle-income nations that are unlikely to buy more expensive Western-made vaccines. China is also using this as an opportunity to shrug off the blame for the initial spread of the COVID-19 virus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan. One of China's main COVID-19 vaccines, developed by pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, has not produced satisfactory numbers in trials held across variuous countries. In Indonesia, trial results showed Sinovac's Coronavac was 65.3% effective, while in Brazil, a revised figure showed it to be 50.4% effective. However, Chinese scientists have said the vaccine is safe enough to be used for emergency on high-risk people. Media reports suggest that China has been administering the vaccine among its population since July. China recently approved the fourth homegrown COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. If Chinese government figures are to be believed, the country has managed to control the COVID-19 outbreak. According to publicly available data, China has recorded less than a hundred cases for the past one year, with the exception being July 2020 and January 2021, when the country registered over a hundred cases for a few days in between. CAIRO - The new provisional national unity government (GNU) of Libya led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, which has the task of bringing Libya to elections in December, was sworn in on Monday at the Tobruk House of Representatives (HOR) and became operational Tuesday. After the swearing-in ceremony on Monday, UN Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis encouraged the new executive to "rapidly face the numerous challenges that the Libyan people have to face, improve living conditions and basic services and prepare the country for the holding of national, inclusive elections on 24 December 2021". On Wednesday, Tunisian President Kais Saied will visit Libya, as proof of "Tunisia's support for the democratic transition process in Libya". SPRINGFIELD - Police arrested a 41-year-old city man and a juvenile boy early Tuesday following a shooting on Dennis Street in East Forest Park that left a man injured, police said. Orlando Cooper of Dennis Street was charged with assault and battery and other charges in relation to the shooting, while the juvenile was charged with taking the gun and hiding it as Cooper instructed, said police spokesman Ryan Walsh. The gun was later recovered a block away on Regal Street, Walsh said. Police were called to the area of 100 Dennis Street, off Plumtree Road in East Forest Park, for a reported shooting. They found a man suffering from gunshot injures. The injuries were described as not life-threatening. Police at the scene identified Cooper as the shooter and he was taken into custody, Walsh said. He is also charged with discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, possession of a large capacity firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, carrying a firearm without a license, a firearm violation with three prior convictions for guns or violent crime. and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Cooper is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Springfield District Court. The juvenile, whose name was not disclosed dur to his age, will be arraigned in Springfield Juvenile Court. This is the hilarious moment an Australian shepherd dog allows and Indian runner duck to jump on its back. The Australian shepherd sat on the ground as the Indian runner duck, known as Pancake, approached in the funny footage, filmed in Bedford, New Hampshire. The dog's owner can be heard calling out: Teak, we are going to get out of here. Teak, he is coming. Teak the Australian shepherd dog was waiting for his pal Pancake the Indian runner duck while out for a walk in Bedford New Hampshire As the duck gets closer, teak sits down on the tarmac awaiting for the duck's arrival Teak, this is not going to end well for you, sir. The dog continues to look at the duck as it gets closer. The dogs owner calls out to the duck and says: Pan, Pan, leave us alone. The duck jumps onto the dogs back when the owner decides to move along warning her pet to leave the bird alone. However, as Teak is led away, the small duck gives pursuit. Eventually the dog lays on his side and allows the duck to waddle aboard. The unidentified owner said: 'This is a video of our dog Teak, an Australian shepherd, and our Indian runner duck Pancake aka Pan. 'Every time Teak comes outside Pan finds him to show Teak whos boss. In this video, Teak lays down in anticipation of Pan's approach. 'I dont think either of us expected Pan to hop on. 'But I think Teak got what he wanted, attention from the duck that he so longs to play with.' This time the dog lay down on the ground and for the first time Pancake decided to jump up on Teak's back Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), a wholesale provider of national and international telecommunication infrastructure, has announced plans to build a data centre at the Science and Technology Park in Gaborone, the countrys capital. The vendor-neutral data centre will host at least 400 racks in 1,000 square metres of white space. Construction is likely to take eight months. The facility is expected to be Tier III certified by the Uptime Institute. It will be Botswana's largest data centre. BoFiNet board chairperson Pelani Siwawa-Ndai says that, with most services now being delivered on the cloud, this facility will be a host to some of the countrys frequently used services. However, she also points out the opportunity this presents Botswana, which is geographically centred in the SADC [Southern African Development Community], explaining that this new development presents us with an opportunity to be seen and used as the preferred country to facilitate low-latency connectivity for countries such as Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola and the world at large. The centre has also been mentioned as a contributor to Botswanas Digital Transformation initiatives and the Smart Bots digitization strategy. It is also hoped that it will attract and host major regional and international ICT players. Research group Xalam Analytics has pointed out that, after years of strong promise, but relatively slow expansion outside of South Africa, the African data centre market has entered a phase of accelerated growth as this new development proves. However, much of the continent still has a lot of catching up to do. 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 IMEE: ESTABLISH LIFELINE RATE FOR INTERNET ACCESS Senator Imee Marcos has urged the government to recognize internet access as a "primary right" on the same level as electricity and potable water. Marcos said that establishing a lifeline rate for internet access is as important as the bicameral conference committee's decision Tuesday to extend the lifeline rate for electricity to 2051. "Filipinos need to cope not only with the Covid-19 pandemic but also with the many demands of the 21st century. The needs as well as the aspirations of the nation call for a lifeline rate for internet access," Marcos asserted. "So much lip service has been paid to free internet in public places, but meager budgetary support, poor planning, and failed linkages with private telcos condemn us to scant internet access," Marcos lamented, citing the slow implementation of Republic Act 10929, also known as the Free Internet in Public Places Act. Marcos has proposed to set a "socialized pricing mechanism" through a broadband and data lifeline rate via Senate Bill 2102, amending the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines. The lifeline rate for internet access will give household beneficiaries and marginalized end-users discounts based on consumption thresholds not lower than one gigabyte (1GB) per month, according to the Marcos bill. Household beneficiaries are to be determined by the guidelines of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), while marginalized end-users will be identified through criteria set by the National Telecommunications Commission and certified by public telecommunications entities. "Between poor connectivity and growing poverty numbers, more and more Filipinos are excluded from the Information Age, limited to occasional mobile promos like Free Facebook and other platform-based access," Marcos explained. "Filipinos deserve inexpensive, reliable and comprehensive internet access," Marcos added. The Philippines ranked 29th among 34 nations, in terms of internet access, according to Pew Research Center's April 2020 survey. As for internet affordability, the country ranked 82nd out of 85 nations in the Digital Quality of Life Index 2020. The covid virus is the most important role of the vaccine in the war against the epidemic. With the use of the Covid-19 vaccine, we can all avoid this serious disease. The vaccination campaign is being further speeded up in many countries of the world, including India, to avoid the second wave of the covid-19 epidemic. In the meantime, some European countries have put a covid-19 vaccine under question. Germany, Italy, France, after the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland, have also stopped the use of AstraZeneca Vaccine. These countries have banned the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure during reports of blood clots from the vaccine. However, AstraZeneca has called its covid vaccine safe. The company has said that evidence of the root clot has not been found so far due to these vaccines. In addition, the World Health Organization, WHO, asserted that it is absolutely safe to use. In addition, the European Medicine Watchdog has also called the AstraZeneca Vaccine safe. Several countries have banned the vaccine: It has been revealed that the three largest EU countries - Germany, Italy, and France - have been prevented from using the AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday. After which, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, and Latvia have also banned the use of vaccines. These restrictions are not confined to EU countries only. Indonesia has also announced a delay in the use of this vaccine. AstraZeneca reported: According to information received, British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has called its Covid vaccine completely safe. The company said there is no evidence that these vaccines have caused blood clots as reported from some European countries. Also Read: Japan considers whether to end Tokyo's COVID-19 emergency Covid-19 pandemic: European tourism cut in two in 2020 Facebook inks deal with Murdoch's News Corp in Australia Hyderabad: The state government of Telangana is in favour of crossing 50 per cent reservations in education and employment. It will submit an affidavit in the Supreme Court in this regard within a week, official sources said on Tuesday. The SC had on Tuesday sought the opinion of all state governments within a week on whether they were in favour of extending caste-based reservations beyond the 50 per cent ceiling set by the SC in a nine- judge bench ruling in 1992. The state government has already passed a law, Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Bill, 2017 in Legislative Assembly and Council in April 2017, increasing reservations for Muslims under the BC-E category and STs in April 2017, taking the overall quota above 50 per cent. But these increased reservations could not be implemented even after nearly four years as the Centre had kept the state governments legislation pending due to the cap on reservations at 50 per cent. After the passage of the bill in April 2017, the Telangana government referred it to President Ramnath Kovind for his assent, which is still pending. Under the bill, quota for STs were increased to 10 per cent from the existing six 10 per cent, while that for BC-E category (backward sections among Muslim community) were increased to 12 per cent from the existing four per cent. This increased overall reservations in state from the existing 50 per cent to 62 per cent, breaching the 50 per cent cap set by the apex court. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier criticised the Centre several times for blocking the state governments enhanced reservations. He even threatened to file a case against the Centre in the Supreme Court. However, the state did not file any case. The state government now wants to take advantage of the ongoing case in the Supreme Court regarding exceeding 50 per cent reservations quota, by submitting its opinion in favour of an increase and implementing enhanced reservations for Muslims and STs, if the Supreme Court permits it. 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 wearable market in Q4 2020 grew by 27 percent over last year and the largest beneficiary of that, by far, was Apple, according to IDC. The company shipped 36.2 percent of all devices during that period, compared to just 8.8 and 8.5 percent for its nearest rivals Xiaomi and Samsung, respectively. Much of that came from a 45 percent increase in Apple Watch shipments, along with a boost in AirPods sales (regular, Pro and Max) by 22 percent over Q4 2019. To give an idea of the scale, IDC figures that Apple shipped 55.6 million wearable products during that quarter, up 27 percent over last year, compared to 13.5 million and 13 million units for Xiaomi and Samsung, respectively. Apple has never released exact sales by product, but Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said recently that Apple shipped around 90 million AirPods in 2020, 9to5Mac noted. Referring to earphones and headphones as "hearables," IDC said that they became the "must-have device" of 2020. "Hearables provided a new degree of privacy, particularly during home quarantine but also while out in public," said IDC wearables research director Ramon T. Llamas. Huawei fell to fourth place after Apple, Xiaomi and Samsung due to US sanctions, IDC said, even as shipments in China increased by 9.4 percent over last year. Samsung, meanwhile, saw a decline in smartwatch shipments, which might explain why it's reportedly planning to shift away from its own Tizen OS toward Android's wear OS. Liberal MP Nicolle Flint fought back tears as she slammed senior Labor figures over the sick harassment and abuse she suffered at the hands of left-wing activists. The MP for Boothby in South Australia faced a targeted campaign by left wing group GetUp during the 2019 election. She was intimidated and stalked, abused online and had her electorate office vandalised with sexist graffiti saying 'skank' and 'prostitute'. Liberal MP Nicolle Flint has slammed senior Labor figures over the sick harassment and abuse she suffered at the hands of left-wing activists Ms Flint, who recently announced she is quitting politics due to ongoing intimidation and bullying, attacked the Labor Party for failing to speak out and fostering an environment 'in which hate could flourish'. She said it was hypocritical of Labor to attack the government over the treatment of women while failing to 'get its own house in order'. In a message to Labor leader Anthony Albanese, she said in parliament: 'I will not be lectured by you, or by anyone on your side of politics about the treatment of women in this place. 'I ask, the Leader of the Opposition, where was he, and where was his predecessor, and where were all the senior Labor women, when the GetUp, Labor and Union supporters chased, harassed and screamed at me everywhere I went in the lead up to the 2019 election? 'Where were they when their supporters posted comment after hateful comment on twitter and on my facebook page? 'Where were they when I was stalked by a creepy old man who worked hand-in glove with GetUp?' Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said she was not aware of the abuse Ms Flint suffered - but the Liberal MP said this was hard to believe. Ms Flint was intimidated and stalked, abused online and had her electorate office vandalised with sexist graffiti saying 'skank' and 'prostitute' 'I find it hard to believe that as I was one of only seven Liberal Party members on GetUp's hit list last election she had no knowledge of what was going on, especially as I was the only woman, the only backbencher, and the only one who was not a current or former memberof Cabinet,' she said. 'But although I find the Member for Sydney's personal explanation today more than a little disingenuous, I do not wish to attack her,' she added. 'What I say to the Labor Party today is they may not have held the spray can, to vandalise my office with sexist slurs, they may not have held the camera pointed at me by the stalker or called me evil in GetUp's 100,000 phone calls. But they did create an environment in which hate could flourish.' Ms Flint slammed Labor once again on 2GB radio on Wednesday morning. 'I was really disappointed that we haven't heard anything until now condemning what happened to me during the 2019 election where I was stalked by a creepy old guy who would turn up constantly around GetUp protesters and union and Labor protesters,' she said. 'Everyone deserves to be safe in politics and in Parliament. I do not want Australia trending to a dangerous style of American politics,' she added in reference to the polarised and violent US election campaign last year. Anthony Albanese condemned the behaviour against Ms Flint, telling Radio National: 'It shouldn't have happened. Full stop. I condemn it. I stand with Nicole Flint' Anthony Albanese condemned the behaviour against Ms Flint, telling Radio National: 'It shouldn't have happened. Full stop. I condemn it. I stand with Nicole Flint.' Senator Wong said the campaign was 'utterly unacceptable' but said Ms Flint was being 'unfair' in blaming Labor politicians. 'I'd say to Ms Flint, I agree with you, let's work together to make this a better place for women,' she said. It comes as Labor continues to attack the government over the treatment of women following the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and rape allegations against Attorney-General Christian Porter, which he has denied. A few days ago, general director of Samsung Vietnam Choi Joo Ho visited the north-central province of Thanh Hoa to hunt for investment opportunities for the group, which is turning Vietnam into its largest mobile phone manufacturing base in the globe. Ho highly values the provinces geographical and traffic conditions in addition to an improved business climate. He said that Samsung will help Thanh Hoa attract further investment. In last December, Ho also worked with authorities of the northeastern province of Quang Ninh towards the same purpose. At present, Samsung is pouring its investments in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen, and Ho Chi Minh City, with total investment capital of over US$17.5 billion, employing more than 160,000 local workers. The group is also now constructing a US$230 million research and development centre in Hanoi. Ho also visited the Dong Mai Industrial Park in Quang Ninh, which covers 168 hectares and currently boasts 18 investment projects registered at more than US$350 million. It is expected that if Samsung expands investments in Vietnam, it will continue to increase its exports to foreign markets, further contributing to Vietnams export picture. Last year, the total export turnover of Samsung Vietnam hit about $57 billion or 20.2 per cent of Vietnams total export turnover. This was an important milestone for the company as one of its most important branches, Samsung Electronics, aims to become the largest chip manufacturer in the industry, targeting a value of around $400 billion in the global market. Samsung Electronics, one of the largest conglomerates of South Korea, along with many other economic groups, has been raising its investment in Vietnam for many years, driven mostly by low taxes, cheap labour, and good land incentives. With the contributions of Samsung, Vietnams export picture is now being dominated by foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) which accounts for 69 per cent of the countrys total export turnover, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This has contributed to bringing Vietnam into the group of the few countries still achieving positive economic growth during the first year of the pandemic, as well as maintaining a trade surplus of nearly US$1.29 billion in the first two months of 2021. Boosting international integration Implementing the proactive policy about international economic integration of the Party and the state, Vietnam has expanded and deepened its relations with many nations step-by-step. It has also actively and responsibly partaken in international forums and organisations. Notably, in recent years Vietnam has boosted the negotiations and inking of some free trade agreements (FTAs). To date, the country has joined 17 FTAs including seven inked as a member of ASEAN (CEPT/AFTA which is the existing ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, and FTAs between ASEAN with China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand, and Hong Kong); eight FTAs signed bilaterally with Chile, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the UK, and the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan); the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); and two FTAs currently under negotiations including the FTA with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the Vietnam-Israel FTA. These trade deals have and will greatly benefit Vietnams economy in general and exports in particular. For example, The EVFTA has a scale accounting for 30% of global GDP, while the RCEP is similar with 2.2 billion consumers, taking up more than 30% of global GDP. Only accumulating these two regions, Vietnam has penetrated the economic sector with GDP accounting for 60% of global GDP with extensive and continuous tariff reductions with commitments to open markets for Vietnamese products, services and goods in the direction of transparency, openness and convenience with open commitments in all areas. Not to mention, the signing of FTAs also contains reforms of the economy. Rise in exports According to updated figures from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) recently reported to the government, since 2011, Vietnams export turnover soared from US$93.6 billion in 2011 to US$263.5 billion in 2019. Last year, despite massive difficulties caused by COVID-19 in the whole global market, the figure hit US$282.65 billion, in which Vietnamese firms earned US$78.2 billion accounting for 27.8% of the economys total export turnover, with foreign-invested enterprises having raked in US$204.45 billion including crude oil exports taking up 72.2% of the countrys total export value. Vietnam has been boosting its international economic integration in all levels, and gradually participating in the global production network and supply chains, said an MPI report. A rapid rise in export turnover has become an important driving force for the countrys economic growth over the past many years. In the entire 2011-2020 period, the export turnover has increased by 3.01 times, helping improve Vietnams export rank in the worlds export-import map. Specifically, the rank was 50th in 2007 before climbing to 27th in 2017. According to experts, Vietnams exports have shifted from relying on crude oil to focusing on electronics. However, the fact that this sector lies mainly in the hands of FIEs has a large impact on the countrys export growth. While in 2010, exports of phones and spare parts thereof only accounted for 3.2% of the total export turnover, by 2020, this sector ranked first among six commodity groups with a turnover of more than US$10 billion. The export value of this group in the first two months of this year was already estimated at around US$9.3 billion, accounting for 19.2% of the total export value, representing a 22.8% rise compared to the corresponding period of last year. Meanwhile, Vietnams import turnover soared from US$105.8 billion in 2011 to US$253.5 billion in 2019 and US$262.7 billion in 2020, focusing on the commodities in service of production and exports, as well as investment projects in the sectors of energy and electronics. The MPI said that imports of this group of commodities always account for more than 90% of Vietnams total import turnover. For example, in order to earn such a big export turnover of $57 billion last year, Samsung also spent dozens of billions of US dollars importing materials and equipment into Vietnam for its production. These achievements have created an improvement in the trade balance, from a deficit of US$9.8 billion in 2011 to a big surplus of US$9.94 billion in 2019 and US$19.95 billion last year. Such a big trade surplus has enabled Vietnam to have a bigger foreign exchange reserve, facilitating the State Bank of Vietnam to perform it activities to stabilise the market, and making an important contribution to maintaining the stability of the economys macro-economic indexes, the MPI report said. In the first two months of this year, with many developed countries still struggling with the pandemic, Vietnam has maintained a trade surplus of close to US$1.29 billion, in which Vietnamese businesses suffered from a trade deficit of US$4.14 billion and FIEs earned a trade surplus of US$5.43 billion including crude oil exports. COVID masks don't protect locals from bullets as we get a peek at the dangerous Kansas City return to normal and more gun blasts targeting weekend party people. Check the deets and the tragic aftermath to good times . . . "According to the police, the shooting happened at 3 a.m. at the Rendezvous Lounge located at 11816 Blue Ridge Blvd. A KCPD officer heard dozens of shots coming from the club, then 911 calls about shots being fired started to come in. Grandview officers got to the scene first and confronted two men who were armed. KCPD officers found a man who had been shot in the face in the street. He was taken to a local hospital for his life-threatening injuries. "Police say witnesses told them that two fights happened inside the club as it was closing. Club security tried to break them up with pepper spray. The fights then spilled into the parking lot and may have caused a crash on Blue Ridge Boulevard. "Several people began shooting at each other. Two suspected shooters tried to flee the area, but police took them into custody. Police saw numerous cars in the club's parking lot had been hit by gunfire." "The authorities located 100 shell casings at the scene from five different guns." Check the links . . . Fox4: Man has life-threatening injuries after more than 100 shots fired at south KC nightclub KCTV5: More than 100 shots fired at KC club, 1 man left with life-threatening injuries Developing . . . Washington County BOE nixes recommendations on school closures The Washington County Board of Education votes against the superintendent's recommendations to close Hancock Middle-Senior High and Cascade Elementary schools. ROME, MAR 16 - Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi told the Senate on Tuesday that 44.3% of Italy's teachers have been vaccinated for COVID-19. "I fought for the vaccination of teachers and school personnel to be a priority," Bianchi said. (ANSA). 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. CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrier today announced that it has signed an agreement with Watsco to form a joint venture to acquire Temperature Equipment Corporation (TEC), the largest Carrier distributor in the Midwest. Watsco will own 80% of the venture with Carrier owning the remaining 20%. The venture will operate as an independent business with a focused strategy to grow the companies' collective market leadership in the TEC Midwest territories. Carrier is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of innovative healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions. "This acquisition aligns with Carrier Global's established plan to execute strategic bolt-on M&A and we are excited to extend our long-term relationships with TEC and Watsco. This new standalone joint venture will allow us to continue to benefit from the entrepreneurial culture and leading market position that the Mungo family has built at TEC over more than 80 years, while leveraging the operational, technology and industry expertise of Watsco," said Chris Nelson, President, HVAC, Carrier. TEC is a distributor of Carrier, Bryant and Payne brands, offering residential, light commercial and applied HVAC equipment. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to occur within the next 30 days. About Carrier Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier is a world leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy-efficient products, building controls and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and food service customers. Carrier is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions. For more information, visit carrier.com or follow @Carrier on Twitter. CARR-IR Contact: Danielle Canzanella 860-221-8457 [email protected] SOURCE Carrier Related Links https://www.carrier.com A court has stopped Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi from auctioning three government vehicles to recover Sh750,000 awarded to him as compensation for damage caused to his luxurious Bentley Bentayga. The no-nonsense lawyer, otherwise known as Grand Mullah, seized the vehicles from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) last year. This after the State-run roads agency failed to pay the money awarded to him in a court ruling on August 2020. In the ruling, Magistrate Edwin Mulochi found KeNHA liable for the damage caused to Ahmednasirs luxury SUV after stones and shrapnel from road repairs hit the windscreen on the Nairobi-Namanga highway in August of 2018. Court documents stated that Ahmednasir Abdullahi had instructed auctioneers to attach three vehicles belonging to KeNHA after the agency failed to pay him the Sh750,311 he spent to replace the shattered windscreen. The vehicles included two Toyota Prados and a pickup. An assortment of office furniture had also been seized. KeNHA assistant director Mr Fredrick Oyunga Onyango, however, moved to court terming the seizure irregular and unlawful. The agency argued the Sh750k award was in its current budget because the initial court order came after its budget for the year to June had been approved. But Mr Abdullahi opposed KeNHa, saying the law makes it mandatory for the Director-General to pay awards without excuses. Justice Chacha Mwita ordered Grand Mullah to release the vehicles to KeNHA saying the authoritys assets cannot be used to settle the payment. In the end, having considered the twin applications, submissions and the law, it is this courts finding that section 68 of Kenya Roads Act, restricts attachment of the applicants assets, and therefore, no attachment should have taken place, he said. Justice Mwita further ordered KeNHA to pay the debt saying the law mandates the Director-General to settle the award without delay. The Judge also refused to stop the payment of the award, pending an appeal. Justice Mwita also rejected KeNHAs request to deposit the money in court as a condition to stop the demand. Cork-based technology firm Poppulo has agreed a merger deal with US-based Four Winds Interactive that will create a business with combined annual sales of $100m (83.8m). Financial details of the transaction were not announced, but the deal will value the combined companies at about $1bn, according to a report by Bloomberg citing unnamed sources. Poppulo founder and CEO Andrew OShaughnessy said the combination will allow the business to provide corporate communication tools on a par with what people have come to expect in their own lives in the smartphone era. This merger is a game-changer that will, for the first time, enable organizations to deliver long-overdue consumer-grade workplace communications that their people are used to in their personal lives, he said. Mr O'Shaughnessy will remain CEO of Poppulo after the deal and will be a board member and shareholder in the combined business. Poppulo is majority-owned by shareholders led by Mr O'Shaughnessy and backed by US-based Susquehanna Growth Equity, which invested 30m into the business three years ago. Read More Colorado-based Four Winds Interactive is a portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners, which is backing the new merged business. Poppulo's software is used in communications systems including email, 'pulse surveys' and analytics. Its market is primarily large enterprises including multinationals such as Unilever, Telefonica, Bank of America and Nestle. Irish firms using the products include CRH and AIB. The shift to remote working since the Covid pandemic has boosted demand for such products. The ability to connect and engage with every employee, and to give them a sense of belonging and purpose, has never been as critical as it is right now because of how radically the workplace has changed and thats where internal communication is critical, Mr OShaughnessy said. The deal with Poppulo will help Four Winds customers with their plans for a return to the office following Covid-19, Four Winds CEO David Levin said in an interview. The groups digital tools will help keep employees safe and secure, informed, and well-resourced no matter where they are, he said. The combined companies said they will maintain current operations for a period including working from offices in Cork, Luton in the UK and Denver and Boston in the US. The World Health Organization's director general said on Monday that systems meant to protect public health were working, as several countries suspended the use of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine to investigate possible side-effects. "This does not necessarily mean these events are linked to Covid-19 vaccination, but it's routine practice to investigate them, and it shows that the surveillance system works and that effective controls are in place," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a virtual media briefing. A WHO advisory committee plans to meet on Tuesday to discuss the vaccine, which Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they were pausing after several countries reported serious conditions in people who had received the shot. Denmark and Norway had stopped giving the shot last week after reporting isolated cases of blood clots, bleeding or a low platelet count. Iceland and Bulgaria followed suit and Ireland and the Netherlands announced suspensions on Sunday. Even so, the top WHO scientist reiterated on Monday that there had been no documented deaths linked to Covid-19 vaccines. "We do not want people to panic," WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told the briefing, adding that no association had so far been found between the "thromboembolic events" reported in some countries and Covid-19 shots. Even as some countries suspend AstraZeneca's shot, others are continuing its use as the WHO and other bodies say the benefits continue to outweigh any risks. The United Kingdom, where the AstraZeneca vaccine was developed in partnership with Oxford University, says it has no concerns, while the drugmaker has said a review of safety data has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots. Also read: Germany, Italy, France suspend AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine amid safety fears Also read: Danish woman who succumbed to blood clot from AstraZeneca's shot reported 'highly unusual' symptoms Rabina Khan, a councilwoman for London's Borough of Tower Hamlets, holds up a Tibetan flag on the anniversary of a 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, March 10, 2021. Diplomats working at a Chinese Embassy to be built in the borough of Tower Hamlets in Londons East End should be reminded each day of their governments treatment of Tibetans and other groups ruled harshly by Beijing, says a Borough councilwoman who has proposed the renaming of local streets. In Tower Hamlets, we have a rich history of standing up for people, said councilwoman Rabina Khan, speaking to RFAs Tibetan Service in a recent interview, saying she will bring a motion to the full Borough Council on Wednesday asking that areas near the new embassys location be named in solidarity with people oppressed by the Chinese Communist Party. Its my fourth time to bring this motion, Khan said, and this time Ive also included a place called Tibet Hill, to remember the people of Tibet, and also to name [other] locations near there as Tiananmen Square, Uyghur Court, and Hong Kong Road. Khan, a Bangladeshi-born writer and community development activist, is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. Speaking to RFA, Khan urged everyone listening to her interview to lobby the Tower Hamlets Council to agree to the motion. A request to fly the banned Tibetan national flag at Borough offices on March 10, the anniversary of a failed 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, had earlier been turned down by the boroughs mayor, but Khan and fellow Borough Councilor Peter Gold then held up the Tibetan flag outside Borough offices themselves. "I'm just very humbled that I can stand up for the people of Tibet, the Uyghur Muslims, and the people of Hong Kong, and all those who have been oppressed by the Chinese government. Not by the people of China, but by the Chinese Communist Party," Khan told RFA. Tower Hamlets Borough is a significant political location, as the Chinese Embassy has been proposed to relocate there, said Thinley Dhondup, Secretary of the Tibetan Community UK. And ever since we Tibetans learned that Rabina Khan has proposed [the renaming of the streets], we Tibetans have felt it was important to urge the mayor to raise the Tibetan flag on Tibetan Uprising Day, he said. Poster by Tibetan Community of Britain supporting the campaign to rename streets in London's Tower Hamlets Borough. Tower Hamlets Mayor John Biggs said that Khan's plans would have to go through the normal review process, but that the borough backed such expressions of solidarity with oppressed people. While we may welcome the Chinese embassy to our borough in the future, we will of course not refrain from expressing the views of the Council, on behalf of our community, or asserting our support for the freedom and diversity of our borough," he told RFA. "We are home to a large number of Muslim residents and there is no doubt that the reported treatment of the Uyghurs represents everything our community is against. Tower Hamlets has a proud tradition of fighting racism and will always will be No Place for Hate. Formerly an independent nation, Tibet was invaded and incorporated into China by force nearly 70 years ago, and Tibets spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers later fled into exile in India and other countries around the world following the failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. In northwestern Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), China has meanwhile interned over a million Uyghur Muslims accused of religious extremism in political reeducation camps, while in Hong Kong, a national security law imposed last year by Beijing has removed the Chinese Communist Partys political opposition and stifled the freedoms promised under the terms of the citys return to China by its former colonial ruler Britain. Reported and translated by Tashi Wangchuk for RFAs Tibetan Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. COLOMBO (PTI): India's envoy in Sri Lanka has underlined the importance of close cooperation between the navies of the two countries as an essential part of the overall bilateral engagement, as he handed over training aids worth 22 million LKR (about Rs 81,00,000) to the island nation's Navy for capacity building. High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, during a visit to the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, formally handed over the training aids to the Commander Eastern Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy at a ceremony held on Sunday at the prestigious Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) Trincomalee. Pursuing the commitment of the Indian Navy in assisting the regional navies in capacity building, during his visit in December 2019, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh had committed to providing a number of training items to the Sri Lankan Navy, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement. With a focus on supporting specialisation courses being conducted at NMA, Sri Lanka Navy model of indigenously developed Varunastra heavy-weight torpedo, working model of Light Weight Torpedo, Underwater Telephone, Gas Turbine cut Model, a model of HMS Trincomalee and Bathythermograph were delivered in Sri Lanka in 2020 and were operationalised with joint efforts of Indian Navy, Sri Lankan Navy and the OEMs from India. While formally handing over the training aids, the High Commissioner reiterated the importance of close cooperation between the two navies as an essential part of the overall bilateral engagement. He also handed over Kindle e-book readers and books to the library of the Naval and Maritime Academy. The Indian Navy and the Sri Lankan Navy have always maintained a functional relationship and several training facilities of the Indian Navy are availed by the Sri Lankan Navy, the High Commission said. Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood's heated moment didn't end on TV. After their debate, more things happened behind the scenes. An insider told Page Six that after the show, Sharon Osbourne "went crazy" and even yelled, "I'm getting my lawyers." And even after nearly a week since Underwood questioned Osbourne for defending British commentator Piers Morgan, the two "The Talk" hosts have still not reconciled. The insider revealed, "Sharon is pissed at Sheryl because she feels like she helped sow a seed that she's racist." "And Sharon is unable to rationalize that that's not what happened." A day after that heated episode, Sharon Osbourne issued a lengthy apology to the black community for offending them. However, she didn't mention her co-host. But Osbourne reached out to her through text, according to Page Six's source. "She texted her a detailed, emotional, and heartfelt apology on Friday. It was very personal." Unfortunately, Sheryl Underwood left her on "read" and didn't bother responding to her. What Went Down on 'The Talk' Sharon Osbourne later gave an interview to Variety magazine explaining the entire ordeal. She talked about how CBS blindsided her with the segment. According to Page Six's insider, Osbourne was the first to initiate they wanted to talk about Piers Morgan and Meghan Markle on "The Talk." "Whenever Sharon is in the news, she always goes to the producers and wants to address it on the show." They added, "She was aggressive about supporting Piers on social media, and she got dragged for it." The insider also said, "She came to work after being [hated] on Twitter and asked to address what was going on online. she was not blindsided by CBS." The entire episode that day was not supposed to go how it went down. The source said that Osbourne was supposed to address it in a monologue for about 30 minutes before going live. However, the producers reportedly changed their minds and decided that the hosts should discuss it on air. People on set knew that there would be a discussion since Osbourne was already "hyper-emotional" and that she was expecting cover from Underwood. However, she felt attacked and reportedly "blames Sheryl." Sharon Osbourne also expected that the segment would have only two questions and not have an entire 20-minute show about it. The source explained, "To make matters worse, the ladies had come to a Jesus moment a few weeks ago vowing to have each other's backs. For Osbourne to get attacked the way she did, felt very painful." 'The Talk' Canceled "The Talk" has canceled its Monday and Tuesday live show after CBS launched an internal review that stemmed from Sharon Osbourne and Sharon Underwood's heated exchange about Piers Morgan. According to a statement obtained by People magazine, "We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace." "All matters related to the Wednesday episode of 'The Talk' are currently under internal review." See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Why Insurance Self Networking PlatformISNPIs a Top Secret of IRDAI? In April 2017, the regulator mooted the Insurance Self Networking Platform (ISNP) to facilitate e-commerce in the insurance business. However, four years down the line, there is not much information available about the ISNP itself, or insurance companies, brokers, and corporate agents, who are participants of ISNP, how they are regulated, if at all, and what business they are doing. There is no official information about the way they are being authorised to sell or service insurance policies through the platform. Further, nobody knows, how many insurance companies, brokers and corporate agents have applied, how many applications have been rejected and on what basis and what are duties and responsibility of those on-boarded on ISNP towards insurance consumers. Except for developing a portal, https://isnp.irda.gov.in/ , the IRDAI has kept mum on everything ISNP. In fact, as per our sources, except a few in IRDAI, nobody knows anything about ISNP and what exactly is taking place under this platform. The portal states, "IRDAI is facilitating the promotion of e-commerce in insurance space which will lower the cost of transacting insurance business and bring higher efficiencies and greater reach. E-commerce is seen as an effective medium to increase insurance penetration and bring financial inclusion in a cost-efficient manner." However, there is no information available about entities registered on the ISNP portal, and what business is being carried out by them. Further, there is absolutely no information about what systems are in place, what are the activities permitted by IRDAI for these entities to carry out business under ISNP and how this is being regulated, if at all. As per our information, as of now there are about 50 insurance broking companies, who applied and were granted approval for ISNP by IRDAI. There are many, who have applied but not received any approval from IRDAI, while some others are still waiting for the permission from the regulator to get onboard ISNP. Since insurance policy buyers are not aware of the intermediaries who have been authorised by IRDAI to sell insurance through these ISNPs, they may become victims of unscrupulous entities who are mopping up business using the ISNP name. Plus, there could be many, who are doing some business, under cover, and are being allowed by IRDAI. This issue assumes significance in view of the increasing online cyber frauds, especially in the insurance sector. Insurance companies, their intermediaries or those pretending to be either of them may also perpetrate frauds upon unsuspecting customers. However, the insurance regulator has not shared any names associated or authorised by it with ISNP. Further, there is no consumer grievance redressal mechanism available for policyholders on the ISNP portal. Interestingly, IRDAIs portal for policyholders https://www.policyholder.gov.in , asks customers to be extra careful while buying the policy. It is worth taking care of a few crucial aspects during this process. Mis-selling by insurers and their intermediaries is something you have to be cautious about. IRDAI keeps a tab on unethical practices by entities selling insurance based on unfounded promises. Your insurance company and intermediary have to act according to the code of conduct prescribed by IRDAI, the industry councils and the relevant recognized professional association, it says. However, this caution seems to have escaped the ISNP portal. Earlier on 12 April 2017, IRDAI issued a circular on filing of online application for ISNP as per its guidelines on insurance e-commerce published on 9 March 2017. "Insurance companies, brokers and corporate agents can sell and service insurance policies through this platform," the circular says. According to IRDAI, the ISNP can offer several services to insurance policy holders. This includes, issuance and crediting of the policy document or certificates of insurance, proposal form and medical reports, organising medical check-up and submission of medical reports as well as issuance of endorsement. Under ISNP, policyholders are allowed to access e-insurance account (eIA), which contains policy documents in electronic format. IRDAI authorised four entities to open EIAs for policyholders. These include, NSDL Database Management Ltd, Central Insurance Repository Ltd, Karvy Insurance Repository Ltd and CAMS Repository Services Ltd. Before transacting on ISNP, it is mandatory for customers to have an eIA. An insurer or insurance intermediary like brokers, corporate agents, and web aggregators, who are registered with ISNP are required to facilitate opening of eIA of the customer within 15 days of issuing the policy. As per Section 4 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the IRDAI being a public authority is mandated to publish suo moto information like the ISNP portal. However, the insurance regulator has not shared information on ISNP under RTI as well. We requested senior officials from IRDAI, including its chairman, to share all details of ISNP, names and businesses allowed for entities registered on ISNP and what the supervisory and regulatory measures undertaken by IRDAI are, for these registered entities on ISNP. However, till writing this story, there is no response from any official from IRDAI. We will update this article as and when we receive any reply from them. Sommet Digital Board Members Today two new members are joining Sommet Education Digital board to accelerate digitalization impact on students curriculums. Natalia Bayona, Investments, Innovation & Education Director UNWTO. Natalia Bayona who has just been recognized at ITB Berlin, one of the worlds leading travel trade show in Tourism, as a one of the global empowered women leading the change in Tourism will bring her vision on how youth empowerment and innovation can regenerate worldwide tourism today. For Natalia Bayona, Digital education is the key driver to scale up the way people are educated in the tourism sector. Today, we have the responsibility to give opportunities to youth and accelerate their tourism career path through the use of technology. Our aim in UNWTO is to open doors by connecting the academia with startups, governments, investors and corporates, to consolidate a high impact tourism innovation ecosystem. Frederic Biousse, Chairman Experience Capital, former co-founder & co-CEO of Sandro-Maje-Claudie Pierlot. After 20 years of experience in retail and luxury, the entrepreneur has co-created Les Domaines de Fontenille, a collection of refined hotels all over Europe. He will be an inspiration to the student-centric approach of the hospitality education group. Sommet Education has been taking the lead on the future of hospitality education implementing a sustainable integration of digital learning solutions and new technologies in its institutions curriculums with the recent development of hyflex bachelors degrees based on a full practical arts semester developed on-line and the integration of artificial intelligence to support student learning. About Sommet Digital Board The aim of the Digital Board is to support Sommet Education with digital expertise and propose inspiring ideas, services, products and solutions leveraging on digitalization to be implemented in campuses and courses and further integrate digitalization in the learning experiences of the students. The board is based on the member expertise and their worldwide recognition in their field. The current board members are Roberto Eggs, Chief Marketing and Operating Officer, Executive Board Member at Moncler, Mathieu Lhomme, Strategic Transformation Officer at Danone, Rajay Naik, CEO of Skilled Education, as well as Olivier Younes, PhD, Founding CEO of EXPEN (http://www.expen.com) & Professor at HEC Paris. About Sommet Education Sommet Education is the worlds leader in hospitality management education. It has a network of three prestigious institutions: hospitality business schools Glion Institute of Higher Education and Les Roches, together with culinary and pastry arts school Ecole Ducasse. These institutions offer undergraduate, graduate and technical training programs to 6,000 students from more than 100 nations, with teaching offered on-campus and through state-of-the-art remote learning platforms. Between them, the schools have a network of 28,000 influential alumni in hospitality and beyond. Sommet Education is the only education group with two Top 4 globally ranked institutions for hospitality education and by employer reputation (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021). http://www.sommet-education.com PRESS CONTACT Anouck Weiss - VP Communication Sommet Education Group E: media@sommet-education.com T: + 41 (0)21 989 26 63 March has brought both sorrow and salvation for Jeremy Puckett. Consider his history: On March 14, 2002, Puckett, then 25, was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didnt commit. The victims body had been discovered on a Rancho Cordova (Sacramento County) road four years earlier, to the date. Puckett proclaimed his innocence for two decades, but justice true justice didnt come until March 13, 2020. On that date, Puckett stepped through a hidden door into a cage in a downtown Sacramento courtroom. He wore street clothes and the half-haggard, half-wired look of a man lacking sleep. Through bars, Puckett saw family and friends packed tight on the benches of the low-slung gallery. He saw a grown daughter and son who were just toddlers when sheriffs deputies arrested him 19 years earlier. The hearing went quickly. His attorneys from the Northern California Innocence Project and Palo Alto law firm of Simpson Thacher had already demonstrated that Puckett had an alibi that his jury never heard, and that the prosecutions star witness, a drug dealer implicated in the crime, had recanted his claim that Puckett had any involvement in the drug slaying. Puckett listened as a prosecutor moved to dismiss the charges. The judge granted the motion and turned to the innocent man in the cage. Youre a free man, the judge told him. Gasps sliced the air. Puckett clenched his jaw; tears slid down his cheeks. I tried to hold it in, he later recounted. Six days later, California entered an emergency lockdown to stem the tide of the burgeoning pandemic. This is the world Puckett was reborn into of fraying economies and safety nets, of unprecedented restrictions and uncertainty. Some might call that bad luck. Puckett, he will call it a miracle. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle From lockup to lockdown Puckett handed a spare pair of shoes to an arrested homeless man with ravaged feet and passed through two security doors leading into the Sacramento jails lobby. Beyond the thick, smudged glass he heard shouting. Outside the jail, they were chanting his name. Puckett had arrived there six months earlier, handcuffed and driven in through a sally port gate around the side. He left through the front door. Relatives and friends he hadnt seen in years, including one he entered prison with, mobbed Puckett as soon as he emerged into the blustery pre-spring air. His daughter leaped into his arms. His mother buried her face in his chest. Puckett clasped his brow as shutters snapped and his father cried. His eyes glisten recalling those first moments of reclaimed freedom. That was probably the greatest day of my life outside of having my kids, he told The Chronicle. Cant nothing explain the emotion I was going through that day. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle On the 14-mile drive to his sisters place in south Sacramento, Puckett experienced more complicated emotions. He craned his neck eyeing all the new buildings, vanished storefronts and jagged outcroppings of tarp-covered tents. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle The changes were disorienting. You feel like everything just went from here to boom. Youre there. Puckett didnt feel such a big change within himself, but he was different, too. American penitentiaries teem with bodies and noise, not intimacy. That first night in his sisters home, Puckett didnt sleep. The quiet wouldnt let him. Youre used to hearing music, used to hearing TV, used to hearing people talk, used to hearing the C.O.s walk, their keys clanging or doors shutting, Puckett said. Youre used to that. At his welcome-home party, Puckett dined on pork chops and Brussels sprouts and tried to ignore his prison instincts when loved ones drew close, approached from behind or touched him without warning. He disappeared into his room to breathe. His tight-knit family noted his absence. We all thought he was grumpy! his sister Charon Knox said lightly. I think it was him adjusting. ... When there was a bunch of people, you could see that he got overwhelmed. Knox had relocated from Seattle to help her brother find his legs in a society set adrift by the coronavirus. For about six months last year, they shared a house in south Sacramento with Pucketts daughter. I didnt know what to expect when he came home, Knox said. Our lockdown and his lockdown seem totally different. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle In her brother, Knox saw a man who was understandably eager to jump-start his life and frustrated when those plans splintered against the pandemic. Puckett had been away for so long that there was little record of his identity not associated with prison life. He no longer had an ID or a Social Security card. He had no rental history, his only credited work experience a warehouse job back in the 1990s. Puckett wanted a car, a job, his own place. But when the DMV closed its field offices last March due to the coronavirus outbreak, he couldnt even obtain the documents that proved he existed. It felt like I was out, but I was still locked up, Puckett said. A few days after Californias stay-home order took effect, Puckett and his father went to the grocery store. Told to stock up for the lockdown, Puckett said he came close to having a panic attack. Im ripping and running around the store with my head cut off, Puckett recalled. Like Im just grabbing everything. Everything. He piled boxed rice and frozen chickens damn near all the chicken into his shopping cart. When I brought all this stuff home, I laid it down and my sisters like, What is all this? I said, Theyre fitting to put us on lockdown! Shes like, Man, its not going to be like that, Puckett said, breaking into laughter. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle The term evoked a harsher reality in the prisons of the Central Valley. Pucketts prison term was divided between Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad (Monterey County), High Desert State Prison in Bakersfield and Wasco State Prison in Kern County. When the facilities locked down following riots or security breaches, inmates werent told how long theyd be confined to their 6-by-8-foot cells. He and his fellow inmates might spend months in limbo, let out only for showers and medical appointments, always handcuffed. Imagine being on lockdown for two years straight, Puckett said. You start getting used to living in this little box. Puckett planned to put that box behind him. He left prison wanting to ride a roller coaster and fly to different countries. He imagined road trips with his sister and outings with his children. The global pandemic proved the biggest obstacle to those ambitions, but not the only one. His children were in their 20s. His son was about to become a father. Pucketts sister was a corporate project manager, not the teenager he left behind. Courtesy Jeremy Puckett All those years he was wrongfully incarcerated, Puckett and his closest relations stayed in each others lives through prison-read letters, monitored phone calls and occasional visits. Knox saw how hard her brother was fighting for his freedom. So she edited out her troubles. She shared the parts of her life she thought he could handle. When he got out, Knox said, He basically had to relearn us all over again. And it was the same for her. One morning shortly after her brothers release, Knox exited her bedroom to find him standing in the hallway. The realness of him staggered her. Shed never given up on his innocence, on the idea that hed return home. But the simple fact of him awed her, she said. It felt like so many years of prayers had been answered, she said. Knox returned to her room and wept. Puckett tried to figure out what to do next. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Long, hard journey Pucketts bags were packed. He still needed to get a haircut and a rapid COVID test before work. It was March 11. In two days on the one-year anniversary of his release from prison he would be in snowy Denmark. A chance at love awaited. We found each other. Ill say it like that, Puckett said of the woman he met online while in prison two years ago. We didnt know if it was going to go anywhere ... but as time moved on, things changed and now were fitting to meet for the first time. Like the rest of California, things started opening up for Puckett over the summer. He finally got his drivers license. In June, he landed a job through a temp agency at a cardboard manufacturing company. His supervisors took quick notice of his work ethic and moved him from the assembly line to quality control. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle In July, the organization Exonerated Nation helped Puckett rent a three-story townhome in a gated cul-de-sac not far from his cousins home. Because of state legislation enacted last year for the wrongfully imprisoned, his first four years of housing costs are covered. Its nice; I wont lie, Puckett said. He jokes that its clear a single man lives there. An aromatherapy diffuser fills the house with a scented mist while a Bluetooth speaker and his bedroom television keep the quiet at bay. In January, Puckett returned to court. This time he left with a declaration of factual innocence, an explicit acknowledgment that the justice system got his case colossally wrong. Puckett told his attorneys they were the reason he could hold the grandson who was born in September and bears his name. They told him he was their inspiration. Before the NorCal Innocence Project took his case, Puckett petitioned state and federal courts nine times between 2005 and 2013, said Karyn Sinunu-Towery, a retired Santa Clara County assistant district attorney who represented Puckett. Thats the battle that this man did, Sinunu-Towery marveled. Jeremy is an extraordinary person. Knox, who recently moved to Reno, said her brother is in a good place. I think hes honestly living his best life right now, she said. Despite everything he was forced to surrender, Puckett feels blessed, not bitter. He expresses gratitude for all the people who stuck by him during his long march toward justice. I look at it as nothing less than basically a miracle, Puckett, who turns 45 in May, said the day before his flight. It was a long journey a long, hard journey. Now hes on another journey this time of his own choosing. Raheem Hosseini is a San Francisco Chronicle editor. Email: raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @raheemfh Apostle Robin D. Bullock, founder of Alabama's Youth Force Ministries Church International and host of The Eleventh Hour, said that Trump is still "the rightful" President of the United States and that prophetic voices would only need to call him back to office for three more terms. In his teaching about prophetic authority at a Tuesday church service, Bullock urged his audience to exercise that authority on the government. "We've got to come up now to another level and start speaking with authority. Not just declaring, speaking with authority," Christian Headlines quoted him saying. "And the Lord is going to give you words to warn people and speak to people in high-ranking positions. Whether you think they're listening or not, they're listening." Bullock then directed the exercise of this "prophetical authority" over the present political climate of the United States where people are divided over which leader to follow. "The stage is set," Bullock said. "Everything has been set. But you're going to have to pray for the rightful president, whether he wants to walk back into this or not. You must pray that he wants to do it, because God won't make him do anything. Is it his will? Yes. Is he the president? Yes. That's why he could just walk right back in, and God will supernaturally move things out of the way." The "rightful president," according to Bullock, is none other than Donald J. Trump. "Even now the rightful president, Donald J. Trump, will hold a rally, and you can tell he's still the president," Bullock said. Setting King David as an example, Bullock told his audience to pray for their faith to rise in their prayer declaration for the reinstatement of Trump. "No matter what happens, he's the president, and he's supposed to walk back in that office. So call him back. Call him back. Call him back." Bullock continued and added, "Once he (Trump) knows the prophets are calling, he'll come." At the end of the clip released by Right Wing Watch from Bullock's video sermon, Bullock is seen encouraging his audience to start publicly talking about Trump like he's still the President. "I know they will say, 'Really? Why would you say that in public?' Because he is!" Bullock exclaimed followed by a mini sermon on the "Elisha anointing" to counter the enemy's double release of chaos. "Don't mess with us, Satan. Don't mess with us, corrupt political regimes. Don't mess with God's people like that, because I'm going to tell you something: If you mess with us, we'll call him back for three terms. Don't mess with us," Bullock declared and concluded, "You've never seen the power of God in action before." Apostle Robin D. Bullock was among the Christian leaders who prophesied a 2nd term for Donald Trump. The 2020 election, however, did not materialize their expectations. Some of these leaders, like Jeremiah Johnson, recanted their prophecies because they thought they were wrong. Nonetheless, Bullock and other evangelical supporters of Trump still hold on to the prophecy of him returning to office and that the rigged election would soon be exposed. 16 March 2021 KR1 PLC ("KR1" or the "Company") Update on Revenue from Polkadot Staking Yields KR1 plc (KR1:AQSE), a leading digital asset investment company, is pleased to provide an update on the Company's revenue from staking activities on Polkadot ("DOT"). KR1 has generated a further 77,542.92 DOT since the last staking update announcement in December 2020, all of which have been sold at an average price of US$23.83 per DOT token, realising US$1,847,518.00 for the Company. The accrued revenue from KR1's Polkadot staking activities had been impacted recently due to a migration process of the Company's Polkadot staking operations over the last quarter, which involved multiple 'unbonding' procedures, during which no staking revenue accrued for twenty-eight days. The Company is pleased to have finalised this process and resumed the staking of a large majority of its DOT position to continue generating revenues for KR1's operations. The Company's strategy is to time the realisation of its accruing staking yields to benefit from prevailing market conditions. This strategy has led to a more favourable average realised price of US$23.83 per DOT for this particular Polkadot staking revenue update, compared to an average price of US$20.27 per DOT that would have been achieved if the Company had sold its proceeds on a daily basis. As at the date of this announcement, KR1's total holding of Polkadot tokens remains at 3,498,842.45 DOT after the realisation of all staking yields. George McDonaugh, Managing Director & Co-Founder of KR1 commented: "With the impressive appreciation of Polkadot's market price over the last quarter, our strategy of timing the market "if the asset price is under pressure" was not entirely applicable, considering we were looking at US$5.35 per DOT at the beginning of this staking period only three months ago. That said, with the change in market conditions, we are adjusting our strategy accordingly. We are very encouraged by Polkadot's momentum and are looking forward to the upcoming months of staking operations." The Directors of KR1 plc accept responsibility for this announcement. --ENDS-- For further information please contact: KR1 PLC George McDonaugh Keld van Schreven Simon Nicol +44 (0)16 2467 6716 simon@KR1.io Peterhouse Capital Limited Mark Anwyl Allie Feuerlein (AQSE Corporate Adviser) +44 (0)20 7469 0930 Nominis Advisory Ltd Angus Campbell (PR Adviser) pr@KR1.io About KR1 plc KR1 is a leading digital asset investment company supporting early-stage decentralised and open source blockchain and DeFi projects. Founded in 2016 and publicly traded in London on the Apex segment of the AQSE Growth Market (KR1:AQSE), KR1 has built a notable reputation for generating significant returns by investing in many key projects that are designed to power the decentralised platforms and protocols that are emerging to form new internet infrastructures. www.KR1.io Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation EU 596/2014 as it forms part of retained EU law (as defined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018). * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! "This critical first step in our modernization program solves for decreased product development time to market, while also enabling reduced cost of implementation and ongoing servicing, and reduction of operational risk," said Ted Hughes, SVP and Chief Information Technology Officer at American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company ProductHub provides as much as a 30% reduction in time to market, and as much as a 25% reduction in carrier product development costs. "American Equity has embraced our platform to address a critical need as a first step in their modernization journey," said David Shaw, Co-CEO of Penn River. "With this important step of digitizing their product development process and rules management, they've already begun to realize significant benefits. We couldn't be more pleased to have helped American Equity achieve their product development goals." Recognizing that the product development process is the heartbeat of all Life and Annuity companies, a comprehensive solution has been introduced into the marketplace in an area where no other solutions exist. Designed for heads of technology and product development, the solution solves for decreased time to market, reduced cost of implementation and ongoing servicing, and reduction of operational risk. ProductHub fully manages the product development and implementation process, built from the ground up on a native cloud technology stack and design. The solution solves a problem that plagues every Life and Annuity insurance company the complexity of the product development process. ProductHub is an industry first solution that provides as much as a 30% reduction in time to market, and as much as a 25% reduction in carrier product development costs. About Penn River Penn River is a Native Cloud Life and Annuity software company offering ProductHub as well as a new Policy Administration System (PAS) for the US Life and Annuities Insurance Company marketplace. Their leadership team and key employees had previously contributed to the development of other platforms in the Life PAS space. About American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company is a full-service underwriter of fixed annuity products, with a primary emphasis on the sale of fixed index annuities. Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company is committed to providing products with integrity, as well as superior service to the agents it partners with and their policyholders. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com. For more information, please contact Penn River at [email protected] SOURCE Penn River Related Links www.pennriver.com White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks at a news briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, March 12, 2021. EPA North Korea continues to remain unresponsive to U.S. calls for dialogue, a White House spokesperson said Monday. Jen Psaki also said the U.S. will continue its diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea while working closely with U.S. allies in the region. "I can confirm that we have reached out. We obviously have a number of channels as we always have had that we can reach out through," Psaki told a press briefing. A senior U.S. administration official earlier told Yonhap News Agency that the Biden administration has attempted to reach out to North Korea through several channels, "starting in mid-February, including in New York." Pyongyang has a diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York. The other common channel is through Sweden, which has diplomatic ties with the North. "But to date we have not received any response," the White House spokeswoman told the press briefing. The White House spokeswoman pointed out that North Korea has been unresponsive to U.S. efforts to engage for more than a year. NEWAYGO COUNTY, MI One week removed from a Newaygo High School student detonating an explosive device at the school, the district board of education addressed the issue. Based on all the information available to us at this time, we are very pleased with, and thankful for the rapid response of our students and our staff that helped to minimize further harm, Newaygo Public Schools Board President Morgan Heinzman said at the conclusion of a nearly five-minute statement. Related: Teen in school bomb blast wanted to show explosives to friends, testimony shows The March 8 incident, Heinzman said, resulted in four students and two teachers being injured. The statement differs from initial state police reports that said five students and one teacher were injured. Heinzman detailed the events, which began in a classroom in the high schools A Wing when an explosive detonated in the 16-year-old students hands at 8:50 a.m. The explosion, which resulted in the student losing the tips of both thumbs, prompted an immediate evacuation of the school, Heinzman said. One of the teachers who was in the room quickly went to the room next door and had that teacher call 911, he said. The 911 call, Heinzman said, triggered an alert to Principal Brad Reyburn, who immediately made his way toward the room and was met in the hallway by the teacher who placed the call who explained there had been an explosion and they needed to get the students out of the building. Related: Teen whose homemade bomb exploded inside school knows he messed up, grandmother says Mr. Reyburn ran to the main office and activated the fire alarms to vacate the building and and an announcement was made over the PA system to evacuate immediately and this was not a drill, Heinzman said. After the school was cleared, all hallways and restrooms were doublechecked and the room where the explosion occurred was cleared and secured by the Newaygo Police Department and staff, Heinzman said. The student in possession of the device had received initial first aid from a staff member and then was escorted to wait for first responders outside, he said. Within minutes, the Newaygo Fire Department was on scene and had secured the perimeter, he said. Paramedics then arrived and tended to the injured student, three classmates and a teacher. Only the student who brought the explosive to the school was transported to the hospital by ambulance, he said. Around that same time, a decision was made by the high school administration and by Dr. Mathis to cancel classes for the remainder of the day and safely get students home as soon as possible, Heinzman said. The evacuated students were directed to the bus garage and a reunification plan was sent out on Skylert by (Superintendent) Dr. (Peg) Mathis and all the students were accounted for and on their way home within 45 minutes. The rest of the day was spent with local, county, state and federal law enforcement securing the building and investigating the incident. One of two people to call into the regularly-scheduled board meeting, a woman identified as Tami, inquired as to why buses werent cleared before students and staff were transported home following the incident. I want to know why the bus garage wasnt informed of the students names so we could go through and sweep the buses and make sure there were no other devices on these buses that we were transporting staff and students around with, she said. Tami also said she wanted to know what the district intended to the students involved in the investigation. As of Friday, the teen who brought the explosive to school had not been charged with any crimes in the matter. He was suspended from school pending expulsion proceedings, police said last week. Related: Father of student who brought device that exploded at school arrested on multiple charges The students father, David Robert Daniel Saylor, 34, who allegedly constructed and detonated explosives with his son at their home was arrested Tuesday, March 9 on a felony charge of manufacturing explosive devices and a misdemeanor of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Kathy Saylor, the students grandmother told MLive that she didnt believe her adult son took an active role in making explosives with the student. She claims he lied to investigators in hopes of shielding his son from more significant repercussions. Related: After homemade bomb explosion at school, teens grandma claims dad is innocent Last Wednesday, Newaygo County Probate Judge Michael Paige ordered that the student one of his siblings be removed from the home and placed with their mother. The childrens mother had custody of three siblings already but two were living with their father, she said. Nikole Dejohn, the other person to call into the board meeting, said she had a concern about the availability students had to accessing counselors at a time like this. She said her daughter was at another school over the weekend when a fire alarm went off and her heart began to race. Its a small community, Dejohn said. Theres lots of moms, lots of kids all over the school district that are scared. I think that a week later, theres some more emotions coming out now that they werent initially anticipating and I just want to make sure they know that any point they can go to their teacher and go talk to someone. Dejohn suggested an assembly in which counselors could go over the stages of grief and let them know that anything they may be feeling is normal and that they are there if they need to talk. Heinzman said that Reyburn addressed the student body in smaller groups the day after the incident, providing the most up to date information available and reassuring their safety, as well as informing them extra counselors would be available. Lastly, he reminded them of the importance of telling a trusted adult if they ever see or hear something they are uncomfortable with, Heinzman said. The final point made by Heinzman involved some of the initial confusion over Mathis posting on social media (and later deleting the post) and telling parents in the Skylert notification, that a firework had gone off in the school and then people being told later it was a bomb. The board would like to clarify that the term firework came directly from conversations with the student when describing the exploded device, he said. The administration was working to determine what happened in that classroom and the best information available at the moment was provided to the community. Our administrator was striving to provide timely and relevant information and was in no way attempting to minimize the situation. ... As with any emergency event, we will examine the response at all levels to help ensure our capacity to keep our students safe, staff and community informed. Also on MLive: Additional explosive devices found at Michigan home after homemade bomb injures six at school Pro soccer team, new stadium could be part of Grand Rapids future MLive photographers win 24 awards, photographer of the year at statewide conference Two men have been charged in connection with the death of U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died following the Jan. 6 riot. U.S. officials say the men are accused of spraying Sicknick with bear spray, but officials do not know if that is what killed the 12-year veteran of the force, according to the Associated Press. George Tanios, 39, of Morgantown, West Virginia, and Julian Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania, were arrested Sunday and were expected to be in federal court Monday. Officials have not said specifically what they think led to Sicknicks death and the medical examiners report on Sicknicks death is incomplete, the AP reports. Toxicology results have not yet been given to Capitol Police. Sicknick was 42 years old. It was originally believed Sicknick was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher during the brawl, but a new theory has emerged that he may have ingested a chemical substance according to officials working on the case. Sicknick died at a hospital on Jan. 7 after he collapsed following the riot the day before. The Justice Department opened a federal murder investigation into the matter and prosecutors are still trying to determine what other charges could be brought. According to court documents, video obtained by the FBI allegedly shows Khater spraying Sicknick and others with bear spray. The AP reports Khater says on the video to Tanios Give me that bear (expletive), according to court papers. Sicknick and other officers were standing guard near metal bike racks. From there, Khater says, they just (expletive) sprayed me. Khater is then allegedly seen holding a white can with a black top that prosecutors said appears to be a can of chemical spray. Khater than allegedly sprays the officers before he and Tanios immediately retreat from the line, bring their hands to their faces and rush to find water to wash out their eyes, according to the court papers. Sicknick was defending the Capitol after thousands of supporters of then President Donald Trump marched on the building in an effort to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election. Prior to the riot, Trump spoke at a rally where he told the crowd you have to show strength and that they needed to fight like hell in order to save the country. The Justice Department says about 300 people have been charged with federal offenses related to the riot, according to the AP. READ MORE: Lawyer says Michigan man charged with hockey stick assault was defending protesters at Capitol riot Trump keeps pushing election conspiracies, but its not too late for Republicans to end the big lie Michigan Patriot Party wants to replace Republicans, investigate election fraud Ukraine is interested in enhancing economic cooperation with Vietnam and building effective cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this issue was discussed at a meeting of Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevheniy Yenin and Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Ukraine Nguyen Hong Thach. The parties reaffirmed their mutual interest in intensifying political dialogue of the highest and high level, as well as cooperation in the field of trade, in particular the implementation of the agreements reached at the 15th meeting of the Ukrainian-Vietnamese Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation Yevheniy Yenin also noted Ukraine's special interest in building effective cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), reads the report. The Deputy Minister stressed our states eagerness to further develop Ukrainian-Vietnamese relations and strengthen cooperation within international organizations. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2020, the volume of bilateral turnover amounted to $653.1 million (up 21% from 2019): exports - $192.1 million (up 84.78% mainly due to increase in crops compared to 2019), imports - $461.0 million (up 6.7% from 2019). Negative balance in 2020 reached $268.9 million. iy Integration of Thales Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) with Microsoft Double Key Encryption allows companies to protect customers' data in Microsoft 365 applications while maintaining control of their encryption keys This collaboration with Microsoft protects sensitive data in the cloud and meets major data privacy regulations and requirements for companies and organizations using Microsoft 365 applications Thales announces a new data protection capability for Microsoft customers to benefit from the power of the full range of Microsoft 365 applications while protecting sensitive data in the cloud and meeting major data privacy regulations and requirements. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005009/en/ Copyright Thales Designed for companies that operate in highly-regulated sectors such as financial services and healthcare, they can now leverage Thales Luna Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) with Double Key Encryption for Microsoft 365 and comply with regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the recommendations from the European Data Protection Board (EDPR) following the Schrems II ruling. Securing Data in the Era of Remote Working and Increased Privacy Regulations Today's remote working environment relies heavily on the collaborative sharing of information, challenging organisations to maintain the security of confidential data and regulatory compliance while driving employee productivity. For organisations in highly regulated industries such as financial services, governments, and healthcare, their sensitive data requires the highest level of control and security. The integration of Luna HSMs with Double Key Encryption for Microsoft 365 delivers the protection required to protect highly sensitive data and meet unique regulatory requirements. "The premise of remote working is no longer a perk reserved for a select few, but now the default operating model for many companies," said Imran Mohiuddin, DKE partner director atMicrosoft. "Our collaboration and productivity tools for Microsoft 365 customers are designed to enable companies to thrive in any situation. A key part in enabling this to happen though is ensuring they have the best security and compliance solutions when it comes to protecting sensitive data. Our Double Key Encryption integration with Thales enables customers who have enhanced data protection requirements, compliance obligations and regulatory restrictions to protect their highly sensitive information. By having full control of their encryption keys, customers can be certain that no third-party has access to their unencrypted data -- including Microsoft. Security should never be something that holds companies back in this remote era and from moving their sensitive information to the cloud, and with Thales, we're ensuring it won't for our customers." Thales has integrated its industry-leading Luna HSMs with Microsoft Double Key Encryption for Microsoft 365. This allows customers to protect their most confidential or sensitive data while maintaining control of their encryption keys in the cloud. The solution works by using two keys to protect data. One key is managed securely by the customer via the Luna HSM and a second key in Microsoft's control. To view the data, one must have access to both keys, meaning it can't be used without the customer's permission. "Our collaboration with Microsoft is designed to give peace of mind to customers when it comes to security, no matter where or what Microsoft applications they're accessing," said Todd Moore, vice president of encryption solutions at Thales. "The way we work has changed forever and in order to thrive, businesses have had to increasingly adapt and adopt collaborative applications. The integration of Thales Luna HSMs with Microsoft Double Key Encryption provides businesses with control over their encrypted data, in line with regulatory requirements, regardless of their industry." About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and "deep tech" innovations connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers businesses, organisations and governments in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions. Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2020 the Group generated sales of 17 billion. PLEASE VISIT Thales Group Market page View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005009/en/ Contacts: PRESS Thales, Media Relations Market Laura Bandiera +33 (0)7 64 48 51 64 laura.bandiera@thalesgroup.com Little Sprouts Network COVID makes this a complicated time to grow. Regardless, we recognize the essential need for trusted and reliable care for our children across the Constitution State... We can help more families by keeping more centers open for those who depend on and work in childcare. As many states continue to report permanent closures of nearly 50% of their childcare centers, at least one New England network of early education centers and preschools is expanding here in Connecticut. This month, Building Blocks Early Learning Centers officially expanded from three to eight locations as part of the Little Sprouts network. Building Blocks now offers full-time, in-person, small-group care to children ranging from six weeks to six years old in Stamford, Wilton, Monroe, Hamden, Avon, Middletown, and East Granby. Lindsay Hoffman, President of Building Blocks, recognizes the immediate and essential need for high-quality care: "As a childcare professional and a mom with three children under the age of seven, I am aware of the impact COVID-19 is having on our kids and women at work. 97% of our staff identify as femalemany of them with children of their own. Our contribution throughout the COVID crisis has centered on supporting those who dedicate their careers to caring for our youngest kids. Thanks to the ongoing and supportive partnership of our enrolled families, we have been able to keep more highly trained and experienced early educators in the field throughout this crisis. With this expansion, we can further ensure that those who provide and depend on high-quality childcare can continue to access it here in Connecticut." Formerly operated by Tender Care Learning Centers out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, schools in Hamden, Avon, Middletown, and East Granby now remain open and enrolling as part of Building Blocks. "COVID makes this a complicated time to grow," says David Post, Chief Executive Officer, Little Sprouts, LLC (parent company of Building Blocks). "Regardless, we recognize the essential need for trusted and reliable care for our children across the Constitution State. To borrow from the brilliant Fred Rogers: in times of trouble, find the helpers. We can help more families by keeping more centers open for those who depend on and work in childcare." To celebrate Building Blocks' expansion, all eight centers are now running special registration offers to new and returning families. About Little Sprouts Little Sprouts is an award-winning New England network of early learning centers providing high-quality care for thousands of children in Little Sprouts schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Building Blocks Early Learning Centers in Connecticut, and Heartworks Preschools, STEAMworks Preschool, and Loveworks Child Care Centers in Vermont. Our child-centered approach and play-based curriculum are intentionally designed to inspire learning, curiosity, and joy. For more information, visit littlesprouts.com. Katrina Irawati, Nelya Valamanesh, Kim Ho Three emerging screenwriters have been awarded production funding of $25,000 each as part of AFTRS National Talent Camp. AFTRS, Screen Australia, Australian Writers Guild, Scripted Ink and the state screen agencies have announced the production funding as the culmination of Talent Camp 2019/20. The funding is to produce a pilot or proof of concept for a web or TV episodic narrative work. The recipient projects are Mother Tongue by Katrina Irawati Graham from Queensland, Melbourne Vice by Kim Ho from Victoria and Rules to being a F***gurl by Nelya Valamanesh from South Australia. Dr. Romaine Moreton, Director of AFTRS First Nations & Outreach, said: We are thrilled to announce these three emerging screenwriters as the recipients of National Talent Camp Production Funding. Katrina, Kim and Nelya demonstrated unwavering commitment to their projects and screen careers throughout the two-year Talent Camp process. We are proud to see how far their projects have come since starting this process as State Talent Campers in 2019, and we have no doubt that these screen creatives have bright futures in film and television ahead of them. AFTRS has worked with these emerging screen creatives since 2019, first in their individual State Talent Camps, followed by their acceptance into National Talent Camp 2020, where 2 participants from each state and one from each territory took part in developing their projects and screenwriting skills. Through industry mentorships, workshop intensives and tailored support, Katrina, Nelya and Kim have been given the tools to further finesse their storytelling and screen writing techniques and to create scripts that are now production ready. Katrina Irawati Graham is a writer and director, as well as an emerging playwright. She writes in many genres, but her true love is feminist horror. She celebrates her Indonesian-Australian heritage and champions gender equality and representations of diversity. Her project Mother Tongue is an 8 x 10min web-series that weaves her passions around birth advocacy, diverse cultural representation and healing storytelling. It tells the story of two migrant women, a struggling radical midwife and a gregarious musician, who join forces to transform the lives of new mothers and their babies in Logan (Yugambeh and Yuggera Country), Australias most multicultural city. Katrina said: My producer Ana Tiwary and I are thrilled to receive further support from AFTRS and the wonderful National Talent Camp program. Being of migrant backgrounds ourselves, we know the importance of representation in telling the stories of migrant women and families of colour. We have assembled an all Indigenous and woman of colour team to bring this pilot to life. We will do our best to create characters and images that people can fall in love with, and which honour the women whose brown hands held us as children and whose legacy lives in our hearts. Nelya Valamanesh is an Adelaide (Kaurna Country)-based narrative artist who has developed and produced works on a range of different platforms, including radio programming, DJing, co-facilitating theatre workshops and freelancing in the film industry. Nelyas project Rules to being a F***gurl is a 6 x 15-minute comedy/satire web series about the political and social struggles of being an independent woman in her late 20s. Nelya said: I am so overwhelmed with joy to be awarded this funding. Rules to being a F***gurl has been in the works for over two years and now it finally feels like it has feet and it will also help me cement myself as a writer and creative in the film and television industry. Being a queer woman of colour having financial support for a show like Rules to being a F***gurl is huge and hopefully, this will be the start of many hilarious and creatively unique shows I can bring to life in the future. Kim Ho is a playwright, screenwriter and script coordinator based in Naarm (Melbourne). His short film The Language of Love screened at over 30 film festivals worldwide, including Sundance and his play Mirrors Edge won Sydney Theatre Companys 2018 Patrick White Playwrights Award. Most recently, he co-wrote an episode of the upcoming ABC drama series The Newsreader with creator Michael Lucas. Kim is enamoured with stories of cross-cultural encounter, magic realism and genre subversion. He is a passionate advocate for the marginalised voices in the Arts Melbourne Vice is an 630 crime-comedy web series which imagines university students as detectives. It aims to merge the crime and coming-of-age genres to dramatise young adults exploring right from wrong. Its a giddy honour to be awarded production funding from AFTRS for a proof of concept on my show Melbourne Vice. The idea for the project has rattled around in my brain since 2015, but it was only through AFTRS support that the possibility of realising the project came within reach. National Talent Camp gave me the opportunity to meet with a number of incredible mentors, all of whom helped shape the project in different and surprising ways, as well as tailored workshops to upskill in key areas of the development process, Kim said. This particular kind of heightened-reality, hybrid-genre piece isnt too common in Australia, so Ive felt very strongly that making a proof of concept would be crucial in pitching the project to production companies and to networks. Related 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. Orange Cameroon has extended its Network as a Service (NAAS) contract with NuRAN Wireless to add a further 120 sites to its footprint in the market. CommsUpdate reports that the extension was an option to the original agreement signed by the parties in October 2020. After electing to exercise it, Orange will now deploy a total of 242 sites under the agreement, with each consisting of towers and equipment to be installed by NuRAN. NuRANs technology is targeted towards rural communities in Cameroon, with the sites featuring a solar-powered carrier-grade GSM base station to enable a remote tower with a small footprint. Francis Letourneau, CEO of NuRAN, said: Our expanding relationship with Orange Cameroonis yet another example of the growing interest of Tier 1 mobile network operators in NuRANs NAAS business model which we expect to resonate and expand on other continents. We are extremely pleased that Orange has moved so quickly to expand our project in Cameroon especially in advance of the initial deployments. ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire -- Steppe Gold OTCQX:STPGF today announced that Aneel Waraich, Executive Vice President & Director, will be attending the Q1 Virtual Investor Summit. Event Q1 Investor Summit Date March 23-25th, 2021 Presentation March 24th @ 10:00 AM ET Location https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZcwA7SvdRj2kzf86YdCEhg About The Investor Summit The Investor Summit (formerly MicroCap Conference) is an exclusive, independent conference dedicated to connecting smallcap and microcap companies with qualified investors. The Q1 Investor Summit will take place virtually, featuring 100 companies and over 300 institutional and retail investors. To request complimentary investor registration: please visit our website at www.investorsummitgroup.com Contact: Brittney Blocker at brittney@investorsummitgroup.com ABOUT Steppe Gold Steppe Gold (OTCQX:STPGF) is Mongolias premier precious metals company. Steppe holds a portfolio of gold and silver projects covering over 20,000 hectares, including the Altan Tsagaan Ovoo Project (ATO Project) and the Uudam Khundii (UK) property. The company is led by a management team with a proven track record in mining exploration and development, and strong in-country expertise. 2020 was Steppes first year of production at the ATO Project, which has a total projection of 50,000 to 60,000 ounces annually at cash costs of ~US$572/oz. Steppe is currently completing a feasibility study into the expansion of this ATO Project to approximately 150,000 ounces of gold per year, and recently announced doubling its resource estimates to 2.45Moz Au Eq. Wire Service Contact InvestorWire (IW) Los Angeles, California www.InvestorWire.com 212.418.1217 Office Editor@InvestorWire.com Los Angeles, March 16 : Hollywood star Orlando Bloom says he hated being looked at the whole time in his twenties, and quickly learned how to disappear. Bloom rose to fame in "The Lord Of The Rings" and the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" franchises in the early 2000s. There was too much media hype around him and he said that he got good at hiding himself. "In terms of preparing my younger self for fame, I would honestly just say you can't take that stuff seriously. And you can't let it stop you living your life. There was a window when I was in my twenties, when we didn't have Facebook or Instagram or anything, but there was still so much heat and attention on me. I got really good at hiding myself because I was really, painfully, trying to live, without being just looked at the whole time," Bloom told The Big Issue magazine, reports femalefirst.co.uk. An advice he would give his younger self or those just starting out: "I would say to my young self, just appreciate it and enjoy it, and know today's newspaper is tomorrow's fish and chip paper." In 2020 he had shared that he had become "sick of the sight" of himself after becoming a star. 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. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI The Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office is joining forces with a statewide non-profit group to aid in protecting the countys LGBTQ community. Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit has partnered with the Fair Michigan Justice Project to expand its role in prosecuting serious crimes committed against members of the LGBTQ community, according to an announcement of the agreement released Tuesday, March 16. Partnering with Fair Michigan and bringing the Justice Project to Washtenaw County has been a goal of mine because I am committed to ensuring justice for everyone in our community, Savit said. It is my hope that our partnership will enhance the trust between the LGBTQ community and law enforcement. The Fair Michigan Justice Project, or FMJP, is a non-profit corporation established in 2016 with the goal of seeking to end discrimination against persons based on sex, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity. As a part of the partnership, the organization assists in training law enforcement and prosecutors on how to investigate and prosecute serious crimes committed against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender persons, according to the announcement. Expanding the Fair Michigan Justice Project into Washtenaw County will provide greater avenues for justice for Michigans LGBTQ residents, FMJP President Alanna Maguire said. We are grateful for Prosecutor Savits leadership, and I am honored to call him a friend. Savit has assigned Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Christina Hines to work in conjunction with FMJP to prosecute criminal offenses committed against the LGBTQ community. Fair Michigan Trustee & Legal Services Director Victoria Shackelford and Director of Transgender Outreach and Advocacy Julisa Abad will conduct a law enforcement training with the Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office on May 21 to advise the office on issues related to dealing with LGBTQ crime victims and witnesses. FMJP is currently partnered with both the Wayne and Ingham County Prosecutors Offices, aiding in securing 30 conviction for serious crimes committed against LGBTQ persons since 2016. More from MLive: 22 new townhouses receive initial OK for development on Ann Arbors Main Street Ford partners with University of Michigan in $75M robotics facility Monroe shootout suspect arrested, accused of firing 21 rounds from AR-15 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. To the editor: A fellow letter writer expressed concern over vaccines in Michigan being wasted. While I cant swear that no doses have ever been wasted there are a couple of misconceptions that need to be addressed. The two mRNA vaccines that have been released have expiration dates several weeks to months if stored properly. Once removed from the freezer, they do have short shelf lives. Second is the difference between doses received and doses administered. This is more a reflection of the two dose regime than any waste. If a thousand doses are shipped thats enough for 500 people to get fully vaccinated. That means some doses are always being held back to make sure there is enough to complete the vaccination series. Finally, if you are on a list for getting a COVID vaccine, answer your phone please. That unrecognized number might be someone calling you to schedule your vaccination. [March 16, 2021] E-Commerce Platform, Brand Assets, and Public Entity of Canadian Retailer Le Chateau for Sale NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank (www.HilcoStreambank.com) announced that it is seeking indications of interest to acquire assets, including the e-Commerce platform, related intellectual property assets, and public entity, of apparel and accessories retailer Le Chateau (www.lechateau.com) (NEX: CTU.H). Enriched with a 60-year history that draws heavily on local design and manufacture for fashion conscious women and men, the Le Chateau brand is beloved for its special occasion and dress offerings. Complementing its 116 stores across Canada, the brand developed a robust e-Commerce platform, including proprietary technology, which accounted for $21.7 million or 13% of gross revenues for FY 2020. E-Commerce sales have enjoyed consistent year over year growth, including growth of over 17% between FY 2019 and FY 2020. Le Chateau's loyal customer base trends heavily to 25- to 44-year old women who during the pandemic have shifted their demand to the direct sales channel generating over 50% growth in the current fiscal year. "Le Chateau is well-known as Canada's leading dress and occasion retailer," commented Hilco Streambank Executive Vice President, David Peress. "The brand boasts a well-defined and accepted fashion sensibility and point of view with appeal to women in Canada and the US." The deadline for submitting indications of interest is Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST (U.S.). Any sale is subject to approval of the Quebec Superior Court, District of Montreal, pursuant to the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act of Canada. Interested parties may learn more by visiting https://www.hilcostreambank.com/lechateau or by directly contacting one of the Hilco Streambank representatives listed below. David Peress Executive Vice President dperess@hilcoglobal.com 617.642.1909 Jordon Parker Vice President Dispositions jparker@hilcoglobal.com 719.821.0894 Ryan Brenner Analyst rbrenner@hilcoglobal.com 212.993.7213 About Hilco Streambank Hilco Streambank is a market-leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property disposition and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions including sales in publicly reported CCAA proceedings, U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet, and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois-based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, and real estate and strategic capital equity investments. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements relating to Le Chateau and/or the environment in which it operates that are based on Le Chateau's reasonable expectations, estimates and forecasts. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the CCAA proceedings and the liquidation process. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and/or are beyond Le Chateau's control. A number of factors may cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed. These factors also include those set forth in other public filings of Le Chateau. Therefore, readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. In addition, these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and Le Chateau disavows any intention or obligation to update or revise any such statements as a result of any event, circumstance or otherwise except to the extent required under applicable securities law. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/e-commerce-platform-brand-assets-and-public-entity-of-canadian-retailer-le-chateau-for-sale-301248384.html SOURCE Hilco Streambank [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The famous phrase, Big brother is watching you is taken from George Orwells famous novel, 1984: A dystopian novel that depicts a society under constant surveillance of an authoritarian regime. The citizens of Oceana are constantly being watched through telescreens. This novel was first published in 1949. Fast-forward to 2021, we are slowly seeing the world evolving into an Orwellian society. The rise of cancel culture According to Wikipedia, cancel culture is a modern from of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles whether it be online, on social media or in person. One of the characteristics of an Orwellian society is the ostracization or the total elimination of people who refuse to conform to the to the narrative or the culture being postulated by the state. In the book 1984, the protagonist, Winston is constantly on his toes as any slip on his part from the established order may lead to devastating results. In Oceana, non-conformists were vaporized. People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word. (George Orwell, 1984) In todays world, non-conformists are removed from social media, sacked from work, banned from politicsthe list goes on and on. Cancel culture is truly a major force today. In the past few months, we have seen President Donald Trump banned from social media; social media app, Parler deleted from the internet; Gina Carano dropped from UTA; Israel Folau fired from Australian professional rugby league; J.K. Rowlings was also attacked online for posting transphobic tweets. Just like Orwells fictional world, all who do not conform to the religion of the woke are cancelled/evaporated. Those who preach acceptance and tolerance have been the most intolerant. The new religion There is a new religionin town, and I call it, the religion of the woke because it has the elements of a religious movement. The difference is that the place of deity has been replaced with ideologies and with self. Centuries ago, people were cancelled by the Roman Catholic church for believing in a heliocentric solar system. In fact, it was heresy to believe the earth revolved around the sun. People were burnt at the stake or thrown in prison for having or spreading ideologies or beliefs different from what the religious order or the state was postulating. Joseph Stalin sent non-conformists to the Gulags to work and die. These days, there are no Gulags, and no one is burnt at the stake because civilization has evolved but the act of cancelling those, we do not agree with is very much alive. The actions of the religion of the woke over the past few years speaks, act as we want you to or you will be cancelled. The religion seeks new followers either by force or by indoctrination. Anyone with a little knowledge of history knows that this is a dangerous path to tread. Freedom of thought and freedom of speech are basic human rights and should be protected. Civilization has progressed because people were free to think, explore and discuss their ideologies. Anytime this liberty has been strangled, the result was authoritarianism which often leads to death and depression. Social media and the battle for significance Having given this issue of cancel culture a lot of thought, I believe at the root of it is a quest for significance/self-worth. We all want to be the hero/protagonist in world of antagonists. This quest is noble but how we go about it is what truly matters. I believe, in a quest for heroism, many have made antagonists of people who really arent. There is a deep longing in the heart of young people today to be true heroes. This longing is at the root of the social justice movement. Today, social justice warriors run all over social media looking for the latest antagonist, the latest villain that needs to be taken down at all cost: the man who posted a Bible verse that smelled of bigotry and homophobia, the lady who said masks arent useful, the lady who said feminism is destructive, the white man who said white privilege is a mythany statement that seems to be against the order of the religion of the woke is instantly attacked and the victims insulted and cancelled. I believe the reason why this culture is so widespread on social media is because social media is like an alternate reality. Anyone can be anything they choose to be. People who have little or no knowledge of politics, history or economics can pretend to be experts on such matters, people who have never studied a single book on economics or politics can criticize policies they can neither create nor explain. Everyone is an expert on something as long as they have a phone and can send a tweet. The effects of cancel culture are numerous. People are afraid to speak out for fear of being cancelled. Such culture stifles creativity because well-meaning individuals who may want to explore uncharted territories will have to check if whatever theories they have is in line with the order of the religion of the woke because if there is any hint of non-conformity in them, they are instantly cancelled. If the human civilization is to advance, everyone should be welcome to the table of ideas. We must humble ourselves and understand that we do not know it all because even the prophet can sometimes find wisdom in the mouth of a donkey. The Foreign Secretary has defended plans to lift the cap on the UKs stockpile of nuclear warheads, claiming it represents the ultimate insurance policy against threats from hostile states. Dominic Raab said it was important to maintain a minimum credible level of deterrent amid reports Boris Johnson is set to raise the cap on Britains stockpile of Trident nuclear warheads in the Integrated Review. The Governments review of security, defence, development and foreign policy will increase the limit from 180 to 260, according to a leaked copy obtained by the Guardian ending three decades of gradual disarmament. The newspaper said that it paves the way for a 10 billion rearmament in response to perceived threats from Russia and China. Expand Close The cap on Britains stockpile of Trident nuclear warheads will reportedly be raised (James Glossop/The Times/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The cap on Britains stockpile of Trident nuclear warheads will reportedly be raised (James Glossop/The Times/PA) Asked why the Government would want to increase the amount, the Foreign Secretary told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Because over time as the circumstances change and the threats change, we need to maintain a minimum credible level of deterrent. Why? Because it is the ultimate guarantee, the ultimate insurance policy against the worst threat from hostile states. Elsewhere, the review is said to warn there is a realistic possibility that a terrorist group will launch a successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attack by 2030. The Prime Minister will set out the findings of the year-long survey billed as the most radical reassessment of Britains place in the world since the end of the Cold War in the Commons on Tuesday. It is expected to include the creation of a new state-of-the-art counter-terrorism operations centre to streamline the response of police and the intelligence agencies in the event of an attack. There will also be a new situation centre in the Cabinet Office similar to the White House situation room where former president Barack Obama was able to watch the US special forces operation to kill Osama bin Laden in real time. Expand Close The Prime Minister will set out the findings of the year-long survey in the Commons on Tuesday (Peter Morrison/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Prime Minister will set out the findings of the year-long survey in the Commons on Tuesday (Peter Morrison/PA) The 100-page document argues that the increase in the nuclear warheads cap is in recognition of the evolving security environment and the developing range of technological and doctrinal threats, the Guardian said. A minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent, assigned to the defence of Nato, remains essential in order to guarantee our security and that of our allies, the review, entitled Global Britain in a Competitive Age, says. The review states that Russia under Vladimir Putin represents an active threat, however the language on China is more measured, saying Beijing poses a systemic challenge. Reacting to the review, Sir Alex Younger, former head of MI6, said Russia was implacably hostile to the UK and its allied countries, while China represented a generational threat. He told BBC R4s Today programme: Theres no doubt that China represents the generational threat and the reason for that is that the idea that China will become more like us as it gets richer, or as its economy matured, is clearly for the birds. Thats not going to happen. On the contrary I expect Chinas Communist Party to double down on its ideology in the future. Theres going to be an ideological divergence between us in the future, thats going to generate rivalry and reduce trust. According to The Times, which has also obtained a leaked copy, it says the UK will not hesitate to defend its values and will increase the protection of critical infrastructure, such as the national grid, transport and water supplies. However, in a section likely to alarm Tory hawks, on China it also argues that the UK will need to pursue a positive economic relationship including deeper trade links and more Chinese investment. Elsewhere, it marks a strategic tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region, reflecting the view of ministers that it is increasingly becoming the geopolitical centre of the world. The shift will be underlined by the deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group to the region on its maiden operational mission later this year. It is also said to include a personal commitment from Mr Johnson to restore foreign aid spending to 0.7% of national income when the fiscal situation allows following criticism of cuts to support for Yemen and other countries. In a statement, Mr Johnson is expected to argue that while Nato remains the bedrock of UK security in the Euro-Atlantic region, the country can no longer rely on an increasingly outdated international system to protect its interests. I am profoundly optimistic about the UKs place in the world and our ability to seize the opportunities ahead Boris Johnson At a time when some countries are seeking to undermine the open and liberal international order which emerged following the Cold War, he is expected to say the UK needs to use all the tools at our disposal to ensure a world where democracies can still flourish. He is expected to tell MPs: I am profoundly optimistic about the UKs place in the world and our ability to seize the opportunities ahead. The ingenuity of our citizens and the strength of our Union will combine with our international partnerships, modernised armed forces and a new green agenda, enabling us to look forward with confidence as we shape the world of the future. The publication comes after the Prime Minister announced in November a 16.5 billion increase in defence spending over the next four years, focusing on the future battlefields of space and cyber. However, military chiefs have made clear the investment in new technologies will mean cuts to some industrial age capabilities, to be set out in a further paper by the Ministry of Defence next week . The Army is expected to be the biggest loser, with troop numbers expected to be slashed by more than 10,000, while its fleet of Challenger 2 main battle tanks is expected to be reduced by a third and the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle retired altogether. The surge in Chinese steel exports in the last few years and the expansion of Chinese steel companies into Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, have led many companies to rethink their commercial and operational strategies. Indonesia-based steel producer Gunung Raja Paksi is a key example. The largest privately-owned steel mill in Indonesia is looking for more partners, especially Chinese ones, to drive its businesses forward in a time of market complexity and changing policies. We dont see Chinese steel mills as competitors but rather as industry peers that are technologically advanced, which can work together with us to improve our business, Gunung Capital's strategic investments director Kelvin Fu said. As one of Gunung Capital's assets, Gunung Raja Paksi and Fu work hand in hand with the steelmaker's board of directors and executive team to drive changes, especially in expansion projects and overseas partnerships. The fast-changing ferrous markets in Asia, as well as increasing trend of Chinese companies planting roots in regional countries to sidestep industrial safeguards such as anti-dumping duties and anti-circumvention duties on China-origin steel is a very clear sign of trends to come. Stainless steel producer PT Tsingshan Steel Indonesia and PT Dexin Steel Indonesia - a joint venture between Chinas Delong Steel Group and Tsingshan Holding Group - Indonesias Morowali Industrial Park and Japanese trader Hanwa are key examples of Chinese steel investments in Indonesia. Theres no stopping the Chinese tide. We have to partner with them, especially as there is no state-supported financial backing for privately-owned steel mills like us and theres no better place to invest in Indonesia than with an existing profitable business such as Gunung Raja Paksi, Fu said. Gunung Raja Paksi is actively seeking Chinese partners with experience running blast furnaces (BFs) and upgrading mills and in return will offer these partners a stepping stone into the Southeast Asian markets. This is especially because Gunung Raja Paksis first major partnership with a Chinese company has been put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Gunung Raja Paksis envisaged partnership with Chinas largest steelmaker, Baoshan Iron & Steel, was disrupted when a team of Chinese experts - who were due to fly to Indonesia to work at Gunung Raja Paksis mills to handle certain aspects of the business, including operations and production management - could not enter the country due to lockdowns and travel restrictions. Smaller but more ambitious Gunung Raja Paksi prides itself in being small but ambitious. Although it currently has only 2.8 million tonnes per year of steel production capacity, it has about 12% market share in Indonesia, Fu estimates, with a solid business performance in producing niche products. We have an advantage producing steel products such as steel beams, which our competitors dont, as well as being in the prefabrication space. We also export regularly to over 40 overseas markets, such as Canada, finance director Budi Legowo said. This is also about half of the market share of Indonesias largest steelmaker, state-owned Krakatau Steel, which is able to depend on government support. While some steelmakers deem the inflow of Chinese investments and the Covid-19 pandemic to be bad for businesses, Gunung Raja Paksi believes it to be an opportunity for local leaders to step up to the plate to drive the business. While Gunung Raja Paksi has always been a family-owned business, theres now a new generation of professionals who bring about different perspectives when leading the company, Legowo said. The new company executives are banking heavily on technology, corporate governance and streamlining business practices to improve the business, Fastmarkets understands. Future investments New leaders have also made it a point to make the business more agile and adapt to market conditions quickly, including investing heavily in new production capacities and increasing efficiency. New leadership also identified new business opportunities such as capitalizing on Indonesias infrastructure push, including moving the capital to east Kalimantan, and adding more high-value product into their portfolios. Gunung Raja Paksi has earmarked $850 million in a two-stage investment process, it said. The companys ongoing $370 million Phase-I expansion involves constructing a BF complex to increase production capacity and reduce costs, set up a new light section mill and modernize its medium section mill to produce H-beams and angles. The enhancements are estimated to save $5.3 million per month even while efficiency increases. Gunung Raja Paksis $480 million Phase II expansion will develop a hot-strip mill, coil-slitting and cut-to-length facilities, as well as steel pipe production facilities. The compact strip plant will use steel slab as substrate. The Phase II expansion will also allow the company to produce cold-rolled coil, galvanized coil and electric-resistance welded pipes, which the company estimates will save it at least $33.6 million per year, even as it starts to develop new steel grades and product mixes that are currently imported into Indonesia. People walk past the U.S. consulate building in Hong Kong, China, on March 15, 2021. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images) Disinformation: US Rejects Chinese State Media Reports About American Diplomats in Hong Kong The Chinese state-run media were printing disinformation about US diplomats in accusing them of not following quarantine rules, the U.S. State Department said on March 15. The issue concerns two U.S. consular workers who recently tested positive for COVID-19, CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, amid a new outbreak that hit the citys expat community. The employees, a couple aged 40 and 41 respectively, have been sent to the hospital for isolation, according to the citys health authorities. The twos infection prompted Washington to temporarily close its consulate in Hong Kong for deep disinfection and cleaning on March 15. While the Hong Kong government said that the consulate has been fully cooperative, Chinese state-run media have capitalized on the news, propagating reports that the two invoked diplomatic immunity to evade quarantine rules. DotDotNews, a pro-CCP news portal, citing unnamed government sources, said the two refused to quarantine and were still roaming around the residential neighborhood and going to work at the U.S. consulate, bringing tremendous risk to the outbreak control efforts. The report was soon picked up by Chinese news portals, with Global Times, a hawkish state-controlled newspaper, accusing the officials of being guilty of irresponsible and arrogant outlaw behavior. Takungpao, another pro-Beijing newspaper, said that the consular employees were spreading poison everywhere. The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, the citys largest pro-Beijing labor force, also held a small protest outside the U.S. consulate. Four people held up banners with the words No prerogative, No excuse, and Strongly condemn the virus-spreading behavior that disregards public morality. Members of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions protest outside the United States consulate after its temporary closure over infections of two consular employees in Hong Kong, China, on March 16, 2021. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images) Jalina Porter, the principal deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, rebuffed Chinese state-run medias claims in a Monday briefing. When it comes to disinformation about these two not complying to quarantine, that is absolutely false, she said. A State Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times that all consular employees who were physically present at the consulate for more than two consecutive hours over the past two weeks will be taking a virus test in accordance with Hong Kong government mandates. The U.S. Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas and our locally employed staff, the spokesperson said in an email. The U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau confirmed in a Facebook post that the employees in question do not work in offices that interact with the public, adding that the diplomatic officials have abided by all Hong Kong government requirements for the arrival, testing, and quarantine of all diplomatic personnel and their family members since the pandemic began. We reject these efforts to spread disinformation about a critical public health issue, the consulate said in a statement. The consulate has canceled all scheduled services for U.S. citizens and visa applicants through March 19, the State Department spokesperson said. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, at a Tuesday press conference, said that officials have allowed the couples two daughters to reunite with their parents in the hospital rather than sending them to a quarantine facility. She said the reason was because of their exceptional family circumstances and not their status as consular personnel, adding that one of the children had also tested positive. Global Times on Tuesday continued to repeat its previous claims, with one article headline reading Quarantine or leave, quoting anonymous internet users. The state superintendent says it's too early to tell whether or not kids will be required to get the coronavirus vaccine once one is available to them. It will be up to the state health department to decide whether or not the vaccine is added to the immunization list. Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health says right now, they're focused on getting those who are eligible the vaccine, so it's not considering vaccination of kids at schools at this time. State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey says he believes the vaccine will be treated like the flu shot, where it is offered but not required. "I don't think there will be a push to require immunization among children, and in fact, we are hearing that a lot of parents don't see the need to vaccinate their children," Dr. Mackey said. Right now, several clinical trials are underway for a coronavirus vaccine for kids. Dr. Anthony Fauci says one could be available for teens as soon as this fall, while younger kids may have to wait until next year. MONTREAL, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - eStruxture , the largest Canadian-owned provider of network and cloud-neutral data center solutions, announces today the addition of Al Shulman as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing. With more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunication and energy industries, Shulman specializes in sales and business development strategies that benefit the company and its customers. "We are happy to welcome AI to our leadership team as he brings an impressive track record of growing revenue and customer base, providing best-in-class customer service, competitive retention strategies, and launching novel and innovative products in the marketplace. His diversified experience and unique perspective will help us further accelerate our growth in Canada and expand our offering, while keeping the needs of our customers top of mind," says Todd Coleman, President and CEO of eStruxture. Prior to joining eStruxture, Shulman was Vice President of Sales at Enercare Inc., where he led a diverse team of sales and marketing professionals. He rolled out the Smarter Home IoT product suite, while expanding the dealer network across the country. Shulman previously served as Vice President, Marketing at Just Energy, and oversaw the launch of new retail energy brands in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany. He grew wireless share as the General Manager, National Retail Sales at Rogers Communications. He also was responsible for the exclusive launch of the iPhone in Canada. Shulman holds an MBA from York University, Schulich School of Business. "I am excited to be joining eStruxture's passionate team", says Shulman. "Over the last two decades, I've had the good fortune of leading exceptional teams at some of Canada's top corporations. eStruxture's rapid growth is truly impressive and I'm thrilled to contribute to this next chapter as we continue to expand and solidify our position as Canada's leading data center operator." For more information on eStruxture, please visit www.estruxture.com. About eStruxture eStruxture is the largest Canadian-owned cloud and carrier-neutral data center provider. Our solutions are designed with the capacity, performance and flexibility to run modern, demanding enterprise applications, and the control to rapidly scale in response to unpredictable changes in business processes. Headquartered in Montreal, the company provides access to an ecosystem of over 900 customers that trust and depend on eStruxture's mission critical infrastructure and customer-centric support, including carriers, cloud providers, media, content, financial services and enterprise customers. eStruxture offers colocation, private cloud, managed services, bandwidth, and security and support services to customers of all sizes. For more information, visit www.estruxture.com . Follow us on Twitter @estruxture and LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/estruxture/. SOURCE eStruxture Data Centers Inc. Related Links estruxture.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. AMD's new Epyc 7003 series CPUs are built with Zen 3 cores, and the range includes the Epyc 7763 which the company says is the world's highest-performing server processor, based on internal testing. The new AMD Epyc 7003 series is designed for HPC, cloud and enterprise workloads. Available immediately, the Epyc 7003 series ranges from eight to 64 cores, and clock speeds from 2GHz to 3.7GHz. In order to suit various workloads the 19 CPUs fall into three broad categories. HPC applications are covered by CPUs that provide high performance per core, such as the eight core, 3.7GHz 72F3. Cloud and high-end enterprise applications call for high core densities, as delivered by the 64-core 7713 and 7763. Other models in the series provide a balance of core density and speed to suit enterprise workloads such as collaboration software and Java applications. AMD corporate vice president and Epyc product manager Ram Peddibhotla pointed out that the 28-core 7453 delivers similar performance to Intel's Xeon Gold 6258R, but at a lower price. Epyc 7003 processors outperform Intel's offerings by a factor of at least two on floating-point, integer, and enterprise Java benchmarks, he added. "That translates to real, tangible value for our customers." The Epyc 7003 series' increased core density means that a system delivering a certain level of integer performance fits into three racks instead of the four required by Intel-based products. In addition to saving space in the data centre, AMD's approach consumes less power and reduces the four-year total cost of ownership by 35%. "That's tremendous savings" across capex and opex, said Peddibhotla. Other features include microarchitecture improvements that yield a 19% performance improvement depending on the workload, up to 256MB of L3 cache with up to 32MB per core (compared with a maximum of 16MB for Zen 2 cores), and modern security features including Secure Encrypted Virtualization-Secure Nested Paging (SEV-SNP) to help prevent malicious hypervisor-based attacks. A new version of VMware vSphere 7 is optimised for Epyc processors and takes advantage of their security features including SEV-SNP. Epyc 7003 processors are drop-in replacements for the second-generation parts. The only other change needed is an updated BIOS. Server makers announcing support for the Epyc 7003 series include Cisco, Dell, HPE, Lenovo and Supermicro. Cloud providers AWS, Google, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and Tencent Cloud have all announced instances using Epyc 7003 CPUs, although some will not be available until later this year. "With the launch of our third gen AMD Epyc processors, we are incredibly excited to deliver the fastest server CPU in the world. These processors extend our data centre leadership and help customers solve today's most complex IT challenges, while substantially growing our ecosystem," said AMD data centre and embedded solutions business group senior vice president and general manager Forrest Norrod. "We not only double the performance over the competition in HPC, cloud and enterprise workloads with our newest server CPUs, but together with the AMD Instinct GPUs, we are breaking the exascale barrier in supercomputing and helping to tackle problems that have previously been beyond humanity's reach." Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 04:07:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on March 12, 2021 shows AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines at a hospital in Caceres province in Spain. Spain on Monday joined other European nations, such as France, Italy and Germany, in suspending the use of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine over fears that it could lead to blood clots. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua) MADRID, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Spain on Monday joined other European nations, such as France, Italy and Germany, in suspending the use of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine over fears that it could lead to blood clots. Health Minister Carolina Darias confirmed the decision after a meeting of the Inter-territorial Council of the National Health Service (CISNS), saying that "We will suspend the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) analyzes the cases of thrombosis from the past few days." "The thrombosis that the patients have suffered in the known cases is very specific," she said. At the same time, the minister highlighted the low risk from the vaccine, saying that "939,534 people in Spain have been inoculated with the vaccine" while only a single case of thrombosis (formation of clots within blood vessels) has been reported. At the same press conference, Maria Jesus Lamas, director of the Spanish Agency for Medicine and Health Products, explained that "We have decided as a cautionary measure to stop the use of this vaccine until we can establish the true risk." Lamas commented that the AstraZeneca product was "a vaccine that is used for a young population. The number of cases (of thrombosis) that have been detected is very low in comparison with the number of people who have been vaccinated." The COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford was authorized for use in the European Union (EU) on Jan. 29. The decision came after the Spanish Health Ministry had reported 11,358 new COVID-19 cases in the 72 hours between Friday and Monday. This is only slightly less than the 11,959 cases registered over the same period a week ago, indicating that the rate of decline in new coronavirus cases continues to slow down. The incidence rate of the virus has dropped to 128.97 cases per 100,000 inhabitants from 130 cases registered last Friday. The weekend saw 166 deaths, taking the total number of coronavirus victims in Spain since the start of the pandemic to 72,424. The vaccination campaign is progressing, with 5,644,895 doses administered by Monday, 292,128 more than by last Friday and 932,704 more than by March 8. Enditem A New Orleans insurance agent has been arrested and warrants have been issued for two owners of a school bus company suspected of insurance fraud, the Louisiana State Police said Monday. State Police said Michael Simon, 44, of New Orleans, was arrested in Jefferson Parish for nine counts of computer fraud for allegedly giving several charter schools falsified insurance documents. Warrants have been issued for Melvin Williams, 42, of Gonzales, and Jeramy Jackson, 40, of New Orleans, who face 23 counts of computer fraud each. The developments stem from an investigation into Scholars First, which operated in East Baton Rouge, Orleans and Jefferson parishes, as well as the town of Ferriday, providing bus service for charter schools. It began when a representative of Scholars First provided a fraudulent insurance card in a minor bus crash in Orleans Parish. The name on the insurance card was listed as Trenice Jupiter, a Scholars First employee at the time of the crash. Troopers said Jupiter was not a licensed insurance producer in Louisiana or anywhere else, so they issued her a cease-and-desist order on April 3, 2019. News of the investigation resulted in a slew of area schools firing the company. Orleans Parish school district will set new transportation rules amid school bus controversy Orleans Parish Schools Superintendent Henderson Lewis, Jr. plans to amend the district's transportation rules regarding yellow school buses am Troopers said they have not located Williams and Jackson yet. New political guide for Libya in search of peace. With a ceremony in Tripoli, the Libyan "National Accord" government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj officially passed power to the transitional "National Unity" of Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the new prime minister who must lead the country to the elections to December. The rotation, set up with an indirect election of Dbeibah on 5 February in Geneva under the aegis of the UN, was sanctioned by a vote of confidence by the Libyan Parliament last Wednesday and by a swearing-in ceremony held yesterday in Tobruk. Deibah is the first Libyan unified government in seven years. The progress that led to this turning point began with the military defeat of the Cyrenaic general Khalifa Haftar who, between April 2019 and June last year, had tried to overthrow the government of Sarraj, installed in Tripoli with the support of the UN. However, Serraj's troops, supported by Turkey, managed to hold up, repelling Haftar's militias, armed by the Arab Emirates and supported by Russian mercenaries, as well as supported by Egypt and France. Last October the ceasefire was signed. (Unioneonline / lf) Former President Donald Trump reportedly made a surprise appearance during Sarah Sanders' campaign event in Arkansas last Sunday. According to Breitbart, Trump surprised the former Press Secretary by appearing in her campaign event over weekend. Sanders posted bout the unexpected arrival of her former boss in her Instagram and Twitter accounts. "Another great weekend on the campaign trail featuring a surprise appearance at one of my events by President Trump!" Sanders said with a photo of herself in a blue dress meeting Trump by the door of the event's venue. Breitbart said that Trump actually coaxed Sanders into running as governor for Arkansas, especially when she announced her plans to resign in June 2019. Sanders then left her White House post where she served for two years since 2017. "If we can get her to run for the governor of Arkansas, I think she'll do very well," he said. "And I'm trying to get her to do that," Trump said. Trump, as per Breitbart, was then delighted she actually conceded to run for governor for the 2022 elections through an announcement in January 2021. Trump then endorsed Sanders whom he described as "a warrior" for the people through a press release from Save America PAC, News Channel 8 reported. "Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a warrior who will always fight for the people of Arkansas and do what is right, not what is politically correct. Sarah is strong on Border, tough on Crime, and fully supports the Second Amendment and our great law enforcement officers," Trump said in the statement. "She loves our Military and Veterans--and her home state of Arkansas. Sarah will be a GREAT Governor, and she has my Complete and Total Endorsement!" he added. To which Sanders replied in Twitter on January 26, "Thank you President Trump for your endorsement and for always believing in me. As governor I will defend our freedom and lead with heart." News Channel 8 said Trump's endorsement would make it difficult for Sanders' contender, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, who are all from the GOP who has not yet come up with its candidate for the election like the Democrats who actually do not have candidates yet for the post. Meanwhile, KNWA News Anchor Chad Mira also reported on Tuesday that former Vice President Mike Pence has endorsed Sanders for Arkansas Governor. Sanders, as per The Hill, announced in a video regarding her campaign that she will indeed defend Arkansans and their rights, stating, "As governor, I will defend your right to be free of socialism and tyranny, your Second Amendment right, your freedom of speech and religious liberty." Breitbart also quoted her in saying, "I took on the media, the radical left and their cancel culture, and I won. As governor, I will be your voice and never let them silence you." Sanders, who vouches for "A New Generation Of Leadership" in her campaign website, explained that her reason for running for governor is that America's "freedom and rule of law is under attack" today and everything that Americans love about the country "is at stake." She said that the governor is a citizen's "last line of defense," especially with the "radical left now in control of Washington." In similar news, the New York Post said it was not clear, however, where the campaign event took place. The outlet emphasized that Sanders is the daughter of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee who served between 1996 and 2007. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Ahead of the return of Line of Duty next week, new cast member Shalom Brune-Franklin has revealed she 'freaked out' when she landed a part in the show. The actress, 26 - who plays DC Chloe Bishop in the new series - has admitted that she was 'no nervous' about taking on the role and being on set with LOD's well-known stars. Shalom described her first day of filming as a 'surreal experience' and confessed that part of her 'wanted to scream.' Superfan: Ahead of the return of Line Of Duty next week, new cast member Shalom Brune-Franklin, 26, has revealed she 'freaked out' when she landed a part in the show The series about police anti-corruption unit AC-12 has been a huge success for the BBC since it was first screened in 2012. However, avid viewer Shalom was still caught unawares when an offer to join the sixth series arrived. She said: 'I remember receiving an email that said 'LOD6' and I thought, "Oh, it's an audition for a show called Lod". 'It didn't click in my head that it was Line Of Duty. I opened the email and I saw the words "Anti-Corruption Unit 12" and I shrieked. I freaked out.' Nerve Wracking! The actress - who plays DC Chloe Bishop in the new series - has admitted that she was 'no nervous' about taking on the role and being on set with LOD's well-known stars Shalom, who appeared in Our Girl on BBC1 alongside Michelle Keegan, plays DC Chloe Bishop in the new series, which starts on Sunday, alongside established characters such as DS Steve Arnott, played by Martin Compston. She added: 'I was so nervous, but there were so many lines to learn that in a way it took away my nerves. 'It was mad such a surreal experience to walk on to the set of something you are such a huge fan of.' The actress explained: 'I remember walking on set ... and there was part of me that wanted to scream. The other half was thinking that I had been hired to do a job, calm down.' Surreal: Shalom described her first day of filming as a 'surreal experience' and confessed that part of her 'wanted to scream' (Pictured with Martin Compston, who plays DS Steve Arnott) New recruit: Last month, the BBC released a 'memorandum to staff' ahead of the forthcoming sixth season of Line Of Duty, to announce the recruitment of a new team member Shalom grew up in St Albans, Hertfordshire, before moving to Australia when she was 15. Last month, The BBC released a 'memorandum to staff' ahead of the forthcoming sixth season of Line Of Duty, to announce the recruitment of a new team member. In a document circulated by the press office, the memo mock-up sees Superintendent Ted Hastings - played by recurring star Adrian Dunbar - announce that DC Chloe Bishop is joining the department to help with the forthcoming case. The note reads: 'MEMORANDUM TO STAFF. DATE: 03/02/2021 .TO: ALL ANTI-CORRUPTION UNIT STAFF. FROM: HASTINGS, TED (SUPERINTENDENT) On the case: In a document circulated by the press office, the memo mock-up sees Superintendent Ted Hastings - played by recurring star Adrian Dunbar - announce that DC Chloe Bishop (Shalom Brune-Franklin) is joining the department to help with the case 'CC: ARNOTT, STEVE (DETECTIVE SERGEANT); FLEMING, KATE (DETECTIVE INSPECTOR); BISHOP, CHLOE (DETECTIVE CONSTABLE) 'SUBJECT: IMPORTANT STAFF CHANGES TO AC-12 'I am writing to inform you that DC Chloe Bishop (Shalom Brune-Franklin) will be joining AC-12 to assist in their important work on a tricky upcoming case. This action will be effective immediately. 'AC-12s highest priority will always be capturing bent coppers. With that in mind, we have requested and been granted an extension of an extra episode for our next series, making it our longest yet. New girl: DC Chloe Bishop (played by Shalom) will be joining AC-12 to assist in their important work on a tricky upcoming case Terrific trio: Adrian Dunbar is returning to the police drama as Superintendent Hastings alongside Martin Compston (DS Arnott) and Vicky McClure (DI Kate Fleming) 'This extension ensures we can properly and thoroughly investigate organised criminal activity when we return soon to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for our sixth outing. 'In the meantime, to see AC-12 sucking diesel, footage from DI Dentons case will be repeated on BBC One weekly from Saturday 6th February at 9pm. Sincerely, Superintendent Ted Hastings.' This reiterates the news that there will be a seventh episode added to the sixth season, making it the longest series of the cop drama to date. In the teaser, the pair were in full police uniform as they discussed the mysterious 'Vella'. One to watch: The BBC have confirmed that Line Of Duty's season six will feature an extra episode, as fans eagerly await the series launch It began with Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Compston) telling Superintendent Ted Hastings (Dunbar): 'Regardless of the personnel involved, Vella's still the highest-profile inquiry engaging this force.' Seeming uncertain, Ted replies: 'I'm gonna need a hell of a lot more before I can authorise a formal inquiry.' As Steve begins to argue, Ted hits back: 'Houl yer whisht! I need more.' Steve's voiceover then quips: 'How about an extra episode, gaffer?' pointing to the news that season six will feature seven episodes instead of the typical six. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-15 22:09:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Hadi Ghusoun, a retired English teacher in his late 60s, stands on the porch of his shattered house in Homs city in central Syria, March 11, 2021. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua) by Hummam Sheikh Ali HOMS, Syria, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Hadi Ghusoun, a retired English teacher in his late 60s and a father of two daughters, was standing in front of his shattered home in Homs city in central Syria, watching workers removing the rubble, which was the first step for many Syrians to rebuild their houses. When Ghusoun first returned to Homs after the Syrian government regained the city, he couldn't believe his eyes because the destruction was so massive. To return what's left of his house, he needed to climb a damaged staircase and enter the room through a hole in the ground from his neighbor's home. As the Syrian crisis marks the 10th anniversary on Monday, the country is still suffering the deep scares cut by years of bloodshed and economic blockades. In the sprawling old part of Homs, large swathes of areas are still in ruins with homes beyond reparation and entire building blocs kneeling on the dusty grounds. Near half of Nom's buildings need a complete reconstruction while the other half require extensive reparation. But local residents like Ghusoun couldn't afford the reparation or the reconstruction because Syria's economy keeps deteriorating, thanks to economic sanctions imposed by Western countries. Ghusoun said he saw little hope for the city to heal, at least not anytime soon. As the Syrian crisis has been dragging on for a decade now, many old fathers realized that their hopes and dreams of returning to their destroyed homes might not come true in their lifetime, so they are passing it over to their children on the hope that they might live it one day. 80-year-old Naim Louis, who also lived in the area, was standing on what used to be the porch of his destroyed home, watching the landscape of destruction before his eyes while a strong wind was blowing, scattering the dust and slamming it everywhere. The old man said he was among the last people to leave the neighborhood when the rebels took over and thought that it was a matter of days before returning home. It hadn't occurred to him that he might never be able to return his home. "I thought it would be a few days before we got back. All our neighbors are packing their stuff and leaving, so we decided to leave as well, but rather reluctantly," said Louis. When he returned, everything was destroyed. "We are waiting to get help to fix our places. Without help, I will not be able to return to my home in my lifetime. May my children will be able to fix it in the future. They go to work to earn money and they can repair what has been destroyed," said Louis. Similar to Louis, Ghusourn also believed that the task of restoring old good days lays on the shoulders of his offsprings as life will not get better quickly in Syria. "I just hope that the dreams and hopes of my daughters (returning to home) come true because I have become old so the dreams are no longer mine. Time will pass whether we are sad or happy so I hope people get to spend their time happily," he said. The story of Ghusourn and Louis resonates with the life of millions of Syrians. The crisis will be dragged into the 11th year but dreams of normal life still seem slim. According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, there are 6.2 million people, including 2.5 million children, displaced within Syria, the biggest internally displaced population in the World. Holding a few old certificates that belonged to his daughters he had found under the rubble of his house, Ghusourn told Xinhua that papers and memories are all that left of his entire life. "Memories take me back to the beautiful times I had spent with my daughters when we were happy and living in peace and thought that the future would be bright but unfortunately, the future was dim and gloomy," he said. Enditem [March 16, 2021] Universal Broadband Fund-supported projects will bring high-speed Internet to Alberta communities Rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity OTTAWA, ON, March 16, 2021 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on our connections. Now more than ever, Canadians across the country need access to reliable high-speed Internet as many of us are working, learning, and staying in touch with friends and family from home. Right now, too many Canadians living in rural and remote communities lack access to high-speed Internet. Through the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get Canadians connected to the high-speed Internet they need. Today, the Honourable Jim Carr, Special Representative for the Prairies, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced over $5.4 million in federal funding for projects to bring high-speed Internet to rural residents of northern, central and southern Alberta, with an additional investment of approximately $3.7 million from TELUS. These projects will help connect 5,080 underserved households to high-speed Internet. The $1.75-billion Universal Broadband Fund was launched on November 9, 2020. The projects being announced today were approved within two months of the formal launch of the program. Projects funded under the UBF, as well as through other public and private investments, will help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. To facilitate applications for projects like these, the UBF provides additional "pathfinder" support for all applicants, but particularly small applicants, to build partnerships, find potential sources of funding and navigate the application process. Today's announcement builds on the progress the Government of Canada has already made to support Albertans living in rural and remote communities. Since 2015, the federal government has invested over $1.1 billion in more than 1,740 infrastructure projects in Alberta communities. These investments mean 604 km of new or upgraded roads that are making our communities safer; more than 235 projects that are providing residents with cleaner, more sustainable sources of drinking water; and more than 3,236 additional housing units in rural communities, helping ensure all Albertans have a safe place t call home. Quotes "High-speed Internet service is essential to the success of everyone living and working in rural Alberta. Today's investment will bring reliable, high-speed Internet access to 5,080 households across the province. This will help create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep people connected to their loved ones. Our government has committed over $39 million to 18 projects in Alberta, which will connect over 41,000 more households to better, faster Internet. We will continue to make investments like these to help connect every Canadian to the high-speed Internet they need." The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development "The Government of Canada recognizes that access to high-speed Internet is critical for the economic development of rural, remote and northern communities and for Canada's overall recovery from the pandemic. The $5.4 million announced today, with TELUS's investment of $3.7 million, is going to have a real impact on residents in rural Alberta and is an example of what we can accomplish when we partner and work together." The Honourable Jim Carr, Special Representative for the Prairies "TELUS is committed to ensuring that all Albertans, regardless of where they choose to live, can stay connected to the people and information that matter the most. Bridging digital divides is central to everything we do, so we are proud to be connecting 47 more rural communities in partnership with the Universal Broadband Fund. Last year, TELUS expedited capital investments from our previously announced $16-billion investment in Alberta to support the province throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including a specific focus on connecting rural and remote communities that require access to reliable, world-class networks. These investments, including those announced today, will ensure that Albertans in more remote parts of our province have equal access to the educational, health and economic opportunities that high-speed broadband provides." Shazia Zeb Sobani, Vice-President of Customer Network Implementation, TELUS Quick facts Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload. Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload. Applications to the Universal Broadband Fund closed on March 15, 2021 . . The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. The suite includes the Connect to Innovate program, which is expected to connect nearly 400,000 households by 2023, and the recently announced $2-billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Associated links Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit satellite capacity agreement Universal Broadband Fund Connect to Innovate Program Project status updates Canada Infrastructure Bank announcement High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy Stay connected Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Vitriol, violence and vandalism are calling cards of hate delivered by messengers of bigotry. Since last March, Asian Americans have been verbally and physically targeted with greater frequency, a rise in attacks paralleling COVID-19s growing threat and dominance over our lives. And now we have a deadly spree of shootings at three Atlanta-area spas Tuesday that killed eight people, among them six Asian women. While its too soon to know the motive of these killings, they punctuate a year of violence and hate directed toward Asians. What we each say matters. Throughout 2020, the messenger of bigotry with the largest platform was President Donald Trump, who repeatedly referred to the coronavirus as the China flu and Kung flu. According to Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks anti-Asian attacks, there have been nearly 3,800 incidents over the past year, ranging from physical violence to racial slurs and being spat on. The range and frequency are so alarming President Joe Biden denounced the racism in his Thursday night speech on the pandemic recovery as vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who have been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated. At this very moment, he said, so many of them, our fellow Americans, theyre on the front lines of this pandemic trying to save lives, and still, still, they are forced to live in fear for their lives, just walking down streets in America. Its wrong, its un-American, and it must stop. It hasnt stopped. Mike Nguyen, one of our fellow Americans and fellow San Antonians, has been targeted. Nguyen, a restaurateur, made national news last week by speaking out against Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts decision to reopen the state 100 percent, which included rescinding the states mask mandate. Now Playing: Video: San Antonio Express-News Nguyen said that masks would still be required in his UTSA-area restaurant, Noodle Tree. Over the weekend, the windows and outdoor tables were defaced with red spray-painted messages like No Masks Go Back 2 China and Kung Flu. Through no fault of his own, Nguyen has been victimized by the worst of politics, pandemic and racism. In a CNN interview last week, he said hed closed Noodle Tree for nearly six months amid COVID-19 but reopened with a commitment to follow the safety protocols outlined by the Texas Department of State Health Services. He accused Abbott of caring about himself, not the interests of Texans. Nguyen also, specifically, discussed anti-Asian hate. We have seen a lot of attacks on Asian Americans. And thats a huge concern for me because I have a bulls-eye on my back, he said. Those (mask enforcement) confrontations open up the opportunity. Anti-Asian racism doesnt receive the notoriety of attacks against African Americans and Latinos, but its no less pernicious and it isnt new. An increase of Chinese immigrants into the United States during the mid-19th century fed ignorance and fear among white Americans about the threats to jobs and racial purity. This led to the explicitly named Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the only federal legislation in U.S. history that singled out a specific ethnic group to ban from these shores. During World War II, Japanese Americans were rounded up and imprisoned in internment camps in these United States solely because of their ethnicity. There is no decade in our nations history in which you wont find bigotry and hate crimes against Asian Americans, but the enormity of COVID-19 and the willingness of political leaders to link ethnicity with the virus inflame the hate and encourage acts of violence. Not that it would matter to the racists who told Nguyen to go back to China, though Nguyen isnt Chinese. Hes half-Vietnamese and half-French. One of the red spray-painted messages left for Nguyen said, Hope U Die. Nguyen, whos battling lymphoma, wishes death on no one, which is why he will continue to require masks for anyone coming to his restaurant. On Sunday, strangers from throughout the city showed up at Noodle Tree to help him clean up, as well as to dine or pick up meals. The restaurant sold out. Ive always believed San Antonio is a close-knit community and when they came out, that just showed the support, he told us. The community is here, no matter what. Our positivity, our love, our support is going to outweigh the negativity. The only way to lessen the damage of the calling cards of vitriol, violence and vandalism delivered by messengers of bigotry is for the messengers of love, support and understanding to arrive and stay in greater numbers. The independent Russian investigative newspaper Novaya gazeta has called on Moscow authorities to investigate a "chemical attack" against its premises after a security camera recorded a person spraying its office entrance with an unknown liquid. The media outlet, which shares the premises with several other companies in the Russian capital, demanded the investigation on March 16, a day after a strong chemical odor swept through the building. Late on March 15, a video allegedly taken by a CCTV camera at the building circulated on the Internet showing a man in a Yandex.Food delivery uniform spraying an unknown liquid near the buildings entrance from a device on the back wheel of the bike he was riding. "Look, it is now a device for terrorist acts -- a false courier sprays a poisonous gas that is in a container installed on a bicycle. The idea is clear: the employees step in the poison and then distribute it to all of the floors in the building," Novaya gazeta said in a statement. A spokeswoman at Yandex.Food told the website Mediazona that the company did not receive any orders from the address where Novaya gazeta is located. Novaya gazeta's staff members have said the odor in the building was very similar to one that was present when the home and car of correspondent Yulia Latynina was sprinkled with an unknown chemical in 2017. That same year the newspaper received a letter with an unknown white powder inside, which later was shown to be harmless. In October 2018, unknown people brought three cages with sheep wearing vests with the inscription PRESS on them. Several days before that, unknown individuals threw a funeral wreath in front of the periodicals building with notes threatening Denis Korotkov, a correspondent for the newspaper. Days later a sheep's head was found near the office with a note threatening all reporters at Novaya gazeta. Six Novaya gazeta journalists, including well-known reporters Yury Shchekochikhin, Anna Politkovskaya, and Anastasia Baburova, have been killed since 2001. With reporting by Mediazona COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LearningRx (www.LearningRx.com), the largest one-on-one brain training company in the world, is celebrating Brain Awareness Week, March 15-21, 2021. Hosted by the Dana Foundation, Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. LearningRx is taking part by sharing the wonders of the brain and the impact brain science has on our everyday lives via three of its student success stories. LearningRx Brain Trainers work one-on-one with children and adults-both in person and virtually via teleconference-to improve cognitive skills that impact an individual's ability to think, remember, and perform in school, work, and life-skills like attention, processing speed, and memory. Hosted by the Dana Foundation, Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. LearningRx is taking part by sharing the wonders of the brain and the impact brain science has on our everyday lives via three of its student success stories. Wesley: All Wesley wanted to be was a farmer, but he was concerned poor grades would prevent him from getting into the agricultural program at North Carolina State University. Despite studying for hours, Wesley continued to get poor grades on tests. Finally, Wesley's mother took him to LearningRx, where a Brain Skills Assessment showed several weak cognitive skills. He enrolled in LearningRx personal brain training and by his senior year of high school, Wesley could focus better, keep up with taking notes, and remember what he studied. His confidence soared and Wesley was accepted into the agricultural program at NC State. Wesley's story can be seen here: https://youtu.be/eWu7B-ZBHuU Elizabeth: Despite being a teacher for more than 20 years, Elizabeth struggled to read, pay attention and comprehend information. To compensate, she'd spend hours reading and re-reading lesson plans before class. She says she felt "hopeless and alone" until discovering LearningRx. Now that Elizabeth has completed her personal brain training program, she describes her future as "full of hope and enjoyment," adding that LearningRx "really changed the trajectory of my future." Elizabeth's story can be seen here: https://youtu.be/xxMGBlAl8jo Jayden: Having been diagnosed with autism, Jayden struggled significantly in school. But after his grandmother enrolled him in LearningRx, he blossomed. He became a happier, more outgoing student. He began following directions better and felt better that he was living up to his potential. His personal brain trainer even attended Jayden's IEP meeting at the school to discuss all his gains! Jayden's story can be seen here: https://youtu.be/CHp7utFzJJA To see more student successes, visit www.StudentShoutouts.com. To schedule a Brain Skills Assessment, find your nearest LearningRx via www.LearningRx.com. About LearningRx LearningRx, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the largest one-on-one brain training company in the world. Their training programs are delivered through more than 200 locations in North America and in 48 countries around the globe. LearningRx has helped more than 100,000 individuals and families sharpen their cognitive skills to help them think faster, learn easier, and perform better. LearningRx's pioneering methods have been used in clinical settings for over 35 years and have been subjected to peer-review in more than a dozen scientific journals. To learn more, visit https://www.learningrx.com Media Contact: Dr. Amy Lawson Moore (719)-264-8808 [email protected] SOURCE LearningRx Brain Training Related Links https://www.learningrx.com As COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available to South Carolina's concertgoing population, the Charleston Pour House is enhancing its outdoor show setup. The James Island venue that has been hosting spaced-out deck shows, where tickets are sold by the table, is now expanding into its back parking lot. There, under the sprawling live oaks, the Pour House will host upcoming outdoor concerts with pod seating. Each pod will be able to hold four to six patrons. Sign up for the Charleston Hot Sheet Get a weekly list of tips on pop-ups, last minute tickets and little-known experiences hand-selected by our newsroom in your inbox each Thursday. Email Sign Up! The setup will allow the venue to sell more tickets, though owner Alex Harris is not yet sure what that official number will be. It will certainly allow for more spectators than the current deck configuration, he said. "We went this route so we could do shows with more attendees safely and book acts this spring and summer that we couldn't do otherwise," Harris said. The first two shows with the new seating format are scheduled this spring. Charleston favorite Susto will kick things off April 23. Then, The Infamous Stringdusters, a Grammy Award-winning jamgrass quintet, will perform April 25. Other shows are in the works but have not yet been announced, Harris said. While Firefly Distillery and the Charleston Music Hall have both expanded to feature pod seating at outdoor concerts, this is the Pour House's first foray into the pandemic-induced format. According to Harris, this version will be smaller due to the finite space, yet still accommodate hundreds. "It is limited on tickets and intimate compared to any other pod show setup that has happened in town that I know of," Harris said. In the Pour House's rough draft map of the pod seating, there are rows of spaced-out pods. The pods, which are 8-by-10 (4 patrons) or 10-by-10 (6 patrons), are divided into four tiers that are priced based on how far away the pod is from the stage. The deck serves as a VIP space for Tier 1 attendees. Because the new setup will take over the Pour House's back parking lot, Harris said the venue encourages carpooling and ride-sharing. Off-site parking options are also in the works and will be shared with ticketholders once announced. A handful of small, limited capacity indoor shows as afterparties for ticketed deck shows will also be introduced later this month, Harris said. Those late shows will start around 11 p.m. Tickets for the Susto show range from $130 to $270 per pod, and tickets for the Infamous Stringdusters show range from $160 to $240. Tickets for both shows are on sale now at charlestonpourhouse.com. The ACE21 All Virtual professional program will feature more than 80 hours of learning in six professional tracks, with the best-of-the-best, most sought-after presenters in the water community. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) today announced that it is transforming its 2021 Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE21) into an all virtual event from June 14-17. Registration for ACE21 All Virtual is scheduled to open today at 1 p.m. MT. In a letter to members, AWWA President Melissa Elliott and CEO David LaFrance said ACE21 All Virtual will be a top-tier virtual experience that will be informative, impactful and engaging for everyone involved. We are preparing an exceptional online experience that will exceed expectations for attendees, presenters and exhibitors, they said. The ACE21 All Virtual professional program will feature more than 80 hours of learning in six professional tracks, with the best-of-the-best, most sought-after presenters in the water community. Attendees will interact with presenters and one another through the ACE21 online platform and active social media conversations. AWWA made the decision to move to ACE21 All Virtual following a thorough evaluation of member travel limitations and public health circumstances. The conference was originally scheduled for June 13-16 in San Diego, Calif., but as of mid-March, the San Diego Convention Center remains closed and there is no indication it will be open for an event the size of ACE21 by June. In addition, California public health authorities are asking people to limit non-essential travel to and within the state. Details on hotel and airline cancellations, refunds, and exhibit and sponsorship questions can be found on the ACE website. Next years ACE will be hosted in San Antonio, Texas, in June 2022. Were especially appreciative of the efforts of volunteers, presenters, exhibitors and sponsors who put so much work into the planned event in San Diego and who are now making ACE21 All Virtual an outstanding experience, LaFrance said. # # # Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the worlds most important resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life. Owned by Alberto Ramos from Orlando, Florida, the Challenger was purchased with a salvage title with a clear purpose in the current owners mind: to shame Hellcats and Demons on the strip. In a feature published by Hot Rod Magazine last February, were told that Ramos upgraded the 408 CID engine with Patriot LS3 heads and a 69-millimeter BorgWarner turbo.A blow-through CSU carburetor with an Extreme Velocity hat, a 0.590-inch lift camshaft, Eagle forged rotating assembly, and a Turbo 400 transmission also need to be mentioned, along with air conditioning that still works if you can believe it. Since February 2020, the Challenger has received a slightly larger boosty snail with an 88-millimeter inducer for more sucking power.Filmed at the strip by our friends at Drag Racing and Car Stuff, the LS-swapped turbo Challenger can run 10-second passes consistently in this particular specification. Estimated to crank out more than 800 horsepower, the Mopar machine with small-block Chevrolet V8 muscle can blitz the quarter-mile in 10.47 and 10.19 seconds, respectively.The highest trap speed achieved by Ramos is 134.75 miles per hour (216.86 kilometers per hour), which is extremely impressive by Mopar standards. For reference, the Challenger SRT Super Stock makes 10.5-second passes with drag radials, 807 horsepower, and 707 pound-feet (959 Nm) of torque.Hellcat killer is arguably the best way to describe the strip-slaying blasphemy in the following video, which is awesome in every single respect. Its impressive how one can take a junkyard motor so far in such a short time, but it's even more impressive because this is Ramos first LS build.I did it all myself, he told Hot Rod Magazine . I got on YouTube, you know, hours and hours of just self-learning. All the machining was done by my friends at CW Pence Machining, but I put the engine together myself." 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! In a frame grab from video, robots walk across the floor of the University of Michigan's Ford Motor Co. Robotics Building, March 12, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The four-story, $75 million, 134,000-square-foot complex has three floors that house classrooms and research labs for robots that fly, walk, roll and augment the human body. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Digit marches on two legs across the floor of the University of Michigan's Ford Motor Co. Robotics Building, while Mini-Cheetahstaccato-likedoes the same on four and the yellow-legged Cassie steps deliberately side-to-side. A grand opening was held Tuesday for the four-story, $75 million, 134,000-square-foot (11,429-square-meter) complex. Three floors house classrooms and research labs for robots that fly, walk, roll and augment the human body. On the top floor are Ford researchers and engineers and the automaker's first robotics and mobility research lab on a university campus. Together, they will work to develop robots and roboticists that help make lives better, keep people safer and build a more equitable society, the school and automaker announced Tuesday. "As we all drive and use our vehicles and go about our day-to-day lives, I'm sure all of us have moments in our day where we could use a little help or a little assistance," said Ken Washington, Ford's chief technology officer. "We are going to be working on drone technology, walking robots, roving robots, all types of robots in this facility and the ways in which they can make people's lives better," Washington added. "And we'll do it in a way that addresses questions and fears around safety and security. The more people see how these robots can interact with society and interact with humans, the more comfortable they'll get with them." Edgar Bolivar describes the purpose of wearable robots at the University of Michigan's Ford Motor Co. Robotics Building is seen, March 12, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The four-story, $75 million, 134,000-square-foot complex has three floors that house classrooms and research labs for robots that fly, walk, roll and augment the human body. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) The building on the university's Ann Arbor campus brings together researchers from 23 buildings and 10 programs into one space. Those working on two-legged disaster response robots can test them on a 30-mph (48-kph) treadmill studded with obstacles or on a stair-stepped "robot playground" designed with the help of artificial intelligence. Biomedical engineers are looking at developing lighter, more stable prosthetic legs. Ford engineers are exploring how upright Digit robots can work in human spaces. "We want them to be able to operate in realistic situations ... you get out in the real world where there's rolling, twigs," said Jessy Grizzle, the Robotics Institute director. "There's rocks. There's boulders. There's holes that you can't see because the grass is cut flat, and then you want your robots to respond well and stay upright just like a human would." Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford and other automakers are investing billions of dollars in autonomous vehicles. and robotics is expected to play a major role in their development. Ford announced in February that it was autonomous vehicle investment to $7 billion, from sensing systems to specific research into applications such as Digit, a spokesman said. In November, Ford revealed plans to transform a long-vacant Detroit book warehouse into a hub for automobile innovation. Detroit's Corktown neighborhood is the site of Ford's planned $740 million project to create a place where new transportation and mobility ideas are nurtured and developed. Exterior of the University of Michigan's Ford Motor Co. Robotics Building is seen, March 12, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The four-story, $75 million, 134,000-square-foot complex has three floors that house classrooms and research labs for robots that fly, walk, roll and augment the human body. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) People one day may see a robot similar to Digit emerge from a driverless vehicle, stroll across their lawn and leave a package at the door of homes in their neighborhood, according to Washington. "This is an exciting proposition, especially in this post-COVID era where the promise of doing shopping online has become just sort of the norm," he said. "As you think about a future where package delivery is going to be part of daily life, this is a real opportunity for us to pair a robot with an autonomous vehicle to help solve the problem of package delivery at scale." "It's not here today, but you can be pretty certain that it's coming in the not-too-distant future," Washington said. Researchers working together in the building are designing robots for people, said Alec Gallimore, dean of Engineering at the University of Michigan. "Robots aren't people and people aren't robots, but we thinktogetherthere can be synergy," Gallimore said. "So, we're designing robots that are going to help you. First responders for example. Can we put robots in harm's way so we don't have to have people there?" Interior of the University of Michigan's Ford Motor Co. Robotics Building is seen, March 12, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The four-story, $75 million, 134,000-square-foot complex has three floors that house classrooms and research labs for robots that fly, walk, roll and augment the human body. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Ford contributed about $37 million to the cost of the robotics building which also features a three-story, indoor fly zone to test drones and other autonomous aerial vehicles indoors; a yard designed with input from scientists at the university and NASA to test vehicles and landing concepts on a landscape mimicking the surface of Mars. The University of Michigan and Ford also are working with two historically Black colleges in Atlanta, Morehouse and Spelman, allowing students there to enroll remotely in a pilot robotics course. Explore further Bipedal robot Digit seen as final step in autonomous delivery system 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Winter Storm Xylia dropped nearly three feet of snow in Colorado over the weekend, but some of the powder had a brown hue instead of being completely white. The National Weather Service (NWS) revealed the discolored snow is actually dust particles that traveled up from Mexico, which is currently experiencing a severe-to-extreme drought. Strong winds travelling 60 to 70 miles per hour were blowing ahead of the storm that scooped up a massive amount of dust from Mexico's extremely dry landscape and intertwined with the winter storm in the US. Tom Gill, a professor and scientist at the University of Texas at El Paso, said on Twitter: 'This dust actually originated in an agricultural part of central Mexico with distinct orange-red-brown soils, a very long distance south of the border.' 'Myself & other Dust researchers were tracking it Friday, saw it heading towards Colorado, and wondered if it'd get in the snow!' Scroll down for videos Winter Storm Xylia dropped nearly three feet of snow in Colorado over the weekend, but some of the powder had a brown hue instead of completely white The NWS first announced the brown snow on Twitter in a post that reads: 'The dust that was lofted this afternoon from the playas in Mexico ... has now been transported all the way into Colorado!' The agency has been tracking the dust moving north via satellites, which watched the dust intertwine with Winter Storm Xylia. Sharon Sullivan, meteorologist at the NWS in Albuquerque, told CNN that this has occurred in the past, but traveling up to Boulder, Colorado is rarely observed. However, Mother Nature setup the stage for this event with winds blowing up to 70 miles per hour at times when a snow storm was heading towards Colorado. The National Weather Service (NWS) revealed the discolored snow is actually dust particles that traveled up from Mexico, which is currently experiencing a sever-to-extreme drought 'Some of these particles are very fine, so it only takes about 15-20 mph to have them lifted off the ground,' Sullivan told CNN. Martin Jimenez, a member of the Mexican Hydraulic Association, said in an interview with Mexico News Daily, 'Mexico has endured droughts for centuries but their severity and the area of territory they affect have increased over the past decade.' And as global warming becomes more intense, so will severe droughts in many parts of the world, said Jonathan Overpeck, environmental and climate scientist at the University of Michigan. Colorado nearly made it through the winter without a major snow storm, but Sunday brought one of the top ten snowfall accumulations in some cities. Mother Nature setup the stage for this event with winds blowing up to 70 miles per hour at times when a snow storm was heading towards Colorado. Some areas of Colorado were hit with nearly three feet of snow This phenomenon has occurred in the past, but meteorologists say it is very rare for dust particles to travel as far as Colorado The National Weather Service shared images on Twitter of melting snow with dust particles floating around in the liquid This was Denver's fourth largest storm on record with more than 27 inches of powder blanketing the major city. In Aspen Park, 25 miles south west of Denver, 32.9 inches of snow was recorded by Sunday night - almost three feet. In eastern Colorado, wind gusts of 45 miles per hour prompted the National Weather Service on Sunday afternoon to issue a blizzard warning for about a 90-mile stretch of the state's urban corridor along Interstate 25, from Fort Collins to Castle Rock. Colorado nearly made it through the winter without a major snow storm, but Sunday brought one of the top ten snowfall accumulations in some cities The warning extended to the Denver metropolitan area, where about a foot of snow had fallen by midday, with another eight inches likely before the storm wanes by nightfall, said Frank Cooper, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Boulder, Colorado. In Aurora, 10 miles east of downtown Denver, 48 people were stranded in their vehicles on Sunday. Even the first responders became stuck, Aurora police department said. There has been a rise in domestic violence incidents in Offaly and Laois since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Getting help to victims of domestic violence and supports in place is more crucial now than it ever has been. There can be nothing more frightening than being in a domestic abusive relationship and being afraid to leave or feeling that there is no one to help. Unfortunately, there still seems to be a sure its none of my business attitude in the public domain. The key message all State and voluntary stakeholders are asking is to report your concerns as this may be the first chance to help a victim escape the situation, and that if you are a victim of domestic abuse to report it. Anne Clarke works with the Offaly Domestic Violence Support Service (ODVSS). 2020 has been a challenging year for domestic violence support services, we have seen a 50% increase in victims/survivors looking for help and support. Covid has placed a microscope under, what already was an existing pandemic in Ireland. Domestic abuse cuts across all sectors of the community it does not discriminate. Covid is the perfect storm for the perpetrator as their main goal is to isolate the victim from supports, many now in 24/7 lockdown with their abuser, no respite, no support network, no way out. Our message is that we are #StillHere if you need support and you are not alone. If you are experiencing domestic violence or abuse call our helpline on 0579351886 or 0860419154, if its not safe to talk send us a text. Always be safe with reaching out. The ODVSS report that in 2020 they saw 180 new clients compared to 117 in 2017. Individual clients to the service amounted to 240, in 2019 it was 185. They saw client contact make the biggest jump from 869 in 2019 to 1720 in 2020 it was 1720. Client contacts represent the number of times they engage with a victim. The Offaly service says court orders rose in 2019 from 98 to 160 in 2020. In 2020 the Offaly service recorded over 2061 calls on the helpline, thats an additional 600 more calls on 2019. Similarly, Laois Domestic Abuse Service saw increases in demand for services from March 2020 330 clients engaged with, 102 referrals to court, LDAS received 1069 phone calls (from clients and client-related), and LDAS made 2278 phone calls (from clients and client-related). MORE BELOW TABLE Coercive control, financial abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse were the emerging trends along with child to parent violence and elder abuse. The poverty and lack of resources were worrying. There is no emergency accommodation for victims of domestic abuse in either Laois or Offaly and many times victims had no choice but to remain in the home. The Rent Supplement that is now screened by domestic violence services has helped those who have been able to find private rented accommodation along with the Airbnb safe fund for accommodation which has been in operation since July 2020. Other initiatives in the community like Boots and Total Health pharmacies providing a safe space for a victim to call or seek help and advice added to the response during Covid. Laois Domestic Abuse Service is involved in the MEND Programme and saw a lot of new referrals to this program over the last year , while the perpetrator is completing the MEND Program they offer Partner Support to the women so a weekly check in is provided to ensure the Woman's Safety. They offer this service for Laois and Offaly. MEN's Aid and ODVSS support male victims so male victims in Laois can avail of this service also. LDAS would refer men to ODVSS for support and advice. MEND [Men Ending Domestic Violence] is a programme for men, who have been violent or abusive within their intimate partner relationships. The primary aim of the programme is the safety and well-being of women and children. MEND deliver the National Choices Programme to support men to end their violent or abusive behaviour and become non-violent and respectful within their intimate partner relationships. The Programme involves one-to-one assessment and pre-group sessions followed by 25 group sessions. MEND also provides an integrated Partner Support Service for the partners or ex-partners or the men on the programme. Help is available and can be found from the MEND programmes in Waterford, Wexford, South Tipperary and Carlow/Kilkenny, Laois/Offaly and Kildare. To find out more you can contact the Confidential Phone Line on 051-878866 (available Mon-Fri 9am-5pm). MORE BELOW TABLE RECENT CHANGES Recently there have been changes to the legislation with the introduction of the Domestic Violence Aft 2018 and the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 Cocos Law. These further enhance the protection for victims of domestic abuse. The new Domestic Violence Act 2018 introduced the offence of Coercive Control which has been defined as a person commits an offence where he or she knowingly and persistently engages in behaviour that is controlling or coercive, has a serious effect on a relevant person, and a reasonable person would consider likely to have a serious effect on a relevant person. Coercive control occurs when a current or ex-partner knowingly and persistently engages in behaviour that is controlling or intimidating and is having a serious effect on a person. The victim may fear that violence will be used against them, or they may be suffering serious alarm or distress that has a substantial impact on their day-to-day activities. The victim of coercive control may have their freedom of movement reduced. Every aspect of their life may be controlled by their current or ex-partner, including access to their personal finances and the freedom to see family and friends. Coercive control is the collection of small, seemingly minor incidents or details that in isolation are not a criminal offence, but when viewed together display a web of abuse that is insidiously and forcibly eroding at a persons quality of life. The new act also introduced an Emergency Baring order. It is always advisable to seek advice from family law solicitors, the domestic abuse services (Laois Domestic Abuse Services Offaly Domestic Violence Support Service or Mensaid or An Garda Siochana. The recent commencement of Divisional Protective Services Units in Garda Divisions including Laois Offaly will deliver a consistent and professional approach to the investigation of specialised crime types, including sexual crime, child abuse and domestic abuse. An Garda Siochana can provide support and information to victims of coercive control. If a victim wishes to make a formal complaint, we can investigate. To assist us in investigating coercive control and preparing a strong case, we will need to gather evidence such as a diary the victim has been keeping, text messages and emails that highlight the abuse, and accounts from family and friends. Please refer to Facebook pages for Laois Domestic Abuse Service and ODVSS for updates and raise awareness regarding Domestic Violence in your local area. In many ways, our son Caleb Thompson is a typical 20-year-old: Hed rather hang out with his friends than his parents, he loves and knows the words to Lin-Manuel Mirandas Hamilton and In the Heights, and he has a mischievous smile that lights up the room. However, in other ways, he is not typical. Born with a rare seizure disorder called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, this young man who has blessed us in more ways than we can count functions as a 4-year-old and will never be able to care for himself or live independently. Like so many other parents of profoundly intellectually disabled children, we are committed to caring for Caleb until we are physically no longer able to do so. Part of this commitment was securing legal guardianship for Caleb so we would be legally empowered to make his highly individualized health care, educational (he has been wonderfully served by North East ISD) and other decisions on his entry into adulthood. To be sure, this is our story, but this story is neither about us nor Caleb. It is about the irrational and costly process that parents of profoundly and permanently intellectually disabled children must navigate to purchase their God-given parental rights from the state if they seek guardianship of their child, and our mission to change this process so parents of all means can continue to legally advocate for their children. Briefly, this is the process we were required to navigate to obtain legal guardianship of our son: File an application for guardianship with the probate court. Subject ourselves to a court investigation that probed into every aspect of Calebs medical and our financial sock drawers. The service of process on Caleb in our home (the court official inquired if Caleb would take the process, and we said, Well, hand it to him and see. The official could have given Caleb a $100 bill, and Caleb wouldnt have known the difference). The appointment of an attorney ad litem to protect Calebs interests against his own parents and a required visit to our home (another trip through our medical and financial sock drawers against our will can you say forced state entry?). When the attorney asked where Caleb was and we told him Caleb was on the school bus coming home, the attorney remarked, I didnt know they had school for kids like him. The procurement of a surety bond. A probate court proceeding. For the privilege of going through this intrusive process, we paid north of $5,000 in court costs and attorney fees (we are blessed with the means to pay this, but so many others are not). But the guardianship is only good for one calendar year, and we must go through an annual review with legal fees of $450. Thanks to state Rep. Steve Allison, House Bill 1675 has been filed and will be heard in the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee, chaired by Rep. Jeff Leach, this week. HB 1675 waives the court investigation, appointment of an attorney ad litem, and modifies the review period to no more than once every five years, along with the associated costs for parents of documented profoundly intellectually disabled children who: Have been primary caregivers for all or most of the proposed minor wards childhood. Seek the guardianship. Have never been the subject of an allegation, complaint, or investigation concerning the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of their child. Are not otherwise disqualified from serving as their childs guardian. We believe HB 1675 is a commonsense approach that will enable parents of all means to obtain guardianship of their profoundly intellectually disabled children and remain in the strongest position to continue to advocate for their childrens best interests. We recognize that not all guardianships are the same, and we respect the states interest in finding the least restrictive means for disabled adults to advocate on their own behalf. For those parents of children who will never be intellectually independent, HB 1675 is the beginning of reforming the guardianship process. We thank Allison for advocating on behalf for future generations of parents and encourage you to contact your representative to voice your support for this bill. David Thompson is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and DAnne Thompson is a full-time mother and managing partner of Thompson Education Consulting Group. (Newser) For months, Gov. Gavin Newsom has avoided commenting on the effort to recall him from office. That changed this week, when he conceded, for starters, that the measure will likely go to California voters. "This one appears to have the requisite signatures," Newsom said Tuesday on The View, with the necessary number being about 1.5 million signatures by Wednesday. The governor's opponents say he's mishandled the pandemic, Politico reports, hurting businesses and schools by repeatedly changing direction on restrictions. Newsom foreshadowed his strategy Tuesday, saying the vote is really about issues like immigration, climate, and an increased minimum wage. A former Republican state party chair said: "This recall is all about one thing: Gavin Newsom's inability to meet the challenges of this pandemic and its consequences. Like a guy caught cheating on his ... homework, he's out to make it about somethinganythingelse." story continues below The Democratic Party reigns in California; Republicans haven't won statewide office since 2006. The governor and his supporters plan to capitalize on Californians' dislike of former President Trump, per the Los Angeles Times, casting the recall as a campaign driven by pro-Trump extremists. Even Newsom's opponents want Trump, who won 34% of the state vote in November, to stay out of this fight. "I think the less hes involved in the recall, the better it will be for the recall," said a GOP consultant working on the recall campaign. "The recall has to be about Gavin Newsom for it to be a success." Newsom is happy to have popular Democrats involved, and he announced endorsements from Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Cory Booker. California has recalled its governor once, which led to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger taking office in 2003. (Read more Gavin Newsom stories.) Tom Tingle/AP The state Department of Environmental Conservation's annual spring burn ban will be in effect from March 16 to May 14. In Warren County, Jay Ogden, county fire coordinator, said the ban is put in place each year to lessen the chance of wildfires as dry brush is exposed at the end of the winter. New York States burn ban has had a remarkable impact on the number of wildfires each spring, Ogden said. Wildfires endanger people and structures, and can cause extensive damage. We ask that for these early months of spring that you refrain from burning until the end of the ban and the improvement of conditions. The regulation bans open fires outdoors or burning in barrels. Burning is prohibited in towns with more than 20,000 residents as well as all villages and cities. Vatican says Catholic Church can't bless same-sex marriage: God 'cannot bless sin Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Vatican released a statement Monday announcing that churches have no power to bless same-sex marriage since God cannot bless sin, which clarifies Pope Francis stance on same-sex unions. The Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic churches have the power to bless same-sex unions. The question comes when plans and proposals for blessings of unions of persons of the same sex are being advanced in some ecclesial contexts. It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage , the Vatican statement reads. As is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex. The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing, since the positive elements exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creators plan. In a Monday interview with The Christian Post, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, which claims to be the nations largest Catholic civil rights organization, said the statement was very much welcomed because it removed doubt about the Vaticans position on this topic. This [decision] finishes it, Donohue said. Theres nothing left to discuss. Its non-negotiable. The Vatican left nothing on the table with these people pushing this agenda. It made it very clear that the Church can bless homosexuals as individuals, but it will never ever bless homosexual unions, never mind gay marriage. Same-sex marriage cant be considered lawful in the Church because there are no grounds to consider it even remotely analogous to Gods plan for marriage and family, the statement written by Cardinal Luis Ladaria, a Spanish Jesuit, shared. The Vaticans statement comes after Pope Francis said during a documentary interview last October that he believes civil union laws should be created to legally cover same-sex couples in the civil sphere. Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it, the pope said. Donohue said this was an awkwardly-phrased statement by the pope. But while some Catholics have urged Pope Francis to bless gay marriage in the past, the statement released today settles his position on same-sex unions. Donohue said the statement came from the top doctrinal office of the Catholic Church and would not be released without receiving the Popes blessing. I was actually struck by the fact that it was so definitive, Donohue said. They really slammed the door shut on this issue. And I think its welcome because some Catholics and non-Catholics say, Well, where is the Church on this issue? It seems to be bending toward their way. And now, I think this will put an end to it. And if people who are Catholic dont like it, well, they are going to have to change their status then. In its statement, the Vatican said that the unlawful blessing of same-sex unions is not a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite and of the very nature of the sacramentals, as the Church understands them. The Vaticans response said the Christian community and pastors should welcome with respect and sensitivity persons with homosexual inclination and find appropriate ways to proclaim to them the Gospel in its fullness. But [God] does not and cannot bless sin: he blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him. He in fact takes us as we are, but never leaves us as we are, the statement added. The Catholic Churchs stance goes beyond gay marriage since it will not bless any union against Gods design of marriage, Donohue concluded. We can take it a step further, he shared. The Church will never bless cohabitation. This is not just with homosexuals. There are guys and gals who live together outside of marriage, and the Church does not recognize that. This is not strictly about homosexuals, although they are the ones who are pushing for it, obviously. But it would apply to any union that is outside of [licit marriage]. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Europe's medical regulator, the European Medicines Agency, will announce Thursday its findings on the safety of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine as more European Union countries suspend its use over fears it might be linked to blood clots. Critics say governments are putting politics over science. The European Medicines Agency's executive director, Emer Cooke, said Tuesday that for now, the regulator stands behind its conclusion the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, even as its experts conduct a thorough safety review. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been injected into millions of arms, with just a few reported cases of blood clotsand it's uncertain if they're linked to the shot. "We need to have the facts first," Cooke said. "We cannot come to a conclusion before we've done a thorough scientific analysis. And we owe it to the European citizens to deliver this clear and science-based response." The medicines agency, or EMA, has also tapped international experts for its review, which will also look at whether certain specific batches could be problematic. Scientists will also look at chances of blood clots with other COVID-19 vaccines beyond AstraZenaca's. "At present there is no evidence that vaccination has caused these conditions," said Cooke. "They have not come up in clinical trial and they are not listed as known or expected side events with this vaccine." But increasingly, European Union governments are taking no chances. Sweden and Latvia are among the latest to join more than a dozen EU countries to temporarily halt their AztraZeneca rollouts. In France, which suspended the shot Monday, Health Minister Olivier Veran said he hoped the AstraZeneca vaccine campaign will quickly resume pending a positive EMA ruling. Veran himself received the AstraZeneca inoculation and he told French citizens who have done likewise not to worry. The World Health Organization also recommends AstraZeneca, pending evidence to the contrary. Dozens of countries have authorized its use, although the United States has yet to do so. And AstraZeneca still has EU champions. Belgium, for example, argues suspending the vaccine's rollout would be irresponsible. That's also the view of many French medical experts. Dr. Jean-Paul Hamon, honorary president of the French doctor's federation, told French TV the decision to suspend the vaccine's use reflected political rather than medical considerations. "National governments are afraid for safety concerns," said Simona Guagliardo, an analyst at the Brussels-based European Policy Centre. "But at the same time, I'm not convinced that this is the right way to go about it." "I wonder what could be the damage in the public opinion," she said. "People are already scared, and I fear that this might scare them off even more." The vaccine suspensions couldn't come at a worse time for the EU, with some member states hit by a third wave of the pandemic. Italy is again under lockdown. France and Germany may follow shortly. And suspending the shot's use may further delay the EU's much-criticized vaccine rollout that sees the 27-member bloc lagging behind countries like the United States, Israel, Bahrain and even ex-member Britainwhich has jabbed millions in the UK with the AstraZeneca shot. While acknowledging mistakes, EU officials also blame some of the problems on production delays by AstraZeneca itself. I am thrilled that we are able to increase vaccine availability right in our own backyard, Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal said in the release. This will benefit our residents and all of southeast Lake County. Vaccinated or not, please continue to follow CDC guidance for the health and safety of our community. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Wednesday release February numbers for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a modest day in Asia-Pacific activity. Imports are expected to climb 11.9 percent on year after sinking 8.5 percent in January. Exports are called lower by an annual 0.8 percent after rising 6.4 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is pegged at 420 billion yen following the 323.9 billion yen shortfall a month earlier. Australia will see February results for the leading economic index from Westpac; in January, the index rose 0.3 percent on month. South Korea will provide February unemployment data, with the jobless rate expected to fall to 4.8 percent from 5.4 percent in January. Singapore will release February figures for non-oil exports, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 1.0 percent on month and an increase of 6.6 percent on year. That follows the 7.0 percent monthly increase and the 12.8 percent yearly gain in January - when the trade surplus was $5.61 billion. New Zealand will see Q4 numbers for current account, with forecasts suggesting a deficit of NZ$2.88 billion following the NZ$3.52 billion shortfall in the previous three months. 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. This partnership between BNP Paribas and Baringa will help to develop the standards for embedding climate scenario analysis within one of the world's largest banking institutions. The establishment of an integrated climate scenario analysis capability will bring an additional objective and data driven approach to climate strategy and commitments, to climate risk management, client engagement and to both internal and external reporting. Marc Irubetagoyena, Head of Group Stress Testing and Performance, Planning & Synthesis at BNPP said: "This is an important step for BNPP in the development and the effective implementation of our climate risk management framework across our organisation. Baringa is playing a leading role in helping the Financial Services sector globally to develop their climate strategies and to ensure they are credible and evidence based. This partnership will contribute to deliver the foundations of BNPP climate scenario analysis set-up." Antoine Bezat, Head of Stress Testing Methodologies and Models at BNPP, said: "Climate scenario analysis is a critical strategic capability for BNPP. We are delighted to be working with Baringa who are deep experts in this topic. They bring 20 years of experience of energy system and climate transition modelling, as well as their experience as leaders in deploying climate strategies into many of the largest banks in the world. "Baringa's Climate Scenario Model stands out for its breadth of sector and asset coverage, the integration of transition and physical risk, and the ability to provide risk metrics down to the individual asset level. The modular and customisable nature of the solution will enable us to develop our own climate scenario and risk framework over time, to the specific needs of BNPP" Colin Preston, Head of Financial Services Sector & Climate Change at Baringa, says "We are thrilled to be working with BNPP as one of the largest global banks, and an organisation that is recognised for its commitment to sustainability and climate. We will help BNPP to accelerate and embed practical and usable climate analytics across its organisation, feeding into its climate strategy, and into all key decision making and reporting. This will pave the way for others to follow across the industry." For further enquiries, please contact: Liam McGrory Baringa Partners Email: [email protected] About Baringa's award winning Climate Change Scenario ModelTM The only climate scenario model that is fully integrated, bringing together transition and physical risk as well as climate risk and temperature alignment measured at individual asset level Configurable from scenario construction through to incorporating assessments of individual company level transition and adaptation strategies 'Zoomable', from global portfolio views to granular analysis of individual companies and single physical assets Comprehensive global coverage of all sectors and asset classes For more information, visit www.baringa.com/climaterisk About BNP Paribas BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 72 countries, with more than 202,000 employees, of which more than 154,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the European leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. About Baringa Partners Baringa Partners is an independent business and technology consultancy. We help businesses run more effectively, navigate industry shifts and reach new markets. We use our industry insights, ideas and pragmatism to help each client improve their business. Collaboration is central to our strategy and culture ensuring we attract the brightest and the best. And it's why clients love working with us. Baringa launched in 2000 and now has over 700 members of staff and more than 65 partners across our practice areas Energy and Resources, Financial Services, Products and Services, and Government and Public Sector. These practices are supported by cross-sector teams focused on Customer & Digital; Finance, Risk & Compliance; People Excellence; Supply Chain & Procurement; Data, Analytics & AI; Intelligent Automation & Operations Excellence; and Technology Transformation. We operate globally and have offices in the UK, Europe, Australia, US, Middle East and Asia. Baringa Partners have been voted as the leading management consulting firm in the Financial Times' UK Leading Management Consultants 2021 in the categories Energy, Utilities & the Environment, and Oil & Gas. We have been in the Top 10 for the last 13 years in the small, medium, as well as large category in the UK Best Workplaces list by Great Place to Work. We are a Top 50 for Women employer, and are recognised by Best Employers for Race. Baringa. Brighter Together. SOURCE Baringa Partners LLP Related Links http://www.baringa.com/climaterisk U.S. first lady Jill Biden gestures in front of a screen, as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stands near, at the Samuel Smith Elementary School, in Burlington, New Jersey, March 15, 2021. Anna Moneymaker/Pool via REUTERS US president Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses have begun an ambitious, cross-country tour this week to highlight the benefits of his $1.9trn (1.6trn) plan to defeat the coronavirus and boost the economy. The road show dubbed the Help is Here tour by the White House began with Ms Harris heading to a Covid-19 vaccination site and a culinary academy in Las Vegas and first lady Jill Biden touring a New Jersey elementary school. Mr Biden was to say more from the White House, and is scheduled to visit a small business in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, today. He and the vice president will appear together in Atlanta on Friday. Ms Harris flew west to Nevada on Air Force Two and she will also make a stop today in Denver to meet small-business owners. Tomorrow sees Ms Biden in Concord, New Hampshire, and Ms Harriss husband, Doug Emhoff, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The stops at vaccination sites, businesses, schools and more are meant to educate the public about different aspects of the giant American Rescue Plan and how it will help people get to the other side of the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Biden has said former President Barack Obamas administration, in which he served as vice president, failed to adequately educate the public about the benefits of its economic recovery plan. The president has said he wants to do a better sales job this time around on the details of his first big legislative victory. One of the key features is direct payments of $1,400 (1,175) for a single taxpayer, or $2,800 (2,350) for a married couple filing their taxes jointly, plus $1,400 per dependent for a total of $5,600 (4,700) for a married couple with two children. The payments phase out for those with higher incomes. Mr Biden is also expected to recruit Gene Sperling, a longtime Democratic economic policy expert, to oversee the implementation of the massive stimulus package, according to officials not authorised to speak publicly about personnel matters. Mr Sperlings position was due to be announced imminently. An extension of federal unemployment benefits will continue until early September at $300 a week. Theres also $350bn for state, local and tribal governments, $130bn for schools and about $50bn to expand Covid-19 testing, among other measures. Read More Restaurants and bars forced to close or limit service will take advantage of a new multi-billion-dollar grant programme, and the plan also has tens of billions to help people who have fallen behind on rent and mortgage payments. The bill cleared Congress without any backing from Republicans, despite polling that found broad public support. Republicans argued the bill was too expensive. Democrats provided the votes and Mr Biden signed it into law last week. The Help is Here tour is taking Ms Harris on her first domestic trip as vice president. Shell be accompanied by her husband, the nations first second gentleman. Since taking office, Ms Harris has presided over swearing-in ceremonies for members of Mr Bidens Cabinet. She has stood with the president at his speeches, delivered remarks of her own, spoken by telephone with assorted world leaders and made appearances in the Washington. She has also cast three tie-breaking votes in the 50-50 Senate in her role as president of the Senate. The White House has detailed a theme for each day, scheduling a focus on small businesses, schools, warding off evictions, and direct cheques. Ms Biden was joined by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on a tour of Samuel Smith Elementary School in Burlington, where she was expected to talk about how the plan will help families and communities. The first lady has kept a robust schedule focused on education, military families and cancer research since stepping into her new role. Earlier this month, she and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona visited Connecticut and Pennsylvania public schools that reopened during the pandemic. Cabinet secretaries will also be out on the tour. Hundreds of mayors and governors, including Republicans, are being lined up to give interviews to discuss what the plan means for their communities. China has laid the blame back on Australia for the deteriorating relationship between the two countries, dismissing the concerns of the US Indo-Pacific chief ahead of the first meeting between the two superpowers in Alaska. Responding to comments by President Joe Bidens top aide in the region, Kurt Campbell, Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday said that it was not responsible for the breakdown in communication between the two countries after more than a year of trade strikes on $20 billion worth of exports. Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. Credit:AP The root cause of the current difficulties in bilateral relations is Australias wrong words and deeds on issues concerning Chinas sovereignty, security and development interests, which have undermined the foundation of mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. The Australian side knows the ins and outs better than anyone else. 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. Thank you to all who participated. I thank Propper for making this event possible give these guys an opportunity to further develop thier life-saving skill. Missouri-based Propper International recently hosted a full-day training event at the Indian Hill OhioPolice Department gun range on March 4th. Members from multiple area police departments attended the voluntary training. Throughout the day, officers received instruction from renowned tactical trainer Rick Hogg. Hogg is a 29-year US Army Special Operation Combat Veteran with 13 combat deployments between Iraq and Afghanistan. Since returning from overseas, Hogg provides comprehensive firearms training to military and law enforcement through his proven training methodology service company War HOGG Tactical, Inc. I've worked with many departments across the country, and have noticed officers are hungry for additional training and support, said Hogg. I thank Propper for making this event possible and giving these guys an opportunity to further develop life-saving skill sets. During the session, the focus was on increasing efficiency when drawing from a holster and changing magazines, both with dry fire and live-fire exercises. The afternoon session included intense physical calisthenics combined with live-fire shooting drills for the purpose of officers practicing newly learned skills while shooting under duress. The day was concluded by each officer being gifted gear and apparel by Propper to further aid them in the field. Propper is dedicated to equipping those who commit their lives to serve others. Whether its clothes, gear - or in this case - training, we want these guys to know we've got them covered, said Craig Madden, Senior VP of Marketing & eCommerce for Propper. About Propper Propper has made tactical gear with a purpose for over 50 years since their first U.S. Navy contract in 1967. Today, Propper designs and manufactures professional-level tactical apparel and gear for military, law enforcement and public safety professionals, and civilians, whether in the service, on the job, or off for the weekend. Highlights Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth has poked fun at Redmi in his latest tweet. He has said that Realme always comes prepared for huge rush during phone sales. Redmi Note 10 sale today saw a glitch turning away buyers from Amazon website. It was an unfortunate event for Xiaomi today when the Amazon India website crashed right when the brand-new Redmi Note 10 was about to go on sale for the first time. People, queued up in the virtual line, were furious over this mishap that was caused because "many many million Mi Fans" rushed to get themselves a unit. Although Xiaomi India's Manu Kumar Jain apologised for the incident and promised a fix, it was a welcome opportunity for Realme. Realme India boss Madhav Sheth took a potshot at Xiaomi saying "We [Realme] always come prepared." In a tweet, Sheth poked fun at Xiaomi's mismanagement of the Redmi Note 10 sale. He said, "#realme is well-equipped to meet #realmeFans' demands. High or low-priced, we have enough stock of all variants of the upcoming #realme8series." Sheth killed two birds with one stone here. He took a jibe at Xiaomi -- its biggest rival in India thanks to the aggressive nature they both share, and, at the same time, promoted the sales for the upcoming Realme 8 series, which is due for launch on March 24. Realme kicked off the Infinity Sale for Realme 8 series where customers get to pre-book the phone and avail benefits. The Redmi Note 10 sale turned out to be a disaster for Xiaomi before they could fix it. A glitch rendered the page meant for allowing customers to buy the phone unresponsive. Jain tweeted an apology for this incident a few moments later. "Today's sales of #RedmiNote10: we are seeing unprecedented traffic! Many many million Mi Fans came to buy the phone. Hence website / faced faced some issues. Please give us few mins. We're working to resolve it asap. Thank you for patience," he tweeted. It is not new in the tech world. This banter between rivals not only gives quirks to fans, it is kind of an indication of healthy competition. Although, sometimes, some brands cross the line and consequently face the irk of fans for doing that because the market is equal for everyone. Realme and Redmi (Xiaomi) have been at loggerheads since the former came into inception in 2018. The main funda of Realme's business is to undercut big brands mostly but, of late, it has included Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco. Realme 8 series launch Realme is gearing up to launch its first 108MP camera phone, the Realme 8 Pro globally on March 24. This phone will be the company's most ambitious camera phone. Apart from the Realme 8 Pro, there will be a Realme 8 smartphone that will make its debut at the upcoming event. President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, have declared support for the argument that the law permits the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to remain in office till 2023 or 2024. They contended that the President is allowed by law to extend the IGPs tenure as he wishes. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Adamu had canvassed the argument to counter a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the extension of his tenure by three months as from February 1. President Buhari and the AGFs position on the suit, adopting in full Mr Adamus earlier argument on the crucial issue of how long an IGP can remain in office, is contained in their joint reply filed Monday. PREMIUM TIMES obtained the joint reply of the President and the AGF shortly after the suit had another mention in court on Tuesday. The plaintiff, Maxwell Opara, an Abuja-based lawyer, had sued the President, Mr Adamu, the AGF, and the Nigeria Police Council (NPC) as the 1st to the 4th defendants in the suit which was instituted on February 3. It remains the NPC among the four defendants that has yet to reply the suit. As of Tuesday, Mr Adamu, has spent half of the three months extended tenure which was announced on February 4. Why Adamu can remain IGP till 2023 or 2024 Mr Adamu had, through his lead counsel, Alex Izinyon, a senior lawyer, argued essentially in his response filed on March 8, that his tenure never lapsed on February 1 as argued by the plaintiff. Arguing on the issue of whether Mr Adamu, who was appointed the IGP on January 15, 2019, is prevented from staying in office beyond February 1, 2021, Mr Izinyon contended that the tenure of the IGP is not governed by the general provisions applicable to the rest of the police force. The senior lawyer said by virtue of the relevant laws, the office of the IGP is quasi-political and is conferred with a special status and distinct from other officers of the Nigeria Police Force. He said the provision of section 18(8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 to the effect that Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier, is with due respect, inapplicable to the office of the Inspector General of Police in the circumstance. He said the IGP upon appointment is only accountable to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Council and this fact we submit makes his office a quasi-political office with a tenure of four (4) years pursuant to Section 7(6) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020. According to him, by the combined effect of Sections 215 and 216 of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Mr Adamu can validly function as the Inspector General of Police atter midnight of February 1, 2021 in so far as he was a serving member of the Nigeria Police Force during the period of his appointment. He said the four years tenure of his client stipulated under section 7(6) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, would end either in 2023 or 2024. Therefore, if the 2nd defendants tenure in office is calculated from January 15, 2019 when he was appointed into the office of the Inspector General of Police, his tenure lapse in 2023. However, if his tenure in office is calculated from 2020 when the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 came into force. his tenure in office ends in 2024, Mr Izinyon stated. Buhari, AGF adopt IGPs argument In their joint response to the suit, the President and Mr Malami said they totally adopted these points made by Mr Izinyon in his paragraphs 1.18 to 1.49 of his written address in opposition to Mr Oparas suit. ADVERTISEMENT Their joint response filed on their behalf by a lawyer in the AGFs office, Maimuna Shiru, stated that they would be relying on the argument by the IGPs lawyer in answering the question of Whether the President is empowered to extend the tenure of the Inspector General of Police. My Lord on the above issue, it is our position that we will be relying and aligning with the argument canvassed by the 2nd defendants (IGPs) counsel as their Issue Two in paragraphs 1.18 to 1.49 of their written address and we shall be adopting same as ours and urge this honourable court to uphold our argument and dismiss the plaintiffs case as same is frivolous, their written address read in part. In the affidavit filed in support of the suit, they stated that the Nigerian Constitution conferred the President with executive power to appoint serving police officer as the Inspector-General of Police in consultation with Police Council. They said neither the Nigeria Police Council or the Police Service Commission, both bodies with measures of regulatory controls over disciplinary, recruitment and appointments in the police force, have not disclosed any contrary fact that the 2nd defendant is not a serving police officer. Adamus remains serving police officer Arguing another issue in their written address, the President and the AGF argued also that the plaintiff has failed to discharge the legal burden of proof that the 2nd defendant is not a serving police officer for the purposes of extension of his tenure in office. The affidavit added, That question if the 2nd defendant is still a serving police officer is a question of fact. That it is a fact that the Nigeria Police Act 2020 is a subsidiary legislation passed by the National Assembly. That it is a fact that the appointment of an Inspector-General of Police is by the Constitution conferred on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In their concluding comment in their written address, they urged the court to dismiss this suit and uphold our argument in support of the view that the case of the plaintiff is frivolous, unmeritorious and undeserving of the time of this honourable courts attention. They also urged the court to award heavy cost cost against the plaintiff. Hearing, adjournment The suit had another mention before the judge, Ahmed Mohammed, on Tuesday. Although the plaintiff was physically present, his lawyer, Ezekiel Ugochukwu, presented his case on his behalf. The President and the AGF were represented by Ekene Elodimuo, while Mr Adamu was represented by Mr Izinyon. The NPC was not represented by any lawyer. The judge said the matter could not proceed to hearing because NPC had not been properly served. Mr Mohammed said the argument by the plaintiffs lawyer that the service of the NPC through the Presidents office as the head of the NPC could not be considered as a proper service. This is coupled with the fact that the plaintiff sought to file a further response to the President and AGFs joint reply to the suit. The judge then adjourned the case till March 30 for hearing. Suit Mr Adamu had attained the maximum 35 years in service on February 1, but President Buhari, through the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi, announced the three-month extension of Mr Adamus tenure on February 4. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Opara, an Abuja-based lawyer, who had expected Mr Adamu to vacate office on February 1, filed his suit on February 3 to challenge the tenure extension. Mr Opara contended in his suit that by virtue of section 215 of the Nigerian Constitution and section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Mr Adamu could not validly continue to function as the IGP having retired as a police officer as from midnight of February 1, 2021. He prayed for, among others, an order directing Mr Adamu to stop functioning as the IGP. He asked the court to hold that the failure of Mr Buhari and the NPC to name a new IGP on February 1, when Mr Adamu was said to have completed his tenure, amounted to abdication of duty. He also urged the court to compel President Buhari and the NPC to immediately appoint a new IGP. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Azman Airline has announced suspension of flight services to all destinations in Nigeria. The airline made this known in a terse sta... Azman Airline has announced suspension of flight services to all destinations in Nigeria. The airline made this known in a terse statement on its Twitter page. The management said that the suspension of the flight services was connected to the audit of its safety processes by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The statement read: Due to our strong stance on safety, @AzmanAir will be undergoing an audit of its safety processes by the regulators. In regards to this, all our operations are hereby suspended. Azman apologized and assured customers that services will be restored soon. We are on our toes to restore operations within a short period. Kindly accept our apologies, the statement added. SAN DIEGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- North Island Credit Union is inviting all San Diego teachers who have an innovative class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its bi-annual Teacher Grant program. The North Island Credit Union program is available to full-time teachers in San Diego and Riverside County or credit union members teaching in California who are looking to fund special classroom and/or virtual learning opportunities for their students. The project should have clearly defined learning objectives tied to students' academic needs, display creativity, and benefit a significant number of students. Ten North Island Credit Union grants of $500 each will be awarded to area teachers in May in the spring program. "As we look at where we can support our community, we can't think of a better place than helping teachers provide an exciting learning opportunity for their students, particularly with the challenges of virtual and hybrid learning," said North Island Credit Union President/CEO Steve O'Connell. "We hope this program will make it a little easier for educators to make a difference in the lives of our students, and encourage any teacher who has an innovative project idea to apply for one of our grants." Interested teachers can find more information and apply online at northisland.ccu.com/teachergrant. The application deadline is April 23, 2021. Since the creation of the program in 2012, the credit union has awarded $125,000 in teacher grants to benefit students across Southern California. Schools benefiting from last year's program used the funds towards a peer buddy program for autistic students, technologies and tools for virtual learning, at-home art kits for at-risk youth, a geo-political simulation program, PPP equipment for nursing students, and book purchases for school libraries, among many others. About North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 165,000 members and assets of nearly $4 billion, California Credit Union has 25 branches throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. The credit union operates in San Diego County as North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union. California Credit Union offers a full suite of consumer, business and investment products and services, including comprehensive consumer checking and loan options, personalized financial planning, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile banking. Please visit northisland.ccu.com for more information or follow the credit union on Instagram or Facebook @northislandcu. SOURCE North Island Credit Union Also unknown until now was that Cormann quietly returned to Europe this time via a commercial airline in January and February to lobby each of the OECDs 37 Paris-based ambassadors. One figure involved in the campaign said Cormanns face-to-face meetings in 18 countries were crucial to his ultimate victory. The encounters also allowed him to gather the most valuable currency in diplomacy: mobile phone numbers. A key sign Australia was really in the running came on February 3, when Liberal WhatsApp groups started pinging with a link to an opinion piece Cormann had published on LinkedIn in which the conservative enthusiastically embraced the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Loading To say the post was met with scepticism from some of Cormanns former colleagues in Canberra would be an understatement but the pledge helped largely neutralise concern that he would not take climate change seriously as secretary-general. In private meetings, Cormann stressed he had never denied climate science, highlighted Australias takeup of renewable energy and argued he was actually better placed to help build consensus on the topic than his more hawkish final OECD rival Cecilia Malmstrom of Sweden. He also entered meetings equipped with a colour-coded spreadsheet noting the many countries which arent on track to meet their own emissions reductions targets. At that point it was clear Cormann would probably face Malmstrom in the final leg of the race, but the Continents dominance in the OECDs membership still loomed as a barrier to his ambitions. Cormann was uniquely qualified to clear the hurdle. His 25 years spent in Europe before moving to Australia in 1996, proficiency in English, German, French and Dutch, and network of contacts developed from his seven years as a globe-trotting finance minister gave him a foot in the door no other Australian candidate could match. A list of who backed Australia can only be drawn up via informed speculation because the final ballot was confidential. In another complication, the selection process operates on a consensus basis where all members ultimately endorse the winner. No country is keen to undermine that principle by confirming where they directed their vote. The consensus approach meant Cormann had to play three games: consolidate the OECDs non-European membership, peel off votes from Europe and also reassure the most hesitant members that they could do business with him in Paris, observers said. Mathias Cormann in Santiago with Chiles Foreign Minister Andres Allamand, left. Credit: Rallying the OECDs non-European membership meant Cormann entered the final round with the backing of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Chile, Colombia, Israel, United States and probably Canada. Locking them up was never guaranteed many were under pressure to let the post return to a European for the first time in 25 years. With those nine votes in the bag, Cormann needed at least another 10 from Europe. Australias lobbying blitz is thought to have peeled away Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. It may have also won over France, Latvia, Lithuania and even Austria. The United Kingdoms vote had already been safely locked up by high commissioner George Brandis last year. Morrison made 55 phone calls to 30 world leaders to help get the votes, and also exploited his regular virtual meetings with the so-called First Movers coronavirus group. Morrison would home in on Cormanns work ethic and performance as the governments leader in the Senate a job which required negotiation to get bills passed. These skills would be perfect for the OECDs consensus-style of operation, Morrison told them. Scott Morrison sits in the Senate to watch Mathias Cormann deliver his valedictory speech in October. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One person familiar with Morrisons calls said the Prime Minister made several important interventions with some leaders in the final fortnight of the contest. Morrison and Cormann have not said what if any trade-offs Australia pledged to secure support. When some leaders told Morrison they could not support Cormann, the DFAT taskforce went back to the drawing board to work out what could be done to win that country over a tactic which was successful a couple of times. Josh Frydenberg also spruiked the bid in calls with Bidens new Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, British Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Marise Payne raised Cormanns candidacy during 50 conversations with her counterparts. No diplomatic lever was left untouched. The political blitz was complemented by Australian ambassadors and high commissioners based in OECD member countries, and lobbying of ambassadors based in Canberra. Mathias Cormann at dinner in Bogota with the Colombian Vice-President Marta Lucia Ramirez. Credit: Wherever Cormann went he carried a bundle of testimonials, including a letter from Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Albanese wrote that Cormann had earned the respect not only of those who share his political views but also those who dont. Mathias is a skilled negotiator with the ability to effectively engage across the political spectrum, the Labor leader said. On the prospect of a Cormann win, Albanese wrote: Australians would regard this as an achievement not just for Mathias but a proud recognition of our nation. Albanese and Labors foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong resisted pressure from some MPs to withdraw the oppositions support after The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported in November that the government gave Cormann the RAAF jet to conduct his lobbying blitz through coronavirus-ravaged Europe. There were also testimonials from former Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes, who described Cormann as a person of the utmost integrity, former Shoppies union boss Joe de Bruyn, Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive James Pearson. Cormann regularly sought counsel from Ben Morton, the West Australian federal MP who is a friend and influential Morrison confidant. Another crucial figure was Alexander Robson, Australias ambassador to the OECD. Robson pushed Australias case among fellow ambassadors in Paris and would regularly relay the information to DFAT and Cormann. It was lost on nobody that Robson was once the senior economics adviser to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has loathed Cormann since the 2018 leadership implosion in Canberra. But Alexander was completely brilliant and a total professional, one official said. Cormann stayed with Robson in Paris during his trip in January and February. Turnbull and Cormann enjoyed an extremely close working relationship between 2015 and 2018 but Turnbull later concluded that his finance minister had long been aware of Home Affairs Minister Peter Duttons intention to challenge for the Liberal leadership. In a text sent to Turnbull after his demise, Cormann denied he had been part of any conspiracy. Turnbull replied: Mathias, at a time when strength and loyalty were called for, you were weak and treacherous. Cabinet ministers Mitch Fifield, Mathias Cormann and Michaelia Cash announce they could no longer support Malcolm Turnbulls leadership. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Cormann and his campaign team were therefore not surprised to learn earlier this year that Turnbull had launched an attempt to kneecap his former allys OECD bid. Sources claimed Turnbull contacted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Kurt Campbell, a former Biden-era official who Biden tapped to be his Asia tsar. Accounts of these conversations made it back to Canberra and angered even some of Turnbulls own allies who felt it undermined the Team Australia spirit of the bid. It was only under Lal Krishna Advani, and then especially under Narendra Modi, that the BJP became the mass-based electoral force it has become, from the cadre-based party that was the Jan Sangh. (Photo: PTI) In 2019, the BJP won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. It is hard to see why it will not win the Assembly elections now because it has so much more resources than the rest (more than 90 per cent of electoral bond money, which is the anonymous but legal funding by corporates to political parties, according to RTI reports) and also the power of the Central administration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised he will bring real change to West Bengal. Perhaps he will. The interesting thing to me is that his party has never defined what this change is. Formed in 1951, the Jan Sangh/BJP manifestos move effortlessly back and forth from grand and formless expression like national rejuvenation yagna directly to things like running more trains with third-class compartments as opposed to air-conditioned ones, pushing the benefits of cow manure and asking linguists to introduce technical and scientific terms based on Sanskrit to replace English. The partys ideologue, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, did not want the states to exist. In his Integral Humanism lectures, he had said: According to the first para of the Constitution: India that is Bharat will be a federation of states, that is Bihar Mata, Banga Mata, Punjab Mata, Kannada Mata, Tamil Mata, all put together make Bharat Mata. This is ridiculous. He did not tell us that if we removed the states, what mechanism of administration would come between the Union government and the village. In the first manifesto, the party identified black-marketing, profiteering and nepotism as the countrys key problems. Over time, the Jan Sangh dropped all references to these problems without saying whether they had been solved or had become less relevant to the party. On agriculture, the party was for encouragement of the use of mechanical appliances in agriculture. However, later it said that tractors will be used only to break virgin soil. Their use for normal ploughing purposes will be discouraged. (1954). This was because it was trying to protect oxen from slaughter. In 1971, the Jan Sangh resolved to limit the maximum income of all citizens to Rs 2,000 per month and the minimum to Rs 100, maintaining a 20:1 ratio. It would continue working on reducing this gap till it reached 10:1, which was the ideal gap and all Indians could only have incomes inside this range based on their position. Additional income earned by individuals over this limit would be taken by the government. Residential houses in cities would be on plots that did not exceed 1,000 square yards. In 1954, the party said that it would repeal the Constitutions first amendment that curbed freedom of speech by imposing reasonable restrictions. However, after 1954, this demand disappeared from the manifestos. Interestingly, the Jan Sangh also said that it would repeal preventive detention laws which it said were absolutely in contradiction to individual liberty. This promise was made repeatedly in the 1950s. In time, both the Jan Sangh and the BJP became the most enthusiastic champions of preventive detention and laws like UAPA. Even though the idols were smuggled into the mosque in December 1949, there was no reference to Ayodhya or a Ram temple there in any manifesto from 1951 to 1980. In defence policy, it wanted compulsory military training for all boys and girls, removal of licences for possessing muzzle-loading guns (an eighteenth-century weapon) and expansion of the National Cadet Corps. Like Atma Nirbhar Bharat, the Jan Sanghs swadeshi meant giving subsidies to local industries and tariff protection. Import of consumer goods and luxury goods would be discouraged. Labour rights, including strikes and lockouts, would be discouraged. Culturally, the party was against alcohol consumption and called for nationwide prohibition. It wanted English to be abolished and replaced in all spheres by local languages, and especially Hindi. There is no comment whether positive or negative on the Constitution, which was adopted months before the first Jan Sangh manifesto, or even about the ideals it represents. Dr B.R. Ambedkar had proposed modest changes to Hindu personal law, especially on the question of inheritance for women. He identified two dominant forms of traditional inheritance law and modified one of them to make inheritance fairer for women. In its 1951 manifesto, the Jan Sangh opposed this reform. While it signals anti-Muslim intent, the Jan Sangh did not have the transparency of the BJP and its open dislike of Muslims. The Jan Sangh was unable to express its majoritarianism as clearly and in as full-throated a fashion as the BJP was later able to. This was because it lacked a specific programme on the back of which to mobilise anti-Muslim sentiment, such as the campaign against the Babri Masjid. It was not important as an issue all this time. The lack of a mass-mobilisation issue nationally meant that the Jan Sangh remained a minor political player, getting only a few seats in each election. In the last election it contested under its own name, in 1971, the Jan Sangh won 22 seats and seven per cent of the vote, making it only the fourth largest party in Parliament. It was only under Lal Krishna Advani, and then especially under Narendra Modi, that the BJP became the mass-based electoral force it has become, from the cadre-based party that was the Jan Sangh. It is remarkable that this should have been achieved in the absence of a coherent, consistent ideology and even a definition of what parivartan it stood for and would bring. Prosecutors are seeking to revoke the probation of a 22-year-old man who was acquitted in the 2016 shooting death of Hoover veteran Mike Gilotti. A Jefferson County jury in 2018 found Ahmad Jaquan Johnson not guilty in Gilottis slaying. Johnson did plead guilty to a reduced charge of reckless endangerment stemming from an incident that happened in the days before Gilottis shooting death on Jan. 5, 2016. A Fultondale man said he was shot at on Jan. 4, 2016 by teenagers he saw trying to break into his car. Johnson was sentenced to 12 months in prison for that case but was granted time served. In August 2020, Johnson pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery in Shelby County. In that case, Johnson robbed a man of cash, a cell phone and two key fobs. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison with five years to serve for the Shelby County case but received credit for the 1,663 days hed already spent in jail. The Shelby County robbery happened Jan. 1, 2016. Police and prosecutors said the Shelby County robbery was part of a days-long crime spree by a Bessemer street gang named M-Tre. Gilotti was shot to death about 4:55 a.m. that January day just outside his home in the 5500 block of Park Side Circle in Hoovers Lake Cyrus subdivision. He was heading to the gym for a morning workout when police say he encountered one or more suspects breaking into his car. According to the affidavit used to secure the murder warrant against Wells, his wife, Heather Gilotti, heard two gunshots and then heard a vehicle with a large engine pulling away from the scene. Gilotti collapsed on his doorstep. He was later pronounced dead on the scene. Authorities said the crimes started in St. Clair County in late December 2015, and stretched across Pelham, McCalla, Fultondale, Bessemer, Tuscaloosa, and finally, Lake Cyrus. Both Johnson and Charleston Wells were acquitted in Gilottis slaying. Prosecutors dismissed the murder charges against two others DeRon Lucas and Darrian Bryant following the acquittals of Johnson and Wells. They were all involved in the murder and Im not going to hold one responsible when juries failed to hold the other two responsible,' Bessemer Cutoff Assistant District Attorney Lane Tolbert told AL.com shortly after Bryants murder charge was dismissed. Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Daniel McBrayer has filed a request to have Johnson probation on the robbery revoked after Johnsons recent arrested by Jefferson County sheriffs deputies on charges of persons forbidden to possess a firearm, unlawful drug possession with intent to distribute, receiving stolen property and tampering with physical evidence. The arrest happened Feb. 27 on Interstate 59/20 in western Jefferson County. According to court records in that case, authorities found a stolen pistol and marijuana under the seat where Johnson was sitting. After transport to jail, a substance believed to be crystal meth was found hidden under the seat in the patrol vehicle. The suspect was believed to have hidden the substance in the patrol unit in an attempt to avoid detection and additional charges,' records state. Circuit Judge Bill Bostick has issued a warrant for Johnsons arrest and ordered he be held without bond until a hearing on the matter. Should Johnsons probation be revoked, he will be required to serve the remainder of his sentence 15 years in prison. 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. [March 16, 2021] Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Reports Topline Data for Bintrafusp Alfa as Second-Line Monotherapy Treatment in Biliary Tract Cancer Not intended for UK-based media DARMSTADT, Germany, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced topline data from the Phase II INTR@PID BTC 047 study evaluating bintrafusp alfa as a monotherapy in the second-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC) who have failed or are intolerant of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. In the study of 159 patients, bintrafusp alfa demonstrated single-agent efficacy and durability with a manageable safety profile after more than nine months of follow-up, with an Independent Review Committee (IRC)-adjudicated objective response rate (ORR) of 10.1% (95% CI: 5.9% to 15.8%) per RECIST 1.1. Though single-agent activity was observed, the study did not meet the pre-defined threshold that would have enabled regulatory filing for BTC in the second line setting. The results will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting or publication. "Given the high unmet treatment need in BTC, where single agent immunotherapy in PD-L1 all comers has shown an ORR of 5.8%, we are encouraged by the single agent clinical activity of bintrafusp alfa in this study as a second-line treatment," said Milind Javle, MD, professor of GI medical oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and an investigator for the INTR@PID BTC 047 study. "The bintrafusp alfa 047 study is one of the most important clinical investigations conducted for chemo-refractory biliary cancers, and I would like to thank the patients, families, and study team for their valuable participation." "This study demonstrates single-agent activity with bintrafusp alfa in locally advanced or metastatic BTC, a disease that has been historically difficult to treat," said Danny Bar-Zohar, M.D., Global Head of Development for the Healthcare business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. "The data will contribute to our understanding of addressing both TGF- and PD-L1 inhibition in the tumor microenvironment." A Phase II/III study of bintrafusp alfa in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for BTC (INTR@PID BTC 055), which is assessing a different hypothesis than the second-line monotherapy study, has completed enrollment in the Phase II portion and is currently ongoing. *Bintrafusp alfa is currently under clinical investigation and not approved for any use anywhere in the world. About Biliary Tract Cancer (BTC) BTCs are a group of rare, aggressive gastrointestinal cancers associated with poor outcomes and limited treatment options. There is currently no globally accepted standard of car in the second-line setting and chemotherapy as well as immunotherapies have demonstrated low response rates in BTC. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a hallmark of tumor progression and drug resistance, plays an important role in BTC, and has been shown to be triggered by TGF- signaling. About Bintrafusp Alfa Bintrafusp alfa (M7824), discovered in-house at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and currently in clinical development through a strategic alliance with GSK, is a potential first-in-class investigational bifunctional fusion protein designed to simultaneously block two immunosuppressive pathways, TGF- and PD-L1, within the tumor microenvironment. This bifunctional approach is thought to control tumor growth by potentially restoring and enhancing anti-tumor responses. In preclinical studies, bintrafusp alfa has demonstrated antitumor activity both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy. Based on its mechanism of action, bintrafusp alfa offers a potential targeted approach to addressing the underlying pathophysiology of difficult-to-treat cancers. About the INTR@PID Clinical Trial Program INTR@PID is a global clinical trial program investigating the potential co-localized, dual inhibition of TGF- and PD-L1 with bintrafusp alfa (M7824) in multiple tumor types. Current clinical trial information can be found on the INTR@PID website at www.intrapidclinicaltrials.com. To date, globally more than 1,300 patients with various types of solid tumors have received bintrafusp alfa in the INTR@PID clinical development program. The INTR@PID clinical development strategy is comprehensive and is pursuing non-redundant hypotheses grounded in preclinical and early clinical data findings that continue to be explored and may yield clinically meaningful insights to patients in need, including exploring settings where simultaneous, synchronized targeting of TGF- and PD-L1 may offer the key to expanding the potential of immunotherapy; focusing on opportunities where PD-1/PD-L1 has suboptimal clinical activities and pathogenesis linked to TGF- biology; and targeting specific tumors with biomarkers with a strong link to TGF- signaling pathway. All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group Website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register for your online subscription of this service as our geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service. About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of 17.5 billion in 66 countries. The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Media Relations gangolf.schrimpf@emdgroup.com Phone: +49 6151 72-9591 Investor Relations investor.relations@emdgroup.com Phone: +49 6151 72-3321 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/merck-kgaa-darmstadt-germany-reports-topline-data-for-bintrafusp-alfa-as-second-line-monotherapy-treatment-in-biliary-tract-cancer-301247680.html SOURCE Merck KGaA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 16, 2021] NETINT Announces the World's First Commercially Available Hardware AV1 Video Encoder for the Data Center Leveraging next-generation NETINT ASIC technology, new video transcoders will enable up to 100 live 4Kp60 AV1 streams on a standard x86 or Arm-based server. VANCOUVER, BC, March 16, 2021 /CNW/ - The move to advanced video codecs like AV1 has created a software squeeze as codec complexity is increasing faster than the performance optimization of software encoders. NETINT Technologies announced today that it achieved a first for the video streaming industry by unveiling a family of ASIC-based AV1 video transcoders packaged in a 2.5" U.2 NVMe and PCIe Add-In-Card (AIC) form factor. This unique solution is designed so that video operators can easily upgrade their x86 or Arm-based data center servers for hardware-based video encoding. All new Codensity ASIC-powered video transcoders offer an upgrade path to AV1 hardware encoding using x8 and Arm servers with speed up to 7,680 FPS at 4K broadcast quality. The efficiency of an ASIC combined with the codec advantages of AV1 means applications and services that require real-time ultra-low latency performance can make a step function improvement in the user experience that they deliver. "As a royalty-free codec that is more efficient than other standards-based codecs, the potential for AV1 to bring a tangible benefit to streaming apps and services is very real," commented Matt Frost, Director, Product Management at Google. "Even still, compression efficiency comes at a cost of computing. I am delighted that the AV1 ecosystem will soon benefit from having an ASIC-based hardware encoding solution available for the data center." "The Codensity ASIC is the video and neural processing and encoding engine that powers all NETINT video transcoding solutions," stated Alex Liu, Co-Founder and COO of NETINT. "Our groundbreaking ASIC technology offers a 10X density improvement over software encoders and a 20X reduction in energy consumption as compared to CPU-based workflows. With AV1, we are thrilled to enable the industry so that they can realize the benefits of this incredible codec." QUADRA AV1 VIDEO TRANSCODERS NETINT is on a mission to switch the world from software to hardware-based video encoding using ASICs. The all-new Codensity G5 ASIC combines superior AV1, AVIF, HEVC, and H.264 real-time encoding with support for 8K HDR including Dolby Vision, and hardware acceleration for video intelligence, data mining, and ML/AI applications and services. The second-generation NETINT video transcoders, Quadra T1, Quadra T2, and Quadra T4 can be easily installed in virtually any x86 or Arm-based server. This provides an easy upgrade path for any video service or platform that is wanting to move from software to supercharged hardware-based encoding without needing to replace their transcoding and media processing workflows. Quadra T1 ships in the ubiquitous U.2 NVMe form factor and includes a single Codensity G5 ASIC that is able to encode four (4) live 4Kp60 10-bit AV1 streams in broadcast quality. Quadra T2 includes two (2) Codensity G5 ASICs and is packaged in an HHHL AIC form factor. The T2 is capable of encoding eight (8) live 4Kp60 10-bit AV1 streams at broadcast quality. Quadra T4 comes packaged as an FH 3/4L AIC and features four (4) Codensity G5 ASICs. The T4 encodes sixteen (16) live 4Kp60 10-bit AV1 streams with broadcast quality. AVAILABILITY Sampling of the new Quadra T1, T2, and T4 AV1 video transcoders is anticipated in the second quarter (Q2) of 2021. Interested video service operators and platforms are encouraged to contact NETINT at sales@netint.ca for more information and to reserve an evaluation unit. ABOUT NETINT NETINT Technologies is an innovator of ASIC-based video processing solutions for low-latency video transcoding that operates on x86 and ARM-based servers. Users of NETINT solutions realize a 10X increase in encoding density and a 20X reduction in carbon emissions compared to CPU-based software encoding solutions. NETINT makes it seamless to move from software to hardware-based video encoding so that hyper-scale services and platforms can unlock the full potential in their computing infrastructure. NETINT is a VC-backed company made up of silicon innovators passionate about building high impact solutions that leave an indelible mark on the world. NETINT R&D and business offices are in Vancouver, Toronto, and Shanghai. Visit netint.ca to learn more. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netint-announces-the-worlds-first-commercially-available-hardware-av1-video-encoder-for-the-data-center-301247855.html SOURCE NETINT Technologies Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] authorities declared martial law in parts of Yangon after several Chinese-owned garment factories were torched on Sunday over Beijing being supportive of the military for the thereby threatening the country's fragile economy. At least 38 people were killed on Sunday as security forces in opened fire on anti- protesters in their continued attempts to crush demonstrations calling for the reinstatement of the elected government. The Chinese Embassy in Yangon condemned the attacks as 'extremely vile' and urged authorities to cease the violence, punish perpetrators and protect Chinese businesses and people in the country. According to the Embassy, several Chinese-backed factories were smashed up and set ablaze, while many Chinese nationals were injured. "We urge the Myanmar people to express their demands in a lawful manner, and avoid being incited and exploited into damaging friendly cooperation between China and Myanmar," the Embassy said, adding that Chinese investment in the textile and garment sector has created nearly 400,000 jobs in Myanmar. Many opponents of the have slammed China for its refusal to condemn the takeover or violence against protesters in Myanmar, viewing Beijing as supportive of the military, reported WSJ. China's response to the hostile takeover has stood in contrast to that of other democratic countries, describing it as an 'internal matter' of Myanmar. Beijing's foreign ministry said that any action by the community should 'avoid aggravating conflicts and further complicating the situation'. Some people in Myanmar have also questioned China's relationship with the junta and its silence over human rights abuses. Social media users have shared lists of companies said to be Chinese-owned calling for boycotts. One widely shared image shows the words "China get out from Burma" over the Chinese flag, according to WSJ. In several interviews, residents of the affected Yangon suburbs have said that they are increasingly frustrated with Beijing. Mon Sandar Myint, chairperson of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar, said many of the garment workers her group represents have been threatened by Chinese employers over their participation in protests and civil disobedience. She further said that the Chinese Embassy's statement belied Beijing's antagonism towards the demonstrators, and did not show any sympathy for the Myanmar nationals who were killed. "They don't care about the people of Myanmar, they only care about their own interests in the country," Moe Sandar Myint said. Around 40 per cent of the country's clothing factories have Chinese owners, WSJ reported citing Myanmar's national garment association. Large numbers of protesters have taken to the streets of Myanmar since the military seized power in the February 1 coup, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, despite the increasingly deadly posture taken by security forces to quell the wave of protests. China and Russia continue to defend Myanmar's military, insisting that the armed forces' seizure of power from the democratically-elected government in Myanmar's internal affair, the Irrawaddy reported earlier. (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.) Close Two world superpowers are collaborating on a lunar space station. Unfortunately, the United States is out of the list. The heads of Russia's and China's space agencies - Roscosmos and CNSA, respectively - signed an agreement on March 9 to partner on the International Scientific Lunar Station (ISLS). Humans could one day live and work at this moon-based space station. Space Station on the Moon In a statement released by the CNSA, China and Russia intend to lead the production, building, and operation of the lunar space station. Still, they are open to collaborating with other countries on the mission. The ISLS has few details, but what we do know so far is that it may be located on the moon's surface or in its orbit. If it's on the moon's surface, it'll be at the south pole. Several testing facilities will be available at the ISLS. Experts designed these to allow various experiments, from fundamental research to lunar exploration and use. The lunar space station would be planned to function independently at first. However, Roscosmos believes it has the power to sustain a human presence on the moon in the future. Space News said China revealed its tentative plans for the ISLS in August, announcing that development will begin this decade and last into the next. Short-duration crewed missions could start in the early 2030s, with longer-duration tasks beginning as early as 2036. It's unclear if that's still the intention now that Russia has agreed to participate in the program. ALSO READ: Space Race: China to Launch New Space Station; Trains Astronauts for Crewed Flights China's Space Partner Russia is no stranger to space partnerships; it partnered on the International Space Station with four other space agencies, including NASA. China, on the other hand, is a beginner to space travel. It took until 2003 to launch a human into orbit, decades after other organizations had accomplished the feat. The lunar space station will be able to maintain a human presence on the moon in the future. It's been making up for lost time lately, too, sending a spaceship to Mars and returning rocks from the moon's surface in the last year. In 2019, China became the first nation to arrive on the moon's far side. Today, it's working on a lunar space station with one of the world's most seasoned space agencies, which could lead to some of tomorrow's most important technological breakthroughs. "This will be the largest international space cooperation project for China, so it's significant," Chen Lan, an independent analyst who specializes in China's space program, told the Guardian. China Wants Astronauts to Stay on Moon; For How Long? Dr. Wu Weiren, who is the chief designer of China's lunar exploration programme, said that Chinese astronauts would stay on the moon for a longer time if China builds a lunar space station. "This will be a long-term stay on the moon, not a short-term stop," Dr. Wu said in a Reuters report. Before human-crewed landings, China has planned several uncrewed missions, including establishing a robotic base to explore the Moon's south polar area. While Chinese rockets may not have enough thrust to take astronauts to the Moon at this time, Dr. Wu said China expects to make breakthroughs in rocket design between 2021 and 2025. RELATED ARTICLE: NASA Plans Including Woman in New Race to the Moon, Elon Musk's Space X Collabs With Artemis Mission Check out more news and information on Space on Science Times. On a December morning, Farida Mekedulu received a phone call from her daughters friend. What she heard was every parents fear. Her 17-year-old daughter was dead. I was like what are you talking about? I said no, I talked to Nisha that evening, Farida said. Confusion set in as the family tried to find answers. But there were already messages on Facebook about Nisha Mekedulus death. A mentor from Straight Up Ministries in Worcester also showed up at the familys Worcester home to tell them the horrible news. Then, hours after first hearing what had happened, Worcester police told the Mekedulu family that Nisha had died. Farida had talked to Nisha the day before her death. Her daughter was supposed to come home the following day. Nishas death is under investigation by Worcester police detectives, according to search warrant affidavits obtained by MassLive. A Worcester police spokesman said the case remains open and investigators are still waiting for the final autopsy report from the state medical examiners office. There are questions about where Nisha was the night before her death and rumors about what happened to her in the hours before she was first found unresponsive in a Rodney Street apartment in Worcester. We need answers to what happened, Nishas father, Moses Mekedulu said in an interview with MassLive. For me, I felt like it was still confusion for me. I didnt understand how, Farida said. Nisha Mekedulu was found dead inside a Worcester apartment in December 2020. They left my daughter to die in the house. On Dec. 22, Worcester police were called to an apartment at 27 Rodney St. after Nisha was unresponsive. Two men met police and paramedics who arrived and told them Nisha was on the third floor. There they found her, in an open rear doorway that leads from the kitchen area of the apartment to the outside, according to search warrant affidavits filed by police in Worcester District Court. She was pronounced dead at the scene. One of the two men who found Nisha was Joseph Tolson, who lived in the apartment, records show. The other was a man who was also friends with Nisha. According to Tolson, he had spoken to Nisha throughout the night before her death. He says she was in the Brockton area on the night of Dec. 21, something that is still under investigation by authorities. Nisha then arrived at his apartment that night. The two smoked marijuana, according to Tolson. Tolson told police he fell asleep and on the morning of Dec. 22, he found Nisha unresponsive but breathing. He called the other friend and told him. They decided to leave her alone while they left to run some errands, police wrote in the search warrant affidavit. When they returned, Nisha was no longer breathing. Tolson administered Narcan to her and then they called 911 before moving her body from the bedroom to the rear hallway. They left my daughter to die in the house, Farida said. For me, I need justice. Moses noted the Rodney Street apartment is just blocks away from the UMass Memorial Medical Center Memorial Campus. Why didnt they try to help her? Why didnt they call an ambulance or call the hospital? Moses asked. They left her there struggling. So many questions Nisha, who has three brothers and a sister, shouldnt have been left there to die, the family said. Friends of Nisha have told the family several different stories about where she may have been the night before her death and what may have happened. Many of those accounts are unconfirmed, according to police records. Police note in the search warrant affidavit that four orange-colored pills containing a white powdery substance were found in the kitchen area of the apartment. Two of the pills, according to police, were found in an open black and gold purse on a shelf and two more were recovered underneath it. The medical examiners office conducted an initial urine screen after Nishas death and checked for cocaine, fentanyl and opiates. The exam did not reveal the presence of those drugs. Nishas death certificate does not list a cause of death and full autopsy results are pending. The family said detectives told them Nisha may have died from drugs. The other man who found Nishas body in the apartment told the family the same thing. All of that information still has just left the family with questions and the hope that people who know the events leading up to Nishas death provide answers. 27 Rodney St. in Worcester as pictured on March 12, 2021. She had so much potential. We didnt have to lose her this way. Born in Uganda, Nisha came to Worcester with her family when she was 2 years old. She went to school in the city and at one point her family paid to get her into modeling, but the endeavor became too expensive to keep up. By 15, Nisha ended up on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Childrens website. Her family said she would leave home from time to time but always ended up coming back. A student at Burncoat High School, Nisha got into trouble around that time and ended up in the custody of the state Department of Youth Services. It was there, at the facility in Westborough, where she first met Olivia Ojeda from Straight Ahead Ministries, a faith-based organization that helps support youth. You knew that she didnt belong there, Ojeda said. Some, you are like how the hell did you end up here? Ojeda spent the last two years working with Nisha as a mentor. We worked on healing, opening up on what she experienced in life, Ojeda said. I want someone to come forward and say what happened. I want to ask why? It just doesnt make sense. She had so much potential. We didnt have to lose her this way. The mentor had Nisha involved in the Breaking Bread community service program, which offers high-risk youth opportunities to serve the community by providing fresh meals, clothing and other items to families in need in Worcester. Ojeda said Nisha came from a close family and wanted to get back into school. The teen was moved into one of the citys alternative schools after she was placed in DYS custody then back with her family. There were times when Nisha would be gone from her familys home for days, but her family kept in contact with her, along with Ojeda. The family tried to give her space, but also reminded her of what happened in the past and the need to stay on the right path. When she wasnt home, it was like something was missing, Farida said. Her brother, Ali, told MassLive that Nisha had a big personality and when she was home, Nisha lit up the room. She could kill a Mariah Carey song, but also a Cardi B, Ojeda said about Nishas singing talent. This girl was so articulate. She knew how to talk to you with compassion, respect and dignity. She was just amazing. She was so full of life. She was so caring. She put everybody before herself. Nisha Mekedulu was found dead inside a Worcester apartment in December 2020. Here she is pictured with her mother and father when she graduated from middle school. A separate investigation Nisha was hoping music would be a future for her, family and friends said. Being a teenager, her family knew there is a tendency to rebel, to want to be with friends, but Nisha would always come back home and stay in contact. Farida hoped the DYS involvement would help, but she said it didnt. Nisha had been at Tolsons home several times to work on her music, Ali said. Tolson had a studio in there. On the night of Dec. 22, police were sent back to 27 Rodney St. Apt. 3 for a report of a man pointing a gun at other people who lived there, court records show. The man was Tolson, police investigators said. Tolson, 22, pointed a black handgun at two roommates, and he was arrested on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, records show. Tolson agreed to speak with police detectives the following day. He told detectives a couple of rumors that have still not been verified by police. Tolson also discussed his studio and denied owning a gun. Tolson stated that he does not own any firearms, only Airsoft and paintball guns, but that a lot of the people that come to his apartment to record music are gang members that carry guns, police said in search warrant affidavits. Tolson, according to police, told the detectives he had an argument with his roommates the night of Dec. 22 about Nishas death. A few days later, police received a phone call from a resident who said they wanted to turn in a gun. A friend had picked up Tolsons belongings from the Rodney Street apartment for him. The friend discovered a gun in a pair of Tolsons shoes, police said. Officers recovered the revolver and noted it appeared to be the same one Tolson pointed at his roommates. Police were also able to retrieve Tolsons cellphone and filed a search warrant affidavit to download the contents. As of March 15, Tolson still remains in the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction. Tolson was already under investigation before his arrest, according to other search warrants filed in Worcester District Court. Police detectives in Worcester had received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in October. Six files containing suspected child sex abuse images had been shared via Facebook messenger in August and the social media company flagged the activity. Three of the images depicted child sex abuse, Worcester detectives said. Facebook flagged the account user as a Joseph Tolson, and it had a similar birthdate to Tolson. The birth year listed on the account was one year off. The Facebook profile picture also matched Tolson, detectives said in search warrant affidavits. Authorities have since seized jewelry and computer equipment owned by Tolson. Detectives filed affidavits to look for evidence in the child sex abuse images case inside the cellphone and the other computer equipment. Investigators are also looking for any communications between Nisha and Tolson. Court records and the death certificate involving the investigation into Nisha Mekedulu's death. The Mekedulu family was unaware of Tolsons arrest and the ongoing investigation when contacted by MassLive. The family believes some of the information told by Tolson to detectives is just a smokescreen, rumors to distract what may have happened to Nisha. For Ali, her brother, Nishas death still isnt real. He still thinks he will see her again, hear her voice. I hope she walks through that door, Ali said. The family hopes people come forward with answers. Anyone with information can send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD + your message or send an anonymous web-based message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at 508-799-8651. ___________ Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364. On Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused President Joe Biden and his administration of fomenting a crisis along the US-Mexico border. Bidens abandonment of harsh Trump-era policies had created chaos, McCarthy said to news camera while joined by a number of his Republican colleagues. Biden had recently gotten rid of policies such as the one which required immigration officials to prevent unaccompanied children from seeking asylum and the one which allowed immigration officials to arrest and deport undocumented people who attempted to claim underage relatives in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement. In McCarthys telling of events, US Border Patrol agents are catching people from such far-flung nations as Iran, Yemen, and Sri Lanka who are attempting to illegally enter the country. Another House Republican Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko went even further, claiming that a number of those caught by Customs and Border Protection officers are on the Department of Homeland Securitys terror watch list. But while Republicans and right-wing media outlets are making noise about a Biden border crisis in hopes of inflaming the anti-immigrant base that helped Trump win the White House in 2016, insiders whove worked at DHS, Border Patrol, and other executive branch agencies have a different view. These insiders say that many of the allegations being made by House Republicans and some of the problems arising at the border such as the large number of minors remaining in CBP custody longer than court-ordered and statutory limits have all the hallmarks of a coordinated push by Border Patrol officers, including the leadership of the Border Patrols pro-Trump labor union, to undermine the current administration. This is a planned, coordinated attempt to sabotage the Biden administration, said Jenn Budd, a former Border Patrol agent-turned-immigrant rights activist who works with the Southern Border Communities Coalition. Budd added that the fact that unaccompanied minors are being kept at Border Patrol stations for extended periods of time appears to be an internal crisis of the agencys own creation: It does not take that long to process children. Budd recounted a time when she approached a border station in 2019 and spoke to agents who were aware that she had been part of the agency but were not aware of her current immigration activism: I asked them why it was taking them so long to process it didnt take that long [even] when I had to hand-write everything back in the day and they would say, Were trying to teach them a lesson. So they were intentionally keeping people in there for over two weeks at a time in these conditions to punish them. That is the only reason why they were doing that. Budd continued on to say that the same people who responsible for harsh treatment of migrants during the Trump era are still in charge: They do this on purpose. And none of that has changed in the management has not changed at all. But the same people who separated families and created the last crisis are doing it again. But its not just Border Patrol management who are undermining the Biden administrations attempts to roll back Trump-era immigration policies. Its also those in charge of the labor union that represents rank-and-file agents, the National Border Patrol Council. While most federal employee unions are traditionally strongly aligned with the Democratic Party, the NBPC did not endorse presidential candidates until 2016, when it threw its weight behind Trump. In return for the endorsement, Trump gave Border Patrol agents a free hand to implement his policies in the harshest way possible. The unions support for the former president subsequently continued through the 2018 and 2020 election cycles, and since he has since left office, union officials are now allying themselves against his Democratic successor. Earlier this month, NBPC president Brandon Judd appeared at a joint press conference with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, at which the governor denounced Bidens reversal of Trump-era policies and announced that hed be sending Texas Department of Public Safety officers to the border. The Biden administration has created a crisis at our southern border through open border policies that give the green light to dangerous cartels and other criminal activity, Abbott said. Border security is the federal governments responsibility, but the state of Texas will not allow the administrations failures to endanger the lives of innocent Texans. Instead, Texas is stepping up to fill the gaps left open by the federal government to secure the border, apprehend dangerous criminals, and keep Texans safe. Budd suggested that Judds appearance alongside Abbott was a deliberate attempt to undermine the chain of command that runs from rank-and-file agents to the president. She expressed surprise that he had not yet been fired. But another former DHS official familiar with the NPBCs machinations said such wink-and-nod arrangements which flout established lines of authority are just part and parcel of dealing with a union that has long stood in the way of any meaningful attempt to reform the American immigration system. The official, who served in senior roles under the George W Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations, said they were shocked at how the NPBCs influence grew to outsized levels under the 45th president because union leaders felt emboldened to take any complaints they had directly to the Oval Office. My impression was that Chris [Crane, Immigration and Customs Enforcement union president] and Brandon [Judd] were texting buddies with the president, and we frequently had to scramble to try to tamp down whatever was ramping them up, said the official. Trumps various homeland security secretaries often had to drop what they were doing to address demands made by both union presidents, who frequently went directly to Trump rather than go through proper channels, they added. Having a cabinet member have to so frequently engage with these GS-14s was just weird and odd and a waste of a cabinet members time, but you had to do that to keep those two satiated, they said. Ultimately, Judds direct line to Trump and influence over rank-and-file agents meant that any attempt by DHS leaders to effect a change policy that wasnt to union leaders liking was effectively vetoed, the official continued, adding that the dynamic most likely persists even though Trump has left the White House: You have way too many scenarios where the secretary or the head of CBP issues a directive, and theres just an absolute recalcitrance in the organization. There is a lack of command and control in a way that is dangerous. Julian Castro, a former San Antonio mayor who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017, said the House Republicans appearance at the US-Mexico border on Monday is the same fear-mongering that Republicans gin up when they feel like theyre losing their grip on their base and losing the argument to Democrats, and an attempt to distract from any positive effects Americans might feel from passage of the Biden-backed American Rescue Plan Act. Castro said he would not be surprised if the Border Patrol union was colluding with Republicans to undermine Biden because Trump allowed that agency to go rogue and allowed the union to dictate policy. He encouraged their worst instincts, made 1000 different administrative changes, fostered a culture of anti-immigrant sentiment, and I believe at the end, administratively, essentially gave them more power over how the operation is conducted, he said. Castro, like Budd, believes that there needs to be consequences for agents who actively work to undermine the Biden administration. It does seem to me that you have a certain group of agents who feel emboldened and empowered to do whatever they want, and that culture absolutely has to be stamped out, he said. Folks on the ground should not have the ability to throw a wrench into the gears by slow-walking policy or choosing what policies theyre actually going to abide by They have a job to do, and they should be respected in that job, but they need to do the job professionally, and in line with the administrations policy. But Budd, the former Border Patrol agent, said even the best attempts at house-cleaning at Customs and Border Protection by newly minted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will be insufficient as long as the Border Patrols union continues to exercise an effective veto over policy by spreading propaganda with the help of Republican officials. When asked what Biden and his administration can do to prevent the agency from continuing to operate as if the president doesnt make policy, her answer was simple. He has to decertify the union, she said. A University of Manitoba professor is part of a team that has unearthed new information about the history of the Greenland ice sheet that stands to shift international thinking on how the frozen mass could melt in a warming climate. A University of Manitoba professor is part of a team that has unearthed new information about the history of the Greenland ice sheet that stands to shift international thinking on how the frozen mass could melt in a warming climate. The teams research paper was published this week in the peer-reviewed journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. It shows inside of the last million years, Greenlands ice sheet had melted entirely in a climate not much warmer than it is now. How resilient the ice sheet is to warming is a topic of great discussion in climate sciences, as melt projections are difficult to pin down. How much melts, and how quickly, will impact global sea level. The research began with an ice core sample, initially 1.4 km in length, collected in 1966 at a Cold War-era U.S. military base called Camp Century in northwest Greenland. Engineers pull up a section of ice core at Camp Century in the 1960s. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers files) Researchers at the time analyzed the ice collected, but left the soil sample that came up from the bottom unstudied. The soil sample sat in a Danish university freezer for decades until 2017, when U of M Prof. Dorthe Dahl-Jensen got involved. Dahl-Jensen had previously worked out of the University of Copenhagen, and jumped at the opportunity to be involved in the research team that spanned four countries. "It was very exciting to be a part of this," she said in a phone interview from Denmark. The soil sample was far from just dirt. When researchers started thawing and sifting through it at a laboratory at the University of Vermont in 2019, they found preserved leaves and other plant pieces. "Ice sheets freeze and preserve material in a very pristine way. But it is a miracle to directly discover delicate plant structures perfectly preserved. Theyre fossils, but they look like they died yesterday. Its a time capsule of what used to live on Greenland that we wouldnt be able to find anywhere else," Dahl-Jensen said. Drew Christ, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Vermont, was the one to first find the plant pieces. He calls it his first eureka moment, as the finding gave the sample an entirely new significance. "Just by seeing those fossils alone, we knew that we had found evidence of a whole ecosystem underneath the Greenland ice sheet from the last time that it was gone. And that was just totally exciting," Christ said. While ice core samples are still collected, it can take up to a decade of time to see a project through, Christ told the Free Press. Additionally, its rare for sediment to come up with an ice sample. By gaining access to this material, its like the researchers got a chance to jump the line. The last time Greenland was ice-free happened due to a natural warming period. Sea levels at the time are estimated to have been between three and six metres higher than today, putting the land where current-day cities stand such as Boston, London and Shanghai underwater. This time around, warming is being triggered by emissions from human activity on the planet and the combustion of fossil fuels. Dahl-Jensen said the new information gives her some hope the ice sheet is perhaps more resilient than research has previously suggested. For the entirety of the ice sheet to melt, it could take a thousand years, she said. However, the entirety need not melt to cause devastating impacts to coastal communities around the world, and it is sensitive to changes in climate. The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets contain roughly 99 per cent of the worlds freshwater ice. Researched published in Nature suggests the Greenland ice sheet will melt faster this century than at any point in the last 12,000 years. Even if warming is limited to 2 C, the ice sheet will lose roughly 8,800 billion tonnes of ice per century. "The Camp Century base was built at a time when the existential threat was a nuclear war... the worry of intercontinental ballistic missiles flying across the Arctic between the Soviet Union and the U.S.," Christ said. "That the science project that they did, on the side, of Camp Century has helped expose this other human-caused existential threat of climate change, and the threat of melting the polar ice sheets and rising sea level yeah, theres just sort of that historical irony." sarah.lawrynuik@freepress.mb.ca Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 ROME, MAR 16 - The Interior ministry on Tuesday told Italy's city prefects to clamp down on social gatherings amid the third wave of the coronavirus. Police controls against the spread of COVID-19 must be done "thoroughly", the ministry said in a circular to the local officials. Among the measures called for are targeted checks on extra-urban roads during the Easter period, when traffic is likely to mount. Close attention must also be paid to gatherings at rail stations and airports. (ANSA). The Office of the Attorney General of Samoa threatened the Samoa Observer with a legal investigation into its reporting of perceived conflict of interests pertaining to retainer agreements between the government and Attorney Generals former law firm. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses solidarity with journalists at the Samoa Observer who are under pressure by the Samoan Governments attempts to silence press freedoms and threats to journalists. The Office of the Attorney General published two press releases on March 12 in response to reporting from the Samoa Observer. The press releases threatened the Samoa Observer and said initial internal assessment suggests that the said documents could only have been obtained by hacking our email systems. Hacking email systems is a criminal offence under Part 18 of the Crimes Act 2013. The Office of the Attorney General also said a full investigation would be opened into how the documents were obtained by the Samoa Observer, commenting on how the level of journalism is quite concerning and the lack of attention to detail demonstrates the calibre of Samoa Observers source and Samoa Observers inability to vet not only their sources but their motives. The current Attorney General who is the subject of the Samoa Observers questions is Savalenoa Mareva Annandale-Betham, who was previously a partner at the Annadale-Betham law firm which is owned by Savalenoas husband. Since early March, the Samoa Observer has released multiple articles questioning potential conflicts of interest relating to the Attorney Generals office engaging the Annadale-Betham law firm to act on behalf of the government. Although the Office of the Attorney General states that the agreement with the law firm was entered into prior to Savalenoas appointment, the Samoa Observer suggests there are ongoing finalising matters including the amount of money that the firm would be paid. The IFJ said: Questioning a government and its actions is a crucial component of a functioning democracy and critical journalism. The IFJ expresses solidarity with journalists and their sources in Samoa who are being subject to legal threats and investigations that seek to prevent them from reporting on the truth. The IFJ implore the Attorney General to retract the statements made by her office and allow the Samoa Observer to operate without political interference. 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. People leave a school after a student was airlifted to hospital after a stabbing at a school , in Leduc Alta, on March 15, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson) Student Charged With First Degree Murder of Girl in Alberta School EDMONTONA student accused of a deadly attack at an Edmonton-area school has been charged with first-degree murder. Dylan Thomas Pountney, 19, was to appear in Edmonton court Tuesday morning. RCMP said he remained in custody. Police said a 17-year-old female student was violently assaulted Monday morning in a classroom at Christ the King School in Leduc, just south of Edmonton. Mounties said the two students knew each other. Police did not comment on a possible motive or on whether the attack was targeted. Leduc Mayor Bob Young said the girl was stabbed, then airlifted to an Edmonton hospital where he died. Schools in the area were locked down until police made an arrest a short time later. Classes at Christ the King School were cancelled Tuesday. The Saint Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division said a trauma support team would be there for the rest of the week to help students and staff. A bill to make it a felony to prescribe puberty-blocking medications or hormones as transgender treatments for minors won approval today in the House Health Committee. The bill by Republican Sen. Shay Shelnutt of Trussville and Republican Rep. Wes Allen of Troy would also ban transgender surgeries on minors, which officials have said are not done in Alabama now. The committee passed the bill on a voice vote, so there was not a listing of who voted yes or no. The bill has had strong support from Republicans and passed the Senate 23-4. It moves to the House floor. We just dont think minors should be making these decisions that can have lifelong consequences, Shelnutt told the committee before the vote. Altering ones DNA to physically change ones gender is impossible. And attempting to do so can create psychological challenges. The bottom line is we have a responsibility to protect Alabamas children, Shelnutt said. Minors are not mentally capable of making a decision of this caliber, and its our responsibility as lawmakers to ensure they are protected. Opponents of the bill, including the pediatrician who helps lead the team at UAB that works with transgender youth, said patients and families there receive medical and psychological care and counseling that involves careful steps before puberty blockers or hormones are considered for teens. The pediatrician, Dr. Morissa Ladinsky, is among those who have opposed the bill at public hearings. Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, a firefighter for the city of Auburn, said he thought the bill went too far. Lovvorn said he has answered emergency calls on teenage suicides during his 24-year career, including one involving a teen in which gender dysphoria was believed to be a factor. I think were taking away too many tools in the tool chest that a parent, a responsible parent whos just trying to figure this all out, cant even have on the table, Lovvorn said. And its not something that from what I can find is widely used. And its not something that most of us can even understand. And I feel that we could add to that teenage suicide rate unfortunately if we take away too many of those toolkits for parents to use to keep their kids moving forward. Lovvorn said he would support a bill banning only surgeries and some limits on the use of medication, but thought the bill as written took away too many options. The Health Committee adopted an amendment from Lovvorn that removed the criminal liability for pharmacists for filling a prescription for puberty-blockers or hormones as transgender treatments for minors. The committee adopted a second amendment, by Rep. Charlotte Meadows, R-Montgomery, that said the bill could not be construed to limit the work of psychologists and mental health professionals from rendering the services for which they are qualified. A third amendment adopted was intended to clarify that circumcisions are not prohibited. Related: Transgender Alabama woman to lawmakers considering treatment ban: Talk to one of these kids This story will be updated. If you would like to know more about the TVI, Inc. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047. The San Francisco labor law attorneys, at Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC, filed a complaint alleging that TVI, Inc. committed multiple violations of the California Labor Code. The TVI, Inc. lawsuit, Case No. 21CV376407, is currently pending in the Santa Clara County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here. The lawsuit alleges TVI, Inc. violated the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), which gives rise to civil penalties as a result of TVI, Inc.s conduct. PAGA authorizes aggrieved employees to file a lawsuit to recover civil penalties on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the State of California for Labor Code violations. An "aggrieved employee" is defined as "any person who was employed by the alleged violator and against whom one or more of the alleged violations was committed." Cal. Lab. Code section 2699(c). PAGA allows aggrieved employees to become deputized as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code. The complaint alleges TVI, Inc. violated the California Labor Code by failing to: (1) provide compliant meal and rest periods; (2) allow employees to take duty-free, off-the-premises rest periods; (3) pay all minimum, regular and overtime wages; (4) pay the correct rate of overtime pay; (5) provide suitable seating; (6) provide accurate itemized wage statements; (7) pay employees for time spent getting their bags checked; and (8) timely pay earned wages. If you would like to know more about the TVI, Inc. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047. Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC are labor and employment law firms with offices located in California that dedicate their practices to fighting for employees who have been wronged by their employers due to unfair employment practices. Contact one of their attorneys today if you need help with workplace issues regarding wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment. -THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT- China in Focus (March 15): Beijing Endures Worst Sandstorm in Decades Beijing endures its worst sandstorm in decades. Air quality across parts of northern China is deteriorating, reaching over 150 times higher than international standards call safe. The United States is kick-starting talks with China. Officials from both sides are set to meet this week, but Chinas history leads some to question the outcome. A U.S. judge pauses a ban on Chinese phone maker Xiaomi. The company was originally blocked from American investment to stop U.S. funding from going toward Chinese military development. A car parade in Atlanta, Georgia, raises awareness about the Chinese Communist Partys human rights abuse, encouraging the world to end the CCP. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. Nation fighting COVID-19 with all its strength: PM Narendra Modi at Mann ki Baat Amidst in surge in COVID-19 cases, PM Modi to interact with Chief Ministers India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 16: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will hold a virtual meeting with all the Chief Ministers amidst the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the country. The PM had lasted interacted with the CMs in January before the vaccine was rolled out. The meeting comes in the backdrop of rising cases in some states. States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have continued to report a surge in case, account for 78.41 per cent of the new cases, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. "A rising trajectory of daily new cases is visible in eight states. These are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana," the ministry added. (Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. will start sharing public annual reports detailing the companys impact on human rights, seeking to address criticism about the use of its products to organize abuses and violence against oppressed groups around the world. Top executives, including head of global policy Nick Clegg and general counsel Jen Newstead, will also start providing formal human rights updates to the social media companys board, and Facebook said its starting a new fund to pay for security and support for human rights activists and journalists. The new corporate policy on human rights standards, unveiled Tuesday, is a first for Facebook, and formalizes a number of commitments the company has already made, said Miranda Sissons, the companys director of human rights. Having this policy isnt some compulsory requirement somewhere. Its a voluntary act, she said. Facebook has come under fire in the past for failing to do enough to police its sites for human rights abuses. In Myanmar, Facebooks service has been used to coordinate violence against the countrys Rohingya minority, leading to thousands of deaths. Facebooks social network and its messaging services, including WhatsApp, have also been used to coordinate or encourage other violent deaths in countries like India and Sri Lanka. Many of the issues were caused by Facebooks pursuit of rapid growth, which critics say led it to launch in countries without necessary safety measures and content moderation services. Its absolutely important for people to articulate that criticism, Sissons said. This is an important development. We know it is up to all of us inside the company to make it count. The company has gotten more aggressive in combating abuses in recent years, and routinely takes down networks or accounts linked to governments and state-backed military operations. After a military coup in Myanmar in February, Facebook banned a number of pages and accounts linked to the countrys military on Instagram and its main social network. Story continues While Facebook highlights a number of content rules and regulations in a blog post announcing the policy, it didnt add any new content guidelines Tuesday. The corporate policy also includes issues like anti-slavery and human trafficking due diligence across Facebooks supply chain. The companys first human rights impact report should be published later this year, Sissons said. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy has been arrested after refusing to wear a face mask and protesting outside his own trespassing trial. Bundy never went inside the Idaho Supreme Court Monday after he was denied entry for not wearing a protective covering which is required for anyone entering a state courthouse. He then protested outside the building against the mask requirements with two dozen other demonstrators, and lay on the ground and refused to move when deputies tried to arrest him. Right-wing anti-government activist Ammon Bundy (pictured in a cowboy hat) has been arrested after refusing to wear a face mask and protesting outside his own trespassing trial Bundy never appeared in the Idaho Supreme Court Monday after he was denied entry for not wearing a protective covering Some held signs with slogans like 'Ammon stands for truth' and others yelled misinformation and conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 pandemic popularized by groups like QAnon. The Ada County Sheriff's office said both Bundy and another man expected to appear for a jury trial on trespassing charges, Aaron von Schmidt, refused to wear masks so they could enter the courthouse for their trials. After the judge issued arrest warrants because the men failed to appear in court, a deputy asked both men if they would voluntarily turn themselves in. Both men refused, the Ada County sheriff's office wrote in a prepared statement released later that day. When a team of deputies tried to make the arrests, the protesters resisted, the Ada County Sheriff's Office said. He protested outside the building against the mask requirements with two dozen other demonstrators Some held signs with slogans like 'Ammon stands for truth' and others yelled misinformation and conspiracy theories Deputies said Bundy laid down on the ground and refused to move, while other protesters reportedly locked arms to try to impede the deputies' approach. A third man, 69-year-old Casey J. Baker of Nampa, was ultimately arrested on suspicion of battering a law enforcement officer and a fourth man was issued a citation after deputies said he resisted and obstructed officers. The sheriff's office said a fifth person who wasn't involved in the confrontation with deputies got caught up in the crowd and fell down, hitting his head on the ground. That person was taken to a hospital for treatment. Bundy and followers of his 'People's Rights' organization have frequently protested Covid measures in southwestern Idaho since the pandemic began, including the protests at the Statehouse last August that originally led to Bundy's arrest on trespassing charges. When a team of deputies tried to make the arrests, the protesters resisted, the Ada County Sheriff's Office said Deputies said Bundy laid down on the ground and refused to move, while other protesters reportedly locked arms to try to impede the deputies' approach Bundy and followers of his 'People's Rights' organization have frequently protested Covid measures in southwestern Idaho In one of the August protests, angry unmasked protesters forced their way into a House gallery with limited seating, shattering a glass door in the process. The next day, more than 100 protesters shouted down and forced from the room lawmakers on a committee considering a bill to shield businesses and government agencies from coronavirus-related liability. Bundy was arrested for trespassing when he wouldn't leave the room, and again the next day when he returned to the Statehouse despite a one-year ban. In January, he and his armed supporters descended on a Washington hospital when the daughter of a 74-year-old patient called for back up, claiming her mother was being held 'hostage' for refusing to take a Covid test. The Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver was forced into lockdown on January 29 after protesters belonging to the People's Rights group founded by Bundy gathered outside and demanded staff discharge Gayle Meyer. Bundy is representing himself in his criminal case charged with trespassing and obstructing officers at the Idaho Statehouse in August Bundy is representing himself in his criminal case. Shortly after his August arrests, he told Judge David Manweiler that he doesn't believe his actions at the Idaho Statehouse were illegal, and he claims the state doesn't have legal standing to charge him with a crime. He also filed subpoenas - legal orders to testify or turn over documents - to several bystanders and officials who were at the Idaho Statehouse during his arrests, including Associated Press reporter Keith Ridler, who photographed and reported on the incidents. The AP asked Manweiler to reject the subpoena for Ridler's testimony and his reporting materials in part because the news agency said the subpoena would violate the 'Idaho's Reporter's Privilege,' a legal balancing act that courts take to determine if a subpoena given to a member of the news media would chill their First Amendment rights. The conspiracy theorist (center, pictured in August) believes Covid measures are eroding people's rights Bundy didn't respond at all to the AP's motion. On Monday, Manweiler said Bundy failed to show that the subpoena would have met the three prongs of the reporter's privilege test: that there is probable cause to believe the reporter had some information that was clearly relevant to a specific violation of the law, that the information can't be found in another way, and that there was a compelling and overriding interest in the information that would have justified potentially limiting Ridler's First Amendment rights. 'Subpoenas to members of the media are particularly onerous because they threaten to intrude into the newsgathering process,' the AP's attorneys wrote in their motion to the court. 'Being forced to testify or produce evidence in a court case also threatens the independence of a free press and potentially puts journalists at personal risk. It risks causing Ridler to be viewed as aligned with one party or the other, potentially impacting how the public will perceive the independence of his reporting, and could even make him a target the next time he covers a public event.' As of Monday evening, Bundy and Schmidt remained in jail, both being held in lieu of $10,000 bonds. Baker, who was arrested on suspicion of battering a law enforcement officer, was being held without bail according to jail records. Bundy garnered international attention when in 2016 he led a group of armed activists in the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to protest the federal control of public lands. He and others were ultimately arrested, ending the 41-day occupation. But Bundy was acquitted of all federal charges in that case by an Oregon jury. In 2014, Bundy, several brothers and his father led an armed standoff in Nevada with Bureau of Land Management agents who attempted to confiscate his fathers cattle for grazing on public land without a permit. He spent almost two years in federal custody before the judge later declared a mistrial. The 40m Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme Sucklers (BEEPS) scheme for 2021 has opened for applications. Those interested are asked to lodge applications for the scheme through Department of Agricultures website before the closing date which has been set for Monday April 26. The BEEP-S scheme which comes under the new Beef Sector Efficiency Pilot for 2021 has a funding provision of 40m for this year and targets the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves by measuring the live weight of the calf at weaning as a percentage of the cow's live weight. The Department said that in recognition of the crucial role of animal health and welfare in economic and environmental efficiency, applicants to the scheme can also select from a number of optional health and welfare measures including meal feeding or vaccination of weanlings and/or faecal egg testing of suckler cows. Success Making the announcement Minister McConalogue said: The 2021 BEEPS scheme builds on the success of the scheme in 2020 in which to date 40.46 million has been paid out to 24,430 participants. He outlined that under BEEPS, participants may be eligible for up to 90 for the first 10 suckler cow/calf pairs per herd and up to 80 per pair thereafter subject to an overall maximum of 100 pairs per herd, if all actions under the scheme are applied for and completed in full in accordance with the scheme terms and conditions. BEEP-S is the latest in a line of support I have rolled out for our suckler and beef farmers. I secured 85m in Budget 2021 for a range of measures to support sustainable suckler and beef farming. I also secured 6m to promote our suckler beef abroad and we are working on developing a PGI status for Irish grass-fed beef. "I am committed to the continued support of our suckler and beef sectors. Our farmers continue to produce a top-class product and the suckler cow helps generate balanced regional economic development. The minister furthermore noted that, though the scheme will be funded by the Irish exchequer, details of the scheme have been notified to the European Commission in accordance with the Covid-19 Temporary State Aid Framework. Farmers and advisors are also reminded that applications must be done online to ensure their application is actually submitted, rather than having a status as a draft application on the website. Children walk in the community of Marupa, a relocation center for internally displaced families in the Chiure district, on Feb. 23, 2021. (Alfredo Zuniga/AFP via Getty Images) US Special Operations Deployed Against ISIS in Mozambique: Embassy U.S. special operations forces were deployed to Mozambique on a mission to assist the country in its counter-terrorism operations against an offshoot of the ISIS terrorist group. The United States is committed to supporting Mozambique with a multifaceted and holistic approach to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism, the U.S. Embassy in Maputo said in a statement on Monday. This approach addresses socioeconomic development issues as well as the security situation. The statement further added that civilian protection, human rights, and community engagement are central to U.S. cooperation and are foundational to effectively counter [ISIS] in Mozambique. The ISIS terrorist group first emerged in 2004 in Iraq and Syria. U.S. Special Operations Command Africa will provide training as well as government-provided medical and communications equipment in Mozambique, located on the southeastern coast of Africa. It comes after a UK-based NGO, Save the Children, reported that children as young as 11 have been beheaded by terrorists in Mozambiques Cabo Delgado province. The group did not say who was behind the attack, although ISIS-linked terrorists are fighting a conflict in the area. We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him, a 28-year-old woman told the NGO. We couldnt do anything because we would be killed too. According to the group, about 670,000 people have been displaced inside Mozambique due to the conflict. More than 2,600 people have died. Save the Children is outraged and deeply saddened by reports that children are being targeted in this conflict. Every child has the right to life and safety, and children must be protected under all circumstances, including war and armed conflicts. For the children who may have witnessed their siblings being murdered, their suffering could last for years, wrote Save the Children. In November, meanwhile, more than 50 people were reportedly beheaded by Islamist terrorists, state media reported. The U.S. State Department, in a March 11 update, said that ISIS in Mozambiqueknown as Ansar al-Sunna or al-Shabaab in Mozambiquewas designated as a foreign terrorist organization and also declared its leader, Abu Yasir Hassan, as designated terrorists. Since October 2017, ISIS-Mozambique, led by Abu Yasir Hassan, has killed more than 1,300 civilians, and it is estimated that more than 2,300 civilians, security force members, and suspected ISIS-Mozambique militants have been killed since the terrorist group began its violent extremist insurgency, said the State Department. The group was responsible for orchestrating a series of large-scale and sophisticated attacks resulting in the capture of the strategic port of Mocimboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado Province. After testing various cryptocurrency analytics software, we discovered CipherTrace's to be the most user-friendly, offering preset standards for KYC and AML that we trust. Global cryptocurrency market maker and liquidity provider Hehmeyer partners with leading cryptocurrency intelligence company CipherTrace to enhance compliance. Hehmeyer is a global market maker and liquidity provider servicing hedge funds, exchanges, family offices, miners and high-net-worth individuals. David Nuelle, Managing Director at Hehmeyer, expressed, "We are very pleased to build-out our existing offering with CipherTrace's AML compliance solution. After testing various cryptocurrency analytics software, we discovered CipherTrace's to be the most user-friendly, offering preset standards for KYC and AML that we trust. CipherTrace's actionable intelligence has given us improved insights, which have been especially important in light of the rapidly maturing regulatory environment." Dave Jevans, CEO of CipherTrace, shared, "We are pleased to support one of the premiere cryptocurrency liquidity providers with our Armada and Inspector solutions for ensuring compliance with global AML and CTF regulations. The Financial Action Task Force's Travel Rule recommendation is increasingly going into effect in various jurisdictions around the globe as well, and Hehmeyer is setting an example in the digital assets industry through its prioritization of compliance." Hehmeyer recently announced a merger with Switzerland-based Nortide Capital AG. The combined entity, Hehmeyer Nortide AG (HNAG), will be headquartered in Zug, Switzerland and brings together two proprietary trading companies with complementary strengths to achieve greater economies of scale and operate on a global basis. Hehmeyer's David Nuelle is also on the board of Global Digital Asset & Cryptocurrency Association(Global DCA), a self-regulatory organization for the digital asset and cryptocurrency industry that aims to create and adopt reasonable regulatory standards to build public trust, foster market integrity, and maximize economic opportunity for all participants. For media inquiries, please contact Kili Wall at (310) 260-7901 or kili(at)MelrosePR(dot)com. About Hehmeyer Hehmeyer is a global market maker in digital assets and streams prices electronically, operates on numerous request-for-quote platforms, and accommodates over-the-counter markets with FIX API, REST API, GUI and other mediums. Headquartered in Chicago, Hehmeyer is dedicated to liberating transactions and the future that digital assets promise. To learn more about Hehmeyer, visit http://www.hehmeyer.com or follow on Twitter @HehmeyerLLC. About CipherTrace CipherTrace, leading cryptocurrency intelligence company, brings virtual currencies and financial services together with fraud protection, anti-money laundering, and financial crime prevention. CipherTrace superior blockchain transaction attribution collection delivers the worlds most comprehensive cryptocurrency intelligence. CipherTrace founders are dedicated to protecting consumer privacy and growing the blockchain economy, while defending against illicit finance. Deep expertise in cybersecurity, eCrime, payments, banking, encryption, and virtual currencies form the foundation for CipherTrace's commercial offerings. For more information, visit http://www.CipherTrace.com or follow us on Twitter @CipherTrace. Truera to co-lead Transparency Working Group for Monetary Authority of Singapore-led Veritas Consortium SINGAPORE, March 16, 2021, which provides the first Model Intelligence platform for AI explainability and model quality, announced today that it has been selected to co-lead the workstream on transparency in the industry initiative on Responsible AI led by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (The Veritas Consortium). Truera will be represented by Anupam Datta and Shameek Kundu. Datta - co-founder, president and chief scientist at Truera - is also a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, where over the past decade he has led groundbreaking research in the areas of AI explainability and governance as well as privacy and data protection. Datta is active in building the explainability and trustworthy AI community, and regularly gives expert talks, serves on conference organizing and program committees, and works with regulatory agencies on this topic. Datta obtained PhD and MS degrees from Stanford University and a BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, all in Computer Science. Shameek Kundu is the Head of Financial Services and Chief Strategy Officer at Truera. Previously he was Chief Data Officer at Standard Chartered Bank, where he led the effort to adopt AI and advanced analytics in multiple areas, including credit and financial crime compliance. Kundu played an active role in drafting the Monetary Authority of Singapore's AI guidelinesin 2018. He is a member of the Bank of England's AI Public-Private Forumand the OECD Global Partnership on AI. The Veritas Consortium was established in 2019 to address implementation challenges in the responsible use of AI and data analytics at financial institutions. In Phase One (recently completed), Veritas explored the development of a fairness assessment methodology in credit risk scoring and customer marketing. In Phase Two, Veritas will look into developing the Ethics, Accountability and Transparency assessment methodology for the two use cases in Phase One. Phase Two will also include use cases for the insurance industry. Truera will co-lead the Transparency Working Group in Phase Two. The consortium includes major global and regional banks. "Veritas is a collaborative effort among financial institutions, vendors, and the MAS to establish best practices and open source software to ensure fairness, ethics, accountability and transparency while adopting AI," said Datta. "This work is absolutely critical, and we are honored to play a part in it." Truera, which launched in August 2020, has already made a significant impact in the AI space. The Truera platform is already deployed at and delivering value to a number of Fortune 100 customers, including global bank Standard Chartered. In December 2020, Truera announced a $12M funding round to help accelerate the go-to-market of its AI Model Intelligence Platform. In March 2021, the company was named to Fast Company's Annual List of the World's Most Innovative Companies for AI. To learn more about the Veritas initiative, visit https://www.mas.gov.sg/schemes-and-initiatives/veritas . To learn more about Truera or schedule a demo, visit https://truera.com/ . About Truera Truera provides the first Model Intelligence platform, to help enterprises analyze machine learning, improve and monitor model quality and build trust. Powered by enterprise-class Artificial Intelligence. At times, the Vikings ran into issues with offensive line depth in 2020. At various points, swing tackle Rashod Hill was there to fill in. For instance, Hill played in the Buccaneers game, filling in for RT Brian ONeill. He also played in place of LT Riley Reiff when Reiff was placed on the reserve /COVID-19 list. He ended up playing 122 offensive snaps in total this past season. He was a special teams player as well. Now, if Minnesota has trouble again, Hill can still be an option. Hill was a free agent this offseason, but according to his agent, he is returning to Minnesota on a one-year fully guaranteed deal. His agent said that Hill had other offers elsewhere. Hill is good depth for the offensive line. If Minnesota runs into issues with availability again, then he is a serviceable option as a reserve. With Reiff getting cut this offseason, the Vikings will need all the help they can get on the offensive line in 2021. Herzliya, Israel and Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Innocan Pharma Corporation (CSE: INNO) (FSE: IP4) (OTC Pink: INNPF) (the "Company" or "Innocan") today announces that since January 1, 2021, it has received proceeds of approximately CDN $3.1M as a result of the exercise of approximately 11.9 million previously issued common share purchase warrants (the "IPO Warrants") and certain broker warrants. Pursuant to the terms of the IPO Warrants, the Company's volume weighted average share price on the Canadian Securities Exchange exceeded CAD $0.35 for 20 consecutive trading days. As a result, the Company had the right to issue to holders of IPO Warrants a notice of early exercise. The Company issued a notice to holders of IPO Warrants through the Company's IPO Warrant Agent, Odyssey Trust Company, with a due date of March 16, 2021. Over 92% of the IPO Warrants (Sept 2019) were exercised based on that notice and the remaining 8% has now expired in accordance with their terms. "The exercise of the warrants indicates that investors are still confident in InnoCan Pharma," states, CEO, Iris Bincovich. "Following our important milestones since our IPO in September 2019, and alongside the proceeds received, we have the financial strength allowing us to accelerate our "CBD Loaded Exosomes" and "CBD-loaded liposome" proprietary programs with the Tel Aviv and the Hebrew University." About Innocan The Company, through its wholly owned Israeli subsidiary, Innocan Pharma Ltd. ("Innocan Israel"), is a pharmaceutical tech company that focuses on the development of several drug delivery platforms combining cannabidiol ("CBD"). Innocan Israel and Ramot at Tel Aviv University are collaborating on a new, revolutionary exosome-based technology that targets both central nervous system (CNS) indications and the COVID-19 Coronavirus using CBD. CBD-loaded exosomes hold the potential to help in the recovery of infected lung cells. This product, which is expected to be administrated by inhalation, will be tested against a variety of lung infections. Innocan Israel signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Yissum, the commercial arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to develop a CBD drug delivery platform based on a unique-controlled release liposome to be administrated by injection. Innocan Israel plans, together with Professor Berenholtz, Head of the Laboratory of Membrane and Liposome Research of the Hebrew University, to test the liposome platform on several potential indications. Innocan Israel is also working on a dermal product that integrates CBD with other pharmaceutical ingredients as well as the development and sale of CBD-integrated pharmaceuticals, including, but not limited to, topical treatments for relief of psoriasis symptoms as well as the treatment of muscle pain and rheumatic pain. The founders and officers of Innocan have commercially successful track records in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors in Israel and globally. For further information, please contact: For Innocan Pharma Corporation: Iris Bincovich, CEO +972-54-3012842 info@innocanpharma.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Caution regarding forward-looking information Certain information set forth in this news release, including, without limitation, information regarding the markets, requisite regulatory approvals and the anticipated timing for market entry, is forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Innocan's control. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Innocan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the anticipated benefits of the products, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and satisfactory completion of requisite production and distribution arrangements. Forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this news release. The key risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: general global and local (national) economic, market and business conditions; governmental and regulatory requirements and actions by governmental authorities; and relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, customers, business partners and competitors. There are also risks that are inherent in the nature of product distribution, including import / export matters and the failure to obtain any required regulatory and other approvals (or to do so in a timely manner) and availability in each market of product inputs and finished products. The anticipated timeline for entry to markets may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary regulatory requirements, or the need for additional time to conclude and/or satisfy the manufacturing and distribution arrangements. As a result of the foregoing, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this news release concerning the timing of launch of product distribution. A comprehensive discussion of other risks that impact Innocan can also be found in Innocan's public reports and filings which are available under Innocan's profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information as actual results may vary materially from the forward-looking information. Innocan does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward-looking information as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77503 ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Army says troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have eliminated six Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists and captured more arms and ammunition in an encounter in the Dikwa axis of Borno State. The Director of Army Public Relations, Mohammed Yerima, a brigadier general, in a statement, on Tuesday, said the troops carried out the operation on Monday. Mr Yerima said the sustained onslaught against the terrorists had continued to gain traction following assistance from troops of 81 Task Force Battalion, in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force and Vigilante in the axis. He said the troops had conducted an aggressive fighting patrol and concealed picketing in continuation of the ongoing subsidiary operation code named, operation TURA TAKAI BANGO (Push comes to shove). According to him, the troops on patrol came in contact with terrorists mounted on motorcycles and a gun truck, swiftly engaged them in a fierce firefight, killing six of them and recovering several weapons, ammunition and sundry items. Items captured in the encounter included one PKM, two AA47 rifles, one FN rifle, three FN rifle magazines, two AK47 rifle magazines, 36 rounds of 7.62mm NATO,19 rounds of 7.62mm special and 67 PKM linked rounds. Others were two motorcycles, one magazine pouch, two mobile handsets and a tube of adhesive solution, he said. Mr Yerima also disclosed that troops of Bravo Company, while on similar routine perimeter patrol the same day, recovered a mobile handset phone suspected to have been abandoned by the fleeing members of the terrorists, who came under heavy fire during the attempt to infiltrate the camp on March 14. He said that the handset had been handed over to 7 Military Intelligence Brigade for scrutiny. In line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, troops will remain resolute and determined to ensure that the general area was completely cleared and protected, while aggressively dominating every route where terrorists are suspected to move around in order to smoke them out, he said. (NAN) 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. State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) plans to sell generating plants at its oil refineries to monetise non-core assets and leverage operational efficiencies by bringing in domain experts, its Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya said on Tuesday. To begin with, the company will sell its generating unit at its Gujarat refinery and based on the experience, may take up units at other refineries, he said. The sale is part of the asset monetisation agenda of the government aimed at generating revenue from selling to private investors unutilised or part utilised assets. "These ( generating units) are already operating units. Now we are trying to leverage the efficiency of operations by handing it over to the licensor of the unit," he said. Hydrogen is mostly produced from natural gas and naphtha and is used in the processing of intermediate oil products and for the removal of sulphur from refined fuels to meet emission standards. The sale consideration will be the asset value and the operation and maintenance (O&M) charge that the new operator will charge from IOC, Vaidya said. "These units are located within the refinery complex and I will be the only buyer, consumer (of hydrogen)," he said. will sell 100 per cent stake in the 70,000 tonnes per annum hydrogen generating unit at Gujarat refinery. "The idea is to get somebody who can operate the unit better. All other units of the refinery are my core business but hydrogen is a utility," he said. The government has identified assets across sectors that can be monetised for as much as Rs 2.5 lakh crore. Of this, Rs 17,000 crore is being targeted to be raised from selling stakes in pipelines of IOC, gas utility GAIL and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL). Vaidya said is working on a long-term energy transition strategy, which would involve producing hydrogen in a cost-effective way as well as developing technology to combine compressed natural gas with hydrogen. India is joining nations like China, South Korea and Japan in speeding up research on how to embrace hydrogen in its energy mix and cut dependence on fossil fuels. Oil Secretary Tarun Kapoor said plans to set up several hydrogen production units on a pilot basis, testing out different pathways of producing the gas. Last year, it experimented with doping compressed natural gas (CNG) with hydrogen. As many as 50 buses in Delhi are being fuelled by the 'H-CNG', which has 18 per cent hydrogen content. To give a further boost to plans on hydrogen-based mobility solutions, IOC has invited bids to procure 15 PEM fuel cell buses, an effort to address all aspects of the hydrogen value chain. The idea was to reduce tail-pipe emissions of the buses, but it also resulted in higher fuel efficiency. India has unveiled a national hydrogen mission to accelerate plans to generate the carbon-free fuel from renewables. Hydrogen is produced predominantly through Steam Methane Reforming, or SMR, which utilises fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal, and through Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using a current of electricity. Currently, all hydrogen consumed in India comes from fossil fuels. However, by 2050, nearly 80 per cent of India's hydrogen is projected to be green -- produced by renewable electricity and electrolysis. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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The FTC's five-person panel came to the decision after conducting a sweeping 19-month probe into allegations that Google was violating antitrust laws by favoring its own products over those of rival providers. The FTC declined to provide reasoning for letting Google off the hook, which the company portrayed as vindication for its practices. Eight years later, a trove of confidential internal memos obtained by Politico and explained in an article published Tuesday revealed how the FTC's decision was based on a number of incorrect assessments about the future of the internet. The memos show how regulators dismissed Google's potential to dominate the market, in part by concluding that there was 'limited potential for growth' in advertising based on tracking users across the internet. Those ads now account for the bulk of Google parent company Alphabet's $182.5billion in annual revenue. Critics say the botched decision reflected Obama's cozy relationship with Silicon Valley and emboldened emerging tech giants like Amazon and Facebook to engage in similar anti-competitive practices. The memos emerged as Google faces an onslaught of antitrust lawsuits from the federal government and many states accusing them of engaging in some of the same anti-competitive behaviors investigated by the FTC nearly a decade ago. At the crux of the Politico article was a question about whether the federal government is 'any more capable today of reining in the tech industry's titans' than it was back in 2013. New documents have revealed how Federal Trade Commission antitrust regulators appointed by Barack Obama ignored the advice of the agency's own lawyers when they made a landmark decision not to sue Google for stifling competition in 2013 (file photo) Politico did not disclose how it obtained all nine memos describing the FTC's investigation and it's decision not to take Google to court, which had been kept confidential for years and were not accessible under the Freedom of Information Act. One of the memos was written by the economists who advised the FTC not to sue Google, and another was written by the lawyers who came to the opposite conclusion. The five commissioners tasked with making the decision - four of whom were appointed by Obama - ultimately sided with the economists. Then-FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz announced the decision at a news conference and said the agency had determined that there was only 'some evidence' that Google was intentionally acting anti-competitive, and that it 'did not believe that the evidence supported an FTC challenge to this aspect of Googles business under American law'. Leibowitz did not make any mention of the agency's findings on Google's mobile phone contracts, which was a major component in the probe, per the memos obtained by Politico. FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz is seen announcing the decision not to sue Google at a press conference in 2013. Leibowitz said the agency had determined that there was only 'some evidence' that Google was intentionally acting anti-competitive The memos feature a series of FTC experts' predictions about where the internet was headed - many of which were contradictory at the time and turned out to be wrong. One of those predictions was about the future of targeted advertising that uses 'cookies' to track users' online activity and then present them with ads matching things they've searched for. The lawyers concluded that targeted ads 'do not account for a significant portion of online advertising and, today, with the exception of social media advertising, appear to have only limited potential for growth'. Today, targeted advertising accounts for more than half of the $121billion spent on digital ads in the US. The experts also made an assumption that computers would remain the most prevalent forum for online searches, and that Google's search engine would face substantial competition. Today, about 62 percent of online searches are conducted on mobile devices and more than 86 percent are through Google. The experts also predicted that rivals including Microsoft, Amazon and Mozilla would present 'viable competition' to Google in the market for smartphone software. Today, Google's Android software is rivaled only by Apple's iOS, with 99.8 percent of all US smartphones running on those two platforms. The experts also drastically underestimated Google's market share and its power to influence advertisers and companies that rely on its search results for traffic. President Barack Obama sits with Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt during meeting with business leaders to discuss the economy in January 2009 - two years before the FTC opened its investigation into the tech giant When the FTC first opened its probe in 2011, Google's worth was estimated at $117billion and the company showed strong signs of gaining on competitors across its various offerings, including search, email and phone software. Today the company is one of only a handful in the world worth more than $1trillion. Antitrust lawyers say that failing to hold Google accountable back in 2013 has had dramatic consequences both with its growth and the growth of other Silicon Valley giants. Gary Reback, a lawyer who represented eight companies whose complaints about Google helped spark the FTC investigation, told Politico that he is 'bitter to this day' about the decision not to sue. 'We wouldn't be in the situation we are today with any of these big companies if [the FTC] had done something then,' Reback said. 'If they had stopped that in its tracks, the world would be a different place.' But Google maintains that the FTC made the right decision and argued that there is nothing remarkable in the documents unearthed by Politico. 'This is old news. A bipartisan FTC voted unanimously to close its investigation into Google nearly a decade ago supported by recommendations by all of the FTC divisions including the Bureau of Competition, the Bureau of Economics and the Office of General Counsel,' Google spokesman Peter Schottenfels told the outlet. 'In closing its investigation, the FTC stated that our changes to Google Search were procompetitive and benefited consumers. And in the eight years since, competition in search has only increased as people have more ways than ever to access information online, including through an array of dedicated mobile apps.' Among the many experts the FTC leaned on in its probe was Tim Wu, who joined the agency as a senior adviser in February 2011 and left in early 2012. Wu was recently tapped by President Joe Biden to serve as a technology adviser on the White House National Economic Council - a move that many took as a sign that the Biden administration is positioning for a potential crackdown on tech behemoths like Google. 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. Galveston, TX (77553) Today Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Heavy thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Vladimir Putin's physical prowess has been praised by fawning TV hosts after he stopped a pencil from rolling off the edge of a table. The 68-year-old Russian leader, known for bare-chested horse riding, swims in frigid lakes and his black belt in judo, has been confined to the Kremlin for much of the pandemic. But that didn't stop him from exhibiting his dexterity as he caught the tumbling pencil during a virtual meeting to the delight of state TV sycophants. 'His reactions were wonderful and he is clearly in great shape - his martial arts skills have not left him,' said host Vladimir Solovyov, presenter of the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin. programme which is broadcast at prime-time on Sundays. Vladimir Putin, 68, known for his sporting abilities, catches a pencil before it rolls off the edge of his desk during a recent virtual meeting The president showed off his fine motor skills as he grabbed the pencil just as it rolled to the edge of the table Host Vladimir Solovyov (left), presenter of the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin programme, was delighted by the ordinary piece of footage Solovyov then turned to his guest to ask if he had ever tried such a manoeuvre to which the man replied he had not. 'Pavel, you need to exercise as much as you can,' Solovyov advised his colleague, as he marvelled at Putin's pencil catch. The programme which launched in 2018 has previously been accused of building a Soviet-style personality cult around Putin. It has previously commented on the president's kindness to children, his physique and even joked that bears are afraid of the ex-KGB operative. The clip was roundly mocked on social media, including on Twitter - which had its speeds clamped by the Kremlin last week over 'illegal' material. 'If Putin hadn't caught that pencil, it would have been caught by a NATO soldier,' one Russian user joked. Oleg Kozyrev, a blogger, said: 'Even the pencil wanted to get away from Putin.' Putin has a black belt in judo, he is also proficient on horseback and on ice skates Putin was first named acting president on the last day of the 20th century, when his predecessor Boris Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned. He has ruled Russia ever since and last year pushed through constitutional amendments which mean he can remain in power until 2036, by which time he will be 83. He is still supported by the majority of Russians, 48 per cent according to the Levada Centre, despite the recent protests over the detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Young people are the least likely to support him, with the number of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they no longer backed him rising from 31 per cent to 46 per cent last year. Mar. 16ALC Students of the Month Named Students of the Month for February at the Area Learning Center in Willmar were Stacy Meraz and Emily Mendoza Delgado. Meraz is a junior and her favorite subject is social studies. Mendoza Delgado is a senior and likes all of her school subjects and doesn't have a favorite. Southwest Minnesota State University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Marshall school were: Appleton: Harrison Rigenhagen-Risch Benson: Gracie Lenz, Josie Connelly, Carlie Lenz, Jessica Manzke Bird Island: Melissa Schwarzrock, ShyAnn Anderson Boyd: Morgan Johnson Brooten: Jacqueline Gossen Clarkfield: Matthew Grengs Clontarf: Kathleen Miller Danube: Reese Marks Dawson: Angela Haugen, Alyssa Strand, Tracy Munsterman, Jalynn Popma Glenwood: Bayley Engler Pooler, Autumn Sander, Michele Stai Granite Falls: Jennifer Irvine, Taylor Bakkelund, Marley Lara, Charlynn Lund, Megan Nordaune Hancock: Amber Hausmann, Valerie Messner Holloway: RJ Hogrefe Litchfield: Halle Jansen, Cole Lawrence, Yun Sun Montevideo: Kelly Rickert, Ryan Lalim, Sarah Birdsall, Shane Birdsall, Paige Smit, Jared Thompson, Jarvis Thompson Murdock: Domonique McPhail New London: Trisha Thieschafer Olivia: Courtney Hedeen, Paige Plumley, Jaden Sandgren, Camille Weber Paynesville: Amanda Meyer, Taylor Haines, Shelby Ruhoff Pennock: Madison Thorpe Raymond: Ashley Lucas Redwood Falls: Brendan Frank, Trevor Groebner, Nicklaus Ludwig, Halle Runck, Sophia Schmitz, Jenna Vick, Alexandra Westbrook Renville: Meghan Beckendorf, Katie Filzen Sacred Heart: Jesseca King, Lauren Terhaar Villard: Sara Maasjo Watson: Isaac Gerdes Willmar: Erica Boeyink, Kaitlyn Kotzenmacher, Noah Streed St. Cloud State University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.75 or higher were: Benson: Samual Lundebrek Brooten: Amanda Lindsay Cosmos: Brianna Meyer Darwin: Stephine Paech Glenwood: Tanner Schafer, Makenzia Zemke Grove City: Alexander Jensen Litchfield: Sara Gomez, Tammy Lundin, Taylor Madsen, Samuel Sovacool Story continues Madison: Kain Matthies Montevideo: Amy Thompson Murdock: Cailey Titrud Paynesville: Stephanie Buermann, Kate Gardner, Machelle Hurd, Alyssa Meed, Matthew Quade, Nicole Wander Pennock: Emily Ashburn Redwood Falls: Josephine Kodet Spicer: Alyssa Fredrick Willmar: Summer Schmitz, Jordan Smith Concordia College Named to the spring semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.7 or higher at the Moorhead school were: Benson: Mariah Ahrndt, Olivia Vergin Brooten: Brooke Deters, Bailey Nelson Darwin: Mila Hanson Dawson: Ashley Borstad, Cody McKesson Glenwood: Christopher Claussen, Alyssa Erickson, Camryn Mithun, Grace Names, Carly Wiirre Grove City: Nathan Essendrup Lake Lillian: Gabriel Eisenbacher, Sutton Junkermeier Litchfield: Anna Brock, Evan Hart, MaLaney Huhner, Mayson Huhner, Emily White Madison: Rachel Bringle, Anna Hacker, Molly Hacker, Annika Trygestad Montevideo: Riley Emery, Kamren Saue Morris: Katherine Folkman, Elijah Grove, Tate Nelson New London: Anna Backes, Grace Illies Paynesville: Kjerstin Campbell, Emily Leusink, Samantha Leusink, Gerriana Miller Raymond: Andrew Miller Redwood Falls: Bailey Klause, Megan Trebesch Sacred Heart: Tony Froland Spicer: Eli Hulstein Starbuck: Jackson Johnsrud, Jenna LaFave Villard: Sierra Nelson Willmar: Natalie Amon, Joshua Curtiss, Jake Evans, Avery Hovland, Cayle Hovland, Jacob Meyer, Sara Miller, Hannah Olson, Carson Selander, Amanda Zuidema Carthage College Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Kenosha, Wisconsin, school were: Willmar: Garrett Shuldes Bethel University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.6 or higher at the St. Paul school were: Atwater: Jaren Kaddatz Bird Island: James Woelfel Brooten: Isaac Vliem, Rebekah Vliem Clarkfield: Signe Christensen Dawson: Madeline Aafedt Glenwood: Ally Albers, Jaran Roste Olivia: Abby Sigurdson Redwood Falls: Katie Friese Spicer: Julia Goetzman, Noel Dittbenner, Ryan Ackerman Villard: Ally Albers Willmar: Abigail Hoffmann, Hailey Larson, Makenna Brouwer, Megan Bloomquist, Sadie Raitz Marquette University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Milwaukee, Wisconsin., school was: Villard: Jonathan Oeltjen South Dakota State University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Brookings school were: Appleton: Eean Allpress, Katlyn Gades, Josie Munsterman, Mitchell Syltie Atwater: Ashlyn Amdahl, Dillon Gratz, Nicole Whitcomb, Rachel Wilner Belview: Samantha Anderson Benson: Nicole Ascheman, Justin Goossen, Victoria Pagel, Katherine Samuelson Bird Island: Jon Schulte Blomkest: Noah Getz, Jessaca Zuidema Clara City: Ellie Thein Clarkfield: MacKenzie Dyrdahl, Olivia Jensen Danube: Andera Cable Dawson: Katelyn Breberg Echo: Renae Remmele Glenwood: Hannah Braaten Granite Falls: Austin Friese, Tyson Knollenberg, Tiana Rupp Grove City: Ryan Peterson Hancock: Tyler Reese, Ashley Solvie, Jennifer Solvie, Nicole Solvie Litchfield: Julie Eggert Madison: Austin Bonn, Cole Bungarden, Lexy Larson, Aaliyah Schommer, Kalista Sulier Montevideo: Noah Buseman, Seth Kuno, Meghan Mortenson, Emily Olson, Ashton Pauling, Gabrielle Santaella Morris: Jacqueline Boots, Alexander Daugherty, Cassidy Fehr, Lindsey Moser, Briar Peterson, Jared Rohloff, Noah Stewart Morton: Kaitlyn Lorang Murdock: Regan Carlson New London: Annika Spors, Emma Spors Olivia: Molly Hildreth Paynesville: Preston Carlson, Dustin Hieserich Redwood Falls: Eric Bommersbach, McKenzie Cselovszki, Gina Goblirsch, Jaden Marks, Logan Prouty, Stephanie Stage, Keelie Van Hee, Janessa Whitaker, Dylan Woodford Renville: Josiah Crawford, Morgan Haen, Savanna Peterson Spicer: Tyra Johnson, Emma Nelson, Collin Tanner Starbuck: Alyssa Klassen Willmar: Clay Carlson, Lindsey Grabow, Leah Hansen, Kara Hisken, Jenna Jagow, Madison Jones, Zachary Madsen, Savannah Miller, Haley Mottinger, Madyson Spencer, Madison Thaden, Carly Wedel, Olivia Welsh Wichita State University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the Wichita, Kansas, school was: Grove City: Hannah Rech Bethel University Graduating at the end of fall semester from the St. Paul school was: Buffalo Lake: Kelsey Taylor Spicer: Noel Dittbenner Concordia University Named to the fall semester dean's list with a GPA of 3.6 or higher at the Mequon, Wisconsin, school was: Redwood Falls: Emma Gaffney 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 Season 2 of "Rock the Block" is in full swing, and in this week's episode, these four teams of designers prove that a living room can mean so many things. In "Rock the Living Rooms," host Ty Pennington gives each team $225,000 to make over the living area in four identical homes, while Page Turner from "Flip or Flop: Nashville" serves as guest judge. Here's how these designers reimagine these spaces in totally unique wayswhich might inspire you to see your own living room's potential in a whole new light. Add glass doors to let in more light This bonus space could be anything. HGTV Competitors Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent of "Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House" know that they've got a lot to work with when it comes to the large, main living space. But they're puzzled by the smaller bonus space right off the front door. They decide to open up this space by installing two French doors that lead to the wraparound front porch, and bust down the wall to the butler's pantry in order to open it up to the kitchen. "Thisll be open," Brent says, "thatll be usable. Its going to be beautiful. Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent's bonus space looks great with the French doors. HGTV The two designers decide on an elevated look with a checkerboard floor and dark walls with light paneling. Once the work is done, this dull room is transformed into a unique sitting room filled with light. The space is perfect for welcoming guests into the home, and with access to the kitchen, it seamlessly flows into the rest of the house, making it great for parties. "The combination of these ideas took this room from 'Who cares?' to 'I want to be in the front of the house,' Berkus says. Arched bookshelves make for a stylish addition Mike Holmes and Alison Victoria know this moody room will impress buyers. HGTV While Berkus and Brent open up their bonus space by adding French doors, Alison Victoria from "Windy City Rehab" and Mike Holmes from "Holmes on Homes" focus on storage. "This is going to be our bourbon room," Victoria says when planning the design. "I do these whole back wall built-ins, and I love arches." So Victoria and Holmes agree to install beautiful built-ins to the back wall. However, they don't see eye to eye on color. While Victoria is excited to paint the shelves dark forest green, Holmes thinks it'll be too much, saying that the dark green is more of an accent color. In the end, they decide to go with Victoria's plan, and while the forest green does seem a bit bold, it gives the house some needed edginess. And, no matter the paint color, the built-ins are a memorable feature that buyers will love. "This is what enhances the value of the house, and that's our goal," Holmes says. Don't let faux beams make your space feel smaller Victoria and Holmes decided on faux beams for their living room. HGTV Over in their main living room, Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt from "100 Day Dream Home" want their space to feel unique, so Brian suggests they use a ceiling design the other designers wouldn't think to do. "I have a feeling other teams are going to do, like, faux beams that drop down," Brian says, when looking at the space. "The ceilings here are only 9 feet tall, so once you drop a beam down, I mean, I am 6-foot-4. I feel like Im ducking through. Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt decided to go for a unique ceiling feature. HGTV They decide on paneling, which includes a wood herringbone detail. The design highlights the sophisticated chandelier and makes the room feel classic and elegant. As it turns out, Brian was right, because all three of the other teams install faux beams, making Brian and Mika's home stand out. When the work is done, Mika's proud of their design: "I do like that we decided to do something a little bit more simple on the ceiling. This ceiling detail is unique. HGTV Don't go overboard with bold colors This entryway really pops! HGTV Over in the living room being designed by David Bromstad of "My Lottery Dream Home" and Tiffany Brooks from "50K Three Ways," Bromstad wants to create a wow-worthy entryway that will help them stand out from the competition. "A lot of people are just going to paint this, put up some art and maybe a nice chandelier, and call it done, Bromstad says. So he comes up with a design that incorporates bold wallpaper on one wall, black paint on the other, and an ombre staircase that transitions from dark to light green. It's a brave design, but Bromstad is sure it's the right choice. "We want to have fun, we want to make an impact and show people what they can do with wallpaper and color," Bromstad says. However, Turner isn't impressed by the look. While she likes the wallpaper, she thinks the black paint may be too much. "Its a lot to take in, she says. Brooks and Bromstad provide a good reminder to go boldjust not too bold. Another bedroom can add value While Bromstad and Brooks may have missed a bit on the entryway, they more than make up for it by turning the bonus space into a gorgeous in-law suite. They close up the large entryway to the bonus room and add a new entry to the bathroom so that it can be easily accessed by this new bedroom. Then they sneak a shower into that half-bath, making this space a perfect guest suite. "Doing the mother-in-law suite, hands-down, is going to be our biggest cost for this week's challenge," Brooks says. "But to me, it is a no-brainer to add a full bedroom and a full bath. That is going to definitely bring home the W. By closing up the old entry and creating another entry near the bathroom, this space turns into a cozy guest suite. HGTV But is this suite good enough to bring Brooks and Bromstad the win? As it turns out, yes! Turner announces these two as the winner. While their entryway was a little overwhelming for Turner, she's impressed by the clever arrangement of the in-law suite. Brooks and Bromstad earn major bragging rightsand prove that keeping your in-law in mind is always a good idea. The post 'Rock the Block' Reveals What To Do With Your Living Room Right Now appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Man Gets 8 Years for Recording Minors with Cameras By West Kentucky Star Staff Thirty-two-year-old Roman Trujillo of Water Valley was sentenced to eight years in prison on 20 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a minor and seven counts of possessing or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. Trujillo pleaded guilty to the charges in December as part of a plea deal. MAYFIELD - A Graves County man charged with placing hidden cameras in people's homes without their consent was sentenced on Tuesday. Trujillo was arrested in July after the Graves County Sheriffs Office learned he had been placing hidden cameras in peoples homes, without their knowledge or permission. Deputies said Trujillo placed the hidden cameras at homes in both Graves County and Weakley County, Tennessee. BISHKEK -- An organizer of rallies protesting Kyrgyzstan's proposed constitutional amendments has been detained for allegedly calling on people to seize power before the changes become law. Bishkek police said on March 16 that Tilekmat Kudaibergenov (aka Kurenov) had been detained a day earlier and remains in police custody. The former leader of the Zamandash political party, Jenis Moldokmatov, said on March 16 that before detaining Kudaibergenov, police searched his home and the office of the Against KHANstitution movement that opposes the constitutional amendments initiated by President Sadyr Japarov. Kudaibergenov was one of the organizers of a March 9 rally in Bishkek against the amendments that are expected to be approved in a nationwide referendum on April 11. Critics say Japarov wants to consolidate power in his hands through the amendments, which envision a dramatic increase in presidential powers. On the same day Kudaibergenov was detained, Japarov defended the controversial amendments in an interview with RFE/RL, vowing that "Kyrgyzstan will remain a democratic country, without any types of political persecution." Kudaibergenov is a noted activist and also known as a founder and leader of a movement against granting concessions for the Jetim-Too iron-ore field near the Chinese border to foreign investors. Nurses receive colorful balloons at the welcome ceremoney on Saturday. Photo: Cui Meng/GT It's the best season in Wuhan, as the signature cherry blossom trees are in full bloom. Wuhan University, one of the best places in China to enjoy the flowers, set up special cherry blossom open days for the medical workers participating in the COVID-19 prevention and control, inviting medical teams from all over the country to enjoy the cherry blossoms on campus this weekend. On the first day of the event, more than 3,000 medical personnel and their families from around the country gathered at Wuhan University to appreciate the cherry blossoms. Wuhan's cherry blossom season is a highly anticipated event. However, at the beginning of 2020, more than 340 medical teams and 42,000 medical workers from across the country rushed to Wuhan and other cities in Hubei Province to combat the epidemic, missing the beauty of the cherry blossoms in full bloom. This season, during which Wuhan is back to its usual scene of being filled with cherry blossom admirers everywhere, Wuhan University has set March 13 and 14 as special cherry blossom viewing days for anti-epidemic medical workers. "I am very happy to see the city returning to its former vitality and vigor, which shows that the hard work we put in last year was well worth it," Sui Shaoguang, director of the Emergency Department at the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University from Liaoning Province, told the Global Times. Sui has vivid memories of last year's battle in Wuhan, where his medical team was one of the first to be stationed at the Leishenshan Hospital, and is proud of the wonders China created there. "Leishenshan Hospital was still a construction site when we arrived, but within a few days, our A10 ward received its first patients and then later we also cured the first patient in this new hospital," Sui recalled. At the scene on Saturday, there were also many patients who had been treated and cured by the medical teams at Leishenshan Hospital, waiting early to see their rescuers again. On March 14, Leishenshan Hospital reopened after the closure of the cabin last year. The hospital's president, Wang Xinghuan, led about 400 medical workers and their families for a tour. From opening on February 8, 2020 to its closing on April 15, Leishenshan Hospital has received a total of 2011 patients, of which more than 1,000 were seriously or critically ill, and finally more than 1,900 had recovered and been discharged from hospital . The mortality rate of patients stood at 2.3%. During this period, more than 3,000 medical personnel from 16 medical teams left their combat traces here. Seeing the reunion in cherry blossom season as a solemn appointment with Wuhan's "comrades-in-arms" and local residents, Qin Wei, Sui's colleague and head nurse of the No.1 Department of Neurosurgery, returned to Wuhan full of longing and anticipation. "Last year, when we left Wuhan, our patients' local medical staff kept inviting and reminding us to come back to Wuhan one year later to enjoy the cherry blossoms. We just did our duty in Wuhan, but the enthusiasm of the people in Wuhan made us very moved and grateful," she told the Global Times. The Global Times found many medical staff shedding tears of joy when they met their local Hubei colleagues who were fighting the epidemic together last year, and many of them wrote their best wishes for Wuhan on a signature board on campus. Wuhan University also held a welcoming ceremony, volunteer explanations, special performances and other activities to thank the medical workers for their past contributions. A junior student surnamed Liang from Wuhan University's School of Politics and Public Administration, told the Global Times that teachers and students at the school learned about this activity half a month ago and were excited about the event. "All of us have actively registered as volunteers, receiving training to conduct tours or provide drinking water and souvenirs for the medical staff at the service points on the days of the event. We want to show our gratitude through our hard work and service," Liang said. A young medical worker takes her child to enjoy the beautiful scenery under the blooming cherry trees at Wuhan University on Saturday. Photo: Cui Meng/GT Photo: Cui Meng/GT A mother on Sunday brings her son to Leishenshan Hospital, where she used to work. Photo: Cui Meng/GT At the reopening of Leishenshan Hospital on Sunday, a medical worker from the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University from Liaoning Province, burst into tears when looking at the place where they had combat the epidemic. ADVERTISEMENT An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates court in Ibadan on Tuesday ordered the remand in a correctional facility a man alleged by residents of Ibarapa in Oyo State to be responsible for a series of kidnappings and killings in the area has been arrested. The police charged Iskilu Wakili alongside his sons Abu, 45, and Samaila, 27; and Aliyu Manu, 20, with six counts of conspiracy, murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Idowu, who did not take the plea of the suspects for want of jurisdiction, remanded them in Abolongo Correctional facility in Oyo State. Mr Idowu ordered the police to return the case file to the Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP). He adjourned the matter until May 17 for mention. Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Adewale Amos, told the court that Messrs Wakili, Abu, Samaila, and Manu allegedly conspired together to commit the offence. Mr Amos, as assistant superintendent of police, said Mr Wakili and others on Oct. 20, 2015, caused the death of Akinwale Akande, 32, a police corporal while performing his lawful duty. He alleged that on Aug. 15, 2020, at about 4 p.m. in Idi Emi, Oyo State, Mr Wakili and others kidnapped a woman. The police alleged that the suspects while armed with cutlasses and axe robbed her of N100, 000. The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 316, 324 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code of Oyo State 2000. He said the offence also contravened the provisions of sections 3, 6, and punishable under section 4 (2) of the Kidnapping (Prohibition) Law 2016 and Section 6b of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act. Cap RII, Vol.14, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and section (2) (a) (b) of the Robbery and Firearms ( Special Provisions) Mr Wakili was arrested on March 7 by men of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and other local security groups. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Enugu Field Office, on Monday sealed eight petrol stations in Enugu for dispensing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) above the approved government pump price. The Head, Operations, Afam Azuike, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu. Mr Azuike, however, said three out of the affected petrol stations were later unsealed as they reverted to the government approved price of the product. He said that the sealing of the defaulting petrol stations followed a public outcry over the weekend that petroleum marketers had arbitrarily increased the pump price of PMS. He said the field office on Monday embarked on an aggressive surveillance in Enugu metropolis during which they inspected 29 petrol stations. We discovered that the major marketers sold between N162 and N175. They complained about the cost of the product at the depot as well as the freight charges from Lagos to Enugu. We are aware the government has not increased the price band of PMS which is on partial deregulation. The current price band is cost reflective, taking into cognizance the international cost of crude oil and cost of importation of refined products, he said. Mr Azuike said the five that refused to revert would remain sealed and be sanctioned in line with the default regulations. The head of operations said they discovered that several petrol stations were under lock, adding that we do not know whether they have products or not but the surveillance will continue. We noticed that there was panic buying of PMS in Enugu over the weekend but after this surveillance there will be free flow of products in the state. We want residents of the state to know that there is no fuel scarcity in the state, he said. Mr Azuike appealed to commuters not to play into the hands of greedy petroleum marketers and to report anyone selling above the approved pump price. No one should be compelled to buy PMS above the approved pump price. Our office is always open and if you report defaulters we will swing into action, he said. PMS scarcity led to a rise in the pump price of PMS in the state in the last four days as some petroleum marketers sold as high as N210 per litre. (NAN) Haiti - News : Zapping... Post-Covid-19 tourism revival On Monday, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, a talk was held around the prospects for reviving the tourism post-Covid-19. It was a question for the participants of various horizons to initiate reflections on the short, medium and long term. Priorities for strategic direction were on the agenda. This talk aims to present the vision, missions and achievements of the Ministry, but also wants to stimulate reflection around the prospects for the short, medium and long term for Haitian tourism post Covid-19. Reactions of Secretary of State Antony Blinken Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Haiti "I share concern about some of the authoritarian and undemocratic actions that we've seen, particularly this irregular rule by decree. We're making it very clear that decrees need to be limited to essential functions. We need to see the Haitians organize with international support, genuinely free and fair elections this year. We will focus on doing what we can to make sure that they are, in fact, free and fair." A BLTS officer murdered Saturday evening, a new victim is to be deplored in the ranks of the National Police of Haiti (PNH). BLTS offcier Jean Yvelet St-Fleur was murdered by unidentified armed individuals. Coming from the 28th promotion of the PNH, Jean Yvelet St-Fleur was assassinated at Harry's Restaurant in the presence of his wife, while he was attending a party... Inauguration of the flight between Port-au-Prince and Les Cayes Sunrise Airways will inaugurate its domestic flights in the city of Cayes on Tuesday March 16, 2021. To mark this reconnection between Port-au-Prince and Les Cayes, a ceremony will be organized under the circumstances at Antoine Simon Airport in Les Cayes. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33123-haiti-flash-sunrise-airways-announces-a-new-port-au-prince-les-cayes-link.html Intervention by Bocchit Edmond at the OAS On Wednesday March 17, the Permanent Representative a.i of Haiti to the OAS, Ambassador Bocchit Edmond, will address the issue of the electoral process in Haiti, at the OAS Permanent Council. Me Andre Michel reacts "By requesting technical support from the OAS to combat banditry https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33251-haiti-security-jovenel-moise-seeks-help-from-the-oas.html , Jovenel Moise admits his inability to organize the elections demanded by the international community. A credible Government is needed for the return to democratic order. The Problem is indeed Jovenel Moise," reacted Me Andre Michel. HL/ HaitiLibre In this Oct. 25, 2019, file photo, News Corp Chief Executive Robert Thomson speaks at the Paley Center in New York. News Corp and Facebook announced on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, new pay deals for news in Australia three weeks after the government passed laws that would make digital giants help cover the costs of journalism. The New York-based news business that operates mainly in the United States, Britain and Australia said it had reached a multi-year agreement with Facebook that covers its major Australian mastheads as well as regional publications. "The agreement with Facebook is a landmark in transforming the terms of trade for journalism, and will have a material and meaningful impact on our Australian news businesses," Thomson said. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) News Corp and Facebook have reached pay deals for news in Australia three weeks after the government passed laws that would make digital giants help cover the costs of journalism. The New York-based news business that operates mainly in the United States, Britain and Australia said Tuesday it had reached a multi-year agreement with Facebook that covers its major Australian mastheads as well as regional publications. The pay deal follows a similar agreement struck with Google last month. Sky News Australia, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, had also reached a new agreement that extends and builds on an existing Facebook agreement, a News Corp statement said. The deal follows an agreement reached in 2019 in which News Corp U.S. publications receive payment for access to stories through Facebook News. "The agreement with Facebook is a landmark in transforming the terms of trade for journalism, and will have a material and meaningful impact on our Australian news businesses," News Corp Chief Executive Robert Thomson said. Andrew Hunter, head of Facebook News Partnerships in Australia and New Zealand, said the agreements with News Corp Australia and Sky News Australia "mean that people on Facebook will gain access to premium news articles and breaking news video from News Corp's network of national, metropolitan, rural and suburban newsrooms." Thomson thanked the Australian government for "taking a principled stand for publishers" through its laws that could force Facebook and Google pay for news content accessed through their platforms if the two gateways to the internet fail to strike fair deals. News Corp now has pay deals with Facebook, Google and Apple to provide access to journalism. Google has been quicker than Facebook to ink deals with Australian news businesses as the digital platform laws made their way through parliamentary processes. Seven West Media is the only other major Australian media organization to announce a pay deal with Facebook. Facebook announced preliminary pay deals with independent news organizations Private Media, Schwartz Media and Solstice Media a day after the laws were passed by Parliament last month. Explore further Facebook signs pay deals with 3 Australian news publishers 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Haiti - DR: The price of visas remains the same, without any variation The Dominican consul in Juana Mendez (Haiti), Jose Valenzuela, reacted with surprise to the statements of popular organizations which denounce an increase in the price of the stay visa for Haitians to enter the Dominican Republic. "We have not increased or planned to increase the price of said visa, and there is not intermediaries in the process of issuing the document, as has been revealed, "Valenzuela said in a press release. He also denied that consulate officials manipulate visa applications to the detriment of Haitian citizens, stressing that, "on the contrary, the visa issuance process is done transparently, in accordance with the directives of President Luis Abinader, to through the Dominican Chancellery. " "We want to clarify that the current price of the visa is 200 dollars, it was not increased of one dollar , nor any handling and even less a shortage of stamps to seal the document for travel in our country." The consular official argued that promoting this "false information" is doing a disservice to good relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, a complaint that apparently comes from sectors dissatisfied with certain determinations adopted by the consulate, in order to be transparent and achieve greater efficiency in the services offered. In that sense, there are people who may not feel good, but it hasn't crossed our minds to make any increase in the services we provide, the Dominican consul explained. He said that if there is anyone who has information or a complaint, they can go to the consulate and deal with any disagreement, as they would gladly take the corrections in place. He also clarified that he alone is responsible for the Consular Directorate and that no one can act on his behalf without his consent. S/ HaitiLibre A Ghanaian local publishing house, Badu Nkansah Limited says after recalling all copies of the controversial textbooks for primary school children from the market, it intends to set them ablaze without further ado. Titled history of Ghana which appears to denigrate Ewes in the country. Spokesperson, Mark Osei has apologized for its offensive description of Ewes in the publication and maintained that we sincerely regret this which wont happen again, in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. According to him, although the book had satisfied most of the technical content requirements, the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) had informed them to work on certain aspects of the book in order for it to meet the expectations of the new curriculum. The 'History of Ghana Textbook 3' raised concerns in the public domain after the author used some offensive words to describe Ewes as Juju loving people among others. The said publication also features a song that shows the Ewes identity by making inappropriate references which are deemed unfortunate and in contradiction with NaCCA's Book Submission Guidelines and Approval Methodology which guide the work of publishers and authors. The public took umbrage against the book in circulation which the Publisher admits "have not yet met the final approvement threshold. Mark Osei revealed copies of the book was leaked but assured all will be done to retrieve and burn soon. Its unfortunate, all we will say is sorry but I can assure you that we will retrieve all and burn them in the public, he told host Kwesi Aboagye. 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 Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Oct. 14, 2020. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo) Grassley Urges DOJ to Probe Obstruction of Justice in COVID-19 Nursing Home Probe Ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to look into whether any state officials, who are subjected to the Justice Departments CCP virus nursing home probe, had engaged in obstruction of justice. Grassley, who was joined by five other Republican senators, wrote to Garland on Monday asking him to expand a DOJ inquiry into four states that came under widespread scrutiny for their response last year to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, which may have resulted in the deaths of thousands of nursing home residents. The statesNew York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michiganhad issued orders that required nursing homes to admit COVID-19 patients to their vulnerable populations, often without adequate testing, the department said in August 2020. The DOJ requested data from the four states to assess whether to launch civil rights investigations to determine whether the state orders are responsible for the deaths of nursing home residents. In October, the department expanded the inquiry by asking New York to hand over a breakout of hospital deaths that its health department had been collecting since at least April but not made public. At the time, Cuomos administration has repeatedly refused to release such nursing home data. The DOJ also announced in the same month that it had launched a civil rights investigation into New Jerseys state-run veteran homes. Officials from both states have criticized the DOJs review as being politically motivated. Grassley urged Garland in his letter to continue pursuing its investigations into the four states. He also expressed particular concern over the conduct of New York officials for the alleged coverup of COVID-19-related nursing home deaths in the state. In January, New Yorks attorney general issued a 76-page report (pdf) following an investigation into nursing homes responses during the pandemic over allegations of patient neglect and other conduct. Preliminary data from the investigation suggests that many nursing home residents had died from COVID-19 in the hospital after they were transferred from their nursing homes. These cases were not reflected in the states Department of Healths (DOH) published total nursing home death data. The attorney general office compared data from 62 nursing homes, which represents 10 percent of the total facilities in New York, reported to its office, to data reported to the DOH. The investigation also found that some nursing homes underreported their resident deaths occurring in nursing homes by as much as 50 percent to the DOH. A top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Melissa DeRosa, reportedly apologized for withholding information that nearly 15,000 nursing home residents died of COVID-19, much higher than the 8,500 figure previously disclosed, according to the New York Post, who obtained an audio recording of a conference call with state Democratic leaders on Feb. 11. DeRosa also allegedly told Democrats that the administration feared the data could be used against us by the DOJ. Grassley also referred to other news articles that reported allegations that the New York governors senior aides were involved in altering a state nursing home officials report. The media outlets cited several anonymous sources. These accounts raise additional questions about whether the Cuomo administration intentionally concealed the extent of the problem facing New Yorks nursing homes during the national emergency period, Grassley wrote. Nursing homes remain hotspots for the coronavirus, which is why we ask that DOJ continue to diligently investigate the extent to which four states governors violated the civil rights of nursing home residents and failed in their duty of care. We also ask that you investigate whether any such state directives were inconsistent with guidelines or requirements for participation in Federal programs and determine whether there was a coverup or obstruction of justice by public officials who were the subject of DOJs investigations, he added. Other senators who also signed the letter include Sens. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). The DOJ did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan Mass killings, including ones in which attackers wore military attire, and counterterrorism operations on a near-daily basis have revived concerns about an oft-prophesized Islamic State (IS) "resurgence" in areas northwest of Baghdad. While many analysts say low-level insurgency may continue for quite some time without this leading to any territorial control by the nonstate actors, locals contacted by Al-Monitor put the blame for the latest attacks on armed forces deployed there. International coalition spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto told Al-Monitor March 14, [IS] is territorially defeated. It continues to pursue an insurgency with hit-and-run tactics, murder, assassinating and intimidating local leaders. Despite a recent uptick in simple low-level attacks [the coalition] has not observed any indication of a resurgence. The previous day he had tweeted an article quoting a peshmerga officer as saying March 11, The US-led coalition to defeat the Islamic State had carried out over two dozen airstrikes against the group over the previous day. When asked by Al-Monitor whether such an unusually high number of airstrikes had actually been conducted, Marotto replied, I cant confirm at this time. Six members of a family including women and two individuals linked to them were killed in three separate, targeted attacks March 11 in Albu-Dour, a Sunni-majority village in the southern part of Salahuddin province. In claiming responsibility, IS said those killed had been acting as spies against them for the government-salaried Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). Iraqi security officials were quoted as saying that the perpetrators had infiltrated the village in military uniform. Residents of Salahuddin province contacted by Al-Monitor said the root of security breaches stem from the presence of armed forces with no connection to the territory and were skeptical of the IS claims. The armed forces referred to are Shiite-led PMU units, some of which took part in liberating the Sunni-majority province from IS between 2014 and December 2017, when Iraq declared victory over the transnational terrorist group in the country. On March 14, Salahuddin tribal council chief Marwan al-Jbara spoke to Al-Monitor in Erbil on the Albu-Dour incident. He noted that the village, 15 kilometers [9 miles] south of Tikrit, is under the responsibility of PMU Brigade 35 known as the Martyrs of Sadr Forces, which controls a 25-kilometer [15.5-mile] area flanking the road between Baghdad and Mosul from northern Samarra to al-Awja, the native village of former President Saddam Hussein. Saddam was removed from power by the US invasion in 2003 and executed in 2006. Jbara said, [These nonlocal PMU forces] hinder people from going through their areas and have a lot of problems with the local community. This incident is the fifth one [recently] in this sector. The others occurred in nearby villages but together they have left dozens dead all killed in cold blood. A committee was set up to investigate these incidents but nothing came of it. Though IS claimed responsibility for the latest attack, he noted, [Locals] do not believe this, because there are so many problems between the forces [deployed in the area and the community itself]." Jbara claimed that the Albu-Dour incident made residents of Salahuddin province realize that some want to effect demographic change in this area by pushing locals out. He added, [The area] is very rich. It has many fish ponds and very fertile soil, compared with desert and barren land in other areas of the country, and is strategically located. In a previous interview with Al-Monitor in person in Baghdad in late January, Jbara had said that tribes and residents of the Salahuddin region wanted greater US-led coalition presence on the ground and were concerned about the steady drawdown over the previous year. Since 2003, the area northwest of Baghdad has often been referred to as the Sunni Triangle. Tribes are important in the area and tribal fighters who took part in the Arab Spring were key to fighting al-Qaeda in Iraq in the years of extremist insurgency prior to the rise of IS. Many Anbar and Salahuddin residents fled to Erbil when their areas were taken over by IS in 2014 and have only recently returned. Some who can afford to do so return to the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for short periods when in need of respite or rest, and some have bought or rent second homes there. Arab internally displaced persons from several Iraqi provinces are also still in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, including from a town in Iraqs Babil province previously known as Jurf al-Sakr and now as Jurf al-Nasr, which was retaken from IS in 2014 but whose residents have not yet been allowed to return, allegedly because of Shiite militias preventing them from doing so. Many of these, Jbara said in late January, are farmers and thus have no alternative source of income, with their land having been occupied for over six years even after IS was pushed out. Links between Iraqs Sunni Arabs who for years were associated by many with Saddam, who committed massacres targeting the countrys Kurdish and Shiite populations but also Sunni communities that tried to rise up against him and the countrys Kurdish population seem to have grown stronger in part because of this refuge the Arabs and others were given by the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) during the years under IS. Meanwhile, intelligence sharing and cooperation between the central government and the KRG concerning areas disputed between the two remain less than ideal. Some progress, however, seems to have been made. Many of the most recent successes announced by the central government were made possible by intelligence from both local sources and KRG intelligence/security services, including the Jan. 28 killing of the head of IS operations in Iraq, a man known as Abu Yasser al-Issawi, in the southern Kirkuk province flanking Salahuddin. PORTLAND, Ore., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, "Dry Type Transformer Market by Type (Dry Type Converter Transformer and Dry Type Rectifier Transformer), Technology (Cast Resin and Vacuum Pressure Impregnation), Phase (Single-phase and Three-phase), Voltage (Low and Medium), and End Use (Industrial, Commercial, and Others): Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027". According to the report, the global dry type transformers market was pegged at $5.4 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $7.3 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2020 to 2027. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities Wide applicability in the distribution of electricity, rapid industrialization in developing countries, and expansion of electricity distribution network have boosted the growth of the global dry type transformer market. However, development of solid-state transformers (SSTs) hampers the market growth. On the contrary, development and adoption of smart grids and digital dry transformers and application of 3D core vacuum pressure impregnated (VPI) dry type transformer are expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market players in the future. Download Sample PDF (345 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/952 Covid-19 scenario: Lockdowns in several countries and temporary suspension of manufacturing industry has affected the supply of dry type transformers. The disrupted supply chain and shortage of labor has negatively impacted the manufacturing of dry type transformers. The cast resin segment dominated the market By technology, the cast resin segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global dry type transformer market, owing to widespread adoption in areas such as general & public buildings, industrial plants, wind turbine plants, solar farms, LNG vessels. However, the vacuum pressure impregnated segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period, due to better mechanical compactness and dielectric stability compared to cast resin dry type transformers. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Dry Type Transformer Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/952?reqfor=covid The commercial segment to manifest highest CAGR through 2027 By end use, the commercial segment is anticipated to portray the highest CAGR of 6.4% during the study period, owing to civil infrastructural developments around the world such as airports, water treatment plants, hospitals, hotels, underground stores, stadiums, educational facilities, and shopping malls among other business spaces. However, the industry segment held the lion's share in 2019, contributing to more than half of the global dry type transformer market, due to its widespread adoption in chemical, marine, oil and gas, renewable energy, mining, and railway sectors. North America to show highest CAGR through 2027 By region, the market across North America is expected to register the highest CAGR of 6.6% from 2020 to 2027, owing to increase in demand for electricity in countries such as Canada and U.S. However, the global dry type transformer market across Asia-Pacific held the largest share in 2019, accounting for more than two-fifths of the market, due to increasing electrification projects and manufacturing investments in Asian countries such as India and China. Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solution for Your Business @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/952 Major market players Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. Fuji Electric Co. Ltd. Eaton Corporation Plc Hammond Power Solutions Inc. General Electric Company Hitachi Ltd. Henley Energy GCC Kirloskar Electric Co. Ltd. Hyosung Heavy Industries Schneider Electric SE Power Sp. z o.o. TBEA Co. Ltd. Siemens AG WEG Group Voltamp Transformers Ltd. Interested in Procure Data? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/dry-type-transformer-market/purchase-options Access AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Avenue is a user-based library of global market report database, provides comprehensive reports pertaining to the world's largest emerging markets. It further offers e-access to all the available industry reports just in a jiffy. By offering core business insights on the varied industries, economies, and end users worldwide, Avenue ensures that the registered members get an easy as well as single gateway to their all-inclusive requirements. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Similar Reports We Have: Power transformer market is expected to reach $50.8 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 7.9% from 2020 to 2027 Transformer oil market is expected to reach $3.4 billion by 2020, registering a CAGR of 6.3% from 2014 to 2020. Solid-State Transformers (SST) Market is expected to garner $247.0 million by 2020, supported by a CAGR of 46.6% from 2014 to 2020 Diesel generator market is expected to reach $37.1 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 9.8% from 2020 to 2027 String inverter market is projected to reach $4.6 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2020 to 2027. Circuit breakers market is projected to reach $14.8 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.30% from 2019 to 2026. Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount: Transformers Market: Global Market Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027 Smart Transformers Market Global Opportunities and Industry Forecasts, 2021-2028 Converter Transformer Market - Global Opportunities and Industry Forecasts, 2021-2028 Generator Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2028 E-House Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027 Industrial Controller Transformer Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027 About us: 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 us: 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 DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Mar, 2021) The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has called upon all UAE nationals to participate in the Emirati Genome Programme, a ground-breaking national genomics initiative and one of the worlds largest, and most comprehensive genomics programs. The programme aims to provide the best healthcare system for all Emirati citizens, understand the nature of the genetic diseases prevalent among the UAE population, implement personalized medicine for Emiratis to provide accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, strengthen the prevention of genetic and chronic diseases in the coming generations, equip national competencies to reshape the future of healthcare policies in cooperation with the highest medical research centers, foster the countrys position as a global innovation hub in the health sector, and raise the country's profile in the Global Competitiveness Index. Open for all UAE nationals, the Emirati Genome Program aims to deliver better insights into genetic variation in the Emirati population. By taking part in the programme, participants will contribute towards a process of scientific discovery with potential onwards benefits, such as tailored healthcare strategies across the UAE and support a transition from a reactive model of healthcare to more proactive and preventative healthcare management. Launched in collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, the program is one of the flagship initiatives of G42 Healthcares recently launched Omics Centre of Excellence, the largest and most technologically advanced omics facility in the region. The pilot phase of the Emirati Genome Programme was successfully concluded with G42 Healthcare experts building the first de novo Emirati reference genome based on DNA samples from 1,000 UAE nationals, using cutting-edge next generation and third generation sequencing with artificial intelligence. The reference genome will be used as a type-standard against which individual genomes will be compared in the diagnosis of genetic conditions and informing treatment plans to provide personalized healthcare for UAE citizens. Inviting UAE nationals to participate in the programme, Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, said, "In line with the UAEs vision for the "Next 50 years", development of a preventive healthcare system is one of our key priorities. As one of the most ambitious genomics program worldwide, Emirati Genome Program is our step towards providing preventive and personalized healthcare system for the Emirati population. I call upon all UAE nationals to participate in the program and support us in achieving our goal of providing innovative and world-class healthcare services to all Emiratis for a healthier future." Al Owais added: "The Emirati Genome Programme is one of the flagship projects aimed to anticipate the healthcare future and enter a new era of genetic medicine based on the use of genetic information in the clinical care. By using genetic science and modern technologies of sequencing-based genomic profiling to identify the DNA fingerprinting, the Program would help prevent genetic and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and asthma, as well as develop personalized treatment for each patient according to genetic factors." Ashish Koshy, Chief Executive Officer of G42 Healthcare, said, "Emirati Genome Program is set to create a new milestone in the field of UAEs healthcare sector. We urge Emiratis across all age groups to participate in the program and contribute to a healthier future for generations to come. We are pleased to have received an overwhelming response with its launch in Abu Dhabi and looking forward to reach more Emiratis across UAE, who will play a crucial part in shaping the future of healthcare system of this nation." The success of the Emirati Genome Programme depends heavily on the voluntary participation of UAE nationals across the country. The more participants the Emirati Genome Programme has, the more comprehensive the resulting genetic data becomes, creating a rich base for scientists and medical professionals to build the Emirati reference genome. Emirati volunteers can now visit the sample collection sites in Al Maared Hall at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) and the Biogenix Lab Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, where team members will be available to guide them through the process. Additional collection sites will be open across the country in the coming weeks and months. Participation is voluntary, and participants would be required to go through an informed consent process before joining the program. Details of the Emirati Genome Program, including complete participation information, can be found at www.emiratigenomeprogram.ae or by calling 800 UAE GENOME. South Africa: Get reading, SA! The fourth session of the Presidents Virtual Reading Club will be hosted on 25 March 2021 from 4.30pm 6.30pm. Since launching in 2019, the National Reading Coalition has supported the Read to Lead Campaign and President Cyril Ramaphosas call to improve reading nationally from the classroom to the living room. In an endeavour to build a community around reading, the NRC is networking reading clubs nationally to promote a reading culture across the country. The event will take place via a webinar on Microsoft Teams. Details are available at: https://nrc.org.za/. The Virtual Reading Club event is a two-hour book discussion session, and it will review various South African and African book titles. This session will revisit vintage South African literary classics in the form of Can Thembas The Suit and I am not a Tramp by Leslie Sehume. These stories can be found on http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/A2696/A2696-A1-001-jpeg.pdf. Our goal is to build awareness around the importance of creating a reading culture in South Africa by encouraging individuals and reading club members to join a reading network that will take up the Presidents challenge of reading at least one book per month, said the National Reading Coalition. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-03-16. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. [March 16, 2021] TSRI Celebrates 25 Years of Success and Expands Offerings to Meet an Urgent Need for the Modernization of Critical, Enterprise-Scale Software Applications KIRKLAND, Wash., March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Software Revolution, Inc. (TSRI), a recognized leader in fully automated software modernization, marks its 25th anniversary with new partnerships and solutions to meet an urgent need for the modernization of enterprise-scale applications. As organizations face diminishing resources, technical vulnerabilities, and rising costs, TSRI enables the rapid, low-risk modernization of systems that are critical to our societys infrastructure. TSRI has demonstrated success in the military, government, and commercial sectors while delivering a full, end-to-end solution ready for cloud architectures and continuous DevSecOps maintenance and development. Since the 1990s, TSRI has helped organizations migrate their systems into fully modern environments, databases, and languages. Its core technology, JANUS Studio, is a model- and architecture-driven technology suite for automatic software modernization. Now in its third generation, JANUS Studio is an advanced framework for automated assessment, documentation, transformation, and refactoring, tied in with DevSecOps processes. TSRI modernizes where engineering teams need help the most: languages such as COBOL, PL/1, JCL, Java, C#, MUMPS, Fortran, and Ada, as well as over 35 other supported languages, databases, and user interfaces. The sophistication and versatility of the model-based approach allows TSRI to modernize applications at an enterprise scale. Just as the Industrial Revolutio took decades to transform 19th-century society and industry, TSRI is systematically applying formal methods and artificial intelligence to continuously transform and evolve software, Philip Newcomb, Founder, Executive Chairman, and CTO of TSRI said. JANUS Studio is an industrial-scale technology for highly efficient and accurate analysis and transformation of code on a vast scale. Today, with the infrastructure of our society based on software, the need to expeditiously and reliably modernize these systems is more urgent than ever. Our approach is focused on providing semantic code transformation, which has enabled us to perform rapid, low-risk automated modernization for organizations who would have otherwise been left behind. Client Success Story When NTT DATA was asked to modernize the United States Air Forces (USAF) 50-year-old legacy mainframe Integrated Logistics Systems-Supply (ILS-S) Standard Base Supply Systems (SBSS), they queried leading software modernization vendors to assist, including TSRI. USAF wanted to reduce operating costs, improve system agility, and enable full mission readiness of its bases around the world. TSRI was chosen to help NTT DATA meet the USAFs tight-turn and proof-of-concept trial. For this program, the United States Air Force required system modernization with no loss in functionality, no loss of performance, and adherence to price and schedule, Paul Saladna, Associate Director and Enterprise Architect at NTT DATA, said. Throughout the project, TSRI proved to be an optimal partner who delivered on-time, on-budget, and to spec. They made the modernization process easy from start to finish. The result of NTT DATAs successful effort, with TSRIs assistance, is a fully modernized Java system deployed in the AWS GovCloud on over 260 U.S. Air Force bases around the world, saving the client CAPEX and OPEX costs, while allowing them to remain agile to business and program needs. See case studies. Looking Ahead TSRI was recently named as a launch partner for Amazon Web Services Mainframe Migration Competency. In late 2020, the company launched DocsRev, a code-level-based Documentation-as-a-Service product that enables organizations to easily take advantage of JANUS Studios documentation while reducing operational and maintenance costs. In addition, TSRI is expanding its product and services, driving toward a fully integrated, continuous cloud modernization offering with DevSecOps functionality. This framework establishes a modernization permanence model, with on-going support required for continuous code and security deployment. About TSRI TSRI Software Modernization Assured As a leading provider of fully automated software modernization services, TSRI enables technology readiness for the cloud and other modern architecture environments. We bring software applications into the future quickly, accurately, and efficiently with low risk and minimal business disruption, accomplishing in months what would otherwise take years. Media Inquiries: Rebecca MacLeod rebecca@b2launch.com +1 (206) 852-7403 Business Inquiries: Greg Tadlock info@tsri.com +1 (425) 284-2782 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Exactly one year ago, Ted Yang answered a call to help coordinate Connecticuts philanthropic response to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, after helping launch a nonprofit that has overseen the delivery of about $20 million in aid across the state, the New Canaan-based entrepreneur is handing off the baton to a new leader. 4-CT announced Monday that Yang had stepped down as chief executive officer and joined its board. At the same time, it appointed an interim CEO, Catalina Samper-Horak, who was the founding executive director of Building One Community, a Stamford-based nonprofit that serves the immigrant community. The changes are part of a long-planned transition. I instigated this change. I think its the right time for this change one year after we started 4-CT, Yang said in an interview. Catalina is fantastic at what she does, and she is an amazing leader, fundraiser and connector to the communities we serve. Shell prepare the way for a long-term leader of 4-CT. Its a process being started up right now, and itll take some number of months to find that person. Samper-Horak had served on the 4-CT board since its inception, but stepped down from the board to focus on her new position. Im passionate about social justice and believe that we, as a community, all have a responsibility to help those affected by COVID. Given my own background and experience as a social entrepreneur, when Don (Kendall, 4-CTs other co-founder and executive chairman) and Ted asked me if I would consider this opportunity I thought it would be a great way for me to stay involved and capitalize on the things Ive done in the past. Kendall described Samper-Horak as the ideal person to lead 4-CTs transition. Catalina has the full package of skills and experience we are looking for in our interim leader, Kendall said in a statement. She is very passionate about 4-CT and believes we have an exceptional opportunity to capitalize on the wave of innovation that is happening currently in the direct aid and universal basic income space. Samper-Horak expects to serve about six months as the interim chief executive. She will advise the board, which will pick the permanent CEO. I have the direct experience of running a nonprofit, being on the front lines and working with vulnerable populations, Samper-Horak said. Combining my experience on the operational side and strategic side with my frontline, direct contact with people will help the board with their decisions. One year in operation 4-CT was founded on March 15, 2020. Its formation was spurred by a call that day about the states response to the pandemic between Gov. Ned Lamont and Kendall, a Weston-based entrepreneur. As soon as Don got off the phone with the governor, he called me, and we said Lets go do this, Yang said. The this was being able to put together large-scale, statewide philanthropy for rapid relief for COVID. Don and I are both entrepreneurs, so we wanted to jump in and make it happen. Among earlier undertakings, Yang and Kendall founded the Connecticut chapter of Social Venture Partners, a venture philanthropy organization. Ted was an amazing changemaker as he and Don (Kendall) got 4-CT off the ground, providing support for innovative programs and for Nutmeggers who would otherwise have fallen through the safety net, Lamont said in a statement. Believe me, Ted will stay very involved, just in a new role. 4-CT has since amplified its impact by teaming up with leading nonprofits across the state. Its partners include Fairfield Countys Community Foundation, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Through its partnership with HFPG, 4-CT developed a grant program that distributed a total of more than $12 million to community-based nonprofits across the state for projects in areas including housing, education, food assistance, health care, community-policing training and legal services. In addition, 4-CT has overseen the delivery of $4 million to $5 million in aid from other philanthropies. The 4-CT grants were all funded before Nov. 1, 2020. Since last November, 4-CT has directed all of its resources to its card program, which provides cash relief to low-income recipients through pre-paid debit cards. To date, the initiative has disbursed nearly $2 million, with organizations such as community health centers helping to distribute the cards. Recipients decide how they use the cards which are worth up to $1,000 each but housing, food and childcare rank among the main needs addressed by those funds. It came to our attention that there were needs that no one was addressing because they were cash needs, Yang said. By distributing the cards through organizations such as community health centers, 4-CT also helps the recipients get access to COVID-19 vaccines, virus testing and personal protective equipment. We wanted to get the cards distributed at the health centers so this population could get tested and vaccinated and, more importantly, build a health care relationship, Yang said. Between 20 percent and 25 percent of the recipients of our cards have no health relationship (with providers). Connecticut ranks among the states with the highest proportion of residents who have received at least one vaccine dose. But major disparities in access persist along socio-economic, racial and geographic lines. To accelerate the process, Lamont announced Monday a plan to open vaccine scheduling for those ages 45-54 on March 19 and begin scheduling for the 16-44 age group on April 5. Connecticut is doing a great job of distributing the vaccines, but equity is always an issue, Yang said. The most disadvantaged populations dont have the uptake of the more prosperous ones. Thats something that 4-CT wants to help address. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott New Delhi, March 16 : A 27-year-old man wanted in several murder cases and robberies in the national capital has been arrested along with his accomplice in Jaipur by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The accused were arrested by the Delhi Police on Monday. "The accused Priyavrat is previously involved in 15 cases, including six cases of murder and attempt to murder," said Manishi Chandra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Special Cell. Priyavrat and his 23-year-old accomplice Rohit are both residents of Katewada village in north-west Delhi's Bawana. Priyavrat is the aide of Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi and is charged with the murder of a Civil Defence employee posted at Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office in Alipur at Bawana in March this year. He is also charged with the murder of one Dhole Libaspur in Sonepat, Haryana. Priyavrat is also charged with the murder of Naresh Financier in west Delhi's Najafgarh. He is also involved in the double murder case of Shahbaz and a passerby in Narela. The other accused Rohit has a crime history of being involved in several cases of robbery. He was an active accomplice of Priyavrat in recent cases in Bawana and Najafgarh. "Both the accused were apprehended from Jaipur where they were hiding," the police official added. The American Red Cross began COVID-19 antibody testing on all blood donations beginning on June 15, 2020. Since that time, according to data shared with CNN, the percentage of donations that were positive for COVID antibodies from unvaccinated donors increased from about 1.5% to 20%. According to the report, about 1.5% of the donations in the first week of July included COVID antibodies. The presence of COVID-19 antibodies means a person has likely been infected with the coronavirus at some point. By the first week of October the figure increased to 4%. In January, the positive antibody test rate reached double-digits at 12%. The latest tests from the first week of March, CNN said, reported 21% of the donations from unvaccinated donors were positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Between mid-June 2020 and early March 2021, the American Red Cross tested more than 3.3 million donations from unvaccinated people in 44 states for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies, according to CNN. Overall, about 7.5% of the donations tested during that time were positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Once a person is infected with COVID-19 their bodies begin producing antibodies against the virus. The antibody test is a method that could determine if a person has contracted the virus in the past whether they developed symptoms or not. The antibody test may also indicate whether a person who has been vaccinated for COVID-19 has developed antibodies against the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 21% of the country has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. About 11% of Americans have been fully vaccinated. As the pandemic passes its one-year anniversary, the United States has experienced about 29.5 million confirmed cases of COVID according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That number represented about 8.8% of the U.S. population which is similar to the percentage of blood donations that were positive for COVID antibodies from the American Red Cross. Related Content: Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. (Newser) Stripe's new round of funding has left SpaceX and Instacart in the dust. The payments processing company announced it had added $600 million on Sunday, for a valuation of $95 billion. That shoots Stripe past SpaceX, which is valued at $74 billion, and Instacart, which is pegged at $39 billion, CNN reports, making it the nation's most valuable startup. Demand for Stripe's services has grown during the pandemic along with the increase in online payments. The company said the new funding came from investors including Fidelity, Sequoia Capital, and Ireland's National Treasury Management Agency; Stripe was founded by two Irish brothers from Tipperary, per Yahoo. After starting the company as teenagers in 2010, John and Patrick Collisons reportedly were worth $3.2 billion apiece even before the latest funding. story continues below Based in San Francisco and Dublin, the company said it plans to use the new money to expand in Europe"particularly in Ireland," said John Collison. "The growth opportunity for the European digital economy is immense." The funding will create 1,000 jobs in Dublin, he said. Stripe's valuation has risen nearly threefold in less than a year, after being at $36 billion last April. One rival, Checkout.com, did the same in January; other competitors include PayPal and Square. The company, which has decided to concentrate on processing credit card, debit card and mobile wallet transactionsnot cryptocurrencieshas not filed for an IPO or given any clues about its plans. "We are convinced that, despite making great progress over the last 10 years," the head of NTMA said, "most of Stripes success is yet to come." (Read more startup stories.) Alexei Navalny in January, before his imprisonment. Navalny Live/YouTube Alexei Navalny, Putin's chief domestic critic, is serving 2 1/2 years in a Russian prison. He was sentenced for missing parole hearings while he recovered from Novichok poisoning. He spoke out from prison in a Monday Instagram post, comparing the prison to a "concentration camp." See more stories on Insider's business page. Alexei Navalny has for the first time revealed details about his life in Russian prison, reporting 24/7 surveillance and likening it to a concentration camp. Navalny, the chief domestic critic of President Vladimir Putin, began a 30-month stint in prison after being sentenced on February 2 for missing parole meetings while abroad. The activist had been receiving specialist medical care in Berlin after being poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent in August, for which he has blamed Putin. He was immediately arrested after returning to Russia in January. Navalny's whereabouts after his sentencing were unknown until Russian authorities announced on February 28 that they had sent Navalny to Penal Colony No. 2 in the Vladimir region of Russia, east of Moscow. Navalny had not been heard from until Monday, when he broke his silence on Instagram and described his situation. "I must admit that the Russian prison system managed to surprise me. I did not think it was possible to build a concentration camp just 100 kilometers away from Moscow," he said. "Video cameras are everywhere, everyone is watched and at the slightest infringement, they make a report. I think someone up there read Orwell's 1984 and said: 'Yeah, cool. Let's do this.'" Navalny said that at night he was woken up every hour by a prison guard holding a video camera, checking that he had not escaped. "Three things never cease to amaze me," he added. "The stars in the sky above us, the categorical imperative within us, and the amazing feeling when you run your palm over your freshly shaven head." Story continues Reports have detailed how prisoners in Russia are often tortured and subject to inhumane treatment. Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 30. Alexei Druzhinin/TASS via Getty Konstantin Kotov, a former inmate of Penal Colony No. 2 who was released in December, told CNN: "From the first minutes you are here you are experiencing mental and moral pressure." He continued: "You are forced to do things that you would never do in normal life. You are forbidden to talk with other convicts. They force you to learn the list of names of the employees. You are on your feet all day, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. You are not allowed to sit down. They do not allow you to read, they do not allow you to write a letter. It can last two weeks, it can last three weeks." Kotov said orderlies at Penal Colony No. 2 often punished inmates by hitting a chair leg against the underside of their feet. Navalny said in his Instagram post that he had yet to see violence between guards and prisoners but believed reports of mistreatment given what he described as the "tense posture of the convicts." Kotov added that he slept in a room with 50 to 60 metal bunks and spent almost every day watching Russian state TV. "This is torture by TV," he told CNN. Large protests broke out across Russia in the wake of Navalny's detention, but they died down in recent weeks after a crackdown by law enforcement. Thousands of people have been arrested, including Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya. Read the original article on Business Insider Collaboration to advance battery-electric development for transport refrigeration RUEIL-MALMAISON, France, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrier Transicold will accelerate and advance its electrification capabilities through a new strategic partnership with Portuguese technology company AddVolt. The agreement enables Carrier to broadly utilize AddVolt's proven, engine-agnostic technology to develop innovative sustainable transport refrigeration solutions for customers in Europe. Further, the system is telematics-enabled and compatible with Carrier's new Lynx digital platform, which allows customers to use data to make faster decisions to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of their supply chains. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions. "Through our agreement with AddVolt, we're taking an important step toward the widespread commercial adoption of electric trailer refrigeration systems across Europe, which ultimately helps to create a viable pathway for customers to transition from diesel-powered units to more sustainable solutions," said Victor Calvo, President, Truck Trailer International, Carrier Transicold. "We've continued to pioneer electric technology since developing the first all-electric E-Drive system two decades ago and are ready for another step change. We're excited to work with AddVolt to deliver the tested, game-changing technology that our customers want." AddVolt developed the world's first plug-in electric system for transportation markets, which avoids fuel usage and reduces major emissions, including noise, particulates, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide (CO2). Battery-electric technology can improve sustainability with reduced emissions and increase efficiency across the refrigerated transport sector. Among the differentiators of the AddVolt battery-electric system: Proven, engine-agnostic technology Broad compatibility with trailers, trucks, vans and containers Real-time telematics connectivity for performance monitoring, control and diagnostics Compatibility with Carrier's Lynx digital platform In October, Carrier Transicold announced the Vector eCool unit as the world's first fully autonomous, all-electric engineless refrigerated trailer system to enter serial production. The Vector eCool uses cutting-edge energy recovery and AddVolt's power system to convert kinetic energy generated by the trailer into electricity, which is then stored in a battery pack to power the refrigeration unit. This loop creates a fully autonomous system that produces no direct CO2 or particulate emissions. "We are excited to partner with Carrier Transicold to take our successful technology, add scale and drive continued innovation," said Bruno Azevedo, CEO, AddVolt. "While today our technology is focused on refrigerated transport fleets in Europe, it has the potential to benefit other applications and geographies down the road." The Vector eCool is offered through Carrier's Healthy, Safe, Sustainable Cold Chain Program to preserve and protect the supply of food, medicine and vaccines. Learn more at corporate.carrier.com/healthycoldchain or visit www.carriertransicold.eu. About Carrier Transicold Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping of temperature-controlled cargoes with a complete line of equipment and services for refrigerated transport and cold chain visibility. For more than 50 years, Carrier Transicold has been an industry leader, providing customers around the world with advanced, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable container refrigeration systems and generator sets, direct-drive and diesel truck units, and trailer refrigeration systems. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions. For more information, visit carriertransicold.eu. Follow Carrier on Twitter: @SmartColdChain. Contact: Julie Cardin Carrier Transicold Europe +33 6 20 31 24 80 Julie.cardin@carrier.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1456607/Carrier_AddVolt_battery_technology_Vector_eCool_trailer_refrigeration.jpg Following excerpts adapted from the author's book, Collapse by Jared Diamond A few summers ago I visited two dairy farms, Huls Farm and Gardar Farm, which despite being located thousands of miles apart were still remarkably similar in their strengths and vulnerabilities. Both were by far the largest, most prosperous, most technologically advanced farms in their respective districts. In particular, each was centered around a magnificent state-of-the-art barn for sheltering and milking cows. Those structures, both neatly divided into opposite-facing rows of cow stalls, dwarfed all other barns in the district. Both farms let their cows graze outdoors in lush pastures during the summer, produced their own hay to harvest in the late summer for feeding the cows through the winter, and increased their production of summer fodder and winter hay by irrigating their fields. The two farms were similar in area (a few square miles) and in barn size, Huls barn holding somewhat more cows than Gardar barn (200 vs. 165 cows, respectively). The owners of both farms were viewed as leaders of their respective societies. Both owners were deeply religious. Both farms were located in gorgeous natural settings that attract tourists from afar, with backdrops of high snow-capped mountains drained by streams teeming with fish, and sloping down to a famous river (below Huls Farm) or fjord (below Gardar Farm). Those were the shared strengths of the two farms. As for their shared vulnerabilities, both lay in districts economically marginal for dairying, because their high northern latitudes meant a short summer growing season in which to produce pasture grass and hay. Because the climate was thus suboptimal even in good years, compared to dairy farms at lower latitudes, both farms were susceptible to being harmed by climate change, with drought or cold being the main concerns in the districts of Huls Farm or Gardar Farm respectively. Both districts lay far from population centers to which they could market their products, so that transportation costs and hazards placed them at a competitive disadvantage compared to more centrally located districts. The economies of both farms were hostage to forces beyond their owners control, such as the changing affluence and tastes of their customers and neighbors. On a larger scale, the economies of the countries in which both farms lay rose and fell with the waxing and waning of threats from distant enemy societies. The biggest difference between Huls Farm and Gardar Farm is in their current status. Huls Farm, a family enterprise owned by five siblings and their spouses in the Bitterroot Valley of the western U.S. state of Montana, is currently prospering, while Ravalli County in which Huls Farm lies boasts one of the highest population growth rates of any American county. Tim, Trudy, and Dan Huls, who are among Huls Farms owners, personally took me on a tour of their high-tech new barn, and patiently explained to me the attractions and vicissitudes of dairy farming in Montana. It is inconceivable that the United States in general, and Huls Farm in particular, will collapse in the foreseeable future. But Gardar Farm, the former manor farm of the Norse bishop of southwestern Greenland, was abandoned over 500 years ago. Greenland Norse society collapsed completely: its thousands of inhabitants starved to death, were killed in civil unrest or in war against an enemy, or emigrated, until nobody remained alive. While the strongly built stone walls of Gardar barn and nearby Gardar Cathedral are still standing, so that I was able to count the individual cow stalls, there is no owner to tell me today of Gardars former attractions and vicissitudes. Yet when Gardar Farm and Norse Greenland were at their peak, their decline seemed as inconceivable as does the decline of Huls Farm and the U.S. today. Let me make clear: in drawing these parallels between Huls and Gardar Farms, I am not claiming that Huls Farm and American society are doomed to decline. At present, the truth is quite the opposite: Huls Farm is in the process of expanding, its advanced new technology is being studied for adoption by neighboring farms, and the United States is now the most powerful country in the world. Nor am I claiming that farms or societies in general are prone to collapse: while some have indeed collapsed like Gardar, others have survived uninterruptedly for thousands of years. Instead, my trips to Huls and Gardar Farms, thousands of miles apart but visited during the same summer, vividly brought home to me the conclusion that even the richest, technologically most advanced societies today face growing environmental and economic problems that should not be underestimated. Many of our problems are broadly similar to those that undermined Gardar Farm and Norse Greenland, and that many other past societies also struggled to solve. Some of those past societies failed (like the Greenland Norse), and others succeeded (like the Japanese and Tikopians). The past offers us a rich database from which we can learn, in order that we may keep on succeeding. Norse Greenland is just one of many past societies that collapsed or vanished, leaving behind monumental ruins such as those that Shelley imagined in his poem Ozymandias. By collapse, I mean a drastic decrease in human population size and/or political/economic/social complexity, over a considerable area, for an extended time. The phenomenon of collapses is thus an extreme form of several milder types of decline, and it becomes arbitrary to decide how drastic the decline of a society must be before it qualifies to be labeled as a collapse. Some of those milder types of decline include the normal minor rises and falls of fortune, and minor political/economic/social restructurings, of any individual society; one societys conquest by a close neighbor, or its decline linked to the neighbors rise, without change in the total population size or complexity of the whole region; and the replacement or overthrow of one governing elite by another. By those standards, most people would consider the following past societies to have been famous victims of full-fledged collapses rather than of just minor declines: the Anasazi and Cahokia within the boundaries of the modern U.S., the Maya cities in Central America, Moche and Tiwanaku societies in South America, Mycenean Greece and Minoan Crete in Europe, Great Zimbabwe in Africa, Angkor Wat and the Harappan Indus Valley cities in Asia, and Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. The monumental ruins left behind by those past societies hold a romantic fascination for all of us. We marvel at them when as children we first learn of them through pictures. When we grow up, many of us plan vacations in order to experience them at firsthand as tourists. We feel drawn to their often spectacular and haunting beauty, and also to the mysteries that they pose. The scales of the ruins testify to the former wealth and power of their buildersthe boast Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair! in Shelleys words. Yet the builders vanished, abandoning the great structures that they had created at such effort. How could a society that was once so mighty end up collapsing? What were the fates of its individual citizens?did they move away, and (if so) why, or did they die there in some unpleasant way? Lurking behind this romantic mystery is the nagging thought: might such a fate eventually befall our own wealthy society? Will tourists someday stare mystified at the rusting hulks of New Yorks skyscrapers, much as we stare today at the jungle-overgrown ruins of Maya cities? It has long been suspected that many of those mysterious abandonments were at least partly triggered by ecological problems: people inadvertently destroying the environmental resources on which their societies depended. This suspicion of unintended ecological suicideecocidehas been confirmed by discoveries made in recent decades by archaeologists, climatologists, historians, paleontologists, and palynologists (pollen scientists). The processes through which past societies have undermined themselves by damaging their environments fall into eight categories, whose relative importance differs from case to case: deforestation and habitat destruction, soil problems (erosion, salinization, and soil fertility losses), water management problems, overhunting, overfishing, effects of introduced species on native species, human population growth, and increased percapita impact of people. Those past collapses tended to follow somewhat similar courses constituting variations on a theme. Population growth forced people to adopt intensified means of agricultural production (such as irrigation, doublecropping, or terracing), and to expand farming from the prime lands first chosen onto more marginal land, in order to feed the growing number of hungry mouths. Unsustainable practices led to environmental damage of one or more of the eight types just listed, resulting in agriculturally marginal lands having to be abandoned again. Consequences for society included food shortages, starvation, wars among too many people fighting for too few resources, and overthrows of governing elites by disillusioned masses. Eventually, population decreased through starvation, war, or disease, and society lost some of the political, economic, and cultural complexity that it had developed at its peak. Writers find it tempting to draw analogies between those trajectories of human societies and the trajectories of individual human livesto talk of a societys birth, growth, peak, senescence, and deathand to assume that the long period of senescence that most of us traverse between our peak years and our deaths also applies to societies. But that metaphor proves erroneous for many past societies (and for the modern Soviet Union): they declined rapidly after reaching peak numbers and power, and those rapid declines must have come as a surprise and shock to their citizens. In the worst cases of complete collapse, everybody in the society emigrated or died. Obviously, though, this grim trajectory is not one that all past societies followed unvaryingly to completion: different societies collapsed to different degrees and in somewhat different ways, while many societies didnt collapse at all. The risk of such collapses today is now a matter of increasing concern; indeed, collapses have already materialized for Somalia, Rwanda, and some other Third World countries. Many people fear that ecocide has now come to overshadow nuclear war and emerging diseases as a threat to global civilization. The environmental problems facing us today include the same eight that undermined past societies, plus four new ones: human-caused climate change, buildup of toxic chemicals in the environment, energy shortages, and full human utilization of the Earths photosynthetic capacity. Most of these 12 threats, it is claimed, will become globally critical within the next few decades: either we solve the problems by then, or the problems will undermine not just Somalia but also First World societies. Much more likely than a doomsday scenario involving human extinction or an apocalyptic collapse of industrial civilization would be just a future of significantly lower living standards, chronically higher risks, and the undermining of what we now consider some of our key values. Such a collapse could assume various forms, such as the worldwide spread of diseases or else of wars, triggered ultimately by scarcity of environmental resources. If this reasoning is correct, then our efforts today will determine the state of the world in which the current generation of children and young adults lives out their middle and late years. But the seriousness of these current environmental problems is vigorously debated. Are the risks greatly exaggerated, or conversely are they underestimated? Does it stand to reason that todays human population of almost seven billion, with our potent modern technology, is causing our environment to crumble globally at a much more rapid rate than a mere few million people with stone and wooden tools already made it crumble locally in the past? Will modern technology solve our problems, or is it creating new problems faster than it solves old ones? When we deplete one resource (e.g., wood, oil, or ocean fish), can we count on being able to substitute some new resource (e.g., plastics, wind and solar energy, or farmed fish)? Isnt the rate of human population growth declining, such that were already on course for the worlds population to level off at some manageable number of people? All of these questions illustrate why those famous collapses of past civilizations have taken on more meaning than just that of a romantic mystery. Perhaps there are some practical lessons that we could learn from all those past collapses. We know that some past societies collapsed while others didnt: what made certain societies especially vulnerable? What, exactly, were the processes by which past societies committed ecocide? Why did some past societies fail to see the messes that they were getting into, and that (one would think in retrospect) must have been obvious? Which were the solutions that succeeded in the past? If we could answer these questions, we might be able to identify which societies are now most at risk, and what measures could best help them, without waiting for more Somalia-like collapses. Jared Diamond is Professor of Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles. Until recently he was Professor of Physiology at the UCLA School of Medicine. He is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the widely acclaimed Guns, Germs, and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies, which also is the winner of Britains 1998 Rhone-Poulenc Science Book Prize. SEO is such a powerful marketing channel due to its positive impact on nearly all other marketing mechanisms, such as PPC advertising, influencer marketing, PR and more. SEOblog.com, a fast-growing website providing the latest SEO news, tips and resources and helping business owners connect with leading SEO agencies, has released its exclusive 2021 ratings naming the best SEO consultants in the United States. SEOblog analysts determined the 15 best SEO consultants in the U.S. based on dozens of key quantitative and qualitative factors. SEOblog industry experts examined each digital marketing agencys website, industry experience, market presence, client list, portfolio, expert certifications and authorship, among other factors in its ranking system. SEOblog has provided an in-depth view of companies in a particular city or focus area on various directory pages to help business owners find the expert help they need to grow. This was a new, free offer added by SEOblog in 2019. The United States boasts several top SEO consultants who provide a very competitive digital marketing landscape. SEO is such a powerful marketing channel due to its positive impact on nearly all other marketing mechanisms, such as PPC advertising, influencer marketing, PR and more, said Tanner Rankin, eCommerce consultant and CEO at Source Approach. This makes the SEO industry unique in that without SEO, your other marketing efforts will not be as strong as they should be. Dan Kobler, founding partner of Campfire Digital, added: SEO is at the center of any successful digital marketing campaign. We enjoy the challenge of balancing short-term and long-term results through other channels, but SEO is the baseline and the foundation. Justin Knott, president and CEO of Intrepy Healthcare Marketing, also added: Now more than ever, it is essential for medical practices to rank at the top of search results for the conditions and treatments they provide because patients now turn to online resources to make decisions about their health and who they will trust to provide them with care. Flynn Zaiger, CEO of Online Optimism, said: SEO is one of the last truly level playing fields in marketing. With a little ingenuity, hard work, persistence, great content and lots of links, anyone can rank number one. And Bruce Jones, of Bruce Jones SEO Consultant, also added: With SEO we get to make magic and help businesses out of just ideas, words, images and hard work and then use it to get it in front of all the people who are looking online for just what our customers offer. SEOblog.com rankings are updated regularly as the market shifts and new players emerge. SEOblog.com has published more than 2,300 agency listings, with more added every day. There is no fee to participate, and the website welcomes all qualified agencies to apply. SEOblog.coms 15 Best SEO Consultants in the United States in 2021: Online Optimism, Capitol Tech Solutions, Creative Boro, E-dreamz, Envoca Search Marketing, Polaris Marketing & Design, The Source Approach, Avidon Marketing Group, Bruce Jones SEO Consultant, BUHV Designs, Campfire Digital, Clicta Digital, CS Design Studios, GHAX and Intrepy Healthcare Marketing. Link: https://www.seoblog.com/best-seo-consultants/ About SEOblog.com SEOblog.com is a leading thought leadership site with a rich history of publishing educational and informative articles about SEO and digital marketing topics. In early 2019, SEOblog.com answered the call from buyers of digital marketing services that lacked unbiased, informative online resources and launched a comprehensive directory to highlight the best SEO companies in the United States -- https://www.seoblog.com/best-seo-companies/. SEOblogs mission is to connect businesses with qualified digital marketing agencies while also offering further SEO education, best practices and industry trends. SEOblog.com is a one-stop shop for educational SEO and digital marketing content, research, ratings and reviews for the best agencies in each local market across the United States and Canada. The website will be increasing its coverage of U.S. and Canada SEO agencies and accepting more guest blog posts in the coming months. Contact SEOblog if youre interested in getting involved. The scenes playing out across the US-Mexico border disqualify the US government from ever lecturing the world on human rights, its favorite pretext for invading countries and laying waste to entire societies. The number of immigrant children detained by the US government has risen from 3,200 to 4,200 this week. Children report to attorneys that they are not allowed to shower and that they have not seen the sky in days. Yesterday, the Biden administration announced that instead of releasing children to family members, the government will transport 3,000 teenage boys to a Dallas convention hall, which they have chillingly dubbed an immigrant decompression center. The events make clear that far from representing a break with Donald Trump, the Democratic Party is continuing and deepening his anti-immigrant policies. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the situation at the border a humanitarian crisis, as though the Biden administration and her own party were not primarily responsible for it. The scant media attention to the attacks on immigrants has focused on the mass detention of unaccompanied children, presenting the matter as a crisis. Republican members of Congress traveled to the border on Monday, masquerading as the Child Protection League, declaring that the barbaric conditions of migrant children traveling to the US border broke their hearts. In other words, they want them kept out. Perhaps even worse than the conditions imposed by the Biden administration on the children and youth that it has allowed to enter the country is its decision to summarily expel all arriving adult immigrants and those children crossing with relatives on the grounds that they pose a health risk due to the coronavirus. In a late January letter to the Biden administration, dozens of medical experts explained that such Title 42 expulsions serve no medical purpose: Imposing restrictions on asylum seekers and other migrants based on immigration status is discriminatory and has no scientific basis as a public health measure. Title 42 abolishes due process, ends the right to apply for asylum or other relief, and denies immigrants the right to appear for a hearing before expulsion. Seventy percent of the over 100,000 people who attempted to cross the border in February, including thousands of children, were expelled in this manner. Those immigrants deported under Title 42 are sent back across the border after US authorities strip them of their possessions, including their shoelaces, leaving them to shuffle across bridges into Mexico. Many are flown hundreds of miles away from where they crossed, to be expelled at a different point along the border. Thousands presently find themselves homeless or detained along the US-Mexico border where the pandemic is spreading unabated. In Mexico, immigrants are held in government facilities that a Doctors Without Borders official described as worse than a makeshift camp, you dont even have access to proper water. The government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced yesterday it has detained 1,000 children in such facilities, complying with demands by the Biden administration for a harsher crackdown. Mexican officials have also conducted a series of high-profile mass raids in recent weeks on behalf of the US. The crackdown has resulted in death on a mass scale. On Saturday, the Guatemalan town of Comitancillo held a funeral for 11 town residents, who were murdered by gang members and their bodies burned in a car fire while trying to enter the US in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas in Januarya crime which Mexican authorities covered up. Earlier this month, a car packed with immigrants crashed while attempting to enter the US, killing 13 immigrants from Mexico and Central America. Adult immigrants and accompanied children who are fortunate enough to make it into the United States without summary expulsion are held in crowded detention centers where COVID-19 is also spreading like wildfire. There are presently 420 active cases in detention centers, up from 370 at the end of last week. A total of 10,000 detainees have been infected with the virus since the start of the pandemic. As for those who are able to win release from detention centers, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have been dropping off sick COVID-positive immigrants in towns on the Texas side of the border to fend for themselves without medical attention and without informing medical officials or local non-profits. This reality exposes the lie that the Democratic Party represents a lesser evil compared to the Trump administrations fascistic attack on immigrants. Even under Trumps Remain in Mexico policy, immigrants were ostensibly allowed to apply for asylum, unlike today. The Biden administration will soon introduce its main immigration bill, the US Citizenship Act. In announcing the bill, Biden and Democrats will spew meaningless platitudes about how America is a nation of immigrants (one might add, despite their best efforts). But the bill does nothing to undo the criminalization of immigrants and will pave the way for millions of deportations, especially of those who are now trying to enter the United States, as well as those with criminal records. Under the bill, immigrants will still have no right to an attorney, the network of immigration jails will remain open, the immigration court system will remain under the control of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), child detention will remain legal, the border will be further militarized, hundreds of millions of dollars will go to arming Central American police and death squads and a public information campaign will be conducted to scare Central Americans away from trying to reach the US border. Workers in the United States and Europe must come to the defense of their class allies in Mexico, Central and South America, rejecting the xenophobic propaganda coming from the capitalist parties and the corporate media. Those risking their lives to enter the US and EU are workers, small farmers and ruined small shopkeepers from countries whose natural resources have been plundered and whose population has been exploited and suppressed by powerful corporations and imperialist-backed dictators for over a century. The coronavirus pandemic has killed nearly 800,000 across Latin America. The World Economic Forum estimated that 500 million people will fall into poverty, while the International Labor Organization predicted that 1.6 billion informal jobs worldwideincluding a large section of the working class in Latin Americawill be lost or see huge wage cuts. The total amount of income loss suffered by the international working class in 2020 was $3.4 trillion, roughly equal to the amount gained by the worlds richest people. The World Bank reported that 800 million immigrant family members have lost $110 billion in remittance transfers from the US and Europe for food and other necessities. Workers in the advanced and underdeveloped countries alike confront hardship as a direct result of the policies of the ruling classes. The global working class must mobilize its tremendous social power in the struggle against these conditions by uniting across national boundaries. For this reason, defending the democratic rights of immigrant workers is a strategic imperative in the fight for socialist revolution. Perus cement dispatches advance 14% in February ICR Newsroom By 16 March 2021 Cement dispatches in Peru increased 14 per cent YoY to 1.039Mt in February 2021 from 0.91Mt in February 2020, marking the sixth-consecutive monthly rise, according to the countrys cement producers association, Asocem. Domestic cement output of Asocem members advanced 17 per cent YoY from 0.849Mt to 0.993Mt in February 2021 while clinker output edged up three per cent from 0.784Mt to 0.807Mt in the same period. Production from Peruvian cement plants was supplemented by 70,000t of cement imports, 14 times the volume imported in February 2020. A share of 87 per cent of these imports was supplied by Vietnam. In addition, 77,000t of clinker was imported, 12 times the volume of the equivalent period of the previous year. Japan supplied 56 per cent of clinker imports. Asocem members also exported 15,000t of cement, up nine per cent YoY and 36,000t of clinker, an 11 per cent increase YoY. Published under ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) has threatened to withhold home remittances following the decision of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, to block Mark Gbilah, a Benue State lawmaker, from presenting a petition by a diaspora group. In a petition to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, the group demanded a full retraction of Mr Wases unfortunate statement and that Mr Gbilah be allowed to re-present his petition on behalf of the Mutual Unions of Tiv in America (MUTA) as a concerned group of Nigerians in Diaspora. The organisation said that Mr Wases utterances rubbished 20 years of the Federal Governments Diaspora Engagement at a time when the contributions of the Nigerians in Diaspora are highly needed and desired. With Wases disposition, the $23 billion yearly remittances (according to World Bank records), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), medical missions, community development programmes and professional skills transfer, amongst others, that Nigerians in Diaspora, routinely brings into the economy of Nigeria should also be seen as unwelcoming distractions and undesirable, it said. The embattled lawmaker has already defended his action. The World Bank had projected diaspora remittances to Nigeria to $23 billion in 2018 and $25 billion the following year. According to NIDIO, it is the fundamental right of the Nigerians in the Diaspora to intervene in respect of their kinsmen back home. The organization, therefore, asked the Speaker to convene an urgent Virtual Meeting with NIDO within 14 days to address the issue and to reassure it of his full support, failing which it might be compelled to call out all Nigerians in Diaspora to withhold further home remittances with immediate effect. Unconditional public apology Mr Wase had sparked public outrage after a viral video showed him blocking Mr Gbilah, a lawmaker representing Gwer East/Gwer West constituency in Benue State, from presenting a petition by MUTA because the petitioners were faceless and based outside the shores of Nigeria. In the petition, Mr Gbilah attempted to present MUTA concerns over the plight of the Tiv people whose ancestral lands had been taken over by killer herdsmen and have been in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps for years. Mr Wase has, however, described the video as doctored, slanted and bent to give political and ethnic colouration to an event that was otherwise strictly based on parliamentary procedures. Ex-gay pastor cant sue Vimeo for removing church's account, appeals court rules Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A federal appellate court has ruled that an ex-gay Southern California pastor and his Christian ministry cannot take legal action against the online video hosting platform Vimeo after his account was removed for promoting sexual orientation change efforts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled last week that Pastor James Domen and his Church United cannot sue Vimeo due to the companys immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which Big Tech companies often use to evade liability for content on their websites. The Second Circuit agreed with U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart Aarons January 2020 decision that Vimeo deleted the churchs account because it violated the platforms content policies barring the promotion of SOCE, which is often derisively called conversion therapy. This policy, in turn, fell within the confines of the good-faith content policing immunity that the CDA provides to interactive computer services, the Second Circuit opinion authored by U.S. Circuit Judge Rosemary S. Pooler states. Domen, who is now has a wife and kids, alleges he was a homosexual for three years. But because of his desire to pursue his faith in Christianity, he began to identify as a former homosexual. In October 2016, his ministry created a Vimeo account to upload various videos promoting the organization, including videos addressing sexual orientation as it relates to religion. They allegedly uploaded 89 videos over the following two years. At some point, Church United upgraded to a professional account, which requires a monthly fee in exchange for access to more features and bandwidth, the Second Circuits opinion states. On November 23, 2018, Vimeo e-mailed Domen, informing him that a moderator had marked the Church United account for review. The e-mail explained, Vimeo does not allow videos that promote [SOCE]. Vimeo instructed Church United to remove the videos and warned that if it did not do so within 24 hours, Vimeo might remove the videos or the entire account. It also instructed Church United to download the videos as soon as possible to ensure that the organization could keep them in the event Vimeo deleted the account. The pastor says that the videos were part of Church United's effort to challenge a California Assembly bill proposing to expand the states ban on SOCE to talk therapy and pastoral counseling. On Dec. 6, 2018, Vimeo deleted Church Uniteds account, saying that "Vimeo does not allow videos that harass, incite hatred, or include discriminatory or defamatory speech. The pastors lawyer, Nada Higuera, told the court during an oral argument in December that Vimeo discriminated against the pastor. She argued that Vimeos actions were not against content, but against James Domen himself, and based on his sexual orientation. According to Courthouse News, Pooler pushed back by saying that Vimeo did target content." They said they wouldnt allow it, and he knew that when he signed up. What did he not understand? Pooler, a Clinton appointee, argued. In a 2019 op-ed for The Christian Post, Liz Flaherty, author of Discover Eden: Empowering Christian Women to Walk in Sexual Liberty, wrote that some of the examples of conversion therapy described in some government hearings include such harmful practices as electric shock therapy, exposure to pornography, forced separation from loved ones and extreme public shaming. However, the greater health care community, including those with faith-based practices, already considers these methods barbaric and unethical, she noted. Blasted by the media, this kind of conversion therapy has become a straw man, erected with the intent of advocating one-sided and biased counseling methods that support an ideology that sexuality is completely fixed. Lucknow, March 16 : The 'Nadi Adhikar Yatra' being taken out by the UP Congress, reached Ghazipur on its 16th day on Tuesday. The yatra began on March 1 from Banswar in Prayagraj and will culminate in Manjighat in Ballia on March 20. The yatra that has covered 352 kilometres, is focusing on the rights of the boatmen and the Nishad community. Nishads are a riverine community having a sizable population in Kaushambhi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar and Maharajganj. They belong to the OBC category and their support for the 2022 assembly elections is being seen as crucial by political parties. The 'Nadi Adhikar Yatra' comes close on the heels of Priyanka Gandhi's slew of Kisan Maha Panchayats in western UP, where she said the Congress would continue to fight for the cause of farmers till the 'anti-farmer' laws were repealed. The Congress is hopeful that the twin moves will help it garner the support of farming communities and build its base among the OBCs in Uttar Pradesh. Last month, Priyanka had visited Prayagraj to support the boatmen who were allegedly harassed by the local police. During an earlier visit to Prayagraj, she took a holy dip at the Sangam and even rowed a boat for some time on her way back. Congress leader Dharmendra Nishad said that if the Congress came to power, would ensure that the Nishad community gets back its rights of the rivers. Adgully returns this week with another round of the Ad-Vantage Quiz with Rajiv Gopinath. Last week, most respondents engaged with the question Around the time the feminist movement was gaining steam, a young copywriter at McCann Erickson created this line, which was in the news this week. The answer to this question was LOreals Because Im Worth It campaign. The legendary tag line was created by Ilon Specht, a copywriter at McCann. The first week of March was the 50th anniversary of the line and has become part of the social fabric. Brands, advertising messages and content have become so entrenched in our daily lives that we probably know more about them than we think. Every week we reach thousands of readers who are interested in knowing more about the business of brands. Thats why we decided to our engagement to a whole new level. Rajiv Gopinath, Chief Client Officer, Starcom, shares another 10 topical questions this week on the latest developments in Business, Advertising and Brands. To win, you need to answer all the questions correctly and the earliest. The quiz is live every Tuesday at 11 am and continues till Friday 11 pm. Heres what you need to do to participate. Subscribe to the Adgullys newsletter. Take the Quiz Once again there was no winner last week, though most people got Q2 and Q4 correct. Here are the answers to last weeks quiz. Connect the Sun rising over the moon, Nietzsche, and an Automobile. The latest Jeep Wrangler 4xe ad was inspired by 2001: Space Odyssey. The opening scene of both the ad and the movie has the image of the sun rising over the moon. The Nietzsche connection is the Richard Strauss audio track Also Sprach Zarathustra. Around the time the feminist movement was gaining steam, a young copywriter at McCann Erickson created this line Because Im worth it which was in the news this week. The legendary tag line was created by Ilon Specht, a copywriter at McCann. The first week of March was the 50th anniversary of the line which has become part of the social fabric. Which brand has a word meaning blockading or suppressing in its name? Zerodha. The brand name is a combination of Zero and Rodha. Rodha is the Sanskrit word for Barrier. From Cardboard Hitler to Aang. What are we referring to? The new Amazon logo. Cardboard Hitler (The jagged tape on a cardboard box) created lot of controversy and Amazon changed it from a jagged edge to a folded look. And then there were references to Aang of Avatar. Bappi Lahiri was used in this live in concept. Which one? The latest Levis ad featuring the song Koi Yahan Nache-Nache by Bappi Lahiri and Usha Uthup from the film Disco Dancer. #LiveInLevis What is the connection of 22 and 33 to the genre of Video websites? Bilibili. 22 and 33 are the two official mascots of the popular Video sharing service in China. They were elected by the community. How do you connect Fast Food, Rain and God? KFC. KFC China replaced its a la carte menus with simplified discount meal combos, which it promoted via KFCs mobile ordering app whenever it rained. To promote the campaign, KFC China partnered with Taiwanese rock star Jam Hsiao, who is jokingly nicknamed The God of Rain because it rained at 83% of his concerts when he toured China. Why would you think of Esplanade mansion last week? Esplanade Mansion in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai was where the original Watsons Hotel was. Legend has it that Jamsetji Tata was turned away by the staff at Watsons hotel and thats when he had the idea to build the Taj Hotel in 1903. March 3 marked the 182nd birth anniversary of Jamsetji Tata. Which trending app has rolls as its major feature? Dispo. The new social media app by David Dobrik is inspired by a physical disposable camera. Dispo comes with the taglines Capture and share moments, Live in the moment and Be yourself. What sets it apart from Facebook and Instagram is that any photo you take has to be through the app and it develops the next day. You cant edit the photos that youve taken with Dispo or upload your own photos. One of Dispo's marquee features, "Rolls," gives it a unique social element. In the same way that you might pass around a disposable camera at wedding IRL, the Rolls feature allows multiple users to contribute pictures to the same album. If you take a photo for a shared Roll, each user will see if there's a photo developing, and will get to see that photo when it's ready. You can create a new public or private Roll by tapping the bottom of the camera, then clicking the plus sign in the top right corner. You can add people to Rolls to let them contribute Which trending ad campaign is dedicated to supporting moms through the high and lows of breastfeeding? Name the brand and the campaign. Tommee Tippee. The brands latest campaign is Booblife. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un (L) and sister Kim Yo Jong attend the Inter-Korean Summit at the Peace House in Panmunjom, South Korea on April 27, 2018. (Korea Summit Press Pool/Getty Images) Kim Jong Uns Sister Warns Biden Administration to Refrain From Causing a Stink Kim Jong Uns powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, warned the Biden administration it better refrain from causing a stink if it wants to sleep in peace for the coming four years. Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK), issued a statement on Monday criticizing the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and threatened to retaliate. We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off [gun] powder smell in our land, said the statement. If it wants to sleep in peace for the coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step. The South Korean and U.S. militaries began annual military exercises last week that continues through Thursday. The drills are command post exercises and computerized simulation and dont involve field training due to COVID-19 and diplomatic efforts to resume talks with North Korea. They say that the drill involves no actual maneuvers with its scale and contents drastically reduced. Perhaps, they are expecting flexible judgment and understanding from us, but it is, indeed, ridiculous, impudent, and stupid, Kim Yo Jong said harshly in the statement. We have opposed the joint military drills targeting the compatriots but never argued about their scale or form. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un attends a wreath-laying ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 2, 2019. (Jorge Silva/Pool Photo via AP, File) Kim Yo Jong threatened to halt its dialogue with South Korea and to dissolve the Kumgangsan International Tourism Bureau and other organizations as any cooperation and exchange with the South Korean authorities antagonizing us are no longer necessary. War drill and hostility can never go with dialogue and cooperation, Kim Yo Jong added. Kim Yo Jongs statement was released as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Asia to talk with Japan and South Korea about regional issues. They have meetings in Tokyo on Tuesday as well as in Seoul on Wednesday. Blinken told a briefing in Tokyo that he was aware of Kim Yo Jongs comments, but he was more interested in hearing what Americas allies and partners think about North Korea. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a virtual business roundtable at the U.S. Ambassadors residence in Tokyo, Japan, on March 16, 2021. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool/Reuters) White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the Biden administration has reached out to North Korea in Mondays briefings, but no response yet. Jalina Porter, the Department of State spokesperson, confirmed later that day that the Department of State reached out to the North Koreans through several channels starting in mid-February but hasnt received any response. The Biden administration is conducting a thorough interagency review of U.S. policy toward North Korea, Porter pointed out. Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. What Johnson was saying and he knew it would get him in trouble, because HE LITERALLY SAID, THIS IS GOING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE was: A collection of Trump-supporting people who look like me is not scary to me, because they know Im on their side, and vice versa. On the flip side, a collection of Biden-supporting people who dont look like me would have been concerning, because we are very much not on the same side. Findings Underscore Role Human Behavior Plays in Air Pollution GOLDACH, Switzerland, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New data from IQAir's global air quality data platform, published in the 2020 World Air Quality Report and an online interactive global map, reveals the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and behavioral changes on global particulate pollution (PM2.5) levels. Key findings: COVID-19 impact: In 2020, 84% of all monitored countries observed air quality improvements, largely due to global measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Air quality improvements across major cities in 2020 compared to 2019 include Beijing (-11%), Chicago (-13%), Delhi (-15%), London (-16%), Paris (-17%) and Seoul (-16%). Air quality improvements across major cities in 2020 compared to 2019 include (-11%), (-13%), (-15%), (-16%), (-17%) and (-16%). Only 24 out of 106 monitored countries met World Health Organization (WHO) annual guidelines for PM2.5 in 2020. Climate change continues to affect air quality: The year 2020 is tied with 2016 as the hottest year on record. Wildfires and sandstorms fueled by the warming climate led to extremely high pollution levels in California , South America , Siberia and Australia . , , and . India : In 2020, all Indian cities monitored observed air quality improvements compared to 2018, while 63% saw improvements compared with 2019. However, India continues to feature prominently at the top of the most polluted cities ranking, with 22 of the top 30 most polluted cities globally. : In 2020, all Indian cities monitored observed air quality improvements compared to 2018, while 63% saw improvements compared with 2019. However, continues to feature prominently at the top of the most polluted cities ranking, with 22 of the top 30 most polluted cities globally. China : In 2020, 86% of the cities in China experienced cleaner air than the previous year. Despite this, Chinese residents are still exposed to PM2.5 levels more than 3 times the WHO annual guidelines. Hotan in northwestern China ranks as the world's most polluted city, largely due to sandstorms exacerbated by climate change. : In 2020, 86% of the cities in experienced cleaner air than the previous year. Despite this, Chinese residents are still exposed to PM2.5 levels more than 3 times the WHO annual guidelines. Hotan in northwestern ranks as the world's most polluted city, largely due to sandstorms exacerbated by climate change. United States : Average particle pollution levels rose by 6.7% in 2020, despite measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Record-breaking wildfires in California , Oregon and Washington caused U.S. cities to comprise 77 of the world's top 100 most polluted cities in September 2020 (by monthly PM2.5 average). In 2020, 38% of American cities did not meet the WHO's guideline for annual PM2.5 levels. This is a significant uptick from the 21% of U.S. cities that did not meet the WHO guidelines in 2019. : Average particle pollution levels rose by 6.7% in 2020, despite measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Record-breaking wildfires in , and caused U.S. cities to comprise 77 of the world's top 100 most polluted cities in (by monthly PM2.5 average). In 2020, 38% of American cities did not meet the WHO's guideline for annual PM2.5 levels. This is a significant uptick from the 21% of U.S. cities that did not meet the WHO guidelines in 2019. South Asia : South Asia is the most polluted region of the world with Bangladesh , India and Pakistan sharing 42 of the 50 most polluted cities worldwide. : is the most polluted region of the world with , and sharing 42 of the 50 most polluted cities worldwide. Europe : In 2020, about half of all European cities exceed the WHO's target for annual PM2.5 pollution. The highest levels of PM2.5 pollution was found in Eastern and Southern Europe , with Bosnia Herzegovina , North Macedonia and Bulgaria taking the lead. : In 2020, about half of all European cities exceed the WHO's target for annual PM2.5 pollution. The highest levels of PM2.5 pollution was found in Eastern and , with , and taking the lead. Many countries in South East Asia , the Middle East , Africa , South Asia and South America continue to lack the equipment and expertise to monitor and report air pollution. "The year 2020 brought an unexpected dip in air pollution. In 2021, we will likely see an increase in air pollution due to human activity, again," said Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir. "We hope this report will highlight that urgent action is both possible and necessary to combat air pollution, which remains the world's greatest environmental health threat." "While many cities recorded temporary improvements in air quality due to lockdowns, the health impact of burning fossil fuels remained severe. Unfortunately, Delhi continued to be the most polluted capital city in the world in 2020. To see real, long-term improvements in air quality, governments must prioritize clean energy sources such as wind and solar and promote low cost, carbon neutral and accessible transport. Speeding up the transition to clean energy and clean transport not only saves lives, but also dramatically reduces healthcare-related costs," said Avinash Chanchal, Climate Campaigner, Greenpeace India. "Many parts of the world experienced unprecedented, but short-lived, improvements in air quality in 2020, as restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a steep drop in fossil fuel consumption," said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), who also contributed to the report. "This improved air quality meant tens of thousands of avoided deaths from air pollution. By transitioning to clean energy and clean transport we can realize the same improvements in a sustained way." About the World Air Quality Report The 2020 World Air Quality Report is based on PM2.5 data from 106 countries, that has been measured by ground-based monitoring stations. Of the data sources included in this report, 66.6% of stations were operated by governmental agencies, while the remainder represent monitoring stations managed by local residents, non-profit organizations and companies. About IQAir IQAir is a Swiss-based air quality technology company that since 1963 seeks to empower individuals, organizations and communities to breathe cleaner air through information, collaboration and technology solutions. **** Note to journalists: Interactive map with embed code available upon request. **** Please contact: Tiffany Allegretti Public Relations Manager IQAir: press.int@iqair.com +1 562-735-0766 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1456711/IQAir_Logo.jpg The continuous holding of Armenian prisoners of war undermines the implementation of the agreements set in the trilateral statement, said Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalian, commenting on the latest remarks by Azerbaijans top diplomat about Armenian POWs. Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said during a Monday press conference after his meeting with Swedens visiting Foreign Minister, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde in Baku that in accordance with its obligations Azerbaijan has released all prisoners of war to the Armenian side. Azerbaijans stance on this issue is very open and clear. In accordance with the trilateral statement [of November 9 last year] we released to the Armenian side all those taken prisoner during the military operations [in Nagorno-Karabakh] and before it, Bayramov said, as quoted by TASS. In remarks released yesterday Naghdalian described Bayramovs statement as another distortion of the Azerbaijani side on this urgent humanitarian issue. With his statement, the foreign minister of Azerbaijan contradicts the other relevant bodies of that country, which confirmed the fact of the presence of dozens of Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan, captured both during the hostilities and after the establishment of the ceasefire, she said. Azerbaijan is withholding information regarding Armenian prisoners of war also from the European Court of Human Rights, which is dealing with the matter in the framework of proceedings under the interstate case of Armenia vs Azerbaijan. The Court has recently decided to notify the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the subject, noting that Azerbaijan has failed to respect time-limits set by the Court for the submission of information or provided rather general and limited information. There are currently active interim measures against Azerbaijan with respect to 188 Armenians captured by Azerbaijan. I must highlight that non-implementation of interim measures is tantamount to a violation of the Convention, the Armenian Foreign Ministry representative stressed. Naghdalian invoked point 8 of the November 9 trilateral statement that refers to all prisoners of war, captured civilians and other detained persons, stressing that with such statements the Azerbaijani side proves that it deliberately does not implement the trilateral statement. At the press conference in Baku Bayramov said that the Armenian military personnel that Azerbaijan stills holds could not be regarded as prisoners of war because, as he said, they were detained after combat operations ended. These people were apprehended much later, when the combat operations had ended and a trilateral statement was signed already. To be more precise, it was on November 26, 2020. They had been drafted into the army in the Shirak region of Armenia and sent to Nagorno-Karabakh, where they committed crimes resulting in the death of Azerbaijani military servicemen and civilians. They continue to be investigated, Azerbaijans foreign minister said. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Linde is visiting Yerevan today. In the morning she met with Armenias Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian. The diplomat is also scheduled to meet with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian later on March 16, with the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement expected to be high on the agenda of discussions. As a result of a 44-day war last fall Azerbaijan recaptured four districts around Nagorno-Karabakh that had been controlled by ethnic Armenian forces for nearly three decades as well as a chunk of the former autonomous oblast itself. Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement Armenia was forced to hand over to Baku three more districts around Nagorno-Karabakh controlled by Armenians since the 1994 truce. Russian peacekeepers were introduced in Stepanakert and other parts of Nagorno-Karabakh still controlled by Armenians, including the so-called Lachin corridor connecting the region to Armenia, after Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a trilateral agreement to put an end to hostilities that took effect on November 10. The OSCEs Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, still has an international mandate to mediate a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. External Article 16 March 2021 The "Plague Island" headlines splashed across the front pages said it all.With its out of control infection rates and deaths heading past the 125,000 mark, the UK started 2021 as Europe's Covid pariah. Advertisements Now though, after a vaccination program that has seen more than a third of all adults receive at least one dose, countries across Europe, and tour operators who have struggled over the past 12 months, are falling over themselves to welcome weary Brits for a dose of summer sun. Cyprus says it'll take vaccinated Brits from May 1. Greece is planning to throw open its borders from May 14, with the Greek media declaring an "all out war" to get UK tourists into the country. Harry Theoharis, Tourism Minister for Greece, told the virtual ITB Tourism conference this week that the country would welcome anyone who'd been vaccinated, could prove they had antibodies or present a negative PCR test.Declaring, "All you want is Greece," his impassioned plea has kicked off a race for tourists' unspent lockdown cash, which authorities across the Mediterranean hope will boost ailing communities that have lost millions over the past year. Spain, which pulled in over 18 million British travelers in 2019, and Portugal have also said they're keen to get Brits flying in as soon as it's safe to do so.There's clearly a market too. ABTA, a UK travel trade association, says that 63% of Brits are hoping to book a foreign vacation in 2021. There's just one niggling issue. It remains illegal to leave the UK for a vacation. This week the country's transport minister, Grant Shapps, warned that it's still too soon to book a foreign trip. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has penciled in May 17 as the soonest possible date that international travel will be allowed. That remains subject to a review from the government's global travel taskforce, due on April 12, when details on what countries are deemed safe for travel and what vaccine certification, if any, might be required. It was a chalky beginning to the 2021 MGM Borgata Series for free-for-all pacers on Monday night at Yonkers Raceway as favourites delivered in four of the five $40,000 divisions. Let It Ride N (Dexter Dunn) began the proceedings, prevailing off a second-over trip at 1-9 to run his record in the United States to seven wins from seven starts. Dunn brought Let It Ride N to the outside from fourth after the 56.4 half, and then picked up cover when This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) tipped out of the pocket beyond the 1:24.1 three-quarters. Dunn sent Let It Ride N three-wide on the far turn, and he kicked home strongly to win by half a length in 1:52.2. This Is The Plan was the runner-up, and Rodeo Rock (Tim Tetrick) closed from sixth to third in the last quarter. Richard "Nifty" Norman trains Let It Ride N, an eight-year-old gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven, for owners William Hartt and Enzed Racing Stable Inc. Let It Ride N has won 25 times from 61 lifetime starts, and he has now pocketed $395,959. Let It Ride N paid $2.30 to win. The lone upsetter was 9-2 offering Lyons Steel (Austin Siegelman), who won the second split in 1:53.1. Lyons Steel raced in fifth through fractions of 27.3, 56.4, and 1:25, went four-wide from third-over on the final turn, and got up in the stretch to defeat American Mercury (Andrew McCarthy), who had the second-over journey, by a neck. Macs Jackpot (Brent Holland) was third after popping out of the two-hole nearing three-quarters. A six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding, Lyons Steel is trained by Dennis Watson for owner BD Racing LLC. Lyons Steel picked up career victory 27, and he pushed his bankroll to $394,668. Lyons Steel returned $11.40 to win. San Domino A (Todd McCarthy) didn't disappoint at 3-5 in the next grouping, tallying in 1:53.1. San Domino A sped out from post four and cleared to the point around Tookadiveoffdipper (Pat Lachance) passing the :27-second opening quarter. After a :56.1 half and a 1:24.3 three-quarters, San Domino A slammed the door with a :28.3 final kicker, topping a first-over Tyga Hanover (Jason Bartlett) by a length and a half. Pat Stanley N (Jordan Stratton) turned a second-over trip into a third-place result. The victorious eight-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding is trained by Nancy Takter for the ownership group of Joe P Racing LLC and Oldford Racing LLC. San Domino A now has 30 lifetime wins, and he has earned $367,225. San Domino A paid $3.30 to win. Hesa Kingslayer N (Jim Marohn, Jr.) was the even-money choice in the fourth flight, and he would get the job done in a 1:52.4 mile. This race was action-packed as 42-1 shot Ideal Jimmy (Holland) forged his way to the lead going to the :27-second opening quarter, then gave a parking ticket to Shnitzledosomethin (Gingras) through a 55.3 half and a 1:23.3 three-quarters. Hesa Kingslayer N, who had joined the two-wide flow from fourth before the half, went on the attack three-wide prior to three-quarters, assumed the first-over position on the final bend, and showed an advantage on the outside before they turned for home. From there, Hesa Kingslayer N went to win by a length over Semi Tough (George Brennan), with Ostro Hanover (Tyler Buter) third from off-the-pace. Trainer Michael Deters also co-owns Hesa Kingslayer N, an eight-year-old gelded son of Christian Cullen, with Joel Warner. Hesa Kingslayer N now has 18 career triumphs, and he has put away $149,962. He returned $4.00 to win. Siegelman picked up another MGM Borgata Pacing Series victory when he guided even-money favourite Leonidas A to a 1:53.1 decision in the final tilt. Western Fame (Daniel Dube), who won this event the last time it was held in 2019, posted stations of :28.1, :57.1, and 1:25.1, but Backstreet Shadow (Tetrick) was moving quickly towards him from first-over heading to three-quarters, and Leonidas A was glued right to that rival from second-over. Siegelman tipped Leonidas A three-wide on the last turn, he vaulted into the lead in upper stretch, and then drew off to a convincing 2-1/2 length tally. Backstreet Shadow had to settle for second, and Chief Mate (Scott Zeron), who started from post eight, advanced from last to third in the final quarter. Last year's Potomac Pace champion, Leonidas A is trained by Sheena McElhiney for owner Jesmeral Stable. A six-year-old Mach Three gelding, Leonidas A has won 50 percent of his lifetime starts (26 of 52), and he has earnings of $251,848. Leonidas A paid $4.00 to win. The MGM Borgata Series continues with preliminary round action through April 12, and the final is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 19. There is more stakes racing ahead at Yonkers this week with the third and final leg of both the M Life Rewards Ladies Pacing Series on Tuesday (March 16) and the M Life Rewards Gents Series on Wednesday (March 17). On Friday (March 19), pacing mares take to the track in three $35,000 divisions of the second round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series. Alexa Skye, Blue Ivy, and Machnhope, who were victorious in the first leg of that event, have drawn in separate races again this time. Post time for all of those programs is 7:15 p.m. (Yonkers) MINNEAPOLIS, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 75F, the IoT-based Building Management System based in Minneapolis, today announced a close of an additional $4.75 million, bringing 75F's total Series A to just under $23 million. The additional funding was provided by a syndicate led by WIND Ventures - the corporate venture capital (CVC) group of Copec. The company intends to use the funds to further expand innovations in energy savings and market reach. Commercial buildings are the fourth-leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions globally. At 20 percent of emissions around the world, roughly half of that is from heating and cooling spaces. HVAC and Lighting account for 65% of the total energy consumption in commercial buildings, and traditional systems can guzzle a lot of energy as they are reactive and depend on system operators to manually tweak them. Building inefficiency will remain an important emissions target the world's building footprint is expected to grow by 2.5 trillion square feet by 2060, which equates to building another New York City every month for the next 40 years. 75F's innovative automation solutions for buildings deliver dramatic energy savings and reduce CO2 emissions. The 75F solution includes wireless sensors, equipment controllers, and cloud-based software that delivers predictive, proactive HVAC and lighting automation right out of the box. 75F's wireless sensors, placed in each zone, capture millions of data points daily. These data points are uploaded to the cloud via a 900 MHz wireless mesh network and combine with a live weather stream and forecast data so 75F's AI can predict optimal control strategies. Because 75F can account for hot and cold spots before they occur, buildings aren't wasting energy on heating or cooling a zone that doesn't need it, thus reducing carbon emissions. "At its core, 75F exists to simplify and modernize a complex and dated industry for the betterment of our world" said Deepinder Singh, founder and CEO of 75F. "WIND is instrumental to 75F's entry and success in new geographical markets." "We are thrilled to be a part of the 75F journey," said Brian Walsh, Head of WIND Ventures. "The company's full-stack, simple, yet low-cost building automation solution is the next-generation of building automation systems. Today, most building automation solutions in existence are cost-effective for only the largest, most sophisticated buildings, which represent a very small percentage of all buildings globally. For emerging regions like Latin America, the 75F product-market fit represents a leapfrog opportunity for most of the market from small to very large, so we are excited to work with the team to bring the 75F solution into the region." The company has been accruing awards and industry recognition for the last half-decade and was named to the 2021 Global Cleantech Top 100 list of companies around the globe that demonstrate innovation with the potential to make a real, meaningful difference in the climate crisis. About 75F 75F is a vertically-integrated, IoT-based Building Management System making smart building automation affordable and easy to deploy. The company leverages IoT, Cloud Computing and Machine Learning for data-driven, proactive building intelligence and controls for HVAC, lighting and energy optimization. 75F's mission is to improve occupant productivity through enhanced comfort and indoor air quality while saving energy and the environment. Follow us at www.75.io and @75f_io . About WIND Ventures Based in San Francisco, WIND Ventures is the corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of Copec, one of the leading energy, mobility and retail companies in Central and South America and one of the most valued brands throughout Latin America. WIND Ventures leverages Copec's significant resources to accelerate growth, primarily within Latin America, for startups and scaleups across the world within the new mobility, energy and retail sectors. Visit windventures.vc or follow us on Linkedin and Twitter . SOURCE 75F Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has ridiculed Joe Biden's suggestion that the public should wait until July 4 before getting together to have 'small' gatherings outdoors. Last week, Biden vowed all Americans would become eligible to receive a vaccine by May 1 adding that intimate gatherings could be allowed two months after that. But on Monday McConnell said Biden's suggestion was unscientific and showed the president to be out of touch with what people are already doing socially. McConnell went further, adding that it was 'bizarre and problematic' urging people to wait until Independence Day to have parties as COVID-19 infections continue to fall. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized President Biden's aim to have Americans able to hold small outdoor gatherings by July 4, Independence Day 'This is bizarre and problematic on several levels,' McConnell said. 'Let's be clear: the federal government does not instruct free citizens how they may gather in small groups with their own families The White House confers a bully pulpit. It does not confer supreme authority over daily life. 'This strange proclamation was out of step with science The president went on national TV to move the goalposts way beyond what his own CDC is saying,' McConnell said on the Senate floor. 'The president's proclamation was far out of step with what's already happening across the country. It was advice for an alternate universe. The president and his advisers may need to get out more,' McConnell continued. 'Americans are already getting together in small groups outdoors in blue states and red states, in small towns and big cities. The country is not locked down waiting for July 4,' McConnell noted. According to CDC guidelines vaccinated people can gather in small groups. Pictured spring breakers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this past weekend Savannah is bracing for over 50,000 tourists for St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Pictured are long lines at Leopold's Ice Cream in downtown Savannah, Georgia on Monday Even in Washington D.C., from next week gatherings of up to to 50 people will be allowed. 'Americans are getting vaccines and they learned about this disease. They've learned about the low risk of outdoor transmission. They're making their own determinations as free people,' McConnell said. McConnell pointed out that last summer 'many liberal politicians applauded massive outdoor gatherings because they supported a political cause. I'm not sure how much capital these officials have to micromanage backyard barbecues.' 'I've been a very consistent advocate for following the science, wearing a mask and taking precautions. I believe we should all keep following the science. Nobody wants to follow a ball on the five yard line. But that doesn't mean just citizens. It means politicians too. And science doesn't just only run in the direction of more restriction.' Last week, Biden vowed all Americans would become eligible to receive a vaccine by May 1 adding that intimate gatherings could be allowed two months after that McConnell is a survivor of polio which he contracted during childhood. Unlike some Republican politicians, he has advocated mask-wearing throughout the pandemic but says that Biden needs to recognize the risk of transmission outdoors is less than inside. 'One year on, if the president and his administration want to continue to give advice to free citizens, I suggest they exit the alternate universe, stick to the actual science and get acquainted with where the American people actually are,' McConnell said. (Natural News) Taking care of ones own health without government interference is a basic human right that has been under attack ever since evil men figured out how to appropriate nature, patent it and sell it at a premium under the designation of pharmaceuticals. The Health Freedom Defense Fund (HFDF), however, is fighting back. Until every last illegal herb is removed from the federal prohibition list, and raw dairy products made freely available for all, HFDFs grassroots work will continue. The group is also fighting against forced medicine whether that be mandatory vaccination, artificially fluoridated water, or obligatory mask-wearing. Health freedom is an essential part of what it means to be free and what it means to be an American, the group says. A foundational principle of the United States is the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness unencumbered by anyone or any entity as long as that pursuit does not harm anyone else. Health is an essential part of life, liberty, and happiness. To HFDF, health freedom means that every individual is in charge of his or her own body. In a truly free society, the government would have no authority to decide what a person is allowed to take or consume for health, no matter how controversial. It means the freedom to decide whether to use nutrition, supplements, rest, and stress management to stay healthy or prefer a conventional medical approach, the group says. It means deciding for yourself whether you opt for the risks and benefits of pharmaceuticals or those of another kind of medicine to restore your health, in the event you become ill. It means you are in charge and medical practitioners are consultants, not enforcers, of their health approach. Forced vaccination, illegal plants and restrictions on raw foods all violate Nuremberg Code At the end of the day, governments that attempt to restrict what foods and herbs people use while forcing Big Pharma poisons on them as the only acceptable form of medical treatment are guilty of violating the Nuremberg Code of 1947. This human rights declaration, along with the Declaration of Helsinki in 1964 and the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights at the UNESCO Convention in 2005, require that all forms of ethical medicine adhere to a policy of voluntary informed consent. There is no more basic right than that to choose what is permitted into our bodies, says HFDF. Among all the lessons we learned from the Nazis, surely one of the most important is that it is inhumane to force medical treatments on other human beings. Many people are still unaware of the fact that Big Pharma controls the American Congress through lobbying. Between donations and lobbying, the pharmaceutical industry gives Congress about $280 million per year to pass pro-pharma, anti-herb legislation. The industry also spends a whopping $3.6 billion on direct-to-consumer advertising. Is it any wonder these groups push the pharmaceutical industrys interests, namely restricting your medical rights, and obstruct the free flow of honest independent information to the public? HFDF asks. The first step to fixing this mess is to vote out all politicians who have ever accepted cash from Big Pharma, which is most of them. The next is to join up with a local health freedom organization, which HFDF is working on creating a database of so people can find a local chapter near them. We aid families and individuals whose health rights have been infringed and support legal challenges to unjust laws that undermine our health and freedoms, HFDF explains. If your rights have been infringed, we may be able to help. You can contact HFDF at this link. More related news about Big Pharma can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: HealthFreedomDefense.org HealthFreedomDefense.org NaturalNews.com HealthFreedomDefense.org SAGINAW, MI A Bay City woman is charged with a dozen felonies after allegedly stealing a five-figure sum from a Saginaw County oil company. Prosecutors say Mona M. Holm, 65, worked in purchasing for Super-Flite Oil Company, 100 E. Johnson St. in Zilwaukee, from September 2017 through November 2019. During that span, they allege Holm wrote at least 11 checks to herself, forging the signature of one of the companys owners. In all, Holm stole $54,090, prosecutors allege. The theft came to authorities attention when the company reported it to the Saginaw County Sheriffs Office. Authorities issued a warrant for Holm on Feb. 22. Holm, on March 4, appeared in Saginaw County District Court for arraignment on one count of embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000 and 11 counts of uttering and publishing. The former is a 15-year felony, while the latter is punishable by up to 14 years incarceration. The arraigning judge freed Holm on a $2,000 personal recognizance bond. Holm is represented by Bay City attorney Kimberly S. King, whom MLive could not immediately reach for comment. Super-Flite Oil Company was founded in 1963 and distributes gasoline, fuels, oils and related equipment. It services Michigan, northern Ohio, and northeast Indiana. Staff at Super-Flite declined to comment on the matter when contacted by MLive. Holms next court date is pending. Read more: Saginaw man accused of shooting at woman as she sat in her car Michigan teens charged in Russian roulette death of friend Michigan tax preparer arraigned in federal court on wire fraud, tax evasion charges If you thought you can be free of cyberthreats just by being careful while using internet and not sharing sensitive information with others and clicking on links in unsolicited junk mails, you are wrong. Hackers have found a new way to get your information, including one-time passwords (OTPs) and login links for services like WhatsApp. Hackers are using text-messaging management services, meant for businesses, to redirect SMSes meant for victim to their systems. The negligence of telecom companies in countries like US is responsible for such attacks. As per a report in Motherboard, a reporter Joseph Cox became the victim of such attack on his personal number. The hackers were able to redirect Cox's text messages, and his WhatsApp, Bumble, and Postmates accounts were compromised. The hacker managed to log in and take screenshots of content of his accounts. Fortunately, the attack was carried out by a pseudonymous hacker Lucky225 with Cox's permission to highlight the flaw. Unlike other hacking activities like SIM swapping and SS7 attacks, which also involve SMS and cellular systems, the victim won't immediately know if his or her text messages are being redirected. It is easy to assume that there is an issue with the network or service provider when OTP SMSes are not received. In SIM swapping and SS7 attacks, the victim gets to know within a few moments that the phone has been hacked as the phone loses cellular network completely. The service to redirect SMS can be availed by just paying $16 in US. The service is meant for businesses, but is being misused by hackers. In most cases, the service providers don't even seek permission of the user to redirect the text messages, or just inform the owner that the texts have been forwarded. The hackers can easily reset the password of some your accounts using these services and you might never be able to use that account again. So next time if you don't receive your OTP, try to find out the reason behind it. Also read: Hackers leak Army personnel's data using Airtel network, telco denies any breach Also read: Increasing cyber-attacks show why stringent cyber-security laws are need of the hour TURIN, MAR 16 - Italian police on Tuesday arrested 15 people on suspicion of international trafficking in metal waste. Turin and Naples police made the arrests. The probe regards a Slovakian company and a Turin firm with a secondary base in Campania, police said. The probe started in 2018, police said. Since then, police said, the alleged trafficking ring moved around 18 tonnes of metal waste. The alleged ring used other Italian and foreign firms too, police said. Police seized some 130 million euros in assets in the probe. (ANSA). Fishermen fish aboard the Boulogne-sur-Mer based trawler "Manureva" in the North Sea, off the coast of northern France, on Dec. 7, 2020. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters) Britain, Norway in Post-Brexit Fisheries Deal With EU OSLO/COPENHAGENNorway, Britain, and the European Union have reached a trilateral deal on catch limits for jointly managed North Sea fish stocks following the UKs exit from the EU, the three parties said on Tuesday. The new trilateral deal, covering common North Sea fishing quotas for cod, haddock, plaice, whiting, herring, and saithe, is the first step toward ending legal havoc in key fishing waters since Britain completed its exit from the EU on Dec. 31. British Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis said that while the new accord covers common North Sea quotas, bilateral talks were underway with the EU, Norway, and the Faroe Islands to confirm access arrangements and fish quota exchanges. British, Danish, German, Swedish, and French vessels all catch fish in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, home to some of the richest fishing stocks in Europe. Norway had sought a trilateral pact with Britain and the EU on the management of North Sea fish that swim between waters belonging to the EU, Norway, and Britainbefore making separate deals with the EU and Britain on quotas. Norway, which is outside the EU but inside the European single market, had previously negotiated annually with the bloc about the management of common fish stocks, access to each others waters, and exchange of fish quotas. That had to change, however, after Britain completed its exit from the EU at the end of last year. The lack of a deal especially harmed Danish fishermen as it had governed their catches of cod, pollock, hake, and monkfish in a key Norwegian area of the North Sea. Many Danish fishing vessels have been confined to ports since January. The deal will mean that Danish fishermen will have access to Norwegian waters again, said Kenn Skau Fischer, head of the Danish Fishermen Organization, the EU countrys main fishing lobby group. And it will mean that they have the possibility to plan their fishing for the whole year. Now they can actually make money again, he told Reuters. By Terje Solsvik and Tim Barsoe Both the Liberals and Nationals could face further losses in Western Australia as the count continues after Labor's landslide election victory. Labor is streaking ahead in the Nationals-held electorate of Warren-Blackwood, while Sean L'Estrange's hopes of retaining the seat of Churchlands for the Liberals have shrunk with the tallying of pre-poll and absent votes. Mr L'Estrange led by just 63 votes on Tuesday afternoon with the trend favouring Labor candidate Christine Tonkin. Premier Mark McGowan is expected to have almost unprecedented authority over selections given the size of Labor's win Former Nationals leader Terry Redman has meanwhile lost his lead in Warren-Blackwood, with pre-poll votes putting Labor's Jane Kelsbie more than 500 votes ahead. Labor also remained ahead in the blue-ribbon Liberal seat of Nedlands, setting them up to potentially claim 53 out of 59 lower house seats. The Nationals would hold four seats and the Liberals just two under that scenario. Depending on the final numbers in the upper house, the Nationals would appear likely to take over opposition status from the Liberals. Labor now appears certain to win control of both houses, a scenario party strategists had deemed highly unlikely prior to Saturday's barnstorming victory. Labor's enlarged caucus is set to meet on Wednesday to finalise the composition of a new-look cabinet. Premier Mark McGowan is expected to have almost unprecedented authority over selections given the size of Labor's win. Former Nationals leader Terry Redman has meanwhile lost his lead in Warren-Blackwood, with pre-poll votes putting Labor's Jane Kelsbie (pictured) more than 500 votes ahead Five new ministers are expected to be sworn in with Peter Tinley set to be dumped from his housing and fisheries portfolios. Other vacancies arise from the retirement of Treasurer Ben Wyatt and veterans Fran Logan and Mick Murray, as well as Michelle Roberts' expected new role as Speaker in the lower house. Amber-Jade Sanderson, Don Punch, Reece Whitby, Tony Buti and John Carey are expected to be the new faces. "We've got to make sure that as the government goes forward, new people get experience and we have new ideas, new blood, new enthusiasm and new thoughts," Mr McGowan said this week. Mr McGowan has not ruled out himself serving as treasurer, something his Liberal predecessor Colin Barnett also briefly did. Deputy Premier and Health Minister Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti are the other two contenders. The new cabinet is expected to be finalised on Wednesday and sworn in on Friday. Boeing Co. has started inspecting cockpit windows on 787 Dreamliner jets, including aircraft assembled and awaiting delivery in North Charleston. First reported by Bloomberg, the window checks are separate from ongoing reviews of 787s for a production issue involving the inner fuselage skin that has put Dreamliner deliveries on pause since late last year. Boeing started checking the windows after learning a supplier had made changes to its production process. The Chicago-based planemaker is inspecting them to see if they still meet specifications. While the extra layer of review adds another potential snag for Boeing, the company does not think the checks will further delay an expected restart for 787 deliveries in March amid a monthslong hiatus. "Based on our current plans, we continue to expect to resume delivering 787s by the end of March; however, we will continue to take the time necessary and will adjust any delivery plans as needed," Boeing South Carolina spokeswoman Libba Holland said in a statement. "We remain in constant and transparent communication with our customers and regulators. What Boeing has described as "comprehensive inspections" on 787s to ensure they meet "rigorous engineering specifications," have caused a more than four-month delivery drought for the widebody program. Boeing hasn't handed over a Dreamliner jet since October. 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! During an earnings call in late January, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun had said that Dreamliner deliveries would start up again later in the first quarter. He speculated that "few, if any" would be unloaded in February, but last month came and went with zero deliveries. The widebody jets are sitting in inventory and undergoing inspections at Boeing's campus in North Charleston and out on the West Coast where, until very recently, the 787s were also built. Boeing's widebody factory in Everett, Wash., finished assembling its last 787 Feb. 26, under a previously announced plan to consolidate all production in South Carolina. North Charleston is now the only place assembling new 787s, but with dozens of Dreamliners waiting to be handed over to customers, the company has continued to have workers in the Puget Sound region review and handle deliveries for the Everett-made 787s. Boeing has said it expects to unload the Dreamliners it has in inventory by the end of this year, despite the continued delays. As of late January, that included at least 80 aircraft that Boeing has stored in North Charleston, Everett and Victorville, Calif. So far this year, the recently-recertified 737 Max plane built in Washington state has dominated deliveries, accounting for 39 of the 48 aircraft Boeing has handed over to customers so far in 2021. Last month, John Plueger, CEO of Air Lease Corp., expressed concern that the issues facing the 787 program had "mushroomed," citing "greater and greater levels of inspection going on." Deliveries of some Dreamliners that the Los Angeles-based lessor has on order have been pushed back 12 months, Plueger said, adding that he thinks Boeing should "gets its house in order" and resolve the 787 issues before pursuing any potential new airplane programs. 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. Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari Kathmandu [Nepal], March 16 (ANI): Amid continued political rift in the Himalayan nation, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the prevailing situation. An official from the office of the President confirmed that the meeting has been summoned for 4 PM (Local Time) on Tuesday where the situation of the contemporary political stalemate would be discussed. "In order to discuss the prevailing political situation, the all-party meet has been summoned for 4 PM (Local Time) today. President has invited leaders of parties representing in parliament as well as some former Prime Ministers," Dr Bheshraj Adhikari, Secretary of President told ANI over the phone. Nepal plunged into a state of political stalemate after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on December 20 last year recommended the dissolution of Parliament to the President. Terming the move as a breach of the Constitution by the Prime Minister, the decision was challenged in Supreme Court and on February 23, the apex court reinstated the Parliament. Weeks after announcing the verdict over the dissolution of Parliament, the Supreme Court later revoked the unification of the erstwhile ruling Nepal Communist Party and declared the merger between the erstwhile CPN-UML and CPN Maoist Centre void. After Supreme Court's latest decision, Oli who earlier was leading a majority government has lost his seats in the Parliament and pressure has been mounting on him to prove his majority. Now, Oli's CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) has 120 seats in Parliament followed by Nepal Congress with 63 sets (2 suspended), Maoist Centre (53), and Janata Samajbadi Party with 34 seats (2 suspended). There is an addition of 3 seats in Parliament out of which one is independent while the other two are from two different parties. (ANI) SPRINGFIELD Bills introduced in Springfield would eliminate the Parental Notice of Abortion Act signed into law in Illinois in 2013. The legislation would require a doctor providing care to a young person under the age of 18 seeking an abortion to notify a designated parent, legal guardian or grandparent at least 48 hours beforehand. If there is a reason a minor cannot have one of these family members notified, she can go to court for a judicial bypass and ask a judge for permission to have the procedure without forced family involvement. Brigid Leahy, senior director of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, said there are circumstances when a minor does not want or cant get a parent or guardian involved. Those young people are forced into court and thats not the place they need to be, Leahy said. They need to be with a healthcare provider for support. During a news conference Monday, attorney Mary FioRito who represents Parents for the Protection of Girls said eliminating the law would be a blow to Illinois parents. To undo a parents right to know about an irreversible surgery being performed on their child completely undermines the rights and responsibilities that parents have to their children, FioRito said. The ACLU teamed up with Human Rights Watch to issue the report, The Only People It Really Affects Are the People It Hurts: The Human Rights Impacts of Parental Notice of Abortion in Illinois. The groups state that young people often seek judicial bypass because they fear physical or emotional abuse, alienation from their families, or being forced to continue a pregnancy against their will. Leahy said a law to mandate family communication is unnecessary. Its our experience that the patients who come into Planned Parenthood Health Centers in Illinois have been talking to their parents and involving their parents before the law went into effect and after the law went into effect, Leahy said. The Rev. Jon Jones from the Christ Life Center in Tinley Park said there are laws on the books protecting minors in other aspects of life. When our state laws ensure that children cant make their own decisions for accessing tanning beds, tattoos, tobacco, it seems unfathomable that the law would allow a minor to make a decision to access an abortion without any adult guidance, Jones said. State Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. and state Rep. Anna Moeller have introduced measures in both General Assembly chambers aimed at repealing the law. It is expected to be debated in May. Previous attempts to repeal the parental notice act have failed, including an effort last year. SAN DIEGO, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. announces that a lawsuit was filed for certain investors in NYSE: MPLN shares. Investors, who purchased shares of MultiPlan Corporation (NYSE: MPLN) f/k/a Churchill Capital Corp. III securities during the period between July 12, 2020 and November 10, 2020, inclusive and all holders of Churchill Capital Corp III Class A common stock entitled to vote on Churchill Capital Corp l IIIs merger with and acquisition of Polaris Parent Corp. and its consolidated subsidiaries, which merger was consummated in October 2020 (the Merger), have certain options and should contact the Shareholders Foundation at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 - 1554. In July 2020, Churchill III announced that it had entered into a preliminary agreement, subject to shareholder approval, to merge with MultiPlan Corporation. On November 11, 2020, a report was published entitled MultiPlan: Private Equity Necrophilia Meets The Great 2020 Money Grab[.] The report described a series of issues involving MultiPlan Corporation including that MPLN is in the process of losing its largest client, UnitedHealthcare (UHC). UHC has formed a competitor to MPLN that offers significantly lower prices and fewer conflicts of interest. On February 24, 2021, a lawsuit was filed against MultiPlan Corporation over alleged securities laws violations. The plaintiff alleges that the defendants made materially false and misleading statements in connection with the Merger and between July 12, 2020 and November 10, 2020 regarding the business, operation, and prospects of MultiPlan. Those who purchased MultiPlan Corporation (NYSE: MPLN) shares should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc. CONTACT: Shareholders Foundation, Inc. Michael Daniels +1 (858) 779-1554 mail@shareholdersfoundation.com 3111 Camino Del Rio North Suite 423 San Diego, CA 92108 The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is a professional portfolio legal monitoring and a settlement claim filing service, which does research related to shareholder issues and informs investors of securities class actions, settlements, judgments, and other legal related news to the stock/financial market. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is not a law firm. Any referenced cases, investigations, and/or settlements are not filed/initiated/reached and/or are not related to Shareholders Foundation. The information is only provided as a public service. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon. One year ago, Luxembourg shifted into another reality. On 12 March 2020, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel appeared before the press following an extraordinary government council meeting to take "measures of a scale never known to Luxembourg". It would be a defining moment that would dramatically change the months ahead. Now, one year later, we look back at that time. Closed schools, teleworking "to be promoted as much as possible", bans on hospital visits and leave for nursing staff: all these measures came into force on 16 March, 2020. Over time, early confinement measures would become increasingly strict. Indeed, in the days following the government council, authorities announced new measures that would come into force on 16 May. It would include travel limitations, the closure of businesses, cancellation of non-essential activities, and full-time home office wherever possible. "Stay at home" AFP This is how Luxembourg ends up moving into its first phase of confinement. From now on, trips must be scaled back to only the most essential, and the public is asked to stay at home. The first call to stay at home comes on 17 March with a statement by the Prime Minister entitled "Bleift Doheem". "Stay at home as much as possible. We must reduce social contacts to what is strictly necessary", he wrote in a press release. Ministere de la Sante 17 March also marked the day that the Prime Minister announced his intention to declare a state of emergency. This would allow the government to "put in place urgent measures to deal with this crisis". It was a period marked by the closure of borders in neighboring countries and all the complications that this would imply for cross-border workers. It is also the time of supermarket hoarding in Luxembourg as well as across the border. Supermarkets in Luxembourg 13.03.2020 Martin Jonsson The state of emergency came into force on 22 March 2020. Luxembourg distinguished itself from other European countries with its ambitious free mask distribution campaign, as well as investing into Large Scale Testing. The Luxembourg army was called in to distribute masks to construction workers. The Luxembourg Army distribute masks at Findel EMA EMA EMA EMA Didier Weber, Domingos Oliveira The Grand Duchy remained in a state of emergency until 22 June, despite major deconfinment measures having been announced in early May already. Schools resumed for third year students (4 May), secondary students (11 May), and primary students (24 May). At the end of the month, the government then announced the long-awaited reopening of the hospitality sector, as well as fitness rooms and gyms. The summer was overshadowed by a period of uncertainty and fluctuating infection numbers, with occasional spikes especially towards the end of the summer. Then, around October, Luxembourg returned to a more "flexible" lockdown, a reality that has been with us for one year on this very day. The closure of restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as the two-guest rule and curfew remain in place. Further reading: Covid-19 measures extended until April 2. 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. Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin denied Monday that he made racist comments last week when he said he wasnt concerned about pro-Donald Trump insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol in January but would have been worried if they were Black Lives Matters protesters. The comments drew a firestorm of criticism from Democrats and others who said Johnson was making racist statements. But Johnson, in an interview Monday on WISN-AM, said theres no racism involved. It has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with riots, Johnson said. I completely did not anticipate that anybody could interpret what I said as racist. Its not. In an interview Thursday with syndicated radio host Joe Pagliarulo, Johnson said of those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 to try to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Bidens electoral victory: I knew those were people who love this country, that truly respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break the law, so I wasnt concerned. Now, had the tables been turned, and Joe this is going to get me in trouble had the tables been turned and President Trump won the election and tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and antifa, I might have been a little concerned, Johnson said, referring to far-left-leaning protesters known as anti-fascists who resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations and other events. Johnson said Monday on the Dan ODonnell show that because many of the Black Lives Matters protesters were white, his comments were not racist. Remember those leftist activists, those protesters, that some of them turned into riots, a lot of them are white, Johnson said. So theres no racism involved in this at all. Johnson said liberals want to push a narrative that everyone who voted for Trump is an insurrectionist or domestic terrorist. But he said the summer protests over racial justice resulted in more damage and people killed than the insurrection at the Capitol, which left five people dead, including a Capitol police officer, and injured 140 other officers. More than 300 Trump supporters have been charged in the storming of the building, including members of far-right extremist groups. Johnson cited 25 deaths being tied to Black Lives Matter protests. Of the 25 people killed, nine were Black Lives Matter demonstrators and two were conservatives killed after pro-Trump rallies, according to data from the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. The group determined in September that more than 90% of the summer protests were peaceful. Im not deterred by this, Johnson said of the reaction to his statements. I think people need to understand that. This just, if anything, fires me up more. Among those who said Johnsons comments were racist was Democratic state Sen. LaTonya Johnson, who is Black and not related to the senator, and Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in 2022, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin called Johnsons comment an example of systemic racism. Former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said Johnsons comments sounded like they came from a Senator from Alabama in 1921. Johnson has not yet said whether he will seek a third term in 2022. New Zealand's opposition believes trans-Tasman relations have sunk to a 40-year low as a new front opens in the deteriorating relationship. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton describing the deportation of a 15-year-old boy from Australia as 'taking out the trash' has infuriated Kiwi politicians across the spectrum. New Zealand's Greens have labelled Australia a 'rogue nation' that 'persistently flouts human rights laws'. Before the emergence of the minor's deportation, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said Mr Dutton's comments 'only serve to trash his own reputation'. The row over the 15-year-old is the latest inflammation of tensions between the two allies. Pictured: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Ms Mahuta didn't attack Australian counterparts further on Tuesday, saying authorities were focused on the needs of the child. However, National leader Judith Collins, a conservative of the same political stripe as Ms Dutton, took aim. Ms Collins said the deportation was inhumane and Mr Dutton's comments were poorly timed given the second anniversary of the Christchurch Mosques terror attack on Monday. 'The 15-year-old no doubt has been involved in something they shouldn't be involved in. But actually, you have to be human,' she said. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton describing the deportation of a 15-year-old boy from Australia as 'taking out the trash' has infuriated Kiwi politicians across the spectrum 'It was a pretty poor call for Minister Peter Dutton to come out and start talking about sending out the trash to New Zealand in the same week that we were commemorating ... an Australian who came here and killed 50 odd people in New Zealand and injured so many more.' The Australian terrorist, Brenton Tarrant, is currently serving his life imprisonment in an Auckland jail; New Zealand has no plans to deport him. The row over the 15-year-old is the latest inflammation of tensions between the two allies. Whether its Australia's deportation policy, different approaches on China, immigration and refugee settings or other issues, the gap between the two countries is widening. Ms Collins believes relations haven't been worse since the underarm bowling incident, when Kiwi PM Robert Muldoon said 'New Zealanders who leave for Australia raise the IQ of both countries'. 'I've never seen Australia and New Zealand relations at such a low ebb since the days of Rob Muldoon,' she said. 'The rhetoric between Australia and New Zealand is rarking up. 'It speaks a lot about the lack of goodwill. 'Jacinda Ardern needs to refresh the relationship with Scott Morrison and that will help refresh the relationship between Australia and New Zealand at a government level.' The Australian terrorist, Brenton Tarrant, is currently serving his life imprisonment in an Auckland jail; New Zealand has no plans to deport him In one of her most decisive policy shifts since slumping to an election defeat last October, Ms Collins has given National's full-blooded support to a trans-Tasman bubble. The bubble was first pledged by Ms Ardern and Mr Morrison last May, only to flounder due to outbreaks and a lack of agreement between governments. National believes Kiwis are ready to reopen to the world. 'I think that there is a change in people's sentiment,' Ms Collins said. 'If Australia can ... then why can't we? 'One of the things that New Zealand could do (to mend the relationship) is to open up the trans-Tasman border with Australia. 'Take the hand that's being offered and friendship, instead of dismissing it and saying it's all too hard. 'We need to rebuild our tourism industry before it dies, and we also need to reunite family members who can't get together again.' Sweden has become the latest country to suspend vaccinations against Covid-19 using British-Swedish company AstraZenecas vaccine as a precautionary measure. Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would stop administering the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after several countries reported possible serious side-effects while the World Health Organization has said there was no proven link. They join a growing list of countries, including Ireland, which have suspended its use, after Denmark and Norway have reported isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and a low platelet count after inoculations with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Swedish Medical Products Agency said on Monday it had recorded 10 cases of blood clots and one case of low levels of platelets among people who were given the AstraZeneca vaccine, but not in combination. Read More The European Medicines Agency is meeting today on the matter ahead of an expected decision on Thursday. Many health experts say the clots are no more prevalent than in the general population and that the vaccine should still be used. Yesterday, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said Irish authorities had taken a cautious approach although he took on board TCD Professor Luke ONeills view that the vaccine was still safe. This is a safety signal issue and I dont think anyone would forgive them if they made the wrong call and they didnt pause for a few days to consider the evidence but I have heard what Luke ONeill said and I pay a lot of attention to what he says, the Tanaiste said. Hes been right ahead of time more often than not and he would point out that out of 20m doses given in the UK, weve only seen 37 embolysms, possibly linked to this vaccine. And as DVTs [deep vein thrombosis] and clots are pretty common - theres about 356 a day. I would be confident, once the EMA consider the data, will most likely allow the vaccine to be cleared again. And theyll do that within the next couple of days that will allow our authorities to continue. Its important to say, it wont hold up the vaccine programme - those vaccines that havent been given this week, are still in stock. And we have 10,000 people trained to give vaccines, so it will be easy to catch up on that once we get the go ahead again. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has said that pressure on some countries to refuse to buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 was at unprecedented levels but had no chance of succeeding. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks when asked to comment on a U.S. government report which appeared to show that the United States had tried to dissuade Brazil from buying Sputnik V. The report, published on the website of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), detailed the work of the U.S. Office of Global Affairs (OGA) in "combating malign influences in the Americas". The report outlined the agency's diplomatic efforts to counter what it described as attempts by countries, including Russia, to increase their influence in the region, to the detriment of U.S. safety and security. "Examples include using OGA's Health Attache office to persuade Brazil to reject the Russian COVID-19 vaccine," the government report said. Kremlin spokesman Mr Peskov declined to comment specifically on the report but said Russia was against politicizing the situation around vaccines. "In many countries the scale of pressure is quite unprecedented ... such selfish attempts to force countries to abandon any vaccines have no prospects," he said. "We believe that there should be as many doses of vaccines as possible so that all countries, including the poorest, have the opportunity to stop the pandemic," Mr Peskov said. UPDATE: Moore Township man admits he shot his neighbor before shooting self, police say The person shot and killed during a neighbor dispute on Monday morning in Moore Township was identified as Christopher Robbin Debellis, 42, of the 1100 block of Moser Road, Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck reports. Debellis died from being shot near his home and the manner of his death is homicide, meaning someone else killed him, Houck added. The neighbor was also shot, but it has yet to be determined how, Houck said. The dispute was between the two men and there is no danger to the public because no one else was involved, Houck said. The neighbor was expected to survive, Houck said. Police were called about 10:35 a.m. Authorities have yet to release how many weapons were involved. What led to the dispute or if the two had a past history remains under investigation, Houck said. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating and could release more information later Tuesday, a public information trooper said. State police are heading the probe because they have more resources to bring to the effort than township police, Houck confirmed. It is the second neighbor dispute in recent weeks to lead to a killing. Joshua Anthony Leone, of the 3100 block of Clifton Avenue in Bethlehem Township, is accused of fatally shooting Kenneth Pickell shortly after 2:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in Leones driveway, authorities said. 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. The methodical, scientific approach taken by Kavango has generated an impressive dataset already Its hard to understate just how valuable the prize that ( ) is chasing at the Kalahari Suture Zone project could be. If the geological interpretation that the company has put together is right - and the data to support the interpretation is extensive then the KSZ could turn out to be a mineralised orebody of a kind seen only rarely in the world, at sites like Voiseys Bay, Norilsk and Jinchuan. For those not in the know, those same sites play host to some of the biggest mines in the world, with dollar values running into the billions, and mine lives that still stretch out decades. If its so good, though, why hasnt the Kalahari Suture Zone been developed before? The answer is simple enough: it lies under a covering of Kalahari sands in Botswana, and until very recently has been very hard to gather data on. But advances in remote sensing technologies over the past couple of decades have allowed mining exploration companies to look underground in ways that the old timers who discovered Norilsk and Voiseys Bay could only have dreamed of. Its still an art to some degree, but the science is getting better and better all the time. Whats more, since mineralisation at the KSZ has been known about for several decades, theres also a significant amount of historical data that can be reinterpreted using the new methods, and which can be tied in to data gleaned from water boreholes. It all adds up to a significant body of knowledge that towards the end of last year allowed Kavango to build a three-dimensional model of what the orebody seems to look like. We have drill cores from Canadian drilling programmes conducted in the 1980s and 1990s, explains Kavango executive director Ben Turney. We also have water boreholes, the data from which has been surprisingly valuable. What the data seems to show is that around 180 million years ago a significant geological event occurred in which molten magma passed through a sizeable coal deposit, the sulphur in which melted into a magmatic mix to form magmatic sulphides. So far, so good. This is the pattern seen at Norilsk, and bodes well. The borehole data is spread out geographically, and thus gives a good indication of how extensive the spread of the magma was. In the resulting 3-D model, the system takes the shape of whats termed a gull and keel formation, where a significant part of the orebody runs vertically, with its richest portion at the base, or keel, while at the top there are also sizeable lateral extensions in the shape of gull wings. This, too, is the pattern seen at Norilsk. The trick for Kavango now, though, will be to turn this multi-billion dollar vision into reality. And given the Kalahari sands, that wont be easy. Most recently, the company conducted a time domain electromagnetic survey, also known as TDEM, to provide additional data with which to cross-reference the 3-D gull and keel model, The surrounding bedrock is more resistive, explains Turney. If we can identify one of these highly conductive anomalies, and if it corresponds with the gull and keel model, we will drill. The results from the first TDEM surveys are expected imminently, and the company knows both what it is looking for and where to look. According to our model, the best positions for any conductors we identify would be at the bottom the keel formations, or along the dipping rock walls, says Turney. In other systems, some of the richest parts of any orebodies discovered are on the rockwalls of the keels, so we are paying particular attention to those. Its still high risk, of course, and until Kavango actually has drill cores logged and assayed, nothing will be certain. The goal for 2021 is proof of concept, says Turney. If we can prove the existence of magmatic sulphides then that opens up the potential of the entire system. Weve found nothing to disprove our hypothesis so far, which is particularly encouraging given how rigorous a scientific approach weve adopted. In the meantime, Kavango will also go to work on its other major area of operations in Botswana, up in the copper belt. This is an area where prospectivity has already been proven by the likes of Metal Tiger ( ), Sandfire Resources ( ) and Cupric Canyon. Kavango has two separate strands to its copper belt activities. Theres a joint venture with ( ), which is likely to be spun out into a separate entity by the end of the first half of the year, and theres a separate licence which the company will keep in-house. Airborne surveys on the copper took place in February, and it will be interesting to watch for the results from those, as and when they come out. Overall, Kavango is well-funded, having raised 2mln in November of last year, and can cover all its 2021 work programmes and see itself into 2022. That gives it an enviable flexibility when operationally, as well as at a strategic level. Because therell likely come a time, whether sooner or later, when a major mining comes knocking at Kavangos door looking for a deal. If Kavango continues to be well supported in the market and well funded, and has a stack of successful exploration results under its belt, it should be in a strong position to cut the best possible deal for shareholders. As always, though, the drillbit will be the ultimate arbiter. High notes Anna Faramelli received the Margie Memorial Award from the OMalley Family. Faramelli has worked with the Womens Resource Center for more than 20 years. She deeply cares about providing safety to victims of domestic violence, according to the family. The award is dedicated in honor of Margie Holdonak Davis, who was murdered by her estranged husband on June 9, 1980. The award is given to individuals who contribute their time or ability to the betterment of the local Womens Resource Center. SEEDS scholarship applications open SEEDS of Northeastern Pennsylvania is accepting applications for a $1,000 Sustainability Scholarship to a college-bound high school senior in honor of Michael Jake Burkhardt. Burkhardt graduated from Western Wayne in 2015 and worked with SEEDS as a high school student. While attending Keystone College and majoring in wildlife biology, Burkhardt died in a car accident. A high school senior from the following schools: Western Wayne High School, Honesdale High School, Wallenpaupack Area High School, Damascus Christian Academy and Canaan Christian Academy, and home-schooled seniors who live within the areas covered by those high schools, are encouraged to submit an essay detailing their strategy to increase resiliency for Pennsylvanias small businesses across the board and to prepare them for the next emergency. The essay must include three comprehensive and strategic strategies, choosing from top-down (proactive policies by government officials); bottom-up (adaptive strategies at business level) or a mixed approach. Students are asked to consider using reports from Reimagine Appalachia, U.S. Small Business Administration and PennFuture to compose their responses. All entries are due by 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 2, and can be submitted via email to scholarship@seedsgroup.net. Essays will be reviewed by a panel of SEEDS volunteers For details, visit www.seedsgroup.net; call 570-245-1256 or email Olga@seedsgroup.net. COLUMBIA South Carolina lawmakers added back sexual orientation and gender to the list of characteristics that would be protected by a proposed hate crimes bill on March 16 after facing backlash for their decision to remove them just a few days earlier. But the S.C. House Judiciary committee also voted to limit the bill to violent crimes, removing sections that would have also enhanced penalties for stalking, harassment or vandalism if the victims were targeted because of certain personal characteristics. The panel ultimately voted 23-0 to approve the legislation, setting it up for debate by the full chamber on the floor soon. They also decided to name the bill after the late state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, who was one of the nine victims in the 2015 Mother Emanuel AME shooting. South Carolina is one of only three states without any hate crimes law on the books, along with Wyoming and Arkansas. Prominent business groups, including the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, have rallied behind the bill this year, saying the lack of such a law could reflect poorly on the state's values. A subcommittee removed sexual orientation and gender from the list of protected classes on March 11. The other protected characteristics are race, color, religion, sex, national origin and physical or mental disability. House Judiciary chairman Chris Murphy, R-North Charleston, explained at the time that they did it to make sure the bill, H.3620, would be able to pass in the Republican-dominated House ahead of an early April deadline for it to be considered by the Senate. But equality advocates immediately voiced outrage at the move, saying lawmakers were playing politics with the lives of gay, lesbian, transgender and queer South Carolinians. That response prompted the full committee to reverse course, inserting that language back into the bill. The amendment from state Rep. Beth Bernstein, D-Columbia, also clarified that hate crimes against people because of their "sex" could include sexual orientation and gender identity, conforming with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which she said would "remove any ambiguity." State Rep. Jeff Johnson, R-Conway, then proposed another amendment to remove stalking, harassment and vandalism from the list of crimes that would be subject to enhanced penalties, describing the change as a "compromise" between lawmakers who want a more expansive bill and those who do not think any hate crimes legislation is necessary. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! That proposal drew howls from some of the same Democrats who had just cheered the addition of sexual orientation and gender, including Bernstein, who said that change "take a lot of the meat out of it." By example, Bernstein noted that the change would mean spray-painting a swastika on a synagogue or racial epithets on a Black church would not be considered hate crimes. "That is a horrible direction to go," said state Rep. Justin Bamberg, D-Bamberg. "We do need to pass a hate crimes bill, but it should not be this difficult. It should not be this political." But state Rep. Weston Newton, R-Beaufort, responded by saying lawmakers could continue to debate further changes to the bill on the House floor. "This is a process," Newton said. "I believe in (the bill) and I think it needs to move forward, but sausage-making isn't pretty." After the meeting, Bernstein said she was frustrated that the committee had weakened the bill right after strengthening it. But she and state Rep. Wendell Gilliard, the lead sponsor of the hate crimes bill, both said they are hopeful that the other types of crimes will be added back into the bill later. "You have to stay optimistic," said Gilliard, D-Charleston. "At the end of the day, I think everything will be in tact and we'll do the right thing." The bill only enhances penalties for people who have already been convicted of an underlying crime. If someone was convicted of a violent crime, for example, their punishment could be increased by up to an additional five years in prison or $10,000 in fines if a judge determined that they targeted the victim due to a personal characteristic. Attorney-General Christian Porter won't be responsible for Federal Court matters when he returns from mental health leave, to prevent any possible conflicts of interest as he chases the ABC for defamation. Mr Porter is seeking aggravated damages over a story published on February 26 headlined: 'Scott Morrison, senators and AFP told of historical rape allegation against Cabinet Minister'. The attorney-general's lawyers allege the story - which did not name him - was defamatory because it imputed he raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988 and that contributed to her taking her own life. Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the attorney-general would not be responsible for all his usual duties when he returns from mental leave on March 31. Scott Morrison will ask Attorney-General Christian Porter to step down from some of his duties when he returns from mental health leave 'In the abundance of caution and to avoid any perception of conflicts of interest that may arise, the attorney-general when he returns will not perform certain functions of his office that may relate to the Federal Court or the ABC,' Mr Morrison told parliament on Tuesday. Labor has raised concerns the defamation action will be used as an excuse for the government to dodge questions about the issue. Senior opposition MP Tanya Plibersek signalled the court action wouldn't stop calls for a separate investigation into the allegations. 'What really worries me is that this will be used as an excuse for the government not to have an inquiry and to stop answering questions about the Christian Porter matter,' she told ABC radio. Ms Plibersek said it was nonsense for the government to suggest an independent inquiry would offend the rule of law. The minister identified himself as the subject of the article almost two weeks ago. His lawyer Rebekah Giles said he was forced to go public after a series of news articles, social media posts and interviews made him 'easily identifiable to many Australians'. The statement of claim lodged in the Federal Court in Sydney says Mr Porter's character and reputation was gravely injured as a result of the story. Voters are slightly in favour of an independent inquiry with 55 per cent agreeing further investigation is needed to determine Mr Porter's fitness to serve as attorney-general. A new Essential poll found 45 per cent believe the matter should be closed because police are not pressing charges. People are split on whether an inquiry would undermine the rule of law, as Mr Morrison claims. Mr Porter is suing the ABC for defamation over a story about historical rape allegations The survey of 1124 people found 37 per cent agree, 33 per cent disagree and 31 per cent are undecided. Mr Porter's lawyers claim journalist Louise Milligan acted with malice because she knew it was impossible for criminal or civil guilt to be proved. The attorney-general is seeking aggravated damages, costs and removal of the article and related material on the web. Lawyer Michael Bradley, who represented the alleged victim before she died, believes the defamation action will be a challenging case for Mr Porter. 'The bar is fairly high for the plaintiff to establish where they weren't named they were actually clearly identifiable to the audience,' the Marque Lawyers managing partner told Sky News. Mr Bradley said the case would rest on whether a casual reader rather than political aficionados would know the unnamed minister was the attorney-general. Mr Morrison told parliament it was appropriate the matter be considered in a court of law. No date has been set for an initial hearing. Gemma Collins has hit back at claims she has been using lip filler after sharing a make-up free selfie following a work out on her Instagram on Tuesday. The TOWIE star, 40, replied to a fan who questioned if she had undergone the cosmetic procedure in the comments section of her social media post. The follower had told Gemma to be 'careful with the fillers', while the reality star shot back that she had any filler in her lips 'dissolved'. All natural! Gemma Collins has hit back at claims she has been using lip filler after sharing a make-up free selfie following a work out on her Instagram on Tuesday She later clarified on her Instagram Story that she 'loves her original face' and shared a picture of what her lips look like without puffing them out. Gemma wrote: 'Guys these are my lips. This was yesterday, the reason why they're bigger today is because I'm blowing them out because I'm exhausted.' She added: 'I'm a woman of my word. I've had them all dissolved, and I actually love my original face it's me and I love it.' 'Be careful': The TOWIE star, 40, replied to a fan who questioned if she had undergone the cosmetic procedure in the comments section of her social media post Explanation: She later clarified on her Instagram Story that she 'loves her original face' and shared a picture of what her lips look like without puffing them out The comment was posted underneath a stunning snap of Gemma, which she had captioned: 'Another work out completed. 'Literally it sets you up for the day you think better you move better and your a step closer to your goals. I hope this motivated you a little for anyone struggling we all have to start somewhere. 8.30am all set up for the day!! Bring it on.' Her friend and co-star Lauren Goodger commended her efforts, as she wrote under the post: 'Good girl.' Gemma has previously been candid about undergoing Botox injections and filler procedures, and discussed it on her reality programme in 2019. The comment was posted underneath a stunning snap of Gemma, which she had captioned: 'Another work out completed' Proud: Her friend and co-star Lauren Goodger commended her efforts, as she wrote under the post: 'Good girl' Earlier in March, Gemma revealed that she has had her Botox and facial fillers dissolved after feeling as though she no longer looked like herself. The reality star also insisted that celebs 'all look the same' while urging her fans to avoid non-surgical aesthetics and 'stay natural.' 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!' The GC claims that she now relies solely on collagen supplements and facial peels as well as a good skincare routine. Looking good: On Monday, Gemma Collins was feeling motivated as she shared a snap of herself in a black crop top while encouraging her followers to get their fitness on The Diva Forever star has also discussed her three stone weight loss on numerous occasions. On Monday, Gemma Collins was feeling motivated as she shared a snap of herself in a black crop top while encouraging her followers to get their fitness on. She went make-up free in the post as she flashed a peace sign at the camera while letting her platinum locks fall loose down her shoulders. Alongside the post, Gemma wrote: 'What does a [shark] do on a Monday? Gets up gets biting. 'If any of you are looking for some motivation if I can YOU CAN now I have the rest of the day to get my work done.' Wow! The TOWIE star has recently been undergoing a health kick and has shed an impressive three stone Gemma wrote: 'If any of you are looking for some motivation if I can YOU CAN now I have the rest of the day to get my work done' 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. Less is more: Earlier in March, Gemma revealed that she has had her Botox and facial fillers dissolved after feeling as though she no longer looked like herself '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.' The GC has been wowing fans with her new look since revealing her three stone weight loss, and fans have noticed her face is changing too. Before Christmas, Gemma hit back at fans who accused her of using Instagram filters to achieve her flawless new look, saying: '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. I've had lots of treatments at the London Aesthetics company. And I feel brand new.' She added: 'I just wanted to show you that this is me, this is how I look. There's been a few comments recently about filters but I have been having amazing face treatments done.' Gemma has been open about her facial transformation on Instagram, revealing 8,366 worth of treatments in less than two years. From fillers to fat dissolving treatments, here's what she's had done... Gemma has had a variety of treatments to ensure her chiselled face matches her slimmed down body. Most recently, on Friday, the GC filmed herself having a 350 'fat dissolving' injection with the London Aesthetics company, which left her feeling 'brand new'. She's had many of her recent tweakments with the same beauty business, including 'jaw contouring' - which costs 299 at similar London clinics. The 'no needle' treatment was done using a small machine, which tightens the skin to 'treat sagging dull skin and wrinkles'. LaFayette, N.Y. -- Friends and family gathered Monday to mourn a Navy sailor from Tully killed in a military convoy crash. Aaron Michael Fish, 26, died March 2 near Camp Pendleton in San Diego when a military convoy crashed. He was driving one of the vehicles. Fishs funeral was held Monday at Ballweg & Lunsford Funeral Home in LaFayette. During the ceremony, a three-volley military gun salute was performed and then Taps was played. An honor guard folded three United States flags and gave them to Fishs mother, father and brother. Fish is survived by his father Aaron Fish, mother Nancy Fish and younger brother Cameron Fish, among others. Aaron Fish, a 2012 Tully High School graduate, was killed March 2 while driving one of five military vehicles involved in a chain-reaction collision on the I-5 freeway near the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, according to Navy officials. Fish was an Equipment Operator Third Class with the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5. He was previously deployed in Guam, where he helped build COVID-19 hospitals in the virus-stricken region. Fish was a member of the Tully High School boys lacrosse and soccer teams. He also enjoyed snowboarding and spent time as an instructor at Labrador Mountain in Truxton. 11 Friends and family mourn Navy sailor from Tully 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. Lets begin by noting that when the digital director of the Jewish Light, Jordan Palmer asked me to take another look at the iconic, now streaming show, Breaking Bad I was intriqued by the Jewish angle. Hes just barely Jewish, said Palmer, referrring to star Brian Cranston. And he was right. According to the outstanding website, Jew or Not a Jew, Cranston is indeed, barely Jewish. His bio says his maternal grandparents were German, and his father was of Irish, German, and Austrian-Jewish ancestry. 13 years ago, Vince Gilligan introduced the world to a new kind of anti-hero in Walter White. Played by Bryan Cranston, White was an ordinary joe who became a drug kingpin, but he didnt look particularly menacing. At least not until you heard his voice. Following Don Drapers charismatic yet fallible ad man, Cranstons White redefined how the bad guy looked. Gilligans show redefined what people expected out of a show that wasnt on HBO or Showtime-revealing the power one can generate in an AMC series. Mad Men was a great launch, but Breaking Bad was the confirmation. I recently binged the series on Netflix. It was my second time through, which means you pick up twice the material as you did during round one. Here are ten things I learned during my re-watch. (SPOILERS warning, decade-plus later) You root for the other guy this time Since Gilligan wrote him so well, you were rooting for Whites chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin to succeed somehow. But the second time through, I found Aaron Pauls Jesse Pinkman to be the sad protagonist. A troubled kid who never wanted to dabble in the upper echelons of the drug trade, and someone who takes enough beatings in the first three seasons to generate some form of sympathy. Great shows can make you change alliances every time. Maybe next time, I will root for Dean Norris doomed Hank Schrader. Hello, Bill Burr When he appeared in the third season of the show, I didnt even know much about Burrs standup comedy routine. My first impression of his work came from Kuby, one of Saul Goodmans (Bob Odenkirk) fixers, along with the lovable Huell (Lavell Crawford). Right when Skylar White (Anna Gunn) got serious with Whites meth business, they had to get that car wash. Burrs Kuby was the health and sanitation inspector who beautifully recited Mrs. Whites words of doom to Walters overbearing former boss. Hes an underrated actor to go with being a very funny guy. Skylar is still annoying I know shes in the right. I know she was helplessly pushed into the business by Walter. Overall, this embattled wife wasnt clean herself, cheating on Walter and becoming complacent in the money laundering scheme. But in a world full of deplorable souls, you just wanted to scream at her, LET. HIM. COOK. She was one of the few who made it out alive, finally getting Heisenberg to confess that he loved doing things the illegal way. But I still couldnt stand her. Schrader justice almost defeated the Schrader pride I remember thinking to myself during that flawless episode, Ozymandias, that if Hank had just called his wife on the way home in the car, that maybe they make it out of the desert and take Walter to jail. But he had to share that moment right there, unaware that a group of cold-blooded white supremacists were on their way to ruin the bust. If Gilligans tale taught us anything, its that the bad guys win a lot in real life. The episode four transformative Walter moment still amazes Jesse had been beaten. His product was basically stolen. Tuco (the great Raymond Cruz) was halfway through the duo, and there Walter walked into certain death or injury. But, as we found out many times during the series, Mr. White was a very unkillable dude. Like for real, yo! (Channeling my Jesse there.) That was the moment it all changed, though. He shaved his head, put on the hat, and never looked back. Walking out of that burning building with the product and money in his hand, who wasnt cheering?! Cranston will never be better And thats saying something, because hes out some very solid work since. But there were so many layers to Walter, and multiple surprises of the horrifying variety. He was good, bad, and ugly all at once. We couldnt stop condemning or watching his behavior. You never saw him coming, and Cranston made you believe in Walters more favorable side right up until the very end. When he tells his wife that he didnt do it for her, Walter Jr. or Holly. He did it for him, leaning into the villainous status. Jonathan Banks Mike Ehrmantraut is still the best Watching the upcoming finale of Gilligans brilliant follow-up series, Better Call Saul, will be bittersweet now due to the fact that he will exit that series alive, but the viewer will know he doesnt make it out alive in the end. For Banks, this was a late career piece of gold that he found in the Nevada desert. What Gilligan created wasnt just a master fixer of problems; he was the other fatherly presence for Jesse. Walter was the devil on one shoulder, and Mike was the flawed knight on the other. Like Cranston, Banks could do a lot with just his voice and a stare-but when he told stories, you just listened. Easily one of televisions finest creations, right next to Mr. Fring. Giancarlo Espositos Gus is still a wicked soul Another actor finding a career-best role. Sound familiar? Gilligans Breaking Bad is a true Sopranos relative, because it took unknown character actors and gave them lead-type roles that couldnt be found elsewhere. Espositos Gus Fring was a special kind of chilling antagonist: the kind that smiles immensely and kills gruesomely. The second time through, I wanted him to succeed over Walter. Truth. Betsy Brandts Marie should have been a hostage negotiator I think if she called the bank robber during a standoff, the criminal would eventually get worn down by the accusations, opinions, and overall rapid-fire delivery of Hanks wife, the unstoppable Marie. Shes stealing bracelets at stores, putting purple everywhere in the house, and taking babies from mothers who happen to be her sister. Brandt was a female joker on the show, right up to the point when Walter tells Skylar that they will never see Hank again. At that point, Marie broke and never got put back together. You loved to hate Marie Schrader, but like Gunn, that just means the actress did a terrific job. The series finale is still the best of all time Felina wrapped up the series so perfectly, at least for five years. El Camino is a great addition to the Jesse story-but Gilligans stamp on the show had all the closure and power one expected. After all of that suspense and cat/mouse battles between Walter and his numerous adversaries, he still managed to get the last word. And in superior, grand fashion. Looking like a walking corpse with cancers second surge through his body, Walter walked into that clubhouse in the end like Clint Eastwood walked into that saloon in Unforgiven. He finished things. Just like this show did. Breaking Bad taught television how to be just as strong as movies, even in the drug empire genre. It taught AMC Network how to take TWO great chances. I could watch it a third time honestly. If you havent already or need a revisit, dont wait. Its on Netflix. Go now. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks were flat to slightly higher on Tuesday after many European countries temporarily suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of blood clotting. A third wave of the Covid pandemic is now advancing swiftly across much of Europe, with Italy facing another lockdown over Easter. White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci pointed to Europe as warning to Americans that letting up mitigation measures early could put the U.S. on a similar course. The benchmark CAC 40 was up 10 points, or 0.2 percent, at 6,046 after declining 0.2 percent on Monday. In economic releases, French consumer prices grew 0.6 percent annually in February, the same rate as seen in January, final data from the statistical office Insee showed. This was bigger than the 0.4 percent estimated on February 26. Month-on-month, consumer prices remained stable after a 0.2 percent rise in January. The monthly rate was revised from -0.1 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. Five months after climbing the 8,163m high Mt Manaslu in October 2020, a 16-member team consisting of Al Khalifa and other mountaineers arrived in Nepal on Monday evening, according to Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks, the company organising the expedition. Kathmandu, March 16 (IANS) A mountaineering expedition team consisting of Bahrain's Prince Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa arrived in Nepal to summit Mt Everest this spring season. "The expedition team comprising 13 Bahraini nationals and three British nationals will make (an) attempt to summit Mt Everest this spring," Sherpa told Xinhua news agency. "A chartered flight carrying the mountaineering team consisting of Bahraini Royal family members landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu 6.45 p.m.," a duty officer at TIA told Xinhua. Deo Chandra Lal Karna, spokesperson at the TIA, also confirmed the arrival of the team. After landing at the airport, the team had moved to a hotel where they will spend seven days in hotel quarantine as per the Nepal government's rule, according to Sherpa. The mostly same expedition team had climbed Mt Manaslu and Mt Lobuche, both in Nepal, as part of the preparation to summit Everest. According to Sherpa, his company has already initiated the process for obtaining climbing permits from the Department of Tourism. --IANS ksk/ Guam National Guard troops marched to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's office in the U.S. Capitol after she suggested last month that Guam is a foreign country. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas, a Democrat who serves as Guam's only delegate to the House of Representatives, led about three dozen troops to Greene's office Monday to deliver cookies and posted a video of it to Twitter. The congresswoman's staff told him she was not in her office. It is unclear whether any military rules were broken, and it does not appear that any of the soldiers involved will face disciplinary action. Maj. Gen. Esther J.C. Aguigui, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, said she appreciated Nicolas' efforts to represent Guam's culture on Capitol Hill. Read Next: 2 Charged with Spraying Slain Officer, an Air Force Veteran, During Capitol Riot "We thank Congresswoman Greene for ultimately helping raise awareness of Guamanians as citizens of the United States, and our rich tradition of service and sacrifice to our nation," Aguigui said in a statement. "As a non-partisan entity, the Guam National Guard is here to continue this legacy of supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States and the freedoms it provides." During a speech last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Greene appeared not to know that Guam is a U.S. territory or where it is located. "We love our country. We believe our hard-earned tax dollars should just go for America, not for what? China, Russia, the Middle East, Guam, whatever, wherever," Greene said. Last month, the House took the extraordinary step of stripping Greene of her committee assignments in light of incendiary statements such as endorsing the assassination of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and peddling conspiracy theories, including that a plane never struck the Pentagon during 9/11 and that school shootings were staged. Defense Department Directive 1344.10 forbids troops from participating in any partisan political activities while in uniform. Service members are allowed to engage in virtually any political activity out of uniform, but the activity cannot be perceived as being endorsed by the military. It is unclear whether Monday's event violated any of those rules. No soldier in the video advocated for any political action, and simply meeting with a member of Congress in uniform is not against any military policy. But Greene perceived the move as overtly partisan. "It's time for our great men and women of the National Guard to go home and be with their families," she said in a statement. "The Democrats need to stop using them as political theatre and drama on Capitol Hill. Shame on Democrats for disrespecting our military." Last year, the Pentagon investigated two junior enlisted troops in the Army Reserve for appearing in uniform during the state roll call at the Democratic National Convention. The soldiers, from the 9th Mission Support Command, appeared as backdrops behind two American Samoa delegates. The incident drew immediate bipartisan scorn from lawmakers and veteran advocates. Army officials said the troops themselves weren't at fault, and a supervisor was disciplined. The event at Greene's office comes after senior military leaders criticized Fox News host Tucker Carlson for comments saying maternity uniforms and updated hair regulations "made a mockery of the U.S. military." Some rightwing pundits and conservative lawmakers such as Sen. Ted Cruz clapped back, saying that Defense Department officials wielding their influence by going after Carlson and defending female service members constituted partisan attacks. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Some Lawmakers Defend Tucker Carlson After Comments Against Female Troops At least two people protesting last month's military were reported shot and killed by security forces Tuesday after a morning of peaceful marches in parts of Security forces have killed scores of their countrymen in recent days, and the UN has put the nationwide death toll at 149 since the February 1 that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government. The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said 183 people have been killed since the Violence was reported Tuesday in Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, where casualties have been the highest. Police used rubber bullets against crowds in several neighbourhoods, and one man was reported shot to death. Another killing was reported in Kawlin city in the northwestern Sagaing Region. UN Human Rights Office spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, said at least 11 people were killed Monday, adding to 57 deaths over the weekend. While there were many more reports of killings, it was unable to corroborate them. The killing of demonstrators, arbitrary arrests and the reported torture of prisoners violate fundamental human rights and stand in clear defiance of calls by the Security Council for restraint, dialogue and a return to Myanmar's democratic path, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. The coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar, which for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to isolation and sanctions. Protesters in some areas have recently started to use tactics meant to avoid violent confrontations. On Tuesday, reports on social media said candlelight marches before sunrise were held in Mawlamyaing in Mon State in southeastern Another tactic has been to use signboards as proxies for human protesters, placing them in neat rows in public places. This tactic was reported to have been used by a group of engineers in the second-biggest city, Mandalay, in central More conventional peaceful protests of the sort that have been occurring daily were held without incident Tuesday in Monywa and Ye-U in central Myanmar, the city of Loikaw in the eastern state of Kayaw, and Kalaw in Southern Shan State, also in the east. Complicating efforts to organise new protests as well as media coverage, cellphone internet service was cut Sunday night, although access was still available through fixed broadband connections. Mobile data service had been used to stream live video coverage of protests, often showing security forces attacking demonstrators. It previously had been turned off only from 1 am to 9 am for several weeks, with no official explanation. Sunday's violence in Yangon virtually all committed by police led to the greatest single-day death toll since the coup. In its aftermath, Myanmar's ruling junta declared martial law in a large part of the city. The martial law announcements said that the junta acted to enhance security and restore law and order, and that the Yangon regional commander has been entrusted with administrative, judicial and military powers in the area under his command. The orders cover six of Yangon's 33 townships. The greatest violence and most deaths were reported in Yangon's Hlaing Thar Yar township, an industrial area of many factories that supply the garment industry, a major export earner for Myanmar. Several factories, many of which are Chinese-owned, were set ablaze Sunday by unknown parties, provoking the ire of Beijing. Thousands of the township's residents in cars, taxis, pickup trucks, on motorcycles and on foot jammed roads out of the area Tuesday. Some sought safety, while others no longer have jobs. Protesters in the past week have responded to increased police violence by taking a more aggressive approach to self-defense, burning tires at barricades and pushing back when they can against attacks. The Committee Representing Pyihtaungsu Hluttaw, comprising elected members of Parliament who were not allowed to take their seats, said Sunday the general public has the legal right to self-defense against security forces. The group, which operates underground inside the country and with representatives abroad, has established itself as a shadow government that claims to be the sole legitimate representative body of Myanmar's citizens. It has been declared treasonous by the junta. The state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing told colleagues that the protests have now turned into riots and violence. Speaking at a Monday meeting of the junta in Naypyitaw, Min Aung Hlaing was cited as saying the military was aiding police as rearguards in required places to solve the difficulties and obstacles. Although there have been fewer protests, violent acts emerged in some areas, such as burning public property and factories. So, security forces had to handle the situation very hard, according to the account. The protesters raided police stations and administrative offices and burned factories. Meanwhile, the shooting had to disperse the protesters, resulting in some security forces and protesters' casualties. Virtually all independent accounts place full blame on the security forces for initiating violence against unarmed protesters. Many protesters in Myanmar have called for foreign intervention to come to their aid under the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect -- devised to deal with matters such as genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. (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.) Amazons anti-unionization playbook Amazon faces a unionization drive at a warehouse in Bessemer, Ala. the largest and most viable U.S. labor challenge in years. The Timess David Streitfeld looked into the e-commerce giants previous efforts to block organized labor. He found a host of tough tactics that worked. Will they again? Among Amazons steps to oppose a unionization drive in Chester, Va. five years ago, according to regulatory documents and employees: Human resources officials were brought in, and some were accused of following workers to glean their positions on the union drive. Supporters of the effort were described as a cancer and a disease to Amazon and the facility, according to Bill Hough Jr., a leader of that organization effort, and a memo from the union sponsoring the effort. Mr. Hough was accused of insubordination and was told he may lose his job if he continued to have a negative impact. Mr. Houghs verdict: There was no mercy. Amazon secretly reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board, after the union behind the drive lodged a complaint. The company was required to post notices around the warehouse promising good behavior, though it did not have to admit to labor law violations or pay financial penalties. In the end, most employees who had supported the union drive quit. Organizers of the Alabama unionization effort say the company has tried similar tactics. Amazon, they assert, tried to surveil employees while posting notices around the Bessemer warehouse bad-mouthing the union. (One claimed workers would need to skimp on dinner to pay union dues.) Management even changed a traffic signal to hinder organizers efforts to approach workers. Those accusations prompted President Biden to say that workers in Alabama Amazon wasnt specifically named shouldnt face intimidation or threats by employers. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, expressed support for Amazon workers, saying the company had decided to wage culture war against working-class values. Union organizers who clashed with Amazon in the past are pessimistic. Nearly 6,000 workers at the Bessemer warehouse have until March 29 to decide whether to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. They will fall to threats or think, I wont have a job, Amazon will replace me, Mr. Hough, who led the unionization effort in Virginia, told The Times. He added, Im hoping for the best. In a statement, Amazon said it did not believe the union push in Alabama represents the majority of our employees views. Image HERES WHATS HAPPENING More European countries suspend the use of AstraZenecas vaccine. Germany, France, Italy and Spain paused the inoculations amid reports that a handful of recipients had developed blood clots. Medical experts said there was no evidence linking the vaccine to increased risk of clots, but the moves could add to the problems of Europes vaccination initiatives. Participants in an online forum organized by the Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) to discuss climate change and how the company can deal with it through environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) management, from a regional office of the corporation in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Water Resources Corp. By Jung Da-min The Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) has vowed to make every effort to achieve environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) management as part of its efforts to mitigate climate change through its specialty of water resources management. K-water held an online forum on the issue, Tuesday, inviting influential figures dealing with climate crisis issues, including K-water CEO Park Jae-hyeon, former National Institute of Meteorological Sciences Director General Cho Cheon-ho, World Wide Fund for Nature Korea branch brand ambassador Tyler Rasch, ESG consulting firm Who's Good CEO Thomas Yoon and Youth 4 Climate Action activist Kim Do-hyun. The state-run company based in Daejeon held the event to declare a vision and role for safety and welfare issues in the water resources sector amid climate change by achieving ESG management goals. The values-based principles of ESG management are now considered essential for all leading global firms, with climate change reaching crisis proportions for the global community. "For K-water, the introduction of ESG management, following its declaration regarding the introduction of climate crisis management last year, is about responding to calls for solutions to the crisis. It is not an option but a must that is directly connected to the survival of the company," K-water CEO Park said. "We will take responsibility for public water safety using ESG management." The participants noted that Korea is facing a growing need to tackle climate change through carbon neutrality policies which include the development of renewable energy, and K-water could play an important role here by fostering hydroelectric power development. In terms of the environment, K-water said it would focus on efforts to expand the use of floating photovoltaic systems and hydrothermal energy to achieve RE100 an initiative seeking to source 100 percent of electricity consumption from renewable energy while also seeking to make its water resources management system carbon-neutral. The state-run company also vowed to improve people's access to good quality water by implementing a smart water management system including real-time water quality monitoring, especially for the socially vulnerable. The company said it will continue efforts to return profits to society by fostering projects that local people can participate in. K-water also promised to cooperate with the public through committees in which local residents participate to discuss water resources management issues such as flood management. [March 16, 2021] Sund & Baelt's Expectations Exceeded in First Seven Months of Denmark's Low Emission Zone Deployment SAN DIEGO, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Neology, Inc. and Marston Holdings are pleased to support the Danish Nationwide Miljoezoner scheme in the delivery of significant environmental benefits. On July 1, 2020, Neology and Marston Holdings began the operation of an end-to-end solution in five Miljoezoner low emission zones (LEZ) to support the reduction of emissions in the most polluting areas of Denmark. Within the first seven months of operation, the solution has been able to demonstrate: Consistently high vehicle processing rates at near 100% levels across all vehicle types, exceeding contract expectations Journey compliance rates have improved and now exceed 99.5% Efficient enforcement and awareness activities have resulted in the reduction of penalty charge notifications by more than 85% compared to peak period The scheme has encouraged transition from higher polluting vehicles to retrofit effective particulate filters to minimize emissions in Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Aalborg, Odense and Aarhus. Of note, illegal driving in the Danish low emission zones will cost DKK 12,500 ($2000 US) for lorries and buses and DKK 1,500 ($150 US) for vans. Sund & Baelt (S&B), a state-owned transport infrastructure provider, engaged with ITS Teknik/Neology and Marston Holdings to solve one of the most pressing traffic related challenges in Denmark. The principal elements of the five-year agreement between S&B and the suppliers include: Neology Neologys CAZaaS (Clean Air Zone-as-a-Service) portfolio provides vehicle detection and processing services, fixed and mobile ANPR field equipment, image processing software, and operational back office (OBO) solutions with manual review capabilities. Using the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, these solutions detect an enforce vehicles entering the LEZ 24 hours a day, 365 days per year at industry-leading levels helping these communities achieve environmental sustainability. Marston Holdings ParkTrade Europe AB, a Marston Holdings company, delivered the LEZ office services for domestic and foreign vehicles including penalty charge noticing (PCN), vehicle database integrations and payment solutions. These solutions provide a seamless customer experience to register vehicles (individual and fleet), process PCNs and support the collection of fines. ITS Teknik ITS Teknik rapidly deployed Neologys latest IRIS ANPR solution in less than 100 days, maintaining its stellar reputation of deploying strategic traffic infrastructure in the Danish market. Our partnership with Neology, ITS Teknik and Marston has given us an opportunity to effectively enforce the LEZ scheme with huge reduction of polluting vehicles in the low emission zones, said Lise Jonasen, S&B Programme Manager. We are pleased to be delivering innovative and efficient solutions into Denmark and being able to see the early results that support Danish goals related to the environment, added Jorgen Odgaard, CEO of ParkTrade at Marston Holdings. We appreciate the trust S&B put in us to execute their vision in tackling this important issue, said Luke Normington, Managing Director of EMEA and General Manager of ALPR at Neology. Working closely with the S&B team, we have been able to deliver a world-first nationwide LEZ scheme utilizing the latest artificial Intelligence-based solutions to deliver incredible results, in a challenging period of time. ITS TEKNIK CONSORTIUM About Marston Holdings ParkTrade is part of Marston Holdings and the leading European provider of road tolling and charging solutions. Marston Holdings is the UKs largest provider of High Court debt and recovery services and comprises a number of market-leading companies including CCTV enforcement company Videalert, Project Centre, a streetscape design, engineering and landscape architecture consultancy and NSL, which provides parking enforcement services to the public and private sectors. This combined expertise enables Marston Holdings to provide a unique range of integrated transportation and enforcement solutions. About ITS TEKNIK One of Denmarks leading Intelligent Traffic Solution companies, who provides complete innovative and value added ITS solutions and services for the Danish road traffic, and has done since 1968. About Neology, Inc. Neology is re-imagining mobility to help our customers accelerate their vision for smart cities and safer communities. Our Mobility Platform is setting the industry standard through a unique combination of AI-powered adaptive solutions, a proven integration process, and unparalleled lifecycle support. Backed by a culture of innovation, our mobility experts work closely with global customers and a top-tier partner ecosystem to connect existing infrastructure assets with next-generation technology to modernize the way people move. To create safer, cleaner, more efficient mobility experiences, visit www.neology.net. Neology, Inc. Media Contact: Alyssa Eggum John Kelly Foster 858.688.2796 Alyssa@johnkellyfoster.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] U.S. Secretary of State Athony Blinken on the seventh anniversary of the so-called "referendum" of Russia in Crimea called on Russia to immediately end the occupation of Crimea, release all Ukrainian political prisoners and return Ukraine full control over the peninsula. "We call on Russia to immediately end its occupation of Crimea, release all Ukrainian political prisoners it illegally detain, and return full control of the peninsula to Ukraine," the U.S. embassy said, citing him on Twitter on Tuesday. Volkswagen Philippines has big plans this year. They updated the Santana and it won't be long before the T-Cross appears in local dealerships. The German automaker is also gearing up for two more launches in 2021. We took a look at the possible models last week after they said it will be a global model. We mentioned the Polo, all-new Lavida, Passat, Teramont, and Touran L. But there is another product sold in both the East and West that can return here. It's the second-generation Tiguan; the Tiguan L, to be exact. But hold up, wasn't that Tiguan offered here before? Yes, it was, and it was in showrooms for a limited time only. As impressive as that crossover was, it was rather pricey at PHP 2,259,000 back in 2017. At that price, it didn't have an all-wheel-drive system, power seats, or even a reverse camera. Volkswagen Philippines stopped offering the current-shape Tiguan in favor of the stretched version of the first-generation. Its comeback is possible for one reason: it's assembled by SAIC-Volkswagen. The current roster of Volkswagen Philippines rolls out of SAIC-run assembly lines. Also, SAIC-Volkswagen has stopped manufacturing the previous generation Tiguan L and shifted to the new look. That boosts the chances of the (not so) compact crossover arriving here. It also means they can offer it much lower than PHP 2,259,000 thanks to the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement. The specs are promising for the SAIC-built Tiguan L. It's over 4.7 meters long, making it one of the longest in its segment. There are three engine options available, namely a 1.4-liter TSI (Turbo Stratified Injection) with 150 PS, a 2.0 TSI that puts out 186 PS, and a high-output version of the 2.0 TSI making 220 PS. All-wheel drive is also available for the higher-spec models. Other noteworthy specs? It has a maximum cargo area of 1,780 liters, seats for seven, auto headlights, auto wipers, and, yes, a reverse camera. Fuel economy figures range from 18.1 km/l for the 1.4 TSI-powered models to 15.8 km/l for the 2.0-liter versions with 220 PS. If there's something that's missing from the Volkswagen Philippines line-up, it's a seven-seat crossover. The Tiguan L would be a good model to fill in that void. If you're curious about pricing, the Tiguan L sells for RMB (yuan) 215,800 to RMB 285,800 or roughly PHP 1,613,245 to PHP 2,136,540 at current exchange rates. Of course, the final prices will depend on the tax and tariff incentives from the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement. Well, that is assuming it will land here in the first place. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. (@ChaudhryMAli88) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2021) The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will utilize a convention center in Dallas, Texas, to hold asylum-seeking migrant children who are arriving in overwhelming numbers at the US-Mexico border, a spokesperson said in a statement to Sputnik on Tuesday. "The US Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) aggressively works with its interagency partners to ensure that unaccompanied migrant children (UC) are safe and unified with family members or other suitable sponsors as quickly and safely as possible. To support this effort, HHS has selected the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas to serve as an Emergency Intake Site beginning on or around, Wednesday, March 17," the statement said. The convention center will provide needed space to hold migrant children while they are processed and transferred to a sponsor or long-term Federal care facility, the statement said. At the convention center, HHS will provide migrant children with clean and comfortable sleeping quarters, meals, toiletries, laundry, and access to medical services, including coronavirus screening, the statement said. The use of the Dallas convention center will help decrease over-crowding at US border facilities, the statement said. US media reported on Monday that the facility will be used to hold up to 3,000 migrant children. Last week, a HHS spokesperson told Sputnik that a total of 8,800 migrant children who came to the United States alone are in federal care facilities. Data from US Customs and Border Protection shows 9,457 unaccompanied migrant children were apprehended at the southern border in February, which is a substantial increase from the 5,858 unaccompanied migrant children apprehended in January. At least 29,729 migrant children have been apprehended at the US-Mexico border in the period from October to February. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - European Medicines Agency or EMA said Monday that its safety committee continues investigation of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine and thromboembolic events. This follows several major EU member states suspended use of the company's COVID-19 vaccine over blood clotting issues. EMA said its safety committee (PRAC) will further review the information on Tuesday and has called an extraordinary meeting on Thursday 18 March to conclude on the information gathered and any further actions that may need to be taken. While its investigation is ongoing, EMA currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects, the health regulator of the European Union said in a statement. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) reportedly has urged countries not to halt Covid-19 vaccinations. The WHO reportedly said there was no evidence of a link between the vaccine and blood clots. Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Portugal on Monday reportedly suspended use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine over blood clotting issues. Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Netherlands had suspended the use of the vaccine over clotting issues. Earlier this month, Austria had suspended the use of a batch of AstraZeneca vaccines after a nurse died of severe blood coagulation problems days after receiving the shot. AstraZeneca said Sunday that a review of safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and UK with its COVID-19 vaccine has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots. The company stated that so far across the EU and UK, there have been 15 events of deep vein thrombosis and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among those given the vaccine, based on the number of cases the company has received as of 8 March. It is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines. AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech. The vaccine has been granted a conditional marketing authorization or emergency use in more than 70 countries across six continents, and with the recent Emergency Use Listing granted by the World Health Organization accelerates the pathway to access in up to 142 countries through the COVAX Facility. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX ASTRAZENECA-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de NINETTE A second-degree murder charge has been laid in Ninette after a 61-year-old womans body was found Friday morning. NINETTE A second-degree murder charge has been laid in Ninette after a 61-year-old womans body was found Friday morning. The suspect, 22-year-old Nicholas Mass, has been arrested, and neighbours say the victim was Catherine Mass, 61. An RCMP spokesperson said the suspect and victim were known to each other. Police have yet to identify the victim, but in addition to neighbours confirming her name, a canada411.ca search of 102 King St. in Ninette links the property to "C Mass." The small house on the property, shaded by trees, was surrounded by police tape Saturday afternoon. A few RCMP members were seen conducting an investigation, including one who flew a drone overhead. A media release issued Saturday notes the Killarney RCMP have joined RCMP Major Crime Services and Forensic Identification Services for the ongoing investigation. Police involvement began at approximately 9 a.m. Friday, when the release said police visited the residence to "to check on the well-being of a female." Once there, they report finding the victim, deceased. The suspect was arrested at the scene and remanded into custody. TYLER CLARKE/THE BRANDON SUN RCMP members are seen outside of a house in Ninette on Saturday that was the scene of a suspected homicide. Officers deployed a drone to get a birds-eye view of the scene. A neighbour said Catherine was a "very friendly, very outgoing" artist who welcomed her to the neighbourhood with a freshly baked loaf of bread. An area resident, upon spotting a Brandon Sun vehicle in the neighbourhood, pulled his truck parallel for a quick chat to ensure readers were aware of the "gentle, kind, talented woman" Catherine was. "She was a really kind, sweet person," he said. "A gentle, kind-hearted woman, really." The man in the truck added that Catherine was a longtime resident well known in the area, and that for a small community of Ninettes size fewer than 300 people "It hits hard." RM of Prairie Lakes Coun. Glen Johnston, who serves the area, declined comment on what he described as a "terrible tragedy." In Manitoba Co-operator story from 2010, Catherine was described as a skilled artist of various mediums who held a fine arts degree from the University of Manitoba. According to the story, she was at the time communication and program development manager for Southwest Community Options a Ninette organization that opened homes for people after the Pelican Lake Centre for adults with intellectual disabilities closed in 2000. Mass also worked as day service facilitator for a time, helping members with arts and crafts. "What we hope we are doing is instilling a sense of the ownership of their work," she said at the time. "All of this goes toward social valourization." The Sun reached out to the Manitoba RCMP for more clarity on Fridays suspected homicide but has yet to receive a response. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. A Florida police officer who was left in a coma after being shot in the head during a stand-off with a domestic violence suspect in 2018 has died of his injuries nearly three years later. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon tweeted a statement on Monday, announcing the passing of Kevin Valencia. He leaves behind wife Megan and their two young sons, Kaleb and Kolton. 'Officer Valencia risked his life for people he didnt even know a risk that many in the law enforcement profession take without question,' he wrote. 'Since that tragic night, Officer Valencia has been fighting for his life with his family by his side.' Scroll down for video Orlando police officer Kevin Valencia (left and right) passed away on Monday, nearly three years after he was shot in the head by a domestic violence suspect Body camera footage shows the moment Valencia approached the suspect's door before trying to kick it down on June 10, 2018 Police motorcycles are seen escorting Valencia's body after his death on Monday The incident in June 2018 that ultimately led to Valencia's death nearly three years later involved career criminal Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr, who killed his four children, ranging in age from one to 12, and then himself after attacking his girlfriend and barricading himself inside an apartment in Orlando. Valencia was shot in the head after attempting to kick down the door to the apartment on the orders of his superior. Career criminal Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr killed his four children and then himself after attacking his girlfriend and shooting Valencia Valencia suffered a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma, before his transfer a month later to a rehabilitation facility in Georgia. He officially retired from the Orlando Police Department in October 2020 after more than three years on the force, and was awarded the department's Purple Heart, reported Orlando Sentinel. Valencia's wife said at the time that her husband was beginning to show signs of improvement, including rubbing her hand and kissing her head. 'It was just everything I needed in that moment,' she told Fox 35. 'My heart was kind of like, "He's still in there!"' In his statement on Monday, Rolon described Valencia as a 'hero, husband, father, son, brother, and friend who selflessly gave his life to protect the city he served.' When police entered the apartment following a day-long standoff, they found Lindsey's four children, identified as Dove, 1; Aidan, 6; Lillia, 10; and Irayan, 12, dead inside The incident took place at Westbrook Apartments in Orlando, Florida (pictured) The chief said Valencia's wife and sons 'will always be family to the Orlando Police Department' and pledged to do all he can to honor the fallen officer's legacy and ensure his sacrifice is never forgotten. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer tweeted that the entire city was mourning Valencia's passing. 'He put his life on the line and made the ultimate sacrifice,' the mayor stated. Our prayers and support go out to his family, friends and co-workers as we honor his life and his selfless service to our community.' The deadly standoff in Orlando began unfolding on June 10, 2018, when Ciara Lopez fled Westbrook Apartments to a 7-Eleven and called the police for help, saying that her boyfriend, Lindsey, had attacked her. The woman managed to escape but left her four children locked in their bedrooms in the apartment with Lindsey. Valencia had served on the force for more than three years. He is survived by wife Meghan (pictured together, left and right) and two sons, Kolton and Kaleb Valencia and other officers responded to the domestic violence calls and tried to enter the apartment with a key given to them by Lopez, but it broke off in the lock. Fearing for the safety of the children, Orlando Police Sergeant Amanda White ordered Valencia to breach the front door, at which time Lindsey opened fire and struck the officer in the head. When police finally entered the unit following a day-long standoff, they found Lindsey's four children, identified as Dove, 1; Aidan, 6; Lillia, 10; and Irayan, 12, dead inside. The suspect was also dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Meghan Valencia is pictured sobbing while speaking about her husband just days after the shooting in June 2018 The medical examiner reported that children were killed from bullets from Lindsey's .380-caliber handgun, which he had stolen from his father. An internal affairs review later concluded that Sgt White acted in violation of department policy, albeit 'in good faith,' when she ordered Valencia to kick down the door. During one interview with investigators, White said she had a 'gut feeling' that 'there was something wrong inside' because no sounds were coming from the apartment, which raised concerns for the children's safety. In January 2020, White was handed an eight-hour suspension for acting outside Orlando Police Department's policies. Lindsey, a career criminal with a history of arson and domestic violence charges, was meant to be on community control - a form of supervised probation which includes house confinement - until the year 2045. In October 2020, Meghan attended a ceremony during which her husband officially retired from the police department The order was made by a judge a month before the events of June 2018 after he violated probation for an arson incident a decade earlier by stealing from a shop, according to court records seen by CBS 19. After that incident his probation officer said he posed no threat to the community but still recommended he be jailed for six months. However, a judge decided to give him supervised probation instead. Meghan Valencia sued the apartment complex and Lindsey's estate in 2019, arguing that the apartment management should not have allowed Lindsey to live in the building, which she claimed lacked adequate security. Court records indicate that the civil lawsuit was settled earlier this month. Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor), Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia. Credit: JJ Harrison/Wikipedia Thanks to Flinders University researchers collaborating with the Department of Environment & Water and Green Adelaide, the creation of the new signs that identifies intrusive human interactions provides timely support for a colony that had shrunk to only 16 animals in early 2020. These signs were developed in response to an increase in human and dog disturbances on Granite Island since 2016. Specifically, disturbances at night increased from less than 2% of the monitored nights before 2016 to more than 20% of the nights in 2017 and onwards. Disturbances include unauthorized dogs (on or off leash), bikes and people wandering or actively searching for penguins using white torches or flashes (Colombelli-Negrel 2019, 2020). The population of wild Little Penguins on Granite Island in South Australia has been the subject of intensive study by Flinders University researchers since 2012but this research was under threat during 2020 after disruptions to nightly monitoring of the penguins. Fortunately, the input of citizen scientists and Flinders student volunteers have provided the solution to a threatened environmental analysis program. Dr. Diane Colombelli-Negrel, Flinders University Lecturer in Animal Behavior and a principal investigator of Birdlab research group, is South Australia's only Penguin Ecologist and is thrilled by the volunteers' enthusiasm. This includes the contribution of Flinders student Lauren Common, Ph.D. student in the BirdLab, who created the artwork for the new penguin safety signsas well as for the yellow tops that volunteers wear at night to conduct penguin surveys. Figure S1. (a) Schematics of the experimental steps and measurements collected for each individual. (b) Hypothetical change over time of the vigilance behaviour of an individual in response to the deployment and playback. "Compiling data about the penguins had been conducted by guides hosting nightly tours of Granite Islandbut the combination of COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings, and attacks by foxes that almost halved the Little Penguin population to only 16 animals, meant that the nightly tours stopped," says Dr. Colombelli-Negrel. Volunteer involvement rescued the research program. From October 2020, several Flinders University students living in the Victor Harbor area answered the call to join a volunteer rosterincluding Lucinda Gray, Maddie Turley and Nicole Fickling, along with an enthusiastic collection of other local residentsto monitor the penguins each night, and the research program is once again robust. This has led to continuing research being published about little penguin behavior throughout South Australiaincluding a paper focused on populations at Emu Bay in Kangaroo Island and Troubridge Island, titled "Behavioral and heart rate responses to stressors in two populations of Little Penguins that differ in levels of human disturbance and predation risk," by Dr. Colombelli-Negrel and Rebecca Schaefer, published in Ibis: International Journal of Avian Science. "Our study supports the idea that populations exposed to constant and unpredictable disturbance (such as predator, human or conspecifics in a closed habitat) display elevated behavioral and physiological responses to threats compared with those in less disturbed areas, and that guidelines for managing penguin species cannot be generalized across species or populations," says Dr. Colombelli-Negrel. Dr. Colombelli-Negrel has trained the group of Granite Island volunteers to record specific information about the behavior of the Little Penguinsincluding their feeding, molting and mating cyclesand most importantly to not disturb the birds, especially by not exposing them to white torch light. "It's an important two-way information process. Not only do we assess the behavior of individual Little Penguins, but the program also has an influence on human behavior," says Dr. Colombelli-Negrel. "Through studying the effects of human disturbance on Little Penguins, we can help prevent any further shrinkage of their population." The annual public census of Little Penguins on Granite Island, held in October each year, attracted the largest group of volunteers in 2020, with 65 helpersincluding 10 Flinders studentsspending a day to count and locate active burrows all around the island. What they found is encouraging, noting that the remaining adult Little Penguins on Granite Island are breeding. "Our work is making a difference," says Dr. Colombelli-Negrel, "and it shows the input of citizen scientists working at its best." Explore further Penguins' calls are influenced by their habitat More information: Rebecca Schaefer et al. Behavioural and heart rate responses to stressors in two populations of Little Penguins that differ in levels of human disturbance and predation risk, Ibis (2021). Rebecca Schaefer et al. Behavioural and heart rate responses to stressors in two populations of Little Penguins that differ in levels of human disturbance and predation risk,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12925 PHILADELPHIA, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McKean Defense Group, LLC announced today that the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) awarded the company a single award contract worth more than $20.1M. This contract has a five-year period of performance and is intended to support Future Surface Combatant Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) Controls programs of Code 516. Work scope includes Machinery, Electric Plant, Propulsion, Auxiliary, Damage Control, and Ship Control system programs. Work also includes Navigation, Interior Communications Domain Networks, Condition Based Monitoring, Voyage Data Recorders, and Digital Video Surveillance System engineering. "McKean has supported Department 50 programs for more than 10 years," said Joseph Carlini, Chief Executive Officer of McKean Defense. "This award expands our presence there, and we constructed a team that is ready to support the complex Future Surface Combatant design solutions critical for this new acquisition program." Work on these contracts will be executed in Philadelphia with support to other Navy sites. Any hires associated for Software Engineers, Systems Engineers, Electrical/Computer Engineers, Cybersecurity Specialists, and Project Managers/Analysts can be found at www.mckean-defense.com. Additional Information: McKean Defense is an employee-owned Life Cycle Management, Engineering, Enterprise Transformation, and Program Management business headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. McKean Defense's engineers, developers, technical staff, programmers, analysts, and program managers identify and deploy new shipboard technologies, integrate information technology across shipboard platforms, and develop strategies to support the Warfighter. McKean Defense's employees create strategic solutions to help customers reach new levels of mission support and transform their organizations. SOURCE McKean Defense Group, LLC Related Links http://www.mckean-defense.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. A man charged with a serious assault, which left his victim in hospital, is due to reappear on March 23, when Judge Seamus Hughes will view a medical report and decide jurisdiction. Keith McLoughlin, Foigha, Kenagh, Co Longford, appeared on February 23 at a sitting of Longford District Court where it was heard he punched another man outside a pub in Foigha. Gda Brian McManus explained that the injured party went home but was admitted to hospital a number of days later and removed to Beaumont Hospital, where he spent a number of days before returning home. He is receiving ongoing physiotherapy and talks about memory loss, said Gda McManus. He was due to return to America the following day but hasnt been able to return since. Judge Hughes requested a medical report be furnished to the court on March 23 when he will decide on jurisdiction. The injured party is also to be in court that day, he said. At this moment in time, its heading for the Circuit Court, he said. Washington: Almost two months into his presidency, Joe Biden has plenty to feel pleased about. Coronavirus cases in the US have plummeted, the pace of vaccinations has increased dramatically and last week he signed a giant $2.5 trillion economic recovery package into law. But one issue is fast becoming a major vulnerability for the US President, in terms of both policy and politics: immigration. A surge in migrants trying to cross from Mexico into the US at the southern border has given Republicans an opening to go on the attack against the new administration. A Honduran man seeking asylum in the United States wears a shirt that reads, Biden please let us in, as he stands among tents that line an entrance to the border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico. Credit:AP According to Bidens Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, US officials soon expect to encounter more individuals at the south-west border than they have in the past 20 years. US Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 100,000 migrants at the border in February, and that number is expected to balloon in March. An estimated 5000 people are now being apprehended at crossings each day. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Laos and a majority Chinese-owned company have signed a 25-year concession agreement that allows the company to build and manage its power grid, including electricity exports to neighboring countries, a government official in the country told RFA. The company, Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Ltd. (EDLT) was launched Sept. 1 when Electricite du Laos and China Southern Power Grid Company signed a shareholding agreement, which gave China Southern a majority of shares. RFA reported at that time that the government said the new corporate entity was necessary due to the domestic firms massive debt, but critics said it ceded too much control of Laos power grid to a foreign government. With dozens of hydropower dams either built or under construction on the Mekong River and its tributaries, Laos has gone all-in on its controversial economic strategy to become the Battery of Southeast Asia in hopes of selling electricity to neighboring countries. But with EDLT controlling everything it adds to the grid, some are worried China will be able to profit off of Laos gamble. EDLT will invest U.S. $2 billion to build, manage and control the Lao power grid for a 25-year concession period. After 25 years, the business will be transferred to the Lao government, an official of the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines told RFAs Lao Service on March 12. The official said that EDLT would take control of only the high-voltage power line network, in the range higher than 230 kilovolts, while Electricite du Laos retains control of powerlines under 230 kilovolts. Given the current economic downturn and the enormous debt, the Lao government does not have the ability to manage and operate a network of powerlines, so they decided to allow the Chinese, who have the finances, technological aptitude and manpower to take over, said the official. The concession deal is not seen as a win-win by all within the ministry, however. An energy expert from the ministry, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA that it put Laos at a disadvantage. The deal is bad Normally in a cooperative agreement, the foreign company transfers technology or knowledge to the host. But not the Chinese, said the expert. When they installed a powerline system in the Lao National Convention Center in Vientiane, they did not provide us with any instructions. When the electrical system breaks down or when we want to make improvements to the building, we have to call in Chinese technicians. Lao residents are also dismayed at what Chinese control of the power grid could mean. Before, I thought that since we were building many dams, electricity prices would go down. That will not happen because the Chinese company is taking over power distribution in our country, a resident of the southern province of Savannakhet told RFA. A resident of Vientiane asked why Laos cannot manage its own network. Why do we need China to do that? If the government doesnt have money, they can borrow money to buy the power lines and install them. They have money to build dams, so why not to install power lines? the Vientiane resident said. Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Now any business has the finance capabilities of a large company, Heather Tuason, CEO. When former Wells Fargo and Capital One executive Heather Tuason couldnt solve for business customer cash flow needs at top banks, she took matters into her own hands and created Arena Pay. Headquartered in Fairfax Virginia, Arena is a revolutionary FinTech that hasn't forgotten about human interaction. An AI driven platform that optimizes cash flow and helps businesses accomplish daily financial tasks as well as position them strategically for future pivots and success. Arena Pays first customers were onboarded in 2020 at a time businesses most needed financial expertise and technology driven experts. All of their clients managed through the crisis with a team of experts and AI driven analytics that gave them an edge over their peers. These businesses are now prepared to grow as they move into 2021 and beyond. Early customers applauded Arena was able to provide me consultative advice and had established software tracking systems so that I knew where I used my funds Eric, Virginia based technology firm. Today Arena Pay brings all of your finances together and becomes an extension of your team, preparing you for strategic pivots and growth with a full suite of CFO services. Arena Pay enables active management of your Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable like never before. Coupled with AI driven insights that create the right payment methods, timing and terms coupled with the ability to pay any expense with a credit card. Now any business has the finance capabilities of a large company, Heather Tuason, CEO. Arena Pay has just brought onboard a 30 year veteran of sales and marketing, Jeff Swisher as the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. He brings a wealth of expertise from organizations like Xerox, MCI WorldCom, Paramount, BTI and others including over a decade managing his own consulting company, Swisher Sales. Swisher exclaimed, I immediately knew that joining Arena was predestined after meeting Heather and realizing her energy, effort and enthusiasm matched mine and the Arena platform and technology were built differently and could help emerging organizations positively impact their finances. Arena Pay is a revolutionary Fintech that not only prides itself on its premier technology but challenges itself daily to focus on human relationships and businesses and their real financial needs. Providing a full suite of CFO services from daily accounts payable accounting, forecasting and strategy and of course utilization of the technology. Arena Pay is built for businesses in the U.S. with revenues between $500k-20M in annual revenue. Arena Pay is privately funded with investors and a board of advisors from Google, Microsoft, Nike and Capital One. Learn more about Arena Pay today at Arenapay.io or email us at support@arenapay.io. Savers hunting a new home for their tax-free cash could grab a bumper best buy rate from Nationwide Building Society. Finding a savings rate paying more than 1 per cent is incredibly hard in the current climate, but Britain's biggest mutual is doing just that - if you can jump some hoops. Firstly, you need to be an existing customers and secondly, transfer more than 10,000 from another provider. Nationwide has launched a pair of Isa deals in the last fortnight The 18 month fixed-rate Isa comes a few weeks before the end of the tax-year and has 0.75 per cent rate. This itself beats every rate in the independent This is Money best buy tables up to the best three-year fixed-rate deal offered by Shawbrook Bank. However, for those transferring more than 10,000 and bagging the 50 bonus, the total return is closer to 1.1 per cent - a rate that can just about be beaten elsewhere by fixing for five years. It can be opened online and in branch with a minimum of 1. It comes a fortnight after the building society launched a triple-access Isa paying 0.4 per cent for a year, which ranks second in our tables provided savers are happy not to make more than three withdrawals a year. It was joined in the fight for Isa cash by Leeds Building Society, which launched an account paying 0.4 per cent that would allow savers up to four withdrawals a year. It can be opened with 5,000 by post or in-branch, and accepts transfers. West Bromwich Building Society has also bumped up rates on its one and two-year fixed-rate Isas, both of which are now best buys, the rates for which can be found below. Both of Nationwide's new accounts accept transfers in, while the 18-month fixed-rate Isa also pays those who make a transfer of at least 10,000 50 for doing so. The announcements are rare rays of sunshine in an Isa season otherwise expected to be fairly gloomy after savings rates plummeted over the last 12 months. Should you really switch your old Isa? Month Average 'old' Isa rate Average 'new' Isa rate Difference March 2013 1.57% 1.76% 0.19% March 2014 1.34% 1.29% -0.05% March 2015 1.13% 1.15% 0.02% March 2016 1% 1.01% 0.01% March 2017 0.60% 0.72% 0.12% March 2018 0.72% 0.73% 0.01% March 2019 0.86% 0.77% -0.09% March 2020 0.81% 0.74% -0.07% March 2021 0.22% 0.37% 0.15% Source: Savings Champion Average easy-access tax-free rates have fallen from 0.83 per cent in March 2020 to 0.23 per cent this year, one-year rates from 1.14 per cent to 0.38 per cent, and rates on Isas with terms of longer than a year have more than halved from 1.29 per cent to 0.59 per cent. And far from launching Isas to snap up savers cash as the end of the tax year looms, figures from Moneyfacts have also revealed the number of available Isas has fallen from 417 last March to 331 at the start of this month. Meanwhile rates have fallen so far over the last 12 months that the average 'old' easy-access Isa rate pays more than the average on-sale one by a bigger percentage than has been seen in any March since 2013, according to figures from Savings Champion. What are the best deals for non-Nationwide customers? With just a few weeks to go until savers lose the remainder of their 20,000 annual tax-free allowance, here are the best cash Isa rates around: Easy-access: Al Rayan Bank - 0.6 per cent (Sharia compliant) - 50 - accepts transfers - online/by phone/by post/in-branch One-year: West Bromwich Building Society - 0.55 per cent - 1,000 - accepts transfers - online/by post Two-year: West Bromwich Building Society - 0.70 per cent - 1,000 - accepts transfers - online/by post Five-year: Gatehouse Bank - 1 per cent (Sharia compliant) - 1,000 - accepts transfers - online The average old account pays 0.37 per cent and the average new one 0.22 per cent, a difference of 0.15 percentage points, the biggest gap since the 0.19 percentage point difference between old and new Isas seen in March 2013. It means non-Nationwide customers should be wary of transferring their old Isa, although the top rates in our best buy tables still beat the miserable rates paid by Britain's biggest banks. 'You certainly need to make sure you know what you are earning on an existing Isa before simply transferring, Anna Bowes, co-founder of the analyst Savings Champion, said. 'There will still be shockers out there though, like all from the high street banks. You need to move if you've got one of these.' The worst closed easy-access Isa rate pays 0.25 per cent, Bowes added, while on-sale Isas pay as little as 0.01 per cent. The latest figures from the taxman found there was a resurgence in the popularity of cash Isas in 2018-19, with the number paid into increasing nearly 1.5million compared to the previous tax year. Some 7.2million more was paid into cash Isas. However, average easy-access Isa rates were 0.95 per cent in March 2019 and one-year and longer-term rates 1.37 per cent and 1.62 per cent, respectively, as the likes of Nationwide and Santander competed for Isa savings. That is unlikely to be repeated this year with big banks already filled with savers' cash and the Bank of England base rate at an all-time low of 0.1 per cent. One savings chief at a challenger savings bank which pulled its Isa offers at the start of this month said: 'It's not looking very positive for savers. I suspect it'll be a very quiet Isa season across the board this year.' In a nutshell: Amazons Deal of the Day occasionally features collections of PC and gaming gear, and today happens to be one of those day. For a limited time, you can grab select HyperX products at up to 36 percent off their regular price. Highlights include 23 percent off the HyperX Alloy Elite 2 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, bringing the cost down to $99.99. Optionally, you can spring for the HyperX Alloy Origins Core Tenkeyless board, which is down to $64.99 after a 28 percent price cut. And if mechanical boards aren't your jam, the HyperX Alloy Core is a membrane board that's only $34.99. If its a gaming mouse youre after, the HyperX Pulsefire Dart looks to be the cream of the crop. Factoring in the 30 percent discount, youll pay just $69.99. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the HyperX Pulsefire Core, a wired gaming mouse thatll set you back only $19.99 after the 33 percent discount. Amazon also has more than half a dozen HyperX gaming headsets to choose from, ranging from the CloudX Flight Wireless unit at $119.99 to the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core for only $29.99. HP last month announced that it would be taking over Kingstons HyperX gaming brand in a deal valued at $425 million. That transaction is still on target to close sometime in the second quarter of this year. Amazons Deal of the Day sale runs for another 17 hours as of this writing, so if you spy something you want, dont wait too long to pull the trigger. Images courtesy Nakhshkarian Narine, Sergiy Palamarchuk "Direct to Consumer" Spirits Market Projected to Be $24 Billion By 2026, says Bloomberg WATERLOO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / SponsorsOne Inc., (CSE:SPO)(Frankfurt:5SO)(OTC PINK:SPONF), a company that utilizes its proprietary platform that combines digital marketing, wholesale and retail distribution, branding, and operational & funding capital, giving it a competitive first-mover advantage in rapidly selling proprietary brands focused in the Alcohol, Functional Beverage and Hemp Sectors, announced today all four flavors of Doc Wylder's Infused Lemonades could be purchased online "Direct to Consumer" ("DTC") from Great American Craft Spirits: https://gacraftspirits.com/collections/doc-wylders-spirits-infused-lemonade Myles Bartholomew, CEO of SponsorsOne, said: "The response from retailers and distributors for Doc Wylder's has been amazing, so we have decided to quickly focus on making Doc Wylder's product line available in the direct to consumers retail distribution market now, sooner rather than later, to take advantage of this growing momentum. Their feedback on the branding and the quality of the product makes this a universal brand appealing to all genders in the Ready to Drink spirits market, summer is coming, and we are hoping Doc Wylder's will be offered on every patio in North America." Great America Craft Spirits features brands that are craft in origin and have been offering these Brands direct to consumers for over three years now. With an online customer base of 52,000, Great American Craft Spirits have a long track record of servicing the online - direct to consumer market. We are proud to announce that Great American Craft Spirits are now featuring Doc Wylder's on their DTC site. Located in California, the consumer only needs to enter their address to determine if Doc Wylder's can be shipped their homes in their specific state. The new Doc Wylder's product line consists of Lemonades in four types. Lemonade infused with Vodka, Lemonade infused with Tequila, Lemonade and Berry infused with Vodka and a Lemonade infused with Bourbon, all packed in a 12 oz/4pack. The aluminum bottle has a stunning graphic, is recyclable and resealable. Up to now, the $24 Billion DTC Spirits market suffered from Prohibition-era regulations which stifled liquor e-commerce in the U.S. for decades. The pandemic lockdowns sparked demand almost overnight. The DTC Spirits market share is now estimated at 5% of the $120 billion market in the USA and expected to grow to 20% by 2026 says, Bloomberg, 2021-02-10 "Booze delivery online liquor sales are booming." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-10/booze-delivery-online-liquor-sales-are-booming-amid-the-pandemic For more information on Doc Wylders, the following link is provided: https://www.docwylders.com/ About Great American Craft Spirits Dedicated to the Art of Small Batch, we are the first and only spirits, wine and brew pavilion, and monthly club solely devoted to America's greatest small-batch craft distillers, brewers, and winemakers. We work hand in hand with these incredible artisans to not only bring consumers their craft but to educate and enlighten them on what makes each of these creations so special! Join us and become a pioneer opposing the Jim's, Jack's, and Johnny's we are all too familiar with. We are located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. For more information, the following link is provided: https://gacraftspirits.com/pages/about-us About SponsorsOne Inc. SponsorsOne is the leader in the next evolution of brand creation and digital marketing through influencer marketing, storytelling, and digital-commerce with the SponsorCoin platform and its highly scalable - smart contract-based digital-currency. Combined, this allows the brands to build and manage exclusive and highly engaged communities of influencers (from pro to micro-influencers) within the social realm. The SponsorCoin platform provides for data-driven marketing campaigns that will change the way brands connect with their customers. SponsorCoin is a tool for brands to inspire real movements around their products and services. Their most valuable customers become their best salespeople, producing far higher ROI than current social media advertising methods. SponsorsOne, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SponsorsOne Media Inc., provides full creative and Brand building/management services to all our Brands and manages the influencer communities for each Brand. For making the Brand big, our wholly-owned subsidiary S1 Brands Inc., builds wholesale/retail distribution channels for the Brand, acting as a master distributor. S1 Brands provides sales and marketing on behalf of the Brand to its vast network of national wholesalers and retailers and provides purchase order financing to assist the Brand fulfilling every order. Premier Beverage Consortium LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary and is brand building for the global spirits market with its flagship "Ready to Drink" product called Doc Wylders.. Ownership of the Brand combined with distribution, digital marketing innovation, and capital is the winning formula to build the next billion-dollar Brand. To learn more, please visit www.sponsorsone.com Contact: info@sponsorsone.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Gary Bartholomew, Executive Chairman The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this Press Release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology, are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause 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. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with marketing and sale of securities the need for additional financing requirements and access to capital, reliance on key personnel the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors with certain other projects the volatility of the volume and price of the Common Shares, the failure of the business strategy, the integrity of the Company's patents and proprietary intellectual property and competition. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors, and other uncertainties and potential events, including the risk factors, set out in the Company's Listing Statement. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to above will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. 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 SECURITIES LEGISLATION. SOURCE: SponsorsOne Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635740/SponsorsOnes-Doc-Wylders-Infused-Lemonades-Now-Available-Online-Direct-to-Consumer-from-Retailer-Great-American-Craft-Spirits This was concluded by economists who studied the indicators of 21 OECD countries from 1980 to 2016 Military expenditures are highly counterproductive to green economic growth- documented by a recent study conducted by UrFU economist collaboration with an international research team. Sustainable economic development or green growth requires cleaner energy and green technology that can mitigate the negative externalities (e.g., carbon emission) of economic growth. The study utilized various macroeconomic indicators for 21 OECD countries over the year 1980-2016. This empirical study focusing on the dynamic impact of innovation, militarization and renewable energy on the green economy is published in the journal "Environmental Science and Pollution Research". On the one hand, the military-industry (land vehicles, aircraft, and sea-vessels) consume a gargantuan amount of fossil fuels. About 75% of the global non-renewable energy consumption (coal, gas, oil) is by military actions, economists claim. According to the BP report (without division by sectors), the five main consumers of oil, gas, coal in 2019 were China (120.64 EJ), the United States (78.81 EJ), India (31.01 EJ), Russia (26.2 EJ), and Japan (16.33 EJ). On the other hand, militarization is one of the main sources of air and environmental pollution. "Although there is a discrepancy in the environmental damages across the nations, the opulent countries invariably resume causing a challenge to the global ecosystem compared to the impoverishment of counterparts. For example, the Pentagon is the glaring example of a paramount consumer of non-renewable resources. The US maintains hundreds of military bases in sixty countries exclusively. Accordingly, recent armed forces' equipment consistently becomes extra capital, more resource-intensive, and waste-generative as they have a substantial dependency on fossil fuels. In the act of assessing, supporting, and maintaining an arsenal of weapons, a substantial amount of toxic substances is released which is known to cause harm to the land and water adjacent to the military bases and the surrounding communities," - says Sohag Kazi, co-author, senior researcher at the Department of Econometrics and Statistics, Ural Federal University. Economists are not calling for abandoning militarization. Their suggestion is to not increase the annual funding for the military-industrial complex and to use renewable energy sources for military needs. The researches argue that switching from non-renewable energy to renewable energy in the production process would not significantly affect the output but would reduce carbon emissions. "It is highly unlikely that governments would reduce the budget allocated for the defense purchases in developed countries for various reasons. However, we have a cautionary remark regarding the operation and maintenance of the military expenditures on green growth. It is recommended that developed countries curtail their military expenditures and non-renewable energy usage, and instead conduct their military operations more cautiously, certainly by using of renewable energy technology, which should help to contribute to a better world," - says Sohag Kazi. The study was conducted with participation of economists from Ural Federal University (Russia), University of Western Australia (Australia), Drexel University (USA), University of Economics (Vietnam), Universiti Teknologi MARA (Malaysia). Military expenditures combine all current and capital expenditures spent on the militia, together with pacifist forces and defense establishments. It also includes government bureaus involved in defense projects, paramilitary forces if they are trained and provided for armed forces operations, and military space activities. ### Many countries across Europe and into Asia are suspending their COVID-19 vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine. These moves come on concerns over the formation of blood clots in some people soon after being inoculated. Several people have developed pulmonary embolism, where the blood clot in the legs has broken off and traveled into the lungs, and a few have died. A vial of AstraZeneca vaccine is pictured in a pharmacy in Boulogne Billancourt, outside Paris, Monday, March 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) On Monday, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain were the latest nations that suspended the vaccines use, deciding to rely solely on Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Last week Denmark, Norway and Iceland, followed by Ireland, paused their vaccination programs. In Denmark, a 60-year-old woman, according to health authorities, died after a blood clot led to a pulmonary embolism. A woman in Bulgaria died after her vaccination. However, her autopsy didnt reveal blood clots. She did have a history of heart disease, which may have contributed to her death. But any causal relationship to the vaccine has yet to be determined. According to the pharmaceutical giant, AstraZeneca reported that there had been 37 reports of blood clots out of more than 17 million people who have been administered the vaccine across 27 countries and Britain. The company assured governments that there was no evidence that their vaccine increased the risk of such complications. On Sunday, the company released a statement, A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the UK with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia [elevated platelet counta blood component], in any defined age group, gender, batch or in a particular country. A review of its published efficacy trial in the Lancet comparing the efficacy of the vaccine versus placebo revealed no difference in adverse events between the two. No mention was made of blood clots occurring in study participants. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, said at yesterdays press brief, Since our last press conference on Friday, several more countries have suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure after reports of blood clots in people who had received the vaccine from two batches produced in Europe. This does not necessarily mean that these events are linked to the vaccination, but it is routine practice to investigate them. And it shows that the surveillance system works, and effective controls are in place. The WHO advisory committee on vaccine safety has been reviewing the available data and is in contact with the European Medicines Agency. The European Medicines Agency said they hope to finish their investigations by Thursday and will determine if any further actions are required. It was in their view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death outweighed the rare adverse events. AstraZeneca has been embroiled in controversy from its inception when press reports confused efficacy results (the results from test trials among selected individuals) with actual effectiveness (in use by large populations). Additionally, a small trial on its efficacy in South Africa and the variant that emerged there further eroded confidence in the vaccine. As well, bitter battles over delivery shortfalls to the EU in January led to political attacks on the company by several European governments. These developments do not offset the more pressing issue that effective vaccines are urgently needed to protect the population, especially as the UKs more virulent strain is threatening a spring surge throughout Europe. Germanys health minister, Jens Spahn, told the Financial Times the move to suspend vaccinating people with the AstraZeneca vaccine arose out of an abundance of caution. We are all aware of the implications of this decision, and we didnt take it lightly. It was a technical decision, not a political one. [In order] to maintain trust in the vaccine, we have to give our experts in Germany and the EU time to check the recent incidents. Approximately 1.6 million people in Germany have received the AstraZeneca vaccine, and there have been seven cases of blood clots in the brain, known as cerebral venous thrombosis. On Friday, the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) released a statement urging all eligible adults to continue receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations, despite the recent decisions by various national health agencies suspending use on the reports of these blood clots. They wrote, At this time, the small number of reported thrombotic events relative to the millions of administered COVID-19 vaccinations does not suggest a direct link. Thrombotic events are common in the general population and have not previously been associated with vaccinations. The annual incidence of these blood clotting events stands around 1 per 1,000. These rates rise sharply after age 45, approaching five to six per 1,000 annually by age 80. Immobility, obesity, and various health conditions further contribute to these risks in the general population. In the context of the reported number of blood clots reported in vaccinated individuals among the 17 million doses administered, this places the risk of a blood clot far below the background rate for this complication. Though there havent been any similar concerns raised about blood clots with Moderna and Pfizers COVID-19 vaccines, in an online forum sponsored by the North America Thrombosis Forum titled COVID-19 Vaccine and Blood Clots, several US participants provided their experiences with such adverse events after their vaccinations. Dr. Samuel Goldhaber, Associate Chief and Clinical Director for the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Harvard Medical School, raised the more important concerns of blood clots associated with COVID-19 itself and urged continued vaccination. Causal relationships between vaccination and the development of blood clots are an urgent and pressing issue with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in light of the need to vaccinate the population. Any such risks must be balanced against the benefit of the impact COVID-19 has on the population. It becomes all the more imperative that measures are taken to halt the community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus through sound and effective public health mitigation measures, rather than the reckless reopening that has been undertaken by virtually every capitalist government in Europe and the Americas. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Armenia believes any final political solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be negotiated solely within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group. At a joint news conference in Yerevan with Sweden's visiting foreign minister and OSCE chairperson-in-office, Ann Linde, Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian said on March 16 that Armenia views the trilateral agreement signed by Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on November 9 to end six weeks of fighting in the breakaway region last fall as an interim solution. "Although it contains some provisions concerning the peaceful settlement, it does not address its key elements, and the most important among them is the issue of the status of Artsakh, based on the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination," Ayvazian said, using the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh. "A final political solution to the conflict is possible only within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship," Ayvazian added, referring to the format jointly headed by Russia, the United States, and France that has had an international mandate to broker a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since the early 1990s. Linde arrived in Yerevan late on March 15 after visiting Baku, where she met with the president and foreign minister of Azerbaijan. The purpose of her visit to the region is to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and the situation after the recent war with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. "Recent developments in the region have underlined the need for a strong, I emphasize, strong OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship, which will be able to lead the peace process on the basis of principles and elements developed over the years," Ayvazian added. "We also need a strong, cohesive OSCE as an institute responsible for regional security and peace. In this context, we attach importance to the role of the OSCE chairmanship, including the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office," he said. In the Armenian capital, the OSCE's chairperson-in-office was also scheduled to meet with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on March 16. Under the Moscow-brokered cease-fire that put an end to the fighting, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration after almost 30 years of control by ethnic Armenian forces. Since then, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that he considers the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolved and sees no issue of the regions status. The Bank Of Ghana has put together a docket to steer the future of Forex Trading in Ghana, but does it all mean for Ghanaian online traders? New Regulations & The Future Of Forex Trading In Ghana While forex trading has gained quite a foothold in Ghana, it remains an unregulated industry within the country itself, meaning that those choosing to trade online cannot do so in their own currency. But things are looking up as the Bank of Ghana has taken steps to advance the plight of Forex trading while also ensuring the safety of its users. The idea is to give the companies and/or enterprises who provide such services the required licenses a move that is beneficial for a number of reasons. Licensing companies instead of individuals The red tape and bureaucracy required to license individuals who trade in Forex is something that would prove challenging to say the least. Even in countries like the UK where online trading via Contracts For Difference, or CFD trading is regulated, its done so via the required financial channels without placing the onus on the individual. Its often been advised that Ghanaians should look into how Forex trading works in the UK and Europe, as this could provide all interested parties with valuable trading insights. If the Bank of Ghana goes through with its intentions, it would mean that the regulatory process itself would be more streamlined as enterprises can be more easily monitored than individuals can. Regulation can help the economy It would be impossible to overlook the tax implications of regulating the Forex industry within Ghana. Regulatory practices would mean that those profiting from their trades would be required to part with their pound of flesh. In other words, traders trading legitimately would be required to submit income tax. At this point various foreign financial institutions as well as major banks have expressed an interest in providing Ghanaians with online trading subsidiaries. This is not to imply that there arent already major financial organisations already doing this. The only problem faced by would-be traders would be scamming websites. For this and a number of other reasons, regulation is key to the future of Forex trading in Ghana. Discerning between legit companies and scammers When it comes to possibly profiting from the online environment, its vitally important to practice vigilance as scamming is not an exclusive endeavour. Just as legitimate banks issue warnings to their customers on a regular basis about what to be aware of when encountering a possible scam online, there are certain key things to look out for when signing up with regulated online trading platforms. For instance, European traders can make use of the Firm Registration Number (FRN) something all regulated trading companies must have in the footer of their websites. This number can then be submitted to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to confirm its legitimacy. As Ghana has not yet put in place the regulatory framework that the bank of Ghana has suggested, all those residing in the country electing to trade, have thus far done so with companies that service the UK and European market. The advantage to going via this route is that while these are foreign companies, they are still required to adhere to certain laws, rules and practices if they are to retain their licenses. In essences then, it is in the interest or the trading platform/company to ensure its ducks are in a row even when accepting memberships from individuals even if those individuals are from outside of its so-called jurisdiction. 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 US. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (Photo Credit: Reuters) Tokyo [Japan], March 16 (ANI): Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday that Tokyo and Washington share serious concerns over China's attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas. "We conducted extensive discussion on the regional strategic environment, on the situation in China and agreed on the recognition that China's behavior was inconsistent with the existing international order ... presents serious challenges to the alliance and the international community," Motegi said at a meeting with US State Secretary Antony Blinken as quoted by Sputnik. "We will oppose any unilateral action that seeks to change the status quo, including in the East and South China seas. We share serious concerns over China's coastguard law," Motegi added In February, China enacted the law that permits China's coast guard to destroy other countries' structures and to use force when defending the country's maritime claims in disputed areas. Over the past several years, China has increased its territorial and maritime claims in the Indo-Pacific region, overlapping with the interests of a number of nations. In particular, Beijing has been locked up in a dispute with Tokyo over a string of uninhabited but resource-rich islets, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China. In addition, Beijing has boosted the scale and frequency of its military drills in the Indo-Pacific, prompting the United States and its regional allies -- Japan, India and Australia -- to enhance strategic cooperation within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in response. Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation with Japan, which they say is crucial for a free and open Indo-Pacific Region, and also stressed that the bond between the countries is based on shared values. "For that trip, we come to Japan, because for over 60 years our alliance has been a cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity not only for our two countries but for the region and indeed for the world. We are here to reaffirm our commitment to this alliance ... to ensure that we keep delivering for our people today and for the future," Blinken said. Story continues Austin, in turn, stressed that the US seeks to "build upon the resolute and resilient bond between our two countries." The high-ranking official noted that the US Department of Defense stands "ready to buttress the hard work of diplomats." Motegi pointed to the need to "cement peace, stability and prosperity as strategic goals of Japan and the US" in light of the "change in power balance." "The environment has entered a completely different dimension ... and the COVID-19 pandemic is fueling the trend," Motegi noted. Japans's defense minister, Nobuo Kishi, noted that the bilateral partnership, which has been steadily developing in the past 10 years, should now be made even stronger, as the "security environment is becoming increasingly severe." Indo-Pacific region is largely viewed as an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system. China claims much of the South China Sea, but there are also overlapping claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. China has built bases and other outposts on shoals, reefs and rock outcroppings to deepen its claim over 80 per cent of the 3.6 sq km waterway. (ANI) Edward Delp, the Charles William Harrison Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Video and Imaging Processing Laboratory at Purdue University, is leading a team of experts for the U.S. Department of Defense researching ways to detect several forms of manipulated media. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood) Falsified images, research documents among the latest areas of focus WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Deepfake videos of actor Tom Cruise on Tik Tok can create some confused fans. A deepfake video of a drug company CEO announcing COVID-19 vaccine failures, however, could cause panic. Ferreting out deepfake videos is the work of Edward Delp, the Charles William Harrison Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, who is leading one of the teams in the Semantic Forensics program created by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for the U.S. Department of Defense. The program, which has been ongoing since late last year, is a continuation of Delps innovative previous work into tools to detect deepfakes and manipulated media. Only now the research is extending much further to include other video styles and media such as images and documents. Not only do we want to be able to detect when a piece of media has been manipulated, but we want to be able to attribute it: Who did it, why did they do it and what was their intent? said Delp, director of the Video and Imaging Processing Laboratory at Purdue. Its called detection, attribution and characterization. Were trying to solve the whole problem. Delp has worked on video tampering as part of a larger research into media forensics, focusing on sophisticated techniques based on artificial intelligence and machine learning to create an algorithm that detects deepfakes. For this program, Delp is overseeing a team of technical experts from the University of Notre Dame, University of Campinas in Brazil and three Italian universities: Politecnico di Milano, the University of Siena and the University Federico II of Naples. The team has complementary skills and backgrounds in computer vision and biometrics, machine learning, digital forensics, as well as signal processing and information theory. The team is moving away from studying deepfakes that concentrate only on faces, instead looking at fake street scenes and fake biological imagery like microscope images and X-rays. Think about the insurance fraud if you have a doctor who could generate fake X-rays of patients and start turning those into the insurance companies, Delp said. Something as seemingly harmless as a driver putting a camera in a car to record heading down the road can have other applications. Delp said the video can be manipulated to make it look like its a different road or neighborhood and used to try and fool an autonomous vehicle system. Delp said the team is doing some unique things with document validity, particularly with regard to research papers. One of the things were looking at is, with the COVID pandemic there has been a lot of scientific papers put forward that have falsified data, he said. We are building a tool that will look at a scientific paper; in particular look at the images and figures and determine whether theyve been manipulated. Delp said the problem, called research integrity, has been an ongoing issue for almost 15 years, particularly in the biomedical community. Also being examined are articles trying to be passed off as originating from specific newspapers. Delp said the work is called style detection and examines the writing style guides of a number of nationwide newspapers. Delp said the premise is if someone writes an article and then tries to fake it, saying it comes from the New York Times; they probably did not read the style guide and will not have the appropriate word usage as a result. Style detection is one of the teams long-term projects. About Purdue University Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/. Writer, Media contact: Brian Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu Source: Edward Delp, 765-494-1740, ace@ecn.purdue.edu Journalists visiting campus : Journalists should follow Protect Purdue protocols and the following guidelines: 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 Kalyan Jewellers'retail portion of its IPO got subscribed completely on Day 1. Overall, the issue got subscribed 60 percent on the first day. is one of the largest jewellery companies in India based on revenue as of March 31, 2020, according to the Technopak Report. The offer will close on March 18, 2021. The price band of the offer has been fixed at Rs 86 to Rs 87 per equity share. The IPO comprises issuance of fresh equity up to Rs 800 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) worth Rs 375 crore. On Monday, has raised Rs 351.89 crore from 15 anchor investors, including the Government of Singapore, Calypso Global Investment Fund and others. The Day 1 subscription numbers are QIB 0, HNI 0.2x, Retail 1.11x, Employees 1.15x and overall issue has been subscribed 0.60 times, as per data available on BSE and NSE at the end of Day 1 of subscription. The IPO committee of the company, in their meeting held on Monday, have finalised the allocation of 40,448,275 equity shares to anchor investors at anchor investor allocation price of Rs 87 per equity share. The Government of Singapore took nearly 29 per cent of the anchor investor portion, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore took 5.11 per cent. Sundaram Mutual Fund took nearly 25 per cent through variousfunds. HDFC Life Insurance (2.84 %), Calypso Global Investment (14.21%), SegantiII India Mauritius (3.98 %), Kuber India Fund (3.98 %), Moon Capital Trading (3.98 %), Edelwiss Alternative (3.98 %, Baroda Large and Mid Cap Fund (2.84 %), BNP PAribas Arbitrage (2.84 %) and Cohesion K Best Ideas Sub Trust (1.68 %). Out of the total allocation of 40,448,275 equity shares to the investors, 10,344,768 Equity Shares (i.e. 25.6% of the total allocation to Anchor Investors) were allocated to 2 domestic mutual funds through a total of 4 schemes. The company proposes to utilise the funds, which are being raised through the fresh issue, towards funding working capital requirements of the Company and general corporate purposes. Axis Capital Limited, Citigroup Global India Private Limited, ICICI Securities Limited and SBI Capital Limited are the Global Co-ordinators and Book Running Lead Managers to the Offer. BOB Capital Limited is the Book Running Lead Manager to the Offer. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the infamous killer whose murders inspired "The Amityville Horror" books and movies, has died, prison officials said Monday. The convicted murderer died Friday while serving a sentence of 25 years to life at Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, according to the state Department of Corrections. He was 69. New York Post reported that Ronald DeFeo Jr. was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m. after he was transferred to Albany Medical Center. The cause of death was not immediately available, but the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office is now determining the official cause of death, NBC News reported. READ NEXT: Are You Brave Enough to Buy These Creepy Murder Houses Linked to Chris Watts and Charles Manson? Amityville Killer's Cases Ronald DeFeo Jr. was convicted of killing his father, mother, two sisters, and two brothers inside their Amityville home at Ocean Avenue in Long Island on Nov. 13, 1974, Newsday reported. The convicted murderer, who was 23 years old then, utilized a .35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle to kill his entire family - Ronald DeFeo Sr., 43, Louise DeFeo, 43, Dawn, 18, Allison, 13, Marc, 12, and John, 9 - who were all sleeping at the time. DeFeo shot both of his parents twice, while each of his siblings was shot once. All victims were found dead, lying face-down in bed. DeFeo's lawyer insisted on an insanity defense, claiming that the convicted murderer heard voices that his family was plotting against him. DeFeo also claimed that he only killed his mother, father, and Dawn and blamed his elder sister for killing his other younger siblings. In 1975, Ronald DeFeo Jr., also known by his nickname Butch, was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and received six sentences of 25 years to life. Reactions to Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s Crimes "If you grew up in Long Island, you knew about the home on Ocean Avenue," said Joseph Giacalone, a professor from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. Giacalone is also a retired NYPD sergeant who was raised in Plainedge. The original address of the house where the murders took place was 112 Ocean Avenue. Later on, it was changed to 108 Ocean Avenue to discourage tourists. "As kids, we rode our bikes just to see the house like any other kids who grew up in the area," Giacalone said. He added that as kids, they are still unaware of the gravity of the issue in the place until they heard the murders that occurred in the house. "It was a vicious crime, and it happened on a quiet Long island," said Bob Keeler, a former reporter and editor who interviewed DeFeo in 1986. Giacalone added that he could not imagine the scene that the cops have to witness, speaking from a former investigator's standpoint. Amityville House A year after the killings, a couple brought the Amityville property. However, the purchasers immediately moved out of the house 28 days later. The reason was the paranormal activity inside the house, such as strange sounds, voices, and green slime oozing from the walls. The chilling events became the inspiration for the book "The Amityville Horror," and the cult classic film "The Amityville Horror." In 2016, the property was placed for sale, amounting to $850,000. But it was sold for only $605,000 in 2017. READ MORE: The 2020 Mardi Gras Killings in New Orleans WATCH: 'Amityville Horror' Killer Dead in Prison at 69 - From Eyewitness News ABC7NY Mumbai, March 16 : Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan Kunder on Tuesday posted a picture of herself with Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya on Instagram, sharing a mix of news update and nostalgia in the process. In her post, Farah recalled working with Naga Chaitanya's father Nagarjuna. Now, she is collaborating with Naga for a commercial. "25 years ago I choreographed his dad #nagarjunaakkineni who became a friend for life.. n today I got to direct his wonderful boy @chayakkineni for a commercial.. #humble #lifecomesafullcircle #imreallyold." Naga Chaitanya is currently shooting for an upcoming Telugu romantic film titled "Love Story", which co-stars actress Sai Pallavi. Besides this, he will be seen in the film "Thank You", which made headlines when a leaked clip from the film's set showed Naga Chaitanya playing a fan of Telugu star Mahesh Babu and climbing a huge cut out of the senior actor. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 22:15:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Zambia's competition and consumer protection agency, on Tuesday fined seven fish-fingerling producers and distributors over price fixing. The seven firms have been fined up to 10 percent of their turnover following investigations initiated by the agency in April 2020. Namukolo Kasumpa, the agency's spokesperson said investigations established that the firms were engaged in a cartel when they issued a public notice for impending uniform price increment for the price of fish fingerlings. She said in a release that the investigations further established that there was no justification for the companies to have a common pricing policy because each company had different production and distribution costs, adding that the companies would not take the same time to produce and distribute the fingerlings. "The Board noted that the objectives of the restrictive agreement not only increased prices of fish fingerlings but also reduced customer choice as the competitive price was eliminated," she said. She further warned businesses against engaging in collusive arrangements, adding that the agency will remain committed to root out collusive and anti-competitive practices which were negatively impacting the government's quest to promote a competitive business environment. Enditem Gab founder Andrew Torba reacted to Gov. Abbott's accusation that the website is "anti-semitic," saying that the governor's statement seemed to have shown that the platform has become "too big" to be ignored. Following the Christian CEO's creation of a social media network that seeks to fight the Democrat-supported practice of cancel culture and Big Tech censorship, he cannot believe that the Texas governor, a Republican who is expected to defend the rights of conservatives, would "explicitly called out" Gab. Torba expressed his disappointment over the "false narrative" on his Gab article. "When I first watched the video of Gov. Abbott saying Gab had 'no place in Texas,' I truthfully thought it was a deepfake. There was no way that the Governor of Texas explicitly called out the website I run with my family from an undisclosed rural farm in Pennsylvania," he began. In disbelief, he had to play the video again but confirmed that it was indeed shared from the governor's verified social media account. "I hit play again. 'Anti-semitic platforms like Gab have no place in Texas and certainly do not represent Texas values.' I did another double take, but quickly confirmed it was a video shared from Gov. Abbott's verified Twitter account," he said. Torba then realized something about Gab, flourishing into a powerful social media organization. "This was it. This was Gab's moment. We had become too big to ignore," he pointed out. Torba dismissed the governor's claim that the platform is "anti-semitic," stating that even Jewish users themselves "debunked" the allegation. He said that the politician was just "using his position of authority" to attack a startup company "run by a Christian man whose entire mission is to defend free speech online." "The simple truth of the matter is that the GOP Establishment can no longer ignore Gab. They've done so at their own peril for five years now while they whined about "Big Tech censorship" without ever actually doing anything to stop it," he continued. Torba added that his company "is a force to be reckoned with" and that Gov. Abbott and his allies have done a "big mistake", thinking that Gab is too small to fight back his "despicable comments." The CEO then revealed that he sent numerous emails addressing the politician's false statement, driving many to defend Gab in their articles. People, including other Republicans, have also hit Gov. Abbott's tweet, making him a "laughing stock" in the platform. Furthermore, he disclosed that Gab is consistently growing with millions of people joining the network every month. He predicted that the company will be a "tremendous force" in the next two elections. He also warned that the "fiasco" with Gov. Abbott must serve as a lesson and advised the Republicans to "get on Gab, or get out of the way." "In the end, that's exactly what Gov. Abbott's own party did," he said towards the end of his statement, adding a link of a Breitbart article showing GOP members defending Gab from the governor's statement. Torba concluded with four meaningful lines, describing Gab and his stance: Gab is inevitable. America First is inevitable. Jesus is King. Get used to it. Last month, following his revelations that his company has been deplatformed by various service providers, Torba urged Christians to support organizations that are building and share the Christian values. Founded in 2016, Gab is a social media network that upholds freedom of speech and information. Former President Donald Trump is one of the platform's influential users, following his permanent suspension from Facebook, Twitter and even Youtube. This is a huge step forward for us as a green energy supplier, Scott White, President and CEO of IGS Energy. As part of its all-in commitment to sustainable energy, IGS Energy has acquired Columbus-based JadeTrack, a software provider that helps businesses manage energy usage and improve sustainability program performance. This is a huge step forward for us as a green energy supplier, said Scott White, president and CEO of IGS Energy. It reinforces our commitment to fighting climate change and paves the way to add more value for our commercial and industrial customers once its fully integrated into our offering. In August, the Ohio-based energy company announced its goal of becoming a completely carbon-neutral energy provider by 2040. IGS Energy now solely offers 100% renewable electricity and carbon-neutral natural gas to all new residential consumers. On the commercial side of IGS Energys business, adding JadeTrack provides a sustainability-focused software platform for commercial and industrial customers looking to reduce their environmental footprint. JadeTracks software gathers and assesses a businesss energy and sustainability data to help leaders take control of their usage, save money and become more energy efficient. Founded in 2011, JadeTrack provides private and public enterprises across the U.S. with: Automated utility bill management with ENERGY STAR benchmarking Real-time energy monitoring Program management services We founded JadeTrack to help ambitious organizations spend less time collecting data and more time focused on actively improving their energy and sustainability program performance, said Ryan Prestel, co-founder and CEO of JadeTrack. We share IGS Energys vision for a more sustainable energy future and appreciate the companys spirit of innovation. We are excited to join forces and believe the acquisition will undoubtedly benefit current and future customers looking to tackle big carbon reduction initiatives. Integrating JadeTracks leading-edge technology into IGS Energys commercial and industrial offering will help the company go beyond just being a commodity supplier and differentiates it from the competition, White said. Bringing in Ryan and his teams expertise deepens our relationships with our customers by establishing a true partnership in assessing and managing energy use, White said. It helps companies across the country operate more efficiently and sustainably and supports our shared purpose of building a sustainable energy future for a healthier planet. JadeTrack customers include leading organizations such as Wendys, the City of Columbus, Huntington Bank and Olentangy Local School District, which reduced its utility costs by $1 million in the first two years using real-time energy monitoring. About IGS Energy IGS Energy is a private energy company that believes its both capable and obligated to fight climate change and to promote sustainability and energy independence. The company serves more than 1 million homes and businesses nationwide, offering sustainable technologies and services, including 100% renewable electricity, carbon-neutral natural gas, solar energy systems and other energy-efficiency products. IGS Energy empowers consumers to source and manage their energy and protect their homes appliances and utility lines. The company is committed to a sustainable energy future for a healthier planet. The belief in Conscious Capitalism and a purpose beyond profit prioritizes the needs of IGS Energys customers, employees and the planet. For more information visit http://www.igs.com. About JadeTrack JadeTrack is a cloud-based software solution that empowers organizations of all types and sizes to manage energy use, achieve cost saving goals, and operate more sustainably. Since 2011, JadeTrack has helped users streamline the data collection process to track energy, water, waste, emissions, and other metrics. Allowing them to make informed decisions and successfully manage their usage and expenses. The platform is comprised of utility bill management with automated ENERGY STAR benchmarking and real-time energy monitoring. For more information, visit http://www.jadetrack.com. Denton, TX (76205) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) arrives before the fifth day of the Senate Impeachment trials for former President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Feb. 13, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds - Pool/Getty Images) Alaska Republican Party Censures Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Vows to Primary Her The Alaska Republican Party voted to censure Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and vowed to issue a primary challenge to her in 2022coming after she voted to convict former President Donald Trump during Februarys impeachment trial. The state Republican Party said (pdf) it passed a resolution to censureanother term for a strong condemnationMurkowski not only for her vote to convict Trump last month, but because she voted in favor of Democratic-led initiatives such as not placing limits on abortions, against the GOP-led repeal of Obamacare, and voted in favor of President Joe Bidens pick for Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, among others. The aforementioned votes, the state Republican Party said, were in conflict with the Alaska Republican Party platform. The Alaska Republican Party said it will now recruit a Republican primary challenger to oppose and prohibit Senator Murkowski from being a candidate in any Republican primary to the extent legally permissible. According to the GOPs resolution, Murkowski also voted present rather than in support of the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and repeatedly spoken critically of President Trump throughout his term in office. NRSC chair Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) has attempted to quell in-party fighting and said his committee will support incumbent senators for reelection in the 2022 midterms. That goes against what Trump proclaimed in his speech to conservative activists in Florida last month, where he promised to primary Murkowski, the six other Republican senators who convicted him, and all of the House members who voted with Democrats to impeach him. Last week, Trump issued a statement saying he would pledge to campaign against her next year. She represents her state badly and her country even worse. I do not know where other people will be next year, but I know where I will bein Alaska campaigning against a disloyal and very bad senator, the former president said. The Epoch Times has contacted Murkowskis office for comment. In February, the Alaska senator said she would vote again to convict Trump if she were asked to do so. If the party is to censure me because they felt that I needed to support the party, they can make that statement, but I will make the statement again that my obligation is to support the Constitution that I have pledged to uphold, and I will do that, even if it means I have to oppose the direction of my state party, Murkowski said, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Murkowski hasnt said whether she would seek another term in office. Murkowski won her reelection with 44 percent of the vote in 2016 against Libertarian candidate Joe Miller, who netted 29 percent. Other than Murkowski, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) have been censured by Republicans in their home states following the impeachment vote. The Utah GOP said it will not censure Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), while Maines Republican Party has yet to meet on how to handle Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). Both Collins and Romney also voted to convict. Stellan Skarsgard has claimed he has a 'very relaxed relationship with [his] genitals'. The Swedish actor, 69, claimed in an interview with Page Six on Sunday that he is so comfortable in his own skin he always 'walk[s] around naked' at his home. Promoting his latest film Hope with the publication, Stellan reflected: 'My female friends consider me one of them and talk openly in front of me. 'I have a very relaxed relationship with my genitals': Stellan Skarsgard shared candid remarks about how comfortable he is in his own skin in an interview on Sunday 'I walk around naked at home. When school friends thought storks brought babies, I told them how they were really made.' Going on to discuss his body positive attitude, he added: 'I have a very relaxed relationship with my genitals.' Stellan has had a prolific acting career which began when he was 21, and he has eight children, six with ex-wife My and two with his wife Megan Everett, who he married in January 2009. Four of his sons from his first marriage, Aleksander, Bill, Gustaf and Valter, have all followed in his acting footsteps, while his daughter Eija is a former model. Honest: Stellan (pictured in January last year) said he is so comfortable with his body that he always 'walk[s] around naked' at his home Thoughts: Promoting his latest film Hope (pictured) with Page Six, Stellan also reflected: 'My female friends consider me one of them and talk openly in front of me' The actor has made a name for himself in both the Swedish film and TV industry and Hollywood, and recently gave a Golden Globe award-winning turn in Sky and HBO's miniseries Chernobyl. He is next set to be seen in Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Dune, in which he will portray the menacing villain Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Dune follows Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his family Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) as they take over the stewardship of the planet Arrakis, and the power struggle between them and Harkonnen. Starring role: Stellan is next set to be seen in Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Dune, in which he will portray villain Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (lead Timothee Chalamet pictured) In December last year, Warner Bros made a shock announcement that their entire 2021 slate would be shifted to HBO Max, but Deadline claimed the threat of legal action from the production company behind the sc-fi epic could see that reversed. 'Legendary is in a big fight that might result in lawsuits,' claimed the industry gossip site at the end of last year. The Burbank-based mass media company, which financed 75% of both Dune and Warner Bros stablemate Godzilla vs. Kong, 'was completely blindsided' by the HBO Max announcement in December. One solution might be to give the big budget epic 'a traditional theatrical [release] to preserve its franchise potential'. The news came after Dune's director Villeneuve slammed Warner Bros. for their decision when he wrote an op-ed for Variety in which he vented his frustrations over the major studio's move. He wrote: 'Warner Bros. sudden reversal from being a legacy home for filmmakers to the new era of complete disregard draws a clear line for me. 'Filmmaking is a collaboration, reliant on the mutual trust of team work and Warner Bros. has declared they are no longer on the same team.' Villeneueve was also not pleased to have found out about the pivot just as everyone else did. Theatrical release: In December, Warner Bros made a shock announcement that their entire 2021 slate would be shifted to HBO Max, but it's been claimed this could be reversed for Dune He explained: 'I learned in the news that Warner Bros. has decided to release Dune on HBO Max at the same time as our theatrical release, using prominent images from our movie to promote their streaming service. 'With this decision AT&T has hijacked one of the most respectable and important studios in film history. There is absolutely no love for cinema, nor for the audience here.' Dune is set to be released on October 8, 2021. Massachusetts voters can vote by mail in their upcoming elections through June 30 under a bill Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law. Baker signed the bill that temporarily extends expanded mail-in voting, an option that became available to the broader public to reduce spread of COVID-19 during the 2020 election season, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced in a statement Tuesday afternoon. The latest mail-in voting law pushes the expiration of the mail-in voting provision from March 31 through June 30, giving lawmakers more time to debate permanent election reforms. I thank the governor for signing this bill, so that town clerks can move forward with planning for their local elections, said Galvin, a proponent of mail-in voting. It is my hope that the Legislature will act as soon as possible on my proposal to make voting by mail an option for all future elections, so that voters, election officials and campaigns can prepare accordingly for this falls city elections. The new law also allows local officials to postpone upcoming elections. Officials can postpone a municipal caucus that was set for June 30 until Aug. 1, or eliminate the caucus entirely if its scheduled before July 30. Lawmakers filed multiple election bills following the 2020 election season, proposing to make expanded mail-in voting permanent, implement same-say voting registration and offer free bus rides to and from polling places. Local election officials will now be required to accommodate voters with disabilities every way possible, to every extent possible if the voters request an accommodation, Senate Ways & Means Committee Chairman Michael Rodrigues said last week. The Senate approved the amendment before sending it to the House because of concerns raised by accessibility advocates in written testimony. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! 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 30-year-old man was shot in the leg Tuesday afternoon while riding a four-wheeler in Central City, New Orleans police said. The gunfire was reported at 3:29 p.m. at Martin Luther King Boulevard and South Robertson Street. The man told police he saw someone point a gun out of a window and then shoot him, according to preliminary information. Authorities did not say if it was the window of a vehicle or residence. No more information was immediately available, including the man's condition or a description of the shooter. Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information. Staff writer Carlie Kollath Wells contributed to this story. But to meet the definition of sexual harassment in the Act, the person that has been harassed must also prove that objecting to the conduct disadvantaged them in connection with their employment, or they had a reasonable belief it would. Charmaine Tsang, a partner at HFW who specialises in employment and industrial relations matters, said the disadvantage test was not used in any other state or territory, other than the Northern Territory. This element must be satisfied for the unwelcome sexual conduct to constitute sexual harassment under the legal definition provided in the WA Act, Ms Tsang said. This suggests that sexual harassment only exists where there is a power imbalance between the harasser and the harassed, or where the harasser has the ability to cause disadvantage to the harassed in their employment or prospective employment. The 2008 and 2010 Amendment Bills declared this was challenging for people working at Parliament House to demonstrate, given there was often no direct employment relationship between MPs and staff, unlike conventional workplaces. WAs legislation and the federal legislation came in around the same time... so why havent our parliamentarians here in WA moved with the times and realised it is completely out of step with the other states? It is not something that is radical, it is overdue. Samantha Maddern, partner at Mills Oakley At the time, attorney general Jim McGinty said staff at Parliament House should be protected from sexual harassment by MPs, who are clearly in a position of power. Under the current Equal Opportunity Acts sexual harassment laws, it is necessary to show that a staff member is concerned that refusing or objecting to the other persons behaviour would have a negative impact on their career, Mr McGinty said. In other words, the sexual harassment must occur in an employment context. Because there is often no direct employment relationship between MPs and staff, this is difficult to establish. Under the new law, staff wont be required to feel that their employment is threatened by complaining of workplace sexual harassment. In responses to questions from WAtoday, WA Equal Opportunity Commissioner Dr John Byrne said it is no harder for a parliamentary staffer to establish a breach of the Act than it is for a conventional employee but was unable to explain how the laws had changed since 2010 to make that the case. A parliamentary staffer who is sexually harassed by an MP in the course of their employment can lodge a complaint against the MP personally, Dr Byrne said. Kingston Reid partner Duncan Fletcher said while he believed there was a way to hold politicians to account under the current legislation, it would be a good thing to clarify in the legislation that they are held to account. Loading Discrimination liability sits directly with an employer but harassment liability sits with an individual, Mr Fletcher explained. An employer acts unlawfully only if they allow harassment to occur in a workplace. Therefore, politicians arguably do not escape liability as individuals but they do as employers. The simplest way to extend employer liability to politicians and others would be to use a definition similar to the national safety laws of a person conducting a business or undertaking. I imagine that would translate quite well from a discrimination point of view and catch all working environments. A high-profile example of the Acts failure to protect a parliamentary worker was reportedly the case of Karry Smith, the former Liberal staffer whose chair was controversially sniffed by former Liberal MP Troy Buswell. The 2010 Equal Opportunity Act Amendment Bill was drafted and championed by Ms Smith, who worked with Labor MP Martin Whitely on the bill and told media at the time: Its not good enough that members of the West Australian Parliament arent subject to the same sexual harassment laws as every other workplace in Western Australia. I see our Equal Opportunity Act as discriminatory now because I know what it means to be sexually harassed and not have any provisions of legislation to offer any kind of protection. As a legislator how do you stand in Parliament and debate legislation that will require a certain standard of behaviour from the citizens of the state but you dont have to abide by it, she said. The situation has been remedied everywhere else in Australia but at the moment there is no protection for staff members or people who actually go and brief a member at Parliament House. Because an MP is not an employer there is no employee-employer relationship. Lawyers who specialise in the area said the WA laws had fallen behind those in other parts of the country, with the most fundamental flaw being the retention of the disadvantage definition. Loading Jocelyne Boujos, president of the Law Society of WA, the legal professions peak body in the state, said the McGowan governments landslide re-election presented an opportunity for changes to be pursued. This is an important issue and the Law Society supports the enactment of legislation that reflects best practice in this area of the law, she said. WA is now in a unique position to have issues such as this very important one updated and progressed through the parliament in a timely manner. Indeed the Law Society considers that the introduction and passage of overdue law reform initiatives will be the ultimate test of this governments success during its second term of office. Ms Maddern said there had been a push for some time to change the definitions in the WA legislation to bring it into line with other jurisdictions where they dont have the same requirement for the alleged victim to establish disadvantage. If you look at definitions of sexual harassment in federal or other state legislation, they are much easier to satisfy and that is quite right because the behaviour alone (being unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature), especially in a workplace context, is not acceptable, Ms Maddern said. You shouldnt have to establish that you have been disadvantaged on top of that. Mr Fletcher said the state government was likely weighing up the risk of complicating the legislation through any reform with the risk of it being seen as behind the times. The state legislation doesnt reflect the current society we live in and I think the main thing that has stopped it from being updated is a fear of imposing regulation where there is enough regulation, he said. But it is an interesting question whether the current debate acts as a lightning rod to bring it into line, and as long as they do it in a way that is sensible and aims for harmony between Commonwealth and state then I think the downside is pretty low. In a 2007 review of the Act, Former WA Labor MP Yvonne Henderson, who introduced the Equal Opportunity Bill into WA Parliament in 1984 and later became the states equal opportunity commissioner, found the test for sexual harassment reflected a mentality from more than 25 years ago. Today, there would be few who would insist that a person must demonstrate disadvantage as a consequence of taking objection to being sexually harassed, when the real disadvantage was in the harassment itself, Ms Henderson wrote at the time. The Sex Discrimination Act did away with this notion years ago and now so must the Act. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Feature Article Scientists describe detector goals for electron-ion collider (EIC) International community of EIC scientists publishes "yellow report" laying out physics case, detector requirements, and evolving detector concepts for future nuclear physics facility DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory What do you need to study the fine details of the building blocks of matter? A new kind of particle accelerator called an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC)--planned to be built in the United States over the next decade--and a state-of-the-art detector to capture the action when electrons and ions collide. As part of the plan to build the EIC, an international team of more than 400 scientists representing 151 research institutions around the world prepared a detailed report of the detector components they believe are needed to meet the scientific goals of this new facility. The report, titled "Science Requirements and Detector Concepts for the Electron-Ion Collider: EIC Yellow Report," was posted online on March 8, 2021. "The enormous effort that led to this document aimed to provide the basis for further development of concepts for experimental equipment best suited for the science needs," said Thomas Ullrich, a nuclear physicist involved in compiling the report and representative of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory in the international EIC User Group (EICUG). "It is timely, as the formation of EIC collaborations is beginning. This is a big step toward the realization of a general-purpose detector that will form the basis for a world-class experimental program that aims to increase our understanding of the fundamental structure of all visible matter." The EIC is in the early stage of development with the DOE Office of Science's Nuclear Physics Program. It is slated to be built at Brookhaven Lab in partnership with physicists from DOE's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) and scientists throughout the worldwide nuclear physics research community, with funding from the Office of Science and other national and international partners. Jefferson Lab EICUG representative Rolf Ent said, "The Yellow Report represents a year-long superb effort of the EIC community. This community spans the world, with crucial contributions coming from many scientists in many countries, underscoring that we all work together as one community toward shared science goals." The EIC will be a powerful new facility for nuclear physics research that will collide high-energy electron beams with high-energy proton and ion beams (nuclei of atoms that have been stripped of their electrons). The collisions will give scientists access to the dynamic internal structure of protons, neutrons, and nuclei in a regime where their structure is dominated by gluons. Studying gluons--the force-carrier particles that hold together the internal building blocks of protons and neutrons (known as quarks)--will help scientists understand how quarks and gluons build up the mass and structure of the visible matter in our universe. In addition, because the EIC's beams will be polarized--meaning the "spin" of the colliding particles can be aligned and controlled in desired ways--scientists will be able to explore how quarks and gluons contribute to the spin of fundamental particles. "We may know more about some distant stars and galaxies than we do about the inner-workings of the building blocks of the matter right around us," said Olga Evdokimov of the University of Illinois, Chicago, who is one of the EIC Physics Working Group conveners and chair of the EICUG Institutional Board. "The developments of the Yellow Report bring us one step closer to realizing a unique facility in the world for exploring how the tiny, nearly massless quarks and massless gluons hidden within protons and neutrons give mass to these much heavier particles that make up all visible matter in the Universe." "In addition, the technological innovations in detector design and computing streaming from this project will undoubtedly benefit other sciences and have a broad impact on society through workforce development across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields," she said. The EIC Yellow Report lays out the facility's scientific goals in great detail, describes the specific detector requirements needed to address those goals, and presents the evolving detector concepts being explored to realize the EIC's experimental program. The report is the culmination of a series of studies commissioned and organized by the EIC User Group. But it is not intended to be a final plan. Rather, the EICUG sees the report as the basis for further development of concepts for experimental equipment best suited for the EIC's science needs. "In the long, one-year effort towards the completion of the Yellow Report, we have formed an international collaborative community. Now it is time to strengthen the collaboration," said Silvia Dalla Torre, an EICUG Steering Committee member from Italy's National Institute for Nuclear Physics. "We look forward to the next exciting phase, namely the common effort of design and construction of one or possibly two detectors that will make possible accessing the physics goals of the EIC." Brookhaven National Laboratory and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://www.energy.gov/science/. Follow @BrookhavenLab on Twitter or find us on Facebook. Related Links Online version of this news release: https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=118762 Brookhaven Lab media contacts: Karen McNulty Walsh kmcnulty@bnl.gov, (631) 344-8350, or Peter Genzer genzer@bnl.gov, (631) 344-3174 Jefferson Lab media contacts: Kandice Carter kcarter@jlab.org and Lauren Hansen lhansen@jlab.org, 757-269-7689 * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! We invest in our employees because we value their work and because we believe our customers deserve only the very best. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric, a commercial and residential plumbing and HVAC service provider, details the ongoing training the company provides for its HVAC and plumbing technicians and electricians. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric providers regular hands-on training for all of its service employees. Training covers the latest technological developments across plumbing, HVAC and electrical systems, in addition to advancements in tools and techniques. "Our employees undergo continuous training in accordance with Arizona state requirements for home service technicians," explains General Manager Ian Williams. He goes on to say, "Homeowners can rest assured knowing that all of our technicians are qualified to service the latest models of plumbing, HVAC and electrical systems. We wouldn't be the leading home service provider in Phoenix if we couldn't handle every job." Every new employee is required to complete a certain number of hours of training to ensure they're able to properly perform repairs and installations. In addition, employees are trained to follow company policies and procedures to ensure a high standard of quality and efficiency. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric CEO Jeremy Prevost commented, "We take pride in hiring and employing only the most qualified and experienced technicians to serve our valued customers." Each employee is also trained to clearly communicate, professionally respond to all customer inquiries and exceed customer expectations during every service call. "Ultimately," Prevost says, "we invest in our employees because we value their work and because we believe our customers deserve only the very best." To learn more about Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric, visit our website: http://www.TuckerHillAZ.com. About Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric: Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric is the industry leader in the Phoenix market for light commercial and residential HVAC, plumbing and electrical services. The company's licensed, bonded and insured technicians are available 24/7 and are highly trained, experienced and have passed a background check. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric specializes in residential and commercial maintenance, repairs and installation of all air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical systems. The company is committed to industry leading customer service and provides daily training for both technicians and office staff. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric is dedicated to serving seniors with honesty and professionalism. [March 15, 2021] Huntkey Upgrades Its GS Series PC Power Supply SHENZHEN, China, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntkey, a leading provider of power solutions, has recently upgraded and released its GS Series power supply units. Four models, including the GS500, GS550, GS600 and GS700, are optimized from the inside structure and packed with a new colorful paper box. The GS Series PSUs: https://en.huntkey.com/products/power-supply/pc-power-supplies/gs-series/ The GS Series power supply units were launched around three years ago, and now they are upgraded to better meet the players' gaming demands. They have been hot sellers in the southeast and middle Asia markets since their launch in 2017. They are equipped with choicest components to provide power outputs from 350 watts to 600 watts. Their main features are as follows. High Quality and Advanced Circuit Design: They are made with selected components to ensure quality. They are equipped with Active PFC, dual forward topology and double EMI filters to improve power efficiency, as well as increase the performance and stability of the users' PC system. 80 Plus Certified Enegy: They are 80 Plus certified, meaning recognition of high energy efficiency, which can exceed 85% at 50% load, and reach up to 82% at 20% and 100% load. Extremely Silent Fan: They are designed with a 120mm temperature control fan, which can operate more smoothly without friction and control the rotating speed intelligently. The fan operates extremely silent to offer a better user experience. Multiple Protections: Multiple protections include SCP, OPP, OVP, OCP and UVP to minimize the risk of damage from short circuit, over load, over voltage, under voltage and over current. For more information, please visit: https://en.huntkey.com/ About Huntkey Founded in 1995, Huntkey is a leading global provider of PC power supplies, power strips, surge protectors, laptop adapters, phone chargers, monitors and air purifiers. Huntkey is an Asia renowned brand, a member of The International Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA) and China Power Supply Society (CPSS). Including three total nearly 1,000,000 square meters industrial parks, Huntkey is one of the most famous brands and largest companies in mainland China. It is headquartered in Shenzhen, with branch companies in the US, Japan and Hong Kong, and with cooperating factories in Vietnam, Brazil, Argentina and India. In 2020, Huntkey introduces its latest photocatalyst air purifier - the desktop air purifier globally. The desktop air purifier is designed portable and can efficiently remove chemical vapors, odors, haze particles, and many more air pollutants. Check them out via: https://en.huntkey.com/products/air-purifiers/ View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huntkey-upgrades-its-gs-series-pc-power-supply-301247789.html SOURCE Huntkey [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Oman's Ministry of Heritage and Tourism have signed an agreement with Qurm Stone Development for developing a tourism project in Muscat at an investment of RO60 million ($155 million). To be set up over a 500,000-sq-m area in Muscat governorate, the Yenkit Hills tourism project is being implemented in three phases, reported Oman Observer. Phase One will see the development of a five-star resort with 90 rooms and suites complete with all facilities. Phase Two involves construction of 122 upscale residential/tourist units as well as a panoramic commercial complex to serve the area and the project. The final phase will see the construction of a five-star hotel with 150 room and suites in addition to 50 five-star hotel apartments complete with facilities. The project will highlight the tourism potentials of Yenkit area with its scenic views overlooking the Sea of Oman and Al Khairan area in Muscat Governorate, said the report. The work on the project will begin next year and is due to be completed in 2026, it added. New Delhi: Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin has been shooting for his digital series Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein in Madhya Pradesh and he is loving shooting in real locations, of course with all necessary precautions undertaken by the production. Tahir said, "Madhya Pradesh has been quite a revelation. Earlier this month, we were shooting in Omkareshwar which is an extremely picturesque temple town two hours from Indore. The centuries-old alleys and temples that line the banks of the crisp clear waters of the Narmada have uplifted the visual aesthetic of the world that the series Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein is set in." Tahir revealed that the crew is now in Bhopal and is shooting in real locations. He said, "This week weve moved our cavalcade of 200 crew members to Bhopal and I look forward to experiencing the capital as we shoot here over the next week." The versatile actor added, During the tail end of last year, most shoots were restricted to indoor studio setups. Being outdoors in this beautiful city of lakes with its rich architectural heritage lining the streets has been a delight and has brought the best out of me and the crew. I look forward to exploring the city sights as we shoot and on my days off. Tahir has been paired opposite Shweta Tripathi in this series. Tahir plays the role of a die-hard romantic person and is excited to be in a fresh pairing with the Mirzapur famed actress. Shweta Tripathi is a fabulous actor and an amazingly genuine person. Ive really enjoyed creating scenes with her so far. She brings a definite authenticity to every role she plays and its been fascinating working with that energy and adding to it. The part I play in this series is of a die-hard romantic, passionately committed to the girl in his life. What audiences can expect to see is cracking chemistry and a suspenseful story that keeps them on the edge. revealed Tahir. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks edged higher on Tuesday as investors digested a slew of earnings updates and looked ahead to a Federal Reserve policy meeting to see what the updated language and economic forecasts look like. The upside remained capped after White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci pointed to Europe as warning to Americans that letting up mitigation measures early could put the U.S. on a similar course. Germany's Paul-Ehrlich Institute said it has noted a 'conspicuous accumulation' of cases of a very rare cerebral vein thrombosis together with a lack of blood platelets known as thrombocytopenia and bleeding in temporal proximity to vaccinations with the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently evaluating data on the AstraZeneca vaccine and any link to blood clotting. A verdict is expected on Thursday. The pan European Stoxx 600 rose 0.4 percent to 424.89 after ending on a flat note the previous day. The German DAX and the U.K.'s FTSE gained around half a percent, while France's CAC 40 index was marginally higher. Zalando shares surged 4.2 percent. The online fashion retailer has upgraded its growth objectives after solid 2020 results. Automaker Volkswagen AG jumped 5.5 percent. The company expressed confidence that cost cuts will help it improve profit margins in the coming years. Utility RWE declined 1.6 percent. The company reported that its fiscal 2021 adjusted net income was 1.2 billion euros, above the outlook of 0.85 billion euros to 1.15 billion euros. Wacker Chemie slumped 6.2 percent. The chemicals company forecast mid-single-digit percentage sales growth in 2021. Nokia gained half a percent. The Finnish telecommunications company has unveiled plans to cut around 5000 to 10,000 jobs within a period of two years. Mining giant Antofagasta fell about 1 percent despite posting a 6 percent increase in net profit for 2020. Bakery chain Greggs surged 4.8 percent after raising its U.K. stores target to 3,000 from 2,500 previously. Plumbing group Ferguson added 1.6 percent after raising dividend and announcing a share buyback. Natwest Group shares dropped 1.7 percent as the Financial Conduct Authority launched criminal proceedings against the company for allegedly failing to comply with anti-money laundering laws. AstraZeneca rallied 3.4 percent. The chief scientist of the World Health Organization recommended that countries continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for now despite concerns about blood clots in some people who have received it. In economic releases, French consumer prices grew 0.6 percent annually in February, the same rate as seen in January, final data from the statistical office Insee showed. This was bigger than the 0.4 percent estimated on February 26. Month-on-month, consumer prices remained stable after a 0.2 percent rise in January. The monthly rate was revised from -0.1 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de 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. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Ms. Blow, a seasoned leader in both the public and private sector, will lead Skoll's program, grants, investments, and financial management, including its operations, endowment, and portfolio partnerships. In this newly created role, she will be focused on shaping the Foundation's strategy and deepening its impact. "We couldn't be more excited to have Marla as our new President and COO as we embark on the next chapter at the Foundation,'' said Don Gips, CEO of the Skoll Foundation. "We are inspired by her entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to impact, and strong track record of leadership. Her strategic vision and experience will help fuel our learning and innovation and enable us to seize new opportunities to amplify our impact and catalyze meaningful, lasting social change." "I am honored to join Skoll at this pivotal time nationally and globally," said Ms. Blow. "Philanthropyalongside communities, social entrepreneurs and multi-sector partnershas a pivotal role to play in advancing a world that is more just and equitable. I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead at an organization that helps to accelerate positive change and tackles the world's most pressing problems." Marla brings deep experience in economic inclusion after years as a corporate executive, a Federal regulator, an entrepreneur, and an angel investor. Throughout her career, she has been unwavering in her commitment to being a purpose-driven leader in both the private and public sectors. At the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the company's philanthropic hub, Ms. Blow helped to advance the Center's priorities in North America to promote financial security, foster a more inclusive economy, and support worker mobility. Most recently, Marla led efforts to address the racial wealth and opportunity gaps through programmatic work and impact investments in support of Black communities. She is the Board Chair at LIFT-DC, an organization that helps low-income parents with young children achieve economic mobility and serves on the Board of Square Financial Services. Prior to joining Mastercard in 2019, Marla was founder and CEO of FS Card Inc., a DC-based credit card venture designed to make traditional credit available to underserved consumers. She was also a Partner in Fenway Summer LLC, a consumer finance investment and venture capital firm that incubated FS Card. "Marla's commitment to driving systems change ensures that Skoll will continue to operate at the leading edge of philanthropic innovation," continued Mr. Gips. "She is the right leader to add to our team at this important moment as we work to advance social equity and economic inclusion alongside our longstanding commitment to addressing entrenched challenges around the world. The entire leadership team and I look forward to working with her to enhance our impact." Ms. Blow has been widely recognized as a leading executive in the finance industry. For her work as an entrepreneur, she won the EY Mid-Atlantic Emerging Company Entrepreneur of the Year Award. As part of the implementation team that built the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Marla served as the Assistant Director for Card and Payment Markets. She is a Henry Crown Fellow as part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Other accolades include the #3 spot on the list of most important women in FinTech in the US and being named one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business. Ms. Blow holds a BS from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and an MBA from Stanford University. About the Skoll Foundation The Skoll Foundation, founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Jeff Skoll in 1999, works to build a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all. It invests, connects, and celebrates social entrepreneurs and other innovators working to solve the world's most pressing problems, ranging from addressing the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthening global health systems, inclusive economies, effective governance, racial justice, and climate action. The 2021 Skoll World Forum will take place online April 13-15 and is free and open to everyone, with advance registration available here. SOURCE The Skoll Foundation Related Links https://skoll.org Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of special interest in earthquake research. The range of possible earthquake magnitudes and specifically the processes driving giant earthquakes - i.e. earthquakes with a moment magnitude (Mw) of nine or more - and how often they occur, however, is not fully understood. To gain an improved perspective of earthquake maximum magnitude and recurrence, researchers need to look back into the geological record. This is the aim of the upcoming International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 386 "Japan Trench Paleoseismology", involving a team of scientists who will leave the port of Yokusuka onboard the research vessel Kaimei on 13th April 2021. The Pacific Ring of Fire is a 40,000-kilometer long belt around the Pacific Ocean. The majority of the planet's earthquakes occur along this ring. It is here that oceanic plates bend and move below overriding plates, while accumulating long-term global plate tectonic strain. This energy is released cataclysmically during so-called subduction zone or megathrust earthquakes. These high impact earthquakes and associated tsunamis - for example the Sumatra Earthquake (2004) and the Tohoku-oki Earthquake (2011) - are major geological events with a high impact on society and infrastructure and represent the greatest hazard for coastal societies in the Pacific region. Giant earthquakes such as these are likely to happen again, but instrumental and historic records of these events are currently insufficient to adequately assess seismic and tsunami hazards in areas located close to subduction plate boundaries. Strong offshore earthquakes affect marine sediments and leave records of their occurrence in the sub-seafloor. IODP Expedition 386 "Japan Trench Paleoseismology" will retrieve these records from up to 8 km below the ocean surface in isolated, poorly connected hadal trench basins. These basins are formed by the downward bending of the old oceanic Pacific plate along the Japan Trench subduction zone margin, and are ideal locations for recording past seismic activity. "These ultra-deep water basins are among the deepest and least-explored environments on Earth, but they comprise the terminal sink of earthquake-triggered sediment remobilization, thus providing excellent and continuous archives of past earthquake occurrences," says Co-chief Scientist Michael Strasser (University of Innsbruck, Austria). "It's as if the sedimentary archive were an ultra-deep-water seismograph that has been recording major earthquake events over time periods extending several tens of thousands of years into the past. The most recent giant 2011 Tohoku-oki Earthquake and older megathrust earthquakes documented in Japanese written history allow us to calibrate this "natural seismograph" to unravel this sedimentary deep-time archive of past earthquakes". To retrieve the information from the sediment, IODP will use a Giant Piston Corer that will be deployed from the R/V Kaimei during this expedition. The aim is to recover sediment records spanning 50,000 - 100,000 years back in time by collecting cores at numerous locations along the whole length of the trench (36 to 41 N). "This will allow us to study the temporal and spatial distribution of past earthquake occurrences along the entire Japan Trench Subduction zone, including different earthquake rupture segments that may or may not have ruptured in one giant or several great earthquakes, respectively," says Co-chief Scientist Ken Ikehara (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan). "This will deliver unprecedented long-term observational data to constrain earthquake recurrence patterns - such as cyclic vs clustered vs random events - for reliable hazard assessment and help us to understand why some megathrust rupture propagate to produce giant earthquakes, while others do not." ### Thirty five scientists with expertise in different geoscience disciplines from Austria, Australia, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Sweden, UK, and the United States will participate in IODP Expedition 386. Four of them will sail onboard R/V Kaimei, alongside the ship's crew and technical team from Japan. After the offshore phase this Spring, the whole international science team will meet for the first time in the Fall onboard the drilling vessel Chikyu. The D/V Chikyu's laboratory infrastructure will be utilized for intensive investigation and sampling of the cores onshore while the ship is in port. This will involve splitting, describing, analyzing, and sampling the cores, and combining the resulting data with that collected during the offshore phase to compile a comprehensive expedition scientific report. The curated cores and samples will then be a focus for further state-of-the-art analyses by the wider international science community for many years to come. More Information About the expedition - https:/ / www. ecord. org/ expedition386/ About the research program - http://www. iodp. org About the European part of the program - http://www. ecord. org About the Japanese part of the program - http://www. j-desc. org/ Google News Initiative (GNI) has revealed the 11 projects that will receive funding to provide accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines. The goal is to reach people who are underserved by other fact-checking projects and to combat the spread of misinformation. GNI announced the $3 million open fund in January and said it would cover up to 80 percent of project costs. Within three weeks, it received more than 300 applications from 74 countries. GNI selected the recipients for their focus on reaching underrepresented audiences, novel approaches to fact checks and plans to measure how impactful those outreach strategies are. The fund will support a project in the US between Univision and Factcheck.org. Theyll produce bilingual videos to clear up misconceptions about vaccines and aim to reach the majority of Hispanic households. Africa Check and Theatre for a Change are working on interactive radio dramas to deliver fact checks in Senegal and Nigeria. Agencia Lupa will offer accurate information to community radio stations in Brazil in areas where news may otherwise be hard to come by. It's working with digital influencers to promote media literacy too. Aleteia, I.Media and Verificat.cat are building a database of fact checks for Catholic news organizations in seven languages. Chequeado, through the collaborative Latam Chequea project, aims to reach seniors, young adults and indigenous populations in Latin America with accurate vaccine information in a number of formats. A digital publication in the Mexican state of Tlaxcala will use loudspeakers and other methods to reach Nahuatl speakers. The Quint aims to harness a grassroots network of women in rural areas to combat local misinformation. In Uruguay, la diaria is working with trap performer Pekeno 77 and screenwriter Pedro Saborido to broaden its fact-checking reach. Other projects are focused on providing information to wet markets in Indonesia (Katadata), Spaniards with disabilities (Servimedia and Maldita.es) and people in New Zealand (Stuff, Maori Television and the Pacific Media Network). Bango (AIM: BGO), the data-driven commerce company, today announces its Final Results for the year ended 31 December 2020. Summary Revenue and profit ahead of expectations and demonstrating strong growth. New payment deals won in 2020 provide confidence for 2021 outlook. Bango Marketplace adoption accelerating, enabling app developers to find paying users that drive more payment volume the Bango virtuous circle. Bango was certified as carbon neutral in 2020 with an ongoing commitment for continuous improvement. FY2020 Financial Highlights Revenue grew by 70% to 12.2M (2019: 7.2M). End User Spend (EUS) increased to 1.9B, the sixth consecutive year of strong growth (2019: 1.1B). Adjusted EBITDA grew by 16x to 4.6M (2019: 0.3M). Cash at 31 December 2020 was 5.8M (31 December 2019: 2.7M). Net Profit was 4.7M (2019: loss 2.3M), including 3.9M profit from the creation of the JV with NHN. Net Profit from continuing operations was 0.7M (2019: loss 2.2M) comprising: 1.27M profit from the Bango Platform 0.53M loss from the 40% share of the NewDeep JV 2020 Operational Highlights Amazon.co.jp payment methods extended to SoftBank customers in June 2020. Three-year platform deal signed with a major telecoms provider for third party service bundling. Agreement with Microsoft to bring cloud gaming services to Telcos worldwide, starting with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox All Access which extends subscriptions to hardware bundling. BT Group launched BritBox and Amazon subscriptions using the Bango Platform. Video streaming subscription services OnDemand Media (Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese content), EpicOn and DocuBay joined the Bango circle. Subscription bundling extended beyond telecoms to two of the largest US brick-and-mortar retailers. 10x growth in app developers engaged with Bango Marketplace and 20x more Bango Audiences used to target their marketing campaigns. Channel partner program launched with 12 partners for Bango Marketplace providing increased availability of Bango Audiences to app developers. Paul Larbey, Chief Executive Officer of Bango, commented: "70% revenue growth and 16x EBITDA growth are the financial indicators of the strong year Bango delivered in 2020, resulting in a net profit of 4.7M. Our payment revenue continues to diversify as we enter new verticals and expand our addressable market. The new merchants and payment providers that joined the Bango circle in 2020 underpin our growth trajectory. Bango Marketplace is increasingly used by the leading app developers to reach paying users. With new subscription plans, channel partners and audience segments the data monetization business is set to contribute meaningfully to Bango's growth. With the combination of the achievements in 2020 and a strengthened leadership team, we look to the future with increasing confidence." The full Bango FY2020 results announcement can be downloaded here and a video presenting these results can be viewed at https://bango.com/fy2020-results-video/. ENDS About Bango App developers, stores and payment providers cross the threshold into the Bango ecosystem to converge, grow and thrive. By bringing businesses together and powering e-commerce with unique data-driven insights, Bango delivers new business opportunities and new dimensions of growth for customers around the world. Being inside the Bango circle means global merchants including Amazon, Google and Microsoft can work together with payment partners from Africa to the Americas, accelerating the performance of everyone on the inside. Bango. Think inside the circle. For more information, visit www.bango.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005467/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Anil Malhotra, CMO anil@bango.com Tel: +44 7710 480 377 Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. INDIANAPOLIS, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced today that mirikizumab met the primary and all key secondary endpoints in LUCENT-1, a 12-week Phase 3 induction study evaluating the efficacy and safety of mirikizumab for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC). LUCENT-2, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled maintenance study of mirikizumab in patients who have completed the 12-week LUCENT-1 induction study is ongoing. UC is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine, also referred to as the colon, that affects the lining of the colon and may cause small sores, or ulcers, to form.i This inflammation can cause abdominal pain, frequent and urgent trips to the bathroom, bloody stools and incontinence.1 UC can cause significant and debilitating disruptions in daily life. Millions of people live with UC globally.2 "There is a continued need for additional treatments that can provide people living with ulcerative colitis relief from their most challenging symptoms," said William J. Sandborn, MD, Professor of Medicine, and Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego. "Results of this study provide further clinical evidence of the potential for mirikizumab to become the first anti-IL-23p19 biologic for the treatment of ulcerative colitis." In LUCENT-1, mirikizumab met the primary endpoint of clinical remission at Week 12 compared to placebo (p<0.0001). Clinical remission is met when inflammation of the colon is controlled or resolved, leading to normalization or near-normalization of symptoms such as stool frequency and bleeding. Mirikizumab also achieved all key secondary endpoints compared to placebo at Week 12 in patients with UC with highly statistically significant p-values, including reduced bowel urgency, clinical response, endoscopic remission, symptomatic remission and improvement in endoscopic histologic inflammation. In addition, mirikizumab demonstrated rapid improvement in patient symptoms as early as four weeks after initiating treatment. Mirikizumab also reduced symptoms among patients who had previously not responded to or stopped responding to biologic and/or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor therapies. In the 12-week placebo-controlled induction study of LUCENT-1, the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs among patients treated with mirikizumab was consistent with that of the previous Phase 2 mirikizumab study in UC and studies with the anti-IL-23p19 antibody class. The most common AEs included nasopharyngitis, anemia and headache for both placebo and mirikizumab-treated patients. "People living with UC often struggle to effectively manage recurring flare ups of the disease," said Lotus Mallbris, M.D., Ph.D., vice president of immunology development at Lilly. "With these positive results, we look forward to the continuation of the maintenance study through 52 weeks in hopes of providing a new option to people living with UC." The full LUCENT study results, including data from LUCENT-2 and LUCENT-3, will be disclosed at a future congress or publication. "Ulcerative colitis can be debilitating and unpredictable for the hundreds of thousands of people living with this chronic disease," said Dr. Caren Heller, Chief Scientific Officer for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. "We're encouraged by these promising results for a potential new treatment that may help provide symptom relief and remission." About Mirikizumab Mirikizumab is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds to the p19 subunit of interleukin 23. Mirikizumab is being studied for the treatment of immune diseases, including psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. About the LUCENT Clinical Trial Program The LUCENT Phase 3 clinical development program for mirikizumab includes LUCENT-1, LUCENT-2 and LUCENT-3. LUCENT-1 (NCT03518086) is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 induction study of mirikizumab in patients with moderate to severe UC who had failed conventional and/or biologic treatments. LUCENT-2 (NCT03524092) is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled maintenance study of mirikizumab in patients who have completed the 12-week LUCENT-1 induction study. LUCENT-3 (NCT03519945) is an open label extension study for eligible patients who have participated in mirikizumab UC trials. The program began in 2018, with full results from the induction and maintenance studies anticipated in early 2022. About Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the colon.1 UC occurs when the immune system sends white blood cells into the lining of the intestines, where they produce chronic inflammation and ulcerations.3 There is an unmet need for additional treatment options for UC that provide meaningful symptom relief, including bowel urgency, and deliver sustained clinical remission. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at lilly.com and lilly.com/newsroom. P-LLY This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about mirikizumab as a potential treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis and other diseases and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. As with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of drug research, development, and commercialization. Among other things, there can be no guarantee that future study results will be consistent with study results to date, that mirikizumab will prove to be a safe and effective treatment or that mirikizumab will receive regulatory approvals or be commercially successful. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. 1 Overview of Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Website. https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-ulcerative-colitis/overview. Accessed February 2021. 2 Adelphi Data 2017. 3 What is Ulcerative Colitis? Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Website. http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-ulcerative-colitis/. Accessed February 2021. SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company Related Links http://www.lilly.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. 'John Doe' took a last drag from his cigarette, stubbed the butt into a tray and stepped from the terrace to the laptop on his desk. It was a balmy summer's evening in August 2017 and he had spent months thinking about his job at the Department of Agriculture and the right thing to do about some very inconvenient truths. Now he was doing it: "Dear Minister, pursuant to the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, I wish to make the following Protected Disclosures..." For four months he heard nothing, then he got a call from a Department official who had been assigned to investigate. A month later they met for the first time. Two years after that - a Friday afternoon in February 2020 - they met again. How are you, he said. Good to see you, she said. How's it going, he said. Expand Close Enda Kenny and Simon Coveney. Photo: Frank McGrath / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Enda Kenny and Simon Coveney. Photo: Frank McGrath Not too bad, she said. And for five minutes they continued to exchange pleasantries until the humming and hawing started. That's when he knew. "So look," she said. Expand Close Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street. Photo: Gerry Mooney "So look'" is never good. "I just wanted an opportunity to have a chat with you again, to let you know what I've been looking at, and where I would think, hopefully we can progress." "Hopefully" wasn't promising. "So, I have reviewed a substantial amount of material related to the things that you have brought to my attention." She was dragging it out. "I know that you probably would have seen a good bit of that material as well. Umm, I've had the benefit, I suppose, of having seen the material unredacted." What had she seen? "Umm Now, from what I have looked at so far, I haven't been I haven't seen any evidence of wrongdoing." How hard had she looked? "Umm, but the question is," she said, "where do we go from here?" The Department of Agriculture and Food said it expected to close its files on the 165,000 Cooley peninsula ewe premium fraud uncovered during the foot-and-mouth crisis by the end of the month. However, no prosecutions have been taken yet against about 20 farmers who had submitted false claims for 2,000 ewes which were found to be bogus when the peninsula's flocks had to be slaughtered in late March last year. The fraud came to light when a movement ban was imposed on the area to prevent the spread of the disease following the outbreak in Proleek on the Louth-Armagh border and all the animals on the 275 farms in the area were slaughtered. The sheep farmers in the Cooley area had submitted claims for 37,165 ewes that year but when the slaughter took place, only 30,540 ewes could be located. Sean MacConnell, The Irish Times, August 17, 2002 Whistleblower legislation, introduced in 2014, protects people who raise concerns about wrongdoing in their workplace. Because he does not want his identity known to the wider public, he is 'John Doe', or JD, in this article. He was born and raised on a farm, spent four years in Dublin completing a degree in veterinary medicine and began his career at the Department of Agriculture in 1999 as a veterinary inspector (VI) in Louth. That's where he learned to swear. In the Wee County there were big problems: sheep and cattle being shuffled across the Border from North to south and south to North; farmers scamming payments for herds that didn't exist; vets doctoring paperwork and inventing prescriptions; pharmacists dealing in antibiotics and angel dust. He remembers an early case - a compensation claim for a herd of cattle infected with brucellosis on a farm outside Dundalk. He escorted the herd to an abattoir, supervised the slaughter, and returned to his office in Drogheda to examine the ID tags. The case stank. There had been no brucellosis in the county for years. Why now? He sent the tags to the Garda forensic laboratory and when the results came back his suspicions were confirmed - the farmer had cattle on both sides of the Border and had shuffled the herd from the North and switched the tags. Catching the cowboys was one thing, bringing them to justice was another. First you put a file together, collecting statements and maintaining a chain of evidence; then you identified the appropriate charges. The file was sent to the Chief State Solicitor and passed to the local State Solicitor, who engaged a barrister. If the barrister was happy, he'd draft the summonses and send them back for checking. Then they'd go back to the State Solicitor to be issued by the local court before being sent to the gardai for serving. But even that was rarely simple. The brucellosis scammer, for example, was resident in the North and a clause in the Good Friday Agreement was invoked so the summons could be served by the RUC. But these people rarely came quietly. "Get the f**k out of my yard!" was a standard greeting. He was thumped, spat at, rammed, and had a gun pointed at him. It took courage to take them on, and a firmness often misinterpreted as rudeness or abrasiveness when he sought information. As an authorised officer he was entitled to information. His job was the law. The law was black and white. But people didn't always appreciate that. It's not a job for everyone but it got him the attention of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) where his new boss was a kindred spirit called Pat Brangan. He spent his first months with the unit in Naas, was redeployed to Dundalk for the foot-and-mouth crisis and spent two years in Mullingar on a joint operation with the gardai. A farmer in Mayo was defrauding the State of thousands in beef premia; a dealer from Louth was smuggling cattle and pumping them with hormones and steroids; a farmer in Meath was scamming tags and had a hundred cattle on his land with incorrect identities. All were successfully prosecuted. And it was this that set him apart. It was a running joke at the unit that 'John Doe' should have been a barrister. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the systems and the legislation and would spend hours sometimes with a file on his lap and his feet on his desk, running the angles through his forensic brain: 'What's missing here?' 'Why is it missing?' And for those first 12 years he loved it. Because it mattered. The medications stocked by the pharmacies mattered. The signatures on the prescriptions mattered. The raids on the farmers and the dealers mattered. The SIU mattered. What they uncovered mattered. He recalls a judge's summation once before jailing a farmer for tampering with tags. "This type of offence is terribly serious," he said, "endangering the health of the nation, the confidence of the consumer, the integrity of the export system and the capacity to deal with outbreaks of disease." This was the truth of it. To change the identity of an animal was to change everything about it - disease history, movement history, medications history. And it was a truth heavily endorsed by the suits in Leinster House and the marketing men at Bord Bia and the Irish Farmers Association. Farm to fork, they said. Taste the island, they said. Not all food is the same, they said. The Quality mark ensures your food has been verified at every stage, they said. Your food is our passion, they said. Buy Irish, they said. It means you can enjoy it even more because you can trust it, they said. It makes him laugh. If you're tired of driving to multiple outlets for food, toys, supplements and veterinary services with an eager dog or wary cat in the back of your car then look no further because here at Animal Farmacy we offer a unique service provided by the combined passion, experience, knowledge and expertise of pharmacists Joseph Haire and Clare Hughes along with head of operations, Trish McOwan, and veterinary technical adviser Rachael Hampton. Based in The Hub, Cillin Hill, on the outskirts of Kilkenny City, we act as a one-stop-shop that caters for your animal needs including livestock, equestrian and pets. Through the Kissane Pharmacy chain we sell animal health products and we are fully regulated and compliant with an in-store vet who is available, on call, 24 hours a day. As well as providing animal care products at exceptionally competitive prices, we also offer expertise in herd health management. Ad for Animal Farmacy in 2012 [Note: this company has no connection to Animalfarmacy.ie, an online retail business based in Co Meath.] Animal Farmacy Ltd was a licensed merchant and veterinary practice. It was not a licensed pharmacy but two of the owners were pharmacists, and it was connected to a pharmacy in Thomastown. That wasn't unlawful but it wasn't conventional and raised some potentially messy issues. The issues were first highlighted in a letter from the Department of Agriculture following a routine inspection in April 2011. The company was reminded that while it was fine for the retail store and veterinary practice to share the same premises, the businesses had to be separate entities, with separate stock and separate records and a separate door. Injectable antibiotics, for example, destined for use in the veterinary practice, had to be ordered by the vet working there; the retail store could not order any product on behalf of the veterinary practice and all animal remedies supplied to the veterinary practice from wholesalers had to be addressed on the invoice to the veterinary practice. Eight months later, when the Department visited again, there were further discrepancies: two prescription-only medicines (POMs) were found in the store; the door between the store and the practice was closed but not locked and there were concerns about the transfer of POMs between the practice and the pharmacy in Thomastown. Then it did get messy. It started when Rachael Hampton, the vet employed by Animal Farmacy, was invited to meet with Department officials at their regional office in Waterford. She was heavily pregnant at the time but happy to attend, until her employers insisted she couldn't go alone and would have to be accompanied by one of the partners. Then Animal Farmacy sent a letter to the Department from their solicitors. That's when JD got the call. "Go and take a look," Brangan said. Department inspections are always double-handed and his assistant on the morning of February 22, 2012, was a bright veterinary inspector from the regional office who had visited the premises before. They liaised with Trish McOwan and began with a brief tour, checking the product on the shelves. There was a fridge in a storage area at the back with a container of Bovidec, a vaccine used on cattle for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). It's a classified drug - 'prescription-only medicine exempt' - and its sale or supply is restricted to veterinary practitioners or pharmacies. But that's not where they found it. "This shouldn't be here," JD said. McOwan tried to explain that customers didn't have access to that part of the store and that the container was clearly marked 'overflow from vet fridge'. JD removed the container from the fridge and suggested they go next door and ask the vet. Hampton was on maternity leave and had been replaced by a locum, Anja Norman. The locum said she knew nothing about the Bovidec and started shaking her head when McOwan tried to explain it. JD ordered the manager to leave, then took a statement from Norman. "I am a registered veterinary surgeon [JD] has shown me nine boxes of Bovidec ARA 383482 to ARA 383490 inclusive. These do not belong to the veterinary practice. I accept that [JD] found the above Bovidec in the fridge in the Licensed Merchant part of Animal Farmacy Ltd. I did not know it was there. I did not write 'Overflow from Vet Fridge' or 'Overflow from Vet' on the box. If I had put it there, I would have been aware of it and there would have been a reason." Rachael Hampton wasn't aware of it either. She took a call from Norman, drove to the store with her husband in the afternoon, and told JD she was unhappy with some of the practices there, had felt pressured at times to sign prescriptions, and intended to resign after her maternity leave. That the locum had already quit (after giving her statement) created a problem for Animal Farmacy: with no vet present to accept responsibility for the restricted medicines, they would have to be seized. The inspectors began an inventory and started packing and an arrangement was made to return the drugs to a supplier. They had uncovered evidence of other possible breaches: the supply of a prescription-only medicine in the absence of a valid veterinary prescription; the mail order of a prescription-only medicine without a licence; and evidence of wholesaling between the retail store and the veterinary practice, and between the veterinary practice and an associated pharmacy. It was late when Animal Farmacy's director and shareholder arrived. JD doesn't recall Joe Haire saying much, but Clare Hughes was confrontational: What was going on? Why weren't they given time to recruit another vet? Where was the Bovidec? Were they aware she was a QP (qualified person)? Did they know what that was? He found out later she was recording them. It was after 7pm when JD eventually clocked out. Cillin Hill was dark and deserted. He was sure he had parked behind a footpath and didn't notice the SUV in his wing mirror as he reversed. It was nothing much. A minor tip. He examined both cars but couldn't see any damage - a small crack in the bumper was later revealed - then went back into the store to ascertain and alert the owner of the car. It was Clare Hughes. It was good speaking to you yesterday Mr Reddy and apologies for missing your call An Taoiseach. However I would like to thank you for returning my call; to be honest it gives us great faith in the system to get political support and feedback following the events of the last few weeks and the highly questionable behaviour of the Department of Agriculture. The shareholders of Animal Farmacy are very aggrieved by the Department of Agriculture and particularly the Special Investigations Unit's (SIU) inappropriate response and actions to what appears to be concerns of the company structure rather than compliance, that could and should have been handled via arbitration and mediation rather than harassment, false accusation and intimidation of us and our customer base the farmer. Email from Clare Hughes to Nick Reddy (private secretary to Enda Kenny) sent on March 16, 2012 If 20 years in the SIU teaches you anything, it's that there's one thing to be said for people who come running at you with a pitchfork screaming, "I'll burst your f***ing face" - you know exactly where you stand. That was the thing about the weeks and months that followed - he had no idea what was coming at him. It started a week after the inspection when solicitors acting for Animal Farmacy lodged a plenary summons with the High Court seeking, among other things, the return of all goods and medicines seized, as well as aggravated and exemplary damages. He took a call from 'Ag House', sent a report and thought no more of it - they'd dealt with plenty over the years from disgruntled traders and farmers. So it was business as usual - well, almost. Pat Brangan had retired after a long and distinguished career and been replaced by Brian Flaherty. The investigation continued. He collated a mountain of paperwork from Animal Farmacy and spent weeks cross-checking invoices and taking statements from clients. Then he was told to stop. He remembers the moment vividly - a call from Flaherty as he was driving towards Gowran on a Friday afternoon. A complaint had been made. Flaherty had never seen the like of it. Seven or eight pages, he said. A meeting had taken place at a very senior level, he said. Don't do anything further with regard to the investigation, he said. The sweating started a week earlier (March 16), with a letter from David King (Assistant Private Secretary to the Taoiseach) to Tom Moran (Secretary General at the Department of Agriculture): "I refer to Nick Reddy's telephone call to you on 15th March, 2012 regarding Animal Farmacy Ltd. I have attached the correspondence that was given to the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach has asked if you could look into this matter and revert to him." Then Joe Haire raised the temperature with a letter to Richard Bruton (Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation): "I have no doubt that these inspections are motivated by market interference rather than any real concerns with regulatory compliance. You would have to wonder at the behaviour of these government officials, the harassment and bullying of the staff and customers of a legitimate business. "It certainly has little to do with the pursuit of excellence in public office." Then Clare Hughes followed up with an email to the Taoiseach: "I hope you returned safe and sound from your trip to the US, congratulations, all reports seemed to indicate a very successful mission. Please see a copy of a letter sent to Minister Bruton this morning (cc Minister Coveney) which details our concerns, grievances and our belief to be the true remit of the SIU." Then Moran sent a memo to his deputy, Philip Carroll: "I sent you papers in relation to the above sent to me by the Taoiseach's office. Before any examination of the methodology and the issues raised in relation to the investigation of this company as described by the company, could you please find out from Martin Blake (Chief Veterinary Officer) and from the Division the basis for the investigations in the first place. When this has been established, I would like to discuss the steps we should take." Then JD got the order to stop. Three days later (March 26) solicitors acting for Hughes sent a letter to Agriculture House: "Please find enclosed a copy of a letter which we have sent to [JD] arising from a traumatic incident which occurred on 22nd February 2012 at Cillin Hill. In the course of an investigation our client's car was damaged by [JD]. He denied damage at the time and was abusive and intimidating towards our client. "Arising from the incident, our client suffered great stress and trauma and is still upset from it. Whilst our client has no difficulty with any reasonable investigation into her business and affairs, she takes grave exception to the bullying, harassment and intimidation which she suffered from [JD] on that occasion and we have no doubt but that the conduct of [JD] was excessive and traumatic for Ms Hughes. "You might note that it is our client's intention to pursue [JD] and the Department of Agriculture for personal injury, loss and damage which she sustained and we invite you to admit responsibility and agree to compensate our client, in default of which, an application will be made to the Injuries Board on behalf of our client." Then things started to boil. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has confirmed in writing to a company (details supplied) in County Kilkenny the reasons the special investigation unit is carrying out an investigation into the company; if the company has been informed as to the reason the customers of this business have been contacted directly by the SIU; if he will confirm if any breach of regulation or law was notified to the company prior to inspection; if he will accept responsibility for the damage caused to a vehicle owned by the company; if every effort will be made by him to complete the investigation efficiently and in co-operation with the company in order to protect the five jobs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Parliamentary Question 495, March 27, 2012 A day after McGuinness posted PQ495, JD was sent a copy of the complaint. Or at least part of it. It comprised a cover letter from Trish McOwan; a two-page 'overview'; a page with details and dates; and three pages on the inspection from the SIU that ended mid-sentence. He took a green pen from his desk and went through it line-by-line making notes in the margins 'not true'... 'not correct'... 'absolutely wrong'... Then he sent a 10-page report to Ag House: "The complaints represent a significant misrepresentation of facts and events," he wrote. "These complaints coincide with a Plenary Summons and threats of legal actions for damages/personal injuries etc as well as a Parliamentary Question. There is compelling evidence that this company has breached the Regulations "It is to be noted that, despite all the allegations of threatening behaviour by Clare Hughes and Trish McOwan that they did not call the gardai. It is also to be noted that Clare Hughes is threatening to claim damages including for 'Personal Injury' despite not being in the vehicle. The company has confirmed that it has surreptitiously recorded the inspectors; if such a recording exists they should be asked to produce it." Animal Farmacy wasn't backing down. A week after Simon Coveney's response to McGuinness ("I am constrained from commenting in any detail about this matter because an investigation by my Department is ongoing') Joe Haire, sent an email to Leinster House: "Dear Minister Coveney, I must take issue with your answer to PQ495 last week To my knowledge at least some of the elements of this so-called investigation has been brought to your attention so I am shocked to read 'that any investigations carried out by my Department are subject to the investigating powers set out in the relevant legislation'. "There is no possible way that the nature and ferocity of this 'investigation' is provided for in the relevant legislation. The legislation does not permit officials to presume guilt, to defame, to intimidate, to harass and to bully in particular our thoroughly professional female veterinary surgeon (in late pregnancy), our female practice manager and female customers. "Equally as important (bold) the legislation does not provide for price regulation or price protection by veterinary officials of your Department. "We know, our suppliers know, the IFA know, our customers know, our elected representatives know and the dogs in the street know that these (bold) local veterinary officials of your Department are attempting to shut down our business to offer favour to friends and professional colleagues who are in direct competition with our business." JD's rebuttal was also being assessed and part of a file sent up the line to Randall Plunkett, head of legal services at Agriculture House. The lawyer opined that Animal Farmacy and its directors "may have serious questions to answer" and advised that the investigation proceed and be finalised as soon as possible. "The issues here are currently caught in a thick blanket of political fog," he wrote. "By getting the case into court we will quickly move to a more rational consideration of the issues, where the law will be considered and applied without political pressure." But the law was not considered. The investigation remained on hold as the Department awaited the delivery of another report, which JD was told was in line with best practice. Pat Meskell, a senior superintendent veterinary inspector, began his appraisal with a trip to Animal Farmacy. There was a favourable response to this visit. An email to Simon Coveney on April 11, 2012 co-signed by Joe Haire, Clare Hughes and Trish McOwan, read: "We acknowledge the appointment of Pat Meskell to review the behaviour of his Department colleagues in their many contacts with our business. We have found him to be fair and impartial to date." But when the report was delivered, these were the key findings: "Animal Farmacy was not targeted for inspection because of pressure from competitors. The investigating officers had obtained evidence that indicated that animal remedies regulations were not being observed." "Signed statements from both veterinary employees confirm that there was interference by Animal Farmacy management in their role as veterinary surgeons, that they had been pressured to act unethically and, in at least two instances, illegally (this refers to a VS being asked to sign a script for an animal remedy that had been dispensed up to two days previously). One VS complained that she had been pressurised to make a diagnosis and to prescribe remedies over the telephone for animals that she had not seen." "There have been in total four audits/inspections/investigations of AF not 13 as claimed by Animal Farmacy during my meeting with them." "Both VS stated that they were unhappy with their roles in Animal Farmacy. This was mainly because of requests and demands being made of them that they considered unethical." "There is some evidence that Animal Farmacy employees may have felt aggrieved as a result of being questioned by the (Department) officers. One VS did say that [JD's] initial approach was intimidating but went on to say that her subsequent dealings with him were satisfactory and proper, and that her signed and witness statement still stands." "The visits to clients were all related to findings at the previous inspections of Animal Farmacy. These were standard follow-up visits and cannot be considered to be targeted harassment." "There is no evidence that any of the (Department) staff were acting on behalf of any competitors of Animal Farmacy." It was a vindication for the investigators, a validation for the Department, and should have been a green light for the investigation to resume. But the report did not recommend the legal route as the only way forward. There was another option. The Department could suspend proceedings with regard to prosecution provided Animal Farmacy "gave a commitment to comply with the regulations, and to co-operate fully with all audits and inspections". It was also proposed - "in order to allow a new relationship to develop" -that these future inspections could be conducted by officers other than those previously involved. But what message would that send to the officers who had been involved? Having had an opportunity to read Meskell's report, JD sent an email to his boss: "I await your direction as to whether or not I am to resume the investigation with a view to submitting a file to the State Solicitor. In relation to this company's apparent threat to litigate, I am satisfied that they have no basis. It is simple scaremongering. Had they a legal basis, they would have followed through on their plenary summons." But the "thick blanket of political fog" wasn't lifting any time soon. An email from the Office of the Taoiseach to Tom Moran (Secretary General Dept of Agriculture) on August 5, 2012: "The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny TD, has asked me to refer to a representation that he received on behalf of (Animal Farmacy Ltd). The correspondence was sent to your Department on March 16, 2012. I would be grateful for your advice as a matter of urgency as to the current position in this regard." A month after that An email from the Secretary General's office to the Chief Veterinary Officer, Martin Blake: "The Secretary is anxious to bring the (Animal Farmacy) case to conclusion. He has asked if you would update him on the current position on your return. We will need a draft letter from the SG to the Taoiseach with a draft reply from the Taoiseach to (Animal Farmacy). We had another reminder from [the] Taoiseach's office this week. Also replies to representations to the Minister will have to be prepared." A week later An email from the Office of the Taoiseach to the Secretary General: "I refer to previous correspondence on behalf of (Animal Farmacy Ltd - copy attached) and would appreciate if you could provide a draft reply for the Taoiseach's signature as soon as possible." A month after that, on October 22, 2012 An email from the Office of the Taoiseach to the Secretary General: "I refer to previous correspondence on behalf of (Animal Farmacy Ltd - copy attached). The Taoiseach wishes to reply in this matter immediately. Perhaps, therefore, you would provide a draft reply for the Taoiseach's signature as a matter of urgency." The investigation remained on hold. The frustration of the investigators grew. "Does [JD] not realise that all powers that he has should be used for criminal issues and not for minor offences?" Statement attributed to John Bryan, president of the IFA, in the Meskell report. It also quotes him as saying that the Animal Farmacy practice was "fully compliant" and that the investigation was "over the top". Minor offences can have major consequences when it comes to the business of food. In November, as the correspondence continued between the Office of the Taoiseach and the Department on Animal Farmacy, a series of tests were being conducted on beefburgers and ready meats in supermarkets by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). What they found was astounding. One beefburger sample from Tesco turned out to be 29pc horse. "I couldn't believe it," Alan Reilly, the CEO, told the London Independent. "I thought, 'You can't have horse meat in beefburgers.' We were aware of the consequences for Ireland as a producer of safe and wholesome food; we were aware of the potential damage here." Horses are routinely treated with an anti-inflammatory drug called phenylbutazone. The regulations require that all horses prescribed the drug are excluded from the food chain. This arises from fears regarding the possible carcinogenicity of phenylbutazone and it's a responsibility of vets prescribing the drug to record it on the horse passport. In her second email to Enda Kenny - the one congratulating him on his successful mission to the US - Clare Hughes wrote about the harassment of a client at Animal Farmacy. The client was a woman. The woman had a horse. The horse required medication. The medication required a prescription. The prescription required a vet. The vet signed the prescription. Why had this woman been subjected to four inspections from the SIU? There is a story about the prescription, the vet and the client in the Meskell report. The prescription was for 30 sachets of phenylbutazone. The vet, Anja Norman, worked for Animal Farmacy. The client had horses. The vet did not attend these horses. The client did not have a prescription when the phenylbutazone was dispensed at Animal Farmacy. The horses' passports were not stamped. Anja Norman wasn't happy. She didn't work that Saturday and told JD she had been pressured into signing the script retrospectively. She had also, she said, written to the client about the requirements for the passports but hadn't seen any yet. So the inspectors went to see the client. If the client had co-operated and simply answered their questions there would not have been a second visit, but almost everything was a problem: she said the inspectors had no right coming into her yard; she claimed she had done nothing illegal; she was not in Kilkenny on the Saturday the phenylbutazone was obtained; she would not be making a statement and was taking legal advice. So they went to see her again. By the fourth visit, JD had established that three of the horses given phenylbutazone had been sold to the US. On March 21 he sent an email to his boss: "The passports are not now available. The vet in Animal Farmacy retrospectively signed the prescription but never received the passports to ensure they were marked not for human consumption. Should we notify the US authorities or do we need further information?" Two days later, as he was driving towards Gowran on a Friday afternoon, he was ordered to stop the investigation. He didn't know then that it would never resume. On May 22, 2013 - four months after the horsemeat scandal made headlines - the Department sent an email to staff advising that "following prolonged discussions involving the office of the (State Solicitor) and solicitors acting on behalf of Animal Farmacy Ltd, [the Department] and AFL have come to an agreed position in respect of matters arising from the inspections and investigation that took place in late 2011 and early 2012". There was also an outline of the terms. Animal Farmacy had: Issued a Notice of Discontinuance in respect of proceedings it lodged against the Minister and the Attorney General. Confirmed that the proceedings were concluded. Agreed not to serve or issue any further civil proceedings against the Minister or any of his officials in respect to the investigation carried out. Withdrawn all allegations made regarding officials of the Minister in relation to the conduct of their investigation. The Department had: Confirmed that the investigation was concluded and that the Department had no outstanding issues with Animal Farmacy Limited. Confirmed that the officers involved in the investigation that led to AFL issuing proceedings would not be deployed in future to engage with AFL or its directors. On Friday, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said that "the circumstances of every investigation undertaken by the Department are carefully and objectively considered with a view to arriving at a rational determination as to how the investigation can most effectively be resolved from a regulatory perspective". The spokesperson added: "Objectivity is absolutely necessary for the responsible exercise of this important aspect of the Department's work and all decisions based on Department investigations are fair and based on the public interest whether concluded by way of a criminal prosecution or otherwise." Clare Hughes, Joe Haire and Trish McOwan did not respond to queries sent to them by the Sunday Independent last week. The Department of the Taoiseach and Enda Kenny also did not respond. When informed of the outcome, the two officers involved felt betrayed. JD responded with an angry note to his bosses: "The deal as described leaves it open for Animal Farmacy to accuse [the other officer] and myself of behaviour necessitating our removal from any future investigation into them or their directors. It is a bizarre precedent to set Again, this demonstrates to me the political imperative of appeasing Animal Farmacy at all costs and ignoring any duty of care towards [the other officer] and myself." His colleague concurred. "I must admit to being extremely disappointed and completely demoralised by the conclusion/outcome of this whole sorry saga," he wrote. "Implicit on my being 'stood down' is that someone somewhere does believe that I and my colleagues are guilty of some sort of misconduct. "What allegations were made against me and what evidence was submitted to substantiate these allegations? I have not been afforded the opportunity to defend my good name and reputation "Kilkenny and its environs is a small place. I have no doubt that word of the collapse of the (Department) investigation into Animal Farmacy and the successful tactics employed by them to bring about that collapse will soon be common knowledge among those engaged in the Animal Remedies retail sector in the locality and beyond "The inspected can now effectively nominate the inspectors! If they don't like the outcome they can embark on this strategy of aggressive engagement with (the Department). I fear the consequences for our 'Food Island' reputation and for our general economy will be catastrophic." For the Special Investigations Unit, it was the beginning of the end. Read Part 2 of Paul Kimmage's special report: The European Unions medicines regulator has said there is no indication that AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine is the cause of reported blood clots. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said the benefits of AstraZeneca's inoculation continue to outweigh the risks after several countries halted its use due to concerns about blood clots. The EMA's Executive Director Emer Cooke said the agency was carrying out a case-by-case evaluation of incidents and was expected to complete a review on Thursday. But the watchdog has received more reports of blood clotting events associated with the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Ms Cooke said she could not reveal the full extent of reports but the recent highlighting of cases in countries like Austria and Norway has led to more notifications. Read More Irish-born Ms Cooke said there is still no evidence that there is a causal link between the vaccine and the blood clotting events. As of now it believes the benefits of the vaccine outweigh any risks, she told a lunchtime press conference. As of March 10 there were 30 cases reported among 5 million people who received the vaccine. The association is being investigated and a finding will be released on Thursday afternoon. Ireland has stalled the roll out of the vaccine here this week pending the evaluation. Ms Cooke said the regulator initially investigated whether individual batches were possibly causing adverse events, after Austria banned a batch, and that as more events are reported more batches are involved and therefore it is unlikely it is a batch specific event. She said the reports are serious and they need a "serious evaluation." Questioned on whether states would abide by any EMA recommendation regarding the jab following its review, she said information sharing is a constant process. Asked if the decision of countries to pause the vaccine could lead to lower trust in the AstraZeneca jabs, she said that trust in the safety of the vaccine was paramount and that scientific evaluations were the best way to maintain this. "We are worried that there may be an effect on the trust of the vaccines but our job is to make sure the products we authorise are safe." She said the EMA could take a number of different actions on Thursday at the conclusion of the expert review of the jab but would not be drawn to speculate. The priority is to ensure that the vaccines can be used safely in the European population, if this means that an additional warning might be necessary wed look into the that, if we believe there is a problem that cant be solved well take the necessary action to deal with that. It really depends on the outcome of the expert evaluation. She said it is is important to reiterate that the EMA believes the benefits continue to outweigh the risks, but there is serious concern which demands serious and detailed scientific consideration, after she was asked about the conundrum facing states who have paused their rollout thus potentially putting people at greater risk of fatal Covid. Questioned on the different approaches taken by countries she said they are being taken in the context of information available at the national level. It is the countrys prerogative to do so, she adds. It is our responsibility to focus on the science associated with these risks and whether there is scientific evidence to show if they are causally related to the vaccine. She acknowledged that some specific batches have been suspected of being behind adverse health events, and that this forms a plank of the EMAs expert investigation. The EMA is receiving more information about German cases including three deaths and that its experts were assessing the details. Asked about similar reports from the Pfizer and Moderna jab regarding blood clotting, Ms Cooke said the EMA is looking at adverse events associated to all vaccines but that the current focus was on the AstraZeneca vaccine. It looks like theres similar numbers coming in from across the world, she said. The EMA remains firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighs the risks of these side effects. She urged anyone who suspects they have had a side effect after receiving the jab to contact their relevant health professional. The EMAs expert committee is investigating each individual potentially adverse event. It will meet on Thursday to conclude their findings and advise the EMA on whether it needs to take any further action. The EMA will make an announcement immediately, she added. We need to have the facts first, we cannot come to a conclusion until weve done a thorough scientific analysis. At present, there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions. They have not come up in the clinical trials and they are not listed as known or expected side events with this vaccine. In clinical trials both the vaccinated people and those who received the placebo have shown very small numbers of blood clot developments. The number of thromboembolic events overall in the vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population. She said events involving blood clots, some with very unusual features, have occurred in a very small number of people who have received the vaccine. Ms Cooke added that many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for various reasons and that the committee is assessing whether the vaccine might have caused the adverse events or whether the events are due to be to other causes. The government must include other vaccines candidates that have proved to be apt for Indian landscape to reach out to the vast population both domestic and global While the Indian vaccine candidates have catered to a certain population in India especially the frontline workers; the need of the hour for India, however, is to expand its immunisation drive. The government must include other vaccine candidates that have proved to be apt for the Indian landscape to reach out to the vast population both domestic and global. One of the collaborations that is expected to put up a strong fight against the global pandemic is India and Russia. Both the countries have come together to produce this safe and highly effective vaccine, Sputnik V on Indian soil. In fact, this is one of the vaccines which has all the right elements for the Indian conditions. So, lets understand what goes into the making of a vaccine that is tailor-made for India. Proven platform and efficacy is of utmost importance While Bharat Biotech vaccine Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield continue to provide protection against the coronavirus; there are vaccines globally such as Johnson and Johnson and Sputnik V among others that have completed the third phase of clinical trials. Sputnik V has proved to be 91.6 per cent efficacious, with Sinopharm standing at 79.3 per cent, Johnson and Johnson at 85 per cent and Sinovac at 50.4 per cent. It may be noted that it is the phase III results of the clinical trials that prove the efficacy of any vaccine. Efficacy is the most significant factor while choosing a vaccine. It is, therefore reassuring to see peer-reviewed results published in The Lancet, one of the most reputed journals in the world that has published positive outcomes of phase III of the clinical trials of Sputnik V. This speaks volumes of the protection Sputnik V promises to provide once it reaches people. The paper has confirmed positive results and provided more data about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in different subgroups. It has also stated that the vaccine ensures full protection against severe cases of COVID-19 exceeding 75 per cent ratio of Pfizer. Russian vaccine is 91.8 per cent effective for volunteers over 60 years old. Safety and immunogenicity cant be neglected Safety and immunogenicity are the other two important parameters, India should consider while selecting a vaccine. A lesser rate of severe adverse events in the vaccine means it is safe for use. According to the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC), while the Russian vaccine stands at 0.27 per cent, Moderna is at 0.97 per cent, AstraZeneca is at 0.66 per cent, Pfizer is at 0.58 per cent as far as SAEs are concerned. IDMC has further stated that Sputnik V is the only vaccine with no SAE associated with the vaccination, AstraZeneca has three SAEs related to vaccination, Pfizer and Moderna stand at four and 10 respectively. Storage and apt temperature for fragile vaccines Given the fragility of the vaccines, they should be stored at a temperature suggested by the scientific community. As the Indian government is looking for their third vaccine candidate among those which have passed the third phase of clinical trials; Sputnik V becomes a natural choice as, like Covishield and Covaxin, it can be kept in the temperature between +2+8C in comparison with mRNA vaccines such Pfizer that needs to be stored at -70-20C. Interestingly, unlike Pfizer or Moderna, Sputnik V has been tested on the Indian population during the clinical trials that again gives it an edge over other global vaccine candidates. As India continues its fight against the pandemic; the time is ripe to procure the most effective vaccine that suits well for Indian conditions. This will help India not only meet the domestic demand satisfactorily but will be able to cater to other nations. Therefore, collaboration is the key to win over this deadly virus for the good of mankind. Dr AM Deshmukh, President, Microbiologist Society, India And ask yourself this: If you got onto a packed bus or airplane and were seated next to someone coughing and sneezing, wouldnt you rather that person be wearing a mask? Of course you would. And since those carrying and spreading the coronavirus often show no symptoms even though theyre just as contagious as wheezing seatmates, wouldnt you rather for now that all strangers in your air space be masked? Terror Outside the Door: (The Persecution of Jesus Christ) is a story about a first-century private detective who met Jesus Christ during an investigation, and things were never the same again. Terror Outside the Door: (The Persecution of Jesus Christ) is the work of author Donald Craig Miller, a Sunday school teacher who writes for local churches and newsletters. Miller writes, For first-century private detective, Jake Jezreel, it was the best of times. He had just wrapped up a scintillating investigation he called The Case of Trailing the Bloody Footprints. Jake had met Jesus Christ in the midst of that investigation. He had surrendered his life to Christ. And Jakes life never would be the same again. But suddenly, in the afterglow of those joyous days after Jesuss resurrection, the world collapsed in on top of Jake. It abruptly became the worst of times. Religious persecution descended upon the Christian church in Jerusalem, led by the chief priests and zealous leaders, wreaking havoc upon all Christs believers. In the midst of this persecution, a new and savage animal sprang up, whose name was Saul of Tarsus. Saul attacked the Christian church with a vengeance, aiming to wipe the Christian cult from the face of the earth. Jake found himself and his faithful secretary, Hannah, caught in the onslaught and on the run. The persecution was crashing in all around them. Christians were being imprisoned. Some were being brutalized. Some were being killed. For the moment, Jake and Hannah stayed one jump ahead of the devouring enemy. But how long could they avoid the clutches of the vicious mob chasing after them? Wherever they hid, the terror prowled right outside the door. Could Jake and Hannah somehow dodge the relentless menace? If they were caught, what brutal tactics would the authorities savage upon them? Jake knew that in a crossfire, there is nowhere to hide. He also knew that time was running out and the walls were slowly closing in upon them. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Donald Craig Millers new book shares his great desire to dig scriptural truth from the Bible and pass it on to other Christians, much like Ezra of the Old Testament. View a synopsis of Terror Outside the Door: (The Persecution of Jesus Christ) on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Terror Outside the Door: (The Persecution of Jesus Christ) at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Terror Outside the Door: (The Persecution of Jesus Christ), contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Real Madrid could line up in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Atalanta BC. Real Madrid will be aiming to advance to the last eight of the Champions League when they host Atalanta BC for the second leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday night. Los Blancos, who hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, will again be without the services of Dani Carvajal due to a hamstring problem, while key midfielder Casemiro is suspended courtesy of the yellow card that he picked up in the reverse match with Atalanta last month. Zinedine Zidane's side will also be unable able to call upon Alvaro Odriozola or Mariano Diaz, with both players missing out against Elche in La Liga on Saturday. Marcelo has been included in the squad after recovering from a slight muscular issue, but Eden Hazard has suffered another muscular problem and will not be involved here. Casemiro's absence means that Federico Valverde is expected to start in midfield alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, who were both named on the bench against Elche. Marco Asensio was an unused substitute on Saturday but should return to the XI, while Vinicius Junior is expected to get the nod over Rodrygo Goes to feature in the final third of the field. Karim Benzema missed the first leg through injury but is a certain starter in this match, while Sergio Ramos made his return from a knee injury at the weekend and should be handed another spot in the XI here. Raphael Varane, Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy should make up the back four, with Nacho potentially dropping down to the bench on Tuesday. Real Madrid possible starting lineup: Courtois; Vazquez, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Kroos, Valverde, Modric; Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius > Click here to see how Atalanta could line up for this contest Man Jailed on Marshall Cocaine, Meth Charges By West Kentucky Star Staff MARSHALL COUNTY - A man found unresponsive in a vehicle on Pugh School Road is facing methamphetamine and cocaine charges in Marshall County.At approximately 6:30 Tuesday morning, Marshall County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 700 block of Pugh School Road to check on a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. The driver, Michael Stewart, was in the driver's seat with the vehicle in gear and his foot on the brake, but he did not respond to deputies.Stewart was arrested and lodged in the Marshall County Detention Center.He's charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence, trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Last week the Department of Housing published its Summary of Social Housing Assessments for 2020 which reported a 9.9pc fall in the number of households on the social housing waiting list from 2019. At first glance, this seems to be very positive and welcome news. However, those who meet the criteria for social housing, but are living in the private-rental sector and in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), are not included in the assessment. When it comes to understanding the true level of housing needs, this is a significant omission. HAP is an important form of support and can prevent homelessness for households, but it often fails to provide sufficient security of tenure and cannot meet the needs of people who have a long-term housing need. In practical terms, this means they are households in a constant state of worry about where and how they are going to live. In 2020, the number of HAP tenancies increased by over 11,000, which would mean the numbers in need of social housing is in fact up by 6pc. Unfortunately, this is not the only instance where our national housing statistics do not tell the full story. Significantly, how Ireland defines homelessness in official statistics is not in line with how the statistics are compiled in other European countries. This data gap has become all the more apparent in the current crisis Ireland faces in the shape of Covid-19. Most European member states use the ETHOS Light Classification of homelessness which has six operational categories: people living rough, people in emergency accommodation, homeless accommodation, those in non-conventional dwellings, people living in institutions, and those living with family and friends due to a lack of housing. Of the six categories used by other member states, Ireland only calculates its homelessness figures based on two categories, those in emergency accommodation and homeless accommodation, such as hostels. It is of real concern, therefore, that the data relating to homelessness is insufficient. The official count of 8,313 homeless people in Ireland does not include the many without a home but are not registered as such, including over 20,000 individuals and families on the social housing list doubling up with friends or family, often known as the Hidden Homeless. Or the 3,052 women and children in domestic violence refuges who have nowhere to go, or the 1,000 individuals who have been granted refugee status but cannot find accommodation and so remain in Direct Provision. These figures represent adults and children living in those situations. Those figures also do not include the 1,600 individuals who were taken out of the homeless figures following a reclassification undertaken in 2018. Nor does it include those who are currently sleeping rough. Using a definition similar to many European countries, Irelands homeless population is likely to be closer to 34,000 than 8,000 but without reliable and accurate data, it is unclear how the issue can be successfully solved. Read More In Ireland, under the Housing Act, there is no legal obligation on housing authorities to provide suitable accommodation to people without a home. Members of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) regularly see the flaws of the current legislation while assisting families and individuals who have to self-accommodate. For families, this means they have to find their own emergency accommodation. Members report assisting families in emergency accommodation such as hotels and B&Bs. After a short period, the family will have to leave unexpectedly as hotel management need the hotel room. Trying to navigate the homeless system and find a route out of homelessness can be difficult and complex without the added complication of moving homeless accommodation frequently. For those families that have to self-accommodate during Covid-19, life has become even more difficult. One can only imagine how stressful it must be for a family trying to access emergency accommodation during the pandemic. Homelessness and its devastating effects will continue while the Housing Act remains in its current restrictive form and as the legal basis for Local Authority staff to adhere to. In contrast, in Scotland, local authorities have a statutory duty to have regard for the best interests of the applicants dependent children. Scotland has banned the use of B&B accommodation for applicants who are pregnant or have children, except in very limited circumstances. If an applicant with children is placed in B&B accommodation, they should not have to stay for more than seven days. The only European country where the trends for homelessness have reversed is Finland, where emergency accommodation has gradually been replaced by permanent housing for the Homeless. In Finland, the implementation of a Housing First public policy has shown that a place in secure emergency accommodation should be offset by making five new places available in individual housing. In Ireland, as the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased, coupled with a lack of social and affordable homes for people to access, we have continued to rely on emergency accommodation. This is despite the Governments intention that such accommodation would be phased out by 2017. SVP members have a unique insight into the current realities of homelessness in Ireland. They support people living in hotels, B&Bs, family hubs and homeless hostels, helping people on a financial, emotional, and advisory capacity. They also visit people not considered homeless, such as young couples living in overcrowded conditions in the family home. We also highlight the lived experience of people in these situations and advocate for changes in current policy and practice. This is needed more now than ever. For those that have nowhere to call home, including the Hidden Homeless, their lives have been disproportionately impacted. As the days, weeks and years go by, SVP members hear from families of the emotional turmoil while enduring homelessness. The only solution for them is the provision of social and affordable housing. While the measures adopted by other EU countries have not successfully ended homelessness, they have given increased protections to people affected by the issue. Marcella Stakem is a Research and Policy Officer with SVP 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 Dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments thought to have been hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome 1,900 years ago have been found in a cave. The fragments include lines of Greek text from the biblical books of Zechariah and Nahum and were radiocarbon dated to the 2nd century AD, experts confirmed. The Israel Antiquities Authority say more than 20 fragments were found in a remote canyon in the Judean Desert, south of Jerusalem - the first find of its kind in 60 years. They were discovered in the Cave of Horror, named in the 1950s after 40 skeletons of women, men and children were found after excavations - they were hiding from Roman soldiers during the 2nd century Jewish Bar Kochba Revolt. To get into the cave, which is well secluded from view and difficult to access, teams of archaeologists and other experts had to repel down the side of a 260ft cliff. A number of items were found in the cave, including a 10,000 year old woven basket, the skeleton of a girl dating back 6,000 years and the biblical fragments. They were discovered in clumps and rolled up within the cave - so far 11 lines of Greek text translated from the books of Zechariah and Nahum have been revealed. The Israel Antiquities Authority is displaying the newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem Israel Antiquities Authority conservator Tanya Bitler says they were likely hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago An expert points at fragments of ancient text scrolls that are shown in the Scrolls Sections at the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem CAVE OF HORROR: 40 SKELETONS FOUND IN THE 1950s Excavations of a cave in the Judea Desert in the 1950s revealed skeletons of 40 men, women and children. It is in the southern cliff of Nahal Hever near the Cave of Letters where writings on the revolt were uncovered. They were Jewish rebels hiding from Roman troops during the Bar Kochba Revolt from 132-136 AD. It is thought Roman soldiers continued to besieged the camp until the inhabitants succumbed to starvation. Advertisement The new pieces are believed to belong to a larger set of parchment fragments that include a Greek rendition of the Twelve Minor Prophets. It is thought the newly found fragments are the missing parts of those scrolls, which were first found in 1952. They include Micah's prophecy about the End of Days. The IAA explained that while it is written in Greek, the new scroll fragments include the name of God in ancient Hebrew letters from the First Temple Period. The scrolls themselves come from a time before the modern 'Old Testament' was finalised in the form we know it today, experts explained. The fragments were found in a site known as The Cave Of Horror, which lies in the southern cliff of Nahal Hever, near the Cave of Letters where many documents from the Bar Kochba Revolt were uncovered. The revolt involved an armed Jewish uprising against Rome during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, between 132 and 136 AD. The revolt was the result of religious and political tensions in Judea, linked to the establishment of a large Roman military presence in the region. When the cave was excavated in the 1950s archaeologists found skeletons of 40 men, women and children who had sought refuge in the cave during the revolt. A coin from the 'Cache of Bar Kokhba'. To get into the cave, which is well secluded from view and difficult to access, teams of archaeologists and other experts had to repel down the side of a 260ft cliff. The Israel Antiquities Authority say they were found in a remote canyon in the Judean Desert, south of Jerusalem - the first find of its kind in 60 years A basket believed to be around 10,500 years old and found in the Muraba'at Cave. The lid of a basket discovered that could be 10,500 years old based on radiocarbon dating. That pre-dates the arrival of pottery in the region There was also a cache of coins from the same time period, bearing the typical Jewish symbols of the time including a harp and date palm. The remains of a Roman camp have previously been found on a cliff close to where the cave is located. Researchers believe the Romans besieged the cave until rebels inside starved to death or succumbed to thirst. As well as the fragments, the team also found what could be the oldest surviving basket in the world, made of woven reeds. The artefacts were found during an operation by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the Judean Desert to find scrolls and other artefacts to prevent possible plundering An expert points at fragments of ancient text scrolls. The new pieces are believed to belong to a larger set of parchment fragments that include a Greek rendition of the Twelve Minor Prophets They were found in a site known as The Cave Of Horror, named for the 40 skeletons found there during excavations in the 1960s, experts explained An Israel Antiquities Authority worker shows silver coins struck by rebels in the Jewish uprising against Rome between 132 and 136 AD that were found during its sweep of more than 500 caves in the desert EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH IN THE NEW SCROLL FRAGMENTS Zechariah 8:16-17 from the new Cave of Horror fragments: 16: These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates. 17: And do not contrive evil against one another, and do not love perjury, because all those are things that I hate declares the Lord.' Zechariah 8:16-17 from the King James Bible version: 16: These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord. Advertisement It has a lid and could be 10,500 years old based on radiocarbon dating. That pre-dates the arrival of pottery in the region. 'As far as we know, this is the oldest basket in the world that has been found completely intact and its importance is therefore immense,' said the IAA. The archaeologists also uncovered the skeleton of a young girl dating back about 6,000 years that had been mummified and tucked into a blanket. 'It was obvious that whoever buried the child had wrapped him up and pushed the edges of the cloth beneath him, just as a parent covers his child in a blanket. A small bundle of cloth was clutched in the child's hands,' said historian Ronit Lupu. It is thought the scrolls and basket survived due to the heat and aridity in the region. 'The desert team showed exceptional courage, dedication and devotion to purpose,' said Israel Hasson, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority. He said the work involved 'rappelling down to caves located between heaven and earth, digging and sifting through them, enduring thick and suffocating dust, and returning with gifts of immeasurable worth for mankind.' 'The newly discovered scroll fragments are a wake-up call to the state. Resources must be allocated for the completion of this historically important operation. 'We must ensure that we recover all the data that has not yet been discovered in the caves before the robbers do. Some things are beyond value,' Hasson said. The objects were discovered as part of a wider mission to find prehistoric and biblical relics in the region to reduce the risk of looting. Archeologist Haim Cohen looks at a woven basket that is more than 10,000 years old This is the remains of a sandal found within the Cave of Horror during an excavation that also revealed bible fragments Ancient samples of grains and seeds were also uncovered from the cave where fragments of biblical scrolls were found This is a fragment of an ancient arrow nock from prehistoric period Judea - found in the Cave of Horror Caves and ravines are being combed by experts, as part of the project that first started in 2017. 'For years we chased after antiquities looters. We finally decided to pre-empt the thieves and try reaching the artefacts before they were removed from the ground and the caves,' said Amir Ganor, head of the IAA's Theft Prevention Unit. A coin from the 'Cache of Bar Kokhba' likely belonging to the Jewish rebels hiding from Roman soldiers The fragment of an ancient arrow from prehistoric and Roman periods discovered in the cave The fragment of an ancient rope that could come from the prehistoric era Judea Desert The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of Jewish texts found in desert caves in the West Bank near Qumran in the 1940s and 1950s. They date from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD and include the earliest known copies of biblical text and documents. The original scrolls were found by shepherd Muhammed Edh-Dhib as he searched for a stray among the limestone cliffs at Khirbet Qumran on the shores of the Dead Sea in what was then British Mandate Palestine - now the West Bank. The fragment of an ancient, about 2,000 years old lice comb found in the Cave of Horror Fragments of various ancient finds from the cave reveal an insight into the long history of the region from the Neolithic through to biblical periods and Roman occupation Fragments of ancient arrowheads from prehistoric and Roman eras were also among the items discovered within the cave Rs 10 lakh of Rs 11 lakh fine imposed should be released to the inspectors family NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday awarded death sentence to Ariz Khan, convicted for the murder of police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma and other offences in connection with the 2008 Batla House encounter. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 11 lakh on Khan and directed Rs 10 lakh be immediately released to deceased inspector Sharmas family. During the hearing, the police sought the death penalty for Khan, a suspected member of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, saying it was not just any killing but a murder of a law enforcement officer who was a defender of justice. On March 8, the Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav had convicted Khan stating that the evidence produced by the prosecution duly proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge had said that it was duly proved that Ariz Khan and his associates caused murder of police official and fired gunshot on the police official. The evidence adduced on record, including ocular, documentary and scientific, prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Khan along with accomplices with common intention obstructed inspector Sharma in discharging public function, the court had said. Khan, along with his accomplices, also fired gunshots at head constables Balwant and Balvir Singh, the court had said. During the encounter in Batla House at Jamia Nagar in south Delhi on September 19, 2008, two suspected terrorists, identified as Atif Amin and Mohammed Sajid, were killed while Inspector Sharma of Special Cell received gun shot during the encounter and later died. Three other terrorists identified as Ariz Khan and Shahzad escaped while Mohammad Saif surrendered to the police. The encounter had taken place within a week of 2008 Delhi serial blasts that had killed 30 people. Blasts had taken place at Karol Bagh, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and India Gate. The Delhi police received intelligence about terrorists hiding at L-18 flat in Batla House locality. Later, Shahzad Ahmed was also arrested in 2010 and a trial court in July 2013 had sentenced him to life imprisonment in connection with the case. His appeal against the trial courts verdict has been pending in the high court. Khan, a native of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Delhi police's Special Cell in February 2018. The multiple bombings that rocked cities like Jaipur and Ahmedabad, apart from the national capital itself, in 2008, saw 165 people losing their lives and over 500 injured in all. A reward of Rs 15 lakh had been declared on Khan, besides an Interpol Red Corner Notice. Children as young as 11 have been beheaded by ISIS-linked militants who have killed more than 2,500 people over the last three years in Mozambique. One mother told Save the Children that her eldest son, 12, had his head cut off close to where she was hiding with her three other children when their village was raided. Another mother described her heartache at leaving her murdered 11-year-old son in their village without a burial because her family were forced to flee. Nearly 580,000 people left their homes last year as violence intensified across the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province where a group calling itself Islamic State Central Africa Province have been waging a brutal insurgency since 2017. Mozambique soldiers patrol the northern town of Mocimboa da Praia before it was taken over by the ISIS militants in August last year A Mozambican army soldier examines a village after it was attacked by jihadists in 2018 Some have moved in with host families, some are living in temporary shelters, while others have resettled in newly-created safe villages. Around half of the 2,614 people who have died in the conflict are civilians. Amnesty International earlier this month warned that war crimes were being perpetrated on all sides of the conflict, including by the jihadists, government forces and mercenaries. Government soldiers have been accused of raping and beating women near their one of their bases and summarily executing suspected terrorists. The jihadists were also accused of heinous violence with machetes, including dozens of beheadings and the desecration of corpses. The 28-year-old mother who lost her 12-year-old son told Save the Children of the night her village was razed by the Islamists. 'That night our village was attacked, and houses were burned,' she said. 'When it all started, I was at home with my four children. We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him. We couldn't do anything because we would be killed too.' The 29-year-old woman who lost her 11-year-old said: 'After my son was killed, we understood that it was no longer safe to stay in my village. We fled to my father's house in another village, but a few days later the attacks started there too. 'Me, my father and the children spent five days eating green bananas and drinking banana tree water until we got transport that brought us here.' Chance Briggs, Save the Children's Country director in Mozambique, said his staff had been 'sickened to the core' by the reports from mothers in displacement camps. 'While the world was focused on COVID-19, the Cabo Delgado crisis ballooned but has been grossly overlooked. Humanitarian aid is desperately required, but not enough donors have prioritised assistance for those who have lost everything, even their children,' Mr Briggs said. 'Critically, all parties to this conflict must ensure that children are never targets. They must respect international humanitarian and human rights laws and take all necessary actions to minimise incidental civilian harm, including ending indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against children.' Jihadist assaults rocketed last year, triggering a humanitarian crisis akin to the end of Mozambique's 1977-1992 civil war. More than half of the roughly 800 attacks documented by US conflict tracker ACLED since 2017 took place last year alone, defying government efforts to boost its military presence in the area. The Cabo Delgado incursions have played out around a multi-billion-pound liquid natural gas (LNG) exploration project off the Afungi peninsula, raising concern among project developers. People displaced by the conflict in the Tara Tara district of Matuge, northern Mozambique, on February 24 Women wait to pick up United Nations food aid l in Matuge district, northern Mozambique, on February 24 Temporary homes in the Napala Agrarian Center of Metuge District, Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique Jihadists remain in control of Mocimboa da Praia, a port used as a supply point for gas exploration before it was seized in August. French oil giant Total evacuated workers in December after clashes broke out at the doorstep of its LNG facility. The insecurity has left aid agencies unable to visit a huge swathe of the coastal province, while the number of people forced to flee their homes has swelled from 18,000 at the start of 2020 to over half a million by the end, Lola Castro, World Food Programme (WFP) regional director said. Some households in the provincial capital Pemba are hosting several other families. One had opened its home to 66 other people who all slept in one room and shared one latrine. 'The situation in Cabo Delgado is appalling,' Valentin Tapsoba, regional director for the United Nations refugee agency, said last month. [March 16, 2021] Simulation Software Market worth $26.9 billion by 2026 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Simulation Software Market by Component (Software (FEA, CFD), Services), Deployment (Cloud, On-premises), Application (Product Engineering, R&D, and Gamification), Vertical (Automobile, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals), and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Simulation Software Market size is expected to grow from USD 12.7 billion in 2020 to USD 26.9 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.2% during the forecast period. Browse in-depth TOC on "Simulation Software Market" 300 Tables 43 Figures 288 Pages Ask for Report Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=263646018 Altair Engineering, Inc. (Altair Engineering), BENTLEY SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED (Bentley Systems), ANSYS, Inc. (ANSYS), PTC (PTC), Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. (Siemens PLM Software), Autodesk Inc. (Autodesk), Dassault Systemes (Dassault Systemes), Synopsys, Inc. (Synopsys), and The MathWorks, Inc. (MathWorks) are some of the key players considered in the Simulation Software Market. Companies offering simulation analysis solutions are focusing on organic strategies, such as new product launches and product enhancements, to be competitive in the Simulation Software Market. For instance, in September 2019, Certara launched Version 8.2 of its Industry-leading Phoenix PK/PD Modeling and Simulation Software for Drug Development. The increasing demand for simulation software in healthcare and pharmaceuticals is expected to increase its growth rate in the coming years. Similarly, vendors offer simulation and analysis-based solutions to various verticals, such as automobile, aerospace and defense, electrical and electronics, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and mining, construction, ship buildings and marine, and chemicals. For instance, dSPACE offers Automotive Simulation Models (ASM), which is a suite used for vehicle development, such as combustion engines, vehicle dynamics, electric components, and traffic environment. The ASM model is easy to use with the help of Graphical User Interface (GUI). Another player of the Simulation Software Market, Rheinmetall, offers a wide range of simulation-based training solutions for the military and civilians of armed forces to ensure public safety. It also offers training for educational institutes and automobile and energy sectors. MarketsandMarkets has segmented the global Simulation Software Market into components (software and professional services), applications, deployment modes, applications, verticals, and regions. The software segment includes CFD, EM simulation, and FEA. The application segment of the simulation software includes product engineering, gamification, and R&D. Deployment modes of the simulation software comprises cloud and on-premises. Verticals of the Simulation Software Market includes automobile, aerospace and defense, electrical and electronics, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and mining, construction, ship buildings and marine, chemicals, and others. The other verticals include media and entertinment, transportation, telecommunications, and education. This market study has been further segmented based on regions into North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and Latin America. Speak to Research Expert: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=263646018 By application, product engineering segment to have the highest market share during the forecast period Product engineering refers to the process of designing, developing, testing, and producing or deploying a software product. Here, simulation plays a crucial role in every phase of engineering and has been used by product teams for a decade. The product team uses the simulation software to analyze, predict, and validate models in the real-time environment, just before final physical prototyping. Product engineering is the major application area of simulation and thus the majority of the vendor's offerings are focused on the engineering application. By Vertical, Automotive segment to have the highest market share during the forecast period The utilization of simulation and analysis technology in the automobile industry is increased to test and analyze the designs of products in the virtual environment. The ongoing development of connected vehicles and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has increased the demand for advanced hardware and software solutions. Companies such as Ford, Tesla, and Volkswagen are investing hugely in developing smart technologies for electric vehicles and ADAS. Every industrial product, before moving to the final production stage, have to go for simulation testing, where the design and prototypes have been checked in the real-time environment. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=263646018 Asia Pacific to grow with the fastest growing CAGR during the forecast period APAC is expected to witness extensive growth opportunities in the manufacturing and IT sectors during the forecast period. The increase in the use of simulation solutions in airport authorities in recent years is having a major impact on the Simulation Software Market. Training schools are ordering new and advanced full-flight simulators to increase their training capacities, which is also leading to the growth of the Simulation Software Market. The growing concern on the use of digital twin simulations and the use of simulation technology for IoT support devices is leading to the growth of the market. Major vendors in the global Simulation Software Market include MathWorks (US), Autodesk (US), Ansys (US), Siemens AG (Germany), PTC (US), Dassault Systemes (France), Altair Engineering (US), MSC Software (US), Honeywell (US), Keysight Technologies (US), Aveva (UK), Spirent Communications (UK), Bentley Systems (US), Synopsys (Canada), AVL List GmbH (Austria), COMSOL (England), Certara (US), CAE (Presagis (Canada)), aPriori (US), PTV Group (Germany), AnyLogic (US), SimScale (Germany), Scalable Networks (US), Simul8 Corporation (UK), FlexSim (US), MOSIMTEC (US), Simio (US), ProSim (US), Cybernet (US), and Cesim (Finland). Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Computer-Aided Manufacturing Market by Component (Solution and Services), Organization Size, Deployment Type, Industry Vertical (Automotive, Aerospace & Defense, High-Tech, Industrial Equipment, Energy & Utilities), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/computer-aided-manufacturing-market-251259446.html Product Lifecycle Management Market by Software (Collaborative Product Definition Management (cPDm) Software, Mechanical Computer Aided-Design Software (MCAD) and others), Service, Deployment, Organization, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2024 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/product-lifecycle-management-market-152565174.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. 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St Patrick's Day is always an occasion for hundreds of young people to descend on the locality for street parties and widespread loutish behaviour fuelled by drink. While the finger of blame is most often pointed at students given the large numbers who live there during term time, and undoubtedly many are at fault, the area is also invaded by many others who have no connection with either of the city's two universities. But, as far as the residents are concerned, it matters not who is to blame. Rather, they want to see positive action taken to curb the anti-social behaviour, especially given the pandemic. Various initiatives involved cooperation between police, university authorities and Belfast City Council have been largely ineffective. Which begs the question: what is the Executive doing about the situation? Ultimately, it is the Executive's responsibility to ensure that strong action is taken, not only to protect property but also lives, as the Holyland gathering has the potential to be a Covid super-spreader event at a pivotal moment in efforts to curb the transmission of the virus. The often-criticised Belfast City Council came up with a really innovative suggestion to help deal with anti-social behaviour in areas like the Holyland six months ago, but its plea for new legislative powers was turned down by the Department for Communities. The council wanted its officers to be given the status of special constables and powers to enter properties, hand out fines and direct people to return to their residences. It was a serious attempt to stamp down on street parties and rowdiness, and restrictions could also be placed on designated areas - from a single street to a wider area. While this was a new approach, the Department for Communities should surely have recognised it was the sort of lateral thinking required to deal with a specific problem which has been ongoing for years. The department argued it would not be possible to introduce emergency legislation in such a short time frame, yet all sorts of regulations were passed to deal specifically with the pandemic in the past year. It was not beyond the wit of the legislature to add another raft of regulations allowing council officials to act as outlined. Failure to do so has led to fears about what tomorrow will bring. Posted Tuesday, March 16, 2021 4:36 am - Washington State Journal Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley, D-Seattle, often sees her grandmothers features when she looks in the mirror. She thinks of how her grandmother, a woman of color, experienced systemic racism and fought for a better life despite societal barriers in rural Missouri only a few generations before Harris-Talley. Harris-Talley told the House of Representatives Feb. 25 she supported Juneteenth as a state holiday because of the existence of structural racism in the country today. She said what may seem like a simple acknowledgement could go a long way in building an antiracist society, one she wants her own two children to grow in. We need to sit with those realities and have reflection on how we give service to addressing racial inequity and injustice, she said. June 19th took one step closer to being recognized as a state holiday after the House of Representatives voted 89-8 Feb. 25 in favor of Juneteenth, the day most African American enslaved people learned of their legal freedom. HB 1016 marks one of several attempts this session to address the lasting, systemic effects of slavery and racism in the country. The time is now. This bill is more than just about a holiday, said the bills primary sponsor, Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Tacoma. It is about true recognition and acknowledgement that chattel slavery did happen in this country. The law garnered support from both Democrats and Republicans, though some Republican lawmakers took issue with the fiscal impact of the bill, which would cost the state around $7 million of paid leave for state employees to take off work June 19. Morgan said she understood the fiscal impact, but mentioned the country and Washington state in particular benefited from more than $3 trillion made off the backs of enslaved people. Its not even close to the real cost of racial injustice, she said. After then-President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, news did not spread to Southern plantations for more than two years. It wasnt until June 19, 1865 that many enslaved people learned of their legal freedom. Rep. Mike Volz, R-Spokane, supported the bill, saying he considered himself a history buff but was surprised at how little he, and many Washingtonians, knew about this historic day. Its important to acknowledge the fact that Americans came together white and black to work to free the slaves, Volz said. HB 1016 will move on to the Senate for further consideration. The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website managed by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org. Health authorities believe P.1 may be more contagious than the most frequently encountered strain of the virus. It was linked to an abrupt resurgence in cases in Manaus, Brazil, that took place after much of the population was already believed to have been infected. Both the P.1 and P.2 variants share a mutation that appears to help the virus evade antibodies generated by either a previous infection or a vaccine, according to Dr. Benjamin Pinsky, medical director for Stanford's Clinical Virology Laboratory. There have been examples of people being infected with P.1 and P.2 variants after they had been infected by another strain, he said, adding that the finding has led researchers to theorize that the two strains may have similar properties. Other coronavirus strains have also been found to infect those previously infected. San Bernardino county officials said in a news release that it's not clear whether the P.1 variant is more resistant to COVID-19 vaccines. According to Sequeira, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was tested in Brazil, where it showed 0% mortality and 85% success in preventing hospitalizations and severe infections. During his trip, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and visit three places outside Dhaka. (PTI file photo) Dhaka: India and Bangladesh are likely to sign three MoUs during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka next week to attend the celebrations of the golden jubilee of the country's independence and the birth centenary of its founder Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Prime Minister Modi and heads of state and government from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives will be among the distinguished foreign guests to join the celebrations under separate schedules. "It's a historic event for Bangladesh as five heads of state and government never (without any summit) visited here within a time span of 10 days," Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told a media briefing here ahead of the 10-day celebrations starting on March 17. "This is a very unusual time (due to COVID-19) but heads of state and government of our neighbouring countries are coming here to show their tribute to our Father of the Nation," Momen said. During his trip, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and visit three places outside Dhaka. The two sides are expected to sign three MoUs, Momen said. "These (MoUs) are not final yet," he said. Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen said the MoUs were likely to be signed in the field of disaster management and cooperation between some institutions of the two countries. "We are still working on every MoUs. We will get the final scenario regarding the MoUs within one or two days," he said. According to the schedule, all the foreign leaders would visit the National Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the independence martyrs, Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay tribute to Bangladesh's founding father, watch special military parades and join State banquets. Prime Minister Modi is also set to visit the Bangabandhu shrine at his village home in Tungipara and two Hindu temples outside Dhaka - one in Gopalganj and the other in southwestern Satkhira. The temples are places of worship, particularly of the Hindu Matua community. A large number of the Matua community members reside in West Bengal. Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will be the first top foreign dignitary to arrive here on a three-day visit on March 17. He will be followed by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who will arrive here on a two-day tour on March 19. Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari will be in Dhaka on a two-day tour from March 22 while Bhutan's premier Lotay Tshering will visit Dhaka from March 24 to 25. Prime Minister Modi will arrive here on March 26 and return home the next day. Momen said Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau and some high-level leaders of different countries and international organisations would send video messages on the occasion. COLUMBIA Rival biker gangs clashed in a sloppy melee at a Columbia motorcycle dealership that led to a man killing a member of his own crew, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. During a brawl in the parking lot of Capital City Cycles during the afternoon of March 11, three men were shot, one stabbed and one man killed after being bludgeoned by a cane, Lott said during a news conference March 15. Charles Lilly, 55, of Beech Island died in the scrum at the shop on Two Notch Road near Interstate 77. James Hill, 58, was charged with murder and felony assault in Lilly's death and remains in jail. Investigators believe Hill and Lilly were members of the same gang. Another man, Kristopher Wheat, was arrested and faces a felony mob assault charge in addition to charges for obstruction and unlawful weapon possession. Wheat is free on bond, Lott said. His bail had been set at $100,000 during a hearing Friday, according to Richland County bond court. Hill remains at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Lott declined to name what he called "outlaw biker gangs," saying they were nationally known biker groups with members in South Carolina. He said what led to the men facing off in the parking lot is still being investigated and that everyone who participated will eventually face charges. "We had a big, dangerous situation not just to them but to other people that were at the cycle shop," Lott said. "Two Notch Road is a busy place, then we've got gunfire going on and an innocent person could have easily been shot." Surveillance video from the store allowed deputies to piece together what unfolded, Lott said. In an abbreviated clip released by the sheriff's office, seven men are gathered around motorcycles parked outside the shop. While two groups face each other, one man charges another and a dogpile forms between two motorcycles as the men fight while traffic zooms by in the background on Two Notch Road. During the struggle, one man shoots three others, including Lilly and a member of his own gang, Lott said. The sheriff pointed to the point in the video a man was delivering blows with a cane. Someone was stabbed in the scuffle and someone was wielding a wrench at one point. Deputies responded quickly after onlookers in the parking lot called 911, Lott said. "It was mayhem there for a while," the sheriff said. The man who fired the shots was also stabbed and has been released from the hospital, Lott said. The shooter, described in a news release as a victim of the assault who began firing after he was attacked, has not been charged. When asked if would face charges, Lott reiterated that everyone who participated would be charged. Two men who remain hospitalized have not yet been charged. For members of the Monday Squad, the memorial service at 11:15 a.m. at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery had the look of just about any other, especially given that they already had honored six other veterans that morning. But the ceremony for Army Sgt. Jose Ruben Lopez was different in one way: He was the 40,000th veteran the Memorial Services Detachment had helped bury since its creation nearly 30 years ago, and the 10 veterans who made up the squad knew why it mattered. It hasnt been routine at some national cemeteries for decades, but veterans buried at Fort Sam receive all the military honors they are due, including three M1 rifle volleys with the brass shell casings sealed in a box and a bugler playing taps. For three months, last years coronavirus lockdown kept it from happening here as well. The detachment is a nonprofit volunteer organization and its commander, retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Loreto Manny Mendoza, said 40,000 burials was a pretty significant achievement. Without the detachment, 40,000 veterans would have been laid to rest at Fort Sam without honors, and its just not America, America in Military City, U.S.A., he added. Every veteran should receive full honors. At Fort Sam, the nations ninth-largest national cemetery, the volunteer squads have become a familiar sight, a part of funeral services for active duty troops, reservists and retirees, including Medal of Honor recipients, since 1991. The armed services themselves had cut back on providing honors for veterans around 1988, though they didnt completely stop the practice. On ExpressNews.com: Burials with honors to resume at San Antonios Fort Sam National Cemetery Even at an average age of 72, the detachments 107 members are a tough bunch, rendering honors on 100-degree summer days or in driving rain. It recently offered a final salute during San Antonios record freeze, which brought snow twice in one week. Concerns over the potential spread of the coronavirus, at least as high a risk for the honor guard members as anyone else in attendance, prompted it to stand down after sharply restricted funeral procedures were put in place last year by the VA. The detachment, however, still did 1,587 burials in 2020, more than usual, because it stepped in for active-duty honor guards after the restrictions were lifted. The organization now forms smaller squads of just 10 volunteers, five of them firing rifle volleys rather than the usual seven. Mendoza said the detachment searched hard to find buglers so there could be one for every team to provide a live rendition of taps, rather than a recording. Providing honors the old-fashioned way is a point of pride for the members. On ExpressNews.com: Funerals in coronavirus era are quiet and quick at San Antonios Fort Sam National Cemetery We have five different squads, Monday through Friday. All of them are very tight and of course we all think were the best squad, retired Army Lt. Col. Mike Kinkade said, laughing. But its truly a band of brothers. We have very diverse backgrounds and rank, the branches of service and experiences. We have a lot of Vietnam vets within our organization, said Kinkade, 72, of San Antonio. Our youngest person, I think, is 41, the oldest is in his 90s, weve got at least four females, and its just a very diverse group. And we really focus on the only thing thats of importance, and thats to honor the veterans. The detachments parliamentarian, adjutant and webmaster, he played the Army Song as the service for Lopez began and then taps after the shots rang out. Jose Ruben Lopez was one of a dwindling number of World War II veterans and one who had the rare experience of fighting both in Europe and Asia. A native of Laredo, he died Jan. 17 at a veterans home in Floresville but had lived most of his life in Crystal City. There, Lopez and his wife, Carmela, owned and operated The Tavern, a popular restaurant where he had worked as a dishwasher, cook and waiter. A migrant farm worker as a kid, Lopez volunteered to serve in the Army in 1942 and joined the 10th Mountain Division, which fought the Nazis in the Italian Alps. He had never seen snow but adjusted quickly, training in the Rocky Mountains to ski, snowshoe, climb and build snow caves to survive. At 24, Lopez took command of his rifle squad on April 27, 1945 after its leader was killed near Garda, Italy. The soldiers overran enemy positions to get into the town, then engaged in another firefight to drive the Germans out. He continually exposed himself to the greatest danger and demonstrated the finest leadership ability in accomplishing this vital mission, which enabled the advance to continue, a citation for a Bronze Star stated. Lopez earned a second Bronze Star to the Philippines, and a Purple Heart, late in the war. But he rarely talked about combat. Juan Ramon Palomo, a retired columnist for the now-defunct Houston Post, called Lopez a civic leader, business owner and war hero. Make that quiet war hero, for he was not one to boast or to display his military medals at the drop of a hat, Palomo, 74, of Houston, told about two dozen mourners. As he talked of Lopez fighting the Japanese, a voice in the distance called, Attention! and the Monday Squad prepared to depart. Kinkade called the Lopez funeral a once in a lifetime honor for me, but they had four more services to attend. That isnt unusual. The cemetery often has 22 burials a day, with the squads rendering honors for as many as half of them. Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Steve Shaffer said the detachment here was modeled on a unit at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minn.. Its even larger than Fort Sam, where more than 169,000 veterans and their relatives are buried, and Shaffer said the detachment there had logged more than 75,000 services when he visited two years ago. We started out very humbly and progressed as weve gone through the years, said Shaffer, 63, of Live Oak, who presented the flag to his wife, Linda, at her fathers burial in 2019. The guys on Monday that Ive dealt with over the years, its an honor to them for doing it. They may moan and groan a little bit about the aches and pains and stuff like that, but theyre right up there when its time to do their job. Ken Ashworth, a Navy corpsman in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, found the detachment a good place to volunteer his time when he joined more than five ears ago. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer We will do our presentation and as soon as we play taps you can hear the sobbing, and that just makes it more personal, said Ashworth, 74, of San Antonio. You see it in their faces, you see it in their eyes, you see it in the messages they send of gratitude afterwards, agreed retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Deb Parsons, who serves on the Friday Squad with her husband, Wayne, a retired Air force master sergeant. Some didnt know the whole story of their loved ones service and this kind of brings everything full circle for them, she added. Retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Gene Kuwik, the Friday Squad leader, said those in the detachment see it as almost like an extension of their military service. They feel like theyre still serving this great nation, which they truly are, said Kuwik, 83, of Universal City, who served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. They may be in their late 70s and 80s, but theyre marching like theyre 18 years old and they put their heart and soul into it. sigc@express-news.net Got a question or tip? Contact us at bizmojoidaho@gmail.com. Germanys ruling Christian Democrats (CDU) suffered big defeats in two state elections yesterday. It lost in both Baden-Wurttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, collecting only about one-fourth of the vote in each. Angela Merkel, the CDU leader, will be stepping down as chancellor. Yesterdays results suggest that her successor as party leader may be in for a difficult time. Germany has been hit much less hard by the Wuhan coronavirus than have the UK, Spain, France, Italy, and the U.S. Deaths per capita in Germany are about half the number in these nations. The German economy has, of course, been socked by the lockdowns imposed in response to the virus. GDP contracted by about 5 percent in Germany last year. Thats better than the Euro-zone as a whole. Its GDP dropped by almost 7 percent last year. However, in the U.S., GDP shrank by only about 3.5 percent. Germany has not had good success vaccinating its people against the virus. As with the EU as a whole, vaccinations have lagged compared to the U.S. and the UK. To make matters worse, Germany has stopped using the AstraZeneca vaccine due to fears that it causes potentially deadly blood clots. I dont know of many nations that hit the trifecta of comparatively low death rates from the virus, little economic shrinkage, and rapid vaccinations. Israel is the only one that comes to mind. It leads the world in the race to vaccinate its entire population, has had fewer per capita deaths than even Germany, and experienced only about a 2.5 percent dip in GDP last year. Germany did reasonably well by two of these three measures compared to other similar countries, but its ruling party still seems to be in trouble. Part of the problem may be scandals involving prominent CDU politicians (though not Merkel) who are accused of profiting from public contracts for face masks and of questionable ties to Azerbaijan (not related to the pandemic). Voters usually find corruption off-putting, and are less likely to forgive it when things arent going well on one or more important front. I dont do exit questions, but if I do wonder how Israels ruling party will fare in upcoming elections. As noted, its response to the pandemic has been the envy of the world (or should be). However, Prime Minister Netanyahu is on trial for alleged corruption. The evidentiary stage of that trail is scheduled to begin in early April, shortly after elections. But the three criminal charges have been levied and are there for all to see. Stay tuned. WASHINGTON - The Army initially pushed to reject the Washington D.C. government's request for a modest National Guard presence ahead of the Jan. 6 rally that led to the Capitol riot, underscoring the deep reluctance of some higher-ups at the Pentagon to involve the military in security arrangements that day. In an internal draft memo obtained by The Washington Post, the Army said the U.S. military shouldn't be needed to help police with traffic and crowd management, as city officials had requested, unless more than 100,000 demonstrators were expected. The draft memo also said the request should be denied because a federal agency hadn't been identified to run the preparations and on-the-day operations; the resources of other federal agencies hadn't been exhausted; and law enforcement was "far better suited" for the task. The Army leadership made its position clear in deliberations at the Pentagon the weekend before the event, citing those reasons among others, according to four people familiar with the discussions, who like others in this report spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal Defense Department matters. The Army ultimately relented after facing pressure from acting defense secretary Christopher Miller and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, and realizing that District officials weren't going to turn to the Justice Department for help instead, as the Army had wanted, the people said. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy agreed to support the request, so long as a lead agency was identified and all other federal agencies "exhausted their assets to support these events," according to the recommendation he gave in a revised final memo to Miller, who approved the request. Still, the Army's initial impulse to consider refusing military involvement in the security arrangements - even though the Guard is trained to assist law enforcement during large-scale protests and has done so regularly for decades in Washington - shows the extraordinary steps officials at the Pentagon were taking to stay away from what was shaping up to be a politically toxic and volatile moment for the nation. Col. Cathy Wilkinson, a spokeswoman for the Army, said in a statement that the Pentagon provided 340 members of the D.C. Guard to help with street closures and crowd control as asked. "Clearly, the Mayor's request was approved and supported," Wilkinson said. "The draft memo was not signed or approved. It is customary for the Army staff to provide options for Army senior leaders to inform their decision making process." The Army's previously undisclosed draft memo advocating against the deployment ahead of the pro-Trump rally sheds light on the thinking of leaders involved in the security arrangements, which permitted one of the biggest national security failures since the 9/11 attacks. In the weeks since the riot, top Pentagon officials have emphasized that the Capitol Police and federal agencies didn't request military backup before the event, leaving the Defense Department unprepared to respond rapidly when the situation got out of control. The draft memo, however, suggests that the Army leadership also had been disinclined to get involved from the start. Reluctance at the Pentagon about the deployment of the D.C. Guard during the preparations also raises questions about when it is appropriate to use the U.S. military on domestic soil. While top Pentagon officials have emphasized that military force should be used to support domestic law enforcement only as a last resort, that maxim has traditionally been understood to apply to active-duty forces - not the National Guard. Unlike in the 50 states, where governors control the National Guard, the D.C. Guard answers to the president, who delegates authority to the defense secretary and Army secretary. The mayor of the District of Columbia can only request that the federal government deploy the D.C. Guard. The thinking of Pentagon leaders before and during the riot is now facing scrutiny from lawmakers who have accused the Defense Department of reacting too slowly to the Capitol Police's 11th-hour plea for military assistance, as rioters breached the Capitol in a catastrophic security failure. Despite the unanswered questions, the political appointees and generals who were leading the Pentagon on Jan. 6 haven't been called to testify publicly on the matter before Congress, as lawmakers attempt to understand how the Capitol could have been left so vulnerable to attack. Maj. Gen. William Walker, the commanding general of the D.C. Guard, told lawmakers on March 3 that after receiving a panicked call from the chief of the Capitol Police, he had to wait three hours and 19 minutes before the Pentagon allowed him to send his available forces to the building. Even when the situation spiraled out of control, and the Capitol Police pleaded for backup from the military, Army Lt. Gen. Walter E. Piatt and Lt. Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the brother of the former national security adviser, articulated why it would be better for the military not to be directly involved, according to Walker. Piatt and Flynn were not part of the D.C. Guard's chain of command. Pentagon officials have denied that their response was delayed, describing the arrival of the D.C. Guard about three hours after the call for help as a quick rollout, considering that the military hadn't been postured or asked to provide backup to the Capitol Police if needed. "We were asked to support the Capitol from a cold start after it already had been overrun and are being criticized for how we fast we responded," said a former Pentagon official involved in the events that day. "We are not like law enforcement units whose job it is to police the streets." By the time of the riot, Pentagon leaders had become skittish about using the military to support law enforcement on domestic soil. Last June, Milley and then-defense secretary Mark Esper were excoriated by lawmakers and retired military personnel for appearing alongside President Donald Trump as federal law enforcement cleared racial-justice protesters near the White House using force and pepper balls. They also faced blowback more broadly for militarizing Washington, with more than 5,000 National Guard troops in the city and 1,600 active-duty forces amassed nearby, in response to the unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd. The D.C. Guard flew helicopters low over protesters, and the Justice Department put uniformed agents with no insignia from the Bureau of Prisons on the streets, enraging city officials. The fallout from the Nov. 3 election deepened the reluctance at the Pentagon. Trump ousted Esper after the vote, raising worries that the president was paving the way for extrajudicial action using the military. Days later, Milley gave a pointed speech, saying members of the U.S. military "do not take an oath to a king or queen, tyrant or dictator," but rather to the Constitution. Still, Trump began taking increasingly extreme measures to remain in power. After his former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, suggested that Trump could "rerun" the Nov. 3 vote, all 10 living former defense secretaries penned a letter warning the Pentagon to keep the military out of the presidential transition. On Dec. 31, city officials, also wary of a repeat of June, submitted a narrow request to the Pentagon for help from the D.C. Guard with traffic and crowd control on Jan. 6, which the D.C. Guard determined would require 340 personnel. The Army thought the proposal was light on details and didn't want to authorize it after a first-blush review that resulted in the draft memo, a former senior Pentagon official said, noting that the Army and senior leadership were "scarred by the experiences of June" and that the military has long been hesitant to deploy for domestic matters involving law enforcement. Senior officials were "very cognizant" that sending in the military "could be misconstrued by so many people as a power grab and play into the narrative that the military was on the cusp of overthrowing duly elected officials to redo an election," the former official said. Asked to explain the Army's position, the other former Pentagon official said: "It is customary practice that law enforcement assets have to be utilized and near exhaustion before DoD will support operations. It is not an official policy but is designed to reinforce that military should be used as a last resort." But while top Pentagon leaders have stressed since June that active-duty troops should be used to support domestic law enforcement only as a last resort, the National Guard is used regularly for such missions across the nation. Washington officials routinely ask for help from the D.C. Guard for major events, mostly to help with traffic control to free up police officers for other duties. The D.C. Guard, for example, helped with last year's July 4 event and aided the city in handling a march on Washington led by the Rev. Al Sharpton last August. The Guard even deployed to prevent large crowds from gathering and spreading the coronavirus during the 2020 cherry blossom festivities. A Washington official familiar with the security plans on Jan. 6 couldn't recall any historical example of the Defense Department rejecting the city's request to deploy the D.C. Guard. During a preparatory call ahead of the pro-Trump rally, McCarthy suggested that the city get help from the Justice Department's Bureau of Prisons, according to the District official. District officials refused, citing concerns they had with federal agents last summer. City officials thought the D.C. Guard was a better fit, calling the force "a tactical ready unit" that was familiar with the area and had worked with local law enforcement regularly during large-scale events, according to the District official. According to the former senior Pentagon official, top defense officials discussed the request on calls over the holiday weekend before the Jan. 6 event. Miller had "strong inclinations to support the mayor," the former senior official said, and eventually Pentagon leaders came to a consensus to grant the request. The Army approved the request because District officials refused to ask for extra help from federal law enforcement as Army officials had wanted, according to the former Pentagon official. "It was obvious we didn't want to find ourselves in a situation where [the D.C. police] needed help and we denied it," the former Pentagon official said. After the Pentagon approved the Guard mission, Washington Democratic Mayor Muriel Bower sent a letter on Jan. 5 confirming that the city had not requested additional personnel from federal law enforcement. She said the D.C. police were "well trained and prepared" for the event. The Army leadership also felt strongly that the military shouldn't be used unless a federal agency was designated to lead the activities. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told Miller and acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen that the Justice Department would serve as the "lead" agency, according to people familiar with the arrangement. As the "federal lead," the Justice Department essentially was in charge of coordination for the various agencies, a federal law enforcement official familiar with the preparations said. The designation pertained only to the Justice Department, the FBI, the Defense Department and the Interior Department, the official said, and did not cover the Capitol, where Capitol Police oversee security. The designation was so vague that officials in the District government and at the D.C. Guard didn't even know that the Justice Department was functioning as the "lead agency." The Justice Department declined to comment. The arrangement fell far short of what happens when the Department of Homeland Security designates a National Special Security Event. On those occasions, such as during the presidential inauguration or the State of the Union address, there is a clear command structure, in which the Secret Service sits atop all the other federal and local agencies. The Jan. 6 event wasn't declared an NSSE. The former Pentagon official said the Army leadership wanted to ensure there was a command-and-control architecture for appropriate decision-making and information sharing before and during the event. The official said the Justice Department fell short of ensuring that. The D.C. Guard deployment also went ahead, even though federal resources hadn't been exhausted, as McCarthy had stipulated as a condition in his final memo recommending approval. Ultimately, the Army leadership approved the Guard mission because it didn't want to put the District government in a tough place, the former Pentagon official said. - - - The Washington Post's Missy Ryan contributed to this report. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - BioMark Diagnostics Inc. (CSE: BUX) (FSE: 20B) (OTC Pink: BMKDF) ("BioMark") is pleased to announce today that its sponsored research collaboration with The Metabolomics Innovation Centre (TMIC) was successful in receiving funding from the Novel Technology Application in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Spark Grants competition. This comes after the organizers of the competition, the Canadian Cancer Society/Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research, and Brain Canada Foundation, evaluated the full proposal for its relevance to funding opportunities in the prevention and early detection of cancer. The funding application is entitled "A novel rapid, liquid biopsy early-stage lung cancer diagnostic test". The grant was for $150,000. The study is being led by Professor David Wishart and his team at The Metabolomics Innovation Centre from the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computing Science at the University of Alberta. The funding will be used to validate BioMark's liquid biopsy platform and proprietary biomarker panel for the detection of early-stage lung cancer in over 1200 patients. Our team, which consists of leaders in oncology, lung cancer, mass spectrometry and clinical translation will work together to ensure the successful translation, implementation, and commercialization of this metabolomics assay. Upon completion of this project, we expect to have: 1) a validated biomarker panel for the detection of early-stage lung cancer; 2) a laboratory-developed test that is compatible and easily integrated on mass spectrometry platforms already routinely used in clinical labs and 3) a well-developed plan for translation and implementation of the test using a proprietary system in an accredited lab in Quebec and later across Canada. "We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Dr. Wishart and his team at TMIC. Over the past 4 years we have worked hard to establish metabolite biomarkers that are specific to lung cancer in plasma samples and now we begin the final stretch in validating our test toward commercialization across Canada. A simpler, cheaper and more accurate test for early detection of lung cancer would benefit patients by providing improved outcome to high-risk patients. Such a test will also have the potential to disrupt the management of patient at higher risk due to smoking and other environmental exposures, leading to better screening modalities and reduced healthcare burden globally," Mr. Bux added. About Sparks Grant. BioMark would like to thank The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research (CIHR-ICR), and Brain Canada Foundation for their generous financial support for Spark Grants on the Application of Disruptive Technologies in Cancer Prevention and Early Detection of the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Institute for Cancer Research and Brain Canada Foundation (CCS grant # 707073/CIHR-IRSC grant # 0590008438). Both TMIC and BioMark will acknowledge all the supporting agencies in publications or events related to the use of the funds. About TMIC The Metabolomics Innovation Centre (TMIC) is a nationally funded network that offers a unique combination of infrastructure and expertise to perform a wide range of cutting-edge metabolomic studies for clinical trials research, biomedical studies, bioproducts studies, nutrient profiling and environmental testing. Network scientists include Dr. Liang Li (University of Alberta), Dr. David Wishart (University of Alberta), Dr. Christoph Borchers (McGill University), Dr. James Harynuk (University of Alberta), Dr. Michael Overduin (University of Alberta), Dr. David Goodlett (University of Victoria), Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin (McMaster University) and Dr. Ian Lewis (University of Calgary). TMIC has access to more than $26 million in state-of-the-art metabolomics infrastructure. It is supported by a team of lab managers, NMR spectroscopists, mass spectrometrists, chemists, computer scientists, statisticians and bioinformaticians. TMIC is capable of identifying and quantifying up to 2000 different chemicals from certain biological samples. This is approximately 5X more comprehensive than any other service currently available. About BioMark Diagnostics Inc. BioMark is developing proprietary, non-invasive, and accurate cancer diagnostic solutions which can help detect, monitor, and assess treatment for cancer early and cost-effectively. The technology can also be used for measuring response to treatment and potentially for serial monitoring of cancer survivors. Further information about BioMark is available under its profile on the SEDAR website www.sedar.com and on the CSE website https://thecse.com/. For further information on BioMark, please Contact: Rashid Ahmed Bux President & CEO BioMark Diagnostics Inc. Tel. 604-370-0779 Email: info@biomarkdiagnostics.com Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of BioMark. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of BioMark. Although BioMark believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because BioMark can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. BioMark disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the content of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77372 California Governor Gavin Newsom attends the opening of the country's first federal and state operated community vaccination site (Photo : REUTERS/Mike Blake) Prominent progressives including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are backing a fight against the recall of California Governor Gavin Newsom, in a sign that supporters are stepping up efforts to keep the embattled Democrat in office. Newsom and his backers opened a campaign committee on Monday and began raising funds to oppose the recall, which was started by a small right-wing group but has become a cause celebre among Republicans nationwide and in the heavily Democratic state. Advertisement "I won't be distracted by this partisan, Republican recall - but I will fight it," Newsom said on Twitter on Monday. "There is too much at stake." Newsom, a former lieutenant governor and San Francisco mayor, was elected governor in 2018 with almost 62% of the vote. He would be up for re-election in 2022. The California Democratic Party said on Monday it had donated $250,000 to the effort. Among supporters are Democrat Warren of Massachusetts and Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. They also include Democratic Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Alex Padilla of California and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams of Georgia. To fight the recall, Newsom has also hired political consultant Juan Rodriguez, who served as Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign manager during her bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, the anti-recall campaign said. Newsom is one of two Democratic governors under fire and at risk of removal in large, influential U.S. states. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing calls to resign and a possible impeachment amid allegations he sexually harassed female employees. Cuomo denies the allegations. The recall effort targeting Newsom began in February 2020, led by a group called the California Patriot Coalition that opposed Newsom's liberal politics. The campaign has picked up steam amid frustration with the state's COVID-19 vaccine rollout, closed schools and changing public health rules. A poll released on Monday by Emerson College and Nexstar Media Group Inc found that 38% of registered California voters would vote to recall Newsom, versus 42% who would vote to keep him in office. Randy Economy, a California Patriot Coalition spokesman, said the group expected to submit about 2 million signatures by a state deadline on Wednesday. The group needs about 1.5 million verified signatures for its recall to be eligible for the ballot at a time to be set by the state. But thousands are likely to be rejected as invalid. In California, recalling a governor is a two-step process. Voters decide whether they want to recall the sitting governor and then on the same ballot choose a replacement. 'TIMING IS EVERYTHING' The last time Californians recalled their governor was in 2003, when Democrat Gray Davis was replaced by Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican. As of Monday, Rescue California, one of the political action committees supporting the recall, had received $2 million in donations, state campaign finance records showed. The total included $185,250 from the California Republican Party and $100,000 from the political action committee of former Arkansas Republican Governor Mike Huckabee. "Gavin Newsom has ignored the needs of the people of California for too long," said former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, among the Republicans planning to run for governor if a recall vote is held. Republicans make up less than a quarter of registered voters in California. Raphael Sonenshein, a political scientist at California State University, Los Angeles, said a recall election could be easier for Republicans to win than an ordinary one. But Newsom's opponents will face tougher odds if California life is back to normal by the time an election is held. "Timing is everything," Sonenshein said. Certain brightly colored coral species dotting the seafloor may appear indistinguishable to many divers and snorkelers, but Florida State University researchers have found that these genetically diverse marine invertebrates vary in their response to ocean warming, a finding that has implications for the long-term health of coral reefs. The researchers used molecular genetics to differentiate among corals that look nearly identical and to understand which species best coped with thermal stress. Their research was published in the journal Ecology. "Being able to recognize the differences among these coral species that cannot be identified in the field -- which are known as 'cryptic species' -- will help us understand new ways for how coral reefs maintain resilience in the face of disturbance," said Associate Professor of Biological Science Scott Burgess, the paper's lead author. The researchers were studying the coral ecosystem at the island of Moorea in French Polynesia when a coral bleaching event struck in 2019. Corals get their color from algae that live in their tissues and with which they have a symbiotic relationship. But when corals are stressed -- by high water temperature, for example -- algae leave the coral, which turns white, hence the term "bleaching." Bleached corals are not dead, but they are more vulnerable and more likely to die. Most of the coral at Moorea belong to the genus Pocillopora. During the event, the researchers saw that about 72 percent of the coral colonies from this genus bleached, and up to 42 percent died afterward. At first, it seemed that the largest colonies were more likely to bleach, but when the scientists examined tissue samples from the coral, they found that colonies belonging to a certain genetic lineage, not coral size, was most important in determining the fate of the corals. "Because Pocillopora species look so similar, they cannot be reliably identified in the field, which, in the past, has forced researchers to study them as a single group," said Erika Johnston, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biological Science and a co-author of the paper. "Molecular genetics allows us to reconstruct their evolutionary ancestry and are an essential step to species identification in this case." About 86 percent of the Pocillopora corals that died belonged to a group that shares a set of DNA variations, which is known as a haplotype and reflects their common evolutionary ancestry. "The good news is that not all of the corals died from bleaching, and many species survived," Burgess said. "The bad news is that the species that died is, as far as we are aware at the moment, endemic to that specific region. So on the one hand, we're worried about losing an endemic species, but on the other hand, our results show how co-occurring cryptic species can contribute to coral resilience." It's an ecological analogy to having a diverse financial portfolio, where a variety of investments decreases the likelihood of a complete loss. "Having multiple species that perform a similar function for the reef ecosystem but differ in how they respond to disturbances should increase the chance that Pocillopora corals continue to perform their role in the system, even though the exact species may be shuffled around," Burgess said. Maintaining healthy ecological portfolios may be a better management option than attempting to restore a specific species. "If we maintain the right type of diversity, nature in a way can pick the winners and losers," Burgess said. "However, the worry for us scientists is that unless the leaders of governments and corporations take action to reduce CO2 emissions, ecological portfolios that can maintain coral reef resilience will be increasingly eroded under current and ongoing climate change. This is concerning because coral reef ecosystems provide economic, health, cultural and ecological goods and services that humans rely on." Future research will look into the composition of the algae that live inside the coral, the depth distributions of each cryptic coral species and the evolutionary relationships among the cryptic species. ### Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and California State University, Northridge contributed to this study. This work was conducted as part of a National Science Foundation grant awarded to Burgess. Last Sunday, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) held a public meeting reviewing the political lessons of the more than three-month lockout of Coles workers at the companys Smeaton Grange warehouse in southwestern Sydney. The event was attended by almost 90 people, including postal and warehousing workers, as well as teachers and students in Australia, along with participants from New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Late last month, the Smeaton Grange workers were starved into accepting a sellout agreement by the United Workers Union (UWU), which isolated their locked out members, refusing to provide strike pay or organise any support for industrial action by other Coles workers. The return-to-work agreement, which had been consistently rejected by workers during the lockout, ratified the closure of the warehouse and the axing of all its jobs in exchange for a paltry wage and redundancy deal demanded by the multi-billion dollar supermarket corporation. The determined struggle of the Smeaton Grange workers bluntly exposed the unions as an industrial police force, highlighting the urgent need for a new strategy and organisations of working class struggle. Sundays meeting, which can be watched below was, and remains, the only public event examining the longest industrial dispute in Australias largest city in decades. The Coles Smeaton Grange struggle: The next stage for the working class SEP National Secretary Cheryl Crisp, who chaired the meeting, opened by explaining how big business and the ruling elites everywhere were using COVID-19 to boost profits and drive up productivity through a massive restructuring assault on the entire working class. It is necessary for workers to understand how and why the Smeaton Grange workers were betrayed, she said. Workers must know who are their friends and who are their enemies and the perspective necessary to ensure this betrayal is not repeated. John Hughes, an Australia Post worker and a founding member of the Postal Workers Rank and File Committee, pointed to the clear parallels between Coles workers and what we are up against at Australia Post. Formation of the Australia Post rank-and-file committee was in response to the unions collaboration with managements so-called Alternative Delivery Model restructuring, he said. The union negotiated an agreement that endorsed the elimination of thousands of jobs and contained a 12-month no-strike clause. Workers are going through some very painful experiences and they are starting to recognise that it is no longer possible to conduct a struggle against the ruling class within the framework of the old organisations, Hughes said. Sue Phillips, a veteran teacher and convenor of the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), told the meeting that the brutal assault on Coles warehouse workers was mirrored in the decades-long attack on the jobs and working conditions of university academics, teachers and other education staff. These attacks, she said, have been rubber-stamped by the education unions. Phillips reviewed the massive shift in government funding from public to private education institutions, along with the destructive impact of NAPLAN testing, business curriculums and so-called super schools on teachers and students. Increasingly public schools are not institutions of learning and education, but holding pens where young people are not taught the joy of learning, encouraged to excel academically and be creative, critical thinkers, but to obey orders and be work-ready in low-paid, casual, gig economy jobs. The dire situation facing young people is highlighted by the 23 percent increase in recruitment to the armed forces in Australia in the last year, she continued. What does it say of a system which offers its young only military service and war and where, under conditions of mass unemployment, this appears as the only prospect of a permanent job? SEP National Committee member and World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) journalist Oscar Grenfell provided a detailed exposure of the UWUs betrayal and warned that massive job destructive would now be unleashed against Coles and other supermarket warehouse workers. Oscar Grenfell addresses the online meeting Most importantly, Grenfell explained the role of the pseudo-left Solidarity organisation, and its so-called Concerned Workers of Smeaton Grange group, which covered up for the UWU and opposes any organisational or political break with the unions. According to Solidarity, the speaker said, The union leaders will generally do the right thing by their members. But if they dont, all that is required is a little bit of a push by the rank-and-file and the officials will respond. How did this play out at Smeaton Grange? In fact, the more opposition emerged from workers, the closer the union collaborated with management. Each time workers voted down the sell-out, the UWU officials and the company ramped up the pressure on them to capitulate. Grenfell reviewed the corporate transformation of the unions into industrial police for employers, which, he said, was ruthlessly imposed by the Hawke and Keating Labor governments but was an international phenomenon. When we call for independent rank-and-file committees, we are raising the need for workers to begin developing their own organisations that they control and lead entirely independent of the unions. Their role is not to pressure the unions or write letters of protest to the Labor Party Such organisations would ensure workers were fully informed of events in their workplace and more broadly by distributing information, provide a forum for democratic discussion and debate among workers, and serve as a vehicle to plan concrete actions, including unified industrial action across industries and involving broader sections of workers, he explained. Grenfell said workers confronted not just one company but a fight against the entire political establishment, the trade unions apparatus, and the capitalist state, which posed the need for a political struggle for socialist internationalism and a workers government. Following the reports, questions were asked about the organisational form and political tasks of rank-and-file committees, the role of the pseudo-left, and union attempts to divert workers into so-called community boycotts. One Coles warehouse worker pointed out there was widespread anger over the UWUs betrayal of the Smeaton Grange workers. He also noted that the union had not informed workers at his warehouse about managements closure plans until after it had pushed through an enterprise agreement. Speaking after the event, he told the WSWS that the meeting was very informative and added, We need to share the video of this everywhere we can. I thought the report by Sue Phillips from the Committee to For Public Education was fantastic, he said. I learnt a lot more about the struggles teachers have been involved inthe cuts to jobs and conditionsand how NAPLAN is used to dumb down children. What she said about pushing people into the military is right. Theres one kid I know who applied to join the armed forces and has now got various trade qualifications. It looks very inviting but his life is going to be at risk, hell be just another cog in the war machine, another statistic. The government doesnt want people to think but just follow the narratives they lay down in the media. If you look carefully into whats really going on though, then you see capitalism for what it really is. The real agenda is for the working class to be the slaves of the corporates and the one-percenters. Ive looked at the Solidarity groups article. What theyre proposing is crazy. How can you start a genuine rank-and-file committee controlled by workers and still be in the union framework? Its not possible because the union is tied to the company. You saw that in [Coles Chief Operations Officer] Matt Swindells video. He was so blatant about how much they rely on the union. And anyone who didnt agree with what Coles management and the union worked out, he said, was an extremist. Im disgusted with what I see happening all around in the world. Theres the injustice at Coles Smeaton Grange but theres a bigger agenda that you people are trying to educate us about. Its really like a veil has been lifted about whats going on in the world. Sam, a Brisbane high school student, was also enthusiastic about the meeting. The attempted restructuring at the Smeaton Grange warehouse is only the most recent example in a long chain of anti-worker, pro-corporate developments. Especially illuminating was the role of the UWU in isolating the warehouse workers and forcing them to accept the terms dictated by Coles. This demonstrates the need for workers to establish their own democratic organisations, separate from established trade unions, in order to advance their demands independently. The report by the CFPE about the deteriorating state of public education was also interesting. Both Labor and Liberal governments are attempting to turn public schools into institutions that create job-ready graduates, rather than institutions that encourage students to learn and pursue topics that interest them. The current crisis in global capitalism, which has been catalysed by the COVID-19 pandemic, can only be solved by a mass movement of the working class. We are entering an era that is becoming more and more defined by rising austerity, militarism and authoritarianism. The only cure for capitalism is socialism, and socialism can only be built by the working class. We urge meeting participants and WSWS readers to watch the video and share it widely on social media and other platforms. Sundays event and future meetings provide a crucial platform for workers, young people, students and serious layers of the middle class to clarify and democratically discuss the political issues they now confront. Please disable your ad blocker, and refresh the page to view this content. Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. More here COLUMBIA Legislation aimed at ensuring poor students aren't shamed by getting a different lunch at school advanced unanimously in the South Carolina House. The bill sent to the House floor March 16 would bar schools from treating students who haven't paid differently once the federal government stops covering all students' meals amid the pandemic. Some schools have given an alternate meal, such as a peanut butter sandwich and an apple, after a student didn't pay for a week or two. Before the pandemic, at least one school district turned over school lunch debt to a collection agency, Rep. Raye Felder, R-Fort Mill, told the House Education Committee before the 18-0 vote. But the reason for the debt is usually that the child's parents haven't filled out the paperwork that allows the student to eat for free or nearly free, depending on their poverty level and lets the school get reimbursed by the federal government. Requiring the same meal regardless should incentivize schools to work with parents to get those applications filled out, said Felder, chairwoman of the House's K-12 subcommittee. Rep. Gil Gatch, R-Summerville, said the shaming that results is what "struck a chord" with him. "Everyone knows this lunch signifies something because Im poor," he said about the alternate meal. "Were leveling the field between who can afford it and those who couldnt so kids are not experiencing horrible shame." The measure also prevents schools from punishing students with a lunch debt by not allowing them to participate in field trips, graduation ceremonies or other activities. Rep. Mark Smith, R-Charleston, said he worries some parents who can and should be paying will choose not to, resulting in a burden on the district. Smith, a past chairman of the Lowcountry Food Bank, stressed he's aware students can't pay attention and learn when their bellies are empty and said no child should go without a meal. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "I just want to make sure were holding people financially responsible when they have the ability to pay," he said. In response, Felder said it's possible some crafty students could pocket the money instead of paying for lunch. But if they do, "districts will be creative in notifying momma that little Johnny didn't turn in his money this week. But in the meantime, little Johnny gets to eat," she said. The bill was initially filed in December 2018 after its sponsor, Rep. John King, said he heard of students not only "food shamed" but bullied because of their obvious inability to pay. "This makes sure all kids are treated fairly going through the lunch line," the Rock Hill Democrat said. "For kids to be treated differently with a bag lunch is not acceptable, not in this day and time." The bill applies to the meals schools serve that are federally reimbursable, not the food or beverages some schools offer for sale separately. The measure specifies students can't accrue a debt for those items, which instead must be bought with cash or by drawing down a prepaid balance. Whether the bill becomes law is likely up to the Senate. It's almost certain to pass the House, again, as it did last year on a unanimous vote before the pandemic cut the regular session short. The pandemic also at least temporarily suspended the problem. Since schools were forced to close last March, tens of millions of meals have been provided to students statewide through pickup arrangements at schools and delivered by bus to communities lacking transportation. The federal government's waiver allowing all students access to free school meals, regardless of their income, was recently extended through Sept. 30, to ensure students continue receiving a nutritious meal through the summer. Four were oversubscribed Tuesday, marking investors search for promising across sectors as some analysts questioned the valuations. Chemicals firm Anupam Rasayans Rs 760-crore initial public offer (IPO) was subscribed 45 times. The institutional portion was subscribed 66 times; the wealthy investor portion 97 times and the retail investor portion 11 times. Anupam Rasayan has two divisions: life science-related specialty chemicals comprise agrochemicals, personal care and pharmaceuticals. The other comprises pigment and dyes, and polymer additives. The IPO closed Tuesday, and the company will use proceeds for debt repayment. ALSO READ: Analysts game for Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Nazara Technologies The huge oversubscription comes even as some analysts raised concerns over at premium valuations compared to its listed peers and poor working capital management. Kalyan Jewellers IPO was subscribed 60 per cent on the first day of the issue. The Kerala-based jewellery chain priced its IPO between Rs 86-87 per share. On Monday, the company raised Rs 352 crore from 15 anchor investors. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of Rs 800 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 375 crore. And the company plans to use the IPO proceeds for funding working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. Meanwhile, of Laxmi Organics and Craftsman Automation were subscribed 6.05 times and 1.26 times cent on their second day, data provided by stock exchanges showed. The two will close on Wednesday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has toned down his anti-Western and anti-US rhetoric in an apparent effort to reset the rocky relationship with his NATO allies, but so far hes been met by silence from U.S. President Joe Biden, Associated Press reports. Ties between Ankara and Washington which once considered each other as strategic partners have steadily deteriorated in recent years over differences on Syria, Turkeys cooperation with Russia and more recently on Turkish naval interventions in the eastern Mediterranean, which U.S. officials have described as destabilizing. Despite tensions, many within Erdogans government were hoping for four more years of the administration led by Trump, who had a personal rapport with Erdogan and didnt give him any lectures about Turkeys human rights record. Biden drew ire from Turkish officials after an interview with the New York Times in which he spoke about supporting Turkeys opposition against autocrat Erdogan. In public statements, Turkish officials have played down the lack of a phone call from the White House, noting that conversations are happening at other levels, but a senior Turkish government official told The Associated Press that Erdogans office is not thrilled about it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said last week that there were many world leaders Biden still hadnt talked to and that she was sure he would call Erdogan at some point. Left with few friends due to a spate of assertive foreign policy, anti-Western rhetoric and increasing authoritarianism, Turkey is now looking to attract foreign investments to rescue its troubled economy. Erdogan has been reaching out to the U.S., European nations and other former allies in a bid to patch troubled relations and end its international isolation. Biden, who has spoken about restoring international alliances and traditional ties as well as strengthening NATO, would have an interest in rebuilding ties and trying to pull Turkey away from Russias sphere of influence. But analysts say its going to be very difficult to reset the relationship, given the range of issues where the two countries dont see eye to eye, including Turkeys decision to acquire the advanced Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system, which Washington says poses a threat to NATO and to the U.S. F-35 fighter aircraft program. Washington kicked Turkey out of the F-35 production program and last year imposed sanctions on senior Turkish defense industry officials as well as bans on military export licenses. Turkey argues that the Russian system, which cost the country $2.5 billion, is not a threat to the NATO alliance and it has repeatedly called for dialogue to resolve the issue. Washington insists the sanctions cannot be lifted as long as the Russian system remains on Turkish soil. During a Senate hearing before his confirmation as U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken described Turkey as a so-called strategic partner and called it unacceptable for Turkey to be in line with one of our biggest strategic competitors in Russia. Merve Tahiroglu of the Washington-based Project on Middle East Democracy, said it would be difficult for Erdogan to backtrack on the S-400 because he made such a big deal about the purchase and what this would mean for Turkeys geopolitical independence. American military support for Syrian Kurdish fighters to combat the Islamic State group is another point of contention. Turkey argues they are inextricably linked to a decades-long Kurdish insurgency and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said that ties cannot improve unless Washington halts its cooperation with the Syrian Kurdish group. In 2019, Biden accused Trump of betraying U.S. allies, following the latters decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria, which paved the way for a Turkish military offensive against the Syrian Kurdish group. The Biden administration is likely to put pressure on Turkey on its energy dispute with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, which led to a tense standoff between two NATO members. Turkey has since halted its search for energy reserves in disputed waters while Erdogan has toned down his fiery rhetoric. Gonul Tol, director of the Middle East Institutes Center for Turkish Studies, said Turkey cannot give concessions in the eastern Mediterranean because it is considered a national cause by a wide segment of Turkish society. The Biden administration is expected to place more emphasis on democracy and human rights than Trump did. During a telephone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Blinken underlined the importance of democratic institutions, inclusive governance and respect for human rights for Turkey, according to a U.S. readout of the conversation. Last week, Erdogan pledged a series of reforms to improve human rights but analysts said they were unlikely to make a huge impact or lead to the release from prison of high-profile figures such as activist Osman Kavala, who is accused of ties to anti-government protests in 2013 as well as a 2016 failed coup attempt. For a true reset to happen, the Biden administration needs to see more of a democratization process ... that can come in the form of major judicial reforms or by the release of some of the most contentious political figures, Tahiroglu said. Turkey is also seeking the extradition of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a failed military coup in 2016. U.S. officials say Ankara has not been able to present documents that would allow his extradition. Turkey accuses Washington of providing him shelter. Also threatening to perturb ties is a trial against Turkish state bank, Halkbank, accused of helping Iran to evade U.S. sanctions worth $20 billion. People talk about essential workers as heroes and highlight them as critical to the world we live in, but behind those heroes are the less advertised sidekickslike Antoniaprotecting, nurturing, and fueling their livelihoods. AuPairCare, a premier au pair agency providing live-in child care services and a cultural exchange experience, is proud to announce its 2021 Ultimate Au PairAntonia Vallejos from Chile. Antonia lives with the Kimble family in Fort Collins, Colorado. Host parents Michelle and Greg Kimble are both essential workers, balancing work and taking care of their two young daughters during the pandemic. Michelle is an emergency room nurse and Greg is a Fire Marshall. With busy schedules and two young children, they chose to host an au pair to provide flexible childcare while introducing a new culture to their family. Antonia has not only allowed Michelle and Greg not to miss a day of their essential work during the pandemic, but has given them the peace of mind knowing their kids are safe and happy being cared for at home. From teaching preschool basics to meal prep and playtime, Antonia has helped make the most out of the increased time at home during the pandemic for their one- and three-year-old daughters. Antonia has also taught the family about her own culture, through cooking traditional Chilean dishes, dressing in their national colors, and celebrating Chilean holidays and customs. Not only do they greatly benefit from the support Antonia provides, but their lives are enriched by the cultural exchange that happens right at home. Host mom Michelle recalls that Antonia came to them when they needed her the most, and that she demonstrates the type of faith and strength she hopes her two young girls will embody. The annual Ultimate Au Pair contest is a special way for host families to share how the au pair program has impacted their lives, said Jennifer Kwiat, Boulder County Area Director for AuPairCare, noting that host parents nominate au pairs with an essay and then the top ten finalists are voted upon to determine the winner. This year, over 100 families entered, and thousands of voters helped crown the Ultimate Au Pair. A recurring theme in nominations are host parents describing how their au pairs have helped their family transition from surviving to thriving or their children said their au pair was the older sibling I always wanted. For the Kimble family, Antonia has become an integral part of their day-to-day lives. Antonia has been the ultimate lifesaver this year, said Antonias Host Mom Michelle Kimble. People talk about essential workers as heroes and highlight them as critical to the world we live in, but behind those heroes are the less advertised sidekickslike Antoniaprotecting, nurturing, and fueling their livelihoods. The original essay by the Kimble Family nominating Antonia is available on AuPairCares website, along with stories of past au pair winners and participants. https://www.aupaircare.com/stories/ultimate-au-pair-2021-winner AuPairCare is a leading au pair agency providing live-in childcare services to American families since 1989. AuPairCare is a federally run program and is designated by the U.S. Department of State. As a premier au pair agency, AuPairCare combines quality childcare and cultural exchange, bringing the world into American homes. AuPairCare has matched more than 80,000 au pairs with American families across the U.S. AuPairCare is a division of Intrax, a family of organizations that provide a lifetime of high quality educational, work, and volunteer programs that connect people and cultures. Intrax is headquartered in San Francisco with offices on four continents. For more information about AuPairCare, call 800.428.7247 or visit http://www.aupaircare.com. BEIJING (Reuters) - China's market regulator on Tuesday tightened scrutiny over the country's booming livestreaming e-commerce platforms, where internet influencers sell goods directly to consumers, citing concerns about poor quality products and misleading advertising. The State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) recently met several livestreaming e-commerce companies, which presented self-disciplinary measures, the agency said in a statement, without naming the firms. It said all livestreaming platforms should "quickly conduct self-control and comprehensive inspections" on product quality, and should punish livestreamers who sell shoddy goods. The move is the latest in a series of measures by the regulator to rein-in a thriving "platform economy", which includes popular livestreaming e-commerce platforms run by internet giants such as Alibaba's Taobao, Kuaishou and ByteDance's short video app Douyin. Alibaba, ByteDance and Kuaishou did not immediately respond to requests to comment. Since last year, increasingly vigilant Chinese regulators have launched a probe into e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and imposed penalties on Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent for not seeking anti-trust reviews for acquisitions and corporate tie-ups. Other firms have been fined for unfair competitive behaviour. (Reporting by Yingzhi Yang and Tony Munroe in Beijing; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Edmund Blair) Vietnam is confident that it will be able to produce Covid-19 vaccines to meet the countrys need and for export by 2022. On March 15, the Hanoi Medical University and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology started the first phase of the clinical trial of Covivac vaccine on the first six volunteers. During phase 1 of the trial (March 15 to April 20), the vaccine will be tested on 120 volunteers aged 18-59, divided into five groups, including one group injected with a placebo. The first volunteer who was tested for the locally made Covivac vaccine. Photo: Hoang Bui Hai One of the first volunteers injected with the locally-made vaccine on March 15 was a 44-year-old woman from Hanoi. She told VietNamNet that she had studied very carefully about the vaccine and strongly believed that it would be successful. I am very lucky that my husband and daughter are very supportive. So far, I have not felt any unusual reactions," she said. Deputy Health Minister Tran Van Thuan said that Covivac is the second Vietnamese vaccine under clinical trial after Nanocovax, which is now in phase 2 of the trial. In the near future, Vietnam will have another Covid-19 vaccine Vabiotech that will be tested in stage 1. He said that the Ministry of Health highly appreciated the preparation and efforts of scientists, especially those from the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) who worked very hard to make the vaccine in a very short time. The Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Health, the State Council, the Ethics Council in the field of biomedical science have worked to shorten the time for the early ratification of the research protocol. "We especially thank the volunteers for their noble acts, for the public's health, so that we have enough people to participate in the research," said Thuan. The third volunteer who was injected with the Covivac vaccine. In the first phase of the Covivac vaccine trial, Thuan said that Vietnam respects the principles of science, strictness and safety. The Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Health was assigned to monitor, supervise and evaluate the entire experimental research process, creating the most favorable conditions for scientists so that as soon as phase 1 is evaluated, phase 2 will be implemented immediately. This is a vaccine that we have high hope for its success because it was born from the dedication of scientists at home and abroad. This vaccine has also undergone a pre-clinical trial study in Vietnam, India and the US, which initially proves that the vaccine is not only effective for common strains but also mutant strains in the UK and South Africa," Deputy Minister Thuan emphasized. Thuan said that if Covivac vaccine succeeds, the vaccine along with NanoCovax and Vabiotech will help Vietnam take the initiative in sourcing Covid-19 vaccine to meet the countrys needs. "We hope that by the end of 2021 or early 2022, Vietnam will have vaccines, even for export," Thuan said. Deputy Health Minister Tran Van Thuan. According to the Ministry of Health, IVAC bought insurance for all people who participate in the trial, with a total value of VND40 billion (nearly $2 million). This is compulsory not only in Vietnam but in other countries. Answering VietNamNet's question about the information that the production technology of Covivac vaccine is similar to that of AstraZeneca vaccine, Dr. Duong Huu Thai, Director of IVAC, said that both vaccines use vector technology, but the substrate is different. Covivac vaccine has been developed since May 2020 with the goal of producing a complete vaccine to meet international conditions after 18 months at a low cost. This is a liquid, preservative-free vaccine with three kinds of doses of 1mcg, 3mcg and 10mcg, including two types with and without adjuvants. Currently, IVAC's capacity is 6 million doses per year, but by September it can be upgraded to 30 million doses a year. The estimated price of the Covivac vaccine is about VND60,000/dose (less than $3). Thuy Hanh NEWTON, Mass., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (Sonesta) has appointed Garine Ferejian-Mayo as the company's new Chief Commercial Officer. In this newly created position, Ms. Ferejian-Mayo will leverage more than 25 years of industry experience to drive the execution of Sonesta's commercial operations while leading the company's Sales, Revenue, Distribution, Call Center, and Field-Marketing teams. Ms. Ferejian-Mayo will work closely with Sonesta President and Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Flores, and Chief Operating Officer, Vera Manoukian to craft the company's commercial strategy aimed at positioning Sonesta as an industry leader known for exceptional financial results and outstanding guest satisfaction. Ms. Ferejian-Mayo joins Sonesta most recently from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), where she served as IHG's Head of Commercial for their Core-Managed Hotels & Luxury division. She began her career at Interstate Hotels & Resorts and has held several leadership roles at Fairmont, Loews, and Starwood Hotels. "We are excited to have Garine Ferejian-May join the Sonesta executive team," said Vera Manoukian, Chief Operating Officer at Sonesta. "With our rapid growth, we are exploring a host of new opportunities and as we add hundreds of additional hotels to Sonesta brands. Her wealth of experience, industry expertise, and tenacity will be invaluable to our mission." With a full range of exceptional hotels found in many of the most memorable destinations in the world, Sonesta proudly exceeds guest's expectations by delivering an authentic experience time and time again. Visit Sonesta.com for a complete list of new hotels and find the latest brand news, updates, and more information on the Sonesta Travel Pass guest loyalty program and book a stay. Sonesta is one of the fastest-growing hospitality companies in the U.S., celebrating an approximate 350% increase in its national portfolio. You will soon find nearly 300 Sonesta properties across seven brands operating in the U.S., Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Peru, and St. Maarten. Discover Sonesta hotels, resorts, and suites in many of the most traveled U.S. destinations, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Hilton Head, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. For more about Sonesta and its locations, visit Sonesta.com or call +1.617.315.9200 or 800.Sonesta (800.766.3782) in the U.S. and Canada. Follow us on social media @SonestaHotels. ### * High-resolution images are available at www.sonesta.com/media for all Sonesta hotels. Media Contact : Libby Foxman, Weber Shandwick for Sonesta [email protected] / 212-546-7838 SOURCE Sonesta International Hotels Corporation Related Links http://www.sonesta.com/ EDWARDSVILLE A Glen Carbon man was charged Monday with aggravated DUI after an incident Saturday. Andrew J. Bridges, 32, was charged with aggravated driving while under the influence, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. According to court documents, on March 13 Bridges allegedly was driving a 2013 Volkswagon Passat while under the influence of alcohol. It was noted that he had a conviction or court supervision for related crimes in 2007 and 2012. Bail was set at $25,000. Other felony charges filed March 15 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Billy J. Clark, 40, of Hartford, was charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles and unlawful possession of an altered license plate, both Class 2 felonies, and forgery, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on March 13 Clark allegedly was found to be in possession of a stolen 2000 Dodge Ram, and an altered temporary license plate. He also attempted to pass a bad check for $742,31 to another person. Bail was set at $50,000. Andrew J. Main, 49, of Wood River, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On March 14 Main allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000. Roger D. Hyde, 35, of Granite City, was charged with unlawful use of a debit card, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Pontoon Beach Police Department. Hyde allegedly used a Granite City Steel Credit Union debit card without the consent of the cardholder to purchase less than $300 in goods from two separate businesses a total of seven times. Bail was set at $60,000. Karla K. Peters, 62, of Washington Park, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Edwardsville Police Department. On March 14 Peters allegedly took liquor, paper goods, clothing, towels, and a flat-screen TV with a wall mount from the Edwardsville Target, 2350 Troy Road. Bail was set at $15,000. Thomas D. Kemper, 20, of Marion, Kentucky, was charged with unlawful possession of a fraudulent drivers license, Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On March 14 Kemper allegedly was found to be in possession of a fraudulent Missouri drivers license. Bail was set at $15,000. Shawn R. Murphey, 38, of Wood River, was charged with driving while license revoked (third subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On Jan. 27 Murphey allegedly was found to be driving a 1994 GMC Suburban with a revoked drivers license. It was noted the license was revoked in 2007 for a DUI conviction, and he had multiple convictions for driving while revoked. Bail was set at $15,000. A group of swimmers got more than they bargained for after a playful seal joined in on their morning swim. The curious seal, named Alex, was captured enjoying the crystal clear waters of Sydney's popular Bondi Beach on Monday morning. Drone footage shows the seal swimming just metres away from the lucky beach-goers, as he chases a shoal of fish in the shallows. Breathtaking aerial footage shows Alex the seal hunting just metres away from swimmers at Bondi Beach While the swimmers seem unsure of the lively seal at first - one woman can be seen racing out of the water - many stay to watch the animal play. Photographer Nick Holton, who filmed the video, said the Australian fur seal has a reputation in Bondi as a local legend. The giant mammal is a return visitor to Sydney beaches, with many Bondi locals stopping to watch the seal from the shore or their surfboards. Mr Holton told Daily Mail Australia in the two years he's photographed Alex, the seal has become a 'hunting expert'. Alex the seal has earned a reputation as a local legend, returning to Sydney beaches to hunt large shoals of salmon 'When there's big bait balls of salmon in the bay you'll see Alex cruising in and out, sometimes he's got family with him but usually he's alone. 'He sometimes waits off shore and rides the waves in to attack the salmon, charging in and out of the bay.' Mr Holton said he could recognise Alex by the distinctive pattern on the seals neck, as well as his carefully executed hunting style. Seals are no stranger to beaches across Sydney, with an increasing number of the animals making themselves at home during the warmer months. Beach-goers got up close and personal with the seal who was hunting in the shallow waters A visiting seal wowed onlookers after it arrived at Dee Why Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches last December. The exhausted seal hauled itself up three flights of stairs to take a rest on the grass, attracting attention from hoards of curious spectators. Police and animal authorities cordoned off the area surrounding the seal to the public to allow the animal to rest undisturbed. While seals prefer to swim in cold waters, wild seals will occasionally stray as far north as Sydney and the Coral Coast in Western Australia. In December a visiting seal attracted a crowd of curious onlookers at Dee Why beach, on Sydney's Northern Beaches Rangers from the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service have noticed an increase in visiting seals along the north coast. Many people who spot the seals, wrongly assume they are in distress, ranger Andrew Marshall told the New South Wales Department of Environment. He said the reality was majority of the beached seals were just resting, and encouraged curious spectators to keep a 40 metres away from the animals. 'They might look fairly docile lying on a beach but they can move faster than you can when roused and they have a good set of sharp teeth. 'They are wild animals and so they can be dangerous if you get too close. 'Mostly they just want to rest at a location for a few days and they need this so please leave them alone.' The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a Public Medical College of Higher Education, has called for applications from qualified and interested candidates for filling Fifty-Seven (57) vacancies to the post of Junior Residents (Non-Academic) at AIIMS, Bhopal under Non-clinical, Clinical and Para Clinical Department through a Walk-in-Interview process scheduled on April 5, 2021 from 9:00 am onwards to be posted at AIIMS in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh in India on a fulltime basis. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Junior Residents (Non-Academic) posts at AIIMS, Bhopal Organisation All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Educational Qualification MBBS Degree Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required null Job Location Bhopal Salary Scale Rs. 56,100 per month Industry Public Medical College of Higher Education Application Start Date April 5, 2021 Application End Date April 5, 2021 AIIMS Recruitment 2021: Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for AIIMS Junior Resident Jobs 2021 through AIIMS Recruitment 2021 must not have exceeded 30 years of age, with relaxation (upper age limit) up to 3 years (OBC) and 5 years (SC/ST) respectively as specified in the AIIMS Notification 2021. Candidates must pay a prescribed amount of Rs. 1,000 (General/ EWS/OBC) and Rs. 800 (SC/ST/category) respectively as application fee for AIIMS Junior Resident Jobs 2021 through AIIMS Bhopal Recruitment 2021 in the form of a Demand Draft (DD) drawn in favour of "AIIMS Bhopal" as mentioned in the official AIIMS Bhopal Notification 2021 given at the end of the write-up. Also Read: Indian Railway Recruitment 2021 For 182 Trade Apprentices, Apply Before March 31 On DMW.IndianRailways.Gov.In AIIMS Recruitment 2021: Educational Criteria Candidates applying for AIIMS Junior Resident Jobs 2021 through AIIMS Recruitment 2021 must possess an MBBS Degree from a MCI/State recognised University/Institution as specified in the AIIMS Notification 2021. AIIMS Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates for AIIMS Junior Resident Jobs 2021 through AIIMS Bhopal Recruitment 2021 will be done through a Walk-in-Interview process scheduled on April 5, 2021 from 9:00 am onwards. Candidates selected for AIIMS Bhopal Jobs 2021 through AIIMS Bhopal Recruitment 2021 will be paid emolument of Rs. 56,100 per month. Also Read: SPP Recruitment 2021 Notification For Supervisors And Jr. Office Assistant Posts, Apply Online Before April 10 AIIMS Recruitment 2021: How To Apply Candidates applying for AIIMS Bhopal Jobs 2021 through AIIMS Recruitment 2021 must appear for the Walk-in-Interview process scheduled on April 5, 2021 from 9:00 am onwards at the Medical College AIIMS, Bhopal as notified AIIMS Notification 2021. Download AIIMS Recruitment 2021 PDF Notification for Junior Residents (Non-Academic) posts (Newser) It's like an emergency kit, but in this case the label would read, "open in case of Armageddon." Scientists are floating the idea of storing samples of sperm, eggs, spores, and seeds from pretty much every life form on Earth up on the moon, reports CBS News. That way, if life on Earth is wiped out by pandemic, asteroid strike, or any other calamity, we'd have a way of starting over. Think of it as a space-age Noah's Ark, which is why the team at the University of Arizona calls their plan the Lunar Ark, per a news release. The logistics, as presented during the IEEE Aerospace Conference, are daunting. The idea is to collect 335 million reproductive cells from 6.7 million species on the planet and transport them to the moon, where the cryogenically frozen samples would be stored in underground lava tubes. story continues below "I like to use the data analogy," lead researcher Jekan Thanga tells Live Science. "It's like copying your photos and documents from your computer onto a separate hard drive, so you have a backup if anything goes wrong." Solar panels would provide power for the storage locker, which would have to be tended by robots because of the ultra-cold temperatures involved. It would likely take an estimated 250 rocket flights just to transport the reproductive cells, and Popular Mechanics puts this in the context of the 40 flights required to build the International Space Station. The price would be staggering, likely in the hundreds of billions of dollars, though Thanga sees this as an international effort and notes that the cost of flights will come down as private companies such as SpaceX get involved. Thanga thinks the plan is feasible over 30 years. (Read more moon stories.) NAVY Navy hands down $778.9M modernization support awards The Navy has awarded 11 companies positions on a potential six-year, $778.9 million contract to carry out engineering and technical support services as part of the branch's broader platform modernization effort. Awardees will compete for task orders through March 2027 under the Hull, Mechanical and Electrical Systems Modernization Program, the Pentagon said in its Friday awards digest. Solicitation documents indicate the areas of work include updates, repairs and maintenance at various levels of the ship systems integration process whether that vessel be an aircraft carrier, surface ship or submarine. That process also includes digital refreshes to both hardware electronic components. Each company that bid for the contract got a seat: Continental Tide Defense Systems Delphinius Engineering Epsilon Systems General Dynamics IT services segment Huntington Ingalls Industries La Playa L3Harris Technologies (through its L-3 Unidyne unit) Oceaneering International Q.E.D. Systems Sercos U.S. subsidiary Tecnico Turkey does not recognize Russia's attempts to annex Crimea and supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This was said in a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. We reiterate that we do not recognize the de-facto situation on the peninsula which constitutes a breach of international law and confirm our support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the statement reads. The ministry also underlines the importance of protecting the cultural identity, safety and well-being of the Crimean Tatar Turks, who are among the constituent people of the peninsula. We will continue to closely monitor the developments in Crimea, the ministry added. On March 16, 2014, contrary to Ukrainian legislation and the legislation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a so-called "referendum" on the status of Crimea was held in the Russian-occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. According to the official data of the aggressor state, 96.77% of Crimean residents allegedly supported the annexation of the peninsula to Russia, while 95.6% of Sevastopol residents "voted" in favor of joining Russia. Two days later, on March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation was signed at the Kremlin. Most UN member states and other international organizations declared the Crimean referendum falsified by the occupiers illegitimate. ish (@FahadShabbir) CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) Moldovan President Maia Sandu said she was holding talks with Janssen Pharmaceutica on the issue of receiving Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine. "Today, I held talks with representatives of Janssen Pharmaceutica, which produces Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, which has been approved and is being used in the United States. We considered the possibility of our citizens gaining access to the vaccine, both through the COVAX platform and directly," Sandu wrote on her Facebook page. She said she would continue talks with partners and manufacturing companies to provide Moldovan citizens with access to various vaccines. Vaccination against COVID-19 in the country started on March 2. To date, 14,814 people have been vaccinated. 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. TheEat: Happy St. Patrick's Day! Now, what are you going to do with all that leftover corned beef? Police arrest man for alleged assault POTTSVILLE Pottsville police investigated an assault that happened around 4 p.m. Thursday in the area of Seventh and West Market streets. The investigation by Patrolman Stephen Delinko showed that Eric Ricky Lamberth, 28, who has no known address, assaulted a 21-year-old woman after he ingested synthetic marijuana and became hostile toward her. The woman reported that Lamberth punched her multiple times and shoved her into West Market Street, where she was almost struck by a passing car, police said. An arrest warrant was obtained for Lamberth and he was taken into custody on Friday, arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $10,000 bail, police said. Police investigate mischief incident TREMONT State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating a criminal mischief incident that happened at Minor and Laurel streets between 5 and 6:35 p.m. Wednesday. Police said an unidentified male juvenile crashed his bicycle into a parked 2015 Kia Optima and fled the area. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 570-754-4600. 1 injured in crash after dodging deer TOWER CITY A 17-year-old Donaldson boy suffered minor injuries when the 2008 Hyundai Elantra he was driving crashed on Route 209, just west of Tower Street in Porter Township, around 9:10 p.m. Friday. State police at Schuylkill Haven said the boy was driving west when he swerved into the eastbound lane to avoid hitting a deer that ran directly into his path. The teen lost control of the car and struck a guiderail, police said. Police said the boy was taken to a Pottsville hospital for treatment and, as a result of the crash, will be cited for not driving on roadways laned for traffic. Tower City firefighters and EMS assisted. $81K stolen by fraudulent companyPITMAN A theft that happened between Jan. 26, 2017, and Dec. 19, 2018. involving an Eldred Township man, is being investigated by state police at Schuylkill Haven. Police said a Pitman man, 50, reported entering into a loan agreement with a fraudulent company, Protection Legal Group LLC. The man, police said, had a total of $81,411.44 stolen. Police: Man faces harassment chargesMOUNT CARBON A 24-year-old Pottsville man is facing harassment charges by state police at Schuylkill Haven after an incident on Main Street around 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Police said a 20-year-old Pottsville woman reported being shoved and pushed by her boyfriend. Police did not release the identity of the man. Woman says card hacked via FacebookCRESSONA A theft that was reported around 11:10 a.m. Thursday is being investigated by state police at Schuylkill Haven. Police said a Cressona woman, 31, reported her debit card was hacked via Facebook Pay Pal, resulting in two illegal transactions made totaling $103.50. There is an outbreak of Ebola in NZerekore Prefecture, Guinea. If you were in this area, you may have been exposed to Ebola during your travels. Ebola spreads through direct contact with blood or body fluids (saliva, semen, sweat, feces, vomit, and others) of a person who is sick with or has died from Ebola. If you have traveled from the outbreak area, pay attention to your health for 21 days after you leave the outbreak area. Watch for: Fever Headaches Body aches Sore muscles Vomiting Diarrhea Stomachache Feeling very weak or tired Unexplained bleeding or bruising Record your temperature and symptoms every morning and night for 21 days. Guam representatives delivered on a promise to gift Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene cookies. They promised to give her cookies after she seemed to not know Guam was a US territory last month. Guam's governor also offered to send her educational resources about the US territory. See more stories on Insider's business page. Guam Rep. Michael San Nicolas and members of the Guam National Guard delivered on a promise to gift Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene cookies after she claimed the territory was a foreign country on Monday. During the Conservative Political Action Conference, Greene seemed to not know where Guam was or that it was a US territory. "I'm a regular person. And I wanted to take my regular-person, normal, everyday American values, which is, we love our country. We believe our hard-earned tax dollars should just go for America, not for what? China, Russia, the Middle East, Guam, whatever, wherever," she said in late February. Last week, Nicholas promised to gift her cookies, and the office of Guam's governor, Lourdes Aflague Leon Guerrero, offered books on the history of the territory. "Congresswoman Greene is a new member, and we will be paying a visit to her and delivering delicious Chamorro Chip Cookies as part of our ongoing outreach to new members to introduce them to our wonderful island of Guam," Nicholas told The Guam Daily Post. On Monday, Nicholas delivered on that promise but the Congresswoman was not at her office when they visited, according to a video uploaded by The Hill. They were met by an aide who thanked them. "Thank you guys so much for all that you do. We really appreciate it. Thank you guys for keeping us safe," the aide said. Read the original article on Business Insider Tokyo, March 16 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday met Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi here during which they discussed the "importance of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region". Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Tokyo on Monday evening, kicking-off a two-leg Asia, tour that will also take them to South Korea. In a series of tweets, Blinken said: "Pleasure to meet with my friend and Japanese counterpart, Motegi today. We're committed to deepening US-Japan coordination on global challenges and our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region." The Secretary of State further said that he had a "great discussion" with the Secretary of Defense, Motegi and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi "on the importance of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific anchored by universal values and uninhibited by coercive power". "We're committed to cooperation with Japan including as part of the Quad and trilaterally with South Korea," Blinken added. Before the meeting with the Japanese Ministers, Blinken held a virtual discussion with the staff members of the US Embassy in Tokyo. "Their tireless work representing the US in Japan and promoting the interests and values of the American people is an invaluable asset to our country," he said in a statement. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Human Microbiome Market by Product (Prebiotics, Probiotics, Food, Diagnostic Tests, Drugs), Application (Therapeutic, Diagnostic), Disease (Infectious, Metabolic/Endocrine), Research Technology (Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics) - Global Forecast to 2028", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Human Microbiome Market is projected to reach USD 1,598 million by 2028 from USD 894 million in 2025, at a CAGR of 21.3% from 2025 to 2028. Browse in-depth TOC on "Human Microbiome Market" 133 Tables 26 Figures 176 Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=37621904 the human microbiome research spending market growth is largely driven by the increasing focus on the development of human microbiome therapy. It has also become a validated target for drug development. The growing number of collaborations between market players is also expected to offer a wide range of growth opportunities for market players during the forecast period. The drugs segment to account for the largest share of the product segment in the global human microbiome market in 2024 Based on product, the market is segmented into probiotics, prebiotics, diagnostic tests, drugs, and other products. The drugs segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market in 2024. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the increasing number of human microbiome-based drug products in clinical trials and rising funding to develop microbiome-based drugs. The therapeutics segment to account for the largest share of the market in 2024 Based on application, the human microbiome market is segmented into therapeutics and diagnostics. The therapeutics segment is expected to dominate the market in 2024. The increase in funding for R&D in microbiome-based therapies worldwide is the major factor driving the growth of this application segment. Technological advancements, the increasing number of clinical trials for the diagnostics segment, and growing collaborations between key market players and research institutes also support market growth The infectious diseases segment to account for the largest share of the market in 2024 Based on disease, the market is segmented into five categoriesinfectious diseases, metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, cancer, and other diseases. The infectious diseases segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global human microbiome market in 2024. The large share of this segment can be attributed to the increasing research in microbiome-based products and their use in treating infectious diseases. The major focus is on developing products targeting the microbiome modulators for infectious diseases, which accounts for 40-50 products currently in the pipeline. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=37621904 The Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing region of human microbiome market in 2019 On the basis of region, the global market is segmented into four major geographies North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to account for the largest share of the global human microbiome research spending market in 2019. In 2019, the Asia Pacific region is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR in the human microbiome research spending from 2020-2025. Factors such as increasing focus on microbiome research and initiatives taken by public and private organizations to increase awareness regarding microbiome therapeutics, are driving the growth of the market in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. The major players in the human microbiome market include Enterome Bioscience (France), Seres Therapeutics (US) 4D Pharma (UK), and Ferring Pharmaceuticals (Switzerland). Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=37621904 Browse Adjacent Markets: Biotechnology Market Research Reports & Consulting Browse Related Reports: High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Market by Product (Instruments, Software, Service), Technology (Cell-Based Assays, Label-Free), Application (Drug Discovery, Biochemical Screening, Research), End User (Pharma & Biotech, CROs)- Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/high-throughput-screening-market-134981950.html Clinical Microbiology Market by Application (Food, Pharma, Manufacturing, Chemical, Environment), Disease (Respiratory, Std, Uti), Product (Instrument, Analyzer, Reagent), End User (Hospital, Diagnostic Lab, Academia) - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/microbiology-testing-market-219135367.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. 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If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The FBI is investigating suspected incendiary devices found Sunday near a church in Western North Carolina, local police say. The several small devices were found in the area of East Morgan Street and Gaston Street in Brevard near the First Baptist Church of Brevard and the Transylvania County Community Services building, according to a news release from the Brevard Police Department. The devices were discovered after police were called to the area around 10:30 a.m. They had not been detonated and no injuries have been reported, according to the release. Monday March 15th, 2021 Monday night worship Posted by FBC Brevard on Monday, March 15, 2021 The church posted on Facebook that members of its security team found the initial device and that it had to evacuate the building. It also canceled a meeting scheduled for Sunday evening. All people are safe, it wrote. Police evacuated local establishments in the area as a precaution and cordoned off the area, the release says. The department says its investigating the incident along with the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 828-862-7463, and anyone finding a suspicious device should not disturb it and call 911 or the Brevard Police Department at 828-883-2212, the release says. ___ (c)2021 The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) Visit The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) at www.newsobserver.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Lucknow, March 16 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh had last year transferred Rs 56,000 crore directly into bank accounts of beneficiaries of various schemes being run by the central and state government. A government spokesperson said that due to the direct bank transfers (DBT), the government had saved more than Rs 4,402.05 crore in a single year. The spokesman said: "Many irregularities were committed earlier in transferring funds under the various government schemes. This practice has been stopped now. With the DBT, middlemen have been eliminated from the process and the entire procedure has been made transparent." The state government transferred money directly into bank accounts of beneficiaries of 136 schemes of 27 departments. During the Covid-induced lockdown last year, the government transferred funds to accounts of lakhs of farmers, MNREGA workers, migrant labourers, women, students and pensioners. The government also transferred Rs 2,806.10 crore as subsidy on gas cylinders, Rs 1,412 crore for ration cards made under the National Food Security Scheme, Rs 162.58 crore under Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, Rs 16.69 crore under the Old Age Pension Scheme, Rs 1.55 lakh under National Agricultural Development Scheme, Rs 1.92 lakh under Tuberculosis Eradication Scheme and Rs 4.63 crore under Divyang Pension Scheme. "DBT helped us to verify a beneficiary's Aadhaar and mobile number easily and money is transferred into the Jan Dhan account without hassles. The practice helps in eradicating middlemen as well as ensuring that the money goes to the real beneficiaries," the spokesperson said. The government said that over the past four years, Rs 2.53 lakh crore has been paid to farmers through DBT under various schemes. This includes Rs 36,000 crore as loan waivers, Rs 64,000 crore as minimum support price, Rs 1.22 lakh crore to sugarcane farmers and Rs 27,101 crore to 2.42 crore farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. The rural development department has said that over 1.14 crore workers were given employment under MNREGA till March 5, 2021. During this period, Rs 7,669.34 crore was paid to them. A sum of Rs 445.92 crore was transferred through DBT to women help groups and their organisations working under the National Rural Livelihood Mission. Another Rs 1,625.47 crore was transferred to OBC students in the last four years as scholarship, Rs 27.95 lakh to beneficiaries of the destitute women pension and Rs 112.22 crore under Kanya Sumangala Yojana. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi: Sharpshooter Sunil Sharma was killed in an encounter with the police in Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow on Friday morning. Sunil had escaped from police custody a month ago while being produced to a court. He was an accused in the murder of Pappu Pandey. There are also reports claiming that he was running an extortion racket from jail and his encounter is being touted as a big achievement of Lucknow Police. Due to increasing incidents of crime in the state, UP police is on a spree of encounters of dreaded and most wanted criminals. Earlier last month, two wanted criminals were killed in police encounter in Shamli. In the incident, five police personnel were also injured. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The Chinese Embassy in Manila announced on Monday it will allow the processing of visa applicants in the Philippines who have been vaccinated with China-made COVID-19 vaccines. "To make visa facilitation arrangements for foreigners fully vaccinated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines is a helpful effort and try, based on full consideration of safety and efficacy, to facilitate the cross-border personnel exchanges after massive vaccination," the embassy said in its social media post. Those who will apply need a vaccination certificate as proof that they have been vaccinated with a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine. The Chinese embassy said visa applicants travelling to China for "necessary resumption of production and business activities" can prepare and submit requirements issued before the pandemic. The scope of visa applicants for "emergency humanitarian needs" was also expanded such as foreign family members of Chinese nationals or foreign nationals with Chinese permanent resident permit, including spouse, parents, children, and other dependent close relatives (siblings, grandparents and grandchildren), traveling to China for family reunion, family supporting, family visit, funeral of relatives or visiting relatives in critical medical condition. Those who hold a valid APEC Business Travel Card could apply for M visa with an invitation from the inviting entity. The Chinese embassy said it will keep its eye on the vaccination progress in the Philippines and the issuance of COVID-19 vaccination certificates. "The Chinese embassy will keep close contacts with the relevant Philippine authorities on establishing a mechanism for verifying vaccination certificates, discussing a mutual recognition mechanism for international travel health certificates, to facilitate healthy, safe and orderly bilateral personnel exchanges," the embassy stated. Beijing clarified that passengers flying to China are still required to provide negative antibody or swab test certificate before boarding and are subject to quarantine protocols. China has closed its borders to foreigners after the COVID-19 pandemic started in Wuhan city. Manila received around 600,000 Sinovac vaccine doses from Beijing this month to start the national vaccination program in the country. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said another batch of one million Sinovac vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country by March 21 or later. The Chinese government also donated 400,000 more doses that will be administered to medical frontliners. A plane carrying 344,000 doses of Chinese anti-coronavirus vaccine Sinopharm arrived in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, the second batch to reach the southern African country in a month JOHANNESBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) A plane carrying 344,000 doses of Chinese anti-coronavirus vaccine Sinopharm arrived in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, the second batch to reach the southern African country in a month. Nick Mangwana, the permanent secretary of information, publicity and broadcasting, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa received the consignment at the Harare international airport. "This batch has 344 000 doses comprising 200 000 donated by China and 144 000 bought by Government of Zimbabwe from Sinopharm," he tweeted. The country began the vaccination campaign in mid-February after receiving a donation of 200,000 doses of vaccine made by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm). Zimbabwean Ambassador in Moscow Mike Sango told Sputnik last week that President Mnangagwa had written to President Vladimir Putin to buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. Justin Manasa, co-chairperson of Zimbabwe's Virological Monitoring agency, said in a video that Sinopharm had offered to adapt its vaccine to any dominant strain that would circulate in the country. "If we need to change the Sinopharm vaccines what we then just need to do is to discuss with the manufacturers. We tell them the circulating trends in our population, and then they can do the process of inactivation again and make the new vaccines," Manasa said. Zimbabwe has so far confirmed over 36,000 cases of the coronavirus, including over 1,500 deaths. Information secretary Mangwana said earlier that vaccination gave the nation a fighting chance. BACKED BY Mayor Joyce Craig, Manchester school Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt has gone big in an attempt to restart high school in the Queen City. To be sure, Manchesters schools are struggling but Goldhardt and Craig would have us believe that the way to turn things around is to lau By Benjamin Mallet and John Geddie PARIS (Reuters) - Myanmar's parallel civilian government and rights groups on Tuesday called on Total and other oil firms operating in the country to suspend payments to the military-controlled state following last month's coup. The calls come a day after Total said it was worried about the situation in Myanmar, where scores have been killed in demonstrations against the Feb. 1 coup, while also stressing the importance of its gas projects in the energy-starved country. "The coup has left international oil companies with operations in Myanmar with no option other than to suspend their relationships with the military junta," the parallel civilian government said in a letter addressed to Total and posted on its official Facebook page. The group of ousted lawmakers, formally known as the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, requested Total suspend revenue payments to Myanmar and place them in a protected account until a legitimate government is reinstated. Total did not immediately have comment on the letter or upcoming payments due in Myanmar. The letter, which was dated March 5 but published online on Tuesday, echoed earlier comments from the U.N.'s special rapporteur on Myanmar that the state energy firm Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) was now controlled by the military and its largest source of revenue. Similar letters published online were also addressed to Malaysia's Petronas, South Korea's POSCO and Thailand's PTTEP. Total has been in Myanmar since 1992 developing gas fields which supply Myanmar's domestic market in partnership with MOGE. In 2019, Total paid $229.6 million to Myanmar, including $178.6 million to MOGE for produced and sold gas and $51 million in taxes to the finance ministry. "Total condemns violations of fundamental rights wherever they take place and will be aligned with any decisions on sanctions," Total said in a statement on Monday, responding to an article about its Myanmar operations. Story continues "As a reminder, Yadana supplies half of the electricity in Yangon," it added. Total, which operated under a previous period of military rule in Myanmar that ended in 2011, has repeatedly said the gas fields was exempt from previous sanctions and it was acting as a positively engaged actor in the country. Total's statement initially drew a response from activist group Justice for Myanmar which said the firm "should match words with action by suspending all payments to the illegal military junta". Other social media users also responded, including some in Myanmar who said they would prefer electricity to be cut off. (Reporting by Benjamin Mallet and John Geddie, Writing by Sarah White, Editing by Robert Birsel and Angus MacSwan) God "cannot bless sin" said Vatican's doctrinal office. The Vatican has ruled that the Catholic Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions, saying that God "does not and cannot bless sin." The ruling, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), was welcomed by conservatives but has led to disappointment among gay Catholics around the world. The CDF issued a formal reply to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions. The two-page answer to the query, published in seven languages and approved by Pope Francis, was negative. The ruling seeks to stamp out a practice beginning in some countries, including Germany and the US, of same-sex unions being blessed by parishes and ministers, in lieu of marriage. The response was not intended to be a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite of the sacrament of marriage and the blessing associated with it, reports Reuters. The statement argued that any sacramental recognition of same-sex unions could be confused with marriage. The CDF issued a separate explanatory note, Reuters reports, stating that while the blessing of same-sex couples was "not licit," the decision in no way detracts from the human and Christian consideration in which the Church holds each person. It also said that Church could bestow blessings to individual persons with homosexual inclinations who manifest the will to live in fidelity to the revealed plans of God as proposed by Church teaching." Pope Francis has in the past indicated his support for providing gay couples with legal protections in same-sex unions, however this was in reference to the civil sphere, not within the church. Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it," the pontiff said during a 2019 interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa. The pope's comments, included in the documentary Francesco by director Evgeny Afineevsky, only came to light last October during the film's premiere in Rome. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered, said the pope in the film. I stood up for that. This comment is interpreted as a reference to when Pope Francis was archbishop of Buenos Aires and opposed efforts to legalise same-sex marriages but allegedly supported a form of legal protection for the rights of gay couples, as a way of blocking the "wholesale adoption of same-sex marriage in Argentina," according to the Catholic News Agency (CNA). The pope's stance was welcomed by the LGBTQ community however the Vatican later said the comments were taken out of context and did not indicate support for same-sex marriage. The documentary also included a story about Pope Francis encouraging two Italian men in a same-sex relationship to introduce their three adopted children to their parish church "but to be ready for opposition," reports Reuters. The pontiff's most famous remark in relation to gay people however was made in 2013 when he said: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?" The pope made the comment to reporters, on a flight returning to the Vatican from Brazil, in reply to a question about whether there was a "gay lobby" in the Vatican. Traditional Catholic Church teaching considers homosexual acts intrinsically disordered and the church is opposed to gay marriage. Photo Daniel Ibanez / CNA The leaderships of Armenias Ministry of Defense, Armed Forces and General Staff of the Armed Forces held a consultation at the administrative complex of the ministry today, the Armenian Ministry of Defense reported. A broad range of issues facing the Armed Forces in the post-war period, the steps being taken to transform the army and the current reforms were discussed during the consultation chaired by Minister of Defense Vagharshak Harutyunyan. The leaderships also touched upon regional issues and the current challenges conditioned by those issues, gave speeches and held discussions. In regard to the issues raised, the participants of the consultation made recommendations. At the end of the consultation, the defense minister gave the necessary assignments to solve the problems that were discussed. Chinese faker ran illegal businesses worth billions THAILAND: The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is hunting a Chinese man who illegally obtained Thai identification documents which he used to set up businesses with registered capital of more than B3.6 billion. Chinesecorruptioncrime By Bangkok Post Tuesday 16 March 2021, 04:21PM The Department of Special Investigation issued this photo of Chinese national Wen Haomiao, wanted for using a false Thai identity to open companies to do business reserved for Thais. Photo: supplied. DSI director-general Korawat Panprapakorn said today (Mar 16) that investigators had a court warrant for the arrest of the man, who had used the Thai identity Apao Sae Soen. It was part of a larger investigation. As many as 255 foreign nationals had illegally been issued Thai national identification cards in Wiang Kaen district of Chiang Rai province. One of them was Apao Sae Soen. Apao Sae Soen is alleged to have illegally set up companies to operate businesses restricted to Thai citizens. Pol Col Korawat said the DSI had accepted special case No 54/2021 for investigation because it involved national security. He said Apao Sae Soens real name is Wen Haomiao, a Chinese national with Chinese passport number G23810848. In China, Wen Haomiao was declared bankrupt and had his assets seized after his business collapsed. He left China for Thailand, where he managed to illegally obtain a Thai ID card under the name of Apao Sae Soen, as recorded in a domicile registration paper in Chiang Rais Wiang Kaen district. With the false Thai identity and home registration documents, he set up companies operating businesses which foreigners are not allowed to run. The documents also enabled him to stay in Thailand and travel in and out of the kingdom. On Feb 18, the DSI obtained a court warrant for the arrest of Wen Haomiao on charges of illegally obtaining and using a Thai identfication card and domicile registration and, as a foreigner, running businesses in Thailand without needed permission. Wen Haomiao is a fugitive, his whereabouts unknown. The investigation was expanded to include the Provincial Administration Department and other agencies in Wiang Kaen district. Officials had revoked 50 other ID cards illegally issued to foreigners. Seven of them were listed as owners of businesses which were prohibited to foreigners, Pol Col Korawat said. Apao Sae Soen was stripped off Thai nationality on June 15, 2020, a DSI source said. He had set up four companies with a combined registered capital of B3,611 million. The four companies were: 10 Plus 1 Group, a company dealing in rice trading; Amarin GTI Ltd, a real estate company; De Yi Network Technology Ltd, a non-residential building construction firm; and, Tai Xi Development Group, a property leasing firm. 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. Golden Globe winner Charlie Sheen hasn't yet seen his former flame Soleil Moon Frye's new documentary Kid 90, but it's 'near the top' of his list. In the critically-acclaimed Hulu doc - which started streaming last Friday - the 44-year-old former child star revealed that the 55-year-old Brat Packer was her 'first consensual sexual experience' when he was 29 and she was 18. 'It's been the most strange and incredible day ever,' Soleil wrote in a journal entry dated December 18, 1994. Virginity: Golden Globe winner Charlie Sheen (L) hasn't yet seen his former flame Soleil Moon Frye's (R) new documentary Kid 90, but it's 'near the top' of his list 'He's somebody I've had a crush on for years. He's a person that intrigues me and excites me.' Frye even compared Sheen (born Carlos Estevez) to Carrie Bradshaw's on/off wealthy boyfriend Mr. Big from HBO's Sex and the City. 'She's a good egg,' Charlie told Us Weekly on Monday through his publicist Jeff Ballard. 'I wish Soleil well in this resurgence of hers.' Started streaming last Friday! In the critically-acclaimed Hulu doc, the 44-year-old former child star revealed that the 55-year-old Brat Packer (pictured in 1994) was her 'first consensual sexual experience' when he was 29 and she was 18 Soleil wrote in a journal entry dated December 18, 1994: 'It's been the most strange and incredible day ever. He's somebody I've had a crush on for years. He's a person that intrigues me and excites me' Sheen (pictured on January 21) told Us Weekly on Monday through his publicist Jeff Ballard: 'She's a good egg. I wish Soleil well in this resurgence of hers' The Punky Brewster star told USA Today last Friday that the Hollywood badboy - who tested positive for HIV in 2012 - was 'really kind' and ' treated me really beautifully.' Last year, Corey Feldman accused Sheen of raping his friend Corey Haim - who died aged 38 in 2010 - when he was 13 in his documentary, My Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys. 'I don't know about anyone else's experiences,' Soleil said in Kid 90 of the allegations Charlie has denied. Frye told USA Today last Friday that the Hollywood badboy - who tested positive for HIV in 2012 - was 'really kind' and ' treated me really beautifully' Sheen (M) denied the allegations: Last year, Corey Feldman accused Charlie of raping his friend Corey Haim (L, pictured in 1985) - who died aged 38 in 2010 - when he was 13 in his documentary, My Truth - The Rape of Two Coreys The Punky Brewster star said of the allegations in Kid 90: 'I don't know about anyone else's experiences. I don't think people are devils or angels' 'I don't think people are devils or angels.' It took Frye four years to rediscover and sift through all the diary entries, voicemails, and videotape footage she shot as a teenager growing up in the nineties. Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio executive produced Kid 90, which also features never-before-seen footage of David Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Brian Austin Green, Stephen Dorff, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Danny Boy O'Connor, Sara Gilbert, Mark Wahlberg, Corey Feldman, and Michael Rapaport. Camera in her hands: It took Soleil four years to rediscover and sift through all the diary entries, voicemails, and videotape footage she shot as a teenager growing up in the nineties Advertisement What did Gayle King say on CBS This Morning? 'Well I'm not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true, Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too. The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation. 'And I think what is still upsetting to them is the palace keep saying they want to work it out privately, but yet, they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan, still. 'No one in the Royal Family has talked to Meghan yet, at this particular time. And I think it's frustrating for them to see that it's a racial conversation about the Royal Family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant. 'And until you can acknowledge that, I think it's going to be hard to move forward. But they both want to move forward with this and they both want healing in this family. At the end of the day, that is Harry's family.' 'The bullying thing was raised in 2018 and now there's an ongoing investigation about bullying from Meghan Markle, when anyone who has worked with her will tell you exactly who she is. 'You know, she's really a very sweet, caring person. And as I say, Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview. Everything.' 'The family has to acknowledge that there are issues. Right now, no one has acknowledged, you know, Houston we have a problem here. That's really all they want. They want a conversation, they both want a conversation.' Advertisement Prince William was photographed looking glum while driving in London today after Meghan Markle's friend Gayle King revealed Prince Harry had spoken to him and their father Charles for the first time following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's interview with Oprah Winfrey. The CBS presenter, who attended Meghan's $500,000 baby shower in 2019, said she spoke to the Sussexes who told her that Harry had talked to the Duke of Cambridge and Prince of Wales over the weekend. But she said the conversations were 'not productive' and the Sussexes were keen for the 'royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant'. Ms King, 66, who is also close friends with Oprah, failed to give any examples of the stories she was referring to, but added that Meghan has 'documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview'. If Ms King is correct about the details of the chat, William and Charles are likely to be appalled at it being leaked to a US media personality - with royal experts pointing out that senior royals are unlikely to want to talk to the Sussexes if they just pass on information to a friend who then reveals it in the American media. She told CBS This Morning: 'Well I'm not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it's true, Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too. The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation. 'And I think what is still upsetting to them is the palace keep saying they want to work it out privately, but yet, they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan, still. No one in the Royal Family has talked to Meghan yet, at this particular time. And I think it's frustrating for them to see that it's a racial conversation about the Royal Family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the Press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant. 'And until you can acknowledge that, I think it's going to be hard to move forward. But they both want to move forward with this and they both want healing in this family. At the end of the day, that is Harry's family.' William was seen driving outside Kensington Palace in West London today, while Charles and Camilla were also out in the north of the city, visiting a Covid-19 vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque. Kensington Palace declined to comment to MailOnline about the information given by Ms King today. Last Thursday, William appeared furious as he defended the Royal Family, saying it was 'very much not a racist family' while on a trip to a school in London, and said ominously of Harry: 'I haven't spoken to him yet but I will do.' Meanwhile Buckingham Palace has instructed an external law firm to assist with its investigation into bullying allegations made against Harry and Meghan, with lawyers for the couple denying any wrongdoing. Prince William is pictured driving outside Kensington Palace in London today after speaking to Harry over the weekend The Duke of Cambridge is seen in London this afternoon after Gayle King revealed his conversation with Prince Harry The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in conversation with Oprah Winfrey in an interview first aired on CBS on March 7 Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visit a vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London today Prince Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital in London this morning following 28 days in hospital for treatment Ms King's comments came on the same day that Harry's grandfather Prince Philip, 99, was reunited with the Queen at Windsor Castle after leaving King Edward VII's Hospital in London following a 28 day-stay for treatment. 'Public service is not about us... it's about the people we serve': Michelle Obama takes thinly veiled swipe at Meghan's interview but adds she was 'NOT surprised' by claims of Royal Family racism Michelle Obama told NBC that racism claims didn't shock her Michelle Obama reacted to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah Winfrey interview this morning by saying that she personally chose to focus on the people she 'serves' rather than herself while in public service in what appeared to be a thinly veiled swipe at the couple. Mrs Obama was asked by Jenna Bush Hager what she thought of Meghan's comments in a segment that aired on NBC today. 'When you watched Meghan Markle speak out, what went through your mind?' Ms Bush Hager asked. Mrs Obama replied: 'Public service it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight and most people don't understand it nor should they. The thing that I always keep in mind is that none of this is about us, in public service, it's about the people that we serve. 'I always try to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve.' Ms Bush Hager then said: 'But what about when she talked about the fact that she experienced racism? I mean I feel like that was heartbreaking to hear that she felt like she was in her own family, her own family, thought differently of her.' Mrs Obama, who met most of the Royal Family when serving as First Lady, replied: 'Race isn't a new construct in this world, for people of color. So it wasn't a complete surprise to, sort of, hear her feelings and have them articulated. She went on: 'The thing that hope for and the thing that I think about is that this first and foremost is a family and I pray for forgiveness and healing for them so they can use his as a teachable moment for them all.' Mrs Obama's choice of words refers back to the war of words between Harry and Meghan and Buckingham Palace in February when the Palace said the pair were permanently stepping back from a life of 'public service' and not returning to work. The couple responded with their own statement saying: 'We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.' Advertisement During the brothers' discussion over the weekend, once-inseparable William and Harry could have discussed the unveiling of a statue for their mother Princess Diana which is scheduled for Kensington Palace in July. The brothers are set to meet face-to-face at the event in London for the first time since the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey last March, which was Harry and Meghan's last event as senior royals. CBS has been at the centre of the Oprah interview, after This Morning showed a number of preview clips before the chat itself went out on the channel on March 7 and was then broadcast in Britain on ITV the following night. The Queen's former press secretary Dickie Arbiter said today: 'Seems like the narrative is being driven by Gayle King of CBS. I don't think a continual play on American TV is quite what the Queen had in mind. Time for a cooling off period - best for everyone to put up and shut up.' Royal biographer Robert Jobson, whose new book Prince Philip's Century is out next month, told MailOnline: 'The Royal Family do not like providing a running commentary on the their personal lives and personal relationships. 'So it's clearly not very helpful that every time there has been a development, in this case William talking to his brother, that it is immediately broadcast on Harry and Meghan's adopted pet US network CBS via the host, Meghan's friend Gayle King. 'I really cannot see how there will be any progress in building bridges and rebuilding broken relationships if when Prince William, or the Queen or Prince Charles telephones, the conversations they have with Harry are passed on to CBS and then broadcast to the world. That's not how the Royal Family works. There has to be trust and discretion.' Ms King also said today: 'The bullying thing was raised in 2018 and now there's an ongoing investigation about bullying from Meghan Markle, when anyone who has worked with her will tell you exactly who she is. 'You know, she's really a very sweet, caring person. And as I say, Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah's interview. Everything.' Ms King also said: 'The family has to acknowledge that there are issues. Right now, no one has acknowledged, you know, Houston we have a problem here. That's really all they want. They want a conversation, they both want a conversation. MailOnline's owner Associated Newspapers has complained to CBS for doctoring headlines and taking them out of context during a section of the Oprah interview designed to illustrate racist coverage of Meghan by the Press. Reacting to the comments by Ms King, royal biographer Angela Levin added: 'That's why it's not a good idea to pass on any information to them including details about alleged bullying because it will be passed on to a friend and reach social media in the blink of an eye. Their sense of entitlement is extraordinary. They can't bear to be out of the spotlight.' She continued: 'The fact that Harry and Meghan say the talk with William was 'unproductive' makes me believe that Harry and Meghan aren't interested in compromising or working hard to mend the rift. Otherwise they wouldn't use such a negative, unpleasant word.' ITV royal correspondent Chris Ship added: 'Clearly, Gayle King would not have shared these comments with millions of viewers without Meghan's permission, so this marks a significant new approach. 'Private family dissuasions will now be made public if Meghan wants it out there. She has plenty of people who can do it for her.' The key claims in Meghan and Harry's Oprah chat The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's televised interview with Oprah Winfrey unleashed a dramatic set of bombshell revelations. Here were the major claims: Meghan's mental health: The Duchess revealed she had suicidal thoughts as she struggled with life as a royal, saying: 'I just didn't want to be alive anymore.' She said she begged for help, and asked to go somewhere to get help, and approached one of the most senior people in the institution, but was told it would not look good. Royal Family accused of racism: Meghan said, when she was pregnant with Archie, an unnamed member of the Royal Family raised 'concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born'. Harry felt let down by Prince Charles: Harry said he felt let down by Charles and that 'there's a lot of hurt that's happened'. Harry said his father stopped taking his calls while he was in Canada 'because I took matters into my own hands. I needed to do this for my family'. Rift with the Duke of Cambridge: The rift between Harry and William continues, Harry revealed: 'The relationship is 'space' at the moment. And time heals all things, hopefully.' The Queen: Harry denied he had 'blindsided' his grandmother the Queen with the bombshell statement about stepping down as a senior royal. The duke said he believes the report probably could have come from 'within the institution'. Queen was 'advised to not see Harry': Harry spoke of his close relationship with his grandmother, but he also revealed in an additional clip he was told he could no longer visit her in Sandringham in January 2020 as he tried to work out his future, after she had invited him. The Duchess of Cambridge: Meghan said Kate made her cry ahead of her wedding at a bridesmaid dress fitting not the other way round. The duchess said Kate was 'upset about some things and she owned it and apologised' and sent flowers. But Meghan added that the false reports were a turning point. Shock at loss of security protection: Meghan revealed that she wrote letters pleading with Harry's family not to take away his personal protection officers, warning he was facing death threats. Harry said he 'never thought' he would have his security detail removed upon deciding to step back from royal duties. Royal Family cut Harry off financially: Harry said his family 'literally cut me off financially' in the first quarter of 2020 and he went for the Netflix and Spotify deals to pay for his security. He said he had what Diana left him and 'without that we would not have been able to do this'. Archie's title: Meghan suggested she and Harry wanted Archie to be a prince so he would have security and be protected. The duchess expressed her shock at 'the idea of our son not being safe', and the idea of the first member of colour in the family not being titled in the same way as other grandchildren. But Archie, who is seventh in line to the throne, is not entitled to be an HRH or a prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by King George V. Advertisement And Daily Mail diary editor Richard Eden tweeted: 'This is extraordinary. Are we going to have a running commentary for years to come from Harry and Meghan's friends on their relations with the Royal Family? If so, the royals will be wary of speaking to them.' It comes as Buckingham Palace instructed an external law firm to assist with its investigation into bullying allegations made against the Duchess. Royal aides announced earlier this month that past and present employees of Meghan and Harry would be invited to speak in confidence about their experiences, after it was alleged she drove out two personal assistants and staff were 'humiliated' on several occasions. Now it is understood an outside legal company will help Buckingham Palace's human resources team as it examines the circumstance of the allegations, first reported by the Times newspaper. According to other reports, the Sussexes are not expected to be asked to contribute to the review, but the duchess has written to the palace asking for any documents, emails or texts relating to the allegations against her. Lawyers for the duchess have denied the bullying allegations. Harry was also accused of bullying, with the Times reporting earlier this month that a member of staff told a colleague the couple were 'outrageous bullies'. When the bullying allegations were first made, Buckingham Palace said in a statement it was 'very concerned' about them, and stressed the Royal Household 'does not and will not tolerate bullying or harassment in the workplace'. It added: '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 investigation was launched after the Times reported that Jason Knauf, the Sussexes' then communications secretary, made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. A source told the newspaper that Harry begged his senior aide not to take the matter further, but it also reported that 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. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Our commitment to look into the circumstances around allegations from former staff of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is being taken forward but we will not be providing a public commentary on it.' A spokesman for the Sussexes declined to comment. Soon after the bullying allegations were made, the monarchy was left reeling after Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah, in which they made a string of allegations, including accusing a member of the royal family of making a racist comment about their son Archie. Last Friday, the Daily Mail reported that the rift between William and Harry was so deep that the brothers had not even been in touch to discuss the unveiling of their mother's statue this summer. The event is being organised by a steering committee, including Princess Diana's sister and one of her closest friends. Prince Charles smiles during a visit to the vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London today Prince William, Charles, Harry, Camilla, Kate and Meghan follow the Queen at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2020 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit School 21 in Stratford, East London, on March 11 after schools reopen in England Gayle King, who is close friends with Oprah and Meghan, revealed on CBS This Morning that Harry had spoken to William But the 'sad truth' is that the once inseparable brothers haven't personally talked about it for months, despite the unveiling being scheduled for July, a source said. How Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview has caused a royal crisis February 15 It is confirmed Harry and Meghan will be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on CBS in March, in which they will discuss Megxit and other issues. It is confirmed Harry and Meghan will be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on CBS in March, in which they will discuss Megxit and other issues. February 16 Harry's grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh is admitted to hospital in London Harry's grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh is admitted to hospital in London February 19 Harry and Meghan are stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit has become permanent. Harry and Meghan are stripped of their prestigious patronages as the couple confirmed Megxit has become permanent. February 26 Harry says the 'toxic' atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK, in an interview with James Corden Harry says the 'toxic' atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK, in an interview with James Corden March 1 A preview clip of the Oprah interview shows Harry saying his biggest fear is that 'history would repeat itself' in a reference to his mother's death, while the host is also seen asking Meghan if she was 'silent or silenced', but her answer is not revealed. A preview clip of the Oprah interview shows Harry saying his biggest fear is that 'history would repeat itself' in a reference to his mother's death, while the host is also seen asking Meghan if she was 'silent or silenced', but her answer is not revealed. March 3 A spokesman for Meghan says she is 'saddened' by a report in The Times that she faced a bullying complaint while at Kensington Palace. A spokesman for Meghan says she is 'saddened' by a report in The Times that she faced a bullying complaint while at Kensington Palace. March 7 Meghan and Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey airs in the US. The Sussexes laid bare their brief lives as a working royal couple, alleging a member of the family made a racist comment about their son, and how the duchess had suicidal thoughts but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down. Meghan and Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey airs in the US. The Sussexes laid bare their brief lives as a working royal couple, alleging a member of the family made a racist comment about their son, and how the duchess had suicidal thoughts but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down. March 8 The fallout from the interview continues and the couple's chat with Oprah airs in the UK on ITV. The fallout from the interview continues and the couple's chat with Oprah airs in the UK on ITV. March 9 Buckingham Palace issues a statement, saying the Queen is 'saddened' to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes and the issues raised around race are 'concerning'. Buckingham Palace issues a statement, saying the Queen is 'saddened' to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes and the issues raised around race are 'concerning'. March 11 - Prince William insists the royal family are 'not a racist family' while visiting a school in London. - Prince William insists the royal family are 'not a racist family' while visiting a school in London. March 16 - Gayle King reveals Harry has spoken to his brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles. Advertisement The Mail revealed in January that William and Harry both intended to be at the long-awaited event on July 1, which would have been Diana's 60th birthday. That is still the case despite the deep anguish and anger caused by Harry and Meghan's explosive Oprah Winfrey interview. However, the California-based prince may be somewhat dependent on when his wife, who is pregnant with their second child, gives birth, as well as international travel restrictions due to Covid. One source said: 'It's a very sad situation but the relationship is so strained that they haven't even been able to pick up the phone to discuss matters. That's the sad truth.' The brothers announced in 2017, ahead of the 20th anniversary of their mother's tragic death in a Paris car crash, that they planned to install a statue in her memory in the gardens of Kensington Palace, her London home. They set up the Diana, Princess of Wales, statue committee to privately raise funds for the monument. Its chairman is Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a trusted friend and former private secretary to the princes. Key members include Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, as well as Julia Samuel, a close friend of Diana, and godmother to Prince George. The brothers selected artist Ian Rank-Broadley, whose portrait of the Queen appears on all UK coins, to create the statue and hoped to unveil it before the end of 2017. But their disintegrating relationship, following the formal dismantling of their joint household and charitable foundation, and Harry's decision to move out of Kensington Palace to Windsor with Meghan, 39, delayed the plans. Last August Kensington Palace said the statue would be unveiled in the Sunken Garden this year. Sources insist that has never been in doubt despite the Sussexes's acrimonious decision to quit as working royals and move to the US last year. But there is immense sadness that the project in memory of their mother has not yet managed to bring the brothers closer. In the interview with Oprah, Harry, 36, said: 'The relationship is 'space' at the moment. Time heals all things, hopefully.' Sources wonder if Harry and William will get to see each other to resolve their differences before the unveiling. One said: 'Everyone knows this is really important to both of the dukes. It's only hoped bridges can be built before the day.' Prince Charles visits Skipton House in London last Tuesday to meet NHS and MoD staff involved in the vaccine rollout The Queen with Harry and Meghan at the Queen's Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace in June 2018 Meanwhile a poll last week found public opinion of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is the worst it has ever been. Harry and Meghan DITCH Sussex Royal monogram on their stationery: New Archewell logo is revealed on letter sent by the Duchess to a school she visited last year Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have replaced their Sussex Royal monogram on their stationery with their Archewell logo. The Duke, 36, and Duchess of Sussex , 39,were met with criticism last year after they continued to use their official cypher, which features their initials H and M intertwined with a crown on top, after stepping back from royal duty. However the pair have started using the logo for their new foundation Archewell on recent letters instead, including for a note penned by the Duchess to a London school she visited last year and shared for International Women's Day. Robert Clack School in London shared a letter penned by Meghan, which features the Archewell logo as the masthead The changes comes after the couple were told they could not continue with 'the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service' and gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey about their time in the royal family . Last week, the Duchess wrote a heartfelt letter to the students of the Robert Clack Upper School, urging them to 'learn about the trailblazing women who came before us.' The Duke and Duchess faced criticism last year as they continued to use their royal monogram despite having stepped back from public duty In a note which was shared on Twitter by the organisation, Meghan said she looked back on her visit to the Dagenham school with 'such fond memories', writing: 'I think of you all frequently, especially recognising how difficult it's been for students and families during the past year.' 'This International Women's Day, in collaboration with the work of our non-profit organisation, Archewell Foundation, we are encouraging everybody to participate in real acts of compassion for the women in their lives and their community. One suggestion we have is to take a moment to learn about the trailblazing women who came before us.' Advertisement In Oprah's interview, Harry and Meghan made bombshell allegations of racist attitudes in the Royal Family. Meghan also claimed a lack of support left her feeling suicidal. But the YouGov poll suggests it did not go down well with the public with attitudes towards Harry now being more negative than positive for the first time. The mid-week survey of 1,664 Britons shows 45 per cent have a positive opinion of Harry but 48 per cent regard him negatively, giving a net score of -3, a drop of 15 points on the week before. Only 31 per cent have a positive opinion of Meghan, while 58 per cent view her negatively, giving her a net rating of -27, a drop from -14. But William and Kate had net ratings of +60 and +57 respectively, a slight drop from last week. Most 18 to 24-year-olds approved of Meghan (55 per cent) and Harry (59 per cent). But 83 per cent of people aged over 65 thought negatively of Meghan and 69 per cent disliked Harry. Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh has been reunited with the Queen today after leaving hospital following a month-long stay receiving treatment. Philip, 99, is said to be in good spirits after spending 28 nights as an in-patient - his longest ever stay. He was initially receiving care for an infection then underwent heart surgery for a pre-existing condition. Buckingham Palace said in a statement: 'The Duke of Edinburgh has today been discharged from King Edward VII's Hospital and has returned to Windsor Castle, following treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition. 'His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII's Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes.' Philip was pushed in a wheelchair to a waiting car when he left the private hospital in London this morning, after first being admitted on February 16. The duke was partially obscured by a screen erected at the rear of the hospital but a man appeared to help him into the chauffeur-driven saloon. Wearing a white shirt and yellow jumper, Philip turned to look at the large media presence outside King Edward VII's as the car pulled away, and he was driven to Windsor. He was initially taken to King Edward VII's Hospital by car a month ago after feeling unwell at Windsor. But two weeks later was moved to St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City of London by ambulance where he had a successful procedure on a pre-existing heart condition on March 3, just three months before his 100th birthday. A few days later he was transferred back to King Edward's to recuperate and to continue his treatment. Throughout his time in hospital the royal family continued with their official duties. Philip was visited just once on February 20 by his eldest son, the Prince of Wales, who made a 200-mile round trip from his Gloucestershire home and stayed for around 30 minutes. But the Earl of Wessex revealed he had been speaking to his father by phone and when the duke was into his second week of treatment Edward said Philip was 'looking forward to getting out' and the family were keeping their 'fingers crossed'. Concern had been heightened for the duke because of his advanced age and amid troubled times for the royals. The monarchy was plunged into crisis while Philip was in hospital following the shocking allegations of racism made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their interview with Oprah. Harry and Meghan faced calls to postpone the interview because Philip was unwell. ITV is forced to remove headlines which were doctored to smear the UK press as racist in the Oprah Winfrey interview with Harry and Meghan but US channel CBS refuses to act By Mark Hookham and Jonathan Bucks For The Mail On Sunday ITV was last night forced to edit part of Oprah Winfrey's explosive interview with the Sussexes after it was revealed that it included misleading and distorted headlines which portrayed British press coverage of the couple as racist. Headlines that were flashed on the screen during the controversial interview with the US chat show host were cynically manipulated to back up the couple's assertion that they were the victims of bigoted coverage. Associated Newspapers, the publisher of The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail and MailOnline, complained to Viacom CBS the US TV giant which aired last week's two-hour programme about 'the deliberate distortion and doctoring of newspaper headlines'. It also demanded that ITV remove the 'misleading and inaccurate headlines' from the programme, which remains available on its ITV Hub catch-up service. ITV said it would remove four of the misleading headlines but not all of them. ITV was last night forced to edit part of Oprah Winfrey's explosive interview with the Sussexes after it was revealed that it included misleading and distorted headlines which portrayed British press coverage of the couple as racist. Pictured: Analysis of the headlines ITV was last night forced to edit part of Oprah Winfrey's explosive interview with the Sussexes after it was revealed that it included misleading and distorted headlines which portrayed British press coverage of the couple as racist. Pictured: Analysis of the headlines During the interview, which was watched by 11.1 million viewers in the UK and 17.1 million in the US, Ms Winfrey said Meghan had been the victim of racism by the British press. 'There were undeniable racist overtones,' she said. 'There was constant criticism, blatant sexist and racist remarks by British tabloids.' To illustrate the point, viewers were presented with montages of supposedly bigoted headlines. However, analysis showed 11 of more than 30 headlines were from American and Australian publications, including tawdry gossip magazines. In a complaint to CBS on Friday, Liz Hartley, editorial legal director at Associated Newspapers, said: 'Many of the headlines have been either taken out of context or deliberately edited and displayed as supporting evidence for the programme's claim that the Duchess of Sussex was subjected to racist coverage by the British press.' She added: 'This editing was not made apparent to viewers and, as a result, this section of the programme is both seriously inaccurate and misleading.' The programme makers seemingly felt the need to create the headlines in the absence of evidence to support the point they were trying to make about racism, Ms Hartley said, adding: 'It reflects very badly on them and does the debate on the vital subject of racism considerable harm.' Headlines that were flashed on the screen during the controversial interview with the US chat show host were cynically manipulated to back up the couple's assertion that they were the victims of bigoted coverage In a second letter sent last night, Ms Hartley said: 'It is hard to conceive of anything more socially inflammatory, or of more morally irresponsible journalism.' The most egregious example involved a story published by The Mail on Sunday in January 2018 which revealed how the girlfriend of the then Ukip leader Henry Bolton had made racist remarks about Meghan. Producers chose not to show the newspaper's headline about the 'Vile Racist Attack' but instead used a small part of a MailOnline headline which quoted one of the woman's vile messages but omitted the rest of the headline. 'In doing so, it removed all context and inaccurately suggested that MailOnline made or agreed with the statement, which it plainly did not,' Ms Hartley said in her complaint. Another example in the headline montages featured a supposed Guardian headline reporting on an incident when radio DJ Danny Baker posted a picture of a chimpanzee on Twitter after the Sussexes' son Archie was born. The Guardian said it did not believe it ever headlined an article 'with the specific phrasing shown in the montage', and The Mail on Sunday has established that it came from an article published by the New York Post, a US tabloid. Associated Newspapers, the publisher of The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail and MailOnline, complained to Viacom CBS the US TV giant which aired last week's two-hour programme about 'the deliberate distortion and doctoring of newspaper headlines' The programme also showed a headline from The Daily Telegraph that read: 'The real problem with Meghan Markle: she just doesn't speak our language.' The second line of the headline, which was not shown, made clear the newspaper's sketch writer was not mocking her ethnicity, but her habit of what he later called 'hippie corporate management speak'. Meanwhile, a front-page headline from the Daily Mail was also shown with the innocent word 'niggling' blanked out. Ms Hartley said the word 'carries no colonial or racist undertones' and by blanking it out viewers could reach 'a false and damaging conclusion that it was racist'. During the interview (pictured), which was watched by 11.1 million viewers in the UK and 17.1 million in the US, Ms Winfrey said Meghan had been the victim of racism by the British press An ITV spokesman said it would remove three manipulated Daily Mail, MailOnline and Mail on Sunday headlines, plus the headline wrongly attributed to the Guardian. However, the out-of-context Daily Telegraph headline and the misleading use of foreign tabloids will remain. The spokesman said: 'Regarding the headlines The Mail on Sunday have drawn to our attention, we are now taking steps to edit these on the ITV Hub.' A source said it would examine any other complaints that were received. Conservative MP Giles Watling, a member of the Commons Media Select Committee, last night described the broadcast as 'fake news' and demanded that ITV broadcast a disclaimer. 'This kind of distortion of the facts is utterly appalling,' said Mr Watling, a former actor. 'We should call it exactly what it is: fake news. What is really disturbing is that because of social media, these lies become true once they are repeated enough online. 'Any future broadcasts of this interview should come with a health warning for viewers. People need to know that what they are watching is not necessarily the truth and, in the use of newspaper headlines, a complete distortion of the facts.' Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'This is another example of a stage-managed and set-up interview. It is extremely sad that the facts have been manipulated to make these kinds of allegations.' Broadcasting regulator Ofcom last week launched an investigation after TV presenter Piers Morgan dismissed the Duchess of Sussex's account of suffering suicidal thoughts and experiencing racism. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom last week launched an investigation after TV presenter Piers Morgan (pictured left on ITV's Good Morning Britain following the broadcast) dismissed the Duchess of Sussex's account of suffering suicidal thoughts and experiencing racism The watchdog received more than 41,000 complaints, including one from the Duchess herself. Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, called on Ofcom to also investigate the doctored headlines controversy. 'Ofcom was very quick to open an investigation into Good Morning Britain because Piers Morgan questioned the truthfulness of Meghan's claims,' he said. 'It now looks very much as though Piers Morgan was quite right to raise those questions. Ofcom should be investigating ITV for disseminating this fake news, not Good Morning Britain for challenging it.' Ms Winfrey's company, Harpo Productions, said: 'Prince Harry and Meghan shared in the interview their personal story. We stand by the broadcast in its entirety.' CBS did not respond to a request for comment. China's UN ambassador says is donating 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to those serving in Africa. Ambassador Zhang Jun sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informing him of the donation, China's U.N. Mission said Monday. It follows the announcement by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi of Beijing's intention to donate vaccines at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Feb. 17. The mission said attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers and the donation is a further step to make China's vaccines a global public good, and also a demonstration of China's firm and continuous support to the U.N. and multilateralism. Last month, the U.N. thanked India for offering 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for U.N. peacekeepers. The U.N. currently has a dozen peacekeeping operations, half in Africa with a total of about 100,000 peacekeepers. There was no immediate word on what the U.N. plans to do with the two offers. (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.) Mia Fevola's new boyfriend Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has raced to her defence after her Instagram account was swamped with trolling messages on Monday. On Tuesday, Jamarra, 18, shared a post linking to a radio segment with Mia's stepfather Brendan Fevola, 40. He captioned it: 'Appreciate the kind and thoughtful messages. It's been a tough morning for a young woman, as she's received a lot of attention involving her personal life. Support: Mia Fevola's new boyfriend Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has raced to her defence after her Instagram account was swamped with trolling messages on Monday. Both pictured 'Nobody deserves to feel fearful and nervous about posting on any social media platform platform. You're one of many strong women @mia.fev'. It comes after Mia, 21, posted a romantic black and white image of herself cuddling up with the Western Bulldogs' number one draft pick, Jamarra. The innocent photo, which was captioned with a simple heart emoji, was soon swamped with vile abuse from trolls. Words: On Tuesday, Jamarra, 18, shared a post linking to a radio segment with Mia's stepfather Brendan Fevola, 40 He captioned it: 'Appreciate the kind and thoughtful messages. it's been a tough morning for a young woman, as she's received a lot of attention involving her personal life' In response, Mia shared a comment, made by a fan, condemning the 'slut shaming' from predominately male fans. The Instagram Stories post read: 'Wow we're slut shaming now, today of all days where hundreds and thousands of women across the nation marched for the right to be safe wherever they are and with whomever they are with, be it on a social scale or professional. 'This is precisely the toxic masculinity and culture we're up against, you should be [ashamed] of yourself for this comment.' Sweet: On Monday, 21-year-old Mia posted this romantic black and white image of herself cuddling up with Jamarra. The innocent photo, which was captioned with a simple heart emoji, was soon swamped with vile abuse from trolls Hitting back: In response, Mia shared a comment, made by a fan, condemning the 'slut shaming' from predominately male fans The comment referred in part to the 'March 4 Justice' protest around Australia on Monday. The mass protest came after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped in Parliament in 2019 and Attorney-General Christian Porter denied allegations he raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988. Additionally, a Reclaim These Streets vigil, which took place in London on Saturday following the murder of Sarah Everard, turned violent when police clashed with peaceful protesters. Support: While the negative comments in question were quickly swept off Mia's Instagram account, she received several shows of support from appalled fans While the negative comments in question were quickly swept off Mia's Instagram account, she received several shows of support from appalled fans. One wrote: 'I can't believe some of the comments on this post. Most seem to be from men. Why are you tagging her ex in the post?! He seems to have moved on, and so has she. Why can't people just be nice. 'Does it matter who he is? Leave the woman alone. She's young and enjoying her life. In a world that's turned into an absolute s**t show, why are people just becoming more toxic and just cruel. Just be happy for her. Otherwise, there's an unfollow button and move along.' One person wrote: 'The majority of men commenting and slut shaming on this post are the ones women are marching for justice and up against what an absolute shame and disgrace this is to our nation' Another added: 'The hate comments on here from so many narrow minded fools is beyond me! This is the reason women don't feel safe in Australia as we are all judged by disrespectful fools! 'We all have the right to date who we want, marry who we want, wear what we like and go where we want! I am raising a young man and teaching him to respect women! 'Those that spread hate need to look inside yourselves and figure out why your so pathetic! Good on you Mia for being happy and proud to share! Don't let people dull your sparkle ! And for those other idiots! Shame on you! Judgmental p***ks!' One more chimed in: 'The majority of men commenting and slut shaming on this post are the ones women are marching for justice and up against what an absolute shame and disgrace this is to our nation. Rising star: Jamarra is the Western Bulldogs' number one draft pick and has been dubbed 'Buddy Franklin 2.0' 'I'm mortified at these comments. Mia I suggest you block away or disable comments. Clearly the mothers of these males have failed immensely in every way'. Mia confirmed her romance with Jamarra on Monday, with the model cuddling up to her new man in a photo shared to his Instagram profile, with the AFL star liking comments congratulating the pair on going 'Instagram official'. Key forward Jamarra has been dubbed 'Buddy Franklin 2.0'. In December 2020, Jamarra told The Age that he tried to model himself on the Sydney Swans star: 'I just use him as a person that sets goals for me... Everyone has that person you want to become, or even do better [than].' Budding romance: They couple were previously spotted together for Mia's 21st birthday celebrations (pictured) but Mia told the Herald Sun at the time that the pair were 'just friends' and in the same social circle He is the first Indigenous player to be taken at pick one since Des Headland in 1998, and becomes the first Bulldog to top the AFL draft since Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney had his name called out first in 2003. Mia, who is the stepdaughter of Carlton great Brendan Fevola, will no doubt become a WAG to watch in Jamarra's upcoming season. They were previously spotted together for Mia's 21st birthday celebrations, but Mia told the Herald Sun at the time that the pair were 'just friends' and in the same social circle. Mia split from Richmond Tigers star Daniel Rioli, 23, in February 2020 after two years of dating. Over: Mia split from Richmond Tigers star Daniel Rioli, 23,(left) in February 2020 after two years of dating. Pictured in 2019 'Daniel and I are no longer together; however, we still love and care for each other very much and remain the best of friends,' she wrote on Instagram. Mia is the eldest child of Brendan's longtime partner, Alex. The former footy star adopted Mia as his own daughter after he married Alex in 2005, and they have remained close even during times when the couple were separated. Aside from Mia, Brendan and Alex share three daughters, Leni, Lulu, and Tobi. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. MIAMI and NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Parkinson's Foundation today announced the 2021 Moving Day walk season will include both virtual and contactless events to welcome the entire Parkinson's disease community across the country. Moving Day is the Foundation's signature fundraising event and a movement for more awareness, funding, and a better understanding of Parkinson's disease, which affects one million Americans and their loved ones. "In the last 10 years, Moving Day has united more than 150,000 people in the fight against Parkinson's disease and has raised more than $30 million to fund cutting-edge research and community programs," said John L. Lehr, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Parkinson's Foundation. "While Moving Day will look different this year with virtual and contactless events, our commitment to making life better for people with Parkinson's disease remains as strong as ever." More than 45 Moving Day events will take place this year, including Moving Day USA on May 22, 2021. This virtual walk welcomes all communities, especially those who do not have a designated local event. Each Moving Day event is tailored to the community's unique state and city guidelines around the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading up to the event, participants and teams will fundraise to help the Parkinson's Foundation provide everything people with Parkinson's need to live better from lifesaving resources to delivering quality care and improving Parkinson's treatments through research. The funds raised through Moving Day support cutting-edge research and help provide expert care for the Parkinson's community. Most recently, funds raised by Moving Day helped the Parkinson's Foundation launch PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson's Disease. This is the first national Parkinson's study to offer genetic testing and counseling at no cost for people with Parkinson's. In 2020, the study introduced the most comprehensive Parkinson's at-home genetics testing kit. "As someone living with Parkinson's disease, Moving Day is more than just a walk, it's a celebration of movement which is proven to help manage PD symptoms," said Steve Fischlin, Parkinson's Foundation chapter board member and Moving Day team member. "For some, that movement may happen from the comfort and safety of their vehicle or home but no matter what, we can participate and feel empowered and united with the entire Parkinson's community." For more information about participating in a Moving Day event near you, visit MovingDayWalk.org or call the Parkinson's Foundation free Helpline at (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636). About the Parkinson's Foundation The Parkinson's Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson's disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson's community. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636). About Parkinson's Disease Affecting nearly one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson's and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone. Contact: Mona Clifton Parkinson's Foundation [email protected] 858-264-1713 Parkinson.org SOURCE Parkinson's Foundation Related Links http://www.parkinson.org Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 28 Colleges In New Hampshire for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 73 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 73 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 28 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. To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-colleges-in-new-hampshire/ 2021 Colleges In New Hampshire featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Antioch University Colby-Sawyer College Dartmouth College Franklin Pierce University Granite State College Great Bay Community College InterCoast College Keene Beauty Academy Keene State College Lakes Region Community College Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts Manchester Community College Nashua Community College New England College New Hampshire Institute for Therapeutic Arts New Hampshire Institute of Art NHTI Concord's Community College Plymouth State University River Valley Community College Rivier University Saint Anselm College Southern New Hampshire University St Joseph School of Nursing Thomas More College of Liberal Arts University of New Hampshire at Manchester University of New Hampshire Upper Valley Educators Institute White Mountains Community College 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/. Senior students are seen in class at Melba Secondary College on October 12, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Australian Education Performance Declining Across the Board: Education Minister The average Australian 15-year-old is now around one academic year behind those of the same age from two decades ago, says the federal education minister. Alan Tudge says despite the 38 percent increase in education funding over the last decade, education performance has dropped in both absolute terms and relative to other countries. Australian students are now, on average, three years behind in maths and over one year behind in reading and science compared to fellow Singaporean students. If this was our economy, this decline would be a national topic of conversation, Tudge said. Perhaps the lack of attention is because the decline has been gradual. PISA testing results, which measures the academic performance of 15-year-olds across OECD nations, also shows a gradual fall in Australias education levels. In the early 2000s, Australia ranked 4th internationally in reading, 8th in science, and 11th in maths. But by 2018, those ranks had fallen to 16th, 17th and 29th, respectively. Students walk around Sydney University on April 6, 2016, in Sydney, Australia. (Brendon Thorne/Getty Images) Tudge highlighted three targeted areas for improvement to bring Australian education back among the best in the world by 2030; teaching quality, the school curriculum, and effective assessment and feedback. Several problems were found in the current level of teaching quality, the most important in-school factor in determining student performance. Courses were found to be leaving graduating teachers insufficiently prepared to teach due to too much focus on theory at the expense of practice. The OECD data backs this up: teachers in Australia feel less well prepared than the OECD average across curriculum content, pedagogy, managing student behaviour and monitoring student development, Tudge said. Long pathway-to-teaching courses were also deterring mid-career professionals from transitioning into teaching careers. Professionals are currently required to undertake a minimum two-year masters degree to obtain teaching accreditation. It would be a rare mid-career person who could afford to take two years off work. Shorter pathways are required, he said. The Australian school curriculum, which is currently already under review, also needs improvement. The review will update, refine, and declutter content across the board. Tudge also wants to see a greater focus on the education fundamentals of reading, maths, civics, and citizenship. Finally, effective assessment and feedback is required to identify where more learning support is needed. NAPLAN will be joined by Online Formative Assessment, which is currently under trial and aims to increase classroom teaching effectiveness. Teach for Australia, a not-for-profit organisation, welcomed Tudges plans to reverse the current decline in student performance across the board. Australia is at a critical juncture for action to reverse the decline in student performance and the Ministers plan is an important step forward, Teach For Australia CEO Melodie Rosevear said. The evidence is indisputable that great teachers make all the difference to students. We look forward to sharing the experiences and learnings Teach For Australia has gained in 12 years of designing and delivering programs aimed at recruiting top talent into the classrooms where they are most needed. The Australia Education Union (AEU) disagreed with Tudge and said that school funding inequity was a more pressing issue than another education review. Public schools, which educate the vast majority of students from remote, lower-socioeconomic, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, will be denied the resources needed to close student achievement gaps, AEU president Correna Haythorpe said. For every child to achieve their full potential, Australias school funding inequality must be rectified. However, Tudge highlighted that the decline was consistent across different groups of students. Our top students are less likely to score in the highest achievement bands and our lower-performing students are more likely to have fallen below the proficient standard, Tudge said. The problem is not a growing divide in student results; it is a decline in performance across the board. The Communist Party of India (CPI), a constituent of the Congress-led Secular Democratic Alliance, was earmarked the Thattanchavady segment here to field its candidate in the April 6 Assembly poll. An agreement was inked in this regard between the Puducherry PCC president A V Subramanian and the secretary of the Puducherry unit of CPI A M Saleem at the PCC office here on Sunday, a press release from the PCC president said. The Congress and DMK have already been earmarked 15 and 13 seats respectively to field their candidates through an accord reached on Saturday. The Union Territory has totally 30 seats and the CPI has now been allotted Thattanchavady seat. A decision in respect of the remaining one seat is yet to be taken. (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 young man from the northern part of Vietnam has been arrested and charged with blackmail as he had demanded money from a woman in return for his not sharing her nudes on social media. La Duc Duy, 21, hailing from northern Nam Dinh Province, was detained by police in District 1, Ho Chi Minh Cityon charges of extortion of property, a source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday. Preliminary inspection revealed that Duy approached the victim N., 24, through social media. After making a pass at N., Duy repeatedly tried and ultimately succeeded in soliciting nudes from the woman. He then created a burner social media account and threatened to upload the private pictures there unless N. shelled out VND50 million (US$2,167) to him. The man also sent pictures of gang tattoos and weapons to intimidate N., to the point that she finally yielded, sending Duy multiple sums which totaled VND34 million ($1,474.) In early March, N. demanded that Duy sign a commitment form which required him to wipe out the naked pictures completely, yet the blackmailer still tried to appropriate another VND20 million ($867) from her. On Saturday, Duy was caught red-handed collecting the money from N. at a coffee shop on Alexandre De Rhodes Street in District 1. The suspect later admitted to his blackmailing ploy, which involved creating a burner social media account and trying to distribute N.s nude photos to her friends. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This past year, the Golden Retriever made its debut as Columbus' top dog in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Golden Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Boston, Massachusetts and Seattle, Washington. The Golden Retriever was not the only breed who made a debut on the top ten list in 2020. Also appearing for the first time was the Boxer, who secured its 10th spot ranking after years of gradually climbing up the list. French Bulldogs' popularity has also gained some traction, ranking 3rd. "Golden Retrievers have dethroned Labrador Retrievers in 2020 for the #1 spot," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "Golden Retrievers are gentle, family-friendly and very intelligent and stable making them a popular choice for individuals as well as families!" Columbus' top 5 breeds for 2020: Golden Retriever German Shepherd Dog French Bulldog Labrador Retriever Bulldog * Registration data pulled from Columbus zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 16th, 2021 Two commemorative woodlands are to be created in memory of those who have died from coronavirus during the pandemic. First Minister Mark Drakeford has said there will be two new woodlands planted one in north Wales and one in south Wales. The will be a symbol of Wales resilience during the pandemic and one of regeneration and renewal as the new woodlands grow. The Welsh government has said. It is hoped they will be places of commemoration where families and friends can remember lost loved ones. The woodlands will also be locations where the public will be able to reflect on the pandemic and the huge impact it has had on all our lives. They will be planted with a range of tree species, making them resilient to a changing environment; a fitting symbol of the strength the people of Wales have shown over the past year. The First Minister said: Today, we mark a deeply sad anniversary as we remember the first person in Wales to die from coronavirus. Since that day too many people have been taken too soon. We remember them today and keep them in our hearts and our minds. Today I am announcing the creation of two commemorative woodlands one in north Wales and one in south Wales as permanent living memorials to all those who have died. These woodlands will grow into natural spaces of reflection, where families and others can come to remember all those we have lost. The pandemic has cast a long shadow on all our lives over the last year, but we can also look to the future with hope. The locations of the two sites will be announced shortly and Natural Resources Wales will engage with local communities to plan and design the woodlands. Clare Pillman, CEO Natural Resources Wales said: Our woodlands play a vital role in our environment and communities and are powerful, poignant symbols of life and memory. The new commemorative woodlands will provide a living, growing memorial that will honour the memory of all of those who have sadly lost their lives to coronavirus. In addition to being a symbolic representation of Wales resilience during the pandemic, the woodlands will also provide a safe, quiet and accessible place where families can come to visit and remember their loved ones. The First Minister also announced there will be a National Coronavirus Commemorative Event broadcast on BBC One Wales and S4C at 5pm on the 23rd of March. A teenager who was fined 10,000 over an alleged Covid-breaking party has had it thrown out by a magistrate - who said police 'bandied' the big penalties around and blasted the CPS for mishandling the case. Isaac Parsons, 19, was accused of holding a get-together at his Wiltshire home last year, which police said had between 80 and 100 people in attendance. On September 4 police posted on Facebook they had issued the 10,000 notice - which would result in a criminal record - for the party after officers were called to the house in Devizes. At the time, it was an offence to hold a gathering of more than 30 people in a private dwelling, and the teenager had been charged under the Coronavirus Regulations. The fine was initially appealed by the family and yesterday their solicitor asked for a dismissal ahead of the trial - on the grounds that the wrong sections of law were quoted in the fixed penalty notice. The Crown Prosecution Service wanted to amend this, but the District Judge at Swindon Magistrates Court refused - stating the case wouldn't have ever come to court if the correct law was used and a 100 fine was issued. Isaac's father Martin Parsons, a Deputy Chairman Political of Devizes Conservative Association, accused Wiltshire Police of 'misconduct in public office and contempt of court'. Isaac pleaded not guilty to organising a house party in breach of coronavirus rules in February. District Judge Joanna Dickens threw it out - and slammed the CPS and police for how it was handled. Isaac Parsons, 19, was accused of holding a get-together at his Wiltshire home last year, which police said had between 80 and 100 people in attendance Judge Dickens said: 'Coronavirus is serious. We're all worried about it. Never before have I dismissed a charge. 'For these ten thousand pound penalties, it's a huge amount of money for people to pay and most people, who are normal people, can't pay ten thousand pounds. 'A lot of people would want to appeal that. You would not want to appeal a one hundred pound fine, and most people don't appeal parking fines. 'Ultimately, it was clear to me, quite understandably, people do make mistakes, and the CPS, the mistake they are now making is to proceed. 'If they said to me I'll just issue another penalty for one hundred pounds, I'd have no problem with that, I would have said fine, but not what they're asking the court to do. 'They're asking, and I want to be clear about that, they're asking the court to proceed with a prosecution that otherwise would never have happened if it wasn't for the fact they got it wrong in the first place. 'It seems to me they're seeking to get a situation where someone could be guilty, have a criminal record in circumstances where they would not have otherwise got one because it's led by the Crown's own mistake. I appreciate it's a genuine mistake. 'I do want to make an observation that a ten thousand pound fine, if they're going to be issued, they should at the very least contain the correct and relevant sections [of law] to allow people to work out what their rights to appeal are. 'This case does worry me, and trouble me, that there could be a situation where other ten thousand pound fines have been bandied about by police in circumstances where they shouldn't have been. 'It's a matter for the police whether they research into those other ones, they may or may not have imposed during this time. 'Nothing of what I have said is intended in any way to suggest that breaking coronavirus rules is anything less than a serious matter for us all. 'That's my comment. It's a very unusual case for the court to not amend a charge in the interests of justice. 'There's a lot of case law on it and the leading case says you should normally amend, but the court does have a wider jurisdiction in relation to the interests of justice and for those reasons, that's my reasoning for not allowing [the amendment].' Issac's father said he did not want to comment further today. Issac pleaded not guilty to organising a house party in breach of coronavirus rules in February The District Judge at Swindon Magistrates Court said the case wouldn't have ever come to court if the correct law was used and a 100 fine was issued Speaking at the time, he said: 'I have made a formal complaint to them (the police) that they have published completely false information, not just on that, but on a number of issues which potentially compromises a future court case. 'What Wiltshire Police put on their Facebook page is subject to a formal complaint and is being investigated by Professional Standards.' A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said it was 'surprised' by the dismissal and will seek a review with the CPS. They said: 'Yesterday at Swindon Magistrates Court, a 10,000 fine issued by Wiltshire Police for potential breaches to the Coronavirus Regulations was dismissed. 'The fine relates to an incident in Devizes on September 4, at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, when officers were called to a significant gathering at a residential property which took place against the COVID regulations. 'The fine, which was issued to the organiser of the event, was contested and resulted in yesterday's court hearing where the judge dismissed the case. 'Whilst respecting the court's decision, Wiltshire Police were surprised by yesterday's decision relative to the circumstances that officers were presented with at this incident. 'Further to the fine being contested, the CPS independently reviewed the available evidence and authorised a charge as is routine in such cases. 'We will now be urgently looking to understand why the case was dismissed by the court and are seeking an urgent meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service to review this case. 'Our policing response to the ongoing public health pandemic will continue to be robust, proportionate and consistent. It remains vital that everyone takes personal responsibility for their actions and adheres to the restrictions which are in place.' A CPS spokesperson said: "We note the judge's comments and are examining what happened in this case before deciding next steps. "The CPS also conducts a monthly review of all finalised coronavirus cases to ensure that the right person is charged with the right offence." During a Sunday morning conversation between Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Maria Bartiromo, Midland County residents heard the crisis taking place on the border would hit close to home. Abbott stated during Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo he heard the night before that federal officials intended to ship migrants to a holding facility outside of the city of Midland. Community leaders and representatives were nearly unanimous in using the term blindsided to describe the announcement from the governor that federal officials to move more than 700 juveniles. On Monday, there was not one who stated he or she heard anything prior to Abbotts statement to a national television audience. The Biden administrations lack of communication, coordination and notification of their plans to place unaccompanied migrant children in Midland without consent of state and local government officials is completely unacceptable, and I am demanding immediate answers from both HHS and the Biden Administration, Congressman August Pfluger wrote in a press release. Jessica Skaggs, spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, offered the Reporter-Telegram this statement on Monday. The Biden administration has completely blindsided the state of Texas. It is dumping migrants at the feet of state and local officials, including in Midland, without proper information and resources. This is dangerous, especially as migrants are testing positive for COVID at up to (seven times) the rate of the U.S. population. President Biden must reverse his open-borders policies that have created this crisis and put the health and safety of the American people first. Community officials have told the Reporter-Telegram repeatedly during the last 12 months that this community had been hit with its fair share of haymakers. Prior to Sunday morning that list included COVID, negative oil, an economic downturn, a fierce debate about masks, Midlanders being part of the storming of the U.S. Capitol and the coldest week on record. Late Sunday night, the first wave of migrants arrived at a Cotton Logistics facility located southwest of the city of Midland inside Midland County. The facility had previous been used for man camp style housing. Attempts to reach officials at Cotton Logistics a Katy-based company about the decision to partner with the federal government on such a massive undertaking were unsuccessful. The migrant situation has been the talk of many in Midland. Some were calling on Midland County officials to put a halt to the activity. As County Attorney Russell Malm told the Reporter-Telegram there was nothing that could be done. The former man camp might as well be a federal facility. Even those guarding the facility Monday werent local, but Department of Homeland Security personnel. This decision by the Biden Administration was sprung on Midland County literally overnight, stated Texas Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo on his Facebook page Monday. Buses began arriving late Sunday evening. What I have been told is this issue was shopped around other Texas cities. But at no point was there a discussion between the Biden Administration and local Midland officials. It was a one-sided decision and for that I am furious. No new coronavirus cases have been found in New South Wales, after an infected hotel quarantine security guard broke the state's 55 day virus-free streak. But Gladys Berejiklian admitted health authorities may never determine how the Sofitel Hotel security guard caught the virus. Genomic testing showed the man, who worked at the Sydney hotel on March 6, had the same highly-contagious UK strain of the virus as a returned traveller at the hotel. His infection was announced on Sunday and included in Monday's reporting figures, the first to be acquired locally in the state for nearly two months. But since then, all his household have tested negative and the guard himself remains asymptomatic. 'We have to accept we may never find the link similar to the Avalon cluster: we still don't know,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Tuesday, an hour ahead of the day's figures being revealed. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian hinted the state has recorded no new locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases on Tuesday Ms Berejiklian admitted health authorities may 'never find the link' between the hotel security guard at the Sofitel hotel in Sydney and how he caught the virus 'What's I'm (feeling) very positive about is that until a few hours before this press conference there had been no cases of community transmission since that time.' Health authorities are trying to work out the source of the man's infection, as the infectious traveller did not open his hotel room door nor leave his room while the guard was on shift. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said authorities had reviewed CCTV footage from the night the guard worked. The guard - who has already received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine - had no symptoms and had followed the required protocols, Dr Chant said. She said there was 'not a clear and obvious breach' that explained the infection. 'We haven't been able to find an exact source, an explanation for how this person became infected,' Dr Chant told reporters on Monday. 'We are testing everyone who worked, co-workers who worked with this gentleman to just check there is not someone else who may have been an intermediary that transmitted to this gentleman.' Quarantine has been extended for those staying on the 11th floor of the hotel, while 167 staff who worked at the Mantra Hotel in Sydney where the man worked an overnight shift on March 12 have also been contacted. Quarantine has been extended for those staying on the 11th floor of the Sofitel Wentworth 167 staff who worked at the Mantra Hotel in Sydney where the man worked an overnight shift on March 12 have also been contacted by NSW Health Exposure sites visited by infected security guard Pancakes on the Rocks Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills on Saturday 13 March from 10:45am to 12pm Bexley Aquatic (Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre) in Bexley North on Saturday 13 March from 9am to 9:30am 7 Eleven in Haymarket on Saturday 13 March from 12:20am to 12:25am Dae Jang Kum in Haymarket on Saturday 13 March from 12:15am to 12:20am Coles Hurstville Station in Hurstville during any of the following times: Wednesday 10 March between 9:15pm to 9:46pm, Saturday 13 March between 7:30am to 7:40am Hudsons Coffee in Hurstville during any of the following times: Friday 12 March between 8:30am to 9am, Thursday 11 March between 8:30am to 9am, Wednesday 10 March between 8:30am to 9am, Tuesday 9 March between 8:30am to 9am, Monday 8 March between 8:30am to 9am Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre (stadium and gymnasium area) in Hurstville on Wednesday 10 March from 4:15pm to 5:30pm Advertisement Ms Berejiklian urged other premiers not to introduce border restrictions for NSW in response to the security guard's infection, saying it would be an 'overreaction'. Ms Berejiklian said that while every community transmission caused 'sleepless nights', there was no need for premiers to 'overreact' to the latest case. She urged state governments across Australia to 'give us a chance to demonstrate our capacity to get on top of this' and show how the vaccine rollout is working. 'There is no evidence of widespread transmission,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters. '(It) dashes confidence everywhere if people can't rely on borders staying open. 'I'm not suggesting there is no risk, there always is, but ... please assess the risk against the facts, and at the moment there is one case of a guard.' (ANSA) - ROME, MAR 15 - A judge in the Tuscan city of Arezzo on Monday shelved the case against a 60-year-old tyre dealer who killed an alleged robber in November 2018. Fredy Pacini shot dead Vitalie Tonjoc Mircea, a 29-year-old from Moldova, after he entered his dealership at Monte San Savino, near Arezzo, with other men with the apparent intention of holding it up. "It's the end of a nightmare," said Pacini via his lawyer, Alessandra Cheli. The preliminary hearings judge said Pacini "acted in panic" and was not liable under the new self-defence law brought in by the nationalist League party two years ago, similar to US 'stand your ground' laws. (ANSA). ADVERTISEMENT Following a series of incidents involving Azman Air Boeing 737 aircraft, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the operations of all the Boeing 737 aircraft in the fleet of Azman Air Services Limited, with effect from March 15, 2021. This was contained in a statement signed by Musa Nuhu, the director-general of NCAA, and made available to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday. Mr Nuhu said the suspension was pursuant to Section 35 (2) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 and Part 1.3.3.3 (A) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015. He said the suspension was to enable the authority to conduct an audit of the airline to determine the root cause(s) of the incidents and recommend corrective actions to forestall recurrence. According to him, NCAA regrets the inconvenience this action may cause the public, particularly to Azman air passengers, but the need to ensure the safety of air transport and protect the public interest, cannot be compromised. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority will continue to ensure airlines compliance to its regulations in the interest of safety and will view any violation(s) seriously. (NAN) A motorcyclist rides past the logo of Foxconn, the trading name of Hon Hai Precision Industry, in Taipei, Taiwan, March 30, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Tyrone Siu. Taiwanese electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn will invest $700 million in Vietnam this year to expand its operations. The company, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., also targets revenues of $10 billion and creating 10,000 new jobs this year, Taiwan News reported. Last year, the company had invested $1.5 billion in Vietnam, $900 million of it in the northern province of Bac Giang. In January, it received a license to build a $270-million plant to produce laptops and tablets in Bac Giang. The factory will eventually produce eight million computers a year, including iPads and MacBooks, apparently an outcome of Apples desire that its suppliers should move their production out of China. Foxconn executives also met with authorities in the northern province of Thanh Hoa in January to explore investment opportunities. It is looking for 100-150 hectares of land for a $1.3-billion plant to manufacture electronic components. Its revenues last year were $6 billion, and Apples main supplier and the world's largest contract manufacturer targets reaching $40 billion within the next three to five years. It has been operating mainly in the north in the provinces of Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Vinh Phuc, making computers and other electronic products and car parts. Vietnam is its largest manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia. 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. If your life is anything like mine, someone you know was vaccinated last week because someone else sat up all night, hitting refresh on an obscure website until they found an open appointment. Someone else you know probably just got their shot because their son or daughter sat on hold for hours on a phone line, until someone picked up and slotted them into a complex health system. Someone else you may know hopped in a car to drive across state lines, for several hours, to get a shot in some other jurisdiction. And someone else maybe received a phone call from someone they knew abruptly telling them to bundle their elderly parents or immunocompromised self into the car and just drive, because there were vaccines available someplace. Advertisement Kindly remember this experiencebecause what you are witnessing is precisely what happens whenever a womans reproductive health care facility shuts down. Access to vital, lifesaving health care becomes purely a function of whom you know, how fluent in English and how mobile you may be, and, of course, how much money you have. This may be a first for you, but for millions of women, especially in states that have closed virtually all of their abortion clinics in recent years, this is how reproductive health care currently works in America. 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. Its hardly a controversial statement that while vaccine delivery is finally happening, the rollout has been chaotic and hyperlocalized. Every state and county and city may have different systems. The incomprehensible matrix of hospital and pharmacy websites, phone apps, and telephone hotlines assumes that everyone in America has ready access to technology, vast computer literacy, an email address, and hours of time to burn scaling the vaccine learning curve. (Here is an instructive example from the Washington Posts Geoffrey Fowler guiding elderly Americans on navigating the systems.) You may be subject to fraudsters and grifters who prey on vulnerable people seeking health care in a crisis. Wealthy enclaves with big donors appear to have access that allows them to jump the queue, ahead of local seniors and the seriously ill. Learning to navigate these fragmented systems can take days. And if you arent fluent in English, computer-savvy, free to take time off work, and well connected, you will probably get vaccinated after those who are. Advertisement Nobody expected anything less, particularly given that high-end clients have received preferential treatment and resources throughout the pandemic. But at minimum we can learn from this natural experiment in scarce medical resources what will happen as several states continue their crusades to limit low-cost, accessible birth control and pregnancy care. Advertisement The state-level assault on abortion clinics, and particularly on independent clinics, long predated the COVID crisis. As Time magazine reported in December, the number of independent abortion clinics in the U.S. has fallen 34 percent in recent years, from 510 in 2012 to 337 as of November. A total of 41 clinics have closed in the past two years alone. Since 58 percent of people seeking abortions get them at independent clinics, the results have of course been catastrophic for womens health. COVID itself has exacerbated the problem. Six states were down to a single clinic before the pandemic hit, but 11 states attempted to suspend abortion services this past spring, opportunistically citing the pandemic as justification. While these efforts were blocked in the courts, some clinics closed, and the attendant legal fees and the burden of COVID regulations have all been devastating for others. For the women who require their services, the cost of declining abortion access is immeasurable. Advertisement Since Brett Kavanaughs confirmation to the Supreme Court, state legislatures itching to end the protections of Roe v. Wade have passed regulations that are defiantly unconstitutional, in an effort to force the issue nationwide. TRAP laws designed to shutter clinics under the pretext of advancing maternal health have been sidelined in some states as they now try to ban abortion outright. Last week, Mark Joseph Stern interviewed professor Mary Ziegler about Arkansas new, near-total abortion ban. The state joins at least 11 others in passing complete or near-total bans in the hopes of becoming the case that will overturn Roe. Also last week, Republican Texas state Rep. Bryan Slaton introduced a bill to abolish abortion, allowing for the death penalty for women and physicians who carry out the procedure. Advertisement Advertisement We already know exactly what happens in a state that closes virtually all of its clinics. And we already know that states with the worst maternal and infant health outcomes are leading that charge. Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons yearslong harassment crusade to shutter the last remaining clinic in his state, admittedly undertaken to end all abortion there, was stymied in the courts but proved devastating to both the clinic and to women forced to travel out of state to obtain their abortions in Illinois. What we do know about states that impose onerous TRAP laws is that the public health impacts have always fallen disproportionately on people of color and the poor. As Jasmine Wang, Peter Jacobs, and Hannah Pugh recently detailed here, clinic closures across the country have resulted in longer wait periods and travel times, which place additional strain on patients in rural areas. Logistical requirements that do not improve patient safetysuch as 24-hour waiting periods, mandatory ultrasounds and counseling, and informed consent lawsrequire patients to make multiple, sometimes costly trips to clinics. We also know how quickly each of those burdens and extra inconveniences is dismissed by those who want to blame people for failing to access health care that is nearly inaccessible to them. Advertisement Yet again we are witnessing the stark division between the medical haves and have-nots, and yet again its got nothing whatever to do with moral virtue or medical need. When Texas passed its controversial omnibus clinic regulation, House Bill 2, in 2013, the number of clinics that could operate in the state briefly dropped from 42 to 7. Had the Supreme Court upheld the new restrictions, Texas would have been left with 10 clinicsall in major citiesto serve 5.4 million women of childbearing age. Even after the Supreme Court struck down that law in 2016, many clinics never reopened. The number of clinics operating in the state now is about half what it was in 2013. While the litigation was wending its way through the courts, Texas experienced a natural experiment in what happened to women who lost access to reproductive care. Overnight, women seeking to secure abortions were forced to endure longer wait times, unnecessary repeat visits, burdensome travel, costly hotel stays, and missed work. The longer the wait time, the pricier the procedure became. In some cases, longer waits eventually precluded an abortion altogether. In Lubbock, for instance, a woman would have had to travel nearly 300 miles to reach her closest provider. Studies showed that the number of Texan women of reproductive age living in a county over 100 miles from the nearest abortion provider in Texas more than doubled to just over one million when the admitting privilege requirement of HB2 went into effect. Wait times at the remaining open clinics quickly soared to 20 days and longer. Women began to cross state lines to obtain abortions, turned to dangerous self-managed abortions, black-market scammers, and drugs they could purchase in Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sample CNN account at the time was representative of how this affected poor women in particular: Women traveling hundreds of miles needed gas money. Poor and rural and non-English-speaking women didnt always have access to bus tickets, taxis, hotels. Some slept in their cars while awaiting procedures. Women missed procedures because their babysitters didnt show up, their paychecks didnt clear, time off work was denied, protesters blocked clinics. And yet, at oral argument over HB 2 before a federal appeals court in 2014, Judge Edith Jones suggested that the 300 miles round-trip between the Rio Grande Valley and Corpus Christi was a breeze: Do you know how long that takes in Texas at 75 miles an hour? This is a peculiarly flat and not congested highway. Spoken like someone who has never slept in her car. Advertisement Vaccine access as its rolled out across the country highlights the same problems that were laid bare when Texas shuttered clinics. It has been an example of what can happen when capitalism and scarce medical resources collide. Yet again we are witnessing the stark division between the medical haves and have-nots, and yet again its got nothing whatever to do with moral virtue or medical need. Vaccines will goas reproductive care has always goneto the wealthy and well-connected, to those with resources and networks, to those with work flexibility, ample child care, and the ability to travel. Eventually, everyone will have access, but the same burdens and worries, limitations and encumbrances, that make it all but impossible for poor or non-English-speaking women in Mississippi and Missouri to access lifesaving reproductive care will present again when it comes to lifesaving COVID protection care. For Americans who havent thought carefully about why that happens, this present moment affords us that clarity. Advertisement We are doubtless a few short months away from the time at which we will begin to hear that there is simply something wrong with those who havent been vaccinated yet, that they were too lazy or unmotivated or distracted. (Indeed, narratives about measles vaccination rates tend to focus on anti-vaxxers, but as my former colleague Dan Engber wrote in 2019, lack of access to vaccination seems to be just as significant a problem in the U.S.) Thats what was said about poor women seeking to terminate their pregnancies, toothey werent trying hard enough. So long as access to lifesaving health services demands what this rollout is demandingaccess that privileges the well-connected and the internet-connectedunevenness will be the rule. Blaming individual behavior for a systemic problem has long been the way to avoid solving systemic problems. But long after the crisis of this particular pandemic has passed, we would do well to question exceptionalist claims that basic health care required by all Americans is available to all Americans. As abortion clinics continue to close around the country, the pandemic should remind us that the pattern is long-standing, and that basic health care is still largely for the wealthy and the lucky. March 16 : Emraan Hashmi has some interesting projects in hand. While his film Chehre with Amitabh Bachchan will release next month, he has been roped in to play the antagonist in Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif starrer film Tiger 3. This will be Emraans first collaborate with Salman and Katrina in the third installment of Tiger, the action spy franchise of the Yash Raj Films. While Salman and Katrina will reprise their roles in Tiger3, Hashmi will play the villain. Salman will play Avinash (Tiger) while Kaif will essay Zoya again in the third instalment. In an interview, Emraan said that he is looking forward to work on the blockbuster franchise and collaborate with Salman Khan for the first time, a dream come true for him. The actor also said that even though he is yet to sign on the dotted line, he is looking forward to work in the action thriller franchise. The first film in the Tiger franchise was Ek Tha Tiger in 2012, which was directed by Kabir Khan. The second film was Tiger Zinda Hai in 2017, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The third instalment will be helmed by Maneesh Sharma. The Tiger franchise revolves around a fictional character, an Indian spy from RAW, who falls in love with a Pakistani spy from ISI. Tiger 3: The Final Mission will release in 2022. The project is being produced on a budget of about 250 crore. The movie will be filmed in several foreign countries including Istanbul, United Arab Emirates and Australia before it hits the theatres worldwide on April 29, 2022 coinciding with Eid. Meanwhile, Emraan Hashmi is currently gearing up for the release of Sanjay Guptas action crime film Mumbai Saga, which is all set to hit the big screens on March 19. Emraan is also excited about his next project Chehre, a mystery thriller, directed by Rumy Jafry. The film is set to have a theatrical release on April 30. Defiant Britons have today insisted they are not fazed by Europe's 'scaremongering' against the AstraZeneca vaccine, as they backed the UK's scientists as 'the best in the world'. Fourteen countries across the continent have now turned their backs on the Oxford University-researched jab in a knee-jerk reaction over unproven blood clot fears. France, Italy, Germany and Spain are among the countries to have stopped using the vaccine, despite EU regulators insisting there was no proof the vaccine causes dangerous side-effects. And Britons backed the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab today, which has already been rolled-out problem-free to millions across the country. Some who have already had the jab vouched for it, while others said they would be happy to take it as the UK's scientists are the 'best in the world'. David Sharp, 71, a retired chef from Hackney, who recently had the jab, said: 'It went brilliantly. I had no concerns going into it whatsoever. 'I couldn't care less where I got it from. You don't get a choice. If they've done all their research, then that's fine with me.' James Danby, 58, a retired locksmith from Stratford, who had the jab today, said: 'It went really well. I got here, I was early, and then it was done and dusted in 12 minutes. 'I haven't really paid much attention to the press around it. I think it's all a bit scare-mongering too much to be honest. 'I think Europe is being a bit overly cautious. I trust our National Health Service and I think our scientists are the best in the world.' David Sharp,71, a retired chef from Hackey, Amanda Emin, 35, a customer support worker from Leytonstone and James Danby, 58, a retired locksmith from Stratford Lisa Lloyd, 47, a carer from Forest Gate and Cydnie Jay, 25, a social worker from Bow Amanda Emin, 35, a customer support worker from Leytonstone, east London received the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab today. Ms Emin, who has fibromyalgia, said she was nervous about getting the jab at first, but has since been convinced. She said: 'A few months ago I was really apprehensive about the vaccine. It was rolled out so soon. 'I didn't know in five or 10 years time what the repercussions could be. 'Several of my friends and my friends' parents have been getting it, and I just thought what are the chances? 'The chances of probably getting hit by a bus in the street are probably higher.' Sophie Blakeman, a 19-year-old fashion student from Leeds, will happily take the vaccine if it means life can go back to normal. She said: 'I'm not that bothered about getting the vaccine. 'The only reason I'd get it is so that I can go to festivals or on holiday this summer. 'If we need to be vaccinated in order to do those things then I'll be really keen to get it.' Cydnie Jay, 25, a social worker from Bow, said: 'I got the Oxford-AstraZeneca which I know has got a lot of bad press at the moment, but I think it's absolutely fine. 'I think I'm quite relaxed about it. Vaccines keep everyone safe. I think the percentage of anything going wrong with it is so small it won't be a problem. 'It's something like a few dozen out of the millions that have had it. Obviously it's not great if you're someone that has had a problem, but the sad thing is that a lot of people also had underlying issues.' Lisa Lloyd, 47, a carer from Forest Gate, also had the jab and said: 'I feel so relieved that I have it now. I'm now impatient for life to get started again. 'I think it's great that people get some positive news about the vaccines. I think there's been a lot of negative reporting, so it's good that there's a balance. 'Anyone who doesn't get one - it's selfishness in my view. They just want to wait until they don't need to get one because of herd immunity. Rachel Smith, 41, from Ilford, who works in a charity shop, had her Pfizer vaccine on March 3 and is awaiting the date for a second jab Joey Jacobs, 33, TfL worker from Chingford, said he has yet to get the vaccine but hopes to be picked for a volunteer vaccination trial with St John's Ambulance Molly Young, 23, a care worker from Stratford, also had the jab and said she felt lucky to have had the chance 'We were the guinea pigs, if you like. But it'll be fine. You won't grow an extra arm, it's fine.' Rachel Smith, 41, from Ilford, who works in a charity shop, had her Pfizer vaccine on March 3 and is awaiting the date for a second jab. She said: 'You don't get a choice when it comes to the vaccine. I suppose I'm happy that it was the Pfizer one compared to anything else, but I don't think it matters. 'I think there's a lot of unnecessary worrying about vaccinations. You shouldn't mind which one, as long as it works.' Molly Young, 23, a care worker from Stratford, said: 'It went fine. I'm really really happy that I've got it now and can hopefully go to America soon. 'I'm half-American, and I couldn't see my family that live in upstate New York just an hour out from Buffalo. I was really happy to get any vaccine I was offered. 'I know there are some medications, like contraceptives, that cause blood clots also far more than any jab, so you have to think about the chances. It's very small. Edward Palmer, 29, from Birmingham city centre and a trainee physicist, worries the ban on AstraZeneca in some European countries will fuel anti-vax conspiracies Bethany Crane, 24, from Coventry, who works in travel insurance, said she just wants to 'get back to normal' Natalie Roberts, 39, who works for the HR department at Birmingham City Council, said she felt confident in having the vaccine despite the European bans Hayley Hoffman, 29, originally from North Carolina, USA, now living in Birmingham city centre and a Christian charity worker, admitted being unsure about taking the vaccine 'I think you've got to count yourself lucky that you're able to get a vaccine.' Joey Jacobs, 33, TfL worker from Chingford, said he has yet to get the vaccine but hopes to be picked for a volunteer vaccination trial with St John's Ambulance. He said: 'It's for the national cause. It's an incentive for herd immunity. 'Everyone needs to play a part to get out of lockdown. We need to get back to some sort of normality and get back to a daily routine. ' Obviously people have their reservations. A lot of people on the internet and social media about having a chip in their arm or altering their DNA, and that's obviously not true. People have been watching too many sci-fi movies. 'I've been looking at the flu jab and more people have had adverse reactions with that than the Covid jab. 'I think people need to be aware of that. A vaccine is never 100 percent safe. 'Possibly if it does cause blood clots, it's an issue they need to look at. But we're looking at the very few compared to the millions who have had the vaccine. I think it's a personal decision.' Their comments come amid a growing row over the jab with accusations of political motivations behind the Europe bans. Leaders on the continent were accused of risking lives with the 'reckless' decisions to stop the flow of vaccines, with scientists warning Covid is 100,000 times more dangerous, compared to the tiny possibility of an issue with clotting. Chief of Italy's medicines regulator, Nicola Magrini, today claimed the sweeping bans across Europe were part of a politically driven snowball effect which had seen countries within the bloc come under pressure to follow suit. University of Bristol students Padraig Lawler and Rhodri Davis, both 19, said that they would not be put off having the Astra-Zeneca vaccine. Rob Burn, 66, a busker in Bristol city centre, had his first dose of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine last month and slammed criticism of the jab Paul Lovell, 56, a retired Rolls Royce engineer from Bristol, believes Brexit is to blame for the current row Stay-at-home mother Gill Kaur, 34, also from Bristol, described the stories as 'scaremongering' Padraig said: 'From what I've read, it sort of seems like it's not really a problem, and it's more of a precautionary thing from the countries that have banned it. 'It wouldn't sway my decision to have the vaccine - I'm still going to take it. 'By the time I get offered it I would hope that they would have sorted this issue out anyway. 'I trust that it has been tested enough.' And Rhodri added: 'I think blood clots are probably more dangerous than Covid - but surely those 40 people who suffered from blood clots would have been more prone to that anyway. 'I think I read that there is no real evidence to support a link between the vaccine and blood clots - so I'm not sure why they would ban the vaccine. 'I will still have it when the time comes.' Britons who have had the jab hit out at European leaders amid the political machinations. Edward Palmer, 29, from Birmingham city centre and a trainee physicist, said: 'I feel like a lot of the evidence is quite misleading. 'I'm quite nervous about the narrative because I think it's going to feed into the general anti vaccination feelings which are generally wrong and harmful. 'But it's the fact that it hasn't been done just by some small groups and individuals. It's a number of nations that have come out and voiced their concerns about it. 'Having looked at the kind of data myself I wouldn't have any concerns about having it. Muriel Tattersall, 75, from Bristol, admitted she was a little more hesitant about having her Astra-Zeneca vaccine amid the row Physiotherapist Sara Garcia, 31, admitted to being worried by news of the vaccine ban University of Bristol students Padraig Lawler and Rhodri Davis, both 19, said that they would not be put off having the Astra-Zeneca vaccine Emily Bradley, a 19-year-old fashion student from Leeds, said she was worried by the blood clots reports 'I think for them to be politically scaremongering would be a very unusual thing for them to do and I'm slightly confused by it.' Rob Burn, 66, a busker in Bristol city centre, had his first dose of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine last month. He said: 'It's all a load of rubbish. It's a lot of fuss over nothing, and the Italians and Germans are just being ultra-cautious. 'There's been 40 reports of blood clotting in about 17 million people vaccinated. 'I read somewhere that before the vaccine there were actually more blood clots per 1,000 people than there are now. 'Even the countries that have banned it are saying it's just a precautionary measure - but there is such a thing as being too cautious. You'd end up never leaving the house. 'No medical person in the UK has suggested we need to be worried about anything. 'It's just like with a lot of these things - there is some slight bit of exaggeration, and people just jump on it.' Carol Carter, 46, a self-employed IT consultant from Bristol, is not worried by the row Tony Lavalle, 57, who is currently unemployed, believes Europe is playing political games Rob added: 'I felt fine after my first dose. I was a bit tired for a couple of days, but I was told that would be normal. 'I'm happy I had it, and I've got my second one booked in for May.' Carol Carter, 46, a self-employed IT consultant from Bristol, said: 'Personally I'm not worried about it. 'I think with any scientific advancement there's going to be things we don't know about. 'And yes, this has been rolled out quickly, but I think looking at the odds, having the vaccine will be better for most people. 'I think the countries that have suspended the vaccine are probably making a political statement, what with the timing of it and us now having left the EU. I think it's quite sad, really. 'I would still have Astra-Zeneca if that was the one offered to me.' Natalie Roberts, 39, who works for the HR department at Birmingham City Council, from Smiths wood, Birmingham said: 'I've just had the AstraZeneca in the centre and I feel so pleased to have had it. 'It's a long time coming and I feel like now it's a pathway to normality for me. I did look at the news this morning and everything that was coming out of the EU countries about their fears for this vaccine. Ashley Woodhouse, an unemployed 35-year-old, from Leeds, was not going to get the vaccine prior to the news about the blood clots and has had his belief confirmed even more Sophie Blakeman, a 19-year-old fashion student from Leeds, will happily take the vaccine if it means life can go back to normal Thelma Robinson, 76, from Bradford, is a big supporter of vaccinations and is pleased she had hers earlier in the year. Her husband Alec was also 'very happy' with the jab 'But I did look at the blood clotting issue and I found that apparently it was only 40 people out of like five million so it's not a worry to me. 'That could have happened anyway, you just can't link it at the moment and it's such a small percentage - I'm just not worried about it at the minute. I just went ahead and had it. 'Most of my family have had the vaccine as they all work for the NHS and in care homes. We're just all quite positive about it and not going to let it stop us from having it and hopefully getting back to normality and normal life. 'I feel perfectly confident with having that specific vaccine.' Bethany Crane, 24, from Coventry, who works in travel insurance, said: 'I've just come from having the Oxford vaccine and it was completely fine I didn't even notice that she did it to be honest. 'I know bits of what is being said, maybe not as much as I should do, but going in today and having the vaccine for me personally was quite comfortable. 'I got my text yesterday and just thought I'd book it straight away, I didn't really research it. 'Basically I just want to get back to some kind of normality and we would need the vaccination to do so in the future. 'So it's much easier to just get it out of the way now than wait any longer. 'I'm perfectly happy to have had it but I will definitely have a bit more of a read into it. Daniel Hazelgrave, a 43-year-old pub landlord from Leeds, is not in a rush to get a vaccine after seeing the recent news surrounding them Kat Blazeka, 22, from Leeds, admitted she is concerned about getting the Oxford vaccine but still intends to get it Linda Sweeney, a 60-year-old gran-of-nine from Leeds, admitted the news of the potential blood clots has made her worried about receiving the Oxford vaccine 'But I have to take medication and I have side effects from that, so I just thought what's the difference really, you get effects from vaccines like the flu jab. 'If I do get any side effects from this then so be it. You get side effects from most things so I'm too bothered about it, I'm just hoping to get back to a bit of normality.' Paul Lovell, 56, a retired Rolls Royce engineer from Bristol, said: 'It was fine, it was just like a normal injection. 'I did see on the news this morning about the issues with Astra-Zeneca, but I just think it's a lot of fuss over nothing. Should anyone in Britain who's had the AstraZeneca vaccine be concerned? The UK has used more doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine than anywhere else approximately 11million and both officials and scientists say there is no sign that it causes serious health problems. Side effects are normal, and around 53,000 changes in health or feelings have been officially reported across the UK so far, but the vast majority are mild and short-lived, such as headaches, muscle pains or fever. The 53,000 side effects out of 11million suggest just 0.5 per cent of people get them one in 200. The frequency of severe side effects is much lower. But not everyone records their mild side effects and not all of those reported are linked to the vaccine, many just happen by coincidence after someone has received the jab. British drugs regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which approved the vaccine, insists the jab is safe and says people should continue to take it. Vaccine safety chief Dr Phil Bryan said: 'We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause. 'People should still go and get their Covid vaccine when asked to do so.' The same message is being put out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on its vaccine rollout. Its deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden said on BBC Breakfast: 'Safety is absolutely paramount and we monitor this data very carefully. 'We have to remember that there are 3,000 blood clots a month on average in the general population and because we're immunising so many people, we are bound to see blood clots at the same time as the vaccination, and that's not because they are due to the vaccination. That's because they occur naturally in the population. 'One ought to also remember that Covid causes blood clots. So, the risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.' Advertisement 'When you look at the percentages of those that have been affected, it's nothing really. Having the vaccine is definitely worth the gamble. 'The timing of it just makes it feel like a political thing - with the Astra-Zeneca being a British vaccination, and we've now come out of the EU. 'I don't know their reasoning for it, but it didn't worry me. I feel fine about it, and I'll be back here in June for my second dose.' Stay-at-home mother Gill Kaur, 34, also from Bristol, said: 'It was fine, it was very easy. 'I think all this stuff about EU countries suspending the vaccine is all just stories. It's just scaremongering. 'I just think it's Europe making a big fuss. You can get side effects from anything, but you can't let that stop you.' Gill is booked in for her second dose of the vaccine on June 7. Tony Lavalle, 57, who is currently unemployed, added: 'It was very quick and efficient. 'I did see the news about it this morning but it didn't put me off or worry me. 'I don't know what to make of it, really. From what I've heard, the Pfizer jab is about the same in terms of possible side effects, so it seems odd. 'Perhaps it's the EU taking a political stance. I think it's all just scaremongering and the effect of social media. 'But I'm not worried, and I have my second one booked in for June 3.' Thelma Robinson, 76, from Bradford, is a big supporter of vaccinations and is pleased she had hers earlier in the year. She said: 'I'm not sure which one I had but my jab was done back in January. 'It went really well, the people were lovely and I didn't suffer any symptoms afterwards at all. I was absolutely fine.' She added: 'I'm concerned to see this news about blood clots, that's terrible. I hope everyone is okay. 'I can't say it changes my view on vaccinations, which I'm definitely a supporter of. 'I'll be getting my second next month despite the news. I think it'll be okay.' Her husband Alec, 90, added: 'I was really pleased with my vaccine, it went really well. 'That's why I'm not worried about getting my second, I'll take it at the earliest opportunity. 'Once we've all been vaccinated, life can go back to normal, and that's what we all want.' Leaders on the continent were accused of risking lives with the 'reckless' decisions to stop the flow of vaccines, with scientists warning Covid is 100,000 times more dangerous, compared to the tiny possibility of an issue with clotting. And data from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulator in the UK show more people have reported blood clots after having Pfizer's vaccine than the Oxford one even though Pfizer's jab has not been suspended anywhere. Up to February 28 there were 38 reports from approximately 11.5million doses of Pfizer's jab, compared to 30 from 9.7m AstraZeneca doses. However, neither figure the equivalent of one blood clot seen in every 367,000 jabs is thought to be higher than the risk expected in the general population. Breaking the silence on the decision to suspend use of the jab, Germany's Paul Ehrlich Institute said the condition is 'so serious that it is not justifiable to continue vaccinating without testing'. UK's drug regulators appear to have spotted the condition five times in 11million doses but have yet to comment on Germany's figures. The row seems to have left some Britons uncertain about getting the jab. Hayley Hoffman, 29, originally from North Carolina, USA, now living in Birmingham city centre and a Christian charity worker said: 'I haven't currently had the vaccine. 'I'm not 100 per cent sure if I would have the vaccine. I wouldn't say no to it but I would definitely have to think about it and which one. 'I'm not too concerned about the whole EU issue and some of the European countries refusing to give the Oxford vaccine. 'If I have hesitations it's not because of that, they are just hesitations that everybody has because it's a quick vaccine. Regulatory reports show that blood clot diagnoses are about equally likely after either the two jabs being used in the UK slightly higher for Pfizer and scientists insist the risk is no higher than a random person in the population could expect, meaning the vaccine remains safe. Rates of death soon after vaccination appear higher for AstraZeneca's vaccine but this is likely because it is used in care homes and the people receiving it are naturally more likely to die of any reason 'This is just my perception but I feel that young people are less likely to be swayed by hearing that sort of news and what they're saying. 'I think it's important for people to do research so they can and learn about things. But I don't think that that stops a lot of young people. 'If I had to guess I would say that a lot of us would still take it and it wouldn't matter what's in the news, if there's little evidence to support it then there's no real reason not to protect ourselves.' Muriel Tattersall, 75, from Bristol, admitted she was a little more hesitant about having her Astra-Zeneca vaccine. 'There is NO indication AstraZeneca jab caused blood clots' EU drug regulator insists in bid to restart vaccinations EU regulators today shot down the blood clot fears which have prompted 14 European countries to call a halt to AstraZeneca jabs, saying there is no evidence the vaccine causes dangerous side-effects. The European Medicines Agency said it was 'firmly convinced' that injections with the AstraZeneca shot should continue, joining the WHO and the UK government in a full-throated defence of the vaccine amid fury at EU nations including France and Germany for suspending the jabs. EMA safety experts say a 'very small number of people' have come down with blood disorders but there is 'no indication' that these were caused by the jab, which 11million people have already had in the UK. 'We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,' said EMA chief Emer Cooke. Countries including France will now face pressure to resume AstraZeneca jabs after the EMA delivered its verdict and reiterated that the number of blood clots 'seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population'. Italy earlier admitted that its suspension of AstraZeneca jabs was a 'political' move while French doctors accused Emmanuel Macron of 'giving in to panic' and a German lawmaker said the ban could cause a 'catastrophe'. Germany sought to justify its move by saying that one particular kind of blood clot, a 'sinus vein thrombosis', had occurred seven times among the 1.6million people vaccinated when only around one case would be expected. By contrast, only four such cases have been identified in the UK out of 11million doses administered. Nicola Magrini, the head of Italian medicines regulator AIFA, said politicians had come under pressure to call off the jabs after Germany and France made similar moves in what one Tory MP described as a 'Brexit sulk'. 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations... to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one,' Magrini said in an interview with La Repubblica. Advertisement She said: 'I had my first dose on February 15 - but I initially wasn't going to take it up when I first got the letter. 'It took me quite a while to actually book it - I was hesitant at first. 'I have been a bit bothered by what I've seen on the news about it. I don't particularly want to go back and have my second dose. 'I think if there is any measure of hesitation over the safety of it, then maybe it's just as well to suspend it. These vaccines are quite new and have been done quite quickly. 'I didn't have any side effects from my first dose, apart from a bit of stiffness in my joints. 'I don't have a date for my second dose yet, and I don't know whether I will book it. But I suppose since I have had the first then I might as well and I'll be fine.' Ashley Woodhouse, an unemployed 35-year-old, from Leeds, was not going to get the vaccine prior to the news about the blood clots and has had his belief confirmed even more. He said: 'Hearing about people suffering from blood clots after getting their vaccines makes me not want to get one even more. 'I didn't want one anyway but this news just adds to that. 'I suffer from MS and I'm worried about putting anything into my body which I don't know the effects of. 'I don't think we know enough about the vaccinations to be offering them to anyone and everyone. 'Maybe this blood clot thing will help people see that. 'I don't trust the jab and I won't be getting it even if it's offered.' Emily Bradley, a 19-year-old fashion student from Leeds, said: 'I saw the news about blood clots today and it's a bit of a worry. 'It seems like we have suffered so many setbacks and that this could be another one. 'Hopefully it's something that gets resolved soon. 'Personally, I'd still take the jab. I'm young and healthy so I wouldn't be too concerned about the effects on myself.' Physiotherapist Sara Garcia, 31, said: 'I think if there is any doubt over whether it is safe, then maybe they should take these precautions just in case. 'I don't really have the information on it - but I think these governments who have suspended it do have that information, and that they have the facts about whether it is safe or not. 'There must be a reason why they have done what they have done. 'If I was offered the Astra-Zeneca vaccine today, I think I would still take it - but it's probably something I'll just consider when the time arrives.' Linda Sweeney, a 60-year-old gran-of-nine from Leeds, admitted the news of the potential blood clots has made her worried about receiving the Oxford vaccine. She said: 'I have my jab tomorrow and, after seeing the news about some people getting blood clots, I'm very worried about it. 'I don't know which jab I'm getting until I arrive at the surgery, so I'm quite concerned they'll try and give me the Oxford one. 'After hearing how some people have reacted I don't really want it but what can I do? I won't get a choice in the matter. 'If it does turn out to be the Oxford one I think I'll reluctantly take it. 'I don't feel very comfortable about it but what if I don't take the vaccine then get Covid? That would be terrible.' Figures from AstraZeneca and the European Medicines Agency show the number of blood clot-related conditions from 17million doses dished out in the UK and Europe up to March 13 Europe is presiding over one of the world's slowest jabs roll-outs which has left people vulnerable to infection, while the UK has masterminded one of the world's fastest, with Covid cases and deaths now falling sharply Daniel Hazelgrave, a 43-year-old pub landlord from Leeds, is not in a rush to get a vaccine after seeing the recent news surrounding them. He said: 'Having seen various things about the vaccines I only intend to take one if I have to. 'If it's not immediately available then I'm in no rush. I'm looking after myself and staying healthy, that's good enough for me.' He added: 'I saw the news about the blood clots and, while it is a concern, I also think it's understandable. 'When that many people are being vaccinated there are bound to be a certain number who react badly. 'I feel very sad for those people but I don't think that alone would stop me getting a vaccine. It's more of a personal choice.' Kat Blazeka, 22, from Leeds, admitted she is concerned about getting the Oxford vaccine but still intends to get it. She said: 'I'm due to get the vaccine today and I'm not sure which one it will be yet so I'm a bit anxious. 'The news today has left me feeling particularly apprehensive. 'I'm young but I do have a weak immune system because I have asthma, so there is a real concern about after-effects. 'Despite that, I still intend to get the jab today, even if it is the Oxford one.' Reports of blood clot diagnoses after getting a vaccine are so rare in the UK that even death has been reported more often and no fatalities have been proven to be caused by the jab either. Millions of the most vulnerable people, who are more likely to die on any given day, have been vaccinated against Covid, meaning fatality rates will be higher than in the general populations because the elderly will just die naturally. People who received the AstraZeneca vaccine had higher rates of reported deaths than those who had Pfizer's, but this is likely because it is used in care homes and among elderly people in the community, while Pfizer's is used more in major vaccine hubs that generally healthier people travel to. I learned today from the Power Line picks that Yaphet Kotto has died. I learned from the obituary that Scott (I assume) linked to that Kotto was Jewish. I had no idea. Kotto wasnt a convert to Judaism. According to ManishTana, a website run by an Orthodox rabbi, Kottos father immigrated to the U.S. from Cameroon in the 1920s as an observant Jew who could speak Hebrew. Kotto reportedly said that his fathers ancestors were African Jews who originally came from the area of modern Israel and migrated through Egypt to Cameroon. Kotto is remembered for his roles as villains, including the dictator Dr. Kananga in the James Bond film Live and Let Die and Idi Amin in the TV movie Raid on Entebbe. However, he played a good police lieutenant in Across 110th Street (1972). Anthony Quinn played the (mostly) bad captain with whom the Kotto character butted heads. Quinn stole scenes from pretty much every actor he ever shared the screen with. However, Kotto, still early in his career, just about held his own in this film. If you havent seen Across 110th Street, I recommend that you do. Its sometimes considered part of the Blaxploitation genre of the early 1970s (Shaft and all that). I dont think of it that way. I consider it one of the best police movies ever. The racial tension sets it apart. Quentin Tarantino is an admirer of Across 110th Street. He paid tribute to it in Jackie Brown, my favorite Tarantino movie. The film, starring Pam Grier (who gained early fame in Blaxploitation movies), opens and closes with the theme song from the movie, by Bobby Womack. Kotto took his Judaism very seriously. He speculated that if he hadnt been an actor, he would have become a Rabbi. Thats a congregation I would have loved to be part of. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin visits National Guard troops deployed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 29, 2021. (Manuel Balce Ceneta-Pool/Getty Images) Pentagon Criticized for Wrong Priorities Amid China Threat Rep. Waltz questions Defense Department for focus on 'extremists' in its own ranks while China continues to expand its military A Defense Department order on Feb. 5 to root out extremists in the ranks of the U.S. armed forces has drawn fire from the first Green Beret to serve in Congress, and senior officers from prior administrations agree with his concerns. When the Chinese Navy is five times bigger than ours, when China is stealing our tech right and left, and putting more assets in space, where does the Secretary of Defense see our priorities? Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) told The Epoch Times. My concern is the message this memo sends. President Joe Bidens Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has, since before he took office, emphasized finding the enemies in U.S. uniforms. Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee during confirmation hearings: The job of the Department of Defense is to keep America safe from our enemies. But we cant do that if some of those enemies lie within our own ranks. The Secretary of Defense directed unit commanders on Feb. 5 to conduct a leadership stand-down within 60 days to address the issues of extremist ideology in all branches of service. A memo followed, titled Leadership Stand-Down to Address Extremism in the Force issued Feb. 26, which mandates that unit commanders determine security threats by service personnel aligned with extremists, and specifically, white supremacists. Media critics have called it a purity test. The order followed news that several of the people who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 were active or former military. Yes, we should root out all extremists, but it should be across all ideologiesanarchist, communist, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, or Nazis, and regulations on the books already proscribe that, Waltz said. As far as my Green Beret experience goes, when the bullets are flying, your enemies could care less whether you are black, white, or brown, said Waltz, a decorated veteran who serves as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. This overall focus on race and skin color is antithetical to our merit-based, mission-focused military, Waltz said. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) holds the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and serves in the Maryland National Guard. (Courtesy Michael Waltz) Recent Events A suggested talking point in the stand-down memo of Feb. 26 reads, Actively espousing ideologies that encourage discrimination, hate, and harassment against others will not be tolerated within our (unit/command/etc). The memo specifically targets racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists, including white supremacists, and other domestic terrorists such as anti-government violent extremists. Four examples of impermissible groups cited in the stand-down memo are either white supremacists or neo-Nazi groups. Lt. Col. Uriah Orland, a Pentagon spokesman, responded to queries from The Epoch Times about why Antifa, communists, and jihadists werent mentioned as domestic terrorist threats. Weve been fighting a war against terrorism for more than 20 years. Its ingrained and everyone knows its bad. The stand-down is focused at recent events, as stated in the leadership stand-down framework, Orland said. Within [a] broad scope of prohibited activity is included terrorist activity, anarchist activity, etc., as these all are detrimental to good order, discipline, or mission accomplishment or are incompatible with military service, and against the law. The Feb. 26 memo requires that service members report to their superiors the actions of colleagues that could be of concern. Reporting: If you observe a co-worker exhibiting concerning behaviors, you have a responsibility to report it through the chain of command or supervision to your local security manager, and/or directly to the Insider Threat program office. Report issues of imminent threats or activity that may constitute criminal conduct to local law enforcement immediately, the memo states. Qualifications for security clearances may be denied for personnel who get reported by fellow service members. If you observe a Service member actively participating in an extremist organization in a manner that you suspect violates the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice] or the Department of Defenses, a Military Departments, or Services extremism policies, report the Service member to a supervisor, commander, or military criminal investigator. Extremist behavior by Department personnel that does not rise to the level of a violation of the UCMJ or other applicable laws, or the Department of Defenses, Military Departments, or Military Services extremism policies may still be a concern under the U.S. Governments national security adjudicative guidelines, used to assess eligibility for access to classified information or to hold a sensitive position. Some active-duty members of the military who attended the large rally held by President Donald Trump in Washington on Jan. 6 have told The Epoch Times that they feel theyre under surveillance. People have come to me and said that people are asking questions about me, said one, who declined to be identified. Big Con Retired Gen. William Gerald Jerry Boykin, a former undersecretary of defense for intelligence, calls the mandates a threat to morale and recruitment. This effort will destroy our military, Boykin told The Epoch Times. The department-wide collection of data on serving members of the military who may have voiced support for Donald Trump will hurt morale, he said. This is very damaging to morale, which will impact recruitment and retention, said Boykin, currently a vice president of the Family Research Council in Washington. Where is all of this going? It is the administrations Big Con, a big psychological operation designed to convince the American people that the people who demonstrated in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 and all the people they representthat is, Trump supportersare domestic terrorists. Orland said, Creating an environment that is free from discrimination, hate, and harassment against others will not hurt morale and recruitment. Boykin says the stand-down has to be linked with the long-term occupation of the U.S. Capitol grounds by the National Guard, which is another form of psychological operation. Fact is, the stand-down is squandering time for exercises that are needed to prepare for the real war we have been in for 19 years, he said. Our military cannot be successful until we get back to the primary mission of winning the nations wars. Then-Gen. Jerry Boykin. (courtesy of Mr. Jerry Boykin) Ideological Eras The focus on weeding out white supremacists and neo-Nazis, along with no mention of Antifa, anarchists, or Jihadist groups has riled some active-duty service members who talked to The Epoch Times on background for fear of retaliation. We have had a series of attacks against U.S. servicemen by soldiers driven by jihadist sympathies, including an arrest January 19, 2021, of a Cavalry Scout at Fort Stewart, Georgia, yet never in 20 years was there a stand-down to examine Islamicist extremists in the ranks, one said. The politicization of the military by left-leaning social engineers isnt new, according to retired Col. John Mills, former director of cybersecurity policy, strategy, and international affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Mills contributes to The Epoch Times opinion section. Ive lived through three phases of these ideological eras, Mills told The Epoch Times. First were various sensitivity training sessions during the Clinton years that hinted at significant Christian intolerance of others. These training sessions were shortly curtailed after significant pushback. Second, within days of the Obama administration taking office, a DHS flyer was circulated within government that said white Christian males with guns were a greater danger than Islamic extremists. This flyer was pulled back, but Obama politicals told me several times that white Christian males with guns is what kept them up at nightmore so than ISIS, China, and Russia, he said. The chilling and directive nature of the current third wave of indoctrination is concerning. There is extremism, and it has to be addressed, but there are multiple forms on all sides which must be holistically discussed. Their program must be altered to be fair, impartial, science and fact-based, and address 360 degrees of extremism, Mills said. If theyre going to obsess over the Proud Boys, they need to also obsess over Antifa and BLM. Douglas Burton is a former U.S. State Department official who was stationed in Kirkuk, Iraq. He writes news and commentary from Washington, D.C. He can be contacted at burtonnewsandviews@gmail.com. LOBAMBA Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr Tambo Gina was short of being on his knees as he pleaded with Members of Parliament (MPs) not to freeze the budget allocation towards the ICC&FISH project. ICC&FISH is an acronym for the International Convention Centre and Five Star Hotel, which have been under construction in Ezulwini for over seven years. Dr Gina was speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday during the budget debate of the ministrys annual performance report by the Ministrys Portfolio Committee chaired by Hlane MP Mduduzi Magagula. Construction Can I make a plea and right now I am speaking from my heart, please allow the construction to continue as we have found an operator for the facility and we will announce it in due course, submitted the minister. Although not going into detail, the minister said the operator would be announced in due course. This was after several members of the portfolio committee had questioned the E305 million allocation towards the project, stating that it was just a financial drain because to date, government had still not identified an operator for the establishment. One of the MPs who said the budget allocation must be reappropriated to fix the countrys bad roads was Mtfongwaneni MP Roy Fanourakis. Eish minister, the ICC issue is upsetting, this has been going on for the past five to seven years with no operator, what is the money being allocated now for? wondered MP Fanourakis. The MP said the money would probably be used to purchase furniture for the project. Niyasilahlela lemali, he said in vernacular. He said the ICC&FISH would remain unused because no one was presently travelling at this day and age because of COVID-19 restrictions. Even the neighbouring hotels are not operating, such as the Royal Swazi and Lugogo Hotel and, therefore, I suggest we put this amount under Head 60, said MP Fanourakis. He said the money would be well-allocated if it was used to patch potholes or even be used to purchase fuel for government. He said it did not make sense to have a bad road infrastructure while there was a state-of-the- art building. In response, Dr Gina assured the committee that an operator would be announced in due course as they had tentatively selected one. He said they had initially got one from America, but faced some challenges. The minister made an example that when Sun City in South Africa was constructed, there had been no operator yet the construction continued. He said stopping construction would not be good for the country. Please Mtfongwaneni, do not freeze the allocation and allow us to finish, he said. He stated that they had many plans for the project, especially with large international organisations such as the World Bank and SADC, who they would continue to persuade to hold meetings in the kingdom which would be a great boost for the tourism sector. He highlighted that the E305 million allocation was for paying arrears which stood at E299 million. He assured the committee that he would from time-to-time bring a progress report, especially on the issue of the operator who had come at least about three times to the country. Meanwhile, Gege MP Musa Kunene also called for his colleagues to freeze the allocation. The MP proposed that the millions of Emalangeni be reallocated to the Micro-Projects Unit, which was at least delivering. He said other hotels like the Nhlangano Hotel were struggling to survive and asked how the ICC would thrive, especially because of COVID-19 and the anticipated third wave. MP Magagula wondered where government would get the operator from, given the current pandemic. You had a lot of time to secure an operator and I hope you will not use COVID-19 as an excuse, said MP Magagula. (Newser) On May 25, it will be a quarter-century since the last time Kristin Smart was seenand new developments in the California missing persons case continue to roll in. On Monday, authorities served a search warrant at the home of Ruben Flores in Arroyo Grande, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports. Smart was a student at the nearby Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo when she vanished on her way back to her dorm from a party in 1996, and her classmate Paul Flores, Ruben Flores' son, was the last person known to have seen her before she disappeared. The younger Flores remains the only person of interest in the case, and in a news release Monday, the sheriff's office called him the "prime suspect," ABC 7 reports. The New York Times reports police have only recently begun referring to the now-44-year-old that way. story continues below "The Sheriffs Office has been authorized to utilize cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar during the course of the search," the press release continues. "This process could potentially take one to two days to complete." A spokesperson says it's the most extensive search at that property since Smart disappeared. Smart's family says it is "encouraged" by news of the search. Paul Flores' home was searched in February of last year, along with several other locations, including his mother's home, and "items of interest" were found; his home was raided again in April of that year. This February, he was arrested in Los Angeles, where he now lives, on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He's been released in advance of his court date. He denies involvement in the disappearance of Smart, whose body has never been found, but has not cooperated with police since an initial interview after she vanished. (Read more Kristin Smart stories.) 404 YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan held a meeting on March 16 with the Ambassador of India to Armenia Kishan Dan Dewal. Avinyan underscored the importance of the traditionally friendly Armenian-Indian relations and expressed the Armenian governments readiness to raise the ties to a new and ambitious level, the Deputy PM's office said in a news release. The sides discussed the ongoing developments around the North-South international transport corridor. Taking into consideration the North-South road construction program in Armenia spanning from Iran to Georgia and the opportunity to open railway communication, Avinyan stressed that India can view Armenia as a transport gate to Russia and Europe. Avinyan congratulated India on becoming a non-permanent member of the UNSC from 2021 and expressed conviction that Indias activities in the body will contribute to world peace and security. Speaking about the regional situation, the Deputy PM noted that the settlement of the NK conflict must be complex and complete, which should include the issue of Nagorno Karabakhs status based on the exercise of the right to self-determination of its people. In this context Indias position supporting OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship talks was highlighted. Avinyan also spoke about the need for urgently returning the Armenian PoWs who are held captive by Azerbaijan. The sides talked about the current partnership in the defense sector and opportunities for enhancing it. They concurred that the current level of commercial ties isnt in line with the potential and therefore the broad opportunities for cooperation in IT, education, healthcare, science, agriculture and solar energy must be utilized. The Armenian-Indian Center for Excellence in ICT whose circle of activities can be expanded with an emphasis on AI, was pointed out as an important example of Indian support to Armenia in capacity development. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan The positivity rate for coronavirus infections increased by 3 percentage points Monday, returning to 5.6 percent where it was at the beginning of the month. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said the increase could be the result of less testing for the virus last week during spring break. He said 20,047 people were tested, a 38,760 decrease from the previous week. I think it distorts that number, he said. San Antonio Metropolitan Health District officials say a rate of below 5 percent means that the virus is still circulating but at a more manageable level of transmission. The positivity rate is one benchmark of the virus spread within the community. The rate last week stood at 2.6 percent, the lowest it had been since October, which fell between the summer and winter surges of the virus. Mayor Ron Nirenberg said that despite the increase Monday, the risk of the coronavirus remains low. Were going to watch that as we get into new indicators next week, Nirenberg said during the daily city-county coronavirus briefing. Other indicators continue to show improving trends for coronavirus infections. Officials reported 154 new cases. The rolling seven-day average of new cases continued to fall to 171 per day, down from an average of 198 last Monday. A total 215 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 22 admitted in the past day. That compares with 464 at the beginning of March. As of Monday, 90 people were in intensive care units and 53 people are on ventilators to help them breathe. San Antonio has seen 200,818 cases of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic about year ago. No new deaths were reported Monday. Bexar Countys death toll stands at 2,990 since the pandemic began. Nirenberg and Wolff briefly addressed the vandalism that was discovered Sunday at Noodle Tree, a Northwest Side restaurant owned by Mike Nguyen. Nguyen, who is Vietnamese and French, found his restaurant spray-painted with hate speech a few days after he spoke out on CNN against Gov. Greg Abbotts lifting of the mask mandate on Wednesday. Theres some sick people in our community, although its not many of them but they are around, Wolff said. Last year, the San Antonio City Council passed a resolution denouncing discrimination and aggression against the Asian community. Nirenberg said the rise of anti-Asian actions and comments as a result of the pandemic must be called out so that it can be eradicated. The quick response from neighbors that came out, customers to help clean up the Noodle Tree restaurant and to help chef Mike and his team was a great display of the kind of compassionate action to stamp out hate when it rears its head in our community, he said. Nirenberg asked anyone with information regarding the perpetrator to call San Antonio police. jbeltran@express-news.net In new TN assembly DMK has most MLAs with pending criminal background, crorepatis MK Stalin sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for first time In Tamil Nadu, Gandhi will handle Khadi ministry, while Nehru gets Urban Development Morning walk, visit to gym and fish market: Haasan begins campaign in Coimbatore South India oi-Deepika S Coimbatore, Mar 16: Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) Chief Kamal Hassan launched his election campaign early on Tuesday by going around the Coimbatore South Constituency, where he is contesting the assembly polls next month, and interacted with voters. Hassan began the day by meeting citizens along the Race course road, a posh locality in the city, and engaged with morning walkers and joggers, party sources said. The 66-year-old actor then visited a gymnasium in Ramanathapuram, set up by late film producer Sandow MMA Chinnappa Thevar and demonstrated his prowess in Silambattam, a traditional martial arts of Tamil Nadu with a long cane. Tamil Nadu Polls: Kamal Haasan files nomination from Coimbatore South Later, he interacted with the public at a road side tea shop, to understand their problems and garner support. In a bid to reach out to people of various communities, the MNM founder also visited a fish market in Ukkadam area and discussed local issues with the people. Meanwhile, members of Coimbatore Jewellery Manufacturers Association submitted a memorandum to Hassan seeking among other things establishment of a gold jewellery park here. Millions of people watched the royal wedding of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex on May 19, 2018. Among the jaw-dropping things they said during their March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry and Meghan shared theyd actually had a secret ceremony a few days prior to their royal wedding. This move and what Harry and Meghan later did with their vows is similar to what Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) did on Greys Anatomy when they got married. Meghan Markle told Oprah she and Prince Harry exchanged vows at Nottingham Cottage 3 days before their royal wedding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at their royal wedding | BEN BIRCHALL/AFP via Getty Images RELATED: Meghan Markle Channeled Princess Diana With Her Oprah Interview Look Besides talking about the crying incident with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge Meghan supposedly made her sister-in-law cry but she told Oprah the reverse happened the former Suits star revealed she and Harry had an intimate, backyard wedding. Three days before our wedding, we got married, the Duchess of Sussex told Oprah. No one knows that, but we called the archbishop and we just said, This thing, this spectacle is for the world, but we want our union between us.' Harry, who joined the conversation later, also commented on the secret wedding. Just the three of us, he said, referencing the song Just the Two of Us by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers. At the time of their secret wedding, Meghan and Harry were living at Nottingham Cottage or Nott Cott, which is located on the grounds of Kensington Palace. The Duke of Sussexs bachelor pad since 2013, Meghan left her home in Toronto the city in Ontario, Canada, where she lived while filming Suits to live with Harry. Besides being the first place the couple lived together and the site of their secret backyard wedding, Nott Cott holds another special memory to the couple. Its where Harry proposed to Meghan when they were roasting a chicken. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have their vows framed in their bedroom just like Meredith and Derek on Greys Anatomy In a move straight out of Greys Anatomy, Meghan and Harry have the vows from their secret backyard wedding framed and in their bedroom at their home in Montecito, California. The vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Duchess of Sussex told Oprah. Meredith and Derek famously had a Post-It wedding on Greys Anatomy before eventually making it official with a courthouse wedding. During a season 5 episode of the medical drama, the two characters wrote their vows down before signing their names. Later, the couple had the Post-It framed and hanging above their bed. RElATED: Meghan Markle Brought up Kate Middletons Waity Katie Nickname With Oprah Just like Meghan and Harry, Meredith and Dereks wedding was private and casual. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex exchanged vows in the backyard of Nott Cott while Derek and Meredith recited theirs in the hospital locker room. Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys secret backyard wedding may not have been legal Since Meghan and Harry shared they got married ahead of their royal wedding, the legality of their backyard nuptials has been questioned. According to Insider, experts say witnesses and a public location wouldve been necessary for the Church of England to make it legal. Whether or not it was official, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex marked their wedding privately before exchanging vows in front of the world at St. Georges Chapel. Audio Attachment: Listen to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi Parliamentary representative for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on Ghanaians not to entertain anything that seeks to discriminate against a particular ethnic group in the country. Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa noted that undermining a particular ethnic group is a recipe for national mayhem that will abysmally impact the nation and dwarf its development. He admonished the citizenry against encouraging ethnic divisions, citing some African countries that have had to pay dearly because of ethnicity issues. " . . let's look at what brings us together; the bonding that should exist . . . Ghana has been spared but if you look all around us, from Ivory Coast to Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, we've seen the consequences of ethnic division and ethnic conflict. It leads to millions of death. So, let's try and be reconciliatory. Let's respect everybody. Let's value everybody's background. Everybody has his/her positives . . . It shouldn't go as far as becoming insults and becoming a certain derogatory, if you like, strategy that makes a certain group of people always feeling excluded and left out," he stressed. Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa made these comments while discussing the controversial history textbooks in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme. The books are History of Ghana for Basic 6 by Golden Publications which carries distasteful information about Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the Convention People's Party (CPP), History of Ghana Textbook 3 by Badu Nkansah Publications which features A song that shows the Ewes identity and Golden English Basic 4 by Golden Publications which displays Efo agress to prepare juju for the players on page 17. The North Tongu Parliamentarian condemned the books and asked for an unqualifed apology from the publishers. While calling for an apology from the publishers, he seized the opportunity to call for unity among all Ghanaians. "We must come together and we must even be working towards continental African unity. "Let us use this as an opportunity to mend defences, build bridges and let us honestly admit that we have done and said some things . . . all of those things have not helped and it's building a certain resentment that won't help any person, so that we can get back on the path of nationhood from national cohesion where we can all come together and develop this country. Because all these are honestly unnecessary; it's just retarding our progress. Look, we don't need these divisions. We're all one people; we have a common destiny and every Region is contributing to the development," he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Joe Biden stops briefly to talk to the press as he walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 16, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Biden: No Plans to Visit Border President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he does not plan for now to visit the southern border of the United States amid a surge in illegal immigrants. Asked before boarding Marine One in Washington whether he has plans to visit the border, Biden told reporters: Not at the moment. Biden was scheduled to fly from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to Philadelphia en route to Delaware County, Pennsylvania, during a tour to tout the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that he recently signed following passage from Democrats in Congress. Biden planned to spend the night at his home in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden has said little about the surge in illegal immigrants at the southern border, which is expected to rise even higher in the coming months. The president rolled back key Trump era orders and rules, enabling more illegal immigrants to enter the country even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Officials in border states have said some illegal immigrants are testing positive for COVID-19 but arent being forced to stay in quarantine, stoking concerns about the aliens spreading the disease, which is caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. House Republicans flew to Texas on Monday and toured a border facility, in addition to speaking with border agents. They urged Biden to visit the border himself to see what was happening. Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) speaks to reporters during a congressional border delegation visit to El Paso, Texas on March 15, 2021. (Justin Hamel/AFP via Getty Images) Biden sent a contingent of officials earlier this month to view the situation on the ground. He hasnt offered a perspective on what they saw and it isnt clear whether hes been briefed by them yet. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington on Monday that the administration feels it has a handle on the border situation. We recognize this as a problem. Were focused on addressing it. Thats just five steps were taking, and were continuing to evaluate what additional steps can be taken to address the situation at the border, she said, riddling off recent administration actions, including adding capacity for health officials to house child migrants who arrive without adults. One reporter noted that some Americans will see Biden traveling to promote the COVID-19 relief package and wonder why he cant take time to visit the border. I would say that his focus is on developing solutionspushing his team, encouraging his team to develop solutions that will expedite processing at the border, that will open more facilities, that will ensure kids are treated with humanity and also treated safely, Psaki responded. And thats his focus. And so thats where hes putting his efforts on immigration. Three new variants of COVID-19, from the UK variant, South Africa and Brazil, have been reported so far in India, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey told the on Tuesday. As on March 4, 2021, a total 242 samples have tested positive for different variants in India, Choubey said in a written reply to a query regarding the total number of people who have been infected with the new strains. On whether the people who have been infected once could get re-infected by the new virus strain,Choubey said as per World Health Organization, in the three countries where the pandemic is being driven by the variant mutants of SARS-CoV-2 virus, namely United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, the South African and Brazilian variants have the potential to reinfect persons who have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Recognizing that the mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 are driving the pandemic in countries of their origin, namely United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, Government of India has revised its guidelines for international travel to minimize the risk of importation and further spread of these mutant variants in India, he said. A genomic consortium of 10 regional laboratories with National Center for Disease Control as the apex laboratory has been established to perform genomic sequencing of the samples from positive travellers and 5 per cent of the positive test samples from the community. Such international travellers who test positive are kept in special isolation ward, till such time they test negative. The contacts of such cases are also kept under institutional quarantine, till such time they test negative. "No case of re-infection by mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus has been reported from India so far," the minister said. Even Abraham Lincoln and current U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein have been targeted. Lincoln, often credited with freeing the slaves via his Emancipation Proclamation (which officially freed only slaves in Confederate states), is now targeted by some Native Americans and their allies. These efforts are nowhere stronger than in San Francisco, where 42 schools see their current monikers challenged for the alleged sins of their namesakes. Was Abe Lincoln a bad guy, despite struggling to hold the Union together and letting most slaves go free? Well, note some, he enabled the U.S. Army to carry on the Indian Wars. That, of course, ignores the fact that Lincoln would have been ridden out of Washington, D.C. on the proverbial rail if he had not provided men and resources to protect white settlers during Americas expansionist era. If he had not done this, of course, the shape of the modern world would be quite different from today, in ways no one can know. (ANSA) - ROME, MAR 16 - Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi said Tuesday that Italy's pupils will return to school as soon as possible, with around eight in 10 currently doing lessons via distance learning due to COVID-19-linked restrictions imposed by the government. "We'll have the school back with pupils physically in class in safety as soon as possible," Bianchi told RAI television. The government has ordered all schools to switch to distance learning in high-contagion-risk red zones. It has also changed the criteria to make it easier for regions to be classed as red zones. This, coupled with the recent surge in infections, mean that half of the country is current a red zone. Furthermore, the government has also given local authorities the power to close schools in specific areas of high contagion, even if the region as a whole is not a red zone. Bianchi also pledged that this year's 'maturita' high-school final exams will take place as normal. (ANSA). Kolkata: BJP activists from various constituencies shout slogans to protest against assembly elections candidates in front of BJP Hastings election office in Kolkata on Tuesday March 16, 2021.(Photo:IANS/Kuntal Chakrabarty) Image Source: IANS News Kolkata: BJP activists from various constituencies shout slogans to protest against assembly elections candidates in front of BJP Hastings election office in Kolkata on Tuesday March 16, 2021.(Photo:IANS/Kuntal Chakrabarty) Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, March 16 : Barely a few weeks ahead of the crucial West Bengal assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s senior leadership is in a soup as the selection of a few candidates in first four phases went awfully wrong in some of the seats in Bengal. Saffron activists, armed with banners and posters, staged protests outside the BJP state headquarters on Tuesday demanding changes in the candidate list declared by the party's Central Election Committee (CEC). Hundreds of protesters had gathered outside the BJP election office in Kolkata since this morning and pelted stones while sloganeering against the party's candidate selection process. A group of BJP activists threw stones targeting party's state committee member from South 24-Parganas district Abhijit Das. A police officer sustained injuries in the incident. It forced the Kolkata Police to resort to mild baton charge to disperse the crowd. At least eight people were detained in connection with the stone-throwing incident, sources said. West Bengal BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya, however, dubbed the incident of protests outside the party office as "some kind of conspiracy" by the opposition. The situation went so out of control that Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda had to fly back to Kolkata from Assam to hold long sessions with state unit leaders throughout last night (Monday). After the preliminary discussion, Shah also called all the top state BJP unit leaders to the national Capital for an emergency meeting on Tuesday night to troubleshoot the issue. In a desperate attempt to topple the Trinamool Congress-led state government in Bengal, the BJP also fielded both its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs such as Locket Chatterjee, Babul Supriyo and Swapan Dasgupta from various assembly seats in Bengal. Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra also pointed fingers at BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta. She tweeted, raising a few questions: "Haha - press mischief and fibs about "senior leaders"! Get facts straight...Dasgupta can contest. Nomination will not be cancelled due to RS. But he will lose RS when he files as BJP WB candidate. Either resign RS now or be disqualified. No safety net". Meanwhile, Dasgupta also resigned from the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. "I have resigned from the Rajya Sabha today to commit myself totally to the fight for a better Bengal. I hope to file my nomination as BJP candidate for the Tarakeshwar Assembly seat in the next few days," the outgoing BJP RS member said. According to sources in the BJP, the party high command is reportedly planning to field BJP West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh and all India vice-president Mukul Roy into the fray. "The next course of the BJP's political action will be decided after today's meeting in Delhi. We are keeping a close watch on that," party sources said. It was also learnt that Shah wants to give complete organisational control of Bengal to BJP's central leadership, ahead of the high-voltage Bengal polls. A sub-cell of one of the most dangerous organised crime gangs operating in the midlands were the target of the latest raids by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). During the course of the search operation in Co Longford, eight dogs, which gardai believe were stolen, were taken into care by the local Dog Warden. This has not been fully determined yet but the dogs were not microchipped there were ten dogs there and the two that were not chipped were not taken, a senior source said. What is not in doubt that since the health pandemic began, the theft of dogs has become big business so it would be no surprise at all if that was the case with the animals that were seized here but this will be investigated. We are not talking about pedigree breeds or anything like that, the source added. The CAB, with the assistance of the Garda Emergency Response Unit and the Revenue Customs Dog Unit were involved in six early morning searches in total - five residential and one professional premises. Gardai said that they seized a 201 VW Passat, financial documents and electronic media and documentation in relation to ownership of assets. Financial accounts with monies in excess of 37,000 were restrained by way of Orders under Section 17 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, a garda spokesman said. This is a crew that can be best described as a sub-cell of a wider criminal organisation and the CAB raids happened as part of a detailed profiling operation which was diligently carried out by local gardai, a senior source said. It is linked to the seizure of around 40,000 in cash from the sub-cell by Longford gardai late last year who then carried out the profile which was given to CAB. Expand Close 201 VW Passat seized during the raids / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 201 VW Passat seized during the raids This is a crew that have only come to prominence in the last year or so, the source added. Gardai said that the raids were linked to a massive search operation against the wider gang which occurred last July. CAB led a massive search operation against one of the gangs driving the dangerous Longford feud on July 6 last. The first Criminal Assets Bureau operation against the gang led to the seizure of 110,000 and 14,000 Sterling in cash, the seizure of 11 vehicles, three caravans and designer watches, handbags and clothing. Specialist armed garda national units backed up local officers as they raided 12 homes, three professional premises and a solicitors office. Senior sources say that a number of other garda operations are planned against the mob in the coming months. [March 15, 2021] Huawei Mobile Services Unveils All-New User Interface for AppGallery to Make App Discovery a Scroll in the Park SINGAPORE, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HUAWEI AppGallery, the official app market for Huawei devices, today unveiled its brand new user interface (UI) for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. The new design promises to facilitate a more intuitive navigation experience, while streamlining its search-to-installation user journey by increasing the editorial content on its platform. In addition, the update will also look to introduce personalised content through its location-based app curation. The unveiling of the new interface comes at a time when the HUAWEI AppGallery ecosystem continues to show rapid growth. To date, Huawei's official app market has over 530 million active global users, with over 2.3 million partner app developers across the globe. "The HUAWEI AppGallery ecosystem has shown exponential growth since its launch in April 2018, and is now one of the top three app markets globally." Said Shane Shan, Director of Asia Pacific Huawei Consumer Cloud Service. "The revamped AppGallery layout emphasises ease-of-use, and users can expect more editorial content such as in-depth reviews, Editor's Choice and thematically curated app series that can help in the discovery of useful apps, while also giving more context before download." With a bolder design approach, the improved interface sees the use of large image cards to replace app thumbnails on its gallery for easier browsing. In an effort to increase the content relevancy, AppGallery also offers app recommendations based on users' location and profile. Mobile gamers will be delighted to find a separate Games tab, for a more focused search experience. Moreover, users can discover the latest game reviews and ratings through featured cards such as "New Games We Love", "Game of the Week", and "Top Rated Games". With this latest iteration, HUAWEI AppGallery will launch exclusive promotions for its users. Users simply need to complete tasks such as daily clock-ins, app downloads and perform in-app purchases to stand a chance to win rewards such as cashback, free in-app items, coupons, Huawei products and more. The AppGallery's latest UI will be automatically updated on all Huawei smartphones within selected APAC regions starting from 15 March 2021 for users to enjoy its enhanced user experience. Visit https://bit.ly/38Ehj3W to experience the AppGallery new UI. SOURCE Huawei Mobile Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Even when you think you arent being watched, you are. According to PhoneArena, a judge has ruled that Google collects personal data even in Incognito Mode. In this day and age it should really come as no surprise, but knowing a judge has officially recognized this makes it a bit more real. Now Google finds itself looking at a new class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit is being filed by consumers who say that Google continues to collect personal data even when users use incognito mode. The point of incognito mode is to keep a users personal data private. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege that Google has other options they use to collect user information even when data collection is turned off. Google did ask the court to throw out the case, but the judge denied their request. Advertisement Judge Lucy Koh is the judge who originally handled the Apple vs Samsung patent infringement case back in the day. As a result, Judge Koh has plenty of experience when it comes to technology giants being sued. Judge Koh says in the ruling the court concludes that Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode. Google collects personal data even in incognito mode. Jose Castaneda, a spokesperson for Google, says via an emailed statement We strongly dispute these claims and we will defend ourselves vigorously against them. Incognito mode gives Chrome users the choice to browse the internet without their activity being saved to the device or browser according to Castaneda. Advertisement Furthermore, Castaneda says Google states websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity. This lawsuit is not the first time Google has been in hot water related to users data. Last year in June Google found itself in hot water again. Plaintiffs say in a complaint that the firm runs a pervasive data tracking business. In that complaint, the plaintiffs allege Google collects data like a users browser history and other activity on the web. Even after using safeguards. Now Google does say in a court filing that Incognito does not mean invisible. The company also goes on to say the users activity during that session may be visible to websites they visit.. Third-party analytics and ad services may be able to view this activity. Advertisement Most of this should come as no surprise especially. It seems like tech companies face new lawsuits every day relating to privacy. This should again come as no surprise. The end consumers are more aware and more protective of their data now. Cargo ships sit at anchor in English Bay, Vancouver, on Feb. 20, 2020, waiting to load or unload at the Port of Vancouver. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Tackling Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Comes With Challenges The pandemic and border closures have highlighted the need to bolster vulnerable supply chains to ensure that important needs are met and that business and daily activities arent disrupted. But there are a variety of challenges to overcome internationally as well as at home at the federal and provincial government levels and with private industry. Supply chains came under the spotlight when Canada faced shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies at the start of the pandemic. Geoffrey Hale, political science professor at the University of Lethbridge, says the issue deserves a long look but there are significant impediments to shoring up vulnerable supply chains, which result partly [from] governing styles and partly from structural issues of fiscal and bureaucratic inertia. It is monstrously complex given the diversity of ownership and regulatory authority over critical infrastructurewhich is currently the policy foundation for supply chain securityand the reality of so many interconnecting parts across multiple sectors, Hale said. The international front is even more tricky. Last April, then-U.S. president Donald Trump threatened to withhold exports of N-95 masks produced by U.S. company 3M to Canada, a dispute that was quickly resolved. Hale said the 1977 Transit Pipelines agreement between the United States and Canada, which simply commits each country not to interfere with pipelines and transit, provides an example for how to prevent mask hoarding in the future. We can do with medical supply chains what we have done with the border, and have a reciprocal process to ensure that we are not blindsided, he said. In the first months of the pandemic, Canada and many other countries faced a shortage of PPE, while the Chinese regime was hoarding global supplies of PPE. Between Jan. 24 and Feb. 29, China imported 2.46 billion shipping cartons of supplies for epidemic prevention, valued at 8.21 billion yuan (US$1.158 billion), according to Chinese customs data. Among them were 2.02 billion protective masks and 25.38 million protective suits. During that time, Chinese authorities, the regimes foreign affairs ministry, and Chinese embassies in various countries mobilized the Chinese diaspora to help buy up goods from around the world. Meanwhile, China, itself a major manufacturer of such medical supplies, stopped exporting in Januaryjust as the outbreak in China became severe. As for Canadas vaccine woes, despite warm relations between the Trudeau government and the Biden administration, Washington has ruled out the possibility of sending vaccines to its northern neighbour. 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. In the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership announced in February, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden committed to strengthening their countries mutual supply chains. The agreement specifically calls for strengthening of the Canada-U.S. Critical Minerals Action Plan to help make batteries for zero-emissions vehicles and renewable energy storage as both nations pursue net-zero carbon emissions. The Chinese control somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of the worlds supply of rare-earth minerals, and if the price goes up, there becomes a growth and incentive to come up with technological fixes to address this stuff, Hale said. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, a Canadian and professor of global studies and geography at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, said the green energy pursuit would entail its own supply and infrastructure requirements. Putting this into place requires a series of strategies and investments, and the use of raw materials, which are in a sense non-renewable, he said in an interview. Paradoxically, what we may perceive to be green, may be unsustainable. Thats the irony of the whole thing, because most of those new technologies were talking about still rely upon natural resources and non-renewable forms of energy to be designed, to be built. So thats a really, really big risk. In 2018, the World Bank rated Canada 20th and the United States 14th on the Logistics Performance Index, a weighted ranking of six trade factors, including logistics competence, infrastructure, and timeliness of shipments. Rodrigue said Canadian supply chains are intrinsically more expensive due to a sparse and scattered population, but the pandemic has made it worse. Because of all these restrictions, everything is more, you could say, glued. Were used to nimble supply chains, and COVIDits like throwing glue around and people start becoming tangled. He said that the government is limited in its knowledge and tools and that private industry plays a larger role in supply chains. If you have politics and ideology, it clashes with reality, and thats the problem these days. Most of our administrators and public figures in the universities are being captured by ideology. And they dont understand the complexities. Great Canal Journeys Rating: World War Two From Above Rating: Bareheaded in the rain, aboard a narrow boat with actress Sheila Hancock shivering inside her cagoule, the irrepressible Gyles Brandreth was holding forth. Human beings are waterproof, he cried. Wed be natural nudists if it werent for the weather. And every one of us watching the pair of them on Great Canal Journeys (More4) chorused in heartfelt unison: In that case, Gyles thank gawd for the weather! He was at it again minutes later, making cheerfully ridiculous comments as he waved regally at everybody on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Were a very cheap version of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, he chortled. Bareheaded in the rain, aboard a narrow boat with actress Sheila Hancock shivering inside her cagoule, the irrepressible Gyles Brandreth was holding forth King Gyles and Queen Sheila sound like a slightly grand retired couple in charge of a Neighbourhood Watch association on a cul-de-sac in Milton Keynes. In any case, its Sheila who shares the grumpiness of Prince Philip. She can make Inspector Morse, who was played by her late husband John Thaw, look like a paragon of saintly patience. Fed up with waiting for Gyles to open a pair of lock gates, she threw open the throttle of their barge and motored ahead at ramming speed. Gyless royal composure slipped. Hold on, woman, he barked. Oh, for goodness sake! The boats nose slammed into the timbers. Sorry, called Sheila, not even trying to sound like she meant it. The duo, friends for 40 years, have taken over from married canal explorers Timothy West and Prunella Scales. But Tim and Prue were veterans of the waterways, whereas our newbies dont have the first clue The duo, friends for 40 years, have taken over from married canal explorers Timothy West and Prunella Scales. But Tim and Prue were veterans of the waterways, whereas our newbies dont have the first clue. I dont know my aft from my stern, hooted Gyles. And as he bounces the vessel from the bank into another narrowboat, you realise its worse than that. Mr B cant tell his aft from his elbow. It turns out thats a good thing. The pair are hilariously different from their predecessors, and that gives the series a lively new twist. Gyles and Sheila could never recreate the oneness of the Wests, entwined by 60 years of marriage. Theyre not a tribute act, more a couple of ageing rebels on a spree. Im 87, so wed better get cracking, announced Sheila. And colliding with yet another wall, 72-year-old Gyles snorted: At our age, if we sink, what does it matter? A hopeless bargee he may be, but on one issue he was adamant: the question of whether to pour the milk into a china cup before or after reaching for the teapot. Big shoes of the week The police thriller Unforgotten (ITV) is better than ever. Surely it cant end now we must have more. But DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker) is about to retire. Could her sidekick, DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar), carry the show on his own? Advertisement Milk first, Gyles insisted otherwise the fine china might crack, owing to thermal shock. Personally, Id add milk last, but Im strictly a mug-and-teabag man. Most viewers of World War Two From Above (Yesterday) are the mug-and-teabag type, I suspect. Military history is generally aimed at blokes who never tire of wartime newsreel clips and tours round bombed-out armaments factories. But this series has another appeal fascinating aerial footage shot by high-definition drone cameras, giving a new perspective to the monolithic architecture of Nazi Germany. Weve seen the story before of the concrete seaside complex at Rugen on the Baltic coast, an apartment block three miles long and built to house 20,000 holidaymakers. And its common knowledge how the Allies waited nearly two years while Hitler poured vast resources into a bomb-proof factory for assembling U-boats . . . then demolished it in a daring air-raid just as the first submarine was completed. This familiar history took on a new interest, when viewed from above the way RAF bomber crews would have seen it. Theres an eerie beauty to these brooding ruins. The number of Americans calling 'quit smoking' hotlines has fallen by almost 30 percent since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a new report finds. More than 525,000 calls were made to state smoking 'quit lines' through 1-800-QUIT-NOW in 2020, the North American Quitline Consortium revealed on Friday. This is in comparison to the more than 715,000 calls that were made the year before, in 2019. It comes on the heels of new figures from the UK that found cigarette sales rose by seven percent to 12.4 billion during lockdowns. In 2020, there were more than 525,000 calls were made to state smoking quit hotlines through that national number 1-800-QUIT-NOW, a 27% drop from the year before, a new report found There was a 6% drop in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 2019 followed 3by a 39% drop, 30% drop and and 21% in quarters two, three and four, respectively 'Stress and anxiety may be factors in the increase in tobacco use and [as a result] the decrease in interest in quitting,' said Linda Bailey, president and CEO of the North American Quitline Consortium, during a media briefing on Friday, according to UPI. 'It's more important now than ever to make smokers aware of the risks [during the pandemic].' Over the past several decades, adult smoking prevalence rates in the U.S. have dramatically fallen. In 1965, 42.4 percent of all American adults smoked compared to 14 percent today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For the report, the North American Quitline Consortium - a non-profit organization - looked at calls were made to 1-800-QUIT-NOW. The phone number was set up by the CDC in 2012 and promoted state quit hotlines to tobacco users by using a national portal. Since the program began, it has been highly successful with between 700,000 to 900,000 calls made every year. However, in 2020, there were 525,609 calls made, a 27 percent decrease from the 715,624 calls made in 2019. The call volume is also the lowest seen since 2007, before there was a national hotline. The decrease in calls occurred parallel to the course of the pandemic with a six percent drop in the first quarter compared to 2019. These were followed by drops of 39 percent, 30 percent, and 21 percent in quarters two, three and four, respectively, compared to 2019. Health experts says these figures are concerning considering the research that has linked smoking status with severe COVID-19 infection and death. The drop in calls is in spite the fact that smoking rates have fallen to the lowest percentages ever at 14% In January 2021, a study found smokers face nearly double the risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 or dying compared to people who have never smoked. And a March 2021 study found smokers are more prone to COVID-19, because they have higher levels of a receptor the virus uses to enter and infect cells. Doctors theorize that the stress and social isolation had made it difficult for smokers to try to quit or has even caused people to relapse. 'The decrease in calls...is concerning to the American Lung Association,' Anne DiGiulio, national director of lung health policy at the association, said during the press briefing on Friday, UPI reported. 'In light of [the COVID-19 risk for smokers], quitting has never been more important,' she said. Bengal polls: Why nominated Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta may face disqualification? India oi-Madhuri Adnal Kolkata, Mar 16: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declaring the nominated Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta as its candidate for the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls 2021, the Indian National Congress and has sought clarification about the same. In a letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman, Congress chief whip Jairam Ramesh pointed out that Dasgupta has neither resigned from the House before contesting election nor has he joined any party. On March 14, Dasgupta has been fielded as the BJP candidate in the Tarakeshwar seat in the ensuing Bengal state elections. The former journalist is yet to file his nomination. Tarakeshwar is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site in Hooghly district and his candidature is significant in the backdrop of the BJP's Hindutva rhetoric. Even All India Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has called for his disqualification from the upper house in accordance with the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Taking to Twitter, Moitra wrote,''Swapan Dasgupta is BJP candidate for WB polls. "10th Schedule of Constitution says nominated RS member to be disqualified if he joins any political party AFTER expiry of 6 months from oath. He was sworn in April 2016, remains unallied. Must be disqualified NOW for joining BJP." Swapan Dasgupta is BJP candidate for WB polls. 10th Schedule of Constitution says nominated RS member to be disqualified if he joins any political party AFTER expiry of 6 months from oath. He was sworn in April 2016, remains unallied. Must be disqualified NOW for joining BJP. pic.twitter.com/d3CDc9dNCe Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) March 15, 2021 According to the Rajya Sabha website, Dasgupta was nominated by the president to the Upper House in 2016 and he is currently a nominated member not affiliated to any party. SAN FRANCISCO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Talent Board, a non-profit organization focused on the elevation and promotion of a quality candidate experience, today announced SeekOut , has become a Platinum sponsor for this year's 2021 Candidate Experience (CandE) Awards global benchmark research program . SeekOut is an AI-Powered Talent 360 platform that provides customers a competitive advantage in recruiting hard-to-find and diverse talent. Talent Board and the Candidate Experience Awards SeekOut "Recruiting technology continues to be improved with machine learning and natural language processing, and companies will be depending on it more and more to optimize their recruiting processes and strategies," said Kevin Grossman, Talent Board president. "These new technologies definitely impact the candidate experience and SeekOut provides deep analytics and engagement capabilities that enables talent acquisition professionals today to hire qualified candidates fast. We're excited they're supporting our mission this year!" "We are delighted to be partnering with Talent Board," said Anoop Gupta, CEO of SeekOut. "We believe that a great candidate experience starts with the recruiter going beyond the outdated resume and building a deeper understanding of the candidate. SeekOut provides talent acquisition professionals with a comprehensive 360-degree view of candidates, coupled with a powerful AI-powered talent search engine, diversity talent sourcing and analytics, and personalized messaging that humanizes the candidate experience." SeekOut is rated #1 in diversity recruiting software by G2. If companies are trying to make strides with diversity recruitment for any role, or with untapped tech talent for digital transformation, or with talent-analytics so recruiters become talent-advisors, SeekOut invites them to learn more here . The annual Talent Board recruiting and candidate experience benchmarking and awards program offer employers in North America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Asia-Pacific (APAC); and Latin America, a risk-free and confidential opportunity to learn how an organization's candidate experience practices compare to those of their peers while obtaining anonymous feedback from their candidates. Employers will also gain insight into the latest tools and strategies for optimizing the recruiting process. The largest study of its kind, the Talent Board benchmark research program has evaluated responses from over 1,000 global employers and 1 million job seekers since 2011. To participate and qualify, each company has to commit to a statistically significant candidate response, and the proportion of respondents not hired also had to exceed a set standard. Registration for the 2021 CandE Benchmark Research Program is now open . Additional information about the 2021 Talent Board Candidate Experience Awards Benchmark Research Program can be accessed here . About SeekOut SeekOut was founded in 2017 by top engineers and researchers from Microsoft with deep experience in search engines, messaging, machine learning/AI and natural language processing. The founders collectively hold over 200 issued US patents. With best-in-class technology and breakthrough innovation, SeekOut pushes the boundaries of what's possible with talent discovery, analytics, and engagement. SeekOut's trusted AI-powered talent search engine enables Talent Acquisition teams to understand any talent pool and quickly find and engage the talent they need -- with a focus on diversity, technical expertise, and other hard-to-find skillsets. We are driven by a mission to provide customers an AI-Powered platform for enterprise talent optimization, ensuring each employee and hire is contributing maximally to company growth and their personal growth. 6 out of the 10 most highly valued companies in the US leverage SeekOut for their talent needs. For more information, visit www.seekout.com About Talent Board Founded in 2011, Talent Board and the Candidate Experience Awards is the first non-profit research organization focused on the elevation and promotion of a quality candidate experience. Talent Board delivers annual recruiting and hiring industry benchmark research that highlights accountability, fairness and the business impact of candidate experience. More information can be found at https://www.thetalentboard.org . Contact: Kevin Grossman 8314196810 [email protected] SOURCE Talent Board Related Links https://www.thetalentboard.org/ Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin on Tuesday announced a digital partnership in information and communications technology, future mobile technologies and digital education at a virtual summit. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two leaders also announced a sustainability partnership involving renewable and clean energy, circular economy and sustainable mobility. In the summit, Modi and Marin reaffirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism, a rules based international order and to work towards sustainable development goals and combating climate change, it said. The two prime ministers also exchanged views on the coronavirus pandemic including on vaccine solidarity and emphasied the unprecedented global efforts in speeding up the development and scaling up of manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine. The two sides also announced a high-level dialogue between the education ministries of both the countries to expand cooperation in the area. "Both sides noted the growing importance of Africa and referred to their efforts to enhance cooperation in Africa," said Neeta Bhushan, Joint Secretary, Central Europe division in the MEA. She said the virtual summit will help in carrying forward the momentum of the multi-faceted bilateral ties. "The two leaders expressed satisfaction and confidence that the areas of cooperation under India- partnership will continue to deepen and gain further strength," she said at a media briefing. In his opening remarks, Modi said India has taken care of needs of the world along with its domestic struggle during the pandemic and that more than 58 million made in India coronavirus vaccine doses reached about 70 countries in the recent weeks. Modi also said that both India and believed in a rules-based, transparent, humanitarian and democratic global order and the two countries have strong cooperation in areas like technology, innovation, clean energy, environment and education. The prime minister also urged to join the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Both the organisations took shape following India's initiative. "These international institutions will benefit from Finland's ability and expertise," he said. The Finnish prime minister said there was scope for further intensification of bilateral ties in areas of education, technology and trade. (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.) 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 Two people were killed in an ambush on a bus carrying university staff in northeastern Afghanistan on March 16, as attacks on civilians continued amid fresh efforts to revive stall peace talks. The driver and a student were killed in the attack in Baghlan Province, an Interior Ministry spokesman said, adding that six university lecturers had been wounded. The ministry blamed the Taliban on the attack, but the militant group denied involvement. Elsewhere, gunmen attacked security forces guarding a dam in Herat, killing three, wounding one, according to officials in the western province. Four other members of the security forces were missing. Afghanistan has witnessed a rise in violence in recent months even as peace negotiations were being held in Qatar, including targeted attacks on government employees, journalists, academics and rights workers. Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement on March 16 condemning the targeted killings, especially those against minority groups, women, and journalists. "Unidentified attackers have also gone after journalists, civil society activists, and professionals, killing many, driving some from the country, and leaving the rest to live in fear," said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at HRW. With the U.S.-brokered peace talks struggling to make headway, Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is currently on a regional visit, trying to find a way forward before a looming deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in May. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters The big picture: Chipmaker AMD is on a roll, particularly for consumer-focused products. Not only are its Ryzen 5000 processors now the fastest CPUs you can buy for consumer PCs, its Radeon RX 6000 GPUs are giving market leader Nvidia a run for their money on the performance side. Oh yeah, and lets not forget that AMD is also powering two of the most highly sought-after tech gadgets currently available (or more likely, still unavailable for many eager to purchase them): the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X. Unbeknownst to many, however, AMD has been building up its business-focused offerings as well. Rarely has this been more evident than with the back-to-back launches of its latest 3rd-gen Epyc server CPUs and its Ryzen Pro 5000 series mobile processors for enterprise notebooks. Both the Epyc 7003 family of chips (codenamed Milan) and Ryzen Pro 5000 mobile processors (like consumer versions, codenamed Cezanne) are based on the companys Zen 3 core architecturea 7nm design that continues the impressive performance path that the company began with the original Zen cores that debuted in 2017. While each of the new chips is optimized for their very different needs and applications, they do share a number of enhancements that are at the heart of Zen 3 cores, including larger, unified caches for faster processing with larger data setsas many AI-focused workloads on both servers and PCs require. Cezanne Detailed Die Shot Zen 3 lets all eight of the available CPUs in each core complex access the full amount of L2 cache (32 MB for Epyc and 16 MB for Ryzen Pro, both of which are twice the size of their predecessors). This is a significant enhancement over Zen 2 designs, which had groups of four cores that were each able to access 16 MB or 8 MB, respectively. This new architecture makes it easier for multi-threaded applications capable of simultaneously using all cores to fully leverage the cache, resulting in significantly improved performance for these types of programs. Again, thats something thats very useful in both servers and notebooks, but for entirely different types of applications. In addition to performance enhancementsincluding a 19% improvement in the critical Instructions Per Clock (IPC) metric on the Zen 3 cores found in both chipsAMD added several hardware-based security improvements, which are becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes. Both the Epyc 7003 and the Ryzen 5000 Pro offer Shadow Stack, for example, which is designed to deter hardware-focused malware attacks, such as Spectre, Meltdown and other memory location-focused threats. AMD Epyc 7003 Series Processor For the Epyc 7003, the company also added a suite of security features it calls Infinity Guard that includes support for securing virtual machines and hypervisors, through Secure Encrypted Virtualization-Encrypted State (SEV-ES) and Secure Nested Paging (SEV-SNP). These capabilities are a big reason why Microsoft announced that it would now be offering Confidential Computing-focused VMs in Azure that leverage these third generation Epyc parts. On the notebook side, the Ryzen Pro 5000 series CPUs add support for Microsofts Secured Core PC initiatives as well as FIPS 140-3 level encryption certification. Together, these new security features represent a portion of what the company describes as a multi-layered security model. For the enterprise data center and cloud computing world, the Epyc 7003 series builds on the impressive performance and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) metrics that AMD first set with its second generation Epyc line back in 2019. The company is claiming its Milan CPUs offer significant performance leadership on key workloads for cloud computing, enterprise data centers, and HPC (high performance computingi.e., supercomputers). In fact, the company even cited comparative benchmarks that it says show how a single socket Epyc 7003-based server can outperform many two socket Intel Xeon-powered solutions on certain workloads, with correspondingly lower energy consumption (and a significantly lower purchase price). In another example, AMD cited the ability to run more than double the number of active virtual desktop sessions on an Epyc 7763-based server versus a comparatively configured offering with an Intel Xeon 6258R CPU. AMD also announced an impressive arrange of new partnerships, including new 3rd generation Epyc-based cloud computing instances from Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud, along with new servers from Dell, HPE, Cisco, Lenovo, SuperMicro and many more. For Ryzen Pro 5000, AMD had big name launch-day partners, including several different notebook designs from HP, Lenovo, and others. The company also cited its rapid increase in both market share and design wins (though, admittedly, from a small base in commercial notebooks). As with the Epyc line, AMD is claiming significant performance wins for the Ryzen Pro 5000 line versus Intels latest business notebook offerings, particularly on content creation applications and workloads, such as video encoding and working with Adobes Creative Cloud suite of tools. The company was also quick to point out significant improvements in battery life versus previous generation Ryzen mobile designs, as it did with the consumer-focused Ryzen 5000 series that it debuted during CES in January of this year. Unlike those CPUs, however, the Ryzen Pro line also has a strong focus on manageability features, for IT departments, as well as image stability, to ensure that companies can have a stable, consistent software image and set of drivers on systems that pass their validation tests. All told, the two days of business-focused CPU debuts offered a good opportunity to shine the spotlight on increasingly important, albeit lesser-known, parts of AMDs business. Despite its strength in the consumer market, the company still has a long way to go to win over business computing buyers of all types. As these new Zen 3-based Ryzen and Epyc offerings highlight, however, the benefits of strong competition have never been clearer. Bob ODonnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech. Hoy iniciamos el ano escolar 2021 en todas las regiones del pais! ?? Seguimos trabajando para garantizar el derecho a la educacion de nuestras ninas, ninos y adolescentes. ???? #SigamosAprendiendo! Enterate mas en ?? https://t.co/H6TZYeRFGO pic.twitter.com/nZsvAFW1MG Advertisement Pfizer's Covid vaccine has been linked to more blood clots than AstraZeneca's in reports from the UK, statistics show amid Europe's 'baffling' mass revolt against the Oxford jab. Fourteen countries across the continent have now turned their backs on the Oxford University jab in a knee-jerk reaction over unproven blood clot fears, including France, Italy, Germany and Spain. EU regulators today moved to quell safety concerns, insisting there was no proof the vaccine causes dangerous side-effects. European Medicines Agency (EMA) bosses said they were 'firmly convinced' that injections with the AstraZeneca shot should continue. Safety experts said a 'very small number of people' have come down with blood disorders but there is 'no indication' the jab was to blame. It joined the World Health Organization and the UK government in offering a full-throated defence of the vaccine amid fury at European heavyweights for suspending the jabs. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also waded into the row today, insisting the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and saying he would be 'very happy' if he is given it when he goes to his first Covid vaccination appointment this week. Leaders on the continent were accused of risking lives with the 'reckless' decisions to stop the flow of vaccines, with scientists warning Covid is 100,000 times more dangerous, compared to the tiny possibility of an issue with clotting. And data from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulator in the UK show more people have reported blood clots after having Pfizer's vaccine than the Oxford one even though Pfizer's jab has not been suspended anywhere. Up to February 28 there were 38 reports from approximately 11.5million doses of Pfizer's jab, compared to 30 from 9.7m AstraZeneca doses. However, neither figure the equivalent of one blood clot seen in every 367,000 jabs is thought to be higher than the risk expected in the general population. Chief of Italy's medicines regulator, Nicola Magrini, today claimed the sweeping bans across Europe were part of a politically driven snowball effect which had seen countries within the bloc come under pressure to follow suit. Meanwhile, German regulators today attempted to justify the controversial decision to suspend use of the jab by revealing seven out of 1.6million people are thought to have developed a deadly type of blood clot after getting AstraZeneca's vaccine. For comparison, they only expected to see one case of sinus vein thrombosis. Breaking the silence on the decision to suspend use of the jab, Germany's Paul Ehrlich Institute said the condition is 'so serious that it is not justifiable to continue vaccinating without testing'. UK's drug regulators appear to have spotted the condition five times in 11million doses but have yet to comment on Germany's figures. Regulatory reports show that blood clot diagnoses are about equally likely after either the two jabs being used in the UK slightly higher for Pfizer and scientists insist the risk is no higher than a random person in the population could expect, meaning the vaccine remains safe. Rates of death soon after vaccination appear higher for AstraZeneca's vaccine but this is likely because it is used in care homes and the people receiving it are naturally more likely to die of any reason Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he expects to get his first dose of the Covid vaccine this week and he 'would be very happy' to receive the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, which he insists is still safe and effective 'There is NO indication AstraZeneca jab caused blood clots' EU drug regulator insists in bid to restart vaccinations EU regulators today shot down the blood clot fears which have prompted 14 European countries to call a halt to AstraZeneca jabs, saying there is no evidence the vaccine causes dangerous side-effects. The European Medicines Agency said it was 'firmly convinced' that injections with the AstraZeneca shot should continue, joining the WHO and the UK government in a full-throated defence of the vaccine amid fury at EU nations including France and Germany for suspending the jabs. EMA safety experts say a 'very small number of people' have come down with blood disorders but there is 'no indication' that these were caused by the jab, which 11million people have already had in the UK. 'We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,' said EMA chief Emer Cooke. Countries including France will now face pressure to resume AstraZeneca jabs after the EMA delivered its verdict and reiterated that the number of blood clots 'seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population'. Italy earlier admitted that its suspension of AstraZeneca jabs was a 'political' move while French doctors accused Emmanuel Macron of 'giving in to panic' and a German lawmaker said the ban could cause a 'catastrophe'. Germany sought to justify its move by saying that one particular kind of blood clot, a 'sinus vein thrombosis', had occurred seven times among the 1.6million people vaccinated when only around one case would be expected. By contrast, only four such cases have been identified in the UK out of 11million doses administered. Nicola Magrini, the head of Italian medicines regulator AIFA, said politicians had come under pressure to call off the jabs after Germany and France made similar moves in what one Tory MP described as a 'Brexit sulk'. 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations... to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one,' Magrini said in an interview with La Repubblica. Advertisement Reports of blood clot diagnoses after getting a vaccine are so rare in the UK that even death has been reported more often and no fatalities have been proven to be caused by the jab either. Millions of the most vulnerable people, who are more likely to die on any given day, have been vaccinated against Covid, meaning fatality rates will be higher than in the general populations because the elderly will just die naturally. People who received the AstraZeneca vaccine had higher rates of reported deaths than those who had Pfizer's, but this is likely because it is used in care homes and among elderly people in the community, while Pfizer's is used more in major vaccine hubs that generally healthier people travel to. The US, which doesn't use the AstraZeneca jab, has a lower number of deaths reported after vaccination than the UK (17.8 per million compared to 24 per million) but this may also be linked to strategy. While Britain is meticulously immunising all its oldest and sickest citizens first, the US is offering jabs to people based on their jobs, with huge numbers of people classed as 'essential workers'. Data show the number of people reporting blood clots after Pfizer or AstraZeneca's vaccine is almost identical, and neither is higher than normal. This suggests that neither vaccine directly increases the risk of someone developing a blood clot. On the similar numbers, Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: 'I think the likely explanation is that there isn't an effect.' He added: 'These numbers are not high they're perfectly reasonable. You could look at it and say that 30 to 38 is nearly a 30 per cent increase but when the numbers are that low its very easy to [get carried away].' There are around 3,000 blood clots per month in the British population even in normal times and they occur for a variety of reasons, with risk factors including obesity, smoking and a lack of exercise. For context, even the contraceptive pill, which is known to directly contribute to clots, is linked to blood clots in around one in 1,000 women per year and this is considered a 'very small' risk, according to the National Blood Clot Alliance in the US. If all the blood clots reported in the UK so far were definitively linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine the risk would appear to be approximately one in every 323,000 people 323 times less than the Pill. Dr Clarke added: 'I think its still a better idea to keep vaccinating people. The fact is these numbers are very small and, even if it was true, youd still have to ask is taking increased risks of thrombosis worth it for the massively decreased possibility of getting a Covid-19 infection.' An Oxford University spokesperson echoed the balance of risk comment and said: 'Both the MHRA and EMA have said that the vaccines benefits continue to outweigh any potential risks, and the vaccine can continue to be administered while investigation of cases of thromboembolic events is ongoing, a stance also supported by the WHO.' German regulators, however, have said that blood clot risk is not listed in patient information by AstraZeneca, while drug manufacturers making the Pill make it clear this may be because it wasn't picked up in the rigorous scientific trials that took place, simply because it was so rare it took millions of vaccinations for a single case to appear. The difficulty with looking at the occurrences of the condition known as sinus vein thrombosis, which was today named as a concern by Germany, are that it is rare and details are not yet known about the people who developed it after the vaccine. Scientists are launching an investigation into these to work out how likely it is that the vaccine caused the condition. They will need to take into account the age of the people affected, other health problems they might have had, whether they had blood clots in the past, whether they had an illness that could cause clotting such as Covid-19 and other risk factors for the condition. In the UK health issues are reported through a 'yellow card' programme that keeps track of every problem that someone develops soon after having a vaccine, however unrelated they seem. The purpose is to see if any trends emerge or any conditions become significantly more common than usual, which hasn't happened in the UK. MPs and scientists in the UK have fiercely defended the AstraZeneca vaccine and the country's regulator said it hasn't seen any dangerous effects directly linked to the jabs. As fears about the vaccine snowballed on the continent yesterday and more than a dozen countries are now avoiding it, flabbergasted scientists said there was no sign the vaccine was causing ill health and blood clots weren't more common than usual. Britain has used more doses of the Oxford jab than anywhere else in the world more than 11million doses and detected nothing abnormal, its watchdog says. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received 30 reports of blood clots from approximately 9.7m doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 38 from 11.4m doses of the Pfizer jab. This shows that there were 3.34 reports per million people for Pfizer and 3.09 per million for AstraZeneca. Despite this regulators have not announced any concerns about blood clots linked to the Pfizer vaccine. Figures from AstraZeneca and the European Medicines Agency show the number of blood clot-related conditions from 17million doses dished out in the UK and Europe up to March 13 Europe is presiding over one of the world's slowest jabs roll-outs which has left people vulnerable to infection, while the UK has masterminded one of the world's fastest, with Covid cases and deaths now falling sharply Should anyone in Britain who's had the AstraZeneca vaccine be concerned? The UK has used more doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine than anywhere else approximately 11million and both officials and scientists say there is no sign that it causes serious health problems. Side effects are normal, and around 53,000 changes in health or feelings have been officially reported across the UK so far, but the vast majority are mild and short-lived, such as headaches, muscle pains or fever. The 53,000 side effects out of 11million suggest just 0.5 per cent of people get them one in 200. The frequency of severe side effects is much lower. But not everyone records their mild side effects and not all of those reported are linked to the vaccine, many just happen by coincidence after someone has received the jab. British drugs regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which approved the vaccine, insists the jab is safe and says people should continue to take it. Vaccine safety chief Dr Phil Bryan said: 'We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause. 'People should still go and get their Covid vaccine when asked to do so.' The same message is being put out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on its vaccine rollout. Its deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden said on BBC Breakfast: 'Safety is absolutely paramount and we monitor this data very carefully. 'We have to remember that there are 3,000 blood clots a month on average in the general population and because we're immunising so many people, we are bound to see blood clots at the same time as the vaccination, and that's not because they are due to the vaccination. That's because they occur naturally in the population. 'One ought to also remember that Covid causes blood clots. So, the risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.' Advertisement The University of Reading's Dr Simon Clarke yesterday suggested that health officials in Europe know more than they are letting on, but said it would be odd for them to only share half of the story. 'I do wonder whether there is more to this than is being admitted to at this stage,' he told MailOnline. 'That would be the only justification for what they're doing, because they are putting people at risk from Covid. 'Maybe the proportion of younger people getting those conditions is higher than you would normally expect. I would have thought, if that were the case, any sensible regulator would point it out.' Regulators have to record hundreds of different illnesses, symptoms and conditions that are reported by people who have had Covid vaccines. These range from common symptoms after vaccination such as arm aches and fevers all the way to death or heart attack, with odd instances such as 'feeling tearful' also kept on file. Some are obviously linked to the vaccine such as the arm pain while others have to be monitored to make sure they don't become unusually common after a jab. Panic was sparked about the blood clotting cases by an announcement that the European Medicines Agency was launching an investigation into 30 reports of people developing blood clots within days of having the vaccine, out of a total five million people. The ages of the people developing the clots isn't known, but Norwegian officials said they saw three cases in people under the age of 50. And the decision by some countries to halt the vaccine came after a nurse in Austria, 49, died from a clot last Monday shortly after receiving the vaccine amid reports of similar cases across Europe, despite millions of doses being administered safely. Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the decision to pause rollout of the AstraZeneca jab could be a 'disaster' for Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Europe. Asked what he would say to those in the UK who are booked to receive an Oxford jab, Professor Openshaw told BBC Radio 4 yesterday: 'I really wouldn't be worried at the present time. 'I think it is very clear that the benefits of being vaccinated at the moment so far outweigh the possible concern over this rather rare type of blood clot. 'It really is a completely one-sided argument statistically that we need to be vaccinating. 'I think it is a disaster for the vaccination uptake in Europe, which is already on slightly unsteady ground in some countries.' Asked why he thought the rollout pause had been taken so widely, he added: 'I think the committees are probably afraid of not making that decision to pause on the basis that they might be in some way thought culpable if they didn't, but actually these are such rare events.' Italy admitted today that its suspension of AstraZeneca jabs was a 'political' move made under pressure from other EU governments. The countries around the world that have stopped using the Oxford jab Europe: Sweden France Italy Spain Germany Iceland Portugal Ireland Bulgaria Denmark Slovenia Netherlands Norway Luxembourg Cyprus Latvia Stopped using one batch: Austria Lithuania Estonia Romania Non-Europe: Indonesia Venezuela Democratic Republic of Congo Advertisement Nicola Magrini, the head of Italian medicines regulator AIFA, said politicians had come under pressure to call off the jabs after Germany and France made similar moves in what one Conservative MP described as a 'Brexit sulk'. 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations... to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one,' Magrini said in an interview with La Repubblica. Sixteen European countries including 12 EU members have now suspended their use of the shots altogether - with Sweden joining the list today - while another five have black-listed specific batches and a handful of governments outside Europe have also pulled the emergency brake. Health experts in Germany and France have accused their governments of playing politics with the AstraZeneca jab, which is already an unloved choice in Europe after top officials lashed out at the firm in a post-Brexit row over supplies and raised unfounded doubts about its effectiveness. Scientists fear that Europe's moves could now fuel 'more extreme anti-vaccine sentiment' despite findings by the EU, UK, WHO and AstraZeneca that there is no evidence of a link to the sporadic blood clots. Belgium's health ministry said it would continue using the jab because it was in a race against time to protect its population. Extraordinarily, one French minister told Politico that it decided to copy Berlin's move to avoid 'stress' - and at the same time Paris is threatening to sue AstraZeneca for failing to supply enough doses. In an attempt to stem the tide of countries stopping the roll-out of the jab, the EMA insisted the rate of clots 'in vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population'. Whitehall sources claimed the suspensions were a 'cynical attempt to discredit' AstraZeneca in the wake of the bloc's row with the Anglo-Swedish drugs firm amid a shambolic rollout. 'I genuinely don't know what they are playing at,' said one insider. 'There is no data to support what they are doing. They just don't seem to be able to get over their disputes with AstraZeneca.' Tory and Labour MPs highlighted the assurances given by regulators and experts as they appealed for Britons to ignore 'fake news' and accept invitations for jabs. Nearly half the UK population has now had their first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was 'crystal clear' the vaccine was safe, while Conservative backbencher Anthony Browne said European leaders were driven by 'politics not science'. 'The EU's Brexit sulk will cost EU lives,' he said. Australia is working to give one million doses of the internationally-produced AstraZeneca vaccines originally destined for Australia to Papua New Guinea, as the country battles a widespread outbreak of COVID-19. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced Australia will send 8000 locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccines to PNG to help immunise health workers, as the local health system struggles to contain the spread. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced further aid to PNG as the country battles a major epidemic. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Weve known that that challenge was always going to be too great for Papua New Guinea, as time went on, and that indeed is proving to be the case now, he said on Wednesday morning. Australia is making a formal request to both AstraZeneca and the European health authorities to send one million doses of the 3.8 million internationally-produced doses contracted by Australia to PNG. The AstraZeneca logo is seen with a hand holding a syringe and needle in this photo illustration in Warsaw, Poland on March 1, 2021. Photo: Jaap Arriens/Sipa USA/PA AstraZeneca is likely to remain "under pressure" this week until Europe's official medicines watchdog delivers an official verdict on the risks associated with the company's COVID-19 vaccine. Multiple countries around the world have moved to suspend the rollout of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine in recent days amid concerns it could cause blood clots. Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy have all announced suspensions. Germany's Paul-Ehrlich-Institut on Monday said it observed "a striking accumulation of a special form of very rare cerebral vein thrombosis (sinus vein thrombosis) in connection with a deficiency of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) and bleeding in temporal proximity to vaccinations with the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca." READ MORE: Vaccine ban weighs on AstraZeneca shares amid clotting fears Watch: Germany, France, Italy and Spain halt use of AstraZeneca vaccine The case has been referred to Europe's top medical watchdog, the European Medicine Agency (EMA). An official verdict is due on Thursday. The EMA said on Monday that it "currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects." AstraZeneca said there had been 15 events of deep-vein thrombosis and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among more than 17 million people vaccinated. Ann Taylor, the firm's chief medical officer, said this was "lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population. AstraZeneca said there was no evidence of a causal link between its vaccine and blood clotting. "Blood clots are unfortunately fairly common," said Dr Adam Barker and Dr Tara Raveendran, research analysts at stockbroker Shore Capital. "Epidemiological studies would put the incidence of blood clots at around 1 in 1,000 people. Importantly, the incidence of blood clots increases significantly with age and can reach 1 in 100 people in those over 80 years of age. In addition, there are also several other important risk factors including (but not limited to) obesity, periods of immobility, male gender, smoking and family history." Story continues READ MORE: European stocks fall as list of countries suspending AstraZeneca vaccine grows Dr Barker and Dr Raveendran said public data they had seen suggested "the risk of blood clots associated with AZD1222 appears to be lower than the level observed in the overall population." "There is arguably more data to support an increased risk of blood clots from the virus, than there is to support an increased risk of blood clots from the vaccine," the pair wrote in a research note on Monday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week said vaccine rollouts should continue and said there was no cause for alarm. Experts from the WHO will meet on Tuesday to review the data, the BBC reported. Analysts said the incident could prove damaging for AstraZeneca's reputation even if the blood clot fears prove to be unfounded. "AstraZeneca's stock price is likely to remain under pressure, and unless the company can control the situation fast, the damage is likely to be big," said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Avatrade. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, said: "This is yet another blow to the credibility of the Oxford vaccine, and ultimately the last thing AstraZeneca, and more importantly the populations of Europe, needs given that of all the vaccines the Oxford jab is by far the easiest to transport." Jim Reid, a senior strategist at Deutsche Bank, said the reputation of AstraZeneca's vaccine could be permanently tarnished whatever the outcomes of official reviews. "The problem with this incident is that its going to be hard to persuade Europeans that there is no smoke without fire with regards to the AZ vaccine, given the previous travails and misinformation, even if vaccinations resume soon," Reid and his team wrote in a morning note sent to clients. AstraZeneca makes no profit from its COVID-19 vaccine and so its underlying business performance will be untroubled. However, any damage to its reputation could prove costly. Shares in the drug maker were up 2.5% on Tuesday to trade at 71.49. AstraZeneca was helped by a rating upgrade to buy from investment bank Jefferies and a bullish note published by Deutsche Bank. The investment bank rates the stock a buy and said its target price for shares was 100. Watch: Dominic Raab: Crystal clear that AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine is safe According to Deputy Defense Minister Arman Sargsian, during the first major military exercises since a defeat of Armenian forces in a war against Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh last fall, Armenias armed forces will aim to test their defense capability. Earlier, Armenias Ministry of Defense said that the March 16-20 drills will involve 7,500 soldiers, about 100 tanks and armored vehicles, some 300 artillery and anti-aircraft systems as well as aviation. A ministry statement said they will take place in all operational directions of the armed forces in accordance with the Armenian armys training plan for the first half of this year. The statement added that the drills are designed to check the combat-readiness of troops and their ability to rapidly act in the existing situation. Every military exercise has its own clear goal: it is to check the defense capability of troops, the general use of available resources, and so on. I can say that at this moment the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia are in control of the situation, Deputy Defense Minister Sargsian said. In its statement the Ministry of Defense did not specify whether unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) will also be used in the exercises. But over the past two weeks Armenias High-Tech Industry Minister Hakob Arshakian has been posting videos of tests of Armenian-made combat UAVs on Facebook and Twitter. According to the minister, these drones can operate at a distance of up to 500 kilometers and carry up to 12 kilograms of explosives. According to military expert Karen Hovhannisian, the scale of exercises announced by Armenia shows that the nation also wants to demonstrate its force after the defeat in Nagorno-Karabakh, where hostilities were stopped due to a Russian-brokered ceasefire that took effect on November 10. In other words, it is a kind of message that after the war the armed forces of Armenia are quickly back on their feet, having restored their potential, the expert said. Political analyst Ruben Mehrabian also said that the current military exercises primarily carry a political message about Armenia restoring its military potential and seeking to regain its role in regional events. The fact that only four months after the end of the war large-scale tactical military exercises are being held in Armenia is already an important event on the way towards strengthening the security of Armenia, Mehrabian said. Meanwhile, on March 15, Azerbaijan began four-day large-scale military exercises with the participation of 10,000 troops, about 100 tank units, other armored vehicles, missile systems, aircraft, including drones. The Defense Ministry in Baku said last week that the drills would be held in unspecified mountainous areas. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Friday that the Azerbaijani war games were planned beforehand and suggested that they would not jeopardize stability and security in the region. Last month Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian said that Russia, which has a military base in Armenia, is helping Yerevan restructure and modernize its armed forces. He said concrete recommendations have already been made on how to rearm the Armenian army but did not give any details. In an interview with foreign media on February 26, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Russia should avoid helping Armenia modernize its army and urged it not to give weapons to Yerevan, according to TASS. LA JOLLA, CALIF. - March 16, 2021 - A Nature study authored by scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and the University of Hong Kong shows that the leprosy drug clofazimine, which is FDA approved and on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, exhibits potent antiviral activities against SARS-CoV-2 and prevents the exaggerated inflammatory response associated with severe COVID-19. Based on these findings, a Phase 2 study evaluating clofazimine as an at-home treatment for COVID-19 could begin immediately. "Clofazimine is an ideal candidate for a COVID-19 treatment. It is safe, affordable, easy to make, taken as a pill and can be made globally available," says co-senior author Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., professor and director of the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. "We hope to test clofazimine in a Phase 2 clinical trial as soon as possible for people who test positive for COVID-19 but are not hospitalized. Since there is currently no outpatient treatment available for these individuals, clofazimine may help reduce the impact of the disease, which is particularly important now as we see new variants of the virus emerge and against which the current vaccines appear less efficacious." Promising candidate revealed by screening drug library Clofazimine was initially identified by screening one of the world's largest collections of known drugs for their ability to block the replication of SARS-CoV-2. Chanda's team previously reported in Nature that clofazimine was one of 21 drugs effective in vitro, or in a lab dish, at concentrations that could most likely be safely achieved in patients. In this study, the researchers tested clofazimine in hamsters--an animal model for COVID-19--that were infected with SARS-CoV-2. The scientists found that clofazimine lowered the amount of virus in the lungs, including when given to healthy animals prior to infection (prophylactically). The drug also reduced lung damage and prevented "cytokine storm," an overwhelming inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 that can be deadly. "The animals that received clofazimine had less lung damage and lower viral load, especially when receiving the drug before infection," says co-senior author Ren Sun, Ph.D., professor at the University of Hong Kong and distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). "Besides inhibiting the virus, there are indications that the drug also regulates the host response to the virus, which provides better control of the infection and inflammation." Clofazimine also worked synergistically with remdesivir, the current standard-of-care treatment for people who are hospitalized due to COVID-19, when given to hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. These findings suggest a potential opportunity to stretch the availability of remdesivir, which is costly and in limited supply. How clofazimine works The study showed that clofazimine stops SARS-CoV-2 infection in two ways: blocking its entry into cells and disrupting RNA replication (SARS-CoV-2 uses RNA to replicate). Clofazimine was able to reduce the replication of MERS-CoV, the coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), in human lung tissue. "Potentially most importantly, clofazimine appears to have pan-coronavirus activity, indicating it could be an important weapon against future pandemics," says co-senior author Kwok-Yung Yuen, M.D., chair of Infectious Diseases at the University of Hong Kong, who discovered the coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). "Our study suggests that we should consider creating a stockpile of ready-made clofazimine that could be deployed immediately if another novel coronavirus emerges." ADD VIDEO: https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?v= BEkgvviqaf4&t= 136s In July 2020 Sumit Chanda shared more about his team's race to find a treatment for COVID-19. Testing clofazimine in the clinic A Phase 2 trial evaluating clofazimine in combination with interferon beta-1b as a treatment for people with COVID-19 who are hospitalized is ongoing at the University of Hong Kong. Interferon beta-1b is an immunoregulator that is given as an injection and is currently used to treat people with multiple sclerosis. "Our data suggests that clofazimine should also be tested as a monotherapy for people with COVID-19, which would lower many barriers to treatment," says Chanda. "People with COVID-19 would be able to simply receive a regime of low-cost pills, instead of traveling to a hospital to receive an injection." ### Old drug finds new purpose Clofazimine was discovered in 1954 and is used to treat leprosy. Its promise for treating COVID-19 was discovered by high-throughput screening of more than 12,000 drugs from the ReFRAME drug library--one of the most comprehensive collections of compounds that have been approved by the FDA for other diseases or that have been tested extensively for human safety. ReFRAME was created by Calibr, the drug discovery division of Scripps Research, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with a goal of repurposing existing drugs to meet unmet clinical needs. A global effort The co-senior and co-corresponding study authors are Sumit Chanda of Sanford Burnham Prebys; Ren Sun of the University of Hong Kong and the University of California Los Angeles; and Kwok-Yung Yuen of the University of Hong Kong. The first authors of the study are Shuofeng Yuan, Xiangzhi Meng, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan and Zi-Wei Ye of the University of Hong Kong; and Xin Yin of Sanford Burnham Prebys, who contributed equally to the study. Additional study authors include Laura Riva, Lars Pache, Naoko Matsunaga and Yuan Pu of Sanford Burnham Prebys; Chris Chun-Yiu Chan, Pok-Man Lai, Chris Chung-Sing Chan, Vincent Kwok-Man Poon, Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee, Chun-Kit Yuen, Jianli Cao, Ronghui Liang, Kaiming Tang, Wan Xu, Chit-Ying Lau, Ko-Yung Sit, Wing-Kuk Au, Runming Wang, Kong-Hung Sze, Anna Jinxia Zhang, Hin Chu, Kin-Hang Kok, Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung, Ronald Adolphus Li, Honglin Chen, Hongzhe Sun and Dong-Yan Jin of the University of Hong Kong; Yu-Yuan Zhang, Yan-Dong Tang and Xue-Hui Cai of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Thomas Mandel Clausen and Jessica Pihl of the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and University of Copenhagen; Juntaek Oh, Dong Wang and Jeffrey D. Esko of UCSD; Li Sheng of University of Hong Kong and University of California Los Angeles; and Yushen Du of UCLA. The study's DOI is 10.1038/s41586-021-03431-4. Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (U19AI118610, U19AI135972, U19AI142733), the Department of Defense (DoD) (W81XWH-20-1-0270), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (HR0011-19-2-0020), the Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (HHSN272201400008C), JPB Foundation, the Open Philanthropy Project (2020-215611 (5384)), the University of Hong Kong, National Key R&D Programmes of China (2020YFA0707500, 2020YFA0707504), Richard Yu and Carol Yu, the Shaw Foundation Hong Kong, Michael Seak-Kan Tong, May Tam Mak Mei Yin, Hui Ming, Hui Hoy and Chow Sin, Lan Charity Fund Limited, Chan Yin Chuen Memorial Charitable Foundation, Marina Man-Wai Lee, the Hong Kong Hainan Commercial Association South China Microbiology Research Fund, the Jessie & George Ho Charitable Foundation, Perfect Shape Medical Limited, Kai Chong Tong, Foo Oi Foundation Limited, Tse Kam Ming, Laurence, the Norman & Cecilia Yip Foundation, Dinah Ruch and Susan & James Blair. About the University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU), founded in 1911, is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU delivers impact through internationalisation, innovation and interdisciplinarity. It attracts and nurtures global scholars through excellence in research, teaching and learning, and knowledge exchange. About Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute Sanford Burnham Prebys is a preeminent, independent biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding human biology and disease and advancing scientific discoveries to profoundly impact human health. For more than 40 years, our research has produced breakthroughs in cancer, neuroscience, immunology and children's diseases, and is anchored by our NCI-designated Cancer Center and advanced drug discovery capabilities. For more information, visit us at SBPdiscovery.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/SBPdiscovery and on Twitter @SBPdiscovery. Alhaji Ali Suraj, a former organizer for the NPP USA branch is appealing to the Akufo-Addo government to consider old party faithful when making the Metropolitan Municipal District Chief Executive appointments. According to him, the time has come for the NPP to strive beyond normal to reduce apathy within the ranks by empowering party faithful at the grassroots level, which for him have become laughingstock, hence making a passionate appeal to President Akufo-Addo to listen to the grassroots. Nasara Coordinators who have requisite qualifications and experience should be considered, he stressed. Explaining the reason behind his call, he said it is rather unfortunate that party faithful who devoted their entire time doing grounds work for the party, being it mounting banners, ghetto-to- ghetto campaign, pasting of posters, defending the party on media platforms among others are oftentimes being sidelined when appointments are being made. He ended that, the era where party grassroots were used as election machines and abandoned afterwards must be over. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New Delhi, March 16: Home grown Covid-19 vaccines flown to various parts of the world has added luster to India's National Vaccination day -- an occasion celebrating the dissemination of the first dose of oral polio vaccine in 1995. With this launch, the massively successful Pulse Polio Campaign took wings. At present, one of India's successful vaccination drive is Mission Indradhanus, launched in 2014. This scheme provides vaccination against eight vaccine-preventable diseases nationally. These are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles, severe form of childhood tuberculosis and Hepatitis B and meningitis and pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenza type B; and against rotavirus diarrhea and Japanese encephalitis in selected states and districts respectively. Vaccination drives described as the most effective method of preventing infectious diseases, have in the past successfully eradicated smallpox and polio in India. Smallpox eradication Smallpox - a disease caused by virus, which often proved fatal - is the only that has been eradicated by human effort. The last case was reported in Somalia in October 1977. In India till the year 1950 over 100,000 people died annually due to the disease. The country's last-known case was that of an eight-year-old boy from Bihar's Pachera village in Katihar district in May 17, 1975. From 1962-67, a mass vaccination drive, the National Smallpox Eradication Programme was launched. The objective was to successfully vaccinate the entire population within a period of 3 years. It became apparent that even though mass vaccination reduced smallpox incidence, detection and containment were imperative. Following this from 1968-72, the NSEP was now aimed at surveillance and a uniform national reporting system was established. Detection was given priority and States divided into epidemic and non-epidemic, with the former commanding more resources. From 1973-75 that an intensive programme was launched. July and August of 1973 were devoted to search and containment drive in highly infected regions, while from October to December four major endemic States, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh were targeted. This phase marked the beginning of the end of smallpox and in May 1975 saw the last case of the killer disease. Consolidating on the triumph, from 1975 to 77, strict vigilance was maintained with the adoption of "fever-with-rash surveillance" being introduced in India. The smallpox elimination was a historic achievement in a country as vast as India and with such diversity. Pulse polio initiative According to World Health Organization polio is a highly infectious viral disease, mainly affecting young children. Polio has no cure and can be prevented by immunization only. In 1995 the Pulse Polio immunisation programme was commenced, under which children up to five years were administered polio drops during national and sub-national rounds annually. Besides, Rapid Response Teams in all States and UTs to respond to polio outbreak were placed. Also States developed Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans to be followed in case of polio detection. The campaign paid dividends as the last polio case in India was reported from West Bengal's Howrah district in January 2011. This led WHO to remove India from the active endemic wild polio virus transmission list on February 24, 2012. Two years hence, WHO's South-East Asia Region certified India as polio-free. Since March 2014 Oral Polio Vaccination has been mandatory for those travelling between India and polio-affected countries like Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Syria and Cameroon. Other vaccines The country saw the launch of National Immunization programme, called as Expanded Programme on Immunization in 1978, wherein BCG, OPV, DPT and typhoid-paratyphoid vaccines were introduced. Till 2011, Hepatitis-B has been added for vaccination with six other vaccines. Now India-made vaccines like rota virus and human papilloma virus etc are there while the vaccine for Japanese encephalitis was developed in 2013. Also in 2008-2009, a new conjugated typhoid vaccine was produced by an Indian manufacturer. Edward Jenner and vaccination Edward Jenner born on May 17, 1749, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire created the first vaccine. Since the Latin word for cow is vacca, and cowpox is vaccinia; he called the new procedure vaccination Jenner in May 1796, found a young dairymaid, Sarah Nelms, with fresh cowpox lesions on her hands and arms. Using matter from her lesions, he inoculated an eight-year-old boy, James Phipps. The boy developed mild fever and loss of appetite but soon recovered. Following this, he was inoculated with fresh smallpox lesion and didn't develop the disease. Phipps lived on till 65 years and attended Jenner's funeral in 1832. India's first vaccination Anna Dusthall, a three-year-old of Bombay (present day Mumbai) was the first child in India to receive the world's first smallpox vaccine on June 14, 1802. Using the pus formed on her skin after vaccination, another five children were vaccinated. Interestingly Jenner sent threads soaked in lymph vaccine to Vienna in 1799 which then reached Baghdad via Constantinople (Istanbul). A child vaccinated from Baghdad was sent to Basra from where a batch of lymph was sent to Bombay, reaching Dusthall. Push for vaccination Experts feel that Covid-19 is an opportune moment for making vaccination popular among the people. By sensitizing public, not just about Covid-19 vaccine but also others, the vaccination routine can be made acceptable and part of life! India's vaccination strategy for smallpox and polio needs to be celebrated and become templates for other nations in their fight against deadly and dreadful diseases! (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/ The state House has passed a bill advocated by state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, that would create a foster parents bill of rights. The measure now heads to the Senate. 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. Advertisement Advertise With Us Imposing harsher penalties for protesters doesnt feel like reconciliation to Birdtail Sioux First Nation Chief Ken Chalmers. The province announced Bill 51 on Monday, which would "prohibit interference with the critical infrastructure or access to it." "The intent there would be to allow for people to gather, allow for their voices to be heard but to keep them and everyone safe while ensuring the unfettered operation, construction or use of that infrastructure," said Justice Minister Cameron Friesen. "There would be no desire to see the voices of Manitobans diminished in any way." The bill allows for the owner or operator of a piece of infrastructure the ability to apply for a court order to create a temporary protection zone. Included would be oil or natural gas pipelines and provincial highways. It also includes courthouses, hospitals and animal processing facilities. If a person were to go into the area, they could be fined $5,000 or jailed for up to 30 days. A corporation could be fined up to $25,000. "Theres going to be challenges for that, I imagine," said Chalmers. "Well see what happens, but it really upsets reconciliation when one side puts up a law like that." Birdtail Sioux has maintained an open dialogue with the provincial and federal governments, and Chalmers said theyve maintained a promise to not block rail lines as long as said dialogue is open. Not all First Nations can say the same, as evidenced by the blockades in British Columbia in support of Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs who opposed the construction of a pipeline. Chalmers said he cant think of anything comparable in Manitoba that might warrant Bill 51, and that any blockades he has heard of were resolved in short order. Criminalizing protesters is an approach he said he "completely" disagrees with, and will only serve to complicate matters. "The risk is theyre going to be throwing people in jail and probably chiefs and council will go to jail and its going to criminalize everybody," he said. "Its pretty hard to negotiate from jail if youre chief or council." Various environmental protests have taken place outside of Knox United Church in recent months, including the occasional Fridays For Future climate strike effort. Although these protests have never disrupted traffic in any way, local activist Wayne Clayton is concerned the province is stepping closer toward the demonization of those who disagree with them. "We all need to be careful that were not just putting someone down because they have a different opinion than us," he said, adding the same could be said for both sides of many disagreements. "If people can sit around a table and move forward on a common ground that is by far the best." Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew expressed his concern about "peoples civil rights and their freedom of speech" when asked about Bill 51 on Monday. "It does seem as though the government is going to be interfering with some of those civil liberties," he said. Manitoba Liberal Party Leader Dougald Lamont called the bill "revenge-based legislation." "I understand why people are upset about those protests, but people also need to understand why First Nations are doing it," he said. "Theyre being portrayed as rule-breakers, but they are actually trying and pleading with governments to respect their legal rights. "The reason these protests are happening is they want to governments to follow the law. They want governments to respect their property rights and their jurisdiction. I dont see this as being a useful bill, just an escalation." The proposed legislation was committed to in the October 2020 throne speech, which pledged to introduce legislation that could prevent blockades of critical infrastructure. tclarke@brandonsun.com, with files from Colin Slark Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Rep. Jeff Van Drew said Monday that he received a death threat from a guest columnist for a South Jersey publication after he voted to reject certified votes that would make Joe Biden president. The author, John McCall of Ocean City, wrote a column calling on the congressman to resign and accusing him of being a faithful dog to Donald Trump, whose supporters had stormed the Capitol just hours before Van Drew and a majority of House Republicans opposed certifying Bidens victory in two battleground states. McCall also called Van Drews office and said he would do everything in my power to ensure that you are deposed if not dead, and said that you deserve the fate of all traitors, according to a transcript released by the congressman and published in the Daily Journal of Vineland. The author then wrote another column about being visited by Ocean City Police after Van Drew complained about the phone call, according to David Nahan, the editor and publisher of the newspaper, the Ocean City Sentinel. Nahan said in a statement that he did not know the contents of the phone call while apologizing to Van Drew for the content of the column. Because you felt threatened and felt your wife was threatened, I am sorry, Nahan said. There are no two ways about that. I blame that on my judgment. Van Drew did not respond to requests for comment. You can come after me with loud words and threats, but if anyone, let alone a member of the press, thinks they can threaten my wife and my family, theyve got another thing coming, Van Drew said at the press conference, according to NJ Insider. McCall told the Press of Atlantic City that Van Drew was a grandstanding jackass who, like his mentor Donald Trump, is attempting to censor the free press for criticizing his radical, disingenuous behavior in strong language. Nahan said in a statement that the columns language did not pose any threat to Van Drew. The way it was written, I do not believe it contains any threats of harm because if I did, I would not have allowed it to appear in my newspaper, Nahan said. However, you disagree to the point that rather than call me up directly to ask for an apology, you had a public press conference to excoriate this newspaper and the man who wrote it. Van Drew, , who switched parties after opposing Trumps first impeachment, joined a majority of House Republicans in December and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out the election results in several battleground states, thus paving the way for Trumps re-election. Van Drew also opposed taking action again a fellow House Republican, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, for a series of comments made before and after her election, including endorsing the execution of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and embracing the QAnon conspiracy theory that the Anti-Defamation League said contained marked undertones of anti-Semitism and xenophobia. A group of South Jersey voters critical of the congressman recently launched an effort to highlight Van Drews votes against bills he supported as a Democrat, such as voting rights. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Netflix subscribers are one step closer to watching a legendary space crew in play. The live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, a classic 1998 anime series, has completed shooting on Season 1, according to star Daniella Pineda's latest Instagram post. Pineda, who will play the enigmatic gambler Faye Valentine, shared the news alongside a photo of her latest show haircut. The series was revealed in 2017 as a partnership between producer Marty Adelstein, ITV Studios, and Sunrise Inc., a company that specializes in original series. The project was picked up by Netflix in 2018. The cast and crew have been deafeningly quiet about the series, so this is a welcome update. The path to developing the adaptation has been fascinating, almost like a bounty quest that the Bebop crew normally ends up on. The casting for the series was revealed in April of this year. However, the production came to a halt in October 2019 when lead actor John Cho sustained a serious knee injury while shooting a scene. Shooting on the Cowboy Bebop resumed in New Zealand in September after it was postponed for months amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. READ ALSO: Marvel What?! 3 Chris Pratt Movies You Should Watch Aside From MCU Films Cowboy Bebop Live-Action Cast Cho plays the wisecracking bounty hunter Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop. He recently voiced the Oscar-nominated animated film Over The Moon. Mustafa Shakir, best known for his role as Bushmaster in Marvel's Luke Cage, joins him on the crew alongside Pineda. Jet Black, Spike's foil and former detective turned hunter, will be played by him. Vicious, a member of the power-hungry Red Dragon Crime Syndicate, is played by Alex Hassell. Spike, portrayed by Cho, would also cross paths with Julia, played by Elena Satine of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Rachel House plays Mao, a Mafia boss, and Geoff Stults plays Black's ex-partner Detective Chalmers in the supporting cast. ALSO READ: 'DOTA' Anime: The Black King and 2 Other Major Expectations From Netflix's 'Dragon's Blood' See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Time Five years ago, would you have imagined that a retired three-star general would be calling for a coup in America at a convention of conspiracy theorists in Texas? Flynns comments are just the latest in a deliberate string of attacks against democracy and our rule of law, furthering dangerous conspiracy theories. On January 6, former President Donald J. Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the election. This global tender attracted many international companies and was highly contested, but the tender was awarded to the proposal submitted by MKU Limited. MKU Limited is proud to be the true 'Make in India' global brand. All the products are manufactured in India under strict surveillance of the in-house team of experts. Focused highly on R&D, latest technologies & user comfort, products manufactured in India easily meet all the global standards in terms of performance. The MKU solutions often prove to be superior to similar products offered by other brands around the globe. Known for its expertise in providing advanced ballistic solutions using proprietary design and patented technologies, MKU has over 3 decades of experience coupled with state-of-the-art infrastructure and manufacturing processes. These high-performance vests, with Level IIIA protection were custom designed by MKU to ensure enhanced ballistic protection at lower weights, comfort, mobility, and ease of use. They are made using special antibacterial fabrics, which ensures comfort, even over prolonged use. MKU delivered the vests in over 21 different sizes as requested by Military Police Sao Paulo. The vests are NIJ certified and were thoroughly tested for performance, during the tender process and after they were delivered. Mr. Neeraj Gupta, Managing Director said, "We are proud to be associated with the elite Military Police Sao Paulo and are confident that these vests not only offer the best protection, but are extremely light-weight and very comfortable to wear. MKU is dedicated in providing its customers with the confidence they require while reducing the hassles. We look forward to working closely with Military Police Sao Paulo in the future and providing them with best-in-class products." He added, "MKU is delighted to be a lead contributor to 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' by making world class products entirely in its local facilities by Indian professionals; that are protecting heroes in the line of duty around the globe." MKU- Increasing Capability. Reducing Risks. MKU is a leading manufacturer of electro-optic devices, personal and platform armor solutions for military and homeland security forces with a customer base in over 100 countries. Operating out of India and Germany, MKU has provided protection to over 2 million soldiers and 2000+ platforms across 230 forces till date. Over the years MKU has developed several patented products that increase the capability and reduce risk for soldiers in the line of duty. Check out more at www.mku.com Media Contact- Arjun Trivedi (Manager Marketing) +91-7705001703 [email protected] Related Links www.mku.com SOURCE MKU Limited Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. DENVER, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NewScape Studios, which produces the wildly popular GameToons YouTube channel, among other new media content, will be moving into their new headquarters in Summer 2021. The commercial building, which spans over 6,000 sq. ft., is located in Englewood and will be home to NewScape Studios' animation team and its executives. The company has continued to see exponential growth, which has been driven by the pandemic and the shift in media consumption by consumers. CEO Cory Crater and his team are carefully vetting animators and illustrators to join their team ahead of their headquarters move. Those with experience in rigging and puppeting are of significant interest to their hiring team. The relocation into the larger facility will allow NewScape Studios to continue to grow, creating more jobs for those in the Denver area and opportunity for passionate individuals to be a part of their award winning team that is on the forefront of the new media industry. "Our team continues to grow as a result of the high demand for new media production. Our new headquarters will allow us ample room to expand, providing space for our creators to thrive so ingenuity can take center stage." -Cory Crater, CEO, Newscape Studios About NewScape Studios: NewScape Studios is a media production company located in two of the USA's greatest cities - Denver, Colorado and Austin, Texas. The innovative team of over 40 employees specializes in animation and machinima production. Together, they have produced 12 popular YouTube channels to date, with original, quality content that keeps subscribers engaged. GameToons, SCP Animated and NewScapePro are a few of the channels/brands that have been artfully brought to life for consumers to enjoy throughout the world. Learn more: Newscapepro.com | YouTube Contact: Paula Steurer Sterling Public Relations Direct: 949. 200. 6566 [email protected] SOURCE Newscape Studios New offering leverages the Cyan SDR platform to deliver the highest bandwidth; Allows the largest amount of the spectrum to be captured, recorded and played back TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Per Vices Corporation, an industry leader in COTS Software Defined Radio solutions, today announced the launch of its new spectrum monitoring and recording solution utilizing the company's innovative high performance Cyan SDR platform. The new solution enables up to 16 independent radio chains, each with 1GHz of bandwidth for monitoring between near DC and 18GHz, and is interfaced with a data storage solution that allows for 4x40Gbps of data transfer and storage. The combined RF, storage and playback solution are implemented in a rack mount system and offer up to 100 TB of total data storage. A Gambian man has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of being part of an army unit that carried out assassinations on behalf of then Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, prosecutors said Tuesday. The suspect, named as Bai L., is accused of crimes against humanity, murder and attempted murder while working as a driver for a so-called patrol team known as the Junglers between December 2003 and December 2006. This unit was used by the then president of The Gambia to carry out illegal killing orders, among other things with the aim of intimidating the Gambian population and suppressing the opposition, prosecutors in the city of Karlsruhe said. The tiny West African state was ruled with an iron fist by autocrat Jammeh for 22 years before he fled in 2017 after losing a presidential election to Adama Barrow, a relative unknown. The case is being brought on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows a foreign country to prosecute crimes against humanity, including war crimes and genocide, regardless of where they were committed. Germany has been particularly active in pursuing such cases linked to the Syrian regime, and in February convicted a former Syrian intelligence agent for complicity in crimes against humanity. In December 2003, Bai L. is accused of driving members of the group to a location in the Gambian capital Banjul where they were supposed to kill a lawyer. One member of the group fired several shots at the lawyer but he survived the attack, prosecutors said. The team is also accused of the 2004 murder of a Gambian journalist who had been critical of the government. Bai L. is said to have helped the group to stop the journalists car on a road in the town of Kanifing, where two members shot him several times. He is also accused of transporting one of the killers in his own vehicle. In a third incident in around 2006, Bai L. drove members of the unit to a site near Banjul airport where they shot and killed a suspected opponent of the president, the prosecutors said. Bai L. was arrested in his flat in the northern city of Hanover in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The Republic of Armenias Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs launched the iGorts 2021 program, which will place up to 50 Diaspora Armenian professionals, with relevant academic credentials and work experience, inside Armenias ministries and state institutions. Taking place for the second year in a row, applications are open until the April 15th deadline and available to complete in English, Armenian and Russian. Following the application process, shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview, and those selected will be appointed, for a term of one year, to the corresponding state institutions. The iGorts program is the first time in the history of the Republic of Armenia where the state invites Diaspora Armenian professionals en masse to work inside of the government and finances it fully without any external funding. The program not only offers an unparalleled public service opportunity, but also opens a new window for Diaspora Armenian professionals to establish a deeper connection with the homeland on the institution-building level. The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs initially launched iGorts in the Spring of 2020 with the intent of driving the process of nation-building forward and to further strengthen the Armenia-Diaspora relationship. Currently, 51 Diaspora Armenians from 19 different countries serve in 19 state institutions. All accepted candidates will receive benefits such as a roundtrip air ticket, one-year residency permit, monthly living stipend and emergency medical insurance. The 2021 program will begin on September 1st and will last for 12 months. If you would like to apply to the iGorts program, please find the application here. For any questions about the program, contact [email protected] or call our office at (+374) 10 51-55-14. Its easy to see why Julia Claiborne Johnson filled BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME (Custom House, 288 pp., $28.99) with movie-star look-alikes. Doesnt a romantic comedy set on a 1930s Nevada dude ranch teeming with about-to-be-divorced women owe a certain debt to the eras big-screen classics? Then again, its hard to believe a cinematic version could be any more fun than the small-page antics of the aptly named Flying Leaps two hired hands and the pair of wealthy guests who seem determined to make their required stint as legal state residents as memorable as possible. Ward, a cash-poor Yale dropout, has been hired because Margaret, who runs the place, thinks he looks like Cary Grant. Which makes him a good partner for Sam, a failed actor with a striking resemblance to Gary Cooper. Sam and Ward are there to work but also to keep the ladies spirits up to look at, Margaret has decreed, but not touch. Yet Ward, who narrates this account of the summer of 1938 from 30 years on, finds himself attracted to a skittish socialite from San Francisco named Emily (think Myrna Loy) and locking horns over the rules with her roommate, thrice-married Nina, an aviator from St. Louis with a cobra gaze who, Ward remarks, could double for Grace Kelly if shed been stretched on a rack. Ward and Sam have secrets. Emily has second thoughts. Nina has a husband she seems, inexplicably, still to be in love with. He turns up on a bicycle not long after the surprise appearance of Emilys exceedingly hostile young daughter, Portia, whose preferred method of transport is a purloined pony. Add a supporting cast of spoiled rich women (I have all my underclothes handmade by Spanish nuns. Also my husband just dropped dead) to nearby Renos potent mix of hooch, heartbreak and high altitude and, as Ward admits, things can and do get messy. Global Intellectual Property Newsletter 29th Edition IP Topics from around the Globe 16 March 2021 Welcome to the 29th edition of the Clifford Chance Global IP Newsletter. While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may have swept away many agendas over the past year, we are looking ahead to a year of new plans and transitions in 2021. Its first quarter has already brought many changes and we are hoping to provide you with an interesting overview of some of the recent trends and developments in the world of intellectual property law. As of 1 January 2021, the Brexit transition period has finally come to an end and the UK is no longer bound by EU law. Our London team explains the changes to UK IP law that have come about as a result of Brexit and the implications this has had on IP rightsholders both in the UK and beyond. With the next article, we are taking a look at another country that is currently undertaking significant changes to their IP law: In the People's Republic of China, the lack of protection of IP is still a major concern for foreign companies seeking to do there. Our Chinese team together with our German team have compiled an overview of the key adaptions to IP law the Chinese Government has recently made to address these concerns. The German team further reports on a recent decision by the EPO Technical Board of Appeal regarding AI inventions and sufficiency of disclosure pursuant to Art. 83 EPC. The articles takes a critical look on whether the way EPO applies Art. 83 EPC requirements sufficiently considers the differences between the predictability of traditional computer-implemented inventions and the unpredictability of AI inventions. Speaking of patent law, our Spanish team covers a recent decision of the Barcelona Commercial Court declaring that Lidl has infringed the Thermomix patent. Turning to trade marks, there is a recent decision of the Court of Appeal of Luxembourg ruled on the issues arising from enforcing trademark rights to prohibit the use of an identical domain name, showcasing the challenges parties face when bearing the burden of proof. Last but not least, our French team gives an overview of the different means of protection available for non-personal data under French law. As always, we hope you enjoy reading this edition. We look forward to receiving your feedback. Take Care! Your Global CC IP Team Download PDF DALLAS, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Charitable eye doctors around the country are participating in Essilor Vision Foundation's (EVF) See Kids Soar program to help bridge the gap between the need for and access to vision care. Due to COVID-19, more people are facing financial uncertainty and need help to cover basic expenses such as food and medical care. EVF and the optical industry can work together to make a significant impact in reaching people who need vision care but cannot get it. EVF's See Kids Soar program is a free in-office cause campaign intended to inspire parents, patients and eye doctors' staff to adopt the cause of vision, and give them an opportunity to raise awareness and funds. "Now more than ever there are people who are going through hardships and need help," says Neena James, OD. "See Kids Soar is a great way for our practice to give back to what we're passionate about. We can do more and serve our community in a safe and contact-free way." Eye doctors who enroll in the program receive a marketing kit including brochures and a brochure holder, education flyers, lanyards, buttons, digital assets, near point cards, pens, tear pads, and window clings. They also can get a free credit card processing machine valued at nearly $500 from FoxFire Systems Group that enables practices to easily accept patients' donations at checkout. "It is so important to identify vision issues early on, and that's why our team has worked so hard to develop an easy way to get everyone involved," says FoxFire President Korry Petterson. "The checkout process is simple and doesn't create extra steps for anyone in the practice when asking for a donation. Our hope is that by creating this technology, we can encourage more support for this amazing cause." Dr. James says the practice and patients are embracing the program. "The staff is excited to ask patients for donations. It's a fun ice breaker and conversation starter, and it's nice to have something good to talk about. Our patients are happy that we're participating in See Kids Soar to make a difference in our community. They appreciate their eye care more, and they feel good about helping others." In fact, the practice raised more than $400 in one month to help people in need get critical vision care. Dr. James encourages eye doctors to enroll in See Kids Soar. "It's an easy way to get your whole office involved in giving back, and it helps reiterate the importance of eye health with your patients," she shares. "See Kids Soar is the most seamless philanthropic program we've been involved with. ODs can focus on patient care and the staff can ask for donations at checkout. It's truly worry-free." For more information, visit www.evfusa.org/sks. About Essilor Vision Foundation We strive to give children a brighter future by helping them see the world more clearly. Since 2007, Essilor Vision Foundation has provided more than 1.5 million pairs of eyeglasses to individuals in need. Essilor Vision Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public, non-profit organization committed to eliminating poor vision and its lifelong consequences. Visit www.evfusa.org to learn more. Contact: Meredith Marmurek [email protected] 214-850-3642 Related Images essilor-vision-foundation-logo.jpg Essilor Vision Foundation logo SOURCE Essilor Vision Foundation Emirates Team New Zealand move within one win of retaining the Auld Mug after day 6 of the 36th America's Cup presented by PRADA. The first race of the day was without any doubt the tightest match raced so far, with Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli fighting neck to neck until the Defender took the lead on the penultimate leg and sailed to a 6-3 score. Race 10 was due to start at 5:45 pm but a last minute wind shift forced the Race Committee to call off the match and the teams to push the stop button one more time until tomorrow at 4:15 - but the end might not be around the corner just yet. Emirates Team New Zealand beat Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Race 9 Start: 1645 Port: NZL Stbd: ITA Course: C Axis: 266 Length: 1.86nm Current: 0.1 knots @ 137 Wind: 12-13 knots 255 degrees Winner: Emirates Team New Zealand 00:30 Today had a very different feel. Today was the first day that the America's Cup could be won. Today was the chance for the Italians to redress the balance after a day in which they had lost two races after winning the starts and maintaining their advantage for the first few legs. Today was the day that Emirates Team New Zealand could take another step towards winning the Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand entered cleanly across Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, who took their time to gybe around and head out to the right-hand side of the pre-start zone. The Kiwis were first to get there, gybing around while the Italians tacked before diving back down to the Kiwis. Plenty of weaving followed as both boats tried to slow down on their approach to the start line. With the greater wind speeds, the pre-start zone was feeling smaller. The start was even, both on starboard but a big big gap between the two as they charged out to the left-hand boundary at 30 knots. A critical tack was coming - could Luna Rossa get up to the Kiwis and cast dirty air on them? The Italians' height mode was working as they eventually forced the Kiwis to tack off while they headed for the right-hand lay line for the top gate, who had to put in two tacks to get around the top gate plus. As they came together, the Kiwis dipped the Italians' transom to take the right hand mark of Gate 1, while Luna Rossa took the left hand mark, leading by just a second. As the pair split on the downwind leg, the Kiwis seemed to get a better gust of breeze and managed to cross in front of the Italians when they came back together; a lead change followed. Now they had swapped sides, gone to the full width of the course and were about to come back at each other for another cross. This time it was the Italians who were in front; another lead change. By the bottom gate, a perfectly-executed gybe by the Italians protected their position and forced the Kiwis to follow them through Gate 2. As the second beat continued the battle remained close, but by the top at Gate 3, the Italians had protected their lead once again. The same was true of Leg 4 with yet more close racing. At the bottom Luna Rossa rounded the right-hand mark of Gate 4 and were three seconds ahead as Emirates Team New Zealand took the left-hand mark. The Italians had released their cover on the Kiwis, although they retained the starboard tack advantage. When they came back together, Luna Rossa were still ahead. But the big change came towards the top of Leg 5 when the pair came together once again. Now it was the turn of the Kiwis to come back in on starboard. But Luna Rossa were just ahead as they crossed and tacked in front of the Kiwis, forcing the defenders to tack back to the right-hand side of the course. Was this another risk? The Italians would be on port tack when they came back. But there was trouble in store as the breeze shifted right, benefitting the Kiwis. By the time the pair came back for Gate 5, Team New Zealand had taken the lead, rounding the left-hand mark ahead by 18 seconds. One leg to the finish with a distance of 400 m between the pair, a big distance to make up for the Italians with so little runway left. As Emirates Team New Zealand came into the finish, they had taken Race 9 by 29 seconds in the closing stages of the race. A dramatic and closely-fought race to place Emirates Team New Zealand within just one win to take the 36th America's Cup. The Match will resume tomorrow 16th of March at 4:15 pm NZT weather permitting, with no possible start later than 6:00 pm NZT. The drug company Moderna has begun a study that will test its Covid vaccine in children under 12, including babies as young as six months, the company said on Tuesday. The study is expected to enroll 6,750 healthy children in the United States and Canada. Moderna declined to say how many had already signed up or received the first shots, according to a spokeswoman, Colleen Hussey. Theres a huge demand to find out about vaccinating kids and what it does, said Dr. David Wohl, the medical director of the vaccine clinic at the University of North Carolina, who is not involved the study. In a separate study, Moderna is testing its vaccine in 3,000 children ages 12 to 17, and may have results for that age group by summer. The vaccine would then have to be authorized for use in children, so it would not be immediately available. Stockholm, March 16 : The number of work-related illnesses nearly doubled in Sweden last year, with many of the cases related to Covid-19, according to official figures. The figures released by the Swedish Work Environment Authority on Monday revealed that the increase was 28 per cent among men and 119 per cent among women, Xinhua news agency reported. "Fighting the effects of the pandemic is an important gender equality issue," Minister of Employment Eva Nordmark at a press conference. "I cannot stress enough that employers must take full responsibility and do whatever is necessary to reduce the spread of infection." Sectors where the majority of the workforce are women were overrepresented in the count, Ann Ponton Klevestedt, head of statistics and analysis at the Work Environment Authority, said in a statement. "Employees in health and care and social services have been particularly vulnerable to infection at work. But we have a general spread of infection and all employers must do their utmost to reduce the spread of infection in their workplaces while waiting for vaccines. No one should have to be infected or ill from their work." There were also signs the problem could be accelerating. Between weeks seven and 53 in 2020, the Work Environment Authority received just over 5,200 reports on potentially unsafe work conditions or environment due to Covid-19. During the first 10 weeks of this year, more than 9,700 such cases were reported, the vast majority from workplaces in the health and care sectors. "Many employers do very well, but there is potential to do even more," Erna Zelmin-Ekenhem, director-general of the Work Environment Authority, said at the press conference. "It is important to remember that behind the statistics there are people who have been exposed to or risked being killed by a deadly virus." While hundreds of thousands of Swedes already work from home due to the pandemic, the Minister of Employment said that more employees should be allowed to do so if possible. "I have received signals that there are employers who do not enable employees to work from home, although permanent staff say they could do it," Nordmark said, adding that she will invite representatives of trade unions and employer organisations to discuss further action. Los Angeles, March 16 : The organisation behind the Golden Globes, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, has committed to adding at least 13 Black members to the group ahead of next year's ceremony. "As a demonstration of our commitment, the board has unanimously approved a plan to increase membership to a minimum of 100 members this year, with a requirement that at least 13 percent of the membership be Black journalists," the organisation said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. The statement was issued by the HFPA on Monday night (Tuesday according to India time) after more than 100 PR firms representing nearly all of Hollywood's talent released an open letter demanding "transformational change" within the HFPA. The organisation currently has 87 members and they plan on increasing the membership to a minimum of 100 by next year, with at least 13 per cent of those members being Black journalists. Earlier this month, the organisation had promised to bring in "transformational changes" in a statement issued by them on Instagram. "We are improving our efforts to create transparency into our operations, voting, processes, eligibility and membership. These are the initial steps we will take over the next 60 days and we will carry out further actions based on recommendations that come from these initial reviews and assessments," the statement read. The statement was slammed by the Time's Up Movement, who asked the organisation to act instead of releasing statements. "On behalf of the many artists who look to us to hold the HFPA's feet to the fire on the racism, disrespect, misogyny and alleged corrupt financial dealings of the Golden Globes, we need to see specific details, timetables for change, and firm commitments. The right words are not enough. The clock is ticking," Times Up campaign's official handle posted on Twitter. In early 2019, the internet was aglow with news about Chris Pratt and his fiancee, Katherine Schwarzenegger, moving in together. Media outlets cited the couples evangelical Christian faith as the reason they did not cohabit until they were engaged. Few suggested there was any contradiction between Pratts cohabitation and his status as a devout Christian, a folksy, popular evangelical who urged living boldly in faith. This may seem odd to those who recognize that Scripture forbids all sexual activity outside marriage. But the choice that Pratt and Schwarzenegger made isnt contained to Hollywoodits the new norm among young, professing evangelicals across America. While speaking to a large gathering of evangelical pastors in late 2019 in Pennsylvania, I asked how many of them regularly faced cohabitation in their churches. Most raised their hands. One told me that he had stopped conducting weddings because so many of his engaged couples were cohabiting and got angry when he addressed it. Another suffered bitter criticism from church members when he dismissed a church employee who refused to leave a cohabiting arrangement. What I have seen for years in large national surveys and learned in interviews with a spectrum of pastors in 2019 corresponds with these anecdotes: Evangelicals, especially those under 40, increasingly see cohabitation as morally acceptable. Most young evangelicals have engaged in it or expect to. Simply put, living together is far more common and accepted than Christians realize. American pastors are grappling with how to navigate wedding policies and premarital counseling among cohabiting congregants. But one thing is certain: ... 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. The hero of Mafeking, veteran of numerous military campaigns, the founder of the Scout movement, whose name is a household word throughout the world, greeted his Australian admirers with a cheery smile, from the deck of the Marama early yesterday morning. Despite his advanced years - he is 75 years of age - Lord Baden-Powell displayed remarkable activity, and his intense and kindly interest in every individual with whom he came in contact immediately endeared him to the few privileged Scouts who were introduced to him on the boat. Long before the Marama arrived in Sydney, a large number of Scouts and Cubs and Girl Guides, gathered on the Darling Harbour wharf. Several diminutive boys, imbued with hero-worship for the founder of the great world-wide movement, confessed that they had journeyed to the city, breakfastless, in order to arrive on time to see the Chief Scout. Lord and Lady Baden Powell standing on a platform in the middle of a scout formation, new South Wales, 1931 Credit:Staff photographer You see, hell be surrounded by crowds once he is in Sydney, one of them explained, and I might not get another chance of seeing him closely. As soon as the large steamer approached the wharf, the spare khaki-garbed figure of the Chief Scout could be seen leaning over the rail scanning the crowd below. Beside him was Lady Baden-Powell, the head of the Girl Guides. She was dressed in the trim blue uniform of the movement. Colonel Le Breton, the official secretary, was in attendance. Greetings on the vessel were extremely brief and simple. Interviews were forbidden. Formalities were dispensed with. The Chief had asked for quietness, and his request was obeyed implicitly. Left-handed hand shakes were the order of the day. The Governor was represented by his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Commander Gifford. Others in the official party were the chairman of the Australian Federal Scout Council (Councillor Luxton, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne), Colonel J. M. Maughan, Chief Commissioner for New South Wales, and Sir Kelso King, chairman of the New South Wales executive committee, Miss M. Chisholm, Commissioner of the New South Wales Girl Guides. SENSE device uses low-power tailored radio frequency (RF) pulse to detect changes that may indicate expanding brain bleed; Current standard of care lacks a means to monitor brain injury continuously, non-invasively, in real time, between CT scans Sense Diagnostics announces initiation of clinical trial to evaluate a non-invasive brain scanner to monitor intracranial hemorrhage SENSE device uses low-power tailored radio frequency (RF) pulse to detect changes that may indicate expanding brain bleed Current standard of care lacks a means to monitor brain injury continuously, non-invasively, in real time, between CT scans CINCINNATI, OH - March 16, 2021 - Sense Diagnostics, a medical technology company focused on improving outcomes for stroke and brain injury patients, announced the initiation of a multicenter pivotal trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a non-invasive brain scanner to monitor intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in an acute hospital setting. The SENSE device is a headset equipped with antennae that transmit a low-power tailored radio frequency (RF) pulse across the brain and uses an algorithm to detect signal changes that may indicate an expansion in ICH. The trial, titled "A Prospective, Two-Stage, Non-randomized, Multi-center Within Patient Comparison Study to Evaluate the SENSE Device's Ability to Monitor Intracranial Hemorrhage," follows positive in vitro and in vivo proof of concept studies and a successful first in human feasibility study. The trial will enroll up to 400 patients with a diagnostic head CT scan demonstrating primary spontaneous ICH or traumatic ICH within 24 hours of symptom onset or injury. Patients may be actively monitored with the device for up to 48 hours, with results compared with data from regularly scheduled CT scans. Each year nearly 800,000 people suffer strokes in the United States and 1.7 million Americans suffer traumatic brain injury. Ongoing or repeat bleeding in the brain, experienced by about 40% of patients following a hemorrhagic stroke and 50% of TBI patients, contributes to decreased brain function and poor outcomes. Repeat bleeding may be difficult to detect under the current standard of care, which is for a nurse or physician to assess the patient every one to eight hours by having the patient respond to a series of questions and commands. "This rigorously designed trial marks important progress in our effort to assist patients and medical personnel by developing technology to monitor intracranial hemorrhage between CT scans and detect changes that may signal expansion of the bleed at the earliest opportunity," said Opeolu Adeoye, MD, MS, Chief Medical Officer of Sense Diagnostics and Medical Director of the clinical trial. The primary efficacy objective is to assess the positive predictive value of the SENSE device for detecting expansion of up to 3 ml for spontaneous ICH, or up to 6 ml for traumatic ICH, using the change in the CT scan as a reference standard. The study is being conducted to obtain approval of the device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ### About Sense Diagnostics Sense Diagnostics is a medical technology company focused on improving outcomes for stroke and brain injury patients through technology innovations that enable faster detection and more effective triage. Sense is developing non-invasive technology to enable continuous, real-time brain injury monitoring as well as rapid detection of traumatic brain injury and important stroke subtypes--ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion, ischemic stroke without large vessel occlusion, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Learn more at https:/ / senseneuro. com . Media Contact: Peg Rusconi Communications Specialist prusconi@senseneuro.com +1 617.910.6217 Relatives cry over the body of Min Khant Soe, who was shot and killed during the security force crack down on anti-coup protesters in Yangon, Myanmar March 15, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer Myanmar security forces shot dead at least 20 pro-democracy protesters yesterday, an activist group said, and the military junta imposed martial law in parts of the main city Yangon, giving commanders wide powers to stamp out dissent. Supporters of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi marched again, including in the second city of Mandalay and in the central towns of Myingyan and Aunglan, where police opened fire, witnesses and media reported. One girl got shot in the head and a boy got shot in the face, an 18-year-old protester in Myingyan told Reuters by telephone. Im now hiding. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said at least 20 people had been killed on Monday in shootings by security forces. The Myanmar Now media outlet reported protests across the country, including in the Yangon district of Hlaingthaya, the scene of unrest and arson attacks the previous day. A journalist in Mandalay said one person was shot dead there after a big protest had passed off peacefully. A junta spokesman did not answer calls requesting comment and Reuters could not independently confirm all the casualties. The AAPP said 74 people died on Sunday, many of them in demonstrations in Hlaingthaya, a factory area. In total, 183 people have been killed by security forces in the weeks of protests against the coup and the casualties were drastically increasing, the group said. In Washington, the US State Department said the military's violence against protesters was "immoral and indefensible". United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the Myanmar military to allow a visit by his special envoy to help calm the situation and set the stage for dialogue and a return to democracy. "The killing of demonstrators, arbitrary arrests and the reported torture of prisoners violate fundamental human rights and stand in clear defiance of calls by the Security Council for restraint, dialogue and a return to Myanmar's democratic path," his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said. Read More The protesters took to the streets in defiance of the authorities, whose escalating use of violence resulted in dozens being killed on Sunday. The United Nations said yesterday that at least 138 peaceful protesters have been killed since the February 1 military coup. Arson attacks on Sunday provoked Chinas strongest comments yet on the turmoil gripping its neighbour, where many people see China as supportive of the coup. Chinas Global Times newspaper said 32 Chinese factories were vandalised in vicious attacks that caused damage worth $37m, while its embassy urged Myanmars generals to stop the violence. We wish that Myanmars authorities can take further relevant and effective measures to guarantee the security of the lives and assets of Chinese companies and personnel, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing. Japan, which has long competed for influence in Myanmar with China, said it was monitoring the situation and considering how to respond in terms of economic co-operation. The worst of Sundays bloodshed came in the Yangon suburb of Hlaingthaya where security forces killed at least 37 protesters after arson attacks on Chinese-owned factories, said a doctor in the area who declined to be identified. Sixteen people were killed in other places, rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said, as well as one policeman. Media said martial law had been imposed in several districts of Yangon, and in parts of Mandalay. In an apparent bid to suppress news, telecoms firms were ordered to block all mobile data, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. Telecom Telenor said in a statement mobile internet was unavailable. The army said it took power after its accusations of fraud in a 2020 election won by Ms Suu Kyis party were rejected by the electoral commission. It has promised to hold a new election but has not set a date. Ms Suu Kyi has been detained since the coup and faces various charges, including illegally importing walkie-talkie radios and infringing coronavirus protocols. Last week, a charge related to accepting illegal payments was added to the list. She was due to face another virtual court hearing yesterday but her lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, told Reuters the session could not go ahead because the internet was down which meant no video conferencing. The next hearing will be on March 24, he said. Khin Maung Zaw also said authorities had informed him the detained Nobel laureate would only be permitted to be represented by two junior lawyers. Tesla added Technoking of Tesla to billionaire chief executive officer Elon Musks list of official titles, in a regulatory filing that also named finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn Master of Coin. The electric-car maker did not explain the reasons for the cryptic new titles as it filed an official notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday (US time). Last month, Tesla revealed it had purchased $US1.5 billion of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, sending the price of the worlds most popular cryptocurrency soaring. The electric-car maker did not explain the reasons for the cryptic new titles as it filed an official notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Credit:Bloomberg Later on Monday, Musk tweeted an animation depicting what appeared to be a golden trophy decorated with coins and accompanied by a pulsing electronic soundtrack. Im selling this song about NFTs as an NFT, the tweet said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a virtual summit with his counterpart in Finland Sanna Marin, in which India's role in the critical phase of the COVID-19 pandemic was discussed in depth. Maintaining that combating the spread of the virus is the top priority of all governments, Marin acknowledged India's efforts in what she referred to as the 'extensive vaccination programme'. PM Narendra Modi holds a virtual summit with Finland PM Sanna Marin "The top item on the agenda of all heads of governments is the COVID19 pandemic. I want to recognize the efforts of India in an extensive vaccination program": Finland PM Sanna Marin pic.twitter.com/XEk3XRMgDF ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2021 Elaborating on the same, PM Modi stated that in the year 2020, the country sent medicines and other essentials to more than 150 countries, and in the past few weeks, more than 70 countries have received more than 58 million doses of the Made in India vaccines. In 2020, we sent medicines and other essentials to more than 150 countries. And in recent weeks, about 70 countries have received more than 58 million doses of made in India vaccines: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/tx00GsoOrP ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2021 Vaccine Maitri India's Vaccine Maitri programme that was started around a month ago, aims to help poor countries amid the global pandemic. In this brief period, the country has got delivered around 45.6 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech's indigenous vaccine, of which 38.47 million doses were commercial supplies and 7.12 million doses were granted to around 45 countries. Neighbouring Bangladesh, which received 9 million doses of COVID-vaccines- 7 million doses as commercial supplies and 2 million doses as grant assistance, on January 21 and an additional 5 million and 2 million doses of commercial supplies on January 25 and February 22, is the major recipient. Morocco emerged as the second major recipient with commercial supplies of 2 million, 4 million and 1 million doses of the vaccine on January 22, February, 11 and February 24, respectively. Ghana, Nigeria, Guyana, Guatemala, Tajikistan are some of the recent beneficiaries of this programme. Some other countries that have received India's gift of vaccines in the past include Brazil, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. With vaccines being administered and many people started to look at the coronavirus in the rearview mirror, Charleston International plans to see airlines offering 90 percent of their pre-COVID passenger capacity by May. The leader of the airport board said March 16 nearly 250,000 seats will be available to travelers as carriers ramp service back up. That compares to about 273,000 in May 2019, 10 months before the pandemic decimated the air travel industry. All of the major carriers at Charleston International plan to add more daily nonstop flights, increasing monthly departures from 1,681 this month to 2,312 in May. "May could be higher," said Helen Hill, chairwoman of Charleston County Aviation Authority and CEO of tourism agency Explore Charleston. Delta Air Lines, the airport's largest carrier by volume, will go from eight Atlanta-bound flights a day to start the year to 10 flights in May. It also will boost service to Detroit to three times a day. Similarly, American Airlines will serve its Charlotte hub more frequently from the Lowcountry, going to nine routes a day from six at the beginning of the year. United, Southwest and Frontier will serve Denver three times a day. The market is now being served on a non-daily basis by United and Southwest. Alaska Airlines will go from three times a week to daily service to Seattle, and JetBlue will increase its flights to Los Angeles from Saturday only to four times a week. 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! Flights to Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and all three airports serving New York City JFK, LaGuardia and Newark also will see increased service. Some carriers, such as Allegiant, will add new destinations in late May: Louisville, Ky., and the St. Louis area. "We are at the forefront of bringing our flights back," Hill said. "People are ready to go somewhere. I'm ready to go somewhere." She also noted that the increase in seat offerings doesn't mean every flight will be filled. For instance, of the 273,000 seats available in May 2019, about 235,000 were sold, leaving about 14 percent of them empty, according to airport data. Still, while the airport has been operating at 40 percent passenger capacity for several months, including February, the number of ticket holders is projected to be down 27 percent this month, 20 percent in April and 10 percent in May, based on data from 2019. About 62,000 more seats are being offered in March over February for a total of just over 173,000. Another 24,000 seats will become available in April, with 50,000 more to follow in May. Air service declined by 96 percent across the nation last April as people were told to stay home during the coronavirus lockdown. Traffic could return to pre-COVID levels by 2022, based on current projections. A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit from New York state against the federal Environmental Protection Agency over its 2019 decision that General Electric had completed a Hudson River dredging remediation project. The Times Union of Albany reported U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd said the states suit came too late in the process and was based on improper theories. The EPA in April 2019 had issued a certificate of completion to Boston-based GE in connection to a project to remove polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, from the river sediment. PCBs, used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment, were banned in 1977, but prior to that GE factories had discharged more than 1 million pounds of them into the river. New York officials and environmentalists condemned the EPAs decision, saying contaminant levels were still too high and that the agency should have withheld the certificate and asked for more dredging. The state filed its lawsuit in August of that year. In a statement, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said it was considering a possible appeal of the decision. GE issued a statement saying the decision was being reviewed and that it would continue to meet its commitments to EPA and New York State on Hudson River-related projects. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits New York Pollution The youth in the Atwima Mponua Constituency has appealed to the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Danqwah Akuffo-Addo, to consider the good works done by Mr. Williams Yaw Darko, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, and retain him in his second term. According to the youth, their DCE performed extremely well in his first term and they are optimistic he will do even much better for the area if he is being maintained. Addressing a press conference at Nyinahin on behalf of the youth group in Atwima Mponua District, Mr. Kwabena Danqwah Nsonyameye, stated clearly that changing Williams Yaw Darko will cause a delay in the progress of the area considering the service he has rendered to the District since his appointment. Citing his effective implementation of government policies including youth afforestation, NABCO, Free Senior High School, One District One Factory which has resulted in job creation in the district. Besides, Mr. Williams Darko has worked assiduously to ensure equitable distribution of resources available to the Assembly. For instance, the distribution of resources to persons with disabilities (PWDs). He has done nothing wrong and has served the people well since he assumed office. His replacement will bring a retrogression in our area. The President must give him another four years and if he is not able to perform then we change him but now Mponua youth said, he explained. According to the youth, the DCE has completed most of the abandoned projects under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since he took the office. The DCE together with MP has connected electricity to about 97% of 124 communities in the Atwima Mponua District, towns like Nkwasiatan, Kojofodoukrom, Kakatri, Aboabo Kalongo, Kasotie, Oboasikrom, Manukrom, etc. And also made provision of mechanized and manual boreholes for the people. Aside from that, he also lobbied for several CHIP compounds which have been built to help the people to get access to quality healthcare to the people of Atwima Nwabiagya South to seek health care at Anweafutu Health centre. Through him and his workaholic MP, though Atwima Mponua was not part of 88 district hospital, now it has been included. Hon. Williams Darkos outfit helped the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in winning the Parliamentary seat. The youth disclosed the DCE did not get things easier in his first term of office as according to them, the DCE used his time and his own resources at Court when Ibrahim Mahama the brother of former President John Dramani Mahama took Nyinahin bauxite to the Supreme court. But by Gods grace and through Hon. Williams Darko (DCE) Hon. Simon Osei Mensah (Regional Minister) and Member of Parliament Isaac Kwame Asiamah, won the case now the bauxite creating more jobs for the youth in Atwima Mponua. The Atwima Mponua NPP Constituency Executives, including Chairman, Mr. Isaac Kofi Marfo has expressed satisfaction with the performance of the DCE in the past four years. The majority of the Past Constituency Executives and current Executives are backing him to be reappointment. According to the youth group, Williams Darko never undermines the work of the NPP and his Member of Parliament, Hon. Isaac Bohyeba Asiamah and they will campaign assiduously for Isaac Asiamah if the President maintains Williams Darko as the DCE. The major problem of Atwima Mponua district is deplorable roads, now through Hon. Isaac Asiamah (MP) and Hon. Williams Darko (DCE) construction of 116 KM roads is ongoing in the district. Mpasatia to Berdabour is completed, Mpasatia town roads 98%, Nyinahin Town roads 98%, Tano-Dumase to Anansu, Nyinahin Kyereaso Nkwanta to Sreso Timpom, Amangoase to Achiase, Fowaa Nkwanta to Bayerebon, Kwanfifini to Kotokuom and other communities will start very soon. Under his watch as the DCE, the Assembly has also been able to provide seedlings to the majority of the farmers in the area. The majority of Assembly members in the district also justified their call on the President to retain the DCE for his good human relations and good government achievements. In the area of good governance, the credibility and competency of Williams Darko is very high. He has good interpersonal relationships with chiefs and elders in the district and as head of DISEC. He has properly managed security issues in the district, including chieftaincy. Some of the Assembly members hint that his relationship between them irrespective of Political persuasions, not to talk about his humility. Meanwhile, some groups who campaigned against Hon. Isaac Kwame Asiamah and NPP in the 2020 Election, do not want Williams Darko to be retained. All that they are saying are not true, the DCE has performed creditably. Attachments area 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 Work will begin on site this summer with the infrastructure and clubhouse with completion planned within 36 months. Potential buyers will be invited to select their preferred site and choose their model of villa from a range of options. Named Sidra, meaning life among the forests, the 500,000 sqm development will be surrounded by 20,000 native trees and is the largest single real estate project in Bosnia. It will offer a gated community of high-specifications villas designed for modern living, in an area classified as one of the healthiest and cleanest in the Balkans. Mr. Yousef Bin Abdullah Al Shalash, Chairman of Dar Al Arkan said, "we are proud that Saudi local brands can go overseas and compete effectively and spread the name of Saudi Arabia. After launching our project in Dubai, we are now expanding into Bosnia which presents a golden opportunity to purchase a piece of prime real estate in a highly desirable European destination and we believe it will attract Bosnian, Saudi and international investors. We are delighted to collaborate with local Bosnian architects, consultants and contractors on this project. We also applaud the swift government granting of licenses to start the project, which also demonstrates Bosnia's desire to attract foreign investors." Emir Ferovic, Director of Operations of Real Engineering & Consulting company, who is managing the design and execution of the project, added, "Bosnia is a cultural destination which combines history, a Mediterranean climate and a stunning natural environment with excellent links to the rest of Europe. It is rapidly growing in popularity and this development provides the perfect investment for those wishing to be part of the country's developing luxury tourism and hospitality sector." He added "Sidra will be a wonderful sanctuary for those wishing to relax within a private, gated community surrounded by luxury facilities and services." The development will incorporate contemporary villas inspired by local architecture and feature stylish interiors that harmoniously blend with the spectacular views. Facilities on-site will include a clubhouse, cafe, supermarket, gym, spa, children's playground and a 5-star boutique hotel. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1457294/Dar_Al_Arkan_Bosnia.jpg SOURCE Dar Al Arkan STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. With coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine eligibility set to expand this week and an increasing supply expected, two elected officials toured a Staten Island vaccination site Monday. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) toured the site at Empire Outlets Monday afternoon as calls continue for more vaccine access on Staten Island. I know they want to expand capacity,' Williams said. You probably need to get a couple more (sites) in different areas of Staten Island. We obviously have to just open some more sites. The vaccination hub at Empire Outlets operates seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the outlets website. Pending availability, New Yorkers can schedule appointments at the Empire Outlets site through the citys vaccine website or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC or 877-829-4692. The other city-run sites offering vaccines are Port Richmond High School, Staten Island Technical High School and Susan Wagner High School. The city also has a 24-7 site at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt site in Clifton. According to the latest data available from the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 15% of Staten Islanders have been fully vaccinated tied with Manhattan for the highest percentage among the boroughs and 28% have received at least one dose. During their tour, Rose and Williams spoke with several people receiving vaccinations at the hub, which offers the two-dose Pfizer vaccine and is staffed by Staten Island University Hospital. It was gratifying to see so many Staten Islanders receiving their life-saving vaccines at the Empire Outlets, Rose said. As supply and eligibility increases, I hope to see more and more residents able to utilize this community vaccination hub. Gov. Andrew Cuomo reiterated Monday that public-facing essential workers would become eligible Wednesday, although the state has yet to make clear who falls into that category. When it announced the latest expansion last week, the governors office identified public works employees, social service and child service caseworkers, government inspectors, sanitation workers, DMV workers, county clerks, building service workers and election workers as those being added to the list. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European markets closed higher on Tuesday as investors looked ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement and picked up shares amid optimism about global economic recovery. Markets also benefited from positive reaction to news about EU leaders reaffirming their commitment to support the bloc's economy and agreeing on the need to keep a budgetary stance in 2021 and in 2022. The upside remained capped after White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci pointed to Europe as warning to Americans that letting up mitigation measures early could put the U.S. on a similar course. Investors were also looking ahead to the monetary policy announcements from the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan. The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.88%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 gained 0.8%, Germany's DAX surged up 0.66% and France's CAC 40 ended up 0.32%, while Switzerland's SMI advanced 0.71%. Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey closed higher. Belgium, Czech Republic, Norway and Poland ended weak, while Finland closed flat. In the UK market, British Land Company, Rolls-Royce Holdings, Land Securities, Ocado Group, BT Group, 3I Group, Sainsbury J, Barratt Developments, Morrison Supermarkets, Schrodders and Berkeley Group Holdings gained 2.5 to 4.6%. AstraZeneca rose sharply after the chief scientist of the World Health Organization recommended that countries continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for now despite concerns about blood clots in some people who have received it. Just Eat Takeaway, Royal Dutch Shell, CRH, BP and Antofagasta lost 1 to 2.1%. Natwest Group shares ended weak as the Financial Conduct Authority launched criminal proceedings against the company for allegedly failing to comply with anti-money laundering laws. In the French market, Unibail Rodamco rallied nearly 5%. Safran gained about 2.5%, while STMicroElectronics, Dassault Systemes, Airbus Group, Air Liquide, Sanofi, Teleperformance, Valeo and Air France-KLM gained 1 to 2%. Technip slid more than 2.5%. Essilor, Renault, Bouygues, Total, Veolia, Michelin and BNP Paribas also ended notably lower. In the German market, Volkswagen shares rose nearly 7% after the company expressed confidence that cost cuts will help it improve profit margins in the coming years. Continental, BMW, Merck, Deutsche Wohnen, MTU Aero Engines, Vonovia, Daimler, Deutsche Post, Linde and Infineon Technologies gained 1 to 3.5%. On the other hand, RWE declined sharply after the company reported its fiscal 2021 adjusted net income was 1.2 billion euros, above the outlook of 0.85 billion euros to 1.15 billion euros. Thyssenkrupp and Adidas also ended weak. In economic releases, French consumer prices grew 0.6% annually in February, the same rate as seen in January, final data from the statistical office Insee showed. This was bigger than the 0.4% estimated on February 26. Month-on-month, consumer prices remained stable after a 0.2% rise in January. The monthly rate was revised from -0.1%. German economic confidence improved in March, survey data from the ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research showed on Tuesday. The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment rose 5.4 points to 76.6 points in March. The reading was above economists' forecast of 74.0. The current economic situation index climbed 6.2 points to -61.0 in March. The expected level was -62.0. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de WASHINGTON - Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized influence operations to help Donald Trump in last November's presidential election, according to a declassified intelligence assessment that found broad efforts by the Kremlin and Iran to shape the outcome of the race but ultimately no evidence that any foreign actor changed votes or otherwise disrupted the voting process. FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2020, file photo, mostly masked northern Nevadans wait to vote in-person at Reed High School in Sparks, Nev., prior to polls closing. U.S. officials say they found no evidence that foreign actors changed votes or otherwise disrupted the voting process in last Novembers presidential election. That's according to government reports on March 16, 2021, affirming the integrity of the contest won by President Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner, File) WASHINGTON - Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized influence operations to help Donald Trump in last November's presidential election, according to a declassified intelligence assessment that found broad efforts by the Kremlin and Iran to shape the outcome of the race but ultimately no evidence that any foreign actor changed votes or otherwise disrupted the voting process. The report released Tuesday from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence represents the most detailed assessment of the array of foreign threats to the 2020 election. These included efforts by Iran to undermine confidence in the vote and harm Trumps re-election prospects as well as Moscow operations that relied on Trump's allies to smear Joe Biden, the eventual winner. Despite those threats, though, intelligence officials found "no indications that any foreign actor attempted to interfere in the 2020 US elections by altering any technical aspect of the voting process, including voter registration, ballot casting, vote tabulation, or reporting results. The report is the latest official affirmation of the integrity of the election, even as Trump supporters continue to make false claims of interference, from foreign or domestic actors, and refuse to accept Bidens victory. Multiple courts and even Trumps own Justice Department refuted claims of widespread fraud. The document makes clear that even while Trump has cried foul about the legitimacy of the election, intelligence officials believe Russia sought to influence people close to Trump as a way to tip the election in his favour. The report wades into the politically charged task of ferreting out which foreign adversaries supported which candidates during the 2020 election, an issue that dominated headlines last year. Trump, whose 2016 campaign benefited from hacking by Russian intelligence officers and a covert social media effort, seized on an intelligence assessment from August that said China preferred a Biden presidency even though the same assessment also said Russia was working to boost Trump's own candidacy by disparaging Biden. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via video conference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 12, 2021. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Tuesday's report, however, says China ultimately did not interfere on either side and considered but did not deploy" influence operations intended to affect the outcome. U.S. officials say they believe Beijing prioritized a stable relationship with the U.S. and did not consider either election outcome as advantageous enough for it to risk the blowback that would ensue if it got caught with interfering. The primary threats instead came from Russia and Iran, albeit with different intentions and through different means, according to intelligence officials. In the case of Russia, the report says, Russia sought to undermine Bidens candidacy because it viewed his presidency as opposed to the Kremlin's interests, though it took some steps to prepare for a Democratic administration as the election neared. The report also says Putin authorized influence operations aimed at denigrating Biden, boosting Trump, undermining confidence in the election and exacerbating social divisions in the U.S. Central to that effort was reliance on proxies linked to Russian intelligence to launder influence narratives" by using media organizations, U.S. officials and people close to Trump to push misleading or unsubstantiated" allegations against Biden. Intelligence officials did not single out any Trump ally in that effort. But longtime associate Rudy Giuliani met multiple times with Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Derkach, who in 2020 released heavily edited recordings of Biden in an effort to link the Democratic nominee to unsubstantiated corruption allegations. U.S. officials have said they regard Derkach as an active Russian agent, and Tuesday's report said Putin is believed to have purview over his activities. Notably, though, Russia was not as aggressive as in past election cycles in trying to hack election infrastructure. The report says Russian cyber operations that targeted state and local government networks last year were probably not election-focused and were instead part of a broader effort to target U.S. and global entities. Iran, meanwhile, carried out its own influence campaign aimed at harming Trump's re-election bid, an effort U.S. officials say was probably approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. One highly targeted operation" the subject of an October news conferenc e by then-Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Christopher Wray involved a flurry of emails to Democratic voters in battleground states that falsely purported to be from the far-right group Proud Boys and threatened the recipients if they didn't vote for Trump. Iran's efforts, which officials say were more aggressive than in past elections and continued even after the contest was over, were focused on sowing discord in the U.S., likely because Tehran believed that would hurt Trump's re-election chances. Though Iran sought to exploit vulnerabilities on state election websites, and did compromise US entities associated with election infrastructure as a part of a broad targeting effort across multiple sectors worldwide, it did not attempt to manipulate votes or affect election infrastructure, the report concluded. The 15-page document is a declassified version of an election interference report that was provided to Trump on Jan. 7, one day after a riot at the U.S. Capitol that occurred as Congress was gathering to certify the election results. A separate document released Tuesday from the departments of Justice and Homeland Security reached a similar conclusion about the integrity of the election, saying there was no evidence any foreign actor had changed votes. _____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that even after the stake sale, Delhi airport and Mumbai airport will continue to generate revenue for the Airport Authority of India. Puri said this in response to a tweet by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who criticised the government over reports that it is planning to sell the residual stake held by AAI in four airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports. "Mumbai airport shares 39% & Delhi shares 46% of their gross revenue with the govt. These two airports have generated Rs 29,000 cr till 31 Dec 2020. Even after the stake sale, @AAI_Official will continue to receive this share which will be used to develop aviation infrastructure," said Puri in a series of tweets. Mumbai airport shares 39% & Delhi shares 46% of their gross revenue with the govt. These two airports have generated 29,000 cr till 31 Dec 2020. Even after the stake sale, @AAI_Official will continue to receive this share which will be used to develop aviation infrastructure. Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) March 15, 2021 He said, referring to Rahul Gandhi, "Political leaders, specially those who aspire for governance, should acquaint themselves with facts. People of New India who earlier wanted a railway station in their town now don't just want an airport, but want an international airport (sic)." Puri added that privatisation is a way to raise resources in order to fulfill the aspiration of citizens without imposing new taxes. He said that the four airports for which concern is being raised were privatised/constructed during the Congress regime. Privatisation is a means of raising resources to fulfill the aspirations of our citizens without imposing new taxes. The four airports about which concern is being raised were privatised/constructed during Congress regime. Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) March 15, 2021 The minister said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has the target of developing 100 more airports in Tier 2 and 3 cities. He said that routes connecting 56 underserved and unserved airports including five heliports and two water aerodromes were made operational in the last seven years. "Those who are raising concerns should also know that @DelhiAirport & @CSMIA_Official are on a 60 yr lease, these & the 6 other airports will be back with AAI after the lease period. So, nothing as they claim, is being 'Sold Out!' (sic)," said the minister. Those who are raising concerns should also know that @DelhiAirport & @CSMIA_Official are on a 60 yr lease, these & the 6 other airports will be back with AAI after the lease period. So, nothing as they claim, is being 'Sold Out!' Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) March 15, 2021 Rahul Gandhi criticised the government on Monday for planning to sell its residual stake in the four already-private airports. "Banana nahin, sirf bechna jaante hai. #IndiaAgainstPrivatisation which hurts the public and benefits only a handful of cronies," tweeted Gandhi. The Centre plans to sell the residual stake of AAI as part of its Rs 2.5 lakh crore asset monetisation pipeline. Also read: Centre to sell remaining stake in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad airports Also read: French firm plans equity investments in India's airport privatisation projects COLUMBIA Two more South Carolina men, including a Citadel cadet, face charges connected with participating in the U.S. Capitol riot in January. Elias Irizarry and Elliot Bishai face charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building without lawful authority, knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in any restricted buildings, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to federal court documents. The men are not accused of any direct acts of violence during the Jan. 6 riot. They were released on $25,000 unsecured bond after a hearing March 16 at the federal courthouse in Columbia. They have another hearing March 22. The men said nothing during the hearing. Irizarry, 19, is a freshman at The Citadel who has hometowns in Fort Mill and just outside Los Angeles. He remains a cadet at the school pending an investigation, a spokeswoman said. Irizarry received a gold star from The Citadel after earning a grade-point average of 3.7 or more in the fall semester, according to a school news release. On his Facebook profile he posted he is studying security and intelligence studies at The Citadel. His father is veteran soap opera actor Vincent Irizarry, who appeared for years in "All My Children" and "Guiding Light." Bishai, 20, also is from Fort Mill. He was slated to attend Oklahoma State University in its ROTC program with plans to become an Air Force pilot, according to a Facebook post for the Gastonia Civil Air Patrol. He now has been accepted into an Army flight program and was scheduled to start training at Fort Jackson later this spring, his father, Hani Bishai said. The two men are said to have traveled to Washington, D.C., with Grayson Sherrill, of Cherryville, N.C., who also faces federal charges for breaking into the Capitol. The FBI was told Sherrill's father shared a screen grab of his son inside the Rotunda with relatives, according to a federal complaint. Hani Bishai and Lorraine Irizarry, Elias' mother, told reporters after the hearing their sons did not intend any harm and were swept up in the hundreds who stormed inside the Capitol to protest the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden. Lorraine Irizarry said her son had stopped to thank Capitol police for their service while he was inside the Capitol. Elias Irizarry cried when he returned home from Washington, saying he did not expect the protest to be so violent, Lorraine Irizarry said. The parents said their sons, who are accused of committing misdemeanors, were being lumped in with other Capitol rioters charged with acts of violence. When you hear them say things about your child like that, and hes put in with others that did so wrong, its hard, Lorraine Irizarry said. I think there were many bad actors and what happened shouldnt be taken lightly, Hani Bishai said, but he felt sending a large contingency of officers to search the home where he lives with his son was excessive. An unidentified witness sent a tip to the FBI identifying two men inside the Capitol as Bishai and Irizarry, according to papers filed in federal court. The witness, along with two others, knew the men from a Civil Air Patrol unit. They told the FBI they recognized clothing the men wore at the Capitol. One witness said based on their location on the social media app Snapchat, that Bishai and Irizarry were in Washington on Jan. 6. A relative of Bishai's said he took selfies at the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to the complaint. They are seen in photos and videos entering the Capitol through a broken window, walking around halls and taking photos next to a statue of Dwight Eisenhower, the complaint said. At least two other South Carolinians have been arrested for their roles in the Capitol breach. William Robert Norwood III, 37, of Greer faces charges including theft of government property for allegedly stealing an officers helmet and tactical vest, which an FBI agent said were later found in a storage trailer in Greenville. Andrew Hatley was charged with breaking into the U.S. Capitol after an investigation that relied on GPS data and a selfie the man allegedly took while inside the building. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia A Florida teenager who hijacked more than 100 Twitter accounts belonging to top public figures, including Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Gates, as part of a Bitcoin scam last year, has agreed to plead guilty to dozens of charges in exchange for a three-year prison term. Documents filed in Hillsborough Circuit Court on Monday indicate that 18-year-old Graham Ivan Clark has agreed to enter guilty pleas to 30 criminal counts, including organized fraud, communications fraud, fraudulent use of personal information and accessing a computer without authority. Under the conditions of the plea agreement, Clark will be sentenced as a youthful offender to three years behind bars on each count, to run concurrently, followed by three years of probation. Scroll down for video Florida hacking 'mastermind' Graham Ivan Clark (left and right), 18, has pleaded guilty to 30 counts in exchange for a three-year prison term, followed by three years of probation Clark breached former President Barack Obama's Twitter account to solicit donations Tweets from public figures, among them Bill Gates, offered to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address Clark agreed to plead guilty Monday in a remote court appearance conducted via Zoom He will receive credit for time served in jail since his arrest in July 2020, and he may qualify to serve a portion of his prison term at a military-style boot camp. While on probation, Clark will be prohibited from using any electronic devices without consent and supervision of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He also will be required to provide access to all of his passwords, emails, domain names and apps. According to the court filing, if Clark violates his probation, he will be sent back to prison to serve the mandatory minimum term of incarceration, which is 10 years, reported WFLA. During a pre-trial hearing last month, Clark's defense attorney signaled to the court that his client was considering accepting a plea deal with a 'youthful offender' sentencing consideration. In Florida, defendants under the age of 21 may qualify for youthful offender status. Clark was charged in state court because the state law also allows minors to be prosecuted for financial crimes more easily than in the federal system. During a pre-trial hearing, Clark's attorney signaled that his client (pictured in court in August) was considering accepting a plea deal with a 'youthful offender' sentencing consideration Clark was accused of conspiring with Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando, Florida, and Mason Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, UK, who were also charged for their alleged roles in the hack in California federal court. The July 15, 2020, breach, the biggest in Twitter history, compromised the accounts of celebrities including Elon Musk, Kanye West, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Mike Bloomberg, Warren Buffett, Floyd Mayweather and Kim Kardashian. Messages were posted from the famous accounts telling followers to send Bitcoin payments to email addresses, swindling more than $180,000 out of unsuspecting victims in the process. Prosecutors say that Clark gained access to Twitter accounts and to the internal controls of Twitter by compromising a Twitter employee, and then used Fazeli and Sheppard as his minions to sell access to accounts. Mason Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, UK, (pictured) and Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando, Florida, were also charged in relation to the hack in California federal court in February A hacker who identified himself as 'Kirk', believed to be Clark, claimed to be a Twitter employee and said he could 'reset, swap and control any Twitter account at will' in exchange for cybercurrency payments, according to the papers. The documents do not specify Kirk's real identity but say he is a teen being prosecuted in the Tampa area. Twitter has said the hacker gained access to a company dashboard that manages user accounts by using social engineering and spear-phishing smartphones to obtain credentials from 'a small number' of Twitter employees 'to gain access to our internal systems.' Spear-phishing uses email or other messaging to deceive people into sharing access credentials. The hack is said to have begun with a message on Discord, a chat platform used by gamers, from user Kirk#5270, who wrote: 'I work for Twitter. I can claim any name, let me know if you're trying to work.' Another user, who went by the names of Ever so anxious#0001 and Chaewon, then lined up buyers for Twitter handles including an offer of $5,000 for the handle @xx. A third, Rolex#0373, then joined in, offering sought-after account names for $2,500 upwards. Fazeli is thought to be Rolex, Sheppard is Chaewon. A total of 130 accounts were targeted in what marked one of the most high-profile security breaches in recent years. The tweets offered to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address. The fraudulent posts managed to draw in more than $180,000 worth of Bitcoin before Twitter shut it down by deleting the posts and shutting off access for broad swaths of users. Twitter confirmed that 130 accounts were breached, including 45 where passwords and logins were reset and tweets sent. Personal data was also downloaded from eight unverified accounts. A report in October from the New York Department of Financial Services slammed Twitter for security lapses that allowed teenagers to breach the service in a relatively 'simple' attack. 'That Twitter was vulnerable to an unsophisticated attack shows that self-regulation is not the answer,' said Linda Lacewell, the financial services superintendent. Twitter has acknowledged that some employees were duped into sharing account credentials prior to the hack. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 20:21:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Members of China's 5th peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan take a military exercise in South Sudan, on Jan. 4, 2019. (Photo by Zhu Xiaonan/Xinhua) BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers and will work with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date, a foreign ministry spokesperson said here Tuesday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's remarks came after China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the African mission area. This is a concrete measure to fulfill China's pledge to make vaccines global public goods, Zhao said, adding that it has fully demonstrated China's support to the UN and multilateralism as well as its concern for the health and safety of peacekeepers. As one of the champions of the safety and security issue under the "Action for Peacekeeping" initiative of the UN secretary-general, China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers, and supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers to protect their health and help them better perform their duties, he said. "China will work closely with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date," said Zhao. 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. Bringing together an unprecedented number of experts, users and researchers in the field of Origin, the World Customs Organization (WCO) successfully held the Second Global Origin Conference virtually from 10 to 12 March 2021. This event was organized with the financial support of the Korean Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF-Korea). With over 1,300 registered participants from around the globe, and 27 speakers from Customs administrations, international organizations, the private sector and academia, the Conference offered a good opportunity to hear and discuss a wide range of viewpoints and experiences on the topic of Origin. Participants and speakers actively joined the discussions to advance understanding of the current situation with respect to Rules of Origin (RoO) and related challenges. They also exchanged views on what could be done to further facilitate the use of RoO so as to support economic development and trade, while still ensuring the correct application of preferential and non-preferential treatments to ensure the fulfilment of underlying policy objectives. The current relevance of regional integration as a driving force of global supply chain and the increased importance of RoO was emphasized from the outset of the Conference by Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO). Trade agreements and regional integration, encompassing mega-regional agreements and arrangements such as those establishing African and Asian-Pacific free trade areas, are currently being negotiated and implemented and contain key provisions on rules and related procedures pertaining to the application of RoO, said the WCO Secretary General. A new online platform (www.wcotradetools.org), with a user-centric interface and top functionalities, has recently been launched by the WCO to support international trade actors in determining Customs tariffs and taxes, providing a single point of access to the Harmonized System (HS) database, Origin database, and Valuation database, the Secretary General added. During this event, diverse aspects of RoO were covered such as regional integration and its impact on the global economy; the impact of non-preferential RoO; the RoO update to reflect the latest edition of the HS; the work on the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and other WCO tools in which origin matters arise; the implications of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Nairobi Decision on preferential RoO for the Least Developed Countries (LDC); and the future outlook as regards RoO. Through the sessions, participants gained a deep understanding of the following topics: challenges faced by trade professionals when seeking to apply RoO ; current progress and future actions in implementing preferential RoO; development of international guidelines and standards related to implementing RoO, especially through the RKC Review process; and latest efforts by Member administrations and relevant stakeholders to address the different issues. In his closing remarks, Mr. Ricardo Trevino Chapa, WCO Deputy Secretary General, stated that the various themes addressed through intensive and fruitful discussions demonstrate that Rules of Origin are now more topical than ever. They have become a prominent feature of todays trading system, particularly in the context of the various regional trade agreements. Rules of Origin enable preferential agreements to be implemented, which in turn promotes the development of trade and encourages investment. The Deputy Secretary General brought the Conference to a close by thanking all the participants for their outstanding input. He assured them that the WCO would continue working on this topic in close collaboration with other international organizations including the WTO, as well as with the business community and academia. Debra Derrick, 63, was fatally shot last week near her Newark home as she was releasing balloons for her deceased twin sister on their birthdays, a family member said. Happy birthday to me and my sister Diane, she wrote on Facebook last Thursday, hours before she was killed, above a photo of the two as children. I miss you so much love. Authorities would later find her wounded around 8 p.m. on the 200 block of Lehigh Avenue, said the Essex County Prosecutors Office. She died a short time later at University Hospital. Her twin passed like seven years ago from an asthma attack on Mothers Day, said her sister, Ramona Derrick. We would have cake, dinner, laugh, dance, but this one was special because she turned 63 and they was going to let go some balloons for her. Derrick worked at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center as a certified nursing assistant for about seven years, said Ramona Derrick, and she had been on disability at the time of her killing. She had three adult children and cared for her 79-year-old mom, who lived with her. Her sister said she wasnt the intended target and was caught in the crossfire. Her children and grandchildren were releasing balloons with Debra Derrick when gunfire rang out and she tried to get them to safety, the sister said. She was caught in the crossfire, said her sister, who wasnt at the birthday celebration. She was making sure that everybody was safe. She was pushing the two granddaughters in the door. The prosecutors office on Tuesday said no other people were injured in the shooting and the investigation was still ongoing. Her sister said Debra Derrick was a very kind person who had an unbreakable bond with her children. She was born and raised in Newark. Debra and Ramona Derrick were close and spoke on the phone nearly everyday. The last conversation they had was about how to care for their mother, who is now being helped by the rest of the family, the sister said. The family would spend most holidays at Debra Derricks home. Her sisters fondest memories were of Debra Derrick attending large cookouts with family and friends in the summertime. She was a very pleasant person, Ramona Derrick said. She always welcomed people to a meal. Always had an open heart. Anyone with information in Debra Derricks killing should call investigators at 877-847-7432. Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- At least for now, City Council will hold off on any immediate commitment to bringing scooter and electric bike rentals into town, pending further review of logistics and reception elsewhere in the inner-ring suburbs. At a March 8 work session, city officials discussed involvement with the Cuyahoga County Bike and Scooter Share Program, in which new permits are being drawn up for five vendors currently operating in Cleveland. One of the countys oversight requirements is that each vendor place a minimum of 150 scooters or e-bikes outside of Cleveland. The cities of South Euclid, Lakewood and Euclid have signed up for the 2021-22 permit cycle, which takes effect June 1. The bottom line is, should we be working on this and starting to prepare legislation to bring before council or should we wait and not participate this year? City Law Director William Ondrey Gruber asked council. As was the case prior to the coronavirus public health emergency, the cities of University and Cleveland Heights also remain interested in the suburban scooter proposal, but havent passed any enabling legislation either. Its great to revisit this, although Im a little more ambivalent due to COVID-19, Councilwoman Anne Williams said last week. I was feeling more excited about using these scooters when people were commuting more. We may need a better idea now of how these will be used in Shaker. As it stands right now with no formal agreement in place, scooter renters can still ride out into the suburbs from Cleveland. However, once a ride ends in Shaker, that device cannot be restarted and the company has to come pick it up, Shaker City Planner Cameron Roberts explained. Essentially, users can only start rides on these devices if they are within Clevelands boundaries. And that wont change until Shaker signs an agreement through the county and updates its local ordinances accordingly, although there is nothing prohibiting us from doing both of those actions at a later date, Roberts added. This would allow vendors to set up rebalancing locations, basically scooter and e-bike dockless depots in Shaker, such as around Greater Cleveland RTA stations. Toe in the water Mayor David Weiss views scooter use as part of an ongoing continuum of transportation and access throughout our community, and the fact that we have a variety of modes -- particularly trains. Weiss and Roberts noted that the scooters could provide a good solution to first-mile, last-mile trips for commuting to work, shopping and sightseeing. People could be visiting at a convention downtown, then take the rapid out to Shaker and ride a scooter to one of our parks or commercial districts, City Planning Director Joyce Braverman said. Workers could head to the Van Aken District for lunch and back, to the library, Heinens or Thornton Park. Some concerns from council include the use of helmets, which are encouraged by the scooter companies but not required, as they are for bicyclists in Shaker. Theres also the minimum age for riders (18 in Cleveland, but only 16 under State of Ohio guidelines), and whether theyre allowed on sidewalks, which is prohibited in commercial districts of Cleveland, although enforcement remains sketchy, Councilman Rob Zimmerman noted. Williams also asked if there was any explanation of why the approval rating from Shaker residents in a 2019 survey was lower than that garnered in Cleveland Heights, Euclid, South Euclid and University Heights. Out of 1,178 total responses gathered at the end of the year, 455 of those came from Shaker residents. And while just over 73 percent of the overall respondents supported a proposed bike-scooter share trial pilot program pre-pandemic, only about 65 percent of Shaker residents who responded were in favor. There were no immediate reasons given for the disparity in the survey, other than the fact that Shaker residents average age may be a little older than the other participating communities. Tuning up city code Gruber added that another controversial aspect of Shakers existing ordinances requires bicyclists up through age 14 to ride on the sidewalks, so that we have teenagers who arent allowed to ride in the street. Councilman Sean Malone noted that until motorists learn to share the road a little better, it might be safer for all riders, adults and those on scooters to stick to the sidewalks on busier streets like Lee Road and Van Aken Boulevard. Vice Mayor Tres Roeder asked if there was a tentative revenue-sharing agreement already in place with the county. The going rate at this point would be 15 cents for each ride that begins in Shaker. Im interested, but I dont know what were asking our law and planning departments to do, Williams said. Gruber noted that it would take a significant amount of internal work to meet Cleveland and Cuyahoga Countys current requirements. Im getting the sense that, while were interested in the idea, its not high enough on our priority list at this time to have it bump some other priority items, Weiss said. While theres some upside -- the notion of hopping on a scooter and heading to the Van Aken District, Shaker Town Center, the Chagrin-Lee corridor, Larchmere and Fairmount Circle, going that first or last mile or just visiting friends around town -- a lot of unanswered questions remain, Weiss added. It may well be the better part of valor for us at the moment not to say we wont pursue it, but rather put it to one side and see how the other communities work, Weiss said. And if it really does take off, I dont think it will be a problem getting back into the program. In the meantime, Weiss said the city will keep the scooter proposal on its to-do list and Roberts will still participate in meetings with Cleveland and the county to keep a finger on the pulse of how things are going. And from a sustainability standpoint, I think theres good reason to keep our toe in the water on this, Weiss noted. Read more from the Sun Press. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Anze Logard discussed the strengthening of bilateral cooperation. During a meeting on March 16, Shmyhal expressed hope that Slovenias presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year would strengthen bilateral cooperation, in particular on the path to Ukraines full membership in the EU. "Ukraine hopes that Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU will strengthen the consolidation of EU policy in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state. Ukraine's integration into the EU is our strategic goal and underlies the activities of the leadership of the state and government," Shmyhal said. The PM added that Ukraine is also committed to developing the Eastern Partnership through effective projects that will be beneficial for both the population and business. Shmyhal thanked Logard for Slovenias technical assistance in carrying out systemic reforms in Ukraine, primarily the decentralization reform. He also noted the growing trends in mutual trade between Ukraine and Slovenia and added that these positive changes provide an opportunity to further increase trade. In addition, Shmyhal welcomed the launch of a dialogue between Ukraine and Slovenia in the field of cybersecurity and noted that cooperation in this area should be developed and strengthened. The prime minister thanked the Slovenian side for its strong support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. He noted that Ukraine is counting on Slovenia's participation in the Crimean Platform summit. In the end, Shmyhal accepted the invitation from Prime Minister Janez Jansa to visit the Republic of Slovenia as soon as the epidemic situation allows. ish Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The shadow treasurer and a former leader of the Nationals are in danger of losing their seats in Parliament with four electorates still in play as the counting of votes from the West Australian election continues. Churchlands MP Sean LEstrange looked to be just holding on in his seat by a mere 63 votes in the indicative two-party preferred vote over Labors Christine Tonkin on Tuesday. Shadow treasurer Sean LEstrange. Credit:Peter de Kruijff Former Nationals leader and Warren-Blackwood MP Terry Redman has had his lead run down by Labors Jane Kelsbie who now appears to be up by more than 500 votes. In the blue ribbon seat of Nedlands, which has never been held by Labor, the incumbent Bill Marmion trails Katrina Stratton, who looks set to be joining Premier Mark McGowans caucus ranks. Australia is on high alert over a worsening coronavirus outbreak in Papua New Guinea which poses a 'clear and present danger' to both nations. Half of the 500 tests conducted on Monday came back positive, as did about 40 per cent of the samples from the Ok Tedi mine. More than half of Queensland's active cases have been linked to PNG. The state is rolling out out priority vaccinations in the Torres Strait, which is just four kilometres from its northern neighbour. Australia is on high alert over a worsening coronavirus outbreak in Papua New Guinea which poses a 'clear and present danger' to both nations. Port Moresby General Hospital is pictured in April last year Health Minister Greg Hunt told a joint partyroom meeting in Canberra on Tuesday the situation was a 'clear and present danger'. Foreign Minister Marise Payne told reporters in Canberra the government had arranged the deployment of an AUSMAT team. It will also help to reopen PNG health facilities including testing centres. 'We understand the system is very strained,' she said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison left his party room meeting early to receive advice before talking to his PNG counterpart James Marape about the developing situation. 'Let's not lose sight of the serious challenge that is still in front of us,' he told colleagues. A PNG aircraft is seen at Boram Airport on Friday, as the nation continues to battle a Covid outbreak 'We must also focus our attention on our family in the region, to the north in the Pacific.' Labor's Pacific spokesman Pat Conroy said there were three million people in PNG living in regions with no doctors. 'There is a humanitarian crisis looming on our doorstop,' he told caucus members. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been in contact with Mr Morrison about the issue. 'The Commonwealth government has been very good in this space,' she said on Tuesday. Mattresses are donated in April 2020 for a Multi-Purpose Hospital Setup at Rita Flynn Netball Courts in Port Moresby 'They've often reached out at times of need of our Pacific Island neighbours. I don't think that they will ignore this situation.' She raised extra support for PNG's hospitals and vaccinations for healthcare workers as ways the federal government could help. There have been just under 2270 cases in PNG and 26 confirmed deaths according to the World Health Organisation. The closest islands in the Torres Strait are a short dingy ride to the country, and leaders in the region say an outbreak in one of the communities would be devastating. Torres Strait Island Regional Council mayor Phillemon Mosby said his region was unlike any other part of Australia. 'We're very remote, very vulnerable,' he said. 'Therefore careful consideration needs to be taken when we're rolling out a vaccination like this to combat a global health pandemic.' According to a U.S. nonprofit that studies transnational security issues, the coronavirus pandemic hampered both wildlife smugglers' ability to transport their products abroad and law enforcement's ability to track them. The case could never be more evident than in an estimate by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies for National Geographic, the amount of elephant ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales confiscated by authorities in 2020 was much less than in the previous five years (C4ADS). Related Article: Exotic Pets are Dying In Transit and Authorities Are Failing to Do Something About it Decrease in Amount Both the number and amount of seizures decreased, implying that even though wildlife contrabands were shipped in smaller batches between Africa and Asia, the average amount of trafficking between the continents decreased. However, some wildlife researchers point out that the internet trade has remained strong despite the pandemic and that smuggling has also improved in some areas. According to Faith Hornor, a C4ADS program manager who led the study, assessing seizures of these three wildlife items isn't indicative of what's been going on with the illegal wildlife trade in general. Still, it is a strong predictor of intercontinental wildlife trade patterns between Africa and Asia, where those three resources are significant. In Demand Pangolin scales and rhino horn are used in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine, and both ivory and rhino horn are in high demand for carvings in China and elsewhere. From 2015 to 2019, global seizures of ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales averaged about 530 a year, according to C4ADS. Seizures declined to 466 in 2020, from a high of 964 in 2019. All events reported by customs officials or mentioned in media coverage in 15 languages are included in the tally. Stockpiling Supplies Another 57 sacks included numerous other wildlife pieces, such as elephant ivory and lion bones, becoming a more common traditional Chinese medicine replacement for the highly scarce tiger bones. The cargo was headed for Haiphong, Vietnam. According to Steve Carmody, director of investigations at the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), a nonprofit headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, that aims to investigate crime networks, "it's a snapshot of what's to come" as travel resumes. The event also seems to back up what illicit traffickers have told WJC's undercover agents: that they've been stockpiling wildlife goods due to the pandemic's disturbances. Smugglers Became Smarter "We know smugglers are stockpiling contrabands in large amounts not only in Africa, but also in Asia-in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia," says Carmody, who was not involved in the C4ADS investigation. The concern now, he says, is that with more flights and other transport, they'll be able to easily market stored contraband, fueling a rise in animal smuggling. To avoid arrest in 2020, it's likely that smugglers split up some containers into smaller packets. However, and with a decrease in law enforcement capability, Hornor believes that if total amounts were similar-just parceled out in smaller individual shipments-there would have been an increase in arrests. 2020 Stats In 2020, the cumulative volume of seized pangolin scales was around 20 tons, down from around 100 tons in 2019. Rhino horn seized in 2020 was less than a tenth of what was seized in 2019. Though the total weight of confiscated ivory shipments has declined over the last six years, there was a major 72 percent decline in 2020. ALSO READ: Conservation or Preservation: What's the Difference? For the most recent updates from the animal kingdom, don't forget to follow Nature World News! ROCHESTER, Minn. - A large crowd of cars revving their engines in a northwest Rochester parking lot over the weekend is causing quite the buzz on social media. One car enthusiast KIMT News 3 spoke with said his group, Rochester Minnesota Car Scene, wasn't part of that and he wants to set the record straight. In a recent post in the Facebook group, Spotted in Rochester, some Med City residents weren't too thrilled when a large crowd of drivers revved their engines in the parking lot late Friday night. Zack Prigge said Rochester Minnesota Car Scene meets up on occasion in a parking lot to share the work they've put into their cars. He explained what took place over the weekend isn't what his group stands for. "A spot that's been a part of the car scene for years," he said. "There's no reason that all of a sudden, we need to let other people ruin that spot for us. We can do our best to absolutely make amends with owners of the property." Prigge and a handful of others cleaned up the mess afterwards. He said they understand why people in the community are upset. "The only way that we are going to remind people that we're all not the young, obnoxious teenagers or whatever is to show them and put on a clear display that we care about the community that's taken care of us for so long and given us quite a few spots to hang out," he explained. "We really do appreciate it, we value it and we won't take it for granted that's for sure." Rochester police did show up after receiving several complaints and all involved left with no issues. Rochester Minnesota Car Scene is hoping to partner with a small Rochester business to have their meet ups at and be able to set rules in that parking lot. The former Pandemic Unemployment Assistance processing center at Guam Community College is seen in this file photo. The Guam Daily Post photo Russia has threatened to block Twitter within 30 days unless the site acts to remove what the government refers to as 'banned content'. Vadim Subbotin, deputy head of watchdog Roskomnadzor, said on Tuesday that the ban would come into effect unless Twitter removed the content, which he said includes child porn and information on child suicide and drugs. But critics say the crackdown is actually an attempt to stop Putin's political opponents organising rallies, as they did in a number of cities earlier this year. Subbotin issued his threat just a day after Putin's main critic, Alexei Navalny, posted his first update from inside jail - sharing an image of himself with a shaved head. 'Twitter is not reacting to our requests as they should. If the situation carries on then it will be blocked in a month without a court order,' Subbotin said. It comes a week after Subbotin announced that Twitter's internet speed would be slowed down unless it removed the offending content. Meanwhile Twitter is also being sued in Russia for allegedly failing to delete material encouraging children to join anti-Putin protests. Twitter said at the time that it was worried about the impact on free speech despite Russian laws specifically outlawing children attending protests. Russia has also railed against social media sites for censoring state-controlled media such as RT, which have been branded propaganda sites by foreign governments. Back in January, Putin personally accused social media giants in January of 'controlling society' and 'restricting the right to freely express viewpoints.' Around 9million Russians are thought to use Twitter, just eight per cent of the country's total population, though it is the favoured means of communication for Putin's critics including the likes of Navalny. Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has revealed he has a 'freshly shaven head' in a message from a prison colony in Russia which he today likened to a 'concentration camp' The dissident is a prolific user of social media, mostly Instagram, while his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh frequently posts on Twitter. He uses the sites to bypass Russian censors which have banned him from TV and the airwaves, and promote anti-corruption investigations into Putin. Navalny's most-recent, published days after his latest arrest in Russia, accused Putin of building a palace on the country's Black Sea coast using embezzled state funds. Putin denied the allegations but they were enough to spark some of the largest protests against his leadership since he became president in 2000. The move against Twitter is part of ongoing efforts by the government to tighten control over social platforms. In 2014, the authorities adopted a law requiring online services to store the personal data of Russian users on servers in Russia and have since tried to make Facebook and Twitter to comply with it. Both companies have been repeatedly fined, first small amounts of around $50 and last year the equivalent of $63,000 for not complying. Vladimir Putin last year signed a further array of laws giving Russia new powers to restrict US social media giants that 'discriminate' against its media. STAMFORD Bankrupt OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma filed Tuesday a re-organization plan, which it said would provide billions of dollars to tackle the opioid crisis but Connecticut and nearly two-dozen other states panned that proposal, arguing for changes such as a greater contribution from the companys owners. The Stamford-based firms new plan consists of the main terms that it has proposed, since filing for Chapter 11 protection in September 2019, for settling the approximately 3,000 lawsuits consolidated in its bankruptcy case. It values its proposal at more than $10 billion, and the vast majority of the proceeds would be allocated for efforts to respond to a national opioid epidemic that is resulting in tens of thousands of deaths every year. Purdue has delivered a historic plan that can have a profoundly positive impact on public health by directing critically-needed resources to communities and individuals nationwide who have been affected by the opioid crisis, Steve Miller, chairman of Purdues board of directors, said in a statement. The company has worked closely with a broad and diverse group of stakeholders to guarantee that billions of dollars will be used exclusively for abatement purposes and not diverted elsewhere. Among the key provisions, Purdue would be dissolved and transfer all of its assets into a new company after emerging from bankruptcy. The new firm would be owned by a trust. 5 1 of 5 Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 At the same time, the Sackler family members who own Purdue reiterated their intention to relinquish control. They said they would have no role in the new company and also end their involvement in their international pharmaceutical companies. In addition, the Sacklers said they were increasing their contribution to the settlement funds to about $4.5 billion, up from an original offer of $3 billion. Today marks an important step toward providing help to those who suffer from addiction, Sackler family members said in a statement. We hope this proposed resolution will signal the beginning of a far-reaching effort to deliver assistance where it is needed. Purdue officials said they believe their plan has garnered broad and strong support from a number of groups involved in its bankruptcy, including about half of the state attorneys general and nearly every group of private creditors. But Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and about two-dozen of his counterparts oppose the plan. Since Purdue filed for bankruptcy, those non-consenting states have rejected the companys terms for settling their lawsuits. In a joint statement, the non-consenting states said that they wanted the company to amend its plan to ensure its restructuring does not excessively entangle it with states and other creditors. They also called for the Sacklers to contribute more to the settlement, demanded more transparency through robust document disclosures and asked for protections for nonprofits over naming rights for charitable gifts. We are disappointed in this plan, the statement said. While it contains improvements over the proposal that Purdue announced and we rejected in September 2019, it falls short of the accountability that families and survivors deserve... Now, the Sacklers and Purdue need to own up to their decades of misconduct and their role in creating this crisis. Despite their settlement offer, Purdue and the Sacklers deny the lawsuits allegations that they fueled the opioid crisis with deceptive OxyContin marketing. The company, however, agreed last October to an approximately $8 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, which also entailed it pleading guilty to three criminal charges of defrauding the government and violating anti-kickback laws. The Sacklers who own Purdue reached a separate $225 million settlement with the Justice Department, but they did not admit to any wrongdoing. Not including the agreement with DOJ, the Sacklers would contribute $4.275 billion toward Purdues settlement of the pending lawsuits. I think this re-organization plan has to be seen with abundant skepticism in light of Purdue Pharmas shameful practice of denying and dodging responsibility for purposely marketing opioids and ignoring deaths and injuries suffered by millions of Americans, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, who sued Purdue when he previously served as state attorney general, said in an interview. Any proposal by Purdue Pharma requires complete truth and transparency. We need to know how these billions of dollars will be spent. Decisions should be guided by independent health experts. And Purdue Pharma must explicitly accept responsibility for years of callous indifference to the opioid crisis. Distributing the settlement funds The company that would succeed Purdue would fund a number of trusts focusing on abating the opioid crisis. Purdue has proposed the public-benefit company concept since filing for bankruptcy. Such a restructuring is also a requirement of its settlement with the Justice Department. Connecticut and the other non-consenting states have rejected that framework, arguing it would create a conflict of interest by having government officials run the new company. They have advocated instead for Purdue to be sold to a private buyer. Purdue said, however, that state and local governments would neither own nor operate the new company. The National Opioid Abatement Trust, a new entity created to satisfy the claims of state and local governments, would receive billions of dollars making it the largest recipient of funding generated by the settlement. NOAT and a trust established to respond to the claims asserted by Indian tribes and tribal organizations would together indirectly own 100 percent of the new company. In addition to the NOAT and the Tribe Trust, Purdues plan calls for the creation of several additional trusts. Each of them would have to ensure that underserved urban and rural areas, as well as minority communities, received equitable access to the funds, according to company officials. Funding for the trusts would primarily come from the Sacklers $4.275 billion in cash payments, more than $500 million in cash distributed by Purdue after it emerges from bankruptcy and about $1 billion generated by the successor companys assets and operations through 2024. In addition to the cash funding, Purdue officials estimate that the successor company could produce a total of approximately $4 billion worth of medications, including generic buprenorphine and naloxone tablets to treat opioid dependence and nalmefene injections and over-the-counter naloxone nasal sprays to respond to opioid overdoses. This give us a concrete plan, with terms and conditions, about the reorganization, said Robert Bird, a professor of business law at the University of Connecticut. Its significant, and its one that would benefit the very interests of the people who have been hurt by this crisis. The plan may be periodically amended or supplemented and still needs to be confirmed in federal bankruptcy court. A hearing to approve a related disclosure statement is scheduled for April 21. Following the courts approval of the disclosure statement, Purdue said it would distribute the plan and disclosure statement to voting creditors for their consideration. Settlement funds are urgently needed, as the country grapples with an unrelenting opioid epidemic. Overdoses involving opioids killed nearly 47,000 people in the U.S., in 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prescription opioids were involved in 32 percent of those deaths. In 2020, 1,273 people in Connecticut died from opioid-involved overdoses, up 13 percent from 2019, according to the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Widespread legal action Among other recent litigation sparked by the opioid crisis, consulting firm McKinsey & Co. last month reached a $573 million settlement with Connecticut and nearly every other state, to resolve their investigations of the companys alleged support of efforts to boost opioid sales of pharmaceutical firms including Purdue. Some elected officials have misgivings about that agreement. Blumenthal and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, sent Monday a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on the Justice Department to investigate McKinsey. Despite reaching the settlement, McKinsey did not admit to any wrongdoing. Blumenthal and Schatz cited a report last month by NBC News that McKinsey could benefit from the settlement through a hedge fund affiliates indirect stakes in addiction-treatment centers and overdose-treatment products. It is critical that McKinsey, which has demonstrated a disconcerting indifference toward the well-being of Americas families, is also held fully accountable for its role in this crisis, Blumenthal and Schatz said in the letter. Accordingly, we urge you to investigate McKinseys role with Purdue Pharma and its work with other opioid manufacturers to determine if McKinsey also participated in fraud and anti-kickback conspiracies or has engaged in other criminal wrongdoing. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott By and large, American evangelical Christians have conservative views of Scripture and morality. According to theologian Matthew Barrett, however, their most basic claims about God are often remarkably revisionist. Barrett, professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and executive editor of Credo Magazine, is the author of Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit. The booka follow-up to his 2019 work None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of Goddoes two things. First, it shows how a good portion of evangelical theology on the Trinity has drifted from the classical Christian tradition. Second, it recruits a veritable dream team of teachers from across that tradition to lead readers back to the safe harbor of biblical orthodoxy. The tone is accessible, but the sources are deep. How has evangelicalism gone wrong in its understanding of the Trinity? Barrett ranges broadly, but he fixes on the development, in recent theology, of what he calls social trinitarianism. Proponents of this view, which is more of a common posture than a monolithic school, tend to conceive of the oneness of God as a community of persons. Barrett introduces some of its major figures, including liberal theologians like Jurgen Moltmann and Leonardo Boff and American conservative counterparts like Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware. The hallmark of social Trinitarianism is its willingness to appropriate the relationships between the persons of the Trinity as a model for various social projects. For liberals like Moltmann and Boff, this can mean invoking the equal status of Father, Son, and Spirit to advance an egalitarian vision of society. Conservatives like Grudem and Ware sometimes point ... 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. Ok Computer Star Radhika Apte: I Am A Bit Tired Of The Trend Of Dumbing Audience Down Actor Radhika Apte on Monday said she doesn't believe in slotting projects on the basis of platforms as the audience today is smart enough to watch good content, irrespective of its availability online or in theatres. Apte has built a successful career with acclaimed films like Badlapur, Parched, the National Aard-winning Andhadhun and seamlessly took to the digital medium with web series like Sacred Games and Ghoul. Since then, the actor has had her films release on streaming platforms -- Raat Akeli Hai, Lust Stories -- as well as in cinema halls, such as Baazaar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radhika (@radhikaofficial) During the virtual launch of her upcoming web series Ok Computer, when Apte was asked if a science fiction show -- like her latest -- was best suited for OTT (over-the-top) platforms, the actor said the audience is only interested in good storytelling. "If something is entertaining, it is good for anything. If content is long, like a series, it is difficult to watch it in a theatre. Those are better suited for OTT... But I don't know content wise if there's anything like 'this subject suits OTT'. We have a particular audience that goes to theatres a lot. So for them it's probably different. I am a bit tired of (the trend of) dumbing the audience down. If it's entertaining and good, people will watch it," the 35-year-old actor said. Ok Computer is a six-episode show which envisions a near future where, for the first time, the Homo-Sapiens meet the Robo-Sapiens. Created and directed by Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar, the series also stars Jackie Shroff, Vijay Varma, Kani Kusruti and Rasika Dugal. Set in 2031 Goa, Ok Computer follows cyber cell agent Hari Kundu (Varma) investigating the killing of a pedestrian by a self-driven car. During his probe, Hari comes to the conclusion that the accident was actually a premeditated murder and his hunch is constantly challenged by Apte's Lakshmi, who leads a private organisation for the ethical treatment of robots and believes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is incapable of harming humans. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radhika (@radhikaofficial) The show uses humour to launch into the messaging of the probability of AI going rogue and Varma said Ok Computer benefits from sharp writing. "This is one of those projects which will be a deciding factor going forward because I feel like I want to do more comedies as I got introduced to comedy with such a great team and a script. The character was quite a challenge too," the Gully Boy star said. Director Pagedar said the cast, though seasoned in dramatic roles, quickly embraced the wild world of Ok Computer. "This is a comedy show, full of pitfalls. We have done everything, from sophisticated, sharp material to physical comedy where people have fallen. We have just fallen shy of having a banana peel on set. We have done an entire gamut of comedy. For all these actors to handle that with maturity was extremely reassuring. Vijay, Radhika, Jackie are dramatic actors, we have seen them do serious roles, but they have brought a levity to the show which we didn't think was possible," he said. Ok Computer is set to start streaming on Disney+ Hotstar VIP from March 26. 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 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made his reaction known to the blocking of news content in the country by Facebook in a post on Facebook. Morrison is a bit thick, so the irony of doing this may have been lost on him. But it serves to underline the kind of idiocy that has been on display ever since Facebook announced, early on Thursday morning AEDT, that it would restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content on its platform. Mark Zuckerberg's social media giant said the curbs were in retaliation for Australia's move to put in place a news media code officially known as the News Media and Digital Platforms Bargaining Code that would force his company and Google to pay for news content. The reactions to this, in the mainstream media, and literally everywhere, have been mostly ludicrous. Facebook was abused, using every term in the book and some outside it, too. I saw one tweet in which a woman said if China had done something similar to what Facebook had, it would be terrorism, a hint, I guess, that Facebook was acting in the style of the late Osama bin Laden! Some in the media called the curbs wrong and claimed it would affect Facebook more than Australia. Others simply criticised the company for showing that it can hold governments to ransom. The irony is that people areFacebook of getting rid of "real news" and becoming a host for "fake news" and all the while spreading delusional information themselves. Scott Morrison's protest about Facebook's ban on Facebook. The Guardian Australia claimed the Facebook move was botched because the curbs also resulted in many non-news pages losing their feeds. Nope, this was intended; it was the company's way of saying, "See what we can do, we can hurt ordinary people and they are your voters." Facebook is a commercial organisation, dedicated to one thing: making money. The only crowd it will admit to being accountable to are its shareholders though this is a myth that has been in vogue only since 1976. Facebook is not a public utility and does not exist so that Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan can try to canvass votes for an upcoming election. It does not exist to spread information about bushfires, about COVID-19 vaccines, about democracy. It is a free site where people can set up camp and peddle what information they like. The company is not bothered whether you deal in news, views or fantasies. Let's cut out all the BS money, money, money, is all that matters to Zuckerberg. So he decided to show Australia who is boss. And nobody should criticise him for doing so, because there are hardly any people on the face of the earth who know how to wield power with finesse. The majority, practically all, wield it in a crude manner, flipping the bird to their opposition in no uncertain manner. About the only thing that would have been bothering people on the Facebook campus is that its shares dropped by 2% overnight. So, all 12 or 13 or 17 million Australian Facebook users I've seen various estimates of how many people have pages on the site Down Under just get this one fact into your skulls: Facebook does not owe you anything. If you go to the site and set up a page, then you have to take what the company doles out. If any Facebook user reads the legalese that he/she signs up to, it might open their eyes to the reality. But then nobody likes reality. Nobody likes to admit that, for all their bloviating, Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher have no clout in this stoush, not even if as Morrison has done they canvass the support of other countries. (It's telling that Morrison tried to seek support from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a man who has put India's claim to being the world's largest democracy seriously in doubt.) Doubtless, the government will have to give Facebook some concessions until the legislation is to Zuckerberg's liking. That is why discussion of the bill in the Senate has been put off to next week, after the House of Representatives passed it on Wednesday. Until the next move in this game takes place, dear Australian Facebook user, it might be a good idea to look at paying for some Web hosting to host that page of yours that holds all your dog photos since childhood. You'll have plenty of time to do it, given that you won't be updating your status on Facebook every two minutes. 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. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, blasted President Joe Biden on Monday for promoting a May 1 target of getting all adults lined up for COVID-19 vaccination that is not as "admirable" as it sounds. McConnell slammed Biden's target for adult COVID-19 vaccination After Biden gave a prime-time speech last week highlighting vaccine delivery successes and referring to the virus's deadly toll, McConnell called the goal a 'walk-back.' On Thursday, the President proposed another potentially ambitious goal: that by May 1, all adults in all 50 states should be able to schedule vaccines, McConnell said in a floor speech, just days after Biden signed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. However, McConnell said the problem is Dr. Fauci said a month ago that we would be there by April, as per Daily Mail. Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert, said last month, "I would think by the time we get to April, it would be what I will consider... Open season, that is, everyone and everybody in either group could start getting vaccinated." Biden's COVID-19 Bill Provides More Than 1 Stimulus Check "So the President's May 1 announcement was not positive news; it was a retreat," McConnell said. He spoke just days after Biden signed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that passed Congress amid Republican resistance under a special budget law. Biden revealed on Monday that former White House official Gene Sperling would be in charge of getting relief out the door as soon as possible. That the administration inherited a "shambles on vaccination" is a myth, as per McConnell. The Biden Administration inherited a million shots per day rate. "During the week of the Inauguration, we launched over a million shots per day. The day President Biden was sworn in, we had over 1.5 million people," McConnell said. He believed that the administration was seeking to rewrite history. The incoming Biden team praised Trump's initial work on vaccine growth but said there was insufficient planning for bringing vaccines into people's arms. The initial rollout was hampered by unreliable websites and general concern about the states' evolving vaccination categories. The administration has increased vaccine development and delivery using the Defense Production Act and other resources, and public support for Biden's handling of the pandemic has risen. Dr. Andy Slavitt, a senior coronavirus advisor, told reporters on Monday that the United States has been averaging 2.4 million shots per day for the last seven days. WHO Investigators Defend Wuhan Lab on COVID-19 Origins McConnell: Biden must-see nobody's waiting to gather outdoors Mitch McConnell mocked President Biden's recommendation that people wait until July 4 to have "small" outdoor events, as per the NY Post. McConnell called it unscientific and revealed Biden's lack of current social activities. As COVID-19 infections decline, McConnell said Biden's use of a prime-time speech Thursday to encourage people to wait until Independence Day to hold small backyard gatherings was "bizarre and problematic." The Senate Republican leader was a polio survivor as a child and was an early supporter of masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, he said, Biden must understand that research has shown that vaccines work and that the chance of viral infection is much lower outside. "As of next week, outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed here in the District of Columbia," McConnell added. The target, according to McConnell, is "out of step with science," National Review via Yahoo reported. According to new pandemic recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccinated Americans can now meet in small groups indoors without masks, and elderly vaccinated Americans can visit their unvaccinated grandchildren. In a speech marking a year since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic, Biden said that if Americans continue to follow prevention recommendations, they will be able to observe the Fourth of July in small groups. COVID-19 Fragments Found in Australia, US Wastewater @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 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will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia The Convention People's Party led by Nana Frimpomaa, the Chair and Leader, has paid an official visit to Apam to sympathize with bereaved families. It will be recalled that over 20 children between the ages of 12 and 17 were swept away by the sea at Apam last Monday. Latest reports has it that 13 bodies of the deceased have been retrieved and will be buried tomorrow 15th March 2021. The visiting team from the party included the National, Regional, Constituency and Local Executives who offered their condolences to the bereaved families. Nana Frimpomaa donated a sum of 5,000 cedis to the bereaved families and 1,000 to the fishermen Council to support funeral arrangements. She advised the public to desist from fabrications of unfounded theories behind the incident. She said people should be sensitive when calamity strike and "all we can do is to sympathize with the bereaved families. The Chair and Leader also presented an insurance policy to the tune of 5,000 cedis to each family who lost a child in the tragic incident. Boxes of Area Care Sanitizers were presented to the families and fishermen Council to support them to observe the COVID-19 protocols. The party used the opportunity to visit defunct factories initiated by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Nana Frimpomaa lamented the state of deterioration of the Apam Salt Factory. She assured the people of Saltpond that her outfit will revive the industry to benefit the youth through MY10K project initiative. The Paramount Chief of Apam, Nana Adu Affrim (X) promised the delegation of his total support for any initiative that will give Apam a facelift. Nana Akosua Frimpomaa finally led a private vigil to connect with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the souls of the demised children. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. 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opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast 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minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Bharat Forge announced that the company intends to undertake Electric Vehicle (EV) business initiatives including further opportunities (organic as well as inorganic) through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which would be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. As an initial step, to form a wholly owned subsidiary, the Company decided to acquire a newly formed Company within Kalyani Group named Kalyani Powertrain (KPPL). In this regard, on 16 March 2021, the 'Investment Committee - Strategic Business' of the Company has approved to acquire 100% stake in KPPL which shall act as the SPV to carry on the EV business. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and 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. The events announced by the Stormont Speaker to mark the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland are "uninspired", an MLA has said. Alex Maskey wrote to all MLAs outlining details of the official events marking 100 years since the partition of Ireland. The programme was agreed by all five political parties on the Assembly Commission. The events include lectures, social media initiatives, an open day, exhibitions and outreach activities. Mr Maskey said: While the different views on the centenaries in 2021 have to be respected, there is no doubting that the events they mark shaped our politics and our society for the decades which followed. They also represent 100 years of local parliamentary and political institutions and should be taken as an opportunity to allow us to look forward. Throughout the decade of centenaries, the Assembly Commission has used a process and a set of principles to agree how all of those historic anniversaries were officially marked by the Assembly. This approach ensured that they were marked with cross-party support and without controversy. In this context, the Assembly Commission has agreed a range of initiatives and events for 2021. While activities have been planned for April, May and June in a format to ensure that they can happen in the current circumstances, plans for later in the year will of course have to take account of the position in relation to public health and restrictions at the time, Mr Maskey added. While I acknowledge that members and parties may have had their own preferences if they were making their own decisions, given the differing views that exist, I think it is extremely positive that all five parties on the Assembly Commission have agreed this programme and I look forward to seeing it delivered in the months to come. However TUV leader Jim Allister has described plans to include a meeting of the North/South Inter-Parliamentary Association in the programme of events as a calculated insult". This anniversary should have been marked by events which capture the imagination of the public. That is sadly not the case with the uninspired programme announced today, Mr Allister Coming off the back of a budget announced by the Executive which doesnt contain a penny to mark the centenary Unionists will be left wondering what Stormont delivers for them. Can anyone think of another country in the world which would not see a significant celebration at its parliament or assembly to mark the centenary of the states birth? he added. Sinn Fein and the SDLP have thus far not engaged with planned events to mark the anniversary. Last August deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that the centenary of Northern Ireland is nothing to celebrate for nationalists or republicans. SDLP deputy leader Nichola Mallon last week reiterated her party's position that they would also not be celebrating the centenary. However, she said the party would "be organising its own events" during the year. Read More During a visit to Northern Ireland last Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the centenary would champion young people of the future. It will also pay tribute to those who worked tirelessly to support the region during the pandemic, he said. Plans for 2021 include a major business showcase in London, a 1 million Shared History Fund, an ambitious programme for young people, tree-planting projects, academic and historic events and an international church service for all denominations. Chennai, March 16 : People Living with HIV (PLHIV) demand a minimum of Rs 12,500 per month as salary under the Employment Guarantee scheme for those working in government and non-government sectors. The PLHIV has already petitioned major political parties regarding the same. The organization has also demanded political parties to provide 12 more Drop in Centres (DIC) exclusively for women and children affected with HIV. It is to be noted that the government has already sanctioned 32 DICs for counselling support, support meetings and psycho-social support. The Positive Women Network leader P. Kousalya called upon the political parties to increase the budget allocation of DICs from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. While speaking to IANS, Kousalya said: "We demand the political parties to increase the number of Drop In Centres(DIC) for women and children with HIV and also to increase the number of DIC's by 12 as also to increase the budget allocation of each DIC from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakhs." The People with HIV also demanded the government to provide free education to children living with HIV under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Kousalya called upon the political parties to provide funds for women-centric programmes, mainly for the prevention of primary infection among women and reduction of stigma faced by people living with HIV. The demand was raised by Positive Women Network, Indian Network for people living with HIV, 30 districts with PLHIV and 20 NGO's. Vice Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov and Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere discussed a project for the construction of housing for Crimean Tatars as internally displaced persons, the Reintegration Ministrys press service reports. The interlocutors discussed a project to build housing for the Crimean Tatars who were forced to flee their homes due to Russias occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol. In particular, it concerns the construction of 1,000 apartments for the Crimean Tatars who are registered as internally displaced persons. The project envisages two stages: construction of 500 apartments in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Kyiv regions within the first stage; and another 500 apartments within the second one, but their location will be determined after additional study. In addition, the parties discussed Reznikov's visit to Turkey, among other things, to present the Strategy for Economic Development of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the ambassador's visit to Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the near future. As Ukrinform reported, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kran said at the United Nations Security Council high-level Arria-formula meeting on Crimea on March 12 that the international community's commitment is to keep the issue of Russian occupation of Crimea on the agenda. ish D utch voters have begun casting their ballots at socially distanced polling stations in an election dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. Drive-through voting for cars and bicycles opened on Monday in an election which will be spread over three days to allow people to vote in a Covid-safe way. The first two days are intended for vulnerable groups and the elderly, who have been given expanded options for mail-in and proxy voting, while Wednesday marks the official date of the election. The conservative Peoples Party of Freedom of Democracy (VVD), led by the Netherlands prime minister, Mark Rutte, is expected to win the most seats, allowing the party to form a new governing coalition and making Mr Rutte the countrys longest-serving leader, despite his government collapsing in January over a scandal about child benefits. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said there will be no 'cliff edges' as wage supports are wound down. Photo: Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke The number of redundancies flagged to the Government is now four times higher than before the Covid-19 crisis began. New figures show there were 970 potential redundancies notified to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment last month. This compared with 212 in February last year. A total of 984 redundancies were notified in January, up from 233 in January last year. In the first 10 days of this month, employers have notified the department of a further 268 possible redundancies. The number of redundancies is running at four to five times higher than this time in 2020, and this means that even though the Government is doing an enormous amount of work keeping people in jobs, its still a very, very tough environment for firms, said Tom McDonnell, co-director at the Nevin Economic Research Institute. The danger is that if all these schemes are removed over the summer, including business supports, there could be a wave of bankruptcies. He said it is important for the Government to come up with radical solutions to protect these businesses. This would include a gradual reduction in income supports over a three- to six-month period. He said new debt arrangements for firms and a potential amnesty on rates for a period of a year were other possibilities. If all of these debts came at the same time and liquidity was very, very weak, it could force some of them against the wall, he said. Taxes could be postponed or they could be allowed to pay back over a number of years. This would be a good one as the State would get them eventually, but companies future tax bills would be higher. There is no perfect solution. Under employment legislation, employers proposing collective redundancies must notify the minister. However, these redundancies may not reflect all job losses that take place. Collective redundancies arise where five employees are being made redundant at firms employing 21 to 49 workers, with higher specified numbers at larger firms. In addition, employers may not go ahead with all the redundancies proposed and could find alternative ways to cut costs. Although there was a big increase in potential redundancies after the pandemic struck, it is likely to have been far higher without the Governments Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme. The pandemic payment is being claimed by thousands of employees who have been laid off due to the Government-ordered shutdowns. Most of them have not been made redundant but there are fears that job losses will soar as the Government winds down the schemes. There are almost 465,000 people receiving the payment, and another 186,702 people on the Live Register at the end of February. The PUP and EWSS have been extended until June. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said there will be no cliff edges as supports are wound down. Potential redundancies rose to 844 in March last year when the first lockdown was imposed. They fell to 168 in April, but jumped to 793 in May. A total 1,122 job losses were flagged by employers at the peak in October. Tourists will return to Vietnam as soon as authorities have decided on safe solutions On March 8, Minister of Health Anutin Charnvirankul said that Thailand will reduce its mandatory quarantine from 14 to seven days for foreigners arriving in the country who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Just a few days earlier, the Thai government also announced its Area Hotel Quarantine plan to welcome more foreign tourists from April. This arrangement will be piloted in five provinces popular for tourism Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani (Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan), and Chon Buri (Pattaya). The plan will be operated via 29 travel agencies supervised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Foreign tourists who opt into this new arrangement will be required to remain in their hotel rooms for the first three days of their stay. They will then be tested for COVID-19 and, if found negative, they will be given freedom of the resort for the remainder of the quarantine period. At the end of the period, they will once again be tested and if found clean, given leave to travel freely. Not only Thailand, Indonesian tourist paradise Bali has also started preparations to reopen for mass tourism with what it calls The Green Zone. Bali governor Wayan Koster announced the scheme under which COVID-free zones will be made accessible for international tourists. These areas will include popular destinations like Ubud, Kuta, Nusa Dua, and Nusa Penida where there is a low incidence of the virus with reinforced health and safety measures to keep it so. Singapore now also allows short-term tourist visits from Australia, Brunei, mainland China, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Vietnam, subject to securing an Air Travel Pass and taking a PCR test on arrival. It is also gradually reopening for business tourism. Along with reopening the sector in these countries, airlines are also rolling out numerous incentives to get people on board again. Singapore Airlines offers customers a complimentary rebooking policy which allows unlimited date changes for bookings made prior to June 30, irrespective of booking class. In addition, it is trialling the vaccine passports of the International Air Transport Association on March 15-24 on flights from London. If the process goes well, the airline will consider rolling the system out across the entire fleet. Etihad Airways has introduced COVID-19 insurance cover attached to every ticket for travel up to September 30. Elsewhere, besides discounts and a more generous baggage allowance, Emirates also brought back the My Emirates Pass, an exclusive offer to turn boarding passes into membership cards, giving customers deals and discounts in restaurants, leisure destinations, and retail outlets across the UAE. On March 8, Vietnam started vaccinations beginning with frontline workers and healthcare staff, reinforcing the belief that the pandemic will soon be under control and that heavily affected economic sectors, such as tourism, will recover and develop quickly. According to deputy director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Vietnam is working on measures to gradually open the international tourism market. Currently, decision-makers and advisors are evaluating potential source markets to open travel with and the number of tourists to be allowed into the country, as well as medical factors such as vaccination and quarantine rules. In the context of countries in the region moving in growing numbers to welcome international visitors, the idea of Vietnam also reviving international tourism has received support from many travel agencies. Some businesses said that Vietnam has conducted an effective online marketing campaign during the pandemic to keep interest alive in foreign markets while also generating great confidence in its ability to prevent and respond to outbreaks. Others warned of the need for timely preparation so that Vietnam would not lose this advantage in the competition with other destinations like Thailand, Indonesia, or Singapore which are pushing heavily towards reopening their borders. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, director of Images Travel said, Looking at the example of other countries, while it is definitely not easy to open up tourism, it can be done with sufficient caution. He suggested that first Vietnam could pilot providing entry to business travellers from countries in the region with which Vietnam has many business connections such as Japan, South Korea, or Singapore. Entry without a quarantine requirement could be granted to those certifiable vaccinated. Even with the prospects of reopening the countrys borders to international visitors, many experts forecast 2021 to be a difficult year for Vietnamese tourism businesses, particularly those focusing on international visitors. Currently, Vietnam is only allowing the entry of experts and foreign technical staff arriving to work in Vietnam, as well as cargo drivers at road border crossings. In the first two months, the country welcomed 28,700 foreign visitors, less than 1 per cent of the figure from the year prior. Therefore, domestic travellers remain the main market as the tourism season of March-September arrives. Even though international tourists make up only a quarter of domestic travellers, they represent a tremendous source of income. The market needs to be reopened for international visitors as soon as possible while ensuring safety, of course if Vietnam is to capitalise on its hard-earned advantages, said Hoang Nhan Chinh, head of the Secretariat of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board. Cabinet approves Bill to set up Development Finance Institution The on Tuesday approved a bill to set up a Development Finance Institution (DFI) to generate funds for investment in the infrastructure sector. The proposed legislation will give effect to the Budget announcement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. The government has proposed Rs 20,000 crore to capitalise the institution. Read more 633,000 'New Middle Class' households In India: Hurun India report Hurun India Wealth Report 2020 released Tuesday has identified a novel household category in India the New Middle Class with an average savings of Rs 20-lakh per annum. These households, the report says, have major allocation towards physical assets such as primary residential property and automobiles. Hurun India pegs the total number of such cumulative households in India at 633,000. According to Hurun, there are 412,000 dollar-millionaire households / affluent households in India with a networth of at least Rs 7 crore. Hurun Rich Listers have a wealth of Rs 1,000 crore, the report says, and pegs the number of such cumulative households in India at 3,000. Read more will never be privatised: in Lok Sabha Railways Minister on Tuesday asserted that will never be privatised but said private investment should be encouraged for more efficient functioning. Replying to a discussion on Demands for Grants for Railways, Goyal said there has been no death of any passenger due to a rail accident in two years and the railways has been putting enormous focus on passenger safety. He said the country can progress towards high growth and create more employment opportunities only when the public and private sectors work together. Read more cements position as leading payments app, WhatsApp falls behind processed the most transactions in the last three months to continue as Indias top Unified Payments Interface (UPI) app and WhatsApp, the messaging platform used by millions in India, failed to live up to expectations that it will grow rapidly, data showed. In February, WhatsApp processed 0.55 million transactions amounting to Rs 32.41 crore. Transactions have gone down since December when it processed 0.81 million transactions amounting to Rs 29.72 crore. Read more to cut up to 10,000 jobs over next two years to trim costs Finnish telecoms group said on Tuesday it plans to cut between 5,000 and 10,000 jobs within the next two years to trim costs and invest more in research capabilities. Read more One thousand doses of Russias Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine arrived as a donation in Vietnam on Tuesday, according to a health ministry official. This batch is the first Russian COVID-19 vaccine in Vietnam. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev brought the vaccines doses to Vietnam on board an Il-96 plane following an order from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sputnik news agency reported on Tuesday. Patrushev is in Hanoi for two-day Russian-Vietnamese security consultations, starting the same day. The Ministry of Health received the 1,000 Sputnik V shots on Tuesday morning, said Dang Viet Hung, director of the ministrys Department of International Cooperation. The jabs are being stored at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology The national government will decide on the distribution of this batch. In February, an advisory board recommended that the health ministry approve Sputnik V and Moderna vaccines for emergency use in Vietnam. The Southeast Asian country is negotiating the purchase of about 60 million Sputnik V doses. In August 2020, Russia registered Sputnik V as the first vaccine against COVID-19 in the world after having finished phases one and two of its clinical trials at the time. Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6 percent effective against symptomatic COVID-19, AFP said in a report in February this year, citing results published in The Lancet. Over 50 countries have placed an order for this jab. Vietnam received 117,600 AstraZeneca shots, the first and only vaccine formally approved for emergency use in Vietnam so far, on February 24. An additional 5.6 million AstraZeneca doses will arrive in Vietnam within March and April, the health ministry said. Vietnam started administering the vaccine to medical staff and frontline workers on March 8. About 16,000 people in 12 provinces and cities have received their first shot of the vaccine since. The country expects to obtain 150 million doses for the whole population this year, with 60 million already secured from AstraZeneca and the COVAX Facility co-led by the World Health Organization. As of Tuesday morning, Vietnam had recorded 2,559 COVID-19 cases, with 2,115 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 31-year-old man who was driving "erratically" crashed and was killed on I-24 eastbound near Moore Road on Monday afternoon. At approximately 2:13 p.m., Chattanooga Police Traffic Division responded to a single-vehicle crash on the freeway. Police said a Jeep Grand Cherokee left the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and ultimately ended up overturned on the right shoulder. The driver was pronounced deceased by Hamilton County EMS on scene. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Police said, "Other motorists stated to investigators that the driver of Vehicle #1 was driving erratically prior to the crash." Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 14:52:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Recently, some Western countries and forces have wantonly discredited China and slandered China's policies on Xinjiang-related issues. In fact, they are using Xinjiang-related issues as an excuse to attack China and interfere in China's internal affairs in an attempt to undermine China's development, African ambassadors to China said Monday. Adama Compaore, ambassador of Burkina Faso to China, Daniel Owassa, the Republic of Congo's ambassador to China, and Gafar Karar, ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to China, spoke at the Seventh Ambassador Lecture themed "Xinjiang in the Eyes of African Ambassadors to China" held in Beijing. Hailing the economic, educational and social development of Xinjiang, Compaore noted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the World Bank, and countries including Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Thailand have all sent delegations to visit Xinjiang, and they appreciated China's anti-terrorism and de-radicalization efforts. "Some Western forces hyping up the so-called Xinjiang-related issues are actually launching unprovoked attacks on China to serve their own ulterior motives," he said. Owassa said he supports a series of anti-terrorism measures taken by the Chinese government in Xinjiang and appreciates Xinjiang's great development achievements in various fields in recent years. Xinjiang, along with the rest of the nation, has eliminated absolute poverty, he said, adding that China's remarkable achievements in poverty reduction highlight the political advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and China's socialist system. Karar has visited Xinjiang three times and witnessed its development and changes over the past years. He said the Chinese government has effectively cracked down on terrorist activities and effectively protected the lives and property of the people of Xinjiang. During his visit to Xinjiang, he saw with his own eyes that the people of Xinjiang enjoy a safe living environment and complete freedom, he added. Nearly 80 Chinese scholars from the China-Africa Institute, the Xinjiang Think Tank of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences attended the event. Enditem Payment rates for the new scheme have yet to be decided. Small farmers are going to be the big winners from the new agri-environment pilot programme, the Farming Independent has learned. It is understood the new scheme will see smaller farmers benefit as much as larger farmers, as landowners with 10ha will be able to participate fully in the various measures included in the pilot. With talks continuing on the make-up, budget and expected participation of the pilot scheme, a spokesperson for the Department declined to comment directly on the matter. They said full details would not be confirmed prior to the meeting with farming reps this week, adding: Detailed conversations are continuing with the European Commission regarding all aspects of the pilot. Last week, the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue stressed to the Farming Independent that the new pilot is not the new successor REPS, AEOS or GLAS but is an initiative which will be used to better inform the approach to the new agri- environmental scheme to replace GLAS in the new CAP. The new pilot programme is a results-based scheme where farmers will be rewarded for carrying out actions that benefit the environment while rewarding those who are already making positive environmental impacts. The pilot programme will run between now and the new CAP in 2023. A meeting of farming stakeholders and the Department is set to take place this week, where further information will be provided. ICMSA president Pat McCormack said he had noted Minister McConalogues observations that the new scheme was not intended to be a successor to REPs, AEOS, GLAS or any of the predecessor agri-environmental schemes but was a new initiative. But surely the point is that the new scheme was previously referred to and sold to farmers as a new REPS, he said. To a certain extent, how its described doesnt matter because the new scheme will have to address the exact same issue in terms of making it attractive for commercial farmers to participate. Commercial farmers Mr McCormack said the schemes overall success will depend on getting the numbers of commercial farmers participating substantially up and that will depend on making payments under the scheme attractive and compatible with commercial farming. IFA president Tim Cullinan said the experience with results-based schemes to date has been positive, but in general farmers participating in results-based schemes are also in GLAS, which gives them a base payment. There are several conditions beyond a farmers control such as weather that can have an impact on the results achieved which can have a negative effect on the payments farmers receive. What farmers need is a meaningful scheme, with a base payment of 10,000, he said. If the Government want to live up to their promises, they must deliver this. Image Credit: Spencer McPherson With our recent Booka acquisition, our expertise in audiobook publishing, the quality of Spanish-language titles yet to be made available on audio, and our worldwide market coverage, BookaVivo is positioned to rapidly become a leading Spanish-language audio brand. RBmedia, the largest audiobook producer in the world, today unveiled its new Spanish-language audio brand, BookaVivo. The new brand will be home to RBmedias recently acquired Booka audiobook publishing business and all new Spanish-language titles produced by RBmedia in the future. The opportunity for audiobooks in the Spanish-language market is expanding at a record pace. According to a recent study by Dosdoce, between 2017 and 2019, sales growth in the global Spanish-language audiobook market more than doubled. New BookaVivo Publisher RBmedia also announced its new Spanish Content Publisher, Roseann Lake, who leads BookaVivo with more than a decade of experience as a journalist, first as a reporter in Beijing and then as Cuba correspondent for The Economist. She speaks five languages, including Spanish and Mandarin, and is the author of Leftover in China: The Women Shaping the Worlds Next Superpower (Norton, 2018). All indicators point to significant continued growth in the Spanish-language audiobook market, said Lake. With our recent Booka acquisition, our expertise in audiobook publishing, the quality of Spanish-language titles yet to be made available on audio, and our worldwide market coverage, BookaVivo is positioned to rapidly become a leading Spanish-language audio brand. RBmedias global digital distribution network means that BookaVivo titles will be readily available to Spanish-speaking consumers around the world. The companys channels span dozens of direct-to-consumer global distribution partners, including Audible, Google Play, Apple iTunes, Audiobooks.com, and many more. In the near future the company will expand its Spanish-language distribution network by adding more local and regional digital resellers. Growing Collection of Spanish-Language Titles Reaching into RBmedias deep collection of internationally recognized authors and titles, BookaVivo will release Spanish audiobook editions from many of its bestselling authors, including Julia Alvarez, Octavia Butler, Charlaine Harris, Brandon Sanderson, Francine Rivers, Amy Stewart, and Patrick OBrian. The audio brand will also feature Spanish national treasures like Manuel Chaves Nogales (one of Spains most celebrated journalists and adventurers), Perus Karina Pacheco, Mexicos Jazmina Barrera, Cubas Carlos Manuel Alvarez, and Colombias Silvana Paternostro. In the coming months, notable BookaVivo releases will include: Mas alla (Afterlife) by Julia Alvarez A sangre y fuego by Manuel Chaves Nogales Amor redentor (Redeeming Love) by Francine Rivers El ultimo abrazo (Mamas Last Hug) by Frans de Waal With BookaVivo, RBmedia is positioned to aggressively pursue and acquire the rights to additional high-profile titles and authors that are popular with Spanish-speaking audiences. RBmedia is deepening its work with key Spanish and Latin American literary agencies and publishers and will announce major new content acquisitions as they are finalized. Interested publishers and agents representing authors in this sector can visit bookavivo.com for more information. About RBmedia RBmedia is the largest audiobook producer in the world. With more than 50,000 exclusive titles, our audiobooks continually dominate key literary awards and bestseller lists. The companys powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globeat home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, Hoopla, and many more. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com. TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 7D Surgical, a Toronto based medical device company developing advanced, cutting-edge optical and machine-vision technologies for surgical navigation, announced today that it has successfully launched its FLASH Navigation System into Germany and Switzerland, with multiple units already placed and over 30 spinal procedures completed since the start of the new year. 7D Surgical Accelerates Footprint of Game-Changing Machine-Vision Technology into European Market 7D Surgical Accelerates Footprint of Game-Changing Machine-Vision Technology into European Market "We are very pleased with the strategic roll-out of our FLASH Navigation System into select European countries thus far," said Beau Standish, Chief Executive Officer of 7D Surgical. "The immediate and positive impact of our machine-vision technology on surgical workflows and radiation reduction has strongly resonated with our surgeon customers. We are excited to further demonstrate its full potential to the global healthcare community as we aggressively expand our European presence and international footprint in 2021." 7D Surgical has developed technology, similar to GPS navigation in self-driving vehicles, to create a three-dimensional image for surgical navigation in just seconds, resulting in shorter and more efficient spinal procedures. The FLASH Navigation System uses only visible light, eliminating the patient and staff exposure to intraoperative radiation. It is the only approved image guidance system that utilizes this novel and proprietary camera-based technology, coupled with machine-vision algorithms to eliminate the long-standing frustrations with legacy surgical navigation platforms. The speed, accuracy, and efficiency combined with a fundamentally streamlined surgical workflow provides significant economic value and harnesses the true potential of image guidance all while enabling a safe and radiation-free surgical environment. "We are excited with the immediate success that our surgeons are having with the technology as they implement it into their operating rooms," said Brian Stuart, Chief Revenue Officer of 7D Surgical. "The overwhelmingly positive response from clinicians around the world has been tremendous and echoes our mission. 7D Surgical is transforming what surgical navigation and image guidance is and what it can do to improve outcomes, eliminate unnecessary radiation, and reduce healthcare costs. We look forward to continue the development of our strong innovation pipeline to share with our customers from around the world." About 7D Surgical 7D Surgical is a privately-owned Toronto based company that develops advanced optical technologies and machine vision-based registration algorithms to improve surgical workflow and patient care. 7D Surgical's flagship FLASH Navigation System delivers profound improvement to surgical workflows in spine surgeries. The underlying technology provides the promise of similar future advancements for other surgical specialties. Visit www.7Dsurgical.com to learn more. Media Contact: Autumn Gentry 470-808-1885 [email protected] SOURCE 7D Surgical Related Links http://www.7Dsurgical.com Algiers, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2021 ) :Prosecutors in Algeria are seeking an 18-month prison sentence for a journalist on charges including defamation, a penalty Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has slammed as "disproportionate". The communications ministry has accused Abdelhakim Setouane, editor-in-chief of Arabic-language news site Essafir Broadcast, of "defamation", "invasion of privacy", "journalistic blackmail" and "publishing malicious information". The accusations stem from an article alleging the speaker of the lower house of parliament was having an extra-marital affair, the media rights group said Monday. The court in Sidi M'hamed on Monday sought 18 months in jail for Setouane, who has been in custody since October 20. RSF in a statement called the proposed penalty "disproportionate" and called for the journalist's immediate release. Algerian media said the verdict was expected on March 29. Algerian authorities have detained and prosecuted a number of journalists in recent months. Among them is Khaled Drareni, founder of online news site the Casbah Tribune and a correspondent for RSF and French-language TV5 Monde. Drareni was provisionally released last month following a presidential pardon. "An unstable political environment is increasing the threats to the freedom to inform in Algeria," according to RSF. "As a result of judicial harassment, the Algerian media struggle to fulfil their role."RSF ranked Algeria 146 out of 180 countries and territories in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index, a 27-place drop since 2015. 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 Coimbatore: BJP Tamil Nadu unit president L Murugan on Monday ( March 15) said there was no question of any resentment among party workers over the selection of candidates for the ensuing assembly elections as it had disciplined cadres. Replying to a question regarding the reported dissent over the selection of P Saravanan in Madurai North constituency, he told reporters at the airport here that the BJP cadre, following strict ideology and discipline and always supported the decision taken by the party leadership. "There is no resentment among the cadres as they are disciplined. Sometimes, the candidate is selected considering the background, strength and political work," Murugan said. Stating that the BJP already announced 17 candidates and the names of the remaining three candidates will be announced soon, Murugan said it is a foregone conclusion that AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu will return to power with a thumping majority. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already kick-started the BJP's campaign in Tamil Nadu and more senior leaders will be here for the campaign in the coming days, he added. Live TV Editors note: In relation to Saturdays log entry regarding a student with COVID-19, St. Helena High School Principal Ben Scinto sent the following email to parents Tuesday morning: Good morning Saints families. We are informing you that there was a student on the high school campus from 1/6 to 1/11/21 who we later found out had COVID-like symptoms and did not notify the school. The student was later tested for COVID-19 on 1/20/21 and found to be positive. After doing contact tracing, Napa County Public Health informed us yesterday afternoon that they determined the individual was infectious from 12/30/20- 1/11/21. Had we been alerted at the time of the infectious period, we would have immediately performed site-based contact tracing and informed everyone who had close contact with this person. We would also have informed the entire high school community as is our policy. The quarantine period for any close contact is over, and so there is nothing to do at this time. We are not aware of any COVID-19 cases linked to this individual. Please ring us at 967-2740 should you have any questions. Thank 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. NEW YORK One of the women accusing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of harassment told State Attorney General Letitia James investigators on Monday that the governor often boasted to her about his hand size in an off-color attempt at sexual innuendo, according to a lawyer representing the former aide. Charlotte Bennett, who has alleged Cuomo subjected her to inappropriate comments about her sex life while she worked as a health policy adviser in his administration, divulged the eyebrow-raising detail about the governors hands while meeting for the first time with James investigators over Zoom for an interview that lasted more than four hours, attorney Debra Katz said in a statement. One piece of new information that came to light today was the Governors preoccupation with his hand size and what the large size of his hands indicated to Charlotte and other members of his staff, Katz said. A spokesman for Cuomo did not return a request for comment. Katz said Bennett also turned over more than 120 pages of contemporaneous records and other evidence to the AGs team, which is independently investigating a string of sexual harassment accusations against Cuomo. James probe is being handled by former federal Manhattan prosecutor Joon Kim and employment discrimination lawyer Anne Clark. The investigators have been moving quickly, and with sensitivity, to get to the heart of these allegations, Katz said. We remain confident that their investigation will substantiate Charlottes claims of sexual harassment against Gov. Cuomo, as well as the failure of his senior staff to meet their mandatory reporting requirements under the very laws he signed. The previously unknown detail about Cuomos hand-size boasts adds to Bennetts claims that the 63-year-old governor frequently made suggestive remarks while she worked for him, like asking if she had ever been romantically involved with an older man. Bennett, 25, is among seven women who have accused Cuomo of a range of inappropriate comments, behavior or harassment. The most serious allegation comes from an unidentified woman who says the governor groped her under her blouse after summoning her to the Executive Mansion in Albany on the auspice that he needed help configuring a new cellphone. Lindsey Boylan, a former economic adviser to Cuomo who is currently running for Manhattan borough president, also alleges that the governors behavior went beyond verbal harassment, saying he once forcibly kissed her on the lips in his Manhattan office. Bennett is confident there are more women who have been victimized by Cuomo, according to Katz. We urge others who have been subjected to inappropriate conduct by the Governor and we know you are out there to come forward with what you experienced, Katz said. And to those who observed the behavior, we urge you to do the same. Cuomo vehemently denies ever inappropriately touching anyone, but that hasnt stopped dozens of Democrats in the state Legislature from calling on him to resign. Nearly every Democrat in the New York congressional delegation, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, has also called on Cuomo to step down. Still, the embattled governor said as recently as Friday that he wont resign under any circumstance, effectively daring Democrats in the state Legislature to impeach him. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, who announced an impeachment investigation of Cuomo last week, told reporters at the State Capitol in Albany on Monday that, much like James independent review, his chamber will be hiring an outside law firm to help with its probe. An announcement on the outside counsel will come sometime this week, Heastie said. It should be done expeditiously, Heastie said before declining to put an exact timeline on the impeachment inquiry. I think to say you have to come back with a decision in a week or two weeks or a month would be unfair to the process of an investigation, he said. The Daily News political team supplies the essential news and analysis on the critical 2021 elections in New York City that will define the citys future after coronavirus. Sent to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The impeachment probe, which will have subpoena power, will be very broad and go beyond just the sexual harassment allegations, Heastie said, likely a reference to the twin scandal Cuomo faces over his administrations handling of coronavirus deaths in state nursing homes. Heastie urged patience, for the public and his own members, as the multi-tiered probe plays out. There are some members who want an immediate impeachment, he said. Id say the overwhelming majority believes in due process and thats why were moving forward with an impeachment investigation. The pleas for cool heads are not shared by some of Heasties fellow Democrats. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a longtime advocate for victims of sexual assault, said the continued toll of the coronavirus pandemic adds a layer of urgency to the calls for Cuomos ouster. The governor has to resign, Gillibrand told reporters at her Midtown office on Sunday. Focused leadership is needed right now. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Contradictory statements and media leaks are making it impossible to get a handle on Indias soon-to-be-unveiled policy. The uncertainty is throwing young firms and programmers into a paroxysm of anxiety: Should they leave or stay? If they hang back, should they do something else with their lives? On Sunday, the global crypto industry heaved a sigh of relief when Finance Minister categorically ruled out a much-feared blanket ban, promising to allow a window for people to do certain experiments using distributed ledger technologies, and other virtual currencies, she said at an India Today conclave. But before the ink could dry on the congratulatory press releases from entrepreneurs, Reuters cited an official with direct knowledge of the plan as saying that the new law will criminalize possession, issuance, mining, trading and transferring crypto-assets. That will be nothing short of a second existential crisis in three years. Indias crypto evangelists fought a brave legal fight a couple of them even went behind bars for a short while against the monetary authoritys 2018 diktat to banks, telling them not to allow anyone dealing in digital assets to operate an account. Last year, the nascent industry won when the countrys highest court set aside the Reserve Bank of Indias order. Optimism started to rebuild, and surging prices began to lure millennials. When it comes to transferring and other digital assets, India is of late providing more volume than China on popular peer-to-peer platforms. The risk that India would hit back with a new law to make criminals out of crypto professionals and investors was always present. So practitioners tried to educate policymakers, appealing for sensible regulation starting with definitions for what is a utility token, which digital asset is to be viewed as a security, and which is to be treated as a currency. The trouble is with bureaucrats. They say they want blockchain, but not cryptocurrencies. Its as silly as wanting airports with duty-free shops but no flights. From the Reuters story, it doesnt appear that the final regulation will be much different from what a draft bill had recommended in 2019. A government panel report, which had provided the backdrop for the draft legislation, said that authorities would be fine with distributed ledger technologies for delivery of any services, or for creating value, without involving cryptocurrencies for making or receiving payment. Such a dichotomy will be messy in practice. Take international money transfers, where costs pile up because of payment messages that have to laboriously jump national borders by using correspondent banks. To provide value, the service provider will need to employ virtual payment tokens, something that the Philippines and Bangladesh are already allowing. India, the worlds largest recipient of overseas remittances, wont want to miss out. To see where India might be going with its policy flip-flops, consider something else Sitharaman said at the conclave. A lot of the experiments that fintech firms are doing in blockchain, she said, will be taken up in a big way in the offshore financial center in Gift City in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state. A startup meet is planned there, she said. Now, it may be an excellent idea to fill up a ghost town with 20-something programmers since 40-something Mumbai bankers wont go there. Perhaps even the code writers dont have to leave behind the city lights of Bangalore and Hyderabad and head for the boondocks. As long as resident Indian investors are allowed to freely park in Gift City some of the $250,000 theyre permitted to take overseas annually, the offshore center could in theory channel some dollar liquidity to the crypto industry. The domestic banking system will steer clear of crypto. The central banks sway over the rupee would remain intact. Such a compromise solution will leave the industry cold. Yes, therell be a sandbox for local fintech to play and learn. But there will be no pathway for enterprises to grow into mature businesses. Thats because when they want to graduate from segregated dollar accounts and enter the mainstream of the domestic economy, theyll bump up against the crypto ban if theres one in place. Its unclear how exactly authorities will catch people in possession of virtual currencies. The two obvious chokepoints are banks and the telecom network. If someone is using a VPN service to access the internet, and not buying or selling Bitcoin using an Indian bank account (but earning and spending it peer to peer), the prohibition wont be enforceable. Today, the popular person-to-person payment choice is Bitcoin, which isnt surprising given its $60,000 price tag. After Beijing rolls out its digital yuan in 2022, even the e-CNY could gain international acceptance as a means of payment and store of value. Rather than complain then about Chinese incursions in Indias monetary sovereignty, New Delhi should enact a practical crypto law now. A regulatory sandbox in Mumbai, where most of Indias financial industry resides, would give the authorities ideas for designing a smart official paperless currency. If they adopt a draconian law out of a fear of money laundering or loss of control on the capital account, transactions will simply go underground. Nobody is asking New Delhi to make Bitcoin legal tender or accept tax payments in it. Just a little tolerance of cryptocurrencies will be enough. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. JUDGE Keenan Johnson said on Tuesday afternoon he believes the three-and-a-half year sentence imposed on the driver who was texting when his jeep struck and killed Offaly girl Aoife Doyle is measured, proportionate, just and fair. Because he suspended the last year-and-a-half of the sentence, 26-year-old Eric Dunne, Bellair, Ballycumber, has been sent to jail for two years. Mr Dunne, a learner driver who was unaccompanied when his Hyundai Santa Fe collided with the 14-year-old at Erry, Clara on March 20 last year, was also banned from driving for 10 years. Judge Johnson said some may feel the sentence is too lenient, given the tragic consequences of Mr Dunne's offending. Any custodial sentence for someone like the accused who has a heretofore unblemished record and has never been to prison before is extremely punitive and far reaching, said Judge Johnson. I hope Aoife's family understand the rationale behind the sentence and appreciate that their plight and Aoife's death was to the forefront of my considerations when structuring the sentence. Any longer period of custody for Eric Dunne would not in my view serve the interests of justice or serve the memory of Aoife. Others may feel, that given the accused's unblemished record, the sentence is harsh, however it has to be remembered that the sentence is structured not so much to punish the accused but rather to deter others who might be tempted to text while driving and to emphasise the fatal dangers that such activity attracts. I am requesting that while the accused is in custody he is afforded full access to all relevant mental health services and addiction services. The court had been told Mr Dunne suffered from anxiety and had failed his driving test three times. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of the teenager, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and/or a fine of 20,000. Judge Johnson said the offending was in the mid-range and attracted a headline sentence of six years, which with mitigation he reduced to three-and-a-half. Part of the sentence was suspended for five years on condition he enter a 500 bond to keep the peace for five years post-release and submit himself to the supervision of the probation service. He noted the man's cannabis addiction and said his continued use of the drug as an aid to controlling his anxiety will have to be addressed. There was no evidence cannabis interfered with his driving and he told his probation officer that he consumed the drug three days before the collision. He had shown remorse and had a partner who is pregnant and his incarcertaion means he will miss the birth of his child. The accused is not inherently a bad person but is somebody who made a very bad decision when he decided to drive unaccompanied and engage in texting. That decision had fatal, tragic and catastrophic consequences. Judge Johnson said that like the victim's extended families, the Doyles and the Scullys, Mr Dunne will have to live with those fatal consequences for the rest of his life. Tragically Aoife was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the blink of an eye the lives of all those involved were changed forever. There was no premeditation on the part of Eric Dunne, just simple recklessness and a failure to abide by road traffic laws that are designed for the protection of all road users. The fatality occurred at about 7pm when Aoife Doyle and her best friend Cara Cronly, 14, were returning from a walk to photograph the sunset. They were walking along a straight stretch of the Ballycumber-Clara road at dusk and Cara's torchlight on her mobile phone was switched on. Aoife's was on the outside and they saw the jeep coming towards them and it hit the girl, propelling her into a drain. The accused went back to investigate and found Cara in a hysterical state and became extremely distressed himself. A married couple came on the scene, Ethna Kenny and Michael Carroll, and Ms Kenny, a trained nurse, started CPR after they removed the victim from the drain. Her husband also administered CPR and another woman who came along, Grace Coughlan, also offered to help. They continued to administer CPR until the emergency services arrived. Unfortunately there was nothing that could be done to resuscitate Aoife, said Judge Johnson. A post mortem said death was caused by blunt force trauma as a result of impact with the accused's jeep. In a victim impact statement, Cara Cronly said she was left bereft and heartbroken by the loss of someone who was like a member of her own family. Cara had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and it is clear that it will be some time before she comes to terms with Aoife's passing. The judge praised Cara for her fortitude and the bravery she showed on the night of the tragic accident and since. A victim impact statement was also delivered by Aoife's aunt Emer Doyle on behalf of the girl's parents and family. Aoife was an only child who was idolised by her family and extended family. She was clearly an extremely affectionate person full of vitality, ability and talent. She was passionate about the environment and saving the planet, said Judge Johnson. She had experienced a lot in her short life, having lived in Abu Dhabi and had travelled through Thailand, Australia and other parts of the world. She was fluent in Arabic and a bright future beckoned for her. The accident shattered all the hopes and dreams that Aoife had and that her family had for her. Judge Johnson added: There is an expression that 'only the good die young' and that is certainly true in the case of Aoife. While her life was all too short it is clear that because of the love and opportunities given to her by her family that her life was a fulfilled, happy and beautiful life. Aoife was fortunate to have been born into such a welcoming, talented, kind and loving family. He also paid tribute to those who came on the scene of the collision and tried to help and said their actions were commendable and epitomised the attributes of kindness, selflessness and commitment to do the right thing. Before finalising his sentence, Judge Johnson said he had no doubt that if Mr Dunne had been accompanied by a qualified driver at the time he would not have been allowed to use his mobile phone while driving. People continued to use their phones despite a campaign from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in 2015 saying the devices were the greatest cause of driver distraction. Making a phone call while driving makes the driver four times more likely to crash; texting makes the driver 23 times more likely to crash; and texting while driving leads to a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road. It appears that the relentless requirement of modern living to communicate and be contactable has with tragic consequences in many cases, trumped the requirement for road safety and distraction free driving. It is clear that the accused is not the only one who has texted while driving and that the practice is regrettably commonplace. He said apps have been developed which prevent a phone being used for texting while the user is driving and he recommended manufacturers roll out the technology to prevent tragic accidents. He directed that a copy of his judgment be sent to the RSA. In conclusion I again want to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the Scully and Doyle families on the death of Aoife. I will be thinking of them on Saturday when they mark the first anniversary of her death. UGC to consider CA, CS equivalent to post-graduate degree Students who qualify for Chartered Accountant (CA) and Company Secretary (CS) will now be considered equivalent to those who have completed their post-graduation degrees. As a result, those who have completed CA and CS can appear for the University Grants Commission's (UGC) NET examination and will also be eligible for a PhD. In a statement, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India said on Tuesday: "Acting upon the Institute's proposal, the UGC has accorded the status of a post-graduate degree to Company Secretary. The decision will benefit the company secretary profession everywhere in the world. We are grateful to the UGC for this." The UGC has arrived at the decision upon the request of the Indian Chartered Accountants of India, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India and the Institute of Cost Accountants of India. Talking about the decision in a letter, UGC Joint Secretary Surendra Singh said, "The UGC had received this application on behalf of CAs, company secretaries as well as cost accountants. In their request, they had sought a status at par with those having completed post-graduation degrees. After receipt of their application, the UGC constituted a special committee for the same. The application was accepted during the 550th meeting of the UGC." In their proposal to the UGC, the nodal certification bodies had argued that students who have cleared CA and CS have already attained a high level of education. Compared to M.Com and MBA, the curriculum of ICWA students is much more elaborate. Despite this, such students are not considered at par with students having completed their post-graduation and not eligible for higher research. Taking a positive decision in the favour of those having completed CA and CS degrees, not just has the UGC accorded them a status equivalent to PGs, but also provided them equal opportunities to pursue a doctorate in the form of PhD. These students can also join the teaching profession after clearing the UGC NET exam. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. Micheal Martin is to discuss vaccines with US President Joe Biden in their St Patricks Day meeting. The Taoiseach has confirmed the issue will be discussed at the annual meeting, which is to be held virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It comes after President Biden said on Tuesday that the US is in discussion with several countries over any surplus vaccines that may become available. It's all about collaboration in the modern world. No country is an island, there is an interdependence between us all. Taoiseach Micheal Martin It emerged last week that the US is sitting on upwards of 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which cannot be used there as they are still awaiting the results of clinical trials. Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Martin said: The most important issue in relation to vaccines is supply chains, and indeed in my discussions with the companies in the last two days, which involved in some of the vaccine companies, that is a critical issue. I will obviously be in discussions with the president about the broader issue of, not just Covid, but the whole idea of vaccine production, distribution, the raw materials necessary to produce a vaccine. If you think about it Pfizer is the classic embodiment of the EU/US collaboration. So its all about collaboration in the modern world. No country is an island, there is an interdependence between us all. President Biden has promised to make sure every American has access to a vaccine before giving any to other nations. The Taoiseach has said Covid-19 and Brexit will be on the agenda in Wednesdays meeting. He said: I think the fundamental aspect of tomorrows meeting is to strengthen and deepen even further the bilateral relationship between Ireland and the United States. I think thats critical and theres an economic dimension to that, a cultural dimension to that. Expand Close Taoiseach Micheal Martin is to hold a virtual St Patricks Day meeting with President Biden on Wednesday (Julien Behal/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Micheal Martin is to hold a virtual St Patricks Day meeting with President Biden on Wednesday (Julien Behal/PA) Given the presidents warm affection for Ireland, I think we can look forward to the EU-US relationship and the role Ireland can play in nurturing that. I think the bilateral aspect is key. Covid will be, obviously, a theme of tomorrows discussions. We will update the president on the outworkings of Brexit and thank him for the work he has been doing and his consistent support for Ireland in relation to peace on the island of Ireland. Asked whether he will raise the issue of the undocumented in Ireland, Mr Martin said: In terms of the undocumented, we will because its been a long standing issue, particularly the pursuit of the E-3 visa. We will asked the president for an update and well also speak to the vice president and of course Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and Friends of Ireland caucus. Mr Martin added that the US president is very anxious to visit Ireland. HK seeks ways to return residents trapped in UK A public health message is displayed on an arrivals board at London's Heathrow Airport last summer. File photo: Reuters Steve Dunthorne reports The Hong Kong government said on Monday that it was looking at ways to bring back scores of residents who have been stuck in the UK for months, as it extended a ban on arrivals from countries affected by highly-transmissible Covid-19 variants. The SAR introduced the ban on arrivals from Britain on December 22 as it sought ways to prevent a new, more infectious strain of Covid-19 from reaching Hong Kong. It applies to anyone who has spent at least two hours in the UK in the 21 days prior to boarding. Brazil, Ireland and South Africa are covered by the same rules. Reports say more than 400 Hong Kong residents in Britain and elsewhere have sought help from the Immigration Department, with some saying they had only prepared for a short trip. A government spokesman said: "The government recognises that the measures in relation to Group A specified places are very stringent, and would inevitably affect the return journey of a number of Hong Kong residents there (mostly in the United Kingdom). "Since late December last year, the number of newly confirmed cases in the UK, where the majority of the affected Hong Kong residents are situated, has fallen from the high of over 400,000 in a week to about 40,000 in the first week of March. "We also noted that over 24 million people in the UK, or over one-third of the population, have received at least the first dose of vaccine. "In view of this, the government is exploring arrangements that could facilitate these residents' direct return to Hong Kong without compromising the public health of the local community. Details of the arrangements will be announced separately at an appropriate juncture." The government statement did not specify how long the restrictions would stay in place for. The administration said it was also planning to keep a 21-day hotel quarantine requirement in place for all destinations outside China for the time being. Litigation Capital Management Limited's ( ) Patrick Moloney talks to Proactive London's Katie Pilbeam after announcing their interim results for the half year ended 31 December 2020. Moloney says LCM has made significant progress in building scale across the business in the first half of the year. He alludes to their strategic alliances with global law firms strengthening as well as receiving an increased flow of quality applications. He says the $50m credit facility, which was secured in February, increases the flexibility of their capital structure, allowing them to both increase their portfolio of direct investments in addition to increasing their asset management business. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia A leading human rights organization criticized the Jordanian government on Tuesday for imprisoning people over unpaid debt. Human Rights Watch said that poor Jordanians sometimes need to turn to informal lenders to cover essential expenses. If they cannot pay their lenders back, they are prosecuted, according to the New York-based organizations Middle East researcher. Under Jordanian law, if you take out a loan and cant pay it, you go to jail, said Sara Kayyali in a press release. In many cases, people take out loans to pay for rent, groceries, medical bills. But instead of helping those in need, the authorities jail them. The lengthy report in English and Arabic details struggles Jordanians charged with failing to pay back loans have faced. One section tells the story of a doctor who was sentenced to several months in prison after his creditors filed a complaint against him. The doctor was unable to make his car loan and mortgage payments after developing a bone disease that rendered him unable to work. He made some of the loan payments from his savings, but was convicted in absentia while receiving medical treatment abroad, according to Human Rights Watch. Few countries in the world allow debt imprisonment. More than 250,000 Jordanians are wanted by the authorities for failure to repay debt or for writing bad checks, Human Rights Watch said. In 2019, some lawmakers called for a change to the law after families of debt prisoners protested outside the royal court. The problem is particularly pressing now because of the economic crisis that has gripped Jordan for several months. The strict lockdowns at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic led to initial success in fighting the virus, but resulted in job and income losses. Now, infections are increasing again dramatically and the government has reimposed a partial lockdown. The country has seen several protests against the government during the crisis. The capital Amman is consistently ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the region. The Jordanian government has not responded to the report as of this writing. THE High Court has reserved judgment in application by convicted murderer Charlotte Mulhall for permission to bring a challenge aimed at securing a transfer from Limerick Prison back to the Dochas Centre woman's prison in Dublin. In her action Mulhall claims she was transferred to Limerick from the Dochas Centre on December 24,2018, two days after she was seen by a prison officer sitting on another prison officer while performing a beauty treatment. She disputes claims that anything inappropriate occurred and that she was in an allegedly compromising position with the female prison officer in question. She also says she has never been given the opportunity to address the prison authorities over what she says actually occurred. She claims that as a result of the move her Dublin-based family, for a variety of reasons, have not visited her since she was moved to Limerick. The lack of visits, she says has caused "great stress and upset to her and her family members." She said in a sworn statement to the court that "I am lonely and sad" due to "the lack of visits from my family" and "I miss my dog who was part of canine programme I was undertaking prior to my transfer." As a result, she has brought judicial review proceedings against the Irish Prison Service, the Governor of Limerick Prison, the Minister for Justice & Equality, Ireland and the Attorney General seeking a return to the Dochas Centre. The court previously directed that her application for permission to bring the challenge be heard on notice to the state respondents. Represented by Conor Power SC and Ciaran Kelly BL Mulhall seeks various orders including one directing the respondents to return her to Dublin, as well as an order quashing the decision to transfer her to Limerick. The respondents, represented by Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, oppose the application on grounds including that the application for leave is out of time. The prison service also says that permission should not be granted because it is entitled to make the transfer and that Mulhall had told the prison authorities that she was happy in Limerick. The matter came before Mr Justice Anthony Barr on Tuesday, who following the conclusion of submissions from both sides reserved his decision. In a sworn statement to the court Mulhall claims that despite being moved to Limerick just before Christmas 2018 she was not fully sure why she had been transferred to Limerick, where she enjoys enhanced or trusted prisoner status. The court heard that it was not until June 2020, following a Freedom of Information request, that she got it writing why she had been transferred to Limerick. In the information obtained the Prison service said that Mulhall had been found "in a very compromising position with a prison officer", that the interaction between Mulhall and the female officer "has been the focus of media attention previously". The information obtained from the Prison Service under the FOI also stated that Mulhall was "involved in a number of high-profile liaisons while in Dochas," which "received significant media coverage including adverse comment and that she should be transferred to Limerick "until further notice." Mulhall disputes these claims, and says that had she "been afforded the opportunity to address the situation which I was not, I would have told the governor exactly what happened and this transfer could have been avoided." She claims that if she was moved as a punishment, she would have been entitled to a hearing under prison disciplinary regulations. No such hearing took place. Known as the 'scissors sisters' Charlotte, and her sister Linda Mulhall, were convicted in 2006 of the killing of their mother's boyfriend Farah Swaleh Noor, in March 2005. The dismembered body of Noor, who had a history of being extremely violent towards women, was found dumped in the Royal Canal, near Croke Park, some days afterwards. Following a high-profile trial at the Central Criminal Court Charlotte, who was aged 21 years at the time of the killing, was found guilty of murder. Linda was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison. and has been subsequently been released from custody. Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati announced on Monday ( March 15) that the party would contest the assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on its own, saying it had a "bitter experience" of aligning with other parties in the past. Mayawati also stated that her party would go alone in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election next year. "We are working internally on the elections. We do not reveal our strategy," Mayawati told reporters at an event to pay tributes to BSP founder Kanshi Ram on his 87th birth anniversary. "The BSP will contest on all the 403 assembly seats in UP and will perform well. The performance of the party will be good in the panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh," she said. Mayawati asserted that the BSP would perform well in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. However, she did not clear the party's stand regarding the assembly polls in Assam. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the BSP's experience of forging an alliance with others had not been good. According to Mayawati, the BSP leaders, workers and voters are highly disciplined, but this is not the case with other parties of the country. "In an alliance, our votes are transferred to the other party, but the votes of the other party are not transferred to us," she said. "This has been a very bad and bitter experience. In future also, we will not forge any alliance with any party." On the protest by farmers over the three farm laws, the BSP leader urged the Centre to withdraw them. She demanded that the kin of farmers who died in the protest be given adequate financial assistance and a government job be provided to a family member. Paying tributes to Kanshi Ram, Mayawati said the party was moving on the path of B R Ambedkar and the BSP founder. She hit out at the government over "skyrocketing" fuel prices, poverty and unemployment. "The huge increase in the private wealth of some capitalists also raises questions on the government's policy and intention towards public interest and public welfare," she added. Raking up the "poor" law and order situation in the state, the BSP leader claimed that as per the common perception of the people, "most of the encounters are done with the feeling of casteist malice". Live TV Asked about Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra making frequent tours to Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati said: "There is democracy in the country and every party has the right to forge an alliance as per their own view." "Whether the Congress forges an alliance in UP or goes alone is a matter of that party," she added. On the sale of sugar mills during the BSP regime, Mayawati said it was a collective decision of the cabinet. "Be it the Centre or the state, all governments take decisions like this," she said. "All rules and norms were followed while doing this." Pence Endorses Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Arkansas Governor Former Vice President Mike Pence on March 15 endorsed former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders for the role of the Governor of Arkansas. [Sarah] is a Christian, a Conservative, and a Proud Arkansan who will fight for the people of Arkansas, stand with Law Enforcement, promote lower taxes, champion school choice, and more! Sarah will be a great Governor and has my full support! Pence wrote on Twitter. Sanders responded with a brief message thanking the former vice president. Thank you Vice President [Mike Pence] for your friendship, endorsement, and courageous leadership for our country! Sanders wrote on Twitter alongside a pair of photos of herself with Pence. Sanders announced her bid for the governorship in late January and promptly received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a warrior who will always fight for the people of Arkansas and do what is right, not what is politically correct. Sarah is strong on Borders, tough on Crime, and fully supports the Second Amendment and our great law enforcement officers, the president said in a statement on Jan. 25. She loves our Military and Veteransand her home state of Arkansas. Sarah will be a GREAT Governor, and she has my Complete and Total Endorsement! Trump made a surprise appearance at a Sanders campaign event held on March 12 at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Great weekend on the campaign trail featuring a surprise appearance at one of my events by President Trump! Sanders wrote on Twitter on March 14 alongside a photo of herself with the former president. Sanders served as the White House press secretary from July 2017 to July 2019. Her tenure was marked by a series of viral exchanges with members of the establishment media, boosting her profile among Trump followers. Sanders has promised that if elected, she would work to lower the state income tax, reduce the cost and size of government, and create more good jobs. I love my state and care about our people. I will champion good schools and good teachers, but also offer more choices to parents of kids in failing schools, Sanders wrote on Twitter on Jan. 29. Every child must have the opportunity of a quality educationand no child should ever be trapped in a life of poverty and despair. Our goal shouldnt be to take assistance away from the working poor but to offer the right education and job training opportunities to incentivize work and unleash hope for a better future. Sanders, 38, the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee, announced her 2022 bid for Arkansas governor on Jan. 25. She raised $1 million in the first four days of her candidacy, including donations from all 75 counties in Arkansas, according to her campaign. Less than two weeks of voting remain for the 5,800 Bessemer, Alabama Amazon warehouse workers who are deciding whether to accept representation by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). More than 3,000 workers signed cards in favor of a union election in the period leading up to the vote, which began on February 8. Workers have until March 29 to mail in their ballots, with the tally to be announced the following day. Reps Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush at Amazon Beesemar facility. (Photo: Twitter/Cori Bush) The campaign has been heavily promoted by the Democratic Party and its media affiliates nationwide, as well as by President Biden. But very little has been said of the concrete demands of Amazon workers at the Bessemer warehouse in any fight with management. This is because, in fact, there are none. On Sunday, the World Socialist Web Site sent an email inquiry to the union, asking for a list of the demands the RWDSU has told workers it will fight for if it wins the vote. The response of Chelsea Connor, RWDSU Director of Communications, reads in its entirety, That would be during contract negotiations, not during the union campaign. While the word grassroots is endlessly used to describe the unionization campaign at Bessemer, this Democratic Party buzzword has nothing to do with reality. The absence of any concrete demands around which workers are being mobilized underscores the thoroughly top-down character of the unionization drive. There is no shortage of demands that could and should be raised. The International Amazon Workers Voice, initiated by the World Socialist Web Site in 2017, has been a focal point for growing anger among Amazon workers, including in response to the exposure of working conditions and the fates of injured workers by Amazon whistleblowers like Shannon Allen and Michelle Quinones. There is broad support among Amazon workers to abolish the oppressive rate system, which requires workers to perform a task as often as every six to nine seconds. The constant pressure to make rate is not only unsafe and physically exhausting. It is also degrading, demeaning, and injurious to workers mental health and well-being. A popular phrase among Amazon workers is, We are not robots! There is also powerful support for higher wages, the changes necessary to reduce injuries, adequate compensation for injured workers, and an end to the tyrannical surveillance regime that records and logs every second of a workers day. During the pandemic, Amazon workers staged walkouts and demonstrations to demand countermeasures against the spread of the virus. Workers demanded up-to-the-minute information on infections in their workplaces. When management refused to provide that information, they organized on social media and collected it themselves. When Amazon workers formed an independent rank-and-file committee in Baltimore in December (ignored by those tendencies now celebrating the efforts of the Democratic Party and the RWDSU in Bessemer), workers demanded an end to the abusive management speed-ups and the regime of harassment around so-called time off task (TOT). Workers also demanded the reinstatement of hazard pay, real scientific contact tracing, paid time off for sick workers, accessible coronavirus tests, and the closure of facilities for necessary cleaning. Throughout history, serious working-class struggles have always been associated with a definite program to combat capitalist exploitation. This was certainly true in Bessemer and Alabama itself. In 1934-35 there was a wave of strikes by iron and steel workers, coal miners, railroad workers, rural sharecroppers, Birmingham laundry workers, Mobile dock workers, meatpacking workers and others who fought for better wages and conditions, union recognition and an end the tyranny of management over the workers. Many of these struggles, often led by socialists, united workers across racial lines during the heyday of Jim Crow segregation, raising political demands including government relief for the unemployed, the end to racial discrimination and anti-labor violence by the police and the KKK. But RWDSU raises no demands and has no intention of waging a serious struggle on behalf of workers against Amazon. The last thing the RWDSU and the AFL-CIO unions want is a wave of strikes by Amazon workers, which would quickly inspire and draw in millions of other workers into struggle against the corporate and political establishment, which the unions are part of. It is necessary to warn Amazon workers directly that, if brought in, the union will suppress workers real demands for substantial improvements in wages and working conditions to reach an agreement that secures the RWDSUs own seat at the table with the giant corporation and an unending stream of dues money. The RWDSU has called no strikes even when its members were literally killed on the job. Last April, after three workers at the Tysons Camilla, Georgia plant died of COVID-19, the RWDSU kept its 2,000 members in the plant and did nothing but issue press releases imploring the company to be nicer. In Montgomery and other Alabama cities, the RWDSUs 7,500 poultry workers make miserable wages, in many cases less than the pathetic $15 an hour Amazon pays. Last week RWDSU officials publicly disavowed calls on social media for a one-week boycott of Amazon products to support the unionizing drive. Even this symbolic gesture was too much for the RWDSU. Many Bessemer workers may hope that bringing in the RWDSU will strengthen them against this corporate giant. But they should ask themselves: If this was an organization that genuinely represented and fought for workers, why would it be getting the support of President Bidena longtime shill of big businessand other Democratic politicians, who, no less than the Republicans, protect the interests of big business? Even right-wing Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio threw in his support last week, which the RWDSU enthusiastically accepted. The ruling class fears a real struggle by Amazon workers in the US and internationally, leading to social eruptions that would threaten the entire capitalist system. They are fearful of the growth of militancy among workers and the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the corporatist unions, by Baltimore Amazon workers, Alabama teachers and educators and autoworkers around the country. From the standpoint of the ruling elite, the corporatist trade unions perform a valuable function, guaranteeing labor peace and policing the struggles of workers, restraining them within the framework of negotiations over contract terms and preventing them from presenting a challenge to the capitalist system itself. As the World Socialist Web Site and the International Amazon Workers Voice explained, regardless of the outcome of the vote, workers at Bessemer and other Amazon facilities will confront the challenge of building an independent organization, democratically controlled by the rank and file, to fight for their class interests. If the union is brought in, these rank-and-file committees, independent of the union, will have to fight for the demands workers need, not what the corporations, politicians and unions say they can afford. This should include a doubling of wages, fully paid medical and retirement coverage, and an end to the corporate dictatorship through workers control over work rates, break times and health and safety. These committees will fight to mobilize Amazon workers throughout the US and across the corporations global empire, uniting with FedEx, UPS and US Postal Service workers to stop the relentless downward pressure Amazon has put on the wages of logistics workers. The fight for the day-to-day needs of workers must be combined with a struggle to put an end to the source of their exploitation, the capitalist system which further enriched Bezos and other billionaire pandemic profiteers while 2.6 million people died from COVID-19, including nearly 550,000 in the US. Instead, economic life must be organized along socialist lines so the vast wealth created by the collective labor of the working class, the essential element in society, can used to meet social need, not the wealth of the oligarchs. Over 4,000 variants of the CCP virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2 or the novel coronavirus, have been identified across the globe. (Corona Borealis Studio/Shutterstock) Nigerian CCP Virus Variant Found in Southern Chinas Guangdong Province As CCP virus variants grow in number, scientists are increasingly concerned about whether vaccines will remain effective despite the new strains. On March 12, southern Chinas Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the B.1.525 strain had been detected in two cases. This is the first time it has been discovered in the province. B.1.525 was first found in late December in Nigeria but since then the new variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus has been found in 26 countries around the world, including the UK, Australia, Denmark, the United States, Canada, Italy, and most recently China. According to the Guangdong CDC, the two cases were asymptomatic infections imported from abroad. The two infected people are currently under medical observation in the hospital. A health worker collects a nasal swab sample from a man to test for COVID-19 at a testing site outside Yichangdong Railway Station in Yichang, in central Chinas Hubei province on Jan. 28, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) The CDC said that it would continue to monitor the strain very closely and track the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. This is the third time this year that the provincial CDC has found a new strain of the CCP virus. On Jan. 2, the center detected variant B.1.1.7 from a throat swab sample of a confirmed case imported from the UK, an 18-year-old male Chinese student. On Jan. 6, the center isolated the 501Y.V2 strain from a throat swab sample of a case coming from South Africa, a 55-year-old airline pilot. The new variant reportedly enhances the spread of the virus and could potentially lead to reinfection, the Guangdong CDC reported in its March 12 notice. Similarly, Forbes reported on Feb. 24 that the B.1.525 mutation may increase transmissibility and virulence. In February, Dr. Simon Clarke from the UKs University of Reading told The Guardian, We dont yet know how well this [new Nigerian] variant will spread, but if it is successful it can be presumed that immunity from any vaccine or previous infection will be blunted. Arnaldo Caruso, president of the Italian Society for Virology, told ANSA: For the first time we have managed to isolate the virus bearing these mutations which concern us because they could confer resistance to COVID vaccines today available. Public data shows that the B.1.525 variant carries a mutation called E484K in the spike protein that affects human immunity to the virus. Like every other awards show this year, the Oscars are being scaled back due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And on Monday, the president of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts & Sciences, spelled out just how different the event will be. In a letter emailed to the Academy's nearly 10,000 members, David Rubin confirmed that only presenters and nominees with a plus one will be present in person for the telecast, THR.com reported. Changes: Only presenters and nominees with a plus one will be allowed to attend the 93rd Academy Awards in person at a scaled back ceremony on April 25, THR.com reported Monday Rubin wrote: 'Though wed hoped the pandemic would be more in our rearview mirror by the month of April, the health and safety of our members and Oscar nominees are our primary concern, so weve had to make some necessary decisions about some of our highly anticipated Oscar-week events.' It had already been announced that the 93rd Academy Awards will come from two locations - from its usual home at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre and from the historic Union Station in Downtown LA. Presumably having two venues means that the nominees, presenters and crew can be spread out between both places, enabling adequate social distancing. In addition to there being no audience, Rubin revealed that all the usual events that surround the awards show are also being scrapped. There will not be the Oscar Nominees Luncheon ahead of the April 25 awards show and the traditional post-ceremony Governor's Ball is also cancelled. No audience: The changes had to be made due to the COVID-19 pandemic and surrounding events including the Oscar Nominees Luncheon and Governor's Ball have also been scrapped Notice: 'The health and safety of our members and Oscar nominees are our primary concern,' Academy President David Rubin said in an email to the Academy's almost 10,000 members Other casualties of the scaled back proceedings include nominations screenings; the International Feature Film nominee cocktail reception; and Oscar Night watch parties in London and New York. Despite the major changes, Rubin ended his letter by assuring Academy members that the Oscars will still be an 'exciting show'. 'In a year marked by so much uncertainty, one thing is without question: We have enlisted the ideal trio of producersJesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderberghto put together an Oscars show like none other, to honor the extraordinary movies, memorable performances and achievements in filmmaking of the past year,' Rubin said. Here they are: Early on Monday morning, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra had announced this year's Academy Awards nominations Frontrunner: David Fincher's black-and-white Netflix movie Mank secured the most nominations, with 10 nods including for best picture, best director, best actor for Gary Oldman and best supporting actress for Amanda Seyfried Early on Monday morning, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra had announced this year's Academy Awards nominations. David Fincher's black-and-white Netflix movie Mank secured the most nominations, with 10 nods including for best picture, best director, best actor for Gary Oldman and best supporting actress for Amanda Seyfried. Six films, all of them also up for best picture, scored six nominations each: Judas and the Black Messiah, Nomadland, Minari, Sound of Metal, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Father. Also nominated for best picture was Promising Young Woman. Joining Oldman in the best actor category are Anthony Hopkins, Riz Ahmed, Steven Yeun and the late Chadwick Boseman. The best actress nominees are Viola Davis, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, Frances McDormand and Carey Mulligan. In the best supporting actor category are Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Odom Jr., Daniel Kaluuya, Paul Raci and LaKeith Stanfield. The best supporting actress nominees are Seyfried, Maria Bakalova, Glenn Close, Yuh-Jung Youn and Olivia Colman. It had already been announced that the 93rd Academy Awards will come from two locations - from its usual home at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre... The largest high school district in Hunterdon County recently decided to abandon plans to present South Pacific as its spring musical after students and staff raised concerns about potentially insensitive characters and dialogue within the production. Instead, Hunterdon Central Regional High School will present a full-fledged concert titled Some Enchanted Evening: A Celebration of the Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Fabianna Rincon and Anjali Vijan, two seniors at the Raritan Township-based school, said they met with school administrators, teachers and union members in late February to express concerns over South Pacific, a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical that premiered in 1949 and was revived on Broadway in 2008. They also brought their concerns to the districts Board of Education toward the end of February. After a series of meetings, the district agreed to convert the production into an outdoor concert, said Jeffrey Moore, district superintendent. Songs from South Pacific will be performed in the first act, and songs from other Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals will be performed in the second act, according to Rincon and Vijan. The show will take place in May on Stewart Field at the high school, Rincon and Vijan confirmed. Both said the districts decision to transform the production into a concert was a great compromise. Moore said South Pacific was initially chosen as the schools spring musical because it contained a strong anti-racist message that the district believed was important and relevant. Hunterdon Central Regional High School District Superintendent Jeffrey Moore. He said the district was aware the musical featured stereotyped characters and dialogue, and originally intended to offer a concert version that significantly reduced the dialogue. Even professional theater groups that have performed the production, like Guthrie Theater in Minnesota, have struggled with its stereotypical depictions of certain characters. One of the characters in the show, Bloody Mary, is an Islander who makes her living selling souvenirs like shrunken heads and speaks in Broken English even as she performs the song Happy Talk. Rincon said she and Vijan remained concerned with the racist stereotypes and harmful dialogue that they felt remained in the abbreviated version of the musical. Moore said students and staff approached the district with concerns about the musical prior to the theater department beginning to cast the production and before any work began on it. In response to those concerns, the district held a series of meetings with social justice groups through which they found ways to further adjust our initial plans to answer the concerns. Central is blessed not just with students who stand up for themselves and one another, but also with adults who are eager to empower that kind of work, Moore said in a statement provided to NJ Advance Media. Our Theatre Department was quick to work with our students, innovative in their suggestions on how to move forward, and critical in bringing about a workable solution that both addressed the concerns and preserved the opportunity for our students to have a spring musical. Rincon and Vijan are co-editors in chief of the school newspaper, The Lamp. They said potential issues with the schools choice in musical became apparent to them after a fellow student authored an opinion piece expressing concerns with racial stereotypes in the production. The two students contacted three social justice organizations in the district to gather other students input on the production the Third Wave Club, the LatinX Alliance Club, and the Black Student Union. Rincon and Vijan said these groups took issue with several components of the show, including its misogynistic characterization of young women of color, the use of broken English, the potential casting of white actors in person of color roles, and the potential for the use of yellow face to negatively depict Asian Americans something that happened during the schools 2018 production of Anything Goes. In the actual musical (South Pacific), the message at the end is supposed to be anti-racist, but the way they were trying to portray that message enforced a lot of stereotypes and also misogyny, and that was something we felt shouldnt be in a school musical, Vijan said. That (could have) a really big impact on the school community like Anything Goes did. Anjali VijanCourtesy If you ask any person of color at our school, they strictly remember Anything Goes as being offensive, and that was something we didnt want happening this year again, she added. Rincon said she recalled being in shock while watching Anything Goes as a freshman, but remained silent until this past year. I was too scared to speak out for injustices that I saw in fear of being blacklisted or not being able to participate or have any good roles for the rest of my time at Central, so I stayed quiet, Rincon said. And that fear culminated this year ... and I felt like I had to speak out so it wouldnt happen again. Fabianna RinconCourtesy We speak out now so this years freshmen dont have to do this when theyre seniors, Rincon added. We speak out now so there can be a continuation of positive change we know this isnt just a one-and-done issue. Moore said the district was proud of the cooperative work that resulted in this decision and grateful for the opportunity to create valuable learning lessons, adding, At Hunterdon Central, we work to ensure that students are able to express their concerns, advocate for themselves and one another, and feel comfortable working with adults on necessary solutions whenever issues arise. Rincon originally served as the student director of this years musical, but resigned after sharing her concerns about the show and feeling they were not well-received by the theater department. I really struggled with, was this play possible to put on without offending certain people, or without invoking these terrible stereotypes? Rincon said. Ive been in the theater department (since my sophomore year) at Central. I have friends from there, and I didnt want to take their senior show away from them, Rincon said of the decision to put together a concert instead of staging South Pacific. So this is a compromise where theyll still be able to perform and yet we wont be invoking these really racist and outdated stereotypes. Vijan added, The songs that were chosen from South Pacific, I do want to specify, have no storyline to South Pacific ... they chose songs that dont involve the racial stereotypes and such. And we obviously didnt want to take away the senior show, because with this past year and the whole pandemic, they deserve a show. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. The boss of the gambling watchdog has resigned in the middle of a major Government review. Neil McArthur, who was promoted to chief executive of the Gambling Commission in April 2018, said that now feels the right time to step away. His surprise departure comes at a vital moment for the industry which is facing the biggest shake-up in its laws in over 15 years. Neil McArthur (pictured), who was promoted to chief executive of the Gambling Commission in April 2018, said that now feels the right time to step away The commission, a quango linked to the Culture Department, is also leading on a series of proposals designed to protect vulnerable gamblers from harm online. The numbers of those gambling online has rocketed in lockdown. Mr McArthur said the commission had taken significant steps to make gambling fairer and safer and I know that I leave the organisation in a strong position. However, campaigners fear the loss of an experienced regulator could lead to a watering down of reforms. The commission, a quango linked to the Culture Department, is also leading on a series of proposals designed to protect vulnerable gamblers from harm online. The numbers of those gambling online has rocketed in lockdown (stock image) One industry figure said: How on earth could you make big changes with no chief executive? In the last three years the Commission has banned gambling on credit cards, imposed tougher age verification checks to stop children betting online and forced changes to online slot game design. But Mr McArthur has been attacked by critics for being too conciliatory towards the industry and failing to impose harsh punishments when companies broke the law while figures within the industry have accused him of attempting to demonise gambling. At least 138 protesters have been killed in the ongoing violence in Myanmar around the February 1 military coup, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th March, 2021) At least 138 protesters have been killed in the ongoing violence in Myanmar around the February 1 military coup, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday. "According to the UN Human Rights Office, to date, at least 138 peaceful protesters, including women and children, have been killed in the violence since February 1," Dujarric said. The spokesman said the number includes 38 people killed on Sunday, the majority in the Hlaing Thayer area of Yangon, and 18 people who were killed a day before. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the violence against the peaceful protesters and the violations of the most basic human rights in Myanmar, Dujarric said. "The Secretary-General renews his call on the international community, including regional actors, to come together in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations," the spokesman added. Last week, all members states at the UN Security Council issued a statement in which they strongly condemned the crackdown by Myanmar's military against peaceful protesters. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Rep. Deb Haaland was with members of her family watching the Senate vote on her confirmation to be the next secretary of the Interior when two things became apparent. She had enough support to take a seat at the presidents inner circle. And she was out of tomatoes. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Haaland said she considered a quick run to the store before her security detail increased its presence in her life. I kind of realize that things are going to change for me, Haaland told dozens of her supporters during a Zoom call on Monday. The New Mexico Democrat was confirmed as the next secretary of the Department of the Interior on Monday, making her the first Native American Cabinet secretary in the countrys history. Senators voted 51-40 to confirm Haaland, who was strongly supported by advocates for conservation and Native American issues. She will soon lead an agency critical to the Biden administrations efforts to confront climate change. Many Haaland supporters watched the vote on a Zoom watch party organized by NDN Collective, an organization dedicated to increasing Indigenous political power. Dozens of people, including actor Mark Ruffalo, wiped away tears as the votes trickled in. Haaland, who joined the call after the vote, said the confirmation was another crucial step in increasing Native American visibility. This moment is a culmination of so many of the sacrifices that my ancestors made, Haaland said on the call. If were visible, that means our needs are being met, that means were being taken seriously, that means our issues are at the forefront. Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation, said Haalands confirmation was a source of hope for Native American people, especially children. It gives us a seat at the table to offer a new and different perspective from a person that has experienced the reality of adversities and challenges of growing up on what federal officials refer to as Indian reservations, Nez said. Haaland will soon be leading a federal agency with wide-ranging responsibilities on public lands throughout the country. The Interior Department approves oil and gas drilling and mining on federal lands, runs national parks, and is involved in protecting wildlife and endangered species. Thats in addition to its authority in Indian Country, which includes managing government relations with tribes, administering mineral rights and managing the Bureau of Indian Education. Food stamps to Cabinet Haaland, 60, raised a child as a single mother, relied on food stamps, and has been upfront about her struggles with alcohol. She is a Laguna Pueblo member and former San Felipe Pueblo tribal administrator, who was elected to represent the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District in 2018 after previously serving as the chairwoman of New Mexicos Democratic Party. In her time in the House, she was a fierce environmental advocate and her nomination was met with strong opposition by Republicans, and oil and gas industry proponents. Haaland was a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, has been opposed to oil and gas development on public lands, and has taken other strong environmental stances, such as calling for more protections for the countrys lands and waters. Her life story has resonated with many Americans, particularly Native Americans, said Julian NoiseCat, vice president for policy and strategy at Data for Progress. Shes lived a very real life in many ways, NoiseCat said. From living on food stamps to traveling to the camps directly in the path of the Dakota Access Pipeline, and cooking green chile stew and tortillas for water protectors, Native people see ourselves in that story. And seeing ourselves at that level of government gives us hope. Narrow margin The vote on Monday was the narrowest margin yet for any of President Joe Bidens Cabinet nominees. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were the only GOP members who voted to confirm Haaland. New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce called her nomination bittersweet for New Mexico. While Rep. Haalands elevation to the Biden Cabinet is a proud moment for our state, her radical position on energy will be devastating to New Mexico, Pearce said in a statement. Our oil and gas industry is vital to our state and its financial health, and Haaland has made it clear she opposes fracking, the oil and gas industry, and supports the Green New Deal. During her confirmation hearings last month, when asked about prior statements shes made about environmental issues such as saying she supports bans on fracking and animal trapping she said that her role as a congresswoman is different from that of a Cabinet secretary. She said shell make decisions based on science, and she acknowledged that fossil fuels will be part of the countrys energy portfolio for years to come. Deb Haaland has said she will simply follow President Bidens orders; sadly, those orders are already killing jobs in Haalands own state, said Larry Behrens, Western states director for Power the Future, which has opposed renewable energy mandates. During her confirmation hearing, Deb Haaland made a commitment to listen to Americas energy workers; now we will see if she was telling the truth. Haaland is not expected to formally step down from her congressional seat until Tuesday afternoon, according to an adviser. She could then be sworn in as interior secretary by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on scheduling. Haalands resignation will trigger a special election for her seat in the House. Once the vacancy occurs, the secretary of state has 10 days to issue the proclamation and the election will happen 77 to 91 days later. Already, more than a dozen people, a mix of Democrats, Republicans and other candidates, have declared their candidacy to fill the seat, which represents most of Albuquerque and the surrounding areas. Journal staff writer Dan Boyd and The Associated Press contributed to this report. [March 16, 2021] SMBC Americas Holdings, Inc. Elects Joseph M. Busuttil as an Independent Director SMBC Americas Holdings, Inc. ("SMBCAH"), a member of SMBC Group, announced today that it has elected Joseph M. Busuttil as an Independent Director, effective March 15, 2021. Mr. Busuttil will serve as a director and chairperson of the Audit Committee. "Joe's tremendous depth of experience and breadth of knowledge will bring valuable perspectives as we continue on our growth trajectory in the Americas," said Hiro Hyakutome, CEO and Head of SMBC Americas Division as well as President & CEO of SMBCAH. "We're very pleased to welcome Joe as an independent director to the SMBCAH board. His appointment further diversifies our mix of board members, demonstrates the Group's commitment to strengthening its governance, and is yet another tangible example of how we're building a stronger, more capable and collaborative SMBC in the Americas." Mr. Busuttil has more than 30 years of experience leading and managing multiple strategic financial functions across various business lines for global financial institutions. Most recently, he served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Audit Committee of AgriBank. Previously, he was the Chief Financial Officer at Barclays Global Investment Bank and Barclays Americas, a role he held for four years. Prior to joining Barclays, he sered in various capacities at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. for more than 20 years, including Global Head of Regulatory Control and Director of Internal Audit. He also served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of Finance, Risk, Operations, Corporate Services and International Administration for Goldman Sachs Asia and Goldman Sachs Japan, during which time he was stationed in Tokyo, Japan. He has extensive experience managing financial and operational risks, supporting chief executive officers, and serving on board-level committees. Mr. Busuttil began his career as an auditor at Coopers & Lybrand. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a FINRA Series 27-Financial and Operations Principal-license. About SMBC Group SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 85,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges. As of December 31, 2020, its total assets were $2.25 trillion. In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization's extensive global network. The Group's operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC Rail Services LLC, Manufacturers Bank, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005381/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaragua received a first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses, health authorities said on Tuesday, touting the inoculations donated through the World Health Organization's global vaccine-sharing COVAX program. Officials with the World Health Organization's Americas branch PAHO said COVAX had donated 135,000 doses and that Nicaragua would receive more shots through the COVAX mechanism at the end of March, but did not specify how many. Nicaraguan Vice President Rosario Murillo said earlier on Tuesday the COVAX program had provided 137,000 doses. In late February, Nicaragua received its first batch of vaccine doses from an initial donation of Russia's Sputnik V product and has begun inoculating people with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, kidney failure and cancer. India has also already donated 200,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Nicaragua, and has agreed to deliver an additional 300,000 doses. Global health experts are seeking to clear up questions about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine as around a dozen European countries have suspended its use over a possible heightened risk of blood clots. Europe's medicines regulator is investigating and is expected to release its findings on Thursday. British health minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday the AstraZeneca vaccine remained safe. (Reporting by Ismael Lopez; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by David Alire Garcia, Mark Heinrich and Richard Pullin) [March 16, 2021] Unity Announces Winners of 2020 Unity for Humanity Grant Unity (NYSE: U), the world's leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, today announced the grantees of the 2020 Unity for Humanity Grant. For the first time, Unity has selected five grantees: Ahi Ka Rangers, Dot's Home, Future Aleppo, Our America, and Samudra. Each winning project is awarded funds along with mentorship and technical assistance to advance their Unity experiences. Unity for Humanity is a program within Unity Social Impact that celebrates and empowers creators who are using real-time 3D to inspire change. Unity for Humanity represents the company's strong belief that the world is a better place with more creators in it and its commitment to empowering creators with the resources and guidance to bring these powerful experiences to life. Each project was evaluated for its inclusivity and diversity of experiences and perspectives, measurability of impact goals and calls to action, creativity of Unity usage and application, and viability of the production and distribution plan. The 2020 Unity for Humanity Grantees are: Ahi Ka Rangers: An ecological mobile game, led by a Maori (Indigenous peoples of New Zealand) tam, designed to transform a generation who have lost their connection to the world around them, into cheerleaders and activists for the planet. Players nurture and maintain biomes, aid other players, and participate in live data collection missions, contributing to scientific research. An ecological mobile game, led by a Maori (Indigenous peoples of New Zealand) tam, designed to transform a generation who have lost their connection to the world around them, into cheerleaders and activists for the planet. Players nurture and maintain biomes, aid other players, and participate in live data collection missions, contributing to scientific research. Dot's Home : A game that sheds light on the injustices embedded into the U.S. housing system by highlighting the choices that marginalized communities have had to make when navigating within the system. Dot's Home follows a young Black woman in Detroit living in her grandmother's beloved home, as she travels through time to relive key moments in her family's history where race, place, and home collide. Dot's Home is part of the Rise-Home Stories Project, a collaboration between multimedia storytellers and social justice advocates from several grassroots organizations who work at the intersection of housing, land, and racial justice in the US. : A game that sheds light on the injustices embedded into the U.S. housing system by highlighting the choices that marginalized communities have had to make when navigating within the system. Dot's Home follows a young Black woman in Detroit living in her grandmother's beloved home, as she travels through time to relive key moments in her family's history where race, place, and home collide. Dot's Home is part of the Rise-Home Stories Project, a collaboration between multimedia storytellers and social justice advocates from several grassroots organizations who work at the intersection of housing, land, and racial justice in the US. Future Aleppo: An interactive VR experience that allows children to rebuild their homes and cities that have been ravaged by war. The experience is inspired by Mohammed Kteish, who used fallen debris to construct a model of his city that had been destroyed by bombings. These images were later converted, using Unity, into a fully immersive and interactive experience, preserving the city virtually and offering hope to citizens of Eastern Aleppo. The creators are now working with other youth from conflict zones and orphanages, empowering them to architect their own cities and homes, restoring agency and aiding in processing their trauma. An interactive VR experience that allows children to rebuild their homes and cities that have been ravaged by war. The experience is inspired by Mohammed Kteish, who used fallen debris to construct a model of his city that had been destroyed by bombings. These images were later converted, using Unity, into a fully immersive and interactive experience, preserving the city virtually and offering hope to citizens of Eastern Aleppo. The creators are now working with other youth from conflict zones and orphanages, empowering them to architect their own cities and homes, restoring agency and aiding in processing their trauma. Our America: A virtual reality experience designed to educate users about being Black in America. The experience navigates overt and subtle racism through the lens of a simple commute for a father and son that escalates into a life-or-death encounter. Modeled after the creators' personal experiences with racism, microaggressions, and police brutality, Our America sheds light on the many patterns of systematic racism and allows users to begin to understand first-hand the experiences that Black Americans face daily. A virtual reality experience designed to educate users about being Black in America. The experience navigates overt and subtle racism through the lens of a simple commute for a father and son that escalates into a life-or-death encounter. Modeled after the creators' personal experiences with racism, microaggressions, and police brutality, Our America sheds light on the many patterns of systematic racism and allows users to begin to understand first-hand the experiences that Black Americans face daily. Samudra: An environmentally focused, hand-illustrated, 2D puzzle game that follows a child's adventure across a polluted sea. Players encounter underwater creatures to uncover truths about "surface-dweller" actions causing the polluted deep-sea world. Uniquely designed without dialogue, Samudra is accessible across lingual and auditory borders. The creators seek to educate younger audiences around the globe about pollution and inspire them to take action and specifically focus on plastic waste, as part of their collaboration with the Indonesian activist circle to minimize plastic usage in Indonesia to 70% by 2025. five grants to Unity creators who are using real-time 3D to connect us more deeply to our global society and help us see the world a bit differently," said Jessica Lindl, VP Social Impact, Unity. "It's my honor to support all of these changemakers in their storytelling journeys, inspiring us to make the world a better place." Unity For Humanity is a grant program within Unity Social Impact, a division of Unity, aimed at empowering employees and creators of all backgrounds to foster a more inclusive, sustainable world. Unity Social Impact is made up of three pillars, Education and Economic Opportunity, Sustainability, and Digital Health and Well-Being. Inclusive Storytelling is the key theme that transcends all of Unity Social Impact initiatives. The 2021 Unity for Humanity Grant will open on April 22nd. To learn more, please visit: https://unity.com/humanity. About Unity Unity (NYSE: U) is the world's leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content. Creators, ranging from game developers to artists, architects, automotive designers, filmmakers, and others, use Unity to make their imaginations come to life. Unity's platform provides a comprehensive set of software solutions to create, run and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. The company's 1,800+ person research and development team keeps Unity at the forefront of development by working alongside partners to ensure optimized support for the latest releases and platforms. Apps developed by Unity creators have been downloaded more than five billion times per month in 2020. For more information, please visit www.unity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005258/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Police is investigating the operations of a child trafficking syndicate at Kokrobite in the Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro constituency. Four persons believed to be Cameroonians were arrested over the weekend while they were transporting some children in a taxi cab. The nine victims, aged between three and 12, were rescued as investigations continue. Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at the Police Headquarters, Chief Superintendent Michael Baah said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping while investigations continue. Traditional authorities in the area have since expressed shock at the development. Adontenhene of Kokrobite, Nii Kwashie Djabum who spoke to Citi News urged parents to be extra vigilant in order to keep their children safe. It is very shocking to hear such news in this community. Being a traditional ruler, Id like to advise parents in this community and the communities around for them to keep their eyes on their children. Once such an incident has happened, maybe tomorrow or next day, something like that will also happen, so they should be careful with how they handle their children so that we will not hear such a thing in this community again. View this post on Instagram A post shared by UTV Ghana (@utvghana) 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. Unlike other clay masks on the market, Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay has a soft, mouse-like texture that draws out impurities while locking in moisture, leaving skin smooth and hydrated. 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"Through intensive research and a sustainable harvesting process that only occurs once a year, we have created a natural skin-care collection that incorporates this rare and transformative ingredient." Bl'eau's all-natural skin-care collection is suitable for all skin types and incorporates Glacial Oceanic Clay and it's extracted ingredient, Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water, in all products. Products including Glacial Oceanic Clay Masks, Glacial Mineral Toner, Hydrating Glacial Moisturizing Cream and Hydrating Glacial Moisturizing Emulsion, can be seamlessly added into any Spring skin-care routine. All products are available for purchase in Canada and the United States through their website, www.bleaubeauty.com, and are now available for purchase at the Bl'eau store on amazon.ca and amazon.com. About Bl'eau Bl'eau is bringing innovative and safe skincare solutions to the market to help customers achieve radiant skin naturally and ethically. In addition to being cruelty-free and never tested on animals, all of Bl'eau's products are formulated without parabens, toxins, GMOs, TEA, DEA, synthetic chemicals, sulfates SLS and SLES, PEGs, Ethoxylate, Formaldehyde and mineral oils. Bl'eau works with the government of British Columbia to ensure the highest standard of eco-friendly sourcing. The company headquarters in Richmond, British Columbia. SOURCE Bleau Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov met with Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Transdniestrian settlement Thomas Mayr-Harting and Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Claus Neukirch, the NSDC press service said. "During the meeting, the parties discussed the current security situation in the region, in particular, in the context of the Transnistrian conflict and the strengthening of Russian influence on the processes in neighboring Belarus," the message said. Danilov stressed that the situation in the region has remained extremely difficult for over 20 years, especially taking into account the Russian factor. "Russia has never been engaged in a peaceful settlement," he said, stressing "the desire of the Russian Federation for constant escalation." He also noted that the conflict in Transnistria region remains a challenge not only for Moldova and Ukraine, but also for the entire democratic Europe, against which the Russian Federation is also waging an information war. Danilov said that by the decision of the NSDC of February 26, 2021 on urgent measures to counter threats to national security in the sphere of citizenship, put into effect by the decree of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky of March 4, the government was instructed to draft a bill that would resolve the issues of dual citizenship. In turn, Mayr-Harting said that Ukraine has made a significant contribution to the process of peaceful resolving the conflict in Transnistria. The two-day strike called by bank employees' union, ending Tuesday, severely hit banking services across the country. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella organisation of nine bank unions, had called the two-day strike to protest against the Centre's decision to privatise public sector banks. Almost all 8,300 bank branches in West Bengal, barring a few exceptions, remained closed for two days, while about 90 per cent of nearly 11,000 ATMs were shut, Economic Times quoted All India Bank Employees Association President Rajen Nagar as saying. On the first day of the strike, about 85 lakh cheques and other bank instruments were not cleared by bank branches in Mumbai alone. Also read: Bank strike: What are main demands of protesting unions? The Centre's policies are aimed at weakening public sector banks by starving them of capital, instead of strengthening them, UFBU was quoted as saying. UFBU comprises of nine major unions -- All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO). In this year's Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that other than IDBI Bank, two public sector banks will be privatised. Also read: Bank employees' strike to hit SBI services on March 15, 16 The dichotomy is in covid deaths vs vaccine related injuries.In the last few weeks the media has demonstrated one of the clearest, most concise displays of true-life doublethink Ive ever seen. It truly is the perfect exemplar. As we all know by now, countries all around the world define Covid deaths as people who die, of any cause, within 30 days of a positive test result (the number of days changes by country, its usually between 28 and 60). This trend was started in Italy last spring, and spread all around the world. Globally, with a few notable exceptions, a covid death is a death from any cause following a positive test. And when they say any cause, they mean it. Up to, and including, shooting yourself in the head. In one blackly hilarious case, a man died of coronavirus after being shot by the police, with his 7 gunshot wounds being listed as complications. Thats how loosely defined covid death has become, it is more or less meaningless. However, Covid vaccines, and possible related injuries or deaths, are a very different matter. The establishment is going out of its way to make sure everyone understands that anybody who gets ill, or dies, after being vaccinated, is absolutely NOT a vaccine death. Whats hilarious is those same journalists and experts preaching against Covid denial, are now literally employing our own arguments against us in the name of defending the vaccines. Check out this article from ABC a few weeks ago, quoting one doctor: We have to be very careful about causality. There are going to be spurious relationships, especially as the vaccine is targeting elderly or those with chronic conditions. Just because these events happen in proximity to the vaccine does not mean the vaccine caused these events. Nursing home centers and hospices are of particular concern, because they are homes to incredibly frail populations, and you have to look at the background rate of these events within those populations. You see, its important not take deaths out of context. After all, many of the people who die after being vaccinated are old and frail and already seriously ill. We need to be careful about causation, just because event B happened after event A, does not mean A caused B to happen. In other words: There is a difference between with and from. Hmmm. Does that argument sound familiar to anyone else? The article continues: In fact, an average of 8,000 people die each day in the United States. Some of them may have just received a coronavirus vaccine. Fascinating. Apparently 8000 people die each and every day in the United States translating to roughly 3 million people per year and falsely attributing natural human mortality to a potentially totally unconnected event might cause panic. I really feel like I might have read a similar sentiment somewhere else, too. Dont you? The Reuters fact check on vaccine injury says exactly the same thing: Reports of death following vaccination do not necessarily mean the vaccine caused the death, The sheer desperation of the PR in the press is apparent in all the headlines. Such as: Pfizer Covid vaccine probably didnt kill woman, 78, who died shortly after having it Or: Woman dies from brain haemorrhage in Japan days after vaccine, but link uncertain Or: Macomb County man, 90, dies after COVID-19 vaccine but doctors say shots are safe Essentially, if you die within two months of testing positive for Sars-Cov-2, youre a Covid death, and if you die within two minutes of getting the vaccine, youre a coincidence. Now, thats not to say the vaccine definitely did kill those unfortunate people, I dont know the details of the cases. The point is the equivocation. The soft use of language which is totally at odds with the apocalyptic prose discussing Covid deaths. No where is this contradiction more apparent than in the UK right now, following the AstraZeneca situation. A quick recap, for those who havent heard: Recently, the Norwegian government suspended use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, following it being linked to increased risk of blood clots. Several other countries soon followed suit. This has prompted a UK-wide defence of the AstraZeneca jab. Including this piece from David Spiegelhalter, in the Guardian just today, in which he uses the same exact argument as the ABC article, almost word for word: Its human nature to spot patterns in data. But we should be careful about finding causal links where none may exist After 12 months of ignoring the conversation on with vs from, suddenly all the vaccine pushers have rediscovered the difference. None of them seem in any way aware of their self-contradiction. But this ludicrous double standard doesnt just apply to death, but also the concept of acceptable risk. Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, UK Dr Nighat Arif encouraged the continued use of the AstraZeneca shot, by explaining that technically theres always small chance youll get a blood clot, but you cant let that stop you doing what needs to be done: As a GP I see clots a lot, unfortunately our background risk of getting a clot is about 1/1000 people. If youre on a flight, your risk of clot increases. If women are on the contraceptive pill, their risk of clot increases. People going to hospital for surgery. However, we dont stop doing any of those things. The doctor is actually arguing that refusing to live your life based on a 0.1% risk of death is foolish, and that nobody should be expected to do that. It is, literally, word for word a Covid sceptic argument, reproduced in the mainstream, without even the tiniest hint of irony or self-awareness. The very attitude they are taking towards vaccine injury is the same one they have condemned in covid deniers for over a year. By their hypocrisy they prove their own mendacity. If they want to define a Covid death as dying within 60 days of a positive test, fine. But then anyone who dies within two months of getting vaccinated is a vaccine death. And they should have those two big red numbers counting up, right next to each other, on the front page of every news website in the world. And if they dont do that which they obviously wont then you have a deliberately employed double standard, and that is a tacit admission of intentional deception. It really is just that simple. Two young boys made child abuse claims after police found them locked out of their home in the rain, according to Kentucky police. A neighbor in Pikeville called police when she found the children around 9 p.m., and troopers arrived 40 minutes later, an arrest citation states. The 6-year-old boy had been left with his 8-year-old brother outside their home Monday and one of them was not wearing a shirt or shoes, according to an arrest report from Kentucky State Police. The children were found safe with the neighbor, so the troopers went to check on their mother, who could be seen through the windows unresponsive inside the home, according to a citation. The troopers broke into the home after their attempts to wake up the mom were unsuccessful, state police said. They were about to administer Narcan, a drug used to treat overdoses, when 39-year-old Holly Abshire woke up and began to yell a barrage of obscenities at the troopers, according to state police. Abshire was placed under arrest while continuing to be combative with the troopers, the citation states. She shoved one of the troopers when he informed her that her children had been found outside in the rain, police said. Troopers spoke with the young boys and the neighbor, who said she found them very cold, wet and shivering, according to police. The oldest boy said their mom treated him bad because she was sick from medicine, troopers said. Mommy beats me up, the 6-year-old boy told them. The 8-year-old went on to say that his mom had slammed him to the ground twice and stepped on him, and troopers found him with visible marks along his back, shoulder and neck, state police say. The younger boy was not found with bruising, according to police. Abshire was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal child abuse, two counts of fourth-degree assault, menacing and resisting arrest. She remains in the Pike County Detention Center on a $1,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, court records show. Dad accused of breaking legs, ribs of 6-month-old for being fussy, Kentucky cops say Kidnapped man held naked and force-fed dog food in grisly killing, Kentucky cops say Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment On March 8, President Joe Biden made his first visit to the Pentagon since his inauguration. Biden announced that he was nominating two women to become four-star Generals. He spoke of his priority of the Pentagon recruiting more women, and of designing body armor that fits women properly, tailoring combat uniforms for women, creating maternity flight suits [and] updating requirements for their hairstyles. In response, conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson criticized the priorities and asserted pregnant women dont win wars among other comments. The backlash from Department of Defense officials (and some top military leaders) was overwhelming and particularly alarming compared with DOD silence over more egregious recent comments from the political left. The Department of Defense has increasingly sided with the left, and appears to be losing trust and confidence of the American people as a result. Let me explain. First, the issue of servicewomen and pregnancy is personal to my wife and me. We both served on active duty together during her eight years as an Army doctor (I was a 30-year Infantry Officer). During that time, my wife went through the challenge of pregnancy with our three children. she did her duty as well as any of the male doctors. We, of all people, would never denigrate the service of women. Regardless, the truth matters and falsehoods must be called out. Despite the DOD hyperbole, Tuckers monologue on March 9 was relatively benign. He opined that pregnant women dont win wars in criticizing the priority of things like maternity flight suits. Carlson added Chinas military becomes more masculine our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine. Carlson later explained that he believed the sole purpose of the military was defeating our enemies. Bidens statements, according to Tucker, ran counter and alleged (Bidens) phrase feel valued and included stuck out, not because we have some hateful bias against pregnant women flying military jets". Regardless of what Carlson actually said, or his later explanation, the criticism was palpable, and included patently untrue assertions. Like most media sources, Politico claimed Military leaders thrash Tucker Carlson after comments about female troops. Unbelievably, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston tweeted: "Women lead our most lethal units.....they will dominate any future battlefield. With that comment, and other similar exaggerations, truth took a back seat to progressive ideology and went beyond a defense of servicewomen. Women do not lead our most lethal units nor will they dominate any future battlefield (impliedly superior to men). These kinds of exaggerated falsehoods damage public trust, and end up hurting servicewomen. The singularly overwhelming DOD backlash against Carlson stands in stark contrast to DOD silence after recent horrendous defamation from the political Left. Claiming National Guard troops guarding Washington DC could not be trusted, Democratic Rep Steve Cohen (Tenn) said on January 18: The [National] Guard is 90 some-odd percent male; and only about 20 percent of white males voted for Biden there are probably not more than 25% of the people there protecting us that voted for Biden. This followed other similar statements about those troops from media and political figures on the left. Not one of the senior military leaders criticizing Carlson said a word about those defamatory remarks. The political bias of some senior military leaders piling on Carlson while giving Cohen a pass is impossible to ignore and hurting trust. According to Defense One A growing number of Americans are increasingly losing trust and confidence in the U.S. military, according to a new Ronald Reagan Institute pollthat trust and confidence has fallen from 70 percent in 2018 to just 56 percent today. This is a precipitous drop, as the numbers have been steady for decades. The high level of public trust and confidence in the military comes with the militarys apolitical perception, and focus on the mission of defense. The military is trusted with a budget exponentially surpassing any other nations defense budget. The politically charged DOD attacks against Carlson (in comparison with the silence about Steve Cohens statements about white, male troops) come at a critical time. A growing number of Americans perceive DOD as drifting to the political left as an institution, and this is untenable. I will end with remarks delivered by General Douglas MacArthur to West Point cadets in 1962, giving the Department of Defense the way back to full trust: Let civilian voices argue the merits or demerits of our processes of government; whether our strength is being sapped by deficit financing, indulged in too long, by federal paternalism grown too mighty, by power groups grown too arrogant, by politics grown too corrupt, by crime grown too rampant, by morals grown too low, by taxes grown too high, by extremists grown too violent; whether our personal liberties are as thorough and complete as they should be. These great national problems are not for your professional participation or military solution. Posted Monday, March 15, 2021 5:06 am The Clark County Commission on Aging is setting its sights on the Road to Recovery for 2021 and hosting a multitude of Fireside Chat-style discussions with the community in preparation for the future. The yearlong focus on the community will educate and raise awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic and how the community can learn about it and become more resilient to a pandemic in the future. What we found was that the Aging Readiness Plan did not predict this pandemic, Commission on Aging Chairman Chuck Green said. We dont have a readiness plan to deal with a pandemic, nor do we have a path out of it. Each year, the commission picks a theme for the upcoming year. For 2020, the commissions theme was community engagement, something Green said was a pretty ironic choice considering how the pandemic hit three months in. However, for 2021, Green said the commission wants to reuse the Community Engagement theme with the pandemic in mind. If were going to engage the community, lets make it more like a sit around a table or a fire pit, have a conversation and get a couple of experts at the tables to share their stories, Green explained. We have the opportunity for the commission and the community to participate, ask questions and share information. Each month, the commission will have a facilitated discussion on a single topic. For March, discussions will revolve around an overview of the commissions Road to Recovery from COVID-19 for older adults. In April, discussion will focus on first responders throughout the pandemic. Green said discussion topics for the April meeting include what services are offered to older adults, how should older adults prepare for the next pandemic, and what has changed in the COVID era and what improvements have been made? While it may be a couple years or decades until the next pandemic, Green said the purpose of the facilitated discussions is to gain insight into what has helped the community and how the community can be more resilient for the next disease, whether its in 2022 or 2042. The outcome of each of these meetings is another step in the road to recovery that we can document in creating a pandemic response plan that eventually gets put into an update of the aging readiness plan, he said. Commissioner Larry Smith said the main end goal for the commission is to have enough information by the end of 2021 to create a document that said, hey, if the pandemic were to happen again, heres what you can do to protect people and get moving forward in the right direction. Both Green and Smith said engaging with the community is a top priority for the commission, with all meetings being available for public participation and questions. We want to get them directly engaged, Green said. Rather than sitting and listening to people talk for 45 minutes, this is an hour that were going to dedicate to community discussion. According to Green and Smith, the original Aging Readiness Plan was adopted in 2012 and led to the creation of the Commission on Aging. The plan has a variety of focus areas such as health services, transportation, housing and more for aging communities in the area. Some of the work of the commission has led to the creation of policy changes and even legislation. Next year, itll be 10 years old, and that is getting out there, as far as a plan is concerned, Green said. Were now trying to write the pandemic chapter. Green said public participation in the meetings is incredibly easy as the meetings now take place on the virtual WebEx platform. Community members join the meeting online each week to listen in (non-commission members are audio only) to discussions between the commission and professionals on each topic. If a community member has a question to ask or an experience to share, they raise their hand to be admitted into the discussion. It takes maybe five or six seconds to do but once theyre in, theyre part of the meeting, Green said. Green and Smith said they are excited to help the community in any way the commission can, mentioning that both the meetings and the updated readiness plan will better prepare the community for the future. This pandemic has really been hard on our community, Green said. Part of what we want to do is not only let people know that theres people out there like this commission that care and want to help. We want to provide guidance and hope where we can, but also give the community a chance to engage with experts, engage with our discussions and take that information back to their various groups. The full list of meeting topics is: March 17 Overview of the road to recovery from COVID-19 for older adults April 21 First and early responders May 19 Serious illness and caregiver support July 21 Food as medicine Aug. 18 Social determinants of health Sept. 15 Opportunities for social connections Oct. 20 Personal economics and financial recovery. For information on how to join and participate in a commission online meeting, visit clark.wa.gov/community-planning/commission-aging-meetings. [March 16, 2021] Simulated AI Training Data Supplier Datagen Raises $18.5 Million Datagen Technologies, the leading developer of simulated, privacy-by-design visual data sets to train deep machine learning models for real-world tasks, has raised $18.5 million led by Viola Ventures, with participation by existing investors including TLV Partners and Spider Capital. Other notable backers include Michael J. Black of the Max Planck Institute, Gal Cheshik, Director of AI at Nvidia, Anthony Goldbloom, CEO and founder of Kaggle, and Trevor Darrell, founder of UC Berkeley's AI Research Lab. Datagen will use the funding to grow its R&D and expand into new markets. Datagen stands out in the fast-growing computer vision field by creating visual simulations and recreations of the real world, as a better solution to the publicly available datasets currently being used by computer vision teams which often include images of real people and places scraped off the Internet or or manually captured from the real-world using labor-intensive operations. Datagen's simulated data creation tools avoid the privacy pitfalls and unconscious biases that arise from these data collection and annotation methods. According to Gartner (News - Alert) , by 2023, 65% of the world's population will have their personal data covered by modern privacy regulations, compared to 10% in 2020. This promises to make collecting data manually even more complex, especially when seeking to achieve desired diversity and to combat bias. Datagen creates "human" data --things like body movements and skin textures -- but also builds the entire environment by mimicking the statistical patterns found in "real world" data like lighting and background imagery. It then tests its data against real-world images to ensure accuracy. Controlling the physics of a simulated environment allows machine learning models to be trained more efficiently and at a far greater scale, eliminating current bottlenecks of relying on manual collection of real-world imagery. This gives developers compliance-free types of data that avoid ethnic or gender discrimination and which they can use to build applications without fear of tainting their products with real, personal or sensitive data such as faces or vehicle license plates -- issues that have set off alarms with regulators around the world - and threaten to slow development of the artificial intelligence industry. "It's not just that simulated data is always better than real world data collection, it's that it addresses problems which are just unsolvable without it," said Rona Segev, founding partner at TLV and Datagen's earliest and largest investor. "I think it's an enabler for the whole AI industry. Without simulated data, the industry will slow," she said. The company, which was founded in 2018 to create a platform for fully synthetic, privacy-by-design data sets for AI applications, counts 3 of the top US tech giants, as well as the AI research arms of several global consumer manufacturing giants, as customers. "Our customers have full control over all the parameters that go into the data they create," Datagen Co-founder and CEO Ofir Chakon said. "The real-world implication is that, once deployed, you can be sure it's going to work well in different domains, with different ethnicities, in different geographic locations or any environment you can imagine." Zvika Orron, General Partner at Viola Ventures: "DataGen is tapping into a whole new market that could accelerate the use of AI. The potential here is tremendous: We estimate that synthetic data may surpass real data for training and testing. Maybe most importantly, DataGen's solutions enable the democratization of AI, giving smaller companies, not just tech giants, access to proprietary, high-quality machine learning training data." ---Ends Link to Google Drive folder with photos and visual elements of Datagen's solution, as well as photos of the founding team. ---Ends About Datagen is a pioneer in the new field of Simulated Data aimed at photo-realistically recreating the world around us, with a focus on humans and human-environment interaction. The company works with innovative companies across a wide range of industries and is supported by some of the most respected investors in the AI field. https://www.datagen.tech/about-us/ Viola Ventures is Israel's leading technology-focused investment group with more than $3 billion assets under management, through separate arms which operate independently with dedicated investment teams, different investors and portfolio companies, while sharing access to value-added services and professionals. Founded in 2000, Viola has backed 200+ companies to date. https://www.viola-group.com/about/ TLV partners is an early stage venture capital firm that invests in Israeli entrepreneurs across different verticals. It was founded in 2015 and is based in Tel Aviv, and has invested in more than 30 companies. https://www.tlv.partners For more information, please contact amir@orangegrovecomms.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005056/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Nalu Bio is leading the way in the development of a new category of cannabinoids with their scalable, chemistry-based proprietary synthesis platform that produces an ultra-pure, consistently performing CBD without the ever-present risk of contamination from THC, heavy metals or pesticides inherent in hemp-extraction. As summed up by the investment bank Raymond James, "The only truly commercial alternative modality for large-scale production of pure cannabinoids is chemical synthesis." Sam Banister, PhD, a leading expert in cannabinoid medicinal chemistry at the University of Sydney and Advisor to Nalu Bio, explained that, "Innovative chemistry and rigorous data are crucial for manufacturing complex natural products like cannabinoids at scale. I am very excited that Nalu Bio is working with such an experienced and reputable manufacturing partner to bring the highest quality cannabinoids to the market." Matthew Roberts, Chief Technology Officer at Nalu Bio, talks about the company's motivation. "Nalu Bio is driven to help consumers, product innovators, and scientific researchers benefit from the full potential of high-quality, consistent, and safe CBD. Our team has worked tirelessly over the last year to develop a novel and scalable cannabinoid chemistry platform that will meet both the quality and quantity demands of a market projected to reach $20B by 2025." About Nalu Bio At Nalu Bio, we learn from nature, and deliver through chemistry. Nalu Bio is creating a new category of cannabinoids and wellness ingredients which will offer great therapeutic promise for more effective pain management and the treatment of opioid addiction, among other critical health needs. Nalu Bio's proprietary organic synthesis platform promises to set a new industry standard for purity, consistency, and quality, because it removes the risk of contamination from pesticides, heavy metals, and THC. This unique, scalable platform has the ability to keep pace with anticipated market expansions, and will reliably deliver high quality and widely-accessible cannabinoids to global retail and pharmaceutical markets. www.nalubio.com SOURCE Nalu Bio, Inc. Related Links https://www.nalubio.com 14 Lessons for the Next Pandemic One year. More than 500,000 dead. What did the United States do wrong in handling Covid-19? What needs to be rethought? We asked scientists, public health experts and health advocates to tell us about mistakes, missed chances and oversights and how to prepare for the next pandemic. Responses are edited for length and clarity. Prepare for What We Cant Imagine We must overcome our collective failure of imagination. Covid-19 took us by surprise. We spent decades planning for a pandemic that would resemble the viruses we already knew. We didnt plan for face masks, mass testing, stay-home orders, politicized decision making or devastating racial disparities. Looking forward, we need to prepare for a much broader range of threats. Put Science First Inaccurate information and indecisive action on the part of the U.S. government led the country to catastrophic failure. From the very beginning of the pandemic, President Trump said that this virus will go away and that we need not take any precautions. There was mockery of masks and social distancing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave out faulty primers that delayed early efforts. And its strict restriction on testing to only those who had traveled to China significantly delayed detection. Hospitals had to get their Covid testing approved by the Food and Drug Administration, even if they followed exactly the C.D.C. protocol. Reagents for testing quickly became depleted nationwide. To prepare for the next pandemic, the government must put science and data above all else. Figure Out Who Gets Priority Treatment Come up with your plans on how to allocate vaccines early and deploy them to states so they can put them into action right away. The C.D.C. came out with their recommendations in December, just days before the vaccines were authorized. But ever since last August, when the allocation plan devised by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine was released, two principles of the overall strategy have endured: When vaccine supply is limited, go after mortality and preserve the health system. Mortality is irreversible. Those are principles we should be thinking about during the lull before the next storm. In our field, we call it the interpandemic period. Dont Leave It Up to the States We were voted by Johns Hopkins as the best prepared country in the world for the pandemic. The lesson that weve learned is that it is also very important what the response is. In a country with the characteristics of the United States, that has 50 individual states, with over 330 million people and when you have a pandemic that is highly, highly transmissible, that doesnt care about borders between one state or another there are certain commonalities that you need, some collaboration, cooperation and synergy between the federal government and the states. Some states just didnt pay any attention to the guidelines and just jumped right over them to go wherever they wanted to go. That is not a recipe for success. Stop the Mixed Messaging We need a strong, coordinated science-based federal response to take the lead on a national testing plan. We need public health guidance for the states, rather than just leave it up to them. Having this patchwork of different public health guidance was really unhelpful, and it also sent a message that we didnt really know whats going on or what was going to work. The obvious thing was the mask issue to have a unified message on masks. The virus doesnt preferentially choose people to infect based on their political party. Were all in this together. Invest in the Numbers The underinvestment in public health was a massive vulnerability for an effective response. We really needed accurate data to be able to forecast that lets us drive the intervention that drives the impact. There are pretty sophisticated data systems for banking, media, et cetera, and we havent made those leaps in public health. Be Nimble in Providing Treatment The most resilient health systems have been those that actually understand how to keep people well and take risk as opposed to being stuck in the fee-for-service environment. Its one where you actually can accept complete responsibility clinically and financially for a population. And then you can make all kinds of super interesting, nimble, innovative decisions like telehealth and hospital at home and all those other great tools that volume-based systems are really not prepared to use. Dont Let Race and Class Determine Who Lives and Dies What weve learned is specifically related to the social determinants of health, which are the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work and play and how these can predetermine health outcomes. This was a very academic kind of a topic. In the past, people would say, Yeah, yeah, poverty, poverty, poverty, but they didnt grasp the concept. The virus has really brought it to the forefront, in a very graphic way, with racial and ethnic minorities getting so much more affected. It has become very clear that the health of the country really depends on addressing those social determinants of health. And I see the difference in the health department and the difference in government, and even in the news media, which bodes well for the future. When government ignores how systemic racism is when they dont acknowledge unequal access to health care and jobs that essentially shapes the lives and experiences of people of color. It results in the really profound and appalling health inequities that weve seen in this pandemic. So if theyre not paying attention to policies around jobs, housing and education, and access to health care, when a pandemic hits, these inequities essentially exponentially worsen. The pandemic exposed the failures of the fragmented, profit-driven American health care system. Medicare for All would allow us to address the social determinants of health with a focus on prevention, primary care and chronic disease management instead of specialized care. A robust public health system would allow us to quickly implement the type of surveillance, tracing, tracking and data collection that is critical in responding to a pandemic or any other emerging public health crisis. Dont Be Ageist The most important lesson: This is what happens when we treat older people as expendable. Theres definitely an element of ageism at work here, which really crept into how the country made decisions and promulgated policies. From the outset of the pandemic, we knew older adults and those with underlying health conditions were most at risk, and yet we chose to ignore the fact that we could mitigate some of that risk by providing enough testing, staffing and adequate personal protective equipment. And we just didnt. Older Americans and their care providers werent properly prioritized until very recently, when vaccines became available. And what an amazing difference it has been. Communities Need to Prepare Too We need to have ongoing community capacity to deal with crisis. We cant just rely on government and institutions. Our own community members have to be consistently incorporated into systemic responses to crises. Stop With the Fringe Treatments There was so much uncertainty in the early months about how to treat patients, but weve come to realize its best to stick to the basics of critical care medicine, including ventilator settings, the amount of sedation and intravenous fluids. Whether its Covid-19 or the next viral pandemic, just trust what we know as the foundation for patient care and dont be distracted by looking for fringe or alternative interventions. Let Teenagers Be Teenagers Kids need to be with kids, and they need to have a structured life. Social isolation is especially challenging for teens and potentially interferes in their maturation. Those who saw each other in safe social settings and had at least a hybrid school experience have done better than those who could not. The China Problem Its clear that the Chinese government did suppress information about this virus, and officials didnt want the information to get out. We really do need to have a larger conversation, aside from China, about working together as a global community for future outbreaks. The nationalization of responses, I think, has been incredibly harmful. The government needs to treat foreign-made personal protective equipment as a national security problem. This was a fairly mild virus. Imagine if the death rate had been 20 percent, and China and Mexico had cut off their P.P.E. supplies. The entire mask supply would have collapsed. Look in the Mirror and See Who We Are Many people had an awakening to the people who keep society going forward, and whom we take largely for granted. But if you can discount the essential worker the African-American, the Latino, the Chinese immigrant who delivers your food then think how easily you can discount any other human life. If you are a person who thinks that you have a right not to wear a mask, that philosophy cascades: I couldnt give a darn about the cashier in the supermarket or the train driver because I dont care about anyone. I will go into the bar, and I will do what I will do. This pandemic has shown us who we are, at a level of clarity that is shocking to most people. Its hard to imagine there are that many people in our country who really dont care about others. That is the scariest thing, it takes your breath away and you can diagnose everything else that is happening in our society through that lens. That you could tolerate 500,000 deaths in less than a year is incomprehensible to me, that we are a nation that is so callous. Nifty, Sensex may try to rally a bit Tuesday closing report To bookmark you need to sign in We had mentioned in Mondays closing report that Nifty, Sensex may move sideways. On Tuesday, the indices opened higher but ended in the red with minor losses. On the NSE, there were 912 advances, 1,020 declines and 95 unchanged. The trends of the major indices in the course of Tuesdays trading are given in the table below: Life Insurance Corporation of India sold 2.01% stake in Shipping Corporation of India through open market transaction, which has reduced its stake in the company to 8.04% from 10.05% earlier. AU Small Finance Bank raised Rs 625.50 crore through sale of shares to institutional investors. The issue was opened on March 9 with a floor price of Rs 1,181.06 and closed on March 15. Bharat Electronics declared second interim dividend of Rs 1.40 per equity share of Re 1 each fully paid-up for the financial year 2020-21. Sarda Energy received environment nod to raise the capacity of its iron ore pellet plant from existing 6,00,000 MTs p.a. to 8,00,000 MTs p.a. with immediate effect. Gland Pharma entered into an agreement to supply up to 252 million doses of RDIFs Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. Adani Ports received a letter of intent from the Sri Lankan government to develop and operate the west container terminal of Colombo Port in Sri Lanka. Max Healthcare acquired an additional 42.8% stake in its subsidiary, Saket City Hospitals, for USD 64 million from Kayak Investments Holding. It is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. Primary steel producers are expected to reduce debt by 15%, or Rs 35,000 crore, between fiscals 2021 and 2022, using the higher operating profits generated for prepayment, ratings agency Crisil said. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below: 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. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. TACOMA, Wash. (AP) Environmental groups in Washington state have sued an electric utility company, alleging the company violated the Clean Water Act after turf polluted the Puyallup River during a construction project last year. Citizens for a Healthy Bay and Seattle-based Puget Soundkeeper Alliance filed a lawsuit last week against Electron Hydro LLC after crews placed a layer of turf in the bed of the river while working on the Orting hydropower dam built, The News Tribune reported. Portions of the turf escaped and flowed downstream. This is the third lawsuit filed against the dam in recent months, which also alleges daily operation of the dam pollutes the river by discharging heat. Electron Hydro Chief Operating Officer Thom Fischer said crews have recovered almost all of the synthetic turf but argued against the allegations that the dam itself pollutes. We are in the renewable energy business, he told The Puyallup Herald. We are trying to find solutions that dont pollute the land, the air and the water. The hydropower dam company began construction in July in Pierce County, which includes Tacoma, to upgrade its diversion system intended to divert water from the river into a wooden flume that travels down to the dam and creates power. The upgrade was designed to make sure no fish got trapped in the system and ultimately in the dam, Fischer said. The U.S. Justice Department filed the first lawsuit in November claiming the company broke work permits and polluted the river with turf pellets. The Puyallup Tribe filed the second lawsuit in December claiming the dam killed thousands of fish. Neither lawsuit has been settled. Citizens for a Healthy Bay Executive Director Melissa Malott said the third separate lawsuit focuses on Clean Water Act violations and pollution from daily operations. The groups also filed to intervene in the first case. They cause a lot of fish kill and pollution in the river, and they have to be held liable for that, Malott said. The environmental groups are seeking fines, attorney and expert fees and other costs of litigation. The lawsuit also asks for Electron Hydro to provide reports and other documents that are provided to federal and state agencies regarding the facility, and remediate the harm caused by any of its violations. Fischer has encouraged any environmental group to visit the dam, saying he wants the company to be good stewards of the river and land. He also noted that 320,000 chinook salmon were released into the river with the help of the Puyallup Tribe last year. I welcome local concerns from people who care about the environment here. So do we, he said. Several organizations have since called for the dams closure. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The upcoming historical-themed drama "Joseon Exorcist" released a teaser featuring the teamwork of its lead stars Jang Dong Yoon, Kim Dong Jun, and Geum Sae Rok! "Joseon Exorcist" Short Synopsis The drama takes place after the establishment of the Joseon dynasty. It centers its story on the war with the undead who comes back to take revenge after being killed by the royal family. Handsome actor Jang Dong Yoon will portray the character of Prince Chungnyeong, a young man who likes to read books. One day, he was forced to take responsibility to fight and protect the Kingdom of Joseon from evil spirits. Kam Woo Sung will take the role of the cold-blooded monarch, Kim Taejong, who sets out to control the spirits. He harbors a deep sense of guilt for taking lives while helping his father build the Joseon Dynasty. Park Sung Hoon, on the other hand, will play Yangnyeong, who made a dangerous agreement with the spirits to protect his loved ones. Other cast members include Kim Dong Jun, who will portray the character of Byeo Ri as a societal outcast. He became an outcast because of his peasant birth, and carries with him a deep sense of loneliness and frustration. In the traveling troupe, he is assigned to physical feats, and this has resulted in him being skilled at using weapons. And lastly, Geum Sae Rok plays Hye Yoom, the mascot of the troupe. She gains a lot of attention due to her beautiful appearance. Jang Dong Yoon, Kim Dong Jun, and Geum Sae Rok will team up to fight the evil spirits trying to take over Josen! Get a Gimpse of Jang Dong Yoon, Kim Dong Jun, and Geum Sae Rok's Teamwork in "Joseon Exorcist" Teaser Video The newly released "Joseon Exorcist" teaser video features the synergy between Jang Dong Yoon, Kim Dong Jun, and Geum Sae Rok. The teaser starts with a voiceover that warns, "These people are real hunters who disguise themselves as a traveling troupe. They earn money by capturing migrants." We can see the troupe performing while the crowd is happily watching and cheering for them. They are filled with energy while they perform. However, after their performance, we witnessed the dissatisfaction on their faces. Byeo Ri looks at a distance, deeply thinking about something. Hye Yoom, on the other hand, looks sad and frustrated with the way they currently live. Her voiceover states, "Nobody in Joseon treats us like decent human beings! How long are we going to live like this?" The next scene depicts the third prince, Prince Chungnyeong, who is powerless, and his brother Prince Yangnyeong who discouraged him by saying, "Do not desire anything. Live like you are firewood or a pillar." The traveling troupe and the discouraged prince will join forces and take a journey together. By faces certain challenges together, their trust in each other starts to grow until they promise to protect Prince Chungnyeong. Then a royal subject tells the prince not to give his trust to the lowly manhunters. The prince replied, those lowly manhunters saved our lives twice. "Joseon Exorcist" is scheduled to premiere on March 22 at 10:00 p.m. KST! Check out the teaser video here! Kdramastars owns this article. Written by Liza Parker Gauahar Khan had been slammed with an FIR on Monday (March 15), by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for allegedly stepping out for a film shoot despite testing positive for COVID-19. The actor had also received a notice from the FWICE for the same. However, now the Bigg Boss 7 winner's team has issued an official statement amidst the entire controversy. Talking about the FWICE's notice, the Federation Of Western India Cine Employees had issued a non-cooperation notice against Gauahar Khan for disobeying the COVID-19 protocols for film shooting. The FWICE President also revealed about the said notice. BM Tiwari, FWICE President told ETimes, "It was a very irresponsible act by Gauahar Khan, she not only risked her life but others who were on the set." Gauahar Khan's team revealed in the statement that the actor had tested negative for COVID-19 in multiple reports. They also stated that the Tandav actor is a law-abiding citizen and has been abiding with all the protocols of the BMC. The actor's team also asked everyone to respect her low phase, considering she lost her father a few days back. The statement said, "For everyone sending their best wishes and concern for Gauahar Khan, here's the latest report. She's tested negative in multiple reports. She's a law-abiding citizen and complying with all the norms of BMC." The statement further said, "This is to appeal for all the speculation to be put to an end. Gauahar Khan is cooperating with everything that the BMC requires. Requesting all the media houses to not indulge in speculation and respect Gauahar's emotionally lowest low time as she's just lost her father 10 days ago and she's going through everything that is expected from her by the BMC. So with folded hands, we want Gauahar's time to her self, respectfully and let her heart heal in this mourning time." Also Read: Gauahar Khan Booked For Allegedly Shooting For A Film After Testing Positive For COVID-19 Meanwhile, talking about the FIR against Gauahar Khan, it was reported that the actor did not cooperate with the civic authority and the FIR against her was registered at Oshiwara Police Station. A BMC official revealed to Indian Express, that the actor did not open the door of her house when they went to meet her and they learnt instead that she has stepped out for a film shoot. The BMC officials then went on to file an FIR against Gauahar at the Oshiwara Police Station. Also Read: Neil Bhatt Tests Positive For COVID-19; Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin Makers Put Holi Sequence On Hold Story Highlights China now seen as U.S.'s greatest enemy Half of Americans believe China is world's leading economic power Record 63% say economic power of China is critical threat to U.S. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Forty-five percent of Americans now say China is the greatest enemy of the U.S., more than double the percentage who said so in 2020. That year, Americans were equally as likely to say either China or Russia was the U.S.'s greatest enemy. The current shift coincided with a period when the global economy and human activity were severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China. Americans' Perceptions of the U.S.'s Greatest Enemy What one country anywhere in the world do you consider to be the United States' greatest enemy today? 2021 Feb 3-18 2020 Feb 3-16 Change % % pct. pts. China 45 22 23 Russia 26 23 3 North Korea/Korea 9 12 -3 Iran 4 19 -15 Iraq 2 7 -5 Afghanistan 1 1 0 United States itself 1 1 0 Mexico 1 -- 1 Saudi Arabia -- 1 -1 Middle East (non-specific) -- 1 -1 Japan -- 1 -1 Israel -- 2 -2 Syria -- 1 -1 Pakistan -- 1 -1 Gallup The Feb. 3-18 poll also finds favorable views of China among U.S. adults falling for the second straight year, putting the figure at a historically low 20%. The rise in perceptions of China as the United States' greatest enemy is accompanied by a sharp decline since 2020 in those mentioning Iran (down 15 percentage points to 4%), as well as four-to-five-point declines in mentions of Iraq and North Korea and smaller declines in a handful of other countries. Perceptions of Russia as the United States' greatest enemy, now 26%, were essentially unchanged from a year ago when 23% named it. But it is down from 32% who did so in 2019 when it ranked first overall. The 9% of Americans who view North Korea as their country's greatest enemy is a noticeable turn from previous years when rhetorical tensions, military escalations and missile testing were more elevated. In 2018, 51% named North Korea as the greatest enemy. Americans' Perceptions Over Time Over the past several years, there have been noticeable fluctuations between the country perceived as the nation's greatest adversary; China last ranked No. 1 in 2014, Russia topped the list in 2020, 2019 and 2014, and North Korea ranked highest in 2018 and 2016. Prior to China, Russia and North Korea's top rankings, Americans named Iran (2006-2008, 2011 and 2012) and Iraq (2001 and 2005) as the United States' greatest enemy. Line graph. Americans' perceptions that China, Russia or North Korea/Korea as the U.S. greatest enemy. Now 45% say China is the greatest enemy, 26% Russia and 9% North Korea/Korea. While North Korea continues to hold the overall record high of 51% as the U.S.'s greatest enemy, that focus has now shifted to its ally and primary benefactor, China. There are noticeable partisan differences in perceptions of the greatest enemy of the U.S, with Republicans naming China as the top country and Democrats citing Russia. While 76% of Republicans name China as the greatest enemy, 43% of independents and 22% of Democrats do so. Conversely, close to half of Democrats name Russia (47%) compared with one in four independents (24%) and just 6% of Republicans. Who Is the World's Leading Economic Power? While Americans perceive China as the country's top enemy, half also believe that China is the world's leading economic power. This perception has noticeably increased since 2020, likely because of the COVID-related decline in the U.S. economy in the past year. While China has made strong progress in its overall GDP growth, it remains the world's second-largest economy to the United States. Since 2000, Americans have alternated between choosing China or the United States as the leading economic power, often influenced by the current health of the U.S. economy. The 50% of Americans perceiving the U.S. as the top economic power a year ago was the highest in two decades, reflecting the nation's strong economic performance just before the pandemic. Far fewer Americans select the European Union (5%), Japan (4%), Russia (2%) or India (1%) for this distinction. Of these, only Japan has been chosen by 10% or more in Gallup's trend since 2000, with those instances occurring more than a decade ago. Americans' Perceptions of the Leading Economic Power in the World Today Which one of the following do you think is the leading economic power in the world today -- [ROTATED: The United States, The European Union, Russia, China, Japan, India]? China United States European Union Japan Russia India % % % % % % 2021 Feb 3-18 50 37 5 4 2 1 2020 Feb 3-16 39 50 4 4 2 1 2018 Feb 1-10 44 42 5 4 2 1 2016 Feb 3-7 50 37 4 5 2 1 2014 Feb 6-9 52 31 5 7 2 2 2013 Feb 7-10 53 32 2 8 2 2 2012 Feb 2-5 53 33 3 7 * 2 2011 Feb 2-5 52 32 3 7 2 1 2009 Feb 9-12 39 37 7 10 2 1 2008 Feb 11-14 40 33 7 13 2 2 2000 May 18-21 10 65 4 16 2 * Gallup A separate question in the survey asks Americans which country they think will be the leading economic power in 20 years. The public's views are more evenly split on this question, with 46% choosing China and 40% the United States. Again, this is a switch from last year when the majority (53%) predicted the U.S. would have this role, nearly matching the record high 55% selecting the U.S. in 2000. No more than 4% foresee the European Union, Japan, India or Russia achieving this distinction in 20 years. Record High See Chinese Economic Power as Critical U.S. Threat A new high of 63% of Americans says the economic power of China is a critical threat to the vital interests of the U.S. in the next 10 years. An additional 30% describe it as an important, but not critical, threat. The 63% who believe China's economic power is a critical threat is up from 46% the last time the question was asked in 2019 and is more than 10 points above the prior highs of 52% in 2013 and 2014. Line graph. Americans' perceptions of Chinese economic power as a critical threat to the U.S. 63% of Americans now view Chinese economic power as a critical threat, 30% an important one and 7% not important. Views that China's economic rise is a critical threat to the vital interests of the United States have climbed among all party groups. Today 81% of Republicans, 59% of independents and 56% of Democrats view China's economic rise as such a threat. In 2019, fewer in all party groups held that view, including 54% of Republicans, 47% of independents and 37% of Democrats. Bottom Line Perceptions of China as the greatest enemy of the U.S. are at a high point in Gallup's trend at the same time its favorable rating is at a low point. The specific concern some Americans have over China, namely its economic power, is identified as a threat to the vital interests of the U.S. by most Americans. In addition, half of Americans view China as the leading economic power in the world today. These developments make U.S. foreign policy toward China especially important, as the tension between the two nations has only grown over the past decade during both the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download). Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Satellite images of the Mamore River colored to illustrate changes in flow path and sediment deposition as point bars (red) and counter-point bars (blue). From 2005-2010, the river (dark blue) undergoes a neck cutoff (light blue). This change in flow path causes small and highly curved bends to form (bends 1 and 2). Counter point bars form behind the bend 2 as it migrates downstream. Credit: Sylvester et al. It's not uncommon for crescent-shaped swaths of sand to dot the shorelines of meandering rivers. These swaths usually appear along the inner side of a river bend, where the bank wraps around the sandy patch, forming deposits known as a "point bars." When they appear along an outer bank, which curves the opposite way, they form "counter-point" bars, which are usually interpreted by geoscientists as an anomaly: a sign that somethingsuch as a patch of erosion-resistant rocksis interfering with the river's usual manner of sediment deposition. But according to research led by The University of Texas at Austin, counter-point bars are not the oddities they're often made out to be. In fact, they're a perfectly normal part of the meandering process. "You don't need a resistant substrate, you can get beautiful [counter-point] bars without it," said Zoltan Sylvester, a research scientist at UT's Bureau of Economic Geology who led the study. The finding suggests that counter-point barsand the unique geology and ecology associated with themare more common than previously thought. Building awareness around that fact can help geoscientists be on the lookout for counter-point bars in geological formations deposited by rivers in the past, and understand how they may be influencing the flow of hydrocarbons and water passing though them. The research was published in the Geological Society of America Bulletin on March 12. The co-authors are David Mohrig, a professor at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences; Paul Durkin, a professor at the University of Manitoba; and Stephen Hubbard, a professor at the University of Calgary. A sequence of satellite images showing the changing path of the Mamore River of Bolivia from 1986 -2018. The sequence on the left is colored to track the formation of sediment deposits in the form of point bars (red) and counter-point bars (blue). Credit: Zoltan Sylvester/ The University of Texas at Austin. Rivers are constantly on the move. For meandering rivers, this means carving out new paths and reactivating old ones as they snake across a landscape over time. The researchers observed this behavior in both an idealized computer model and in nature, using satellite photos of a stretch of Bolivia's Mamore River, which is known for quickly changing its path. The satellite photos captured how the river changed over 32 years, from 19862018. In both the model and the Mamore, counter-point bars appeared. The researchers found that the appearance was linked directly to short, high curvature bends: little spikes in a river's path. The researchers observed that these spikes frequently form when the river's course is abruptly changed, such as when a new oxbow lake forms through cutoff, or after reconnecting with an old oxbow lake. But the sharp bends don't stay put, they start migrating in the downstream direction. And as they rapidly move downstream, they create the conditions for sediment to accumulate around the bend as a counter-point bar. The study shows a number of instances of this happening in the Mamore. For example, in 2010, a sharp bend (bend 2 in the image) forms when an ox-bow lake reconnects with a downstream portion of the river. By 2018, the bend has moved about 1.5 miles downstream, with counter-point deposits along the shoreline marking its path. Geomorphologists and engineers knew for some time that long-term change along a river can be described in terms of local and upstream values of curvature (places where the river seems to wrap around a small circle have high curvatures). In the study, the researchers used a formula that uses these curvature values to determine the likelihood of a counter-point bar forming at a particular location. A computer-created graphic of a river meandering and associated sediment deposits. The lighter blue represents the river's current flow. The darker blue represents old areas of flow that have been cut off due to the river's meandering. The striped regions along the flow paths represent sediment deposits in the form of point bars (red) and counter-point bars (blue). Credit: Sylvester et al. Sylvester said that he was surprised at how well this formulaand the simplified models used in part to derive itworked to explain what was thought to be a complex phenomenon. "Natural rivers, they are actually not that far from what these really simple models predict," Sylvester said. This is not the first time that Sylvester's research has revealed that river behavior can be governed by relatively simple rules. In 2019, he led a study published in Geology that described a direct relationship between bend sharpness and river migration. Superficially, point bars and counter-point bars look quite similar and frequently blend into one another. But counter-point bars are distinct environments: compared to point bars, they have finer sediments and lower topography, making them more prone to flooding and hosting lakes. These characteristics create unique ecological niches along rivers. But they are also geologically important, with ancient counter-point bar deposits preserved underground influencing the flow of fluids, such as water and oil and gas. Mathieu Lapotre, a geoscientist and assistant professor at Stanford University, said that recognizing that counter-point bars can readily form in meandering riversand having a formula for predicting where they will formis a significant advancement. "Altogether, the results of Sylvester et al. have important implications for a range of scientific and engineering questions," he said. Explore further Sharp bends make rivers wander A massive sinkhole has swallowed up the road on one of Perth's busiest highways, sparking widespread chaos. Crews remain at the scene of the gaping hole at a major intersection in the northern suburb of Wangara on Tuesday, almost 12 hours after the sinkhole emerged due to a burst water main. A streetlight post also came down at the intersection of Wanneroo Road and Lancaster Road. Traffic was diverted onto alternative routes, sparking major delays and a nightmare morning commute into work for Perth motorists. More sand being delivered to help mitigate the water along Wanneroo Road. Workers here tell me its going to be a long morning. A long drive for commuters in our northern suburbs trying to get to work as well! #PerthNews @7NewsPerth https://t.co/FaoabiDqg6 pic.twitter.com/2cfnRHYuX4 Cassidy Mosconi (@CassidyMosconi) March 15, 2021 Wanneroo Road in Perth's north remains closed on Tuesday as the massive clean up from a giant sinkhole (pictured) continues Wanneroo Road is expected to remain closed in both directions between Whitfords Avenue to Prendiville Drive for much of the day. Crews on bobcats spent the morning frantically pumping water out of the sinkhole and using sand to mitigate the problem as the massive clean up continues. 'Right outside my place of work. We have had our water cut off. Even the toilets. Total carnage,' a local worker commented online. A local resident added: 'I went past at midnight on my way home from work and the roads were flooded.' A Perth water bore drilling company described the size of the sinkhole as impressive. 'Makes retic blowouts pale into insignificance,' Virgin Bores and Reticulation captioned a photo of the intersection, which remains blocked off. A sinkhole (pictured) opened up on one of Perth's busiest roads after burst water main just after midnight on Tuesday morning 6PR and Nine News reporter Simon Etheridge said the burst water pipe is still clearly visible in the sinkhole, which also contains large chunks of footpath. 'It looks like it has opened up directly under the street lights and the street light has fallen as well. They are pumping water,' he tweeted. 'The way they have set it up is that the water is being pumped from one side of Wanneroo Road to the other side, and that's why it's closed in both direction.' Another reporter tweeted she had been told by workers that it would be a long morning for them. Wanneroo Road is a 44 kilometre major arterial road in Perth which links Joondanna and Yokine in the south with Wanneroo and Yanchep in the north. MONTREAL - Two Quebec nurses accused of mocking an Indigenous patient at a public clinic northeast of Montreal have been fired, the regional health authority said Tuesday. People take part in a protest called 'Justice for Joyce' in Montreal, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, where they demanded Justice for Joyce Echaquan and an end to systemic racism. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Two Quebec nurses accused of mocking an Indigenous patient at a public clinic northeast of Montreal have been fired, the regional health authority said Tuesday. The nurses allegedly referred to an Indigenous patient as "Joyce" in reference to Joyce Echaquan an Atikamekw woman who filmed herself being mocked by health-care workers as she lay dying in a Joliette, Que., hospital in September. That video was shared around the world. The nurses allegedly made the comments last week in the same city, located about 60 kilometres northeast of Montreal. The health authority had initially suspended the two employees, and late Tuesday it said they had been fired. "The comments made by the two dismissed employees represented a breach of the code of ethics of the nursing profession and the code of ethics and the values of the (health authority)," said Caroline Barbir, the interim head of the health authority in Quebec's Lanaudiere region. Barbir added in the news release that "discriminatory, racist and intimidating behaviour is unacceptable" and needs to be denounced. Earlier Tuesday, a national Indigenous women's organization called for a full investigation into the conduct of the two nurses. The Native Womens Association of Canada said it was outraged by the incident. "We know this sort of thing goes on," NWAC president Lorraine Whitman said in a release. "Still, it is shocking that health-care professionals would behave in such a blatantly and openly racist manner so soon after the condemnations that followed the release of Joyce Echaquans video." "We need a full-scale investigation." Paul-Emile Ottawa, chief of the Manawan Atikamekw Council, described the incident as "unacceptable" and called on the province to adopt a document called "Joyce's Principle," which is a series of policies aimed at ensuring equitable access to health services for Indigenous people. The document was developed by the council and by the Council of the Atikamekw Nation. Those recommendations were rejected by the provincial government in November because Joyce's Principle makes reference to "systemic racism." Benoit Charette, appointed as Quebec's minister responsible for the fight against racism in February, has denied the existence of systemic racism in Quebec. Ottawa said without that recognition, Indigenous people will continue to face discrimination in the province's health-care system. "We can see again that piecemeal solutions will not change the situation, a systemic problem requires a systemic approach," he said Monday in a news release. The Native Womens Association said Indigenous people frequently have negative experiences in health-care settings. Indigenous patients regularly experience abusive treatment, negative stereotyping, substandard care, and an overall sense of feeling unwelcome within health-care settings," Whitman said. "As a result, we are reluctant to seek treatment, even when we know it is necessary. "In practice, this means Indigenous people have significantly worse health outcomes than non-Indigenous people." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Knotch, the leader in Content Intelligence, today announced Insight 2021, a virtual conference bringing together leaders in the areas of content strategy, creation and technology to discuss how brands can use the latest content intelligence solutions to plan, measure and optimize their content strategy in order to drive business outcomes. The conference will be held on June 17, 2021, from noon-5pm ET. It will be hosted by Knotch in partnership with LinkedIn and Salesforce, with media partners Ad Age and Forbes. The event will decode what content intelligence means for business, explain how to create a data-driven content strategy that delivers business results, and introduce innovative technology enabling improved content analysis that can help brands maximize their content performance. Speakers will include Aimee Johnson, CMO at Zillow Group and former SVP Digital Customer Experiences at Starbucks; Robert Rose, Founder and Chief Troublemaker for The Content Advisory, the education and consulting group with the Content Marketing Institute; Brandon Starkoff, CEO and Managing Partner of Transparent Partners, a marketing technology and data consultancy; and others. Registration for Knotch's Insight 2021 is now open here. About Knotch Knotch is the leading Content Intelligence Platform that allows brands to connect their content to desired business outcomes. Knotch's data-driven approach to content research, planning, analysis, and optimization is empowering the world's most notable brands to fully understand their content's performance. From content leaders and CMOs to communication directors and brand managers, Knotch empowers brands to see and act on their content in real-time. That's why brands including Ford, JPMorgan Chase, and Salesforce trust the Knotch Content Intelligence Platform to inform their content strategy. Led by co-founders Anda Gansca and Aron Tzimas, Knotch is headquartered in New York City and committed to making brands across the globe smarter through data. For more information, visit knotch.com. SOURCE Knotch Related Links https://knotch.com Here we go again. Thousands of unaccompanied children are being detained at the border, stretching the shelter system to its limits and leaving the government scrambling in crisis mode, prompting one side to complain of kids in cages and another to scream for a crackdown. President Biden faces a challenge that demands striking a balance between border enforcement and humanitarian concern, between slamming the door and living up to Americas reputation as a beacon for the oppressed. So far, Biden is at least trying to strike a balance and his administration should be commended. But there are no simple solutions and much more must be done to ensure the safety of immigrant children traveling alone. These kids, many of them teenagers but some much younger, are fleeing violence and poverty. They are making the risky trip from Central America across Mexico in the hopes of being reunited with relatives in America. The latest numbers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are alarming. Detentions at the border are up overall, with the agency reporting encounters with 9,457 unaccompanied children last month, up from 5,858 in January. Early data predict March figures will be even higher. Most unaccompanied minors coming from Mexico eventually are sent back. Those from other countries are turned over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement to be housed in privately run shelters while the government attempts to place them with a vetted relative living in the United States.. The sudden increase in new arrivals has overwhelmed the system. About 8,500 minors are living in shelters and the government has been unable to add capacity fast enough, leaving nearly 4,000 kids crammed in Border Patrol holding facilities not designed for minors, according to the Washington Post. They are also being held longer than the 72 hours that the law allows. The simplistic answer to why shelters are overrun is that the Biden administration has reversed President Trumps get-tough immigration policies, including a reversal of a pandemic plan that turned away all immigrants at the border. The reality is that immigrant kids did not stop coming to the border during the last four years. As late as May 2019, more than 11,000 unaccompanied minors were detained. Using COVID as an excuse, Trump shut down the border, but nothing changed in Central America. If anything, the pandemic has made a dire situation worse, pushing out immigrants looking for relief. While Trumps emergency health order remains for most other illegal border-crossers, an exception was made in January for unaccompanied children. Lifting a bad policy that left kids to fend for themselves in border cities, oftentimes in dangerous conditions, was a good call by the administration, but no good deed comes without consequences. To meet shelter demand, the administration has reopened a tent facility in Carrizo Springs, southwest of San Antonio. It has converted a camp for oilfield workers in Midland. And it plans to house up to 3,000 minors inside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. It also wants to reopen a shelter in Florida and set up temporary ones in California and Virginia. Such shelters have a long history of problems, such as poor transparency, little oversight and allegations of abuse. But accusing Biden of keeping kids in cages in Carrizo Springs or equating the move with the family separation policy implemented by the Trump administration is inaccurate. Theres no evidence that the Biden administration is housing children in the cage-like chain-link partitions that were first used by the Obama administration. Nor have there been reports of the kinds of squalid conditions that were confirmed under Trump, when children at the Clint, Texas shelter lacked enough food and water and were unable to bathe. Another important distinction: Biden, much like Presidents Obama and George W. Bush, were forced to respond to an influx of children who crossed the border on their own, while Trump made the situation worse by choosing to forcibly separate children who had crossed with parents, thereby rendering accompanied children unaccompanied. Trump also prolonged childrens stay in the facilities by scaring off would-be caretakers with a policy to share their information with immigration officials. Biden has wisely terminated that agreement. Other smart moves the Biden administration is making include deploying the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the southern border to help care for arriving children and re-instituting an Obama-era plan that reunites Central American children with a parent who is a legal U.S. resident. Nearly 5,000 kids had taken advantage of the program before Trump discontinued it in 2017. The administration must continue to find ways to speed up the process of transferring minors from Border Patrol custody to shelters to vetted adults while their cases wind their way though the immigration system. Members of both parties need to offer solutions, not use the increase in immigrant detentions as a political weapon. After a four-year abdication of our obligation to the world, the federal government is taking Americas laws and responsibilities seriously, but the Biden administration must continue to look for long-term solutions that address the root causes of migration. Otherwise, well see you at the next crisis. Decode Your Future with an Online Computer Science Degree from Drexel Drexel University's online computer science programs are designed to prepare you for work on the cutting edge of technology. The curriculum is designed for students with any level of experience or previous knowledge. Choose the program thats right for you. Learn More. Since the 1970s there's been a steady decline in the number of free-standing relational database companies until only Oracle remains. Familiar names like Sybase, Ingres, Informix, MySQL, SQL Server and others are either out of business or have been acquired. So, it would be reasonable to believe that the database market has commoditized, and that one relational DB is as good as another (plus or minus), though today Oracle has the dominant share of the market. But if commoditization was true a few years ago, it's certainly not now. In the recent past, lost market share, technology hiccups, and a minor rebellion among users over pricing and related policies aimed at Oracle, helped to launch a new generation of databases from startups and well-heeled competitors like Amazon. Trouble is, the reports of commoditization and of Oracle's flagging market presence were greatly exaggerated. Over the last decade, Oracle has built up its flagship product to be not simply better, but much better, than the competition. It did this in several ways. First, it developed hardware like Exadata to move big database workloads into memory. It was a predictable move, but greatly appreciated by large DB consumers because it removed the performance bottleneck of relatively slow hard disks, thus enabling databases to run as much as a million times faster. Disk drives operate at millisecond rates -- and silicone runs by the nanosecond -- potentially enabling that dramatic speed up. Next, and perhaps just as important, Oracle embraced cloud computing. Even though it had supported the majority of cloud companies from the beginning, and even though Oracle developers lived with cloud customers to see how to boost performance, it was seen as a laggard because the company didn't offer cloud applications of its own. Today's Business Needs Nonetheless, Oracle learned a lot from its customers and plowed its findings back into its core product just as others were getting restless and seeking alternatives. Competition heated up and today there are good and credible competitors for Oracle. Though Oracle, and Gartner, have scads of data documenting Oracle's superior performance. One big difference that Oracle exploits is that its competitors now offer multiple versions of their databases tuned to specific workloads like OLTP or analytics. It's a good strategy that enables the company to concentrate on optimizing various functions for discreet markets. But that's not how we work. Modern business has converged needs because applications like CRM continue to demand more styles of computing and database access than ever before. Back when relational databases existed to support row and column screens and reports, there was less challenge. Today though, a CRM application might need the same data, but it will also want to know the next best offer to provide, an analytics and machine learning job. It might also require serious graphics processing to give users visual understanding of possible next steps. In short, our business apps don't do just one thing and our databases have to keep up. The idea of specialization makes sense in theory, but the idea loses a lot in practice -- especially if a given specialty database is not as robust as the converged version. Converged Database That's why I was so intrigued by one particular part of Oracle's briefing about the new 21c version of its flagship RDB. According to Oracle and Gartner, the Oracle Autonomous Database placed first in all four operational use cases tested -- and first or second for all four analytical use cases according to Gartner's publication, "Critical Capabilities for Cloud DBMS for Operational Use Cases." That's not supposed to happen. Specialists are supposed to be better at their one thing than generalists are at trying to be all things to all people. But not here. In this case, the performance leader continues to be one of the earliest players in the market. Moreover, all of the significant resources that companies can throw at the problem (i.e. money) have not resulted in significant advantages. Just to highlight the point, Oracle is now calling its product a "converged database" to help with differentiation by highlighting that many businesses don't often only focus on OLTP or AI, but that their businesses require a bit of everything. You can search on the new version of Oracle's DB, 21c for the details. There's no doubt that the database market is undergoing a second flowering after decades of status quo stasis, and there are some good options out there. Some of the advances had to wait for faster hardware and others needed a business case to capture part of the billions of dollars that Oracle spends on R&D every year. To get that truism right for once, the proof of the pudding really is in the eating. Denis Pombriant is a well-known CRM industry analyst, strategist, writer and speaker. His new book, You Can't Buy Customer Loyalty, But You Can Earn It, is now available on Amazon. His 2015 book, Solve for the Customer, is also available there. Email Denis. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Schools in eastern Wyoming and northern Colorado remained closed Tuesday for a second day and roads were still impassable in the aftermath of a blizzard that pummeled the region with record snowfall. Crews didn't expect to reopen some highways for another day, though a portion of Interstate 25 reopened south of Wyoming's capital, Cheyenne, for the first time since Saturday. The weekend storm dumped over 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow on Cheyenne, snarling streets with 4-to-5-foot (1.2-to-1.5-meter) drifts that even four-wheel drive trucks couldn't clear. Many side streets will remain impassable for cars for several more days, city officials warned. Firefighters used an enclosed snow machine called a snowcat to get doctors to an operating room for a patient's emergency surgery. Those guys are heroes, said one of the surgeons, Elias Kfoury. The first responders and how they stepped up to the occasion essentially resulted in saving somebodys life." Volunteers using snowmobiles helped other people get to a hospital for crucial treatment, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported. It was the citys worst blizzard since at least 1979. Highway crews resorted to using bulldozers in addition to plows to move snow off interstates, including I-80 between Cheyenne and Laramie. The 50-mile (80-kilometer) stretch includes the highest point along the coast-to-coast route, an 8,640-foot (2,600-meter) pass called the Summit that's known for hairy weather even in less intense storms. Schools remained closed Tuesday as far north as Casper, where city officials were still working to clear wind-driven snow, the Casper Star-Tribune reported. The Wyoming Legislature, which has been meeting for a month in an annual session already disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, didn't convene for the second day in a row. The 7,300 square foot facility features a clean-room manufacturing environment and environmentally controlled test labs SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Modular Medical, Inc. (OTCQB:MODD), a development-stage company focused on the next generation of easy to use, affordable insulin pumps to expand access to high end insulin delivery technology to a large, underserved portion of the diabetes market, today announced it has relocated to a new corporate headquarters building in San Diego CA. The larger facilities accommodate expanded staffing to enable the increased level of R&D and testing activity necessary to support the company's 510(k) submission later this year. "A clean room environment for low-volume component manufacturing adds a valuable dimension to support our R&D efforts," said Marc Goldman, Vice President of R&D at Modular Medical. "Additionally, access to an in-house environmentally controlled test lab gives our engineers capability to run on-demand accuracy validation studies. This gives us an important efficiency we wouldn't otherwise see," he added. By choosing to remain in the greater San Diego area, an established center of medical device and healthcare innovation, the company maintains access to a rich talent pool of professionals across an array of technical disciplines. The company currently has a staff of 20 and plans to fill several additional key positions in the coming months. "I'm pleased to see how much we've grown as a team and as a company," said Paul DiPerna, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Modular Medical. "Our move came at a pivotal time in the development of our technology. With the completion of our design and ongoing validation of our interface and feature set, we are now well positioned to begin the extensive testing and usability that regulatory bodies require." About Modular Medical, Inc. Modular Medical, Inc. (OTCQB:MODD) is a development-stage diabetes technology company based in San Diego CA. Working from an innovative set of patented technologies, Modular seeks to expand access to high end diabetes technologies to the neglected majority of the diabetes market. These people have been poorly served by the existing options that are often too expensive and complex to drive broad adoption. Modular Medical's novel approach is to provide care at a level of cost and complexity not for "superusers" but for "the rest of us". Modular Medical was founded by CEO Paul DiPerna, a seasoned medical device professional and world-class microfluidics engineer. Mr. DiPerna was previously the founder (in 2005) of Tandem Diabetes (TNDM) and invented and designed their T:slim insulin pump. More information is available at https://modular-medical.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements about Modular Medical, including, without limitation, the timing of its FDA submission and hiring plans. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results and trends may differ materially from historical results or those projected in any such forward-looking statements depending on a variety of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to make its 510(k) submission and fill positions during 2021 and other risks identified in the company's most recent reports on forms 10-Q and 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other reports that the company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Modular Medical undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law, even as new information becomes available or other events occur in the future. All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. CONTACT: Investor Relations Modular Medical, Inc. +1 (858) 800-3500 IR@modular-medical.com SOURCE: Modular Medical, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635707/Modular-Medical-Relocates-to-Larger-Corporate-Headquarters Further aims for the easing of lockdown measures on hospitality and retail in Scotland are due to be announced by Nicola Sturgeon. The First Minister is to address Holyrood on Tuesday with details of how and when restrictions could be lifted across Scotland. Her statement is expected to include details on measures for the retail and hospitality industries. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Speaking on Monday, she said: I will seek to set out some details of what changes we hope to be able to make in early April hopefully around April 5 and then what further easing we might expect to see in late April, and then mid-May, and in much less detail beyond that. We cannot provide certainty on everything at this stage, particularly the further into the future we try to look, but we will try to provide as much clarity now as possible. She added the statement will hopefully help you understand when you can expect to see some of the key early milestones in our route back to normality. Details are expected for the re-opening of shopping, outdoor and subsequently indoor hospitality, and further relaxations to the rules about meeting up with other households. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has called for the full plan to be published. He said at his conference speech: We expect a roadmap that tells everyone to get ready because were getting our normal lives back. The Scottish people expect to be treated as adults, and honestly told heres what to expect. They know that dates arent chiselled in stone. King's Head Pub owner Chris Graves finally has a reason to raise a glass. After a year of dismal sales and lockdowns owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Exchange District business was finally bustling Saturday and Graves has loosened pandemic restrictions and some early warm weather to thank. Graves said the pub and restaurant on King Street had its busiest Saturday since last February, more than doubling it sales. "Its the first time swear to God first time we almost broke even in about eight months," Graves said, adding that's still not enough to sustain the business. Saturday marked the first time in over four months that Manitobans from separate households could dine out together even if it was only outdoors. New public health orders, which took effect on the weekend, permit restaurants and lounges to seat up to six people from different households at the same table, as long as it's on a patio. The King's Head patio, which seats 35, was at capacity most of Saturday, Graves said. It was also the earliest the pub has opened its patio in years. After closing just before St. Patricks Day last year, Graves is grateful the patio can operate this year. In fact, he expects more people outside than inside, given the limits on indoor dining to household members only. "Were looking at a balmy six or seven degrees on Wednesday," Graves said. "I guarantee well see some people partaking in the patio." "We had people sitting out on the patio (Sunday) night, it was zero degrees. It didn't really matter. People are just happy," he said. At the end of last summer, there were 64 temporary patios licensed in the city. As of Monday afternoon, eight applications have been processed and approved. City officials hope restaurateurs take advantage of the licensing and expect to see a similar turnout to last year. Earls St. Vital renewed their temporary patio from last year and will continue to host an extra 20 seats tacked on to their permanent patio. "These temporary patio licences are great for more sales and keeping more people employed. Its what we need right now," said Earls Regional Director Ann Topp. Earls has called their whole staff back to work at all three locations, with a plan to open the Main Street location on April 12, Topp said. Stone Angel Brewing Co. reopened a week before the province eased patio restrictions. "We were pretty ready to rock. We just had to add an extra server to the roster," said owner Paul Clerkin. He had been anticipating the change in rules and was ready to pivot. The patio at Stone Angel can currently host 47 people and was full for most of the day Saturday as well. But with the same-household mandate for indoor dining, Clerkin said the brewery likely wont ever reach 50 per cent of the original capacity. Clerkin says the warm weather has been a godsend for Stone Angel. "It must have been 15 or 16 [degrees] on our patio," he said, the architecture helped keep the patio even warmer than the temperature outside. "If we had been asked by Mother Nature what kind of spring we wanted after being closed for the winter, this was what we wanted." Clerkin said the restaurant has been closed for roughly six of the last 12 months, so an operating patio is critical for the business. Dr. Jino Distasio, Urban Geography professor at the University of Winnipeg, says the restaurant industry will need the support of all three levels of government, and the community to rally and recover from the losses over the last year. "We need to find innovative and entrepreneurial ways to safely open up our city as much as we can," Distasio said. "When we can maximize outdoor space, its a good thing." fpcity@freepress.mb.ca ICICI Venture, Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia, Cyza Chem Pvt Ltd, a Poonawalla group company, and two other family offices are putting in Rs 525 crore in Magma HDI General Insurance, a joint venture between Limited and HDI Global SE, Germany. Of the Rs 525 crore, the fresh capital infusion will be to the tune of Rs 250 crore in the company, which will provide growth capital to meet the needs of expanding distribution capabilities of the company. The existing Magma group entities have done a secondary sale, which is to the tune of Rs 275 crore. The amount will allow the promoter and its group companies to comply with the Reserve Bank of Indias guidelines for ownership of a stake in insurance companies. The transaction is, however, subject to shareholder approval, regulatory approval, and approval from Competition Commission of India. Post consummation of the transaction, ICICI Venture will hold 16.76 per cent stake in the company, Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia will hold 9.9 per cent, and the two family offices will hold 2 per cent each. Serum Institute is already a current shareholder in the company, holding 9.9 per cent stake. Post the transaction, Serum Institute along with Cyza Chem hold around 14 per cent stake in the company. When Magma group entities started the joint venture, they held 74 per cent stake in the company and HDI was holding 26 per cent. But, according to RBI approval, the stake of Magma had to be brought down to 50 per cent. So, by virtue of the primary and secondary sale, Magma, Serum, and Cyzaa will end up holding 50 per cent of the company. Nirav Mehta, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia, said, The general insurance sector in India is poised for a structural growth phase, and we believe that Magma HDI is well-placed to tap this opportunity given its management strength, careful product selection, prudent underwriting, and distribution network. We are excited about the prospects offered by the under-penetrated Indian insurance sector, said Puneet Nanda, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Venture. Upto the month of February, the private sector general insurance company has earned premiums to the tune of Rs 1,164.74 crore, up 2.11 per cent from Rs 1,140.66 crore during the same period last year. It has a market share of 0.65 per cent in the non-life insurance space. The company caters to both retail and corporate clients. For retail customers, it offers an array of products such as motor, health, individual personal accident and home. And, for corporates, it offers products such as property, fire, marine cargo, and liability insurance. Abhay Bhutada, MD & CEO, Poonawalla said, We are very excited with the ever-expanding opportunity in the BFSI space and with the capital infusion in Magma HDI by marquee investors and further increase by the Poonawalla groups direct stake in the insurance arm, the company is well capitalised and poised for profitable growth and increasing its market share. According to the company, it has 133 branches, with over 1,000 employees and has serviced over 40 lakh customers till date. The growth capital which the investors bring on board will enable us to expand the business and explore new opportunities. The insurance sector is poised to see exponential growth given the low penetration and the trigger of the pandemic which has led people to look at insurance as protection, said Rajive Kumaraswami, MD &CEO, Magma HDI General Insurance. Our focus going forward will be the motor, health, and commercial business, he said. A month ago, Adar Poonawalla-controlled Rising Sun Holdings said it will acquire a 60 per cent stake in non-banking financial company (NBFC) by subscribing to a Rs 3,456-crore preferential issue, post which Magma and its subsidiaries will be renamed and rebranded Poonawalla Poonawalla is an existing finance company owned by the Poonawalla family, which owns and controls Serum Institute of India. Recently, shareholders of Magma Fincorp at an extraordinary general meeting approved the allotment of preferential shares to Rising Sun Holdings Private Limited. Following the preferential issue, Rising Sun Holdings would be classified as promoter of Magma Fincorp. She often shares photos of herself decked out in some of her favorite fashion pieces on social media. But on Monday Rumer Willis opted for a more casual-comfort feel and look when she made a pitstop for some juice at the Earth Bar in West Hollywood. For the afternoon excursion, the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actress showed off her toned curves in black leggings and a baggy black sweatshirt. Flowing: Rumer Willis, 32, stepped out to the Earth Bar in West Hollywood with her long curly locks flowing to her lower back on Monday The daughter of screen legends Bruce Willis and Demi Moore was seen leaving the store with her long curly raven tresses flowing. to her lower back. In keeping with her casual attire, she wore a pair of sandals with black socks. She donned a gold protective mask amid the still dangerous COVID-19 pandemic, as she carried a Celine tote. Lady in black: The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actress showed off her toned curves in black leggings and a baggy black sweatshirt The 32-year-old got her first taste of Hollywood as a child actor in the coming-of-age comedy-drama Now And Then (1995) and Striptease (1996), which starred her mother, Demi Moore. She would garner a lot of attention when she went on to win season 20 of Dancing With The Stars in 2015. As an adult, Willis scored one of her breakthrough roles when she starred in the hit Fox series, Empire, for two seasons beginning in 2017. She also played Joanna Pettet in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019). Fashionista: Willis often shares photos of herself decked out in some of her favorite fashion pieces on social media Work in progress: The daughter of screen legends Bruce Willis and Demi Moore has also struggled with mental health issues like body positivity since her younger years Willis, who has been open about her struggles with mental health, celebrated four years of sobriety in January. But in the following month she took to her Instagram Story to share that she had been battling 'bad anxiety' for several day, and that when that happens, she sometimes feels 'like Im dying.' 'I get nauseous and my heart wont slow down,' she wrote in a caption over a video of herself staring directly into the camera. 'It sometimes feels like a force so much bigger than me has taken over the control panel in my [brain].' [March 16, 2021] Innovative Fuel Systems Commences Technology Rollout with Westcan Bulk Transport EDMONTON, AB, March 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Innovative Fuel Systems Ltd. ("IFS"), an Edmonton-based, privately-owned cleantech company that provides innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions and generate fuel savings for heavy-duty trucks, is pleased to announce the commencement for their technology rollout with Westcan Bulk Transport Ltd. ("Westcan"). IFS' patent pending Multi Fuel Technology Platform ("MFTP"), which allows diesel burning heavy-duty engines to utilize a substantive amount of cheaper, cleaner burning natural gas, will be implemented on some of Westcan's Edmonton-based and intraprovincial routes. Previous testing on a Westcan route has shown positive results, and Westcan hopes IFS' MFTP helps reduce their heavy-duty transport carbon footprint. "As a part of their effort to reduce GHG emissions within their heavy-duty fleet, we're delighted that Westcan has commenced the rollout of our technology" said Leland Oberst, President and Chief Executive Officer of IFS. "Working with Westcan will help us showcase our technology's ability to reduce GHG emissions in the Class 8 heavy-duty trucking industry, while also allowing the industry to impactfully cut fuel costs." "Westcan is committed to reducing GHG emissions and will continue to play a leadership role in reducing both GHG emissions and fuel costs in order to make our operations efficient and sutainable," says Mike Royer, Vice President, Fleet Services, Westcan. "Utilizing IFS' technology gives us the potential to impactfully reduce GHG emissions and fuel costs from Class 8 heavy-duty trucks, including trucks with payload in excess of 80,000lbs." About Innovative Fuel Systems Innovative Fuel Systems (www.innovativefuelsystems.com) is an Edmonton-based cleantech company that provides proprietary, patent-pending Multi Fuel Technology Platform (MFTP), which can provide a substantive substitution of diesel fuel in Class 8 heavy-duty diesel engines with cheaper, cleaner burning natural gas. IFS's technology also has to ability to integrate other cleaner burning fuels, like hydrogen. With strong patent applications, sophisticated programming, and proprietary methodology, IFS is positioned to empower heavy-duty fleets in North America to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce fuel costs. About Westcan Bulk Transport Westcan Bulk Transport Ltd.(www.westcanbulk.ca), is the Canadian service group for The Kenan Advantage Group, Inc., (KAG). KAG is North America's largest tank truck transporter and logistics provider, delivering fuels, chemicals, industrial gases, and food-grade products. The company has terminal and satellite locations in 40 states and seven Canadian provinces and territories, with the ability to deliver within all 48 contiguous states, Canada and Mexico. KAG also provides specialized supply chain logistics services through KAG Logistics. For more information, visit www.thekag.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovative-fuel-systems-commences-technology-rollout-with-westcan-bulk-transport-301248585.html SOURCE Innovative Fuel Systems [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Canberra, March 16 : Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been urged to show "leadership" to address misogyny in the nation's Parliament after he was accused of ignoring nationwide protests against the issue. Anthony Albanese, the leader of the opposition Labor Party, said that Morrison ignores clear calls made by protesters around the country, reports Xinhua news agency. Tens of thousands of Australians gathered for the March 4 Justice movement on Monday to protest misogyny and violence in politics and the broader community. "They are crying out that this is a moment that requires leadership," Albanese told Parliament. "It requires leadership from this prime minister and we are not getting it." The 'March 4 Justice' movement was established after Brittany Higgins, a former government staffer, alleged she was raped in the office of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds by a colleague in 2019. Attorney-General Christian Porter was accused of a historical rape which he denied. Higgins on Monday told the rally in Canberra that the "system is broken, the glass ceiling is still in place and there are significant failings in the power structures within our institution". In response, Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, said she agreed with a range of the statements. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. MIAMI, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Miami Foundation and Achieve Miami announced the launch of Miami Connected, a highly anticipated effort to bring free broadband connectivity, digital literacy and career opportunities in technology to more than 100,000 students and their families in Miami-Dade County. Joining in this critical initiative are Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, City of Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, philanthropist and Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin, The Children's Trust, philanthropist and Achieve Miami Founder Leslie Miller Saiontz, tech leader eMerge Americas, TD Bank facilitated by the Miami HEAT, and Code.org. This public-private partnership represents a unified effort to make Miami-Dade the most technologically inclusive county in the nation. Currently, more than one in five Miami-Dade County residents are disconnected from the internet, and Miami is the second least-connected large city in the United States. Ken Griffin, the lead funder of Miami Connected who convened and funded a similar effort in Chicago last year, said, "Connectivity is a lifeline to opportunityit improves outcomes and gives students and their families critical resources they need to succeed. It is inspiring to see the Miami community come together to address this important issue, and I look forward to continued progress in bridging the digital divide." Achieve Miami Executive Director Sarah Emmons added, "If a student cannot connect to the internet, or if they don't yet know how to navigate the virtual environment, they are missing out on the opportunity to accelerate their learning. Through internet access, digital literacy programs, and workforce opportunities, Miami Connected seeks to equalize the playing field so that all students and families can build the digital fluency they need to stay competitive in 21st-century learning and work environments." Providing Reliable High-Speed Internet Access to Students Who Need It Most Starting this month, Phase One of Miami Connected will provide two years of free broadband internet service to approximately 22,000 eligible M-DCPS students in four Miami-Dade County neighborhoods. The program begins in Overtown, and will extend to Little Haiti, Liberty City and Homestead. Phase Two will expand coverage on a school-by-school basis to serve all under-resourced communities in the county where home internet access is severely limited or does not exist. An initial $5 million investment in CARES funding from Miami-Dade County was leveraged as part of the Miami Connected initiative to purchase devices for Miami-Dade County Public School students last fall. The expansion of free internet access will allow M-DCPS students to use their new laptops to complete schoolwork at home. "One year after we were forced to temporarily shut down the physical schoolhouse, it is evident that this pandemic has negatively impacted under-resourced neighborhoods much more than others in our community," said Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho. "With 52 percent of M-DCPS students engaging in online learning and the remaining 48 percent in the classroom still heavily relying on consistent broadband access to achieve educational success, high-quality home internet has become a necessity for our region's young learners." Greater Miami's Vision for Digital Access In addition to providing internet service, Miami Connected will teach students and their families the skills necessary to use their devices and become digitally literate. This aspect of the program will be achieved through a community advisory group that will execute grant programs. "In order to be the most technologically inclusive city in the nation, we must ensure that all children and families have access to the internet and digital literacy tools, and we must foster highly inclusive workplaces that reflect the diversity of our incredible region," said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation. "This bold collaboration is a massive step in that direction." Miami Connected will also invest in career pathways that increase diversity and inclusivity in the technology sector. The effort will issue startup grants to help innovators develop new technologies aimed at solving disparity issues in disenfranchised communities. The final phase of the project will identify long-term, cost-effective strategies to maintain broadband internet for all students in need in Miami-Dade. "Expanding access to opportunity for all of our residents is a top priority for my administration and we're proud to partner in this landmark initiative. Providing access to digital tools from an early age is critical to ensuring young people across Miami-Dade have an equal foundation to learn, grow, and thrive," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Ken Griffin has provided $5 million in leadership support through a challenge grant fund. Miami Connected has also been made possible through investments from The Children's Trust, The Miami Foundation, philanthropist and Achieve Miami Founder Leslie Miller Saiontz, eMerge Americas, TD Bank facilitated by the Miami HEAT, City of Miami, as well as $5 million in CARES funding through Miami-Dade County and Miami-Dade County Public Schools and in-kind contributions from Code.org. The current total investment for this effort is more than $11 million. Miami Connected is currently seeking additional support for this critical initiative. Individuals and entities wishing to join the effort may make a donation by emailing [email protected] or calling 305-204-6184. ABOUT THE MIAMI FOUNDATION The Miami Foundation builds the philanthropic, civic, and leadership backbone for Greater Miami. Since 1967, the Foundation has invested $485 million to strengthen our community with partnerships and contributions from more than 1,000 fundholders and 35,000 donors. The Miami Foundation, which currently manages over $350 million in assets, mobilizes donors, nonprofits, leaders, and locals to set a bold vision for our community's future and to invest in a stronger, more equitable, more resilient Greater Miami. www.miamifoundation.org ABOUT ACHIEVE MIAMI Achieve Miami seeks to advance educational equity in Miami-Dade County through providing meaningful educational experiences that bridge disparities and demonstrate the power of students learning with and from each other. Since launching in 2015, Achieve Miami has positively impacted thousands of students through literacy, music, service, leadership, and college readiness programming. www.achievemiami.org SOURCE The Miami Foundation Just last month we heard of a stomach-churning incident where a man identified as Naushad alias Sohail was arrested for spitting on the rotis while making them at a marriage ceremony. He was booked under IPC 268, 269, 188 and three other Epidemic Diseases acts. Twitter Now again, another man in Ghaziabad was arrested for spitting on rotis while making them. After Meerut, now another video of spittng in Tndoor Naan in #Ghaziabad has surfaced, accused "Mohammad Mohsin" arrested. The video is dated March 11, where there was an engagement program. (Same video I've Twited few hours ago but Twtter deleted, so plzz retweet again) pic.twitter.com/jk57yTKgJe Swara Bhaskar @reallyswara parody (@TheAshwiniRaj) March 13, 2021 The incident happened at a community function in the Bhojpur area of Ghaziabad. The action was caught on camera and immediately posted on social media. It went viral in no time, drawing the attention of the Ghaziabad Police. Also Read: Farmers Have Installed A Roti Machine At Delhi Protest Site & It's Belting Out 2000 Rotis An Hour The accused identified as Mohsin is a resident of Muradnagar and fled from the spot to avoid his arrest. However, the Ghaziabad police arrested the accused after the matter came into light. FIR pic.twitter.com/l8yQfdwKQs GHAZIABAD POLICE (@ghaziabadpolice) March 13, 2021 "Taking immediate cognizance of the video, an FIR has been registered and the accused Mohsin has been arrested. Statutory proceedings have been initiated," said the Ghaziabad police. Ghaziabad Police took to their official Twitter handle to post a picture of the accused and informed that his name is Mohammad Mohsin. Reports state that enquiry against Mohsin has been initiated. MOSCOW -- The Russian Guild of Film Critics has dropped its prestigious White Elephant cinema prize after its own expert panel awarded jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny for a series of investigative documentaries revealing evidence of corruption among the country's top officials. Video investigations released by Navalny over the past year have been viewed tens of millions of times on YouTube. They include reports about a Black Sea palace allegedly built for President Vladimir Putin and a probe into Navalnys poisoning in Siberia last August, which he blames on Putin and the Federal Security Service. But the viral clips have angered the Russian authorities, prompting official requests that the U.S. video-hosting platform take them down and leading Putin and members of his government to dismiss corruption claims advanced by Navalny, who is now serving a 2 1/2-year prison sentence on one of several charges he contends were fabricated by the Kremlin to sideline and discredit him. The jury of the White Elephant film award, which is given out in over a dozen categories, announced its list of winners on March 14. Navalny and his creative team, which includes members of his Moscow-based Anti-Corruption Foundation, were nominated in a special category titled Event Of The Year and were expected to be officially recognized at a ceremony next month. But the decision to include Navalny, Putins most outspoken critic over the past decade, prompted what the expert council said in a statement was the first conflict in 22 years of the awards existence -- and one playing out in what the council called an atmosphere of pressure and attempts to censor its activities. The Russian Guild of Film Critics, a professional organization which is part of the Russian Filmmakers Union and is headquartered in Moscow, subsequently announced it would no longer sponsor the award, which it has conferred annually since 1998, first as The Golden Ram and then under the name The White Elephant. Nikita Mikhalkov, the Oscar-winning director who heads the Russian Filmmakers Union and is a staunch Putin supporter, asserted that the decision to award Navalny violated the tenets of the annual prize. I feel uncomfortable calling myself a director if Navalny is considered a director. He has nothing to do with cinema, Mikhalkov, who made a movie called 55 for Putin's 55th birthday in 2007, told the newspaper Sobesednik. If you give a prize for politics, dear friends, then please make that clear. Navalnys videos documenting alleged corruption among government officials and Kremlin-connected tycoons have proved popular in Russia. Over the years, the reports have acquired a recognizable character, with Navalnys sardonic speeches before the camera often peppered with short clips from American animated cartoons. By far, the most viewed has been an investigation into a $1.36 billion Black Sea estate that the Kremlin critic and his allies say was built for Putin, with images of tacky interiors and testimony from people involved in its construction. It has racked up almost 115 million views since its publication on January 19 -- two days after Navalny was arrested upon his return from Germany after five months of treatment and recuperation from his poisoning. WATCH: Putin's Palace (with English subtitles): In its statement, the awards expert council said it would continue to preside over the White Elephant despite the guilds decision to withdraw support. But it alleged that the resulting standoff harms the reputation of the guild, which remains a hostage of an archaic lack of change in leadership and stagnation within the Russian Filmmakers Union. Among the 43 signatories to the expert councils statement are prominent directors, journalists, and film critics, such as Anton Dolin, who defended the councils decision to recognize Navalnys work in a column for the independent online publication New Times. If theres a plot, an author, a topic, suspense, a protagonist and antagonist, humor, etc., then its without a doubt a film, he wrote of Navalnys investigations. And if it doesnt correspond to certain canons of film, then its time those canons are changed. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. With medical staff throughout health centers around Laredo on the frontlines for now a full year, hospital leaders reflected on how the pandemic has been handled and the hard work their staff have put forth in combating it. READ MORE: Most Laredoans continuing to wear face masks On March 16, 2020, the City of Laredo confirmed its first COVID-19 positive patient. It ultimately led to the city and its over 250,000 residents fight against the virus. As of Monday, 804 community members have died and there have been 42,956 positive COVID-19 cases. And doctors, nurses and health staff have worked all year to mitigate the damage done by the pandemic, both at the Laredo Medical Center and Doctors Hospital. In statements to LMT, the CEOs of each local hospital provided their thoughts on the past year. Laredo Medical Center CEO Jorge Leal: As we mark the anniversary of a year no one could have ever imagined, the pandemic has demonstrated how interconnected we all are, the impact each one of us can have and the benefit of working together for a common cause. Our LMC team of healthcare frontliners and medical staff care deeply about our community and remain steadfast in their commitment to deliver safe, quality healthcare services. Life amid a pandemic created many uncertainties, but our healthcare heroes are resilient and never faltered to provide patients with the medical care they needed. From Day 1 to the present, our family of caregivers have put aside their personal fears and concerns and come to help every single day, with bravery and courage. Helping people get well and live healthier is rewarding work, and we are grateful for the trust every patient places in us. And we feel the love and support of our community as they have extended their thanks and encouragement through prayers outside of our hospital first-responder parades, signs, meals and so much more. As we move onward, hope is on the horizon as COVID-19 vaccinations are underway, and we look forward to a time when we can all gather. Until then, keep up the safe practices wear a mask or face covering, maintain social distancing and regularly wash your hands. By following these simple acts, we can do extraordinary things. Doctors Hospital CEO Emma Maria Montes-Ewing: We would like to simply say thank you to our Doctors Hospital employees and medical staff. They are the meaning of a Healthcare Hero, and we cant underscore enough the impact they have on our patients, our community and our colleagues. It takes a special person to work in healthcare, and I applaud each Healthcare Hero for their role here at Doctors Hospital and our medical community. It has not been easy, but their agility, perseverance, passion and commitment are incredible, and it makes me proud to lead the Doctors Hospital team. Our hospital is stronger because of all of them. Even with the decline of COVID-19 hospital cases, more testing and available vaccination clinic sites, we must not let our guard down. READ MORE: Teachers would get a big pay bump under new bill filed in Texas Legislature As we move forward, we remain dedicated to your health and wellness. Please know that we are taking extraordinary measures to help ensure the health and safety of patients, physicians, staff and community. And to our community thank you for your kind gestures, donations, outpouring of love, prayers and patience during these challenging times. Our Healthcare Heroes truly appreciate the community support. cocampo@lmtonline.com Marc Kielburger (L) and his brother Craig appear as witnesses via videoconference during a House of Commons finance committee hearing in the Wellington Building in Ottawa on July 28, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Kielburger Brothers, MPs Battle Over WE Operations, Deal to Run Federal Program OTTAWACraig and Marc Kielburger accused a parliamentary committee of engaging in a political trial Monday as its members grilled the brothers over WE Charitys operations, including its since-cancelled deal to run a federal program for student volunteers. The heated exchange had the Kielburgers accusing political parties of trying to score points at the expense of children around the world, even as they faced pointed questions from members of the House of Commons ethics committee about their own activities. Those included how the Liberal government and WE came to an agreement for the charity to run a multimillion-dollar program designed to cover the education costs of students who volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the state of WE today. The brothers were also asked to tally how much they paid Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his family to speak at different WE events over the years, and to respond to allegations that WE engaged in questionable lobbying and fundraising activities. Marc Kielburger set the tone by strongly defending the various WE operations set up over the years, including a mix of philanthropic and for-profit entities that he suggested were a response to outdated restrictions on how Canadian charities can operate. He said everything the organization did was to help children around the world, including agreeing last year to help the Liberal government run the now-abandoned Canada Student Services Grant program. He said WE has since become a casualtyand those involved the recipients of death threatsas opposition parties try to undermine the government by attacking the deal with the charity, which has since been cancelled over questions about the Trudeau familys links to the Toronto-based organization. He blasted NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus in particular for having asked the RCMP and Canada Revenue Agency to look into the organizations operations and then publicly posting those requests on social media. He also took aim at the Conservatives and the Liberal government, which he accused of having hid behind a childrens charity by letting it take the fall for their political decisionsand the opposition allowed them. The arrangement would have paid WE up to $43.5 million to run the program, designed to cover up to $5,000 in education costs for students who volunteered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government had budgeted $912 million for the program, but the sole-sourced contract with WE pegged the cost at $543 million and stipulated the organization would not make money on the deal. WE Charity pulled out of the deal, and the program was eventually cancelled amid questions about the close ties between WE and Trudeau, as well as former finance minister Bill Morneau and members of both their families. Ethics commissioner Mario Dion is now investigating Trudeau and Morneau for a potential conflict of interest. Both have apologized for not having recused themselves. We didnt advise the prime minister and Mr. Morneau not to recuse themselves, Marc Kielburger said as he described how WE was not responsible for political choices. We never prorogued Parliament. We were not involved in the decision to filibuster this committee last fall. This is a political scandal for the government, not for WE Charity. Liberal MP Francesco Sorbara in turn accused the Kielburgers of not taking responsibility for their own actions, saying: You want to throw blame on everyone else and not take responsibility for things that have happened within your control. Angus grilled the Kielburgers over why they never registered with the lobbying commissioner given their discussions with the government in the lead-up to the launch of the student grant program in June 2020. WE Charity registered as a lobbyist last August and did not list the Kielburgers among its 18 in-house lobbyists. The Kielburgers, who said they have not been contacted by the RCMP or CRA about the program but have spoken to Dion, indicated they are technically volunteers to WE Charity and that volunteers cannot register with the commissioner. Craig, were no dummies here, Angus responded. You guys run this organization. Youre a volunteer that has a chief of staff whos paid for by the charity. Thats ridiculous. Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, meanwhile, demanded a tally of how much WE had paid members of the Trudeau family for appearing at different events, as well as a total of expenses covered for those members. Craig Kielburger said it was around $425,000. Poilievre also pressed Craig on why he sent an email to one of Trudeaus senior advisers, Ben Chin, in which the younger Kielburger brother appears to thank Chin for helping to shape the program. When Craig said Chin had no direct involvement and the message was one of dozens an assistant sent as Kielburger sought to expand his LinkedIn network, Poilievre responded: Youre in a lot of trouble here, my friend. Youre under oath. Perjury is a crime. Bloc Quebecois MP Rheal Fortin later asked in French: How often do you thank people for doing nothing? Craig said it was Rachel Wernick, a senior official at Employment and Social Development Canada with whom he had a working relationship since 2017, who first approached WE about the program. Thousands of government documents released last summer supported the Liberals contention that public servants recommended WE run the program, but they also suggested bureaucrats may have been nudged in that direction by their political masters. Craig Kielburger told the committee that he wished the contract to run the program had been put out to tender by the government, while his brother described the past year as devastating to both WE and students across Canada. The brothers were also asked about allegations WE raised money by asking multiple donors to contribute to the same projects. A former donor, U.S. television journalist Reed Cowan, alleged that the plaque on a school he had funded in Kenya in honour of his four-year-old son Wesley, who died in 2006, had been replaced with a plaque in the name of another donor. The Kielburgers agreed the plaque should never have been removed, and that they were looking into the matter. By Lee Berthiaume After a year of fits and starts that tracked the coronavirus pandemic, state court jury trials can resume April 1, the Louisiana Supreme Court said Friday. But whether a jailed defendant or car insurance company finally gets their day in court depends on the parish and case. Some judges already have plans in place for trials, but one busy court in New Orleans is taking a cautious approach, and the Orleans Public Defenders say only the most urgent trials should go forward amid the continuing health threat. Jefferson Parishs 24th Judicial District Court and the Orleans Parish Civil District Court will summon jurors again on April 5, judges said. The Orleans Parish Criminal District Court hasnt yet decided on a timeline, however. One plaintiffs attorney said he supports the Supreme Courts decision to let the moratorium expire, but he recognizes the complexity of the situation. The tension there is, do we wait for maximum herd immunity? Its the same tension we see in businesses, said Robert Kleinpeter, past president of the Louisiana Association for Justice. Were evolving. Theres this rapid change. And we all realize we have to get the justice system back in gear. Its really critical. A limited number of jury trials were held in the New Orleans area in the second half of 2020, including a few in 24th Judicial District Court and two in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. However, the state Supreme Court on Jan. 11 issued a moratorium on all state court jury trials until March 31 amid an alarming upswing in coronavirus cases and deaths that followed the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. In its Friday statement, the Supreme Court said that moratorium will be allowed to expire without extension. Local judges can resume jury trials when theyve decided that a safe environment is present, the Supreme Court said. The court said it had consulted with a variety of judges from across the state, public health experts and organizations representing lawyers who specialize in plaintiffs cases, civil defense, criminal defense and prosecution. +35 After Racquel Smith's emotional testimony, Cardell Hayes' bail decision pushed back Cardell Hayes has been locked up since the night he shot and killed former Saints star Will Smith, placed his .45-caliber Ruger on the hood of Louisiana is hardly alone in resuming jury trials. As of February, 27 of 50 states had allowed criminal jury trials to resume either in-person or virtually, according to Simone Levine, executive director of the group CourtWatch NOLA. The 24th Judicial District Court will resume trials immediately, but will do so with new safety protocols in place, Chief Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach said. Jailed defendants will be screened for the coronavirus using a rapid tests. Jurors will be offered medical-grade N95 masks and spread out across additional spaces within the courthouse building. The court will also summon only one batch of prospective jurors at a time, rather than several. As coronavirus cases drop in Louisiana, deaths continue, including New Orleans court staffer She was a cancer survivor, a member of her church choir and a court commissioner in New Orleans who was anxiously awaiting the birth of her fi While court employees were originally slated for prioritization during Louisianas vaccine rollout, they havent yet been specifically designated for eligibility. However, Kovach said the court is making sure that as many employees as possible are vaccinated if otherwise eligible. Jefferson Parishs jury trials will happen in both civil and criminal cases. The judges have established a protocol to determine which cases will skip to the front of the line. Whether a defendant has been waiting for a jury trial is one factor, Kovach 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 In Orleans Parish, civil court judges also anticipate a quick return to jury trials. Civil District Court Judge Nakisha Ervin-Knott, one of the district judges consulted by the state Supreme Court, said local officials are mindful of their own safety and that of the public. +2 A look at Jason Williams' plan as New Orleans DA: Cuts on case backlog, culture change, more The boxes of old case files heaped in the grand jury room at the Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office represent a small slice of Jason Wi This has been an ongoing process with the state, and we have been guided by science, guided by the data, she said. I think what happened in our meetings, the justices and all of the participants were very optimistic that as more people become vaccinated ... there will be a comfort zone. Kovach and Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Ethel Julien said would-be jurors appeared at their respective courthouses in high percentages last fall, before case counts rose and the Supreme Court issued its January moratorium. Not everyone has reached the comfort zone just yet, however. So far, only about 12 percent of Louisianans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and hundreds of people remain hospitalized with the disease. Lack of vaccine eligibility or access is not a valid excuse for avoiding jury service in either Jefferson or Orleans Parish, officials said. However, prospective jurors with health conditions can call administrators to raise concerns. Orleans Parish Criminal District Court judges have yet to hold a jury trial since the pandemic began, and so far none of the most prominent stakeholders in the local criminal justice system have made a public demand for one. A spokesman for Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams office said that it supports the Supreme Courts decision to end the moratorium. In a statement, the Orleans Public Defenders urged caution. Only the most urgent trials for incarcerated clients should proceed, said the office spokeswoman, Lindsey Hortenstine. We need mechanisms in place to ensure that clients, lawyers, and jurors are all kept safe, including a method for jury selection that neither rushes the process nor packs people into the courtroom. We are very concerned that uncomfortable and/or unsafe courtroom settings will cause juries to rush the process and not deliberate as fully. Karen Herman, the chief Criminal District Court Judge, said the court has been involved in ongoing discussions with public defenders and prosecutors. No date has been decided. One complicating factor: The courts longtime jury commissioner died in January from COVID-19. We are in ongoing discussion with all of the criminal justice agencies that are involved and working closely with experts in the Department of Health, Herman said. We hope to release a formal plan to the public and the media which is coupled with a great deal of confidence that everyone can be housed in the courthouse safely. WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to older people, especially seniors with long-term care needs. Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) have proven to be an effective model of delivering long-term care in the community, even during the pandemic. PACE programs emphasize keeping participants in their homes and independent while meeting all of their health care needs outside of a nursing home environment. Data collected during the pandemic show that seniors enrolled in PACE contracted COVD-19 at just one-third the rate of those in nursing homes. Part of the success of the PACE model of care has been the ability to deliver needed care and services in various settings in response to the pandemic, including the participant's home. "Traditionally, the core of the PACE model has been a team of providers working together primarily in the PACE center," said Jim Pedulla, MD, medical director of Neighborhood PACE in East Boston and chair of the National PACE Association (NPA) Primary Care Committee. "We discovered that while the PACE center is important and valuable, the PACE interdisciplinary team is what makes the PACE model of care so effective." During the pandemic, he said, "team members of all disciplines and roles galvanized to protect our participants, redirecting core services to them in their homes while they remained isolated for their safety. More personal care was delivered in the home, and more medical, nursing and rehabilitation services were brought to the participant. Team members conducted wellness checks of participants via audio and video visits to monitor their status and the impact on their daily living." PACE serves individuals age 55 and over who are certified to need nursing home care but are able to live in the community with the support of PACE. "When someone enrolls in PACE, it is usually for life," Dr. Pedulla said. "When you work with people who need long-term care each day, the relationship you build is important. You know over time you are going to experience a lot of significant moments with them." The pandemic certainly has posed many such moments. PACE teams have been innovative in providing support for participants who were displaced from their relationships, lost access to their families, and faced significant losses. PACE organizations are financially responsible for emergency room visits, hospital stays and nursing home placements. This responsibility provides financial incentives that align with their care goals of keeping participants living independently in the community as long as possible. Despite all PACE participants meeting the requirements for nursing home care, only 5 percent reside in a nursing home. "Increasingly, people are asking what we can do to make long-term care better in the future," said Shawn Bloom, president and CEO of the National PACE Association. "I encourage them to look at the success of PACE. Care costs less, and quality of life is higher in the community. PACE is organized around keeping people in the community and as independent as possible for as long as possible." A total of 138 organizations operate PACE programs in 30 states across the country, serving more than 55,000 people. The PACE model demonstrates its effectiveness in a number of ways: Saving state money, with PACE costing 13 percent less than other state Medicaid long-term care options; Reducing hospital admissions, with 24 percent fewer than dually eligible beneficiaries who receive Medicaid nursing home services; Reducing ER visits, on average, to less than one visit per participant each year; Reducing nursing home admissions, with fewer than 5 percent of PACE participants being admitted; and Supporting family caregivers, resulting in a 97.5 percent satisfaction rate. To learn more about PACE and if a PACE program operates in your community, visit the National PACE Association website at www.npaonline.org. SOURCE National PACE Association Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Taking its war against billionaire Jack Mas empire to a new level, the Chinese government has reportedly asked his conglomerate to dispose of its media assets. According to a The Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter, Chinese officials are more "concerned about the technology giant's sway over public opinion in the country". expanded its footprint in the media sector by acquiring the South Morning Post, an English-language newspaper launched 118 years ago in Hong Kong. The company also has notable media holdings in mainland China, including technology news site 36Kr, state-owned Shanghai Media Group, stakes in the Twitter-like Weibo platform and several popular Chinese digital and print news outlets. " has also set up joint ventures or partnerships with powerful state-run media like Xinhua News Agency and local government-run newspaper groups in Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces," the report said on Monday. Angry at Ma's public criticism of Chinese financial regulators last year, the company scuttled the initial public offering (IPO) of his fintech giant Ant Group. China's top market watchdog began investigation into alleged anti-competition practices by the e-commerce giant Alibaba and also laid out "rectification plan" for Ma's fintech venture. The agenda was that Ant Group should return to its roots in payments and bring more transparency to transactions. Ma later disappeared from the public view, triggering speculation of him going "missing". He was seen only in January when a video of him appeared on Chinese social media. According to the WSJ report, Chinese regulators are "appalled at how expansive Alibaba's media interests have become and asked the company to come up with a plan to substantially curtail its media holdings" the people said. "The government didn't specify which assets would need to be unloaded". Alibaba was yet to react to the report. Alibaba's holdings in publicly listed had a combined market value of more than $8 billion. "That includes a roughly $3.5 billion stake in Weibo Corp. and a nearly $2.6 billion stake in Bilibili Inc., a video platform that is popular among younger Chinese people," the report mentioned. --IANS na/in (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| 2021-03-16 19:41:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers and will work with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date, a foreign ministry spokesperson said here Tuesday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's remarks came after China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the African mission area. This is a concrete measure to fulfill China's pledge to make vaccines global public goods, Zhao said, adding that it has fully demonstrated China's support to the UN and multilateralism as well as its concern for the health and safety of peacekeepers. As one of the champions of the safety and security issue under the "Action for Peacekeeping" initiative of the UN secretary-general, China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers, and supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers to protect their health and help them better perform their duties, he said. "China will work closely with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date," said Zhao. Enditem 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. Internal combustions days are numbered in Europe, and theres no escaping it. In addition to bans on the sale of new fossil-fuel cars, legislators in Brussels are putting the finishing touches on the EU-7 emissions standard. Described as a de facto ban on internal combustion engines by a trade association, the current draft of the regulation requires a decrease of 60 to 90 percent.A very optimistic target by all accounts, this decrease of emissions has been lambasted by Volkswagen as complex and costly. Mercedes-Benz has also voiced its opposition to the EU-7 regulation, which it deems not feasible.Audi, an important member of the Volkswagen Group, took a more drastic measure by stopping the development of next-generation internal combustion engines. Speaking to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , head honcho Markus Duesmann made it clear that Audi will adapt existing combustion engines to EU-7 emission targets at great expense.Experts and automakers alike claim that Euro 7 will be fatal for every player in the automotive industry. Promoting eco-friendly electric mobility is one thing, but advancing electric mobility while electric vehicles are still expensive and the charging infrastructure still isnt up to snuff is wishful thinking at best.Even though electric vehicles are the way forward for the four-ringed automaker in Europe, combustion-engined cars wont disappear from the lineup anytime soon. More to the point, the Ingolstadt-based giant will continue to sell Euro 6 and 7 vehicles in various parts of the world where the legislation is milder, and the charging infrastructure isnt developed.Audi, together with Porsche, is also looking into synthetic fuels that burn cleaner than gasoline and diesel. There is, however, a problem with synthetic fuels because mass adoption is expected to happen in 2030 at the earliest. On the day of the stabbing, Green confronted Flemings cousin about $50 she was missing, White-Domain said. Fleming intervened, and things escalated when he accused Green of talking to other men, as he had done in the past, the Green petition states. He shoved her repeatedly in the side of her head, and Green took their 6-month-old in her arms and told Fleming she was leaving, according to the court records. IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Netlist, Inc. (OTCQB:NLST) today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (the "Court") issued a claim construction order in Civil Action Nos. 6:20-cv-00194-ADA and 6:20-cv-00525-ADA relating to the patent infringement case against SK hynix and its RDIMM and LRDIMM enterprise memory products. The Court sided with Netlist on the definition of key claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 9,858,218, 10,474,595 and 10,217,523. The claim construction order serves as the framework from which the jury will ultimately decide if the patents are valid and infringed, and therefore represents a critical juncture in the case. "Overall, we are quite pleased with the order, which was favorable to Netlist with regard to each patent term that the Court assessed from all three of the asserted patents," said Netlist's Chief Licensing Officer, Marc Frechette. "In our view, the Court's well-reasoned decision either adopts Netlist's proposed constructions verbatim, or accurately captures our understanding of the patent claims. As a result, we believe this interpretation of the patents puts us in a strong position with respect to infringement and validity." The case will now move into the discovery and pre-trial phase with a jury trial scheduled for July 6, 2021. The claim construction order is available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) website. About Netlist Netlist provides high-performance SSDs and modular memory subsystems to enterprise customers in diverse industries. The Company's NVMe SSD portfolio provides industry-leading performance offered in multiple capacities and form factors. HybriDIMM, Netlist's next-generation storage class memory product, addresses the growing need for real-time analytics in Big Data applications, in-memory databases, high-performance computing and advanced data storage solutions. Netlist also manufactures a line of specialty and legacy memory products to storage customers, appliance customers, system builders and cloud and datacenter customers. Netlist holds a portfolio of patents in the areas of server memory, hybrid memory, storage class memory, rank multiplication and load reduction. To learn more, visit www.netlist.com. Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical facts and often address future events or Netlist's future performance. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include statements about Netlist's ability to execute on its strategic initiatives. All forward-looking statements reflect management's present expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: risks related to Netlist's plans for its intellectual property, including its strategies for monetizing, licensing, expanding, and defending its patent portfolio; risks associated with patent infringement litigation initiated by Netlist, such as its ongoing proceedings against SK hynix Inc., or by others against Netlist, as well as the costs and unpredictability of any such litigation; risks associated with Netlist's product sales, including the market and demand for products sold by Netlist and its ability to successfully develop and launch new products that are attractive to the market; the success of product, joint development and licensing partnerships; the competitive landscape of Netlist's industry; and general economic, political and market conditions, including quarantines, factory slowdowns or shutdowns, and travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. All forward-looking statements reflect management's present assumptions, expectations and beliefs regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any forward-looking statements. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in Netlist's annual report on Form 10-K for its most recently completed fiscal year filed on March 10, 2020, and the other filings it makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including any subsequently filed quarterly and current reports. In light of these risks, uncertainties and other factors, these forward-looking statements should not be relied on as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements represent Netlist's assumptions, expectations and beliefs only as of the date they are made, and except as required by law, Netlist undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason. For more information, please contact: The Plunkett Group Mike Smargiassi NLST@theplunkettgroup.com (212) 739-6729 SOURCE: Netlist, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635693/Netlist-Receives-Favorable-Claim-Construction-Order-in-Case-Against-SK-hynix Columbia University has been slammed for 'bringing back segregation' after announcing additional commencement ceremonies for students based on their ethnicity, income level, and sexual orientation. The six virtual ceremonies, which will be staged in addition to the general campus-wide commencement event, were announced by Columbias Multicultural Affairs department. Special events are being held for black, LGBTQ, Native, 'Latinx', low-income, and Asian graduates. But the university insisted these ceremonies are 'voluntary' and 'open to every student who wants to participate' - even those that do not identify as one of the designated minorities - in a statement to DailyMail.com. Conservative commentator Candace Owens tweeted: 'Congratulations are in order for liberals and @Columbia University for successfully bringing segregation back by packaging it as diversity inclusion. Just one question: which ceremony do bi-racial children attend?' The image above shows Columbia University students graduating in May 2019 in New York City. The university's Multicultural Affairs Department announced that six additional commencement ceremonies will take place - each of which will be held to honor black, 'Latinx', Native, Asian, LGBTQ, and students of low-income backgrounds Candace Owens, the conservative commentator, tweeted: 'Congratulations are in order for liberals and @Columbia University for successfully bringing segregation back by packaging it as diversity inclusion.' The main, university-wide commencement ceremony for the Ivy League school in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan is scheduled to take place online on April 30 at 10:30am. The six other ceremonies will be held virtually on other days. A ceremony for students of Native American extraction is scheduled to take place on April 25 at 4:00pm. LGBTQ graduates are invited to take part in a Lavender graduation set to take place on April 26. Asian American students will have their ceremony on April 27. There is also an FLI graduation - which is categorized as first-generation and/or low-income community - scheduled for April 27. A Latinx graduation ceremony has been scheduled for April 29 and a separate event for black students is due to take place on April 30. A spokesperson for Columbia University told DailyMail.com: 'Columbia marks graduation every spring with a university-wide Commencement ceremony and Class Days for the graduates of each of our schools. 'These events bringing together all of our graduates and their families are a high point of every academic year. 'The smaller celebratory events held for particular groups are in addition to, not instead of, the main Commencement and Class Day graduation ceremonies. The main, university-wide commencement ceremony for the Ivy League school in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan is scheduled to take place online on April 30 at 10:30am. The Columbia campus is seen in the above file photo 'In most instances, these smaller, multicultural gatherings evolved from ceremonies originally created by alumni and students. MULTICULTURAL GRADUATION EVENTS AT COLUMBIA UNIV. Seniors graduating from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, General Studies and Barnard College of Columbia University will have the option of attending six additional ceremonies on top of the large, university-wide assembly marking the end of their undergraduate careers. The online ceremonies will be held between April 25 and April 30. Native Graduation Celebration: Sunday, April 25 at 4:00pm Lavender Graduation Celebration (LGBTQIA+ community): Monday, April 26 at 4:00pm Asian Graduation Celebration: Tuesday, April 27 at 10:00am FLI Graduation Celebration (First-generation and/or low-income community): Tuesday, April 27 at 7:00pm Latinx Graduation Celebration: Thursday, April 29 at 6:00pm Black Graduation Celebration: Friday, April 30 at 4:00pm Advertisement 'The gatherings are voluntary, open to every student who wants to participate, and have become a highly anticipated and meaningful part of the Columbia graduation experience.' According to the Multicultural Department web site, the separate events are organized cooperatively by student organizations, alumni groups, and university partners. The ceremonies will provide a more intimate setting for students and guests to gather, incorporate meaningful cultural traditions and celebrate the specific contributions and achievements of their communities. The events are open to all Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, General Studies and Barnard College graduating seniors. The plans to stage separate ceremonies in addition to the main event sparked heated debate on Twitter, where some accused the school of promoting segregation. One Twitter user commented: 'Is calling it a "celebration" supposed to make it ok? 'What about "celebrations" exclusively for the kids who are rich or connected? Are we cool with that? 'Or just ask yourself this: is it divisive, or is it inclusive? Because the former isn't progress.' Stacy Crouse tweeted: 'This is so ridiculous! How is this happening and how do we stop it?!' Another Twitter user commented: 'What about my children who are [African American] and adopted from foster care? 'While we didn't change their race (obviously didn't want to), their [socioeconomic status] certainly changed and they became children with completely different futures. 'Where would they fit?' Another Twitter user accused Columbia of 'supporting segregated graduations' Another Twitter user commented: 'It's still pretty insane though that its being done in collaboration with the university.' Another Twitter user commented: 'Is calling it a "celebration" supposed to make it ok?' Stacy Crouse tweeted: 'This is so ridiculous! How is this happening and how do we stop it?!' Another Twitter user commented: 'What about my children who are [African American] and adopted from foster care?' Another Twitter user commented: 'It's still pretty insane though that its being done in collaboration with the university. 'People can celebrate their graduation outside of school with whoever they want, but the school is low key participating in racial segregation, absurd.' Others, however, claimed the controversy was much ado about nothing, and noted that many universities have held special ceremonies for select groupings in addition to the main commencement event. Tia Landry tweeted: A quick search around Columbia University's website shows that those separate ceremonies are literally organized and supported by alumni groups and student organizations to get the recognition they deserve. Columbia has a main ceremony that includes everyone. Stop the bull****. Landry added: Just to be clear, these ceremonies are ON TOP of the main graduation ceremony for all graduates. None of these ceremonies even happen on the day of the main one. Another Twitter user commented: 'I went to Lavender & BIPOC graduations on top of the main ceremony and I loved the smaller graduations so much more. 'I'm so thankful we had our own traditions, culture & space to acknowledge each other instead of solely just the weird alcoholic party that was main graduation.' Another Twitter user wrote: My school had special ceremonies for graduating students like this (I was honored at a lavender graduation). Thanks for highlighting this and what it means for people who wont read beyond a headline. Tia Landry tweeted: A quick search around Columbia University's website shows that those separate ceremonies are literally organized and supported by alumni groups and student organizations to get the recognition they deserve' Landry wrote that the ceremonies 'are organized by people in these groups in order to support each other' Just to be clear, these ceremonies are ON TOP of the main graduation ceremony for all graduates. None of these ceremonies even happen on the day of the main one' Samantha Sutliff tweeted: Most schools do this. UMiami where I went to school had a Latin students graduation. My sister's school had a Black and Chicano graduation. They also have separate ceremonies for degree programs. Everyone goes to the big one and then they have extra separate ceremonies Another Twitter user commented: 'I went to Lavender & BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) graduations on top of the main ceremony and I loved the smaller graduations so much more. 'I'm so thankful we had our own traditions, culture & space to acknowledge each other instead of solely just the weird alcoholic party that was main graduation.' Another Twitter user wrote: My school had special ceremonies for graduating students like this (I was honored at a lavender graduation). Thanks for highlighting this and what it means for people who wont read beyond a headline. Samantha Sutliff tweeted: Most schools do this. UMiami where I went to school had a Latin students graduation. My sister's school had a Black and Chicano graduation. They also have separate ceremonies for degree programs. Everyone goes to the big one and then they have extra separate ceremonies. Last month, North Carolina's Elon University cancelled an event for 'white-identifying' students to process their complicity in racial injustice following complaints the meeting excluded students of color. The existence of the upcoming 'White Caucus' was first revealed by the Young America's Foundation (YAF). The conservative organization published an email, said to have been sent by Elons Coordinator of Graduate Programs Jennifer Strange, that specified the aim of the event was to allow white 'allies' to speak openly about systemic oppression without 're-traumatizing people of color'. 'We know that racism and systemic oppression are woven deeply into the roots of our society and our education system,' the email read. 'White caucusing is one part of a lifelong and multifaceted commitment to anti-racism for white-identifying people who are passionate about racial justice.' The email further stated that the caucus would give white students a 'space to learn about and process their awareness of and complicity in unjust systems without harming their friends of color.' But the caucus, slated to take place on February 16, was canceled after the YAF called it a 'segregated' event and students of color complained, Fox News reported. Jared Leto looked unrecognisable as he arrived on set for the first time to film scenes for Ridley Scott's House of Gucci in Milan on Tuesday. The actor, 49, who is no stranger to transforming himself for acting roles, had a bald patch, receding grey-streaked locks and ageing prosthetics as he transformed into the fashion designer Paolo Gucci. Jared will star opposite Lady Gaga and Adam Driver in the star-studded crime drama, documenting 'black widow' Reggiani Gucci's plot to murder her ex-husband Maurizio, who was heir to the celebration Italian fashion empire. Who is that? Jared Leto, 49, looked unrecognisable as he arrived on set for the first time to play Paolo Gucci in Ridley Scott's House of Gucci in Milan on Tuesday Jared sported a flamboyant purple corduroy suit and a matching lilac shirt, teamed with olive green loafers as he arrived on the set for filming. The Dallas Buyers Club star's appearance was worlds away from his typical long brunette locks, as he sported a prosthetic head pieces with a greying receding hairline. To add even more years to Jared's usually bearded visage, the star sported ageing makeup to give the illusion of a man in his 60s. Drastically different: The actor donned a prosthetic receding hairline and heavy makeup to turn into the fashion designer Paolo Gucci (pictured left during filming and right in 2019) Transformed: Jared sported a flamboyant purple corduroy suit and a matching lilac shirt as he arrived on the set for filming Spitting image: The Oscar winner donned a prosthetic to give the illusion of a greyed receding hairline (left), along with ageing makeup to mimic Paolo's appearance (right in 1991) Jared is no stranger to drastically changing his appearance in a bid to disappear into acting roles, having won an Oscar for his role as trans woman Rayon in the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club. He also caught viewers attention with his tattooed, chaotic portrayal of The Joker in 2016's Suicide Squad, with the role set to be reprised in Justice League: The Snyder Cut, set for release on Friday. Paolo Gucci was vice-president and managing director of both Gucci Shops Inc and Gucci Parfums of America, and was in the midst of the famous family's constant jostle for power over its fashion empire. He repeatedly came into conflict with his uncle Rodolfo (set to be played by Jeremy Irons in House of Gucci) over his plans to modernise the brand by marketing its name with a licensing operation, and was fired in 1978. Dirty dealings: Paolo Gucci was vice-president and managing director of both Gucci Shops Inc and Gucci Parfums of America At odds: He repeatedly jostled with the Gucci family for control over the fashion empire, and was fired by his uncle Rodolfo in 1978 for attempt to modernise the brand More family drama! Paolo later clashed with his cousin Maurizio who took over Rodolfo's shares in the company following his death in 1983 No mercy! He even incriminated his own father Aldo by revealing he'd siphoned profits abroad to avoid paying taxes Paolo later clashed with his cousin Maurizio (played by Adam Driver) who took over Rodolfo's shares in the company following his death in 1983, and even incriminated his own father Aldo by revealing he'd siphoned profits abroad to avoid paying taxes. The businessman went onto seek bankruptcy in the 1990s due to debts of around $90 million, and just a week before his death in October 1995, signed a plan to pay back his creditors. House of Gucci will predominantly focus on Patrizia Reggiani (played by Lady Gaga), who was found guilty of paying a hit man 300,000 (240,000) to murder her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci, an heir to the fashion empire. The money's all done! The businessman went onto seek bankruptcy in the 1990s due to debts of around $90 million Final act: Just a week before his death in October 1995, signed a plan to pay back his creditors Getting into character: Jared is no stranger to changing his appearance to disappear into acting roles, having won an Oscar for his role as trans woman Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club Her husband had left her for another woman 10 years previously after telling her he was going on a short business trip, from which he never returned. She was also said to be furious her former husband had started seeing other women, and feared her daughters' $170 million inheritance was at risk if he remarried before ordering the hit. She also wanted more than the $650,000 she had been offered in a divorce settlement, the court heard. Reggiani was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 before being released in October 2014. Sinister: He also caught viewers attention with his tattooed, chaotic portrayal of The Joker in 2016's Suicide Squad Lavish: Jared will appear among a star-studded cast in House of Gucci, including Lady Gaga, Jeremy Irons, Al Pacino, Adam Driver and Jack Huston Exciting: The film is based on the bestselling novel The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by author Sara Gay Forden The film is based on the bestselling novel The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by author Sara Gay Forden. Reggiani eventually hired hitman Benedetto Ceraulo, a debt-ridden pizzeria owner who shot Gucci dead on the steps of his office in Milan as he arrived for work. Ceraulo was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. She was convicted after her clairvoyant and confidante Pina Auriemma turned informer and told police about the plot. Explosive: House of Gucci will focus on Patrizia Reggiani (played by Lady Gaga), who was found guilty of paying a hit man 300k (240k) to murder ex-husband Maurizio (Adam Driver) During the murder trial, which transfixed Italy, Reggiani arrived each day wearing head-to-toe Gucci clothes and accessories. The court heard how she had ordered the murder of her husband after he offered her $650,000 in a divorce settlement. She was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 with her pet ferret Bambi as a companion for some of the time - before being released in October 2014. Shocking: Reggiani, pictured with Maurizio, was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 before being released in October 2014. Having Bambi by her side was a special privilege negotiated by her lawyers however he was to suffer an unfortunate demise when a fellow inmate accidentally sat on him. Well-known for her luxury lifestyle, Reggiani once said: 'I'd rather cry in a Rolls than be happy on a bicycle' and turned down the offer of day release while in prison because it would have meant doing 'menial' work. In 2017 a court ruled Reggiani was entitled to receive 900,000 a year from her ex-husband's fortune and she was given a lump sum of 16million for her time in prison. Maurizio Gucci was the grandson of Guccio Gucci, founder of the fashion company made famous with its double G logo. In the early 1990s it was hit by problems and he sold the label for $120 million, just two years before his death. The new film, directed by Ridley Scott, is scheduled to go on general release from November 24th 2021. Wealth: Maurizio was the grandson of Guccio Gucci founder of the eponymous fashion house while Patrizia came from rather more humble beginnings Nigerias ambassador to Mexico, Adejare Bello, has threatened to take legal action against PREMIUM TIMES for reporting his assault on a journalist in Osun State. This newspaper, last Friday, reported that Mr Adejare, a former speaker of the state assembly, attacked a journalist, Adeniyi Akinromade, who works with the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), while rendering a social service during traffic gridlock. The incident occurred at the Oke-Fia axis of Osogbo, where the journalist decided to help pass vehicles causing the gridlock. Mr Bello was angered by Mr Akinromades action, whom he felt was obstructing him from passing. He came down from his car and assaulted the journalist. Despite telling him that I am a journalist and that I was only carrying out social service, he was slapping me alongside officers attached to him. I was brutalised and embarrassed publicly, Mr Akinromade told PREMIUM TIMES last Friday. This newspaper on the same day contacted Mr Bello on the matter. He did not deny assaulting Mr Akinromade. He simply told our correspondent that he slapped the journalist for driving against traffic. Embarrassed by PREMIUM TIMES publication, the two-term speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly threatened our correspondent with legal action. He demanded through his lawyer, F.O. Abisoye, that the report be retracted. This newspaper Tuesday contacted Mr Bello again where he reiterated his threat against PREMIUM TIMES. He, however, did not deny speaking with our correspondent on Friday. If you want to interview me, come to my house. I didnt slap [him], he said on Tuesday. I will show you what the law says. That I did not know your number and I pick it, you should take it as an honour. I want the story retracted, I want the boy to deny and I want him to say he drove against the traffic. Bello and a series of meetings PREMIUM TIMES findings revealed that since the story was published on Friday, Mr Bello has made several moves to coerce Mr Akinromade. At least, two different meetings have held between Friday and Monday evening. The first meeting, which held on Friday evening, had the Osun State Commissioner for youth and sports, Lawal Olayemi; Mr Bello; and the assaulted journalist in attendance. Mr Akinromade was reportedly asked to deny speaking with our correspondent and told to apologise. Again, another meeting held on Monday evening where he was served a notice by the ambassadors lawyer. He is being mandated to deny being assaulted within 24 hours, else he would be charged to court, this newspaper learnt. Mr Bello neither denied meeting with Mr Akinromade nor the threat against the journalist when PREMIUM TIMES called him on Tuesday. Police yet to call in Bello The police did not address the assault allegations made against Mr Bello. Instead, they invited Mr Akinromade for interrogation. ADVERTISEMENT According to the invitation seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the journalist was asked to come to Dugbe Police Station by the state traffic officer in Osogbo on Tuesday. He is expected to be interrogated at 1:30 p.m. The states police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, could not be reached as of the time of this report as her telephone was not connecting. Mr Bello was recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico. The ambassadors action was condemned by several groups, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists which demanded an apology from him. A new coronavirus variant first spotted in the Philippines has been found in the UK, Public Health England revealed tonight. The strain, which has been named P.3, has a number of concerning mutations that are also present on the South African, Brazilian and Kent variants. It was picked up in two people in England, PHE said, one of whom had international travel links. The other case is still under investigation and it's not clear if the pair knew each other. All of their close contacts have been reached and told to isolate. The P.3 variant contains the spike mutations E484K, found on the Brazilian and South African versions, and N501Y, also present on the Kent strain. Those alterations help make the virus more transmissible and evade antibodies. Meanwhile, PHE said it had two more cases of the Brazilian P.1 variant - one in the West Midlands and one in Haringey in North London. Both patients had recently been to Brazil. The case in the West Midlands was identified by routine testing at Birmingham Airport, where they have been quarantined. The London case was picked up through surge testing. The agency said even more testing will be done in Haringey to clamp down on the variant's spread. The latest cases bring the total number of P.1 variant cases in the UK to 12 nine in England and three in Scotland. All of the patients have either direct or indirect travel links to Brazil. The discovery of the Filipino strain means the agency now has six variants 'under investigation'. French experts spot 'Breton' Covid variant which 'may fully evade tests' A Covid variant which may be able to fully evade current tests has been spotted in France, it emerged last night. Eight cases of the 'Breton variant' were detected in a hospital in Lannion, a town in the northwest region of Brittany. The French health ministry revealed that despite being infected with the virus, the patients' polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results were negative. They were only spotted through genomic sequencing of the samples. It's thought to be the first time any variant has slipped past the gold-standard PCR tests, which are critical for keeping track of the pandemic. While PCR cannot diagnose other variants, including the Brazil and South African versions, it still gives a Covid positive result. Scientists at the Institut Pasteur who discovered the Breton variant said it does not appear to be more transmissible or deadly than the original virus. They revealed the new strain carries nine mutations on its spike protein, but also in 'other viral regions'. They did not provide any further details. Advertisement It has four more which it describes as 'variants of concern'. They are: the current dominant Kent strain (B.1.1.7); one imported from Brazil (P.1), the South African variant (B.1.351), and one version of the Kent strain that has evolved further that cropped up in Bristol. It came after a Covid variant which may be able to fully evade current tests was spotted in France last night. Eight cases of the 'Breton variant' were detected in a hospital in Lannion, a town in the northwest region of Brittany. The French health ministry revealed that despite being infected with the virus, the patients' polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results were negative. They were only spotted through genomic sequencing of the samples. It's thought to be the first time any variant has slipped past the gold-standard PCR tests, which are critical for keeping track of the pandemic. While PCR cannot diagnose other variants, including the Brazil and South African versions, it still gives a Covid positive result. Scientists at the Institut Pasteur who discovered the Breton variant said it does not appear to be more transmissible or deadly than the original virus. They revealed the new strain carries nine mutations on its spike protein, but also in 'other viral regions'. They did not provide any further details. Despite new variants cropping up in the UK and around the world more often, top scientists have warned against becoming 'obsessed' with mutant viruses. All the of the big vaccine-makers say they are confident their jabs will be highly effective against all emerging strains. Oxford University researchers have said it is unlikely a single strain will make the vaccines significantly weaker in the next year. Instead, they say there is more chance that a series of evolution over the space of many months or even years could eventually make the current crop of jabs less potent. But vaccines can be modified in a matter of weeks and regulators in the UK, US and EU have passed laws which means new booster vaccines can be fast-tracked to approval. Despite new variants cropping up in the UK and around the world more often, top scientists have warned against becoming 'obsessed' with mutant viruses. All the of the big vaccine-makers say they are confident their jabs will be highly effective against all emerging strains. Oxford University researchers have said it is unlikely a single strain will make the vaccines significantly weaker in the next year. Instead, they say there is more chance that a series of evolution over the space of many months or even years could eventually make the current crop of jabs less potent. But vaccines can be modified in a matter of weeks and regulators in the UK, US and EU have passed laws which means new booster vaccines can be fast-tracked to approval. SDLPs Daniel McCrossan says A5 delay is disappointing but necessary to finally progress scheme Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon reaffirmed her commitment to the A5 Western Transport Corridor Scheme as she confirmed the long-delayed project will need further public consultation to ensure it progresses. The scheme to transform the road between Aughnacloy to Londonderry into a dual carriageway would be the single largest road scheme here, and part of a major cross-border road project to improve links between Dublin and Derry. The scheme has been estimated to cost 650m to 850m. But it faced a major funding setback in November 2011, when the Irish government withdrew most of its 400m funding. However, 75m was later recommitted by the Irish government after the Fresh Start Agreement. In October last year, the Dublin government pledged 500m towards cross-border infrastructure projects such as the A5. Legal challenges have also beset the project, with a decision to proceed quashed by the High Court in April 2013 after a bid from landowners and businesspeople. Then construction was due to start on a stretch of the road from Newbuildings to Strabane but had to be put on hold after another legal challenge from the same quarter. Read More Minister Mallon has today published the report on the proceedings of the inquiry from the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) into the scheme, alongside her Departments response to the PAC's recommendations. She said: I know this project has been long awaited and I am determined as Minister to see it progress through the statutory process as quickly as possible, ensuring the project is delivered properly for citizens and our wider environment. Commenting on the Interim PAC report, the Minister added: I have accepted the Commissioners key recommendation regarding the preparation of and consultation on further documents on the important topics of flood risk and the consideration of alternatives to the proposed scheme. As such, I have asked officials to prepare a further addendum to the Environmental Statement (ESA) for consultation in early autumn. While I anticipate this approach will lead to the re-opening of the public inquiry, as recommended by the PAC, early next year, it will enable it to consider further public representations made on the two key topics of flood risk and scheme alternatives and prepare its final report. This, in turn, will allow a decision on the next steps for this important transformative scheme, she said. SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan says while he is hugely disappointed at further delay, its a necessary evil to ensure the scheme progresses. I want to ensure the scheme progresses rather than it falling into the hands of the detractors with vested interests, he said. Lets be clear, there is no alternative and the A5 scheme is needed to save countless lives on one of the most dangerous roads in Ireland. It will increase connectivity for the North West to Belfast and Dublin. It will provide much needed jobs and boost our local economy. It is the only game in town. West Tyrone Sinn Fein MP Orfhlaith Begley added: There is shock and massive disappointment throughout the community that the Minister has announced a fresh public inquiry into the A5 upgrade. Given that a full year has passed since the completion of the last limited public inquiry and given that it was widely expected that the Minister would finally announce a decision to proceed with Phase 1 of the project this decision leaves us further back than ever. People are gutted at this news and are in a state of disbelief. French logistics service provider FM Logistic has signed renewable energy contracts with Polands biggest power group, PGE, and with the Czech Republics utility, Prazska Energetika, to supply FM Logistics warehouses in Central Europe with electricity from renewable sources. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> PGE will supply 14GWh of power to five of FM Logistics 13 warehouses in Poland: Mszczonow, Bonie, Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Olszowa and Bedzin. With this new contract, FM Logistic expects to avoid releasing 10,612 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. This is the equivalent of driving 2,080 passenger vehicles for one year, according to the US Environmental Protection Agencys Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> In the Czech Republic, Prazska Energetika will provide FM Logistic with renewable electricity to fuel its warehouse in Tuchomerice. In Slovakia, FM Logistic had already switched to renewable electricity in 2019 thanks to a contract with Slovenske Elektrarne. The transition to renewable energy will facilitate our goal to achieve carbon neutrality for our warehousing operations by 2030. Over the past three years, FM Logistic has reduced its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 17% in absolute terms, said Charlotte Migne, FM Logistics sustainable development director. In addition, FM Logistic is working to produce its own energy. Later this year, it will set up solar panels on the rooftops of its logistics platform in Bonie and office building in Mszczonow, Poland. These panels will produce up to 450kWp and 44.5kWp, respectively. This should reduce both facilities energy consumption from the grid by 13%. An overweight man claims an operation he had to help him lose weight contributed to a nasty scheme that saw him rip off a government agency that assists disabled Australians. Mitchell Landry, 24, of Ocean Grove in Victoria's south, stole $321,940 from the National Disability Insurance Agency by pretending to mow lawns for disabled people. Landry pleaded guilty on Tuesday in the County Court of Victoria to ripping off the government agency and attempting to rip it off from a further $156,338. Mitchell Landry, 24, of Ocean Grove, started committing offences after having an operation to help him lose weight Mitchell Landry pretended to cut the lawns of disabled people and then claimed back cash for work he never actually did Landry's barrister, Charles Morgan, told Chief Judge Peter Kidd his client had been recovering from a gastric band operation when he committed the offences. 'He had a weight issue, he attended to that around this time and got a gastric band and was recuperating. It was at that period he committed this offending,' Mr Morgan said. Mr Morgan described his client's offending as 'unsophisticated', labelling his scam to defraud the NDIA as 'absurd'. The court heard the then 20-year old, who was residing in Bendigo in country Victoria, had invoiced the agency for up to 100-hours a week for lawn mowing services in New South Wales. 'That is far from sophisticated. That is immature in the extreme,' Mr Morgan said. Judge Kidd heard Landry had blown the money on various properties and a fancy Mercedes van worth $64,000. Despite spending the cash on funding his exorbitant lifestyle, Mr Morgan submitted Landry had been trying to show-off to his parents, whom his client claimed had all but abandoned him as a child. 'He wanted to show his family he could make it on his own,' he said. The court heard Landry had received a previous community based order for ripping off government agencies, but because he committed those offences after his disability scam was discovered, they would not be treated as prior offences. Mitchell Landry, 24, of Ocean Grove, pleaded guilty to placing a spy camera in a rental property Judge Peter Kidd, who presided over the Cardinal George Pell case, will sentence Landry next month In February last year, a Bendigo court heard Landry had secretly filmed a tenant in the bathroom of one of his rental properties. Police also found 63 images of child abuse material and 99 other illegal images on an Ipad he owned. Landry pleaded guilty then to stalking, installing and maintaining a device to record private activity, using a device to record private activity, possessing child abuse material, three counts of obtaining property by deception, two counts of attempting to obtain property by deception, fraud and attempted fraud. During that hearing, the court was told Landry had 'a complete and utter fascination with money'. Mr Morgan told Judge Kidd Landry was a high functioning autistic, but provided no evidence to back it up. The court heard Landry had paid back all but about $21,000 of the stolen money. Judge Kidd adjourned the matter to allow Landry to be properly assessed before sentencing him next month. Mumbai, March 16 : The Maharashtra Congress on Tuesday called upon Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis to hand over the Call Detail Record (CDR) to the police or investigating agencies. State Congress General Secretary and Spokesperson Sachin Sawant said that the BJP has openly stated in the Maharashtra Assembly last week that he is in possession of the CDR pertaining to the abandoned SUV with gelatin sticks and threat letter found outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence. "The Hon' Leader of Opposition, who has also been a former Chief minister, should exercise his constitutional responsibilities and hand over the CDR to the investigators and help book the culprits," Sawant appealed. He pointed out that since it is illegal to get anybody's CDR, it becomes Fadnavis' duty to disclose the sources from where he acquired it to the investigating agencies, and then they would probe further in the matter. On March 9, during the Budget Session, Fadnavis had said he was in possession of the CDR and dared the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to investigate him, even as House went into a turmoil. Later, to demands by the government side that he should hand over the potential evidence to the investigators, Fadnavis retorted that if he was required to help the government, then what is the government supposed to do. Sawant said that in a democracy, the Constitution is supreme and the rule of law and justice are equal for all, including Fadnavis. "Hence, it is incumbent upon him should provide the CDR or all information pertaining to this case to the probe agencies and set a right example," exhorted Sawant. The SUV case has snowballed into a major political issue with the arrest and suspension of controversial probe official, Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze this week. Amid the political tug-of-war between the MVA-BJP, the SUV case and the subsequent mystery death of a Thane businessman Mansukh Hiren on March 5, are now being probed by the National Investigation Agency and Maharashtra's Anti Terrorism Squad. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia Presidents Bidens administration is reportedly planning the first major tax increase in nearly three decades in the next economic stimulus package. The president is reportedly planning to include the first major tax hike since 1993 in the next spending bill following the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that Congress has already approved. That initiative is expected to be even more ambitious, clocking in at ~$4 trillion. However, unlike previous stimulus bills, it won't rely solely on government debt as a funding source; rather, it will also likely include a hike in corporate tax rate as well as income tax rate for high-income individuals earning more than $400,000, as per Bloomberg News. Biden is considering a walk-back on Trumps tax bonanza by raising the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28% resulting in a substantially lower after-tax profit for the majority of U.S. companies. However, the impact on the U.S. oil and gas sector is likely to be a bit more nuanced and not as straightforward--all thanks, ironically, to the majority remaining trapped in a profit hole for years. Loss carrybacks and deductions Whereas the consensus is that the U.S. oil and gas sector may face a tougher environment under Biden, unfavorable policies and not higher corporate taxes might be its biggest worry at the moment. For years now, oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) companies have been printing red ink due to persistently low commodity prices, leaving them with little tax liability. In fact, a check into their respective SEC filings reveals that Big Oil companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM), Chevron Corp. (NYSE:CVX) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) paid the lion's share of their corporate taxes in 2019 to other countries with only COP being slapped with a federal tax bill for $18 million. Related Video: Why The Oil & Gas Rig Count Matters Only 23 of the 94 upstream and integrated companies in the United States incurred a federal tax bill in FY 2019 at the 21% rate. Most of these were Permian, Bakken and Appalachian shale oil and gas drillers such as EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE:EOG), Continental Resources Inc. (NYSE:CLR) and Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.(NYSE:COG) thanks to their lower drilling costs. But with oil prices now flirting with $70/barrel, U.S. shale companies could soon return to the green. Luckily, many will still be in a position to extend their tax holiday thanks to several tax provisions that could help them increase liquidity by reducing tax liability, producing tax refunds or deferring certain tax payments. These include several established tax provisions as well as new tax changes in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. A key provision of the CARES Act is the reinstatement of the net operating loss (NOL) carryback under IRC Section 172(a). Companies in all 11 sectors of the U.S. economy including energy can now carry back NOLs incurred in 2018, 2019, and 2020 for up to five years and offset up to 100% of taxable income for the years to which the carryback is applied. In other words, oil and gas companies can carry back losses from recent periods of low prices to offset prior periods of higher oil prices and higher profitability. Thats significant for the shale industry because many have likely turned cash flow positive, with J.P. Morgan estimating that Permian's Delaware Basin oil drillers now require oil prices of just ~$33/bbl to break even down from $40/bbl in 2019. JPM says most U.S. onshore operators are economic at current oil prices, and many operators are even likely to ramp up activity in H2 and build solid momentum for higher volumes in 2022. Related: Are Analysts Underestimating Chinese Oil Demand? Thankfully, Bloomberg has reported that shale drillers are mostly sticking to their pledge to hold the line on production in order to cut costs, pay down debt and return money to shareholders. Oil and gas producers though will eventually have to contend with Bidens higher tax if the sector goes on to recover fully in the coming years. Intangible drilling costs Oil and gas executives might be even more interested in yet another significant tax provision--deduction for intangible drilling costs. U.S. oil and gas companies have the option to either deduct or capitalize their intangible drilling costs (IDCs), which include ground preparation costs, labor, and similar costs in the preparation of a well. Deducting IDCs can significantly lower a companys earnings exposed to taxes, particularly when oil and gas prices are higher and the industry appears to be in good shape. A win for MLPs The biggest winner yet in a Biden tax hike though would be Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs). MLPs are business ventures that operate as publicly traded companies with the company that manages day-to-day operations being the general partner while the investor acts as a limited partner. The first MLP was formed by shale company Apache Corp. (NYSE:APA) in 1981. Six years later, the MLP structure was recognized by law after Congress passed laws for publicly traded partnerships in Internal Revenue Code Section 7704. An MLP is required by law to derive at least 90% of its cash flow from commodities, natural resources or real estate. They, in turn, distribute cash to shareholders instead of paying dividends like a standard company would. MLPs combine the liquidity of publicly traded companies and the tax benefits of private partnerships because profits are taxed only when investors receive distributions. The biggest draw of MLPs is that they are considered pass-through entities under the U.S. federal tax code. Whereas most corporate earnings are taxed twice (first through earnings and again through dividends), pass-through status of MLPs allows them to avoid this double taxation because earnings are not taxed at the corporate level. Another key benefit: Midstream MLPs act as toll collectors for the energy companies that use their pipelines. As such, their cash flows are protected by long-term, take-or-pay agreements, meaning they are less susceptible to commodity price fluctuations. In recent years, MLPs have fallen out of favor after changes were made to the way partnerships are taxed and, perhaps more importantly, due to Trumps bonanza. In 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reversed a key policy in MLP tax costs for interstate pipelines that led to increased cost of business for some companies. A tax hike could reverse some of the damage and significantly improve the value proposition of MLPs. According to CreditSights analyst Charles Johnston, Biden's tax plan would increase the tax advantage for MLPs over C-corps from around seven percentage points to 17. The Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP) has managed to reverse its earlier losses and now boasts 26.1% gain YTD and 53.7% over 12 months. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China is angry at its southern neighbor Myanmar (Burma) because a February 1 st military coup put the Burmese army back in charge of the government and unleashed a lot of popular anti-China anger. The Burmese generals had been persuaded to allow democracy to return in 2010 with the understanding that the generals would not be punished for misdeeds during decades of military rule. The generals continue to misbehave after 2020. Chinese officials met with their Burmese counterparts three weeks after the coup and were assured that the substantial Chinese economic investments in Burma would be protected. The coup put an unpopular military government in control. China thought this would make Burma a more compliant and cooperative neighbor. Within a week of the military takeover anti-military demonstrations began and continued despite police and soldiers ordered to fire on the crowds. That killed or wounded a growing number of Burmese but did not stop the demonstrations. After late February meeting, in which the generals assured China that they would be cooperative, the military government quietly ordered media and diplomatic efforts to play down any cooperation between the military government and China. By March China was aware that the Burmese generals were playing down any cooperation with China and not doing all they could to protect Chinese factories and infrastructure facilities. So far at least 30 Chinese factories have been attacked and damaged and at least two Chinese injured. The anti-China aspect of the demonstrations continues to grow and the Burmese military seems to be agreeing with the anti-China anger, if only out of a sense of self-preservation. Right after the coup China and Russia used their veto powers to block UN actions against the new military rulers. The military move was a reaction to recent parliamentary elections that put into power, with over 70 percent of the vote, a political party that pledged to reorganize the military to prevent another military takeover. The response of the military was not unexpected, because the civilian government knew that the Burmese generals had maintained their business connections with China after 2010 and that included China has selling $1.4 billion worth of military equipment to Burma since 2010. Russia sold $800 million worth. Together China and Russia accounted for over 90 percent Burmese spending on imports of military gear. If the elected government were allowed to take power there would be no more future sales and some of the incomplete (not yet delivered) sales would be cancelled. Billions in Chinese transportation and infrastructure investments were also in danger because most Burmese had become very anti-China during the last few decades. Before giving up power in 2010 Burmese army officers made a lot of money allowing China to do business in the tribal north, often at the expense of local civilians, most of them tribal people. After the return of democracy in 2011, China no longer had as much freedom in the north. China tried to maintain many of these endangered economic projects by including them in the new CMEC (China-Myanmar Economic Corridor) agreement China and Burma signed in late 2018. That agreement called for both countries to begin detailed negotiations on where a 1,700-kilometer-long transportation corridor from southern China (Yunan province) to central Burma (Mandalay) and then west to the coast at the Kyaukpyu SEZ (Special Economic Zone) will be built and what it will consist of. The corridor would improve roads, railroads and build, as needed, pipelines and electrical transmission lines. This would be financed by China and built mainly by Chinese construction firms. During the February meeting China demanded that the army provide more security for the Kyaukpyu facility. Most Burmese not only hate their own military but also new Chinese facilities like Kyaukpyu. The Burmese generals apparently concluded that China had become more of a liability than asset. Popular hostility to CMEC forced the Chinese to allow provisions in the treaty to minimize the risk of a debt trap where Burma might find itself with debt it could not repay unless it turned over new facilities to Chinese ownership or control. This has happened in other nations, most obviously in nearby Sri Lanka. Burma needs the investment and since 1988 China has been the major foreign investor in Burma with projects totaling $20 billion so far. Burma told China it was working on special debt trap provisions and the main one is for China to allow foreign nations to provide some of the loans needed for the CMEC work. Details of this deal are still being negotiated. This explains why only a few of the 38 projects that comprise CMEC have so far been approved by Burma. Reaching agreement on the rest of those projects gave Burma some leverage over China. CMEC is the Burma component of the massive Chinese BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) effort. Also called OBOR (One Belt, One Road), BRI is all about China building roads, railroads, pipelines and ports to make it easier for Chinese imports and exports to move around, from East Asia to Europe, Africa and beyond. Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Burma are all BRI participants that are seeing billions of dollars in Chinese construction projects taking place and the terms of these deal tend to favor China, not the country where the construction takes place. Not surprisingly many people in these BRI countries see the Chinese investments as another form of colonialism. China prefers not to call it colonialism but rather seeking to expand its commercial activities. All the Burmese disagreements over border security and CMEC have not slowed down the growth in trade with China. In 2019 that trade increased 38.5 percent over 2018 to $17.7 billion. That is huge considering that the Burmese GDP is $67 billion. That trend continued in 2020, despite covid19 problems. In early 2020 t he Chinese leader made a two-day state visit to Myanmar. This was mainly about discussing matters of mutual interest with elected Burmese leaders. There were many things to discuss, including the Rohingya refugees, tribal rebel violence on the Chinese border and Chinese investments in Burma. China has been protecting Burma in the UN, where there are calls for punishing Burma over the Rohingya mess. The tribal rebels are largely an internal Burmese matter. Burmese negotiations with the tribal rebels have been heavily influenced by China. That is because China is part of the problem. This state visit was to try and get Burmese leaders to be more cooperative with Chinese investors. That did not happen. There were some token concessions but Burma remains wary of Chinese investments. For that reason, the quick Chinese moves to protect the new military government were not a surprise. The question for Burma is whether there will be a civil war. That threat played a major role in persuading the military to allow democracy to return in 2010. Now the anti-coup demonstrations are growing in size and intensity despite soldiers and police ordered to open fire. Dozens of demonstrators have died and over a hundred have been wounded. Desertions from the army and national police are beginning, with some of the deserters showing up in neighboring countries seeking asylum. Burgeoning BRI Blues Burma is one of many nations China has targeted for BRI investments. Burma was not alone in being wary of what China offered with BRI. In fact, only 26 percent of the 122 BRI projects announced so far are assured, with signed contracts and treaties, of completion. Part of the problem is Chinese economic problems. The American-led trade war is causing more problems than expected and various internal problems have slowed economic growth. One of those internal problems is a financial system weakened by years of reckless lending that led to trillions of dollars of bad debt that will take years of tight credit and careful bank management to deal with. That means much less money for BRI projects and diplomatic loans and investments. Iran Irritations Iran has resumed illegally exporting oil to India and China. This is risky because the tankers carrying these shipments can be intercepted and seized. As soon as the new American government took power in January Iran told current and past customers for discounted smuggled oil that Iranian oil would be more easily available in 2021, either free of sanctions or less vigorously enforced sanctions. Iran was betting that the new U.S. government would ease off on the oil export sanctions. So far this has not happened but the Iranian leaders insist it will happen and soon. The Southern Front Down south in Tibet, the Chinese forces have not completed their agreed withdrawal from Indian Ladakh along the shore of Pangong Lake. Last September India and China agreed to halt their operations on the Indian border and continue negotiations. Both sides declared victory but China was the actual winner because now a thousand square kilometers of additional Indian territory along Panglong Lake is under Chinese control. By the end of 2020 the two sides had agreed to pull most of their forces back because of the frigid weather in the high mountains surrounding Pangong Lake. China has been slow to carry out all those withdrawals. This is another aspect of Chinese SSSN (Shove, Stop, Stands Fast) tactics, which have once again prevailed, as they have many times in the recent past. China initially expressed no interest in retreating but was willing to negotiate. With the cold weather approaching last September India was in no position to refuse the Chinese offer. China believes they will prevail by repeating their SSSN and push Indian forces out of all the disputed areas along their common border. SSSN is slow and it would take decades to grab all the Indian territory claimed by China. As long as China maintains a stronger military than India and can keep more troops near the disputed border areas, India will not feel confident to defend forcefully and risking a large-scale battle on the border. While both nations have about the same population, the Chinese economy is nearly five times the size of Indias. This was no surprise to India, which has put greats emphasis on economic growth since the 1990s. That has paid off, with GDP nearly doubling in the last decade from $1.7 trillion to the current $2.9 trillion. This made India the fifth largest economy, recently surpassing Britain and France. The rest of the top five are the U.S., China, Germany and Japan. Chinese GDP growth is slowing although in the last decade it more than doubled from $6.1 trillion to $14 trillion. But for once annual Indian GDP growth has been faster than in China, where GDP growth rates have been declining over the last five years. Over three decades of spectacular economic growth in China resulted in the Chinese GDP becoming over fourteen times larger than it was in 1989. In that same period the U.S. GDP doubled. After World War II India had a larger GDP than China and never felt the same urgency as China to modernize and expand the economy. Actions have consequences and, in this case, it means China can push India around on their mutual border. Another reason for this is that India is still haunted by the last battle between Indian and Chinese forces back in 1962. In a month of fighting that began on 20 October 1962, India lost 7,000 troops (57 percent prisoners, the rest dead or missing) compared to 722 Chinese dead. China declared a ceasefire that India accepted. China actually advanced in two areas, a thousand kilometers apart and ended up taking 43,000 square kilometers of Indian territory. The source of the 1962 war and current border disputes are a century old and heated up again when China resumed control over Tibet in the 1950s. From the end of the Chinese empire in 1912 up until 1949 Tibet had been independent. But when the communists took over China in 1949, they sought to reassert control over their "lost province" of Tibet. This began slowly, but once all of Tibet was under Chinese control in 1959, China had a border with India and there was immediately a disagreement about exactly where the border should be. Thats because, in 1914, the newly independent Tibet government worked out a border (the McMahon line) with the British who then controlled India. China considers this border agreement illegal and wants 90,000 square kilometers back. India refused, especially since this would mean losing much of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India and some bits elsewhere there and all along the new northern border. India, as a democracy with a free press, has a public discussion of Chinese tactics and possible Indian responses. China also tries to take advantage of the Indian media freedom by buying favorable coverage in the Indian press. This is done via bribes, offers of investments or loans as well as economic concessions within China. Military strategy in China, since ancient times, has placed emphasis on having a powerful military but using it mainly as a threat and giving enemies an incentive to accept bribes and allow China to get what they want. Yet India has rarely been seen as an enemy of China. There is nothing valuable on their mutual border which for thousands of years has been along high mountains and thinly populated lowland jungles. Neither India nor China had any incentive to raise large armies to threaten each other. Because of this background, the border disputes since the 1960s are seen by Indians as inexplicable and by Chinese as overdue restitution for centuries of humiliations inflicted by Western invaders. India, ever since it emerged from centuries of British colonial rule in 1947, insisted that India and China shared a background of oppression by the West. China sees India as trying to perpetuate Western crimes against China. To most Chinese, Indians look and sound like Westerners, so therefore India must be an enemy of China. India has come to accept that the Chinese are obsessed with making India pay for real or imagined wrongs inflicted by Western imperialists and see nothing wrong with using ancient Chinese imperialist methods to get their way. Suddenly British imperialism is not the worst thing that could ever happen to India. China is seeking to provide something much worse and much closer. The latest phase of this ongoing campaign began earlier this year when China revived its border war with India over Pangong Lake, which is largely in Tibet and connected to Chinese claims on Kashmir territory. This is the longest lake in Asia and part of the 134 kilometers-long lake extends 45 kilometers into the Indian Ladakh region. China is using its usual SSSN tactics to slowly move the border into territory long occupied by India. The portion of the lake shore in dispute has no native population. The only people who visit the area are soldiers from India or China. March 13, 2021: China launched three more Yaogan 31 maritime electronic surveillance satellites using a LM (Long March) 4C SLV (satellite launch vehicle). A similar launch was made on February 24th. The three satellites in each four-ton payload were put into a pattern of orbits which enabled the satellites to rapidly locate any ship or aircraft below creating any electromagnetic signals. China only described the two launches as military satellites and no details were released. Western analysts have identified and described the Yaogan 31 birds. In late 2020 there was another secret launch via a LM 4C that apparently put another radar satellite in orbit. China uses these to detect American warships at sea and groups (usually of three) smaller satellites to track ships electronically so they can be attacked by ballistic missiles with maneuverable radar homing warheads. Those missiles have not been seen in action yet but Chinese warships and bombers carry high-speed anti-ship missiles that could use the satellite tracking data. March 12, 2021: In early 2020 China revived its efforts to force Indonesia to acknowledge Chinese claims on the Natuna Islands and the lucrative fishing grounds there. There are potentially natural gas deposits as well. This latest effort began in late 2019 when Chinese fishing boats began entering Indonesian waters off the Natunas and fishing illegally. There were 30 of these incidents, involving over 60 fishing vessels. All were ordered to leave and were escorted to international waters. But the Chinese kept coming. For over a year China claims it is trying to settle this dispute peacefully through negotiations. The basic problem is that the Chinese assume that they have some historical right to fish in Indonesian waters while Indonesia insists there is no legal or historical basis to the Chinese claims and the discussions with the Chinese are crippled by their whats mine is mine and whats yours is negotiable. Since 2016 China and Indonesia have been unofficially, but very visibly, at war with each other over illegal fishing. Early on Indonesia seized and destroyed a number of Chinese fishing boats and ignored Chinese complaints and threats. China has long been stealing fish (poaching) from offshore areas where the fishing rights belong to other countries. This poaching has been going on with increasing frequency since the 1990s. But now many of the victims have done the math and noted that the most frequent offenders are Chinese ships. These are either Chinese owned fishing ships or ships from other countries that register themselves as Chinese to gain a measure of immunity from being stopped or punished by the nations being plundered. But some nations are not just complaining, they are fighting back. In the case of Indonesia, the resistance consists of shooting at poachers and, since 2014, destroying (via explosives or burning) over 170 ships used by guilty poachers. Indonesia calculates that this poaching costs Indonesia over $2 billion a year and that Chinas worldwide poaching operation brings in over $20 billion a year. Since China does not officially admit it is organizing and controlling this, and the Indonesians are using large warships with orders to fire on any poacher caught and refusing to surrender, the Chinese are taking most of the losses off Indonesia. For a while China sent warships to accompany flotillas (often ten or more ocean going fishing ships) and protect the poachers if caught and keep the police or coast guard boats busy while the poachers escaped. But Indonesia responded by sending out warships (corvettes and frigates) with orders to fire on any foreign warships caught with the poachers. China stopped sending warships but the poachers kept on coming and Indonesia keeps capturing and prosecuting the crews. The poacher ships are often destroyed as media events, with local news being allowed to capture and broadcast videos of the fires and explosions. China has been deliberately sending fishing boats to poach in order to establish a claim that the Natunas are traditional Chinese fishing areas and thus belong to China. The 272 Natuna islands are 3,000 kilometers from China and within the Indonesian EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). Waters 360 kilometers from land are considered the EEZ of the nation controlling the nearest land. The EEZ owner can control who fishes there and extracts natural resources (mostly oil and gas) from the ocean floor. Technically, most of the Natunas are just outside the Chinese South China Sea claims. At first it seemed China was only interested in poaching, which its fishing ships do as far away as Africa and South America. But now China has expressed an interest in purchasing some or all of the Natunas. The implications is that if Indonesia wont sell, China will lay claim to the Natunas and take them along with the rest of the South China Sea claims. March 11, 2021: Ukraine has decided to end Chinese majority ownership of Motor Sich, a major and profitable local defense manufacturer. The government will, in effect, nationalize Motor Sich. While this will annoy China, it will also please the United States, a major ally and supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders. The Americans had recently sanctioned the Chinese firms that were buying a majority interest in Motor Sich. The Americans fear that control of Motor Sich would enable China to solve its problems with developing and manufacturing high-performance jet engines. Back in 2019 China went forward with its efforts to buy this majority stake. Many Ukrainians felt China would take advantage of the corrupt government and industry officials associated with firms like Motor Sich to get better deals. These were often at the expense of Ukraine but very lucrative for the corrupt Ukrainians involved. Many Ukrainians, and Americans, realized how China operated in deals like this. If China obtained a major, or majority, stake in Motor Sich they could, and probably would, steal all the technology and manufacturing secrets and eventually move Motor Sich production to China. Initially they would hire some Ukrainian tech experts to help the Chinese manufacturing operation to get up to speed, but eventually Motor Sich in Ukraine would become a branch of the main operation in China. Eventually the Ukrainian branch of the renamed to something Chinese and Motor Sich would disappear. Most Ukrainians want to keep Motor Sich Ukrainian and not plundered of all its tech by the Chinese. March 10, 2021: For the third time this year the U.S. Navy conducted a FONOP (freedom of navigation operation) near China as an American destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait (the waters between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland). This time a Chinese destroyer showed up at the same time, headed in the same direction as the American warship. Since July 2018 the U.S. Navy has carried out Taiwan Strait FONOPs nearly every month. Until the 2018 FONOP such trips through the Taiwan Strait (which American warships do regularly) were not publicized, something the U.S. had been doing since 2007. The renewal of publicizing these movements annoys China which responded by having their own warships following American warships passing through the Taiwan Strait and increasing Chinese naval ship patrols around Taiwan. March 9, 2021: The U.S. Navy implied that Chinese use of some of its DF-21D ballistic anti-ship missiles during a training exercise in August 2020 proved the missiles was a real threat. The missiles were launched but were not aimed at any test target so it was unclear if there is yet any proof that these missiles can actually hit a moving ship on the high seas. In November Chinese media reported the same thing. that China had test fired several of its DF-21D ballistic missile from mainland bases into the South China Sea and nearby ocean areas. China claims that one of these missiles hit a moving ship. No comment from Western intel agencies that usually monitor these missile tests. The DF21D was designed to hit American aircraft carriers. Since 2006 there have been stories (in the West) about how China was working on targeting systems for its ballistic missiles that would enable them to seek out and hit aircraft carriers. Such sensors would use infrared (heat seeking) technology. This sort of thing had been discussed for decades, but China appeared to be putting together tactics and missile systems that could make this work. The key was having multiple sensor systems that could find the general location of the carrier, before launching the ballistic missile, like the existing DF-21, with a range of 1,500 to 2,100 kilometers. By 2010 the carrier killer missile was identified as the DF-21D. Since then, this weapon has been tested at least once before, in 2019, when six were fired. The Americans did not release any data they might have had about how successful these 2019 tests were. During periods of military threat, like the Cold War, and current revival of those tensions, it was common for the military on both sides to claim the other side had awesome capabilities that did not exist. The claims were meant to motivate governments to provide lost of money to develop defenses against the claimed superweapons of the other side. March 8, 2021: Filipino efforts to appease China have been an embarrassing failure. As is their custom, the Chinese promise much and deliver little. Chinas offer of negotiations over South China Sea disputes produced nothing for the Philippines. Chinese offers to provide the SinoVac covid19 vaccine backfired when it was discovered that China was charging the Philippines three or more times per dose as other customers in east Asia and Africa. Moreover, the SinoVac vaccine appears to much less effective than Western vaccines also available to the Philippines. Worse, all these negotiations and delays in Chinese deliveries have meant that the Philippines will be the last nation in the region to receive enough vaccine to suppress the covid19 threat. March 7, 2021: The annual Global Soft Power Index measures the ability of nations to impress others by their economic power and how it is used both internally and externally. China fell from 5th to 8th place because of increased repression of its own people and aggression towards neighbors. The U.S. fell from number first to sixth place because of growing corruption and internal political problems. The political feuding was perceived as the main reason the U.S. was unable to contain covid19. March 6, 2021: ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) appears to have undertaken an unofficial and unilateral truce with China. That means no more attacks against Chinese in Moslem countries and no more public criticism of Chinese mistreatment of the Moslem Uighurs in northwestern China (Xinjiang province), an area the Uighurs and many Moslems refer to as East Turkistan. The ISIL move was practical, as in there was little chance of success in attacking China or Chinese. What happened in Xinjiang while ISIL was building its caliphate in eastern Syrian and western Iraq was scary, and ISIL members dont scare easy. China came to be viewed as an even more dangerous foe than Russia and even hardcore ISIL backed off from including China on their target list. This applies to Moslem majority governments in general, which criticize real or imagined persecution by Infidel (non-Moslem) nations. But not China. While most Western nations criticize Chinese persecution of Uighurs there is little criticism from Moslem majority nations. The main reason is assumed to be economic as China is a major importer of oil from Moslem states and a major source of imports, including high-tech stuff and even weapons. China will sell to anyone who can pay and that appeals to many Moslem majority nations who are unable to get some Western weapons because of fears about how it will be used. An example of this is armed (with laser guided missiles) UAVs. The U.S. refused to sell these to many Moslem states because of fears they would be used against civilians. No problem with the Chinese, who now dominate the market for UAV exports to Moslem nations. March 4, 2021: The U.S. has approached Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines about their willingness to host island based American surveillance and anti-ship missile bases to contain Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. The United States would spend nearly $5 billion on establishing these bases and provide personnel and financial support to keep them operational. It may be a while before these three nations respond. China will promptly denounce the idea and pressure the three proposed host nations to reject the American offer, or else. Freely available commercial satellite photos show China continuing to build and expand its military bases in the South China Sea, most of them located on artificial islands created by dredging nearby sandbars for sand to build reefs into islands. February 22, 2021: East Asian nations, including, China kept their covid19 infection rate low. That had little to do with being a communist police state because democracies like Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and South Korea produced verified results that showed how a disciplined response can keep covid19 infections and deaths at very low levels. While most Western nations reported covid19 death rates of 800 to 1,600 per million, South Korea reported 31, North Korea falsely reported none at all, Japan reported 59, Singapore five and Taiwan 0.4 per million. China not claims it suffered only three deaths per million population capita and much less economic disruption than other industrialized nations. The lower economic disruption is obvious. South Korea suffered much less than other industrialized nations, seeing its GDP shrink only one percent. The only nation with better performance were Norway, which suffered 0.8 percent contraction and China claimed 2.3 percent GDP growth. China admits it has a problem with the accuracy of economic and other data. It will take a few years before economists and other researchers can discover that really happened in China during 2020. Unofficial reports from China indicate that Chinese covid19 deaths were much higher than reported. Even with that most Chinese were confident enough to go back to work, and large public gatherings like mass transit or movie theaters. To maintain this covid19 advantage China still sharply restricts Chinese from travelling outside the country and quickly quarantines any areas where more covid19 appears. The lower infection and death rates are the result of populations accustomed to acting in a unified and precise manner when confronting an emergency. North Korea has a long border with a populous and industrialized region of China and what happens in northeast China gets into North Korea and the rest of the world via cell phones and the Internet. Reports of local covid19 outbreak lockdowns in northeast and other parts of China continue to get into circulation. February 17, 2021: China and Russia have agreed, after more than a year of negotiations, to develop a joint BMEW (Ballistic Missile Early Warning) system. This involves Russia providing the tech needed to bring Chinese BMEW equipment up to Russian standards. As an incentive for Russia to cooperate, and provide the needed tech, Chinese Internet censors were ordered to allow open discussion about Chinese claims on a quarter of the Russian Far East and most of the prime coastal areas. China never cancelled these claims, even in the 1940s and 50s when China was very dependent on Russia. These claims amount to about nine percent of Russian territory. The Russian Far East contains part of Siberia as well as the large Pacific Ocean coastline and the port of Vladivostok. The coastal areas are the most densely populated. The Russian Far East is huge, at 6.9 million square kilometers. That is nearly the size (eight million square kilometers) of the continental United States. While these 48 states have 310 million people, the Russian Far East only has a population of 8.3 million. The Far East region contains 40 percent of Russian territory and less than six percent of Russias population. The region contains many naval and ballistic missile bases as well as ports that provide the cheapest way to get goods from the rest of Russia to the Far East. The Trans-Siberian Railroad alone cannot support the population and economy of the Far East region. February 15, 2021: During 2020 China often halted deliveries of gasoline and diesel fuel to North Korea because the Chinese deliveries were not being used in the market places, where everyone had access, but diverted to the military. North Korea kept promising to comply with Chinese restrictions and kept getting caught cheating. Smuggling these fuels via ship-to-ship transfer at sea was limited by increased scrutiny and more North Korean tankers being caught and seized. At the end of 2020 North Korea assured China that is would not cheat on fuel allocation and evidence was visible in early 2021 as market prices for gasoline and other fuels declined. Imports of refined petroleum products from China and Russia during the first six months of 2020 were only 17,000 tons, half what came in during the first six months of 2019. Hundreds of Tomball residents gathered around the towns railroad depot Monday afternoon to remember City Manager Rob Hauck, what he did for the city and what he leaves behind. Hauck died Saturday in a one-car crash in Waller County. Tomball Police Chief Jeff Bert spoke to residents, police officers and firefighters at the start of the remembrance ceremony on Hauck. He knew Hauck longer than any Tomball residents, having worked under him in the Los Angeles Police Department before Hauck relocated to Tomball to become the police chief in 2008. Bert, calling Hauck thoughtful, said he learned from Hauck that his job is not just being police chief, that hes part of a much larger team. In the freeze, cops were out looking for busted pipes, firefighters were out looking for homeless people, we were all handing out water, Bert said. That was Rob. That was Robs message, his mission, his vision, that we all take care of one another. He expressed his sorrow Haucks wife, Kathleen Hauck, and the three children he left behind Lauren, Connor and Madeline, and said it was the whole towns loss as well. Bert said said the future is bright in Tomball because of Haucks service. Because the legacy hes left is men and women with fire in their belly, iron in their souls, dedicated to this community and dedicated to each other and dedicated to a mission to serve, Bert said. Bert referenced a William Wordsworth quote, saying that the best part of a mans life is his nameless little unremembered acts of kindness and love. When I think of Rob, I think of that, he said. And I think when Rob thinks of that, he thinks of the town of Tomball. Brandon Guindon, Haucks pastor at Real Life Ministries, told the crowd he felt like the town gained something even in their loss. We gained an example of what it looks like to be a friend, Guindon said. Memories of what it means to love a community. Guindon said Hauck profoundly impacted the lives of those around him, encouraging and inspiring him and others to love people. Rob impacted each person here, Guindon said. And thousands more that are not here. Laurie Arnold, who worked with Hauck on the worship team at Real Life Ministries, closed out the ceremony speaking of Haucks love for Jesus Crist, and talked about her families relationship with Haucks family, how her kids would call him Funcle Rob because he was like the fun uncle. The ceremony ended with the crowd joining in two songs Holy Spirit and How Great Thou Art along with a prayer to close the event. Assistant City Manager David Esquivel said the large crowd of people who came out to remember Hauck was an example of who he was as a person and what he represented to the city of Tomball. He would not have wanted this attention, he really didnt like it if it was about him, Esquivel said. Everybody was touched some way, and thats what brought us all together. A public memorial service will be held for Hauck at 11 a.m. Friday at Tomball High School Cougar Stadium, 13620 Zion Road. paul.wedding@hcnonline.com Modern Slavery Charges Laid Against Cult Leader A NSW man, 40, will appear before Armidale Local Court on March 17 to face slavery and sexual servitude offences laid by the Australian Federal Police. The former Australian Defence Force member was charged with three slavery and sexual servitude offences after being arrested outside an Armidale hardware store by plain-clothed Australian Federal Police tactical members at around 8 am on March 11. Police allege the man manipulated an alleged victim between 2012 to 2015 into a cult. The victim is said to have been allegedly subjected to ongoing physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and degradation during the period. The woman also underwent an alleged physical assault by the man and allegedly received death threats upon expressing her wishes to leave. Maximum penalties range between fifteen to twenty-five years in prison. The mans charges include reducing a person to slavery, intentionally possessing a slave, and causing a person to enter into servitude. AFP Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said the alleged victim was held in slave-like conditions. Inquires to date reveal the man refers to himself as the patriarch of a group known as the House of Cadifor. It is alleged the man was living with six women on the outskirts of Armidale and that the women had allegedly signed documents known as slavery contracts, had a slave collar, and a slave tattoo. More than 50 AFP investigators and forensic specialists searched the mans property last week, around 30km from Armidale, for fifteen hours and seized documents, phone, cameras, and computers, which will undergo forensic analysis. The current charges are related to one alleged victim, but investigations remain ongoing, and further charges relating to potential victims have not been ruled out. Gough said the AFP is appealing to any victims, potential witnesses, or communities impacted by human trafficking to know there are support systems and pathways in place. We want the public to be aware that human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices are happening here in Australia, all too often without anyone in the community knowing, Gough said. Our hope is for every case we investigate; it helps others experiencing similar conditions to speak up and seek our help. It is up to all of us to work together to protect people who are vulnerable to the exploitative crimes of modern slavery. Australian Federal Police (AFP) human trafficking investigators have been assessing allegations of potential sexual servitude offences by the man under Operation Saintes. The investigation progressed when detailed information regarding the alleged actions of the man was provided to the AFP. The AFP also acknowledged and thanked the ABC Four Corners program for assisting with the Operation Saintes investigation. After a year of dealing with pandemic-related issues, C-suite leaders now find themselves focused on the employee experience, according to Chuck Friedman, Microsofts corporate vice president in charge of the companys new Viva platform. Microsoft Viva, which the company highlighted at this years Ignite event, is designed to provide digital tools to support remote workers. Unveiled last month, it is an employee experience platform (EXP), with four modules focused on employee engagement, well-being, learning, and knowledge. Though interest in employee experience had been on the rise, said Friedman, it took off last year as businesses switched to a largely remote-work model and had to deal with issues such as access to online training and development, maintaining company culture, and even avoiding burnout. As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down offices worldwide, suddenly we moved from a workplace [where] people could be next to each other to a remote workplace where the demand for these things moved to digital, Friedman said. All of these things starting to come together, leading to Viva. Microsoft Chuck Friedman, Microsoft vice president in charge of Viva. As with all areas of digital transformation, the need to deal with remote workforce issues everything from HR applications to workforce analytics and employee engagement boomed during the pandemic, said Raul Castanon, a senior research analyst at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. About four out of five businesses (78%) see supporting remote workers as a challenge over the next two years, according to 451, with employee experience issues such as work-life balance, access to technology, team morale, and employee retention among top concerns. As a result, said Friedman, an issue that had largely fallen on human resources has grown in importance among senior business leaders. That [responsibility] has fundamentally changed, he said, and the entire C-suite is now thinking about the experience of their employees: How do they retain employees, how do they maintain morale of their employees? Pre-pandemic, HR was closely involved with the employee experience, particularly employee engagement, while CIOs, IT managers ,and line of business (LOB) leaders focused more on technology adoption and change management, said Castanon. What were seeing now post-pandemic is a convergence and a growing overlap that is leading to cooperation between these areas. HR is increasingly concerned with productivity, IT with employee engagement, LOB managers with both, and so on, he said. Matt Cain, a Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst, said in a report that Viva is likely to elevate the prominence of employee experience technology in IT circles, and should lead to increased interest in a variety of services, requiring greater levels of IT and HR collaboration. Viva availability At Ignite, Microsoft offered up more details about the four Viva modules Connections, Insights, Learning and Topics. Among the updates is the introduction of a desktop app for Viva Connections, the company-branded intranet portal that uses SharePoint on Yammer and provides access to news, conversations, and other resources. The desktop app will be available this month, with a mobile version due this summer. The Connections module will be available at no extra cost to existing Microsoft 365 customers. Viva Learning which serves up an organizations custom content along with resources from Microsofts LinkedIn Learning and third-party providers will arrive as a public preview in April. Pricing and subscription details will be released when that module becomes available, said Microsoft. Viva Insights, the analytics module that combines elements of the existing MyAnalytics personal productivity tracker and Workplace Analytics team-wide metrics, is now in public preview. At Ignite, Microsoft touted a virtual commute feature available in preview next month, and an integration with the Headspace guided meditation app arriving later in the year. Insights is available at no extra cost to Microsoft 365 users, with the organization-level insights accessed as an add-on via Workplace Analytics. Microsoft Viva Topics is the only generally available module currently, and costs $5 per user each month. Friedman said early interest in the platform has come from companies of all sizes. While Microsoft has worked closely with large enterprises on Viva, Friedman sees the platform as a good fit for smaller businesses, too. I think the problem is universal; small- and medium-sized businesses have the same set of challenges and they need the same set of tools, he said, noting that different businesses will gravitate to various aspects of Viva. Frontline worker-focused companies are looking at learning and skilling as a real opportunity, he said, arguing that Viva Connections can keep non-office-based workers in the loop with their wider organization via their mobile device. And information workers can use of Insights to address burnout, for instance. Teams as an employee experience portal A key aspect of Viva is the availability of its modules within Microsofts Teams collaboration platform, which has 115 million daily active users. But Friedman acknowledged the danger of overloading users with too much information and too many notifications. Microsoft worked to design a user interface (UI) that minimizes information overload, Friedman said. He pointed to Viva Connections, which can serve as a front-end UI within Teams to highlight important information for a user. The Connections module has the ability to compose all of the Viva capabilities and communicate with a single voice, he said. I'm hopeful we can simplify some of the UI inside Teams by using Connections as a sort of front end, a highlighted experience, as opposed to the idea of many different applications trying to reach the employee at the same time. Machine learning can also help pick the right time for notifications. When you're in the middle of an interview, it's probably not the right time for a learning [notification] to pop up and say, 'Hey, Chuck do you want to take some learning right now?' he said. Were going to use the right moments of the day to [be] proactive in communication. The flip side is if you bury things too deeply, said Friedman. Learning is another great example. The Learning content exists in many companies today, but when an employee wants to go and learn something new, they often have a hard time finding it. Employee analytics and privacy With Viva Insights, Microsoft wants the analytics available in Microsoft 365 to be more accessible by employees, managers, and business leaders. Employee analytics is a growing focus for many collaboration and productivity vendors, and Microsofts existing MyAnalytics and Workplace Analytics are central within Viva. Microsoft came under fire for another of its analytics tools last year, Productivity Score; it highlighted a workers application use to Microsoft 365 admins before changes were announced to anonymize and aggregate data at the individual level. Friedman said maintaining employee privacy is important in Viva. We will build clarity into the UI around what data is shown and what data is not. Were doing many things on the back-end to make sure that we are only showing aggregate data, that we are removing anything that's personally identifiable.Then we will build reinforcement methods into the UI and transparency around why they can trust the data, who has access to it, that type of experience. At the same time, Friedman said there are benefits to both workers and business leaders in analytics data. Theres value in transparency around things like goals, things like purpose for the team, he said. We want to help managers do an increasingly effective job of communicating to their teams, what their team is focused on, and then show aggregate sentiment through tools like Glint: 'When you made this announcement or when you announced this set of goals for your team, here's what the impact was on the team.' More to come? With Viva services at various levels of availability and the likelihood of more modules on the way, Microsoft is just getting started and analysts see room for expansion. In his report, Cain described Vivas modules as starting investments, rather than fully fledged mature services with clear and tangible business value. While Microsoft calls Viva an employee experience platform, Gartner classifies it as an example of EXTech, a diverse collection of employee-facing applications designed to influence and improve the employee experience and organizational culture, said Cain. A fully realized employee experience platform would have a broader top-level organizational structure, address a much larger set of touchpoints and interactions, and meet the needs of a variety of employee types, including desk-less or frontline workers. Castanon said Microsofts investment in Viva amounts to the most ambitious attempt to provide a unified platform for employee experience so far. We expect there will be additional capabilities and modules added, he said. However, as it stands it is probably among the most comprehensive EXP currently available. Unifying various tools can help businesses adapt to remote work in the long term, he said, and Vivas comprehensive approach could be instrumental for organizations looking to tackle the challenges of the new normal, such as managing employee productivity and engagement for a distributed workforce, and understanding the complexities that enabling secure remote collaboration entails. This will require a broader organizational transformation effort; the Viva platform could be instrumental for enabling this transformation, Castanon said. We're at this category-creation moment, said Friedman. In that sense, he said, Microsofts strategy differs from that of Office 365, where well-established products were packaged as a subscription. Although Viva modules rely heavily on existing Microsoft 365 services such as SharePoint, Yammer, and MyAnalytics, the services represent a new focus and new modes of interaction based on the employee experience. I would say we're early in this journey, he said. Very often, when Microsoft engages it's a better-established category. I don't think employee experience platforms as a category are fully defined yet, and that's exciting; you can point in a lot of directions. We expect that this will evolve over time; we're investing intentionally in being a leader in the space. The sister of North Korean leader, Kim Yo Jong, criticised ongoing military drills in South Korea and warned the new U.S. administration that the smell of cordite wafting over the border would not help bring peace, state news reported on Tuesday. Kim's statement was the North's first public message to Washington since President Joe Biden took office in January. It was delivered a day before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are due to arrive in Seoul for their first talks with South Korean counterparts. "We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land," Kim said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. "If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step." For all the imagery of Kim's words, the joint springtime military drill begun last week was limited to computer simulations because of the coronavirus risk as well as the ongoing efforts to engage with the North. But her message was clear. "War drills and hostility can never go with dialogue and cooperation," Kim Yo Jong said. When asked about Kim Yo Jong's statement, Blinken told a briefing in Tokyo that he was aware of her comments, but that he was more interested in hearing what America's allies and partners think about North Korea. Blinken and Austin are travelling in Asia this week for foreign policy and security talks with allies in Japan and South Korea, among other stops. The new U.S. administration is expected to wrap up a review of North Korea policy in coming weeks. And Blinken said Washington is considering whether additional pressure on North Korea could be effective. The timing of Kim's comments seems designed to ensure that North Korea will be at the top of Blinken and Austin's agenda when they land in Seoul, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea expert at King's College London. "Until now, the discussion was focusing on The Quad, dealing with China and the North Korea policy review," he said. "Now Kim's statement will be central to discussions." North Korea has so far rebuffed entreaties from the United States to engage in dialogue, the White House said on Monday, as a chill in relations that began under then-President Donald Trump has extended into Biden's presidency. Leader Kim Jong Un had three high-profile summit meetings with Trump and exchanged a series of letters, but the nuclear-armed state ended talks and said it would not engage further unless the United States drops its hostile policies. 'SHRUNKEN WAR GAMES' Kim Yo Jong mocked South Korea for "resorting to shrunken war games, now that they find themselves in the quagmire of political, economic and epidemic crisis." Boo Seung-chan, a spokesman for South Korea's Ministry of Defence, said the drills were routine and defensive in nature. "The ministry's position is that North Korea must show a flexible attitude, such as responding to dialogue, to build a lasting and solid peace on the Korean Peninsula," he told a briefing. The inter-Korean engagement that had improved in 2018 and is sought by South Korea "won't come easily again" and North Korea will be watching to see if there is further provocations, said Kim. She said North Korea would consider pulling out of an inter-Korean military agreement aimed at reducing tensions along their shared border, and would review whether to dissolve several organisations aimed at cooperation with the South. Kim's statement, as colourful as it is, is generally consistent with past North Korean statements expressing frustrations at disparities between words and actions, said Jenny Town, director of 38 North, a U.S.-based website that tracks North Korea. Also read: ISIS could regain capacity to orchestrate attacks in 2021: UN official Also read: China bans BBC World News broadcasts in alleged retaliatory move City Council members said they plan to pass next Tuesday on first reading a new vegetative ordinance for construction on steep slopes. It would go into effect on July 1 and be reviewed after a year. Chairman Chip Henderson said he also wants action on a recidivism ordinance, in which there would be penalties against developers who repeatedly violate regulations. City Councilman Darrin Ledford said, "It's not a magic pill, but it's a great step forward." He said the ordinance "encourages a stay away from steep slopes mentality" and he said it called for retention of existing trees and shrubs, planting of new trees and use of native species. In earlier discussions, some citizens pushed for a ban on building on steep slopes and lowlands. Members of the Home Builders Association were strongly opposed. Outgoing Councilman Jerry Mitchell, who has been pushing for action on the topic, said he would have preferred that low-lying areas also get protections. In his hilly District 2, citizens have complained about projects in which hillsides were carved out and left bare and muddy for extended periods. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHATTANOOGA CITY CODE, PART II, CHAPTER 31, BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 31- 324.3, VEGETATIVE PLANTING REQUIREMENTS WHEN STEEP SLOPES ARE DISTURBED, A NEW SECTION 31- 324.4, STEEP SLOPE VEGETATION POLICY AND PLANTING REQUIREMENTS, AND A NEW SECTION 31- 324.5, INCENTIVES FOR PRESERVATION OF EXISTING TREES. WHEREAS, the Chattanooga City Council has requested review and reporting on the development of Steep Slopes in the City of Chattanooga due to numerous complaints from citizens about infill development in residential and commercial areas due to the construction which has occurred on ridges and valleys in our City; and WHEREAS, the Regional Planning Agency staff and development professionals have provided comments on the vegetative planting requirements and vegetation policies that should be adopted by the City when steep slopes are disturbed and how existing trees should be preserved in such areas to avoid flooding and runoff issues which are exacerbated by the removal of existing vegetation by new land disturbance during and after development. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE: SECTION 1. That Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 31, be amended by adding a new Section 31-324.3, entitled Vegetative Planting Requirements when Steep Slopes are disturbed as follows: Sec. 31-324.3. Vegetative Planting Requirements when Steep Slopes are disturbed. Steep slopes shall be defined as being slopes of thirty-three (33%) percent or more. Slopes that have been cleared and graded with thirty-three (33%) percent or higher slope may have to be compacted, and may require a certified engineer design to ensure slope stability which may require analysis of vegetative planting. A) All residentially zoned properties containing steep slopes shall adhere to following vegetative replanting requirements for areas with disturbed steep slopes as indicated below. A diverse, multiple canopy planted area provides the maximum stormwater mitigation and it is recommended that all steep slopes provide a simple ratio as outlined in the following charts that includes required numbers of trees, shrubs, evergreen trees, all underplanted with a herbaceous ground surface layer. These regulations apply to lots where the proposed land disturbing activity is disturbed based upon the following lot sizes: Detached Building Development Requirements (Single Family Homes) Max. Area of Steep Slope Reqd Plant Coverage Lot Size w/o Mitigation Based Upon Area 3,000 - 5,000 ft2 Values 1,000 SF Min 1,200 SF/Coverage 5001 ft2 - 7,500 ft2 Values 2,000 SF. Min 1,200 SF/Coverage 7,501 ft2 - 10,000 ft2 Values 2,500 SF. Min 1,200 SF/Coverage 10,001 ft2 - 25,000 ft2 Values 4,000 SF. Min 1,200 SF/Coverage 25,001 ft2 35,000 ft2 Values 7,000 SF. Min 1,200 SF/Coverage 35,001 ft2 1.00 acres 12,000 SF. Min Values 1,200 SF/Coverage 1.00 acres Greater Values 20% or greater Min 1,200 SF/Coverage Values Attached Building Development Requirements (Duplexes, Townhomes, Apartments) Max. Area of Steep Slope Reqd Plant Coverage w/o Mitigation Based upon Area 3,000 - 7,500 ft2 2,000 SF Min 1,000 SF/Coverage Values 7,501ft2 - 10,000 ft2 3,000 SF Min 1,000 SF/Coverage Values 10,001ft2 - 25,000 ft2 5,000 SF Min 1,000 SF/Coverage Values 25,001ft2 35,000 ft2 10,000 SF Min 1,000 SF/Coverage Values 35,001 ft2 1.00 acres 15,000 SF Min 1,000 SF/Coverage Values 1.01 acres Greater 20% or greater of lot Min 1,000 SF/Coverage Values These regulations shall adhere to all R-1, R-2, R-3, R3MD, R-4, R5, RTZ, RZ1, and RT1 zoned properties. SECTION 2. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 31, be amended by adding a new Section 31-324.4, entitled Steep Slope Vegetation Policy and Planting Requirements as follows: Sec. 31-324.4. Steep Slope Vegetation Policy and Planting Requirements. The following tree planting requirements shall apply in all areas where steep slopes as defined in Section 38-603 are disturbed. Class I Shade Trees: These trees are used to meet the tree planting requirements for large canopy trees. Evergreen trees can be treated as Class I shade trees provided, they meet the minimum maturity height and canopy spread criteria. Class II Shade Trees: These trees are intended to be used for planting as under story canopy and ornamental type trees. Only Class II trees shall be planted under overhead power lines. Evergreen Screening Trees: Screening trees are used for Screening, Evergreen accents, Anchors, and Framing in the landscape. Shrubs: Shrubs shall be installed at a minimum size of one (1) gallon. Shrubs are used for foundation plantings, accents, mass plantings, hedging, screening, groundcover, ornamental, and habitat. Shrubs will vary in height and spread and shall be spaced accordingly. No shrub plantings shall be planted in overcrowded masses in a single location to meet this ordinance. Groundcovers/Perennials (excludes all turf areas): Groundcovers/Perennials shall be installed at a minimum size of four (4) inch pots and up. Groundcover/Perennials shall achieve a mature height of 4- 18 inches with a mature spread one (1) to four (4) foot diameter. Groundcovers/Perennials are used for groundcover, mass plantings, erosion control, flowering accents, and habitat. Groundcovers/Perennials will vary in height and spread and shall be spaced accordingly. Replacement Trees/Plantings and coverage values: Trees replacement plantings installed in any areas where steep slopes are disturbed shall consist of Class I, Class II Shade Trees and Evergreen Screening Trees, Shrubs and Groundcover/ Perennials with sufficient minimum canopy to meet this requirement. No single tree species shall constitute more than fifty (50%) percent of total trees required. The following coverage values shall be maintained in all replacement plantings where steep slopes have been disturbed. Class I Tree with 20-30diameter minimum canopy = 500 SF coverage values Class II Tree with 10-20diameter minimum canopy = 200SF coverage values Evergreen Screening Tree with 8 mature spread = 50 SF coverage values Shrub with 3-6 mature height and spread = 20 SF coverage values Groundcover/Perennials with 1-4 mature spread = 1 SF coverage values *Evergreen Screening Trees, Shrubs, and Groundcover/Perennials may be used for meeting the required tree replacement plantings up to 25%. SECTION 3. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 31, be amended by adding a new Section 31-324.5, entitled Incentives for Preservation of Existing Trees as follows: Sec. 31-324.5. Incentives for Preservation of Existing Trees. The following tree planting requirements and credits for preservation of existing trees shall apply in all areas where steep slopes as defined in Section 38-603 are disturbed. For lots 25,000 sq. ft. to 1.00 acres developers may receive up to seventy (70%) percent credit for the required tree plantings for all existing tree(s) preserved on slopes equal to or greater than thirty-three (33%) percent. During land disturbance and construction any trees eligible for credit shall be protected, shall be in good health, and shall be at least four (4) inch (DBH) or greater. For lots 1.01 acres developers may receive up to seventy (70%) percent credit for the required tree plantings for all existing tree(s) preserved on slopes equal to or greater than thirtythree (33%) percent. During land disturbance and construction any trees eligible for credit shall be protected, shall be in good health, and shall be at least four (4) inch (DBH) or greater. Any tree plantings as required with Article IX of the Landscape Provisions for a development shall count towards meeting these requirements, but such plantings shall not exceed ten (10%) percent of the required coverage required. A ten (10%) percent credit of the required replacement tree plantings will be allowed for using native plant species. All credits utilized for plantings using native species or credits utilized for those trees as would normally be required for meeting the current landscape ordinance shall not cumulatively exceed a twenty (20%) percent reduction towards meeting the coverage requirements. Key Objectives of the Steep Slope Vegetation Policy: 1. Encourages a stay away from steep slopes mentality by placing additional vegetation replacement program. 2. Encourages preservation of existing established trees. 3. Offers property owner a menu of items allowing an array of vegetation types while encouraging the use of native species. 4. Defines anything above a thirty-three (33%) percent grade officially as a Steep Slope with a distance of at least 100 linear feet. 5. Allows for the possibility of a credit program for maintaining placement of mature trees and the protection of native trees. 6. Vegetation program allows for covering more ground per sq. ft. vs. number of trees methodology. 7. Policy creates a formula to provide flexibility and choice while maintaining a sq. ft. focus and tree conservation. Allows the Land Development Office to review Landscape Plan submittals prior to the issuance of a Land Disturbing permit to review Steep Slope development plans before vegetation is removed to retain placement of mature trees, the protection of native trees, and the planting of new trees, which are considered for any credit on a Steep Slope as part of the Land Disturbance permit application process. SECTION 4. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that this Ordinance shall take effect on July 1, 2021 to allow staff, engineers, and land owners to adapt to these new vegetative requirements and this Ordinance shall further have a one (1) year review by the Council before July 1, 2022, to determine if any changes need to be made. LONDON Scotch & Soda is preparing for a post-pandemic return to physical retail with a host of worldwide openings planned, and a new brand logo. The Amsterdam-based contemporary brand which offers mens, womens and childrens wear as well as a premium denim line is set to open 15 stores and 12 shops-in-shop over the next six months, WWD has learned. More from WWD The rollout will begin this week, and the openings will add to the brands existing retail network of 225 stores and 161 shops-in-shop. The brand will also add new showrooms and offices in Shanghai and Milan this spring. The stores will open in cities in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and feature the brands new free spirit concept, which features an updated logo and branding. Frederick Lukoff, chief executive officer of the brand, said that with the new identity, we want to define our evolution, and mark a new era of brand expression and storytelling. He said there are great ambitions for growth even as the company manages the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are relentlessly optimistic about the future, the next chapter of the brand and its story, which is based on the profound values of unity that drive the unique spirit of Amsterdam, he added. Lukoff was the longtime CEO of Stella McCartney, and joined Scotch & Soda in 2019. Key openings in Europe include new, larger locations in the Netherlands, including a store in Utrecht opening on Tuesday, followed by an opening in Westfields Mall of the Netherlands in Leidschendam on Thursday. The brands largest flagship worldwide will open in the city of s-Hertogenbosch, colloquially known as Den Bosch, on March 25. Stores and shops-in-shop will also bow in Germany, France, Ukraine, Poland, Switzerland and Sweden. In the U.S., a unit will open in Boston in September, following the recent arrival of two stores in California, adding to the existing 43-store portfolio in North America. Story continues The brand said it is looking to secure three additional locations in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C., and the King of Prussia Mall, Pa., over the next few weeks. In the Middle East, Scotch & Soda will debut in Israel in April, followed by Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. In Asia Pacific, a new franchise will open in April in Mumbai, India, as well as in October in Perth, Australia. The brand said each store is unique, and blends the original architecture and characteristics of the building with the Scotch & Soda signature design. Going forward, all facades and interiors will carry the new brand identity, which incorporates muted tones of white, charcoal and tan, as well as pop accents of yellow, rose pink and burgundy. Bespoke fixtures and materials include aged brass, textured tiles, marble, powder-coated steel and a bar designed to highlight accessories and serve as a social space. Select vintage furniture and wallpapers created in-house complete the new concept. All new stores have been fitted with LED lights, FSC wood herringbone flooring, hangers made from recycled materials and soft furnishings, such as sustainable rugs. The company said sustainability is a priority, and it is increasing its use of certified fibers that are organic, recycled, regenerative or renewable from a biological or technical source, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester or Econyl. The new monogram blends the brands ampersand with its initials, and nods to the craftsmanship of the collections with the image of a thread attached to the eye of a needle. Designed in collaboration with A Studio in New York, the new identity will be revealed digitally on Tuesday before appearing on the collections labels in November starting with the spring 2022 collection. Scotch & Soda was founded in the Netherlands in 1985, and is owned by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners Inc. Over the years, it evolved from a wholesale-only, Netherlands-focused company into an international, omnichannel one. The products are sold in 70 countries and, according to the company, annual sales are about 291 million euros. Neeta Bhushan, Joint Secretary, Central Europe addressing a press briefing on Tuesday. New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin on Tuesday expressed concern over the recent developments in Myanmar in which protestors have been killed in clashes with security forces following a coup and said rule of law must be upheld. Addressing a press briefing after the virtual summit meeting between the two leaders, Neeta Bhushan, Joint Secretary (Central Europe) said they announced a high-level dialogue on education between the education ministry of both countries. "Both the prime ministers expressed concern over the recent developments in Myanmar and mentioned that rule of law must be upheld. As we share land and maritime border with Myanmar, we have the highest stakes in peace and stability in the country," she said. Large numbers of protesters have taken to the streets of Myanmar since the military seized power in February 1 coup. The country has witnessed violence in clashes between the protestors and soldiers. The two leaders underlined that the longstanding and close relations between India and Finland were based on shared values of democracy, rule of law, equality and respect for human rights. Bhushan said both sides reaffirmed their strong commitment to work for multilateralism and a rules-based international order and to work towards sustainable development goals and combating climate change. The two prime ministers also exchanged views on COVID-19 pandemic including vaccine solidarity and emphasised the unprecedented global efforts in speeding up the development and scaling up of manufacture of vaccines. Bhushan said Startup Indian and Business Finland have started India-Finland tech hub, a virtual platform for startups and entrepreneurs to network with their mentors, incubators and investors. "The ongoing collaboration in the joint development of quantum computers with the use of artificial intelligence which is going on between the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, and Aalto University in Finland is an excellent example of close association in niche areas," she said. "The Prime Minister's announced a high-level dialogue on education between the education ministry of both countries. In this direction, the two leaders welcomed the proposal to renew the MoU between the consortium of 10 Finnish universities and 23 IITs for the next five years," she added. (ANI) Apple will reportedly start showing a dialog box to Russian users when they set up an iPhone, iPad, or a Mac for the first time to install some pre-approved government apps on the device. The company will be making this move to comply with the new law from the Ministry of Digital Affairs. Apple has struck a deal with the Russian government to show this dialog box to users when setting up their iPhone or Mac for the first time. Users will always have the option to not install the listed apps on their iPhone. The new regulations were added to the On Consumer Protection law and require that all smartphones, smart TVs, PCs, laptops, and tablets sold in Russia starting April 1, 2021, come pre-installed with selected apps like anti-virus, social media apps, along with Public Service apps used for payments and civil services. The total number of pre-installed apps will vary depending on the device, though on Android smartphones, the number of pre-installed apps could be as high as 16. When the law was first proposed by the Russian government, Apple had called this move equivalent to jailbreaking an iPhone and said that it poses a security threat. Apple confirmed this move saying the changes will take place starting April 1. It will only be applicable for devices sold in Russia. The company notes that users will be offered a bunch of apps from Russian developers for installation on their iPhone or iPad. From April 1, through the screens for activating new devices, users will be offered a choice of applications from Russian developers, which they can choose for further installation on their iPhone or iPad, Apple told Vedomosti, stressing that the company complies with the laws of the countries in which it operates. As per a source of the publication in the Russian Ministry of Digital Science, the ministry will keep updating the list to include popular apps that are rapidly gaining popularity. The ministry is not interested in only listing popular apps and providing them with an unfair and dominant position. [Via Vedomosti Samajwadi Party (SP) president claimed on Tuesday that voices of dissent have started surfacing within the unit of the (BJP). He also claimed that various senior officials in the administration and police are not attending phone calls from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), despite directives. "When BJP leaders were making claims of their victory in the next state Assembly polls from the dais during the party's working committee meeting, several office-bearers and leaders were raising their voice against the misgovernance under the party's rule," Yadav said in a statement released by the SP here. "The BJP might make all-out efforts to hide the reality and spread lies, but it is not going to succeed since voices of dissent and dissatisfaction have started surfacing within the party," he claimed. The former chief minister was referring to the daylong meeting of the state BJP's working committee held in the state capital on Monday, which was inaugurated by Defence Minister and former party president Rajnath Singh, while Chief minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the closing function. Senior BJP leaders, who took part in the meeting, claimed that the saffron party will script a historic victory in the 2022 Assembly election. The SP president pointed out that his party has been saying since the very beginning that anarchy, disorder and corruption are rampant in the BJP regime in the state and there appears to be no control of the government or administration over it. Ministers have also complained that officials do not listen to them, he said. Different district magistrates (DMs), senior superintendents of police (SSPs), SPs and commissioners are not attending phone calls from the CMO despite directives, he said, claiming that there are reports given by government sources to this effect. "When nobody takes the chief minister seriously, what can be expected about the fate of people's problems?" Yadav asked. (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.) CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Remix Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing small molecule therapies designed to reprogram RNA processing and address the underlying drivers of disease, today announced the appointment of Matthew R. Patterson as Executive Chairman of the company's Board of Directors. Mr. Patterson is the co-founder and former chairman and CEO of Audentes Therapeutics, a gene therapy company acquired by Astellas Pharma in 2020. "Matt has had an impressive 30-year career in research, drug development, and the commercialization of innovative therapeutics for both private and publicly held biotechnology companies," said Kevin Bitterman, PhD, Founding Chairman of the Board of Remix Therapeutics and Partner at Atlas Venture. "His knowledge of the industry and experience building and advancing early-stage companies will be invaluable as we shape the path forward for Remix." "We are thrilled to have Matt play an active role in defining and executing against a sharply focused business plan for Remix," adds Pete Smith, PhD, Co-Founder, President and CSO of Remix Therapeutics and Atlas Venture Entrepreneur in Residence. "His experience with corporate development will broaden our organizational capabilities as we enhance our proprietary REMaster technology platform and advance our lead programs into the clinic." Mr. Patterson is currently Strategic Advisor for Audentes Therapeutics. He co-founded and led the company from 2013 until its sale to Astellas in 2020. Prior to Audentes, Mr. Patterson was an Entrepreneur-In-Residence with OrbiMed and held senior roles at Amicus Therapeutics, BioMarin Pharmaceutical. and Genzyme Corporation. Mr. Patterson serves on several boards, including Homology Medicines, Inc., Vor Biopharma, Inc., 5:01 Acquisition Corporation, and the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM). "I'm extremely excited to work with the Remix team and believe their focus on RNA processing offers an intriguing and promising way to pursue currently undruggable targets," said Mr. Patterson. "The tremendous progress they've achieved in building REMaster, identifying new chemical matter, and advancing a pipeline of novel oral small molecule therapies is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the team. I'm looking forward to working with Remix leadership and the Board to realize the potential of RNA processing to deliver real therapeutic solutions for patients." About Remix Therapeutics Remix Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel small molecule therapies designed to reprogram RNA processing and treat disease in entirely new ways. Our REMaster technology platform allows us to identify patterns in RNA processing and exploit them to modulate gene expression. Our innovative therapeutic approach has the ability to alter the way genes are read from the genome, to correct, enhance, or eliminate the gene message, thereby addressing disease drivers at their origin. For more information visit, remixtx.com. SOURCE Remix Therapeutics Related Links https://www.remixtx.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. Jerusalem's light rail passes by in a central part of the city amid the spread of the coronavirus disease, on July 7, 2020. (Ammar Awad/Reuters) Kosovo Follows US, Guatemala in Opening Embassy in Jerusalem JERUSALEMKosovo opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Sunday, joining the United States and Guatemala as the only countries with embassies in a city whose status is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Muslim-majority Kosovo promised to locate its embassy in Jerusalem when it established diplomatic ties with Israel last year under U.S. sponsorship. Kosovos Foreign Ministry said on Twitter that with the embassys opening, the pledge given in the Oval Office today is finally fulfilled. Israel sees its new ties with Kosovo as part of its broader normalization with Arab and Muslim countries under agreements sponsored by former U.S. President Donald Trump. No date was immediately announced for a formal opening ceremony. On Thursday, the Czech Republic opened a diplomatic office in Jerusalem, a branch of its embassy in Tel Aviv. By Ali Sawafta and Ari Rabinovitch TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Lawmakers have stressed the development of human rights in Bahrain and lauded the proactive efforts to promote them. In statements marking the Arab Human Rights Day, the members of the Council of Representative said that an impressive development of human rights has occurred during the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. They lauded his initiative to establish the Arab Court of Human Rights to consolidate the foundations of joint human rights action in line with the aspirations of Arab countries and peoples. In November 2011, HM King Hamad proposed the establishment of an Arab human rights court. "I will propose to our fellow Arab states that we now move concretely toward the creation of an Arab Court of Human Rights to take its proper place on the international stage," HM the king said then. The time had come for Arabs to set up a pan-Arab rights court, similar to those established by other regional blocs, he added. In September 2013, the Council of the Arab League approved Bahrain's proposal to set up the Arab Court of Human Rights in Manama. In their statements, the lawmakers commended Bahrain's achievements through the Council of Representatives in promulgating laws and adopting policies to consolidate human rights and strengthen the values of tolerance and coexistence among the multiple components of the Bahraini society. Hes about to reprise his MCU role of the Winter Soldier in an upcoming Disney+ series. And on Thursday, the trailer for a new film starring Sebastian Stan dropped, titled Monday. The steamy romance, costarring Tony-nominated actress Denise Gough, follows Stan as a dashing romantic abroad in Greece named Mickey, who falls in love with a fellow American, Chloe, after a chance meeting. Steamy: The trailer for a new film starring Sebastian Stan dropped last week, titled Monday; seen here with costar Denise Gough The trailer opens on the pair of lovers waking up groggy on a rocky beach, presumably the result of a wild night out, before they introduce themselves in the back of a police car while handcuffed. From there, Chloe takes a ride on the back of Mickeys motorcycle once they are out of the police station, only to find that shes locked out of her apartment building. Mickey playfully extends his extra motorcycle helmet once again, asking her, 'Want to go to an island?' Lovers: The romance, costarring Tony-nominated actress Gough, follows Stan as a dashing romantic abroad in Greece named Mickey, who falls in love with a fellow American, Chloe Nice to meet you: The trailer opens on the pair of lovers waking up groggy on a rocky beach, before they introduce themselves in the back of a police car while handcuffed The electricity is evident between them, as they are seeing dancing and canoodling on a dance floor. Then, Chloe informs her new lover that shes going back to the states tomorrow. After several more shots of the pair kissing, Sebastians Mickey is seen running through the airport, screaming Chloes name. From there: Chloe takes a ride on the back of Mickeys motorcycle once they are out of the police station The electricity is evident between them: The pair are seeing dancing and canoodling on a dance floor in the crowd Soon: Sebastians Mickey is seen running through the airport, screaming Chloes name Then, she is seen in a truck with him, presumably after deciding to stay in Greece. And not only that, they then decide to move in together. The couple continue to ride high, as Mickey is seen in front of a huge crowd of partygoers while on a microphone, announcing 'Chloe Gaines is the sexiest woman I know!' Romance getting serious: They then decide to move in together The couple continue to ride high, as Mickey is seen in front of a huge crowd of partygoers while on a microphone, announcing: 'Chloe Gaines is the sexiest woman I know!' Soon, several friends posit their opinions about Mickey, with one implying that he somewhat of a playboy, and another calling him a baby, hes a little boy. And sure enough, as with all extremely passionate love affairs, shots of intense fighting are seen as well. Monday will premiere in theaters and on-demand on April 16th. Later: Several friends posit their opinions about Mickey, with one implying that he somewhat of a playboy, and another calling him a baby, hes a little boy' And sure enough: As with all extremely passionate love affairs, shots of intense fighting are seen as well The trailer comes one week before the premiere of Sebastians other big project, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier on Disney+. The Marvel series will see Stan expand on his role as the Avenger who teams up with Anthony Mackies winged Falcon after Captain America has retired. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier premieres on Friday, March 19th. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! A homeless woman who punched a man in his rear end before stabbing him with a suspected syringe in a row over cigarettes has been jailed for two and a half years. Sarah Dunne (29) was engaging in bizarre conduct, with no rhyme or reason when she accosted the man who was standing outside the shop he worked in on North Portland Street, Dublin, in November 2019, defence counsel said. Dunne asked the man for a cigarette before throwing her bike on the ground and screaming at him when he said he had none left, Garda Conor Mulhern told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today. As the man, who was with his girlfriend, walked back into the shop, Dunne punched him twice in his backside before he felt something cutting him in his right side. She then left the scene. Dunne, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the man. After the attack, the victim was fearful he had been stabbed with a syringe. He went to Mountjoy garda station in a panicked state and was taken by ambulance to hospital, where doctors found a cut consistent with a syringe puncture mark, the court heard. He was giving preventative treatments for Hepatitis A, B and C, along with a tetanus shot. He also had to take medication to prevent HIV for the next three months. The victim was very upset and couldn't stop thinking about what had happened, Dara Hayes BL, prosecuting, told the court. He has since returned to his native Brazil and declined to make a victim impact statement. Dunne was arrested in May 2020 after she broke into at a house in Cabra. In relation to that offence, she pleaded guilty to one count of trespass and theft at Cabra Park on May 26, 2020 and will be sentenced on July 29. Cathal McGreal BL, defending, said his client had been homeless for a number of years and suffered from mental health issues and heroin addiction. She is on anti-psychotic and anti-depressant medication. She is now clean of heroin and is no longer on methadone, the court heard. She has 24 previous convictions including burglary and theft. Sentencing Dunne, Judge Melanie Greally said Dunne had left her victim terrified. The offence involved the victim being punched in his rear end and it involved the use of a sharp object believed to be a syringe, the judge said. (The victim) had to endure the worry of possible health implications of the possible use of a syringe, the judge said. She handed down a two-and-a-half year sentence and backdated it to May 2020 when Dunne went into custody. Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified in the first impeachment hearing of former President Trump, said Monday he "should have sued those who amplified his campaign of defamation." Driving the news: In an op-ed for Lawfare, titled "Can Litigation Help Deradicalize Right-Wing Media?," Vindman wrote: "After I testified about then-President Trump's misconduct on Ukraine ... Trump and his allies targeted me and my family for retribution." Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free He said "Trump proxies amplified these themes on television news, internet news, and social media, resulting in risks to my life and my reputation as a public servant," noting he "did not respond forcefully to the threats and defamation." Of note: Some First Amendment advocates worry that defamation lawsuits can be used as a vehicle to silence the press. And Vindman notes in his op-ed that the First Amendment "gravely limits the available tools to seek accountability for the right-wing media." "Nevertheless, there are ways to dismantle the right-wing ecosystem of disinformation, an ecosystem that does not begin with insurrection but with more mundane lies," he added. "Like the many political elites driving insurrection to advance their political aims, the right-wing media is also motivated by a bottom-line calculation: viewers, market share and advertising dollars." Our thought bubble, via Axios' Sara Fischer: Defamation lawsuits and threats against Fox and other conservative personalities and networks have so far proven somewhat effective in squashing election fraud hoaxes. But it's doubtful in many situations if lawsuits after-the-fact can do much to reverse the damage that's already been done. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinkberry (www.Pinkberry.com), the beloved frozen yogurt concept, is celebrating the start of Spring with a refreshing new flavor, Strawberry Lemonade. This tart swirl will be available in stores for a limited time until May 20. Strawberry Lemonade frozen yogurt is delicious on its own, or topped with fresh strawberries and pineapple to add a hint of sweetness. Pinkberry is celebrating the start of Spring with a refreshing new flavor, Strawberry Lemonade. Tweet this (PRNewsfoto/Pinkberry) "We really wanted to capture the essence of outdoor picnics and warmer weather with our new flavor," said Melissa Hubbell, senior director of marketing for Kahala Brands, parent company of Pinkberry. "Strawberry Lemonade is so nostalgic it will fast-forward you right into summer!" At Pinkberry, guests can customize their swirl with a variety of toppings that include fresh, never frozen, fruit that is hand-cut in stores daily, along with premium granolas and nuts, specialty chocolates, and much more. Pinkberry is swirling with possibilities! Promotional Flavor: Strawberry Lemonade About Pinkberry Pinkberry launched in Los Angeles, CA in 2005 as the original brand that reinvented frozen yogurt. Today, over a decade later, Pinkberry continues to create great tasting treats with fresh ingredients in an experience comprised of distinctive product, outstanding service and inspirational design. At Pinkberry you can taste the difference of an uncompromising commitment to quality and freshness. Most recently, Pinkberry was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries. For more information, please visit www.Pinkberry.com. SOURCE Pinkberry Related Links www.Pinkberry.com A 77-year-old Jehovahs Witness in Russia's Far Eastern Primorye region has been handed a six-year suspended sentence on extremism charges amid an ongoing crackdown on the religious group that has been banned in the country since 2017. A district court in the town of Volno-Nadezhdinskoye on March 15 found retired military officer Vladimir Filippov guilty of taking part in the activities of an extremist organization" and also banned him from taking part in any public groups for three years. Prosecutors had sought 6 1/2 years in prison for Filippov. In his last testimony at the hearing, Filippov denied taking part in the activities of any extremist groups. "I have never participated in extremist affairs, never expressed any hatred towards people of other nationalities and religions.... I did not commit a crime, but only exercised my constitutional right to believe in Jehovah, God," Filippov said. The United States has condemned Russia's ongoing crackdown on Jehovah's Witnesses and other peaceful religious minorities. For decades, the Jehovah's Witnesses have been viewed with suspicion in Russia, where the dominant Orthodox Church is championed by President Vladimir Putin. The Christian group is known for door-to-door preaching, close Bible study, rejection of military service, and not celebrating national and religious holidays or birthdays. Since the faith was outlawed in Russia, many Jehovah's Witnesses have been imprisoned in Russia and the Russia-annexed Ukrainian Black Sea Crimean Peninsula. According to the group, dozens of Jehovah's Witnesses were either convicted of extremism or are in pretrial detention. The Moscow-based Memorial Human Rights Center has recognized dozens of Jehovahs Witnesses who've been charged with or convicted of extremism as political prisoners. Beijing, March 16 : Encrypted messaging app Signal on Tuesday was no longer working in China without the use of a virtual private network (VPN). According to reports, the app, which is used for encrypted conversations, is currently unavailable in mainland China. The website of the app has been banned in mainland China since March 15, according to censorship tracking website Greatfire.org. The Chinese government has not made any announcement about Signal being blocked or banned in China, but Signal's website was unavailable in the country, reports TechCrunch. However, the app was still available on Apple's China app store and both the app and the website appeared to be working normally in Hong Kong. As per, data company Sensor Tower, Signal had been downloaded close to 510,000 times on iOS in China and has been downloaded 100 million times worldwide on the App Store and Google Play combined. Signal's growth was likely concerning for Chinese authorities who attempt to monitor and control everything done on the internet in mainland China. The app has also seen a significant growth in the India market. Executive Chairman of Signal Foundation Brian Acton, who co-founded WhatsApp with Jan Koum before selling it to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for $19 billion, aims to add 100-200 million users on Signal in India over the next two years. Acton left WhatsApp in September 2017 to start the Signal Foundation, dedicated to helping people who have access to private communication through an encrypted messaging app. Whenever one picks up a book with an eye to writing about it, one necessarily needs to know the subject matter therein. The recent book This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends an ungrammatical title if anything claims to be a book about the zero-day "industry" as per the author, Nicole Perlroth, a staff reporter for the New York Times, who covers cyber security. (I dislike that word "cyber" and will use infosec right through this piece.) But the NYT review of the book, by Jonathan Tepperman, a Foreign Policy staffer, says the book "looks at the history of cyber attacks and why they are only likely to get worse". Lest we forget, only a small fraction of all attacks are driven by zero-days. It is only when one reads the book that it becomes apparent that a goodly part of its 400-odd pages are rehashings of what Perlroth has covered during her years at the NYT. Being upfront about this would have been good, though it would probably have affected sales: "just another book about cyber security..." does not sell many hard copies. Okay, okay, you guys are forcing me to read Perlroth's book. It's hard because every page has some gross distortion in service of hyperbole, rhetoric, and narrative. Such as this one. It's not true. pic.twitter.com/njUQGarL9C Rob Graham?, provocateur (@ErrataRob) February 26, 2021 The book was published in February and I asked Perlroth for a review copy on two occasions, but she did not respond. No issue there, iTWire is a very small publication though Bruce Schneier, one of the world's best-known technologists, did send a copy of his last book over for review, when requested. The reason NotPetya was so damaging wasn't because of the unpatched NSA vuln, but #1 because it was included in a software update (supply chain attack) and #2 because it used psexec lateral movement (configuration error). Rob Graham?, provocateur (@ErrataRob) February 26, 2021 Given that, this is not a review; it is merely a series of observations about the book. There are numerous technical errors in the tome; for that, the best people to read are veteran researchersaka Halvar Flake, andaka Errata Rob. And there are few spoilers if any in what follows: I am aware that many people would like to throw away their hard-earned, despite the poor quality product. Before the book was put on sale, Perlroth wrote an article in the NYT in order to publicise it. Dave Aitel, a former NSA hacker and someone who has been in the infosec business for a long time before selling his company, Immunity, to Cyxtera Technologies in 2019, got all riled up because he was said to have trained people from the Turkish military in infosec techniques. It must be noted here that doing business with a government organisation from Turkey is not against US law. So Aitel went on the attack, only to be met with some spirited resistance from Perlroth. As soon as the book landed in stores, Aitel was up and running with some fresh barbs, which were again countered by Perlroth. But the reviews by Dullier and Graham had a different effect; Perlroth blocked access to her Twitter account and that is how things stand even today. Exactly why journalists cannot take criticism is a mystery to this author who has been in the business for longer than he would have cared to be and has been called every name under the sun. Perlroth appears to be very sensitive to any bad takes, with at least one of her supporters trying to attribute the criticism of the book to misogyny and sexism. In truth, none of the criticism has been driven by anything but the normal nerd tendency to demand accuracy. The book is a somewhat painful read, with the prose being turgid in many places. There is a great deal of over-writing and the language is not merely flowery, but unnecessarily so. A good editor could have cut it down by a third without missing anything of substance, but it looks like Bloomsbury, the publisher, has no good subs on its staff. One example that struck me was when the author mentions that she received an "audible pat" (presumably on the back) from Michael Hayden, a former head of the NSA and the CIA, when he heard of her book project. Is the word "audible" really needed there? The book seems written by someone who reads Infosec Thot Leader twitter accounts and took the self importance seriously. How is a crappy pop-history book about 0day not an obvious result of multiple decades of zine drama and circlejerk narcissism about security research? Kelly Shortridge (@swagitda_) February 26, 2021 The lack of a good overseer is evident in a number of places, one being where the author shows that she is unaware of the difference between "affect" and "effect". There is another place where Chaouki Bekrar, a Frenchman of Algerian origin, is described as the "Wolf of Wuln Street", when in reality that should be "Vuln Street". Little things, sure, but they do matter. The date of publication is given as 2020, something peculiar, since such dates are normally specified to the month. It looks like the writing was all done and finished by November 2020, else there would have been mention of the SolarWinds attacks which surfaced in the first week of December 2020. There is a marked streak of narcissism running through the volume: I lost count of the number of times the author uses "told me" (to make sure that the reader does not think a quote is second-hand?), when simpler words like "said", "commented", "recounted", "explained" or "pointed out" could have been used. There are places where this obsession with self is laughable; one I recall is a mention of journalists, which the author has used this way: "...journalists, like me..." True, it is a hallmark of many a modern day scribe to think that he/she is more important than the story, but Perlroth is close to 40 and such delusions should have disappeared by now. Another shortcoming is the fact that this book is not exactly driven by events; it is based on a conclusion that has been drawn, after which supporting material has been sought, perhaps the wrong way to go about writing anything. The David Sanger School of Journalistic Enquiry: Make unfounded public claims to force a statement from a third party, and call it a win when they either confirm or actively deny the unfounded claim as a win for journalistic practice. Joe Sowik (@jfslowik) March 5, 2021 For a book that claims to be about the zero-day industry a sector which is notoriously populated by cowboys the book offers a surprisingly tame read, sticking mostly to the establishment view. The author is convinced that the zero-day business started in the US and the country has now made things worse by not guarding its crown jewels aka the store of zero-days retained by the NSA carefully. The leak of a good number of exploits based on these zero-days in 2016-17 by a group known as the Shadow Brokers is well known and this incident is used to justify the thesis that the NSA does not know how to look after its own wares. The book propagates the myth of "USA the beautiful, the guardian of human rights and morals" which has even less currency than a fairy tale now, after more than 70 years of American atrocities around the globe. But then it is very likely that if Perlroth had not gone down this route, then her access to government sources the main avenue for all infosec stories in the NYT from my reading would have been put at risk. Both Sergei Brin, the co-founder of Google, and Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple, are painted as warriors operating for the good of the tech community, when the reality is somewhat different. Cook is praised in the context of the 2016 fight between Apple and the FBI when the latter demanded that Apple provide access to the contents of an iPhone used by a terrorist in December 2015. But Perlroth omits the fact that two years later, Cook backtracked on security that he had promised to his users. As to Google, one does not need to say much; the way that company treats its users is too well-known and too recent to bear repeating. part of my job is tracking zero day vulnerabilities, exploits and usage for a living, and it's not nearly as glamorous, prevalent or interesting as pop culture would have you believe. Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog) February 16, 2021 The book also seems somewhat dated in that it promulgates old Cold War stereotypes, including paying homage to the disputed theory that Russia influenced the 2016 US presidential elections. This has been debunked so well by the few journalists who actually practise their trade the way it should that it is risible to repeat old takes in the hope that someone will buy them. The author goes down the unnecessary path of trying to theorise how the infosec industry could reform itself when she has never been on the frontlines. This is an exercise in vanity and is best avoided; tell the story in direct prose and leave it there. Opinions are all very good, but advice on things far beyond one's scope are an indication of taking oneself more seriously than one ought to. Journalists are not players, but increasingly seek to be; we are merely the ones who provide the copy to wrap around advertisements which bring in the money. Finally, the theory that a "cyber Pearl Harbour" is around the corner is for the birds. One site that used to disabuse people of such fanciful notions, Cyber Squirrel, has unfortunately stopped publication. Run by Cris "SpaceRogue" Thomas and Brian Martin aka Jericho, the site shut down because Thomas did not have enough time to keep updating it. Asked about it recently, Jericho said: "It was Sprog that was running it 99% for most of its life, I would do occasional updates and a pet project of trying to fill in countries that had no incidents. He found someone else to run it for a while, but they only lasted a few months. So the decision was made to shutter it." My recommendation to any individual who is unfamiliar with infosec is: don't buy this book, it will confuse you no end. To those who keep track of events, the advice is the same, but for different reasons; it will annoy you and is not an easy 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. Cruel and Quirky History Tidbits of Port Orford, South Oregon Coast Published 03/16/21 at 4:20 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Port Orford, Oregon) Death and mayhem are often a little part of coastal history, depending on the town, and certainly quirky bits of any towns' past are found from Astoria to Brookings. Yet one town has some stand-out moments of both. (Photo courtesy Oregon State Parks and Recreation: Tseriadun State Recreation Site, Port Orford) Port Orford has a particularly high body count at its very beginnings, and some eyebrow-raising curiosities in the mix. Initial contact with this part of the southern Oregon coast was quite peaceful, made in 1792 by George Vancouver. However, by the 1850s the U.S. had a bad case of the Manifest Destiny and a wrathful lust for land and gold. Any treaties with local tribes were routinely disregarded, and things came to a head quickly in proto-Port Orford when Captain William Tichenor arrived with nine men in a steamship in 1851. The problem was they showed up with a cannon and guns, landing right at the native's seaside village a group called the Qua-to-mah. Tichenor took off back to San Francisco, leaving the men to fend off an angry mob, and this turned into a few days of deadly skirmishes on what is now known as Battle Rock. That famed, beautiful rock structure was the site of a horrible battle. All the white invaders managed to sneak away one night, but Tichenor was stuck in Cali with his boat impounded due to debts. Months later, not knowing that his nine crewmen had made it alive to Portland, Tichenor arrived with 70 soldiers and massacred the locals. It was part of the beginning of a years-long war with native tribes. Wars with natives aren't the only deadly chapters in Port Orford's history. The J.A. Chanslor, Willapa, the T.W. Lucas and the Alaskan are all names of famous and infamous shipwrecks either right off Port Orford or around Cape Blanco. Many go back all the way to the 1850s. Not many survived most of these; the waters here are notoriously dangerous, though it does not have as many shipwrecks as up around Coos Bay. Then there's the curiosities of Port Orford's history, including the craze of the Port Orford Meteorite. By most accounts, the whole Port Orford Meteorite sensation started back in 1859, less than a decade after the town had been founded. It was a Dr. John Evans, a government geologist for the states of Oregon and Washington, who had been exploring the forests a ways from the southern Oregon coast town and came across this particular chunk of interest. He had sent several rock samples along with this one to scientists in New York, and a Dr. Charles Jackson there had concluded it was like nothing of this Earth, with a network of metals inside, including mostly iron but nine percent nickel. South of Port Orford in the '30s, courtesy Oregon State Archives Evans furnished as good a description of the Port Orford Meteorite location as he could derive from memory alone, but died before anyone could quiz him further. Supposedly about 40 miles east of Port Orford, many went to search for it, and by the 40s the Smithsonian Institute had even offered a reward. The search attracted many, including some New Age freaks who claimed to have visions of it. One high profile incident later in the century had newspapers proclaiming it had been found, even featuring pictures of a strange-looking rock. It was not the case, however. In the early 90s, the publication Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences concluded the entire event was a hoax. However, it seems Evans had gotten hold of an actual meteorite at least according to tests later run on the original specimen. They suggested not only did Evans do this for financial gain, but he was also not trained to find these things on his own. Another oddball account that also begins in the 1850s is the legend of the Lost Gold Mine near Port Orford. It starts with a group of soldiers lost in the coast range hills on a scouting mission. As they made camp and later wandered a bit, they found a rich vein of gold near camp. They all collected samples to take with them. Since none could go back to prospect for any gold until their service was over, one soldier marked the area by setting fire to four trees. It didn't take long for some to return and search for the gold, but they quickly found the four trees were not actually close to the gold and quartz. For others, however, their opportunity to go back was further delayed by the Civil War. Those that went in search along with others could not find it as well. To this day, no one has found Port Orford's Lost Mine of Gold. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Photo courtesy enjoyportorford.com Port Orfords Head State Park, courtesy OPRD 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 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United Homes of America AMERICAN FORBEARANCE TODAY United Homes of America (UHA) is committed to helping 10,000+ distressed homeowners avoid foreclosure by assisting and educating them through the application process to delinquent mortgage companies from start to finish. President Joe Biden directed federal housing regulators to extend mortgage forbearance programs for an additional six months and prolong foreclosure relief programs. Forbearance is when a homeowner's mortgage servicer or lender permits them to freeze their mortgage payments for a certain amount of time due to a financial situation. Millions of Americans face continued hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, 1 in 5 renters are behind on rent and just over 10 million homeowners are behind on mortgage payments. For the 2.7 million homeowners who were already facing financial struggles at the beginning of the pandemic last year and the 2.1 million currently facing mortgage delinquencies, forbearance is a temporary sigh of relief. Such is the case for Mr. Roldan in Falls Church, Virginia who has now requested a six-month extension on his mortgage forbearance: "It's calm for now and I'm thankful, but I'm still afraid of what's to come when these programs come to an end, if nothing has changed -- I will lose my home." A BACKLOG OF FORECLOSURES Compared to previous years of similar financial difficulties, there is a notable decrease in foreclosures. However, once forbearance comes to an end, some homeowner's financial situation may not be resolved. These individuals will still need to continue paying their monthly mortgage payments, otherwise they will face foreclosure. One in every 14,164 housing units had a foreclosure filing in January 2021, and it is estimated that 1.8 million mortgages will be seriously delinquent when foreclosure moratoriums on government-backed loans begin to lift. The startling fact is that while there is a backlog of foreclosures building up due to this moratorium, but no one will know how big that backlog is until after the government programs expire. The Biden administration is proposing that the American Rescue Plan should deliver more aid to struggling homeowners. The rescue plan creates a Homeowners Assistance Fund which will provide states with $10 billion to help struggling homeowners catch up on their mortgage payments and utility costs. UNITED HOMES OF AMERICA Those facing potential foreclosures are not alone and without resources. A fantastic example of a foreclosure aid organization is United Homes of America (UHA). UHA is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to helping 10,000 homeowners avoid foreclosure. Due to the unprecedented circumstances that have caused an abundance of homeowners to seek services during the covid-19 pandemic, UHA's services are now offered 100% without charge. "I have three kids that depend on me, I've faced foreclosure in past, and I know the pressure of not knowing where to turn; UHA's sole purpose is to help the community to find alternatives and real solutions to foreclosure" Tony Rivas is the founder and president of UHA. As a homeowner who found himself in the middle of the housing crisis in 2008, it's all still fresh in his mind: empty promises that eventually led him to give up his family's home. Taking the valuable insight learned from his experience he opened UHA. Through strategizing and exercising every available option, foreclosure avoidance and homeownership preservation is possible across the nation. With personal consultation services valuing around $1k a consultation, UHA is dedicated to providing financial assistance, honest resources, and personalized solutions for homeowners all free of cost. "At UHA we want to share lessons learned from our own experience; there is a way out." Contact: Abigail Ponce, [email protected] SOURCE United Homes of America Large lines of trucks formed, on Tuesday morning, at the main crossing points on the border with Hungary, on the way out of Romania, due to the restrictions applied to heavy traffic until Monday evening, so that drivers are forced to wait between 80 and 420 minutes to reach border control, according to AGERPRES. According to the online application for monitoring border traffic, available on the Border Police Website, drivers who want to exit the country through the Petea border crossing point are forced to wait the longest hours. Two heavy traffic control lanes are open here, but the waiting time is of at least 420 minutes in line. The waiting time at the Varsand Border Crossing Point (PTF) is 300 minutes, although three lanes are open here for trucks leaving Romania. At Nadlac II, on the pan-European highway, drivers wait at least 300 minutes in line, with five exit lanes open. At Nadlac I, the waiting time for transit is 80 minutes, and the control is done on two lanes. In Bihor county, there are three lanes available for heavy traffic at the Bors PTF, on the exit direction, and the waiting time here is 280 minutes, while the waiting time at Bors II is 220 minutes, with three lanes available. The Arad Border Police sent a press release according to which the columns formed "as a result of the traffic restrictions on the territory of Hungary, from March 13 to 15, when the cargo vehicles did not circulate." According to the same source, the number of control lanes for freight trucks on the way out of the country has been increased. "At the border with Hungary, border formalities are carried out jointly with the Hungarian authorities, meaning that the Romanian Border Police have allocated staff to cover all checkpoints, but the number of lanes that can be made available is limited by the number of police officers assigned by the Hungarian Police," reads the press release. The Romanian border authorities contacted those of the neighbouring state "to take common measures to streamline traffic, through supplementing the personnel on the Hungarian side, as well as through opening some additional lanes for the verification of the trucks." Also, for streamlining traffic on the A1 Motorway that connects with PTF Nadlac II, the Motorway Traffic Police Bureau was informed in order to monitor the traffic. In the early hours of Tuesday, since the lifting of the restrictions, the border police on the border with Hungary carried out the specific formalities for 2,500 trucks, of which 2,000 were on the way out. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Los Angeles, March 16 : Talking about her marriage with Hollywood star Chris Evans, British actress Billie Piper says it was the "happiest time" of her life. Piper, who was with Evans from 2000 to 2004, says that they travelled a lot together. "Even though our life was completely wild -- in comparison to other people's lives -- I felt like I was living out a lot of my uni years or something because we spent a great deal of time travelling and drinking and meeting people that I wouldn't have had access to otherwise," she said in the 'Changes With Annie Macmanus' podcast, reports femalefirst.co.uk. She says her time with him was very "healing". "Also I'd become so reclusive before I met him. So it felt like a very healing time, although the world looked upon it as a reckless time. It's just crazy to think that when I was at my happiest as a teen, everyone thought I was at my saddest," she says. Piper, who is now in a relationship with musician Johnny Lloyd, says that she has fond memories of her time with Evans. "I've always got really fond memories and a lot of love and warmth (for that time). It felt like a really important moment in my life," she says. [March 16, 2021] Lazard Nominates Ann-Kristin Achleitner to Its Board of Directors Lazard Ltd (NYSE: LAZ) announced today that it has nominated Prof. Dr. Dr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner to join its Board of Directors at its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In accordance with the Board's recently adopted policy on term limits, current Directors Steven J. Heyer and Sylvia Jay will not stand for reelection when their terms expire in April 2021. "Steve Heyer has helped to guide us since Lazard's inception as a public company sixteen years ago and served nine years of that time as Lead Director," said Kenneth M. Jacobs, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lazard. "Throughout his tenure, we have benefitted from his business acumen and wise counsel." "Lady Jay has served in a vital role on our Board for the past 15 years, through her thought-provoking questions, and in giving insightful advice and perspective regarding the UK and Continental Europe," said Mr. Jacobs. "We are pleased that Prof. Achleitner has agreed to join Lazard's Board, if elected by its shareholders," said Dick Parsons (News - Alert) , Lead Director of Lazard's Board. "As one of the most respected economists in Europe, she has a deep understanding of financial markets and a strong track record of advising corporate leaders. She complements our board's diversity of experience, perspective and knowledge; we look forward to adding her voice to ourBoard and benefitting from her expertise." Prof. Achleitner has spent over thirty years as an economist and educator. She is a Distinguished Affiliated Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where she held the Chair of Entrepreneurial Finance between 2001 and 2020. An accomplished academic with multiple honors and publications, she now acts primarily as a non-executive board director and venture investor. She has served on public boards across Europe, including Deutsche Borse SE, Engie SA, Metro AG and Vontobel AG. Currently she is a member of the boards of MunichRe AG and Linde plc, as well as multiple boards of nonpublic institutions and foundations such as the Institute for Advanced Studies (Princeton), and the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech). Prof. Achleitner holds a doctorate in business administration as well as law from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) in Switzerland. After a brief career as a management consultant with McKinsey, she held the Chair of Banking and Finance at the European Business School (EBS) in Oestrich-Winkel, Germany from 1995-2001. She has served on multiple commissions for the German, Bavarian and Swiss governments, as well as for the EU commission, various World Economic Forum groupings, as well as multiple award juries. About Lazard Lazard, one of the world's preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, operates from more than 40 cities across 25 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Central and South America. With origins dating to 1848, the firm provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, strategic matters, restructuring and capital structure, capital raising and corporate finance, as well as asset management services to corporations, partnerships, institutions, governments and individuals. For more information on Lazard, please visit www.lazard.com. Follow Lazard at @Lazard. LAZ-CPE View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005999/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Up to 600 career mentors and advisers will set up at sites such as libraries, shopping centres and community centres across Victoria over the coming months as part of a state government initiative to help unemployed people find work. The first of 450 job search and support workers hired by the government started on Tuesday and will bolster an existing network of 150 employees. While one-quarter of the workers will be stationed in regional Victoria, the state opposition criticised the jobs package for neglecting the agriculture sector and the regions. Employment Minister Jaala Pulford said the jobs initiative was particularly targeted at women who have lost work. Credit:Paul Jeffers The states economy is on the path towards rebuilding following a devastating second wave of the coronavirus last year, with the unemployment rate falling from a peak of 7.5 per cent in June to 6.5 per cent in December. Yet some cohorts in the state remain particularly affected by job losses: Victorias youth employment rate was 14.8 per cent in January, one percentage point higher than the rest of the nation. AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) will host an Investor Day for members of the investment community. The event will be broadcast from the company's World Headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan on March 23, 2021. The event will feature presentations by senior leadership of BorgWarner. It will provide insights into the company's technologies and the acceleration of its positioning and outlook in an electrified world. Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Time: 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Location: Broadcast virtually from BorgWarner World Headquarters Further details will be available on our IR website at borgwarner.com/investors under Events and Presentations. If you have questions, please contact [email protected] or 248-754-0872. About BorgWarner BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. Building on its original equipment expertise, BorgWarner also brings market leading product and service solutions to the global aftermarket. With manufacturing and technical facilities in 96 locations in 24 countries, the Company employs approximately 50,000 worldwide. For more information, please visit borgwarner.com. SOURCE BorgWarner Related Links www.borgwarner.com One person was injured in a wreck Tuesday afternoon in Marshall County. The Marshall County Sheriffs Office said it happened outside the Guntersville city limits on Alabama 79-South. The driver, Steven John McIntosh, is being transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Luck or Miracle? Samoset and the Pilgrims, 400 Years Later The Plymouth colonists met what were perhaps the only two English-speaking Indians on the eastern seaboard Today marks an historic milestone. Its story is a real-life adventure marked by what some regard as pure luck while others label as miraculous. Four hundred years agoon March 16, 1621an English-speaking Indian from the Abenaki tribe strode into the new settlement of Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. He greeted the astonished Pilgrims and requested a beverage brewed from fermented cereal grains. Welcome, Englishmen! proclaimed Samoset, whose name meant he who walks over much. In a stout, resonant voice he asked, Do you have beer? The Pilgrims were certainly not teetotalers, but on this occasion of their very first, up-close meeting with a Native American, the tap was dry. The Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers reveals that they instead offered strong waterlikely a brandyas well as biscuit, and butter, and cheese, and pudding, and a piece of mallard; all of which he liked well. No beer, but still an exceptionally good meal from settlers emerging from their first winter in the New World! Many of their number had starved or died from disease since their landing three months earlier. In the coming days, Samoset returned with Indians from the Wampanoag tribe who were eager to trade with the Pilgrims. On March 22, Samoset brought with him another English-speaking Indian named Squanto, who famously taught the Pilgrims how to raise certain local crops and find wild game. Then later, when the colony abandoned its disastrous experiment in communal socialism and embraced private property, things really began to improve. It is likely that free enterprise fixed the beer shortage too. What were the chances that the Plymouth colonists would meet perhaps the only two English-speaking Indians on the eastern seaboard in March 1621? You can understand why some saw it at the time as a godsend, a sign that God meant for the colony to succeed. Samoset, it turned out, had picked up English from sailors and fishermen. Squanto learned it in Europe after he was kidnapped and taken there by an English ship captain. That dreadful act fortuitously saved Squantos life because when he returned to America shortly before the Pilgrims arrived, he found that his entire Patuxent tribe had been killed by a plague. That fact also meant that the land of which the Pilgrims took possession (after storms blew their ship, the Mayflower, off course) was vacant and unclaimed. They didnt steal it from anyone. Four centuries ago today, that first meeting between Pilgrims and a Native American began a peaceful relationship that lasted for half a century. After providing invaluable information and connections, Samoset returned to his home in present-day coastal Maine, but he had opened the door to a trading relationship and a defensive alliance between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags. Other nearby tribes such as the Narragansetts were not so friendly and might well have wiped the colony out if not so deterred. Samoset was a remarkable Indian for many reasons. The Encyclopedia of World Biography notes, An accomplished diplomat for more than 30 years, Samoset recognized the need for mutually beneficial alliances and treaties with the European colonists that would help his people survive wars, plagues, and slave traders. On July 15, 1625, Samoset signed the first land sale transaction between the eastern coastal Indians and the colonists. He deeded 12,000 acres of Pemaquid Point to John Brown, thus establishing that the true owners of the land in the new world were the Indians, not the English Crown. After Samoset signed another deed of land in 1653, he disappeared from historical records and is believed to have died soon after in what is today Bristol, Maine. So lets remember Samoset and the 16th of March, the day he met the Pilgrims and asked for a cold one. He set in motion events that are surely more important in world history than the leprechauns and St. Patrick well celebrate tomorrow. This article was originally published on FEE.org. 3D print of a spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19--in front of a 3D print of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle. The spike protein (foreground) enables the virus to enter and infect human cells. On the virus model, the virus surface (blue) is covered with spike proteins (red) that enable the virus to enter and infect human cells. Credit: NIH French authorities are investigating a new coronavirus variant found in the western Brittany region that is more difficult for tests to detect, though for now it does not appear to be more dangerous or contagious. Stephane Mulliez, director of the regional ARS health service, said at a press conference Tuesday that a hospital biologist in Lannion, a city on the English Channel, sounded the alert after studying dozens of recent deaths. Seven of the victims had shown classic coronavirus symptoms despite having negative PCR tests, which analyse nasal swabs and are usually highly accurate. Further testing, of blood as well as mucus samples from deeper in the respiratory tract, confirmed the COVID diagnosis in the patients, who were all elderly and had underlying health risks, Mulliez said. "One possibility is that the virus spreads more quickly between the upper respiratory tract and the lower portions," Alain Tertre, a regional director of the national Sante Publique France health agency, said at the conference. Samples sent to the Pasteur Institute in Paris for genetic sequencing confirmed it was a previously unknown variant of the virus that has killed more than 90,000 people in France. Testing and tracing efforts have been stepped up in response, Mulliez said, to determine if the variant has spread to other regions. Because it is harder to detect, the ARS has added it to the WHO's list of variants under investigation (VUI), but for now it is not considered worrying enough to be placed in the variant of concern (VOC) category. "Initial analysis... does not suggest increased danger or contagiousness compared with the original virus," the ARS said in a statement. For now only the British, Brazilian and South African variants are on the VOC list, out of hundreds that have been discovered by researchers worldwide. But Prime Minister Jean Castex told lawmakers Tuesday that the widespread prevalence of the three variants meant France was now in "a sort of third wave" of the pandemic, following the surge in cases last March and then again in the autumn. "The outbreak is going into extra time," he said in Parliament, with Paris hospitals in particular at capacity for COVID patients in intensive care. President Emmanuel Macron is meeting Tuesday with experts on his COVID advisory panel, ahead of a cabinet meeting on the health crisis Wednesday, as speculation grows that new restrictions may be imposed for the Paris region. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Elmo Lopez Sr., a UT Austin graduate, TAMIUs First Director of Bands, a veteran, a music lover and an educator, died on Monday, March 15. As part of the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame commemorating Lopez, they said music was, is and would always be his driving passion. With a university that fostered his love for music and living in a time of big band sounds, classical music scores and the Eastman Wind Ensemble, it states they all became important influences in his development as a music educator. He conducted the Stars and Stripes Forever during a concert in high school before enrolling at Southwest Texas State College at San Marcos. Later, after two years as an airborne trooper, he studied at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago before enrolling at UT Austin. Lopez earned a Bachelor of Music in 1953 and Master of Music in 1957. He was instrumental in the creation of the 1963 James Clifton Williams composition Paso Dobles as a lead interpreter and conductor. According to the Texas Bandmasters, both Lopez and Williams were recognized by the Texas Legislatures and Mexican Government for promoting good will between Mexico and the U.S. through a musical exchange program. This led to both men organizing the All-American Youth Honor Band at the University of Florida before touring cities in South America, which featured the Laredo Paso Doble. In 2013, he was part of the Laredo Paso Doble celebration event that recognized the compositions 50th anniversary. As a former Martin High School band director at the time, Lopez highlighted the importance of recognizing the composition and its impact around the world. He was the first band director at Lamar Junior High School to bring the first UIL Sweepstakes Competition to Laredo in 1956. Lopez spent time as a band director for Martin and was also the first band director at Nixon High School in 1964. Three years later, he opened up Laredos first music store that was dedicated to band instruments. During his time as the Martin band director, the MHS band was selected and placed in the top five bands in Texas during the TMEA Honor Band Competitions. After he retired as an administrator at LISD, he continued to contribute to music education in higher education. In 2017, Lopez was honored for his dedication and commitment to being the first director of bands in 1997 by TAMIU. The university said he was instrumental in starting the TAMIU Mariachi Internacional Program, and he worked in his position until his retirement in 2002. In addition, Lopez was involved in multiple events throughout the years including the 1997 TAMIU tree lighting ceremony and a Fourth of July TAMIU concert, and he was featured in multiple newspapers including the Laredo Morning Times, El Heraldo, Excelsior, El Universal, the San Antonio Express-News and El Sol del Norte. It can be said that the legacy of Elmo Lopez Sr. continues as band students from across Laredo continue play and compete. With bands across LISD still receiving distinctions and honors, Lopezs love for music lives on within each band member. cocampo@lmtonline.com A 36-year-old Phillipsburg man faces several drug charges after a narcotics search warrant was served Friday in town, the Warren County Prosecutors Office reports. Methamphetamine and heroin were recovered, Prosecutor Jim Pfeiffer said in a news release. Jeffrey Wolfe, of the 300 block of Firth Street, was charged with two counts of distributing heroin, two counts of possessing heroin, three counts of possessing with intent to distribute less than a half-ounce off heroin and one count of distributing less than a half ounce of meth, Pfeiffer said. All those charges are third degree offenses and each one has a maximum sentence of five years in prison and fines of $35,000 (for possession) and $75,000 (for distribution), the prosecutor said. Another 36-year-old town man was charged in the raid with possession of meth, which is also a third-degree crime, Pfeiffer said. The six-week investigation into heroin and meth sales in Phillipsburg was conducted by town police, the Washington Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, the Hackettstown Police Department and the prosecutors offices Narcotics Unit, Pfeiffer said. A listed phone number for Wolfe at that address wasnt immediately available. It wasnt clear if he has an attorney representing him. 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. HOLYOKE City Council President Todd McGee says he cannot serve as acting mayor after the departure of Alex B. Morse due to work commitments and potential conflicts of interest. McGee had been the likely successor ever since Morse last month accepted a job as town manager in Provincetown. Morse said Monday he will leave office March 26. We now know it was a lot sooner than anticipated. Theres nothing wrong with that. Its his (Morses) position, McGee said Monday. He spoke as the councils Charter and Rules Committee was drafting a home rule petition to avoid a special election after Morses exit, instead having McGee serve as acting mayor until the next regular election. McGee asked to have his name removed from the petition. An executive at MassMutual, McGee said there was potential risk of a conflict of interest down the road if he were to serve as acting mayor. Its also my belief it shouldnt be a part-time job. The mayor who steps in should be there every day working full time to the issues that were seeing, he said. I want to be full disclosure, transparent upfront with everyone on this committee, McGee said. Boston and Lawrence recently were granted home rule petitions to eliminate the need for special mayoral elections, officials said. City Councilor Joseph M. McGiverin was the last acting mayor, doing so after the departure of Mayor Martin Dunn in 1991. Dunn won Holyokes state Senate race, which triggered a special election. McGiverin said Monday the consensus was to have the petition readied for the councils regular session Tuesday night. We have golden opportunity to do this on how we want our government to look for the coming eight months after Mayor Morse resigns, McGiverin said. Councilor at Large Peter Tallman wondered what would happen if the Legislature did not approve the home rule petition before Morses exit. City Solicitor Crystal Barnes said such a scenario is not laid out in the city charter, which she found unfortunate. [March 15, 2021] New HR Software Rolling out to 1,200 Clubs Set to Transform Hourly Workforce Management SYDNEY, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian tech business RosterElf has signed an exclusive agreement with ClubsNSW to bring a revolutionary new HR platform to over 40,000 employees in the hospitality industry at just $2/week. Australian HR tech company RosterElf has entered into a strategic framework agreement with ClubsNSW to launch ClubsHR in 2021. RosterElf is an HR software as a service (SaaS) company which provides a powerful and intuitive management platform for small and medium-sized enterprises to manage their flexible workforces. Through its proprietary cloud software, RosterElf brings to market a powerful solution to handle all staff management tasks with ease, including: Roster on-the-go with the ClubsHR mobile app AI Powered Employee Scheduling using RosterElf's 'Perfect Match' algorithm Seamless payroll integration with leading payroll software's including Xero and MYOB Live staff availability updates via email and SMS notification Pre-Launch Promotional Video ClubsHR is a customised version of RosterElf which includes staff rostering, digital time and attendance, and payroll integration, as well as a range of features specifically tailored to accommodate the unique requirements of the NSW club industry. Interested in learning more? Follow this link: https://clubshr.com/ ClubsNSW is the peak body for the NSW club industry, representing more than 1200 member clubs and making an important contribution to state and national policy direction, including the development of industry-specific legislation relating to alcohol, gambling, taxation and industrial relations. "We are really excited about the imminent launch of ClubsHR, which is the result of months of close collaboration with ClubsNSW to deliver a truly world-class HR platform. ClubsHR will seamlessly bring together RosterElf's existing technology with the specific know-how of the NSW Club industry through ClubsNSW," RosterElf CEO Simon Ingleson says. ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis says the organisation is proud to have partnered with RosterElf to create such a dynamic product. "ClubsHR will significantly improve the daily operations and staffing efficiency of many clubs in NSW. It is an innovative product that could very well be rolled out in clubs right across Australia in the future," Mr Landis says. The ClubsHR platform will be available to the 1,200 clubs and 40,000 club employees in NSW. It is expected to launch mid-2021 and will include a cloud-based application with a range of iOS and Android apps. SOURCE RosterElf [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Nation fighting COVID-19 with all its strength: PM Narendra Modi at Mann ki Baat Country followed mantra of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas': Modi on govt's 7th anniversary On 7th anniversary of Modi govt, Congress lists 7 criminal wrongdoings by Centre Time for introspection: Shiv Sena on 7 years of Modi govt PM Modi's Principal Advisor PK Sinha resigns India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 16: PK Sinha, the Principal Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has resigned, sources said on Tuesday. Sinha, a retired IAS officer of 1977 batch, was appointed as Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister in September 2019, after a brief stint as an officer on special duty (OSD). Sinha was made OSD to the Prime Minister in August 2019, after he had served four years as Cabinet Secretary. According to the order of his appointment, his tenure as Principal Advisor was co-terminus with the term of Prime Minister Modi or until further announcement, whichever earlier. Sinha had also served as Secretary in the Ministry of Power. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jinjoo Labs, Inc. officially announced its Jinjoo skincare line, the first and only to combine highly-acclaimed Korean skincare ingredients and cosmetics technology with Cannabidiol, CBD. Developed in partnership with Korea Particle Technology (KPT), an award-winning manufacturer of cosmetics in South Korea, Jinjoo has exclusive rights to use KPT's patented "pearls" to deliver the perfect amount of CBD. Rene Shin (Left), the founder of Jinjoo Labs, has always used Korean cosmetics and skincare. Marja Vongerichten (Right), best known for her PBS series, "Kimchi Chronicles," a travelogue documenting a deep dive into her Korean heritage through food, is Jinjoo's spokesperson and chief brand advocate. The centerpiece of Jinjoo Labs is its cream pearls. When the pearls are crushed, the formulation mixes together, ensuring the right amount of CBD and enhancing the delivery of K-beauty ingredients such as rice germ, honey and purslane. CBD is a powerful anti-oxidant and provides anti-inflammatory benefits, which is why its so effective in anti-aging treatments and for skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis. Dubbed K-Beauty by beauty influencers and makeup artists, skincare and cosmetics made in Korea have gone from cult to mainstream in just the last few years. Rene Shin, the founder of Jinjoo Labs, has always used Korean cosmetics and skincare. "Korean beauty is defined by luminous skin, so the women there are extremely knowledgeable and downright obsessive about what they put on their skin," said Shin. "Korean women's willingness to try new products fuel competition among skincare manufacturers, so innovation is the norm." Shin, a mother of two, embarked on a years-long journey to find the right innovating partner, eventually choosing KPT to develop Jinjoo, which in Korean, means pearl. The centerpiece of Jinjoo Labs is its cream pearls. When the pearls are crushed, the formulation mixes together, ensuring the right amount of CBD and enhancing the delivery of K-beauty ingredients such as rice germ, honey and purslane. CBD is a powerful anti-oxidant and provides anti-inflammatory benefits, which is why its so effective in anti-aging treatments and for skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis. "KPT was originally founded to apply pharmaceutical techniques to the production of cosmetic ingredients at about the same time that we were learning about the medicinal benefits of CBD, which made them the perfect partner," said Shin. "If you think about why certain medications absorb better into your body, KPT developed similar techniques so creams and lotions absorb better into the skin, making it much more effective. I'm thrilled that we now have exclusive rights to their patented pearl technology to use for CBD skincare." Marja Vongerichten, best known for her PBS series, "Kimchi Chronicles," a travelogue documenting a deep dive into her Korean heritage through food, is Jinjoo's spokesperson and chief brand advocate. "Rene and I have been friends for years. We've got that Korean connection going on," said Vongerichten. "I have sensitive skin, and I love that Jinjoo uses so many natural ingredients. Jinjoo looks and feels like it's improved the texture and appearance of my skin. It's why I'm happy to promote the brand." In addition to internal testing at KPT and Jinjoo Labs, the new products were also tested at the Miami Skin Institute in Florida. "Jinjoo displayed prescription-quality effectiveness," said Dr. Manjula Jegasothy, a Harvard and Yale-trained, highly sought-after cosmetic dermatologist. "Anecdotally, Jinjoo exceeds current non-steroidal topical prescription products available for rosacea and eczema." Jegasothy has since joined as Jinjoo Labs' Medical Advisor. Jinjoo products will begin shipping in August. The young startup company is taking preorders and offering substantial discounts for a limited time. About Jinjoo Labs, Inc. A minority-owned company headquartered in New York City, Jinjoo Labs is primarily led by women. The company's mission is to create products that perfectly blend Korea's best skincare ingredients with other natural ingredients such as CBD. Through Korean skincare technology such as the pearl delivery mechanism, Jinjoo Labs expects to quickly become a leading brand. More information is available at jinjoolabs.com Contact: Jessica Rafaeil 4049360191 [email protected] SOURCE Jinjoo Labs By Geoff Cantrell The Catamounts Care Ambassadors, a student-led and campus supported program to build awareness of pandemic protocols, in collaboration with Student Health Ambassadors from five other higher education institutions have been recognized for innovation in programing to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the region and on respective campuses including Western Carolina University. The team earned second place from the National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities in a recent competition and will be presented an award and gift cards during a virtual summit April 21-22. The consortium connects health and wellness professionals from academic institutions in pursuit of healthier campuses by sharing best practices and to set national standards. Being a Catamounts Care Ambassador has taught me how to be a better leader in our community, said WCU student Ainsley McNeill. I have learned firsthand how to work together to make a positive influence on each other and to help shape a culture of care. During the pandemic, WCU has worked alongside other regional institutions of higher learning (University of North Carolina Asheville, Mars Hill University, Brevard College, Warren Wilson College and Montreat College) and the Mountain Area Health Education Center of Asheville to demonstrate wellness programs for the safety of students, faculty, visitors and staff. The collaborative approach represented by these five campuses and MAHEC has had a major impact on slowing and managing the spread of COVID-19 on each of the respective campuses, said Lane Perry, executive director of WCUs Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. The partnership strengthened each of the individual campuses efforts and inspired creativity, innovation and teamwork in unprecedented ways. Catamounts Care Ambassadors distributed stickers to recognize positive behavior, such as wearing face coverings, exercising proper physical distancing and other campus protocols. This ambassador initiative has gained such momentum in large part from the partnerships between all six institutions, said Kol Gold-Leighton, the Back to College Health Ambassador project coordinator at MAHEC. With leadership, action and support at the administrative and student lead levels, this project has propelled innovation and infused cross-institutional collaboration into the fibers of how students tackle COVID-19 on their campus. Students also developed social media and other communications to keep fellow students informed, including setting an example and positively reinforcing the Catamounts Care culture. Working with the students at WCU and the other universities to develop unique, innovative and impactful programming has been such a pleasure, said Brian Garland, an adviser to the Catamounts Care program. Their efforts have been a pivotal force in slowing the spread of COVID-19 across our campus and WNC. 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 YOUNG man who is accused of fraudulently offering to sell boxes of face masks to a number of Limerick shops has been charged with deception. Joseph McDonagh, 21, who lives in a caravan at Drumbiggle Road, Ennis, County Clare appeared before Limerick District Court after he was charged with four offences contrary to section 6 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act. The charges relate to incidents which are alleged to have occurred at four different retail premises in Limerick city on January 29, last. Sergeant Michelle Leahy told the court there was no objection to bail subject to Mr McDonagh complying with a number of bail conditions including that he stays out of Limerick. Adjourning the matter to the end of May, Judge Patricia Harney also directed that the defendant have no contact with any of the alleged injured parties. "That includes snapchat, social media and texts," she warned. The matter is to proceed summarily before the district court. On March 3 and 4, 2021, COLIBRI presented to authorities, beneficiaries and partners its geoportal and mobile application completely dedicated to the control and monitoring of General Aviation (GA) in Latin America and the Caribbean and in West and Central Africa. The first day was opened by the WCOs Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, and the EUs Representative, Mrs. Natalie Pauwels. Dr. Mikuriya highlighted how coordination, cooperation and collaboration are key elements to monitor this highly mobile means of transport and that the innovative IT tool will facilitate data collection and information sharing to better control GA. Mrs. Pauwels, Head of Unit, Stability and Peace - Global and Transregional Threats European Commission, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (EU), recalled the importance of this joint initiative which perfectly reflects two of the EUs main priorities: digitalization and security. The first day meeting was followed online by more than ninety authorities, who joined from several regions: Latin America and the Caribbean, West and Central Africa and also Europe. Among them Customs Director Generals, Partners Administrations Directors, and Representatives of National and International Agencies involved in the Project and in the field of GAs control. The second day was addressed to focal points, experts and officials. This second day meeting was technical and the questions and answers session was very productive and generated a fruitful discussion where many factors and dynamics driving GAs control were explained. COLIBRIs PM highlighted how the new IT tool will be an important feature to help LEAs face the challenge posed by drug trafficking via this means of transport and he also highlighted how the Tool will be available in four languages and provided to all Law Enforcement Administrations involved in the COLIBRI Project. He concluded pointing out that the new technology will be an important source of data and information with the main aim of better understanding this means of transports use, activities and routes. The EU Global Illicit Flows Programme (GIFP) PM welcomed the presentation of the new tool and the work done by the Consortium and the COLIBRIs team looking forward to its operationalization. Finally, COLIBRI coordinator after presenting the Projects results and achievement to date, joined the choir stressing on the necessity of this new technology to efficiently monitor GA. The second day was followed by one hundred and forty-five officials connected from all regions concerned by the Project. Overall, the event and the geoportal had a warm welcome by authorities and experts. The new IT tool will be made operational in the coming months and a training specifically dedicated to its use will be provide to administration over the course of 2021. To recapitulate, the main features of the new technology presented by the Consortium who since almost two year is working on the project are: a database, a mapping tool and a mobile application. Through the desktop version of the portal all users will be able to visualize a public page containing information about the project and about GA. To access the document database, users will then need to log into the system. Once successfully identified, users will be able to utilize the Geoportal, its features, and several layers of information, which may or may not be visualized (depending on the users credentials). The key features of the mobile application were also presented: aircraft identification, uploading of data onto the system, geo-localization using the global positioning system (GPS). The information uploaded will be geo-localized by activating the phones GPS. The mobile app will also work offline, allowing the incorporation of data that will be transferred to the database as soon as the user has an internet connection. In conclusion, the two-day meeting was a success and reflects the efforts made to achieve this unique milestone, to use the words of the Compliance and Facilitation Director: This event marks a new chapter in General Aviations control. To know more about the project visit its pages on the WCO website and the GIFP EU website. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday gave same good news about the battle against COVID-19 in New York City, while vaccine concerns grew in Europe. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on the success of vaccination efforts across America. De Blasio said that the city had seen 154 new hospitalizations for the virus, according to the most recent, data, the first time that that number had been below the city benchmark of 200 in quite a while. Meanwhile, Germany, France, Italy and Spain stopped giving residents the COVID vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca. There has been concern about blood clots reportedly associated with the vaccine, even though the British company has said that there was no evidence of links between the vaccine and clots. The CDC on Monday reported that 88 percent of those who had started the two-part vaccine process in the U.S. had gotten both doses. Just 1.4 million Americans had failed to get complete the regimen, the CDC said. The agency said that 87 percent of New Yorkers who had taken the first shot had also received the second. Overall, 38 million Americans, or 11.5 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated, according to CDC vaccine data. The CDC said that 71 million Americans, or 21 percent of the population, had received at least one dose of vaccine. 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 Gov. Andrew Cuomo Cuomo and 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. Were all in this together. Well all get through this together. PHOENIX, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TILT Holdings Inc. (TILT or the Company) ( CSE: TILT ) ( OTCQX: TLLTF ), a provider of business solutions to the global cannabis industry that includes inhalation technologies, cultivation, manufacturing, processing, brand development, distribution and retail, announced that it has completed its acquisition of Standard Farms Ohio LLC (SFO), previously announced on April 16, 2019. SFOs purpose-built 9,600 sq. ft. processing and CO 2 extraction facility (the Facility) is conveniently located just outside of Cleveland, providing ready access to the states 52 operating dispensaries . The Facility currently produces high-quality medical cannabis products including tinctures, vaporization cartridges, syringes and topicals, with the Company expecting to expand its product offerings to include concentrates and edibles inspired by TILTs award winning operations in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. With the expansion of the Standard Farms footprint into Ohio, we continue to execute on our strategy of delivering a differentiated portfolio of premium products and supply chain solutions to multi-state providers, licensed producers and cannabis retailers, as well as opening up another dynamic marketplace to our brand partners, said Gary Santo, President of TILT . Through the acquisition of SFO, TILT now has plant-touching operations in three fast-growing limited license markets, and we are excited to provide Ohios 52 dispensaries with a diverse selection of top brands that their customers want, while generating meaningful revenue. Ohio is the seventh most populated state in the U.S. The state currently has 160,000 registered medical patients , representing more than double Ohios 2019 patient totals. In 2020, cannabis sales approached $277 million, representing almost 290% growth compared to 2019. To learn more about TILT, visit www.tiltholdings.com . About TILT TILT helps cannabis businesses build brands. Through a portfolio of companies providing technology, hardware, cultivation and production, TILT services brands and cannabis retailers across 35 states in the U.S., as well as Canada, Israel, Mexico, South America and the European Union. TILTs core businesses include Jupiter Research LLC , a wholly owned subsidiary and leader in the vaporization segment focused on hardware design, research, development and manufacturing; and cannabis operations, Commonwealth Alternative Care, Inc . in Massachusetts and Standard Farms, LLC in Pennsylvania and Ohio. TILT is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.tiltholdings.com . Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about managements current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward looking information may include, without limitation, the Companys ability to expand its product offerings to include concentrates and edibles in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and to add meaningful wholesale revenue the success of TILTs brand strategy, the receipt of any regulatory approvals, the anticipated growth of cannabis markets, the opinions or beliefs of management, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, milestones, strategies and outlook of TILT, and includes statements about, among other things, future developments, the future operations, strengths and strategy of TILT. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are based upon certain material factors, assumptions and analyses that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including TILTs experience and perceptions of historical trends, the ability of TILT to maximize shareholder value, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances. Although such statements are based on managements reasonable assumptions at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that it will be completed on the terms described above and that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. TILT assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by applicable law. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties, and there are a variety of material factors, many of which are beyond the control of TILT, and that may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. For additional information regarding forward-looking statements and their related risks, please refer to the Risk Factors and Uncertainties section in the Management Discussion and Analysis of the Company for the quarter ended on September 30, 2020, which is available on the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com . The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Investor Relations Contact: Taylor Allison investors@tiltholdings.com Media Contact: Ellen Mellody Ellen@mattio.com 570-209-2947 Alusid has appointed David Taylor, former CEO of Amec Developments, a director of the Olympic Development Authority, and chairman of HullCityBuild and Elevate East Lancashire Intellectual property commercialisation specialist ( ) hailed a board appointment at portfolio company Alusid as invaluable. Alusid appointed David Taylor to its board as the representative of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). Taylor, who is the universitys pro-chancellor and chairman of the universitys board, has more than 30 years' experience in the private, public and voluntary sectors, from large-scale urban regeneration projects through start-up companies and green technologies, having been founding chief executive of both English Partnerships and Amec Developments, a director of the Olympic Development Authority, and chairman of HullCityBuild and Elevate East Lancashire. Alusid, which was spun out of UCLan to develop technology that creates premium-quality tiles and other architectural surfaces from recycled industrial waste ceramics, glass and other materials, is scaling up for mass manufacture. Production is to be transformed from 4,000 square metres a year to 30,000 square metres per month as it works with partners including Topps Tiless Parkside Architectural arm, and Panaz Limited. Frontier IP chief executive Neil Crabb said: David's vast experience and contacts in the property sector and his strong interest in green technologies will prove invaluable as Alusid develops. We are delighted he is joining the board. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Labrador Retrievers continued to hold the hearts of dog owners in Denver as they retained the top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in St. Louis, MI and Raleigh, NC. French Bulldogs have slowly gained popularity, moving up the list to secure a 3rd place ranking compared to previous years. German Shorthaired Pointer is another breed that has become a favorite in Denver, debuting at #10 in the top ten list of most popular breeds. The German Shorthaired Pointer's ranking moves the Boxer out of the top ten and into 16th place. "Labrador Retrievers have a special place in the hearts of people in Denver and this is the 6th consecutive year that the Lab has remained in the #1 spot," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "This versatile, family-friendly breed makes a great companion for a wide variety of people." Denver's top 5 breeds for 2020: Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever French Bulldog Bulldog German Shepherd Dog * Registration data pulled from Denver zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ The White House is looking to fulfill one of President Joe Biden's campaign promises by raising taxes for the wealthy and on corporations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki affirmed on Monday. Psaki said at a White House briefing that Biden believes that "those at the top are not doing their part" and "obviously that corporations could be paying higher taxes." Biden put forth several proposals during his presidential campaign that would raise taxes for the wealthy and on corporations by reversing some of the tax cuts that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2017. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday suggested a tax hike could be on the horizon when she said she expects the White House to put forward proposals over time to get deficits under control. [March 16, 2021] StoreDot Appoints Former BP Ventures' David Gilmour as Chairman - Dr. Jon Salkeld, Head of Scientific Innovation, Strategic University & External Partnerships at bp, also joins StoreDot's Board of Directors - Strategic relationship between StoreDot and bp moves forward, leveraging joint expertise to accelerate commercialization of StoreDot's five-minute charging batteries for electric vehicles TEL AVIV, Israel, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- StoreDot, the pioneer of extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs), today announces the appointment of London-based Dr. David Gilmour as Executive Chairman. Gilmour is the former Vice President of Business Development at bp and the former Global Head of bp Ventures. He has served on StoreDot's Board of Directors since 2018. He is replaced as bp's representative on the board by Dr. Jon Salkeld, Head of Scientific Innovations, Strategic University & External Partnerships at bp. Both appointments are effective immediately. Gilmour took over responsibility for bp's venturing activities at the end of 2016, following a 7-year stint running its aviation fuel supply business, Air bp. He has been instrumental in building up a network of high-growth technology businesses to support bp's transition to a fully-integrated energy company, especially in the mobility area. Working alongside StoreDot's executive team, he will play a central role in aligning StoreDot's commercialization strategy with the wider EV ecosystem as the company moves closer to bringing its XFC five-minute charge batteries to market. Gilmour comments: "I'm delighted to be stepping into the role of StoreDot Chairman at such a pivotal time, both for StoreDot and the EV industry as a whole. The rapid rise in EV sales during what was a very challenging 2020 provided yet another signal of consumers' growing confidence and indeed excitement around electric mobility. However, there are still major barriers to overcome before our vision of a fully-electric future can be realized, amongst them the need to bring EV charging times in line with refuelling times for conventional combustion engine vehicles." Gilmour continues: "StoreDt is on the cusp of solving that challenge with its ground-breaking five-minute charging technology, which promises to remove a significant roadblock to mainstream EV adoption range and charging anxiety. The launch in January of engineering samples of its first-generation XFC batteries provided a major proof point for the technology, demonstrating that it is both commercially viable and scalable on conventional production lines. Add to that the company's highly-skilled team, state-of-the-art labs and its wide range of patented technology and it is clear that StoreDot is well positioned to have a significant impact on the future of electric mobility and the clean environment. As Chairman, my priority is to help StoreDot to achieve its mission to eliminate EV range and charging anxiety by aligning its strategy with the wider EV ecosystem." StoreDot's revolutionary FlashBattery XFC technology redefines the chemistry of conventional lithium-ion batteries, taking EV charging times from hours to minutes, which is essential to eliminating range and charging anxiety associated with EV adoption today. This breakthrough is achieved by replacing graphite in the cell's anode with metalloid nano-particles to overcome major issues in safety, battery cycle life and swelling during the charging process. In 2019, StoreDot, in partnership with bp, achieved a world first when it demonstrated the first full live charge of a two-wheeled EV in five minutes. In January 2021, it reached another major milestone when it launched engineering samples of its first-generation battery technology, proving, for the first time, the commercial viability of its XFC technology in a small form factor. It is now planning to release a cell prototype of its second-generation EV battery, which is based on a silicon-dominant anode, later this year. StoreDot CEO Dr. Doron Myersdorf, comments: "2021 has already been a breakthrough year for StoreDot, with the launch of our engineering samples in January proving what we have been advocating for many years that XFC is a commercially-viable and scalable technology. We are now focussed on achieving our next major milestones, including the launch later this year of a prototype of our second-generation, silicon-dominant anode batteries. David's experience of helping disruptive technology providers to scale their operations internationally and achieve mass-market penetration will prove invaluable as we move through these milestones towards full commercialization, working with EV OEMs and other stakeholders to ensure our strategy is fully aligned with the entire EV ecosystem." Myersdorf continues: "We are also delighted to welcome Jon Salkeld to the StoreDot Board of Directors. Jon brings a decade's experience in transportation technology, having been the Technology Director for bp's Advanced Mobility Unit, and, prior to that, the Global Head of Automotive Product Development for Castrol. He has worked closely with StoreDot's team of scientists throughout bp's investment and facilitated the successful EV charging demonstration in 2019." About StoreDot StoreDot is a pioneer of extreme fast charging (XFC) batteries that overcome the critical barrier to mainstream EV adoption range and charging anxiety. The company has revolutionized the conventional Li-ion battery by designing and synthesizing proprietary organic and inorganic compounds, making it possible to fully charge an EV in just five minutes the same time it takes to refuel a conventional combustion engine vehicle. StoreDot's battery technology is optimized for best driver experience with XFC in Li-ion batteries, as well as future generations designed for extreme energy density (XED). StoreDot's strategic investors include bp, Daimler, Samsung Ventures and TDK. In 2019, the company achieved a world first by demonstrating the live full charge of a two-wheeled EV in just five minutes. Moving XFC battery technology from the lab to a commercially viable product for the first time, StoreDot has launched engineering samples of its first-generation batteries that are designed to be manufactured at scale on traditional Li-lion production lines. For more information see: www.store-dot.com. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1456431/StoreDot_Dr_David_Gilmour.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1456432/StoreDot_Dr_Jon_Salkeld.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Bus fares will be free for disabled people in the Bay of Plenty by July, a move a disability advocate says is awesome. The announcement, by Bay of Plenty Regional Council Regional Transport Committee chairman Lyall Thurston at a Rotorua Lakes Council committee meeting last week, was met with applause. The scheme is expected to impact fare revenue by $139,000. Thurston was attending the district council meeting as part of the regional councils consultation process for its 2021-2031 Long-term Plan. "We're sitting here telling you what we're going out to consult on, I'm going to tell you something we're not going to consult on which will get you really excited, he told the committee. "One in five New Zealanders have a disability which impacts on their daily life and we are ... going to be rolling out free fares for mobility [impaired] and severely disabled people in this community in the foreseeable future." On Monday, Thurston told Local Democracy Reporting the plan was to replicate a template established by the Waikato Regional Council, which made fares free for people with disabilities in 2019. It was extended to carers at the end of 2020. The free bus travel in Waikato was available to people with a permanent or short-term disability of longer than six months. Bay of Plenty Regional councillor Lyall Thurston (centre) at the Rotorua district council on Thursday last week. Photo / Andrew Warner / Rotorua Daily Post. Thurston, who is a former president of CCS Disability Action said making fares free for disabled people was long overdue. Its exciting stuff. He says the change is answering a long-held call from people with disabilities, carers and parents and would allow people to better engage in their communities. Thurston said he wanted the scheme rolled out yesterday. He hoped it would be extended to carers as had been done in Waikato. Rotorua resident Tim Lee, who uses a wheelchair, says he didnt personally use buses but says it's a very inclusive thing to do. Its a positive step in the right direction. Fellow wheelchair user, CCS Disability Action access co-ordinator Max Hales says it's awesome. It will help disabled people use public transport more and get out into the community more. He hopes the idea will catch on nationwide, a sentiment echoed by Midland region general manager Colene Herbert, who challenged all councils to do the same. CCS Disability Action Midland region general manager Colene Herbert. Photo / Supplied. Disabled Persons Assembly chief executive Prudence Walker says her group is excited by the decision. Weve heard from disabled people in Waikato that the free bus concessions have made a real difference to their lives. People are able to get out and visit people and do things that they would never have done before because cost was a barrier. She says statistics suggest disabled people are more likely to be lonely than non-disabled people, with disabled people being four times more likely to feel lonely most of the time than non-disabled people. Removing the cost barrier of public transport is one practical step that we can take to enable disabled peoples greater participation in their community. Bay of Plenty Regional Council transport and urban planning manager James Llewellyn confirms people with a permanent mobility impairment will be eligible for free fares on all regional council-contracted urban and inter-regional bus services. It included anyone with a permanent mobility impairment that meant they could not drive a private vehicle, which included members of the councils Total Mobility scheme. Total Mobility is a council programme which helps people with serious mobility constraints access subsidised door-to-door transport. Llewellyn says the permanent mobility impairment could be physical, intellectual, psychological, sensory or neurological. The scheme does not include people with temporary disabilities or caregivers. He says the regional council is working with disability groups and agrees assessors in the lead up to July 1 to promote the concession and start the application process. An application form was under development and once ready would be made available in hard copy and online. He says the reduction in fare revenue is expected to be $139,000 each year. European health ministers will discuss the future of AstraZeneca Plcs Covid-19 vaccine after a growing number of countries suspended its use to examine side effects, potentially throwing the regions already slow inoculation campaign further off track. The ministers will gather virtually on Tuesday to discuss their response, ahead of the latest findings by the European Medicines Agency, the regional drugs regulator, which plans to decide on the next steps on Thursday. At stake is the future of one main building block of Europes vaccine push, where AstraZeneca was due to account for about a fifth of all doses in the second quarter. "We cannot afford a single doubt over the vaccines efficiency," French Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said on France Info radio on Tuesday. The AstraZeneca CEO, Pascal Soriot, is in the hot seat and he knows it." With infection numbers creeping up again in countries like Germany, the risk of further vaccine shortages will increase pressure on politicians who have been punished for a lackluster immunization program. German Chancellor Angela Merkel saw her party slump to its worst ever results in two state elections on Sunday. In France, President Emmanuel Macron is running neck and neck with his populist rival Marine Le Pen in polls for next years presidential election. The European Commission is expected to tell ministers to wait until the blocs drugs regulator gives its verdict on Thursday and to act upon this recommendation. The Commission will also sound the alarm over millions of unused doses in member states, according to a person familiar with the matter. Damage done The EU has received 14 million doses from AstraZeneca so far, and could have taken in about 120 million doses in the next six months. Of the AstraZeneca doses delivered to the EU, almost 8 million have not been administered, or more than half. That compares with just 13% for the shot provided by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. Some 30 million AstraZeneca doses are due to be delivered by the end of this quarter, with more coming in the next three months. The European Commission has committed to immunizing 70% of adults by the end of September, but the latest precautions could push back efforts by at least a couple of weeks and potentially longer, according to London-based research firm Airfinity Ltd. The precautions could push back efforts to hit that threshold by at least a couple of weeks and potentially longer -- to September instead of August -- according to London-based research firm Airfinity Ltd. Such delays would come at a high price by keeping businesses under virus restrictions for longer. For each week that restrictions linger, we estimate the economic loss is roughly 3% of gross domestic product," said Maeva Cousin, and economist at Bloomberg Economics. That equates to nearly 17 billion euros for a two-week delay." Even before the suspension, the UK-based companys shot, jointly developed with the University of Oxford, had grappled with production delays, which the company attributed in part to typical teething issues with a new product. As a result, Cambridge-based Astra will only be able to deliver about 100 million doses to the EU in the first half of the year, it said last week, about a third of the number originally planned. Questions over the safety of the AstraZeneca shot have inserted an extra dose of bitterness into the blocs troubled relations with the U.K. government, which has been vaunting the vaccine as a vindication of British ingenuity. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is meeting his colleagues from six neighbouring countries later on Tuesday, whose leaders have complained about an uneven" distribution of vaccines in the EU. Risk and reward While the move to suspend is temporary and precautionary pending the EMAs assessment, it stands to further damage the public perception of a vaccine already plagued by a flawed trial, production shortfalls and a public spat with officials in Brussels accusing the company of violating its contractual supply obligations. Shortly after the governments announced the suspensions, the EMA stuck to its view that the vaccines benefits in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risks of side effects." A longer review or a permanent ban would deal a more serious blow to the EUs vaccination program," Eurasia Group analyst Federico Santi wrote in a note. It could mean the EU may not achieve a level of vaccinations consistent with a meaningful easing of restrictions in many member states until the end of the second quarter, rather than mid-Spring as we are currently expecting." The suspension contrasts with AstraZenecas positive run in the U.K., where Prime Minister Boris Johnson is championing a rapid vaccination push and continues to deem the shot safe to use. Political perils The response to possible side-effects puts additional pressure on countries at a time parts of Europe fall back into lockdowns. Italy has reintroduced harsher measures, and parts of Germany have also seen an increase in infections, prompting some medical experts to demand a tightening of the restrictions from which Europes largest economy was just starting to emerge. German Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters in Berlin on Monday that the decision to suspend was professional, not political." Still, the move drew a rebuke from some other lawmakers given the low numbers of possible blood-clot findings. AstraZenecas vaccine is one of four that have been approved in the EU, alongside shots from Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna Inc., and Johnson & Johnson. With supplies from J&J yet to arrive and doses of Moderna limited, that means the bulk of immunizations in many countries will now be conducted with Pfizer-BioNTech. After Denmark became one of the first countries in the region to suspend the AstraZeneca shot, the EMA said on March 11 that the number of clots in vaccinated people was no higher than the number seen in the general population -- totaling 30 cases among 5 million people who had received the vaccine. Neighboring Sweden has stuck with the vaccine, with the countrys medical products agency saying the benefits of the shot outweigh its risks. Serious blow Responding to the suspensions, AstraZeneca said its working with national health authorities and European officials. Around 17 million people in the EU and UK have now received our vaccine, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population," AstraZeneca said in a statement. Belgium and Austria said late Monday that they would continue using the Astra shot, but would keep a close watch on the situation. Its a very good vaccine that protects people against this terrible disease," Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said, according to Le Soir newspaper. In the UK, Johnson also defended the vaccine. He said Monday that the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is one of the toughest and most experienced regulators in the world" and sees no reason at all" to discontinue its use. The tally of people who have received their first dose has passed 26 million in the country. Anthony Harnden, the deputy chairman of the UKs Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told the BBC that about 3,000 blood clots a month are common in the general population of the country, and that such a diagnosis is bound to happen simultaneously with the vaccination, rather than being caused by it. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Maharashtra, which is the worst-hit state from coronavirus in the country at the moment, has decided to impose strict restrictions to further prevent the spread of the COVID-19. The Maharashtra government has ordered all cinema halls and offices to function at 50 per cent capacity till March 31. In addition to this, no one will be allowed inside these establishments without wearing a mask and a temperature check. These restrictions will be applicable to shopping malls too. However, the 50 per cent capacity rule will not apply to offices dealing with health and other essential services. Furthermore, the state government has also put a ban on social and cultural gatherings till March 31, with only 50 people to be present at weddings. Action will be taken against the owners of premises (such as wedding halls) if these norms are flouted, the government said. And, for the last rites of a person, no more than 20 people will be allowed to be present. The state government has also directed the management trusts of religious places to ensure the use of face masks, and provision of hand sanitisers along with adequate arrangements to check the body temperature of all visitors. Besides, the management trusts will also have to inform the state government about the arrival of the maximum number of visitors per hour. For people undergoing home isolation, the Maharashtra government has asked them to inform local authorities along with the contact information of their doctor. Also, the government has asked them to put up a board on the door for 14 days from the beginning to indicate the presence of a COVID-19 patient. In addition, a home quarantine stamp will be affixed on the COVID-positive patient and family members will be advised to restrict their movements and strictly adhere to the use of face masks. Until Monday, Maharashtra reported 15,051 new coronavirus cases and 48 fatalities. Mumbai city reported 1,713 new cases of infection, Pune city 1,122, Aurangabad city 657, Nagpur city 2,094, Nashik city 671. Overall, Maharashtra's COVID-19 caseload has surged to 23,29,464. The state's recovery rate is 92.07 per cent, while the case fatality rate is 2.27 percent. Currently, 6,23,121 people are in-home quarantine and 6,114 in institutional quarantine. As per the latest data, a total of 28,19,888 beneficiaries have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in 1,556 centres in Maharashtra. Also read: Boris Johnson to visit India in April, his first major foreign trip after Brexit Also read: US overtakes Saudi Arabia to become India's second biggest oil supplier Victor Dedjoe, a brother of Prince Charles Dedjoe, the businessman who is in the grips of the police over the alleged murder of his wife says he cant forgive himself over her death. Mr Dedjoe who has described himself as a confidant of the deceased said he was privy to every detail of the marriage including its low and high moments. She calls me all the time to tell me everything that happens in their home. She told me about the incidence that resulted in the husband hitting her with his slippers. According to Dr Dedjoe, Lilian once seized her husbands gun and it took him to convince her to give the gun to her husband. Speaking exclusively on Adom FMs Dwaso Nsem show, the Kumasi-based doctor said he could have changed the narrative. I cannot forgive myself and I feel guilty because, throughout Lilians troubles, I could have gotten her a doctor to speak to her because I could see that she was very depressed. Dr Dedjoe said he was in full support for justice to take its course, adding that if his brother is guilty, so be it, if not then so be it. Madam Lillian Dodjoe, reportedly died on Saturday, March 6, 2021 under circumstances that have become a subject of police investigation. Lilians husband, Prince Charles Dedjoe has since been remanded by a Madina District Court as investigations continue. Source: adomonline.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 By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - Results of AstraZeneca Plc's U.S. COVID-19 vaccine trial are being reviewed by independent monitors, and emergency authorization could come in about a month, a top U.S. official said on Monday. The independent monitors are analyzing data from the 32,000-person U.S. study to determine whether the vaccine is safe and effective. If the results are positive and all goes well, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would review the data and issue the authorization, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said in an interview. Collins estimates that the FDA would need about three weeks to analyze the trial data, after which an expert advisory panel will meet and vote on whether to recommend authorization. Independent monitoring boards periodically review data during clinical trials to make sure no safety problems crop up, and can halt studies early if it determines a drug or vaccine is likely to fail or is clearly going to be a success. The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, has been authorized for use in the European Union and many countries based on separate trial data. U.S. regulators have been waiting for the U.S. data. Several EU countries have halted administering the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports from Denmark and Norway of possible serious side effects, including bleeding and blood clots. Asked about those issues, Collins said he has not personally seen the data but has been "pretty reassured" by statements from European regulators that the problems could be occurring by chance, and are not related to the vaccine. With so many people being vaccinated, Collins said, some are bound to experience a blood clot around the same time they receive a vaccine. "It's not clear at all" that people who receive the vaccine get blood clots at an increased rate, Collins said, adding "there may be a bit of an overreaction to something that is unrelated to the vaccine itself." Story continues A World Health Organization expert said on Monday he sees no association between reports of blood clots and the AstraZeneca vaccine and urged people not to panic. Asked about the emergence of more contagious viral variants that could evade vaccine protection, Collins said studies so far suggest that currently authorized vaccines from Pfizer Inc, Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson will be protective. "We do not feel that we are in a difficult situation that requires immediate action in the U.S., but we've got to watch this really closely," said Collins, a geneticist who has led the NIH since 2009. COVID-19 vaccine makers have already started work on booster doses of their shots that specifically target a concerning variant first discovered in South Africa. Those would be ready by the end of 2021 or early 2022. It will not be clear until this summer or fall whether a booster dose is necessary, Collins said. "I really hope that doesn't happen, but I think we would be foolish not to plan for that just in case, and so planning is happening," he said. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and Michael Erman in New York; Editing by Peter Henderson and Bill Berkrot) Ambassador of Belarus S.Terentiev meets the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt On March 14th, 2021 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Arab Republic of Egypt Sergei Terentiev met with the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt Badr Abdel Aty. During the meeting the parties discussed topical issues of the Belarusian-Egyptian agenda and interaction of the two countries in international organizations. The interlocutors noted the high potential between Belarus and Egypt for the development of political dialogue, strengthening of trade, economic and humanitarian interaction, stressing the need to intensify joint efforts to develop cooperation in the field of tourism. print version Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The "European Synthetic Fibers Market 2020-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The European market for synthetic fibers is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. According to the European Commission in 2017, synthetic fibers such as polyester, acrylics, and elastane make up around 75% of the total fiber market in Europe. There are various pivotal factors such as a well-established chemical sector, increased production in textile sector, and considerable growth in eco-friendly building construction industry that are driving the European synthetic fibers market. The market is classified on the basis of type and application. Based on type, the market is segmented into acrylics, polyolefin, polyester, nylon, and others such as acetate. The polyester segment is projected to have considerable growth during the forecast period. The application market is further segregated into automotive, clothing, home furnishing, filtration, and others. The automotive application segment is estimated to have considerable growth in the market owing to the growing demand for lightweight vehicles to reduce fuel consumption. Geographically, the European synthetic fibers market is further classified into the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Rest of Europe. Companies Mentioned Asahi Kasei Corp. BASF SE China Petrochemical Corp. (Sinopec) DuPont de Nemours, Inc. Eastman Chemical Co. Koninklijke DSM N.V., Lenzing AG Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. NV Bekaert SA Radici Partecipazioni SpA Sika AG SGL Carbon SE Toray Industries, Inc. W. Barnet GmbH Co. KG The Report Covers: Comprehensive research methodology of the European synthetic fibers market. This report also includes a detailed and extensive market overview with key analyst insights. An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations. Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the European synthetic fibers market. Insights about market determinants that are stimulating the European synthetic fibers market. Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues. Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players. Key Topics Covered: 1. Report Summary 1.1. Research Methods and Tools 1.2. Market Breakdown 1.2.1. By Segments 1.2.2. By Geography 2. Market Overview and Insights 2.1. Scope of the Report 2.2. Analyst Insight Current Market Trends 2.2.1. Key Findings 2.2.2. Recommendations 2.2.3. Conclusion 2.3. Rules Regulations 3. Market Determinants 3.1. Motivators 3.2. Restraints 3.3. Opportunities 4. Market Segmentation 4.1. European Synthetic Fibers Market by Type 4.1.1. Acrylics 4.1.2. Polyolefin 4.1.3. Polyester 4.1.4. Nylon 4.1.5. Others (Acetate) 4.2. European Synthetic Fibers Market by Application 4.2.1. Automotive 4.2.2. Clothing 4.2.3. Home Furnishing 4.2.4. Filtration 4.2.5. Others (Medical) 5. Regional Analysis 5.1. UK 5.2. Germany 5.3. France 5.4. Italy 5.5. Spain 5.6. Rest of Europe 6. Company Profiles 6.1. Asahi Kasei Corp. 6.2. BASF SE 6.3. China Petrochemical Corp. (Sinopec) 6.4. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. 6.5. Eastman Chemical Co. 6.6. Koninklijke DSM N.V., 6.7. Lenzing AG 6.8. Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. 6.9. NV Bekaert SA 6.10. Radici Partecipazioni SpA 6.11. Sika AG 6.12. SGL Carbon SE 6.13. Toray Industries, Inc. 6.14. W. Barnet GmbH Co. KG For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ko3b0o View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005563/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 According to the Daily Mail, U.K. sources say that Meghan Markle wants to run for President of the United States: Meghan Markle will use the furore over her interview with Oprah to launch a political career which could take her all the way to the White House, if rumours circulating around Westminster last week turn out to be accurate. One senior Labour figure a veteran of Tony Blairs Downing Street administration with strong links to Washington claimed to The Mail on Sunday that Ms Markle, 39, was networking among senior Democrats with a view to building a campaign and fundraising teams for a tilt at the US Presidency. Last night, a source close to the Duchess of Sussex declined to comment. That last observation seems telling. Meghans friends have previously encouraged speculation about her political ambitions describing her rise from modest beginnings as the embodiment of the American dream. I am not sure the American dream traditionally revolves around marrying a Prince, but whatever. Does Meghan have a real shot at high office? By normal standards, one would scoff. Especially since her interview with Oprah has gone over like a lead balloon, at least in England. The London Times finds: Meghans scores have also fallen sharply. Only 31 per cent of people have a positive opinion of her, while 58 per cent have a negative opinion, a net rating of minus 27, down from minus 14 just over a week ago. The DM analogizes Markles presidential ambitions to those of Ronald Reagan, who, like Markle, started out as an actor before going into politics. To which I can only say: I knew Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was a friend of mine. And Meghan, you are no Ronald Reagan. Mockery aside, Markles political ambitions seem to be in tune with the times. She is playing the victim card as a black woman, although she is paler than many whites. Common sense suggests that it is hard to be a victim when you are a multimillionaire Duchess and your child is the great-grandson of the Queen of England. But then, Michelle Obama absurdly claimed to be a victim, as have countless college professors, intellectuals, students, and even business people. So why not Meghan? Joe Biden obviously wont be the Democratic Party candidate for president in 2024. So a skeptic might ask: why is Kamala Harris any better suited to be president than the Duchess of Sussex, and is there any reason to think that Harris would do better in the general election than the Duchess? Further, the dominant quality of our age is whininess, and the Duchess of Sussex is perhaps the whiniest person in the world. So maybe the woman and the hour have met. In the degraded state to which our politics have sunk, it is hard to rule anything out. Canadas Nabati Foods Global has raised more than CAD7.7m (US$6.1m) through a private placement of so-called special warrants after taking over Nabati Foods Inc., a plant-based business serving North America. Vancouver-based Nabati priced the warrants at 50 Canadian cents each to partly fund the companys proposed application to obtain a public listing on the Canadian Stock Exchange. It will also use the proceeds to develop the business, including a planned plant expansion and the purchase of new equipment. The company said it has acquired Nabati Foods Inc. through a share-exchange agreement involving the issue of 14m common shares to the shareholders of the acquired business. Nabati Foods chief executive Ahmad Yehya said in a statement: This financing puts Nabati in an even more robust position to expand our production capacity to meet growing demand from grocery, foodservice, and industrial customers, while also supporting product development and innovation. Alchemer is a professional survey software tool with extensive question types and countless other features. Please take my survey now "Our team has put in the legwork to build a company with the highest quality plant-based products, and that commitment to quality is starting to pay off, with demand exploding over the past year." Nabati's portfolio includes dairy-free cheesecakes, cheese alternatives, and plant-based meats and seafood such as faux chicken and fish burgers. All of its products, which are sold in Canada and the US, are free from gluten, dairy and eggs, are non-GMO and certified as vegan. Executive chairman Don Robinson said Nabati plans to expands its presence across North America "and eventually into Europe, commensurate with the demonstrated interest from investors and customers". Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Ace Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji, has taken to social media to advise young women who pray to marry rich men. The mother of one via her Instagram page talked about how young ladies should focus on being their boss rather than praying to marry rich men. According to her, young women should find and fight for their dreams rather than praying to get a rich man. She took to her verified Instagram page with over 6.2 million followers and wrote: Dear young lady, instead of praying to God for a rich man to locate you, why dont you pray to God to make you a rich man? Because what happens if the rich man leaves? you start hustling for another one? Cmon, thats too much stress . Below is her post on IG: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Linda Ikeji (@officiallindaikeji) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Linda Ikeji (@officiallindaikeji) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Linda Ikeji (@officiallindaikeji) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Linda Ikeji (@officiallindaikeji) 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 Offering a rationale for the $26 billion deal, the companies said Canadas communications industry was at an inflection point, with the ability to scale and make 5G a reality for all Canadians thus meaning closing the connectivity gap was never more important. They added that 5G was redefining the innovation landscape and that significant multibillion-dollar investments were needed to deliver the connectivity that communities, consumers and businesses not only need but also deserve.The merger will see the coming together of the company that claims to run Canadas largest and most reliable 5G network and Rogers boasts that when it can combine its scale, capital and experience with Shaws existing cable and fibre-to-the-home and wireless networks it will be able to deliver no less than transformational technology to Canadian consumers more quickly and more efficiently than either company could do on its own.Indeed, the companies say that the transaction will create Canadas most robust wholly-owned national network, and as a result of the combined teams and enhanced capacity, will generate more choice and competition for businesses, as well as realising the full benefits of next generation networks for Canadian. Once the transaction is complete, the companies plan to invest $2.5 billion in 5G networks across Western Canada, which the firms say is expected to create up to 3,000 net new jobs.Our two companies have been successful because of the foresight and vision of two great founders who were driven by their unrelenting pioneering spirit and entrepreneurial values, said Shaw Communications executive chair and CEO, Brad Shaw commenting on the deal. While unlocking tremendous shareholder value, combining these two great companies also creates a truly national provider with the capacity to invest greater resources expeditiously to build the wireline and wireless networks that all Canadians need for the long term. This transaction will create benefits for generations to come.We are proud to join forces with the Shaw family and team as we combine our companies and our 10,000 team members across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, added Rogers Communications president and CEO Joe Natale. Were at a critical inflection point where generational investments are needed to make Canada-wide 5G a reality. 5G is about nation-building; its vital to boosting productivity and will help close the connectivity gap faster in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. A prisoner who mercilessly bashed a prison guard to 'within an inch of his life' may be moved from his maximum security prison to a lower security facility. Brian Lafaitele was mid-way through a five year prison sentence when he savagely bashed prison officer Greg Sands at Woodford Correctional Centre in Queensland. Prison officers are understood to be 'furious' at the plans to move Lafaitele to Borallon Training and Correctional Centre. The move is allegedly the first step to being reintegrated into the general prison population. Brian Lafaitele bashed Greg Sands (pictured) into this state and there are now plans to move him to a lower security prison Prison sources told the Courier Mail that staff are worried Lafaitele will attack again if he is moved to a less secure unit at another jail. Officers are reportedly astonished that the prisoner who almost killed a guard may be moved to a lower security prison. 'It will be - almost kill an officer and get rewarded and sent to Borallon,' sources told the newspaper. In 2014, Brian Lafaitele was sentenced to five years in prison after he was involved in a two-hour high speed car chase south of Brisbane where he hit and injured a police officer. He was originally charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty in 2016 to more than a dozen charges, including to assault or obstruct a police officer. He was sentenced to five years prison and has been serving at Woodford Correctional Centre, 100km north of Brisbane. Lafaitele was is being held at Woodford Correctional Centre in the maximum security unit In December 2018 when he was told he would be sharing a cell with another inmate he brutally bashed prison officer Greg Sands. Lafaitele punched and kicked Mr Sands leaving him unrecognisable. The attack left Mr Sands with a broken nose, cheek, eye sockets and jaw resulting numerous facial reconstruction surgeries. Lafaitele had his non-parole period extended by a year and he has spent the last two years in Woodford's maximum security unit. Mr Sands has not been able to return to work and says he, 'will never fully recover.' He shared his experience to a Facebook group for correctional officers, 'I could not see for nine days and had to drink my food for three months.' Mr Sands said it was the attack's impact on his family that affected him most. Greg Sands was flown to hospital and required multiple facial reconstruction surgeries 'It's two years now and I still have not recovered and I will never fully recover.' 'But you know what really cuts me deepest [to] this day?' 'Seeing my children pale, crying, shaking in the ICU. Seeing their dad who they cannot recognise and not knowing is he was going to live or die.' 'To this day, that thought rips my guts out and probably will forever.' The Courier Mail reported that Michael Thomas from Together Union said they had 'significant concerns' about the planned move. 'We have significant concerns that the prisoner is still a risk,' he said. Greg Sands admitted that he would never recover from the brutal bashing he received by an inmate 'We have raised those concerns with the department and are seeking an urgent response.' Queensland Corrective Services said in a statement that, 'decisions relating to prisoners who are in Maximum Security Units are very carefully considered, with input from officers, multi-disciplinary teams including health experts.' 'Transitioning MSU prisoners to lower classification accommodation is always accompanied by an Intensive Management Plan' Lafaitele became eligible for parole in February. The UK oil industry is facing a marked decline in production due to a drop in investment amid the pandemic, Bloomberg reports, citing data from Oil & Gas UK. Oil production in the country already declined by 5 percent annually last year and will continue down, as spending on development and operations took a 23-percent dive to the lowest level since 2004, the industry body said. Most companies in our industry remain in a fragile state, even as economies start to reopen, chief executive Deirdre Michie said. This year is likely to remain highly challenging, as companies continue to navigate the operational issues associated with the pandemic. The organization sees oil production in the UK declining by another 5 to 7 percent this year and next, not just because of lower development spending but also because of maintenance outages that we delayed last year because of the pandemic. The report comes on the heels of news that the UK government is considering a ban on new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. The idea, The Telegraph reported earlier this week, is to facilitate the UKs efforts in achieving its 2050 net-zero emission goals. According to the report, the ban, if agreed, will not come into effect soon but possibly from 2040. A temporary ban on licenses is also on the table. Any curtailment of activity by licensing constraints risks impeding the UKs ability to deliver a net-zero future, damaging our domestic supply chain and increasing energy imports whilst exporting the jobs and skills, Oil & Gas UKs sustainability director, Mike Tholen, said in comments soon after the reports publication. Our industry is leading the way on green technologies, including the switch to hydrogen and long-term storage of CO2. Achieving this through UK companies will require significant investment and we continue to work constructively with government to show this industry has the essential expertise and commitment to ensure delivery. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Advertisement Chilling pictures have emerged revealing a glimpse inside the 'The House of Cadifor' where a self-proclaimed 'kinky sex overlord' allegedly kept six women as slaves. The Australian Federal Police released images from inside James Robert Davis' sprawling rural estate near Armidale, northern New South Wales, after spending 15 hours raiding the property on Thursday. The property is dotted with several small wooden huts located several hundred metres away from the main home, featuring single beds, no air-conditioning and curtains that do little to keep out the light. Four large wooden sandboxes engraved with women's names are also located nearby, along with a shed complete with a barber's chair and boxes filled with whips, collars and other sex instruments. James Robert Davis (pictured), 40, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police on Thursday afternoon and charged with several slavery offences The Australian Federal Police raided the sprawling rural property of James Robert Davis about 30km outside Armidale, northern New South Wales, on Thursday Pictures released by the Australian Federal Police following their raid show the property contained small wooden huts with single beds The property also contained a shed which had a barber's chair and boxes filled with whips, collars and other sex instruments Four large wooden sandboxes with women's names engraved on the side are pictured on the property Pictured is a supplied Australian Federal Police photo of their Thursday afternoon raid on the sprawling rural estate Davis - a 17-year veteran of the Australian Defence Force - was arrested outside the Armidale Bunnings following the raid and later charged with possessing a slave, reducing a person to slavery and causing a person to remain in servitude. The charges relate to the alleged slavery of a woman between between 2012 and 2015 in Maroubra, Sydney's south, years before he moved to his Yarrowyck property, about 30km outside of Armidale. 'Police allege the man manipulated an alleged victim between 2012 to 2015 for a so-called 'cult', and the victim was later subjected to ongoing physical, sexual and psychological abuse and degradation,' Australian Federal Police said in a statement. The woman was allegedly engaged in prostitution under the coercive control of Davis and did not receive payment for her involvement. Police also allege the woman was physically assaulted by Davis and subjected to death threats after expressing her desire to leave. More than 50 AFP investigators and forensic specialists spent last week searching Davis' Yarrowyck property and seized phones, cameras and computers. AFP vision is pictured of the moment Davis was arrested by officers outside the Bunnings in Armidale, northern New South Wales on Thursday afternoon The pictures provide a glimpse inside the 'The House of Cadifor', of which Davis refers to himself as the patriarch, police allege A bed located inside one of the small wooden huts on the property, with curtains that do little to block out the light Several small wooden huts are scattered throughout the rural property, several hundred metres from the main home Images released by the Australian Federal Police show the property contained a shed with large wooden doors Davis had allegedly been living with six women at his rural home who had signed slavery contracts and were in his 'possession'. The AFP said Davis allegedly referred to himself as the patriarch of a group known as the 'House of Cadifor'. Davis appeared in Inverell Local Court on Friday, where no application for bail was made. He is next due to appear in Armidale Local Court on Wednesday. Police said the current charges relate to one alleged victim but more charges could potentially be laid. Davis had in 2018 featured in the television series 'Cadifor: A story about love, family and slavery'. More than 50 AFP investigators and forensic specialists last week searched the property in rural NSW and sezied phones, cameras and computers An Australian Federal Police supplied picture of multiple cabins on the rural NSW property Davis (centre) had allegedly been living with six women he called 'slaves' at his home in Armidale in northern New South Wales Davis had previously served with the Australian Defence Force for 17 years, he claims He moved to Armidale - which he described as a 'highly conservative town' - after serving 17 years in the military, he claims. Davis constructed a dungeon, called House of Cadifor: Fetish Playroom, in the basement of his home as he was eager to get out of Sydney. He has previously described himself as a 'rope performer, fetish photographer, BDSM writer, kink educator, lifestyle dominant and consent advocate'. From Grocery Store Merchandise to COVID-19 Vaccines, the 2021 Florida Supply Chain Summit Explains It All By Keith Morelli TAMPA (March 10, 2021) -- Florida, already on the map as a hub for global commerce, now is looking to go where no supply chain executive has gone before. Space. And automated vehicles. And connections between commercial carriers and traffic lights. And delivering life-saving vaccines chilled to 94 degrees below zero. These were just some of the topics discussed in the 2021 Florida Supply Chain Summit, hosted by the USF Muma College of Business Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability. The daylong event featured more than two dozen speakers addressing hundreds of virtual attendees involved in the supply chain field. To view a recording of the conference, click here. The timing could not be better, as consumers eyes are now opened to significant shocks to the global supply chain during the pandemic. Rarely have supply-chain leaders had to work through such challenging, complex and uncertain conditions, which illustrates the need for professionals to effectively build and manage resilient supply chains. The 2021 Florida Supply Chain Summit was organized by a steering committee that includes representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation, Datex, Port Tampa Bay, World Trade Center Miami and the USF Muma College of Business. Much of the talk focused on the economic recovery from the pandemic, what has been done and what needs to be done. It also revealed what may come down the road, with advancements in technology and the tweaks in transportation models. On the Commercial Space Industry Mark Bontrager serves as vice president for Spaceport Operations for Space Florida, where he is responsible for the development and operations of Space Floridas Spaceport assets. Space is kind of where rail was in the late 1800s or where air travel was after World War I, he said. There is tremendous activity and growth in this domain and we in Florida are privileged to be a part of this. We need to draw commercial space businesses to Florida, he said. One day, millions of people will be working in space and supply chain needs to come into play. Power, water, food, all the things you need to survive on earth, you will need in space. We soon will return to the moon, and mars and we see Florida as a hub for global space commerce. Spaceports are the next logistics frontier, said Wayne Lambert, office manager of spaceports with the Florida Department of Transportation. We must deploy funding to encourage long-term space exploration to make Florida the place for space, he said. Over the past decade, FDOT spaceport improvement program participated in 37 projects, he said. This program was really put into place to grow the commercial space industry to Florida and keep it in Florida. The job growth we see in this industry carries a tremendous economic benefit, he said. We are building this industry in a way that is going to make Florida a leader for decades to come. On Automated Commercial Vehicles Raj Ponnaluri, a connected vehicles engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation, said the department is embracing the concept of connected and automated vehicles. Automated vehicles drive themselves while connected vehicles can be driverless and receive electronic directives from the lead vehicle. The state wants to make sure the futuristic technology is safe, enhances mobility, inspires innovation and fosters talent. We think Florida is leading the nation, he said. The FDOT puts safety and mobility at the forefront. We have a strong and well-funded connected and automated vehicles program. Connected and automated vehicles include not just driverless trucks, but also a concept called platooning. That is where two trucks are electronically connected, one following closely behind the other resulting in better fuel economy, said Richard Bishop, CEO of Bishop Consulting. The first generation of connected vehicles used human drivers in each vehicle. The second generation of the technology used only one driver, in the lead vehicle, with the second vehicle following close behind receiving electronic instructions from the lead vehicle. Delays in deliveries costs billions of dollars a year, and an emerging technology may ease some of that loss, said Eric Plapper, with HDR. Technology that coordinates truck movement with traffic signals is in development. This will enable electronic communication between trucks and traffic signals. This technology reduces travel times by 10 percent, he said, and the cost savings are pretty significant. The vehicle sends a message to a traffic signal and the signal sends a message back saying yes or no. On Vaccine Supply Chain Ninety percent of the population has no idea how supply chains operate, said Kevin Smith, president and CEO of Sustainable Supply Chain Consulting. The public assumes they can find what they want where they want at any time. Supply chain experts talked about the efforts and challenges in distributing the vaccine over the past couple of months. Brad Parrish, vice president of engineering with FedEx who has 30 years of supply chain experience, ticked off some of the challenges: Cold storage, refrigerated trucks, refrigerated docks, dry ice; when we talk about the cold chain this is only a portion of it. Matt Cook is a senior director of Centralized Services Business Partnerships with Walgreens. Walgreens is a center where the public receives vaccines. We are in the middle of it, he said. We have 9,200 locations out there and we have all aspects of COVID-19 delivery. We see challenges that everyone else faces with refrigeration and availability and we are not involved with just the last mile, but the last inch, putting the needle in the arm. On Floridas Economic Recovery With the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a backdrop, supply chain experts Tuesday predicted a somewhat rosy future for Floridas economy, which has over the past couple of decades, sought to shed the label of being only a tourist capital. The reality is that Florida is positioned to be a hub of global commerce and it took a pandemic to bring that to the forefront. The economy was booming when COVID-19 came to town and while the tourist industry tanked, the supply chain industry kept the state afloat. Experts from as far away as Northern Ireland convened Tuesday to discuss the state of the industry that transports goods from manufacturer to distribution center to stores to homes and into consumers arms. Manuel Mencia, senior vice president of international trade and development for Enterprise Florida, agreed the states economy suffered through the pandemic, but he predicted great things over the next year or two. His comments summed up the consensus of experts discussing Floridas recovering economy Obviously, weve taken a beating, he said during a panel discussion Tuesday morning. There are certain challenges unique to us that we face. From last year, our exports fell. However, we remained the sixth largest exporter in the U.S. Thats good news, he said. Coming out of the pandemic, one of our challenges will be our traditional markets in Latin America and the Caribbean. Those are not expected to come out of the pandemic as quickly as the U.S. and the developed world. He said Florida would likely see more of a recovery in 2022 and possibly extending into 2023. That is quick, given what the state has suffered through over the past year. That recovery is beyond Floridas ever-present reputation as only a tourist destination. We finally have convinced the world that we are not your fathers Florida, he said. We are the fourth largest recipient of foreign investment in U.S. I was extremely concerned in the first phase of the pandemic, he said. Now Im convinced, we will emerge as one of the great winners in the U.S. Besides our privileged geographic position, we have always had an excellent port and airport infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the essential nature of effective supply chain operations, including the ability to order online and deliver food, pharmaceuticals and other goods to consumers homes. The significant shocks to the global supply chain during the pandemic opened consumers eyes to the importance of a stable global supply chain. Rarely have supply-chain leaders had to work through such challenging, complex and uncertain conditions. Industry leaders agree that Florida is uniquely situated to emerge as a hub for worldwide trade. There are 15 deep-water ports, 20 commercial service airports, 3,000 miles of freight rail tracks and 122,000 miles of flat highway systems. Mark OConnell, founder and CEO of OCO Gobal, called in from Belfast in Northern Ireland to be a panelist. He has worked with Florida since 2005, bringing trade investment to the state from abroad. Im inspired by how firms have been able to adapt to the new reality in such a short period of time, he said, referring to how the pandemic has shifted business practices around the globe. There is a worry that conventional retail will be shut down for good, that this has created an uneven field. Yet, we see some sectors resilient and thriving during the pandemic. Equally, some areas are coming back faster than others are. Ive sold Florida to investors for many years, he said. I see a good recovery in the second half of 2021, but it might be 2023 before economic levels get back to where they were in 2019. From an international point of view, investors and citizens get envious when they see Floridians having fun again and businesses starting to thrive again. And thats a very positive message. Great Britain will never recognize a sham "referendum" of Russia in Crimea, which is blatant disrespect for Ukrainian and international norms, British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said. "Seven years ago, Russia held a sham 'referendum' in an attempt to legitimize its illegal control of the peninsula. The UK will never recognize this blatant disrespect for Ukrainian and international norms. Our message remains clear: Russia must return Crimea to Ukraine," Simmons wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. Suzanne Wakeman at Perth Childrens Hospital emergency department on Monday. I required security guards to carry my son to the car and hold him in a wheelchair. We have been waiting ever since. Mrs Wakeman says her son is not violent but his thoughts trigger such agitated behaviour that she struggles to physically control him, and she has other children at home. She kept him home from school for the week and after repeated calls to the hospital over its inaction, took him to emergency at 1pm on Monday to wait the seven hours for a bed. Just unbelievable, she said while waiting. We are in a mental health observation room because we werent offered a room with a bed in ED as I was advised they are being kept free as they are respiratory beds due to COVID. Theyve offered us a mattress on the floor and a blanket rather than a bed when I expressed concern about the fact my son goes to bed around 8.30pm if were still waiting as he has a heavy amount of medication and also needs his sleep routine. Dr Wood said the departments behavioural assessment room was used for patients needing a quieter, low-stimulation waiting area. Due to the design safety needed in this room, there are limited furnishings only, he said. A portable mattress and blankets are used in this area according to patient needs and safety. In emails seen by WAtoday to the clinical nurse at PCHs neurology ward last Thursday, the nurse apologised for Mrs Wakemans distress but said the hospital remains extremely busy. The promise of a follow-up email was never met. It is not acceptable to not treat a person who is in obvious need of medical treatment. It is a gross breach of duty of care, Mrs Wakeman said. The government simply needs to inject more funds and there needs to be an overhaul of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in this state for young people. Mrs Wakemans story comes in the wake of WA Chief Psychiatrist Nathan Gibsons December findings that the mental health system was unable to cope with the overall rise in demand, which contributed to the death of 13-year-old Kate Savage last year. Kates mother Meron Savage told WAtoday of her daughters agonising suicide in September after 10 previous attempts and seven hospital admissions, which always resulted in her being turned away without ongoing help. Loading The mental health inpatient unit at PCH is under growing pressure, with high rates of 28-day readmission and an increasing number of children and young people with mental health disorders admitted to other wards in the hospital because of a lack of available specialist mental health beds, Dr Gibson said in his findings. According to PCHs 2019 annual report, its mental health readmissions within 28 days was at 28.5 per cent, more than twice its target of 12 per cent, with the average cost per bed-day in specialised mental health inpatient services reaching $3769 almost $250 more than it should. Dr Gibson found the lack of early intervention and the major gap between PCH and the limited hours of the clinic-based community CAMHS was partly to blame. Kates early history highlights the opportunities that existed, particularly after her first contact with CAMHS, to potentially change the course of her life, Dr Gibson said. According to CAMHS figures, the number of referrals for children up to 17 increased by 51 per cent between 2015 and 2019. And over the past decade, Perth emergency departments have experienced a 403 per cent increase in self-harm, suicide risk, and attempted suicide presentations in children under 13 and 214 per cent increase for 13 to 17-year-olds. Premier Mark McGowan recently pledged $361 million to mental health, including building two specialised emergency centres in Rockingham and Armadale, as well expanding initiatives to support the mental health of young people. But Perth hospitals are at breaking point and the WA branches of the Australian Medical Association and the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine say the promises of the state election will not immediately fix the urgent ramping and lack of beds issues. WAtoday previously reported on a breastfeeding mother who had to wait 13 hours in a wheelchair with a painful 25 centimetre blood clot in her thigh before a hospital bed was found, while a 92-year-old man spent 10 hours ramped in an ambulance. Loading PCHs specialist mental health unit, known as Ward 5A, has 20 beds of which 14 were dedicated to acute cases like Mrs Wakemans son. He has since been admitted to the neurology ward but Mrs Wakeman said her sons only option was to share a room with a five-year-old girl. Dr Wood agreed that PCH was experiencing a high number of children presenting to its emergency department. And at these times, patients and families may have a longer than usual wait to be assessed, he said. We continue to focus on providing the best possible treatment and care for children and young people. This includes our mental health and medical services in the inpatient and community settings. Dr Gibson told WAtoday he would be seeking early assurances from the CAMHS taskforce, chaired by Ms Robyn Kruk, that his recommendations from the review into Kate Savages death would be appropriately considered. And that those recommendations publicly agreed to by the previous government will be actioned in a timely way, he said. The pressures on child and adolescent mental health services in Western Australia remain very high. 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With the coming of Spring just around the corner, many Americans are looking to safely spend sunny days outdoors and reunite with their loved ones, especially those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The U.S. recently achieved a major feat, vaccinating up to 2.92 million people in just one day, a record high according to White House Senior Advisor for COVID Response Andy Slavitt, who took to Twitter to share the news. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci remains cautious about having a more liberal July 4th. The infectious disease expert seemed eager to cancel the Fourth of July using COVID as an excuse to keep people indoors. President Joe Biden is optimistic that some sort of normalcy can be achieved by July 4th after the record high number of vaccinations the U.S. achieved this week. However, Fauci was cautious about the president's hopes. The infectious disease expert believes that people won't have to cancel July 4th using COVID as an excuse if they cooperate and don't pull back on public safety measures, American Greatness reported. "If you wait just a bit longer to give the vaccine program the chance to increase the protection in the community, then it makes pulling back much less risky," Fauci said during Fox News Sunday, as per Politico. "But if you do it prematurely there really is a danger of triggering another surge." Fauci argued that the threat to cancel July 4th using COVID as an excuse relies on whether "plateauing" will occur or not. He explained that a plateauing number of COVID cases is not a victory and on the contrary is a warning sign that the numbers might surge back up, which historically is what happened in the U.S. and is happening in Europe today. He explained that people got complacent once the number of COVID cases plateaued because people "pulled back on public health measures," citing that communities reopened bars and restaurants, and people started forgetting to wear masks and practice other COVID safety precautions. This is what led to another surge and this is what comprises the threat to cancel July 4th using COVID as an excuse. "If the surge back up comes, that would endanger the goal of getting people much more toward normal in the beginning of the summer," Fauci explained. "It's not going to influence the vaccination program or the vaccination rate, but it could influence how soon we get back to normal." Fauci also expressed his disappointment that Texas and Mississippi have lifted their mask mandates and allowed businesses to open at a hundred percent capacity, a move that he called "risky and potentially dangerous." He insisted that the nation must continue to vaccinate people at the rate that it's going now, with up to 3 million vaccinated per day to achieve immunity against the deadly disease. He also insisted on refraining from prematurely pulling back safety measures in communities across the nation because "We are not out of the woods yet." Pune, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bulk Bags A heavy-gauge, reusable shipping solutions Bulk bags have been used for a range of industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical, and other products. However, there is a sharp surge in demand for bulk bags due to the spurring rise in sectors, such as chemicals & fertilizers, food, construction, pharmaceuticals, mining, and others. Besides, rising numbers of businesses and manufacturing sectors add to the bulk bags market growth. The bulk/ jumbo bags are usually in non-woven format with high tensile strength and weather resistance. They are specially developed to offer durability and convenience of carriage with safety, despite their capacity to carry mass quantity. The rising focus of producers and manufacturers on effective and highly protective solutions for international and domestic bulk bag shipments is a key driving force behind the increased market demand. Additionally, substantial investments poured into the product development impact market growth positively. According to Market Research Future (MRFR), the global bulk bags market is expected to touch a valuation of approximately USD 4956.7 million by 2023, growing at a 6.80% CAGR during the forecast period. The market calls for reusable, recyclable, and contamination-free packaging solutions to replace wood and cardboard. The need to prevent damage and contamination to FIBC loads, which customers stressed as a great need, encourages bulk bag manufacturers to develop new solutions in large part. These solutions can meet the demands of producers who require their cargo to arrive undamaged at its destination, whether transporting domestically or internationally. Get Free Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6737 COVID-19 Impact: The COVID-19 pandemic hit the bulk bags market industry severely, causing huge revenue loss to end-use industries like food & beverages and construction. The lockdown halted the production of several key raw materials, which further posed many production challenges, resulting in spiking product prices and lowering the market demand. Manufacturers faced a range of problems, from obtaining raw materials required for the production and deliver end products to attract workers from quarantines. However, in the non-container business, the bulk cargo grew strongly in 2020, especially for fertilizers. Distributors expanded fertilizer warehouses, where they could convert the bulk cargo into bags and load the bags into rail wagons. There was also a capacity upgrade in fertilizer production. Resultantly, the bulk bags market is estimated to witness robust market opportunities with steadily increasing demand. Industry Trends: Recent trends observed in the bulk bag market include 100% biodegradable and sustainable bulk bags designed to deliver strong, durable, and multi-use potential. Also, Brownfield BOPET and greenfield BOPET film line and CPP lines with a water-based oxygen barrier coating for food packaging to achieve oxygen barrier properties on BOPP and CPP films are trending in the market. Other major industry trends include high awareness about the benefits of high tensile strength and weather resistance and the need to optimize the total cost of ownership (TCO) led by relentless competition and margin pressures. Also, increasing complex local, regional, and international connections that need a broad range of transport modes substantiate the market size. Browse In-depth Market Research Report (100 pages) on Bulk Bags https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/bulk-bags-market-6737 Despite the promising prospects, the bulk bags market still witnesses several challenges. These growth impeding factors include the strict government guidelines about the product's sustainability and the high cost required to set up automated production lines. Also, the need to meet different regulatory standards and code mandates for product safety is a major headwind for the market. Segmentation: The bulk bags market analysis is segmented into fabric type, capacity, design, end-users, and region. The fabric type segment is sub-segmented into type A, type B, type C, and type D. The capacity segment is sub-segmented into small (up to 0.75 cu.m), medium (0.75 to 1.5 cu.m), and large (above 1.5 cu.m). The design segment is sub-segmented into u-panel bags, four side panels, baffles, circular/tabular, cross corners, and others. The end-users segment is sub-segmented into chemicals & fertilizers, food, construction, pharmaceuticals, mining, and others. Regional Segmentation: North America dominates the global bulk bags market mainly due to the industrial sector's reliance on heavy-density packaging material. Besides, the rising demand from major chemicals & fertilizers manufacturing companies in the region drives the bulk bags market growth. Spurring rise in food and construction sectors in the region further increases the bulk bags market size in the region. The North American bulk bags market is projected to grow with a considerable market share during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific region holds the second position in the global bulk bags market. The growing manufacturing sector and fertilizer, construction, food, and pharmaceutical industries create substantial market demand. Share Your Queries https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/6737 Moreover, substantial R&D investments made into the packaging technology development and upgrade increase the region's bulk bags market share. India and China are leading bulk bags markets in the region. The European bulk bags market is emerging as a profitable market globally. Increased demand from the pharmaceutical and mining sectors in the region increases the bulk bags market share. Furthermore, the vast adoption of bulk bags propels the market growth. Competitive Analysis: The bulk bags market is witnessing several strategic approaches, such as collaboration, mergers & acquisitions, expansion, and product launches. Leading industry players make strategic investments in research and development activities and foster their expansion plans. Industry players play a pivotal role in providing packaged products to the end consumers. In line with their vision to go local and serve the last mile with the best-in-class innovative and sustainable solutions, players scale up international as and domestic operations. Driven by a robust order and consistent market growth, they double the manufacturing capacity. For instance, recently, on Feb.12, 2021, UFlex Ltd., India's largest flexible packaging material and solutions multinational and a global polymer sciences company, announced the capacity expansion in packaging films with the set up of greenfield BOPET & CPP plant in Karnataka, India. The expansion decision is based on the surging demand of multiple lines from businesses and newer clients. UFlex has also expanded its jumbo bags line developed for the Indian markets. These bulk bags are in non-woven format with high tensile strength and weather resistance. The bag offers durability and convenience of carriage with safety, despite its capacity to carry mass quantity. Key players involved in the market are Greif Inc.(US), Berry Global Group, Inc (US), Conitex Sonoco (US), J&HM Dickson Ltd (UK), BAG Corp (US), LC Packaging (the Netherlands), Langston Companies, Inc.(US), RDA Bulk Packaging Ltd. (England), Emmbi Industries Ltd (India), and Bulk Lift International (US), among others. Discover More Research Reports on Packaging & Transport Industry , By Market Research Future Browse Related Reports: Global I nsulated Shipping Packaging Market Research Report: by Product (Boxes and Containers), Application (Food & Beverages, Industrial Goods, Personal Care and Others), Material (Plastic, Wood, Glass and Others) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World) - Forecast till 2026 Global Dangerous Goods Logistics Market Research Report: by Service (Transportation, Warehousing and Distribution and Value-added Services), by Destination (Domestic and International) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World) - Forecast till 2026 Global Dispensing Pharmacy Packaging Machine Market Research Report: Information by Product Type (Fully Automatic, Semi-Automatic), Speed (Low Speed, Standard Speed, High Speed), Function (Filling, Wrapping, Mixing & Split, others) and Region (North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and South America) - Forecast till 2025 Global Labeling Equipment Market Research Report: Information by Product Type (Pressure Sensitive/Self-Adhesive Labelers, Glue-Based Labelers, Sleeve Labelers and others), Technology (Automatic, Semi-Automatic and Manual), End-Use (Food & Beverages, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Chemicals and others) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa) - Forecast till 2025 Global Snack food Packaging Market Research Report: Information by Packaging Type (flexible packaging and rigid packaging), Material (plastic, paper, metal, and others), Application (bakery snacks, candy & confections, savory snacks, nuts & dried fruits and others) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America) - Forecast till 2025 Global Freight and Logistics Market Research Report: by Shipping Type (Airways, Railways, Roadways, and Waterways), Service (Inventory Management, Packaging, Warehousing, Transportation, Distribution, Custom Clearance and other), End-Use Industry (Energy & Utilities, Trade and Transportation, Government and Public Utilities, Healthcare, Manufacturing & Construction, Retail, Media and Entertainment, Banking and Financial Services and Telecommunication & Information Technology and others) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America) - Forecast till 2025 Global Corrugated Handle Box Market Research Report: Information by Material (Kraft Paper, Containerboard, Corrugated Board, Recycled Paper and Molded Fiber Pulp and others), Capacity (05 KG, 525 KG, 2550 KG and Above 50 KG), End User (Agriculture, Chemical Industry, Food and Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care, Retail Industry and others) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America) - Forecast till 2025 Global PET Lidding Films Market : Information by Product type (Dual-ovenable lidding films, Specialty lidding films, High barrier lidding films, Breathable lidding films and Resealable/reclosable films), Application (Trays, Cups, Jars & bottles, and others), End-use (Pharmaceutical, Personal Care & Cosmetics, Food & Beverage and others ) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Rest of the World) - Forecast to 2025 Global Dunnage Packaging Market Research Report: Information by Material Type (Corrugated Plastics, Molded Plastics, Aluminum, Steel, Fabric Dunnage, Corrugated Paper, Wood, Foams and others), End-Use Industry (Automotive, Aerospace, Electronics, Food & Beverages, Consumer Goods and Healthcare) and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America) - Forecast till 2025 About Market Research Future: Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis with regard to diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions. 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 (Alliance News) - The World Health Organisation is urging countries to continue using AstraZeneca PLC's Covid-19 vaccine as global medical leaders meet to discuss reports of blood clots. WHO's global advisory committee on vaccine safety will hold a meeting on Tuesday, while the European Medicines Agency also will meet, with a view to publishing further guidance on Thursday. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's chief scientist, told a media briefing "we do not want people to panic", as she said no association has been found so far between blood clots and Covid-19 vaccines. She said the rates at which blood clots have occurred in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine "are in fact less than what you would expect in the general population". A small number of cases of blood clots in people having the jab have been reported in Europe, prompting several European countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Norway to halt rollout of the vaccine. Sweden added itself to the list on Tuesday, saying the move was precautionary. The WHO, the UK's Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the EMA have all said there is no evidence the jab causes the problems. An EMA spokesman said "many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for different reasons", adding that the incidence in vaccinated people "seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population". According to AstraZeneca, about 17 million people in the EU and the UK have received a dose of the vaccine, with fewer than 40 cases of blood clots reported to date. Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the decision to pause rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could be a "disaster" for Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Europe. Asked what he would say to those in the UK who are booked to receive the vaccine, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I really wouldn't be worried at the present time. "I think it is very clear that the benefits of being vaccinated at the moment so far outweigh the possible concern over this rather rare type of blood clot. "It really is a completely one-sided argument statistically that we need to be vaccinating. "I think it is a disaster for the vaccination uptake in Europe, which is already on slightly unsteady ground in some countries." Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation, told Good Morning Britain that Covid was far more risky in terms of developing blood clots than any vaccine side-effect. He said: "It's really important to remember that Covid is a vascular illness and causes clots all over the body. "So, the risk of developing blood clots from Covid far, far exceeds any potential risk from the vaccination." Asked why he thought the temporary suspension of the vaccine had been taken up by so many countries, he said: "I think the committees are probably afraid of not making that decision to pause on the basis that they might be in some way thought culpable if they didn't, but actually these are such rare events." On Monday, Germany's health minister said the decision to suspend AstraZeneca jabs was "purely precautionary" and was taken on the advice of the country's vaccine regulator, which called for further investigation into seven cases of clots in the brains people who had been vaccinated. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will halt the vaccine until at least Tuesday afternoon. The Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Bulgaria, Iceland and Thailand have already temporarily suspended use of the jab. In the UK, medical experts have defended the use of the vaccine while Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was "no reason at all" to stop its rollout. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would accept the jab "without hesitation". Northern Ireland's chief medical officer, Michael McBride, also urged people to retain confidence in the jab, as he received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday. Johnson said the MRHA was "one of toughest and most experienced regulators in the world". "They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programmeafor either of the vaccines that we're currently using," he said. Meanwhile, Sturgeon is due to announce further aims for the easing of lockdown measures on hospitality and retail in Scotland on Tuesday. Stormont ministers will also meet on Tuesday to discuss easing lockdown restrictions. Decisions are expected to focus on schooling and allowing more outdoor activities for young people. By Jane Kirby, PA Health Editor source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Beijing/New Delhi, March 16 : Taking its war against billionaire Jack Mas empire to a new level, the Chinese government has reportedly asked his conglomerate Alibaba to dispose of its media assets. According to a The Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter, Chinese officials are more "concerned about the technology giant's sway over public opinion in the country". Alibaba expanded its footprint in the media sector by acquiring the South China Morning Post, an English-language newspaper launched 118 years ago in Hong Kong. The company also has notable media holdings in mainland China, including technology news site 36Kr, state-owned Shanghai Media Group, stakes in the Twitter-like Weibo platform and several popular Chinese digital and print news outlets. "Alibaba has also set up joint ventures or partnerships with powerful state-run media like Xinhua News Agency and local government-run newspaper groups in Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces," the report said on Monday. Angry at Ma's public criticism of Chinese financial regulators last year, the company scuttled the initial public offering (IPO) of his fintech giant Ant Group. China's top market watchdog began investigation into alleged anti-competition practices by the e-commerce giant Alibaba and also laid out "rectification plan" for Ma's fintech venture. The agenda was that Ant Group should return to its roots in payments and bring more transparency to transactions. Ma later disappeared from the public view, triggering speculation of him going "missing". He was seen only in January when a video of him appeared on Chinese social media. According to the WSJ report, Chinese regulators are "appalled at how expansive Alibaba's media interests have become and asked the company to come up with a plan to substantially curtail its media holdings" the people said. "The government didn't specify which assets would need to be unloaded". Alibaba was yet to react to the report. Alibaba's holdings in publicly listed companies had a combined market value of more than $8 billion. "That includes a roughly $3.5 billion stake in Weibo Corp. and a nearly $2.6 billion stake in Bilibili Inc., a video platform that is popular among younger Chinese people," the report mentioned. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Predictiv AI Inc. (TSXV: PAI) (OTC: INOTF) (FSE: 71TA) ("Predictiv AI" or the "Company"), a software and solutions provider in the artificial intelligence markets is pleased to announce its dynamic new partnership with the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute ("Waterloo.AI") at the University of Waterloo. This partnership will allow Predictiv AI's subsidiary, AI Labs Inc. ("AI Labs"), to pursue its various innovations through leveraging Waterloo.AI as an extension of the Predictiv AI team. The collaboration will allow access to the world's top artificial intelligence resources, creating much greater bandwidth in ideation, research, and development of solutions for real-world problems. Predictiv AI also looks forward to participating in and supporting Waterloo.AI events and introducing other synergistic partners to the program. Beyond having access to an unparalleled talent pool of academics and their teams for research and development, the partnership also provides for round table participation amongst Waterloo.AI partners. "We are thrilled to have Predictiv AI join as a partner with Waterloo," said Harold Godwin, Managing Director of Waterloo.AI. "This is a very exciting time for our university and Waterloo.AI, and we are grateful for the interest and ongoing support of our partners, including our newest, Predictiv AI." "We are very excited and honoured to be working with one of the world's leading artificial intelligence institutions. We will now be able to accelerate our innovations and scale our team's productivity while learning new ways to approach projects with new and unique technologies," said Michael Lende, CEO of Predictiv AI. "The formalization of this relationship is a crucial building block in our growth plans as it allows us to remain asset-light while simultaneously accelerating innovation on our artificial intelligence and deep machine learning-based solutions. We look forward to a long-term association with Waterloo.AI." For more information on Predictiv AI or ThermalPass, visit: www.predictiv.ai and follow Predictive AI on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PredictivAI/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/predictivai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/predictivai/ About Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute The Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute (Waterloo.AI) is dedicated to fostering and promoting research in all aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Waterloo.AI believes that AI will change our lives, transforming how we work, how we travel, how we treat disease, how we communicate, and how we learn. Our researchers are developing intelligent systems that can detect cancer and heart disease, understand language and emotion, and navigate roadways and factory floors better than ever before. Our constant focus on key technologies and on the foundational breakthroughs to make them a reality will accelerate AI innovation that benefits everyone, everywhere. About Predictiv AI Inc. Predictiv AI Inc. www.predictiv.ai is a technology company which helps businesses and organizations make smarter decisions using advanced artificial intelligence, deep machine learning and data science techniques. Its Weather Telematics Inc. subsidiary uses patented air quality monitoring sensors to provide predictive weather risk information to the insurance, logistics, fleet management and public safety sectors. The Company's R&D division, AI Labs Inc., develops new products that solve real-world business problems. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that involve risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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. All forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of the Company to differ materially from the conclusion, forecast or projection stated in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, ThermalPass achieving the commercial results anticipated by the Company, market demand for ThermalPass and other factors referenced in the Company's other continuous disclosure filings, which are available at sedar.com. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. 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 Predictiv AI Inc. Related Links https://www.predictiv.ai/ The MP and Luxembourg City councilman from the Christian Social People's Party was a guest at RTL Radio on Tuesday morning. Towards the end of last year, the Luxembourg City council decided to hire a private security firm to increase the feeling of safety in the Gare district. Even though the measure sparked controversy, local residents have welcomed the initiative, argued Mosar on Tuesday morning. Starting 15 May, the security service is to be extended to the Bonnevoie district. As long as the government remains unwilling to help address the situation, the Luxembourg City council will continue to fall back on the measure, Mosar conveyed. The municipal council believes that a permanent police presence in the respective districts should be introduced, and that officers should be allowed to ban individuals for repeated offences. When asked about security cameras, the CSV politician explained that they were not a solution to the problem, only one aspect of a complex system of tools used to increase the feeling of safety in the district. As the party's congress is approaching, Mosar was asked whether he will support president Frank Engel with his vote on 24 April. The politician declined to answer, but indicated that he expects a number of people to run for the position. He hopes that whoever is elected will restore calm to the party and put an end to internal turmoil. (CNN) Covid-19 has spawned another global health crisis some have dubbed "coronasomnia" an inability to fall asleep or get good quality slumber during the pandemic. Oh, you know it well? "You're not alone, the novel coronavirus is making sleep more difficult for much of the world," said sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. We humans weren't doing a good job of getting enough shut-eye even before the arrival of a deadly new virus that shook us to our core. "Sleep problems constitute a global epidemic that threatens health and quality of life for up to 45% of the world's population," according to the World Sleep Society, a nonprofit organization of sleep professionals dedicated to advancing "sleep health worldwide." Now, "there are multiple stresses with the pandemic -- financial, health care related, social isolation -- all of which can impact sleep," said Dr. Bhanu Prakash Kolla, a sleep medicine specialist in the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Unfortunately, experts say, people may turn to activities during the pandemic that seem to help, but actually hinder their ability to fall and stay asleep. Here are 10 of the top sleep mistakes you might be making -- and how to fix them. 1) Too much screen time It's a bad habit no one can resist: Just a quick peek at your phone, tablet or laptop before bed to see the latest posts by friends and family. Minutes speed by, and before you know it, you've subjected your eyes to a huge dose of sleep-disrupting LED spectrum blue light. "The bright light of a TV, computer or smartphone can affect your sleep patterns and keep you alert when you should be getting sleepy," USC's Dasgupta said. Blue light suppresses melatonin levels in the body, which are secreted in a daily 24-hour circadian rhythm typically beginning after dark and peaking between 2 and 4 a.m. Melatonin is often referred to as a "sleep hormone" because we sleep better during the night when levels peak. To avoid the negative impact of blue light, the number one rule is "no computers, cell phones and PDAs in bed and at least one hour prior to bedtime, preferably two," Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, who directs sleep basic research in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told CNN. It's best to keep yourself in the dark as much as possible while you sleep, experts say. To eliminate all bright light, charge your cell phones and laptops outside the bedroom. Consider using eye shades and blackout curtains to keep the room dark. 2) You're becoming a night owl With the blending of day and night that can come with working from home, a lack of typical structure and spending too much time on screens, many people are "delaying their bedtimes and waking up much later in the morning," Dasgupta said. "This shift in the circadian rhythm is known as delayed sleep phase syndrome or simply as the 'night owl,'" he said. That's a problem because the circadian rhythm, or the body's biological clock, controls all the hormones of the body, body temperature, eating and digestion, and sleep-wake cycles. Messing with it can be unhealthy. Studies of shift workers, who work unusual hours and live out of sync with their normal biological rhythm, show that they are at increased risk for heart disease, ulcers, depression, obesity and certain cancers, as well as a higher rate of workplace accidents and injuries due to a slower reaction rate and poor decision-making. Another study found changing your regular sleep-wake time by 90 minutes in either direction, which many of us do on the weekends, doubled the risk of cardiovascular disease over a five-year period. The more days you sleep irregularly, the higher the risk, the study found. Teens often develop delayed sleep phase syndrome as they stay up to check email and social media. But during the pandemic, even "larks," or people who enjoy waking up early, are finding themselves struggling to keep their typical routine. Yet it's critical for good sleep to have a habitual time to go to bed and rise, experts say. "The best sleep requires a set bedtime even on weekends and holidays," Dasgupta said. 3) You're hitting the snooze button This is the flip side of staying up late. Don't do it. Why not? First, a quick refresher: Your body needs to move through four distinct phases of sleep several times each night to generate new neurons, repair muscle and restore the immune system. (Pretty important during a pandemic, right?) The two most important phases for restoration are the dreamy state of REM, or rapid eye movement sleep, and delta, or slow-wave, sleep, according to Rebecca Robbins, an associate scientist at Brigham & Women's Hospital who studies sleep. As you near the end of your slumber, your body is likely nearing the end of its last REM cycle. Hit that snooze button, and "unfortunately, your body will go back to sleep -- a very light, low-quality sleep," said Rebecca Robbins, who is an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Now, when the alarm goes off a few minutes later, you'll be in the middle, not the end, of that sleep cycle, and you'll wake up groggy and stay that way longer, Robbins said. That sets you up for a less than stellar day -- and possibly another poor night's sleep. If you're having trouble kicking the snooze button habit, try putting the alarm on the other side of the room, Robbins suggested. That way, you'll have to get out of bed to turn it off. 4) You're napping We get it, you're tired! But while an occasional short snooze can be healthy, the World Sleep Society's second commandment warns: "If you are in the habit of taking siestas, do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep." One reason for the caution on timing is that we typically enter a "deep sleep" cycle about 30 to 40 minutes into a nap. Waking up from deep sleep produces that "Where am I?" grogginess that is worse than no nap at all. A long nap can also interfere with your body clock, making it more difficult to fall asleep later that night, Dasgupta said. Generally, catnaps that are approximately 15 to 20 minutes are fine, experts say, and may reduce fatigue; boost creativity; increase alertness; jump-start cognitive performance; and improve mood. But try to do them earlier in the day -- between noon and 2 p.m. -- to avoid affecting that night's full sleep cycle, Dasgupta said. 5) You're staring at the ceiling It makes sense on the surface: You can't fall asleep if you're not in the bed trying, right? Yet sleep experts say that continuing to count sheep for more than 20 minutes isn't the smartest move. "If we stay in bed, we'll start to associate the bed with insomnia," Robbins said. She equates it to "going to the gym and standing on a treadmill and not doing anything." If you can't fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and go into another room where there is dim light and do something calming until you feel drowsy again. The same applies when you wake in the night and can't fall back asleep. Some people believe that it's just as refreshing to your body to lie in bed with eyes closed but not sleeping. No, that's just a pipe dream, according to Robbins. 6) You're checking the time Another no-no: Checking the clock during the night to see what time it is. "You usually end up trying to determine how much time you have left to sleep and worrying about whether you will fall back to sleep in a reasonable amount of time," Kolla said. "This can in fact make the process of returning to sleep more difficult." Don't grab a sneak peek when you go back to bed, either. Seeing the time may only rev you up again. "It's important not to get worked up about one bad night's sleep because anxiety itself makes it difficult to fall back asleep," Dasgupta said. 7. You're taking a tipple It might make you sleepy, yes, but drinking beer, wine or liquor before bed is a guaranteed buzzkill for good sleep. "As alcohol is metabolized it forms acetaldehyde, which is stimulating," said Kolla, who studies the interaction between sleep disturbances and addictive disorders. "Therefore if you drink too much alcohol right before going to bed, in about four hours it is converted to aldehyde which can disrupt sleep and wake you up." In addition to awakenings during the night, alcohol can cause "frequent trips to the bathroom because it inhibits a hormone called anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), resulting in increased urination," Dasgupta added. 8) You're not getting exercise (or exercising at the wrong times) You'd think we'd all have more time for things that are good for us when we're stuck at home. Yet many people find themselves working longer hours during the pandemic, or juggling kids, school, work and worry. Exercise? Forget it. When it comes to sleep (and frankly your overall health), skipping exercise is one of the worst things you can do. Surveys of vigorous exercisers by the National Sleep Foundation show they are almost twice as likely to report high-quality, regular sleep compared to non-exercisers. Sitting for long periods of time is thought to be connected to poor sleep. While studies haven't proven that exercise just before bed will harm sleep, many experts -- like those at the World Sleep Society -- recommend avoiding it. Why? Because moderate exercise heats up your core temperature, signaling to the body that it's time to be awake, while the release of endorphins is thought to keep some of us alert. Of course if you're a night owl, that may not apply to you -- so listen to your body clock. For any of us, however, doing some yoga, tai chi or light stretching before bed could help with relaxation. A 2019 study of people with insomnia found those who stretched before bed showed improvement in their sleep quality. You can also try progressive muscle relaxation, a stretching technique in which you flex and tense each muscle group in the body, holding the tension for up to 20 seconds. Then release the tension quickly, and imagine breathing through that part of the body. Start with your toes, then feet, then calves -- you get the idea. 9) You're relying on sleeping aids A study found a 20% increase in self-reported sleeping pill consumption between March and April last year. But popping pills is not the best choice to fix poor sleep, experts say. Prescription sleeping aids can be addictive, and some have been linked to memory loss, aggression, depression and suicidal thoughts. Even melatonin can be misused, says Dasgupta. "Melatonin is a natural compound released by the body, usually at night, and throwing off that balance by adding more of it to your system can cause additional sleep issues," Dasgupta said. "If you decide to take it, remember it's all about the timing of the melatonin, not the amount of melatonin. The general rule of thumb is taking the melatonin two hours before your desired bedtime, because if you take it too late, it can throw off your sleep schedule." 10) You lack 'sleep hygiene' "Sleep hygiene" is sleep expert-speak for ways to train your brain to sleep. In the midst of a pandemic, it's all too easy to let these habits slide. Develop a routine. Set up a bedtime ritual by taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, listening to soothing music, or doing deep breathing, yoga, meditation or light stretches. You're teaching your brain to wind down. Strive for cooler temperatures. Make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable, and the room is cool: Between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit is best. Don't watch TV or work in your bedroom. You want your brain to think of the room as only for sleep. Avoid certain food and drink. Avoid stimulants such as nicotine, coffee, black or green tea, and sodas after midafternoon, especially if you have insomnia. Spicy foods may also disrupt your tummy -- and your sleep. Chamomile tea, however, is a good option before bed because the herb can help with relaxation. If you try these tips and can't seem to relax, or your sleep continues to worsen, be sure to reach out to a mental health professional. We can all use a bit of extra support and advice at this time, as we all struggle to manage anxiety in the face of this pandemic. This story was first published on CNN.com 10 common mistakes in fighting 'coronasomnia' -- the inability to fall and stay asleep Mayfield Police Seek Public's Help Finding Suspect By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - Police in Mayfield are asking for the public's help in finding a woman who's reportedly been writing cold checks.The Mayfield Police Department said 34-year-old Heather Mason is wanted in connection with multiple counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument. According to police, Mason had been writing bad checks on a closed account of her mother and deceased father.Police believe Mason is staying in Graves County or McCracken County. Anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts is asked to contact the Mayfield Police Department. Her first racing triumph, aged 13 and riding a pony, gave no hint that Rachael Blackmore would one day make history. But yesterday she entered the record books by becoming the first woman to win the Champion Hurdle, highlight of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Miss Blackmore, 31, from Killenaule in County Tipperary, romped to victory on the favourite, Honeysuckle. However, she had to make do with a low-key celebration in the winner's enclosure afterwards as for the first time in the world-famous racing festival's 161-year history no fans were allowed. Triumph in the fashion stakes: Rachael Blackmore Last year's event was mired in controversy after it was allowed to go ahead at a time when other countries around the world were locking down to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Organisers and ministers were criticised amid fears the crowds during the four-day event would aid the spread of Covid-19. The 150,000 fans from all over the world packed into bars on the course and hotels, restaurants and pubs in the Gloucestershire town leading to claims the festival had acted as a 'superspreader'. The World Health Organisation declared coronavirus a pandemic on March 11, day two of the festival. But the Government did not introduce a national lockdown until two weeks later. Pictures of the normally bustling racecourse yesterday showed empty car parks, deserted grandstands and vacant enclosures. Instead there was a sea of tarpaulins bearing the names of the sponsors as fans were forced to watch on TV from home. Only a few hundred people mainly jockeys, trainers, officials and some media are being allowed in each day. Such a difference: Cheltenham racecourse packed on March 10 2020 (top)... and empty, March 16 2021 (bottom) Trainer Nicky Henderson admitted this year's festival 'will be weird' and 'won't have an atmosphere'. A Cheltenham spokesman said: 'It's a real shame for the local economy and for racing fans that it's not possible for spectators to attend this year. 'However, just as last year when the festival went ahead in accordance with government advice that it should do so, we continue to respect and adhere to the nationwide restrictions in place.' The festival is particularly popular with Irish fans, who would have roared on Miss Blackmore. But the lack of a crowd did little to dampen her joy at winning. 'For me, this was never even a dream it is so far from what I ever thought could happen in my life,' she said. Making history: Rachael yesterday as the first female winner of the Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle 'Being in Cheltenham and riding a winner of a Champion Hurdle is so far removed from what I dreamt could be possible. When every person becomes a jockey they dream about riding at Cheltenham and all these things, but riding a winner like this is just unbelievable. 'It's a shame the crowds aren't here, because the people are what make Cheltenham what it is. But it was nice that the people that are here gave us a cheer. It still feels very special. Hopefully we'll see the crowds back next year.' Miss Blackmore, the daughter of a dairy farmer and a teacher, has come a long way since winning the Tipperary Ladies' Handicap Hurdle in 2011, her first proper race victory. After studying equine science at the University of Limerick, she turned professional in 2015 the first Irishwoman to do so since the 1980s. Her mother says she was always a daredevil and her career as a jump jockey has seen her break her nose, wrist and collarbone. But she has also shown her feminine side, posing for a glamorous fashion shoot. Miss Blackmore played down her place in the record books yesterday. Asked whether her victory would inspire young women to take up the sport, she said: 'It does not matter what you are. You know, we are jockeys, we win races.' She will seek to make history again on Friday when she hopes to be the first female jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which she rides A Plus Tard. Matthew Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association, wondered why the Kiewit Corp., the Nebraska construction giant with the lucrative wall contract for the area, rushed to build a small piece of wall in January in an area conservation activists were fighting to preserve when it was likely that construction would be halted anyway once Biden took office. He questioned if it was an attempt to pressure the new administration into proceeding with additional construction at the site. Sydney's third city - to be built around the western Sydney airport - will be named after John Bradfield, the engineer who designed and oversaw construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city's railway network. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Bradfield would be Australia's 'first 22nd century city', that would deliver up to 200,000 jobs across the western parkland precinct. 'I'm very pleased that at this core of the city we are building will be called Bradfield in honour of that outstanding engineer who shaped much of Sydney's transport network, who had the vision ... of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and who's inspired generations of engineers,' she said on Tuesday. The name was chosen after extensive community consultation and endorsement by a government panel. Sydney's third city (pictured), which is being built around the western Sydney airport, will be named after engineer John Bradfield who created the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city's railway network The new airport and Bradfield precinct is located 60 kilometres from the city of Sydney (pictured) John Bradfield's grandson said his grandfather (pictured) would have been amazed to have the airport named after him Located north of Bringelly, Bradfield will cover more than 100 hectares which will incorporate advanced manufacturing and be a centre for research, science and education. The precinct will be adjacent to the Nancy Bird Walton Airport that's now under construction, that's due to begin operations in 2026. Standing in the paddock where the new city will be built, the premier said the area would create great economic opportunities with blossoming industries incorporating advanced manufacturing, logistics, agribusiness, research and development as well as a myriad of industries creating jobs for the future. 'As we're going through a difficult time for our state it's important to plan for us... to plan for our future,' she said. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Bradfield would be Australia's 'first 22nd century city', that would deliver up to 200,000 jobs across the western parkland precinct. Pictured: Construction work on Nancy Bird Walton Airport in Badgerys Creek in Western Sydney The new precinct will be adjacent to the Nancy Bird Walton Airport that's now under construction, that's due to begin operations in 2026. Pictured: A house in Badgery's Creek in 2014 Memorandums of understanding had already been signed with nearly 20 organisations, locally and globally, which were interested in establishing enterprises in the future city. People living in Sydney's second city Parramatta would in the future be looking west to Bradfield, rather than Sydney for jobs. 'And I couldn't be more pleased about that,' the premier said. 'We will be competing around the world for the best jobs.' People living in Sydney's second city Parramatta would in the future be looking west to Bradfield, rather than Sydney for jobs. Pictured: A site in rundown Badgery's Creek from 2014 Located north of Bringelly, Bradfield will cover more than 100 hectares which will incorporate advanced manufacturing and be a centre for research, science and education. Pictured: An artist's interpretation of the future precinct Plans were already well under way for roads and transport networks for the community. John Bradfield's grandson Jim Bradfield said his grandfather would have been amazed to have his name associated with such a great infrastructure project. 'This is a great place for his vision, his drive and his enthusiasm to again flourish,' he said. Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres said the first building for the city would be under construction by the end of this term of the government in 2023. The entire project which includes a rail link to the airport had been allocated $11billion and there had already been extensive rezoning of land in the area from rural to enterprise, he said. He promised that the required infrastructure of roads, parks and public transport would be in place before houses and industries were built. Foreign businesses in China are optimistic about the prospects of Chinas economic development and still consider China as a priority investment destination, according to a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China). Seventy-five percent of the respondents are optimistic about the prospects of the Chinese market, and 81 percent of the companies surveyed expect their industries in China to grow this year, as shown by a report on the survey released on March 9. Visitors are attracted to a Tesla Model 3 electric car exhibited at the automobile exhibition area of the third China International Import Expo held in east Chinas Shanghai, Nov. 6, 2020. (Peoples Daily Online/Zhai Huiyong) China boasts prominent advantages of a huge market, said Yan Bin, chairman of Reignwood Group, a multinational company founded in Thailand. With the growth of Chinese peoples income and the expansion in the size of Chinas middle-income group, the country sees a growing trend toward consumption upgrading, which means enormous business opportunities, Yan noted. By pursuing a new round of high-level opening-up, China has fully demonstrated the inclusiveness of its economy, said Yin Zheng, executive vice president of Schneider Electric and president of Schneider Electric China, adding that the move not only helps attract more technologies and investment to China, but facilitates the export of advanced Chinese technologies and products. Last year, Schneider Electric increased its investment in local research and development and the establishment of advanced production lines in several Chinese cities, including Xiamen, Xian and Beijing, in a bid to produce new-generation digital and green electrical products, according to Yin. Imported and exported goods are loaded or unloaded at a container terminal of Lianyungang Port in Lianyungang city, east Chinas Jiangsu province, Jan. 14, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Wang Chun) With the new opening-up initiative, we see more opportunities to co-work and innovate with our Chinese partners and achieve win-win results, said Yin. In 2020, the amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, grew to about one trillion yuan ($153.8 billion), making China the worlds largest recipient of FDI. We are firmly bullish about the prospects of Chinas economic growth, said Song Weiqun, global senior vice president of Johnson & Johnson and chairman of Johnson & Johnson China. During the past year, the Chinese government put into effect its foreign investment law and implemented the regulation on optimizing the business environment, and made active efforts to ease market access for foreign investments, better protect foreign investors legitimate rights and interests, and create a fair and transparent business environment, offering genuine support for the development of foreign-funded businesses in China, Song noted. High-level opening-up is not only beneficial to international trade and cooperation, but also helps boost innovation, said Fabrice Megarbane, president of LOreal North Asia Zone and CEO of LOreal China. Chinas efforts to promote innovation-driven economic development and Chinese consumers aspiration for high-quality products, services, and experiences make the country an indispensable market for multinationals, according to Megarbane. Foreign investors are welcome to expand their investments in China and share in its vast open market and development opportunities, said Chinas recently released annual Report on the Work of the Government. In the report, the country pledged efforts to promote fair competition between domestic and foreign companies and protect the lawful rights and interests of foreign-invested enterprises. China is also going to leverage the flows of the domestic economy to make itself a major magnet for global production factors and resources, thereby promoting positive interplay between domestic circulation and international circulation, according to the report. Such gestures have won wide recognition from foreign-funded companies. The country will develop new systems for a higher-standard open economy, promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and build a globally oriented network of high-standard free trade zones, said the report. Chinas efforts to open its door wider to the rest of the world have not only intensified the bilateral trade between China and Saudi Arabia, but provided strong support for the integration of the BRI with Saudi Vision 2030, noted Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Al-Ajlan, chairman of the Saudi Chinese Business Council and vice chairman of Ajlan & Brothers, a Saudi Arabian manufacturer of menswear. As China constantly deepens reform and opening-up, the country enjoys bright prospects for reshaping the development of the digital economy, according to Lothar Herrmann, president and CEO of Siemens Greater China. Herrmann believes that China is not only the second largest overseas market for Siemens, but an exceptional center for research and development and an important base for the companys future development. Siemens will continue to carry out extensive cooperation with its Chinese partners in an environment featuring equality, openness, and transparency, and empower the transformation of pillar sectors of economic growth such as industry, infrastructure, and transportation with technologies, said Herrmann. The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has launched Tourism Shapers, a new initiative to support the learning and development of local travel trade partners in the tourism private sector. As Saudi continues to develop its destination offering for local, regional and international audiences, it is now more important than ever to enable and empower the private sector. "Across the Kingdom, we are seeing different types of small-to-medium sized businesses transform their working models and offering so that tourism is at the heart of their core product," remarked Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority. "Businesses are beginning to think differently about the future, recognizing the immense growth opportunities within the tourism sector and how they must adapt, evolve and innovate to meet the needs of their customer," he added. Hamidaddin pointed out that Tourism Shapers aims to not only support the growth of the tourism ecosystem, but also inspire small-to-medium sized businesses in Saudi to recognize the opportunities within the industry, so they can grow their business and their livelihood. The first-of-its-kind initiative began with a series of monthly interactive webinars. Each session focuses on a different topic, designed to equip the audience with best practices, key insights, and information to keep them informed on the tourism industrys constant evolution, he noted. The first webinar, The Future of Travel and Tourism, brought together thought leaders Noor Nugali, Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Arab News, travel expert and founder of start-up enabler, Why Bolt, Aya Sadder, and Abdulrahman Bakhsh, Private Sector Partnerships Directors at STA, to share insights and their view on the tourism industry of tomorrow and how businesses can adapt and evolve for the future. During the session, keynote speaker Aya Sadder shed light on how businesses need to be more agile during uncertain times. "Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, it is constantly transforming and businesses must be ready to adapt. The future of the industry will focus on building more resilient communities and businesses through innovation, effective partnerships and readiness to embrace digitalisation," remarked Sadder. "The next webinar will be broadcast on March 17 via the Tourism Shapers website with the main focus on 'pricing strategy for tourism businesses.' According to Hamidaddin, the future of tourism is dependent on building partnerships at all levels. "Tourism Shapers is just one initiative through which STA is sharing ideas and insights that will help empower our partners to win their share of visitation," he added. Fakeeh University Hospital, a key healthcare facility and the first teaching hospital in Dubai, has won the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its implementation of the internationally-recognised green building specifications and standards. The LEED certification is designated by the US Green Building Council and is the most used green building rating system in the world. It serves as a testament to the hospitals commitment to sustainability, energy efficiency, and innovationm, said the hospital in a statement. A 350-bed facility located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, Fakeeh University Hospital is located in Dubai Silicon Oasis. It also provides a total of 26% of its plot to open spaces, which includes greenery and landscaped areas integrating high levels of efficient water fixtures, it stated. As a technology-driven and environmentally friendly facility, Fakeeh University Hospital incorporates sophisticated efficiency measures to ensure innovative and structured energy models across the hospitals departments, said the statement. To ensure an outstanding quality building service, the hospital is built with highly insulated mass walls and roofs, with user-friendly lighting controls for the internal and external lighting systems. It also incorporates top-notch building management systems to provide fully automated controls for the HVAC and lighting systems, it added. On the LEED recognition, CEO Dr Fatih Mehmet Gul said: "Fakeeh University Hospital is dedicated to meeting, and even surpassing international sustainability specifications. Through our omnichannel sustainable projects, we have demonstrated our commitment to making a positive contribution to Dubais ambition to become a healthy and pollution-free city." To embody sustainability practices, the hospital was developed near urban areas and in close proximity to accessible public transport and 67% of the car parking area is covered. Also bicycle racks are available for 20% of building occupants. The hospital has also implemented a construction indoor air quality (IAQ) management plan under SMACNA guidelines to regulate indoor air quality, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. "On one hand, it's hard to believe we have produced 13 million vehicles," said Susan Elkington, TMMK president. "However, when you consider the dedication and skill of our Kentucky team it isn't so hard to imagine. It's incredible to think about our customers, their families, and all the places they've gone in our 13 million vehicles. Looking forward, we are excited about the future of mobility and being able to take more people, more places." TMMK, best known for producing the Camry and Avalon, began production of the RAV4 Hybrid in January 2020 as the result of multiple investments by Toyota, totaling over $1.5 billion since 2017. These investments were part of a larger commitment by the company to invest over $13 billion in its North American manufacturing operations from 2017 to 2021. That goal was reached a year early while creating over 6,500 jobs. The 1,300-acre Georgetown campus, Toyota's first plant in North America, represents an $8 billion investment and employs over 10,000 Kentuckians. It is also home to a powertrain facility on track to reach its own milestone this year, producing its 13 millionth engine. "The engine is the heart of every vehicle and our powertrain team takes that responsibility very seriously," said David Rosier, TMMK powertrain head. "We're especially proud to be a part of Toyota's commitment to alternative fueled vehicles and the future of mobility in North America." For 21 consecutive years, Toyota has been the leading manufacturer of alternative powered vehicle sales in the United States. By 2025, Toyota's goal is to have 40% of new vehicle sales be electrified models, and by 2030 expects that to increase to nearly 70%. Globally, this commitment to alternative fueled vehicles has resulted in the avoidance of an estimated 139 million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) into the atmosphere. Toyota Kentucky is proud to recognize both milestones with a $1.3 million commitment to furthering STEM education and workforce development programs across the Commonwealth. Funds will be utilized to engage diverse and under-resourced youth by exposing them to great manufacturing career opportunities. A few of the grant recipients include: Rise STEM Academy for Girls Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) Black Male Working (BMW) Academy Prichard Committee Partners for Youth 2021 is a year full of milestones for the automaker. In February, the company celebrated its 30 millionth North American produced vehicle - a Toyota Sienna produced at its Princeton, Ind., plant. Later this year, Toyota Kentucky will celebrate its 35th anniversary and the production of its 10 millionth Camry. About Toyota Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30 million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021. To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance to visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and curriculum through Toyota USA Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com. Media Websites: ToyotaNewsroom.com LexusNewsroom.com Media Contacts: Kim Ogle 256-746-5407 [email protected] Justin Posey 469-292-8839 [email protected] SOURCE Toyota Motor North America Related Links www.toyota.com North Korea on Tuesday broke its silence over U.S. President Joe Biden's recent behind-the-scenes overtures and warned the U.S. not to "cause a stink." The warning comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's take their first trip to South Korea and Japan this week. "If [the U.S.] wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step," said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong, who often acts as her brother's verbal attack dog. She also slammed ongoing computer-simulated military drills by South Korea and the U.S. "South Korean government yet again chose the 'March of War', the 'March of Crisis,'" she said in a statement translated by the state-run Rodong Sinmun daily. "Whatever the South will do by following its master, it will be not easy that the warm spring days of three years that it strongly wants will return," she added gnomically. White House officials earlier complained that there had been no response to their attempt to engage in behind-the-scenes talks with North Korea since February. Germany, France, Italy and Spain became the latest countries to suspend use of the vaccine even as a third wave of the pandemic threatens the continent. ROME As a third wave of the pandemic crashes over Europe, questions about the safety of one of the continents most commonly available vaccines led Germany, France, Italy and Spain to temporarily halt its use on Monday. The suspensions created further chaos in inoculation rollouts even as new coronavirus variants continue to spread. The decisions followed reports that a handful of people who had received the vaccine, made by AstraZeneca, had developed fatal brain hemorrhages and blood clots. The company has strongly defended its vaccine, saying that there is no evidence of increased risk of blood clots or hemorrhages among the more than 17 million people who have received the shot in the European Union and the United Kingdom. The safety of all is our first priority, AstraZeneca said in a statement Monday. We are working with national health authorities and European officials and look forward to their assessment later this week. ADVERTISEMENT Telecoms company Nokia has announced its plan to cut between 5,000 and 10,000 jobs globally in the next two years. It said the move will enable it reduce cost, catch up on 5G, and invest in cloud computing and digital infrastructure research. Nokia said on Tuesday that the restructuring is aimed at boosting its performance against opponents such as Swedens Ericsson and Chinas Huawei. The company did not indicate regions affected by the measure, but said about 96 jobs in the UK were under threat as part of the 600m (518m) cost cuts, BBC reported. A Nokia spokesperson was quoted as saying, We currently expect the consultation process in the UK to cover an estimated 96 roles. At this stage, however, these are only estimates. It is too early to comment in detail, as we have only just informed local works councils and expect the consultation processes to start shortly, where applicable, the spokesperson said. According to a union representative, about 300 jobs are likely to go in Finland, the companys base, particularly from its Helsinki headquarters. France, where Nokia cut more than 1,000 jobs last year, was excluded from the current restructuring. The chief executive Pekka Lundmark was quoted as saying, decisions that may have a potential impact on our employees are never taken lightly. My priority is to ensure that everyone that will be hit is supported through this process. Lundmark, who took over Nokias top spot in 2020, has made changes after product missteps under the companys previous management hurt Nokias 5G ambitions and dragged on its shares. The telecom company currently has 90,000 employees around the world, and has slashed thousands of jobs since 2015. It was once the biggest phone manufacturer in the world, but failed to anticipate the reign of internet-enabled touchscreen phones such as Apples iPhone and Samsungs Galaxy and was spectacularly hit from its seat by adversaries. After selling its phone business to Microsoft, which the software giant later wrote off, the company concentrated on telecoms equipment. And later got on into a licensing agreement for Nokia-branded phones. This high volume of opioids alone should have alerted Walgreens to the fact that suspicious orders were being placed, as the amount of opioids that were sent into Arkansas far exceeded what could be consumed for medically legitimate purposes, the lawsuit said. Yet, Walgreens failed to report and halt those orders and instead increased the number of pills distributed. Huntington, WV (25701) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Denying Access to Safer Nicotine Products in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Will Endanger the Lives of 800 Million People Geneva, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - The International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO), a global association advocating for sensible tobacco harm reduction policies, today introduced a new position paper, "10 Reasons Why Blanket Bans of E-Cigarettes and HTPs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) Are Not Fit for Purpose." Available for download on the organisation's website (https://innco.org/why-bans-in-low-middle-income-countries-dont-work/), the policy report rebukes the "overly simplistic and impractical" bans on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other tobacco harm reduction (THR) products in LMICs, warning organizations and governments that limiting options to reduce harm will only increase the number of people smoking tobacco, inevitably leading to illicit markets and increases in crime. "The hundreds of millions of people who smoke in these countries should have the ability to make decisions about safer nicotine products, particularly when their own health is on the line," said Samrat Chowdhery, president of INNCO's governing board. "Overly simplistic policy solutions, such as proposed bans on all ENDS and THR products by the Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded The Union, are being offered as a blunt and impractical tool for a situation that requires pragmatism and nuance, making meaningful and sustainable change more difficult." "A blanket ban in LMICs is a form of philanthropic colonialism, suggesting that these countries and their citizens cannot be trusted with any level of self-determination," said Nancy Loucas of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, a grassroots alliance of tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. "Inhabitants are treated as second-class citizens, which is offensive. There is no benefit in limiting choice of safer nicotine products, but only the potential for increasing harm." According to the paper, simplistic solutions to complex public health challenges may appear attractive, but ultimately do not work. In fact, countries like Turkey that have banned reduced harm products actually showed increases in the prevalence of smoking among its citizens. "Very few low- and middle-income countries have adopted even the most basic WHO-suggested MPOWER prevention measures," said Francisco Ordonez of the Asociacion por la Reduccion de danos del Tabaquismo Iberoamerica, a network of consumer organisations in Latin America. "Policymakers should embrace harm reduction as a valid goal, particularly in LMICs where access to cessation programs is extremely limited. Replacing combustible tobacco with alternative nicotine products can significantly reduce the risk of harm by at least 95 percent. It works in industrialized nations and can do the same in LMICs." INNCO's top 10 reasons against banning safer nicotine products in LMICs are as follows: Bans are an overly simplistic solution to a complex issue and will not work. Prioritising the banning of reduced harm alternatives over cigarettes is illogical. Reduction and substitution are valid goals for smokers in LMICs. People who smoke have the right to choose to reduce their own risk of harm. Reduced harm alternatives can significantly contribute to the aims of global tobacco control. Lack of research in LMICs is not a valid reason to ban reduced harm alternatives. The prohibitionist approach in LMICs is outdated, unrealistic and condescending. Bans will lead to illicit markets with increases in crime and no tax revenue. Banning reduced harm alternatives leads people back to smoking and greater harm. Blanket bans in LMICs are a form of "philanthropic colonialism." INNCO estimates that there are scores of LMICs in jeopardy of increasing the number of people who smoke unless pragmatic approaches to tobacco harm control are adopted, including the availability of a wide selection of safer nicotine products. Leveraging the paper's findings, INNCO will work with its global membership to inform policy makers in these developing nations to help achieve risk-relative regulations and access to safer THR products. "Africa is home to some of the highest-ranked smoker countries on the planet," said Joseph Magero, chairman of Campaign for Safer Alternatives, a pan-African non-governmental member organization dedicated to achieving 100 percent smoke-free environments in Africa. "While improving overall public health has made great strides in these regions, efforts to directly address smoking cessation and harm reduction strategies have lagged due to limited or no access to safer, non-combustion nicotine products. By denying smokers access to much safer alternatives while leaving cigarettes on the market, policymakers would leave only two options on the table - quit or die." INNCO believes that a prohibitionist approach is "patronising and discriminatory," and does not allow for finding innovative solutions to answer the challenge of decreasing smoking rates. Bans on THR products overlook a significant public health opportunity to encourage people who smoke and are not ready to quit to switch to reduced-harm alternatives, a pragmatic approach that could save millions of lives. About INNCO International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO) was formed in 2016 to represent consumers of low-risk, alternative nicotine products. The organization brings together the voices of nearly 40 grassroots consumer organisations to promote Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) on the global stage. THR is a public health policy that respects individual autonomy, empowers consumers to make safer choices, and offers pragmatic solutions to combating use of high-risk forms of tobacco. More information can be found by visiting: www.innco.org. Media Contact: George Medici PondelWilkinson Gmedici@pondel.com (310) 279-5968 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77380 5 1 of 5 Derby Fire Department / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Derby Fire Department / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Derby Fire Department / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 5 of 5 DERBY Crews worked the scene of a large brush fire in the city for more than three hours late Monday afternoon into the evening, according to fire officials. Firefighters were dispatched to Roosevelt Drive in the area of Pink House Cove for a reported brush fire at around 4:30 p.m. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here As the second wave of Covid-19 infections show no signs of ebbing in Maharashtra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray-led government has announced fresh curbs amidst rising COVID-19 cases in the state, on Tuesday. The announcement comes on the day Maharashtra reported as many as 15,051 fresh COVID-19 cases pushing the total number of cases to 23,29,464. The state logged over 15,000 new infections daily for four straight days. BCCL New COVID restrictions The state government has put a cap of 50 people in place for weddings, while all other public gatherings social, cultural, political and religious have been completely banned. In addition, not more than 20 people will be allowed at funerals. According to the new guidelines issued, all restaurants, hotels and cinema halls have been ordered to operate at half the capacity. Nobody will be allowed inside these establishments without wearing a mask and a temperature check, the state government said in a notification. However, the 50 percent capacity rule will not apply to offices dealing with health and other essential services. As far as possible, employees should be asked to work from home, the state notification said. BCCL Nagpur vs Mumbai On Monday morning, heavy police was deployed across Nagpur as the week-long complete lockdown in the city began. Authorities claimed strict action will be taken against those who flout COVID rules in the city. On the contrary, a huge crowd was seen at Dadar Market, Mumbai the same morning, where people were seen flouting social distancing norms. Following which the citys Mayor had instructed the G Northward to take strict action against vendors at the market premise. Maharashtra: Huge crowd seen at Dadar Market in Mumbai this morning. In the last 24 hours, Mumbai reported 1962 new #COVID19 cases. pic.twitter.com/BARc0v0hoC ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2021 Maharashtra: Police personnel deployed across Nagpur, as the week-long complete lockdown in the city begins. Commissioner Amitesh Kumar says, "Patrolling being done across the city. Action being taken against those who are out on streets unnecessarily or violating COVID norms." pic.twitter.com/k12XUzlwEX ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2021 In the current wave, however, Nagpur has, for the last few days, been reporting more cases than even Mumbai. On Monday, for example, the district recorded 1,933 new infections, while Mumbai had a little over 1,700. On Sunday, Maharashtra recorded this years highest one-day spike of 16,620 new Covid-19 infections, pushing the overall caseload to 23,14,413, while 50 deaths pushed the toll to 52,861, the health department said. In the last two days, the daily case count of the state was above 15,000, which crossed the 16,000-mark on Sunday. Mumbai reported 3,676 cases followed by Nashik- 2,776, Pune- 3,609, Nagpur- 1,860, Latur- 914, Aurangabad- 1,289, Kolhapur- 106. Reuters Govt gets tough on violators In the case of home isolation, the patient must inform local authorities about the medical professional under whose supervision he or she is. A board will be put up on the door for 14 days indicating the presence of COVID-19 patient at the location. Patients will be stamped "home quarantine" on the hand. If patients violate these norms, they will be shifted to COVID care centres. BCCL Management bodies of all religious places have been asked to decide and declare the maximum number of visitors per hour they will allow, depending on the availability of space for movement and gathering with proper distancing. Violation shall also attract penalties under the Disaster Act for the owner of premises. The property shall also have to remain closed till the period the COVID-19 pandemic stays notified as a disaster by the central government, the guidelines stated. The agitation by hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers against the pro-agribusiness laws adopted by Narendra Modis Hindu-supremacist Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) government is now well into its fourth month. Tens of thousands of farmers and their supporters remain camped on the outskirts of the national capital Delhi, as they have been since a massive government-ordered security operation blocked their entry into the city at the beginning of their Delhi Chalo (Lets go to Delhi) protest in late November. Toyota workers and Karnataka farmers stage joint procession in Bengaluru (Credit: WSWS) The Modi government has laid the groundwork for a violent crackdown aimed at breaking up the farmers protest. Seizing on clashes between protesting farmers and police during a tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day, January 26, the government ordered Delhi police to erect war zone-style barricades around the farmers encampments, virtually imprisoning the protesters. The Delhi police are under the direct authority of Amit Shah, the Home Minister and Modis chief henchman. The three laws open Indias agricultural sector to domination by giant multinational and domestic agribusiness concerns. Farmers worry that the legislation will enable international investors and powerful corporate interests to seize control of their land and dictate production and prices. In addition to the laws repeal, the farmers are demanding legal guarantees that the minimum support pricing (MSP) system will not be dismantled. The MSP gives farmers a guaranteed minimum price for certain staple crops. Modi and Shah are anxious to bring a quick end to the farmers agitation, which has served as a rallying point for mass opposition to the government and done much to shatter its corporate mediaconcocted myth of invincibility. But for the moment they have opted to try to wear the farmers down rather than order a violent security crackdown that could have explosive consequences. One consideration is the impact a clash between security forces and farmers would have on the state assembly elections being held in five states, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, next month. However, the governments biggest fear is that a state security crackdown on the protesting farmers would serve to galvanise mass social anger within the working class and escape the control of the bourgeois opposition parties and trade unions. This fear has been fuelled by a recent upsurge of protests and strikes by workers against the Modi governments pro-investor reforms, of which the farm laws are a part. About 1 million bank employees throughout India began a two-day strike yesterday against the Modi governments plans to privatise public sector banks. On two occasions during 2020, on January 8 and November 26, tens of millions of workers participated in one-day general strikes against the BJP governments pro-investor reforms and austerity measures. The second national strike also demanded emergency assistance for the hundreds of millions whom the government left to fend for themselves during its ill-prepared COVID-19 lockdown. Recent months have also seen a series of strikes and protests involving workers in the public and private sectors, including coal miners, health care staff, and Toyota car assembly and auto parts workers. But the working class has been prevented from intervening independently in the current political situation and providing leadership to the struggles of poor farmers and agricultural labourers by the treacherous policies of the Indian Stalinists and their affiliated unions. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and the Communist Party of India (CPI) are endeavouring to keep the working class on the sidelines, while urging the farmers to place their hopes in the Congress Party, till recently the Indian ruling classs preferred party of government, and other right-wing parties. Over the past two months, the BJP government has repeatedly said it is open to further talks with farm union representatives, but only if they drop their demand that the three pro-agribusiness laws adopted last September be repealed. That is, only if they agree to no more than minor amendments to the laws, which Modi and his minions continue to promote as a great boon to Indias farmers. The last round of talks between the farmer unions and the government took place on January 20. The only concession the government has made to date is to agree that the implementation of the laws will be delayed by 18 months. However, this is far less than meets the eye. The Supreme Court, which has greenlighted numerous anti-democratic and authoritarian acts by the BJP government, had already ordered the laws application suspended, because it feared the swelling protest movement was becoming a threat to the stability of Indian capitalism. To discredit the agitating farmers and their supporters, Amit Shah and other leading BJP figures, supported by pro-government media outlets, have hurled communalist slurs against the protesting farmers. They have accused them of acting under the influence of Khalistanis or Sikh separatists, anti-nationalists, and Leftist and Maoist forces. The authorities have combined this stoking of communal animosities and political reaction with coercive measures designed to compel the farmers to end their protests. These have included the cutting of electricity, running water and, at times, even phone and Internet services to the camps, and the disruption of food, water supplies and the use of toilets. As of March 6, at least 248 farmers had died at the Delhi border from heart attacks and serious health conditions related to cold weather and other difficulties. Others have lost their lives to suicide or in road accidents. The government has filed multiple legal cases against farmers and farm union leaders, and keeps harassing and arresting activists who have extended support to the farm protests. One example of this was the February 13 arrest by Delhi police of the young climate change activist Disha Ravi. She was threatened with sedition charges for allegedly helping create an online toolkit to support the farm protest movement. While the government has had to temporarily put off application of its new pro-agribusiness laws, the Modi government is pushing ahead with several other crucial pro-investor reform measures. These include a privatisation drive and changes to labour laws that will expand the use of contract labour, allow employers to hire workers at will and make most worker job actions illegal. The Modi government is also working to further develop Indias military-strategic partnership with the US, assisting Washington in its drive to strategically isolate, encircle and prepare for war with China. The farmers persistence in continuing their struggle for months despite their ruthless treatment by the government underscores their determination to overturn the agribusiness laws. But the farmers unions, which are led by better-off farmers with connections to the political establishment, and the Stalinist parties have led the protest into a political blind alley. They continue to claim that the Modi government can be pressured into changing course, while simultaneously working to channel social opposition, whether from the farmers or the working class, behind the big business Congress Party and various regional and caste-ist parties. On March 3, the Samyuktha Kisan Morcha (SMK) or United Farmers Front, the coalition of farmers unions that has been leading the protest, announced that its leaders would visit the states where elections will take place next month to call on voters to reject the BJP. While the farm unions have avoided declaring support for any single party, their initiative will inevitably play into the hands of Congress and its regional allies. Since the launch of the farmers agitation, the Stalinist CPM and CPI have closely coordinated their response to it with the Congress Party. Now, with the approach of the state elections, they are becoming ever more explicit in their attempts to transform the farmers agitation into an adjunct to their efforts to defeat the BJP in the state polls. The CPM and CPI have for decades served as an integral part of the political establishment, propping up governments at the centre that have implemented neo-liberal reforms and pursued ever-closer ties with Washington and implementing what they themselves term as pro-investor reforms in the states where they have led the government. Now under conditions where the ruling class has turned to the Hindu-supremacist BJP to dramatically intensify the assault on Indias workers and toilers, they are striving might and main to contain and politically suppress the mounting social opposition by tying it to the opposition. This includes their providing a left cover for the Congress Party, which is on political life-support having been widely discredited by its leading role over decades in implementing deregulation, privatisation, and other pro-market policies and in forging the IndoUS global strategic partnership. In West Bengal, the most populous state that will be going to the polls next month, the CPM and CPI are sharing platforms with the Congress Party, and have announced that their alliance is not just a temporary arrangement for the coming state elections, but will be followed by joint campaigns over social and political issues in the months and years ahead. As the World Socialist Web Site explained in a recent statement, Indian workers must repudiate the ruinous pro-capitalist politics of the Stalinists, assert their industrial and independent political power and rally the rural masses, above all the agricultural workers and landless farmers, under their leadership and on the basis of a socialist programme to fight the Modi government and bourgeois rule. Rush week via Zoom and campus tours on YouTube quickly became the norm for the class of 2020 during their first year of college. For some, their bags were packed as they awaited move-in day at their dream schools. Others realized early on that their extended Spring Dreak during senior year would last into their college career and settled into their childhood bedrooms to start their adult lives. RELATED: How San Antonio's fitness industry powered through a pandemic year Four college students spoke to MySA.com about what they expected their freshman year to look like like versus how it's actually been. READ ALSO: San Antonians share pandemic advice they'd give the March 2020 versions of themselves Nicolas Roodettes is finally at Arizona State University, but it's not what he expected. While students like Madison Riojas and Alissa Trejo were trying to spread their wings out of San Antonio, Jordyn Reyes was ready to leave Dallas and get here. Read their stories below. New Delhi, March 16 : Hit by multiple hacking on its business email servers, Microsoft has released a new, one-click mitigation tool to help customers who do not have dedicated security or IT teams to apply key security updates. Called 'Microsoft Exchange On-Premises Mitigation Tool', the security feature has been tested across Exchange Server 2013, 2016, and 2019 deployments. "This new tool is designed as an interim mitigation for customers who are unfamiliar with the patch/update process or who have not yet applied the on-premises Exchange security update," the tech giant said in a statement late on Monday. Reports have claimed that five different hacking groups (including China-backed hacking group called 'Hafnium') were attacking the business email servers of Microsoft. Microsoft has already released an emergency patch for its Exchange Server product, the most popular mail server worldwide. All incoming and outgoing emails, calendar invitations and virtually anything accessed within Outlook goes through the Exchange server. The company said that the new tool, which includes the latest Microsoft Safety Scanner, is not a replacement for the Exchange security update but is the fastest and easiest way to mitigate the highest risks to internet-connected, on-premises Exchange Servers prior to patching. "We have been actively working with customers through our customer support teams, third-party hosters, and partner network to help them secure their environments and respond to associated threats from the recent Exchange Server on-premises attacks," the company mentioned. The company recommends that all customers who have not yet applied the on-premises Exchange security update must download this tool and run it on their Exchange servers immediately. A Check Point Research said on Monday that at least 32 Indian organisations have been attacked by hackers who exploited vulnerabilities in unpatched Microsoft business email servers, adding that the finance and banking institutions have been hit the most in the country. According to KrebsOnSecurity, at least 30,000 organisations across the US, including government and commercial firms, have been hacked by China-based threat actors who used Microsoft's Exchange Server software to enter their networks. A more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: Building cost index 2021, April Published: 16 March 2021 Building costs rose by 1.1 per cent in February year-on-year According to Statistics Finland, building costs rose by 1.1 per cent in February 2021 from one year back. Labour costs went up by 1.2 per cent and the costs of materials by 1.3 per cent. Employer's social insurance contributions applied for 2021 are used in the calculation of the index, which explains the growth in labour costs. The prices of services fell by 0.3 per cent from one year ago. Long term development of the Building Cost Index From January to February, the total index of building costs rose by 0.2 per cent. Labour costs went up by 0.3 per cent and the prices of materials went rose by 0.2 per cent. The prices of services remained in February on level with January. Building cost index 2015=100, February 2021 Professional construction of new buildings Weights Index Monthly change, % Annual change, % Total index 1000 105.3 0.2 1.1 By type of cost Labour inputs 400 105.4 0.3 1.2 Materials 510 105.6 0.2 1.3 Services 90 103.6 0.0 -0.3 By purpose of use Residential building 440 105.3 0.1 1.1 Other building construction 560 105.3 0.3 1.2 Source: Building cost index, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Liina Arhosalo 029 551 3612, Merja Jarvinen 029 551 2458, info@stat.fi Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala Publication in pdf-format (295.9 kB) Updated 16.03.2021 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Building cost index [e-publication]. ISSN=1799-5841. February 2021. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 2.6.2021]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/rki/2021/02/rki_2021_02_2021-03-16_tie_001_en.html WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil prices fell sharply on Tuesday to extend declines for a third straight session after many European countries temporarily halted use of AstraZeneca's vaccine to investigate cases of blood clots that occurred after vaccination. Concerns about rising stockpiles in the United States also added to the threat to demand posed by deepening vaccination woes. Benchmark Brent crude fell 1.6 percent to $67.79 a barrel, after having declined half a percent on Monday. U.S. crude futures were down 1.7 percent at $64.31. The EU's largest countries joined a stream of states halting their rollouts of AstraZeneca jabs over blood clot fears, although the World Health Organization said there was no established link to the vaccine. A third wave of the Covid pandemic is now advancing swiftly across much of Europe, with Italy facing another lockdown over Easter. White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci pointed to Europe as warning to Americans that letting up mitigation measures early could put the U.S. on a similar course. The stockpiles in the United States are rising because of last month's 'big freeze' which halted refining operations that have taken time to fully return. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, publishes its weekly statistical bulletin later today, followed by official numbers from the Department of Energy on Wednesday. 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 Capitol Police suspended one of its officers Monday after a printed copy of an anti-Semitic text was found at a security checkpoint inside a congressional office building. The printed copy of The Protocols of the Meetings of the Learned Elders of Zion, a fabricated virulent account of a Jewish conspiracy to take over the world that has been used as propaganda for a century, was spotted by a congressional aide when leaving the office Sunday evening. The staffer, Zach Fisch, chief of staff for Democratic New York Rep. Mondaire Jones, took a photo of the pamphlet, which was sitting in plain sight at a security checkpoint at the Longworth Building. The pages of the text were well worn and held together by a binder clip. This is both a national security problem and a workplace safety problem, Fisch tweeted later about the discovery. Our office is full of peopleBlack, brown, Jewish, queerwho have good reason to fear white supremacists. The Washington Post asked the Capitol Police for comment on the photo Monday morning, and by that evening acting Chief Yogananda Pittman announced the suspension of an officer after anti-Semitic reading material was discovered near his work area on Sunday. Advertisement 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. NEW: We've added a photo of the racist document, as seen in plain sight Sunday evening at the South Capitol Street entrance to LHOBhttps://t.co/nXhO4MAXHY pic.twitter.com/vMf0XyD89u Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis) March 15, 2021 The bizarre brazenness of openly reading or possessing the text on the Capitol campus is a worrying sign, particularly after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that was fueled, in part, by anti-Semitic tropes and white nationalist beliefs of many of the pro-Trump participants. The January riot sparked concern about the police, the military, and the potential radicalization of members of the American security apparatus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to visit Bangladesh on March 26 and 27, 2021, as per a release by the Prime Minister's office. He is visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of his counterpart in Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina. The invitation comes in connection with three very important events- the birth centenary of the country's founding leaders Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 50 years of Bangladesh's war of liberation and 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh. This visit is in connection with commemoration of three events - Mujib Borsho, birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India & Bangladesh; & 50 years of Bangladeshs war of liberation: Ministry of External Affairs ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2021 Guest of honour at 50th Independence Day Bangladesh is celebrating its 50th year of Independence on March 26 this year, and PM Modi is going to grace the occasion as the guest of honour. Besides PM Modi, the heads of state and government from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives will also be present at the celebration. The invitation for the same was extended to PM Modi last year, as per the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh who back then had said, "We would love to see Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modin join the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of our Independence." PM Modi was to visit Bangladesh last year as well to participate in the Mujib centenary celebration, but the visit was cancelled keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic. The PM is also supposed to hold bilateral consultations with PM Hasina, and there are talks of several Memorandum of Understandings to be signed between the heads of the two countries. Apart from this, he will also call on the President of Bangladesh H.E. Md. Abdul Hamid and will be called on by Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr A.K. Abdul Momen. This is going to be PM Modi's first trip abroad after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The visit of the Prime Minister to Bangladesh will be the first visit to a foreign country since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. This highlights the priority India attaches to Bangladesh,' the release read. MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine Supreme Court has thrown out a petition that sought to invalidate President Rodrigo Duterte's unilateral withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, which has been examining allegations of atrocities in his bloody war on drugs. Duterte in March 2018 cancelled the Philippines' membership of the ICC's founding treaty just weeks after the ICC's prosecutor announced a preliminary examination was underway into thousands of killings in his war on drugs, which he said was prejudiced against him. But six minority senators asked the Supreme Court to invalidate Duterte's decision, which took effect a year later, arguing it was illegal and done without Senate approval, which is needed before entering into treaties. The Supreme Court in a statement said that judges unanimously dismissed the legal challenge as "moot and academic". "The court also noted that the judiciary has enough powers to protect human rights contrary to speculation raised by the petitioners," it added. The ICC is a court of last resort that can exercise jurisdiction if states are unable or unwilling to investigate crimes, which Duterte's office has repeatedly said was not the case in the Philippines. Despite the withdrawal, the ICC has been receiving complaints and testimony from activists calling for Duterte's international indictment over thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings during his campaign against narcotics, which took place while the Philippines was an ICC member. Human rights groups accuse Duterte of inciting deadly violence and say police have murdered unarmed suspects and staged crime scenes on a massive scale. Police reject that and Duterte insists he told police to kill only in self-defense. Salvador Panelo, Duterte's chief legal counsel, said the Supreme Court's decision "puts to rest the debate on the authority of the president to withdraw from treaties and international agreements." (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty) Two campers who vanished from Victoria's rugged high country while on a trip have most likely met with foul play, the case's lead detective has said. Investigators had previously not confirmed the fate of secret lovers Russell Hill and Carol Clay until now, as sniffer dog teams are sent to locate remains. 'My honest but sad belief is that unfortunately, they are deceased,' Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper told 7News. Carol Clay and Russell Hill (pictured) went camping in the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020 and were never seen or heard from again Victorian detectives have released a new map of an area where a mystery white ute was spotted on the day the campers went missing The pair had traveled to Wonnangatta Valley together in March 2020. Mr Hill, 74, was expected to leave the area on March 26 while Ms Clay, 73, had told friends she would b e back by March 28 or 29. Neither returned and their burnt-out campsite was found days later with Mr Hill's ute parked and locked nearby. The focus of the case has now shifted to locating the bodies of the two, which detectives believe to have been left somewhere in the mountains. To assist in their search specially trained dogs have been brought in from New South Wales. 'Cadaver dogs are frequently used in missing persons cases and they have a specific ability to smell people,' Det Insp Stamper said. A number of theories have been floated as to what happened to the couple, though investigators do not believe the pair stumbled across illegal drug activity. Police said the white ute spotted in the area (similar to pictured) is the only vehicle they have not ruled out Mr Hill's white Toyota Landcruiser was found with minor fire damage at their burnt campsite near Dry River Creek Track in the valley on March 21 'We're pretty certain there's no drug crop activity involved in this investigation,' Det Insp Stamper said. Though he did confirm they have a number of persons-of-interest in the case. Earlier in March, police repeated a call for any information about a white dual cab ute seen in the area before the pair disappeared. The four-wheel-drive is the only car seen in the area on March 20 which has not been ruled out of the investigation. The vehicle has remained a mystery despite almost 12 months of meticulous checks by the squad. 'It might seem like only a very small possibility that those in the white ute will have information about Russell and Carol's disappearance but we can't afford to leave any stone unturned,' Stamper previously said. 'We cannot leave any 'what ifs' when it comes to an investigation like this.' A drone found in the area was also handed to police in March but they have since confirmed the item was not the same DJI Mavic drone owned by Mr Hill. Despite this, footage retrieved from the device is being meticulously examined by investigators in the hope some new information could be revealed, having been found in the search area. Pictured: The destroyed campsite where Mr Hill and Ms Clay were staying before they disappeared Others theories include that the pair could have witnessed some other activity such as illegal hunting with deer hunters frequenting the area. The pair had travelled through Licola, spending one night at Howitt High Plains before heading into Wonnangatta Valley. Their sleeping bags, phones, and the $2,000 drone were missing from their burnt out campsite found days later but his white Toyota Landcruiser was left. The pair had been having an affair for decades behind the back of Mr Hill's wife. Police followed that line of inquiry but concluded their disappearance was not connected and they had not faked their own deaths. When questioned about the couple's relationship in April, Victoria Police Missing Persons Squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper skirted around the question. 'It is delicate and we are being very respectful of both families wishes and concerns here,' he said. Leader of the Liberal Party Michael O'Brien arrives during the State Commemoration for the 10 year anniversary of the 2009 Victorian bushfires in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 4, 2019. (Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images) Coup Attempt for Victoria Opposition Leadership Fails A bid to overthrow Victorian Opposition Leader Michael OBrien has failed. A motion to bring on a leadership vote was defeated 22-9 to in a party room meeting at state parliament on Tuesday morning. The party is very strongly resolved to keep the current leadership group in place, and that means we can get out and focus on Victorians, OBrien told reporters after the failed spill. He said he was shocked to learn of the challenge to his leadership while taking his wife to hospital for an operation on Monday morning. Its funny how life throws curveballs at you sometimes, but it actually is a reminder that there are more important things than politics, OBrien said. (My wife is) going well and the great news is my party has just re-endorsed the leadership team. Brad Battinopposition spokesman for road safety, crime prevention, victims support and youth justicehad been hoping to usurp OBrien, who took over leadership of the party after its crushing election defeat in 2018. But he failed to garner the support of enough MPs, including a key group aligned with former leader Matthew Guy, who decided to vote against the spill. This is not an embarrassment for me, Battin said. Weve had discussions in the media about whats happening with our leadership and it needed to be put to a party room vote. I respect the decision of the party room. OBrien has faced criticism for failing to land any blows on Premier Daniel Andrews and his Labor government amid the coronavirus pandemic, particularly on the bungled hotel quarantine program that led to the states second wave of infections. Battin said the party had a great opportunity to reset. We need to make sure that our messaging is around business, is around families. And when we talk about the economy, it has to be how it impacts on people, he said. Battin said he hoped he would be able to remain on the front bench. Im a strong performer within the team and I think Ive proven that in the past. I want to continue to be part of a strong team going forward, he said. OBrien arrived about 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday flanked by his key supporters, senior MPs Georgie Crozier, David Davis, Cindy McLeish, and Louise Staley. He said he was confident he would remain the partys leader at the November 2022 election. The focus will be on rebuilding the state, rebuilding Victoria from the economic devastation that were currently seeing, he said. My team and I are so well placed to do that. Weve got the economic credentials, weve got the experience, and we have the ideas and the vision for Victoria. Liberal MPs told AAP the spill push was triggered in part by Western Australias election at the weekend, which reduced the Liberal party to as few as two seats in the lower house. OBrien said no state opposition is loving life amid the pandemic. Theres always a natural focus on governments at the best of times but in a pandemic thats magnified. Were seeing that right across the country, he said. In Victoria, we dont have an election next week or the end of this year, its November next year. Acting Premier James Merlino, who was in Moonee Ponds making a Jobs Victoria announcement, said the spill proved how irrelevant the Liberal Party is. Were focused on creating 400,000 jobs, theyre focused on just one job, that of the opposition leader, he said. Theyre chaotic, theyre a rabble and theyre irrelevant. TEL AVIV - Jordanian police in Amman on Monday used tear gas and arrests to disperse protest demonstrations against the severe measures put in place by the government to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The media said this was the second night of unrest in Amman and elsewhere in Jordan. The demonstrations are part of a wave of indignation following the deaths on Saturday of nine people (most of whom were infected with coronavirus) in a hospital in Salt due to the interruption of oxygen supply. In a message to the nation on Monday, King Abdallah assured that there will be no tolerance for anyone who committed negligence, but he also advised citizens to be cautious of those who now want to spread social unrest. On Monday, Jordanian Prime Minister Bishar al-Khasawneh took stock of the epidemiological situation with the government. Monday saw a further worsening of the situation, with 82 deaths and 9,400 new infections. The prime minister gave the instruction to guarantee as much as possible the life of citizens and to maintain at the same time public order, which includes among other things a nightly curfew. Questions are being asked over whether all of Whakatane needed to evacuate during the recent tsunami threat. Nearly the whole town scrambled for the hills but according to maps on the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence website, only about a third of the town was in potential danger. Maps show that most of Whakatane south of Domain and Landing roads would have been safe in a tsunami up to 8.25 metres high. The predicted tsunami on March 5 was of between one and three metres. The mapped safe zone includes both Whakatane secondary schools, Allandale and St Josephs primary schools and Whakatane Hospital. Community and emergency workers are now asking, should an alert come again, should people in this part of town stay where they are or evacuate just to be safe? Police raised the point with Minister for Emergency Management and East Coast MP Kiri Allan at a meeting on Friday. Allan met with civil defence staff, police and volunteer fire fighters at Whakatane District Council to hear from them on how they thought New Zealands largest evacuation event went. Eastern Bay road policing manager Chris Howard summed it up in one word - chaos. Mr Howard says as soon as the evacuation alert hit peoples phones, the roads in Whakatane were gridlocked. Everyone wanted to drive, no one wanted to walk, there was one person per car, he says. Police raised the issue that the original alert did not specify how far from the coast people needed to evacuate and the estimated time of arrival of the tsunami. Mr Howard says the fact that some evacuated when they possibly didnt need to, contributed to the traffic gridlock and could have prevented those who did need to evacuate from getting to safety if a tsunami did eventuate. He gave the example of it taking Trident High School students 20 minutes to cross Valley Road to walk up Gorge Road, which impeded the flow of traffic. He notes that, according to the civil defence tsunami map, these students would have been safe at school. We would like to see some education put out there that people can walk or cycle if this happens again, he says. The coloured areas on this map taken from the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence website indicate which areas of Whakatane are at risk from a tsunami up to 8.25 metres high. SUPPLIED. Senior Sergeant Al Fenwick says police did not have the civil defence map available on the day so were making allowances for everyone to evacuate. However, there might not be as long a time frame next time so he was worried that if people who didnt need to evacuate did so again, there might be loss of life due to the blocked escape routes. An example of this is Awakeri School evacuating, which is around 10 kilometres from the coast. With the whole town evacuating, it made our lives harder, says Fenwick. The alert said to get to higher ground, and it would be great if it could be more specific about how close you have to be to the coast to be in danger. There was widespread panic with people at Awakeri and Waimana evacuating. The police stressed that they are not blaming those who did evacuate and say it's human nature to respond that way. Police also note there was a communication breakdown and the public knew before them that the threat had passed. Allan says there will be a review into how the evacuation was handled, as there is with all events like this. My thoughts are, though, did people know what to do and did they have the means to do it? The answer is yes across the board, she says. I would still err on the side that it is better people leave home than stay. Allan says during a national event like this, messaging is very broad and messages sent to the public just cant go into that level of detail requested. She says staff made decisions with the best data available to them at the time and these decisions were then communicated almost immediately to the public. She is concentrating on whether, had the tsunami eventuated, there would have been loss of life or not. Your comments will all feed into the national review which will be publicly released, she says. Local Democracy Reporting asked Bay of Plenty Civil Defence if it would like those living in the grey areas on the map to evacuate in any future events. Some members of the public say they had stayed home after viewing the maps but are wondering if they made the right decision. A spokeswoman responded says it's too early to say. The event was a very valuable opportunity to see how a large-scale evacuation works in reality, she says. A number of debriefs are being held at a local, regional and national level, so its too early to state what that advice would be though there will be public education programmes that fall out of this in due course. Paxton, IL (60957) Today Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 74F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Even though a sun-soaked escape to Mexico is tempting, the U.S. Embassy is warning Americans to rethink Spring Break and non-essential travel. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still on the rise in Mexico, according to the U.S. Embassy. "U.S. citizens should reconsider Spring Break and other non-essential travel to Mexico due to COVID-19. Cases and hospitalizations remain high in most of Mexico," The U.S. Embassy advisory stated. As of Tuesday, there are now 2,167,729 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mexico, with a death toll reaching 194,944, according to Johns Hopkins University. GET OFF THE GRID: These are the spring break deals for every kind of Texas traveler Travel hotspots like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Playa del Carmen are currently in the yellow phase of the pandemic, which means that hotels can operate at 60 percent. "Yellow" indicates a moderate level of community transmission in an area or region. Another factor to consider is that land border crossings are restricted to essential travel until at least March 21, 2021, the U.S. Embassy advised. For all Texas Spring Break travelers, you must present a negative COVID-19 test performed more than 3 days before your flight departs before boarding the flight. Tourists must also submit an affidavit that they don't carry coronavirus. The U.S. Embassy also warned that consulate services for U.S. citizens would be limited because of the pandemic. In light of the U.S. Embassy travel warning, Houstonians are asking about other beaches to explore in the U.S., according to Northcutt Travel's Shayla Northcutt. "People do ask me 'We want to go to Hilton Head, or Myrtle Beach,' because they think that's all that's open until the CDC changes the stipulations," Northcutt told Chron. Nevertheless, Mexico has remained to a top draw for Houston travelers, Northcutt said. "Cancun, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta are the main spots for Mexico," Northcutt added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The COVID-19 vaccination program has become urgent now more than ever with the "alarming" surge in infections, Vice President Leni Robredo said Tuesday. During her visit to a molecular laboratory in Iloilo City, Robredo expressed concern over the limited supply of coronavirus vaccines when asked for updates on the inoculation program in the Western Visayas. "Talagang iyong scarcity ng vaccines nandiyan (The scarcity of vaccines is really there)," Robredo told reporters, noting the uncertainty on when exactly the next vaccine shipment would arrive. "Ngayon na may surge, mas naging urgent siya, kasi nakita naman natin iyong numbers sa Manila. Medyo alarming siya," the Vice President added. [Translation: With the surge now, the vaccination program has become more urgent, because we see the numbers in Manila. It's quite alarming.] Robredo took note of the latest projections of independent research group OCTA that if the upward trend continues, the country could record up to 20,000 COVID-19 cases daily by mid-April. OCTA said the reproduction rate in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the local coronavirus outbreak, has risen to 2.03the highest since May 2020. This means a person with COVID-19 can infect at least two others. "So ganoon kahalaga iyong vaccines ngayon, kasi iyon talaga iyong isa sa malalaking dahilanhindi siya iyong only chance natin, pero siya iyong isang malaking dahilan para mabago natin iyong trajectory (of COVID-19 cases)," Robredo said. [Translation: That's how important the vaccines are now, while it is not our only chance, it is a huge factor to change the trajectory of COVID-19 cases.] The country has so far received 1.125 million doses of the vaccines developed by Chinese firm Sinovac and the UK-based AstraZeneca, which are donations from China and COVAX, respectively. The government prioritizes some 1.7 million health care workers in the vaccination drive. Only 215,997 have so far received their first doses, according to government data. Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said 1.4 million doses of Sinovac vaccines could arrive this month, while 900,000 more AstraZeneca shots could reach the country by early April. 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 We are in the midst of what many are calling the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0. This is a time of disruption, massive change, opportunities, and significant risks. Fortunes will shift, companies will fail, and new companies will rise from the ashes. Like every revolution before, we will better understand what we can do, and likely do worse concerning work-life balance and family importance. There is also a significant risk for abuse and the loss of our humanity. This last could turn out to be a good thing. This week, let's talk about where we are in this latest Industrial Revolution and where we'll likely be when this wave ends in 10 to 40 years. We'll close with my product of the week, a new conferencing camera/speaker solution from Poly. The First Three Industrial Revolutions The first Industrial Revolution started in 1760 and is believed to have ended 60 years later. It caused the birth of the middle class, professional jobs at scale, advancements in manufacturing tools (mainly in textiles), agriculture, and mining. The second Industrial Revolution started in 1871 and lasted for about 43 years. It saw the birth of fast transportation (land and sea), wired and wireless communication, and electricity. Also, we had the emergence of production lines that massively accelerated how quickly and cheaply we could build products for both civilian and military use, which set an industrial foundation for two world wars. The last Industrial Revolution, which started in the 1950s and ran for the rest of that century, saw the birth of computers, automation, functional robotics for manufacturing, and the digital age's birth and maturity. Each revolution had profound impacts on labor, power, income, wellness, and work-life balance. The first two revolutions arguably improved wealth distribution, eliminated most royalty, considerabley reduced slavery, and put power into the people's hands in much of the world. One could argue that the last Industrial Revolution undid a lot of that good. Wealth again migrated from the many back to the few, people gave up their power to companies and governments, and work-life balance declined for most sharply. However, it wasn't all bad, as computing power led to better healthcare, longer life expectancies, improved job safety, greater access to information, and the end of world wars. The problem with each revolution is they weren't managed. Both the benefits and the harms emerged organically, and with each improvement, the capability to do good or ill was significantly magnified. If you think of technology as a lever, and, stealing from Archimedes, you could move the earth with a long enough lever. The Fourth Industrial Revolution promises to be one mother of a long lever. The Fourth Industrial Revolution The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been going on for a while now, arguably starting soon after the beginning of this century with the viable birth of artificial intelligence. It brings with it the promise of advancements in blending humans and machines with mechanical organ and limb replacements, considerable advancements in machine intelligence (a term I think is more accurate than AI), flying cars, the rise of autonomous machines, massive instrumentation of the civilian population, and a world war. But this world war is a war on pollution and global warming, which is increasingly causing harmful weather events, rising oceans, and the polarization of world views. It has also resulted in another huge problem that must be an immediate global need to get extended auto insurance protection (I swear if I didn't get calls for this, my phone would rarely ring). The joke on auto insurance aside, this Industrial Revolution will force us to reconsider who we trust for information, where human ends and machines begin, and visa-versa. It will also require we take a far closer look at work-life balance because we could end up being hardwired to computational resources, potentially having us on the job 24/7 if we aren't careful. Wondering about sleep? Recent breakthroughs indicate we could likely work while we sleep. Granted, we'll need to work on dream quality because, in most of mine, I seem to be looking for cars in parking lots, classes I'm late for, or agonizing over tests for which I haven't studied. Robotic advancements are far farther along than most realize, ranging from advanced robotic pets and beasts of burden, to robotic weapons systems; not to mention artificial and quantum brains. These developments, as they mature, will have significant impact on our lives. (I'm thinking of having my future robot take those damned car insurance calls!) The level of disruption and danger with this revolution is unprecedented because we create things that can act with a purpose far more quickly than we can. About half of all jobs are at risk of being automated during this latest revolution, and we are even building robotic mates (fortunately, they still need a ton of work). Even the concept of being a male parent has potentially become redundant (I suggest a conscious effort by men to treat women better before they collectively decide we are no longer needed). We do have efforts to cool the earth, clean up ocean-borne plastics, and even move us to Mars if we screw up the planet. I still think that it might be better to fix the planet we are on, but what do I know? Wrapping Up: Advice For Weathering Massive Change I've just touched on a few of the changes. I haven't talked about flying cars, our move from petro-chemicals to electricity, quantum computing, cyber risks, or space aliens, but what should you do to survive better what is coming? First, I'd move away from areas on the coast or high human density. Global warming is resulting in rising water and increasing weather events where the land meets that water. Also, avoid areas where there are already extreme weather events and make sure your house is constructed not only to survive the weather of today but the weather as it likely will be in a decade or so. Consider a forward-looking field that rewards remote work and where constant training is a part of the job. You don't want to become obsolete in the middle of this mess. Pick naturally agile companies, have diversity at the top and the bottom, and pay more than lip service to corporate social responsibility. Inventory your priorities and factor those into your decisions about family, where to live, what kind of job to do, and the nature of the company you work for or the business you build. Learn to embrace rather than fight change. It's coming; you can't stop it, so you might as well find a path to enjoy that change. In short, you want to find a relatively stable island of enjoyment that you can preserve while recognizing stability will be impossible. Your goal is to limit the amount of change you'll need to face so you can manage the unavoidable disruptions. Get used to conservation and work on your antisocial behaviors. We will be in an increasingly connected and transparent world, and making sure you don't have bombs in your digital history will help ensure you have a long and successful career. One last thing: consider adopting the Flux Mindset, which is a way of dealing with massive change while maintaining a healthy attitude. You'll need it because we are about to enter the period of this latest Industrial Revolution that will be the most disruptive in the world's history. I expect it to be one hell of a ride. The Poly Studio P15 Video Bar We've been living on products like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex for nearly a year now, and I've been in the search for a better video camera. The Logitech Brio, which has been my go-to camera for years, gets horrible support from Logitech. Many of the Brio's initial features, like advanced green screen capability, stopped working some time ago. So I got excited when Poly contacted me to look at their new Poly Studio P15, their $599 high-end desktop video conferencing device. My initial impression is that while this camera/microphone/speaker system is expensive, it is the best desktop solution I've so far tested. The tag line for this product is "look amazing, be amazing," and it delivers. The whole point to a solution like this is to look good on camera, and you can adjust the settings to give yourself a little color, and it not only auto frames you, but it will also use AI to eliminate background noise. You can limit your field of view to hide the mess beside your desk, and it has built-in speakers which aren't bad either. This video bar sat just fine on my 49-inch Dell monitor, but it's too big and heavy for a laptop. It has a built-in screw mount for a tripod, though, and I'd recommend that you use a tripod with a laptop. Poly Studio P15 Video Bar For this price you'd expect to get a good camera -- and you do. It has backlight correction and a decent field of view, which is significant for self-centering. The app is pretty basic but does what is needed; and frankly, too many controls can lead to messing up the image, so I'm ok with it. It's missing some features that I expect to arrive in high-end cameras, like the ability to render you virtually, apply virtual makeup, or actively make you look younger and better, but no one does that right now. The Poly Studio P15 is the best personal video conferencing camera I've yet seen, and if your appearance is essential, you should check it out. It is also 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. Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) said on March 16 it had prevented a large-scale cyberattack by Russian hackers targeting classified government data. The SBU said the aim was to "get access to classified data of the highest institutions of state power of Ukraine" and accused the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) of being behind the hackers who it said had carried the attack. Kyiv has previously accused Moscow of orchestrating large cyberattacks as part of a "hybrid war" against Ukraine, but Russia denies this. The FSB did not immediately comment on the latest accusation. The SBU did not say whether any damage had been caused in the latest incident, which it blamed on a FSB-controlled hacker group it identified as Armageddon. In February, Ukrainian cyberauthorities accused unnamed Russian Internet networks of attacks on Ukrainian security and defense websites, and of trying to disseminate malicious documents through a Web-based system. Relations between Kyiv and Moscow have been strained since Russia illegally took control of Crimea from Ukraine seven years ago after sending in troops, seizing key facilities in February 2014, and staging a referendum weeks later that was dismissed as illegitimate by at least 100 countries. Moscow also backs separatists in a war against Ukrainian government forces that has killed more than 13,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. With reporting by Reuters Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Lucknow, March 16 : A BJP legislator has written a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, accusing the UP police of harassing and torturing the family of slain gangster Vikas Dubey. BJP MLC Umesh Dwiwedi, who is also the president of the All India Brahminothan Mahasabha, has said that Deep Prakash Dubey , brother of Vikas Dubey, and his wife Anjali Dubey , were being implicated in false cases by the police. The MLC has urged the chief minister to order an inquiry into the cases against the family members and ensure justice to them. Vikas Dubey was killed in a police encounter in Kanpur on July 10 last year, a week after he and his men killed eight policemen in an ambush in Bikru village. The police had launched extensive investigations against his family members and associates to unearth his financial dealings. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey ranks fifth in the world in terms of the number of vaccines delivered. "As of today, we have vaccinated 11,500,000 people, the president said, as he highlighted that Turkey was one of the first countries to start the vaccination process. Turkey rolled out the Chinese Sinovac vaccine on Jan. 14. The vaccine is given in two doses, 28 days apart. Ankara has also ordered 4.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Currently, only CoronaVac, an inactive vaccine developed by Chinas Sinovac is available for use. The Health Ministry plans to diversify the vaccines by acquiring from other companies abroad, while trials continue for locally-made vaccines, Daily Sabah reported. The vaccination drive is one of the determining factors for Turkeys ambition to normalize daily life. This month, a gradual reopening was launched for some businesses, while nationwide curfews have been eased on a regional basis. The country has so far confirmed more than 2.78 million cases, including 29,030 fatalities and over 2.62 million recoveries. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 06:30:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The White House confirmed on Monday that the administration of President Joe Biden has recently reached out to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) but has not yet received a response from Pyongyang. "I can confirm that we have reached out," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during the daily news briefing when asked by reporters about the matter, adding that the United States maintains a series of channels through which it is able to communicate with the DPRK. Psaki said the United States has "not received any response" to date, stressing repeatedly that Washington's priority has been, and remains, "to reduce the risk of escalation" through diplomacy. She did not elaborate on what kind of escalation the United States is concerned about. "You can all anticipate that there will be a continued expansion of engagement with partners and allies in the region," the press secretary told reporters. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Tokyo on Monday, kicking off a two-leg tour to Northeast Asia that will later bring them to Seoul. Sung Kim, acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told reporters last week that Blinken would discuss the DPRK nuclear issue with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts during the ongoing trip. Kim said that the U.S. commitment to seeking a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has not changed. Enditem Facebook has recently launched its COVID-19 Vaccine Finder Tool which can schedule appointments and look for available dosages, using its massive platform to assist people to be vaccinated. Moreover, the program launched after its CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a status update that revealed the new feature and emphasizing vaccination importance. COVID-19 has been a massive chapter of 2020, and more than a year ago, it has locked people in their homes, discouraging people to go out and mingle in a social environment to help stem the virus. Now, there is an opportunity to get immune to the said killer virus and Facebook is here to help, providing assistance and information using its social network. Currently, COVID-19 vaccination is on-going for the public, especially as it already finished the essential needs community like front liners, medical staff, and the elderly. The vaccine makers like Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Moderna, and others have been providing a steady stream of supplies that makes it available for the public to avail it. Read Also: 'Tesla Tequila' Now Out of Stock After Restocking via Website-How to Buy This $250 Drink? Facebook's COVID-19 Vaccine Finder Tool What is more notable during this pandemic is the massive information that people can gather and get their hands on, receiving updates from statuses, cases, and. even the availability of vaccines in the region. This is because of social media and internet platforms that have dedicated their services to fulfill this, with Facebook, Google, Twitter, Apple, and the like. Facebook's COVID-19 Information Center tab on the platform contains most of the needs for the virus, including active cases, statuses, and most recently, the COVID-19 vaccine finder tool. This helps in searching for available clinics and booking an appointment with them directly, without the need to dive into the internet to schedule the shot. The help provided by Facebook is a massive one, especially if people are more accustomed to browsing social media and using its intuitive tools to secure a vaccine appointment at the palm of their hands. The effort made by the company helps in the wider dissemination of information, particularly with the COVID-19 vaccination, which the company also optimized to remove misinformation. Mark Zuckerberg is Pro-Vaccine, and so is Facebook Today we're launching a global campaign to help bring 50 million people a step closer to getting Covid-19 vaccines. We'... Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, March 15, 2021 The Facebook CEO showed his support for vaccination, indicating that he is on the "Pro" side of things when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and promoting their wide availability to the public. Zuckerberg, as its leader, has also molded Facebook as a pro-vaccine platform that denies misleading theories and content about the vaccine's danger and the like. Moreover, Mark Zuckerberg is inviting people to use Facebook as the platform to help in securing COVID-19 vaccines, saying that several interested applicants have already booked vaccination appointments using social media. The move by Facebook is a massive step towards the goal of a country-wide vaccination. Related Article: Facebook Research Discovers 'Vaccine-Hesitant' Users in Comment Sections that Sway Trust Over COVID-19 Vaccines, a 'Gray Area?' This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chennai, March 16 : With Assembly elections fast approaching, seizures of cash and other valuables have increased in Tamil Nadu, with the present value of the confiscated items standing at over Rs 109 crore, as per Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo. Sahoo said cash amounting to Rs 43.76 crore, and gold, liquor and sarees worth Rs 65.78 crore were seized from different parts of Tamil Nadu since the Model Code of Conduct was implemented on February 26 with the poll announcement. Former minister and AIADMK leader Nattan R Viswanath is in a controversy over allegations that he had given money to voters in his constituency on Monday. In Chennai, two people who are linked to a hawala network were arrested after Rs 15 crore was seized from their procession. Chennai city Deputy Police Commissioner, R. Nagarajan, told IANS that the two were arrested by the police flying squad and a huge amount of cash was found in their possession. "On interrogating these people they revealed the source of money and said it was for distributing to various people. We have to check whether this money is for distribution to political parties," he said. State survelliance teams of the Enforcement Directorate and the Election Commission have also seized cash and valuables from cities like Madurai and Trichy which was meant for distribution to some people linked to political parties. M. Adisheshan, an official with the Income Tax department in Madurai, told IANS: "Our intelligence teams are in the field and if money or other valuables which are unaccounted are found, we will seize them and produce before the court. There is a stringent directive from the Election Commission to confiscate money and other valuables which are found without proper records." Getty Images To get going: 1. Type Speech in the search window beside the Start icon. Press Enter or click the button that says Windows Speech Recognition | Next. 2. Choose the type of microphone you're using, such as a headset, desktop microphone or perhaps one that's built into the computer itself. Click Next. 3. Walk through the prompts, conduct a short audio test, then make sure the toggle is set to On beside Dictate text and control your device using your voice. 4. Place your cursor in any text field, either directly within Windows 10 or in an app such as Microsoft Word. Press the Windows logo key and H and start speaking into your computer's microphone. 6. Return to past activities with Timeline With Windows 10's Timeline, you can quickly go back in time to access files and media you previously worked on. Whether you started writing a document yesterday or you want to call up a video from up to 30 days ago, Timeline makes it easier to find what you're looking for. 1. Click the Task view icon in the task bar at the bottom of your screen, to the right of the search window, to see all your recent activities. Or open Task view by pressing the Windows logo key and Tab. 2. See snapshots of the most relevant activities as small windows you can tap or click on in the default view. Plus you can slide the scrollbar on the right to get back to past activities. You also can pick up what you were doing in Microsoft Edge or Office 365 on your iOS or Android device. 3. Can't find the exact activity you're looking for in the default view? Search using relevant keywords in the upper right corner. To close the feature, tap the Escape (esc) key at the upper left on your keyboard until you've backed out and have returned to your previous screen. 7. Use the free OneDrive to save files OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud service, an online vault of sorts, to store files offsite. That keeps them from disappearing if your computer's hard drive has problems or your computer is harmed in a fire or other disaster. Plus, you can access files and often run them in the cloud. And you can collaborate with others elsewhere in real time. Microsoft gives you 5 gigabytes (GB) of free storage. But Microsoft 365 users, who pay for plans that start at $69 a year, get about 1,000 GB of OneDrive storage included. Microsoft 365 includes Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word. You can buy more online storage. Windows 10 integrates OneDrive, so you can drag and drop between local and OneDrive folders in Windows Explorer, as if all of it were stored on your computer. An Internet connection is required. Type OneDrive in the search window at the bottom of the screen or click Start | OneDrive. You may be prompted to sign into your OneDrive account with a valid Microsoft or Hotmail ID, but that's required only once. Now, when you're in File Explorer, you can click OneDrive on the left side to see the contents of your online storage. Or right-click on a file with your mouse and select Move to OneDrive. You can also go to OneDrive .com to sign in an access your files or download the OneDrive app for your smartphone or tablet. 8. Share files with nearby devices You can instantly share files such as documents, photos, videos and websites with other nearby Windows 10 devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. To enable the Nearby sharing feature: 1. Type Nearby in the search box at the bottom of your screen 2. Tap or click Nearby sharing settings and select the toggle to turn it on. 3. Now choose to share or receive content from Everyone nearby or My devices only from the drop-down menu. By default, shared files you receive will be dropped into the Downloads folder, but you can change the destination. Share content when you're in a supported app such as File Explorer, Microsoft Edge or Photos by right-clicking on a file and choosing Share. You'll see a list of devices in Bluetooth range with the Nearby Sharing feature enabled. The recipient will be notified in the Action Center and prompted to accept or decline. 9. Silence distractions with Focus Assist Focus Assist helps you easily block notifications, sounds and alerts to create a distraction-free environment. This can help when you're trying to concentrate on a work project for an hour or two. 1. Type focus in your search bar. 2. Click or tap to open Focus Assist. From there, you can set some automatic rules, such as Focus Assist turning itself on and off at certain times or you can toggle Focus Assist on and off manually. Be aware you also can prioritize notifications, so select people and important apps always break through when Focus Assist is turned on. As soon as Focus Assist turns off, you'll receive summary of all the notifications and alerts you missed. To ensure this is enabled, check the box next to Show me a summary of what I missed while focus assist was on at the bottom of the Focus Assist menu. 10. See what space your apps, files are taking If you're running out of storage or find your PC a little slower these days, Windows 10 makes it easy to see what apps are installed and delete them, if desired. 1. Click the Start button, then Settings | System | Storage. Or type Storage in the search window at the bottom of your screen. 2. Click on the drive you want to search. The hard drive inside your computer is likely your C: drive. You will see a summary of what's taking up space with the biggest culprit in all likelihood being the Apps & features area. Tap it to see what's being used. Maybe select a game you haven't played since 2018 and choose to uninstall it. Other sections include Mail, Documents and Temporary files. Make sure to back up files to a USB thumb drive, external hard drive or OneDrive before you delete them from your PC. You can also click to toggle on Storage Sense, which will regularly clear your Recycle Bin and temporary files and lets you know if you're running low on storage. TOKYO, March 16 (Reuters) - Japan's defence minister, Nobuo Kishi, looks forward to discussing with his U.S. counterpart aspects of China's activities in the East and South China Sea regions, he said on Tuesday. The security environment in the Indo-Pacific region was "severe", Kishi said as he began a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. On his Tokyo visit, Austin said the U.S.-Japan alliance was strong and the two nations would work together towards achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski, Ju-min Park; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday said it has fined the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) Rs 2 crore for contravention on norms related to payment of remuneration to employees in the form of commission. "This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers," the central bank said in its statement on its website. The said it fined the bank after finding the lapses while doing statutory audits for the year ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018. The central bank also checked the risk assessment reports (RARs) and examined the correspondence with the bank regarding payment of remuneration to its employees in the form of commission etc. While the details are not very evident, but a source in the bank said it could be something to do with the incentive scheme introduced by the bank during the period under consideration. 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. Rapid deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning to tackle coronavirus must still go through ethical checks and balances, or we risk harming already disadvantaged communities in the rush to defeat the disease. This is according to researchers at the University of Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) in two articles, published today in the British Medical Journal, cautioning against blinkered use of AI for data-gathering and medical decision-making as we fight to regain some normalcy in 2021. Relaxing ethical requirements in a crisis could have unintended harmful consequences that last well beyond the life of the pandemic." Dr Stephen Cave, Study Lead Authoor and Director, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, University of Cambridge "The sudden introduction of complex and opaque AI, automating judgments once made by humans and sucking in personal information, could undermine the health of disadvantaged groups as well as long-term public trust in technology." In a further paper, co-authored by CFI's Dr Alexa Hagerty, researchers highlight potential consequences arising from the AI now making clinical choices at scale - predicting deterioration rates of patients who might need ventilation, for example - if it does so based on biased data. Datasets used to "train" and refine machine-learning algorithms are inevitably skewed against groups that access health services less frequently, such as minority ethnic communities and those of "lower socioeconomic status". "COVID-19 has already had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities. We know these systems can discriminate, and any algorithmic bias in treating the disease could land a further brutal punch," Hagerty said. In December, protests ensued when Stanford Medical Centre's algorithm prioritized home-workers for vaccination over those on the Covid wards. "Algorithms are now used at a local, national and global scale to define vaccine allocation. In many cases, AI plays a central role in determining who is best placed to survive the pandemic," said Hagerty. "In a health crisis of this magnitude, the stakes for fairness and equity are extremely high." Along with colleagues, Hagerty highlights the well-established "discrimination creep" found in AI that uses "natural language processing" technology to pick up symptom profiles from medical records - reflecting and exacerbating biases against minorities already in the case notes. They point out that some hospitals already use these technologies to extract diagnostic information from a range of records, and some are now using this AI to identify symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Similarly, the use of track-and-trace apps creates the potential for biased datasets. The researchers write that, in the UK, over 20% of those aged over 15 lack essential digital skills, and up to 10% of some population "sub-groups" don't own smartphones. "Whether originating from medical records or everyday technologies, biased datasets applied in a one-size-fits-all manner to tackle COVID-19 could prove harmful for those already disadvantaged," said Hagerty. In the BMJ articles, the researchers point to examples such as the fact that a lack of data on skin color makes it almost impossible for AI models to produce accurate large-scale computation of blood-oxygen levels. Or how an algorithmic tool used by the US prison system to calibrate reoffending - and proven to be racially biased - has been repurposed to manage its COVID-19 infection risk. The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence recently launched the UK's first Master's course for ethics in AI. For Cave and colleagues, machine learning in the Covid era should be viewed through the prism of biomedical ethics - in particular the "four pillars". The first is beneficence. "Use of AI is intended to save lives, but that should not be used as a blanket justification to set otherwise unwelcome precedents, such as widespread use of facial recognition software," said Cave. In India, biometric identity programs can be linked to vaccination distribution, raising concerns for data privacy and security. Other vaccine allocation algorithms, including some used by the COVAX alliance, are driven by privately owned AI, says Hagerty. "Proprietary algorithms make it hard to look into the 'black box', and see how they determine vaccine priorities." The second is 'non-maleficence', or avoiding needless harm. A system programmed solely to preserve life will not consider rates of 'long covid', for example. Thirdly, human autonomy must be part of the calculation. Professionals need to trust technologies, and designers should consider how systems affect human behavior - from personal precautions to treatment decisions. Finally, data-driven AI must be underpinned by ideals of social justice. "We need to involve diverse communities, and consult a range of experts, from engineers to frontline medical teams. We must be open about the values and trade-offs inherent in these systems," said Cave. "AI has the potential to help us solve global problems, and the pandemic is unquestionably a major one. But relying on powerful AI in this time of crisis brings ethical challenges that must be considered to secure public trust." The internal probe carried out by the Army in the alleged Army recruitment scam has found that officers allegedly cleared candidates for the Services Selection Board (SSB) of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in December 2020 in lieu of money, sources said on Tuesday. The CBI has registered a case on March 13 this year on a complaint from the office of Additional Directorate General, Discipline and Vigilance, Adjutant General's Branch, Integrated Headquarter of Ministry of Defence (Army), DHQ PO, New Delhi. The CBI has booked 17 army officials including those of the ranks of Lieutenant colonel, Major, Naib Subedar, Sepoy etc; six private persons and others on the allegations pertaining to bribery and irregularities in recruitment of officers and other ranks through the SSB. The official said that several incriminating documents have been seized during the searches. The official said that the documents recovered during searches are being scrutinised. After registering a case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at 30 locations in at least 13 cities -- Kapurthala, Bathinda, Delhi, Kaithal, Palwal, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Vishakhapatnam, Jaipur, Guwahati, Jorhat and Chirangon. According to Army sources, it has been revealed that Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh, posted at Base Hospital at Delhi Cantonment sought assistance in passing SSB from Lt Colonel MVSNA Bhagwan in lieu of money. The source further said that Singh also touted aspiring candidates to Lt Colonel Bhagwan and he also accepted monetary gratification from Havildar Pawan Kumar for selection of his son in SSB. For the same, an undisclosed amount of cash was taken. Lt Colonel Bhagwan is currently on study leave in Visakhapatnam. The source further alleged that Lt Colonel Bhagwan, who was former GTO at 31 SSB, Kapurthala between 2015-19, received financial gratification for selection of Lt Navjot Kanwar. He said that he also lured candidates under the garb of clearing SSB in lieu of money. The source also said that Lt Colonel Bhagwan was also seen taking a package from Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh in a video footage of the passing out parade on February 26 this year. The source highlighted the role of Lt Colonel Surender Singh (Regiment of Artillery) Service Selection Centre, North Kapurthala. He said that Surender Singh allegedly accepted bribes for selection of 10-15 candidates and Rs one lakh was received by him in his bank account from Neeraj Kumar, son of Havildar Pawan Kumar. He also alleged that an undisclosed amount of cash for selection of 10-15 candidates was sent to Surender Singh's brother-in-law Bhupender Bajaj in Delhi. The source also said that Major Bhavesh Kumar (Corps of Engineers) SSC, North Kapurthala. Citing his role, the report stated that Bhavesh Kumar received undisclosed amount of cash for selection of 10-11 candidates, and the cash part of the gratification was later transferred into accounts of family members. Similarly, the role of Lt Navjot Singh, 12 GRENADIERS/21 Mountain Division in Assam's Guwahati has also been highlighted. He alleged that Lt Navjot Singh bribed Lt Colonel Bhagwan and Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh for his selection. Navjot Singh gave Rs 10 lakh to Lt Colonel Bhagwan through Kuldeep Singh and a civilian woman named Pragati. The source highlighted that Rs 5 lakh were transferred into the account of Kuldeep Singh through banking channels while Rs 4.5 lakh was transferred through banking channels to Pragati, who is a friend of Kuldeep Singh. The source further alleged that Havildar Pawan Kumar, posted at Army Service Corps Centre in Bengaluru, bribed Lt Colonel Bhagwan and Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh for selection of his son in NDA-146 course. For the same, Pawan Kumar transferred an undisclosed amount of cash to Kuldeep Singh and also transferred Rs 50,000 through UPI credit into bank account of Kuldeep Singh. He further highlighted that the undisclosed amount of cash was transferred through two cheques to Kuldeep Singh followed by Rs 2 lakh transfer through UPI into the bank account of Usha Kumawat, mother of Major Bhavesh Kumar and Rs 1 lakh each UPI tranfer in the bank account of Major Bhavesh's father Surendra Kumar and Major Bhavesh's wife Devyani. The source said that the Army's probe also pointed fingers at role of Lt Colonel YS Chauhan, who is posted at 6 Division Ordinance Unit, Bareilly for his alleged involvement as revealed by Lt Colonel Surender Singh, while he was posted at SSC, North Kapurthala and Lt Colonel Sukhdev Arora, Joint Director DG, Rect, New Delhi for his alleged involvement in selection malpractices as revealed by Lt Colonel Surender Singh. Citing the role of Lt Colonel Vinay, the source said that he was previously posted as GTO in selection centre in Bengaluru and he approached Lt Colonel Surender SIngh for selection of some candidates in SSB. It further said that the officer has retired from the Army. Meanwhile, Cadet Hemant Dagar SSC (T) 53, OTA Chennai and Cadet Indrajeet, NCC (SPL) Entry-47, OTA Chennai bribed Major Bhavesh Kumar for selection. The source said that the army probe also highlighted the role of private woman Pragati facilitated transfer of money from her account to other beneficiaries. He said that the army internal probe further revealed that Major Bhavesh used the bank acocunt of his father to transfer other monetary gratification received in cash. He said, it alleged that Neeraj Kumar, son of Havildar Pawan Kumar fraudulently enrolled for NDA, while Major Amit Fagna, posted at 422 Field Hiospital in Delhi Cantonment allegedly received bribe for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. He said, the report also stated that Naik Parwinder Jeet Singh, Medical Board Section, Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment was bribed for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. It further said that he also transferred cash to the tune of Rs 2.66 lakh for the same. The source said, Sepoy Kuldeep Singh used to assist Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh in referring candidates to Naik Parwinder to seek clearing of temporarily rejected candidates. Sepoy Rohit Kanwar, posted at Central Vehicle Depot Workshop in Delhi Cantonment was bribed for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. Havildar Harpal Singh of 227 Army Services Corps Batallion, was also bribed for clearing medical board of temporarily rejected candidates. Meanwhile, Havildar Rajesh Kumar, used to collect lists from Independent Recruitment Organisation of temporarily rejected candidates and divulged the merit list prematurely. Officials with two major COVID-19 vaccine providers in San Antonio say they arent convinced the city needs a one-stop sign-up portal for people trying to schedule vaccinations. San Antonio is the only major Texas city without some form of a vaccine registry. Other major cities including Austin, Houston and Dallas have systems that allow residents to sign up and be notified later when an appointment becomes available. The idea is to give people certainty they will be vaccinated at some point, rather than force them to battle jammed phone lines or try in vain to find open appointments online. To me, this is the definition of anxiety-inducing, District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino said Tuesday during a meeting of the City Councils Community Health and Equity Committee. But two medical executives told the committee theyre not sure a registry would alleviate anxiety or help people secure appointments more easily especially given the limited supply of vaccine. I dont think any of us are opposed to a registry, said Robert Leverence, chief medical officer of UT Health San Antonio. I just dont think were necessarily all convinced its going to solve the problem that were hoping to solve. Jimmie Keenan, a senior vice president at WellMed Medical Management, echoed that point. If Im number 680,000 on the list, I think Im going to be a little anxious about when Im going to get my vaccine, Keenan said. For months, District 9 Councilman John Courage has pushed leaders of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District to set up a registry. As more doses become available and the pool of those eligible expands, its going to become even more difficult to schedule appointments, Courage said. That just makes it more and more challenging for people to get their shot, Courage said in an interview. Its just more and more people fighting for the daily or weekly limited number of shots. One idea that emerged during the hearing piqued Courages interest. Officials of University Health, Bexar Countys public hospital system, told the committee they can target for vaccination residents of neighborhoods with higher rates of heart disease and diabetes as well as lower COVID-19 vaccination rates. UH can use its mobile application to alert residents of those areas when appointments become available. As we open appointments two or three weeks in advance, this gives us that ability to give those folks ... a bit of a head start in signing up, said Leni Kirkman, an executive vice president at University Health. Courage suggested the city and county pony up funds to help the hospital system expand the targeted approach. Alternatively, the city could launch its own effort, he said. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio City Council shoots down idea of one-stop COVID-19 vaccine registry - for now Metro Health officials so far have resisted calls to set up a vaccine registry or waiting list. Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger, the citys coronavirus czar, has maintained that a waiting list would do little to ease peoples anxiety over getting vaccinated. Health officials and some City Council members also have questions about how the city would bring all vaccine providers into one system especially given that vaccine distribution has become increasingly decentralized as pharmacies and grocery stores begin administering doses. In a 7-4 vote in February, a majority of council members including Mayor Ron Nirenberg shot down a measure to create a one-stop registry. At the time, Nirenberg said there was no assurance that people who signed up would receive appointments within a reasonable time, given that the city cannot control its supply of vaccine. But some elected officials arent ready to give up on the idea. Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez suggested that Metro Health and University Health create a joint list for their mass vaccination sites at the Alamodome and the Wonderland of the Americas mall. The alternative is we keep going at the rate were going now, Rodriguez said in an interview. And I just think the level of frustration is going to grow. Registries now in operation have their limitations. Residents who sign up in Harris and Dallas counties as well as in Austin still must manually make appointments when they become available. Moreover, registries managed by the public health departments in Austin and Harris County dont operate on a first come, first served basis. Rather, residents who sign up are selected randomly when appointments become available. No registry in Texas appears to encompass both public and private providers. Austins system, for example, schedules appointments only for four vaccination sites run by the public health department, a spokesman said. More than 369,000 Bexar County residents have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Some 207,000 residents are fully vaccinated about 13 percent of Bexar residents over the age of 16. The pandemic has been on the wane in the San Antonio region in recent weeks after the virus pushed hospitals to the brink in January. Health officials reported 192 cases of the virus Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases identified since last March to 201,010. The seven-day average of new cases now stands at 174. During the winter surge, it sometimes exceeded 2,000. Officials reported one more death from COVID-19 a Hispanic woman in her 70s. The countys fatality toll since the start of the pandemic is now 2,991. The number of COVID-19 patients in Bexar County hospitals continued to decline Tuesday. Local hospitals were treating 206 coronavirus patients compared with a record 1,520 patients on Jan. 18. Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has asked the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo to either stop ceding his authority as leader of the party to others or step aside. According to him, the NDC's constitution is clear on whom should wield control as leader when the party is in opposition, in this case Samuel Ofosu Ampofo; and not the Presidential Candidate. Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the former NDC Deputy General Secretary charged the National Chairman of the party to live up to that responsibility and instill discipline in the party. I cannot hide my feeling; if Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is not ready to be the chairman and leader of the NDC, he should step asidethe NDC constitution as it is now, when the party is in opposition, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is the leader of the NDC whether he likes it or not, he chided. He pointed out that the constitution of the NDC does not allow the National Chairman to cede his authority to any other person in the party, and thus wondered why he (Ampofo) is allowing officers of the party to misconduct themselves without calling them to order. He is the leader of the party; why is he quiet about Sammy Gyamfis case? He prefers to talk about Koku Anyidoho and Allotey Jacobs when he cannot discipline his own officers. He cant discipline his own officers and he wants to talk about Koku Anyidoho and Allotey Jacobs, he fumed. Watch Video Below: Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) -PORTOFINO RESOURCES INC. (TSXV: POR) (OTCQB: PFFOF) (FSE: POTA) ("Portofino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has been issued an Exploration Permit (the "Permit") for its Gold Creek Project from the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development, and Mines. The Gold Creek claims are situated within First Nation traditional lands and as part of the Permit process, Portofino consulted with, and has received support for its exploration plans from local First Nations groups. The Permit is valid for 3 years and allows mechanical trenching and diamond drilling to be completed within the Project claim area. Portofino also reports it has executed a drilling contract for a minimum of 750 metres of diamond drilling and the Company anticipates the drilling crew to mobilize to site within the next 7-10 days. The program has been planned to drill at least 6 holes within the eastern portion of the Gold Creek claim area. The drilling program will test 2 historically identified zones (S1 and I-Zone) and 1 new zone (New Road Zone) discovered by Portofino's geological team during its 2020 ground exploration program. (see Figure 1) Historical property work includes multi-ounce gold grab samples, as well as historical drill intercepts of 4.32 g/t gold over 41 metres and 4.36 g/t gold over 20.42 metres completed in 1995 and a 1 tonne bulk sample in 2008 returning an average grade of 9.9 g/t gold from the I-Zone. During 2020, the Company completed two prospecting programs on the property. Historical zones were located and sampled, including the AF-U Zones, the S1 Zone and the I Zone. Sampling confirmed anomalous to high-grade gold at each of these zones. Prospecting by Portofino's crew in 2020 lead to the discovery of the 'New Road Zone'. Grab samples returned up to 4.07g/t gold as well as 720ppm copper. This newly discovered zone may be mineralized for at least 300 meters and is proximal to the Crayfish Creek Fault. This Fault is a major crustal scale feature extending for 80 kilometres and hosts the Matawin Gold belt, home to numerous precious metal occurrences and base metal deposits. Portofino's CEO, David Tafel comments; "We are excited to be commencing this fully funded drill program on our Gold Creek property. The initial priority drill targets are the result of a comprehensive review of historical property data and incorporation of our 2020 exploration results by our very thorough and experienced geological team." $571,000 raised through exercise of warrants Portofino also reports it has received proceeds exceeding $571,000 during the latest quarter ended February 28 through the exercise of approximately 8.7 million warrants priced between $0.05- $0.08 per share. Figure 1: Gold Creek 2021 drilling area To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3751/77359_4b09052db443886d_001full.jpg Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Mike Kilbourne, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Portofino Resources Inc. Portofino is a Vancouver-based Canadian company focused on exploring and developing mineral resource projects in the Americas. Its South of Otter and Bruce Lake projects are in the historic gold mining district of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada proximal to the high-grade Dixie gold project owned by Great Bear Resources Ltd. In addition, Portofino holds three other northwestern Ontario gold projects; the Gold Creek property located immediately south of the historic Shebandowan Nickel-Copper mine, as well as the Sapawe West and Melema West properties located in the rapidly developing Atikokan gold mining camp. The Company also holds the right to a 100% interest in the Yergo lithium salar property located within the world-renowned "Lithium Triangle" in Argentina. For further information on the Company, its projects and its management please visit our website: https://www.portofinoresources.com/. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "David G. Tafel" Chief Executive Officer For Further Information Contact: David Tafel CEO, Director 604-683-1991 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward looking statements concerning future operations of Portofino Resources Inc. (the "Company"). All forward- looking statements concerning the Company's future plans and operations, including management's assessment of the Company's project expectations or beliefs may be subject to certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual performance and exploration and financial results may differ materially from any estimates or projections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77359 CALIFORNIA, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- California's oldest and largest clean energy business group, the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA), is going up against the state's three investor-owned utilities over the future of California's rooftop solar market. The battle is unfolding at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in a regulatory decision that will make or break California's continued leadership in encouraging consumer solar at homes, apartments, schools and farms. Proposals for changes to net energy metering (NEM) were submitted today. "California is a solar state, but the utilities want to own the sun and keep it out of the hands of everyday people," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, CALSSA Executive Director. "Their need to increase profits cuts against the consumer's right to choose where and how to generate clean, reliable energy where we live, work, and play." CALSSA's proposal for how the state's foundational net metering program should evolve over the next ten years seeks to put rooftop solar in the hands of millions more consumers, including an increasing number of low-income ratepayers, while building a million solar-charged batteries. The industry association, which took on the utilities in 2016 during the last regulatory challenge to NEM, is urging the commission to prioritize consumer choice, energy reliability, grid costs, and the protection of small businesses which make up more than two-thirds of California's solar market. "California's solar industry is dominated by small businesses that work to bring clean, reliable and affordable energy to middle- and working-class consumers from Clovis to Chula Vista," said Del Chiaro. "Our 600-member strong organization is made up of hundreds of women-owned, minority-owned, employee-owned, and family-owned businesses that make up the backbone of California's solar industry. The state's investor-owned utilities, in contrast, are some of the largest shareholder corporations in the state posting $20 billion in profits since 2012. The largest source of profits are utility investments in high-voltage transmission lines that carry electrons from power plants located hundreds of miles away from where people use energy. In a recent En Banc at the CPUC, it was revealed that the utilities have charged ratepayers $20 billion in transmission projects, nearly half of which were "self-approved" and that this year's $4 billion transmission bill to ratepayers is a 38% increase over 2016. "Rooftop solar helps cut down on the need to build these expensive transmission lines which is why the utilities are always after us," said Del Chiaro. "Solar roofs save everyone money by reducing the need to pave over the desert with power plants and build the wires to carry those electrons to our homes and businesses. Those savings work well for ratepayers but cut against utility profit." CALSSA is part of a growing coalition of consumer, environmental, and community groups standing up for consumer choice and local solar energy. The group has a website www.SaveCaliforniaSolar.org. Earlier, today CALSSA and the Solar Rights Alliance put out a public opinion poll showing utility company efforts to roll back net metering are highly unpopular among California voters. Instead, the poll showed strong support for net metering across parties, and a bipartisan desire for California leaders to do more to encourage the growth of rooftop solar power. California is the nucleus for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and DER-related policies. It has grown not only world-class DER companies and global leaders that continue to be policy ambassadors to states across the country, and countries around the world, but also hundreds of small and mid-sized "Main Street" solar and solar-related businesses. The modifications to NEM adopted in this proceeding will affect these smaller companies the most, as well as the 74,000 Californians currently working in the solar industry. The following quotes represent the views of diverse solar and storage business leaders from all parts of California: "The solar industry is made up of small businesses who work hard to bring reliable, affordable energy to everyday consumers. The utilities' anti-NEM proposals will kill our businesses and the quality jobs we create." Jose Luis Contreras, Solare Energy, San Diego, CA "Rooftop solar delivers clean, reliable power for millions of people but the utilities want to slow us down, just as California's solar energy industry is taking off." Deep Patel, Gigawatt Inc., Orange County, CA "As an employee-owned solar business coming out of Covid-19, we are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and big utility companies want to recover their monopolistic hold on energy production. Net energy metering is absolutely crucial to growing local jobs." Vincent Battaglia, Renova Energy, Palm Desert, CA "My county has the highest poverty rate in the state. For my customers, the ability to lower their monthly electric bills through a NEM credit provides crucial help to working families. Jack Ramsey, Altsys Solar Inc., Tulare, CA "The solar industry has a long tail of small businesses focused on empowering their customers and communities to create their own clean energy. When NEM policies have been reduced or eliminated the effects on the solar industry, and its customers, have been swift and negative." Micah Breeden, Allterra Solar, Santa Cruz, CA "I can't compete with PG&E's PR machine. I get up every morning and run the best solar company I can. I just hope our politicians see through the utility smokescreen and pay attention to those of us on the ground building solar energy for real people." Sheryl Lane, Earth Electric, Campbell, CA "It's inconceivable that we are considering another economic shift from homeowners and small businesses to a twice bankrupt and criminal utility who already has a guaranteed 10% rate of return and who just raised electric rates by 11% this year." Barry Cinnamon, Cinnamon Energy Solutions, Campbell, CA "Utilities claim rooftop solar takes money from those least able to pay and should be stopped. Utilities should work with, not against, the hundreds of solar businesses across California to get solar energy and batteries to more people. That will create more local jobs and build more wealth and resiliency in our communities." Jeanine Cotter, Luminalt Energy, San Francisco, CA "We build rooftop solar and storage systems for the people of Sonoma County hit hard by PG&E's wildfires and high rates. Both of my sons have also started their own local solar company. PG&E's proposal to gut net metering will hurt my whole family and is just wrong." Jeff Mathias, Synergy Solar & Electrical Systems, Sebastopol, CA "Amidst blackouts and wildfires, PG&E has some nerve to propose that California turn the lights out on rooftop solar, destroying tens of thousands of clean energy jobs." Ed Murray, Aztec Solar, Rancho Cordova, CA The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) has advanced the common interest of the solar and storage industry for over 40 years, making California the most robust market in the U.S. The association is the state's largest clean energy business group with over 600 member companies, primarily small businesses based in communities throughout the state, representing an array of businesses that manufacture, design, install, finance and provide other resources to the growing local solar and storage market in California. Learn more at www.calssa.org SOURCE California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) In an effort to boost the overall bilateral engagement, India's envoy in Sri Lanka handed over training aids worth 22 million LKR (about 81,00,000) to the Lankan Navy for capacity building. During his visit to the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay formally handed over the training aids to the Commander Eastern Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy at a ceremony held on March 14, 2021. The aid was handed over to the Lankan Navy at the prestigious Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) Trincomalee. The Indian High Commission in its statement in Colombo said that in December 2019, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh had committed to provide a number of training items to the Sri Lankan Navy. It was done as a commitment of the Indian Navy in assisting the regional navies in capacity building. To focus on specialisation courses being conducted at NMA, Sri Lanka Navy model of indigenously developed Varunastra heavy-weight torpedo, working model of Light Weight Torpedo, Underwater Telephone, Gas Turbine cut Model, a model of HMS Trincomalee and Bathythermograph were delivered in Sri Lanka in 2020 and were operationalised with joint efforts of Indian Navy, Sri Lankan Navy and the OEMs from India. Emphasizing the importance of close co-operation between the Indian and Lankan Navy, the High Commission said that the two navies are an essential part of the overall bilateral engagement. Apart from the training aid, Kindle e-book readers and books to the library of the Naval and Maritime Academy were also handed over to the Lankan Navy. The High Commissioner also visited Cod Bay Fishery Harbour, the only natural harbour belonging to Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) where he interacted with the Managing Director of CFHC Vadivel Satyanandan and fishermen and saw operations involving multi-day fishing boats. 'Sri Lanka- priority one partner' India and Sri Lanka share a close bond when it comes to defence. During 70th anniversary celebration of the Sri Lanka Air Force in February this year India called Sri Lanka 'Priority One' partner in the defence sector. India had also said the participation of its military aircraft in the 70th-anniversary celebration of the Sri Lanka Air Force is indicative of the growing cooperation, camaraderie and friendship between the two militaries. (With ANI inputs) Summerset Group Holdings Limited advises that the strike price for the dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) operating in respect to the dividend payable on 22 March 2021 has been set at NZ$12.6798 per share. The strike price is inclusive of a 2% discount. This strike price will apply in calculating the number of shares to be issued to participants who have elected to receive additional shares rather than cash. The strike price has been determined in accordance with the terms of the DRP and is calculated as 98% of the volume weighted average sale price on all price-setting trades for the five trading days to 16 March 2021. The company also advises that the foreign exchange rate used for the payment of the dividend on 22 March 2021 to Australian investors in AUD has been set at 0.9314. Please see the link below for details: DRP Strike Price and AUD FX Rate for 2020 Final Dividend Source Summerset Group Holdings Limited Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. 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Related News: Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Confirms $10m Placement to Wholesale Investors 2nd June 2021 Morning Report New Zealand Rural Land Company Limited (NZX: NZL) Rights Issue Documents Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) Update on Infratil Infrastructure Bond Offer 1st June 2021 Morning Report Synlait Milk Limited (NZX: SML) Update Following Canterbury Flooding Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Full Year Results to 31 March 2021 31st May 2021 Morning Report The a2 Milk Company Limited (NZX: ATM) Media Reporting Regarding Potential Class Action Synlait Milk Limited (NZX: SML) Forecast Milk Price Update What To Expect For This Oregon Coast Spring Break Published 03/10/21 at 6:40 PM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Oregon Coast) Spring break on the Oregon coast will look markedly different than before in some places and in others less so. Its not going to be a completely normal vacation week on the beaches, and not just because of things like masks and cleaning protocols. Schools are still in a state of flux, and thus for many spring break will be no different than this last year, which may cause many not to bother with spring break. At least we have one this time around. Last year, we did not have a spring break here in Oregon. At least not a real one. Emergency quarantine measures went into effect right around 2020s spring break, which included shutting down schools and most types of businesses. When everyone decided this was a good time to head to the Oregon coast and everyone is meant quite literally smaller coastal towns panicked over the insane flood of visitors and the high likelihood of spreading the disease. State and local officials shut down spring break and recreational travel. This year, other factors may make spring break to be less of an outburst, such as the fact attention to the region is more spread out this year. Coastal lodgings are reporting somewhat substantial upticks in occupancy rates for the fall and winter because of telecommuting and in-home learning. Yet according to tourism managers in various coastal regions including Tillamook County, Bandon, Coos Bay and Lincoln City hotel rooms are filling up quickly. Whats also quite different this year is the risk level in each county, which directly affects what is open and what is not. Yet the beaches are still the big attraction, and they are all wide open. Almost all parks are open as well. Theres also a wide range of predictions for what you can expect this spring break. Tillamook County is in Low Risk category, our hotels and vacation rentals are booked for March, and most of our restaurants are offering in-house dining, said Nan Devlin, director of Tillamook Coast. With that being said, schools are reopening April 7 so it could be that families will see this as a chance to get away now, and not again until Memorial Day weekend. Devlin and the Lincoln City Visitors Bureaus Scott Humpert said weather will determine a lot. Were expecting a busy Spring Break in Lincoln City, Humpert said. That said, weather is always a contributing factor, especially for day trippers. Despite restrictions, we experienced a busy summer, and in recent months, occupancy has been up 10-20% compared to this time last year. Humpert added theres still that sense of visitors feeling pent-up and anxious to go somewhere that drives people out to the coast. In fact, the bureau has paused most advertising and invitational messaging because it's not lacking in visitors. Lincoln County is in the Lower Risk category making us a perceived safe destination along with more amenities able to reopen, he said. Schools in Lincoln County have moved to hybrid like others across the state. Regardless of in-person instruction or distance learning, I believe schools are all taking time off for Spring Break, allowing the ability for families to travel. Another factor for us has been the fact that while distance learning and remote work opportunities are in play, there is a segment of the population that are doing so from second homes, vacation rentals and the like, which has probably helped push occupancy levels to some extent. On the southern Oregon coast, Coos County and Douglas County which include Bandon, Coos Bay and Winchester Bay are still at the severe risk category. Tents are still the only way to eat inside a restaurant there. Even so, in Bandon theyre bracing for a busy spring season, according to the visitors centers Margaret Pounder. We did a check-in with lodging last week - all seem to be either full or filling nicely, she said. With projected all take-out dining, which is making our dining limited, it could be interesting in Bandon. Our wind (and probable rain) will definitely keep tents as a not great alternative, so we will certainly see how it all rolls out. In the Coos Bay / North Bend / Charleston area, the visitors centers Janice Langlinais said Coos County will be in the extreme risk category through spring break, so shes published a guide to navigating the culinary delights of the area right now. I expect the state park and county park will be full, Langlinais said. My properties within city limits of North Bend and Coos Bay are not filling up yet, but I expect were a bit early still. Bandon usually fills up before we do, though. In Lincoln City, one big event has gleefully returned: the Festival of Illusions. The mix of magic and comedy happens at the Lincoln City Cultural Center from March 19 through the 28th. What To Look Out For Lodging: Make sure you to make your reservations well ahead of time. Things could change abruptly this year and you may find yourself without a room if you come out last minute. Find north Oregon coast hotels for spring break here south coast hotels here. Attractions: Almost all history museums are closed. Among those open, however, include some in the Astoria area: Hanthorn Cannery Museum, Heritage Musuem, Flavel House, Oregon Film Museum and Columbia River Maritime Museum. The Garibaldi History Museum is also open. Two aquariums are open: Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport and the Seaside Aquarium in Seaside. Aquariums still closed for now are the Charleston Marine Life Center on the south coast and the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. Whale Watch Week is not happening - this is a DIY situation. There are still plenty of whales to be seen, however. The SOLVE beach cleanup no longer happens at the beginning of spring break. Look for it on April 17 SOLVE Cleanup Returns to Oregon Coast, Inland Under New Name. Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Bandon Cannon Beach 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 We have a tiny bird thats been making a nest in the birdhouse outside our kitchen window and trilling loudly when hes done for two years in a row. I went online and searched for tiny brown bird hoping to get it identified, but I couldnt find any photo of a bird that looked like it. I re Online retailer Amazon has defended its decision to remove prominent conservative scholar Ryan Andersons book critiquing the transgender movement. However, its reasoning has been refuted by the author. Last Thursday, Amazon Vice President for Public Policy Brian Huseman sent a response letter to Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Senate who questioned why the company was no longer selling Andersons 2018 book, When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment. Huseman sought to justify the decision by stating that Amazon doesnt sell books that frame the LGBTQ+ identity as a mental illness. But the author clarified in a statement published by the Daily Signal that his book does no such thing. Source:The Christian Post Denton, TX (76205) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Advertisement Travis Scott posed with a huge crowd of mostly maskless fans during an appearance for his new spiked seltzer brand on Monday in Los Angeles, despite the county's struggles with the COVID pandemic. The Houston-based rapper, 28, went to multiple supermarkets on the promotional tour for CACTI. He was pictured surrounded by a hoard of fans, many not wearing masks and ignoring social distancing rules, at the Pavillions market in West Hollywood. At one point, the star removed his own mask and posed for pictures while shouting with the crowd. Scroll down for video Social distancing was nil, and a number of the people on hand did not wear face masks in the potentially-hazardous health situation. Scott posed for selfies with fans at the crowded gathering in Southern California The latest: Travis Scott, 28, drew a huge crowd during an appearance for his new spiked seltzer brand on Monday in West Hollywood at the Pavillions market He arrived to the meet and greet in a red semi-truck, and wearing a navy blue jacket with matching pants, sneakers and a beanie. While at the supermarket he purchased a pack of gum and signed autographs for fans amid the frenzy, according to TMZ. The crowded scene came amid ongoing pandemic related mandates in Southern California, more than a year since the spread of COVID-19 caused worldwide shutdowns in an effort to quell the virus. Fame: He arrived to the outing in a red semi-truck, attracting a throng of fans upon his arrival Scott went to purchase a pack of gum when dozens of starstruck fans crowded the entertainer and store workers Working: The Houston-based rapper went to multiple supermarkets on the promotional trail for the product At the establishment, Scott donned a navy blue jacket with matching pants, sneakers and a beanie Scott was involved in a similar scenario last month in Los Angeles, when he said on social media, 'Imma be posted corner of Fairfax and oakwood on tilt...!!' Speaking with director Robert Rodriguez to i-D magazine last month, Scott opened up about how being a dad to three-year-old Stormi with Keylie Jenner 'has a huge impact' on his art. 'It's a major inspiration, you know what I'm saying?' he said. 'Especially Storm, she's just acting like a kid. She's always interested, she catches on and learns things and adapts to things so fast. It's so crazy, Stormi's generation is way different from mine, and she's way different from my younger brother and sister. He added: 'Kids show you a different outlook on life, how they view things, the type of pressures they have and what makes them happy, what makes them move.' Focused: The rap superstar chat on the phone amid the frenzied day The scene came amid ongoing pandemic-related mandates in Southern California, more than a year since the spread of COVID-19 caused worldwide shutdowns in an effort to quell the virus Parts of California have finally reopened their doors after Covid-19 restrictions were eased on Monday with people flocking to its theaters, gyms, restaurants and tourist attractions. Los Angeles County, which is home to more than 10million people, ended some measures of its harsh lockdown after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the area sufficiently vaccinated. But on January 16, Los Angeles became the first county in the country to surpass one million Covid cases. The surge prompted even stricter stay-at-home orders, which have caused the number of infections to drop dramatically in recent weeks. LA County has clocked more than 1.2 million COVID cases since the pandemic began, and 22,475 deaths. On Monday alone there were 422 more cases and six deaths. COVID-19 Daily Update: March 15, 2021 New Cases: 422 (1,210,663 to date) New Deaths: 6 (22,475 to date) Current Hospitalizations: 893 pic.twitter.com/hMr1LjYPJ3 LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) March 16, 2021 While outdoor dining was given the go-ahead several weeks ago in Los Angeles County, patrons are now able to eat indoors for the first time in eight months. Capacity is capped at 25 percent, and tables must be spaced eight feet apart. Meanwhile, movie theaters would also be able to reopen at 25 percent capacity, while museums, zoos and aquariums will also be able to welcome back the general public. Gyms, fitness centers and dance studios are also able to recommence indoor operations - but capacity will be capped at just 10 percent. Perhaps, most crucially, schools from grades 7-12 will also be able to open for in person instruction. Seventh grade life sciences teacher Melyssa Ferro worked out a special code with one of her students last year, after the girls parents said they were uncomfortable with some of the curriculum in Ferros sex education unit. If the girl was feeling uncomfortable in class, all she had to do was raise her hand. Ferro would automatically tell the student she could go get a drink of water, without letting on that the girl wanted to step out of class for that segment of the conversation. I let her set the boundaries of her own interactions, said Ferro, Idahos 2016 teacher of the year. Thats a typical practice in Ferros class at Syringa Middle School, where she teaches a science-based sex education curriculum called FLASH. Students are encouraged to ask questions, protect their own and other peoples privacy, and pass on questions or topics that feel too private. Parents are invited to review the curriculum beforehand. And in order for a student to participate in the class at all, guardians have to sign a piece of paper giving their explicit permission. In other words, parents have to opt-in. Idaho legislators are considering whether schools across the state should be required to adopt that approach, asking parents to opt-in to comprehensive sex education courses. Idaho already allows parents to opt out of sex education if theyd like. A bill before the State Senate, proposed by Idaho Falls Republican Rep. Barbara Ehardt, would maintain that opt-out option for basic discussions of the anatomy and physiology of sexual reproduction. But if lessons cover the topics of human sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, parents would have to explicitly consent. Proponents of the bill say it gives parents more control over the content their children are learning. Critics argue it could prevent children from learning essential information about sexual safety and healthy relationships, just because their parents forgot to sign a permission slip. Ferro and fellow Syringa teacher Maggie Stover have required parents to opt-in for years, as required by Caldwell School District policy. The teachers have nearly 100% participation in their sex-ed units. But Ferro shares concerns that demanding an opt-in process statewide could leave vulnerable students without access to sex education. Weve had to work really hard to make this process go as smoothly as it does, Ferro told EdNews in a 2020 interview. In a traditional school district, where theyre not doing the things that were doing to build culture, there is going to be a high number of students who dont have the opportunity to really receive this instruction. Ferro and Stover teach sex education as part of their life-science curriculum each spring. The timing gives teachers the entire fall term to build relationships with parents through parent-teacher conferences, calls, emails and in-person visits to students neighborhoods. Teachers have also spent years fine-tuning the paperwork they send to parents weeks before the sex-ed unit, inviting them to review the material. Parents are welcome to look through the FLASH curriculum that the teachers use, and to ask questions about what will be covered and which parts of the material will be emphasized. In 2020, Ferro taught three sections of sex ed. On the first day of the unit, she had two students who hadnt turned in permission slips. By the second day, she had 100% participation. Stover taught six sections. She had one student who didnt participate because their parent never returned the signed form. In most cases, Ferro said, if a student doesnt participate its because they didnt get the paper signed, not because their parents voiced objections to the material. Stover said parents rarely ask her questions about the material, so going through the opt-in process doesnt take much time. But with near-perfect attendance, Ferro sometimes questions if its worth the effort. It is getting to the point where you kind of wonder, why do I have to be going through the hassle of getting all these signatures, and getting them checked off in the grade book, when Im getting 100 percent anyway? Ferro said. Its kind of frustrating. Ferro hasnt visited the Idaho Legislature to testify about Ehardts opt-in bill. If pushed to take a side, she told EdNews that she would probably speak against it. Some of her students parents are uncomfortable broaching sex-education subjects with their students, she said, and others are busy working multiple jobs to make ends meet. If her students dont get information from a reliable adult, she worries theyll turn to questionable sources, like their friends, social media, or the internet instead. Students would be able to make better decisions about their bodies if they have facts to make those decisions with, Ferro said. Putting barriers in place that make it more difficult for all of our students to access this information is not in the best interest of Idaho students. Following the end of the vaccination campaign in retirement homes in Luxembourg, new rules and recommendations will be introduced. "We hope to be finished with the second dose by 25 March," Minister for Family Affairs Corinne Cahen announced at the beginning of February. One month later, the vaccination campaign in retirement and nursery homes has made good progress and the goal of completing it by the end of March seems within reach. This does of course raise a new question: What does this mean for the vaccinated elderly and their relatives? In a reply to a parliamentary question by MPs Mars di Bartolomeo and Georges Engel from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), Cahen gives details of what will and will not be allowed in these facilities. Here are the main points: Room visits are allowed following the administration of the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and an additional 14 day waiting period; Registration of visitors is strongly advised for possible tracing after an infection has been detected; Codes for PCR and/or rapid antigen tests are offered to visitors before visits; The number of visitors admitted, and the opening of restaurants and cafeterias is managed according to the legislative provisions in force (Covid-19 law); Vaccinated persons (second dose and additional 14-day waiting period) must not be quarantined after leaving the facility, except in the event of symptoms suggestive of a possible SarsCov-2 infection; It is also to be remembered that the vaccine protects against Covid-19, without necessarily eliminating transmission of the virus, and that even after vaccination, managers are required to enforce the application of protective measures. The Minister also reiterates the main recommendations for residents, their relatives, staff, and administrations of these accommodation facilities. Recap of the main recommendations Residents and their families Do not visit if you are ill, have symptoms indicative of a Covid-19 infection, or have had risky contact; with a person with a recent confirmed infection; Maintain an interpersonal distance of at least 2 metres and wear a mask. A surgical or FFP2 mask should be worn instead of a home-made mask; Wash hands with soap and water before and after the visit. Alternatively, hand sanitiser can be used; Follow the instructions of the management of the various facilities; Participate regularly and systematically in screening for infection (by invitation, or by the LST mobile team using antigen tests); Take up invitations for vaccination Staff (including subcontractors): Strictly observe the protective measures at all times; Systematically wear a surgical mask or preferably an FFP2 mask while working on the premises of a retirement or nursery home; Always pay particular attention to rigorous hand hygiene (wash or disinfect hands regularly); Participate regularly and systematically in screening for infection (on invitation by the LST mobile team if possible, by antigenic test); Take up invitations for vaccination Management: Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - SoLVBL Solutions Inc. (CSE: SOLV), an innovative cybersecurity company that provides proprietary data authentication SaaS that uniquely features advanced cryptography for data authentication at unprecedented speed and scalability, announces that the Company has engaged Ms. Sonam Devgan Kaul as a Special Advisor. With a PhD in Cryptography, and a Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, Ms. Kaul will make a significant contribution to SoLVBL. Ms. Kaul, is a Cryptography and Security researcher with over 10 years of diverse research experience in development of cryptographic protocols to manage security and privacy risks in both financial and healthcare environments. She received her PhD degree in Cryptography and a master's degree in Mathematics. The main contribution of her research is in the field of network security, security and privacy analysis, multi agent system, wireless communication, authentication protocols, zero knowledge proofs and IoT security. Ms. Kaul is the Cybersecurity Program Manager at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences at the University of Toronto. Previously, she worked for two years as a Mitacs Postdoctoral research fellow in the department of ECE, University of Toronto with the collaboration of RBC Cybersecurity and Innovation team. She is also instructing an Algebraic cryptography course at the University of Toronto. In her 10 years of teaching, she has taught various graduate and undergraduate courses. She has published a number of research papers in leading scholarly international journals/conferences and has authored a book. She holds a patent in information security as well. She is the youth board member of BIZTEK-Business and Technology Professionals Association of Canada. She has been awarded by Mitacs foundation their Elevate Post-Doctoral fellowship program. She is a recipient of Best paper award Cyberworlds 2020, CSIR-junior research fellowship and UGC-lecturer fellowship award. "Sonam is the perfect fit for our Business and we are delighted to have her on board with us. She brings a depth of cryptographic expertise that is exceptionally hard to find. Our products will be stronger with her involvement," said Ray Pomroy, CEO of SoLVBL Solutions Inc. About SoLVBL SoLVBLis an innovative cybersecurity company. The company's mission is to empower, better, faster decisions by developing a universal standard for establishing digital record authenticity. The lead product Q by SoLVBL, is a proprietary software of the company, designed to be easy to use and adopt, economically priced and provide digital record authentication at lightning fast speed. Q by SoLVBL allows organizations to establish trust in their data. The company is currently pursuing the following verticals: chain of custody for digital evidence; including, NG-911, data used in the financial sector, medical applications and critical IoT infrastructures. For further information, please contact: SoLVBL Solutions Inc. Raymond Pomroy, CEO 15 Toronto Street, Suite 602 Toronto, Ontario, M5C2E3 E: Ray.Pomroy@SoLVBL.com T: 905.510.7982 Forward-Looking Statements The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. NEITHER THE CSE NOR ITS MARKET REGULATOR (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE CSE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are 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 statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives, including, the implementation and success of Q by SoLVBLTM, and expectations for other economic, business and/or competitive, factors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, SoLVBL assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77417 Ukraine is aware of Russian military forces concentrated in the occupied Crimea and on Ukraine's borders and is ready to prevent any further military provocations against its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraines Deputy Defense Minister for European Integration Anatolii Petrenko made a corresponding statement during a virtual discussion under the auspices of the European Policy Centre (EPC), dedicated to the seventh anniversary of Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea. That was his answer to a question from an Ukrinform correspondent whether Ukraine was ready to respond to Russia's military provocations in several directions, given the belligerent rhetoric of Russia's official media and the high concentration of Russian military forces in the occupied Crimea and occupied areas of Donbas. "Ukraine is ready to prevent any further threats to our territorial integrity and sovereignty. We all understand Russia's military potential and what military forces it has already concentrated on the occupied peninsula. But, at the same time, we are doing everything we can, through military measures and using national resources, to prevent any further aggression from the south towards Ukraine. We will take all adequate measures to protect the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian land," Petrenko stressed. As the official noted, Ukraine is aware of the concentration of Russian troops in the occupied Crimea and the concentration of such forces on mainland Russia that could potentially be used to threaten Ukraine's national interests and security if the Kremlin makes such a political decision. The word cooperation is very important both for our policy towards the de-occupation of Crimea and for the development of our defense capabilities. Political engagement, consolidated resources, an international presence in the Black Sea, further assistance to Ukraine in pursuing defense reform and building up modern capabilities, Ukraine's strategic prospects for becoming a member of a collective security organization are the components that must be used to provide you with a complete answer: Yes, Ukraine is ready to prevent any escalation from many directions," said the Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine. ol Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has tested positive for coronavirus, the PM announced Monday on her Facebook page. Kallas said the positive test result was unexpected, as she only had a slight fever. The premier said she does not know how she contracted the virus. Kallas had recently been in self-isolation for 10 days and tested negative after. "I just got the result and I also informed the people I have come in contact with about my positive test. Fortunately, there have been few of them - family members and a small circle of employees," Kallas wrote. "[T]he vast majority of the State Chancellery's employees are also in the home office, we have tried to avoid close contacts and wear masks at the workplace with the few people on site." Kallas is the latest EU leader to contract the coronavirus, Politico reported. By Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil on Tuesday reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths just as the country's new health minister nominee pledged to continue the controversial policies of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the severity of the disease. The initial comments by cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga, a day after he was tapped by Bolsonaro, dashed hopes for significant change in course to curb a worsening pandemic that has killed over 280,000 people in Brazil, which already had the worst weekly death toll in the world last week. On Tuesday afternoon, Brazil recorded 2,841 deaths for the first time. Queiroga asked Brazilians to wear masks and wash their hands but stopped short of endorsing social distancing or lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus. "These are simple measures but they are important, because people can with these measures avoid having to shut down the country's economy," Queiroga said in a press conference together with outgoing Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, an active duty army general. Pazuello was under pressure as fatalities surged, even though he toed Bolsonaro's line against lockdowns. He also backed the president's endorsement of anti-malarial drugs to treat COVID-19, the effectiveness of which is disputed by many health care providers. Queiroga added that the overall health policy is set by the president and the minister is there to implement it. The formal appointment of Queiroga, who campaigned for Bolsonaro in 2018 and served on his transition team, is expected on Wednesday. Queiroga will be Brazil's fourth health minister since the pandemic began. There is no date yet for a handover, although he has begun transition work by meeting with Pazuello. Queiroga, who is president of the Brazilian Cardiology Society, criticized the use of anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients in a newspaper interview on Sunday, saying there was no scientific evidence that it worked, but he added that doctors are free to prescribe the drug. Story continues He also said that lockdowns are not the way to stop the pandemic, repeating Bolsonaro's position in defiance of most public health experts and state governors in Brazil. Pazuello, who has no medical degree, had been criticized for lacking public health expertise and rubberstamping Bolsonaro's decisions. His two predecessors resigned in roughly the span of a month last year, in part because as physicians they would not fully endorse treating patients with hydroxychloroquine. His failure to secure timely supplies of vaccines led to calls for an inquiry in Congress, while the Supreme Court is investigating his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the northern city of Manaus, where hospitals ran out of oxygen. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Maria Carolina Marcello, Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Aurora Ellis) Sorry! This content is not available in your region . We live in the suburbs of Washington, DC and were discussing about the ongoing farmers protests and the recently passed farm laws in India. We recall the analysis of time related to farming and trading that we had done while we were working in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad from the 1960s onwards, long ago, doing our research in the farm sector in India. The farmers still do not get suitable/appropriate returns on the time that they spend on taking care of the agricultural produce as compared to that spent on the same produce by traders and merchants. Thus, in policy planning, due attention should be paid to the time spent and income earned by the farmers, traders, and merchants, respectively, in moving any agricultural produce from the farm to the consumer. Given this kind of growing inequality of the time spent, the government should have spent a lot more time in discussing with farmers from all sections of the farm society about the farm laws before using the force of the majority in Parliament. That failure is the main cause behind the protest. Turkey-Greece: bilateral talks resume in Athens Second summit after tensions in Eastern Mediterranean (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, 16 MAR - Political consultations between Turkey and Greece will resume Tuesday in Athens over the numerous bilateral disputes between the countries, starting with maritime borders. This is the second meeting since the start of the year, after talks in this format resumed on 25 January in Istanbul, overcoming an impasse that had been going on since 2016. Tuesday's meeting is the 62nd since the start of these talks in 2002, and thus far no significant accords have emerged. On the eve of the summit, Turkey sent a diplomatic note to Greece, Israel and the EU, asking that it be sent a formal authorisation request before activities linked to the building of the submarine power cable EuroAsia Interconnector commence in Turkey's self-declared continental shelf. The interconnector aims to connect the electrical networks of Greece, Cyprus and Israel. The resumption of dialogue between Ankara and Athens comes following the strong tensions of recent months, tied in particular to the disputes over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, which had also caused fear of a military escalation. There are many disputes still to resolve between the two countries, which are historic adversaries in the region and haven't even managed to agree on the topic of the talks. Athens intends to limit itself to defining the border in the Aegean Sea, while Ankara wants to also include in the discussions the relative airspace and the sovereignty of its important energy resources in the area. The summit is being held 10 days ahead of the European Council, which will return to discussing the relationship with Turkey and eventual sanctions for its "unilateral and defiant actions" in the Eastern Mediterranean, for which it has already determined a list of topics to be targeted. (ANSAmed). GREENVILLE, Texas, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monday, 22nd February 2021, Exos Aerospace reached an agreement to establish its first European base of operations in the Piemonte region, Italy. John Quinn, CEO of Exos Aerospace and President-Elect of Exos Italia, said that after three years of discussions developing a National Charter Enterprise venture with Italy, the last nine months (amidst COVID) has seen remarkable progress with the Piemonte region resulting in todays announcement. Piemontes EnviPark (Parco Scientifico Tecnologico Per L'Ambiente) will be the first location for Exos Italia HQ, R&D, and manufacturing. When funded, the next step is to determine where to establish the facilities to assemble, test, and launch the rockets. Fabrizio Ricca, Regional Councilor for Internationalization, added that A new era of Piemontese industry begins! Things dont come about by chance he added and during COVID and the first lockdown, we worked hard for this operation. Sr. Riccas enthusiasm was shared by Marco Gay, President of Confindustria Piemonte; I hope it is the first of many paths that can bear many fruits. This Agreement is thanks to the resources and skills of the region, talent recognized at the International and Global level. This sentiment was echoed by Elena Chiorino, Regional Councilor for Work; The relaunch of the (post-COVID) Italian economy passes through Piemonte, and todays good news is a tangible demonstration. John Quinn added that this new endeavor, will not only add about 350 jobs to the local economy over the first three years but it will also generate thousands of jobs in related industries including biomedical and other sectors. Our (Exos) goal/mission in life is not simply to build and fly LEO capable reusable rockets but rather, to enable other brilliant minds to change the world for the betterfor example, rapid manufacturing of mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative medical treatments, and development, and deployment of hypersonic technologies to drastically reduce point-to-point travel times in the new global economy, and many other areas. Exos Aerospace Systems & Technologies is a Greenville, Texas-based company that designs, manufactures, and flies reusable launch vehicles. Exos is one of only three companies in the World that has successfully launched the same re-usable rocket four times, and which has an FAA AST reusable launch vehicle license. https://exosaero.com/ John Quinn 8442892773 x101 jquinn@exosaero.com Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Submit Photo: (Photo : Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Pippa Middleton recently gave birth to her second child in the same hospital where her sister gave birth in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital. In a nod to her sister Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Pippa chooses a baby name that pays tribute to royalty. Kate Middleton also honored royalty when she named her second child. Pippa Middleton Baby Name Meaning While Pippa is not exactly royalty, she is connected to the British monarchy through her sister Kate, Prince William's wife, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II. Pippa and her husband, James Matthews, welcomed their second child, a daughter, on March 15 at 4:22 am. Pippa and James are also parents to 2-year-old Arthur. In a subtle tribute to the British monarch, Pippa named her daughter Grace Elizabeth Jane, Express UK. The child's name is also a nod to her grandmothers. Pippa and Kate's mom is Carole Elizabeth Middleton, while James' mom is Jane Matthews. It is wise to note that the baby's aunt, Kate Middleton's full name is also Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. Pippa is believed to follow the royal tradition of paying homage to the monarchy through royal baby names. Kate Middleton did the same when she named her only daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Princess Charlotte's name pays tribute both to the Queen and Prince William's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. ALSO READ: Trending Baby Names 2021: Parents Want to Keep it Short and Simple Royal Great-Grandchildren Pay Tribute to Royal Grandparents Prince William's cousin, Princess Beatrice's name, is also a tribute to her royal grandmother. Prince Andrew's eldest daughter's full name is Beatrice Elizabeth Mary. With granddaughter Beatrice and great-granddaughter Charlotte honoring Queen Elizabeth II, it only fits for the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to have a great-grandson named after him. With that in mind, Princess Eugenie, Prince Andrew's second child, named her baby boy in honor of her grandfather. On February 9, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank welcomed a healthy baby boy named August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. ALSO READ: The Newest Member of the Royal Family Is Here, Princess Eugenie Has Given Birth! Royal Couple Overjoyed by Arrival of Pippa Middleton's Baby Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess are delighted by the happy news of Grace Elizabeth Jane's arrival, People reported. The royal couple is pleased that both mother and baby are safe following the delivery. Now when can the royal couple and their kids meet the newest addition to the Middleton family? With the ongoing pandemic and COVID-19 restrictions, it may take some time before the baby meets her royal cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Express UK noted that the meeting with the cousins is possible from March 29, where people can meet with friends and other family members outside or with another household within the rule of six. The guidelines followed is that of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's roadmap to end the lockdown. ALSO READ: Reddit Post Goes Viral as Woman Wants to Give Her Baby the Worst Name Possible The Liberal Partys decimation in the Western Australian election at the weekend changed that. It started with a cancelled dinner. Richard Riordan, an experienced MP and one of Battins closest allies, usually organises a Monday night feed for country Liberal MPs to kick off every week that Parliament sits. There was no dinner on Monday night. Former leader Matthew Guy arriving at Parliament on Tuesday, the day after his team dissuaded colleagues from the spill. Credit:Justin McManus If they didnt suspect it already, the party room knew something was afoot immediately after a shadow cabinet meeting on Monday morning. Battin, Riordan and the third musketeer, MP for Warrandyte Ryan Smith, hit the phones to colleagues and set their challenge in motion. Enough is enough, was Battins sales pitch. I have a good resume, I can run a positive campaign, we need change. One of the first calls Battin made was to Guy, about midday on Monday. Kew MP Tim Smith, Guys No.1 confidant, learnt of Battins plan on Twitter on Monday. He was furious. Smith, Guy and ambitious Brighton MP James Newbury lead a small but motivated group that wants OBrien out, and some members of the group have been destabilising him for months. But they did not want him replaced by Battin, who would almost certainly have seen the party through to the next election (due in November next year), culling any hopes of a redemption for Guy. Battins team, bunkered in at an MPs house, told colleagues on Monday afternoon they had 12 of the 16 votes they needed to topple OBrien, including frontbenchers Nick Wakeling, Roma Britnell and Bridget Vallence though Vallance later denied backing Battin. They helped with the sales pitch, even telling colleagues that a Battin win was the only way to stop the return of Guy. Suddenly, Battin wasnt taking on only OBriens group of rusted-on senior MPs. Guys camp mobilised, briefing journalists against the spill and calling colleagues to dissuade them. Battins crew were incensed, slamming the Guy camp as hypocrites of the century for wanting a new leader but not backing Battin. Federal MPs from the faction aligned to Housing Minister Michael Sukkar and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg were also active on the phones until well into the evening, discouraging Victorian MPs from supporting Battin. Some MPs were politely reminded that preselections for next years state election were due in a few months, according to two Liberal sources. The OBrien camp health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier, leader of the upper house David Davis, deputy leader Cindy McLeish and Rowville MP Kim Wells also worked into the night. Each was assigned a set of names to call, reporting back to Wells, who was managing the spreadsheet. MPs Richard Riordan (left) and Ryan Smith led the charge on Battins leadership challenge. Credit:Mark Witte OBriens supporters noted a drop-off in support for Battin as the night wore on. Sandringham MP Brad Rowswell, a key player in deciding the final count, called Battin and Ryan Smith at 10pm to inform them he wouldnt support the spill. By 10.30pm OBriens team felt the leader was safe enough to survive. OBrien said as much to the assembled media as he arrived at Parliament flanked by his squad before the 8.45am party room meeting. Ready for a challenge: OBrien arrives with his supporting band of senior MPs who worked into the night on Monday. Credit:Justin McManus Im very confident Ill have the support of my team and the party room, said the 49-year-old, spruiking a strong and open Victoria. MPs David Hodgett and Matt Bach told the media they would not support the spill. Guy did the same. Only conservative MP Beverley MacArthur confirmed she would vote against OBrien as Battins crew hustled into Parliament through a side entrance. Amid last-minute murmurs the leadership spill wouldnt even be attempted, MPs were surprised to watch respected veteran MP Bruce Atkinson stand and announce that he thought the Liberal Party required a new leader. Not for the first time in recent months, OBrien pitched his leadership virtues following Tuesdays vote. Credit:Justin McManus Guys supporters gathered in one corner of the meeting room. In order to prove to the groups leaders that each member was voting to block the spill, some MPs were asked to show their ballots to one another. Controversial conservative Bernie Finn an OBrien supporter whom the leader has refused to publicly criticise in recent months and Bill Tilley, a Guy supporter, counted the votes before revealing the final count of 22-9. The government lost ground against Labor in a Newspoll survey published on Monday, while Mr Morrisons personal approval rating fell in an Essential Research survey on Tuesday. Mr Morrisons language echoed a part of the Liberal Partys review of the last election, which said the path to victory in each election will remain worryingly narrow unless the party rebuilt support in Melbourne and other areas. Speaking on condition they not be named, MPs conceded the past four weeks of debate about sexual assault, starting with reports of the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins in Parliament House, had fuelled community anger and meant the government had to respond. South Australian Liberal MP Nicolle Flint told the meeting the past month had been difficult for all, especially women, in a reference to Ms Higgins and a separate historical rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter. Mr Porter denies the allegation. Other MPs backed Ms Flint, who was the subject of personal attacks at the last election by GetUp and others, and said the government had to fight the Labor narrative that the Coalition was anti-women. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video But there were differences over how to tackle the issue, with one MP saying the Liberals and Nationals had to increase the number of women in Parliament and to work harder to create a pipeline of female candidates for the next election. Speaking after the meeting, one MP praised a powerful speech to the room by Western Australian Liberal Celia Hammond about the need to act on the underlying problems in the treatment of women rather than engage in a political dispute. Ms Hammond, a former vice-chancellor of the University of Notre Dame Australia, said she understood why some wanted to attribute blame to others but this would not answer community concerns. When they go low, we should go high, she said of the governments critics. Weve got a real issue and weve got to address it. Labor leader Anthony Albanese used question time to accuse Mr Morrison of failing to listen to the women who protested on Monday and ask him whether he regretted his remark on Monday about the way protests were met with bullets in other countries. But when Mr Albanese mentioned the anniversary of the Christchurch terrorist shootings in his question, Mr Morrison accused the Labor leader of a very unworthy and egregious slur that sought a partisan advantage. What issue could he possibly have other than a twisted attempt to pervert what has been said? Mr Morrison said. This demonstrates that on this issue the Leader of the Opposition does not act in good faith. Labor challenged Mr Morrison to hold an independent inquiry into the accusations against Mr Porter but the government dismissed the calls by drawing a parallel with the closure of the Victorian Police investigation into rape allegations against former Labor leader Bill Shorten in 2014. Mr Morrison said Mr Shorten had argued in 2014 that he could draw a line under the matter because the police had closed the investigation. I have applied exactly the same approach to this matter, Mr Morrison said of the allegations against Mr Porter. The double standards the Labor Party are seeking to apply here are simply quite galling. NSW Police set up a strike force in February last year to consider the allegations against Mr Porter but suspended it in June when the woman making the allegations took her own life. The police said earlier this month they had closed the investigation. Mr Porter intends to return from personal leave on March 31 but parts of his portfolio will be delegated to others while he takes defamation action against the ABC over its report about the rape allegations. The structure will remove Mr Porter from responsibility over the Federal Court, the ABC or defamation law reform. Labor is also facing questions over whether any of its federal MPs or advisers have been accused of sexual harassment or assault, after reports this week about a Facebook group in which women shared experiences of harassment within the party. Mr Albanese has asked people to come forward if they have allegations to make against MPs or advisers. Mr Morrison told Parliament it was up to Labor to get its house in order on the allegations. When theyre standing in glass houses, they should not be throwing these types of stones, he said. Earlier, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told the party room that the economy would keep growing as the JobKeeper wage subsidy came to an end later this month, but he acknowledged the risks in the short term. Mr Frydenberg told the room to be prepared for a rough couple of months and said the government would respond with targeted support. One day after Mr Porter took defamation action against the ABC over its report about the historical rape claim, one MP called for a new body to hear complaints against the public broadcaster. While Mr Morrison called for focus and unity in the regular Tuesday meeting, the party room heard open division when Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan cited warnings in Europe over the AstraZeneca vaccine. Senator Canavan repeated remarks he made to the media earlier on Tuesday about pausing the vaccine rollout to heed concerns among European regulators. Loading Liberal MP Katie Allen countered that argument by asking a pointed question to Health Minister Greg Hunt about where MPs could go to find expert advice on vaccines. Dr Allen, a paediatrician before winning the seat of Higgins in Melbourne at the last election, was backed by other MPs who rejected Senator Canavans concerns. One MP warned against over-reacting to overseas reports without enough evidence. Gandhinagar, March 16 : With the number of Covid-19 cases on the rise in Gujarat, the state government on Tuesday announced to extend the night curfew timing in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot for two hours. Accrodingly, the curfew in these four cities will be imposed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., instead of the existing timing of midnight to 6 a.m., with effect from Wednesday. After the recent local body elections in the state, Gujarat has been witnessing a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, especially in Ahmedabad. On Monday, the state had reported 890 fresh coronavirus cases, forcing the government to extend the night curfew timing in the four hotspots by two hours. "As a precationary measure, the night curfew timing in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot is being extended from Wednesday till March 31," the state government announced on Tuesday. Gujarat has so far reported 2,79,097 Covid-19 cases, with Ahmedabad (64,841), Surat (56,068), Vadodara (31,347) and Rajkot (24,315) acoounting for the maximum number of cases. Sorry! This content is not available in your region The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to deploy Rapid Action Force (RAF) in at least 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh that have been identified as 'hypersensitive' for the upcoming Holi festival. Districts in the hyper-sensitive category include Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Bahraich, Balrampur, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Ayodhya, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Kanpur Nagar, Lucknow, Mau, Meerut, Moradabad, Shravasti, Varanasi and Sambhal. ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said: "The move is to ensure that Holi is celebrated in a peaceful manner. There are 1.4 lakh spots across the state for the 'Holika dahan' on the eve of the festival. Last year, 19 minor incidents were reported during this period." The officer added that since 2016, there has been considerable decrease in such incidents. He said that measures have been taken to avert incidents pertaining to the festival. "These include monitoring by drones, deployment of RAF, and dividing districts into categories of hypersensitive and sensitive," the ADG said. In these districts, companies of PAC have been deployed along with local forces and fire department. "Police chiefs of all these districts have been asked to maintain vigil and those who are accused in previous such incidents will be kept under watch," the ADG said. He also said that pending investigation in such cases must be prioritised by the police chief and probe must be completed. District police chiefs had been asked to be cautious about various processions that are a part of the Holi festivities. For instance, in Shahjahanpur in Masitganj locality, on the day of Holi, a procession is taken out where a man is made to sit on a bullock cart wearing a garland of shoes and is sprinkled with colours. A student scientist from Mohill Community School will showcase their research project at an innovative 'Science for Development' showcase taking place online, on Wednesday, March 24. Caolan O'Riordain's project, 'Using Grey Water for Agricultural Purposes' will be amongst close to 30 schools projects selected for the event, which is organised by Irish NGO Self Help Africa in collaboration with Irish Aid, the overseas development arm of the Dept of Foreign Affairs. 100 teenagers from close to 30 Irish post-primary schools will present their scientific projects, at the annual student event hosted by Self Help Africas Development Education team, in collaboration with Irish Aid. It will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, March 24, from 11-12.45pm. The event will feature a virtual tour of Iveagh House, the HQ of the Dept of Foreign Affairs and traditional host venue for the Spring event. The showcase will feature a wide variety of environmental, social science and global development focused projects that had featured at this years BT Young Science and Technology Exhibition, in January. An offshoot of that expo, the Science for Development event celebrates innovative student projects that seek to address issues and challenges that can affect communities in poorer countries in the world. It is supported by Irish Aid, who sponsor the popular annual Science for Development Award at the BTYS Exhibition. The event will be officially opened by Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora. Guests speakers will also include BT Young Scientist Expo co-founder, Dr. Tony Scott, Botswanan social scientist, Lovemore Gwiriri from Rothamsted Experimental Research Centre in the UK, and former BTYSTE Science for Development award winner Timothy McGrath, who will speak about his newly created social enterprise, ReFRAME. If you are interested in attending the upcoming Science for Development online event please e-mail: schools@ selfhelpafrica.org to receive more information. Self Help Africa's Development Education team are also available to deliver online workshops to your school or community group, if you'd like to get in touch. A veteran nurse could face criminal charges after she allegedly removed an elderly COVID-19 nursing home patient's oxygen mask without a doctor's order, leaving him to die. The unnamed nurse, who had been working at the Wedgewood Healthcare Center in southern Indiana, is the subject of a health inspection report detailing the incident. Clarksville Police Chief Mark Palmer and Ohio-based Communicare, the operator of the nursing home, told IndyStar that the attorney general is investigating. In the report, the resident - identified as 'Resident B' - had endured days of aggressive oxygen treatment while suffering with COVID-19. No further care was provided to the resident for nearly eight hours until his death after the nurse asked him if he wanted to 'fly with the angels' and took his mask off. The unnamed nurse, who had been working at the Wedgewood Healthcare Center in southern Indiana, is the subject of a health inspection report The nurse would take to social media to share what happened in the resident's final moments. 'I just want y'all to know the hardest thing I've ever done in 28 years start a patient on O2 for 4 days 12 LPM. with a non-rebreather mask,' she wrote in the post. 'I asked him on day 4 if he's tired he said yes I said do you want me to take all this off for you and let you go and fly with the angels and he said yes. I took it all off of him I went in the hallway and I cried and I let him go and he passed away ... after I left.' The inspectors cited the facility for abuse and neglect, failure to notify changes in the resident's condition, and other violations. The inspection found that neither the doctor of the resident nor their family members were alerted of the oxygen mask until after the resident had died. According to the report, the nurse's actions were only made known to the facility after another employee took screenshots of the social media post and sent them to the nursing home's executive director. The nurse's actions give insight to just some of the extremes taken by health care professionals during the pandemic, especially in nursing homes across the country. During Indiana's first peak of coronavirus cases, Wedgewood was among the hardest hit facilities. Some 70 residents tested positive for the virus and 20 have died at the 124-bed facility. In the report, the resident - identified as 'Resident B' - had endured days of aggressive oxygen treatment while suffering with COVID-19. No further care was provided to the resident for nearly eight hours until his death after the nurse took the resident's mask off The facility - owned by Columbus Regional Hospital - has scored a 'much below average' staff rating from federal regulators and was in the bottom 15 percent for total staffing nationally. The nurse told inspectors that she had been having a 'terrible' week when she decided to remove the mask. She said she forgot to contact a doctor because she was taking care of more than 40 COVID-19 patients at the time. She could face criminal charges as Indiana doesn't have an assisted suicide law and helping a person end their life can be regarded as a crime. Beth DeFalco, spokeswoman for Communicare, confirmed that the incident was being investigated by the attorney general. DeFalco added that the company was cooperating 'at every step.' 'Communicare staff have worked tirelessly to care for our residents during this global pandemic and we have followed all state and federal safety guidelines,' she added. Berwyn, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE American: ANVS), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative diseases, today announced results of an interim analysis from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ANVS401, its lead drug candidate for the treatment of PD and AD. Patients' speed and coordination scores both improved following 25 days of ANVS401 treatment, with no serious adverse events. Dr. Maria L. Maccecchini, CEO of Annovis Bio, explained: "We set up this study to measure the toxic cascade leading to nerve cell death and loss of function and its reversal. The study was powered to investigate a difference of 20 to 25 percent in biomarker levels, not to demonstrate efficacy, making this data that much more significant." Before and after treatment, patients' cerebral spinal fluid and plasma were collected to measure biomarkers and a number of psychometric studies were conducted to measure function in PD patients. Safety The safety profile of ANVS401 in the interim analysis was consistent with prior safety data that shows it to be safe at 80 mg once a day in humans. There was one mild adverse event (dizziness) that could have been ascribed to the drug treatment, however, this side effect was experienced by only one person - a placebo patient. Efficacy In one test that measures speed of execution, the results were statistically significant (p=0.04), showing that while PD patients are slow in coding boxes, treatment with ANVS401 improves their performance. The statistical outcome difference was true whether the outcome was compared with baseline or with placebo. In these same patients, another test that measures coordination showed an improvement in their movements and was almost statistically significant (p=0.07). The treated group had the same number of complications before and after one month of treatment, suggesting they were stable, while the placebo group had more complications, suggesting they got worse. In all MDS-UPDRS tests performed, the placebo-treated group either stayed the same or performed worse than at baseline. Instead, the ANVS401-treated group either stayed the same or performed better than at baseline. MDS-UPDRS is a specific PD test that measures severity and progression of the disease. "The results from this interim analysis are very encouraging," commented Dr. Maccecchini. "This brings us one step closer to evaluating whether our approach may translate into a novel treatment option for patients suffering from a range of neurodegenerative diseases." Interim Analysis Annovis Bio's ongoing Phase 2a study is designed to treat a combined total of 68 patients for four weeks with the Company's lead compound, ANVS401. The first 14 PD patients, whose data are reported here, have finished treatment and their biomarkers are being measured. The next 14 AD patients are finishing their treatment and again their biomarkers and cognition will be measured and reported. Finally, the last 40 patients will be given different doses to determine the optimal dose. The study compares in both patient populations how nerve cells die by measuring all the steps in the toxic cascade leading to nerve cell death and how ANVS401 might reverse the toxic cascade and recover normal brain and body function. Dosing of the first patients in the trial began in August 2020. Today's pre-planned interim analysis summarizes clinical data of the first 14 PD patients that have completed treatment, nine patients on drug and five patients on placebo, and have begun their evaluation. Next Steps Presently, the cerebral spinal fluid and plasma samples of the 14 PD patients who completed treatment are being analyzed to measure the reversal of the toxic cascade with interim data expected to be reported in April, while interim data measuring the same in 14 AD patients is expected to follow in May. The full study data, including a dose ranging analysis in 40 PD patients, is anticipated in June or July of this year. Following completion of the Phase 2a trial, Annovis Bio will request a meeting with the FDA to present the results of the trial and its chronic toxicology study in animals. Annovis Bio believes today's data and prior clinical results support the potential advancement of ANVS401 into late-stage studies, which the Company is targeting in late 2021, assuming successful completion of its ongoing Phase 2a study. About Annovis Bio Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. (Annovis) is a clinical-stage, drug platform company addressing neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's in Down Syndrome (AD-DS). We believe that we are the only company developing a drug for AD, PD and AD-DS that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein and, thereby, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport. When this information flow is impaired, the nerve cell gets sick and dies. We expect our treatment to improve memory loss and dementia associated with AD and AD-DS, as well as body and brain function in PD. We have two ongoing Phase 2a studies: one in AD patients and one in both AD and PD patients. For more information on Annovis, please visit the company's website: www.annovisbio.com. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness, and anticipated results of ANVS401 clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate, including that clinical trials may be delayed and that the data reported herein is interim data, conclusions as to which may be superseded by subsequent data we expect to receive in connection with Phase 2a trials and/or subsequent clinical trials. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Inc. 407-491-4498 Dave@redchip.com SOURCE: Annovis Bio, Inc. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77415 The actor Tom Budge is out of a job after he parted ways Amazon's upcoming Lord Of The Rings series. The 38-year-old Australian star announced Sunday on his Instagram accounted that he had departed the prequel show amid creative differences with the streamer. He was originally announced to be playing an undisclosed part on the fantasy series back in January 2020, but it sounds as if the character will now be recast. Parting ways: Australian actor Tom Budge, 38, announced Sunday on Instagram that he had departed Amazon's Lord Of The Rings prequel series over creative differences; seen in 2019 Budge made the announcement in an Instagram post featuring a black-and-white TV broadcast of Johnny Cash singing his classic song Ring Of Fire, which was co-written by his wife June Carter Cash. 'Hello loves, It is with great sadness that I am writing to tell you I have departed Amazon's Lord Of The Rings television series,' Budge began his note. 'After recently seeing the first episodes shot over the last year Amazon has decided to go in another direction with the character I was portraying...,' he revealed. The actor went on to thank the 'creative team for their encouragement towards trying something that I believed was new, exciting and beautiful.' 'It burns, burns, burns': Budge made the announcement in an Instagram post featuring a black-and-white TV broadcast of Johnny Cash singing his classic song Ring Of Fire 'Another direction': He said that Amazon had decided to recast the role after seeing the first few episodes Rising star: The Melbourne-born actor is best known for appearing in the HBO World War II miniseries The Pacific and the Australian miniseries Gallipoli; seen in 2010 in Hollywood He also showed his gratitude for the 'extraordinary cast and crew for their love, support and friendship over what has been a very difficult and unusual experience.' 'Alas, some things just cannot be,' he concluded, adding, 'Destiny my mother, I thank thee.' It's not clear why he included the Cash performance, though the agonized lyrics might represent his current mindset. He may have also been playing up the 'ring' connection, and New Zealand, where the Lord Of The Rings series is filming, is on the edge of the Pacific region known as the Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. Although Budge was attached to the series, his role was never announced, making it unclear if he was playing a major or minor character. He also didn't take the opportunity to spill the beans in his announcement. The Melbourne-born actor is best known for appearing in the HBO World War II miniseries The Pacific and the Australian miniseries version of Gallipoli, along with the 2019 film Judy & Punch. Mystery role: Although Budge was attached to the series, his role was never announced, making it unclear if he was playing a major character; still from The Fellowship Of The Ring Tight-lipped: He didn't explain the Johnny Cash clip, aside from the obvious 'ring' meaning, and that New Zealand, where the show is shot, is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire; still from The Fellowship Of The Ring Back in January, Amazon gave Lord Of The Rings fans a first look at the scope of its prequel series when it revealed the show's epic official synopsis. The new series will be set thousands of years before the events of the original trilogy from director Peter Jackson, as well as his Hobbit trilogy. 'Amazon Studios' forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history,' TheOneRing.net reported at the time. New details: The synopsis for Amazon's upcoming Lord Of The Rings series was revealed in January by TheOneRing.net. It is set thousands of years before the film series; still from The Fellowship Of The Ring The Second Age refers to a period briefly seen in the prologue to The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001) in which the evil Sauron is moving to consolidate his power. 'This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness,' the synopsis read. 'Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.' Old friends? The synopsis promises an 'ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new,' though the familiar faces haven't yet been disclosed' still from The Return Of The King Going dark: The show will focus on 'the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness,' the Dark Lord Sauron; still from The Fellowship Of The Ring Fans who were wowed by the stunning vistas of the original series, which was also filmed in New Zealand, may be wowed again by the streaming series' epic scope. 'From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Numenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone,' the statement concluded. The time period in the show charts the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, who follows in the footsteps of another evil lord, Morgoth. The series is likely to be the most expensive ever made. Amazon is expected to pay more than $1 billion for the entire series, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and Reuters reported in 2018 that the first two seasons alone could cost up to $500 million Astounding figures: Amazon is expected to spend $1 billion on the series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Reuters reported it may spend $500 million on the first two seasons alone; still from The Two Towers The Lord Of The Rings series was created and written by the relatively untested pair of J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. The two were previously reported by Rotten Tomatoes to have written a draft of the screenplay Dwayne Johnson's upcoming Jungle Cruise movie for Disney, though their names won't be included on the final product. They have been attached to the upcoming monster flick Godzilla Vs. King Kong, and they're set to write and produce an upcoming Flash Gordon series, but their only concrete credit to date has been as writers on Star Trek Beyond from 2016. Fresh faces: The Lord Of The Rings series was created and written by the relatively untested pair of J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, who wrote Star Trek Beyond (2016) The show will likely try to replicate the blockbuster success of HBO's Game Of Thrones series, so it makes sense that that show's writer Bryan Cogman will join the LOTR show as a consulting producer. The Spanish filmmaker J. A. Bayona is also attached to direct multiple episodes. He rose to fame on the success of his horror film The Orphanage, which he followed up with the Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregorstarring disaster film The Impossible and the Jurassic World sequel Fallen Kingdom. The forthcoming Lord Of The Rings series is currently filming in New Zealand and is expected to debut either late this year or sometime in 2022. The US will not grant China any improvement in relations until Beijing stops its economic coercion of Australia, a senior White House official said. The administration of President Joe Biden has told the Chinese government that we are not going to leave Australia alone on the field, according to the Presidents Indo-Pacific co-ordinator, Kurt Campbell. We have made clear that the US is not prepared to improve relations in a bilateral and separate context at the same time that a close and dear ally is being subjected to a form of economic coercion, he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in the first interview a senior Biden official has given to any Australian media. US President Joe Bidens Indo-Pacific co-ordinator, Kurt Campbell. Credit:Andrew Meares Dr Campbell is often described as Mr Bidens Asia tsar. His appointment was hailed as super-charging the US effort to gather allies to confront an increasingly aggressive China. He served as the top Asia official for Hillary Clinton when she was Barack Obamas secretary of state. He crafted the Obama administrations pivot to Asia and served in the Pentagon under president Bill Clinton. L-R: Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost, Marie Vega, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stand by the new sign at the Javier Vega, Jr., Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita, Texas, on March 20, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Sen. Cornyn: Entering America Illegally Must Have Consequences Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) said on Monday that entering the United States illegally must have consequences or criminals will continue to exploit the system and profit from smuggling and transporting illegal immigrants across the southern border. In Laredo, Texas, the senator met with a group of mayors, county judges, and community leaders to discuss how this crisis is impacting them. He said they discussed the mess of the immigration courts, which have a backlog of 1.2 million cases. And in fact, the human smugglers and drug cartels know that because of our laws and our failure to offer consequences associated with illegal entry in the United States, that we will never get to those 1.2 million backlogged cases, and that people can simply evade the law by refusing to show up for their court-appointed date, said Cornyn from the Senate floor. Cornyn said the people who benefit most from illegal immigration are transnational criminal organizations, drug cartels, human smugglers, and coyotes, who get paid to smuggle people across the border. Border Patrol told me the average smuggling fee for cartels to bring a single unaccompanied child into the Del Rio sector was more than $7,300 per child, said Cornyn, whose state shares 1,200 miles of border with Mexico. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also weighed in on the surge at the southern border and attributed the crisis to the Biden Administrations policies. I think it is a crisis. I think it was fully avoidable. And it is getting worse. The Biden ministration came in with a political agenda, where they halted border wall construction. They reinstituted catch and release. And they, in effect, issued an invitation for unaccompanied children to come to this country, said Cruz. In February, 100,000 individuals were apprehended, according to the Department of Homeland Security, including 9,000 unaccompanied children and 19,000 migrants coming across as families. Based on the sheer numbers, this is a problem, said Cornyn. The Biden Administration didnt inherit this messit helped create it, he added. President Biden campaigned on the basis of policies that would lead to this very outcome. One woman across the Rio Grande, on a smugglers raft, said the Biden administration is the reason she and her one-year-old son attempted the journey at all. Democrats have downplayed the situation at the southern border, refusing to call it a crisis and blaming the Trump administration for leaving them with a broken system. Senator Chris Murphy (D-N.Y.) said that the border crisis does not concern his constituents like the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and resulting economic downturn do. You know, peoples lives are not being affected by whats happening on the border today, said Murphy. Peoples lives are being affected by the economic recession and COVID crisis. So, given the scope of the real crisis that exists, I dont think peoples attention is going to be turned in a way that Republicans hope it will be. Whats happening on the border is serious, but it didnt begin in January. It began last fall. Murphy said Republicans are pushing a narrative about the southern border and that its not as bad as they say it is. Its going to get worse, but again, the Republican narrative is that this was, this started when Biden became president. Thats just fundamentally not true, he said. It started last September. So, weve got to deal with it. But, for my constituents, theyre much more focused on COVID and the economic crisis than they are about whats happening on the border. Cornyn said Congress needs to address the issue at the southern border because it will only get worse. One of the people involved in the operation of the Carrizo springs facility said this is a category 5 hurricane, with tropical-storm-force winds on the coast, said Cornyn. It is coming. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Dancehall artist Popcaan was apparently up to his usual antics, over the weekend, when he removed his mask and mockingly shouted mi nah wear nuh mask! on his Instagram Story, in reference to Buju Bantons viral anti-mask rant last year. Buju, however, finds no humor in the situation in Jamaica and unleashed yet another Instagram video on Sunday, expressing disappointment in his fellow rich Jamaicans for ridiculing those, like himself, who have been speaking out. He also, again, declared his opposition to the Governments COVID-related restrictions and policies. In an almost 5 minute clip, Banton is seen reading the updated mandates and the consequences for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act, citing them as oppression and tyranny. Bujus video comes after the recent viral video and arrest of a St. Catherine man, who was later charged with breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act, disorderly conduct, indecent language, obstructing the police, and using abusive and calumnious language, according to the Jamaica Gleaner. The police on Sunday met resistance from a man who identified himself as Stephen Mike Witter when they turned up on a beach in Hellshire, St Catherine to disperse a gathering. Witter insisted he was on private property. Full video: https://t.co/FYvvvqRMvS pic.twitter.com/scEJMALBFr Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) March 8, 2021 The Jamaican constitution does not allow the Government of Jamaica to use the Office of the Prime Minister or any other office to oppress and pressure any citizen, any citizen at all. You Jamaicans better wake up before them come kick oonu door one one and do like what dem a do all ova di place, Buju said in the video. Despite the backlash that he received for his initial rant of rebellion from his colleagues, Ministers, and even daughter and social media influencer Abihail Myrie, Banton is still standing firm behind his beliefs. Mi notice a thread, mi notice everybody weh come out inna Jamaica and vent the way dem feel either the Jamaican populace come down pon dem like we suppose to be sheep, he said. He moved onto address Jamaican politicians. Memba ah we vote oonu in, oonu supposed to run the country fuh we, dont gwaan like oonu wan switch it pan weand have the people dem think dem work for politicians. No! Politicians work for the country Do not use the office of the Prime Minster or the office of whichever politician it is..to pressure the citizens. You are creating tyranny. You are tyrannical. Buju accused those in power of not setting the example as it pertains to vaccinations. Oonu a tell we bout shot and none a oonu na tek no shot, a who oonu a try fool bout ya. Here what guh gwaan, we want see oonu a tek what oonu want the people to get. The Jamaica Gleaner reported on Friday that Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton are not scheduled to take the COVID-19 vaccine until April 2021, unless the pace of the current roll-out significantly improves. Buju is not the only disgruntled deejay voicing his concerns, as the internationally known King of Dancehall Beenie Man took to his Instagram to share his own personal grievances. Buju do a ting todeh weh mi respect, Beenie said while on a family vacation at the Pegasus Hotel. Mi nuh like how dem a deal wid d law a Jamaica, because police ketch yuh 9 or 10 you haffi pay them. he shared about his resentment for the latest lockdown directives. Last month, Beenie Man pleaded not guilty to charges that he breached the COVID-related Disaster Risk Management and Noise Abatement Acts in Jamaica. His trial will begin on April 19. Meanwhile, Jamaican actor/comedian @slick_whiteline has made light of Bujus comments in a video making the rounds. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-17 05:35:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The area in front of the Sacre Coeur Basilica is blocked by the police atop the Montmartre in Paris, France, Feb. 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) On Tuesday, the health authorities reported 29,975 new infections across the country, bringing the cumulative total to 4,108,108. The number of single-day deaths jumped to 408, taking the total to 91,170. PARIS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- France has entered "a form of third wave (of the coronavirus pandemic) characterized by numerous virus variants," Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Tuesday, stressing that his government still considers vaccination a top priority of its strategy to stem the spread of the virus. "The outbreak is going into extra time," he told a hearing at the National Assembly, the lower house of France's Parliament, which observed a moment of silence in memory of the 90,000-plus victims of the pandemic one year after the first national lockdown. Mass vaccination, Castex said, "will allow us to get out of (the lockdown)." The government has pledged to administer at least 10 million first vaccine doses by mid-April, 20 million by mid-May and 30 million by summer. People arrive to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southern France, on Jan. 9, 2021. (Photo by Serge Haouzi/Xinhua) As of Tuesday, 5,295,735 people had received at least one vaccine dose, according to the health authorities. Of the injected doses, 1.3 million were the AstraZeneca vaccine, whose use was suspended late Monday in France and in 20-odd other European countries following reports of side effects, including blood clots in patients. Such a suspension would deal a very serious blow to the vaccination strategy in Europe, the French daily Le Monde said in an editorial on Tuesday. "Faced with the saturation of intensive care services in Ile-de-France (the greater Paris region), only the acceleration of vaccination could give hope of avoiding another lockdown. Any significant delay would render this expectation null and void," said the paper. In Ile-de-France, the most populous region and the country's main economic hub with 12 million inhabitants, 5,907 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals, including 1,177 in intensive care, according to the latest official data. On Tuesday, the health authorities reported 29,975 new infections across the country, bringing the cumulative total to 4,108,108. The number of single-day deaths jumped to 408, taking the total to 91,170. A man walks across a city square in Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France, March 7, 2021. (Photo by Sai Basidian kuerji/Xinhua) Cresos acquisition of Halucenex Ltd exposes Australian investors to a market opportunity estimated to be worth US$100 billion. Canaccord Genuity estimates the size of the global psychedelics market at an eye-watering US$100 billion. Creso Pharmaceuticals Ltd ( ) (FRA:1X8) has become the ASXs first psychedelics stock by way of its acquisition of Canadian psychedelic medicine company Halucenex Ltd. The move capitalises on growing interest in psychedelic medicines, which includes LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, as treatments for a range of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Theres plenty of science to back psychedelics possible use as therapeutics, and the global market opportunity is quite large: has estimated its size at an eye-watering US$100 billion. So, what is Creso Pharma looking at with its latest investment? Increasing global interest Psychedelics are a class of psychoactive substances that contain chemical compounds which can produce changes in perception, mood and cognitive processing, and they can be found both in nature and manufactured in a laboratory. They have had something of a marketing problem, with many associating their use with the countercultural explosion of the 1960s. But scientists have known about their therapeutic potential for a long time, and recent studies have shown their potential in treating depression, anxiety, substance addiction, PTSD and obsessive compulsive disorder. Regulator and public acceptance of psychedelics therapeutic potential is on the rise - the US Food & Drug Administration deemed psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as a Breakthrough Therapy in late 2019 and expanded access to MDMA - a psychoactive drug more commonly known as ecstasy - to PTSD patients in clinical trials. The mental health problem Currently, mental illnesses are treated by a combination of therapists, support groups and medication, but there are worldwide issues and limitations to this model of treatment. Available treatments, according to research, often have limited effectiveness and high barriers to entry thanks to both cost and accessibility. Patients with mental illnesses can often present with treatment-resistant or medication-resistant symptoms, which further exacerbates the issue. Its also a problem on the rise: in 2017, 340 million people were diagnosed with mental health disorders globally, and the World Health Organisation estimates there are more than 264 million people across the world suffering from depression. The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the rate and impact of mental health disorders, with the virus and its associated lockdowns and restrictions driving increased cases of loneliness, anxiety and depression. Creso and new subsidiary Halucenex plan to solve the problem with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy Halucenex is focused on delivering and developing evidence-based products for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression and other detrimental mental illnesses. It is currently focused on progressing clinical trials to research the efficacy of psilocybin to treat and alleviate treatment-resistant depression in individuals suffering from PTSD and other mental illnesses. The company operates at a 6,000 square foot medical treatment facility in Nova Scotia, Canada, next to the Hants Emergency Hospital, with a controlled substances laboratory and 18 treatment rooms for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. On receipt of its pending Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealers License, Halucenex will apply to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial. This License will allow Halucenex to possess and conduct research and development and clinical studies on psychedelic substances including LSD, psilocybin and MDMA. WATCH: Bruce Linton and Bill Fleming explain the significance of the acquisition Creso Pharma strategic advisor Bruce Linton, formerly of cannabis giant Canopy Growth Corp ( ), said Creso had the expertise and resources to capitalise on Halucenexs potential. Psychedelics have been terribly regulated and we need better answers to mental health problems, he said. Creso makes an effort to comprehend the science behind their potential and is looking to win and make a difference in the world. We are looking at the big picture, and we are only at the beginning, particularly with the pandemic causing significant stress worldwide. Acquisition the key: Halucenex boss Halucenex founder and chief executive Bill Fleming said Creso had the pedigree to bring its dreams into reality. Creso has a very large pharma focus and its hidden gem is the distribution, which is really hard to get, he said. They have a strong clinical team to assist us, and we have everything, from the supply to the distribution, now under the one roof. - Daniel Paproth 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. COVID-19 vaccine not exported at expense of Indians: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Mar 16: A total of 5.94 crore doses of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine has been exported to 72 countries till March 15 but it is in no way being sent at the expense of the people of India, Health Minister Harvardhan informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said so far around 3 crore people have been administered the COVID vaccine and on Monday alone a total of 30.39 lakh people in the country took the jabs. "So far the government has provided 5.94 crore vaccine doses to 72 countries till yesterday. This has been done as the government considers that the whole world is our family," he told the house. 5.86 crore doses of 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines to 71 countries as grants: Government "The vaccine provided to Indians is also being sent to foreign countries, but it is no way being sent at the expense of people of India," the minister also said. "We also consider that the benefits of science should reach globally. The technology could be local, but the entire humanity should benefit from it," he said. A government committee and experts are looking at this at the highest level and are maintaining a reasonably sensible balance in this regard, he said. The minister said the rates of the vaccine have also been kept at a minimum of Rs 250 in private hospitals, of which Rs 100 is given to the hospital, and it is free at government hospitals. "The pricing strategy of the vaccine has kept with a cap of Rs 150 on the vaccine and the government is working with complete seriousness on the issue," he said. Replying to another supplementary, the minister said that the health ministry, especially the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), keeps in touch with all the latest developments happening anywhere in the country and also outside the country. Coronavirus cases: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal tests positive for COVID-19 On whether the government is considering to provide COVID-19 vaccines to all citizens free of cost, Vardhan said the vaccine is being given free of cost at government COVID-19 vaccination centres while at private facilities, it is available at a ceiling cost of Rs 250 per dose per person. In response to a question on whether the process of vaccination is going at a very slow pace, Vardhan said, "The current rate of COVID-19 vaccination is satisfactory and is being further increased through increase in number of COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) in both government and private health facilities." The NEGVAC has prioritised healthcare workers, frontline workers, persons aged 60 years and above, and those aged between 45 and 59 years with 20 identified comorbidities for COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccination is an ongoing and dynamic process, which is being expanded to include beneficiary groups as prioritised by NEGVAC. In view of dynamic nature of COVID-19 pandemic and inclusion of new priority groups, no time frame at present can be indicated for completion of vaccination, he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 20:45 [IST] Tuesday, March 16, 2021 Authors note: This weeks blog has nothing to do with gambling. Im hoping you find it interesting anyway. Next week Ill return with something about video poker. Bonnie and I live in a quiet neighborhood in Las Vegas. The homes are 30-35 years old and many of the original owners (including Bonnie) still live there. Everybody looks after each other and crime is low. Except that Amazon packages are occasionally stolen from front porches. Its actually a wonder to me that this happens. There are regularly people out walking their dogs or with their spouses. We have a number of busybodies spread throughout the neighborhood keeping track of everybodys business. This seems like a tough environment in which to pull off front porch heists, given that the porches are about 50 feet or more from the sidewalk. With that said, I recently received a package from Cologuard. This is a mail-in service that is used to check for rectal cancer. You basically poop into a cup, take a small sample that you treat with chemicals they send, and then return that sample in the mail. Its relatively easy and eliminates the need for many colonoscopies. Its sent back and forth in a box that size-wise could hold an inflated volleyball. The box was on my front porch on a Monday. I brought it in but didnt go through the sample-collection process immediately. On Tuesday I had an appointment with my primary doctor for an annual physical. My doctor told me that their practice wasnt using Cologuard anymore. They now used something called InSure ONE and she gave me something that was size-wise similar to a regular business envelope. I dont know how the products differ from each other or why the change was made. Im not in the position to endorse or criticize either product. Ill use the new product as my doctor requested because thats the one my insurance covers. I asked what to do with the box from Cologuard, and she told me to throw it away and I wouldnt be charged. No. That would be too easy, and would deprive me of running a new experiment. After taking a Sharpie and blacking out any reference to me, I put the unopened Cologuard box back on the front step. Maybe somebody will come by and steal it! I hope so. That somebody will be very disappointed with their haul! Ive heard of people whove wrapped up packages of dog poop and put it on their front porches to teach these thieves a lesson. What Ive done isnt nearly as gross and messy, but it will be just as useful to them! Its still there after two days. If its still there in two more days, itll go into the trash. Authors note: Trash is picked up on Saturdays in our neighborhood. On Friday afternoon I went to pick up the box and it was gone! I checked with Bonnie in case she had picked it up herself and either brought it in the house or disposed of it, but no. We had been ripped off! I have never enjoyed the thought of being ripped off so much! WHITE CITY, Ore. The Veterans Affairs center in White City has opened up coronavirus vaccination appointments to veterans of all ages, the agency announced this week. All area veterans, from Grants Pass to Klamath Falls, can call the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics at 541-826-2111 extension 4440 to make an appointment between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. No walk-ins will be accepted. "The Department of Veterans Affairs encourages eligible Veterans and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when a vaccine is available to them," the agency said. "VA respects and understands that some people may prefer a particular vaccine due to a variety of reasons. However, due to the limited supply of vaccines at this time, facilities may not be able to offer more than one vaccine at this time. If employees or Veterans have specific concerns or questions, they should reach out to their care providers." All employees, patients, or visitors are required to wear a face mask on the VA SORCC campus covering the mouth and nose, fitting snugly, and allowing for breathing without restriction. "Were doing everything to protect our Veterans and employees as we move through this Pandemic," the VA continued. Gaya : , March 16 (IANS) Four Maoists, including a zonal commander and three sub-zonal commanders, were killed in Bihar's Gaya district on Tuesday in a gun battle with security forces. The gun battle began in the morning when the 205 CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) along with a local unit of the paramilitary wing and state police force carried out an operation in Maunbar area under the Dumaria police station in Gaya district. It was one of the 13 operations being conducted by the CRPF across various Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states since Tuesday morning, a CRPF official told IANS requesting anonymity. Confirming the incident, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Additional SP (Operation), said, "While a search operation was underway, the Maoists opened fire at the CRPF CoBRA battalion. In retaliation, our force also fired at them. The gun battle continued till 4 pm. After that firing from their side stopped," Singh said. "When we searched the area, four Maoists were found dead. We are cautiously securing the place as the Maoists might have placed landmines in the area. It is considered a successful operation as no causality has been reported from our side," he added. In a statement, the CRPF said that four bodies, three AK-47 rifles and one Insas rifle were recovered from the spot after the operation ended at around 5.14 p.m. Amresh Bhakta, zonal commander, along with three sub-zonal commanders identified as Shuvpoojan, Srikant Bhyuin and Uday Paswan, were killed in the operation. The troopers are yet to return to their base camp. So far there is no report of any injury sustained by the forces. Search operations will be further intensified in the region. In a similar operation carried out last month, security forces had gunned down a senior Maoist commander in an exchange of fire in the strife-torn Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh. The US stimulus package will be welcomed by travel and tourism businesses across the country, many of whom are struggling to survive, said Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC. "This package promises a much-needed boost while the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the sector," she said. The $14 billion allocated to airlines will come as a monumental relief, following almost a year without widespread international travel, which has left many on the brink of collapse. "Our recent economic modelling showed the devasting affect the Covid-19 pandemic is having on the US Travel & Tourism sector, with 9.2 million jobs impacted and $155 billion lost from the US economy due to the collapse of international travel last year. This catastrophic loss to the economy equates to a shortfall of $425 million every day, or nearly $3 billion a week," said Guevara. "WTTC and its 200 members would like to thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for recognising the importance of our sector. These bold steps are needed to reinvigorate the travel sector and will provide a significant boost to the U.S. economy as the country begins to turn the tide against this terrible virus," she said. "We also congratulate the new administration for the significant strides made in its vaccination program, and the deployment of thousands of troops to further ramp up these efforts. We welcome the latest plan to relax restrictions by Independence Day, which will give fresh hope to Americans." However, she said the key to restarting international travel is through the introduction of a comprehensive testing regime on departure and arrival. "Testing for non-vaccinated travellers, along with mandatory mask wearing and increased health and hygiene protocols, would allow the safe resumption on international travel. It would avoid the risk of transmission, save jobs and help plug the gaping hole in the stricken US economy, Guevara said. - TradeArabia News Service Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. For veterans traveling abroad, the use of service animals can be difficult, depending on which country theyre visiting. Tourism and business travel can be affected by limitations on animal access. Where theres a will, there are at least possibilities, as Air Force veteran Melanie Boling showed on a recent trip to Peru. Regulations for visiting Machu Picchu prohibited dogs, but Peruvian law allowed it. All it took was figuring out a way of connecting the two disparate regulations. Boling served in the Air Force mortuary affairs, deploying to Baghdad International Airport in 2003. After leaving active duty in 2004, she worked for a security contracting company. Today, she attends Harvard University, studying conservation and environmental policy. At the same time, she runs a nonprofit organization that teaches children in the developing world about conservation and photography. In some of these places, they dont have electricity or the means to process film, so we use instant film, Boling said. Giving a kid a camera that pops out a photo is something theyll remember. So while we do scientific research, theyre learning about the importance of conserving their own backyards. A scouting trip for her nonprofit brought her to Peru initially, but no trip to the Andes Mountains would be complete without a visit to Machu Picchu. Just one problem remained: In 2018, Boling suffered a stroke at age 37 that left her with eye and vision issues. Today, she requires the assistance of her German shepherd, River Roux, a certified service dog. River Roux has been guiding Melanie Boling since 2018. (Courtesy of Melanie Boling) Machu Picchu is the site of a ruined royal estate of the emperor of the Inca Empire, dating to the 1450s. The ruins, now a UNESCO world heritage site, sit at an altitude of almost 8,000 feet. The Peruvian government pays close attention to visitors of the ancient ruins. There are people who abuse the service dog systems, Boling said. In Peru, they allow for emotional support animals, but those arent allowed to go up to Machu Picchu. We coordinated with our guides -- who will do anything to help you get where you want to go -- to address the issue with Peru. The letter of the law in Peru stated that only guide dogs would be allowed access to the site with their handler. Boling was able to demonstrate her dependence on River Roux, and the dog was given clearance by the government. Melanie Boling and River Roux at Machu Picchu. (Courtesy of Melanie Boling) When the duo arrived at the top of the mountain, guards and police continued to stop Boling and River Roux. It began to get frustrating, she said. I told my guide that we have permission to be here and asked them why we keep getting stopped. He told me its because she was the first-ever to be up here. The first service animal ever at Machu Picchu. They all wanted photos. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs? Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 19:11:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China's outstanding yuan funds for foreign exchange edged up month on month in February, central bank data showed on Tuesday. The funds stood at 21.16 trillion yuan (about 3.25 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of last month, up 23.5 billion yuan from the previous month, according to the People's Bank of China. As the Chinese yuan is not freely convertible under the capital account, the central bank has to purchase foreign currency generated by a trade surplus and foreign investment in the country, adding funds to the money market. Such funds are an important indicator of cross-border foreign capital flows and domestic yuan liquidity. China's foreign currency reserves stood at 3.2049.9 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of February, down from 3.2106.7 trillion dollars registered at the end of January, official data showed. The amount fell by 5.7 billion dollars at the end of February, or 0.18 percent month on month, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. Enditem For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. 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 TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Reuters (TSX/NYSE: TRI) will host its 2021 Investor Day virtually today beginning at 8:30 am EDT. The company's senior management team will deliver a series of presentations outlining the company's Change Program and how the program is designed to transition Thomson Reuters from a holding company to an operating company, and from a content company to a content-driven technology company. Today's Investor Day materials include forward-looking information for Thomson Reuters. This forward-looking information and all of the Investor Day presentation materials can be found in the "Investor Relations" section of the Thomson Reuters website, http://www.tr.com. A replay of the Investor Day webcast will be posted to the Thomson Reuters website later today. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters (TSX/NYSE: TRI) is the world's leading provider of news and information-based tools to professionals. Our worldwide network of journalists and specialist editors keep customers up to speed on global developments, with a particular focus on legal, regulatory and tax changes. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information on Thomson Reuters, visit tr.com and for the latest world news, reuters.com. CONTACTS MEDIA Andrew Green Senior Director, Corporate Affairs +1 332 219 1511 [email protected] INVESTORS Frank J. Golden Head of Investor Relations +1 332 219 1111 [email protected] SOURCE Thomson Reuters Related Links thomsonreuters.com State Forest Rangers came to the rescue recently of two ice fishermen caught on a floating ice sheet on Lake Champlain and a snowmobiler who ran into a power pole. Those two incidents and others involving state Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers took place between March 14. All information below was supplied by the DEC. Town of Plattsburgh, Clinton County Wilderness Rescue: On March 1 at 3 p.m., Forest Ranger assistance was requested by two DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers and the Cumberland Head Fire Department for two anglers stranded on a floating ice sheet on Lake Champlain. Fire department personnel accessed the men from Plattsburgh with an inflatable rescue craft and brought one of the subjects safely to shore. When Forest Rangers arrived on the scene, two fire department personnel and the second angler and his gear were still on the ice sheet. ECOs and Rangers launched the airboat and Ranger Bronson was able to retrieve all parties and gear from the ice and bring them back to shore. Town of Brighton, Franklin County Snowmobile Accident: On March 7 at 5:22 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Franklin County 911 advising of a snowmobile accident on the C7 snowmobile trail in the town of Brighton. The snowmobile operator appeared to have struck a power pole. Three Forest Rangers and a DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officer responded to the scene, along with Saranac Lake and Paul Smiths-Gabriels fire departments. The 33-year-old subject from Altona was packaged by EMS responders and transported approximately two miles to Route 86 in Gabriels, where Forest Rangers established a landing zone for New York State Police Aviation. The snowmobiler was transferred to North Country Life Flight Medics for air transport to a hospital in Vermont. Rangers and ECOs were cleared of the scene at 7:30 p.m. and State Police is investigating the incident. Town of Hillsdale, Columbia County Wildland Fire: On March 12 at 10:30 p.m., DECs Central Dispatch received a request from Columbia County 911 for Forest Ranger support for a wildfire in the town of Hillsdale. A Forest Ranger responded. The brush fire was approximately eight acres and fire crews were able to contain it by constructing a fire line with water support. Due to heavy winds, hot spots flared up on the hilltop, extending mop up operations. On March 13 at 12:30 a.m., the fire was declared out and firefighters were clear of the scene. Region 3 Forest Rangers also responded to three small wildfires recently in Sullivan, Westchester, and Putnam counties. The largest was about five acres in size. In an effort to reduce the number of spring brush fires, New York States residential brush burning ban is in effect starting March 16, through May 14. Town of North Elba, Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On March 13 at 6:41 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a 27-year-old subject from Rochester suffering from a sore knee while hiking to Mount Marcy in the High Peaks Wilderness. The hiker did not have a head lamp or flashlight and reported that his four friends hiked out ahead of him. Just before 10 p.m., At Marcy Dam, a Forest Ranger made contact with the hiker and two friends who had turned back to help him. The Forest Ranger and the hikers arrived back at the Loj parking lot at 11:16 p.m., and reunited the hikers with their group. Town of Hunter, Greene County Wilderness Recovery: On March 14 at 1:30 p.m., DECs Central Dispatch received a request for Forest Ranger assistance from Greene County 911 for a report of an unresponsive hiker on the Becker Hollow trail near the summit of Hunter Mountain. Forest Rangers from Regions 3 and 4 responded to assist. Two Rangers hiked to the location of the 62-year-old man, who was deceased. Additional Rangers on the scene used snowmobiles to access the summit of the mountain using the state truck trail from the Spruceton trailhead. The Rangers then hiked one half mile in to bring rescue gear and equipment to the rescuers. Due to steep and icy trail conditions, Rangers utilized rope systems and a stretcher (sked) on the technical descent down the Becker Hollow trail. Rescuers were back at the Becker Hollow trailhead at 11 p.m., and the subject was turned over to the Greene County coroner. Rangers were clear of the scene at 11:30 p.m. Additional agencies involved include DECs Division of Law Enforcement and New York State Police. Town of Hunter, Greene County Wilderness Rescue: On March 5, Greene County 911 received a call for a 27-year-old hiker from Queens who had fallen on the ice at Kaaterskill Falls. According to the caller, the injured woman and her friend went for a hike at the falls and were attempting to hike from the top to the bottom of the stone staircase, which was covered in ice, creating a steep, slippery surface. The woman was wearing microspikes but lost hold and slid approximately 100 feet to the bottom. Three Forest Rangers responded from North South Lake field station. Two of the Rangers hiked in and located the injured woman, administered first aid, and rewarmed her with the assistance of a Greene County paramedic. Once the hiker began to feel better, rescuers and Rangers assisted her back to the Route 23A trailhead where she was transported to a local hospital for additional medical treatment. Town of Brookfield, Beaver Creek State Forest, Madison County Stranded Vehicle: On March 6, a Forest Ranger responded to assist two individuals from the Utica area whose vehicle became stuck during their camping trip. According to the vehicle operator, he had followed other vehicle tracks into the forest on an unplowed road. When road conditions got worse, the subject attempted to turn around, but the vehicle became stuck almost a mile from the plowed portion of the roadway. The Ranger assisted the vehicle operator and found someone with the proper equipment to pull the vehicle out of the snow. Town of Georgetown, Madison County Snowmobile Accident: On March 6 at 3 p.m., a Forest Ranger responded to a personal injury snowmobile accident in which three people were injured. Once on scene, the Forest Ranger reported that the injured snowmobilers had been transported to a local hospital and the Ranger was assisting with getting the snowmobiles and the uninjured members of the group off the trail. The Ranger was assisted by members of the New York State Police, Madison County Sheriffs Office, and Georgetown Fire Department and EMS. Town of Duane, Debar Wild Forest Franklin County Stranded Vehicle: On March 7 at 7:06 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a request from New York State Police for assistance locating a vehicle reported stuck on a remote snowmobile trail. Two Forest Rangers responded with snowmobiles to conduct a search for the vehicle and occupants. Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Cranker assisted with communications. At 10:03 p.m., Rangers located the 59-year-old couple from Peru, NY, and their vehicle further down the snowmobile trail. At 10:33 p.m., Rangers and the couple were out of the woods and the vehicle owner made arrangements to have the vehicle removed. Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DECs Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information. MORE UPSTATE NY OUTDOORS DEC: Hunters killed more than 1,700 black bears during 2020 seasons DEC will again be offering in-person hunting, bowhunting safety courses starting April 1 Violators of annual statewide residential brush burning ban face $500 fine Along flood-prone Lake Ontario shore residents have one wish: A normal year A magical experience: Rochester angler honored for catching releasing 81 muskies last year Otisco Lake tiger muskies: CNY group advocates catch and release of big ones UPGRADE YOUR OUTDOOR GEAR Fishing Gear | Camo Face Masks | Hunting Gear | Camping Supplies Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) The Supreme Court is coming up with guidelines on the use of body cameras by law enforcers serving arrest or search warrants, its spokesperson announced on Tuesday. In a statement, the 15-member high court said it considered a proposal to require the use of body cameras for law enforcers who will execute warrants to be issued by the trial courts. Supreme Court spokesperson Brian Hosaka clarified that the justices in an en banc session already approved the use of body cameras in the service of warrants but subject to the actual guidelines as may be set in the formal resolution to be issued by the Court. Calls for the police to wear body cameras started in 2017, after the killing 17-year-old Kian delos Santos and 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz heightened public outrage against the drug war. A 334 million budget was later approved. Purchase of the equipment was still "in process" as of December 2020, the Philippine National Police said, prompting some opposition lawmakers to call for an investigation into the delayed implementation. A highly placed source in the Supreme Court told CNN Philippines that the use of body cameras was tackled on Tuesday's en banc meeting in the wake of the killings of nine activists on the so-called "Bloody Sunday" last March 7. The police said these were all legitimate search warrant operations in the Calabarzon region, but activist groups questioned why the orders were issued by courts in Metro Manila which they have tagged search warrant factories. In a report sent to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta on March 12, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez explained that the Regional Trial Court of Manila received 63 applications for search warrants on March 1, to be served in different areas in Calabarzon. It was an unusually large number of applications, Marquez said, so the Executive Judge of the Manila RTC was allowed to distribute it to himself and his three Vice Executive Judges. In the end, 42 applications were granted, 19 denied, two withdrawn. Nine applications were also filed in Antipolo, Marquez relayed, of which four were granted, four were denied, while one was pending as of March 12. The service of some of these warrants from the capital region and Antipolo courts resulted in the deadly operations. It must be noted, however, that the issuance of the search warrants by the judges and their service or implementation by the law enforcers are two different acts, Marquez said. He said that based on court guidelines, the judges of Manila and Quezon City have authority to act on applications filed by the National Bureau of Investigation, PNP and Anti-Crime Task Force, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Bureau of Customs, for search warrants involving heinous crimes, illegal gambling, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions, as well as violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, Anti-Money Laundering Act, Tariff and Customs Code, and the Securities Regulation Code. Former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares earlier told CNN Philippines The Source that the high court should review the questionable rule allowing courts to issue arrest warrants in areas outside of their jurisdiction, noting that judges in Metro Manila would usually make the call for distant provinces. However, two magistrates applying for the Chief Justice post to be vacated by Peralta once he retires this month, said theres nothing wrong with the current process. The judges only have to conduct an examination and issue warrants based on evidence, they added. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) The United States in reaching out to North Korea went through several channels in order to reduce the risk of escalation, US State Department Spokesperson Jalina Porter said in a press briefing on Monday. Earlier, the White House said the US had reached out to North Korea but received no response and underscored that diplomacy was a priority. "To reduce the risk of escalation, we've reached out to the North Korean government through several channels starting in mid-February, including in New York, and to date, we've not received any response from Pyongyang," Porter said. "This follows over a year without active dialogue with North Korea, despite several attempts by the US to engage." Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full 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 illustration of early Earth, as it would have looked around 4 billion years ago. Credit: Lucy Entwisle Lightning strikes were just as important as meteorites in creating the perfect conditions for life to emerge on Earth, geologists say. Minerals delivered to Earth in meteorites more than 4 billion years ago have long been advocated as key ingredients for the development of life on our planet. Scientists believed minimal amounts of these minerals were also brought to early Earth through billions of lightning strikes. But now researchers from the University of Leeds have established that lightning strikes were just as significant as meteorites in performing this essential function and allowing life to manifest. They say this shows that life could develop on Earth-like planets through the same mechanism at any time if atmospheric conditions are right. The research was led by Benjamin Hess during his undergraduate studies at the University of Leeds in the School of Earth and Environment. Mr Hess and his mentors were studying an exceptionally large and pristine sample of fulgurite, - a rock created when lightning strikes the ground. The sample was formed when lightning struck a property in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA, in 2016, and donated to the geology department at Wheaton College nearby. The Leeds researchers were initially interested in how fulgurite is formed but were fascinated to discover in the Glen Ellyn sample a large amount of a highly unusual phosphorous mineral called schreibersite. The fulgurite sample excavated in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Credit: Benjamin Hess Phosphorus is essential to life and plays a key role in all life processes from movement to growth and reproduction. The phosphorous present on early Earth's surface was contained in minerals that cannot dissolve in water, but schreibersite can. Mr Hess, now a Ph.D. student at Yale University, said: "Many have suggested that life on Earth originated in shallow surface waters, following Darwin's famous "warm little pond" concept. "Most models for how life may have formed on Earth's surface invoke meteorites which carry small amounts of schreibersite. Our work finds a relatively large amount of schreibersite in the studied fulgurite. "Lightning strikes Earth frequently, implying that the phosphorus needed for the origin of life on Earth's surface does not rely solely on meteorite hits. "Perhaps more importantly, this also means that the formation of life on other Earth-like planets remains possible long after meteorite impacts have become rare." The team estimate that phosphorus minerals made by lightning strikes surpassed those from meteorites when the earth was around 3.5 billion years old, which is about the age of the earliest known micro-fossils, making lightning strikes significant in the emergence of life on the planet. Furthermore, lightning strikes are far less destructive than meteor hits, meaning they were much less likely to interfere with the delicate evolutionary pathways in which life could develop. The fulgurite sample excavated in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Credit: Benjamin Hess The research, titled Lightning strikes as a major facilitator of prebiotic phosphorus reduction on early Earth, is published today (SEE EMBARGO) in Nature Communications. The School of Earth and Environment funded the project under a scheme which enables undergraduate led research using high-end analytical facilities. Dr. Jason Harvey, Associate Professor of Geochemistry in Leeds' School of Earth and Environment, and Sandra Piazolo, Professor of Structural Geology and Tectonics in the School of Earth and Environment, mentored Mr Hess in the research project. Dr. Harvey said: "The early bombardment is a once in a solar system event. As planets reach their mass, the delivery of more phosphorus from meteors becomes negligible. "Lightning, on the other hand, is not such a one-off event. If atmospheric conditions are favorable for the generation of lightning, elements essential to the formation of life can be delivered to the surface of a planet. "This could mean that life could emerge on Earth-like planets at any point in time." Professor Piazolo said: "Our exciting research opens the door to several future avenues of investigation, including search for and in-depth analysis of fresh fulgurite in Early Earth-like environment; in-depth analysis of the effect of flash heating on other minerals to recognize such features in the rock record, and further analysis of this exceptionally well-preserved fulgurite to identify the range of physical and chemical processes within. "All these studies will help up to increase our understanding of the importance of fulgurite in changing the chemical environment of Earth through time." Explore further Scientists discover compounds that could have helped to start life on Earth More information: Lightning strikes as a major facilitator of prebiotic phosphorus reduction on early Earth, Nature Communications (2021). dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21849-2 Journal information: Nature Communications Lightning strikes as a major facilitator of prebiotic phosphorus reduction on early Earth,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21849-2 Highlights Realme has announced it will launch the C25 smartphone on March 23. The Realme C25 will be launched in Indonesia first. The specifications of the phone include Helio G70 SoC and 6000mAh battery. Realme C-series is expanding faster than any other smartphone family from the brand. Earlier this month, Realme introduced the C21 as the successor to the C20 that was launched in January. But because the markets for both these phones were different, the buyers did not have constrained reasons to avoid any. And now, Realme is ready to launch another C-series phone. It will be called Realme C25 and launched on March 23 in Indonesia. The Realme website has put an event page that also shows what this phone looks like and reveals some of the key specifications of the Realme C25. The Realme C-series has been the odd one in the entire portfolio. That is because there is a lot of rebranding involved in this series where Realme launches one phone in one market and then launches the same phone with a different name in another market. Last year in India, Realme launched four C-series phones, the C3 in February and then the trio of C11, C12, and C15 towards the second half of 2020. And then there was a Realme C15 Qualcomm Edition in the series. Different markets have different C-series phones and it looks like Indonesia is going to get the latest one. Realme C25 launch event The Realme C25 will be launched at an online-only event that will begin at 1.30 pm WIB, which translates to 12 pm IST the same day. The phone will be launched in Indonesia and there is no information on whether it will come to India anytime soon. Realme C25 specifications According to the listing of Realme C25 on the website, the smartphone will come with a MediaTek Helio G70 processor inside, which means it is going to be a low-end smartphone. The details of the RAM and storage configurations are not available but we can assume at least 3GB of RAM on the phone. The website has also revealed that there will be a 6.25-inch display with TUV Rheinland certification on the phone. This display will have the waterdrop style notch on the top. Inside this notch will be an 8MP camera. For main photography, the Realme C25 will come with a 48MP triple camera setup. The phone will pack a 6000mAh battery with 18W charging -- which we saw on the Realme C15 (and C15 Qualcomm Edition) in India. And finally, there will be a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor on the phone. Realme will also launch the C21 in Indonesia at this event. The Realme C21 was launched sometime back in Malaysia for around $120. It has a 6.5-inch 720p LCD, a MediaTek Helio G35 processor inside paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage, a setup of three rear cameras comprising a 13MP main sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP Black-and-white sensor, a 5MP selfie camera, and a 5000mAh battery. NEW YORK, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FAST Acquisition Corp. II (the "Company") today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") and trade under the ticker symbol "FZT.U" beginning on March 16, 2021. Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock of the Company and one-quarter of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the shares of Class A common stock and warrants are expected to be listed on the NYSE under the symbols "FZT" and "FZT WS," respectively. The offering is expected to close on March 18, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. FAST Acquisition Corp. II is the third special purpose acquisition company formed by the principals of &vest with the business purpose to effect a business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue an initial business combination with a company in any sector or geography, the Company intends to focus its search on the restaurant, hospitality, consumer, and related sectors in North America with an enterprise value of $800 million or greater. &vest is an investment platform led by founder and CEO Doug Jacob. Jefferies LLC is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to 3,000,000 additional units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained by contacting Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (877) 821-7388 or by e-mail at [email protected]. A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 15, 2021. 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 these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements," including with respect to the initial public offering and search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement for the initial public offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. FAST Acquisition Corp. II Contact: Chloe Gatta [email protected] SOURCE FAST Acquisition Corp. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access A Hampden Superior Court judge wants more history dating to the early 1960s before he decides if Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno must reinstate a civilian Police Commission. Judge Frank E. Flannery on Friday issued an order directing lawyers for Sarno and the City Council to provide all of the ordinance(s) dating to at least 1962 that pertain to a council-proposed five-member Police Commission. The council filed suit in October against Sarno in Superior Court, seeking to force the mayor to appoint the citizen commission to oversee the Springfield Police Department, including disciplinary matters. Sarno is fighting the suit and claims the council ordinance is invalid. The mayor has staunchly defended the current system, which relies on a single police commissioner for department oversight. Flannery wants the city ordinances, with dates they were enacted under the current City Charter, from 1962 to 2005. In 2005, a state appointed Finance Control Board terminated the former Police Commission and replaced it with a single police commissioner. Flannerys order said that if the ordinances refer to any prior ordinances or statues, the two sides must include those local laws as well. Prior to the control board decision in 2005, a police chief oversaw day to police operations, while a citizen board set policy and oversaw hiring, firing, other disciplinary action. Flannery heard arguments from lawyers representing Sarno and the council in January, and both sides have filed motions and memorandums. The council approved an ordinance in 2016 to reinstate the Police Commission, followed by an amended ordinance in 2018. Sarno was authorized under the ordinance to make all five appointments to the commission, but did not, citing a Law Department opinion that it was not legally valid. The councils lawsuit seeks injunctive relief from a judge to force the mayor to comply with the ordinance and appoint members to a new commission. Sarno is represented by private lawyer Michael Angelini of Worcester. The council is represented by private lawyers Thomas Lesser and Michael Aleo of Northampton, who are working for free. The citys Law Department is not able to represent either side since the case involves a dispute among the branches of city government. Related content: It's been three years since Google launched its first smart display, with the Home Hub (later renamed the Nest Hub) claiming its space on our countertops and bedside tables. Since then, the company has made bigger, more useful versions of its connected screen. But they've mostly been little more than digital photo frames with speakers and Assistant built in. With its latest Nest Hub though, Google has added a surprise feature that could make the smart display more helpful. The second-generation Nest Hub has a Soli radar sensor that detects motion, and it uses that data to determine if you're asleep. Sleep-tracking via motion sensing To recap, Soli was the product of Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division that used radar to detect motion "at various scales." It was implemented at a mainstream level in the Pixel 4 to wake the phone when you waved your hand over it. Soli has also shown up in the latest Nest Thermostat as a means to recognize if someone's in a room and to adjust the temperature accordingly. Google On the new Nest Hub, Soli will allow the device to "watch" while you sleep without a camera. Google is calling this feature Sleep Sensing, and it's opt-in. You'll need to set the display up within a couple feet of your bedside and angle it toward your torso. After a calibration and setup process, the sensor can catch movements at "incredibly precise levels," according to senior product manager Ashton Udall. Things like the "micrometer movement of your chest moving in and out while you're breathing and laying in bed," for example. Then, Google's algorithm will analyze your motion and determine when you're asleep, restless or awake and give you a report each morning. You can also choose to share that info with the Fit app to see your slumber patterns over time. This of course raises a few concerns, with the most obvious being the fact that there are plenty of movements in bed that have nothing to do with sleep. So what happens then? Google's algorithms will look at the motion data and analyze what patterns are sleep-related movement and ignore things that aren't. The Nest Hub is also designed to monitor one person at once, and during calibration you'll have to lay in the middle of where you usually sleep. It's not yet clear how well the device will be able to parse out movements of your partner how well all this works is something we'll have to see for ourselves when we get to test one. Those who usually sleep alone and have a partner stay over every now and then may also need to recalibrate their system or discount those nights (there will be an option to exclude a night on the display). Udall said you don't need to sweat the odd irregular evening since the goal here isn't to fixate on every day's results. "It's about your trends," he told Engadget. "We don't want to get people hung up on their nightly data." So if your dog jumps into your bed during a midnight thunderstorm, you shouldn't worry about it screwing up your results. Google Besides the system's effectiveness, there are also questions around privacy. Because it's only using radar and there's no camera onboard, the Nest Hub is at least not going to have images of your bedtime activity. The spectograph of what it sees is similar to a very busy ECG lots of lines that rise and fall. The collection of that raw data is also processed on the device's onboard machine-learning chip, and what does get sent to Google is interpreted stuff like how long you were asleep and when you were restless. If Sleep Sensing is enabled, there will also be a visual indicator on the screen so you or your guests can be aware that the Nest Hub is monitoring your sleep. The second-gen Nest Hub has a third mic (compared to the two before) and uses them to detect if you've coughed or snored overnight. It'll only turn on the mic when it senses you've fallen asleep and the audio info is processed locally and not sent anywhere. The display also has a new temperature sensor which it uses in addition to the ambient light sensor to identify changes in your environment. In the morning, you'll get a report on how you slept and if things like how cold or bright it was affected your slumber. You'll also see this in the Fit app and over time you can identify trends like whether you sleep better in the winter or if you wake up earlier when there's more light. To develop its system, Google conducted over 110,000 nights of tests with about 10,000 individuals and benchmarked against established sleep studies. It found that compared to polysomnography studies, which Udall said are the "gold standard," its algorithms yielded no statistical difference. Also, when compared to popular devices in the market "and even clinically approved sleep trackers out there," Udall said the Nest Hub's performance was "on par or even better in many cases." Google Again, it's hard to judge this without having tested it, but it's worth noting that many wrist-worn fitness trackers also detect your heart rate overnight. With that data, they can tell how deep you're sleeping and what restorative zones you enter, which might be more insightful. But Google's approach appears to be more about what's around you (noise, temperature, movement and disruptions) as opposed to your heart rate and body temperature. That could help with things that you have more control over, like turning the heat up or drawing the blinds, for example. That's potentially the most helpful aspect of Nest Hub's Sleep Sensing feature, as Google integrates its findings with Assistant to suggest things like earlier bedtimes or routines for your bedroom lights. After 14 nights of tracking, Google will be able to recommend a schedule to "optimize sleep efficiency," based on guidance from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization. Sleep Sensing will be free as a preview for anyone that buys the new Nest Hub until next year. Since Google just integrated with Fitbit, Udall said "we're just getting to know each other but we're actively exploring ways to bring these experiences together to create one awesome sleep solution from Google." Google Improved audio and connectivity While sleep-tracking is the standout feature of the new Nest Hub, there are still a few improvements over its predecessor worth noting. It has an upgraded audio system similar to the Nest Audio speaker, promising 50 percent more bass than the original Hub. The new ML chip onboard should make it faster to respond to your Assistant requests (only available in the US), while its built-in Thread radio will enable support for the budding Project Connected Home over IP platform in future. With its new third microphone, too, the Nest Hub should be able to hear you better from further away, and the Soli sensor enables gesture controls like tapping the air in front of the screen to pause playback or stop a timer. While not much else about the Nest Hub is different (its screen is still a cute 7 inches, for example), Google is offering a new color option: Mist. It's a light pastel blue in addition to the existing Charcoal (black), Chalk (gray) and Sand (pink) options. The new Nest Hub costs $100 $50 less than the original did at launch. It's available for pre-order today on the Google Store, Best Buy and Walmart and will arrive in stores on March 30th, when you can also find it at Target and The Home Depot. For those who want to track their sleep without a wearable, mattress sensor or camera, the Nest Hub could be potentially helpful. Google is clearly finding creative means to track your health without wearable sensors, just as it did with letting people measure their heart and breathing rates with their phone cameras. The company continuing to flex its software prowess for health-monitoring is an interesting sign of things that might come, especially as it starts to integrate more deeply with Fitbit. KALAMAZOO, MI The city parks system in Kalamazoo is partnering with South Michigan Food Bank, Catholic Charities and the Diocese of Kalamazoo to distribute free food boxes at Mayors Riverside Park. The distributions are planned for the third Friday of the month, starting Friday, March 19. Community members can drive or walk up to the parking lot at the city park from 2-4 p.m. to receive their box, which contains 25-35 pounds of food. Each individual that attends will be given enough food for five to seven days, and boxes are tailored to the number of people are in each family. Each box contains produce, dairy, bread and nonperishable goods, and they may also include meat, milk and bakery products when available. Related: Kalamazoo high schoolers will hold community food drive The food distribution effort is the result of a partnership between the three organizations, Kzoo Parks youth program coordinator Pete Aerts said. South Michigan Food Bank out of Battle Creek is really stepping it up and trying to partner with local agencies here, like [Catholic Charities] Ark program, Aerts said. Theyre the ones that bring the food, theyre the ones that bring most of the volunteers to help out and make sure this happens. Aerts said he has seen some of the families that Kzoo Parks works with struggle with food insecurity, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. When he connected with South Michigan Food Bank, Aerts said, he wanted to offer Mayors Riverside Park as a location to help the food bank and Catholic Charities distribute food. This was a perfect opportunity to get involved with that, Aerts said. We see those families, we have relationships with those families and we want to be able to help out. This isnt just for our families, but for anybody that needs help. Fridays distribution will be the first since the new partnership formed, but certainly will not be the last, Aerts said. The plan is to do it for the foreseeable future, he said. We dont have any plans on stopping it. We definitely have the space and we want to get the word out so people know about it. Read more: Western Michigan will host virtual 2021 spring commencement Secretary of State announces worst to first agenda to improve Michigans transparency laws Michigan Attorney General declines senators request for investigation into nursing home coronavirus policies STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As the rollout of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine continues, more and more New Yorkers are getting comfortable returning to the citys transit system. On Monday, the MTA announced that ridership on the New York City subway system has reached its highest point since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. On Friday, March 12, there were 1,912,774 paid trips on the New York City subway system, according to the MTA. That marked the second consecutive day that ridership on the subway system had exceeded the highest one-day total within the past year, with 1,881,024 paid trips registered on Thursday, March 11. It is so great to see more and more New Yorkers riding the subway again. To set back-to-back record highs in the same week is an indicator that people are eager to return to their normal lives, said Sarah Feinberg, interim president of New York City Transit. The rebounding ridership numbers are a welcome sight for the MTA, which has seen a precipitous drop in straphangers over the past 12 months as a result of the ongoing pandemic. The New York City subway system, which regularly served an average of over 5 million riders a day prior to the pandemic, saw ridership plummet in the past year. During the height of the pandemic, subway ridership dipped over 90%, from over 5 million daily riders to lows of as a few as 300,000 daily riders in April 2020. Bus ridership has also begun to trend back up, with over 1.13 million bus trips recorded on Friday, March 12, bringing the MTA systems total ridership to approximately 3 million for the day. Like subway ridership, the number of New Yorkers riding the bus had also dropped drastically throughout the pandemic, falling nearly 75% from an average of approximately 2.4 million daily riders to lows of approximately 600,000 riders a day. Our team will continue to keep the system as clean as it has ever been and as safe as it has ever been as New York City comes back, Feinberg added. Abdulla Rahmanjan was found in a field days later with his organs removed, sources said. A poster of late Chairman Mao Zedong watches over Uyghur students in a classroom at a middle school in Hotan prefecture, in a file photo. A young Uyghur boy who went missing earlier this month in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) was abducted by human traffickers and left for dead in a field with his organs removed, according to official sources. Abdulla Rahmanjan, 13, of Ghulja (in Chinese, Yining) city in the XUARs Ili Kazakh (Yili Hasake) Autonomous Prefecture, disappeared on March 2 while en route to class at the Central Middle School in Uchon Hui township, according to a missing persons notice circulating on social media last week. Information shared on Chinese language messaging app WeChat days later indicated that the sixth-grade student had been taken to a remote field by human traffickers who murdered him and removed his organs. A video posted around the same time purported to show Rahmanjans family members crying and wailing in the field where his body was found. To verify the accuracy of the claims, RFAs Uyghur Service called an ethnic Hui resident of Uchon Uyghur township, who confirmed that he had heard about the incident, but said that because it occurred relatively far away in Uchon Hui township, he was unable to provide details about what happened. Another resident of Uchon Uyghur township said she had also heard of the incident and that the boy in question was from Uchon Hui townships Tohuchiyuzi village, while an employee from a neighborhood committee office said local authorities had held a meeting in the village afterRahmanjans body was found and urged residents to vigilantly watch over their children. RFA was also able to contact an officer with the Ghulja County Police Station who initially deferred questions to higher-level authorities before sharing some details about the case that he had been informed of, including that the incident had occurred far from his station in Uchon Hui townships Tohuchiyuzi village. However, RFA read a notice about the incident that had circulated on social media to a second officer who confirmed that the same notice had been shared in the station where he works. Among the details in the notice were Rahmanjans disappearance, murder, and organ removal. We received such a notice. We saw it and we gave special notice to the people, he said. According to the officer, his station had been informed of Rahmanjans murder by the head of the [local] PSB (Public Security Bureau), who he said had been holding meetings for us every day following the incident. Nonetheless, he said that he and his fellow officers were unaware of who the suspects in the crime are and whether they had been caught. He said local police had been ordered to become stricter with surveillance and have been investigating every district in response to the murder, while also working to ensure the safety of area children. Abdulla Rahmanjan in an undated photo. Social media Children at risk 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, and jailed tens of thousands of others, for crimes related to what they deem religious extremism. Chinese officials have said camps in the XUAR are centers for vocational training, but reporting by RFA 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 treatment and political indoctrination. While it was not immediately clear whether Rahmanjans parents were ever incarcerated, or in custody at the time of his murder, RFA has reported several times on children in the region who have died or been severely injured while their guardians were in detention. RFA has also previously reported about how Uyghur children whose parents are held in camps are regularly sent to orphanages that are seriously overcrowded, with sources calling the conditions terrible and describing children locked up like farm animals in a shed. In December 2019, a five-year-old Uyghur boy named Nesrulla Yusuptohti who was left in the care of grandparents because his parents were detained for religious and political reasons was found frozen to death in a ditch in Hotan (Hetian) prefectures Lop (Luopu) county. A year prior, Rahmutullah Shirbaqi, the two-year-old son of a Uyghur couple detained at a camp in Hotans Qaraqash (Moyu) county, drowned after falling through ice into an irrigation ditch while in the care of his elderly grandparents. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. A drug addict who partially stripped his victim at scissors-point and cut his hair in a humiliating attack has been jailed for five years. Myles Connors (24) was jailed on Monday for carrying out the false imprisonment and assault of Edward Babos in April 2020 as well as a robbery in November 2018. Connors and another man stripped-search Mr Babos in his friend's home because they thought he had a bag of gear on him, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. Connors then cut Mr Babos's hair with the scissors and forced him into Mr Babos's car to bring him to an ATM to get any money he had. Connors, of Bearna Park, Sandyford in Dublin pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment of Mr Babos at Ballyogan Road, Carrickmines on April 27, 2020. He also pleaded guilty to one count of robbing a phone and cash at Kilcross estate in Sandyford on November 12, 2018. In that offence, the court heard Connors and two other men surrounded the victim as he walked along the road with a friend. Connors, described in court as the ringleader, pointed a knife at the young man's stomach before making him reset his iPhone. The trio made off with the phone and 150 in cash. One other man is still before the courts in relation to that case. Connors has 17 previous convictions for road traffic offences, trespassing, theft, criminal damage and failure to appear in court. Sentencing Connors on Monday, Judge Pauline Codd said the attack on Mr Babos involved particularly humiliating tactics including partially stripping him and forcibly cutting his hair. She noted the assault took place over an hour and involved Mr Babos being forced into his own car, which was then driven at dangerous speeds throughout the neighbourhood. A threat to jam the scissors in his eyes was particularly serious, the judge said. She noted Connors didn't use much cleverness in terms of how he carried out the attack and did not try to hide his identity. The judge said he instead relied on threats and intimidation. He is a bully, she said. In relation to the robbery, Judge Codd noted the victim was a young man who had a knife pointed at his stomach. She handed down a four year sentence for the false imprisonment and assault of Mr Babos and a three year sentence for the robbery and ordered that they run consecutively. She suspended the final two years on a number of conditions. She backdated the sentence to when he first went into custody in May 2020. Additional evidence Detective Sergeant Seamus Ryan told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that Mr Babos was at a friend's home at around 5pm, when Connors and another man, whom Mr Babos knew from his teenage years, walked in. Connors then picked up a pair of scissors from the kitchen counter and asked the victim's friend to leave before both men began to punch Mr Babos, the court heard. Myles came over and hit me. He picked up a pair of scissors and started threatening me. He gave me a good belt like, a few punches to the face. He started cutting my hair - he got the hair and put it in a plastic bag, Mr Babos later told gardai. The court heard that both men had been taking cocaine. They went on to ask Mr Babos to go to the ATM with his bank card and get any money he had. He said he didnt have any but they said to take them in his car. They thought I had a bag of gear on me they were telling me to pull down my trousers to see if I had a bag on me, Mr Babos said. He was partially stripped before being dragging outside the house by Connors, who was still holding the pair of scissors. I was getting a lot of kicks in the back as well, he told gardai. Detective Ryan confirmed that the victim's friend saw Connors and the other man moving Mr Babos into the car. I was in the passenger seat. Myles was driving. He reversed out onto the road and almost crashed into another car, Mr Babos told gardai. The driver continued as far as the second roundabout in Carrickmines, where he drove onto a curb, damaging one of the wheels. Detective Ryan confirmed that the car had to be written off as a result of the damage that was done to it. Mr Babos managed to jump from the passenger seat to the driver seat while both Connors and his co-accused were outside the car. They shouted: If you go to the guards, we will kill you, as he drove away and they fled the area. Dean Kelly SC, defending, told Judge Pauline Codd that both of these men were in the middle of a drug-fuelled binge, which makes it worse and more terrifying. He said no effort was made to conceal identities and that the behaviour displayed was wild, unplanned and without reason. (Natural News) Tucked away inside the Democrats American Rescue Plan is a $3.5 billion handout for billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates. While tens of millions of Americans face job loss and eviction, the Microsoft co-founder is being given a massive cash infusion for his so-called Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Page 613 of the stimulus bill outlines that $3.75 billion will be made available to the Department of State to support programs for the prevention, treatment, and control of HIV/ AIDS in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to mitigate the impact on such programs from coronavirus and support recovery from the impacts of the coronavirus. Of this $3.75 billion, $3.5 billion is being awarded specifically to Bill Gates to help him fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, supposedly. While a paltry sum to a megabillionaire such as Gates, and paling in comparison to the bills other provisions, many of the billionaire critics would object to Gates being gifted with billions of dollars that he will nominally use for international projects, writes Richard Moorhead for Big League Politics. Gates, one of the richest people in the world, has a net worth of over $137 billion dollars. Theres no reason to think he cant simply fund his Global Fund project personally, with the Senates gift to the organization representing a small percentage of his personal wealth. Bill Gates is stealing American taxpayer money to fund his many non-profit front groups Gates has amassed for himself so much financial wealth that he is now Americas largest landowner, having bought up sizeable gobs of our nations farmland to presumably turn into farm factories for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Why the nations biggest landowner needs a stimulus paid for by American taxpayers is the question of the day, and one that all patriots should be asking their representatives right about now. Gates is a proponent of replacing organic meat with lab-grown imitations, even going so far as to demand that meat consumption be abolished in western, developed countries, Moorhead warns. His Global AIDS fund project was created in 2002 to fight the circulation of diseases in third world countries. One of the last people in need of financial stimulation is Bill Gates. He should be the one sending stimulus checks to taxpaying Americans, many of whom he has robbed repeatedly through his many non-profit front organizations. He should immediately repay ever cent of the gift directly to the American taxpayer, Moorhead agrees. The only thing Bill Gates cares about besides himself is global depopulation. He has admitted this on many occasions, and that is exactly what all that cash will go towards accomplishing. If Gates is able to steal enough of your tax dollars, which he appears to be successfully doing, then his endgame will be to reduce the worlds population down to what he considers to be more sustainable levels. This will require injecting billions of people with vaccines that will sterilize them, or in some cases kill them. We are already seeing that happen with the Operation Warp Speed vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), which are maiming and killing thousands. Bill Gates believes in socialism. He believes people dont have the right to own property unless youre an elitist like him, so why dont we just take his money instead of us giving him our money? asked one Big League Politics commenter. Check out the following video of a TED Talk in which Bill Gates openly admitted that vaccines are used to reduce the global population: More of the latest news about Bill Gates can be found at Evil.news. Sources for this article include: BigLeaguePolitics.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Daisha Smalls had just finished pumping gas at a Chevron station in southwest Houston when an armed man ran up and demanded she get out of the drivers seat. The 19-year-old refused to leave her car, where her 1-year-old son Legend Smalls sat tucked in his car seat. She screamed what any mother would: My babys in the back seat. The man, a robbery suspect fleeing authorities, jumped in her lap and tried to put the car in gear, she said. Smalls saw flashing blue-and-red lights and heard sirens as officers surrounded her car. Then, before she knew what happened, the shooting started. A Houston police officer identified as E. Garza opened fire at the sedan, killing the man who sat on top of Smalls and putting a bullet in the babys head. My son has been fighting every day for his life, Smalls said, wiping away tears during a Tuesday news conference to address the March 3 shooting at 7931 Southwest Freeway. My baby didnt deserve this. My baby didnt deserve to be shot especially not by the police. Nearly two weeks later, the infant remains in pediatric intensive care and doctors have described his prognosis as wait and see and hope for the best, said civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Smalls alongside attorneys Antonio Romanucci and Darren Miller. The attorneys said they plan to soon file a lawsuit against the Houston Police Department after they develop more facts in the case. Doctors removed the bullet from the babys brain, though fragments remain, his mother said. Part of the boys skull was removed to alleviate pressure from brain swelling, Crump said. The infant was on a ventilator for more than 10 days and has suffered many seizures. Smalls has hardly left her babys side. Crump condemned the police officers decision to shoot into the car. Even if the officer did not see the baby, he must have known the woman was in the car, Crump said. Surveillance footage from the convenience store shows a well-lit gas station and officers in close range. Why would the police not respect her life? They knew she was in the car, this innocent black woman, but yet they started shooting in the car, Crump said. The personal injury lawyer has represented many victims of police brutality, including the family of George Floyd. Right now in America, were talking a lot about when it comes to African Americans, that police often shoot first and ask questions later and they dont do that to other citizens, Crump said, adding that law enforcement should apply the same policy to black men and women that they apply to other people. Thats all were asking for. Crump called on police to release body-camera and other surveillance footage. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences identified the man killed by the officer as 33-year-old Broderick Woods of Houston. He was driving a black Mercedes Benz that police said they believe was tied to at least two aggravated robberies. Officers pursued Woods in a chase that ended at the gas station, where the fleeing man tried to carjack Smalls. Woods was a father of three who was likely running from police because he did not want to go to jail, an uncle told The Chronicle. Following the shooting, Houston police released a statement saying that Woods failed to obey verbal commands from officers instructing him to drop the pistol and show his hands. The officer fired his weapon more than one time because he fear(ed) for the safety of the citizen and her 1-year-old child, the department said. In a news conference immediately following the shooting, executive assistant chief Troy Finner called for prayers for Smalls, her baby and Garza. I dont think the officer realized that (the baby was in the car), Finner said. Dont know if its a graze wound, thats what they suspected. On Tuesday, Houston police said they continue to pray for the family. Romanucci, a Chicago attorney, said he thinks the officer who discharged his weapon violated the departments own policy for using deadly force only in objectively reasonable circumstances. An HPD handbook states that it is the policy of the agency to value and preserve human life. We know you do not shoot unless you know what your target is. And clearly the Houston police did not know their target because they hit Legend squarely in the skull not a graze wound, Romanucci said. There was grave potential for injury to citizens and thats exactly what happened, so under their own rules this was not a justified shooting. Police are conducting an internal investigation of the shooting and Garza, who began his HPD career in 2006, was placed on administrative leave. To have to encounter issues like this over and over again weve got to make a change, said Miller, the third attorney and a Houston resident of four decades. We cant continue to do this. anna.bauman@chron.com A South African headteacher has been suspended for lowering a pupil into a pit latrine and making him dig through faeces with his bare hands to find his phone. The master is said to have lowered the 11-year-old boy by rope into the hole and promised him 200 rand (10) to find the device. The child, an orphan who is cared for by his grandmother, was left covered in faeces and has been traumatised by the ordeal after being mocked by his peers. The Eastern Cape education department said it had learnt 'with shame the ill-treatment' of the boy and others who were instructed to search for the phone by the headteacher. The Eastern Cape education department said it had learn 'with shame the ill-treatment' of the boy and others who were instructed to search for the phone by the headteacher (stock image) The incident came to light after a witness recorded it on his phone and uploaded it to social media. He said that the headteacher first asked older pupils to dig through the latrine in search of the phone. But he then instructed the boy to go in and dig for the phone with the promise of cash. 'He was knee-deep in the faeces and he used his own hands to search for the phone, with faeces going even above his hands and to his elbows,' the witness told Times Live. The child is said to be adamant that he did not volunteer to go down into the latrine but that the headteacher had suggested he could easily fit inside because he was of small build. The witness claimed that in the end the phone was not found and the headteacher only gave the boy 50 rand for his efforts. In a statement the education department said: 'Upon learning about this, and having discussed this with all sections of the department, we have served the principal with a letter of suspension, pending investigation on the matter. 'Second, as the department we have dispatched our labour relations officials to investigate the matter with tight and strict deadlines for a report back.' Local lawmaker Fundile Gade said the incident was 'beyond disgrace' and promised to visit the pupil's home to make a personal apology on behalf of his department. 'We really are embarrassed by such behaviour that seeks to destroy the noble profession of teaching,' his office said in a statement. The education department said it had offered counselling to the young boy and other pupils affected by the incident. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Poland strongly condemn the temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, and reaffirm their strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, according to the statements on the Foreign Ministries' websites. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia strongly condemns the occupation and annexation of the Autonomic Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and the attempt to forcefully change the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine an experience our country has already come through. This practice of occupation and annexation poses a serious threat to international security, peace and stability," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia said in a statement on its website. The firm and consolidated position by the international community is of utmost importance in order to resist the ongoing aggression against sovereign states and to ensure peace and stability through effective use of international mechanisms on the ground, the ministry said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia reaffirmed its firm and unswerving support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. "We emphasize the invariability of Poland's support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders [...] we invariably and strongly condemn the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and emphasize the need for the international community to continue the policy of non-recognition and restrictions in response to Russian aggression and the continuing occupation of the peninsula," the Polish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, published by the Ukrainian Embassy in Poland. The ministry expressed its strong protest against the illegal actions carried out by the Russian Federation with the aim of "legitimizing and consolidating the illegal annexation." "We strongly condemn the next cases of human rights violations in the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, illegally occupied by the Russian Federation, in particular the persecution of the Crimean Tatars. We call on the Russian Federation to unconditionally observe human rights [...]," the statement said. Intern - Anti-Corruption and Public Administration (Europe and CIS), Istanbul, Turkey Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme Country: Turkey City: Istanbul, Turkey Office: UNDP in Istanbul, Turkey Closing date: Sunday, 28 March 2021 Intern - Anti-Corruption and Public Administration (Europe and CIS) Location : Istanbul, TURKEY (and/or home based depending on COVID-19 conditions), TURKEY Application Deadline : 28-Mar-21 (Midnight New York, USA) Type of Contract : Internship Post Level : Intern Languages Required : English Duration of Initial Contract : 6 Months Expected Duration of Assignment : April 2021 - September 2021 UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDPs policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a continuous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. The Governance and Peacebuilding cluster at UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) provides policy and programmatic support to UNDP Country Offices in 18 countries and territory in Europe and Central Asia region. In particular, within the GPB cluster, the governance, responsible and accountable institutions sub-team works on cutting-edge solutions to issues such as anti-corruption, transparency, digitalization of public services delivery, e-governance and public administration, and public sector modernization and transformation, among others. Currently, in the region, levels of government effectiveness vary, which can be seen in data on peoples perceptions of the quality of public services, of the independence of the civil service, and of the way policies are formulated. At the same time, the region is increasingly looking to innovation, e-government and use of data and technology to help streamline and improve services. The incoming intern on Anti-Corruption and Public Administration will be working within the governance, responsive and accountable institutions sub-team on the above issues as well as other governance and peacebuilding topics as delegated by her/his supervisor. Duties and Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Anti-Corruption and Public Administration Policy Specialist at the Governance and Peacebuilding team at the UNDP IRH, the Intern will: Contribute to the development of gender-sensitive research and knowledge products in the field of anti-corruption, digitalization, public services delivery and related topics; Support the organization of meetings and workshops relevant for the GPB cluster and specifically for the responsive and accountable institutions cluster; Support day to day activities related to regional projects related to responsive and accountable institutions cluster; Support drafting of concept notes, background notes and analytical pieces as needed to help inform the development of new programmatic initiatives under anti-corruption and public administration portfolio; Help prepare talking points, issue briefs and communication pieces to convey research and analytical results in anti-corruption and public administration areas. Competencies Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities; Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills; Demonstrated cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; Tags anti corruption central asia collective action covid e governance editor financial assistance internship knowledge products peacebuilding public administration public sector public services sdgs sustainable development sustainable development goals transparency Ability to work in a team; Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback; Ability to plan and produce quality results to meet established goals in a timely manner; Required Skills and Experience Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application must meet one of the following requirements: Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree program (such as a masters program, or higher)(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (such as bachelors degree or equivalent) (c) Have recently graduated with a university degree in law, public policy or related field and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation; Demonstrated strong interest and academic background in anti-corruption, transparency, open governance, public administration, digitalization, innovation, public services delivery; Experience in writing analytical products, drafting, and editorial work is an asset; Prior research or programmatic experience in the ECIS region is an asset; Written and spoken proficiency in English is a requirement; knowledge of Russian is an asset; A desire to work with and gain the confidence and respect of people with a different language, national and cultural backgrounds; Respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and the UNDP Statement of Purpose. 5. Notes: Financial Issues Internships within the UN system are subject to conditions the applicant must get familiar with before signing his/her internship agreement. Starting from January 2020 interns may receive stipends according to UN rules and regulations. Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, government or third party, UNDP will, subject to the rules of such institution, government or third party, pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend. Any further costs associated with the internship must be borne by the nominating institution, related institution or government, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students; or by the student, who will have to obtain financing for subsistence and make his or her arrangements for travel, accommodation and other costs. Application procedure The application should contain: Brief Cover Letter (in English) stating interest in and qualifications for the post; Current and complete CV in English; Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document. Candidates who are selected for must submit prior to the interview the following documents: Official document(s) confirming your education status stated in Section 4; Proof of medical and life/accident insurance valid for the location in which the internship will be carried out. Selected intern must have medical and life insurance. Conditions: UNDP only accepts interns for a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 6 months. UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship. Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity. It is important to note that interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance. Subsequent Employment The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but to complement an interns studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship. It is important to note that interns are responsible to arrange for their own visa and residence documents, and need to plan for these well in advance. More information available at: http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/rbec/en/home/about_us/jobs/internships/ Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1615764780759 BRIDGEPORT State labor watchdogs are formally probing Vazzys restaurant for potential violations of workplace laws. The Connecticut Department of Labor Wage and Workplace Standards Unit, responsible for identifying labor violations, has opened an investigation into Vazzys Restaurant in Bridgeport, the agency said in a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media. Owner John Vazzanos attorney, Ed Gavin, said he would cooperate with any inquiry from the state department of labor. Last month Hearst reported that the state labor department was examining the arrest warrant affidavit for Vazzano following his Feb. 17 arrest on bribery and other charges. Vazzano, a prominent business owner often lauded for his contributions to the community, is accused of allegedly interfering in a sexual assault investigation of two longtime staffers at his dining establishment on Broadbridge Road in Bridgeport. He owns a handful of restaurants in Bridgeport, Stratford, Fairfield and Monroe and for years has operated the eatery at Bridgeports golf course. The affidavit, signed by an investigator from the Office of the Chief States Attorney, includes summaries of witness interviews and other information collected in the investigation that stated Vazzano was paying some workers off the books in cash and keeping insufficient records. Vazzys dishwasher Jaime Sena was arrested and charged in February 2020 with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old female co-worker. An arrest warrant was also issued for a second suspect in the case, cook Jose Tsenkush, who remains at large. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Vazzano told an investigator that he paid Sena by allowing him to take the restaurant's empty deposit bottle returns. Vazzano also told police he did not believe he filled out W9 forms (an Internal Revenue Service form) for Sena and Tsenkush and probably did not pay them using his restaurants payroll account service. Vazzano stated he paid Tsenkush with checks from his restaurants Peoples United Bank checking account under the name Mickey Perez, Michael Perez and/or Miguel Perez. The seized check ledger does not document the issuance of any checks to Mickey Perez, Michael Perez, and/or Miguel Perez, it also says in the warrant. In addition, the unidentified girl who reported the alleged assault to police told an investigator she worked under the table and Vazzys paid her in cash at the end of each work shift. The seized spiral bound restaurants check ledger does not document the issuance of any checks to V, reads the affidavit, referring to the victim. The affidavit also notes: The Connecticut Department of Labor records for Vazzys Restaurant did not list Jaime Sena, Jose Tsenkush and V as wage earners. Investigating officers also relayed that two people interviewed in the case the teenage victims father and then-Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez indicated they understood Vazzano had undocumented immigrants working for him. The victims father said Vazzano told him of one undocumented staffer. And Perez, a friend of Vazzanos, told investigating officers he believes John Vazzanos concerns over Vs criminal complaint stems from Vazzanos employees being illegal immigrants. Last month Gavin told Hearst his client has done nothing inappropriate with any employee. The labor department has said that it had no prior record of complaints against Vazzys. That agency has stated that all workers, regardless of immigration status, are afforded Connecticut Department of Labor protection from wage exploitation. ... Employers are responsible for filing complete and accurate tax, payroll, employment and other information with state and federal entities. If an employer falsifies documents or fails to follow the law, they can be subject to fines and penalties from both state and federal agencies. Attorney Brenda Eckert with Shipman & Goodwin in Hartford heads that law firms immigration practice group. In a recent interview, she said she could not speak directly about the Vazzano situation but said in general that several government entities can get involved in labor/immigration cases, including the state Department of Revenue Services, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the federal Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Attorneys Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Its potentially a world of hurt from a civil and criminal point of view, especially if theres a pattern, said Eckert. She ticked off a list of legal issues, starting with breaking immigration laws: You are not supposed to knowingly hire undocumented foreign nationals. And paying salaries in cash raises questions about whether those employees are earning minimum wage, working too long hours or under other abusive conditions and whether they and their employer are filing the appropriate payroll taxes, Eckert said. Thats also very serious, she said, adding: Cash is usually an indication that the person making the payment is somehow getting a deal. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Matica Enterprises Inc. (CSE: MMJ) (FSE: 39N) (OTCQB: MMJFF) ("Matica" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Matica subsidiary RoyalMax Biotechnology Canada Inc. ("RoyalMax") has forwarded its first shipment of cannabis to the Province of British Columbia as per the Company's supply agreement with the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch, which is the sole wholesale distributor of non-medical cannabis for the province. Management continues to aggressively expand the Company's commercial and production footprint to additional Canadian provinces. Alumina Equity Facility The Company has renewed the draw-down equity facility of up to $20,000,000, with Alumina Partners, LLC, a New York-based private equity firm that has made substantial investments in the cannabis space. The terms of the agreement remain unchanged. The purchase of up to $20,000,000 of units of the Company (the "Units"), consisting of one common share (the "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (the "Warrants"), at discounts from 25% of the market price of the Shares, with each Private Placement Offering occurring exclusively at the option of the Company, throughout the 24 month term of the agreement. The exercise price of the Warrants will be at a 25% premium over the market price of the Shares. There are no upfront fees or interest associated with the use of this financing. About Matica Matica is a multi-faceted, innovative company in the Quebec cannabis space. Its subsidiary, RoyalMax Biotechnology Canada Inc. is a Dorval, Quebec based Health Canada Licence Holder with standard cultivation licence, standard processing, medical sales and sales licences. Matica continues to work with Yunify Natural Technologies, a Quebec based health and personal care research and innovation company to develop proprietary products for Matica and RoyalMax, including topicals and ionic mists. Through its acquisition of Trichome Treats, an award winning chocolatier, Matica and RoyalMax intend on introducing edibles into the RoyalMax product mix. For more information on Matica Enterprises please visit the website at: www.maticaenterprises.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors MATICA ENTERPRISES INC. Boris Ziger Boris Ziger, CEO & Chairman The Company's public filings are available for review at www.sedar.com and www.thecse.com. For further information, please contact Boris Ziger, at: Telephone: 416-304-9935 E-mail: info@maticaenterprises.com Website: www.maticaenterprises.com , www.maticammj.com Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Corporation assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Corporation. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Corporation's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. This news release contains statements about the Company's information that may be made available on the S&P Capital IQ Corporation Records Listing Program and the business of Matica that are forward-looking in nature and as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them as actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, except as required by law. 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. We seek Safe Harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77389 Los Angeles, March 16 : TV personality Lorraine Kelly says she wants to host a late night version of her show, where she would invite experts. Kelly is currently hosting her self-titled morning show and says she would like to call the late night version "Lorraine: Unleashed!". "I would love to do a late-night version of my show with the same experts, such as Dr Hilary. Some of the chats we have when the adverts are on are hilarious and unbroadcastable. We'd call it 'Lorraine: Unleashed!" she says, according to a femalefirst.co.uk report. "I've been incredibly lucky to be cushioned from any type of 'ism', including sexism. The only difficulty I had was when I was taking a few months off after having Rosie and I was told that my breakfast TV contract wasn't going to be renewed.I was devastated and had to try and get a new job when she was just four months old. Luckily, a baby food manufacturer wanted to sponsor a twice-weekly slot, but only if I presented it. Eventually, that turned into the daily show. I felt so lucky," she adds. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Ramallah, March 16 : Palestine has welcomed the recent efforts of some Arab and European countries to create an atmosphere for peace with Israel. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman of the Palestinian President, told reporters on Monday that the peace process had been stalled due to the policy of the former US administration and the Israeli right-wing government, reports Xinhua news agency. Abu Rudeineh referred to a series of meetings held by the Munich Group in Paris over the last few weeks on resuming the stalled peace process in the Middle East. The Munich Group, or the Munich Format, refers to the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, France, and Germany meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February 2020, to discuss Israel-Palestine peace efforts. Subsequent meetings took place in July via video conferencing, September in Jordan and January 2021 in Cairo. Peace talks between Israelis and the Palestinians have remained stalled since 2014. "Since 2014, the Israeli right-wing government has been refusing to cooperate with the international community to create this atmosphere that will lead to achieving peace in the region," Abu Rudeineh said. He noted that the Palestinian side "is fully coordinating these efforts with the Egyptian and Jordanian brothers," adding that it "backs any efforts that preserve international law and the two-state solution". But he stressed the Munich Group is not an alternative to the Middle East Quartet, comprising the United Nations, the European Union, the US and Russia. Saying the Palestinian side welcomes the expansion of the Middle East Quartet, he voiced the hope that some Arab and European countries will be included. Meanwhile, Abu Rudeineh reiterated the Israeli settlement in Palestine is illegal and that real peace requires the establishment of a Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Statehouse Reporter Danny Jin is the Eagle's Statehouse reporter. A graduate of Williams College, he previously interned at the Eagle and The Christian Science Monitor. Danny can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com or on Twitter at @djinreports. GODFREY After more than a year of planning, drivers coming into Godfrey from Illinois 255 will now know exactly where they are. In May 2020, Pride, Incorporateds Chairman of Beautification, Karen Wilson, presented a detailed plan to the village board for enhancing the entrances to Godfrey. Mayor Mike McCormick and Jim Mager, Director of Economic Development, had been discussing ideas with Pride members and local businessowners to spruce up the business district and make Godfrey more attractive to outsiders. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Media Hack Collectives new Vaccination Calculator shows that it will take South Africa over 18 years to vaccinate 67% of the population at the current rate. In the beginning of the year, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the governments aim is to vaccinate 67% of the population against Covid-19 by the end of 2021. This was needed to reach herd immunity. We knew early on the only way to fight Covid-19 would be to achieve herd immunity through vaccination, Mkhize said. South Africa started its vaccination programme on 17 February 2021 after 80,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was distributed across South Africa. Since the start of the programme started last month, 147,753 vaccinations have been administered. This equates to an average of 5,910 vaccinations a day. While this is good news for healthcare workers who received a vaccine, it is much slower than initially planned. To reach the 67% target, around 40 million South Africans have to be vaccinated by the end of the year. If vaccinations are done every day for the rest of the year, it will require 137,000 vaccinations per day to reach the governments target. Considering South Africas current rate of 5,910 vaccinations a day, it is highly unlikely that the target will be met. Media Hack Collectives tool shows that it will take 18 years, 6 months, and 8 days to vaccinate 67% of South Africas population at this rate. Mkhize has tacitly admitted that the country will miss its targets to vaccinate 1.5 million people by the end of March, and 40 million people by December. With only 15 days remaining in March, the country will need to vaccinate over 80,000 people per day to reach its monthly target. South Africa does not have the vaccines or manpower to make this happen. Mkhize recently told parliament the annual vaccination target is constantly reviewed and that it depends on vaccine doses being delivered by the manufacturing companies. South Africa has secured over 40 million vaccine doses through Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and the Covax group. These include: 12 million doses in total from the global COVAX facility. 9 million vaccine doses from Johnson & Johnson. 20 million vaccine doses from Pfizer. Only a small number of these vaccines have, however, been delivered to date. 2 million doses are expected from the COVAX facility this month, while large deliveries from Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson will start in the second quarter of 2021. The vaccines are likely to be too late to prevent a third wave in South Africa, which the DA said points to a failure from the government. It is becoming apparent that South Africas vaccine rollout has failed before it has even started, the Democratic Alliance said. The image below, from the Media Hack Collective Vaccination Calculator, shows the time it will take to vaccinate 67% of South Africas population at the current vaccination rate. TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Kevin Strain, President and Chief Financial Officer, Sun Life, will participate at the National Bank Financial Markets 19th Annual Financial Services Conference. He will join National Bank's Gabriel Dechaine in a virtual fireside chat on Sun Life's recent performance, learnings from COVID-19 and the company's future growth. Date: Thursday, March 25 Time: 10:55 a.m. ET To access the live webcast, please visit www.sunlife.com/NationalBankConference2021 The webcast will be archived on Sun Life's website following the event. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1,247 billion. For more information please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars Media Relations Contact: Irene Poon Manager Corporate Communications T. 416-988-0542 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: Leigh Chalmers Senior Vice-President, Head of Investor Relations & Capital Management T. 647-256-8201 [email protected] SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc. Related Links http://www.sunlife.com Also unknown until now was that Cormann quietly returned to Europe this time via a commercial airline in January and February to lobby each of the OECDs 37 Paris-based ambassadors. One figure involved in the campaign said Cormanns face-to-face meetings in 18 countries were crucial to his ultimate victory. The encounters also allowed him to gather the most valuable currency in diplomacy: mobile phone numbers. A key sign Australia was really in the running came on February 3, when Liberal WhatsApp groups started pinging with a link to an opinion piece Cormann had published on LinkedIn in which the conservative enthusiastically embraced the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Loading To say the post was met with scepticism from some of Cormanns former colleagues in Canberra would be an understatement but the pledge helped largely neutralise concern that he would not take climate change seriously as secretary-general. In private meetings, Cormann stressed he had never denied climate science, highlighted Australias takeup of renewable energy and argued he was actually better placed to help build consensus on the topic than his more hawkish final OECD rival Cecilia Malmstrom of Sweden. He also entered meetings equipped with a colour-coded spreadsheet noting the many countries which arent on track to meet their own emissions reductions targets. At that point it was clear Cormann would probably face Malmstrom in the final leg of the race, but the Continents dominance in the OECDs membership still loomed as a barrier to his ambitions. Cormann was uniquely qualified to clear the hurdle. His 25 years spent in Europe before moving to Australia in 1996, proficiency in English, German, French and Dutch, and network of contacts developed from his seven years as a globe-trotting finance minister gave him a foot in the door no other Australian candidate could match. A list of who backed Australia can only be drawn up via informed speculation because the final ballot was confidential. In another complication, the selection process operates on a consensus basis where all members ultimately endorse the winner. No country is keen to undermine that principle by confirming where they directed their vote. The consensus approach meant Cormann had to play three games: consolidate the OECDs non-European membership, peel off votes from Europe and also reassure the most hesitant members that they could do business with him in Paris, observers said. Mathias Cormann in Santiago with Chiles Foreign Minister Andres Allamand, left. Credit: Rallying the OECDs non-European membership meant Cormann entered the final round with the backing of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Chile, Colombia, Israel, United States and probably Canada. Locking them up was never guaranteed many were under pressure to let the post return to a European for the first time in 25 years. With those nine votes in the bag, Cormann needed at least another 10 from Europe. Australias lobbying blitz is thought to have peeled away Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. It may have also won over France, Latvia, Lithuania and even Austria. The United Kingdoms vote had already been safely locked up by high commissioner George Brandis last year. Morrison made 55 phone calls to 30 world leaders to help get the votes, and also exploited his regular virtual meetings with the so-called First Movers coronavirus group. Morrison would home in on Cormanns work ethic and performance as the governments leader in the Senate a job which required negotiation to get bills passed. These skills would be perfect for the OECDs consensus-style of operation, Morrison told them. Scott Morrison sits in the Senate to watch Mathias Cormann deliver his valedictory speech in October. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One person familiar with Morrisons calls said the Prime Minister made several important interventions with some leaders in the final fortnight of the contest. Morrison and Cormann have not said what if any trade-offs Australia pledged to secure support. When some leaders told Morrison they could not support Cormann, the DFAT taskforce went back to the drawing board to work out what could be done to win that country over a tactic which was successful a couple of times. Josh Frydenberg also spruiked the bid in calls with Bidens new Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, British Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Marise Payne raised Cormanns candidacy during 50 conversations with her counterparts. No diplomatic lever was left untouched. The political blitz was complemented by Australian ambassadors and high commissioners based in OECD member countries, and lobbying of ambassadors based in Canberra. Mathias Cormann at dinner in Bogota with the Colombian Vice-President Marta Lucia Ramirez. Credit: Wherever Cormann went he carried a bundle of testimonials, including a letter from Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Albanese wrote that Cormann had earned the respect not only of those who share his political views but also those who dont. Mathias is a skilled negotiator with the ability to effectively engage across the political spectrum, the Labor leader said. On the prospect of a Cormann win, Albanese wrote: Australians would regard this as an achievement not just for Mathias but a proud recognition of our nation. Albanese and Labors foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong resisted pressure from some MPs to withdraw the oppositions support after The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported in November that the government gave Cormann the RAAF jet to conduct his lobbying blitz through coronavirus-ravaged Europe. There were also testimonials from former Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes, who described Cormann as a person of the utmost integrity, former Shoppies union boss Joe de Bruyn, Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive James Pearson. Cormann regularly sought counsel from Ben Morton, the West Australian federal MP who is a friend and influential Morrison confidant. Another crucial figure was Alexander Robson, Australias ambassador to the OECD. Robson pushed Australias case among fellow ambassadors in Paris and would regularly relay the information to DFAT and Cormann. It was lost on nobody that Robson was once the senior economics adviser to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has loathed Cormann since the 2018 leadership implosion in Canberra. But Alexander was completely brilliant and a total professional, one official said. Cormann stayed with Robson in Paris during his trip in January and February. Turnbull and Cormann enjoyed an extremely close working relationship between 2015 and 2018 but Turnbull later concluded that his finance minister had long been aware of Home Affairs Minister Peter Duttons intention to challenge for the Liberal leadership. In a text sent to Turnbull after his demise, Cormann denied he had been part of any conspiracy. Turnbull replied: Mathias, at a time when strength and loyalty were called for, you were weak and treacherous. Cabinet ministers Mitch Fifield, Mathias Cormann and Michaelia Cash announce they could no longer support Malcolm Turnbulls leadership. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Cormann and his campaign team were therefore not surprised to learn earlier this year that Turnbull had launched an attempt to kneecap his former allys OECD bid. Sources claimed Turnbull contacted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Kurt Campbell, a former Biden-era official who Biden tapped to be his Asia tsar. Accounts of these conversations made it back to Canberra and angered even some of Turnbulls own allies who felt it undermined the Team Australia spirit of the bid. Ulrika Jonsson has poked fun at herself after admitting she accidentally left her 'African willy protector' out on display during a TV appearance on Monday. The TV personality, 53, appeared on Lorraine to discuss male violence against women, and in an 'ironic' twist forgot about her penis sheath. Ulrika noted the blunder herself and took to Instagram following the appearance to point out the protector, which had been left up on her wall. Ha! Ulrika Jonsson has poked fun at herself after admitting she accidentally left her 'African willy protector' out on display during a TV appearance on Monday The former weather presenter circled the item, which is traditionally worn as a covering by some native tribes, and wrote: 'It is with considerable irony that I realise I had an African willy protector in the background of my live on Lorraine this morning.' The screen grab had been taken from her earlier appearance, where she joined Lorraine in a discussion about male violence in the wake of Sarah Everard's death. Sarah, 33, went missing after leaving her friend's home in Clapham on March 3, before her body was discovered days later in Kent. TV appearance: The TV personality, 53, appeared on Lorraine to discuss male violence against women, and in an 'ironic' twist forgot about her penis sheath Wayne Couzens, 48, a serving Met Police officer, has been arrested in connection with her murder and Sarah's death prompted an outpouring of emotion online as women share their experience of being approached and harassed in the street. Discussing safety advice she has always followed, Ulrika said: 'I was told to keep a big coat in the back of the car, to try and possibly walk in the middle of the road, as opposed to on the dark pavement.' 'I was told to have my keys in my hand and be ready, and be prepared.' Haha! Ulrika noted the blunder herself and took to Instagram following the appearance to point out the protector which had been left up on her wall The mother of four admitted that she sometimes stops and pretends to look in her handbag and allows the person to pass if she feels intimidated by them. 'I would stop and pretend to look in my hand bag to let somebody pass me because I felt intimidated by a man walking behind me,' she concluded. 'So many women have just accepted that's how we should behave.' Opinion: Davina, 53, said calling all men dangerous is 'bad for our sons, brothers and partners', and warned against 'fear-mongering' in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder Davina's original Tweet read: 'Female abduction / murder is extremely rare. Yes we should all be vigilant when out alone. 'But this level of fear-mongering isnt healthy.' During the appearance, Ulrika also had her say on 'insensitive' comments made by Davina McCall, who said there was 'fear-mongering' surrounding Sarah's death. In a tweet over the weekend, Davina said: 'Female abduction/murder is extremely rare. Yes we should all be vigilant when out alone. But this level of fear-mongering isn't healthy.' Hitting back, Ulrika said: 'It's not fear mongering because this is happening - and to say that it's rare, is also incorrect. Domestic abuse is definitely not rare.' A venture capital fund in the Republic has said it hopes a new 135m (116m) fund can be used to support some SMEs in Northern Ireland. MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland has already supported Lowe Rental in Lisburn and Ashdale Care, based in Co Tyrone. It provides growth capital to SMEs for purposes including expansion, acquisitions and management buyouts. In 2018, catering rentals company Lowe Rental sold a majority share to Perwyn in London for 60m in one of NI's biggest private equity deals. The deal with Perwyn was done after MML realised its investment in Lowe Rental, made in 2014. Its interest in Ashdale, which provides specialist residential care to young people and is based in Ballygawley, is still active. MML is led by partners and co-heads of investment Rory Quirke and Neil McGowan. A spokesman said the amount of future investment here would be dictated by the opportunities which arise. "MML has a track record of investing in the NI market and believes that there are very strong prospective businesses in NI which are ideally suited for the type of investment that the MML Fund typically makes and that it is positive about the potential of the market." Investors in its second fund include British Business Investments - which has ploughed in 15m (13m) - the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), AIB Bank, the European Investment Fund and US institutional investors. MML has made 15 investments in Irish firms totalling 125m (107m) since it was set up. Mr Quirke said: "We are very pleased to have raised 135m in this second fund and the calibre of investors reflects the quality of the fund. The successful deployment of our initial fund and the overall performance of the investments in that fund gave us a strong launch pad for Fund 2." He said core investors in its initial fund had also invested in fund two, though the ISIF and British Business Investments were new partners. Fund 2 had already been deployed with investments in home-based care provider Irish HomeCare in Monaghan, and Kyte Powertech in Cavan. Expand Close Neil McGowan Jason Clarke Photography / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Neil McGowan Mr McGowan said: "We have always believed that there are many high-quality businesses in Ireland which, with appropriate investment and a good ownership structure, can grow and develop based on their inherent potential and the enterprise of management." The fund's typical equity investment ranges from 5m (4.3m) to 15m (13m), he said. Mr McGowan added:: "Our portfolio companies employ over 3,000 people and combined, have revenues of circa 400m (344m) which, in aggregate, have grown exponentially over the past six years Judith Hartley, chief executive of British Business Investments, a subsidiary of the British Business Bank, said: "This 15m commitment from British Business Investments will enable MML Ireland to support high growth businesses in Northern Ireland by giving them access to the finance they need to grow and prosper. By supporting capital providers such as MML Ireland, we can continue to help smaller businesses achieve their growth ambitions." 2021-03-15 Maeci The following statement was released by United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the Syrian uprising: Today marks ten years since the Syrian people peacefully took to the streets calling for reform. The Assad regimes response has been one of appalling violence. President Assad and his backers bear responsibility for the years of war and human suffering that followed. We praise the brave individuals and organisations who over the last ten years have exposed the truth from Syria, documented and pursued abuses, mass atrocities and grave violations of international law to hold the perpetrators accountable and delivered vital assistance to communities. That work remains essential. After years of conflict, widespread corruption, and economic mismanagement, the Syrian economy is broken. More than half of the population, nearly 13 million Syrians depend upon humanitarian assistance. The millions of Syrian refugees, hosted generously by Syrias neighbours, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt as well as those internally displaced cannot yet return home without fear of violence, arbitrary arrest, and torture. Continued conflict has also led to space for terrorists, particularly Daesh, to exploit. Preventing Daeshs resurgence remains a priority. It is imperative the regime and its supporters engage seriously in the political process and allow humanitarian assistance to reach communities in need. The proposed Syrian Presidential election this year will neither be free nor fair, nor should it lead to any measure of international normalization with the Syrian regime. Any political process needs the participation of all Syrians, including the diaspora and the displaced, to enable all voices to be heard. We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, will not abandon the Syrian people. Our nations commit to reinvigorating the pursuit of a peaceful solution which protects the rights and future prosperity of all Syrians, based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Impunity is unacceptable and we will firmly continue to press for accountability for the most serious crimes. We will continue to support the important role of the Commission of Inquiry and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism. We welcome the ongoing efforts by national courts to investigate and prosecute crimes within their jurisdiction committed in Syria. We will not tolerate Syrias non-compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and fully support the work of the OPCW in this regard. We will continue to strongly call for a nationwide ceasefire, unhindered aid access through all possible routes to those in need, including through the renewal of UN Security Council Resolution 2533 and the cross-border mechanism by the UN Security Council, as well as the release of those arbitrarily detained, and free and fair elections under UN auspices with all Syrians participating, including members of the diaspora. To that end we reiterate our firm support for UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersens efforts to deliver all aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 as the only way to resolve this conflict. Clear progress towards an inclusive political process and an end to the repression of the Syrian people is essential. We cannot allow this tragedy to last another decade. THREE RIVERS, MI -- Community leaders in Three Rivers hope to help their youngest residents achieve their career dreams after high school with help from the new Three Rivers Promise scholarship. Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry announced fundraising efforts to create the scholarship program at the school districts board of education meeting Monday, March 15. The scholarship program will be opened to all graduates of Three Rivers High School once the fundraising goal has been met, according to a press release from the promise Board of Directors. Making the Promise happen is a community-wide effort by the people and friends of the Three Rivers area to ensure that our young people are able to pursue advanced learning after high school, the release said. The program is in its infancy. The first step in the process of raising funding for the scholarships, said Lowry, who also serves as president of the Three Rivers Promise board that will oversee the program. The program will begin providing $1,000 scholarships to graduates once the fundraising goal of $3 million is reached, Lowry said. The long-term goal, he said, is to raise enough to provide all graduates with the full cost of tuition or other career training. As of Monday, the fundraiser has already raised more than $175,000, about 5% of the $3 million goal. Planning for the scholarship program began years ago and was inspired by the first-of-its-kind Kalamazoo Promise, which provides full tuition funding for all KPS graduates, Lowry said in an interview with MLive. After years of watching that, a group of us said we should be be able to do that too, Lowry said. We are not blessed with any millionaires, so it will be a few years-long project and will take a lot of hard work. But were convinced we can make it happen. Lowry said the board, which consists of nine volunteers, hopes to raise enough money to start giving scholarships in one to two years. The scholarships will not be merit- or income-based, he said. Students must attend the high school for four years and graduate. To renew the scholarship annually, students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 at the post-secondary institution. The purpose of the scholarship program is to help our children now, he said, and to help our children in the future. Though the offer of a post-secondary education scholarship does not guarantee success for students, it widens access to those opportunities. We just want to make sure that doors are open, Lowry said. Students can use the funds toward tuition and mandatory fees for post-secondary education at Michigan public colleges and universities and vocational schools, the release said. The scholarship will help future Three Rivers graduates overcome the financial barriers to post-secondary education, High School Principal Carrie Balk said. TRP will ensure every graduate is afforded the opportunity to pursue his or her hopes and dreams regardless of financial situation, Balk said. Community members can donate to the scholarship fund online or by mailing a check to mailing a check to: Three Rivers Promise, P. O. Box 405, Three Rivers, MI, 49093. What were trying to convey to everybody is that its going to take the community to make it happen, Lowry said. Not only are we helping our children, but the greatest legacy as a community is we can benefit the children in the future. Also on MLive: COVID-19 pandemic still teaching Michigan schools lessons a year later Kalamazoo Public Schools launches summer program to undo damage from pandemic Western Michigan will host virtual 2021 spring commencement What you can do A vehicle missing its catalytic converter is loud. Some describe the sound similar to a jackhammer or a Harley-Davidson. To protect yourself from theft, the Bakersfield Police Department and Kern County Sheriff's Office recommend: Yes, no matter what Yes, but it depends on variety No, for medical reasons, uncertainty No, principle Vote View Results Ghanaian media personality and mental health activist, Abena Korkor has called out radio and television host, Giovanni Caleb on social media for lying about their amorous affair on national television. Giovani Caleb denied having an intimate and romantic affair with Abena Korkor during an interview with Delories Frimpong Manso popularly called Delay on her television program. Reacting to this, Abena Korkor who is currently a presenter at TV3 slammed her colleague, Giovani Caleb for lying about their relationship after Delay asked him to respond to allegation Korkor made about having an amorous affair with some big Ghanaian men but did not mention their names. she did emphatically state that she and Giovani Caleb "had s3x and instead of him to have kept mute over the issue during the interview" he decided to "use her mental health against her to his advantage". Abena Korkor who became the talk of social media after her nude images went viral whilst she was a student of the University of Cape Coast, admitted that she sometimes suffers relapses and is undergoing therapy and treatment. Watch the video below: Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/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 Two mobile policemen were attacked and called thieves by angry youths suspected to be traders at the Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos State.... Two mobile policemen were attacked and called thieves by angry youths suspected to be traders at the Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos State. In a viral video online, some angry youths were seen assaulting the policemen and shouting Ole! Ole! thieves on them. One of the youths was seen attempting to hit a plank on the head of one of the police officers. It was gathered that the incident happened on Friday morning when the Lagos task force when to search for piracy and substandard goods in the market. One of the youths was heard complaining about frequent raids by the task force, alleging that the policemen seized traders wares, including phones and other accessories. Reacting, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, instituted an investigation into the violent attacks and theft allegation against the policemen captured in the viral video. The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Olumiuyiwa Adejobi, made this known in a statement on Tuesday. The statement read, The Command wishes to state categorically that the authors of the referred viral video painted the incident mischievously in a bad light with an attempt to ridicule the entire Nigeria Police Force as the policemen never went to buy phones, neither were they caught in any act of theft in the computer village. The HP Electronics Companys Taskforce on piracy, in company of some police operatives, were at the shop located at No 30, Awolowo Road, Opposite Glass House, Ikeja, Lagos, on a routine operation against piracy and sub-standard products in the market when some hoodlums suddenly became violent and attacked the team. They went ahead by creating a scene, calling them thieves and passing uncomplimentary comments on the policemen in order to distract and halt the anti-piracy operation. The team was chased away by the hoodlums and did not allow the operation to succeed due to their criminal tendencies. Without mincing words, the Lagos State Police command wishes to clear the air and disabuse the minds of the general public that the policemen captured in the video are not thieves but operatives on official and legal operation at the computer village contrary to the wrong impression painted by the originators of the fake video on the social media. Premised on this, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu has ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the theft allegation and attacks on the policemen and team which would be the third of its kind in recent time in the same computer village; noting that the command will not tolerate any act of criminality and lawlessness in any part of the state. While commending the act of professionalism and maturity of the policemen and team to avert chaos in the area, CP Hakeem Odumosu warns the general public to desist from launching attacks on the police and other security agents, either on official duty or off duty, and peddling fake news as such would be a dent on our national integrity and honour which we all guide jealously. HOLYOKE Mayor Alex B. Morse will leave office March 26 to take on his new job as the town manager in Provincetown. City Council President Todd McGee will serve as acting mayor until new mayor is elected to a full term. As of Friday, March 26, 2021, at 4:30 p.m., I will no longer be Mayor of Holyoke, Morse wrote in an email Monday. Upon my departure, City Council President Todd McGee will become acting Mayor for the duration of my term. He added, Please note that both Nilka Ortiz and Andres Villada, longtime staff in the Mayors Office, will remain in the office at least through November of this year. Morse will fall nine months short of serving a decade in office. He announced his departure in an email that also noted the city was awarded $31 million under the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package signed last week by President Joseph R. Biden. Provincetown Interim Manager Charles Sumner said town officials are hashing out the final details of Morses contract. The previous manager, who left before the end of a six-month probationary period, had a $190,000 annual salary plus a $9,000 housing allowance. Sumner expected Morses contract to be finalized in a day or two. In his resignation letter to City Clerk Brenna McGee, the mayor reflected on his time in office. Im proud of what weve been able to achieve. I think of the neighborhoods that have seen record levels of new investment, the parks weve renovated and the new parks weve built, and the new housing completed and in progress, Morse wrote. I think of the Holyokers from all different backgrounds and walks of life who got involved in the civic life of our community for the first time, he added. Once-vacant buildings are now home to restaurants, housing and art studios, and Morse stated that local entrepreneurs felt empowered to open businesses. He boasted of improved educational outcomes and safer streets, the opening of a needle exchange program, reducing the citys carbon footprint with the closing of the Mount Tom Coal Plant and a burgeoning cannabis industry, boosting the local economy and taking a stand against the war on drugs. But what Im proud of is the spirit of the community weve nurtured, the way weve opened doors to people and communities that long felt shut out and left behind, Morse stated. We built a government that reflected and represented everyone, and not only those who traditionally had access. Morse called on the next mayor to govern a city that is stronger, more prosperous, more decent, more just than it was 10 years ago, though challenges lie ahead. The City Councils Charter and Rules Committee is slated to take up a home rule petition that calls for nixing a special mayoral election. The petition, filed by at large councilors Mike Sullivan and Joseph McGiverin, calls for a regular September preliminary and November General Election. If approved Monday by the committee, the full City Council would vote on the petition, which needs final passage by the Massachusetts Legislature. Brenna McGee estimated a special election and likely runoff would cost taxpayers $75,000 to $100,000. The costs include precautions to protect voters and poll workers from COVID-19. Todd McGee, an executive at Springfield insurance giant MassMutual, has said he would not run for a full term. So far, Sullivan, School Committee Member Devin Sheehan and City Councilor Rebecca Lisi launched mayoral campaigns. William Billy Glidden, who has been heavily fundraising, will likely announce an exploratory campaign by April. Related content: Expansion into a Rapidly Growing Market JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / GEE Group Inc. (NYSE American:JOB) ("the Company" or "GEE Group"), a provider of professional staffing services and solutions, today announced its IT staffing subsidiary Agile Resources is expanding its strategic presence with the opening of an Austin, Texas office, led by Clint Hawkins, Director of Recruiting. This new office shows Agile's commitment to creating a direct and seamless pipeline between top-tier talent and the growing client needs of the Austin market. Despite the pandemic, Texas has become a prime location for both startups and for larger companies. Specifically, the information technology industry has been growing in Austin. By positioning Agile locally, Clint and his team will be able to respond to growing client needs in Austin. Clint and his team are well-positioned to specifically target SaaS (Software as a Service) companies' demands. Matthew Marini, President of Agile, commented, "We are excited to move into the Austin market. Agile is focused on growth through strategic market selections and the growth of our contractor base nationwide. We have been carefully watching Austin's growth for two years and are proud to be able to launch into the thriving market with the addition of Clint Hawkins as the Austin market leader. We have aggressive growth targets over the next few years and are excited about Agile's path." Clint Hawkins has been involved in professional technology recruiting for over 17 years and has worked closely with Matthew for 11 years in the industry. His trusted reputation in Austin, combined with the need to reach local clients more efficiently in this booming market, substantiates the opening of a new office. As Clint's team expands, so will their capabilities. Clint commented, "In the past year, Austin has seen a large demand for product management and product delivery tech talent. SaaS companies need to hire for both sides of the house quickly and efficiently in this very competitive market. I am honored and excited to lead the team and further develop Agile's presence." About Agile Agile, a GEE Group Company ("GEE Group"), is an innovative IT staffing and consulting firm that speeds time to talent by matching great people to great opportunities, enabling our clients to drive business results and create competitive advantage. Agile has consistently been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine, Staffing Industry Analysts and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Agile has been recognized as a 2017 Best Staffing Firm t o Work For by Staffing Industry Analysts and a 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Atlanta Best and Brightest Companies to Work For by the National Association for Business Resources. Agile received Inavero's Best of Staffing Client and Talent Satisfaction Awards for 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. About GEE Group GEE Group Inc. is a provider of specialized staffing solutions and is the successor to employment offices doing business since 1893. The Company operates in two industry segments, providing professional staffing services and solutions in the information technology, engineering, finance and accounting specialties and commercial staffing services through the names of Access Data Consulting, Agile Resources, Ashley Ellis, General Employment, Omni-One, Paladin Consulting and Triad. Also, in the healthcare sector, GEE Group, through its Scribe Solutions brand, staffs medical scribes who assist physicians in emergency departments of hospitals and in medical practices by providing required documentation for patient care in connection with electronic medical records (EMR). Additionally, the Company provides contract and direct hire professional staffing services through the following SNI brands: Accounting Now, SNI Technology, Legal Now, SNI Financial, Staffing Now, SNI Energy, and SNI Certes. Forward-Looking Statements In addition to historical information, this press release contains statements relating to the Company's future results (including results of business operations, certain projections, future financial condition, pro forma financial information, and business trends and prospects) that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended, (the "Exchange Act"), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events. Such forward-looking statements often contain, or are prefaced by, words such as "will", "may," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "pro forma", "estimates," "aims," "believes," "hopes," "potential," "intends," "suggests," "appears," "seeks," or variations of such words or similar words and expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, 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, as a result of a number of factors, the Company's actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The international pandemic, the "Novel Coronavirus" ("COVID"-19), has been detrimental to and continues to negatively impact and disrupt the Company's business operations. The health outbreak has caused a significant negative effect on the global economy and employment in general including the lack of demand for the Company's services which is exacerbated by government and client-directed "quarantines", "remote working", "shut-downs" and "social distancing". There is no assurance that conditions will not worsen and further negatively impact GEE Group. Certain other factors that might cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (i) the loss, default or bankruptcy of one or more customers; (ii) changes in general, regional, national or international economic conditions; (iii) an act of war or terrorism, industrial accidents, or cyber security breach that disrupts business; (iv) changes in the law and regulations; (v) the effect of liabilities and other claims asserted against the Company including the failure to repay indebtedness or comply with lender covenants including the lack of liquidity to support business operations and the inability to refinance debt, failure to obtain necessary financing from commercial sources or government programs such as the main street lending facility or other economic relief programs, failure to obtain partial or full forgiveness on payroll protection loans or the inability to access the capital markets and/or obtain alternative sources of capital; (vi) changes in the size and nature of the Company's competition; (vii) the loss of one or more key executives; (viii) increased credit risk from customers; (ix) the Company's failure to grow internally or by acquisition or the failure to successfully integrate acquisitions; (x) the Company's failure to improve operating margins and realize cost efficiencies and economies of scale; (xi) the Company's failure to attract, hire and retain quality recruiters, account managers and salesmen; (xii) the Company's failure to recruit qualified candidates to place at customers for contract or full-time hire; (xiii) the adverse impact of geopolitical events, government regulations and mandates, natural disasters or health crises, force majeure occurrences, global pandemics such as the deadly "coronavirus" (COVID-19) or other harmful viral or non-viral rapidly spreading diseases and such other factors as set forth under the heading "Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company's annual reports on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) and does not intend to publicly update, revise, or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. CONTACT: GEE Group Inc. Kim Thorpe 904.512.7504 invest@genp.com SOURCE: GEE Group Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/635700/GEE-Groups-Agile-Resources-Opens-New-Office-in-Austin-TX Marine insurance had shown great resilience and adaptability in the face of the pandemic and had embraced new technology and ways of working to meet the industrys needs, a webinar was told. The Maritime Standard looked for the first time at the impact of the pandemic on marine insurance during its latest Covid-19: A Leadership Webinar, held on March 10. The theme of the event, well attended online by over 400 international guests, focused on the theme of Reshaping the future of marine insurance in a post pandemic world and highlighted some of the successes of the sector in adapting to the challenges of the pandemic as well as some of the ongoing issues that need to be addressed. The Maritime Standard assembled a really high-level group of marine insurance executives with many years of experience and expertise in different marine sectors, who were able to reflect on the lessons learned from 2020 and provide useful insights as to how the year ahead might unfold for the industry, against the backdrop of the ongoing pandemic. Panellists included Dr Tarek Seif, General Secretary of the Insurance Federation of Egypt; Satyajit Tripathy, General Manager, General Insurance Corporation of India; Bimal Bhatia, Director, Nasco Group; Mark Cracknell, Managing Director, Marine and Cargo Division, Marsh JLT Speciality; Amir Mosadeghi, Chief Executive, Islamic P&I Club; Julien Horn, Portfolio Underwriter; TT Club Mutual Insurance, Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Eastern Mediterranean; and Captain Zarir Irani, Managing Director, Constellation Marine Services, past global President of the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS). These seasoned industry leaders reflected on how tough market conditions have been over the past year, and the challenges presented by the lack of face to face interaction with clients and working from home. Dr Seif highlighted the significant drop in gross premiums, and higher accumulations, that had followed the onset of the pandemic. He added: We have seen that the risk characteristics have changed as well, with owners requesting extensions to their cover. The new circumstances have in fact challenged the basic business model itself. Tripathy agreed that the market was seeing a growing accumulation of risk at ports and with regards to cargo movements. He added: This is a big concern and is not something that is going to reduce in the near future. It will take time to subside. In the meantime, the pandemic is reducing our ability to service our clients as we would normally like to and that is something we have to focus on. Despite the challenges, the marine insurance sector has continued to provide highly effective support to the shipping industry. As Cracknell reflected: I have been struck by the resilience of the marine sector generally and in particular how well marine insurance has reacted to the crisis. The loss of face to face communication has been largely over-come by using new technology, for example. These sentiments were echoed by Horn, who said: The marine insurance world has reacted in a way that many would not have expected, showing exceptional resilience. Marine insurers and shipowners have worked together to keep cargo flowing, and have accelerated the use of digital tools, to expedite cargo release for example, almost over-night to do so. There have been some more negative issues which the industry is having to deal with. Captain Irani said: There has been a big impact on crew morale, and this has affected their ability to do their jobs diligently and professionally, and as a result we are seeing more claims due to negligence and in some cases sabotage. Crew related issues were also highlighted by Mosadeghi. He said: Risks related to crew members have increased and that is one of our main concerns. It is important that the industry overcomes the current lack of ways to help crews onboard. There was agreement that working within the marine insurance business had changed with Bhatia highlighting the administrative challenges which had been successfully met by more home working. This is something that is here to stay, he said. However, some panellists suggested that not all companies would retain home working, with Cracknell pointing out that the Marsh strategic approach was to get staff back into their offices at the earliest opportunity. Clive Woodbridge, TMS editor and webinar moderator, said: This was a fascinating insight into the changed world of one of the industrys most important sectors. The panellists covered a huge amount of ground, from increased automation and digitalisation in insurance and the growing use of Big Data to the need for different approaches to training and education and growing cyber security threats. What was clear was that the marine insurance business has held up well, has adapted to changed circumstances and is as a result well placed to provide all important support to clients over the coming year and beyond. -- Tradearabia News Service Shirley Ann (Strobel) Jenkins died on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, while surrounded by her daughters at her home in Glenwood, MN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 3rd at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glenwood with Father Joe Vandeberg officiating Visitation Royals have many rules and traditions they abide by, and guests are also urged to follow protocol when interacting with members of the royal family. However, for people not accustomed to following royal protocol, things can sometimes seem confusing. Former president Barack Obama once had a mishap concerning protocol, but Queen Elizabeth reacted kindly to the situation. Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth | Lewis Whyld/PA Wire Barack Obama broke protocol at a Buckingham Palace banquet In 2011, Obama attended a state dinner at Buckingham Palace, where he was seated next to the queen. According to CNN, Her Majesty gave a toast to the then-president, and afterwards, Obama thanked her by saying, To Her Majesty the Queen. However, the orchestra reportedly thought Obama was finished talking and began playing the British national anthem. Obama continued to talk over the music, which was considered to be breaking protocol. The other guests, meanwhile, simply stood to observe the national anthem. Queen Elizabeth also broke protocol for Barack Obama RELATED: Queen Elizabeth II Had a Spoiled Childhood But There Was 1 Thing Her Family Refused to Give Her Her Majesty did not say much while Obama was talking over the national anthem. However, after Obama ended his toast, she herself broke protocol to thank him. She says that was very kind, thank you, etiquette expert William Hanson noted in the documentary Secrets of the Royals, according to Express. The Queen deliberately broke with the etiquette in order to be more well mannered. As for why royals often take protocol seriously, Hanson explained, Etiquette and protocol is so important for the Royal Family because it tells people what to do. Michelle Obama once made headlines when she touched Queen Elizabeth RELATED: Photo Proves Queen Elizabeth is Slightly Superstitious, But Not About Money In 2009, Obama and his wife, Michelle, met Queen Elizabeth shortly after his inauguration. During the meeting, Michelle put her arm around the queen, which was apparently not something anyone should do per royal protocol. Although Her Majesty reciprocated the gesture, there was a lot of public uproar concerning Michelles little touch. However, Queen Elizabeths long-time personal adviser saw no problem with it. In reality, it was a natural instinct for the Queen to show affection and respect for another great woman, and really there is no protocol that must be adhered to, Kelly wrote in her 2019 book, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe. She added, When fondness is felt or the host of a State Visit goes to guide Her Majesty up some steps, it truly is about human kindness, and this is something the Queen will always welcome warmly. When the Obamas met Queen Elizabeth again in 2016, she reportedly encouraged them to break some rules. After wed touched down in a field on the palace grounds and said our hellos, however, the Queen abruptly threw a wrench into everything by gesturing for me to join her in the backseat of the Range Rover, Michelle wrote in her 2018 book, Becoming. Michelle recalled that she hesitated because she understood her husband was supposed to sit next to the queen. Yet, Her Majesty told Michelle, Did they give you some rule about this? Thats rubbish. Sit wherever you want. The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below. On Monday, in the morning, at the ABC Brisbane Studio, South Brisbane, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC undertook a media interview with ABC Brisbane Morning Presenter, Ms Rebecca Levingston. Following, at South Brisbane, His Excellency visited St Laurences College and the Governor addressed students and guests, and presented the sporting teams with their jerseys. In the afternoon, at Government House, His Excellency received the Clerk of the Parliament, Mr Neil Laurie for the presentation of two Bills, to which the Governor granted Assent. Following, at Government House, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted an afternoon reception to launch the Government House publication The Governors of Modern Queensland and the Governor addressed guests. New Delhi, March 16 : Microsoft 365 services including the collaboration app Teams and Azure Cloud have suffered a major outage and the company said on Tuesday it was trying to bring the services back across the impacted regions. The company said it identified an issue "with a recent change to an authentication system". "We're rolling back the update to mitigate impact, which we expect will take approximately 15 minutes," Microsoft 365 team said in a series of tweets. However, the problem persisted and the company further tweeted: "The process to roll back the change is taking longer than expected. We'll provide an ETA as soon as one becomes available". Microsoft later admitted that while the update has finished deployment to all impacted regions, "Microsoft 365 services are showing decreasing error rates in telemetry. We'll continue to monitor service health status". The company saids it was "taking steps to resolve some isolated residual impact for services that are still experiencing impact." This is the first major Microsoft Teams outage since the service went down back in September last year, alongside other Microsoft 365 services like Office 365 and Outlook. Microsoft Teams users experienced message delivery delays and had issues when searching for contacts. There are at least 115 million people using Microsoft Teams globally. In the latest tweet on Tuesday, Microsoft 365 team said: "Our monitoring indicates that majority of the services have fully recovered. However, we're addressing a subset of services that are still experiencing some residual impact and delays in recovery". After a dark and deadly winter, hope comes in the form of coronavirus vaccines. DECEMBER Many schools go virtual before and after holiday breaks over concerns of a new wave of COVID cases. In the middle of the month, however, the state celebrates a ray of hope when it delivers its first two coronavirus vaccines. December 9 Alabamas mask order extended until Jan. 22. December 10 Several Alabama schools go virtual only in the weeks before and after Christmas over concerns related to COVID cases. December 11 FDA authorizes Pfizer two-dose vaccine for emergency use. December 15 Alabama administers its first two COVID vaccines. Walter Doty IV, MD, and Ravi Nallamothu, MD, received the first doses at Southeast Health in Dothan. The vaccine is initially limited to healthcare workers, workers and residents of nursing homes and some emergency responders. December 17 Health officials urge people to skip Christmas gatherings in an effort to slow the case surge seen after the Thanksgiving holiday. December 18 FDA authorized Moderna two-dose vaccine for emergency use. December 23 Alabama adds 4,758 COVID-19 cases overnight. December 27 President Trump signs second COVID stimulus deal with $600 payments. December 30 Alabama adds 3,907 COVID cases since March to bring the total to 351,804 with a death toll of 4,737 deaths. December 30 Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin tests positive for COVID-19. Gov. Kay Ivey receives a COVID-19 vaccine at Baptist South Medical Center on Dec. 21, 2020 in Montgomery. Registered Nurse Donna Pugh administers the governors vaccine. Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris and State Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mary McIntyre received the vaccine and joined the governor at a press conference. (Governor's Office/Hal Yeager) JANUARY Even as the mask order is extended and Alabama sees some of its darkest days in case numbers and deaths, the state continues to roll out its vaccine program. January 1 Alabama adds 4,500 new COVID cases on the first day of 2021. January 8 Alabama adds 5,057 new COVID cases in last 2 days, bringing total to 394,287. January 12 University of Alabama announces it will allow for two-weeks of remote learning after crowds pack the street to celebrate the national title victory. No major outbreaks were reported. January 12 Gov. Kay Ivey receives her second COVID vaccine, urges Alabamians to get vaccinated. January 15 ADPH reports there have been 417,528 cases and 6,030 deaths due to COVID-19 in Alabama. January 18 Alabama announces it is expanding COVID vaccines to anyone 75 and older and first responders. State hotline is overwhelmed with calls. January 21 Gov. Kay Ivey extends the mask order until March 5. January 27 COVID-19 variant found for the first time in Alabama. January 29 At 35%, Alabamas coronavirus positivity rate is the highest in the nation. President Joe Biden removes his mask before speaking on the economy in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)AP FEBRUARY Large-scale vaccinations clinics kick off across the state but concerns mount over the appearance of COVID variations in the U.S. and the country. February 1 Alabamas online COVID vaccine scheduling site goes live. February 2 Alfonzia Jackson Jr., a -35-year-old Jefferson County father of two, dies. Jackson was among the first diagnosed with the UK variant of COVID-19 in Alabama. February 3 Alabama reports 309 COVID deaths, the highest number reported in a single day. February 5 Large-scale vaccination clinics ramp up as the state works to get more vaccine to eligible residents. February 6 COVID numbers continue to fall across the state after new cases peaked in early 2021. February 8 Alabama expands eligibility for COVID vaccines to people 65 and older, grocery store and manufacturing workers and those in the education sector. February 10 Walmart announces select locations will be vaccine distribution sites in Alabama. February 19 Hospitals and vaccination clinics put efforts on pause due to a lack of supply. February 24 ADPH reports 22 COVID variant cases were now in Alabama. February 28 UAB epidemiologist announces Alabama could reach herd immunity to COVID-19 as early as May or June. A bottle and syringes filled with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. MARCH With three versions available, Alabama marks the 1 million vaccine mark. Gov. Kay Ivey extends the mask order again, but only until April 9. March 1 Alabama announces it will receive a single shipment of 40,000 of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. March 3 Alabamas COVID death toll tops 10,000. March 4 Alabama passes the 1 million vaccination mark March 4 Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville announces it will allow more employees to return. Only about 25 percent of the more than 40,000 people who work daily at the arsenal have continued in-person work during the pandemic. March 4 Gov. Kay Ivey announces Alabamas facial coverings order will end April 9 and will not be extended. March 7 The Senate approves a third stimulus with payments of $1,400 per individuals. March 15 As of March 15, Alabama has reported 508,229 COVID cases with 10,329 deaths. Earlier COVID 1 year anniversary: Chapter 1 - Flatten the curve. Safer at home. An essential business? COVID 1 year anniversary: Chapter 2 Where is all the toilet paper? Alabamians are wearing masks COVID 1 year anniversary: Chapter 3 - COVID 1 year anniversary Chapter 3: Trump, Saban test positive; hospitalizations soar US President Donald Trump holds a press conference, flanked by Army Gen. Gustave Perna (L), who is leading Operation Warp Speed, and Dr. Moncef Slaoui (R), chief adviser to Operation Warp Speed, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Sept. 18, 2020. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) Operation Warp Speed Helped Spur Manufacturing Miracle in US WASHINGTONOperation Warp Speed, which was forged by the Trump administration to ramp up the development, production, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, resembles the U.S. industrial mobilization effort during World War II, according to experts. Because of the partnership between the government, military, and private sector, the vaccines were delivered within a seemingly impossible timeline. Former President Donald Trump initiated the program in May 2020 with a promise to have a secure vaccine within months. Accomplishing his ambitious goal defied many experts who had warned that such a vaccine breakthrough could take years. The development, manufacture, and distribution of the vaccines in record time is a true miracle of science, President Joe Biden said during his address to the nation on March 11, on the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown. It is one of the most extraordinary achievements any country has ever accomplished, he said, without referring by name to Operation Warp Speed. The media criticized the president for taking sole credit for Americas vaccine rollout and not recognizing the work of the prior administration, under which the vaccines were developed. When asked about it the next day, White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the presidents remarks, saying that Biden has applauded the work of medical experts and scientists and the prior administration in the past. Operation Warp Speed selected the most promising vaccine candidates and provided support for their fast development. It also used the U.S. militarys logistics capability to build a secure vaccine supply chain and handle the distribution of the vaccines. Its a kind of manufacturing miracle to produce millions of vaccines in record time, Arthur Herman, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told The Epoch Times. What was accomplished with Warp Speed can be done in other areas, with health care, with vaccinations for other diseases, he said. Herman, who calls the COVID-19 pandemic a health care version of Pearl Harbor, says Operation Warp Speed is a remarkable achievement that resembles the model of industrial mobilization during World War II. The leaders of Operation Warp Speed, according to The New York Times, were inspired by Hermans best-selling book Freedoms Forge, an account of how American manufacturers helped the United States and its allies win the war. The book, published in 2012, pays tribute to the U.S. business leaders, engineers, and workers who produced two-thirds of all Allied military equipment used in the war, including 86,000 tanks, 2.5 million trucks, 286,000 warplanes, and 8,800 naval ships, as well as the B-29 bomber and the atomic bomb. It also tells the story of innovative auto and electrical companies that transformed their manufacturing to produce war materials at a record pace. Vaccine development typically begins in a research lab at a university, medical center, or small biotech company, and the entire process from research to manufacturing to distribution could take nearly six years. During the COVID-19 health crisis, however, Operation Warp Speed shifted the focus from laboratory process to industrial process and mobilized big pharmaceutical companies to develop and manufacture vaccines using a network of facilities across the country. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit in Washington, on Dec. 8, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) In addition, the program set a clear target and strict deadline similar to the wartime operation. The goal of the program was to hit 20 million vaccines by December 2020. That helped all parties to stay focused on meeting the target and the deadline, Herman said. It also helped to speed up the FDA approval process and ease bureaucratic restrictions. Vaccine Development The U.S. government accelerated the vaccine timeline by investing in manufacturing while clinical trials of vaccine candidates were still underway. Thats unprecedented in drug and vaccine development, as its too risky to produce something that may fail in the end. With funding from the U.S. government, manufacturing began on an industrial scale. More than 23 manufacturing facilities across the country were scaled up with support from Operation Warp Speed, according to Paul Mango, former deputy chief of staff for policy at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during the Trump administration. Our job was to fund and de-risk the pharmaceutical companies, Mango told The Epoch Times. We were manufacturing tens of millions of doses of vaccine before anyone had it, even in Emergency Use Authorization, and that was at our cost because the pharma companies never would have taken those risks. Mango, who was also a former partner at consulting firm McKinsey, was part of the team that developed the strategy for Operation Warp Speed. He said that forming a public-private partnership for industrial-scale production was the idea of then-HHS Secretary Alex Azar, who refused to accept business-as-usual timelines for vaccines. Hes the one who conceived of it. He came from the pharmaceutical industry, and he knew that they would never take these risks to accelerate development and manufacturing unless we stepped in, Mango said. We went to the president and the president said, Go for it. Just let me know what you need.' Operation Warp Speed was launched by presidential order in May 2020. The Trump administration appointed Moncef Slaoui, a Moroccan-born scientist, as chief adviser and Army Gen. Gustave Perna as chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed. Many experts, including Mango, call Slaoui a great strategist. He oversaw the development of five major novel vaccines while leading GlaxoSmithKlines vaccines department. After his appointment, Slaoui developed a portfolio of six vaccines that the U.S. government invested in across three different technology platformsmRNA, viral vector, and protein subunit. The U.S. government invested in different vaccine candidates because it wanted to have at least one safe and effective vaccine available for Americans by January of this year, Mango said. We knew way back in August that we had a very high probability of getting at least one good vaccine by the end of 2020 after conducting a very sophisticated cumulative probability analysis, he said. As a four-star general in charge of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, Perna oversaw the global supply chain and logistics for Operation Warp Speed. Besides Slaoui and Perna, the operation recruited many people from government and military cadres. Herman listed Trump among the heroes of the operation. I think you cant leave him out of this picture by any means. He saw the advantages to a fast and rapid ramp up with a military-style operation. Trump released a statement on March 10 saying that if his administration hadnt acted in an expeditious manner during the pandemic, the United States wouldnt yet have the vaccine. I hope everyone remembers when theyre getting the COVID-19 (often referred to as the China Virus) Vaccine, that if I wasnt President, you wouldnt be getting that beautiful shot for 5 years, at best, and probably wouldnt be getting it at all, he said in an emailed statement. The U.S. government partnered with U.S. companies including Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, UPS, FedEx, CVS, Walgreens, and McKesson for the operation. While Operation Warp Speed was a remarkable achievement, according to experts, it has come under criticism due to the distribution issues at the state level. Some states vaccinated people successfully in the initial rollout, such as North Dakota, West Virginia, and South Dakota, but many states found the process challenging. Bottlenecks at the state level prompted the Biden administration officials to complain that they had to start from scratch on vaccine distribution. However, getting shots into the arms of people was a state responsibility from the start, according to Herman. The distribution stops at the state line and then the governors and state governments take over from there, he said. In terms of distribution, which means shipping of vaccines, Operation Warp Speed accomplished exactly what it set out to do. A visitor wearing a face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus, uses hand sanitizer, left, which placed for public use to protect against the coronavirus near a public park in Seoul, Monday, March 8, 2021. AP South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 300s for the second day Tuesday on fewer tests over the past weekend, as health authorities plan to unveil another set of restrictions in the greater Seoul area to sharply flatten the virus curve. The country reported 363 more COVID-19 cases, including 345 local infections, raising the total caseload to 96,380, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The figure was slightly down from 382 on Monday. Over the past week, the daily new cases hovered around 400 on growing cluster infections, stoking concerns over a potential resurgence in virus cases. Health authorities plan to announce enhanced measures to prevent the resurgence of the virus in the greater Seoul area, where more than 80 percent of virus infections have been reported for a few months. The wider Seoul area is home to half of the country's 52 million population. The country has implemented Level 2 social distancing measures, the third-highest in the five-tier curbs, since February. Under the measures, restaurants and other public facilities in the greater Seoul area can operate till 10 p.m., with other areas having no restrictions on business. But private gatherings of five or more people are banned. The apartment building at 246 Houghton Street was severely damaged by fire in 2019. Its new owner is planning to tear it down and build a new six-unit building. PreviousNext Fire-Damaged North Adams Apartment Building Being Replaced The 1870 structure will be replaced by contemporary units. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The burned-out hulk of a Houghton Street apartment building is coming down two years after it was severely damaged by fire. The Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday approved plans to replace the structure with a new six-unit apartment building at the request of owner Garabed Setrakian of Cambridge. Setrakian purchased the property last April in hopes of restoring the 1870 building but found it too far gone. "I definitely will make a gigantic improvement to this corner, which used to be a very valuable part of North Adams," he said, referring to its past hosting a branch of the library. "My initial intentions were definitely to revive this building and bring it to its former glory. Unfortunately I missed my chance. I may have been too late because it had already been abandoned from the fire and unfortunately no action was taken by the previous owner. "I'm vigilant for change, I'm vigilant for doing whatever it takes to make the city a more active ... I think that this is going to be a dramatic improvement." Setrakian said he had spoken to many of the neighbors about his plans and that the response has been positive. The building is not only a massive eyesore, it's also a health hazard, he said. The developer, who came from Canada about 25 years ago, said he felt a connection to North Adams because it reminds him of a valley in Jasper, Alberta. A friend had also invested in the area and had recommended he do as well. The plans presented by Bill Bonnett of Guntlow & Associates presented initial plans for a more contemporary building built within the same footprint but slightly smaller in size. The building is in a nonconforming lot and so required the variance because the two-year limit since the fire had elapsed; if renovation work had commenced within 12 months of a fire, no variance would be needed. "The existing nonconformities are also to be sustained although they will be made more in conformance where possible," according to the application. But the nonconformity that took up much of the discussion at Monday's meeting the was the lack of parking spaces. By code, each unit is required to have two parking spaces but 246 Houghton had long been grandfathered. Chairman Ross Jacobs said the ZBA has been fairly lenient in the past in regard to changes in use, setback and lot size for nonconforming properties that generally stay within the existing boundaries. "I'm just curious as to your plans for what happens when you have six tenants with 10 cars, and there's already enough jockeying for spaces in that neighborhood, and how you think that's not going to be detrimental to quality of life," he said. "I am just trying to make sure that if the unit is full, that the extra cars on the street in the neighborhood, aren't going to pose a problem." Bonnett's presentation showed spaces for six vehicles but said it was possible one or more could fit into the gravel space on the Brooklyn Street side. Two spaces are planned for the Houghton side. Setrakian said the units were being catered more to professional singles or couples looking for short-term rentals as Airbnbs, although some could be set aside for longer-term rental. Bonnett said tenants would likely be the generation more interested in being in the city and of a "green" consciousness when it comes to travel. Jacob said that was all well and good but Setrakian couldn't depend on renters' transport habits to keep the number of vehicles to six. Vince Guntlow said Setrakian could put that in his lease and member Paul Dilego Jr. asked if they could put conditions of one vehicle to each apartment but Jacob said that wasn't in the board's jurisdiction. "I wouldn't mind seeing that but this board has no enforcement over that particular allocation," he said. "What we are here for is to allow this plan and determine the issue, knowing full well there's only two parking spaces required by ordinance." Michael Goodson of Liberty Street said the plans "looks like it'd be a nice improvement" but he was also was concerned about parking. He suggested talking to a neighbor with more property for extra parking. Jason Moran of Houghton Street fully supported "this type of project in this location given the current condition of the existing property." He acknowledged that off-street parking is limited during the winter but "we have found that, good or bad, sometimes parking on the street, when it is allowed, actually slows traffic down on Houghton." As chairman of the Conservation Commission, he also reminded the applicant that he would need to come before that board as well. Building Inspector William Meranti said he was "enthused and happy" to see something being done with the property and noted "although it is a concern, six spaces would be more now than historically it's ever had before." On the other hand, he had concerns about the Airbnb since the city still doesn't have any ordinances regulating short-term rentals. If the building is constructed for rentals of less than 30 days, it would have to be built as a motel or hotel in that residential zone, Meranti said. "That's a construction concern, and it's a zoning concern because it would not be allowed in that zone," he said. It could only be built as a single or multifamily long-term residential building. Jacobs cautioned Setrakian that "if we proceed, and you continue this path with planning these Airbnb units, you may run afoul of some code issues." He recommended following up with Meranti since this was outside the ZBA's scope. The board voted unanimously to approve the special permit, to be reviewed in six months. A woman holds a placard reading "Close the camps" during a demonstration by supporters of China's Muslim Uyghur minority against China's Uighur treatment at the Beyazid square in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 1, 2020. (Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images) Chinas Useful Elitists: Westerners Exploited for Beijings Domestic Image Early in February, the BBC broadcast interviews with several Uighur women who graphically described the horrific treatment theyd received while detained in one of the concentration camps where China has reportedly locked up a million or more ethnic Muslims for vocational training and deradicalization. Chinas response was swift and predictable. It accused the BBC of passing along fake news about Xinjiang, the COVID epidemic and other matters. The BBC, Chinas authorities said, had seriously violated regulations that news broadcasts be truthful and fair. Chinese newspapers also dutifully passed on an accusation against the network from a British journalist and academic named John Ross. Ross claims that the BBC is largely controlled by the British intelligence service MI5, which, according to Ross, directly vets all members of the broadcasters staff. The Chinese press cited a tweet in which Ross said that coordination of the BBC with military intelligence, had come from a special office inside BBC headquarters. China often turns to foreign experts such as Ross to supply credibility for its persistent complaint that the Western media is anti-China and in cahoots with foreign governments, especially the United States. Ross is one of several foreigners, generally attached to Chinese universities or research institutes, who have emerged as apologists for Beijing, especially as it has come under intensifying criticism for its human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and its ever tighter control of opinion across the country. There are other commentators on China with views more moderate and nuanced than those of Ross, and who publish books as well as articles in Western and Chinese publications. These commentators would be unlikely to attack a reputable news organization like the BBC or to justify banning it from broadcasting to China. But both types of foreign experts often echo the arguments made by Chinas state-controlled media, especially their constant claim that Chinas one-party state is a brilliantly successful alternative to Western-style liberal democracy, which, according to the Chinese media and some foreign commentators alike, is abjectly failing. The outsiders mentioned in this article either declined comment or could not be reached. These Western sympathizers reflect an old phenomenon of outside elites finding much to like in authoritarian systemscommunist, fascist or even Naziwhile downplaying or ignoring their faults. In the 1930s, perhaps the most famous Friend of China, left-leaning American journalist Edgar Snow, influenced generations of Americans through his book Red Star Over China to view the rising Mao Zedong as a benignly progressive figure rather than a ruthless dictator. Actors perform the drama Red Star Over China adapted from US journalist Edgar Snows book Red Star Over China at Majestic Theatre in Shanghai, China, on June 23, 2006. (China Photos/Getty Images) None of todays friends of China has anything like the fame and prominence of Snow, or otherssuch as the writers Agnes Smedley and Freda Utleywho had access to the Chinese Communists when they were still seeking power in the 1930s and 1940s. But more recent outsiders perform some of the same role, lending a foreign imprimatur to the Chinese government, by providing quotes and sometimes essays to such state-controlled English-language publications as Global Times or the China Daily, which are then mentioned approvingly in the Chinese press. Mario Cavolo, an American identified as a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization in Beijingwhich, according to its website, promotes Chinese wisdom for the worldoffers a broad defense of Chinas governing system. More and more foreigners living in China are openly stating that they have more true freedom in todays China than they do in todays U.S. or European countries, Cavolo told the Global Times in January. He has called reports on the Uighur concentration camps the political hoax of the decade and claims the BBC has degenerated into a factory of fake news on China. Who are the lying scum in power sowing hate with their lies toward China? he asks in one Twitter post. Ill never give an inch to the reprehensible anti-China crowd. A few weeks ago, Global Times broadcast an interview with a French writer, Maxime Vivas, who also described reports of genocide in Xinjiang as fake news. I want to demonstrate that the Uighur genocide claim is a lie, Vivas said, asserting that he made two state-sponsored trips to Xinjiang in 2016 and 2018. I revealed the individuals who are the enthusiasts of the lies and their links with the C.I.A. Its hard to measure how much influence these modern Friends of China have had on international public opinion. Unlike earlier figures such as Snow, their views must compete with many independent sources of information on Chinaincluding most of the mainstream media and human rights organizationsthat present a very different, far darker portrait of the country. But Chinas influence operations are far more robust than they were in the 1930s and 40s. Quoting and publishing such writers is just one of a host of devices China uses to shape foreign opinion, an effort that has been stepped up since Xi Jinping, the countrys paramount leader, became secretary general of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012. These include its Confucius Institutes at foreign universities, its own state-run broadcasting companies aimed at foreign audiences, its efforts to deflect attention from its human rights violations at the United Nations, the China Global Television Network, a state-run television news network available on cable in many countries, and even its use of Twitter, Facebook, and other social media that are, ironically, banned in China itself. Xi Jinping unveils a plaque at the opening of Australias first Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute at the RMIT University in Melbourne, on June 20, 2010. (William West/AFP/Getty Images) Research institutes, often affiliated with Chinese universities, represent a relatively new instrument of Chinas public opinion-influencing arsenal. On their face, such organizations seem similar to genuinely independent non-governmental think tanks in the West. But as a report last year by the National Endowment for Democracy put it, they actually lend authoritarians an artificial legitimacy and are essential tools for propaganda. Among these institutes are the Center for China and Globalization, where Cavolo is a senior fellow. Ross is listed as a senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University, which describes itself as new style think tank with Chinese characteristics and maintains a global network of fellows, issues reports, and holds conferences on Chinas economy, its Belt and Road infrastructure projects, and other topics. The place provided to a small group of foreigners is especially striking now, given that Beijing has not only shut down the BBC but expelled all but a handful of the reporters covering China for independent publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, even as it has long blocked most of the Chinese-language websites of these publications. The only non-Chinese commentators that residents of China hear about are those like Ross, Vivas, and Cavolo, not well-known in their own countries despite their profiles in China. Its easy to dismiss some of these friends of China as propagandists, but the more nuanced pro-China commentators make some arguments that are taken seriously by other experts on that nation. Still, they too tend to support the main line in the Chinese pressnamely that while Chinas situation is extremely bright, the West is in a state of deepening political decay. Perhaps the most prominent is the Canadian-born, Oxford-trained scholar Daniel A. Bell, dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University and chair of a fellowship program at Beijings elite Tsinghua University, financed by the American billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman. Bell argues in The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy (2016, Princeton University Press) that Chinas governing system is superior to that of the West in several important ways. Downplaying the nations rampant corruption and nepotism, he asserts that leaders and administrators selected by their demonstrated record of achievement, rather than by elections, have helped lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty more effectively than Western-style liberal democracy would have done. Two men ride bikes in the empty grounds of Tsinghua University in Beijing on Feb. 28, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images) Bell has tempered his enthusiasm for the Chinese model at times with mildly expressed suggestions for change. In an op-ed in the New York Times a few years ago, he was critical of China for its suppression of free speech, though he also expressed a sort of guarded optimism that things will loosen up eventually. So far, things havent loosened up at all, even as Bell has continued to portray China in a far more favorable light than most Western experts. In my view, the deepest problem is that Western societies prioritize freedom and privacy over social harmony, Bell said in an interview published by Global Times. One of the weaknesses of electoral democracies is that its often easier to get more voter support by demonizing opponents and inventing enemies rather than reflecting on ones own responsibility for problems and trying to solve problems in an efficient way. Bells ideas gain credibility because China is an economic success story. Its ability to realize huge infrastructure projects, for example, stands in sharp contrast to the political paralysis and partisan discord afflicting the United States. But whether Chinas success is due to its dictatorial one-party state or in spite of it is debatable, as is his description of China as a harmonious society governed by people of Confucian virtuousness. New Cold War Will Not Stop US Decline was the headline of an article last August by Martin Jacques, a British leftist, former editor at Marxism Today, the journal of the British Communist Party, whose main argument was that the United States is fomenting conflict with China in a desperate attempt to maintain is fading global hegemony. But, Jacques, a senior fellow at another Chinese think tank, the China Institute at Fudan University, predicts that this will fail because China already holds the upper hand in key respects and, more importantly, is very much on the rise, in contrast to a U.S. in decline. Many things can be said about views like Jacques, Bells, and a few others, most conspicuously that they tread very lightly on Chinas gross human rights abuses, if they mention them at all. Bell, for example, contends that China is more harmonious than large democratic countries such as India and the United States. But is that true? Columbia University China specialist Andrew Nathan has written a critique of Bell, saying, China is one of the most conflict-ridden societies on the planet. According to Nathan, Bell is good at describing the mechanics of Chinas meritocratic system of government, but he simultaneously exaggerates its benefits and success and the faults of democracies. The China Model is a mix of the empirical and the imaginary, Nathan has written. Bell compares the meritocratic systems potential rather than the actual performance, with the actual performance of liberal democracies. When actual performance is taken into account, Nathan argues, Chinas leaders seem no more virtuous or capable than democratically elected ones, or else China would not be suffering from a range of problems. These include devastating environmental degradation, deep unhappiness and unrest among its ethnic minorities, not to mention among residents of Hong Kong, as well as widespread corruption, nepotism, and the failure to create any system of accountability that could guard against the abuse of power by its self-selecting, non-elected leaders. A truly harmonious society would not be one that forces re-education on its ethnic minorities, or locks up the losers of struggles for power, or devotes enormous resources to technology aimed at keeping tabs of its own people. Protesters stand behind a display of photographs of prominent Uighur intellectuals detained by China as they gather across from the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Nor would a truly harmonious society accord senior fellow status to foreigners who praise it while rigorously barring the views of commentators with critical views. The Chinese government is surely not a two-party democracy, and yet we can see that China is now the largest, safe, stable and successful society and country on the planet, Cavolo wrote in an op-ed published in Global Times recently. Is it? Earlier this year, Teng Biao, a former lawyer from China, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post calling on Western countries to boycott the Winter Olympics scheduled for China in 2022. Teng was arrested on the streets by plainclothes Beijing police, imprisoned and tortured for two months after he called attention to Chinese human rights abuses in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics, the last time China hosted the Summer Games. He now lives in exile in the United States. In his op-ed, Teng listed Chinas more recent human rights violations, from its crackdown in Hong Kong, the mass incarceration of Uighurs, its pervasive surveillance and censorship of its own citizens, its shutting down of non-governmental organizations, closing of churches, mosques, and Tibetan templesall part of the tightening of control under Xi Jinping. Its a safe bet that, while the friends of China are given free rein to praise the Chinese government, Teng Biaos contrary views will receive no attention at all. This article was written by Richard Bernstein for RealClearInvestigations. Karl Stefanovic has clashed with a federal Nationals senator who believes Australia should press pause on the rollout of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. Phase 1B of Australia's biggest ever vaccination program is set to be unveiled on Wednesday in the first large-scale roll out to the general public. Six million Australians are now eligible to get their first jab, including everyone aged over-70, other healthcare workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over-55, police, army personnel and meat processing workers. The phase will use up to 14.8 million doses of mostly the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been scrapped in several European countries amid fears some recipients reportedly developed blood clots. Federal senator and former cabinet minister Matt Canavan has expressed his concerns for the vaccine and stood by his comments when he was grilled by the Today show host on Wednesday morning. The pair were discussing a new Today Show poll which revealed 5,400 Australians would refuse to have the AstraZeneca jab, more than double the 2,200 who said they would. Today Show Karl Stefanovic (pictured) questioned Senator Matt Canavan's stance on pressing pause on the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout 'I think a pause right now is the prudent path, Karl,' the senator replied. 'Obviously there is certain enough to cause a lot of countries to pause their rollouts. 'In the US they haven't approved the AstraZeneca vaccine yet. They are still waiting on more data. 'At the start of the year we waited months before we even began our rollout compared to other countries because we were being prudent and waiting.' 'I think that approach served us well and it should be a similar approach we take right now. We're in the lucky position of not having risk of widespread coronavirus in this country.' Stefanovic quickly interrupted him to disagree. 'I don't want to point out the obvious but you're not a doctor Matt Canavan, most senior researchers and frontline scientists say it's OK. Why should we stop it?' he asked. NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant (right) was among the first people in NSW last week to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine Senator Canavan said many doctors are still concerned about the AstraZeneca vaccine, despite Australia's chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly insisting there's no evidence that shows AstraZeneca causes blood clots. 'I'm very concerned the registry authority are gagging our doctors,' Senator Canavan said. 'I've been contacted by lots of doctors concerned they can't make statements because last week regulatory authorities told them sending out a note to doctors if you say anything undermining the national immunisation program we will remove your accreditation. 'We can't do that remove the muzzle from doctors have sensible open discussions about medical treatments in this country.' Stefanovic backed down and agreed with the senator but still believes assurances the vaccine is safe. 'I think you are 100 per cent right, we saw that with some of the people we interviewed on the streets. There is a greatly varying attitudes towards this vaccine. It's understandable,' he said. Of the control group seen by AstraZeneca, there are actually less people who have had blood clots since getting the jab than would have had clots in an ordinary population - with the World Health Organisation also deeming the jab safe. Nationals Senator Matt Cavanan (pictured) says his Coalition government should press pause on the rollout of the controversial vaccine Senator Canavan isn't the only federal politician to speak out against the AstraZeneca rollout. Controversial independent MP Craig Kelly urged the government to 'take the foot off the pedal a little bit' when he appeared on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Wednesday. 'When it was only Norway and Denmark (who had paused the jab) only two countries, it was fair enough to continue the rollout here,' Mr Kelly said. 'But now when you've got health regulators in countries like Germany, Portugal, Italy, France and Spain, when health regulators in all those countries have looked at it and said look guys let's just take the foot off the pedal a little bit. The federal government has assured the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, despite overseas recipients developing blood clots. Pictured is NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) getting the jab in Sydney last week 'That is happening in all these countries that still have very high coronavirus deaths rates, but here in Australia we have no deaths, so I think we should take the foot off the pedal a little bit.' Mr Kelly was slammed by Sunrise host David Koch. 'You're not a scientist, the European Medicines Agency, it's full of scientists, they're the peak body in Europe above the German authorities and the Italian authorities and the like, and they're saying don't stop it,' he told the rogue MP. Both France and Italy have since said they plan to continue giving the jab when they get the green light from the European regulator. Federal health Minister Greg Hunt told parliament the government 'clearly, unequivocally, absolutely supports the AstraZeneca roll out'. The Therapeutic Goods Administration said it was aware of the European decisions but still insists it's safe. AstraZeneca (pictured) will become Australia's main coronavirus vaccine, despite being banned by several countries 'It has not been confirmed that the reports of blood clots were caused by the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so,' a TGA statement read. 'The TGA has not received any reports of blood clots following administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Australia ... (or) have any evidence of a biologically plausible relationship that could suggest a cause and effect relationship between vaccination and blood clots.' Professor Kelly said Australia saw 17,000 blood clot cases every year and it was expected they could occur around the time of vaccinations. 'This does not mean an event that happens after a vaccine has been given is due to that vaccine,' he said. 'In this situation I can absolutely say I remain confident in the AstraZeneca vaccine. It is safe and at this point there is no evidence that it causes blood clots.' The data also demonstrated the vaccine was 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied Johnson & Johnson has announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued emergency use listing (EUL) for its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older. Data from the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study showed that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine was well tolerated and demonstrated a 67 per cent reduction in symptomatic COVID-19 disease in participants who received the vaccine in comparison to participants given the placebo. The onset of protection was observed from day 14 and was maintained 28 days post-vaccination. The data also demonstrated the vaccine was 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, and showed protection against COVID-19 related hospitalisation and death across countries with different variants, beginning 28 days after vaccination. Variants observed in an ongoing analysis in the ENSEMBLE study included the B.1.351 variant which was identified in 95 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in South Africa. "From the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked to develop and deliver a vaccine that could protect the health of people everywhere, and today's milestone represents significant progress toward ensuring global access to our single-shot vaccine," said Alex Gorsky, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson. "The WHO listing of our single-shot COVID-19 vaccine advances our pledge to help stem this pandemic and our unwavering commitment to equitable access," said Paul Stoffels, MD, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. "Achieving this important prerequisite for distributing our vaccine through the COVAX Facility which is co-led by Gavi is a major step forward in making our vaccine accessible for all." In December 2020, Johnson & Johnson entered into an agreement in principle with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) in support of the COVAX Facility. Johnson & Johnson and Gavi expect to enter into an Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) that would provide up to 500 million doses of the Company's vaccine to COVAX through 2022. "A single-shot COVID-19 vaccine that can be distributed and stored using established supply chains has the potential to be very meaningful in the face of this global pandemic," said Mathai Mammen, Global Head, Janssen Research & Development, Johnson & Johnson. (@FahadShabbir) A humanitarian flight carrying 140 stranded Ethiopian migrants arrived in Addis Ababa from Yemen on Tuesday in the first trip of its kind since the pandemic began, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a release WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2021) A humanitarian flight carrying 140 stranded Ethiopian migrants arrived in Addis Ababa from Yemen on Tuesday in the first trip of its kind since the pandemic began, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a release. "One hundred forty Ethiopian migrants stranded in Yemen arrived in Addis Ababa today, the first Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program flight the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has facilitated between the two countries since the COVID-19 global pandemic was declared," the release said. The government of Ethiopia visited Aden and verified the nationality of 1,100 out of more than 6,000 Ethiopian migrants who are willing to return home while thousands of other migrants remain stranded elsewhere in Yemen, including Ma'rib, the IOM noted. Unable to get to Saudi Arabia, migrants get stranded in Yemen where they face xenophobia, exploitation and detention over the last year since the global pandemic began, the release added. According to IOM, migrants often take a risk and use smuggling networks to return to the Horn of Africa on overcrowded boats resulting in incidents like earlier this month when 20 migrants drowned after smugglers threw them overboard during their journey from Djibouti to Yemen. Ethiopian refugees have traveled to Saudi Arabia via Yemen after an armed conflict broke out in Ethiopia's Tigray region last November. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. London: China accused the UK of groundless slanders after the British government said Beijings crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong wasnt in compliance with a treaty that paved the way for the citys return to Chinese control. The UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision over Hong Kong after the handover, and it has no so-called obligations to Hong Kong citizens, China said in a statement posted Sunday on the website of its London embassy. Britains Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Dominic Raab. Credit:AP No foreign country or organisation has the right to take the Joint Declaration as an excuse to interfere in Hong Kong affairs, which are Chinas internal affairs. The statement came after UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Saturday said China is in a state of ongoing noncompliance with the 1984 treaty that paved the way for Hong Kongs return to Chinese control. His remarks have gone further than previous comments by the UK, which had called the changes a breach in the declaration. Tampa, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Umbra Applied Technologies Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: UATG) (UAT Group), announced today that it has initiated the acquisition of the Texas based company Ossifix Technologies, Inc. The Ossix Orthopedics line of products will compete in one of the fastest growing, emerging markets, specically, the resorbable implant market, in three distinct surgical segments; orthopedic, dental, and general. Ossifix products are designed to be used in hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and specialty clinics. Distribution is scheduled throughout North America, and globally in Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacic, as well as the Middle East and Africa. This global market is currently experiencing an estimated growth of 14% per year to reach $4.696 billion US this year. Ossifix Technologies has projected its first-year domestic gross revenues to be $25.5M once it launches; with a three-year evaluation in excess of $88.6M. The cash-and-stock acquisition is valued at $5M USD with about half being delivered as a cash payment. The new addition to the public holding company is expected to assist UAT Group subsidiary UAT, in bolstering existing research and product lines within the Company's BioTech division. Chief Executive Officer, Alex Umbra commented, "We are pleased to integrate Ossifix into our growing suite of companies. I as well as the rest of the team, look forward to building the synergy across all of our subsidiaries by combining the resources and market footprints of the Umbra suite of companies. We believe that this "growth through acquisition approach", will serve to exponentially expand our capabilities so that we can gain a competitive edge in relevant market spaces. I have no doubt that the addition of Ossifix to the Umbra family will be a significant contributor to our collective success." U.S. based company, Ossifix Orthopedics products are manufactured in Austin, TX from select, high-density, allograft cortical bone. Ossifixs' unique manufacturing process and patent pending designs yield an engineered cortical bone implant that provides secure fixation and virtually eliminates any allergic or autoimmune reactions associated with metal or plastic/polymer implants. All Ossifix Orthopedics Pin, Screw and Plate Systems are single-use surgical kits containing all necessary instruments for implantation and are based on decades of clinical experience in the operating room. Ossifix implants are shipped in comprehensive, sterile, single-use surgical kits designed in house. Each kit contains all instrumentation, bits, and xtures required for the implant placement, with the components thoughtfully laid out in the exact order they are required. The provided instrumentation that accompanies every Ossifix surgical kit is constructed of an eco-friendly, bio-degradable polymer. Ossifix is currently working in cooperation with Umbra Applied Technologies to develop biodegradable polymer based surgical instrumentation engineered with their antimicrobial technology brand - Hygieia. Ossifix CEO, Mark Estrada shared, "I have a longstanding relationship with all the folks over at UAT and UAT Group, which made it a no brainer to join forces. My team and I are very excited about this move and we are eager to show everyone what the future holds." For more information about Ossifix Technologies go here: https://ossifixtech.com/ About Umbra Applied Technologies Group, Inc. The firm is located in Tampa Florida and focuses on advanced technologies across many disciplines. UAT Group is a holding company with interests in both public and private companies during the early stages of development as well as growth stages of companies with a synergistic business model to UAT Group subsidiaries. For more information visit www.uatgroup.com Investor and Media Contact: UAT Group at info@uatgroup.com NEITHER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISION NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Information This news release may include "forward-looking statements" including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations including but not limited to its ability to conclude a business combination with a third party, sale of assets, return of capital or initial public offering and a secondary listing on the OTC as a result of aforementioned and its ability to fund the exploration of its assets through the raising of equity or debt capital or through funding by a joint venture partner that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Umbra Applied Technologies Group including but not limited to capital markets and securities risks and continued development success on technology. There can be and are no actual or implied guarantees that any of the above activities will be completed or completed on terms acceptable to the Company and its shareholders or approved by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Umbra Applied Technologies Group does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77367 Real talk, if this thing is basically mandatory, it only seems right that supplicants are afforded the opportunity to take their behind out in public. Accordingly . . . Quick peek at local news of the plague cure ramping up . . . . KMBC: Missouri beginning to notify people who will get appointments for Arrowhead mass vaccination event KCTV5: Kansas to move into vaccination phases 3 and 4 next week KSHB: Missouri grocery store workers eligible for COVID-19 vaccine Devleoping . . . There has been another 349 cases of Covid-19 and 18 new deaths linked to the virus, the Department of Health confirmed this evening. Seventeen deaths occurred in March, and one in February. The death toll now stands at 4,552, while there is now a total of 227,663 cases of the virus here. Of the cases notified today, 156 are in Dublin, 23 in Meath, 19 in Donegal, 15 in Louth, 14 in Kildare and the remaining 122 cases are spread across all other counties. It comes as Gardai prepare to mount a massive operation to prevent planned lockdown protests in Dublin on Wednesday. More than 2,500 gardai will be deployed across checkpoints and arterial routes on St Patricks Day. Gardai will be patrolling roads on both the north and south side into Dublin city centre. People will be asked for the reason for their journey to establish whether is it essential. Several protest events are being planned via social media, by disparate groups in different locations in Dublin city centre. Demonstrators are expected to gather in Herbert Park, while a second group has been organised to protest outside the headquarters of RTE before marching into the city centre. Gardai have warned that further protests are also expected to take place across the city. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has appealed for people not to gather to celebrate St Patrick's Day. In a statement, the Taoiseach said large gatherings could undermine the progress made in suppressing the virus. He said: "Saint Patricks Day is a special occasion for every Irish person around the world. It is a day when we celebrate our nation, our heritage and our people. This year, the day carries an added poignancy as we reflect on a year that has been dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the loss of more than 6,500 family, friends and neighbours across the island who have died with the virus. "We normally spend this day with our extended family and friends going to parades or to sporting events. Unfortunately, we cannot do this tomorrow. "The enormous effort that the entire country has put in to drive down the rate of infection is working. We have successfully reduced the pressure on our health service, and we are moving in the right direction, but we are at a crossroads. "The variant that is now dominant in the country is much more contagious and therefore much more dangerous. We must keep it under control and I am hopeful that everyone will make a special effort to mark the day in a Covid safe manner. " The Taoiseach said it is vital that current Covid-19 restrictions are adhered to, adding that "it is very important that people do not congregate or meet up for social gatherings in their homes or anywhere else. To do so would be to undermine all of the sacrifices we have made to date." He added that there is "no better way" to honour the Irish public than to "stay focused and avoid another wave of infection with this terrible virus. " Higher Education Minister Simon Harris also urged people not to jeopardise the progress that has been made by celebrating St Patricks Day by gathering together, as it could lead to delays in reopening the country. Mr Harris said: What I would suggest tomorrow the most patriotic thing people can actually do in terms of our national battle against Covid-19 is stick to the public health advice. Because in about two weeks time the Government wants to be able to sit down with our public health experts and work out what the next few weeks look like and we desperately want to be able to see some of the harshest restrictions eased. Particularly, and I dont want to exceed expectations here, but particularly things like the five kilometres, which is really punitive and really difficult for people. We want to see construction start to come back and people be able to do that little bit more outdoors. My message, the Governments message, the chief medical officers message, is: Lets not do anything tomorrow that risks that. Read More The news comes after the company recently closed an oversubscribed financing that raised proceeds of C$2.25 million Salar del Diablo is a 103,450 hectare (399 square miles) lithium brine project located in the State of Baja California, Mexico One World Lithium Inc (CSE:OWLI) (OTCQB:OWRDF) has announced that it will resume the Phase III drilling program at its flagship Salar del Diablo lithium property on April 15. The news comes after the company recently closed an oversubscribed financing that raised proceeds of C$2.25 million. OWL told shareholders that crews will mobilize to DDH-3 drill location at the beginning of April and, if results warrant, DDH-4 will be drilled in the same area. Montgomery & Associates will continue to be the operator for the remainder of the Phase III program. According to OWL, operator Mike Rosko of Montgomery & Associates has previously suggested that exploration be centred around the southern portion of the property, where there is evidence of historic and active hydrothermal activity. Hydrothermal activity can be a source of lithium, as evidenced in the famed Lithium Triangle in Chile and Argentina. OWL told investors that the prospective hydrothermal activity could cover up to 20,000 hectares. Layne Drilling will carry out the Phase III program using the same skidder mounted drill rig used on DDH-1 and DDH-2. The rig reached a total depth of 650 metres on DDH-1. Last year proved to be a very tough year for exploration companies to start and carry out their exploration programs, OWL CEO Doug Fulcher said in a statement. Now that we are funded, our company can complete Phase III drilling without operational concerns or further financing. Upon completion of the Phase III program, OWL will have earned an additional 20% property working interest from Energy Metals Discovery Group for an 80% property working interest. Salar del Diablo is a 103,450 hectare (399 square miles) lithium brine project located in the State of Baja California, Mexico. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas ANN ARBOR, MI A new $75-million, 134,000-square-foot robotics facility at the University of Michigan is now open. The Ford Robotics Building on the north campus will serve as a world-class, advanced robotics facility and the new hub of the UM Robotics Institute, according to a university news release. The four-story building will include research labs for all types of robotics, as well as classrooms, offices and makerspaces. The fourth floor will also house Fords first robotics and mobility research lab on a university campus and 100 Ford researchers and engineers, according to the release. UM and Ford will collaborate to show how robotics can create a more equitable society, including creating a more inclusive curriculum to open up more opportunities for underserved students, the release states. To me, this new building brings to life a collaborative, interdisciplinary community that Im proud to host at Michigan Engineering, Alec D. Gallimore, UM dean of engineering, said in a statement. Our Robotics Institute upholds an explicitly inclusive climate and a culture that believes in the fields potential to serve as an enabler for all, especially those who have previously been underserved. In this way, we aim to push the robotics field, and engineering more broadly, to become equity-centered -- intentionally closing, rather than unintentionally expanding, societal gaps. Ground broke at the facility in April 2018 and it was scheduled to open in early 2020, but work was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ford Robotics Building anchors the west end of the Michigan Avenue mobility corridor that begins in Detroit and runs through Dearborn to Ann Arbor, according to the release. With Fords development of the former Michigan Central Station and plans to overhaul its Research and Engineering Center in Dearborn, the partnership with UM will allow the two institutions to experiment with potential mobility solutions for the future, according to the release. How Ford plans to transform iconic Detroit train station into innovative 30-acre campus To close gaps in public transit access across southeast Michigan, Ford and UM are working to develop a first-of-its-kind corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles, according to the release. Autonomous vehicles have the opportunity to change the future of transportation and the way we move, said Tony Lockwood, technical manager of autonomous vehicle research at Ford. As this new technology rolls out, having our Ford team working on campus collaborating with the academic world will help us shorten the time it takes to move research projects to automotive engineering, unlocking the potential of autonomous vehicles. Other labs at the Ford Robotics Building include: A rehabilitation lab for advanced prosthetics and robotic controls A three-story fly zone to test drones and other autonomous aerial vehicles indoors Mars yard to enable researchers and students to test rover and lander concepts that mimic the Martian surface An AI-designed robot playground to test robots on stairs, rocks and water while surrounded by motion capture cameras Garage space for self-driving cars, located just down the street from UMs MCity test facility READ MORE: Most classes will be in-person at University of Michigan this fall, officials say COVID-19 cases at University of Michigan trending downward, officials say University of Michigan employees to continue working remotely through mid-summer 274 Shares Share One year ago, on March 14, I worked my first of many COVID shifts as a hospitalist at a large academic teaching institution in Chicago. In the beginning, I think most of us on the front lines felt a strange combination of duty, fear, and exhilaration. There was this novel virus, the world was shutting down because of it, and while the rest of society was stocking up on toilet paper, we were being called to battle. We felt a distinct sense of purpose, yet I dont think any of us truly knew what we were getting into. People called us health care heroes and sent us food and gifts. Family members called and texted to check on us, and we felt prideful to do the work that had to be done. Adrenaline filled our blood vessels, and we rolled up our sleeves. In the beginning, it was still not exactly clear how this new virus spread. We wore masks while seeing COVID patients, but not around each other. The idea of community spread was not even on our minds; we still asked patients if they had recently traveled. Hand washing was what was hammered into our brains, not mask-wearing. We meticulously wiped down our computer stations and belongings so often that the hospital-grade anti-microbial wipes had to be kept in locked areas. We helped each other don our PPE, and carefully studied videos detailing the doffing process to not contaminate ourselves. We freely changed and threw away our N95s and face shields between each patient, not realizing that those supplies would become precious commodities in a few short weeks. After all, in the beginning, we all thought this COVID issue wouldnt last more than a few weeks, maybe a few months. Most of us, even our most esteemed infectious disease colleagues, would never have surmised that we would be living in this new pandemic reality for the next year or more. In the beginning, we battled perceptions that this was all fake news that doctors or the government made up this disease. We tried our best to explain that while yes, its the same class of virus that causes the common cold, it is different in a very deadly way. We begged everyone we knew to take this seriously. We pleaded on social media to flatten the curve. We fought back tears explaining why hospitalized patients could not have visitors and why they had to die alone. Eventually, the virus became politicized. Mask-wearing became politicized. COVID numbers, hospitalization rates, even death rates became politicized. In between hospital shifts, we fielded loved ones questions as best we could, but in the end, it was up to them to either believe us or not. Is this really that big of a deal? Is it really worse than the flu? Do we really have to cancel our upcoming vacation and stay home? Yes, yes, yes. Meanwhile, we went to work every day with persistent fear and anxiety about whether we would have enough PPE and how we would care for patients who had a disease that wasnt in any textbooks. In the beginning, we gathered in crowded hospital auditoriums before social distancing became a thing to learn about the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We poured over emails detailing the constantly and rapidly changing COVID treatment and isolation guidelines and new complications of COVID that were being discovered on an almost daily basis. Give hydroxychloroquine, dont give steroids. Nevermind dont give hydroxychloroquine and give steroids. Try Remdesivir. Tell patients to isolate for 14 days after onset of symptoms. Well, maybe 10 days is OK. Actually, maybe 7 is OK. Wear an N95 and change it between each patient. Actually, wear the same N95 all day. Actually, a plain surgical mask is OK. Now, one year later, while suffering from COVID fatigue like most everyone else, frontline health care workers are bleary-eyed from working through surge after surge, holiday after holiday. We still battle conspiracy-theorists and anti-maskers. The initial horror we felt wearing the same mask all day has essentially vanished. We no longer bat an eye at throwing on a face shield to go and see a patient. Adding COVID to a patients differential diagnosis does not elicit the same angst and panic as it once did. One year later, no one really calls us health care heroes anymore, but we still quietly go about our business one patient at a time. One year later, over half a million Americans have died from COVID-19, and society is slowly but surely emerging from under its rock, from the darkness of quarantine deficient in vitamin D, starved for social interaction, and yearning for human touch. We are tired and scathed but cautiously hopeful and optimistic. That initial sense of exhilaration has been dampened but not extinguished. One year later, we are in so many ways more resilient, stronger, and have a deeper sense of what really matters in life. We have truly surprised ourselves with what we are capable of, as we find ourselves flirting with vaccines on the precipice of a potential return to normal. But one year later, what have we learned? What does normal even mean? Will this experience fundamentally change how we live our lives, even after the pandemic is over? How we care for our patients? How we operate our hospitals? How we pay for health care? Will anything change at all? Thats for each of us to decide. On this first anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope we all take a moment to reflect on just how much we have learned, how much we have accomplished, and how far weve come in a relatively short amount of time as a health care industry. But I also implore us to think about how much further we can go, how much better we can still become, and how our positive impact on society can be made even deeper. Manya J. Gupta is an internal medicine physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Los Angeles, March 16 : The entire world has been reacting to the nominations for the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards, scheduled to take place on April 25 (early hours of April 26 according to India time). The nominees, have shared their excitement through interviews and on social media. Best Actor in a Leading Role Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) "Wow! I'm honoured to be nominated by my fellow actors alongside such inspiring performances, and am grateful to the Academy for their support and encouragement. I'm equally thrilled for our visionary writer-director Darius Marder and the brilliant Paul Raci, as well as our editor Mikkel, sound designer Nicolas, and co-writer Abe Marder. These nominations represent the time, generosity and talents of so many - all of our incredible cast, crew, producers, and in particular I'd like to thank my mentors in the drumming, addiction recovery, and D/deaf communities. "Sound of Metal is about how a health crisis can cut you off from your life and loved ones, and force you to grow in unexpected ways. In a challenging year for so many, I hope this story can inspire us to forge new and deeper connections with ourselves and others." Anthony Hopkins (The Father) "I love The Father very much and am so proud to be part of it. Thank you to the Academy for acknowledging the movie. Thank you to Florian, Christopher, Olivia and the entire creative team. Thank you to Sony Pictures Classics. And a big congratulations to all of my peers who have been nominated too. When I read the script and met Florian and Christopher, I knew I had to be part of this film. I am grateful they gave me the opportunity to play the role and am happy and proud that the movie has been so well recognized by the Academy. What a wonderful day." Gary Oldman (Mank) "After such a stressed pandemic year, there is a kind of comfort and reassurance in knowing that we soldier on in many ways with important traditions. In our industry there is nothing more traditional than the Academy Awards, which hopefully sends a sign of hope that we will get out of this. The Oscars are such a sign that normalcy still exists. In my case today marks my third Academy Award Nomination. Not to trivialize the current state of the world, it is a source of great pride and an honour to be recognized alongside these other tremendous, wonderful artistes." Steven Yeun (Minari) "Thank you to the Academy for this honour to be nominated alongside such incredible artists. I am also grateful to see the talent of Lee Isaac Chung, Youn Yuh Jung, Emile Mosseri, and Christina Oh be recognized as well. If I've learned anything from this past year and from the experience of this film, it is that this life is shared. I am blessed to have shared in this with our brilliant cast and crew and I am only here because of them." Best Actress in a Leading Role Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) "Absolutely thrilled!! Congratulations to the whole @MaRaineyFilm team! Deserved!" Andra Day (The United States v. Billie Holiday) "The reality is, this is a celebration. It's an honour to be mentioned in the same breath as her. I think she's just incredible, and she has been nothing but wonderfully supportive. And I love and support her so we're just sharing the moment together." Vanessa Kirby (Pieces Of A Woman) It is the greatest honour to be recognised by the Academy. And for a film I care so much about, and is so deeply in my heart. Thank you to Kornel and Kata for so bravely telling your story and for trusting me to be your Martha, to Kevin Turin and Ashley and Sam Levinson for believing in me, the cast and crew who I share this with, and to my family at Netflix for supporting and championing our story. I am so honoured that this story has been shared; it is one of so many women, and of their babies. This belongs to them." Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) "I'm absolutely elated this morning, and I am so honoured to be in such esteemed company across all categories. Thank you to the Academy for embracing this story which means so much to me. It's all thanks to my dear friend -- the fearless, hilarious, bold writer and director Emerald Fennell and the incredible cast and crew she assembled. We all signed on because we believed wholeheartedly in her vision, and I'm so grateful to her for inviting me to be a part of it." Frances McDormand (Nomadland) "Thank you to the Academy and to all our peers in the filmmaking community for acknowledging Nomadland. We thank all the people who shared their stories with us along the way, who inspired us by showing the power of compassion in listening to one another. We are grateful for everyone who worked on the film, our colleagues at Searchlight Pictures and our friend, the late Michael Wolf Snyder, for the artistry and magic he brought to the soundscape of our film. Best Actor in a Supporting Role Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial Of The Chicago 7) "I'm incredibly humbled and grateful to the Academy for both nominations! First, to the team of Trial of the Chicago 7 -- acting is a team sport, and I would not be in this position if it were not for the brilliance of Aaron Sorkin and the incredibly talented actors and crew that he surrounded us with and who lifted us up every day." Daniel Kaluuya (Judas And The Black Messiah) "Today, I am humbled to be nominated for portraying a man whose principles I deeply respect and for guiding me to walk in his footsteps. With the blessing of Chairman Fred Hampton's family, and the unwavering support from Ryan Coogler, Shaka King and Charles King, and the cast led by LaKeith Stanfield and Dominique Fishback, I became a vessel for Chairman Fred's spirit at a time when we need his rally cry for equality and justice more than ever. I commend my fellow nominees for their impressive work. To be seen and celebrated by my peers in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is beautifully humbling and I am deeply grateful. Thank you." Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night In Miami) "Sam Ashworth and I got to watch an early screening of Regina King's beautiful movie One Night in Miami... and we just felt so lucky, you know. We felt like we had the wind knocked out of us too. So, we had the audience experience, and we just tried to imagine what we would want to hear coming back into the present, coming back into the room after having been on that journey. And we just tried to write that song... This feels in many ways like a starting place. I'm just so grateful to Regina and to the other filmmakers who gave me these early opportunities to learn, because now I feel like I can build from here." Paul Raci (Sound Of Metal) "Thank you to the Academy for this honour. During my 40-something-year acting career, I have always been about the work. I've continued to work in small theatre houses, like Deaf West Theatre, doing what I was trained to do from my Chicago Theatre years, but to be validated in this way is gratifying on a level that I can only describe as heavenly. I'm so grateful to Darius Marder for directing and writing a script and a character seemingly for me without even knowing me that changed my life, and to Amazon for the love and support they have provided me. My heart is full, and as always, I look forward to the work and am grateful for the stillness." Best Actress in a Supporting Role Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) "Thank you to the Academy for this honour! I really can't believe this -- to hear my name in the company of these remarkable women and their breath-taking performances is a dream come true! I am so grateful to Sacha Baron Cohen and my Borat family and congratulations to them for their Adapted Screenplay nomination." Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) "Congratulations to all my fellow nominees. I'm beyond thrilled and deeply grateful for Netflix's brilliant support of their artists. I owe so much to Ron Howard, Amy Adams , Owen Asztalos and my genius hair and makeup team. This wouldn't have happened without them. I dedicate this honour to all the grandmothers in the world who fight to give their children a better life. Amanda Seyfried (Mank) "Working with David Fincher on Mank has been the highlight of my career, and being recognized by the Academy for an experience that brought me this much joy and fulfilment feels surreal. I won't be able to thank David enough for trusting me with this role and for the honour of reintroducing the world to the Marion Davies that I've come to know. To get to study this brilliant, humble woman and help restore her legacy has been a true privilege. Congratulations to David, Gary, and the whole cast and crew of Mank today -- your brilliance has not gone unnoticed and I am humbled to share this recognition with you." Yuh-jung Youn (Minari) "Never in my dreams did I ever think a Korean actress would be nominated for an Oscar, and I can't believe it's me! I am incredibly humbled by the honour. Thank you so much AMPAS, A24, Plan B, my Minari family and our entire cast and crew. We made this film with love, and I thank you for loving us back. And thank you, Isaac. This is all because of you!" Best Director Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round) "I had hopes, but no expectations, because I never have that. It was a great relief. But Best Director was a total surprise, which elevated the day into a sense of ecstasy. Of course, I made this film alongside the experience of a huge tragedy in my life. I lost my daughter. So all these praises, the awards and nominations that have come to this movie, I feel that they are honouring her movie. That makes this whole movie on a different level, the likeness of which I've never experienced before." David Fincher (Mank) "This is truly an honour. From the entire Mank team, we could not be more grateful to the Academy for this recognition." Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) "Thank you to the Academy for this honour. I couldn't imagine this happening as we struggled on the journey to make this film, and now I understand why Oscar moments are filled with endless thank you's. I feel incredibly grateful to the entire family of cast and crew behind Minari who persevered to make this film. I am especially thankful to my mom, dad, and sister, who filled that small trailer home in Arkansas where we started, and my wife and daughter who mean more to me than anything. I'm blessed that the Minari my grandmother planted by the water continues to grow." Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) "I'm so thrilled for our nominations! Thank you to the Academy. I'm grateful to have gone on this journey with our talented team of filmmakers and to have met so many wonderful people who generously shared their stories with us. Thank you so much to my academy peers for recognizing this film that is very close to my heart." Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) "I'm barely able to speak in coherent sentences after this unbelievable news. I am so incredibly grateful to every single wonderful person who worked on Promising Young Woman, the greatest most hardworking and talented cast and crew in the world. For their work to be honoured by the Academy means so much, and I am especially thrilled for Carey, whose extraordinary genius made this film what it is, and for Fred whose dedication made the impossible possible, for their individual nominations. To be part of this historic year for the Academy, alongside so many exceptionally gifted filmmakers means more than I can possibly describe, and I'm particularly proud to be nominated beside the amazing Chloe Zhao. There have been so many exceptional female filmmakers this year, making such beautiful, inspiring, challenging, varied work, that I am truly honoured and grateful to be among their number. Thank you to the Academy, Focus Features, FilmNation, LuckyChap, my whole immensely patient and wonderful team. I will stop crying eventually, but not yet." Best Picture Producer David Parfitt (The Father) "On behalf of Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton, Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Yorgos Lamprinos, Peter Francis, David Parfitt, Philippe Carcassonne & Jean-Louis Livi, we would like to thank the Academy for this great honour. We are all proud to be associated with a film that has so much to say about familial love and the human condition. We would also like to thank Christophe Spadone and Les Films Du Cru, Film4, Sony Pictures Classics, Embankment and Lionsgate for all their support of this British/French co-production -- they really did make this film possible." Christina Oh (Minari) "Wow, what an incredible honour. Thank you so much to the members of the Academy, and a huge outpouring of gratitude to my Plan B fam and A24 team. So much love and congratulations to Isaac, Steven, YJ, and Emile! We made something beautiful together." Producers Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, and Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) "Thank you to the Academy and to all our peers in the filmmaking community for acknowledging Nomadland. We thank all the people who shared their stories with us along the way, who inspired us by showing the power of compassion in listening to one another. We are grateful for everyone who worked on the film, our colleagues at Searchlight Pictures and our friend, the late Michael Wolf Snyder, for the artistry and magic he brought to the soundscape of our film." Producers Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell, and Josey McNamara (Promising Young Woman) "What a morning! It's been a long and exhilarating journey and we are blown away by the recognition of Promising Young Woman. We couldn't be more excited to make history in the directing category and are thrilled that Carey Mulligan and Fred Thoraval's work has also been recognized. It was an honour to bring Emerald's completely original and uncompromising vision to life. Thank you Academy!" Producers Marc Platt, Stuart Besser, Matt Jackson, and Tyler Thompson (The Trial Of The Chicago 7) "Thank you so much to the Academy for recognizing The Trial Of The Chicago 7. We are indebted to our brilliant writer and director, Aaron Sorkin, the outstanding craftspeople and the incredible ensemble of actors. We are so proud of the film that is a stark and inspirational reminder that the fight for freedom is never finished and that democracy will always be worth raising our voices for." Shively Taking Unpaid Leave For Training By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - On Monday, the Paducah Board of Education unanimously approved four days of unpaid leave for Superintendent Donald Shively.On March 18 and 19, Shively will participate in conversations with community leaders. Following this, on March 23 and March 24, he will participate in diversity and inclusion training with pastor Edward Palmer.Shively's leave is part of a district plan put in place after a photo of him in blackface was shared on social media last year. In a December meeting, the Board voted to ask Shively to take 40 days of unpaid leave for additional racial equity education, training, and community involvement.The leave must be taken by June 30, 2022, including 20 days before the start of the 2021 school year. During those periods, Shively will participate in focused learning opportunities identified by the Board, the KEA, local leaders, and others. It is also required that he use part of this time to learn from and regain the trust of community leaders, parents, students, and teachers through individual and small group meetings.You can see the entire meeting below.On the Net: Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Advertisement EU regulators today shot down the blood clot fears which have prompted 14 European countries to call a halt to AstraZeneca jabs, saying there is no evidence the vaccine causes dangerous side-effects. The European Medicines Agency said it was 'firmly convinced' that injections with the AstraZeneca shot should continue, joining the WHO and the UK government in a full-throated defence of the vaccine amid fury at EU nations including France and Germany for suspending the jabs. EMA safety experts say a 'very small number of people' have come down with blood disorders but there is 'no indication' that these were caused by the jab, which 11million people have already had in the UK. 'We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,' said EMA chief Emer Cooke. Countries including France will now face pressure to resume AstraZeneca jabs after the EMA reiterated that the number of blood clots 'seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population', although experts are set for further talks before the EMA reaches a final conclusion on Thursday. Italy earlier admitted that its suspension of AstraZeneca jabs was a 'political' move while French doctors accused Emmanuel Macron of 'giving in to panic' and a German lawmaker said the ban could cause a 'catastrophe'. Germany sought to justify its move by saying that one particular kind of blood clot, a 'sinus vein thrombosis', had occurred seven times among the 1.6million people vaccinated when only around one case would be expected. By contrast, only four such cases have been identified in the UK out of 11million doses administered. Nicola Magrini, the head of Italian medicines regulator AIFA, said politicians had come under pressure to call off the jabs after Germany and France made similar moves in what one Tory MP described as a 'Brexit sulk'. 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations... to put them on hold in order to carry out checks. The choice is a political one,' Magrini said in an interview with La Repubblica. This evening, Health Secretary Matt Hancock reiterated the AstraZeneca was safe and urged people to get it when offered. 'The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, we know that over 10million people have had it in this country. Thats what the British regulator says but also the World Health Organisation and even the European regulator,' he said. 'We keep the effects of these vaccines under review at all times and we know the AstraZeneca vaccine is saving lives right now. So if you get the call, get the jab.' Fourteen European countries including 12 EU members have now suspended their use of the shots altogether - with Sweden joining the list today - while another five have black-listed specific batches and a handful of governments outside Europe have also pulled the emergency brake. The AstraZeneca jab was already an unloved choice in Europe after top officials lashed out at the firm in a post-Brexit row over supplies and raised unfounded doubts about its effectiveness. Scientists fear that Europe's moves could now fuel 'more extreme anti-vaccine sentiment' despite findings by the EU, UK, WHO and AstraZeneca that there is no evidence of a link to the sporadic blood clots. Belgium's health ministry said it would continue using the jab because it was in a race against time to protect its population. Extraordinarily, one French minister told Politico that it decided to copy Berlin's move to avoid 'stress' - and at the same time Paris is threatening to sue AstraZeneca for failing to supply enough doses. Regulatory reports show that blood clot diagnoses are about equally likely after either the two jabs being used in the UK slightly higher for Pfizer and scientists insist the risk is no higher than a random person in the population could expect, meaning the vaccine remains safe. Rates of death soon after vaccination appear higher for AstraZeneca's vaccine but this is likely because it is used in care homes and the people receiving it are naturally more likely to die of any reason Tory and Labour MPs highlighted the assurances given by regulators and experts as they appealed for Britons to ignore 'fake news' and accept invitations for jabs. Nearly half the UK population has now had their first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine Figures from AstraZeneca and the European Medicines Agency show the number of blood clot-related conditions from 17million doses dished out in the UK and Europe up to March 13 Europe is presiding over one of the world's slowest jabs roll-outs which has left people vulnerable to infection, while the UK has masterminded one of the world's fastest, with Covid cases and deaths now falling sharply Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have suspended their use of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine over blood clot fears despite health bodies saying there is no link and cases trending upwards - threatening more lockdowns IRELAND: Ireland has seen infection rates fall (left) from the winter peak but is relying on AstraZeneca doses to fend off a third wave and enable an end to lockdown. Ireland's death rate (right) has also fallen but the government says hospital cases need to fall to 'low levels' before lockdown measures can be significantly eased Italian teacher died due to 'sudden heart problem' - and there is no evidence it was linked to the jab, autopsy finds An Italian music teacher who passed away a day after getting AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine likely died from a sudden heart problem that was not linked to the shot, according to the initial findings of an autopsy. Prosecutors opened a manslaughter investigation into the death of Sandro Tognatti, 57, a music teacher who died on Sunday a day after getting the shot. Sandro Tognatti, 57, a music teacher who died on Sunday But Sandro Tognatti, 57, who died in the town of Biella on Sunday, had no evidence of blood clots in his body and his heart and organs were in a good state of health, doctors who carried out the exam told Italian media today. Medics said their current conclusion is that he died due to a 'sudden cardiac event' but more detailed tests have been ordered, La Reppublica reported. There is no evidence to suggest his death was linked to the vaccine. The findings were announced a day after Italy suspended all use of AstraZeneca's jabs citing safety concerns, despite Europe's own medical regulator, the World Health Organization, and AstraZeneca itself insisting there is no link between clots and the vaccine. Most EU countries have now halted use of the jabs - the latest in a long-running spat between the drug-maker and Brussels - despite British MPs warning the continent's 'Brexit sulk' risked costing lives by undermining confidence in the British-made vaccine. The autopsy's findings feed into a host of other data suggesting the vaccine is safe, including data showing more people have developed blood clots after taking the German-made Pfizer vaccine - which Europe has not banned - than AstraZeneca's shot. Advertisement Whitehall sources claimed the suspensions were a 'cynical attempt to discredit' AstraZeneca in the wake of the bloc's row with the Anglo-Swedish drugs firm amid a shambolic rollout. 'I genuinely don't know what they are playing at,' said one insider. 'There is no data to support what they are doing. They just don't seem to be able to get over their disputes with AstraZeneca.' In Britain, Tory and Labour MPs highlighted the assurances given by regulators and experts as they appealed for Britons to ignore 'fake news' and accept invitations for jabs. Nearly half the UK population has now had their first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccine. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was 'crystal clear' the vaccine was safe, while Conservative backbencher Anthony Browne said European leaders were driven by 'politics not science'. 'The EU's Brexit sulk will cost EU lives,' he said. Among the 17million people across Europe who have received the vaccine there have been 37 reports of blood clots, which experts say is well below the expected level. Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon leapt to the defence of the jab yesterday, saying it is 'safe and effective' and no such side effects have been witnessed in the UK, which has used more doses than anywhere else in the world. The attempts to quell safety concerns over the jab came after a host of European nations announced they would be pausing their roll-out of the Oxford vaccine. Swedish chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said it was suspending the jabs as a 'precautionary measure'. Portugal, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Slovenia and Bulgaria have also called a halt to the AstraZeneca's vaccine. Meanwhile, Austria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Romania have stopped the use of one batch of the jab. Australian MP Matt Canavan said last night that he wants the country to follow the 17 European nations and stop using the vaccine. Italian prosecutors on Monday also launched a manslaughter probe after a music teacher died at the weekend just one day after receiving AstraZeneca's jab. The judiciary in Biella, a city in the north of the nation, opened a preliminary probe into 57-year-old Sandro Tognatti's death to decide whether there is a case to answer. Mr Magrini, the Italian medicines regulator said the AstraZeneca vaccine was safe and that the benefit to risk ratio of the jab is 'widely positive'. There have been eight deaths and four cases of serious side-effects following vaccinations in Italy, he added. German health minister Jens Spahn was accused by the opposition of caving in to political pressure by announcing the stoppage on Monday, which another German MP described as a potential 'catastrophe'. 'If AstraZeneca were completely dropped, that would be a catastrophe for Germany but also for the EU... there's no other vaccine that can replace it before the summer,' said epidemiologist-turned-politician Karl Lauterbach. Germany has already had problems with public reluctance to take the vaccine, with around 1.3million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine lying unused. Frank Ulrich Montgomery, a German doctor and council chair of the World Medical Association, warned: 'The bottom line is that this good and effective vaccine is hardly going to gain higher acceptance as a result of this kerfuffle and the suspension in many countries'. Spahn said the decision to suspend AstraZeneca shots was taken on the advice of the country's vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation into seven cases of clots in the brains of people who had been vaccinated. In France, a medical union condemned Emmanuel Macron's move to suspend vaccinations on Monday, accusing him of 'giving in to panic' and failing to consult doctors. The syndicate of private doctors 'believes that the subject of vaccination and the fight against Covid-19 is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians', it said. 'No clear instructions are given to doctors, who find themselves in the greatest embarrassment in the face of patients who are made more sceptical every day by the government's multiple communication errors'. Macron said he will suspend shots until later this week, when the EMA could lay out firmer findings. Many EU countries are seeing cases rise again with vaccines still coming too slowly to protect large chunks of the population against sickness and death The countries around the world that have stopped using the Oxford jab Europe: Sweden France Italy Spain Germany Iceland Portugal Ireland Bulgaria Denmark Slovenia Netherlands Norway Luxembourg Stopped using one batch: Austria Lithuania Latvia Estonia Romania Non-Europe: Indonesia Thailand Venezuela Advertisement Europe minister Clement Beaune indicated that the EU could sue AstraZeneca for breach of contract after supplies were lower than it hoped. 'Europe is not going to be some sort of cuddly 'care bear' that hands over its money and then expects nothing in return,' he told French radio. Paris's industry minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said refusing to pause the jabs would have fuelled 'mistrust'. And she suggested that the EU is determined to ratchet up the pressure on AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soirot to supply more doses. 'I think he is in the hot seat and that he absolutely aware of it,' she told France Info radio. 'In any business, there is a fiduciary responsibility, you have to be accountable. When you do not honour a contract, this can cause problems, individual problems.' Italy's drug regulator announced a temporary ban less than 24 hours after saying the 'alarm' over the vaccine was unjustified. And Spain said it will stop using the vaccine for two weeks while experts review its safety. But Belgian health minister Frank Vandenbroueke told local radio this morning: 'The health of people who have been vaccinated is much better than those who have not been vaccinated. Especially with older people. We will not let go of the older population. 'We have just started a major vaccination campaign. And they are vulnerable if they become infected. We know that our vaccines provide good protection against this. And we want to protect them. Especially now that the pandemic is gaining momentum.' News of the bans comes as Europe, the continent hardest hit by the pandemic, passed the 40-million-case mark. It is the latest episode in a long-running saga between the EU and drug-maker AstraZeneca over its vaccine, which has seen the bloc accuse the UK-based firm of nationalism, impose export bans on its jabs, and reopen old wounds with recently-departed Brexit Britain. Leading experts said it was 'reckless' to stop using the vaccine, that the decisions were 'baffling' and that the risk of catching the disease which kills around one in 200 people and can cause blood clots was far higher. Meanwhile, Italy will begin a new lockdown today, Paris is facing tighter measures as cases overwhelm hospitals, and German ICU doctors say an 'immediate' return to lockdown is necessary. Covid cases are also rising sharply in countries such as Sweden, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and non-EU member Serbia as experts warn that a third wave has begun. What deaths have been linked to the Oxford- AstraZeneca jab - and have they been proven? So far, more than 11 million doses of the Oxford jab have been administered in the UK alone, with countless more distributed worldwide. Out of the millions of vaccines already given, fewer than 50 reported blood-related issues post-vaccine, with no confirmed causal link to the jab. AstraZeneca, the World Health Organization and EU regulators have all rejected the blood clot fears. But even so, Ireland joined Denmark, Norway and Iceland in temporarily halting all AstraZeneca vaccinations following reports of 'serious blood clotting events' in Norway. Norwegian health authorities of Saturday confirmed that three healthcare workers who had the AstraZeneca jab were being treated in hospital for bleeding, blood clots and a low count of blood platelets. All three individuals in hospital in Norway for conditions including blood clots were under the age of 50. The Government were notified on Saturday. Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency reported one person in Austria was diagnosed with blood clots and died 10 days after vaccination - but it stressed there is 'currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions'. A further patient was admitted to hospital in Austria with pulmonary embolism - a blockage in the arteries in the lungs - after being vaccinated, while one death involving a blood clot was reported in Denmark. A 50-year-old man is also thought to have died in Italy from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), while there has been an unconfirmed report of another death in the country. Italy also followed Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and Lithuania in banning jabs from one particular batch of one million AstraZeneca vaccines, which was sent to 17 countries, after reports that a 49-year-old nurse died soon after getting one of the jabs. On Saturday, US boxer Marvin Hagler, died aged 66, after he reportedly suffered side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. What vaccine he received has not been confirmed and the link between his death and a jab has not been proven. Advertisement In a round of interviews this morning, Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast: 'Different countries have different approaches but I can tell you crystal clear that the UK regulator, the European EU regulator and the WHO all say that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and people should continue to take it.' He added: 'It is safe, people should get the vaccine and I think it has been very clear, both from the MHRA, the UK regulator, that the risks of taking the vaccine are no more than, in terms of for example blood clots, than the population at large. 'There is no extra risk on the evidence that we've seen, which is why they have authorised the vaccine and haven't taken any further action.' Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the decision to pause rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could be a 'disaster' for Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Europe. Asked what he would say to those in the UK who are booked to receive an Oxford jab, Prof Openshaw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I really wouldn't be worried at the present time. 'I think it is very clear that the benefits of being vaccinated at the moment so far outweigh the possible concern over this rather rare type of blood clot. 'It really is a completely one-sided argument statistically that we need to be vaccinating. 'I think it is a disaster for the vaccination uptake in Europe, which is already on slightly unsteady ground in some countries.' Asked why he thought the rollout pause had been taken so widely, he added: 'I think the committees are probably afraid of not making that decision to pause on the basis that they might be in some way thought culpable if they didn't, but actually these are such rare events.' Joao Vale de Almeida, the EU's representative in the UK, stressed it was not the bloc's decision to suspend rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine. But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that when there are doubts, the 'principle of caution prevails'. He added: 'It is not an EU decision, these are decisions taken by individual governments. 'Like the British Government, all our governments are worried, concerned and focused on the safety of citizens, when doubts appear for whatever reason I think the principle of caution prevails.' Sir David Spiegelhalter, a professor of statistics at Cambridge University, has compared the situation to the discredited claims that the MMR jab could trigger autism. 'There is mistrust in Europe about this specific vaccine, mainly due to grossly misleading statements that have been made about it,' he said. 'These pauses can only increase suspicion and cause more people not to have the vaccine and, God, Europe needs it. In Germany, cases are going up, it's got a higher death rate than the UK at the moment and they've got the AstraZeneca vaccine just sitting in fridges. 'I don't think you can consider these pauses as being cautious, they actually could be doing more harm than good.' The WHO and the EMA have made assurances that the vaccines are 'excellent and safe', with updated guidance expected to be issued later today. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency also insisted that while it was reviewing reports, 'the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause' of blood clots. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert from the University of Southampton, said the decisions across Europe to suspend the vaccine 'look baffling'. He added: 'The data we have suggests that numbers of adverse events related to blood clots are the same (and possibly, in fact lower) in vaccinated groups compared to unvaccinated populations. 'Halting a vaccine rollout during a pandemic has consequences. This results in delays in protecting people, and the potential for increased vaccine hesitancy, as a result of people who have seen the headlines and understandably become concerned.' Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, said it was 'reckless' to simply stop using the vaccine. He warned: 'I keep hearing the phrase 'abundance of caution' being used in reference to countries pausing rollout of the Oxford vaccine but is it really caution?' Tory MPs have said the chaotic situation underlined the failure of the EU to protect its citizens, and suggested political leaders were attacking the AstraZeneca vaccine as a smokescreen while the UK's roll-out forges ahead. Former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson accused the bloc of running a scare-mongering campaign against the vaccine, saying the EU launched a 'fake news' drive after it had bungling its orders for the jab. On a visit in Coventry yesterday, Boris Johnson said the UK had 'one of the toughest and most experienced regulators in the world'. 'They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programme... they believe that they are effective, highly effective in driving down not just hospitalisations but also serious disease and mortality. We continue to be very confident about the programme.' At her daily briefing, Nicola Sturgeon said the MRHA watchdog had confirmed 'there is no current evidence of an increase in blood clots being caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine'. 'There is, however, significant and growing evidence of the benefits of vaccination reducing death, illness and we hope now reducing transmission as well,' she said. 'For all these reasons and based on the advice and opinion of the MRHA, I'd continue to urge people to come forward for vaccination including with the AstraZeneca vaccine when you are invited to do so.' In a statement last night, the EMA said: 'Several authorities responsible for national vaccine campaigns in EU countries have temporarily paused vaccination with Covid Vaccine AstraZeneca. 'This is a precaution taken in the light of their national situation while EMA investigates a number of events of blood clots in people who had received the vaccine, as previously reported. 'Events involving blood clots, some with unusual features such as low numbers of platelets, have occurred in a very small number of people who received the vaccine. Should anyone in Britain who's had the AstraZeneca vaccine be concerned? The UK has used more doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine than anywhere else approximately 11million and both officials and scientists say there is no sign that it causes serious health problems. Side effects are normal, and around 53,000 have been officially reported across the UK so far, but the vast majority are mild and short-lived, such as headaches, muscle pains or fever. The 53,000 side effects out of 11million suggest just 0.5 per cent of people get them one in 200. The frequency of severe side effects is much lower. But not everyone records their mild side effects. British drugs regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which approved the vaccine, insists the jab is safe and says people should continue to take it. Vaccine safety chief Dr Phil Bryan said: 'We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause. 'People should still go and get their Covid vaccine when asked to do so.' The same message is being put out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on its vaccine rollout. Its deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden said on BBC Breakfast: 'Safety is absolutely paramount and we monitor this data very carefully. 'We have to remember that there are 3,000 blood clots a month on average in the general population and because we're immunising so many people, we are bound to see blood clots at the same time as the vaccination, and that's not because they are due to the vaccination. That's because they occur naturally in the population. 'One ought to also remember that Covid causes blood clots. So, the risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.' Advertisement 'Many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for different reasons. The number of thromboembolic events overall in vaccinated people seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population. 'EMA is working closely with the company, with experts in blood disorders, and with other health authorities including the UK's MHRA based on its experience with around 11million administered doses of the vaccine. 'EMA's investigation has been continuing over the weekend, and rigorous analysis of all the data related to thromboembolic events will be carried out in the coming days.' It added: 'Experts are looking in great detail at all the available data and clinical circumstances surrounding specific cases to determine whether the vaccine might have contributed or if the event is likely to have been due to other causes. 'EMA's safety committee (PRAC) will further review the information tomorrow (Tuesday) and has called an extraordinary meeting on Thursday 18 March to conclude on the information gathered and any further actions that may need to be taken. 'While its investigation is ongoing, EMA currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects. The EU now looks set to embrace Russia's Sputnik V Covid jab even as its leaders shun British-made AstraZeneca vaccines, with multiple countries halting its use over fears it could cause blood clots. European factories are gearing up to produce Russia's coronavirus vaccine as regulators move closer to approving it in the hopes of speeding up the continent's shambolic roll-out. Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's Direct Investment Fund which bank-rolled the Sputnik V jab, said today it has reached agreements with Italy, Spain, France and Germany to begin making the jab. The factories will then be used to supply Sputnik V vaccines to Europe 'once approval is granted by the European Medicines Agency,' Dimitriev said, in what would be a major PR coup for Vladimir Putin. Europe's health body began a review of the vaccine's safety last week after several countries, led by Hungary, broke ranks with the EU and began using the jab after Brussels' roll-out turned into a shambles. Dr Phil Bryan, a safety expert at the UK's medicines regulator (MHRA), said that 'people should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so'. 'We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause,' he said. The WHO has similarly rejected concerns saying there is no reason not to keep using the AstraZeneca shot. FRANCE: Infections have climbed to their highest levels since a November lockdown (left) despite a weeks-long curfew intended to ward off a third complete shutdown. More than 90,000 people have died and the daily death rate (right) has been persistently above 200 per day since the end of October GERMANY: Cases are rising again in a trend blamed on the British variant (left), complicating efforts to lift a weeks-long lockdown which has drained public faith in the government's response. Deaths have finally fallen marginally below the peak of the first wave (right) but would be likely to rise again if infections soar back to Christmas levels as scientists fear ITALY: Tougher restrictions are coming in today to stem a rise in infections (left), almost a year exactly after Italy became the first country to impose a nationwide stay-at-home order. Deaths have ticked up again in the last two weeks (right), with 2,360 fatalities added to the tally in the last seven days compared to 2,086 the previous week Left: Ireland - whose infection rate is shown in blue, compared to the UK in red - has paused the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in a move which could imperil its plans to exit lockdown. Right: How the UK's infection rate compares to Germany's Italy and France are now seeing Covid cases start to rise as new and more-infectious variant of the disease begin to spread - while the UK's number of cases drop due to lockdown restrictions and a fast vaccine rollout Two doses of Pfizer or Oxford vaccine 'give the same protection against Covid as catching and recovering from disease' Two doses of either Pfizer or AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine offer the same protection against the illness as getting infected and recovering, research suggests. A study of 13,000 health workers in England revealed no-one who received both jabs suffered symptomatic illness in the fortnight after their booster dose. That's compared to the two per cent of Covid survivors who fell ill with the virus after recovering from an earlier infection. The sample size was too small to say for definite the vaccines gave more protection than previous illness. Oxford University researchers who carried out the research said the findings applied to the more infectious, and possibly deadlier, Kent variant. They also found a single dose of either vaccine reduced the number of people with symptomatic illness by 67 per cent. This finding highlights that healthcare workers 'should take up second vaccines as soon as these are available', they said. Dr Katie Jeffery, director of infection prevention and control at Oxford University Hospitals, who was involved in the study, said: 'We are grateful to the thousands of staff who work at OUH's hospitals who have taken part in the testing programme. 'In this case it is significant that two doses of the vaccines offer similar levels of protection to natural immunity, and that we saw no symptomatic infections among those staff who had had two vaccine doses. Advertisement Last month, countries led by the likes of France and Germany blocked AstraZeneca jabs from being used in over-65s and claimed it wasn't effective, before being forced to reverse their stance after data proved otherwise. Eurocrats were also involved in a bitter row with the UK-Swedish drug-maker back in January when they effectively accused bosses of playing favourites with Brexit Britain by fulfilling all of its vaccine orders while delaying those meant for the continent. Europe is presiding over one of the world's slowest vaccine roll-outs having given first jabs to just eight per cent of its population, while the UK has given first jabs to at least 35 per cent. The shambolic roll-out has left the continent vulnerable to a third wave of Covid infections which are already beginning, with multiple countries forced to tighten lockdowns once again. Tougher restrictions are coming into force in Italy today, while Paris is having to airlift patients out of overwhelmed hospitals and experts in Germany warn that the British variant could send infections spiralling again by Easter. Ireland is hoping to vaccinate 80 per cent of adults by the end of June but is relying on around 800,000 AstraZeneca doses being shipped in the spring and summer. Dublin says that 'ongoing and steady progress on the vaccination programme' is needed before 'any significant easing of measures is contemplated' - meaning a lengthy delay could leave Ireland stuck in lockdown. The ban in the Netherlands came as voters deliver their verdict on the country's coronavirus response on the first of three days of balloting in a snap election, weeks after a curfew led to several nights of rioting in major cities. While Dutch authorities said it was 'wise to press the pause button now as a precaution', a series of top UK officials have rejected fears over the Oxford jab, saying the risks of Covid-19 are greater than those of vaccination. In Ireland, health officials said there had been a 'small number of reports' of blood clots but none of them as serious as those described in Norway. Irish authorities had recently been pushing AstraZeneca to speed up its vaccine supplies to the Republic, where 117,500 doses of the jab have been used so far. A government plan to speed up the roll-out anticipates around 50,000 people per week getting the AstraZeneca shot from April to June. Ronan Glynn, Ireland's deputy chief medical officer, said he hoped the delay would last only a week - with lockdown exit plans depending on the vaccine drive. 'We have a safety signal and when we get those we have to act and proceed on the basis of a precautionary principle,' he said. 'So hopefully, as this week goes on, we'll get more reassuring data from the EMA and we can recommence the programme. 'It may be nothing, we may be overreacting, and I sincerely hope that in a week's time we are accused of being overcautious.' Norway said on Saturday that it had received reports of people 'bleeding under the skin' after receiving the shot, warning it could be a sign of low blood platelet counts. The Nordic country suspended the AstraZeneca jab on Thursday and has since revealed that three more people have been treated in hospital for blood clots or brain haemorrhages soon after their vaccination. But it said there was no proof of a link between the vaccine and the reported blood clots, which are now being probed by the country's medicines agency. Dutch authorities blamed Norway's findings in part for their own decision to pause AstraZeneca vaccines, saying they were taking a 'precautionary measure pending further investigation'. 'The crucial question is whether these are complaints after or because of the vaccination,' Dutch health minister Hugo de Jonge said in a statement. 'We still need to be careful, so it is wise to press the pause button now as a precaution.' No similar cases are currently known in the Netherlands, the ministry said, but it advised people who had received the vaccine to contact their doctor if they develop 'unexpected and/or unknown' symptoms after three days. Austria has separately suspended the use of one batch of AstraZeneca vaccines after a 49-year-old nurse died of 'severe blood coagulation problems'. Several others including Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg have also suspended the use of vaccines from the so-called ABV5300 batch, a shipment of one million doses which was sent to 17 European countries. Italy's Piedmont region meanwhile banned a separate batch, ABV5811, on Sunday after a teacher died following his vaccination the previous day. The region had initially suspended all AstraZeneca vaccines until it tracked down the batch in question, which is now being probed by safety experts. 'It is an act of extreme prudence, while we verify whether there is a connection. There have been no critical issues with the administration of vaccines to date,' Luigi Genesio Icardi, head of regional health services, said in a statement. AstraZeneca says it has found no increased risk of blood clot conditions in its analysis of 17million administered doses. The company says that the numbers of blood clots 'are lower than the number that would have occurred naturally in the unvaccinated population'. AstraZeneca has been embroiled in a row with EU leaders since the start of the year when it announced it would not be able to supply the number of doses promised. Since then, European leaders have bitterly criticised the company and cast doubt on the vaccine's efficacy while at the same time blocking some exports of doses. Combined with bureaucratic delays and vaccine hesitancy in some countries, the supply chaos has left the EU lagging way behind the UK and US in handing out jabs to its 447million people. That has left countries such as France and Italy exposed to a third wave with only a fairly small proportion of the population protected against Covid-19 and herd immunity nowhere in sight. The UK has given first doses to 24.2million people and second doses to 1.6million as of Sunday The French government has been relying on curfews for months - along with the long-term closures of restaurants and some other businesses - to try to avoid a costly new lockdown. But localized outbreaks are raising questions about the government's virus-fighting strategy. Daily infections have risen to an average of nearly 24,000, the highest level since a November lockdown, and more than 90,000 people have died. Meanwhile in Germany, Angela Merkel's party took a kicking in regional elections on Sunday as the public loses faith in her government's handling of the crisis. Merkel's Christian Democrats slumped to historic defeats in two states amid frustration at the long lockdown and a scandal involving lawmakers who allegedly profited from mask procurement. The party had enjoyed a bounce in the polls during Germany's early success against the pandemic, but it looks to have largely evaporated in recent months. Merkel is not running for a fifth term in office at September's election but the party's poor performance will re-ignite questions over who should succeed her. Italy has imposed new lockdown measures starting today, with a majority of the country placed in new 'red zones' where all shops except essential ones shuttered and travel outside the home restricted (pictured, Rome is deserted due to lockdown) Venice was near-empty on Monday with its famous gondolas idle as new lockdown measures came into force, with only one region of the whole country - Sardinia - remaining lockdown-free What is the truth about AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine and blood clots? Drug giant claims to have seen 37 events in 17million jabs, which top scientists say is LOWER than would be expected There is 'no signal' that the Oxford and AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is causing blood clots, scientists have said in response to scaremongering from European officials. At least five EU countries have stopped using the jab on members of the public after reports of people developing clots after having it in some nations. But regulators and scientists say there's no proof that the vaccine had anything to do with this or that blood clots are any more likely after having it. AstraZeneca has reported just 37 blood clot-related events out of 17million people who have been vaccinated so far in the UK and EU. There had been 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis, usually affecting the legs, and 22 pulmonary embolisms in the lungs. Oxford's Professor Andrew Pollard (left) and the JCVI's Professor Anthony Harnden (right) both said there is no evidence that the vaccine was causing blood clots, but there is evidence it is saving lives The chief medical officer at the firm said these numbers were actually lower than the 'hundreds' that would normally be expected in an average group that size. And one scientist said countries ditching the vaccine were 'reckless' because Covid-19 is so dangerous. Britain has used more doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine than anywhere else in the world over 11million and there has been no sign of a rise in blood clots. NI medical chief has 'safe and effective' AZ vaccine Northern Ireland's chief medical officer said he did not hesitate in having an AstraZeneca vaccine, despite the temporary pause of its rollout in the Irish Republic. Dr Michael McBride received his first jab on Monday as the vaccination programme north of the border opened to those aged 50 and above. The latest phase of the rollout was announced after the Irish Republic joined a number of other European countries in temporarily suspending use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine after reports from Norway of a small number of vaccinated people who had developed serious blood clots. Dr McBride, who received his shot at the Ulster Hospital at Dundonald near Belfast, insisted the vaccine was 'safe and effective'. He said the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had made clear there was no evidence of a link between the vaccine and reported cases of blood clots. He said there had been no reported concerns of vaccine linkage to clotting in Northern Ireland. 'I didn't need to be called a second time this morning when the opportunity was to get my vaccine,' he said. Advertisement Professor Anthony Harnden, from the UK's official vaccination committee, said there was proof the vaccine would save lives from Covid but no proof it could lead to blood clots. He said: 'The risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.' Oxford's Professor Andrew Pollard, who helped develop the vaccine, said 'a lot of stuff happens to people all the time... so, when you put a vaccination campaign on top of that, clearly those blood clots still happen.' Professor Pollard said there are 3,000 blood clots every month in normal times so it wasn't unusual to see people develop them. And people getting the first Covid vaccines are at higher than average risk of clots because they are older or unhealthy. What is the blood clot controversy? Experts in the UK have had to leap to the Oxford jab's defence after countries in Europe said they wouldn't use it while the blood clots were investigated. Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria and the Republic of Ireland have all paused the use of the vaccine because of concerns about blood clots. Although clots are very common they can be serious and even deadly, potentially triggering strokes, heart attacks or blockages in the lungs. Fears about the clots were escalated when patients died with clot-related illnesses in Austria, Denmark and Italy. The European Medicines Agency said it has received 30 reports of people developing blood clots within days of having the vaccine, out of a total five million people. It is carrying out a review of these cases to see if there is a link to the vaccine. But the numbers suggest that 4,999,970 out of the 5m did not get blood clots. What does AstraZeneca say about the risk of blood clots? In the midst of the crisis AstraZeneca put out a statement last night, March 14. It said it has reported just 37 blood clot-related events out of 17million people who have been vaccinated so far in the UK and EU. There have been 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis, which usually affects the legs, and 22 pulmonary embolisms, which are blood clots in the lungs. Chief medical officer at the pharmaceutical firm, Ann Taylor, said: 'Around 17 million people in the EU and UK have now received our vaccine, and the number of cases of blood clots reported in this group is lower than the hundreds of cases that would be expected among the general population. 'The nature of the pandemic has led to increased attention in individual cases and we are going beyond the standard practices for safety monitoring of licensed medicines in reporting vaccine events, to ensure public safety.' The AstraZeneca vaccine is one of the main jabs being used in the UK and scientists say they haven't yet noticed an increase in the number of blood clots developing (stock image) What do vaccine officials in the UK say about the claims? The UK has used more doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine than anywhere else approximately 11million and officials and scientists insist there is no sign that it causes serious health problems. Side effects are common, and around 53,000 have been reported across the UK so far, but the vast majority are mild and short-lived, such as headaches, muscle pains or fever. British drugs regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has insisted the vaccine is safe and said people should continue to take it. Its vaccine safety chief Dr Phil Bryan said: 'We are closely reviewing reports but given the large number of doses administered, and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause. 'People should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so.' The same message is being put out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government on its vaccine rollout. Its deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden said on BBC Breakfast: 'Safety is absolutely paramount and we monitor this data very carefully. 'We have given 11million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to date and there's no demonstrable difference between the blood clots in those that have been vaccinated from those in the general population. 'We have to remember that there are 3,000 blood clots a month on average in the general population and because we're immunising so many people, we are bound to see blood clots at the same time as the vaccination, and that's not because they are due to the vaccination. That's because they occur naturally in the population. 'One ought to also remember that Covid causes blood clots. So, the risks of not having the Covid vaccination far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations.' What are blood clots and why should we care? Blood clots are lumps of solid blood that form inside veins and arteries, which they shouldn't do. The clotting process is normal and vital for the body to heal itself when it gets injured, such as when skin is cut and blood congeals and forms a scab. But if this happens inside blood vessels it can lead to serious damage to the internal organs. If a clot forms on the wall of a vessel and doesn't move it is less serious than one that moves around the body. Clots in the arteries are generally more dangerous than clots in the veins because they can get into the brain or the lungs, causing a stroke or a pulmonary embolism, but clots in the veins may travel to the heart and trigger a heart attack. Blood clots that travel around the body can cause damage in any organ that they lodge in, because they can block the flow of blood and starve it of oxygen. Symptoms of blood clots include pain, tenderness and swelling. They most commonly develop in the legs and may then move to other bits of the body. Experts say around 3,000 people develop a blood clot each month in the UK. Covid-19 is known to cause blood clotting in almost everyone who gets seriously ill with it which suggests that, for many people, even the risk of a clot being caused by a vaccine would be smaller than the risk of catching coronavirus. What do scientists say about the blood clotting row? Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, said it was 'reckless' to simply stop using the vaccine. He said in a tweet: 'I keep hearing the phrase 'abundance of caution' being used in reference to countries pausing rollout of [the Oxford vaccine] but is it really caution? 'Isn't it actually reckless to expose your population to Covid-19 unnecessarily? Data needed or carry on vaccinating.' And Professor Pollard, who ran the clinical trials of Oxford's vaccine, added on BBC Radio 4: 'A lot of stuff happens to people all the time in normal times and, in the case of blood clots here in the UK, we see about 3,000 cases of blood clots happening every month. 'So, when you then put a vaccination campaign on top of that, clearly those blood clots still happen and you've got to then try and separate out whether when they occur they are at all related to the vaccine or not.' He said it was 'very clearly' shown in MHRA reports that blood clots were not happening any more often than they normally would. Professor Pollard added: 'It's absolutely critical that we don't have a problem of not vaccinating people and have the balance of a huge risk a known risk of Covid against what appears so far from the data that we've got from the regulators no signal of a problem.' Professor David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, said in a Guardian column that the links between the jabs and the blood clots could be 'the basic and often creative urge to find patterns even where none exist'. He said: 'Deep vein thromboses (DVTs) happen to around one person per 1,000 each year, and probably more in the older population being vaccinated. 'Working on the basis of these figures, out of 5 million people getting vaccinated, we would expect significantly more than 5,000 DVTs a year, or at least 100 every week. So it is not at all surprising that there have been 30 reports.' And Professor Spiegelhalter added: 'So far, these vaccines have shown themselves to be extraordinarily safe. 'In fact, it's perhaps surprising that we haven't heard more stories of adverse effects.' The nervous, and sometimes even hysterical, reaction of Russia to the Crimean platform confirms that Ukraine is on the right track, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. "I believe that seven years after the start of the illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, after all those systemic violations of human rights that Russia committed in the occupied territories, it is not only politically and legally, but also morally correct to support the Crimean platform. And that nervous and sometimes even hysterical reaction to the Crimean platform that we hear from Russia confirms that we are on the right track. Crimea was, is and will be Ukraine," he said at a press conference following talks with Slovenian Foreign Minister Anze Logar in Kyiv on Tuesday. The minister said the very adoption of the strategy for the de-occupation of Crimea is already a huge step forward and recalled that since 2014 there has not been a single document in Ukraine that would comprehensively summarize all the steps and approaches necessary for the de-occupation of Crimea. "For the implementation of the strategy, the government will approve a detailed action plan on what will be done specifically. This action plan will be divided into two blocks. The first is domestic policy, and the second is what needs to be done in foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be responsible for the international aspect. And here, of course, the key initiative is the launch of the Crimean platform," he said. Illegal Immigrants Sentenced to Prison for Running Meth Lab Near Georgia Elementary School Three illegal immigrants have been sentenced to federal prison for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine in a Norcross, Georgia, home where a child lived and less than 200 feet from an elementary school. Roberto Arroyo-Garcia, 39, a Mexican national who has history of two deportations related to drug convictions, was sentenced Monday to 22 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a press release. Zury Brito-Arroyo, 28, and Bonifacio Brito-Maldonado, 24, who also both illegally entered the United Sates from Mexico, received 21 and 19 years in prison to be followed by 10 and five years of supervised release, respectively. The three, all cousins, pleaded guilty in October 2019. According to the DOJ, immigration agents investigating meth distribution in 2017 were led to the Norcross house they believed was being utilized as a meth lab. While agents were watching the house, Georgia State Patrol troopers stopped Brito-Arroyo as he was driving away from it with his 5-year-old child and wife. Troopers found $10,000 in cash wrapped in cellophane in the car, as well as a 9mm pistol. Agents then searched the house and found Arroyo-Garcia and Brito-Maldonado actively operating a methamphetamine laboratory in a backyard shed. According to court fillings, chemical fumes coming from their operation were so strong that one of the men began vomiting. Agents seized more than 23.6 pounds of finished crystal methamphetamine from the shed and inside the house, some of which was over 90 percent pure, additional methamphetamine in liquid form that had not been fully processed into solid form for distribution, another 9mm pistol, more than $8,500 in cash and other methamphetamine trafficking paraphernalia, including respirators, rubber gloves and digital scales. Agents also found childrens clothes inside the house. They later confirmed that a 10-year-old child related to the men lived there. Another residence used by Brito-Arroyo was also searched. The agents found another 9mm pistol, an electronic money counter, and four bundles of cash totaling $41,000, the release stated. According to Katrina Berger, a special agent for the Department of Homeland Security, one of the devastating consequences of meth production is toxic vapors and deadly chemicals that threaten the health of children living nearby. These chemicals pose extreme danger to anyone in the vicinity, Berger said in Mondays statement. The innocent children in the school next door and even the other family members in the household were placed in danger due to the defendants recklessness. While the DOJ release didnt specify the name of the school, it was identified by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as Rockbridge Elementary School, a Norcross public school with about 1,250 students in grades K-5. These men ran a lab churning out volatile and toxic chemicals to produce concentrated methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine said. In doing so, they were exposing not only members of their own family, including children, an expectant mother, and a grandmother, to serious harm, but also innocent neighbors and school children who were completely unaware of the danger. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: A Russian military court has postponed a hearing into a lawsuit filed by jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny for the refusal by Russian military investigators to open a probe into his poisoning with a nerve agent in Siberia last August. The judge of the 235th Garrison Court on March 16 adjourned the hearing until March 22 after Navalny refused to take part via a video link from the prison complex where he is being held. Navalny described tight controls at his prison, where he was moved several days ago, in a letter posted on March 15, saying they include hourly checks during the night. Navalny's Instagram posting of the letter confirmed for the first time that he had arrived at a notorious prison colony in Pokrov in the Vladimir region, 85 kilometers east of Moscow, which stands out among Russian penitentiary facilities for its particularly strict regime. Navalny described the prison, IK-2, as a friendly concentration camp. He said that he hasn't seen even a hint of violence there but faced overwhelming controls that he compared to George Orwell's classic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four." The anti-corruption campaigner's complaint stems from August 2020 when, in a critical condition, he was flown from Siberia to Germany, where he was diagnosed with poisoning with what was confirmed by several European labs as a Novichok-type nerve agent. Navalny's lawyers filed a lawsuit against several officers of the Federal Security Service who were implicated by the Bellingcat investigative group in the operation to poison Navalny. However, the Main Military Investigative Directorate refused to launch a probe and Navalny's lawyers filed another lawsuit, this time against the investigative directorates inactivity in the case. The Kremlin critic has accused President Vladimir Putin of ordering the poisoning, but Russian authorities have denied any involvement. After receiving treatment in Germany, Navalny returned on January 17 to Moscow, where he was immediately arrested. On February 2, a court in Moscow 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 imposed a series of sanctions against Russia over the Navalny case. With reporting by TASS, MBKh Media, and Interfax Police officers wearing protective face masks walk past the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin in Moscow on March 13, 2021 (AFP via Getty Images) A newly declassified American intelligence report says Russia sought to sway US voters towards Donald Trump and away from Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 presidential election. The assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence says a network of Ukraine-linked individuals connected to the Kremlin perpetrated a 2020 misinformation campaign aimed a "denigrating" Biden similar to its 2016 efforts to undermine public confidence in the electoral process exacerbate sociopolitical divisions. On Capitol Hill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned Democrats that scrapping the chambers filibuster rule will lead to a completely scorched earth that would see GOP member turns the Biden administrations agenda into a 100-car pile-up. The president himself, meanwhile, hit the road on his Covid-relief "help is here" victory lap, telling reporters he has no plans to visit the US-Mexico border to see what Democrat Senator Joe Manchin is now labelling a "crisis". The Biden administration has refused to recognize the situation as a "crisis", with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said officials are doing their best to tackle a difficult situation. In Trump-world, the ex-president's inner circle is encouraging him to release a public service announcement on the Covid-19 vaccine as Republican voters increasingly avoid getting the dose. Company's sustainability strategy focuses on maximizing social and environmental impact, aligning to its insurance and asset management businesses TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. ("Sun Life") (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) today announced sustainable investing and climate change actions that will drive meaningful outcomes for a lower carbon, more inclusive economy. These commitments bolster Sun Life's sustainability strategy, while supporting the company's purpose of helping Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. "Our sustainability and climate change actions to increase sustainable investing, achieve carbon neutral operations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions contribute to our sustainability priorities. Our actions will have an environmental and social impact for our Clients, employees and our communities for generations to come," said Melissa Kennedy, Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer and Public Affairs and Executive Sponsor of Sustainability for Sun Life. "Sun Life remains active in supporting the transition to a lower carbon, more inclusive economy and as a company we are continuously identifying new ways we can advance this outcome." Sustainable Investing Sun Life has set a goal to invest an additional C$20 billion in sustainable investments over the next five years across its General Account and third party investments.1 2 These additional investments may range from renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable buildings, clean transportation, water management, and social infrastructure projects, such as hospitals. Sun Life currently has close to C$60 billion invested in sustainable investments combining assets through the General Account and SLC Management's third party investments. Kennedy added, "As a global insurance and asset management company, Sun Life is taking an active role in sustainable investing, but more importantly it shows how we're holding ourselves accountable as a trusted and responsible business." Many of Sun Life's sustainable investments have created meaningful outcomes in the lives of others. In 2020, the company made 46 new sustainable investments with 12 focused on providing access to essential services and 13 investments in energy efficiency, including energy and water efficiency projects across several school buildings in the state of Missouri. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are one important lens in Sun Life's investment decision-making process to identify opportunities and risks. In 2020, Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada received an "A" on all scored modules in the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)'s annual global evaluation of responsible investing.3 Sun Life also achieved a top global ranking in the annual GRESB Real Estate Benchmark for its General Account, ranking second in Canada and sixth globally for the Diversified, Non-listed, Core peer group.4 Carbon Neutral Operations Starting this year, business operations around the world for both Sun Life and MFS, Sun Life's premier global asset management firm, will be carbon neutral. Sun Life continues to drive initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including enhancing the energy efficiency of its office spaces. MFS has already taken a number of actions to enhance energy efficiency in its physical offices and will continue to seek additional opportunities to further reduce its carbon impact. Sun Life also plans to introduce an internal carbon charge for business air travel when it lifts its current COVID-19 travel restrictions for employees. GHG Emission Intensity Targets Recognizing that buildings account for about one-third of GHG emissions worldwide and consume 40 per cent of global energy,5 Sun Life continues to reduce its GHG emissions intensity6 across its offices and real estate investment properties globally. In 2019, a year ahead of schedule, Sun Life met its 2020 target to reduce GHG emissions intensity7 by 20 per cent. The company is working towards reducing its GHG emissions intensity8 by 30 per cent by 2030. SLC Management and MFS have joined the Climate Action 100+ initiative, an investor-led initiative to ensure the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change. The company's approach to addressing climate change also involves strengthening its ability to evaluate and report on potential impacts. Sun Life included its first disclosures in line with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations in its 2020 Annual Management Discussion & Analysis. The company will publish its 2020 Sustainability Report on March 25, 2021 at sunlife.com/sustainability. About Sun Life's Sustainability Plan Sun Life's Sustainability Plan builds from a foundation as a trusted and responsible business. At its core is a focus on the areas where Sun Life can make the most positive social and environmental impact: increasing financial security, fostering healthier lives and advancing sustainable investing. Sun Life's Sustainability Plan also focuses on minimizing its environmental footprint, supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, data security and privacy, governance and ethics and risk management. In 2019, Sun Life also became the first life insurance company in the world to issue a sustainability bond. To learn more about Sun Life's Sustainability Report visit www.sunlife.com/en/sustainability/. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1,247 billion. For more information please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. Forward-looking information In this news release, "we", "our" and "us" refer to Sun Life and its subsidiaries and joint ventures. Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking, including, but not limited to, statements (i) relating to our growth strategies and strategic objectives, (ii) relating to our anticipated sustainable investment commitments, (iii) that are not historical or that are predictive in nature or that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and (iv) that include words such as "intends to", "will", and similar expressions. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbour provisions" of applicable Canadian securities laws and of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements in this news release represent our current expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events as of the time of this news release and are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and are based on key factors and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Some of these assumptions and risks and uncertainties are described further in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2020 under the heading "Forward-looking Statements", in the risk factors set out in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 under the heading "Risk Factors", in the other factors detailed in the Company's annual and interim financial statements and in the Company's other filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators, which are available for review at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars Media Relations Contact: Abigail Bueno Manager, Corporate Communications 416-802-8107 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: Leigh Chalmers SVP & Head of Investor Relations Capital Markets 647-256-8201 [email protected] _________________________________ 1 Forward Looking statement. See full statement at the end of the news release. 2 Excludes MFS, Sun Life's premier global asset management company 3 For copies of 2020 PRI Assessment and Transparency reports, contact [email protected] 4 BentallGreenOak (November 24, 2020), BentallGreenOak's global real estate investment platform receives top accolades in the 2020 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), marking 10 years of leadership in ESG [Press Release]. Retrieved from https://www.bentallgreenoak.com/press-release-2020-11-24.php 5 UNEP Finance Initiative, BentallGreenOak and REALPAC. "Global ESG Survey Results," 2019. 6 Sun Life calculates year-over-year reductions annually and reports cumulatively versus the 2014 baseline. This includes GHG emissions resulting from energy, water, and waste (where weight data exists), and normalized to remove the impact of changing weather, occupancy and exceptional loads, for Real Estate Investment properties where Sun Life has financial control, and global corporate real estate properties >40,000 ft where Sun Life has financial control. Reported reductions account for the purchase of renewable energy credits and carbon offsets (market-based reporting). 7 Sun Life calculates year-over-year reductions annually and reports cumulatively versus the 2014 baseline. This includes GHG emissions resulting from energy, water, and waste (where weight data exists), and normalized to remove the impact of changing weather, occupancy and exceptional loads, for Real Estate Investment properties where Sun Life has financial control, and global corporate real estate properties >40,000 ft where Sun Life has financial control. Reported reductions account for the purchase of renewable energy credits and carbon offsets (market-based reporting). 8 Sun Life calculates year-over-year reductions annually and reports cumulatively versus the 2014 baseline. This includes GHG emissions resulting from energy, water, and waste (where weight data exists), and normalized to remove the impact of changing weather, occupancy and exceptional loads, for Real Estate Investment properties where Sun Life has financial control, and global corporate real estate properties >40,000 ft where Sun Life has financial control. Reported reductions account for the purchase of renewable energy credits and carbon offsets (market-based reporting). SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc. Related Links http://www.sunlife.com The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the latest federal agency to announce its plans to enforce discrimination protections for LGBT individuals, citing a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that a leading conservative organization warns could have future implications for people of faith. Last week's interpretive rule asserts that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits banks or lenders from prohibiting credit or lending services based solely on LGBT status or gender identification. In issuing this interpretive rule, were making it clear that lenders cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity, acting CFPB Director David Uejio said in a statement. The CFPB will ensure that consumers are protected against such discrimination and provided equal opportunities in credit. CFPBs Tuesday statement cites the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the ruling that determined Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned sex-based discrimination, also applies to sexual orientation and gender identity. Source:The Christian Post It is not clear what Finlayson did immediately after leaving school, but she develops an interest in philosophy and one can imagine her haunting public libraries, quizzing archivists, bringing home briefcases full of books and educating herself. After a few years she enrolls full-time in a "further education college" to prepare for GCSEs and A Levels. It is heaven: no register, no detention, no uniform. At a relaxed student snack bar, she chats with classmates, quaffs bottles of Fosters and smokes weed. She tells her tutor she wants to prepare for Cambridge. Well, I like to think that I look like Johnny Depp, he replies. But she is accepted by Cambridge and graduates with a First, the highest distinction. Now in her 30 she teaches at Exeter University and is a widely published scholar. Finlayson conflates schools with police and prisons. She cites Ivan Illich (Deschooling Society), Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed) and A.S. Neill (Summerhill) radical educators of an earlier day whose thought she thinks deserves a revival. She asks us to imagine learning being done differently. There were not always police, prisons and schools, she writes. "Affordability is driving this trend," says Kelcy Pegler, FlexGen CEO. "Battery systems are a 20+-year asset that can deliver reliable, renewable power. We are proud to provide utilities with affordable solutions and help with their flexible generation needs. "The brains behind each of our successful battery projects is our proprietary FlexGen HybridOS energy management software platform," continues Pegler. "FlexGen HybridOS runs the entire system and immediately deploys stored power from the batteries to the grid, to provide utilities with reliable, smooth, uninterrupted power. Battery storage systems are a great investment for utilities that want to avoid costly infrastructure upgrades and enhance resiliency to combat increased natural disasters such as cold weather events, wildfires and hurricanes." FlexGen's proprietary HybridOS software platform is fully qualified to provide all market services by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and compliant with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) guidelines. HybridOS is actively delivering value for its partners across multiple markets. Three reasons utilities invest in BESS In addition to affordable pricing, batteries are being deployed in a variety of applications that are delivering tangible value and operational flexibility to utilities in every region of the United States. Some recent examples of innovative applications of FlexGen's advanced battery energy storage technology include: 1. Loadshifting. BESS allows utilities to 'loadshift," giving the communities they serve extra power and peace of mind. "Loadshifting" is a utility trend for resiliency essentially, the BESS soaks up extra electricity like a sponge to smooth out power quality issues to provide cleaner power when demand spikes and residents need it most. Kansas Power Pool, for example just partnered with FlexGen to install the largest battery project in the state in order to even out power surges and provide reliable, consistent power for rate holders 24/7. The utility serving Panguitch, Utah, did the same thing to accommodate demand when tourists, heading to Bryce Canyon National Park, descend on the town during the summer. 2. Amps up solar and wind power. Texas utilities are pairing their solar and wind farms with batteries to collect excess energy to use when the wind stops blowing and the sun stops shining. Batteries also help the transmission grid operate better. Texas' largest battery being built in the Texas Hill Country by FlexGen and CATL will help with the transmission of excess solar energy that needs to travel from one region of the state to another. Additionally, when the grid glitched in February during the Texas winter storm, FlexGen BESS installations performed as expected with 99% uptime. 3. Decarbonize the grid. BESS replaces outdated, fossil-fueled turbines and engines used to provide reliable generation in times of high demand peaking resources and units used to essentially jump start or "black start" large natural gas-fueled power stations. For example, one Indiana utility replaced its diesel generators with a 12 MW, 5.4 MWh battery system to fire up two 77 MW natural gas turbines. The large battery was used to black start a 112 MVA generation step-up transformer which feeds the turbines' power into the transmission power network. About FlexGen FlexGen is the second-largest U.S. energy storage technology company, and first in Texas with 80% market share. Leveraging its best-in-class energy management software and power electronics, FlexGen delivers utility-scale storage projects integrated with traditional and renewable power generation globally. Our customers and partners include the most technically and commercially demanding developers, utilities, government agencies and industrial companies in the world. For more information, visit www.flexgen.com. Media Contact: Karen Carrera, 972-207-1935 [email protected] SOURCE FlexGen Related Links http://www.flexgen.com/ Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Archaeologist Bhujang R. Bobade and his team discovered a 2000-plus year old vabe hidden in the forested hills of Maha-MP borders, while on a Sunday picnic. Image Source: IANS News Jalgaon : , March 16 (IANS) A casual Sunday outing in the forests near the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border by an archaeologist resulted in a major discovery - a 2,000-plus year old mystery cave dating back to the Satavahana dynasty era. The cave is hidden and obviously in a secret location, 9 km from the nearest human habitat -- Chaugav village in Jalgaon district, said proud discoverer Bhujang R. Bobade, also a history scholar. "We had actually gone to visit the ruins of the fort built there by Gavli kings, deep in the forested hills. Outside the main entrance of the fort, on the left side, there is a large cave with 2 entry points leading to different directions. This is where we made the new discovery," Bobade told IANS. The entry to the large cave is through a water tank measuring 8 by 2 feet, after which there are rock cut pillars, said Bobade, 38, the Director of Archives & Museum Department at the Deccan Archaelogical and Cultural Research Institute, Hyderabad. Since the entry is very narrow and low, he said one can approach only in a kneeling position from the fresh water, at least two feet high level, in the tank. The path opens up into a massive cave measuring 30 by 30 feet, which is also filled with water round the year, fed from four other bigger water tanks above, serving as a watering hole for the wild animals. "This cave is barren. There are no symbols, carvings or statues of any gods or goddesses. It is filled with murky water, with a slippery floor and the possibility of several dangerous reptiles lurking beneath," Bobade revealed. The picnickers included his 8-year old son Atharva, and friends Dr Gopal Patil, Vishram Tele and Ashok Patil, who were on the threshold of making a huge discovery post-lunch on March 14. Exploring outside, they climbed up another 15-20 feet and stumbled across another small, dry and barren cave, measuring around 120 square feet, above the large, water-filled cave below. "This was a pleasant surprise for us all. My friends occasionally visit the fort and some have gone upto the large wet cave... But nobody has ever seen or heard about the smaller cave barely two floors above, hidden in the thick greenery," said Bobade. They clicked pictures, and selfies from all angles and returned home excitedly to narrate their potentially big discovery. "I sent the pictures for identification to an expert, Dr. E. Sivanagi Reddy, the former Assistant Director of Archaeology, Andhra Pradesh. He immediately identified these as belonging to the Satavahana era, and carved out around 2,000-2,200 years ago," Bobade said, on his crowning achievement after having explored more than 850 caves or cave complexes around the country. Explaining the unique aspects, he said that these caves are approachable only through a watery route, which is unseen anywhere in India, and are carved out on an erstwhile ancient trade route going from Maharashtra via MP to the north. "It is possible that the wealthy traders of those times may have lived there for days or months for business purposes and could have used these secret caves for depositing their valuable goods or money," Bobade speculates. Another probability is these caves, invisible due to the water and greenery, might have served as some kind of a 'safe house' for the royal families during wars or calamities. "All these and other aspects need to be examined in great detail by proper expeditions, I feel this is the just the beginning and there are more such ancient hidden caves waiting to be dug out in that region," Bobade said. He has shared the details of the discovery with Dr. Tejas Garge, Director of Archaeology & Museums, Maharashtra and Jalgaon Collector Abhijit Raut, who heads the Jalgaon District Heritage Preservation & Tourism Development Committee, for further action. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. In 2020, Turkey's share in Ukrainian fruit imports was 28.8%, making the country a leader among suppliers of these products, the Institute of Agrarian Economics reports. According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, the volume of fruit and nut imports to Ukraine in 2020 amounted to $795 million, up 18% compared to 2019. In recent years, Turkey remains the biggest supplier of these products to Ukraine. In 2020, Ukraine imported more than 269 thousand tonnes of fruit from Turkey. In terms of value, Turkey's share in domestic fruit imports was 28.8%. Ukrainian companies also made significant fruit purchases from Ecuador (12.9% of total fruit imports), Greece (6.2%), Costa Rica (5.8%), Spain (5.4%) and Egypt (5%). Citrus fruit and bananas are traditionally in the greatest demand among fruit and berry products in Ukraine, accounting for almost 60% of fruit imports in value terms in 2020. If more than half of citrus imports originate from Turkey, bananas are mainly purchased from Latin America, in particular Ecuador and Costa Rica, which last year accounted for about 80% of banana supply in value terms. ol LONDON (AP) The British government plans to increase funding for street lighting and closed-circuit TV as part of a package of measures to help protect women and girls following the murder of a young woman who was abducted on the streets of London. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday night that the government would more than double funding for neighborhood safety measures to 45 million pounds ($62 million). The government also plans to expand trials of a pilot project that puts plainclothes police officers in and around bars and night clubs. The measures were announced following a meeting of government ministers, prosecutors and senior police officers that was called after the kidnap and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard in south London sparked widespread calls for Britain to do more to protect women and girls. Ultimately, we must drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to better protect and defend them, Johnson said in a statement. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia CJ Stander is set to retire from Ireland and Munster duty at the end of the season. Image credit: Sportsfile. CJ Stander may have announced his retirement from rugby but Neil Francis thinks that we could see him on the pitch again - representing a South African franchise. The big back row shocked Irish rugby on Tuesday by announcing his retirement from Ireland and Munster duty, stating that he wished to return home to South Africa, where his wife and daughter have been based during the recent lockdown. Stander has been an Ireland regular since making his debut in 2016, having qualified to wear the green jersey through the residency rule. South African franchises such as the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers are set to compete against the Irish provinces in the Rainbow Cup later this season, and speaking on The Left Wing podcast, Francis said that he thinks that Stander, who turns 31 next month, could be on one of their rosters sooner rather than later. "If he has a contract with the Lions or the Bulls, I think his loss will be ten times worse," Francis said. "A lot of thought went into his statement, and it was a fairly genuine thank you to the nation. Then you have to start asking questions about the timing of it and a number of things. "He is 31 next month. Has his body collapsed? I don't think it has. He looks to me to be in good condition. "I'm only speculating here, but I think the Lions or the Bulls could get his services." Stander will depart Irish rugby as the most successful project player, but Francis says that his decision to return to South Africa once again puts the controversial rule under the microscope. "If CJ Stander has 50 caps, how many of those would Jack Conan have got if he hadn't become a project player?," Francis asked. "They have amended the legislation but this is the flipside to having guys who arrive on our shores and become very influential players until they decide to go back to their homeland." [March 16, 2021] Datadobi Announces Support for File Data Protection on Microsoft Azure Blob Storage Datadobi, a global leader in unstructured data management software, today announced it has added support for Azure Blob storage in DobiProtect 5.11, enabling customers to protect their data from any NAS or cloud filesystem to Microsoft's (News - Alert) cloud-based object storage solution. As unstructured data continues to grow rapidly, Datadobi allows enterprises to protect against cyberthreats, ransomware, accidental deletions, and software vulnerabilities with a simple, quick, and cost-effective solution. Azure Blob storage is a massively scalable and secure object storage service for data lakes, archives, cloud-native workloads, analytics, and machine learning. Using Datadobi, organizations can now maintain protection copies of their file data in Azure Blob Storage. Carl D'Halluin, CTO, of Datadobi commented, "We're seeing a massive shift of customers moving to and protecting data in the cloud and Microsoft Azure Blob Storage is clearly a leading and trusted cloud solution. With the addition of Datadobi solutions, Azure customers can host and protect their unstructured data in the cloud, optimizing storage investment and with one hundred percent data accuracy and integrity." "We're pleased to welcome Datadobi to the growing Microsoft Azure ecosystem," said Vamshi Kommineni, group product manager, Azure Storage. "Azure Blob Storage provides a powerful, secure, and cost-effective solution for unstructured data. This addition will addres growing demand from our customers for large scale migrations of unstructured data to public cloud along with providing the protection needed in an age of widespread threats and vulnerabilities." Learn more about migrating file data to Azure with DobiMigrate here. And learn more about protecting file data in Azure with DobiProtect here. About Datadobi Datadobi, a global leader in data management and storage software solutions, brings order to unstructured storage environments so that the enterprise can realize the value of their expanding universe of data. Their software allows customers to migrate and protect data while discovering insights and putting them to work for their business. Datadobi takes the pain and risk out of the data storage process and does it exponentially faster than other solutions at the best economic cost point. Founded in 2010, Datadobi is a privately held company headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, with subsidiaries in New York, Melbourne, Dusseldorf, and London. For more information, visit www.datadobi.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005097/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ciaran Creighton, Division Manager "Having our own skilled workforce is important to provide our trade expertise and other services across Northern California both on Swinerton projects and to select external clients, said Ciaran Creighton, Division Manager. Swinerton is pleased to announce that Ciaran Creighton has been promoted to Division Manager of Northern Californias Self-Perform group, responsible for delivering high-value integrated services using in-house trade disciplines such as cleanup; demolition; rough carpentry; concrete; framing; drywall; doors, frames & hardware; millwork; specialties; and firestopping. Ciaran started with Swinerton in 2016 as a Project Executive in Sacramento and will bring his more than 25 years of experience in the industry to this ever-growing and highly-skilled group. Ciaran is taking over leadership of this division from Jef Farrell as he retires after 20 years with Swinerton. Swinertons in-house trade expertise has been recognized as award winning by both the Wall and Ceiling Association and the American Concrete Institute on multiple projects such as 1066 Market Rooftop Planter Walls Decorative Concrete category, and Presidio Building 603 Seismic Renovation Repair & Restoration category. We support the communities in which we work through a number of local organizations, including: Cypress Mandela Training Center, Mission Hiring Hall, CityBuild Academy, JobTrain, Richmond BUILD, Success Center, Young Community Developers, Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange Education Foundation, Silicon Valley Career Technical Education Center, and multiple high schools throughout Northern California. As a self-perform general contractor, Swinerton balances subcontractor partners with in-house trade expertise to complete our clients projects on time and on budget. Having our own skilled workforce is important to provide our trade expertise and other services across Northern California both on Swinerton projects and to select external clients, said Ciaran Creighton, Division Manager. About Swinerton Swinerton provides commercial construction and construction management services throughout the United States and is a 100% employee-owned company. Recognized nationally since 1888, Swinerton is the preferred builder and trusted partner in every market it servesproudly leading with integrity, passion, leadership and excellence. For more information please visit: https://swinerton.com/ Something to look forward to: Intel has officially announced 11th-gen Core "Rocket Lake" desktop processors today, and many of these new parts are coming in at more affordable price points than AMDs equivalent Ryzen 5000 CPUs. Is it time to get excited about new Intel CPUs? Today we are putting the final pieces of the puzzle together on Intels 11th-gen desktop CPU series ahead of reviews later this month. In the lead up to this launch, Intel had already given up quite a bit of information on Rocket Lake, plus the crazy stream of leaks we've received over the last few months that culminated in actual reviews of retail Core i7-11700K processors ahead of the actual announcement. We know the design is still built on their 14nm process, however it features a new core architecture codenamed Cyprus Cove. This is Intels Ice Lake design originally destined for 10nm, backported to 14nm, bringing with it up to a 19% IPC improvement compared to Skylake and its derivatives over the last 5 years. However its not the latest core design from Intel, with Tiger Lake actually on 10nm using a generation newer architecture in mobile devices. Intel had previously told us about the Core i9-11900K and the inclusion of a maximum of eight CPU cores. Theres a new Xe integrated GPU inside, new AI features, and new platform support through Intels 500 series motherboards. This is all stuff we've reported on already so lets cut to the chase with the full list of processors and pricing. While there are a lot of individual processors listed in this table far too many in my opinion the basics of Rocket Lake are split up into three series: Core i9, Core i7 and Core i5, as usual. However unlike prior generations, there are no Rocket Lake Core i3 models, Intel is instead launching refreshed 10th-gen parts at the lower end which well talk about soon. The Core i9 and Core i7 parts are very similar: all pack 8 CPU cores and 16 threads with 16MB of L3 cache. The K models are unlocked SKUs that support overclocking, the F models do not feature integrated graphics, and the T models are low power variants with a 35W TDP. The models that do feature an iGPU use new Xe graphics, although this is being branded as UHD Graphics 750 for some reason. Youll find 32 execution units here with up to a 50% performance boost compared to previous generations according to Intel. With the Core i9 and Core i7 parts using the same basic layout, what separates them? The basic answer is frequency. The Core i7-11700K and KF are clocked up to 5 GHz on a single core, and up to 4.6 GHz all-core. The Core i9-11900K and KF push the single-core Turbo up to 5.3 GHz, but thats with Thermal Velocity Boost, a feature that increases clock speeds when operating temperatures are low, and this feature isnt enabled on Core i7. Without TVB, the 11900K still tops out at 5.2 GHz, an increase on the 11700K, however the all-core frequency is just 100 MHz higher at 4.7 GHz. The other difference between the Core i9 and Core i7 parts is hidden in the footnotes of the SKU list. The 11900K and KF both operate by default using DDR4-3200 Gear 1, while all the other SKUs, including the Core i7 range, default to DDR4-3200 Gear 2. These Gears refer to the frequency ratio between the memory controller and memory itself, which has historically been 1:1 on Intel parts. Gear 1 is the usual 1:1 ratio, while Gear 2 is a 2:1 ratio, halving the memory controller frequency. This means that while the unlocked Core i9 processors run at a standard 1:1 ratio, the locked Core i9 parts and the Core i7 line all use a slower 2:1 configuration by default. This introduces some further differentiation between the Core i7 and i9 parts as the i7 models will have worse memory performance. You may be familiar with these ratios if youre an AMD Ryzen user given that the recommendation for those parts as well is to run in a 1:1 ratio, rather than pushing memory frequencies higher and falling back to 2:1. So it will be interesting to see how this affects Intel processors. With that said, motherboard manufacturers are likely to ignore this recommendation and run all Rocket Lake processors in Gear 1 (so a 1:1 ratio) out of the box. AnandTech confirmed this was the behavior they saw when testing their retail Core i7-11700K processor: it should run at 2:1 going on Intels slides, but the actual default seen in the motherboard was 1:1. Lets talk pricing for these parts before looking at the Core i5 line. The most interesting thing to note is the pricing of the unlocked Core i7 models: $374 for the KF and $399 for the K SKU using Intels standard tray pricing model. It should be noted that tray pricing for bulk units is not the same as an MSRP, and typically at launch Intels parts are sold at 10% above this tray price or thereabouts, before falling to or below the listed price in the months after. In any case, what we're looking at is an 8 core, 16 thread Rocket Lake CPU priced around $400, which is undercutting AMDs 8-core Ryzen 7 5800X that retails for $450. There may be some other platform costs to consider, like the difference in motherboard pricing, however at first glance this is an aggressive price point from Intel that should compete strongly with AMDs offering. If these prices are accurate, then Intel could be offering better performance per dollar in the eight core space given that early 11700K reviews show it performing close to the level of a 5800X. SKU for SKU, these Core i7 parts are slightly more expensive than last-gen offerings: about $25 more than the Core i7-10700K and KF going on Intels tray price. However these new parts are supposed to be faster, and theyre still cheaper than AMDs line right now. What doesnt make as much sense is the price of unlocked Core i9 models. $539 for the 11900K and $513 for the 11900KF represents a $140 premium over the Core i7 models for what amounts to a very small frequency bump. The 11900K will end up competing with AMDs Ryzen 7 5900X at around $550, although AMD is offering 12 cores versus Intel's 8. Moreover, the 11900K is likely to present a performance regression in core-heavy applications compared to the 10900K, given the step back from 10 cores to 8 cores. Intel appears to be interested in capturing die-hard enthusiasts and fans with that sort of pricing model, which is in contrast to the 10th-gen Core i9 series that did offer decent performance gains over the Core i7s in some workloads. The clear standout in the 11th-gen series is the Core i7 part. With the Core i5 line, Intel is also looking to be very competitive in the mid-range. All CPUs are six cores with 12 threads, 12MB of L3 cache and for the parts with an iGPU, the same UHD Graphics 750. The K parts are unlocked, while clock speeds also differ between the tiers. The top-end parts do up to 4.6 GHz all-core and 4.9 GHz single core, while a lower-end SKU like the Core i5-11400F does 4.2 GHZ all-core and 4.4 GHz single-core. Pricing continues to undercut AMD. The 11600KF should end up around $260 at retail from a $237 tray price, putting it below AMDs Ryzen 5 5600X at $300 and compared to 10th-gen Core i5s there is no price increase. But the really compelling products appear to be the lower-tier parts, especially the Core i5-11400F at a $157 tray price, likely around $170-180 at retail. AMD doesnt have anything compelling in this price tier right now, with the Ryzen 5 3600 selling for $200 and even the Ryzen 5 2600 going for $190. With the 11400F using Intels new Rocket Lake architecture which should deliver a healthy performance bump, we should have increased competition in the $150 to $200 CPU market and it will make it harder for AMD to justify selling a three-year-old CPU at such a high price. Weve already been recommending Intels Core i5 CPUs in this segment for months and if theres no adjustment on AMDs side, thats set to continue with Intel launching faster models. As for Core i3 and Pentium Gold processors, Intel arent releasing 11th-gen options just yet, instead refreshing their 10th-gen Comet Lake offerings. These are basic frequency bumps, so something like the Core i3-10100 is now clocked 100 MHz higher and becomes the Core i3-10105 at the same price. Intel has been talking about Rocket Lakes CPU features for a while, so well just breeze through this in case you missed it. Aside from the new Core architecture, another major addition is the bump from 16 PCIe 3.0 to 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes from the CPU. This allows you to attach both a x16 GPU and a x4 SSD directly to the CPU for best performance, in contrast to previous designs where M.2 SSDs had to go through the chipset. Intel are also finally coming to the table with PCIe 4.0, bringing feature parity with AMD. We also get a better media encode-decode engine thanks to the upgrade to Gen 12 graphics and all that comes with it, although this functionality wont be available with F series SKUs. 11th-gen processors support a wide range of improved overclocking features. One of the most interesting ones is real-time memory frequency overclocking, which will allow tweaking memory OCs in Windows through Intels Extreme Tuning Utility without any restarts. Previously youd have to do most memory overclocking in the BIOS. Intel also provides a wider range of AVX offsets and controls, which is especially useful given these new processors support AVX-512 and overclockers will likely need to set a large offset to get a stable OC. New Intel 500 series motherboards are launching alongside Rocket Lake, too. The main features are memory overclocking support on H570 and B560 motherboards, a new x8 DMI for double the bandwidth between the CPU and chipset, and full support for PCIe 4.0 across the line-up. These boards are backwards compatible with 10th-gen processors as well. However you dont need a 500 series board to use an 11th-gen processor, as Rocket Lake is compatible with some 400 series boards, namely Z490, H470 and Q470. Unfortunately, B460 and H410 boards do not support Rocket Lake as they use an incompatible chipset. Intel tells us that depending on the motherboard, you may get PCIe 4.0 support and the full 20 CPU lanes of PCIe on 400 series boards with Rocket Lake CPUs, but this will come down to whether the motherboard vendor enables it and their board layout. Well wrap up with a brief look at Intels performance slides, which are not very useful as they are limited in the information shown and we already have actual reviews of the Core i7-11700K on the internet if you want to see an independent analysis. Intel shows just four games in their gaming comparisons, all benchmarked with a GeForce RTX 3080. Intel is showing massive performance, which to them means 8 to 14% improvement versus the Core i9-10900K in these four games. Up against the Ryzen 9 5900X, Intel is also winning in their benchmarks, with a 3 to 11% lead. Intel also expects the Core i5-11600K to be faster than the Core i5-10600K by 7 to 16% in the same four games they have showcased. Intels other benchmarks surround productivity performance, and like previous presentations a lot of the focus is on applications coded to take specific advantage of Intels accelerators. Its unclear whether, for example, the video creation and MLPerf gains shown here versus the 5900X would also apply to the Core i9-11900KF, which does not include the integrated GPU. The key piece of information of today's announcement was pricing, which gives context to the performance and specifications we already knew about especially performance for the 11700K. The new Rocket Lake CPUs are expected to go on sale on March 30th, which is when reviews will also go live and if all goes well availability shouldn't be a problem for Intel parts as we discussed in our CPU and GPU availability and pricing update earlier this week. Thousands of Queenslanders have been urged to move to higher ground after the state was battered by heavy rainfall that's expected to last for another week. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services issued the warning for residents in Sapphire, in the Central Highlands Region just before 5am on Wednesday, after the area received more than 130mm of rain in three hours. 'Due to heavy rainfall, the Retreat Creek is rising rapidly and major flooding is expected. Properties in low-lying areas are likely to be impacted,' the warning said. 'Council advises residents to warn neighbours, secure belongings and move to higher ground now.' The warning comes amid a week of wild weather for Australia's east coast with New South Wales and Queensland set to be lashed by more rain and thunderstorms with no sunshine in sight. Thousands of Queenslanders have been urged to move to higher ground after the state was battered by heavy rainfall that's expected to last for another week (pictured residents in Sunshine Coast) More than 215mm of rain fell in the Gem Fields, near Sapphire, with the river reaching up to 10m high - hitting the major flood level. Other central Queensland areas like Florence Vale was hit with 124mm of rain in just three hours and Keilambete had 138mm of rain before midnight. Meanwhile, in New South Wales a hazardous surf warning has been issued for the Macquarie Coast, Hunter Coast, Sydney Coast, Illawarra Coast, Batemans Coast and Eden Coast. Swimmers and fishermen have been urged to stay away from the water in these areas. Brisbane residents can expect a miserable week ahead with chances of rain above 60 per cent for every day to next Tuesday. Thunderstorms are also expected along with the heavy downpour of rain. Meanwhile Sydney will be drenched by up to 35mm of rain forecast for Friday and 50mm for Saturday. Temperatures will be warm for Sydneysiders over the next week but the rain is set to last until next Tuesday with no end in sight. New South Wales and Queensland are set to be battered by thunderstorms with no sunshine in sight (pictured people sheltering from rain in Brisbane) Large parts of NSW and southeast Queensland will face heavy rains until next week, with Sydney expected to have up to 50mm of rain on Saturday 'La Nina has started to ease but it is still expected to influence Australia's climate in early autumn and is typically associated with above average rainfall for eastern and northern Australia,' the Bureau of Meteorology's Sarah Scully said. 'Showers and storms are continuing into Thursday again with potentially heavy rainfall totals.' Further south in Melbourne, the city will see a dry and warm week with only a 50 per cent chance of rain on Tuesday. Adelaide residents will also escape the rain, with the next few days bringing sunshine and temperatures around 30C. Those in the nation's capital are in for a colder week as autumn kicks into gear with temperatures lingering around 21C with a high chance of rain over the weekend. Hobart will be dry and sunny with days reaching around 25C. Over on the other side of the country, Perth residents will sweat through the week with Friday soaring to tops of 38C and Saturday to 37C. Darwin will be hot with high chances of thunderstorms and rainfall over the coming days. Huge swathes of rain are expected to batter New South Wales and Queensland over the coming days with no sunshine in sight Altiplano Metals (CVE: APN) CEO Alastair McIntyre joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news about the company's flagship Farellon Project in Chile. McIntyre talks about the steady increase they have seen over the past few months. McIntyre also shared with Proactive some of the other work they will be doing that looks to keep the company very busy in 2021. A Virgin Atlantic flight was forced to turn around after a laser was shone at the cockpit. The flight from Heathrow to Tel Aviv returned to the London airport just 25 minutes after take-off after someone on the ground shone the beam at the pilot. Flight tracking websites show the plane departing at 9.30pm before performing a u-turn south-west of Paris and returning to Heathrow at 10.45pm. The flight from Heathrow to Tel Aviv returned to the London airport just 25 minutes after take-off after a laser was shone at the cockpit The plane had to double back after the laser - which could have dazzled the pilot What are the current laws on laser pens? Owning a laser pen is not illegal but a person caught using it to dazzle others in the eyes is committing an offence. In 2017, the Government toughened penalties on those caught targetting transport operators or drivers with a laser device. The Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Bill expanded the list of vehicles beyond just planes and meant those caught shining a laser at a transport operator could face up to five years in jail. Drivers of trains and buses, captains of boats and even pilots of hovercrafts are among those protected by the law. Offenders may also be liable to a Community Protection Notice for anti social behaviour. The Health Protection Agency suggests that laser pens that are more powerful than Class 2 should not be sold to the public. In 2017, the Government called for evidence into the regulation of laser pointers after a survey of UK ophthalmologists reported more than 150 incidents of eye injuries involving laser pointers since 2013. The Civil Aviation Authority has also reported a rise in lasers being pointed at helicopters and planes on take-off and landing. Advertisement Lasers can dazzle and distract pilots, putting the aircraft at risk. The airline said the safety of passengers was 'paramount' and it is now working with police to investigate the incident. Passengers on the flight were offered overnight accommodation in London. A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said: 'On 15 March 2021 flight VS453, operating from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, returned to Heathrow after take-off due to a laser beam incident upon departure. 'The safety and security of our people and our customers is paramount and this was a precautionary step taken by the operating crew. 'We'd like to thank our customers for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused. 'All customers were offered overnight accommodation and we are working hard to ensure they are able to continue their journeys as soon as possible. 'As is standard procedure for a laser incident, we swiftly notified the police and remain in close contact with them and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).' Andrew McConnell, spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority, added: Shining a laser at an aircraft in flight could pose a serious risk to flight safety and is also a specific criminal offence. 'Anyone convicted of shining a laser at an aircraft could face a significant fine or even prison. We strongly urge anyone who sees lasers being used in the vicinity of an airport to contact the police immediately. Last month, a man was jailed after he shone a laser at a police helicopter as it was carrying out a search for a missing person. Benjamin Fort, 39, temporarily blinded the pilot after directing the beam into the cockpit in a 'prolonged and deliberate manner', Bradford Crown Court heard. Fort claimed he was using the beam to hunt rabbits but had previously told the court he was aiming it at a UFO. The pilot recovered his vision and was able to safely land the helicopter. Speaking at a police interview, Fort said he did not mean to shine the laser beam at the helicopter and did not mean to cause any harm. He was jailed for six months. And last October, a man who shone a laser pen at a police helicopter to 'test what his new toy could do' was jailed for four months. Alexandru Gheorghe, 28, from Redditch, Worcestershire, dazzled the occupants of a police air service helicopter with a 7 laser pen he had bought off eBay as it was flying over Stratford on its way back to its base. Flight tracking websites show the plane departing at 9.30pm before performing a u-turn south-west of Paris and returning to Heathrow at 10.45pm The pilot had to take evasive action to manoeuvre away from the beam after the cockpit was bathed in bright green light at 10.30pm on May 16, a court heard. Gheorghe pleaded guilty to shining a laser at an aircraft and was jailed for four months at Warwick Crown Court. In 2016, a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to New York had to turn back after it passed over the west coast of Ireland, when a laser was shone at the cockpit. Fahd Quhill, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, told the BBC how he treated a pilot who was left 'flash blind' and unable to see for 45 minutes after being targeted with a laser. The pilot also suffered permanent damage to the eye, although he retained his sight. The Met Police have been contacted for comment. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a virtual summit on Tuesday (March 15) with his Finland counterpart Sanna Marin. The two leaders have planned to cover the entire spectrum of the bilateral relationship and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. A release from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said the virtual summit will provide a blueprint for the future expansion and diversification of the India-Finland Partnership, according to news agency ANI. It said India and Finland enjoy warm and friendly relations based on shared values of democracy, freedom and rules-based international order. The release said both countries have very close cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, education, innovation, science and technology as well as Research and Development. Both sides also have ongoing collaboration in the joint development of a Quantum Computer using Artificial Intelligence to address societal challenges. The release said around 100 Finnish companies are actively operating in India in various sectors such as telecom, elevators, machinery and energy including renewable energy and around 30 Indian companies are also active in Finland mainly in IT, auto-components and the hospitality sector. Babyn Yar was the site of one of the worst Nazi massacres. About 34,000 Jews were killed in the ravine in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on September 29-30, 1941, soon after the Nazis occupied the city. Over the succeeding months, they killed about 100,000 people at the site, including Soviet prisoners of war, communists, Ukrainian nationalists, and Roma. Today, Babyn Yar is one of the terrible symbols of the Holocaust. But after World War II, Soviet authorities preferred to bury the site under a landfill. Later, the massacre site was filled with liquid waste from nearby brick factories. The plan was to drain the waste and have the remaining mud and pulp fill the ravine. But on the evening of March 12, 1961, amid heavy rain, the pumping station at the dam failed. And at 8:30 a.m. the next day, the 4 million cubic meters of slurry that had been dumped into Babyn Yar for over 10 years broke through the site's small earthen dam and inundated the city's low-lying Kurenivka district. The embankment -- 4 meters high and 20 meters wide -- collapsed, and the liquid mud it had been holding back all those years was unleashed, destroying everything in its path. Olha Bikus, an eyewitness, said that she saw whole houses and trees carried away by the tsunami of slurry, which didn't stop until 10 a.m. The wall of mud completely destroyed 68 residential and 13 office buildings. In just a few minutes, almost 1,300 people found themselves homeless. One of the worst-hit sites was the Krasin tram depot (above and below), where 50 workers were buried alive. People caught in the flooding had little chance of survival, unless they were lucky enough to climb trees or onto roofs. The military was called in to help with rescue efforts and to clean up the mud and debris. Excavators repeatedly unearthed the body parts of victims. "It was scary! Some excavator drivers could not even work and left their jobs," one eyewitness said. Public transport in the Kurenivka district was also caught by the mudslide. In one tram, 12 passengers were buried alive. Elsewhere, a bus caught fire after it was hit by a falling electrical pole and most of the people inside were killed. No News Allowed Soviet authorities strictly censored any mention of the catastrophe. After the dam broke, Soviet troops immediately surrounded the perimeter of the flooding and did not let anyone in. Long-distance communication in Kyiv was cut off. People in Kyiv were outraged that news of the catastrophe was being suppressed. Some called the flood the "revenge of those shot" in Babyn Yar, while others called it "God's punishment" for the closure of Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra monastery. The KGB confiscated photos and film of the incident. News of the tragedy wasn't even aired on the radio in Kyiv until three days later, and it was never announced outside the city. Victims of the mudslide were buried in cemeteries around Kyiv with different dates of death and the official causes of death changed. In 1962, the Babyn Yar ravine was leveled off and made into a park. An official memorial to Soviet citizens shot at Babyn Yar was erected in 1976, but it wasn't until after the collapse of the Soviet Union that a memorial was built to the Jewish victims. How Many People Actually Died? According to official Soviet figures, 145 people were killed in the disaster. But after news of the tragedy was suppressed, people in Kyiv did not trust official statements. According to one modern Kyiv historian, Oleksandr Anisimov, the Kurenivka mudslide of 1961 took the lives of up to 1,500 people. But another historian, Tetyana Yestafyeva , who was one of the first to work with archival documents on the tragedy, believes that number is exaggerated. "I believe the official data I found in the documents classified as 'top secret.' They were sent to the highest offices of Kyiv and Moscow. It doesn't make any sense for party leaders to lie to themselves," Yestafyeva says. "Therefore, I believe that 145 people were victims of the Kurenivka tragedy and that many more were injured." Batavia, NY (14020) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 59F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 59F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. It is sickening to watch Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and others get such praise for Biden's recent address to the nation on COVID. In follow-up to that, Biden, Harris, and their minions brag that now they will give permission for some grandparents to hug their grandchildren and that we might be able to gather by July 4 in small groups if we behave as we are instructed. How generous of our benevolent leaders. If we don't behave, we will be sent to our room for another extended timeout because we are little snowflakes who have no common sense or intelligence. First off, if anyone deserves credit for hundreds of millions of Americans being able to get vaccines, it is Trump and the private sector, not Biden. Biden has always been known as a plagiarist, so this is nothing new. I am 67 years old, and I take medication for blood pressure and cholesterol, and my doctor says I am very healthy. But I was told by most journalists, supposed health experts, and politicians that I am extremely vulnerable, should be very scared, and essentially should curl up in a fetal position until I am given the OK to be around other people. Since I never believed that millions of people with no symptoms were actively spreading the virus, nor did I believe the lie, which the CDC later corrected, that the virus would easily pass off surfaces, here are some of my daring feats that I completed during the last year. Visited our children and grandchildren six times in two states. Hugged our four grandchildren every time, including a new baby born in April. We got permission from our children to hug our grandchildren, which was given every visit. Not once did we think we needed permission from politicians to hug these blessings from God. We did check with the pediatrician on the new baby, and she said it was certainly OK if we felt OK. Facetime is not a good substitute for physical contact. Loneliness and depression can be hazardous to our mental and physical health and may even be deadly. Traveled to five states besides Illinois despite being warned how dangerous that was by our governor because those states may not be as smart as he is. Stayed at hotels eight times. Rented condos twice in tourist towns. Ate in restaurants when allowed. Happily, went without masks when allowed. Went to small and large stores when allowed. Rarely shopped online. I have trouble believing that the virus is hopping over aisles or acting differently from previous viruses. Went to work at an office with many other people as I always have because I am not as efficient or effective at home. Thankfully, I was proclaimed essential. I know that every year at my office, there have been people who have had previous viruses. Went bowling in a league with people I didn't live with when allowed. Played pickleball, indoors and outdoors, with many other people I didn't live with when allowed. Even though I was warned how dangerous it is, I touched pickleballs that other people had touched with my bare hands. That was scary, to complete such a death-defying act. Went swimming at an exercise facility when allowed. I even took showers at the gym without a mask when allowed, even though NBC says how dangerous that is. Now, I'm not saying everyone should do as I did. I based my acts on my particular judgment about my health situation, and others should do the same based on their own health conditions. I'm saying individuals should make their own decisions, based on their own best interest. It's what I did. I hate getting lectured by self-righteous elitists who are functioning without a brain or common sense. Well, after a year of these dangerous acts, I got a cold, on New Year's weekend. I stayed home, rested, drank lots of liquids, and took cold pills. I did not get a COVID test. In other words, I treated it like all other colds, and, in a shock, I recovered in a few days. I got my second Moderna shot on March 9 but now am told by CDC that I should still not travel not because of science, but because that is how they feel. And I naively thought all the decisions by bureaucrats and politicians were based on science. I have lived through viruses my entire life, but I have never had to put up with dictatorial edicts from politicians and bureaucrats that have intentionally destroyed the United States while they pretend they care. I am especially appalled at the willingness to cause immeasurable harm to children, especially the poor and special needs children. How can these politicians look in the mirror when they know of the destruction they have wrought, which is not based on science or facts? How many suicides and drug overdoses of children have they caused? I see that now kids can go back to school with only a three-foot separation. I bet there was never any science to support a six-foot separation or the idea of two-year-olds wearing masks. It is also disgusting that politicians pick and choose who is essential and who is not. Every job is essential for those receiving the paycheck and those who hire them. Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License. HALIFAX - The names of 16 people who gave statements to police following last April's mass shooting in Nova Scotia will remain redacted, a judge has ruled. A fire-destroyed property registered to Gabriel Wortman at 200 Portapique Beach Road is seen in Portapique, N.S. on May 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan HALIFAX - The names of 16 people who gave statements to police following last April's mass shooting in Nova Scotia will remain redacted, a judge has ruled. In a written decision released Tuesday, Judge Laurel Halfpenny-MacQuarrie said there would be "a serious risk" associated with publishing the names of people who are "simply conduits of information to the police and nothing more." Halfpenny-MacQuarrie said the individuals and businesses either had a personal connection to gunman Gabriel Wortman, were familiar with him or had incidental contact with him. "As a general statement, they provided specific details of his life, his illegal activities, business associations, financial transactions, his beliefs, his childhood, his wealth," the judge wrote. She said the information they gave police is now known to the public after media outlets went to court seeking the release of RCMP search warrant information related to the April 18-19 rampage that claimed the lives of 22 people. Halfpenny-MacQuarrie said releasing the names would most likely lead to "speculation, public analysis and perhaps marginalization" that could have "a lasting negative effect." The judge said that although the public, as argued by the media outlets, has the absolute right to know the "what, when and why" behind the warrants, she concluded that "there is no further information to be garnered by releasing the 16 names." However, Halfpenny-MacQuarrie did note that the names are "temporarily redacted," and an upcoming joint public inquiry can apply to the court for access to them if it needs to. She also ruled that the name of an anthropologist included in the police information can be released, because the individual was hired and voluntarily became involved in the investigation. The judge said she would lift the sealing order covering sections of the documents where the anthropologist's name appears on March 24. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. Los Angeles, March 16 : Entrepreneur and socialite Paris Hilton says it was awkward for her and Britney Spears when actor Lindsay Lohan just joined them during the much-talked about picture that was clicked in 2006. That picture, which captured the three of them in a car, created a lot of buzz and was eventually dubbed "The Holy Trinity". "That was a night that Britney and I went out, and we were at the Beverly Hills Hotel, at our friend's party, and we decided to leave to go home," Hilton explained of the photo on her podcast. "We were walking to the car and all the sudden got swarmed by tons of paparazzi. Just as we were walking to the car, that's when Lindsay came up. It was kind of awkward because we were having some drama," Paris said on her podcast "This is Paris, The Simple Life", reports People.com. She added: "All of the sudden, I looked over, and she's in my car. We weren't getting along, so I was polite. It was really hard just to even get out of there, because I couldn't see just with all the cameras." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A website that maps Japans noisiest and most annoying neighborhoods to help people avoid public nuisances when looking for a place to live has sparked controversy, with many accusing it of criticizing normal behavior, like children crying or speaking loudly. While Japan is still sometimes portrayed as this serene, and calm land, in reality it is one of the nosiest countries on the planet. With over 90% of its 126 million-strong population living in urban areas, noise pollution is a part of daily life, and its no wonder that many are valuing peace and quiet more than ever. Japan has even coined a special term that describes the kind of person who talks loudly and generally acts as a public nuisance, completely disregarding the people around them. They are called dorozoku or street tribe, and they are the focus of a controversial online platform that maps Japanese neighborhoods likely to be plagued by them. DQN Today is the brainchild of a 40-something freelance web developer from Yokohama, who has allegedly been working from home for the last 12 years. Back in 2016, after finding himself unable to work on some days due to the constant ruckus made by noisy children hanging around his home, the man, who preferred to remain anonymous, decided to create an online crowdsourcing website where people could map and share their experience with dorozoku. Photo: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash In the beginning, DQN Today went nearly unnoticed, but as the dorozoku phenomenon gained more attention in Japan, so did the website. But it was the Covid-19 pandemic that pushed it over the edge. With so many people confined to their homes for long periods of time, the noise made by neighbors or their children became much more of an issue nationwide. DQN Today, commonly known as Dorozoku Map, currently features over 8,000 registered sites all over Japan, submitted by users as dorozoku hazards. The map is meant to serve as a guide for people who find loud talking, and noises made by children playing in the streets or outside their houses deeply distressing, so they can stay far away. The webmaster behind DQN Today, an online systems engineer who goes by the alias Seaget, reviews all reports submitted to the website by likeminded people, filtering out those he deems unfounded (based on personal grudges, slanderous, discriminatory, etc.) and updates the map, adding new points along with a comments from the submitter describing the situation. Photo: DQN Today The voice of a kid living in a residential area around here is not noisy; its like a monkey in a zoo that is always making noise with a strange voice, the description of a dorozoku spot near Kashiwazaki reads. Although it does not happen every day, the mother, son and the mothers younger sister sometimes play with a ball in the street while yelling, another entry, this time for a location in the city of Kawasaki, reads. The online dorozoku map has sparked a heated debate both in Japan and abroad. Those who support the project claim that it is a non-confrontational way to complain about the problem of noise pollution caused by neighbors and children, and raise awareness about it. Venting directly to the childrens parents would only spark conflict, this way people who wish to avoid noisy areas, can do so. Photo: DQN Today On the other hand, critics of DQN Today claim that it is fueling anti-social behavior in Japan. It is being perceived by many as a symbol of the countrys low level of tolerance for normal childish behavior and street noise. Bustling communities should be teeming with life and noise, but this is seen as extremely rude behavior by users of the site. Seaget, the founder of DQN Today took to the sites blog to clarify that after speaking with Japanese newspaper Asashi Shinbun, he has declined requests for comment from the media. His statements have apparently been misreported by journalists, who portrayed him and the entire anti-dorozoku community as anti-social. He tried to clarify that he doesnt have a problem with children playing outside, but there are instances where their noise can become intolerable. I have no complaints or problems with children playing outside, the anonymous IT specialist wrote. However, some parents let their children play in front of other peoples houses for hours every day. This is a dangerous and annoying practice that can sometimes lead to road accidents. Photo: DQN Today Some people work in hospitals or on night shifts have serious problems sleeping because it is too noisy during the day. I have suffered from this myself. We have found that many people are deeply distressed, hurt and physically and mentally broken, with no one able to solve their problems. Seaget added that there are cases when the situation in places marked on the map as dorozoku hazards are removed after he receives notifications that the road tribes in the area have changed their ways. He claims that Asahi has changed his story of wanting to highlight the problem of dorozoku in Japan into one of intolerance, a narrative that was picked up by western media as well. What we want to achieve is to solve the problem of road tribes, the webmaster said. Photo: Sarah Richter/Pixabay According to Big Think, DQN Today has been described as a symptom of an aging society, irritably requesting that the young people turn the damn volume down and get off that lawn. WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte's government and public services practice announced the new Deloitte Artificial Intelligence Institute for Government (DAIIG) today. Institute leaders outlined a set of commitments and actions to advance applied AI in the public sector by building a cross-sector community for research and shared expertise, and mentoring and growing the talent of the future. "As evidenced in the recent National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence report, advancing the use of artificial intelligence is a national imperative. While decisions and actions to accelerate AI innovation need to happen today, implementing AI brings ethical and technical challenges that are as complex as any we have faced in recent history," said Ed Van Buren, principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP and executive director of DAIIG. "Deloitte's AI Institute for Government is focused on efforts to actively help the public sector harness and shape this movement towards blending human and machine capabilities in a way that improves citizen services, promotes economic growth and recovery, and expands human opportunity" The institute is a hub for innovative perspectives, collaboration and research focused on all-things AI and related technologies for government. To achieve this, the institute will engage leaders from state, local and federal government, industry, and academia. The community will reach beyond technologists to include disciplines in the humanities and sciences. "AI is more than technology its adoption presents a seismic shift in the future of how work is done and how public servants, individuals and society work with intelligent machines and big data," said Tasha Austin, principal with Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory, Deloitte & Touche LLP; and director of DAIIG. "The community built through this institute is at the leading edge of how AI is applied to the work of government to improve everything from health care to national defense. We will address critical questions of how we build ethics and transparency into the very DNA of AI to foster trust and advance human potential, rather than increase inequity." Some of the work and commitments underway for DAIIG's first year are listed below. Build an AI community of research and shared expertise The talent and capabilities embodied in the institute deliver applied AI case studies that make concrete differences in public sector challenges. The institute is a center for AI in the public sector community and fosters learning, exploration and an exchange of ideas. Early commitments include: Research and develop AI-powered solutions in collaboration with https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/health-equity-institute.htmlDeloitte's AI Exploration Lab at the Capital Factory in Austin, Texas and the newly launched CortexAI for Government platform. The lab is an innovation hub and storefront to sense new AI technologies, incubate capabilities and create a space for co-development and collaboration. The lab specializes in operational data science, edge computing and the intersection of national security and AI technology innovation. and the newly launched CortexAI for Government platform. The lab is an innovation hub and storefront to sense new AI technologies, incubate capabilities and create a space for co-development and collaboration. The lab specializes in operational data science, edge computing and the intersection of national security and AI technology innovation. Leverage industry leading AI experts from our government and public sector practice to research AI, develop solutions and publish insights to problems that matter to the government. Support existing AI communities of practice in government through events co-sponsored with leading nonprofits and trade associations. Establish relationships with academic institutions to identify trends and conduct interdisciplinary research on applied AI for the purpose of pioneering and creating disruptive AI technologies and solutions for the public sector. Mentor and grow AI talent of the future Establish a robust set of partnerships with leading academic programs and promote individual mentoring programs for early career individuals, built on the foundational commitment to promote diversity and inclusion in the field. Early initiatives include: Lead a discussion of women leaders around AI and Success for Women in STEM careers at the virtual University of Virginia Women in Data Science Worldwide Conference on Friday, March 19 . Women in Data Science Worldwide Conference on . Provide mentorship opportunities and resources such as scholarships for rising STEM students from underrepresented communities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Collaborate with United Way of the National Capital Area to bring AI concepts and technology to middle schoolers in the Greater Washington Metro Area. The DAIIG will be the public sector arm to the Deloitte AI Institute launched globally in June 2020. For more information visit the Deloitte AI Institute for Government webpage, connect on Twitter at @DeloitteGov or on LinkedIn at Deloitte Government . Deloitte's government and public services practice our people, ideas, technology and outcomes is designed for impact. Deloitte's team of over 16,000 professionals bring fresh perspective to help clients anticipate disruption, reimagine the possible, and fulfill their mission promise. About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's more than 330,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. SOURCE Deloitte Related Links http://www.deloitte.com The "Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers (European) Industry Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides a detailed overview of the European printed circuit board manufacturers market and delivers a comprehensive individual analysis on the top 290 companies. This report includes a wealth of information on the financial trends over the past four years. The analysis is ideal for anyone wanting to: See the market leaders Identify companies heading for failure Seek out the most attractive acquisition Analyse industry trends Benchmark their own financial performance Using the publisher's exclusive methodology, a quick glance of this report will tell you that 42 companies have a declining financial rating, while 28 have shown good sales growth. Each of the largest 290 companies is meticulously scrutinised in an individual assessment and analysed using the most up-to-date and current financial data. Every business is examined on the following features: The Publisher's Chart: A graphical assessment of a company's financial performance Four year assessment of the profit/loss and balance sheet A written summary highlighting key performance issues Subsequently, you will receive a thorough 100-page market analysis highlighting the latest changes in the market. This section includes: Best Trading Partners Sales Growth Analysis Profit Analysis Market Size Rankings Key Topics Covered: Indeed, the first section thoroughly scrutinises the market and this section includes the following: Best Trading Partners: These are companies that are winning in both sales and financial strength for example LAB CIRCUITS SA has been ranked as a best trading partner in the industry. Sales Growth Analysis: This section reviews the fastest growing and fastest shrinking company for example LE CIRCUIT IMPRIME FRANCAIS is among the fastest growing. Profit Analysis Analysis of gross profit and pre-tax profit over the last ten years and a profitability summary comparing profits in the industry against small, medium and large companies. Market Size: Based on the largest 290 companies, this is a comparison between last year's market size and the most current figure. Rankings: The top 50 companies ranked by: Market Share, Sales Growth, Gross Profit and Pre-tax Profit. The next section focuses on company analysis and provides an in-depth analysis of the largest companies within the Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers (European) industry. Each business is analysed using the publisher's unequivocal model and culminates in the production of the Publisher's Chart. The Model uses a series of charts to graphically analyse an individual company and measure its ability to achieve sales growth while maintaining financial strength. The Publisher's Chart is a quick and dependable method of analysing a company's financial well-being. It's simple to understand: a rising line is good news and a falling line is bad news. Therefore, this company analysis will tell you if a company is: Strong or heading for failure Utilising their investments Becoming burdened by debt Getting the most from their resources The publisher's Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers (European) analysis also provides you with full business name and address, name and ages of directors and registration address. Companies Mentioned Andus Electronic Gmbh Leiterplattentechnik B B Sachsenelektronik Gmbh Bureau D'etude Circuits Imprimes For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a2v11s View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005587/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 Belgian authorities have arrested a war crimes suspect under an indictment issued by The Hague-based Kosovo tribunal. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers said that Pjeter Shala was detained in Belgium on March 16, pending his transfer to The Hague. The Kosovo tribunal gave no details on the indictment but said more information would be provided later. Shala is a former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). The Kosovo Specialist Chambers was established to investigate allegations that members of the UCK committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1998-99 Kosovo War. It operates under Kosovar law but is based in the Netherlands to shield witnesses from intimidation. Among the other defendants facing trial are former Kosovar President Hashim Thaci; Kadri Veseli, a former speaker of parliament and leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo; Rexhep Selimi, a Kosovar lawmaker; and Jakup Krasniqi, another former speaker of parliament. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a decade after a war between ethnic Albanian rebels and Serbian forces, which ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign drove Serbian troops out and an international peacekeeping force moved in. The conflict left more than 10,000 people dead -- most of them ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. More than 1,600 people remain unaccounted for. Kosovo, which has a largely ethnic Albanian population, is recognized by many Western states but not Serbia or its allies Russia and China. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and RFE/RL's Balkan Service Former President Donald Trump made an impromptu visit to Alabama Senate candidate Lynda Blanchards fundraiser over the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida property and private club. Trump was also presented with a proclamation from the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee praising the former president as one of the greatest and most effective presidents in the 245-year history of this republic, according to Fox News. Honored to have received a surprise visit from President Trump at my event this weekend! I can't wait to build on the MAGA Agenda and deliver results for the people of Alabama! #FoxNews Posted by Lynda Blanchard for U.S. Senate on Monday, March 15, 2021 The former president, who resides at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, was strolling the private clubs grounds when he made a surprise visit to the fundraiser held by Lynda Blanchard, who served as ambassador to Slovenia -- where Melania Trump is from -- under his administration. Honored to have received a surprise visit from President Trump at my event this weekend! Blanchard said on her campaigns Facebook page Monday. I cant wait to build on the MAGA Agenda and deliver results for the people of Alabama! While Trump did not give a coveted endorsement to Blanchard at the fundraiser, he lauded her work as ambassador. [Y]ouve announced [ an Alabama Senate run], and its a big story, Trump told the crowd at the Saturday night fundraiser, according to Yellowhammer News. I can say you did a great job as ambassador. Blanchard and her husband were representatives of this country, and you both did a fantastic job. And I know something about Slovenia you know that its a little paradise over there, Trump added, referring to his wifes ties to the country. Perry Hooper, a member of the Alabama GOPs executive committee, presented the proclamation to Trump, which says he accomplished more in 48 months than Joe Biden did in 48 years as a senator and vice-president. The resolution, basically, it just talks about the greatness of Donald J. Trump, how he made America great again and I hope other states will follow suit, Hooper told Fox News. Blanchard is the only candidate to announce a Senate run so far in 2022 after Sen. Richard Shelby announced he would retire instead of seeking another term. Also reportedly mulling over a campaign are Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville and Katie Britt, former Shelby chief of staff and current president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama. VATICAN CITY, MAR 16 - Elton John has slammed the Vatican for alleged hypocrisy in refusing its blessing on gay unions such as his own after allegedly funding his biopic Rocketman. John, 74, has been happily married since 2015 with director and producer David Furnish, as cited in the end credits of the film saying he had found stability after many wild years. The pop superstar said the Vatican teamed up with Agnelli heir Lapo Elkann in 2019 in a Maltese-based fund that invested four million euros in films including Rocketman. On Monday the Vatican's doctrinal body said the Catholic Church could not bless gay unions, saying such blessings were reserved for marriages between men and women. It said homosexual unions continued to be sinful in the Church's eyes. Writing on Twitter Tuesday, John said: "How can the Vatican refuse to bless gay marriages because they "are sin", yet happily make a profit from investing millions in "Rocketman" - a film which celebrates my finding happiness from my marriage to David?? #hypocrisy" (ANSA). Bruno Volkmann Gunning For Second Super MILLION$ Title March 16, 2021 Matthew Pitt The latest final GGPoker Super MILLION$ final table is set and it is Bruno Volkmann who sits down at it in the envious position of chip leader. Super MILLION$ Final Table Chip Counts Place Player Country Chips 1 Bruno Volkmann Brazil 4,361,568 2 Beast2018! Canada 3,121,083 3 Nator Mexico 2,324,017 4 Isaac Baron Mexico 2,306,553 5 Gleb Tremzin Russia 2,260,644 6 Damian Salas Argentina 2,163,171 7 25th Baam Japan 1,713,558 8 7ingls7 Estonia 1,554,155 9 Pablo Silva Brazil 595,251 Volkmann has won this tournament before, taking down the September 22 edition for $564,947. Winning this evenings Super MILLION$ will not yield as much prize money, but he would still walk away with $412,449. At least 10 people are hoping Volkmann gets the job done and bags his second Super MILLION$ title. That is because the Brazilian sold 31.1% of his action to 10 investors ar 1.07 markup via the in-built staking software. No pressure! Canadas Beast2018! is Volkmanns nearest rival in terms of chips, albeit 1.24 million chips behind. Beast2018 is guaranteed their biggest Super MILLION$ haul in what is their third cash and first final table appearance from 27 entries. A 10th place finish in August 2020 netted Beast2018! $35,614, they are now guaranteed at least $51,556. GGPoker Turns Online Poker into a Business with Innovative Staking Feature Nator is the player returning to the action in third place. The Mexico-based grinder has reached three final tables previous but has never managed to finish higher than third place. They have a legitimate shot at gory this evening, do not bet against them. Another former champion has navigated his way to this final table, namely Isaac Baron. Baron won this event in September 2020 and walked away with a colossal payout weighing in at $636,139. His other final table appearance came in January 2021 and ended in a sixth-place finish worth $124,020. Finishing eighth or better today would see Barons Super MILLION$ cashes exceed $1 million. Watch This Star-Studded Final Table Unfold Who will win this week's Super MILLION$? Find out right here Head to GGPoker's YouTube channel The Super MILLION$ final table would not be complete with a Russian star being seated at it. Gleb Tremzin is Russias sole representative today. Tremzin is not a Super MILLION$ regular having played only eight events prior to this one. One of those entries turned into an eighth-place finish worth $71,121, finishing sixth here would blow that prize out of the water. Sixth place at the restart belongs to the current World Series of Poker Main Event champion Damien Salas. The Argentinian is likely to receive plenty of final table bets because he looks decent value at around 7-to-1. Salas reached a Super MILLION$ final table on Valentines Day where he finished second for $314,924. He will be hoping to go one place deeper this time around. GGPoker Launches New 'OmahaSquad' with $7M GTD Omaholics Series Japans 25th Baam is relatively new to GGPoker and is the first-ever Japanese finalist in the Super MILLION$. They sit down in seventh place but their stack is worth more than 34 big blinds, meaning they have plenty of room for manoeuvrer. 7ingls7 is the player sitting down at the final table in eighth place. The Estonian is guaranteed a substantial ROI having won their seat via a $1,050 satellite. This is the fourth time 7ingles7 has played in a SUPER MILLION$ tournament, but this represents their first in the money finish. Pablo Silva brings up the rear with his 12 big blind stack. Silva wishes he was in his fellow countryman Volkmanns shoes but he is not out of this tournament just yet. Sure, Silva has plenty of work ahead of him, but is talented and experienced enough to realise he is one double away from being back in the thick of the action. Super MILLION$ Final Table Payouts Place Prize 1 $412,449 2 $318,042 3 $245,244 4 $189,109 5 $145,823 6 $112,444 7 $86,706 8 $66,860 9 $51,556 Good Morning Britain's ratings took an embarrassing dive on the first Monday morning without Piers Morgan since he sensationally quit in a smash-hit final episode. The ITV morning show has been left with a hole in its line-up after Mr Morgan - who transformed GMB from a ratings flop - stormed off camera during a heated on-air row over his criticism of Meghan Markle last Tuesday. Yesterday, Ben Shephard - who traditionally co-hosts the show on Thursdays and Fridays - stepped into Mr Morgan's empty chair alongside Susanna Reid. But the show's ratings took a hit, with its average viewers down by 255,700 compared to last Monday. Yesterday's show had just 1.3 million people tuning in at its peak - with an average of 895,700 viewers. For comparison, one Monday prior - on March 8 - 1.9 million viewers tuned in to watch the panel react to the Megan and Harry Oprah interview which aired overnight. Its viewership averaged out at 1,151,400 million. And yesterday's views were also down on the Monday before that. On March 1, GMB's peak viewers hit 1.7 millon, with an average of 978,000. Good Morning Britain's ratings took an embarrassing dive on the first Monday morning without Piers Morgan since he sensationally quit in a smash-hit final episode. Yesterday, Ben Shephard - who traditionally co-hosts the show on Thursdays and Fridays - stepped into Mr Morgan's empty chair alongside Susanna Reid The ITV morning show has been left with a hole in its line-up after Mr Morgan (pictured last week) - who transformed GMB from a ratings flop - stormed off camera during a heated on-air row over his criticism of Meghan Markle last Tuesday Mr Morgan's final episode last week was a ratings hit, beating BBC Breakfast's viewing figures for the first time ever. But the ratings rapidly dipped again following Mr Morgan's departure, with Breakfast winning out over GMB on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Mr Morgan presented Good Morning Britain from Monday to Wednesday. Ranvir Singh covered his Wednesday slot last week following his resignation. Hundreds of thousands sign petitions urging ITV to bring Piers back A petition launched after Piers quit GMB, found here, said the popular host had been treated 'appallingly.' A second petition titled 'Keep Piers Morgan on GMB for his common sense approach to life' seen here. Another set up to 'Save Piers Morgan from being sacked from GMB', said any decision to remove him from the show would be 'an absolute farce.' It can be found by clicking here. Advertisement Britons last week voted Tipping Point presenter Mr Shephard, 46, the best replacement for Mr Morgan - with Bradley Walsh, Jeremy Clarkson and Alex Beresford the nest most popular choices. It was during an on-air row with Mr Beresford that Mr Morgan stormed off last week. Mr Morgan had declared the Duchess of Sussex's incendiary claims to Oprah about the Royal Family 'contemptible' and said: 'I don't believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth' on the show last Monday. Mr Beresford accused him of unfairly 'trashing' Meghan, and branded him 'diabolical'. When Mr Morgan walked off screen, Mr Beresford continued: 'I'm sorry but Piers just spouts off on a regular basis and we have to sit there and listen.' Mr Morgan - who refused to apologise - later announced his resignation and tweeted his thanks to the GMB team, praising them for their 'hard work and dedication' that led to them beating their main breakfast TV rival. At its peak, Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain had 2.2 million viewers tuned in to watch Mr Morgan and co-host Susanna Reid. Its viewership averaged out at 1.29million. Desperate viewers are now calling for ITV to reinstate Mr Morgan, with online petitions demanding his return topping 250,000 signatures. Mr Morgan, however, is said to be in a 10million bidding war with TV bosses both in the UK and the US. Meanwhile, presenters Dan Walker and Louise Minchin on the BBC's morning show Breakfast pulled in no more than 1.8 million viewers at its most-popular - with an average of 1.25million. But on Wednesday, GMB's views plunged again with its peak number of viewers standing at 1.8million - and an average of 1.2million. Breakfast, on the other hand, had 2.3 million viewers at its peak and an average of 1.4 million. Mr Morgan resigned from the daytime show after an on-air row with colleague Alex Beresford who criticised him for 'continuing to trash' the Duchess of Sussex Mr Morgan had declared the Duchess of Sussex's incendiary claims to Oprah (pictured) about the Royal Family 'contemptible' and said: 'I don't believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth' in the show one day prior A similar trend happened on Thursday - when GMB had an average of 932,000 viewers and Breakfast had 1.6 million - and Friday - when the averages stood at 856,100 for GMB and 1.47 million for Breakfast. Those figures, coming at the end of such a dramatic week for GMB, were up on the previous Thursday and Friday. Shares in ITV also plunged in the wake of his resignation with almost 200million wiped off the company's value overnight and share prices dropping by 3.8 per cent. A TV insider said a bidding war is now on to secure the services of Mr Morgan, who is also Editor at Large for MailOnline. Yesterday, Mr Morgan's wife journalist Celia Walden shared a picture of the morning show host with a vaccuum cleaner in the family's west London home Journalist Celia Walden - who has been married to Mr Morgan for more than 10 years - shared a picture of the morning show host with a vaccuum cleaner in the family's west London home The source told The Mirror: 'He has had millions of pounds worth of offers. He turned GMB into a ratings hit, it seems everything he touches turns to gold. 'Some of the offers have hit the 10million mark, and it seems he may be able to land exactly what he wants.' Mr Morgan issued a tongue-in-cheek reply to a story about the reported bid, writing on Twitter: 'Only 10?' Yesterday, Mr Morgan's wife journalist Celia Walden shared a picture of the morning show host with a vaccuum cleaner in the family's west London home. She sarcastically captioned the post: 'I want it all done by the time I get back from work. Also, you missed a bit.' Ms Walden - who shares nine-year-old daughter Elise with Mr Morgan - shared the picture shortly after yesterday's Good Morning Britain episode ended at 9am. Mr Morgan's final episode last week was a ratings hit, beating BBC Breakfast's viewing figures for the first time ever, prompting Mr Morgan to thank the 'hard work and dedication' of the production team. But the ratings rapidly flopped again following Mr Morgan's departure, with Breakfast winning out over GMB on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (pictured) Desperate viewers are now calling for ITV to reinstate Mr Morgan, with online petitions (some pictured) demanding his return topping 250,000 signatures TV presenter Ben Shephard voted best replacement Ben Shephard has pipped Bradley Walsh and Jeremy Clarkson as the best replacement for Piers Morgan, according to a survey of 1,864 adults in the UK. WHO BRITONS WANT TO REPLACE PIERS: THE TOP 10 1. Ben Shephard 2. Bradley Walsh 3. Jeremy Clarkson 4. Alex Beresford 5. Adrian Chiles 6. Alan Carr 7. Eamon Holmes 8. Alison Hammond 9. Amanda Holden 10. Dermot O'Leary Advertisement Meanwhile, signatures on five petitions calling for Piers to be reinstated on Good Morning Britain have now reached more than 250,000. Morgan ruled out a return to Good Morning Britain but called the petitions a 'pleasant surprise'. One titled 'BRING BACK Piers Morgan!' had 48,981 signatures this morning. It accused ITV of treating him 'appallingly', claiming: 'They have thrown him under the bus and allowed him to be bullied by an colleague on air. Piers has turned the show into the most talked about show on ITV. 'He was the only person who spoke on behalf of viewers during the pandemic and now he's been bullied by the snowflakes all for speaking the truth. 'BRING PIERS BACK ITV.' Another petition titled 'Save Piers Morgan from being sacked from GMB' had a similar 47,877. A third called 'Keep Piers Morgan on GMB for his common sense approach to life' had a massive 150,682. Two other petitions' total signatures stood at 2,626 and 1,470. ITV is said to be interested in the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire as Mr Morgan's replacement. Derbyshire - who appeared on ITV's I'm a Celebrity last year - currently presents the news for the BBC after her award-winning current affairs programme was axed last March. A source told the Sun: 'ITV producers have been looking for the right platform for Victoria for a while. 'They think she is a real talent and one of the few opinionated TV journalists who could be a real powerhouse addition to GMB. 'She's not afraid to challenge guests, ask tough questions, get straight to the point and wax lyrical about what she believes in. 'They're using Piers' exit as an opportunity to trial new faces.' ITV are said to be interested in replacing Piers Morgan with the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire as petitions urging the channel to reinstate him on Good Morning Britain reach 250,0000 Good Morning Britain has lost 500,000 viewers since Piers Morgan quit the show on Tuesday Piers tweeted that GMB had beaten ratings for BBC Breakfast in the ratings on his final day There were more than 41,000 complaints received by Ofcom - the UK's communications regulator - over Mr Morgan's comments on Meghan, including one from the Duchess herself following the clash. Meghan is said to have raised concerns with ITV about the effect Piers's comments may have on the issue of mental health generally and those attempting to deal with their own problems. But Mr Morgan later repeated his condemnation of her interview when he told reporters outside his West London home: 'If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.' Mr Morgan - who had been on the show for five years - recently responded to the soaring petitions on Twitter by writing that although the support came as a 'pleasant surprise' he will not be returning to GMB. He said: 'I won't be going back, but thanks to everyone who has signed these petitions. Normally, people start petitions to have me fired or deported, so this is a pleasant surprise.' In a 332-word statement shared on Instagram, the tough-talking journalist thanked his supporters and declared he was 'willing to stand my ground'. In a statement, Morgan thanked supporters and declared he was 'willing to stand my ground' He wrote: 'To all my supporters, I just wanted to drop you a note of thanks. (To all my haters, whatever.) 'It has been an extraordinary week for me, for Britain, for our monarchy and for our future. 'Those of you that know me well enough know that, despite my many faults, I'm always willing to stand my ground for the things that I think matter most. 'My fervent opposition to the Iraq War led to my demise from the Daily Mirror. My outspoken views on the insanity of American gun laws led to the end of my time at CNN. 'And now I've lost my job at Good Morning Britain because I chose not to apologise for disbelieving Meghan Markle's claims in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.' He added: 'I thus became the latest ''victim'' of the cancel culture that is permeating our country, every minute, of every hour, of everyday. Though of course, I consider myself to be neither a victim, nor actually cancelled. 'However, I do believe the defence of free speech and the right to express honestly held opinions, is the most important issue of my career, and the most important issue in British society.' Sources at ITV have said that Piers 'will continue to make programmes for the channel', according to iNews. This is likely to include his popular celebrity interview programme, Life Stories, which has been on air since 2009. This was the week that the EU utterly lost its head. To the incredulity of its health chiefs, and the horror of its friends overseas, it has dragged its vaccine policy to the level of the Kindergarten. On the one hand, we've seen member states ban the export of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and threaten legal action against the manufacturer for not getting it to them quickly enough. On the other hand, they've been busy casting doubt over the jab's effectiveness, seizing consignments, and suspending its distribution in 15 countries because of health fears. We are in the realm of playground politics. 'Give me your vaccine! Gimme, gimme! ... Yeah, well I never wanted your stupid vaccine anyway!' The vaccination centre at the Erfurt, Germany, exhibition centre is deserted on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. After the stopping of AstraZeneca vaccinations thousands of appointments are cancelled in Thuringia. It's not even as if EU leaders have shifted position. They make both complaints simultaneously. France's Emmanuel Macron has said the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab is 'quasi-ineffective' for people over 65, yet his ministers have since been all over the airwaves threatening to sue the company for not allowing the EU to queue-jump and get more of it. 'Europe is not going to be some Care Bear that sends money and expects nothing in return,' said France's Europe Minister, Clement Beaune, in an odd reference to the cuddly toy popular in the 1980s. The Portuguese prime minister, Antonio Costa, revealed that he 'can't wait for a second dose'; but then on Monday his government halted distribution of the first. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) waves to French President Emmanuel Macron (left) at the end of a press conference, February 2021 Seized Italy banned a consignment of the vaccine from going to Australia on grounds that it was needed at home. It then seized a batch being distributed in Piedmont in Northern Italy after a man died following vaccination (officials have now confirmed his death was unrelated to the jab). Meanwhile, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, last week outrageously asserted it is the UK which is limiting supply by prohibiting the export of vaccines a false claim Eurocrats had been making for weeks and which prompted a formal rebuke from the Foreign Office. It is hard to imagine that any of this would be happening if, instead of being the Oxford vaccine, it had been the Bologna vaccine or the Toulouse vaccine or the Heidelberg vaccine. Indeed, as Nicola Magrini, the head of Italy's medicines authority which says the vaccine is safe said yesterday: 'We got to the point of a suspension because several European countries, including Germany and France, preferred to interrupt vaccinations . . . The choice is a political one.' Medical staff transport a patient to a waiting ambulance after arriving on a medical helicopter evacuated from another hospital, at CHU University Hospital in Angers, France, March 15 Last night there were signs from France and Italy of an imminent U-turn. But it is already too late. The damage has been done. The suspensions were notionally justified by fears of a link to blood clots. Even if such a risk existed, it would not justify causing thousands of needless Covid deaths. Yet there is no evidence of any such link. The question is whether the number of such incidents fewer than 40 following more than 17 million vaccinations is higher among people who have had the jab than among people who haven't. The answer is it is not. On the contrary, it appears to be lower than both the proportion among people who have had the Pfizer/BioNTech jab and people who have had no jab. The European Medicines Agency made clear that 'the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risk of side-effects'. Our own regulators agree, as does the World Health Organisation. 'The bottom line, sadly, is that this good and effective vaccine is not being accepted by the public in many countries because of the row and the suspension,' said Frank Ulrich Montgomery, the German head of the World Medical Association. The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis agreed: it said that 'the small number of reported thrombotic events relative to the millions of administered Covid-19 vaccinations does not suggest a direct link.' In plain English, the jab is safe. So why have so many EU member states stoked needless fears, reduced vaccine take-up and so guarantee a higher rate of fatalities? When the first vaccine was authorised, I worried that prioritising the most vulnerable might undermine confidence in the inoculation programme. Since, by definition, these groups are the likeliest to die, there was, I felt, a danger that people would blame the vaccine for what were, in fact, normal fatalities. I had read about an outbreak of swine flu in New Jersey in 1976, to which the Ford administration responded with a national vaccine rollout. Because 45 million Americans got the jab, some (as was statistically inevitable) died soon afterwards in one case, dropping dead in the surgery. It was pure coincidence, but it caused a panic even in a pre-internet age when there was very little in the way of an anti-vax movement. I suggested to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, that he should begin with healthcare workers and care home staff. He disagreed, arguing the absolute priority was to save as many lives as possible. He was right and I was wrong. The British people have been admirably calm and level-headed, ignoring the deranged conspiracies of anti-vaxxers. Distract Across the Channel, sadly, it has been a different story. By calling the Oxford vaccine's safety into question, initially to distract from their own procurement failures, Eurocrats might have ended up stopping millions of people protecting themselves. It seems EU countries will restart their programmes soon and even if the vaccine slightly increased clot risk, the balance of advantage will surely be found overwhelmingly to favour a continued rollout. As epidemologist Dirk Brockmann from the German government's Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said, 'it is probably 100,000 times more likely [for someone] to die of Covid than because of an AstraZeneca vaccine.' But crucial days have been lost in inoculating hundreds of thousands of people, with confidence so shaken in Covid vaccines that many will ignore the call to get a jab. The Continent will remain closed for longer than it needed to have been especially if rising cases (like those seen in Italy) turn into a third wave. The EU, by peddling the sorts of scare stories we would expect from Russian or Chinese agent provocateurs, is endangering lives. After the EU's behaviour in recent months, you might be tempted to shrug and say 'serves them right'. Incompetence But that would be a mistake. So far, almost 27 million doses have been administered here with no ill-effects beyond the mild symptoms that we expect after any vaccine which show that it is working. That number is more than in France, Germany, Italy and Portugal combined. The danger is irrational fears spread from the Continent to Britain so our aim should be to lead by example, thereby reassuring nearby countries. Ordinary Europeans are hardly to blame for Brussels incompetence. We wish our neighbours good health. We also want their economies humming, buying our stuff and selling us theirs. And we want their hotels open to British travellers. In fact, as we approach the point when most Britons are protected, I hope that we make some surplus doses available to Europe. Eurocrats might resent it. They might even ramp up their anti-British micro-aggressions. But someone has to behave like a grown-up. Lord Hannan is a former Conservative MEP and serves on the UK Board of Trade Rep. Charlie Crist's hat sits teetering at the edge of the 2022 ring. The state of play: The St. Petersburg Democrat told Axios he is "seriously considering running for governor" while on a tour of local businesses on Monday. That's a bit firmer than his response to the question just a month ago: "My mind is open to it." Crist visited a hair salon, a deli and a food truck to make sure they can secure small business loans as part of the stimulus package and to casually mention he is thinking of running for governor. The big picture: The race against Gov. Ron DeSantis will be decided 15 years after Crist was elected as a Republican governor and a decade since he switched parties. He went from "Chain Gang Charlie" to saying "God bless Joe Biden." This sets up 2022 to have two major Tampa Bay contenders for governor. David Jolly is considering running as an independent. Other possible Democratic contenders from across the state are former Rep. Gwen Graham, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Reps. Val Demings and Stephanie Murphy. Crist took a jab at DeSantis' vaccine rollout while sitting in a salon chair at Tabatha Exquisite Touch on Central Avenue: "We're in a crisis. Some people don't know it. They may live in places where they don't get to see it. ... Places like Lakewood Ranch or Ocean Reef, where the governor likes to go to hand out the vaccine. He doesn't come to South St. Pete." Worth noting: Criticizing DeSantis may not be enough for Crist as some other Democrats are already doubting him. A Florida Democratic National Committee member told told Politico he doesn't think Crist is exciting enough to beat DeSantis. Correction: An earlier version of this story contained a quote from Florida lawyer John Morgan calling Charlie Crist a "cold fish." Morgan was not, in fact, referring to Crist. The quote has been removed from this story and we regret the mistake. This story first appeared in the Axios Tampa Bay newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard. A woman who was sexually abused by her family from the age of eight has laid bare their horrific crimes in a memoir that she believes will give hope to other survivors. Maureen Wood, 51, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, suffered years of abuse at the hands of her mother Maureen Senior and stepfather John Wood, and fell pregnant as a result of rape by her brother, John Donnelly, when she was 13 years old. The mother-of-five finally saw her attackers jailed in 2011 after the body of the baby son she'd given birth to almost 30 years earlier - who died when he was a few days old - was exhumed, and DNA testing proved he had been fathered by Donnelly. The trio were convicted of abusing Maureen in 2011, and she won a 200,000 settlement from Staffordshire County Council after a legal battle against social services in 2016. Maureen has now penned A Family Secret: My Shocking True Story of Surviving a Childhood in Hell, published by Harper Element. She said it took her a decade to get to a place where she felt able to write about her experiences. Speaking to Femail, she said: 'It's helped me close that chapter of my life. I think it's something I'll always carry with me, because it's made me the person that I am today. But I don't let it affect me in the same way that it did in the past.' Maureen Wood, 51, from Stoke-on-Trent, has penned a book recounting how her step-father, mother and brother sexually abused her from age eight to 16, and how she brought them to justice in 2009, to see them convicted at a trial in 2011 From left to right: Step-father and abuser John Wood, Maureen on her wedding day, abuser and mother Maureen senior and an unnamed child 'My mental health was badly affected by the trauma and the court cases and bringing it all up,' she admitted. But she explained that it 'wasn't painful at all' to relive the events of her past when she wrote the book, saying: 'I was in a good place, a good enough place to be able to do it, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. It's taken me 10 years to be in the right place to do this.' Maureen is looking to the future and starting an Open University course in psychology or sociology, and hopes the book will help other people who have gone through the same thing. She said that while she has trust issues due to her ordeal, she's also learned that not all people are evil, and can't judge everyone by the standards of those who abused her. Maureen was placed in care at the age of three, after her parents separated, and never had a relationship with her biological father. But four years later, her mother, Maureen Senior, took her and her older brother, John Donnelly, named Jock in the book, back out of care and they were introduced to their new step-father, John Wood. Maureen, pictured as a child, left, was abused sexually by her brother John Donnelly, right, for the first time when she was eight. He raped her on her ninth birthday John Wood, left and Maureen senior, right, were jailed for the abuse in 2011. Maureen senior died of cancer in prison in 2015 When Maureen was eight, the sexual abuse at the hands of her brother - who was aged 14 - began. In the book, she recalled the first two times her brother assaulted her, writing: 'In my childs mind he looked like a monster, a ghoul, a bogeyman, and nothing like my brother at all.' On her ninth birthday, Maureen was raped for the first time. In the book she explained her brother said he had a ' special birthday present' for her before the rape took place. Maureen told Femail reliving the trauma to write the book was less painful that it had been during the trial Maureen with three of her five children, including her eldest son Ben, who's now 31. Maureen was plagued with nightmares before she finally came out with her horrific story Maureen wrote she remembered 'a searing, cruel, unforgiving pain.' A year later, Maureen's step-father walked in on her brother raping her. She thought it would be the end of her ordeal, but Wood did nothing to stop the abuse from the brother, and later started raping Maureen himself. Maureen had hoped her mother would step in and help her, but she recounted in the book that Maureen Senior called her a 'little w****,' and blamed her for her own rapes. 'I didnt understand. Clutching my smarting cheek, I listened in dismay as she insisted that I must have encouraged Jock in some way. That I was just as much to blame as he was,' Maureen wrote in the book. Due to her situation at home, Maureen began dreading going back to her house after school, and ran away on several occasions. Maureen won a 200,000 settlement from Staffordshire County Council after a legal battle against social services in 2016. She had her eldest son Ben when she was 17. When she was 13, she gave birth to a baby boy named Christopher, who sadly died shortly after his birth Maureen with her five children during a day out when they were younger. At the time where she readied to come forward to the police with her story, she told her eldest children, Ben, in the blue shirt, right and Naomi, right 'I ran away often sometimes out of desperation, sometimes out of spite. Sometimes I just wanted to see if anyone would miss me and quite often they didnt. Anything, anywhere, was better than home. I was fast learning that family was not to be trusted. And home was not a safe place to be,' she wrote. Soon after her tenth birthday, Maureen's mother became involved with the abuse. In the book, she explained in raw details how the couple would take turn abusing her. 'They looked for all the world like a run-of-the-mill middle-aged couple, in any suburban bedroom. Yet they could not have been more abnormal, more depraved, more inhuman,' she wrote. 'It became a fortnightly horror. Every other Saturday, Mum and John Wood would rape and sexually abuse me in their bed. I was made to endure unimaginable horrors, which, though I tried to block them out, burned through the lining of my soul and ravaged my very core,' she wrote. A Family Secret, by Maureen Wood, is published by Harper Element Despite her horrific family life, Maureen enjoyed school and did well academically. She had friends but confided in nobody. When she was 13, Maureen fell pregnant. 'It was early in the spring of 1984, when, aged thirteen, I started feeling sick, mostly in the mornings. I couldnt even turn over in bed without a wave of nausea sloshing over me,' she wrote. 'I noticed changes in my body, too. I had always been stick-thin, like a little match girl. But now I was developing curves and contours. At first I presumed it was puberty, but when my stomach began to curve also, I knew exactly what this was,' she added. She kept the pregnancy a secret for as long as she could because she knew her mother wouldn't let her keep it. 'This baby, this little heartbeat inside me, felt like the answer to all of my dreams and my hopes. For as long as I could remember, I had wanted to love someone, and for them to love me back,' she wrote. 'All I wanted was a pure and innocent love. And this was my chance,' she added. Maureen senior and John Wood were 'terrified' when they finally found out she was expecting, and told her to say she had been raped by a stranger, in order to save appearances. Maureen with her five children at the time of the trial. They said the eldest, Ben (centre) and Noami (right) were very supportive of her In October 1984, Maureen gave birth to a son, Christopher. He was born on her brother's 18th birthday. Sadly, he passed a few days later. After Christopher's death, Maureen's mother and brother stopped abusing her. But her stepfather began assaulting her again only a couple of weeks afterwards. He paid for Christopher's funeral but signed the burial plot and the bills over to his stepdaughter. Meanwhile, Maureen Senior took away all mementos of the baby. The abuse continued until, at 16, Maureen left home after suffering eight years of horrific abuse. 'For the next few months my life was wonderfully normal and predictable. Like most teenagers my age, I had no idea how to budget. I had to learn how to do a weekly shop and how to organise myself. In those early weeks I blew my entire weeks money on a night out and had to live on toast for the next six days,' she wrote. Her late teens were a troubled times where she struggled with the memory of the abuse. She gave birth to her son Ben aged 17, but struggled with her past and drinking and lost custody of the baby shortly thereafter. Maureen, pictured a few years after the trial, said she was looking to the future and thinking of taking an Open University course in psychology or sociology In the book, she shared that this led her to go through counselling in her late teens, but that she couldn't bring herself to say that her brother and mother had been her abusers. Instead, she focused on her step-father, because the fact he was not a 'blood relative' made it easier. 'But over the years, just a whiff of old Spice, Charlie perfume and stale beer and I would be gripped by a panic attack, unable to speak or breathe. I was whirled back, like a leaf on the wind, to that bedroom with the flowery curtains and the small TV,' she wrote. Thanks to the help of a counsellor, Maureen retained the custody of Ben a few years later. In a heartbreaking twist, Maureen reconnected with her brother and mother when her children were young. Her brother tried to assault her again 'for old times' sake. She said she would make sure that her brother and mother or John Wood were never alone with the kids. She explained in the book she was split between wanting to forget the abuse had ever happened, and wanting her children to grow up with an uncle and a grandmother and extended family. Maureen went on to have four more children in addition to Ben, who is now 31: Naomi, 26, Josh, 22, William, 20, and Michaela, 18. Although none of the relationships with her children's fathers have worked out, she has always loved motherhood. In 2007, two years after her divorce from Josh, William and Machaela's father, Mick, Maureen started dating a woman and realised she was gay, and said she was a 'happy gay mother-of-five.' But that same year, Maureen started experiencing nightmares of her step-father raping her. She would make up screaming 'he's raping me' in the middle of the night. 'Aged thirty-seven, I had finally found the courage to let go of a secret which, for twenty-nine years, had festered and blistered and threatened to eat me up completely. Yet there was no sense at all of a weight being lifted,' she wrote. 'My dreams were like gremlins, burrowing into my thoughts, turning my life upside down, threatening my happiness, my sanity, my very being. They were chaotic and sporadic, with the memories flooding out, in disordered and jumbled horror,' she wrote. 'One night I dreamed about the start of the abuse, when I was a little girl, huddled in my bed, seeking refuge in the place I was least likely to be safe,' she added. 'By February 2008 the nightmares were becoming so vivid that I was able to piece together months and months of abuse. During the day I would remember more details, and there seemed to be triggers everywhere I went.' At that time, Maureen reached out to her mother, writing letters to her, saying she remembered the abuse she endured. She said in the book her mother never replied, and that Maureen tried to take her own life soon after. In the summer of that year, Maureen underwent counselling to talk about the abuse she suffered at the end of her brother and of her mother. It is that counselling which allowed Maureen to contact the police about her abuse, and open an investigation against her mother, step-father and brother. 'Aged thirty-seven, I had finally found the courage to let go of a secret which, for twenty-nine years, had festered and blistered and threatened to eat me up completely. Yet there was no sense at all of a weight being lifted,' she wrote. Christopher's body was exhumed in July 2009 and reburied a month later. Maureen has no pictures of him but she has the small plaque from Christopher's original coffin. At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in October 2011, Maureen's stepfather, John Wood, then 68, was convicted of seven counts of rape and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Her 46-year-old brother John Donnelly, received two years in jail after admitting rape, incest and indecent assault. In a re-trial, her mother, Maureen Wood (senior), then 65, was found guilty of four counts of aiding and abetting the rape of a girl under 16. She was jailed in October 2011 for nine years, and died from cancer in prison last year. Maureen found it in her heart to attend the funeral, but she can't forgive the past. She told Femail she never thought of her mother, step-father or brother since the end of the trial. A Family Secret: My Shocking True Story of Surviving a Childhood in Hell, by Maureen Wood and published by Harper Element is out on 18 March 2021. Cloward-Piven is a political strategy of calculated chaos first described in 1966, by two Columbia University sociologists, Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven. Their theory was published appropriately in the far left The Nation, the oldest continuously published news magazine in the country. Cloward-Pivens goal was the creation of chaos so that: A political crisis would result that could lead to legislation for a guaranteed annual income and thus an end to poverty. The activities of the past year, from an imported Chinese coronavirus to a rigged and stolen presidential election are textbook Cloward-Piven, leading to a massive shift in the leadership and direction of America. We have gone to government by, of, and for the people to a tyrannical autocracy controlled by a small cabal of self-appointed elites. Welcome to President Cloward and Vice President Piven, or vice versa for those who believe the current vice-president is really in charge, rather than the cognitively impaired president in name only. Cloward-Pivens objective is chaos and turmoil, or in their words, A massive drive to recruit the poor onto the welfare rolls. This is followed by: A federal program of income redistribution has become necessary to elevate the poor en masse from poverty. Is there any better recap of COVID, including lockdowns, closed businesses, schools, and churches requiring the ruling class spending trillions of dollars they dont have, to rectify the damage and destruction unleashed by the same ruling class that now wants to correct it? YouTube screen grab The so-called stimulus is massive income redistribution, from the producers to the nonproducers who are in their situation either by choice or through the diktats of the ruling class and their decisions which turned producers into nonproducers. The stimulus will result in much of the middle class, and states in general, to further dependency on the federal government sustenance. In Cloward-Piven terms, a crisis is: A publicly visible disruption in some institutional sphere. How do they create such a crisis? Crisis can occur spontaneously (e.g., riots) or as the intended result of tactics of demonstration and protest which either generate institutional disruption or bring unrecognized disruption to public attention. Think of the George Floyd protests and riots, a convenient excuse for institutional disruption. Institutions of law and order suffered disruption, from calls to defund the police to blatant disregard for private property and businesses. A pre-planned riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 created a false panic and a rushed certification of the Electoral College votes without scrutiny or review, Congress rubber-stamping a fraudulent election. It had the bonus of allowing a bogus impeachment of President Trump, kicking a man already down as a giant middle finger to Trump and his millions of supporters. Cloward-Piven did not begin with the Trump presidency but during FDRs New Deal, then further codified in the 1960s when it was given a name. This included Medicare, Medicaid and the Great Society welfare programs. New government agencies and bureaucracies choked innovation and economic growth. Ill-conceived and endless wars, expansion of food stamps, Medicaid, and other social welfare programs, resulted in the majority of Americans receiving government benefits. A crisis led to each of these programs. Seniors and the poor unable to afford their medical care gave us Medicare and Medicaid. The government, replacing stay-at-home fathers, created the welfare state. A shortage of reliable Democrat voters was rectified by opening our borders to anyone, providing them with free benefits in exchange for not biting, or voting against, the hand that feeds them. Democrats offer programs, unpopular and unappealing to the majority of Americans. Cloward-Piven is how they muscle their agenda through. It is their only strategy, accomplishing through chaos, fear and coercion what is unreachable via the ballot box. Bringing down the current system provides an opportunity to remake American society into their idealized version of Utopia, which in reality is the Soviet Union, Cuba, or China, with a small ruling class in charge and everyone else subservient. In other words, a real-life Hunger Games dystopian society. Donald Trump was simply a speed bump on the Cloward-Piven expressway. He was supposed to blow up the road to serfdom but instead only slowed it down for a few years. The deep state won easily. I wonder if Trump even stood a chance. Did he simply provide an opportunity for the deep state to test their new strategies of weaponizing the government against political opponents and rigging elections to the point that they are irrelevant? Now we have rule, not by our elected representatives, but by a senile old man, signing executive orders put in front of him, orders created by his puppet-masters hiding behind the curtains. COVID restrictions and lockdowns created such economic carnage that an entirely new dependency class was born. Add to that tens of millions of illegal immigrants, bringing dependency as well as potential health care concerns and costs and animosity toward the country paying all their bills, displacing American workers already struggling to regain their footing after COVID. Any resistance is met with protests and riots. Those who speak out may be cancelled or worse. The media simply parrots the talking points of the ruling class, acting like court eunuchs for the ruling establishment. Massive income redistribution via government programs with attacks on the First and Second Amendments make it impossible for the people to push back, either verbally or physically, against a tyrannical government, all to supposedly end poverty by making everyone poor and calling it the middle class. Universal income doesnt eliminate poverty it simply expands it, but under a different name, something trendy, like equity. Putting dog poop on a scoop of ice cream and calling it an ice cream sundae doesnt make it so, except in the eyes of the government that defines the acceptable terms. You can be sure that guaranteed annual income will simply create a subservient lower class, eager to vote for their paymasters each November as long as they keep dripping narcotic dollars into their wallets, not enough to climb the economic ladder but enough to keep them satisfied. The productive ones, pulling on the economic oars, will eventually tire from their efforts and take their guaranteed stipend and let someone else row the boat. Those in charge will live lavishly as they did in the capitol city of the Hunger Games. Chaos and confusion, fear and uncertainty, in a never-ending stream, courtesy of the government, solved with executive orders by the same government designed to fix the very problems they created. All of this is being ushered in under the whip of President Cloward and Vice President Piven. And it seems the entire ruling class, regardless of political party, has signed on. Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer. He is on sabbatical from social media. The current ban on entry into China is of particular concern to 23,000 Indians studying at Chinese universities. The announcement will bring them little relief as vaccines produced in China are not available in India. China's Foreign Ministry said Monday that China is willing to carry out mutual recognition of vaccination with other nations, but this process is expected to take time. New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) Several Chinese missions abroad, including its embassy in New Delhi, announced yesterday that they will begin "facilitating" travel to China as long as visitors have taken Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines. Indians have been barred from China in November 2020, when China suspended valid visas and residence permits not only for travellers from India, but from most countries with COVID-19 levels that raise concern. The ban has worried many Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities, who have not been able to return to China. At least 23,000 Indians are studying in China, most of them in the medical field. Yesterdays announcement will bring them little relief as vaccines produced in China are not available in India. China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it is willing to carry out mutual recognition of vaccination with other nations, but this process is expected to take time. For now, the limited easing in travel restrictions will only apply to travellers who have taken Chinese vaccines. On its website, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi states: For the purpose of resuming people-to-people exchanges in an orderly manner, starting from 15 March, 2021, the Chinese Embassies and Consulates in India will provide the persons having taken Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine and holding the Certificates of Vaccination with a number of facilitating measures, including for those who travel to China for "employment contracts, work resumption and other relevant activities" and relatives of Chinese citizens, provided they have taken Chinese vaccines. The notice did not say whether the new requirement also applies to students. India provides the fourth largest group of foreign students to China. Indian students face particular obstacles, the South China Morning Post reported last month. Last year, India banned more than 200 Chinese apps, some of them used for online teaching following border clashes in the Galwan Valley. After WeChat was banned, students complained to their colleges. One university, the newspaper reported, began using DingTalk and Tencent's Meeting owned by Alibaba for online classes. Eventually, those apps were banned too. The biggest concern for students, who will have to pass challenging exams in India after graduation in order to work in their chosen field, is their inability to receive laboratory training since they cannot go back. Even though the US sanctions on China for numerous human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims are hurting the nation but more action needs to be taken by the Biden administration to further enhance the pressure on Beijing's increasing crackdown on ethnic minorities. Also, the US and other democracies must take on the question of whether to attend the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. According to an opinion piece by Washington Post, China's foreign ministry announced that 'many companies and residents in Xinjiang suffered heavy losses as a result of a US ban on imports of cotton. Beijing blamed the measure on Adrian Zenz, a German researcher who has exposed many of the crimes committed against the Uyghurs, including the forced labour of hundreds of thousands compelled to pick cotton by hand. According to reports in the state media, a number of companies in Xinjiang are suing Zenz for damages in a local court. That's one more example of how China now seeks to silence its critics abroad, as well as at home. "It is the first admission that they really are suffering major economic losses... Suing an academic -- there is an element of desperation in there," he said. According to The Post, the response of the United States and other democracies has not been nearly equal to the immense scale of the crimes against the Uyghurs. In a report by a US-based think tank called New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, experts argue that hat President Xi Jinping "set in motion . . . [a] comprehensive state policy and practice" with "the intent to destroy the Uyghurs as a group." The report also found that China was guilty of all five acts which classify as genocide under the Genocide Convention: killing Uyghurs; causing them serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about their physical destruction; imposing measures to prevent births and forcibly transferring their children to the custody of others. Meanwhile, Zenz has called for Congress to pass the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which would block all imports from forced labour in Xinjiang. China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination. Beijing, on the other hand, has vehemently denied that it is engaged in human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang while reports from journalists, NGOs and former detainees have surfaced, highlighting the Chinese Communist Party's brutal crackdown on the ethnic community. (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.) Cybersecurity What cyber risks will Biden's supply chain EO uncover? As more details have emerged about the breach into federal agencies involving SolarWinds Orion, senior administration officials and analysts have started calling the incident a "supply chain attack." While the government continues to assess the scope and scale of that breach, the White House is now directing various executive departments to assess the risks in their respective supply chains. The executive order calls for both 100-day immediate reviews of certain products -- such as semiconductors and high-capacity batteries -- as well as year-long sectoral supply chain reviews of the defense, health, transportation and agriculture industries, among others. All these industries share a need for cybersecurity and the president has it made a point to call it out as a top priority. But what will various departments find when they examine the cybersecurity risks to their supply chains? "Most likely what will happen is we will find what we already know which is that these industries are all incredibly cyber vulnerable," said Kathryn Waldron, a cybersecurity expert at the R Street Institute. "They're all incredibly attractive targets for malicious actors and that probably their cybersecurity is not as good as they think." The White House will discover fundamental problems with the public and private sector's ability to assess their cybersecurity postures as well as a worsening workforce gap, according to analysts, former government officials and industry representatives. "We don't really have a lot of great metrics or systems of measurement for cybersecurity and so I think actually determining whether or not an industry has a good cybersecurity posture in general is not something that we're really able to do well as a country both from a government standpoint but also maybe from an industry standpoint," Waldron continued. The National Institute of Standards and Technology offers a cybersecurity assessment framework for organizations, but Waldron said frameworks are not always reliable because they can be implemented incorrectly and don't provide an understanding of how to adapt to new threats. Chris White, a former contractor for the National Security Agency and now an executive at BlueVoyant, said the reviews will likely conclude that most industries lack the data to confirm they have sufficient cybersecurity controls protecting their supply chain. "There will be a big fat goose egg of, well, we were able to understand that we know there's a problem, we know there is risk, but we have no insight into how to measure that risk" or how to reduce it, he told FCW. White also argued the cybersecurity frameworks currently available are not up to par. In many cases, he said, they aim to establish "comprehensive, mutually-exclusive, perfect requirements," making them unwieldy and complicated to explain to the executives who will make decisions about how to invest in cybersecurity. But he did praise NIST for making a framework understandable by everyone from low-level engineers to top executives. "We all need to be reading from the same sheet of music," he said. "I think the call to action here is the need for a standard that solves the critical problem that NIST solved which was it can be universally interpreted by engineers at the low technical level, but be boiled up into a very simple message surrounded by five concepts that any board anywhere can understand." Another issue will be visibility, according to Blake Moore, formerly chief of staff for the Pentagon's CIO and now a vice president at Wickr. He described the various levels of a programmatic supply chain, starting at a developer creating a piece of software all the way to the integration of a system-of-systems. "If you walk that chain back, it exponentially grows as far as the potential avenues of vulnerability as you move further down the supply chain," he said. "I think they're going to realize that visibility across the entire process needs to be clear and right now we simply don't have that." The reviews aside, a senior administration official told reporters March 12 the White House is already planning to implement a policy that would label some consumer devices as having sufficient cybersecurity standards as well as a grading system for software companies that sell products to government. The policies are expected to be released through another executive order in the coming weeks. Whether industry will accept the new regulations by executive order or try to challenge the administration's authority to enact such policies remains an open question. Kevin Gronberg, vice president of policy and government affairs at SecurityScorecard, a company that uses open-source data to assess the strength of an organization's cybersecurity, said the executive agencies have likely not been able to assess their vendors at an individual level just due to the large number of contractors. "What are they going to see? They're going to see what everybody sees which is that there's a tremendous number of vendors and there's going to be a wide swath of those that are taking cybersecurity seriously and then there's going to be a select few that are not taking their security as seriously as they can or should," he said. Another well documented issue in cybersecurity is the workforce gap. Data compiled by CyberSeek, a project that tracks the cybersecurity workforce and is backed by NIST and the Department of Commerce, found that between October 2019 and September 2020 approximately 520,000 cybersecurity-related positions appeared in online job listings. By comparison, it estimated in the same time period that around 940,000 people held cybersecurity positions across the country. "Not only do they not have the technical people, they don't have the operations and policy people," said Mike McConnell, the former director of the National Security Agency under President George H.W. Bush and director of national intelligence under President George Bush. To fix that issue at a national level, McConnell said, the administration would need to fund scholarships. But funding students willing to study cybersecurity is not the only fix required. "The civilian servant system that was created in the middle of the last century" isn't going to close the workforce gap, said Ron Sanders, formerly the chair of the Federal Salary Council. Sanders now works with McConnell as staff director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity based at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Public sector jobs in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity have traditionally paid less than the private sector, Sanders said, creating a situation where companies can effectively poach talent by offering higher salaries and reimbursing the government for a student's scholarship funding. McConnell said part of the problem lies in senior officials who have not fully come to grips with how dependent the country is on digital infrastructure and the threats that a nation state or extremist group poses to it. "As a nation, we have not yet embraced the full understanding of the significance of our vulnerability," he said. [March 16, 2021] One-to-one business texting platform Statflo welcomes Pouneh Hanafi as their VP of Marketing TORONTO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Pouneh Hanafi is set to join Statflo, the leading one-to-one business text messaging platform, as their VP of Marketing. Pouneh, who brings with her an impressive track record of successfully leading the marketing functions in Enterprise B2B SaaS companies, will bolster Statflo's leadership team with her knowledge and expertise. In this role, Pouneh will oversee the company's go-to-market strategy, sales enablement, lead generation and marketing communications. Expressing his enthusiasm about Pouneh's addition to the Statflo's leadership team, Peter Macnee, CEO, said "We're excited to add Pouneh's vast marketing expertise to the team. Her depth of experience, infectious enthusiasm and tremendousleadership skills will support our expansion into new verticals, while supporting our continued domination in the telco industry." Prior to joining Statflo, Pouneh has successfully led the full-stack marketing responsibility for early-stage technology companies Tulip and Travel Edge, in addition to handling senior marketing roles at ADP Canada and Sears. Her experience of driving creative growth strategies will help the Statflo further accelerate the high growth rate of the business in Canada and the United States. "I'm excited to join Statflo's leadership team." said Pouneh Hanafi. " One-to-one messaging has become essential in enhancing customer engagement and driving business value in today's environment. With the growth of real-time conversations, organizations face the challenge of data privacy and security. Statflo's industry leading solution enables companies to deliver secure and personalized interactions with their customers. I look forward to working with this remarkable team and contributing to Statflo's accelerated growth." About Statflo: Statflo is the only compliant one-to-one business text messaging platform for customer-facing teams. Statflo enables businesses to engage, retain and grow their customers. Integrate your existing marketing and sales technology, automate data compliance, easily execute campaigns, and drive customer engagement like never before. Visit www.statflo.com to book your demo View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-to-one-business-texting-platform-statflo-welcomes-pouneh-hanafi-as-their-vp-of-marketing-301247772.html SOURCE Statflo Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] (Alliance News) - Germany, France, Italy and Spain have become the latest countries to suspend use of AstraZeneca PLC's Covid-19 vaccine over reports of dangerous blood clots in some recipients, but the company and global regulators have said there is no evidence the jab is to blame. AstraZeneca's is one of three vaccines in use on the continent, but the number of nations raising the alarm is another setback for the EU's vaccination drive, which has been plagued by shortages and other hurdles and is lagging well behind the campaigns in the UK and the US. The EU's drug regulatory agency called a meeting for Thursday to review experts' findings on the AstraZeneca vaccine and decide whether action is needed. The moves came as much of Europe tightened restrictions on schools and businesses amid surging cases of Covid-19. Germany's health minister said the decision to suspend AstraZeneca jabs was taken on the advice of the country's vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation into seven cases of clots in the brains of people who had been vaccinated. "Today's decision is a purely precautionary measure," Jens Spahn said. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will suspend shots until at least Tuesday afternoon, Italy's drug regulator announced a temporary ban, less than 24 hours after saying the "alarm" over the vaccine was unjustified, and Spain said it will stop using the vaccine for two weeks while experts review its safety. Portugal and Slovenia have taken similar steps. AstraZeneca is expected to apply for US authorisation of its vaccine in coming weeks. The US currently relies on Pfizer Inc, Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. AstraZeneca said there have been 37 reports of blood clots out of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the 27-country EU and the UK. The drugmaker said there is no evidence the vaccine carries an increased risk of clots, adding that the incidence is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size, and is similar to that of other licensed Covid-19 vaccines. The World Health Organisation and the EU's European Medicines Agency have also said the data does not suggest the vaccine caused the clots and people should continue to be immunised. "Many thousands of people develop blood clots annually in the EU for different reasons," the EMA said. The incidence in vaccinated people "seems not to be higher than that seen in the general population". The agency said that while the investigation is going on, "the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death, outweigh the risks of side effects". Blood clots can travel through the body and cause heart attacks, strokes and deadly blockages in the lungs. AstraZeneca reported 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis, or a type of clot that often develops in the legs, and 22 instances of pulmonary embolisms, or clots in the lungs. Denmark last week became the first country to temporarily halt use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. It said one person developed clots and died 10 days after receiving at least one dose. The other countries include Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo and Bulgaria. Canada, Britain and several smaller European countries are standing by AstraZeneca's vaccine for now. source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Former Insurance Agent Sentenced in Elder Abuse Embezzlement Case Former Insurance Agent Sentenced in Elder Abuse Embezzlement Case This release was issued through the Attorney General's office. Media Contact: Kelly Rossman-McKinney, 517-512-9342 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 16, 2021 LANSING - A former Paw Paw insurance agent has been sentenced to 36 months' probation - with six months under house arrest - and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling between $50,000 and $100,000 from an elderly client, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) announced today. Brian Lietzau, 60, appeared Monday before Judge Kathleen M. Brickley in Van Buren County Circuit Court. His sentencing follows a plea deal he entered in February in which he pleaded no contest to one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult, $50,000 or more but less than $100,000. Judge Brickley sentenced Lietzau to 36 months' probation. Lietzau is also responsible for paying restitution of about $70,000 to the estate of the victim, who is now deceased. Lietzau has also surrendered his license to practice insurance. DIFS initially investigated Lietzau's actions and referred the case to the Attorney General's office. "We have a duty to protect those who are most vulnerable in our state and to hold the bad actors who seek to take advantage of them accountable," said Attorney General Nessel. "I am grateful to the hardworking professionals at the Department of Insurance and Financial Services for their continued collaboration on these cases." "We are proud to work closely with the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute criminals who take advantage of Michigan's senior citizens," said DIFS Director Anita Fox. "Protecting our seniors and vulnerable adults from predators like Mr. Lietzau is a top priority for the Department. Michiganders can help by reporting suspected fraud to DIFS online or by calling 877-999-6442." Lietzau is the former owner of Farm Bureau-Lietzau Insurance. Between November 2012 and November 2013, he served as fiduciary and power of attorney for the elderly victim. During that time, he converted her funds to his own personal use. These transfers occurred both while the victim was in the hospital and after she had passed away. For more information about detecting and preventing elder abuse, visit the Attorney General's Elder Abuse Task Force website. The DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit investigates criminal and fraudulent activity related to the insurance and financial markets and works with the Attorney General and law enforcement to prosecute these crimes. Suspected insurance and financial services fraud can be reported to DIFS safely, easily and, in most cases, anonymously by calling 877-999-6442 or online by visiting the department's website. The mission of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is to ensure access to safe and secure insurance and financial services fundamental for the opportunity, security, and success of Michigan residents, while fostering economic growth and sustainability in both industries. In addition, the Department provides consumer protection, outreach, and financial literacy and education services to Michigan residents. For more information, visit the DIFS website or follow the Department on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. ### Prime Minister will visit India in April to boost UK opportunities in the region and to create a democratic counterweight to China, Reuters reported. With an aim to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region while preserving its strong ties with the United States, the British government will be laying out the country's post-Brexit defence and foreign policy priorities on Tuesday. Calling the Indo-Pacific "increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world", the government also highlighted a British aircraft deployment to the region ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's previously postponed visit to India in April, reported Reuters. UK Prime Minister was supposed to be the chief guest at Republic Day, but due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK and the spread of a new strain, he cancelled his visit. Johnson is scheduled to visit India in April. Relations between the United Kingdom and China have strained over issues such as Hong Kong, COVID-19 pandemic and also denying Huawei an active role in Britain's 5G network. The potential deployment of Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier's is also expected to raise military tensions in the South China Sea. The report in Reuters also mentioned that Johnson will focus "on the UK's place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead." Britain will also be holding two influential roles this year: hosting the first post-pandemic G7 summit in June, and the COP26 climate conference in November. Since completing its exit from the European Union at the end of last year after an acrimonious divorce, Johnson's government has vowed the "Integrated Review" will show Britain still had clout on the world stage and define a new era for the country. The 100-page document will be closely scrutinised for concrete measures showing how the government will deliver on Johnson's rhetoric at a time when the country is struggling to come to terms with the realities of Brexit and has suffered more deaths than its peers from the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reported. A statement previewing Tuesday's report listed "the importance of UK relationship with the US" alongside the defence of democracy and human rights, and safety from terrorism as fundamental components of the British policy. Britain is seeking a trade deal with the United States and reassurance over where it sits in President Joe Biden's international priorities. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Ireland's efforts to green global historic sites such as the Sydney Opera House, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Pyramids of Giza for St Patricks Day is in marked contrast to lacklustre efforts to win recognition for Durrow and Clonmacnoise in Offaly and other historic sites throughout the country, according to Deputy Michael McNamara. The Clare Independent TDs comments come ahead of a June 30 deadline for local authorities, community organisations and State bodies to submit applications for Irelands Tentative List for future World Heritage nominations to UNESCO. The Irish list was last updated in 2010 and includes Georgian Dublin, the Burren, and groups of related Early Monastic Sites, comprising Clonmacnoise, Glendalough, Inis Cealtra, Kells and Durrow, Royal Sites of Ireland, comprising Cashel, Tara, Dun Ailinne, Hill of Uisneach and the Rathcroghan Complex, and Western Stone Forts, including Dun Aonghusa, Cahercommaun in North Clare and the Kerry forts of Benagh, Caherconree and Staigue. Deputy McNamara said, Tourism Irelands Global Greening project comes about as a result of much effort and some cost to the State (48,583 in 2019), but I accept that it results in a benefit, not limited to direct income, to our State. We have, however, neglected to progress various sites in Ireland to UNESCO world heritage status over the past decade. We currently only have two sites on the UNESCO world heritage list, Skellig Michael and Newgrange, he explained. By comparison, Austria and Denmark have ten world heritage sites, the latter having advanced five sites to designation in the past decade. In 2014, I met with UNESCO representatives and learned that there had been little or no communication from the Irish government on the matter for some time and little effort had been made to advance the Irish tentative list since it was handed over in 2010. When I raised the matter with the then Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2015, I was informed that Kerry County Council had informed the Department that it did not wish to be involved in progressing the potential Western Stone Forts nomination. This was also the case in Clonmacnoise, which had obvious implications both for the potential nomination of the site in its own right, as well as for its status as a crucial element of the potential group nomination of the Early Medieval Monastic Sites. Since then, successive governments have failed to progress the designation of this tentative list despite the fact that it would bring worldwide attention to our unique patrimony and to the natural and built heritage sites themselves. As well as a requirement to ensure any development is sympathetic to and protects the integrity of the sites, which may explain the reluctance of some, more cavalier local authorities, designation also typically results in an increase in tourism, with associated economic benefits." In response to a recent parliamentary question, Deputy McNamara was informed that a new tentative list is being developed by the National Monuments Service, with a June 30th deadline for applications from local authorities, State bodies, community organisations and individuals, for sites or properties of natural and/or cultural heritage to be included. He continued, Given the increase in tourism typically generated by World Heritage site designation, and the unprecedented challenges that will face the domestic and international tourism sector when we open up to world again, every effort must be made to advance built and natural heritage sites across Ireland to the World Heritage list. Unless the government prioritises the list that will be developed and puts the same effort into obtaining world heritage status for our own sites as it puts into greening other states world heritage sites, I fear the list will be as useless an exercise in bureaucracy as its predecessor. Our annual celebration of international World Heritage sites being lit up in green must be matched by a similar enthusiasm for securing similar designation for our own world class heritage sites, concluded Deputy McNamara. Worldwide Greeks Logo We are excited to provide people a space to share their love of all things Greek. People can ask questions, share their experiences, and meet other like-minded people who also love Greece and everything that goes with it. WorldwideGreeks.com has just launched as a free online forum, giving people the opportunity to share and discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history, and mythology. Community members will be able to share information with one another, while also giving people a chance to ask any questions they may have about anything Greek. WorldwideGreeks.com was founded in 2005 originally as a social media website. It has since evolved into a Greek forum community for everyone, whether you are Greek, married into a Greek family, are traveling to Greece, or simply love the Greek culture. You will have a chance to discuss your love of all things Greek, no matter what your background is, while participating in the community. Nick Stamoulis, founder of WorldwideGreeks.com, said about the new community, We are excited to provide people a space to share their love of all things Greek. People can ask questions, share their experiences, and meet other like-minded people who also love Greece and everything that goes with it. The purpose of WorldwideGreeks.com is for people that are interested in Greek food, Greek travel, Greek traditions and Greek culture to share photos and create meaning discussions that will help and inform people. Free registered members can talk about anything they want feedback on from where to stay in Greece, to local places to eat Greek food, sharing Greek recipes, cultural questions, and more. WorldwideGreeks.com is owned by the same company that owns and operates the top Greek website in English, GreekBoston.com. It offers people a place to have friendly, public discussions about all things Greek. FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.worldwidegreeks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/WorldWideGreeks/ https://twitter.com/worldwidegreeks https://www.instagram.com/worldwidegreeks Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Banks' employees take part in a protest during a two-day nationwide bank strike in Amritsar on March 15, 2021. (Narinder NANU / AFP) New Delhi: Bank strike continued for day-two on Tuesday, led by nine unions of public sector banks (PSBs) in the country, opposing government's policy to privatise the lenders. Customers will be inconvenienced to get services such as cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearances, remittance services. Government transactions related to treasury as well as business transactions will also be impacted. United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine unions, had given a strike call for March 15 and 16. Members of UFBU include All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Confederation of India (BEFI). Others are the Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO). Unions on Monday said nearly 10 lakh staffers across the country have participated in the strike, terming it a "success". Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Union Budget speech for 2021-22 said the government will privatise two more public sector banks going forward. The government has already privatised IDBI Bank by selling its majority stake in the lender to LIC in 2019, and has merged 14 public sector banks in the last four years. As per the call, on Monday, employees and officers joined the strike and the strike was a total success. Normal banking services were affected because of the strike, C H Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA said. Today (Tuesday) too, as per reports received by us from our unions in various states, the strike has been successful. Overwhelming majority of the bank branches remain closed and shutters are down," he added. He said the young employees have been in the forefront in the protest demonstrations which means that they have understood the dangers of privatisation. They have joined the banks after a very tough competition. They deserve job security which will be affected if banks are privatised. He said banks are in profit and there is no need to privatise them. All the public sector banks are running well and are earning operating profits, he noted. JERUSALEM - Israeli voters, trapped for two years in a vote-rinse-repeat cycle of toss-up elections, are about to go to the polls for a fourth time with at least one new factor to consider: Their next prime minister - even if it is their old prime minister - will have to deal with Democrats. Since the last campaign, the Republicans in Washington that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held in a bear hug for more than a decade are out. The Democrats he largely alienated are ascendant. "There is no question that it's absolutely urgent for Israel to restore bipartisan balance, and I think Israelis recognize that," said Mark Mellman, the U.S. Democratic pollster who advises candidates in both countries and leads the Democratic Majority for Israel, a pro-Israel lobbying group. "It was always the case that we were going to get back into power. And now we are." In Israel, however, the Netanyahu era has shifted the center of Israeli politics sharply to right not just in tone but on substance, bringing once-fringe positions into the mainstream and posing a challenge for any reset in relations with the Democrats. Even centrist parties have supported recent calls for Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, and all but one of Netanyahu's main election challengers have renounced the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Like him, they are deeply skeptical of President Joe Biden's diplomatic outreach to Iran. Current polls give four Israeli candidates a chance to emerge from the March 23 election with a shot at assembling a slender majority coalition. Three of them represent right-wing parties: Netanyahu, former defense minister Neftali Bennett and former education minister Gideon Saar. The fourth, opposition leader Yair Lapid, hails from the center of the spectrum. All have declared the need to restore some bipartisan balance to Israel's relationship with its most important ally, which even conservative politicians here say has become perilously skewed toward the GOP. Even Netanyahu, who previously campaigned on his close relationship with President Donald Trump and draped office towers with six-story posters of the two of them, now touts his long-standing friendship with Biden and many of the Democrats heading committees on Capitol Hill. Netanyahu's detractors point out it took four weeks after the inauguration for Biden to place a traditional courtesy call to the prime minister. Lapid, a onetime news anchor who advocates a Palestinian state, would be the most palatable for centrist Democrats, who vouch safe support for the Jewish state but cannot abide its lurch to the right under Netanyahu. Speaking at a Brookings Institution conference in February, he slammed Netanyahu for approaching the American relationship as the Israel "branch" of the GOP. Lapid cited a provocative 2015 speech to the U.S. Congress in which Netanyahu trashed the Obama administration's Iran policy and his tilt toward Republicans, which grew into a lovefest during Trump's tenure. "I don't think it's the place of an Israeli prime minister, just the other day, to be singing the obituary of Rush Limbaugh," Lapid said. "I'm going to do much better work making sure Israel goes back to being a bipartisan issue in the United States." Israel's next leader will emerge from a two-year political quagmire during which no party has been able to eke out a successful governing majority. The first two elections failed to produce a government at all. A third conducted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic a year ago produced an unwieldy emergency coalition of rivals, who bickered for seven months, before it failed to pass a budget and collapsed. This time around, Netanyahu is fighting a challenge mostly from his right. Both Bennett and Saar, two former Netanyahu allies, are more conservative than he is and threaten to pull voters from his coalition of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties. In the scrum of bargaining that will follow the election, both Saar and Bennett have said they are willing to join forces - with each other, with Lapid's centrists, with other anti-Netanyahu factions - to deny the leader known here as "King Bibi" yet another turn in the top job. Netanyahu, who is battling corruption charges in an ongoing criminal trial, is scrambling to extend his record 14 years in office by reaching even further to the right for new partners. He recently embraced the remnants of the banned Kahanist party, a Jewish extremist group that called for stripping Israel's Arab citizens of their voting rights. His next coalition, should he prevail, would probably be the most conservative of any of the candidates'. It could take all of Netanyahu's vaunted political wiles to keep his supporters in line while seeking a rapprochement with Democrats in the United States. "The pressure on Netanyahu will lead him to the right, but his political savvy will pull him in the other direction," said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute. "He will really be between a rock and a hard place." Saar or Bennett, if given the chance to form a governing coalition, would be more likely to include moderate parties, giving them more room to make nice with Democrats despite their own rightward leanings, political analysts say. Saar, a longtime backer of the West Bank settlements, says he remains "committed" to annexing them into Israel in the future. But he is known as a measured politician who has even won support from some former Lapid voters as the best chance to topple Netanyahu, whom he once challenged for leadership of the Likud party. Dani Dayan, another former Likud member who joined Saar's slate of candidates, said Saar would do much to heal the rift with Democrats that Netanyahu created. "Probably in the Trump administration, he went a little too far," said Dayan. "When you name a Golan Heights settlement 'Trump Heights,' that is embarrassing." Bennett, the son of immigrants from California who speaks colloquial English almost as flawlessly as Netanyahu, is a hard-liner on Palestinian and religious issues and known for divisive rhetoric. But Bennett, who became a millionaire as a tech entrepreneur, is now running a technocratic campaign focused on ending the pandemic and restoring the economy. He is the only leading contender who has not ruled out joining a Netanyahu government. In 2018, after rushing to Pittsburgh after the massacre of 11 worshipers at a Conservative synagogue, Bennett won praise for his sympathetic embrace of that liberal Jewish community. But he was quickly drawn into the domestic contretemps, appearing on Fox News to defend Trump from accusations that his rhetoric had inspired extremists like the Pittsburgh shooter. "Every now and then he will have to say or do something that will be very problematic for Democrats because his supporters will demand it," said Nadav Tamir, a onetime Israeli consul general in Boston who now runs the Tel Aviv office of J Street, Washington's left-leaning Jewish lobbying group. "But he understands America. He knows you have to deal respectfully with the American administration no matter who it is." As for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party that Tamir represents, none of the candidates - not even Lapid - would be likely to make overtures to Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Squad and other lawmakers who would link U.S. military aid to Israel with it making concessions to the Palestinians. "They see the progressive as enemies," Tamir said. "They don't talk to us. They are looking for old fashioned Democrats who will not put pressure on them." - - - The Washington Post's Shira Rubin contributed to this story from Tel Aviv. Sandusky, Ohio--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - PAO Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: PAOG) today released details on the Company's nutraceutical developments initiative following last week's introduction of adding CBD RELAX-RX to existing CBD RespRx developments. The details today are highlighted by the Company's September 2021 go-to-market target date with nutraceutical co-packing to be conducted by Alkame Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALKM) and product marketing to be conducted by North American Cannabis Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: USMJ). PAOG is building a comprehensive CBD nutraceuticals strategy to enhance its long-term CBD pharmaceutical strategy. Management recognizes the long-term, investment and research intensive nature of developing a pharmaceutical product and has added the nutraceutical strategy to accelerate the Company's opportunity to achieve revenue starting in 2021. Last year, PAOG acquired RespRx from Kali-Extracts, Inc. (OTC Pink: KALY). RespRx is a CBD treatment under development for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) derived from a patented cannabis extraction method - U.S. Patent No. 9,199,960 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING HERBACEOUS PLANT MATERIALS INCLUDING THE CANNABIS PLANT". PAOG anticipates soon announcing new breakthroughs in its CBD RespRx pharmaceutical research. PAOG is on track to introduce its first two CBD nutraceutical products in September of this year, 2021. One CBD nutraceutical product will target the COPD market and the second will target the anxiety and depression market. In addition to PAOG's ongoing CBD nutraceutical technical developments in Puerto Rico, PAOG expects to soon announce an additional research partnership to accelerate and expand its CBD developments initiative. PAOG is working closely with ALKM and USMJ to package and market its first two CBD nutraceutical products and anticipates a number of announcements between now and September to introduce packaging and marketing progress and prepare the market for the September product launch. Learn more about PAOG at www.paogroupinc.com . Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Us: Jim DiPrima 888-272-6472 info@pao.group To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77426 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Peekaboo Beans Inc. (CSE: BEAN) (OTC Pink: PBBSF) ("PK Beans" or the "Company"), a responsible and innovative children's apparel brand, is pleased to announce strong sales metrics following a recent website optimization and launch of their Spring Collection. The Company launched their Spring Collection earlier this month following a complete website optimization, improving the shopping experience for customers and opportunities for targeted marketing initiatives. PK Beans saw a returning customer rate of 81.4%, an increase of 10%, in the first week following the launch of their Spring 2021 Collection (over Fall and Winter 2020) and an increase of 34.56% in average order values (AOV). When comparing the Company's most recent launch to their similarly-sized Winter 2020 launch, these metrics are a strong indicator of customer feedback of both the product, as well as the website, resulting in customers spending more per order. Quarter to date returning customer rate is up 65% year over year with a 12% increase in AOV. The Company also wishes to announce that it has entered into debt settlement agreements with service providers (the "Creditors") to settle an aggregate C$277,638.24 in debt (the "Debt"). In settlement of the Debt, the Company will issue an aggregate of 5,552,764 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Debt Shares") at a deemed price of C$0.05 per Debt Share (the "Debt Settlement"). All securities issued in connection with the Debt Settlement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation. Closing of the Shares for Debt Settlement is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the Canadian Securities Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release in the United States. Such 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, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. About Peekaboo Beans Inc. PK Beans is an innovative children's apparel brand with a focus on environmentally responsible clothes that are intentionally designed to inspire play. Through an omni-channel approach, Peekaboo Beans engages sellers through social platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as online retailers, to maximize revenue and build brand loyalty. The Company works to promote a playful lifestyle for children by designing comfortable clothes that are built to last. To learn more about PK Beans, visit: www.pkbeans.com On behalf of the Board of Directors, Peekaboo Beans Inc. Ms. Traci Costa, President and CEO (604) 279-2326 For more information, please contact the Company at: IR@pkbeans.com 1-604-279-2326 Reader Advisory This news release may include forward-looking information that is subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward-looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information are based on reasonable assumptions, such information is not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77493 The Market Report with Katie Pilbeam. FTSE 100 shrugged of worries about the Oxford vaccine and headed higher in early dealings. Londons blue-chip index advanced 48 points to 6,797. Experts from the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency will begin a review of PLCs ( ) COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. Europes health regulator will issue a decision on Thursday. Several European countries, including France and Spain halted their rollouts of the jab after a number of cases in Europe of blood clots reported after the vaccine was administered. ( ) announced plans to open 100 new company-managed shops this year, though it has just cut 820 jobs. The baker also slumped to its first full-year loss since 1984. PLC ( ) is facing criminal charges over alleged breaches of money laundering laws. The bank is accused of failing to properly monitor the handling of funds by a corporate customer. ( ), the data-driven commerce company, said revenues grew by 70% last year. End-user spend rose to 1.9bn from 1.1bn, representing the sixth consecutive year of strong growth in the amount of money passing through Bangos system. ( ) said it signed a partnership with international consultancy and construction business Mace Group to support the transition to zero-emission hydrogen generators for construction sites. The hydrogen power specialist said the partnership is its first collaboration in the UK construction sector. ( ) said a Japanese distributor has placed an initial 400,000 order for its top-of-the-range neonatal ventilator after the technology received regulatory sign-off in the country. Also approved by the Japanese was the companys OxyGenie oxygen control algorithm. Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-15 23:18:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close File photo shows the national flags of China and the United States as well as flags of Washington D.C. on the Constitution Avenue in Washington, capital of the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan) BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday urged the United States to treat China and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational manner and make efforts to place bilateral ties back on the track of healthy and stable development. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's recent remarks that the goal of the United States and its allies is to make sure it has the capabilities and the operational plans to offer a credible deterrence against China or anyone else that might want to take on the United States. Zhao said China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order. "China's development means a growing force for world peace, and an opportunity rather than a challenge to the world," Zhao said at a daily press briefing. The spokesperson said China is committed to safeguarding the international system, with the United Nations at its core, and the international order based on international law, instead of the order defined by individual countries to maintain their own hegemony. In the era of globalization, forming cliques against specific countries based on ideology undermines the international order, Zhao said. "Such a practice is unpopular and there is no way out." He urged the United States to view China and China-U.S. relations in a right mentality and in an objective and rational manner, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and work with China to focus on cooperation, manage differences, and bring bilateral ties back on the track of healthy and stable development. Filmed remotely, the diverse influential women from different industries in Florida share their stories, their drive to success, and raise a glass to the unsung women frontline essential workers. Their inspirational, moving videos will release one by one this week and run through Women's History Month, which coincides with the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I am raising a glass to all women actors and storytellers who impacted our lives," said Canals-Barrera, whose video releases on March 16. "Our contributions have engaged and entertained all communities throughout the pandemic." "I'm honored to have been chosen by Gentleman Jack to participate in this campaign," said Bell, CEO of Black Girl Ventures, whose video releases on March 17. "There are so many different fields where women lead in the frontline, such as teachers. As a former teacher, I cannot imagine what it must be like trying to educate students during a pandemic. My support goes out to all those who have been navigating the virtual learning landscape over the last year." "Empowered women change the world!" said "The Whiskey Chick" Williamson, a Miami-based DJ and entrepreneur, whose video releases on March 18. "We are strong when we come together in love, support and celebration. I'm grateful for Gentleman Jack recognizing women and bringing us together to show our passions and share our stories." With the World Economic Forum reporting last month that women comprise 70 percent of frontline workers, now is a poignant time to look back at female essential workers who have been working tirelessly to keep their communities safe. In the concept of sharing "One Spirit" during Women's History Month, Gentleman Jack and its partners are calling attention to the contributions and importance of these women. "We are excited to have these amazing leaders join us in thanking the women frontline essential workers that have been continuously keeping us safe," said Fabricia da Silva, Brown-Forman's Multicultural Marketing Manager. "In the spirit of Gentleman Jack's campaign that celebrates women, we want them to know that we see their contributions, especially during this last year of unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19." "We Share One Spirit" will be presented on Jack Daniel's YouTube channel and on social media with the hashtag, #GJOneSpirit. In addition to this content launch, Canals-Barerra , The Whiskey Chick and Bell will share their stories on their social channels. All content will also live on the brand's "One Spirit" platform microsite. More information about Gentleman Jack's "One Spirit" program for Women's History Month can be found at GJOneSpirit.com . About Jack Daniel's Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel's is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails. Today, Jack Daniel's is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand. Website: www.jackdaniels.com Please drink responsibly. JACK DANIEL'S and GENTLEMAN JACK are registered trademarks. 2021 Jack Daniel's. Tennessee Whiskey 40% Alcohol by Volume (80 Proof). Distilled & Bottled by Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. JackDaniels.com www.gjonespirit.com For downloadable press information, click here . SOURCE Jack Daniel's Related Links http://www.jackdaniels.com An Alabama sheriff has hit out at a group of female corrections officers accusing them of a 'money grab' days after the Department of Justice filed a civil rights lawsuit against him and his office claiming they failed to stop the women being sexually harassed by male inmates. The DOJ sued Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran and his office, Alabama's second-largest sheriff's office, Wednesday claiming they discriminated against female staff members by subjecting them to a 'sexually hostile work environment' at the Mobile County Metro Jail in southwest Alabama. The suit, which seeks financial damages for the staffers, claims Cochran and his office failed to take action to tackle the harassment which included inmates exposing themselves to the women, masturbating in front of them, threatening them with sexual violence, and making sexual slurs or degrading comments. It comes seven years after 12 current and former female corrections officers at the facility lodged sexual discrimination charges with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) demanding a payout. Cochran refused to reach a settlement in 2016 and the EOCC referred the complaint to the DOJ. The sheriff said he was now 'flabbergasted' by the DOJ's decision last week, as he vowed to fight the suit, insisted several changes had already been made to working conditions in recent years and slammed the women for pursuing 'a bunch of money.' Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran (above) hit out at a group of female corrections officers accusing them of a 'money grab' days after the DOJ filed a civil rights lawsuit against him and his office claiming they failed to stop the women being sexually harassed by male inmates Cochran with his wife Sabrina. The DOJ sued Cochran and his office Wednesday claiming they discriminated against female staff members by subjecting them to a 'sexually hostile work environment' at the Mobile County Metro Jail in southwest Alabama Cochran said he believed the women brought the allegations back in 2015 when they saw corrections officers in other states reaching similar financial settlements. He described it as a 'money grab' and said he refused to consider compensating the women over the alleged harassment at the time. 'I just felt like it was a money grab. I just couldn't rightfully say let's settle and pay a bunch of money out,' he told NBC15. 'I feel like that's a decision for the citizens of south Alabama to decide if we go to court on this. Let them decide.' Cochran dismissed the severity of the harassment claiming the women did not suffer 'great harm' and that no one had been sexual assaulted while working at the jail. 'I don't feel like the corrections officers have suffered great harm, we've certainly... under our control... we have not subjected them to the sexual harassment, it's the inmates and it's... for the most part it's out of our control,' he told Fox 10. 'Not a single case that I'm aware of has a corrections officer ever been physically sexually assaulted in our jail.' The jail has introduced several measures to protect female staff since concerns were first raised in 2015, he said. These included investing $1 million to upgrade to its surveillance camera system and replacing locks that inmates were able to pick to break into the jail dayroom and sexually harass the officers. Angela Garrett (left) and Ella Finklea (right) are two of the corrections officers named in the complaint. More than 73 percent of staff members at the jail are women The Mobile County Metro Jail in southwest Alabama (pictured). The suit claims Cochran and his office failed to take action to tackle the harassment But Cochran said the DOJ contacted him about a month ago with the offer of reaching a settlement for 'sums and sums of money'. Cochran refused and the suit will instead now be taken to a jury. The DOJ is seeking financial compensation for the affected female employees and a requirement that the sheriff's office implements policies to both prevent sexual harassment and tackle instances of it at the jail going forward. In the complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama March 10, the DOJ claims female staff members were regularly subjected to 'severe and pervasive' sexual harassment by male inmates who 'frequently expose their genitals, masturbate, and direct sexual slurs, sexual propositions, threats of sexual violence and sexually degrading comments towards female employees'. The suit claims employees reported 'hundreds' of instances of harassment to supervisors on multiple occasions but the sheriff and his office failed to take their complaints seriously. The suit cites instances of inmates exposing themselves to the women, masturbating in front of them, threatening them with sexual violence, and making sexual slurs or degrading comments More than 73 percent of staff members at the jail are women. After their complaints were said to be repeatedly ignored, 12 women filed sex discrimination charges with the EEOC which launched a probe. The investigation found there was sufficient basis to believe the women were subjected to a sexually hostile work environment, but, after Cochran refused to reach a settlement, the charges were referred to the DOJ in 2016. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Civil Rights Division described the failure to protect the women as 'inexcusable.' 'Nobody deserves to be sexually harassed while on the job,' she said in a press release announcing the suit. 'The behavior to which these female employees were subjected is appalling, and the County's failure to take action to protect its employees from such conduct is inexcusable.' One current female worker and one former staffer, neither of whom are named in the suit, told Fox 10 the work environment at the jail 'bothers your mental state' and was 'very nasty.' They said they would be subjected to the male inmates exposing themselves and masturbating in front of them often multiple times per day. 'They come to the glass, they bold about it. You're looking to see is everything okay, you're not looking to see a man sitting there groping himself,' one of the women recounted. The sheriff's office pictured. The suit comes seven years after 12 current and former female corrections officers at the facility lodged sexual discrimination charges demanding a huge payout Cochran (pictured with his wife) refused to settle at the time and says he is now 'flabbergasted' by the DOJ's decision, as he vowed to fight the suit, insisted several changes had already been made to working conditions and slammed the women for pursuing 'a bunch of money' 'They would literally switch beds so the other inmate could see you so that he can do what he needs to do, they would walk to the front of the cell so that they could see you and do what they need to do. 'And it's like you're actually getting raped from a distance and the saddest part about it is you have to face this person everyday.' The women echoed the complaints made in the suit that supervisors 'brushed off' the incidents and would not bring charges against the inmates. 'I feel like if the charges are brought against the inmates for what they're doing it would stop a lot of it,' one of the women said. The women questioned how far the harassment may go before it is acted upon: 'You have to do your job, but they're making it harder by what they do. Who's to say that they won't go to the next level?' HOUSTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) ("Callon" or the "Company") today announced that, due to personal and health reasons, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer James "Jim" Ulm, II will retire in May 2021. The Company has commenced a search for a successor to Mr. Ulm, who will continue in an advisory role to the Company after his retirement to assist with the transition of the new CFO. "Over the past several years, I have been fortunate to work alongside Callon's talented and dedicated team as we have taken steps to strengthen our status as a leading operator in the Permian and Eagle Ford Shale and position the company to deliver meaningful long-term value to its stakeholders," said Mr. Ulm. "While this is a difficult decision, I have determined that it is in Callon's and my family's best interests to take time to focus on my personal life at this stage of my career." Joe Gatto, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented "I am grateful to Jim who, since joining Callon in 2017, has helped us grow the business through a series of acquisitions which are the cornerstone of the scaled development model that we operate today. These initiatives have created a visible path to sustainable free cash flow generation which was clearly demonstrated in 2020. With Jim's guidance, we have made great strides in strengthening our financial profile over the past twelve months, having successfully improved our liquidity and absolute debt position despite challenging market conditions. We will continue to build on these initiatives in 2021 and beyond. The entire organization is deeply appreciative for Jim's enduring contributions to Callon and wish him, Shelley and their family all the best." About Callon Petroleum Company Callon Petroleum is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of high-quality assets in the leading oil plays of South and West Texas. This news release is posted on the Company's website at www.callon.com and will be archived there for subsequent review under the "News" link on the top of the homepage. Contact: Mark Brewer Director of Investor Relations Callon Petroleum Company [email protected] 1-281-589-5200 SOURCE Callon Petroleum Company Appointment 16 March 2021 Russell Impiazzi joins Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk as the Executive Chef, with the mission to establish a new hub of restaurants and bars in the city through genuine, seasonal, sustainable food, beverage and service experiences. As Executive Chef at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, he is in charge of all culinary operations across five distinctive dining outlets Brasserie Boulud, Taiko Dubai, The Nine Gastropub, Bijou Patisserie and Soleil Pooland Lounge, as well as the banqueting facilities. He leads a team of 80 chefs to translate the Sofitel culture of Frenchart de Vivrethrough delicious creations by demonstrating his core values of authenticity, quality, creativity and sustainability. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Russell started his culinary journey working in a hotel kitchen at the age of fourteen through a work experience program and went on to work alongside some of the UK's most renowned Michelin-trained chefs. He was a part of the pre-opening team for WAFI Pyramids. He launched various popular dining venues, including Medzo, Vintage, Carters, Asha's and Seville's, which won several Dining Awards. Having established himself as one of the youngest Executive Chefs in Dubai at 28 years old, he was part of the pre-opening team of Atlantis Bahamas resort, was responsible for menu-reconstruction and concept development of a set of restaurants and bars in London, Manchester and Leeds, and helped establish the famous Parisian brand Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet. After more than 20 years at the heart of Dubais food scene, Russell returned to London once more to become Executive Chef in Hilton London Metropole, the largest Hilton outside the United States. In his role, Russell was tasked with the FB repositioning for the hotel developing new restaurants and bars as well as upgrading the vast conference and events business. While cooking up a storm in some of the best kitchens both in the UAE and around the world, Russell also spent time taking on passion projects close to his heart that allowed him to serve the community through cuisine. In 2014, Russell partnered with Chef and friend Robbie Stokes to successfully launch The Pink Brigade to raise awareness and support those affected by breast cancer by donating 100% of the proceeds to the UAE-based Pink Caravan. Russell stepped up once again and caught the attention of Sky News whilst working with Hilton London Metropole to support those living with food poverty in London and those most affected by the pandemic to provide over 27,000 meals utilizing surplus food in the food chain to provide meals for those families and individuals who needed support '#FeedThoseInNeed' Source: Xinhua| 2021-03-16 07:24:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on May 18, 2020 shows a logo in front of AstraZeneca's building in Luton, Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua) The countries described the move as a precautionary measure pending a decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which had greenlighted the use of the vaccine in the European Union (EU) on Jan. 29. BRUSSELS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- A cluster of European countries -- France Germany, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Cyprus, Portugal -- on Monday joined the growing ranks of their peers suspending the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns. They described the move as a precautionary measure pending a decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which had greenlighted the use of the vaccine in the European Union (EU) on Jan. 29. "The EMA is to give its opinion tomorrow afternoon. The decision that was taken (by France), in accordance with our European policy, is to suspend as a precaution the vaccination with AstraZeneca, hoping to resume it as soon as possible if the opinion is favorable," French President Emmanuel Macron said at a press conference in Montauban, southwestern France, where he was attending the 26th Franco-Spanish summit with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. A medical worker prepares to give an injection of a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, Italy, Feb. 11, 2021. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua) In Berlin, Health Minister Jens Spahn cited a recommendation issued by the Paul Ehrlich Institut (PEI), an agency of the German federal Health Ministry, referring to new reports of thromboses of the cerebral veins in connection with the AstraZeneca jabs. The Italian Pharmaceutical Agency (AIFA) said its "temporary and precautionary" ban on the vaccine followed the death of a music professor in the northern Piedmont region after he was given an AstraZeneca shot. A probe on this case has been opened in the city of Biella. On Thursday, Rome-based AIFA had already suspended one specific lot of AstraZeneca (ABV2856) in connection with another fatality, that of a soldier who had suffered from a heart attack a few hours after being vaccinated. In Cyprus, a Health Ministry spokesman said the suspension will last only until Thursday. The ministry sought to allay concern among people who have already received the vaccine, repeating an earlier statement that there is no solid evidence that the AstraZeneca vaccine was to be blamed for the development of blood clotting. Striking a similar note, Slovenian Health Minister Janez Poklukar told a news conference that the country's expert group for vaccines had not found reasonable grounds to stop using the AstraZeneca vaccine. Nevertheless, as a matter of precaution, it is proposed that vaccination be suspended. All those scheduled to receive the vaccine in the coming days will be rescheduled, whereas vaccination with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will continue as planned, he said. In Spain, Health Minister Carolina Darias said "the thrombosis that the patients have suffered in the known cases is very specific." At the same time, the minister highlighted the low risk from the vaccine, saying that "939,534 people in Spain have been inoculated with the vaccine" while only a single case of thrombosis has been reported. A man receives a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Caceres, Spain, March 12, 2021. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua) The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that it was still conducting its safety review of the AstraZeneca vaccine. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing in Geneva that its Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is in close contact with the EMA and will meet on Tuesday. Previously, EU member countries Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Romania, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, the Netherlands and non-EU countries Norway and Iceland have already fully or partially suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of suspected deaths from blood clots after vaccinations. Globally, 263 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 81 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain, and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Friday. A woman shows her vaccination certificate in Nicosia, Cyprus, Feb. 24, 2021. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua) LONDON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a recent episode of a government programme, Prime Minister Dr the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit said that three health and wellness centres opened in the Commonwealth of Dominica last week. The Marigot health centre, the Georgetown health centre and the Bellevue Chopin health centre are part of the 12 health centres funded by Dominica's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme to provide citizens with higher quality medical facilities. As of now, eight of the facilities are complete. Once vetted investors contribute to the CBI Programme's Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) option, the revenue is channelled into initiatives like national healthcare, including the construction of the Marigot hospital, which is to be completed next month. This new hospital will be fully equipped with an operating theatre, ICU, in-patient wards, A&E, labs and x-ray services and a dialysis unit. "We have recorded several accomplishments, all with the specific goal of enriching and improving the lives of Dominicans, we officially opened three health and wellness centres," said Prime Minister Skerrit, whose government dedicated $59.9 million (9.9 percent) of the 2020-2021 budget to the Ministry of Health. He also highlighted that the government has been managing the CBI funds "prudently" by using them to pay national debts, meet current expenditure, and sustain public sector projects. Known as the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean," Dominica excels at offering eco-conscious tourists a unique experience that only the island's natural beauty, wellness facilities, exquisite locations and kind people can provide. Thanks to reputable foreign investors wishing to become Dominican citizens in exchange for an economic contribution, the island has managed to build sufficient monetary reserves to sponsor extensive rehabilitation and modernisation of the country. This ranges from rebalancing the ecosystem and investing in sustainable energy to fixing and reinforcing roads, bridges, and natural sites. Besides the EDF option, investors can also buy pre-approved real estate to participate in the CBI Programme. This option includes luxury eco-resorts with superb wellness facilities, building the foundation of Dominica's burgeoning eco-tourism sector. The list of CBI approved hotels is limited, and mindful business people are eager to invest. Should they successfully pass all security checks, they can call themselves proud Dominicans and contribute to this resilient nation's future. Contact: pr@csglobalpartners.com www.csglobalpartners.com Its not surprising that North Atlantic right whales have become so rare and endangered when you consider that they got their name because people considered them so desirable to kill. As Americas whaling industry emerged in the late 18th century, hunters discovered this species was the right one to hunt because these whales moved slowly and kept floating once dead. While Charleston never had a whaling industry like New Englands, it wasnt necessarily any more conservation-minded back in those days. One only has to recall the story of the right whale that took a very unusual turn into Charleston Harbor in 1880: Its 40-foot-long skeleton now hangs from the lobby ceiling inside the Charleston Museum. Today, fortunately, many Americans are working as hard to save the species from extinction as their ancestors were working to harvest it. Its a leviathan-like challenge with success no sure thing. Thats why we were saddened this month to see the plight of Cottontail. (Yes, these surviving whales are so closely tracked that many have been given names.) The male whale was found dead, entangled in ropes and fishing gear, off Myrtle Beach, the 34th such whale to succumb to an unusual mortality event since 2017. Some progress has been made to help protect them in South Carolina, particularly with the shelving of offshore drilling and the disruptive seismic air gun testing that would proceed it. NOAA scientists had determined that new evidence on right whales behavior showed the need to broaden areas where seismic tests would be forbidden during the breeding season. While their advice was overridden at the political level during the Trump administration, it became moot after then-President Donald Trump ultimately agreed to a drilling moratorium off South Carolina, Georgia and Florida late last year. But the whales still face threats from entanglements of fishing gear and from ship strikes. Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! Riley Egger of the Coastal Conservation League notes that the entanglements revolve more around northeastern fisheries, which set out pots or traps for crab and lobster, than South Carolinas shrimping and fishing industries. Thats not a threat were contributing to, she says. The shrimpers that go out, theyre not contributing to right whale deaths. Indeed, Cottontails entanglement was first spotted in waters off Massachusetts. The Biden administration is reviving an effort to increase federal regulations that would reduce lobster trap lines, a regulatory effort that had stalled during Mr. Trumps time in office. A federal judge recently ordered NOAA to issue a new rule to protect right whales this year, and that could come by the summer. Not surprisingly, Maines lobster industry is concerned, and that states congressional delegation argues that Canadas fisheries have been a greater contributor to the entanglement problem since 2004, according to documented incidents. Still, more than 40 South Carolinians, including academics, retired wildlife officials, environmental groups and students, have urged NOAA to act. Some fear that without significant, immediate intervention, the species could be extinct by 2040. It is believed that only about 400 North Atlantic right whales remain, and were encouraged that at least 15 calves have been spotted off the Southeastern coast so far this season, at least five more than last season. We are not at the point of no return, Ms. Egger says. There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel for right whale, but the administration needs to start taking measures to ensure we keep them around. Our success as a species is placing unprecedented pressures on most other species with which we share our world. We have launched great efforts to try to understand these impacts and prevent extinctions, but more must be done. The North Atlantic right whale is one of the largest and most significant species endangered because of us; its now the right one to save. 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. 404 Eagle-eyed fans already suspect Bindi Irwin has secretly given birth, after noticing a 'bump update' she tweeted on Tuesday was actually a month old. And the 22-year-old has now seemingly left another clue that she's welcomed her daughter ahead of her late March/early April due date. The zookeeper posted an Instagram selfie on Wednesday with her husband, Chandler Powell, and his parents, whom she referred to as 'amazing grandparents'. Slip of the keyboard? Bindi Irwin (right) has seemingly left another clue she may have already given birth. She shared this photo on Instagram with her husband, Chandler Powell, and his parents, Chris and Shannan Powell, whom she described as 'amazing grandparents' 'March is birthday month for these lovelies. Thinking of my mother-in-law and father-in-law, always,' Bindi's caption read. 'Amazing grandparents, fantastic human beings. Missing them during the pandemic and cant wait to be reunited again,' she added. While the caption could be a clue Bindi has given birth, it should be noted that Chris and Shannan Powell did recently become first-time grandparents when Chandler's sister-in-law, Kristin, gave birth last month. Bindi's in-laws are based in Florida and are unable to travel to Australia due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Something to tell us? While the caption could be a clue Bindi has given birth, it should be noted that Chris and Shannan Powell did recently become first-time grandparents when Chandler's sister-in-law, Kristin, gave birth last month. Pictured: Bindi and Chandler Bindi and Chandler are yet to announce their daughter's arrival, but many fans are convinced she has already given birth. The wildlife warrior shared a 'bump update' on Twitter on Tuesday, but the photo appears to have been taken a month ago. The image shows Bindi and Chandler, 24, posing with her mother, Terri, and younger brother, Robert, on the grounds of Australia Zoo in Queensland. Her caption states the couple are still 'waiting' for the arrival of their daughter. Hints: Fans are convinced Bindi has already given birth, after they noticed her latest 'bump update' on Twitter (pictured) was most likely taken last month. Pictured with her mother Terri, brother Robert and husband Chandler But in the photo, she and Chandler are wearing the exact same outfits they were pictured wearing as they strolled through Australia Zoo's car park on February 19 - right down to the socks, shoes and Chandler's wristwatch. This suggests Bindi's Twitter 'update' on Tuesday was actually from a month ago, and the fact she didn't post a more recent photo hints she may have already given birth. Bindi and Chandler may be keeping the child's arrival under wraps so they can enjoy their first few days as parents in private. Alternatively, they could be protecting a magazine or TV deal. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Australia Zoo for comment. Bindi and Chandler announced their baby news in August, and revealed the following month they were expecting a daughter. Earlier this month, Bindi shared a glimpse of her daughter's nursery, after hiring artist Maryanne Oliver to paint native animals on the walls. Joy: Bindi and Chandler announced their baby news in August, and revealed the following month they were expecting a daughter 'Thank you so much to our friend Maryanne for this amazing painting in our daughter's Australia Zoo nursery. She's going to love it!' she wrote on Instagram. The colourful mural included crocodiles, galahs, cockatoos and, of course, koalas. Bindi told The Bump last month that her late father, Steve Irwin, had inspired her child's nickname, Baby Wildlife Warrior. 'My dad was the first person to create the term Wildlife Warrior,' she explained, adding that Steve would have made an excellent grandfather. Gorgeous! Earlier this month, Bindi shared a glimpse of her daughter's nursery, after hiring artist Maryanne Oliver to paint native animals on the walls 'My dad would have been the best grandfather,' she said. 'I always joke that if he was still here we'd never see our baby because he'd take her on all kinds of adventures!' Bindi said she was looking forward to sharing her father's legacy of conservation with her daughter when she's old enough to understand it. Steve died in September 2006 at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a documentary in Batt Reef, Queensland. Bindi also said her mother, Terri, was looking forward to becoming a grandmother and will go by the name 'Bunny' once the child arrives. She is taking a starring role in Ridley Scott's autobiographical drama about the 1995 assassination of Italian businessman Maurizio Gucci by his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani. And Lady Gaga looked in character as Reggiani she was seen on the set of her upcoming film House of Gucci in Milan, Italy on Monday. The pop star, 34, donned a white robe as she walked with a crew member in the evening following the shoot. Glamorous: Lady Gaga looked in character as Patrizia Reggiani she was seen on the set of her upcoming film House of Gucci in Milan, Italy on Monday Gaga added height to her frame with a pair of black heels while her brunette locks were styled in an old-fashioned hair do. The former American Horror Story star also wore a dark top while she added glamour to her look with a smokey eye. Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, is starring alongside Adam Driver, who takes the lead in Scott's latest project as the late Gucci fashion house creator, and Camille Cottin - cast as his love interest Paola Franchi. The film, which documents Reggiani's plot to murder her ex-husband, is based on the novel The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by author Sara Gay Forden. Production: The pop star, 34, donned a white robe as she walked with a crew member in the evening following the shoot Patrizia Reggiani, nicknamed the 'Black Widow', was found guilty of paying a hit man 300,000 (240,000) to murder 46yearold Maurizio Gucci, an heir to the fashion empire, in 1995. He had left her for another woman 10 years previously after telling her he was going on a short business trip. She was also said to be furious her former husband had started seeing other women, and feared her daughters' $170million inheritance was at risk if he remarried before ordering the hit. She also wanted more than the $650,000 she had been offered in a divorce settlement, the court heard. Resentment: Patrizia Reggiani, nicknamed the 'Black Widow', was found guilty of paying a hit man 300,000 (240,000) to murder 46yearold Maurizio Gucci, an heir to the fashion empire Reggiani eventually hired hitman Benedetto Ceraulo, a debt-ridden pizzeria owner who shot Gucci dead on the steps of his office in Milan as he arrived for work. Ceraulo was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. She was convicted after her clairvoyant and confidante Pina Auriemma turned informer and told police about the plot. During the murder trial, which transfixed Italy, Reggiani arrived each day wearing head-to-toe Gucci clothes and accessories. The court heard how she had ordered the murder of her husband after he offered her $650,000 in a divorce settlement. Outrage: Reggiani (pictured) was reportedly furious that Gucci had started seeing other women and was frustrated with how he managed his $170million fortune She was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 with her pet ferret Bambi as a companion for some of the time - before being released in October 2014. Well-known for her luxury lifestyle, Reggiani once said: 'I'd rather cry in a Rolls than be happy on a bicycle' and turned down the offer of day release while in prison because it would have meant doing 'menial' work. In 2017 a court ruled Reggiani was entitled to receive 900,000 a year from her ex-husband's fortune. High profile: During the murder trial, which transfixed Italy, Reggiani arrived each day wearing head-to-toe Gucci clothes and accessories. She was sentenced in 1998 (pictured) Maurizio Gucci was the grandson of Guccio Gucci, founder of the fashion company made famous with its double G logo. In the early 1990s it was hit by problems and he sold the label for $120 million, just two years before his death. The new film is scheduled to go on general release from November 24th 2021. Workforce D.C. extends COVID vaccines to essential feds but worries continue for far-flung federal workforce Essential federal employees will be eligible for vaccines in the District of Columbia next month. Employees are considered essential if they can't perform their job duties remotely or via telework and have to report to work in-person during the pandemic, according to guidance released by the District on Monday. The Phase 1C Tier 3 that covers them will open up the week of April 12. This week, employees at the Postal Service also became eligible in the district. That expansion, however, won't include federal employees working in-person, but not in the city. "More than 80% of federal employees live and work outside of the D.C. region," including many employees working in-person at the Internal Revenue Service, said Tony Reardon, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union. The IRS began to be call some employees back into the workplace since last summer, Reardon said on a press call on Tuesday. The phase-in included those who perform services that can't be done remotely, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said at a House Appropriations Committee hearing in February. IRS officials have said that as of Jan. 30, approximately 27,500 IRS employees were going to work in-person either part- or full-time. The department has had to balance "the need to plan for the future and the desire to maintain a safe operating environment," Rettig said in his written testimony. The IRS will "continue operating under its current posture until further notice." Many of those employees that've been called back into the office work at large IRS campuses, Reardon said. The IRS hasn't provided help in vaccinating them, a step NTEU is pushing the department to take. "Unfortunately, there was no plan ever put in place to ensure that federal employees at the IRS and other agencies were to get the vaccine," Reardon said. "If you're going to tell people to come to the workplace, you should be taking care of them and making sure they're safe. The only real way to do that is to get people vaccinated." Reardon said that his understanding based on conversations with officials at the Treasury Department and IRS is that they're "working hard" and "trying to do what they can to get available vaccines for employees." Within Treasury, agencies have identified how many employees should get vaccinated, but those doses aren't yet available, largely due to national shortages of vaccines, he said. Some other agencies have gotten their own allocations of COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees, including the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The VA is also assisting in inoculating employees at the Department of Homeland Security. So far, 9,758 DHS employees have had completed vaccinations, according to the VA's COVID-19 dashboard. Vaccines are the "biggest issue" for employees at Customs and Border Protections right now, said Rob Holland, chapter president of NTEU Chapter 173 in Detroit. "You can't do these jobs without coming into contact with coworkers or the traveling public." Some House Democrats have also called on the federal government to allocate vaccines directly for federal workers in the National Capital Region. The group hasn't received any responses to the letter they sent to the Office of Personnel Management or the Centers for Disease Control, said an aide to Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) has also sponsored a bill that would require federal agencies to publish a safety plan, including their vaccination policies and options for high-risk employees to work remotely. For IRS employees in the workplace, there are remaining concerns about safety onsite during the pandemic, Reardon said. The union is pushing the department to consistently enforce the mask mandate and provide more personal protective equipment to employees. Shinhwa made it to the headlines again after some of its members faced off in an online spat recently. On Tuesday, March 16, Shinhwa Company warned that the group is planning to take legal actions against their bashers and malicious commenters. Shinhwa Reveals Intention to File Case Against Detractors Shinhwa Company, in a released statement, divulged that all members of the group have been suffering from mental damage because of the serious blasphemy against their loved ones, personal attacks, and malicious issues being thrown at them over the years. The non-stop verbal chaos has, reportedly, affected the relationships of its members. While the Shinhwa and the agency just tolerated the disparagements for years since they thought it would help each member to grow, this time would be different as they are ready to fight back already. The agency furthered that, during a virtual meeting, it found out that all members of the group had suffered the same damages and it continues to linger up to this very moment. Shinhwa Company said things are getting worse as they have been so complacent for several years. Now, the agency would no longer accept speculations, slander, insults, defamatory statements and blasphemy toward family members on anonymous bulletin boards. The most recent statement of the Shinhwa Company was released days after Eric called out Dongwan online for, allegedly, ignoring and disregarding the group's promotions on Instagram. It remains to be seen if the two Shinhwa members have reconciled. However, reports suggested that they have talked it out already. ALSO READ: Shinhwa Dongwan Denies Disbandment After Heated Online Conflict With Eric Eric and Dongwan's Conflict Came to Light Earlier this Week The online dispute between Eric and Dongwan started after the latter used audio-based mobil app Clubhouse to interact with his followers directly. In one of his conversations, Dongwan, reportedly, mentioned that Shinhwa has been facing some quandaries since one of its members has been inactive lately. Eric was quick to react to Dongwan's statements and claimed that the latter has not been part of their group chat in the past six years. The K-pop idol added that Dongwan has not been attending their meetings as well, adding that he should be let go if he continues having that behavior. Fans were also stunned after Eric divulged that he had not been active in the group chat since the end of 2020. Dongwan retorted and the two Shinhwa members engaged in an online dispute with some fans joining in. In the end, Eric and Dongwan agreed to sit down and talk about their issues in person. On Monday, March 15, Dongwan debunked the speculations that their group would be disbanded after his infamous spat with Eric recently. The South Korean artist shared, during an episode of Naver NOW's "Reply CINE," that the disbandment speculations are complete nonsense. Dongwan explained that conflicts between Shinhwa members are normal since they are all living in different environments even if they have spent 23 years together already. He even emphasized that small fights, like what he and Eric had days ago, would never break the group apart. For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Nica Vaughn China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreigners back into the country, but only if they have taken a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine. The country has been closed to most foreigners since last March to stem the spread of coronavirus which it has largely brought under control at home, stranding many foreigners with jobs and family inside China overseas. But Chinese embassies in several countries including the US, India and Pakistan have issued notices saying the country will open visa applications to select people who have taken a China-made jab. China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreigners back into the country, but only if they have taken a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine The Chinese Embassy in the US said in a statement dated Monday that it would begin to process 'visa applicants inoculated with Chinese Covid-19 vaccines'. This would apply from this week to those visiting the Chinese mainland for work resumption, business travel, or for 'humanitarian needs', such as reuniting with family members. Beijing is driving forward its inoculation plan for its vast domestic population with four domestically produced vaccines approved so far. But it has yet to approve any foreign-made jabs. China has also shipped its vaccines overseas as it works to blunt foreign criticism of the initial spread of the virus from its shores. Beijing is driving forward its inoculation plan for its vast domestic population with four domestically produced vaccines approved so far The embassy statement said this applied to those who had either had two doses of the vaccine or a single-dose at least 14 days before applying for the visa. Chinese embassies in other countries including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Italy and Sri Lanka have published similar statements. Those arriving in China will still have to face a gruelling quarantine of up to three weeks. China's vaccines have been rolled out in several countries around the world, including Turkey, Indonesia and Cambodia. The Philippines received 600,000 vaccine doses from China two weeks ago, kickstarting its inoculation drive. But they are not readily available everywhere, including in India or Sri Lanka. And Beijing has struggled to gain international trust for its vaccine candidates, hindered by a lack of transparency on test results. But Chinese companies are still set to export nearly 400 million doses of home-grown vaccines overseas, state media has reported. (Natural News) Democrat lawmakers in California are considering a bill (AB 2826) that would penalize department stores and large retailers that separate their childrens merchandise, including toys and clothing, by gender. The bill, which was introduced by Cupertino Assemblymember Evan Low, would only apply to stores with 500 or more employees beginning 2023. Under the bill, stores would have to keep childrens merchandise in an undivided, gender-neutral area. If passed, stores caught not following the provision would have to pay a $1,000 fine if they do not correct their violation within 30 days of receiving written notice of said violation. The bill states that unjustified differences have prompted stores and retailers to market similar products like toys and clothing to either boys or girls. Low hopes to highlight the similarities between products made for either gender with his bill, as well as make it easier for parents as consumers to compare similar products. Bid to make shopping more inclusive Low said he wants to make the shopping experience inclusive for all children. He said he got the idea from one of his staffers, whose daughter supposedly questioned why certain items that she wanted were in an area designated for boys items. This is an issue of children being able to express themselves without bias, Low said. He added that the policy behind the bill is important when it comes to addressing perceived societal norms and ensuring that prejudice and judgment do not play a prominent role in childrens lives. The introduction of the bill comes amid a backlash from consumer advocates and gender activists claiming that separating childrens merchandise based on gender perpetuates gender roles and stereotypes. Moreover, activists argue that gendered toys and items can make children feel ashamed if they do not conform to those roles and stereotypes. In the United Kingdom, the campaign Let Toys Be Toys has successfully pressured several major retailers to drop the labels girls and boys in their stores and websites. In the United States, retail giant Target was the first to give in to the demands of activists, announcing that the company would stop gender-based labeling of toys in 2015. And it appears that the introduction of AB 2826 only marks the beginning of lawmakers pushing for more bills that seek to address so-called gender issues. (Related: California forces insurance companies to pay for sex organ mutilation in gender-confused teens.) For instance, lawmakers in California are also considering another bill that would make it illegal for stores and retailers to charge extra for items marketed solely to girls and women. Critics call that extra money pink tax. Satire turned real Last February, satire website The Babylon Bee released an article about a new California bill that seeks to stop department stores from selling toys that do not actively set out to confuse children on their sexuality and gender. The article poked fun at gender activists push to politicize merchandise made for children. According to the article, the bill will prohibit anti-science boy aisles and girl aisles, allowing shoppers to go through the entire store before finding the perfect gender-nonconforming toy for their child. The goal is to take perfectly happy, healthy children and cause them to wonder if their sex is really right for them. Local store owners who are enthusiastic about the change also argue that companies would have to create toys that make kids unsure of their identity if they hope to sell products there. Commenting on the news about Lows bill, The Babylon Bee editor Joel Berry said in a tweet: WELP another @TheBabylonBee prophecy fulfilled. Go to GenderConfused.com to learn more about Democrats confusing gender ideologies. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com Politico.com A woman who hunts three times a week has described it as 'addictive' after racking up more than one hundred kills, including a grey seal. Erica Egonsson, 35, from Linkoping, Sweden, started hunting back in 2018 with her boyfriend Patrik, 35, and she instantly fell in love with it. The train driver, who completed a degree in wildlife management, says she typically hunts two or three days a week all-year round as she claims she cannot get enough of the calming feeling it brings her. Describing a typical day of shooting, Erica said she goes out from the morning until the evening and drives around fields and forests to spot a deer or wild boar to hunt and take home for her family to eat. Erica Egonsson (above), 35, from Linkoping, Sweden, hunts three times a week has described it as 'addictive' after racking up more than one hundred kills, including a grey seal She continued: 'I have always liked being in nature and have loved animals ever since I was a child. I hoped to become a vet when I grew up. 'However, I went on to pursue a degree in wildlife management which really sparked my interest in wild animals. 'My boyfriend and I bought our second dog, Atlas, in 2018 and as I had always wanted to try hunting, we thought now would be the best time to try it out as we had two dogs who could protect us whilst we hunted. 'As I held the gun and pulled the trigger towards a wild animal, I felt such a strong surge of energy coursing through my veins which was so addicting, that I knew I had to do it again.' The train driver, who completed a degree in wildlife management, started hunting back in 2018 with her boyfriend Patrik, 35, and she instantly fell in love with it (pictured with a kill) Erica, who has won a silver medal for shooting a 138-pound fallow deer (above), claims she cannot get enough of the calming feeling hunting brings her Erica's four dogs - Enzo, ten, Atlas, three, Sally and Loke, eight months - join Erica and Patrik on their hunts where they are trained to sniff out and track down deer and wild boars. Erica said her largest kill to date was a moose, while she also unusually hunted a little grey seal in 2019 while she was visiting Finland. She explained that with the seal population in Finland increasing each year, it is important to keep the population of seals down for the benefit of the fish population. Erica continued: 'We try to go out hunting two or three times a week and in the past three years, we have hunted around one-hundred animals, ranging from deer, wild boar and my largest shoot so far: a moose. 'A typical day hunting involves starting off early in the morning and driving around our local fields and forests stalking deer or wild boar. 'We try to hunt in the evening or night, so that the animals don't spot us easily, but we have gone out in the morning before - so it varies a lot. 'I think the biggest joy I get from hunting is getting out in the fresh outdoors and seeing all what nature has to offer as well as hunting my own meat as knowing where my meat comes from and that it's clean is really important to me.' Erica admitted she does feel remorse after she has killed an animal, but said she loves that she has a hobby where she can get outdoors and tries to focus on being able to hunt her own meat. She has hunted more than 100 animals to date and loves the energy it provides her with, even saying she hopes her son Casper, ten, will follow in her footsteps when he gets older. Erica (pictured) said her largest kill to date was a moose, while she also unusually hunted a little grey seal in 2019 while she was visiting Finland Erica admitted she does feel remorse after killing an animal, but said she loves that she has a outdoor hobby and tries to focus on being able to hunt her own meat Erica, who has won a silver medal for shooting a 138-pound fallow deer, said: 'I always make sure that the animal has lived a good life and although I sometimes feel remorse, I know that I have killed the animal in the most humane way possible and given it a chance to provide food for me and my family.' She admitted that she has received negative comments about her hunting hobby, including 'how can you kill innocent animals', but she said she just brushes them off. She said she is killing the animals in the most humane way possible and is giving them a purpose after they have been hunted, but she also added that she receives mostly positive feedback about her hunts. Erica explained: 'Despite most hunters receiving negative comments, I have only received very few and mostly get positive feedback about my kills which I'm very thankful for. 'I think the most negative comment I have received was, "How can you kill innocent animals" which hurt as I don't try to kill "innocent" animals, I hunt animals that have lived a long and healthy life.' In August 2021, Erica hopes to visit northern Sweden and hunt bears for the first time in her life, which she hopes will become her biggest kill to date. She also has big plans to train her two youngest dogs, Sally and Loke, so they are ready for their first season of hunting next winter. But Erica said that the biggest challenge of hunting is not knowing what is 'out there in the darkness', which she admitted she has found 'quite daunting' at times. She continued: 'I think one of the hardest things about hunting is not knowing what else is out there in the darkness, something which I have had to learn to overcome as it can be quite daunting. She admitted that she has received negative comments about her hunting hobby, including 'how can you kill innocent animals', but she said she just brushes them off Addressing the dividing opinions around hunting, Erica (above) said that she doesn't do it for her 'own good' but to combat 'diseases in large species' and to provide for her family 'I remember I used to hate going out at night to hunt wild boars - but now it's my favourite thing to hunt.' Addressing the dividing opinions around hunting, Erica said that she doesn't do it for her 'own good' but to combat 'diseases in large species' and to provide for her family. Erica said: 'I respect that everyone is allowed to have their own opinion, but hunting gives me a purpose in life. 'I don't just do it for my own good either, I do it to help combat diseases in large species of animals local to me and I also do it for my family. 'I think if you want to try hunting, go for it, as you'll never find a sport so liberating and rewarding. 'I believe knowing that you're doing your best for the animals and for yourself is the most important thing and I can't wait to get back out during hunting season this year.' The coronavirus vaccination campaign in Spain has suffered a major setback, after the Ministry of Health's decision - along with that of other countries - to stop vaccinating with doses of the AstraZeneca formula. The Ministry of Health has ordered the immediate stop of all vaccinations with the Oxford formula for at least 15 days while it waits for a report from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to decide what to do with the vaccines from this laboratory. The Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, explained that in Spain 939,534 doses of this vaccine have been administered "and only one case of thrombosis has appeared, but we have made the decision to stop the vaccinations out of caution." Spain decided to "pause" the vaccinations with the AstraZeneca doses after it received news of the first case of these strange blood clots in Spain on Saturday. The question now is what will happen to the almost one million people who have received this vaccine the essential workers, aged under 55, such as teachers, security forces and social health workers - and if they are going to receive the second dose. The second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is given between 10 and 12 weeks after the first, so there is time to study the cases and make a decision. We must ask people for calm," said Health Minister Darias. The director of the Spanish Medicines Agency, Maria Jesus Lamas, stressed at a press conference this Monday, I insist on a message of calm. From this first dose of the vaccine, what can be expected is to have at least partial protection against COVID. The possibility of an adverse reaction exists with any drug, but these cases detected are very rare and the incidence is very low." Lamas said it is important to have information on possible symptoms in case they appear. He said that in the reported cases, between three and 14 days after receiving the first dose, a very severe and unusual headache was detected in the patients, which may be accompanied by vomiting, visual dysfunctions or irregular bleeding. Pending a decision, Spain will continue to receive doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be stored until the vaccination process can be resumed. YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of the Republic of Artsakh David Babayan, who is on a working visit to Armenia, met in Yerevan with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde on March 16. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh in the Republic of Armenia Sergey Ghazaryan and other officials participated in the meeting. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Artsakh, during the meeting, issues related to the settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict were discussed. David Babayan stressed the need to resume the negotiation process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen with the aim of finding a comprehensive and fair settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict. David Babayan also briefed the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the humanitarian consequences of the 44-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan with the support of Turkey and international terrorists against Artsakh. The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Artsakh called the immediate return of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilians held in Azerbaijan to their homeland an urgent task. David Babayan noted the inadmissibility of using the suffering of people, both those who are in captivity and their relatives, as a political bargaining chip. The Foreign Minister of Artsakh called on the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to exert all necessary efforts to ensure that Azerbaijan unquestioningly complies with its obligations under international humanitarian law. David Babayan expressed hope that the international community would support Artsakh in solving such pressing problems as rendering assistance to those displaced as a result of the war and preserving the Armenian cultural heritage in the territories occupied by Azerbaijan. Acquires JPC Property in Clement Township Grants Incentive Stock Options Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) -Conquest Resources Limited (TSXV: CQR) ("Conquest" or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Teck Resources Limited ("Teck") whereby Conquest will acquire a 100% interest in the DGC Ni-Cu-PGE property located in Afton Township, Ontario. Conquest has agreed to issue 1,800,000 million shares to Teck in consideration for a 100% interest in the DGC property subject to a 2% NSR which to be retained by Teck. In addition, Teck has agreed to surrender to Conquest for cancellation 1,100,000 warrants of Canadian Continental Exploration Corp. ("CCEC") issued to Teck pursuant to the DGC Option/JV Agreement dated October 7, 2013 between Teck and CCEC. CCEC was acquired by Conquest in 2020. The Agreement is subject to TSXV acceptance. DGC Ni-Cu-PGE property, Afton Township, Ontario The DGC property is located in the central portion of Conquest's TeckMag1 claim group and covers the central portion of the Temagami Magnetic Anomaly. The Temagami Magnetic Anomaly is adjacent to the Sudbury Impact Crater and is one of the largest positive magnetic anomalies in North America. Canadian Continental drill-tested the DGC claims with a 2,200m hole in 2014. Hole AT14-01 intersected a quartz diorite dike at a depth of 1,989m, similar to the mineralized dikes associated with the Sudbury Impact Crater. Conquest is currently drilling relatively shallow conductive targets around the perimeter of the Temagami Magnetic Anomaly. Property Acquisition - Clement Township, Ontario In another separate transaction, Conquest has signed a purchase agreement to acquire the JPC Property in Clement Township, Ontario from a private individual. The Company will pay $13,000 cash and issue 250,000 shares of Conquest for a 100% interest in the1,620 ha JPC property, which is located to the south east of Conquest's Golden Rose property, subject to a 1% NSR. Conquest may purchase half of the NSR royalty for $500,000 at any time and retains a Right of First Refusal on the balance of the royalty. The transactions are both subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. The shares to be issued in connection with the transactions will be subject to a four-month hold period under applicable securities law. Grant of Incentive Stock Options The Board of Directors has approved the granting of 500,000 incentive stock options for services consisting of Corporate Advisory, Business Development and Media Branding Strategies, subject to TSXV approval. The stock options are exercisable at a price of $0.20 per share for a term commencing March 1, 2021 and renewable each year at the discretion of the Board. These options will vest immediately. As of the date hereof, the total number of Conquest shares outstanding is 132,587,106. ABOUT CONQUEST Conquest Resources Limited, incorporated in 1945, is a mineral exploration company that is exploring for gold on mineral properties in Ontario. Conquest holds a 100% interest in the Golden Rose Project, located in the Temagami Mining Camp at Emerald Lake, approximately 65 kilometres northeast of Sudbury, Ontario, which hosts the former Golden Rose Gold Mine and is underlain by highly prospective Abitibi greenstone geology along a strike length of seventeen (17) kilometres. In October 2020, Conquest completed the acquisition of Canadian Continental Exploration Corp. which holds an extensive package of mining claims which surround Conquest's Golden Rose Mine, and subsequently doubled its land holdings in the Temagami Mining Camp through the staking of 588 mining cells, encompassing approximately 93 sq km., centered on Belfast Township, on the edge of the Temagami Magnetic Anomaly. Conquest now controls over 220 sq km of underexplored territory, including the past producing Golden Rose Mine at Emerald Lake, in the Temagami Mining Camp. Conquest also holds a 100% interest in the Alexander Gold Property located immediately east of the Red Lake and Campbell mines in the heart of the Red Lake Gold Camp on the important "Mine Trend" regional structure. Conquest's property is almost entirely surrounded by Evolution Mining land holdings. In addition, Conquest owns a 100% interest in the Smith Lake Gold Property of six patented claims and 181 staked mining claims to the north, west and south of the former Renabie Gold Mine in Rennie Township in northern Ontario, operated by Corona and Barrick that had reported gold production of over 1,000,000 ounces between 1947 and 1991 (Northern Miner March 4, 1991). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: general@ConquestResources.com www.ConquestResources.com John F. Kearney Chairman 416-362-6686 Tom Obradovich President & Chief Executive 416-985-7140 Forward-looking statements. This news release may include certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the Acquisition and the Consolidation, the release of escrowed funds, future cash on hand, potential mineralization, resources and reserves, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Conquest, are forward-looking statements that involve various 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Conquest's expectations are exploration risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by Conquest with securities regulators. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of TSXV) 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/77416 Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin denied on Monday that he made racist comments last week when he said he wasn't concerned about pro-Donald Trump insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol in January - but would have been worried if they were Black Lives Matters protesters. The comments drew a firestorm of criticism from Democrats and others who said Johnson was making racist statements. But Johnson on Monday told Fox News that his remarks had been 'blown out of proportion' and denied there was racism involved. 'I wasn't talking about the people that actually stormed the Capitol and assaulted police officers,' Johnson told Maria Bartiromo, when asked about the 'woke mob' that was criticizing the senator. Ron Johnson appeared on Fox News on Monday and denied his comments were racist Johnson, 65, said he was not being racist because white people form part of BLM 'I condemned that. As I condemn, quite honestly, anybody that rioted in the summer leftist activists sparked riots as well.' Johnson said that he merely meant that most Trump supporters were peaceful. 'I was just talking about the vast majority of people that I know that are Trump supporters that love law enforcement, support law enforcement, would never even think of rioting or breaking the law,' he continued. 'And that's the vast majority of people that came here to Washington, DC.' The 65-year-old said 'it's completely been blown out of proportion' and told Bartiromo: 'There's nothing racial in my comments whatsoever. The left is happy to use the race card whenever they can. This is about riots and rioters and leftist activists and anarchists.' In another interview, earlier on Monday, Johnson had insisted: 'there's no racism involved.' He said: 'It has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with riots. 'I completely did not anticipate that anybody could interpret what I said as racist. It's not.' Critics of Sen. Ron Johnson are calling him racist after he said he wasn't worried about the supporters of former President Donald Trump who stormed the Capitol in January, but might have been concerned if they had been Black Lives Matter protesters Supporters of Donald Trump clashed with riot police on January 6, leaving five people dead Black Lives Matter demonstrators march down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., in June 6, 2020, just days after a white police officer killed Minneapolis black man, George Floyd The furor was sparked by an interview on Thursday with syndicated radio host Joe Pagliarulo. Johnson said of those who stormed the Capitol on January 6 to try to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's electoral victory: 'I knew those were people who love this country, that truly respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break the law, so I wasn't concerned.' He said he knew his opinions were going to be provocative. 'Now, had the tables been turned, and Joe - this is going to get me in trouble - had the tables been turned and President Trump won the election and tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and Antifa, I might have been a little concerned,' Johnson said, referring to far-left-leaning protesters known as anti-fascists who resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations and other events. Johnson said Monday on the Dan O'Donnell show that because many of the Black Lives Matters protesters were white, his comments were not racist. 'Remember those leftist activists, those protesters, that some of them turned into riots, a lot of them are white,' Johnson said. 'So there's no racism involved in this at all.' Johnson said liberals want to push a narrative that everyone who voted for Trump is an insurrectionist or domestic terrorist. But he said the summer protests over racial justice resulted in more damage and people killed than the insurrection at the Capitol, which left five people dead, including a Capitol police officer, and injured 140 other officers. More than 300 Trump supporters have been charged in the storming of the building, including members of far-right extremist groups. Johnson cited 25 deaths being tied to Black Lives Matter protests. Of the 25 people killed, nine were Black Lives Matter demonstrators and two were conservatives killed after pro-Trump rallies, according to data from the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. The group determined in September that more than 90 per cent of the summer protests were peaceful. 'I'm not deterred by this,' Johnson said on Monday of the reaction to his statements. 'I think people need to understand that. This just, if anything, fires me up more.' Among those who said Johnson's comments were racist was Democratic state Sen. LaTonya Johnson, who is black and not related to the senator, and Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in 2022, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin called Johnson's comment an example of systemic racism. Johnson has not yet said whether he will seek a third term in 2022. 1. Roads. The citys roads are a mess. Significant resources are needed to fix them. 2. Public safety. The crime rate is too high. Police pay and resources come first. 3. More city programs. The city must invest more in city programs and services. 4. Comprehensive plan. The city needs to focus on rebuilding and rebranding. 5. Cut city spending. City officials must get serious about trimming the budget. Vote View Results The Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL), under the aegis of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has called for applications in a prescribed format from eligible and interested individuals for filling Fourteen (14) vacancies to the post of Graduate, ITI and 10+2 Apprentices in NMRL through direct selection to be posted at DRDO NMRL at Thane in Maharashtra, India on a fulltime basis. The application process towards same started on March 15, 2021 and closes on March 28, 2021. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Graduate, ITI and 10+2 Apprentices posts in NMRL Organisation Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) Educational Qualification Passed 10+2/Intermediate or equivalent; possess B.Sc in Chemistry; BA/B.Com, any Subject with computer knowledge; ITI (Laboratory Assistant) Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required null Job Location Thane Salary Scale Monthly stipend in the scale of Rs. 7,000 up to Rs. 9,000 Industry Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Application Start Date March 15, 2021 Application End Date March 28, 2021 DRDO Recruitment 2021: Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for DRDO Apprentice Jobs through DRDO Recruitment 2021 must meet the age criteria as per the DRDO norms, with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as specified in the DRDO Notification 2021. For details regarding the application fee for DRDO Apprentice Jobs 2021 through DRDO Recruitment 2021, refer to the official DRDO Notification 2021 given at the end of the article. Also Read: SSC Delhi Police Constable Result 2020 To Be Released Anytime Soon DRDO Recruitment 2021: DRDO Apprentice Vacancy Graduate Apprentice - 08 10+2 ITI Apprentice - 04 ITI Apprentice - 02 Total - 14 DRDO Recruitment 2021: Education And Eligibility Desirous candidates applying for DRDO Apprentices through DRDO Recruitment 2021 must have passed 10+2/Intermediate or equivalent; possess B.Sc in Chemistry; BA/B.Com, any Subject with computer knowledge; ITI (Laboratory Assistant) from a recognised Board/University/Institute as specified in the DRDO Notification 2021. DRDO Recruitment 2021: Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates for DRDO Apprentices through DRDO Recruitment 2021 will be done through Shortlisting and Merit as notified in the DRDO Notification 2021. Candidates selected for DRDO Apprentices through DRDO Recruitment 2021 will be paid a monthly stipend in the scale of Rs. 7,000 up to Rs. 9,000. Also Read: ONGC Recruitment 2021 For Field Medical Officers (FMO) Post Through Walk-In Selection On March 18 DRDO Recruitment 2021: How To Apply Candidates applying for DRDO Apprentice Jobs 2021 through DRDO Recruitment 2021 must fill the application form attached with the DRDO Notification 2021 and e-mail the same to deparmar@nmrl.drdo.in on or before March 28, 2021. Candidates must first register themselves on the official MHRD NATS portal or NAPS portal Download DRDO Notification 2021 PDF for Graduate, ITI and 10+2 Apprentices posts (Photo : Screenshot from: @LukeMiani Twitter ) This $450 American 'Freedom' Phone Comes with Pre-Installed Parler, Yet Made in China? While Parler is no longer downloadable directly from Google Play or the App Store, those wanting to still engage in Parler can do so with this $450 Freedom Phone where the app is already pre-installed. This would allow users to access the Parler app without much hardship. American Freedom Phone Parler users will be able to order a new "Freedom Phone" in order to access the app through a new smartphone. Over the course of the past few months, Parler has faced quite a lot of hardships in providing users with access towards the social media platform. The brand new phone comes with the uncensored app store might prove to be a new way around everything. During the January 6 US Capital riots, Parler has reportedly found itself offline. After the official Amazon Web Services have removed their web hosting support for the official Parler website, Google and Apple have also removed app store support for the other Parler Android and iOS apps. Ever since then the service has reportedly found a hosting replacement. The apps, however, still remain officially unavailable. Accessing Parler Although there is still a workaround for the official Android app, the Apple iPhone app will most likely still remain inaccessible through the official iOS App Store. In a move to fixing this issue, there is now a Freedom Phone being made available and the website confirms that the main purpose of the smartphone is for free speech and is said to be a privacy-focused device that reportedly won't put users' voices on silent. According to the article by ScreenRant, this Freedom Phone reportedly costs $449.99 and already comes with a preloaded Parler. Another addition which is quite surprising is that the phone will also come with its FreedomOS App Store where some other apps will also be available to download. Read Also: Parler Blocks Former CEO John Matze After Online Comeback? Android Freedom Phone? The app's webpage notes that in addition to Parler, the Freedom Phone users will be able to access DuckDuck Go, Rumble, Newsmax, and even One America News Network along with some other popular banned and other unbanned apps. The Freedom Phone won't just stop at the app store as the device also comes running on the FreedomOS which is the first ever mass-marketable mobile phone OS based on free speech. This was according to its website. The website also points out that the device was removed from Android, that's not really the case though. Whether or not it still comes with the regular Google suite of apps, the phone's operating system is maybe almost certainly a new version of Android. The only other confirmed specs and features as of the moment are the six-inch display, a good storage, microSD, dual--SIM, and also a good camera. Although this particular version of Android won't really come with that many restrictions as some other devices, those extra restrictions are what allows the Android phone to carry not just Google Play Store but also other Google apps in general. Related Article: Parler Back Online: How to Get and Use? iOS, Android Download Status This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian Buenconsejo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu declared today that he will report to the Lower House Health Committee if he is invited to do so in connection with the public release of data on Covid tests and vaccinations, mentioning that he is happy to "explain whatever needs to be explained" and that "absolutely nothing illegal has been done." "The released data should have been public, there was no classified information. We should all have been glad that this happened and if this bothered one or another, that's a completely different discussion," Voiculescu said in Parliament. The Health Minister also made it clear that his honorary adviser Stefan Voinea had the legal right to access the data, which contained no classified information."[Accessing this data] was one of his duties during his office as personal advisor, and as an honorary advisor, that's what he obviously did. (...) He had the legal right to access the data and anyone else should have access to it, this is no classified data. I think this should be clear: this is no secret data, it's not classified data and the regime of classified information is pretty clear," the Minister pointed out.Voiculescu added that the Health Ministry had applied with the National Public Health Institute for getting access to the data and that there was absolutely nothing illegal about that."It's the Health Ministry requesting access to the National Electronic Vaccination Register, not just some other person. (...) I turn to the person who is best suited to do a job and who has a legal right to do it. (...) Attempts have been made to manipulate the public opinion into believing that this was classified data. This is not so, Mr. Stefan Voinea is an honorary advisor, just like other honorary advisers the ministers of the Romanian government have or have had and who, fortunately, work with us without being paid, because the public administration needs help. This is no secret. Is it a secret for anyone that the public institutions in Romania don't work as they should? (...) Yes, we work with honorary advisers. Absolutely nothing illegal has been done," Voiculescu explained.The chairman of the Lower House Health Committee Nelu Tataru declared on Tuesday that a decision on whether to summon Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu to Parliament for hearings on this subject will be taken after the report of the Prime Minister's Control Body on the publication of data on Covid tests and vaccinations.Nelu Tataru maintained that an honorary advisor cannot have access to passwords that belong to a Secretary of state, because such an advisor "has other duties" and "does not have a job description". AGERPRES GREENSBORO, N.C., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Intellect Resources is proud to welcome Jennifer Anderson as Vice President of Client Services Delivery. In her role, Anderson will be responsible for delivering innovative and comprehensive consulting services to clients. Anderson will be focused on optimizing client services to meet the dynamic needs of the healthcare environment. Intellect Resources "Jennifer is a great addition to our team and has already hit the ground running assisting with the delivery of several high-profile projects and go-live engagements to existing clients," said Tiffany Crenshaw, President, and CEO of Intellect Resources. "Jennifer has a wealth of knowledge, contacts, and career achievements in the healthcare IT industry, making her addition as Vice President of Client Services Delivery an ideal fit. Adding Jennifer immediately strengthens our existing team. Having known Jennifer for over a decade, I'm confident her expertise will allow us to continue our focus on providing innovative healthcare IT solutions to our clients." Jennifer joins Intellect Resources to us with more than 20 years of experience, having served as the Executive Director for the North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance (NCHICA), a non-profit healthcare organization with the mission of transforming the delivery of healthcare through the effective use of technology, informatics, and analytics. Prior to her role at NCHICA, Anderson was the Market Operations Director for Tenet Healthcare and Director of Physician and Community Services at The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence. In addition to her role with Intellect Resources, Anderson continues to serve on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association and the North Carolina Center for Cybersecurity. About Intellect Resources Intellect Resources stands apart in the healthcare IT industry for an unparalleled ability to recruit talent and healthcare IT professionals. Services are tailored to meet a client's strategic business initiatives, individual project needs, and budget. From an individual hire to teams of over 500, Intellect Resources can provide the solution to your recruiting needs quickly and reliably. Intellect Resources is certified as a women's business enterprise through the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the U.S. For more information, visit us at www.intellectresources.com or contact [email protected] Related Files Intellect Resources Names Jennifer Anderson Vice President of Client Services (002).docx Related Images jennifer-anderson.jpg Jennifer Anderson SOURCE Intellect Resources Ontario Premier Doug Ford holds a press conference in Toronto, Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. Ontario is set to deliver a budget later this month that the finance minister promises will have no tax hikes or spending cuts as the province focuses on fighting the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Labrador Retriever continues to reign supreme in Raleigh according to the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in St. Louis and Washington D.C. The Labrador Retriever held firmly to the #1 spot in Raleigh in 2020, but there were some movers and shakers amongst the top ten. The Beagle pawed its way up from number seven to number five and the Golden Retriever jumped up one spot, kicking the German Shepherd Dog down to number three. "It's no surprise that Raleigh loves its Labs," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "The breed's friendly, outgoing temperament has made the Lab the nation's top dog for thirty years now. With the French Bulldog growing in popularity around the country, I'm excited to see what changes may be in store for this city in the coming years." Raleigh's top 5 breeds for 2020: 1. Labrador Retriever 2. Golden Retriever 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. French Bulldog 5. Beagle * Registration data pulled from Raleigh zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 1. Labrador Retriever 2. French Bulldog 3. German Shepherd Dog 4. Golden Retriever 5. Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ China has laid the blame back on Australia for the deteriorating relationship between the two countries, dismissing the concerns of the US Indo-Pacific chief ahead of the first meeting between the two superpowers in Alaska. Responding to comments by President Joe Bidens top aide in the region, Kurt Campbell, Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday said that it was not responsible for the breakdown in communication between the two countries after more than a year of trade strikes on $20 billion worth of exports. Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. Credit:AP The root cause of the current difficulties in bilateral relations is Australias wrong words and deeds on issues concerning Chinas sovereignty, security and development interests, which have undermined the foundation of mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. The Australian side knows the ins and outs better than anyone else. An Ulster Black Lives Matter leader has revealed how his great grandfather's head was brought to the royal family in Buckingham Place - and he believes they have yet to fully deal with racism. Cuthbert 'Tura' Arutura spoke out after the royals were rocked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's sensational interview with Oprah Winfrey this week. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle accused the royal family of racism, saying that one unnamed member even asked how dark the unborn child would be. Tura told the Sunday World that his great grandfather's head was brought to London from Africa in the late 1800s after he was decapitated by British forces. The Belfast anti-racism activist said: "We know that the royal family started the slave trade in Britain and oversaw it for generations, for centuries. They need to own up to that. "There are even paintings of the royal family with their slaves which have been locked away somewhere. "This is a family which does not want to deal with racism in an authentic and honest way," he claimed. Expand Close The royal family are reluctant to deal with racism claims / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The royal family are reluctant to deal with racism claims "It doesn't want to do so because of the shame and because of the fallout that will come out of the realisation that indeed this family perpetuated slavery and imperialism. "There is no due process there that seems to hold them accountable to anything. In terms of what was said, I don't think they'll say anything, I don't think they'll explain anything. "I think they will simply say that this is none of the public's business; that it's beyond our understanding. Two fingers to you, we're just going to deal with in our own way. "I think what the royal family needs, and I think they know this themselves, is that they have become dehumanised and they need to become rehumanised. When you look at the situation with Prince Andrew and the entitlement that he seems to have simply assumed - it's a cesspit." Read More Prince William this week denied his family was racist in a rare comment to reporters, but the high-profile Oprah interview has led to widespread criticism of the royal family around the world, including from celebrities and politicians like Hillary Clinton. Tura explained: "The royals have a lot to admit to historically. From personal experience, my great grandfather was beheaded by Crown forces in southern Africa and his remains were taken to Buckingham Palace along with the remains of 26 others. They were called the heads of family and presented to the royals. "That's what they did in Africa; they decapitated the heads of family, literally the heads of people in each family. "So after they decapitated my grandfather and the others, they took them to England in 1898. So, to me, those are the type of people that they are," he claimed. "With that in mind, and knowing that it wasn't just in southern Africa that this happened in, the British Crown led the call for the heads of families, nobles and royal African people to be beheaded under their instruction, as well as in places all over the world." Speaking of the bombshell interview, Cuthbert, who is due to meet with police following the PSNI's handing out of fines to those gathered at a Black Lives Matter protest in Belfast on June 6 last year, said he felt Harry and Meghan were being unfairly targeted by the media. "I watched the interview, and I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, I really warmed to Meghan and Harry. "I have a very good friend who spent quite a considerable amount of time with Harry. He talked to me about his experience with Harry and he also told me about his experience with William and Charles. This friend, I would trust with my life. He talked about the conversations that he had with Harry, and like my friend, I agree that he is a genuine person. "When I look at Meghan, I see the same thing. I get a warm feeling from both of them. I believe them as a couple and I believe what they say is true; the challenges they were experiencing are very true." He added: "I think Harry has become a man, he's come of age now. He has managed to see how his mother lived, and he's managed to see how the media behaved towards his mother before she died. Shallow "From the interview we can see how much the man is measured. For him to come to a point where he's actually talking about things at that level means that he's just gone beyond a certain point. He's got to a point where he's just said 'screw it'." On Piers Morgan's reaction to the claims made during the Oprah interview, and his reaction when challenged in storming off, and eventually resigning from, Good Morning Britain, Cuthbert claimed: "Piers is an establishment kid. So he will be looking to see how he can get his knighthood. He is very shallow in terms of being open and transparent." Read More New Ghost Forest on S. Oregon Coast Remains of 1700 Megathrust Quake, Tsunami Published 03/09/21 at 6:30 PM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Coos Bay, Oregon) There may well be a new ghost forest in the mix of those already documented along the Oregon coast, and this time it has an origin many are already familiar with. Even if theyre familiar with it for the wrong reasons. They, in turn, lead to a fascinating journey through other kinds of ghost forests on the coastline not just those on the beaches. (All photos courtesy Brent Lerwill) Coos Bay resident and CoastWatch volunteer Brent Lerwill brought them to the attention of Oregon Coast Beach Connection after he assisted on a recent story digging into the Sunset Bay ghost forest. The Unheralded Ghost Forests of South Oregon Coast / Coos Bay in Photos Lerwill said theyre actually below his property, about 100 feet down, but theyre in a truly hidden place that you can only get to via kayaking. Theyre on the south shore of Brown's Cove, South Slough, he said. This is about one mile south of the Charleston bridge and south of Indian Point. I don't know if these roots are ancient or anything about them, except they have a similar appearance to the ones at Sunset Bay. So began another investigation. After contacting a number of geologists, Seasides Tom Horning was the first to head down the right path. He said they looked like ghost forests from the 300-year-old tsunami that hit the Pacific Northwest, the big one from 1700, which other media have erroneously said caused the ghost forests in the sands of the coastline. The estuaries of the Oregon coast are full of these from the 1700 mega thrust quake and tsunami, and theyre full of tsunami-created ghost forests that are much older as well. But its important to remember that the stumps found on sandy beaches are not from a quake dropping the ground suddenly and then causing a tsunami. Those are another story. Next came word from Coos Bay geologist Ron Metzger, who confirmed what Horning said. Looks similar to the row of stumps down at the Bandon Marsh from the 1700 event, Metzger said. It's not 100 percent of an ID on these, but it's almost competely positive. He said hed brought another geologist to Bandon decades ago, who was researching inland / estuary ghost forests from the 1700 subsidence event. We went upstream a little ways from Hinch Road bridge in South Slough and dug out/exposed a tsunami sand sample from the 1700 event with Tom Gaskill (we collected a sample to display at the South Slough Visitor Center), Metzger said. If memory serves there were also roots/stump likely from 1700 event as well. Part of how they know about these stumps is checking out the soil around them. Then you can find evidence of tsunami sands. Lerwills ghost forest stumps dont appear to be documented anywhere else, and definitely not in the 2006 Roger Hart / Curt Peterson paper on ghost forests that essentially proved what beach stumps really were that they were a slower process and not a subsidence event like their inland cousins. So this means the Coos Bay estuary stumps are a new one and Oregon Coast Beach Connection has named them Lerwills Forest, in honor of his essentially finding them. There are essentially three kinds of ghost forests: those in the sand, those sticking out of exposed cliffs, and those in the estuaries. Stumps in the sands and cliffs came from the slow process called encroachment. Those are 1,000 to 7,000 years old. See Explanations of Neskowin Ghost Forest Wrong, Say Oregon Coast Geologists Estuary stumps and every coastal estuary has them come in different ages as well, according to Horning. Some have them from different millennia events, thousands and thousands of years old at times. This is a big revelation to many coastal fans: there are many more ghost forests than people know about. How to find them? According to PSU geologist Dr. Scott Burns: You just have to stand on 101 and look. That is what I do. They admittedly aren't as interesting to look at: they look like rather newish stumps and simple logs lying around, not with the craggy shapes and encrusted surfaces were used to seeing on the beaches. Horning lives along the Seaside estuary and has them as well. My ghost forest is not very impressive, since most of the stumps have rotted away, leaving just the roots and a bit of flair where the main part of the stump joined the roots, Horning said. There are similar 1700 AD forests up and down the coast, including along the north side of Ecola Creek. Meanwhile, Lerwills Forest down south in Coos Bay does a look a little more ragged and ghosty than the average 300-year-old stumps. Whatever the condition of estuary stumps you find, its interesting and eerie to know theyve been through a terrible, cataclysmic event that took out maybe a mile inland worth of beach landscape. Its also important to learn from these: this same kind of quake is coming to the Pacific coast someday again. South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours - Coos Bay, Charleston, North Bend Complete Guide: Southern Oregon Coast Travel MORE PHOTOS BELOW 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 She's been happily married for seven years. And on Sunday Jamie Lynn Spears celebrated her wedding anniversary by posting a montage of snaps of herself and hubby Jamie Watson to Instagram. In the caption, she joked: '7 years of this bull s***. 3.14.14.' Milestone: Jamie Lynn Spears celebrated her seventh wedding anniversary on Sunday, posting a series of funny snaps with hubby Jamie Watson to her Instagram Among the throwback photos she shared was one of her wedding day in which she's seen dancing with her new husband while holding her daughter Maddie, who was five at the time. There's also a picture of the couple with Maddie, whom Jamie Lynn shares with former fiance Casey Aldridge, and their own daughter Ivey, who turns three next month. Jamie Lynn, the younger sister of pop star Britney spears, also poked a little fun at her devoted husband. In love: The younger sister of pop star Britney Spears tied the knot with the businessman on March 14, 2014 Among the throwback photos she shared was one of her wedding day in which she's seen dancing with her new husband while holding her daughter Maddie, who was five at the time Family: Jamie lynn, 29, shares daughter Maddie, now 12, for former fiance Casey Aldridge, and daughter Ivey, who turns three next month, with Jamie On her Instagram stories, Jamie Lynn, 29, added captions to several photos of her and Jamie together. 'He takes me out to fancy places,' she wrote with a photo of the pair pushing a loaded grocery cart out of a store. 'Lovers' she wrote on another pic which showed the couple sitting side by side and stony-faced. Tongue in cheek: Jamie Lynn also poked fun at her hubby on her Instagram Stories, adding jokey captions to several snaps of the couple Humor: 'Lovers' she wrote on another pic which showed the couple sitting side by side and stony-faced Stories: The former Nickelodeon child star definitely had a sense of humor Still together: She added: 'Even if we decided to get divorced tomorrow, 7 years is a pretty decent amount of time, so like... good for us' She also posted several snaps in which she dubbed Jamie 'creepy'. She added: 'Even if we decided to get divorced tomorrow, 7 years is a pretty decent amount of time, so like... good for us.' Britney's younger sister became a household name when she landed a role on the Nickelodeon show Zoey 101 in 2005. At 16, she fell pregnant by Aldridge and made the decision to quit Hollywood and moved to Mississippi to raise her daughter Maddie, now 12. She announced her engagement to Jamie in March 2013 and the couple tied the knot in New Orleans on March 14, 2014. Supplier News 16 March 2021 At the request of SH Hotels & Resorts, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group, Beekeeper has added Bucketlist Rewards to its mobile-first employee communication platform marketplace. By publicly recognizing and rewarding its frontline hotel workers in one place, the hotel management company operating 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels is heightening employee engagement and productivity, increasing retention, reducing voluntary turnover, and boosting morale. SH Hotels & Resorts began using the award-winning Beekeeper workplace app in 2016 to connect with its colleagues across brands, locations, and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices. Beekeeper has grown to become the one secure, intuitive hub that brings operational communication and systems to the frontlines. In 2019, SH Hotels & Resorts implemented Bucketlist Rewards to motivate, celebrate, and retain its workforce. Unlike other programs, Bucketlist provides employees with thousands of rewards designed by each hotel that make sense for each individual. "We've been working with Beekeeper and Bucketlist Rewards independently for some time, but we realized both platforms would be more effective if they operated in tandem," said Dan Waite, SH Hotels & Resorts Vice President, People Operations. "Rather than having one channel for operational communications and another for recognition and rewards, we can now celebrate our global employees in front of their peers and the entire organization in Beekeeper. People like to know that what they did matters, and that management and their peers are paying attention." "By connecting Bucketlist to Beekeeper, everyone can see when their coworker does a good deed or a great job," Waite said. "A person working at 1 Hotel Central Park may redeem accrued tokens for a behind the scenes tour of Farm.One and their organic, sustainable platform for Sustainable Food Delivery, while an employee at 1 Hotel South Beach may choose to tour the Everglades or enjoy a spa or yoga session. I am a big advocate of experiential rewards. In these challenging times, frontline hotel workers deserve to be recognized and rewarded often if we want them to remain loyal and take special care of guests. Token programs like Bucketlist are critical to employee retention, and they are proving to be extremely effective when shared publicly on Beekeeper, since that is the digital tool where our employees actively live." According to Survey Monkey, 82% of employees are happier when they are recognized at work; 68% think that public recognition has at least some impact on their ability to get a raise or promotion; and 63% of employees who are recognized are very unlikely to look for a new job. OGO reports that 40% of employed Americans would put energy into their work if they were recognized more often. "These two platforms are enabling SH Hotels & Resorts to bring our core values to love, include, respect, delight and trust to life through recognition and transparency," Waite said. "We are keeping our employees loyal and motivated by reinforcing these values in our Beekeeper communication and through Bucketlist Rewards. Although we are operating with a lean staff today, soon our furloughed workers will return. So, it is especially important that we also stay connected to them so they can remain engaged with the entire organization. They are still a central part of the SH Hotels & Resorts family." Waite said 30 to 40 percent of SH Hotels and Resorts employees do not have a company email and cannot communicate via text messaging, so mid pandemic Beekeeper is serving as a lifeline to all. Furloughed employees rely on Beekeeper to know when restaurants will reopen or when they will be added back on the schedule. They attend digital Town Hall Meetings to remain connected to the organization. And they can view photos and videos of their peers sanitizing rooms and using UV wands on luggage or guest car upholstery to reinforce the extra efforts being taken to keep everyone safe. "Furloughed or active, we post to everyone on Beekeeper," Waite said. "It's instant communications to the masses that won't bounce back or get caught by spam blockers. With Beekeeper we can reach 100% of our people 100% of the time, and with Bucketlist Rewards now on Beekeeper, we can express our appreciation to those who put themselves at risk each day in the name of hospitality. I'm glad to have played a small part in bringing these two companies together, and I look forward to collaborating with them together on future projects." Jason Lindstrom, Bucketlist Rewards CEO, said he is excited to be integrated with Beekeeper. "By connecting the two platforms we are helping companies effectively communicate with their employees and build a great culture," Lindstrom said. "When you take great care of your employees they perform better and stay longer." Andrada Paraschiv, Beekeeper head of hospitality concurred, saying: "We are delighted that SH Hotels & Resorts is experiencing such high employee engagement through Beekeeper and that our new integration to Bucketlist Rewards is helping to boost morale and keep employees happy as they navigate their way through this new normal. Bucketlist on Beekeeper makes it easy and fun for employees and managers to recognize and reward one another for milestones, achievements, and jobs well done. We look forward to hearing about the many new ways that SH Hotels & Resorts will be using our joint solutions soon." About Beekeeper Beekeeper, the leading mobile-first collaboration platform for hospitality, is transforming the way frontline hotel employees work with a mobile-first communication platform that reaches every shift, location, and language through real-time one-on-one and group messaging. Hailed as "the most innovative tool in hospitality," this heavily awarded, and highly regarded platform uses dedicated streams to deliver important operational communications to the entire workforce or specific subgroups. Managers keep staff productive and turnover low by automating workflows and messaging to their teams, while leveraging an analytics dashboard to measure engagement. Quick to implement and even easier to use, Beekeeper integrates with the existing operational systems you rely on and makes them accessible to everyone in one central access point. Learn more at beekeeper.io. The company is based in Zurich and San Francisco and supports users in more than 130 countries. Clients include Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Radisson Hotels, Concord Hospitality, MOD Pizza, Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa. Visit https://www.beekeeper.io/industries/hospitality. About Bucketlist Rewards The Bucketlist platform makes it easy and fun for employees and managers to recognize and reward one another for milestones, achievements, and a job well done. It's so easy as it integrates with the programs you already use every day. Unlike any other recognition program, Bucketlist enables companies to reward employees exactly the way they want, resulting in a 97% product satisfaction score. There are thousands of rewards to choose from, plus you can add custom rewards to suit your company. Reap all the benefits of employee recognition and rewards: Higher employee engagement and productivity; Increase retention and reduce voluntary turnover; Boost morale. In addition to recognition and rewards, Bucketlist also allows you to give awards including nominations, and schedule and plan events. It's your "all-in-one" solution. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Joe Biden will continue working with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on the coronavirus pandemic response and other matters, despite finding the recent spate of sexual misconduct allegations against Mr Cuomo troubling and hard to read. White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday told reporters Mr Biden has not spoken with Mr Cuomo directly since accusations of sexual misconduct and hostile workplace behaviour against the governor have surfaced. Like everyone who continues to read stories and new developments seem to happen every day we find them troubling, the president finds them troubling, hard to read, Ms Psaki said. Every woman who steps forward needs to be treated with dignity and respect. The New York attorney general is conducting an independent review of Mr Cuomos actions, which the Biden administration supports, Ms Psaki indicated on Monday. The president believes that [investigation] is appropriate, as does the vice president, Ms Psaki said. Read more: The investigation needs to be both quick and thorough, consistent with how serious these allegations are, she said. But Mr Cuomo has dug in his heels, denying wrongdoing and insisting he will not quit his post. As long as he remains in office, Ms Psaki indicated, the White House will be obligated to work with him to mitigate the impact of Covid on the people in his state. Our objective ... here continues to be to get the Covid pandemic under control, and we don't want the people of New York or any state to be impacted negatively, she said. We will continue to work with a range of governors, including Governor Cuomo. Mr Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have so far declined to say whether Mr Cuomo should step down as the investigation into multiple accusations of sexual misconduct against him unfolds. The governor should look inside his heart he loves New York to see if he can govern effectively, Ms Pelosi said over the weekend. And that could be one of the considerations that he has. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined a New York congressional delegation demanding that the governor step down. Due to the multiple, credible sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, it is clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners and the people of New York, the Empire State senators said in a joint statement. Despite dozens of prominent Democratic leaders calling for his resignation, Mr Cuomo has insisted he will resist the cancel culture that he believes has led to premature calls for his exit. Earlier this month, he apologised for making anyone feel uncomfortable while maintaining that he never touched anyone inappropriately. So far at least a half dozen women have come forward with highly detailed accounts alleging sexual misconduct by the governor. One unnamed individual has also come forward with an accusation of misconduct. Lindsey Boylan, a former staffer with the Cuomo administration who has accused the governor of sexually harassing her on several occasions, criticised national Democratic leaders such as Mr Biden and Ms Pelosi who have not directly said Mr Cuomo should resign. If you are a national leader asked to weigh in on @NYGovCuomo and you do not call for his resignation at this point, you do not care about womens equality, Ms Boylan tweeted on Sunday. Mr Cuomo defended himself in a press conference last week, saying that there are often many motivations for making an allegation, seemingly accusing the multiple women of having ulterior motives. Map of medieval Exeter. Credit: https://cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/ Cutting-edge scientific techniques used to study ancient artifacts found in Exeter have revealed more about the ancient international trading routes between the city and Europe. A five-year research project by a team of archaeologists led by Professor Stephen Rippon at the University of Exeter shows the links between merchants in Exeter and France, the Low Countries, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Mediterranean. The artifacts are held by the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery in Exeter. The analysis has helped experts establish where various pottery vessels found in Exeter were made, The analysis shows that in the Late Roman period people in Exeter traded with other ports along Europe's Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean. Fine quality table wares were imported from South West France, while vessels carrying olive oil, wine, and fish sauce arrived from North Africa. The research shows pottery was imported from mainland Europe in the medieval period from Normandy, Brittany, and France's South West coast, though some vessels also came from the Low Countries. In the 15th century pottery vessels were imported from even further afield including northern France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The research project "Exeter: A Place in Time," is a partnership between the University of Exeter, Cotswold Archaeology, Historic England, Exeter City Council, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, and the University of Reading. It was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Historic England and the University of Exeter. Exeter began life as a fortress housing a Roman legion that, for a few years in the 60s AD became one of the most important supply bases in Britain as the Roman army tried to defeat a rebellion led by the British queen Boudica. Exeter was a major town in both the Roman and medieval periods, with its fluctuating fortunes reflecting demand for local resources such as tin and silver, and its role in international trade. When Britain ceased to be part of the Roman Empire in the early 5th century AD Exeter was abandoned for a few hundred years, but from the 10th century its fortunes revived. It became the fifth most productive mint in England, and a major center for the tin trade. In the 16th and 17th centuries the region's production of woollen cloth led to Exeter becoming the sixth wealthiest city in England. Most of the pottery used by people living in Exeter was produced locally, although chemical analysis carried out as part of the project shows that vessels known as "Fortress Wares" were made from fine-quality potting clays found in the Teign Valley east of Dartmoor. This suggest that the Roman potters scouted quite widely around Exeter's hinterland, searching for good quality material to work with. Scientific analysis of another distinctive type of pottery found across the South WestSouth Western Black Burnished Wareshows it was produced in the western parts of the Blackdown Hills, perhaps in the Hemyock area. In the Roman period clay from there was used to produce roofing tiles, and stone was quarried to make quern stones for grinding corn. Iron was also produced, showing how this now rural area was once a hive of industry. Chemical analysis of animal bones from Exeter carried out as part of the project shows animals were moved seasonally during the Roman period, around a thousand years before the practice of taking livestock to graze on Dartmoor in the summer was recorded in written documents in the medieval period. Professor Stephen Rippon of the University of Exeter said: "It is great to see this major study of Exeter's emergence as a major city published. The application of modern scientific techniques has shown us how Exeter was at the center of a network of trade routes that stretched across much of Europe." Neil Holbrook, Chief Executive of Cotswold Archaeology said: "As an archaeologist who worked in Exeter in the 1980s I was delighted to be a partner on this project. Together we have been able to achieve much more than any one of us could have done alone. The heroic efforts of Exeter City Council archaeologists working to salvage information ahead of redevelopment in the 1970s and 80s were not in vainwe can now see Exeter more clearly in its national and international context, in both the Roman and medieval periods. This project is an exemplar that can be followed by archaeologists and historians interested in other British historic towns and cities." Owen Cambridge, Principal Project Manager (Heritage) at Exeter City Council, said: "This is an important book which represents the culmination of five years of collaborative research. It results in a comprehensive re-evaluation of our understanding of how the City evolved, the influences and events which shaped its history, and ultimately how the past provides the context for the present, and for the future, of this unique City." Camila Hampshire, Museum Manager and Cultural Lead at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, said: "The project has brought out the potential of Exeter's archaeology collection that have been stored at the RAMM for many years. The museum can now bring the new discoveries and the science behind them to a wider audience." The research is published in two books the first of which, "Roman and Medieval Exeter and their Hinterlands: From Isca to Excester," is published by Oxbow books this month. A companion volume, "Studies in the Roman and Medieval Archaeology of Exeter," will be published later in March. Both will be available as both an open-access downloadable PDFs and in print form. Explore further Discovery of rare Roman cattle bones sheds new light on ancient farming A new park that is being planned in Collegedale will be donated to the city by McKee Bakery and named Little Debbie Park at the Commons. The closest residential neighborhood and the one most affected by the 10-acre development at the corner of Leyland and Swinyar Drive is Greenbriar Cove, a retirement community with 183 homes. Residents from the neighborhood came to the commission meeting Monday night telling the commissioners that they have not been included in planning or been given any information about the park except what they have read or seen on the videos of city meetings. One representative from Greenbriar Cove came with a petition signed by 200 residents asking to have some input. She told the commission that the neighbors are excited and pleased about the development but that they have safety concerns. The petition asks for the playground, which is planned near a busy road, to be moved away from the traffic and closer to the greenway. Parking, as it is now planned, is back-in parking on both sides of Swinyar Drive, which they say that nobody likes. The suggestion is to have a developed parking lot. The increase of traffic on the neighborhood roads and cars blocking access to emergency vehicles are other concerns. Originally, the park was planned as an arboretum, said another speaker from the neighborhood, but now he said it appears that there will be marketing activity with the use of large branded items that the children can climb or sit on. Tracy Bennett Hobek, former director of parks and recreation in Collegedale, who was terminated by past city manager Ted Rogers for behavior unbecoming, came to the meeting to speak in opposition to the park. She said that a study in 2020 showed that Tennessee is ranked number four for obesity, and asked What if a child is faced with a fake five-foot-high snack cake in the park that has ingredients that they cannot eat? She said that she hopes there is still room for compromise, and said no representative from Little Debbie has been present to answer questions. Mayor Katie Lamb said that residents of that neighborhood deserve to be involved. Arrangements will be made for representatives from McKee to come to the next commission workshop, which is open to the public and for a meeting to be organized with Little Debbie and the Greenbriar homeowners association to talk to people from that neighborhood. After the retirement of Ted Rogers, city manager of Collegedale for the last 15 years, the commissioners are in the process of finding a replacement, with assistance from the Municipal Technical Advisory Services at the University of Tennessee. City Engineer Wayon Hines has been appointed to fill the position on an interim basis, which Mayor Lamb said averages around 110 days from the onset of the search. It was decided that Mr. Hines salary will be supplemented by an additional $2,500 per month plus paying his medical insurance, for the additional responsibilities he will have during the time he is interim city manager. Public Works Director Eric Sines told the commissioners that there are two large expenditures which are needed that are not in the budget. The main packer assembly on the garbage truck needs to be repaired and the cost is $10,622. Authorization was given to proceed with the repair, knowing a budget amendment will be needed to pay for it. Approval was also given to replace the fuel delivery system used by Collegedale. The lowest quote received by Mr. Sines was $11,668, which was approved by the commission. This was declared to be an emergency purchase, thereby allowing the bid process to be bypassed. This repair will also require that a budget amendment be made. The city received a request from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to approve the sale of property at 8811 Apison Pike. TDOT had purchased the lot and tore down the house and has declared it excess right of way. The commissioners approved the sale with the understanding that it cannot be built on because there is no sewer connection. TDOT notified the municipality as a courtesy, but it would have sold the ROW whether the city gave approval or not. The meeting ended with Mayor Lamb reading a letter sent to her by a Collegedale resident. It commended Ted Rogers for financially taking the city from near bankruptcy to the good financial shape that it is in today. It said he recovered local sales taxes that had been going to other municipalities, he had improved the working conditions of city employees with better equipment and benefits, and provided a safe work environment, among other things. The letter said that the city is better than it has ever been and from the many people at his retirement party, it is evident how respected Mr. Rogers is. Brazils Oi has sold off a data centre unit to Piemonte Holding for BRL367 million ($65.3 million) in a further manouevre to restructure its debt burden. The holding firm also based in Brazil has purchased five data centres from Oi in a deal which saw it make an upfront cash payment of BRL250 million. It will pay the rest in installments. Piemonte will fold the data centres into its Titan Elea Digital unit, increasing its share of Brazils colocation market to around 10%. In a statement, Oi described the asset sale as the first of several planned across the next few years as it seeks to address its debts, which totalled BRL65.4 billion when it filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2016. Since then, Oi has reached agreements to sell operations and assets to its former rivals Claro, TIM Brasil and Telefonica. Through this transformation plan, Oi aims to become the largest provider of telecommunications infrastructure in Brazil. Piemonte Holding CEO Alessandro Lombardi referred to Ois transformation strategy as an injection of optimism for Brazil. A group of private school teenagers allegedly involved in a sickening knife attack that left a father-of-one blind in one eye have had their charges downgraded. Brett Halcro, 36, was walking through a park in Pyrmont, inner Sydney, on July 31 last year when he was allegedly knocked to the ground before being bashed unconscious and stomped on. A 16-year-old boy, who is a student at the prestigious Barker College, then allegedly pulled a knife and 'sliced' Mr Halcro across the face up to seven times before driving the blade 'deep' into his right eye. Nine teens were charged by police, with all but two of them appearing before a Sydney children's court on Tuesday, charged with affray and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, News Corp reported. Father-of-one Brett Halcro, 36, was allegedly attacked by a group of teenagers as he walked through a Sydney park on July 31 last year. He is pictured before the alleged attack A picture taken in Mr Halcro's hospital ward at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where his family said he was in a coma for one week following the alleged attack The charges carry a maximum prison sentence of 25 years, if a guilty verdict is recorded. But prosecutors told the court the charges were being withdrawn and revised. Five of the teens will now be prosecuted on the sole charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, which carries a maximum two year jail sentence if convicted. The remaining two boys who appeared in court on Tuesday still face 25 years behind bars if convicted of the additional charge of causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent. They include the 16-year-old - who remains in custody after being refused bail - and a 15-year-old who messaged a friend after the attack in which he detailed the alleged assault of their victim. Pictured: Teenagers who allegedly took part in the sickening attack on 36-year-old Mr Halcro Seven teenagers charged over the attack appeared before a Sydney children's court on Thursday Pictured: Police at the scene of the alleged attack in Pyrmont, inner Sydney, in July last year The young man allegedly claimed watching the attack unfold made him laugh, according to court documents. 'I stomped on him and gutted his head he got knocked out after I bottled him on the head,' the youngster allegedly wrote in one text message. 'I put the shattered bottle in his stomach and then jetted (a co-accused) slit his face like 15 times and stabbed him in the eye.' All matters involving the seven teens were adjourned until May 11. An 18-year-old man who is also charged over the attack is set to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday. On Monday, prosecutors withdrew the charges against him of affray and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He is still charged with single counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and larceny. One teenager charged by police allegedly sent these text messages to a friend Theresa Keecherer, Mr Halcro's former partner with whom he shares a four-year-old daughter (pictured), previously told how said she has trouble explaining to her daughter what had happened to him Nine teenagers were charged over the attack in which Brett Halcro was allegedly knocked off his bike (pictured) Mr Halcro was left for dead in a park on the corner of Pyrmont Bridge Road and Wattle Streets after being allegedly attacked. The father of a four-year-old daughter from Melbourne's south-east, had moved to Sydney earlier last year to help his father renovate his home. He was in a coma for more than a week after the attack and has permanently lost the use of his right eye. After almost three weeks in intensive care, Mr Halcro's family shared a photo of him on his feet, walking in the hospital, showing his astounding recovery. HALTOM CITY, Texas, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BMS CAT is proud to announce the acquisition of CATCON, a nationally licensed disaster recovery firm that specializes in the reconstruction and renovation of multi-family, commercial and industrial properties. "We are excited about the strategic acquisition of CATCON. For years, we have viewed CATCON from afar, and respected their quality of work, remarkable team of employees, and their rich culture in providing exceptional service to the multi-family business segment. I look forward to our two companies combining as a force multiplier, allowing us to provide the best level of service in our industry to multi-family customers," said Tom Head, President & CEO of Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT. "The CATCON culture was built on prioritizing customer satisfaction and delivering professional services, which are the same principals of the BMS CAT culture. Therefore, I cannot think of a better company to join forces within this industry. Together, we can raise the bar even higher, as we strive to satisfy our clients across the nation," said Jim Clark, former President of CATCON. Today's announcement is the fourth in a strategic plan of acquisitions to support BMS CAT growth. The company previously acquired North Carolina-based Diamond Restoration in January 2020, Michigan-based Jarvis Restoration in July 2020, and FireDEX of Pittsburgh in August 2020. BMS CAT has grown from a privately-owned Texas startup in 1948 to one of the largest national restoration companies in the country. About Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT Started in 1948 as a furniture and dye shop, Blackmon Mooring has grown to become a leader in each service area it practices from fire and water restoration to storm damage recovery. The earliest founders of Blackmon Mooring built their business on reliability, quality and superior customer service. In 1981, the company expanded its reach globally with the addition of the BMS CAT division and since then, it has responded to some of the world's most devastating disasters. Today, the company follows the same principles it was founded upon, and always remembers that the customer is the cornerstone of the business. www.blackmonmooring.com SOURCE Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT Related Links https://www.bmscat.com/ Like many countries across emerging markets, the plan for economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia relies on government outlays in social support and public health, a renewed effort to attract foreign direct investment, access to international debt capital markets and some serious fiscal consolidation. In many ways, though, the economic policy response to COVID-19 is an acceleration of specific trends already underway across the GCC. The policy shifts we saw in 2020 are really a continuation of the shifts that began in 2015 with the decline in oil prices. What is new is more differentiation between Gulf Cooperation Council state approaches that now lead to a competitive economic policy landscape. This is a broader effect of an energy inflection point in the global economy: plentiful oil supply, less oil demand, more competitive renewable energy options and a more discerning investor and consumer of carbon-intensive products. The COVID-19 pandemic is just speeding things along, and we see now a wider aperture across the GCC on tax policy, labor market regulation and immigration policy. The pandemic has also made the economic diversification policies that were innovative all the more difficult to execute in the past year. Projects in tourism, airlines and entertainment, along with investment in private schooling and destination or megacities could not accelerate as planned. And for Saudi Arabia, these are precisely the areas the government is targeting for growth. While the megaprojects elicit critiques for their tech-obsessed grandeur, the easier target of a growing market for private education of a youthful population has been slowed down by the pandemic. Saudi private schools are expected to increase to 25% of the total K-12 school offerings by 2030, from 17% currently. For early education, the Saudi market is poised to grow with current enrollment rates of kindergarten students at only about 15%. While the expansion of private schools is a target of investment and private sector growth with excellent potential, the growth trajectory was dealt a blow from the pandemic. One estimate is that 45% of private school students retreated to public options (that are free of charge) when in-person schooling became impossible and to parents, not worth the expense. Resilience in the GCC economies has also been weak in unsurprising ways, particularly across job creation and employment. Labor markets are still contentious across the GCC because of the persistent demographic divide between foreigners and citizens. Citizenship rights and a shared understanding of the social contract continue to define the economic possibilities of Gulf political economies. So, looking at the policy response since March 2020, four areas of policy contention stand out. The Gulf Economic Policy Tracker at AEI provides a database of reforms and economic policy initiatives since 2015, including designations in the dataset for COVID-related policies. Lockdown rules created in March 2020 set the tone of the outsider vs. citizen debate going forward Interestingly, these policies showed more cohesion and synchronicity for the GCC as all six states enacted similar travel bans between March 14 and March 18. The state's ability to limit the mobility of foreigners and to cancel the work visas of those who chose to leave established a clear signal of the fungibility of foreign workers. Friendliness or openness to foreign laborers and their families will be a key point of differentiation among GCC states in the economic recovery to come. All have demonstrated an extensive capacity to regulate the size and status of this population. Workforce nationalization efforts were supercharged Saudi Arabia pushed forward on limiting certain sectors to hiring nationals only. Starting in January 2020, pharmacies were limited to hiring nationals, then ride-share firms in March, followed by a wider retail segment to protect jobs for nationals in coffee and tea shops, toy stores, bookstores and cleaning supply stores in August. Compared with ongoing and stringent efforts in Oman to nationalize the workforce by limiting over 90 job categories to citizens over the past two years, Saudi Arabia may be cautioned by some of the distortive effects already showing in the Omani economy. Oman has pushed farthest in the GCC in mandatory retirement of public sector workers after 25 years of service, an effort to create openings for younger (and lower salaried) citizens. For example, in April 2020, the Omani government had to relax its own nationalization efforts to allow small and medium-sized businesses to hire foreign workers for contract work. The disconnect on vocational training for roles like plumbers, electricians and carpenters demonstrates how the supply of citizens ready for these jobs does not match open opportunities when foreigners are excluded. Wage support, worker compensation and contractual flexibility were not strong in 2020 Employers received the most benefit from new policies that allowed flexibility in ending contracts or cutting salaries, such that if a worker did not agree there was little or no recourse or job protection. There is no standard unemployment benefit in Saudi Arabia, though there are two new programs for wage support or direct transfers. One, the Citizens Account, was established before COVID-19 as a mechanism within the Vision 2030 plan to ease fuel and utility price rationalization. The SANED program, announced in 2020, is a temporary measure to support citizen workers in the private sector. SANED is intended for citizens in the private sector as a temporary unemployment support to cover 60% of lost wages. In April 2020, the Saudi authorities allowed private sector firms to cut employee wages by 40% for six months. At the same time, about two million Saudis were removed from coverage under the new Citizens Account program. Migrant women are probably the least protected group of workers in Saudi Arabia, particularly those in household employment. The policy response in stimulus has focused more on liquidity to the bank sector The government relaxed some lending requirements and support to SMEs rather than providing employment or wage support, and certainly did not extend those measures beyond citizens. The effect is a disproportionate benefit to wealthier citizens, business owners and those with better access to banking and financial services. Fiscal outlays and stimulus in Saudi Arabia and across the GCC are weak when compared globally. Bank liquidity has increased, but not so much in direct financial support to workers or families. A December 2020 IMF report argues, "Overall, while monetary easing in the GCC has exceeded the global average, the aggregate fiscal response has been smaller than in many other regions. This can be attributed to the already large size of government spending as a share of the non-oil economy in the GCC and because the majority of GCC nationals work in the public sector where there have not been job losses." The outcomes of these policy responses are likely to include: More public debate and citizen support for workforce nationalization, combined with a rising nationalism within societies, but also ageism and sexism in employment opportunities. Some waffling on utility price rationalization, which may be confusing longer term as states are already in a process of reducing fuel and electricity subsidies. Expect further price rationalization to accelerate. Taxes are certain to increase. Property tax, sales tax, VAT implementation, maybe income and more corporate tax will create major implications across labor markets as businesses weigh the costs of hiring new workers and citizens consider taking lower-paying jobs to meet the rising cost of living. Oman will join the UAE and Bahrain with a value-added tax of 5% in April 2021 and has announced plans to create an income tax for higher-income citizens. Saudi Arabia tripled its new VAT in July 2020 to 15%. The pandemic and the diversity of policy responses to it are widening the regulatory sphere across the GCC. The future of the region will likely have more variance on labor markets and in national investment climates, including on tax policy in the next few years. The implications of choices made now could have profound effects on a generation of job-seekers and their experience in relating directly to their governments for support. New Delhi: Union Skill Development Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Thursday submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of cabinet reshuffle, sources said. As per reports, JD(U) is likely to be included in the cabinet. According to sources, Uma Bharti, Kalraj Mishra, Radha Mohan Singh and Sanjeev Balyan also submitted their resignations from cabinet posts after a meeting with Amit Shah at his residence earlier in the day. More details and confirmations awaited. Sources say that Rudy has expressed wishes to work for party organisation, while Uma Bharti cited health reasons for her resignation. Reasons for resignations by Mishra, Radha Mohan and Sanjeev Balyan are still unknown. LIVE Updates: #12:03 AM: JDU's RP Singh, Om Mathur, Satyapal Singh may get spots on Modi cabinet #11:21 PM: Cabinet reshuffle may take place on Friday instead of Saturday as planned: Sources #11:14 PM: AIADMK leader and deputy Lok Sabha Speaker Munisamy Thambidurai met with Amit Shah today, may get a cabinet birth #11:10 PM: Faggan Singh Kulaste also offered to resign, Rakesh Singh may get Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare #11:10 PM: Nirmala Sitharaman offers to reisgn as well. She is Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, as well as a Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs under the Ministry of Finance #11:07 PM: Reshuffle will also make space for JDU, which has recently returned to NDA and most likley for AIADMK, whoch ois rumoured to make comeback in the rulinga alliance after the recent merger #11:00 PM: Rail Miniter Suresh Prabhu is also expected to be tranferred to another portfolio, Nitin Gadkari may get Rail Ministry #10:39 PM: Giriraj Singh and Kalraj Mishra have denied resigning #10:38 PM: Mahendar Nath Pandey may also resign, he was appointed as BJP UP president today PM Modi is due to reshuffle his cabinet on September 2 to fill the vacant posts of Minister of Information and Broadcast, Minister of Defence, Minister of Environment and Minister of Urban Development along with replacing ministers who could not fulfill goals set by PM for three years of BJP rule at the Centre. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Up to 8,000 contact tracers are to be axed by Test and Trace because there are too few coronavirus cases being transferred to the system. The cut was revealed in a leaked internal email sent to the 22,000-strong workforce, which said the service needed to de-escalate from its winter high. Emma Moore, a senior T&T boss, told employees in a message seen by the Health Services Journal they expected to slash staffing levels to those it maintained last summer, when infection rates were very low. She said: 'We need to reduce our capacity while retaining the right skills and our ability to ramp up again to ensure we are able to respond to any potential future demand.' Department of Health statistics show the number of positive cases handed over to tracers has plunged by more than 90 per cent since January, from a high of 380,000 in the first week of January to just 44,508 in the most recent week. Test and Trace purposely set up to contain Covid has been repeatedly blasted as a 'waste of money' for failing to prevent lockdowns. British taxpayers will have forked out more than 37billion on the system by the end of this year, despite mounting criticism of the scheme. Up to 8,000 contact tracers will lose their jobs as the service slashes staffing by a third. (Pictured: A testing site in Brentwood, England, where a swab is handed over for testing) Test and Trace has seen the number of positive cases transferred to the system drop by more than 90 per cent from the peak in January, official data has revealed The total number of cases transferred to the system has dropped considerably from the peak TEST AND TRACE IS THE 'MOST WASTEFUL PUBLIC SPENDING OF ALL TIME' SAYS EX-TREASURY BOSS The former head of the Government's Treasury branded NHS Test and Trace the 'most wasteful and inept public spending programme of all time' last week. Sir Nicholas Macpherson, a member of the House of Lords and former permanent secretary to Downing Street's finance department, has waded into the row over the system after a scathing report last night said it was having 'no measurable effect' on curbing Covid cases. Sir Nicholas posted a cutting tweet that added: 'The extraordinary thing is that nobody in the government seems surprised or shocked. No matter: the BoE will just print more money.' Test and Trace boss Dido Harding, Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock all jumped to the service's defence today, calling Test and Trace 'essential' in the wake of the report. The trio joined Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in justifying the 22billion Test and Trace programme. Advertisement The leaked email was sent by Ms Moore, the former Border Force boss who was accused of causing massive delays at Heathrow by splitting the workforce into 'rigid and inflexible' bubbles. In the memo, she said: 'Case rates are now at around 7,000 a day. 'And whilst we are constantly reviewing requirements based on the situation, this means we need to reduce our capacity whilst retaining the right skills and our ability to ramp up again to ensure we are able to respond to any potential future demand. 'In terms of numbers, this means we have seen an increase from around 14,000 colleagues in the summer last year to around 22,000 to support the winter peak. 'Based on current data and forecasts, we expect to reduce our workforce back down to around 14,000 over the coming months.' She added that the service was 'committed' to give employees losing their jobs at least one week's notice. 'I appreciate this may not give you the level of certainty you need, but I hope you understand our need to be a flexible service to enable us to respond effectively to changes in prevalence of the virus,' she said. Test and Trace weekly reports show the number of cases transferred to the system has plunged by almost 90 per cent since the darkest days of January. There were just 44,508 positive cases handed to the service for tracing in the week to March 3, the latest available. For comparison, more than 380,000 were handed over in the week to January 6 at the height of the second wave. And the number of close contacts those near someone before they tested positive has also more than halved since the peak of the second wave. Data showed there was a high of 341,615 contacts identified in the first week of January, but this had fallen to 39,435 in the first week of March. A spokesman for the Department of Health said: 'Just as we increased numbers working in the trace service to be able to respond to forecasted demand over the winter, we are responding to the reduction in case numbers we've seen since Christmas. 'Latest figures show NHS Test and Trace has successfully reached 93.5 per cent of the contacts of positive cases, making a real impact in breaking chains of transmission. 'So far, more than 9.2 million cases and contacts have been reached and told to self-isolate by contact tracers - people who might otherwise have gone on to unknowingly spread the virus. Everyone involved in the tracing service should be hugely proud of this.' Britain's Covid cases have risen eight per cent compared to the same time last week after 5,089 were recorded. It is thought this is linked to mass swabbing in schools, which is picking up more cases. The test positivity rate - a more reliable measure - is still falling in all regions Newsom Responds to Recall Attempt as Campaign Deadline Approaches California Gov. Gavin Newsom has responded to a recall campaign against him after avoiding the subject for months. During a radio interview with KQED on March 12, he said the recall has more to do with his political opponents than with his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. His opponents have more concern with his broad progressive agenda, he said. Its about immigration, Newsom told the station. Its about our health care policies. Its about our criminal justice reform. Its about the diversity of the state. Its about our clean air, clean water programs, meeting our environmental strategies. He also showcased his new campaign website against the recall on Twitter, where he said he will do what he can to stop the movement. I wont be distracted by this partisan, Republican recallbut I will fight it, Newsom said. There is too much at stake. Getting Californians vaccinated, our economy safely reopened, and our kids back in school are simply too important to risk. The governor also addressed the French Laundry incident, where he violated his own COVID-19 rules by eating shoulder-to-shoulder with others without a mask at a high-end Napa Valley restaurant. The December event caused recall efforts to soar. Thats those things you can never get back. And, you know, I owned up to that, Newsom told KQED. And no one hid from that. And that was a mistake. Crystal clear. The governor also sent out an email through his communications team that asked his supporters to join him in opposing the recall. Its a partisan, Republican recallbacked by the RNC, anti-mask and anti-vax extremists, and pro-Trump forces who want to overturn the last election and have opposed much of what we have done to fight the pandemic, Newsom wrote. California cannot afford to be sidetracked by partisan political games. So well fight this recall for the reason I am fighting to get every Californian vaccinatedbecause ending this pandemic as quickly as possible is too important to get delayed by Trump loyalists and far right-wing Republicans. Rescue California campaign manager Anne Hyde Dunsmore said that the recall campaign has seen a nonpartisan response to Newsoms lack of management. [Newsom said] just the Republicans are doing this. We dont have enough Republicans to do this alone, Dunsmore said. We dont have enough Republicans to get 2 million signatures, and by the way, 50 percent of the signatures on those petitions were women. When is he going to start talking about that? Newsom has not been forced to live with the decisions hes made, she said. Thats the point. Everybody else has had to deal with it, but not him. So hes unaware of how people have been struggling for well over a year. It didnt start with COVID, but COVID was the straw that broke the camels back. Dunsmore also touched on what initiated the recall. As we sit here now and wait for these signatures to finish being turned in and get validated, we need to start reflecting on how this really started, she said. This started with massive mismanagement that resulted in rolling blackouts, a homeless rate that instead of going down based on his promises has skyrocketed to being the worst in the country, jobless rates that are the worst in the country, and an education program that was already hurting, and now has been obliterated to the bottom of the list. The deadline to turn in collected signatures is March 17, and the campaign has collected more than 2.06 million signatures, Dunsmore said. About 1.5 million verified signatures are needed to trigger a recall election, though some of those collected by the recall campaign will be discarded during the validation process. All of southeast Louisiana is under a slight risk for severe weather Wednesday with damaging winds, hail and a few tornados as possible hazards, according to the National Weather Service office in Slidell. The timeframe for the active weather is from 7 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday with the peak time being Wednesday afternoon and evening. The NWS defines a "slight" risk of severe weather to be second on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being "marginal" and 5 being "high." According to the NWS, besides the threat of wind, hail and tornadoes, heavy rainfall amounts of 2-3 are possible too. [LIVE RADAR: New Orleans | Baton Rouge | Acadiana] After the storms move out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be dry and sunny with high temperatures in the 60s and lows in the mid-40s to 50. Saturday and Sunday are also forecast to be pleasant, with highs and lows a couple of degrees warmer than the previous two days. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province is deemed an icon for Vietnam's private investment success Van Don International Airport in the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh was re-opened earlier this month after closure due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19. Since kicking-off operations in late 2018, Van Don airport has contributed to significantly facilitating peoples travel, as well as alleviating traffic for Noi Bai airport in Hanoi. At the time of launch, Van Don was deemed an icon for Vietnams private investment success as it was the first time a Vietnamese airport was built by a private investor and with fairly speedy implementation of just over two years. Van Don airport was one of 127 projects marking their names on the national wish-list of projects calling for foreign direct investment (FDI) leading up to 2020. Before developer Sun Group was given the project for implementation under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) format, a slew of foreign investors had exhibited their interest, including the South Korean-backed consortium of Joinus Vietnam and Posco E&C. The project was finally assigned and completed by a local developer from the private sector. A raft of sizable ventures in this national wish-list remain hanging in the balance, including the $5.62 billion first phase of Long Thanh International Airport, the $3.52 billion Dau Giay-Lien Khuong Expressway, the Ninh Binh-Thanh Hoa and Thanh Hoa-Nghi Son sections of the North-South highway project valued at $1.86 billion, the $5 billion Bien Hoa-Vung Tau rail route, and a $2.3 billion project on upgrading the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City railway system, to name but a few. As the wish-list came to light, it marked the first time projects were categorised based on sectors and not localities as in the past. Only a limited number of sectors were chosen for investment attraction at a national level following the governments orientation for the years to come. The short-listed sectors included technical infrastructure, agriculture, and processing and preservation, as well as production and services. The methods of investment attraction were also diversified, in terms of FDI, public-private partnerships, and official development assistance. This was deemed important for pushing up Vietnams foreign investment attraction. High hopes were placed on these large-scale projects to drive the countrys socioeconomic development. However, implementing the wish-list has not yet met expectations. New approaches The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has been attempting to shed some light on the situation. One of the most radical reasons for the current status is that some projects in the list have turned out to be unfeasible for implementation due to changes in market situation, technology, or planning scale. In some cases, it was due to government decisions on halting implementation like the case with the South Van Phong petrochemical refinery initiative. In addition, the 2014 wish-list consisted of 19 major transport infrastructure projects which are capital-intensive, requiring lengthy capital recouping process, yet lacking attractive investment incentives to coax investors. Especially, a risk-sharing mechanism with investors on par with international standards is also non-existent. As such when the national investment wish-list for 2021-2025 is being crafted, relevant state management agencies and localities are pondering how best to grab investors attention, and a fresh approach is being deemed essential. Vietnam has presented such investment lists many times, striving to give investors information about business opportunities in the country. The success in alluring investors, however, remains modest in some areas. As such when the national investment wish-list for 2021-2025 is being crafted, relevant state management agencies and localities are pondering how best to grab investors attention, and a fresh approach is being deemed essential. Dong Anh Quan, director of Bac Giang Business Development and Investment Promotion Centre, displayed his excitement after learning that several projects suggested by the province, some 60km northeast of Hanoi, are under consideration to include in the national investment list for 2021-2025, like the project on building an inland depot attached to a logistics centre. This is beneficial to Bac Giang in wooing foreign investors as through having a name in the wish-list, domestic and foreign investors will know about the provinces policies and orientations in investment attraction, particularly what we actually need and want. These are also our top priority projects, said Quan. From a locality little known to overseas investors five years ago, in the past three years, Bac Giang has grabbed the spotlight as a raft of tech giants have dropped anchor in the province, with a sharp rise in export orders. This explains why Bac Giang needs an inland waterway depot attached to a logistics centre, and why the project was recommended to surface as a priority for 2021-2025. With similar mindset, Hoang Duc Thien, head of the External Economy Division under Quang Binhs Department of Planning and Investment, assumes having their projects on the list would benefit the province. This explains why the MPI is still diligently working on a new list for submission to the government, despite opinions that crafting such a wish-list is unnecessary due to low effectiveness. National focus According to the MPI, the national investment wish-list is one of the most important documents to increase exposure about Vietnams investment environment, set orientations for investors in seeking business opportunities in Vietnam, and increase transparency. To fix the shortcomings stemming from the previous list, the MPI has set clear principles that such projects must be aligned with Vietnams socioeconomic development orientation in the new era. Along with this, foreign investment flow is expected to entail benefits to investors, the Vietnamese state, and the host countrys economy in economic, social, and environment aspects. The new wish-list is also devised following an "open" format, signifying that it is subject to be updated and revised on an annual basis to match the social and economic development situation in each development stage. This represents a stark difference compared to former stricter formats which had led to the situation of many projects not being able to allure investors due to changes in their planning scale, and relevant policies and mechanisms. The criteria on choosing investors for the wish-list are clearly set under chosen projects and fields that must closely follow government guidance in Resolution No.50-NQ/TW of the Politburo on promoting foreign investment efficiency. Accordingly, the focus is only on major national focal projects, those by strategic investors and multinationals, and those on the establishment of research and development and innovation centres. On the radar are also ventures promoting inter-regional links and those with organic connections with other domestic areas, helping to bring forth comparative advantages of the country and the regions, matching the orientation for economic restructuring and gearing towards sustainable development. Especially, only projects which have completed site clearance work or present no difficulties in site clearance will be selected to ensure the implementation efficiency, an MPI leader stressed. Based on 332 proposed projects by ministries, sectors, and localities, and the set criteria, the MPI has compiled a wish-list consisting of 159 projects with total committed capital value reaching $86 billion for submission to the government. Transport accounts for 34 projects; agro-forestry-fishery 37 projects; production and services 17 projects; industrial zone infrastructure 24 projects; 14 projects in culture, sport, and tourism; nine energy projects; nine IT projects; eight projects in waste and wastewater treatment; and education-healthcare will see seven projects. MBABANE Tsembeka Bobhuti Investments (PTY) Limited trading as Variety Centre is requesting the Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg, to assist in its tax debt. Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) is demanding over E6.5 million from Tsembeka Bobhuti Investments (PTY) Limited trading as Variety Centre. Tsembeka Bobhuti Investments (PTY) Limited is a company incorporated in the Kingdom of Eswatini under the directorship of Bhangubhai brothers and Patel brothers. Variety Centre is a trading name under the parent company Tsembeka Bobhuti Investments. Tsembeka Bobhuti Investments has other sister companies which they share some directors with and are in the same business. These are Inqlab Invesments trading as Chumana Cellular; Galaxy Mobile and Chicken King; as well as Labacotfo Bobhuti trading as Tsembeka Cellular. These companies sell and buy to each other. The exact amount which SRA is demanding from the company is E6 516 761.93. SRA claims that when comparing VAT sales with income tax turnover for the periods under investigation, they found that there were large variances. This, according to the authority, allegedly showed that the company had purportedly under declared on its income revenue.After scrutinising purchases, we discovered that purchases were higher than VAT sales. Sales from the requested documents were also less than VAT output. This implies that goods were sold below purchase, which is not possible, alleged SRA. Allegations These are allegations contained in an SRA report whose veracity is still to be tested in court. According to an investigation conducted by SRA, a tax investigation of Tsembeka Bobhuti Investments was conducted pursuant to Section 35(4) (36) of the Income Tax Order 1975 and Section 52 of the VAT Act 2011. Section 36 (1) gives the power of inspection/authorises any officer to enter any place at which business or trade is carried on and require the taxpayer to afford him necessary facilities to inspect books of accounts and records, verify cash, stock or any valuable article as he may require. It its report the authority stated that an analyses of the purchases under both income tax and VAT returns showed that the purchases on the income tax and VAT returns were under- declared respectively. According to the report, which has been present to the court, an analysis on the requested purchases showed that the purchases were much higher than the input and purchases declared in VAT and income tax returns respectively. This, therefore, indicates that there were goods that were purchased and sold but were not declared. Another significant abnormality on the purchases is that imported goods on VAT returns were also higher than actual imported goods, reads part of the report. Imposed Meanwhile, the company has filed an urgent application directing SRA to uplift any attachment imposed by a provisional notice that was issued by the authoritys Commissioner General on February 21, 2021 on any account of the business held with First National Bank Eswatini Limited. The applicant (company) is also praying for an order granting its directors unlimited access, control and possession of all bank accounts held with First National Bank of Eswatini Limited. It is further the applicants prayer that the court should direct SRA Commissioner General to produce a valid statement of account reflecting how much was due, owing and payable by the applicant and also stipulate clearly, the method that was used in such calculations. On top of the above prayers, a letter dated October 20, 2020, was written by the company requesting the Minister Rijkenberg for the waiver of interest and penalties for the tax debt payment. This letter is attached to the court papers. In the letter, Variety Centre alleged that in 2017 they were advised through a tax report of an outstanding tax debt of over E2.6 million excluding interest and penalties. The company alleged that on February 8, 2019, it started making payments towards the settlement of the outstanding tax and by February 21, they had reportedly paid an amount of E70 000. From March 2019, we paid an amount of E15 000 per month until March 2020. Our shop had to close down at this point due to the COVID-19 pandemic as our business was classified as non-essential. We again resumed payments in June 2020 when we increased our monthly instalments of E39 417. These are monthly instalments that we are currently paying, averred Variety Centre through Director Shabbir Abbas. On the one-year anniversary of increased restrictions on non-essential travel to Canada, union leaders renewed their call for government aid for the country's struggling aviation sector. Unifor national president Jerry Dias speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, October 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin On the one-year anniversary of increased restrictions on non-essential travel to Canada, union leaders renewed their call for government aid for the country's struggling aviation sector. In a press conference organized by Unifor, whose members include workers in the aviation industry, union leaders said they were frustrated by the government's lack of action even after many meetings between union and government officials over the last year. "We have met with government over a dozen times in the last year still nothing," said Jerry Dias, national president of Unifor. "We are asking the government once again to create a national recovery plan for the aviation sector." Dias added that the scale of the layoffs in the airline sector was unsustainable, noting that the possibility of travel to more remote areas in Canada was being threatened. The industry also needs the government to provide a plan for safely reopening the Canadian border, Dias said. Some cities in Canada have been left with drastically limited access to air travel, particularly in the Atlantic provinces. WestJet and Air Canada have both cut many routes in Atlantic Canada since the start of the pandemic, affecting the regional economy and threatening the survival of certain airports, which depend on revenues from passengers and airlines. The federal government has promised support for airports and regional airlines, as it works with major carriers on the terms of any bailout for the sector. Ottawa has insisted that airlines refund passengers for flights cancelled due to the pandemic, a condition to which Air Canada has agreed, Dias said earlier this month. A spokeswoman for Transport Canada, Allison St-Jean, said the government is committed to maintaining a vibrant and competitive Canadian air sector and plans to take steps that ensure the industry is on sound footing when the economy recovers. Doug Best, the president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association, said Nav Canada, which operates Canada's civil air navigation system, has already laid off hundreds of employees and continues to cull staff in certain regions, which he said could affect safety and jeopardize the aviation industry's recovery. "We've heard from our members, the highly skilled and dedicated women and men who work every day to keep our skies safe," Best said. "They have serious concerns about the safety risks of Nav Canada's reckless actions." Diana Kelly, vice president and chief safety and quality officer for Nav Canada, said the organization's safety record is "irrefutably one of the best in the world among air navigation service providers." Air Canada said in its most recent earnings call in February that bailout talks between the airline and the government had accelerated and that the company expected the parties could reach a deal soon. Thousands of aviation workers in Canada have been laid off since the start of the pandemic, including many at the beginning of 2021, when Canadian airlines suspended all flights to sun destinations until April 30. Mike McNaney, president and chief executive officer of the National Airlines Council of Canada, an industry group, said his organization supported Unifor's call for sectoral support and a clear recovery plan for the aviation industry. "We must move forward with a recovery strategy that is predicated on a science-based approach to testing and vaccinations that ultimately results in reduced quarantine measures and border restrictions," McNaney said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC) Pulsaki, N.Y. -- H. Douglas Barclay, lawyer, prominent local politician and the patriarch of the New York State Republican party, died this weekend at 88 years old. His son Will Barclay, currently the New York State Assembly minority leader, confirmed his father died at home surrounded by family. Doug Barclay hailed from the Pulaski area and served 20 years, from 1965 to 1984, in the New York State Senate. He was the seventh generation of his family to live on a family farm along the Salmon River. Theyll remember him as a leader, fighter and advocate, Will Barclay said of his fathers constituents. During Barclays 52-year political career, he became the powerful chairman of the Republican conference in the Senate. Barclay chaired the committee on the judiciary and the select task force on court reorganization while he served in the Senate. After he announced his plans to retire from the Senate in 1984, then vice president George H.W. Bush called Barclay to try to talk him out of it, according to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard archives. Barclay demurred, so Bush asked Barclay what the state senator wanted to do next. I want to work for you, politically, Barclay told Bush. After Bush and then-President Ronald Reagan won re-election, Barclay began helping Bush chart his path toward the presidency. He would eventually serve as the vice chairman to Bushs presidential campaign in New York in 1988 and chairman to Bushs presidential campaign in New York in 1992. In the summer of 1992, Barclay helped save legislation supported by then-Gov. Mario Cuomo, a Democrat, to bring nearly $30 million to Syracuse for transportation redevelopment projects and to redevelop the Inner Harbor, according to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard archives. Barclay would later go on to serve as the U.S. ambassador to El Salvador from 2004 through 2006 in administration of President George W. Bush. On Monday night, Rep. John Katko also said Barclay provided him guidance and encouragement when he first ran for Congress in 2014. He was a leader in our party and a true friend, Katko said of Barclay. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and admired him. In addition to his time in New York State politics, Barclay became a partner in what is now the Barclay Damon law firm in 1961 and specialized in banking and administrative law. He served on the board of trustees for Syracuse University from 1979 to 2003 and as the chairman of the board from 1992 to 1998. Barclay earned his Bachelors degree from Yale and later earned his law degree from Syracuse University. Will Barclay, one of Doug Barclays five kids, has followed in his footsteps. He was voted into the New York State Assembly in 2003 and became the leader of the Assemblys minority since early last year. Ive always looked up to my father, the assembly minority leader said Monday. 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. ATHENS, Greece, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (the "Company" or "Star Bulk") (Nasdaq: SBLK) a global shipping company focusing on the transportation of dry bulk cargoes announced today that it has taken delivery of six dry bulk vessels pursuant to the previously announced transaction with ENETI INC. (formerly known as SCORPIO BULKERS INC.). The seventh vessel of the transaction, SBI PEGASUS, is expected to be delivered to the Company within early second quarter of this year. The Company issued to the ENETI affiliates 2,649,203 common shares representing the shares consideration for the acquisition of the six vessels and assumed outstanding lease obligations of approximately $86.9 million. Following the deliveries today, the Company has 101,888,919 common shares issued and outstanding. All six vessels are employed in the spot market. About Star Bulk Star Bulk is a global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector. Star Bulks vessels transport major bulks, which include iron ore, minerals and grain, and minor bulks, which include bauxite, fertilizers and steel products. Star Bulk was incorporated in the Marshall Islands on December 13, 2006 and maintains executive offices in Athens, Oslo, New York, Limassol and Singapore. Its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol SBLK. Star Bulk will operate on a fully delivered basis a fleet of 128 vessels, with an aggregate capacity of 14.1 million dwt, consisting of 17 Newcastlemax, 22 Capesize, 2 Mini Capesize, 7 Post Panamax, 41 Kamsarmax, 2 Panamax, 20 Ultramax and 17 Supramax vessels with carrying capacities between 52,425 dwt and 209,537 dwt. Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. Story continues The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, examination by the Companys management of historical operating trends, data contained in its records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include general dry bulk shipping market conditions, including fluctuations in charterhire rates and vessel values; the strength of world economies; the stability of Europe and the Euro; fluctuations in interest rates and foreign exchange rates; changes in demand in the dry bulk shipping industry, including the market for our vessels; changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry docking and insurance costs; changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities; potential liability from pending or future litigation; general domestic and international political conditions; potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events; the availability of financing and refinancing; our ability to meet requirements for additional capital and financing to complete our newbuilding program and grow our business; the impact of the level of our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; vessel breakdowns and instances of offhire; risks associated with vessel construction; potential exposure or loss from investment in derivative instruments; potential conflicts of interest involving our Chief Executive Officer, his family and other members of our senior management and our ability to complete acquisition transactions as planned. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forwardlooking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication. Contacts Company: Simos Spyrou, Christos Begleris Co Chief Financial Officers Star Bulk Carriers Corp. c/o Star Bulk Management Inc. 40 Ag. Konstantinou Av. Maroussi 15124 Athens, Greece Email: info@starbulk.com www.starbulk.com Investor Relations / Financial Media: Nicolas Bornozis President Capital Link, Inc. 230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536 New York, NY 10169 Tel. (212) 6617566 Email: starbulk@capitallink.com www.capitallink.com Janek Performance Group, an award-winning sales performance company offering sales training and sales consulting services, announces a further key initiative in its global expansion rollout with new Franchise Partner, Athens, Greece-based consulting and leadership training provider, Achieve Performance. Achieve Performance will market, sell, and facilitate Janek Performance Groups award-winning line of sales training programs in Southeastern Europe, including Greece and Cyprus. Training programs offered will include the entire suite of Janeks sales training curricula, including Selling Virtually, Critical Selling Skills, Critical Teleselling Skills, and Critical Prospecting Skills. Achieve Performance helps organizations maximize staff productivity. The organization offers a wide range of training, consulting, and design services in the areas of sales productivity, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and talent management. With the addition of Janeks sales training programs, Achieve Performance will be well-positioned to offer a comprehensive set of business improvement solutions for their clients. Given the AP teams enthusiasm and excitement to work with Janek, coupled by their strong and high professional commitment, we look forward to a strong strategic partnership, progressively and positively developing customer loyalty in this pilot region of Greece, said John Alatopoulos, President of Achieve Performance. We are very optimistic about the future prospects for the penetration of Janek methodologies in the Greek market, as the demand for quality sales programs is on an unprecedented rise throughout Southern Europe, especially since the pandemic, added Achieve Performance Principal Consultant, Mara Marinakis. We are thrilled to bring our proven sales and sales management training programs to Europe through our partnership with Achieve Performance, said Janek Performance Group Managing Partner, Justin Zappulla. Our sales training programs empower sellers and sales leaders with the skills, techniques, and best practices they need to win deals more often, and were delighted to have found a strong partner in Achieve Performance who can bring these programs direct to the marketplace in Greece, Cyprus, and beyond. 2020 was an outstanding year for Janek Performance Group. We facilitated hundreds of training workshops, trained thousands of sales professionals, and delivered some of the best results on record to our clients, said Nick Kane, Managing Partner at Janek Performance Group. Expanding globally through franchise partnerships with leading organizations such as Achieve Performance will support our organizational evolution to not only remain a domestic leader and provider of sales performance solutions but to become a global leader in this space. About Achieve Performance For over 40 years, Achieve Performance is profoundly committed to successful Strategy Implementation through the organizations most valuable asset: their people. Using the most advanced tools and methodologies in the areas of Sales Productivity, Leadership Development, Organizational Effectiveness and Talent Management, we design and implement unique customized solutions for a wide variety of organizational needs in Greece and beyond. Our services include a variety of assessments and metrics evaluation tools, training modules and systems, reinforcement tools and cloud-based platforms, advanced training, delivery and consulting services. To learn more about Achieve Performance, visit https://achieveperformance.gr/. About Janek Performance Group Janek Performance Group is an award-winning sales performance solutions provider headquartered in Las Vegas, NV. Our training and consulting services are field-tested with proven results in improving the sales skills and results of our clients, backed by ongoing research into the markets needs and best practices. We possess the ability to work with companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 firms and have an established track record across countless industries and verticals. To learn more about Janek Performance Group, visit https://www.janek.com. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon has lost a legal battle to set up a right-wing Catholic 'gladiator school' for nationalists at an ancient abbey in Italy. The Council of State on Monday ruled against the Dignitatis Humanae Institute (DHI), which Bannon backs, and which wanted to start the political academy in an 800-year-old monastery, the Certosa di Trisulti, in the mountains south of Rome. The move has been hailed by some Italian politicians who likened the school to a 'Trump resort' while Bannon condemned it as a 'joke' which brings 'shame on Italy's already stained judiciary'. It was not immediately clear why the Council of State ruled against the political academy, but there has been a history of opposition over reports of fraud, unpaid concession fees and poor maintenance, as well as cultural and environmental concerns. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon has lost a legal battle to set up a right-wing Catholic 'gladiator school' for nationalists at an ancient abbey in Italy The Council of State on Monday ruled against the Dignitatis Humanae Institute (DHI), which Bannon backs, and which wanted to start the political academy in an 800-year-old monastery, the Certosa di Trisulti (pictured), in the mountains south of Rome As a result, the case has been in the Italian court system for years, with suits and counter-suits between the DHI on one side and the culture ministry, which owns the property, and a group of local environmental and civic organizations on the other. The former Breitbart chief and aide to Donald Trump is a trustee of the institute, and planned to convert the space into a where students would learn philosophy, theology, history, and economics, and receive political training from Bannon. Bannon, a Catholic, was aiming the courses at right-wing Catholic activists at what was to be the Academy for the Judeo-Christian West in the town of Trisulti. He has been paying the 100,000-a-year rent on the former Cathusian monastery for the DHI to use the building from early 2018. Many residents opposed the school and in 2019, the ministry withdrew a 19-year lease granted to Bannon after reports of fraud in the competitive tender process. Bannon is paying the 100,000-a-year rent on a former Carthusian monastery, the Certosa di Trisulti, (pictured), which belongs to the state Trisulti is where the monks of Trisulti once created a center for scientific research and innovation during the Middle Ages The DHI appealed to the regional tribunal saying the move was politically motivated and won the appeal last year. But Monday's court ruling to uphold the regional motion has scuppered Bannon's plans, in a move that he has described as a 'joke'. He told MailOnline: 'After winning seven of seven previous legal decisions, this ruling is a joke which brings further shame on Italy's already stained judiciary in eyes of the whole world. 'The government have proven themselves corrupt, incompetent, and broke. Everybody allies and foes alike admit the annulment of our lease was politically motivated. 'They have failed repeatedly to treat Trisulti with the care it deserves; depriving the monastery with the resources for maintenance it so desperately needs. 'We refuse to be stopped by the corrupt bureaucracy that infests Italian government and hurts the Italian people. 'This is the sort of thing you expect from third world countries, not a founding nation of Western Civilization. We intend to appeal and win. Trisulti is an Italian treasure and we will fight for it.' But Monday's court ruling to uphold the regional motion has scuppered Bannon's plans while being hailed by local politicians. Picutured: A general view of the Trisulti Monastery Certosa di Trisulti in Collepardo Meanwhile, the ruling has been hailed by local politicians. 'Out with Steve Bannon and the nationalists from the charterhouse,' Lazio Governor and former leader of the centre-left Democratic Party Nicola Zingaretti told ANSA. 'We will work with [Culture] Minister [Dario] Franceschini to restore to citizens this marvelous place, which we want to turn into one of the symbols of the Italian renaissance,' he added. Meanwhile, Italian Left leader Nicola Fratoianni said: 'The Council of State has decided, and the followers of Bannon must leave the splendid abbey of Trisulti, which won't become the school of homegrown nationalists, who will at most be able to go to some Trump resort.' The monks of Trisulti cultivated 2,500 types of plants for medicinal purposes at the monestary The institute's founder, Benjamin Harnwell, confirmed Monday's decision against the DHI in a telephone call with Reuters but said he had no immediate further comment. He said lawyers were still studying the ruling. The project was embroiled in scandal in 2019 when Italian newspaper Repubblica reported that a letter used to guarantee the lease at the monastery was forged. The letter had the signature of an employee of Danish bank Jyske, but the bank said that employee hadn't worked there for years, and called the letter fraudulent. Bannon, meanwhile, claimed the letter was 'totally legitimate.' He added: 'All of this stuff is just dust being kicked up by the left,' Bannon was reported by Quartz as saying. The Italian state allowed the conservative Catholic organization Dignitatis Humanae Institute(DHI) to use the building early last year. Bannon is a trustee of the institute Italy's culture ministry at the time said the institute has not paid concession fees and failed to do maintenance work on the monastery. The monastery is perched on a mountain near the town of Collepardo in Frosinone province southeast of Rome. 'It's not about political opinions but respect for the law,' Gianluca Vacca, an undersecretary at the culture ministry, said about kicking the institute out of the monastery. 'Thus proceeding with the revocation was a duty.' Bannon has been campaigning across Europe, helping to cultivate its populist movements. He announced the creation and location of his Academy of the Judeo-Christian West back in June of 2018. Bannon told CBS News in February 2019 that the new school, called the Academy of the Judeo-Christian West, will be a 'modern gladiator school' that teaches the foundational tenants of Western people. 'It's to give people kind of in mid-career that are looking to do something different, maybe get involved in media, maybe get involved in politics, maybe get involved in NGOs, to give them kind of the underpinnings of the Judeo-Christian West,' he said. Bannon told CBS News in February 2019 that his Academy of the Judeo-Christian West will be a 'modern gladiator school' that teaches the foundational tenants of Western people Bannon's counterpart, Benjamin Harnwell, a British former political operative, is in charge of creating the academy. Trisulti is where the monks of Trisulti once created a center for scientific research and innovation during the Middle Ages, cultivating 2,500 types of plants for medicinal purposes. Harnell said the school's name was chosen specifically by Bannon and that the scholastic center will have a specific tangible purpose. 'My hope for Trisulti is that it will go from being a laboratory for herbs and herbal knowledge and that it will be a laboratory for ideas,' Harnell said. 'It's not a case of learning for learn's sake, but it's the intention of there being a specific application within the wider ambit of the culture wars.' During the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the project for the institute found support among Italy's populist right-wing politicians, such as former interior minister Matteo Salvini. But over the years the project lost support of key Roman Catholic conservatives, including American Cardinal Raymond Burke, who for years strongly backed Bannon and was a honorary president of the institute. Burke revoked his support after Bannon said he wanted to make a film from a book alleging homosexuality in Vatican. Plans to create the school for future populist leaders have been met by protests and local opposition. Trump fired Bannon shortly after the deadly Charlottesville, Virginia 'Unite the Right' rally led by white nationalists, neo Nazis, and members of the Ku Klux Klan, that ended with three people dead and dozens more injured in August of 2017. Ten months later, Bannon's falling out with Trump led to him stepping down as head of the right-wing news site Breitbart, which he infamously dubbed the 'platform of the alt-right' during Trump's rise to power. Breitbart has since rejected Bannon's labeling of the platform he helped found. Days before leaving office in January, Trump granted clemency to Bannon, who was a key adviser in Trumps 2016 presidential run. Bannon was charged last year with swindling the presidents own supporters over an effort to raise private funds to build the presidents wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. He pleaded not guilty. (Reuters) - said on Monday it had reached a three-year agreement to provide Inc users access to news in Last month, Australia's parliament passed a law that requires Alphabet Inc's Google and Inc to pay media for content on their platforms, after robust negotiations in which blocked all news content in the 13th-largest economy. The agreement announced on Monday involves News Corp's The Australian national newspaper, and metropolitan papers such as The Daily Telegraph in New South Wales. Sky News has also reached a new agreement with Facebook, said. The three-year deal follows an agreement reached in October, 2019 in which publications in the United States receive payments in exchange for access to additional stories it would provide for Facebook News. (Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) (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.) MONTREAL, March 16, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ Valsoft Corporation Inc. ("Valsoft"), a Montreal-based company specializing in the acquisition and development of industry-specific software businesses, is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of Vertical Software Inc. ("Vertical"). Founded in 1983, Vertical is a business focused on providing innovative software and scale automation solutions for the grain industry. Since inception, the software suite has been used and operated by over 400 customers and thousands of users in over 30 states. This marks Valsoft's third acquisition in the Scale Automation space. In 2017, Valsoft completed the acquisitions of both CIS / SMSTurbo and Aldata Software in the truck scale automation and forestry space, respectively. "Vertical's position in the grain industry with "ScaleTrac" and "GrainTrac", set a Standard of Excellence for Grain Accounting Software. GrainTrac is a premier grain accounting software designed, developed and supported by experts from the grain industry," said Stephane Manos, co-founder of Valsoft Corporation. Vertical will continue to operate from its Illinois office and this acquisition will have minimal impact on its day-to-day operations. "Vertical is incredibly proud of the achievements of their team to date, and in becoming a leading software solution provider company in the grain automation space. We view the acquisition by Valsoft as a very positive step for the business to drive it forward and are excited to see what we can achieve together," said Patrick Gilroy, CEO Vertical Software, Inc. About Vertical Software. Inc. Vertical deploys scale automation and integrated grain accounting solutions specifically for the grain industry. Vertical's flagship solutions ScaleTrac and GranTrac, have been developed over many years and have installations throughout North America. With over three decades of expertise, Vertical provides and will continue to provide a best in practice software suite for the grain industry. About Valsoft Corporation Valsoft acquires and develops vertical market software companies, enabling each business to deliver the best mission-critical solutions for customers in their respective industry or niche. A key tenet of Valsoft's philosophy is to invest in well-established businesses and foster an entrepreneurial environment that molds companies into leaders in their respective industries. Unlike private equity and venture capital firms, Valsoft does not have a pre-defined investment horizon and looks to buy, hold and create value through long-term partnerships with existing management. Valsoft was represented internally by David Felicissimo, General Counsel, and Pamela Romero, Paralegal. Vertical Software was represented by Robert Coletta and Michael Rayfield of Davis & Campbell. For more information about the companies, please visit: https://www.valsoftcorp.com/ and https://www.verticalsoftware.net/ SOURCE Valsoft Corporation Inc. Related Links https://www.valsoftcorp.com/ With monthly Opec+ decisions and accelerating global economic activity and mobility as immunization programs advance, Brent and WTI are forecasted to average $63 and $60 per barrel (/bbl) this year respectively, said a new BofA Global Research report. With crude oil markets tightening globally, BofA has increased its 2021 and 2022 oil projections toward the centre of its medium-term oil price band. Meanwhile, BofA sees see $60/bbl Brent and $57/bbl WTI average crude oil prices in 2022, up from $55/bbl and $52/bbl prior. There are a number of reasons to believe that any rally in oil prices to $100/bbl will have to wait until demand recovers more broadly over the coming years. First, US shale oil producers will remain fundamentally short cycle even if less sensitive to 12 month forward oil prices, the time it takes to plan and execute a ramp up in oil production. BofA said in the report. At our new WTI forecast of $57/bbl for 2022, our YoY US oil supply growth projection stands at 750,000 barrels per day (b/d). But if forward WTI prices in 2022 climb up to $67/bbl, we could see a 1.2 million b/d YoY increase in US oil production in 2022. Second, EM FX weakness and rising oil prices could soon hurt demand in key consumers. Third, ample spare capacity across OPEC+ may encourage cheating at higher prices. And fourth, there is a growing chance of a 2mn b/d Iranian oil come back over the next few quarters. TradeArabia News Service Credit: CC0 Public Domain The findings of a recent analysis conducted by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, suggest that ecosystems suitable for harboring ticks that carry debilitating Lyme disease could be more widespread than previously thought in California, Oregon and Washington. Bolstering the research were the efforts of an army of "citizen scientists" who collected and submitted 18,881 ticks over nearly three years through the Free Tick Testing Program created by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, which funded the research, producing a wealth of data for scientists to analyze. This new study builds on initial research led by the late Nate Nieto, Ph.D., at Northern Arizona University, and Daniel Salkeld, Ph.D., of Colorado State University. This immense sample collection represented a multi-fold increase in the number of ticks that could be gathered by professional biologists conducting field surveys in far less time and at a fraction of the cost. This kind of citizen participationwhich in the future could include smart-phone apps and photographycould become "a powerful tool" for tracking other animal- and insect-borne infectious diseases important for monitoring human and environmental health, according to study results published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. This study expands on previous work in California and is the first study to produce high resolution distributions of both actual and potential tick habitat in Oregon and Washington. "This study is a great example of how citizen scientists can helpwhether tracking climate change, fires, habitat changes or species distribution shiftsat a much finer scale than ever before," said Tanner Porter, Ph.D., a TGen Research Associate and lead author of the study. Specifically, Dr. Porter said the findings of this study could help raise awareness among physicians across the West, and throughout the nation, that tick-borne diseases are possible throughout a wider expanse than ever thought before. Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), which is carried by ticks, and in this study specifically, the western black-legged tick known as Ixodes pacificus. These ticks also carry pathogens associated with relapsing fever and anaplasmosis, which like Lyme disease can cause fever, headache, chills and muscle aches. Some patients with Lyme disease may experience a rash that may look like a red oval or bull's-eye. If not treated promptly, Lyme disease can progress to a debilitating stage, becoming difficult and sometimes impossible to cure. This may include inflammation of the heart and brain. Lyme disease is the most common tickborne illness in the U.S., annually causing an estimated 500,000 infections, according to the CDC. However, even the most commonly-used diagnostic test for Lyme disease misses up to 70% of early stage cases. There is no treatment that works for all patients. "We hope this study data encourages residents of California, Oregon and Washington to take precautions against ticks in the outdoors, and helps to ensure that local healthcare professionals will consider diagnoses of Lyme when patients present with symptoms," said Linda Giampa, Executive Director of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. Citizen scientists were encouraged to mail in ticks collected off individuals' bodies, pets and clothing. They noted the time and place where the ticks were discovered, and described activities involved, the surrounding environment, and in many cases specific GPS coordinates. Field studies could take decades to produce the same amount of data, said Dr. Porter, adding, "this citizen science technique could allow for real-time distribution monitoring of ticks and other relevant species, an important consideration with emerging pathogens, changing land-use patterns, and climate change." Explore further Tick behavior and host choice explains geographical patterns of Lyme disease prevalence More information: W. Tanner Porter et al, Predicting the current and future distribution of the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus, across the Western US using citizen science collections, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE W. Tanner Porter et al, Predicting the current and future distribution of the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus, across the Western US using citizen science collections,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244754 Local lawmakers and veterans advocates are smarting over concerns their counterparts in Eastern Massachusetts are raising over regional equity amid a debate over a new, $400 million Holyoke Soldiers Home. During a lengthy hearing Tuesday before the Legislatures Joint Committee on Administration and Regulatory Oversight, some argued the price tag was too high to spend on one project in Western Massachusetts while more veterans live in other parts of the state namely Bristol, Plymouth and Barnstable counties. Detractors cited previous academic studies tracking declining numbers of veterans, and recommendations to move away from institutional care that were never acted upon. Senate Committee co-Chairman Marc Pacheco and other lawmakers also wondered about regional equity since the states two soldiers homes are located in Chelsea and Holyoke. Chelsea received a greenlight for a $200 million new facility in 2018. State officials and advocates for the Holyoke Soldiers Home have been hurtling toward an April deadline to secure $260 million in federal reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield, also chairman of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal affairs, bristled over the suggestion that Holyoke is getting preferential treatment. In 2018, I dont recall anybody from Western Massachusetts, or anywhere else, coming out and saying we shouldnt do Chelsea, Velis said. For people to come up with these 11th-hour reasons and these studies, which, oh by the way, have existed for several years, is disingenuous and misguided. And, if someone wants to have a conversation about regional equity, it starts here in Western Massachusetts, Velis added, referring to the long-held impression that state government favors cities and towns east of I-495. Pacheco repeatedly clarified that he is not suggesting Holyoke does not deserve financial and legislative support. The great loss of life at the Holyoke Soldiers Home during the pandemic generated a groundswell of support from the Baker administration and the federal government. Former Holyoke Soldiers Home Superintendent Paul Barabani was among dozens who testified before the committee Tuesday, reminding members of the gruesome milestone coming up along with pressing federal funding deadlines bearing down. You want to talk numbers? Lets talk about 77 veterans dead at the home. Thats the better number to think of, said Barabani, who retired in 2016 over frustrations the state was ignoring staffing shortages and other problems at the facility. Barabani and his former deputy, John Paradis, lead the grassroots Holyoke Soldiers Home Coalition formed in the wake of the outbreak. The group has been a driving force behind the campaign for the new facility. The death toll at the Soldiers Home began its climb just about a year ago and progressed at breathtaking speed. At least 76 veterans died after contracting COVID-19 at the state-run facility between March and June of 2020 and another died at Holyoke Medical Center; many more were sickened. Dozens of staff also fell ill with the virus. Among the surprise detractors Tuesday was Jesse Flynn, a statewide representative for Disabled American Veterans, who argued the state should pump the brakes in favor of spreading dollars more widely to support veterans across the state. But, fellow DAV member and Purple Heart recipient Sgt. Brian Willette, of South Hadley, clapped back. Thats something I take personally. For the organization to change gears from their wholehearted support of Chelsea two years ago ... Theyre not keeping their promise, Willette said, referring to the organizations motto, Keep the Promise, on behalf of all veterans. Willette called the pushback unexpected and said the Holyoke proposal is a no-brainer, shovel-ready project. As proposed, the new Holyoke Soldiers Home would be an eight-floor facility with primarily private rooms, more open spaces, an adult day health center and other amenities. In addition to questionable management decisions as the virus took root in the home, experts have said the facilitys cramped design was a factor in the outbreak. The new home will have the capacity to serve 235 veterans an increasing number of whom are expected to be women, amputees whove served multiple combat tours and those suffering from the emotional tolls of battle. Cheryl Turgeon, of East Longmeadow, lost her father, Korean War veteran Dennis Thresher, as the pandemic wore on and he developed pneumonia. She also offered testimony on Tuesday, leading hers by presenting a photo montage of men and women who died after contracting COVID-19 at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. Turgeon asked for a moment of silence before she began to speak about her familys experience. This didnt happen on a battlefield. This didnt happen in a war zone. This happened in Holyoke. This happened to us, and our loved ones, Turgeon testified. The committee is expected to debate the bond bill internally and report its recommendations soon, before the proposal moves on to a bonding committee, the Ways and Means Committee, both legislative chambers and on to the governor. Related content: New Delhi, March 16 : Swapan Dasgupta, the BJP candidate from Tarakeshwar Assembly constituency in West Bengal, on Tuesday resigned from the Rajya Sabha after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) pointed out that a nominated member can not join a political party. It is learnt that the journalist-turned-politician has sent his resignation with the request that it can be accepted by Wednesday. His term as Rajya Sabha member will end in April 2021. Informing about his resignation, Dasgupta tweeted: "I have resigned from the Rajya Sabha today to commit myself totally to the fight for a better Bengal. I hope to file my nomination as BJP candidate for the Tarakeshwar Assembly seat in the next few days." On Sunday, the BJP had announced Dasgupta's candidature from Tarakeshwar. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Paul Mudau (University of South Africa) has posted Decentralisation and Constitutionalism in Africa: A Comparative Analysis of South Africa and Zimbabwe (Mudau FP. 2019. Decentralisation and Constitutionalism in Africa: A Comparative Analysis of South Africa and Zimbabwe. LLM Mini-thesis, University of the Western Cape) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Since the early 1990s, the move towards decentralisation has been given prominence in African constitutions. Countries that embarked on ambitious decentralisation processes had to make the necessary constitutional reforms. The emergence and proliferation of constitutional entrenchment of decentralisation in Africa was long overdue and thus necessitated by the popular widespread discontent expressed against leaders who personalize power and concentrate it within a privileged clique in the capital city. While stifling the inroads of liberal democracy, authoritarian rulerships, single-party state systems and military dictatorships contributed immensely to the downward trajectory of political development in post-colonial Africa. Evidently, the intent and purpose for the quest to consolidate the complementary relationship between decentralisation and constitutionalism is aimed at domesticating the Leviathan the untrammeled ruler. Thus, this paper draws a comparative study on South Africa and Zimbabwe. Both the 1996 Constitution of South Africa, and the 2013 newly adopted Constitution of Zimbabwe, which are the supreme laws of each country, provide for decentralised systems of government. These constitutions establish government at three levels national, provincial and local. South Africa has a multi-sphere system of government operating in accordance with a quasi-federal state structure, whereas Zimbabwes multi-tier system of government functions within the parameters of a decentralised unitary state structure. In spite of the fact that both countries have adopted decentralised forms of government in order to seek solutions to the challenges they faced, the ramifications of having different state structures and systems as per their constitutional frameworks inevitably warrant that the implementation of decentralisation in South Africa and Zimbabwe are on separate and distinct planes. While the state of decentralisation and constitutionalism has made significant strides in South Africa, contrastingly, since the adoption of the new Constitution in 2013, devolution has not yet been fully implemented in Zimbabwe. Australias AstraZeneca vaccination rollout will continue as planned as the Prime Minister and Health Minister warned government members to heed the advice of medical experts and not undermine the rollout. The countrys top health official remains confident the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective despite more European countries pausing their use of that particular COVID-19 vaccine. The Australian government remains confident in the AstraZeneca vaccine. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Several countries reported possible serious side-effects of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine. However, the European Medical Authority says there is no evidence the reactions were caused by the vaccine and, along with the World Health Organisation, has urged countries to continue using it. In Canberra, Nationals senator Matt Canavan, crossbencher Craig Kelly and One Nations Pauline Hanson called for Australias use of the vaccine to be paused. Nearly 80 per cent of the companies surveyed by Nasscom recently stated that Haryana's job reservation law would "negatively impact" their future business operations and investments plans. The state's move would impact nearly 1.5 lakh current jobs in IT-ITES sector, and given the industry's high attrition rate, could have a "severe" implication in 1-2 years, the survey by Nasscom said. The apex industry body recently conducted the survey to assess the impact of the New Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, which stipulates 75 per cent reservation for locals in private sector jobs, with a monthly salary of up to Rs 50,000. Nasscom said 73 companies participated in its survey, and these firms have over 144,000 employees in Haryana. Overall, 500 IT-ITeS companies in the state employ more than 400,000 people directly, Nasscom said. About 80 per cent of the companies surveyed stated that the latest move will negatively impact their future business operations and investments plans, with the majority of them revealing that it may precipitate shifting/ growing their operations to other states and in other countries. "Extrapolating to 4 lakh IT-ITES employees, the act will overall impact about 1.5 lakh current jobs (37 per cent of all the IT-ITeS jobs). Given that the act applies to new hires, the impact is expected to be severe in 1-2 years as the industry sees a high attrition rate," the survey revealed. Most companies expressed concerns about the recruitment strategies as the law would significantly raise the compliance burden and limit the industry ability to hire people at will. The respondents also felt that such legislation could make it difficult to adopt Diversity and Inclusion policies and initiatives, and follow equal opportunity policies. "Major skill gap in Haryana where salaries are less than Rs 50,000 per month includes communication -spoken as well as written, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and machine learning skills, analytical and statistical skills, Finance and accounting, programming skills, data science, research and development skills, engineering and technical skills," it added. Ashish Aggarwal, Senior Director and Head Policy Advocacy at Nasscom said the move "undermines" a slew of reforms seen over the last year that enabled remote working, facilitated ease of doing business and encouraged startups. It is pertinent to mention here that India Inc has warned that Haryana's job quota move would hurt industrial development and investments in the state. Industry associations have appealed to the state government to re-look at the legislation, saying that reservation impacts productivity and competitiveness. Also read: Haryana's recruitment rule "will spell disaster", says FICCI The counting of votes for Hyderabad constituency will be held at the Saroornagar indoor stadium and for Warangal constituency at the market yard in Nalgonda. DC file photo HYDERABAD: The Election Commission on Monday released the final polling percentage of Legislative Council elections held for two graduates constituency seats on Sunday. The Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda seat recorded 76.41 per cent turnout while it was 67.26 per cent in Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar seat. These figures show that the polling percentage has broken all records in graduates polls. Going by the high poll percentage, Chief Electoral Officer Shashank Goel said that the counting of votes and announcement of results might take two days. The EC has made all the arrangements for the counting of votes on Wednesday. If the results are announced based on only the first preference votes, the counting might take 36 hours. If the situation warrants counting of second and third preference votes, it might take up to 48 hours. With a large number of candidates in the fray for both seats, jumbo ballot papers of the size of a newspaper were used for the first time. The ballot boxes were shifted to strong rooms soon after the polling. The counting of votes for Hyderabad constituency will be held at the Saroornagar indoor stadium and for Warangal constituency at the market yard in Nalgonda. Officials said the sorting of ballot papers into piles according to which candidate was chosen by each voter will be time-consuming. Moreover, the ballot papers also need to be sorted based on first, second, third preference votes, which also take time. Clichy, Tuesday 16 March 2021 Annual General Meeting of Tuesday 20 April 2021 2020 Universal Registration Document Terms of availability of information regarding the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday 20 April 2021 and the 2020 Universal Registration Document. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF TUESDAY 20 APRIL 2021 The Annual General Meeting of L'Oreal (hereafter the "Company") will be held on 20 April 2021 at 10 a.m. on a "closed doors" basis (a huis clos), without the physical presence of the shareholders and other persons entitled to attend, at the Company's administrative headquarters located at 41, rue Martre, 92110 Clichy. The notice of meeting was published in the BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires) on Monday 15 March 2021 and includes the agenda, the draft resolutions and the main terms of participation and voting at this Meeting. This notice of meeting together with the Board of Directors' Report on the draft resolutions and legal information are now available on the loreal-finance.com website (under Regulated Information / Annual General Meeting Documents). The other documents and information regarding this meeting will be available to shareholders and also published on the aforementioned website, under legal and regulatory conditions from 30 March 2021. Considering the administrative measures limiting or prohibiting travel or collective gatherings for health reasons, L'Oreal is unable to physically gather its shareholders, particularly in view of the closure of conference and meeting rooms, the obligation to respect physical distance measures and the number of people usually present at previous General Meetings. This meeting will be broadcast live in video format on the loreal-finance.com website, unless technical reasons make this broadcast impossible or seriously disrupt it. The replay of this meeting will be available on the loreal-finance.com website as soon as possible after the meeting and, at the latest, before the end of the fifth business day following the meeting. The Board of Directors has appointed Tethys and Nestle S.A. as scrutineers. In view of the technical difficulties, in particular relating to the authentication of L'Oreal shareholders prior to or during the meeting, voting rights will be exercised before the General Meeting in one of the following ways: - by mail using the voting form; - by Internet on the secure voting platform Votaccess; or - by giving proxy to the Chairman of the General Meeting or to any other natural or legal person. In addition to the legally regulated system of written questions, shareholders have, from Saturday 17 April 2021, the possibility to send their questions by e-mail to the following address : AG-questionslibres@loreal.com , until the day before the meeting, i.e. on 19 April at 3 p.m. These questions will be answered during the General Meeting on the basis of a representative selection of the topics that have attracted the attention of the shareholders. Shareholders will also be able to ask their questions by telephone on 20 April 2021 during the Meeting, via a number to be communicated later. Questions will be answered within the time available. Shareholders are invited to regularly consult the section dedicated to the General Meeting on the loreal-finance.com website, in order to have access to all updated information regarding this General Meeting. 2020 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT The 2020 Universal Registration Document was registered with the French Market Authorities on Tuesday 16 March 2021. It is available to the public under current regulatory conditions and may be consulted on the loreal-finance.com website (under Regulated Information / Universal Registration Document). The Universal Registration Document includes the Annual Financial Report, an Integrated Report, the Reports from the Auditors and their fees, as well as the information required for the share buy-back programme. "This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy L'Oreal shares. If you wish to obtain more comprehensive information about L'Oreal, please refer to the public documents registered in France with the Autorite des Marches Financiers, also available in English on our Internet site loreal-finance.com . This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. Although the Company considers that these statements are based on reasonable hypotheses at the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or projected in these statements." Contacts at L'Oreal (switchboard: +33 1 47 56 70 00) Individual shareholders and market authorities Christian MUNICH Tel: +33 1 47 56 83 02 christian.munich2@loreal.com Financial analysts and institutional investors Francoise LAUVIN Tel: +33 1 47 56 86 82 francoise.lauvin@loreal.com Journalists Domitille FAFIN Tel: +33 1 47 56 76 71 domitille.fafin@loreal.com For more information, please contact your bank, broker or financial institution (I.S.I.N. code: FR0000120321), and consult your usual newspapers, the Internet site for shareholders and investors, www.loreal-finance.com or the L'Oreal Finance app, alternatively, call +33 1 40 14 80 50. Attachment 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. AU Small Finance Bank advanced 3.34% to Rs 1226.85 after the company successfully raised Rs 625.50 crore through qualified institutional placement (QIP) route. The capital raising committee of board of directors of the bank, at their meeting held on Monday (15 March 2021) approved allotment of 50 lakh shares to eligible qualified institutional buyers at the issue price of Rs 1251 per equity share. The QIP issue opened on 9 March 2021 and closed on 15 March 2021. The issue witnessed strong reception from both domestic and international institutional investors and the entire QIP was subscribed by sovereign wealth funds, large foreign portfolio investors, life insurance company and domestic mutual funds. Allottees who were issued more than 5% of the total equity shares offered in the QIP are Small Cap World Fund (39.66%), Government of Singapore (26.69%), HDFC Life Insurnace Company (23.60%) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (5.91%). Pursuant to the allotment of equity shares in the issue, the paid-up equity share capital of the bank stands increased from Rs 307,08,99,980 consisting of 30,70,89,998 equity shares to Rs 312,08,99,980 consisting of 31,20,89,998 equity shares. AU Bank intends to use the net proceeds for supporting the long term growth aligned to Bank's internal risk appetite, for maintaining sufficient headroom over and above the regulatory capital adequacy requirements; and/ or, for general corporate requirements or any other purposes, as may be permissible under the applicable law and approved by the bank's board or its duly constituted committee. Speaking on the fund raise, Sanjay Agarwal, MD & CEO of AU Bank said, "We have successfully closed the first ever QIP of the Bank. The bank has emerged stronger after the pandemic, and our performance gives us greater confidence to continue serving the small businesses and retail borrowers in the underserved and unserved rural and semi-urban regions of the country. We intend to use the net proceeds from this issue, amongst others, to support the long-term growth of the bank." AU Small Finance Bank operates as a commercial bank. The bank offers financial products and services such as savings and current accounts, term deposits, debit cards, insurance, government banking, retail loans, and microfinance lending. The bank's standalone net profit jumped 151.9% to Rs 479.02 crore on 51.2% rise in total income to Rs 1924.53 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.) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. 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 Govt privatising profit & nationalising loss, says Rahul Gandhi; supports bank strike India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Mar 16: Taking a dig at the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that selling public sector banks to "cronies" will compromise the country''s financial security. He also accused the government of "privatising profit" and "nationalising loss". "Government of India (GOI) is privatising profit and nationalising loss. Selling PSBs to Modicronies gravely compromises India''s financial security," Gandhi tweeted. The Congress leader also expressed solidarity with the protesting bank employees, who are on a two-day strike against alleged privatisation of public sector banks. Bank strike Day 2: PSB bank services hit, unions warn may go on like farm stir "I stand in solidarity with the striking bank employees," he said on Twitter. The bank strike, led by nine unions of public sector banks (PSBs) in the country, continued for day-two on Tuesday. Customers will be inconvenienced to get services such as cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearances, remittance services. Government transactions related to treasury as well as business transactions will also be impacted. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 11:13 [IST] BlueRush (CVE: BTV) CEO Steve Taylor joined Steve Darling from Proactive with news the personalized video Software company has, through their Chilean partner Percus, signed up a major pension fund in Latin America. This deal will have BlueRushs platform being used to support ongoing communications for pension fund customers so they can help them easily understand their savings, projections and goals. Taylor telling Proactive this deal adds to others they have signed including insurance companies and banks. A well-established pin oak tree is causing confusion at a carpark in Te Puna. The tree is blocking the entry sign to Farmlands Te Puna, and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Farmlands cant agree on what should be done. As a result of the blockage, people are entering the store carpark via its exit, which then leads to the carpark being clogged up as drivers attempt to turnaround. Farmlands employee Gabriel Fisher says they get a lot of people coming through the exit. Were getting quite annoyed with it. We tell them off if we notice it I had a customer the other day that didnt know where to come in. Its annoying because it clogs up the carpark. They have to do a weird manoeuvre and end up taking up two parks. He says the problem happens at least three times a day. But customers say they do it because they dont know where the entry is. Farmlands Northern General Manager Waynne Dodunski says they will investigate whether there is a way to make the sign more visible. While the No Entry signs have been a good deterrent to stop people arriving at Farmlands through this access point, we want anyone staff, shareholders and customers alike to be safe when they visit us." He says they had previously identified the benefits of removing the tree when they made changes to the site a few years ago and while they were able to lift the crown of the tree, they were unable to come to an agreement with council on its removal. Farmlands does not own the land the tree and sign in question are located on. The size of the sign was as large as was permitted given it is not located on our property. Western Bay of Plenty District Councils Roading Engineer (West), Ashley Hall, says its not councils policy to cut a road side tree down, to accommodate commercial roadside signage. Council appreciates roadside signage installed within the roading corridor maximises exposure, however, it is Farmlands responsibility to relocate the sign to a more appropriate location. Hall says the tree is well-established and was planted prior to Farmlands entrance and sign being installed. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia With variants of concern on the rise, its a critical time to keep close contacts to a minimum. Advertisement Advertise With Us With variants of concern on the rise, its a "critical" time to keep close contacts to a minimum. That was chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin message at Mondays COVID-19 update, where 18 cases of the new B.1.1.7 variant were announced. Of these new cases, 17 were found in the Winnipeg health region and one in Interlake-Eastern. No cases of this variant have been reported in Prairie Mountain Health to date. Of the 41 variants of concern found in Manitoba, eight are linked to travel, nine have no known link and the rest are close contacts. "Its certainly of concern," said Roussin, again reminding people to follow the fundamentals, such as hand-washing, wearing a mask and limiting close contacts. With both spring break and Easter holidays on the horizon, Roussin urged Manitobans to avoid the urge to travel. "Just because things are allowed to operate within the public health restrictions doesnt mean theres zero risk to go there." Assiniboine Community College has already cancelled its Easter egg hunt for the second year in a row. More than 100,000 vaccines have been administered, and Roussin said the Vaccine Task Force should announce future plans for Westman vaccine sites later this week. A total of 50 new cases of COVID-19 were announced in Manitoba on Monday, including 31 in the Winnipeg health region, 16 in Northern and three in Southern Health-Sante Sud. There werent any new cases in Interlake-Eastern or Prairie Mountain Health, and no new deaths were announced. Despite this, the province announced an outbreak at Valleyview Care Centre Long Term Care Home in Brandon. The provinces active case count is 908, of which 20 are in Prairie Mountain Health. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Indices extended their decline into the third day on Tuesday as investors fretted over rising cases of Covid-19 cases in the country and amid new localised restrictions. Bulls put brakes on their march after Gujarat decided to impose night curfew in Surat, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, and Vadodara for the next fortnight owing to rising cases of Covid-19. On Monday, Maharashtra too announced that hotels, restaurants, cinemas, and multiplexes shall be permitted to operate at only 50 per cent capacity, shopping malls will implement stringent Covid protocols, and all social, religious, political and cultural gatherings have been banned to stem the spread of infection. Given this, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex tumbled nearly 500 points from day's high and ended 31 points, or 0.06 per cent, lower at 50,364 levels. On the NSE, the Nifty50 closed at 14,910 levels, down 19 points or 0.13 per cent. The number of gainers and losers on both Sensex and Nifty were nearly equal with 14 of the 30 constituents on the Sensex and 20 of the 50 on the Nifty ending the day in the green. Asian Paints, Dr Reddy's Labs, HUL, HCL Tech, ITC, Bharti Airtel, and UltraTech Cement were the top index gainers today while Cipla, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, SBI, BPCL, Shreeram Cement, Axis and Divis Labs ended the day in the red. Broader markets, meanwhile, remained better placed. The S&P BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices each ended around 0.4 per cent higher. MphasiS, Hindustan Aeronautics, Adani Power, Shriram Transport Finance, and AU Small Finance Bank from the midcap index, and Intellect Design Arena, Ashiana Housing, Astron Paper Board Mills, and Zensar Technologies from the smallcap index ended as the top performing stocks. Individually, shares of Intellect Design Arena hit a new high of Rs 626, surging 20 per cent on the BSE, in the intra-day trade on Tuesday after the trading volumes jumped nearly nine-fold. The shares ended 17 per cent higher at Rs 610 on the BSE. That apart, shares of Adani Green Energy hit a new high of Rs 1,245, up 4 per cent on the BSE, in the intra-day trade today and surpassed its previous high of Rs 1,220, touched on November 24, 2020. With todays gain, the stock has zoomed 1,004 per cent from its 52-week low level of Rs 112.70, hit on March 17, 2020. Furthermore, Gland Pharma zoomed 9.5 per cent in the intra-day trade today and hit a high of Rs 2,784 per share after the firm entered into an agreement to supply up to 252 million doses of Sputnik V, Russia's Covid-19 vaccine. On the downside, shares of Tata Communications, earlier state-owned VSNL, declined 7 per cent to Rs 1,202 on the BSE in the intra-day trade on Tuesday as offer for sale (OFS) to divest the government holding in the company opened today for institutional investors. The government will sell its 10 per cent stake, with an option to sell an additional 6.12 per cent stake in Tata Communications. The stock ended 6.5 per cent lower at Rs 1,213. Among key sectoral indices, the Nifty Bank, Private Bank, PSU Bank, and Metal indices skid up to 1.3 per cent on the NSE. On the upside, the Nifty IT and FMCG indices closed 1 per cent higher each. In the IT pack, Infosys, Mindtree, L&T Technology Services, Sonata Software, Coforge and Intellect Design Arena hit their respective record highs in the intra-day trade on expectation of strong earnings. The S&P BSE IT index hit an intra-day high of 26,784 points, and is 1 per cent away from its record high of Rs 27,074 on January 14, 2021. Thus far in the month of March, the BSE IT index has rallied 10 per cent, against 3 per cent gain in the Sensex. Primary market Update In the primary market, Anupam Rasayan's Rs 760-crore IPO has been oversubscribed by 31 times till 4:40 pm on the last day of the issue. On their second day, the IPOs of Laxmi Organics and Craftsman Automation have been oversubscribed by 6 times and 1.2 times so far. Lastly, Kalyan Jewellers' IPO, which opened today, has been subscribed 58 per cent till 4:40 PM. Global markets Asia-Pacific share excluding Japan strengthened 0.69%, led by a 1.2% jump in Australias benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index while Japans Nikkei 225 gained 0.5%. Chinas blue chip CSI 300 index climbed 0.55%, and Hong Kongs Hang Seng gained 0.46%. In Europe, the pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.5%, inching closer to a record peak set last year. And before we close, here are the other top developments of the day: >> The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill to set up a Development Finance Institution (DFI) to generate funds for investment in the infrastructure sector. The proposed legislation will give effect to the Budget announcement made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. The government has proposed Rs 20,000 crore to capitalise the institution. >> Sweden on Tuesday became the latest European country to pause use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine amid reports of dangerous blood clots in some recipients. Germany, France, Italy and Spain were among countries that suspended use of the vaccine on Monday. >> Unions in the public sector general insurance companies and Life Insurance Corporation of India will go on strike on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively to protesting against the government's decision to privatise one of the general insurance companies, increasing foreign direct investment limit to 74 per cent and divest stakes in LIC by an initial public offer (IPO). 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. Murray Man Jailed on Marijuana, Gun Charges By West Kentucky Star Staff MURRAY - A Murray man was arrested over the weekend on drug and gun charges.The Murray Police Department said officers went to a home on Stadium View Drive on Friday to serve an arrest warrant on 21-year-old Avion Cavitt of Murray.Officers also obtained a search warrant for the home, and allegedly found over one pound of marijuana, a firearm and other illegal substances.Cavitt was arrested and lodged in the Calloway County Jail. He's charged with trafficking in marijuana over 8 ounces firearm enhanced and possession of drug paraphernalia.Cavitt was also charged with contempt of court due to his arrest warrant. EDMONTON - A friend of a 17-year-old student who died after being attacked at her school says the girl had a heart of gold and is dearly missed by her friends. People leave Christ the King School in Leduc, Alta., where a 17-year-old female student was attacked and died on Monday, March 15, 2021. A 19-year-old male student has been charged with first-degree murder. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson EDMONTON - A friend of a 17-year-old student who died after being attacked at her school says the girl had a heart of gold and is dearly missed by her friends. Dylan Thomas Pountney, 19, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jennifer Winkler. Police say the girl was violently assaulted Monday in a classroom at Christ the King School in Leduc, Alta., just south of Edmonton. Leduc Mayor Bob Young said Winkler was stabbed, then airlifted to an Edmonton hospital where she died. Schools in the area were locked down until police arrested Pountney about two hours later. Mounties have said Winkler and Pountney knew each other, but have not commented on a possible motive or on whether the attack was targeted. "She was one of a kind," said 16-year-old Mackenzie, who only wanted to be identified by her first name. Mackenzie went to a different school but said she met Winkler, called Jenny by her pals, through mutual friends. She said Winkler helped her get through a difficult time. "She was definitely somebody that you could trust with anything. Everybody's just overwhelmed with all this. I was sick to my stomach. She is just one of the sweetest girls. She really liked art." Classes at the school were cancelled Tuesday. The Saint Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division said a trauma support team would be there for the rest of the week to help students and staff. Roux Royer, a friend of Pountney, said he went to school Tuesday to speak to a counsellor and to support an art teacher who was struggling with Winkler's death. Royer said he spoke to Pountney just last week. "We hung out every day, but he was one of those friends that we didn't get into life stuff too much, because both of our lives were pretty, pretty hectic at that point." Royer also said Pountney was Winkler's stepbrother. Pountney's father, Nathan Pountney, told Global News that the two knew each other from growing up together and their families had once lived in the same neighbourhood. He said his son had struggled in the past with his mental health but had been doing well. He was upgrading his schooling and had been accepted into the military. This is completely shocking and out of the blue and Im just stunned," he said. "My eyes are dry from crying so much. A GoFundMe page has been set up to cover the costs of Winkler's funeral. "My baby sister Jenny was tragically taken away from us," Tracey Renee wrote on the fundraising page. "She was only 17 and had so much life left." Pountney is to appear in court on Thursday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship A drama series based on the extraordinary true story of Mossad recruit Ben Zygier, also known as Prisoner X, is in development with Fremantle Australia, Fremantle-owned Israeli production company Abot Hameiri and Stephen Corvinis Live Wires Productions. Ben Zygier was an Australian-Israeli citizen who was a veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, imprisoned in Israel and who died in custody in 2010. His story was uncovered by Foreign Correspondent journalist Trevor Bormann, who is part of the development team. The series will follow Bens journey from suburban Melbourne to the Israeli Defence Force, before joining the worlds most feared intelligence agency. The character-driven eight-part spy thriller will traverse Bens career and explore his dreams of heroism dreams which tragically disintegrated when he was imprisoned and stripped of his identity. Screenwriter Giula Sandler (White House Farm, Glitch, Bloom, Nowhere Boys) is attached as lead writer. Stephen Corvini (pictured) whose other credits include Safe Harbour, Hungry Ghosts, and Secret City 2: Under the Eagle is Executive Producer. Prisoner X is a story without peer that Ive been waiting to bring to the world for some time. Now with Fremantle and Abot Hameiri as production partners I know well be able to tell this extraordinary story with the expertise, talent and support it requires, and above all humanity, Corvini said. Chris Oliver-Taylor, Fremantle CEO Asia Pacific, said: We are thrilled to work with our friends Abot Hameiri and Stephen Corvini on this groundbreaking story. Coupled with Giula Sander writing and the man who broke the story in Australia, Trevor Bormann, as part of the development team, Prisoner X is a thrilling and nuanced character drama, and its the perfect project for an Australia-Israel co-production. Guy Hameiri, CEO Abot Hameiri, said: Abot Hameiri is excited to join forces with our friends from Fremantle Australia, and with Stephen Corvini and Giula Sandler. We look forward to working together on bringing this fascinating story to life, as it is an amazing and important story to tell. Chris Oliver-Taylor (Fremantle), Stephen Corvini (Live Wires Productions) and Guy Hameiri (Abot Hameiri) are Executive Producers. Prisoner X will be filmed in Australia and Israel in 2022. Fremantle will be handling global distribution. An Australian broadcaster is yet to be announced. Related Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand is pushing back on criticism of the groups public support of Winnipeg police, arguing painting cops with the same brush is akin to stereotyping Indigenous people. Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand is pushing back on criticism of the groups public support of Winnipeg police, arguing painting cops with the same brush is akin to stereotyping Indigenous people. "If youre from any particular group in society, theres going to be a bad apple in that crowd no matter what," Chartrand said Monday. "Its good to show respect where respect is due." The MMF ran a full-page ad in Saturdays Winnipeg Free Press, hailing Police Chief Danny Smyth "for defending and protecting the integrity and character" of the "noble profession" of protecting the public and breaking down racial barriers. "We cannot let the actions of a few determine our confidence in the many," reads the ad, which faced instant backlash. The Winnipeg Police Service has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years over the shooting deaths of First Nations people, such as teenager Eishia Hudson in April 2020. A month later, demonstrations swept the continent following the May 2020 death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis. National surveys show Winnipeggers are among the least trusting of the police, and growing support for funding to be diverted to social services. Yet, Chartrand said hes alarmed there wasnt a similar outcry when a local WPS constable died by suicide. "These people who come out there shooting, with animosity and disdain because theyre hurting I understand that," Chartrand said. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has called on the Winnipeg police to undertake serious reforms and have more of its budget diverted to social services. The chiefs have hailed some reconciliation projects, but have avoided effusive praise or excessive criticism. Chartrand said the MMF felt the need to speak out clearly, after months of discussion about systemic racism and local first responders. For example, the Free Press has reported on internal probes that found city firefighters had denied care to a bleeding Indigenous woman due to racism. "We cant duck our heads in the sand like an ostrich; weve got to stick out and stand up and figure out how we build a bridge," said Chartrand, who said he was unfazed by the criticism. "Our elders always tell us: try to work together; try to find a solution," he said. "I guarantee the vast majority of my people, without doubt, without hesitation, will support what Im doing." The ad generated a torrent of criticism on social media, arguing it glossed over recent shooting deaths, as well as the role of police officers in disbanding the Red River Colony and persecuting Metis people. Some of the harshest criticism came from prominent Metis artist Christi Belcourt. "The MMF and David Chartrand have no right to speak on behalf of the Metis Nation. They are an embarrassment to our ancestors and the next generations," Belcourt tweeted. Chartrand said his legitimacy comes from Metis people electing him to lead the MMF for two decades, just as Belcourts father, Tony Belcourt, was founding president of the MMFs Ontario equivalent. The MMF has previously riled up Indigenous people over its criticism of some land-rights protesters, and for decrying former federal justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, who is Indigenous. Chartrand argued the Winnipeg police have changed dramatically since the 1988 J.J. Harper shooting, and said both the WPS and RCMP have done a good job liaising with the MMF about safety issues impacting his community. "Were definitely miles ahead of the Americans. When you look at it from our context, society is slowly coming to a better place, its going to take more olive branches, and thats what were trying to provide here," he said. Winnipeg has about 1,400 police officers and about 600 civilian staff, including cadets, and Chartrand said the majority of them are trying their best to protect people. "There are First Nations and Metis officers out there; are we saying theyre bad apples, too?" he said. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (March 16) laid a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that they are conspiring to kill her. Addressing a poll rally at Bankura in West Bengal, Banerjee said that despite farmers protesting at the Delhi borders, all the BJP ministers are here in Bengal. Farmers have been protesting for 6 months now, however, the ministers are not holding talks with them. All the ministers are here, in Bengal, where they have booked hotels & conspiring to kill me, destroy TMC & how to file cases against TMC with the help of EC: WB CM in Bankura pic.twitter.com/bIvWtm9LHV ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2021 Farmers have been protesting for six months now, however, the ministers are not holding talks with them. All the ministers are here, in Bengal, where they have booked hotels and are conspiring to kill me, destroy TMC and how to file cases against TMC with the help of EC, ANI quoted her as saying. Banerjee also accused Union Home Minister and BJP senior leader Amit Shah of hatching a conspiracy to harass Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. She further claimed that he is getting "frustrated" by "poor turnout" at his rallies. Amit Shah is getting frustrated as there is a poor turnout at his rallies. Instead of running the country, he is sitting in Kolkata and hatching a conspiracy to harass TMC leaders. What do they want? Do they want to kill me? Do they think that they will win this election by killing me? They are wrong, she said at her campaign rally. The TMC supremo asked whether Shah is running the Election Commission (EC) and giving instructions to them. Referring to the alleged attack on her in Purba Medinipur's Nandigram, she said that BJP is plotting conspiracies to kill her as her security director Vivek Sahay was removed by the EC after she sustained injuries during her rally there. "Is Amit Shah running the EC? He is giving instructions to the EC. What happened to their independence? My director, security (Vivek Sahay) was removed (by EC) as per his instructions," she was quoted as saying by PTI. Meanwhile, BJP delegation visited the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata on March 15 and demanded the cancellation of Banerjee's nomination from Nandigram. Nandigram is a key battle ground in the upcoming West Bengal polls and will witness a tough fight between Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. West Bengal will go to polls in eight phases commencing from March 27. The counting of votes will be done on May 2. (With inputs from agencies) Live TV RTHK: Martial law in Yangon as troops 'kill 20' Myanmar security forces shot dead at least 20 pro-democracy protesters on Monday, an activist group said, and the military junta imposed martial law in parts of the main city Yangon, giving commanders wide powers to stamp out dissent. Supporters of detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi took to the streets again despite the killing of dozens of protesters on Sunday in the bloodiest day since a military coup on February 1 ignited mass demonstrations nationwide. Marches took place on Monday in the second city Mandalay and in the central towns of Myingyan and Aunglan, where police opened fire, witnesses and media reported. "One girl got shot in the head and a boy got shot in the face," an 18-year-old protester in Myingyan said by telephone. "I'm now hiding." The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said at least 20 people had been killed on Monday in shootings by security forces. The Myanmar Now media outlet reported protests across the country, including in the Yangon district of Hlaingthaya, the scene of unrest and arson attacks the previous day. A journalist in Mandalay said one person was shot dead there after a big protest had passed off peacefully. A junta spokesman did not answer calls requesting comment and Reuters could not independently confirm all the casualties. The AAPP said 74 people died on Sunday, many of them in demonstrations in Hlaingthaya, a factory area. In total, 183 people have been killed by security forces in the weeks of protests against the coup and the casualties were drastically increasing, the group said. In Washington, the US State Department said the military's violence against protesters was "immoral and indefensible". United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the Myanmar military to allow a visit by his special envoy to help calm the situation and set the stage for dialogue and a return to democracy. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-03-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Sorry! This content is not available in your region PARADISE, Calif. - A report was released by a local non-profit about the economy and demographics of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama counties after the Camp Fire. The community manager tells Action News Now the report was started in January 2020, but was just recently finished. The 261-page report was done by the non-profit 3core. Regional Community Manager Chelsea Irvine said one of the most notable findings they had was that about 95% of the businesses in Paradise were specifically for local serving. "So what that means was they were meant just to serve the population up there, so now that there is quite a dip in population we really have to be strategic about our economic development planning to try and make up for that," said Irvine. Irvine said another finding is that Paradise has lost a chunk of middle-income workers. "Either left temporarily and then decided to stay gone or maybe could not find another job," said Irvine. Homeowner Victoria Sinclaire who was the first person to move into her new home on the Ridge after the Camp Fire said she notices a difference in the people who are living up there. "We really expected it to kind of revert back to what Paradise was pre-Camp Fire. You know there would be more families, the typical school-age kids, the middle-class families. Like us. There is a bigger gap now of who lives up here," said Sinclaire. Sinclaire said she thinks it's because there's not affordable housing for middle-class families. "It is making a big change to what Paradise was when we moved back and what we thought we were moving back to, so it is a big change," said Sinclaire. Sinclaire said she is happy and thankful to be able to afford to be back on the Ridge. However, she is hoping more families are able and wanting to return. Irvine said Glenn and Tehama were included because people moved there after the fire, so they had impacts as well. Irvine also says they could not have done the report without all their stakeholders, so they are thankful. To see the whole report click here. Guwahati, March 16 : As the hectic campaigning for the three-phase assembly elections in Assam gains momentum, the All Assam Students Union (AASU), an influential student body, has asked the political parties to clear their stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The AASU would organise bike rallies on March 20 across Assam to press for its demand to repeal the CAA and create awareness among the people against the forces that support the contentious law. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address an election rally in Chabua in Dibrugarh district on March 20. It will be the first campaign rally of the Prime Minister in Assam after the declaration of Assembly elections in five states/UT on February 26. AASU President Dipanka Kumar Nath said: "Disregarding the Assam Accord, the ruling BJP has prepared a plan to destroy Assam by dumping the illegal immigrants in the state." He said the AASU, along with the indigenous people of Assam, would oppose the "harmful blueprint" of the Bharatiya Janata Party at any cost. "Five people had lost their lives while agitating against CAA in 2019 and last year, but the people are determined to continue their protests to repeal the act," Nath said. The AASU leader said that CAA is a threat to the identity and culture of Assam. The main opposition Congress is the only political party in Assam to have made the anti-CAA campaign one of its main election issues. Last month, the Congress had announced that the party leaders and workers would visit every house in the state and collect 50 lakh 'gamochas' with anti-CAA messages to intensify its campaign against the CAA. The traditional 'gamocha' is a white piece of cloth with a red border having a customary pattern, which is almost synonymous to Assamese identity and culture. The Congress also promised "five guarantees" if it is voted to power in Assam, which include enactment of a law to nullify the CAA, five lakh government jobs, raising of tea workers' daily wages to Rs 365 from the existing Rs 167, free electricity of up to 200 units per household and Rs 2,000 monthly income support to all the housewives. The CAA, which seeks to protect the non-Muslim immigrants who entered India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, is in disagreement with the Assam Accord, which was signed in 1985 by the government led by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with the Assam parties. According to the accord, the immigrants, irrespective of faith, who entered Assam after March 24 (midnight), 1971 are to be detected and deported. The National Register of Citizens of 1951 is being updated in Assam based on this cut-off date. All the eight northeastern states and neighbouring West Bengal witnessed violent protests for many weeks in 2019 and in early 2020 against the CAA. Five people had died in police firing while more than 200 persons were arrested in Assam following the violent protests in which a huge number of government and non-government assets were damaged. Notified on January 10, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, after facing religion-based persecution. On March 11, the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The decision was another major step taken by the country to improve the HKSAR's legal and political systems since the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR was adopted in June 2020, and is a milestone in the implementation of the "one country, two systems principle. Photo shows the beautiful scenery of the Wan Chai section of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. (Peoples Daily Online/Duan Changzheng) The decision makes it clear that improving HKSAR's electoral system must fully and faithfully implement the policy of "one country, two systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy, uphold the constitutional order in the HKSAR as established by the Constitution and the Basic Law, ensure the administration of Hong Kong by Hong Kong people with patriots as the main body, effectively improve the governance efficacy of the HKSAR, and safeguard the right to vote and the right to stand for election of permanent residents of the HKSAR. The decision stipulates that the HKSAR will establish an Election Committee that is broadly representative, suited to the HKSAR's realities, and representative of the overall interests of its society, and that the Election Committee be composed of 1,500 members from five sectors. Meanwhile, the HKSAR will establish a candidate qualification review committee responsible for reviewing and confirming the qualifications of candidates for the Election Committee, the Chief Executive, and the LegCo, according to the decision. The new arrangement will help break the limitations of vested interests in the current legislature and supplement the inadequacies of the body's current election mode based on functional constituencies and geographical constituencies. These will enable the legislature to better represent the overall interests of Hong Kong society. The Election Committee's participation in both chief executive and legislative elections will also offer a similar voting base for the Chief Executive and legislators. This is conducive for smooth communication between the HKSAR's executive and legislative bodies and will consolidate the executive-led administration stipulated under the Basic Law. The adoption of the decision is a necessary move to fix the HKSAR's legal loopholes and shortcomings, a permanent solution to safeguard the political stability and political security of the HKSAR, and an appropriate choice based on the actual situation in Hong Kong. It is not only the inevitable way to improve the governance efficiency of the HKSAR government, but also an institutional guarantee for the implementation of the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong." It is known that the basic components of the HKSAR's current methods for the selection of the Chief Executive and the formation of the LegCo were established more than 30 years ago when the HKSAR Basic Law was drawn up. Due to historical reasons, there are some obvious shortcomings. For example, the threshold for entry is too low, as candidates only need to obtain the signatures of 100 registered voters in the constituency and pay a deposit of HK$50,000 to participate in the direct election. Furthermore, there is a lack of a complete candidate qualification review mechanism, which was easily exploited by "Hong Kong independence" activists. Some "anti-China" forces with ulterior motives inside and outside Hong Kong have taken advantage of the loopholes and shortcomings of these systems in an attempt to "paralyze the HKSAR government" and "seize the power of governance." This shows that the HKSARs electoral system has to be reformed. The current problem in Hong Kong is a political issue, a struggle between seizing power and counter-seizure of power, between subversion and anti-subversion, and between infiltration and anti-infiltration. There is no room for China to concede. The HKSAR will take drastic measures to improve its electoral system, make use of the decision-making power of the central government over its political system in light of the Constitution and the Basic Law, block access to "anti-China" forces from seizing power within its political system, and provide a legal and institutional guarantee for the full implementation of "patriots governing Hong Kong". At present, Hong Kong is still plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic. While waiting for full vaccination, the Hong Kong community is also looking forward to the restoration of order. Some Hong Kong people have likened the decision to an effective vaccine against "anti-China" forces, saying that it builds an immune barrier for Hong Kong society. At a press conference held on March 12, Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, described the improvement of Hong Kong's electoral system as a "minimally invasive surgery". It is believed that the "surgery" will help restore Hong Kong's democratic system to good health, fully unleash the vitality of Hong Kong society, and allow Hong Kong residents to live and work in contentment. This will help the "Hong Kong ship" of "one country, two systems" continue its voyage, while ensuring that power and jurisdiction over the HKSAR stay firmly in the hands of patriots. A Florida woman and her 17-year-old daughter have been charged with rigging a homecoming queen election by illegally accessing confidential student records. Laura Rose Carroll, 50, and her daughter, were arrested and charged Monday, according to The Washington Post. The daughter in October was named homecoming queen at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla. According to witnesses in the case, the daughter had bragged about abusing the access her mother had to student records as an assistant principal in the same school system, witnesses later told investigators, the Post wrote. The pair allegedly used the access to cast hundreds of ballots in her own election. Carroll was an assistant principal at Bellview Elementary School, according to the newspaper. The Post reported, The approximately 2,000 students at Tate High School had almost two days, starting on Oct. 28, to vote for the 2020 homecoming court. To cast their votes on Election Runner, a program the school often uses for activities that involved voting, students would need to provide their school identification numbers and birth dates. Election Runner later contacted the school to alert them to the fact that more than 100 votes all originated from the same Internet Protocol address. Carrolls access to the student information system gave her student grades, medical history, test scores, birth dates and more. Carrolls daughter was expelled from school and taken to a juvenile detention center. Carroll was suspended from her job and released from jail after posting bond, according to the Post. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Carroll and her daughter submitted 246 fraudulent votes. The Sentinel reported that a Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokesman said, The mother and daughter face one charge each of unlawful use of a two-way communications device, criminal use of personally identifiable information, conspiracy to commit these offenses and offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks and electronic devices. The Anne Beffort European School in Mersch will welcome its first students in September. In a first phase, the school wants to focus on teaching students at secondary school level. But in the future, both primary and secondary school students will be able to attend the school located in the centre of Mersch. So far, a total of 2,450 students are enrolled in European schools in Luxembourg. There are four in total, located in Differdange/Esch-sur-Alzette, Mondorf, Junglinster, and Clervaux respectively. In order to meet the ever-increasing demand, the state council decided to open a fifth school in central Luxembourg. Students will graduate with a European Baccalaureate (EB). In 2022, the Mersch institution is to become a boarding school, offering students the option to stay there during the week. From this point onwards, the school will be able to welcome a total of 1,200 new students. (CNN) Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader, warned the Biden administration against "causing a stink at its first step" on Monday, hours after the White House said it had not received a response to its outreach to Pyongyang. "We take this opportunity to warn the new US administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land," she said in a statement, according to the country's state news agency. "If it wants to sleep in peace for (the) coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step," she said. The warning comes as the US and South Korea conduct scaled-down, simulated military exercises and US Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have touched down in the region for meetings with their Japanese and South Korean counterparts. Earlier Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the administration had reached out to North Korea, noting they have "a number of channels, as we always have had, that we can reach out through." "Diplomacy is always our goal. Our goal is to reduce the risk of escalation. But, to date, we have not received any response," Psaki said, noting that the outreach "follows over a year without active dialogue with North Korea, despite multiple attempts by the US to engage." However, experts told CNN prior to Kim Yo Jong's message that Pyongyang was likely to rebuff diplomatic efforts for the time-being for a number of reasons including the coronavirus pandemic, the Biden team's ongoing North Korea policy review, the meetings in the region and the administration's rhetoric. The Biden administration is still conducting a review of the Trump administration's North Korea policy, which could be announced "in the coming weeks," according to a senior State Department official. While President Joe Biden isn't likely to write "love letters" to Kim Jong Un like his predecessor did, Biden's administration has yet to offer a clear break from the prior administration in its stated goals for its approach to the Hermit Kingdom. On multiple occasions, in testimony, statements or briefings, US officials have said they their goal is "the complete denuclearization of North Korea." "That's just a non-starter for the North Koreans," said Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. 'Denuclearization is a non-starter' "Denuclearization is a non-starter," said Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who added that "every time we use that phrase it's a five-yard penalty, because the North Koreans never agreed to it." North Koreans see several reasons why they should not denuclearize based on recent history, including situations in Iraq, Libya and more recently Iran. Leaders in Iraq and Libya were toppled after relinquishing their nuclear programs under US pressure, while Iran entered a deal with the US only to have the Trump administration withdraw, impose crippling economic sanctions and then assassinate the country's leading general and nuclear scientist. Frank Aum, the senior expert on North Korea at the US Institute of Peace, noted that "it's fine to hold to the long term goal of denuclearization, complete denuclearization for North Korea, but I think the way you message that is going to be very important." "It has to be nuanced because you can't just say, you know, we want to have talks, and the talks are going to be about North Korea's complete denuclearization, because that sounds very one sided," he told CNN. "It would have to be long term and not the Libya model of complete denuclearization upfront before we give them anything they want." In 2018, following a summit in Singapore between then-President Donald Trump and Kim, North Korea and the US agreed to work toward the "complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" a phrase that the North Koreans have long interpreted to mean the US also has an obligation to remove any nuclear capable weaponry it has on Korean soil. But after the summit, Trump administration officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said the agreement pledged North Korea to the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear program, despite the fact that it said nothing of the sort. North Korea would go on to describe Pompeo as a "diehard toxin" whose "unilateral and robber-like denuclearization demands" contravened the spirit and letter of the Trump-Kim summit. An unnamed North Korean official told the state Korean Central News Agency in March 2020 that "listening to Pompeo's ludicrous language made us give up on any hopes for dialogue." Narang said that the Biden officials' insistence on adopting the same emphasis on North Korean denuclearization "likely isn't helping, when you insist on something they've rejected flat out of hand." Former officials and experts also noted that Biden administration officials' commitments not to lift tariffs on North Korea during confirmation hearings did not go unnoticed, which could be one factor driving Pyongyang's decision not to engage directly with the US. North Korea following meetings closely Kim will also be keeping a close eye on meetings in Seoul and Tokyo between Blinken and Austin and their Japanese and South Korean counterparts this week and an Alaska meeting between Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and their Chinese counterparts. North Korea is expected to factor into those conversations, particularly with the South Koreans. "What if the US and China come out of their meetings this week and make it clear that they are headed for escalating US-China tensions? If you are Kim Jong Un you would read that as meaning that it is less likely that China will put the squeeze on North Korea," said Anthony Ruggiero, a former National Security Council official. "If that happens, maybe Kim now knows he can go to China to buy more pieces for its nuclear programs, or to go to China and sell more coal. That would be a bad sign for the future of any US-North Korea diplomacy." Aum also posited that the North Koreans may also be signaling "that they want to engage with the US at a higher level, because there's been the precedent that was set with the leader-level summits between Trump and Kim." Efforts at working level talks between North Korean and Trump administration officials were largely rebuffed by Pyongyang, and the few meetings that did occur yielded no tangible results. Despite Kim Yo Jong's warning to the new administration, North Korea did not greet the arrival of the new US president with a test of their missiles or other weaponry, as is often the case. Aum said that he doesn't think they'd "want to do anything to provoke the US prior to some greater signal that the US is going to take a very hostile approach." However, in recent days there has been activity at North Korea's nuclear facility, Yongbyon, according to analysis of new satellite images published by 38 North, a prominent North Korea monitoring group. And the official travels in the region, the military exercises and Biden's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in April could still push Pyongyang toward some sort of provocation. This story was first published on CNN.com "North Korea breaks silence to warn US against 'causing a stink'" A sub-cell of one of the most dangerous organised crime gangs operating in the midlands were the target of the latest raids by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). During the course of the search operation in Co Longford, eight dogs which gardai believe were stolen were taken into care by the local dog warden. This has not been fully determined yet but eight dogs were not microchipped there were 10 dogs there and the two that were chipped were not taken, a senior source said. What is not in doubt is that since the health pandemic began, the theft of dogs has become big business so it would be no surprise at all if that was the case with the animals that were seized here but this will be investigated. We are not talking about pedigree breeds or anything like that, the source added. The CAB, with the assistance of the Garda Emergency Response Unit and the Revenue Customs Dog Unit, were involved in six early morning searches in total - five residential and one professional premises. Gardai said they seized a 201 VW Passat, financial documents and electronic media and documentation in relation to the ownership of assets. Financial accounts with monies in excess of 37,000 were restrained by way of Orders under Section 17 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, a garda spokesman said. This is a crew that can be best described as a sub-cell of a wider criminal organisation and the CAB raids happened as part of a detailed profiling operation which was diligently carried out by local gardai, a senior source said. It is linked to the seizure of around 40,000 in cash from the sub-cell by Longford gardai late last year who then carried out the profile which was given to CAB. This is a crew that have only come to prominence in the last year or so, the source added. Gardai said the raids were linked to a massive search operation against the wider gang which occurred last July. CAB led a massive search operation against one of the gangs driving the dangerous Longford feud on July 6 last. The first Criminal Assets Bureau operation against the gang led to led to the seizure of 110,000 and 14,000 sterling in cash, the seizure of 11 vehicles, three caravans and designer watches, handbags and clothing. Specialist armed garda national units backed up local officers as they raided 12 homes, three professional premises and a solicitors office. Last year, three members of the gang walked free from court after receiving suspended sentences in relation to a violent fracas that inflamed the midlands feud. There was controversy after the court hearing when it emerged that local Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty wrote a letter on behalf of the accused men to the court which he later explained was not a character reference or a plea for clemency. Senior sources said a number of other garda operations are planned against the mob in the coming months. Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - March 16, 2021) - Manganese X Energy Corp. (TSXV: MN) (FSE: 9SC2) (OTC Pink: MNXXF) ("Manganese X" , "MN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Disruptive Battery Corp. (DBC) in conjunction with its US JV Partner, PureBiotic Air Inc.(PureBiotic), has received positive preliminary results from its ongoing research study with Virginia State University (VSU). The results include the successful production of the biofilm required to advance its research and testing of the PureBiotic HVAC Delivery System for the mitigation of COVID-19 and other contaminants. CEO Martin Kepman stated, "The Team is pleased with the progress of the production of biofilm on various type surfaces that are found in all types of facilities and homes. This initial step should accelerate the required research and testing to document the ability of specific PureBiotics AIR Mist Solutions to deconstruct and remove these biofilm structures. It will create hostile environments that will reduce the risk of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, including the current pathogen of concern around the world, SARS-CoV-2 virus that is causing the COVID-19 pandemic. It should also be noted that biofilm is calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be responsible for some 80% of all infections and it is found on almost all surfaces, including your skin. The company's ultimate goal is to create a product for FDA certification." STUDY SUMMARY: This initial portion of the study covers the formation of biofilms on different surface materials, specifically by pathogenic bacteria, as per the protocols formulated by the VSU Research Team in conjunction with JV Partner and head of R&D at PureBiotic, Lino G. Morris. This will meet the specifications required to document the ability to grow the mandatory required biofilm needed on a wide variety of test surfaces. The study will then further document the ability of specific PureBiotics AIR Mist Solutions to deconstruct and remove these biofilm structures down to the bare microscopic level. This means the removal of any protective cover creating hostile environments in order to reduce the risk of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, including the COVID-19 pathogen. Testing data on these formulations for a wide range of Hospital Acquired Infections (as well as in a wide variety of both food production and food processing facilities) has shown a major reduction in overall infections when compared with standard hospital disinfectants. There has also been an additional benefit in the reduction of odours in all of the facilities tested. Various HVAC systems will also be tested, as the final goal of these studies, to determine whether all biofilm growth can be removed. In addition to the COVID-19 pathogens, there is a large range of bacterial, viral, mold and mildew growths and the significant concern of allergens, all contained inside HVAC systems. It should be noted that bacteria and viruses are commonly collected and especially found growing in the cooling towers of buildings, and also contaminating all of the various transportation sections/units of HVAC systems (such as all the various ducts works and air vents). There are additional special problems in the cooling towers because of the affinity of biofilm for binding of the minerals in the water used in all of these systems for cooling. Further, eliminating biofilm from the coils of the HVAC and associated systems will provide far healthier environments and large savings in power consumption. PRELIMINARY RESULTS: In previous tests, the results indicated a significant ability of the PureBiotic AIR Solutions to provide probable deconstruction of biofilm. This came from the original indirect testing in which the PureBiotic AIR Solutions were tested on contaminants in locations such a hospital facility where many years of biofilm had built-up on surfaces. When used and observed within a time period of three weeks, there were significant test results in which the levels of pathogens were significantly reduced on the floor and surrounding areas of a hospital facility regardless of soiling, internal spills and "accidents" that occurred. This also included testing with a range of outside visitors walking the areas. The regrowth of pathogens seriously declined and the areas treated were visibly cleaner and grout lines had lightened, and by the end of the third week, the testing for contamination showed dozens of clear plates from all of the areas tested. The initial conclusion, since all testing to date has been positive, is that as the VSU study progresses, it is anticipated that the results should continue to provide additional proof of the benefits of this breakthrough in controlling the microscopic environment. It does so in a safe, easy, and low labor methodology. More detailed results will be provided as they are available. The company is not making any express or implied claim that it has developed a COVID-19 air management solution at this time. About Manganese X Energy Corp. Manganese X's mission is to advance its Battery Hill project into production, with the intent of supplying value-added materials to the lithium-ion battery and other alternative energy industries, The Company is also striving to achieve new carbon-friendly more efficient methodologies, while processing manganese at a lower competitive cost. The company is the only manganese company in North America moving toward commercialization of a manganese deposit. Subsidiary Disruptive Battery Corp.'s mission is to develop an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) air purification delivery system for cleaner and healthier air, aiming to mitigate COVID-19 and other contaminants on surfaces and in the air. For more information visit the website at www.manganesexenergycorp.com On behalf of the Board of Directors of MANGANESE X ENERGY CORP. Martin Kepman CEO and Director Email: martin@kepman.com Tel: 1-514-802-1814 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information" including statements with respect to the future exploration performance of the Company. This forward-looking information involves 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 of the Company, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, as well as others, are disclosed within the Company's filing on SEDAR, which investors are encouraged to review prior to any transaction involving the securities of the Company. Forward-looking information contained herein is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation, other than as required by law, to update any forward-looking information for any reason. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/77360 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. U.S. astronaut Mark Vande Hei may have to extend his stay in space after traveling to the International Space Station (ISS) next month. The NASA astronaut found out last week that his April 9 launch to the ISS will be aboard a Russian rocket, and that he may have to give up his return seat due to a Russian movie deal, according to Marcia Dunn with the Associated Press. A NEW ISS: China and Russia agree to build lunar space station together The U.S. astronaut and reportedly one of his two Russian crewmates aboard the ISS may have to give up their seat to a Russian space tourist planning to film a movie tentatively titled "Vyzov." If Vande Hei is bumped from the return flight he will have to wait until spring of 2022 to catch a ride back home. A former ISS resident, Vande Hei says he knew an extended stay in space could happen, and he has been training for it. Honestly, for me, its just an opportunity for a new life experience, Vande Hei told reporters. Ive never been in space longer than about six months, so if someone tells me Ive got to stay in space for a year, Ill find out what that feels like. Im really enthusiastic about it. The movie that may disrupt Vande Hei's return will allegedly highlight Russia's activities in space and "glorify the cosmonaut profession," according to a news release. Vande Hei's addition to the Soyuz crew keeps a U.S. presence aboard the ISS, Dunn said. "Operations on the U.S. side of the orbiting lab would be hampered if no Americans only Russians were on board," according to Vande Hei. NASA astronaut Scott Kelley holds the U.S. record for completing a 340-day stay at the ISS, Dunn wrote. "Astronaut Christina Koch came close to that a year ago." NASA has already sent Vande Hei's clothes ahead for the potential extended stay, according to Dunn. NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Once again, the French Bulldog took Houston's top spot for a third consecutive year in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in New York, NY, Miami, FL and Chicago, IL. Securing the 2nd spot are Bulldogs, pushing down Labrador Retrievers to 3rd place. Pembroke Welsh Corgis have gradually moved up on the list in previous years, finally breaking into the top ten in 2020 and solidifying their 9th place ranking. With the debut of Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Doberman Pinschers have been kicked out of the top ten! "French Bulldogs continue to captivate the hearts of Houston residents as well as dog lovers nationally," shared AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "Because of their affectionate and playful ways, this breed makes a great companion for individuals as well as families." Houston's top 5 breeds for 2020: French Bulldog Bulldog Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever German Shepherd Dog * Registration data pulled from Houston zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service The AKC also announced its nationwide rankings today at the AKC Museum of the Dog in NYC. The Labrador Retriever celebrates a milestone! The loveable Lab remains the number one most popular breed in the United States for the 30th year. While the Lab holds firmly to the top spot, the French Bulldog has continued to skyrocket in popularity. The Frenchie landed at number two in 2020, knocking the German Shepherd Dog down to third. The German Shepherd Dog had been the second most popular dog breed since 2009. Most Popular Breeds Nationwide 2020 Labrador Retriever French Bulldog German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Bulldog Get social with the AKC! Join us on Facebook and Twitter. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your city can be arranged by contacting Jessica D'Amato at [email protected] or 212-696-8346. Photos are available to members of the media upon request.] ### About the American Kennel Club Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers SOURCE American Kennel Club Related Links http://www.akc.org/ Martin Compston has spoken out about how he gets trolled daily since finding fame on Line Of Duty nine years ago. The actor, who plays DS Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama, said how frustrated he gets when people accuse him of dodging tax and shame him for having a second home in America. In a podcast, Martin, 36, explained how 'every penny I earn is taxed' and the reasons why he has a home in Vegas as well as Greenock, Scotland. Hurtful: Martin Compston has spoken out about how he gets trolled daily since finding fame on Line Of Duty nine years ago (pictured on Lorraine earlier this week) Martin said trolls constantly accuse him of not trying to reduce his HMRC tax bill by spending time in America, where his wife Tianna Chanel Flynn, 33, is from. He said: 'It kinda gets on my f***ing nerves, if I went to St Andrews or Eton and I had a ski chalet in Switzerland or a villa in the South of France, certain people would think you're fit to run the country. 'But I'm from Greenock, I'm working class and I've done well for myself. I get abuse daily on Twitter but you kinda put up with it.' Hitting back: Martin said trolls constantly accuse him of not trying to reduce his HMRC tax bill by spending time in America, where his wife Tianna Chanel Flynn, 33, is from (pictured 2019) Martin said while he has learnt to 'have a thick skin', the trolling can get 'dark' and become hurtful. The actor told the publication that while he has a home in Vegas, he spends the majority of his time at his home in Scotland. On the constant accusations from trolls of dodging tax, Martin replied: 'Every single penny I earn gets taxed in Scotland, and I mean full tax.' The actor said while many in the industry pay themselves through companies, which would reduce tax he 'doesn't believe in it'. Martin said he 'pays top rate tax' and believes whoever earns more, should pay more. Scottish: The actor told the publication that while he has a home in Vegas (pictured), he spends the majority of his time at his home in Scotland The Nest star said in his ideal world he would spend his summers in Greenock and the winter in Vegas. Martin had to spend lockdown in America but said it was amazing to spend a prolonged period of time with his wife and their two-year-old son. Series six of Line Of Duty will return on Sunday and will follow the dynamic AC-12 trio investigating the force's highest profile murder to date. It's back! Series six of Line Of Duty will return on Sunday and will follow the dynamic AC-12 trio investigating the force's highest profile murder to date Corrupt? Guest lead Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) is assigned as the senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case Guest lead Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson (Kelly Macdonald) is assigned as the senior investigating officer on the unsolved murder case, but her suspicious conduct attracts the attention of the anti-corruption team. Shalom Brune-Franklin, 26 who has appeared in BBC's Our Girl alongside Michelle Keegan is the new addition to the AC-12 team as Detective Constable Chloe Bishop. Some viewers branded the finale of the fifth series, which aired in May 2019 and drew more than nine million viewers, as an 'anti-climax', after it was revealed that mysterious criminal mastermind H was in fact code for four people. So fans will be hoping the show finally reveals the fourth person's identity and the teaser suggests it might not be a man they are looking for. This series of the Jed Mercurio drama features seven episodes, the longest to date. Line of Duty will return on Sunday 21 March at 9pm on BBC One. They first sent tongues wagging that they were dating when they were spotted together six weeks ago, with the pair seeming inseparable in recent days. And Alessandra Ambrosio shared a passionate kiss with hunky model Richard Lee as during a dinner date in Brentwood, Los Angeles on Monday. The supermodel, 39, packed on the PDA with Richard as they ate out at Katsuya restaurant. Mwah! Alessandra Ambrosio confirmed her new romance with hunky model Richard Lee as they shared a passionate kiss during a dinner date in Los Angeles on Monday Alessandra looked smitten with the model who leant over to kiss her on the lips and head. The fashionista cut a stylish figure in a lilac sweater and a cream coat which she draped over her shoulders. The lovebirds smiled as they shared the tender moment during their romantic meal. Besotted: The supermodel, 39, packed on the PDA with Richard as they ate out at Katsuya restaurant New romance: Ambrosio and Lee stepped out for the first time publicly during a dinner date at Nobu in late February Honeymoon stage: Richard is represented by well known modelling agency Wilhelmina and LA Models Ambrosio and Lee stepped out for the first time publicly during a dinner date at Nobu in late February. About a week later they headed out to a food shop together and last week were spotted packing on the PDA while at a restaurant. Hunky model Richard is represented by well known modelling agency Wilhelmina and LA Models. Alessandra had previously been in a relationship with Italian fashion designer Nicolo Oddi for just over two years. Ex: Alessandra had previously been in a relationship with Italian fashion designer Nicolo Oddi for just over two years They were last seen together on their trip to Brazil in late 2020 and Alessandra failed to mention Nicolo in her Valentine's Day post last month, suggesting they had split sometime prior. Alessandra began dating Nicolo not long after ending her engagement to Jamie Mazur from whom she split in March 2018 after 10 years together. She shares daughter Anja, 12, and son Noah, eight, with Jamie. [March 16, 2021] IPification Appoints Peter Luk as Chief Information Officer IPification, the next-generation mobile identity solutions provider appoints Peter Luk, a seasoned IT professional with over 25 years of experience as the Chief Information Officer. As the CIO of IPification, Mr. Luk will focus on providing market intelligence to the company, creating business value through technology, working on fundraising and building relationships with potential investors, and guiding the company for a future IPO. Peter obtained a Master of Information Technology from Macquarie University, a Bachelor of Science in Computing Science, and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of London and Cambridge University. In his long career, he has successfully built extensive networks and partnerships with tech giants worldwide including Google, Facebook, Oracle, SAP (News - Alert) , Microsoft, IBM, Huawei, Accenture, and more. Having worked as Chief Security Advisor in the banking, finance, insurance, and vendor sector with a focus on cybersecurity technologies, Peter Luk is the perfect match for IPification. IPification provides passwordless, one-click mobile identity solutions to help increase the security of mobile apps, improve the user experience, and in turn, increase user adoption, reention, and engagement rates. IPification solutions today reach more than 350 million devices in more than 12 markets globally. "With the explosive growth we're experiencing, it is the perfect time to add to the team someone with the skillset and extensive experience that Peter has," said Stefan Kostic, IPification CEO. "I am looking forward to working with Peter closely, he has a lot to bring to the team." "Only through curiosity can we discover opportunities which is why I am excited to be a part of the innovative IPification," added Peter Luk, IPification CIO. "Cybercrime may always try to get ahead of security and protection reactions, but we're right here to develop and countermeasure cybercrime in a more automatic and intelligent manner every day." About IPification IPification is building the backbone for mobile authentication of today and tomorrow. By verifying the device, SIM & phone number via IP address, IPification patented technology is enabling secure, passwordless, zero-tap compatible mobile user authentication, registration, transaction approval and fraud prevention solutions for any mobile application. Readily available across numerous countries and regions, IPification is trusted by some of the leading telco, technology, payment, and OTT companies including Microsoft (News - Alert) , GBG, DataZoo, 3HongKong, Axiata Digital. As part of Benefit Vantage Limited, the leader in Asia for providing security and data backup solutions headquartered in Hong Kong, IPification has offices and representatives operating in the U.S., U.K., Serbia, Russia, Switzerland, Bosnia, Brazil, India, Vietnam and Pakistan. For more information, please visit www.ipification.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210316005548/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] COVID shaming makes the infected vulnerable and deters them from accessing treatment, OHCHR says. A woman receives the AstraZeneca vaccine against the coronavirus at a hospital in Phnom Penh, March 10, 2021. Discrimination against people who have contracted COVID-19 can often prove more dangerous than the disease itself, a United Nations body in Cambodia warned Tuesday, following a rash of hate speech on social media targeting perceived superspreaders amid a coronavirus outbreak in the country. In a post to Facebook, The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner in Cambodia (OHCHR Cambodia) said that hate speech spreads faster than [the coronavirus] and makes those targeted more vulnerable to violence, exclusion, isolation and stigmatization. Such messaging also deters them from accessing medical services, increasing the risks for everyone. Instead, the OHCHR said, the public should condemn COVID-19 related hate speech and discrimination, and instead promote messages of kindness, inclusion and solidarity. The post ends by asking netizens to share their experiences with acts of compassion during the pandemic. The OHCHRs message came after several social media users took to Facebook to attack people, including film stars, for allegedly spreading the coronavirus amid an outbreak that led to Cambodias first COVID-19 death last week, one year to the day after the World Health Organization warned of a pandemic. Cambodia reported a daily record of 105 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the countrys total number of infections to 1,430nearly triple that of a month ago when the latest outbreak was first detected. Am Sam Ath, senior investigator for local rights group Licadho, told RFAs Khmer Service Tuesday that nongovernmental organizations in Cambodia are particularly concerned about the trend of discrimination against COVID-19 patients on social media and elsewhere in society. He warned that such treatment can alienate patients and drive them into depression, making it more difficult for them to get help, and he called for their rights to be upheld. We dont need any form of discrimination, he said. This will prevent them from getting better soon. Running out of beds Authorities have urged people in Cambodia not to travel between regions amid the sharp rise in cases and last week passed a lawpanned by rights groups as overly broad and prone to abusethat punishes people who break self-quarantine with three years in prison and those who leave treatment facilities while infected or intentionally spread the coronavirus with a 10-year jail term. RFA was unable to reach Ministry of Health spokesperson Or Vandin for comment on the status of the outbreak, but she told a press conference on Monday that Cambodia is fast approaching an inability to care for the countrys growing number of patients. At this point, we are seeing a daily increase of COVID-19 cases and soon we wont have enough hospital space for patients if we continue to add 60 to 80 cases a day because people arent implementing safety measures, she said. Cambodia implemented a vaccination program in February and plans to immunize up to two-thirds of the countrys 16 million people by the end of the year. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. 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We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The pandemic has had a huge impact on the economy. Picture: PA Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said supports to the Irish economy would continue into 2022 - but the pandemic unemployment payment would be examined in June. Around 465,000 people unemployed due to the Covid-19 crisis are receiving payments of up to 350 a week, costing nearly 140million a week currently. Minister Donohoe has been chairing the Eurogroup meeting of finance ministers, where it has been agreed a supportive budgetary stance needs to remain in place until next year. Read More Minister Donohoe said there was a journey ahead to help the economy recover and said that 12bn economic supports had been put in place to help society during the pandemic. However, Mr Donohoe told Newstalk he would be providing detail in June when we have to make a decision on pandemic unemployment payments. And he added that taxation was not a matter to consider currently, as the country deals with the health emergency. Although taxation increases are something that would have to be looked at down the line, if the country wanted to grow, he admitted. Higher levels of taxes are an issue for years to come, he said and added it will depend on if we want a bigger state and government than we have at the moment Mr Donohoe said as the economy improves and the health emergency settles, we wont be able to continue with the programme (pandemic supports) which is costing the State billions of euro to sustain. If Ireland was to continue the supports, the Government would have to continue to borrow or force changes in taxes, he added. Further information on the way forward for the Irish State would be forthcoming in the Budget in October, Mr Donohoe stated. By then, it was hoped health circumstances might be clearer when reflecting on the economy. We have put in place 12bn in support to date, he said. We made clear there wont be a cliff edge to that support. Mr Donohoe urged the population to continue with social distancing restrictions over St Patricks Day, as more of our children go back to primary schools. He said it would be a pity to mark St Patricks Day by making someone you love sick. The on Tuesday announced names of candidates for 14 seats for the April 6 Puducherry Assembly elections but the list did not contain the name of party veteran and former chief minister V Narayanasamy. The Congress, which heads the Secular Democratic Alliance in the union territory, was allotted 15 of the 30 Assembly seats while its ally-the DMK- was earmarked 13 constituencies. VCK and CPI, the other constituents of the alliance, have been earmarked one seat each. In a release, the All India Committee (AICC) announced the list of candidates for 14 seats which significantly did not include the name of Narayanasamy, whose government fell last month after it lost the trust vote. While the candidates for 14 constituencies were released, the nominee for Yanam, an enclave of Puducherry in Andhra Pradesh, has not been announced. Former Industries Minister M O H F Shah Jahan has been fielded from Kamaraj Nagar. He had contested the last poll in 2016 poll from Kalapet constituency which has been by and large the traditional seat for the PCC president A V Subramanian is contesting from his hometown of Karaikal (north). Former Ministers M Kandasamy and R Kamalakannan have been fielded again in Embalam (reserved) and Tirunallar in Karaikal respectively. The 14 seats are spread over Puducherry (10), Karaikal (three) and Mahe (one). Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party which has been allocated nine seats as part of the NDA, also released its list of candidates. Former PWD Minister A Namassivayam has been fielded from Mannadipet constituency and the president of the BJP State committee V Saminathan is the nominee for the Lawspet segment. A John Kumar and his son Richards John Kumar have been allotted the Kamaraj Nagar and Nellithope seats respectively. (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. An Iranian cargo vessel suffered minor damage after being hit by a low-scale explosion in the Mediterranean sea. The ship named Shahr-e Kord was on its way to Europe when it hit an unidentified explosive device, which eventually damaged the ships hull and triggered a small fire. The ship last reported its position on March 10 while moving towards the Syrian port of Latakia, as per Refinitiv ship tracking data. Iran alleges terrorist attack Meanwhile, speaking to state-owned media, spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Group (IRISL) Ali Ghiasian threatened legal action against what he termed as an act of terrorism and piracy. Such acts of terrorism and instances of piracy are contrary to international regulations, Ghiasian said adding that legal prosecution of the perpetrators of this terrorist action will be pursued through competent international organizations. As per the state TV report, the explosion did not lead to any fatalities. The incident comes less than two weeks after Israel accused arch-enemy Iran of executing an attack on an Israeli-owned cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, a charge denied by Tehran. Speaking to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that it was indeed an act by Iran, that's clear. Iran is the greatest enemy of Israel, I am determined to halt it. We are hitting it in the entire region, Netanyahu said. In the latest development, Iranian Gen. Esmail Ghaani, chief of the Quds Force, the foreign wing of the Revolutionary Guard has warned that Tehran will destroy the wall, referring to Israels West Bank separation barrier. Both Iran and Israel have been involved in a proxy war for decades- with the issue of Palestine being at the heart of the conflict. Tensions further fuelled last year after, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused Israel of killing Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a top nuclear scientist long suspected by the West of masterminding a secret nuclear bomb program. Calling it a terrorist and desperate act, the Shiite leader asserted that once again, the evil hands of global arrogance have been strained with the blood of the mercenary usurper Zionist regime. Furthermore, he said that Fakhrizadehs martyrdom reminded the depth of enemies' malice and grudge. Representative Image/ Credits: AP Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Health officials from the UN and the European Union are meeting on Tuesday to review the safety of Oxford-AstraZeneca anti-coronavirus vaccine as European countries continue to halt its use following reports of possible side effects. The World Health Organization's Secretary General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that its Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety has been reviewing available data on the vaccine and will meet with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Tuesday. 'This does not necessarily mean these events are linked to vaccination, but it's routine practice to investigate them, and it shows that the surveillance system works and that effective controls are in place', Tedros said at a news conference. Monday, five more European countries - Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - decided to suspend the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of patients developing blood clots after inoculations from two batches produced in Europe. They join Austria, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Ireland, which have either temporarily halted AstraZeneca vaccine inoculations or delayed its roll out as a precaution. These nations took the decision despite advise by the European Medicines Agency that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risks. The European Union's medicines regulator did not recommend suspending its use. EMA said its vaccine safety experts are looking in detail at available data and clinical circumstances surrounding specific cases to determine whether the vaccine might have contributed or if the event is likely to have been due to other causes. EMA's safety committee (PRAC) will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday. The EU medicines regulator has also called an extraordinary meeting on Thursday to declare its decision on the continued use of the COVID-19 vaccine. 'As soon as WHO has gained a full understanding of these events, the findings and any unlikely changes to current recommendations will be immediately communicated to the public,' WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said. WHO Assistant Secretary-General Dr. Mariangela Simao said the agency is working very closely with the EMA and with national regulatory authorities in Europe and other regions to assess the adverse effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine and all other vaccines. WHO has not received reports about 'thrombo-embolic events' in other parts of the world, she added. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX ASTRAZENECA-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes EDMONTON - Albertas energy minister is defending her governments attack on a childrens movie about Bigfoot that she says is "quite offensive" and carries an inaccurate anti-oil message. Minister of Energy Sonya Savage listens while Premier Jason Kenney responds to the media at a press conference in Edmonton on June 18, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken EDMONTON - Albertas energy minister is defending her governments attack on a childrens movie about Bigfoot that she says is "quite offensive" and carries an inaccurate anti-oil message. Sonya Savage also says its critical the government push back constantly against what it sees as false narratives that cast Albertas wellspring industry in a negative light. Not everybody is going to agree with every single tactic of the Canadian Energy Centre. I dont either, Savage told a committee examining the Energy Department's budget on Tuesday. But I did find that the comments that Ive heard in that cartoon were quite offensive. And the comments have to be countered somewhere. And theres no question whatsoever that we have to find a way to counter the kinds of campaigns and the kind of narrative and the significant misinformation that is targeted at our energy sector. Savage was referring to a petition campaign recently launched by the energy centre, informally called the war room, against the animated movie Bigfoot Family," which can be viewed on the streaming giant Netflix. The film features talking animals and a domesticated Bigfoot character battling an oil magnate who is seeking to blow up an Alaskan wildlife preserve to gain easier access to petroleum. The war room is urging followers to send Netflix messages that say the movie is brainwashing our kids with anti-oil and gas propaganda. The Sasquatch debate spilled onto the floor during question period. Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said the United Conservative government is making the province a laughingstock. Premier Jason Kenney accused Notley of supporting those who would deride Albertas big-ticket industry. Which investors in Zurich do you think were swayed by your brave stand against a childs cartoon character? Notley asked Kenney. I know the NDP hates oil and gas. Theyve always despised this provinces largest industry and Im sure theyre cheering on the propaganda in that Netflix story, but were correcting the record as we should, Kenney countered. Notley replied: More people laughing at you is not a win. The fuss over the film has prompted a renewed debate between the UCP and the NDP over the war room's goals and purpose. The centre was started in late 2019 to fulfil a campaign promise by Kenney to challenge what he called misleading and inaccurate statements designed to put the energy sector in a critical light and thereby buttress public support against megaprojects such as pipelines. The war room was given a $30-million annual budget and immediately stumbled into several high-profile gaffes. It was found to be using another companys logo and its staff had referred to themselves as reporters when speaking with sources. It also attacked, and later apologized, for a series of tweets about the New York Times, saying the newspaper had been called out for anti-Semitism countless times and had a very dodgy track record. The war room's budget was cut last year as the COVID-19 pandemic took a wrecking ball to the economy. The centre's budget for the current fiscal year is $10 million and is forecast to be $12 million next year. The NDP has repeatedly criticized the war room as a high-profile embarrassment and a waste of tax dollars. NDP energy critic Kathleen Ganley, noting the popularity of the Bigfoot movie is rising, renewed that argument with Savage before the committee on Tuesday. It was getting very little notice, in fact, until such time as the war room came along and suddenly it shot up to be on the list of Top-10, viewed-in-Canada movies on Netflix, said Ganley. The war room seems to be having what I would argue is the opposite effect of the effect that it is intended to have. UCP member Peter Guthrie, also on the committee, said the Netflix bump could be interpreted as testimony to the reach and effectiveness of the war room. They (opponents) claim that the CEC doesnt work. But next they highlight that the CEC had the ability to take obscure movies created to present misinformation about the energy sector and boost these obscure movies to the top of the charts, said Guthrie. I think thats pretty awesome if they have that kind of ability. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2021. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. CLEVELAND, Ohio A building that was once home to a printing company that produced some of Hollywoods most recognizable movie posters has been designated a historic landmark. Mayor Frank Jackson on Tuesday signed legislation granting landmark status to the Otis Lithograph Building at East 30th Street and Payne Avenue. The legislation, which took effect immediately, was approved Monday by Cleveland City Council. The granting of landmark status would require an owner to respect the historical design of the building. It also could aid in obtaining historic tax credits for redevelopment projects. The building once housed Otis Lithograph, and then Morgan Lithograph after the two companies merged in the late 1920s. They were leading printers of posters for the motion picture industry and for circuses. Among them were Universals Frankenstein and The Mummy, two films from the early 1930s starring Boris Karloff. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson signed legislation Tuesday designating the Otis Lithograph Building on East 30th Street at Payne Avenue as a historic landmark. The building dates from 1911 and was associated with the early 20th century art scene in Cleveland, Alice Sloan of Perspectus Architecture, representing building owner Robert Kanner, recently told a council panel. The main part of the structure consists of 17 bays with a sawtooth roof design and upper windows. Morgan operated on the site for several years. Now operating as Morgan Litho, the company is based nearby on Commerce Avenue. More from Cleveland City Hall Cleveland City Council approves budget for 2021, targets neighborhoods, help for homeowners Cleveland City Council votes to designate March 25 as Michael Stanley Day in the city Wolstein Center mega site to allow Cleveland to target coronavirus vaccine efforts to harder-to-reach residents Chief Justice Maureen OConnor names panel to consider suspending indicted Cleveland Councilman Ken Johnson City Council wants to quiz Clevelands police chief on why officers werent allowed to chase carjackers A year ago, the thrum of tourists and convention-goers in San Antonios downtown went quiet. The River Walk, Market Square and Alamo Plaza emptied out. Restaurants, bars, shops and hotels went dark. Events were scrapped. Workers found out they were losing their jobs, with no idea when the visitors their livelihoods depended on would return. Many temporary closures became permanent. Shops eye-catching window displays were replaced with for lease signs. Conventioneers are the bread and butter for Liz Leatherbury, who operates the Bird and Pear gift store at La Villita. She closed the shop in March, which is usually the busiest month, as the coronavirus pandemic took hold. They were gone, she said of conference-goers. They dried up. Leatherbury started selling masks through Etsy, which boosted sales for several weeks, and the city provided rent abatement for her store. A loan from the Paycheck Protection Program helped a little, though she said the restrictions were onerous since few of her employees were working. We just hunkered down and really pushed our online sales, Leatherbury said. She had a lot of company. Store owners across the city put more of their stock online or switched to making new products. At Divide & Conquer on Broadway, Javier Trevino and his two employees design and sew aprons, guayaberas and leather jackets. During the pandemic he started making masks, which sold out fast. The business has fared well despite COVID-19, he said, but the masks held us over. Spring break last week was a welcome jolt for downtown business owners. Families arrived to dine, shop and ride buses and boats. The Shops at Rivercenter mall buzzed with shoppers chatter and laughter, and lines formed at Market Square for micheladas and mini tacos. Its been like night and day when it comes to this past week, Trevino said. Its been really busy downtown. But weaving through the crowds Saturday was also anxiety-inducing for people still worried about catching COVID-19. Some sightseers wore masks, but many others didnt. Gov. Greg Abbott recently lifted the states mask mandate and business occupancy restrictions, a move that rankled public health experts and local officials due to limited access to COVID-19 vaccines and the fact that the pandemic is still here. Its not the right time yet, Dr. Junda Woo, medical director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, recently told my colleague Laura Garcia. Even though everyone is tired, we cant let up yet. Many businesses are asking patrons to keep their masks on. Customers and employees at Bird and Pear will continue wearing masks until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommends it, Leatherbury said. March 13 was the first day since the pandemic hit that more than 200 visitors came through Bird and Pears door. Thats still a far cry from the foot traffic in years past, but Leatherbury is optimistic, if a little wary. It is beginning to feel alive, she said. I dont know how long its going to last, if its going to be steady or if therell be other bumps. But I would like to think its going to be steady. A year of diminished sales is a deep hole to climb out of. Mike Ghori, who operates El Vaquero on East Houston Street, has watched many of his neighbors in the building close up shop. Business is down over 90 percent, and Ghori said he is months behind on rent. The store, which sells hats and custom-fitted boots, was also ransacked in May. Hours after a peaceful march in memory of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, violence erupted as agitators smashed windows and looted shops on Houston Street. Its unclear when tourists and conventioneers will come back downtown en masse. Ghori is still operating under reduced store hours. The pandemic has been a disaster, but hes sticking it out. Im a survivor, Ghori said. Im just struggling to survive. At the Shops at Rivercenter, families browsed at stores Saturday and children shrieked as they tried indoor bungee jumping. Macys is closing its Rivercenter location, the store peppered with yellow signs. Torsos, arms and other mannequin parts for sale greeted visitors as they entered the picked-over store. Picture frames and chairs were also available, but not much else. Multiple retailers are interested in the space, mall spokesman Chris Santarelli said. Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., which owns the mall, sued 13 tenants over unpaid rent last fall. Santarelli declined to comment on the litigation, but said the firm has been able to work out solutions with the majority of tenants and is still negotiating with the rest. Traffic at the mall is improving, Santarelli said. LandShark Bar and Grill recently opened a restaurant at the mall, and other businesses are also slated to open later this year. The COVID-19 pandemics impact on tourism in San Antonio has certainly reduced the number of out-of-town visitors to the Rivercenter compared to previous years, he said. However, we have seen the property and businesses it supports demonstrate tremendous resiliency and continued importance for the community over the last year. madison.iszler@express-news.net One day after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would lift the statewide mask mandate and allow all businesses to open to 100% capacity, the governor turned his attention to the coronavirus spreading along the Texas-Mexico border. "The Biden Administration is recklessly releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants who have COVID into Texas communities," the governor said in a March 3 tweet. "The Biden Admin. must IMMEDIATELY end this callous act that exposes Texans & Americans to COVID." According to a March 2 NBC News article, 108 asylum seekers in Brownsville had tested positive for COVID-19 by rapid testing while waiting to board busses destined for other U.S. cities. The city of Brownsville conducts these tests on migrants after they are released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As of March 2, the 108 positive cases represented about 6% of all tests the city had been administered since the city began testing on Jan. 25. While the city can refer infected migrants to non-governmental organizations for quarantining, it does not have the authority to stop people from traveling throughout the country. The NBC News article was picked up by Fox News and the New York Post the next day and prompted Abbott's March 3 tweet about COVID-positive migrants endangering Texas communities. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here Abbott continued this line of attack in the subsequent days, first during a TV interview with KPRC-TV in Houston, then in an interview with CNBC, and again in another tweet in which he said the state denied the federal governments request for help in screening, testing and quarantining migrants. "The unconscionable act by the Biden Administration of releasing COVID-positive illegal immigrants in our state puts the lives of Texans and Americans at risk," he tweeted. "Border security is strictly a federal responsibility." In a Tuesday news conference at the border, Abbott urged the Biden administration to increase U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding, which is responsible for testing and detaining anyone crossing the border. A negative coronavirus test is required by the federal government before entry to the U.S. While U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducts screenings, "suspected COVID-19 cases are referred to local health systems for appropriate testing, diagnosis, and treatment," the agency said in a statement. Felipe Romero, a spokesperson for the city of Brownsville, confirmed that the city was rapid testing each person Border Patrol dropped off at the citys bus terminal. The 108 positive cases reported by NBC News on March 2 had climbed to 204 Tuesday, or about 12% of the total number of people tested. Romero said that there are two categories of migrants who are being released to the citys bus terminal: asylum seekers entering after the repeal of the Trump administrations Remain in Mexico policy, and those who have been apprehended at the border and allowed to remain in the country pending immigration court hearings, a policy derogatorily described by critics as "catch and release." Lets look closely at each category to determine the accuracy of Abbotts tweet. Biden policies allowing migrants to remain in the U.S. In February, the Biden administration announced that it was dismantling many of the immigration policies put in place by former President Donald Trump. The first phase of reform began by processing the 25,000 asylum seekers who had been forced to remain in Mexico under Trumps Migrant Protection Protocols. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A city study has revealed that women -- particularly women of color -- are leaving the workforce in record-high numbers due to the lack of flexibility to work remotely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Spearheaded by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and A Better Balance, the Work and Family Survey, launched in October 2020, sought to better understand how New Yorkers have navigated professional and personal responsibilities during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition to women, people of color and low-income workers have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic and face barriers to workplace flexibility, despite a greater need for time off to care for dependents. No one should have to choose between their job and their own health or the health of their loved ones, said Stringer. If we want to tap our citys full economic potential, we must provide protections for New Yorkers who need it the most -- including women, low-income workers, and front-line workers who are facing extraordinary care-giving challenges while trying to make ends meet. We must guarantee support for workers by ensuring that everyone in our city -- regardless of gender, race and ethnicity, income, or disability -- is able to balance protecting their health, caring for their families, and earning a steady income, he added. Stringer and A Better Balance, which is a non-profit advocacy organization, outlined recommendations to improve workplace flexibility for all New Yorkers, including ensuring equitable access to affordable child care, expanding on the citys existing right-to-request law, strengthening enforcement, outreach and education for paid leave benefits, and enacting robust emergency leave rights. PREFERENCE FOR WORKING FROM HOME An overwhelming majority of survey respondents across income levels and industries -- roughly nine in 10 working New Yorkers (92%) -- reported they would prefer to work remotely at least some of the time, if given the option. However, access to flexible work arrangements remains highly unequal, with low-income and part-time workers being far less likely to have access to and likely to experience retaliation for requesting these benefits than higher-income or full-time workers, the survey found. As a result, many workers remain unable to access paid leave -- either because there is no leave available to them, or because they are not aware of or able to exercise their existing rights to paid leave, according to the survey results. SURVEY FINDINGS The survey found that more than half, 52%, of women caring for children cut back on paid working hours during the pandemic, compared to only one in three, 34% of men. Women of color were more likely than white women to have needed to take time off to care for a child, and less likely to have paid leave available to them. Stringer said this is the result of a greater lack of access to safe, affordable child-care options and an urgent need for emergency leave rights. The study also concluded: -- More than three in four, or 78%, New Yorkers experienced a change in their employment, work location, or work hours due to the pandemic, with many higher-income respondents transitioning to remote work, and lower-income respondents reporting higher rates of job loss. -- Lack of quality, affordable child care is putting many New Yorkers, especially women and people of color, in an impossible position. WORKPLACE RECOMMENDATIONS To improve workplace flexibility for all New Yorkers, Stringer and A Better Balance offered the following recommendations: Ensure equitable access to quality, affordable child care. Broaden New York Citys right-to-request fair and flexible work law. Strengthen outreach, education and enforcement of the citys and states human rights laws that support care givers, pregnant workers, and workers with disabilities. Strengthen the city human rights law so that workers who need to provide care for themselves and their loved ones are able to do so and maintain their financial security and are not penalized at work. Strengthen enforcement, outreach and education for existing paid leave laws. Enact robust emergency leave rights in response to the pandemic and expand permanent paid leave rights. Strengthen workforce protections for independent contractors and fight misclassification. Ensure New York City serves as a model employer and supports businesses and workers in this changing landscape. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK*** FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER Police are frantically searching for 37-year-old Mark Lutgenau (pictured) as they investigate an alleged domestic violence incident on the Gold Coast on Monday night. A man being hunted by police over an alleged domestic violence incident at a Gold Coast home that later plunged a school into lockdown has threatened a shootout with cops in a chilling Facebook post. Mark Lutgenau has been on the run for more than 24 hours after fleeing a property at Upper Coomera when police were called on Monday night. There are unconfirmed reports he allegedly threatened to harm his partner. Queensland Police took to Facebook on Tuesday night to alert the public not to approach the 37-year-old but contact triple-zero immediately if they cross his path, fearing he is armed with a gun. Mr Lutgenau himself replied to the post, telling one person who commented: 'This is a stress time for all involved'. He told another person: 'I understand what I have done is unacceptable and I am 100 per cent accountable. I have got nothing left in my life and will be a shootout with police'. His comments come despite Queensland Police publicly pleading with him to 'contact them', with Acting Inspector Kevin Gant declaring 'we want a peaceful resolution for his own personal safety and the safety of the public'. The post prompted Mr Lutgenau's mother Glenys to issue a desperate plea for her son to let her know his current location so she can collect him and end the frantic police hunt. 'Mark, it's mum here. I'm here for you. Tell me where you are. I will pick you up. Love mum xxx,' she replied to the Queensland Police post. Mr Lutgenau commented on Queensland Police Service's alert post about himself, telling one person 'I have got nothing left in my life and will be a shootout with police' Mr Lutgenau also replied to another comment, revealing 'this is a stress time for all involved' Police have moved to allay fears Mr Lutgenau is a danger to residents, issuing a statement that said 'there is no known specific threat against members of the community'. However, police have urged residents and business owners to be vigilant of any suspicious activity or unknown people in the area. Mr Lutgenau is described as Caucasian, about 190cm tall and of a proportionate build, with short brown hair and hazel eyes. An emergency declaration was declared for Ormeau State School and part of the surrounding suburb at 11.50am on Tuesday as part of investigations into Mr Lutgenau's whereabouts but it was lifted by police at 3.50pm after he could not be found. Terrified parents had rushed to collect their children from the school but had to wait a tense four hours between being notified of the lockdown and being allowed into the area. Parents had earlier that morning received a text message that read 'The school is currently in lockdown.' Mr Lutgenau (pictured) has not been seen since fleeing a home at Upper Coomera on Monday night when police were called to an alleged domestic violence incident Mr Lutgenau's mother Glenys replied to a Queensland Police Service post about her son to issue a desperate plea for him to let him know his whereabouts Police are seen stopping cars on Mirambeena Drive at Ormeau on the Gold Coast on Tuesday after a school placed into lockdown 'Children and teachers will continue learning inside classrooms but will not be leaving their rooms. Police have cordoned off the area as a precaution and police will not allow you access to the school.' Following that, at midday, principal Kimberley Button wrote on the school's Facebook page: 'Please be advised children are safe, have had their lunch and are working in their rooms'. 'We are focused on your children's safety. We will keep you updated to the best of our knowledge no updates at this time.' Officers had to escort the children out to waiting relieved parents late on Tuesday afternoon. The emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act was made as police searched bushland around Ormeau and Pimpama. Ormeau State School in Pimpama (pictured) was placed in lockdown and armed police were patrolling the area. The declaration was lifted at 3.50pm allowing parents to collect their children Pictured: Police blocking off Mirambeena Drive at Ormeau on the Gold Coast on Tuesday amid a search for a potentially armed man who remains on the run Pictures from the scene showed multiple police cars and heavily armed officers swarming the area. Specialised groups from the Public Safety Response Team and the Special Emergency Response Team also joined the manhunt along with the dog squad and Polair teams. Helicopter footage showed officers in fatigues gathering at Calgray Realty, on the corner of Mirambeena Drive and Guara Grove in Ormeau. No access to accounts On 10 March, the ACBS Trade system of ACB Securities Company (ACBS) was suddenly paralyzed. Investors could not log into their account with any device, either on phone or computer. Ms. Ha Thu from Ho Chi Minh City, holding 10,000 steel shares, planned to sell off to make some profit in the session on 10 March. However, because she could not access her account, she could not place a sell order. When she finally got in, the stock code she was holding was in a state of over-selling on the floor by more than two million units. Ms. Thu felt very frustrated that she could not sell in time to make a profit, nor could she buy the many shares she wanted to during the day. When she called up the Securities Company, she only received an apology and a promise that it would be fixed in the shortest time possible, while her losses were not even mentioned or considered. In the morning session on 4 March, the TCInvest trading system of Techcombank Securities (TCBS) also failed to make investors place buy and sell orders. Immediately after this incident, TCBS announced to give customers transaction fee revenue for three sessions, namely, 4 March to 8 March. Thus, customers trading shares on TCInvest system only had to pay 0.03% of the transaction value, which is the fee as per regulations on HoSE and HNX. However, this is not the first time TCBS has had network problems. In 2020, TCBS also had a similar problem and had a policy of not charging transaction fees for three days to compensate investors. The above incidents have become increasingly common and are no longer a rare phenomenon. Previously, many securities companies had problems with similar trading systems which caused frustration for investors such as for Saigon Securities (SSI); FPT Securities (FPTS); VPBank Securities (VPS); and VNDirect Securities (VND). In the HoSE trading system, there is often overload, and many securities argue that the fault lies with HoSE, not the securities companies. Many concerns Mr. Dinh Tien Dung, Finance Minister, held a meeting last week with related parties and FPT Corporation (FPT) to find a solution to the network congestion problems on HoSE. At the meeting, a few solutions offered by the Minister seemed quite suitable with FPT's point of view, which now will be analysed and evaluated by related parties. Accordingly, the solution of applying a software system on the HNX to the transaction system at HoSE is completely feasible and will take three to four months to deploy and complete before it can handle the congestion in securities transactions. Mr. Dinh Tien Dung requested related units under the Ministry of Finance and HoSE to actively coordinate with FPT to implement the above plan to resolve network congestion. In the immediate future, there is no proposal to increase the minimum trading lot to 1,000, but it is being encouraged to convert some shares from HoSE to HNX voluntarily, in order to reduce the load on HoSE, ensuring safe operation on the trading system. The fact that the Ministry of Finance found a solution to resolve the congestion on HoSE made investors very excited. This joy was partly reflected in the stock market session on 10 March. In this session, VN Index suddenly rebounded more than 8 points and successfully re-established the level of 1,170 points. However, there are still concerns about processing time which is too long, and whether FPT will overcome the congestion when FPTS, which is a member of FPT, also continues to have this problem. On his personal page, Mr. Nguyen Duy Hung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SSI, expressed concern about the solvency of HoSE. Temporary solution Recently, a former leader of SSC proposed a solution to temporarily use the HNX system while waiting to fix the HoSE system. Accordingly, HoSE only needs to set up a separate table and then calculate the index, as the amplitude of the floor is 7 percent. With the existing system, the HNX will supervise the replacement of HoSE, and also accept the listing and standards of HoSE by setting up own board or even calling the HoSE stock exchange. Particularly, HoSE plans to increase the system processing capacity till experts come to work, but Vietnam cannot intervene, because this is a Thai technology system. The congestion order must be handled very urgently first and then account for repairing the old system and put into use the new system. In order to quickly have a new transaction system, it is advisable to assign private individuals to buy to shorten the buying replacement time according to the State mechanism. As for the system software, it would be feasible if FPT used the software previously written for the HNX. Responding to the call of the Ministry of Finance and the SSC, many listed companies on HoSE are planning to switch to HNX such as BIDV Securities (BSC); VNDirect Securities (VND); and members of PAN Group. According to Mr. Do Ngoc Quynh, General Director of VNDirect Securities, joining hands with the authorities in dealing with system overload incidents is both the right and the responsibility of market members, especially as Securities Companies are organizations that provide services and do business directly on the stock market. The temporary switch to HNX during this period not only means protecting the interests of shareholders and investors but also showing a sense of responsibility, working together with management agencies to handle the overload problem in HoSE and to bring common benefit to the whole market. Kim Giang Dozens of countries have already registered for the leading tourism expo, IMTM 2021 - International Mediterranean Tourism Market - to be held this year physically and, for the first time virtually as well. Eyal Shmueli, one of the founders of the conference, said: For an entire year, Covid-19 has shut down the economy and tourism in particular. We are the first to hold a virtual tourism expo and this June, also a physical expo, which are expected to revive the industry. All forecasts show tourism getting back into full swing in June, and senior players in the local and international industry will conclude their first deals at the expo. IMTM 2021 is now holding a virtual tourism expo with dozens of countries to facilitate meetings and relationships between Israel and countries of the world. The expo will last through June 16 as with the vaccine drive, the organizers have announced now that the physical conference will be held at Expo Tel Aviv from June 15-16, 2021. Hundreds of people and dozens of countries from around the world will participate in the expo, including Dubai and Morocco, which look forward to presenting the innovations and new attractions that will capture the hearts of Israelis. According to the latest figures from the World Tourism Organization, between January and October 2020, there was a drastic tourism decline of 900 million tourists worldwide, compared to the corresponding period in 2019. This downward trend came with losses of $945 billion in revenues from international tourism, 10 times the figure in the economic crisis of 2009. However, encouraging data presented by Bank of America indicate recovery of the aviation industry thanks to the vaccines and as a direct result, recovery of tourism as well, which is expected to come in June as summer vacation begins. The tourism expo, in which businesspeople, hotel owners and aviation companies will participate, is expected to be a key milestone in getting the tourism industry back to normal. To quickly and rapidly promote the international connections between Israel and the world, as well as business relationships in Israel, conference exhibitors are now already able to begin early meeting virtually and to conclude some of the important deals in preparation for the summer. The virtual expo will run through June 15, 2021. The expo is being held by Ortra Ltd. and Israel Travel News, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism and sponsored by the Israel Hotel Association, Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association, Tel Aviv-Jaffa Tourism Association, El Al and Israel Association of Travel Agencies and Consultants. The expo is designed for anyone engaged in the various sectors of the tourism industry - domestic tourism, incoming tourism and tourism players from overseas. A wide variety of Israeli exhibitors participate each year: tourism associations from around the country, airlines, hotels, car rental companies, shipping companies, service providers and tourism attractions of various types. The exhibition includes meetings and professional conferences along with a program for invited agents, as part of which hundreds of decision-makers from around the world who market Israel as a tourist destination attend. TradeArabia News Service A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet crashed at a Florida base on Monday and ended up nose down on the runway after an emergency landing. The F-22, which costs an estimated $150 million, crashed at Eglin Air Force Base at around 3.30pm on Monday. The Air Force said the jet experienced an emergency during landing, describing the incident as a 'ground mishap'. The pilot was taken to the base's flight medical facility for evaluation - it is not clear whether they suffered any injuries as a result of the crash. The F-22 was pictured with its nose touching the runway with the canopy open as crew members worked on repairing the jet in the evening. A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet crashed at a Florida base on Monday and ended up nose down on the runway after an emergency landing The F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet similar to the one shown here crashed at Eglin Air Force Base at around 3.30pm on Monday Fire crews had rushed onto the runway as soon as the crash occurred, according to the base. 'An F-22 Raptor, assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing, experienced a ground mishap on the flightline here at approximately 3.30pm on March 15,' said a statement from the base. 'The F-22 experienced an emergency during landing, but landed safely. There was one person on board. 'Fire crews responded immediately and the pilot was transported to flight medicine for an evaluation.' The base added that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 'mishap' is underway. Eglin Air Force Base is located in northern Florida, about 40 miles east of Pensacol The F-22 was part of the 325th Fighter Wing, which is based at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City. But after Hurricane Michael hit Tyndall in 2018 and left the base in ruins, one of the wing's F-22 squadrons has been using the Eglin Air Force Base in northern Florida, about 40 miles east of Pensacola. The sprawling Eglin reservation covers hundreds of thousands of acres across Northwest Florida, USA Today reports. The Florida Air Force base has been no stranger to expensive crashes. On 19 May 2020, a F-35 stealth fighter jet crashed at the base just days after a F-22 crashed at the same airfield. A F-35 stealth fighter jet similar to the one shown here crashed at Eglin Air Force base on 19 May 2020. The pilot successfully ejected from the plane and is in a stable condition The pilot of the fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II ejected successfully from the jet and was taken to a local hospital but was in a stable condition. Four days earlier, another pilot successfully ejected from a F-22 Raptor fighter jet that crashed during a training flight at the Eglin Air Force Base. The crash took place northeast of the base on a training range, and there was no damage to people or property when the jet hit the ground, the Air Force says. No explanation was given for the crash. The F-22 was part of the 325th Fighter Wing, which is based at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City. But after Hurricane Michael hit Tyndall in 2018 and left the base in ruins (pictured), one of the wing's F-22 squadrons has been using the Eglin Air Force Base The pilot was taken to the Eglin base hospital for observation. He was in stable condition in the company of friends and family. Prior accidents in 2004, 2009 and 2010 destroyed three F-22s, while other jets were taken out of service due to old age of the airframes. Each F-22 costs about $150million and the overall cost to develop, produce and upgrade the fighter jets was $67billion. The jets were built between the mid-1990s and December 2011. Defense officials decided not to reorder the Raptors, leaving the Air Force to start acquiring F-15s from Boeing in 2020, after a 16-year break. F-22s are considered so top secret that all of its cockpit instruments and displays are classified, so no photos of its interior have been confirmed. Unlike other fighter jets, US officials banned the sale of F-22s to other countries, including allies, in 1998, as a way to prevent the stealth technology from being obtained by Russia and China. Karabakh's new State Minister Artak Beglaryan on his appointment and future activities Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani representatives hold consultations in Moscow 2 Armenian soldiers receive slight injuries after incident with Azerbaijani servicemen in Armenia's Gegharkunik Armenian boy weighing 5 kg born at Goris Medical Center "Armenia" bloc representative presents purpose of participation in elections and plans Isaac Herzog elected President of Israel Rouhani: Main issues between Tehran, Washington resolved in Vienna Charles Michel calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume constructive negotiations US Department of State responds to Pashinyan's proposal to deploy international observers on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Head of Armenia 2nd President's Office: Robert Kocharyan's public meetings are held in warm atmosphere Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representative on photos and videos showing bags of deceased servicemen's bodies Armenia Ombudsman, AGBU President discuss war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during Karabakh war Opposition "Armenia" bloc's representatives to hold briefings three times a week Opposition "Armenia" bloc member: Blood-freezing photos and videos from morgue in Abovyan are authorities' reflection Yerevan mayor receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Prosecutor General's Office launches case regarding leaving sacs of servicemen's bodies/remains in basement Peskov: Putin and Biden to discuss cybersecurity issues Armenia's Pashinyan meets with Belgian PM Alexander De Croo Armenia acting MOD receives Netherlands Ambassador Armenia Police: 3 citizens apprehended during protest demanding acting health minister's resignation Armenia economic competition protection commission: Experts forecast inflation of butter prices Armenia citizens' protest against acting health minister is over Pashinyan visits France, judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku, Jun. 2 digest Armenian Ambassador, FMO representatives consider opportunities for expansion of cooperation in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General is on working visit to Russia Armenia acting PM meets with European Council President in Brussels Armenia citizens throw polyethylene bags at Health Ministry building, police apprehend protesters Acting deputy minister: Armenia authorities plan to build 46km section of North-South highway in 2021 Dollar is stable in Armenia Armenia official: Large number of projects being prepared in construction sector Identity of man killed Wednesday morning in downtown Yerevan is found out Armenian lawyer: Azerbaijan poses a threat to security in Europe Deputy economy minister: There are signs of rapid tourism recovery in Armenia Azerbaijan grossly violating 2 Armenian POWs rights, says international law expert Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani defense ministry disseminated disinformation about 40 Armenian soldiers crossing border Armenian Republican Party: It's possible to restore borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with Lachin corridor Missing Armenian soldiers' relatives hand letter to Russia Embassy with request to solve captives' issue Georgia Internal Affairs Ministry reveals international narco crime, narcotic drugs were sent from Armenia Advisor to Armenia Ombudsman: Azerbaijan brought up generation of Armenophobic Azerbaijanis and is proud of this Armenian advocate: Azerbaijan is creepily expanding towards Armenia Armenian acting minister: Armenia has potential to introduce major changes in high technology sector Armenia 2nd President: Authorities put country's future in jeopardy with their actions Man killed in downtown Yerevan is bodyguard of "criminal authority" Construction of Eternity Square launched by Tovmasyan Foundation begins in Armenia Armenia deputy police chief refuses to comment on murder in Yerevan at daytime Acting finance minister: Armenia state employees were paid AMD 22bn in bonuses in 2020 Missing soldiers relatives stage picket outside Russia embassy in Armenia Acting minister: Armenia high-tech ministry for first time received military development budget in 2020 Armenia President to pay working visit to Kazakhstan Several Artsakh roads to be improved this year Judicial farce against Armenian POWs kicks off in Baku Armenia ex-President Kocharyan: We will give such pace in terms of jobs that we will look for good professionals Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let railway be opened but using the word "corridor" is outright crime Armenia legislature, government reduce expenses for bonus pays, business trips Netherlands acting FM: Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan must be released immediately BSTDB Provides EUR 23 million Loan to Ameriabank to Boost SME Financing in Armenia EU envoy to Armenia visits Meghri Murder takes place in downtown Yerevan 92 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices continue to be on the rise Paris mayor to visit Yerevan in October Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Gyumri: I said 'If nothing changed second time I come, they will beat me here Acting premier meets with Armenian community in France Armenia parliament committees continue discussion on 2020 state budget report Iran navy ship catches fire in Persian Gulf US man commits suicide live on Instagram after police chase Newspaper: What is situation at Sev Lake area of Armenia? Newspaper: What instructions did Armenia acting defense minister get in Moscow? Israel removes many coronavirus restrictions Armenia acting PM arrives in Belgium Emmanuel Macron: The Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenias sovereign territory Armenia 3rd President on authorities and the upcoming elections Armenia 3rd President reacts to photos of bodies of soldiers in freezer: It felt like the blood froze in my veins Armenia Ombudsman addresses OSCE officials in regard to Ilham Aliyev's Armenophobic statements Turkey's Erdogan expresses willingness to support Georgia-Azerbaijan-Armenia trilateral cooperation Armenia acting MOD visits Border Guards Department of Russia Federal Security Service French-Armenians hold protest against Armenia acting PM's visit to France Karabakh ex-Ombudsman appointed State Minister Rapid reaction service set up ahead of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Armenia has new ambassador to Ukraine OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are ready to visit the Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia President appoints judges Wargonzo: Russian MOD is dealing with settlement of conflict in Armenia's Syunik Province on a daily basis Armenia police encircle stage placed at Republic Square (PHOTO) Yerkir.am: ARF-D Bureau member: Armenia acting PM ignored Macron's phone calls on November 9, 2020 7 EU countries start issuing vaccination certificates Latest on scandal over improper storage of Armenian soldiers bodies, more on COVID-19, Jun. 1 Armenia Constitutional Court launches case proceedings based on President's application Armenia acting emergency situations minister says he's concerned about situation in army Armenia acting education, science, culture and sport minister receives ICRC Delegation Armenia ex-President Sargsyan nephew acquitted Armenia deputy police chief: No real cases of vote-buying reported to date Armenia human rights activists: Nearly 10 protesters detained during protest in front of government building Audit Chamber director: About half of Armenia state agencies, institutions were not audited in 2020 Robert Kocharyan: Acting PM is an unsuccessful, political Lilliput Armenia 2nd President: Authorities shamelessly deceived people throughout the 44-day war Acting emergency situations minister: Armenia's Seismic Protection Service is the best in the region Dollar gains value in Armenia Macron: France will work towards restoration of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Richard Ferrand: France stands with Armenia